Apple Watch 2: All the rumors about the specs, features and price of Apple"s ...

Apple Watch — Guided Tour: Welcome

In April 2015, the Apple Watch finally became available for sale. It became, simultaneously, one of the finest smartwatches in the land and, at least according to the perception in some quarters, a relative disappointment for the company.

Why the ambivalence? Apple hasn"t released sales figures, but it hardly seems like a flop -- IDC ranks it second in the wearables market, behind only Fitbit, which has sold more than 20 million of its namesake devices. Any other company would be celebrating that as a breakout freshman product. But this is Apple, after all. You know, the company that sold roughly 75 million iPhones in the first quarter of 2015.

Still, wearables appear to be a market poised for big time growth and, as such, sustained attention from Cupertino. In October, Apple updated its Apple Watch software to let apps run on the watch itself instead of working as iPhone extensions, mitigating the absolute interdependence of the initial scenario. The second version of the Watch OS also features new watch faces, improved third-party apps and better overall performance.

But those improvements were ultimately incremental. And in the meantime, the Watch has seen some fairly meaty price cuts at mainstream retailers like Best Buy.

We expect the introduction of the second-generation Apple Watch to come sometime in 2016. In the interim, we will count the minutes, obsessively glancing at our wrists for news, all the while curating the most interesting predictions, best guesses and rumors about what the future holds.

Announcement and release dates

Though no official invitations have been made yet, Apple"s next big event is rumored to be scheduled for this coming March. Given that the original Apple Watch would be coming up on its first birthday in April 2016, it"s likely that such an event would be focused on its successor. (There are murmurs that such an event could include the introduction of a new iPhone -- perhaps the rumored 6c -- as well as a possible iPad Air 3.)

In terms of timing, multiple reports have cited the accidental disclosure made by one of Apple"s suppliers suggesting that the Watch 2 may be slated for a Q2 release; Quanta Computer chairman Brian Lam also remarked that mass production of the device would not start until the third quarter of 2016. Of course, without any official indication one way or another, there are others pointing to a debut later in the year, in the spring or summer.

What"s new and different about the 2016 Apple Watch?

One widely reported rumor out of South Korea, first sourced by gforgames.com, predicts that the Apple Watch 2"s form factor won"t diverge much, if at all, from the original"s rectangular, iPod Nano-ish essence. And perhaps that"s for the best. According to CNET"s Scott Stein, "in terms of craftsmanship, there isn"t a more elegantly made piece of wearable tech" than the Apple Watch.

Certainly, many folks are hoping for better battery life. With the first generation Apple Watch, even moderate use can burn down the battery in less than 24 hours. In fact, one of the earliest Apple Watch 2 rumors to surface, back in July, characterized LG and Samsung as working to produce a thinner OLED display for the second-generation model, which would allow for a larger battery in a similarly sized device.

And though Apple has sometimes sacrificed functionality for best-in-class aesthetics -- the merely adequate battery life of the iPhone 6 and 6S would serve as one example -- it seems unlikely that Apple would want to deliver another Watch equipped with anything less than 24 hours worth of run time. Especially with competitors like the Pebble Time Steel capable of going more than a week between charges.

There is speculation that Apple could add a camera to the Watch 2. According to 9to5mac.com, the company is considering building a camera into the top bezel, ostensibly enabling users to FaceTime via the device. The debut of Watch OS 2 has already made it possible to pick up or hang up calls using the watch"s controls.

Another fertile area for functionality enhancement would be the watch"s capabilities when not connected to an iPhone. Still, today"s Apple Watch independent capabilities -- activity tracking, music playback, and mobile payments -- don"t extend fully into messaging, making it still feel like a tethered product. Though the recent Watch OS 2 update has improved the situation, a second-generation model could include integrated wireless capabilities to enable more functionality independent of an iPhone.

Apple"s Tim Cook

James Martin

Other possibilities being discussed include the ability to track sleep and smart straps that would include extra sensors for tracking fitness. In fact, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted in an interview last month that the company could build "something adjacent to the watch" that would be more medically focused and would require US Food and Drug Administration approval. That could be an app, he said, or "something else."

The original Apple Watch was priced along a rather remarkable spectrum, starting at $349 and soaring to $17,000. But could those aforementioned pre-Christmas price drops be a trial balloon for a new pricing strategy in 2016? Or are retailers merely clearing "old" first-gen inventory in anticipation of a new device in as little as 90 days? Time will tell.

Scroll down for a reverse-chronological look at the latest rumors.

December 16, 2015Apple to add polish, not product lines, in 2016

The tech giant likely will update its current gear, but don"t hold your breath for a car.

December 11, 2015Apple Watch 2 rumors and Apple"s live TV service is put "on hold"

If Apple"s live TV service doesn"t launch in 2016 it will be a major fail. We"ll be as nice as possible when we talk about that iPhone Smart Battery Case, and we talk MacBooks.

December 8, 2015Want an Apple Watch? Try Best Buy to save $100

Best Buy is shaving $100 off the price of an Apple Watch, but only through the holidays.

December 3, 2015Apple hot on Fitbit"s heels as global wearable sales soar

Wearables sales are booming, with Fitbit and Apple leading the way and Chinese companies not far behind.

Source: http://www.cnet.com/au/products/apple-watch-2/

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A Christmas Rockets Roundtable: Trade rumors, playoff chances and James Harden ...

James Harden Breaks Jeremy Lin"s Ankles

Merry Christmas! Enjoy our airing of grievances against a frustrating Rockets team.

It"s just over the one-third market of the NBA season. The Rockets now sit at an uninspiring 15-15, and, aswe"ve gone over before, the hard part of their schedule has not even begun.

The trade winds around the league are all swirling around Houston, since no one knows if the Rockets will be buyers, sellers, who they"re willing to part with and what is going on with the Dwight Howard situation. Ty Lawson, Terrence Jones, Corey Brewer and others could very well be on the move. Or none of them.

No one person can make sense of the Rockets this year. For Christmas, the TDS family gathered around the virtual fire to hash it out, just like your dysfunctional family.

What"s been the biggest problem other than the general lack of effort?

AK2themax: A complete lack of offensive sets. As in, if you told me that Houston didn"t have any offensive sets coming into the year, I would believe you. The league continues to prove that there are two ways to run an elite offense. You can either run the system that the Spurs use, which requires years of fine-tuning and the correct personnel in terms of ability and demeanor. Or you can run your offense through one player and surround them with shooters and rim finishers. Houston is firmly in the second camp, but in years pastm there was actually off-ball movement when Harden drove. Now, the offense has turned into: try to do stuff for a few seconds, give up, give the ball to James, and then stare at him unless he passes to you. In which case, you panic.

Darren Yuvan: The problem has been two-fold. Defense is the first major issue, though that is likely a function of lack of effort, being that we know the players on this team are mostly capable defenders when they want to be. We"ve seen it. The Rockets gave up 100.5 points per game last season with largely the same group of players. That"s slipped to 106 points per game this year, which is dead last in the NBA.

The second is the failure to get Dwight Howard more involved. The Rockets have a second superstar for a reason. There"s no excuse for Howard averaging 8 shots per night. The man is getting paid $23 million this year, and the Rockets need to utilize him like it. We saw some great glimpses inSaturdaynight"s come-alive game against the Clippers. More of that, please. Hopefully, the Rockets and Dwight continue to use the current negative rumor talk as a motivator. All of the outside chatter goes away if the team starts winning again. It"s really that simple.

Eric Nielsen: Chemistry. Many variables have changed from last year"s success: injuries over the summer, the Rockets dumping McHale, the Harden adidas contract, a Kardashian and the integration of Lawson. The Rockets can"t seem to muster the magic of last season. Everything went the Rockets" way last year and this group may have peaked, going to the WCF, last year.

Ethan Rothstein: It"s a mix of lack of preseason preparation and defensive intensity. James Harden has reverted to his ball-watching ways on that end, Corey Brewer has been a train wreck and, until Clint Capela was inserted into the starting lineup, there was no one on the floor to help Dwight Howard who has clearly lost a step at the rim. The defense has stepped up, but it"s not even close to the level it needs to be, or was last year.

Do you want to see a trade?

AK:Not really. This team has everything it needs to contend in terms of talent. Would a dead-eye shooter help? Sure, but where would that hypothetical guy play? If the Rockets acquired Kyle Korver today the team would have to play small-ball almost exclusively to use him. Furthermore, how could he play with James Harden defensively? Before I continue answering this question with a question (or three), I"ll just finish by saying that Houston is 2-deep at every position and obtaining some other player at the expense of one of those guys might not change the team for the better.

Darren: I do think a trade is needed. The Rockets desperately need another shooter, and they have some players of value they can move. Ty Lawson, Terrence Jones and Corey Brewer all have the potential to be traded, either individually or in a package. A top shooter like Ryan Anderson would be a great fit coming off the bench for these Rockets, and with a workable $8.5 million contract, I"d love to see if Daryl Morey could get something done.

I also think, contrary to what we"re hearing inside the Rockets organization, Dwight Howard could be moved near the deadline if the Rockets continue to struggle. There"s no reason to lose him for nothing if the team isn"t going anywhere.

Eric: I"d like to see the Rockets start stockpiling picks again to make a run at a franchise player. Knowing Morey, the number of players in their contract year and the struggles this team has had, I expect some trades. If we don"t make some trades, we"ll get nothing in return for valuable assets. But, I"m pessimistic that any trades made this year will assist in a deep playoff run.

Ethan: No. None of the options out there seem all that appealing. The Rockets have enough chemistry problems without adding Markieff Morris, Ryan Anderson just makes their defense worse, and Hassan Whiteside, Al Horford and Brook Lopez are all free agents after this year, and they"re all worse than Dwight Howard. Maybe dumping Ty Lawson on someone would be addition by subtraction, but considering all trades the Rockets make have to match salary, it just doesn"t seem likely that Rockets fans would be pleased with any deal Morey makes at this point.

How could we have been so wrong about this team?

AK2themax:Because on paper it doesn"t say anything about heart. If you looked at the roster and the success of last season, you would have been a fool to think the Rockets weren"t better than they were last year. And remember, they were REALLY good last season. That was more playoff experience for James Harden as a leader of a team. It was more playoff coaching experience for Kevin McHale. It was more continuity and chemistry that everyone (read: Mark Cuban) said Houston didn"t have last season. They accomplished so much without their starting point guard and power forward so getting them back meant addition by addition.I think we didn"t consider that Corey Brewer couldn"t make any of the crazy lay-ups that he never missed last year. I"m surewe didn"t consider Ty Lawson would be a complete bust. And I know we didn"t think the team would start the season shooting as poorly as they did. The first quarter of the season can be summed up by their general lack of effort and an inability to dothe things that made them great last year, like making timely shots and defending at a high level.

Darren: Well, last season was not a fluke; we know this team has talent. But maybe last year"s postseason run was the peak for this general group of guys? As good as they were last year, even then it seemed they had another possible gear that they weren"t always utilizing. It always felt like we saw glimpses of what this teamcould be, just never for an extended enough period of time, even then. The thought was that they would get there, they just needed more time together. And this was thought to be the season they put it all together. It"s almost time to start considering that maybe last year"s Rockets, as they stood after the epic comeback versus the Clippers a very good, but flawed team was the best version of this group we"d see. The ancillary pieces haven"t meshed like they were supposed to, and it may be time to reconfigure around Harden.

Eric: Our expectations were so high because of last year. Harden had a career year that is proving difficult to match. The Spurs added LaMarcus Aldridge, the Warriors stepped it up even more from last year, the Thunder got Durant back and the Clippers, Grizzlies and Mavericks are playing at their normal levels. The Rockets are more fickle and fragile than these other franchises, so they are annually challenged to show they are a stable and steady front runner.

Ethan: No one was wronger than I, having picked them to win the title and be the No. 2 seed in the West again. It"s clear that James Harden"s eventful summer affected him. He was in almost unbelievable shape last year, playing b***s out on both ends of the court every night. It"s kind of crazy to have assumed he"d do it again, but he lost so much energy for defense. There were warning signs Khloe, the adidas contract and the preseason injury bug but we were too blinded with optimism to see them.

Do the Rockets have a big run in them?

AK2themax: I can see it happening, but there"s no way that run would be big enough to make me go, "The Rockets could totally play with Golden State or San Antonio in a seven-game series where they don"t have homecourt advantage." Because that"s who you"re chasing if you"re the NBA right now. The playoffs are coming down to the Western Conference Finals between the Spurs and Warriors, with Cleveland likely the roadkill that those teams would get in the Finals. Even with a run, I don"t see Houston entering that discussion, especially with the impossibility of homecourt advantage in the second and third rounds. Basically, I think the version of the Rockets were are seeing (winning two-thirds of their games against inferior teams) is as good as this team really is, and so even a "run" wouldn"t make them anything other than first round fodder. Now excuse me while I take a depression questionnaire.

Darren: They have a run in them. How big it actually is is another story. The West isn"t nearly the top-to-bottom juggernaut it"s been in year"s past, so even if the team plays mediocre ball from here on out, it looks like they could still sneak into the playoffs as a low seed this season. But the gap between the Rockets and the Warriors and Spurs is more like a chasm, and I have my serious doubts if this team, as currently assembled, can improve enough to be competitive with either of those squads in a postseason series. It"s certainly not impossible, but it"s a very, very long climb from where they stand right now today.

Eric:There is a good chance. This team proved last year that when it"s all clicking and the ball is going in the hole, they ramp up their effort and defensive intensity. There is a lot of season left, although the schedule getsimmenselymore difficult. D-Mo is providing some stability; J.B.is scratching hard to push the right buttons and find the right rotations; Lawson is relegated to a roleequivalent to his ability to help the team; and momentum does swing heavy in the NBA.They only sit a few games back from the second tier in the West, so it"s still possible to get home court in the first round of the playoffs.

Ethan: Anything is still possible for this team, except beating the Warriors, it seems. James Harden is second in the league in scoring despite his warts. Dwight Howard has looked more lively of late. Donuts is still working his way back into shape and everyone seems to be building to something. Even Ty Lawson! If I had to guess, I would say this 15-15 team gets to 48-34, the No. 6 seed in the west and a hard-fought, first-round loss to the Thunder.

Source: http://www.thedreamshake.com/2015/12/25/10631026/rockets-roundtable-trade-rumors-james-harden-playoffs

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Minn. Non-Profit Applauds Hollywood"s Effort to Tackle Concussion Issue

Concussion - Official International Trailer

Updated: 12/25/2015 5:14 PM Created: 12/24/2015 8:32 PM KSTP.com Brett Hoffland

Movies are a holiday tradition for many families, and one that"s making its debut on the big screen this holiday season is "Concussion."

With an A-list actor, and the most popular sports league in the country, "Concussion" is once again shaking up the controversial topic of head trauma and football.

"People are standing up and taking notice that concussions matter," Brad Donaldson, Associate Director of Operations with the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance, said.

Donaldson says members of the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance already screened the film.

"A very powerful movie," Donaldson said.

In the flick, we"re introduced to Dr. Omalu, played by actor Will Smith, as the first to identify CTE, as a major contributor to the death of many professional athletes.

But concussions and sports in general are something Donaldson has been addressing for years. In fact, the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance estimates 50,000 sports-related concussions occur in Minnesota annually.

"Concussions have been a concussion for ages. We"re just now doing better at being aware of what a concussion may mean," Donaldson said.

One of the biggest questions parents face today is do you let your child play sports where concussions are prevalent?

"I"m not sure how it"ll change," Donaldson said when asked if the movie will affect the views of parents. "I"m hoping it creates an informed choice."

Whether it takes a bag of popcorn and Hollywood to have an impact on concussion protocol is to be determined, but Donaldson says one thing"s for sure, our country is taking more steps now to fix the problem.

"Hollywood set up and said there"s a point here, there"s something that matters, let"s tell it," Donaldson said.

Dr. Omalu will be in the Twin Cities at the beginning of next year. He"ll share his story on becoming one of the most talked about doctors with sports and medicine.

For more information on February"s event at the Beth El Synagogue here.

Source: http://kstp.com/news/stories/s4001723.shtml

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Leg lamps, BB guns and bunny suits: A "Christmas Story" connection in Jacksonville

Really That Good: A CHRISTMAS STORY

So heres a Christmas story, one in which a young sailor suffers a great disappointment, but after getting a Major Award is encouraged to embark on a new life, one that gives him a way to live Christmas pretty much every day of the year, with the added benefit of having a very good reason to occasionally put on a life-sized pink bunny suit and carry a giant leg lamp the deluxe model with him.

You see, Brian Jones, who now lives in Jacksonville, owns the house in Cleveland where they filmed A Christmas Story, the charmingly ramshackle, nostalgic 1983 movie thats become a Christmas classic . He bought the place on Ebay, for $150,000. Sight unseen.

When he emailed his wife, Beverly, to tell her what hed done, her reply once she figured out he was serious was just one line long.

I dont know whether to laugh or cry.

That was 11 years ago.

The ending to this Christmas story is still being written, all this time later. But signs point to it being a happy one. So go ahead: Laugh away.

YOULL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT

Wayne Jones was a Navy pilot, and thats all his son Brian ever wanted to be as well. So he worked to valedictorian of his high school in Southern California, went to the Naval Academy, majored in aerospace engineering, went to flight school in Pensacola. Where he flunked the eye exam.

He would not fly.

He was crushed, but had little time to feel sorry for himself. He was off to Naval Intelligence school in Virginia.

Back in California, his parents came up with a plan to make him feel better. A plan so crazy it just might work.

They built a leg lamp, using a female mannequin leg, a high heel shoe and a lamp shade they found. They put it in a wooden box, marked it FRAGILE, and sent it to their son. Odd, perhaps, unless you knew how much the Jones family liked A Christmas Story, in which the movies Old Man (Darren McGavin) receives a leg lamp in a box just like that, which he talks himself into believing is a Major Award thats to be highly prized.

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The Jones family had longed loved A Christmas Story, which followed young Ralphie Parker as he dreamed of getting a Red Ryder air rifle for Christmas, despite the adults telling him, Youll shoot your eye out. It suited their sense of humor (irreverent) and was much quoted and much watched.

So upon receiving his homemade leg lamp, Jones did indeed feel better. And he realized something else: People kept telling him how much they liked the leg lamp, being fans of the movie themselves, and how they would actually like to have a leg lamp too.

Hmm, thought Jones. So as his six years in the Navy came to an end, he announced he was going to make leg lamps.

Everybody thought I was a lunatic. What, youre leaving a good-paying job in the Navy to go sell leg lamps?

The first year, he made 500 by himself, out his out of his condo in San Diego. He sold them all. The next year he had 1800 made in China and sold them all too.

He still loved the movie. So in December 2004, he bought the old house where A Christmas Storys exterior shots were filmed (most interior house scenes took place on a soundstage in Toronto). Two days after Christmas in 2004, he flew to Cleveland and saw it for the first time in person.

I thought it was an important piece of Americana, he said. I just wanted to see it saved and preserved. If I could make some sort of business connection out of it, well, lets do it.

After all, if leg lamps were this popular, why not the house too?

A PINK NIGHTMARE

Jones wasnt sure what plans he had for the old place, but he knew his first steps getting rid of the vinyl siding that covered the house, painting it yellow and green as it was in the movie, changing the windows back to the old style.

He studied the movie, frame by frame, and gradually the interior came to look just like the film. The furniture, wallpaper and knick-knacks. The kitchen sink under which the little brother in A Christmas Story went to hide. A bar of Life Buoy soap just like the one Ralphie had to put in his mouth after being caught saying the queen-mother of dirty words.

It turns out that many grown-up fans of the movie like to hide under the sink too. Theyll even put soap in their mouths, leaving bite marks behind.

Jones found that out after he opened the house up to tours, which hed guessed was the best business plan.

The first day of business, he knew he had something special when he saw a blocks-long line out front, with people waiting hours to get in.

A Christmas Story House now draws 60,000 people a year, he said, half of that from Thanksgiving to New Years. The next busiest time is July and August. He has 25 full-time employees, more during the holidays, and still sells leg lamps as well as bunny suits, BB guns and figurines from the movie at his website, achristmasstoryhouse.com.

Jones, 39, spends a lot of time in Cleveland, but he has lived in Jacksonville for more than two years with his wife and their two children, aged 9 and 7. He moved after California raised its income-tax rate, deciding that Jacksonville was the right size and speed for him.

Up in Cleveland, he bought another house across the street for A Christmas Story museum costumes, photos and props, including the latest addition, a Red Ryder BB gun built specially for the film (its left-handed, to accommodate actor Peter Billingsley, who played Ralphie). He also bought a house next to the museum to use as a gift shop.

In all, he figures he has $1.5 million in the project, some of that funded by home equity loans and credit cards.

Its clear the movie, and the house where it was filmed, hit some nostalgic, near-universal nerve.

People thank Jones, all the time, for restoring the house. Fans come back every year. Fans drive many hours to see it. Foreign tourists make detours to get there. One fan told him he watches the movie every night before going to sleep every single night of the year.

Jones figures thats because the story is about growing up. About imperfect, loving families. About looking back on it all, decades later.

Jones, soft-spoken and self-deprecating, relishes his role in all this. It all kind of flows for me. I have a degree in aerospace engineering, did Intelligence in the Navy. Yeah, Ill sell leg lamps.

He has a bit of a showman in him. There are even photos of him up in Ohio, throwing out the first pitch at a baseball game while clad head-to-toe in a pink bunny suit, just like the one poor Ralphie got from his Aunt Clara at Christmas.

Jones can imitate Ralphies dad: He looks like a deranged Easter Bunny. He looks like a pink nightmare!

And when Jones showed up for an interview in Jacksonville, he was happy to bring along his own personal leg lamp, as asked. But unbidden, just in case it was needed, he also brought his giant bunny outfit, and was happy to put it on just to get in the holiday spirit.

After all, as A Christmas Story demonstrates, nothing says Christmas like a leg lamp and a pink bunny suit.

Matt Soergel: (904) 359-4082

Source: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2015-12-24/story/leg-lamps-bb-guns-and-bunny-suits-christmas-story-connection-jackonville

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Consumers Energy gives $25000, gets name on downtown college center entrance

Consumers Energy Rep refuses to show badge- part 2

MUSKEGON, MI Muskegon Community College"s downtown applied technology center has received a $25,000 boost from the Consumers Energy Foundation.

In return, the college is naming the main entrance off of Clay Avenue the "Consumers Energy Atrium."

The college plans to use the gift from the Consumers Energy Foundation to pay for equipment and furnishings for the new center, which will be located in the Muskegon Chronicle"s former building at the corner of Clay and Third Street.

The Consumers Energy Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Consumers Energy. It has provided more than $1 million to Muskegon County organizations in the last decade, said David Mengebier, president of the Consumers Energy Foundation.

"We have been part of Muskegon for more than a century and look forward to many more years of continued involvement and investment," he said.

The downtown applied technology centerwill house numerous labs and classrooms, including basic machining, digital fabrication, welding, CNC simulation, automation, foundry, materials testing and electricity labs. There also will be a metrology area, machining area, pattern shop, finishing room and tool crib along with offices and classrooms.

"By providing its financial support, the Consumers Energy Foundation is participating in the economic resurgence of downtown Muskegon, assisting with the development of local talent to fill the pipeline of skilled workers, and bringing awareness to careers in manufacturing and entrepreneurial studies," said MCC President Dale Nesbary.

The college is offering numerous naming opportunities for the downtown center, from the security office to the various labs to elevator lobbies, and there already are the Alcoa Foundation Automation Lab and Canteen Vending Student Lounge, according to MCC"s brochure on naming opportunities.

The name for the downtown center itself can be had for $1.5 million, according to the naming brochure.

The entrepreneurial center, which will be adjacent to the technology center in the former Masonic Temple building, has already been named the Rooks/Sarnicola Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. Jon Rooks donated the building to the college while Nick and Ashley Sarnicola pledged $200,000 for annual grants to institute graduates.

Among the entrepreneurial center"s features will be a makerspace, digital fabrication lab and youth entrepreneurial space.

The $14.8 million downtown center is expected to open in the late summer/fall of 2017.

Lynn Moore covers education for MLive Muskegon Chronicle. Email her at lmoore8@mlive.comand follow her onTwitterandFacebook.

Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2015/12/consumers_energy_gives_25000_a.html

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Bowling Green ironman heads south in search of GoDaddy Bowl win, sweet tea

2015 MAC Football Championship: Bowling Green Press Conference

Mobile usually seems to receive high praise for its hospitality from participants in the annual GoDaddy Bowl. To keep that record of congeniality intact, someone please have the sweet tea ready when Alex Huettel arrives with the Bowling Green football team.

The Falcons are scheduled to land in Mobile on Saturday afternoon in advance of their bowl showdown with Georgia Southern at 7 p.m. CST Wednesday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Huettel already has paid a brief visit to the Port City last week for an introductory press conference. It was there that Bowling Green"s right guard confided what he was looking forward to during his bowl trip -- besides the game, of course and it was what might be expected from a 6-foot-4, 301-pound man from Pickerington, Ohio, making his first trip to the Gulf Coast.

"I"m very excited about the food," Huettel said. "I"m hoping to try some sweet tea."

Huettel got a taste of Coastal Alabama cuisine during his visit last week, taking a meal at Wintzell"s Oyster House in downtown Mobile.

"It was phenomenal," Huettel said. "We had some oysters, some jambalaya. I got the pasta with shrimp."

The GoDaddy Bowl will be the final game of Huettel"s collegiate career. He"s started all 54 of the games that preceded Wednesday"s.

"It"s a blessing," Huettel said. "You have to (play when you"re hurt). It"s part of being an offensive lineman."

Huettel"s streak includes a bowl at the end of each season the Military Bowl in 2012, the Little Caesars Bowl in 2013, the Camellia Bowl last year in Montgomery and now the GoDaddy Bowl.

"It"s great recognition for the school," Huettel said of the bowl appearances. "There could be somebody at home debating whether to come here or to another school, and you see us on TV. It could change your outlook on our school.

"For our team, it"s a big thing because it"s another opportunity to win, and it"s one more week we"re together as a family before us seniors have to head out of here."

The Falcons have compiled a 36-18 record during Huettel"s career. Huettel redshirted in 2011. In the four seasons before he arrived on campus, Bowling Green compiled a 23-27 record.

The Falcons" recent success has resulted in coaching turnover. Dave Clawson left Bowling Green for Wake Forest after the 2013 campaign. Dino Babers coached the Falcons the past two seasons, but he"s left to take charge at Syracuse.

Defensive coordinator Brian Ward will be leading Bowling Green for the GoDaddy Bowl.

"There"s a lot of guys on this team, I"d say the majority of the roster, we"ve already gone through a coaching change before," Huettel said. "So we know how to handle it. We have great leadership on this team, so I don"t think we"ll miss a beat. And the coaches, they"re fired up for this game, too."

Georgia Southern has an 8-4 record. One of its losses was a 23-17 overtime setback against Georgia on Nov. 21, a game sandwiched between a 45-10 victory over Troy and a 55-17 victory over South Alabama.

Bowling Green has a 10-3 record. The losses include a season-opening 59-30 setback against Tennessee. The Falcons are coming off a 34-14 victory over Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship Game.

"I think it"s the preparation we"ve had week in and week out," Huettel said of the key to Bowling Green"s season. "With the long college season, you can lose sight of the long-distance goal. We"ve done a great job as player and coaches of staying focused on the goal at hand, and we"ve got to continue that preparation through next week."

Tickets for the GoDaddy Bowl can be purchased onlineor by calling 251-635-0011.

The GoDaddy Bowl will be televised by ESPN.

Source: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/12/bowling_green_ironman_heads_so.html

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Happy Festivus, Part II: Don"t insult me!

The Festivus

Bill from Staten Island, NY

Vic, my grievance: Larry McCarrens left pinky finger. Its a distraction. Can we get him to tape that puppy to his ring finger for Packers Today?

No way! Larry was blessed with a gift. Its perfect for drinking tea with old women, and you can signal for a left turn while youre waving goodbye.

Thomas from Park Falls, WI

Vic, I know you have to tow the company line, but we as fans are not stupid. Ten wins, OK, the team has accomplished that, but its the way they have done that all year that makes fans worry this team wont be able to rise up and make a playoff run. The offense was so boring and predictable against Oakland it was almost embarrassing to barely scratch 200 yards passing. Is it as simple as our tight ends and wide receivers just arent very good, or is Rodgers not having a great year seeing the field and throwing the ball?

I dont know what the answer is. Maybe youve just been conditioned to have unrealistic expectations, because thats what Aaron Rodgers and the Packers passing attack have created in recent years. Rodgers stats are closer to realistic this season, and they are largely the equal of other quarterbacks who are being hailed for having career years. If getting all negative is your way of having fun, then go for it, but Ill tell you what really bothers me: Its that tow the company line stuff. I dont appreciate having my integrity and professionalism questioned. Its an insult I have to accept as a result of my position, but this is Festivus and were airing grievances, and thats my No. 1 grievance. I hope you find a way to enjoy what remains of the season.

Jim from Saginaw, MI

This whole bat thing with Carolina is ridiculous, dont you think? My sons played for a successful high school program and when the playoffs rolled around, one of the captains ran out holding up a maul. The players all gathered around at midfield and the captain buried the maul in the ground. It was used to fire up the team and it worked. No one went out on the field and played dirty.

I dont think the bat thing is worth a whole lot of thought or discussion, but I dont like symbols of violence being used to represent a teams mentality for playing a game. I dont like bats or mauls or spears being tossed into the ground. Its hokey and insulting, and it makes a connection between violence and football that threatens the success of the movement to change the culture of the sport. For the culture to be changed, we must regard football as we do baseball, basketball and other sports, which is to say as a game. Football is not war; it has never been war. Yes, its a physical game, and I dont want that to change, but the line that separates physical activity from violence must be distinct. Bats, mauls, spears and other such props blur that line.

Brian from Green Bay, WI

Vic, here is my specific grievance I wish to air: The season has only a few weeks left in it. The ride is nearly over and I dislike that.

This is the goal. This is the destination. This is why we lifted all those weights, to get to here. This is where the memories are. Enjoy them.

Steve from Bullhead City, AZ

Vic, the team scores 30 points and people are not happy. What do you expect to see from the Arizona defense against the Packers?

Speed and aggressiveness. Watching the Cardinals defense against the Eagles, I was reminded of the Seahawks defense. The Cardinals play NFC West defense. They fly to the ball and they arrive with stunning force. The Cardinals are the best team Ive seen this year.

Adam from Madison, WI

My grievance? Fans thinking they know more about football than the men who have devoted their entire lives to being students of the game instead of critics of it.

My grievance: Fans that demand winning but also demand signing players whose performances are in decline, for no other reason than the fans recognize the name.

Steven from Milwaukee, WI

What is the ratio of fans writing in that seem to appreciate your style and treatment of football to those that cant stand you and wish to actually talk football, Xs and Os, and not stories from your life? Despite the fact the former is heavily represented in the questions you answer, I suspect the actual breakdown skews heavily towards the latter.

I dont have that list in front of me, Steven, but my numbers are really, really good. Which kind of fan are you? Happy Festivus, everyone!

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Source: http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-ask-vic-extra/article-1/Happy-Festivus-Part-II-Dont-insult-me/5ef1903e-0993-4d5c-9b63-41aaa6da771a

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