The most entertaining team in college football

Last season the University of Washington Huskies football team went 0-12 and were truly terrible. This year they are 3-4 and playing well at times. More importantly, however, they are easily the most enjoyable and unpredictable football team in the entire country. Highlights so far include:

• Beating USC 16-13 on a last second field goal. At the time, USC was ranked #3 in the country. (Click here for video.)
• Losing to Notre Dame 37-30 in overtime. The Huskies should have won this game in regulation, but they failed to score late to put Notre Dame away.
• Beating Arizona 36-33 on a late-game interception return for a touchdown. On the interception, the ball ricocheted off the wide receiver's foot and into the arms of the UW's Mason Foster (see photo above). (Click here for video.)
• Losing to Arizona State 24-17 on a last second touchdown pass after failing to run out the clock and force overtime. (Click here for video.)

The Huskies still have five more Pac-Ten games left, all of which should be exciting. It is even possible that they might get invited to a post-season bowl game.

Above: The UW in action against Arizona State

Below: The UW band

What I have been reading lately #30

Hero of the Underground by Jason Peter with Tony O'Neill

Jason Peter was an All-American defensive lineman for the University of Nebraska during the 1990s. From there, he went on to play for the Carolina Panthers. His career, however, was cut short by injuries, and he quickly sank into the world of drug abuse. This book tells about his years spent abusing drugs and then finally recovering.

Interesting facts about this book:

• On the cover it says, "My journey down to heroin-- and back". It probably should read, "My journey from prescription painkillers to cocaine to crack cocaine to heroin (with a little crystal meth as well)-- and back". Maybe there wasn't room to put all that, or maybe the publishers just thought heroin sounded the scariest, but I think the jacket blurb misrepresents the book.
• Jason Peter has very strong views on different treatment options, mostly quite negative. He is especially annoyed at psychologists, group meetings, 12 step programs, religion, and treating addiction as a disease.
• Jason Peter also has very, very unpleasant things to say about former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz, specifically about how Lou Holtz treated Peter's younger brother.
• Reading about people's completely deranged drug binges and then futile efforts to quit can actually be sort of boring after awhile. I still liked the book, however.