Good day

So my birthday went well. I had my first beer, which most people can't believe. It's true though. I didn't have one until I was 21. Not a huge fan of them either. Didn't taste good.

Today was heartbreaking. That's all I'll say about that.

I think my new laptop, that has already been fixed, just got a virus. Thought it would make the month of October even more memorable.

Field Hockey is still amazing. Loren Sherer scored an amazing goal. It was a laser beam. It was hit perfectly. No one could have stopped it.

I also played some soccer today and I learned that it's hard to be a goalie when your defense doesn't play defense. 4 on 1 is impossible.

For the record

Also for the record I have heard good things about the women's soccer coach at St. Johns. I do want to pass that along.

I'm not waving the white flag or calling a truce. I am just passing a long a message.

Funny thing about sports

The funny thing about sports is that everyone thinks that they are experts at them. Everyone watches so much sports and sees so much that they think they can out-coach, out-prepare, out-draft and out-everything for an entire sports organization. They think they can coach the players better, run better plays than the coaches, draft and trade better than general managers and run the organization better than those that work in it.

It's funny, and I can't figure out why this is. Imagine doing that for another sector of the economy, like banks, insurance companies or airplane builders. You just wouldn't tell them how to run, or assume you could do a better job than they could. Sports seems to be a totally different story. It makes me laugh.

No, you can't play better than the athlete on the field. I always laugh when people say "I could do that." Well if you could, you would be on the team.

Fans mistakenly think that their years of experience watching games replaces the years of experience that coaches have watching, playing and coaching games. They think those experiences watching games also qualify them to think they can better run the business of sports even though those in the business understand the uniqueness of the industry and also have experience running teams.

Senior Day

I love fall sports at UCONN. I like Soccer and Football the most. Field Hockey is also fun because we are so good and I have followed Volleyball.

It's very hard to imagine that it's already senior day for some of those sports. Actually all but football will have senior day by then. It's so sad for me. It's possible that these will be the last games that I see for those teams ever.

I hope to be back for graduate school next year. Nothing in life is guaranteed. I have no idea who I will meet bewteen now and next fall and how they will impact my future endeavors. Certainly a year ago I would not have been able to say that I would be doing what I am doing now. I would never have imagined this.

I look forward to basketball and I guess track and field in the spring, but the fall sports are sports that I will miss.

How much do you think I can bench

So for my birthday (well it was in the syllabus) we found our max bench press measurements in weightlifting class.

I am proud that my 9 reps of 160 pounds equals a 205 pound max. I am glad to be over the 200 pound mark.

Happy Birthday to me

Well today is my 21st birthday. I am going to celebrate by going to bed now. I wish I already was in bed, but I needed to pick classes for the spring.

The NBA is off again

I actually was excited to see the Celtics and Cavs. I can't remember the last time that I wanted to see a regular season NBA game. I saw most of the second half and the game looked so physical. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen took some hard fouls.

I like the Celtics this year.

The odds are better that the Clippers will win the NBA Championship this year than referees actually calling traveling.

Fouls

There is a certain athlete of mine who impresses me by their lack of arguing with referees. They play an aggressive style of play and they know that they get away with things from time to time so they don't whine and moan to referees about calls. I like that. They are smart.

Also, I think it's funny when people know you but don't know you well enough to know if you know them. I think those awkward situations are so funny. People start texting to no one in particular. They try to take weird routes to avoid you. They stand at locked doors and try desperately to open them. I find that all amusing.

Today is the last day that I will be underage.

I feel so mature

I don't watch too much TV but I saw some yesterday. I am about to get a year older tomorrow. That's cool. I can buy whatever I want in the supermarket tomorrow. I won't really look forward to any more birthday's though. It's nice to be young.

However I can definetly see that I am more mature with what I am watching on TV. I ended up watching the History Channel and CPTV...yes I watched CPTV...and it wasn't even because women's basketball was on.

Anyway I don't have much too talk about at this moment. For those of you who have to listen to me...Enjoy it!

P.S.

I am really looking forward to eating Sour Milk Cake tomorrow.

Can't we come together for Senior Day

I really wish that we as a school would come together for senior day for all of our athletic teams...I don't understand why that is so difficult.

I imitated Willis

While I was hanging out with Meghan Nanfeldt at the gym I went on that rowing equipment up in the Greer Gym. I had no idea what I was doing. It felt too easy too me in terms of the resistance. Anyway there was some number on that machine that I was able to get up all the way to 1065. I don't know what it meant, but it sounds like a nice number.

I also must admit it was really weird to be on that seat and moving.

compliment

I got a compliment from someone. I don't like sharing them with other people, at least not ordinarily. This one sort of surprised me because someone said that they had never heard of anyone that knows me that didn't like me. I was surprised to hear that. I can't believe that I haven't done something to make someone mad at me. I guess I'll take it and hope things stay that way.

I would think someone wouldn't like me because I talk too much.

For my project

I did a project for a sports management class and this is a major part of it.

You should do the following.

Go to this link and lower the volume so that it is muted. Don't press play yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkW2TQIdrY8

Then open a new internet page and go to this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a4eUM0i4Tk

Set the play position to 33 seconds. Then hit play on the video that's at 33 seconds...

Quickly go back to the first video that you opened and muted and click play and then watch.

Then you'll understand a little bit about my project.

Some people may have seen the other half of the project one Friday evening.

I finally found a sport that I am worse at then soccer

I got a chance to take a breath today. No real work that I had to do. Well nothing that felt like work.

I ended up playing and learning handball today. I guess it's racquetball without a racquet. I'm better at soccer than at handball.

That is scary.

It was a lot of fun. I went with my friend Meghan Nanfeldt and her two friends Andrew Ives and Dominique Diadoo, who happens to be a former UCONN Women's Soccer player.

It was a lot of fun to play even though I wasn't good at it. I hope to play again. I must say that it does hurt your hands!

I also played soccer with them. Dominique played Division I soccer. Meghan could have easily played Division II or III but chose Division I Lacrosse instead. Andrew is very good at soccer too. It was cool for me to be on an indoor soccer team with them. It also meant that I played in goal, which is a good thing. I like being goalie. I always have enjoyed the goalies at UCONN too, like Stephanie Labbe and Mandy Schwartz. I made 10-12 saves, something like that. I was happy, but mad about the goals I gave up, even though a couple of them I couldn't do anything about. We might have won, but we atleast tied.

I also made my way to a couple of different events today. I saw UCONN lacrosse play. Jenna Moulton fought for a goal. She scored another one that I saw. Jenna has gone into Hartford with me to Husky Sport a couple of times. I was glad to see her score.

I saw swimming and diving too. I saw how ridiculously good they are. It was loud and humid in the pool area.

I also saw Women's Ice Hockey beat Union 4-1. Monique Weber picked up two goals.

Cycling across the country

So there is the possibility, depending on how things work out with internships and finals etc. that I could cycle across the country for charity. There is an event that my friend might be putting on in May, and as someone who cycles a lot I would most definetly be interested in helping a charity and riding with a friend. It would be a great expierence and I hope that my internship will not interfere with the ride. Definetly more details to come.

Freedom

Finally I can get some writing in.

First of all I want to say that I had a wonderful conversation with a loyal reader of mine, Mrs. Dulski. I'm glad that I got the chance to meet her because she has added so much to my blog. I've learned things from the posts she has left and it's cool to learn things.

I think I've said that I am shy. This is half-true. I'm not the best at just starting conversations with people that I don't know. I'm not usually the person to initiate a conversation. I am quiet and lay low when I am in unfamiliar situations. Hence why I gravitated to a certain spot on a practice field.

I am not shy once I know you. I don't close my mouth easily once I know you. I've warned people that I talk a lot and write a lot.

I am ALIVE

I am alive. I've been BUSY BUSY BUSY BUSY, beyond belief... Now I am happy and ready to go.

It was hard to say

We did have a moment of silence for Jasper Howard at the field hockey game last night. I had to ask people to be silent and it was just so weird to say. It's hard to describe what was going through my mind other than it was just weird to say.

Diving

Today in swimming class we learned how to dive.

I did more of a belly flop.

I just feel like saying this

I think everyone has there ups and downs. It's natural. Today was certainly a very depressing and mellow day at UCONN.

I have to say that I am at peace with myself right now. I am very content and happy with myself and my life. What's sad is that I might feel the opposite of that at some point this week, but in general I am just happy right now.

I guess being happy is something to be thankful for.

On a side note I looked over at the beer aisle in the super market. I'm not much of a drinker,(seriously 95% of humans drink more than me) but in less than 10 days now I'll be able to buy that stuff, which is cool. 21, I never could imagine being that old.

My family will come up to celebrate. I will have something, other than milk for a change. Yes, I love Milk. I almost threw up on Thursday night because I drank too much....Milk. I told that to a friend of mine and he laughed.

The more I think about it, the more I am considering missing senior night for men's soccer, or at-least the first half, to spend time with my mom and dad. I had wanted to see this soccer game all year, but I realize that moments like the one I am about to celebrate are rare and should be special. Both my parents are getting old, my dad is already 60 and my mom isn't too far behind.

My grandpa Palmer died while my dad was a freshman in college so my dad didn't have his father around when he turned 21. I'm not sure what the drinking age was for my father, but it is a milestone for a male in my family to see his son be able to drink. It should be a special moment and I don't want anything to interfere with it.

My parents will also be up that same day to listen to me announce the field hockey game. They've never heard me do that before. I don't think they will make it to soccer practice to watch me play fetch. Our dog does that enough.

West Virginia

I was talking to my friend at West Virginia and apparently they West Virginia football program wants everyone to wear a blue number 6 on their arm to the game Saturday. As I have said before I have nothing but respect for West Virginia football. They are a classy program.

I was hoping to accomplish a lot

I was planning on getting a lot of work done today. That quite frankly didn't happen. I have been distracted, as most people have been, by the sad events that struck the UCONN campus today.

Early this morning I new things weren't good. I got up around 7:00 am or 7:30 and saw a text message on my phone saying a stabbing had taken place. Then I logged on to facebook and my computer to find out a little more. I was not expecting it to have been anything too serious. Stabbing's are much different then gun shots. Stabbing doesn't make me assume death.

I logged on to facebook and saw that Alex Polito had said "RIP Jazz #6" or something to that effect. That shocked me. I made an inference that these two events could very well have been linked. I did more research on facebook to see what more I could find. I saw another person say that Jasper Howard had died. I was shocked and I kept investigating, knowing very well that Jasper Howard had been killed, but hoping it wasn't true. I couldn't imagine those facebook posts to be just some practical joke. Finally I saw that another football player had wrote that status and I immediately began to believe that the worst thing had happened. Someone was killed at on campus.

I called a football fan back at home at about 8:30 to tell them what I thought had happened. Then I called my mom to tell her.

I texted Willis and she said that Desi Cullen had told her that Jasper Howard had died.

I thought of the soccer team and coaches out in DePaul. I almost texted them early in the morning to give the coaches a heads up about what had happened. I sort of feared that they might be sitting in a hotel lobby and then would see on the news that a UCONN football player had died as breaking news on sportscenter. I didn't think that would be a good thing. However, I decided that I wouldn't text the coaches anything until a news agency reported it. I knew the news wouldn't pick it up unless someone reported it.

The courant finally ran the story. I had checked in on the website every 10-15 minutes waiting for the official word. I texted the coaches after that time. Shortly after it was on sportscenter. It appeared as if Hannah Storm was holding back tears when she announced that.

I checked for updates throughout the day. Every 15-30 minutes I'd check the courant.

Around 10:30 I took a ride around campus to see what the center of campus was like. Hillside road was closed. Police were everywhere. There were large Police trucks, and the student union was closed. I'd never seen anything like it on campus before.

I saw some of the Press Conference and I was impressed by Desi Cullen and Randy Edsall. Both of them had really difficult things to do...Especially Coach Edsall. As a coach you have to talk up your program to parents and explain to them why UCONN Football is such a great fit for their son. It must be tough to have to call that same parent and say that their son had died. It's tough under any circumstance but I think even tougher when you are such a part of a university, the way Jasper Howard is. Edsall had to identify the body, tell the parents and tell his team. That makes all the school work I have to do this week seem like nothing.

This day has been sad and dreary. Shocking, and speechless too. I tried to do work. I got some done. I don't think what happened has really, fully sunk in yet. My thoughts and prayers obviously go out to his family, but I can't pretend to say that I actually knew Jasper Howard. I don't want to confuse people. I never met him and I can't imagine what this would feel like had I actually known Howard.

My memories of Howard were of his amazing interception vs UNC last year and his punt return for a touchdown last year vs Syracuse. I thought that he was a great player with a great future. I thought that UCONN's defense would be great because we still had Jasper Howard at corner. I thought he could replace Darius Butler. I thought he was a tremendous athlete and a tremendous find for the program. He had a lot of upside and he was one of my favorite players on the team to watch. It is sad to see him go.

I think his UNC interception made a ESPN College Football promotional highlight. I also remember always seeing him in the South Dining Hall last year. I always saw him. Seemed like a nice guy. He was also in my Political Science class when I was a sophomore. I know he got an A on one of the tests because the teacher announced some of the best grades.

Again my thoughts and prayers go to his family and future child. We will come out of this better and stronger. I also hope that the 200-300 people who were outside speak up and talk about what they saw. If they heard or saw something they have a moral obligation to make sure that we can close the case.

Here is a video in his tribute

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_TnjBM8cxI

To further on earlier

To expand on what I said earlier today, I am speechless and saddened.

All I can say is a quote from a television series on HBO called Six Feet Under
"Death is what makes life important"

News

I feel like news gets spread the quickest through social media now...and that the regular news is just there to confirm things.

I hope what I am reading now on facebook is untrue...but with multiple people saying it...that's not good.

I need to learn how to dance

So before First Night happens you need to do a dry run. So basically before the doors open the lights went off, the music started BLARING and the videos were played. Everyone wants to make sure that things go smoothly. There were so many "Testing 1-2, 1-2" So many that the other people working started yelling 3.

First of all I can't not explain to you just how loud it was. You could not talk or hear anyone. The bass was at extraordinary levels. Gampel Pavilion was shaking. The floor was really shaking. My muscles were shaking after a while. You thought you were going to have a heart attack it was so loud.

Anyway, one of the things I got to do was cool. We did a dry run of the intros so we lined up in the tunnel and were announced as if we were a player.

I wanted to do some sort of dance like the players do.

As I came out and went through the tunnel I was blinded by the spot light on me. The camera's zoomed in on me and I got on the nice new big screen. Cool...

Problem was that I was blinded by the light and the song that came on was Thriller, by Michael Jackson. I was so not feeling that song nor the spot light on me. Sorry, nothing against Michael, it was just awkward for me to dance to...well all songs are awkward for me to dance to but that more than most others. I was also announced as Heather Buck...which did not inspire me to break out in to any dance either. Atleast being Heather Buck did not put any pressure on me to actually dance. If I was Lorin Dixon I would have had to have done something. I do wish that some Jay-Z came on or some Baltimore Club Music. I could have atleast done something, like shuffling my feet. I might be able to crank that soulja boy. I think I can make it rain and clear it out too. But honestly I am a much better soccer player than dancer. That should tell you something since I am afraid of kicking a soccer ball at practice for fear of hitting someone in the back of the head.

So I ran through and I did nothing. I just ran through, just like most of the men's players do. When I learn how to dance I should be able to do something.

I do love first night though. It is cool with the highlight videos and the skills challenges. Last night was great because of all the people who showed up. Plus Lloyd was a cool guy. He said "What's Up to me." He should get credit for it here.

Real Strategy

There is a lot of strategy when it comes to playing games with first and second graders...Seriously.

They want you to play in the games and I always do. They also want to beat you and you want to let them win. You also don't want to let them win too easily. You want to be enough of a challenge and not make it too obvious about allowing others to win.

Sometimes letting them win is easier than it sounds. For example we were playing a game that was similar to Simon Says for Husky Sport today. It's easy to fool younger kids when it comes to focusing on listening in to specific words. Awareness is not something that many of them have yet.

One game I was trying really hard to lose at the end of the game, but I just couldn't. I felt so bad beating this entire class in the game. I felt so bad about it. I guess it motivated them. I made sure I lost the next game so I went out really early in the game and this girl screamed "oh yeah!!!" She was so excited I lost.

Anyway sometimes it does take a lot of strategy when you are playing games with 1st and 2nd graders. You don't want to win, but you don't want to be obvious about not wanting to win. It's a fine line.

Wow

Wow, I think I put in a 15 hour day today. Wow. Feels good. Sleep will feel better.

5%

I found out that Women's athletics gets 5% of the sports media coverage....5%...that's pretty pathetic. Can you imagine what just 1/3 would be like?

Hi Mom, today in college I learned how to

Today I learned how to somersault in college. I was clearly deprived of this when I was growing up. Most people learn when they are 5 or 6. I learned when I was 20. Now I want to show off for everyone. I showed off for my roommates.

I can only thank one person for this and that person would be one tremendous coach, coach Kelsey Martin. A former gymnast, turned coaching and administration major demonstrated why she is one amazing coach. She was able to teach me how to somersault in less than 10 minutes. She instilled the confidence necessary for me to succeed. She knew the buzz words that I would need to hear in order to motivate and push myself.

Kelsey Martin is one amazing coach. UCONN Coaching and Administration is lucky to call her one of their own.

Role Reversal

I love going to Clark Elementary school in Hartford to be a part of Husky Sport. I go in on Thursday mornings and spend time in the gym or classroom with the youth's of Hartford. It's really a lot of fun for both the kids and I. The children learn a lot from me and I learn even more from them.

One thing that is really different about this year is that Brittany Hunter, a player I used to interview, is in charge of me. I do whatever she asks, instead of her answering whatever I ask.

I would really laugh

It would make me laugh if I found out that one person read this during their business class. Someone did admit to me that they read this during their class. Obviously I don't advise that. I never surfed the internet during class, although I did game cast a game or two, but from experience I know that many of my classmates did use the internet during class all the time. Everyone in the school of business has a laptop that they use during class. Sometimes they use it for notes and sometimes they don't. I'd really laugh if someone logged on to this during class.

If I saw someone logging into it and I was in their class I'd probably have a horrified look on my face.

I also wonder how athletes can concentrate in class if they have a big game coming up or even have practice coming up. Honestly, I think I'd be so excited to play my sport that I would have trouble focusing in class.

Working on this assignment

I thought this was funny. I remember that when I was young and playing youth soccer, which was actually the last time I played organized soccer, that I didn't want to score. It was funny, I think I knew I was good enough to score. Seriously I was good enough to score but I was afraid that everyone was going to cheer for me. I don't remember why I was afraid of that happening, but I remember saying that once. I just find that funny now.

shes good

Loren Sherer scored her 21st goal of the year, more than the 20 goals that Lauren Aird had last year. I think I wrote that it would be tough to replace Aird. I also said that Coach Stevens can find great talent.

Coach Stevens can find and develop great talent.

I guess this weekend was really bad if you like New England teams...

The strangest thing I've ever done

I wrote a facebook status for a group of people that is completely....completely opposite of the weather that I am experiencing right now. It was painful to write, because I love the heat.

I guess the leaves changing colors is sort of pretty. Not that it makes up for hot weather.

Busy busy busy

I decided to take the day off and head up to my lake house. I saw the football game on my big screen and saw some Division II Volleyball...no comment on that...none. Although I love wearing UCONN stuff in a D II Gymnasium....Seriously... You get a lot of looks, especially from the athletes from Connecticut who wish they were playing at Connecticut. They have no idea that I can't perform at anything close to the DI level. My gear probably fooled them, which is actually one reason that I sometimes hate wearing gear on campus. I was not good enough to be an athlete, and I'd prefer people know that then confuse me with someone who actually has worked hard to become an athlete. I can't perform at that level, however, I do my best to make the athletes and programs perform their best by helping in any way that I can.

I wasn't productive today, but that's a good thing. I will be very productive soon. I will have a couple of tests, projects and papers coming up...plus two games to work. Then I will have my 21st birthday not long after that.

Needless to say I will be very very busy. I try my best to keep this up to date and to post something remotely interesting every week, but that might be difficult for this week or two. Just a little warning. I hate it when I can't be on top of my game, but I do have a lot of things that I need to worry about before this. Atleast I have my priorities straight.

I also want to address something. I think it was a fantastic complement to have someone tell me that they thought I might write on huskies.com. I do not write on that. I am not qualified. There is a lot that goes into that and I need more seasoning. But I will take the complement

I also had sometime to think about my life. I went fishing today and I realized a few things. First of all I think too much. I just need to do. "Just Do It" needs to be a motto of mine. Sometimes I worry too much about the outcome of something and don't ever act. I guess I didn't worry when I started this blog. I must have had a good day to have started it. Secondly, I realize that I love what I do. I love working. This is great. It is usually great for me, and always great for my employer. However, I need to be careful and not allow work to completely run my life. If I'm not careful it could easily run my life. I need balance, atleast enough to avoid having the see-saw touch the ground.

I can stop her

I can stop Melissa Gonzalez. No one else can claim to. I was on the field before Field Hockey Warm ups vs UMass and she passed a ball that wasn't controlled by her teammate. It went towards the bench and right at me. I stepped on the ball, like you do in soccer, to stop the ball. I think the players were slightly impressed. The people in operations were impressed.

I can claim to have updated the press box, the TV crew and SID that Loren Sherer scored her 20th goal of the season, which is just as many as the leading scorer at UCONN in 2008 (Lauren Aird) scored all of last season.

I'm good at coming up with stats like those. I'm sure some people have realized this. An athlete I interviewed recently learned something because of my research. My roommates actually weren't up one morning and I had to be quiet so I started looking through the media guide for information. I learned something and that allowed me to come up with a question, and also inform someone of something they didn't know. Renee Montgomery said that she loved being interviewed by reporters because they always taught her things she didn't know.

I also got an Uithoorn, Holland reference in, on Cox Sports for Robin Kleine. I told the TV broadcaster what Kleine pronounced to me and told him he could say it on TV when she came on the field. I've always wanted to say Uithoorn in starting line ups but I haven't been able to yet.

Before the game UCONN got to play some football because UMass was a little late. I saw Melissa Gonzalez pick up an interception and also scored a touchdown...if they played with touchdowns. Erin Koonz has an arm. Erin Koonz could be the next great UCONN quarterback. She had an amazing arm. Perfect spiral, and it went really far. Cara Silverman also had a beautiful,

Currently I am living and dying by game tracker and Marquette radio. It's my life line to a game I'd love to be able to watch online. I'm also delaying driving to my lake house for the day until I find out the final result.

The strange sporting news of the week

The strangest sports story I have heard in a long time came courtesy of Kristen Beasley aka Willis Reed of the rowing team. I heard something completely bizarre about rowing this past weekend. I don't think she wants to talk about it. I won't remind her of the painful details. Just know that something weird happened at their race.

And Yes

Yes, if you are wondering, I would like to be in Florida now. I mean now. For a week would be nice.

It's funny some of my relatives around Tampa flew up this week. I wish they stayed and would root for UCONN.

This is driving me crazy

I do my very best to write something with some meat to it every week. Something more then just one or two lines. I am going crazy because I spent a really long time on a post on parents and athletes and violence in sports, which included you tube videos. It was full of bizarre things that parents have done at games as fans.

Most parents are very good fans. They are supportive, like the ones who read this blog. Others can be loud and obnoxious and too involved, especially too concerned with their own child, too much in their own corner, that they don't look at the good of the team. I observe parents at games, and atleast at UCONN I have found few if no problems. Some other schools had interesting parents. I will say nothing further on that.

Anyway I hope to get this up at some point. For some reason the computer won't upload it. I think it's interesting and I think that you will enjoy/be shocked/learn from the you tube videos.

Interesting observation

I've observed that many female athletes have been socialized to sports by men. They had older brothers who played sports, or fathers who played sports.

Slightly nervous

I am slightly nervous about tomorrow. I will be public announcer at the field hockey game and my game will be broadcast on television, on a tape delay.

Basically I need to be prepared and do the best I can and hope for the best. I also can't distract myself by trying to get score updates on a certain team...which I guarantee you I will be thinking about.

Yesterday I went to a Pre-Kinesiology meeting with prospective students in our department. I was someone who was sent to answer questions on behalf of the Sports Management department. It was funny because the other sports management speaker was a men's soccer team manager. I think you know what I am.

I love speaking and giving advice. Well, I love talking. Although I can be shy at first or shy around people I don't know well, even if I know one person in the group. I'm best and most comfortable with 1 on 1 conversations. I've gotten used to speaking to groups though. I do it when I hand out tickets and when I announce and field hockey games and just in general. I don't hate public speaking the way I once did.

I love talking about sports too, and I love trying to help others do the things that I have been enjoying while at UCONN. I love answering the questions and telling people the things that I wish they had told me. I try to make an impact on others lives. One of my favorite quotes is the quote by Jackie Robinson that says "A Life is not important except for the impact it has on others." I agree with that. Other people's memories of me and my works, and the work I leave behind is what will out-live me, whether it be when I move on or succumb to the inevitable.

In many ways that's what I like best about my blog. It will outlive me.

So with my Mets out

With my Mets out I am will be rooting for my AL team, the Minnesota Twins. My godparents live around Minneapolis and I liked Kirby Puckett. They have always been the favorite AL team of mine.

I am not just rooting for them because I hate the Yankees. I actually do like the Twins. I don't want Yankees fans to say I am rooting for the Twins because I hate the Yankees.

After the Twins, I will go for the Red Sox because my lake house is about an hour from Boston. I also loved my visit to Fenway Park this summer.

Then I will go for the Rockies because they have never won a World Series before.

Then I will root for anyone BUT the Yankees.

I expect that the Yankees will win this year. I hate to say it, but it's my prediction. I hope I am wrong.

This is impressive

I think I interviewed someone who talks almost as much as I do. That was a good thing. Trust me it was.

Willis Reed has awesome friends.

Love and War

We have been talking about violence in sports in my sports and society class. Certain instances came to mind before others.

I also thought of the quote...All is fair in love and war.

I think maybe the explains some of the violence that we see in sports. Love extends to the intense passion and psychological attachment that fans feel for their teams. Love in terms of players and their teammates too. That love can translate to violence.

War is very similar to sports. We use some of the same terms "Blitz", "Battle", "In the Trenches" to describe sports. Also, at their very core, sports are like wars. Two sides are fighting and competing to win. I'm sure we don't like to think of games, as war, but the elements are certainly similar.

The mentality of "All is fair in love and war" is evident in sports.

Twins fans

First of all, when in doubt ask someone from New Hampshire. They always know the answer.

My AL team in baseball is the Minnesota Twins. I have to say that they have great fans. They really celebrated winning. They stayed in the Metrodome well after the game was over to cheer on their team. They have done this before. You always see this for the World Series but not often at other times of the year. Yes it was a big game, but I think Twins fans celebrated better than how most other teams would.

Anyway I think Twins fans are really cool.

I lied

I wasn't really burned out. I was really in need of a run. Seriously I needed to go for a run. I didn't on Friday or Sunday. Saturday it rained.

Talking about the great ones

I don't always mention the best of the best players all the time. I'll talk about others a lot. However, I love it when great players take over a game. I love it when you can just see it in their eyes and their intensity that they will take something over and make something happen. All the great ones are like that. They respond to adversity with a calm, determined and forceful response. That is fun to watch.

You can also tell when the great ones are going to take over. It becomes obvious. You might say for example, write things down as it's going on because you know it's going to lead to something great.

My day got a lot better

My day got a lot better. I just realized that the Mets season is over. That's really good news.

My Cowboys...our season might be over already too.

The team that really matters to me...that season is far from over with. Thankfully it's far from over with.

IDK what to title this

I am so bad at creating titles.

I thought I saw something today that vaguely reminded me of this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPfLyjquDrE&feature=related

I'm actually a little burned out for a change. I think I need a mental health day. It's normal, especially for me. I am sometimes like a race horse where I go as fast as I can out of the gate but then need to slow down a little. I just need to re-charge my batteries. The exact opposite thing happened in the summer, where I was getting so bored and antsy for an event to happen. I think I need to take a day just to hang out and do nothing.

I also had a long week in which I didn't get much sleep either.

I also found out that I have some name recognition, which I find so amusing because it's not like I've done anything remarkable. I would think I have face recognition because I'm at a lot of sporting events. I don't know how or why I'd have name recognition.

I messed up

I have come to realize that I did I really bad job at trying to be anonymous.

I mean I guess at first I thought this was going to be all about me, as a way to stay connected with family, so I put my initials and stuff. Then I started writing about sports. Not a real shock if you spend three seconds with me. I never really advertised that I had this, other than to just a few close friends. Never made it on my facebook.

It's actually a lot more fun when you're anonymous. People could act differently around you if they know you write. I act differently around people because I think that they know I write. It can make things awkward.

I was slightly mortified when Meghan Nanfeldt started quoting me from my blog for the first time. "I know you like two sport athletes" ..... Me thinking to myself, "When did we talk about that???" That was one of the first signs that I knew I was so bad at being anonymous.

Meghan Nanfeldt knows about the next thing that happened that mortified me. It was at that point that I knew that I was horrible at being anonymous. It created two or three months of anxiousness. Thankfully I guess I came off as "Well Informed"

One thing I love about soccer

One thing I love about playing soccer is that you can really take out your aggression by just kicking the ball. It's a good way to release stress...seriously.

Sometimes I just get mad about some stupid, little silly thing and I will go take my soccer ball and just kick it as hard as I can at night over by the softball field. I've probably spent about 20 hours already this year just playing soccer late at night. Sometimes on school nights, sometimes weekends.

Tonight I got really really muddy and that was cool. The blisters on my feet...are not cool. But they are a part of the game.

You can create

I wonder if people realize that you can create new statistics categories in sports. I've done it. It's not hard to do. I started a new one today. It only dates back to 2007.

If I ever become a sports information director I will certainly create a statistic called "nice play." It would be recorded the same way an error is in baseball, at the discretion of the scorer. It will give defenders a chance to receive some recognition for the great plays they make.

I have something to say

I have a nice post that I want to put up here but my laptop is being a pain. It's old and slow and won't connect so hopefully I will be able to get it up here at some point. I spent almost 45 minutes to an hour on it so it would be nice if it would post.

I am apparently an agent now with one client. The Sheriff of Storrs has asked me to be his agent.

I love intense athletes

I love intense athletes. Athletes who are always in the game and athletes who treat every play like its the last second of a championship game. I like players who are always cheering and encouraging players from the sidelines. To me these people are scrappy and great leaders.

Jillian Ortega, who now coaches at UCONN, always displayed the intensity level that I thought players should play with.

Jeff Adrien and Renee Montgomery were a little like that too.

Olympics

I guess I hate to say this, but I don't really care that the Olympics aren't in the US. I wish that Chicago won it's bid. I appreciate that the bid meant a lot to our country and leaders. I just don't think the Olympics are a big deal in America. I think we American's automatically consider ourselves to have the best sports leagues and athletes. We care about our Michael Phelps, Carl Lewis's, Michael Johnson's, Mia Hamm's, Jennie Finch's, Dana Torres's Gymnasts, Dream Team etc. but we don't really care too much about the Olympics when compared to our other big sporting events. It's not the be all and end all for us.

The Olympics mean more to other countries because it gives them a chance to beat us.

I do think that Rio De Janiero deserved to win because South America has never hosted a games before. I think it's fair that their continent gets to host.

I wish we won the bid. I am not pouting because we didn't.

I appreciate this

You have to appreciate the small things in athletic contests. The things that elite athletes make look so easy. The ball off the chest, juggle off of foot, and then pass. Looks so simple and it's so difficult. I keyed in on a play like that today. A few precious seconds out of an entire game. A defender doing something so routine, yet is anything but routine for 99.9% of humans.

Also Loren Sherer recorded her 17th and 18th goals of the season today for Field Hockey. That means she is 2 goals short of scoring as many goals as the leading scorer on UCONN scored all of last year.