Good morning, everyone. As Lou Grant said during Mary Richards’ interview, “I was about to have a drink and I wouldn’t mind some company.” Okay, I already had my drink when I put this article to bed a few hours ago. I could still use the company, though, so pull up a chair as I propose a toast.
Before I do, I have a quick Vilkmas update. Previous winners can attest to the fact that some years it takes me a while to send out the prizes. This is one of those years. I thought I had enough envelopes or boxes, but it turns out I didn’t until now. Everything should be sent out this week before Anthony Emerson takes over as your new Weekend Editor.
Now then, if you have a glass, or a cup, or a mug, let’s raise them up as I say Cheers to Paul Lukas, to Phil Hecken, to all the staff, and to all the readers of this wonderful website. Thank you for welcoming me, for enjoying (or enduring) my contributions, and for doing everything you do to make this such a special comm-UNI-ty.
I had a lot of fun being Weekend Editor for the past seven and a half months, but in spite of that I feel it’s time to retire. Why? Well, in this case, the more things have changed in my life, one thing has remained the same:

What you see above is a note from my News Writing professor during my senior year of college. Each student had a beat to cover, and since I was commentating for Akron football and basketball I made that my beat. The professor wanted some deep investigative reporting but between calling the games, going to school, and working at the Richfield Coliseum to pay for school, I didn’t have the time. I kept handing in game stories and I put off giving him more until my Final Project. Fast-forward to today, and between working my other job, raising the kids, and helping my sister take care of Dad, I don’t have the time to do what I’d like to do for this website. I also don’t have time for the *many* things that need done around the house…and I need to sleep. In short, I need to reclaim my weekends. By handing the keys over to Anthony, maybe I can simplify my life and even get back into creative writing and photography. I’ve missed those things dearly.
Anyway, I wanted to thank Paul and Phil again, and I’d like to say a special thank you to the following people: The SMUW Crew (Terry Duroncelet, Wade Heidt, Rex Henry, Dennis Bolt, Derek Buchheit, and Zach Wooldridge), Jerry Wolper, Jamie Rathjen, Anthony Emerson, Jimmy Corcoran, Wafflebored, Todd Morss, Brandon Gutierrez, Skott Schoonover, Doug Keklak, Ricko Pearson, R. Scott Rogers, and the CorC. If I forgot anyone (it’s late and I’m tired so I probably did), my apologies.
I don’t have any advice for Anthony, but I do have a request: Next Sunday, please add a little sublede titled “Ha!” to celebrate the eight-month anniversary of this comment:

Here’s to many many more months. I’ll be enjoying them as a reader and very infrequent commenter.
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Bringing Back An Old Uni Watch Feature Before I Go

Welcome to another edition of Culinary Corner! I wanted to share something I made last month which I’m hoping to make again soon. With the beautiful snowy weather we’re having in the Rust Belt, this is a perfect time to make chicken soup with Mom’s “footballs.”

I don’t know why they’re called footballs, because they’re round. They’re made using Mom’s stuffing recipe.


Instead of stuffing a bird, you roll the mixture into balls and put them into a pot of boiling soup. I tried forming them into the shape of footballs, but that turned out to be more difficult than I thought. So I got out the ice cream scoop and quickly plopped them into the pot. Tasted and looked just as I remembered them!
Funny thing when I went to the store to buy chicken livers for the footballs: I found turkey livers and other parts instead that were labeled in a most unusual manner.


My compliments to the creative honesty of the Tallmadge Acme meat department! I may try again to make football-shaped footballs. Wish me luck.
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Speaking Of Football, It’s Time To Walk It Off One More Time
Well, that’s about all I have for you. Phil, you get well soon. Thanks for everything, buddy. Anthony, best of luck and enjoy the ride. And for all of you, take care, God bless, and let me say goodbye the best way I know how: with a walk-off field goal.
Today is my last day as Weekend Editor of @UniWatch
Thanks to the Paul, Phil, the whole staff, and all the readers. It was a fun ride but it’s time to say goodbye. And I say it with a walk-off field goal. pic.twitter.com/3GGfK0BS9n— Jim Vilk (@JimVilk) January 12, 2025
It’s good!!! Thanks. Fare thee well.
Straight on kick. As it should be. Congrats, Jim on retirement. Thank you for everything you’ve added to Uni-Watch! You will be missed.
Adding to this, the straight on kick would only be better if it was shoe-less! (I understand the seasonal and comfort limitations.) Thanks Jimmer!
Jim with the mic drop final kick.
Thank you Jim for some great weekends. Hope you have a good Uni-retirement.
Jim, thanks for all the great contributions! I’ve enjoyed reading so much of your stuff here.
Cheers Jim! We’ll see you in the Comments!
Thanks for everything Jim!
You are making the right decision, Jim. Hope to still see you in the comments, at least!
You truly are a good writer. You clearly know who you are, and your voice resonates through every sentence.
Putting yourself out there can be dangerous, and you’ve always done it with your own style. According to Bukowski, that is art.
Thank you and best wishes, Jim Vilk.
thank you Jim, didn’t know you were a writter when in college. Makes sense, because you are very talented. Best wishes
May your gross turkey stuff always turn out delicious. Thanks for all the good work!
Thanks for all the herd work and fun reading. You will be missed
Thank you Jim.
Always appreciate your content and humor.
Wishing you all th best!
Cheers!
Jim, you were kind to devote so much time to us, covering weekends for the site. Now you’re making the right decision. Use the time and space well, and don’t judge yourself one bit if you spend a ton of time just thinking and recharging. And now I’ll share something I’ve wanted to share for years of enjoying your great contributions. I was a Vikings fanatic growing up in NYC in the early 70’s. One Saturday found us at Sears, out on Long Island. WOW, authentic NFL jerseys?! But wait, no Vikes 10 or 44? My parents bought me the only one they had, and for years, until it was threadbare, I sported my #14 Fred Cox jersey.
My goodness, that hoody!!! Allow me to say I have immensely enjoyed your weekends this last seven and a half months. I am super sad to see you go. I don’t often log on during the weekends – but I did when you were here. Thank you for sharing these months with us and please, still engage from time to time!
God Bless you and your family! The future is yours. Thanks for sharing your life!
From one Jimmer to another, thank you! I always have a special respect for guys who love football uniforms from the 70’s. And those 1972-74 Oilers unis you love have always been one of my favorites too! I just wish you could have seen those 1974-75 Southern California Sun uniforms in person, I think you would have liked them.
Jimmer, I fully understand why you need to devote more of your 168 weekly hours to rest, helping your sister and Dad, rest, taking care of your own home issues, and maybe some rest – by not having your weekends spoken for on UW and enjoying it more in a less committing role. You have my empathy!
The 2020s have been challenging for my wife and me, from tending to from afar and eventually losing each of our last parents among other things (like surviving a house fire and dealing with subsequent health issues). Part of my own mental therapy included becoming a UW-Plus member, and the weekends have been better because of your wit and wisdom. I wish that I had made the time commitment sooner, in particular with our common interest of the gone but never forgotten MISL. And to quote another Saturday night CBS legend, I’m so glad we had this time together!
Take care, and relish your time especially with your dad.
In addition to your tremendous writing skills, I’ve always appreciated the joy & enthusiasm you bring to this site, Mr. Vilk. Above all else, sports & uni-watching should be fun – and you’ve consistently combined intelligent insights & strongly grounded opinions with an ideal level of playfulness. Thanks for all you’ve added to UW, and I wish you & your family nothing but the best.
Jimmer, I tip my Oilers hat to you and wish you best of luck in your pursuits. In the meantime, see you in the comments section. (And the correct answer in today’s Final Jeopardy: What is John Riggins’ haircut?)
Dammit Jim, I’m a Uni-Watcher…not a greeting card writer!
I’ll miss reading you on the weekends and wish you and your family all the best!
From the 5 & 1, to fast and slow numbers right up to the walk off FG- it’s all been good!
Peace…and Cheers from Cheis!
Get that rest, Jim. Get back to some of the things you love. Thank you for your duties! It was a lot of fun working with you for SMUW this past year.
Jim, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your contributions over the years and I hope the comments here today give you satisfaction and pride, knowing the positive impact you have had on many. You have always stayed true to yourself and your tastes in uniforms yet still had an open minded approach to todays uniform trends. Thanks for the many Vilkmases, DIY projects, thrifting adventures, and appreciation for the USFL, WFL, CFL and last but not least, Houston Oilers blue helmets! I’ve learned a great deal and hope in time to see the odd special feature or contribution from you. Take care.
David M., you were the luckiest kid ever. I never knew Sears made a Fred Cox jersey!
Thanks, everyone! It was great to wake up from my third nap and see all the very nice comments. Now I’m not only rested and ready for work, I’m also very happy.
Technically, eight months from May 19, 2024 is January 19, 2025. You have another week to crash this thing into the ditch. Make it a good week!
I am going to miss you Jimmer! Every weekend I looked forward to your posts, especially during football season. I feel like our tastes were similar, with a soft spot for 70s uniforms but not in a curmudgeonly. You taught me the importance of the proper size of numbers for those in the booth.
I loved most how you brought a wonderful sense of fun to your analysis.
I wish you the very best in this next phase of taking care of the things that truly are important.
I’ll just say “thank you” for everything and its’s been a treat, something I look forward to everyday. Also, your mother’s recipe inspired a thought regarding the lost art of cursive writing. Her writing, much like my mother’s writing is something to be admired and I feel is something that stands out from prior generations who exhibited a sense of being in the moment and their writing style was a manifestation of where their mind was, patient, in the moment, and cognitively on point.
“You know what? You’gve got spunk.”
“I HATE spunk.”
Thank you for everything you contributed to the UW universe, Jim. Always a pleasure to read your contributions, hope you will stay in touch via the comments.
Thanks for your good work all this time Jim. Best of luck reclaiming the weekends!
Long may you run…
Very much enjoyed your content and earnestness, Jim. A pleasure to read the weekend posts.
Thanks Jim. Godspeed.
All the best, Jim. You’ll be missed.