Wife and I are buying a new car and I experienced something totally unfamiliar. I placed a $1,000.00 down to hold a vehicle that isn't even built yet.
We're getting a Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid and they essentially don't exist on any dealership in Metro 513.

Things I've learned as I've begun researching the delays and what might be the issue:

1). In a quiet move, Toyota has shifted production; making fewer of the "middle of the road" trim, the XLE. Everything is base or PLATINUM version. Or at least those percentages are greater than XLE's

2). Demand and resale for Hybrids is through the roof

3). Toyota doesn't take custom orders. Dealers "get what they get" and it has no bearing on how quickly they sell them. Toyota has some grand algorithm they drop into different regions in order to balance out the number of vehicles are in a certain region to stabilize parts and service costs.
There was one Grand Highlander on the lot when I went to test drive and they have 11 vehicles in "sale pending" pre-sales status (12 now, including mine)

Overall, it's not the worst thing in the world. Gives me time to shop around with financing. Just curious if anyone else has experienced this with Toyota or any other manufacturer.

Maybe after we graduate some studs he ends up as a portal pickup then. Watching OSU blitz through to a title will probably make a lot of guys think again.

Gonna be fun

What is up with Mh Jr.?

colobuck79 said:

Where do I sign?

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Well the hardest part to making it perfect would be realignment again and 4 conferences of 16 teams each. Let's face it NIL has made this a professional sport and there's money everywhere. Yet there are teams in, I'll call it by is old moniker, Division 1A, that do not stand a snowballs chance in hell of ever reaching a final let alone winning one.

So the new 1A becomes a 64 team league, 16 make the playoff, which will still be the same teams every year, right? A few stragglers will show up from time to time of course. The rest are in Division 1B. The MAC, WAC, SUN BELT etc. whom are also going to be able to benefit from NIL as well, if they run the business correctly.

Now for the kicker: the worst team from each of the 4 conferences gets relegated each February and the best 4 from the 1B lot move up. Gone would be the days of terrible athletic departments being the annual conferences doormats, but still getting to share the conferences bounty which they never contribute to. You suck too bad this year? Adios. Maybe next year. And, hey fresh blood once in awhile keeps things interesting.

Obviously 1A is the NFL minor leagues at this point let's not kid ourselves and football would have to separate from the other sports due to the relegation rule but so what? Doesn't mean they lose school affiliation so fans and alumni don't have to switch allegiance, that would be brutal.

TV rights, conferences payouts and the possible school issues are still going to exist.

Now these are just the lunatic rumblings of a fringe fanatic that lives for college football and all things Buckeyes so there's a whole crap load of T's and I's that the nerds would have to sort out but you get the picture I think? (FYI this rambling and napkin spitballing should all be read in Jack Burtons voice for posterity)

The Old Porkchop Express

Jeremiah Smith Says Alabama Was His Dream School, But Crimson Tide “Thought There Was No Chance” After His Ohio State Commitment​

Jeremiah Smith always dreamed of playing college football at Alabama, but the Crimson Tide didn't follow through.

During his interview session at Big Ten Media Days, Smith revealed Alabama was his dream school growing up in Miami Gardens, Florida.
"Growing up, my dream school was Alabama when Nick Saban was there. They wasn't recruiting me, though,” Smith said. “It is what it is, but I always wanted to go to Alabama."

Alabama had become a destination for several South Florida stars before Smith. He pointed to Amari Cooper (2012 four-star), Calvin Ridley (2015 five-star) and Jerry Jeudy (2017 five-star) as examples of elite wide receivers from the area who played in Tuscaloosa.

But it wasn't in the cards for Smith. He said his early commitment to Ohio State caused Alabama to bow out of his recruitment long before signing day.

"I think I committed to Ohio State too early," he said. "That's why they stopped. They thought there was no chance."

Alabama's decision to move on was probably the right one. Smith committed to Brian Hartline's program in the 2024 recruiting class, and by that point, Hartline had already sent Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Marvin Harrison Jr. to the NFL. Emeka Egbuka was nearing the end of his college career, and Carnell Tate was beginning his ascent toward becoming a top-five NFL draft pick. It would have taken an extraordinary recruiting effort for the Crimson Tide to pull Smith away from the Buckeyes.
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That's a large young man. Him beside Amare might punch the tcun right in the mouth finally.

Glad he was paid. Wish he was somewhere he could compete for a ring.

NJ-Buckeye said:

Jim Otis never lost yardage on any rushing attempt during his entire career at Ohio State

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jimotis4heisman said:

Yeah, I knew that.

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Footwork trying to pass in the pocket is a complete disaster......practice that? NAH HEAD FAKES AGAINST AIR!

Sounds like a well-traveled young man. Hopefully he's the 'instant O' gunner coming off the bench.

Thump, he's probably got his own line of spray-on. This one season wonder thing, if he doesn't get it done in year one, his contract probably has a high buy-out, and losing a football game or more is NOT reason enough to fire him, unless LSU is willing to fund the buy-out. But hey, they've already got Oberon (sp?) as an assistant, so would be a smooth transition for him back into his original office in LSU stadium...cogitate on that a bit.

Totally agree. If he leaves simply for more money, was never ours to begin with. And further, with what LJSr has stacked up on DL, even though he is a talent, tOSU might balk at meeting Miami and Tennessee offers. Hopefully this young man believes what he has been saying, that LJSr is the best DL coach in the business, and he wants to learn at his feet. That would be refreshing to hear.

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