12.6.08
Like I said... Sadly, I've gotten out of the habit of blogging, haven't I? I've never been the most prolific writer, or the best writer. I'd be the first to admit this. There's part of me that wants to make this post an announcement of my retirement, of sorts, from blogging. But I don't think that I can give up the dream just yet. So this is my announcement of something that's been patently obvious for the last several years...I'm not blogging as much as I used to; I don't have the time that I had five years back when I started this. I haven't forgotten about this (obviously) but haven't had (or made) the time to contribute to this.
Hockey! I've been following hockey ever since the early 1990s, and, being from northern Virginia, have been a Caps fan for all that time, cheering on the Caps out in Landover. (As an aside, I'm listening to the rebroadcast of the NHL Awards on XM...XM is the best thing I've ever subscribed to...it's absolutely wonderful). I spent the last three months following the Caps closely, going to see the game that Sunday afternoon in March against the Penguins where the Caps lost in the last 30 seconds (heartbreaking, but not as heartbreaking as the same old scene of mobs of Penguins fans in the building). I went to see the regular season finale against the Panthers...that Semin backhand pass to Fedorov was among the prettiest assists I've ever seen. And I don't think that I've ever been in any building that loud in my life during the last few minutes of the game, when they went and won the Southeast Division. And, I went to each of the home playoff games that didn't conflict with work. The short version of each:
- Game 1: At first, it was a continuation of the party against Florida until the awful second period. Then the roof blows off the place when Ovie's AWESOME individual effort wins the game with about 4 minutes left
- Game 2: There was a complete lack of energy in the crowd, I felt, and I sat next to a very nice Flyer fan and her little kid. It was good for them, since the team showed the same energy that the crowd showed, I think.
- Game 5: Wasn't there. Was at work, and one of my coworkers has an XM radio boombox, so we listened, and whenever I wasn't busy I'd make my way over, ask him how the game was going and listen. I nearly had a heart attack when Derian Hatcher (yes, Hatchers are still KILLING the Capitals franchise, it seems) scored to pull to within one. But we were pumped when the Caps closed game 5 out.
- Game 7: The building was jacked. The crowd was pumped. The PA announcer (my coworker's brother, no kidding) was loud, and energetic, and I think that he himself was worth about 30-40 decibels. It was a really tense game, and when Erskine (I think) didn't get called for tripping we thought we'd dodged a bullet...until Poti got called a few seconds later. I was completely baffled by the call, considering that the refs had put their whistles away for the previous 30 minutes of game action...naturally the Flyers scored to win the series (disappointing...but not nearly as disappointing as the fans throwing things onto the ice. A terrible end to a storybook season.
So what prompted me to post was the Awards Show: As a Caps fan, I was pleased to see Ovechkin win the Pearson and Hart (to add to the Art Ross and Rocket Richard Trophies), and was thrilled (if surprised) to see Gabby win the Jack Adams...I think it was completely deserved, especially given where the franchise was when he took over at Thanksgiving. I think that Carbonneau and Babcock would have been equally deserving, and given the fact that each coached a full season (and each won their respective conference regular season title) I expected one of those to win the award. But, as I said, Gabby deserves it. And here's to him repeating next year, with another storybook FULL season from the Caps!
A couple of things that surprised me about the awards show:
- Maybe it's just the fact that I've never heard him before, but Vinny Lecavalier's English was far better (or maybe just far less accented) than I expected.
- Is it just me, or is Ovie's English far better than Pavel Datsyuk's (who happens to be, what, 8 or 9 years older than Ovie)?
- I was initially surprised to see Jason Blake's appearance, until I remembered WHY he won the Masterton.
- Bruce Boudreau's speech was rather stream-of-consciousness, now that I think about it.
- Gordie deserved that Lifetime Achievement Award as much as anyone...perhaps they could have given one to Red Kelly, too.
I kept track of the NHL this season, ranking teams based on their records. I essentially ignored the rule changes after the lockout, and rated teams based on what their point totals would have been prior to the lockout (i.e. 2 points for a regulation or overtime win, 0 points for a regulation or overtime loss, and 1 point for a shootout result, as this would have been a tie prior to the lockout). I included playoff results in this (2 points for a win, 0 points for a loss, however long it took).
Naturally, Detroit headed up the league. Pittsburgh was 3rd behind San Jose. Washington was the weakest division winner, coming in at 13th (5 behind Carolina, the highest-rated team to miss the playoffs).
Am also going to start rating CFL games in the summer. I figured what the hell, there are a total of 4 games a week to keep track of. It's easy to do and, if I miss my guess, will rather closely track the standings, considering that it's a full double round robin (with teams in each division playing each other 3 or 4 times). So we'll see how that goes.
For those of you who are reading my blog for the first time, welcome. For those (few, no doubt) reading it again, welcome back! And thanks to all of you.
And for those of you reading for my views of the presidential race, my feeling is somewhere between Beldar & Stephen Green. The only change I'd make to this is saying "F^*k", rather than "F^*k it". What an awful choice this year. How the hell did we ever get ourselves here?
More later,
Ryan
20.4.07
3.12.06
BCS: Did you really expect anything less? Ohio State, obviously, is in. Their opponent is less obvious. Well, there are 116 Division I-A teams that we can eliminate from the MNC conversation. Ed: Get on with it! Okay, okay!
Florida: Went 11-1 against I-A competition (and won 62-0 against I-AA Western Carolina).
Michigan: Went 11-1 against I-A competition (has never played against a team in a lower division, to its credit).
Florida: Won against teams ranked #5, 9 & 16 (LSU, Arkansas and Tennessee, for those counting at home).
Michigan: Won against teams ranked #7 & 10 (Wisconsin & Notre Dame).
Florida: Lost to BCS #11 (Auburn)
Michigan: Lost to BCS #1 (Ohio State)
Florida: Was (is, actually) the Southeastern Conference Champion.
Michigan: Umm...beat the Mid-American Conference Champion.
Enough. If I had my druthers, I'd pick Florida to play for the title. For several reasons. Not least because I think that they're the better team than Michigan. The most impressive wins of both of the BCS-ranked teams that Michigan has beaten this season involve Purdue & Penn State, two 8-win teams that, let's be honest, inspire no one. Yeah, I know. I'm leaving out Notre Dame's inspiring win over Georgia Tech. Sure, the Jackets beat my beloved Hokies, but they lost to Wake Forest. Wake-Freaking-Forest! Sigh.
Florida, on the other hand, has beaten teams which beat Cal (BCS #18), beaten up on each other, and its opponents have a better W-L record than do Michigan's.
(As an aside, some have attributed that, at least partly, to the SEC's "Sun Belt World Tour". Certainly true, and it would be nice to see more good, solid, intersectional matchups. But a reason that the SEC plays the Sun Belt so much is that the Big Ten - like my Hokies, unfortunately - has a MAC fetish. Why schedule Tennessee when you can schedule Ohio? Why schedule Louisiana State when you can schedule Kent State? Just a thought. Although that could be turned around: Why schedule Penn State when you can schedule Arkansas State? Why schedule Wisconsin when you can schedule Middle Tennessee?)
And, yeah, Florida won their conference. Something Michigan had a chance, and signally failed, to do. The teams would be playing for a chance to beat Ohio State, something Michigan had a chance, and failed, to do.
So it's liable to be close, but Florida deserves it. Some have made snide comments about the popularity of a Florida-Ohio State matchup ("Who, outside Gainesville...?"), and perhaps with reason. Florida, certainly, is flawed. But who outside Ann Arbor wants to see a rematch? Who, outside Ann Arbor, wants to cheapen The Game? Who, outside Ann Arbor, wants to give the Wolverines a mulligan? The NCAA has nothing to do with the BCS. Clearly. Because they wouldn't give a Michigan golfer a mulligan. But will the BCS give one to the football team?
We shall see.
The Poll: Well, my poll, actually.
- Florida
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Louisville
- Southern Cal
- Boise State
- Louisiana State
- Auburn
- Oklahoma
- West Virginia
- Rutgers
- Notre Dame
- Virginia Tech
- Tennessee
- Wisconsin
- Texas
- Arkansas
- Cal
- Wake Forest
- Boston College
- Brigham Young
- Texas A&M
- Oregon State
- Houston
- Nebraska
Florida's rank is largely due to its strong schedule. They have the 5th strongest schedule in I-A by my mark, compared with Ohio State (70th) & Michigan (28th). Schedule strength does not include I-AA teams, so Western Carolina's 2-9 record isn't included. Nor did Florida (or any other team) earn any points for beating a I-AA team.
In any case, we'll know within the hour which team plays Ohio State (and where everyone else is headed, too).
R.
UPDATE: Florida vs. Ohio State. Michigan vs. USC. LSU vs. ND. Louisville vs. Wake. Boise St. vs Oklahoma. The BCS title game looks interesting, as does the Rose (as has been noted elsewhere). But LSU has home field advantage in the Sugar...not that it matters. They could play the game under the shadow of Touchdown Jesus and LSU would still whip Notre Dame's ass. ND just isn't good enough. Ol' Cheeseburger Charlie can whine about other teams being overrated, or being ranked based on past glory, or whatever, but his team is by far the biggest recipient of rankings of that nature. I don't know what to say about Wake-Louisville. U of Hell probably ought to win by 2 or 3 touchdowns, but, it's Wake. They were damn impressive when they travelled to play Champs Sports Bowl-bound Maryland, and, hell, they did beat Georgia Tech to win the conference (although they were much less impressive hosting Virginia Tech).
Labels: college football
30.10.06
Like it says above: The teams are ranked by a sort of bounty system. Margin of victory is irrelevant. A win is a win, after all.
Without further ado (Last week's rank in parinthesis):
- Ohio State (2)
- Michigan (1)
- Florida (4)
- Cal (5)
- USC (3)
- Auburn (6)
- Tennessee (10)
- Rutgers (8)
- Notre Dame (13)
- Texas (12)
- Boston College (7)
- Texas A&M (11)
- Boise State (9)
- Louisville (14)
- Georgia Tech (21)
- West Virginia (15)
- Arkansas (18)
- Clemson (16)
- Wisconsin (19)
- Missouri (17)
- Tulsa (20)
- Washington State (24)
- Oklahoma (NR)
- Oregon State (NR)
- Louisiana State (22)
Virginia Tech is 26th, knocking on the door after its IMPRESSIVE win on Thursday against Clemson. Dropping out of the top 25 are Nebraska after being shocked by Oklahoma State & Wake Forest after beating a...how do I put this...after beating an undistinguished North Carolina team.
More later,
R.
22.10.06
The Love Life: To say that there isn't one is, well, a lie. But there are (were?) 2 women: M, a co-worker, who had pursued me until, one day, I just got sick of it and called her. We called each other a few times, but it never worked out that we got together. Eh. She does have a nice set of blue eyes, but (1) she smokes, (2) she has a kid, (3) there are a bunch of piercings, (4) I would have to deal with that drama at work, and (5) she lives something like 100 miles from me. So, eh. No big thing that it didn't work out. And there's T, someone who also works in the service industry. She's smart, she's funny, she's stacked (not to be indelicate, but she has huge tatas...at least it appears that way through the sweaters she wears), but there's something that seems a wee bit dissonant about us. I still question it. I don't know if it's me, trying to hold myself from happiness & a serious relationship, or whether the questions are valid. Add to this that I'm not so sure she really likes me. Just call me J. Alfred. *sigh*. Enough of this.
Question: Do you realize that through 3 quarters, the Tigers' offense (through 5 2/3 innings) has produced more than Cincinnati's & South Florida's combined?
College Football: Jesus did Clemson look good in hammering Georgia Tech yesterday night. Those kids they had a running back are going to be a serious problem on Thursday, methinks. Even after beating Southern Miss, Tech still really hasn't beaten anyone really good. Hopefully (and this is a BIG hope, Tech can use this Thursday night to spark a resurgence through the rest of the season. If Tech wins out and Miami otherwise wins out, Tech does no worse than a tie with Miami for the conference. They may also be tied with Georgia Tech (6-2 conference, 4-1 division, 1-1 against each other), which would be a complication. But if I read this right, Tech...Virginia Tech...would win the tiebreaker on #4...overall non-divisional record. That also assumes a non-conference win against Kent State...who said the weak-ass schedule's a liability? Just a side-note on the tiebreakers. To break a tie between 2 teams, don't you only need the head-to-head competition? It's not as though teams tie anymore, what with overtime.
I have also come up with a computer ranking (aren't there plenty out there? - Ed.) for the Division I-A college football world. It's a sort of bounty system, rewarding points for wins & strength of schedule. It doesn't differentiate for margin of victory; Notre Dame's 3 point win come-from-behind against UCLA is treated identically to Oregon's & Washington's 10 point wins against the Bruins. At this point (and I know that I have to address this; I'm just not quite sure how differently to treat it) it completely ignores competition against lower divisions. But it seems to be reasonably accurate, by which I mean in the ballpark.
Without further ado:
- Michigan
- Ohio State
- USC
- Florida
- Cal
- Auburn
- Boston College
- Rutgers
- Boise State
- Tennessee
- Texas A&M
- Texas
- Notre Dame
- Louisville
- West Virginia
- Clemson
- Missouri
- Arkansas
- Wisconsin
- Tulsa
- Georgia Tech
- LSU
- Nebraska
- Washington State
- Wake Forest
With the major exception of Rutgers (they haven't really beaten anyone important, have they?), and a few minor tweaks (I might swap Auburn & Florida, and/or Cal & Tennessee, and I might rank Clemson a few spots higher, and Texas A&M a few spots lower) this seems a perfectly good ballot to me.
Anyway, I'll leave you with that. Virginia Tech, incidentally, comes in 38th, just below Maryland. Ponder that. After the weak (super-weak!) schedule (and how prepared they were for GT & BC as a result), I'm almost surprised they were ranked so high.
UPDATE: It appears that the College Football weekend will end on the same note on which it started: mediocre team beats mediocre team 23-0. Or something like that.
UPDATE: So much for the 23-0 symmetry of UVa-Carolina & USF-Cincy. But one has to laugh when the only points scored in the first 40 minutes of a game are on a safety.
12.9.06
College Football: So Tech is up to 14th in the AP. 16th in the Coaches Poll. Yip-pee. They destroyed Carolina 35-10. Woo-hoo. You may notice my complete lack of enthusiasm. They've hammered two clearly inferior opponents, with two more coming to the 'burg. After they beat Georgia Tech, I'll be more enthusiastic, I swear. After they win big against Clemson and at BC on consecutive Thursday nights and are still undefeated, I'll be downright excited. After they beat Miami, I'll be jubilant. And after they hammer Virginia (who beat Wyoming, but let the Cowboys take it to overtime last week) in the 'burg, I'll be ecstatic. But until the game against the Jackets, I'm not interested. And after they beat Florida State to go to the Orange Bowl (barring an upset - or five - Tech ain't going to Glendale), I'll be rapturous.
In other news, Notre Dame hammered Penn State. If they beat Michigan this week, they'll likely go into the Southern Cal game undefeated. Southern Cal makes it if they beat Nebraska (on broadcast TV, in prime time, nationally, no less) this week and Oregon later. Ohio State, after hammering Texas, likely goes into the Michigan game undefeated if they beat Iowa next month. So who's left? The SEC has some hellacious matchups - Auburn hosts LSU and Tennessee hosts Florida. The winners become the favourites to win their divisions & are catapulted into the national title race, but they have to run the SEC gauntlet. And the division winners get each other in December. Best of luck, gentlemen.
Some bull-pucky questionnaire, because I'm bored:
Editor's note: I got this from a chick that I find attractive, from where she answers it on her profile on a dating site. In the interest of full disclosure, she made a different questionnaire that I sloughed. Completely sloughed. So I have no chance with her. Meh.
Are you in a relationship? I'm in several: familial relationships, friendships, professional relationships. I'm not in a relationship involving (a) romance and/or (b) sex. And I suspect that that's the question you meant to ask.
Do you hate more than 3 people? Not particularly. If they're screwed up enough to hate them, they ain't particularly worth the emotional investment to hate 'em.
How many houses have you lived in? 5 houses.
What is your favorite candy bar? Reeses Nutrageous.
What are your favorite shoes? My docksiders. After about 7 years, I just about have them broken in just right.
Have you ever tripped someone? When I was younger, sure.
Do you own a Britney Spears CD? Jaysus no.
Have you ever thrown up in public? Yeah, but it was dark, and I was alone, and I puked into some bushes.
Name something that's always on your mind? My skull. And, as some would indelicately say, poon-tang.
What is your favorite music genre? Hard rock.
What is your sign? Gemini.
What time were you born? a few minutes before 1am CDT
Do you like beer? Hell yeah, especially darker British beers
Have you ever made a prank call? Can't say as I have.
What is the most embarrassing CD you own? Eh. Nothing I wouldn't be proud to claim as mine.
Are you sarcastic? You're kidding, right?
What are your favorite colors? Navy blue. Chicago maroon. Burnt orange (but only with the maroon).
How many watches do you own? Two, I think. I haven't seen them in a couple of years, much less worn them. Thank goodness for cell phones.
Summer or winter? Winter (in malarial-swamp Washington? Why are we even discussing this?)
Spring or fall? Fall. Spring is just a prelude to muggy, hazy, hot, humid summer. Fall is crisp & vibrant. And the leaves turn maroon & orange.
What is your favorite color to wear? The same color I like generally. I'm a fan of khaki, too.
Pepsi or Sprite? Blech. Coke. Canada Dry. Dr. Pepper.
What color is your cell phone? Silver. It's a Razr, the most overrated, overhyped cell phone around.
Where is your second home? the 'burg.
Have you ever slapped someone? Nope. Not since I was about 10 anyway.
Have you ever had a cavity? Once.
How many lamps are in your bedroom? 1, excluding the fixture on the ceiling.
How many video games do you own? Call it a dozen.
What was your first pet? Gus, my dog, who mauled me when I was two.
Have you ever had braces? Yeah.
Do looks matter? They can.
Do you use chapstick? Yes.
Name 3 teachers from your high school: Mrs. Bryant, Mr. Steuben, Mr. Latham
American Eagle or Abercrombie? Meh.
Are you too forgiving? Yeah, probably
How many children do you want? None, thanks kindly.
Do you own something from Hot Topic? Hot what?
What is your favorite breakfast? Eggs (well scrambled) & pancakes.
Do you own a gun? Nah.
Have you ever thought you were in love? Yes
When was the last time you cried? About 19 months ago, after papa died.
What did you do 3 nights ago? Vegged & watched the Texas-Ohio State game.
When was the last time you went to Olive Garden? I don't think I've been there in about 9 years.
Have you ever called your teacher mom? Are you kidding me? Not only did I not call my teacher mom, I don't know anyone who did.
Have you ever been in a castle? White Castle.
What are your nicknames? Variants on my last name. My initials.
Do you know anyone named Bertha? I had a passing acquaintanceship with Big Bertha.
Have you ever been to Hawaii? My dad was stationed there whilst in the Navy when I was conceived. Does that count?
Do you own something from Banana Republic? Can't say as I do.
Are you thinking about somebody right now? I'm always thinking about somebody. Who somebody is varies from moment to moment, though.
Have you ever called someone Boo? That's kinda sappy for me.
Do you smoke? The occasional see-gar. Like one or two a year.
Do you own a diamond ring? Christ no.
Are you happy with your life right now? I'm not thrilled about it, but I have no complaints either.
Do you dye your hair? Nope
Does anyone like you? To quote the police captain from "Lethal Weapon": "I don't give a fuck". To answer your question, yeah. Draw your own conclusions.
What were you doing May of 1994? going to school.
McDonald's or Wendy's? Donald's
Do you like yourself? I'm not thrilled, but I'm not so bad.
Are you closer to your mother or father? My mom
Favorite feature of the opposite sex? Eyes or ass
Are you afraid of the dark? Not particularly
Have you ever eaten paste? It's what caused the brain damage.
Do you have a webcam? Yes
Have you ever stripped? Every night
What time did you get up this morning? 8 or so.
Diamonds or Pearls? I wouldn't wear either.
What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Batman Begins
What are your favorite TV shows? South Park, Law & Order, L&O SVU, college football
What did you have for breakfast? Nothing this morning
What is your middle name? What do you care?
What is your favorite cuisine? Beef
What foods do you dislike? Various vegetables. Squash & zucchini come to mind.
Your favorite Potato chip? Pringles
What is your favorite CD at the moment? AC/DC Live
What kind of car do you drive? A Ford Expedition.
Favorite sandwich? Corned beef on rye.
What characteristics do you despise? Hypocrisy & Dishonesty
What are your favorite clothes? polo shirt & jeans
If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would you go? Scotland & Ireland
What color is your bathroom? White
Favorite brand of clothing? Do you really think that I'm a clotheshorse?
Where would you want to retire to? That's still four decades off. Early line has British Columbia, southern Wisconsin & southern Virginia as the favorites.
Favorite time of day? When I get off work
Where were you born? Kansas
Favorite sport to watch? college football. hockey comes in a close second.
Are you a morning person or night owl? Night owl; I wake at 7 in the morning, but I always roll over and sleep another hour to 90 minutes. This is because I normally go to bed well after midnight.
What did you want to be when you were little? Someone who had plenty of time to read.
What is your best childhood memory? Halcyon days my ass.
Eye Color? Brown
Ever been toilet papering? No.
Favorite day of the week? Sunday. I'm not working.
Zuletzt: I can't think of a postscript. So I won't.
Later,
R.
5.9.06
College Football: So the season has stared (finally!) And the Hokies beat the Fighting Compasses of Northeastern, though not all I-A (or even ACC Coastal) teams weren't so fortunate. Duke lost to Richmond. Colorado lost to Montana State. Fine, Duke lost. I can understand this. They suck. But Colorado? So much for the Hawkins era. Bad start, anyhow. And New Mexico lost to Portland State. So much for the "guarantee game". And parity seems to be on us more than ever.
But back to Virginia Tech. The Hokies hammered Northeastern, with new quarterback Sean Glennon looking good in the process (15-18, approx. 225 yds; I forget the exact number & am too lazy to look). 38-0. A I-AA team that was 2-9 last year. A top-20 team. Nothing further needs to be said, does it?
This week: at North Carolina. That's right, kiddies. The team that lost at home to Rutgers last weekend gets to host Rutgers' old conference rival Va Tech. Hee hee hee! I'd laugh my ass off, but Carolina is bound to have a few surprises. Hopefully Beamer's getting that through the team's head. Nothing like an early loss to an inferior team to wreck a season. Beamer could ask North Carolina about that. At least Beamer doesn't have to worry about the team looking ahead to next week (that would be against Duke, at Lane). Tech rolls, 24-7.
So here's my next question: is Miami's season wrecked? They lose by 3 to a top-10 team, and it's "I hope the fans don't give up on the season" and angrily closing the locker room to reporters less than 30 minutes after the game? Hee hee! Can't wait for November. That's bound to be a fun game. Especially if the offensive line holds up for Tech.
Zuletzt: Will come up with rankings in a few weeks, after 4 or 5 games have been played.
Ryan
5.8.06
A couple of weeks ago... I was in Chicago (well, Crystal Lake) for a family reunion. The reunion was a long weekend, but I took a couple of extra days for myself because, well, the reunion was just for a weekend. Hagar's I Can't Drive 55 is on XM49 (Big Tracks) right now. Appropriate because, well, I can't. (As a side-note, is this song at all appropriate for Back to the Future 2? It seems to me that the only connection to the ass-backward alternate reality is the up-tempo beat to show that they're kinda badass or something...but I digress). After barely making it out of Washington a couple of Wednesday nights ago (there's a noise restriction; if you're not off the ground by 10pm at National, you ain't leaving until the next morning), I get to O'Hare late, and go through an ordeal at the Avis counter. I made the nice lady processing my order laugh (by telling the tale of the noise restriction...she couldn't imagine O'Hare shutting down for such a thing) and managed getting a free upgrade to a Cadillac CTS. Not a bad car (although, shall we say, radically different than my Expedition). Actually a very good car. And one which I drove. A lot (more than 1000km over 5 days). Well, the drive from the airport to the hotel had one problem: I didn't have the proper change for the tolls, and the booth is unattended, but they had a phone number on the booth for situations like mine. Suffice it to say that I paid more to comply than I did for the toll. *Sigh* But other than that, I explored: Northern Illinois & southern Wisconsin on Thursday (to Janesville via Rockford and back via a more direct route), Chicago! on Friday, with family from Friday to Sunday in Crystal Lake, but (Mom, Lindy, Buck &) I got the guided tour of Joliet from Uncle Bill on Saturday. Sunday I drove to O'Hare (dropped Lindy at the airport for her flight & Mom and Buck at the Enterprise counter for another car...theirs broke down). Then I drove to Madison, via Milwaukee. Saw the state Capitol (where the UW track club, or somesuch, was running to raise funds for the year). Saw Lake Monona (via Monona Terrace, I think it was called). The painted cows were different. Not quite something you'd see anywhere in the Commonwealth. Not even in the Great Valley. Then I took a more direct route back, rather than the interstate. Best 5 days I've had in at least a decade. No shit. Absolutely priceless. When I drove back to the airport I had no idea my father was in Chicago on that Monday when I flew home, but he was. And he had planned to catch the same flight that I did...so when I hear "What are you doing here?" behind my newspaper, I was, shall we say, surprised. "Same thing you are, I imagine: trying to get home".
It's A Small World After All: There must be a God and he must be trying to teach me a lesson about connectedness, because I can't write all of these off as coincidence:
- One high school classmate is a regular customer of mine
- Another classmate from high school (to whom I was attracted, as a side note, not that it's actually relevant) pulled up to a gas pump the same time I did & we shared that few minutes.
- The aforementioned flight from Chicago to Washington.
- The fact that both Grampa & his brother (the aforementioned Uncle Bill) knew which room I was in at the hotel (well, that's more likely the fact that we were in the same hotel and the clerks had no problem giving the information out)
- One of my dad's buddies from the Navy, I recently discovered, is a customer.
Zuletzt: Hockey season is right around the corner. As a side note, it was good to see a Canadian team make it to the final, but I wish Edmonton had won. Just like I wish Calgary had beaten Tampa Bay in '04. And how is it that the Caps let Homegrown (Jeff Halpern) get away?
Enough for now,
R.
P.S. I'm ready for another vacation right now!
10.5.06
West African economies: You know those scam emails from Sani Abacha, or whoever, proclaiming that if you help move some large fortune out of Nigeria and into your bank account, that you can keep 30% (or whatever) of it? Yeah, I get those all the time. Like this one:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Mr. Onyeguke Collins, Bank Manager of Standard Trust Bank Plc, Lagos Branch. I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On June 6, 2000, an American Oil consultant/contractor with the South Africa Minning Corporation, Mr. Charles Andason made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at US$15,500,000.000 (Fifteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from the South Africa minning Corporation that Mr. Charles Andason died from an automobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Charles Andason did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.
This sum of US$15,500,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it and according to my country Law, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Nigeria Government if nobody applies to claim the fund. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Charles Andason so that the fruits of this man labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials.
This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the Attorneys will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits which will put you in place as the next of kin. We shall employ the service of an Attorney to process and notarization all the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration in your favor in order for the transfer to take place. A bank account in any part of the world which you will provide will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin. The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 70% for me and 30% for you. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by an Attorney and my position as the Branch Manager guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.
If you are interested, please reply immediately so I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction.
Please be rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country.
Awaiting your urgent reply.
Thanks and regards.
Mr. Onyeguke Collins.
I know that Scott Adams has talked about this, in whichever book (I think it was this one, but can't remember for sure. In any case, he surmises that such scams constitute the majority of the Nigerian economy. And that scams like this one:
GREETINGS.
FROM Ms Chima Amaka.
ATTN.,
I am Mrs Chima Amaka, from the Democratic Republic of Sierra-Leone nationality, and the wife of former Director of Diamond company in Sierra-Leone of the blessed memory who was assasinated by unidentified hoodlums.
Immediately after my husband's assasination,I left Sierra-Leone with my only son to Togo a country in West Africa,with some valuables and cash of fifteen million dollars($15million usd)These fund are deposited in a Security Company here in Togo as a
family treasure, hence they do not know what is the actual content of the consignment.
Meanwhile, I want to leave Togo entirely with this money for investment in your country because of the future of my only child.I would highly appreciate you to assist me and a certain percentage of the money will be given to you for your assistance.
I think I really got so much to offer you different colors and units.
Wish to hear from you soonest.
God bless you and your family.
Best regards,
Mrs Chima Amaka
Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1ยข/min.
are really Nigerian scams in disguise.
Still funny to me. Especially these days. Is there anyone who doesn't know that they aren't scamming you? Anyone? Bueller?
Hockey: I hate the Avalanche. Not as much as I hate the Pengwhines or the Rangers, but I haven't cared for the Avs since that punk-ass frog Claude Lemieux took his cheap shot at Kris Draper. So I laughed at the Avs when Joffrey Lupul scored four goals, the last in overtime, to put them down 3-0 in the conference semifinals. Hee hee!
But seriously, I'm pulling for an all-Canadian final (which may be a far-fetched thing with both teams down 2 games to none as I type (Ottawa is tied 2-2 in the 3rd game in Buffalo...just as a side note, is it just me, or do Buffalo fans have, far and away, the biggest inferiority complexes in professional sports? Just asking).
Later,
Ryan
20.2.06
EVER.
HDTV: So you may have figured out that I invested in HDTV. I got it on the cheap. The one regret (a regret! already! no more than 36 hours after buying the damn thing! and less than 12 hours after getting HD service from the cable company!) I have is that I didn't get a widescreen. But there's always the next time.
But HD rocks. Seriously. Now I just have to go invest in something like an HD (or upconvert or whatever they call it) DVD player. And digital signals are cool too. Signal degradation sucks.
How's about the Olympics? Way cool. Way cool. I remembered how much I enjoy things on ice (that don't rely on judges): Hockey, curling, speed skating. Even the ice dancing is kind of cool - it's very elegant, and the attire isn't a distraction, like in figure skating. The skiing is cool. And the pride shown, by both athletes & fans, is awesome. The intensity from that just ends up drawing me in, y'know? And, as a side note, Cassie Johnson, skip of the women's curling team, is a complete & utter cutie. Even her voice, accent and all, is cute.
Zuletzt: Miracle. Excellent movie. Always gives me chills. Especially after they do become united & a team. And I always tear up hearing Michaels' call during the last several seconds of that game in Lake Placid. What I really want is a tape of the games during the '80 olympics.
Enough for now. R.
31.1.06
And the last time I linked to someone? Rather more recent than the whole friday 5 thing, but it's still been a while; several posts, at least. This meme I got from here, perhaps the most interesting/entertaining blog that I read. Certainly it's the most eclectic.
Anyway, to the meme.
[a is for age:]
it's been 27 years, 7 months, 12 days, 20 hours & 14 minutes +/- a few seconds since the doctor slapped me on the ass. For those keeping score, that puts my birthdate at 19 June 1978 00.48 cdt.
[b is for booze of choice:]
bourbon & ginger. Every now & again I'll drink some other whiskey. Occasionally I'll drink some rum, and even more occasionally I'll drink some clear liquor. But never vodka. It reminds me too much of rubbing alcohol. Back to the bourbon. It has to be something decent (as does the ginger ale!). I take my bourbon with ginger rather than coke or somesuch so that I can taste it.
[c is for career:]
I'm a salesman.
[d is for your dog's name:]
No dog. Last dog I had was named Betsy. As a side note, the last car I had was also named Betsy, but I had the car much more recently than the dog. Although the car & dog were created about the same time, believe it or not.
[e is for essential items you use everyday:]
Old Spice deodorant. Mentadent toothpaste & Listerine Natural Citrus mouthwash. When Listerine first came out with that natural citrus stuff - "Listerine without the kick!" or whatever it was - I scoffed, because I believed deep in my soul that the best feature of Listerine (I took the mint flavoured myself...I can't stand the taste of the original) was the fact that it kicked my mouth's ass - that way I knew it was working. Anyway...I've converted, which is shorthand for I got soft.
[f is for favorite song(s) at the moment:]
Crazy by Seal. I liked Alanis Morrissette's version, but I prefer Seal's. A lot of stuff by Journey. It's just so cornball.
[g is for favorite games:]
Monopoly. Trivial Pursuit. I know all sorts of useless (except for impressing friends) crap.
[h is for hometown:]
Fairfax County, Virginia. George Washington slept here.
[i is for instruments you play:]
Piano, once upon a time.
[j is for jam or jelly you like:]
Blech. Grape jelly is palatable but I'm not a fan of fruit spreads.
[k is for kids:]
I grew up with two other kids in the house. And several others in the neighbourhood. But mom & dad aren't grandparents yet.
[l is for last kiss:]
She & I share a first name & middle initial.
[m is for most admired trait:]
Admired by whom? Folks gush about my memory for faces. I do okay with it. I admire my lack of guile.
[n is for name of your crush:]
Rachel McAdams is hot. I have lust in my heart for her.
[o is for overnight hospital stays:]
Once, when I got too drunk for friends to handle, allegedly vomiting like mad. I remember nothing between the first shot of very good gin & waking up at like 4 in the morning with an IV drip in my arm. Suffice it to say that while I have imbibed since, I haven't gotten drunk. I learned my lesson.
[p is for phobias:]
I always wince quite a bit when I see someone else get injured & think "there but for the grace of God..." When I get injured it's no big deal, but when I am a bit detached from an injury it creeps me out.
[q is for quotes you like:]
"Who dares, wins" - Motto, Special Air Service (SAS)
"I haven't read it, but I hear it's pretty good" - Tony Kornheiser, about any number of books, most notably those written by John Feinstein
[r is for biggest regret:]
The biggest? There have been several.
[s is for sweets of your choice:]
Hershey Bar. "The Original and Best" (oh wait, that's for another product, which I also like). I do enjoy my simple pleasures.
[t is for time you wake up:]
These days, about 5.00
[u is for underwear:]
Yes.
[v is for vegetables you love:]
Bell peppers, scallions, green beans. I can't think of a cooked vegetable I like, much less love. I take that back. Cooked green beans are tolerable.
[w is for worst habit:]
I literally eat my fingernails & fingertips. Apparently I think that I really ought to have only two bones per finger.
[x is for x-rays you've had:]
The best is when I was 5, I swallowed one of my gramma's earrings. The worst was when I was 21 & collapsed with back spasms. A close second to that was the CAT scan during the aforementioned overnight hospital stay.
[y is for yummy food you make:]
I make a mean hamburger helper. And I can fry up some money corned beef hash.
[z is for zodiac sign:]
Gemini.
25.1.06
TV & music: Am I a complete nut? I watch South Park whenever I can (but I don't schedule my life around it). So I caught the last half of the stem cell episode last night. As an aside, I've never seen it, so I still don't know how it starts (basically, I'm sure, it explains why Kenny needs stem cells). So when I saw Cartman talking on the floor of the House of Representatives, I cynically thought "What the Hell? Is this a 'Very Special' South Park?". But when he started reciting "Heat of the Moment" - and Congresscritters started singing along - I laughed my ass off. And I had to buy this. Nor is it the first time I've bought a song solely from laughing at a scene in South Park. I bought this when I saw it on the whole homeschooling episode...I'd never heard of Dio before. And if I can find somewhere to download a copy of that goofy Karate Kid song "You're the Best" I'm going to...that baseball episode, seriously, makes me laugh from start to finish. I literally cannot stop laughing. Suffice it to say that it enjoys "Save until I delete" status on my DVR (some TiVo knockoff). The only things that come close to being that funny are (1) the end of the episode where Stan & Cartman flooded that town with "Uncle Rex"'s boat, where Stan admits it and the townspeople, in all their sanctimony, follow suit & (2) at the final table of the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions where Matusow tortures Hellmuth for not calling when Matusow had 8-3 off-suit. HILARIOUS.
The Love Life: So my week-and-a-half tryst ended because I humiliated myself (hahaha you think I'm going to go into that...I don't feckin' think so), and then humiliated myself (& overwhelmed her emotionally, apparently) in talking about it. Well, she didn't say as much (she said it was because we were searching for topics of conversation, that we were too much alike to enjoy really good conversation & grow and all of that relationship stuff) but I'm not a complete retard. Even if a lot of the other stuff is true (although I'd chalk the mediocre conversation to me...I've never been the greatest of conversationalists, and I'd much rather listen & absorb information than talk). Eh. Having been away from the dating game for a while (with the exception of a few first dates) - or more precisely not having any sort of close female companionship in that time - I had forgotten how enjoyable having a good woman around, laughing & joking and otherwise sharing (to an extent) can be. And how pale life can be without her.
Eh.
More later. I'm tired.
16.1.06
The Dating Game: So here's my question: do I get attached too bloody easily? I met another girl I really liked, we've been on a few dates, and I'm afraid I fucked it up. Don't ask. I may tell in good time, but not now. I'm not sure I completely fucked it up; something may still yet be saved.
The rest of my life: Taxes still suck. Work sucks, but it pays for the taxes.
Hokie Hi! So Tech won the Gator Bowl. Good for us. Of course, it was completely overshadowed by Marcus stomping on the leg of one of the Cards' defensive linemen. And Marcus getting kicked off the team. And Marcus leaving school to pursue opportunities in the NFL (well, not so much this one). And, finally, Marcus allegedly pulling a gun on three teenagers in Suffolk. What a mess. In other news, Tech men's basketball is 0-4 in the conference including a loss at home to the archrival.
Pulp Fiction: As a roommate down in Blacksburg said, it's the pulpiest. And that's about it. I'm watching it now, and it doesn't seem to be the earth-shaking movie it was ten years ago when I first saw it.
Zuletzt: Notice a theme?
Write more later.
R.
18.12.05
The Dating Game (and game it is, I'm convinced): So, being the social butterfly that I am (and I'll ask the peanut gallery to shut their traps), I've been on a couple of dates in the last few weeks. One of the women didn't particularly impress me. One didn't, initially, but I found myself more attracted through the course of the date.
So what happened, Ryan?
I'm sure that you can guess: the one that didn't attract me was attracted to me. And I told her that I didn't see anything other than friendship (was that heartless or cruel or mean?). I haven't heard from her since. Since we only met once, and since I got the impression that she only wanted me for the relationship, I'm not chuffed. I had lunch with the other one a week ago. My first snap impression was that I'd seen better looking women. But since my sense of physical attraction is rather tightly wound with the intellectual & emotional and I thought her smart, funny & a good conversationalist, I thought she looked damn good when she was smiling or laughing. We hugged at the end of the date. I've called her once (left a message) & emailed her once since. No response. So my questions: were I to push harder, that would be creepy, right? Is she interested & playing hard-to-get, or is she simply not interested? How the feck can I tell the difference? Should I be willing to put up with the bullshit games? you just answered your last question, methinks...
I'm certainly not the most direct person when it comes to expressing feelings, wants & needs, but the older I get the more I appreciate those who are direct. They, at least, have the courtesy not to waste anyone's time with bullshit games. Eh. But they sometimes step all over people's feelings! True. Isn't that a good thing, though? The recipients get experience dealing with such feelings, number one, and number two, the people that get involved with those who speak directly always know where they stand, and they don't get jerked around, carrying some false hope, unable to move on. Isn't there some positive in that?
Music: I got XM radio. It's seriously cash. I got it solely because I wanted to listen to college football (they carry ACC, Big Ten & Pac-10 college sports...well, football & men's basketball). But I got hockey, music, talk, news & all sorts of good stuff. So that's a few bucks a month well spent.
Also, you know that Jaguar commercial for the S-Type that has that song with the slogan "Can You Resist?" (yes, I can...it's a Jag, for heaven's sake!)
So it's called "Battle Without Honor or Humility". Hm. Good song, though, and those songs on the album (I bought it impulsively from iTunes) that I've listened to are good.
Zuletzt: 35-7. Take that, Cowboys! First they stun them in Texas on the night that Aikman, Smith & Cokehead (err, Irvin) get inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor or whatever, then they deliver a beatdown on a silver platter today in front of 90,000 fans. Hell yeah. We want Dallas! Redskins Radio actually played "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys" between the final whistle & the postgame show. That was so awesome. Now bring on the feckin' Giants! We'll bitch-slap Mister-I-Haven't-Won-A-Big-Road-Game Eli Manning.
28.9.05
College Football: Your (okay, my) Virginia Tech Hokies are undefeated to date, ranked #3 in both human polls, a pretty-much consensus top-3 team (along with USC & Texas), picked by some experts to reach the Rose Bowl. They beat a good - certainly not great, but good - conference opponent 51-7. So is it 2003? Maybe. But what about the fact that they just hammered, at home, a team ranked in the mid-teens? In a game televised in front of a (somewhat) national audience, and for which the ESPN Gameday crew visited? And with a quarterback named M. Vick? So does that make it 1999? (And, for the matter, does that make Georgia Tech the ACC analogue to Syracuse?) Guess we'll find out Saturday. Although the staff and some of the older guys certainly remember '03.
And what about this? Are you kidding me? And how about this:
Students celebrating victories by the Mountaineers have a long tradition of setting fires in the streets, often with cheap furniture dragged from their rental homes.
Morgantown led the nation in the number of intentional street fires between 1997 and 2003, with a total of 1,129 set.
They led the nation? Are you kidding me? They had even more than the couch burners in College Park? Hahahahaha!
So my pick. We'll split the difference (and call it 2001). 35-0, Tech. It's called Beamerball, and it's always in style!
22.9.05
Random thoughts: So here I am, after 8 1/2 months, posting again. I marvel at the discipline of those who regularly post. And especially those folk who aren't completely verbose, blathering on and on. I really admire those folks' discipline and commitment. My grandfather (dead and buried since my last post, God rest his soul) said that life, largely, is about "motivation and attitude". Problem is, I often don't find myself motivated to updating this blog - or taking the time to express, in depth, my thoughts, whatever the topic may be, whatever the medium. Largely, I think, this can be attributed to my attitude that my thoughts aren't, generally, worth the paper they're printed on (or, if you wish, the electrons and phosphors which display them on a computer screen). There is part of me which wants to end this 2-year experiment in bloggy goodness (however bloggy or good), but, so long as blogger takes care of all the technical webpage issues, and Cox is taking my money for a chunk of space on their web servers, I may as well not call it a day, posting however (in)frequently. So, dear readers (who am I kidding?), I'll post when I post. No set schedule. No deadline. No quota on how many posts/words/thoughts make it over any given period of time. Although I will continue the policy, to date unwritten, that when I finish typing any given sentence/thought, I will only go back and edit it for typos or spelling errors. This is the diary I never kept (and still rarely do). As such, to go back and erase thoughts that I had seems some sort of violation, an act of editing, an act of hiding something from myself or y'all (ye few).
Could I use some sort of psychiatric treatment (such as therapy)? Most certainly. I suspect that even the most well-adjusted (in which I very distinctly do not include myself) would do well by therapy, talking things out, hashing ideas out, holding them out for judgment or some sort of dialectic/refinement process. Honing one's ideas, thoughts, emotional state, if you wish.
My train of thought has left the station (it's after 1 in the morning...in many respects my brain is like Washington National Airport - not a whole lot gets in or out between midnight and 5am.
Motivation and attitude. It's all about that. I won't go all Stuart Smalley on you.
Ryan.
1.1.05
College Football: It's definitely the most wonderful time of the year. Virginia lost, and there have been several exciting games over the last few days. Navy completed its first 10 win season in nearly a century (1905). West Virginia's season finally finished disintegrating from NC hopes into an 8-4 disappointment. Georgia won a nailbiter. Iowa won on the final play, as did Texas (Vince Young is legit, by the way). And Utah is showing the world that it's for real, or at least that the Big East does, indeed, suck at football post-Tech & Miami. Don't expect me anywhere near here Monday night. Since I couldn't make the trip to the Vieux Carre (French Quarter for you cretins), I will watch faithfully with several of my closest Hokie friends here in Northern Virginia (no, it's not NOVA: that is (a) an astronomical phenomenon or (b) a community college here in Northern Virginia).
Auburn is going to be very tough. They have the fifth-best defense in I-A (Your Hokies are 4th). Their offense is, in all fairness, better than Tech's, although it operates along the same lines: run early, run often, and use that to set up the deep pass. And it's been a special season for Auburn. That said, it's been a special season for Tech, too. And Beamerball is in for 2005.
Tech 28, Auburn 10.
I believe (that the Sugar Bowl Preview is up on Tailgate Fever).
Personal Life: Just a few thoughts & resolutions.
I was in the doctor's office the other day for a physical. I'm in very good health (surprising, no?); the blood tests all came back very good. Good BP, cholesterol count, heart rate, all of that. But, for all that, I'm surprised that the doctor didn't mention my weight (I'm 72", 225#). So my first resolution for 2005 is to get down to about 190#. Just need to exercise a little more and eat a little better (and, truth be told, a little less).
Finding a good woman would be a good thing, truth be told, but I'm not at all sure that it's resolution-worthy. Certainly, I could stand to learn (or act on the knowledge) that not all women who accept me as a friend and who invest in said friendship are willing - or able - to invest more, or in a different portfolio, such as a relationship. And, even if I don't resolve to find a good woman, it seems worthy of my time to make myself a better person; on a practical level, it makes me more attractive to those women that I find attractive. Being more thoughtful is a good thing, and being more assertive (as opposed to completely passive) might reap benefits.
And finishing up with my damn degree will be a good thing. More generally, whilst I think about it, it would be a good thing were I to focus not on the past, as I have tended to do in years past, but on the future. I am where I am, and there's nothing I can do to change how I got here. I do, however, have control of where I go next. Food for thought.
More later. R.
UPDATE (2Jan, 00.30): One more resolution, which I meant to mention earlier, but didn't. It's related to the second resolution above. Namely, that I be grateful for whatever emotional commitment I get from others, rather than feel entitled to the level of commitment that I want. Certainly, pressing for the greatest realistic level of commitment isn't necessarily a bad thing, but pressing for any sort of unrealistic commitment is. Later.
16.12.04
Christmas: Yes, it's that time of year. Merry Christmas, everyone. I've made travel arrangements, but I still have to buy gifts and the like. And I have no idea (none whatsoever) what to get anyone else. And, in the finest Gunderson family tradition (as I found out with my brother this week - he has the same attitude), I have no idea what I want for Christmas. Well, I have an idea about Christmas presents. I don't particularly care about what I get. It's the thought that counts, after all.
Soap Opera: This is the finale of this particular episode (on the blog, anyway). I promise.
- Mystery Girl has posted, excitedly, that the ex is coming back within the next week. If only I could have made her that enthusiastic. Or maybe I need to learn that there are other fish in the sea, and she's got a hook in her (even if she's acting like halibut - as dead weight, not rushing toward the boat, and he's acting like I do when I fish - namely, he's sleeping, thus not reeling it in).
- I've probably (probably?) been too self-involved in thinking about why I haven't heard from MG in a while. I find it all too easy sometimes to focus on my needs, wants, desires as well as my responsibilities, assets, shortcomings and the like, without so much as thinking about the other person.
- Is there something here for which to assess blame? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill (or less)? If I am exaggerating the situation, what does that say about me? If there is blame to be assessed, how much of it (I think most) falls on me?
- Is it healthy for me to want someone romantically, after she mentioned Ever After? After she compared me to a former lover? After she admitted that she might have "led you on" and stated that she was not meeting to keep some emotional distance, and further stated that "you may be getting closer to me than I am to you"?
- How much of that leading-on was actually leading-on, and how much was misinterpretation?
- How healthy is it to like someone who hooks up with someone more than once, only to fret when he develops some feelings for her?
- Is it a good thing to like someone who tells someone who lied to her and betrayed her (as well as another woman) "you're not a bad person"? What the hell? I understand that there's more there, but what the hell? There's a reason that Brutus, Cassius and Judas Iscariot (traitors all, lest we forget) occupy the lowest circle of hell, isn't there?
- Why am I still asking questions? I could ask questions all night and get not particularly far.
- One last: Is it emotionally healthy to like someone that I find completely maddening - sometimes for much better, sometimes for worse?
More later. R.
15.12.04
Pro Basketball: A couple of my coworkers are into NBA hoops. I don't care. But when given the opportunity, I'll bet against the Wizards. I bet on a couple of individual games earlier in the season (both of which put cash in my pocket). I bet on the six-game stretch ending with the Wizards' win over New Orleans (which cost me $20). And now I've made a sidebet that the Wiz won't make the playoffs and on the 5 games starting with Monday's game @Miami. So far I'm up $10 in that bet. Life is good.
The Accident: So first I'm told by my insurance company that I pay to be able to get a rental car. Then I'm told that I don't. So I rode in a new Taurus today. At least it's one day where I don't have to drive the Dragon Wagon.
It's the most wonderful time of the year:
- I'm convinced that I've fucked up a perfectly good friendship out of frustration. Maybe I thought it stagnant, but I'm sure I could have handled it more constructively than I did. Probably not throwing everything out publicly (regardless of the lack of names - and the lack of traffic to the blog) would be a start.
- Southern Miss won. Like I care.
- Next bowl game isn't for almost another week. Big Least co-champion Syracuse (and barely bowl eligible, I might add) takes on Georgia Tech (can't even get above .500 in conference). At least it's in a destination that has decent weather.
- It's supposed to get down to 15 deg. F or something tonight. And it's supposed to snow or somesuch on the weekend or Monday. Greaaaaaaaat.
- I have to get up entirely too early on the morrow to (a) return my rental car and (b) get my eyes checked (and hopefully get a new pair of glasses...mine are missing one of their arms, from the accident).
Zuletzt: Enough with the damn Eagle. Your mascot is a tiger, not an eagle. 28-10. I believe.
More later. Ryan.
13.12.04
College Basketball: Who cares. Conference play hasn't started yet, so your Virginia Tech Hokies aren't at the bottom of the league standings. Yet. Wake me in early February, just in time for those conference games which matter and conference tournaments.
College Football: Since I called regular season games without calling bowl games last year, I figured that I owed bowl games this season (despite not picking any regular season games). So here goes.
First, let me say that any bowl which happens before Christmas has no winners and one group of losers: the viewing public. Are you kidding me? Southern Miss and North Texas? That's not a bowl game, that's a sick joke. And Cincinnati-Marshall? Who cares? If that game wasn't in Fort Freaking Worth...hey wait, nothing would change. The matchup would still suck and no one would go. This is the answer to "What if they gave a bowl game and nobody came?" PlainsCapital would be stupid enough to sponsor it (those shareholder meetings must be fun, right? "What the hell are you doing sponsoring a crappy bowl game? That no one watches?")
So moving on to the bowls from the 27th on:
On second thought, I don't care about those on the 27th. They're both in tropical paradises (Detroit? Boise? People leave those cities in the winter because of the shitty weather). I'll only say this: Go Bulldogs!
Independence, Shreveport, La.: No title sponsor? What the hell? If you're Miami of Ohio, you have to be licking your chops because they're sending a high school team in Iowa State. Losers get fed to the gators.
Insight, Phoenix: A rematch of the 2001 Fiesta Bowl. But this time Virginia Tech isn't complaining that a scrub Leprechaun team took their spot. Oregon State 41, Arsh 9.
EV1.net Houston: UTEP gets the winner of the high school league masquerading as a Division I-A division. Colorado gets their asses kicked. They were the least mediocre team in the Big 12 North. But they're still mediocre.
Mastercard Alamo, San Antonio: OSU wins. Nobody cares.
Continental Tire, Charlotte: Isn't it only appropriate that the Tire bowl is in the redneck racing capital of the world? Oh, and, by the way, BC should enjoy its first ACC road game (no, @Wake doesn't count).
Emerald Bowl, San Francisco: Navy barely beat a scrub Mountain West team. As much as I want to pick them to win, they won't.
Pacific Life Holiday, San Diego: Cal proves how royally it was screwed here by beating Texas Tech by several touchdowns more than did Texas.
Silicon Valley, San Jose: This one belongs before Christmas. It's the scrub non-champion of the scrub conference versus its mirror image: the scrub non-champion of the scrub conference. You can't possibly expect me to care, can you?
Gaylord Hotels Music City, Nashville: The juvenile joke writes itself. As for Aladamnbama and Minnesota, well, it's enough to say that Alabama will fight back. And, as such, Minnesota (the K-State of the Big Ten) will lose.
Vitalis Sun, El Paso: If the Rose Bowl is the granddaddy of them all, then this one has to be the crazy uncle, right? Think about it. It's like the second oldest current bowl (after the Rose), and yet it matches scrubs year in and year out. This year you have the overrated quarterbacks, exposed by decent defenses. Considering they're playing each other, the game will, of course, be a shootout, scoring more points than Pachinko. Think of it as a poor man's Liberty Bowl (much like El Paso's a poor man's Memphis).
AutoZone Liberty, Memphis: The winners: the quarterbacks, who will throw for approximately 300,000 yards during this game. The losers: the quarterbacks, who will need Tommy John surgery from throwing the damn football so much.
Chick-Fil-A Peach, Atlanta: The funniest part of this is that both teams beat Florida State. And they went a combined 9-7 in their conferences. Heehee!
(Finally! New Year's Day!)
Outback, Tampa, Fla.: Both were overrated. Both got smacked late in the season. And odds on a solicitation arrest remain 6:5.
SBC Cotton, Dallas: Conference runner-up versus...division 3rd place? What the hell? And the saddest part is the conference runner-up is going to lose this game.
Toyota Gator, Jacksonville, Fla.: Two favourites to make it to Miami end up here, a couple of hundred miles short. West Virginia has the edge because, as they like to put it, they can burn shit down. And they beat fellow arsonists and rioters Maryland, whereas crapademic Fla State couldn't.
Capital One, Orlando: You can't spell Citrus without...LSU? Iowa? What? I guess that was behind the change: the SEC was tired of sending Tennessee to this, so they farmed them out to the Peach Bowl and Cotton Bowl instead. Next year, you can't spell Citrus without USC (you heard it here first).
Rose, Presented by Citi, Pasadena, Cal.: So much for tradition. Since the Pac 10's not involved, who's the host? What a crock. Michigan shows the world that the BCS crapped on Cal.
Tostitos Fiesta, Tempe, Ariz.: Is anyone else laughing at the fact that the coaches on the sidelines of this game won't be next year? I almost feel sorry for Pitt. But then I realised that I hate Pitt. Not like I did when Tech was in the Big East. But I still hate them.
Nokia Sugar, New Orleans: 28-10. I believe.
FedEx Orange, Miami: The game is being played in Pro Player Stadium. Although the Pro Player Bowl sounds as ghetto as, say, the Carquest Bowl (a plateau in Miami sports history, doubtless), eh, I don't even know where I was going with this. Shouldn't this just be 2 on 2? Leinart-Bush versus White-Peterson? Southern Cal is looking to defend its title. Oklahoma is looking to win another one in Miami. Leinart is better than Weinke, and SC is better than FSU was. SC wins a close one.
Zuletzt: As frustrated as I was yesterday - and not entirely with the mystery girl...I owe her an apology: more on this in a second - I said only one thing over the top: the comment about not calling, so as to steel myself for not hearing from her, or what have you. I enjoy hearing from her. I really do, very much so. And I didn't mean for that to be interpreted as sarcasm.
As for the apology to the mystery girl (however "emotionally retarded", you're damn well smart enough to figure out I'm talking about you...were I to lay bets, you're significantly smarter than am I), I'm sorry. A lot of the frustration I feel is a result of me emotionally sorting through our relationship, figuring out where we stand and reconciling that with where I wish we stood. But a significant minority of it was due to circumstances beyond your control (some of these involve our relationship, but most don't). And I have no right to take out frustration on you which isn't caused by your actions, or things under your control. For that, I'm sorry. And I hope that I can be forgiven.
