So the Colts finally lost. Now people can stop talking about an undefeated season, and they can get that distraction off their backs.

The Ohio State – Michigan game lived up to its hype. Tremendous game. I was in Bellefontaine, Ohio, Saturday morning for a meeting. Afterwards, at a gas station, I saw a black fellow wearing a Michigan hooded sweatshirt and cap. I pointed at what he was wearing, chuckled, and said, “You’ve sure got a lot of courage!” He said he worked at the Honda plant and was headed to work, and would miss actually seeing the game. “The Japanese just don’t understand the importance of this game,” he told me.

My USC Trojans kept their march going. I predict it’ll be Ohio State and USC in the title game. If, of course, USC can get past Notre Dame next week. Won’t be easy.

Just got back from the table tennis club. Didn’t play so well tonight, but had a good time. It was tournament night, and I got placed in a tough group for the round robin. Won one out of four in the first round. I felt pretty mellow tonight, not competitive. Don’t know why.

I did give Gary a good run in the second round. We play the best of five games, and I took Gary to game 5, right down to the wire. I made him say sh** more than I’ve ever heard him use that word, and I take some pride in that, even though I lost. His use of obscenity assures me that he was trying very hard.

After that marathon match with Gary, I played a fellow whom I’ve beaten numerous times. He was gunning for me tonight, really focused, while I just didn’t really care. If I had hunkered down with some requisite grim determination, the outcome would have been different. But he beat me, and I just congratulated him and then sat down with an “oh well” sigh. Next week I’ll have to give him a good drubbing. I’m sure that’s what Jesus would do.

Mike, one of the young whippersnapper who, I hate admitting, has jumped ahead of me in ability, is heading off for China this week. When I learned about that, I figured it was some kind of mission trip, and I was excited about that. Turns out he’s actually going to a three-week tennis camp, a very intensive affair during which he’ll learn from pros and play constantly. When he comes back, he’ll have leapfrogged ahead of a number of players (I’ll be left in the dust). Makes for a pretty expensive hobby, though.

I did end the night with a win. It was against Richard, a new fellow who hails from Ghana (and was quite proud, two weeks ago, of his national soccer team, which had beaten the US that week). He’s a very enjoyable guy with a ready smile and a forehand which catches me off-guard…but not enough.

I can’t believe I stayed up until 2:15 watching basketball. It was worth it, because my Phoenix Suns won in double overtime. But I’m gonna pay for it today, I’m afraid. Getting too old for this college-like nonsense. Throughout the playoffs thus far, the Suns games have gone past midnight. I’ve been watching until I can’t keep my eyes open, which is usually in the third quarter. Then I go to bed. But last night I saw the whole game.

The Phoenix Suns is (I realize, Mom, that that sounds ungrammatical) the only pro team in any sport that I have consistently rooted for since I was a kid. I’ve had my flings with the Vikings and Dolphins in football (now the Colts, of course), and with the Lakers and Kings in basketball (and now the Pacers, of course). But the Suns have always been on my rah-rah radar.

It goes back to my high school days in Arizona, when the Suns spent a preseason week at my school practicing and then held an exhibition game. I wrote about that previously.

Last night, the Suns looked tired. Or was that me, as I occasionally nodded off? Whatever. They were a well-oiled team against the Lakers, but now have trouble hitting threes and they make an uncharacteristic number of errors. Now they’re up 3-2 and they have three days before the next game. That’ll be good.

I’m embarrased by UCLA’s performance last night. Hey, it’s commendable that they got to the final, considering that 62 other teams didn’t make it that far. But I wish they could have put up a little more of a fight. Besides, I can’t stand any of the Florida schools. Miami, Florida, Florida State–a pox on them and their children! On their pets, too!

It was wierd last night getting home around 7:30, and it was still plenty light outside. Indiana has now joined the world of the biennial time-changers. On Sunday, we did the spring-forward thing. I guess there is some huge, utterly compelling benefit that Indiana will reap as a result of changing millions of clocks. Proponents say it’ll draw business to Indiana. Right. As if our majestic mountains and rolling valleys aren’t enough of a lure.