San Diego, CA

Nick Canepa: Latest College Football Playoff flap has me defending Notre Dame

Published

5 days ago

December 14, 2025

Nick Canepa: Latest College Football Playoff flap has me defending Notre Dame

Sez Me …

We should have known better. I’m an idiot for not guessing that making sense out of the College Football Playoffs would be about as pleasurable as getting a colonoscopy with a rusted rake left out in the snow.

As far back as I can remember — and those of us over 50 know this Unsocial Media’s Generation’s memory goes back a week — I’ve been shouting from the rooftops that we must have a college football playoff.

(Although I will admit to not spending much time on rooftops lately, now that TV antennas have gone the way of the carburetor.)

A four-team tournament was a good start, but obviously not large enough. When it went to 12, it appeared to be the ideal number. Those who bitched over not making the final four now were going to get a chance to prove themselves on the field of play.

The big deal today is Notre Dame being left out of the top 12, with James Madison and Tulane getting in because the system allows conference champions. Notre Dame is independent, thus no conference — in football only.

This is a real shame.

As you know, I’m no fan of the Irish. Up to this minute, they’ve been privileged beyond belief. Both ND and Miami finished with 10-2 records, but the Irish lost to the Hurricanes in the opener, and by the time the selection committee made its final list, it took head-to-head into account. Which is the way it should be, when both teams finish with the same records.

Pouting Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, whose school has chosen not to appear in a menial (for them) bowl game, says few schools ever have had a more successful run than ND.

The programs the Irish beat in that 10-game span had an overall record of 55-65. Historic.

Despite all that, ND was one of the few teams that seemed capable of winning the national title. It certainly belonged in over Alabama, but the SEC has special powers.

The Irish will be in it soon enough. I suspect the tournament will balloon to 16 teams. The problem now is that with NIL and rampant portal transferring, we have parity as we’ve never had it before. And that’s not a good thing. It will be much harder for the James Madisons of the world to make it.

But this isn’t basketball. It doesn’t deserve to be in.

The Dukes lost 28-14 to Louisville, their only power conference opponent (and not a good one). And they’re a three-touchdown underdog to Oregon in the tournament. Notre Dame and Oregon would be close.

But that’s just too damn bad. …

Indiana’s Curt Cignetti is the most dour head football coach at any level I’ve seen. You can sit this guy down in front of “Blazing Saddles” and he’s watching “Camille.” …

Curt isn’t winning the national title, but he’s done a helluva job at Bob Knight’s school. Come to think of it, he’s Bob without the chair. …

The Eagles’ Nick Sirianni, who is leaning at the tape as the worst head coach to win a Super Bowl, worked all week with the Philly offense. Jalen Hurts had a 31.2 passer rating vs. the NFL Team That Used To Be Here on Monday night. Smokey Gaines, where are you? That’s 31.2 more than a dead man. …

Daiyan Henley tackling Tony Jefferson after his overtime pick vs. the Eagles was wise. But because it was OT, even if Jefferson had fumbled it away and Philly recovered, the game would have been over. No extra possessions allowed in OT. …

Philip Rivers, 44, who last played football in 2020, should stay as far away from the NFL as humanly possible, perhaps have another child. Alas, he can’t help himself. …

Philip has been signed by the Colts, moving his Hall of Fame eligibility up five more years — which could mean a few more kids. …

But he’s going to play. Probably Sunday. You know that. …

In fact, I’m certain Philip eventually will become the first great-grandfather to play in The League. …

Philip has to be in better shape than Justin Herbert, no? …

Jim Harbaugh is right. Herbert is a superhero. …

Patrick Mahomes is a great quarterback. But he is a lousy quarterback under pressure. Always has been. Except there’s more pressure now. Still, if the Judases give him time to throw Sunday, adios J’s. …

With that offensive line protecting Herbert the way Sarajevo cops guarded Archduke Franz Ferdinand, it remains a wonder the Judases can win a game. But it’s December, when defense matters. …

Told you. Joe Burrow is Andrew Luck waiting to happen. …

The only games the NFL should play on Christmas Day are the ones the athletes and coaches bought for the kids to open. …

Todd Bowles, we know you can cuss. Try coaching better before driving the bus over your players. …

Bill Johnston, for 39 years publicist for the NFL Team That Used To Be Here, and serving for the last nine with the Padres, is retiring. He learned from the best, Rick Smith, a bulldog, and Bill had that attitude as he battled relentlessly beside wife Ramona through her two-decade battle with Huntington’s Disease. One of the finest men I’ve known. …

Sherrone Moore has been fired as Michigan’s football coach because of an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Sherrone then lost it and got thrown in stir for stalking and home invasion. Lane Kiffin still has time to change his mind and go to Ann Arbor. …

The Michigan job is near the top. Great history. Unlimited resources. …

USC’s Makai Lemon was the best receiver I saw all year. So he won the Biletnikoff Award. Amazing. Others agreed with me. …

The Padres have signed reliever Daison Acosta. Now there’s one with some teeth. …

The Padres and Diamondbacks will meet in Mexico City April 25 and 26? Why? Plenty of Mexican food here, and Richardson’s in Phoenix is the best Mexican in America. OK, international games are stupid. …

Now in his second year in the Fox booth, Tom Brady is getting better as he tries to earn all of that 10-year, $375 million salary. It’s what happens when Bill Belichick tells him what to say. …

Happens every week. During Steelers-Ravens, the officials screwed the Ravens into Fort McHenry. …

Officials finally got something right. They called 19 accepted penalties on the pathetic Falcons Thursday night vs. the Bucs. Atlanta still won. …

Hey, Bicycle Mayor and His Ham & Eggers: Have you taken a ride south on Kettner toward the I-5 South onramp, featuring the Rick Schloss bump? Hope you have four-wheel drive. What a disgrace. Welcome to San Diego, rental car users. …

Jeff Kent was a good baseball player. I never considered him a Hall of Famer. Still don’t. …

Army-Navy. Fastest game. As though Randy Jones were pitching. …

I was at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, which, I believe, makes me eligible for the FIFA Peace Prize. …

How can whistles be that clean?

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San Diego, CA

Guest Column: The black hole in the center of Poway

Published

6 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Guest Column: The black hole in the center of Poway

Those of us who live near the City of Poway Town Center have experienced and continue to see a development project that has languished for over five years and now clearly can be defined as blight.

It is a “black hole” that is anchored in the center of the city near the intersection of Poway and Community roads, one block from City Hall. The project is adjacent to the Poway shopping center plaza, a Section 8 apartment complex and the Poway Bernardo Mortuary.

Those of us who live in central Poway have this visual blight, which consists of a partially constructed vacant multistory building and an unfinished tiered underground parking structure. This incomplete project was approved by the City Council in 2018 as a mixed-use development project.

It sits on a one-and-a-half-acre infill site and was originally permitted for 53 residential units, a 40,000-square-foot commercial space, a 20,025-square-foot fitness center and a two-tiered underground parking structure.

Over the last five years it has transitioned through three different developers and multiple permit amendments. The current and final amended project is a significantly scaled-down project. It would take someone with a bachelor’s degree in city and urban planning to read the permit amendments and comprehend what the final project will consist of if and when it is completed.

Those of us who live in or near the Town Center district are aware the Poway Road Specific Plan was approved with City Council commitment that high-density development would be well planned and would consist of “efficient high-density development.”

A blighted development project that has not been completed and has remained vacant and unfinished for five years is not keeping with the Specific Plan. This project is a blemish on central Poway. The City Council has not implemented solutions to complete this unfinished project.

Further, other development projects in the same corridor have as a matter of practice during their construction phases posted signage on their respective construction fencing, advertising what the project consists of and when it is estimated to be completed. The “black hole” has no such signage on its construction fencing and the general public has no idea what this project consists of or when it will be completed.

Direct attempts and meetings to obtain information from previous and current city representatives have resulted in finger-pointing at the developer. Two developers have already walked away from this project and the third and current developer is under contract with a local general contractor.

The City Council approved, conditioned and permitted this project. I have to think that if this project was located in the “Farm” development area and stood half developed and vacant for over five years there would be a different level of urgency by the council to finding a solution to correct this unsightly development project.

The council has failed those of us who live in and near the Poway Town Center corridor. Stop blaming the developer and get this failed project completed.

Locke is a 22-year U.S. Marine Corp veteran and a longtime Poway resident.

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San Diego, CA

Frustrated teachers walk out of SBUSD meeting that decided to close Central Elementary

Published

18 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Frustrated teachers walk out of SBUSD meeting that decided to close Central Elementary

Frustrations boiled over at Wednesday night’s South Bay Union School District meeting. Parents and teachers are upset that the district is going to shut down Central Elementary and possibly two others at a later time.

At one point in the meeting, teachers got so upset that they walked out. It came after the school board voted unanimously to approve an interim superintendent’s pay package for nearly $18,500 a month.

That payday comes at time when teachers rallied outside the meeting because they might strike since they’ve been in contract negotiations for more than a year.

The board also voted unanimously to close Central Elementary at the end of this school year. Berry and Sunnyslope Elementary schools could close as well, at a later time. But that’ll be based on a review of enrollment and financial data going forward.

The district says declining enrollment and declining revenues are major problems and factors in its decision. It says keeping under enrolled schools open would increase maintenance costs, stretch limited resources and hamper the ability to deliver equitable services across all schools.

But teachers and parents say paying the interim superintendent that amount of money shows it’s a matter of allocation and priorities.

Hinting that district leaders are being scrooges, a group of teachers took a page out of “A Christmas Carol” and dressed as ghosts.

“By closing these doors, you destroyed the heart of community. Families see no future, pack their cars and leave behind empty houses and desolate streets,” one teacher said.

While only Central is closing this year, Sunnyslope could close at the end of the 2028-2029 school year. Berry could close at the end of the 2031-2032 school year.

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San Diego, CA

Spring Valley Christian school teacher suspected of sexually abusing child

Published

1 day ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Spring Valley Christian school teacher suspected of sexually abusing child

A 49-year-old teacher at Christian High School, suspected of sexually abusing a minor, was arrested Tuesday outside the Spring Valley school affiliated with Shadow Mountain Community Church.

Kevin G. Conover was booked at the San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of oral copulation with a victim under 18, aggravated sexual abuse of a child under 14, three counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child, and continuous sexual abuse of a child, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies initially responded to a radio call regarding sexual assault allegations of a minor by a family member on Oct. 1, prompting an immediate investigation by Child Abuse Unit detectives, who later found probable cause to arrest Conover, sheriff’s officials said.

Conover was described as a teacher at the school in Tuesday’s statement from the sheriff’s office announcing his arrest. However, there were no references to him on the school’s website on Tuesday night.

The investigation remains ongoing by the Child Abuse Unit as investigators conduct a follow-up into the allegations.

Anyone with information regarding the alleged abuse was urged to call the Child Abuse Unit at 858-285-6112. Calls after business hours should be directed to 858-868-3200. Tipsters who remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

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