With the year coming to an end and me being quite the lackluster in not updating my blog to give all of my bowl picks, I decided New Year's Eve would be a good time for that update. With BCS bowls, the Chick-Fil-A bowl, and the end of Bobby Bowden happening in the next two days, it's nice to have great sports on for three straight days that don't involve players doing extra dances in the end zone just to get attention. For the next three fun filled days, players will do whatever it takes to win, coaches will take crazy chances(like Idaho going for two and winning), and careers end for great some of the greatest college football players ever(Tebow). Amidst all the allegations of coaches putting their players in sheds, things seem to be looking up for us college football fans. For me, Georgia has already blown out a Big 12 foe, UNC gave a great Pittsburgh team a scare which in my world gained respect for us heels, and the best game of the bowl season was last night when Idaho took 30 seconds to drive down the field, score a touchdown, go for two, and win their first bowl game since 1998. Enjoy your New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and the day after as college football will be filling my screen for the next 72 hours! I am so excited!
Houston vs Air Force-Houston
Oklahoma vs Stanford-Oklahoma
Navy vs Missouri-Mizzou
Minnesota vs Iowa State- Minn
Va Tech vs Tenn-Va Tech
Northwestern vs Auburn-Auburn
Penn St vs LSU-LSU
West Va vs FSU-FSU-for Bobby's sake
Ohio St vs Oregon-Oregon
Cincy vs UF-Go GATORS
South Fla vs Northern Illinois- N Ill
Okla St vs Ole Miss-Ole Miss
South Carolina vs UCONN- So Carolina
Ark vs ECU- Ark
Mich St vs Texas Tech
Boise St vs TCU- TCU
Iowa vs GT- GT
Central Mich vs Troy- C Mich
Texas vs Bama- BAMA
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Give to the SPCA and SAVE lives!!
Athletes for hope is doing a competition amongst athletes to help raise money for different charities. Please help the SPCA of Wake County in North Carolina as this is the charity that I wanted to help this holiday season. Pets affect our lives as much as we affect theirs!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Ode to Tebow
It was Robert's turn last week to send out one of the greatest football coaches, so it is my turn this week to send out one of the best college football players. I don't think there has ever been another athlete that has inspired me more...and he's five years younger than me!
I have been asked on numerous occasions during my soccer career as to who is my favorite athlete. I have always had a tough time trying to figure out who that may be because in all the athletes I have watched and aspired to be, in my opinion, there is always one piece missing in their career that I would want to have in mine. Whether it is a male athlete who outruns all records in football, basketball, or baseball, yet lacks passion and faith. Or a female athlete who withstood the tests of time to create a path for players like me to keep playing the game we love, yet lacks leadership and skill. I just never seemed to find that one athlete that inspires me to run on all cylinders. That is until Tim Tebow declared to come to Florida over Alabama. (Yes that's right, I have to put some jab into Alabama as they beat him last week).
When I heard that he was coming to Florida, I was obviously excited as I knew he was a great player, but I also took it with a grain of salt as so many big time recruits never seen to pan out-especially at the quarterback position. But when all the hype began to swirl around Florida and whether or not Tebow and Urban Meyer would be a perfect match, I also heard all about his family and their faith. I heard that the basis of Tebow is not just his athleticism, but it is his faith and love in Jesus. His mom even helped my mom love Jesus! How cool is that! And now that his career is over(and his numbers and heisman trophy speak for themselves), what he has done and who he has become are what inspires me.
To find a man like Tebow who is a great athlete, an incredible leader, extremely passionate about so many things(even enough to cry), and a man of great faith is rare. He has the whole package. His passion inspired me when I had a torn ACL to keep going. His leadership made me review my own and try to get better. His faith in Jesus just made my faith grow stronger because I saw how God can transform a great man into an even greater one. If there is a more well rounded athlete out there, I would like for someone to show me. His inspiration to me, and I know so many other fans, will forever be implanted in my memories and I want to be an inspiration to someone one day like he was to me. Because let's face it...athletes are role models whether you like it or not and to see a man like Tebow take that responsibility and inspire more than just Gator nation is impressive.
I want him to go out with a win. I wanted him to go out with a national championship, but that won't happen. A couple of tears fell with Tebow(yes I'm strange) after the national championship because I wanted him to let his light shine even more to the entire nation. Soon after those tears fell, I did find myself smiling as I realized that his light is shining even greater as the nation got to see his class and faith even in a loss. For those people who wanted to see him lose, they saw a real man cry on tv because he is so confident in himself and his faith. He was able to show people what Jesus can really do in your life just by playing the game he loves and playing it for the right reasons.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Dadgum, Bobby is gone
I asked Robert to be a guest writer for my blog this week because of the retiring of Bobby Bowden. You may think that Robert should be the main writer of my blog after you read this, but I don't think there could be a better definition of what a great coach and MAN that Bobby Bowden has shown us throughout the years. Enjoy! Well done, Robert!
The day was January 1, 1994. As an 11 year-old I was glued to the television with my family as FSU took the field against Nebraska for what would soon be Bobby Bowden's first national title. Truthfully, I was partially excited just to be staying up this late since it was well past my bedtime. The atmosphere was electric and I knew if they were to win then all the 'Canes and Gators in my classes at Lakeland Highlands Middle School in Lakeland, FL would be quieted until next year. Only a few hours later, the FSU sideline emptied and Bobby was soaked in Gatorade when the 'Noles won, believe it or not, on a missed field goal by the other team. I remember vividly leaping around the room and then being hoisted on my dad's shoulders doing my best Broadway Joe imitation while wagging my index finger high in the air. The moment was captured by my mother on camera as my dad and I took a victory lap around the living room. To this day the picture remains one of my favorites and the memory one that I will forever cherish.
"Your reputation is what people say about you, your character is what God knows about you."
As Bobby Bowden steps down from his post after 34 seasons, we will continue to hear how much he meant to FSU and college football. We will hear how FSU was a women's school without a win when he arrived and how he constructed one of the most successful runs by any program in all of college sports. People will comment on what a good interview he was, how he always said what he meant and how great of an ambassador he was for the sport. Of course there will be some that bring up the discipline problems that plagued his program, the cheating scandal and the losses that became too much to stomach for the FSU powers that be. For now, however, I will selfishly ignore all of those voices and indulge in what Bobby meant to me as epitomized by the photo of a young Seminole fan celebrating in the living room with his dad. The time shared over football extended beyond Saturdays in our family. Whether over dinner the following week or on Sunday afternoons for "The Bobby Bowden Show" on the Sunshine Network sponsored by Golden Flake. The victories continued in droves through the years. No doubt about it Bobby was a winner. Yet over time the wins became harder and harder to come by. Eventually my family left Florida for North Carolina and I enrolled at UNC where my fervor for a different school and different sport quickly kindled. Yet that photo from the first night of 1994 forever represents the joy of victory and the bond between father and son that was created by the slow-talking charmer of a coach from FSU.
"I would want the boys that played for me to think they were better persons for having played for me."
The mystique of Bobby's career extends well beyond the playing field, a cliche that we too often use in our society to describe athletes and coaches. The quote above was taken from a recent interview with ESPN as his career was winding down which shows that finding meaning beyond football was his purpose. He represented all that was good about sport and always used the game as a means to change lives and share his faith. For such a role model, I'm sure my father and many other parents are thankful to him. If his measure for success was having his players think they were better people for having played under him, then in that too he far exceeded expectations. Not only the players, but the young fans who grew up listening to a man who was at the top of the sports world talk about what was really important in life are better for having watched him. I wish that I could have another season to say goodbye and listen to his unintentionally engaging halftime interviews. Instead one more bowl game will have to suffice. If they are to win one more for Bobby, I will probably not jump on my father's shoulders or jump around the living room. Inside, however, I am sure that my memory will take me back to that feeling when united by the Florida State Seminoles, my family and I shared a joyful moment in time that we owe to ol' Coach Bowden. Dadgum Bobby, you will be missed.
And...here are my picks:
Cincy vs Pitt-Cincy
Houston vs ECU-Houston
West Va vs Rutgers-Rutgers
Arizona vs USC-USC
FLORIDA vs bama -GO GATORS
Texas vs Nebraska-Texas
Georgia Tech vs Clemson-Georgia Tech
The day was January 1, 1994. As an 11 year-old I was glued to the television with my family as FSU took the field against Nebraska for what would soon be Bobby Bowden's first national title. Truthfully, I was partially excited just to be staying up this late since it was well past my bedtime. The atmosphere was electric and I knew if they were to win then all the 'Canes and Gators in my classes at Lakeland Highlands Middle School in Lakeland, FL would be quieted until next year. Only a few hours later, the FSU sideline emptied and Bobby was soaked in Gatorade when the 'Noles won, believe it or not, on a missed field goal by the other team. I remember vividly leaping around the room and then being hoisted on my dad's shoulders doing my best Broadway Joe imitation while wagging my index finger high in the air. The moment was captured by my mother on camera as my dad and I took a victory lap around the living room. To this day the picture remains one of my favorites and the memory one that I will forever cherish.
"Your reputation is what people say about you, your character is what God knows about you."
As Bobby Bowden steps down from his post after 34 seasons, we will continue to hear how much he meant to FSU and college football. We will hear how FSU was a women's school without a win when he arrived and how he constructed one of the most successful runs by any program in all of college sports. People will comment on what a good interview he was, how he always said what he meant and how great of an ambassador he was for the sport. Of course there will be some that bring up the discipline problems that plagued his program, the cheating scandal and the losses that became too much to stomach for the FSU powers that be. For now, however, I will selfishly ignore all of those voices and indulge in what Bobby meant to me as epitomized by the photo of a young Seminole fan celebrating in the living room with his dad. The time shared over football extended beyond Saturdays in our family. Whether over dinner the following week or on Sunday afternoons for "The Bobby Bowden Show" on the Sunshine Network sponsored by Golden Flake. The victories continued in droves through the years. No doubt about it Bobby was a winner. Yet over time the wins became harder and harder to come by. Eventually my family left Florida for North Carolina and I enrolled at UNC where my fervor for a different school and different sport quickly kindled. Yet that photo from the first night of 1994 forever represents the joy of victory and the bond between father and son that was created by the slow-talking charmer of a coach from FSU.
"I would want the boys that played for me to think they were better persons for having played for me."
The mystique of Bobby's career extends well beyond the playing field, a cliche that we too often use in our society to describe athletes and coaches. The quote above was taken from a recent interview with ESPN as his career was winding down which shows that finding meaning beyond football was his purpose. He represented all that was good about sport and always used the game as a means to change lives and share his faith. For such a role model, I'm sure my father and many other parents are thankful to him. If his measure for success was having his players think they were better people for having played under him, then in that too he far exceeded expectations. Not only the players, but the young fans who grew up listening to a man who was at the top of the sports world talk about what was really important in life are better for having watched him. I wish that I could have another season to say goodbye and listen to his unintentionally engaging halftime interviews. Instead one more bowl game will have to suffice. If they are to win one more for Bobby, I will probably not jump on my father's shoulders or jump around the living room. Inside, however, I am sure that my memory will take me back to that feeling when united by the Florida State Seminoles, my family and I shared a joyful moment in time that we owe to ol' Coach Bowden. Dadgum Bobby, you will be missed.
And...here are my picks:
Cincy vs Pitt-Cincy
Houston vs ECU-Houston
West Va vs Rutgers-Rutgers
Arizona vs USC-USC
FLORIDA vs bama -GO GATORS
Texas vs Nebraska-Texas
Georgia Tech vs Clemson-Georgia Tech
Thursday, November 19, 2009
A Lil Football Survey
With the college football season winding down, and I can't express to you how sad I am about this, I couldn't really think of anything fun to write about. Players are complaining about their coaches saying "hurtful" things, Tennessee is proud of eleven "strong" months when no player got in trouble(maybe their goal should be a year next time), and the inevitable college coaching carousel has begun. I could write about whether Charlie Weis and Rich Rodriguez will remain at their respective schools, but I think one will stay and one will go, so enough said(plus ESPN needs something to talk about Tuesday through Friday). Instead I decided to take a little survey from what has happened over this past year in college football. It is all about this year- last year and past years just don't matter when you think about answering these questions. Let's see what you think....
Who would you rather run on 4th and 2?
-Tim Tebow or Mark Ingram
Who would you rather pass the ball on 3rd and 25? And to which receiver?
-Ryan Mallett or Jimmy Clausen
-Jordan Shipley or AJ Green
Who would you rather take over your struggling football team?
-Gary Patterson(TCU) or Chris Peterson(Boise St)
Which conference would you rather play in?
-ACC or Big East
Which player would you want to return kicks, rush every down, and receive all passes?
-Jahvid Best or Noel Devine
Who would you rather block a kick?
-Mount Cody or Mount Cody
Who would you rather have as a real mascot?
-UGA or Ralphi the buffalo
Who would you rather have guarding your best receiver?
-Joe Haden or Eric Berry
If you think of better questions or better options, let me know!!
On with the picks- It's hard to beat last week but I was 12-6, so not too bad
Ohio St vs Michigan- Ohio State
Maryland vs Florida State- FSU
UNC vs Boston College- Go HEELS
Miss St vs Arkansas- Ark
Florida International vs Florida- Go GATORS
UConn vs ND- UConn
LSU vs Ole Miss- Ole Miss
UVA vs Clemson- Clemson
Penn St vs Mich St- Mich St
Cal vs Stanford- Stanford
Kentucky vs UGA- Go DAWGS
Kansas vs Texas- Texas
Oregon vs Arizona- Oregon
Who would you rather run on 4th and 2?
-Tim Tebow or Mark Ingram
Who would you rather pass the ball on 3rd and 25? And to which receiver?
-Ryan Mallett or Jimmy Clausen
-Jordan Shipley or AJ Green
Who would you rather take over your struggling football team?
-Gary Patterson(TCU) or Chris Peterson(Boise St)
Which conference would you rather play in?
-ACC or Big East
Which player would you want to return kicks, rush every down, and receive all passes?
-Jahvid Best or Noel Devine
Who would you rather block a kick?
-Mount Cody or Mount Cody
Who would you rather have as a real mascot?
-UGA or Ralphi the buffalo
Who would you rather have guarding your best receiver?
-Joe Haden or Eric Berry
If you think of better questions or better options, let me know!!
On with the picks- It's hard to beat last week but I was 12-6, so not too bad
Ohio St vs Michigan- Ohio State
Maryland vs Florida State- FSU
UNC vs Boston College- Go HEELS
Miss St vs Arkansas- Ark
Florida International vs Florida- Go GATORS
UConn vs ND- UConn
LSU vs Ole Miss- Ole Miss
UVA vs Clemson- Clemson
Penn St vs Mich St- Mich St
Cal vs Stanford- Stanford
Kentucky vs UGA- Go DAWGS
Kansas vs Texas- Texas
Oregon vs Arizona- Oregon
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
BCS-Bowl CATalog Series
It's now that time of year when the season is starting to heat up and teams are jockeying for spots in the all-important BCS standings. No it's not the money driven Bowl Championship Series laugher of a poll that has been robbing college football of pure, unbridled competition for years with no end in sight. That's right sports fans, its time for the Bowl CATalog Series where I, in my infinite wisdom, elucidate the top ten teams in the country that is sure to alter the college football landscape for the remainder of the season. I have yet to have my rankings included in the BCS computer formula but with your help maybe one day I will. I mean does anyone really know what goes into that formula anyways? They might as well put my standings in there along with which team's punter has the largest shoe size and whose marching band trumpet section can reach the loudest decibel. In fact, thats not a bad idea. Then we might see Texas recruiting a 7-1 punter just to get that size 25 shoe and the extra 0.001 points they need to get into the title game. Or just picture Pete Carroll walking into some high school trumpeteer's room and promising him a date with a Song Girl if he commits to USC. Anywho, without further ado I bring you the inaguaral BCS standings. Enjoy.
1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. Cincinnati
5. Boise State
6. TCU
7. Georgia Tech
8. LSU
9. Pittsburgh
10. Iowa
11. Miami
12. Oregon
13. USC
14. Houston
15. Utah
Here's the question of the week- Who has the better accessory to his attire?
Jim Tressel's vest versus Steve Spurrier's visor
On to the picks of the week- My best week ever was last week! 14-2!
South Fla vs Rutgers- Rutgers
West Va vs Cincy- Cincy
Michigan vs Wisconsin- Wisconsin
Tennessee vs Ole Miss- Tennessee
Clemson vs NC State- Clemson
Florida State vs Wake Forest- Wake
Va Tech vs Maryland- Va Tech
Florida vs South Carolina- Go GATORS
Stanford vs USC- USC
Iowa vs Ohio State- Ohio State
Miami vs UNC- Go HEELS
BC vs Virginia- BC
Alabama vs Miss St- Bama
Auburn vs UGA- Go DAWGS
Utah vs TCU- TCU
Notre Dame vs Pitt- Pitt
Texas Tech vs Oklahoma St- Texas Tech
Arizona vs Cal- Arizona
1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. Cincinnati
5. Boise State
6. TCU
7. Georgia Tech
8. LSU
9. Pittsburgh
10. Iowa
11. Miami
12. Oregon
13. USC
14. Houston
15. Utah
Here's the question of the week- Who has the better accessory to his attire?
Jim Tressel's vest versus Steve Spurrier's visor
On to the picks of the week- My best week ever was last week! 14-2!
South Fla vs Rutgers- Rutgers
West Va vs Cincy- Cincy
Michigan vs Wisconsin- Wisconsin
Tennessee vs Ole Miss- Tennessee
Clemson vs NC State- Clemson
Florida State vs Wake Forest- Wake
Va Tech vs Maryland- Va Tech
Florida vs South Carolina- Go GATORS
Stanford vs USC- USC
Iowa vs Ohio State- Ohio State
Miami vs UNC- Go HEELS
BC vs Virginia- BC
Alabama vs Miss St- Bama
Auburn vs UGA- Go DAWGS
Utah vs TCU- TCU
Notre Dame vs Pitt- Pitt
Texas Tech vs Oklahoma St- Texas Tech
Arizona vs Cal- Arizona
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Dook vs UNC
When you look at the schedule for the upcoming weekend, only two games really stick out as major head to head battles. I have to admit, I am extremely excited about watching the Alabama/LSU game as the winner of this game will most likely be the opponent to Florida in the SEC championship. I might even switch over to watch the Penn State/Ohio State game as two ranked teams face off in a Big Ten clash. With all that said, the funny thing about this weekend, is that the UNC/Duke game is being played at the same time as these other two games and it is the first one I am going to turn to.You are probably thinking to yourself right now, 'well of course she is going to turn to the UNC game as she is a Tar Heel.' Of course that is one reason it will be the first game I watch. But the main reason I am going to switch to ESPNU is not because I am going to be on there the very next day doing the SEC soccer championship, but because Duke is actually pretty good. It is frightening for all of us tar heels to admit it, but we are all a little nervous that Duke could come into Kenan stadium and beat us on homecoming. Normally I would watch the first quarter and then turn it because we would have the game pretty secure. Now, I don't even know what is going to happen. Duke is on a three game ACC winning streak, tied for first in our ACC division(and we are last), and coach Cutcliffe comes from the SEC and obviously knows how to win. It's obvious that the UNC/Duke rivalry in basketball is one of the best rivalries in all of sports, but the football rivalry is so bad that we don't even wait until the end of the season anymore. I just have one thing to say...The TAR HEELS better WIN!!
On a completely different note, I thoroughly enjoyed making fantasy matchups(even though no one refuted them), so I am going to give you some more throughout the last few weeks. Again, I stay in a comfort zone of the SEC, so please feel free to get me out of it!
Best coaches fight- Lane Kiffin vs Nick Saban or
Mark Mangino vs Charlie Weis
Here are my picks for the week. 6-4 last week.
Va Tech vs ECU- Va Tech
Northwestern vs Iowa- Iowa
UVA vs Miami- Miami
South Carolina vs Arkansas- Arkansas
Tennessee Tech vs UGA- Go DAWGS
Maryland vs NC State- NC State
Furman vs Auburn- Auburn
LSU vs Alabama- Bama
Wake vs GT- GT
Ohio State vs Penn State- Ohio State
Duke vs UNC- Go HEELS
Oregon State vs Cal- Oregon State
Vandy vs UF- Go GATORS
USC vs Arizona State- USC
Okla vs Nebraska- Okla
FSU vs Clemson- Clemson
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
It's Florida-Georgia weekend...You READY??
First of all I want to apologize for not writing anything last week. It was a little more difficult than I expected here in Germany. Well, to be honest, I just didn’t fork out and pay for the internet since it was 30$ a day, just on principle alone, plus I was able to get skype for free and email on the phone. Needless to say, at our new hotel in Augsburg, I have free internet. Plus it is the Florida/Georgia weekend and can I really miss this week? Absolutely not!
Secondly, this blog entry is a little different than my other blogs. I am guessing you have noticed that each week I have complained about something different. Whether it’s the BCS system, Lane Kiffin, or why I should be on college gameday, I have decided to have a little fun. Not unlike my other blog entries, I will be completely biased. What I have decided to do is to write my “Dream Game” scenario. My dream as a sports commentator would to be on the sideline of the Florida/Georgia game, so let’s just say I am watching Tracy Wolfson very closely to find out how I can take her job…haha! With my dream scenario, I am putting my favorite two teams on the field and matching up what I believe to be their best players. Before I keep going, those who don’t understand how I can cheer for both of these schools, get over it. I can truly do it and it can just be one of those phenomenas that you just don’t understand. Also, remember I am just 27 years old, so my knowledge of these two school’s history is limited. I am just going with my favorite players that I have personally watched. When I finally put this whole game together, I imagine how awesome it would be to have all of these people playing with or against each other. I mean, how cool!
I would love for you to add anything to my dream scenario or even put together a fun matchup of your own. I know my mom and dad can add a few changes of their own, but I would be open to any and all changes. Let me know what you think!
Game- Florida vs UGA
Stadium- Half swamp/Half between the hedges
Quarterback matchup- Tim Tebow vs Hines Ward
Running back matchup- Emmett Smith vs Herschel Walker
Wide receiver matchup- Percy Harvin vs AJ Green
Defensive line matchup- Brandon Spikes vs David Pollack
Cornerback matchup- Joe Haden vs Champ Bailey
Coach’s matchup- Urban Meyer vs Vince Dooley
Onto the picks- I am working on getting better, but I am just not picking the upsets. I won't go to my record from two weeks ago because that's just not fun. I am just going to try and keep looking forward!
UNC vs Va Tech-Go Heels(I'm dreaming, I know)
West Va vs South Fla- West Va
NC State vs FSU- FSU
Ole Miss vs Auburn- Ole Miss
Indiana vs Iowa- Iowa
UGA vs UF-I don't pick this game
Miami vs Wake- Miami
Miss St vs Kentucky- Kentucky
South Carolina vs Tenn- South Carolina
Texas vs Okla St- Texas
USC vs Oregon- Oregon
Friday, October 16, 2009
It's BCS time...don't get excited
Why oh why was this system ever created? I have been told that it was a true effort to try and make college football as equal as possible, but when you review the criteria for the BCS, I just can't seem to find the "good" in the system. I could give you stats, stories, and reasons the BCS doesn't work, but I'm guessing you have heard them all. If you are from a small conference, you are screaming for Boise State to finally get in as you cheer for Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Arkansas this weekend. If you are from the SEC, you are still wondering how an undefeated Auburn didn't get in over Oklahoma when they got decimatted by USC(plus a SEC team has won the last three championships which proves it definitely would have been a better game!). If you are from the Big East you are even cheering for Cincinnati so they can finally get a team in the championship game. Why is there more cheering against the team ahead of you in the polls than actually cheering for your own team?
This blog entry will be short and simple... create playoffs! Top eight playoff? Why is it that every other sport figured out that a playoff would be the simplest way to find a champion? I appreciate tradition, and I would love to keep the bowls, but I also would love it if there wasn't arguments against the national champion. Of course, people would argue for that ninth spot, but wouldn't we rather an argument for the ninth best team rather than the third? I know we all want a playoff...let's try and get it one!
Here are the picks for the weekend. I went 7-5, but had I not picked Florida State and Michigan for my husband's sake, I would have been 9-3. He told me that I just shouldn't pick them at all anymore(needless to say he is frustrated with this football season). So here we go...
Okla vs Texas- Texas
Wake vs Clemson- Clemson
UGA vs Vandy-go DAWGS!(please win...)
Ark vs UF-Go GATORS!
USC vs ND- USC
NC State vs BC-BC
UVA vs Maryland-UVA
Va Tech vs Ga Tech-Va Tech
Kent vs Auburn-Auburn
So Carolina vs Bama-Bama
Missouri vs Ok State-Missouri
Texas Tech vs Nebraska-Nebraska
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Pet Peeve #1
For those of you that know me, you know how many crazy pet peeves I have in my life. Leaving the blinker on, smacking of gum, crunching of ice right in my ear, any kind of tick, and of course the "barely touching" are just to name a few. After this week of football, a few more pet peeves have been added to my list. I know that these two stories are already being run into the ground but frankly I want to add to the fire. When it comes to pet peeves, the only way to get rid of them is to tell everyone you know about them!
The first pet peeve has to do with everything surrounding Bobby Bowden. This peeve comes in the fact that the "big" donors are the ones asking for the retirement of Bowden, when the people who have the control are the ones trying to put out all the fire. When the president of your school and your athletic director are backing the coach, then I personally believe that everyone else should also leave it alone. I understand that people are entitled to their opinions(as I am doing right now), but when you think that your opinion will sway the people in charge to fire one of the greatest coaches of all time, then I find that a little annoying. I come from a position as a Florida fan who has never enjoyed the Bowden victories(especially the 31-31 tie, even though it wasnt considered a victory it sure did get under my skin!), yet as a person who appreciates how hard it must be to get as many wins as Bowden. Bobby should be able to retire whenever he wants to and he has obviously earned that right. Who's to say that one day soon Bobby does exactly what Joe Paterno has done-have some pretty subpar seasons and now at 83, he is leading a top 15 Penn State football team. It seems to me like Bobby has relinquished a lot of his duties on offense and defense, yet the team seems to do worse with lesser input. When I watched him step into the huddle right before the last play of the Miami game, it looked to me he made the play call which gave FSU it's best opportunity in the end zone. The guy just didn't catch it.
So for this pet peeve...let's just let the powers do their job, talk to our friends about our real opinions, and let one of the greatest football coaches of all time finish out his legacy when he so chooses.
Pet Peeve #2
Now for my second pet peeve. REFEREES! My dad always told me that his lease favorite thing about soccer was how the referees could change the game. With one blow of the whistle and a signal to the penalty spot, the momentum of the game changes and normally so does the outcome. As a former football player himself, he always knew the refs had some control, but he knew it was good control. Not until this weekend did he realize, and I am right with him, that the refs had WAY too much control. Of course there have been games before this past weekend where we all wanted to blame the refs, but knew the actual outcome of the game was not dictated by their calls. When the referees decided to call an unsportsmanlike penalty on AJ Green which was put on the kickoff and two plays later LSU runs in the winning touchdown, the refs had actually decided the outcome of the game.
When it comes to SEC football, every play matters. When it came down to last Saturday between the hedges, the tension was constantly mounting as the first half was a full defensive battle, but the fourth quarter was all about the offense. When 90,000 people are screaming at the top of their lungs, you just made one of the best catches of the season, and possibly the winning touchdown over a top 5 team, are you not supposed to celebrate? I have watched the replay over and over again in hopes that I find someone who tried to draw attention to himself or someone who just celebrated too long, but I just haven't found that someone. LSU fans can even argue that they also got the same call against them after they scored, but it never affected the outcome and we all know that the first call was the one that took all the momentum away from Georgia and it was just too late to get it back.
I feel bad for Georgia and all the players and coaches involved. I appreciate that the SEC is reprimanding these refs for the blatant bad call, but unfortunately it won't change the score. I feel bad for my dad as he realized that the one thing he hated about soccer has now come true to his first sports passion, college football. It was a sad day for all dawgs fans and I just hope it doesn't completely ruin this season.
So for this pet peeve...refs, try and call the game properly and don't leave your mark. No one remembers the refs UNLESS they make a bad call.
OK now for the picks and let me tell you I HAVE to make up for last week. I was 4-8, YIKES! That's really bad. I am letting myself go! Here we go for a better effort!
Neb vs Mizzou-Missouri
BC vs Va Tech- Va Tech
Aub vs Ark- Aub
UGA vs UT- Go DAWGS
Kent vs South Carolina- S. Carolina
Bama vs Ole Miss-Bama
Oregon vs UCLA-Oregon
Georgia Southern vs UNC-Go HEELS
Maryland vs Wake Forest-Wake
UF vs LSU-GO GATORS
GT vs FSU-FSU
Mich vs Iowa- Mich
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Please Come Back!
For those of you that know me really well and for those that have been paying attention to my blog, you all know that I have been paying a lot of attention to the recent headline in college football. My favorite player in college football now and probably my favorite athlete ever is Tim Tebow, and when he fell down lifeless I was like any college football fan when I held my breath until he was able to lift his head on his own. With my experience as a soccer player, we deal with a lot of concussions, so once I heard that was his only diagnosis, I was very relieved. I know concussions are a very dangerous injury, especially when you have a lot of them(and probably even more dangerous in football), but with the proper care, concussions are injuries that allow you to come back and play again. My bigger worry to this injury is the fact that with Tebow going down last week and Sam Bradford going down with a shoulder injury the first game of the season, young college football players and highly recruited high school players will look at these heisman trophy winners and opt to leave school early for the NFL in fear that they would also get injured.
I totally understand why players who are highly touted would want to go to the NFL early, but there is so much about the college life that these players would miss. It's not just the pride of playing for your school, but one more year of college means one more year of maturation and one more year learning what not to do when you sign a contract worth millions of dollars. There are almost more stories of young professional athletes who receive major contract deals that end up bankrupt than stories of players who keep signing lucrative deals and stay out of debt. There are also a lot of stories of players who come out in the first round and don't actually play until years later because they still need to work on their weaknesses that they could have worked on with one more year of college football. It's more of a rarity to see someone like Mark Sanchez in the NFL and more common to see someone like Ryan Leaf(ok, maybe not as dramatic as Leaf, but a highly touted athlete who ends up with a below average career). I don't even need to go into why another year of actual learning will help just about anyone! That's pretty obvious!
My point to this whole entry is to say to these athletes please come back to school! I know that you can finish your college degree anytime you want, but as someone who had to come back to finish just ONE semester, it is not nearly as easy as it sounds! I look at players like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady who played all four years and now look at their careers. They were able to experience everything a college education gives you along with how staying in college football can truly help your NFL growth, on and off the field. I truly hope that Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow have wonderful NFL careers. I also hope that the media will stop questioning the players and the coaches as to why these players decided to come back. I saw a quote from Bob Stoops on espn.com and he responded well to the annoying questions the media were asking him.
I totally understand why players who are highly touted would want to go to the NFL early, but there is so much about the college life that these players would miss. It's not just the pride of playing for your school, but one more year of college means one more year of maturation and one more year learning what not to do when you sign a contract worth millions of dollars. There are almost more stories of young professional athletes who receive major contract deals that end up bankrupt than stories of players who keep signing lucrative deals and stay out of debt. There are also a lot of stories of players who come out in the first round and don't actually play until years later because they still need to work on their weaknesses that they could have worked on with one more year of college football. It's more of a rarity to see someone like Mark Sanchez in the NFL and more common to see someone like Ryan Leaf(ok, maybe not as dramatic as Leaf, but a highly touted athlete who ends up with a below average career). I don't even need to go into why another year of actual learning will help just about anyone! That's pretty obvious!
My point to this whole entry is to say to these athletes please come back to school! I know that you can finish your college degree anytime you want, but as someone who had to come back to finish just ONE semester, it is not nearly as easy as it sounds! I look at players like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady who played all four years and now look at their careers. They were able to experience everything a college education gives you along with how staying in college football can truly help your NFL growth, on and off the field. I truly hope that Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow have wonderful NFL careers. I also hope that the media will stop questioning the players and the coaches as to why these players decided to come back. I saw a quote from Bob Stoops on espn.com and he responded well to the annoying questions the media were asking him.
"Everybody's entitled to their opinion, but for me to force a guy to go out and then what if it isn't the right decision? I don't need to tell you how things can always go in the draft," Stoops said."In the end, it's not my job to force a guy to come out. It's my job to educate my players on all the possibilities and then it's up to the individual and his family to make that decision."
In the end, no one can predict what will happen, but why take the chance of failing in the NFL so early? Enjoy all the experiences life gives you, and never stop learning. I admire these athletes and their desire to just be better people.
OK, so last weekend was a pretty bad weekend for me. With all the random upsets that I just didn't see coming, I wound up 6-6. Here's hoping for a better week!
UNC vs UVA- Go Heels!
Mich vs Mich St-Mich
Clemson vs Maryland-Clemson
Bama vs Kent-Bama
LSU vs UGA- Go Dawgs!
Washington vs ND-ND
FSU vs BC-FSU
Wake vs NC State-State
GT vs Miss St-Miss St
Auburn vs Tenn-Auburn
USC vs Cal-USC
Okla vs Miami-Okla
Friday, September 25, 2009
Will the real Lane Kiffin please shut up?
After another wonderful weekend of college football where Georgia, Florida, North Carolina won, plus Florida State and Michigan won (to make my husband happy), I was still quite annoyed at the end of the day and into this week. Why would I be disappointed, I ask myself? With the UNC and Georgia offense finally producing and Florida getting its first SEC win, how could I even consider not enjoying my whole day? First of all, it started when Tennessee decided to hire Lane Kiffin. He is a man with very little on his resume besides being the offensive coordinator to USC when we all know that Pete Carroll is the mastermind. Plus his miserable stint as the Oakland Raiders head coach where he blamed everyone but himself for his pathetic effort. Then, as we all heard about 100 times on ESPN last week, he made the infamous speech where he said he was going to be singing Rocky Top all night long after beating Florida. He also accused Urban Meyer of cheating when he himself has been reprimanded too many times to count AND he was dumb enough to be on ESPN breaking rules when he decided to talk to recruits on the air..."smart guy." Even worse, he accused Mark Richt of cheating...really? An incredible Christian man is going to be accused of cheating by a man with that track record? Let's be serious.
After all of this, plus losing to UCLA(again), he was still in the state of mind that he was going to beat Florida. While most of the experts were saying the spread was over 25 points(and with my expertise hoping for something like 35), he still believed he could win. I totally understand why he would want his team to believe they could win, plus in the SEC anything can happen, but he just got plain annoying. So when UF didn't beat them by a whole lot, I was a little disappointed, but even more disappointed by what has happened since the game. First of all, no sideline reporter in their right mind should ask a coach whether he is happy that the team did better than expected even though they lost(another reason I should be on the sidelines). Secondly, why does Kiffin keep talking? He claims that Urban Meyer didn't talk about the flu his players had until after they didn't play as well as they wanted. Would any coach tell another team they were playing before the game that their players were sick? Not too smart of a coach to tell the other team that some of their best players are weak? So why does Lane Kiffin keep jabbing his mouth and digging deeper holes? Do Tennessee fans like all of this talk? Do they think this is good for the university just to have a little flare? Is breaking NCAA rules the only way to catch up to the other SEC schools? Is he inspiring his team? I truly want to know the method to his madness as I would hope he is smarter than what keeps flying out of his mouth!
This is the reason I can't wait for this weekend. I mean, we have already had an upset with the overrated Ole Miss team losing to South Carolina, UNC has a chance to start its bid at winning the ACC, Georgia has yet another tough game against a PAC 10 team, and Florida can't rest while visiting Kentucky. No more drama. No more talking. Just regular, PURE college football where everything is decided on the field instead of in front of the tv camera. My only worry is that I am sitting on the west coast without my husband and doggies, where I may miss some games because I will be stuck watching PAC 10 games. What a bother, but at least it's football. Another fun week in the fall so either way I am going to enjoy and make the most of every Saturday!
My picks last Saturday were only ok with me going 9-5, so I hope to make the most of this weekend.
SoFla vs FSU-FSU
UNC vs GT-Go Heels!
IND vs Mich-Mich
LSU vs Miss St- LSU
CAL vs ORE- CAL
TCU vs Clem- Clemson
MIA vs VT- Miami
ARK vs BAMA-BAMA
UF vs Kent-Go Gators!
ASU vs UGA- Go Dawgs!
Iowa vs Penn St- PSU
Wake vs BC- BC
After all of this, plus losing to UCLA(again), he was still in the state of mind that he was going to beat Florida. While most of the experts were saying the spread was over 25 points(and with my expertise hoping for something like 35), he still believed he could win. I totally understand why he would want his team to believe they could win, plus in the SEC anything can happen, but he just got plain annoying. So when UF didn't beat them by a whole lot, I was a little disappointed, but even more disappointed by what has happened since the game. First of all, no sideline reporter in their right mind should ask a coach whether he is happy that the team did better than expected even though they lost(another reason I should be on the sidelines). Secondly, why does Kiffin keep talking? He claims that Urban Meyer didn't talk about the flu his players had until after they didn't play as well as they wanted. Would any coach tell another team they were playing before the game that their players were sick? Not too smart of a coach to tell the other team that some of their best players are weak? So why does Lane Kiffin keep jabbing his mouth and digging deeper holes? Do Tennessee fans like all of this talk? Do they think this is good for the university just to have a little flare? Is breaking NCAA rules the only way to catch up to the other SEC schools? Is he inspiring his team? I truly want to know the method to his madness as I would hope he is smarter than what keeps flying out of his mouth!
This is the reason I can't wait for this weekend. I mean, we have already had an upset with the overrated Ole Miss team losing to South Carolina, UNC has a chance to start its bid at winning the ACC, Georgia has yet another tough game against a PAC 10 team, and Florida can't rest while visiting Kentucky. No more drama. No more talking. Just regular, PURE college football where everything is decided on the field instead of in front of the tv camera. My only worry is that I am sitting on the west coast without my husband and doggies, where I may miss some games because I will be stuck watching PAC 10 games. What a bother, but at least it's football. Another fun week in the fall so either way I am going to enjoy and make the most of every Saturday!
My picks last Saturday were only ok with me going 9-5, so I hope to make the most of this weekend.
SoFla vs FSU-FSU
UNC vs GT-Go Heels!
IND vs Mich-Mich
LSU vs Miss St- LSU
CAL vs ORE- CAL
TCU vs Clem- Clemson
MIA vs VT- Miami
ARK vs BAMA-BAMA
UF vs Kent-Go Gators!
ASU vs UGA- Go Dawgs!
Iowa vs Penn St- PSU
Wake vs BC- BC
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Why I should be on GAMEDAY!
As a lot of you know, I have a "slight" dream of one day being a sideline reporter for college football along with helping out the boys on the set of gameday. Now any person in their right mind who loves college football wants a shot at being on the show(as you can tell by all the signs), but here is my reason why I should be the ONE.
First of all, there isn't a woman on the show. They used to have one, but I am guessing that they just thought it was a waste of space. I'm not saying this is bad for any feminist reason, so please don't take it that way-ZACK! haha! All I am saying is that there should be someone going into the crowd and asking why do fans have specific signs and what was their motivation for coming up with their saying. For instance, why did someone write, "Barkley wears a snuggie?" First of all, snuggies are AWESOME. I should know since I cuddle up in one every night! Secondly, was this a USC fan saying that Barkley is cool for wearing a snuggie or was it a Ohio State fan saying it was a bad thing? One will never know because no one was there to ask. Or should we interview the Washington State flag bearers that are at every game. I mean, first of all, impressive, secondly even more impressive when your team is terrible. And then there is the inevitable distasteful signs talking about Charlie Weis's weight. Now I am not saying that a Biggest Loser for football coaches wouldn't be something that we would all love to watch, but the poor man doesn't need to see his weight flashing up on a screen every saturday. My segment wouldn't need to be a long segment, just fun and short-anything to get me on GAMEDAY! hahahaha! If anyone has even better ideas as to why I should be on gameday, please let me know! I need all the ideas I can get!
As for last weekend, what a great, stressful weekend. I think it was the first weekend where both Robert and I came out victorious for all of our teams. It all started at noon when UNC went up to Connecticut to try and make me have a heart attack until the last two drives. I can't believe that we won on a safety. I feel terrible for the offensive lineman who gave up the holding call for us to win the game. It's like a defender in soccer. No one really knows your name until you make a mistake. Then came the Michigan/Notre Dame game where I could relax but Robert cheers for Michigan since he was born in Ann Arbor and his dad went to grad school there. It was like one heart attack after another. Thank goodness Florida was sandwiched in there and gave us a close call for only one quarter. Then came Georgia and Florida State. The UGA offense didn't even really get on the field until the second quarter and the bottom line kept telling Robert and I that Jacksonville State was still beating FSU. Thank goodness for last drives offensively for FSU and defensively for UGA. At least we went to sleep happy!
So here are the picks for this week. A lot of good games coming up this week, especially for Lane Kiffin and his big mouth. The ACC did a great job last week making up for the first week by going 9-2, and one of those losses was two ACC teams playing against each other. Last week I was 9-2 with my picks, so not too shabby!
GT vs Miami- GT
Duke vs Kansas- Kansas
ECU vs UNC- Go HEELS
Boston College vs Clemson- Clemson
UT vs UF- Go GATORS
USC vs Washington- USC
Nebraska vs VT- Nebraska
Utah vs Oregon- Utah
Michigan State vs Notre Dame- ND
FSU vs BYU- FSU
Miss State vs Vandy- Vandy
Georgia vs Arkansas- Go DAWGS
West Virginia vs Auburn- Auburn
Texas Tech vs Texas- Texas
First of all, there isn't a woman on the show. They used to have one, but I am guessing that they just thought it was a waste of space. I'm not saying this is bad for any feminist reason, so please don't take it that way-ZACK! haha! All I am saying is that there should be someone going into the crowd and asking why do fans have specific signs and what was their motivation for coming up with their saying. For instance, why did someone write, "Barkley wears a snuggie?" First of all, snuggies are AWESOME. I should know since I cuddle up in one every night! Secondly, was this a USC fan saying that Barkley is cool for wearing a snuggie or was it a Ohio State fan saying it was a bad thing? One will never know because no one was there to ask. Or should we interview the Washington State flag bearers that are at every game. I mean, first of all, impressive, secondly even more impressive when your team is terrible. And then there is the inevitable distasteful signs talking about Charlie Weis's weight. Now I am not saying that a Biggest Loser for football coaches wouldn't be something that we would all love to watch, but the poor man doesn't need to see his weight flashing up on a screen every saturday. My segment wouldn't need to be a long segment, just fun and short-anything to get me on GAMEDAY! hahahaha! If anyone has even better ideas as to why I should be on gameday, please let me know! I need all the ideas I can get!
As for last weekend, what a great, stressful weekend. I think it was the first weekend where both Robert and I came out victorious for all of our teams. It all started at noon when UNC went up to Connecticut to try and make me have a heart attack until the last two drives. I can't believe that we won on a safety. I feel terrible for the offensive lineman who gave up the holding call for us to win the game. It's like a defender in soccer. No one really knows your name until you make a mistake. Then came the Michigan/Notre Dame game where I could relax but Robert cheers for Michigan since he was born in Ann Arbor and his dad went to grad school there. It was like one heart attack after another. Thank goodness Florida was sandwiched in there and gave us a close call for only one quarter. Then came Georgia and Florida State. The UGA offense didn't even really get on the field until the second quarter and the bottom line kept telling Robert and I that Jacksonville State was still beating FSU. Thank goodness for last drives offensively for FSU and defensively for UGA. At least we went to sleep happy!
So here are the picks for this week. A lot of good games coming up this week, especially for Lane Kiffin and his big mouth. The ACC did a great job last week making up for the first week by going 9-2, and one of those losses was two ACC teams playing against each other. Last week I was 9-2 with my picks, so not too shabby!
GT vs Miami- GT
Duke vs Kansas- Kansas
ECU vs UNC- Go HEELS
Boston College vs Clemson- Clemson
UT vs UF- Go GATORS
USC vs Washington- USC
Nebraska vs VT- Nebraska
Utah vs Oregon- Utah
Michigan State vs Notre Dame- ND
FSU vs BYU- FSU
Miss State vs Vandy- Vandy
Georgia vs Arkansas- Go DAWGS
West Virginia vs Auburn- Auburn
Texas Tech vs Texas- Texas
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Retraction...
BYU and TCU are in the Mountain West...oops. Both the WAC and Mountain West have legitimate arguments for a BCS bid. It really hurts me to say this....
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
ACC redo
After the great response I got from my first college football post, I have decided to make my blog more of a college football blog rather than just about my life. I mean, let's be serious, I am not extremely witty or funny, so the more interesting thing for me to do would be to fill you in on my obsession...college football. This week it's all about an ACC redo. I mean, let's face it, the ACC was an embarrassment to me and all the college football fans out there that went to an ACC school(even college football fans that didn't go to an ACC school).
So here we go.... The ACC went 5-7 the OPENING week. For most respectable conferences, winning seven games is embarrassing, much less losing seven. When I watched the Alabama/Virginia Tech gameday and saw a sign that said "Almost Competitive Conference," I found myself agreeing. When teams like BYU and the WAC conference have an argument as to why they should get into a BCS game and the ACC has an opening week like this, it scares me a little. (Good thing we aren't as bad as the Big East who didn't even have a team in the top 25 until this week).
Here's to the good part though. I believe the ACC can change. After watching another epic battle between FSU and Miami(sorry Whitehills-me not included), I realized that the ACC can make a great comeback by the end of the season. One of the greatest aspects of college football is that you NEVER know what will happen next. Miami and Florida State(as hard as it is for me to say this) seem to be back on the rise. Now, as a Florida fan, I think this is still going to take awhile for them to get back to where they were, but I thoroughly enjoyed the game and I think it is good for college football for these two teams to be good. Since Virginia Tech and Boston College have arrived, the Big East (since these teams came from there) still makes arguments that they are a better football conference than the ACC, but I believe that with UNC, FSU, and Miami having a much better showing than say, Virginia Tech, this past week I think it is a great sign for the ACC. (Some of you may be saying to yourself that VT played Bama and they were supposed to look bad, but coming from a #6 position they shouldn't look that bad. Plus, "T-mobile" was a little embarrassing for you VT fans.) There are a few key games for the ACC to revive their season and to dismiss that William and Mary defeat....For instance, UVA and Clemson can come through and beat a WAC conference team in TCU, FSU can beat another WAC team in BYU and hopefully show BYU it was a little lucky to beat the Bradford-Gresham less Sooners on Saturday night. Virginia Tech can redeem themselves with a Big 12 win against Nebraska and Miami can do the same to Oklahoma(hopefully Bradford will return by then and make it a highly competitive game). I guess we shall say that BC can beat Notre Dame to help us gain respect, but after the slashing that the UNC women's soccer team put on the Notre Dame soccer team, it's hard for me to say 'respect.' And then of course there is the end of the season where the SEC/ACC rivalries come into play. Needless to say, A LOT of time for redemption. Maybe we can call this second week of college football a "redo" for the ACC. A kind of "first week" all over again so they can prepare for week three where a lot of ACC teams can really redeem the conference. I believe.
Here are my picks for the week. Let's see, I was 7-6 last week, which wasn't too good, but I changed some picks to compete with my dad and I ended up winning the weekend. I am going to try and do better this time....
Clemson at GT- GT
UNC at UConn-Go Heels
Stanford at Wake-WF
Troy at UF-Go Gators
TCU at UVA-TCU
Notre Dame at Mich-ND
UCLA at Tenn-Tenn
Vandy at LSU-LSU
South Carolina at UGA-Go Dawgs(please redeem yourself!)
Miss State at Auburn-Auburn
USC at Ohio State- USC
So here we go.... The ACC went 5-7 the OPENING week. For most respectable conferences, winning seven games is embarrassing, much less losing seven. When I watched the Alabama/Virginia Tech gameday and saw a sign that said "Almost Competitive Conference," I found myself agreeing. When teams like BYU and the WAC conference have an argument as to why they should get into a BCS game and the ACC has an opening week like this, it scares me a little. (Good thing we aren't as bad as the Big East who didn't even have a team in the top 25 until this week).
Here's to the good part though. I believe the ACC can change. After watching another epic battle between FSU and Miami(sorry Whitehills-me not included), I realized that the ACC can make a great comeback by the end of the season. One of the greatest aspects of college football is that you NEVER know what will happen next. Miami and Florida State(as hard as it is for me to say this) seem to be back on the rise. Now, as a Florida fan, I think this is still going to take awhile for them to get back to where they were, but I thoroughly enjoyed the game and I think it is good for college football for these two teams to be good. Since Virginia Tech and Boston College have arrived, the Big East (since these teams came from there) still makes arguments that they are a better football conference than the ACC, but I believe that with UNC, FSU, and Miami having a much better showing than say, Virginia Tech, this past week I think it is a great sign for the ACC. (Some of you may be saying to yourself that VT played Bama and they were supposed to look bad, but coming from a #6 position they shouldn't look that bad. Plus, "T-mobile" was a little embarrassing for you VT fans.) There are a few key games for the ACC to revive their season and to dismiss that William and Mary defeat....For instance, UVA and Clemson can come through and beat a WAC conference team in TCU, FSU can beat another WAC team in BYU and hopefully show BYU it was a little lucky to beat the Bradford-Gresham less Sooners on Saturday night. Virginia Tech can redeem themselves with a Big 12 win against Nebraska and Miami can do the same to Oklahoma(hopefully Bradford will return by then and make it a highly competitive game). I guess we shall say that BC can beat Notre Dame to help us gain respect, but after the slashing that the UNC women's soccer team put on the Notre Dame soccer team, it's hard for me to say 'respect.' And then of course there is the end of the season where the SEC/ACC rivalries come into play. Needless to say, A LOT of time for redemption. Maybe we can call this second week of college football a "redo" for the ACC. A kind of "first week" all over again so they can prepare for week three where a lot of ACC teams can really redeem the conference. I believe.
Here are my picks for the week. Let's see, I was 7-6 last week, which wasn't too good, but I changed some picks to compete with my dad and I ended up winning the weekend. I am going to try and do better this time....
Clemson at GT- GT
UNC at UConn-Go Heels
Stanford at Wake-WF
Troy at UF-Go Gators
TCU at UVA-TCU
Notre Dame at Mich-ND
UCLA at Tenn-Tenn
Vandy at LSU-LSU
South Carolina at UGA-Go Dawgs(please redeem yourself!)
Miss State at Auburn-Auburn
USC at Ohio State- USC
Thursday, September 3, 2009
college football
I am so excited about today at 7pm and I hope everyone out there is too. South Carolina(the other carolina) and NC State play on espn. Robert and I are just going to sit and eat a pizza and enjoy the beginnings of a beautiful fall. There are so many great games this weekend, a first for the first weekend in football. Even on Thursday there are a couple of good games. One is the south carolina game, but there is also Oregon and Boise State. You are probably thinking why do I care about Oregon and Boise State since they don't affect my fav teams? They will once the BCS rolls around. Boise State is one of those spoilers and if they remain undefeated(and most likely they will if they win this game), they will probably be in the BCS game...especially with what happened last year.
Then we have Saturday. One of Robert and my favorite days of the year(well every Saturday in the fall). We just sit in front of the tv all day, eat really bad food, and enjoy all the football. You may be thinking to yourself, how sad is that, but we love it and we will cherish these days for the rest of our lives.
One of my favorite parts of college football weeks is making my weekly picks with my dad. Every Thursday we take the list of college football games, pick the most competitive ones, and pick who we think will win. We add up who gets the most right at the end of the year and whoever loses buys the other dinner. What a great way for my dad and I to get a fun date! We have been doing this since I was in high school and I love it. Here is a preview of my picks for the week...how well do you think I did?
South Carolina vs NC State- NC State
Oregon vs Boise State- Oregon
App St vs East Carolina- App State
UGA vs Okla St- Go UGA!
Baylor vs Wake Forest- Baylor
Citadel vs UNC- Go Heels!
Charleston Southern vs UF- Go Gators!
BYU vs Oklahoma- Oklahoma
Richmond vs Duke- Richmond!
Alabama vs Virginia Tech- Bama
Maryland vs Cal- Cal
LSU vs Washington- LSU
Miami vs FSU- FSU
Then we have Saturday. One of Robert and my favorite days of the year(well every Saturday in the fall). We just sit in front of the tv all day, eat really bad food, and enjoy all the football. You may be thinking to yourself, how sad is that, but we love it and we will cherish these days for the rest of our lives.
One of my favorite parts of college football weeks is making my weekly picks with my dad. Every Thursday we take the list of college football games, pick the most competitive ones, and pick who we think will win. We add up who gets the most right at the end of the year and whoever loses buys the other dinner. What a great way for my dad and I to get a fun date! We have been doing this since I was in high school and I love it. Here is a preview of my picks for the week...how well do you think I did?
South Carolina vs NC State- NC State
Oregon vs Boise State- Oregon
App St vs East Carolina- App State
UGA vs Okla St- Go UGA!
Baylor vs Wake Forest- Baylor
Citadel vs UNC- Go Heels!
Charleston Southern vs UF- Go Gators!
BYU vs Oklahoma- Oklahoma
Richmond vs Duke- Richmond!
Alabama vs Virginia Tech- Bama
Maryland vs Cal- Cal
LSU vs Washington- LSU
Miami vs FSU- FSU
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Plane Etiquette
#3- If you have earphones in, it means "DO NOT talk to me!"
#4- Unless you are missing a flight, it is unnecessary to run up as many rows as you can just to try and get off the plane first.
#4- Unless you are missing a flight, it is unnecessary to run up as many rows as you can just to try and get off the plane first.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Plane Etiquette
I have decided, and I am guessing that many people who fly often have done this, to write a little blurb on the blog about plane etiquette. It is something that people who don't fly often should know and people who do fly often should make a part of their everyday flight. I cannot express to you how annoyed I get when people do not follow these simple rules to flying. If you are like me at all and you have this annoyance to people slightly touching you, plane etiquette is crucial to an enjoyable flight experience. I mean, is it not enough that take off and landing scare the living daylight out of me? Plus, how many flights have had some kind of problem this year...people, let's make flying as pleasurable as possible!
#1- If you are the unlucky person who gets the middle row, you have the right to both armrests. If you have the window or aisle seat, you are already designated one armrest where there is no fight. Why not be a kind flyer and give the worst seat in the plane two places to put their arms so that you can lean far away to your own designated place and give them some kind of comfort. Again, the whole touching thing can really get in the way if you are in the middle seat.
#2- Please put your bag above your OWN seat. Just because you see extra space as you are walking back to your seat that is the closest one to the bathroom, DO NOT put your bag in that spot. My guess is there will be space near your own seat. The most annoying thing is when your seat is near the front of the plane and the only place to put your bag is ten rows behind your seat. What this means is you have to wait for everyone to leave the plane(which takes FOREVER!) or you have to go against the grain and try and get your bag. Please tell me that you don't find this annoying!
Stay tuned for more complaints to come!
#1- If you are the unlucky person who gets the middle row, you have the right to both armrests. If you have the window or aisle seat, you are already designated one armrest where there is no fight. Why not be a kind flyer and give the worst seat in the plane two places to put their arms so that you can lean far away to your own designated place and give them some kind of comfort. Again, the whole touching thing can really get in the way if you are in the middle seat.
#2- Please put your bag above your OWN seat. Just because you see extra space as you are walking back to your seat that is the closest one to the bathroom, DO NOT put your bag in that spot. My guess is there will be space near your own seat. The most annoying thing is when your seat is near the front of the plane and the only place to put your bag is ten rows behind your seat. What this means is you have to wait for everyone to leave the plane(which takes FOREVER!) or you have to go against the grain and try and get your bag. Please tell me that you don't find this annoying!
Stay tuned for more complaints to come!
Monday, June 15, 2009
What a weekend!
What a wonderful weekend! I am sitting on my couch right now thinking about how awesome this weekend was and how tired I am from having so much fun! The Mansfields came to visit which was so amazing, especially for Izzy and Maeby as Tracy practiced her motherly skills and was constantly showing some kind of affection to the two of them.
I just love hanging out with the Mansers as we are so content sitting around and chatting about life and catching up. Even though we enjoyed the apartment air conditioning, we still made it outside a few times to enjoy the wonderful sunny weather that neither one of us had the whole week. We ventured to the dog park, I played and they watched a soccer game, strolled around rocking Rockville with the pups so that Zack and Tracy could remember surburbia and hit up Panera, and we went to eat at a sport's bar to watch our tar heels give up an amazing performance by our starting pitcher and lose 5-2 in ten. Needless to say, it was soo much fun! Thanks for hitting up the bus and taking a trip to the DC area!
We also got a treat with the Whitehills visiting. Although we didn't get to see them very much, we still had a great time. They got to experience their first Women's Professional soccer game plus their first DC United game which turned out to be a very good game. Plus the fans from United were in rare, but good form! We then met them in good ol' Bethesda for some good grub and chat time and it was some good quality time with the in-laws. Sadly, they left today, but the short but sweet trip was a whole lot of fun for Robert and I.
As I reminisce about the weekend, I am just filled with the joy that these great families bring me. I love being around them and I love that they were here to see the first shutout(finally!) of the Washington Freedom! Now it's nap time so I can recover from the weekend and so I will be ready for our next game...St. Louis. They did just take second place from us after the weekend so we need to go there and take it back!
I just love hanging out with the Mansers as we are so content sitting around and chatting about life and catching up. Even though we enjoyed the apartment air conditioning, we still made it outside a few times to enjoy the wonderful sunny weather that neither one of us had the whole week. We ventured to the dog park, I played and they watched a soccer game, strolled around rocking Rockville with the pups so that Zack and Tracy could remember surburbia and hit up Panera, and we went to eat at a sport's bar to watch our tar heels give up an amazing performance by our starting pitcher and lose 5-2 in ten. Needless to say, it was soo much fun! Thanks for hitting up the bus and taking a trip to the DC area!
We also got a treat with the Whitehills visiting. Although we didn't get to see them very much, we still had a great time. They got to experience their first Women's Professional soccer game plus their first DC United game which turned out to be a very good game. Plus the fans from United were in rare, but good form! We then met them in good ol' Bethesda for some good grub and chat time and it was some good quality time with the in-laws. Sadly, they left today, but the short but sweet trip was a whole lot of fun for Robert and I.
As I reminisce about the weekend, I am just filled with the joy that these great families bring me. I love being around them and I love that they were here to see the first shutout(finally!) of the Washington Freedom! Now it's nap time so I can recover from the weekend and so I will be ready for our next game...St. Louis. They did just take second place from us after the weekend so we need to go there and take it back!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
I love my team
So...yesterday we had a small practice to help us recover from our game against Virginia on Saturday. We all know that we have Monday off and one would think that we would take this long break from each other since we have literally been together 24/7 the last three weeks. Instead, we get together for a pizza party to watch FC Gold play the Boston Breakers. I just love how we love to hang out with each other.
I also was able to see the cherry blossoms with some of my teammates and it was just beautiful. Izzy and Maeby were also able to take in the beautiful, yet crowded cherry blossoms, and we just had a blast. I was told that they were quite a site to see, but I guess I didn't know that trees could be so pretty(especially when they are all in a row around the memorials). It was fun to get a glimpse of how great Washington DC can be.
So...I love my team. It's just nice that we have great chemistry on this team, and I just know that as the season keeps going that is really going to pay off. And I just know that even though we lost our first game, that is definitely NOT going to be a common trend!
I also was able to see the cherry blossoms with some of my teammates and it was just beautiful. Izzy and Maeby were also able to take in the beautiful, yet crowded cherry blossoms, and we just had a blast. I was told that they were quite a site to see, but I guess I didn't know that trees could be so pretty(especially when they are all in a row around the memorials). It was fun to get a glimpse of how great Washington DC can be.
So...I love my team. It's just nice that we have great chemistry on this team, and I just know that as the season keeps going that is really going to pay off. And I just know that even though we lost our first game, that is definitely NOT going to be a common trend!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
You ready?
I sure am! The WPS is getting ready to get started and it starts at 6pm east coast time with us(the washington freedom) and LA Sol playing against each other! Tune in on Fox Soccer Channel because I am so excited! I'm excited to be playing in the first game, but mostly I am just so excited to be playing.... What a year, but I am glad that a new year has begun! If you are in LA, come to the game, but if you aren't, you better be watching! Hope to see you there or I hope to hear from you after the game! Go Freedom!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Rockville Rocks
Just wanted to give a small update on what is going on with the Freedom. I am living in a town called Rockville, Md and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It is about 15 minutes from our fields which means I don't have to get in the crazy traffic of DC! The dogs are up here with me and Robert has been up every weekend, so we have been working on finding the ins and the outs of Maryland. I can honestly say I never thought I would be living in Maryland, but I like it!
The team is looking great. We did lose in a scrimmage to Sky Blue, but I felt our chemistry got better as the game went on. I would say for our first ever game, we did pretty well. I am just excited for the league. It is truly a great opportunity for so many different people and I am just glad I get to live in this moment!
We head down to Wilmington, NC tomorrow to play my old team, UNC, which I am pretty excited about! Then we head to LA the next weekend to play in the inaugural game! I can't believe this is finally getting started. I am just having fun and I hope you have fun watching!
The team is looking great. We did lose in a scrimmage to Sky Blue, but I felt our chemistry got better as the game went on. I would say for our first ever game, we did pretty well. I am just excited for the league. It is truly a great opportunity for so many different people and I am just glad I get to live in this moment!
We head down to Wilmington, NC tomorrow to play my old team, UNC, which I am pretty excited about! Then we head to LA the next weekend to play in the inaugural game! I can't believe this is finally getting started. I am just having fun and I hope you have fun watching!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Long time, no update
I just realized that it has been over a month since my last blog entry, and well, that is just too long. The good news with this entry is that I will also be adding two new photo albums so you can SEE what I have been up to for the past month.
Basically all I have been doing this month is getting ready for the new Women's Pro Soccer league. I head up to Maryland to play with the Washington Freedom next week and I am pretty excited about it. I am just excited that we are finally getting our league off the ground and I am also excited about getting to play a lot of games. It has been awhile since the last time I stepped onto the pitch in an organized game, but I am so excited that the Inaugural game is just around the corner.
January and February have been a lot of fun. We actually had a snow day here in North Carolina(which is one of the photo albums), the Tar Heels have finally gotten their act together with leadership and big time play by EVERYONE, Grace and I headed out to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to visit our wonderful friends, Ashley and John Merritt(the other photo album, and don't worry about me in the skis. It was cross country skiing so there was no worries with the ACL!), me and the dogs had a lovely birthday given to us by the greatest hubby, my parents and Brandt came to visit, and well I have just loved being in the Durham/Chapel Hill area. Not only have I had a wonderful winter, but Robert was able to go to the Duke game(thanks to Neill) in Cameron and cheer on the Tar Heels as we dominated the dookies! With Neill being at the game and Zack arriving the next day, Robert was able to celebrate the whole weekend! And let's face it, we all know that the Dook game was all those three talked about! And really, that's all that Grace, Ashley, John, and I talked about! It was quite a great day sending all the Duke seniors away without ONE win at Cameron against us Tar Heels!
To say the least, January and February were two great months(I guess it is a good thing we have a little bit left of February!), but I am going to be sad to leave my Durham home. I love my house and I love the memories that I have formed these past seven months of ACL recovery. BUT I am excited about the new memories up in DC and the idea of playing in a real professional league! The only question remains, what is Bailey and Ellie going to do without doggie day care? Or I guess the better question is going to be, what am I going to do without doggie day care??? HAHA
Basically all I have been doing this month is getting ready for the new Women's Pro Soccer league. I head up to Maryland to play with the Washington Freedom next week and I am pretty excited about it. I am just excited that we are finally getting our league off the ground and I am also excited about getting to play a lot of games. It has been awhile since the last time I stepped onto the pitch in an organized game, but I am so excited that the Inaugural game is just around the corner.
January and February have been a lot of fun. We actually had a snow day here in North Carolina(which is one of the photo albums), the Tar Heels have finally gotten their act together with leadership and big time play by EVERYONE, Grace and I headed out to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to visit our wonderful friends, Ashley and John Merritt(the other photo album, and don't worry about me in the skis. It was cross country skiing so there was no worries with the ACL!), me and the dogs had a lovely birthday given to us by the greatest hubby, my parents and Brandt came to visit, and well I have just loved being in the Durham/Chapel Hill area. Not only have I had a wonderful winter, but Robert was able to go to the Duke game(thanks to Neill) in Cameron and cheer on the Tar Heels as we dominated the dookies! With Neill being at the game and Zack arriving the next day, Robert was able to celebrate the whole weekend! And let's face it, we all know that the Dook game was all those three talked about! And really, that's all that Grace, Ashley, John, and I talked about! It was quite a great day sending all the Duke seniors away without ONE win at Cameron against us Tar Heels!
To say the least, January and February were two great months(I guess it is a good thing we have a little bit left of February!), but I am going to be sad to leave my Durham home. I love my house and I love the memories that I have formed these past seven months of ACL recovery. BUT I am excited about the new memories up in DC and the idea of playing in a real professional league! The only question remains, what is Bailey and Ellie going to do without doggie day care? Or I guess the better question is going to be, what am I going to do without doggie day care??? HAHA
Monday, January 12, 2009
Hansbrough versus Tebow
Now a lot of us sports fans watched some fun games this past weekend. The national championship in college football and a regular season college basketball game with two top four teams playing against each other. Both obviously had a lot on the line, one a little more than the other, but with UNC starting out with one loss and no wins coming into the Wake Forest game, it was crucial that the tar heels don't start out 0-2. Obviously, this game was pretty crucial as well. Another thing that sports fans watched, and my guess is that if you aren't a Tebow or Hansbrough fan you were sick of hearing about this, but ESPN did quite a job on comparing these two national players of the year in their respective sport. It was all very interesting and fun, especially because I am a HUGE fan of both, but I don't think you can compare the physical aspects of these two players. When it comes down to greatness, your mentality sets you apart.
So here is my opinion...and well I don't care if you don't care! HAHA! Plus, the reason I am writing this is because I got so mad last night watching Hansbrough crumble in the face of pressure. I felt like our team had just stepped off the court in San Antonio after playing Kansas and brought the same intensity into Wake Forest. When I watched Tebow put on a show in person, and yep I am bragging that I saw it in person, and after the debacle of the Tar Heels last night against Wake, there is one main difference between the both of them. Both are obviously amazing players, both have an amazing passion for their sport, both are rather large, and both can take over a game and help their team to a victory if they so choose. The difference is this, Hansbrough doesn't have the leadership that Tebow displayed in the National Championship nor the right mentality to take over a game when his team is struggling(he can take over a game obviously, but I have yet to see him do it when we are completely down like last night). I watched Hansbrough let his team fall, I saw the passion slip from his face, I watched as Danny Green and Deon Thompson were yelling in disagreement, and Tyler did nothing. I watched a lower classman take over for the deacons and I watched all of our upper classmen watch him do it. As you sports fans have most likely heard that the Tar Heels could beat a few NBA teams and our second team could be in the top 20, we sure aren't proving it. It's just disappointing to see someone like Tyler let his team fall so hard when he has such a great opportunity to be a great leader. That's the difference between Tebow and Hansbrough; both are great players, and again, I LOVE them both, but Tebow decided to be that leader that the team needed. I sure hope Tyler steps up because I would hate for someone like Hansbrough to leave without a championship. Plus it would make Robert sooo happy!!
So call me lame for writing this, but I really want a national championship and I needed to vent!
So here is my opinion...and well I don't care if you don't care! HAHA! Plus, the reason I am writing this is because I got so mad last night watching Hansbrough crumble in the face of pressure. I felt like our team had just stepped off the court in San Antonio after playing Kansas and brought the same intensity into Wake Forest. When I watched Tebow put on a show in person, and yep I am bragging that I saw it in person, and after the debacle of the Tar Heels last night against Wake, there is one main difference between the both of them. Both are obviously amazing players, both have an amazing passion for their sport, both are rather large, and both can take over a game and help their team to a victory if they so choose. The difference is this, Hansbrough doesn't have the leadership that Tebow displayed in the National Championship nor the right mentality to take over a game when his team is struggling(he can take over a game obviously, but I have yet to see him do it when we are completely down like last night). I watched Hansbrough let his team fall, I saw the passion slip from his face, I watched as Danny Green and Deon Thompson were yelling in disagreement, and Tyler did nothing. I watched a lower classman take over for the deacons and I watched all of our upper classmen watch him do it. As you sports fans have most likely heard that the Tar Heels could beat a few NBA teams and our second team could be in the top 20, we sure aren't proving it. It's just disappointing to see someone like Tyler let his team fall so hard when he has such a great opportunity to be a great leader. That's the difference between Tebow and Hansbrough; both are great players, and again, I LOVE them both, but Tebow decided to be that leader that the team needed. I sure hope Tyler steps up because I would hate for someone like Hansbrough to leave without a championship. Plus it would make Robert sooo happy!!
So call me lame for writing this, but I really want a national championship and I needed to vent!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
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Gameday hotel in Athens,GA!
Could my dad BE any happier!!!
My big sis is 30!
Lookin snazzy ladies!
Sailing anyone?
A golf outing where we look soo cute! haha
Robert and Maeby
Gangsta Mae(and robert we live on the east coast)
Typical Izzy
Worn out after helping the Mansfields move
Ginny, Brandt, and Me
we still look good in china! haha
A Tribute to Emily
She meant the world to ALL the whitehills
durham radius
thanks michael and grace!
the whitehills
look at robert's new jacket, he is soo proud!