Our team is three quarters of the way through the season now and we're 6-2-1. That's good enough for a tie for 2nd place, although the team we're tied with has played one less game than us. Most of the games have been very close. Five of the nine games have been one goal games (we're 3-2 in those) including one OT loss and tonight's shootout win.
I tallied my 2nd assist on the season, but I am still looking for that elusive first goal. I've learned a lot about positioning, getting to the front of the net, and defending my man. I had an opening in front of the net, but when it came my way, I barely got a stick on it because the defender knocked me over (checking is NOT legal in our league). One of my teammates was able to put it in during the scrum, so I think the point was a gimmie. I feel like I have played good games, for the most part, but the opportunities haven't bounced my way. Regardless, I love the feeling of hanging out after the games we win and celebrating. The feeling of being a member of a sports team is unlike I have ever felt. Playing tennis didn't really compare because it is more of an individual sport (and because I really sucked).
Next week we play the notoriously "chippy" team in the league. They're also the team that we're tied with for 2nd place and have given up 9 fewer goals than us. If we win, we will likely have wrapped up a playoff spot (8 of the 13 make the playoffs).
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Friday, July 08, 2011
Save Some Time - Put Them All On Probation
We all know that college football is quickly spiraling out of control with violations. It is the new "baseball steroid scandal," but it's curious as to WHY so many schools have been penalized in the past couple of years. Is the NCAA becoming stricter? Is it becoming better at investigating problems? Has the "arms race" to recruit prospect intensified to the point where more schools are crossing the line? It is probably a combination of the three. It seems like there are so many more publicly dirty programs right now (it's shades of gray - they're all trying to get away with what they can) because we're learning of the sins of the past (2004 USC) and of more recent violators (OH!).
After hearing about TWO college football programs being put on probation today (WVU and OSU), I was curious - who ISN'T on probation next year?! From my research, I was able to come up with the following list of football programs who are on the naughty list for 2011.
Alabama - buying textbooks for friends scandal
Ohio State - lied about violations
West Virginia - failure to monitor - offseason coaching
Texas Tech - too many text messages
Arkansas St - using 31 ineligible student athletes (over 6 sports including football)
Central Florida - impermissible phone calls and text messages
Florida International - ineligible players, general lack of institutional control
Florida State - academic fraud
Michigan - exceeding coach limitations, offseason workouts
USC - Reggie Bush
Eastern Washington - too many coaches, ineligible players
That is JUST for 2011! Many of these programs' probations cover several sports. Congrats goes to Penn State and BYU - the only two programs to have won a national championship and are probation-free.
After hearing about TWO college football programs being put on probation today (WVU and OSU), I was curious - who ISN'T on probation next year?! From my research, I was able to come up with the following list of football programs who are on the naughty list for 2011.
Alabama - buying textbooks for friends scandal
Ohio State - lied about violations
West Virginia - failure to monitor - offseason coaching
Texas Tech - too many text messages
Arkansas St - using 31 ineligible student athletes (over 6 sports including football)
Central Florida - impermissible phone calls and text messages
Florida International - ineligible players, general lack of institutional control
Florida State - academic fraud
Michigan - exceeding coach limitations, offseason workouts
USC - Reggie Bush
Eastern Washington - too many coaches, ineligible players
That is JUST for 2011! Many of these programs' probations cover several sports. Congrats goes to Penn State and BYU - the only two programs to have won a national championship and are probation-free.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Couponing Code of Ethics??
I have received a decent number of coupons in the mail lately, so I decided to see how much I could squeeze out of a mega couponing trip. I didn't stop with grocery shopping - I went to the mall and bought dinner too. In the end, I bought $88.25 worth of items for $36.23 - 59% savings.
I started with JC Penney - I get coupons from them all the time. This one was the best - $10 off a purchase of $10, no restrictions. I found a pair of sandals I really liked to replace the cheap flip flops that gave me blisters while walking around our hotel room on vacation. They were originally $22 marked down to $10. My mood quickly changed when I got to the register. This wasn't like in the "Extreme Couponers" commercial where the sales associates are circling around and cheering for the person. The cashier didn't look at me in the face and gave me a curt "have a nice day" as I left with a free pair of sandals. Which makes me wonder, did I just break a couponing "code of ethics"? Am I supposed to use it as a discount and spend money? On the one hand, I am just taking advantage of the store's inefficiency, and on the other I just stole a pair of sandals from Penney's. Thoughts?
I moved on to Kroger, which recently sent me a number of store coupons in the mail. A few of them were straight up free items (bacon, sausage, canned vegetables, etc) and then there was a $5 off $35. After doing some research on the store's website and adding in some manufacturer's coupons, I was able to save $27. But this brings up another ethical issue: the $5 off $35 coupon wasn't supposed to be valid for another 3 days. For some strange reason, there were 3 of those coupons in the pack and each one was for a consecutive time period with the exception of a 6 day gap (which included today). I tried using it anyway and was successful. I didn't do any damage to them (if I would have gone 3 days later, I would have paid the exact same amount) but was it unethical to knowingly use a coupon that wasn't yet valid?
I finished off the trip with a stop at McDonalds. A simple "buy an angus burger, get fries and a pop for free" - no ethical questions there.
In the end, it was rewarding to save money, but it wasn't a true "extreme couponing" trip because I wasn't getting 10 packs of diapers for a quarter. The coupons were very restrictive (no combining with other coupons, limit 1) so I don't see how the people on TLC do it. I will continue to use coupons where I can (as I usually have) but I don't think it would be possible to repeat this trip because the Kroger coupons I was randomly sent gave me the most savings.
I started with JC Penney - I get coupons from them all the time. This one was the best - $10 off a purchase of $10, no restrictions. I found a pair of sandals I really liked to replace the cheap flip flops that gave me blisters while walking around our hotel room on vacation. They were originally $22 marked down to $10. My mood quickly changed when I got to the register. This wasn't like in the "Extreme Couponers" commercial where the sales associates are circling around and cheering for the person. The cashier didn't look at me in the face and gave me a curt "have a nice day" as I left with a free pair of sandals. Which makes me wonder, did I just break a couponing "code of ethics"? Am I supposed to use it as a discount and spend money? On the one hand, I am just taking advantage of the store's inefficiency, and on the other I just stole a pair of sandals from Penney's. Thoughts?
I moved on to Kroger, which recently sent me a number of store coupons in the mail. A few of them were straight up free items (bacon, sausage, canned vegetables, etc) and then there was a $5 off $35. After doing some research on the store's website and adding in some manufacturer's coupons, I was able to save $27. But this brings up another ethical issue: the $5 off $35 coupon wasn't supposed to be valid for another 3 days. For some strange reason, there were 3 of those coupons in the pack and each one was for a consecutive time period with the exception of a 6 day gap (which included today). I tried using it anyway and was successful. I didn't do any damage to them (if I would have gone 3 days later, I would have paid the exact same amount) but was it unethical to knowingly use a coupon that wasn't yet valid?
I finished off the trip with a stop at McDonalds. A simple "buy an angus burger, get fries and a pop for free" - no ethical questions there.
In the end, it was rewarding to save money, but it wasn't a true "extreme couponing" trip because I wasn't getting 10 packs of diapers for a quarter. The coupons were very restrictive (no combining with other coupons, limit 1) so I don't see how the people on TLC do it. I will continue to use coupons where I can (as I usually have) but I don't think it would be possible to repeat this trip because the Kroger coupons I was randomly sent gave me the most savings.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Can Quality Last?
Read this first:
How Five Guys Got Us Eating Its Burgers
Now, I don't know if Five Guys has ventured to Lansing yet, but the first time I ate at the East Coast staple, I was hooked. I was left to wander around Pitt's campus for dinner during a business trip a couple of years ago. After a very disappointing sushi stop, I came across the simple red and white restaurant. I passed the large stacks of peanut bags and had no expectations when I looked at the basic menu. When I opened the foil wrapper, the condiments and grease dripping off didn't make for an attractive burger. But the first time I tasted the freshness of the meat, I was sold.
Five Guys has grown so quickly (there are at least 2-3 in the Columbus area now) because of the "word of mouth" from its fanatical customers. I love that their CEO respects their competition and sees the value that they bring to the table. During discussions of our competition, my company's leadership often makes fun of other companies and degrades their offerings. The mindset is that we should not respect our competitor's offerings because we need to clearly communicate the superiority of our own products when speaking with potential customers. In reality, if our competitors weren't doing something right, they wouldn't still be in business. (It was funny how quickly the tone changed when we bought one competitor in particular).
I always enjoy reading about business philosophy and how other companies conduct their business. Five Guys' core competency is clearly quality and consistency. They have a simple menu, but provide customers with a lot of options through their wide variety of toppings. I completely agree with the comparison to Chipotle and Panera; they all fill that "fast casual" niche between fast food and table service restaurants. I am not sure about the CEO's comment that they don't worry too much about food prices. The cost of ingredients can fluctuate dramatically due to spikes in gas prices or severe weather. I think there can be a balance between quality ingredients and cost management. I am not sure that they will be able to keep up that philosophy, especially when their skyrocketing expansion slows down and they're trying to maintain profit margins.
This also sparked my imagination as to what the next widely successful "fast casual" restaurant could be. Taco Bell has Chipotle, McDonalds has Five Guys, Subway has Panera... I think Pizza Hut could have a gourmet pizzeria, like a California Pizza Kitchen to go (although frozen pizza kinda fills that void). Thoughts?
How Five Guys Got Us Eating Its Burgers
Now, I don't know if Five Guys has ventured to Lansing yet, but the first time I ate at the East Coast staple, I was hooked. I was left to wander around Pitt's campus for dinner during a business trip a couple of years ago. After a very disappointing sushi stop, I came across the simple red and white restaurant. I passed the large stacks of peanut bags and had no expectations when I looked at the basic menu. When I opened the foil wrapper, the condiments and grease dripping off didn't make for an attractive burger. But the first time I tasted the freshness of the meat, I was sold.
Five Guys has grown so quickly (there are at least 2-3 in the Columbus area now) because of the "word of mouth" from its fanatical customers. I love that their CEO respects their competition and sees the value that they bring to the table. During discussions of our competition, my company's leadership often makes fun of other companies and degrades their offerings. The mindset is that we should not respect our competitor's offerings because we need to clearly communicate the superiority of our own products when speaking with potential customers. In reality, if our competitors weren't doing something right, they wouldn't still be in business. (It was funny how quickly the tone changed when we bought one competitor in particular).
I always enjoy reading about business philosophy and how other companies conduct their business. Five Guys' core competency is clearly quality and consistency. They have a simple menu, but provide customers with a lot of options through their wide variety of toppings. I completely agree with the comparison to Chipotle and Panera; they all fill that "fast casual" niche between fast food and table service restaurants. I am not sure about the CEO's comment that they don't worry too much about food prices. The cost of ingredients can fluctuate dramatically due to spikes in gas prices or severe weather. I think there can be a balance between quality ingredients and cost management. I am not sure that they will be able to keep up that philosophy, especially when their skyrocketing expansion slows down and they're trying to maintain profit margins.
This also sparked my imagination as to what the next widely successful "fast casual" restaurant could be. Taco Bell has Chipotle, McDonalds has Five Guys, Subway has Panera... I think Pizza Hut could have a gourmet pizzeria, like a California Pizza Kitchen to go (although frozen pizza kinda fills that void). Thoughts?
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Passing Judgment On LeBron Based On Beginner Level Hockey
Is anyone else watching the NBA Finals for the sole reason of rooting for the Heat to lose? I should clarify - I don't care if Dwayne Wade wins. Nor do I care if Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Juwan Howard, or any of the other Heat win. I just don't want LeBron to win. I am not a Cleveland fan, I don't care about "The Decision", and I don't blame him for wanting to surround himself with better teammates (though I'll get back to that in a minute). But I still don't want him to win.
As I've mentioned before, my hockey team was very bad last season. They went 1-12 because of inexperience. They had a few guys that had NEVER played hockey before and much of the rest of the team was fairly new to organized hockey. This season, we are much better because nobody is horrible and a few people have stepped their game up to lead the team. Last season, one team went undefeated and won the championship game 5-0. They had some skaters that could probably play two divisions higher. If I had my choice, however, I would much rather play on my current team, where I think I am one of the better players, than ride the coattails of the best players on the championship team.
I understand LeBron's desire to play with better teammates. If I was on the worst team in our league (1 Goal, 39 Goals Allowed), I would not have any fun. Assuming I was clearly their best player, our opponents would probably double-team me and I would be demoralized quickly. I am glad that my teammates can score in tough situations. We've had two games where we had to score a winning or tying goal in the last 30 seconds. Exciting stuff.
Cleveland, however, was not the worst team in the league. Being ok with "sharing the spotlight" and "spreading around the ball" is one thing. But LeBron didn't just surround himself with better teammates. He joined someone else's team and took a secondary role. For someone who wanted to build a "Global Brand" for himself, I don't understand why LeBron has put winning a championship ahead of leading a team. Superstars are supposed to take the shot when they can. They're supposed to be the one in the huddle in the last few minutes pumping up their teammates and making everyone believe that they will pull out a victory. I remember the coming out party LeBron held against the Pistons in the playoffs. One of the best defensive teams in the league couldn't do ANYTHING to stop him. You could SEE the transformation that he was making as a player in one single quarter of basketball. Now, he looks completely comfortable passing off to Mario Chalmers rather than aggressively driving to the basket. He is looking to Wade for guidance and calling Chris Bosh the most important player on their team.
If the Heat do win the championship, I hope that he earns his piece of it in the last three games. Perhaps the Mavs' criticisms will light a fire under his ass and we will see a very different LeBron in the last few games. The only thing I would hate to see more than LeBron winning the championship is LeBron winning the championship as his team's third leading scorer.
As I've mentioned before, my hockey team was very bad last season. They went 1-12 because of inexperience. They had a few guys that had NEVER played hockey before and much of the rest of the team was fairly new to organized hockey. This season, we are much better because nobody is horrible and a few people have stepped their game up to lead the team. Last season, one team went undefeated and won the championship game 5-0. They had some skaters that could probably play two divisions higher. If I had my choice, however, I would much rather play on my current team, where I think I am one of the better players, than ride the coattails of the best players on the championship team.
I understand LeBron's desire to play with better teammates. If I was on the worst team in our league (1 Goal, 39 Goals Allowed), I would not have any fun. Assuming I was clearly their best player, our opponents would probably double-team me and I would be demoralized quickly. I am glad that my teammates can score in tough situations. We've had two games where we had to score a winning or tying goal in the last 30 seconds. Exciting stuff.
Cleveland, however, was not the worst team in the league. Being ok with "sharing the spotlight" and "spreading around the ball" is one thing. But LeBron didn't just surround himself with better teammates. He joined someone else's team and took a secondary role. For someone who wanted to build a "Global Brand" for himself, I don't understand why LeBron has put winning a championship ahead of leading a team. Superstars are supposed to take the shot when they can. They're supposed to be the one in the huddle in the last few minutes pumping up their teammates and making everyone believe that they will pull out a victory. I remember the coming out party LeBron held against the Pistons in the playoffs. One of the best defensive teams in the league couldn't do ANYTHING to stop him. You could SEE the transformation that he was making as a player in one single quarter of basketball. Now, he looks completely comfortable passing off to Mario Chalmers rather than aggressively driving to the basket. He is looking to Wade for guidance and calling Chris Bosh the most important player on their team.
If the Heat do win the championship, I hope that he earns his piece of it in the last three games. Perhaps the Mavs' criticisms will light a fire under his ass and we will see a very different LeBron in the last few games. The only thing I would hate to see more than LeBron winning the championship is LeBron winning the championship as his team's third leading scorer.
Monday, June 06, 2011
Paper Lions?
Detroit Lions primed to contend
The latest rumor is that the NFL is preparing to have an 8 game season in the likelihood that they aren't able to reach an agreement before the season starts.
Debate:
If the Lions were to win the Super Bowl after a shortened regular season, would people respect the victory as much as previous championship teams or would the shortened season diminish their accomplishment in the minds of writers and fans in general?
The latest rumor is that the NFL is preparing to have an 8 game season in the likelihood that they aren't able to reach an agreement before the season starts.
Debate:
If the Lions were to win the Super Bowl after a shortened regular season, would people respect the victory as much as previous championship teams or would the shortened season diminish their accomplishment in the minds of writers and fans in general?
Friday, June 03, 2011
Turner Field
Food
Stacey opted for the corn dogs when she found out her "supreme nachos" were basically some cheese wiz and salsa. I went with the Atlanta Braves staple, the pulled pork sandwich. I chose mac & cheese and candied pecans for my sides to make it a platter. I was disappointed that the only place that sold this was in the main concourse beyond centerfield - on the exact opposite side of the stadium as our seats. It was WELL worth it! This was the absolute best ballpark food I've ever had. The pulled pork was in giant, fresh pieces (like it was actually smoked and pulled!) and didn't really have a sauce. The pour-your-own barbeque sauce was a perfect choice. I chose the pecans as one of my sides because you only see two things locally promoted on Georgia roadside billboards - peaches and pecans. It acted as a nice "dessert" to the meal. For $9, it was a complete meal - much more filling than the $9 Cuban sandwich in Tampa. The other menu items seemed to be priced reasonably as well.
The Braves offer a complimentary shuttle from the main subway interchange to the stadium (and back), which actually turned out very well. They had at least 9 or 10 buses lined up after the game, so we didn't have to wait long (though it was packed). Before the game started, they showed a minute long segment on the history of the Cincinnati Reds (including key games versus the Braves) and their starting pitcher, Johnny Cueto. I thought that was a great feature for baseball fans and non-fans alike. The Braves fans, however, were pretty tame through the game, until they did the chop. Everyone likes the Braves chop. Otherwise, they really had to goad fans into cheering during key moments even though the crowd was decent. The game was close and low scoring, but it didn't exactly feel like a pitching duel. Both teams combined for only 12 Ks - the same exact number that David Price had two days earlier in the game in Tampa. The game was a battle of the ground outs (the Braves with 16) versus the fly outs (the Reds with 12). It reminded me how much I hate the National League. Jair Jurrjens abruptly stopped a rally in the 5th with two on and 1 out by bunting into a double play. The most memorable part of the game was Braves' closer Craig Kimbrel's pitching stance. He looks like a bull while he's waiting for the call!
Stacey opted for the corn dogs when she found out her "supreme nachos" were basically some cheese wiz and salsa. I went with the Atlanta Braves staple, the pulled pork sandwich. I chose mac & cheese and candied pecans for my sides to make it a platter. I was disappointed that the only place that sold this was in the main concourse beyond centerfield - on the exact opposite side of the stadium as our seats. It was WELL worth it! This was the absolute best ballpark food I've ever had. The pulled pork was in giant, fresh pieces (like it was actually smoked and pulled!) and didn't really have a sauce. The pour-your-own barbeque sauce was a perfect choice. I chose the pecans as one of my sides because you only see two things locally promoted on Georgia roadside billboards - peaches and pecans. It acted as a nice "dessert" to the meal. For $9, it was a complete meal - much more filling than the $9 Cuban sandwich in Tampa. The other menu items seemed to be priced reasonably as well.Fan Experience
The Braves offer a complimentary shuttle from the main subway interchange to the stadium (and back), which actually turned out very well. They had at least 9 or 10 buses lined up after the game, so we didn't have to wait long (though it was packed). Before the game started, they showed a minute long segment on the history of the Cincinnati Reds (including key games versus the Braves) and their starting pitcher, Johnny Cueto. I thought that was a great feature for baseball fans and non-fans alike. The Braves fans, however, were pretty tame through the game, until they did the chop. Everyone likes the Braves chop. Otherwise, they really had to goad fans into cheering during key moments even though the crowd was decent. The game was close and low scoring, but it didn't exactly feel like a pitching duel. Both teams combined for only 12 Ks - the same exact number that David Price had two days earlier in the game in Tampa. The game was a battle of the ground outs (the Braves with 16) versus the fly outs (the Reds with 12). It reminded me how much I hate the National League. Jair Jurrjens abruptly stopped a rally in the 5th with two on and 1 out by bunting into a double play. The most memorable part of the game was Braves' closer Craig Kimbrel's pitching stance. He looks like a bull while he's waiting for the call!Stadium
Overall, Turner Field is not unlike any of the other newer parks. Take down the "Braves" signs and you couldn't really distinguish it from many others. The Braves logo and the tomahawk above the scoreboard should be much larger (the Delta sign in left is bigger). However, I really did like the small fireworks that came from the "Gas South" sign. The other feature that is really cool are the bullpens that stretch away from the field. It gives fans a great view, including the one below from the concourse. The part of the city in the backdrop are mostly just hotels, but it is something.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Tropicana Field
Stop #10 in our baseball park tour was Tropicana Field. The stadium experience can be summed up in one word: dichotomy.
Food
Stacey's nachos were great - they had a ton of topping options (nacho cheese, shredded cheese, jalapenos, tomatoes, taco sauce, onions, beef, chicken, beans, guacamole, sour cream, etc.). They looked great, which was impressive because the stand was run by non-profit volunteers. The featured item in Tampa Bay is the Cuban sandwich - it was so popular, they made it available at every major concession stand. It was a reasonable $5 for one half and $9 for the full. The bread may look burnt, but trust me, it was very crispy and was a good blend of flavors. Though the quality has probably diminished when they began mass producing them. We also bought a special souvenier "all you can drink" soda for $9, a value considering the regular soda was $7. They also featured name-brand locations like Papa Johns and Outback. The food was good, but the prices were a little high, but the concession lines were extremely quick, but...
The most famous feature of Tropicana Field is the Ray tank in the right field just beyond the fence. We waited in line to pet the rays for a few minutes, but gave up quickly since we had just pet rays at the Tampa zoo two hours earlier. I am glad we didn't wait any longer because we were able to get to the tank another way and, unbeknownst to the people in line, they weren't letting people touch the rays at the time so they could rest. It is a fun idea, but they were being far too protective of the tank and not enough people get to experience it. The Tampa Zoo and the Georgia Aquarium were both letting groups of 10-20 people at a time touch their rays. Putting the tank in the main entrance would have been much more effective, even if they didn't allow fans to touch the rays.
This was my first experience in a dome for a baseball game and I can't imagine a better environment for a game. The air conditioning blew right down on us. The upper deck sits pretty low, so you feel a little closer to the game. The astroturf field looks fine, but the warning track really looks like carpet.
Fan Experience
I've got to give it to the Tampa fans - the ones that showed up were among the best in baseball. Again - the ones that showed up. The attendance was 16,800 for a Friday night game, which is 47% full. The Tigers game against the Red Sox that same night had 34,000 fans and was 83% full. My favorite pre-game feature was the "Oblivious Cam" - they would put someone on the scoreboard and wait until they noticed. The longest was over 40 seconds (and they still didn't notice). Once the game began, though, the fans were great. A lot of people brought cow bells and a "public service announcement" was played to instruct fans when to ring them. Surprisingly, the answer wasn't "always". They were pretty loud every time David Price had two strikes against someone and didn't need prodding during key moments. Everyone at the game got "Big Game #33" t-shirts, although few people wore them. I had to look up that this was James Shields. They had the typical "costumed person race", "hat shuffle", etc., but they also had a unique game by Chick-fil-a. They let a fan control one of the stadium cameras and gave them 15 seconds to spot a Chick-fil-a cow mascot in the stands. Although it didn't always work, it was obvious that the front office staff were devoted to trying anything they could to entertain the fans.
Overall
It's a shame that more people don't go to Rays games because it is an enjoyable environment and they have some players you can get behind (Price, Longoria, Damon, Upton, etc.) The stadium had some very odd quirks, but I think it is one of the more memorable stadiums in the league (now the only non-retractable domed stadium in the league now that the Metrodome is out).
Food
Stacey's nachos were great - they had a ton of topping options (nacho cheese, shredded cheese, jalapenos, tomatoes, taco sauce, onions, beef, chicken, beans, guacamole, sour cream, etc.). They looked great, which was impressive because the stand was run by non-profit volunteers. The featured item in Tampa Bay is the Cuban sandwich - it was so popular, they made it available at every major concession stand. It was a reasonable $5 for one half and $9 for the full. The bread may look burnt, but trust me, it was very crispy and was a good blend of flavors. Though the quality has probably diminished when they began mass producing them. We also bought a special souvenier "all you can drink" soda for $9, a value considering the regular soda was $7. They also featured name-brand locations like Papa Johns and Outback. The food was good, but the prices were a little high, but the concession lines were extremely quick, but...Stadium
The drive to St. Petersburg from Tampa requires you to cross a land bridge for several miles. The view is unparalleled. It sure beats passing burnt down buildings and empty lots on the way to Comerica Park.
The walk up to the stadium was lined with palm trees and the opening rotunda was pretty cool. Once you start walking through the stadium, however, the negatives of the Trop become evident.
One of the main arteries was a small hallway that seemed to be circus themed. They also had a few carnival games that NOBODY was playing. You have to give them credit for trying to make the stadium engaging, but it didn't work. Does this look like a major league park to you?
The most famous feature of Tropicana Field is the Ray tank in the right field just beyond the fence. We waited in line to pet the rays for a few minutes, but gave up quickly since we had just pet rays at the Tampa zoo two hours earlier. I am glad we didn't wait any longer because we were able to get to the tank another way and, unbeknownst to the people in line, they weren't letting people touch the rays at the time so they could rest. It is a fun idea, but they were being far too protective of the tank and not enough people get to experience it. The Tampa Zoo and the Georgia Aquarium were both letting groups of 10-20 people at a time touch their rays. Putting the tank in the main entrance would have been much more effective, even if they didn't allow fans to touch the rays.
This was my first experience in a dome for a baseball game and I can't imagine a better environment for a game. The air conditioning blew right down on us. The upper deck sits pretty low, so you feel a little closer to the game. The astroturf field looks fine, but the warning track really looks like carpet. Fan Experience
I've got to give it to the Tampa fans - the ones that showed up were among the best in baseball. Again - the ones that showed up. The attendance was 16,800 for a Friday night game, which is 47% full. The Tigers game against the Red Sox that same night had 34,000 fans and was 83% full. My favorite pre-game feature was the "Oblivious Cam" - they would put someone on the scoreboard and wait until they noticed. The longest was over 40 seconds (and they still didn't notice). Once the game began, though, the fans were great. A lot of people brought cow bells and a "public service announcement" was played to instruct fans when to ring them. Surprisingly, the answer wasn't "always". They were pretty loud every time David Price had two strikes against someone and didn't need prodding during key moments. Everyone at the game got "Big Game #33" t-shirts, although few people wore them. I had to look up that this was James Shields. They had the typical "costumed person race", "hat shuffle", etc., but they also had a unique game by Chick-fil-a. They let a fan control one of the stadium cameras and gave them 15 seconds to spot a Chick-fil-a cow mascot in the stands. Although it didn't always work, it was obvious that the front office staff were devoted to trying anything they could to entertain the fans.
Overall
It's a shame that more people don't go to Rays games because it is an enjoyable environment and they have some players you can get behind (Price, Longoria, Damon, Upton, etc.) The stadium had some very odd quirks, but I think it is one of the more memorable stadiums in the league (now the only non-retractable domed stadium in the league now that the Metrodome is out).
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Hockey Update
I have been hockey obsessed since our league started. My team was 1-12 last season. They lost 4-5 players who had never played hockey in their life and replaced them with some decent skaters. We have scrimmaged against last season's league champions (who are friends with our team surprisingly) and they kept telling us how much we've improved.
In the second game, we played last season's runner-up. My teammates warned me that they were pretty chippy and after the first shift, they clearly looked like the better team. However, we found our opportunities and their goalie wasn't very good, so we ended the first with a 4-0 lead. At one point, I anticipated a pass at our blue line well and stole it for a breakaway. The problem was I got overly excited for the opportunity and couldn't get my legs under me, so I had to settle for a dumping it into the zone by the time I made it to the other blue line. I didn't play a pretty game because I was too tired. The rest of the team was pretty tired by the 2nd and 3rd periods and we gave up 3 goals. They were putting a lot of sustained pressure on us and we couldn't get it out of the zone. It looked like we were going to be able to hold on, but they scored the tying goal with a minute left - a weak one that trickled in right in front of my face. I was so frustrated that we had blown it, but we luckily scored with 30 seconds left and our bench BLEW up! I wasn't happy with how I played - other than the breakaway chance, the only memorable thing I did was flip the puck into the air vents in an attempt to get it out of the zone.
In our first game, I could tell within the first few shifts that we were significantly better than they were. My best moment of the game came midway through: I kept the puck in the offensive zone with my back to the goal at the top of the circle. I turned around quickly and fired a blind wrist shot... near the top of the right post. I didn't see what happened to it from there, but my teammate said it dropped straight down and they almost netted it. I would have liked to have scored that one, but we ended up winning 3-0. It was great to help our goalie get his shutout.
In the second game, we played last season's runner-up. My teammates warned me that they were pretty chippy and after the first shift, they clearly looked like the better team. However, we found our opportunities and their goalie wasn't very good, so we ended the first with a 4-0 lead. At one point, I anticipated a pass at our blue line well and stole it for a breakaway. The problem was I got overly excited for the opportunity and couldn't get my legs under me, so I had to settle for a dumping it into the zone by the time I made it to the other blue line. I didn't play a pretty game because I was too tired. The rest of the team was pretty tired by the 2nd and 3rd periods and we gave up 3 goals. They were putting a lot of sustained pressure on us and we couldn't get it out of the zone. It looked like we were going to be able to hold on, but they scored the tying goal with a minute left - a weak one that trickled in right in front of my face. I was so frustrated that we had blown it, but we luckily scored with 30 seconds left and our bench BLEW up! I wasn't happy with how I played - other than the breakaway chance, the only memorable thing I did was flip the puck into the air vents in an attempt to get it out of the zone. 
We're one of only three teams that are 2-0 at this point and I really think we have an opportunity to keep it up. I am really sad that I will have to miss next week's game for vacation because we're playing an easy team. There's only one other forward on our team without a point and I really want to get on the score sheet. With vacation and Memorial Day, I am going to be hockeyless for 3 weeks. When I come back, we have to play the two toughest teams in the league, so that has a strong chance of being depressing.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Funny way to spend an hour
http://shitmystudentswrite.tumblr.com/page/3
Just go there. A few of my favorites:
Party foul
And it was all cool until the Turks came along with their Ottoman Empire.
I don’t remember the civil war, like, at all.
I’ve lived my whole life on the west coast and to me, the civil war seems like a really really long time ago.
Pre-Megan’s Law
Before the days of colonization, America was like a young, untouched child.
I had no idea when we left the bar.
I felt so guilty because I realized I was aiding in the bedding of a criminal.
Just go there. A few of my favorites:
Party foul
And it was all cool until the Turks came along with their Ottoman Empire.
I don’t remember the civil war, like, at all.
I’ve lived my whole life on the west coast and to me, the civil war seems like a really really long time ago.
Pre-Megan’s Law
Before the days of colonization, America was like a young, untouched child.
I had no idea when we left the bar.
I felt so guilty because I realized I was aiding in the bedding of a criminal.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Happiness Power Rankings
Power Rankings - Things that are making me happy this week:
1. Playing hockey. I had my first practice with my new team and it was great to be at the same level as most of the guys (and better than others).
2. Edge's theme song. It's one of the best entrances in wrestling. Sad that he's gotta retire. The song, by the way, is "Metalingus" by Alter Bridge
3. Jersey Giant Original Italian - It's the same as Jersey Mikes, which is delicious.
4. Reruns of Boy Meets World - 7-8am on ABC Family. Recorded every day.
5. A 2-0 lead against the Coyotes 2 mins. into the game - After that kind of start, I knew we would win the game, but I stayed up until 1am to watch it anyways.
6. Discovering how funny "Modern Family" is - thanks Netflix.
7. Less than a month until our Orlando vacation.
8. Peanut butter mochas. The best thing about Iowa City.
1. Playing hockey. I had my first practice with my new team and it was great to be at the same level as most of the guys (and better than others).
2. Edge's theme song. It's one of the best entrances in wrestling. Sad that he's gotta retire. The song, by the way, is "Metalingus" by Alter Bridge
3. Jersey Giant Original Italian - It's the same as Jersey Mikes, which is delicious.
4. Reruns of Boy Meets World - 7-8am on ABC Family. Recorded every day.
5. A 2-0 lead against the Coyotes 2 mins. into the game - After that kind of start, I knew we would win the game, but I stayed up until 1am to watch it anyways.
6. Discovering how funny "Modern Family" is - thanks Netflix.
7. Less than a month until our Orlando vacation.
8. Peanut butter mochas. The best thing about Iowa City.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
My (Other) Hockey Team
It is no secret that I was a U-M fan until my Junior/Senior year of high school. Touring the campus with an arrogant sorority girl who didn't really want us to get in to U-M and a rejection letter will take the passion for the school out of you. I think this recent commercial sums up the attitude of Michigan State - pretty good, but not boastful. Be proud and get back to work.
Now that I bleed Green and White, I would like to see Michigan's basketball program stay down forever. Hopefully this year was an abberration. I hope that Brady Hoke can bring their football program back to a respectable level; only so it can make our victories over them more meaningful. And so they can stop the production of Ohio State's "Golden Pants". I am taking this chance, however, to admit that their hockey team is my "1B" favorite. Don't get me wrong, my hockey loyalties still lie with Michigan State. The embarrassing loss to U-M in the 2nd Cold War still stings. I hope that the new coach can return the program to respectability, which includes making the NCAA tournament regularly. But I recorded Saturday's National Championship game so I wouldn't miss the chance to root for U-M. Here's my best excuses as to why my fandom is excusable.
1. One of my most memorable, vivid childhood dreams involved me playing in a hockey game for U-M. Which is odd, because I hadn't played hockey at the time. I could hear the crunch of my ice under the blades as I skated quickly down the ice for a breakaway.
2. Yost Ice Arena is the best sporting venue that I've ever been to. It has an older, traditional field house feel to it. The acoustics play well and make it a loud environment (you can hear the band playing before you go in the arena. I even used to have a framed panoramic photo of the arena hanging in my parent's basement.
3. They have won 9 NCAA Championships, the most of any team, and never experience the type of "down years" that their football and basketball teams have faced. They have the most NCAA Tournament appearances and Frozen Four appearances of any team.
4. Red Berenson is still coaching. He's in his 70s, and I don't think he looks any different than the day that I went to my first U-M hockey game.
5. The fans are ten thousand times better than the fans at Munn. I recall debates when we were in college whether or not MSU's student section and pep band should sit down or be placed in a different spot so the other fans could see. The typical MSU hockey fans are grandparents taking their little children. The student section was miniscule (I recognize that I am being somewhat hypocritical since I never bought student tickets when I was in college). U-M, however, has a very large student following who were very much in tune with college hockey. I still recall that they were particularly spiteful to a referee named Shegos. And their traditional taunts can be easily recognized at any game. (Side note: I obviously do not enjoy the "If you can't get in to college, go to State" chant, but recognize the truthiness behind that chant since I did not get in to U-M and did indeed go to State).
6. They've got great hockey jerseys. The name "Michigan" stretching diagnonally down the front is my favorite - that style is not used often enough in hockey. Heck, I even like the retro jerseys that they introduced this year.
7. My final, and best excuse, is that my dad took me to a few hockey games every season. I went to a handful of U-M football games, and one less than memorable basketball game, but I really enjoyed going with him to hockey. The most memorable one was one when we got center ice, front row tickets online (it turned out that the person who sold them to the website had stolen them from someone else, but the real owner let us watch the game from her seats because I was 14 at the time). A few years later, when I was looking at the panoramic photo that I mentioned before, I paid closer attention to it and realized that it was taken of that game where we had front row seats. I looked closer and saw our coats right there in front.
As I said before, I hope that MSU's new coach can return the team to greatness and keep it there. But until that happens, I will live vicariously through U-M hockey.
Now that I bleed Green and White, I would like to see Michigan's basketball program stay down forever. Hopefully this year was an abberration. I hope that Brady Hoke can bring their football program back to a respectable level; only so it can make our victories over them more meaningful. And so they can stop the production of Ohio State's "Golden Pants". I am taking this chance, however, to admit that their hockey team is my "1B" favorite. Don't get me wrong, my hockey loyalties still lie with Michigan State. The embarrassing loss to U-M in the 2nd Cold War still stings. I hope that the new coach can return the program to respectability, which includes making the NCAA tournament regularly. But I recorded Saturday's National Championship game so I wouldn't miss the chance to root for U-M. Here's my best excuses as to why my fandom is excusable.
1. One of my most memorable, vivid childhood dreams involved me playing in a hockey game for U-M. Which is odd, because I hadn't played hockey at the time. I could hear the crunch of my ice under the blades as I skated quickly down the ice for a breakaway.
2. Yost Ice Arena is the best sporting venue that I've ever been to. It has an older, traditional field house feel to it. The acoustics play well and make it a loud environment (you can hear the band playing before you go in the arena. I even used to have a framed panoramic photo of the arena hanging in my parent's basement.
3. They have won 9 NCAA Championships, the most of any team, and never experience the type of "down years" that their football and basketball teams have faced. They have the most NCAA Tournament appearances and Frozen Four appearances of any team.
4. Red Berenson is still coaching. He's in his 70s, and I don't think he looks any different than the day that I went to my first U-M hockey game.
5. The fans are ten thousand times better than the fans at Munn. I recall debates when we were in college whether or not MSU's student section and pep band should sit down or be placed in a different spot so the other fans could see. The typical MSU hockey fans are grandparents taking their little children. The student section was miniscule (I recognize that I am being somewhat hypocritical since I never bought student tickets when I was in college). U-M, however, has a very large student following who were very much in tune with college hockey. I still recall that they were particularly spiteful to a referee named Shegos. And their traditional taunts can be easily recognized at any game. (Side note: I obviously do not enjoy the "If you can't get in to college, go to State" chant, but recognize the truthiness behind that chant since I did not get in to U-M and did indeed go to State).
6. They've got great hockey jerseys. The name "Michigan" stretching diagnonally down the front is my favorite - that style is not used often enough in hockey. Heck, I even like the retro jerseys that they introduced this year.
7. My final, and best excuse, is that my dad took me to a few hockey games every season. I went to a handful of U-M football games, and one less than memorable basketball game, but I really enjoyed going with him to hockey. The most memorable one was one when we got center ice, front row tickets online (it turned out that the person who sold them to the website had stolen them from someone else, but the real owner let us watch the game from her seats because I was 14 at the time). A few years later, when I was looking at the panoramic photo that I mentioned before, I paid closer attention to it and realized that it was taken of that game where we had front row seats. I looked closer and saw our coats right there in front.
As I said before, I hope that MSU's new coach can return the team to greatness and keep it there. But until that happens, I will live vicariously through U-M hockey.
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Cutting Down College BB Arguments
I've heard each of the following arguments in the past week.
1. VCU and Butler don't deserve to win the championship based on their regular season records
...Then why do we have a playoff system? Every major sports tournamens has teams with poor records; most include teams with even worse records. If the NBA tournament began today, two teams would have losing records. The one exception to this is baseball, however Bud Selig and others have said that playoff expansion has been considered to make it more exciting and inclusive.
The NCAA tournament is difficult enough to prevent a bad team from going on a hot streak and winning it all. Some people point to a loss to 9-21 Youngstown State in the middle of the season to argue that Butler doesn't belong. One game doesn't exemplify an entire season, however. The 2000 Michigan State National Championship team lost to a Wright State team earlier that season that finished 11-17.
2. VCU's success from the "First Four" onwards proves that the tournament should expand
VCU isn't in the range of the 60th-68th best team by virtue of being in the "First Four". They were ranked in the 40th-46th best range by virtue of being an 11 seed. What VCU's success does prove, however, is that we don't have the right 68 teams in the NCAA tournament. There are 346 teams in Division I basketball right now, so roughly 20% make the tournament. The talent difference between teams like Kansas and VCU is significant. Not too much, however, that VCU can't have a special run and beat Kansas. The talent difference between a team like Kansas and Boston University is astronomical. So much so that no team that is seeded 16th has ever won, teams ranked 15th have only won four times, and the highest a 14th seed has advanced is the Sweet 16 (which happened only twice). The tournament committee almost made a mistake by leaving a quality team like VCU out of the tournament. However, VCU hasn't won the championship yet, so the severity of that potential mistake isn't yet known. Rather than expand, the NCAA should either demote some teams to Division II or eliminate the automatic berth for conference tournament champions so we can strengthen the talent among the 64-68 teams.
3. You can't root for VCU or Butler to win it all if you didn't support TCU having a shot at the BCS title
Yes I can and yes I am. The argument that "if you support mid-majors in one sport, you have to support them all" is valid, but the two sports aren't comparable right now. I would be in favor of a college football tournament that would include undefeated "non-BCS conference" teams. March Madness includes a wide variety of teams that all have an equal shot. The tournament committee takes conference strength into account when selecting the field. That's why 23-9 Butler from the Horizon League was given the same seeding as 20-13 Michigan from the Big 10. The BCS has to take conference strength into account as well and that is why a team with 1 loss from a BCS conference will, and should, be chosen time after time over an undefeated Boise State or TCU. The challenge and rigor that comes with playing a schedule with teams like Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Penn State; Florida, Auburn, and Alabama; or Oklahoma, Texas, and Oklahoma State doesn't compare with Utah, San Diego St, and Air Force.
4. It is a slap in the face to Purdue for Matt Painter to interview with Missouri
"When you talk professionally with other people, it stays private," Painter said. "You have to assess where you are, where you're going, but through discussions of that nature, you're listening. Talk is cheap and it comes down to action. I'm happy to be a Boilermaker."
For him to interview with Missouri specifically, sure. They don't compare with Purdue as a basketball program. However, I don't think that he would have ever chosen to go to Missouri. This was a "power move" to guarantee himself more money. Some people would argue that the new contract he received last year for $1.3 million per year through 2016-2017 should be sufficient. His new contract takes him through 2018-2019 and pays $2.3 million. I find it hard to criticize any coach for making business decisions since they have less job security than any of us ever will. If an 18 year old kid does something against the rules that they don't know about or if they have two bad seasons in a row, they could be gone in an instant. Layoffs are a possibility for any industry, but a skilled worker can usually find a comparable job. Head coaches gain stigmas that live with them forever.
Contract negotiation is one aspect of sports that I wish was covered much less than it is because it always damages one's image. Most people, however, would leave one job for a comparable one that offers more money. We shouldn't criticize players and coaches just because their figures are in the millions rather than the tens of thousands. If being an operations manager involved working all day, traveling a few times a week, and was broadcast on TV, I would think it's reasonable to fight for an extra million dollars too.
1. VCU and Butler don't deserve to win the championship based on their regular season records
...Then why do we have a playoff system? Every major sports tournamens has teams with poor records; most include teams with even worse records. If the NBA tournament began today, two teams would have losing records. The one exception to this is baseball, however Bud Selig and others have said that playoff expansion has been considered to make it more exciting and inclusive.
The NCAA tournament is difficult enough to prevent a bad team from going on a hot streak and winning it all. Some people point to a loss to 9-21 Youngstown State in the middle of the season to argue that Butler doesn't belong. One game doesn't exemplify an entire season, however. The 2000 Michigan State National Championship team lost to a Wright State team earlier that season that finished 11-17.
2. VCU's success from the "First Four" onwards proves that the tournament should expand
VCU isn't in the range of the 60th-68th best team by virtue of being in the "First Four". They were ranked in the 40th-46th best range by virtue of being an 11 seed. What VCU's success does prove, however, is that we don't have the right 68 teams in the NCAA tournament. There are 346 teams in Division I basketball right now, so roughly 20% make the tournament. The talent difference between teams like Kansas and VCU is significant. Not too much, however, that VCU can't have a special run and beat Kansas. The talent difference between a team like Kansas and Boston University is astronomical. So much so that no team that is seeded 16th has ever won, teams ranked 15th have only won four times, and the highest a 14th seed has advanced is the Sweet 16 (which happened only twice). The tournament committee almost made a mistake by leaving a quality team like VCU out of the tournament. However, VCU hasn't won the championship yet, so the severity of that potential mistake isn't yet known. Rather than expand, the NCAA should either demote some teams to Division II or eliminate the automatic berth for conference tournament champions so we can strengthen the talent among the 64-68 teams.
3. You can't root for VCU or Butler to win it all if you didn't support TCU having a shot at the BCS title
Yes I can and yes I am. The argument that "if you support mid-majors in one sport, you have to support them all" is valid, but the two sports aren't comparable right now. I would be in favor of a college football tournament that would include undefeated "non-BCS conference" teams. March Madness includes a wide variety of teams that all have an equal shot. The tournament committee takes conference strength into account when selecting the field. That's why 23-9 Butler from the Horizon League was given the same seeding as 20-13 Michigan from the Big 10. The BCS has to take conference strength into account as well and that is why a team with 1 loss from a BCS conference will, and should, be chosen time after time over an undefeated Boise State or TCU. The challenge and rigor that comes with playing a schedule with teams like Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Penn State; Florida, Auburn, and Alabama; or Oklahoma, Texas, and Oklahoma State doesn't compare with Utah, San Diego St, and Air Force.
4. It is a slap in the face to Purdue for Matt Painter to interview with Missouri
"When you talk professionally with other people, it stays private," Painter said. "You have to assess where you are, where you're going, but through discussions of that nature, you're listening. Talk is cheap and it comes down to action. I'm happy to be a Boilermaker."
For him to interview with Missouri specifically, sure. They don't compare with Purdue as a basketball program. However, I don't think that he would have ever chosen to go to Missouri. This was a "power move" to guarantee himself more money. Some people would argue that the new contract he received last year for $1.3 million per year through 2016-2017 should be sufficient. His new contract takes him through 2018-2019 and pays $2.3 million. I find it hard to criticize any coach for making business decisions since they have less job security than any of us ever will. If an 18 year old kid does something against the rules that they don't know about or if they have two bad seasons in a row, they could be gone in an instant. Layoffs are a possibility for any industry, but a skilled worker can usually find a comparable job. Head coaches gain stigmas that live with them forever.
Contract negotiation is one aspect of sports that I wish was covered much less than it is because it always damages one's image. Most people, however, would leave one job for a comparable one that offers more money. We shouldn't criticize players and coaches just because their figures are in the millions rather than the tens of thousands. If being an operations manager involved working all day, traveling a few times a week, and was broadcast on TV, I would think it's reasonable to fight for an extra million dollars too.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Elite
A word of warning to my Ohio State friends: don't take me out to watch a Buckeye's tournament game. They're 0-3 now when that happens!
Two years ago, Stacey and I got to enjoy watching them fall to Siena in the first round while we were at the bar watching MSU win at the same time. Last year, we went to play pool while watching MSU beat Northern Iowa and something called Ali Farokhmanesh. Before our game started, OSU lost to Tennessee. Last night, with Stacey out of town, I decided to go out to dinner with some work friends. Since the only teams I hate more than OSU are Duke and Kentucky, I was rooting for them. Towards the end of the game, I remembered my history of bars and OSU games and told my friends about it. I'm sorry.
It's been a very weird tournament. I got three of the Elite 8 teams right. But I had just as many losing in the first round (VCU, Butler, and Arizona). At this point, it would appear that three of the four games could be complete blow outs leading to an "anyone's guess" Final Four.
Rank order of who I'm rooting for:
Butler
VCU
UConn
Arizona
Florida
Kansas
North Carolina
Kentucky
(The last three are really close in earning my hatred)
Rank order of likelihood to win it all:
Three who could win it
Kansas - have been the only team to blow out every opponent. They seem to have the best talent and lead the nation in a lot of categories. But they've made a lot of deep tournament runs in the past decade and have only won it once.
UConn - best player left, but they can't depend on scoring from two players to win every game, can they?
Florida - I really like their defense and they're getting production out of a lot of players
Everyone else
Arizona - have faced strong tournament teams every round and are probably playing some of the best basketball right now of any team. But I just don't see it happening, which means they will win it all.
Kentucky - great talent, but that didn't get it done last year. I wasn't blown away by their performance last night.
Butler - every game has been close until they and and they have pulled it out in crunch time. That composure is due to their experience. But they haven't faced a team that's strong in the tournament yet.
North Carolina - they're young and benefitted from playing the weakest Sweet 16 opponent of the bunch. I think they've advanced further than they should have and I don't think there's any chance they can make the National Championship game.
VCU - To be honest, I didn't even have them beating USC. I can't believe a play-in game team made it to the Sweet 16. They're the only team left that I haven't really watched. Kansas is on a whole different level than any of the teams they faced, so expect a blowout.
Two years ago, Stacey and I got to enjoy watching them fall to Siena in the first round while we were at the bar watching MSU win at the same time. Last year, we went to play pool while watching MSU beat Northern Iowa and something called Ali Farokhmanesh. Before our game started, OSU lost to Tennessee. Last night, with Stacey out of town, I decided to go out to dinner with some work friends. Since the only teams I hate more than OSU are Duke and Kentucky, I was rooting for them. Towards the end of the game, I remembered my history of bars and OSU games and told my friends about it. I'm sorry.
It's been a very weird tournament. I got three of the Elite 8 teams right. But I had just as many losing in the first round (VCU, Butler, and Arizona). At this point, it would appear that three of the four games could be complete blow outs leading to an "anyone's guess" Final Four.
Rank order of who I'm rooting for:
Butler
VCU
UConn
Arizona
Florida
Kansas
North Carolina
Kentucky
(The last three are really close in earning my hatred)
Rank order of likelihood to win it all:
Three who could win it
Kansas - have been the only team to blow out every opponent. They seem to have the best talent and lead the nation in a lot of categories. But they've made a lot of deep tournament runs in the past decade and have only won it once.
UConn - best player left, but they can't depend on scoring from two players to win every game, can they?
Florida - I really like their defense and they're getting production out of a lot of players
Everyone else
Arizona - have faced strong tournament teams every round and are probably playing some of the best basketball right now of any team. But I just don't see it happening, which means they will win it all.
Kentucky - great talent, but that didn't get it done last year. I wasn't blown away by their performance last night.
Butler - every game has been close until they and and they have pulled it out in crunch time. That composure is due to their experience. But they haven't faced a team that's strong in the tournament yet.
North Carolina - they're young and benefitted from playing the weakest Sweet 16 opponent of the bunch. I think they've advanced further than they should have and I don't think there's any chance they can make the National Championship game.
VCU - To be honest, I didn't even have them beating USC. I can't believe a play-in game team made it to the Sweet 16. They're the only team left that I haven't really watched. Kansas is on a whole different level than any of the teams they faced, so expect a blowout.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Nationwide Baseball Tour
It's official: stops 10 and 11 on our tour of major league ballparks will be....
Tampa Bay Rays - Tropicana Field
Atlanta Braves - Turner Field
Ironically, their games are against the Indians and Reds respectively.
Tampa Bay Rays - Tropicana Field
Atlanta Braves - Turner Field
Ironically, their games are against the Indians and Reds respectively.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Complete Breakdown of the NFL Labor Battle
I have several thoughts on the various issues at play in the NFL Labor situation. First, let me break down the 20 point contract bargaining agreement that the owners proposed at the last minute. The revenue sharing included in said proposal can only be described as NOBODYCARESABOUTYOURSTUPIDDISAGREEMENTJUSTDONTCANCELANYGAMESANDYOUBETTERNOTFUCKWITHMYFANTASYFOOTBALLNEXTSEASON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As we've already seen, the labor battle will not to any favors for the league's perception. Having star players like Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady, that are among the most popular athletes today, lead a lawsuit against their bosses will be damaging to their popularity, and therefore the league's as well. Adding to the controversy is the immature plan to scare incoming players from attending the NFL draft and publicly celebrating their accomplishments. One viewer of "Mike and Mike" this morning aptly compared this to a teacher's union pressuring students to skip their high school graduation to thumb their nose at the administration. Finally, the official start of the lockout coincided with one of the worst natural disasters we've seen in recent years. Released statements, press conferences, Twitter come-backs, and reports from various sources regarding a legal battle between millionaires and billionaires is not good PR, especially when it is competing for news airtime with scenes of towns being washed away and nuclear plants on fire.
I don't mean to be pretentious or smug, but nobody is going to win the public relations tug-of-war that has started. We're five months away from losing games and fans are already tired of the rhetoric and party-lining. We all know negotiations don't heat up until deadlines, so we are far from a resolution. The best thing both sides, especially the players, could do at this point is shut up and deal with this behind closed doors.
And since there are more important things going on in the world right now, I want to focus on those issues. I came across this article about how the Japanese aren't looting and found it very interesting. Isn't looting part the government's motivation for stresses disaster preparedness? Certainly they want people to have the proper supplies when something unfortunate happens, but indirectly that is meant to curb people from resorting to disorder and lawlessness to fulfill their needs. Proof of our culture's self-centeredness could be found in the media's reporting of the earthquake and tsunami. I found in numerous places that the typical reports on the immediate devastation in Japan, the resulting affect on neighboring countries, etc. were accompanied by articles on the affect that had on oil prices. One reporter theorized that oil and gas prices should go down since this would surely stall the world's third largest economy. Well good - that should counteract the price increases from the civil unrest in Libya! (Warning: if you couldn't tell that was seething with sarcasm, you need help.)
Again, to avoid being smug, I am not sure how I would react in a crisis situation. If I need food or supplies and I am facing an empty store window with a brick in hand, I don't think I would concern myself with trying to find the owner or cash to pay them. This report, if true, is certainly admirable and unfortunately uncommon.
As we've already seen, the labor battle will not to any favors for the league's perception. Having star players like Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady, that are among the most popular athletes today, lead a lawsuit against their bosses will be damaging to their popularity, and therefore the league's as well. Adding to the controversy is the immature plan to scare incoming players from attending the NFL draft and publicly celebrating their accomplishments. One viewer of "Mike and Mike" this morning aptly compared this to a teacher's union pressuring students to skip their high school graduation to thumb their nose at the administration. Finally, the official start of the lockout coincided with one of the worst natural disasters we've seen in recent years. Released statements, press conferences, Twitter come-backs, and reports from various sources regarding a legal battle between millionaires and billionaires is not good PR, especially when it is competing for news airtime with scenes of towns being washed away and nuclear plants on fire.
I don't mean to be pretentious or smug, but nobody is going to win the public relations tug-of-war that has started. We're five months away from losing games and fans are already tired of the rhetoric and party-lining. We all know negotiations don't heat up until deadlines, so we are far from a resolution. The best thing both sides, especially the players, could do at this point is shut up and deal with this behind closed doors.
And since there are more important things going on in the world right now, I want to focus on those issues. I came across this article about how the Japanese aren't looting and found it very interesting. Isn't looting part the government's motivation for stresses disaster preparedness? Certainly they want people to have the proper supplies when something unfortunate happens, but indirectly that is meant to curb people from resorting to disorder and lawlessness to fulfill their needs. Proof of our culture's self-centeredness could be found in the media's reporting of the earthquake and tsunami. I found in numerous places that the typical reports on the immediate devastation in Japan, the resulting affect on neighboring countries, etc. were accompanied by articles on the affect that had on oil prices. One reporter theorized that oil and gas prices should go down since this would surely stall the world's third largest economy. Well good - that should counteract the price increases from the civil unrest in Libya! (Warning: if you couldn't tell that was seething with sarcasm, you need help.)
Again, to avoid being smug, I am not sure how I would react in a crisis situation. If I need food or supplies and I am facing an empty store window with a brick in hand, I don't think I would concern myself with trying to find the owner or cash to pay them. This report, if true, is certainly admirable and unfortunately uncommon.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Selection Sunday 3
I think all of our collective hearts were close to bursting, but it was well worth it. We get to play the #1 seed that lost in the first round of their conference tournament, the weakest # 2 seed that was heavily questioned during the Selection show, a #3 seed who kicked their leading rebounder off the team, and a #4 seed that we've beaten already. Having to play Florida in their home state will be tough
If our M.O. is outperforming in March...
Virginia Tech's is having their bubbles burst. Is there a program in the country that is screwed over more? This year, they will surely be a #1 seed in the NIT (meaning they just barely missed the NCAA) with a 21-11 record. Last year, they were also a #1 seed with a record of 23-8. In 2008, they were also a #1 seed with a record of 19-13.
You get to play in Cleveland, but....
George Mason? Kentucky? North Carolina? Good luck Ohio State. You'd think having your AD chair the selection committee would give you an advantage. If there was any team that could run that gauntlet, however, it's OSU. Columbus has a decent number of Kentucky fans because it's only 3 hours from Lexington. That will be the most exciting matchup of the Sweet 16, in my opinion.
Southeast = Upset Central?...
For our sake, hopefully it is. Is everyone going to pick Old Dominion, Belmont, and Utah State in upsets? I felt smart about those picks until I heard Seth Davis (?) announce those as his upsets. I said it before - this will be Pitt's best chance to make the Final Four that they've ever had. In previous tournaments, Pitt has lost when they've faced a star guard.
2010 - Jordan Crawford - 27 points - Drafted 27th overall
2009 - Scottie Reynolds - 15 points - 1st Team All American
2008 - Drew Neitzel - 21 points - Second Team All American
2007 - Aaron Afflalo - 17 points - Drafted 27th overall
Darren Collison - 12 points - Drafted 21st overall
2006 - Patrick O'Bryant - 28 points - Drafted 9th overall (ok, he's a center, but still...)
2005 - David Doubley - 17 points - Big West Player of the Year (now that's a stretch...)
2004 - Tony Allen - 23 points - Drafted 25th overall
2003 - Dwayne Wade - 22 points - Drafted 5th overall
2002 - Antonio Gates - 22 points - Really good football player
From my standpoint, the only potential All Americans in our bracket are Jimmer and Jacob Pullen from Kansas State, so that bodes well for them.
I was very anxious to learn more about our potential opponents, so I did some research. Below are the rankings in the most important stat categories for the top teams in our region.
FT %
Wisconsin 1st (.824)
BYU 15th (.759)
St. John's 108th (.711)
Michigan State 147th (.699)
UCLA 199th (.683)
Pitt 234th (.672)
Florida 238th (.670)
Kansas State 300th (.647)
FG %
Pitt 20th (.474)
Florida 45th (.464)
UCLA 74th (.456)
St. John's 77th (.455)
BYU 92nd (.452)
Kansas State 159th (.438)
Wisconsin 124th (.445)
Michigan State 191st (.432)
3PT FG %
Pitt 18th (.390)
Kansas State 44th (.375)
Wisconsin 50th (.371)
BYU 83rd (.362)
Florida 110th (.356)
Michigan State 128th (.353)
St. John's 234th (.330)
UCLA 243rd (.329)
Rebounds Per Game
Pitt 8th (39.8)
BYU 16th (38.7)
Kansas State 35th (38)
Florida 48th (37.6)
UCLA 61st (37.3)
Michigan State 73rd (37)
St. John's 281st (32.8)
Wisconsin 299th (32.1)
Turnovers Per Game
Wisconsin 1st (7.4)
BYU 19th (11)
Pitt 35th (11.7)
Florida 81st (12.4)
St John's 81st (12.4)
Michigan State 144th (13.3)
UCLA 270th (14.9)
Kansas State 277th (15)
Takeaways
While free throws aren't our region's forte (outside of Wisconsin), rebounding is. I am nervous to see that we have by far the worst field goal percentage. It is very encouraging to see that UCLA turns the ball over even more than we do and they can't shoot 3's. That bodes well for our chances of winning the first round. This year, Wisconsin is very typical Bo Ryan team in the sense that they don't give away any games. They protect the basketball (they average two fewer turnovers per game than the 2nd best in the country!!!) and make their free throws. Their achilles heal, obviously, is that they don't make a high percentage of their shots and they're horrible at rebounding. That second stat is very surprising to me, because Wisconsin is usually very tall and talented at rebounding.
If our M.O. is outperforming in March...
Virginia Tech's is having their bubbles burst. Is there a program in the country that is screwed over more? This year, they will surely be a #1 seed in the NIT (meaning they just barely missed the NCAA) with a 21-11 record. Last year, they were also a #1 seed with a record of 23-8. In 2008, they were also a #1 seed with a record of 19-13.
You get to play in Cleveland, but....
George Mason? Kentucky? North Carolina? Good luck Ohio State. You'd think having your AD chair the selection committee would give you an advantage. If there was any team that could run that gauntlet, however, it's OSU. Columbus has a decent number of Kentucky fans because it's only 3 hours from Lexington. That will be the most exciting matchup of the Sweet 16, in my opinion.
Southeast = Upset Central?...
For our sake, hopefully it is. Is everyone going to pick Old Dominion, Belmont, and Utah State in upsets? I felt smart about those picks until I heard Seth Davis (?) announce those as his upsets. I said it before - this will be Pitt's best chance to make the Final Four that they've ever had. In previous tournaments, Pitt has lost when they've faced a star guard.
2010 - Jordan Crawford - 27 points - Drafted 27th overall
2009 - Scottie Reynolds - 15 points - 1st Team All American
2008 - Drew Neitzel - 21 points - Second Team All American
2007 - Aaron Afflalo - 17 points - Drafted 27th overall
Darren Collison - 12 points - Drafted 21st overall
2006 - Patrick O'Bryant - 28 points - Drafted 9th overall (ok, he's a center, but still...)
2005 - David Doubley - 17 points - Big West Player of the Year (now that's a stretch...)
2004 - Tony Allen - 23 points - Drafted 25th overall
2003 - Dwayne Wade - 22 points - Drafted 5th overall
2002 - Antonio Gates - 22 points - Really good football player
From my standpoint, the only potential All Americans in our bracket are Jimmer and Jacob Pullen from Kansas State, so that bodes well for them.
I was very anxious to learn more about our potential opponents, so I did some research. Below are the rankings in the most important stat categories for the top teams in our region.
FT %
Wisconsin 1st (.824)
BYU 15th (.759)
St. John's 108th (.711)
Michigan State 147th (.699)
UCLA 199th (.683)
Pitt 234th (.672)
Florida 238th (.670)
Kansas State 300th (.647)
FG %
Pitt 20th (.474)
Florida 45th (.464)
UCLA 74th (.456)
St. John's 77th (.455)
BYU 92nd (.452)
Kansas State 159th (.438)
Wisconsin 124th (.445)
Michigan State 191st (.432)
3PT FG %
Pitt 18th (.390)
Kansas State 44th (.375)
Wisconsin 50th (.371)
BYU 83rd (.362)
Florida 110th (.356)
Michigan State 128th (.353)
St. John's 234th (.330)
UCLA 243rd (.329)
Rebounds Per Game
Pitt 8th (39.8)
BYU 16th (38.7)
Kansas State 35th (38)
Florida 48th (37.6)
UCLA 61st (37.3)
Michigan State 73rd (37)
St. John's 281st (32.8)
Wisconsin 299th (32.1)
Turnovers Per Game
Wisconsin 1st (7.4)
BYU 19th (11)
Pitt 35th (11.7)
Florida 81st (12.4)
St John's 81st (12.4)
Michigan State 144th (13.3)
UCLA 270th (14.9)
Kansas State 277th (15)
Takeaways
While free throws aren't our region's forte (outside of Wisconsin), rebounding is. I am nervous to see that we have by far the worst field goal percentage. It is very encouraging to see that UCLA turns the ball over even more than we do and they can't shoot 3's. That bodes well for our chances of winning the first round. This year, Wisconsin is very typical Bo Ryan team in the sense that they don't give away any games. They protect the basketball (they average two fewer turnovers per game than the 2nd best in the country!!!) and make their free throws. Their achilles heal, obviously, is that they don't make a high percentage of their shots and they're horrible at rebounding. That second stat is very surprising to me, because Wisconsin is usually very tall and talented at rebounding.
Selection Sunday 2
For the second "why does Penn State have such a high SOS" stat of the day:
Penn State is 4-9 against the RPI top 50 (#6 SOS).
Michigan is 6-9 (#17) and Illinois is 5-10 (#20).
Michigan State is 5-13 (#12).
We only lost one game to a team outside of the top 50! (Thanks Iowa)
Too bad the NCAA tournament has so many teams in the Top 50 RPI or we'd do extremely well!
Because this will be over in a week...
The longer I think about it, the more I want BYU in the second round!!!
Let's face it... this will probably be over in a week too. If you didn't understand from this video, the way the Bucky differs from the Dougie is that you need to spit on someone while you're dancing.
Penn State is 4-9 against the RPI top 50 (#6 SOS).
Michigan is 6-9 (#17) and Illinois is 5-10 (#20).
Michigan State is 5-13 (#12).
We only lost one game to a team outside of the top 50! (Thanks Iowa)
Too bad the NCAA tournament has so many teams in the Top 50 RPI or we'd do extremely well!
Because this will be over in a week...
The longer I think about it, the more I want BYU in the second round!!!
Let's face it... this will probably be over in a week too. If you didn't understand from this video, the way the Bucky differs from the Dougie is that you need to spit on someone while you're dancing.
Selection Sunday
I am glad that Ken Pomeroy's data has MSU listed with the most difficult SOS.
-Michigan State played four tournament conference champions (Oakland, UConn, Washington, and whomever wins the Big 10 Tourney.) If Duke wins the ACC, that will make 5.
- If you throw in teams that lost in their conference's championship, you get Texas, Syracuse, Tennessee Tech, and the loser of the Big 10 Championship.
-I still don't get how Penn State is given such a high SOS.
Going by today's Bracketology rankings, here's what I think is the easiest path to the championship (assuming the highest seeds win each time).
#6 - WVU - St. Johns and K State have been two of the hottest teams late in the season (ignoring the conference tournaments). UNLV has some quality wins (Wisconsin, Va Tech). WVU is a middle of the road Big East team and is undersized.
#3 - BYU - The 3 seeds all appeared in their conference tournament championship. BYU has proved that losing Davies has made them extremely vulnerable. In their 15 appearances since 1984, they have lost in the first round 10 times and in the second 5 times. Jimmer was Jimmer last year and they still lost by 12 in the second round.
#2 - Duke - Call me cocky, but we almost beat them at home with Kyrie Irving. This is a typical Duke team - they rely on outside shooting are vulnerable when they have an off night. They lost every big road game they faced (which is hypocritical to say, of course, because MSU did too). There's no way I want to see Kemba again, San Diego St is a big unknown, and the "team who shall not be named" is MSU's kryptonite.
#1 - Pitt - Pitt is limping into the tournament with a 3-3 record in their past few games (to be fair, two were due to buzzer beaters and the third went OT). They haven't performed well in the tournament and I haven't seen anything lately that makes me think this year will be any different.
then
#1 - ND - They rank 76th in the country in rebounding despite having fairly tall guards. The possibility of facing another Hansbrough scares me a little. They have some quality road wins and are one of the hottest teams in the country right now (12-2 to end the season).
then
#1 Kansas - I don't want to have to face OSU again. We played them close on the road, but we were beneficiaries of a Sullinger off night, which he probably would remember (do you recall their rematch against Wisconsin? Ouch.) On paper, they appear to be the team destined to win. Kansas has also lost only two games this year and would have a huge height advantage. They have had some disappointing tournament appearances in recent years, so I think we may be more likely to pull off a huge upset against them.
-Michigan State played four tournament conference champions (Oakland, UConn, Washington, and whomever wins the Big 10 Tourney.) If Duke wins the ACC, that will make 5.
- If you throw in teams that lost in their conference's championship, you get Texas, Syracuse, Tennessee Tech, and the loser of the Big 10 Championship.
-I still don't get how Penn State is given such a high SOS.
Going by today's Bracketology rankings, here's what I think is the easiest path to the championship (assuming the highest seeds win each time).
#6 - WVU - St. Johns and K State have been two of the hottest teams late in the season (ignoring the conference tournaments). UNLV has some quality wins (Wisconsin, Va Tech). WVU is a middle of the road Big East team and is undersized.
#3 - BYU - The 3 seeds all appeared in their conference tournament championship. BYU has proved that losing Davies has made them extremely vulnerable. In their 15 appearances since 1984, they have lost in the first round 10 times and in the second 5 times. Jimmer was Jimmer last year and they still lost by 12 in the second round.
#2 - Duke - Call me cocky, but we almost beat them at home with Kyrie Irving. This is a typical Duke team - they rely on outside shooting are vulnerable when they have an off night. They lost every big road game they faced (which is hypocritical to say, of course, because MSU did too). There's no way I want to see Kemba again, San Diego St is a big unknown, and the "team who shall not be named" is MSU's kryptonite.
#1 - Pitt - Pitt is limping into the tournament with a 3-3 record in their past few games (to be fair, two were due to buzzer beaters and the third went OT). They haven't performed well in the tournament and I haven't seen anything lately that makes me think this year will be any different.
then
#1 - ND - They rank 76th in the country in rebounding despite having fairly tall guards. The possibility of facing another Hansbrough scares me a little. They have some quality road wins and are one of the hottest teams in the country right now (12-2 to end the season).
then
#1 Kansas - I don't want to have to face OSU again. We played them close on the road, but we were beneficiaries of a Sullinger off night, which he probably would remember (do you recall their rematch against Wisconsin? Ouch.) On paper, they appear to be the team destined to win. Kansas has also lost only two games this year and would have a huge height advantage. They have had some disappointing tournament appearances in recent years, so I think we may be more likely to pull off a huge upset against them.
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Colors
It may seem kind of weird, but there are a few colors that I see that make me happy every time I see them.
The bold red shine of my kayak reminds me of adventure.
The chipped yellow paint on my hockey stick is a secret hint of my secret childhood wish to play on U-M's hockey team.
The dirty white tape on it allows me to pretend I am a real hockey player .
The bright green frog photo at the top of my staircase is one of the last things I see before I go to bed every night.
The black sheen of Boo's coat makes her the cutest cat.
The chesnut brown of our deck is my favorite place to spend time in the summer.
.....I can't think of anything orange or blue right now that I like....
The bold red shine of my kayak reminds me of adventure.
The chipped yellow paint on my hockey stick is a secret hint of my secret childhood wish to play on U-M's hockey team.
The dirty white tape on it allows me to pretend I am a real hockey player .
The bright green frog photo at the top of my staircase is one of the last things I see before I go to bed every night.
The black sheen of Boo's coat makes her the cutest cat.
The chesnut brown of our deck is my favorite place to spend time in the summer.
.....I can't think of anything orange or blue right now that I like....
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