Note to self

Dear Self,

Must check e-mail. No, seriously, it's ridiculous that you went SIX WEEKS without checking your e-mail. Insane that you allowed nearly TWO THOUSAND unread e-mails to stack up in your inbox. You HAVE to do better than that!

I know, I know. Most of it was junk mail -- notices from Twitter and Facebook that someone sent you a direct message or left a comment to your status. I know you check those sites religiously and don't need massive amounts of e-mail to let you know what's going on there.

I know, I know. The majority of the rest of the messages were junk mail that your filter didn't pick up on and automatically delete. I get that. Beside the point. Doesn't matter. You HAVE to do better than that!

There was some important stuff in that inbox. Like the Thanksgiving card that your stepmother sent you. And the reminder e-mail she sent to let you know that you still hadn't opened the card two weeks later. And the e-mail from your good buddy asking you to send him a reference letter. You got that e-mail nearly two weeks ago. Good thing he said he just needed it sometime before the new year.

I agree with you that it's sad that only about 20 or so of the nearly TWO THOUSAND e-mails in your inbox are still there now. Yes, it's sad. But that's what happens when it's one of those public e-mail accounts that you've had since you were in JUNIOR HIGH!

None of this changes the fact you should CHECK YOUR E-MAIL MORE OFTEN! After all, you're on the internet all the dang time. Just stop by your e-mail once or twice a week and clean it out!

Yearning for more or perfectly content?

I'm in the mood to write, but not just about anything. About something interesting. Which brings up quite a conundrum. There's not much interesting about my life.

I read my friends' blogs, or at least the few of my friends who actually keep up with their blogs on a semi-regular basis, and I'm always fascinating by how interesting their lives are. Honestly, I have some pretty interesting friends. They're outgoing, social, funny. Why are they friends with me?

Elizabeth and I live a pretty simple life, and honestly, we like it that way. We like to travel, and try to take a couple of "big" trips every year, as well as side jaunts to see our friends in north Louisiana or family members throughout the state. But other than that, we pretty much go to work, play with our dog, relax with each other, go to sleep and wake up to do it all over again. Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that. We are content with our lives. But it doesn't actually make for very interesting blog material.

Take today, for example. I was at work at 9 a.m. Worked on a couple of stories about local lawsuits, and trust me, there is nothing interesting about reading and digesting 50-plus pages of legal jardon about alleged fraud and racial discrimination. Check that ... there's obviously something interesting those topics to some people, just not for me. Reading legal jargon has to be the worst part of my job. Please keep me out of the courthouse!

I worked from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., working on the two lawsuit stories, as well as my weekly Sunday anchor "city notebook," which is basically a compilation of little tidbits that happen throughout the week that don't necessarily warrant their own individual stories. It's just a hodgepodge of different things. The only semi-interesting part of today was The Town Talk's Christmas luncheon. That was good food and some good time chatting with co-workers, who I see every day but don't always take the opportunity to slow down and have a conversation with.

After work, I went to my officiating meeting, where we discuss interesting stories that happen during games and get our assignments for the next week(s). Tonight, there were no interesting stories, unfortunately. I wish there were, so I could relate them in my blog and have something interesting to write about!

Oh, well. Maybe there will be some stories that develop this weekend, when Elizabeth and I will trek up to north Louisiana for the weekend. The plan is to head to my mother's on Friday night, spend Saturday morning and afternoon with her, my stepdad, my nephew Connor and my niece Kori, and then head on over to Ruston to watch the Saints game with my buddies A-Dawg and K-Rob on Saturday night. Then, on Sunday, we'll have Christmas lunch/party with the buddies and spouses. Hopefully, there will great stories to share from that!

Merry, merry, merry Christmas!

We tried. We really did!

So, Elizabeth and I really aren't the best when it comes to waiting for just about anything. Patience is not a virtue that flows very freely in this household. And when it comes to Christmas, well it's just game over!

We've been together now for five Christmases now, and I honestly doubt that we've lasted all the way to Dec. 25 before exchanging gifts. Sometimes, it's earlier than others. Last year was October. Little did we know when we gave each other our presents (Elizabeth got a new stove, and I got a sweet puppy!) that I would be laid off before Christmas. Sometimes, things just work out.

Well, we tried this year. And I hate to use the word 'fail' because it has such a negative connotation, so I won't. I'll just say we didn't make it. After finally breaking down to get the pup's gifts, we exchanged last night. Of course, because we don't do surprises very well in this family, it's not like it was a surprise. Elizabeth wanted a Sony e-Reader, and well, what Elizabeth wants Elizabeth gets (Aside: call me stupid all you want, but I've learned not to go against my wife's wishes during the holidays. When Elizabeth tells you what she wants, it's NOT a suggestion.). And I finally joined the 21st century and got an iPod nano. What was neat is that, without discussing it with each other, we both got the gifts inscribed with each other's names. That was a neat little touch.

Well, I've whined for months about an iPod. Elizabeth has one, and well, I get jealous. She's pretty good about letting me use it if I have to go on a trip or something, and she was even nice enough to make a playlist for me on her iPod. But now I don't have to borrow. I have my own! I'm so excited. I love my iPod. I've been listening to it all day, and I stayed up last night making a list of all of the CDs I need to put into iTunes and add to my iPod. Seriously, I got a 16-gig nano, and I bet that I'm going to be out of space pretty soon. What can I say? I have a lot of music!

And from what I can tell, E-beth loves her gift, too. She's in the bed right now reading it. She's an avid reader. Heck, my man cave has been overtaken by bookshelves (for the record, though, some of those books are my own)! So, it's been a successful Christmas. Elizabeth also got me a new electric shaver and trimmer, which is something every guy can use, a new pair of dress shoes that I can wear to work, and she also bought me one my favorite movies ever -- Robin Hood: Men in Tights! I also got Elizabeth a pair of ruby red shoes that I personally picked out and think are gorgeous. She says I have the best taste when it comes to choosing her clothes and shoes, and well ... she's right! In addition, she got some candy and an iTunes gift card.

Oh, and of course, Sandy-girl got a candy cane toy that squeaks (the dog LOVES squeaking toys; she's learned that is she chews really, really fast it makes more squeaking sounds, and she LOVES it!) and also a HUGE bone. Seriously, the bone has to be two feet long. It's massive, and she's already chewed to the center of it! The old commercial about how many licks it takes to get to the center of Tootsie Pop -- well it takes Sandy less than 24 hours to get to the center of a 2-foot rawhide bone! And, she still has another gift that Santa's going to bring her when we go to Granny's on Christmas morning -- a big stocking that has all kinds of fun toys!

With another 10 days til Christmas, there may be more gifts to come. When it comes to the McCormick family, never count anything out. A whim's a whim, baby!

A little Heisman talk

So a buddy of mine just called and asked me for my opinion on the Heisman Trophy, which will be handed out tonight in New York City (7 p.m., ESPN). I've had this discussion with a couple dozen different people over the past several weeks. Honestly, it's a fascinating discussion. Nearly 1,000 people vote to make this decision, and all of those people are just like me: they have their own distinct opinions. And each one has his own definition on what "most outstanding" means.

According to StiffArmTrophy.com, which has correctly predicted the Heisman winner each of hte past seven years, it's a three-horse race between Alabama RB Mark Ingram, Stanford RB Toby Gerhart and Nebraska DT Ndamukong (pronounced in-dam-uh-kun) Suh with the golden-boy QBs from Texas (Colt McCoy) and Florida (Tim Tebow) running a distant fourth and fifth.

It's funny that we're looking at such a close race with these three contenders in what has turned into one of the most wide open races in years (and perhaps the most exciting race ever) since we entered the season with all three of last year's finalists (McCoy, Tebow and last year's winner, Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford) back and expected to make repeat trips to NYC for the award show. But that's what makes college football so unpredictable. Bradford injured his throwing shoulder in the Sooners' opening game, tried to come back and was reinjured before opting for surgery. Tebow was not his same dominant self as he was when he won the Heisman as a sophomore and finished third last year. The Gators simply lost too many offensive weapons and Tebow struggled. McCoy, meanwhile, seemed to be firmly in control until a near meltdown and loss to Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship Game, which served as a coming out party for Suh's Heisman campaign.

Here's a breakdown of each candidate in order of projected finish:

1. Mark Ingram, So., RB, Alabama -- StiffArmTrophy.com projects Ingram to walk away with the trophy, which would make him the third sophomore in a row to win the award (after having no underclassmen receive it before Tebow did in 2007) and the first player in Alabama's storied history to receive the award (which is amazing). The 5-10, 215-pounder has one thing going for him: he's the best offensive player on the nation's #1 team, which too many voters exchange for "most outstanding." His stats are solid, if not jawdropping -- 1,429 yards rushing, 6.5 yards per carry, 12 touchdowns, another 3 receiving touchdowns. But there are a few knocks. He scored only half of his team's total rushing scores, and at times you could argue that freshman RB Trent Richardson was the best running back on the Crimson Tide's team. Ingram is a powerful runner who fits perfectly in what coach Nick Saban wants to do. He'll pick up some votes because of how good Alabama's team is, and also because the Tide have never had anyone win this award. However, I'm not sure he's the best running back in the country.

2. Toby Gerhart, Sr., RB, Stanford -- The 6-1, 235-pounder is a throwback to old-school football players with his powerful running style and will to deliver hits instead of taking them. He's also a throwback student-athlete who plays two sports (he's also an MLB prospect on Stanford's baseball team) at one of the country's most prestigious universities. He's a rarity in that he's a white running back who refused to take everyone's suggestion that he'd be better suited to play LB. Gerhart's stats jump off the page compared to Ingram's. He carried the ball nearly 100 times more than Ingram, who had the luxury of playing not only with Richardson but also senior Roy Upchurch. Alabama could use a RB by committee. Gerhart was Stanford's running game, as the Cardinal's second-leading rusher was QB Andrew Luck and third-leading rusher had 55 carries. Gerhart rushed for 1,736 yards, an average of 5.6 per carry, and more importantly scored 26 TDs -- 11 more than Ingram's rushing/receiving combined. Take Ingram off the Tide and they might not be in the national title game, but they'd still likely have gone 12-0 before playing Florida. Take Gerhart off Stanford, and the Cardinal are not going to a bowl game, much less winning 8 games. He does have a few knocks: he plays on the West Coast, so many voters didn't see him play often, if at all, and the Pac-10 doesn't have the reputation of the SEC in terms of strong defenses; also there will be those who don't vote for him because Stanford lost four games, though it didn't hurt Tebow when he won the award two years ago.

3. Ndamukong Suh, Sr., DT, Nebraska -- Let me start off with all of the reasons why Suh shouldn't win the award. He not only plays defense, but he plays on the defensive line. On top of that, he plays defensive tackle, which is about as unsexy of a position as there is on the football field. He didn't play on a great team in Nebraska, which has lost four games, although that isn't Suh's fault. The Huskers' defense is great; it's not his fault the offense is offensive. While Nebraska is a program full of history, the program has been down and isn't one of the sexy programs like the SEC or fellow Big 12 teams like Oklahoma or Texas. And a reason that might seem weird, but will have a profound affect, is that many people can't pronounce his name. Who's easier to vote for -- Mark, Toby, Colt, Tim ... or Ndamukong? Seriously, that should have no business resonating with voters, but it will. What hopefully will resonate more is Suh's production: a team-leading 82 tackles (seriously, how many DTs lead the team in tackling two years in a row?), 23 tackles for loss, 24 QB hurries, 12 sacks and 10 passes defensed. Let's pause for a second. Suh is 6-4, 300 pounds and is powerful enough to dominate the running game against double teams but also athletic enough to get to the quarterback and also deflect passes and block kicks (3). He also intercepted a pass and had two INTs last year. It's no wonder he's considered the #1 prospect heading into the NFL draft, which shouldn't have an affect on the voting. What should, though, is the way he utterly destroyed Colt McCoy and almost led Nebraska to an upset of Texas in the Big 12 Championship Game. Seriously, if the Huskers had an offense, they wouldn't have lost 13-12. Of the 313 ballots collected by StiffArmTrophy.com (about 1/3 of all ballots), Suh leads the way with 92 first-place votes. But 134 voters left him off their ballots, which include the top three players (with the votes receiving points of 5-3-1). The voters have come a long way this decade (see Adrian Peterson finished 2nd as a freshman, and Tebow-McCoy winning the award as sophomores), but I just don't think they are open-minded enough to give the award to an interior lineman. Unfortunately, the Heisman is still viewed as an offensive award that should go to the best QB or RB on the best team in the country.

4. Colt McCoy, Sr., QB, Texas -- I'll admit that I've been harsh on McCoy, who I've said prior that I didn't believe deserved a trip to NYC as a finalist. I might be willing to go back on that statement. First off all, I like McCoy. He's a likeable guy who's a winner. He had some huge holes to fill stepping in as a freshman after Vince Young departed, and all he's done is win. The 'Horns have won 10 games every year he's been on campus, and now he has Texas in the national title game, even if it came with some controversy. Last year, I would have been fine had McCoy won the Heisman. His 76.7% completion percentage is the best ever. He threw for 3,859 yards and 34 TDs compared to just 8 INTs. And there were those who felt Texas should have played for the national title last year. This year, though, he just hasn't been as sharp. His yards are down (3,512), his TDs are down (27), and although he's still completing 70% of his passes, his INTs are up (12). He also doesn't have a signature game. In the Big 12 title game, after Tebow had failed and Ingram had played well but not necessarily lights-out in the SEC title game, McCoy had one of his worst games. He threw three picks, zero touchdowns, didn't pass for 200 yards, was a non-factor in the running game, and was sacked 9 times, including 4.5 by Suh. That's not to mention his lack of understanding of the basic clock rules. Luckily for McCoy and the 'Horns, the officials (wrongly, in my eyes) put a second back on the clock and allowed Texas to kick a game-winning FG, escaping with a 13-12 win, and marching to the national title game. Once Bradford went down with his injury, and Tebow started slowly, I think most people assumed McCoy would waltz his way to the trophy. That's likely the only reason he's even in NYC, and why he's fallen down to fourth.

5. Tim Tebow, Sr., QB, Florida -- Let me perfectly clear: I'm a Tim Tebow fan. He represents everything that's right about college football. He plays with passion, plays with heart, plays with pride, gives credit to God, doesn't get in trouble off the field, produces wins and is a great leader. He's won a Heisman and two national titles, and although Florida's loss to Alabama in the SEC title game prevented him for winning a third title and supplanting his legacy as perhaps the best college football player of all-time, his legacy is still tremendous. All that said, he shouldn't be here. Let's not even argue that he was the fifth "most outstanding" player in the country this year. We'll get into that in a second. But he shouldn't have been invited to NYC, and the only reason he was is because he's a former winner and now a three-time finalist. The Downtown Athletic Club, which runs the Heisman Trust, doesn't always invite five finalists. Last year, it was just Bradford, McCoy and Tebow. They normally determine it based upon a percentage of votes. According to StiffArmTrophy.com, Tebow is only on 54 of the 313 ballots that have been made public. McCoy was on nearly 100 more. Simply put, there's a major difference between the totals for McCoy and for Tebow, meaning there should only have been four finalists this year, but the Downtown Athletic Club invited Tebow because he's Tebow. As a sophomore, when he won the award, Tebow compiled 4,181 yards of offense and scored 55 total TDs (32 passing, 23 rushing). Last year, those numbers dipped to 3,420 yards of offense and 42 TDs. While he led the team in rushing with 859 yards this year, he combined for just 3,217 total yards and 31 TDs. The kid has had a great career, but I'm just not sure his stats show that is a Heisman finalist this year.

How would I vote? I've gone back and forth on this. I think Ingram is going to win it. Too many voters are looking for the best player on the best team and defining that as the "most outstanding player." I love Gerhart. He's been the heart and soul of coach Jim Harbaugh's Stanford team. A few days ago, I wanted him to win it. I think I still want him to win it. But if I had a vote, I'd have to give it to Suh. There are many ways to define "outstanding," and one of the easiest ways is to give it to the most dominant. There was clearly no more dominant player this year than Ndamukong Suh. Many people are calling him the most dominant DT to ever play college football. I won't pretend to know if that is true or not, but I can say that with my own eyes he's been dominant week in and week out. I don't think the voters are ready to take this step, but Ndamukong Suh is the type of player who could transcend history and become the first defensive lineman to win the Heisman. After Suh, I would vote Gerhart and then Boise State QB Kellen Moore. Like all Heisman voters, I have my biases. As a Louisiana Tech grad, I see Boise State a lot, and I love Moore. The sophomore threw for 39 TDs and only 3 INTs to lead Boise State to its second straight undefeated regular season. Moore has lost only one game as a starter, and that was against TCU in last year's bowl game. I also gave a lot of consideration to Clemson senior RB C.J. Spiller, who is one of the most explosive players in the country. He had a Heisman moment in the ACC title game with 233 yards and 4 TDs, and although he's "only" rushed for 1,145 yards and 11 TDs, Spiller made a difference in the passing game (33-445-4), didn't fumble a single time all year and also was explosive on special teams (918 punt/kickoff return yards and 5 TDs). In the end, though, I would lean toward Moore over Spiller.

To-do list

So, I took today off because I have an eye appointment and because my dog (who is basically like my child) needs to go to the vet. That's what sick days are for, right? Especially when you don't get sick.

My days "off" are always interesting, because I normally end up doing more work than if I actually were at work. Here's today's to-do list:

1. Take Sandy to the vet. She needs a couple of shots, her latest flea pill and to be checked for heartworms.

2. Get my hair trimmed. Not cut. There's a difference. I've decided to let my hair grow out, at least until I get tired of it or Elizabeth says enough is enough. But she's agreed to go along with this charade as long as I get it trimmed and evened up once a month or so.

3. Wash dishes. For most people, this isn't really a chore. Just pre-rinse and throw the dishes in the washer, right? Not at this house. There's no dishwasher, and really no room in the kitchen to add one. So dishes pile up pretty quickly. It's time to take care of them.

4. Wash clothes. Well, a couple of clothes. This one actually isn't one of my chores. But my officiating clothes need a quick once-over since I've got games tonight and Friday.

5. Be a wonderful husband and take my wife something to eat. She forgot her lunch and asked if I wouldn't mind bringing her something. Of course, I don't mind (please, hold your applause, no really please, stop).

6. Clean up around the house. This is one thing that neither Elizabeth and I really like to do. We've been back settled in since June, but the house still has packed boxes. How have we accumulated so much stuff in just a few years? I don't understand.

7. Get eyes examined. It's been over a year now since the latest checkup, and it's time for some new frames and lenses. This is going to be an expensive trip, but it's one that's got to get done.

8. Call hoops games. The appointment is at 4 p.m., and I've got 2 games tonight starting at 6. I'm thinking I shouldn't have too much of a problem getting to the games on time, but I sure hope I don't cut it close.

I've become convinced there really is never a "day off." There is always something to do around the house, or friends/family to go visit. It's very rare to just veg out, although that's fun too -- to just sit around with Elizabeth and Sandy and do nothing. Now THAT sounds like a plan!

Put me in coach, I'm ready to play

When I first stepped on the court to try my hand at this whole officiating thing, I came up with a metaphor to describe what I was going through. Picture a freshman basketball player. He's never played organized ball -- not at the local Y, or in a church league, or even in junior high. He's just hooped in the 'hood, in his neighbors' driveways and at the local playground. Said freshman basketball player tries out for the team and makes it, but then his head is spinning as he tries to learn all of the offensive and defensive sets of organized basketball. That's about what I felt like as I tried to learn on the fly how to officiate. You're constantly thinking. Am I doing this right? Am I in the correct position? Is that my zone? Should I blow my whistle for that, or is that my partner's call? Too much thinking, not enough reacting and officiating.

So, I went through a few practices. Showed the coach I had a little skill. Can handle the rock a little. Make a slick little pass or two. Run the break. Knock down the open J. But that's all in practice. Does it translate to the game? Get a couple of games under my belt. A little tentative at first. After all, I'm new to this whole organized basketball thing. Much different from hoopin' in the hood. The more games I get under my belt, the smoother things go, and suddenly I'm called up to the JV team. One game there, where I play my best game yet, and all of a sudden coach says he's got a uniform for me on the varsity.

So, yeah, that little freshman hoops player is stepping up to the big leagues on Friday night. My first varsity action. I've got two things going for me -- it's B/C ball, which should be an easier pace than jumping straight into big school ball, and I'm calling with two veteran officials, one of which has been sort of a mentor to me from the very beginning of the year and who actually requested that I call this game with him.

I must admit, I'm very stoked about this. I was warned from the get-go not to expect any varsity action this year. For first-year officials, those games are hard to come by. Plus, there was an influx of new guys this year, so the body-starved association I'm with now has quite a few guys to choose from. Some of the "new" guys aren't new at all. A guy I called my first JV game with on Tuesday is a five-year veteran who missed the past two years because of his service in the military and a hip surgery. So he's technically new, but not a first-year guy, and certainly ahead of me on the pecking order. My goal was to work on my craft during junior high games, take as many JV games as I could get, and hopefully earn a shot at a varsity game late in the season. To have one this early is a blessing.

Now I'm also very nervous. Am I ready? I believe so. I've worked really hard on my mechanics, and I've gotten compliments from every official I've worked with or who has observed me. I hustle. I try my best. I know I miss some calls. I'm still learning about what type of official I want to be. Some call things very tight. Others let the kids play. And you have to be a little flexible depending on the level you're calling. Of course, I'm going to be a little more lenient on sixth-graders than I am on varsity players. That's only natural.

But this is my chance to prove to myself, and more importantly, two veteran officials who can pass their observations along to the man who makes the assignments that I'm ready and willing to be an official he can lean on the rest of the year. This is a great opportunity, and I'm ready to take advantage of it on Friday night. But first, of course, is my junior high assignment Thursday night. Just another opportunity to get better and improve. Time to go to work!

Making progress

I'm getting better! No, really, I swear!

Wait, what am I talking about? Let's back up a sec. For those of you who don't know -- and, really, if you're reading this blog, then there's no doubt you know -- I started officiating basketball games this year.

Why in the world would I want to do that? Well, for a few reasons. I love basketball. Well, I love sports. And while baseball was my first love, and football is the most popular sport in the country, I have a soft spot for basketball. Since my junior high days, it's been my favorite sport, passing baseball. I remember stories of my dad calling games when he was younger, and since I've always been hard on refs, I've always felt that I could do a good job. Plus, I'm not writing about sports anymore, so this allows me to stay involved.

So I signed up, bought myself an outfit, studied the rules, passed the test ... and bam, hit the court. For the most part, I've been doing junior high games. The pace is good for a first-year official trying to get his feet wet. And the money's not bad either, especially if you can get 3 or 4 games in a night.

So after a few scrimmages, I've gotten a couple dozen junior high games under my belt. But tonight, I took the next step, signing on to call a junior varsity game -- which was essentially two half-games (two quarters for girls and two quarters for boys). The pace was faster ... not overwhelming, but they certainly move a lot quicker than 6th- and 7th-graders.

I missed a few calls, no doubt. There was one where the ball was dribbled out of bounds, and I was out of position and didn't see it. So I didn't make the call. Coach wasn't happy, but hey, you miss it sometimes. And there were a few times the game got a little too physical and I probably should have blown the whistle. But for the most part, I feel like my mechanics are continuing to improve. I feel like I'm not thinking so much, that my head isn't swimming, that I'm getting the hang of this thing.

I've requested some more junior varsity games, as some of the older guys would rather not call the JV game and then two varsity games on top of that. The more games I can get, the better I'll be. Will I get a varsity game? I'm not sure. Many first-year officials don't. If I do, will I be ready? You better believe it. I'm really starting to believe that I might be pretty good at this gig in the long term. More importantly, though, is that I'm enjoying it, getting some exercise, making some money and making some friends. I can't wait to see how this story continues to unfold.

show a little respect

There are many things in this world that demand my respect. And there are a myriad of reasons why I deliver or deny said respect. However, there's one thing that always gets that respect -- clever, funny writing.

I was just perusing a few old blog posts by one of my buddies. Believe it or not, there was some high-class stuff in there. Great stream of conciousness. Terrific one-liners. There's something to be said about the talent that is needed to write high-quality comedy. And I believe my buddy has a gift. At least, that's my snap judgment after reading a dozen or so blogs written 12-24 months ago.

I love comedy. Those who know me well know that. Others may not. I hold it pretty close to the vest, but I love to laugh. Laughter is not only contagious, but it is also therapeutic, I believe. So, if you can make me laugh, you've got my respect.

Why? Because I ain't funny. Sure, I try. I love to tell jokes. I make cracks all the time. What do I get in return? The obligatory smile and nod. You know what I'm talking about. The whole, "This guy is crazy, but let's not hurt his feelings" routine. Hey, it's true! There's no need to hide it. I'm not very funny. It's OK. I've accepted my lot in life. I can't sign. I'm not funny. I wasn't a great athlete. I'm not rocket scientist smart. It's OK. Bret, just keep telling yourself, it's OK.

But there are people out there who truly do have the gift of comedy. Stand-up comedians have built some great careers off telling jokes and making people laugh. Life is tough, man. And people want to escape it. That's why comedy is so important. It gets us an outlet, something to ease the tension and help us not think about how tough life can be. That's also what makes sports so special. We get to get away from all that troubles us and focus on something fun, exciting and not-so-important.

I know what you're thinking ... wasn't I talking about comedy? How did we get back around to sports? Because, in the case of this post, the two aren't mutually exclusive. My buddy was blogging about sports, or more specifically, his favorite professional sports team. For some reason along the way, he decided to hang up hat and ended the blog. I wish he hadn't. Or better yet, I wish he'd come out of his semi-retirement and return to the blogosphere once again.