Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Travel
A balloon filled with tiny bubbles inflated instantly. The perception of time became frantic as the world around trudged along, immersed in heavy syrup. Anxiety washed in as the balloon shifted and bellowed. The gurgle moved silently along the path. The air inside moved along an unstoppable Archimedes’s screw pushing the mass toward forward with slow and forceful turns. Each twist moved the bubbling balloon further along the path. Time was pouring like ketchup in a glass bottle. The anxiety spurred sweat and fear. The clock was ticking, the air was dense and the relief was unseen. The mass marched forward. The screw turned relentlessly. The balloon stiffened. The bubbles violently churned. The hatch began to bow and scream for release. The door that contained relief moved toward the dull pain. The door to relief moved slowly on a rail never closer never further always moving toward the pain.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
My rant against ESPN
An October Saturday, it is my favorite time of year. The air has a crisp, cool, clean feel. The smoky smell of fire places being tested. The smell and heat off the grill in cool evening air. College football is on TV. I love college football. It is a game as pure as the autumn season it is played in. It is point of a pride for any fan and college alumn. It is the perfect ice breaker for any conversation. College football is as refreshing as the October weather. It is a celebration of student-athletes that are fortunate enough to play a game the nation loves.
I was a sophomore in college and ESPN began visiting the campus hosting college football's biggest game of the week. At Ohio State we saw this new traveling road show often. It was new, fresh, crisp and stirred as much excitement for the weekend's contests as the October weather. It was College Gameday and it was all about the sport I love, College Football. Who is playing who, who was ranked, who was hurt, who was on a win streak, who was on a losing streak. MAN did you see that game? That is how College Gameday connected to the fan. It allowed us to say wow, look at all of the college football out there. Man let’s check out that game!
Now, sadly, it has become a watered down, self absorbed, shell of itself. A political opinion, a corporate vehicle. Hopefully it will collapse the way our over extended credit card economy did. Hopefully, someday the enjoyment of the game will return. Hopefully, some day we can lose the computers, the “experts” opinions, the corporate force feeding of America through the exploitation of amateur athletics. Hopefully a backlash against ESPN and Gameday will give us back our game and let these kids be student athletes, not the backbone for corporate greed and abuse.
I have tried...and I really did at one time enjoy it...but anymore I can't stand ESPN and College Game Day...just shut up and play the games already.
I was a sophomore in college and ESPN began visiting the campus hosting college football's biggest game of the week. At Ohio State we saw this new traveling road show often. It was new, fresh, crisp and stirred as much excitement for the weekend's contests as the October weather. It was College Gameday and it was all about the sport I love, College Football. Who is playing who, who was ranked, who was hurt, who was on a win streak, who was on a losing streak. MAN did you see that game? That is how College Gameday connected to the fan. It allowed us to say wow, look at all of the college football out there. Man let’s check out that game!
Now, sadly, it has become a watered down, self absorbed, shell of itself. A political opinion, a corporate vehicle. Hopefully it will collapse the way our over extended credit card economy did. Hopefully, someday the enjoyment of the game will return. Hopefully, some day we can lose the computers, the “experts” opinions, the corporate force feeding of America through the exploitation of amateur athletics. Hopefully a backlash against ESPN and Gameday will give us back our game and let these kids be student athletes, not the backbone for corporate greed and abuse.
I have tried...and I really did at one time enjoy it...but anymore I can't stand ESPN and College Game Day...just shut up and play the games already.
Monday, October 19, 2009
WTF is Wrong with Ohio State Football?
Seriously, What is wrong with the Ohio State Buckeyes? Let's review the Purdue debacle...
1st Downs
OSU 12
Purdue 24
It is apparent OSU is unable to sustain a drive. The longest possession was 3:01 and led to a field goal. How can the Defensive unit prevent scoring if they are always on the field after 3 minutes?
Total Yards
OSU 287
Purdue 361
Reviewing the drive summary shows the field position that Purdue was given was at the 38 or better five times in the second half. With 361 yards of offense the OSU defense held Purdue to 24 points. It could have been much, much uglier if Purdue was worth a damn.
Passing
OSU 221
Purdue 281
The stats are padded for OSU considering Purdue spent the 4th quarter in a prevent. Pryor's passing skills are similar to a 9 year old playing smear the queer in the back yard. Throw it up and high away...hope someone gets it...Wash, Rinse, Repeat.
Rushing
OSU 66
Purdue 80
Is Boom Herron that valuable or is play calling a factor? Pryor needs to get those long strides going if he isn't confident in his passing. RUN TERRELL!
Penalties
OSU 9-65
Purdue 1-5
Big Ten officiating is why instant replay was added to college football. Plus WHAT THE HELL WAS WORTHINGTON THINKING? Just another example of the pressure the defense is under.
3rd Down Conversions
OSU 5-14
Purdue 7-18
Ugly. No clutch, no confidence, no conversion.
4th Down Conversions
OSU 0-1
Purdue 0-0
Purdue obviously never desperate enough to feel they had to go for it on 4th down but OSU did and failed.
Turnovers
OSU 5
Purdue 3
The big one. Terrelle Pryor had four turnovers (two fumbles, two interceptions) and the Buckeyes committed five as a team. Pryor carried the ball like a loaf of bread and threw it like a prayer. 5 turnovers. 26 points is a blessing.
Possession
OSU 23:52
Purdue 36:08
This will kill a defense no matter how great it performs.
What to you do with Terrell Pryor?...If Coach Tressel had an answer to this question OSU might be undefeated and looking at no less than a Rose Bowl berth. The longer Tressel struggles with the answer, the higher the possibility that a dream Match-Up of Oklahoma vs. OSU happens in the Alamo Bowl.
Few thoughts on OSU in general...
-Fundamentals need revisited.
-Poor clock management and false starts are killing any offense they scrape up
-Ball handling is embarrassing
-Keep Pryor away form the media
-A two QB system might be in order
With OSU's recent struggles...Michigan is licking their chops.
Thank touchdown Jesus that Notre Dame lost to USC or OSU would look like real boobs.
Random thought: Was it just me or did the officials give Florida the win against Arkansas with two bogus calls late in the game?
1st Downs
OSU 12
Purdue 24
It is apparent OSU is unable to sustain a drive. The longest possession was 3:01 and led to a field goal. How can the Defensive unit prevent scoring if they are always on the field after 3 minutes?
Total Yards
OSU 287
Purdue 361
Reviewing the drive summary shows the field position that Purdue was given was at the 38 or better five times in the second half. With 361 yards of offense the OSU defense held Purdue to 24 points. It could have been much, much uglier if Purdue was worth a damn.
Passing
OSU 221
Purdue 281
The stats are padded for OSU considering Purdue spent the 4th quarter in a prevent. Pryor's passing skills are similar to a 9 year old playing smear the queer in the back yard. Throw it up and high away...hope someone gets it...Wash, Rinse, Repeat.
Rushing
OSU 66
Purdue 80
Is Boom Herron that valuable or is play calling a factor? Pryor needs to get those long strides going if he isn't confident in his passing. RUN TERRELL!
Penalties
OSU 9-65
Purdue 1-5
Big Ten officiating is why instant replay was added to college football. Plus WHAT THE HELL WAS WORTHINGTON THINKING? Just another example of the pressure the defense is under.
3rd Down Conversions
OSU 5-14
Purdue 7-18
Ugly. No clutch, no confidence, no conversion.
4th Down Conversions
OSU 0-1
Purdue 0-0
Purdue obviously never desperate enough to feel they had to go for it on 4th down but OSU did and failed.
Turnovers
OSU 5
Purdue 3
The big one. Terrelle Pryor had four turnovers (two fumbles, two interceptions) and the Buckeyes committed five as a team. Pryor carried the ball like a loaf of bread and threw it like a prayer. 5 turnovers. 26 points is a blessing.
Possession
OSU 23:52
Purdue 36:08
This will kill a defense no matter how great it performs.
What to you do with Terrell Pryor?...If Coach Tressel had an answer to this question OSU might be undefeated and looking at no less than a Rose Bowl berth. The longer Tressel struggles with the answer, the higher the possibility that a dream Match-Up of Oklahoma vs. OSU happens in the Alamo Bowl.
Few thoughts on OSU in general...
-Fundamentals need revisited.
-Poor clock management and false starts are killing any offense they scrape up
-Ball handling is embarrassing
-Keep Pryor away form the media
-A two QB system might be in order
With OSU's recent struggles...Michigan is licking their chops.
Thank touchdown Jesus that Notre Dame lost to USC or OSU would look like real boobs.
Random thought: Was it just me or did the officials give Florida the win against Arkansas with two bogus calls late in the game?
Thursday, September 24, 2009
The Art of War
9PM, the house is calm; we are at stand still with the negotiations. We have recovered the hostage, a tranquil and innocent one year old boy with blue eyes the size of saucers from the gated off room. The lone holdout wants a train.
The lead negotiator moves slowly toward the room. She is a pretty woman; her curly hair is one of her defining traits. She is getting fatigued. Her once ice cold demeanor is showing cracks. I worry she doesn’t have much left before it will be my turn to try and resolve the standoff. “Listen”, the negotiator offers gently. “We can get the train set up tomorrow.”
“NO!” the once tender lawbreaker bellows from the gated off room. “NO, NOOOOO, NONONONO”
I see the negotiator about to crack, I step in. “Okay”, I softly gesture, “it is Okay, let’s do this…” I pause, there is sobbing in the gated off room, is the lone holdout breaking? Are we near the end of the madness?
We hear sobbing, the end is close.
I look at my lead negotiator. Through that glance we know what is next. The lone holdout comes out slowly from the room. We approach with caution as we prepare to storm the gated off room.
“Mommy”, my three year old daughter sobs to my wife, the lead negotiator. “Can I have some water”? “I am tired and thirsty”
“Yes, sweetie let’s go to the kitchen.” My wife answers quietly.
“Daddy, I love you” Sobs my daughter the lone hold out and the captor of her blue eyed brother.
“I love you too sweetpea”. I reply
While they stroll to the kitchen I quickly check on my son the blue eyed boy. He is sleeping. I hurry to the scene of the standoff. There isn’t much time. I have to get Thomas the tank engine and the track back in the box or we’ll never get her in bed.
The lead negotiator moves slowly toward the room. She is a pretty woman; her curly hair is one of her defining traits. She is getting fatigued. Her once ice cold demeanor is showing cracks. I worry she doesn’t have much left before it will be my turn to try and resolve the standoff. “Listen”, the negotiator offers gently. “We can get the train set up tomorrow.”
“NO!” the once tender lawbreaker bellows from the gated off room. “NO, NOOOOO, NONONONO”
I see the negotiator about to crack, I step in. “Okay”, I softly gesture, “it is Okay, let’s do this…” I pause, there is sobbing in the gated off room, is the lone holdout breaking? Are we near the end of the madness?
We hear sobbing, the end is close.
I look at my lead negotiator. Through that glance we know what is next. The lone holdout comes out slowly from the room. We approach with caution as we prepare to storm the gated off room.
“Mommy”, my three year old daughter sobs to my wife, the lead negotiator. “Can I have some water”? “I am tired and thirsty”
“Yes, sweetie let’s go to the kitchen.” My wife answers quietly.
“Daddy, I love you” Sobs my daughter the lone hold out and the captor of her blue eyed brother.
“I love you too sweetpea”. I reply
While they stroll to the kitchen I quickly check on my son the blue eyed boy. He is sleeping. I hurry to the scene of the standoff. There isn’t much time. I have to get Thomas the tank engine and the track back in the box or we’ll never get her in bed.
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