Sometimes you just sit and think and become philosophical...
Here is something to think about...
When does someone's or your personal happiness and pursuit of it become selfishness?
If you need something to talk about..there is a topic..
No idea where I stand on this.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Congrats
Congrats to Army and Air Force for winning bowl games this year. That is such a good thing to see. I always root for the Armed Services when they play in bowl games because those football players serve our country and that is always worth rooting for unless they play UCONN.
Miami and Notre Dame play today...big game...GO CANES!!!
Miami has a bad reputation. I spent three weeks at the University and loved it. I'd have gone to Miami if not UCONN. Anyway like I was saying, I read that Miami has one of the better academic track records in Division I football. For so long the football team was known for other things, but they actually appear to be one of the better academic football programs.
Which brings me to another thing. I think some of the most celebrated programs should be the ones who are top academically and athletically. I'd like to see an award that balances Athletic Performance for a team and Academic Performance of the team. That would be like honoring the top academic programs that made it to the NCAA's etc. and than figuring out who had the best balance of academics and athletics.
Basically a team Scholar-Athlete award.
Miami and Notre Dame play today...big game...GO CANES!!!
Miami has a bad reputation. I spent three weeks at the University and loved it. I'd have gone to Miami if not UCONN. Anyway like I was saying, I read that Miami has one of the better academic track records in Division I football. For so long the football team was known for other things, but they actually appear to be one of the better academic football programs.
Which brings me to another thing. I think some of the most celebrated programs should be the ones who are top academically and athletically. I'd like to see an award that balances Athletic Performance for a team and Academic Performance of the team. That would be like honoring the top academic programs that made it to the NCAA's etc. and than figuring out who had the best balance of academics and athletics.
Basically a team Scholar-Athlete award.
Thankful for losing
I am someone who hates losing. I hate losing when I play anything...a card game, bike ride...video game. If it's a competition and I participate I get mad about losing. I'd take pride in beating my sister and family from the checkout line at the grocery store to our car when I was younger. I also hate it when a team I am rooting for loses. It puts me in a foul mood even though I don't play and have no control over the outcome. Maybe that explains why I have high blood pressure. It's not really good that I hate it when my favorite teams lose but at the same time atleast I care, even if I care too much.
I also can't stand when people talk about losing because I strongly believe that if you believe you can lose you will lose. Your mind is already accepting the possibility of defeat so you give up more easily, whether you realize it or not. If you expect to win you keep playing to win no matter what. If you think you will lose and you lose it doesn't provide the same motivation to correct your mistakes as playing to win, expecting to win and then losing.
One would think that I would be mad that UConn lost and ended it's streak. The streak was getting to be too much. It meant too much to fans and the women's basketball world. It was placing way too much pressure on UConn. The streak was going to end. My family was talking about the game at dinner and I said I think that UConn will lose tonight.
I certainly didn't root for UConn to lose, but I was happy at the end of the game. That happiest I've ever been when my team lost. I don't know if happiness is the right word, maybe it was more apathy for the streak at this point because I knew it was going to end and I'd rather it end to a really good team, on the road in a month other than March or April. To me the worst recipe for disaster would have been going into the championship game or final four undefeated. The pressure of winning would be so great at that point and there is nothing worse than going undefeated all year, as a fan or player, and than losing your last game. Just ask the Patriots and Patriots fans.
To me the best thing about the loss is that it allows the team to refocus on what matters, a National Championship. I can't imagine how difficult it is for a coach to get a players attention when that player has won 90 straight games. There has to be an aura of invincibility, which is good, that comes with a streak. But at some level I believe that it also makes it more difficult to get through to players. I think it's human nature to become complacent when things are going well. Usually undergrads do better on their first test than any other in a class because once they do well they think they can afford to not spend as much time studying for the class...and I'd know because I've done that. It's why people who lose weight often put it back on. There are only a unique few who can consistently do something well when they know they are doing it well.
Ending the streak should do a lot to help UConn get better. I think they learned and will learn a lot from the loss and the loss REALLY pissed them off. They can think about that loss and have that loss hung over their heads during practices, workouts and sprints to motivate them.
They needed the loss to stop the streak and talk of it. They needed it to help them focus on working on what they need to do to get better because they know that there are teams out there that can literally beat them because they have. UConn is a Final Four team, but they need some adversity to prepare them for the Final Four this season because unlike other seasons the team is beatable this year. UConn didn't need any adversity the last two seasons because they were so good...SO GOOD...and hadn't won championships in a while.
At the same time Stanford needs to be careful. I'm not too concerned with how Stanford views themselves. I think they have enough experience to know that they aren't the greatest women's basketball team ever since they ended the streak. They can keep the win in perspective and use it for confidence as they should. Some teams might end a streak like this and become way too overconfident and that will create a disaster.
I didn't root for a loss but because UConn was going to inevitably lose this season, having lost so much talent, I am relieved that it happened now and not March or April...and hopefully it doesn't happen then. I think that this loss will motivate them and help them really focus on playing better. When you are used to winning and are a good team and know it, nothing captures your attention and motivates you more than losing.
I also can't stand when people talk about losing because I strongly believe that if you believe you can lose you will lose. Your mind is already accepting the possibility of defeat so you give up more easily, whether you realize it or not. If you expect to win you keep playing to win no matter what. If you think you will lose and you lose it doesn't provide the same motivation to correct your mistakes as playing to win, expecting to win and then losing.
One would think that I would be mad that UConn lost and ended it's streak. The streak was getting to be too much. It meant too much to fans and the women's basketball world. It was placing way too much pressure on UConn. The streak was going to end. My family was talking about the game at dinner and I said I think that UConn will lose tonight.
I certainly didn't root for UConn to lose, but I was happy at the end of the game. That happiest I've ever been when my team lost. I don't know if happiness is the right word, maybe it was more apathy for the streak at this point because I knew it was going to end and I'd rather it end to a really good team, on the road in a month other than March or April. To me the worst recipe for disaster would have been going into the championship game or final four undefeated. The pressure of winning would be so great at that point and there is nothing worse than going undefeated all year, as a fan or player, and than losing your last game. Just ask the Patriots and Patriots fans.
To me the best thing about the loss is that it allows the team to refocus on what matters, a National Championship. I can't imagine how difficult it is for a coach to get a players attention when that player has won 90 straight games. There has to be an aura of invincibility, which is good, that comes with a streak. But at some level I believe that it also makes it more difficult to get through to players. I think it's human nature to become complacent when things are going well. Usually undergrads do better on their first test than any other in a class because once they do well they think they can afford to not spend as much time studying for the class...and I'd know because I've done that. It's why people who lose weight often put it back on. There are only a unique few who can consistently do something well when they know they are doing it well.
Ending the streak should do a lot to help UConn get better. I think they learned and will learn a lot from the loss and the loss REALLY pissed them off. They can think about that loss and have that loss hung over their heads during practices, workouts and sprints to motivate them.
They needed the loss to stop the streak and talk of it. They needed it to help them focus on working on what they need to do to get better because they know that there are teams out there that can literally beat them because they have. UConn is a Final Four team, but they need some adversity to prepare them for the Final Four this season because unlike other seasons the team is beatable this year. UConn didn't need any adversity the last two seasons because they were so good...SO GOOD...and hadn't won championships in a while.
At the same time Stanford needs to be careful. I'm not too concerned with how Stanford views themselves. I think they have enough experience to know that they aren't the greatest women's basketball team ever since they ended the streak. They can keep the win in perspective and use it for confidence as they should. Some teams might end a streak like this and become way too overconfident and that will create a disaster.
I didn't root for a loss but because UConn was going to inevitably lose this season, having lost so much talent, I am relieved that it happened now and not March or April...and hopefully it doesn't happen then. I think that this loss will motivate them and help them really focus on playing better. When you are used to winning and are a good team and know it, nothing captures your attention and motivates you more than losing.
Monday, December 27, 2010
To be expected
First of all I had a good holiday, hope you did too.
Got my stitches out and apparently I am a quick healer. Spent most of the day in a cold house without any power so I went cycling inside and did some reading. I finished a book on the super bowl, a behind the scenes look at it.
Favorite nugget from the book was the fact that the Budweiser advertisements that I and almost everyone else love, begin taking shape in July and August in terms of ideas, of which there are as many as 35 ideas. About a half dozen are produced in late summer early autumn. So in other words...the commercials that are going to make us all laugh have probably already been filmed.
I just saw the men's game and I think UCONN fans should realize that the chances of winning on the road against Pittsburgh were little to none. I'm not surprised by the loss and I think it will be a good loss in the long run. The Men's Basketball team is good, but they are young and will go through growing pains. They will be tougher by March. I think Pitt fans will regret their chants at the end of the game when March comes around.
Got my stitches out and apparently I am a quick healer. Spent most of the day in a cold house without any power so I went cycling inside and did some reading. I finished a book on the super bowl, a behind the scenes look at it.
Favorite nugget from the book was the fact that the Budweiser advertisements that I and almost everyone else love, begin taking shape in July and August in terms of ideas, of which there are as many as 35 ideas. About a half dozen are produced in late summer early autumn. So in other words...the commercials that are going to make us all laugh have probably already been filmed.
I just saw the men's game and I think UCONN fans should realize that the chances of winning on the road against Pittsburgh were little to none. I'm not surprised by the loss and I think it will be a good loss in the long run. The Men's Basketball team is good, but they are young and will go through growing pains. They will be tougher by March. I think Pitt fans will regret their chants at the end of the game when March comes around.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.
I just realized SNY has to be really happy with it's UCONN deal...
They get to cover the Women's 89 game streak...The Men's top 5 ranking and Maui Invitational win and a football teams trip to the BCS and the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
I just realized SNY has to be really happy with it's UCONN deal...
They get to cover the Women's 89 game streak...The Men's top 5 ranking and Maui Invitational win and a football teams trip to the BCS and the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Who didn't know?
ESPN, in my opinion did a TREMENDOUS job of getting to word out about UCONN Women's Basketball's 89th straight win.
It's been the best covered Women's Sporting Event that I can remember. Maybe the only thing as close to this was the 1999 Women's World Cup.
What other women's event had a five hours of pre-game coverage on television. ESPNU had tons of UCONN Women's Basketball coverage on television.
Can you remember another women's sporting event that had so much coverage?
Almost the first 10 minutes of sportscenter were devoted to UCONN Women's Basketball...a women's sport.
The sportscenter anchors acted like they knew what they were talking about. Honestly sometimes women's highlights feel "forced"
ESPN even had all of their popular sports TV personalities talk about what the streak meant. While I may not agree with all of their opinions, I can't remember ever having so many people, and so many influential people, talking about UCONN's streak.
How often does the President call a press conference for a regular season sporting event?
When does ESPN have a studio set up inside an arena for a women's regular season game?
Did you notice that Dunkin Donuts gave out placards and had an entirely brand new press conference backdrop made for the game last night?
The Women's Basketball game yesterday between UCONN and Florida State is in my opinion the best covered and best marketed Women's Sporting event in the US that I can remember. It may only be rivaled by the 1999 Women's World Cup.
It's been the best covered Women's Sporting Event that I can remember. Maybe the only thing as close to this was the 1999 Women's World Cup.
What other women's event had a five hours of pre-game coverage on television. ESPNU had tons of UCONN Women's Basketball coverage on television.
Can you remember another women's sporting event that had so much coverage?
Almost the first 10 minutes of sportscenter were devoted to UCONN Women's Basketball...a women's sport.
The sportscenter anchors acted like they knew what they were talking about. Honestly sometimes women's highlights feel "forced"
ESPN even had all of their popular sports TV personalities talk about what the streak meant. While I may not agree with all of their opinions, I can't remember ever having so many people, and so many influential people, talking about UCONN's streak.
How often does the President call a press conference for a regular season sporting event?
When does ESPN have a studio set up inside an arena for a women's regular season game?
Did you notice that Dunkin Donuts gave out placards and had an entirely brand new press conference backdrop made for the game last night?
The Women's Basketball game yesterday between UCONN and Florida State is in my opinion the best covered and best marketed Women's Sporting event in the US that I can remember. It may only be rivaled by the 1999 Women's World Cup.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
OWWWWW
Getting my wisdom teeth out was interesting. First type of surgery ever.
I remember talking and then all of a sudden I started getting sleepy and tired. I remember saying "yeah that anesthesia, yeah it's working, it's not going to take 15 seconds"
Then I was out .
Then I was awake and couldn't feel my face, or walk well, but it was over. I didn't hurt that much.
I had some vicodin several hours later. I always hear about people addicted to pain killers so I actually expected that I'd feel some strange effects from the drug. I thought I might end up flying to an Hawaiian Island with a super model on a private plane I stole and then would go surfing nude with sharks.
Instead, nothing happened. I felt completely normal and actually was quite productive on the stuff. As a matter of fact the stuff didn't even help me sleep. It said it might make you drowsy. Instead I was up until about 2:45 which is really really late for me.
Not sure what is so magical about this pain killer.
I'm sure the pills are making some of the pain go away but jeez my bottom right wisdom tooth, which was impacted and had to be fished for, hurts like @#$#.
The jello and applesauce diet has been fine to be honest, because I don't feel like eating much right now.
I don't know how someone I know has gone through tons and tons of mouth surgeries. That must be awful.
I remember talking and then all of a sudden I started getting sleepy and tired. I remember saying "yeah that anesthesia, yeah it's working, it's not going to take 15 seconds"
Then I was out .
Then I was awake and couldn't feel my face, or walk well, but it was over. I didn't hurt that much.
I had some vicodin several hours later. I always hear about people addicted to pain killers so I actually expected that I'd feel some strange effects from the drug. I thought I might end up flying to an Hawaiian Island with a super model on a private plane I stole and then would go surfing nude with sharks.
Instead, nothing happened. I felt completely normal and actually was quite productive on the stuff. As a matter of fact the stuff didn't even help me sleep. It said it might make you drowsy. Instead I was up until about 2:45 which is really really late for me.
Not sure what is so magical about this pain killer.
I'm sure the pills are making some of the pain go away but jeez my bottom right wisdom tooth, which was impacted and had to be fished for, hurts like @#$#.
The jello and applesauce diet has been fine to be honest, because I don't feel like eating much right now.
I don't know how someone I know has gone through tons and tons of mouth surgeries. That must be awful.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Top UCONN Sporting Moments of the Year
Trying to think of the best UCONN Sporting Moments of 2010...
1. Dave Teggart kicking a 52 yard field goal to get UCONN into a BCS Bowl. Everyone knows I love Women's Basketball, but I, an optimist and huge UCONN fan never really thought that UCONN would be in a BCS bowl this quickly. To do it in a year in which started so poorly is also remarkable. I wrote off the season as a disappointment after Louisville. Thankfully no one on the team did.
2. This is an obvious DUH UCONN Women's Basketball winning it's back to back Undefeated National Championship by Beating Stanford
3. Today, UCONN Women's Basketball beating Ohio State to win their 88th straight game to tie UCLA...this will be changed to suit whichever number they get too.
4. UCONN Men's Basketball winning Maui Invitational
5. Football defeats West Virginia...finally. I remember all of the jokes in the school newspaper about how West Virginia scored again after losing to them in 2007.
6. UCONN Men's Basketball beats #1 Texas at Gampel Pavilion. Last year's Men's team was not up to par (nice way of putting things), but beating Texas on CBS was still really sweet. I cringe putting this here but I was at the game and realize it deserves to be there.
7. UCONN Women's Soccer ends Notre Dame's 77 game unbeaten streak in conference play.
8. UCONN Baseballs 2010 season, a year in which they hosted the NCAA's...as a 2 seed, but that's still pretty good
9. UCONN beats South Carolina in PapaJohns.com Bowl. UConn wins another Bowl and does so convincingly over an SEC team.
10. UCONN Women's Basketball beats Baylor. Either in the NCAA's or regular season. Both were special games.
That's my list, off of the top of my head. Can't believe I don't have us winning a National Championship as my number one moment, because usually that's how I lean. However, making a BCS game when your program is so young is an amazing accomplishment. Literally nobody thought UCONN would be playing in a BCS Bowl...ever when UCONN announced it's move to Football Bowl Subdivision.
1. Dave Teggart kicking a 52 yard field goal to get UCONN into a BCS Bowl. Everyone knows I love Women's Basketball, but I, an optimist and huge UCONN fan never really thought that UCONN would be in a BCS bowl this quickly. To do it in a year in which started so poorly is also remarkable. I wrote off the season as a disappointment after Louisville. Thankfully no one on the team did.
2. This is an obvious DUH UCONN Women's Basketball winning it's back to back Undefeated National Championship by Beating Stanford
3. Today, UCONN Women's Basketball beating Ohio State to win their 88th straight game to tie UCLA...this will be changed to suit whichever number they get too.
4. UCONN Men's Basketball winning Maui Invitational
5. Football defeats West Virginia...finally. I remember all of the jokes in the school newspaper about how West Virginia scored again after losing to them in 2007.
6. UCONN Men's Basketball beats #1 Texas at Gampel Pavilion. Last year's Men's team was not up to par (nice way of putting things), but beating Texas on CBS was still really sweet. I cringe putting this here but I was at the game and realize it deserves to be there.
7. UCONN Women's Soccer ends Notre Dame's 77 game unbeaten streak in conference play.
8. UCONN Baseballs 2010 season, a year in which they hosted the NCAA's...as a 2 seed, but that's still pretty good
9. UCONN beats South Carolina in PapaJohns.com Bowl. UConn wins another Bowl and does so convincingly over an SEC team.
10. UCONN Women's Basketball beats Baylor. Either in the NCAA's or regular season. Both were special games.
That's my list, off of the top of my head. Can't believe I don't have us winning a National Championship as my number one moment, because usually that's how I lean. However, making a BCS game when your program is so young is an amazing accomplishment. Literally nobody thought UCONN would be playing in a BCS Bowl...ever when UCONN announced it's move to Football Bowl Subdivision.
Bad move Tennessee
So the Women's Basketball Program at Tennessee made a really bad decision by not playing UCONN. Now that UCONN is dominating the sport right now all the attention is on them and the teams that play UCONN.
Tennessee will not get a chance to end UCONN's streak (which I think will end sooner than later...although who knows maybe they will be undefeated going into the NCAA's) The team that breaks UCONN streak will get a lot of notoriety.
UCONN has established itself as the premier women's program and I'd argue that Stanford has now moved ahead of Tennessee because of the match-ups they have had against UCONN in recent years. Baylor will be more important than Tennessee because of Brittany Griner.
Anyway, this is not to say that Tennessee is irrelevant, it's just that by not playing UCONN they are not getting in the National Spotlight as much. It not only hurts Tennessee but could potentially elevate other programs like Stanford into UCONN and Tennessee status.
Tennessee will not get a chance to end UCONN's streak (which I think will end sooner than later...although who knows maybe they will be undefeated going into the NCAA's) The team that breaks UCONN streak will get a lot of notoriety.
UCONN has established itself as the premier women's program and I'd argue that Stanford has now moved ahead of Tennessee because of the match-ups they have had against UCONN in recent years. Baylor will be more important than Tennessee because of Brittany Griner.
Anyway, this is not to say that Tennessee is irrelevant, it's just that by not playing UCONN they are not getting in the National Spotlight as much. It not only hurts Tennessee but could potentially elevate other programs like Stanford into UCONN and Tennessee status.
I'm so excited...not really
My wisdom teeth are coming out tomorrow. In about 12 hours to be exact. I will be void of wisdom, but will be able to replace it with vicodin, applesauce, yogurt and ice cream.
The vicodin could make for interesting writing, although who knows. Never been on pain pills like that before, only heard stories.
The vicodin could make for interesting writing, although who knows. Never been on pain pills like that before, only heard stories.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
ENOUGH
ENOUGH WITH THE OUTDOOR HOCKEY.
WE GET IT. IT'S COOL.
But you know what, too many teams, leagues and universities are having outdoor hockey. It's losing it's novelty as far as I am concerned. Sure it's cool and different, but once it becomes commonplace it loses the feel of different.
I'm just saying that maybe we should calm down with the obsession of outdoor hockey as something so unique and special. It is how the game should be played. It's only indoors so fans can be protected from the elements...and I guess so the game can go on without having to worry about snow.
One other hockey pet peeve I have, and I don't honestly care about the sport, is that the NHL has teams in ARIZONA and FLORIDA. Actually they have multiple teams in Florida. WHY?
Ice Hockey and Florida??? they wouldn't be a match on EHarmony.
WE GET IT. IT'S COOL.
But you know what, too many teams, leagues and universities are having outdoor hockey. It's losing it's novelty as far as I am concerned. Sure it's cool and different, but once it becomes commonplace it loses the feel of different.
I'm just saying that maybe we should calm down with the obsession of outdoor hockey as something so unique and special. It is how the game should be played. It's only indoors so fans can be protected from the elements...and I guess so the game can go on without having to worry about snow.
One other hockey pet peeve I have, and I don't honestly care about the sport, is that the NHL has teams in ARIZONA and FLORIDA. Actually they have multiple teams in Florida. WHY?
Ice Hockey and Florida??? they wouldn't be a match on EHarmony.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
BCS?
So when I got to UConn I wished that the football team would be ranked...for just one week.
After a 4-8 season in 2006, my freshman year, including a bad loss to Navy, I thought that might be a bit much to ask.
In 2007, UConn was ranked, for several weeks. They have been in a poll in each the past three seasons too.
That was always cool to me.
Beating an SEC team in a Bowl game was cool...
Beating Notre Dame at Notre Dame was AMAZING...WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT!!!!
But a BCS bowl? A game against Oklahoma on New Years Day?
Pinch Me!
It's unbelievable to me. UConn football has been better and more relevant than Miami Football has the past four years. Imagine that when Miami left the Big East.
It's amazing to think that UConn has come so far in such a short amount of time.
After a 4-8 season in 2006, my freshman year, including a bad loss to Navy, I thought that might be a bit much to ask.
In 2007, UConn was ranked, for several weeks. They have been in a poll in each the past three seasons too.
That was always cool to me.
Beating an SEC team in a Bowl game was cool...
Beating Notre Dame at Notre Dame was AMAZING...WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT!!!!
But a BCS bowl? A game against Oklahoma on New Years Day?
Pinch Me!
It's unbelievable to me. UConn football has been better and more relevant than Miami Football has the past four years. Imagine that when Miami left the Big East.
It's amazing to think that UConn has come so far in such a short amount of time.