Ariy-El Boynton

One of the most exciting parts of my winter break (sad, I know) is that I discovered I could access every answer and question for the show Jeopardy on the World Wide Web! How do I feel about this discovery? “What is awesome?” One of the biggest reasons why I love the Alex Trebek hosted show is when there are questions about two of my favorite passions: sports and politics. For the political science majors out there and part time viewers of CNN who say that sports and politics do not mix, let me explain that these two go hand in glove through the college football bowls and the political primaries. Let us go bowling, political style!

You will have turmoil, and you must get through it. Take the West Virginia Mountaineers, for example. After failing to beat rival Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl despite being heavily favored, they also lost their head coach Rich Rodriguez to the University of Michigan. Without their ex-leader, no sports pundit gave them a chance at beating Oklahoma, their Fiesta Bowl opponent.

Republican Presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani got a shake up to his campaign when some members of the New York Firefighters’ Association condemned his actions during the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Giuliani tried to refute their claims, and he still has an outside shot at being the man to take up the office at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

The Mountaineers from W.V. went on to manhandle the O.K. Sooners and Bill Stewart; West Virginia’s “savior” was carried off the field after the victory.

Teams must believe they belong (even though they do not). In the week leading up to the Nokia Sugar Bowl, Junes Jones, the ex-Hawaii Warriors coach, preached to his players that the team belonged in the Bowl Championship Series. Even though the Warriors never played anyone close to as good as Georgia, their opponent in the bowl game at New Orleans, L.A., Jones’ big argument was that no other team went undefeated and therefore, no one deserved a berth more than the Western Athletic Championship.

John Edwards, the senator from South Carolina, has many things to boast about. He claims that he is “not in the pockets of big business,” has a deep middle-class upbringing, is the son of a steel worker, has a youthful appearance and a strong union backing throughout the United States. Despite some “experts” predicting that Edwards might get 25 to 30 percent in the Nevada caucus, the ex-presidential nominee only pulled in four percent of the Silver State’s vote.

Hawaii proved that they did not belong in the BCS as Georgia defeated them 41-10 and Edwards now has a better shot at seeing pigs fly than winning the Democratic nomination. They both need to find a way to end on the right note.

John McCain has waited for years, at least eight, for his chance at the Oval Office, and this time there is no man named Bush standing in his way. The 2008 election cycle is more than likely the last time the senator from Arizona can run. While he lost the Michigan primary to Michigan-native Mitt Romney, he won the first key Southern state- South Carolina. McCain is now in the driver’s seat to win the Republican ticket and looks to win Florida.

Lloyd Carr the Hawkins County, Tenn., native led the University of Michigan Wolverines for more than 13 years (1995-2008). While at the helm the Maize and Blue won 120 games along with five co- or outright Big Ten titles. The highlight of Carr’s career came after the Charles Woodson-led team beat Washington State in the Rose Bowl to secure the 1998 National Championship. Before the Wolverines took the field against Florida in the Gator Bowl on Jan.1, Carr stepped down in order to pursue the next stage in his life. Lucky for the Big Blue faithful, he had one game to go. Carr and Michigan gave that final class of seniors (who up until the Gator Bowl failed to win a bowl game) a 41-35 victory in a dramatic finish. More than likely Lloyd Carr’s last walk to the locker room was not a lonesome one, as his players carried him off. That was one of the best ways to start the New Year ever.