Orange Blossom Special

You Say It Best

2008-05-17T00:47:00.004-04:00

Sometimes the smartest decisions that you can make is to say nothing at all. A lot of times the opposite of this thinking ends relationships or turns you into Ozzie Guillen; Either way, not good. But the recent run of the Tampa Rays has led me to believe that I am a genius when I say nothing.

Just before the dormant period of the blog, I had compiled a list of what I thought to be projections for the Major League Baseball season. On there, I had that the Yankees would miss the playoffs and that the Detroit Tigers would win more than 110 games. Very hit and miss. However one thing I was dead wrong on, were those Tampa Rays whom I predicted as the worst team in baseball. I've been pretty close so far, right?

Looking then and even now on paper they are average. The pitching staff is a venerable who's who of castaways bunched closely to Scott Kazmir to make them look good. Offensively, their best addition was Eric Hinske, a player who has not been a factor on any team since his rookie season in Toronto. Now with almost two months of ball in the books, the Rays sit alone in first in the top heavy AL East.

There is still quite a bit of season left, but the best off season pick up may be the Rays deal with Troy Percival. While Percival may not have the lights-out stuff that turned him into a top tier closer in Anaheim, he does bring an attitude that is accustomed to winning. A presence that had seemingly lacked even throughout the now forgettable Lou Pinella era in Tampa. Watching them play a home series against the Yankees and game one of a weekender in St. Louis, the effort and determination does remind me of the 2003 Anaheim Angels.

Do the Rays have enough to win it all? That is definitely a stretch, even for a hypothetical. But regardless of the fan turnout in Tampa or lack there of, this will be their first winning season in franchise history. While that may seem like baby steps, it is eons beyond where this team has been before. With key players like Kazmir, Pena, Upton and Longoria signed for five or more years we could be quickly approaching the era of the Rays.

Hypothetically.

Top 5

2008-05-09T01:17:00.005-04:00

What do you talk about when you have nothing to talk about? How about a list? It's simple, easy and fun. Good times are shared by all.

Since I am a little more sports-minded than even my mind would like to be, I figured why not start with the top five sports moments of your lifetime. For whatever reason, they are special to you. FYI, I was born in March of '86 so if you see me throwing in Buckner's error or the Miracle on Ice, you can totally call me on it.

5. Kentucky Chomps New #1 - The year was 2003 and Florida basketball was apparently building a tradition. Fresh off the heels of becoming the new top team in the country floppy-haired Matt Walsh, greasy-haired Billy Donovan and no-haired Anthony Roberson ventured to Rupp Arena to take on the Cats. It was a slaughter. At no point during the pre-game did I suspect that we'd be fortunate enough to defeat the Gators by ten points, much less put them packing for Gainsville before the start of the second half. It was the kind of game that a fan only dreams of- Your rival on your court being put to shame as millions watch on ESPN. It was unbelievable. And I got my first car that day too so that was cool for other reasons.

4. Baseball returns after 9/11 - This is not so much about sports as it was about making things in general seem normal. All of us that were fortunate enough not to have lost someone on the day of the attacks were affected in a different sort of way. Not that baseball is the mold of a society or that I would be so foolish as to say that, but frankly I was scared. I think we all were. The hours following would give us few details and the one's that we got were vague at best. But a week after the events, we dried the tears and came out of the shelter to see that life could go on. And waiting to help us escape (if only for 2 and half or 3 hours) was baseball. The games itself are nowhere near as memorable as the normalcy that came with turning on the television and being able to watch a game that night.

3. Giants win Super Bowl XLII - What's with all the somewhat recent stuff, right? Well, this is one of the biggest shockers that I've ever seen and can only now (three months later) accept what happened. As a Jets fan, any time that the Patriots are beaten is a good day. However, after the amount of hype that went into the 2007 Patriots season, it was only fitting that the game itself crumble below them. The Giants front four was amazing all night, but with that late Moss touchdown I thought they were going to be able to squeak out another one. But, amongst other things, "The Catch" was able to rebound the Giants and allow Peyton's little brother to hoist the trophy.

2. Baseball Strikes Out - The last labor stoppage that I've ever cared about happened in '94. If you've been laid off or out of work since then, I'm sorry. When baseball not only announced the end of its season, World Series and even tossed around the idea of replacement players (Yuck) my eight year old world was crushed. Baseball is the sport that I loved since I was an infant. There is another memorable moment in my life that took place two years earlier at old Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati when I was constantly yelling at Andre Dawson from our right field seats during a Cubs visit. I digress. At the time I probably did not even realize what the strike was concerning, but I did understand that no World Series would be played or games would be watched.

1. Laettner Kills My Six Year Old Soul - If I would have known the word, "Fuck," or that it was an adequate word to use in that situation, I would have screamed it. Luckily, I was too young to understand the passion that would evolve from a general love for Kentucky basketball. Having an older brother makes you understanding when it comes to sports, but I think even he (all of ten) was at a loss. Looking back at the game now, I still watch it every time it comes on ESPN Classic. Laettner played an amazing game and our guys battled every last second. There is still some bitterness that comes with it, but most of that is washed away when I hear other people talk about what a truly great basketball exposition that was the game. BTW, Pitino should have guarded Hill on the baseline. I'm pretty sure I remember Clyde saying that amidst the disappointment.

Where BORING Happens.

2008-05-06T01:03:00.003-04:00

The NBA playoffs are the only part of the season that I even care about during their year. Like standing in front of a bunch of people at an AA meeting that already know what I'm there for, like they say, it is better to say it aloud. Makes it seem more real of something.

Anyway, the NBA is the playoffs. The past couple of playoffs have been head-turning, "Did you see the score to last night's game," type affairs, but this year is significantly different. In a first round that had me drooling with the match up possibilities only one (and even that was the one that I cared the least for) lasted a full seven games or even seemed to spark players interest. The Pistons struggled a bit and so did the Cavaliers, but did you really think that Sixers or Wizards were going to take the series at any point during those games? Me neither.

So far, it has been more of the same. While only two of the series have even played two games, both of which home court has served, they do not look to be entirely competitive. I would never count out the Spurs as long as they have a game left, but the match up problems put forth by the Hornets are giving them fits in what is a comparatively short distance from San Antonio. On the other hand, the Magic just do not have the playoff savvy of the Pistons who are collectively dwindling down on one of the last great runs this team can put together.

There is hope in all of these series and to reiterate, none of the 2-0 series are even close to being done, but their is a side of me that just wants this to last forever. I mean every series ending on a buzzer beater opportunity in the seventh game. I guess that's what we all want every time we turn on the television, but for now I would settle for just one game of super competitive basketball with the outcome not stamped by the start of the fourth quarter.

Eight Belles (2005-2008)

2008-05-04T15:45:00.002-04:00

Whatever we may do with our lives is defined by the dash that seperates the year we were born from the year of death. Most people do not know the whole story. Eight Belles, we hardly knew ye. Truly.

OK, while that is a true exploitation of what a bastard I am, the truth is that yesterday defined my complete feelings about horse racing. Horses themselves are majestic creatures and horse racing is coined as the, "Sport of Kings."

However both ends of this tangled spectrum were illustrated yesterday as one horse, Big Brown, won the 134th running after less than a handful of races. The other of course is the euthanizing of runner-up Eight Belles. Beauty and elegance is reduced to a tragedy with death taking place on the infield.

Honestly the only funny part was of how I found out about this. I did not get a chance to watch the Derby although I watched a few of the earlier races. I turned on ESPN later in the evening to see what had happened and saw that line that said that the place horse was euthanized. I assumed it was for punishment for losing, instead of the reason that we all know now.

Unfortunately, You're Still Chris Baker

2008-04-30T01:49:00.003-04:00

As you may have read about on ESPN.com on Monday night, Jets tight end Chris Baker is highly upset about being the lowest paid on his team at that position. After the free agent acquisition that landed an aging Bubba Franks and this weekends first-round selection of Dustin Keller, Baker, the starter, has decided to sit out until rewarded.

Rewarded for what? Baker had what some are daring to call a breakout season in '07 with 40+ catches that racked up in excess of 400 yards and three scores.

That's it. And while anything out of the tight end in New York is considered nothing less than a Godsend (see Anthony Becht...better yet, don't) those type of statistics are still poor. In hopes to improve an offense that struggled to look like one last season, the Jets have pulled various strings through free agency and the draft to improve their stagnancy.

"I've been here for six years," Baker led into his heated message on Monday. That is maybe where he should have ended it, because even a die hard Jets fan like myself only remembers the past few mediocre seasons.

"I needed to let it be known that I'm not happy and nothing is being addressed with my contract," Baker later added.

And now with him as expendable as ever, nothing appears to be in the near future. I appreciate where Baker is coming from as a guy who just wanted the franchise he tried so hard to help to return the favor. But this is the nature of this beast that we call professional football and apparently Chris does not watch ESPN as guys like Shaun Alexander (who has put together a slightly better resume) are cut on a daily basis. He should find his remote though, because by the look and sound of this, he could be seeing his name strolling on the bottom line any day now.

Andre' the Giant

2008-04-27T21:34:00.001-04:00

So originally we all thought Andre’ would be a top 10-15 pick. At one point I remember having a conversation with one of our former readers about how Dre’ would be off the board by the time the Bears picked in the first round (guess that prediction was a little wrong). Then he started slipping and we heard late first round….then 2nd-3rd round. Turns out he was picked with the 198th pick in the draft, toward the end of the 6th round by the New York football Giants. The odds of him making their roster seem unlikely with Peyton’s little bro, J-Lo, and one of the most disappointing #1 picks in NFL history (David Carr, not Tim Couch) currently under contract. Honestly, I don’t completely understand why Dre’’s draft stock plummeted but hopefully he can use this slight as motivation and have a solid career (as long as its not with the Bengals, Browns, or Patriots).

60 Minutes

2008-04-26T12:29:00.004-04:00

I know that for many people the NFL Draft is nothing to watch, but everything to read about the next day. However, today is that rare exception.

If you can find your way to a television about 4 P.M. today, you will see Commish Roger Goodell step to the podium and announce that, "With the sixth pick in the NFL Draft, the New York Jets have selected..." If McFadden is still on the board and the first syllable is not "Dare", expect half of Radio City Music Hall to make ears bleed with their chorus of disdain, while the other half unfasten their belts in hopes of hanging themselves with the strap.

Jets fans take over the draft every year and even stuck it to Mike Nugent, whom they drafted in the second round and desperately needed. One of the first years that I can remember being a Jets fan, the faithful allowed their feelings to be known when Kyle Brady was selected above one W-Sapp. That response will pale in comparison should the announcement of a defensive play maker like Vernon Gholston is announced leaving McFadden to fall to seven and the New England Patriots.

Here is to hoping that some sanity is left in this world when I go to bed tonight.

Are We Still On?

2008-04-26T02:19:00.005-04:00

I'm completely aware of the now seemingly defunct nature of this blog and can only apologize to anyone who was actually a regular viewer. The most honest answer I can give is that sometimes life gets in the way of reporting regularly to a blog where you're not entirely sure what to say anyways.

On a less broad topic, I must say that as I'm at home listening to the 'Best of Bowie', I cannot help but think about the past. Not the whole past, but my past in regards to David Bowie. For the record I love Bowie and think that he is just the personification of pop. However the funniest part of the whole story is that the first David Bowie song that I remember hearing and knowing that it was Bowie was the tragic "I'm Afraid of Americans" that is actually on this record. It's a horribly overdone attempt by an aging Bowie to get with the industrial sound that was the later portion of the 90's. He even brought in Trent Reznor (whose ego during this portion matched Bowie's during his heyday) to help in this attempt for a rebirth. And while the song is not exactly the worst that I've ever heard or anything, it just makes me smile thinking that to twelve year old me, David Bowie was an synthesizer-driven industrial rocker who talked about Johnny (the every-American) and hated harmony.

I just cannot help but find some humor in all of that.

Song of the Day

2008-03-10T20:40:00.003-04:00

Song: "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House"
Artist: LCD Soundsystem
Album: LCD Soundsystem (2005)

What? This hasn't already been Song of the Day? I checked the archives before posting this, and it's true. Somehow I've managed to maintain a blog for several months now without posting this tune. What can I say about James Murphy, frontman and mastermind behind LCD Soundsystem that hasn't already been said? He has the upmost versatility as an artist, with the ability to both stretch the limits of creativity musically while managing to write thoughtful lyrics that the listener can still relate to. "Daft Punk..." is simple and playful. It's a hook-laden romp about everyone's favortie French house/electro duo playing a show at Murphy's house...an undoubtedly false story, but fun as hell nonetheless.

The band's 2007 album Sound of Silver was my #3 favorite album of last year. Check out this energetic live performance of All My Friends, one of the album's standout tracks.

Song of the Day

2008-03-08T18:39:00.002-05:00

Song: "Lysergic Bliss"
Artist: of Montreal
Album: Satanic Panic in the Attic (2004)

Sweet vocal harmonies on this abbreviated, acoustic version of the second track from Satanic Panic in the Attic. This one puts me in a good mood. "If we were a pair of jigsaw puzzle pieces, we would connect so perfectly..." Seems like a simple solution to many of life's problems to me.

Song of the Day

2008-03-07T18:39:00.002-05:00

Song: "Brandy Alexander"
Artist: Feist
Album: The Reminder (2007)

This song is one of the more underrated tracks from last year's fantastic release, The Reminder. It's low-key, simple, and very hummable (maybe snappable?). Kind of has a Motown vibe to it, which makes it ideal for a day spent in anticipation of another crazy snow storm or for driving around a small town while snapping along to the beat with one of your blog's co-authors. We're all about versatility here at the OBS. There are some talented people that come up with stuff for YouTube. This was directed by a guy named Michael Boylan and features a really cute ballerina. And in case that cuteness isn't enough for ya, you can always check out this clip by Feist that made us all go out and buy an iPod.

Song of the Day

2008-03-06T16:21:00.002-05:00

Song: "Keep Your Eyes Ahead"
Artist: The Helio Sequence
Album: Keep Your Eyes Ahead (2008)

I've been blowin' up this song on my iPod for a month now...finally there's a video to go with it. And it's a cool video, too, which is something I don't usually say (a lot of videos just kinda suck). The title track from this Portland band's fourth album is upbeat with anthemic and whirling melodies that are springy (springy as in seasonal and as in bouncy). Anyway, I suck at describing stuff, so just give it a listen.

Song of the Day

2008-03-05T21:29:00.002-05:00

Song: "Sultan"
Artist: What Made Milwaukee Famous
Album: What Doesn't Kill Us (2008)

Indie pop from Austin in the same vein as Spoon and a less dramatic Okkervil River. Nice video with an unexpected cameo from Lance Armstrong. The rumors have already begun than WMMF are using performance enhancing drugs.

sultan

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Song of the Day

2008-03-04T20:51:00.002-05:00

Song: "The KKK Took My Baby Away"
Artist: The Ramones
Album: Pleasant Dreams (1981)

A word to the wise: if a gal you care about decides to go to LA around the holiday season, you may want to go with her. Otherwise, you may never see her again.

Song of the Day

2008-03-03T18:23:00.002-05:00

Song: "Phantom Limb"
Artist: The Shins
Album: Wincing the Night Away (2007)

Sometimes you just want to hear a pop song. Nothing more, nothing less...just a good pop song. That is especially true when it is near 70 degrees for the first time in months and you are enjoying a drive in the country. I've gotta say, I had written this album off for the longest time last year. But when I finally gave in and gave it a spin, I was pleasantly surprised. For me, the charm that The Shins possess is that they won't, in fact, "change your life" as Natalie Portman suggested (cutely suggested). As you might expect from them, "Phantom Limb" is a great pop song.

Song of the Day

2008-03-02T17:52:00.003-05:00

Artist: Lo Fidelity All-Stars
Title: Battleflag
Album: How to Operate with A Blown Mind

With birthday's comes nostalgia. Here is one from the seemingly distant past.

Song of the Day

2008-03-01T02:18:00.002-05:00

Song: "That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy"
Artist: The Twilight Sad
Album: Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters (2007)

This song has strong undertones of a sense of something changing. At this particular point in my life, I can relate. James Grahm's sullen Scottish accent only adds to the tune's nostalgic charm. He can sing lines like "kids are on fire, in the bedroom" and make it sound bittersweet. This band was a great find last year...looking forward to seeing where they go in '08.

Song of the Day

2008-02-27T17:32:00.004-05:00

Song: "Attack of the Ghost Riders"
Artist: The Raveonettes
Album: Whip It On (2002)

It's the Cramps meets Sonic Youth meets seedy horror movies in this 2002 tune from the Raveonettes debut EP. Someone they manage to mix garage rock and atonal noise and make it sound great.

Throw From Your Window Your Record Collection

2008-02-24T21:50:00.005-05:00

I’ve always had a thing for lists, but lately I’ve been into really short lists. Don’t ask me why. So my question for today asks you for a short list. If you are cast away to a deserted island with just a record/CD player and you are only allowed to bring 3 albums to get you through the rest of your days, which 3 albums would you bring? I say 3 albums because it is kind of an uncomfortable number. You don’t get the luxury of the usual top 5, but it’s not as much all out pressure as picking only 1. So think about it for a bit...3 albums to listen to for the rest of your life. Mine would have to be...

Ryan Adams – Heartbreaker
I always rely on this record to keep me grounded. It reminds of my roots…of where I’m from. It lets me know that it’s okay to hurt sometimes or to be vulnerable sometimes. It is a beautiful album thanks in large part to its sheer simplicity. The album possesses a certain honesty that has kept me listening to it year after year. It always seems to evoke some sort of emotion from me, and it changes with nearly every listen.

Wilco – Summerteeth
This is kind of the opposite end of the spectrum from Heartbreaker. It is full of quirks and bells and whistles. But they all seem to come together so effortlessly and eloquently. It doesn’t make me forget about all of life’s hardships or problems, but it does sort of move them into a room with different lighting so that I can get a new perspective on them. I seem to hear something new every time I hear this album, so I think it would be a natural choice to take with me.

Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
This album would give me hope for a change. This is one that has remained completely refreshing and unique for a decade now. Whenever I hear Jeff Mangum singing on this record, I feel like he is really saying something. I’m not always sure what it is that he is saying, but it is a voice that demands to be heard. This one kind of runs the full gauntlet of emotions, but leaves you fulfilled in the end. I think this album would make me feel like it’s okay that I’m on a deserted island.

So...what are your three?

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Blah...College Basketball...Blah

2008-02-24T01:25:00.005-05:00

I'm not sure what everyone else took away from the Saturday night matchup between Memphis and Tennessee. And I'm also not sure what you can take away from this, but this is what I got:

For the first time in nearly a five or six years, I don't have a clear favorite for a National Championship here in February. Until that group was beaten last season, I liked the Florida Gators from beginning to end. It's trite, but true. The year before, hyped to death by a close friend of ours here at the blog, I bought into UCLA and also had UConn in the mix. Of course, UConn fell victim to the Colonials of George Mason and lead by Farmar, Afflalo and the emergence of to that point, disappointment Ryan Hollins, UCLA went to the championship game. This year though, I know that the polls will have Tennessee as the number one team, but I'm not sure at all that they can make it to the Elite Eight, muchless be the champions. Unfortunately, I feel that way about everyone. I've got gut feelings about both North Carolina and UCLA, but most of that is just built up hype that never got released from early in the season. Overall though, I like them because of their ability to defend and they both have big guys who can convert and get to the free throw line. At this stage in the basketball season, neither of them have convinced me that they are worth my unwavering praise as the team to beat to get to the title.

I also realized that the piece that I wrote earlier this season about Memphis was unwarranted. I added them in a piece titled, "Will They Ever?" and in that I came to the conclusion that this was their best chance at winning it all. Looking at the evidence that they put forth on Saturday, I can tell you that this team is great, but not the best I've seen from the Tigers. The teams from the last two years to me, were better all around. Rose and CDR are great, but last night they missed two or three contested shots before realizing they were not hot. And then the free throws. This has played to death in regards to this Memphis team, but the truth hurts. Last nights game was no exception and the inability to put away the Vols from the stripe eventually killed them. I'm not saying that Memphis is incapable of making the Final Four or even cutting down the nets. What I am expressing is that after a loss to the Vols, this will be their last test before Selection Sunday. They are so far ahead of the curve when it comes to Conference USA that losing their last meaningful game before the tournament may prove to be too much for this team.

Lastly, this was an ugly basketball game. Someone that hasn't watched basketball since 1983 would haved barely recognized this game whose scattered play was only saved by television timeouts. The up and down pace reminded me of playing against a rival in high school where we were not concerned with winning the game nearly as much as we were trying to keep the home fans excited. Memphis and Tennessee both bring a ton of energy to any contest they are involved in, but they also pack a few terrible shots and unexplainable turnovers. At certain points during this game, and I know that I cannot be alone on this one, the game was hard to watch. And while this frantic pace is where we are now, I did find myself wishing that just once someone would run some offense. They both are extremely gifted teams loaded with truly blessed athletes, but what I wanted to see was something that could not be so closely compared with motion sickness. Every rebound could have been whistled for going over the back, every possession seemed to have at least one poorly chosen shot and every other possession was a breath away from a turnover. I enjoyed seeing the intesity that this game brought, but overall I did not enjoy watching it.

Another thing that I realized is that if Bruce Pearl would speak to me at the beginning of every day, I would get a lot more accomplished. He's a gifted speaker. I lack motivation. What can I say?

The college basketball home stretch is officially underway. In just three short weeks the dreams that every team shares will be a realistic chance for only 65. I'm incredibly excited, but I guess you kind of figured that one.

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Song of the Day

2008-02-23T02:05:00.001-05:00

Song: "Keep the Car Running"
Artist: Arcade Fire
Album: Neon Bible (2007)

All 72 members of the Arcade Fire perform this track from 2007's Neon Bible on a British late-night TV show. Great song for a drunken Friday night/Saturday morning.

Song of the Day

2008-02-22T17:46:00.004-05:00

Song: "A Postcard to Nina"
Artist: Jens Lekman
Album: Night Falls Over Kortedala (2007)

Jens Lekman is a funny guy. He also writes amazing songs. This is a live version of one of my favs from last year's critically acclaimed (especially here at the OBS) album Night Falls Over Kortedala.

Song of the Day

2008-02-21T15:40:00.004-05:00

Song: "Skinny Love"
Artist: Bon Iver
Album: For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)

Wisconsin native Justin Vernon has just re-released his fantastic debut album under the moniker Bon Iver. Vernon actually self-released the album in late 2007, and after garnering much critical acclaim, Bloomington, IN record label Jagjaguwar (Okkervil River, Ladyhawk, Sunset Rubdown) picked up the album. For Emma, Forever Ago is a refreshing debut that is ideal for wintery days and/or ice storms. Lyrics to "Skinny Love" can be found by visiting Bon Iver's myspace page.

Song of the Day

2008-02-20T15:29:00.002-05:00

Song: "Where Have All the Rudeboys Gone?"
Artist: Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
Album: Hearts of Oak (2003)

My favorite song of 2003...which was probably around the time I started keeping track of such things. This is the single version, so it's a little shorter than the album version, but it's still a great tune.

Song of the Day

2008-02-18T23:51:00.002-05:00

Song: "For Real"
Artist: Okkervil River
Album: Black Sheep Boy (2005)

This song has been on my list of favorites since the first time I heard it. It captures a sense of urgency and desperation, while somehow managing to keep confidence and swagger throughout. I've always been a huge fan of really good lyrics, and the words to this song don't just paint a picture, but they capture a dynamic. If you're a fan of great lyrics, you should check them out here. The video is kinda dark and creepy, but the song more than makes up for it.

Random Rambling

2008-02-13T02:55:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately, Tuesday night was more of a funeral than I could have imagined earlier that morning. Although the committee is still roughly a month from locking themselves into a room for a day and coming out with 65 teams that will take part in the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky has just sealed their fate for March.

It was no surprise that they were on the bubble here in the second week of February. You could argue that it was more of a surprise that they lasted there long enough to even have this discussion now, instead of a month and a half ago when they were losing to UAB and San Diego at home. With the record loss to Vanderbilt on Tuesday though, the ticket to the NIT has been punched for the Cats. With the recent hot streak they were on, nobody could have predicted this one.

Sticking with college basketball, can anyone explain the luck of the Georgetown Hoyas? Seemingly every game they win is the lead story on SportsCenter coupled with the caption, "Bad Call". It was just three weeks ago that Bob Huggins had to use every Rage-aholics Anonymous technique to keep from destroying the referee that decided to chew his whistle when Ewing Jr. goal-tended a last second Mountaineer basket. Now, 75-feet away from the basket, a different ref decided the outcome of Monday nights game against Villanova by opting to blow the whistle on a meaningless bump.

The saddest part of this to me, is that on Tuesday Big East coordinator of officials Art Hyland, publicly backed the call made on Monday saying, "A foul is a foul". C'mon.

The refs who called the 2006 NBA Finals where the Mavericks were whistled when they breathed to close to Dwayne Wade thinks that call is a total joke. The truth is that we fans can live with a judgment no call, but putting a kid at the line with .01 second left in a Big East game is inexcusable.

Congratulations and Good Luck to the Indiana Hoosiers. I'm glad that I'll get to see you in the NCCA Tournament this year and look forward to watching Gordon in the pros, but if the damning evidence surrounding coach Sampson rings true, then Indiana and Kelvin are done for a while. This makes the second consecutive year that Sampson has received a letter from the NCAA saying that his recruiting practices are in violation of their rules. And while one could easily argue that the entire NCAA could be getting these letters and that the rules are a joke at best, Sampson continues to find himself on the wrong end. His arrival to Bloomington was met with charges stemming from his time at Oklahoma and now it appears that this is a pattern instead of just a single lapse in judgment.

Finally, to tail away from college basketball into some sad and bizarre news. As if the skate that a hockey player took to the carotid artery this weekend did not humanize sports enough for you, Vikings defensive lineman Kenechi Udeze has reportedly been diagnosed with leukemia. Leukemia? A four year pro out of USC, Udeze who stands in at about 6'3", 280 lbs., does not look like the type of guy who could be mentioned in the same breath with cancer, certainly not leukemia.

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Song of the Day

2008-02-10T19:35:00.001-05:00

Song: "Oxford Comma"
Artist: Vampire Weekend
Album: Vampire Weekend (2008)

If you have the internet, you've probably heard the hype surrounding this band. This is a rare case of the hype being well-deserved. Their self-titled debut album is a breath of fresh air. It's one clever, catchy tune after another. And it reminds me of summer, which is always a plus when it is less than 20 degrees outside, as it is here right now. Pour yourself a glass of lemonade and enjoy the breeze.

Song of the Day

2008-02-09T20:40:00.000-05:00

Song: "Foam Hands"
Artist: Destroyer
Album: Trouble in Dreams (2008)

This is a clip of Dan Bejar performing the first single from the forthcoming Destroyer album Trouble in Dreams (due 3/18/08) at a festival in Calgary last summer. Is this my most anticipated release of '08 thusfar? Possibly. Is this more of the same sweet sounding musical landscape that is Dan Bejar? Definitely. You should also check out Dan and his main squeeze Sydney Vermont performing as Hello, Blue Roses if you haven't yet heard them, or if you need a Bejar fix to tide you over until March. The happy couple's album The Portrait is Finished And I Have Failed to Capture Your Beauty is out now, and just in time for Valentine's Day! Awwww....

Song of the Day

2008-02-07T22:16:00.000-05:00

Song: "Have You Forgotten"
Artist: Red House Painters
Album: Songs From A Blue Guitar (1996)

Absolutely beautiful song. Kind of a cool fan-made video of a drive through North Carolina to accompany it. Great stuff! Sentence fragments.

Song of the Day

2008-02-06T21:02:00.000-05:00

Song: "Waving Flags"
Artist: British Sea Power
Album: Do You Like Rock Music? (2008)

This is a great track that was actually released as a single in late 2007. The album officially drops on 2/12/08, and it is definitely worth picking up if you have not yet heard it. You can check out their new video for the song "No Lucifer" over at the band's myspace page. It's tough to go wrong with any track by this band.

Really? Why?

2008-02-05T23:20:00.000-05:00

Shaquille O'Neal to Phoenix??

Somebody please tell me how this makes any sense. King? Harris?

This potential trade is almost as crazy as if Chris Webber signed to play with the Warriors or something like that. I mean, think about it, an old post player with no spring in the legs becoming a member of a team that runs constantly and doesnt really ever utilize a halfcourt offense. What? Webber DID sign with GState??

Song of the Day/Prediction

2008-02-03T08:18:00.000-05:00

The Super Bowl is today. Finally. Much has been made about the Giants chances of ruining or making history tonight. While I do not expect them to be overwhelmed by the spectacle, I do expect them to be floored by New England. I actually had this predicted to be a close game earlier in the week until Sen. Specter mentioned them. Now they're going to use this as fuel to send a message. That is if you don't consider running over the rest of the league all season a message.

My prediction is lame, but I see the Patriots 38, Giants 14. I would be shocked if this were a game and completely floored if the Giants won. In other lame prediction news, look for Brady to win his third Super Bowl MVP. I know he needs one like he needs more sex with beautiful women, but it just cements his and the Patriots place in history.

And with that, here's your song of the day. Only one to choose from really.

Artist: Bears Shufflin' Crew
Song: Super Bowl Shuffle

Bluegrass Song of the Day

2008-02-02T00:14:00.000-05:00

Artist: Larry Sparks
Song: Tennessee 1949
Apparently this was recorded at the 2006 Bass Mountain Bluegrass Festival (whatever that is).

The audio isn't the best in the world, but its good enough to appreciate the beautiful simplicity that makes bluegrass music special. I know its not for everyone, but if you like bluegrass, it doesnt get much better than this.

Song of the Day

2008-01-27T16:01:00.000-05:00

Song: "Cut Your Hair"
Artist: Pavement
Album: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994)

This song and video make me feel old. But I kinda am old, I suppose, so it's okay. That doesn't mean it kicks any less ass. The video makes me laugh every time because it is so damn weird.

Best line: "Songs mean a lot/when songs are bought/and so are you"

What to Do?

2008-01-26T10:28:00.000-05:00

Bare with me when I say, the Super Bowl is almost here. I personally hate the Super Bowl worse that just about any other sporting event in professional sports history. Much is made about how the game never lives up to the hype that surrounds it, which is true yet false. The game itself is a hype machine that envies only that of the "journalists" over at Extra who kill themselves for footage of Britney Spears taking body shots off her two year old.

I should probably preface this rant with the fact that if the Jets were in the Patriots spot, I would not have slept since the AFC Championship game for fear that they would lose in one of my dreams. The truth is that the game is meaningless, yet more meaningful than any before it. People like my mother for instance have the game on in the background just so they can be the first to view the funniest new commercial that the new year has to offer. It's a barrage of celebrities, pre-game performances and of course, the halftime show. Simply put, it is impossible for one game to live up to coverage that is more hyped that the season itself. Well until this year when the word "Patriots" made your upchuck reflex tickle a bit.

Luckily there are a few more stories that are headlining the medium and one of them happens to be the announcement of the NBA All-Star starters. While the game is just for thrills and the suspects themselves are usual, this year highlights a few points in the game today. For starters (no pun intended), this years ten players have a combined twelve years of college experience between them, with only Tim Duncan and D-Wade having stayed longer than two seasons.

Also, congratulations are in order to recruits everywhere. Kobe Bryant, arguably the best player in the game today, is the only player that was not drafted in the top 5 of his respective class to be selected as a starter. Five of them were number one overall picks, with three of them (LeBron, Carmelo, D-Wade) belonging to a single draft class.

Another story that has caught my eye is the circus that we now refer as this baseball off season. What the Mitchell Report accomplished is a discussion off to itself, but after the allegations that were brought forth against Jose Canseco this week, I can honestly say that I've had enough. Though he was and still is the most credible voice about steroids, this is why I hate Canseco. The moment he is upset with you, he begins to threaten. When no team in the majors would touch him, he decided to grab a pen, paper and began to recall from a impeccable memory. Maybe that is an aspect of steroids that is not highlighted that much.

Since the report, we've been met with numerous denials while others have the classic excuse, "Well I took them, but it was just to get over an injury."

Yeah, that's kinda what they were made for in the first place. Faster recovery.

My idea is that from now on, any player that is caught using performance enhancing drugs will not miss a single game. Instead, we place them on performance deteriorating drugs like cocaine, ecstasy or heroin. This way, the fans who were cheated before now find redemption as Andy Pettite tries to find the strike zone after three hits of acid. If nothing else, just for the comedic value should Rangers youngster Josh Hamilton be busted for steroids. All that bettering your life for nothing, kid.

So sports fans, we are in that nasty transition period. The football season's are essentially over, basketball has yet to get to meaty part and spring training is a little over a month away. To make matters worse, the writer's strike continues. Long story short: Should you have anything important to do, don't put it off any longer. Do it now and enjoy what lies ahead of you.

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Song of the Day

2008-01-25T16:53:00.000-05:00

Song: "Art Isn't Real"
Artist: Deer Tick
Album: War Elephant (2007)

If you've been hanging out in my room for the past 3 weeks or so, chances are you've heard this song a bunch of times. Like, a lot. But you haven't been hanging out in my room, or I would have probably seen you...unless you were there while I was asleep, in which case you are just being really creepy. In any regard, you should do what I've been doing and rock out this tune every day for weeks on end. It's a truly enjoyable experience, no matter what your genre of preference is.

Best line: "Cause I gotta get drunk, I gotta forget about some things"

A few thoughts from the UK/Tennessee game

2008-01-22T23:42:00.000-05:00

I realize this makes two consecutive posts for me about UK basketball, but I can't help it.. since the Steelers got eliminated, this UK team is all I have to cheer for. So, if it would interest you to read some of my thoughts about tonight's upset over Tennesse, read on....

1. When was the last time you saw a UK team actually improve over the course of the season? Granted, part of this team's "improvement" has been because they've gotten a little healthier. But I swear I can see the team starting to mesh, they're starting to not only buy into the program, but also actually understand the program. They are literally getting better as the season goes on... what a crazy thought. How come Tubby never thought of that? There are still plenty of rocky times ahead for this team this season, but as long as there is progress like we've seen recently, I'll continue to be very optimistic about where the program is headed.

2. How about the play Billy G drew up to get the ball inbounds against UT's press with ~12 seconds left? When I saw Ramel inbouding the ball, I had no clue why we would elect to have him throwing it in b/c he is obviously the guy we wanted at the charity stripe. But when Jasper stepped out of bounds to receive the pass from Smoove, all at once you could just see the brilliance that is Coach BCG. It was a very simple, very obvious play, yet it was so beautiful from a coaching standpoint that it kinda gave me chills.

3. I love how this team hits their free throws. Bradley, Meeks, Patterson, all were money from the stripe when the game was on the line. That can't be underestimated when it comes to winning close games.

4. Nice to see Perry Stevenson actually step up and play like a man. I like it when he catches the ball, gives a few pump fakes to get his defender off the ground and then dunks the piss out of it. Of course, this can only work for a limited time, b/c eventually everyone will remember that he can't shoot and they'll just stay on the ground and contest his dunk whenever he goes up for it. But lets enjoy it whilst we can.

5. Maybe the highlight of the game was when Brad Nessler combined Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford's names to make a player named "Bradford". I have lots of respect for those who combine names (and words in general) to simplify things.

6. Lastly, and most importantly, as always fuck Tennessee.

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Songs of the Day

2008-01-21T20:29:00.000-05:00

Song: "I've Underestimated My Charm (Again)"
Artist: Black Kids
Album: Wizard of Ahhhs EP(2007)

Song: "Wish You Were Here"
Artist: Ryan Adams
Album: Rock N' Roll (2003)

Cool acoustic version from a live in store appearance in Amsterdam. Sigh.

Song of the Day

2008-01-20T12:41:00.000-05:00

Song: "How to Fight Loneliness"
Artist: Wilco
Album: Summerteeth (1999)

This version is from the bonus DVD that came with I Am Trying to Break Your Heart. Really feeling the lyrics on this one today for some reason. Oh well...we are just a couple of hours away from the AFC/NFC Championship games. More to come about those later (hopefully). If you haven't heard Summerteeth, you should do yourself a favor and change that. It is just brilliant.

Best line(s): "And the first thing that you want/Will be the last thing you ever need/That's how you fight it"

and, of course: "How to fight loneliness?/Smile all the time"

Darius Miller game winner against LexCath

2008-01-19T16:49:00.000-05:00

He'll be at UK next season. Get excited. This is from last night's game between two of the top teams in the state of KY.

Song of the Day

2008-01-17T22:50:00.000-05:00

Song: Let's Build A Home (live on Conan)
Artist: White Stripes
Album: De Stijl

After listening to a few albums of thought provoking metaphors and catchy riffs, it's good for the soul and mind to refresh a little. What better way to do so, than to have Jack White nearly make you pass out just from watching him? Although I've seen this clip personally quite a few times, I still think that if you were trying to explain to someone what it meant to play rock music, you'd show them this. Enjoy.

My Song of the Day

2008-01-15T18:09:00.000-05:00

Song: Bull In the Heather (live on Letterman)
Artist: Sonic Youth
Album: Experimental Jet Set, Trash & No Star

After watching Juno, the underlying theme I walked out with was Sonic Youth. Weird, I know. Without giving anything away from the movie the line, "It's just noise!" resonates when talking about the band. Although some songs are a little too experimental even for my taste, this song is one of the first that I remember hearing from the band (I was 8, I think) and I came away thinking that I have to hear more from this band. While this performance from Dave may not be the best in their arsenal, it makes the Juno experience come full circle as a very pregnant Kim Gordon leads the group.

Song of the Day

2008-01-14T20:23:00.000-05:00

Song: "Get Up"
Artist: Sleater-Kinney
Album: The Hot Rock (1999)

This is one of my favorite SK songs. I wasn't a huge fan of The Woods, their last effort released in 2005 before calling it quits a year later, but all of their stuff prior to that was just phenomenal. This song epitomizes what Sleater-Kinney was all about. Thoughtful and insightful, yet fun and playful. Everyone should give this a listen.

Best line: "Fall down on the world before it falls on you"

As a bonus note, fans of drummer Janet Weiss can hear her laying down the beat on the new Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks song "Baltimore" right here.

I...Uh...What?

2008-01-14T01:28:00.000-05:00

Two things I want to add about yet another day in sports I (again) missed.

1. In general, I dislike the NBA. Sunday was the exception as two great, young and exciting teams squared off in the Blazers and Raptors. The owners of the past two number one overall draft picks squared off in a double OT thriller that saw the Torontosaurus' come out victorious. Although I (along with others), think that the season is eons to long and the post season wraps up about a week before the tip of a new season, the NBA has potential with good young teams like this. It is what the other professional sports, that are currently being monopolized by a few teams, lacks.

2. Philip Rivers and Eli Manning were traded on draft day about four years ago and now find themselves with the opportunity to face each other in the Super Bowl. While I find the possibility of one making it to be daunting (both would be impossible, sorry), you could not genetically create two more different people. Eli is emotionless to a fault sometimes and his lack of vocal authority has been the topic of more than a few 'Barber Shop' conversations. On the other turn of the hand is Rivers who finds no problem becoming involved in heated tirades with fans and fellow mediocre QB's. Two thumbs way up to the guy that gave Rivers the finger(s) after the Colts defeat, for not only letting Rivers know that he was not the reason they won that game, but as kind of a "Thanks for letting the Patriots have an easier road to the Super Bowl," from the rest of us.

I will leave with this memo to former UK standout, Marlon McCree; Should you get an interception against Brady this year in a closely contested game- Please go down, immediately!

Gameplan to Beat the Patriots

2008-01-13T19:36:00.000-05:00

1. Every time you touch the ball in regulation you MUST score a touchdown and convert the PAT
2. Win coin toss in OT (b/c you're not gonna be able to stop them, the best you can hope for is to get into OT at 49-49 or something like that)
3. Score on first possession of OT... you can kick a FG at this point

If you turn the ball over, have to punt or kick a FG in regulation, they're probably gonna beat you. They are that good.

The other option is to kick the ball onsides a bunch of times. Best case scenario is you recover at least one onsides kick and steal a possession or two from them. Worst case scenario is they recover it and have a short field to work with. But really who cares...they're gonna score anyways, so why does it matter if they have to go 70 yards or 40 yards to score? Any other ideas?

Song of the Day (Part II)

2008-01-12T20:54:00.000-05:00

Song: "I Wouldn't Know What to Do"
Artist: The Honeydrips
Album: Here Comes the Future (2007)

Best line: "If it's the last thing I ever do, I'm gonna get you"

Song of the Day (Part I)

2008-01-12T16:48:00.000-05:00

Song: "Paranoia in B-Flat Major"
Artist: The Avett Brothers
Album: Emotionalism (2007)

Best line: "I'm so tired of being wrong"

Song of the Day

2008-01-09T20:19:00.000-05:00

Song: "This is Hardcore"
Artist: Pulp
Album: This is Hardcore (1998)

An artsy-smartsy camp-fest set to a dark and catchy soundtrack. Jarvis Cocker should win some kind of award for his facial expressions alone in this video. Fantastic.

Best line: "Leave your make-up on, and I'll leave on the light"

LSU/tOSU thoughts

2008-01-07T19:39:00.001-05:00

Ok, so it turns out the BCS extravaganza I had envisioned for this blog didn't quiet come to fruition. So here are a few quick last minute thoughts about the game:

1. LSU (and the SEC as a whole) has more speed than Ohio State (and the Big 10 as a whole). That's all we've heard ever since Florida destroyed the Buckeyes in last year's championship game. Is it possible that Ohio State has heard that all year (and especially in the weeks leading up to this game) and they are just flat out tired of it? And is it possible that LSU has heard how they are so much faster than tOSU at every position and they believe it enough that they won't bring their A game? If that happens, Buckeyes win. Could the SEC's reputation as the dominant football conference wind up biting them in the ass in the biggest game?

2. Is Glenn Dorsey healthy? If he is, look out!! He could terrorize the Buckeyes running game by being tough up the middle and put tons of pressure on the passing game. At the very least, a healthy Dorsey has to be double teamed. If he's not healthy, he could be a liability on defense, especially if he plays timid b/c he has his eyes on the #1 draft pick and the NFL $$$ that goes with it.

3. How much will the "home field advantage" mean to LSU in this game? Unquestionably, playing the game in N'awlins should hurt tOSU but I dont think it should have a very large influence on the outcome. I think the crowd (especially the LSU and SEC fans) expect the Bayou Bengals to romp the Buckeyes, so if tOSU can handle the initial onslaught, they should neutralize the hostile crowd.

4. How about the competition these two teams have faced over the course of the season? LSU has been thru the fire this season, narrowly escaping with victories in instant classics against Florida and Auburn and losing in multiple OTs in instant classics against the Bobby Petrino, er, Houston Nutt led Pig Sueys and some other team (I cant remember who though). They also beat VaTech, Rocky Top, and Bama. Ohio State lost to Illinois and beat Michigan. That's pretty much it for their quality competition. If the game is close, does tOSU have enough experience in the face of adversity to pull out a victory against a battle tested LSU squad?

My prediction: Great game.... LSU's defense gets a big stop late to pull out a 33-27 victory. Go Bayou Bengals.

Manning Leaves Panties in NY, Brings Big Boy Pants to Tampa

2008-01-06T16:10:00.000-05:00

20 out of 27 completions, 185 yards, 2 TDs...not staggering numbers by any stretch of the imagination. Eli Manning may not have set the box score ablaze today, but I was utterly amazed at the player I saw on the field today. Did Peyton somehow hoodoo his way into a Giants jersey and lead the G-Men today? I am by no means annointing Eli (as many sportswriters were already doing in the 3rd quarter today) as the next John Elway, but I was overwhelmingly impressed with his play today.

Manning played four quarters of heady football today. I heard the whispers all week long about how solid he looked last Saturday against New England. Unfortunately, I was at one of my really good friend's stupid wedding and didn't get to see the game firsthand. But I kinda thought it was a fluke. After all, Eli Manning is pretty much like a woman. Sometimes he looks nice and impresses you. You want to see him again next week. When you do, he looks sloppy and timid and things are just awkward. Was all that jazz last week just a put on? So you're done with him. It's off. You're moving on. Then you hear about him on SportsCenter, and he's had another great game.

Ok, before the (not so) vaguely homosexual innuendos go any further, the bottom line is Eli is inconsistent. You can't trust him...like a woman. Ok, ok...I'm done. But today he was a leader, and I think that is the one aspect of his game that New York Giant fans have been longing to see. He was reading the defense, calling audibles, checking down to his open receivers, and making big plays when they needed to be made. Perhaps his biggest mark on the box score in today's game was a 0, as in 0 interceptions...nearly unheard of for Eli in a big game situation.

I've never been a big Eli Manning fan. I'm still not. But it's hard not to root for him at least a little bit. Dude's spent his entire career in his big brother's shadow...his big, goofy-ass shadow. So now Eli and the G-Men have to travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys. This means that I will be rooting for Eli again next week. Who knows which Eli we'll see in the Big D (and I DO mean Dallas), but if he plays like he did today, NY has a chance to win. Ever since their big win against Green Bay at the end of November, Dallas has played less than stellar football. Here's hoping they have another off week next week, and Peyton's little brother can continue to grow as a QB. Maybe if they can pull off a win, Jessica Simpson will go out with him instead of Romo.

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Whistle While You're Not Watching Sports

2008-01-05T23:59:00.000-05:00

Working is never all that fun.

Working through the best college bowls, UK/UL game and opening round of the NFL playoffs is Hell.

For anyone out there wondering what I've been doing during this feasting of great sports action, it mostly consists of working, sleeping a little and eating even less. Unfortunately, that leaves little to no time for me to update my end of this blog or even view it on most days. The creative juices are drying up now that all of my sports viewing consists of SportsCenter.

I guess if their is any solace to be found in all of this working, I unlike my companions on this blog, actually get paid (a little) for my services. Just for the record though, I would gladly work for free if it meant that I would be home in time to watch these games. My life is just that depressing.

Song of the Day

2008-01-05T17:57:00.000-05:00

Song: "Apartment Story"
Artist: The National
Album: Boxer (2007)

I am reluctant to post a single song from this album, as I feel it is something that needs to be heard in its entirety. It is quite an amazing piece of work. But I am alarmed at the number of people I have talked to that have not heard this band. So I thought I'd offer up a sampling of the brooding sweetness that is Boxer. Apartment Story is just one of its many great songs.

Best line: "Oh we’re so disarming darling, everything we did believe/
is diving diving diving diving off the balcony"

Crank Dat Soulja Boy Instructional Video

2008-01-04T16:43:00.000-05:00

This is a video I just wanted to share with all you loyal orange-blossom-special.blogspot.com readers. After watching this video, if you are ever somewhere where dat soulja boy is being cranked, you'll know what to do. Enjoy.

I think the best part is when he explains how to do the "Superman" part of the dance.

Song of the Day

2008-01-03T20:11:00.000-05:00

Song: Sanford and Son Theme Song/The Streetbeater
Artist: Quincy Jones

Just an amazingly funky tune.

Song of the Day

2008-01-02T23:22:00.001-05:00

Song: "Time Bomb"
Artist: Dismemberment Plan
Album: Changes (2001)

Best line: "I am a time bomb and I lay forgotten at the bottom of your heart/I'm fine/Ticking away the years/'Til I blow your world apart"

Song of the Day

2008-01-01T21:04:00.000-05:00

Song: "Good Year for the Roses"
Artist: Elvis Costello
Album: Almost Blue (1981)

Elvis Costello covered a bunch of old country tunes on this album. I think his voice sounds great on this version of "Good Year for the Roses". Maybe 2008 will be a good year for the roses.

Best line: "I guess the reason we're not talkin, there's so little left to say we haven't said"

Song of the Day

2007-12-31T19:04:00.000-05:00

Song: "Tonto"
Artist: Battles
Album: Mirrored (2007)

Battles may not be everyone's cup of tea. There is, however, no denying their originality. The accompanying video is also very original. And no, I am not on acid or any other illicit drugs.

Best line: Honestly, I have no idea what the hell the guy is saying.

A (Brief) Look Ahead

2007-12-31T12:54:00.000-05:00

2007, I hardly knew ya! As the door closes on another year and the ball starts to slowly drop up in NYC, I've decided to take a look at the situations surrounding some of my favorite teams, players, bands, and life in general for 2008.

Kentucky Basketball
I thought I'd start here since I'm typing this during the commercial breaks of today's game against Florida International. So far, the Cats look like a completely different team than the one we've seen thusfar this season. This is a good thing. As Jasper and Meeks get healthier and team chemistry continues to develop, will UK be able to make any sort of run during SEC play? I think we will continue to see improved play and win a few games we're not supposed to win. But it's still going to be a struggle this season, and the Cats will be damn lucky if they make the NCAA tournament. Kentucky will be fun to watch in '08, but it may be October of '08 before the fun begins.

New York Jets
The Jets finished the season strong yesterday in the Herm Edwards Bowl against the Chiefs with a thrilling 13-10 overtime victory. I am as giddy as a high school virgin on prom night about the upcoming NFL Draft, but the Jets have so many holes to fill, I don't know where they should start. They are absolutely stagnant on offense. They have mediocre play at linebacker since going to the 3-4 defensive scheme. And their secondary is filled with a nice mixture of inexperience (Darrelle Revis) and geriatrics (Hank Poteat). Look for the J-E-T-S to have a productive draft and play better football in 2008...better than the 4-12 record of this year, but not likely to return to the playoffs just yet.

Minnesota Twins
So this off season has already seen the Twinkies lose Torii Hunter to Los Anaheim and shop Johan Santana around to an extent that would make Heidi Fleiss proud. On the plus side, they've added star-to-be Delmon Young and star-of-now Francisco Liriano should be healthy for the upcoming season. Throw in the mix the fact that there are sure to be at least two or three guys you've never heard of that will emerge and make a name for themselves this season, and things don't look terrible in the Twin Cities. Unfortunately, the American League All Star team (aka Detroit Tigers) play in the same division as my beloved Twinkies, and the Cleveland Indians still have a solid squad. Look for another third place finish by the Twins in the AL Central, and look for Joe Mauer to continue to break the hearts of ladies all across the country.

Chad Pennington
I am a big fan of Kellen Clemens. I think he gives the Jets a ton of options on offense that Chad just doesn't give them. But I also love Pennington. It was under his reign at QB that my "like" for the Jets became my "love" for the Jets. It saddens me that he is likely gone this offseason. I think he would be a great teacher for Clemens, a great backup in case of injury, and a great leader in a clubhouse full of young players. One of my biggest fears is that he will go to the division rival Miami Dolphins, since the Big Tuna Bill Parcells is calling the shots down there now. Parcells loves veteran QBs (see Drew Bledsoe, Brad Johnson, and goddamned Vinny Testaverde), so nabbing Chinnington would provide the young 'Fins with some stability at the position. It will be hard for me to root for a Dolphin, but I wish Chad the best of luck in '08.

Music
As I've said before, 2007 was a great year for albums. And a lot of those albums were released late in '07. That means there will be a lot of touring by a lot of great bands in 2008. I plan on attending as many shows, in-stores, and festivals as I possibly can in the upcoming year. First on my list is Band of Horses in Louisville on January 26th. I am hoping to see The National, of Montreal, Battles, and Jens Lekman, just to name a few. Unfortunately, I don't know if there will be as many great albums in '08 because there were just so damn many in '07. Here's hoping I'm wrong about that.

Life
2008 is the year when I finally graduate from pharmacy school and start a "real" job. This is both exciting and terrifying. I have no idea what I ultimately want out of my life, and I'm gonna be up to my ears in debt from student loans from the getgo. It should be interesting. I had a lot of ups and downs in 2007, but overall it was a good year. I am excited about meeting new people in the months to come and about the adventures that I'm sure to take with people I already know and love. I learned a lot about myself this year, which I have continued to do for a while now - that's always good. I still don't know anything about buying a house or negotiating a job contract, but I suppose I'll figure it out. Until then, I will continue to smile, crack smart-ass jokes, and continue to be cynical. It has gotten me this far.

Have fun watching the UK Football Wildcats scalp the Florida St. Seminoles. Whenever I think of Seminoles, I will always think about this. Have a fun and happy New Year full of booze and good food. And get home safely, whatever you get into. We would hate to lose one of our three readers.
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Bowl Preview (Part II)... finally

2007-12-30T22:27:00.001-05:00

California v Air Force… Early in the season, Cal was a serious threat to win the national title. Then the wheels feel off. So why should they care about this game? Unless DeSean Jackson (is he even healthy?) goes crazy I’ll take Air Force to knock off the Goaden Bears.

South Fla v Oregon…. In what has hilariously been renamed the “Brut, son” bowl I like USF to beat the Nikes of Oregon. The Ducks haven’t been remotely the same since Dennis Dixon got injured against Arizona and USF rebounded nicely to finish the season. But if the Ducks wear the white tops, white pants, and white helmets, then we are all winners.

Ga Tech v Fresno State… Don’t have much to say about this one. Give me the Ramblin’ Wreck to beat Fresno and that strange little green V on the back of their helmets.

Kentucky v Fla. State… With the ‘Noles having 36 players out, things definitely look good for the Cats in this one. It would be nice to see the seniors go out with two straight 8-5 seasons and two consecutive Music City Bowl victories. Give me the Cats. Oohhhhh… C-A-T-S-Cats-Cats-Cats.

Indiana v Okie State – Mike Gundy is a grown man. He’s 40. I don’t recall Indiana having a good football team in my lifetime. After my first season of Madden 08, I drafted James Hardy (the 6’7” WR from IU) and he dropped lots of passes. Because of that give me the grown men of Okie State.

Clemson v Auburn… The strength of Clemson’s team is the running game and, just like every season, Auburn’s defense is tough. Assuming the SEC Tigers’ offense doesn’t kill them by being so terrible, I like Auburn to win this Tiger fight. Also a tiger fight would be a crazy thing to watch. I would have more respect for Mike Vick if he had been fighting tigers.

Tennessee v Wisconsin… I hate Tennessee and I think Erik Ainge looks like Christian Laettner. I’ll take the Badgers over Rocky Top based on hatred alone.

Mizzou v Arkansas… Not sure why Kansas deserved to get a BCS bid over Mizzou, who had just beaten the Jayhawks late in the season, so I would understand if the Tigers were a little disappointed to be playing in this game. And I’m staying away from all the Houston Nutt/Bobby Petrino stuff. Aside from that, I look for this to be a great game. Lots of offense, lots of fireworks and a loss for DMac in his final college game.

Meechigan v Florida…. The Gators have way too much speed for Meeechigan. Plus, Tebow is good for at least 5 TDs on his own. This is one of those games that will showcase the difference in SEC athletes vs Big 10 athletes. I look for Meeeechigan to lose by 2 or 3 TDs. Meeeeechigan.

Texas Tech v Virginia… Lots of good storylines in this game, the most important being that Mike Leach looks identical to Vince Gill. That’s reason enough to tune in. The Cavs love playing conservative football, winning games by one or two points, and their best player is Howie Long’s son (he’s also potentially a top 5 pick in the upcoming draft). The Gills throw the ball all over the field and put up video game numbers. The spread passing attack should somewhat neutralize Long’s pass rushing abilities. Give me the Gills in a very good game.

Illinois v USC… The Zooker has done a great job in just 2 seasons with the Illini. They’ll certainly be a trendy favorite to win the Big 10 next season but I don’t believe they can handle what some folks, earlier in the season, were calling “the greatest college football team of all time” in the Rose Bowl this season. Give me the Trojans.

Hawai’i v Georgia… As a huge underdog in this game, I look for Hawai’i to come out of the gates throwing the ball deep and slinging it all over the field. What? They always do that? Nevermind then. Bulldogs by A LOT.

WVU v Oklahoma… Coming off such a disappointing loss to Pitt and with Rich Rodriguez moving to Ann Arbor, hard to imagine the Mountaineers being able to rally to beat a very, very good Sooners squad. Plus, if it’s a tight game, either Slaton or White will get injured and miss some time. Either way, Sooners over West By God and Stevie Slaton to the NFL.

Kansas v Va Tech… Don’t believe the Jayhawks have seen a defense as good as VaTech’s this season. KU is going to spread the field but I believe VaTech has enough speed on D to suffocate the Jayhawks. Similar to the Auburn game, as long as the Hokies’ offense doesn’t make a ton of mistakes, they should be able to handle KU.

Ball State v Rutgers… I really like the Rutgers football program. My major concern for them is how long Greg Schiano can resist the bright lights and big money of the huge football programs. That being said, I’d really like to see Ball State beat the Scarlet Knights, but I don’t see them being able to handle all the Rice they’re gonna get. Rutgers wins comfortably.

Tulsa v Bowling Green… I’ll be honest, this is probably the game I care the least about in all of bowl season. I don’t understand why there are games played by mediocre teams in the days between New Years Day and the BCS Champsionship game. Give me Bowling Green.

More on the BCS Championship game later…

Also, I'm watching this Colts/Titans game and on a kickoff return, Chris Henry from the Titans just got hit as hard as I think I've ever seen a football player get hit. Did anyone else see that?

Song of the Day

2007-12-28T19:20:00.000-05:00

Song: "Harvest Moon" (live)
Artist: Neil Young
Original version on the album Harvest Moon (1992)

A beautiful song. Neil Young's live versions of songs are usually the definitive versions of his tunes. Good song for a rainy day.

Best line: "When we were strangers, I watched you from afar. When we were lovers, I loved you with all my heart."

Will They Ever?

2007-12-28T00:35:00.000-05:00

The year that was 2007 is dwindling down to a few measly hours now and the general sports writing consensus has decided on a year end review. As if maybe they are going to shed new light on these overblown topics or maybe you forgot about the Patriots demolishing the competition, Vick demolishing dogs or Tim Hardaway's hopes of demolishing homosexuals.

I've decided to go another route. A path that includes the opportunity for us fans to judge the teams that have often teased us in the past. Year after year we hear about how these teams will be showering their coaches with Gatorade, however they remains drenched only in their sorrows. Without further descriptions, lets play a little 'Will They Ever?' with some of the more notable suspects.

Team: Memphis Tigers Basketball
Goal: Final Four, National Championship
Case: It seems odd to think that it was all the way back in 2000 when John Calipari inherited a struggling Memphis team after returning to campus from New Jersey. The infantile stages of the Calipari era were littered with premiere athletes and mediocre records that included accompanying trips to the NIT. Now, the quality of the athletes remain and the end product has improved yet found a new obstacle in the form of the Elite Eight. Entering the tournament with one and two seeds respectively, the past two seasons have ended at the hands of the eventual National Runners-up in UCLA and Ohio State one step short of the Final Four. An early home victory over Georgetown did much to impress and upcoming games against Arizona and Tennessee will give us a true glimpse of a team that will find little in-conference bumps on their road to the tournament.
My Verdict: On paper, this is the best shot of the Tigers winning it all or at least playing in the Final Four. As of now, only Carolina and UCLA appear to be capable of defending this team who prides itself on the fast break and an inane ability to run the motion offense, whereas other teams may simply be awestruck of their abilities. Look for them to make it to the promise land this season, but Memphis fans need to be forewarned. Not only will they have to replace a top notch back court after this season, but I fully expect them to be searching for a new coach in a couple of seasons.

Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Goal: Playoff run, Super Bowl
Case: The Bengals have quickly vanquished whatever good will that was set forth by capturing the North Division in '05. Back to back disappointing season have allowed the rumors to float about around Marv Lewis and even that juggernaut of an offense has shown its vulnerability at times. The multitude of arrests coupled with an inability to stop anyone on defense have given whoever 'Dey' are, all the ammunition needed to pummel the Bengals. While they still may not be the 'Bungals' of years past, the play of Cincinnati has left many analyst and fans shaking their heads as they stand surrounded in shreds of paper that was once contained their playoff predictions.
My Verdict: The Bengals lack of defensive talent has been gawked at for years, but the true exposure of this season was how valuable Rudi Johnson remains to this offense. T.J., Chad and Carson have been at the front of many short lists of premiere offensive talent in the league, but the inability to have balance hurt the Bengals all season long. In short, this team does not respect their head coach who lacks authority and will ultimately destroy itself. Sadly, Cincy will not make a Super Bowl in the next couple of seasons and with a resurrected Steelers squad (matched only by the emergence of the Browns) will struggle to see the light of the playoffs.

Team(s): Big East Football
Goal: BCS National Championship Game
Case: Pittsburgh stood in the way of this not even being a topic. Within that defeat lies the true question behind this conference; Can they win the big one when they need it the most? In a year where most conferences tried to devour themselves to prevent one teams hopes of winning it all, the Big East was most notable. Even once admired Rutgers swam to the surface long enough to beat South Florida when they were viewed as a front runner to play for it all and Syracuse reminded us they still have a program when they defeated (a then one loss) Louisville. They just seem like that really cute girl in school you always had a crush on who was always single, but every time you mustered the courage to ask her out, she had just fallen for some other guy. Really frustrating, Big East (and Lauren from Bio 151), really frustrating!
My Verdict: Joke-girl names aside, the Big East is promising. For those out there who do not believe in the power of this conference, please take notice. The ACC looked liked the early victors of the move that sent Boston College, Va Tech and Miami among others away from the Big East. In the later stages the Big East has taken a sizable lead and is looking to expand it with reassuring play from Connecticut and the afore mentioned South Florida. The future is questionable at best for programs such as Louisville and West Virginia who either are or need to be looking for a new coach. Regardless, I look for the Big East in the final pairing within the next two years.

Team: Phoenix Suns
Goal: NBA Championship
Case: Once again we look into the 'What-if Machine' and think what could have transpired had Robert Horry not teed off on Steve Nash in last years playoffs. The Suns have been fixtures in the playoffs since the arrival of Amare, not Nash, but have only been viewed as a threat since his arrival. Behind the two time MVP, the Suns are looking to do more than ever with help from the oft overlooked Shawn Marion and new arrival Grant Hill. Eliminating the Lakers the past two seasons have been amusing to spectators, but the Suns are continuously bounced by teams who have the ability to hang with them defensively.
My Verdict: Unfortunately for the Suns, they play in the Western Conference which guarantees a tough road to the championship every season and usually San Antonio. This team only plays about seven players which leads for sticky situations in the playoffs should a starter get in early foul trouble. Even more troubling has been the fact that more attention has been paid to pity things such as Phil Jackson's artificial hip or his discretion of timeout usage than has defensive strategy in recent years. Realistically, Nash only has a few more great years in him and Marion does not appear to be in the picture for the '08 season which means a ton for this team. For these reasons, I see the Suns ultimately falling short of their hopes of a title, but damn are they fun to watch.

Here are just a sampling of the subtle nuances the sports world has to offer. In the weeks and months to follow look for more of these in the form of players, coaches, etc., but for now enjoy these nuggets. And to everyone reading this, Happy New Year from those of us writing this.
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Song of the Day

2007-12-27T18:25:00.001-05:00

Song: "The Weight" (live cover of classic The Band song)
Artist: Gillian Welch & David Rawlings with Old Crow Medicine Show

This is a really cool cover by a bunch of artists I really enjoy.

Song of the Day

2007-12-26T20:52:00.001-05:00

Song: "Whatever You Want"
Artist: Club 8
Album: The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming (2007)

Best line: "Am I okay, dear? I think you ought to know this"

Christmas Song of the Day

2007-12-25T10:14:00.000-05:00

Song: "Christmas in Hollis"
Artist: Run D.M.C.
Non-album track (1987)

Merry Christmas from the Orange Blossom Special!

Best line: "It's Christmas time in Hollis, Queens. Mom's cookin' chicken and collard greens"

Song of the Day

2007-12-24T23:59:00.001-05:00

Song: "I Turn My Camera On"
Artist: Spoon
Album: Gimme Fiction (2005)

Robert Palmer's got nothin' on Britt Daniel and co.

Best line: "When I turn my feelings on, I turn my feelings on inside...feel like I'm gonna ignite"

Song of the Day

2007-12-23T20:11:00.000-05:00

Song: "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get"
Artist: Morrissey
Album: Vauxhall and I (1994)

Only Moz could make a song that is essentially about stalking someone sound so happy and infectiously catchy. It's a far cry from his most thought-provoking or insightful work, but it's still damn good! Vauxhall and I is a vastly underrated album in Morrissey's strong catalogue of work. If you're a fan of the Moz, hearing this will probably make you want to hear even more of him (after which, you may lock yourself into a room and wallow in a blanket of self-pity). If you're not a fan, check out this vid, and maybe you will become one.

Best line: "When you sleep, I will creep into your thoughts like a bad debt"

Song of the Day

2007-12-22T22:57:00.000-05:00

Song: "Mr. Pharmacist"
Artist: The Fall
Album: Bend Sinister (1986)

Given my chosen profession, I have a bit of a bias toward this particular song. But that doesn't mean that it isn't a great tune from a great punk band that often doesn't get the proper recognition that it deserves. And while it's true that the "pharmacist" in this song may practice a slightly different kind of medicine than I do, he was probably a lot cooler than me. Hell, Mark E. Smith wrote a song about him, and to my knowledge, there are no songs about me.

Best line: "Hey Mr. pharmacist, I’ll recommend you to my friends. They’ll be happy in the end."

Song of the Day

2007-12-21T19:58:00.001-05:00

Today's song of the day brings me back to high school. Ah, the days of bad haircuts and infinite awkwardness. Luckily, amidst all of that nonsense I found some great music. "New Noise" by Swedish band Refused made an immediate impression on me. It was released on 1998's The Shape of Punk to Come...perhaps the most appropriately titled album ever. I shudder to think what this band could have accomplished had they stayed together. That entire album was filled with raw energy and emotion. It was the sound of a band doing something rather than just saying something. It was loud and raucous, yet still complex and sophisticated. This one never fails to get me fired up. Enjoy!

Best line: "Great words won't cover ugly actions, good frames won't save bad paintings"

Bowl Preview (Part 1)

2007-12-21T12:02:00.000-05:00

So now it seems like I've copied an idea from one of my fellow bloggers, but since this was a piece I had been working on for the last few days, I'll still post it:

Some predictions for bowl season....

Navy v Utah…. If you’re a football purist, Navy’s triple option wishbone offense is fun to watch but with their head coach leaving to coach the Ramblin’ Wreck, I like Utah in this one. Plus, the Midshipmen beat Notre Dame this season for the first time since the FDR administration (or something along those lines) so isn’t that enough success for one season?

Florida Atlantic v Memphis…. I’m pretty sure UK beat Florida Atlantic this season and I don’t remember thinking they were very good at the time. I’m assuming Memphis is better than that. Give me Penny Hardaway’s alma mater.

Southern Miss v Cincy…. Brian Kelly has Cincy’s program moving in the right direction. The Bearcats play tough defense and have been tested numerous times by quality teams in the Big East. All I know about Southern Miss is that Boise State thumped them on a Thursday night game on the blue turf. I like the Bearcats in this one.

Nevada v New Mexico… or as Curly Davis would say “New Vada v New Mexico”. I love it that New Vada runs an innovative offense called the “pistol”. I love it that their freshman QB is like 6’8” and weighs a buck forty. Give me New Vada.

BYU v UCLA … Rematch from September (which UCLA won 27-17 in Pauley Pavilion). This time around, with UCLA’s coaching search still ongoing, I like BYU to knock off the Bruins. Also, I’m hoping Rick Neuheisel gets the job at UCLA. Currently, he’s the Ravens offensive coordinator, so the results speak for themselves. If not Neuheisel, then maybe Petrino?

Boise State v East Carolina… I like the Broncos to win, but for some reason, I really think this could be a great game. How much longer till Chris Petersen moves on to a major program?

Purdue v Central Michigan… Another rematch from September (Purdue won 45-22). Can I say that I hate it when the bowl people create rematches that aren’t interesting? Does anyone really think that when Central Michigan lost to the Boilermakers earlier, they all left the stadium thinking, “I’d like to see those guys again.” Give me Purdue. Again.

Arizona State v Texas…. I hope Mack Brown’s motivational speech before this game includes the line “Vince Young isn’t walking thru that door…. Ricky Williams isn’t walking thru that door.” Arz State is a program on the upswing. Texas lost the last game of the season to a Texas A&M program that is in a state of complete disarray. Sun Devils win in a high scoring game.

BC v Mich St… In Matty Ice’s last college game I see the Spartans leading 17-7 early in the 4th quarter only to see their lead evaporate when Matty Ice engineers another thrilling 4th quarter comeback. It would be a fitting end to a nice collegiate career. BC 21 Mich St 17

TCU v Houston… I like it that this is the Texas Bowl and both of these teams hail from the Lone Star State. Sadly, that’s pretty much the extent of my knowledge about these two teams. Give me the Horned Frogs b/c they have a cool nickname and LT played there.

Maryland v Oregon State…Even though they have some of the ugliest uniforms in the world of sports, give me the Beavers over the Terps.

UConn v Wake Forest... This would be a very interesting basketball game from like 5 or 10 years ago. Who knew they were both good at football too? I’ll take UConn.

UCF v Miss. St… Missississiisssiippi State completely embarrassed UK at Commonwealth this season en route to a 7-5 campaign. Turns out maybe Sly Croom actually does know what he’s doing as a coach and the gray mustache is simply beautiful. Give me the Bulldogs over the Knights.

Penn St v Texas A&M… Two traditional football powers colliding in the tradition rich Valero Alamo Bowl. With the Aggies looking for someone to fill the legendary shoes of Dennis Franchione, I’ll take Joe Pa’s boys to handle A&M and their 400 pound halfback.

Alabama v Colorado… I really like this game… seriously. Within the next two seasons I look for both of these schools to return to being major factors on the national level. Sure, Nick Saban is slimy, but I still believe he’s a hell of a coach (even though this season was a huge disappointment). Dan Hawkins might very well be crazy but I think his insane ways will eventually rebuild a very strong program for the good folks of Boulder. Since I’m blinded by my love for the SEC, give me the Crimson Tide. This ain’t intramurals, brother.

More to come in a few days....

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2007-12-21T00:21:00.000-05:00

Capitol One Bowl Week began on Thursday night with a couple of lackluster programs as Utah battled Navy. And while that is not a game that anyone wants to hear me or anyone else be incredible pretentious and give you the stats of an academy program quarterback or any of Utes' standouts that led to them arriving in Poinsettia Bowl, the silver lining is that the post season is upon us now. Here now for the adoring readership (I truly love anyone who reads our posts) is my thoughts on what is in store for the bowl season ahead.

1. Number one was a spot that was originally thought to be about the University of Kentucky and the culmination of all the struggles that Rich Brooks endured en route to making Wildcats football matter again with consecutive bowl appearances. Instead it is now an afterthought of how dumbfounded I am that one team could have over a third of their team wiped out due to an academic scandal. I am also well aware that Florida State is not the proud and prominent program that embodied college football for most of my childhood, however a win over the 'Noles, no matter how mediocre, would have meant something to Kentucky fans. Now that the suspensions have been handed down, UK plays them under such tumultuous circumstances that that it morphs this one into nothing more than an expensive ticket and a accompanying trip to Nashville to watch the Cats beat North Texas.

2. Boise State defeated Hawaii this year. While everyone out there will immediately double-take and then call me an idiot because they watched that game about a month ago, hear me out. Let us suppose for a second that Georgia wasn't the hottest team in the nation over the past two months and they were just another big school taking their place in a BCS bowl. The victory the Broncos mounted against Oklahoma in a historic game less than 100 hours into 2007 secured the big schools M.O. on how to play a mid-major in the spotlight. Have no mercy! While many people (Coach June Jones included) will have you believe that these defenders of the rainbow should be playing for a title, I expect the Dawgs to beat them handily in what is essentially a home game. Before the discussion is started about the fairness of this, let us remember that these same Rainbow Warriors are a staple in the Hawaii Bowl every postseason until now.

3. You'll find little debate from anyone that Missouri got hosed and Kansas is playing in the Orange Bowl for them. Much like a Cal team of a couple of seasons ago could not dodge the bullet, Missouri has to avoid the 'let down' factor of being left out of the BCS. Any other opponent and it would be a difficult task to convince me that Missouri is capable of doing this. McFadden playing his last game will be a sexy component to some people but Nutt's resignation will give the rest little reason to strap it up another time. Arkansas is an SEC-tested squad, but Mizzou sends a message in my opinion with a solid win.

4. I mentioned the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl earlier (foreshadowing) and there lies yet another storyline behind the bowl season. Boise State, a WAC competitor who have already made the trip once this year will take on East Carolina. Could the committee not find a team further away to come out to Hawaii for their bowl game? Seriously. Competition that you could only find this time of the year is the allure of the post season, but East Carolina traveling to Hawaii to play a game is ludicrous. Maybe the Pirate faithful travel stronger than I give them credit for, but people from Greenville migrating to Hawaii should be viewed as a much needed vacation rather than an opportunity to watch the Fightin' David Garrards in action.

5. LSU will beat Ohio State in what some people are brave enough to say a blowout. Whatever your feeling may be, the overwhelming blowout of the bowl season belongs to a team who've been no stranger to being on the receiving end of one this season. The University of Florida will travel all the way to Orlando to face Michigan in the Capitol One Bowl in what I am calling a fitting send off the Lloyd Carr era. Imagine the Oregon game only worse. Tebow is hated by many, myself included, but I am smart enough to know that if he played on any other team his dominance would be a simple annoyance at most. That being said, he is the best player in football and Michigan will game plan so much for his threat to run that all the other Gator options will get a chance to shine as Michigan gets destroyed.

6. Why do we have bowls in between BCS games and the BCS Championship game? Congratulations to the teams that made the International Bowl (Rutgers, Ball State) and GMAC Bowl (Bowling Green, Tulsa), but these games should be played this year. Sports junkies like myself want as many games as you can plate up, but this is the equivalent of the NFL having a consolation bracket and playing a few games during the idle week before the Super Bowl. Furthermore, why are BYU and UCLA playing in a rematch of a game held this September? I guess if nothing else BYU will get redemption for their earlier loss as UCLA is enamored with the prospect of finding a new coach.

Although my winners to the games are listed below and are welcome to further comment or debate, these are a few of the reasons that I love this time of the year. Playoffs would be great, but I nor my unborn children will live to see the day where a system is incorporated. So we do the next best thing and crown a champion which we can all debate upon while foundering ourselves on as much college football as we can handle. Enjoy with moderation.

Quick Hitter Winners: Utah, Florida Atlantic, Cincinnati, New Mexico, BYU, Boise State, Purdue, Arizona State, Boston College, Houston, Oregon State, Wake Forest, Mississippi State, Penn State, Colorado, Air Force, Georgia Tech, South Florida, UK, Oklahoma State, Auburn, Tennessee, Missouri, Florida, Texas Tech, USC, Georgia, Oklahoma, Va Tech, Rutgers, Bowling Green, LSU.

Song of the Day

2007-12-20T22:27:00.000-05:00

Artist: David Bowie
Song: "Starman"
From a Top of the Pops performance on BBC1 in 1972
Original version on Ziggy Stardust

Simply a great performance of a classic, classic tune.

Best line: "That weren't no DJ, that was hazy cosmic jive"

Song of the Day

2007-12-19T22:38:00.000-05:00

Song: "Glad Girls"
Artist: Guided by Voices
Album: Isolation Drills (2001)

An oldie, but a goodie! The video kinda sucks, but at least it's the album version of the song. A true pop rock gem for your listening enjoyment.

Best line: "Hey, hey glad girls!...I only wanna get you high"

Song of the Day

2007-12-18T19:26:00.000-05:00

Sometimes things need a bit of a kick in the ass. Things have been a bit slow around here lately, and it is easy to fall into a rut. So I am going to try to start a new regular segment creatively titled Song of the Day. We'll see how long I can keep it up before the laziness overtakes me once again.

For this first installment, the song is "End of the World" by Shocking Pinks. Shocking Pinks is the moniker of singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Nick Harte. Now, I realize that being from New Zealand kind of puts you at a disadvantage when trying to get onto the indie music map, but I feel like their self-titled 2007 DFA records debut was greatly overlooked this year. I have yet to see it on anyone's Best Of year-end list. Either people are really overlooking this one, are discounting it as being a collection of previous EPs, or I just like it a lot more than everyone else. Whatever the case may be, you should check out this killer clip for "End of the World."

Best line of the song: "I wanna take you out, like it's the end of the world." I mean, what guy hasn't felt that way about a girl at some point? It's got that 80's tragically romantic feel that would make John Cusak proud. When Harte sings it, it sounds cool and sincere. If you were to say it to a girl, it would be the corniest thing you've ever said. So bite your lip and live vicariously through Nick Harte.

NFL Blah, Blah

2007-12-08T12:16:00.000-05:00

We are currently in the midst of an NFL season unlike any other. While ESPN would have you believe that you need to pray to the Patriots to have mercy on your soul, the truth is that their task, no matter how overblown, is remarkable. Beneath all of the fodder and the deserved tributes to fallen star Sean Taylor, lies some truly great stories. So while the lawyers for Lexus work out the kinks of ESPN's usage of "Pursuit of Perfection" here are a few stories that have caught my eye.

1. During their Week 13 Thursday night showdown, much ado was made about Brett Favre's career record at Texas Stadium, which is now a dismal 0-9. While that does improve his worse all-time record by one quarterback at a visiting stadium it is not the worse of a quarterback at a single venue. Former Heisman trophy winner and current OsteoCal spokesman Chris Weinke started (and presumably ended) his career 0-12 all-time at what was his home field, the now Bank of America Stadium and still holds the record at 15 for most consecutive losses by a QB. Note that Weinke started most of the games for the Panthers during their joke of a season in 2001, where they finished with a single win, although two years later they would win the NFC Championship behind Delhomme.

2. The career passing leader of a single franchise is usually made into a bust and placed into Canton with usually few questions. Some big news earlier this year revolved around Peyton eclipsing the Colts' marks set by the great Johnny Unitas. However during the Week 12 game that was marred in a field goal controversy between the Browns and Ravens, Kyle Boller became the all-time leader in passing yards for Baltimore. Give this a minute to sink into your mind. Although Boller has officially been graded a bust of a first round pick, it speaks volumes about the Ravens franchise over the past five to six years. You mean to tell me that Boller has thrown for more yards than the greats like Elvis Grbac, Trent Dilfer and a full season from Steve McNair! While the lack of any type of quarterback has ruined Batimore's chances of ever getting another championship out of that great defense, what would our fantasy teams be without Matt Stover putting up the big points every year? I think its an even trade.

3. The biggest misconception behind the "Spy-gate" scandal is that New England had to forfeit all of their first round draft picks. While they have been penalized to give up their own draft pick (no worse that 29th, probably), they still have one from a trade made last year that was used for one franchise to draft offensive lineman Joe Staley. That franchise would happen to be the current 2nd overall pick in the '08 Draft, San Francisco 49ers. Just what we all need, right? A team that is dominating the rest of the league beyond recognition takes the field next year with Darren McFadden helping out that backfield. I'm sure kudos will be in order for the Patriots yet again, as they saw the opportunity to select high in a year where expectations for the 49ers were well warranted and unaccomplished.

4. A repeat of last year? All of this draft talk has got me geared up for the real thing but some of the big questions revolve around those left unturned a year ago. Who needs a quarterback? The top prospects have been thrown out there in the form of Matt Ryan, Brian Brohm and Andre Woodson, but the suspects needing their services may be inclined to fill other needs. Is there really a chance that a team could completely pass on all of these guys and get one of them in the second round? I played out last year's draft fifty times in my head and never envisioned a scenario that had the wonder boy Brady Quinn falling out of the top 15, much less 20. Free agency and trades will play a major part into this as guys like McNabb and possibly Derek Anderson may be in search of new homes.

These are just a couple of the things I've been bouncing over for a while now. Unlike all the rest of my days at home, I believe today I will watch a ton of sports culminating in the announcement of the Heisman trophy award. However the judges have voted, the only thing for certain is that it's probably not Chase Daniel. I'm OK with that.

Top 30 Albums of 2007

2007-12-03T16:08:00.000-05:00

2007 was an absolutely great year for music. It seemed like I was eagerly awaiting the release of some new album every Tuesday. This was a welcome relief after a somewhat musically anemic 2006. And while my favorite record from last year (Camera Obscura – Let’s Get Out of This Country) still gets its fair share of spins, my record player and iPod were overflowing with new music this year. So if you have any comments or criticisms on any of these albums, please feel free to share them with me. And if you have not gotten to hear them or are curious about any of them and want to give them a listen, please get in touch with me...send me an email, leave a comment, message me on facebook...and I will get you a copy of any of these albums. So here is how my year in music 2007 shaped up...

30. Son Volt – The Search
29. Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs – You Can’t Buy a Gun When You’re Crying
28. Modest Mouse – We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
27. Sunset Rubdown – Random Spirit Lover
26. Deerhunter – Cryptograms
25. Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam
24. The Twilight Sad – Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
23. Jose Gonzalez – In Our Nature
22. White Rabbits – Fort Nightly
21. Feist – The Reminder

20. Iron & Wine – The Shepherd's Dog
19. Jay-Z – American Gangster
18. Thurston Moore – Trees Outside the Academy
17. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
16. Club 8 – The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Dreaming
15. Menomena – Friend and Foe
14. Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger
13. The Broken West – I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On
12. Shocking Pinks – Shocking Pinks
11. Blonde Redhead – 23

10. Kanye West – Graduation
9. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
8. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
7. Okkervil River – The Stage Names
6. Spoon – GaGaGaGaGa
5. Radiohead – In Rainbows
4. Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
3. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
2. Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala
1. The National – Boxer

Unbelievable

2007-12-01T22:59:00.000-05:00

Say it aint so!!! This might have been the best regular season in college football history, but if Oklahoma can hold on to beat Mizzou, the BCS Championship is shaping up to be a complete mockery. Comments please.....

Some random thoughts

2007-11-29T23:53:00.000-05:00

1. In the past, I have been a proponent of NFL teams having one running back who gets nearly all of the carries. But after watching so many games this season and seeing success by players like Ryan Grant, Andre Hall, Kolby Smith, Earnest Graham, and Derrick Ward, I'm now a believer in the idea that running back is probably the least valuable position in the NFL. Sure, some guys like LT or AD may have extraordinary talent but otherwise a running back is just a running back in the NFL. If a guy has the athletisicm, can hold on to the ball, and can stay healthy, he will probably have success if he's given the chance. So my point is that I've changed my mind and now agree with the idea that the feature back is a dying breed in the NFL and (with very few exceptions) there is no point in a team investing a lot of money and years into one RB b/c there are dozens of other guys who could probably do his job just as well as he can.

2. Although the Packers lost tonight and Brett got hurt, the silver lining for Packers fans has to be the play of Aaron Rodgers. After a few years of sitting on the bench and never getting a chance to play meaningful minutes, Rodgers brought the Pack back from a sizeable deficit and looked like a very good QB in the process. I'll admit this could be chalked up to beginner's luck, but let's not forget that Rodgers was a first round pick (some even had him valued as a top 2 or 3 overall pick) who had been sitting and learning behind perhaps the greatest QB of all time. So it should not be surprising to discover that he is actually an NFL caliber QB. I'm not declaring him the new face of the Packers or even saying he will definitely have a great career, just that based on tonight's game alone, I like where Rodgers is in his development (especially when compared to fellow draftmate Alex Smith). He plays aggressive and fearless, throws a nice ball, and makes good decisions.

3. The other night I was watching a college basketball game and the refs called a walk....Jay Bilas was doing the color for the broadcast and, in his words, he declared that he agreed the player had "shuffled the puppies".....Just saying that I enjoyed that phrase and plan on incorporating it into my everyday basketball speak.

Paste Magazine Interviews Ryan Adams

2007-11-24T10:41:00.000-05:00

The fine folks at Paste Magazine recently did an exclusive interview/covershoot with the one and only Ryan Adams. In the interview, Adams discusses the upcoming 5-disc box set, interacting with fans during shows, recording new tunes, and how he sometimes "visualizes" the music during jams. It's a great read for anyone who's a fan of Adams' work. You can check it out here.

After you're finished reading the interview, come back and check out this great performance by Ryan and the Cards from a recent appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. First, the band plays heart-wrencher "How Do You Keep Love Alive", which destroys me every time I hear it. Then they take over Dave's desk and cheer me back up with a breezy rendition of "Pearls On a String". Good stuff.

Continuing the Debate

2007-11-23T13:14:00.000-05:00

It seems only fitting that amidst all the debate going on about the spread offense that I write something that popped into my head a while back. I must even admit that before this is discussed or even read that I never in my wildest imagination thought that this would be something that I would ever write.

Loneliness is the most universal feeling of the human experience. At some point during all of our lives we have been alone, whether it be hanging out alone on a Saturday night or sticking to an idea that no one else believes in. Maybe no other person felt more alone in an idea than Ron Zook in 2004 while still the head coach at Florida.

While the Swamp was seemingly caving in all around him, the Zooker's long time friendship with athletic director Jeremy Foley (which was instrumental in his hiring as head coach) seemed to wash over whatever mishaps the program endured throughout the first two plus years of the tenure. Always valued as a rigorous recruiter, Zook brought in great talent to the Gator faithful, highlighted by #1 overall quarterback of his class, Chris Leak. However, during the midst of his third straight mediocre season, the coach that succeeded the 'Ol Ball Coach, was informed that he would not be brought back.

So with no job, no respect and the basis for a very successful website (fireronzook.com), the coach with a world of offensive experience was delighted to hear from anyone. That anyone just happened to be a very much rebuilding Illinois football team, which lead by Kurt Kittner was only three years off a losing trip to the Sugar Bowl. And while this seemed like just another stop into his trip to oblivion, Zook was named 2007 Big Ten Coach of the Year on Tuesday. Lost somewhere in the praise that all in the Big Ten were spewing for Michigan's Lloyd Carr who retired Monday morning, was the fact that maybe the Big Ten style of football was being retired as well.

Running the spread offense (what else?), the Fighting Illini went 9-3, and seemed to have captured Ohio State's dream of a National Championship while winning the Illibuck. Look deeper and you'll see a team built like non other in its widely competitive conference. Another star recruit by the name of Juice, lead the offense that did not rely on the almost assembly line Big Ten running game (i.e.,P.J. Hill, Mike Hart, Chris Wells).

The spread has been a staple in the Pac-1o, who baste themselves with athletes, while football players go to other programs. However, by instilling some of these principles to a midwest program and return of the previously mentioned Williams and tailback, Rashard Mendenhall, the Zookers are going to be a preseason favorite for not only the Big Ten title, but the National one as well. And while no one in Florida will ever have respect for the coach that threatened their legacy, a new conference and base of Champagne fans have completely revived the man that most left for dead.

So what does it all mean? Is the Big Ten really going to change the styles that have embodies the blue collar ethic of their alumni and fans? Zook did endure two less than stellar seasons and heard the whispers again this preseason before their second place Big Ten finish. If the trends of the nation continue, which are dominated by the spread offense, how long can Jim Tressel and Les Miles (I am calling it a foregone conclusion) keep their teams tucked in?

Rank Your Favorite Sports

2007-11-23T10:11:00.000-05:00

All of the recent conversation about the Heisman race (which is great, by the way - thanks to all of you for the feedback) got me thinking about my order of preference for sports. Now, it's worth noting that I have been known to sit and devote 3+ hours of my life to watching George Mason play Kansas State in college basketball or Central Michigan play Western Michigan in college football with no vested interest in any of these teams. So, sports in general rank pretty highly on the scale of things I like. Now I am going to attempt to rank them in order for me, and I'm very interested in hearing how anyone who might be reading this would rank their favs. Without further ado...

1. NFL
No other professional sports league embodies being "the show" quite like the NFL. The athletes are bigger, stronger, and more knowledgeable about the game to such an extent that it is not uncommon for "elite" college football stars to be complete failures in the pros. From the moment the last seconds tick off the clock on Sunday night, I am already anticipating the matchups that will come next week.

2. College Football
Always exciting. There are no other sports where a single loss can completely ruin your entire season. It requires teams to be completely and utterly perfect each and every Saturday. And if you don't bring your A-game, there is a very good chance that you are going down, regardless of the team on the opposite sidelines. As I've said before, this season is particularly great. But last season wasn't too shabby either. Just ask Jared Zabransky.

3. College Basketball
Many people may feel that this number three ranking is blasphemy, being from the Bluegrass state and being an avid Kentucky fan. But that doesn't mean that I don't love college hoops. These kids play their assess off every time they are out there. There's always gonna be a team that goes on a big winning streak, there's always gonna be a player who rises above the rest to generate NBA hype, and there's always gonna be that player that never quite lives up to his potential (*cough*Joe Crawford*cough*). All of that, and I haven't even mentioned the NCAA tournament - I think it pretty much speaks for itself.

4. MLB
Right now I am totally engrossed in the "Hot Stove." I'm kinda bummed about Torii Hunter leaving Minnesota, totally underwhelmed that A-Rod resigned with the Yanks, and intrigued about seeing Joe Torre in Dodger blue. Oh yeah, and it turns out that Barry Bonds is a liar...who knew. Baseball was the first sport I ever fell in love with, and there is always a soft spot for your first love, right? Nowadays, I primarily watch a lot of baseball in April and May and then again in September and October.

5. NBA
When I was young, I would watch any NBA game on television. What, the Bucks are about to play the Sonics? Let me make some popcorn! Then, my interest flickered out. Two or three years ago, you couldn't have paid me to watch an NBA game (except for the dunk contest and 3-point shootout at All Star weekend). Now, my interest in the NBA has slowly returned. I still don't really have a favorite team, but I love what the Celtics have put together and I love the Bulls' young, talented roster (even though they are playing like complete shit right now). The fact that LeBron James made an appearance in the NBA Finals was great for the game, both for David Stern and the fans.

So there you go...my favorite sports in order of preference. Now feel free to post yours. And it doesn't have to be these same sports, by any means. If you're a fan of NASCAR or hockey or Ultimate Fighting, let us know why (cuz God knows I can't get into any of these sports).

I Love This Song...

2007-11-18T21:27:00.000-05:00

Song: "Love Will Tear Us Apart"
Artist: Joy Division
Year: 1980

Sometimes a band is ahead of their time. Read any present-day review of anything related to Joy Division and that very sentiment will be reverently echoed on numerous occasions. In my opinion, the band was light-years ahead of their time. Whether you're a fan of indie rockers like Interpol or mainsteam darlings like the Killers, the influence of Joy Division is far-reaching. They perfected a sound that many of their disciples were able to emulate but none were able to master. In a stark contrast to many of their more complex arrangements, "Love Will Tear Us Apart" is a simple tune with simple lyrics. It's the straightforwardness of it all that kills. After reading the title, is there any question as to the content? This song gets a lot of flak from some music "purists" because it was arguably the band's most popular. Released as a single between phenomenal albums Unknown Pleasures and Closer, the song generated a lot of press for the band and received a lot of praise from music critics. I would venture to say that when a song is really good, it shouldn't be surprising if it becomes popular.

In the future, I plan on only posting my favorite lyric from these "songs I love." But since Ian Curtis's drone may be difficult to understand for those who aren't familiar with his work, here are all of the lyrics to this gem. Sadly beautiful.

Lyrics:
When the routine bites hard
and ambitions are low
And the resentment rides high
but emotions won't grow
And we're changing our ways,
taking different roads
Then love, love will tear us apart again

Why is the bedroom so cold
Turned away on your side?
Is my timing that flawed,
our respect run so dry?
Yet there's still this appeal
That we've kept through our lives
Love, love will tear us apart again

Do you cry out in your sleep
All my failings exposed
Get a taste in my mouth
As desperation takes hold
Is it something so good
Just can't function no more?
When love, love will tear us apart again

A look at the Heisman race

2007-11-18T01:38:00.001-05:00

A few nights ago I heard an announcer suggest that the best outcome for the Heisman Trophy this season would be to simply redshirt the trophy and award two of them next season. I find this to not be a terrible alternative because in the chaos that has been this college football season there is no logical way to choose a Heisman favorite since the knee that connects Mr. Dixon’s skinny upper left leg to his skinny lower left leg turned the wrong way in Tucson on Thursday night. Plus, it would be nice next season to see Dicky Jr and Micah each get their own trophy rather than having to share one. But since that’s not an option, we break down the candidates (in alphabetical order):

Colt Brennan: Hawai’i has played the 3rd easiest schedule in football this season. Phelps has more quality wins than Hawai'i. Plus, Colt got drilled against Jerry Tarkanian’s Fresno State Bulldogs and missed the Nevada game due to the lingering effects. His numbers are spectacular but so were Timmy Chang’s when he played for the Rainbow Warriors. It will be a shame if he factors into the Heisman race or if the winner of the Hawai’i/Boise game gets a BCS bowl game.

Chase Daniel: Daniel's numbers are excellent and his team doesn't lose. That might be all it takes to win the trophy this season. If the Tigers can knock off the Jayhawks and then avenge their previous blemish against Oklahoma (which won’t happen), Daniel makes a legitimate case to win the trophy.

Dennis Dixon: Done playing football unless he’s willing to play WR and an NFL team is willing to take a chance on a lanky WR with a gimpy knee and professional baseball dreams. But let’s give him an invite to NYC since he would have won had he not gotten injured.

Glenn Dorsey: Supposedly he’s the best defensive lineman ever. That means he gets double or triple teamed (or illegally chop blocked if the opponent is Auburn) so he doesn’t put up big numbers. I have no choice but to believe analysts when they tell me he changes the game because I pretty much refuse to watch interior linemen on every play. So if Glenn Dorsey wins the Heisman, I have no problem with that. I can’t form an argument against him.

Chris Long: See Dorsey, Glenn (above). Except Long is a DE instead of a DT and Howie Long is his dad.

Darren McFadden: DMac might be the most talented skill position player in college football but the Razorbacks have struggled to win games this season. He has to get an invite because his numbers are great, especially when you realize his opponents always have at least 11 guys in the box, even on passing downs. I hope the Vikings draft him, install the Wildcat package using DMac and AD interchangeably at QB, rename it the Wildviking package and continue to be mediocre.

Todd Reesing: The out-of-nowhere Kansas Jayhawks are a legitimate national title contender. Reesing has had the Jayhawks offense rolling as of late, including the 76 pts they hung on this year’s version of the Blackshirt D. If Kansas can beat Mizzou and Oklahoma to claim the Big 12 title and Reesing posts quality numbers in those wins, then he deserves consideration.

Matt Ryan: Matty Ice’s BC Eagles are now 9-2 and we’ve seen him engineer a couple game winning drives, including two unbelievable minutes in Blacksburg and a come from behind victory in Death Valley to claim the ACC Atlantic division title. The throw to beat VaTech had that “Heisman moment” feel all over it and if the trophy was awarded based on 4th quarters alone, Matty Ice would be the winner by a landslide. Since its not, I have trouble seeing him as the winner but he’s worthy of an invite.

Tim Tebow: Frequently we’re reminded how defensive players are overlooked in the Heisman voting, but how often do robots enter into the discussion? Tebow is deserving of an invite to NYC and is likely the favorite to win the trophy, despite his Gators having 3 losses (they do play in the toughest conference in football... just a few notches below the AFC). Next season when he learns to be a real quarterback (NOT a fullback, NOT just lowering his head and running to the left) he should be the unquestioned favorite and will likely make robots across the world very proud.

Pat White: Very entertaining to watch White operate the Mountaineers’ spread option attack. Not a great passer but blazing fast and makes solid decisions. The spread option requires White to only make a few reads and allows WVU’s playmakers to consistently get the ball in space. I wouldn’t be too surprised if the Mountaineers are cutting down the nets in N’awlins after they’ve defeated The Ohio State University to win the national football title (sounds crazy, but after the Big 12 teams beat each other up and Georgia knocks off LSU in the Atl, the two teams left standing will be WVU and tOSU). That being said, Stevie Slaton steals some of his teammate’s votes and the two of them net zero personal awards this season.

Invites to NYC:
Matty Ice
Tim Tebow
The winner of the Reesing/Daniel game
DMac
Dennis Dixon

Bringing home the hardware:
Tim Tebow... unless someone else steps up in a big way in the next few weeks

Ducks Come Up Lame in Loss to 'Cats

2007-11-16T18:08:00.000-05:00

Much to the surprise of no one, the #2 ranked Oregon Ducks suffered their second loss of the season last night in prime time to the unranked Arizona Wildcats. The Ducks joined their Pac 10 counterparts USC and Cal along with South Florida and Boston College to become the fifth #2 ranked team to fall since early October. This has left many sportswriters and fans wondering if there is a "curse" of the #2 teams.

There are a number of reasons why this is ridiculous. First of all, it is November now, and anyone who knows anything about being goth knows that you can only put a curse on someone through Halloween. After that, it's no dice until the new year. If anything, this is yet another example of the degree of parity in college football today. In a lot of ways, this is a direct extension of the Boise State victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl back in January. The little guy isn't always so little anymore. Just ask Michigan if you don't believe me.

But even beyond that, we have had a string of #2 teams who no one was really buying as being deserving of the #2 spot. Aside from USC, none of these teams were truly considered "for real." As it turns out, none of them really were. Now the same question will be posed for the remainder of the top tier teams in college football. This weekend alone will provide a little more insight into the legitimacy of teams like Kansas, Missouri, and West Virginia. And would it really shock anybody if mighty LSU fell to Ole Miss?

All of this insanity makes for a great time to be a college football fan. And yes, it is just another example of why there needs to be a playoff system for the sport, but we all know that isn't going to happen. So I am trying to look at the situation in a positive light: This year's bowl season is going to KICK ASS! Seriously. Nearly every game will likely showcase some team that has done something special at some point this season. Kentucky will be able to show the nation the team that knocked off top ranked LSU, fans will be able to see Hawaii's often overlooked Heisman trophy candidate Colt Brennan, and Connecticut fans may actually have travel plans over Christmas break that don't involve the Hartford Civic Center.

So yeah, Oregon lost. Imagine that. A quarterback named Leaf couldn't get the job done. Imagine that. It's late November and the BCS picture is still as cloudy as muddy water...imagine that. But stay tuned college football fans, because I've got a feeling that this post season could be one we are talking about for a long time to come.

A good omen

2007-11-15T23:58:00.000-05:00

For my first post (and I'm sorry if I'm stealing CC's thunder by making the initial post), I just want it to be known that when I was creating my gmail account for this blog, the word with the wacky letters at the end that I had to type to prove I'm a real person (which makes me feel kinda good about myself) was "FAEKE"...... correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's an alternate pronunciation of one of my favorite words. Its as if Britt Hensley, while packing his can of Kodiak and frantically scratching the back of his head, heard we were now blogging and his response (as is his response to everything) was simply "faeke". I can't think of a more appropriate blessing for the future of this blog.