Strictly Sports

An epic soccer blog

2011-06-27T23:46:00.005-05:00

Blogging, blogging … and we’re blogging.

Yeah, it’s been awhile. Sue me. Between writing full-time for a living and all of the officiating I’ve been doing lately, I barely have enough time to squeeze in the sporting events I want to watch, much less write about them. But I have found something that has inspired me, so I’m blogging.

The U.S. soccer team recently completed the Gold Cup, one of the most prestigious tournaments in North and Central America (if you can call any CONCACAF tournament “prestigious”), finishing runner-up after losing 4-2 to the hated Mexicans in the final. Depending on which way you look at it, the Gold Cup is either the beginning of a new cycle leading up to the next World Cup, or in the case of the way the U.S. seemingly looks at it, the winding down and ending of the latest four-year cycle.

Since the U.S. didn’t win the Gold Cup, it didn’t earn an invitation to the 2013 Confederations Cup. That would have been a key tuneup leading into the World Cup because it features eight of the best teams in the world. That would be great competition for the U.S. as it prepares for the 2014 World Cup. Without that invite, the U.S. will have to rely on qualifying to get a feel for the team it wants to send to Brazil, and since the U.S. has a bye into the third round of CONCACAF qualifying, it will be a while before those real games begin.

Note: The U.S. will play meaningful soccer between now and then at the U-23 level with the Olympics. That team is beginning preparations for the 2012 Olympics in London. It’s not the full national team by any stretch of the imagination, but it should give us a look at some of the young guys who will be vying for playing time. In addition, because FIFA allows for three “overage” players to join the roster for the Olympics, there’s a good chance many of the players heading to London also will make the squad for Brazil in 2014.

Here’s a look at my best guess of what the 23-man roster will look like in Brazil, with a clear understanding that there likely is a player or two who none of us have ever heard of (see Altidore, Jozy in the 2010 World Cup) at this point will emerge and make the squad:

Goalkeepers (3)
Brad Guzan – The biggest question with Guzan, who will be 29 at the time of the next World Cup, isn’t whether he’ll continue to be a mainstay on the national team. It’s when does he take the mantle from Howard as the No. 1 guy. Kasey Keller started the ’06 Cup at age 36. Brad Friedel could have started the ’06 Cup at age 35. Guzan has to think this is the last run for Howard, but you never know. Guzan will be 33 at the 2018 Cup, so he’s hoping for one shot. At any rate, he’s clearly the No. 2 guy, even though he’s still backing up Friedel at Aston Villa.

Tim Howard – Although Howard will be 35 when the team begins play in Brazil, it’s clear that he is the best keeper in the country, and one of the best America has ever produced. It’s highly unlikely that anyone will challenge him for that spot over the next three years.

Sean Johnson – Johnson has emerged as the best young keeper in the country, and at age 25, he’ll be ready to make his World Cup debut. At 6-4 and 220 pounds, the comparisons to Howard are natural. Will Johnson develop into a world class keeper like Howard? That remains to be seen, but he does look like the keeper of the future for the red, white and blue. Howard first made his debut as the No. 3 in the ’06 World Cup at the age of 27. Johnson should be ready in ’14.

Defenders (8)
Gale Agbossoumonde – A dynamic young center back, the Boss isn’t ready right now at only 19 years of age and with limited professional experience. Give him three years of development, and the 6-2, 190-pounder will be ready to team with Omar Gonzalez and/or Tim Ream to hold down the U.S. central defense.

Joe Amon – I’m taking a flyer on the youngster from the U-17 national team. The right back has been the most impressive player to me for the U.S. in the U-17 World Cup. He’s not that big (5-7, 130), but he reminds me a lot of a mixture of Steve Cherundolo and Damarcus Beasley. He’ll turn 20 during the 2014 World Cup, which might be a little too young to make this squad. But there are always a few surprises, and this is a kid worth taking a chance on.

Carlos Bocanegra – He’ll be 35, and he won’t be the captain anymore. He likely won’t be a starter either, or at least he shouldn’t be. If he is, that’s an indictment that the back line hasn’t improved much between now and 2014. However, his experience and versatility (the ability to play both central defender and outside back) make him a worthwhile player to keep around.

Timmy Chandler – How crazy is Timmy Chandler’s story? He’s not even listed on the senior national team’s player pool, but many people believe his absence was the difference in the U.S. defeating Mexico in the Gold Cup final (his club squad requested he be left off the roster due to "exhaustion"). His presence certainly was missed after right back Steve Cherundolo injured his ankle early in the contest and had to be replaced. The German-born defender’s recent rise in the Bundesliga and stellar play in a March friendly burst him onto the international scene, and at just 21 years of age, he appears poised to help usher in a new era of U.S. defenders.

Maurice Edu – Edu’s versatility is his strongest selling point. He made the 2010 World Cup roster as a defensive midfielder, where he didn’t get much of a shot playing behind Ricardo Clark. He had a similar experience playing behind Jermaine Jones at the Gold Cup. Unlike both of those players, though, Edu is still relatively young (he’ll be 28 at the next World Cup) and can be a solid defender. Because of his much needed versatility and defensive prowess, and due to a stacked midfield, he best fits here.

Omar Gonzalez – At 6-5, 210 pounds and 22 years of age, Gonzalez is the defender of the future. He’ll take the torch from Onweyu as the next Eddie Pope, a label that Gooch never was able to live up to. He’s been a known commodity in the U.S. program for years, and he’s done nothing yet to limit the hype. There’s a strong chance that he could anchor the U.S. defense for the next two or even three World Cups.

Eric Lichaj – Lichaj is the left back of the future. He’ll be 25 in Brazil and should be set up for a run at the next two World Cups. He played very well in the Gold Cup, and if he can start getting regular playing time at Aston Villa in the Premier League, he could develop into the best left back the U.S. has ever seen.

Tim Ream – Played well at times in the Gold Cup as a central defender and will only improve as he gets more professional playing time. He’s a prime candidate for a European transfer in the next two years, and at only 23 years old, he looks like he could pair with Omar Gonzalez as a strong central tandem for years to come.

Midfielders (8)
Freddy Adu – Long hailed as the savior of American soccer, Adu was basically written off for dead after the 2008 Olympics, when he essentially disappeared (save for a cameo appearance on the U.S.’ “B” team that played in the 2009 Gold Cup). That all changed this year, when after bouncing around from club to club in Europe, he received a surprise call-up for the Gold Cup, where he played well as a substitute in the semifinals and again as a starter in the final. In fact, he played so well in those two games that he resuscitated his career by showing he is probably the best technical player in the country. It’s hard to remember that he’ll only be 25 in 2014, and he likely will compete for a starting spot.

Michael Bradley – A frustrating player, Bradley at times shows brilliance, challenging Donovan and Dempsey as the best player in the country, and other times seemingly disappearing and making little impact in the game. A central midfielder, Bradley adds a good deal of punch offensively (see his header for the first goal against Mexico in the Gold Cup final) but doesn’t seem to provide as much help defensively as you would like from that position. However, at only 26 in Brazil, he should be reaching his prime and theoretically could have overtaken Donovan and Dempsey as the Yanks’ best player.

Clint Dempsey – How much does Deuce have left in his international tank? He’s 28, and he’ll be 31 in Brazil. It’s safe to say that he’ll be past his prime. However, he continues to improve every year he plays in the Premier League. He’s legitimately challenging Landon Donovan to become the best player in U.S. history. He’s an above-average finisher, which for the U.S. makes him appear elite. I include him as a midfielder because that’s where Bob Bradley loves him. I continue to say that the U.S. would be best served with him starting up top, as recent matches show the offense plays much better when he pushes up to a forward position.

Mixx Diskerud – It’s funny; I’m all about the U.S. national team, but if you weren’t born here, doesn’t matter. Diskerud is a Norwegian-born player who spent time with both Norway and U.S. youth teams before deciding to play for the stars and stripes. Welcome aboard. When you’re as electric on the ball as he is, you can play for my country any day of the year. It’s no secret that the U.S., especially in the midfield, is aging. Diskerud, who will be 23 at the time of the World Cup, is the best of the next generation of U.S. playmakers.

Landon Donovan – See Dempsey above. Donovan is a year older than Dempsey, and he’s likely entering his last run at a World Cup, or at least his last one where he’ll make a serious contribution. How well will he hold up over the next three years? Will his skills begin diminishing, or will he still be playing at an elite level? There’s no question: the better Dempsey and Donovan play, the better the Yanks will play.

Benny Feilhaber – Like Diskerud, Feilhaber wasn’t born in the U.S. (he’s Brazilian by birth), but he’s chosen to play for Team USA. Feilhaber played for the U.S. in the 2008 Olympics and had his breakout performance in the 2009 Confederations Cup, where the U.S. finished runner-up to Brazil. He also was a sub during the 2010 World Cup. He was supposed to become a regular in the midfield with Bradley, but an injured ankle knocked him out of the Gold Cup. Should he be able to stay healthy, he should be able to maintain a slot on the roster.

Stuart Holden – Can Holden finally stay healthy? The Scottish-born Premier League player was limited at the 2010 World Cup thanks to a broken leg he suffered a few months before the tournament, while a torn ACL he suffered in March knocked him out of the Gold Cup. He’s an ideal pairing with Bradley in the central midfield, but his versatility to play on both the left and right wings also makes him a great player to have on the roster.

Brek Shea – There’s no question that Shea, who will be 24 at the time of the World Cup, has a future on the senior national team. He’s a talented left winger who also is versatile enough to play left back (a major position of need) and can even spell at forward at times. He’s got a history on the U.S. youth teams, and he’s one of the top scorers in MLS this season. It’s a long shot that he can break through during this cycle, but there’s always a surprise or two on the final roster. I’m throwing my money in Brek Shea’s direction as being that surprise.

Forwards (4)
Juan Agudelo – He’s just 18 and doesn’t have much international experience, but he’s already overtaken Jozy Altidore for the top striker spot for the U.S. He’ll be 21 in Brazil, and hopefully he’ll already have moved on to Europe or will use a big World Cup to parlay his way into a contract in one of the better leagues in the world.

Jozy Altidore – The jury is still out on whether or not Altidore can be an elite finisher. The good news: he’ll be 24 in 2014, so he should be coming into his prime. If he can get some quality club playing time over the next few years, Altidore might be able to develop into more than just a big target. It’s clear that if the U.S. wants to take the next step, it needs both Agudelo and Altidore to continue developing.

Teal Bunbury – Bunbury certainly doesn’t have much experience (just two caps), but at 6-2 he has everything you want in a forward: size, speed, strength. The Canadian national hasn’t proven yet in his two MLS seasons that he can be an elite scorer, but at just 21 years old he’s well on his way to becoming one and earning his way into a bigger league.

Charlie Davies – I’ll be honest: this might just be wishful thinking. Davies, if you remember, was well on his way to a stellar U.S. national team career (scoring four times in 16 appearances) when it was derailed by a horrific car crash in October 2009. Davies was lucky to survive, but he’s put in a great deal of work to get back to an elite level. He missed out on the 2010 World Cup and 2011 Gold Cup rosters, but he’s improved enough to lead MLS in goals (eight as of this posting on June 27, 2011). The jury is still out on if Davies has fully recovered his burst, but the guy knows how to put the ball in the back of the net, which is a skill that is desperately needed on Team USA.

As far as a starting lineup, all of that will depend on what type of lineup Bob Bradley chooses to use. He used mainly a 4-5-1 during the Gold Cup; however, I believe he feels more comfortable with the traditional 4-4-2. With four true strikers on this roster, I believe he’ll be able to employ that lineup.

My guess on starters would be: Howard (GK), Lichaj (LB), Gonzalez (CB), Ream (CB), Chandler (RB), Bradley (DM), Donovan (LM), Dempsey (RM), Holden (AM), Agudelo (F) and Davies (F). The top reserves would be Agbossoumonde (CB), Bocanegra (LB), Adu (MF), Diskerud (MF) and Altidore (F).

Now for the candidates who were given consideration but won’t make the squad:

Goalkeepers
Cody Cropper – Just 18 years old, Cropper certainly won’t be ready by 2014, but he might just be the best young keeper prospect in the country. He has great size at 6-3 and 200 pounds, and he should get good experience at Ipswich Town in the English second division. He wasn’t the starting keeper on the U-20 squad earlier this year, but he should be a fun prospect to watch develop.

Marcus Hahnemann – A quality keeper, he’s been stuck as a backup basically his entire career. He’ll be 42 in 2014, and though keepers have proven they can play much longer than other players, his international career is likely over.

Zak McMath – The best thing for young keepers is playing time, which McMath isn’t getting during his rookie year in MLS. He was an All-American in college who is just 19 years old, and at 6-2 he’s long and lanky with a great keeper build. He started over Cropper on the U-20 squad earlier this year, but it will be interesting to see which one develops into a “keeper” on the national squad.

Nick Rimando – An undersized keeper, it could be argued that Rimando made the most of his limited ability, but he’s never really been more than a No. 3 option for the national team, and he’s likely to be passed by several young prospects by the time the World Cup rolls around.

Defenders
Kellyn Acosta – Just 15 years old, he’s the youngest player on the U-17 national team. He’ll only be 18 at the start of the ’14 World Cup, and he likely won’t be ready. It’s much easier to make an impact as a young player on the offensive end than it is on the defensive end, where savvy and pure technical defending are key. But he is a left back, a position of weakness for the U.S.

Jonathan Bornstein – I hate to write off a guy because of one bad game, but his abysmal performance against Mexico in the Gold Cup final will be hard to forget. He was serviceable at left back in the 2010 World Cup, but I believe his time has passed.

Zach Carroll – Tall, lanky 17-year-old has the build of a classic central defender. He’ll likely fill out his 6-3 frame to more than 200 pounds (185 right now) and should be a name to watch for years to come.

Steve Cherundolo – This one hurts. I like Cherundolo. A lot. He defends very well for such a little guy (5-6, 145), and he adds a lot of punch offensively when he pushes up the right flank. However, like Bocanegra, he’ll be 35 in Brazil, and I don’t think the roster has room for two veteran defenders who likely won’t see the field that much.

Oguchi Onyewu – I won’t beat a dead horse or waste too much time, but unfortunately it appears Gooch’s international career is finished. Or at least it should be. Shame on Bob Bradley if he doesn’t turn over that role to Omar Gonzalez.

Jonathan Spector – The once young super prospect who signed with Manchester United at 17, he’ll be a 28-year-old who has constantly underachieved during his career. A decent option at right back, he’s never quite lived up to his billing, and he just misses the cut this time around.

Midfielders
Alejandro Bedoya – Bedoya, like the two guys who follow him, has seen plenty of time with the senior national team (13 caps), and at age 27 in 2014, it’s certainly not out of the question for him to land another spot on this squad. However, the emergence of Diskerud and Shea likely will keep him off the team.

Jermaine Jones – Jones will be 32 in 2014, and that’s certainly not too old to play in the defensive midfield (just ask Pablo Mastroeni). However, in the 10 appearances Jones has made since choosing the U.S. over his native Germany have shown that he and Bradley just don’t function well together. They’re essentially the same player, and since Bradley is five years younger (and the coach’s son), it’s likely that he’ll continue to get the nod over Jones.

Sacha Kljestan – Like the two guys above him, Kljestan was on the Gold Cup roster. He’ll be 28 during the next World Cup, and since he didn’t make a huge difference in Mexico, his spot likely will depend on an injury to Holden or Feilhaber, or a stunt in development of Diskerud and Shea.

Dillon Powers – The 20-year-old Notre Dame midfielder is probably the best U-20 midfielder in the country. And as you’ll see from this list, he’s really the only young guy expected to get a look. It’s not that there aren’t talented young players in the midfield, it’s just that there is a great deal of talent in the mid-20s to upper-20s age range at the position. Powers should be the leader of the next generation of American players when he gets his chance in 2018.

Forwards
Justin Braun – It’s no hidden secret that forward is a place where it doesn’t take much to get a look on the national team (see Chris Wondolowski’s inclusion on the 2011 Gold Cup roster). However, Braun and Bunbury are similar players (though Braun is an inch taller and 20 pounds heavier). Bunbury also is three years younger and projects to be a better player in three years.

Conor Doyle – Doyle, 19, has become a star on the youth national team who at 6-2 has the look of being the latest in a long line of “the next Brian McBride” (for some reason, we’ve yet to have a next Brian McBride). He’s playing professionally for Derby County of the English second division, and it likely won’t be long before he moves up to the Premier League. The son of an Irishman, Doyle has played on both U.S. and Irish youth teams, but he committed this month to continuing his senior national career in America.

Robbie Findley – Findley made the World Cup squad in 2010, but he wasn’t able to make much of an impact, even when he was starting. He hasn’t had much of an impact on the international level since, and it appears his time has come and gone.

Alfred Koroma – Koroma scored two goals in two games as a sub for the U-17 team in its World Cup, then earned a start in the third game. At 6-foot, he’s reminiscent of a young Eddie Johnson. As both Altidore and Agudelo have shown, if you can score the ball, you can get early chances for Bob Bradley.

Kelyn Rowe – Rowe, 19, isn’t a professional yet (he plays for UCLA), and while he might ultimately become a midfielder, right now he projects as a forward in a forward-needy country. When you score three goals in three games as a forward on the U-20 squad, it catches people’s attention. He’s in consideration for a spot on the Olympic squad and some young players are going to use that tournament to jumpstart their hopes of landing on the 2014 World Cup squad.

All that said, this is simply one person’s opinion, and it has been shown over the past five years that my opinion typically doesn’t line up with Bob Bradley’s opinion. Still, it will be interesting to look back on this post in three years when we’re at the World Cup and see just how much changed over that time span and see how accurate my projections were.

My 5K journey

2010-08-20T21:46:00.003-05:00

We all have quirks about ourselves that aren't pleasing to think about or talk about. Don't deny it. We do. And I don't mind talking about *some* of mine. One of my biggest quirks is that, basically, I'm a lazy person. There, I said it. Like you already didn't know!

For some weird reason, the laziness didn't carry over into my job, but for the most part, I'd rather just sit and veg out than do anything strenuous (mentally or physically). I guess I'm a victim of the remote control/video game generation.

Conversely, I don't like to waste energy. When I'm sitting on the couch, doing nothing, essentially I'm wasting my life away. But it doesn't feel that way. Instead, it feels wasteful to exercise when I'm not really accomplishing anything. Riding a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill? Waste of my time.

I've said all of this to set up the fact that I hate to run. Hate it. I don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything when I'm running around a track or through my neighborhood. I leave from one place and end up back at that place, exerting energy and wasting time. It's not the same for all exercise. Running up and down a basketball court, in an attempt to throw that ball through a hoop, for some reason I feel like I'm accomplishing running. But running? Meh.

Not only does it feel like I'm not accomplishing anything, it feels terrible when I'm doing it. I hate not being able to breathe, and no matter how hard I concentrate, it doesn't take long before I sound like Darth Vader merging into an asthmatic, wheezing my way around the block. I hate that my legs scream at me with every step that I take. Why does it have to hurt? Isn't running supposed to be good for you?

I starting running several weeks ago when a buddy of mine asked me if I would run a 5K with him. I've run in the past. In high school, I was a decent runner. Could run two miles without much of a problem. Actually ran a mile in less than six minutes, which wasn't nearly good enough to make me a competitive runner at a track powerhouse program, but was better than most high school kids. But I didn't enjoy it. So, eventually, I stopped doing it and focused my exercise attention on more fruiful activities such as basketball.

But I'd never run a 5K before, and I thought, sure why not? Then, I started running and began thinking, WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO? It's very difficult to go from not running for YEARS to trying to get into shape to run a 5K in just three weeks. Very difficult. I ran a mile a day for the first week, and my body just rebelled. I ditched my training plan, which was to work my way up from a mile a day the first week to two miles a day the second week and three miles a day leading into the 5K, and decided to take a week off and then work my way up to the 5K on the final week.

I came back with fresh legs and ran my best mile time yet in less than 7 minutes and 30 seconds, not nearly as good as I was more than a decade ago, but still not a bad effort. Then I ran two miles in 17 minutes and 8 seconds, and actually felt pretty good about the way things were going. Thought I would try three miles the next day, but again, the legs rebelled and I didn't even finish running all of two miles, but still finished in 18:26, which wasn't terrible considering I walked about a quarter of a mile.

Strangely enough, as much as I hate running when I'm running, I'm starting to enjoy the way my body feels after I'm done. Like I said, I'm pretty much a lazy person, and my body doesn't get too much physical use, especially since it's the offseason from my basketball officiating (which starts back up next week!). So it actually is starting to feel good that my muscles are being used often.

I don't really know what to expect in the morning. I haven't run 3 miles yet, much less 3.2, and I don't know if I can finish the whole thing without walking. That's my first goal. I think being in a competitive race, where it's not just me and the road, will help me have some adrenaline and push me to continue running when I want to quit. But I really don't know how my body will react. My legs are sore today, even though I didn't run, after the two straight days of running two miles. I know that doesn't sound like much, but I really have only put about two weeks of training into this thing, so my body is not ready to respond to all-out training. I initially set a goal of finishing in less than 30 minutes, and I still think that's a goal that I can meet. However, after running 17:08 on Wednesday, I've started to think that if I can keep that pace up, that I might be able to finish in under 25 minutes. That's what I'm considering an "impossible" goal, but I think you need to push yourself and challenge yourself when you are competing.

What I'm hoping is that this isn't just a one-and-done thing. Once I actually finish a 5K and have an established standard, I truly believe I'm going to want to compete against myself to do it better the next time. And hopefully, if I keep pushing myself and doing it more and more, I'll get even better and start to enjoy it more. After all, I do need to exercise. I went to the doctor earlier this week and had lost 10 pounds from where I was three months earlier. But I'm still 17 pounds heavier than where I really need to be. Hopefully, with a positive result in the morning, I'll keep heading down this road and see the pounds shed off.

Grrrrrrrrrowl!

2010-07-17T22:10:00.002-05:00

Boy, these girls have a TON of energy! And by "these girls," of course I mean the pups, who as I type are growling and fighting one another on two-thirds of the couch. Make that the whole couch; nevermind that I'm here too.

*BIG SIGH* Grrrrrrowl! That's Sandy. Lots of deep, gutteral growling. Of course, her bark is just that. Ryley, on the other hand, you just never know. And when she starts barking, you KNOW she means business!

Elizabeth and I had a busy day, spending about 12 hours away from home while the girls were cooped up in their room. We had the annual Granger Birthday Bash at Elizabeth's parents. Since there are a number of June-July-August birthdays in the family (unfortunately, yours truly NOT included), we get together for one big party. We enjoyed plenty of burgers and a whole lot more cake!

Afterward, Elizabeth and I went with one of her brothers, his wife and our niece to watch Despicable Me (terribly cute) and then to go shopping at the mall for the niece's birthday. Then we finished up the evening with supper together, where there were TOO many laughs to go around (strike that: can you EVER have TOO many laughs?).

So, when we got home, we had some pretty amped puppies. They were excited to see us, which for them means running back and forth from the couch and the chais lounge to see me and Elizabeth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Eventually, though, Elizabeth left us to go downstairs and work out, leaving the two girls and me in the living room. Talk about some entertainment! First of all, they pull toy after toy from their room into the living room. No joke, they're toddlers. It's funny stuff! Then, they fight over the toys. Or really, I should say, Sandy bullies Ryley with the toys. Whichever toy Ryley has, that's the one Sandy wants. And it's the one Sandy takes. So Ryley moves on to another toy. And Sandy takes that one too. Again, lather, rinse, repeat.

I had a blast today at the movie, but honestly, I don't need to leave the house to get some good, quality entertainment with these two pups!

Why today?

2010-07-14T22:20:00.002-05:00

Of all days this week, today was the one that was super busy. Of all the days! That stuff happens when you have a nearly two-hour press conference!

The Saints made their stop in Alexandria today for their Victory Tour, and as a Saints fan, I had to make a detour to see it. I mean, the freakin' Lombardi Trophy people. I don't think you understand! The Lombardi Trophy!

Unfortunately, because of the afformentioned busy day at work, I simply didn't have time to battle the crowd and stand in line to get pictures. I would have loved to have my photo taken with the trophy. Instead, I snapped a few shots of the trophy (without me in front of it), as well some close ups of one of the Saints Super Bowl rings, and Michael "The Beer Man" Lewis who was signing autographs. (Aside: Honestly, you couldn't get one real player to show up??? When's the last time Beer Man returned a kick for the Saints? I mean, I know he's an employee and an ex-player, but it's not like he was a member of this Super Bowl team!)

It was a nice, neat experience. I wish I had 30 minutes to an hour more during my day to actually have enjoyed it and gotten my picture taken with the Lombardi Trophy, but it is what it is. Still a pretty cool experience, and a reminder, that WE DAT!!!!

The Summer of Betrayal

2010-07-10T22:35:00.002-05:00

Note: This blog was the brainchild of one of my best friends, who told me that text messages and tweets weren't doing justice to my feelings on this subject. Be prepared. I have a feeling this is going to be a long, long rant. Don't blame me. Blame Kyle.

Really, LeBron? Really? I hope when the smoke clears and all is said and done, you will be able to live with the decision you made this week. I really do.

LeBron James, perhaps the biggest superstar in the NBA, decided to leave the Cleveland Cavs this week to join the Miami Heat. On the surface, this isn't that big of a deal. Players change teams all the time. Heck, even superstars change teams sometimes. Only, this is a big deal. It's a really big deal.

For the record, I have no ties to Cleveland, but I certainly have felt like a Clevelander this week. I wasn't a Cav fan before LeBron James, and I'm not a Cav fan today. Unfortunately, though, I'm no longer a LeBron James fan either, and I feel as though I've wasted a decade of my life with this guy.

Unlike Cavs fans, this isn't about my team. It's not about my city, my region or my state. But, like them, it is personal to me, just for a completely different reason. You see, I've invested a decade of my life being a fan of LeBron James. A decade. Gone. In the blink of the eye. Well, a little longer than that, but just long enough for James to utter the words: "I'm taking my talents to South Beach."

You see, I've been on the LeBron James train longer than anyone I know. Before he was "The Chosen One," as he was dubbed by Sports Illusrated. Before he was "King James," as he was dubbed by, well, himself. Before LeBron James became LeBron James and won the hearts of millions of fans, he won me as a fan.

I first heard about LeBron during the summer after his sophomore year in high school, which was in 2001. I'd just completed my sophomore year of college. LeBron had just led his high school to its second straight state title and had won the first of three state Ohio player of the year awards. He was tearing up the summer AAU circuit and was quickly developing a reputation as the best high school player in the country -- not in his age group, but out of all high school players. It wasn't long before James cemented that reputation, earning his first of two straight national player of the year awards the next year. All of that to say this: Before LeBron was starring on national TV, before many people knew who he was, I was beginning to believe. I was beginning to believe in LeBron James, in his potential greatness, in his ability to amaze, in the chance that he could become the greatest player in basketball history.

Unfortunately, I've lost that belief. I've never forget when it happened, exactly when LeBron uttered those now infamous words about taking his talents to South Beach. At that precise moment, LeBron quit. He gave up. No longer will he ever be considered the greatest basketball player ever, something I convinced myself over the past 10 years was destined to happen.

I refuse to say I bought into his hype. Hype is manufactured. LeBron's basketball talent is real. Very real. No one has possessed his physical gifts: a power forward's body at 6-8 and 250-plus pounds with a point guard's game. The only player before him was a man named Magic, but Earvin Johnson wasn't nearly as explosive as James. LeBron's physical gifts are truly amazing, but until this week I've conditioned myself to look past all of his flaws because I wanted to believe in LeBron's greatness. I can't kid myself anymore.

When LeBron decided to leave Cleveland, his hometown team where he was the savior of the franchise for the past seven years, for Miami, he gave up on being a leader. He decided to be a follower. He followed Chris Bosh to join up with Dwyane Wade with the Heat. Once he puts on that uniform, he'll follow D-Wade. Miami is D-Wade's team. Just like Cleveland was LeBron's. You can't have two alpha male leaders. Inevitably, one will rise and the other will shrink. LeBron's decision is essentially his saying that he's willing to shrink.

On the surface, I should be cheering an athlete who's willing to put his ego to the side, who's willing to take less money in the pursuit of the ultimate goal of winning. I get that argument. I understand the people who are making that argument. It's not my argument to make. LeBron is taking the easy way out. He's admitting he wasn't good enough to lift the Cavs to any championships, and it was time to run away. And because he ran, he's giving up any hope of ever being considered an all-time great. He's no MJ, no Bird, no Magic, no Kobe. His physical gifts will allow him to be considered one of the top 10 or 15 players ever, but he's missing some inner drive to be the best. And that's why he tucked tail and ran to Miami.

All of a sudden, it was like a light that was flipped, and the blinders were taken off of my eyes. I'd made excuses for LeBron over the past few years. About how his teammates were good enough. About how he had to be perfect nearly every game for the Cavs to win. About how his willingness to pass up the final shot for an open teammate was in the best interest of the team, not because he lacked a killer instinct to be a great closer. About how he was a good guy that didn't have a huge ego. All of those things were wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

LeBron had many choices during this free agency debacle. He could've stayed at home and continued to be Cleveland's savior. He could've answered the call of the Big Apple and teamed with Amar'e Stoudemire with the Knicks. He could've gone to Chicago, where he would've played in MJ's shadow, but teamed with D-Rose and Boozer. All of those were legitimate options where he could have remained the alpha dog and continued moving his legacy forward to becoming one of all-time greats, if not the best player ever. But he chose the one move, Miami, where he didn't have to be the guy, where he didn't have to shoulder all of he burden, where it would be easy to just chase rings, something he's said for years he didn't want to do. He wanted to build something. He failed.

He also failed with the method in which he delivered the news. Who goes on national TV, with a one-hour special no less, to rip the heart out of a city that has been devastated for years by its sports teams? Who does that to his hometown, his home state? Someone who's all about me. Someone like LeBron James. Unfortunately, LeBron totally miscalculated what's about to happen next. He thinks he's going to head to South Beach, have some parties, live it up with Bosh and D-Wade, and win title after title. And all of that might be true. But he's also going to be hated, despised. He's now a villain.

LeBron always has wanted to be beloved. He's always been beloved. He's the hometown hero. The savior. Worshiped. Idolized. At least he was, up until he uttered those seven words. The stage was set. News had leaked he was heading to Miami. A big party had been set up on South Beach. ESPN spent all day talking about the pending decision and how much of an effect it would have on Cleveland. LeBron could've swept in and become an even bigger savior than he was before. But he didn't. Instead, he publicly mocked his hometown, told his fans they were lucky to know him but that they were totally unimportant. He's bigger than Cleveland. He's better than Cleveland. He doesn't need them.

And now they hate him. Now he's not welcome in his own home. He has no clue what awaits him when the Heat travel to Cleveland. The vitriol will be on a level we may have never seen before. But it goes well beyond Ohio. LeBron has been villified nationally. He's now worshiped in Miami and hated everywhere else. His decision to join with Wade and Bosh to create some superteam has made the Heat the most hated franchise in the NBA. Just like that, overnight, Miami has replaced New York, Boston and the Lakers as the team to hate by everyone else in the nation. LeBron doesn't understand what he's done. But he will find out soon. Very soon.

World Cup reaction

2010-06-27T22:17:00.003-05:00

Sunil Gulati is on the clock. The man who runs the U.S. Soccer Federation failed to get his coach after the last World Cup and had to name Bradley as the interim coach. Then Bradley notched a ton of wins against mediocre competition, and Gulati had no choice but to give him the full-time gig. Gulati must take decisive action and get rid of Bradley soon. Then he needs to go get a world-class coach -- either his first choice in 2006, Juergen Klinnsman, or someone else with experience winning at the World Cup.

Bradley is lucky that the USA is not a soccer-mad nation. If it were, Bradley would be getting roasted for his poor tactical decisions at the Cup. There are so many questions that I don't even know where to start:

What did Robbie Findley do to deserve more than one start, much less a third against Ghana?

What more could Edson Buddle have done to earn even a SHOT up top?

Why did we end EVERY game with Clint Dempsey playing striker, yet not start him up top ONCE?

What did Rico Clark do to earn a start against Ghana? Had Maurice Edu not taken that position?

Bradley simply relied too heavily on his strategy, going back to it again and again even after it failed to work. We had no second striker to place next to Altidore, and yet he kept giving Findley and Gomez opportunities (although he didn't give Buddle much of an opportunity).

Perhaps the five best players on the roster (Howard not included, although I don't think he had a GREAT Cup) were Donovan, Dempsey, Bradley, Edu and Feilhaber ... and yet Bradley was never flexible enough to rely on them all to start a game. There were major holes on this roster when it was set up, and they were holes that scared me entering the Cup. We didn't have a striker who could score consistently (and the four forwards combined for ZERO goals at the Cup), and the defense was a major weak point that caused the U.S. to fall behind early in three of its four games. Maybe you can argue that Bradley took the best 23 he could, or maybe you can argue that his construction of this roster wasn't very good. The jury is still out on that one, I believe.

One thing that can't be lost is the positive in how Bradley's team fought. We need to use that for the next manager to build upon. This team fought hard the entire time and was a break or two away from advancing to the quarterfinals and having a legit chance to make it to the semifinals. But, in the end, this performance was an underachievement and failure for the second straight Cup.

There are some good things to build upon for 2014. Howard will be back, and at 35, will still presumably have another Cup in him as one of the premier keepers in the world (at least that's his reputation). The midfield is going to be very, very strong again. Donovan (32) and Dempsey (31) should have another Cup in them, although I'd like to see Dempsey moved to forward. Michael Bradley, at 26, should be in his prime and could be emerging as the successor to Donovan as the greatest player ever to wear a USA uniform. Feilhaber (29), Edu (28), Holden (28) and maybe Jose Torres (26) could return, and there is plenty of depth waiting for their chances in Sacha Kljestan (28), Alejandro Bedoya (27), Sal Zizzo (27), Robbie Rogers (27), Freddy Adu (25) and maybe even Jermaine Jones (32), who we missed as a defensive midfielder in this year's Cup. The midfield appears like it will again be the strength of this team.

Altidore, at 24, should continue to develop, as he gets more and more games and opportunities to play in Europe. As much as was expected of him this year as the team's top striker, it's hard to remember sometimes that he's only 20 years old. I'd like to see Dempsey moved up top to pair with Altidore, but Charlie Davies, who will only be 27, could be the missing piece if he can return to form following a near fatal car crash last year. It's hard to think of what might have been should he have been healthy in South Africa. I would also expect Lee Nguyen (27) to make a serious run at making the roster at forward. It should be wide open because I wouldn't expect Gomez or Buddle to get another chance, and Findley would have to make some major improvements to get another chance, even though he'll only be 28 in 2014.

The defense will face some major restructuring, and I'm not sure how many of the seven defenders from this Cup will be back in four years. Bocanegra, the captain, and Cherundolo -- the two outside backs -- will each be 35. DeMerit will be 34, and Onyewu will be 32. That's a very old back line. Goodson didn't get off the bench and it's tough to see him in Brazil in four years. Spector (28) and Bornstein (29) could be the two outside backs in four years, and there's some good young talent looking to crack the team. Chad Marshall and Heath Pearce, who will both be 29, just missed the 2010 roster. Omar Gonzalez, who at 21 right now is one of the brightest young defenders in the nation, could be the center back of the future for the next eight years. Other young players hoping for their shot on the national team are Gale Agbossoumonde (18), Eric Lichaj (21), Ike Opara (21), Kevin Alston (22) and Tim Ream (22).

There are also plenty of young players that none of us have heard of. Honestly, who thought four years ago that Michael Bradley would not only be on the World Cup roster this year, but would be starting? Nobody. We just don't know what will happen four years from now, but what we do know is that the U.S. can't stand pat now. It's time to take the next step and bring in a world-class coach to take us to the next level.

Quick update

2010-06-26T01:09:00.001-05:00

Our time in Lincoln-Omaha has come and gone, and we head home to Alexandria today. It was great saying hello and goodbye to Rosenblatt Stadium after 60 years as home of the College World Series. We had a great couple of days at the stadium and saw two great games. Today, we begin our lengthy trek home. It should take us about 16 hours, including a pit stop to watch Team USA against Ghana in the World Cup. Hopefully, we'll arrive home sometime before midnight!

Oh my snap

2010-06-25T00:33:00.002-05:00

Rosenblatt Stadium is AMAZING!

E-beth and I got our first taste inside the park today, and we were treated to bonus baseball! I'll take (almost) anything for free. If I pay for nine innings of baseball, and you want to give me 12, I'll take it! Well, we got 12 innings today at Rosenblatt Stadium, watching South Carolina rally from behind TWICE to win 3-2 in 12 innings. The Gamecocks tied the game with a run in the 8th inning, and then scored two in the bottom of the 12th after Oklahoma had taken the lead on a solo home run in the top of the 12th.

Getting inside Rosenblatt made the trip totally worthwhile. It wasn't exactly easy to get to that point, though. We went on Wednesday and experienced all of the hectic hustle and bustle around the stadium, but we didn't actually make it inside because, well honestly, I just didn't want to wait in line.

Today, our plan was to visit a garden/arboretum and the Omaha Zoo before going to the game. However, Elizabeth wasn't feeling well this morning, so those plans changed. Those plans are now Friday's plans. While Elizabeth stayed at the hotel, I drove into Omaha in order to upgrade our general admission tickets to reserved seating. At first, I was upset because the line looked tremendously long from the road, and I was worried about not being able to get tickets. It turned out, howeve, that I only had to wait about an hour in line and had no problem getting tickets.

Our upgraded seats were down the third base line in the outfield. While we were far from the action, it actually turned out to be some of the best seats in the house because of the location of the sun. We were among the first seats to be in the shade, and in fact were in the shade almost the entire game. We arrived in the bottom of the 1st inning, thinking we were attending a College World Series game that would be full of offense and instead were treated to a pitcher's duel. It wasn't until the bottom of the 12th that one of the teams scored more than one run in an inning.

Rosenblatt's views truly are breathtaking, and it's really sad that the stadium that has been home to the College World Series for the past 60 years no longer will exist soon. The stadium will be torn down at the end of the Omaha Royals (Kansas City's AAA affiliate) season and will become part of the Omaha Zoo. The CWS will move into a new, state-of-the-art stadium in downtown Omaha, which is expected to open in time for next year's series.

Our vacation is coming to a close. On Friday, we'll visit the garden and the zoo before going to the second game of the day at Rosenblatt. It should be a long, exhausting day. Then, we have a long drive ahead of us on Saturday, as we will try to make it all the way back to Alexandria (while also finding a place to watch the U.S.-Ghana soccer match somewhere along the way). Honestly, I love vacation, but I'm always ready to get home. And I'm especially ready to see the pups, who have to be thinking by now that mommy and daddy may never come home. But we're coming girls, and we'll see you soon!

Days 2-4

2010-06-24T08:50:00.003-05:00

So, it's Thursday morning of our vacation that began on Sunday, and I'm just now getting around to posting my Day 2 update. It's been one of those trips. But hopefully I can get everyone caught up pretty quickly.

My work conference didn't begin until noon, so Elizabeth and I were able to lounge around the hotel some on Monday morning to relax and recuperate after our long trip up to Nashville on Sunday. I'm not going to go into too many boring details about the conference -- if you're really interested, get on Twitter and search the hashtag #ganire to see what was discussed -- which lasted from noon until about 6:30 p.m.

I skipped out on the supper after the first day of the workshop because I had made plans to catch up with an old friend from my hometown, Seth Jones. Seth is a couple of years younger than me and lives in Nashville, where he works in the music business doing a number of different things, but primarily writing music.

We caught up to eat at Jackson's Bar & Bistro, which is just between the campuses of Vanderbilt and Belmont universities. It's always good to catch up with old friends, particularly ones you haven't seen in several years and have been communicating with via Facebook and Twitter. Our visit with Seth certainly has been one of the highlights of the trip.

Unlike Monday, which started slowly, the third day of vacation and second day of the workshop began early. After breakfast, I had to be at the First Amendment Center on Vandy's campus at 8:30 a.m. We had about five hours worth of classroom sessions -- while Elizabeth drove around unsuccessfully in search of a park in Nashville and eventually settled for hanging out at the First Amendment Center until the workshop was finished -- before we hit the road for Omaha.

That's where things got interesting. Naively, I decided we didn't need to make hotel reservations for this night. I said, let's just drive as far as we can before we get tired and then find a place to sleep. Omaha, from Nashville, was about a 14-hour drive. We left Nashville around 2 p.m. and just started driving. Honestly, these are some of the best moments of our trips. We love driving and looking at scenery. So far, this trip has covered nine states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska) and more than 1,200 miles.

Along the way, we stopped in Metropolis, Ill., to visit Superman. Seriously, the town square has a giant Superman statue right in front of the county courthouse. How cool is that! While there, we ate at a Dippin' Dots that had been renovated from an old skating rink. It had a nice little coffee shop vibe. Think the Frothy Monkey, but with Dippin' Dots and not coffee. We stopped in St. Charles, Mo. -- just outside of St. Louis, where Elizabeth and I spent our third anniversary to see a Collective Soul concert -- and ate supper at Buffalo Wild Wings.

At that point, it was around 11 p.m., and both of us were getting tired and a little road weary. However, I really wanted to get to the other side of Kansas City, which would put us only about two or so hours away from Omaha (and Lincoln, where we're actually staying). Bad decision. After wrestling the keys away from Elizabeth (literally, she drove the whole way from Alexandria to Nashville, and then had driven every minute from Nashville into Missouri), I plowed on through Kansas City as Elizabeth fought with trying to sleep in the Sportage.

I keyed in on St. Joseph, Mo., about 45 minutes north of Kansas City as the place we would stop and get a hotel. It was around 2 a.m. The only problem? I didn't have a reservation, and EVERY room in EVERY hotel was booked because of some military function in town. SERIOUSLY! The one time Elizabeth and I show any spontaneity backfires! So back on the road we go, much to Elizabeth's chagrin, not knowing if there would be any opportunity to stop at a hotel between St. Joseph and Lincoln, where we didn't have a room either because our hotel was booked and couldn't get us in a night early. Luckily, we were able to find a bed -- the LAST room -- at a Super 8 a little north of St. Joseph.

We checked in about 4 a.m., exhausted. After all, we'd been on the road for 14 hours, give or take some time for the stops in Metropolis and for supper. I wanted to get to Omaha as soon as possible, but we needed sleep. So we crashed for a couple of hours, and then added a detour by watching the U.S. soccer team defeat Algeria to win its group in the World Cup (priorities, people!).

After a couple of hours on the road, we finally arrived in Lincoln around 1 p.m., when we grabbed some lunch at Ruby Tuesday and were able to check into our room around 2:30. Finally, after about 28 hours of driving and a two-day detour for a work conference, we'd arrived from Alexandria to Omaha/Lincoln for our vacation!

So it was time to get started on what we came here for -- the College World Series. Or so I thought. Again, call me naive, but I had no clue what I was getting myself into. We drove down to what I'll lovingly call the Trainwork on 13th Street. Wow. Some people love the party scene. Some people love being a part of huge crowds. They think it's fun. I don't. I just want to watch the game. I'd much rather be one of 20,000 people in a 40,000-seat stadium, instead of being one of 100,000 crammed into a stadium designed to seat 80,000. Give me space. Give me room. Let me just enjoy the game.

I can't even accurately describe the scene at Rosenblatt Stadium. It was crazy. The line to get in the stadium using our general admission tickets was insane, and partly because I was cranky after the long drive and little sleep, I just didn't want to deal with it. So we checked out the fan zone a little bit, did some shopping (and have some more to do) and called it a night. We're going to try to upgrade our general admission tickets to reserved tickets today and Friday so that we don't have to fight the crowds and will be guaranteed a seat. It's a little more money, but a lot more peace of mind.

Vay-kay-shun!

2010-06-20T21:24:00.002-05:00

We made it! It's Day 1 of our 8-day vacation, and I'm hoping to give daily (or semi-daily) updates via my blog.

Today was our trip from Alexandria to Nashville for my two-day work conference, which kicks off our vacation. We decided we weren't in that big of a hurry, so we took the Natchez Trace Parkway up to Nashville, instead of going along the interstate the whole trip.

If you are into the outdoors -- hiking and biking -- or just a fan of beautiful scenery, I highly recommend this trip. The parkway runs 444 miles from Natchez to just southwest of Nashville, and it's billed as an "unhurried" trip. That's exactly what it is. If you're impatient, don't worry about it. But if you don't mind taking your time -- the posted speed limit the whole way is 50 mph -- you'll love this trip.

We stopped a few times along the way to use the restroom and stretch our legs, as well as to have a quiet, riverside picnic with sandwiches and drinks that we brought along with us, and it took us about 11 or 12 hours from Alexandria to Nashville. But it was a wonderfully peaceful trip, which included sights of three white-tailed does and several turkeys (as well as two slithering snakes across the road -- booooo!).

Once we got into Nashville, we ate supper at Five Guys Burgers & Fries. Honestly, it was OK, but nothing special. I've heard some people compare Five Guys with In-and-Out Burger as the best fast-food burger joint in the country. The burger was good, juicy and sloppy, even if it wasn't a little on the small side. And they use sweet pickles, rather than dill pickles. That's a picky preference thing, though. The fries were decent, at least the regular fries are. The Cajun fries were just doused with a cayenne pepper that was a little too much for this "Louisiana Yankee." I'd eat at Five Guys again, don't get me wrong, but I still don't think it's nearly as good as Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.

Monday should be a slow day, at least for me. I'm planning to sleep in after the long drive today, and then I have the first day of my conference from noon to about 7 p.m. Afterward, I'm hoping to catch up with an old friend from my hometown and have supper with him and his wife. Should be fun times. And it puts us one day closer to getting to Omaha and Rosenblatt Stadium for the College World Series!

See you at the crossroads ... crossroads

2010-05-14T06:25:00.002-05:00

Pardon the Bone Thugs 'N Harmony reference, but it really is quite appropriate for this blog, which I'm sorry to say to my most loyal readers, is about sports. Well, about a man transcends sports. About a man, who at the age of 25, has the world at his fingertips for the next couple of months.

That man is LeBron James.

In the interest of full disclosure, LeBron James is my favorite basketball player. Ever. Yes, I know there are a lot of great basketball players out there, although many of the all-time greats were before my time. Michael Jordan is still the greatest. I don't think that is yet up for debate. And Kobe Bryant is starting to wind down a brilliant career, although he lost me as a fan during that whole Colorado rape escapade. There are tons of other players that I enjoy watching, but none more so than LeBron, who I vividly remember starting to follow when he was a high school sophomore. We've watched him grow from the best 16-year-old ever into a two-time MVP at 25, a hybrid of some of the greatest players evers, with Magic Johnson's passing ability as a big man to any number of power forwards with his size and strength. But LeBron has more speed, agility and athleticism than any 6-8, 260-pound player has ever had.

Entering this year, there was much speculation about what would happen after the year, when after seven seasons with the Cleveland Cavs, LeBron James could become a free agent. There are some very talented free agents available -- Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh immediately come to mind -- but it's no exagerration that this will be "The Summer of LeBron."

Heck, it's already started. The Boston Celtics knocked the Cavs out of the Eastern Conference playoffs not even seven hours ago, and already I have read and watched enough speculation to drive a normal person insane. I want more of him. I'm going to give you more of it. People are wondering where LeBron will go. Does he stay loyal to the Cavs, where he's played the first seven years of his career without a championship, and his home state of Ohio? Does he jettison off to New York to play for the Knicks in the mecca of basketball and media capital of the world? Does he dare try to take on the challenge of become the first real superstar in Chicago post-MJ? What about other darkhorse candidates like Miami, Jersey or the Los Angeles Clippers? At this point, it's all speculation.

However, I do believe, as much as it pains me to say, that we've seen the last of LeBron James in a Cavs uniform. He's poured his heart and soul into that franchise for seven years, lifting it out of the sewer to make it the best regular season team the past two years. But what has that brought? No championships. In fact, in his seven years in Cleveland, the Cavs have been to the NBA Finals just once, in 2007, and they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. The following three seasons they were defeated by the Celtics in the second round, Orlando Magic in the conference finals and Boston again this year in the second round. He hasn't even sniffed a title, hasn't even come close. LeBron already announced he was going to switch numbers, hanging up #23 for good to honor MJ, so why not just go ahead and wear a completely different uniform?

LeBron is, without a doubt, the biggest free agent on the market since Shaquille O'Neal left the Orlando Magic after four years to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he teamed with Kobe to win three titles. Shaq later won a fourth title with Dwyane Wade in Miami, and although many people thought he was the missing piece this seaosn to bring LeBron his first title, it didn't work out. Shaq still has four rings, and LeBron is still searching for his first piece of jewelry.

I sincerely believe that LeBron loves Ohio. As an Akron native, his heart is there. That's his roots. But perhaps his time in Cleveland has run its course. I also know he's inrigued by the Knicks and playing nightly at Madison Square Garden, plus his good buddy Jay-Z is a part-owner of the New Jersey (soon-to-be Brooklyn) Nets. But the more and more that I think about this, the more and more I lean toward Chicago.

The Bulls haven't won a title since MJ retired the second time in 1998. That's a dozen years. Actually, they haven't even come close to winning a title since then. LeBron would love to be the guy who re-rescued that franchise. Plus there are some good pieces in place, particularly young point guard Derrick Rose. And the Bulls have the ability to move some players to open up some cap room. There's been talk of James, Wade and Bosh all signing together in the same place and trying to win multiple championships together. While I'll believe that when I see it -- after all, these guys understand the NBA is a business and they've got to get paid -- it's a possibility they all could land in Chicago, which is Wade's hometown and Bosh is rumored to love.

Here's how it could work:

The way the NBA salary scale works, and the way these three guys set up their contracts to be free agents this year, they would each earn about $17 million next year. That's a total of $51 million, which would only give the Bulls about $5 million in cap room to play with. However, they could work a sign and trade with the Cavs to land LeBron, sending Luol Deng to Cleveland. They also have tradeable assets in Kirk Hinrich and Joakim Noah that could be packaged for either Wade or Bosh. Trading those three players would clear about $23 million off the books. It also would mean the Bulls would have just six players (LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Rose, Taj Gibson and James Jones) under contract for a total of about $58 million. That would give them a great starting five and sixth man but nothing left on the bench and not much wiggle room under the cap to add any complimentary pieces. But I'm not sure how much more they would need. You add a rookie or two through the draft, and a couple of minimally priced free agents, and you have yourself an NBA title contender.

It certainly will be interesting to watch. Yes, there's still plenty of basketball left to be played, and I really am exciting for the Lakers-Suns and Celtics-Magic series. It should be an interesting run to the title. But I also expect we'll be hearing plenty of talk about King James between now and when free agency officially begins on July 1.

Monkey see, monkey do

2010-05-05T21:07:00.002-05:00

Children do it all the time. A 3-year-old will copy what his 5-year-old brother is doing. He'll watch, he'll learn and he'll repeat. I distinctly remember doing this growing up with my brother, who is five years older than I am. Heck, I lived at the baseball field, watching and emulating what my big bro and his friends were doing.

Teens do it all the time. It's called peer pressure. The cool kid gets the latest pair of shoes or trendiest new techie gadget, and everyone else wants one too. I wasn't as bad about this when I was a teen. Sure, I felt peer pressure. But it wasn't about being popular. It was about trying to impress my friends, emulating the guys who I looked up to. I wanted to be as smart as they were, as athletic as they were, as strong of a Christian as they were.

Adults do it all the time. They call it keeping up with the Joneses. We buy the most expensive cars, build the most luxurious houses, rack up the most debt that we can -- all in the name of impressing people. Why? Because we see other people do it. Because we covet. We watch. We desire. We give in to those desires.

It's a natural part of life for people to observe things and then put those things into practice. Everyone does it -- including my dogs. Seriously, they are hilarious.

Sandy, who is still a pup, has been around for about 18 months now. She rules the roost. This is her house; we just live in it. What Sandy wants, Sandy gets. No questions asked. But don't tell Ryley that. Although isn't much younger than Sandy, she's only been with us for about three or four months now. But boy does she learn quickly.

How did she learn? By watching her big sister, of course. Sandy loves to be scratched -- where Sandy WANTS to be scratched. Not on her head. Not behind her ears. Not on her back. She wants it on her chest, or on her belly. If she's sitting, and you're rubbing her head, she will use her paw to move your hand right where she wants it. Or, she'll slide down onto the floor and roll over, so you can give her belly a good ole rub.

So what does Ryley do? The exact same thing. She's started using her paw to direct where she wants to be scratched. It's not as bad as Sandy, because she actually likes being rubbed on her head, but she'll use that paw to tell you what she wants.

That's just one of the many things we see on a daily basis where the younger pup has patterned her behavior after the older pup. We like to call it monkey see, monkey do -- and Ryley's the monkey!

Second-half live blog

2010-04-28T23:06:00.005-05:00

Note: This blog is for my boy Ethan McDaniel, who actually isn't my boy at all because I don't know him, but he goes by the handle @emcdaniel09 on Twitter and has been talking trash to me about the NBA Playoffs.

It's halftime of Game 5 of the Jazz-Nuggets game, with the Jazz leading 52-50. We'll pick it up from there.

Flashback to about 8:20 p.m., when Ethan sends me the following tweet: @b_hoss_mac expect mr. bigshot to show up against the jazz... he's gonna make the jazz #kissdababy, mark my words!!

I'll guess we'll find out here in the second half if Mr. McDaniel is right and the Jazz are "kissin' da baby" as he says.

11:10 p.m. -- We're back from halftime and starting the third quarter. Denver must be able to overcome the loss of center Nene, out with a sprained knee, as well as foul trouble with power forward Kenyon Martin and point guard Chauncey Billups each with two fouls.

11:12 p.m. -- Jazz have the ball to start the quarter.

11:13 p.m. -- Mike Fratello: First three or four minutes are going to be critical in what could be final half of the year for Denver. Good observation.

11:13 p.m. -- K-Mart and Aron Afflalo hit first two shots to get into double figures. Carmelo said he needed help, and he's getting it tonight.

11:15 p.m. -- Utah with second straight turnover. Billups hits 3. Now has 11 points. Nuggets lead 59-54 after 7-0 run.

11:15 p.m. -- Carlos Boozer follows his own miss. Up to 17 points, along with Deron Williams. Both playing well, but need some help in second half.

11:17 p.m. -- Melo picks up his first foul ... and smiles. He does a lot of smiling on the court, but usually it means he's not happy. I know, ironic.

11:17 p.m. -- Billups hits second 3 in third quarter. Has 8 points so far, after scoring only 6 in the first half.

11:19 p.m. -- Loose ball situation. Wesley Matthews bounce pass to DWill, who bounce passes to Boozer for a monster stuff. Beautiful basketball!

11:20 p.m. -- Carmelo Anthony with the reverse layup. Nuggets lead 70-62. Denver outscoring Jazz 20-12 in third so far.

11:22 p.m. -- Billups with a layup. Now has 10 in the third quarter, 16 for the game. Nuggets lead 72-66 with 6:05 left in third.

11:23 p.m. -- According to tweet from Ross Siler of Salt Lake Tribute, Denver has started 9-for-10 in the second half. Melo and Billups have 17 of those points. Wow. *Shakes head*

11:25 p.m. -- Melo knocks down a jumper. Jazz defense stayed in the locker room, apparently.

11:26 p.m. -- Wesley Matthews with steal and layup. Jazz only down 4, 74-70.

11:28 p.m. -- Afflalo makes step-under jumper at shot clock buzzer. Nuggets now 11-12 from floor in second half. At some point, Jazz have to get some stops.

11:31 p.m. -- DWill drains 3-pointer. Now has 24 points and 8 assists. Millsap with follow-up on next possession. Nuggets lead down to one, 80-79.

11:33 p.m. -- Random thought: Do they sell Coca-Cola products at the Pepsi Center? Oh, and Taco Bell, you may call it a tortada, but it's a sandwich.

11:37 p.m. -- And just like that ... free throw, offensive rebound, 3-pointer ... Nuggets lead back to 7.

11:39 p.m. -- In a crazy sequence of trying to get 2-for-1 opportunities, Ty Lawson turns ball over and DWill misses 3-pointer. Then Nuggets with an offensive foul. Sloppy end to 3rd quarter.

11:41 p.m. -- C.J. Miles misses three at the buzzer. Denver leads 86-81 heading into fourth quarter.

11:43 p.m. -- After playing every minute of third quarter, Deron Williams will start fourth on the bench. Pivotal moment here to see how much time Jazz can steal with Ronnie Price on the floor and how close they can keep it before DWill returns.

11:47 p.m. -- Boozer with an offensive rebound and putback. Jazz trail 89-86. Booz 25 points and 14 boards. DWill 26 points and 9 assists.

11:50 p.m. -- DWill returns with 9:51 remaining and Jazz down by only 4. Good break.

11:51 p.m. -- J.R. Smith nails a wide-open 3-pointer. Denver up 94-88.

11:52 p.m. -- Millsap hits a turnaround hook shot to cut the lead down to two.

11:53 p.m. -- J.R. Smith with another 3-pointer, the Nuggets' eighth consecutive 3 made. Denver's lead is back to seven, 99-92.

11:57 p.m. -- Carmelo tackles C.J. Miles while going after a loose ball. For one of the world's best players, Melo makes some stupid decisions.

11:58 p.m. -- Johan Petro with a tip give Denver biggest lead of the game at 9, 101-92, with 5:58 remaining.

Midnight -- Good morning, everyone.

12:03 a.m. -- Booz grabs his 15th rebound of the game. Also has 25 points. Not a bad game.

12:06 a.m. -- Billups knocks down 2 free throws to put Nuggets up 11, biggest lead of the night, at 105-94.

12:07 a.m. -- You can refer to the Nuggets as Team Tat. Between Kenyon Martin, Chris Andersen and J.R. Smith, there's no team in the league with more tattoos.

12:09 a.m. -- Billups steal leads to J.R. Smith runout dunk. Denver up 111-97 with 3:10 left to play.

12:11 a.m. -- Too much balance tonight for Denver with six players in double figures. DWill's 32 points and 10 assists, and Boozer's 25 points and 15 rebounds can't overcome all of the Nuggets' balance.

12:14 a.m. -- Despite the double-digit deficit, DWill is not going to go away quietly.

12:17 a.m. -- Probably just a lot of frustration, but Boozer and Millsap doing a lot of complaining about physical play and being hacked under the basket without getting any calls.

12:19 a.m. -- With tempers and tension soaring, the benches empty with Denver up 114-110. DWill fouls out after a brilliant game of 34 points and 10 assists. First player in NBA history with 20+ points and 10+ assists in first five games of the series.

12:21 a.m. -- Ballgame. Final: Denver 116, Utah 102. Jazz lead the series 3-2 and head home to Salt Lake City with chance to clinch at home on Friday night.

NFL Draft ... and other musings

2010-04-24T00:25:00.002-05:00

It's shortly after midnight on the Saturday morning of NFL Draft weekend. At this point, I should be crawling into bed and getting ready for an all-day marathon. Instead, we're two days and three rounds into the draft. It's just not right. The NFL Draft used to be an event, where fans all followed intently thoughout the day on Saturday, and more casually in the later rounds on Sunday.

It looks like the new format, which brings the first round in primetime on Thursday and the second and third rounds on Friday, will be here to stay, at least for the short term. The TV ratings are good. I don't have to like it though.

A few quick hits from the draft, and then a deeper look at my team, the New Orleans Saints:

-- I really like what the Lions have done. Ndamakong Suh is about as can't-miss a defensive tackle prospect as there ever has been, and he's a great start at #2. They traded up at the end of the first round to take Jahvid Best at #30. Best, I believe, is the second-best running back in the draft and will have a better career than Ryan Matthews, who went 12th. They also got Amari Spievey, a defensive back from Iowa, at the top of the third round, and he'll give the Lions depth at corner and safety. The Lions have a fourth-rounder and three seventh-rounders today to add some more depth.

-- Other teams whose drafts I liked were the Chiefs, the Raiders (surprisingly), the Bengals, Cowboys and Jets. KC picked up two starters (S Eric Berry and CB Javier Arenas) and a major contributor (RB/WR/KR Dexter McCluster, who should get 10-15 touches per game in a variety of ways) in the first two rounds. Oakland, known for reaching for players with less-than-stellar production but great potential, picked up perhaps the second-best defensive player in MLB Rolando McClain at #8. Cincy grabbed stud TE Jermaine Gresham at #21 and a solid WR in Jordan Shipley in the third round, along with a steady CB Brandon Ghee at the end of the third round. The Bengals, of course, can't go a draft without taking a shady character, this time choosing Florida DE Carlos Dunlap in the second round. Dallas had just two picks but grabbed a future Pro Bowler in WR Dez Bryant at #24 and a future starter at ILB in Sean Lee. The Jets, meanwhile, were ecstatic that CB Kyle Wilson, a top-10 talent, fell to them at #29 at the bottom of the first round.

-- I just can't figure out what's going on in Denver. The Broncos trade their Pro Bowl quarterback last offseason. This offseason, they jettisoned perhaps the best receiver in the NFL and their starting tight end. Then, they traded down in the first round and traded back up twice for two reaches. I'm not sold on Demaryius Thomas as a future star receiver (although the choice of Eric Decker in the third round was a good one), and then the Broncos snatched Tim Tebow at #25. I like Tebow. But at 25? It's safe to call that pick a reach, and coach Josh McDaniels essentially has tied his future in Denver to Tebow's development as a quarterback. I'm not sure I would be willing to do that if I were in his shoes.

-- Congratulations to D'Anthony "Boo" Smith, the defensive tackle from Louisiana Tech, for being drafted in the third round by the Jacksonville Jags. Boo is a great kid who represented by alma mater wonderfully for the past four years. Now he joins two other Tech grads, Josh Scobee and Luke McCown, in Jacksonville. If only the Jags would trade for Ryan Moats now.

-- Now to my Saints: I'll just borrow a phrase from the immortal Vince Lombardi. "What the hell's going on out there?" You know, winning a Super Bowl, especially at a place with such a dismal past as New Orleans, will get you a lot of leeway. I'm trying to keep that in mind. But I'm just not getting this draft. I understand the premise that you take the best player available if you can't get a trade offer you like, but that idea also doesn't consider the fact that your team has needs. And the Saints haven't filled their needs through the first three rounds. They have glaring needs at linebacker, both depth and the big hole at the starting strongside linebacker spot with the departure of Scott Fujita. Yet, through three rounds, there have been no linebackers chosen, despite a myriad of options available.

New Orleans selected cornerback Patrick Robinson with the last pick of the first round. He looks great on paper, but he struggled with consistency at Florida State. That's usually not a great trait to have entering the NFL. It's the second year in a row the Saints have picked a corner in the first round, so that doesn't bode well for last year's pick, Malcolm Jenkins. There was talk then that he'd end up at safety, and that appears to be the case with this pick. Still, the Saints have an emerging playmaker in Tracy Porter at one corner and Jabari Greer at the other corner with Randall Gay as the nickel back. Depth is good, but you usually don't try to build depth in the first round. You normal look for immediate starters there. I understand injuries piled up in the secondary last year, and you can never have too many guys who can cover in this league, but I thought the Saints had bigger needs than cornerback.

The Saints picked an offensive tackle at the end of the second round in Southern Cal's Charles Brown. The best part of this pick, according to my wife, is the guy's name is CHARLIE BROWN! Yes, my wife, ladies and gentlemen. She'll be here all week. I'm a big USC fan, and if I haven't heard of the guy, he's probably not that good. And it's not like there's a glaring need at offensive tackle. Jon Stinchcomb is an entrenched starter at RT. Jamaal Brown is a Pro Bowler at LT, even though he's a restricted free agent who is coming off an injury and likely will be traded. Jermon Bushrod filled in admirably for Brown last year while he was injured. Zach Strief also plays a lot as a sixth offensive lineman during running situations. Maybe the Saints plan to trade Brown for a linebacker, or maybe they plan for him to play one more season while Charles Brown learns. Again, there were much bigger needs than a fourth offensive tackle.

And my least favorite pick happened at the end of the third round, when the Saints grabbed Miami tight end Jimmy Graham. Graham has great size and physical tools, and his upside is tremendous. But he's a basketball player who only played one year of football in college. Yes, San Diego struck gold with Antonio Gates, a basketball player from Kent State. But Gates was an undrafted free agent. Graham is a big-time reach in the third round, particularly when there were other more established tight ends like Pitt's Dorin Dickerson, LSU's Richard Dickson, Florida's Aaron Hernandez and USC's Anthony McCoy still available. Heck, I'm willing to bet that Dennis Morris, Louisiana Tech's tight end, has a better NFL career than Jimmy Graham.

The Saints have three picks in today's final day of the draft -- a fourth, a sixth and a seventh. Here's hoping two of those are linebackers and a third is a developmental quarterback who can battle with Chase Daniel to become Drew Brees's backup.

Leaving the draft, let's finish up with some NBA playoffs talk. We're about halfway through the first round, and a few things have stood out so far:

-- The Jazz just keep on winning. Two starters, Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur, are out of the series against Denver with injuries. Yet, the Jazz have taken two of the first three games and have the upper hand in the series. The star of Friday night's Game 3 was Paul Millsap, the team's sixth man and backup power forward who played at Louisiana Tech. Millsap posted career playoff highs of 22 points and 19 rebounds to help mask a subpar game from starting power forward Carlos Boozer. Deron Williams has emerged as a challenger to Steve Nash as the best point guard in the NBA, and he's the clear leader of this young team. But the Jazz's role players, led by Millsap, have really stepped up. Rookie Wesley Matthews, who was undrafted, has stepped in as the team's starting two-guard, and young center Kyrylo Fesenko have filled in nicely for the two injured starters. And the other two wing players, starter C.J. Miles and reserve Kyle Korver, have played strong as well.

-- It's time for Dwyane Wade to get away from South Beach. Yes, he won a title there. But this team is terrible. There's not a single player starting next to Wade who should be a starter in the NBA. It's really depressing, especially considering how hard Wade plays and how much he's done to keep the Heat in the games against Boston. But Boston leads the series 3-0 and is well on its way to a sweep.

-- The Chicago Bulls pushed Boston to the limit last year, and they've already taken a game against Cleveland, the NBA's best team during the regular season. How does LeBron James respond? Can he lift the Cavs over the next two games to close the series out in 5, or will Chicago continue to hang around and make this a series?

-- The OKC Thunder, the young but supremely talented eight seed in the West, stole Game 3 from the defending champion L.A. Lakers. Most analysts I've seen have the Lakers responding to win Game 4 and closing the series out in five. I think Kobe is fading and Kevin Durant is ready to step up and make this a seven-game series. The main question is can the Thunder steal a game in L.A.? If they can, they might just make it to the second round.

No Bird, no Magic, no MJ ... no need

2010-04-20T23:23:00.002-05:00

Full disclosure: I'm a LeBron guy.

The National Basketball Association, more than any other sports league, is a players' league. College athletics is about the college. You root for your school in all sports. Or at least you should. If you don't, you're a poser. The NFL is about teams. It's the ultimate team league. Was your dad a Cowboys fan? Then you're a Cowboys fan. If you grew up in Louisiana, then you're a Saints fan. Unless you're from Shreveport. Then you might as well be from East Texas. But that's another story. Major League Baseball has its star sluggers and ace pitchers that fans root for, but the passion is about the team -- the Yanks, the Sawx ... and everybody else.

But the NBA, oh the NBA is different. It's about the names on the back of the jerseys, not the front. It's always been that way. Wilt, the Pistol, Bird, Magic, MJ ... you root for superstars. And, man, are there plenty of superstars in the NBA right now.

For many years, we didn't know if the NBA could ever recapture its glory years. In the '80s, Bird and Magic dueled as the game's top two players. They lifted the league to a new level, and then passed the baton to Michael Jordan, who took the game into a new stratosphere in the '90s. The glory years. The MJ years. Then he retired. But he came back! And won three more titles to go with his three previous ones. And then he retired. But, unfortunately, he came back again, and wasn't the same player. Ever since, fans have been wondering if the league would ever see a player as good as Jordan.

As I've watched the first few games of this year's NBA playoffs, I'm not convinced that the league doesn't have more great players than ever. There have been some great players in the post-MJ era. Tim Duncan rivals Karl Malone as the greatest power forward ever, even if he's really a center masquerading as a power forward. Shaquille O'Neal won four titles and will go down as one of the top 10 or 15 players ever, even if he had the physical ability to be the greatest center of all-time and didn't fully reach that potential. Kobe Bryant has been a great player, perhaps the closest to MJ in terms of physical skills, even if he has never been as beloved as Jordan.

But I look at the young talent in the NBA right now and think that the next decade could actually be better than anything we've ever seen. Like I said at the beginning of this blog, I'm a LeBron guy. I've followed his career since he first burst onto the scene as a high school sophomore. I began buying into the hype as soon as I watched him play and thought this kid -- who at 16 looked like a 6-8, 235-pound man already -- could become the greatest player of all-time. His skill set is an unbelievable hybrid of Magic Johnson meets Karl Malone. He's 6-foot-8 and somewhere between 250 and 280 pounds, built like a defensive end with the athletic abilities of a running back. He's an athletic freak with a feel for the game very reminiscent of Magic Johnson, and he enjoys passing and playmaking so much that he goes out of his way to get his teammates involved. He'll soon garner his second straight MVP award and, at age 25, could conceivably win the award for the next 5-8 years. I honestly believe, if he stays focused and dialed in during crunch time, he could surpass Jordan as the greatest player of all time.

But LeBron isn't the only great young player. That draft in 2003 also produced Dwyane Wade, who already has won an NBA title with Shaq, and Carmelo Anthony, who is one of the top two pure scorers in the league. Dwight Howard, the No. 1 pick in '04, led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals last year, and although he still has a lot of growth left in his game, has a chance to be the top center in the game for the next decade.

Deron Williams and Chris Paul went third and fourth to the Utah Jazz and New Orleans Hornets in the '05 draft, and along with Derrick Rose, the top pick in '08, are the point guards of the future in the NBA. Brandon Roy, the sixth pick in '06, looks to be the best player in a weak draft, but if his knees can stay healthy, he has the appearance of a future star for years to come for the Blazers.

Kevin Durant, the second pick in '07, looks like he could develop into the greatest scorer the league has ever seen. At 21, he became the youngest player to lead the league in scoring this year, and he's only going to get better as the leader of an up-and-coming Oklahoma City team. I'm not sure there is a player in the world with a more complete offensive skill set. Durant can simply put the ball in the basket.

And there are several promising rookies from this year in point guards Brandon Jennings, Steph Curry and Tyreke Evans, who joined MJ, LeBron and Oscar Robertson as the only rookies to ever average 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists during their first years in the league.

That's not even counting two No. 1 picks -- '07 top choice Greg Oden and '09 first selection Blake Griffin -- who have earned incomplete grades because of injuries. Even if he ever gets healthy, I'm not sure Oden is ever going to be more than a solid 15-12 center. He's not going to be a perennial all-star or the franchise center many expected, but Griffin has the athleticism and skill set to become a fixture on all-NBA teams at power forward.

With all of these young players, Team USA would appear to be in solid shape for the next two or three Olympic games. How's this for an Olympic roster:

PG Deron Williams
PG Chris Paul
PG Derrick Rose
SG Dwyane Wade
SG Brandon Roy
SG Tyreke Evans
SF Kevin Durant
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF LeBron James
PF Blake Griffin
C Dwight Howard
C Greg Oden

Sure, it's certainly a guard-heavy squad, and it's weak in the post. You could swap out one of the guards (Evans and/or Rose) for a young post player like Andrew Bynum, Al Jefferson or Al Horford. But I think you could win with this team in international competition. You're not going to find a better backcourt with those three point guards, or more prolific scorers from the small forward position. Heck, Durant and Melo might be the two best scorers in the world. LeBron could easily play the 4 in international play and present some very difficult matchups, and Howard should be able to hold his own at the center position.

These days, though, the NBA is a guard's league. More importantly, it's a scorer's league. And there are plenty of young guards and scorers in the league. It's pretty safe to say that the NBa is going to be safe for years to come, and in 20-30 years, fans may be talking about this upcoming decade as the glory years of the NBA as compared to the Bird, Magic and MJ days of the '80s and '90s.

Where has the time gone?

2010-04-14T22:10:00.003-05:00

Note: I'm going to try to keep this post short and stay around 500 words, rather than get all rambly and type 3,000. Though, I must say, I reserve the right to change my mind before this post is finished.

So, Elizabeth and I recently started going back to church. Whoa. I know, I never would have thought there would come a time in my life when I wasn't going to church. But, hey, things happen.

Thinks, like, oh, getting caught up in messy drama at church. Yeah, that can kind of put a damper on things. It's hard for me to believe that has been nearly three years ago.

Quick catch up for those that haven't heard the story (though if you're reading this blog, chances are you have) or have forgotten: was going to a church and actively helping out with the youth group before some things happened that caused me to say enough is enough and bail out. Long story short, there were a lot of hurt feelings all the way around, and it was very difficult for me to even want to step foot back in a church.

Then, in December '08, I lost my job and took a new one over in Texas. Found a tremendous church there. Had a Sunday night service I fell in love with. And a few young couples that I got to know. Loved the pastor. Loved the worship. Things were moving in the right direction. I was beginning to get a peace about things again. Then, bam! Lose my job and have to leave Texas. Another setback.

For those who don't know, my spiritual background is one who was raised in the Baptist church. I can't remember not going to church, honestly. Now, I went to a lot of churches through the years, but I was always in some church. Got baptized when I was around 8 or 9, because I knew that's what I was supposed to do. After all, I was raised in the church. At the time, though, I didn't really understand what I was doing and never had a life-changing experience into a relationship with God. Growing up, I was a good kid (mostly) and always was in church, but it wasn't until I was 16 and on a church mission trip that I was saved.

Flash forward to June 2009: Elizabeth and I move back to Alexandria, the site of all of my spiritual pain from a few years ago, and honestly I again just lost the desire to go to church. And once you get out of a routine of going to church on Sundays, it's so easy to continue to sleep in and not think a thing about it. So that's what we did. We just were lazy on Sundays and didn't go to church.

That changed a few weeks ago, though. After a challenge from my father-in-law, who finally said enough is enough and that it was time to get back in church, we decided to visit the church that Elizabeth grew up in over in Pineville. The church, which recently went through a messy split with its former pastor and lost a lot of members, was getting a new pastor and there was some excitement coming down the pipe.

So, we've been visiting, and it's been good to be back in the house of the Lord. I really like the pastor. He's a first-time pastor, after making a mid-life career change and serving as an associate at a bigger church in Alexandria for the past few years. I like his vision, and I like his heart. I think he's going to get things turned around, and pretty quickly, too.

I'm having to make some adjustments, though. The church is still pretty small, and it's made up of a mostly older congregation. While I was raised in traditional Baptist churches, I've been spoiled in my college years with a great worship experience at Common Ground, and my previous church also had wonderful praise music. It's been an adjustment going back to the traditional hymns, though not necessarily a bad one. I'm just not used to it.

This past weekend, while visiting friends in Ruston, I was able to attend Temple Baptist Church's 10:10 Gathering, and that was a wonderful experience. Talk about my kind of service. Man, that was nice. But that doesn't mean that's the only way to worship and experience God. Who knows what the future holds at this church -- or even if that's the place that Elizabeth and I are supposed to be, though I feel we are being called to be there at this time and place. I'm still reticent to jump right back in with both feet, as I did at my previous church, and I really want to take my time to visit and learn before really starting to serve again. But, my personality is to be one who is either involved or not, so I'm sure I will get involved in some way, shape or form. I have such a passion for teenagers that I'm sure the youth could use me in some capacity.

For now, though, it's just nice to once again be able to walk in a church and feel at home. It's nice to see the same faces week after week and begin to build relationships. It's nice to feel wanted and loved. I can honestly say I'm happy to once again be going to church on Sundays. And it just makes me think, why did I wait this long to start again?

Are you ready?

2010-03-13T00:30:00.003-06:00

Dude, where's your blog? I know, I know. It's been a while. Twenty-nine days to be exact. No excuses.

I've been reading a lot lately. Ted Dekker. Mindy Starns Clark. An autobiography about the first black athlete to graduate from Auburn. Terri Blackstock. I know, that list definitely brings to mind the Sesame Street song: "One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just don't belong."

The other night I started the first book in Terri Blackstock's Restoration series entitled Last Light. I've only made it 100 or so pages into the book, but it's already gotten me to thinking.

Basic premise: it's an end-of-times thriller where some supernatural event has knocked out all power. No electricity. Cars don't work. Water doesn't run. Basically, the main protagonists, who live in Birmingham, are shockingly sent back into prehistoric times.

I spent much of my high school years reading The Left Behind Series, a great premise that is essentially the be-all, end-all of end-of-times books, and a series that unfortunately became so successful that it dragged on and on and spawned spin-off books that never should have been written. But the original premise was amazing, and I own the entire series.

I'm not quite sure yet what direction this four-part series will take -- after all, I'm only about a third of the way through the first book -- but it's made me think just how ill-prepared I would be if something like that were to happen to us today or tomorrow or next week.

My life is very routine, and honestly, I like it that way. I get up around the same time every morning, move my vehicle so my wife can head to work, and then I get ready to work. For the most part, I work the same hours every single day (with some variance), and then I come home to my wife and pups, have supper, watch TV and go to back, only to wake up and do it all over again the next day. Sure, there is some variety in my life. Sometimes, I have to work later to cover a night event. I officiate basketball a couple of times a week as a second job. I'm contemplating taking a third job for a few hours a week to pay off some bills and build up some savings. But, honestly, my life is pretty mundane and routine.

Elizabeth and I do not keep our house stocked with perishable food and drink items. We have some candles and a few flashlights and batteries. But we go grocery shopping when we need items, not to keep a pantry full of food.

Much of my life is consumed by electronics. I live on the computer, both at work and at home. Without the convenience of my Buick LeSabre, I don't know how I would survive. Even though Alexandria isn't huge, it's not like I could get around easily if I had to walk everywhere or ride a bike. We watch TV constantly, and TiVo has changed our lives. Take that away, and you take away a major part of our lives.

Much of these characters' reaction has been one of panic and confusion, and I believe that is a natural response when everything that you know and hold dear is snatched away from you in the blink of an eye. No warning. Just one second everything works, and the next nothing does.

Would you be prepared if that were to happen tomorrow? Or if an earthquake struck your city, or a tornado destroyed your neighborhood, or if your state was the victim of the latest hurricane or tsunami? I know I'm terribly prepared, but I also know that I'm not going to do anything to change that either.

With all of the technology advancements that have occurred in the past decade alone, it's easy to become relient upon that. With iPhones and Blackberrys, wireless internet service, and the proliferation of 24/7 news cycles, we have the world at our fingertips whenever we want it. It's hard to fathom all of that just disappearing at a moment's notice. But it could happen. You just never know.

Just call him 'The Fan Collector'

2010-02-12T14:35:00.003-06:00

Note: So I answered a Facebook ad to be one of 100 people to get an advanced copy of the latest book of my favorite author, Ted Dekker. The Bride Collector will be released in April, and below is my review of the book.

Meet Brad Raines, the Denver-based FBI agent who is on the hunt for a killer unlike any he’s seen before.

Meet Quinton Gauld, the Bride Collector, who is on the hunt for seven beautiful women. They’re the chosen ones, God’s favorites, the most beautiful women in the world. And for that, they must die.

Gauld, a mentally ill psychopath, believes he’s been chosen as God’s messenger to deliver him the seven brides. He carefully handpicks the most beautiful women in the Denver area and hunts them, stalks them like the prey they are. Gauld attacks them, drugs them and drains them of their blood by drilling holes in their heels, posing each victim in an angelic pose on a wall, with a bridal veil covering their faces.

Raines’ rush to stop the killer’s reign of terror delivers him to an unlikely place, a facility for mentally ill patients who have proven themselves to be highly intelligent. It’s there that Raines meets an odd foursome whom he leans on for help in cracking the case.

One of the four, Paradise, may just be the key to the whole case. A schizophrenic who sees hallucinations when touching dead people, or a highly intelligent young woman with an extremely rare gift for seeing the last moments of a dead person’s life, Paradise could be the only person to lead Raines to the Bride Collector.

It’s not long, however, before the case turns personal for the FBI agent, as the Bride Collector taps Raines’ partner as one of his victims, and then sets his sights on a woman who’s stolen Raines’ heart as the seventh, and ultimate, bride for God.

Ted Dekker has developed a reputation over the past several years as one of the premier fantasy and thriller authors around. From his initial thriller successes Blink and Thr3e to some of his later successes such as Adam and Boneman’s Daughters, Dekker has mastered the fast-paced thriller novel.

But for as much success as Dekker’s found – and he’s found plenty as a New York Times best-seller – The Bride Collector is clearly his finest work yet.

From the opening pages, Dekker dispenses with the formalities, introducing his readers to both the protagonist, Raines, and the antagonist, Gauld. The readers know, by the third chapter, who is the villain and who is the hero. The only thing left is to hold on tight for a thrilling ride of hunter vs. hunter to see who will win.

The Bride Collector is perhaps Dekker’s most mainstream novel to date, and while Dekker continues to excel at pitting good against evil, this book stays pretty far away from any Christian themes – other than the generic look into how every person is essentially God’s favorite because of his infinite love for everyone.

What Dekker does brilliantly is challenge his readers to think about mental illness, as Raines’ eyes are opened the more time he spends around Paradise and her cohorts, to the point where Raines essentially resigns himself to the fact that, at their essence, all people are at least a little bit ill mentally.

It’s not hyperbole to point out this novel is clearly Dekker’s best yet. He’s at the top of his game, hooking readers in early and not letting them go throughout the 400-page thrill ride.

The Bride Collector catapults Dekker from his current position as one of the top Christian authors into a pantheon of the greatest contemporary literary minds such as Stephen King, John Grisham, James Patterson and Tom Clancy.

It’s clear with each passing novel that Dekker is continuing to hone his craft and churn out top-notch novels, and The Bride Collector is no exception.

Who Dat!

2010-02-10T17:37:00.003-06:00

New Orleans Saints ... Super Bowl Champions. Enough said!

It's an historic occasion

2010-02-04T22:05:00.002-06:00

In case you haven't heard -- and if you haven't, please, I'm begging you please, climb out from under the rock you've been hiding the last couple of weeks -- the New Orleans Saints are headed to the Super Bowl on Sunday. Let me rephrase that: the New Orleans frackin' Saints are going to win the Super Bowl on Sunday!

Honestly, I can't put into words what this means. I'm a Saints fan, have been as long as I can remember. I wouldn't classify myself in that diehard category. I mean, I didn't grow up in New Orleans. I haven't been around for all FORTY-THREE years of the franchise's existence. I've only been to a couple of games in the Superdome in my life, although for as long as I can remember, I've been watching the Saints play on Sunday afternoons. I'm a fan. But I'm not like some of my friends who openly weeped when the Saints knocked off the Vikings two Sundays ago in the NFC title game to advance to Miami for a date with hometown hero Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Still, it's a big moment in my life. Honestly, it's one I never thought would happen. Ever. I went 19 years on this earth before the Saints won a playoff game, when they knocked off the St. Louis Rams in 2001. I was 24 years old before the Saints ever really threatened to make a Super Bowl. I'll never forget the day that Reggie Bush looked back at Brian Urlacher and taunted him on his way to a touchdown in the 2006 NFC title game. At that moment, I knew -- JUST KNEW -- that we were going to lose. Reggie ... you don't piss off Urlacher!

After a couple of frustrating 8-8 seasons missing the playoffs, this year was the year. The 13-0 start. Followed by the 0-3 slump. That brought back all of the questions of whether these were just the Same Ole Saints. If you're honest with yourself, you had doubts. They looked awful. It wasn't the same team we'd followed all year. I don't even think limping into the finish is the right phrase to describe it. It was downright painful to watch. But perhaps Sean Payton knew what he was doing. The team looked DOMINANT against Arizona, then seemed like a team of destiny, somehow defeating the Vikings in the Superdome.

Honestly, if you had asked me what would happen first -- my alma mater, Louisiana Tech, winning a national title in football or men's basketball, or the Saints going to Super Bowl -- I'd have placed my money on the Bulldogs. Honestly. No, seriously, I'm not joking. Call me a disbeliever all you want. I prefer to be called truthful. I knew the Saints had some weapons. Drew Brees is as good of a QB as almost anyone in the league. The backfield combo of Bush/Thomas/Bell is very dangerous. And Brees has so many weapons to throw to, especially when Jeremy Shockey is healthy. The offense never was the question. It was the defense that had been holding the Saints back. Gregg Williams simply has done an amazing job resurrected a pitiful defense, and that side of the ball has been the catalyst to get us to this point.

Unlike a good buddy of mine from work, I'm not satisfied. He said making the Super Bowl is enough. I disagree. I want to win! Peyton Manning is the best of the best, but you don't get to the big game and not expect to win. And you don't get to the big game and not expect to not be coming back every year. The victory over the Vikings has completely changed the expectations for Saints fans. The '06 trip to the NFC title game made Saints fans expect playoff berths, but this trip to the Super Bowl will make us expect Super Bowl trips. And win or lose -- and winning is the only option -- we're going to expect to be back in the big game again and again.

It's not just the Super Bowl on Sunday that's going to be historic this weekend. On Friday, I will make my officiating debut in varsity action. I can't express how excited I am. I've put in a lot of work in my first year officiating, working junior high games and freshman games and a couple of junior varsity games, working at my craft to improve, all in the hopes that it will pay off into a varsity assignment. The season is almost over. The girls playoffs begin after next week, with the boys following the week after that. There's no chance I will get any playoff assignments, but I was hoping beyond hope for the opportunity to call one varsity game. I've put in the work, have improved noticeably, and have continued to have older officials tell me how advanced I am for a first-year official and that I'm going to be pretty good at this gig down the road. Now I've got the opportunity to call a varsity game, and I hope I can make enough of an impression that next year it's an every week occurrence.

Ask and ye shall receive

2010-02-02T16:54:00.002-06:00

Apparently, Ryley has asked for her own blog post. At least, that's what Elizabeth says. And, well, since I'm here to serve, she will get it.

It hasn't even been two weeks yet, but she's already part of the family. Elizabeth and I were out and about on a Saturday afternoon (a day I thought I would be officiating, but I didn't have a gig) when I got in the mood to look at some dogs. There's a group of people who sell puppies near the Sam's Club in Alexandria, so we headed that way. We looked, but the selection wasn't great. The dogs weren't that group, especially when the owners started mentioning prices like $275, $350, $500! What the heazy?!?

After leaving there, we went across the street to PetSmart, which usually works with one of the area shelters to put animals up for adoption. Now there were a few cuties here, including this long-haired terrier mix that was the sweetest little thing. She absolutely stole Elizabeth's heart, and since she was only 80 bucks, we said what the heck! We weren't looking to add a second puppy until like Christmas, but you know, like the Cialis commercial says, you just need to be ready when the right moment happens.

Honestly, I've wanted to get a second dog for quite some time. I just always felt bad leaving Sandy alone in the house. Well, now she has a little sister. She's not a puppy, per se. Best we can tell -- the humane society didn't have much of a back story on her -- she's about 14 months old, only a few months younger than Sandy. We missed all of the puppy stages, and I swear she had to have been trained, because it didn't take her long to understand the doggy door, and she hasn't messed in the house!

It's been an interesting adventure. Sandy still doesn't understand this little pest that has invaded her room, stolen her bed and continues to play with her toys. Ryley, meanwhile, has just made herself at home, like she's been around since the day we got Sandy! They truly act like sisters, playing together one minute and then barking/growling at each other the next. Sandy likes to bully her little sister (and little is the appropriate word, as Sandy is about 50 pounds and Ryley is about 12!). True story: I'll give them each a piece of rawhide to chew on. Sandy drops her, goes and steals Ryley's right out of her mouth. Doesn't bother Ryley, as she goes and picks up the one Sandy drops. Then Sandy does it again. It's a never-ending cycle. Sandy wants what Ryley has!

It hasn't taken Ryley long to learn how to defend herself, though. Especially when food and treats are involved. Ryley will growl, show her teeth and snap at Sandy when she comes over to take something from Ryley. She's also learned to shield the object of her desires with her body so that Sandy can't just snatch it out of her mouth. Seriously, Elizabeth says she's got an evil side. It certainly looks that way when she bares her teeth, but I think she's just learned quickly how to survive having a bully of an older sister.

It's still early -- like I said, it hasn't even been two weeks yet -- but it's been a fun experience. She's such a cute little furball, and she's so soft. And her personality is the opposite of Sandy's for the most part. Sandy is very independent and isn't exactly a lap dog. She loves to play but doesn't want to be touched or petted much (except to be scratched on her chest, over and over and over again). Ryley, meanwhile, loves to be touched. She'll curl up with you, and she loves to roll on her back and have her belly rubbed.

The girls are still learning how to interact with one another and share things, which is certainly natural, considering Sandy spent more than a year without another dog around. I think we're making progress, but Ryley's such a natural. Despite her protective instincts, she's a sweet, loving, gentle little animal that I am so glad is a part of our family!

Going to the 'Big D' ...

2010-01-31T22:10:00.002-06:00

For the past couple of years, I've gotten into an almost weekly bonding exercise with my in-laws. Every Sunday evening (except for the six months that I was stuck in Texas purgatory) E-beth and I cross the river to have supper at her parents and watch the PBR.

(Note: Those of you who know me -- and if you're reading this blog, then you obviously know me -- can testify that I am not a cowboy. I am not a bullrider. It's safe to say that I wouldn't exactly fit in very well behind the scenes of the Professional Bull Riders tour.)

My in-laws have been following the PBR for quite a few years, and I don't remember when exactly, but I casually began watching it with them on Sunday nights. Those casual viewings eventually turned to something more than casual. Don't get me wrong: I am by no means a fanatic, and I can certainly survive without the PBR. But I have come to enjoy it, honestly.

Like many other sports that I watch, I know the athletes. I'm not exactly sure if that's the right word. After all, most of these guys are shorter than I am, and certainly are much more crazy than I am, but you have to have some type of athleticism to continue taking the constant pounding that they take every single weekend. That's something I can respect. But it's not just the riders. I know the bulls too. Just as easily as I can point out Kody Lostroh, J.B. Mauney, Guillerme Marchi and Travis Briscoe, I can tell you all about Bones, Code Blue and Chicken on a Chain. Don't ask. I can't explain it.

I've been to a couple of the smaller events -- the PBR has its top tour, the Built Ford Tough Series, as well as a couple of minor leagues similar to baseball where young up-and-comers and older retreads attempting for one more shot at the show battle it out -- in Monroe and in Kinder (which I actually covered for the paper I work at). But I haven't been to a BFTS event, although that's going to change this month.

For my birthday, my in-laws bought me two tickets (one for me and a "friend" who they happened to assume -- wisely -- would be their daughter) to my first BFTS show. It also will be my first trip to the new Cowboys Stadium, when the PBR invades for a unique one-day event, the Iron Cowboy Invitational, which will be a little different than most events. Usually, the riders will compete for either two or three rounds, with the top 15 riders returning for a final round to determine a champion. It's usually a Friday-Sunday or Saturday/Sunday event.

The Iron Cowboy Invitational, however, is a one-day event which will pay the winner about $250,000. The top 24 riders -- the top eight in last year's standings, as well as the highest 16 in this year's standings as of last night -- will compete in a bracket-style competition against the best bulls on tour. It's the best riders vs. the best bulls -- a PBR fan's dream. I'm honestly very excited about it, but I'm even more excited about getting to watch it in Cowboys Stadium with that massive jumbotron!

Haven't blogged in 10 days

2010-01-22T15:40:00.002-06:00

This won't be a normal blog, more of a Twitter-esque blog. Short and sweet.

Not a whole lot going on. Elizabeth and I have traveled a little more recently, taken a few trips to Ruston to catch Bulldog basketball. Fun times at 17-3. Been calling some more games -- 3 junior high last night, JV tonight. Clearly improving.

Big Saints game this weekend with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The excitement can be felt all around. Speaking of exciting, Tech has a new football coach. Sonny Dykes. Not my first choice. Or my second. But he's growing on me. Think he'll continue the momentum.

Been reading a bit more lately. Just finished Burn, the latest novel by Ted Dekker, my favorite writer. Even after finishing, don't really get the premise. Commented to Elizabeth while reading that I wasn't sure if I actually liked the book or if I was just reading it because it was Dekker. Started The Blind Side the other night and am really enjoying it. Can't wait to pick it up again.

Like I said, short and sweet. That's about all I have for now. Hopefully, I'll check in again in the next 10 days.

Jealous? Who, me? Never. OK, so maybe A LOT!

2010-01-12T21:35:00.003-06:00

I went up to my old hometown this past weekend for a concert. It was the CD release party for one of my good friends, Grant Terry. (Quick full disclosure moment: I think I have pretty good taste in music, but I'm also very biased. I think Grant's good, has a bright future. I'm the say guy, though, who still thinks that The Common Ground Band [CGB] is the greatest worship band of all-time, yes even better than Delirious?. I also thought that Agabus was good. And if you've ever heard Agabus, well ... enough said.)

Not only is Grant a good friend of mine, but his keyboard player also happens to be my best friend. So it was like killing two birds with stone, supporting two friends in one night. And a blast to boot.

Elizabeth and I spent a little bit more money than we were expecting. Wasn't expecting an admission charge, but we gladly paid $5 apiece to get in. Then, we bought Grant's new CD for $10. No problem with that because I want to support my friend. And it's honestly worth the investment. It's high quality production from Seth Jones, who went to high school (at different times) with me, my best buddy K-Rob and Grant (who is 5 years younger than me). But I also liked the two bands that opened for Grant, a local group of high schoolers called Waltz With Me, and Oklahoma City-based David Dunn.

If they stick together, which is always a question of a young band that is approaching the decision of going their separate ways for college, Waltz With Me has a bright future. But, to me, it was David Dunn who stole the show.

I've always loved lyrics, even if I have about as much musical talent in my body as most musicians have in a fingernail clipping. Simply put, I can't sing, I can't read music, I don't play an instrument. I just don't have any musical ability, but I do love words. I love words that are strung together to form a powerful statement. And David Dunn is an extraordinarily powerful lyricist.

I purchased his newest 5-song EP, interestingly enough entitled David Dunn EP (he's so clever). All five of the songs are very well done -- great quality and powerful poetry. I grew up writing poetry, even if I haven't written much lately. I've probably written 50 or so poems in my life, and I'd say probably 8-10 of them I would label as being very strong, worthy of being put to music and turned into songs. I would do that, you know, if I had any ability whatsoever. Instead, I listen to people like Grant Terry and David Dunn and am amazed at how they are capable of doing what they do.

The song on the EP that struck a chord the most with me is Underneath Your Skin, which I believe is a poignant look at what we as a society classify as beauty. Unfortunately, we look mostly at the outer portrait to determine what is beautiful, while many times that outward skin is simply a cover-up of something truly ugly inside, which is where true beauty lies.

Here are the lyrics to Underneath Your Skin. I think you'll see why they registered with me.

Everybody stares, anytime you go anywhere you have the spotlight
Every man you meet, he really wants you to think he's Mr. Right
Friends all say that soon someday you will be famous
Oh, the pretention, all this attention goes to your head
Goes to your head

You turn the lights on and everybody knows
That you're beautiful, that you're beautiful
You leave the lights off, will they still know?
I don't think so, I don't think so
I don't think so, I don't think so

Is there more to you than your Gucci shoes and your Mercedes Benz?
They look fine when they don't define who you really are
What you bought makes people stop, give you the attention
The wandering eyes make you despise what you really want

You turn the lights on and everybody knows
That you're beautiful, that you're beautiful
You leave the lights off, will they still know?
I don't think so, I don't think so
I don't think so, I don't think so

Underneath your skin is what makes you beautiful
Don't listen to them, they just want to use you
Underneath your skin

There's women everywhere who don't really care if they are real humans
If they have nice thighs and beautiful eyes, then they're good to go
All that matters to them is attention from men, can you say pathetic?
There's two types of boring, dull and annoying, you get to choose

You turn the lights on and everybody knows
That you're beautiful, that you're beautiful
You leave the lights off, will they still know?
I don't think so, I don't think so
I don't think so, I don't think so

I'm still working on trying to decide which of the 10 songs on Grant's new CD is my favorite, although I'm pretty sure I've narrowed it down to one. I'll probably post the lyrics to that song a little later and give my reasoning behind why that's my favorite. In the meantime, go check out David Dunn!

I'm resolute

2009-12-30T19:18:00.003-06:00

No, it's not New Year's yet. Nor is it even New Year's Eve. On the double eve of the arrival of 2010, though, I'm giving my resolutions for the new year (and new decade, though, technically one could argue the new decade doesn't begin until 2011). I've never been a big resolutions guy, though I've made some in the past, even if I haven't taken them all that seriously.

But this year I'm serious, because it deals with a serious subject -- my health. Ironically, it's a subject that I simply don't talk about. Ever. Never have.

"How is your health?" I'm asked.

"Fine. I'm doing good"

"Diabetes under control?"

"Uh huh."

"What are your blood sugars running?"

"Oh, about 14o or so."

Here's a secret. All lies.

Whoa, now, you're saying. This is supposed to be positive, uplifting, what you hope to get out of the new year. It's not a confessional.

But it is. My new year's resolution is twofold -- to begin taking my health, and my disease, a little more seriously, and also to open up about it.

Here's another confession: I hate diabetes. Despise it. Always have. But not for the normal reasons you would think of. Not because it's taken sugar away from me, or that it is supposed to take sugar away from me. Not because it makes me eat really nasty tasting desserts. Or that I have to take shots, or count carbs. No, that's not why I hate diabetes. I hate this disease because it makes me different.

But diabetes is the fastest-growing disease in the country. Everybody and their momma has diabetes these days, or at least it seems that way. True. But it's different. Type 2 diabetes is the growing disease, and it can be more easily controlled through diet and exercise. I have Type 1 diabetes, and my pancreas has essentially quit on its job of producing insulin so my body can break down sugar into useable energy. Quitter! I am on life support, and I depend on two types of man-made insulin to keep me alive every day. And yes, I resent it. Does that sound a little immature? You bet it does. But it's true, and since I'm being truthful, I said it. I resent you, diabetes!

Always have, enemy of mine. I can remember getting the news as an eighth-grader, and I cried. Not because I knew what the disease meant, even though I did because I grew up around it (my mom has had it since she was a teenager). I cried because I was now different. I was rushed to the hospital and stayed there a few days while I went through education about diabetes and learned how to give myself a shot, which I've done every day since.

In high school, I hated being different. Yeah, it was funny when I got to eat snacks in class while others didn't. But secretly, I hated being singled out amongst my classmates. Again, diabetes made me different, and I hated it.

For the most part, though, I was able to take care of myself pretty well in high school, and in college, I finally rebelled against the disease. I ended up in the hospital on three different occasions because I simply stopped taking care of myself. Since then, I've done a decent job of faking it. Elizabeth stays on me, reminding me to take my shot, asking me about my blood sugar levels, and I did a decent job for a little while of working to decrease my a1c, which essentially is the 4-month average of your blood sugar levels. Over the last year, though, I've been awful. Awful.

Now is the time to change that. I'm tired of feeling badly because I simply haven't been taken care of myself. I'm tired of constantly being thirsty, and running to and from the bathroom, because my blood sugar is far too high. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of allowing my resentment of my disease to control my life. I want to take control.

I don't feel that I'm in poor health. I'm 27 years old, in relatively good shape (although, I certainly could be in better shape), and hopefully have many years ahead of me. But I can do a lot better. So my resolution is to truly dedicate myself over the next year to fixing my all-around health. I want to lose weight. Right now, I'm about 185 pounds. I'd like to be down to 170, and although that sounds awfully light in my head, I know I would be in better health if I could drop about 15 pounds. I want to get in a regular exercise routine, take advantage of the weight machine at my house that I've let sit dormant for far too long, utilize Elizabeth's Wii Fit game to work on my balance and flexibility, and couple that with all of the running I'm doing while officiating to truly get in good shape.

And beyond that, I want to open myself up to my friends and family. I don't like prying, and I don't like my life pried into. But in a way, on this issue, I need it. I want you to ask me about my health, and then don't let me shrug off your inquiries. I need accountability. It is far too easy to sluff off when it comes to this issue, to allow my hatred and resentment to again take control, and I don't want that to happen. So ask about my health. Ask about my blood sugar. Ask about what I'm eating. And then make me answer.

It's time for me to take control. And I need your help. It's the only way to secure a fruitful 2010 -- and many, many more years to come.

When my head is jumbled, this is what you get

2009-12-28T20:18:00.003-06:00

I took a sick day today. That never happens. Ever. Except today. And tomorrow. And maybe the rest of the week is this cold doesn't leave me alone. Seriously, I don't stay home unless I'm basically on my death bed, but a cold has me staying home? No fever. Just an awful, awful cough, which has let to a deep penetrating headache, a couple of sneezes every hour and lots and lots of mucus-filled tissue. I spent the majority of the day in bed with Sandy beast, alternating between fits of sleep and fits of wet, sloppy attacks on my face. If I don't get to feeling better tomorrow, I'm going to have to go see a doctor and get some medicine. This generic Musinex just isn't cutting it.

One of Elizabeth's Christmas gifts was a game called Wii Fit, which is basically an exercise video in a game. It comes with a "balance board" that you stand on to work on strength exercises, yoga, balance and aerobics. It allows you to set targets to lose weight over a certain period of time and counts your calories, etc. It's pretty cool, designed to make working out fun. And it's a workout, let me tell you. Running, biking, yoga stretches that my body wasn't designed to do, ab crunches, and my least favorite game, the hula hoop. No, seriously, I suck at the hula hoop. It works, though. The first night, I worked out for 30 minutes and actually felt it. I've taken the past two nights off because I just don't feel well. Elizabeth is working out now, riding her bike, trying to drop some pounds and get into better shape.

Had a nice trip to North Louisiana this past weekend. Visited with my dad, stepmom and grandparents in West Monroe, before going over to Ruston for lunch with an old college buddy who was in town from Auburn. Also visited with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law and had supper with them. Always fun to visit with friends and family, even if the reason we normally visit Ruston weren't in town, as they were in New Orleans at the Saints game.

Speaking of the Saints, I'm disgusted. The 13-0 start was amazing, but the team has lost its identity over the past two weeks, and it's at the absolute worst time. This is when teams are supposed to be playing their best football, entering the playoff drive. Instead, it seems as if the Saints peaked several weeks ago and are limping into the postseason. These days, you've got to be careful to say an ill will about the Saints, lest people will accuse you of jumping off the bandwagon. That's bull, though. I call it like I see it, and what I've seen from this team recentlyj is not good. If Payton and Brees don't rediscover this team's offensive identiy, there will be no Super Bowl in the future for this team. And the fans deserve better than that.

Three of my nephews are in town at their grandparents, and the rest of Elizabeth's family is scheduled to join them on Thursday for New Year's. It's an annual tradition in the Granger household to have Christmas on New Year's Eve, build a fire, roast some weiners and 'mallows, and pop some firecrackers. Generally, it's tons of fun. We might even have some friends coming down to join us this year. However, I only hope that I'm healthy by then and up for the fun. We've also got a Christmas gathering on Saturday in West Monroe. This sickness needs to leave me alone!

Have you ever regifted?

2009-12-24T10:22:00.002-06:00

I'm working on a story today (Christmas Eve ... yes, I'm working ... ugh!) about regifting -- which is essentially the practice of recycling a gift you received but don't want by giving it to a friend, family member or co-worker. It's an interesting concept and made me wonder if anybody out there has ever regifted?

Not going to lie, there have been some gifts that I would have loved to give to someone else. And I have returned a couple that I simply didn't want. But I don't ever remember giving a gift I received to someone else. Have you?

The stats show it's a growing trend, and while there's been a stigma attached to the practice and people have kept it secret, it now apparently has become such a common practice that people are open and honest upfront that it's a regift. I just can't imagine telling a friend, "Hey, this is a gift I didn't want, and since I didn't care enough about you to actually go pick out something special for you, why don't you take this gift that I don't want?" Just seems shady to me.

What say you?

This was TOO much fun!

2009-12-22T17:52:00.003-06:00

http://sharing.theflip.com/session/2d255af9fb72bc14aae54ca4b9b416fb/video/8248344

Kori kept saying, "Bret, are you OK? Are you all right?" Too cute!

And, of course, Connor was Mr. Big Man and had to beat up Uncle Bret!

Eventually, Gran took Kori away and Connor got after me for another 10-15 minutes. I was exhausted!!!

Simply too tired

2009-12-20T22:32:00.002-06:00

Wrapping up the sixth and final day of my work week here at the good ole office, knowing I have to be back in here in about seven or eight hours (*sigh*), so forgive me if I don't really feel like going into too many details about this weekend.

Short story. It was a blast. Honestly, an absolute blast. I wrote a blog the other day about not having any stories to tell, but I have some stories from this weekend. Hopefully, I'll get (or make) a spare moment at some point this week to tell them.

Elizabeth and I went up to Shreveport-Bossier, as well as over to Ruston, first to visit my mom and my neice and nephew, and then over for the inaugural Friendsmas (of course, at the time of our arrival, we didn't know it was going to be "Friendsmas" but since it was so fun we've decided to make it an annual event).

Two of the funnest things in my life are a) weekend getaways and b) spending time with friends ... so when you combine the two, it's just the best of both worlds (and yes, I am singing the Hannah Montana theme song in my head ... and no, it's not lame that I know it!)

All right, I literally could write 5,000 words or more about this weekend, but I'll save them for another time. Goodnight, everyone, and merry Christmas!

Note to self

2009-12-17T21:41:00.004-06:00

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?

2009-12-16T21:19:00.002-06:00

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!

2009-12-15T22:09:00.002-06:00

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

2009-12-12T15:37:00.002-06:00

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

2009-12-10T09:05:00.002-06:00

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

2009-12-10T00:27:00.003-06:00

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

2009-12-08T21:25:00.002-06:00

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

2009-12-07T22:39:00.002-06:00

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.

Christmas tunes

2009-12-03T21:16:00.002-06:00

I have a confession to make --

I am craving ... Christmas music?

My lovely wife LOVES Christmas music. Loves it. I, on the other hand, normally can do without it. But I'm a good sport. Once Thanksgiving passes, I understand that means it's time for the holiday tunes.

Yet, I don't recall hearing ANY in the past week. What is up with that?

In my car, I'm banging my head to two of my favorite new bands, Parachute and Owl City. And I'm loving them.

But I'm missing the Christmas carols, too. Elizabeth, it's time!

Thankful

2009-11-26T21:40:00.003-06:00

It's almost 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. I must confess that I should be asleep. At 6:30, my eyes wouldn't stay open. I was stuffed. Turkey, dressing, corn casserole, green beans, lots and lots of rolls, and two helpings of peach crisp/cobbler (made with Splenda, of course). It was lights out.

Why then, nearly four hours later, am I wide awake? It just doesn't make sense! Watched a little college hoops, a little college football, after watching two NFL games earlier. It's a good day. Time for bed. After all, that 4 a.m. work shift of following around the crazies on Black Friday is going to come early! Yet, there's no blissful sleep here. Nope, just some blissful tunes as sung by Lady Antebellum.

So, I've decided to do a little soul writing. I love writing. I really do. If you check this blog often, it may not seem like it. But I write for a living. And I've discovered Twitter, which has become an all-consuming obsession of mine. Lots of writing ... in little spurts at a time. But it's not often that I do much soul writing. Have never been that great at journaling my thoughts and passions. And I've failed miserably at keeping this blog updated, mostly because I would prefer to keep my innermost thoughts inward.

However, I wanted to write tonight about what everyone writes about today -- the obligatory reasons why I'm thankful in my life.

It's no secret for people who know me that this past year hasn't exactly been easy. It's never easy losing a job, much less two of them. It's never easy living nearly seven hours away from the person you love the most on this earth for nearly six months. This year was perhaps the most difficult and trying one of my life. Yet, I have so many reasons to be thankful.

At this time last year, I had no clue what was right around the corner. It was only about two weeks later that I was laid off from my job at The Town Talk. It was a good thing that Elizabeth and I decided to have an early Christmas, or we wouldn't have had one. In fact, I spent Christmas seven hours away from my wife, miserable. I spent many miserable days and nights away from my wife and new puppy in New Braunfels, Texas -- miserable because we weren't together, yet hopeful for what our future would bring. I had a new job, and it looked like we were going to be starting a new chapter in our lives, in a new home, with a fresh start.

Unfortunately, things would only get worse before they got better. About six months after I moved to Texas, Elizabeth was finally able to join me, quitting her job at the paper that laid me off and embarking her way into Texas with a new job at the paper I was working at. Only that lasted just two weeks before we both lost our jobs, thanks to an insane publisher and my big mouth for having the gall to stand up for what was right instead of being a yes-man.

So, instead of being unemployed while my wife worked, we were both unemployed, at my own hand -- you want to talk about the worst feeling ever? How about talking your wife into quitting her job, and then being the reason she's fired at her new one? I think I reached a new low, a new brokenness, that fortunately helped bring us closer together than we've ever been. Adversity is a very funny thing. It can bring you closer together or push you farther apart. Elizabeth and I have seen our fair share of adversity, and thankfully we usually come out better off on the other end.

I say all of this just to lead up to the part of thankfulness. In June, I was about as long as I could get. I was never suicidal, but I certainly was depressed. I couldn't understand how I could have allowed myself to get into that position, and I hated myself for causing so much pain for my wife. All I've ever wanted was to be able to take care of her, and there I sat, unemployed for the second time in seven months with seemingly no options in sight.

It was a tough 2 months as I struggled to find out what the next step was. Did we stay in Alexandria? Did we look to move again? How do you know what's the right thing to do? Even when you think you're listening for God's voice, is it really His, or just what you want to hear?

Now to the thankful part -- we're better off right now that we were at this point last year. Elizabeth was able to land a great job at a credit union, and she's already been promoted. She's blown them away, and we've gotten over the initial disappointment that she wasn't able to get her job back at the paper. She has responsibility, is able to use her degree and has some great hours.

Meanwhile, I'm back where I was a year ago, even if in a different role. I'm back at the paper in Alexandria, working in city government, rather than in sports. But while sports is my passion, my current job definitely has its own positives. Much better hours. A regular schedule, rather than the "Vampire" one we lived for the previous two years. And I don't have nearly as much responsibility. Instead of being an editor at the bottom of the totem pole, I'm a writer whose responsibility is simply to do his job and not worry about the other stuff. I'm very thankful, not only to have a job after losing two other ones, but to have a job that I'm pretty good at and really enjoy, even if it has its frustrating moments.

I'm thankful that my wife and I are back together, and we have a great puppy that we love very much. That Christmas last year that we had early, well, I got a beagle mix puppy named Sandy who is now 15 months old and one of the sweetest things ever. And Elizabeth still gets to use the new stove that I bought her for Christmas, when we both thought she would lose that when we sold our house. I love my family. I'm thankful for my wife. I'm thankful that I get to come home to her, even if it's late at night because I'm off officiating a basketball game, or I have to cover a late city council meeting. I'm thankful that she's here when I get home and that she loves me.

I'm thankful for my parents, who I still do not see nearly enough or call enough on the phone. I'm thankful that they care about me, they care enough to overlook my obvious faults as a son and continue to love me unconditionally. I'm thankful for my in-laws, who are always there for me, whether it's to provide a meal, just to hang out and watch football or bull riding, to puppy-sit, or to help with one of the minor or major projects around the house. I'm thanking for my brother and my brothers-in-law and their families, my nephews and nieces, who may have more energy than I can sustain, but who also make me smile with wonder at how quickly life changes.

I'm thankful for my friends, who I get to see more often now that Elizabeth and I have normal work schedules and no longer are vampires. Whether it's a spontaneous trip up for pizza, or a planned weekend, I'm grateful that I have tremendous friends who love and care for me. I'm grateful that I can pick up a phone, place a call or send a text, and know that whether it's a joke or a serious question, they're there for me. I've never needed hundreds of friends to make me happy, but I've always held my few friends close to my heart. I hope you guys know that I'm always here, and I'm glad you're always there for me.

There's so much more that I'm thankful for that I cannot even begin to mention everything. But to sum things up, I'm thankful for today and hopeful for tomorrow. None of us know what it will bring, but after a year of struggles, I'm more hopeful today than I've ever been. I've seen things begin to turn around, and I truly believe there are only better things coming in the future.

Happy Thanksgiving Day! I have a lot to be thankful for!

thinking a lot, but not out loud

2009-10-18T22:40:00.002-05:00

So I've been thinking a lot lately. Not about anything in particular, except for football, which seems to dominate my weekends, much to my lovely wife's chagrin. Those of you reading know that I am currently writing for a living, and usually when I have a heavy writing load at work, I don't do much writing during my free time. Can't explain it. I enjoy writing, but it always feels like I'm bringing work home, which is a no-no.

But I've been thinking. Not aloud, just in my head. Elizabeth would love for me to think out loud -- well, out loud about anything but sports. I'm a pretty boring person to be around, especially if you're not big on sports. Which she's not, anymore. But she has been a trooper during Saints games. And she's actually pretty smart about it.

Anyway, enough rambling. One of the things I've been thinking about inside my head is poetry. I've been wanting to write. I enjoy it, though it's hit and miss. Sometimes, it's really easy and the words flow out. Other times, they just don't come. Here's hoping they come.

Crisp, cool, getting a little chilly
It's that time of year again
Summer's heat leaves and fall arrives
Makes me happy, giddy, silly

Autumn might be my favorite season
At least it is in October and November
Other times, it's spring or summer or winter
I can change my mind for no reason

Life is good, I must confess
Could complain, but I won't
Cuz nobody wants to hear it
Stay positive and don't digress

Seasons come and seasons go
Either sit back and watch
Or get actively involved
And go against the flow

Fall's here, make the most
Of each and every passing day
Do everything to the fullest
But do not brag or boast

Life is good, I must confess
Could complain, but I won't
Cuz nobody wants to hear it
Stay positive and don't digress

Sad times

2009-08-28T22:22:00.002-05:00

I haven't written in a while. That normally happens when I have a job where I write all the time. Which is now.

But I've got something to say, even if it's brief.

I went to the visitation tonight of a co-worker's daughter. She was 3 months old when she died suddenly on Tuesday. When I saw him tonight, it just about broke my heart. Seeing that beautiful little girl lying lifeless did break my heart.

We never know why things like this happen. I'm sure my co-worker and his wife are searching their hearts as to why this lovable little girl was only here for 3 months. I told him to cherish those 3 months. They are better than zero months.

Tonight once again reiterated that life is so precious. You can be perfectly fine one day and gone the next, like this little one who was taken from us far too soon. It once again reminded me that I take every day for granted far too much, that I don't talk to my friends and family nearly enough, and that I honestly and truly do not live life to the fullest. Will I change? Probably not. But it's nights like these that make me want to.

For those of you reading, thank you. I love you and think of you often, even when you don't hear from me for weeks and months at a time. I'm sorry. I will try harder. I say that all the time. I mean it tonight.

To every thing there is a season

2009-07-28T14:04:00.002-05:00

Confession time. I've never been even what I would describe as "mediocre" when it comes to reading scripture and memorizing verses. I remember battling myself during my high school days to maintain a structured "quiet time." I remember losing that battle over and over again. These days, I'll admit, I don't even try much anymore. I wouldn't even describe my scripture readings as "sporadic." More like non-existent.

However, I have been reminded of Ecclesiastes 3 lately. Elizabeth and I have been going through a season that could be described a number of ways -- trying, frustrating, neverending -- and none of them good. It has certainly been a time of weeping and mourning, not laughing and dancing.

That appears to be changing, though. Things are looking up. I can't say that the past 8 months have been easy or have gone the way I would have planned them. I never wanted to lose my job last December. I didn't want to be separated from my wife, seven hours apart, for nearly six months while I worked in Texas and she remained in Central Louisiana. I certainly didn't want to lose another job, just two weeks after getting Elizabeth a job in Texas, and at the same time be the reason she also lost her job. So we ended up back in Central Louisiana, where this journey started, except that we both were unemployed.

For the past six weeks, I have put out a number of feelers for jobs, while at the same time waiting on a job that I thought would be the perfect fit for me, and would allow me to come back home to north Louisiana. Needless to say, after waiting around and biding my time, then coming tantalizing close to getting said job, it was yanked away and I was starting all over again.

I can say that I have learned a thing or two during this trying period. The biggest lesson I've learned is that it's OK to keep my big mouth shut sometimes. That mouth isn't what originally caused this mess, as it had nothing to do with my original layoff, but it did cause a bit of controversy afterward -- it's the reason we lost our jobs in Texas, and presumably the reason I didn't get the Monroe job (although that was over something that was truly silly). I have opinions. I share those opinions. I don't care what you think of those opinions. Don't like 'em? That's fine with me. It doesn't bother me. Apparently, though, some people aren't like me. They do care if my opinion is different from theirs. So I'll keep that opinion to myself more often from now on.

After losing out on the latest potential job last week, something strange happened. My old employer, the one that laid me off last December and started this interesting journey, contacted me to see if I would be interested in returning to work -- although in a totally different capacity. I said, sure. I need a job. And there are some definite plusses to this new gig, although I will admit a tinge of regret about not being able to come home to north Louisiana, where the majority -- who am I kidding? -- all of my friends live (besides my lovely wife). But I am just ecstatic to have a job again.

It's interesting how your priorities change during a time of crisis. I used to have big dreams about going places in the journalism world. I wanted to conquer it. I wanted to be the best. I was headed to ESPN. Now, I'm just grateful to have another chance. I'm just thankful to be able to have another opportunity to provide for my family -- to try to give my wife a little stability once again.

Yes, it was a tough season. There was mourning. There was weeping. There was loss. Hopefully, though, we're entering a much better season. No more mourning, weeping and loss. Instead, that will be replaced with healing, laughing and love. After all, with what we've experienced over the past eight months, it has to get better. I have faith and hope that God has something great in store for us this season.

Confessions

2009-04-05T01:36:00.003-05:00

So I've been requested to make a few confessions, even though I don't have seven blogs that I read to share with you. I copied this from a friend, and my confessions are similar to hers. Here goes:

1) I must be one of the few people who actually enjoys the smell of Fritos. And the taste is even better!

2) Fritos are good. Funyons are better. In fact, Funyons are the best!

3) I've always had horrible hair. It's straight as a board with about a bajillion cowlicks. Bad, bad stuff!

4) I've had a few bad habits over the years. When you're a kid, those habits can be cute. Well, I would suck the middle and ring fingers on my right hand and carry my "piddow" around with me everywhere. It was so bad that my mom had to lie to me and say my "piddow" was torn up in the washing machine, so she could hide it from me! I also continued to suck my fingers into junior high before stopping because of braces.

5) I like to say I'm not scared of anything. But that's not the truth. Snakes, roaches, spooky noises late at night, and horror movies are a few things that FREAK ... ME ... OUT!

6) I love food. Seriously. I plan my days around meals. I plan trips around meals. Unfortunately, at 27, all that eating is really starting to catch up with me.

7) I've had a few celebrity crushes over the years. Natalie Portman back when I first started college, not so much these days. Lauren Conrad when Laguna Beach and the Hills first came out, not so much these days. I'm not sure I have a celebrity crush at the moment. Maybe Allison Mack, who plays Chloe on Smallville. Yeah, we'll go with her.

8) If I don't start watching a TV show from the get-go, I can't get into it usually. And I feel like I've missed some good shows over the years. Lost, The Office, 30 Rock are a few that come to mind.

9) I think Tom Cruise is insane. If I met him, he might be the nicest person in the world, and I'd probably walk away thinking, "That's a really nice, insane man."

10) I tried to be a pretty good kid in high school. No drugs, no alcohol, no sex. Besides a few -- OK, more than a few -- speeding tickets, I didn't get in any trouble (although I had community service TWICE because of my penchant for putting the pedal to the metal). I did rebel one time in high school, though, as I smoked my first cigarette in the passenger seat of Kyle Roberts' car. It was disgusting. Wasn't for me. But I thought I was cool in that moment. Little did I know that that moment of rebellion would actually help plant a seed that would eventually lead to one of the best friendships I've ever had. Krob and I have had an interesting journey since 1999!

It's just not the same

2009-04-01T23:55:00.002-05:00

I had one of the most wonderful experiences of my life this past week. The old saying is it's the little things that matter and bring the most joy. Well, that was the case this past week during "Bring Your Wife to Work Week."

Living seven hours away from my wife, and only getting to see her on a two-day weekend trip (whether it's her coming to Texas or me going back to Louisiana) has been tough. Which is why last week was so great.

Elizabeth was forced to take a week of furlough, which is essentially unpaid vacation, so she planned to come out to New Braunfels from Wednesday through Sunday. She had one job-related situation set up, but other than that had a pretty clear calendar. So we played a game. The bring-your-wife-to-work game. It was so much fun!

My boss was out on vacation, and we lost an employee early in the week. So, pretty much, things were crazy around the office. I had to put in a few more hours than a normal week, which didn't really leave a lot of time for Elizabeth and I to do a whole lot. So we hung out at the office. It was great for me to look over at the next desk and see her on the laptop or reading. Just having her next to me was awesome.

We made time to do some fun things. We ate well. Went to San Antonio and had lunch with an old friend. Went to the mall. Ate some more (if you come visit, there's a booth at Montana Mike's with your name on it!). And hung out. It was great. Simple, but fun.

It was made even greater when Elizabeth got a call from a prospective employer to see if she could interview on Tuesday, so we got to extend the trip a couple of days and have more Bring Your Wife to Work days! But today, coming back to this office without having her in the next desk was just sad. I got spoiled. It just wasn't the same without her.

We're hopeful that something will come through with a job for her and also selling the house. We are ready to settle into our new lives here in New Bruanfels. And have more Bring Your Wife to Work days!!!

Man, what a day

2009-03-15T23:21:00.002-05:00

I love football. College football is amazing, and I'm glued to the TV every Saturday. I follow the NFL pretty closely, both for fantasy and entertainment reasons. And come playoff time, I'm riveted. But nothing in my mind compares to college basketball. The Super Bowl is nice, but give me March Madness (and the first weekend in April) every single year.

Today was Selection Sunday, which is the unofficial beginning of the greatest three weeks of the year -- the NCAA basketball tournament. I'm not going to lie. I was a little disappointed with the pairings. There are a lot of games that just don't excite me, particularly in the 4-13, 5-12 and 6-11 matchups where you normally find some big-time upsets in the first round. Of course, this tournament appears to be devoid of your traditional Cinderella teams. That happens when non-major conferences get only four of the 34 available at-large bids. I just don't get it. Part of what makes this tournament so exciting is rooting for the underdog. But there aren't that many true underdogs because so few were let into the tournament. Honestly, who besides Arizona grads would rather see the Wildcats over St. Mary's or Creighton? Anyway, enough of my complaining. I'm sure the tournament will still be riveting, and while I'm disappointing today, when the first round begins on Thursday, I'll be completely compelled to watch.

I was put in charge of running the office pool this season, and since we run a small operation here in New Braunfels, there are only eight of us participating. But that won't make it any less exciting and competitive. Plus, I'm still in The Town Talk's league. Of course, not that these office pools mean anything, because I inevitably end up near the bottom of the pack, behind people who have no business out-picking me in an NCAA tournament pool.

Now that you've been forewarned about my lack of picking prowess, I urge you not to copy the following picks. They're not made with much enthusiasm, as I'm just not that good at this stuff.

First Round

Midwest Region
No. 1 Louisville over No. 16 Morehead State (which will beat Alabama State in the play-in game)
No. 9 Siena over No. 8 Ohio State
No. 5 Utah over No. 12 Arizona (which has no business being in this tournament!)
No. 4 Wake Forest over No. 13 Cleveland State
No. 6 West Virginia over No. 11 Dayton (in a near upset)
No. 3 Kansas over No. 14 North Dakota State (which is no Bucknell)
No. 10 USC over No. 7 Boston College (Tyrese Rice meet Marcus Simmons)
No. 2 Michigan State over No. 15 Robert Morris

West Region
No. 1 Connecticut over No. 16 Chattanooga
No. 9 Texas A&M over No. 8 BYU
No. 5 Purdue over No. 12 Northern Iowa (in a squeaker)
No. 4 Washington over No. 13 Mississippi State
No. 11 Utah State over No. 6 Marquette (which misses Dominic James)
No. 3 Missouri over No. 14 Cornell
No. 10 Maryland over No. 7 California
No. 2 Memphis over No. 15 Cal State Northridge

East Region
No. 1 Pittsburgh over No. 16 East Tennessee State
No. 8 Oklahoma State over No. 9 Tennessee
No. 5 Florida State over No. 12 Wisconsin (another team that doesn't belong here)
No. 4 Xavier over No. 13 Portland State
No. 6 UCLA over No. 11 VCU (I went back and forth on this one ... basically a coin flip)
No. 3 Villanova over No. 14 American (how can you not root for a university named American? it's un-American!)
No. 7 Texas over No. 10 Minnesota
No. 2 Duke over No. 15 Binghamton

South Region
No. 1 North Carolina over No. 16 Radford
No. 9 Butler over No. 8 LSU (making the SEC 0-for-3)
No. 12 Western Kentucky over No. 5 Illinois (everyone's upset special)
No. 4 Gonzaga over No. 13 Akron
No. 6 Arizona State over No. 11 Temple
No. 3 Syracuse over No. 14 Stephen F. Austin (much closer than most think)
No. 10 Michigan over No. 7 Clemson
No. 2 Oklahoma over No. 15 Morgan State

Second Round

Midwest Region

No. 1 Louisville over No. 9 Siena

No. 4 Wake Forest over No. 5 Utah

No. 6 West Virginia over No. 3 Kansas (sorry defending champs, not enough experience)

No. 2 Michigan State over No. 10 USC (nice knowing you, Demar Derozan)

West Region

No. 1 Connecticut over No. 9 Texas A&M

No. 5 Purdue over No. 4 Washington

No. 3 Missouri over No. 11 Utah State (too much athleticism)

No. 2 Memphis over No. 10 Maryland

East Region

No. 1 Pittsburgh over No. 8 Oklahoma State

No. 5 Florida State over No. 4 Xavier

No. 3 Villanova over No. 6 UCLA (no fourth straight Final Four for the Bruins)

No. 2 Duke over No. 7 Texas

South Region

No. 1 North Carolina over No. 9 Butler (which didn't do it this time)

No. 4 Gonzaga over No. 12 Western Kentucky (in overtime)

No. 6 Arizona State over No. 3 Syracuse (which runs out of gas after the Big East tourney)

No. 2 Oklahoma over No. 10 Michigan

Sweet Sixteen

Midwest Region

No. 4 Wake Forest over No. 1 Louisville (which is the first No. 1 seed gone)

No. 2 Michigan State over No. 6 West Virginia

West Region

No. 1 Connecticut over No. 5 Purdue

No. 3 Missouri over No. 2 Memphis (in the best game of the entire tournament)

East Region

No. 1 Pittsburgh over No. 5 Florida State

No. 2 Duke over No. 3 Villanova

Elite Eight

Midwest Region

No. 4 Wake Forest over No. 2 Michigan State

West Region

No. 3 Missouri over No. 1 Connecticut (which is vulnerable because of injuries)

East Region

No. 1 Pittsburgh over No. 2 Duke (Dejuan Blair dominates the Dukies)

South Region

No. 2 Oklahoma over No. 1 North Carolina (Blake Griffin goes off against Tyler Hansbrough)

Final Four

No. 4 Wake Forest over No. 3 Missouri

No. 2 Oklahoma over No. 1 Pittsburgh

No. 2 Oklahoma over No. 4 Wake Forest

Blake Griffin puts the Sooners on his shoulders and carries them to the national title before leaving to become the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

My 100th post, and hopefully a memorable one

2009-03-01T03:13:00.000-06:00

I’ve been sitting here, getting lost in a new artist, and contemplating the fact that I’ve been away from my family for 10 weeks now. Ten weeks of my wife’s and my pup’s lives that I’ll never get back. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea — I’m not complaining about my situation. Plenty of people have it worse than I do. But I’ve come to appreciate the little things, like being able to sit and talk with my wife, or being able to watch my puppy go from a tiny little thing to a bonafide mini-beast.

Honestly, it’s March 1, 2009. I started work here on Dec. 16, 2008. Because I’ve been working so hard, it really hasn’t seemed that long. It’s seemed like a blur. But the days I have off, the time that I have to myself, my mind always drifts back to Alexandria and I get depressingly sad and alone that I am not with my family.

So, tonight, I felt compelled to write — not a love song to my wife, but just an honest take on my current situation. I have no idea what’s going to flow out of my heart and mind, but I do know it will be true and it will be real. It might even be shocking. I hope you enjoy.

Where’s it all gone — the days, the hours, the minutes?
It’s all a blur, happening so fast and passing me by
A week here, a month there, gone just like a flash
Like a lightning bolt that lights up the night sky

The sun rises, the sun sets and on and on it goes
Just as when it was all set in motion years ago
Oh, how I long for those days of innocence and youth
When it all seemed to pass by and drag on so slow

Sometimes, I think I forgot what it’s like to feel
What it’s like to hurt, to miss, to desire, to cry
The emotions of yesteryear that I’d lost along the way
Well up within my soul and are no longer dry

I look around at all the many beautiful sights
Surrounding me here in this newfound place
But all this splendor simply pales in comparison
To home sweet home and her beautiful face

Seventy-seven days, they come they go
Can’t get ‘em back, even though I try
Seventy-seven days, forever in the past
Blow them away and say goodbye

Plenty’s been written about peace and about joy
Find them in all seasons, through everything
Another cliché, it’s easier said than done
But again, I know, it’s all in God’s timing

I’m so far from perfect, that much I can admit
Struggles arise and sometimes the sins win
That’s the wonderful thing about grace, though
We’re allowed to move on, start over and grin

It’s not easy; in fact, it’s tougher every day
No joke, the ache grows within me more and more
I miss you, I want you, I need you, gotta have you
The great thing is that’s what He has in store

Life will eventually get back to normal
And return to the way it once was in the past
We’ll be together again, a family once again
It will be sweeter, and we’ll enjoy as it lasts

Seventy-seven days, when will they end?
I surely don’t want seventy-seven more
Seventy-seven days, not in my control
I will endure, with my knees on the floor

Sending my love

2009-02-26T00:49:00.002-06:00

I know it may sound cliche
But baby I've got to say
I can't help but love the way
You light up my life every day

I know it may sound trite
Try as I may and I might
Can't get you out of my sight
Your eyes are like sparkling lights

These rhymes are pouring out
Like water out of a spout
They're true without a doubt
You're all I can think about

Just wish you were next to me
Out in the park under a tree
Beautiful sky as far as we can see
That's as happy as I could be

I miss you more each hour
Won't let that get me sour
You're prettier than any flower
We'll survive with God's power

In the words of the Sandy-pup
I love you and can't shut up
It runneth over my cup
Baby you know that's what's up

It's time for this poem to end
Not before your wishes I'll tend
Together again around the bend
Until then, my love I send

Tears of joy at last!

2009-02-24T03:17:00.003-06:00

It's caused my wife great consternation over the past several years that I have developed somewhat of a writer's block when it comes to poetry. In junior high and high school and into my early years of college, I would write poetry. Some of it was pretty good, some of it wasn't, but I was able to put my thoughts and feelings onto paper in the form of verse.

However, about the time I started studying journalism, and by proxy doing more prose writing, the poetry seemed to stop. Now, as Elizabeth and I started dating, eventually became engaged and then got married, this didn't sit too well with her because, well frankly, she wanted some poems written about her.

I've written a few things, but nothing I was really proud of. Tonight, however, that changed. I've been sitting in my room for the past few hours, listening to music. As I was listening to a good friend of mine, Grant Terry, I was inspired to try to write a few verses. And it just flowed out.

So here's my love poem to my wife:

Love Poem

Sitting here alone so far away
From you, the world, everything
I have words in my head, my heart
Just wish I had the voice to sing
A love song just for you
From my lips to your ears
So soft, gentle and sweet
To bring your heart to tears

Baby, I know it’s all so frustrating
The separation, the tough times we face
Just please know that I love you
And wish your fears I could erase
All I’ve ever wanted was to please you
To give you all your hopes and dreams
Know it’s all going to work out in the end
No matter how tough right now it seems

This is my love poem to you, baby
If I were blessed with the gift of song
I’d wrap it in the form of a lullaby
I can’t, but the meaning is just as strong

There may be more than a few hours
Between where you and I now sleep
But please, if I can only ask
Don’t let these times make you weep
Because in the end, we both know
The tough times can only bring
The two of us closer together
It’s just temporary, nothing but a thing

Nothing can change the way I feel
And girl I hope you know that I do
Feel more strongly than I ever have
My love for you is pure and true
Oh, how I wish that you were here
Lying next to me, together at last
I know that day will come soon
Wish I could make it happen oh so fast

This is my love poem to you, baby
If I were blessed with the gift of song
I’d wrap it in the form of a lullaby
I can’t, but the meaning is just as strong

This is my love poem to you, baby
If I were blessed with the gift of song
I’d wrap it in the form of a lullaby
I can’t, but the meaning is just as strong

All Around Me

2009-02-24T00:33:00.002-06:00

I can feel you all around me
Thickening the air I'm breathing
Holding onto what I'm feeling
Savoring this heart that's healing

Those are just part of the lyrics from one of the greatest songs out there right now, at least in my opinion, All Around Me by Flyleaf. I just wish they applied to me.

Many of you know my spiritual journey. Grew up in church. Knew God. Baptized as a child. Saved while in high school. Rebaptized. Continued to go to church. Spent many a night praising the Lord while in college. Servant in the youth group at my previous church when things fell apart.

I got caught up in something pretty bad, trusted people who ended up straying from the path and got burned. It hurt me badly. Really badly. And my walk hasn't been the same.

One of the things I was so looking forward to moving to New Braunfels was getting back in church. I've found a good church that Elizabeth and I have visited a couple of times when she's in town. There's a group of young married people that I'm hoping we'll get hooked with once we get settled here. It's been nice to be back in church worshipping the Lord.

But I'll be honest. It's very hard to find joy in our current situation. I know all of the right things to say. I know the church answers. It's not my timing. It's the Lord's. This time apart will bring us closer in the end. There's a reason for this to happen. God works everything for the good. He won't put more on us than we can handle. Sometimes it feels like those things are just lip service. Sometimes it's hard to actually believe them.

I'll admit, this weekend was tough. Elizabeth had an opportunity we were very hopeful about. But the money's not right. We just can't make it work. Who knows, it still may work out, but it's tough. And once again, we feel like we're starting over, trying from scratch to find a job, while waiting on someone, anyone, to want to buy our house. Each passing day that we're apart, that our family is separated, gets harder and harder.

It's during these times that I should draw closer to God. It's during these times that the Scripture should speak to me and give me strength and hope for a brighter day tomorrow. I'm not going to lie, though, it's been awhile since I've felt Him all around me, since I've felt "fully alive" to quote another Flyleaf song.

It felt great to be in worship Sunday night, singing praise to the Lord. Having Elizabeth by my side in the House of the Lord was amazing. Things felt right. Unfortunately, it didn't last. It was fleeting. She had to go home, with both of us searching and wondering when this separation is going to end.

Those of you who have been praying for us, I sincerely thank you and ask that you continue the good work. Sometimes, it's very trying to keep the faith. But it hasn't wavered. I know everything will work out in its own time. It doesn't mean it's not hard. At times, it's very hard. I'm so glad I have wonderful friends and family to help me during this time. I can't tell you how much you mean to me. Thank you.

A new blog (such a creative title)

2009-02-22T03:18:00.004-06:00

At the risk of sounding cryptic, which I don't want to be, please keep us in your prayers this weekend. There's a good opportunity that we're hopeful about, but I don't want to count any chickens before they hatch. More info will come at a later time.

So while most of my friends are thinking about a party coming up next week, I'm thinking about a party coming up in a couple of weeks.

The big 2-7. Let's P-A-R-T-Y! I'll be the first to admit that I've never been all that big on the whole birthday. Give me a little bit of money (thanks Mom and Dad!) and say happy birthday. Yay, now let's move on. However, my wife is a big birthday celebrator, so I've started to come around to this whole celebration.

And strangely enough, while most people put less emphasis on their birthday as they get older, it appears I'm backward and am placing more on it each calendar year. So on March 8, I'll be turning 27. There's nothing monumental about it. It's not 18. It's not 21. It's not 25. Not that those days were very monumental to me any way.

But just like this New Year was a unique one for me, so is this birthday. It's the first one on the newest chapter of my life, the first one I've ever spent outside of Louisiana (you know, besides that actual "birth" birthday) and one where I can really sit back and reflect on everything that has happened since I turned 26.

It's been a strange couple of months, honestly. A tough, trying time for obvious reasons. So I'm ready to party. I'm going to enjoy this birthday. And it looks like it has the makings of a really good party, with family and friends from all over converging on Pineville for a combo birthday bash/annual Granger crawfish boil

I can't tell you how excited I am about this. There are faces I haven't seen in awhile that I'm ready to see again, and honestly, I'm not sure how many more times I'll get everybody together like this. Sure, there will be holidays. But not everybody will be together. That's why I'm so excited for this one.

If you can make it, I want you there. Friends, family, everybody. Let's have a big party for the big 2-7!!!

A movie review

2009-02-17T00:41:00.003-06:00

Preface: I am not a movie critic. I do not watch movies the way critics watch them. I'm very simple. A movie should have one goal -- to entertain. That is what I hope to get from movies.

I stepped foot in a movie theater for the first time in a while tonight. Just to set the scene: the last time I actually went to the theater was to see The Dark Knight, which was amazing, by the way. When I was in high school and college, you could just about find me at the theater once a week. I loved going to movies. I still enjoy movies. It's just with working all the time, it's hard to find the time to go to the theater. Then, there's the costs involved with purchasing two tickets and then the inevitable popcorn and coke that I must have, much to Elizabeth's chagrin. I just feel it's so much easier to wait and watch once it comes out on DVD.

But tonight I wanted to go to the movie. I haven't done much since moving to New Braunfels, first of all because I was working six days a week, and then recently I've been with Elizabeth on my days off. This weekend I didn't go back to Alexandria, and Elizabeth didn't come out here, which meant I actually had a Monday off with nothing to do. So I killed some time by going to a mall to do some browsing (it's not "shopping" if you don't buy), and then went to watch a movie.

Honestly, I didn't even have a clue what was out there. Like I said before, it's been awhile. While I was in line, I called Elizabeth and asked her about Taken. All she had to say was, "It's the movie with Sean Penn ..." OK, so another choice. My caveat with Elizabeth was I wouldn't go see a movie that I thought she and I would enjoy watching together. So out goes Underworld: Rise of the Lichens, because we saw the first two Underworld flicks together. Also, since I think we'd enjoy He's Just Not That Into You, I wasn't going to see that one. I narrowed my list down to Paul Blart: Mall Cop, a light-hearted comedy that I thought would probably make me laugh a bit but ultimately would leave me unfulfilled in the entertainment department, and The Wrestler, the critically-acclaimed masterpiece that I felt might not be entertaining enough for me because, well frankly, I usually don't agree with the critics.

But I chose The Wrestler, simply because I wanted to see Mickey Rourke's performance that I'd heard so much about. I'm not disappointed, but it certainly wasn't the greatest movie I've ever seen.

First of all, I thought Rourke did a fantastic job as Robin Ramzinski, aka Randy "The Ram" Robinson, an old washed-up wrestling star from the '80s who can't seem to give up his past glories. As an old wrestling fan, I can appreciate the subtle behind-the-scenes wrestling aspects of the movie.

Take The Ram's real name. Robin Ramzinski. There are plenty of wrestlers whose ring names are so far away from their unglamourous real names, or in the case of Randy in this movie, are a play off an aspect of their real names (The Ram = Ramzinski, Robin = Robinson). In the technical aspects of the wrestling industry, this movie was spot on. I rather enjoyed it.

And the storytelling was great. It followed the ups and downs of a real man who lost everything in the pursuit of hanging on to the past. The Ram falls in love with a stripper, played by Marisa Tomei, as the two of the them fight with giving up their current plights (wrestling and stripping) and being together. Without giving away the ending, I will say I was very disappointed with how the movie ended on several platforms. However, it didn't take away from how I rated the movie. I mean, it didn't ruin it. I would still recommend seeing it.

I guess my only real complaint about the movie -- aside from the stripping scenes (if nudity bothers you, do not go see this movie) -- is just how slowly it went. The Wrestler is a two-hour movie that feels like a three-hour movie. But it's still entertaining. And in a way that slow, deliberate pace fits with the theme of the movie. Since The Ram is a beatdown old wrestler who doesn't move as well as in his prime, the wrestling scenes are a little slower, the action isn't quite there, and quite frankly, his life really just isn't that exciting, and the slow pace of the movie bears that out.

Again, I'm no movie critic. Because the critics loved this movie. While I didn't love it, it was better than average. On a scale of five stars, I give it a 3.5.

It's a small world after all

2009-01-13T00:31:00.003-06:00

So apparently I do know somebody in New Braunfels after all.

Strange.

This really is an amazing story.

So I recently added an old buddy from middle school on Facebook. I remember him being a great guy. But unfortunately, we went our separate ways. I went moved to Ruston in seventh grade. I believe — my memory has never been good — that he moved shortly before I did (to Arkansas, maybe? that's where he ended up).

Anyway, so I get on to check his Facebook page, because I wanted to send him a message. And I'm scanning through his page and see on his wall a message from another friend from middle school (I lived in Bossier City at the time).

The message read, "We're in New Braunfels, TX"

Well, crap. That's just crazy. But not the craziest.

Let's backtrack a few hours. Earlier tonight I covered a basketball game for the first time since before I was laid off at The Town Talk. The New Braunfels High School girls team had a guard who had this wild, curly fire red hair. You know, the type of hair that really stands out and that you remember. So I thought to myself, "That girl reminds me of Ginger Lowdermilk."

OK, so you guys don't know who Ginger is. (Preface: This was a looong time ago, Elizabeth. I love you!) Ginger was this girl from middle school that I had a major, major crush on. She had wild, crazy red hair and she played tennis. She ended up being one of the better players in the state. That's about all I remember about her, really. Well, besides the fact that her older sister tried to hook us up for a school dance one time. That failed. I was so shy and scared at the time, and I really just didn't succeed at the whole dating thing. Anyway, had a crush on Ginger. Still remember her to do this day.

Jump back to present time. I get on the friend in New Braunfels' Facebook page, and it says, "Married to Ginger Lowdermilk Angel." How frickin' crazy is that? Is that not crazy? I literally haven't thought about Ginger in a couple of years. Jason either. Not since I was following his little brother's baseball career a few years back. And of all the nights I'm reminded of her, I find out she lives here. And she's married to Jason Angel, another old friend. That's just crazy. To me, at least.

Ahh, fun times. I sent Jason a friend request and message. Hopefully, I'll get to hook up with them some time soon!

I'm so sick of the BCS ...

2009-01-11T16:14:00.002-06:00

that I wrote a column about it.

Who would win a playoff? Probably Florida. Or USC. Or Oklahoma. Or Utah. Heck, if you look at the NFL playoffs (the three top seeds have lost so far today, and Pittsburgh is tied with San Diego as I type), you just never know what will happen. It's time for March Madness, football style.

I have six days remaining in this apartment. What am I going to do? Good question. I'm exploring my options.

I tried to wash dishes a couple of days ago, and the dang dishwasher doesn't work. Pretty ironic, considering we don't have a dishwasher at our house and I've been doing it by hand for the past nearly three years. I'm cursed!

Things are crazy at work. We're minus two editors (sports and features), so Sean and I have been pulling double and triple duty. I'm very much ready to have a full staff!

I'm hoping to make a trip home next weekend. I miss my wife, and my pup, who I'm sure I won't recognize because I'm told she's getting so big!

Prayer request: We think someone's interested in our house. Please pray they'll make the right decision -- by buying ours!

If you're interested in what I'm doing, check out the Herald-Zeitung's Web site. Every day, we post a PDF of the front page layout, which is one of my main responsibilities.

blah

2009-01-01T21:54:00.002-06:00

Well, it's been quite awhile since I've written a blog. Just haven't been in the mood. Have had things to say, just lacked the motivation to actually write them down. Still do, actually.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm in New Braunfels now and have been for about the past two weeks. Things are going well with work, but they'll be much better once Elizabeth gets a job out here and we sell our house in Alexandria. Then we can get settled in New Braunfels and move on with our life.

For those of you who don't know, I was laid off at The Town Talk because of Gannett cutbacks and now work at the Herald-Zeitung in New Braunfels as the news editor, which basically means I edit copy and lay out pages. No sports, but it's not bad.

I'm living in a one-bedroom apartment for the next couple of weeks and then ... I don't know. Hopefully, we'll get the house sold and Elizabeth and I can rent a house in New Braunfels. If not, well we'll just cross that bridge when we get there.

That's about all I have for now. I'll be posting some pics later from Christmas and New Braunfels on Facebook and/or Myspace.

Over and out

2008-12-17T22:43:00.003-06:00

I'm leaving in the morning for Texas. After losing my job at The Town Talk a couple of weeks ago, I accepted a job as news editor of The Herald-Zeitung, the community newspaper in New Braunfels, Texas. Today was my last official day as a resident of Alexandria.

My job begins on Friday, while Elizabeth stays behind in Alexandria to pack up the rest of the house as we try to sell it. Hopefully, it won't take that long to happen.

On one hand, it sucks. We didn't want to move, and I certainly don't want to be away from my wife, alone, eight hours away. On the other hand, I'm excited about the newest chapter in our life, as we get a chance to start over in a new home.

Adios, Cenla. Goodbye, Alex. We had some good times and bad times. I have the memories, whether I want them or not. Just be good to my wife over the next few weeks or months. And please, please send her home to me quickly!

checking in quickly ... at 2:50 a.m.

2008-11-12T02:48:00.003-06:00

So, to catch up some folks who might have missed it, there's a new member of the family now. Sandy, or as we've started referring to her, Sandy-girl. She's a precious 10-week-old beagle mix that I picked out for Christmas (hey, we celebrate it early around these parts!) from the animal shelter.

Every week, or month -- I don't know because I don't actually read the paper (shhh!) -- we run photos of cute puppies and kitties that need a good home. Well, last week there were a couple that Elizabeth and I just thought were precious, particularly a beagle mix named Tinkerbell. However, when I went to pick out the puppy, Tink's sis, Sandy, was this lovable little creature that had to come home with me.

Well, it's been nearly a week now, and man, what a blast! Last night, she actually slept through the night and didn't wake me up until 7 a.m. (and for those of you who know me, since we work nights, anything before noon is way too early!). Woo hoo! E-beth and I finally got smart and gave her "her blanket," an old afghan that she took to immediately when she arrived. When she's in the living, especially on the couches, it's what she lays on. Well, we didn't think for the first few nights that she might actually want it in her bed. Before, she was wimper and bark most of the night. It was so sad! But now she's doing great.

There are still a lot of kinks to work out. She's doing pretty well with the pottying. She actually made it over 10 hours today without peeing or pooping on the floor. She used the puppy pad, which has been an adventure. But she's learning! Of course, we're still trying to teach her not to bite -- our hands, our faces, the cord to the laptop, everything! She's learning. She really is.

She's such a cutie pie -- although I don't have pics available at the moment -- and really is a very friendly puppy. She hasn't met anyone she didn't like -- humans, big puppies, even the kitty down the street. My Sandy-girl is very, very social! It's party city with this one.

We've got a puppy gate in the house, and she's taken over the guest bathroom during the day. When we're at home, we let her roam around the guest bathroom, dining room and living room. In fact, thanks to my father-in-law, we even got the backyard puppy-proofed on Sunday. We put up boards so she can't get out from under the fence and even lattice to prevent her from getting under the house.

Of course, as first-time pet owners (or as I like to refer to us, as mommy and daddy), we're learning as we go. We try not to get our feelings hurt when she wimpers, or when we have to discipline her. And we're trying not to spoil her too much, though I think we've already made four or five trips to PetSmart (or is it PetsMart?) since we picked up ole Sandy-girl, who's a tough cookie and has been battling a case of the worms and a cold that has her coughing and sneezing. We think the worm is gone, though we'll find out Friday when she goes to the vet for her second set of shots, but the cold is still around. And we'll be making plenty trips to PetSmart, or as I renamed it today "SandySmart," as we've signed her up for puppy training. Our girl's gonna graduate at the top of the class!

It really has been an eye-opening experience, but one we've enjoyed so much. In fact, we made a trip to Baton Rouge on Tuesday (both took the day off) to go eat at Joe's Crab Shack and do some shopping, but kept thinking about how quickly we could get back to Alexandria so we could play with our Sandy-girl!

All right, I'll wrap it up now. There will be plenty more Sandy-girl stories later -- and hopefully a few pics as well!

Quick synopsis of the weekend

2008-11-03T18:58:00.010-06:00

For those of you who don't know, I made a trip up to Ruston this weekend for Tech's Homecoming football game and a Halloween party thrown by several of my friends. It was supposed to be a trip for both E-beth and me, but she got sick Friday night and didn't come. Here's a quick look back to the weekend that was:

Since we had taken a vacation day on Saturday (the only way for me to get out of town), I had a lot of work to do Friday night. Just because I'm gone, the work still gotta get done, ya know what I mean? So I worked late. Didn't leave the office until after 3 a.m. Came home, did the dishes (cuz I promised), took a shower, packed a bag and then got on the road around 4:30 a.m.

That's right, I'm going back to college, right? Might as well pull an all-nighter. I rolled into town around 6:30 a.m., grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed on campus. Since Elizabeth didn't make the trip, I figured I'd try to get a press credential and do a story on a starting defensive tackle (D'Anthony Smith) from Cenla. Vacation? What vacation?

I dropped by the TAC to see if Malcolm Butler, football SID, might be in his office. Instead, I found coach Kerry Rupp of the basketball team, and he invited me to watch their 7:30 a.m. practice. So I got a good look at the Dunkin' Dawgs for the first time. Liked what I saw of some things. Have some questions on other things. But that was good.

After watching practice, I ran by the bank to deposit a check (yes, Elizabeth and I are still loyal Community Trust Bank customers) and then headed out to the Tech golf course, where I caught up with Binni, J.J., Dave Asfar and Jason Shinaberry for the second (?) annual Homecoming golf round. Spent a few holes with them, laughed a lot, encouraged some, took a couple of swings myself and then headed out hoping to see more faces that I hadn't seen in two or three years like J.J., Dave and Shinaberry.

The next stop was the radio. I stopped by the ESPN 97.7 studio for the high school football recap show hosted by Nick White. Spent about an hour there with the only person I know with more knowledge and passion for high school football than me. Here's to the "prep guru"!

After that show ended at 11 a.m., I went over to Joe Aillet Stadium to spend a little more time on the radio with Sean Fox and Ed Hebert for Tech's pre-game show. While there, also saw some old faces like Bradley Walker, Adam McGuirt, Charlie Hogan and Jason Jones. Fun times.

The game was a blur, an amazing 38-35 Tech win over rival Fresno State in which the player I was doing a story on had a good game -- six tackles, 0.5 sack and a pass breakup. Did the whole post-game press conference deal, which was nice, wrote my story and then headed over to Alan and Misti's for the Halloween party.

Let me tell you, this was a good, good time. It was great to hang out with some folks that I haven't seen in a long, long time. And, of course, it's always great to hang out with people I do see, like Alan, Kyle and Binni. Others who were there: Stephen Taylor, Gil Colvin, Scott Sutton, Haywood, Jay Whittington and many others. Sometimes, it's hard for me to believe it's been over three years since I graduated college. The time has flown.

There were some great costumes. Gil's penguin head, I believe, was the best one. Very, very funny. Alan and Misti were rock stars. I was The Man (with my LeBron James jersey) in the Yellow Hat, complete with a Curious George doll draped around my neck. Kyle came as Superman, which always seems to be the case! Amber and Malcom came dressed as officials, while Dustin and Rindy Swafford were an angel and a devil.

Fun times. Of course, we spent most of the time watching the Texas-Texas Tech game on the big screen. Sorry, Misti! It was an amazing game and a good way to end the day. While I'm sure they partied late into the night, this young fella was pooped, since was working on zero sleep, and headed to the Roberts house to crash around 11 p.m.

On Sunday, I grabbed a bite to eat -- Johnny's Pizza! -- and took it over to Alan's to watch a little football (J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets!) for a couple of hours. Then I stopped off at the Ferrels house and visited with my old friends there, Sherri, Casey, Ashley and Michelle. Also saw Casey's twins, Aiden and Brenton, who are now 4 years old, and the newest member of the family, 5-month-old Charlee.

Overall, it was one of the better trips home I've had since I moved to Alexandria. There were so many old faces and such a good time catching up with folks that I haven't seen in so long!

Back to what this blog's about

2008-10-31T00:33:00.003-05:00

Let's talk a little bit about something that hasn't appeared on this blog in a while:

SPORTS!!!

Got the chance to watch the Hornets play tonight on TNT. I know it's early. Really, really early. The NBA only tipped off three days ago. But the Hornets are 2-0, after winning seven straight in the preseason, and already look to be in midseason form.

Of course, it all starts at the point with Chris Paul. CP3, in this biased opinion, was screwed out of the MVP award last season. I don't think there's a question that Kobe is one of the top two players in the world, and he's arguably the best, although LeBron is pretty good, too. However, if you've talking about valuable, there wasn't a player more valuable than Chris Paul, who took the Hornets to within one game of having the best record in the league.

And he certainly looks like he's still at that top form this year, twice saving the Hornets as they struggled early in the fourth quarter. But that's what great players do. They lift their play when their teams need it most. And there's absolutely no question Chris Paul is a great player. In fact, I don't think there should be a question that CP3 is the best point guard in the NBA.

But, as the guys on TNT discussed after the game, it's not all about CP3. The Hornets also have some players who are among the best at what they do in the NBA. The Hornets beat the Phoenix Suns tonight without center Tyson Chandler, who might be the best rebounder and shotblocker in the NBA. And he's certainly the best combination rebounder/shotblocker there is around. Sure, he's offensively limited, but he makes such a dynamic combination with Paul, who drives in the lane and allows Chandler to use his athleticism to finish around the rim.

New Orleans also has one of the top young power forwards in the league in David West, who has become deadly at knocking down the midrange jump shot. Again, like Chandler, a lot of what West does comes off creativity by Paul. But would Paul's numbers be nearly as good as they are now without West being able to knock down the open jumper? There's no way.

In those three players -- Paul and West, who are both all-stars, and Chandler, who's an all-star defender -- New Orleans has plenty of star power. But the Hornets also have role players. Peja Stojakovic was brilliant tonight, and he's one of the top five pure shooters in the NBA. It's literally pick your poison with this team, because Paul is so brilliant that he's going to create a shot for Chandler at the rim, West at the elbow or Stojakovic/James Posey/Morris Peterson at the 3-point line. Or you could just give Paul an easy layup, which he'll gladly take.

Then, there are the young players who continue to develop. Without Chandler tonight, Hilton Armstrong got the start and Melvin Ely came off the bench to provide some quality minutes in the post. With a healthy Chandler, who sat out for precautionary measures because of a tweaked ankle, the Hornets have four legitimate options in the post. And with guys like Rasual Butler and developing second-year player Julian Wright on the wing, New Orleans has depth at nearly every position.

The only question is how do you balance needing Paul on the floor and limiting his minutes. Paul spent time in Beijing this summe winning Olympic gold, and has played more basketball in the last year than he has ever in his life. Mike James can give some quality minutes as the backup point guard, but how many is that? Do you want to give Paul 42 minutes a game? 40? 36? That's the toughest question I think coach Byron Scott has to answer this year. You want your best player on the floor, but you also want him fresh and at his peak when the playoffs come around in seven months.

It's early. Very early. But the Hornets are 2-0! Two down, only 80 more to go for the perfect season!!!

Getting in touch with my emotional side

2008-10-29T01:05:00.002-05:00

I've found some emotion. And, yes, that's very relieving!

Lately, I'm kind of just been in a "blah" mood. Not really getting excited about anything, and not really getting too down on anything. Just haven't really had much emotion to speak of.

Growing up, I was a very emotional kid. Don't know if it was because I was the product of a divorced home, or what the deal was, but I would get both very angry (bad, bad temper here as a teenager) and I could also cry at the drop of the hat. Lately, that hasn't been the case.

But something changed. Perhaps it's because I talked to my mother for the first time in a while the other night. It was the first time I've cried in quite some time, which I honestly needed. It was great to hear from her. Did it patch everything up? No. I can hear it her voice, and I'm sure she can hear it in mine. But it was a step in the right direction, and after several months of not really knowing what to do, I now feel like I know what my next step is. To call and talk again soon. Hopefully, that will help us continue to patch things up.

Anyway, after talking to mama and crying, I've cried twice today just listening to songs. Yes, I'm a wuss. I love music, though I have no talent whatsoever (just ask Elizabeth, she'll brag on me ... hehe). And in the past, music has really moved me. Lately, not so much. That changed today.

The two songs that have really moved me are Beyonce's If I Were a Boy and Taylor Swift's Love Story. Beyonce's song moved me because, honestly, I believe Elizabeth feels like that about me sometimes. I can get so insulated into myself and what I'm doing that I become a very selfish person, not on purpose or out of spite, but because that's just how I am sometimes.

Then Taylor Swift's song just took me back to my "dating" days when I was pursuing Elizabeth. At heart, I'm a very romantic person. But you can ask Elizabeth and Kyle, I don't do a very good job of acting upon those things. I'm just not good at it. I want to be, but I suck. I've always envied Kyle because it came so naturally to him, but it doesn't to me. I want to be that sweet, cute guy who does the sweet, cute things for the one he loves. But, again, I can be a very selfish person even when I don't realize it. If you haven't heard Taylor's new song, check it out. She's a rising star, and this song is headed to No. 1!

Been thinking a lot ...

2008-10-16T00:58:00.002-05:00

Throughout the day, I have a number of thoughts (I wonder just how many) and think about writing. But by this time of the day, after yet another long day of work, I'm usually ready to relax with some TV and/or PS3 and climb into bed. So I don't blog about all of those ideas. But I'm in a writing mood, so here goes ...

1. Congratulations, Alan Walker. Alan's TCU Horned Frogs (or Horney Toads, as I like to call them) whooped my Tulsa Golden Hurricane's tails tonight, 35-21. With four turnovers, the game actually could have been a lot worse. I lost. I admit it. Not proud of it. But my season is not over. And, Alan, remember you have to come to Tulsa next season!

2. Was listening to some old school music, and by "old school" I mean my early college days, and came across some lyrics that really made me think.

Pardon me while I throw up.
I guess some people never grow up.
What happened to the salvation you claimed?
It breaks my heart to see how much you've changed.

I have my share of old friends who have changed greatly. When I look back on where we came from to where we are today, sometimes I admit I'm shocked. And I've done my fair share of chewing on some butts for some very poor decisions. But strangely hearing this song, "What Have You Been Doing Lately?" by one of my favorite bands, Relient K, didn't make me thing of old friends. It made me think of myself and how much that chorus can apply to me today.

I can't even tell you how many times I've been to church in the past year since all of that crap went down at church. Seldom would be a generous way of describing my church-going routine. I'm not one of these people who believes you can only get close with God by going to church, but I also don't undervalue its importance. We've talked time and time again about getting back in church, and I have a ton of excuses that I keep using. Eventually, I'll get fed up with the way my life is going, and all of the dumb and stupid things that I do, and find a new church home. Maybe then I won't break my own heart by how much I've changed.

3. I'm breaking my own rule here, because this is supposed to be about Strictly Sports. But I want to talk a little politics for a second. I caught a few minutes of tonight's third and final presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama. Here we are, 19 days away from the big vote, and I have no clue whose side I'm on. Honestly, I feel like writing a long blog on this topic as Election Day gets closer, but right now, neither one of these candidates appeals to me. I've changed a lot since the idealistic kid who cast his first presidential vote for George W. Bush eight years ago. Heck, I've changed a lot since voting for Bush again in 2004. They say hindsight is 20/20, but if I had those decisions to make all over again, I'm not sure I'd do it again.

Which is why I'm so hesitant to vote for McCain. This isn't the Maverick who ran against Bush in 2000. Although McCain had a great line in tonight's debate -- "Sen. Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush you should have run four years ago." -- there's no denying he has become more Bush-like since he ran against him in 2000. McCain gained a reputation for being a maverick because he's moderate and has never hesitated to take on the Republican Party conservatives. But because of that, he couldn't gain the support of the base. To an extent, he still hasn't seized the base -- that's Sarah Palin's job -- but he's certainly veered more to the right since 2000. Meanwhile, I've veered more to the left. After being a staunch conservative as a youth, I now consider myself more moderate.

Don't get me wrong. By no means am I a liberal. And voting for Barack Obama is likely not going to happen. His record is nearly radical. He's much farther to the left of center, where the majority of Americans are, than McCain is to the right. It's not even close. It has nothing to do with race and nothing to do with party. I have no problem voting for a Democrat if he stands for the same things that are important to me. But what is important to me? That's certainly changed in the past eight years.

I still am anti-abortion. I still believe in the power of the American people and would rather limit the role of government. All of these are conservative tendencies taht are engrained in me. However, I'm not a teenager anymore. I'm a 26-year-old with a wife, a mortgage and a 401(k) that has lost nearly 70 percent of the money I've put into it this year. The economy is more important to me than it ever has been before. Why? Because it's my money now. That's why. I believe all of us should be concerned about the state of the economy. In my eyes, it's the No. 1 factor in this election. And historically, Republican presidents haven't fared very well with the economy. Just look how badly things have gone in the past eight years under Bush. Yes, there are some external factors like 9/11 and the Iraq War, but in my lifetime the Democrats have done a much better job with the economy than the Republicans.

Since neither McCain nor Obama really get me going, there's also the third-party candidate. I haven't done just a ton of research on Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate for president. However, I do think he has good ideas on the economy, the war in Iraq, health care and taxes. In my eyes, Bob Barr is the best candidate for president. The problem I have with voting for him is I do not want to waste my vote. I've heard the argument time and time again, and I'll make the same one. I want to cast a vote that will impact the presidential election. Voting for Bob Barr, while he may be the best candidate, isn't likely to have a major impact. I believe only about 2 percent of those polled in the country are going to vote for him. Is that really a vote well spent?

With less than three weeks to go, count me among the many Americans who remain undecided upon where their vote will go. At least I still have time to make an informed, intelligent decision.

Before and after

2008-10-13T17:43:00.004-05:00

So I've been growing out my hair and my beard. I honestly can't remember the last time I'd had a trim of either one.

I decided, randomly, out of the blue, that I wanted to grow my beard out until New Year's. Just was curious to see how long it could get. The wife, though obviously not the most pleased by my decision, struck up a compromise with me. Grow the beard, but cut the hair. Didn't have to be totally short, but at least get a trim. At least look professional. Or the most professional possible with an extraordinarily long beard.

Well, today was the day set aside to get that first haircut as part of the bargain. Instead of just getting a trim, though, I decided to go with something completely different. "Short," I told the stylist when I sat down in the chair. "How about this?" I asked her as I pointed out a picture.

"Wow, that's really short. Going for something totally different?"

As I looked at the picture again, I thought to myself, "Man, that is really short." Luckily, the phone rang. My stylist went to answer it, and I flipped through a few more pages and found a style more fitting. Still short, still different, not quite as drastic, though. Take a look for yourself ...

What a crazy game!

2008-10-07T23:48:00.002-05:00

Had a chance to cover my first NFL game ever, for Monday Night Football no less, at the Superdome on Monday. It honestly was one of the craziest games I've ever witnessed, with three special teams TDs, Reggie Bush tying an NFL record with two punt returns for TDs, lots of penalties, turnovers, hard-hitting action and the Saints again finding a way to lose with a late pass interference penalty that set up the Vikings' game-winning field goal.

Check out www.thetowntalk.com/sports for my first NFL story and column, which both ran in Wednesday's paper.

Finishing up the first season

2008-09-15T22:19:00.003-05:00

While college football and the NFL are completing their third weeks of the season, the Dynasty Reunion is nearing the completion of its first season. K-Rob, Kelz, A-Dawg and I hooked up for a reunion of sorts on the PS3's version of NCAA Football '09 thanks to the new online dynasty feature. Essentially, thanks to a server and the Internet, we can all play together just like we did back in 2003-04 when we were in our college days.

I just finished my first season at 11-1, at least my first regular season. I still have a bowl game left to play. I chose Tulsa and am ranked #24. A-Dawg is TCU, 11-1 and ranked #23. Kelz is Troy, 9-2 and #25. K-Rob, poor K-Rob, is Akron, 10-1 and the sole member of the dynasty not ranked.

While it's not the same -- and never will be the same -- as when all of us would go over to The BSU House (Binni and Kyle's home, and my home away from home) to crowd around the TV and play, it still has been a great way for us to keep in touch and be involved in one another's lives. And while it certainly won't be the same in the national championship game as it was in the past, it has brought back some very good memories.

I can't wait until the season is finished, we've recruited and we can do it all over again -- next week!!!

Go away Gustav

2008-09-03T00:15:00.003-05:00

The headline in tomorrow's The Town Talk says it all:

WHAT A MESS

Hurricane Gustav took aim at south Louisiana, and then took aim at me. The nerve!

Fortunately, he missed. I'm pleased to report that there is very little damage in the McCormick household. Other than some limbs and minor flooding in the backyard, as well as the loss of my precious Louisiana Tech flag, we're OK on Hill Street. No water in the house. No loss of power. No major damage.

I can truly tell you I am very thankful to make it through this one. Now, go away Gustav. And keep your cousin Ike away, too!

Not everyone was so lucky. While Alexandria seems in good shape, much of Pineville remains without power. Avoyelles and LaSalle parishes also were hit very hard, and Gustav has been blamed for two deaths in the area. Hundreds of thousands of people in Central Louisiana still have no power, and some could be without it for a substantial period of time.

Elizabeth and I are very, very lucky that we received little damage. I joked on my Facebook that "Gustav lacked a lot of its Gusto." Seriously, the storm was massive, drenching Rapides Parish with nearly eight inches of rain -- although that's nearly half of the estimated 15 inches.

Now that Gustav is leaving -- yes, I said "Getonouttahere!" -- let's begin the Ike watch and hope he stays away from the Gulf of Mexico. I don't think I'm ready to go through this again!

Another update

2008-09-02T01:57:00.001-05:00

It's about 2 a.m.

Had a chance to run home during a break in the storm about two hours ago and everything checked out fine at the house. Lots of water in the road and at the start of our driveway, as well as in the backyard. Lots of limbs down in the backyard, but the house is fine. No flooding, no limbs on the roof. Electricity was on. We seemed to be in good shape. That's a relief.

Elizabeth and I have about four more hours left on our 12-hour shift today. There are several people spending the night here at The Town Talk, but it seems as if the McCormicks are the only ones still on duty at the moment. Elizabeth is "feeding the Web site," as our boss likes to say, and I'm listening to the scanner in case anything major happens.

What an exciting life we lead!!!

FYI -- we're OK

2008-09-01T23:05:00.002-05:00

Just to let everyone know, we're doing just fine. Elizabeth and I are in the middle of our 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift at The Town Talk offices, and right now I'm watching a buddy of mine play PS3. He's technically on duty right now, but is also spending the night and will work in the middle, when we are supposedly putting out a special section because of Hurricane Gustav.

We haven't had a chance to go home and check on any damage, although we've heard unconfirmed rumors that the Garden District was hit hard. More importantly, we are safe and sound. I'll let you guys know more information when it's available.

I'm proud to be a Bulldog!

2008-08-31T01:20:00.003-05:00

In the famous words of Dave Nitz, "Ya gotta love it!"

Nitz, the legendary voice of the Bulldogs, has called Louisiana Tech football games for 34 years. He's been at the mic for many of Tech's biggest games ever. I don't know for sure where Saturday's game fits in historically, but man what a big win!

My Bulldogs, for the first time in school history, welcomed an SEC team into Ruston. And for the first time since knocking off SEC champion Alabama in 1999, Tech came away the victor.

There have been a few big games in Ruston over the years -- namely welcoming defending national champion Miami in 2003, as well as upsetting Oklahoma State the year before, and playing Tech's first ever WAC game against SMU in 2001. In recent years, all of Tech's biggest home games have taken place at Independence Stadium, about an hour west of campus.

But not this one. This game took place in Ruston. At Joe Aillet Stadium. On that beautiful new turf.

I can't harp too much on the crowd, which was a disappointing 25,000+. Hey, I wasn't there, so who am I to complain that others didn't show up? I certainly am sorry I missed out on one of the biggest wins in school history. And I'm saddened we couldn't get the first sellout in Aillet Stadium history.

But right now, all that matters is Louisiana Tech is 1-0, boasting a victory over an SEC school. And an SEC school that was supposed to be up-and-coming, after making a bowl game last season.

It wasn't the greatest debut for Taylor Bennett, who was sluggish early and often. Bennett, a transfer from Georgia Tech, did enough to get the win, helping the Bulldogs rally from a 14-3 deficit late in the first half and to a 22-14 win. That's the most surprising thing to me in the upset. Tech outscored Miss. State 19-0 over the final 33 minutes of the game. Pitched a shutout in the second half. Amazing.

Great job Bulldogs. I am so proud of you guys and happy to be a Tech alum right now. We all wanted to believe that Derek Dooley was doing things the right way and taking this program in the right direction. This is proof that our faith in the man isn't without merit.

Now all we need is an encore. Next up for the Bulldogs is a trip to nationally-ranked Kansas in two weeks. A win there really would serve notice to the nation that this group of Tech Bulldogs is here to play!

Do you ever have one of those days?

2008-08-30T02:49:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting at my desk ... in the office ... at 2:50 a.m. ... listening to a little Metro Station on the myspace.

Just to set the scene, ya know?

I want to write. Really, I do. I really enjoy writing. Words are my friend. Yet, I'm sitting here with not a whole lot to write about. At least not much that I think anybody else would find particularly interesting.

FYI, the mood music is now Secondhand Serenade. Just thought you'd want to know the switch.

Anyway, I'm a boring person. This isn't any kind of news flash. I've known it for a long, long time. For some reason, there are a few people in my life who put up with my total lack of originality and funness (yes, I made that word up). Poor Elizabeth.

But seriously, I'm trying to find something interesting to write about, and I can't. I read other people's blogs, friends of mine, and think, "Wow, that's an interesting story." Or, "They're such a fun person. I know why I like them." Then I think about my stories and truly wonder why anyone likes me. I'M BORING!

The only things going on in my life are my work, which I spend far too much time doing, sleep and um, NCAA '09 on the PS3. I live such an exciting life, let me tell you.

I covered a football game tonight. While it was jamborees for most schools, the MPSA started last week. So I covered Cenla Christian Academy is what was actually a very exciting game. I hope my Tech Bulldogs can have a similar contest -- and a similar win -- when they face Mississippi State on ESPN2 on Saturday.

About the only other thing going on in my life right now is "The Gustav Watch." We've all been put on alert at work that it could be a busy week. I'll most likely be working both Sunday and Monday, my two scheduled days off, and since Monday is Labor Day, it's supposed to be a 4-day work week next week. Yeah, like that'll happen.

From following the latest projections, it seems like Gustav (which apparently means "God's staff") is turning more and more West and appears like it will not devastate New Orleans on the 3-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina after all. Hopefully, the monster will just keep on turning left and miss Central Louisiana altogether. I don't want to have to go through an extended period without power!

Well, it's after 3 a.m. now. I need to get going, so I can get a little sleep and get ready for a big day of college football on Saturday!!!

Ready for vaca!

2008-08-09T23:20:00.002-05:00

So, I'm sitting in the office, listening to a little Baseball Tonight after having watched Michael Phelps win his first gold medal of these Olympic Games, killing a little time and waiting for the night to be over.

I'm done with my work, and vacation starts tomorrow. Technically, it started today, yet here I am, in the office again, waiting for Elizabeth to be done with the three hours she had to put in today. I'm ready for tomorrow, but I doubt I'm as ready as Elizabeth, who turns the BIG TWO-FIVE in about 35 minutes!

We worked our butts off today around the house, and it's looking really nice. There's still a few more things to do, but our checklist for next week took a big dent today (I don't even want to talk about the storage room. Eek -- a mess!).

What are we doing this week? Great question. Because of all the hassle I had at work actually getting my vacation, we haven't made any plans, other to say we might go up to Ruston. I really want to go, if only because I can play Rock Band at Alan's. Yes, it's that much fun. But there are so many people that I'd like to see, even if it's trying to squeeze them into a day or so. As of right now, though, no plans are firm.

I guess I'll just relax, besides all the work I have to do around the house, and get ready for football season, which is right around the corner!!!

A new face

2008-08-01T04:16:00.002-05:00

So, yes, I do remember saying I was bringing back Strictly Sports. But I don't remember posting again since saying that. So, ta-da! It's back again.

And it's brand spankin' new! For a new year (no, it's not 2009 yet, but as a high school sportswriter, my years basically run concurrently with school years -- so it's a new year!) I'm unveiling a new design for Strictly Sports. No, I didn't do anything other than click on a new template. It's not like I have a lot of time to customize these things!

Anyway, I really want you guys to check out my new video (although, I'm pretty sure that everyone that I know already has) about a new project we've started at work called the Cenla Challenge.

For anyone who is wondering, I'm really not as bad of a golfer as the video portrays. Yes, that was an awful first tee shot, but I took a mulligan and smacked it right down the middle of the fairway. If you'll read my column, in addition to watching the video, you'll know that I was actually 6-over-par after five holes, which is pretty good for me. Then I fell apart over the final four holes. I don't have a bad golf swing, but I'm not very good at scoring -- that is doing the little things around the green to lower my score. I'll get there, though.

This Cenla Challenge thing is going to be lots of fun. My colleague, Will Tubbs, and I have thrown out several other ideas, such as playing 2-on-2 basketball against two of our better high school players, trying to cover and catch passes against high school football players, step in the batter's box against our local independent baseball team, and pretty much any other challenge we can think of. It's going to be a blast.

If you don't hear from me for a while, it's because I'm busy. Dixie World Series for the next six days, then trying to finish the football tab, then hopefully going on vacation, just to come back in time for the start of football season. But I will try -- and try being the key word -- to do a better job of updating this site!

The ultimate desire

2008-04-03T00:24:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wanted something so much, but you just couldn’t do it? For some people, that desire could be finding a boyfriend/girlfriend, finding the perfect job, or the perfect church. As humans, we all have a number of desires, some of which are fulfilled, others that go tantilizingly unfulfilled.

My desire is to get rid of this stinkin’ writer’s block. Hold up. I know what you’re thinking. "Bret, you’re a writer. That’s what you do." Yeah, yeah. I know. I write every single day, it seems. But I’m not talking about the kind of writing I do for a living. Or the kind of writing I do for fun like this blog. I’m talking about the kind of writing that used to be my passion -- poetry.

Growing up, that’s about the only thing I would write. It began in junior high, when I discovered my love, and talent, for writing poetry. In fact, I believe in another life, you know one in which I actually had some musical ability, I think I would have been a singer-songwriter. But over the past several years, I just haven’t been able to develop good poetry. I believe it’s a combination of the fact that I’m a perfectionist when it comes to my poetry, combined with the other fact that I’m always writing something, that I just can’t seem to find the perfect words anymore.

The desire is there. The production isn’t. Hopefully, I’m going to change that. I know my wife would love that. So, in a desire to will myself back into being a skillful poet, I’m going to post some of my favorite personal poems over the next couple of weeks (assuming I can find the list that I have saved to a desk somewhere in this house) for your enjoyment. We’ll start with the last poem I remember writing -- Remember When.

Do you remember when
We could do as we pleased
Without a worry or care
To bring us to our knees

Do you remember when
Innocence was the name of the game
You and me, being carefree
But now it’s just not the same

Do you remember when
We’d take late night walks
Or just sit on a swing
As we’d cuddle, laugh and talk

Do you remember when
I tried that thing call romance
Whispering sweet nothings to you
Even as you refused to dance

Do you remember when
You amazed me with your brain
Casey Jacobson, MJ and UNC
When you still thought I was sane

Do you remember when
You could stare into my eyes with love
Without a doubt, right then and there
I was in your hand just like a glove

Do you remember when
Things began to change
What was important became lost
Priorities became rearranged

Do you remember when
All I wanted was to please you
The only thing that mattered
Was my heart and yours too

Do you remember when
We both said ’I do’
That 2 p.m. sun was so hot
My friends still want to sue

Do you remember when
Things were so easy
How did we allow
Our lives to become crazy

Do you remember when
I said I’d be here forever
Think I could live without you
That day will come never

Do you remember when
I said I love you
Don’t ever forget
Because you know I still do

Killing some time

2007-07-19T23:36:00.000-05:00

So I'm at the office, waiting on an e-mail, in a holding pattern. The Aces have just won Game 2 of a doubleheader, and I'm waiting on an e-mail from their sports information director in order to update my story for the Web. Yes, I know all of you are very intrigued.

Tonight was interesting. The two new Louisiana Tech coaches came down to Alexandria for a Cenla event, and I got to go cover it. Fun times anything I can do something Tech-related. I'd met Kerry Rupp, the new men's basketball coach, but tonight was my first experience with Derek Dooley, the new football coach. I must say I was totally impressed. I'm not sure if it will translate to wins on the field, but the man means business.

Speaking of wins on the field ... NCAA 08 is out for the PS3. At first glance, I didn't like it. Jury's still out, too. I don't like the complete format changes, controller changes, etc. It feels like a completely different game than the one I've played for more than a decade. However, it does have some redeeming qualities -- like a more in-depth recruiting system, which really excites me, and the Campus Legend mode is pretty fun, too. I've only had it for 3 days now, and I'm not trying to make any rush judgments, so I'll get back to you after I've done more playing.

It's been a good week for me. Elizabeth and I (somehow, someway) arrived back home safely after a week at church camp where we served as chaperones. For the most part, it was a good trip. I got to spend some time with the kids -- some of my favorites and some of the ones I didn't know very well at all -- and we had a good time visiting the beach and Universal Studios. I'm not saying I want to jump back on board to do it all over again next week, but it was a meaningful experience. I hope the kids feel the same way.

After arriving home on Sunday and sleeping the better part of the next two days away (hey, 14 hours in a Mustang isn't easy!), I awoke refreshed and not ready to go back to work. But alas, it must be done. But not before I got to spend some time with a few friends.

The Commonground Band (or the cgb) is in town (Pineville) this week to play Cross Camp. The CGB and I go way back, like to my freshman year at Tech, when the band started. Common Ground was a weekly interdenomenational service at Louisiana Tech that was a major part of my life while I was in college. And I became somewhat of a groupie, if you will, while I was at Tech.

Any way, Elizabeth and I went to the nightly service at Cross Camp, being held at Louisiana College, on Monday and I picked up some CGB merchandise, including the band's new CD, Fire and Glory. The CD is the band's seventh, but only its second original CD -- and first since my sophomore year at Tech, in 2002. So it's been five years since the band released any original material, and I was nearly starved to listen.

While the CD isn't quite as long as I'd like -- there are only 11 tracks, if you take out the 30-second intro track, and I would have preferred a few more -- but the work is exceptional. Honestly, I truly believe this band is as good as some of the mainstream worship bands on the scene today. Admittedly, I'm biased. But I truly believe that. These guys are special musicians, and I really enjoy their music.

On Tuesday, I had the chance to go to lunch with Brent Hammett, the cgb's drummer and an old high school and college buddy of mine from Ruston. Since I've moved down to Alexandria and Brent and his wife Cassie have moved to Shreveport, we haven't been in contact much over the past several months. So it was great to sit and talk awhile, catch up with how our lives are going and discuss future plans. And the Raising Cane's wasn't too shabby either!

There's more, plenty more, to be said, but it will have to wait until another time. For now, I'm back off to work, and then to the PS3 for a little NCAA 08!

Headed to not-so-sunny Florida

2007-07-06T21:07:00.000-05:00

So, it's Friday night, about 8:40 p.m., which means in a little more than 48 hours I'll be pulling out of the parking lot at Donahue Family Church in Pineville, on my way to sunny Florida. Anything's gotta be better than the miserable rain we've having in Cenla, right?

Except I can't get away from the rain! A quick glance at the 10-day forecast on weather.com shows thunderstorms predicting every day we're in Bradenton, Fla. Every day. When we head to Universal Studios next Saturday, yep more rain -- 60 percent chance. How about on Sunday, when we're arriving back home? You guessed it, rain's gone!

But honestly, I'm not going to Florida for the sun, although I figured it'd be a nice perk. Elizabeth and I are chaperoning a group of around 60 teenagers going to a Global Youth Ministry camp in Bradenton, at the Christian Retreat Center. We'll spend five days (more like three full days and two half days) at camp, which I'm told is going to be pretty laid back for the chaperones. I'll be able to participate in worship and interact with the kids throughout the day, although most of my chaperoning duties will come making sure the three junior-high munchkins assigned to my room behave and go to sleep each night. It's cool, though, because I know two of the kids in my room and have been told the third kid won't give me any problems.

After the week at camp, we'll depart Friday at lunch to go to the beach, where we'll be met by rain. Yay! Doesn't matter. I won't let rain, rain on my parade, or vacation, whatever. It's been awhile since I've been in the ocean -- OK, so it's technically the Gulf of Mexico, but let's not be picky -- so I'll have a blast no matter what.

After the beach, we'll drive a couple of hours to Orlando, where we'll spend all day Saturday at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. Well, everyone else will spend all day there, while Elizabeth and I have a special treat up our sleeves. We've paid a little extra money to upgrade our park pass into a two-park pass, so we'll be able to visit both Islands of Adventure, as well as the original Universal Studios right down the street.

Just being honest, I'm doing this for my wife. Elizabeth loves Curious George, and there's a CG exhibit at the original Universal Studios, where she'll hopefully get to "meet" the curious little creature, take a picture with him, peruse the store for souvenirs, etc. But there are also several rides at the original Universal Studios that I'm looking forward to trying out. The only time I've been to Orlando, when I was in fourth grade, oh so long ago, I remember going to the original Universal Studios (back then, the only Universal Studios as Islands of Adventure didn't open until 1999). I had a fun time and believe I've had a fun time again this trip.

Anyway, I write this blog to let everyone know that I'll be a little out of touch next week. While we're chaperoning a church trip, this is essentially vacation for Elizabeth and me, and I plan to treat it accordingly. I'll be available in emergency situations, but I'm also not planning to be glued to my cell phone. I won't have computer access and might not even get to read a paper for a week (gasp!). But, you know what? I'll have a blast getting away from Cenla, away from the office, away from the worries of everyday life. It's vacation time, and we're going to live it up!

Grading the NBA Draft

2007-06-29T01:49:00.000-05:00

Here's something you don't see everyday -- sports on my Strictly Sports blog. Wow! Tonight was the 2007 NBA Draft, which I watched from the first pick to the last while at work. Below is my team-by-team analysis:

Atlanta Hawks -- Al Horford (No. 3), Acie Law IV (No. 11)
Analysis: The Hawks had two lottery selections and had been mentioned in trade talks trying to land Amare Stoudemire from Phoenix. Instead, they kept the picks and chose Horford, a power forward from Florida, and Law, a point guard from Texas A&M. I like both of these picks. At first glance, I didn't like the Horford pick, because they passed up another point guard in Mike Conley Jr. Instead, they got the point guard they really liked in Law. Some analysts are concerned he's not a pure point guard, but I really like him and think he's more polished and ready to contribute compared to Conley. For a franchise that has made quite a few boneheaded moves on draft day in recent years, this was a good night for the Hawks.

Boston Celtics -- Jeff Green (No. 5), Gabe Pruitt (No. 32)
Analysis: After saying he wasn't trading the No. 5 pick, Celtics GM Danny Ainge then went out and traded the No. 5 pick. It's actually a good move for the Celtics, who get an established star in SG Ray Allen from Seattle (along with the rights to 35th pick Glen Davis) to pair with Paul Pierce. It may not be a great long-term move, as both Allen and Pierce are aging, but it gives Boston a solid backcourt with great experience and helps this team become a competitor in the East. Pruitt is a first-round talent who slipped to the second round, but he makes this roster and contributes next season.

Charlotte Bobcats -- Brandan Wright (No. 8), Jared Dudley (No. 22)
Analysis: Brandan Wright learned one thing on draft night -- don't call out Michael Jordan. After saying His Airness "didn't want any" of Wright on the court, Jordan proved him correct by trading Wright to Golden State for Jason Richardson. It's not a great move for the Bobcats, as Wright has a lot of potential, but Richardson gives them a 20-plus point scorer and someone to build the team around. Charlotte has a lot of good young players, and Richardson could become the glue-guy that helps Charlotte begin competing in the East. Dudley was the ACC Player of the Year, but at 6-7, 225 pounds, he's a classic NBA tweener. He gives a lot of energy and plays hard, and because of that, he'll probably make the rotation -- but he isn't going to be a star in the NBA.

Chicago Bulls -- Joakim Noah (No. 9), Aaron Gray (No. 49), JamesOn Curry (No. 51)
Analysis: Noah has been praised for the better part of two seasons for being the backbone on Florida's back-to-back title-winning teams. He's intense. He's tenacious. He plays with a lot of energy and heart. But how is he any different from Tyrus Thomas, a top five pick the Bulls traded for on draft day last year? He's not. Not that the Bulls have any need positions, but I don't see Noah as an upgrade on this roster. Gray is a big 7-0 center, and Curry is an undersized two-guard. Both of them will have a hard time making the Bulls' roster.

Cleveland Cavaliers -- No picks
Analysis: Incomplete. The Cavs may have made the NBA Finals this past season, but they do have a lot of holes that need to be filled around LeBron James. Unfortunately for them, those needs will have to be addressed through free agency.

Dallas Mavericks -- Nick Fazekas (No. 34), Renaldas Seibutus (No. 50), Milovan Rakovic (No. 60)
Analysis: The Mavs didn't have a first-round pick, and the chances any of these three make the roster is slim. Fazekas was a great college player, who I had the chance to see personally on a couple of occasions since he played at Nevada, which plays against Louisiana Tech in the WAC. Fazekas is a great shooter, tough competitor and a solid rebounder -- but he's not very athletic, has slow feet and will have a tough time making the transition to the NBA. The other two players are foreigners who will likely continue to play overseas for at least another couple of seasons.

Denver Nuggets -- No picks.
Analysis: Again, it's tough to analyze something that's not there. But Nuggets fans need to remember their draft came during the season when they traded for Allen Iverson. It didn't work out that well for them last year, but with an offseason to work on chemistry between Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggest could become a player in 2007-08.

Detroit Pistons -- Rodney Stuckey (No. 15), Arron Afflalo (No. 27), Sammy Mejia (No. 57)
Analysis: Joe Dumars has always been willing to step outside the box -- but this far outside? The Pistons point guard, Chauncey Billups, has opted to test free agency. Their two best players are SG Richard Hamilton and SF Tayshaun Prince. So what does Detroit do? Drafts three wing players. Stuckey is a small-school guy from Eastern Washington who's a dynamic scorer on that level. Afflalo was a great three-year player at UCLA, while Mejia is a hard-nosed player from DePaul. On the surface, I like all three of these guys. Where the problem comes is when all three of them are drafted by the same team, which happens to have two All-Stars on the wing.

Golden State Warriors -- Marco Bellineli (No. 18), Jermareo Davidson (No. 36), Stephane Lasme (No. 46)
Analysis: As mentioned before, the Warriors traded SG Jason Richardson to Charlotte for the No. 8 pick, Brandan Wright from North Carolina. Wright is a 6-10 forward who loves to run the floor and can finish in transition, which means he'll fit in well with the Warriors, who run a wide-open offense. Bellineli, who comes from Italy, is one of the best shooters in the world. Since Golden State shoots more 3s than any other team, he'll also fit in well. Expect Bellineli to challenge immediately for the starting SG spot vacated by Richardson's departure. Davidson was sent to Charlotte as part of the Richardson trade, while Lasme is an undersized (6-7) power forward who can block shots but might not make the roster. With Wright and Bellineli, the Warriors picked up two contributors.

Houston Rockets -- Aaron Brooks (No. 26), Brad Newley (No. 54)
Analysis: Brooks is a strange pick here, as most people didn't expect him to go in the first round. He was a good college point guard at Oregon, but he's very small for NBA standards at just 6-0, maybe even 5-11. He's not a pure scorer and doesn't shoot the ball all that well. He should have a tough time seeing playing time next year, especially since the Rockets just acquired PG Mike James. Newly, a SG from Australia, is an athletic slasher who might stay 'down under' a little longer to continue developing. The Rockets also traded for the rights of Purdue power forward Carl Landry, taken 31st overall by Seattle.

Indiana Pacers -- No picks.
Analysis: If anybody needed to make a move on draft day, it was Indiana. A team desperately in need of a makeover, the Pacers could have moved PF Jermaine O'Neal for a high pick or several picks and began the rebuilding process. The Pacers did send a 2009 second-round pick to Miami for Stanko Barac, but the big center likely will remain in Europe for at least another year.

Los Angeles Clippers -- Al Thornton (No. 14), Jared Jordan (No. 45)
Analysis: I really, really like the Thornton pick. Thornton can play both forward positions and is a great competitor. I'm surprised he fell all the way to 14. Most mock drafts had him going in the top 10. Thornton should get the chance to play a lot in L.A. and may compete for Rookie of the Year honors. Jordan is an intriguing pick in the second round, a point guard from Marist. At 6-2 -- and white -- many scouts believe he has the chance to be the next Steve Nash. His basketball IQ keeps him several steps ahead of the rest of the game. I think Jordan will make the Clippers roster and contribute in a couple of seasons.

Los Angeles Lakers -- Javaris Crittenton (No. 19), Sun Yue (No. 40), Marc Gasol (No. 48)
Analysis: Crittenton is a big, physical point guard from Georgia Tech, who at 6-5, will become a solid player in the NBA. He spent just one season at Ga. Tech and may not be ready to step in immediately for the Lakers, but it's a good choice for them. He could be their point guard of the future. Yue is a 6-9 PG from China, but he'll have to make the transition to the wing in the NBA. Gasol is a 7-footer from Spain who is the younger brother of Memphis' Pau Gasol. Marc probably will stay in Spain for a couple of years as he continues to develop.

Memphis Grizzlies -- Mike Conley Jr. (No. 4)
Analysis: Conley could become the third-best pick in this draft. The freshman from Ohio State must prove himself without big Greg Oden, who he's played with since the duo were 12. But Conley's quickness, savvy and basketball IQ have him projected as one of the next great point guards in the NBA. He played just one season of college ball, so he might have a slower learning curve in the NBA. But the Grizz needed a PG, and Conley will be expected to play from Day 1.

Miami Heat -- Jason Smith (No. 20), Stanko Barac (No. 39)
Analysis: Two picks, two trades. The Heat sent Smith to Philadelphia for Daequan Cook, selected 21st, and a 2009 second-round pick. They sent Barac to Indiana for a 2009 second-round pick. So the Heat came away with Cook, a 6-5 SG who is very talented, but very raw. I like Cook -- a lot. Think he's a great prospect, but I have to wonder why the Heat would want him, considering their superstar Dwyane Wade also is a SG. Cook might not be expected to play much as a rookie, but I look for him to become a big-time player shortly.

Milwaukee Bucks -- Yi Jianlian (No. 6), Ramon Sessions (No. 56)
Analysis: I really like the Yi pick at No. 6, as I feel he's the third-best prospect in the draft. At 6-11, the Chinese big man isn't Yao Ming. He's far more superior athletically, and is more of a Kevin Garnett/Dirk Nowitzki kind of player who can step away from the basket, shoot and put the ball on the floor. He's also a very explosive athlete who can finish around the rim. There are some questions about whether he'll play for the Bucks, as he wanted to play in a city that has a big Asian population -- like Los Angeles. But the Bucks made the right move picking the best available player. Sessions is a solid point guard who knows how to get to the basket and dish. He should make that roster and fight for playing time. A very good draft for a building franchise.

Minnesota Timberwolves -- Corey Brewer (No. 7), Chris Richard (No. 41)
Analysis: Two Florida guys who are winners. Brewer, one of three Gators taken in the top nine picks, might be the best of the bunch. He's a long, athletic player at 6-8 who was the best defender in the draft. He also has all the potential to continue to develop offensively into an all-around superstar. Should the Timberwolves keep Kevin Garnett, he's going to enjoy playing with Brewer. Richard came off the bench for the Gators, and may not make this roster, but he's a big, rugged player who will give intense minutes when called upon.

New Jersey Nets -- Sean Williams (No. 17)
Analysis: The old adage is "high risk, high reward," and that's certainly the case with Williams, who was kicked out of school at Boston College in January. He's a long player at 6-11 who is a tremendous shot-blocker and finisher in the paint. His potential is that of a lottery pick, but he also brings a great deal of baggage that could have him out of the league shortly.

New Orleans Hornets -- Julian Wright (No. 13), Adam Haluska (No. 43)
Analysis: Personally, I'm not a big Julian Wright fan. But the Hornets are thrilled. Coach Byron Scott could not have thought Wright would fall all the way to 13. Wright is a 6-9 SF from Kansas who does everything well. He runs the floor. He finishes in transition. He plays defense. He's a good shooter. A good passer. I wouldn't be surprised if Wright steps right in at SF and takes over the starting role for the departing Desmond Mason. Haluska is a good athlete and shooter from Iowa, but he'll have to work very hard to make the team.

New York Knicks -- Wilson Chandler (No. 23)
Analysis: Knicks fans don't care what Chandler does, although he could turn into a solid contributor along the mold of last year's first-round pick, Renaldo Balkman. No, the story of the draft came via a trade with Portland. The Knicks picked up PF Zach Randolph, Portland's leading scorer last year who is a 25/10 guy and an All-Star in the East. New York also got rid of one of its big contracts, sending Steve Francis out West. The Knicks did have to part with Channing Frye, an athletic PF who was the 8th pick two years ago. Also heading to New York are Dan Dickau and Fred J0nes. This is a step in the right direction for Isiah Thomas and the Knicks. Randolph can become a superstar in the East.

Orlando Magic -- Reyshawn Terry (No. 44)
Analysis: You don't expect too much from second-round picks, but Terry might be a surprise in Orlando. He has all the tools to be successful, even though he didn't have a great career at North Carolina. The 6-8 small forward is a very good value here. The Magic traded their other second-round pick, No. 54, to Houston, which selected Brad Newley.

Philadelphia 76ers -- Thaddeus Young (No. 12), Daequan Cook (No. 21), Petteri Koponen (No. 30), Kyrylo Fesenko (No. 38)
Analysis: The 76ers, like many teams, went with freshmen with their first two picks -- the SF Young from Ga. Tech and the SG Cook from Ohio State. They then dealt Cook to Miami for PF Jason Smith of Colorado State. Personally, I think they traded the wrong guy. I think Cook has a better upside and will become a better pro than Young. Philly also dealt Koponen to Portland for the rights to the 42nd pick, Derrick Byars. Byars was a solid player at Vanderbilt who could make the 76ers roster. And Fesenko is a steal in the second round from Ukraine. He'll continue to play overseas but the 7-1 20-year-old could surface in Philly as a force down the road.

Phoenix Suns -- Rudy Fernandez (No. 24), Alando Tucker (No. 29), D.J. Strawberry (No. 59)
Analysis: For the fourth straight year, the Suns sold or traded its first-round pick, sending Fernandez to Portland for money. It's like the Suns don't want to get any better. Seriously, it's ridiculous. I like the Tucker pick, though. He's a combo SG/SF player who has tons of leadership, played at a high level for four years at Wisconsin and will fit in nicely in Phoenix's system. I really like that pick. Strawberry, a 6-5 combo guard, is a good player but not a great one and probably won't make the Suns roster.

Portland TrailBlazers -- Greg Oden (No. 1), Josh McRoberts (No. 37), Derrick Byars (No. 42), Taurean Green (No. 52), Demetris Nichols (No. 53)
Analysis: Portland could have stopped after Oden and had the best draft of all the teams. Enough can't be said about Oden, the 7-foot center who is now the cornerstone of the franchise. But the Blazers didn't stop there, as they continue to rebuild their team. They traded Randolph, who is the last link to the "JailBlazers" teams of old, and got a solid backup PF/C in Channing Frye to play behind Oden and last year's first-round pick LaMarcus Aldridge. The Blazers also bought Rudy Fernandez from the Suns, traded Byars for Koponen, giving them two solid foreign players. Green was Florida's leading scorer last year, while Nichols was Syracuse's best player. And McRoberts, a supremely talented big man from Duke, is comfortable playing beside Oden, as the two are former AAU teammates. Portland has done a tremendous job the past two years of rebuilding their roster and will become a team to be reckoned with over the next decade.

Sacramento Kings -- Spencer Hawes (No. 10)
Analysis: Any time you can get a potential franchise center at No. 10, you take him -- and the Kings did just that. Hawes is a 7-foot-1 center from Washington who spent just one year with the Huskies. He has a bevy of low post moves and is a good rebounder. There are questions about his athleticism, but as he continues to get bigger and grow into his body, he'll continue to improve as a player. Hawes is going to be a great center in the NBA.

San Antonio Spurs -- Tiago Splitter (No. 28), Marcus Williams (No. 33), Giorgos Printezis (No. 58)
Analysis: Honestly, what do the NBA champs need? Splitter is an enigma, as he's been in and out of the draft pool the past couple of years, and could have been a potential lottery pick in the past. Instead, the Spurs plucked him at No. 28. They've had great success in the past with foreign players, and Splitter is the next in a long line. He's a 6-11 power forward who will fit in nicely with Fabricio Oberto and Francisco Elson alongside Tim Duncan. Williams is a very talented small forward from Arizona who could play on a number of teams. He'll have a tough time playing for the Spurs though. Printezis is a tough-nosed SF from Greece who will continue to develop over there for a couple of years.

Seattle SuperSonics -- Kevin Durant (No. 2), Carl Landry (No. 31), Glen Davis (No. 35)
Analysis: Like the Blazers, Seattle could have stopped after the selection of Durant and called it a successful day. But the Sonics were movers on this day. They shipped franchise player Ray Allen and Davis to Boston for the No. 5 pick, Jeff Green, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West. Which means Durant is now the face of the franchise. The Sonics knew they couldn't keep both Allen and free agent Rashard Lewis, so they're hanging their hat on being able to re-sign Lewis. I'm not sure what I think about the strategy of having Durant, Lewis and Green -- who are all basically 6-9/6-10 small forwards -- but it does give the Sonics some options. They also sold Landry for a later second-round draft pick. Durant and Green will get chances to play early and often.

Toronto Raptors -- No picks.
Analysis: The Raptors are an up-and-coming young team, and it would have been nice for them to have a pick to add to their roster. Instead, they'll have to try to improve through free agency.

Utah Jazz -- Morris Almond (No. 25), Herbert Hill (No. 55)
Analysis: Jerry Sloan doesn't expect much from his rookies, preferring to let them sit and learn for a year. With rising superstar Deron Williams at PG and All-Star Carlos Boozer at PF, the Jazz could use some shooters to help open things up. Almond fits the bill as perhaps the best shooter in the draft. He should get some chances to play early, as SG is the Jazz's only weakness. Hill, a PF from Providence, is a good value pick late in the second round and could become the third second-round pick in two years to make the Jazz roster.

Washington Wizards -- Nick Young (No. 16), Dominic McGuire (No. 47)
Analysis: Young is a great, great value at No. 16. He's a lottery pick, possibly a top 10 pick, and Wizards were very content to pluck him with the 16th pick. At 6-foot-6, Young can play both wing positions and will make a nice complimentary piece to Wizards superstar Gilbert Arenas. Young doesn't need a ton of shots to be successful, which is good, because playing with Arenas he's not going to get many. McGuire, a 6-9 SF from Fresno State, is an intriguing prospect who plays defense, rebounds and blocks shots. He doesn't, however, play very good offense. Nonetheless, he has a good shot to make Washington's roster.

Working through moodiness

2007-06-13T00:31:00.000-05:00

For those of you who might have tried to reach me today, or for those I might have had some contact with today, I apologize that I've been short and moody. Today wasn't exactly what I'd consider a good day, and it's probably going to take a little time for me to get over it.

Was told today that, pretty much, the Shreveport deal is a no-go. For details I can't really go into on the business side of things, The Times can't hire me, or anybody, to fill their position. And nobody really knows when they'll be able to.

The whole situation frustrates me, as I'm sure some of you know. It's been about a month since I applied for that job. And it's just drug on and on and on. It really frustrated me that this couldn't have been taken care of sooner, and now it appears like it won't be taken care of.
It really disappoints me that I can't get my wife back to north Louisiana so she can work with her brother. I think it would have been a great opportunity for both of them, and it really saddens me that I couldn't make it happen.

But now I just move on. I'm here in Cenla for however long, and I'll make the best of it. I really wasn't looking to leave, but I did get my heart set of going to Shreveport and getting back to north Louisiana. I'm disappointed. But it's not the end of the world. I have a good job here and a good life. Although I am depressed right now.

There are some other things going on in my life, too, that are of some concern to me. It's nothing I'm ready to go into detail here on the blog, but a big announcement was made at church this Sunday that sort of frightens me and concerns me. The direction of the church, and what I'm looking for from my church, aren't lining up. I have some major praying, thinking and decisions to make. I love my kids. They are a lot of fun. But I haven't had the time that I want to put into it. And now with this announcement, I feel further away than I have since I walked in the door. I don't know if I can give the church what it needs, or if the church can give me what I need. This partly adds to my depression today.

I hope for the best, and I surely don't want to lose my kids. But I've been drained lately, and I haven't felt like I can give what I need to give. And if I can't give what I feel like I should give, I don't feel like I should be a part of it. That's my nature. I don't want to drag anyone down, and I feel like I've been doing. Again, I have a lot to pray about. Please add me to your lists.

Blonde Moment

2007-06-11T21:41:00.000-05:00

So Elizabeth and I weren't really doing too much on our day off today. Got up late, as usual. Grabbed a little lunch. Went to check out some mattresses, as the one we have now is giving both our backs some problems.

We really were just spending some quality time together. We went to the mall and did some looking (and some buying, but that's another story). Then, as we were heading out, Elizabeth mentioned something about my needing a haircut.

Just a little background. I don't particularly like to get my hair cut. I like to keep it longer, just because with my thousand cowlicks, it's easier to maintain when it's that length, rather than shorter. But Elizabeth prefers shorter.

Anyway, I've been wanting a change for a while. Been wanting to add a little color to my life. So I said what the heck ... let's get some highlights. I haven't colored my hair in two years, when Elizabeth and I went all out at a day spa in Boston on our honeymoon. So I get there, run through some books, pick out a style and color I'd like and sit down in a chair.

The picture I thought I'd shown had light brown/auburn highlights. Apparently, the stylist thought they were blonde. It wasn't until she called me blondie when she was about to shampoo my hair that I figured out what was going on. I had blonde highlights. Now, I actually like the way it turned out, but it is going to take a little time to get used to having blonde in my hair!

Meanwhile, as I'm in the chair, Elizabeth brings a picture from a style book over and asks me if I liked it. It was cute, and short. While Elizabeth likes to keep her hair long, I think she's really pretty with short hair. So I said, 'Go for it!' Another little story -- when Elizabeth and I first met and started dating, she had blonde highlights. So I like it when she gets her hair colored.

Anyway, that's how our day off turned into a blonde makeover!!!

Short, sweet and to the point

2007-06-05T11:37:00.000-05:00

I could go on and on and on about my current four-day hiatus from work, which regretfully ends when I return to the office tomorrow afternoon. But I won't. I'll keep it short.

Elizabeth and I were planning to take off to Atlanta, but it just didn't fit in the budget. I was saddened, but undaunted. Instead, we just relaxed around the house, for the most part. Except for Monday.

On Monday, we trekked up north to Ruston. I love going back home and seeing old friends. I try to get to Ruston as much as I can. Anyway, I promised short, and I'm breaking said promise. Now to the point.

We had lunch with a couple of old friends, Kyle and Judith, at Monjuni's. Good food. Good conversation. Love Kyle and Judith. Then we ran by the bank (CTB) where Elizabeth used to work. She got a chance to spend some time with former co-workers, while I ran off down the road and visited with Smoothie King owner Bradley Walker, who I've known since I was 5 or something. Again, just good to see and old face and chat. When I arrived back to the bank, I had a chance to talk with Dave Anderson, whom I've known since I was a freshman in high school, when he nicknamed me "Arnold Palmer" for leaving his track team to play golf at Ruston High. Anyway, we chatted for 20 minutes or so, just catching up.

After leaving the bank, Elizabeth and I ran out to her brother Jason's house, where we watched a little Nascar (ha!) and visited, both friendly and business. For those of you wondering, I still haven't heard anything from Shreveport. Everything is good on Elizabeth and Jason's end, but I'm just waiting to hear back from Shreveport to see if we can take the next step. I hate lack of progress, but I'll keep you informed.

The only sad part about our trip was the lack of little boys, as both Caleb and Seth (Jason's two sons) were at daycare and we didn't get to see them. Sad times, because those little boys are fun!

After spending a few hours with Jason, he ran off to chat with a lawyer about getting his business started, while Elizabeth and I went over to visit with the Ferrels, a family I've known for nearly 20 years. As always is the case with the Ferrels, no matter who's home, it was good conversation and a good time. Michelle, one of my little girls, who aren't so little anymore, (there's a whole other blog that I might post about memories on this one) wasn't home, but her twin sister Ashley was. As was their mother, Sherri, and her two grandbabies, Aiden and Brenton. Those boys are tons of fun! Was saddened to hear her oldest daughter has gotten herself in quite a bit of trouble, but I'll just pray for her safety and guidance in turning her life around. All and all, that was a fun time, as always.

After leaving the Ferrels, Elizabeth and I had supper with a couple of college friends, Alan and Misti. Well, Alan is a lot more than a college friend. He was one of the first friends I had when I moved back to Ruston in seventh grade, and one of my groomsmen, as well. Anyway, Alan and Misti just moved back to Ruston from Houston, and we got to have supper with them at Chili's. It was the first time we'd seen them since we went down to Houston around October. Great times. I really enjoy being around those two, and having supper with them made me realize how much I've missed spending time with them over the past couple of years. Now they're just two hours away, and I'm hoping we'll be able to catch up much more often.

All in all, it was a great trip. Even got myself a couple of handfuls of those wonderful Ruston peaches. Yummy! Can't wait to scarf those down!

I'm sorry, everyone. I promised short, but I'm coming to realize I just don't do short. It's going to be very challenging when I begin blogging for work next week -- since my blogs are supposed to be 10 paragraphs or less. That's going to be tough! LOL.

Until later -- Bret

Here's an update ...

2007-05-24T21:46:00.001-05:00

Well, for some of you, this is an update. For others, this might be the first you're hearing of this. If that's the case, I apologize. It's not like I'm trying to hide this from anyone. In fact, I've been more open about this than I have anything else in my career. It's just that I've been really busy and actually haven't talked to many people lately.

So what's this big news that I've kept so hush-hush? We might be moving -- again. Not like staying in Cenla moving, but actually leaving Cenla moving.

I know. I know. We just moved here. We bought a house. I like my job. All positive things. So why am I looking to leave? Well, like many things in life, it's complicated.

There's an opportunity in Shreveport at The Times that is essentially what I'm doing now -- prep sports -- but would be a little less pressure and a little less work. It wouldn't be an assistant editor position, which means I'd be working 40 hours a week. There are many benefits to this -- spending more time with Elizabeth, not wearing myself out, having more time to spend relaxing, etc.

In and of itself, this job wouldn't interest me. While there are some good benefits to taking the job, I'm not exactly looking to leave Alexandria. I've known about this job for awhile, and it didn't intrigue me enough on its own.

So what changed? It's a family deal. My brother-in-law is opening his own physical therapy business, and he approached Elizabeth about being his business manager. While she loves her job, her background is in business, and I think it would be a great opportunity for her. Needless to say, I believe it's something we should at least consider.

So we're considering. And still considering. Right now, we're just in a holding pattern. After officially applying for the job in Shreveport, I was told the managing editor would get with me this week. Since I hadn't heard from him, I sent him an e-mail today, and he told me it'd be next week before he could review my clips and get back with me. So we're waiting ...

Like I've told the few people I have been able to talk to about this, I'll keep people informed during this whole process. I'm not looking to hide anything -- from my family, from my friends or from my employers. All of this is on the up-and-up.

My biggest problem is a lack of patience. Honestly, there are benefits to either one of these jobs. I'd be happy either way. I just want an answer. I want to move forward. If we're going to Shreveport (or Minden or Homer or wherever we end up), I want to get started on that as soon as possible. If we're staying in Cenla, I want to give my all to that. So sitting and waiting isn't my best ability. But that's what I'm doing. When I hear something, you'll hear something.

Digitally creative

2007-03-28T03:47:00.000-05:00

For some reason, my bosses at work signed me up for a digital photo training class at LSU-Alexandria. It's basically a beginning photo class, one of many continuing education classes workers at The Town Talk "get" to take due to some grant money the paper has.

Unlike the other training classes I've taken, this one is actually pretty fun because 1) I actually have an interest in photography, even if I don't have a great eye for it; and 2) because I'm not stuck at a computer in the class. We actually get out and shoot some photos.

The only problem with the class is it starts at 8 a.m. (I have my last of three classes Thursday morning), and since it's 3:15 a.m. as I type right now, you guys can tell that I'm a night owl (hey, I work at night!).

But after the last class, we were given a "homework" assignment to get 12 photographs that we've taken in order to make homemade cards. So I dug through some of my old digital photos that I've shot and picked out 12 that I thought were good photos or had good stories or good memories associated with them. I'd like to run through them with you guys and share the stories, because it was fun for me to go back into the past.

1) The scene is a picture of a sailboat and a skyline in June in Boston. It's a picture from a boat tour that Elizabeth and I took on our honeymoon in Boston in June 2005. I just think it was a neat picture, and it was an absolutely beautiful day.

2) This picture I didn't actually take, but I had it on my computer and absolutely had to use it. It's a picture of my wife taken by her mother for our "engagement" pictures out by the gazebo at her parents' house. The thing that is so striking about the photo is that Elizabeth is laughing. First of all, it's like pulling teeth to get Elizabeth to take a picture. She normally runs away or simply hides her face. Point blank, she doesn't like to be photographed, but she submitted for the engagement photos. I don't recall exactly what was going on off-camera when this photo was shot, but Elizabeth was laughing at something -- probably some silly thing that I did!

3) This third photo is very striking to me. It was taken last October when I went to New York City with my brother-in-law, Jason. We went down to Ground Zero and stood out in the rain. While I was there, I snapped a photo of the big void that is left where the twin towers used to stand. One day, and it's not supposed to take very long, there will be a memorial standing the same height as the tallest tower.

4) The fourth photo is of a lighthouse in Maine on our honeymoon. When Elizabeth and I went up to the Northeast, we visited several lighthouses. And this is my favorite photo of all the lighthouses I shot. It's also the photo Elizabeth has on her MySpace page.

5) My boy, Ryan Moats. I had the pleasure of spending Draft Day 2005 in Dallas at Moats' house. While there, I took several pictures of the party. In one of them, I captured Ryan in a fairly artsy photo (especially for me, who's not very artsy at all). It's a shot of him standing by the fireplace in his mom's living room, and he's framed by the bricks and rocks of the fireplace. This photo is now the one on my MySpace page.

6) Peyton Manning. J-E-T-S! Jets, Jets, Jets! Another shot from my October trip to New York, when Jason and I went to Yankee Stadium and then to watch the Colts and the Jets play. I took a photo of Peyton under center from the stands, and I'm actually surprised how well it turned out. Jason and I were by no means in the nosebleeds, and we actually had some pretty good seats, but I didn't think I'd be able to get nearly as good of a photo as I was able to get.

7) The Green Monster. Yes, I like sports. A lot of these photos have to do with sports in some way, shape or form. So sue me. This one is a photo of Fenway Park's famed Green Monster, the left field fence at the park. This photo was taken from the press box on our tour of the park. Sadly, the Red Sox were out of town during our honeymoon, and we didn't get to see a game. But we did take a tour. And not only did I get this shot of the Green Monster, Elizabeth also took a photo of me atop the Monster. That had been on my MySpace page.

8) Another photo at Fenway. This one is of Elizabeth and me down on the field level. The Green Monster can be seen in the background. I didn't actually take this photo, since I'm in the picture. We asked a kind stranger to shoot us. Not great quality, but a good memory.

9) One of the funniest photos I have, it's of Misti Walker, a friend from college and the wife of one of my best friends, Alan Walker. This photo was taken at "Alan's Pad" -- his so-called bachelor pad out in the woods behind his dad's house when we were in college. It captures Misti's personality to a "T" (her nickname), as she has a football in one arm and strikes the Heisman pose. Absolutely hilarious when it happened, and still funny to think about!

10) Another photo of Ryan Moats at his Draft Day party. This one is of Ryan on his cell phone as he receives a call from the Philadelphia Eagles, telling him they are about to take him in the third round of the draft. It had been a long, frustrating day for Ryan, as he wasn't selected until after 9 p.m. But once he got the call from the Eagles, all of his frustrations slipped away, and he was elated to know he would get the chance to play in the NFL.

11) Certainly not the best photo I've taken in terms of quality, but it's a shot of the New York skyline on my way back into the city after the Jets game back in October. It was a beautiful day, even if the picture doesn't best represent the striking beauty of the sky.

12) Last but not least, a random picture of a sunset. I honestly do not remember where or when this photo was taken. I just had my camera with me -- it may have been when I was looking at houses after moving to Alexandria -- and saw an opportunity to catch a pretty orange sky. So I shot it, and I really like the photo.

Anyway, I was happy to get a chance to go through some old photos thanks to this homework assignment. I like the idea of recording memories, and digital photos have made that so much easier these days. You can shoot as many as you want, delete the ones you don't like and save them. Then if you want to make a print, it's fairly easy to save it to a desk and run up to Wal-Mart, which is what I did for this assignment. I hope you've enjoyed my trip down memory lane, as well.

Memoirs from a Deathbed

2007-03-25T02:39:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, despite the fact that I've been working constantly and sleeping half the day away, I've had a chance lately to do a lot of thinking. And one of the things that got me thinking was a new CD that I bought from perhaps my favorite band, Relient K.

I want to share with you guys the final song on the album, an epic, 11-minute confession of a man dying from cancer and looking back on his life from his deathbed. I'll provide the lyrics in black font, with my own thoughts in blue.

DEATHBED

I can smell the death on the sheets
Covering me
I can't believe
This is the end

But this is my deathbed
I lie here alone
If I close my eyes tonight
I know I'll be home

Sometimes in our lives we can feel so alone, so attached from the world that goes on all around us. But this was a man who was utterly alone, on his deathbed with nobody to care for him. What a depressing thought -- to be all alone and dying. But even when we're alone, we're not alone. God is there with us, and even when things are at their worst, we have the promise of eternity waiting for us when He calls us home.

The year was 1941
I was 8 years old and far too young
To know that the stories
Of battle and glory
Was a tale a kind moher made up for her son

You see, Dad was a traveling preacher
Teaching the words of The Teacher
But Mother had sworn
He went off to the war
And died there with honor somewhere on a beach there

But he left once to never return
Which taught me that I should unlearn
Whatever I thought a father should be
I abandoned that thought like he abandoned me

The man was 8 years old in 1941 -- meaning he was born in 1933. In 2007, as he's on his deathbed, he's 66 years old looking back at his life. While I haven't lived nearly 66 years, there are times I think back to things in my past that have shaped me into what I am today. In this case, his father -- a Christian man, a traveling preacher -- abandoned him and his mother all alone. At such an early age, he had to grow up and become a man. I can relate here. While I never once felt abandoned, for the most part of my childhood it was just me and Mom. We bounced around, went through a couple of husbands, but it was us. I had to grow up. Mom hd to sacrifice. It shaped me into the man I would become.

By '47 I was fourteen
I'd acquired a taste for liquor and nicotine
I smoked until I threw up
Yet I still lit 'em up for 30 more years
Like a machine
So right there you have it
That one filthy habit
Is what got me where I am today

At 14 years old, abandoned by his father, this man had begun going down a path that would lead to his destruction. Liquor and nicotine -- the latter of which would lead to a cancer that would riddle his bones and put him on his deathbed, looking back on his life. We make choices. Every day we make choices. Some good. Some bad. None of us are perfect. But we live with our choices. They shape us. They define us. At 14, this man made a choice that would effect the rest of his life. I hope I haven't made decisions that will lead to my destruction someday.

I can smell the death on the sheets
Covering me
I can't believe
This is the end

I can hear those sad memories
Still haunting me
So many things
I'd do again

But this is my deathbed
I lie here alone
If I close my eyes tonight
I know I'll be home

A little twist on the chorus. As he lays in his bed, all alone, on his deathbed, he's haunted about sad memories from the past -- about the abandonment he faced when his father left, about the filthy smoking habit that would lead to the cancer that's killing me. Man, all these decisions haunt him in his last days. There are so many things he'd do all over. I look back at all the stupid mistakes that I've made in my life, and how I wish I could have a chance to do things all over again. But we don't get that opportunity. We live. We learn. We move on. We make mistakes, ask for forgiveness and try to live to the best of our abilities. Unfortunately, in life, there are no mulligans.

Got married on my 21st
Eight months before my wife would give birth
It's easier to be sure you love someone
When her father inquires with the barrel of a gun

The union was far from harmonious
No two people could have been more alone than us
The years would go by and she'd love someone else
And I'd realize I hadn't been loved yet myself

While at 14, he began smoking. At 21, he impregnated his wife and had a shotgun wedding. Again choices that define us. I guess it would be pretty easy to know you love someone when her father is threatening your life. You man up and take the consequences of your action. But can you imagine how tough it would be knowing that you're 21 years old, about to be a father and getting into a marriage that neither one of you wants to be in. Your families obviously aren't happy with your decisions, and you are forced to try to make things right. But they aren't right. The marriage is doomed from the start. She'd move on and give her heart to someone else -- without ever giving it to you at the start.

From there it's your typical spiel
If life was a highway I was drunk at the wheel
I was helping the loose ends all fall apart
Yeah I swear I was destined to fail and fail from the start

I bowled about six times a week
The bottle of Beam kept the memories from me
Our marriage had taken a 7-10 split
And along with my pride, the ex-wife took the kids

And things kept getting worse. Without love, a fatherless young boy became a father who in his own way abandoned his children. Is going life through the motions a life worth living? This man just went through the motions -- he was drunk at the wheel of the highway of life. In a way, he feels sorry for himself. He feels as if his life was set up from the get-go destined for failure. He's beaten down. He's broken. Can things get any worse? Probably, but in his head there's no way it's going to get any better.

I was so scared of Jesus
But he sought me out
Like the cancer in my lungs
That's killing me now

And I've given up hope
On the days I have left
But I cling to the hope
On my life in the next

But just when we get up hope, our hero swoops in. The hope for the hopeless. When we're running scared, when we're hiding from life, Jesus is there, seeking us out, trying to save us. Just like the cancer in this man's lungs, seeking to spread its way throughout his body, Christ sought to take over his life. As he lays in his bed, alone, dying, there's no hope left in this life. But there's hope in eternity. There's hope that the pain, the loneliness, the helplessness, everything will be gone -- and all that's left is a perfect life in heaven.

Then Jesus showed up
Said "Before we go up
I thought we might reminisce
See one night in your life
When you turned out the lights
You asked for and prayed for my forgiveness"

Now it's time. Jesus shows up. As the man takes his final breath, he closes his eyes to see The Father and The Son. It's time for eternity. But before, Jesus says let's take a trip down memory lane. Surely, this isn't what the old man wants to do. After all, he's just been taking trips down memory lane. The thoughts were depressing. His life wasn't exactly fulfilling. But Jesus brings good memories -- a memory about a broken man, alone in the dark, crying out for forgiveness. And that's all it takes -- a heart that comes, pure and broken, with the understanding that we cannot save ourselves. It just takes a heart in search of a hero and a savior.

You cried wolf
The tears, they soaked your fur
The blood dripped from your fangs
You said, "What have I done?"
You loved that lamb
With every sinful bone
And there you wept alone
Your heart was so contrite
You said "Jesus, please forgive me of my crimes
Sanctify this withered heart of mine
Stay with me until my life is through
And on that day, please take me home with you"

This is perhaps my favorite part of the whole song. I've grown up in church and heard many metaphors about the life of Christ. I've heard all about the pure lamb of Christ -- the sacrifice that was made for us to have eternal life. But I've never before heard us compared to a wolf. But that's what we are. We are the wolf who sought out and sacrificed the pure lamb. We're the ones with the blood on our fangs. And we're the ones who should be crying over the punishment that we caused the only perfect person to ever walk this earth. But that's the good news. That was the plan. Jesus did it willingly. He went to the Cross for us and allowed us to dig our fangs into his brittle bones. The crown of thorns, all the whips, the broken bones, the beatings that Jesus took -- all of that was our fangs digging into him and devouring the perfect lamb. And that sacrifice was wondeful, but it was useless unless we come with a contrite heart, pouring out our withered hearts, begging for forgiveness and asking our savior to take us home with him.

I can smell the death on the sheets
Covering me
I can't believe
This is the end

I can hear you whisper to me
It's time to leave
You'll never be
Lonely again

But this was my deathbed
I died there alone
When I closed my eyes tonight
You carried me home

Again, another twist on the chorus. Jesus came to take the old man home and simply whispered in his ear that he had nothing more to worry about. Never again would he be lonely. Never again would he feel the pain of the human emotions that we deal with every day. No, he was on his way to heaven. Carried home by our hero.

(Voice of Jesus)
I am the way
Follow me and take my hand
And I am the truth
Embrace me and you'll understand
I am the life
Through me you'll live again
For I am love
I am love
I am love

And then to close the song we get the voice of Jesus, pleading out to his children. Just like the gospels say, he is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but through him. He's the way, all we have to do is take his hand and follow. He's the truth. If we embrace it, we'll understand. And he is the life. Through him, we can live again. We can have the gift of eternal life. But most importantly, he is love. That love is what saves us. That love is what led to the ultimate sacrifice.

I hope one day I am not in the position that this old man was put in. I hope I'm not alone on my deathbed, with no family, no loved ones, basically living a useless life. I don't want to look back on my life with any regrets. I want to live life to its fullest. But no matter what, no matter how my life turns out, the twists, turns and tribulations that are sure to come in the future, I know I have the love of my savior. I know my future is written in the Book of Life. That gives me the ultimate comfort to know that I can live my life and at the end of the day know that I'm going home!

Can I relax now

2007-03-10T10:51:00.001-06:00

Oh how I wish it were just "Strictly Sports" ... (for those of you reading on MySpace, I also post a blog on Blogger that I entitle "Strictly Sports")

This week has been far from strictly anything.

I'm sitting at my desk at 10 a.m. Saturday morning, an hour until I meet Patrick Johnson, our prep writer, to head down to Lafayette to cover the semifinals of the boys basketball playoffs. And for the first time all week, I feel I finally have time to relax.

I just received my final mug shot for our All-Cenla boys and girls soccer teams, which will run in Sunday's paper. 22 photos. I was responsible for tracking them down. And boy did I have some problems. I thought, by going to the schools and trying to get yearbook pictures, that I was doing it the right way. Wrong!

Don't get me wrong -- some schools were very helpful. They gave me hard copies of yearbook prints or e-mailed it over to me. One school had already shipped off its yearbook pictures, but the ROTC department e-mailed me photos from school IDs. But others weren't nearly as helpful.

Going into yesterday -- mind you, with a graphic designer wanting to finish this big, full-page project up as soon as possible -- I still needed 10 or 11 mug shots. So I started tracking down parents and athletes. Some parents were able to e-mail me photos, and I am terribly gracious for that. Other athletes took time out of their busy schedules for me to shoot photos of them -- three Pineville athletes met me at the school at 7 p.m. last night, after I twice asked, and received confirmation, that I would receive yearbook photos via e-mail.

Coming into today -- after being in the office for a full eight hours yesterday on my "day off" -- I lacked just two photos, or so I thought. I got in touch with one parent, who said she had e-mailed me on Thursday -- an e-mail I had accidentally deleted. No problem. I hit restore and it was safe. That left one more, so I contacted him and asked him I could meet him to shoot a photo. He lives in Colfax, so he said he'd e-mail me. Three photos later and I'm done. Relax.

If that were only the story of my week. Here's where we get to the non-sports part of my job this week. Every year, The Town Talk puts out "parish profiles" every year on the 13 (now 11) parishes that we cover. For some reason -- and despite many protests -- I drew Catahoula Parish. For the record, so you guys won't think I'm just complaining, I'm the only one of our "content editors" (read people in charge of assigning and editing stories) that received one of these assignments. Yes, I write. I enjoy it. But I have many other responsibilities around here that a normal reporter doesn't have, which made this assignment very difficult for me.

First, I had to create time to drive to Catahoula Parish and gather the extensive information necessary to get the project done -- history of the parish, lots of interesting tidbits about its beginning, biggest scoundrels, well-known residents, etc. It was a lot of fun, but very time-consuming. Since I moved over to sports, I haven't had the time -- with prep playoffs going on right in the middle of when this needed to be done, and the fact that I'm the editor on duty every night that I'm not out covering a game.

So we created a day -- Tuesday -- for me to essentially take off to Catahoula Parish and not work in the office. So I left at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning to go to Catahoula Parish -- Harrisonburg, Jonesville and Sicily Island. I spent most of my day there and got back to Alexandria at 6 p.m. and started writing, finishing up at about midnight. Then I e-mailed my stuff to the office and came up here to put all of my stories into the system. That was a long day -- and I haven't been the same since.

I'm trying not to complain too loudly, because I did enjoy the assignment and learn a lot, but it was very inconvenient for me to have to shun the rest of my duties in order to do this parish profile.

Anyway, I could ramble on and on and on about my week, but I'll close on this note. Thursday was my birthday. I'm 25. A quarter of a century. I've thought about doing some type of retrospective, but as you can tell, I haven't really had time. Hopefully, I'll get some soon. But it won't be today or tomorrow. I'm leaving in 15 minutes to go to Lafayette, where I'll be until about midnight, before driving back to Alexandria, getting up to teach Sunday school and immediately leaving to go back to Lafayette to cover another semifinal game tomorrow.

This is my life. Pray for my wife.

He's alive!!!

2007-02-28T14:38:00.000-06:00

HAMMOND -- So I'm sitting courtside at the University Center on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University just before 1 p.m., at work but not yet at work, and I'm the first media member to arrive today.

I will cover two games today, out of a total of five in our coverage area, as part of the Ladies Top 28 semifinals. Depending on the outcome of tonight's late game, I could also be back here on Saturday to cover one or two finals contests.

This is the type of work I enjoy. I like being on the road. There's something of a thrill that comes with it. But I'm also tired. And I've got a long day ahead of me. But it's already been a long week.
After traveling to and from Monroe on my day off Monday for a doctor's appointment, I arrived home just in time to be called into the office for a crisis. The LHSAA and the state's newspapers got into a verbal war over the use of photographs and who owned the rights, which caused the newspapers to boycott the first two nights of the tournament. Late Tuesday night, the LHSAA caved on the issue and allowed the newspapers to retain the rights to all of the photos they shot.

Well, after working for three hours or so on my day -- which really made my wife happy, let me tell you -- I came home exhausted. Then yesterday was exhilirating, traveling 45 minutes to Montgomery watch Montgomery beat up on Vermilion Catholic in the second round of the boys 1A playoffs.

Was in the office until after 2 a.m. thanks to some computer problems which caused me to lose the feature story I had done on Montgomery's boys for later in the week. After taking care of some bills and chores around the house, I crashed for about 2-3 hours before getting up early this morning to drive down to Hammond.

Such is the life of a sports writer during playoff time. After this weekend, we've got the next two weekends of the boys Top 28, and then basketball season -- at least on the prep level -- is done and in the books.

By then, I'm sure, I'll be basketballed out. I've got a quarterfinal boys game to cover Friday night -- where, I'm not sure yet -- then most likely will be back on the road early Saturday heading back down here to Hammond. The next two weekends I'll be back and forth from Lafayette most likely, as I'm sure Peabody and Zwolle will advance to the finals in their respective classes.

Anyway, it's good to finally write again. I'm about to get settled in a long, fun day of girls basketball. These are the best teams in the state, and it should make for competitive basketball.

Going back home

2007-01-15T22:56:00.000-06:00

Although today was technically the second Monday in a row that Elizabeth and I have had off together, it was the first two-day weekend we've had together since beginning our new jobs. In honor of that milestone, we did what we do best -- hit the road for a little getaway.

The destination? Our old home, Ruston. I called up my best man Kyle over the weekend to see if he and his wife, Judith, could me us for lunch. We chose an old staple of Ruston cuisine, The Dawghouse, which makes quite possibly the best burger in town.

The Dawghouse, I must say, didn't disappoint with my burger. Very good. And the cheese fries were magnificent, as always. Elizabeth had been craving some cheese fries. It was neat, pulling up to The Dawghouse, where we hadn't been since we left Ruston eight months ago. The exterior had received a face lift (Tech blue, my favorite color, of course), while the interior had been remodeled as well.

After spending about an hour or so at the restaurant, Elizabeth and I followed Kyle back to his house and hung out for awhile. We did what guys do -- talk some sports, play a few video games, hang out with the chihauhau -- you know, that kinda stuff.

Eventually, Kyle kicked us out of his place because he had to get on the road -- headed to Bossier City for Monday's night live television showing of WWE's Monday Night Raw. Yes, I admit, I used to watch wrestling. In high school, I watched religiously -- both WCW and the then-WWF. Kyle and I were die-hards. As we got into college and matured a little bit (although, asking our wives, that maturity level is still debatable), we both got away from watching wrestling. But Kyle had a chance to go with some buddies and he jumped at it. After all, we're both still kids at heart -- and wrestling was a big part of our childhood. As much as I hate to admit it, I've actually watched a little bit recently myself. Not much, but certainly more than I did my entire college life.

Anyway, after Kyle took off, Elizabeth and I went to visit a family that's near and dear to my heart -- the Ferrels. Let's just say, we go way back. My mother and Sherri Ferrel have been friends for years, and I've known Sherri's kids forever. Casey, the oldest, is three years younger than me, while the twin girls (Ashley and Michelle, "my little girls") are juniors in high school.

When we were younger (like when I was in junior high and high school), we lived near one another, and it became a tradition for me to go over to the Ferrels to play in the snow whenever we got a day off from school because of bad weather. I have some great memories with playing with those girls, who literally were like sisters to me.

It's funny because I recently, as in last week, caught up with Casey and Michelle through MySpace, and Sunday night, Michelle left me a message asking when I was coming up to visit. I was tempted to give her a call and let her know we planned to come into town on Monday, but decided against it and showed up unannouced.

Talk about a wonderful time. The four Ferrel women, along with myself and Elizabeth, sat around in their living room and reminisced about old times, as well as catching up on new ones. It's amazing that my little girls, who I've literally known since they were born, are now 17-year-old juniors in high school. To put that in perspective, some of my friends from church are 17-year-old juniors. Strange.

After spending, I guess, an hour or two with the Ferrels, Elizabeth and I caught up with my boy Binni Keleta for a few minutes before hitting the road back home. I'd hoped to go to Monroe to catch a Ruston High soccer game (Binni's the coach), but the game was canceled due to bad weather. But the 'Cats have a home game in two weeks, so we'll try to make it back up there then, when they face off against district rival West Monroe.

All in all, it was a great trip home. Even though it was short, and honestly that's the way I prefer my trips to Ruston, it's always good to see old friends and visit. There's a ton of other people I wish I could have seen while I was in town, but time simply doesn't allow for that. The good news is there will be time for plenty more trips home in the future.

I'm back in the saddle

2007-01-10T10:10:00.000-06:00

Went out and covered my first game in months last night. Here are the results:

http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070110/SPORTS/701100329/1006

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070110/PREPSSPORTS/701100305

New year brings new hope

2007-01-02T22:38:00.000-06:00

Yes, I know I'm a little late. It's Jan. 2 (happy birthday, Mom), but I'm writing a New Year's blog.

2006 was, in many ways, a monumental year for me. Yet, the arrival of 2007 brings renewed hope. I really and truly believe this year could be my best one yet. Before we get into that, let's take a look back on the year that was.

Last year brought some major milestones in my life. Elizabeth and I ventured out into the great unknown, moving away from Ruston and buying our first house. Maybe it wasn't the great unknown for Elizabeth (she grew up in Pineville, which is a stone's throw over the Red River from our house in Alexandria), but it was for me. For the majority of my life, I lived in the small city known as Ruston, La. In fact, I'd spent the past dozen years there -- finishing up junior high, graduating high school and becoming my own man in college at Louisiana Tech University. Ruston, for all its faults, was home.

But there comes a time when a man needs to spread his wings and move away from home. 2006 became that time for me. So I took a job at The Town Talk, a paper owned by Gannett, the largest newspaper chain in America, as an assistant metro editor -- putting my career dreams in the sports world on hold in order to better my family's future. And I haven't regretted that decision for a second.

Elizabeth and I purchased a cute cottage home in the Garden District near downtown Alexandria. And while it's a "cottage home," it's by no means tiny. We are very proud of our rather large home that features 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a large living room, separate dining room and a den/computer room that is quickly becoming my own shrine to my college alma mater -- painted my favorite color, "Tech Blue" -- while also housing our computer desk, my workout machine and all my video games.

While the house was "move-in ready," my interior-designer-at-heart wife set about making the house we purchased our home. We set about painting -- the aforementioned "Tech Blue" room, the kitchen, dining room and living room. We've purchased a few amenities -- new living room furniture (a couch, loveseat and lounge chair), matching dining room set (formal dining table, which two extra sections, to seat anywhere from 4-8 people comfortably, and Elizabeth's favorite asset of the house, a new china cabinet), and we (my father-in-law and me) just put in a new chandelier in the dining room that I purchased for Elizabeth for Christmas.

We've still got a lot of work to do in transforming our home. The guest bedroom isn't fully set up yet, although we have had a few guests stay. And the third bedroom, which for now is serving as our storage room, still needs to be painted and turned into the shrine to Curious George that it will become. But we're making progress. And that's what life's about.

Outside of the home, Elizabeth and I have found another home -- a church home at Donahue Family Church in Pineville. While, admittedly, we had inside connections with Elizabeth's best friend, Michelle Neal, being one of the youth ministers (along with her husband, Jeremy), we've really taken to this new church. Elizabeth and I jumped right in helping with the youth group -- serving as adult leaders at the Wednesday night service and also teaching a group of 7th and 8th graders on Sunday morning. Recently, I've added the duty of church basketball coach. In college, I had hopes to be a youth leader, but things didn't work out for me. Now, I'm getting to live some of those past dreams.

While 2006 was a transition year for our family, I firmly believe 2007 is going to be even better. Two weeks ago, Elizabeth started a new job at The Town Talk. Today, I received word that next week I will begin my own new job at The Town Talk -- as assistant sports editor/preps. I can't put into words how excited I am to get back on the sports side of the news business. I'll be back in my element -- helping to dictate the coverage of our local high schools, along with prep writer Patrick Johnson, and helping the sports editor, Randy Benson, direct our overall coverage at The Town Talk. This is just validation in my eyes that I made the right decision coming to The Town Talk. My previous boss said he was shocked when he heard I was living to become an assistant metro editor. But it was all part of my plan to get a shot in a sports department. Now, just eight months later, I'm getting that chance and am well along on the path that I wanted to take in my journalism career.

What this next step means is that I'll be moving to a night schedule. On paper, that's not ideal. Except Elizabeth's job is moving to nights, as well. We won't be on the exact same schedule -- my shift will begin and end about 3 hours earlier than hers -- but we'll be working the same days (Tuesday through Saturday) and we'll have our mornings (until about 2) off together.

Personally and professionally, I have high hopes for the coming year. Hopefully, it'll be the best one yet.

New co-worker

2006-12-29T11:07:00.000-06:00

So I've got a new co-worker at the office who started working there last Monday.

Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal, and certainly not blog-worthy. The Town Talk is a big place. People come and go. It's only natural. When I worked at The Ruston Daily Leader, a paper much smaller and with a more intimate work force, it was a big deal when someone left or started. Here in Alexandria, not so much.

But last Monday was rather historic, as my wife began a new job at The Town Talk. No, Elizabeth is not a journalist. She has no journalism background. But she's working at the newspaper. While exact roles are up in the air (as they are for all us as we are redesigning a new setup at the paper), Elizabeth's main tasks are to archive our paper and assist with the Web site.

So far, she tells me, she's enjoying things. Sometimes, her cubicle is pretty hectic. Other times, she can work in relative anonymity -- the way she likes it.

Elizabeth's favorite thing about her new job is we've gotten a chance to carpool. Seriously, she loves it. Brings a big smile to her face. Working with a spouse is not a foreign concept to me. My mother and stepfather, until recently, have worked at the same job for 4-5 years. So it's nothing big to me. But it's amusing to see how much Elizabeth enjoys it.

Last week and this week, Elizabeth has been working 9-6 from Monday through Friday. Beginning next week, I believe, she'll switch to a 1-10 p.m. shift, before eventually moving to her "normal" shift of 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. from Tuesday through Saturday.

Now, there are pros and cons to this. For the first time since we moved to Alexandria, we'll have a two-day "weekend" where we are off together. It's tough when your days off are different. While working at the bank, Elizabeth was off Saturday and Sunday. I'm off Sunday and Monday. With Sunday being church day where we teach a group of middle schoolers, that leaves absolutely no time to do things together or do any traveling. So it'll be nice to be off together.

As for the con, at least until something changes, Elizabeth and I will be working criss-cross shifts. I work from 9-6 Tuesday through Thursday and from 3-whenever on Friday and Saturday. So that'll give us two days a week where we're not seeing each other as I'm leaving the building and she's entering. Now, I'm under the impression that my situation at work will eventually change. And I'll give everyone more details as they become more clear. But for right now, I don't know when my job's going to change. But it most likely will mean me moving to nights, so Elizabeth and I are at least on similar shifts.

We're excited in the McCormick household for Elizabeth's new job. She didn't particularly enjoy banking, and this new position is more down her alley. She can use some of her technology skills. Plus it's a foot in the door for a huge company that gives us plenty of options in the future.

Reading material

2006-12-26T22:03:00.000-06:00

http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061222/NEWS01/612220338/1002/NEWS17

http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061224/NEWS01/612240301/1002/NEWS17

Submitted for your reading pleasure are two stories worthy of winning awards -- not because of anything I wrote, but simply because of the stories that needed to be told.

The first story is one of perseverance, work ethic and never giving up. The second one is a story of an amazing young woman whose selflessness apparently knows no bounds.

Due to vacations, writers on leave and other craziness, I pulled double duty this past week -- playing both editor and writer. So I had both of these stories essentially fall in my lap. And I was glad to tell them.

Playing reporter for a week made me realize how much I missed writing. It was a lot of fun, even with all of my other responsibilities and generally feeling overwhelmed. But we got the job done and got the paper out.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading the two stories as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Who Dat!

2006-12-11T14:32:00.000-06:00

Now the nation knows. The New Orleans Saints are no longer simply the feel-good story of the year. No. Now the Saints are a force to be reckoned with and a legitimate contender for the Super Bowl.

That's the feeling today, after the Saints absolutely obliterated the Dallas Cowboys last night on national TV. The final score of 42-17 was bad enough, but it doesn't even begin to describe how much of a blowout this game was. After giving up a 77-yard touchdown run on Dallas's second play from scrimmage, the Saints' defense rebounded and put on a masterful performance.

All year long, the story has been about this team's offense. Drew Brees is in a dogfight with his former teammate (San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson) for league MVP honors. Reggie Bush's explosiveness has changed the way teams must gameplan against the Saints. Marques Colston, a seventh-round draft choice, has played like the Rookie of the Year for the better part of the season. And it goes beyond those three players. Deuce McAllister finding his role. Joe Horn's leadership, even through injuries. The depth at both wide receiver and tight end, with no-names making plays and names for themselves. And a patchwork offensive line playing like one of the league's best.

But last night was just as much about defense. A defense that wasn't supposed to be good at all. No depth and not much talent at linebacker. During the offseason, the Saints traded for a backup linebacker from Philadelphia, and Mark Simoneau has become one of the team's stars on defense. It's seemed as if every move has simply worked.

I'm not afraid to say that this team appears to be a "team of destiny". From Hurricane Katrina last year destoying the Saints' season, causing coach Jim Haslett to be let go and quarterback Aaron Brooks to (finally, thankfully) be terminated, to the hiring of Sean Payton, an unheralded QB coach who nobody else seemed to want, to Houston's idiocy of passing over Bush and allowing him to fall to the Saints at No. 2 in the draft, everything has fallen into place. This team had some talent and some character. It also had some losers. A lot of losers. But Payton has changed all that. He revamped the roster and brought in players who have bought into his system. Everything he has touched basically has turned to gold.

He hinged his future on Drew Brees, a quarterback cast away from San Diego in favor of third-year player Philip Rivers, after Brees hurt his shoulder and required offseason surgery. Brees worked out for Miami, who felt it had a better shot with Dante Culpepper's rebuilt knee. Didn't turn out too well for the Dolphins, but that left Brees as the new QB of the future in New Orleans. All Brees has done so far is throw for more than 4,000 yards for the first time in his career and separate himself as one of two legitimate MVP candidates (Tomlinson has 29 TDs, an NFL record, for the 11-2 Chargers). After last night's 383-yard game, Brees has thrown for 4,033 yards -- 1,051 yards shy of Dan Marino's all-time single-season record with three games to play. Brees would need to average about 350 yards per game, which isn't out of the question. He's currently averaging a little more than 310 and has thrown for more than 300 yards in six of the team's past seven games.

Then there's Bush, the Heisman Trophy winner last year who inexplicably fell to New Orleans at No. 2 in the draft. That's the day when New Orleans fans began to believe again -- began to truly believe the team's luck was turning around. We had a franchise QB and a legitimate budding superstar in Reggie Bush. Bush hasn't quite lived up to his hype (which was impossible), but he's played a major role in getting this team to 9-4. Bush is second in the league with 79 receptions and although his averages for both rushing and receiving aren't phenomenal, he's a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball. There was his first touchdown -- a 65-yard punt return in the fourth quarter against Tampa Bay that gave the Saints the lead and the win. Then, last week, he scored four touchdowns against the 49ers. And against the Cowboys, he took a dump pass 61 yards for a touchdown -- showing his maturation by patiently waiting for his blockers and then exploding for the end zone. Bush has surpassed 125 yards receiving each of the past two weeks and scored a receiving touchdown in each. The scary part is he's just getting started.

And Bush and McAllister, who entered this season as a major question mark coming off knee surgery, have formed a tremendous team. Bush's explosiveness has helped create space for McAllister's power. McAllister, who is nearing in on 1,000 yards for the season, has helped salt away games last and contributed heavily to the Saints' ability to keep the clock running and controll the football. His stats have taken a hit due to sharing carries with Bush, but he's broken the 100-yard mark each of the past two weeks, and seems to be getting stronger. There's no doubt this team is at its best when there's a great balance between the number of touches for both Bush and McAllister. McAllister needs 20-25 carries a game, while Bush needs 20 touches -- which can come in a variety of ways. But perhaps the most vital asset McAllister has brought is his leadership. He's bought into Payton's system and hasn't pouted a bit about a rookie taking some of his spotlight. He just continues to work and produce. In many ways, he embodies exactly what this team is about this year.

I could go on and on and on. Each and every player has a story that could be told, and I could literally type for hours talking about every one of them. But I won't bore you with all that. All I won't to do is say that I believe. I, along with many others, believe this team has what it takes to go to the Super Bowl -- and win! Right now, the Saints are 1.5 games behind the Bears in the race for the top seed in the NFC playoffs. Should Chicago lose tonight to the St. Louis Rams, New Orleas will be one game back with three to play. New Orleans has a very favorable schedule starting next week with Washington (4-9) in the Superdome, following by a trip to New York to face the Giants (7-6) and a home date against division rival Carolina (6-7) to end the year. The final two games will be tough, as both the Giants and Panthers are fighting for their playoff lives. But it isn't out of the question for the Saints to win out and finish 12-4. With Chicago closing with the Rams (5-7) on the road, Tampa Bay (3-10) at home, Detroit (2-11) on the road and Green Bay (5-8) at home, it's clear to see the Bears have the favorable schedule to lock up the No. 1 seed. But with Rex Grossman at QB, stranger things have happened.

Should the Saints somehow get homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, there's no way they lose at home. Not with what New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region has gone through since Hurricane Katrina. This team -- this coach, these players -- will not allow that to happen. Last night, the Saints went into the house of "America's Team" and showed them just who the new "America's Team" really is. And I have a feeling this new America's Team will be playing in America's Game for the first time ever. Miami -- here we come!!!