Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Trick or treat


Sweet Emotion wants to wish you a happy Halloween with a good trick. I found this prank pretty clever and humorous. As if your already not nervous enough using a porta potty.



Also, in case you were not aware, the Patriots and Colts play on Sunday. NBA regular season started last night (chirp, chirp....tumbleweed passes by)

Monday, October 29, 2007

Weekend Comments


Start the ESPN Hype


College Football
The Ole Miss Rebels are in the cellar. Miles, Gray, and I loaded up on the Rebel Express and headed to Auburn. It's about as bad as it gets right now. There is no debating the fact, Ole Miss is the worst team in the SEC....by far. Auburn's defense is good, but our offense made them look like the New England Patriots. Let's move on to basketball season please

Tennessee might have saved Fulmer's job. I'm not a Tennessee fan, so I don't know all the inside scoop, but if they had blown a 21 point 2nd half lead, that might have been it. Now it looks like they are back in the driver's seat of the East. (see preseason picks...yours truly had them winning the East).

Division III Football
If you have not seen this clip of how my (and Kurt's) beloved Millsaps Majors lost, well it's better than any backyard football play I've ever pulled off. It's hard to follow the ball, but just take a look. To make things worse, this play pretty much knocked the Majors out of the playoffs.



NFL Football
Don't look now, but the New Orleans Saints are showing signs of life again.
Oh, and in case you have not heard. The Patriots and the Colts play this weekend. Just flip it to ESPN and you will see some sort of preview for the game within 5 seconds. I believe they are calling it SuperBowl 41 1/2. Be prepared for the hype all week.

Friday, October 26, 2007

2 rants


Look at the progression of the Mississippi tag. The bottom left one is our proud new one!

Sorry to interrupt our manly hero voting, but on the way to work today I saw a new Mississippi License plate. That's right, Mississippi has just released its new flashy license plate. I know not many of our readers probably care about a license plate, but can I just say that it is absolutely heinous. Mississippi is last in many things, and we continue our strong tradition by unveiling a license plate that looks as if it was made by a Gulf coast, air-brush T-shirt store.

I love my state, but I hope whoever passed the new design through did it as a joke. I'm looking forward to the day I get replace my tag with the new airbrush pink and blue lighthouse. Sorry for the rant.

On a second note, this talk of Boston College's quarterback Matt Ryan being a Heisman candidate must stop. The guy was horrible for most of the game last night against the first decent opponent he has faced. The ACC is a joke this year and seeing Boston College ranked number 2 makes me wonder if I could have played professional football.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Greatest Action Hero of All Time

Again, sorry about the lack of posts lately - it's been hectic. One thing that is overdue here is determining more of our hero's. So I put it to a vote....greatest action hero. The qualifications are: at least 50 people have to die in the movie, the hero himself must come close to dying or be in a lot of pain, they have to blow something up or something spectacular like it, and they must have a very memorable line that has been requoted by you when looking in a mirror. Here are the nominations.

John McClain (Bruce Willis - the original "Die Hard")

....personally, He get's my vote.









Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford - Any of the trilogy)












James Bond (Sean Connery specifically 'Goldfinger')













Jason Bourne (Matt Damon - Any of the trilogy...but maybe he was the ultimate BA in "ultimatum")












The Terminator (Arnold SCHWARZENEGGER - now he is such a Hero in all his movies, but this is his 'magnum opus')
















Maximus (Russel Crowe - "Gladiator")

















Casey Ryback (Steven Seagal - "Under Siege")













Rambo (Sylvester Stallone - "First Blood II")

















Harry Callahan, ala Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood - 'Dirty Harry')
















Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson - "Mad Max" - )



I debated with Mel Gibson on whether or not I should go with his character from Lethal Weapon or not, difficult choice. There are some characters I may have left out intentionally or unintentionally. But vote away.....

Monday, October 22, 2007

apology

Just wanted to apologize to our oh so few regular readers. Alex and I have been bogged down by schoolwork. A terrible excuse I know, but accept my sincere apologies for lack of posting.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Too Upset and Depressed to Post

Just wanted to say that Saturday did me in for the Rebels. Losing like that on a very controversial call to say the least was about all I could handle. I've never had someone punch me in the gut as hard as they can...but I think I now know what it feels like. I'm just going to leave it there and move on.

On a happy note, give one up for 87 year old Vinny T! I called him Vinny T out of endearment and because I did not want to take the time making sure I spelled his last name correctly. The fountain of youth himself won another game.

A big 10 team is number one in the BCS....I just threw up a little in my mouth.

Have a good week, I'm going to read some more articles about the frustrations of Ole Miss football.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Half-Way Home




It’s actually sad to think we are at the mid-way point in college football. This Saturday is already the beginning of the second half of the season. While in baseball, basketball, or hockey it only takes 3 months to get there, it takes a long drawn out 6 weeks in college football. The Saturday it really seems to take off means your half way done, oh yeah bring on the NBA. But the university presidents are right, it really is “too much” on these players to go any more, we wouldn’t want to “burn them out” before they do this FULL TIME. So half-way home, we are left to ‘repent’ of some of our preseason thoughts, reflect on what’s happened, and project what’s left in the next 6 weeks.




  • I largely, with many others, underestimated Les Miles. The coaching job he did in the Florida game (the antithesis of Jim Tressel ball) was the gutsiest I’ve ever seen. Now if some of those 4th downs/fake field goal were not converted – we might be dogging him. But Florida gave everything they had and had LSU on the ropes. Miles made the right calls at the right time. Enjoy him LSU, he’s only there for 6 more weeks.


    Auburn would be a tough game if weren’t in death valley.

  • I’m so glad to see USC lose, while I was surprised it was Stanford – I’m not surprised they lost. I’m so sick of every year “this is the best team ever” crap, it was beautiful when Texas ended that talk, it was great when UCLA ended that, and it’s even better with Stanford. Enough is enough, how are they not further down in the rankings? I don’t think Stanford could beat App. State. Michigan fell completely out of the rankings. AP writers love some USC.

  • Mike Gundy’s rant was the highlight of a month of true highlights. They play that clip on Philadelphia sports talk radio daily. “I’m 40….I’m a MAN!!”….hasn’t gotten old yet.

  • How far will South Florida and Boston College go? I think BC will fall in the next few weeks (nice call Tom O’Brien) but South Florida could run the table. If so, how do you leave them out of the championship game? I would HATE to see them there, but they are not Boise State or Utah – they play in a conference with an automatic bid. Thoughts??

  • The Big 10 is so bad that Ron Zook looks like a genius in that league, give me a break.

  • The 0-5 start for Notre Dame was as fun for me as any winning streak Tennessee’s been on. Lou Holtz is reporting that they will somehow get back into a BCS bowl and win 10 games with only 6 games left on their schedule.

  • I’m so sick of Tim Tebow and he’s only a sophomore. Somebody break his leg…though he is legit and shows shadows of Vince Young. Still, I want someone to score a TD in the swamp and begin to wave their hands up in the air and attempt to “pump up” the crowd. It would be very Terrell Owens like.

  • The Pac 10 is a good conference, enough ESPN.

  • Why is Desmond Howard still on TV. They should simply refer to him like Eddie Murphy’s old pal from ‘Life’. He will now be referred to as “can’t get right”.





Predictions:



SEC: The quest in the east as to who will be the ‘sacrificial lamb’ for LSU in the championship game is wide-open. Strange to say this, but the TennesseeSouth Carolina could be the deciding game. Florida will need some help and I think they will get it to get back there. If they do, look for LSU to do the same thing they did to Georgia in 03’ in that rematch. Tennessee actually might have the easiest road out of all the east teams, but will they be the team that beat Georgia or got waxed by Florida? All in all, LSU should win. Arkansas will continue to crumble and Houston Nutt is gone, I have a hard time imagining Ole Miss will want Orgeron back too. Any rumors flaring??



PAC 10: Cal is a good team, they are not 12-0 good. Somebody will stumble them…surely. I just hope USC doesn’t find their way again to the top. Get this, USC could have three conference losses by end of year. They still have to play Oregon, Cal, and Arizona State – all good teams. John David Booty is the most overrated player in CFB. Again, nice Heisman hype Herbstreit.



Big 10: Ohio State is a good team benefitting a lousy conference. Michigan is having a nice rebound…once they got into league play. There is only 1 top 25 team in that conference. Someone needs to knock-off Ohio State.



Big 12: I’m surprised at Texas being down, Oklahoma is good but I think someone beats them again. I could be way off. Missouri is a surprise, but how long will that last? Kansas fans are excited until basketball starts in a month and then they will forget they have a football team. Oklahoma will win, even with 2 losses.



Big East: Louisville is bad, terrible coaching hire. Rutgers was a splash in the pan (Greg Schiano had all these offers, but nope I’ll stay at Rutgers!!...nice). West Virginia is suffering from injuries and people are beginning to figure out that offense. Will South Florida be the new “Miami” in 10 years?? It’s not like they have to go far to recruit. South Florida wins out but gets jipped for having no real CFB history.



ACC: not worth discussing.



I have no thoughts or ideas on the bowls or national championship games, I don’t care about the Heisman - my only thought is that Deshaun Jackson deserves more hype.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Prince Caspian


Recently I picked up C.S. Lewis second book in his Chronicles of Narnia series. Yes, I am ashamed not to have read Prince Caspian before. I loved it for a couple of reasons. First of all, it was on my level. Second of all, Lewis' worldview soaks every page of the book. Not only did I get chills when the Christ figure Aslan appears on the scene, but his quick conversation with little Lucy was profound. It went like this:

“Welcome, Child,” he said.
“Aslan,” said Lucy, “you’re bigger.”
“That is because you are older, little one,” answered he.
“Not because you are?”
“I am not, but every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”

That statement could be mulled over for a year. Is that not part of the "upside downess" of the Christian Life? As a young teenager, God was someone who loved me, heard my prayers, and created the world. Yet, the older we get, instead of him fitting in a nice little box, we slowly start realizing that is an impossibility. Our finite minds cannot comprehend His infiniteness, His eternality or His perfection.

And perhaps the greatest part, His infinite love for His people begins to boggle our minds. God sending His own Son to die on the cross for our sins was something discussed and affirmed as a child. Hopefully, the older you have gotten, the more you have begun to treasure His work. As the gospel keeps working its way into our lives, we see our own sinfulness and our own meager efforts at selfless love. As a result, we start seeing just how "big" God's love is for us and His words in John resonate in our life "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends." (John 15:13).

I for one am looking forward to the movie Prince Caspian coming out in May. I hope they keep this quote in the movie. Actually, I'm sure with the international prominence of sweet emotion, there is now no way they can keep it out.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Bill's Level's of losing



I'm not a big Bill Simmons fan, but his article (which was recently modified) on the levels of losing is genious and the best article he's ever written. My only qualm with it is that there is no CFB love, so i've adapted it somewhat for our CFB love. Please excuse all the Tennessee shout-outs, naturally those come to mind for me...please add to the lists as I can't remember some of the best examples.


Level XVI: The Princeton Principle
Definition: When a Cinderella team hangs tough against a heavy favorite, but the favorite somehow prevails in the end ... This one stings because you had low expectations, but those gritty underdogs raised your hopes...
Recent Memory: Vanderbilt @ Florida 2005. Vandy was on somewhat of a roll and almost pulled one out in the swamp, but came up short in OT. Ole Miss/Tennessee 2004, Vols were on the ropes in a game that should not have been close, Brian couldn't call me for a few weeks after that....we've never really spoken about the game...we'll leave it at that.

Level XV: The Achilles' Heel
Definition: This defeat transcends the actual game, because it revealed something larger about your team, a fatal flaw exposed for everyone to see. ... Usually the beginning of the end. (You don't fully comprehend this until you're reflecting back on it.)
Best Example: 2005 Michigan romps Notre Dame by putting ball in the air, Notre Dame still hasn't stopped anybody. Also in 99' Florida was 9-1 going into last game of season against Fla. State, Noles exposed the Gator's defense...and Gators lost last 3 games badly.

Level XIV: The Alpha Dog
Definition: It might have been a devastating loss, but at least you could take solace that a superior player made the difference in the end. Unfortunately, he wasn't playing for your team. You feel more helpless here than anything.
Best Memory: 2006 Rose Bowl. Two words: Vince Young.....Will Ferrell is still crying.

Level XIII: The Rabbit's Foot
Definition: This applies to those frustrating games and/or series in which every single break seemingly goes against your team. You know that sinking, "Oh, God, I've been here before" feeling when something unfortunate happens, when your guard immediately goes shooting up?
Recent Memory: Florida State/Miami...Wide Right.....Every Georgia/Florida game I can remember (except 97'). In 2002 Georgia came into the game undefeated, Florida was average at best. Georgia takes opening kickoff and scores in like 6 plays. Richt decides to get Shockley some PT and all the breaks changed. Georgia missed 3 field goals, and Terrance Edwards drop forever wrote his legacy in Athens.

Level XII: The Over Time
Definition: You lose in OT and walk straight out of the game without saying a word, there is silence in the first 2 hours of the car ride home.
Personal Memory: 2000 Tennessee lost in OT @ LSU. The pain Alabama must have felt in 03' in losing to Tennessee in 5 OT's would have been crushing...in Tuscaloosa, that was beautiful. The Ole Miss/Arkansas (what year was that?) would have produced legendary stories. The 96' Auburn/Georgia game deserves a shout-out here for being the first SEC OT game. Maybe the most painful would have been for those Miami fans after the 03' Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State, b/c they had already won the stankin' game.

Level XI: Dead Man Walking
Definition: Applies to any season in which your team remains "alive," but they just suffered a loss so catastrophic and so harrowing that there's no possible way they can bounce back. ... Especially disheartening because you wave the white flag mentally, but there's a tiny part of you still holding out hope for a miraculous momentum change. So you've given up, but you're still getting hurt, if that makes sense.
Personal Memory: 2005 Tennessee/Alabama....Tennessee was struggling coming in, but a win over #5 Alabama would have turned things around. Corey "Freakin'" (edited) Anderson Fumbled on the goaline with 1:30 to play, ball goes through the endzone....Alabama gets their only big play of game on a miracle catch....kicks field goal on last play of game. Tennessee's season was over that day in Tuscaloosa.
Good Example: In 2004, Florida was still alive against LSU in early october, they blew a 10 point lead in the last 4 minutes of the game at home, that was the beginning of the end for Zook. The next week they lost to Mississippi State and Zook was fired.

Level X: The Monkey Wrench
Definition: Any situation in which either (A) the coach or player of your team made an idiotic game decision or (B) a referee/umpire robbed your team of impending victory.
Player Example: 2004 Kentucky has Florida beat, just need to run out the clock. Jared Lorenzon is being sacked, as he is twisted down he tries to "throw the ball away"...it hit Jarvis Herring right in the hands going the other way...Florida won. Ironically, one week earlier Florida suffered some nasty controversy in knoxville.
Coaching Example: 2001 Auburn/Georgia....What was Mark Richt thinking trying to run the ball with no timeouts and :12 left on the clock, i don't care if your on the 3 yard line. The only people "suprised" were the Georgia fans?
Personal Memory: 2000 Jabar Gaffney's TD "catch" with :04 against Tennessee. Verne Lunquist and Todd Blackledge still talk about how horrible of a call that was. Also, 94' cocktail party when Florida "Called time-out" in the rain....don't bring that game up in good company.
Best Example: 1990 Colorado's 5 downs...it was a Big 8 game and I was still mad. 2006 Oklahoma/Oregon....worst call i've ever seen.

Level IX: The Full-Fledged Butt-Kicking
Definition: Sometimes you can tell right away when it isn't your team's day. ... And that's the worst part, not just the epiphany but everything that follows -- every botched play; every turnover; every instance where someone on your team quits; every "deer in the headlights" look; every time an announcer says, "They can't get anything going"; every shot of the opponents celebrating; every time you look at the score and think to yourself, "Well, if we score here and force a turnover, maybe we'll get some momentum," but you know it's not going to happen, because you're already 30 points down. ... You just want it to end, and it won't end. ... But you can't look away. ... It's the sports fan's equivalent to a three-hour torture session.
Recent Example: 2007 Tennessee/Florida....it was over when Brandon James ran a punt back with 13:44 in the first quarter. 2004 LSU/Georgia, big hyped up game that was over in 5 minutes. Georgia embarrassed the defending national champs.
Best example: 2006 BCS championship game, how painful that must have been for Buckeye fans. To turn the tables....Florida vs. Nebraska 1995.....2004 BCS championship game, If I was an Oklahoma fan, I would have left at half time...and driven straight to Norman. Also in 2001 BCS championship game, it couldn't have felt good for Nebraska fans to see Andre Johnson running down the field with no around him...and then to be down 34-0 at half time in a national championship game. I'll never forget Zolich's pregame comments "we deserve to be here".....yeah, ha!!

Level VIII: The "This Can't Be Happening"
Definition: The sibling of the Full-Fledged Butt-Kicking. You're supposed to win, you expect to win, the game is a mere formality. ... Suddenly your team falls behind, your opponents are fired up, the clock is ticking and it dawns on you for the first time, "Oh, my God, this can't be happening."
Recent Example: 2007 Auburn/Miss. State. One of my Auburn buddies sent me a text after the game that read "did that just happen....fire Tuberville", i'm glad to report that he's repented of that after last weekend. 2006 Georgia/Vanderbilt....the faces in the stands after that field goal said it all..."This can't be happening". 2003 Florida/Ole Miss in the swamp, just beautiful....One of my Florida friends threw his shoe at me when i gave him the 'gator chomp' after that.
Personal Memory: 1996 Tennessee/Memphis....Memphis gets a late hail mary miracle with :28 left by a gimpy QB to a WR who i'm sure got cut from his highschool team. I'm pretty sure I threw up after that game.

Level VII: The Drive-By Shooting
Definition: When your ranked in the top 5 and lose to I-AA team
Only Example: Hail to the Victor's vailant!!!!

Level VI: The Broken Axle
Definition: When something causes the wheels to come flying off in a big game, leading to a complete collapse down the stretch. You know when it's happening because (A) the home crowd pushes their team to another level, and (B) the team that's collapsing becomes afflicted with Deer-In-The-Headlitis.
Personal Memory: 2003 Tennessee/Georgia...3pt. game just before half time, Tennessee opts to go for six from the one yard line instead of kicking field goal on last play of the half....Clausen fumbles, Sean "What's his name" picked it up and ran 99 yards....Tennessee should have just stayed in the locker room at half time. I had to watch that crap as the only vol fan around 90 Georgia students...worst experience of my RUF internship.

Level V: The Role Reversal
Definition: Any rivalry in which one team dominated another team for an extended period of time, then the perennial loser improbably turned the tables. For the fans of the vanquished team, the most crushing part of the "Role Reversal" isn't the actual defeat as much as the loss of an ongoing edge over the fans from the other team. You lose the jokes, the arrogance and the unwavering confidence that the other team can't beat you.
Personal Example: Easily one of most painful losses ever to me, Tennessee/Georgia 2001...."P-44 Hayes" with :06 left. My dad and I were on the phone yelling and celebrating when Travis Stephens scored with :40 left, after Georgia scored....we didn't call each other back and we didn't talk for at least a week. This game elevated Georgia into the top tier of the SEC and changed the momentum of a dominated series. Georgia has dominated series since.
Classic Example: Georgia finally beating Florida in 97'....Also in 03' when Ole Miss beat Auburn at Auburn, i know it gave Brian lots of air to walk on and proved that Ole Miss was for real that year.
Recent Example: Texas FINALLY having an edge on Oklahoma, though it was done somewhat anti-climactically b/c when they turned it, they were so much better. Before 05' you just knew Texas wasn't going to beat Oklahoma, now it's a toss-up.

Level IV: The Guillotine
Definition: This one combines the devastation of The Broken Axle Game with sweeping bitterness and hostility. ... Your team's hanging tough (hell, they might even be winning), but you can feel the inevitable breakdown coming, and you keep waiting for the guillotine to drop, and you just know it's coming -- you know it -- and when it finally comes, you're angry that it happened and you're angry at yourself for contributing to the debilitating karma. ... These are the games when people end up whipping their remote controls against a wall or breaking their hands while pounding a coffee table.
Best Example: 2004 Alabama/Auburn, Alabama couldn't hang on but you could see it coming a mile away....2006 Tennessee/Georgia, Georgia's breakdown started with the second play of the second half....2004 Texas/Oklahoma State....as much as I hate them, this was 2005 USC/Notre Dame - you just knew USC was going to drive down and win that game.
Personal Memory: Tennessee/Florida 2006, Vols were winning whole game until Tebow came in and converted 4th and 1...Florida scored on next play to win game....My friend Alex Graham said "we just lost a game we controlled for 55 min.....but i never thought we were going to win."

Level III: The Stomach Punch
Definition: Any roller-coaster game that ends with (A) an opponent making a pivotal (sometimes improbable) play or (B) one of your guys failing in the clutch. Usually ends with fans filing out after the game in stunned disbelief, if they can even move at all. Always haunting, sometimes scarring.
Good Example: 1997 Nebraska/Missouri, what do u make of the "kick-catch". 1994 Michigan/Colorado...Kordell Stewart threw that ball 75 yards!!! That was painful even for Keith Jackson.
Best Example: 2004 LSU/Kentucky...fans storming the field, actually taking down the goalposts...and Devery Henderson running into those students as he crossed the endzone....best ever.
Personal Memory: 2006 LSU/Tennessee.....Vols had that game...4th and 8.....who would have thought Jamarcus Russell wouldn't choke, but threw the go ahead TD with :06? That game hurt to the core of your soul.

Level II: The Goose/Maverick Tailspin
Definition: A good team seems to be cruising through a season and then one game or one play seems to send the team into a downward spiral that will never end. It's all downhill after this one.
Best Example: Everytime Ohio State lossed to Michigan in the 90's....they were so finished by the bowl game.
Personal Memory: 1992 Tennessee is ranked #3 hosting a bad Arkansas team...Arkansas kicked a field goal on last play of game to win....Tennessee then lost three in a row and eventually Johnny Majors was fired...sandwiched in those losses was ANOTHER frappin' loss to Alabama. It felt like you were drowning and forgot how to swim.

Level I: That Game
Definition: That one dadgum game that words cannot describe the misery, the loathing, the seemingly eternal agony that follows this game.
Personal Memory: 1990 Tennessee/Alabama....Tennessee is ranked #2 coming off a 45-3 win over Florida, Alabama is unranked and comes in having lossed to memphis...Alabama had won 6 in a row coming into the game....with :15 left Tennessee is lining up to kick winning field goal, Alabama blocks it and it rolls backwards 50 yards....Alabama kicks field goal on last play of game to win. My dad lost a loyal patient that day when he refused to go to his office afterwards. Our friend Bill walked out of our house w/o saying bye or thanking us for having him over. My dad proceeded to take the tape (we were taping the game anticpating a memorable win over Alabama) and stomped on it in the driveway to a million pieces. We still talk about this and immediately begin banging my head on the cabinet in disgust.

Best Example: You tell me..........Share your own.