It came down to the final minute, as the Tulsa Golden Hurricane came from behind to squeak past the South Florida Bulls, 32-31, on Saturday in Tampa.

Shamari Brooks carried the ball three yards into the end zone with less than one minute in the game, to give Tulsa the victory. Brooks totaled 145 yards and Deneric Prince added 110 yards on the ground for the Hurricane.

Tulsa finished the game with 535 total offensive yards to the Bulls 268 total yards.

The Golden Hurricane had to overcome three offensive turnovers, a special teams touchdown by the Bulls and a double-digit deficit to capture the win. The final 0:47 of the game was the only time Tulsa led in posting its third comeback victory of the season.

In the second quarter, USF’s Brian Battie returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, and Antonio Grier returned an interception for a touchdown, giving USF for a 24-10 lead with 5:54 left in the first half. That was the Bulls’ largest lead of the game.

Tulsa scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, holding USF scoreless in the final frame, to earn the win.

Tulsa quarterback Brin Davis completed 22-of-39 passes, with two interceptions, for 266 yards and two touchdowns.

To say the Golden Hurricane are “cardiac kids” might be a bit cliché, however, this was Tulsa’s third comeback win of the season, and the 19th time since the 2015 season under head coach Philip Montgomery.

The Hurricane improved to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in American Athletic Conference action, while USF fell to 1-5 and 0-2 in the AAC.

After a bye week this Saturday, the Hurricane returns to H.A. Chapman Stadium on Friday night, Oct. 29, to face the Navy Midshipmen. Game time is 6:30 p.m.

No Vax – Irving

I’m not an anti-vaxxer, but I do believe in the freedom to choose whether one would want to be vaccinated or not. Apparently, Kyrie Irving, NBA star with the Brooklyn Nets, feels the same way.

Irving is currently not allowed to play in the NBA because of New York City’s vaccine mandate which states, athletes need to be vaccinated to participate in indoor events including NBA games. There was some talk about allowing Irving to play in games outside of New York, but the Nets decided against it, announcing that Irving won’t play or practice until he’s vaccinated.

That doesn’t sound like freedom to choose. I support Irving’s decision to hold his ground and not give in to the pressure, in fact he made the following statement on social media:

“I just care about our world a lot and if I’m going to be demonized for that, at least let me go out on my own accord,” he said. “I’m standing for all those who believe in what’s right and are doing what’s right for themselves. Everybody has a personal choice with their lives. Everybody is entitled to their own opinions. Putting me as a hero or painting me as a villain for going against the vaccine mandates, that wasn’t my intent at all. To be sitting in this seat here and seeing the way this is dividing our world up, being vaccinated or being unvaccinated; it’s just sad to see. We’re not giving each other spaces to speak. Everybody is trying to do what’s best for their family. It’s about staying real and staying true to who you are.”

Sure, we all had to be vaccinated as kids against Measles, Mumps and Rubella, and Polio, in order to attend public school. However, those vaccines had been tested and on the market dozens of years before I ever went to school, and I’m old…well, middle aged.

When it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine, which has only been available about a year, I can understand why some people are hesitant to roll up their sleeve. None of us, not even the scientists, know what the long-term effects of the vaccine will have on our bodies and our health.

I’ve been vaccinated, and I went with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, because it has been manufactured more like a traditional vaccine and because it was a one-shot dose. I don’t like getting pricked with a needle any more than anyone else.

Why did I decide to get the vaccine?

Two reasons; one, I was traveling internationally this summer and thought it would make it easier to get in and out of three different countries. That reason became voided when I found out I still had to prove a negative test before flying into Germany and back to the USA. The second reason is, I thought it would just make life more convenient since so many venues are now requiring the same proof as stated above to attend their events.

My wife, daughter and I will be traveling out of town to attend a concert. I will show my vaccination card to get into the arena, and they will have to get a COVID test two days in advance, hope to be negative, and show that proof to get in. That’s why I wanted to get vaccinated.

Again, it should be personal choice, and that’s my view from here.