DAILY DIRT: Farewell, old friends, it was a great run

It’s Ohio State-Michigan week. That makes losing “The Walking Dead” more palpable … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 455 of The Daily Dirt.

1. What a perfect ending. Simply perfect.

I was not looking forward to the final chapter of “The Walking Dead” on Sunday night.

One, I did not want the show to end. Like others, I had become emotionally attached (in a strange sort of way) to this 12-year postapocalyptic zombiefest. 

Two, the final shows of long-running series tend to be major letdowns (anyone remember “Seinfeld?”).

But the farewell to Daryl, Carol, Judith, Negan, Rosita, Rick, Michonne and dozens of others was incredibly satisfying. The final minutes not only tied up current loose ends, but set the stage for the upcoming THREE spinoff series.

In a nutshell, looking back over the decade-plus of this marvelous, groundbreaking series, here are my favorite moments:

Gold medal: When Daryl finally told Carol he loved her, right near the end of Sunday’s final episode. And Carol responded, “I love you, too.” We waited a long time to hear those words from those two.

Silver medal: The introduction of Negan as a prime character, which led to the ultimate death of Glenn and Abraham via Negan’s barbed-wire covered baseball bat named “Lucille.”

Bronze medal: Back to the inaugural episode, when Rick woke up in q deserted hospital room and discovered the world he once knew was no longer.

Pass the Kleenex, please. Farewell, guys. I’m sure we’ll be seeing (some of) you again real soon …

2. Every so often I like to pay tribute to some of the celebrities and performers who have passed and whose names may have escaped the major headlines.

Here’s the latest update:

• Jeff Cook: Anyone who was/is a fan of Alabama will undoubtedly be saddened at this news. Cook was the group’s lead guitarist, who died earlier this month at age 78. He had suffered from Parkinson’s disease since 2012. Cook and his cousins, lead singer Randy Owen bass guitarist Teddy Gentry, anchored what many considered the perfect pop country group, a band that charted 43 No. 1 songs and sold more than 80 million albums.
• Gallagher: The comedian best known for smashing things on late-night talk shows like David Letterman, died at age 76 following massive organ failure and several heart attacks. Gallagher was best known for destroying watermeloms with sledgehammers.
• Brett Tuggle: He was the keyboardist for the supergroup, Fleetwood Mac, He was 70 and died of complications from cancer. Tuggle was also a founding member of the David Lee Roth band and also performed with Rick Springfield and John Kay/Steppenwolf.
• Alec John Such: The guitarist was one of the founding members of Bon Jovi. He was 70.
• Alan White: He was the drummer for Yes, one of the 1970s’ most influential bands. In addition to Yes, the England native performed on various Beatles’ solo tracks, including George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” and John Lennon’s “Imagine” and “Instant Karma.” White was 72.
• Robert Clary: He played French Corporal Louis Lebeau on “Hogan’s Heroes” from 1965-71. The Paris-born actor survived 31 months in Nazi concentration camps prior to finding fame as an actor. Clary was 96.

3. Not much change from a week ago in The Daily Dirt’s college football rankings.

That will likely change this week, thanks to an impressive lineup of major late-season matchups”

1. Georgia (11-0): Don’t sleep on LSU when it meets Georgia in that SEC title game in a couple of weeks. This week’s pick: Georgia 56, Georgia Tech 3.

2. Ohio State (11-0): I listened to a recent panel of sportscasters and sports writers who all agreed the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is the greatest in all of sports. I can’t argue with that. Saturday’s latest meeting should be comparable to 2006 when the two schools entered ranked Nos. 1 and 2 and Ohio State prevailed 42-39. This week’s pick: Ohio State 47, Michigan 41.

3. Michigan (11-0): The key will be Michigan’s ability to turn back Ohio State early. If the Buckeyes strike quick and often in the first half, which has been their pattern, it will be a long day in Columbus for the Wolverines. This week’s pick: Ohio State 47, Michigan 41.

4. USC (10-1): If the Trojans can find a way into the playoffs, watch out. Their offense is elite. It’s the defense that is the only question mark. This week’s pick: USC 31, Notre Dame 21. The Irish might be the most improved team in the country since Labor Day, but I don’t think they can outscore USC’s potent offense.

Best of the rest: Oregon (10-1),LSU (9-2), Alabama (9-2), TCU (11-0), Notre Dame (8-3)

Still overrated: Clemson (10-1).

Steve Thought O’ The Day — I was fortunate to see Alabama in concert twice. It’s hard to believe Randy Owen is 72 and Teddy Gentry 70. And that Jeff Cook was 78. Those were two of the greatest concerts I ever attended. Both were back in the 1980s.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He once thought of love as a prison…