Big Apple Bound

It's been awhile since I've just concentrated on sports, so let's do so tonight.

You'll hear me say this several times a year, but this is my favorite time of year! It's Aug. 19, two weeks away from the kickoff of both high school and college football, and three weeks from the kickoff to the NFL.

I didn't grow up a huge football fan. Didn't play the sport as a kid, outside of a few pickup games on the elementary school playground, before I got to junior high. Baseball was my first love, followed by basketball and then football a distant third. Now football and basketball are neck and neck, with baseball running a distant third.

Because of my new job schedule, I won't get to make many high school or college games this year (I work both Friday and Saturday nights), but I am excited about the few opportunities I might get. One of those opportunities is when my college alma mater, Louisiana Tech, travels to face Texas A&M on Sept. 23. It was the first vacation I set up when I got to The Town Talk. Elizabeth and I will go to College Station for the game Saturday night before driving down to Houston and catching an Astros game Sunday afternoon.

Well, now I've got another vacation set up. My brother-in-law, Elizabeth's oldest brother Jason, and I have talked for quite some time about taking a weekend road trip to catch a baseball and football game. We talked about maybe driving to Houston, Dallas or Atlanta. Jason called me the other night and pitched a trip to me at the end of September (the weekend following A&M). We decided to go to Atlanta, catch a Braves v. 'Stros game and then watch the Falcons play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Or so I thought. A couple nights later, Jason called with a new plan. One that, even to me, Mr. Up-for-a-trip-anytime-anyplace, was shocking. I'm a road tripper. I usually go places in a car. But Jason had bigger plans. Let's go to Yankee Stadium! Wha??? Yes, New York City. The Big Apple. The Yankees recently broke ground on a new Yankee Stadium earlier this week, set to open for the 2009 season, and I honestly don't know what the plans are concerning the historic one. Will it stay open for tours? Will they tear it down? I'm not sure. I do know that the days are limited for me to make it to The House That Ruth Built.




Last summer, I had the chance to visit Fenway Park, though the Sox were out of town, and that was a huge deal for me. Actually seeing a game in Yankee Stadium -- even for this self-professed Yankee Hater -- is almost too much for me to put in words. So we made plans to go see the Yankees on Saturday (Sept. 30) afternoon.

But, wait. There's more. Jason -- somehow, someway -- was able to finagle his way off on Monday, as well. The New York Jets -- the new home of Ruston High alum Patrick Ramsey -- are at home on Sunday facing Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts at the Meadowlands. Why the heck not? Let's do it!

I must admit that I am somewhat -- OK, a lot -- intimidated by the Big Apple. I'm a small-town kid who thinks Dallas is HUGE. The Big Apple is so much more huger!!! But I also know chances like this don't come around every day. My blood is boiling from excitement -- at seeing a baseball game is the most historic (sorry Fenway lovers) park in the world, at seeing an NFL game at the Meadowlands, at being able to do what little sightseeing we can squeeze in our schedule!

While I'd love to be off every Friday night and every Saturday afternoon for high school and college football, the chances I'll get to see games this year are going to be that much more special. It's only a little over a month away -- and I sure can't wait!!!

NFL Thoughts

My fantasy league draft is a week from Tuesday, and I'm gearing up for a strong showing (yes, I'm still in first in my baseball league, although I should slip down to second at the end of this week). I've been invited to join The Town Talk's league, and we will have our live draft on Aug. 29. I've already started putting together my position rankings and big board. Can't wait for the draft!!!

My boy Ryan Moats returned from a knee injury Thursday night to play in the Eagles second preseason game. The stats weren't great (7 carries, 7 yards), but apparently his burst is back. He's still lining up second on the depth chart behind Brian Westbrook. Moats must continue to work hard and limit his fumbles, but I'm predicting a big, big year for my boy!

Saints fans got just a glimpse of what Reggie Bush will do when he ran for nearly 60 yards in New Orleans' first preseason game. The highlight was a 44-yard scamper that was reminiscent of his USC glory days where he took a handoff and headed off-tackle left before reversing field and racing down the sideline. Beautiful!

College Football

Who do I care about most in college football? Louisiana Tech, of course! My Bulldogs held their only scrimmage of fall practice this morning, and it appears we have us a starting quarterback. Although I wasn't in attendance, everything I'm hearing is junior Zac Champion clearly separated himself as the No. 1 guy with his performance. Zac has been around for 4 years now and has yet to live up to the billing he had when he arrived on campus for spring practice and lit the world on fire. He redshirted that year, during Luke McCown's senior season, before losing out a three-way battle for the starting job and sitting two years behind Matt Kubik and Donald Allen.

So Zac has the experience, but his competitors -- redshirt freshman Mike Mosley and juco transfer Joe Danna -- bring something that Zac doesn't. Mosley has a huge, huge arm and also is a very mobile QB. Danna, on the other hand, is a big fellas. While Mosley and Champion are both listed around 200 pounds, Danna is about 6-4, 230 pounds. He's come a long way since he arrived in the spring, but appears to still be third on the depth chart.

Most likely, as the Bulldogs run through their opening four-game gauntlet (which includes road trips at Nebraska to start the season and also treks to A&M and Clemson) head coach Jack Bicknell will use all 3 QB's to see if one can separate himself. I've received conflicting reports that Champion has been outplayed during practice (the same reports I received from last year that said Champion outplayed both Kubik and Allen), but there's no doubt who firmly grabbed the job at today's scrimmage. I hope that heading into the fifth game, a dangerous trip to Boise State, one of the guys will have established himself as the only QB. My guess is Champion will be that guy.

Elsewhere, offensively, if the QB play isn't erratic, it could be a strong year for the Bulldogs. There are 4 high quality receivers in seniors Eric Newman and Jonathan Holland, sophomore Josh Wheeler and junior Freddie Franklin, a converted running back who has the best hands on the team. Each of the 4 guys has the potential to be a playmaker, especially Holland, who is one of the fastest players in the country but has yet to realize his full potential. At running back, Tech will be very young and very talented. So talented that Bicknell moved last year's two leading rushers, junior Mark Dillard who moved to safety, and Franklin. The majority of the carries will go to sophomore Patrick Jackson, who showed great signs as a true freshman last year when he was the No. 3 back and rushed for nearly 400 yards. However, pushing him are a trio of ultra-talented true freshmen -- Will Griffin, Myke Compton and Daniel Porter. If Griffin is healthy, he's the guy. He was Tech's No. 1 recruit and has the potential to be a serious playmaker down the road. On the O-line, Tech returns 3 starters and also has 3 new guys that have pushed their way into playing time. Should be a solid unit. And at tight end, there are 4 big targets -- senior Anthony James, sophomore Anthony Harrison and true freshmen Dustin Mitchell and Dennis Morris. This should be Tech's most talented and prolific offense of this decade.

Defense is another question. Tech lost a ton -- and I mean a ton. Six of the front 7 are gone. But replacing them are young and talented players, led by junior Brannon Jackson and middle linebacker and junior Josh Muse at nose tackle. There are major questions as to who will line up at DE and DT, and how will the depth chart shake up at linebacker -- Tech's strongest position, with an absolute ton of talent. Quin Harris, Chad Beverage and Marquis McBeath are my best guesses to be starting with Jackson. But there are 8 other linebackers that will compete for snaps. In the secondary, senior Dez Abrams returns at free safety as the team's captain. He's steady, though not particularly flashy. A smart guy and good leader. At strong safety are Dillard, the converted running back and a big hitter at 220 pounds, and sophomore Weldon Brown, who began his career at running back before switching to receiver during the middle of last season. Ideally, Brown will switch out to corner (at 180 pounds, he's not the biggest safety) and move into a starting spot. Dillard must continue to improve at safety for that to happen.

This is a very young and talented team, with enough talent to make a run at the WAC title, and even greater things over the next couple of seasons. However, with a killer schedule, Bicknell will have to do a great job to keep this team focused and prevent it from folding if for some reason (as I suspect) the team starts 1-4. It could be a long year for the Bulldogs, or it could be a conference title season. I honestly don't know, and that's what makes it so exciting!!!

The AP released its preseason poll recently, and Ohio St. is the consensus top pick. Troy Smith is this year's Vince Young while Teddy Ginn Jr. is the new Reggie Bush -- at least the Buckeyes hope so, because they must revamp a defense that lost 8 starters and open the season against defending national champion Texas. The winner of that game gets the early upper hand in the national title race. The loser gets a setback, but because it's so early, they won't be out of the hunt. No. 2 is Notre Dame, led by Heisman favorite Brady Quinn at QB. Charlie Weis is the uber-coach, so the Fighting Irish are the chic choice for national champ. At least 3 losses is my prediction. Texas is 3rd, with a freshman QB, which tells you how wide open this year's race for the title is, followed by Auburn and West Virginia -- who, if it can knock off Louisville, has the best chance of going undefeated, and still might be left out of the title game because of the weak Big East. USC is No. 6, and much like Tech, if it can find consistent QB play, could win the national title despite losing the last two Heisman Trophy winners to the NFL Draft. There are other talented teams as well. For the first time in my memory, this is a season with no clear-cut favorite. Each team has question marks that must be answered. It's so wide open that nearly any team could run the table and win the title!

Spankin' new (to me) music

One of the things I enjoy when I'm reading other blogs on Xanga is the feature where you can put what you are listening to or reading. That feature is not available here on Blogger.

Recently, my buddy Kyle (or Krob or Crack Rob or a myriad of other names that I randomly use to refer to him) came down to Alex for a visit. With him he brought 3 CDs for me -- considered a late birthday present.

The one I was looking forward to the most was by Dashboard Confessional. Kyle was the first one to turn me on to the emo croonings of Chris Carrabba back when we were in college. He burned Dashboard's first 2 CDs for me, and I bought the 3rd one. Kyle bought me the fourth one. Carrabba's lyrics have some innate way of connecting with his audience on a deeper level. Literally, you can hear Carrabba pouring his heart and soul into every song. The newest CD is no different than the previous 3. While I wouldn't consider it my favorite of his CDs, it is definitely worth listening to. It has stayed on a constant rotation in my car ever since I opened it.

While Dashboard was the one I was most eagerly anticipating, it actually might end up being my least favorite of the three. I'm really digging Hawthorne Heights' CD, If Only You Were Lonely. I had heard the first single, Saying Sorry, on the radio and really enjoyed it. So I had high expectations. And I wasn't disappointed. The album's opening track, This Is Who We Are, is a dark, yet catchy, song about suicide. And that theme runs throughout the album -- not suicide, but a darkness that is combined with a catchiness. The more I listen to this CD, the more I like it.

But the best CD, and the one that is quickly climbing up my list of favorite CDs, is the much-anticipated debut from Angels & Airwaves, a spinoff band from former blink-182 lead singer Tom Delonge. While I listened to some of blink's hits on the radio, I was never a huge fan of the band. It seemed to be too crude for my taste at the time, although blink's lyrics were very humorous. So I wasn't buying into all the hype about AVA -- and there has been plenty. But that hype was much deserved. Simply put, the album is amazing. Delonge touted the album as the best music he'd ever made, saying he wanted to revolutionize pop music. He claimed to have had some sort of epiphany and wanted to recreate that feeling for his fans. Therefore, the album comes off feeling very "spiritual" -- particularly tracks No. 6 and 7, "The War" and "The Gift". Again, I wasn't a blink fan, particularly Tom, but he's done a tremendous job with this new album. I'd recommend it to anyone.

If only I had his shot

I've got a new nickname -- JJ.

For those of you who know me (which, umm, is probably all 20 of you), my first name doesn't start with a 'J'. Neither does my middle name. So how'd I end up with the new moniker? My skillz on the basketball court.

Don't laugh. No, seriously. Stop it! By now, I'm sure you've read of my late-night/early-morning experience with the church youth group's lock-in. Well, I came to the lock-in decked out in my Duke 'No. 4' jersey of former Blue Devil J.J. Redick (now with the Orlando Magic). Due to my threads and my ability to knock down 3-pointers from NBA range (like my boy JJ), the kids from the youth group labeled me 'JJ'. And the nickname's stuck. I heard it this morning from one of the kids -- Ted, a great athlete who will be a junior at Pineville High, who wishes he could ball like me!

Moving away from your home for the past 12 years is very interesting because it gives you a chance to start over. Nobody here knew who I was. As Binni, Kyle and others can attest, I've never exactly been the most popular person on the block. Wasn't in high school. Wasn't in college. Yet I am here. It's just weird.

The kids seem to love me. Even the guys in the sports department at work think that I'm funny and knowledgeable. It's so strange to be popular. Yet I love it. I've really opened up (which has been an ongoing process, but just think back to how introverted I used to be!), especially around the kids.

The Bret of old is growing up. Responsibility. Marriage. Home ownership. All that jazz. But JJ is still young at heart -- even if his body isn't listening!

update (yes, a boring title)

It's been awhile, folks, so let's just jump right in with a few things that I remember about what's happened to me since we last visited.

Since Kyle told me not to say anything, I just have to tell you guys this (sorry, Krob, but those are the rules, right?). My best friend (that would be Kyle) came down to visit me on Monday. He had a day off. I had a day off. Judith had to work. Elizabeth had to work. He hadn't seen my place down here in Alexandria. All good reasons to visit. Well, here's the real reason -- NCAA '07 for the PS2. It came out the week before, and since Kyle and I (along with Binni -- when are you coming to visit?) have made it a yearly tradition to play in a dynasty together, a tradition torn apart by my move down "south", we had to play. And I kicked his butt! Plastered him five out of six games, baby! Yeah, that was a lot of fun! Oh, yeah, it was great seeing you, too, buddy. But it was even more fun wiping the floor with you in PS2!

The boss is out of the office on vacation this week. So I'm in charge of the day-to-day operations in the Metro department this week. Fun times. Not that I'm not capable, I just prefer the assistant position right now. There's no doubt I eventually want to run a department (preferably sports), and times like this week show me that a) I'm capable, but b) I'm not ready yet. Anyway, just like last time Sean was out on vacation, his boss (our managing editor) also took a couple of days off. So we're even more short-handed. And Jules, the other assistant, is off on Fridays. So that leaves me ... and ... umm ... me ... tomorrow. Just what I like! So my night shift has turned into a day shift -- and hopefully not a day and night shift.

Been playing some ball lately up at church. Played Monday night, and my team (4-on-4, halfcourt) won every single game. We played the first one and won. Then we won again. And again and again and again. Literally about 15 straight games. And my team wasn't stacked, either. But we were good. Myself, Jeremy (the youth minister, who, like me, is 24) and two rising freshmen in high school -- Landon and Sisko, both of whom play ball at school. I've really bonded with about 10 or so of the kids through ball (and more outside of ball). For some strange reason, they think I'm cool. Who woulda thought that? That's one of the great things about moving -- you get a chance for a fresh start. These kids look up to me (could be the fact I'm 24 and they're in high school), and I find that both thrilling and scary. My actions mean something to someone other than myself and my wife. Interesting.

Speaking of church, sometime in the near future, Elizabeth and I will begin teaching a co-ed middle school L.I.F.E. group (otherwise known as a Sunday School class). I've had a chance to sit in on a couple of classes in the past few weeks, and I'm very excited to get in and start teaching and making a difference. I'm very happy I've been embraced by my church and the youth group, and I'm glad that I have a chance to make a difference in someone's life.

Bonding with family -- the Grangers had two visitors this week. Caleb, their eldest grandbaby, who turned 2 last month. And Nicole, an 11-year-old niece from Tennessee, who is more than a handful. I had a blast playing with her, but her energy level never ceases. It really is amazing. Elizabeth and I spent a few nights over at the Grangers hanging out with Caleb and Nicole. Now they've gone home, but coming tomorrow is Thomas, the Grangers' other grandbaby, who also turned 2 last month. Fun times. But also sad times. Makes me lament the time I don't get to spend with Connor, my other nephew, the son of my brother, Heath. Connor is in Dallas, where my family (mom, stepdad, brother) lives. I haven't been able to make it to Dallas since I moved to Alex, but hopefully that will change soon!

So much has happened on the sports scene that I don't know where to begin. All I will say is I'm looking forward to football season -- both college and prep. I've got a couple of stories I'm working on for our prep tab that will come out in August. That makes me happy, although I don't really have time for the extra workload right now. Like I said, busy week.

Anyway, it's time for me to end this thing. Hopefully, it won't be quite as long next time between entries.

random musings

don't really have a whole lot on my mind tonight. it's 11 p.m. and i should be in bed. but i'm not. if i were, i wouldn't be writing this here blog, don't ya know. (where the minnesota accent come from?)

my mind feels as if it has fully recovered from my sleep deprivation (no wonder charlie struggles functioning). however, my body surely has not. maybe it's not the sleep deprivation that's wearing on all my bones. maybe it's just the fact that i'm getting older. yes, 24 is young. i keep telling myself that. my brain hears me. my heart longs to trust me. my body sits and stares. i don't get around as well as i did when i was in college or high school. something about that diploma, i guess.

it's about 25 hours until ncaa '07. i'm planning to head to game stop at midnight to pick up the game. very excited. just wish i were headed to monroe with binni and kyle like last year. ahh, the memories.

furniture arrived yesterday. furniture situated today. elizabeth and i redesigned our living room, and it's nothing like i originally imagined. for those of you who have visited, the entertainment center has moved from the big wall to the right of the fireplace, in a diagonal. our new couch is in the same place as the old coach. next to the door is an end table adjoining with the love seat. directly in front of the love seat is the coffee table, on top of the rug and lined up with the fireplace. we've also created a "reading nook" on the big wall. when you enter the front door, immediately to the right is the book shelf. behind the book shelf is our chaise lounge, and behind it is another end table. the next additions to the living room will be a couple of table lamps and a floor lamp. for those of you who haven't seen the house before, sorry for the confusion. now you'll just have to come visit.

also, elizabeth's favorite part of the house, while not yet complete, is the dining room. we've eaten at our new 8-person table, while she is very much looking forward to filling up our new china cabinet. the china is at her parents' house. is supposed to be here now. interesting story ...

don't you just hate flat tires? especially when you have something you really wanted to do instead of going to wal-mart to buy a new tire. so after church, we're headed to the grangers for lunch. afterwards, we have a list of projects to complete, including grocery shopping and filling up the china cabinet. changing a flat tire and buying a new one was not on the list. but on highway 28 east, a couple of miles out from the grangers, that chore went right to the top of the list.

what i'm learning more and more every day, though, is that life is an adventure. it has ups. it has downs. enjoy the ride. you only get one of them.

Runnin' on empty

Man, am I tired. Haven't slept in 33 hours and counting (unless you count about a 15-minute nap just a minute ago). The one conclusion I can immediately draw is I am no longer a young puppy. My body just doesn't work like it did when I was in high school and college. I'm still a night owl, but I'm paying for it right now.

Here's the story. Got off work Friday night about 11:30. Headed home to change clothes and arrived at the church about midnight -- just in time for the youth to have returned for their scavenger hunt across Alexandria and Pineville, and just in time for some hoops. We play basketball (and my legs are letting me know they are happy), as well as other games, for about 6 hours. More importantly, I got to spend some quality time with many of the youth, and start developing relationships with them. While my body isn't happy with me right now, it was a very rewarding experience.

Believe it or not, I was up the whole time. Didn't even get a catnap. And I had a blast. I am, however, definitely looking forward to my bed tonight.

Elizabeth and I got our furniture today. Gorgeous. We did a nice job, if I may say so myself. And my wife is very happy with her new china cabinet. Very happy. Our backyard is also looking much nicer thanks to some help from the in-laws today. Yes, I came home from my lock-in at 7:30 this morning only to have to work around the house and in the yard until I had to leave for work at 2:30.

In the end, it will all be worth it. Small price to pay.

bummer

hope is essential, yet be mindful not to become too hopeful. had recently convinced myself something was going to happen, but it fell through. disappointing. instead of just being cautiously optimistic, i convinced myself it would happen. had started to dream, fantasize. big mistake. oh well, i know i'm making the right decision. that's all that matters. there will be other times to travel.

looking forward to tomorrow night. high school lock-in. granted, i'm not in high school anymore. nor in college, for that matter. far, far removed. but friday night, from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., is the high school lock-in at the church. although i won't arrive on time due to work obligations, i will get to the church just in time for a praise and worship session, followed by an all-night basketball session. i'm looking forward to showing these kids my moves on the court. haha. actually, i'm looking forward to reaching out to some of the youth and starting to develop relationships. i've started doing this somewhat on wednesday nights, but this will give me a better chance to bond with some of the youth on their level. it's going to be a blast!

was looking forward to testing my ps2 skills in an ncaa tourney on saturday at babbage's here in alexandria. winner gets a free copy of the new game that comes out on tuesday. only problem -- tourney starts at 2 p.m. i have to be at work at 3. bummer.

nothing major, but it's a byline. will have one in tomorrow's paper. doing a story on the weather. it's getting hot. highs next week expected to be 98. it's 100 in shreveport today! meteorologist tells me august will be "above normal" ... aka, it's getting hot in here!

Entering rehab

Yesterday, I started my first day of rehab. No, not the kind of rehab that Hollywood starlets and sports superstars enter because they can't stay clean of their drug and alcohol habits. My rehab is because I can't keep my body shape clean. I'm not fit -- not in the least bit. As I've touched on before, the scale (if it isn't lying to me) doesn't say I've gained weight. It's just shifted a good bit. My arms are flabby, my gut is protuding a good bit more than it used to, and my legs are thicker (and not because I've gained muscle). So I've recomitted to working out, for about the 50th time in my life. But I'm serious this time. I just don't feel good. Sluggish. Lethargic. I don't want to feel like that. I'm only 24 years old. If I'm a pro athlete (which I'm certainly not), I haven't even hit my prime yet. It's not supposed to start going downhill till after I cross the big 3-0. Right now, a gym membership is out of the question. So I'll be walking and jogging to start off with, as well as doing crunches and pushups. Hopefully, that will slowly help me redefine my body shape.

Elizabeth and I went to see Cars last night. Very funny stuff. Love Owen Wilson. He's stupid, but he makes me laugh. And Larry the Cable Guy is a classic. The movie was a great parody of Nascar. But what's best about Pixar movies is they are funny, very well-written, but they also touch on family values, and do it in a way that children and adults are both interested. Over the Hedge was good. Cars was even better. As Elizabeth said as we left the theater, "That one is a buy."

I enjoy the summer for many reasons, one of which is the fact that many of the year's blockbusters are coming out in theaters. After not going to see a movie in months, Elizabeth and I have seen three very good movies in the past couple of weeks. First Over the Hedge, followed by Superman Returns, and now Cars. And we haven't even checked out Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest yet. We'll probably wait to rent The Devil Wears Prada, The Lake House and The Break-up. Upcoming movies that I'm looking forward to are You, Me and Dupree, Clerks II (though I'll probably wait until video and try to rent both the original and the new one), Miami Vice, and Talladega Nights: The Leged of Ricky Bobby.

Lunch Time

Sitting at my desk, eating a little lunch, deciding to give my blog a little love.

Got a call from my lovely wife this morning. She said I had two choices tonight -- a) stay at home, help her paint and do other choices around the house; or b) go to the movies. I took that as a hint that she wanted to go to the movies.

My options -- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest or The Lake House. We also want to see Cars and The Devil Wears Prada; however, both of those will most likely be rentals. Pirates in the sequel to the blockbuster hit with the same name, and it did an astonishing $135 million in its opening weekend. Can you say runaway hit? The Lake House is an intriguing possiblity that stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock as a couple who falls in love via letters from two years apart. The concept is unique, which means it could either be fascinating or a flop. Haven't decided which one we want to watch yet tonight, but we're going on a date!

I know this means my afternoon will drag by slowly since I will be looking forward to the movies!

Crying out

Oh praise Him
Oh praise Him
He is holy
He is holy

It was good to get back to church this morning. Very good. Sometimes I am just starving for corporate worship. Today was one of those days. And I certainly got refreshed. Elizabeth and I spent 6 hours at church today. And now we're officially members of Donahue Family Church.

For those of you who don't know the story, which is most likely almost all of you, one of Elizabeth's best friends from high school, Michelle Neal, is the youth minister at Donahue along with her husband, Jeremy. So, naturally, when we moved down to Alexandria, we plugged into the Pineville church immediately. We've been helping out with the youth on Wednesday nights and attending nearly every Sunday. We're trying to find a LIFE group (aka Sunday School class) that works for us. I've found one I like, but we're still trying to find out where we're going to be serving on Sunday mornings starting next month.

We got to church this morning at 9:30 to go to worship (Donahue has 4 services). After the service, we both sat in on a youth LIFE group. I'm not quite sure what Elizabeth will be doing starting next month, but I'm pretty certain that I'll be teaching a LIFE group, most likely middle schoolers. I've never taught before, but I'm very excited. Please be in prayer that I can lead these young men in the right direction.

After LIFE groups, we went to the Next Step class, which basically is a rundown of what the church believes and the direction it is going for all incoming members. For those of you interested in where Donahue is heading in the near future, click here.

Random Musings

I've gotten several reviews from friends and what I've read online, and I just can't bring myself to drop $40 on the new NFL Head Coach game for the PS2. The reviews say the game is very, very complex, almost tedious at times. While I think it would be fun to run the day-to-day operations of an NFL team (this game is supposedly built for us fantasy sports people), it's just not worth the $40 for me. Maybe when the game goes down to $20, I'll spring for it.

What will be worth the $40 (or $50, or however much) will be NCAA '07, which comes out in just 9 days. Man, I'm pumped!!! This really is about the only game I play, and boy do I play it. Can't wait to pick it up at midnight!

Moving away from gaming, congrats to Italia for winning World Cup '06. The Azurri defeated France 5-3 in penalty kicks after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes. It was fitting Italy won the tourney, because they were the best team throughout the 32-team event. France played some great football, but the Azurri played the game beautifully. On a sad note, Zinedine Zidane, France's captain and perhaps the greatest player in the country's history, was sent off with a red card in overtime after a headbutt. The game was the final one of his international career.

Is Roger Federer the best tennis player ever? Not yet. The best on grass? Quite possibly. Federer won his fourth straight Wimbledon crown Sunday, defeating heated rival Rafael Nadal in four sets. He became just the third player to win 4 in a row, joining an elite group with Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras. At age 24, Federer has won 8 grand slam titles. If he keeps up his current pace (which will be very tough to do), he'll go down as the greatest ever.

a little deviation from the subject

Strictly Sports ... Schmictly Sports. There will be no sports talk tonight. But, you say, there's so much to talk about. World Cup Finals. MLB All-Star Game. NBA free agency. Don't care. Not gonna do it. No sports tonight.

Can't wait for church in the morning. I need a little recharging. Don't know why, but I've been in a bit of a funk lately. I feel like I didn't do anything today. Just laid in bed. Sure, I got up and mowed the lawn. It looks nice. Still need to get a weedeater to help with the edges. And I moved some of the excess stuff in the dining room. But I didn't do much. Felt lazy. Feel lazy a little too much. Perhaps it's the excess gut I've picked up. Haven't gained any weight. Stepped on the scale today. 178. Heck, I've lost a little weight. But my body shape has certainly changed. The weight has shifted, as they say. I've got to make a commitment to do something, anything, to get in better shape. I'm convinced that if I'm in better shape, I'll feel better and have more energy.

I'm up for an upgrade with my cell phone. I'm taking suggestions for a new phone. Right now, my current favorites are the Nokia 6030 (which I can get for $19.99), the Motorola L2 (a $130 phone I can get for free), and hte LG C2000 (a $100 phone I can get for free also), among others. If any of you have these phones, or maybe others, give me some suggestions as to what's good and what's not.

Things are still progressing with the house. Elizabeth is still painting some trim, which is turning out nicely. And I'm planning, hoping, to finish by Reflex Blue (or as close to it as I can find) Room, which is the computer room/den, on Monday. We're also anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new furniture -- which will completely transform our living room and dining room. Needless to say, Elizabeth and I are very excited about that. It should be here in about a week.

There are plenty of things going on right now. I'm trying to finagle my way into a couple of days off to take a trip. We'll see if that comes through for me. Also, The Town Talk is now looking for a new prep sports writer. If any of you out there know of someone who might be interested, give me a shout. And for those of you thinking, no, I'm not applying. While I like covering prep sports, I'm enjoying my new job. Plus, they're paying me way too much to do what I'm doing for me to go back to being a sports writer. It would be a "step back" for me when I'm on pace to being a sports editor or assistant sports editor in the near (but how near, that is the question) future.

Anyway, my e-mail address is b_hoss_mac@hotmail.com. Put it to good use sometime.

The legend returns

Dave Anderson is back!!!

One year after leaving Ruston High School for "greener pastures" the best track coach in all the land is coming back home. Dave spent 15 years at RHS, building the cross country and track programs into the premier powerhouse in the state of Louisiana. His teams won 4 state titles in boys cross country (1992, 1995, 1997, 2000), 2 boys outdoor track titles (1992, 2004), and he culminated his stay in Ruston with the school's first-ever girls' state title in 2005 as the Lady 'Cats won the outdoor track title.

Along the way, Anderson helped develop many All-Americans such as Patrick Ramsey, Mike Green and most recently my boy Larry Jones.

After winning the girls' title, Anderson said he had accomplished all he came to Ruston to do and more. With a heavy heart, he decided to take on a new challenge at West Monroe High School -- the hated enemy of RHS. For many in Ruston, it was either a stab in the back or a stab in the heart, or both.

All Anderson did was take West Monroe's sprinting depth and lead the Rebels to their first-ever state track title. However, apparently, not everything went well in Ouachita Parish. While details haven't surfaced as to why he's leaving after just one year, rumors say Anderson didn't receive any of the promises made to him by WM athletic director Don Shows.

No matter the reason for Anderson's return home to Ruston, all that matters for the Bearcats is he's back! Anderson is one of the premier prep track coaches in the country. And he's a glue from Ruston's past to its future. The track and cross country programs at Ruston are a sense of pride for the school. And that success will no doubt continue during Anderson's second tenure in Ruston.

D.C. Adieu for Adu?

Rumor surfacing online today has Freddy Adu leaving MLS at the end of the season. Not sure how I feel about the news. Clubcall.com quotes Adu as saying he "will be going overseas", possibly in January.

After struggling with impatience during his first two years as a pro, the 17-year-old wunderkind has come out of his shell as a regular starter for D.C. United this year. He's played in all 15 on the United's games, starting 13, in helping the team race out to a 9-1-5 record, tops in the league. He's beginning to look more comfortable, as he has adjusted his game to the more physical pro level. It hasn't hurt that he's actually grown from a 14-year-old kid to a 17-year-old budding man.

Adu entered the league with nearly impossible expectations. He was immediately thrust into the spotlight as the face of MLS and the future of American soccer. Fans flocked to see him, but he was held back by the United and coach Peter Nowak, who wanted to bring Adu along slowly and allow him to adjust to the additional competition. Yet he was an All-Star and a steady performer.

While his stats haven't been overwhelming this year (0 goals and 4 assists), Adu has settled into D.C.'s attacking midfield role and is a vital part of the best team in the league. His game has improved greatly. But is he ready for Europe? That's a great question. A legitimate question. Not only is it just Europe. It's England. It's the Premiership. The premier league in the world. And the teams rumored to be interested just happen to be the cream of the crop -- Manchester United and Chelsea, two of the top club football teams in the world.

Two main questions stand out in Adu's possible transfer -- can he get an English work permit and why the move now since he isn't 18 yet? In England, anyone under 18 has to play on a junior team, not the big club. Also the work permit calls for Adu having played in 2/3 of the USA's national team matches -- and since he didn't make the World Cup roster, he certainly doesn't fulfill that obligation. So why the rush to get out now? Admittedly I don't know all the details, but perhaps Adu can get around the work permit issue if he heads to England while still a minor. He'll turn 18 on June 2, 2007.

Is he ready? Probably not. He's a solid player on the best team in MLS. But hardly a dominating one. He still needs more seasoning. Perhaps a year on a junior team in England get him ready for the day-to-day grind of competing for a job in the world's premier soccer league. In the end, heading ot Europe is in Adu's best interest -- financially and in his hopes to make the 2010 World Cup roster at the age of 21. One thing's for sure, MLS will miss his marketability.

Cup Crash

Utterly disappointing. Three games. No wins. One tie.

Two mistakes is all it takes. Knowing it had to win -- a feat never before accomplished by the U.S. in a World Cup on European soil -- the Americans made two big mistakes. The first was a turnover by Claudio Reyna, one in which he injuried his knee on the play, that quickly turned into a Ghana goal and a 1-0 lead for the African side. The second was on a quick whistle by the head ref. Oguchi Onweyu, who proved in this Cup that is a world-class defender, was called for a foul in the box late during stoppage time in the first half. The PK turned into the decisive goal in the 2-1 loss.

First let me talk about the foul. Onweyu's big. That's not his fault. He's 6-foot-4, 215 pounds. Raw muscle and power. Just because a tiny forward is leaning into Onweyu does not mean there is a foul. Eventually, as the 24-year-old develops into a star overseas, Onweyu will start getting more calls. For now, refs love to blow the whistle whenever he touches someone. Again, like Shaq, not his fault he's big (in soccer terms). Now that PK never should have happened, if only Carlos Bocanegra would have cleared the ball instead of kicking it to the middle of the field. It was a bad call. You don't make that touch foul call in the box in stoppage time in the World Cup. In the words of Binni Keleta, "Sir! Let them play!"

Reyna's injury hurt. He's the captain, the leader. But Ben Olsen played tremendous in his only action of the tournament. He defended well and pushed up well. The difference in the game, in the Americans' inability to make the next step on the international level, simply is a lack of firepower around the net. They lack pure goal scorers. For the tournament, they scored 2 goals, 1 of which was an own goal by Italy.

The goal against Ghana was a thing of beauty. DaMarcus Beasley made a great cross from the left side, a beautiful ball that was emphatically put into the back of the net by Clint Dempsey -- a U.S. star of the future and one whose name will begin surfacing for a transfer overseas. In the second half, the U.S. played some tremendous football. They had plenty of chances -- chances that went wide, or over the post, or in the case of Brian McBride's header, off the post. They just couldn't get the ball into the back of the net. Therefore, they will go home after three of the most disappointing games I've personally seen.

It's obvious to me the U.S. can play with anyone on the international level. Anyone. They just don't always come to play. And they can't always finish. So now we start all over in preparation for the 2010 Cup, which will be held in South Africa. It will help the U.S. that the games will not be in Europe. Playing in South Africa will level the playing field, although look for several of the African nations, including Ghana, to make a strong run.

I hope this poor result doesn't hurt the growth of soccer in America. It's frustrating. We are on the brink of something special. We just need to continue developing. Many of our best players will be back and stronger than ever in 2010 -- Landon Donovan, Beasley, Bobby Convey, Dempsey, Eddie Johnson, Onweyu -- as well as a mixture of some of the up and coming superstars of American soccer like Freddy Adu, Eddie Gaven, Danny Szetela, etc. The best is yet to come, if we are willing to be patient.

I still firmly believe we can make a run at the World Cup title in 2010 -- I'm just not sure if Bruce Arena is the man to get us to that point. He was the right coach at the right time for U.S. soccer. But is he the right man to get us over the hump? I'm not convinced. It might take a foreigner -- like Germany's Jurgen Klinnsman -- to come in and help us achieve that goal.

Flash forward to the future

Pay attention NBA. The future is now. Just call him Flash. Or D-Wade. His wife and mother call him Dwyane, and his little boy calls him Daddy. He had a little help from the real daddy -- Shaq Daddy, with 13 points and 10 boards -- but it was Flash who willed the Miami Heat to 4 straight wins and the NBA title. 35 points. 7 boards. 4 assists. Best all-around player in the NBA.

LeBron has the most potential. Kobe still is the best pure scorer. Carmelo is a lethal assasin. Flash is the total package.

If I'm King James, I take tapes of every one of the Heat's playoff games and study D-Wade and his will to win. LeBron is developing the killer instinct, but Wade was born with it. I believe LBJ will be scary sick next year and into the future. Flash is scary sick right now.

Even as he showed he was human, missing 2 late free throws that could have iced the game when Miami was up 3, Dwyane Wade remained a man among boys. He can get any shot he wants. Any time he wants. Sound familiar? Remember a guy named Jordan. His Airness. D-Wade was 9 when MJ led the Bulls to their first title. The 9-year-old kid from Chicago has morphed into the second coming of MJ.

Who knows if or when the Heat will be back for another title. Could it be next year? Sure. As much heat as Pat Riley took for pushing Stan Van Gundy out the door, it worked didn't it? Maybe because Riles new the Heat's window of opportunity was now. After all, Shaq finished with 13/10 in the series. Pedestrian for the Diesel, one of the best scorers in NBA Finals history. Gary Payton. Antoine Walker. Alonzo Mourning. Not exactly going to have a lot of years left in the tank. But there's always D-Wade, and he's someone to build a team around. He'll be back. It might not be next year or the next, but he'll win another one. Maybe a couple more.

As for the Mavs, I actually feel sorry for Avery Johnson. After the game, the ABC broadcast crew was praising Johnson and his young team. "They'll be back." Are you sure? After all, Dallas plays in the super loaded West. The Spurs. The Suns. The Clips. All teams arguably as good or better than Dallas. It's not like winning the West is ever a lock. So they might not be back. Odds are, yes. But it's never a lock.

Thanks to Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki, along with their teammates. Thanks to the Pistons, LeBron, Gilbert Arenas, Steve Nash, Elton Brand and the many other NBA players who made this year's playoffs ... THE ... BEST ... EVER! I'm actually not a huge NBA fan (college is more my game), but I enjoy quality basketball. And this year's NBA playoffs offered just that. From the first round to the nailbiting drama that was the NBA Finals, the games were close and played at a high level. That's all the fans can ask for. Stern, you and your league set the bar high this year. I hope you can improve upon it next year. For some reason, I think the Suns, Clips, Mavs, Spurs, Pistons, Heat, Wizards and Cavs will see to it that we are not disappointed in 2006-07.

U.S. still alive

OK. Haven't had a chance to talk about the World Cup and the U.S. team's 1-1 tie with Italy on Saturday.

Unfortunately, didn't get to actually see the game. Was at Alan's wedding. Taking pictures. With a TV. Without cable or a remote or ABC. So no U.S.-Italy game. But I've seen highlights, listened to analysts and read recaps.

From the best I can gather, the Americans played inspired football. They went toe-to-toe with one of the world's best, a European superpower on European soil, where the Yanks never perform well. Remember, this is the same Italy team that many predicted as one of the top 2-3 favorites along with Brazil to win the whole dang thing.

Here's what ESPN.com's Michael Davies wrote in his Page 2 blog after the game:

"An incomparable performance by the U.S. national team in the modern era. And listen to those fans. Football just arrived in America, I think. The players and fans played and cheered with the true passion of a footballing superpower. The U.S. may not win this World Cup, they may not even qualify for the next round, but this performance continues to lay the groundwork for the future."

As bad as things were in the opening loss to the Czechs -- and they were downright awful -- they were much better against Italy. For nearly the entire second half, the U.S. played a man down (thanks to some questionable officiating), and yet the Yanks still outplayed Italy. They had their chances, plenty of them and didn't convert. In fact, they only converted thanks to an own goal by the Italians.

But keeper Kasey Keller was magnificent. He did what world-class goalkeepers do -- he took away a goal or two and kept his team in the game. Bruce Arena's decision-making was brilliant, and all of his changes worked. It would have been huge to come away with the 3 points from the win, but the 1 point from the tie -- couple with Ghana's win over the Czechs -- means the U.S. is still alive. All they need is a win over Ghana and an Italian win over the Czechs.

Now Bruce must face some tough decisions. Defensive midfielder Pablo Mastroeni is out, thanks to a questionable red card. So, too, is central defender Eddie Pope, who was sent off with two yellow cards, the second of which was a harmless tackle that might not have even been a foul, much less deserving of a card. However, the cards came. And now the U.S. must face Ghana's attack without 2 of its 3 best central defenders.

So what does Arena do? Most likely, he'll shift Carlos Bocanegra from left back into the central defense to replace Pope, then reinsert Eddie Lewis at left back. Oguchi Onweyu, who made up for his inauspicious debut with a brilliant performance against Italy, will anchor the backline, while Steve Cherundolo will once again get the call at right back.

Will the U.S. go back with a 4-4-2 or stick with the 4-5-1. In my eyes, you have to award Eddie Johnson with a start up top after not doing so against Italy. Pair him with Brian McBride up top. Then in the center you are faced with some major dilemmas. Bobby Convey and Clint Dempsey both showed they were deserving of starting on the left and right sides of the midfield, while DaMarcus Beasley looked like a different player coming off the bench. I think you go with that same lineup. Then you have 3 attacking midfielders in Landon Donovan, Claudio Reyna and John O'Brien who all have a claim to start. You could go with 2 of the 3 and push either Reyna or O'Brien to defensive mid in place of Mastroeini, leaving you with a weakness on defense. Or you could insert Ben Olsen at defensive mid and choose one of the 3 -- Landon, Claudio or O'Brien. It's hard to envision 2 of those 3 not being on the field. Which means Eddie Johnson might be left out again in favor of a 4-5-1.

It will be interesting to see what direction Arena takes. But no matter what, the U.S. faces a must-win situation. A tie does no good. And Ghana will bring it. They are sky-high after the win over the Czechs and a win advances them to the Round of 16. Thursday morning at 8 a.m. It's must-see TV.

Happy Father's Day

Today is Father's Day, and I'd like to send a congratulations to the three men in my life.

To my Dad -- Every day I admire you more and more. As I grow older, I see some of your great qualities coming out in me. In fact, I feel like I am becoming more and more like you every day. Although for the majority of my life I didn't live with you, there is something strange about genetics because I have seemed to pick up many of your traits. As I've started my career and my family, I understand and appreciate many of the sacrifices you made at a young age for the sake of your family. You have constantly shown me love and support, and I am forever grateful for that. I hope you have a wonderful Father's Day.

To Mr. Kyle -- I owe you a great deal because you brought stability into my mother's life. After bouncing around more than a pinball as a youngster, you showed up and brought a peace and comfort to my life. Best of all, you treated my mother like she needed to be treated. You have shown me what it means to be patient and content. You are slow to anger and quick to listen. The best part of all, you treated me like the son you never had, meaning I had two Godly men in my life to look up to and strive to impress. Thank you.

To Mr. Raymond -- The newest father figure in my life. A patient, kind man. Also one who works very hard and is very family-oriented. Those are qualities I want to have. You have shown me how to do projects around the house, and even when I'm not provided much help at all, you have let me believe I'm valuable, while also taking time to teach. I've learned many things from you in a short time, and I hope to learn many more through the years. Most importantly, though, you are my wife's father -- someone she looks up to and expects me to emulate. Therefore, you provide me with the perfect blueprint of how to be a husband. I can only hope I live up to your high standard. Happy Father's Day.

To all the fathers out there, and eventual fathers, enjoy this day. It is one where you are celebrated. Despite what our culture shows up, not all men are dead-beats. Fathers still play a vital role in their child's lives. And a special happy father's day to my brother, Heath, who is celebrating his second father's day. I love you brother. And I see how much you love your son. If I am blessed one day to have a child, I can only hope I will have that same pure, unconditional love that you show Connor. Always remember to put him first. Love you.

And they both said ...

DERIDDER, La. -- I do.

Two words. A pair that is used together in many sentences every single day.

Yet when put into a certain context, the two words carry a powerful message.

In the case of Misti Harrington and Alan Walker, those two words supplanted their firm commitments to each other's lives. On Saturday, June 17, 2006, the two became one at First Baptist Church here in DeRidder.

What a joyful ride it was. Yes, there were tears. From Alan. From Misti. From the bridesmaids. Yes, even from me (and Michael Eddy, despite what he'll say). But they were tears of joy. The tears marked a crossroads -- from the tw0-year journey that brought Alan and Misti to the this point joining with the commitment they made at the altar until death do them part.

There were some great times over the weekend -- many of which I'm sad to say I didn't chronicle due to the fact of technical difficulties with a camera -- but the memories will last.

It was such a beautiful wedding. Misti looked wonderful, while my boy Alan was extra suave.

I'd like to congratulate both Mr. and Mrs. Alan Reynolds Walker. Continue to work hard, put God first and each other's interests ahead of your own. I'm sure there are many years of happiness yet to come for both of you.

Getting out and about

Had a hot date last night. No, seriously, I did. Elizabeth and I went to eat at a quaint, albeit slightly overpriced, Italian restaurant about a 1/2 mile from our house called Suburban Garden. Then we went to the movie, followed by dessert.

It was nice to get out of the house and do something fun. We've both been so busy with work and doing stuff around the house that we hadn't done anything fun. So we went on a date.

Elizabeth and I both like Italian, and the atmosphere at Suburban Garden was great, even if the service wasn't. When we walked in around 6:15, we literally were the only customers. Suburban Garden, I'm told, has been around for 100 years. Not literally. But it's an older place. Very dimly lit. I'm sure at night, with a few candles, it can make for a very romantic scene. In the middle of June, however, there's a bit too much natural light shining in. But it was still nice.

My chicken fetuccine was good, even if the portion was about half the size I could get at Monjuni's in Ruston. I was pleased. Elizabeth's spaghetti, to both of us, was a little disappointing. It was actually quite Italian, and even though we like Italian food, we like American Italian food, if you know what I mean. But the bread, oh the bread -- now that was some good stuff. Very fresh. Just out of the oven. Elizabeth absolutely loves, and I mean loves, bread. And I've grown quite a taste for it as well. So the bread was a highlight.

Onto the movies. Over the Hedge, a movie we've wanted to see for awhile. Some very, very funny scenes. Laughed out loud funny. Overall, not the greatest animated movie I've seen. But good. Enjoyable. Cute. Steve Carell is a genius, and his squirrel character, while reminding me a bit too much of Scrat of Ice Age fame, was the highlight of the film. Also had a good plot to it. Family is both what you make of it and important. Good life lessons.

Onto dessert. Dippin' Dots. You know, the ice cream of the future. Before coming to Alexandria had never seen an actually brick and mortar. They have one here. And more than your standard 3-4 flavors. It's no 32 like Baskin-Robbins, but they had 12-20 or so flavors to choose from -- including 2 NSA flavors, otherwise known as diabetic friendly. Fun times. Don't think it will be my last time savoring the ice cream of the future.

All in all, it was a good night. Very enjoyable time with my wife. It was good for us to forget about all the stuff we have to do around the houseand have a little fun. Tomorrow night, however, is back to the grind. We have a list of things to do, including but not limited to, cleaning up the computer room and the living room. There are still plenty of boxes that need to be unpacked, as well. But we are making progress. That's all I can ask for right now.

Wedding bells will be ringing

My trip this past weekend has me very much excited about this coming weekend. Alan's Wedding. Let's get the selfish stuff out of the way. I'm excited to see the guys again. This growing up and moving away stuff is different. I'm not used to not being around my friends. I'm adjusting. I'm fine. It's just different. So I'm very excited to see everyone again. I know it's going to be a blast.

Also my mother and aunt are coming down for the wedding. I know mom is excited about that. Alan is like another son to her, as are many of my friends. After the wedding, mom and Aunt Pat will come up to Alexandria to get their first look at the new house. Oh, it's still a mess. Call it a work in progress. But I'm excited for my mom to see my house. I'm awfully proud, and I know she will be too.

And then the wedding. First it was me. Then Kyle. Now Alan. Binni's next? Lord, I hope so. Alan Walker is getting married. The pimp is settling down. Honestly, of all the guys, I figured Alan would have the least problems getting married. Never seemed to have a problem finding a girl. The problem was finding the perfect girl. Well, he could have done much worse than Misty Harrington.

I'm very proud of Alan, who of all my friends is the most like a brother to me. When I first moved to Ruston in 7th grade, for one reason or another, I just took to Alan. I looked up to him, always setting my sights to better Alan. It wasn't competition. I didn't want to actually be better than him. I just knew Alan was going to do everything well. If I could do better than him, then I was doing something right.

It's funny how my friendships work. Alan was like my brother, even though we both have older brothers. Kyle was my confidante. We could talk about anything and everything. Our relationship was, and still is, very mental. Binni, he was my boy. We just clicked on a sports level. Although he's misguided in some areas (ha!), we saw eye-to-eye in just about everything when it came to sports. He was the guy who would listen to all my off-the-wall comments about sports. He also was the guy who I felt knew as much as I do -- and there aren't many of those people around.

But Alan was just different. He was my friend when I didn't have friends. Kyle and I really became close towards the end of my junior year in high school. Binni and I clicked in college. But Alan was always there. He didn't have to be there every hour or every day. But he was there when I needed him to be, and I hope he can say the same thing about me. Our relationship wasn't one where we had to communicate daily, but it was one where I knew if I needed to talk or wanted to do something or just hang out, I could count on Alan Walker.

Now the kid is all grown up -- a successful engineer in Houston and soon-to-be a successful husband, and maybe one day an even more successful father. A-Dawg, thank you for your friendship. You've meant so much to me over the years, more than you'll ever know or I'll ever be able to put into words. Congrats, buddy. I'm always thinking about you and praying for you. I wish you and Misty nothing but the best.