Rutgers football Gameday!

On the road for the last road game of the season in Bloomington Indiana today with a noon kickoff as the Scarlet Knights look DOWN at the Hoosiers in the B1G East standings.

What's that? There are TWO teams below Rutgers in the B1G East right now? It's true, a very strong second half of the season shows RU ahead of both the Hoosiers and Maryland. A win today would assure the Scarlet Knights of no less than 5th in the loaded East. Who among you had RU coming in right behind the Murderer's Row of Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan and Pedd State? Maryland and Indiana, who are they?

OK, let's not get too cocky but it's fun to even jest about these matter this late into November.

Indiana comes into the game in last place at 1-6 in B1G conference play. Wait a second, it's around here somewhere...

So, Indiana comes into today in last place in B1G conference play as the offensive juggernaut of the last few seasons never materialized. Can Rutgers keep it good and hibernated for another week?

That's why Johnny's writes these things.

First off, records aside, Johnny thinks this one will be close. Rutgers gives about about as many points as IU averages. The Hoosier defense gives up a tad more scoring than Rutgers. So our key to success? The same way they beat Illinois and Purdue, KISS, Keep.It.Simple.Stupid. Run the ball. RU averages around 166 yards a game on terra firma and will most likely need something close today. At Michigan State the mantra when the ground game is going well is, "Pound Green Pound" and if RU can get a "Pound Red Pound" today and control the clock they'll at least be in the game with better than a 50/50 chance to win. Indiana gives up a stingy 150+ on the ground so effort and lack of holding or false start penalties will be needed. Johnny's actual game key today for the Scarlet Knights is penalties. Composure on the road for a young growing team is vital.

If there ever was a time for Chris Ash to play the 'no respect' card it is today. Huddled away in a dump of a locker room in Bloomington Ash can point out despite being two games ahead of IU in the standings they are 10.5 point underdogs. The ESPN Matchup Predictor has IU at 76% likely to win today. Win today, and hope for the best vs Sparty next week in Piscataway and this season, this expected moribund season could end at 6-6. Could, might, maybe. All those words start today.

Fearless Forecast
Rutgers 30
Indiana 25

Late night open thread

Too soon?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS

Johnny has always loved this song as it was always a reach back to The Clash and The Sex Pistols and The Ramones with that fast three chord power song about not giving a fuck. As the studios and radios were bringing New Wave to the masses this Joan Jett rocker always made Johnny happy.

'Bad Reputation' kicking things off right tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NEKO CASE!

Johnny has spent the better part of his musical adult life hearing about how Jim Morrison is considered a well thought of poet. Books have been written about said. Johnny has no reason to quibble, he loves The Doors and has almost all their music and does indeed think Jimmeh wrote at a level many simply can't.

So what does that make Neko Case? Poet Laureate of Rock and Roll Alt or otherwise? This woman writes songs on a plane almost unheard of and when you set it to her multi-layered musical vision there are few who can match this level of music making. Enjoy the show.

'Prison Girls' from the Middle Cyclone album, a staple in any proper music libarry.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE FARM!

Tonight in that 33rpm getting you on your way to the clubs and parties and couches in and around Jersey City, it's The Farm and 'Groovy Train' which is not run by NJ Transit.

Late night open thread

It was 40 years go today that Saturday Night Fever burst onto the scene bringing with it disco, three piece suits and light up dance floors. Know this, Johnny was a real punk, not of the space variety yet and had very little time for the scourge of disco music. But if nothing else this blog is a celebration of music and even if it's not his style that movie and soundtrack were giant in the culture at the time and since, plus Mrs. Johnny loves it. For the first and last tie here, it's The Bee Gees and 'Stayin' Alive' of which the original chorus in those high pitched voices was to be "New York, New Yooooork"

FACT

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Welcome you are Jersey City

Johnny working on his Yoda this morning...

When you speak of Johnny, do speak well; The failed EV parking program that encompasses the block between Marin & Provost on First St. has now turned most of those EV spots over to actual parking people actually use. With the parking crunch downtown from all the construction, residents have been forced into 'streets away from home parking.' It made no good sense to take an entire block of prime city parking, you know, the kind that pays the city back with permits and fines, and turn it over as part of Shuster's abatement "giveback" for the Art House and Jokeman. Johnny railed on this ridiculous plan from the hop. He did his research on how many EV's were sold in Hudson and Essex counties that might just need to come park on a one block section of First St. in downtown Jersey City, and not all that easy to get to. Just about the only cars seen charging were owned by Maven, the company that partnered with General Motors on the chargers. Johnny wondered that almost every time he sent his research to the city and showed how poor the plan was he'd see Maven cars charging over the next couple days. This idea comes straight from the playbook that if a McDonalds isn't selling enough cheeseburgers at a location Ronald McDonald comes in and buys 100 to get the numbers up.

Time and time again Johnny posted pictures and showed councilwoman Candice Osborne as well as Rolando Lavarro, council president, of an empty street that could certainly be used. Since this wasn't any kind of 'We'll do this for one year and see how it goes program' rather than just a bad idea for an abatement give back we're going to go ahead and say the squeaky wheel gets the grease and Jersey City gets some badly needed parking back.

The UCLA basketball team can thank Johnny now.

Late night open thread

I wanted to buy a candle holder, but the store didn't have one. So I got a cake.
 -- Mitch Hedberg

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Somebody help a Johnny out

Johnny is all about these painted black and white cats and kitteh paws everywhere but can someone help out if you know and help Johnny know what it's all about Alfie?

Thanks in advance.

Late night open thread

Pizza's here!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark