by  Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]
Fair warning:
This "best of" list isn't for everyone. In fact, it may not be for anyone aside from myself.

After all, we have our different, individual tastes is music. Sometimes they mesh. Other times they clash. Perhaps a couple below may have you go, "Uhhh, who?"

Hopefully, though, a few of these strike a nice, positive chord with you.

So, without further ado ... (just click the highlighted portion to watch the video with each) 

19. Universe – Hudson Moore
Not really sure how this young guy hasn’t hit it real big yet. He’s put out some high-quality material over the last handful of years, ranging from sweet, like this song, to rockin’ to totally twangin’ country. This song speaks to me in ways I’d never be able to truly articulate, but it immediately takes me to thoughts of my youngest child, truly a gift I never was expecting.

18. Good Feeling – 311
I realize I may lose a few of ya who took the time to check out this list pretty quick here, but this band won me over with a nifty little hit released back in 1996 titled “All Mixed Up” … and it only took them another 23 years to catch my ear. Hey, to me, it’s good. It’s different. But it’s good.

17. Had It All – Parachute
If I’m in a soft-rockin’ kinda mood, which I often am, I go to this band right here … and this song ranks among its best, coming out early in 2019 before I got to hear them play it in concert in April 2019, and play it, well, incredibly. Front man Will Anderson, to me, is a true talent – with his voice, guitar and piano playing.

16. Timebomb – Walk the Moon
Hey, you come up with 2014’s sensational “Shut Up and Dance” and I’ll be on the lookout for your stuff. WTM has produced a couple cool songs since then, including this. Just love the vibe of their stuff. Very ‘80s slant to it, which does nothing to deter me from liking it.

15. Tip of My Tongue – Kenny Chesney
What can I say? He broke the country barrier for me. About 13 years ago now. Ever since, he’s produced a song every year or so worthy of any “best of” list I’d have for any single year, this one being no different.

14. P.S. I Hope You’re Happy – The Chainsmokers, featuring Blink-182
Have always liked both bands, and, for me, with this, they work together. I get it, neither may be anyone’s cup of tea. But they’re innovative, and, frankly, tight musically.

13. Problems – A R I Z O N A
Never heard of this band until a month or so ago, and, surprising or not, this song and a couple others by them blew me away. I’ve posted the “official” version of this season, but, honestly, the acoustic version may be better. At least the lead singer doesn’t seem as stiff in it.

12. Kiss & Tell – Angels & Airwaves
One of Tom DeLonge’s offshoot projects from Blink-182, and, I guess, now his main focus musically, does it for me a lot of times. With the background vocals paving the way for Tom’s lead vocal belting paired with great instrumental work, I’m sold. Once this one kicks in, I’m hooked, hardcore.

11. Hold On – Hootie & The Blowfish
All I can say is I smiled when I came across this. Had no idea the band was reuniting. Then I played the video, and my smile grew. Just good, solid music with a backbone.

10. All to Myself – Dan + Shay
This tandem is quite the sensation, especially among country-pop crossover folks, which I’d fall into. Weird thing is, they’ve been putting out hits for years and I never paid much notice. Once I did, well, I got the sensation a little better. Great tune.

9. Body Back – Gryffin, featuring Maia Wright
Maybe it’s with still having a pre-teen or that I’ve always liked dance music, the EDM stuff works for me, and this guy’s stuff, and how he pieces it together, is eerily similar to a favorite of mine, The Chainsmokers, while somehow maintaining his own style.

8. The Bones – Maren Morris
Possessing a great voice and oozing sexuality is a tough combo to beat. Heard this, and she really solidified my interest after initially catching it a couple years ago with the song “The Middle” along with Zedd.

7. Memories – Maroon 5
The band and its lead, Adam Levine, are hit-or-miss with me, and often I can’t describe why I like one song and not another. I like this one. A lot. Why? Not really sure. I never am with these guys.

6. The Last Time – The Script
Brilliant band. Brilliant song. Enough said.
 
5. Nice to Meet Ya – Niall Horan
A back-to-back shot of Irish works for me. My oldest loved this kid in One Direction, but he seemed to be just another guy. I was wrong. This isn’t his first hit as a solo artist, but it’s the one that won me over. Even enjoy the video. Oozes an everyman coolness.

4. Push My Luck – The Chainsmokers
The DJ-based musical acts seemed goofy to me at one time, too. But these guys are tremendous, in studio and live. For me, this is another great one by them.

3. One Man Band – Old Dominion
My favorite band … ever. Once I heard this, yet another catchy, heartfelt, deep, thoughtful song – and that’s without even factoring in lyrics – I figured it was all over for my favorite song in 2019. Shockingly, I was wrong. Twice. Still, a classic by these guys. Again.

2. Slow Dance in a Parking Lot – Jordan Davis
Song touched me immediately. From the first note. Then it grabbed me tighter and tighter with each passing one. The guy is amazing. Compared to many in the biz, he works in near obscurity. But he always puts out a hit every year.

1. Cool Anymore – Jordan Davis, featuring Julia Michaels
Uh, make that two in 2019 for this year. There is a cuteness, sweetness and realness to this song, and video, that defies description for me. Her voice, and presence, adds an incredibly irresistible touch for me.
 
OK, that’s my 19 … but, for good measure, I couldn’t pass up working in this – my favorite video, ever, since it dropped in 2019. So, here you go, a bonus track.

BONUS | Top Video: Living – Dierks Bentley
A good song, for sure, it isn't quite a top 19 for '19 in my eyes. But the video is just wonderful. A must-watch for any parent.

by  Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]
Just where is Temple University football following Friday afternoon’s Military Bowl loss to North Carolina?
If you ask me, well … put it this way, if Manny Diaz got canned tomorrow by the University of Miami, and he wanted a do-over with the Owls, Temple athletic director Pat Kraft and Co. would be wise to open the door while politely pushing out Rod Carey through another one.

Kidding aside … not kidding.

Just not a fan of Carey as Temple’s head coach. The hire gave me the same tepid to sinking feeling that Fran Dunphy’s did as the men’s basketball coach at the school almost a decade and a half ago.

A nice guy who is going to lead a Temple program nowhere.

Dunphy supporters, apologists and rationalizers aside, the reality is, that’s exactly where the basketball program on North Broad went in his tenure – nowhere.

Temple, to me, will reach the same destination with Carey.

He is cut from the same cloth as Dunphy. Won’t ruffle administrative feathers. Won’t create any negative headlines with his actions or words. Won’t rock any boat whatsoever.

He also, like Dunphy, won’t recruit to the level Temple needs in order to be relevant. In the city of Philadelphia. Outside of it, too.

Just doesn’t have that kind of pedigree. Coming from Mid-American Conference middling Northern Illinois, Carey road the coattails of the players brought in by the man who preceded him, Dave Doeren, now at N.C. State, as the Huskies’ head man. Once those kids started to filter out of the program in Dekalb, Ill., so, too, did a large number of wins.

Point being, when Carey took over there, Northern Illinois was the cream of the MAC crop. By the time he signed with Temple a year ago now, the Huskies were fairly mediocre and headed toward being fully mediocre.

His first recruiting class for the Owls, which commenced before that eye-opening, 55-13 whipping at the hands of the Tar Heels, was, in a word, frightening.

Frightening for anyone harboring hope that Temple would not only maintain its current level of success, but improve on it.
As the litany of undersized projects that Carey and his staff signed, reality was a dish served ice cold. Much, much colder than anything the Owls themselves felt in Annapolis, Md., late last week.

To be fair, Carey has not whiffed with every decision he’s made since taking the Temple gig. Accepting a meeting with program prodigal son Jadan Blue, who wanted back on the squad after leaving due to personal reasons, the new coach heard out the youngster, put down attainable standards for Blue to reach and then welcomed him back with open arms … and was rewarded with a brilliant season from the redshirt sophomore, who became the first Temple player to ever record 1,000 receiving yards campaign.

Carey and his staff also were willing to try things, like inserting backup quarterback Todd Centeio on purpose as a change of pace from Anthony Russo, having no hesitation with making Re’Mahn Davis, a true freshman, the team’s featured running back and, even, maintaining the single-digit jersey recognition for the toughest Owls.

Temple also handed Memphis, the Group of Five’s top squad this season, its lone regular-season loss.

Then again, Russo appeared to regress, significantly at times, from his solid sophomore season, the Owls were clearly outcoached in several games, and they were embarrassed in four of their five defeats.

With at least three defensive linemen, including American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year Quincy Roche, and the team’s top four linebackers considered NFL prospects, it’s mind-boggling to think the Owls ranked 43rd in the country in points allowed per game and 47th in yards allowed per game, especially when they’re not playing a Big Ten or Southeastern conference schedule.

With any coaching change, it stands to reason that there may be a step taken back. It’s even acceptable.

But don’t kid yourself. That 8-5 posted in Geoff Collins’ last season at the helm was far different than the 8-5 posted in Carey’s first. One was signaling a rise; the other exactly the opposite.

by  Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]
In this, the Year of Celebrating Lovie Smith’s Breakthrough at Illinois, we’ve run away from reality a little bit.
No doubt there were some refreshing changes, from the opening of the new football facility to the Illini recording a signature win against Wisconsin, a top-10 team at the time, from the improving by the defense to the securing of a bowl bid.

All worthy of note. All worthy of future hope.

Good stuff. All of it.

But when you take off the orange-colored glasses and get a clearer look at things, here is reality:

Illinois closed season with three straight losses, including Monday’s 35-20 Redbox Bowl defeat at the hands of California, to secure its eighth straight season on the wrong side of .500. A step up from last year, which was a step up from the year before? Sure.

That being acknowledged, it might be wise to accept that they’re only on the same step they were when Tim Beckman – remember him? – was forced to step down before the 2015 season, following his own 6-7 campaign concluded with a bowl loss in 2014 that could be considered a carbon copy of Smith’s 2019.

Oh, that’s right. Smith and Co. have been pointing to next season as the real breakout year. Well, ya know, once it became apparent this one wouldn't be ...

Hey, that may prove correct in '20, and it would be nice to see. But the Illini are losing their two top running backs – Reggie Corbin and Dre Brown – as well as the nation’s second-leading tackler this season in linebacker Dele Harding, and, frankly, the jury is still out on the team as a whole, and some of its individuals.

Are the Illini the guys who set a school record in rallying from 25 down at Michigan State and qualify for a bowl bid? Or the ones who limped into Monday on a two-game losing skid following that win for the ages?

Is Brandon Peters the never-say-die leader who put every fiber of his being on the line when trying to run and dive for a first down on fourth-and-17 with Monday’s game seemingly out of reach late in the fourth quarter? Or the quarterback who seemed disinterested at times this season in competing during games that were up for grabs?

Milo Eifler … is he the chiseled out of granite linebacker with a knack for big plays, or just a guy who takes cheap shots, intentional or not?

Frankly, if it were me instead of Josh Whitman at the controls of the school’s athletics department, Smith would have been one step out the door following that prime-time Saturday night debacle back in late September before a pretty rowdy Memorial Stadium crowd, a mauling at the mercy of Big Ten rival Nebraska that saw the visiting Huskers at one point have 700 yards of offense.

Any administrator at the helm worth his salt would be able to look beyond that ridiculously misleading final of 42-38 to see that Smith’s troops had been taken apart, piece by piece. Saved only by Nebraska’s four turnovers and inefficiency at punching it in the end zone after toying with the Illini.

But the A.D. stuck by his guy, and following yet another embarrassment at Minnesota, started to see some returns with a strong effort by the Illini in a close loss to Michigan, then the stunner against No. 6 Wisconsin, along with three more wins right after that, culminating in the thriller at Michigan State.

Since …?

Well, nothing. They were outplayed on the road by Iowa – granted, a good team – and then manhandled by 3-win Northwestern.

Monday’s effort vs. Cal was better than that, but the result was the same: another L.

So, despite all the changes, what’s any different?

This seems an awful lot like 2014, and not much different than Bill Cubit’s bowl-less, 5-7 fill-in for Beckman 2015.

With 2019 coming to a close, kinda figured a top 19 for '19 courtesy of the camera was in order. Most pictures shown were taken in the Florida Keys, in particular Key West. But Miami, the Everglades and Southwest Florida are represented as well.