The following is my final project for my J470 sportswriting class this spring quarter at Ohio University. I cannot thank Coach Brickner enough for allowing me to interview him this past weekend. I also cannot thank Nick Lay, Chris Hall, Brad Walliser, and Michael Grothaus for answering all of my questions. I owe you all. Anyways, here is the story. Enjoy.
The first line in Louis Armstrong’s, “What a Wonderful World,” is, “I see trees of green, red roses too. I see them bloom for me and for you, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”
Fitting that this song is Scott Brickner’s favorite. Or, as he is more commonly referred to in the plains of a small northwest Ohio community, Coach Brickner.
See, Brickner has been planting proverbial trees for the past twelve years as Tiffin Calvert’s Head Golf Coach. When he took over the program in 1996 he was not even given any seeds. He had to bring his own. It was a job tailor made for Brickner.
The Beginning
Brickner was a 1988 graduate of Calvert High School, and played on the golf team for four years. He was a junior when Calvert won their first, and to this day, only Midland Athletic League (MAL) title. However, Brickner has a more vivid recollection of what took place his senior year, when his team finished second by one shot. It is a big reason why he wanted to become a coach.
A teammate, one who did not practice the entire summer, four-putted the final green. A two-putt would have clinched the championship, while even a three-putt would have put them in a playoff. Instead the entire team was left wondering ‘what if.’
“Failures stick with you longer than successes,” Brickner said. “That entire situation reminds me of what laziness can do to you.”
Fast forward eight years later and Brickner was now calling the shots. He was given a program which in his words, “was pretty much in shambles.” It would take a total and complete overhaul. Calvert had three straight losing seasons, and went 5-11 the year prior on a tremendously weak schedule. Brickner had his hands full, but they were ready.
Change is Good
“Someone needed to take the time to do it the right way,” Brickner said.
While the “right way” may be debatable, it is difficult to argue with Brickner’s turnaround of the team. He has packaged an off-season weight lifting program, with a tougher schedule, along with tremendous upgrades to their facilities. The result has been a top three finish in the MAL for nearly a decade under Brickner.
“I had to change the mentality of the team,” Brickner said. “I had to find guys who really wanted to play golf or guys who liked golf and were really competitive.”
Nick Lay would be classified as the latter of those two choices. A three-sport varsity athlete, Lay found success not only on the links but on the basketball court and the pitching mound.
“Coach toughened up the schedule a fair amount, including several tournaments with pretty stiff competition,” Lay said. “That’s the reason we had as much individual and team success as we did.”
Lay was referring to fellow teammate Chris Hall, who was the MAL medalist in 2001. A performance, which for Hall, validated all the long nights his mom waited for him in the parking lot, validated all the time he had spent, and validated the commitment put in by Brickner.
“He [Brickner] turned the program philosophy into a culture of winning,” Hall said. “I felt as if we were always the most prepared team with the detailed course reports he always gave us. He also taught us to carry ourselves as a professional, in anything we did.”
Changes were in place, but the biggest was yet to occur. It was something neither Hall nor Lay were fortunate enough to benefit from.
Change of Scenery
Imagine a basketball team only being able to practice on half of a court. Or an entire tennis team practicing on one court at the same time. Or even a baseball team practicing with no outfield available.
This is what Brickner and the Calvert golf program had to deal with for nearly a decade. It all changed in 2003, a move which Brickner mentions as the “most important.”
Brickner not only inherited the Calvert golf team in 1996, he also inherited their home course, Clinton Heights.
Clinton is a public golf course, used regularly by hackers of all shapes, sizes and genders. They had no practice area, not even as much as a simple practice putting green.
A move had to be made.
Enter Mohawk Golf Course, a private club which has everything a high school coach could ask for. By consistently asking club and board members, Brickner finally received the okay prior to the start of the 2003 season.
Mohawk was equipped with a double-sided driving range (so the team would not get in the way of the club members), a practice bunker green, multiple chipping greens, and several putting greens. Not to mention a back nine designed by the legendary Donald Ross.
Comparing Mohawk to Clinton would be like comparing a nice ripe apple to the exact same apple, only if you let the second apple rot for two weeks and then threw it against an oncoming bus.
“We were never going to struggle again,” Brickner said. “The facilities were in place to instruct the way I wanted to.”
While several past team members have moaned to Brickner about not getting the chance to call Mohawk their home course, some like Lay, - the team‘s comedic relief - actually preferred the laid-back atmosphere of Clinton.
“We couldn’t have gotten away with most of the shit we did during practice, so I wasn’t mad,” Lay said. “I don’t think my motivation would have been higher either, it was always about beating the other guy.”
Michael Grothaus, who played his first two years at Clinton and his last two years at Mohawk, thought that Mohawk prepared him well for other difficult golf courses.
“Clinton does not get you ready to play at the tougher away sites,” Grothaus said. “It truly was an amazing difference.”
Hall, while upset about the move not happening sooner, understood the politics of the situation but still wishes he could have been born maybe a year or two later.
“It is just like Coach forcing you to get better, Mohawk does the same thing in a different respect,” Hall said. “Mohawk would make anyone that takes the game seriously better by default.”
What once was a nagging flaw in the Calvert golf program, Brickner had turned into a major advantage.
Negatives
The old saying is true in this case, “it is impossible for everyone to like you.” Brickner’s attitude towards golf may not be appealing to some. The off-season training, the tough and demanding schedule, and the long practices have resulted in several golfers quitting.
Think about it. One gets to play all the free golf they can handle and it is one of those sports that does not involve running. Some adults even look to coach golf for those very same reasons.
Not for Brickner. Not at Calvert. One better think again.
Brickner has his team run hills after each match and tournament they fail to win. The idea is to instill the notion of golf not being easy, and that team success is the most important aspect.
“The coach sets the tone for the team,” Brickner said. “Team success is the most important, regardless of individual success.”
Brickner compares it to Michael Jordan, citing that Jordan never won any championships until he realized he had to make his teammates better. Similarly with Brickner, Jordan was not liked all the time by everyone.
“Some kids will quit and not be happy,” Brickner said. “But, everyone knows they have to raise their preparation because the schedule is not going to change.”
Passion can be a fickle beast.
The Future
Perhaps a MAL championship. Possibly a sectional crown. Maybe even a berth in the state championships. Brickner sees all of the above as a possibility, and even admits it is time for one of those to happen. However, he also knows that it will not be the records that end up defining him, but rather the players he has coached.
Brad Walliser is one of those players, a two-year varsity member. He saw Brickner as more than just a golf coach, but a mentor as well.
“It wasn’t just always about golf,” Walliser said. “He was always throwing in life lessons as well.”
That is a classic example of how Brickner operates. Golf is not the end all, be all. Even if that is how he is seen by some.
“I always tell the kids to focus on their morality, academics, athletics, in that order,” Brickner said. “I want the kids to accomplish things and have success.”
The intrinsic beauty of what Brickner has accomplished is that no one was crying out for a consistent and contending golf team. In the state of Ohio, football is king, with basketball being a close second. However, he has single-handedly raised expectations, raised the proverbial bar. Slowly and steadily he has put the Calvert golf team on the map. While he has not added to the golf banner yet, which remains unaltered since the 1986 MAL Championship, he has rebuilt the program on a rock solid foundation of hard work, integrity, and honesty.
For Calvert golf, it truly is a wonderful world.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
All Aboard the Crazy Train
Game Five of the Stanley Cup goes into triple overtime. The Kimbo Slice fight goes into the third round. LOST goes into an eight month hibernation after their season four finale last Thursday.
All that in one week. Crazy. Let’s start with the Penguins.
PENGUINS
I knew it was over. I had seen this movie before. The Penguins were done. After surrendering a two goal lead, the Pens were trailing 3-2 with under one minute to go. The goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury was pulled. The season was over. Almost.
With 35 seconds remaining, the Penguins were somehow able to knock it past Red Wings goalie, Chris Osgood to tie the game and send it to overtime.
NHL playoff overtime games are nail biting. It is the golden goal concept. One goal and the game is immediately over. Usually it is not which team makes the big play, but rather, which team makes the small mistake.
The Red Wings made the mistake. Jiri Hudler was sent to the penalty box for a high stick (that’s what she said). The Penguins would score on the power play just one minute later. The Stanley Cup Finals continue.
The part that gives me chills has to be who scored the game-winning goal.
In the first overtime Petr Sykora told the on-ice reporter he would win the game. He did. Talk about calling your shot.
Game Six is tonight at Pittsburgh. Win or lose, I will always remember Game Five.
KIMBO SLICE
It doesn’t matter if you are a fan of Kimbo Slice or not, his fight against James Thompson on CBS last Saturday night was pretty damn entertaining. I was glad to see Kimbo survive it even though I thought the referee stopped the fight too soon.
My favorite part, besides the Kimbo win, was having Gus Johnson on the call. I am convinced that man can do it all. He was absolutely awesome, that’s the only way to describe it.
Fair warning. This video is not for the light of heart.
I honestly think Kimbo would be better suited to go the boxing route, and it will be interesting to see if he finally decides to do it. I am willing to bet it will take two losses in MMA for him to pull the trigger.
LOST SEASON FOUR FINALE
It is getting scary. Expectations are being met. The bar is continually being met, raised and then met once again. LOST continues to amaze me.
The Season Four finale was a great episode. Even though - I am going to come off a little bit cocky - I was able to predict just about everything that took place, it still left me in a state of wonder.
LOST finales need to take some time to sink in. Time to fully understand and grasp what just took place. LOST does not return until February of 2009, which is a long eight months from now. The finales are the last piece of thread we can hold onto during its’ hibernation.
What is in store for Season Five? Great question. I do know that every season premiere has introduced us to a new and important character. Season One - Jack. Season Two - Desmond. Season Three - Juliet. Season Four - The Freighter People. It is very possible that Season Five will follow suit. But who really knows??
This is a great video I found of alternate endings to Season Four. They were shot to throw off spoilers from possibly taking place. I thought they were pretty cool.
Recently I composed a list of my favorite television shows. LOST was number one. After that finale, the cementing process has begun.
FAVORITE VIDEO OF THE WEEK
I knew this had to be out there somewhere, and I found it. Enjoy.
What a great video. The last clip with Stanley, which just might be my favorite one, is actually a deleted scene.
I wish I could put up some longer posts, but with school winding down it is just not possible. Expect more of the same for next week.
Until next time, “read it, roll it, hole it.”
All that in one week. Crazy. Let’s start with the Penguins.
PENGUINS
I knew it was over. I had seen this movie before. The Penguins were done. After surrendering a two goal lead, the Pens were trailing 3-2 with under one minute to go. The goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury was pulled. The season was over. Almost.
With 35 seconds remaining, the Penguins were somehow able to knock it past Red Wings goalie, Chris Osgood to tie the game and send it to overtime.
NHL playoff overtime games are nail biting. It is the golden goal concept. One goal and the game is immediately over. Usually it is not which team makes the big play, but rather, which team makes the small mistake.
The Red Wings made the mistake. Jiri Hudler was sent to the penalty box for a high stick (that’s what she said). The Penguins would score on the power play just one minute later. The Stanley Cup Finals continue.
The part that gives me chills has to be who scored the game-winning goal.
In the first overtime Petr Sykora told the on-ice reporter he would win the game. He did. Talk about calling your shot.
Game Six is tonight at Pittsburgh. Win or lose, I will always remember Game Five.
KIMBO SLICE
It doesn’t matter if you are a fan of Kimbo Slice or not, his fight against James Thompson on CBS last Saturday night was pretty damn entertaining. I was glad to see Kimbo survive it even though I thought the referee stopped the fight too soon.
My favorite part, besides the Kimbo win, was having Gus Johnson on the call. I am convinced that man can do it all. He was absolutely awesome, that’s the only way to describe it.
Fair warning. This video is not for the light of heart.
I honestly think Kimbo would be better suited to go the boxing route, and it will be interesting to see if he finally decides to do it. I am willing to bet it will take two losses in MMA for him to pull the trigger.
LOST SEASON FOUR FINALE
It is getting scary. Expectations are being met. The bar is continually being met, raised and then met once again. LOST continues to amaze me.
The Season Four finale was a great episode. Even though - I am going to come off a little bit cocky - I was able to predict just about everything that took place, it still left me in a state of wonder.
LOST finales need to take some time to sink in. Time to fully understand and grasp what just took place. LOST does not return until February of 2009, which is a long eight months from now. The finales are the last piece of thread we can hold onto during its’ hibernation.
What is in store for Season Five? Great question. I do know that every season premiere has introduced us to a new and important character. Season One - Jack. Season Two - Desmond. Season Three - Juliet. Season Four - The Freighter People. It is very possible that Season Five will follow suit. But who really knows??
This is a great video I found of alternate endings to Season Four. They were shot to throw off spoilers from possibly taking place. I thought they were pretty cool.
Recently I composed a list of my favorite television shows. LOST was number one. After that finale, the cementing process has begun.
FAVORITE VIDEO OF THE WEEK
I knew this had to be out there somewhere, and I found it. Enjoy.
What a great video. The last clip with Stanley, which just might be my favorite one, is actually a deleted scene.
I wish I could put up some longer posts, but with school winding down it is just not possible. Expect more of the same for next week.
Until next time, “read it, roll it, hole it.”
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Spring Cleaning V.II
Once a week.
That is my promise to you and also to myself.
No matter how crazy things get this summer or even further down the road, there will be new content here at least once a week.
What’s in store?? I’m not sure. The proverbial chips will fall where they may. Again, make sure you check out www.copperheadbaseball.com. I will be writing on that website all summer long as well.
In April of last year I wrote about my favorite teams and their current happenings. I went on to give some predictions as to how their seasons would end up.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane and see how I faired.
- “Indians win 80+ games but lose out on the division and wild card. GM Mark Shapiro finally gets his act together and fires his buddy Wedge. Whoever they replace him with will do a better job. Indians make a run in 2008. As for 2007, I like what the New York Mets are doing, so I’ll go with them to win it all.”
Well the Tribe did win more than 80 games - I did get that much right. Everything else I was completely off on. Remember, this was in April so there was a lot of baseball still to played.
How was I supposed to know the Indians would get within one game of the World Series??
- “Bulls beat the Heat in six tough games, but then fall to Detroit by the same number in the conference semi-finals. Nuggets upset the Spurs, while the Mavericks barely get by the Warriors. When it is all said and done, the Phoenix Suns defeat the Detroit Pistons in five games. Steve Nash, who will more than likely get shunned in the MVP race to Dirk Nowitzki, will win the NBA Finals MVP instead. Sweet justice indeed.”
The Bulls ended up sweeping the Heat, but they did lose to Detroit in six games. Obviously the Spurs were not upset by the Nuggets as they ended up winning it all. I wanted to pick Golden State over Dallas and even hinted at it, but didn’t have the cohunes to say it.
Meanwhile, Nash would have won the Finals MVP if it wasn’t for Robert “Big Shot” Horry. I’m still bitter.
- “Penguins come back strong and experienced next year and win the Atlantic Division. They will win two playoff series before bowing out in the Eastern Conference Finals. In 2009 however, the Penguins will take home the Stanley Cup. It is a rule in the NHL where if you have the best player in the league, you will win the Stanley Cup. Good thing the Penguins have Crosby. Lucky me. As for this year’s Stanley Cup winner, well, Buffalo Bills Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas finally get to sleep easy as the Buffalo Sabres win it all.”
So I called the Pens winning the Atlantic Division this past year, but did not see them in the Stanley Cup Finals. I still like my 2009 pick of them winning it all.
Oh, and I don’t remember who won The Cup last year. I stopped watching/caring when the Pens were bounced.
- “Scenario #1 goes down, and the Browns struggle to a 4-12 record. Things get better at this point however. The Browns fire Romeo Crennel and then hire Bill Cowher. Cowher comes in and immediately turns things around. Playoffs in 2009. Go Browns.”
I laugh every time I read this one. I sound very angry. This is my second head coach/manager I wanted replaced (see Wedge earlier). I feel as if I should apologize to someone. Either way, I was way off.
The moral of this story is that I don’t have a clue. No one really does. Sports is too unpredictable in its’ nature, which is why most of us can not get enough of it.
Now, onto some random thoughts.
- Really looking forward to the Kimbo Slice fight this Saturday night on CBS. The simple fact of Gus Johnson having the call has me giddy in and of itself. Slice is going up against James Thompson. No way this fight gets out of the first round. Slice will knock him out in a hurry.
Staying with Kimbo, he has been the recipient of negative criticism via other professional mixed martial artists. They are not happy with all the publicity he has received, and say he has yet to have beaten a top notch fighter.
The great writer Horace once said, “The envious man grows lean at the success of his neighbour.”
The hate stems from jealousy. It comes from seeing how quickly a person can rise to the top. It comes from resentment.
Kimbo will fight the top notch MMA guys soon enough. For now, he is building his resume and gaining experience, all the while knocking guys out cold.
- Enough talk about how difficult NFL schedules are. Football doesn’t start until September, and we really don’t know who is good or not until November. An easy schedule in May could become quite daunting in December. The Browns were supposed to be awful last year and then ended up with 10 wins. You just never know.
I was about ready to punch a kid in the face during my sports management class for saying he expects the AFC North champ to be 8-8 based on their schedules. My guess is he was an Ohio State fan. Either that or a Cavs fan. Probably both.
- I sat in disbelief while the Chicago Bulls won the NBA Draft Lottery last Tuesday. I still don’t believe it. It appears the choice is down between Memphis PG Derrick Rose and Kansas St. PF Michael Beasley. Expect a column about this in the near future, but as of right now it appears the Bulls are leaning towards Rose. I want Beasley.
Nonetheless, this was exactly the shot in the arm the Bulls needed. A franchise that was in dire straits after last seasons’ debacle. Here’s to hoping they don’t botch this.
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. They still need a head coach too.
- I had the following exchange with Hunt last night, and I just wanted to share it with everyone.
Me: I cannot wait to ask Peter King about Tim Couch. I’m really excited about it.
(Side note: I am fortunate enough to be picking up Peter King from the Columbus airport in a couple of weeks)
Hunt: I’m excited for you.
Me: Tim Couch is making a comeback. Just you watch.
- Commercial for the Arena Football League (AFL) -
Me: Wouldn’t you think the AFL would become more popular if they used ex-NFL quarterbacks?
Hunt: Chuckling unexcitedly.
Me: No, seriously. I mean, lets say Tim Couch and Tommy Maddox were facing each other in the Conference Championship? People would watch.
Hunt: Spitting out his drink all over the floor upon hearing the name Tommy Maddox.
- Penguins just won Game Three in the Stanley Cup Finals, which officially makes this a series. They were pounded in the first two games by the Red Wings, but rebounded to take the third. The question now becomes can they win a game in Detroit? They are going to have to if they want to take home the Cup.
Everyone has been talking about how all the great young teams/players lost in the Finals before they eventually won it. I don’t buy that at all. Playing for the Cup is a rare and special opportunity. Who knows how long it will take before the Penguins get back?
- The Miletti Golf Scramble is this weekend, and I’m ready to go. For weekend golfers like myself, this is the Tour Championship. Unfortunately I got booted from the Lucius squad I was on last year for some reason unbeknownst to me, but I have gathered a squad together that will hopefully be competitive.
It doesn’t look too good for us however. We only have three guys. We need a fourth. Maybe we can get Tiger? He doesn’t have anything going on this weekend.
- Sad day in tennis. Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten played his last professional match this past week at the French Open. Guga won three French Opens, but more importantly was my second favorite tennis player behind Andre. It sucks getting old.
- The LOST season four finale is tonight at 9. I think my head might explode. LOST’s season finales are the best episodes, and from what I hear, this one is no different. Giddy Up. Some predictions as to what I think will happen.
1) Locke is the one in the coffin we saw at the end of season three.
2) Jin will die in the season four finale.
3) Walt will make another appearance.
4) The island will “move” resulting in the Oceanic Six having no idea what happened to those still on it.
- Shout-out to some buddies.
1) Bursa took a job in Denver, Colorado. He will be teaching British Literature. According to my dad, Denver is the best place to live in the world, so Bursa has that going for him as well.
2) Hunt took a job in Madison, Wisconsin. Reportedly, his signing bonus was a wheel of cheese and an autographed picture of Brett Favre.
3) Kris, for probably taking a job somewhere in Florida. What’s in store for Kris? Palm trees, the beach, and lots of old people.
Not gonna lie, I am a bit scared. My friends are starting to move far away and taking real jobs. Anyways, congrats to those three guys. Keep an eye out for me. November is going to get here in a hurry.
- I love the fact I can put videos on my blog. It really takes it to the next level. I remember being excited when I learned I can put pictures on here, and now I have video. Who knows what is in store next?
Anyways, here are my videos for the week. (They might tie in with my thoughts, or just be great videos I enjoyed)
- Kimbo Slice Part One
And then Part Two
Amazing Jonathan - saw this guy in Las Vegas with Devin. Hilarious. Part One
That’s all I got for this week. Until next time, “read it, roll it, hole it.”
That is my promise to you and also to myself.
No matter how crazy things get this summer or even further down the road, there will be new content here at least once a week.
What’s in store?? I’m not sure. The proverbial chips will fall where they may. Again, make sure you check out www.copperheadbaseball.com. I will be writing on that website all summer long as well.
In April of last year I wrote about my favorite teams and their current happenings. I went on to give some predictions as to how their seasons would end up.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane and see how I faired.
- “Indians win 80+ games but lose out on the division and wild card. GM Mark Shapiro finally gets his act together and fires his buddy Wedge. Whoever they replace him with will do a better job. Indians make a run in 2008. As for 2007, I like what the New York Mets are doing, so I’ll go with them to win it all.”
Well the Tribe did win more than 80 games - I did get that much right. Everything else I was completely off on. Remember, this was in April so there was a lot of baseball still to played.
How was I supposed to know the Indians would get within one game of the World Series??
- “Bulls beat the Heat in six tough games, but then fall to Detroit by the same number in the conference semi-finals. Nuggets upset the Spurs, while the Mavericks barely get by the Warriors. When it is all said and done, the Phoenix Suns defeat the Detroit Pistons in five games. Steve Nash, who will more than likely get shunned in the MVP race to Dirk Nowitzki, will win the NBA Finals MVP instead. Sweet justice indeed.”
The Bulls ended up sweeping the Heat, but they did lose to Detroit in six games. Obviously the Spurs were not upset by the Nuggets as they ended up winning it all. I wanted to pick Golden State over Dallas and even hinted at it, but didn’t have the cohunes to say it.
Meanwhile, Nash would have won the Finals MVP if it wasn’t for Robert “Big Shot” Horry. I’m still bitter.
- “Penguins come back strong and experienced next year and win the Atlantic Division. They will win two playoff series before bowing out in the Eastern Conference Finals. In 2009 however, the Penguins will take home the Stanley Cup. It is a rule in the NHL where if you have the best player in the league, you will win the Stanley Cup. Good thing the Penguins have Crosby. Lucky me. As for this year’s Stanley Cup winner, well, Buffalo Bills Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas finally get to sleep easy as the Buffalo Sabres win it all.”
So I called the Pens winning the Atlantic Division this past year, but did not see them in the Stanley Cup Finals. I still like my 2009 pick of them winning it all.
Oh, and I don’t remember who won The Cup last year. I stopped watching/caring when the Pens were bounced.
- “Scenario #1 goes down, and the Browns struggle to a 4-12 record. Things get better at this point however. The Browns fire Romeo Crennel and then hire Bill Cowher. Cowher comes in and immediately turns things around. Playoffs in 2009. Go Browns.”
I laugh every time I read this one. I sound very angry. This is my second head coach/manager I wanted replaced (see Wedge earlier). I feel as if I should apologize to someone. Either way, I was way off.
The moral of this story is that I don’t have a clue. No one really does. Sports is too unpredictable in its’ nature, which is why most of us can not get enough of it.
Now, onto some random thoughts.
- Really looking forward to the Kimbo Slice fight this Saturday night on CBS. The simple fact of Gus Johnson having the call has me giddy in and of itself. Slice is going up against James Thompson. No way this fight gets out of the first round. Slice will knock him out in a hurry.
Staying with Kimbo, he has been the recipient of negative criticism via other professional mixed martial artists. They are not happy with all the publicity he has received, and say he has yet to have beaten a top notch fighter.
The great writer Horace once said, “The envious man grows lean at the success of his neighbour.”
The hate stems from jealousy. It comes from seeing how quickly a person can rise to the top. It comes from resentment.
Kimbo will fight the top notch MMA guys soon enough. For now, he is building his resume and gaining experience, all the while knocking guys out cold.
- Enough talk about how difficult NFL schedules are. Football doesn’t start until September, and we really don’t know who is good or not until November. An easy schedule in May could become quite daunting in December. The Browns were supposed to be awful last year and then ended up with 10 wins. You just never know.
I was about ready to punch a kid in the face during my sports management class for saying he expects the AFC North champ to be 8-8 based on their schedules. My guess is he was an Ohio State fan. Either that or a Cavs fan. Probably both.
- I sat in disbelief while the Chicago Bulls won the NBA Draft Lottery last Tuesday. I still don’t believe it. It appears the choice is down between Memphis PG Derrick Rose and Kansas St. PF Michael Beasley. Expect a column about this in the near future, but as of right now it appears the Bulls are leaning towards Rose. I want Beasley.
Nonetheless, this was exactly the shot in the arm the Bulls needed. A franchise that was in dire straits after last seasons’ debacle. Here’s to hoping they don’t botch this.
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. They still need a head coach too.
- I had the following exchange with Hunt last night, and I just wanted to share it with everyone.
Me: I cannot wait to ask Peter King about Tim Couch. I’m really excited about it.
(Side note: I am fortunate enough to be picking up Peter King from the Columbus airport in a couple of weeks)
Hunt: I’m excited for you.
Me: Tim Couch is making a comeback. Just you watch.
- Commercial for the Arena Football League (AFL) -
Me: Wouldn’t you think the AFL would become more popular if they used ex-NFL quarterbacks?
Hunt: Chuckling unexcitedly.
Me: No, seriously. I mean, lets say Tim Couch and Tommy Maddox were facing each other in the Conference Championship? People would watch.
Hunt: Spitting out his drink all over the floor upon hearing the name Tommy Maddox.
- Penguins just won Game Three in the Stanley Cup Finals, which officially makes this a series. They were pounded in the first two games by the Red Wings, but rebounded to take the third. The question now becomes can they win a game in Detroit? They are going to have to if they want to take home the Cup.
Everyone has been talking about how all the great young teams/players lost in the Finals before they eventually won it. I don’t buy that at all. Playing for the Cup is a rare and special opportunity. Who knows how long it will take before the Penguins get back?
- The Miletti Golf Scramble is this weekend, and I’m ready to go. For weekend golfers like myself, this is the Tour Championship. Unfortunately I got booted from the Lucius squad I was on last year for some reason unbeknownst to me, but I have gathered a squad together that will hopefully be competitive.
It doesn’t look too good for us however. We only have three guys. We need a fourth. Maybe we can get Tiger? He doesn’t have anything going on this weekend.
- Sad day in tennis. Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten played his last professional match this past week at the French Open. Guga won three French Opens, but more importantly was my second favorite tennis player behind Andre. It sucks getting old.
- The LOST season four finale is tonight at 9. I think my head might explode. LOST’s season finales are the best episodes, and from what I hear, this one is no different. Giddy Up. Some predictions as to what I think will happen.
1) Locke is the one in the coffin we saw at the end of season three.
2) Jin will die in the season four finale.
3) Walt will make another appearance.
4) The island will “move” resulting in the Oceanic Six having no idea what happened to those still on it.
- Shout-out to some buddies.
1) Bursa took a job in Denver, Colorado. He will be teaching British Literature. According to my dad, Denver is the best place to live in the world, so Bursa has that going for him as well.
2) Hunt took a job in Madison, Wisconsin. Reportedly, his signing bonus was a wheel of cheese and an autographed picture of Brett Favre.
3) Kris, for probably taking a job somewhere in Florida. What’s in store for Kris? Palm trees, the beach, and lots of old people.
Not gonna lie, I am a bit scared. My friends are starting to move far away and taking real jobs. Anyways, congrats to those three guys. Keep an eye out for me. November is going to get here in a hurry.
- I love the fact I can put videos on my blog. It really takes it to the next level. I remember being excited when I learned I can put pictures on here, and now I have video. Who knows what is in store next?
Anyways, here are my videos for the week. (They might tie in with my thoughts, or just be great videos I enjoyed)
- Kimbo Slice Part One
And then Part Two
Amazing Jonathan - saw this guy in Las Vegas with Devin. Hilarious. Part One
That’s all I got for this week. Until next time, “read it, roll it, hole it.”
Monday, May 12, 2008
The "P" Word
I must admit that it has been way too long. It’s been a staggering three and half months since I have written for myself. The key pair of words in that last sentence were “for” and “myself.” Don’t be mistaken, I have been writing a lot over the past 14 weeks, but always at the command of a higher figure. Whether it be a report on the beginnings of intercollegiate football, a recap of an Ohio University baseball game, or a list of possible story headlines, I have been writing a lot.
As with my “Life Is …” post, this one was not about sports at all. It didn’t discuss my love for Brady Quinn, or why the Penguins are going to win the Stanley Cup. Rather, it talked about passion, and why we all need to find something we are passionate about.
However, I have found very little pleasure writing any of those aforementioned pieces. They all lacked one central idea, or element if you will.
Passion.
No matter what you do in life, be passionate. It makes the world go round. Without it, life becomes a series of motions, with no luster or feeling to it. With 22 plus years under my belt I still have a lot to learn, but one of the small lessons I have discovered thus far is that if anything is worth doing, it is worth doing with passion.
Some of the most influential people in my life are ones who have had all lived with an incredible amount of passion. Jimmy Valvano immediately comes to my mind. Now, while I have never met Jimmy V, I have taken a lot away from what he has taught. Jimmy V was a college basketball coach who won a national championship with North Carolina State in 1983. He was diagnosed with cancer nine years later.
In 1993 Jimmy V gave the greatest speech I have ever had the honor to hear. If you have never gotten the opportunity to listen, please do yourself the favor.
He died seven weeks later.
We all have a legacy. Jimmy V’s was to live life with passion and to never give up.
Giving up was a common and prevalent thought that came across my mind just one year ago.
I was finished with my first semester at Heidelberg College, far away from Ohio University. I was miserable, and worst of all, I felt as if there was no way out. Majoring in education was not working out. I did not know what, or even where, I wanted to go with my life. I started to shut out a lot of people in my life. Good people. People that would have helped me get out of the messy situation I had put myself in. I had lost a passion for life.
Charles Barkley is the only one who could summed up what was going on with me, “That is turrible.”
I thought maybe I would completely drop out of school, become a barber or something. Seriously, I looked into barber school. Or, maybe, I try the online college thing. Seriously, I almost applied to Phoenix University. They still try calling me to this very day. Lastly, in what was probably the dumbest thing I could have done, I stayed at Heidelberg and switched to Communications.
That lasted approximately two weeks. However, as dumb as that move was, it was a gigantic blessing in disguise. During those short 14 days, I rediscovered my passion.
Prior to the start of that semester, I had asked Devin if he wanted to co-host a radio show with me. He accepted and we went through the necessary loopholes to set everything up. After I dropped out of the Berg, Devin and I decided to still go on with the show, and I am very grateful we did.
“Old College Roommates,” or better known as “OCR” hit the airwaves Tuesday nights for two hours over a two month period starting last October. It was there that I discovered how much I really enjoyed radio. It was just a whole lot of fun. Now, radio is not my passion, but for the first time in what seemed like forever, I had found something (besides being on the Berg’s tennis team, obviously) that I looked forward to. It turned a rotten situation into something much more manageable. I was very lucky in that sense.
That same October, myself, along with my parents, decided that going back to Ohio University would be my next move. My third major of my collegiate career would be the one it should have been all along.
Writing.
It is my passion. It is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
While I was doing broadcast journalism, my writing took a back seat. It was not as much about writing as it was about all the other stuff that goes into television. Desired broadcast talents included presentation, ability to react, and composure. Writing was way down on the list.
Now that I am in news writing I can incorporate those talents I used in broadcast to make myself an even better writer.
It’s funny. Everything I have gone through has made me a better writer, and more importantly a better person.
Now what? Well, it is spring quarter, and there are 30 days left in the quarter. After those 30 days have passed me by, I will need to pass just six more classes to graduate from Ohio University. I am taking half of those over the summer, and the other three fall quarter next year. The end, which seemed an unreachable destination six months ago, is now right in front of me.
I will be interning this summer with the Southern Ohio Copperheads. Their website is http://www.copperheadbaseball.com/. Go ahead right now and bookmark that site as one of your favorites. I will be writing for them all summer, and I will be doing play-by-play as well. You can listen to the games through the website, so check it often.
I need to thank a couple people for putting me in this current position. First, and foremost, are my parents. They are the best parents anyone could ask for. I basically took a year off of school, and instead of yelling at me, they were encouraging. Instead of placing blame, they looked for a resolution. I love them very much. Secondly are my friends. Kevin, Bart, Barnes, Bursa, Devin, the Franks, and all the others. They have been there for me in my darkest days, and did not pass any judgment. Instead, they became the foundation for the person I am to this very day. Lastly, my brother Josh. I give him a hard time because he and I are very different individuals, but he, like my friends, was always there for me.
As with my “Life Is …” post, this one was not about sports at all. It didn’t discuss my love for Brady Quinn, or why the Penguins are going to win the Stanley Cup. Rather, it talked about passion, and why we all need to find something we are passionate about.On this day one year ago I was very much hopeless, today I am hopeful, and who knows what is in store for me tomorrow, much less in one year.
I do know that it will involve passion.
At the very least, a passion for life.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
How I Found LOST
It started for me on December 18, 2006. It reached monumental proportions on May 23, 2007. It will start up again on January 31, 2008.
What is IT?
IT is my obsession. IT is the best show I’ve ever seen on television. IT is the reason I’m writing this column.
IT, quite simply, is LOST.
I’ve been wanting to write about LOST for the longest time. As you can see above, I’ve been watching this show for a little over a year. LOST has taken me through an incredible roller-coaster journey of highs and lows while somehow still maintaining my interest with an amazing blend of drama, mystery, and unforgettable characters. LOST is truly one of a kind.
What is IT?
IT is my obsession. IT is the best show I’ve ever seen on television. IT is the reason I’m writing this column.
IT, quite simply, is LOST.
I’ve been wanting to write about LOST for the longest time. As you can see above, I’ve been watching this show for a little over a year. LOST has taken me through an incredible roller-coaster journey of highs and lows while somehow still maintaining my interest with an amazing blend of drama, mystery, and unforgettable characters. LOST is truly one of a kind.
What follows is my story of LOST. How I started watching. How I almost gave up on LOST. My favorite moments. My favorite characters. My theories. My predictions. Basically, what follows is anything and everything that I can think of in order for you to better understand my LOST experience. For it truly is an experience in every definition of the word.
THE BEGINNING
One man introduced me to LOST. That man just so happens to be Kris Frank. As I sit here and write this, I wish there was a way that I could thank him. A way I could pay him back for this incredible show that he has given me. One day I hope I get that opportunity. We’ll see.
The funny thing is, after one week of watching LOST I was ready to kill him.
We’ll get to that in a bit.
I owe a lot to Kris and his twin (yet somehow better looking) brother Nic (I kid, I kid.). They have been two of my best friends dating all the way back to Freshman year of high school. We’ve gone through a lot together. Whether it be getting passed over in varsity basketball, playing poker on Saturday mornings, winning scavenger hunts, assembling the undefeated Pin Pals, or just experiencing memorable trips in the Beast, we’ve done it all together. Now, we are experiencing LOST together.
Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, “A friend is a gift you give yourself.” If that is true then I did one helluva job.
Well, my LOST story first takes place at the Franks’ house on a cold December night. We were doing what we usually do, sitting around, playing some cards, watching a movie and drinking a few beers. Crazy stuff does go on at the Franks (see truth or dare, dinner dates, and diaper full of beans night), but this was not one of those occasions. The discussion, somehow, turned to LOST. Kris was an avid fan while Nic had some mild interest. The Franks had already hooked me on The Office and it appeared Kris was trying to do the same with LOST.
I had heard of LOST but had never watched a single scene from any episode. I was clueless. Kris gave his best attempt to talk me through the first two seasons. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea what he was talking about. I remember a hatch, a polar bear, a smoke monster, and a doctor. That’s all I got from Kris recapping the first 40+ episodes in a little under an hour. Needless to say, I was not that excited or intrigued following that discussion.
However, after letting all of Kris’ information sink in, Nic and I decided to give LOST a try. Passion, in its truest form, is more contagious than any disease. As mentioned previously, my obsession (some would call it a sickness oddly enough) began on the 18th of December back in 2006.
On that day in December we watched the first 8 episodes, or the equivalent of about 6 and a half hours of LOST. The next day we watched four more episodes, and would continue watching 4 episodes every day until we had gone through the entire first season in five days. 24 LOST episodes in 5 days. Kris would watch most, and their sister Alex would watch some with us as well. But Nic and I were the consistent, we were there for every single one of those two dozen episodes.
My attitude was leaning towards skepticism for the first few days of viewing LOST. Yeah the monster making noise at the end of the first episode was pretty cool, and yeah it was awesome that a guy who was in a wheel-chair before the crash could now suddenly walk. However, I wasn’t buying it. It seemed like a bunch of questions and mysteries were going unanswered. I was frustrated.
The thing that almost killed it for me was the season finale of the first season. Without going into too much detail, the main theme surrounding the 1st season was this hatch that one of the survivors had stumbled on. The ongoing issue was how to open the hatch, and the ongoing mystery was what was inside of it. Well, I thought that in the finale, answers to both of those questions would be answered. I was wrong. The final scene in the 1st season is of the hatch blown up, with the survivors peering down to the bottom of it.
End scene.
I was furious. Almost 20 hours in five days had gotten me nowhere. I was very fortunate that we would be watching the beginning of the 2nd season in just three short days (planned X-Mas break). Had I been watching LOST when it aired originally on ABC, I would have quit after season one. My thought process was that I had never seen a show raise so many questions and answer so few. I needed to be saved.
Desmond saved me. Desmond just so happened to be in that hatch. The thought of a person being down there had never crossed my mind. I thought it was genius. I was beginning to see the light.
We finished the second season on January 4th, 2007. Somewhere between the 18th of December and the 4th of January I became hooked. It is hard to pinpoint an exact moment (the introduction of Desmond would be up at the top) but a particular quote from a man named Henry Gale was the proverbial bait on the line of LOST that I bit on and haven’t let go of since.
“You guys got any milk?”
As funny and bizarre as that sounds, that quote, said by Henry Gale at the end of “The Whole Truth” absolutely did it for me. If you haven’t seen any part of LOST then I’m sure this line would be a bit confusing taken completely out of context. Be that as it may, that line by Henry Gale was the clinching statement.
After watching the six season three episodes via the internet in early January, I was all caught up for the return of LOST on February 7th, 2007. I was now on the same level that Kris was, just six short weeks ago when he introduced me to LOST. I was ready.
Watching LOST live on television was a new experience. I never had to wait a full week for the next episode before. I never had to sit through commercials. I never got the full effects of dramatic pauses throughout the show either. It was a new yet rewarding experience. Sixteen straight brand-new episodes gave me a reason to be excited each and every Wednesday night from February all the way through May. I watched most of those sixteen episodes by myself, so as not to be bothered. There is nothing worse than someone asking questions in the middle of a never-before-seen episode.
However, I was able to watch a season three episode in the same place where this whole mess got started. At the Franks’ house, Kris, Nic and myself all watched “Greatest Hits,” which was the last episode before the finale. It was a little different watching the new episode back in the Franks’ basement. I don’t know of a better way to put it, but it just didn’t feel the same. This is probably due to the fact that we only watched the one show and not four or eight shows in one sitting. After the show we each gave our predictions for the finale and theories for the show in general. It was a great time.
For the season three finale, I invited Devin, Koby, and J-RO all over to my house for the festivities. We did a little pre-gaming, which included some ping-pong, Guitar Hero and EWO euchre. The finale itself was truly amazing. The big surprise was that they showed a flash-forward instead of the usual flash-back that they include with each episode. Apparently both Jack and Kate get off the island. It was ridiculous. My favorite moment of the finale was when Hurley went and got the Dharma van and ran over the Others. Sayid then went on to snap a dude’s neck with just his feet. It was unbelievable. I found myself clapping, dishing out high-fives, and genuinely rooting for my guys.
This is not where my LOST story ends. Oh no. That was my basic recap of how I became introduced to LOST. Next up is how I have evolved as a LOST fan.
EVOLUTION
It is well-documented (by me) that I struggled early on with LOST. I was growing tired of all the questions with no answers as the show just seemed to grow into one huge soap opera at times. I have grown from that point in my understanding of LOST, although I can completely agree with my feelings at the time. I needed to take a step back from LOST, I mean I had been watching it, discussing it, and reading about it for six consecutive months. A break was necessary.
After my two month hibernation from LOST, I returned feeling refreshed and renewed. I went to the nearby Family Video and started at the only place I knew how, the beginning. Re-watching LOST episodes are just as good as watching them the first time. You know when the big surprises are coming, but you tend to pick up on different things that went unnoticed during the first viewing. This is how my evolution process began.
When watching LOST the very first time, I focused on all of the events that were unfolding: the plane wreck, the hatch, the smoke monster, the numbers, and of course the Others. I wanted answers. I needed them. However, after watching every LOST episode at least twice, my focus has shifted, and I am very glad that it did. See, when you focus on the event aspect of LOST, you miss its best part, the characters, their developments, and their interactions with other characters.
Death plays such a crucial role on LOST. Several characters have perished (too many to even count) during their time on the island, including main characters as well. When re-watching the deaths of Boone, Shannon, Libby, and especially Charlie, I got a little choked up. Their deaths hit me much harder the second and third time around than they did when I watched them originally. It was as if I lost a piece of the show when those characters passed. That’s the ironic thing about life though. In order to come full circle in your life, you must die. LOST is no different it seems.
I no longer concern myself with what is going on or off the island. It doesn’t concern me. My favorite episode from season three did absolutely nothing to advance the overall story lines. Instead, it focused on Hurley getting the Dharma van to work. I loved how Hurley progressed throughout the entire episode and the genuine reactions of Sawyer and Jin (“HURRLEE!”) when the van started up. It’s the head nods, the references to other people as their friends, and group interactions that I’m falling in love with. I’m at the point where I feel a part of their camp. It’s almost as if I have experienced all of the crazy events with them. When I made this realization, LOST turned from a good television show to one of my all-time favorites.
What about these characters? Which ones are my favorites? Which ones would I not be sad to see leave for good? Let’s find out.
CHARACTERS (in no particular order)
1) Jack - The Doctor. The first scene of the first episode is on Jack when he wakes up in the jungle after the plane crashed. Jack goes on to assist just about everyone during the aftermath of Oceanic flight 815 crashing somewhere in the Pacific. Not soon thereafter, Jack takes over the leadership role for the entire group, something at first he is not sure if he is ready for. Everyone looks to Jack for answers. Sawyer calls Jack, among other things, “The Sheriff.” Jack was on the plane in order to get his dead dad (Christian) home from Australia in order for the burial.
My take - At first I was a huge Jack fan. It was hard not to be. He was the lead character, he helped out everyone, and the storyline seemed to progress whenever he was around. I’ve fallen off the Jack train just a bit after re-watching the episodes. He tends to scream a bunch (“RUN!! DAMN IT!!“) and sometimes his actions cause me to scratch my head. However, there is something about Jack that we have not yet found out. His tattoos on his arm say “He walks amongst us, but is not one of us.” I think there is more to this than the simple fact he got those tats while in Korea or Japan or someplace weird.
2) Kate - The Felon. Kate is the leading women who is always looking for an adventure. She killed her step-dad in order to help out her mother. Her step-dad was a drunk and an abuser and Kate had had enough. She set fire to his house while he was sleeping, and she has been on the run ever since. To make matters worse, her mother practically dis-owned her for those actions. Kate was on the plane because she was captured by a U.S. Marshall and was being taken back to L.A.
My take - She’s a nice piece of eye candy that’s for sure. The big storyline is the ongoing saga between her, Jack, and Sawyer. Who will she choose?? Who cares?? Not me. That’s not why I’m here. It’s the same reason that I really don’t care if Jim and Pam get/stay together on The Office. (My money is on Sawyer by the way.) Kate is a pretty simple character. She always seems to be on the run and has stayed pretty consistent throughout the first three seasons.
3) Hurley - The Fat Man Turned Rich. Hurley won the lottery back home, playing the very same numbers (4,8,15,16,23,42) that were entered into the hatch’s computers. Hurley got those numbers from his time in a mental institution. Hurley has been on a run of bad luck ever since he won the lottery. His grandfather passed away, his mothers new home burned down, and his new business got hit by a meteorite. Hurley was in Australia trying to put an end to his bad luck.
My take - Dude. How can you not love Hurley? He is the comical relief in LOST, but is so much more. Hurley has been battling weight issues while on the island, and has lost several close friends during his stay as well (see Libby and Charlie). We are still not sure exactly to what extent those numbers play into the whole scheme of the island, but I’m not too worried about it. Hurley is one of those “safe” characters, one you know is not going anywhere any time soon. He is one of my favorite characters.
4) Sayid - The Iraqi Torturer. Sayid was in the Republican Guard and became a torturer while serving for the Iraqi government. Sayid is deeply in love with Nadia, who he helps escapes prison. Sayid also falls for Shannon while on the island (she died however). Sayid does not have much of a back story, but what he lacks in flashbacks, he more than makes up for with his current actions on the island.
My take - It’s this simple: Sayid gets things done. He is the smartest, toughest, and the best suited to lead the Losties (term given to those on Oceanic Flight 815). I’m a huge fan of Sayid’s logic and how he approaches each complicated situation with the simplest solution. Everyone trusts Sayid (ex. The Naomi Case) and he seldom lets them down. He is my second favorite character on LOST. On a personal note, I would feel safe wherever I went if Sayid was there as well. This guy can do it all.
5) Charlie - The Rock Star. Charlie is a classic example of someone I was not very fond of the first time around, but then grew to love later on. Charlie is from England who was in the band “Drive Shaft.” They were a one-hit wonder with their single, “You Are Everybody.” He has battled a drug addiction while on the island and jealously issues with Claire. In the end, Charlie becomes a hero as he dies in the season three finale, but not before giving Desmond a message, “Not Penny’s Boat.”
My take - It was very sad to see Charlie pass away. He has been one of the main characters throughout the entire show and now is gone. Sure he might return in the occasional flash-back, but it just won’t be the same. Anyone who has ever battled an addiction before can relate to what Charlie was going through. Charlie was one of my favorite characters and he will be missed.
6) Desmond - The Visionary. Desmond crashed on the island way before Oceanic Flight 815 did. He was in a sail boat race when his ship found its way onto this mysterious island. Back home Desmond is deeply in love with Penny, but they had a fall out when Desmond thought that he was un-fit to marry her. Desmond ended up in the hatch "saving the world" for quite some time before the Losties came. Desmond implodes the hatch at the end of season two, thinking that he could die in order to save everyone. He did not die, but when he woke up he had no clothes on and started to see “flashes” of the future. Yes, this is LOST.
My take - This is my favorite character on LOST. “See you in another life brotha,” is a great line that Desmond has repeated several times. Kris seems to think that LOST might end up being a love story between Penny and Des. He may be right. They always play pivotal roles in the season finales. It’s going to be quite interesting to see where they take Desmond now that Charlie has passed. See, Desmond was having multiple flashes of Charlie’s death, now that it has happened, who knows what he will see now? Should be interesting (what am I saying, it WILL be interesting, it’s LOST!!).
7) Locke - The Handicap Turned In Tune With The Island. Locke might be the most important person on this whole show. He was in a wheel-chair before crashing, and immediately could walk when he touched down to the island. Locke is very much in “tune” with the island. He also has seen Jacob (who I will get to in my prediction section) and seems to be indestructible.
My take - Locke used to be my very favorite because the storyline seemed to progress and develop whenever he was involved. Locke has the coolest story as well. His dad, who conned him into giving up a kidney, mysteriously shows up on the island. The Others are very interested with Locke, and vice versa. Locke wants to know everything that makes this island special. He also has a habit of blowing things up. Locke has destroyed the hatch, the communications station, and the submarine (or did he?). It is almost as if Locke is trying to keep everyone on the island.
8) Sawyer - The Con Man. Sawyer has a very sly, witty, and strong personality. Back home (wherever that was), Sawyer was a con-man. He has succeeded in several cons while on the island. He is best known for his nicknames that he gives everyone. He has too many to name. Sawyer is right in the middle of the drama surrounding who Kate will pick. Like I said before, my money is on Sawyer. At heart he is a loyal friend who has shown he is willing to help out his fellow cast-mates.
My take - I absolutely despised Sawyer when I first started watching LOST. I thought he was mean, deceptive, and cruel. He very well could be all three of those things, but recently I have found to love Sawyer. I love his nicknames and I loved when he killed Tom (Mr. Friendly) at the end of season three. “Me and you ain’t done Zeke.” (Sawyer said this to Tom way back in Season Two). However, on this island, things have a way of coming back to hurt you. Sawyer might have a date with the smoke monster sometime soon.
9) Ben - The Leader Of The Others. We were introduced to Ben as Henry Gale in Season Two. Ben was trapped and found by Sayid. Ben was caught in his lie, but fortunately escaped due to some help from a Lostie. Ben is very tricky and you can never really believe anything he says. He is a master of mind games. He is also the leader of the Others and is the #2 it appears behind Jacob.
My take - Ben’s day on the island are numbered. Something tells me that he is not going to last very long as is on the island. That could mean he will just flat out be killed, or maybe the Losties will come to accept him once he starts explaining himself. Who knows. What I do know is that Michael Emerson is an outstanding actor and I can’t get enough of Ben. He holds the secrets of the island, but the power he holds over the Others might soon vanquish.
Well, there are many more characters I could discuss, but in all honesty, those are the most important ones. In my last segment I will tell you my theories and predictions. Do with this as you will.
WHAT’S GOING ON?
When you watch as much LOST as I have, theories tend to come and go. Some are disproved by the actual producers and writers of the show (purgatory theory) and others are just too ridiculous. It is a constant process, ever-changing. As we currently stand, I do have a theory on what exactly is going on in LOST. But first, I would like to share with you the basis of Kris’s theory.
Kris is under the impression that time plays a crucial role in LOST. He has explained me this theory multiple times, but I seem to get “lost” myself when he gets into the details. He believes (I think) that what is going on the island is not the present time. Or it could be that time moves slower on the island. He really gets into the “Back To The Future” stuff that just causes my brain to hurt. The next time I talk to him I will try and update you on his theory.
What about mine? Well, my basic theory is that the LOST island is actually a “pole.” Similar to the North or the South pole. We do know that magnetic properties surrounded the hatch, and things haven’t been the same on the island ever since it imploded. I also believe the only way to actually get on the island is to come from the air. It can not be reached by a ship or a boat. Almost like a glass ball with a tiny hole at the top.
I also believe that Oceanic Flight 815 was SUPPOSED to crash. Why else would the flight attendant mysteriously disappear and then reappear a sudden member of the Others? Also, does anyone who crashed have a good reason to go back? No. Their lives are all better now that they are on the island. It is the truth.
Here are some other things I currently believe:
- There is a big figurehead behind the crash, we just don’t know who yet.
- Jack is not who he appears to be. There is much more to Jack that we do not know yet. I do not believe he was a true member of Oceanic Flight 815.
- Jack’s dad, Christian (who is supposed to be dead), will end up being Jacob. I honestly believe this.
- Michael and Walt never left the island.
- Locke will become the new leader. There might even be two groups (Jack vs. Locke).
- Aaron (Claire’s baby) will never leave the island.
- Something is going on with secrets. Jack tells Kate that he is tired of lying. What could this be about? My theory is that when they get off the island they have to tell everyone else that the people left behind are dead.
- The submarine is NOT blown up.
I may be right on some and completely off on the rest, but I’m sticking behind all of those.
There ya go, my story of how I found LOST. I will be recapping every new episode from this point on for your enjoyment. I hope you all do not start having LOST dreams like I have had before, but if you do, I hope they are good ones.
Season Four starts tomorrow night. The Beginning of the End.
“See ya in another life brotha.”
Monday, January 21, 2008
2007: Year of the Tease
A full three weeks into 2008, I deemed it time to take a look back at the following 12 months. Usually when I write these columns I try to start by coming up with a title. However, with this recap of 2007, I honestly had no idea of what to name it. So, I started to think back and attempt to find a common theme among my favorite teams. The Browns, Notre Dame, the Indians, the Bulls, and the Penguins. It did not take long to find the missing link.
They were all teases last year.
You know, that incredibly good looking girl in your high school who could get just about get any guy she wanted. From the distance she was gorgeous, funny, nice, everything you could ever desire. However, upon closer inspection, you find out that she flirts with all of your buddies just as much as she does with you. You want to be with her, but in your heart you could never trust her. She is just a tease who was not as attractive once you got to know her. Don’t get me wrong, these girls can be a lot of fun, but in the end, you are better off without them.
On the other hand, teases can be a good thing as well. I was lucky enough to participate in some teases for Gridiron Glory a couple years back. In laymen terms, a tease was simply a preview of what was coming up later on the show. They served as a basis to see what direction the show was headed. My very first tease put me in Morgan’s concession stands with a hair net and gloves helping serve popcorn. All the teases were small in substance but were absolutely necessary so viewers at home could see when their teams highlights were coming. A promotion of what was to come in the future.
All of my teams exhibited one of those two ‘tease’ definitions. Some were supposed to be a lot better than what they were, while others gave me a preview of what I hope is to come in 2008. Let’s take a look back and see how in the world I survived the year that was 2007.
I’m going in order of performance, with the worse teams coming up first. It should be no surprise then which team I lead off with.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football
This story begins in New Orleans for the 2007 Sugar Bowl. Notre Dame vs. LSU. JaMarcus Russell vs. Brady Quinn. Potential #1 draft pick at stake. After some perspective I can’t actually believe I once thought that Notre Dame could win this game. It was over shortly after halftime. Entering the 2nd half, Notre Dame trailed the favored Tigers 21-14. The final score wound up being 41-14 LSU. I stopped watching the game mid-way through the 4th quarter. It was just brutal.
As ugly as that bowl game defeat was for Notre Dame, it failed mightily in comparison with how the rest of the year went for the Irish football program. Here is the abbreviated version.
- 2007 was all about the quarterbacks. Coach Weis had three to choose from before the start of the season. His pick to start the 1st game of the season completed just one pass. He would transfer schools later in the year.
- Freshman stud Jimmy Clausen struggled all year long. It’s hard to put all the blame on his shoulders, as he spent a good majority of the season on his back.
They were all teases last year.
You know, that incredibly good looking girl in your high school who could get just about get any guy she wanted. From the distance she was gorgeous, funny, nice, everything you could ever desire. However, upon closer inspection, you find out that she flirts with all of your buddies just as much as she does with you. You want to be with her, but in your heart you could never trust her. She is just a tease who was not as attractive once you got to know her. Don’t get me wrong, these girls can be a lot of fun, but in the end, you are better off without them.
On the other hand, teases can be a good thing as well. I was lucky enough to participate in some teases for Gridiron Glory a couple years back. In laymen terms, a tease was simply a preview of what was coming up later on the show. They served as a basis to see what direction the show was headed. My very first tease put me in Morgan’s concession stands with a hair net and gloves helping serve popcorn. All the teases were small in substance but were absolutely necessary so viewers at home could see when their teams highlights were coming. A promotion of what was to come in the future.
All of my teams exhibited one of those two ‘tease’ definitions. Some were supposed to be a lot better than what they were, while others gave me a preview of what I hope is to come in 2008. Let’s take a look back and see how in the world I survived the year that was 2007.
I’m going in order of performance, with the worse teams coming up first. It should be no surprise then which team I lead off with.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football
This story begins in New Orleans for the 2007 Sugar Bowl. Notre Dame vs. LSU. JaMarcus Russell vs. Brady Quinn. Potential #1 draft pick at stake. After some perspective I can’t actually believe I once thought that Notre Dame could win this game. It was over shortly after halftime. Entering the 2nd half, Notre Dame trailed the favored Tigers 21-14. The final score wound up being 41-14 LSU. I stopped watching the game mid-way through the 4th quarter. It was just brutal.
As ugly as that bowl game defeat was for Notre Dame, it failed mightily in comparison with how the rest of the year went for the Irish football program. Here is the abbreviated version.
- 2007 was all about the quarterbacks. Coach Weis had three to choose from before the start of the season. His pick to start the 1st game of the season completed just one pass. He would transfer schools later in the year.
- Freshman stud Jimmy Clausen struggled all year long. It’s hard to put all the blame on his shoulders, as he spent a good majority of the season on his back.
- The Irish went 3-9, their most losses ever.
- They failed to score a single point against Michigan OR USC, while gave up 38 both times.
- The Irish lost to Navy at home in triple overtime. I repeat, … lost … to … Navy … at home.
How did the Irish tease me? Never in my life would I imagine seeing a Notre Dame football team be this bad. I figured it was one of those things that just couldn’t happen, like Barnes dunking a basketball. Well, this year, Barnes could have won the NBA slam dunk competition. I also never thought I would see people calling for Charlie Weis to be fired so soon. Well, if he bombs again in 2008, he will have to watch the ‘09 Irish games from someplace other than the sidelines.
Prediction for 2008 - Big year for Coach Weis. Another year like ‘07 and he will be knocking on Belichick’s door looking for a job. I would like to think Jimmy Clausen will get better. I would like to think that these stud recruits that Weis has been pulling in will finally surface. I would like to think Notre Dame will have a winning record. My gut tells me something around 7-5 with a season ending bowl win. At this point I’ll take anything better than ‘07.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Disclaimer: The only reason I am even remotely interested in the NHL is because of the Penguins. They are the only team I follow at all. I can not name any coach (including the Penguins) nor can I name more than five players in the entire league.
Now that we are all on the same page I can continue.
Sidney Crosby is steadily climbing up into my favorite athletes list as we speak. He is the best player in the entire league, make no mistake. Crosby was good enough in ‘07 to lead the Penguins into the playoffs for the first time since 2001. Pittsburgh found themselves with the #5 seed, facing off against the Ottawa Senators. I actually watched this entire series all the while conjuring up memories from Penguins playoff games from the past. The Penguins were eliminated in five games and I haven’t watched a full hockey game since. That’s the way it goes. I only watch Pens playoff games.
The hope is that this young Penguins team can continue to improve into a division winner. There is too much talent on this team for them not to be competing for the Stanley Cup as soon as 2008. When you have the best player in the league, your chances for success skyrocket. The Penguins have Crosby and I have hope that 2007 was a small glimpse of what will soon come from Pittsburgh.
Prediction for ‘08 - Although Crosby just went down with a high ankle sprain that could seriously hurt the Pens chances of winning their division, I still like Pittsburgh to win a series in the playoffs. After that, it would all be gravy. On a side note, how cool was that outside game versus Buffalo on New Years’ Day? Even Big John seemed to show an interest, and I‘ve never seen him watch a second of a hockey game. Ever.
Chicago Bulls
I’m not going to beat around the bush here. The Chicago Bulls are the classic example of the girl tease. They look good to everyone at the beginning of the year, but by the third week of school you have realized what you feared all along. What you thought was a 10 has quickly turned into a 4 due to her all of a sudden visible flaws. I introduce you to the Chicago Bulls of ‘07 and soon to be ‘08 as well.
Chicago did manage to win 49 games last season. Their highest victory total since 1998. They also swept the defending champion, Miami Heat, in the 1st round of the NBA Playoffs. Those were the good things.
Chicago was in control of the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference the entire last two weeks of the regular season. They were battling the Cleveland Cavs for this all important position. Whoever earned the #2 seed would have a much easier road to the Eastern Conference Finals. On a personal note, I had an on-going bet with Joe that the Bulls would win more games than the Cavs. Well, all the Bulls had to do was beat the New Jersey Nets the last game of the season to get the #2 spot and get me $40. They lost, and I lost (still haven’t paid it yet, not gonna lie, I lost the address, again).
The Bulls lost to the Pistons in six games and to make matters worse, I had to watch the Cavs make it to the NBA Finals, knowing full well it could have easily been Chicago. I’m not sure if you can tell or not, but I HATE the Cavs. They are the Cleveland sports equivalent of the Ohio State Buckeyes. I’ll leave it at that.
Enter the beginning of this year. Many basketball gurus and publications listed the Bulls as one of the favorites to make it out of the East this season. Expectations were raised due to their 49 win total the season prior. Talks were in session of a possible trade, landing either Kevin Garnett or possibly even Kobe Bryant. They got neither. Currently they are 16-24. Enough said.
Prediction for ‘08 - Well the Bulls fired their head coach, Scott Skiles already, and their GM, John Paxson, is more than likely up next. It doesn’t look like it is going to get any better soon. I can’t believe I’m going to write this next sentence, but here goes. The Chicago Bulls will NOT make the playoffs this year. This was more like a 10 turning into a 2. It hurts. These Bulls will get worse before they get better and any true Bulls fan will agree with me.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Basketball
Head Coach Mike Brey has done one helluva job with this program. He has given it stability, an identity, and more importantly, a winning tradition. Expectations were low for this Irish team. They were picked to finish 11th in the Big East. They ended up going 11-5 in Big East play and receiving the #4 seed for the Big East Tourney. Russell Carter and Colin Falls produced throughout and newcomers like Tory Jackson and Luke Harangody filled in nicely. In ’07 they returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003. They reached the Big East Semifinals. They were actually pretty good. I wasn’t expecting that at all.
Now, Notre Dame did lose to Winthrop in the 1st round of the NCAA tourney, but here are my two cents on that issue. The Irish, for whatever reason, was a #6 seed, which I thought was outrageous. They deserved a #5 seed at the worst. On top of that, they faced a Winthrop team that should have been seeded a lot better than #11. The Eagles were one of those teams you just pray your favorite team is not matched up against in the 1st round.
Currently, the Irish have won 30+ straight home games at the Joyce Center, which is a new team record. The other side of that is the fact that Notre Dame hasn’t won a road game yet. We’ll see. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised with this team. The future looks good.
Prediction for ‘08 - They need to start winning road games, or at the very least, be competitive. The Harangody-McAlarney combo is proving tough to stop. My best guess is that the Irish will go 11-7 in the Big East this year. They will be a proverbial bubble team for the NCAA tourney. If they get in they could be very dangerous if they get hot. I honestly believe that ‘09 will see the true potential of this talented young Irish team.
Cleveland Browns
This was a tough call, but I had to give the nod to the Indians. Sorry.
2007 was Romeo Crennel’s make it-or break it season. Word on the street was that another losing season would end it for Romeo. Bill Cowher was coming to town. As the great idiot Lee Corso puts it, “Not so fast my friends.”
It did not start so great for these Browns. They got smoked at home by Pittsburgh in the season opener and then traded their starting quarterback Charlie Frye two days later. Cue Derek Anderson and the rest is history. Anderson led these Browns to a 10-6 record, just missing out on a playoff spot. Braylon Edwards, Joshua Cribbs, and rookie Joe Thomas are all headed to the Pro Bowl. How did it happen? I have no idea.
Well, for one, they didn’t have any serious injuries. All of their key players were healthy for the entire season. Their offensive line came together and gave Anderson plenty of time to find the open receiver. Jamal Lewis returned to his old self and came through with an uber-productive season in a contract year. New offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski did such a great job in his first season that he recently got a contract extension through 2011. Things were just lined up in a perfect harmony this year.
However, the Browns still were not able to beat the Steelers. The Browns still gave away games late in the year that could have clinched a playoff spot. The Derek-Brady saga will hurt this team the longer it continues. The defense was banged up and couldn’t stop anyone. Those were the bad things (usually this paragraph is a lot longer).
Prediction for ‘08 - I would like to see Cleveland in some prime-time games this upcoming season. They deserve that. It’s very difficult to predict wins and losses in the NFL, but, if everyone stays healthy, this team should win 10+ games. Their offense is one of the league’s best. They have over $30 million to spend on free agency, which I would expect to be used on the defensive side of the ball (d-lineman and middle linebackers). It will be very interesting to find out if the Browns are able to handle the pressure and responsibilities of high expectations. They won’t be sneaking up on anyone in ‘08.
Cleveland Indians
This was a fun year to be a Tribe fan. They won the American League Central. They beat the New York Yankees in the ALDS and they were just one win away from going to the World Series. I had a blast this summer thanks to these Indians.
The Indians were expected to compete for the American League Central, but no one really thought they would be able to win it. However, thanks to a pitching staff that has turned into one of the league’s best, they won the A.L Central, dare I say, easily? Detroit did have some injuries, but so did Cleveland. Thanks to Fausto Carmona, those injuries turned into a blessing. Sabathia ended up winning the American League Cy Young Award and Eric Wedge won the American League Manager of the Year Award. I repeat. Eric Wedge, American League Manager of the Year. I still don’t believe it.
I just enjoyed watching this team play. It was that simple. They were young, passionate, and never seemed to be out of it. Even if they didn’t get the years we all expected from Travis Hafner and David Dellucci, performances from Asdrubal Cabrera, and *cough* Casey Blake helped soften those blows. This was a total team effort. Paul Byrd winning two games in the playoffs. Trot Nixon coming through in October. Everywhere you looked, someone was picking up one of his teammates.
The pies to the face are usually things I roll my eyes at, but with this team you could just tell that they genuinely enjoyed each other. Even though they fell just a little short, I was glad to be a part of it.
Prediction for ‘08 - I would have liked to see the Indians make a couple moves in the off-season, which they still have time to do. The Tigers and the White Sox both got better, and the Twins are getting healthier. It’s hard to stand still in this sport and still be competitive. If Sabathia and Carmona can continue like they did last year, then the Tribe will be in it to the end. The big question mark will be whether or not Hafner can rebound from his disappointing season. If my dad had any say then Casey Blake would pitch every day and bat for everyone (using ghost Casey Blakes for runners on base). In the end, I think this Indians team will make the playoffs in some way, shape, or form. From that point, it’s pretty much a crapshoot. It will all depend on our pitching, as it always does in baseball and always will.
How about some awards for ‘07? Giddy up.
BEST GAME OF THE YEAR - No question it was Boise St. vs. Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. This game had it all and then some. I said it at the time when I was watching it with Chewy, “this is the most ridiculous game I’ve ever seen.”
Runner ups: Browns-Ravens w/ Dawson’s 50 yard field goal that wasn’t but then was. Indians-Yankees Game Two of the ALDS w/ the midges.
BEST SPORTING EVENT I ATTENDED - I had plenty of Indians and Browns game to choose from, but the winner was Game Two of the ALDS with Grothaus. We were both pretty excited for this game due to Cleveland jumping out to a one game to nothing series lead so we headed up to Jacobs Field about two hours before the first pitch. We sat out in the right field mezzanine level, about six rows back. We watched Fausto Carmona and Andy Pettitte pitch an absolute duel. We saw bugs just completely take over the game in the 8th inning, all the while not having a single clue what was going on. It was, without a doubt, the best sporting event I ever was a part of. In the end, Travis Hafner came through in extras to win it, and Grothaus and I left exhausted. Excited, but exhausted.
Runner ups: Seeing my first Browns victory and Game One of the ALDS w/ Barnes.
BIGGEST SPORTING EVENT I MISSED - Big East semi-finals with Notre Dame facing Georgetown. It was only the second time Notre Dame had ever reached the Big East semi’s and I had to miss it because I was sitting in a van on my way to Hilton Head for Heidelberg’s Tennis Spring Trip. The trip was great, but I unfortunately had to rely on Barnes’ texts to let me know what was going down with the Irish. They lost 84-82. A part of me wonders if my presence could have resulted in the needed three for the win.
Runner ups: Notre Dame vs. Winthrop (1st round of the NCAA tourney) and the Chicago Bulls sweeping the Miami Heat in round one of the NBA playoffs.
BEST MOVIE I SAW IN THE THEATRE - Superbad. Hands down. I watched this movie with Devin and both of us were hurting afterwards due to our consistent laughter throughout. From beginning, to the middle, and all the way to the end, Superbad was THE best movie I watched in the theatres in ‘07.
Runner ups: Knocked Up, Saw IV and Pirates of the Caribbean At Worlds’ End.
BEST MOVIE I SAW ELSEWHERE - Batman Begins. I took Devin’s advice and watched the new Batman movie for the first time. Devin did not disappoint. Batman Begins is the best Batman movie made to date. Michael Keaton used to be my favorite Batman, but now it is Christian Bale. The Dark Knight is coming out here in ‘08 and I can not wait.
Runner ups: Not gonna lie, I can’t think of any.
BEST ‘IN YOUR FACE’ MOMENT - Tiger Woods beating up on Rory Sabbatini @ Firestone. Sabbatini was talking trash beforehand, saying Tiger was more beatable than ever. Well, Rory was paired with Tiger in the final round of the Bridgestone Invitational but got destroyed by Tiger. Woods shot a bogey free round of 5 under par to win convincingly by eight strokes.
NEW GUY I HATE THE MOST - Woody Austin. I can’t stand this guy. Here is someone who has NEVER won anything in his life, but because he is old, thinks he can run his mouth and everything will be okay. The fact is that he is an idiot. Don’t agree with me? This is a direct quote after he finished 2nd to Tiger in the PGA Championship. "It just happens that he scored better. You can't throw away that many opportunities when you are trying to win a big golf tournament. He took advantage; I didn't. Does that mean he played better than me or he's better than me? I don't agree with that." Like I said, an idiot. The sad part is that he actually believes it. Oh, did I mention he fell into a pond during the Presidents’ Cup this past year?
Runner ups: Rory Sabbatini, Tim Carter, Joel Skinner and J.D Drew.
NEW GUY I LOVE THE MOST - Joshua Cribbs. I’ve gotten the distinct pleasure of watching this guy grow up right before my eyes. Three seasons ago, Jared, Kevin, Lucius, and myself attended the Browns season opener against the Bengals. Cribbs returned the opening kickoff about 15 yards before getting drilled, which resulted in a fumble. Since then he has grown into a mature, well-spoken, and best return man in all of professional football. My condolences Mr. Hester.
Runner ups: Luke Harangody, Casey Blake (just for you dad), and Fausto Carmona.
THE MOMENT OF THE YEAR - This is my Picture of the Year award for ‘07. This is the big one. This is the one game, person, and/or moment that made the biggest impact for the entire year.
The candidates are as follows:
1) Game Two of the ALDS w/ Grothaus
2) Old College Roommates on WHEI Tuesday nights
3) The on-going Casey Blake-John Florence-Luke Florence saga
4) Browns trading up to get Brady Quinn
5) Joshua Cribbs’ 100 yard kickoff return in the Pittsburgh game
And the winner is …
BROWNS TRADING UP TO GET BRADY QUINN!!
Was there ever any doubt that Brady was going to win? It was THE moment of 2007. The hysteria that took place following that moment was something I’ve never experienced before. The phone calls to Jared and Kevin. The celebration w/ Lucius and Pete inside the Clover Club. It was unreal. A part of me still doesn’t believe it.
Somewhere Cam Cameron is cracking open a Keystone.
Well, that wraps it up for me in 2007. What will 2008 bring us? Who knows. That’s one of the beauties of life. You never know what you’re gonna get. Thanks Forrest.
As for my future columns, I do have several in mind. I have a big LOST piece that is due out Wednesday January 30th. I will also be recapping every new LOST episode from this point on as well. I have a Brady vs. Derek article. I also have another column on Brady titled, “From Michael, Andre, and now to Brady.” Lastly, I have revamped my top 40 sport figures list, and will be unveiling that as we go along.
Thanks to everyone for sticking 2007 out with me. It was quite a challenging year for yours truly. Here’s to everyone’s health, hopes, and happiness in ‘08. Peace be the journey.
Until next time, “read it, roll it, hole it.”
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Wake Me Up When December Ends
“Here comes the rain again
falling from the stars
drenched in my pain again
becoming who we are
As my memory rests
but never forgets what I lost
wake me up when September ends.” - Green Day
The Cleveland Indians ran a video montage at Jacobs Field playing this Green Day tune for their soon-to-be postseason run. It certainly was a joyous piece. One that gave fans hope that the season would end with a World Series title. It showed amazing catches, triple plays, and walk (or - in one memorable instance - run) off home runs. It was almost as if the song put us in a dream in which - when we woke up after September ended - the Indians would be ready for October (there are only one of these ‘Octobers’ by the way, just ask Dane Cook). The point is that as far as the Indians were concerned, “Wake Me Up When September Ends” symbolized a song that captured all of the great things that had happened in 2007.
After reading these lyrics I found myself thinking about the Browns - NOT the Indians. All you would have to do is change ’September’ to ’December’ and off you go. Unfortunately for the Browns, this song does not leave fans with that same warm giddy feeling the Indians montage brought us. Rather, it symbolizes us just wanting to get December over with, because it has given us nothing but heartbreak.
The Brownies entered December with a 7-4 record and hopes of claiming one of the two AFC Wild Card spots. Things were just going Cleveland’s way up to that point. No major injuries to speak of, a better than average offensive line, and amazingly - the ball just seemed to be bouncing in Cleveland’s favor - literally.
Jacksonville laid their claim to the first of those two positions by reeling off three consecutive wins when they mattered the most (that‘s what good teams do), including an impressive 29-22 road victory in Pittsburgh. That left one spot open. It was supposed to be our spot.
Supposed to be. As Forrest Gump so eloquently put it, “It (shit) happens.”
Indeed it did. It usually does with the Browns. This time however - unlike with some other previous years - we have no one to point the finger at except ourselves. All I heard was that the Browns had an easy schedule. 12-4 should not be that far out of the picture. The #6 seed was a practical lock. Cleveland can score on anyone. That’s all I heard. Fast forward four weeks and all of a sudden the Browns last regular season game does not mean anything. Not because the Browns have already clinched a birth in the postseason, but because our January fate rests solely on another team’s shoulders. With one week remaining in December, Cleveland had gone from a certain lock to “boy I hope Tony Dungy plays Peyton a lot” status. Destiny is no longer in the Browns’ own hands.
So why “Wake Me Up When December Ends?” Good question. I first thought of it following the Browns most recent loss to the hands of the lowly Bengals. Knowing that I would have to watch someone else control our playoff fate made me about as miserable as I was sitting at Cleveland Browns Stadium in the pouring rain for the season opener with Lucius. It’s not just being miserable and pissed off. It’s more than that.
Andy Dufresne once said, “Hope is a great thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.” Well, the feeling I’m talking about Andy would believe to be the worst of things.
Hopeless.
The crazy thing is the Browns still do have a chance. It’s simple in nature. The Colts just have to beat the Titans. That’s it. The big question is how long Dungy will play his starters. The word on the street is that he will play Peyton and Co. the first half and no more. Now, that’s not exactly hopeless. But it’s close enough for me.
I don’t want to watch the Colts-Titans game. I don’t want it to be on primetime Sunday night. I would rather just wake up the next morning and read about it in the newspaper. That’s when I started thinking about that Green Day song. It all began to make sense.
Let’s break it down.
“Here comes the rain again
falling from the stars”
This has a couple of different meanings. First off, as previously stated, Lucius and I sat in the rain watching Cleveland get absolutely killed by the Steelers in Week One. We had four frickin penalties on one play. You can’t make this stuff up.
For all of you English majors out there, eat your hearts out with this upcoming metaphor. “Here comes the rain again” symbolizes the eventual downfall the Browns were headed towards. We all felt it. We sat there each and every week wondering if this was the week where Winslow would be seriously injured, or if the referees were going to screw us, or god forbid, the Browns just absolutely stunk up the joint. It’s been this way the entire month, if not longer.
Enter the Bengals game last Sunday. Four INT’s by Derek Anderson. Playoffs taken out of our hands. Any true Browns fan was not surprised by any of this.
“Drenched in my pain again
becoming who we are”
The sad reality is that Cleveland is not a playoff team. I’m sorry. They just aren’t. Playoff teams win when they have a chance to clinch. Especially against a beat up team that is starting two rookies at safety. Yes, every team (including the Patriots) plays a bad game from time to time. Nobody is perfect (except possibly the Patriots). However, timing does play a role as to when teams can play bad. In big games, bad performances cannot be accepted. It’s called choking. And the Browns coughed up their chances in Cincinnati.
We’re “drenched” because of the rain from week one. Stay with me people.
“As my memory rests
but never forgets what I lost”
These Browns have exceeded expectations set at the beginning of the season. The thing is, expectations change. Sometimes they can change very quickly. Somewhere between the Browns 51-45 win over the Bengals in week two to their 8-0 victory in the snow against Buffalo two weeks ago, expectations shifted. We were supposed to go to the playoffs. Maybe even win a game. We still have a slight chance, but we will never forget what could have been.
“Like my father's come to pass
twenty years has gone so fast”
Twenty years ago the Browns were wrapping up an AFC Central crown and getting ready for a home playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Browns won that game 38-21. The next week they played in Denver for the AFC Championship. We all know what happened there. Back when a fumble was a fumble, Earnest Byner coughed it up at Denver’s one-yard line with a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds.
1987. Twenty years ago.
2007. Here we are now. It’s been a fun season. Better than most people thought. In the big scheme of things the Browns could very easily go 10-6 and NOT get into the playoffs. Had they been in the NFC they could be a #3 seed. That’s the reality.
“Thanks for the Memories” by Fall Out Boy will have to wait however until the season is completely over. For now, will someone please wake me up when December ends?
That’s all I ask.
Go Colts.
Until next time, “read it, roll it, hole it.”
falling from the stars
drenched in my pain again
becoming who we are
As my memory rests
but never forgets what I lost
wake me up when September ends.” - Green Day
The Cleveland Indians ran a video montage at Jacobs Field playing this Green Day tune for their soon-to-be postseason run. It certainly was a joyous piece. One that gave fans hope that the season would end with a World Series title. It showed amazing catches, triple plays, and walk (or - in one memorable instance - run) off home runs. It was almost as if the song put us in a dream in which - when we woke up after September ended - the Indians would be ready for October (there are only one of these ‘Octobers’ by the way, just ask Dane Cook). The point is that as far as the Indians were concerned, “Wake Me Up When September Ends” symbolized a song that captured all of the great things that had happened in 2007.
After reading these lyrics I found myself thinking about the Browns - NOT the Indians. All you would have to do is change ’September’ to ’December’ and off you go. Unfortunately for the Browns, this song does not leave fans with that same warm giddy feeling the Indians montage brought us. Rather, it symbolizes us just wanting to get December over with, because it has given us nothing but heartbreak.
The Brownies entered December with a 7-4 record and hopes of claiming one of the two AFC Wild Card spots. Things were just going Cleveland’s way up to that point. No major injuries to speak of, a better than average offensive line, and amazingly - the ball just seemed to be bouncing in Cleveland’s favor - literally.
Jacksonville laid their claim to the first of those two positions by reeling off three consecutive wins when they mattered the most (that‘s what good teams do), including an impressive 29-22 road victory in Pittsburgh. That left one spot open. It was supposed to be our spot.
Supposed to be. As Forrest Gump so eloquently put it, “It (shit) happens.”
Indeed it did. It usually does with the Browns. This time however - unlike with some other previous years - we have no one to point the finger at except ourselves. All I heard was that the Browns had an easy schedule. 12-4 should not be that far out of the picture. The #6 seed was a practical lock. Cleveland can score on anyone. That’s all I heard. Fast forward four weeks and all of a sudden the Browns last regular season game does not mean anything. Not because the Browns have already clinched a birth in the postseason, but because our January fate rests solely on another team’s shoulders. With one week remaining in December, Cleveland had gone from a certain lock to “boy I hope Tony Dungy plays Peyton a lot” status. Destiny is no longer in the Browns’ own hands.
So why “Wake Me Up When December Ends?” Good question. I first thought of it following the Browns most recent loss to the hands of the lowly Bengals. Knowing that I would have to watch someone else control our playoff fate made me about as miserable as I was sitting at Cleveland Browns Stadium in the pouring rain for the season opener with Lucius. It’s not just being miserable and pissed off. It’s more than that.
Andy Dufresne once said, “Hope is a great thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.” Well, the feeling I’m talking about Andy would believe to be the worst of things.
Hopeless.
The crazy thing is the Browns still do have a chance. It’s simple in nature. The Colts just have to beat the Titans. That’s it. The big question is how long Dungy will play his starters. The word on the street is that he will play Peyton and Co. the first half and no more. Now, that’s not exactly hopeless. But it’s close enough for me.
I don’t want to watch the Colts-Titans game. I don’t want it to be on primetime Sunday night. I would rather just wake up the next morning and read about it in the newspaper. That’s when I started thinking about that Green Day song. It all began to make sense.
Let’s break it down.
“Here comes the rain again
falling from the stars”
This has a couple of different meanings. First off, as previously stated, Lucius and I sat in the rain watching Cleveland get absolutely killed by the Steelers in Week One. We had four frickin penalties on one play. You can’t make this stuff up.
For all of you English majors out there, eat your hearts out with this upcoming metaphor. “Here comes the rain again” symbolizes the eventual downfall the Browns were headed towards. We all felt it. We sat there each and every week wondering if this was the week where Winslow would be seriously injured, or if the referees were going to screw us, or god forbid, the Browns just absolutely stunk up the joint. It’s been this way the entire month, if not longer.
Enter the Bengals game last Sunday. Four INT’s by Derek Anderson. Playoffs taken out of our hands. Any true Browns fan was not surprised by any of this.
“Drenched in my pain again
becoming who we are”
The sad reality is that Cleveland is not a playoff team. I’m sorry. They just aren’t. Playoff teams win when they have a chance to clinch. Especially against a beat up team that is starting two rookies at safety. Yes, every team (including the Patriots) plays a bad game from time to time. Nobody is perfect (except possibly the Patriots). However, timing does play a role as to when teams can play bad. In big games, bad performances cannot be accepted. It’s called choking. And the Browns coughed up their chances in Cincinnati.
We’re “drenched” because of the rain from week one. Stay with me people.
“As my memory rests
but never forgets what I lost”
These Browns have exceeded expectations set at the beginning of the season. The thing is, expectations change. Sometimes they can change very quickly. Somewhere between the Browns 51-45 win over the Bengals in week two to their 8-0 victory in the snow against Buffalo two weeks ago, expectations shifted. We were supposed to go to the playoffs. Maybe even win a game. We still have a slight chance, but we will never forget what could have been.
“Like my father's come to pass
twenty years has gone so fast”
Twenty years ago the Browns were wrapping up an AFC Central crown and getting ready for a home playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Browns won that game 38-21. The next week they played in Denver for the AFC Championship. We all know what happened there. Back when a fumble was a fumble, Earnest Byner coughed it up at Denver’s one-yard line with a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds.
1987. Twenty years ago.
2007. Here we are now. It’s been a fun season. Better than most people thought. In the big scheme of things the Browns could very easily go 10-6 and NOT get into the playoffs. Had they been in the NFC they could be a #3 seed. That’s the reality.
“Thanks for the Memories” by Fall Out Boy will have to wait however until the season is completely over. For now, will someone please wake me up when December ends?
That’s all I ask.
Go Colts.
Until next time, “read it, roll it, hole it.”
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