Mark

Damnit, why, Mark?

Why? That's all I want to know.

It's so hard without you. Why did you let her do this? Why did you let alcohol do this?

It's been five months, and it still hurts like the first day. I love you, I hope wherever you are, you remember that.

Cardinals/Cowboys analysis

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I miss Jimmy Johnson.

On the genius of Sarah Palin and Elitism

Disclaimer: I am not, have not been and probably will never be a "pundit." I'm just a guy who tends to write occasionally an also watched the Vice Presidential debates.

I discovered a few things last night. One is that I have horrible luck with DirecTV, as it went out again, and I had to watch the much-anticipated debate on my laptop. No big deal though.

Another is I'm starting to hate the word "maverick." I hate when Gov. Sarah Palin repeatedly called her running mate, John McCain, a "maverick." I hate the perception of McCain as a "maverick." Gee golly, I'm starting to even hate the Dallas Mavericks.

But here's the crux of this writing: really, I think Palin could possibly be the typical media representation of a bumpkin or she could possibly be a genius.

I can see why people think she's out of her league. Giving shout-outs to her brother's third grade class is something you'd expect to hear at a PTA meeting or a book club. This was Palin's chance to tell the nation that her ticket is the best. And I think, while she didn't convince me of course, she convinced a lot of people.

Most people in this state are pretty much swayed toward Obama. However, there are other populations that don't look beyond the fascia of a candidate, and these are the people that got George W. Bush elected not once, but twice. And I can see why. I'm not calling these people primitive. I'm not calling them stupid. Their priorities and world view are just different from mine. I can't change that.

When I saw this article over the summer, it scared me. People are scared that Obama has lost touch with the common American because he's in shape and he works out. With the common American inching closer and closer to this, I can see why having a candidate as active as Obama would be intimidating.

It doesn't seem to matter anymore what a candidate thinks about the energy crisis or the war in Iraq. For instance, take the previous election of Bush vs. John Kerry. How "likeable" these candidates were played into whether or not a citizen would vote for them.

President Bush, despite his many problems, strikes most of the American people as a pretty nice guy — the kind of guy they would feel comfortable with if he showed up at their front door. The more standoffish Kerry projects little warmth.

A recent Zogby/Williams Identity Poll reflected that. It found that 57% of undecided voters would rather have a beer with Bush than Kerry. (In Bush's case, it would be a nonalcoholic beer.)

While both were raised with silver spoons in their mouths and both went to Yale, Bush comes off as less pretentious and more down to earth. Kerry sounds like he is lecturing people rather than holding a conversation with them.

But for the most part, Bush is seen as the friendly neighbor next door. A new Pew Research Center Poll asked swing voters who comes off more as a "real person," Bush or Kerry? Bush won, 56% to 38%.

I agree that Dubya would be a fun guy to hang out with, knock back a few beers and talk about how they don't make 'em like Nolan Ryan anymore. Do I want him running something as important as my country? Not exactly. He was able to relate to the Bible Belt as a simple God-loving Christian, someone like themselves.

This, I think, is what Palin is trying to do. She's as American as Jenny, the soccer mom who brings orange slices for every practice. She's the next-door neighbor who makes the best casserole. She is using the same pathos-based appeals as Bush, who, while he wasn't a very effective President was a President nonetheless. This election could be (and probably should be) her last chance to be in office, which is a shame.

I think that if she had a few more years experience, building up her ethos, she would make a great candidate. Now, I wouldn't vote for her, but I believe that she had the potential. What McCain did was take an A-ball prospect and put her on the mound for the World Series. She's fine in her own element, where the moose-to-human ratio is 2:1, but she doesn't have the talent to compete on a stage this large, and I think the debates proved that. I know she is not running for the Presidency, but with McCain's shaky health, that possibility lingers.

The thing is, I don't want a President I can easily relate to. I don't want a drinking buddy in office. I want someone who is better than me. But that would make him - gasp! - an elitist! Good. I think it's worth to have an elitist running one of the most powerful countries in the world, instead of a guy still stuck in Vietnam and a potential first MILF. Obama and Biden have an air of control when they talk. They know we've lost the war and that it's better to just pull out now instead of risk more American casualties.

This country needs a ticket that can get things done and change the status quo, not more orange slices.

Update

So, I really should be studying. I've got a Kinesiology test at 12:30, but I find myself really not caring about it. I've got major senioritis and my head is already in January. I'm sending resumés to pretty much every state this side of the Mississippi, but chances are good that I'll be in TIXAS. I also wouldn't mind working at the Daily Camera in Boulder, where Rick Reilly got his start.

Random thoughts at the moment:
- I need to shave

- It would be pretty bitchin' if I could just like take a pill to stop facial hair growth. I mean, I can't even grow a cool beard. It comes in all white trashy.

- Dear lord, ya 'un take so many of mah people, I'm just wonderin' why you ain't take my life?

- T-Pain : English language :: Sarah Palin : intelligence

- I ordered an Obama shirt last night, happy to donate some of my hard-earned money for the cause.

- I finally moved into the downstairs part of the house. DirectTV doesn't work for some reason, and I may have fucked it up worse by resetting it. On the other hand, I have another small bedroom now. I'm considering turning it into a breakfast nook (Damn, SNL used to be funny). Because, well, I'm just ballin' like that.

Here's your music video for today (I need to get to studying)
Rehab and Hank Jr. - Bartender

Not much to say today

Just a couple quick videos for any of you needing a little inspiration:

Rudy - Tryouts:



I love this movie. Seeing it when I was a little kid made me want to play football for Notre Dame. That dream has not quite gone the way I'd hoped. But still, when I'm feeling down or lazy, this is a clip I like to watch to light a fire under my ass.

If you haven't seen Rudy. Go rent it. Hell, go buy it. Just go see it now.

Glengarry Glen Ross speech:



Put that coffee down. Coffee's for closers only.

FUCK YOU! That's my name.

Always
Be
Closing

Attention - do I have your attention?
Interest - are you interested? I know you are, 'cause it's fuck or walk. You close or you hit the bricks.
Decision - have you made your decision FOR CHRIST?
Action

You know what it takes to sell real estate? It takes brass balls to sell real estate.

I'd wish you good luck, but you wouldn't know what to do with it if you got it.

Damn. That just makes me want to kick some fucking ass.

I might write a short story or two. Maybe today. Maybe tomorrow. Sometime soon, and I'll post it here first.

This

Interleague play

Fail.

I'm not a big fan of interleague play, aside from already established rivalries like A's-Giants, Yankees-Mets, Angels-Dodgers, etc. Diamondbacks-Royals? Not so much. Orioles-Pirates? Pretty sure that one wasn't a sellout. I'd say stick to the rivalry games and let the other teams play their own league for that time. Then again, bitter rivals like the Padres and Mariners can't be separated that easily. It just seems like such a pointless innovation.

Which leads me to the vital difference between the leagues — the designated hitter. Adopted in 1973, this allows a position player to bat for a pitcher, but only in the American League. I realized the idiocy of this after two instances: a colleague/teacher joked with me about the AL not requiring 2nd base to be touched on double plays (on the premise that if they allow the DH, they'll allow anything), and "Now batting, the designated hitter, Jason Tyner."

DH apologists point to Chien-Ming Wang injuring himself on the basepaths, I give you Jason Tyner, all one home run of him, occupying the DH spot for the Minnesota Twins at one point. It's like they just needed a warm body to put there.

It's just stupid. There's not a designated fielder who doesn't hit. Trust me, the Giants would've done this with Omar Vizquel a while ago. Basketball doesn't have a designated shooter who comes off the court when his team's on defense. Why should baseball, a sport rooted in its pastoral history, not only create an unnecessary position, but only put it in one league? Abolishment would never happen, since David Ortiz hits home runs (which means more ticket sales) and pretty much any pitcher other than Matt Cain or Micah Owings does not.

Plus, the National League style of play requires more strategy. Say the score is tied 0-0 in the 6th inning, with two runners on and one out. You've got your ace on the mound and he's doing pretty well, but the 9th spot is coming up. Do you pinch-hit and try to put a run on the board and go to the bullpen in the next half-inning, or let your pitcher lay down a bunt and keep him in the game?

But, I suppose, you'd rather just see some dingers, instead of real baseball action.

Tiger Woods is good at golf

We hold these truths to be self-evident:

That all men are created equal.

That they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights.

That Tiger Woods is just that much better than any athlete in the world.

I'll admit, I don't watch golf much, but today's US Open playoff had me entranced.

Call it David and Goliath if you want. People had heard of David before and Goliath battled on two good knees. This was like Mike Tyson in his prime taking on Joe from your local gym. Jay-Z versus a one-hit underground wonder. Not to take anything away from Rocco Mediate, who has to have some sort of talent to be on the Tour as long as he has, but Tiger with two bad knees would normally putt circles around him.

In the end, that's what it came down to. Well, that and an ill-timed bunker shot in sudden death. Blur your eyes for a moment, and Mediate and Woods looked alike early on. Mediate was wearing black pants and a red polo, a Woods staple when he goes in for the kill. In the end, Mediate was nothing more than a sheep in wolf's clothing. Tiger was hungry, eating up clutch putts like endorsement deals. Mediate, with putter in hand, looked like a guy trying to tap one in under the windmill.

If he could've sunk even one of those necessary putts on Sunday, there's no playoff. With Tiger, there's seldom an "if." It's "when."

Sure, Mediate had his moments. The near-hole-in-one on 3 and the long putt he sank on the 15th hole to give him the lead. But no athlete in the world can turn it on like Tiger when it counts. Not Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady, Alex Rodriguez or Roger Federer — the alphas in their respective sports.

What made this playoff so special was that the shock wasn't that Mediate had pushed Tiger to it, it was that anyone did. Imagine going to a game and being shocked when A-Rod didn't hit a home run, or seeing Kobe not drop 50. Tiger, on one good knee, came back and whipped the USGA's best with two.