JJ Husker

You lucky sonofa....

I think the name you're looking for rhymes with Wanker.

Let's be honest, it's both. Scary thing is there is absolutely no bright spot in this game or on the horizon.

Slow, unathletic and uninspired is a very bad trio. Good riddance 2016.

Welcome to every game thread ever.

NO. Dear God. No. That is not what is being said. Preferring to say Merry Christmas is perfectly fine. Refusing to say anything other than Merry Christmas as a sort of passive-aggressive protest is being an a-hole. Why is this thread 2 pages? Because nobody wants to talk about our upcoming bowl game??? Sorry if I'm being dense but it seemed to me like a few people were trying to say I was being that ahole because I usually say Merry Christmas. I was just trying to determine if I should be doing something different to be more accomodating or inclusive. I figured those accusations were being leveled at somebody actually participating here and not just at some faceless others. It kind of felt like it might be me since I'm one of the few who has admitted to primarily using Merry Christmas and have stated that Happy Holidays doesn't feel right for me to use. How's a guy supposed to know if he's being perceived as an ahole or not if people dance around the subject? Zoogs won't come out and say it and he's apparently had enough, so I guess I'll never know.

Who's refusing to say Happy Holidays? I've said that, I just prefer to and usually say Merry Christmas. Seems you're reading way more into some of these comments than is healthy. Is there something wrong with some of us preferring to say Merry Christmas? Are there times I should not say Merry Christmas and instead should use Happy Holidays? I'm not trying to be difficult, I'm just trying to figure out if I'm somehow doing it wrong in your opinion.

So, to be clear, is preferring to say "Merry Christmas" somehow not accommodating others? How is it not inclusive? You're sending a mixed message. You say you use Merry Christmas quite often yourself but you have also been insinuating that people who say that are trying to project some religious connotation or that they are not accommodating others or that they are hijacking the season for Christians only or some such things. I'm really confused what the point is or why some here seem to have a problem with those of us who usually use Merry Christmas. Seems you and a few others are advocating for Happy Holidays.

First, I don't think there is any expunging going on. And if this is the national, public lexicon, then why should it continue to be dominated by Christian sayings? Language and culture should reflect the diversity of society, and those parts of it which only serve to reinforce one religion above others meet with what I think are fair challenges. Back the truck up. I've basically said 2 things. 1- That I prefer to say Merry Christmas, and Ive explained why and 2- That I have absolutely no problem with what others choose to say. Happy Holidays is great with me. When I said I had a slight problem with the secular Happy Holidays greeting, I only meant I had a problem saying it myself, not that I have any problem with others using it. It just feels more natural for me to say Merry Christmas. I really see no difference between the two. As Enhanced stated above, I think most people use them interchangeably and that the religious aspect doesn't even register 99% of the time. I'm somewhat of a scrooge anyway. I don't really like the season because for the most part it just means I have a helluva lot more stuff to get done and I don't enjoy crowds. My workload seems to increase tenfold with end of year stuff and it gets compounded by having extra days off of work for the various holidays. Not to be a dick but, if people knew what I really wanted to say most of the time around this time of year they should be overjoyed that I say Merry Christmas and not what I'm really thinking. Most of it is that I don't see the holidays as happy time and I default to Merry Christmas because that was most common in my upbringing. And I find black Friday and all the focus on shopping etc. to be quite out of control. Retailers and most people go way overboard IMO. Did I mention all damned decorations and lights and trees and stuff that my wife insists on dragging out and having to box back up every year. I may be more than somewhat of a scrooge, I just don't enjoy most of it. I do like getting together with family but that's about it for the pluses. I have not once stated that people should say Merry Christmas or not say Happy Holidays. However it seems a few in here are pushing for happy holidays and are a little against Merry Christmas. I've only tried to say that people should do what ever they find natural and comfortable. And pretty much everything anymore is damned if you do or damned if you don't. People, somebody, somewhere, will find fault with anything. So yeah, it doesn't matter what a person does, somebody will take issue with it. This topic is the perfect example. Both sayings are a nice way to greet people but people find a way to bitch and complain about it. Can't win. So Merry friggin Christmas and Happy damn Holidays ;-) I keed...but just a little.

I didn't mean to insinuate he was or wasn't a good recruiter. I really have no idea. But, based on numerous discussions on HB, it would seem the general concensus was that recruiting tanked when Frank the Tank took over.

Well yeah, if Solich had taken another job before Osborne left him the keys, the last 19 years likely would have been completely different. Probably better, maybe even worse...who knows? But what's this gem...."Solich's prowess as a recruiter, which often gets overlooked"? First time I've ever seen it put that way. Seems most tend to agree that he didn't recruit very well at all.

I don't think that's too relevant. People celebrate Jesus' birth on Dec. 25 whether it's the correct date or not. I think somebody didn't get the Red Ryder BB gun they wanted as a child.

Who said they have a monopoly on the whole month? Who said Jesus' birth was the "only" reason for the season? But, do you really think without Christmas the season (between Thanksgiving to just after New Years) would be anywhere near the event it is? And it doesn't really matter when something happened 2000 years ago, December 25th is when people have chosen to celebrate it so it is when it is. See what I mean....Doesn't matter what a person does or says, somebody's gonna get bent or take it the wrong way.

Or you could say "Happy Holidays".This ^And JJ, I don't see why that would be your reply after reading my post. Nowhere did I say anyone should say Happy Hanakkuh to a stranger they think is Jewish. In fact - see the Kwanzaa example I used earlier. I said telling someone who's clearly Jewish (because they're wearing a yamulke) Merry Christmas is a little weird. I didn't say anything about telling them Happy Hanakkuh. I did say some people of other religions have told me Merry Christmas. Also, it bears repeating that we're talking about strangers. Not your cousin. It also bears repeating I'm not saying anyone should be offended by any of this. Mostly what I'm thinking about with my comments is there is nothing wrong with schools or businesses instructing their employees to say Happy Holidays. I just don't think many normal people in a situation to wish someone well would say Merry Christmas to someone in a yamulke or tell someone wearing a cross to enjoy Diwali. Therefore it's not wrong for employers to give instructions to their employees. As I said in an earlier post, some customers flip out over even less. Better to err on the side of caution. It doesn't mean these companies are attacking Christmas. Which is the idea that seems to ruffle people's feathers. I guess I do have a little bit of a problem with the secular Happy Holidays greeting. I mean there are reasons for all these holidays and none of them are secular. It doesn't offend me but I see no reason for me to use that generic greeting. If I was an atheist or didn't practice any religion, then I would probably go that way, but I'm not so I don't. Honest question - can you explain what you mean by the bolded? I think everybody is on the same page that these holidays have religious foundations. Are you just reinforcing that? I won't try to dissuade you from saying Merry Christmas so long as you see why people might use Happy Holidays instead, which you say you have a little bit of a problem with. Speaking only for myself, I say Happy Holidays because: - I'm Lutheran, but others aren't - I define saying "Merry Christmas" as the literal meaning of celebrating Jesus' birth while also wishing someone good will. I don't separate those two things - "Happy Holidays" also encompasses the New Year celebration, which almost everyone celebrates whether they're religious or not For me, it has nothing to do with offending people or not offending people. I think I've covered this but... I don't have any problem at all with any way another person chooses to say it. Happy Holidays is just peachy with me. I just prefer to say Merry Christmas because that is what feels comfortable for me. I'm not trying to reinforce to others that I see it as a Christian holiday or impose my beliefs on anyone. However, I am a little bit sensitive towards any effort to expunge Christmas from the lexicon so I guess part of the reason I use Merry Christmas is to remind myself why this time of year is different than others. It is very easy to get wrapped in shopping and lights and all these other things and forgot why we are doing it or what we are really celebrating. Sorry if it offends anyone but it wouldn't be the huge shopping season etc. that it is without the birth of Christ as the reason for all the commotion. I guess it's just my way of trying to prevent the reason for season getting completely forgotten.

Or you could say "Happy Holidays".This ^And JJ, I don't see why that would be your reply after reading my post. Nowhere did I say anyone should say Happy Hanakkuh to a stranger they think is Jewish. In fact - see the Kwanzaa example I used earlier. I said telling someone who's clearly Jewish (because they're wearing a yamulke) Merry Christmas is a little weird. I didn't say anything about telling them Happy Hanakkuh. I did say some people of other religions have told me Merry Christmas. Also, it bears repeating that we're talking about strangers. Not your cousin. It also bears repeating I'm not saying anyone should be offended by any of this. Mostly what I'm thinking about with my comments is there is nothing wrong with schools or businesses instructing their employees to say Happy Holidays. I just don't think many normal people in a situation to wish someone well would say Merry Christmas to someone in a yamulke or tell someone wearing a cross to enjoy Diwali. Therefore it's not wrong for employers to give instructions to their employees. As I said in an earlier post, some customers flip out over even less. Better to err on the side of caution. It doesn't mean these companies are attacking Christmas. Which is the idea that seems to ruffle people's feathers. I wasn't necessarily responding to what you have said. There are some saying that it is insensitive to tell a non-Christian Merry Christmas. I simply don't feel that is the case. And I dont personally see anything wrong, or anything anyone should take offense with, if they are wished a Merry Christmas. I get that some people may disagree with me. I say Merry Christmas and I'm not going to change what I do because it might offend a few people over the course of my lifetime. If a person wants to say happy holidays or Hannakuh or whatever, that's great, I've got no problem with it. I wouldn't expect a non-Christian person to say Merry Christmas. That would be just as strange as me saying something else IMO. I guess I do have a little bit of a problem with the secular Happy Holidays greeting. I mean there are reasons for all these holidays and none of them are secular. It doesn't offend me but I see no reason for me to use that generic greeting. If I was an atheist or didn't practice any religion, then I would probably go that way, but I'm not so I don't. The point I was trying to make was that I think what a person says should have more to do with them than who it is directed at. I think people get a little too concerned about trying not to offend anybody. No matter what you do, somebody somewhere likely will be offended. I'm just not going to worry about things I can't control.

Who is saying that?HuskermanMike, basically. Although to be fair he's saying it's what he does, 'cause I asked the Muslim/Jewish question.Not the way I took his comments. There obviously is certain stirrings it wouldn't be said. But, I have no problem telling a Jewish friends merry Christmas and he would turn around and say happy Hanukkah. And, it's nothing like saying GBR yo an Alabama fan. Oh so this thread is about what we would say to our friends now? I thought it was about what we would say to random people on the street. My bad. If were talking about what we would say to our friends I like to say merry christmas ya filthy animal. Now go f#*k yourself. Obviously we would say things to our friends we might not say to someone we dont know and they wouldnt mind as much Oh good lord. It was one example. Would you honestly tell a stranger in a yamulke Merry Christmas? How about a client in a yamulke? So now we need to assume what religion a person is based on their skin color, their attire and what they look like, and then wish them well for whatever holiday we assume they celebrate? This is why I do not feel it is strange to wish them well in whatever you feel comfortable with. Sure, if you know they are Jewish and that they celebrate Hannakuh, then wish them happy Hannakuh. That would cover known friends and the obvious yamulka wearing stranger. But I also don't feel it is out of line or weird to wish them Merry Christmas. We would always wish my cousin's Jewish husband Merry Christmas and he would wish us Happy Hannakuh. It wasn't weird and nobody took offense either way. What could be offensive is assuming a person was Muslim or Jewish or whatever, based on their appearance, and then getting it wrong. I figure I'm a Christian and celebrate Christmas so I should say Merry Christmas in virtually every circumstance. Since I would never be offended by someone wishing me well from any other religion, I expect people to likewise not be offended if they happen to be non-Christian. If they are offended by me saying Merry Christmas, well then F me, I guess I tried being nice.

That's the thing, we are seeing more and more players leaving early or opting out of bowl games to preserve their future earning potential. If the NCAA can't stop that (which they can't) then it makes sense to let the transfers and redshirts play. It would create more interest in the bowl games and therefore translate to more $$'s for CFB. That appears to align well with their main concerns. It doesn't have anything to do with "student" athletes or promoting fair play anymore so I say go for it.Only thing is Vegas may not like it so that could be the death knell. How about a 1 for 1 swap? Three players opt out = three red shirt/transfer opt in. Not for the play offs. That makes sense but I think would complicate it unnecessarily. I'd be for either allowing it or not allowing it, without the stipulation. Heck, the SEC would start forcing players out to get around it anyway so probably no need to try to make it fair and sensible. That would just hamstring the straight shooters.

That's the thing, we are seeing more and more players leaving early or opting out of bowl games to preserve their future earning potential. If the NCAA can't stop that (which they can't) then it makes sense to let the transfers and redshirts play. It would create more interest in the bowl games and therefore translate to more $$'s for CFB. That appears to align well with their main concerns. It doesn't have anything to do with "student" athletes or promoting fair play anymore so I say go for it. Only thing is Vegas may not like it so that could be the death knell.

So which is it? We want freshmen contributing right away, or we don't? Seems a lot of people lament the fact we haven't had freshmen seeing the field, and they constantly point to the top programs having that happening. Now, when it looks like a possibility, it's all, well, they're inexperienced and blah blah blah. Maybe I don't give the WR position enough credit but if the OL and QB can get the job done, the least of my worries will always be the WR corps. If the OL and QB don't perform better than this year, it wouldn't matter if we had 8 Westerkamps returning.

Guessing ST's have already improved tenfold then. If they just have him count to 11, we'll be way ahead of the curve.

I think it's a great idea. Exclude the playoff teams and go for it. Actually, I wasn't sure redshirts were prohibited from playing in the bowls. I almost asked that very question on HB a couple weeks ago but I didn't want to look stupid. Figured it would come up naturally considering our current issues at quarterback. The bowl would be a great opportunity to get Lee and POB an early segue into next season.

This is how it is at the school my wife teaches at. The teachers have to decorate in a "Happy Holidays" theme because some parents went in and complained about the "Merry Christmas" theme because they do not celebrate Christmas. There is one particular family that raised a stink about it along with having a Halloween party because they don't celebrate Halloween and it would offend their children. The Principal of the school told the family to get bent and he is not going to make every other kid suffer because of it. He told them to keep the kids home or they can go sit in the library during that class's celebration. I like this principal. We had a similar kid/family years ago that threw a fit over having a Halloween celebration at school. Our principal did the same thing, told them to check their child out of school during the party if they felt that was best for them. BTW, I say Merry Christmas and I don't care what other people say. If somebody wants to wish me happy Kwanzaa or Hanukkah or holidays or whatever, I'm just glad they were thoughtful enough to express it anyway they choose. The only thing I have a problem with is when people or businesses try to suppress Merry Christmas or insist it be expressed as Happy Holidays. I figure let people do what they feel is appropriate.

Spent Christmas back in 'Brasky. Doesn't get any merrier than that. Might need some +1's though because it is raining rather than snowing.

Go back and read post #1 in this topic and you will understand better why the discussion is centered on schools, vouchers and a Christian republic.