As I was walking down the hall from lunch to Mr. Green's room (yes, I was subbing for Mr. Green and that is a whole other post on Green-isms...or maybe just Mr. Green voice impersonations), I heard Mr. Guza starting up his lesson:
"Today we are going to look at the maximums and minimums of limits and before we can get to that, there are a couple of things we must do. Number 1, (as the 4th hour bell rings) we need to close the door so we don't hear all the noise in the hallways."
Speaking of voice impersonations, did anyone watch Letterman 2 weeks ago when the Late Show did Impressionist Week? It was pretty good. Of course you had Rich Little leading off the week. I'd put him at #3. Kevin Pollak was the last one of the week...and probably the worst. Worst is a hard term because he's a heck of a lot better than me, but not as good as the other impressionists. However, he did a killer Christopher Walken. That is probably his signature best. #2 would probably have to be Frank Caliendo. You may have seen him on Mad TV for his signature John Madden impression, which is pretty hilarious. He's also got a decent Robin Williams in his repertoire. But #1 by far was Gordie Brown. He has a show in Vegas. But what made Gordie so good was that his facial impressions were sometimes better than the voice. His Jack Nicholson was incredible all around, facial and voice. Basically, if you call yourself an impressionist and can't do Jack, you aren't an impressionist.
Well heck, I might as well let you watch the highlights here. Enjoy. The video feed might be horrible, but the sound should be fine.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Vacation Time
Adam,
What is your schedule for the Christmas holidays? I can't remember when you said you'd be coming home, but I remember you saying you were going to take a few more days off. Basically what I'm saying is...I can't wait to meet her.
Note: I'm fine with USC playing OSU in the Championship game. Only as long as the voters picked USC because they are the better team, not because they didn't want to see a rematch.
What is your schedule for the Christmas holidays? I can't remember when you said you'd be coming home, but I remember you saying you were going to take a few more days off. Basically what I'm saying is...I can't wait to meet her.
Note: I'm fine with USC playing OSU in the Championship game. Only as long as the voters picked USC because they are the better team, not because they didn't want to see a rematch.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
KOTOR will return...
According to this article on Next-Gen, Lucasarts VP Nancy MacIntyre says the Knights of the Old Republic franchise will continue. Being that Lucasarts can seldom resist turning a Star Wars game like KOTOR into a trilogy this isn't surprising news, but it's welcome nonetheless. KOTOR 2 is a good game, but it was rushed out the door which left many bugs and a significant amount of content cut from the game. They even cut most of the story involving HK-47, which is a crime against gaming. Hopefully a sequel can correct these flaws and end the series impressively. Sadly, it's unlikely Bioware would be involved, as they were with the original, due to their focus on original games (cough, Mass Effect, cough). Please don't screw this up Lucasarts. And give us more HK-47. And Jolee Bindo. And... I'll stop now. (Hat Tip: Joystiq)
Interesting Note
In bible study last night we were discussing Romans 6. This passage in particular was mentioned (from BibleGateway.com, NASB):12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but resent yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
The interesting part was the word instruments. The Greek word is hopla, which means a weapon or armor. This is the same word that hoplite, the heavy infantry of ancient Greece, is derived from. Interesting stuff.
Monday, November 27, 2006
A Thought
In 20-30 years, how many political campaigns will be ended by embarassing videos permanently floating about the internet? Think of all the myspace and youtube material that gets posted of people doing stupid things of questionable legality. If you think politicians dig up dirt now, wait until our generation is running for office, having forgotten that one night in college.
Expect many applications of the "Photoshop Defence" (patent pending) .
Expect many applications of the "Photoshop Defence" (patent pending) .
The New Guy?
According to this report in the Detroit News and this one at ESPN.com, MSU has decided to hire Cincinnati coach Mark Dantonio as their new head coach. We should know for sure later today.
UPDATE: It's official, Mark Dantonio is the new head coach of the Spartans. Dantonio was previously an assistant coach under former Spartan coach Nick Saban and current OSU coach Jim Tressel.
UPDATE: It's official, Mark Dantonio is the new head coach of the Spartans. Dantonio was previously an assistant coach under former Spartan coach Nick Saban and current OSU coach Jim Tressel.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
“What’s a guy got to do to get fired around here?”
Rumors are swirling that Matt Millen may (finally) be on his way out as GM of the Detroit Lions. After another embarassing Thanksgiving loss, and to a hated former Lions' QB no less, this is hardly surprising. There may be news tomorrow. Stay tuned.
Wiiiii!
I picked up the new nintendo last Sunday morning (only waited about an hour and a half) and took it home for Thanksgiving. I'll get around to a full write-up one of these days, but for the moment I'll run down a few impressions.
Everyone (brother-in-law, sisters, dad [mom didn't try...yet]) could pick up the controler and play Wii Sports. Fun was had by all.
If they can get the responsiveness down, a good boxing game could be one of the coolest things ever. The Wii Sports boxing is the only game in the compilation that does not function well. The ontrols are very nearly broken and its still fun to play. Ashleigh picked it right up and wasted the computer in the first round. I feared for the tv's safety. When we got a second controller (which are too expensive, but there are no third party ones yet, and when there are they won't be any good. They couldn't even copy analog sticks right, how will they do accelerometers?) she knocked me out. (her character got off the mat twice, mine...not so much.)
Zelda rocks. Controls well, especially considering it was originally a gamecube game. Combat is deeper than previos entries in the series. Its also huge. Not Morrowind huge, but whats there serves a purpose. Very few frustrating points, which is a big deal in a game like this. Excellent design all around (as it should be, it was originaly going to release LAST November). Not wild about the character designs on some of the side characters and the attempts at comic relief would not have been missed, but nothing is perfect.
No problems with the controllers. Some clever person thought to have them shut off when the system does, preventing super-scope like battery drains. Wii all thank you.
I will milk Wii related puns for all they are worth, its Nintendo's fault for choosing such a lousy name.
Sorry for the stream-of-consciousness post.
Everyone (brother-in-law, sisters, dad [mom didn't try...yet]) could pick up the controler and play Wii Sports. Fun was had by all.
If they can get the responsiveness down, a good boxing game could be one of the coolest things ever. The Wii Sports boxing is the only game in the compilation that does not function well. The ontrols are very nearly broken and its still fun to play. Ashleigh picked it right up and wasted the computer in the first round. I feared for the tv's safety. When we got a second controller (which are too expensive, but there are no third party ones yet, and when there are they won't be any good. They couldn't even copy analog sticks right, how will they do accelerometers?) she knocked me out. (her character got off the mat twice, mine...not so much.)
Zelda rocks. Controls well, especially considering it was originally a gamecube game. Combat is deeper than previos entries in the series. Its also huge. Not Morrowind huge, but whats there serves a purpose. Very few frustrating points, which is a big deal in a game like this. Excellent design all around (as it should be, it was originaly going to release LAST November). Not wild about the character designs on some of the side characters and the attempts at comic relief would not have been missed, but nothing is perfect.
No problems with the controllers. Some clever person thought to have them shut off when the system does, preventing super-scope like battery drains. Wii all thank you.
I will milk Wii related puns for all they are worth, its Nintendo's fault for choosing such a lousy name.
Sorry for the stream-of-consciousness post.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
FSU v Florida: 10 Years Later
Lest you forgot, the 1996 state of Florida showdown consisted of #1 Florida at #2 Florida State. FSU won that game 24-21. That was the year Steve Spurrier put on his politician uniform and complained about the officiating. He claimed his QB Danny Wuerffel was taking late hits and no penalties were called. Well, the Ole Ball Coach got what he wanted. A rematch for the National Championship and a bunch of Florida lovin' refs who protected the QB on every touch of a FSU defensive player. Needless to say, Florida went on to win the Championship.
So, the precedent has been set. It's been done before. A rematch with a rival. However, those two teams were interconference rivals.
Again, I got what I wanted. A game that lived up to the hype last Saturday and finally a game that proves just because you lose doesn't mean you always have to drop in the polls. It took guts to vote for a defensive player for the Heisman in 1997. It's going to take guts and luck for a National Championship rematch in 2006.
Heisman Race:
I forgot to put in my vote last post: Troy Smith clinched the deal against Michigan.
GM of the Week:
Matt Millen, eat your heart out. For those of you Fantasy geeks, last Friday was the trade deadline for any fantasy football wheels and deals. I wouldn't exactly call myself a genius at making great trades, but I put my neck on the line and (so far) came out on top.
In one of my leagues I had to do the random order draft at Adam's appartment. It is a 12 team league and I got "screwed" with the 12th pick. The top 4 teams go to the playoffs. Well, up until two weeks ago my record was 7-0-2 (they are anti-fractional points, however I probably would have lost if they used the fractional points). But I'm still in first place. Well, one of the key players keeping me in first place was Mr. Donovan McNabb. As the deadline approached, I knew I no longer needed a two QB package. Who was my 2nd QB? Up and coming Philip Rivers. With no more byes, I didn't need both.
I put out a trade offer on McNabb in return for Chester Taylor. I think I did alright in that trade. He'll probably never trade with me again, especially since he didn't really need McNabb with Tony Freakin' Romo on his roster.
McNabb: 78 yards, 1 INT, 1 torn ACL = 1 point and done for season.
Taylor: 80 yards, 2 TD = 16 points
In my other league, it is also 12 teams and the top 8 teams make it to the playoffs. I'm not sitting nearly as pretty, somewhere in the 6 or 7 hole. I had just taken on the 10-0 team (my future brother-in-law) and was only down 18 points with Eli Manning and Muhsin Muhammad in the Sunday Night Football game between the Bears and Giants. Muhammad was the man and got me 14 points. 5 points from Eli shouldn't be asking much. (Keep in mind, the scoring is 40 passing yards per 1 point.) Basically 1 TD should seal the deal. No. Manning sucked. He got me -3 points. Needless to say I declared Eli would never see another snap on my team and put my money where my mouth was. However, I didn't have a back up QB. So, I traded Eli and Muhammad for Carson Palmer.
Eli: 230 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT = 7 points
Muhammad: 29 yards = 1 point
Palmer: 275 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT = 22 points.
I think I did pretty well there.
In another trade, someone offered me a TE and Jamal Lewis for Deuce McAllister. He offered me a TE because Tony Gonzalez just got injured. But, I have Colston, so I don't need a TE. (I got Deuce in week 4 along with Muhsin Muhammad in a trade for Willis McGahee. I think I did alright there too.) In this last trade involving Deuce, I countered his offer to get a WR instead of a TE because I didn't need a TE with Colston usable in that position. So I got Patrick Crayton from Dallas. I thought Terry Glenn was still injured, so that wasn't a good WR to go after. Anyway, here are Sunday's stats:
Deuce: 40 yards rushing, 29 yards receiving = 3 points.
Lewis: 91 yards, 3 TD's = 25 points
Crayton: 6 yards = 0 points
Keep in mind, I was given heck for trading Deuce: "He's got more TD's than my 3 RB's combined. What are you thinking?"
So, in one week in that league, I picked up 25 points from Lewis and 22 from Palmer. That's 47 points. How did I end up? Well, my team sucked and only managed 54 total...and lost by 9. Thanks.
So, the precedent has been set. It's been done before. A rematch with a rival. However, those two teams were interconference rivals.
Again, I got what I wanted. A game that lived up to the hype last Saturday and finally a game that proves just because you lose doesn't mean you always have to drop in the polls. It took guts to vote for a defensive player for the Heisman in 1997. It's going to take guts and luck for a National Championship rematch in 2006.
Heisman Race:
I forgot to put in my vote last post: Troy Smith clinched the deal against Michigan.
GM of the Week:
Matt Millen, eat your heart out. For those of you Fantasy geeks, last Friday was the trade deadline for any fantasy football wheels and deals. I wouldn't exactly call myself a genius at making great trades, but I put my neck on the line and (so far) came out on top.
In one of my leagues I had to do the random order draft at Adam's appartment. It is a 12 team league and I got "screwed" with the 12th pick. The top 4 teams go to the playoffs. Well, up until two weeks ago my record was 7-0-2 (they are anti-fractional points, however I probably would have lost if they used the fractional points). But I'm still in first place. Well, one of the key players keeping me in first place was Mr. Donovan McNabb. As the deadline approached, I knew I no longer needed a two QB package. Who was my 2nd QB? Up and coming Philip Rivers. With no more byes, I didn't need both.
I put out a trade offer on McNabb in return for Chester Taylor. I think I did alright in that trade. He'll probably never trade with me again, especially since he didn't really need McNabb with Tony Freakin' Romo on his roster.
McNabb: 78 yards, 1 INT, 1 torn ACL = 1 point and done for season.
Taylor: 80 yards, 2 TD = 16 points
In my other league, it is also 12 teams and the top 8 teams make it to the playoffs. I'm not sitting nearly as pretty, somewhere in the 6 or 7 hole. I had just taken on the 10-0 team (my future brother-in-law) and was only down 18 points with Eli Manning and Muhsin Muhammad in the Sunday Night Football game between the Bears and Giants. Muhammad was the man and got me 14 points. 5 points from Eli shouldn't be asking much. (Keep in mind, the scoring is 40 passing yards per 1 point.) Basically 1 TD should seal the deal. No. Manning sucked. He got me -3 points. Needless to say I declared Eli would never see another snap on my team and put my money where my mouth was. However, I didn't have a back up QB. So, I traded Eli and Muhammad for Carson Palmer.
Eli: 230 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT = 7 points
Muhammad: 29 yards = 1 point
Palmer: 275 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT = 22 points.
I think I did pretty well there.
In another trade, someone offered me a TE and Jamal Lewis for Deuce McAllister. He offered me a TE because Tony Gonzalez just got injured. But, I have Colston, so I don't need a TE. (I got Deuce in week 4 along with Muhsin Muhammad in a trade for Willis McGahee. I think I did alright there too.) In this last trade involving Deuce, I countered his offer to get a WR instead of a TE because I didn't need a TE with Colston usable in that position. So I got Patrick Crayton from Dallas. I thought Terry Glenn was still injured, so that wasn't a good WR to go after. Anyway, here are Sunday's stats:
Deuce: 40 yards rushing, 29 yards receiving = 3 points.
Lewis: 91 yards, 3 TD's = 25 points
Crayton: 6 yards = 0 points
Keep in mind, I was given heck for trading Deuce: "He's got more TD's than my 3 RB's combined. What are you thinking?"
So, in one week in that league, I picked up 25 points from Lewis and 22 from Palmer. That's 47 points. How did I end up? Well, my team sucked and only managed 54 total...and lost by 9. Thanks.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Second Best or First Worst
Is this actually a year where Michigan is neither Overrated nor Underrated? I don't think any Michigan fan can complain about their ranking in the BCS after a loss. Then again, I don't think any non-Michigan fan can complain about their ranking either.
Was the game close? Depends on what your definition of close is. If we are talking from a scoring standpoint, then yes, it was close. But, UM needed 3 turnovers just to get it that close. What would the score have been if Michigan had at least one turnover or if the team down south only turned it over once or twice? More than likely not close. Then again, OSU scored 3 times on big plays. Take away those big plays, what happens? Nothing can be taken away, it all happened. What if, what if, what if just talks you into a circle. What if Michigan won? What?
We've all heard the arguments for and against a rematch. I'm not going to pile on either one of those arguments. In fact, I'm not sure where I even stand. I enjoyed the game. It was great. I sure can't complain from a sports entertainment perspective. What if the game was the first game of the year for either team and it was the same result. And then at the end of the year both teams are ranked #1 and #2. Would it be easier to call for a rematch under those circumstances? Because the difference between week 1 and week 12 is a long time. But wait, it's a pretty long time before their next game too, whomever they play.
But (there is always a but), neither Michigan nor OSU designed the schedule at the beginning of the year to say where they'd play the final game. It just so happened to be OSU's turn to host. So, IF the game would have been at Michigan, what would have happened? Which is why I'm slightly leaning toward seeing the game on a neutral field. I know I know, Lloyd can't win a bowl game and Michigan fan doesn't want to lose to OSU again, let alone twice in one season. Coach Carr already has enough L's in his name. I think it's now spelled: LLLLLoyd.
Well, I guess I proved my point...that I've managed to talk into 3 circles. Since I'm taking a pre-Calc class, that would be the equivalent of 6 pi.
Side Note: USC lost Matt Leinart, Lendale White, and Reggie Bush to the NFL last year, so how can they be just as good? I say USC is a fraud. You can't tell me they are just as good losing 3 amazing offensive players. Then again, I think Notre Dame is slightly less of a fraud and will beat USC. It's just that the world can't wait to exault Notre Dame any time they win a game. They can't wait to crown them every year they start out with wins over Georgia Tech and Penn State. If Georgia Tech and Wake Forest are dominating the ACC, you know the world is not round. The only teams ND has beat that are still ranked is G. Tech. USC on the other hand has only beat Cal and Arkansas that are still ranked.
P.S. Anyone surprised Joey Blue Skies picked apart the Detroit Lions like a Thanksgiving Turkey? Didn't think so.
Was the game close? Depends on what your definition of close is. If we are talking from a scoring standpoint, then yes, it was close. But, UM needed 3 turnovers just to get it that close. What would the score have been if Michigan had at least one turnover or if the team down south only turned it over once or twice? More than likely not close. Then again, OSU scored 3 times on big plays. Take away those big plays, what happens? Nothing can be taken away, it all happened. What if, what if, what if just talks you into a circle. What if Michigan won? What?
We've all heard the arguments for and against a rematch. I'm not going to pile on either one of those arguments. In fact, I'm not sure where I even stand. I enjoyed the game. It was great. I sure can't complain from a sports entertainment perspective. What if the game was the first game of the year for either team and it was the same result. And then at the end of the year both teams are ranked #1 and #2. Would it be easier to call for a rematch under those circumstances? Because the difference between week 1 and week 12 is a long time. But wait, it's a pretty long time before their next game too, whomever they play.
But (there is always a but), neither Michigan nor OSU designed the schedule at the beginning of the year to say where they'd play the final game. It just so happened to be OSU's turn to host. So, IF the game would have been at Michigan, what would have happened? Which is why I'm slightly leaning toward seeing the game on a neutral field. I know I know, Lloyd can't win a bowl game and Michigan fan doesn't want to lose to OSU again, let alone twice in one season. Coach Carr already has enough L's in his name. I think it's now spelled: LLLLLoyd.
Well, I guess I proved my point...that I've managed to talk into 3 circles. Since I'm taking a pre-Calc class, that would be the equivalent of 6 pi.
Side Note: USC lost Matt Leinart, Lendale White, and Reggie Bush to the NFL last year, so how can they be just as good? I say USC is a fraud. You can't tell me they are just as good losing 3 amazing offensive players. Then again, I think Notre Dame is slightly less of a fraud and will beat USC. It's just that the world can't wait to exault Notre Dame any time they win a game. They can't wait to crown them every year they start out with wins over Georgia Tech and Penn State. If Georgia Tech and Wake Forest are dominating the ACC, you know the world is not round. The only teams ND has beat that are still ranked is G. Tech. USC on the other hand has only beat Cal and Arkansas that are still ranked.
P.S. Anyone surprised Joey Blue Skies picked apart the Detroit Lions like a Thanksgiving Turkey? Didn't think so.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Deep down...
...Tom Izzo is a football coach. You know this if you've followed MSU basketball over the past few years. So maybe it's not completely crazy that there are some rumors of him taking over the head coaching position of the football program. Now obviously this would only happen in Bizarro world, but here's a fascinating quote:
Huh. I think Izzo could do a good job, maybe even be a great football coach. But, on the other hand, making your national championship winning basketball coach into your football coach is crazy. And who would want the pressure of taking over his old job? Still, it's a strangely compelling idea.
If someone asked him if he'd be interested in the job, "I would have to say no, but I'd probably deep down have to say yeah, I would," he said.
Huh. I think Izzo could do a good job, maybe even be a great football coach. But, on the other hand, making your national championship winning basketball coach into your football coach is crazy. And who would want the pressure of taking over his old job? Still, it's a strangely compelling idea.
Rematch
After watching the game this weekend, I don't want to see a rematch. I've heard every argument for and against a rematch and the fact of the matter is, Detroit still wouldn't beat Arizona.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Bad News for Ohio State
Besides the fact Lee Corso just picked Michigan to beat OSU on College Gameday (the first time ever he's picked OSU to lose a game when Gameday was at the 'Shoe). Side note: I think the camera crew scanned the crowd after Lee's announcement for 0.3 seconds. Why? Well, um...because the OSU fans were letting Lee know who was #1 team. Hmmm. I think it got a PG-13 rating.
Bo Schembechler, 205 pounds of twisted blue steel, died earlier yesterday. The face of everything that stands for the block M has passed away on the eve of arguably the biggest game ever played by either school.
I'm not trying to make light of one of the wisest coaches ever to coach dying, but this has to be probably the worst thing that could happen to Ohio State. This game is already the ultimate game of emotions, and now it just quadruppled...but for Michigan. Neither team needs any extra motivation for the game, but Michigan has probably just taken a slight advantage over the Buckeyes. If Michigan wasn't playing for Bo before, they just may now.
Good luck Ohio. You're in trouble.
Could there be a better week to be a man? Let's see: Wednesday was an ultimate guy day with the opening day of gun hunting season. If you don't like hunting, and you call yourself a man, then you've never met the working end of a Cuban made assault rifle. Next you have the greatest day to be a college football fan. Once again, I'll question your manhood if today doesn't get your blood stirring and wishing you were part of the hype that is smashmouth football.
In the spirit of Michigan-Ohio State week (no I'm not going to use the stupid cliche that ESPN has "coined" to describe the game as "Judgement Day"), it's time for my afforementioned list of top ranked (witnessed) Michigan-Ohio State football games (basically I'm listing every UM/OSU game I've been to):
6) 2004-Columbus: My first experience at the "'Shoe". Michigan unfortunately lost. 21-37.
5) 2001-Ann Arbor: The beginning of Tressel's dominance begins, just like he predicted in January the day he was hired. Also the first time I ever seen Michigan lose a home game out of 15+ witnessed. 20-26.
4) 2003-Ann Arbor: Carr finally gets Tressel. 35-21.
3) 1999-Ann Arbor: Michigan knocks OSU out of post-season contention. The first time they've missed a bowl game in who knows how many years. 24-17.
2) 1993-Ann Arbor: My first experience at the Big House. Michigan 28 OSU 0. I don't remember the details, but the TY LAW was laid down. I believe OSU entered the game either #1 or in first place in the Big Ten. It didn't end that way.
1) 1997-Ann Arbor: Two words: Charles Woodson. I think we've seen the highlights. He clinched the Heisman that day as Michigan went on to win a share of the National Championship. 20-14.
Go Blue
Bo Schembechler, 205 pounds of twisted blue steel, died earlier yesterday. The face of everything that stands for the block M has passed away on the eve of arguably the biggest game ever played by either school.
I'm not trying to make light of one of the wisest coaches ever to coach dying, but this has to be probably the worst thing that could happen to Ohio State. This game is already the ultimate game of emotions, and now it just quadruppled...but for Michigan. Neither team needs any extra motivation for the game, but Michigan has probably just taken a slight advantage over the Buckeyes. If Michigan wasn't playing for Bo before, they just may now.
Good luck Ohio. You're in trouble.
Could there be a better week to be a man? Let's see: Wednesday was an ultimate guy day with the opening day of gun hunting season. If you don't like hunting, and you call yourself a man, then you've never met the working end of a Cuban made assault rifle. Next you have the greatest day to be a college football fan. Once again, I'll question your manhood if today doesn't get your blood stirring and wishing you were part of the hype that is smashmouth football.
In the spirit of Michigan-Ohio State week (no I'm not going to use the stupid cliche that ESPN has "coined" to describe the game as "Judgement Day"), it's time for my afforementioned list of top ranked (witnessed) Michigan-Ohio State football games (basically I'm listing every UM/OSU game I've been to):
6) 2004-Columbus: My first experience at the "'Shoe". Michigan unfortunately lost. 21-37.
5) 2001-Ann Arbor: The beginning of Tressel's dominance begins, just like he predicted in January the day he was hired. Also the first time I ever seen Michigan lose a home game out of 15+ witnessed. 20-26.
4) 2003-Ann Arbor: Carr finally gets Tressel. 35-21.
3) 1999-Ann Arbor: Michigan knocks OSU out of post-season contention. The first time they've missed a bowl game in who knows how many years. 24-17.
2) 1993-Ann Arbor: My first experience at the Big House. Michigan 28 OSU 0. I don't remember the details, but the TY LAW was laid down. I believe OSU entered the game either #1 or in first place in the Big Ten. It didn't end that way.
1) 1997-Ann Arbor: Two words: Charles Woodson. I think we've seen the highlights. He clinched the Heisman that day as Michigan went on to win a share of the National Championship. 20-14.
Go Blue
Questions We'll Never Know
Why is the grass green?
Why is the sky blue?
Why is Marques Colston listed as a TE/WR option for Fantasy Football? Who told Yahoo! that Colston "could be our TE this year"? Have you seen him? Does his body look like a normal speciman of a Tight End? Believe me, that's not Tony Gonzo running around out there. Besides, name me some Tight Ends that wear numbers like 12? What is that? 12? Colston is listed as 231 pounds. He's 6'4", so maybe he's a heavy 231. If so, that's either super amazing that a Rookie "WR" is tearing up NFL secondary's or it's incredibly sad that a Rookie has come into the No Fun League at 231 pounds and runs circles around DB's like a gazelle. Side note: I'm not complaining about this in my other leagues (best free agent pick up ever).
Apparently warnings are being issued to Michigan fans who may be attending the game Saturday in Columbus. For instance:
1) Use alcohol in moderation.
2) Anytime you feel unsafe, call 911 for assistance.
3) Stay in groups.
4) Do not drive a car with Michigan license plates.
5) Do not wear too much Michigan apparel.
6) Guard your anger against fan taunting.
Wow, thanks for that Public Service Announcement. Gee, don't those guidelines apply to any time you just go into the state of Ohio? I would think any smart person would always follow those simple steps to keep from getting killed. It shouldn't take a genius to figure out you are going into hostile territory. Thanks for telling us what we already knew.
How do you know if someone graduated from Ohio State?
If they ask you if you'd like fries with that.
I heard Jim Tressel was only dressing 22 players for the game.
The rest have to dress themselves.
What does Bo think about Jim Tressel's dominance over Lloyd Carr? Well, boy, I'm not sure if I should repeat it word for word, but he don't give a (darn) about Jim Tressel. And, in the spirit of the big game , I will rank my all-time Michigan-Ohio State games seen in person. Stay tuned.
I guess what I'm supposed to say is Thank You, I'm out.
Why is the sky blue?
Why is Marques Colston listed as a TE/WR option for Fantasy Football? Who told Yahoo! that Colston "could be our TE this year"? Have you seen him? Does his body look like a normal speciman of a Tight End? Believe me, that's not Tony Gonzo running around out there. Besides, name me some Tight Ends that wear numbers like 12? What is that? 12? Colston is listed as 231 pounds. He's 6'4", so maybe he's a heavy 231. If so, that's either super amazing that a Rookie "WR" is tearing up NFL secondary's or it's incredibly sad that a Rookie has come into the No Fun League at 231 pounds and runs circles around DB's like a gazelle. Side note: I'm not complaining about this in my other leagues (best free agent pick up ever).
Apparently warnings are being issued to Michigan fans who may be attending the game Saturday in Columbus. For instance:
1) Use alcohol in moderation.
2) Anytime you feel unsafe, call 911 for assistance.
3) Stay in groups.
4) Do not drive a car with Michigan license plates.
5) Do not wear too much Michigan apparel.
6) Guard your anger against fan taunting.
Wow, thanks for that Public Service Announcement. Gee, don't those guidelines apply to any time you just go into the state of Ohio? I would think any smart person would always follow those simple steps to keep from getting killed. It shouldn't take a genius to figure out you are going into hostile territory. Thanks for telling us what we already knew.
How do you know if someone graduated from Ohio State?
If they ask you if you'd like fries with that.
I heard Jim Tressel was only dressing 22 players for the game.
The rest have to dress themselves.
What does Bo think about Jim Tressel's dominance over Lloyd Carr? Well, boy, I'm not sure if I should repeat it word for word, but he don't give a (darn) about Jim Tressel. And, in the spirit of the big game , I will rank my all-time Michigan-Ohio State games seen in person. Stay tuned.
I guess what I'm supposed to say is Thank You, I'm out.
This Just In
The Patriots just signed my cousin Vinny Testaverde. Yeah, that same guy on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from the (Classic) 1991 Nintendo game Tecmo Super Bowl. His first season was actually 1987. Even Julio Franco thinks this is a crazy idea by the Patriots. Was Andre Ware unavailable? Wouldn't they be better off just grabbing ESPN loverboy Brady Quinn off the Irish? I thought Troy Brown was the 2nd stringer.
Either way, now that Testaverde is a Fantasy Free Agent, I wish I wouldn't have already traded for Carson Palmer in one of my other Fantasy Leagues. Dang, I really want Vinny.
Finally:
Dear Eli,
I bet you thought I was joking when I said to a fellow Fantasy League Owner "Eli will never see another snap on my team." Well, I'm a man of my words so hit the road. Thanks for nothing. Good riddance!
Either way, now that Testaverde is a Fantasy Free Agent, I wish I wouldn't have already traded for Carson Palmer in one of my other Fantasy Leagues. Dang, I really want Vinny.
Finally:
Dear Eli,
I bet you thought I was joking when I said to a fellow Fantasy League Owner "Eli will never see another snap on my team." Well, I'm a man of my words so hit the road. Thanks for nothing. Good riddance!
A Message From Our Sponsor
5 Hour Energy
Why do energy drinks make you crash? It’s all the sugar and caffeine. 5-Hour Energy has zero sugar and just enough caffeine for hours of energy with no crash later.
The Grey Vest Man Jim Tressel was asked yesterday if he thought the loser of the Michigan/Ohio State game should be allowed to play in the National Champiionship for a rematch. He responded with, "If you don't win your conference, you shouldn't be allowed to play in the Championship game."
Well, Mr. Sweater Vest Guy, the National championship isn't about who won their conference. It's about who the two best teams are. And when everyone else has 2 losses and your team has only 1, I'd say no one else is better and they don't deserve a shot at the Title if they've already lost twice. If this Saturday's game is close, I don't have a problem seeing it one more time on a neutral field.
I'm curious. We hear so much about "Home Field Advantage" in sports. If we had to put that phrase in terms of Points, how many points would playing on your home field account for?
Is the Michigan v Ohio State football game this Saturday?
Sincerely,
Women, anyone living on Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus, Neptune, and probably Pluto, Bears starting an early hibernation, people without a pulse, masses of protoplasm taller than 6'6", and everyone else still living under a rock.
P.S. I don't see what the big deal is about Bob Knight's lastest incident. I think it's been blown way out of proportion.
Sincerely,
Albert Haynesworth
Why do energy drinks make you crash? It’s all the sugar and caffeine. 5-Hour Energy has zero sugar and just enough caffeine for hours of energy with no crash later.
The Grey Vest Man Jim Tressel was asked yesterday if he thought the loser of the Michigan/Ohio State game should be allowed to play in the National Champiionship for a rematch. He responded with, "If you don't win your conference, you shouldn't be allowed to play in the Championship game."
Well, Mr. Sweater Vest Guy, the National championship isn't about who won their conference. It's about who the two best teams are. And when everyone else has 2 losses and your team has only 1, I'd say no one else is better and they don't deserve a shot at the Title if they've already lost twice. If this Saturday's game is close, I don't have a problem seeing it one more time on a neutral field.
I'm curious. We hear so much about "Home Field Advantage" in sports. If we had to put that phrase in terms of Points, how many points would playing on your home field account for?
Is the Michigan v Ohio State football game this Saturday?
Sincerely,
Women, anyone living on Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus, Neptune, and probably Pluto, Bears starting an early hibernation, people without a pulse, masses of protoplasm taller than 6'6", and everyone else still living under a rock.
P.S. I don't see what the big deal is about Bob Knight's lastest incident. I think it's been blown way out of proportion.
Sincerely,
Albert Haynesworth
Remembering Bo
I'm really, really the wrong person to eulogize Bo Schembechler, so I'll just point you to bob Wojnowski's article in the Detroit News. There's also another piece about how Bo spent some of his last hours inspiring the team to beat OSU. I'll leave Ump to pick up the slack on this one, or Aaron if he can be coaxed out of hiding.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Dogfights
Dogfights is one of the coolest things the History Channel has ever broadcasted. It has the usual mix of old footage and new interviews that you're familiar with if you spend any time watching the History Channel. However, it also includes CG recreations of the famous dogfights the episode is focusing on. According to the site, up to 25% of the program is made up of animation. I haven't made it all the way through the episode I'm watching, but I can confirm there's enough animation to keep it interesting. Great stuff.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
To answer...
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Scene Canary
I went to a game night last night with my Sunday School class. There was dinner, then we played some games. Party games. I just love party games. We played Catch Phrase, which isn't too bad as party games go. Anyway, a new couple had showed up and joined the group. We were split into teams of guys and girls and I was sitting by the new couple. I passed the disc and saw the next phrase was "Sean Connery." I saw it and thought to myself, "This is a gimme." The new girl's husband had looked and thought the same thing. But she must have misread or just wasn't thinking, because I don't think she's stupid, and started giving clues that lead to the answer "Scene Canary." By this time, her husband and I were both struggling to stay on our chairs while everyone else looked confused. Until we told them. Three hours later, we stopped laughing. Well, it might not have been QUITE that long. Funniest thing I've seen all week.
New Record
On Friday, I broke a record. Eight guys from work went to Eddington's for lunch. They serve sandwiches, salads, and most notably, soup. They're best known for their bottomless bowl of soup. You take your bowl back to the server and they refill as many times as you want. Of course, work being what it is, a challenge had been instituted as to who could consume the most soup and breadsticks. The current record was 4 bowls of soup and 4 breadsticks, held by our summer intern Dan. Another employee from Moline was second with 4 bowls and 2 breadsticks. Keep in mind, my boss and I had not been there before. We hadn't planned on going on Friday either, so there was no preparation. But once we got started, pride kicked in. We couldn't let those lightweights keep the title. So...
Five bowls, five breadsticks.
In case you're wondering, these weren't thin soups. We're talking Chicken Tortilla Chowder, Boundary Waters Wild Rice, Wisconsion Cheddar Cheese, and USS Navy Bean. Hearty. Also, apparently consuming that much soup will raise you body temperature.
Five bowls, five breadsticks.
In case you're wondering, these weren't thin soups. We're talking Chicken Tortilla Chowder, Boundary Waters Wild Rice, Wisconsion Cheddar Cheese, and USS Navy Bean. Hearty. Also, apparently consuming that much soup will raise you body temperature.
Ultimate Bat
The Tigers have traded 3 pitching prospects to the Yankees for slugger Gary Sheffield. Sheffield, who is 38, has agreed to a $28 million contract extension through 2009. Sheffield has previously won a World Series title with the Marlins, who were managed by Jim Leyland and who's GM was Dave Dombrowski. Said Leyland of Sheff:
The Tigers certainly need a bat after their anemic hitting in the World Series. Still, after being injured most of the past season, just how much does Sheff have left in him?
"This is one of the ultimate bats in baseball and one of the ultimate people in baseball. I have the utmost respect for him. I can't tell you how happy we are. It's almost unbelievable. It's hard for me to believe that we landed Gary Sheffield."
The Tigers certainly need a bat after their anemic hitting in the World Series. Still, after being injured most of the past season, just how much does Sheff have left in him?
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Quotes of the Week
Roy Williams, Lions (and NFL) star WR, Monday afternoon on Stony and Wojo:
"We're the best 2-6 team out there."
Side note: Roy is very well spoken when he does his token 10 minutes
every Monday at 5 p.m.
Tony Kornheiser, MNF color commentator said the following about Randy Moss -- "If you throw it to him five times, he'll come up with two of them, so the percentages are in his favor." This classic comment came during the 4th quarter of that gut-wrenching show the Raiders call football v the Seahorses. Good thing he's not a surgeon. Now, I was only half listening to the game because it was boring, but I had to give a double take when I heard that, so I could be wrong. I just don't know who else would have made a comment like that. I can't imagine Joe Theismann saying that, no matter how hard Lawerance Taylor crushed him.
Lebron James, ESPN's boyfriend during the Pistons-Cavs playoff series, had this to say about all the recent technicals being called: "Technicals are being thrown like Peyton Manning passes." Lebron, I think you meant more like Peyton Manning TOUCHDOWN passes.
Other Thoughts:
For those of you who don't watch basketball, David Stern has been making a few changes in the marketing schemes of the NBA, now that they are going global on us. They are toning down the language, whining and complaining to officials, headband and uniform dress code, etc. Oh, and he also wants his players to stop carrying guns every time they so much as check the mail.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to clean up a league's image to give it a better reputation and look more professional/business-like.
And you know what, it must be catching on. The NFL is clearly the league most in need of some serious housekeeping. Just think of all the things the new commish has improved. From Albert Haynesworth's stomp to Brayton's knee, there's too much sociopathic behavior taking place on the field. The league's response has been minimalist, taking every incident separately, mainly because the NFL knows it treads a very fine line when it tries to legislate abhorrent on-field behavior.
Oh, but the NFL has taken steps to make sure no one spikes the ball or does some stupid post-touchdown choreography. And how about those socks -- not a shred of shin showing!
I'm (insert politition name here) and I support this message.
"We're the best 2-6 team out there."
Side note: Roy is very well spoken when he does his token 10 minutes
every Monday at 5 p.m.
Tony Kornheiser, MNF color commentator said the following about Randy Moss -- "If you throw it to him five times, he'll come up with two of them, so the percentages are in his favor." This classic comment came during the 4th quarter of that gut-wrenching show the Raiders call football v the Seahorses. Good thing he's not a surgeon. Now, I was only half listening to the game because it was boring, but I had to give a double take when I heard that, so I could be wrong. I just don't know who else would have made a comment like that. I can't imagine Joe Theismann saying that, no matter how hard Lawerance Taylor crushed him.
Lebron James, ESPN's boyfriend during the Pistons-Cavs playoff series, had this to say about all the recent technicals being called: "Technicals are being thrown like Peyton Manning passes." Lebron, I think you meant more like Peyton Manning TOUCHDOWN passes.
Other Thoughts:
For those of you who don't watch basketball, David Stern has been making a few changes in the marketing schemes of the NBA, now that they are going global on us. They are toning down the language, whining and complaining to officials, headband and uniform dress code, etc. Oh, and he also wants his players to stop carrying guns every time they so much as check the mail.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to clean up a league's image to give it a better reputation and look more professional/business-like.
And you know what, it must be catching on. The NFL is clearly the league most in need of some serious housekeeping. Just think of all the things the new commish has improved. From Albert Haynesworth's stomp to Brayton's knee, there's too much sociopathic behavior taking place on the field. The league's response has been minimalist, taking every incident separately, mainly because the NFL knows it treads a very fine line when it tries to legislate abhorrent on-field behavior.
Oh, but the NFL has taken steps to make sure no one spikes the ball or does some stupid post-touchdown choreography. And how about those socks -- not a shred of shin showing!
I'm (insert politition name here) and I support this message.
Monday, November 06, 2006
It's a Girl!
That's right, Nathan is a daddy now. Congrats to Jaime and Nathan.
Here is a pic of the baby.
I think she looks like her daddy.
Here is a pic of the baby.
I think she looks like her daddy.
Rumor Mill
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Your horse, Lord Vader
Invasor won the Breeder's Cup Classic today and $5 million dollars. Why should you care? Well, you shouldn't as far as I'm concerned; I certainly don't. But where did that name come from? Invasor isn't a name for a horse, it's a name for an Imperial Star Destroyer. "Lord Vader, the Invasor is at your command." Just thought I'd point that out.
Loophole
Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema has found a loophole in the new NCAA rules. The rules say that the clock starts as soon as the kicker's foot touches the ball at kickoff. With little time left in the first half, Wisconsin intentionally went offsides twice to run the clock down to under ten seconds. Although a penalty was called, 8 seconds or so ran off the clock each time. Oops. That's going to need to be fixed. What's to stop a team from getting a lead and doing that for the rest of the half?
Moon Knight: The Series
Blade couldn't cut it on television, so now Moon Knight gets an opportunity. It was announced on Oct. 25th that Marvel Entertainment would be teaming with No Equal Entertainment to develop a live-action series. Personally, I think this could have some potential. If they went for a Batman Begins vibe with the show, which wouldn't be too difficult since Moon Knight shares quite a few similarities with the Dark Knight, it could be successful. And there could be werewolves. But then the whole thing could be screwed up pretty easily. The hero's name is Moon Knight after all. And I'm not sure which network would go for it. Still, it will be interesting to see where it goes.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Golden
Kenny Rogers, the only Tigers pitcher who knows how to field a baseball, won his 4th straight Gold Glove award yesterday. It was his fifth overall. The young guns on the Tigers' pitching staff need to pay attention to Rogers in the offseason and see if they can pick something up, because they sure can't afford to field as poorly as they did in the World Series. Pudge also won his twelfth Gold Glove, which extends the record for catchers that he currently holds.
Re: Adios
Adam, do you have a crystal ball over there? Has Ron Mason been hitting you on the hip looking to pick your mind? I'm going to take off my block M hat and think as a general sports fan living in Michigan. It seems MSU has a lot of parallels to the Detroit Lions organization. It's not the players. It's not the coach. John "Too Many L's" Smith had great credentials. Everyone has to admit he ran a fun watching offense. The shuffle pass is one of the greatest things since sliced bread. Saban was obviously good. But, when the MSU brass look at the 5th year seniors and realize none of them have beat Michigan, heads are going to roll Steinbrenner style.
It just doesn't make sense. You couldn't ask much more from your coach. He practically started every year on a big 4-0 run and even 7-0. Hype. Heisman talk. BCS contention. Then the wheels fell off. But not only that, but they fell off 4 staight years and not even Fisher Price wheels were put back on. Apparently each year's first loss was the mental part he couldn't correct. And they weren't just "losses." These were, as Adam would put it (or Kirk Herbstreit), textbook MSU losses. Had the game and blew it.
I realize I'm preaching to the choir here, so I'm just going to stop.
Side note: Adam, how do you get the format that when you copy a quote that it indents the entire passage?
It just doesn't make sense. You couldn't ask much more from your coach. He practically started every year on a big 4-0 run and even 7-0. Hype. Heisman talk. BCS contention. Then the wheels fell off. But not only that, but they fell off 4 staight years and not even Fisher Price wheels were put back on. Apparently each year's first loss was the mental part he couldn't correct. And they weren't just "losses." These were, as Adam would put it (or Kirk Herbstreit), textbook MSU losses. Had the game and blew it.
I realize I'm preaching to the choir here, so I'm just going to stop.
Side note: Adam, how do you get the format that when you copy a quote that it indents the entire passage?
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Ocho Cinco...
...has been fined $5,000 for his velcro shenanigans before last Sunday's game. He'll appeal the decision. I usually hate this kind of thing, but I thought the Ocho Cinco velcro nameplate was actually pretty funny stuff. But why appeal? Come on Chad, you knew the price when you planned the stunt. Five G's seems like a pretty good deal, don't you think?
Adios
So, John L. Smith is toast, as I predicted. I've been a fan of Smith's and I think most of the griping about him, especially early on, was just idiotic. The only real knock against Smith when he was hired was that his teams weren't know for being disciplined. If you thought he was a bad hire because of that, you get a cookie. Otherwise, you're just a jackass who's trying to look smart in hindsight, so get over yourself. Having played on a team that just wouldn't respond to a good coach I'm more likely to give Smith some slack. But when it comes down to it this team's psyche was made of glass, and that goes on the coach. It has to. The players aren't happy about the firing. Guess what guys? Tough. You had the power to keep your coach's job. And you didn't get it done. Again. And again. And again. Too many heartbreaking losses; the kind of losses that will turn your stomach years later. Frankly, I'm sick of Michigan State football and probably won't watch another game the rest of the year (they are usually on here in MN). If I feel like, how do you think alumni who actually donate feel?
So who becomes the next coach? This article has a few ideas, some of them are even good. But, please, not Brian Kelly (Hotshot young coach + MSU football = pathetic failure) or Ron English (No table scraps from the Wolverines). And, for the love of all that is Sparty, don't hire Mariucci. Don't. Even. Think about it. My pick? I don't care, because this is how I think it's going to unfold:
But maybe I'm wrong.
So who becomes the next coach? This article has a few ideas, some of them are even good. But, please, not Brian Kelly (Hotshot young coach + MSU football = pathetic failure) or Ron English (No table scraps from the Wolverines). And, for the love of all that is Sparty, don't hire Mariucci. Don't. Even. Think about it. My pick? I don't care, because this is how I think it's going to unfold:
So how is this going to play out? I'll tell you. MSU loses it's next 2 games against superior teams, but the calls for Smith's head get louder. The Spartans can't pull enough wins out of their last 5 games and don't make a bowl game. Smith is fired. Smith's recruiting gains go out the window, along with his high-octane offense. MSU begins its coaching search, which turns into a pathetic circus. At the end MSU has an unexciting new coach and a new offense, as well as a slew of soon to be broken promises. Spartan football goes into rebuilding mode and is set back a decade. Dire? Maybe, but that's the path this program is on. There's no easy solutions and a new sheriff won't be able to clean up EL overnight.
But maybe I'm wrong.
"Man on the loose, Officer needs assistance!"
Not so much. Apparently two guys thought they would "help" the police capture a man who was fleeing into a woods they were allegedly hunting in. Here is the full story. Two guys put their camo on and walked through a police perimeter into the woods the man was chased. The two men, 17 and 25, were armed with shotgun and a hunting bow. They found the suspect hiding under a tree and brought him out of the woods at gunpoint.
I can picture it now: "Here you go guys. I got him for ya. Yeeeeee-haaaaaw."
Look you red-neck degenerates. Get your ace out of there. This isn't Walker, Texas Ranger.
I can picture it now: "Here you go guys. I got him for ya. Yeeeeee-haaaaaw."
Look you red-neck degenerates. Get your ace out of there. This isn't Walker, Texas Ranger.
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