I Miss Sports

Is 2020 the delayed Y2K? It sure feels like it. A global pandemic has canceled all live sports. All. Live. Sports. It started with the NBA canceling games. Then, NCAA men's basketball conference tournaments. No March Madness. No Masters. Baseball spring training canceled - though that didn't really hurt me personally, the baseball season is already too long. No Olympics. Wimbledon? Nope. And if you think sports will be affected just for the next couple of months, you'd be wishfully thinking like me. We're most likely facing a fall without football. Or one we can't attend in person.

This shift in life of epic proportions, along with the amount of time for nostalgia which led me to share this blog with a friend, has gotten me out of retirement to write about sports in a time when there are no sports at all. When the world stops, it opens your eyes to what you cling to. I miss sports so much. It was a shock with the abrupt ending of the college basketball season. Many people consoled themselves by participating in mock brackets. Obviously for me, UK went all the way and won - like the last time I wrote here (another time of epic proportions).

Without the anticipation of sports as we've settled into this paused life, all I have is to watch the 10 part docuseries from ESPN on the 90s Bulls team and looking back on recent sports moments in hopes to bring back some of that absent and irreplaceable joy that only sports can bring into my life.

1. Tiger Woods winning the 2019 Masters. Wow. What an incredible comeback story. I've loved Tiger since he came onto the scene and won the tournament in 1997 as a 21 year old. Seeing him win again sporting his red shirt on Sunday gave me chills. I still get chills even as I write about it.

2. Sticking with the golf theme, going to a round of the British Open at the Portrush course in Northern Ireland 2019. I went with my parents and it was an absolute dream come true. We were rained on watching one hole, and shielding our eyes from sunlight on the next. A true British Open experience. We watched Tiger play the 6th hole and stroll down the fairway near us.

3. Watching LSU win the BCS championship 2020. You all know my love of Nick Saban and his teams, but rooting for Ed Orgeron in a post-Les Miles era was thrilling. I'll always be pro-SEC first and foremost. And this was a year that belonged to the Tigers, and NOT the Clemson ones.

4. Sitting 6th row at the Lakers vs. Kings in LA during Kobe's final season in 2016. Unfortunately, another huge shock to the world in 2020 was the sudden and tragic death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. As much as I've trash talked him before, I came around and really respect him and his accomplishments. When we lived in LA, we got hooked up with tickets six rows behind the Laker bench and it was the best. Cousins, Rondo and Cauley-Stein were on the Kings, so I got to see some of my favorite UK players as well.

5. Almost reaching the winning circle in a horse race. Family friends in Lexington own a horse farm and asked if we'd like to represent them at the Del Mar racing track. Their horse, Recepta, was in the final race of the day and - after being treated to a lovely meal in the president's box - we went to the paddock to see the horses walk around and then walked to the gates by the finish line to watch the race. Recepta was in first until the very end when the other horse got its nose out just barely to win. So close. We still made $16 on the race.

There are so many more memories but you get the point. Sports bring so much joy (and pain) to my life. I hope the time comes soon when we can continue to hold our breath, cover our eyes, jump up and down, yell at the top of our lungs and be taken to the highest of highs and lowest of lows while being delusional that any of the afore mentioned actions have any bearing on the outcome of the game.

Happiest Day in 14 Years

I have, unfortunately, abandoned my blog for a while to pursue writing for Bleacher Report. That, too, has been fruitless due to my pursuit of a college degree. However, amid all the studying and completion of assignments, I made time for my favorite part of the year: March Madness. I filled out a couple of brackets confidently predicting Kentucky all the way. This year has been magical to watch. I fell in love with this team game after game. They were so unselfish, poised, and despite their youth, they played at an elevated level. The talent was unreal. I knew there was pressure for them to go far because I contributed to that pressure. I wanted it so badly. A 14 year championship drought was getting tough to take.

The NCAA tournament began, and my stomach was in knots prior-and during-each game. Everyone picked them to win, and I knew it would be a waste of talent to not cut down the nets. Monday night, I lost my appetite and could think of nothing else besides the last game ahead. This was it. At 9:30 p.m. Mountain Time, I would either be the happiest girl alive, or the most depressed. The first half was incredible. We were looking like winners. But I have been around long enough to fear a 2nd half surge by Kansas--which had become their tournament tradition over the past few weeks. When the lead was cut to six with about 3 or 4 minutes left, I almost couldn't take it. I was on the edge of my seat. Somehow the last three minutes took place, all of it was a sort of blur to me, and all of a sudden there we were dribbling out the clock. Oh. My. Gosh. We were, for the eight time, National Champions once again! This win will last me years of happiness.

The Curse of November 8th

In "V for Vendetta", V ominously proclaims, "Remember, remember the 5th of November." This might have been three days premature. It turns out that for Cincinnati Reds fans, the 8th of November is the day that must be remembered.

Baseball is a game full of curses: Curse of the Bambino (Red Sox), Curse of the Black Sox (White Sox), as well as other scapegoats used by teams who haven't produced a post-season appearance for decades. In this case, however, the curse is real. How do I know this? Well, I am the reason for the curse. Allow me to explain...

Back in June, the Yankees came to town and I was planning on attending the big game. As I left work early that afternoon, there was a tremendous thunderstorm in full swing. My parents made it all the way up to Cincy when it was announced that the game was canceled. I was crestfallen, to say the least. Fast forward to this past Monday evening. My parents and I made our second attempt at attending a Reds game. With Skyline for dinner, great seats for $15, and humidity as an unwelcome companion, it was bound to be a great night. At the completion of the second inning, the rain delay began. What a grandaddy gully washer! An hour and a half later, the game resumed. I got my ice cream in a plastic helmet, and then left after the 5th inning.

What are the odds that the two games I picked at random to attend, both get rained out? Furthermore, the game I was actually able to attend amid precipitation resulted in a loss. Double curse points. To completely solidify my curse, the Reds haven't been to, let alone won, a World Series since 1990-the year in which I was born. Bam! There you have it, I am the cause for the heartbreak year after year that is synonymous with The Cincinnati Reds. Curses.

P.S. I'm pleased to announce that I've been accepted to write for Bleacher Report!! I'm moving up in the sports writing world! If you would like to read my articles, then follow this link: http://bleacherreport.com/users/591506-alex-thomas. I'll try to write occasionally for this blog, but my main focus has turned toward my opportunity at B/R.

Let The Boys Celebrate

It's fourth down with the full ten yards still ahead for a first down. The other team's defense has been nothing short of the Berlin Wall-absolutely impenetrable. Although the two previous plays were potentially clever, the defense didn't fall for them. The next play selection is crucial in order to gain the necessary yardage and continue with the drive. The quarterback makes an executive decision to go up the gut. It's a bold move, considering the stretch of turf yet to gain and the unyielding defense thus far, but hey, go big or go home, right? Snap, catch, hand off to the running back. Just as it appears that the play will be foiled once again, there's a small gap that manifests itself. The running back capitalizes on the rare opening and takes off down the field. No one can catch him, and when he realizes this, he begins high stepping five yards before the endzone. For a finishing touch, he flawlessly flips in for the touchdown as the game clock ticks down to zero.

The cheering, which had been steadily increasing, was now at an ear-shattering decibel. The winning team leaps into the air with high fives flying and chest bumps galore. Hold on there a second. It's not over 'til the fat ref blows his whistle, and blow his whistle he does. As the sharp sound reverberates throughout the stadium, it comes out as more of an ominous wail rather than a joyful song. The referee deems the game winning touchdown null and void. The reason? Celebration. All of the excitement is for naught, and the fans slowly walk to their cars with a faint sound of a whistle ringing in every ear.

The scenario above could very well play out as a real life nightmare as a result of the new, stricter NCAA football rules. The group of fun-sucking football officials have commanded athletes to don football pads of stoicism at all times, or else face the consequence of handing back a hard earned TD. "I'm sorry, young man, but even though you broke through a few, tough tackles, stumbled, and still beat a guy by fifteen yards, you're only allowed one brisk handshake with each team member." It's a game, not a business meeting!

Now, by no means am I proposing,nor endorsing, an endless stream of showboating. No one wants to witness the Ickey Shuffle performed the length of the field. Excessive celebration has been dealt with by assigning penalties. Taking away a score is not the answer to running a tighter ship. If a celebratory dance lasts more than five seconds or a player goes into the stands, throw the little, yellow flag and tack on a fine to the school. Refrain from taking away what a player rightfully earned. The government will fulfill that duty soon enough. Send the right message: of course one may celebrate his accomplishment, as long as he does so with tact, class, and sans excess.

Let us all remember that these guys are still kids! Plus, who doesn't love to see a player swan dive into the endzone? Football without a touch of flair would be missing that extra je ne sais quios. Give a little wriggle room for celebration and a chance for players to gain some style points-you only get to be young once.

Liar Liar, Vest On Fire.

As you all know, Jim Tressel has been stripped of his senatorial image to reveal a long history of shady dealings. This week's cover story of SI uncovers a slew of violations that have been fueling the Tressel Train for years, not just the isolated event of the player's memorabilia swap. This shocking discovery has prompted everyone to question how he or she could have been so deceived by a man who everyone thought was the last standing coach with integrity.

In a way, I feel a bit sorry for him. As far as his success goes, his teams always did well. He knew how to get it done on the field. Unfortunately, all of those accomplishments are forever tainted and tarnished by his corruption, just like Woody Hayes will never be mentioned without a tag along line concerning his jab at the Gator Bowl in 1978.

"Win at all costs" has become the of almost every athlete and coach in sports-are there any pristine reputations remaining? Isn't there a way to win without breaking the rules? It doesn't appear that the game will get any cleaner, but I still hold out hope that there are victorious programs that go about the game the right way.

Until then, let us all (because no one likes the Big Ten) enjoy the burning of the sweater vest and watch as The Ohio State Buckeyes try and deal with their new title: THE Ohio State Violators.

An Extra Tidbit For Comedic Value:

In the aforementioned SI issue, the Sign of the Apocalypse reads, "An outbreak of horse herpes in Utah forced participants at a Davis County rodeo queen contest to perform their routines on stick ponies."

A Tradition Unlike Any Other

Masters weekend (sadly) has come to a close. Augusta did not disappoint. This has been the most exciting and enjoyable Masters in a few years! Tiger finally looked like his dominate self, and the action was intense. To those of you who think golf is boring-you're sorely mistaken. I'm on tenterhooks the whole time! Each shot is crucial, and things can go south in the blink of an eye. Just ask Rory McIlroy.

Admittedly, I usually watch after the final cut. That's when the stakes are at their highest. Rory led during the first three rounds and was looking calm heading into Sunday afternoon. At 21 years old, he would be achieving what many seasoned golfers have only dreamed. Though, with a green jacket on the line, players were coming out of the woodwork to take a shot at victory. Rory bogied the first hole, which foreshadowed the eventual 8+ score on the day. He hit the lip of the bunker on the second, went swimming on the back nine, and never recovered. I feel bad for the guy-he seemed nice.

Tiger had a phenomenal front nine performance! Two birdies, an eagle, and his red shirt blazing in the sun. Even though he didn't pull off a win, being 5- on the day, and at least having a shot at the title, was enough to satisfy my wishes as his fan. He played a great round of golf. Unfortunately, so did other guys. Adam Scott and his long putter were swinging their way to the top of the leaderboard, along with Charl Swartzel. Seriously, that South African made some terrific shots. I'm sure the announcers groaned with the frequency of attempting to correctly say his name.

In the end, Swartzel emerged with the win, edging out Adam Scott and the rest of the competitors. The Aussies' hopes of finally having one of their own win the Masters were sunk with Charl's putt. Better luck next year, mate.

Before I conclude this post, I would like to mention a few of my thoughts on the greatness of the Masters:

1. The beauty of Magnolia Lane and the tradition that thickly hangs all around you.

2. The British commentators that deliver such classic lines as, "the ball touched down like a butterfly with sore feet."

3. Rooting against players and seeing them crumble.

4. When someone hits the lip of the bunker, tees off into the pines, has a shot obstructed by a tree, or hits his ball into the water.

5. Seeing the joy of hitting the green slowly fade as the ball rolls back down onto the fairway. Better get your chipper!

6. When a player has to attempt a shot from a completely different hole (i.e. Adam Scott).

7. Seeing everyone flinch when a player takes off his hat or visor because of how matted the hair is, and how white the forehead appears after being in the sun for almost a week.

8. The golf gods punishing anyone who is stupid enough to use a long putter.

All in all, it was a GREAT weekend of golf! I laughed, I cheered, and, most of all, I was continually entertained.

Knight in Shining Armor

Wow, wow, wow, wow! I cannot believe I did not have a heart attack during last night's game between UK and OSU to go to the Elite Eight! You all will criticize me for being an "unfaithful fan", but I had been gearing myself up for a loss since we beat West Virginia. I figured it's better to not get my hopes up and avoid being completely crushed. I used to be a more optimistic fan, until that fateful night on March 29th, 2003 in the NCAA tournament. We were the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region, and looked good with our stars, namely Keith Bogans, Erik Daniels, Gerald Fitch, and Cliff Hawkins. Then, Bogans hurt his ankle. We had to take on Marquette, and their star Dwyane Wade (maybe you've heard of him?), in order to advance. This had to happen sans the presence of Bogans. I watched the entire game, naively believing we could still pull through with a win (even though we were completely blown out and Wade had a triple double). I was shocked when the buzzer sounded and a fourteen point elimination cut out my heart. Quickly, I ran to my room and cried for a solid ten minutes. Ever since then, I vowed to never watch the end of a game that we were going to lose. I can't emotionally handle it.

Knowing this, you can now understand why I was hesitant to believe we were going to come out the victor of a match up against the number 1 overall seed. We are a young team with little depth, it simply wasn't in our cards. Of course, I still watched the game. Early on I realized it could turn into a last second situation, and may be a heart-breaker. Tied at the half and practically every starter with two fouls, I was just happy it hadn't turned into a rout. The second half commences, and my greediness appears. We could win. I thought to myself, our defense is good, and we're staying with them! I tried to push it aside, but my hope was on the rise. It seemed as though the second half flew by in an instant, and next thing I knew, there were two minutes left in the game. A point difference increased the intensity tenfold. In a display of incredible defense and poise, the Cats edged ahead with what looked like an unimpeded win. In an instant, Diebler was elevating from behind the three point line and releasing a three. Swish. Damn. Tied at 60 with 21 seconds left on the clock. I did NOT want to go into OT. My heart wouldn't make it that long. Luckily, it didn't have to. UK brought the ball down the court, and there at the top was Knight, using his bball savvy to concoct a winning play. He succeeded for the second time in the tourney, making a small drive into the right wing and creating enough space to shoot his sweet, nothing-but-net, dagger.

For a second, the world went quiet. Was this real life? Did my Wildcats just upset the Buckeyes? Heck yeah they did! I quickly jumped out of my seat and engaged in the happiest victory dance of the season! We, THE University of Kentucky, are going to the Elite Eight. Life is great :)

Ides of March=March Madness!

I LOVE MARCH!! Why, you ask? Because I get to watch numerous high stakes basketball games and be a witness to my brackets crashing and burning :) As Dickie V would say, "It's March Madness, baby!!"

As much as I love watching all of the bracketology shows, there really isn't a definitive science to the NCAA tournament. It's anyone's game. The Cinderella stories, the heartbreaks, the upsets, the passion, and the last-second shots. And that's only a small taste of what the tourney entails. Dribble by dribble, teams will come closer to cutting that precious net and lifting that trophy high into the sky.

Every year, the analysts complain about some (or a few) decisions made by the selection committee. For a second, I feel as though I've gone back in time to the college football bowl games and the griping of fans whose mid-major squad played in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl. Usually, I don't have too many objections. With a pool of 68 it's hard to imagine that any team was excluded. This year, it's a different story. My objections relate to the seeding rather than who's in the pool. I have two teams close to my heart that made it into the tournament: Utah State and UK (the team I really care about). Both teams, without a doubt, were robbed when the seeds were given. How the heck is Florida a No. 2 seed when UK won the SEC championship and beat the Gators the last TWO times?! That don't make no sense. UK deserved that seed instead of Billy D. Utah State got a 12 seed. Excuse me? I'm all for leaving the best seeds for the big boys, but the Aggies freakin' earned a better seed than that. They won the WAC championship and only dropped three games. That's impressive in any conference!

Alas, there is nothing to do but accept the seeds and selections, and hope that your team is ready to fight tooth and nail to reign victoriously. The NCAA tournament is probably the only time when I root for every SEC team. Along with this, I temporarily put aside my dislike for some teams so that they will beat the teams I hate (i.e. any ACC team, especially Duke and UNC). Fill out your brackets by Thursday, stock up on tons of food, find a friend with a big HD t.v., and enjoy the next few weeks of basketball!

All Star Weekend

Late on Friday afternoon, I walked back to my apartment completely exhausted from my grueling Statistics test. I walked in, set down my backpack, and decided to check the mail. What I saw inside that small metal box lifted my energy level and released more endorphins than anything else-a small flat rate, cardboard box addressed to yours truly. Instantly, I knew what awaited me inside. Are you on tenterhooks? It was my new Rajon Rondo t-shirt!!!! Ah!! What great timing! I had been looking for one in my size for almost two months now, and my sister found one to send to me. Best sister ever. I received my Celtic green t-shirt right in time for the All Star weekend :) I already have his jersey, and now I have the t-shirt. How more legit can I get?

Before the actual All Star game, there were a lot of other events to take place. Friday night was the rookie vs. sophomore game. Obviously J-Wall was ballin' it up on the court, since he played for UK and all. But what really made me tear up were the brilliant passes between Wall and Cousins. Seeing them play together again did my heart well, and really made me miss last year's team. This year's squad just isn't to that level. But I digress. John Wall also had some excellent assists to Blake Griffin (he's a rookie by default, but really he should have been with the sophomores). Needless to say, J-Wall won the MVP honors.

The only highlight you need to know about the Celebrity All Star game is that Justin Bieber got straight up stuffed by Scottie Pippen. Way to go, Scottie.

The dunk contest on Saturday night was a clear indication of the complete shift towards showmanship that the league has taken. Griffin jumped over the front bumper of a car and won by a landslide. It was impressive, but props aren't what should make a dunk spectacular. Ibaka's dunk from the free throw line was, in my opinion, way better. But I do think Griffin is a beast when it comes to his other dunks.

Finally, the All Star game. Usually I'm not interested in the All Star extravaganza, especially since it's not even close to real basketball. It's more of an individual offensive exhibit. However, Rondo, Ray Allen, Pierce, and Garnett were all reserves for the East, so I tuned in to watch my Celtics light it up. After the forty-five minute introduction for both teams, the game got under way. I only paid attention when the Big Four were put in, and only the first two quarters. It was a disappointment, as I suspected it would be. I still enjoyed seeing my boys and wearing my new t-shirt (I'm going on the third straight day of wearing it). It was amusing to see the perceptible coldness between the Miami Heat players and the Celtics players, as they were forced to be on the same team. I personally wouldn't handle playing with my enemies very well. Kudos to them for keeping it professional. The West won-gag me-and the festivities came to a close.

Although the game wasn't a thriller, it did produce an excitement about the upcoming playoffs. It was a good All Star weekend, especially the showcase of former UK players in the rookie-sophomore game. Basketball is the best.

Bowl Games

I know it's a little late, but New Years day was just amazing. I could sit and watch (good) football games all day! Though, I do have one complaint...there are just too many superfluous bowl games! I wish all the BCS games and other real bowl games are all shown on one-maybe two-days. A marathon of engaging games, what more could one want?

I plopped myself down on the couch with my mom and dad, in my pajamas, a coffee table laden with an array of delicious snacks, and a big screen t.v. :) Is there any better New Years tradition? I found the Alabama vs. Michigan St. game especially hilarious. There was a stretch of about three plays where at least one Spartan had to be helped off of the field. They just got beat up like an unevenly matched playground battle. At the end of the game, Michigan St. had negative rushing yardage.

Of course the suspense of the BCS Championship is continuing to build. It seems that every year the BCS makes the 'ship further and further away from New Years. Por que?? Monday night it'll all be over. What am I going to do all Saturday instead of watching football games? Study, perhaps? Nah...

The best bowl games of course, were 1) UConn in its BCS game-say what?! The same UConn, who lost to LOUISVILLE (who UK beat) was in a BCS game because they are in the Big East-a BCS conference with an automatic bid. Ok, I don't hate the BCS like most people do, a playoff system is not the answer, but even I can see how flawed that is. 2) Obviously the most anticipated game is the BBVA Compass bowl between UK and Pitt. Bahaha. What a joke. I though it couldn't get worse than going to the Music City bowl three years in a row. Well, it just did. I think it's even below the Meineke Car Care bowl AND Roady's Humanitarian Bowl. We lost.

TCU proved that they can hang tight with the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. They really seemed to find the holes in the Badger's defense. I can't hide that fact that the Big Ten going 0-5 one day pleases me...because the SEC went 3-0 on the same day. Needless to say, the SEC can't be touched in football dominance. We own the past, present, and the future :)

I'm scared that Auburn won't take their game seriously. Oregon wants to prove something, I can feel it. Hopefully the Tigers can make us SEC fans proud!

My Favorites

Here are some pictures of my favorite people in Sports. Some are my favorite announcers (Kirk Herbstreit, Clark Kellogg), and some are my favorite players. Think of it as my Christmas Wish List this year. I want to meet all of them!

Rondo is my boy! He's the cutest-and the best-point guard in the NBA! A great Kentucky boy.

Kirk Herbstreit. Even though he's a Buckeye, he's still my favorite football analyst. I always listen to his predictions. Plus, he is the most attractive man ever!

Lamb and Jones. my favorite freshmen. Lamb is so cute, and Jones is such a presence in the paint.

Clark Kellogg. The best color commentator in college basketball! And he definitely loves UK :) I was so glad when he took over Billy Packer's job.

Andy Roddick. Let's be serious, he hasn't won a major in a while, but he's still smokin' hot! The other people I mentioned I like for legit reasons, but I just like the eye candy for this one, ha ha.

There are other athletes I really like, but I thought I'd limit it to these guys for now.

Things That Would Make My Sports Life Better

Well today started out horribly with a UK loss to freakin' UNC, but things could look up if the Auburn Tigers beat the Gamecocks in the SEC championship game. When they do, they'll represent the SEC in the BCS title game, resulting in the fifth consecutive season where there has been an SEC team in the championship.

Something else that would make sports better is if Clark Kellogg was the color commentator for all the UK games. He's seriously my favorite. Even though he's a Buckeye, he's the best! Plus you can definitely tell he likes UK basketball :)

Also, along the same vein of Kentucky basketball, I would like the NCAA to make a decision-the right decision-to FREE ENES! Geez, he'll pay back the $$, and then he'll help my Cats do well this season.

Finally, scoring a date with Rajon Rondo-that would pretty much be the best thing ever.

There are myriad more occurrences that would make my sports life better, a lot of which involve bad things happening to athletes and coaches I strongly dislike, but I need to stay positive. Plus, there's only so much you can ask for before you start getting greedy.

Pearl is Punished

As the timeless idiom goes, cast Pearl before swine and he'll fit right in! I can't fully describe the complete happiness and satisfaction I receive from Bruce Pearl being suspended from his first eight games. Not only do I despise his ridiculous orange sport coat, but the irony and corruption is almost too much to handle.

Before delving into the reason behind the suspension, let us take a jaunt down a Pearl-laden memory lane...

Twenty years ago, Bruce Pearl was an assistant at Iowa during a battle with Illinois for the star recruit Deon Thomas. Thomas committed to Illinois. Pearl, whistle in hand, got Thomas to admit to receiving a car from the Illini and turned in the tape recording into the NCAA. Although they could not back up his claim, they found other violations by further investigation which resulted in a one-year postseason ban. From that moment onward, Pearl carried around the label of a whistle-blowing rat like it was inked across his wide forehead in red. His fellow coaches shunned him with an impenetrable silence. Pearl kept telling himself and others that he did the right thing. It took three years for the tainted coach to get a job-back to Division II-at Southern Indiana. Nine years and a stellar winning record later, he was finally let back into Division I at a mid-major program: Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Three seasons later he was hired at Tennessee.

Now after such a history and a tough row to hoe, you would think that he would be the epitome of a corruption-free coach. Well, well, well...not so fast, Pearl. It turns out that Bruce has some dirt on his hands, too. He has it on his hands, his program, and his recruits. Quite frankly, when you move the orange rug you can see that he's been tracking in dirt all over Rocky Top Tennessee. The violations include excessive phone calls to recruits and use of unauthorized phones. More than the violations is the evident misinformation Pearl provided to the NCAA. Bold move from a one-eyed fat man. Covering your tracks is almost worse than performing the wrong deed! Pearl said, "It's serious what we did, it's worse how we handled it." You can say that again.

It's funny how a once goody-two-shoes is now the bad apple.

The punishment makes the matter curiouser and curiouser. He'll miss the first half of the SEC season, and will return for his Jan. 22nd game against UConn. Then he will continue his suspension and make it back to the court in time for the game against Kentucky and rival Calipari. Interesting indeed. I guess sports are more similar to politics than I thought. At least he is exposed and receiving some punishment. I can't wait to see the signs UK fans make on that Feb. 8th game.

What did I do?!

Miami Can't Take The Heat

Notice: bringing in three huge stars does not immediately yield success. Just ask the Miami Heat. I realize it's the beginning of the season, and the franchise didn't promise a glitch-free season. However, I can't help but feel a little satisfaction in seeing the Heat struggle to find their footing. What a sweet victory for the Jazz! Maybe best of all is that Miami lost twice to the Celtics-a team who has a tangible magic they clearly wanted to bring the South Beach.

I will refrain from being a complete critic because I still believe the team will eventually get in a rhythm and go on to have a solid season.

A quick note about my recent birthday. I felt so special for receiving a birthday email from ESPN.com, which included a free code for the Sports Center ringtone. Now every time anyone calls, I go into my anchor mode and pretend I'm opening the show...then I answer the call, ha ha. The second great gift I got was from my good friend, Michael. Thanks to a little prompting from yours truly, he sent me a Celtics shirt that is the definition of perfection. It reads: "I only date Boston Celtics fans". I'm going to wear it 24/7!

Family, Food, Football

This past weekend I was lucky enough to watch glorious college football with my wonderful family. My dad and I were able to surprise my sister and mom as I flew in late Friday night to see them. Needless to say, it was just what I needed :)

There are two things that are necessary for viewing football: family and food. I had both! My sister and mom made some awesome bruschetta, along with about a million pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting that I devoured. We ate great Thai food for dinner and some delicious frozen yogurt for dessert. And that's just the food. The big games (mainly SEC ones) were riveting...and my picks weren't all that bad for once! Auburn remains unbeaten-but they dropped to # 2 in the BCS standings, Oregon surpassed them for the #1 spot. UK lost like usual-Mike Hartline sucks.

All in all it was a day well spent (as in I didn't do anything except plop myself on the couch and gather around the t.v. with my amazing family). Can life get any better than this?

I Love the Smell of UK Basketball in the Fall

The countdown is over...Kentucky basketball's season has begun! I love college football, but let's be serious, UK football isn't anything to write home about. UK basketball, on the other hand, is the most important thing in the world. While other kids watched cartoons or other shows, I was glued to the Kentucky basketball games. Yelling, cheering, crying, high-fiving...Kentucky basketball has always been my obsession.

Tonight marks the start of a new season. Our team in no way compares to last year's squad, but a team like that only comes along once in a Kentucky blue moon. However, being a true fan does not entail cheering solely during the victorious stretches, but rather it demands loyalty through thick and thin.

Midnight Madness is a great tradition in NCAA basketball, especially at UK. I remember going every year to watch it in Memorial Colosseum, after camping out to get tickets for it (which are free, but sell for hundreds). I remember witnessing Rajon Rondo win the dunk contest during that year's Midnight Madness, and I was blown away by his explosiveness. I knew right there that he was destined for great basketball endeavors (he is now probably the best point guard in the NBA).

I wish I were able to be there tonight, but thank goodness for espn3.com. In honor of the tradition that is Kentucky Basketball, I watched the 1998 NCAA Championship game vs. Utah. Yes, I frequently watch the classic games that took place during my lifetime, and it never gets old. I love seeing Utah crumble and the Comeback Cats triumph. Envy our past, fear our future.

UK basketball stirs in me emotions that nothing else can. A combination of pride, enthusiasm, hopefulness, and love fill me to the core. Some call it over the top, I call it passion. And life without such passion, is no life at all.

So until the next post, I'll leave you with some highlights of that glorious 1998 championship game:

-Doleac struggling to get down the court towards the end of the second half, as his bowl cut is matted to his forehead.

-Wayne Turner never making two consecutive free throws (consistent with his 56% free throw average).

-Scott Padgett and Jamaal Magloire always looking Bad A with some sort of bruise or cut near the eyes.

-Rick Majerus rumored to have burned his "lucky" sweater after the game due to its failure to bring luck as well as its pungent odor and yellowed armpit regions.

-Cameron Mills being the man and making two threes when UK was, up until that point, 0-7 on three point attempts. As the final buzzer sounds, he then becomes the man that falls to the ground in tears (prompting pal Jeff Shepard to follow suit).

-Kentucky wins its seventh NCAA title. 'Nuff said.

The Hunt for a Reds October is a Success!

FINALLY!!! 1990 was that last year in which the Cincinnati Reds won the World Series, and 1995 was the last year they made it into the post-season. Now the fifteen year drought is over!

I have many fond memories of going to the Reds games and eating soft serve ice cream out of the plastic helmets. Some real greats have played for them over the years, like Ken Griffey Jr., Sean Casey, Adam Dunn, Austin Kerns, etc. Although many times they started out the season with a bang, they always trailed off in the NL Central race, and year after year failed to make it to October.

But this season was different! They have remained in the lead, or a few games off the lead, for a while...and have stayed at the top! I hope they can make the most of this long awaited post-season appearance and win the World Series in what has seemed like a long twenty years!

College Football!

Ah, the leaves are turning, the air is getting cooler, and the helmets are being strapped on...it's college football time! There's nothing quite better than sitting in front of a t.v. all day Saturday and flipping back and forth from one great game to the next. Grilling out bratwursts, hot dogs, and hamburgers, popping the top on a Barqs Root Beer, and only moving to go to the bathroom or get more food. Get ready, folks. Saturday is about to become your favorite day of the week.

The Best part of college football and the BCS system is that every Saturday counts. There is no room for error, and with every yellow flag you can't help but cringe and wonder if they can make it through the game without five more off sides. Many teams may come out of the starting gate at top speed only to be left behind during the last stretch. It's fourth and inches, and you're biting your nails and trying to help the next Knowshon Moreno get that crucial first down. You hold your breath as the star receiver is smashed to the ground after a gruesome tackle, or you lean forward to see if the helmet rolling on the field still has a head in it-for surely the impact was impossible to survive. Behold the ups and downs of football. The high fives for a victory, and the tears of sadness that coincide with the truth of the trophy slipping away. It's all part of the emotional ride, and it's all worth it.

The first weekend was a great one! UK beat Louisville, the SEC fared well in general (however, that LSU vs. UNC game was too close for comfort), and the Boise St. vs. Va Tech was a thrill! Oh poor Beamer and his goiter. But this is only the beginning. The noise from all the conference shifts has died down, and now we can all focus on the war zone that is about to ensue. Ready, set, HIKE!

The Not Fantastic Five

So I think I'll start my own Friday tradition of the Not Fantastic Five-a numerically lesser spin-off of Sports Center's Not Top Ten.

In descending order:

5. I love the Celtics, so I'd hate to throw my team under the bus completely. However, signing Shaq? That's definitely not fantastic.

4. USC Football. Kiffin is trying to promote his program and how they are as focused as ever this season despite not going to a bowl game. Let's face it, they might as well not even play this year, we don't like them anyway.

3. Brett Favre. Again we have to deal with his decision of whether or not he will still play, as if we didn't already waste a month of our time awaiting LeBron's decision.

2. The Red Sox losing 9-1 at their home stadium. That just sucks.

1. Coach K. Need I say more?

DeMarcus Cousins

Out of the five UK players that were drafted during the first round to the NBA, I think DeMarcus Cousins is my favorite. Don't get me wrong, I love John Wall and he deserves to be the first pick. He has a finesse unlike any other, and he makes incredible plays in crucial moments. But how often do you find a big man with the skill and agility of Cousins? Let me give you a hint-rarely.

Cousins is already dominant in the NBA summer league, and he's one year removed from High School. People talked about his "questionable" attitude, but compare him to other 19 year olds and I'd say he handles himself very well. He gets it done on the court.

As the fifth pick in the first round, there were plenty of skeptics, but it seems everyone has finally jumped on the D. Cousins bandwagon. Everyone loves him! He should have gone sooner in the draft, but that's all water under the bridge now. It's been a while, probably since Shaq, that we've seen such a dominant big man. He will shine against the man-to-man defense of the NBA, because no one can stop him. I usually only watch the playoffs since the season is so long, but I may watch more of the regular season now. I am greatly looking forward to seeing a Wildcat out there showing the other players how to play real basketball.