My kindred spirit is having a baby. Congratulations Dana, I'm so happy for you. You're going to be an incredible mother.
Here's wishing Baby Jackson wonderful, lifelong friendships already--they're everything, aren't they? I love you!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
It took a very special reason to bring me back here...
My kindred spirit is having a baby. Congratulations Dana, I'm so happy for you. You're going to be an incredible mother.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Let me count the ways...
I love that you are honest, kind and helpful to me and my family. You are a good husband, son, and brother-in-law.
I love that you maintain friendships and relationships outside our own. It makes my heart happy.
I love that we appreciate many of the same things--creating a home together, spending time together after work, listening to good music, traveling, loving on our dogs and making special meals together.
I love that you know me so well. I can talk to you about anything ad complain about school and you're always sympathetic. It's amazing that you know when I'm tired, hungry or sickly before I ever say so. I don't know any other husband that can mind-read!
I love that you play Jeopardy every night after work (and keep score) and that the real reason you love playing trivia on Thursdays is for the actual trivia questions.
I love how passionate you are about Kentucky football--even during a less than stellar season.
Happy Birthday, to my love.
I love that you maintain friendships and relationships outside our own. It makes my heart happy.
I love that we appreciate many of the same things--creating a home together, spending time together after work, listening to good music, traveling, loving on our dogs and making special meals together.
I love that you know me so well. I can talk to you about anything ad complain about school and you're always sympathetic. It's amazing that you know when I'm tired, hungry or sickly before I ever say so. I don't know any other husband that can mind-read!I love that you play Jeopardy every night after work (and keep score) and that the real reason you love playing trivia on Thursdays is for the actual trivia questions.
I love how passionate you are about Kentucky football--even during a less than stellar season.
Happy Birthday, to my love.
Friday, July 23, 2010
7/22/81
Yesterday was Lynn's birthday. We went to a great dinner at a la lucie* and then to the Appalachian Voices tour, featuring Jim James, Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore. We had a great time.
Since I work downtown, I walked to the restaurant and had a drink while I waited for Lynn. During that time, I had occasion to think about what makes someone who they are. In High Fidelity, John Cusak's character says that we can be defined by what we like. While that may be part of it, I think that alone will give you an incomplete and shifting picture. For example, I used to listen to Phish constantly--had a bunch of bootlegs, went to several nights' worth of shows in a row, that kind of stuff. Now, I can't remember the last time I listened to them. Anyway, while thinking about this, I could only think of two things about me I hope remain constant til the day I'm on my deathbed. Those are (in no particular order):
1. A University of Kentucky football season ticket holder; and
2. Lynn's husband.
Happy birthday, Lynn! I think July 22 should be a national holiday.
*get the fried quail
Since I work downtown, I walked to the restaurant and had a drink while I waited for Lynn. During that time, I had occasion to think about what makes someone who they are. In High Fidelity, John Cusak's character says that we can be defined by what we like. While that may be part of it, I think that alone will give you an incomplete and shifting picture. For example, I used to listen to Phish constantly--had a bunch of bootlegs, went to several nights' worth of shows in a row, that kind of stuff. Now, I can't remember the last time I listened to them. Anyway, while thinking about this, I could only think of two things about me I hope remain constant til the day I'm on my deathbed. Those are (in no particular order):
1. A University of Kentucky football season ticket holder; and
2. Lynn's husband.
Happy birthday, Lynn! I think July 22 should be a national holiday.
*get the fried quail
Thursday, April 8, 2010
How Ben should've ended his last post:
Patterson, Wall, Cousins, and the rest of the team gave us a season to smile about--even if it did end a little too early. I agree with Ben that basketball is exciting to watch again. The only change I would make to Ben's previous post:
Go Cats!
Come on, babe. How can you end any sincere "go cats" with a period?
*You may see a post on Ben's foul language in the future. I'm pretty sure God has a hard time answering my prayers when He notices I'm sitting next to the Devil.
Go Cats!
Come on, babe. How can you end any sincere "go cats" with a period?
*You may see a post on Ben's foul language in the future. I'm pretty sure God has a hard time answering my prayers when He notices I'm sitting next to the Devil.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The End
Last night, the West Virginia Mountaineers beat the Kentucky Wildcats in the Elite Eight, ending our run and our dream season.1 I thought I would have been a lot more upset about it than I am.2 Lynn and I talked about it last night while slogging through another terrible episode of Saturday Night Live.3 This season has been so great and so much fun that it's really hard to get mad about losing this one game. I wanted to write something before I started to read all the breakdowns and commentary from around the internets so my opinion wouldn't be colored by anything anyone else had to say, so here goes.
As for the game itself, WVU is by far the best team we played this year.4 I had a bad feeling about the game for that reason, and Kentucky message boards and blogs weren't helping me out. Leading up to our other two losses, I had noticed an extremely high amount of fan hubris on those sites, and it was the same going into this game. Why our fan base would choose to get cocky going into a game with the best two-seed in the tournament when the same fan base had really sweated Cornell is beyond me. You can only read "ZOMG their point guard broke his foot GO CATS" and "Billy Gillispie beat this team last year, they must suck LOL" so many times before you start to worry that the universe is going to have its revenge.
Anyway, I think Bob Huggins knew there was only one way he was going to beat UK--hit threes early. They did. The announcers talked at length about WVU not being a three point shooting team, but they shot over 33% for the year--not great, but not too shabby either. UK simply could not hit threes--once we began hitting, we were too far in the hole to come back and because time was running low, we had to put them on the free throw line every time down the court for the last two point five minutes.
Their ability to hit big shots, and our inability to do same, is not the whole story. I think the two coaches' perimeter defensive plans were the same--let them shoot, and if they beat you from beyond the line, they beat you from beyond the line. Last night, that worked out for WVU and not for us. Beyond that, Huggins outcoached Calipari. Because we couldn't hit threes, used a 1-3-1 zone to pack players in the interior while still keeping them in position to challenge threes. And during the second half, Huggins took great advantage of our wariness of letting them have the outside shot to run a lot of great cuts and screens to get his guys to the basket for easy shots. Our inability to hit free throws didn't help either.
So, that's likely the last time Patrick Patterson, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins put on UK uniforms.5 And that sucks. Patterson has been the backbone of this team for three years. He's been here through thick and thin. And I will hate to see him go. I was wary we would get OJ Mayo, Jr., with Wall and/or Cousins--a foul-tempered ballhog on the take who, for all his individual greatness, cannot lead a team to an excellent season. To me, Wall and Cousins defied every stereotype of the "one and done" player--they were selfless on the court and very involved with the school off it. It's been particularly special to watch Cousins' evolution over the year. He's gone from potential team-wrecker--John Carlson told me before the season to watch out because Cousins had physically fought a high school coach--to a fan favorite. After reading about all the things Cousins had to go through in high school (admittedly some of which were self-created) to see him evolve into a great basketball player and a good kid off the court has been great. Maybe all these guys will pull a Florida 2005 and decide to return. I doubt it, but it will be nice to think about.
The four years preceeding this season were rough. I watched every game I could, but I was never excited about it. That all changed this year. Even though we lost this game, I am proud to be a fan of this team.
More to come at some point, but thinking about all this has kind of mentally worn me out. Go Cats.
1I freely use the pronouns "we" and "our" when referring to University of Kentucky sports. That bothers some people, but I find it convenient. For some reason, though, I hate it when people say "my" when referring to their preferred team, i.e., "my Wildcats."
2That doesn't mean my language during the game wasn't foul. It was. Lynn has said more than once that she thinks God is going to jinx UK because of my bad language during games, that it counteracts all the praying for our team that she does.
3If Don friggin Draper can't make your show worth a damn, it never will be.
4We tried to schedule good teams--UNC, UCONN, Louisville--but they all ended up having off seasons, so with the exception of UT and Vanderbilt, we didn't play any teams that ended up in the top 25 at the end of the regular season.
5Apparently some experts have Eric Bledsoe and, of all people, Daniel Orton going lottery to late first round in the NBA draft. I really think both of these guys, and especially Orton, could benefit from one more year.
As for the game itself, WVU is by far the best team we played this year.4 I had a bad feeling about the game for that reason, and Kentucky message boards and blogs weren't helping me out. Leading up to our other two losses, I had noticed an extremely high amount of fan hubris on those sites, and it was the same going into this game. Why our fan base would choose to get cocky going into a game with the best two-seed in the tournament when the same fan base had really sweated Cornell is beyond me. You can only read "ZOMG their point guard broke his foot GO CATS" and "Billy Gillispie beat this team last year, they must suck LOL" so many times before you start to worry that the universe is going to have its revenge.
Anyway, I think Bob Huggins knew there was only one way he was going to beat UK--hit threes early. They did. The announcers talked at length about WVU not being a three point shooting team, but they shot over 33% for the year--not great, but not too shabby either. UK simply could not hit threes--once we began hitting, we were too far in the hole to come back and because time was running low, we had to put them on the free throw line every time down the court for the last two point five minutes.
Their ability to hit big shots, and our inability to do same, is not the whole story. I think the two coaches' perimeter defensive plans were the same--let them shoot, and if they beat you from beyond the line, they beat you from beyond the line. Last night, that worked out for WVU and not for us. Beyond that, Huggins outcoached Calipari. Because we couldn't hit threes, used a 1-3-1 zone to pack players in the interior while still keeping them in position to challenge threes. And during the second half, Huggins took great advantage of our wariness of letting them have the outside shot to run a lot of great cuts and screens to get his guys to the basket for easy shots. Our inability to hit free throws didn't help either.
So, that's likely the last time Patrick Patterson, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins put on UK uniforms.5 And that sucks. Patterson has been the backbone of this team for three years. He's been here through thick and thin. And I will hate to see him go. I was wary we would get OJ Mayo, Jr., with Wall and/or Cousins--a foul-tempered ballhog on the take who, for all his individual greatness, cannot lead a team to an excellent season. To me, Wall and Cousins defied every stereotype of the "one and done" player--they were selfless on the court and very involved with the school off it. It's been particularly special to watch Cousins' evolution over the year. He's gone from potential team-wrecker--John Carlson told me before the season to watch out because Cousins had physically fought a high school coach--to a fan favorite. After reading about all the things Cousins had to go through in high school (admittedly some of which were self-created) to see him evolve into a great basketball player and a good kid off the court has been great. Maybe all these guys will pull a Florida 2005 and decide to return. I doubt it, but it will be nice to think about.
The four years preceeding this season were rough. I watched every game I could, but I was never excited about it. That all changed this year. Even though we lost this game, I am proud to be a fan of this team.
More to come at some point, but thinking about all this has kind of mentally worn me out. Go Cats.
1I freely use the pronouns "we" and "our" when referring to University of Kentucky sports. That bothers some people, but I find it convenient. For some reason, though, I hate it when people say "my" when referring to their preferred team, i.e., "my Wildcats."
2That doesn't mean my language during the game wasn't foul. It was. Lynn has said more than once that she thinks God is going to jinx UK because of my bad language during games, that it counteracts all the praying for our team that she does.
3If Don friggin Draper can't make your show worth a damn, it never will be.
4We tried to schedule good teams--UNC, UCONN, Louisville--but they all ended up having off seasons, so with the exception of UT and Vanderbilt, we didn't play any teams that ended up in the top 25 at the end of the regular season.
5Apparently some experts have Eric Bledsoe and, of all people, Daniel Orton going lottery to late first round in the NBA draft. I really think both of these guys, and especially Orton, could benefit from one more year.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Post-Super Bowl Thoughts
1. Did our vast readership see the Tim and Pam Tebow commercial for Focus on the Family during the Super Bowl last night? I thought the media hype surrounding it was probably going to be much ado about nothing, and that seems to be the case--at least with the ad's pro-life leanings. I at first thought, "Wow. Focus on the Family is so media-savvy that they proposed to CBS an innocuous commercial urging viewers to visit their website, with not so much as a whiff of pro-lifery, knowing that the media would run with it and tear it apart, then they could step back and criticize the 'liberal out-of-touch elite media'," but then I realized I just saw Tim Tebow form-tackling his mother like he was Bill Goldberg. That was a blind side Sandra Bullock would've been proud of (ZING get it topical Oscar humor). I still can't imagine Focus on the Family, of all groups, would cave to pressure not to air an explicitly pro-life commercial, but that smacked of something hastily added for extra padding because something had been lopped off at the end. Given that no news reports about the commercial mentioned this in the run-up to the game, this seems more likely. Maybe CBS demanded they change it up. Anyway, long story short--abortion is bad, matricide is good. Or something. We still had one supremely in-bad-taste Tebow abortion joke at our gathering last night, though. So, in a weird way, they got their message across without out even saying the word.
2. Why is everyone so shocked this morning that the Saints won? They were one of the two best teams in the NFL this year. Their defense was dominant early in the season. Drew Brees has been the statistically greatest quarterback of the last three years. Even so, people are still saying the Colts--a team that almost got beat by the friggin Jets--choked the game away. The Colts come back from a substantial deficit to win, they're the greatest team in NFL history; the Saints do the same thing, they got lucky. I think this just proves that most sportswriters are fools and/or that I put too much time and energy into thinking about what sportswriters think.
3. Roger Daltrey looked like an old lesbian.
2. Why is everyone so shocked this morning that the Saints won? They were one of the two best teams in the NFL this year. Their defense was dominant early in the season. Drew Brees has been the statistically greatest quarterback of the last three years. Even so, people are still saying the Colts--a team that almost got beat by the friggin Jets--choked the game away. The Colts come back from a substantial deficit to win, they're the greatest team in NFL history; the Saints do the same thing, they got lucky. I think this just proves that most sportswriters are fools and/or that I put too much time and energy into thinking about what sportswriters think.
3. Roger Daltrey looked like an old lesbian.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Top Five: Closing the Book on the Rich Brooks Era
Today, Rich Brooks officially stepped down as the head football coach of the University of Kentucky Wildcats and Joker Phillips, the "head coach of the offense," was named head coach pursuant to the coach-in-waiting arrangement announced a couple of years ago. I could write at length regarding my ambivalence toward Joker Phillips as our head coach, but that is another post for another time (probably following his first loss). It's hard to believe that I'm writing a tribute to Coach Brooks when, as recently as the beginning of the 2006 season, people were passing out bumper stickers reading "Ditch Mitch [Barnhart, Athletic Director] and Rich" during home games at Commonwealth. Although Coach Brooks' record at UK was sub-.500, the last four years are a high water mark not before seen in Lexington (a 30-22 record, four straight bowl appearances with three straight bowl wins) and the period stands as the reward for long-suffering Kentucky football fans everywhere. He took a football team saddled with probation to four straight bowl games, a Kentucky football record. Therefore, I present you with the top five games, win or loss, from the Rich Brooks Era:
5. 2006--at LSU (Loss, 49-0). While it seems almost inconceivable that a brutal loss could be included in the top five of anything, a) this is Kentucky football we're talking about, after all, and b) this game marked the turning point of the Rich Brooks Era. Kentucky went into the game with a record of 4-2, with losses to a Louisville team that would go on to the Orange Bowl and Florida, the eventual national champion. Whatever Rich said after that game (I'm assuming it involved a lot of swearing) gave the team a much-needed boost in the back half of the season. Somehow, after suffering a drubbing at the hands of a vastly superior team, Kentucky told itself that it could compete in the SEC. Kentucky went on to beat Georgia for the first time in ages, post a 4-4 record in the SEC and go on to win Game No. 4...
4. 2006--Music City Bowl versus Clemson (Win, 28-20). Clemson came into this game having lost three of its last four, but at one point in the season was ranked #11. The experts gave the 'Cats no chance, but Kentucky pulled out a gritty win in its first bowl since 1999. Rich took a page out of Les Miles' Iron Cojones: Using Them on the Football Field and called a fake punt deep in UK territory, which converted. The team didn't look back en route to its first bowl win since 1984.
3. 2009--Auburn (Win, 21-14). Prior to the 2009 season, most experts believed that it would be a rebuilding year for the Auburn Tigers. In the end, they were right, but Auburn entered this game with a 5-1 record which included a win over West Virginia. Kentucky's ability to play on the road in the SEC (5-20 on the road in the SEC at this point in Rich Brooks' tenure) was--to put it mildly--in question. Plus, Mike Hartline, the starting quarterback, had gone down with a knee injury in a close loss to South Carolina the week before. However, with three players taking snaps at quarterback--including one true freshman whose redshirt was removed for the occasion--Kentucky pulled out a hard-fought road win over a team not named Vanderbilt or Mississippi State.
2. 2007--Louisville (Win, 34-40). As mentioned in Game No. 5, Louisville played in the Orange Bowl following the 2006 season. If you believed fans of "The 'Ville," that bowl win (over Wake Forest, universally acknowledged as the best football program of all time) was going to catapult Louisville to heights never before seen in college football. Steve Kragthorpe, who replaced the departing Bobby Petrino and was virtually unknown outside of Tulsa and Tom Jurich's office, was to be Bear Bryant, George Patton and Jesus Christ all rolled into one. However, Kentucky had other plans, which involved beating the Cardinals on a deep strike from Andre' Woodson to Stevie Johnson in the final minute. There's nothing like completely crushing the hopes of a rival, (Louisville went on to lose to Syracuse, one of the worst teams in college football, AT HOME). Especially one whose fans use the phrase "L Yes" without any sense of embarrassment. I guess irrational hopes never die, though--one law school classmate and Louisville fan told me that Louisville would go on to a BCS bowl after the Syracuse loss. I laughed in his face. It felt good.
1. 2007--LSU (Win, 37-43 3OT). LSU was undefeated and the consensus number 1 in the nation heading into this game. Kentucky improbably beat them by stopping Jacob Hester cold on 4th and 2 in the third overtime. This is unquestionably the highest point of the Rich Brooks Era, as Kentucky was ranked #9 following the win. I haven't looked it up, but I feel comfortable in stating that this was Kentucky's first time being ranked in the top 10 in my lifetime. This was unquestionably the most tense and exciting game I've ever attended in person (but, as we were there with die-hard LSU fans who made the trip from Baton Rouge for the game, I felt bad in celebrating too much). LSU went on to win the national championship that year (despite having two losses), so the victory is that much sweeter.
Honorable Mentions--Georgia 2009 (even though Georgia was rebuilding this year, this was a huge come-from-behind SEC road win); 2008 Liberty Bowl over East Carolina (third straight bowl win, an unprecedented feat in UK history); 2007 Music City Bowl over Florida State (I attended this one)
Toughest Losses--Tennessee every by God year (this year especially--a late fumble gift-wrapped the win for us and terrible playcalling by our new head coach cost us the win in regulation)
I had an idea that I would return to any time that law school or my subsequent professional life had me down. It was to get full access to Rich Brooks and the UK football team and write a book chronicling an entire season. In my head, it would transcend the "follow a team around for a year" genre typified by Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer* and Dixieland Delight and be about whether a perennial doormat could ever hope to compete in the best football conference in the nation, and what it would take to do so (quite a goal for someone whose blog has approximately two readers). So, was Rich Brooks able to bring Kentucky out of the SEC basement? Yes and no. Admittedly, Kentucky's season was annually made in its out-of-conference schedule, and Coach Brooks' general record against the SEC (16-39) left a lot to be desired. On the other hand, Kentucky ceased to be a team that opposing teams would automatically chalk up as a win when going over the schedule at year's beginning. This year, Kentucky was one win away from second place in the (admittedly down) SEC East. Recruiting has steadily improved and is one area in which Joker Phillips' prowess cannot be doubted. In the end, I think Rich Brooks got Kentucky banging against the basement door with both fists and it shouldn't be too much longer before South Carolina, Tennessee and the other middle-to-upper-middle teams in the SEC won't be able to keep us down there.
Which brings us to the end of the Rich Brooks Era. I've enjoyed it and I know he has left this program in much better shape than he found it. I'll miss having that crusty old bastard prowling the sidelines.
Goodnight, sweet prince.
--Walter Sobchak or Horatio, depending on your tastes
*which is actually a great book and a lot of fun to read--I don't want to sound like I'm putting it down
5. 2006--at LSU (Loss, 49-0). While it seems almost inconceivable that a brutal loss could be included in the top five of anything, a) this is Kentucky football we're talking about, after all, and b) this game marked the turning point of the Rich Brooks Era. Kentucky went into the game with a record of 4-2, with losses to a Louisville team that would go on to the Orange Bowl and Florida, the eventual national champion. Whatever Rich said after that game (I'm assuming it involved a lot of swearing) gave the team a much-needed boost in the back half of the season. Somehow, after suffering a drubbing at the hands of a vastly superior team, Kentucky told itself that it could compete in the SEC. Kentucky went on to beat Georgia for the first time in ages, post a 4-4 record in the SEC and go on to win Game No. 4...
4. 2006--Music City Bowl versus Clemson (Win, 28-20). Clemson came into this game having lost three of its last four, but at one point in the season was ranked #11. The experts gave the 'Cats no chance, but Kentucky pulled out a gritty win in its first bowl since 1999. Rich took a page out of Les Miles' Iron Cojones: Using Them on the Football Field and called a fake punt deep in UK territory, which converted. The team didn't look back en route to its first bowl win since 1984.
3. 2009--Auburn (Win, 21-14). Prior to the 2009 season, most experts believed that it would be a rebuilding year for the Auburn Tigers. In the end, they were right, but Auburn entered this game with a 5-1 record which included a win over West Virginia. Kentucky's ability to play on the road in the SEC (5-20 on the road in the SEC at this point in Rich Brooks' tenure) was--to put it mildly--in question. Plus, Mike Hartline, the starting quarterback, had gone down with a knee injury in a close loss to South Carolina the week before. However, with three players taking snaps at quarterback--including one true freshman whose redshirt was removed for the occasion--Kentucky pulled out a hard-fought road win over a team not named Vanderbilt or Mississippi State.
2. 2007--Louisville (Win, 34-40). As mentioned in Game No. 5, Louisville played in the Orange Bowl following the 2006 season. If you believed fans of "The 'Ville," that bowl win (over Wake Forest, universally acknowledged as the best football program of all time) was going to catapult Louisville to heights never before seen in college football. Steve Kragthorpe, who replaced the departing Bobby Petrino and was virtually unknown outside of Tulsa and Tom Jurich's office, was to be Bear Bryant, George Patton and Jesus Christ all rolled into one. However, Kentucky had other plans, which involved beating the Cardinals on a deep strike from Andre' Woodson to Stevie Johnson in the final minute. There's nothing like completely crushing the hopes of a rival, (Louisville went on to lose to Syracuse, one of the worst teams in college football, AT HOME). Especially one whose fans use the phrase "L Yes" without any sense of embarrassment. I guess irrational hopes never die, though--one law school classmate and Louisville fan told me that Louisville would go on to a BCS bowl after the Syracuse loss. I laughed in his face. It felt good.
1. 2007--LSU (Win, 37-43 3OT). LSU was undefeated and the consensus number 1 in the nation heading into this game. Kentucky improbably beat them by stopping Jacob Hester cold on 4th and 2 in the third overtime. This is unquestionably the highest point of the Rich Brooks Era, as Kentucky was ranked #9 following the win. I haven't looked it up, but I feel comfortable in stating that this was Kentucky's first time being ranked in the top 10 in my lifetime. This was unquestionably the most tense and exciting game I've ever attended in person (but, as we were there with die-hard LSU fans who made the trip from Baton Rouge for the game, I felt bad in celebrating too much). LSU went on to win the national championship that year (despite having two losses), so the victory is that much sweeter.
Honorable Mentions--Georgia 2009 (even though Georgia was rebuilding this year, this was a huge come-from-behind SEC road win); 2008 Liberty Bowl over East Carolina (third straight bowl win, an unprecedented feat in UK history); 2007 Music City Bowl over Florida State (I attended this one)
Toughest Losses--Tennessee every by God year (this year especially--a late fumble gift-wrapped the win for us and terrible playcalling by our new head coach cost us the win in regulation)
I had an idea that I would return to any time that law school or my subsequent professional life had me down. It was to get full access to Rich Brooks and the UK football team and write a book chronicling an entire season. In my head, it would transcend the "follow a team around for a year" genre typified by Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer* and Dixieland Delight and be about whether a perennial doormat could ever hope to compete in the best football conference in the nation, and what it would take to do so (quite a goal for someone whose blog has approximately two readers). So, was Rich Brooks able to bring Kentucky out of the SEC basement? Yes and no. Admittedly, Kentucky's season was annually made in its out-of-conference schedule, and Coach Brooks' general record against the SEC (16-39) left a lot to be desired. On the other hand, Kentucky ceased to be a team that opposing teams would automatically chalk up as a win when going over the schedule at year's beginning. This year, Kentucky was one win away from second place in the (admittedly down) SEC East. Recruiting has steadily improved and is one area in which Joker Phillips' prowess cannot be doubted. In the end, I think Rich Brooks got Kentucky banging against the basement door with both fists and it shouldn't be too much longer before South Carolina, Tennessee and the other middle-to-upper-middle teams in the SEC won't be able to keep us down there.
Which brings us to the end of the Rich Brooks Era. I've enjoyed it and I know he has left this program in much better shape than he found it. I'll miss having that crusty old bastard prowling the sidelines.
Goodnight, sweet prince.
--Walter Sobchak or Horatio, depending on your tastes
*which is actually a great book and a lot of fun to read--I don't want to sound like I'm putting it down
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
I have so much for which to be thankful:
~My husband~
I am so thankful for Ben. He is so helpful and kind when I have a hard day at work, he has worked diligently during our move, he is such an encouragement to me and always lifts my spirits. I am so grateful for this man!
~My wonderful family~
My parents and Ben's parents have been so generous while we were moving. We are thankful for their help and support. I love my sisters-in-law and I'm so glad they're close to Lexington. I love our dinner dates and TV nights! I am so thankful for my little sister. I am so happy she's now happily married. I know she is doing important work as a night-shift nurse, but I sure do miss seeing her!
~A rewarding career~
I have to admit, I am pretty exhausted coming into this break. I've been sick, I've had a little disagreement with my principal, the ungraded papers have piled up again, and I am annoyed with my 4th, 5th, and 6th hour classes. In one of my favorite poems, Elizabeth Bishop has to literally tell herself to finish a poem and encourage herself with words she doesn't necessarily believe. I'm like that, too. Sometimes I have to tell myself I'm doing important work in the lives of 180 kids.
~Our home~
Ben and I just bought our first house. It's wonderful and I'm so grateful that we are fortunate to live in a good neighborhood! But more than that, I'm thankful for this new phase in our life. We are in a house where we can make lasting many memories with friends and family--that's how you make a home.
~Friends near and far~
Recently, I was telling some of my seniors to go on to a college that is a good distance from home. I told them about the wonderful friends that I made and I told them that those friends became my family for the six years I was away from Kentucky. Oh, I wish that for so many of my students. I am so thankful for my best friends. Lindsey, DeLaune', Dana and Maile, I love y'all so much and I miss your faces! But, I love every email and text and Facebook message. I cherish every word we share. I am also thankful for friends I've made while at UK and in the last few years at work--they've made Lexington feel a little more at home.
Alright, few and dear friends that read this blog...what are you thankful for this year?
~My husband~
I am so thankful for Ben. He is so helpful and kind when I have a hard day at work, he has worked diligently during our move, he is such an encouragement to me and always lifts my spirits. I am so grateful for this man!
~My wonderful family~
My parents and Ben's parents have been so generous while we were moving. We are thankful for their help and support. I love my sisters-in-law and I'm so glad they're close to Lexington. I love our dinner dates and TV nights! I am so thankful for my little sister. I am so happy she's now happily married. I know she is doing important work as a night-shift nurse, but I sure do miss seeing her!
~A rewarding career~
I have to admit, I am pretty exhausted coming into this break. I've been sick, I've had a little disagreement with my principal, the ungraded papers have piled up again, and I am annoyed with my 4th, 5th, and 6th hour classes. In one of my favorite poems, Elizabeth Bishop has to literally tell herself to finish a poem and encourage herself with words she doesn't necessarily believe. I'm like that, too. Sometimes I have to tell myself I'm doing important work in the lives of 180 kids.
~Our home~
Ben and I just bought our first house. It's wonderful and I'm so grateful that we are fortunate to live in a good neighborhood! But more than that, I'm thankful for this new phase in our life. We are in a house where we can make lasting many memories with friends and family--that's how you make a home.
~Friends near and far~
Recently, I was telling some of my seniors to go on to a college that is a good distance from home. I told them about the wonderful friends that I made and I told them that those friends became my family for the six years I was away from Kentucky. Oh, I wish that for so many of my students. I am so thankful for my best friends. Lindsey, DeLaune', Dana and Maile, I love y'all so much and I miss your faces! But, I love every email and text and Facebook message. I cherish every word we share. I am also thankful for friends I've made while at UK and in the last few years at work--they've made Lexington feel a little more at home.
Alright, few and dear friends that read this blog...what are you thankful for this year?
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Actually...
The very best thing about married life is knowing I am loved~even when I am completely, totally, absolutely unlovable.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
The Perfect Saturday Football Post
I've been tagged by Dana! Ladies, enjoy reading about Our Romance while your husband watches football for the next 12 hours.
♥ What are your middle names?
Michael and Ormsby--I kept my maiden name as my middle name.
♥How long have you been together?
Ben and I went on our first date to a fraternity party on December 5, 2003. After I saw his lions and lambs, puff-paint, x-small Christmas sweatshirt it was over. Does anyone else remember this?
♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?
This is the best part of our story. Ben and I have known each other since elementary school. We attended the same church, same middle school (Ben was actually my sister's first middle school boyfriend!), same high school, and same college. But, we didn't go on our first date until my senior year of college.
♥ Who asked who out?
Ben asked me to the Sigma Chi Christmas Party. He was fresh off the plane from England!
♥ Who made the first move?
Ben looked into my eyes and I looked into his...the move was mutual.
♥ How old are each of you?
Ben just turned 27 and I'm 28. The worst months in the year are the months when I appear to be two whole years older than Ben. We are actually 15 months apart--the same distance in age as me and my sister.
♥ Did you go to the same school?
Yes: middle school, high school, college, and graduate school!
♥ Are you from the same home town?
Yes.
♥ Who is the smartest?
I would like to think there is some area in life where I know more than Ben. This is just not true. I like to read, I like to write, I have a Master's degree. Ben missed 9 questions on the LSAT.
♥ Who majored in what?
Lynn--English and Journalism
Ben--History and Political Science
♥ Who is the most sensitive?
Ben is increasingly sensitive, but I once cried during a TV movie that I turned on 5 minutes prior. I will never live that one down. So, I win.
♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Ben has a theory that the crappier the Mexican restaurant, the better the food. We frequent Cielito Lindo, a Mexican restaurant housed in an old McDonald's. Proof the theory is true--The food is amazing!
♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
From Lexington to Tuscaloosa, from Tuscaloosa to Asheville, from Asheville to Lexington...in four days!
♥ Who has the worst temper?
Tilly (our dog) won't stay in the same room when Ben is watching a game (any game) on television. Ben wins!
♥ How many children do you want?
Ben wants [zero to] two; I want three. We'll just have to see who wins:)
♥ Who does the cooking?
I'm sure that Ben would tell you that one of the best things about being married is that he hasn't been in charge of an entire meal (yes, he grills) for two years. I would tell you that one of the best things about being married is that I haven't washed a dish for two years.
♥ Who is more social?
We can both be loners. When we are with a law school crowd, Ben is pretty talkative. I am a completely new person when I get to spend time with Samford friends!
♥ Who is the neat-freak?
I am. I am especially OCD about making the bed. I often clean to relieve anxiety. I know, too much information...
♥ Who is the most stubborn?
I don't think I'm that stubborn. I also don't think Ben is that stubborn. I have a feeling that he would have answered that question differently.
♥ Who wakes up earlier?
Me! Me! I have to be in my car before 7:00 am, ready for my 30-minute commute and my 7:45 am journalism class. Ben gets up at 8:00 and is at work 20 minutes later.
♥ Where was your first date?
Sigma Chi house--Tacky Office Christmas Party
♥ Who has the bigger family?
Ben!
♥ Do you get flowers often?
In almost 6 years, Ben gave me flowers once. Instead, he buys me good CDs:)
♥ How do you spend the holidays?
We spend all holidays in London (KY). We somehow find a way to see both sets of parents, all our siblings and the grandparents in one weekend.
♥ Who is more jealous?
Me:(
♥ How long did it take to get serious?
Dana, I bet you're dying to read my answer...Ben told me he loved me after 3 years together. That's when we became serious, but we did have a good relationship before that. I don't recommend this to every girl, but for me Ben was DEFINITELY worth the wait!
♥ Who eats more?
Ben, no contest.
♥ What do you do for a living?
I'm a high school English teacher; Ben is an attorney.
♥ Who does the laundry?
Me...Ben shrunk one of my favorite shirts the first week we were married and hasn't done laundry since.
♥ Who’s better with the computer?
♥ What is "your" song?
We danced to the Van Morrison/Bob Dylan version of "Crazy Love" at our wedding, but I'm not sure if that is "our song." Many songs and many artists remind me of Ben and different times in our relationship. I love that.
♥ What are your middle names?
Michael and Ormsby--I kept my maiden name as my middle name.
♥How long have you been together?
Ben and I went on our first date to a fraternity party on December 5, 2003. After I saw his lions and lambs, puff-paint, x-small Christmas sweatshirt it was over. Does anyone else remember this?
♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?
This is the best part of our story. Ben and I have known each other since elementary school. We attended the same church, same middle school (Ben was actually my sister's first middle school boyfriend!), same high school, and same college. But, we didn't go on our first date until my senior year of college.
♥ Who asked who out?
Ben asked me to the Sigma Chi Christmas Party. He was fresh off the plane from England!
♥ Who made the first move?
Ben looked into my eyes and I looked into his...the move was mutual.
♥ How old are each of you?
Ben just turned 27 and I'm 28. The worst months in the year are the months when I appear to be two whole years older than Ben. We are actually 15 months apart--the same distance in age as me and my sister.
♥ Did you go to the same school?
Yes: middle school, high school, college, and graduate school!
♥ Are you from the same home town?
Yes.
♥ Who is the smartest?
I would like to think there is some area in life where I know more than Ben. This is just not true. I like to read, I like to write, I have a Master's degree. Ben missed 9 questions on the LSAT.
♥ Who majored in what?
Lynn--English and Journalism
Ben--History and Political Science
♥ Who is the most sensitive?
Ben is increasingly sensitive, but I once cried during a TV movie that I turned on 5 minutes prior. I will never live that one down. So, I win.
♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Ben has a theory that the crappier the Mexican restaurant, the better the food. We frequent Cielito Lindo, a Mexican restaurant housed in an old McDonald's. Proof the theory is true--The food is amazing!
♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
From Lexington to Tuscaloosa, from Tuscaloosa to Asheville, from Asheville to Lexington...in four days!
♥ Who has the worst temper?
Tilly (our dog) won't stay in the same room when Ben is watching a game (any game) on television. Ben wins!
♥ How many children do you want?
Ben wants [zero to] two; I want three. We'll just have to see who wins:)
♥ Who does the cooking?
I'm sure that Ben would tell you that one of the best things about being married is that he hasn't been in charge of an entire meal (yes, he grills) for two years. I would tell you that one of the best things about being married is that I haven't washed a dish for two years.
♥ Who is more social?
We can both be loners. When we are with a law school crowd, Ben is pretty talkative. I am a completely new person when I get to spend time with Samford friends!
♥ Who is the neat-freak?
I am. I am especially OCD about making the bed. I often clean to relieve anxiety. I know, too much information...
♥ Who is the most stubborn?
I don't think I'm that stubborn. I also don't think Ben is that stubborn. I have a feeling that he would have answered that question differently.
♥ Who wakes up earlier?
Me! Me! I have to be in my car before 7:00 am, ready for my 30-minute commute and my 7:45 am journalism class. Ben gets up at 8:00 and is at work 20 minutes later.
♥ Where was your first date?
Sigma Chi house--Tacky Office Christmas Party
♥ Who has the bigger family?
Ben!
♥ Do you get flowers often?
In almost 6 years, Ben gave me flowers once. Instead, he buys me good CDs:)
♥ How do you spend the holidays?
We spend all holidays in London (KY). We somehow find a way to see both sets of parents, all our siblings and the grandparents in one weekend.
♥ Who is more jealous?
Me:(
♥ How long did it take to get serious?
Dana, I bet you're dying to read my answer...Ben told me he loved me after 3 years together. That's when we became serious, but we did have a good relationship before that. I don't recommend this to every girl, but for me Ben was DEFINITELY worth the wait!
♥ Who eats more?
Ben, no contest.
♥ What do you do for a living?
I'm a high school English teacher; Ben is an attorney.
♥ Who does the laundry?
Me...Ben shrunk one of my favorite shirts the first week we were married and hasn't done laundry since.
♥ Who’s better with the computer?
Ben--he actually has to edit all my writing, download all my pictures to the computer, and upload images to my blog or facebook. DeLaune' used to do all this for me, too.
♥ Who drives when you are together?
Last year I went to a wedding in Northern Kentucky and Ben stayed in Lexington for another wedding. You would have thought I was driving across America. Ben had to print off directions for the rehearsal dinner, back to the hotel, to the wedding, to the reception, and back to Lexington. I know that's lame so I'm trying to be more adventurous now.
♥ Who drives when you are together?
Last year I went to a wedding in Northern Kentucky and Ben stayed in Lexington for another wedding. You would have thought I was driving across America. Ben had to print off directions for the rehearsal dinner, back to the hotel, to the wedding, to the reception, and back to Lexington. I know that's lame so I'm trying to be more adventurous now.
♥ What is "your" song?
We danced to the Van Morrison/Bob Dylan version of "Crazy Love" at our wedding, but I'm not sure if that is "our song." Many songs and many artists remind me of Ben and different times in our relationship. I love that.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
2 Books to Change your Life
Now it's time to step it up. I reviewed a few short stories at the beginning of the week, but today I would like to suggest a few novels to our (very few) readers.
As an English major at Samford, I read ALL THE TIME. Reading was my job, but I didn't always enjoy what I read. Since graduation, I have had some time to read the books that I wanted to read. Which, if you ask any English major, is a luxury. Sadly, it's a luxury I don't always give my own students--that's a post for a later date.
My biggest fear in writing this post is that I've been moved by a book that is uninteresting to others. But, to be honest, I wouldn't bother you with books that aren't the most interesting I've opened in years.
On Chesil Beach, by Ian McEwan
This author, Ian McEwan, was introduced to me by a professor at Samford. We spent most of our time in the English department reading classics, so Atonement, the first of McEwan's novels that I read, was change of scenery. I distinctly remember Dr. Johnson telling my class that McEwan was an author to watch. Since then I've bought everything I could find by this interesting author. Just like Atonement, On Chesil Beach was unlike any book I've read before. I hinted that I wanted to read this book for weeks and Ben listened. On our way to our honeymoon house in Seaside, Florida, my husband presented me with this book. Just let me say that, while I highly recommend this book, I do not highly recommend that you read it on your honeymoon or if you wouldn't be comfortable with a 200 page book devoted to the sexuality of one couple.
As I settled into my lounge chair for an afternoon in the sun, I read the first chapter to myself. Somewhere in that first chapter, I read an interesting sentence about the newlywed characters, Edward and Florence: "And they had so many plans, giddy plans, heaped up before them in the misty future, as richly tangled as the summer flora of the Dorset coast, and as beautiful." I read that sentence out loud to Ben because I was on my honeymoon, it reminded me of our own future, and it was beautifully written. Ben took the book out of my hands and read until he caught up with me.
Just like our own unknown future, Ben and I did not know what ending awaited Edward and Florence. With one copy between the two of us, we spent the week passing the book back and forth on the beach and reading to each other in bed. Even Harry Potter had to wait. This book will incite such provocative discussions, especially if you are married or in a serious relationship.
Although I hate to pull from the book cover, I must: "Ian McEwan has caught with understanding and compassion the innocence of Edward and Florence at a time when marriage was presumed to be the outward sign of maturity and independence. On Chesil Beach is another masterwork from McEwan--a story of lives transformed by a gesture not made or a word not spoken."
In what ways are we more mature and independent than couples from the 60s? In what ways have we grown--independently or sexually--in the last 50 years? If we communicate--and keep all parts of our relationship open to discussion--does that make us more mature than previous generations? Does our generation's liberation and consequent loss of innocence make all of this maturity and independence possible?
I guarantee you will ask, and try to answer, these questions (and more) as you read about Edward and Florence, the 1960s, and how family, friends, and culture influence relationships.
A Parchment of Leaves, by Silas House
Although Silas and I grew up in London, Kentucky, 5 years apart in school, we didn't meet until last year. Okay, okay, last year we didn't technically meet, but Silas came to our school and spoke to our seniors about writing, character development, and story telling. He didn't just speak to an auditorium of 18 year olds; I was also a changed woman.
The first Silas House novel I read was Clay's Quilt. Our seniors must read a novel by a Kentucky author (Barbara Kingsolver is another option), and I knew my students would love Clay's Quilt. The story didn't disappoint. Clay is a teenager growing up in Kentucky, listening to Bob Dylan, experimenting with drugs, alcohol, and sex. By the end of the book, he has found so much more than Dylan and teenage experimentation.
But the book that follows, A Parchment of Leaves, offers even more. Silas House knows Kentucky and character development and those two elements make a beautiful picture in the reader's mind. This is the story of Saul Sullivan and his new bride Vine. Let me just be honest--this book is all about Vine (which is why I still can't force Parchment on Ben). Vine is a young Native American who leaves her family's home for true love and the book follows her through the first 5 years or so of her marriage.
Vine has the most amazing ability to learn life lessons from every experience. She recognizes her family's influence over her early in life, she learns how to be a good wife and daughter-in-law (even though she is taken away from her childhood home), she learns what it means to be a true friend, a strong woman, and a gentle mother to their young daughter Birdie. She never gives up or walks away from those responsibilities.
I do not want to reveal too much of the plot because I don't want to ruin the twists and turns that House created for the Sullivans. Please read this book and then we can talk details, life-changing characters, and your new favorite author.
Vine is, without exaggeration, the most amazing female character I have ever read. This is the most beautiful story I have read in my entire life. I will shamelessly promote this book for the rest of my life. You must read every word.
As an English major at Samford, I read ALL THE TIME. Reading was my job, but I didn't always enjoy what I read. Since graduation, I have had some time to read the books that I wanted to read. Which, if you ask any English major, is a luxury. Sadly, it's a luxury I don't always give my own students--that's a post for a later date.
My biggest fear in writing this post is that I've been moved by a book that is uninteresting to others. But, to be honest, I wouldn't bother you with books that aren't the most interesting I've opened in years.
On Chesil Beach, by Ian McEwan
This author, Ian McEwan, was introduced to me by a professor at Samford. We spent most of our time in the English department reading classics, so Atonement, the first of McEwan's novels that I read, was change of scenery. I distinctly remember Dr. Johnson telling my class that McEwan was an author to watch. Since then I've bought everything I could find by this interesting author. Just like Atonement, On Chesil Beach was unlike any book I've read before. I hinted that I wanted to read this book for weeks and Ben listened. On our way to our honeymoon house in Seaside, Florida, my husband presented me with this book. Just let me say that, while I highly recommend this book, I do not highly recommend that you read it on your honeymoon or if you wouldn't be comfortable with a 200 page book devoted to the sexuality of one couple.
As I settled into my lounge chair for an afternoon in the sun, I read the first chapter to myself. Somewhere in that first chapter, I read an interesting sentence about the newlywed characters, Edward and Florence: "And they had so many plans, giddy plans, heaped up before them in the misty future, as richly tangled as the summer flora of the Dorset coast, and as beautiful." I read that sentence out loud to Ben because I was on my honeymoon, it reminded me of our own future, and it was beautifully written. Ben took the book out of my hands and read until he caught up with me.
Just like our own unknown future, Ben and I did not know what ending awaited Edward and Florence. With one copy between the two of us, we spent the week passing the book back and forth on the beach and reading to each other in bed. Even Harry Potter had to wait. This book will incite such provocative discussions, especially if you are married or in a serious relationship.
Although I hate to pull from the book cover, I must: "Ian McEwan has caught with understanding and compassion the innocence of Edward and Florence at a time when marriage was presumed to be the outward sign of maturity and independence. On Chesil Beach is another masterwork from McEwan--a story of lives transformed by a gesture not made or a word not spoken."
In what ways are we more mature and independent than couples from the 60s? In what ways have we grown--independently or sexually--in the last 50 years? If we communicate--and keep all parts of our relationship open to discussion--does that make us more mature than previous generations? Does our generation's liberation and consequent loss of innocence make all of this maturity and independence possible?
I guarantee you will ask, and try to answer, these questions (and more) as you read about Edward and Florence, the 1960s, and how family, friends, and culture influence relationships.
A Parchment of Leaves, by Silas House
Although Silas and I grew up in London, Kentucky, 5 years apart in school, we didn't meet until last year. Okay, okay, last year we didn't technically meet, but Silas came to our school and spoke to our seniors about writing, character development, and story telling. He didn't just speak to an auditorium of 18 year olds; I was also a changed woman.
The first Silas House novel I read was Clay's Quilt. Our seniors must read a novel by a Kentucky author (Barbara Kingsolver is another option), and I knew my students would love Clay's Quilt. The story didn't disappoint. Clay is a teenager growing up in Kentucky, listening to Bob Dylan, experimenting with drugs, alcohol, and sex. By the end of the book, he has found so much more than Dylan and teenage experimentation.
But the book that follows, A Parchment of Leaves, offers even more. Silas House knows Kentucky and character development and those two elements make a beautiful picture in the reader's mind. This is the story of Saul Sullivan and his new bride Vine. Let me just be honest--this book is all about Vine (which is why I still can't force Parchment on Ben). Vine is a young Native American who leaves her family's home for true love and the book follows her through the first 5 years or so of her marriage.
Vine has the most amazing ability to learn life lessons from every experience. She recognizes her family's influence over her early in life, she learns how to be a good wife and daughter-in-law (even though she is taken away from her childhood home), she learns what it means to be a true friend, a strong woman, and a gentle mother to their young daughter Birdie. She never gives up or walks away from those responsibilities.
I do not want to reveal too much of the plot because I don't want to ruin the twists and turns that House created for the Sullivans. Please read this book and then we can talk details, life-changing characters, and your new favorite author.
Vine is, without exaggeration, the most amazing female character I have ever read. This is the most beautiful story I have read in my entire life. I will shamelessly promote this book for the rest of my life. You must read every word.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Factslingin'
Last night, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers by a score of 30-23. Ho hum. What's that? Brett Favre played? FOR THE VIKINGS??! How did I not know of this startling development?!
In all seriousness, I doubt there's any way anyone missed the sports media's collective Favregasm leading up to last night's game. And, much to my chagrin, Favre played well--271 yards on 24 of 31 attempts, for three touchdowns. Lost in the hype is the fact that Aaron Rodgers also played well--384 yards on 26 of 37 attempts, for two touchdowns and one interception. If Rodgers hadn't been sacked eight times, this could have been a different game.
Even so, the media ignores Rodgers while continuing to sing Favre's hosannas. As I returned to the office from lunch at home, I listened to Colin Cowherd's radio show. Now, it's probably my fault for expecting actual sports insight from a paid ESPN analyst. But, Colin blew my mind by attempting to argue that the Green Bay Packers would have been better off with Favre last year. He said the Packers "may not have been 13-3 [as they were in 2007], but they would have been better than 6-10." Because, as we all know, Favre is capable of playing every position on the field and/or willing his teammates to be better. He could have shored up the shaky offensive line the nation saw on display last night. He could have played both sides of the ball and made damn sure that the defense wasn't one of the worst in the NFL last year. He could have returned punts and punted. Oh, yes, I almost forgot--HE COULD NOT HAVE DONE ANY OF THAT. The only thing Favre could have done is play quarterback to the best of his ability--and the best of his ability was not that great in 2008. Aaron Rodgers had a markedly better 2008 than did Favre:
Rodgers: 4038 yards, 63.6% completion rate, 28 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 93.8 passer rating, 207 yards rushing, 4 rushing touchdowns, 10 fumbles
Favre: 3472 yards, 65.7% completion rate, 22 touchdowns, 22 interceptions, 81.0 passer rating, 43 yards rushing, 1 rushing touchdown, 10 fumbles
In other words, Favre completed a higher percentage of his passes but in every other metric performed worse than Rodgers. In other words, you would have to be a willfully blind fool to state that the Packers would have been better off with Favre than with Rodgers in 2008. This is objectively true. And it is (somewhat less) objectively true that Favre out-gunslung Rodgers last night. But subjective platitudes from the Colin Cowherds and Jon Grudens of the world--"He's just like a kid out there!" "He just wins games!" "He makes his teammates better!"--obscure the fact that there may, just may, be more involved in a typical game of football than whether or not your quarterback is a grizzled beard-havin' truck-drivin' blue jean-wearin' land-workin' salt-of-the-earth flat-out by-God winner.
As usual, I don't really have a point and should probably have used the time and energy it took to write this in my actual job.
UPDATE 10/8/09: The Onion gets in on the fun, and in a much better manner than I could ever muster.
In all seriousness, I doubt there's any way anyone missed the sports media's collective Favregasm leading up to last night's game. And, much to my chagrin, Favre played well--271 yards on 24 of 31 attempts, for three touchdowns. Lost in the hype is the fact that Aaron Rodgers also played well--384 yards on 26 of 37 attempts, for two touchdowns and one interception. If Rodgers hadn't been sacked eight times, this could have been a different game.
Even so, the media ignores Rodgers while continuing to sing Favre's hosannas. As I returned to the office from lunch at home, I listened to Colin Cowherd's radio show. Now, it's probably my fault for expecting actual sports insight from a paid ESPN analyst. But, Colin blew my mind by attempting to argue that the Green Bay Packers would have been better off with Favre last year. He said the Packers "may not have been 13-3 [as they were in 2007], but they would have been better than 6-10." Because, as we all know, Favre is capable of playing every position on the field and/or willing his teammates to be better. He could have shored up the shaky offensive line the nation saw on display last night. He could have played both sides of the ball and made damn sure that the defense wasn't one of the worst in the NFL last year. He could have returned punts and punted. Oh, yes, I almost forgot--HE COULD NOT HAVE DONE ANY OF THAT. The only thing Favre could have done is play quarterback to the best of his ability--and the best of his ability was not that great in 2008. Aaron Rodgers had a markedly better 2008 than did Favre:
Rodgers: 4038 yards, 63.6% completion rate, 28 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 93.8 passer rating, 207 yards rushing, 4 rushing touchdowns, 10 fumbles
Favre: 3472 yards, 65.7% completion rate, 22 touchdowns, 22 interceptions, 81.0 passer rating, 43 yards rushing, 1 rushing touchdown, 10 fumbles
In other words, Favre completed a higher percentage of his passes but in every other metric performed worse than Rodgers. In other words, you would have to be a willfully blind fool to state that the Packers would have been better off with Favre than with Rodgers in 2008. This is objectively true. And it is (somewhat less) objectively true that Favre out-gunslung Rodgers last night. But subjective platitudes from the Colin Cowherds and Jon Grudens of the world--"He's just like a kid out there!" "He just wins games!" "He makes his teammates better!"--obscure the fact that there may, just may, be more involved in a typical game of football than whether or not your quarterback is a grizzled beard-havin' truck-drivin' blue jean-wearin' land-workin' salt-of-the-earth flat-out by-God winner.
As usual, I don't really have a point and should probably have used the time and energy it took to write this in my actual job.
UPDATE 10/8/09: The Onion gets in on the fun, and in a much better manner than I could ever muster.
Chris Rock on Roman Polanski
Chris Rock appeared on the Jay Leno Show last night and, like many right-thinking people in this world, was aghast that anyone would try, based upon his artistic merit, to defend Roman Polanski's actions in drugging and raping a thirteen year old girl. This just about sums it right up: "Even Johnnie Cochran didn't have the nerve to say, 'Yeah, but did you see O.J. play against New England?'"
Monday, October 5, 2009
My First Book Review
Ben and I are avid readers. We've packed our bookshelves--and stacked our floors--with beloved novels, biographies, poetry and even textbooks from which we couldn't part. I read at work, I read during summer break, I read on vacation. I read with Ben, I read to Ben, I read the same book as Ben at the same time. I read what my friends suggest and just to be cool (or lame if you ask Ben), I read what my students suggest.
As most of you know, I teach 10th grade English. Although my syllabus is filled with many "boring" classics, I teach a few things to those 10th graders that we all find interesting and compelling. If you aren't big on reading, try out these simple short stories. One, they're short, and two, tenth graders understand them! If you are a book lover, these are beautifully written, interesting, powerful, and all the other adjectives we use to describe the stories we love.
1. "The Pit and the Pendulum" (Edgar Allen Poe)--If you can get through the first few pages, this is a horrific story of torture during The Spanish Inquisition. The setting actually becomes an intense character that the reader follows with morbid curiosity. In 3 years, my students have NEVER predicted the ending.
As most of you know, I teach 10th grade English. Although my syllabus is filled with many "boring" classics, I teach a few things to those 10th graders that we all find interesting and compelling. If you aren't big on reading, try out these simple short stories. One, they're short, and two, tenth graders understand them! If you are a book lover, these are beautifully written, interesting, powerful, and all the other adjectives we use to describe the stories we love.
1. "The Pit and the Pendulum" (Edgar Allen Poe)--If you can get through the first few pages, this is a horrific story of torture during The Spanish Inquisition. The setting actually becomes an intense character that the reader follows with morbid curiosity. In 3 years, my students have NEVER predicted the ending.
2. "Every Day Use" (Alice Walker)--You know Walker as the author of The Color Purple. It's all here, too--the African-American-speak, the clash of modern vs. traditional ways of living, and the strong black woman. The conflict finally reveals to the reader which character is the strongest and proudest of all.
3. "Distillation" (Hugo Martinez-Serros)--This short story is so touching. We hear the basic premise of "Distillation" in many religious parables: a mother offers her child comforting love, a father provides a protective love for his children that can withstand any torture. But "Distillation" is raw. "Distillation" is painful. "Distillation" is not just a child looking up to his father. In one moment this child comes to the full realization of a father's power and protection, and ultimately love and sacrifice. Our narrator is never the same.
Friday, September 18, 2009
An Open Letter to My Husband
Dear Husband,
In the last 5 (almost 6) years we've sent thousands and thousands of emails to one another. If you think about the last few years, you must agree that we've had some exciting moments to discuss within those emails. Think about all the fun dates we had in Birmingham, the concerts, the trips we took together...Remember when you killed that spider that was hanging out in my dorm bathtub, or the time you wrote your senior thesis the night before it was due?
We decided to get married, so I'm sure we emailed about that. We planned a honeymoon, moved in together, hosted fun parties for our friends, and picked up another dog. Remember when I almost died? Our favorite teams won ballgames--and we were there to celebrate together.
I haven't even mentioned all the craziness that goes on at work. Remember when, while writing a fishing report one week, I forgot a decimal point in the water temperature and Tom cussed me out? What about when we got the news that McBrayer wanted to hire you? Or, when that student 2 years ago found my cell phone number and proceeded to call me 100 times a day? Or when you found me sprawled on the kitchen floor, crying that I would never pass KTIP?
Our time together is fun, exciting, and sometimes dramatic. The next day, an email is always necessary to recount the experience. But in my email memory (yes, there is such a thing), I've never seen you use a single exclamation point until you created "Hypothetical Hundreds."
Snap out of it!
Love, Lynn
In the last 5 (almost 6) years we've sent thousands and thousands of emails to one another. If you think about the last few years, you must agree that we've had some exciting moments to discuss within those emails. Think about all the fun dates we had in Birmingham, the concerts, the trips we took together...Remember when you killed that spider that was hanging out in my dorm bathtub, or the time you wrote your senior thesis the night before it was due?
We decided to get married, so I'm sure we emailed about that. We planned a honeymoon, moved in together, hosted fun parties for our friends, and picked up another dog. Remember when I almost died? Our favorite teams won ballgames--and we were there to celebrate together.
I haven't even mentioned all the craziness that goes on at work. Remember when, while writing a fishing report one week, I forgot a decimal point in the water temperature and Tom cussed me out? What about when we got the news that McBrayer wanted to hire you? Or, when that student 2 years ago found my cell phone number and proceeded to call me 100 times a day? Or when you found me sprawled on the kitchen floor, crying that I would never pass KTIP?
Our time together is fun, exciting, and sometimes dramatic. The next day, an email is always necessary to recount the experience. But in my email memory (yes, there is such a thing), I've never seen you use a single exclamation point until you created "Hypothetical Hundreds."
Snap out of it!
Love, Lynn
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Hypothetical Hundreds: Week 1 Results and Week 2 Picks
I went 8 of 16 last week and thus have neither won nor lost money. Going into the Monday Night Football games, I was 8 of 14 and confident I would be making it 10 of 16 shortly. That doubleheader sums up why one probably ought not bet on the NFL. New England vs. Buffalo and San Diego vs. Oakland. Two teams many experts have picked to be in the Super Bowl versus two Pan American Flight 103s of sports teams. Two double-digit spreads. Two thrilling and, importantly, single digit wins for the favorite. Two losses for your humble pseudowagerer.
Anyway, that was Week 1! This is Week 2, wherein I become a handicapping savant and go 16 of 16! And then, Patrick Swayze will rise from the dead to simultaneously dance his way into the heart of a spoiled yet good-hearted rich girl while scandalizing polite society with his angsty yet carefree manner and involvement in an abortion scandal! Neither are very likely, you see! Onto the picks!
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (-3) over Oakland Raiders
Houston Texans (+7) over TENNESSEE TITANS
New England Patriots (-4) over NEW YORK JETS
GREEN BAY PACKERS (-9) over Cincinnati Bengals
Minnesota Vikings (-10) over DETROIT LIONS
New Orleans Saints (even) over PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
ATLANTA FALCONS (-6) over Carolina Panthers
St. Louis Rams (+10) over WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Arizona Cardinals (+3) over JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Seattle Seahawks (+1.5) over SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
BUFFALO BILLS (-5) over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) over CHICAGO BEARS
New York Giants (+3) over DALLAS COWBOYS
Indianapolis Colts (-3.5) over MIAMI DOLPHINS
2009 RECORD: 8-8
BANKROLL: $1,600
Anyway, that was Week 1! This is Week 2, wherein I become a handicapping savant and go 16 of 16! And then, Patrick Swayze will rise from the dead to simultaneously dance his way into the heart of a spoiled yet good-hearted rich girl while scandalizing polite society with his angsty yet carefree manner and involvement in an abortion scandal! Neither are very likely, you see! Onto the picks!
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (-3) over Oakland Raiders
Houston Texans (+7) over TENNESSEE TITANS
New England Patriots (-4) over NEW YORK JETS
GREEN BAY PACKERS (-9) over Cincinnati Bengals
Minnesota Vikings (-10) over DETROIT LIONS
New Orleans Saints (even) over PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
ATLANTA FALCONS (-6) over Carolina Panthers
St. Louis Rams (+10) over WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Arizona Cardinals (+3) over JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Seattle Seahawks (+1.5) over SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
BUFFALO BILLS (-5) over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) over CHICAGO BEARS
New York Giants (+3) over DALLAS COWBOYS
Indianapolis Colts (-3.5) over MIAMI DOLPHINS
2009 RECORD: 8-8
BANKROLL: $1,600
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
John Dalton, 1952-2009
John Dalton, American philosopher and bouncer, passed away yesterday following a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Dalton received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from New York University in 1974. Dalton's stoic manner won him fame in the international bouncer community such that bar owners would actively recruit him to act as a "cooler" in their establishments. Even an incident in a Memphis nightclub, in which Dalton allegedly ripped out a violent patron's throat, could not damage his sterling reputation. His guiding principle, "be nice until it's time to not be nice," won him many friends and, unfortunately, no few enemies. Dalton is perhaps best known as the author of the critically lauded treatise Man's Search for Faith: That Sort of Shit, and as the bouncer who cleaned up the Double Deuce, an infamous roadhouse in Jasper, Missouri, and in the process removed the town from gangster Brad Wesley's stranglehold.
Dalton's last words were reportedly "pain don't hurt," uttered to reassure Dr. Elizabeth Clay, his surviving wife, and the shimmering ghost of Sam Elliot that he was not suffering. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Riverside Shirtless Tai Chi Foundation.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Hypothetical Hundreds: Let the Great Experiment Begin!
Our long national nightmare is over. Football is back on television. I love football so much I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant. During last years NFL playoffs, rather than actually place bets on NFL games like a real man, I decided to "hypothetically" wager "one hundred dollars" on each NFL game. I ended up going 9-2 for the playoffs. In other words, had I the stones to bet, I would have been $700 richer. Since that time, I have not grown a pair and will continue to make picks this way, with the money still in my pocket and my kneecaps intact. There are sixteen games this week, so I will start with a bankroll of $1,600. If you want to play at home, these games will always be against the spread published prior to the first game of the week on Bodog. Home team in ALL CAPS:
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (-6.5) over Tennessee Titans
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (-7) over Jacksonville Jaguars
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (-13) over Detroit Lions
Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) over CAROLINA PANTHERS
Dallas Cowboys (-6) over TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
HOUSTON TEXANS (-5) over New York Jets
Kansas City Chiefs (+13.5) over BALTIMORE RAVENS
CINCINNATI BENGALS (-4) over Denver Broncos
Minnesota Vikings (-4.5) over CLEVELAND BROWNS
ATLANTA FALCONS (-4) over Miami Dolphins
Washington Redskins (+6.5) over NEW YORK GIANTS
ARIZONA CARDINALS (-6) over San Francisco 49ers
GREEN BAY PACKERS (-3.5) over Chicago Bears
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (-8.5) over St. Louis Rams
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-11) over Buffalo Bills
San Diego Chargers (-9) over OAKLAND RAIDERS
I'll keep track of the wins and losses and let both of you readers know how it's going.
In unrelated news, Kentucky shut out Miami (OH) 42-0 this weekend. While that might not sound so great given that Miami is predicted to come in second to last in the MAC, I was pretty happy. Last year, we would have won that game, but would have trailed until the late third quarter and won 21-20 on a last second punt return.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (-6.5) over Tennessee Titans
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (-7) over Jacksonville Jaguars
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (-13) over Detroit Lions
Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) over CAROLINA PANTHERS
Dallas Cowboys (-6) over TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
HOUSTON TEXANS (-5) over New York Jets
Kansas City Chiefs (+13.5) over BALTIMORE RAVENS
CINCINNATI BENGALS (-4) over Denver Broncos
Minnesota Vikings (-4.5) over CLEVELAND BROWNS
ATLANTA FALCONS (-4) over Miami Dolphins
Washington Redskins (+6.5) over NEW YORK GIANTS
ARIZONA CARDINALS (-6) over San Francisco 49ers
GREEN BAY PACKERS (-3.5) over Chicago Bears
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (-8.5) over St. Louis Rams
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-11) over Buffalo Bills
San Diego Chargers (-9) over OAKLAND RAIDERS
I'll keep track of the wins and losses and let both of you readers know how it's going.
In unrelated news, Kentucky shut out Miami (OH) 42-0 this weekend. While that might not sound so great given that Miami is predicted to come in second to last in the MAC, I was pretty happy. Last year, we would have won that game, but would have trailed until the late third quarter and won 21-20 on a last second punt return.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Sank You?
Lynn and I ate at Malone's with her parents this evening following a big day of clean-up from Carrie's wedding. I'm sure Lynn will have much more to say about the big day, but this was written on the chopsticks Lynn got with her sushi. All sic'd:
"Welcome to Chinese Restaurant. Please try your Nice Chinese Food With Chopsticks the traditional and typical of Chinese glorious history. and cultural"
That's some good Engrish!
"Welcome to Chinese Restaurant. Please try your Nice Chinese Food With Chopsticks the traditional and typical of Chinese glorious history. and cultural"
That's some good Engrish!
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