Happy 2012!

Happy New Year, blog! It's been a while, hasn't it. It's because, well, I'm just prioritizing differently these days. You know, with...uhh...other things that are more fun than forced writing. I guess it isn't really forced, or anything. Whatever. I did something.

Perhaps this is my "I'm going to be healthy!" resolution. I also made one of those this year, but a bit different. We'll see how things go.

Anyway, way to go, Internet. Another year or not destroying the world. HIGH FIVES.

What The?

I know it’s been a while since I’ve been able to chat, but that’s with good reason. First we’ve been in the process of shifting gears from the Illini and NCAA basketball into NHL Playoffs. So now TW at the BB is officially all Red Wings, all the time.

And then this happened.

My guess is that Richmond had eligibility issues and to prevent any further penalties being assessed to either party, Weber benched Richmond for the NCAA tourney games against UNLV and Kansas. The cause of these issues in turn never got resolved, and both sides agreed it would be best to part ways, and that Richmond going to the NBA was the best way to do this without harming anyone’s reputation.

So what does this mean for the 2011-2012 Illini?

Questions surrounding what lead to Richmond’s benching in the tournament and his status with the program had potential to be a major distraction for the team next year. Nipping this issue in the bud could help prevent a long complicated season of off-court issues.

With that said, losing of player of Richmond’s potential will sting especially with 4 starting seniors also departing. On the floor Richmond was a fantastic rebounder with a Rodman-esque presence around the rim. (Without any kind of formal statistics in front of me, I’m going to estimate that 85% of his baskets came from put-backs on offensive rebounds.) Richmond also had a cockiness and swagger that this team has been lacking since Dee Brown was rocking Assembly Hall. He will be tough to replace.

I think the biggest loser in all of this is going to be Weber. I’ve long been a supporter of Weber and always liked him as a coach. We all know about his struggles with recruiting, especially the in-state players. Richmond was the first big catch Weber pulled in and it began a trend of the top in-state players finding their way back to Champaign. Despite the disappointment of this past year, winning a tournament game was big enough to consider this season not a failure (I still won’t go so far as to call it a success), but this situation loomed like a black cloud over the program. I think this is going to sting and impact Weber’s reputation among the fans for retaining top talent. This will add another log on the fire under his seat for next year, and unless the Illini are able to meet our expectation of the program, next year will be his last.

Gameday.

Don't call me Cinderella because I'm throwing this here party, and I don't see your invitation, bitch.


We Do This.


I-L-L I-N-I

Alert Level Orange: False Hope?

UNLV – 62

ILLINI – 73

I’m bursting with absolute giddy about this win. We dominated an opponent the way this team was built to dominate an opponent – tough interior defense, transition buckets, and clutch shooting. That style of play has eluded us for a better portion of the year, but it finally returned at a very opportune time tonight. Individually, McCamey played like a man possessed with 17 points to accompany his 7 assists. DJ Richardson also broke out of a cold funk with a very productive offensive-15 minutes (10 points, 2-2 on treys) while being able to resume his roll as a lockdown defender.

But with a top-seeded Kansas team coached by you-know-who waiting in the 3^rd round, I can’t let this optimism carry me too far. If anything, this team is far from consistent as evidenced by their inability to win consecutive games since early January. Awww, screw it. We won as a lower seed in the tournament for only the 2^nd time in history, and boy was it ever a convincing win. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to kick back and enjoy the hell out of it. Call me mad; let the good times roll.

I L L - I N I

It's GAMEDAY

My recent television obsession with Parks and Recreation (Ron Swanson is a model American and my personal hero) has almost distracted me from the excitement building inside of me for the most wonderful time of the year. It’s MARCH MADNESS! Holy crap do I love this time of year. In fact, convincing my employers for a work holiday party to take place on the first day of the tournament (which also happens to be St. Patrick’s Day. EPIC) is perhaps the crowning achievement of my 7-year tenure with the firm. I’m going to have a resume just for this moment.

But anyway, my ILLINI have often been a tease offering glimmers of false hope only to take my breath and sanity away by blowing it in the most frustrating way possible. But that stops here. I’m going to say this here and now in a public forum: the ILLINI are going to have an amazing postseason. I feel it. This team has the talent to be special and loved forever, and I think they are going to do it. I really do. While this homer has been drinking the Kool-Aid, I truly, deep in my heart believe it.

I-L-L , Bitches. It’s GAMEDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Image via http://www.sportslogos.net/

Happy Times are Here Again

Spring is here! Time to warm up and clean up the mess you've been kicking aside for the past 9 months. After the Illini loss tonight (L ß Sad Face) I decided to dry my tears with some much-needed organizing and cleaning. Unfortunately, this particular form of cleaning is usually monumental because it’s the only season really dedicated to cleaning. During summer life springs eternal with day drinking outside and running every opportunity. Fall and winter are the time to gather and collect all the crap that you need to get through the winter months. So now it’s time to shed some nonsense and clean the closet (literally!) as well as underneath the bed, behind the dresser, organizing files, etc. I just hope the dust buffalo don’t stampede and kill me in the process.

I've Got Spirit

For those of you that don’t know, (or haven’t seen my wardrobe), I attended the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. I played trombone in the Marching Illini and Illini Basketball Band. I attended all but maybe a handful of football and basketball (mens and womens) games during my 5 years while a student. To say I like the Illini is an understatement.

Or until recently, anyway.

You see, my fandom has always danced that fine line between extreme and obsession. Half of my wardrobe consists of orange articles of clothing. Not only is orange clothing rare, I actually have to make an effort to not wear something orange. Have you ever done a load of laundry consisting of ONLY orange clothing? Didn’t think so.

Today is special for a reason that I’m ashamed to admit: for the first time in the last 13 years, I did not wear orange on the same day that the Illini had a basketball game. I guess I should take a few steps back here; win or lose, for the longest time the excitement I got from watching the games and the ties it had to the best 5 years of my life made Gameday the happiest day of the year. The fact it happened 30 times a year made it even better; its like Christmas happening twice a month.

But this year something different happened to me that shook my very foundation. I lost enjoyment watching this basketball team. Huh? What? (Record Scratch!) No, I still enjoy college basketball and love sports in general, but to quote a tweet I saw online, watching this Illini team places the viewer firmly in a “No-Fun Zone.” Their effort and performance on the court have certainly not lived up to the expectations they set with their victory at Gonzaga. I questioned why I would put so much energy and effort into a team when I didn’t think their efforts were worthy of my efforts to be a fan.

So I punished them by watching the game tonight instead of going. (Snowmageddon had a minor role in this decision to not use my season ticket). And just when I thought they couldn’t stoop any lower, they played “decent” and “with energy” to TOTALLY REDEEM THEMSELVES!

So if anyone has tickets to the game at Northwestern this weekend, I’d be interested.

MEMORIES

While the CPA, tech gadgets, 3 video game systems and love of cartoons all help with my nerd credentials, my music collection certifies my nerdiness double platinum. (See what I did there? Classic). Classical. Alternative. Hip Hop. Electronic. House. Classic Rock. Country. You name it, and you can probably find it in my music collection. To give you an idea, my iTunes collection currently stands at 8617 songs, 73.33GB, with a play time of 26:06:44:39, whatever that is, and there are still probably 50-60 CD’s in a binder that have yet to make their way to the digital library. It’s taken me almost 20 years to amass that type of collection. Some certainly stick out more than others, but we’re going to discuss one of them:

1994. Weezer. Blue Album.

This album is special to me for many reasons. The obvious is, of course, this album is ballz awesome. If you do not like love this album, we cannot be friends. This was the first album that turned into an absolute obsession for me. I had my mom drive me to Record Swap in downtown Homewood to purchase this album and I instantly fell in love. I could listen to this album three times in a row and never get bored with it. Later, my friends and I would jam out “Say It Ain’t So” and the “Undone: The Sweater Song” in Collin’s basement over and over again. So when I found out that Weezer was going on the Memories Tour playing the Blue Album and Pinkerton in their entirety, well it was something I very well couldn’t miss.

To say these shows rocked is an absolute understatement. The pure energy in the crowds as well as on stage made both shows a true rock experience. While there I couldn’t help but think of us back in Collin’s basement. As good as I would like to think we were, the real deal is so much better. So high fives to Weezer, The Greatest band that ever lived.

Why Hello There

Why hello there, 2011. No, please, you’re not imposing on anything at all. You see, 2010 and I are just friends. Well, we were friends. We met about a year ago, and we both had such high expectations for each other. I thought 2010 would be the one, the final piece to the puzzle. Everything started so smoothly for the two of us – nothing but smiles and sunshine all over the place. But as you can expect no romance is free of drama, and well, recently we began to grow apart. I feel like I changed, hopefully for the better, but I am not quite sure, really.

You, baby, you’re totally different. I just have this good feeling about you. Yes, I know we just met, but sometimes you just know when something feels right. Awww, come back darling, I didn’t mean to scare you off; I just got caught up in the moment. So why don’t you come over here, next to me on the couch, and we can get to know each other a little better.

Can I get you anything? Some tea? Something to eat? Perhaps a hug? No, ok, just wanted to offer – if you change your mind let me know.

You know what, rather than any forced conversation, let’s just spend what precious time we have together right now and see what happens; no plans, no timeline, no expectations. Great, I’m glad you like this plan and I too am excited to be a part of it. I’m looking forward to our little adventure, wherever it may take us….

Happy New Year Everyone.

Holidaze Happiness

This week is my favorite week of the year. Just look at this schedule:

Monday, December 20^th – Orlando Siblings Birthday Bowling Bash

Wednesday December 22^nd – Braggin Rights game Illinois vs Missouri

Friday December 24^th – Christmas Eve

Saturday December 25^th – Jesus returns to Earth to buy an iPad and get in line for the post holiday sales

What I love most about this week is that the closer you get to the holidays everyone seems to be in a good mood. (For myself this was particularly true this year since I got all of my shopping done much earlier in the year than in prior years. I’ve been done for almost 2 weeks now, and after driving past the stores the afternoon I couldn’t be more relieved that this is the case. ) Last night my neighbors had a holiday party and it was just a fabulous time. Delicious baked goods, adult beverages, and holiday cheer were all in abundance for everyone to enjoy. While I only knew a handful of people there, it was still very easy to chat up a conversation with total strangers. There is something about this time of year that just seems to get people into a good mood. Honest – I do believe that it was all holiday spirit and had nothing to do with the delicious libations that everyone was consuming in excessive quantities. Altruistic or not, it makes a better story.

So as you’re bouncing around the stores last minute looking for that perfect gift before settling on a gift card, remember that you should be all smiles while you’re doing it.

Hold the Coffee

I believe I’m one of only 15 people in the entire Chicagoland who does not drink coffee. I’m not referring to just having a cup once in a while – I don’t drink it period. Upon learning this fact, the most common response I hear is “What do you do for caffeine in the morning?” For the longest time it was nothing – I just wake up and go about my day. Now, take that with a grain of salt because I’m a horrible morning person; I have to set my alarm for 7 am if I want to make sure I’m out of bed by 8, and even that is a chore. But as I approach my 31^st birthday I felt it was time to maybe mix up the routine a little bit.

Staring after Turkeypalooza I’ve been drinking a black tea in the morning at the office. I have noticed the caffeine effect of the black tea, and it’s actually been helpful in starting the day. But what I like about the tea as opposed to anytime I’ve ever tried coffee is it provides that feeling that jolt of caffeine. It’s a slow, soothing warm greeting – a gentle hug as opposed to a slap in the face. It’s enjoyable – especially since the heat at the office was out for the better part of this week.

Happy Holidaze!

Happy Holidays! It’s the best season of the year, so I highly suggest you get out your credit cards, get into the 4-wheel drive sleigh and go spend your way to happiness for your loved ones.

In all seriousness, I love the holidays. I just put up my little Christmas Tree and I couldn’t be happier right now. I don’t care that it’s only a 3” tree and sits on my kitchen counter. Just seeing it out there puts me into the holiday spirit. Which is why I want to head out and shop. I mean, spread holiday cheer with giving. Or something. Meh, give me a glass of cider and bourbon and I think I’ll watch Elf instead. So wait, is the holiday season about spending, giving, or indulgence in food and the subsequent laziness? We’ll go with yes.

Back from Beyond

Wow – I can’t believe it’s been this long since I’ve posted over here. Actually, I can believe it. When I started this blog back in the day, I had this altruistic notion that I’d post on it twice a week and lots of people would be anxiously awaiting what I had to say about this and that. Oh, what a fool I was. Between work, training for a marathon, and other excuses for not following through on something, I just for some reason always found something better to do.

But what still sticks with me is this notion that by publishing what amounts to random nonsense on the Internet will lead to fame. It certainly isn’t the reason why I’m doing this, but it’s a thought that definitely sticks in the back of my mind. That is the one truly remarkable thing on the Internet; not how it connects millions of people to porn almost instantly, but rather it helps facilitate everyone’s Hollywood dream of being famous.

Do I expect these sporadic posts of mine to lead to a sitcom on CBS? Not really. I am doing this really just to entertain people, mostly myself. And if the right person does find this amusing, please leave your info in the comments section and I’ll get back to you by the next time I post something. Hopefully it’s within a year.

Oh Yes

Opening day means only one thing - another opportunity for me to begin another potentially futile effort at managing a fantasy team. 

But this is my year!

iLove iMac

For my good friend Lindsay, who was the first person who said that Macs were superior to a PC in every way....

you are right. I don't even know what I'm doing and I like it. 

Bacon Explosion

So we made it. How was it? Well, honestly, it was....different. I'll never come out and say something has too much bacon, but let's just say this was a LOT of meat. I think grilling it instead of having a slow cooker kind of hurt the end result. Or maybe it was the fact we were too lazy to break up all of the ground Italian Sausage. Either way, we did it, and we all managed to live to tell the tale.

All meatiness aside, BBQ bacon is fantastic. I think I will be smothering it in the delicious spicy condiment much more often in the future.

I <3>

3rd Annual Super Sunday Funday Extravaganza Tent A Thon Event

The big day is finally here. Anyone that has even sat in the same room as a computer has heard about the gluttonous heart busting Bacon Explosion. Well, in the fine tradition of Turkeypalooza, Bacon Ballz, and not wanting to live beyond 30 years of age, we have decided to prepare this fine delicacy this afternoon. (There will be a full update and report from post op after my quadruple bypass tomorrow) But in the meantime, hey, let's watch football!

Steelers 34 Cardinals 30.

Super Monday

SUPERBOWL WEEK!

What is the attraction of the Super Bowl? Underdog stories? Gratuitous nudity? Great halftime shows? No, these are nice but those are too detailed. When you step back from this game and the rest of all NFL games, it's the mother of all Sunday Fundays. You wake up early, start drinking early, flip back and forth between the pregame analysis on any of the channels and the NFL Films all day marathon of every previous Super Bowl. You get to eat all of the snack foods that you enjoy so much; lil' smokies, sausage and peppers, the whole gamut of dips and chips, and many more meat and cheese covered products.

I'm going against my better Cubs judgment as rooting for the Chicago St. Louis Arizona Cardinals. How can you not root for the underdog? Feel good story set aside, I do have some logical (at least guy logic) reasons for rooting for them. First and foremost, Larry Fitzgerald was very good to me in Fantasy Football this year; showing some love is the least I can do. Secondly, as a Detroit Lions fan, if the Buzzsaw that is the Arizona Cardinals can get to the Superbowl, then we have to have a chance of winning 5, maybe 6 games next year.

Go Football!

Happy New Year!

2008, you sucked. (Well, not entirely. As a devoted Illini fan there is no conceivable way that I could say any year involving a trip to the Rose Bowl is anything short of awesome. ) But one thing I've never understood is the concept of a New Years resolution. I mean, if you know of something that you'd like to change about yourself to make yourself a better and happier person, why wait until once a year to make amends? With that said, I've got a few things that I am resolving to take care of in the new year:

1) Getting better at poker. I am really going to try to practice this year so I'm no longer the laughingstock of the Foster Tuesday Night Poker Club. This is going to happen. You just wait.

2) Read more. I'm almost done with one book (Freakonomics, which I embarrassingly admit I have not read yet.) There are many books that I've had on the proverbial "To Read" list, and this year I vow to get to them. I will even chronicle them here with reviews and such. Interactive!

3) GYM! This is every one's goal, but the whole marathon thing was rather intoxicating. So this year we've got the Shamrock Shuffle, the Sprint Triathlon, and the Half Marathon on the docket. Call me Forrest, but I like running.

4) PHISH CONCERTS. I'm going to them. Sounds strange, but if you've been to one, you'd understand.

5) Be a little more consistent with the whole blogging thing. I'm just too lazy to do a lazy man's job, but this is going to change. I'm taking my laziness to the next level and entering the draft.

So there you go. Hypocrisy and and useless information about me all in one post.

PS - Tedd Sucks.

FAIL!

I know I've never brought up politics with you, my 3 readers, but today is an exception. In case you haven't heard, Illinois' very own Rod "Governor Smith" Bagojevich got in a little bit of trouble yesterday. I'll spare you all the details since you all know the story, and instead I'll ask this one question of the Governor:

Are you fucking stupid?

After growing up here and living my entire life in this state, I'm quite familiar with "Chicago Politics" which is apparently our own special way of doing things. Honestly, I thought that is how all government works. I learned about this with several discussions with my parents and from the greatest teacher ever, Mr. Harry Daley. He was an avid Chicago historian (more on him later). It was a constant problem, but something you eventually got used to; much like rats in the city. They are everywhere, you're disgusted by them, but until one is sniffing your feat you ignore them. The reason for this? Well, we always felt that as long as things are getting done, we were willing to look the other way.

But as with all things, there are limits. In this case, there was such total disregard for the law and such brazen arrogance that these limits are deemed completely irrelevant. Even when Gov. Blagojevich knew that he was under investigation, he still managed to act as if he were immune to any consequences. I think I speak for everyone when I say it is this attitude that upsets me more than the actual corruption. Did he want to get caught? Did he really think as the Governor of Illinois that he would be able to wield enough power to wipe everything under the rug?

To kind of put things in perspective, I'm going to provide a little anectdote for you. When I was younger, I was not exactly the little angel that many thought I was. Most of the time I was pretty good, but every now and then I had this propensity to find some trouble. Well, when I did manage to find trouble, my father was so kind as to help a wooden spoon find its way to my posterior. (The pain from that spoon is not one I'll soon forget. I still shutter when I hear those doors under the sink open and close. ) The only good thing that from these beatings is after that moment that I would never repeat that mistake to put me in that position. Or at the bare minimum I would make sure I did not get caught. And if I didn't get caught, I certainly would not call people and tell them about it while my dad was in the room.

Many people I know can testify that I am not super bright. So if I can figure out this little don't do it again lesson, it's got to take someone who either: 1) has such low mental function they should be wearing a helmet, or 2) doesn't care anyway. Either way, they shouldn't have been running for public office, let alone getting voted into public office. But hey, as we've found out, in Illinois the right price can get you a lot of things.