- The Winter Classic went off without a hitch: The most important part of the NHL’s annual outdoor game on January 1 is that it gets completed with the requisite amount of spectacle and no major injuries. Both things happened (or didn’t happen) perfectly yesterday as the Washington Capitals beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on a crisp, sunny day in Washington D.C.
Line: No matter how many times I see it, there’s still something special and cool about seeing an NHL game played outdoors. - Stampeding Ducks trample Florida State: The first of the two college football semifinal games yesterday was a lopsided affair. The Oregon Ducks beat the Florida State Seminoles 59-20 in the Rose Bowl. Since the game was set up as a classic matchup of good (Oregon) vs. evil (Florida State), mostly everyone was happy with the outcome. I would even say that the reaction to quarterback Jameis Winston’s and Florida State’s dismantling on the internet could be described as gleeful.
Line: Getting blown out by Oregon is a fitting end for Florida State. Good riddance. - Sugar Bowl upset: The other college football semifinal game was the Sugar Bowl in Louisiana between Ohio State and Alabama. Alabama was favored in the game, having won the national championship recently and because they play in what is widely considered the best conference in the country, the SEC. Ohio State, playing with their third string quarterback, upset Alabama 42-35. This means that Ohio State will move on to play Oregon in the finals on January 12. The SEC has been so dominant that this is the first time in nine years the conference won’t have a team in the National Championship game. Most people think the move from a single national championship game to a four team playoff has made things more fair, but it’s also made things slightly more random. Alabama might be a better team but that doesn’t mean they will always beat a slightly worse team, like we just saw.
Line: Great win for Ohio State, but no SEC team in the finals…? I guess having a playoff is more fun but it’s not necessarily more fair.
What happened on Thursday, Jan 1, 2015?
