The Mermaid’s Treasure: Aquamarine

January 5, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

On this week’s Crystal of the Month, blogger Jesse breaks down the crystal aquamarine. She goes in depth about its history, its geography, and how and what it does for you. Enjoy reading about the unique characteristics of aquamarine! – Retired Editor Roman Rickwood

By Jessica Denyer

Welcome back!

This week I am going to be talking about my next Crystal of the Month: Aquamarine. This rare stone has a lot of interesting history and myths behind it making it one of the most sought after crystals. Its properties are also valuable, making it even more popular. So let’s jump right in and learn about Aquamarine.

History

Widely known as “The Mermaid’s Treasure ” and “The Sailors’ Stone,” aquamarine has a rich ancient history. To the Ancient Romans, the gem was heavily associated with sailing and luck. The famous historian Pliny the Elder was the first person to record the existence of aquamarine, saying, “The lovely Aquamarine, . . . seems to come from some mermaid treasure house. In the depths of a summer sea, has charms not to be denied” (varianceobjects.com). The Ancient Greeks also had a similar idea about aquamarine relating it to Poseidon and the Sirens who were known to seduce sailors and lead them to a watery death. Either way history is on the same page about aquamarine having protective powers.

Where is it found?

Aquamarine is mainly found in Brazil; however, it is also found in places like Nigeria, Zambia, Pakistan, and Madagascar. There have been some massive pieces of aquamarine found, including one mined out of Brazil that weighed almost 240 pounds. What is so cool about aquamarine is that every piece is different and truly looks like it came from the depths of the sea. This however also makes aquamarine pretty expensive. At my old job at the crystal store, we had massive pieces of aquamarine on display in a pretty glass case that made all the little details of the crystal show. People would always want to know how much the biggest piece was but would always promptly walk away after hearing it was almost $400. I myself own a piece of aquamarine a little bigger than a quarter, and I paid $20 for it. Aquamarine is one of my most expensive crystal purchases to date. It’s not as outrageously expensive as the famous moldavite, but don’t expect a piece of “Mermaid’s Treasure ” to be cheap.

What does it do?

Aquamarine is obviously a great protective stone (not just for sailors). Besides that, aquamarine is known to be a very soothing and relaxing stone known to ease anxiety and tension. It is also great for helping to push you to do things you might not otherwise do out of fear and anxiety. At my old job we used to say aquamarine was good for “living in the moment.” So if you struggle with anxiety and have a bad habit of holding yourself back from experiences or opportunities, invest in some aquamarine, it might just change your life.

So that’s it!

Thanks for reading!

Jesse your Crystal Connoisseur

The Archon War: Part 1

December 15, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Our Genshin Impact expert Izumi is back again, this time with an exciting trilogy that will lead you down a cold and stormy path of war. What a cliffhanger! Want to know what comes next? Find out next blog installation as the saga continues. – Jesse Denyer, Editor

By Izumi, Middle-School Gaming Correspondent

The Archon War is a huge event in Genshin Impact. The Archon War is at the base of the whole game story. The Archon War is still unknown as to how it started or why, and there is no information on how the victors or losers were decided, or how the nations divided. According to the non-playable character Soraya, “The war began as a struggle over the seven divine seats in Celestia. Those who struggled fought both for supremacy and to see their plans for a prosperous humanity come to fruition. However, not all gods participated in the war with the intent of taking a divine seat; some wanted simply to defend their territory; while others wanted to save as many people as possible from the destruction of the war” (genshin-impact.fandom.com).

After the Archon War, the seven Gods who won split into the seven nations of Teyvat, while the rest became evil, which leaves a lot of evil. To share all of the information of the Archon War and the events during it, I will split it into two posts, the first post will be about Mondstadt, and how it got its first and only Anemo Archon.

2600 years ago, in the middle of the Archon War, there were two warring Gods, Decarabian the God of Storms, and Andrius the King of the North Winds. The two fought in Mondstadt. The Mondstadt nation was located in the northwest, where it would now be known as Stormterror’s Lair. The God of Anemo, Barbatos, didn’t exist at this point. Barbatos was nothing but a wisp of wind, an elf with almost no power. Monstadt was very cold. It was all snow and ice, cold air and endless blizzards–a condition that mortals could barely survive. This cold was all caused by Andrius, who not long ago obtained powers from a likely deceased God. Andrius wanted to start a war against Decarbian, who enclosed the city of Monstadt with a wall, making sure nothing came in or out. Andrius tried to attack the wall, but never left a scratch on it. Decarabian didn’t seem threatened and was only devoted to protecting his people. However, his people worshipped him out of fear, thinking he was trying to trap them from the outside world. (genshin-impact.fandom.com)

While Barbatos was a wisp of wind, he befriended a young bard who always dreamed of freedom. The bard left Decarabian’s walled city to save the Gunnhildr clan. He ended up living in a frozen wasteland, but the resulting faith of the Gunnhildrs empowered him. At one point, Barbatos and the young bard, alongside Decarabian’s disillusioned lover Amos and a knight, raised an army against Decarabian, God of Storms. They were victorious! The Archon Decarbian was slain and all of the people were saved from the stormy walled cage. Unfortunately, Amos and the bard did not survive the war, leaving Barbatos with lots of grief and regret. (genshin-impact.fandom.com)

In the end, Barbatos was given the title of the first and only Anemo Archon. In honor of the bard, Barbatos took the form of him and brought freedom to Mondstadt, ending the extreme cold and blizzards. He often visited the neighboring Archon Morax, who will be mentioned in the next blog post.

Character Yae is not all she appears to be, and she may be more…

December 15, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

In this week’s blog we get to meet yet another Genshin impact character–Yae. We learn Yae is a very mysterious person and a bookstore owner. Read to the end to see the drawing and the pictures of the mystical land. – Roman Rickwood, Editor

By Izumi, Middle-School Gaming/Animation Consultant

Welcome back! I have drawn another Genshin Impact character. Meet Yae Miko, a woman who oversees the Grand Narukami Shrine and the Yae publishing house, also a woman who has a load of secrets.

Yae is a mysterious person, as an old friend of the Raiden Shogun or Ei. Yae tries her best to keep in touch with Ei. However, Ei’s been in her eternal meditation, not speaking with anyone, so Yae has kept to her own business. Yae is the Guuji of the Grand Narukami shrine, a shrine located at the top of a mountain in Inazuma. Yae also owns the “Yae publishing house,” a bookstore also in Inazuma. She holds many events and has a very nice appearance to people she doesn’t know very well. Her personality underneath is very different though; she’s a blunt and cynical person, maybe even a bit selfish.

You can see the shrine centered on the top of Mt. Yougou.

Yae is one of the only friends of the Raiden Shogun that survived through the rages of time (Archon War, etc) and is also one of the few to refer to the Shogun by her first name Ei. That’s how close they are. Ei also calls Yae by her first name–in Japanese culture this means they are very close friends. Yae has taken the time to be shrewd and resourceful while Ei was in seclusion. Yae took advantage of the traveler (the player) coming to Inazuma to mend the damage and sadness caused by Ei’s withdrawal and Yae’s loneliness.

*Yae is not a playable character yet. But, Izumi predicts she will be playable in a future update. Watch for her in Version 2.5.

My favorite ways to cook a steak.

December 13, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Hungry? This article will leave you yearning for a steak. Ike the Food Dude will break down the various ways to cook a steak. While some methods are easier than others, all sound delicious, and all are worth a try. Get cooking. — Roman Rickwood, Editor

By Ike Spry, Food Dude

Since the dawn of time, we humans have asked questions. Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? And, most importantly, how do I cook a steak?

Well, I have the answers (to at least one of those questions). Whether you like your steak still mooing, or tough as leather, there are a few basic cooking principles that will get you a perfect steak. It seems like nowadays everybody cooks steaks differently: grilled, front seared, reverse seared, pan seared, smoked or even sous vide. At the end of the day, a lot of methods work, and I’m not here to say which one is best for you, although I think a pan-seared steak is probably the most consistent. There really is no perfect steak for everyone, but these tips can work for any cooking medium and any preferred temperature.

Probably the most important aspect of a great steak is your control of the internal temperature. Experienced home cooks can tell the temperature of a steak just by touching it. But, that takes a lot of practice. That’s why I think it’s important to invest in a meat thermometer. I definitely don’t promote poking a one-inch thick steak full of holes every 20 seconds to see if your steak’s cooked. But, if you’re making a thick steak or roast, these things come in really handy. Also being able to “predict the cook” on your steak can relieve a lot of stress for your Sunday dinner. Going back to feeling a steak by touch, especially for those smaller steaks, I recommend getting a feel for it. Some chefs tell you to relate the touch to the give of different parts of your body–like cheeks, forehead, or chin. But if you really want to be consistent, just start touching your steaks. A more rare steak will have less give, a medium/ medium rare steak will feel sort of springy, and well done will feel a lot tougher. My best advice is just to get the feel for touching steak, and it shouldn’t take long to really nail down what the temperature is. It is also worth noting that this technique can work with other proteins like chicken or fish.

Another really important tip is to SEASON YOUR STEAK. I don’t mean you need to bring out the whole spice rack; I mean don’t be afraid to generously coat your steak with salt. At the end of the day, any spice/rub is optional; the only thing that isn’t optional is salt. Use more than you think. You could have a perfectly cooked golden brown steak, but if you didn’t add enough salt, it’s gonna taste bad. Even some steak rubs don’t have enough salt in them, as weird as it sounds taste the rub, the rub should almost be as salty as salt itself. You definitely shouldn’t make your steak oversalted, but be generous with it. You’re most likely not using enough.

My third tip is the heat of your cooking medium. I find it pretty rare for someone to prefer a boiled and grey steak to a golden brown one. If you cook your steaks on too low of a heat, they will probably be overcooked with a thick grey band, and usually no crust. Especially if you’re cooking your steak in a pan or skillet, really crank up the heat, wait for your oil to start shimmering–almost smoking–and probably turn off your fire alarm. Or, if you’re grilling a steak, get your ambers or grates really hot. You also want to leave the steak alone, you should not be flipping it every 30 seconds, but at the same time if you don’t flip it enough it will probably have a grey band around the steak and be overcooked. If you’re cooking the steak in a pan (usually my go-to depending on the steak), be wary of adding too much oil or something like butter in too early, you should always be using a high smoke point oil, like canola, avocado, or grape-seed; don’t use olive oil or butter because it will burn. Also be cautious of using too much oil because it will boil the steak, and stop you from getting a good crust.

My very last tip is super important, but also the easiest. You need to let your steak rest. Depending on the size of the steak, you could let it rest as long as you cooked it. Just make sure it’s for at least 5 minutes. If it doesn’t rest, it will lose a lot of its juices, and the center will probably be undercooked (if you’re going for mid-rare). Resting the steak not only makes a juicer steak, it will continually cook the inside of the steak, leading to less of a grey band and an overall juicer steak.

At the end of the day, people like their steaks differently, and you should respect their opinion. But if you keep some of these basic principles in mind, you’ll pretty much be certain you have a good steak. Another thing worth mentioning is to be consistent. If your steaks are sometimes amazing and sometimes not as good as last time, you should probably be more consistent with one or more of these principles. Thank you for reading this post, and good luck with the next time you cook a steak.

*P.S. These principles are designed for cuts like New York strip, ribeye, and filet. They will also work for other cuts on a broader scale, but these are the benchmarks.

From the Archives: What’s the New “Roaring”(?) 20s Like?

December 9, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Last year, from our “Something to Write about Wednesday Prompt,” we played along with The New Yorker, asking the question: “WHAT THE NEW ROARING TWENTIES WILL BE LIKE?”

Writers from The New Yorker‘s, Daily Shouts, proposed . . .

*Not wearing makeup will become socially acceptable, but men will continue to ask their barefaced co-workers if they’re sick.
*Cockroaches will collectively grow disillusioned with big-city living and move out to a place in the country . . . . Many will share think pieces about it on TikTok.
*In the New Roaring Twenties, our old clothes will become sentient and feel bad that they no longer fit us.
*Longtime residents of pastorally enchanting towns will be priced out of their homes by gentrifying cockroaches and have no choice but to move to Florida.
*In the New Roaring Twenties, essential workers will get V.I.P. treatment at night clubs, the D.M.V., and Pinkberry. But they will still be tragically underpaid.
*In the New Roaring Twenties, A.O.C. will be President, Amy Adams will finally win an Oscar, and Lin-Manuel Miranda will write a musical version of “The Great Gatsby” with an all-bipoc cast. It’ll earn him his nineteenth Pulitzer and first Teen Choice Award.

Staffers from our very own thebirdonfire.org contributed their predictions. They wrote, “In the New Roaring Twenties, . . . “

Leo will stop prefacing every question with “I have a question, . . .”
People putting their pronouns in their social media bios will become commonplace.
- — Alumnus Erik Bearman

People will no longer have a preference for toilet paper; we’re used to taking whatever we can get on the shelves.
Disney+, Netflix, or Hulu? Depending on your answer, we may or may not get along.
- — Senior Sara Habibipour

Because of the increased lethargic attitudes in students due to online school, public schools will adopt mandatory siestas from 1-3 pm.
- — Alumnus Hannah Hall

People will be elected to public office based on social media followers.
- — Current Blogger Roman Rickwood

Californians will overrun Texas, causing the half the state to petition to be granted new statehood with the threat of secession should their request be denied.
- — Alumnus Elizabeth Shay

Conservatives will gain full control of the government and establish prohibition, . . . for social media.
- — Alumnus Jake Sonderman

In the new roaring 20s, dogs will be much sadder because all of their masters decided they’d like to go back out now instead of being with them all day.
- — Alumnus Dog-Lover Evan Spry

The Houses of the Zodiac and What They Mean for You

December 8, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Jessica Denyer, Amateur Astrologer

Welcome back!

I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving break under the rambunctious Leo moon.

Today I am going to be talking about the different houses of the zodiac.

Jesse, what does that even mean? you might ask.

Let me explain.

It is a division of the zodiac signs into 12 different houses that is less dependent on date and more dependent on time and location of your birth. If you’ve ever had your birth chart read, you should have a sign in every planet. That planet and sign are in a corresponding house. You can have multiple houses in one planet, and every house has a meaning. This seems very confusing, but once I start explaining, I think you will understand. So let’s jump right in.

House 1

House 1, also known as the House of Self, controls how you feel about yourself and your appearance, the first impressions you make, your sense of identity and your approach to life. For example, my 1st House is in Taurus, and it is my ascending sign meaning that I am always in search of love even of self, and prefer to be natural over fake. I prefer to enjoy life while using all of the senses. I tend to be rather cold seeming and hard headed, and I will do anything to chase a personal goal.

House 2

House 2, also known as the House of Value, controls how you view money, work, and values; it also controls your preference of daily routines, habits, and priorities. It also controls how you view your material possessions. My 2nd House is in Gemini, meaning I tend to show my love for others through money and material possessions. Gift giving is my love language. This sounds very cold, but it is how I show my affection, and I put a lot of meaning and thought into gift giving. I am also very fastidious with my routines and live by habit.

House 3

House 3, also known as the House of Sharing, controls your mind and how you think and communicate. It also controls how you handle social activities and situations. My 3rd House is in Cancer, meaning that sometimes I carry heavy emotions in my mind although rarely show them outwards. I am very emotionally aware in social situations and have a great sense of emotional range.

House 4

House 4, also known as the House of Home & Family, controls your sense of self within your home. I do not have any signs in the 4th house.

House 5

House 5, also known as the House of Pleasure, controls your romantic life and how you love. It also controls your sense of creativity and self expression. My 5th House is in Virgo, meaning that I find success through romance, self expression, and creativity. They are my outlets for letting loose and being who I am.

House 6

House 6, also known as the House of Health, controls your ideas of health and fitness, sense of usefulness, and how you function as a system. I do not have a sign in the 6th House.

House 7

House 7, also known as the House of Balance, controls your relationships in life whether that be a marriage or a business partnership or what have you. I do not have a sign in the 7th House.

House 8

House 8, also known as the House of Transformation, controls how you show intimacy and how you deal with joint ventures with others. My 8th house is in Sagittarius meaning that I am down for team work as long as both sides of the work are equal, that goes for relationships as well. I will give it my all as long as the other person does too.

House 9

House 9, also known as the House of Purpose, controls your sense of purpose, your philosophies in life, and the wisdom you hold and use. I do not have a sign in the 9th House.

House 10

House 10, also known as the House of Enterprise, controls your likely career, long term goals, structure, and sense of reputation. My 10th House is in Aquarius, meaning that I am steadfast in my goals and will work endlessly to complete them and complete them the right way. I am extremely structured and hate when my structure is disturbed.

House 11

House 11, also known as the House of Blessings, controls your hopes and wishes for the future. My 11th House is in Pisces, meaning that I have a mediocre sense of hope and optimism by nature, and I tend to always expect the worst and try to rebel against things that will make me happy in the end–as weird as that sounds. Love a good self sabotage.

House 12

House 12, also known as the House of Sacrifice, controls your beliefs, karma, and sense of healing and closure. My 12th House is in Aries which means that I tend to deal with things rather quickly and never take time to dwell on things or receive healing and closure. However, I do spend a lot of time fantasizing about my dreams hoping they will one day come to fruition.

So that’s it! Want to know more about your houses? Email me the date/time/place of your birth, and I can tell you all you need to know about your chart. Come back next week where I will be doing the next installment of Crystal of the Month. We’ll look at one of my favorite crystals: aquamarine.

Thanks for reading!

Your Amatuer Astrologist Jesse

And then there were four . . .

December 7, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

It’s College Football Postseason! Roman, our sports enthusiast, has the rundown on the conference championships leading into the bowls. — Ike Spry, Editor

By Roman Rickwood, Sports Enthusiast

Last Saturday began the first weekend of the postseason, and three out of the five conference championship games had major playoff implications. With there only being one undefeated team in the top 4, nothing was set in stone. The three important conference championships were the Big 12 Championship, the Big 10 Championship, and the SEC Championship.

In the Big 12 Championship we had Baylor (10-2) vs. Oklahoma State (11-1). With a win, the Oklahoma State Cowboys should have been a sure in for the playoff. But, they lost. It was a very dramatic loss. They lost on the last play of the game. They came up nine inches short, just a breath from a touchdown.

Next we had the Big 10 Championship game between #2-ranked Michigan and the come-from-behind underdog Iowa, who looked like they were surely down and out until just the right teams lost last week. Michigan stomped Iowa, 42-3.

Then we had, what I believed to be the most competitive game, #1-ranked Georgia vs. #2 Alabama for the SEC Championship. This was the third meeting between the two teams in the last four years. Alabama was 3-0 against the Dawgs; now, they are 4-0. (Despite Georgia being favored by one touchdown.) Alabama had to win to be in the playoff. Now, they are #1 nationally. These were the three most important conference championships out of the power-five conferences. These games were very close and incredibly competitive–in the first halves.

2021 SEC Championship Game: Georgia vs. Alabama matchup set after Crimson Tide clinch SEC West - CBSSports.com

After this weekend the playoff rankings are now set: #1. Alabama, #2. Michigan, #3. Georgia, #4. Cincinnati. Alabama is playing Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, and Georgia is playing Michigan in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami; both games are on New Year’s Eve. My way-too-early prediction for these games is that both Georgia and Alabama will outmatch their opponents and meet again in the national-title game in Indianapolis on January 10.

From the Archives:

December 2, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Non-COVID-19 Passports That Reduce Your Risk to Society

A prompt inspired by Zach Zimmerman from the April 19, 2021, New Yorker

Image may contain Human Person and Text — Illustration by Luci Gutiérrez

While electronic vaccine passports are being debated, consensus is forming around several other passports that would communicate the level of danger you pose to the world. Here are some “passports” from The New Yorker and thebirdonfire.org staffers:

Flip-Flops Passport

Discloses when you last wore flip-flops in a non-nautical setting.

Sobbed-During-“Nomadland” Passport

Identifies that you cried during Swankie’s farewell monologue.

Magic-Trick-on-a-First-Date Passport

Confirms that you have never performed a card trick on a first date with a potential romantic partner.

From alumnus Erik Bearman:

Joe-Mama Passport

Documents how often you tell jokes about someone’s moms.

From senior Sara Habibipour:

Unseasoned Chicken Passports

Documents what spices you use to season your chicken. If you only use salt…get out.

Toilet-Paper Hogger

Documents how much toilet paper you hoarded from the shelves. Don’t think that we didn’t notice, Karen…

From current blogger Roman Rickwood:

Do-you-even-lift bro passport

Confirms that you are telling the truth about your PRs in the gym.

From alumnus Hannah Hall:

Long-time-no-see Passport

Marks the amount of times you have told an old friend you should “get coffee sometime” and not spoken ever again.

From alumnus Elizabeth Shay:

5-Second Rule Passport

Demonstrates the last time you have justified consumption of a fallen food using this “foolproof” argument.

From alumnus Jake Sonderman:

Dasani Passport

Confirms that you drink Dasani water. Gross.

Diet Coke Passport

“I have never seen a thin person drinking diet coke.” – Donald J Trump

Country-Music Passport

This passport gets you discounts on Stagecoach tickets but doesn’t let you within 200 miles of the Capitol Building.

From alumnus Evan Spry:

Dog-Approval Passport

A passport that discloses the overwhelming opinion that dogs have about you.

Don’t Try to Lie to this Genshin Impact Character: She’ll Find You Out

December 2, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Below, Izumi details one of her favorite Genshin Impact characters, Mona. Learn who Mona is and what she stands for in the latest Genshin impact character blog post. — Ike Spry, Editor

By Izumi, Middle-School Gaming Correspondent

Welcome! Today I will be talking about one of my favorite Genshin Impact characters. Meet Astrologist Mona Megistus.

If you ever met Mona, you would know she is one to take her passion seriously. When it comes to astrology, she is very knowledgeable. She unites her astrology abilities with hydromancy (hydro power), which makes her popular or well known. In Genshin Impact, any vision, let alone a hydro-power vision, is rare. Mona has other skills. She can tell if people are lying or not, sense a person’s intentions and tell someone’s fate accurately. She can even–and here likely she gets her title–deduce a person’s personality from knowing their constellation (fandom.com).

Mona gets a sense of pride from her work with astrology, but the work serves as a double-edged sword. Whenever Mona gets her hands on mora (currency), she immediately spends it on astrology-related materials (fandom.com). Mona doesn’t exactly have a lot of Mora, but she tells herself, “It matters not. Astrologers must rid themselves of material desires. Only by ridding oneself of clutter can one see the true world around them” (fandom.com). However, Mona always forgets about the things she needs for daily survival. Sometimes she doesn’t have shelter. Sometimes she spends days without food. When Mona does have currency, she is very picky and gets only small simple dishes. Note: she does not tolerate people who disrespect her or make fun of her lack of material goods.

Coaching Carousel

December 1, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Round and round we go. The college football world was shaken up this week as some of the most famous coaches made some surprising multimillion-dollar team changes. Sports enthusiast Roman gives us all the juicy details about these mind blowing deals. — Jessica Denyer, Editor

By Roman Rickwood, Sports Enthusiast

As the regular season for college football comes to a close, we are left with far more questions than answers. The biggest questions that had to be answered all surrounded the issue of coaching. There were two big coaching jobs open, USC’s and LSU’s. These programs are historic and are known for producing some of the best players in the NFL. It was only two years ago that LSU found themselves National Champions, destroying everyone in their path by significant margins. However, that success was short-lived as many of their players went on to the NFL (where they continue to dominate). There has been much speculation on who would take over the helm at LSU; however, we did not hear much about who USC would hire.

Lincoln Riley Named New USC Football Head Coach - USC Athletics — New USC Coach Lincoln Riley

USC in my opinion went out and made a statement, and I truly believe it will be the hire that takes them back to the top of college football. USC hired Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley early Monday morning, and he landed in LA later that day. He had one of the more mind-blowing contracts, and it is now obvious why he made the move. USC offered a contract that allegedly includes a 121-million-dollar contract (roughly 12 million dollars a year); the university purchased both of his homes in Oklahoma for roughly $500,000 over asking price (a million dollar bonus); and, to help him settle in to the city of angels, the university bought him a 6-million-dollar house in Los Angeles. If he ever gets bored of LA, the university also granted him 24/7 access to the university’s private jet. If this was not enough incentive for Lincoln Riley, he has ready access to a conference championship every year and a significantly easier path to making the playoffs. Oklahoma, on the other hand, will join the hardest conference in the country starting next year. Overall, I believe USC will be back in the national conversation in less than three years. When a coach like Lincoln Riley is at the helm, he will surely attract the best of the best–coaches and players.

Lincoln Riley's hiring a relief for those who cherish USC - Los Angeles Times — Lincoln Riley moves to USC.

The biggest surprise move by coaches, however, was Brian Kelly being named as the next football coach of LSU. Brian Kelly has been in the midwest his entire coaching career, and this season he earned the record of winningest football coach in Notre Dame history. While his contract details are not explicit, I believe this move has far less to do with money and more to do with winning a national championship. At Notre Dame it is incredibly difficult to compete in the playoffs as Notre Dame is one of two schools who does not participate in any league. As well, the significant academic standards required of Notre Dame athletes are rigorous. While I do not know how this move will work out, it is obvious that Brian Kelly is a world-class football coach and has made Notre Dame what it is today. I am a little intrigued to see how a coach like Brian Kelly will do recruiting in the Deep South against some of the greatest recruiters in the country. I believe that this could turn into a University of Florida issue, where they had a phenomenal coach, but the coach was unable to get elite players.

Brian Kelly can recruit like a champion at LSU, and he'll have to deliver a championship | Sporting News — Coach Brian Kelly moves to LSU.

While these hires may have answered the question for two historic football powerhouses as to who will steer the ship, it leaves questions for the two programs losing their coaches. Oklahoma has lost most of its assistant coaches, as they were brought to LA with Lincoln Riley. I can only speculate that Notre Dame will hire within their organization, or will hire a coach with strong connections within the Catholic world. As for Oklahoma, boy, it is going to be a rough next couple of years. When they lost their coach they lost a ton of incoming talent, as happens anytime a coach takes another job. Not to mention Oklahoma begins competing in the SEC next year, and has to compete week in and week out against some of the best teams in the country. I imagine these programs are hoping for the best, expecting the worst.