My Interaction with Sparky

Considering we lost one of the great managers of the game today, I thought I'd share a story of the time I met Sparky...

It was sometime around the age of 9 or 10 that I was really getting into baseball. My parents decided to send me to the UofM Baseball Camp (I think coached by Geoff Zahn at the time) and I was psyched. Sometime around the third day we were all eating our lunches in the bleachers, and all of a sudden everyone rushed to the field. There was a large group around this guy and I had no idea what was going on. I decided to walk over and see what all of the commotion was about. After making my way to centerfield I saw who it was...Sparky Anderson. I knew that this guy had coached the Tigers to the World Series in 1984, but at the time I really knew little else. I did not know about the Big Red Machine. I did not know about Johnny Bench. I knew about Ken Griffey Jr, but not Sr. I knew of Alan Trammel and Kirk Gibson and the rest of the '84 crew, but I don't think I realized the magnitude of who I was seeing. Sparky had us line-up around him so he could talk to us about baseball and life and a few other things. Afterwards he asked if anyone wanted autographs....shoot. It was then that I realized that I had nothing for him to autograph. I was wearing a dark navy blue Michigan shirt and hat. My baseball pants were not an option. My glove certainly was not an 0ption. And, it wasn't like I carried a pad of paper around with me at all times. So, at that very moment, I decided I could at least meet the guy. I stood in line, and when it came my turn, Sparky asked, "Son, what would you like me to sign." I replied, "Mr. Anderson, I don't have anything with me to sign, but I was hoping to just shake your hand." Sparky stopped, looked at me, and smiled. He told me that I was the most polite kid he had ever met and that he couldn't believe that all I wanted was a handshake. He kneeled down, gave me a hug, and told me to never change. As corny as this probably sounds, I took those words to heart. Obviously my family raising me has had an impact on that, but, I do think that story really did affect my life. So, today, I'd like to honor one of the greats. We all know that he hopped over the chalk-line on his way through the pearly gates.

RIP Sparky

Cheers,

Kevin

Well That Sucked

So, Saturday sucked. Nothing like getting absolutely beat down in your own stadium. I haven't felt like that in a while. Even last year...at least with Ohio State I was expecting it. I guess the worst part was probably how MSU took over Ann Arbor for a full 24-hour period. If I hear GO GREEN - GO WHITE one more time...gahhhhhh. OK, vent session over. Now that it is Thursday, I am moving on to Saturday's game. Michigan hosts Iowa this Saturday and celebrates Homecoming. Nothing like watching the alumni twirlers. Iowa was a pre-season favorite to win the Big Ten Title. They are 4-1 on the season, their only loss coming to Arizona on the road. I made the trip out to Iowa last year for the game and am hoping for a little revenge. If Michigan rebounds and wins the game this weekend, they will be bowl-eligible for te first time since 2007. Denard Robinson apparently had a Tebow-esque post-game speech on Saturday. If he really wants to prove himself, and get back in the Heisman Trophy race, he needs to bounce back and show the country who he is.

Prediction: Michigan - 34 Iowa - 27

Hopefull all goes accordingly and next week I can start predicting what bowl we'll be in. GO BLUE!

Cheers,

Kevin

One is Silver and the Other's Gold

The Detroit Red Wings have started their exhibition season and are getting closer and closer to dropping the puck on another run at the Stanley Cup. The Wings have made the playoffs 19 straight seasons, the longest stretch in the NHL and one of the longest in all of American professional sport. Detroit's off-season was highlighted by the signing of Livonia's own Mike Modano. Modano is a solid veteran addition to the team. He clearly is shooting for that last chance at a championship and finds himself with a solid opportunity with the Wings.

The Wings also re-signed Jiri Hudler after his one-stint in the KHL. This unfortunately provides me with a bit of a problem. While Hudler was with the Wings, he was my favorite player. Much like most of Detroit, my favorite Red Wing was this guy. Once he retired, I decided Jiri Hudler was my Red Wing. It was only confirmed after his general clowning at the Stanley Cup Celebration. But then, he left us. Last season I was forced to pick a new Red Wing...



I went with the young gun Jimmy Howard. I decided he's an up-and-coming star and that he was worth supporting. He also went to Ann Arbor Pioneer (best high school ever) and then this happened...



HE INSTANTLY BECOMES MY FAVORITE!

So, I'm in a pickle. I love Jiri and his shenanigans. But, Jimmy Howard is cool as hell. What do I do? Obviously I support them both. I'm reminded of the old kid's song/saying, "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold." But, they can't both be my favorite....

Decisions decisions...

Cheers,

Kevin

Nard Dog...Nailin It

Because I suck and just haven't written a "new" post in such a long time...I figure this is a solid subject to write on. First off, let it be known that I've been referring to Denard Robinson as 'Nard Dog since last season...mostly in reference to this...



Denard has been running all over every team Michigan has played so far this season. It began with this...



then this...



then came this...



and most recently this...



The campus has Denard-Fever. T-Shirts...Signs...shoelaces untied...ESPN's Sportsnation filmed in Ann Arbor last week and everyone, myself included, had the fever. Some might suggest that the only prescription is more cow bell, but I would say its untied shoelaces, dreadlocks, and MORE NARD DOG.

While I do think the hype is getting a bit out of hand, he is pretty damn good. Michigan is 4-0 going into Big Ten play against IU this weekend. Is it weird that when I think of games against IU, all I think of is Antwaan Randle El? Anyway, I'm looking forward to the next few weeks. After this week, Michigan plays MSU at home, Iowa at home, has a bye week, then off to Happy Valley to take on the Nittany Lions. The month of October will be the real test. Hopefully all goes well. GO BLUE!

Cheers,

Kevin

PS: Just want to salute Coach Rich Rodriguez for his Lion King reference the other day...well done sir...well done.

Football Oh How I've Missed Thee

This post was intended for almost a month ago...enjoy it anyway...

Ladies and gentleman, it is almost officially here...

No, Shark Week already happened. No, The Tigers have already thrown in the towel. I'm talking about football. Sure the NFL has started its exhibition games, and the AFL just had its Arena Bowl the other night. But, I'm talking about the real deal. College football starts September 2nd and the NFL starts officially September 11th.

I've been getting by all summer by watching videos like this...



Football season is always my favorite part of the year. The Lions are undefeated. Michigan has a chance to rebound. And we get to spend another 4 months arguging over whether or not there should be a playoff in college football. Good luck to all teams and GO BLUE!

Cheers,

Kevin

Welcome Back

So, between work and the whole summer thing, I have absolutely failed and not posted in almost two months...epic post vol. 2 is coming soon. Until then...

Epic Post Because It's Been Too Long

It has been a busy few weeks for the sports world. The World Cup has begun. Michigan announced its self-imposed sanctions. The NCAA has accused both UConn and Kansas of major infractions. Nebraska and Colorado left the Big 12. And of course...there was that baseball game the other night. So...I'm going to do my best to sum up everything and say a few things....

The World Cup

The World Cup has no begun and the world is turning it's sight to South Africa. Some of the favorites include Spain, defending World Cup Champion Italy, England, and France. The US is in the same group as England, along with Algeria and Slovenia. I think the US will make it out of it's group, but I don't see them going much farther than that. England is highly favored considering the tournament is being played in South Africa, which is going through Late-Fall/Winter currently. Cold, wet, and dark...just the way England likes it. Personally, I see Brazil and England making it to the final. It is a toss-up who will win, but I will go with England. They are due.

Michigan's Sanctions

On May 25 Athletic Director Dave Brandon, along with coach Rich Rodriguez, announced the self-imposed sanctions for their violations that mostly involved miscommunication within the athletic department. The majority of these violations involved over practicing. The athletic department announced a series of sanctions including less practice time allowed and being on probation for two years.

Personally, I believe these self-imposed penalties are enough. The NCAA will meet Aug 13-14 to discuss whether or not these penalties are enough. Like I said, I think they are. But, if Rich Rodriguez fails to have an impressive season, I do believe this incident is enough to put the Rich-Rod experiment to an end. There have been many hints and suggestions that Coach Rodriguez needs to win nine games this year or his job is over. And, I'm ok with that. He has had his chance, he needs to produce. This is a storied program with consistent winning, and he is turning us in the wrong direction. Obviously, we would have to keep the spread/option/run and gun style we play and not go back to the pro-style of Coach Carr. That would just result in another 2-3 years of rebuilding. Hopefully nothing else comes of this, the NCAA approves our sanctions, and we move on to a successful season. UConn won't know what's coming to them Sept. 4.

Other BCS Programs in Trouble

UConn, USC, and Kansas have been in the news as of late for allegedly and actually breaking NCAA rules and regulations. If you ask me, it is about time teams are getting caught. I think USC not being allowed to play in bowl games for two years is fair. I think UConn and Kansas should both be handled with accordingly. I guess altogether I am sick and tired of watching schools get off on technicalities, or not enough evidence. Clearly shady stuff is going on...go find it.

Welcome Nebraska

Nebraska officially announced that it will be leaving the Big 12 and joining the Big 10 (I personally find it hilarious that the Big 12 now has 10 teams and the Big 10 has 12 teams). Nebraska will begin play in the 2011-2012 season. Colorado also announced that it will be leaving the Big 12 to join the Pac-10. This is just the beginning of what should be an interesting time of conference changes and realignments. I do believe that the Big 10 needs a few more teams. Obviously Texas or Notre Dame would be ideal, but I'll take what we can get.

Galarraga

The Detroit Tigers' Armando Galarraga had a perfect-game (no hits, no walks, no errors) going into the last out of the 9th inning. After a controversial call by umpire Jim Joyce, he lost his bid for perfection. As a fan, I was extremely disappointed, angry, and just did not understand why it had to happen to Armando. Why not Roy Halladay a few days earlier? But, as a general baseball watcher, clearly it is time for replay to enter the game. Bud Selig needs to step up and do something. Joyce, shortly after the game, saw the replay and instantly apologize. I applaud him and the way he handled the situation. I was thoroughly disappointed, but accepted the outcome. The Tigers still won. Galarraga was still accepted by many as to have thrown an amazing game. And, Jim Joyce accepted his mistake.

I deeply apologize to my readers (as few as they are) for how long it has been since my last post. This post itself has been in the works for over a week and I just did not get around to it. I will do my best to stay up to pace a little more, especially since it is summer and have time. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to write a "goodbye" to Tom Izzo or possibly a "O.M.G. WE JUST WON" piece for the US team. Also, I'd like to congratulate Chicago sports fans on their Blackhawks' Stanley Cup Win. But, as always, I hope everyone is doing well and enjoy yourself these next few days. Its summer. Live a little.

Michigan Football and Non-Conference Play

Today the Michigan Athletic Department announced that Michigan will host San Diego St at the Big House in 2011. This rounds out the non-conference opponents for Michigan and guarentees eight home games in 2011. The Aztecs are coached by former Michigan assistant Brady Hoke and have only played against Michigan once before. The Wolverines will host Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, and Notre Dame as well next season. This season, Michigan hosts UConn, UMass, and Bowling Green, as well as traveling to Notre Dame.

Now, everyone has heard the complaints before. Michigan never plays anyone different. Michigan never plays anyone big. Ohio State goes out and schedules a home and home versus Texas, and USC. We play two of the directional Michigan schools every year. Sometimes we change it up with a different MAC school. And almost year in and year out, there's the Golden Domers. There was a lot of speculation as to who Michigan would play in the first game after all of the renovations, and it was announced that it would be a BCS team...unfortunately that team is UConn. Sure, we aren't MSU, who now has a deal to play directional Michigan schools every year for the next 100 years (not exactly true...but might as well be). I am just sick and tired of watching Michigan take the apparent easy way out.

Many people suggest that without Michigan playing the "lower" schools, many of these schools athletic programs would be financially screwed. This may be partially true, but they can find other teams. Western Michigan played Florida State a few years ago. Believe it or not, you are allowed to leave the state. Play USF. Play Eastern Carolina. Play UTEP. Heck...play a home and home with them. I remember as recent as 15 years ago, home and homes with Colorado (apologies for the video...it still hurts me too), Syracuse, and traveling to Hawaii. We hosted Colorado, Baylor, AND Notre Dame all during the undefeated season of 1997. We had home and homes with Washington and Oregon. All of these games would be great.

Michigan needs to stop scheduling weak teams. We are 1-1 against FCS teams, including one of the most embarassing losses at Michigan Stadium, let alone in all of collegiate sport. In that same season, we lost to Toledo. Yes...Toledo. I didn't even know Toledo had anything other than the Mud Hens and Tony Pacos. If the University of Michigan Football Team wants to earn back some respect in the sports world, they need to beat some good teams. Heck, they need to play some good teams. Go play Ole Miss. Go play Texas A&M. Play somebody interesting.

In the end, I'm a fan of playing San Diego State. Like I said, it is always nice to play somebody different. I do think Michigan should go out an play some new teams, preferably from a BCS conference. No matter who they play though, they need to start winning games. I think all of us fans can agree on that.

Its Been a While...

So, between finals, a trip to Chicago, being lazy, and work, I have failed to write an entry in a while. I have officially moved onto summer though...and I think everyone else should as well. This being the case, I have decided to come up with my Top 10 Favorite Things About Summer...

10. Playoff Hockey: Although hockey is clearly a Winter sport, the Red Wings have been in the playoffs as far back as I can remember. The playoffs are great no matter what sport they are. But, to me, there is just something special about the NHL Playoffs. Why don't you take this a look see and tell me if you agree?




9. Summer Storms: Who doesn't love a good summer storm? The rain...lightning...thunder...phenomenal stuff. As long as you aren't driving through it, a good summer storm is an amazing experience.

8. $1 Pops at McDonalds: Although most gas stations and a lot of places have cheap drinks during the summer, there is nothing quite like a pop from the fountain, especially from McDonald's if you ask me.

7. Summer Concerts: Although I didn't go to my first outdoor concert until just two summers ago, they are by far one of my new favorite events. Nothing quite like jamming to good tunes and watching the sun set.




6. Hanging Out on the Beach: This is pretty self-explanatory. Swimsuits, jetskis, sun, water. Then, there's that whole sand thing. Beaches are a blast. I'm especially a big fan of the lake setting, preferably "Up North". But, you also can't hate on the oceans. Overall, beach play is a blast.

5. Playing Catch: Of course the obvious "catch" being played would be baseball. But, throwing the frisbee around, or even a little pigskin tossing can be a blast. If you choose the pigskin, I'm a big fan of diving into the pool and trying to catch it. Always a fun activity...

4. Going Running/Walking Outside: Coming from someone like me, President and CEO of Out of Shape Inc., this probably sounds stupid. But honestly, when you wake up, and its 72, sunny, and not a cloud in the sky. Why wouldn't you get outside and walk around if you can?

3. Fireworks: For me, it doesn't have to be the 4th of July to enjoy fireworks. But, when you can sit on grass, with family, friends, or both, and just watch the colors explode in the sky. It is amazing.

2. BBQ Picnics: Anyone who doesn't enjoy a good barebeque picnic is lying to themselves. Shishkabobs, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, bratwursts...all amazing. Throw in some watermelon and maybe some coleslaw and we're talking nap time as soon as you're done. Embrace the '-itis'.

1. Baseball: As Roger Hornsby once said, "People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." I love baseball. I like watching it at all levels. I like playing it. I like talking about it. Obviously baseball starts in the Spring. But, in my mind, there is nothing better than going to a ballgame on a warm summer evening.

Madonna vs Gaga: Which is Worse?

After watching the newest episode of Fox's hit show Glee today, which featured Madonna's hits throughout it, I decided to peer around YouTube. I watched a few Madonna music videos, and came across one of the most controversial music videos that I could ever think of...as can be seen here.

This is Madonna's "Like a Prayer." Great song...very uplifting. But, this music video is extremely controversial. In the music video, Madonna witnesses a murder, kisses a black saint (St. Martin de Porres), displays the stigmata after cutting her palms on a blade, and dances in a field of burning crosses. Obviously this music video created a buzz and resulted in Pepsi dropping an ad campaign featuring Madonna and their sponsorship of her tour. (Pepsi had run commercials featuring the song and had cans with a picture of Madonna from the music video on the cans) Obviously at the time that this was released, 1989, this music video was one of the most controversial music videos ever.

After watching this though, all I could think of was some of the ridiculous music videos that have come out lately, including this one...



I guess what is going through my head is more like this: Obviously Madonna set the stage for many female acts. But, in its own time, which is worse? Some of the music videos today? Or Madonna's music videos back then?

In my opinion, I think Madonna's were worse, for her time. Many music videos today are darn near obscene. But, if you want to find a music video today, you have to really search for it. Music videos, although on cable, were more likely to be seen. Obviously you hear these songs today. But, honestly, had you heard about Lady Gaga's Telephone music video prior to me pointing this out? Or having someone tell you that you needed to check it out?

Just thought I'd share these thoughts. The Tigers have been disappointing on their trip out west so far. Michigan Softball is not real (I plan on writing about them soon). The Wings are tied 2-2 going into tomorrow night in Glendale. The NFL Draft starts tomorrow night (SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH). And I will be a Senior as of Monday night. Weird huh? Hope everyone is enjoying the weather and be safe if you're celebrating the end of the semester.

-KK

Playoff Time in Hockey Town

There are a few certainties here in southeast Michigan. First, it will always snow on Opening Day for the Tigers. Secondly, the Lions will not make the playoffs. And third, the Red Wings will. Thankfully, the third on that list begins tonight in Glendale, AZ as the Wings take on the Phoenix Coyotes in the 1st Round of the 2010 NHL Playoffs. The Wings are on a bit of a tear as of late and are heading into the playoffs. Only a few short weeks ago they were worried about grabbing the 8th spot, now they are a 5th seed in the West. Detroit has been backstopped by rookie Jimmy Howard (a likely Rookie of the Year winner and possible Vezina Trophy Winner). Howard is in the Top 10 in all of the important categories and in the Top 5 for many. They are also lead by veteran forwards Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk and veteran defensemen Nick Lidstrom and Brain Rafalski. The Wings and Coyotes begin their best-of-seven series tonight in Arizona at 10pm. I highly suggest tuning in and cheering on one of the few positive constants around here.

PS: I'm making a bold statement right now. Jimmy Howard will win the Conn Smythe.

Opening Day

Opening Day brings every baseball fan new hope. It lets a Royals Fan think they'll win the Division. It lets a Tigers fan hope that the ghosts of Robert Fick and Bobby Higginson will go away. Heck, it even lets Cubs Fans think they'll actually do something with their season. Opening Day also brings some fun statistics. For example, in 2005, Dmitri Young was on pace to hit 486 home runs that season after Opening Day. Anyway, I am quite excited to get a fresh start on the season and get the bad taste of that 163rd game out of my mouth. Today my Tigers go up against the Kansas City Royals in KC. Today's match-up will feature two of the best pitchers in the game, Justin Verlander and Zach Grienke. After what I would deam as an absolutely horrible year of Michigan sports, Detroit Tigers Baseball is the sign of a new year. It is a sign of new beginnings. There is still hope, happiness, something to look forward to (not that I'm not hype that the Red Wings clinched a playoff spot yesterday). There is nothing like a summer when the Tigers are playing good ball. Although we didn't make the playoffs last year, I still had a blast watching them each and every game. The City of Detroit needs the Tigers...and now they have them. Ladies and Gentlemen, the boys are back in town.

No Mas

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is over. The worst season in recent memory for University of Michigan Athletics is over. After starting off the football season 4-0, the Michigan Wolverines managed to lose 7 of their last 8 games and missed a bowl game for the second season in a row. The basketball team, coming off their first trip to the NCAA tournament under Coach John Beilein and a preseason ranking in the Top 25, failed to make any postseason tournament and finished the season with a game winning three-pointer coming off the fingertips of Ohio State's own Evan Turner. The hockey team had one of the worst regular seasons in Red Berenson's tenure. If it wasn't for an improbably run in the CCHA Playoffs they would have failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in over 20 years. Their season ended last night in heartbreaking fashion to Miami of Ohio in two overtimes. Best yet, they scored the winning goal in the first overtime, but unfortunately the worst refs ever blew the whistle early. The icing on the cake that really made me feel better about everything was hearing about junior guard Manny Harris' decision to leave early and declare himself eligible for the NBA Draft this summer. Great...just great.

I guess I wouldn't be sitting here whining and crying about it all if Michigan did not have such a rich history of phenomenal athletics. I remember some of the first years that I really paid attention to sports Michigan won two ice hockey championships, one football national championship, won the Big Ten Basketball Tournament, had a Heisman Trophy Winner and a Hobey Baker Winner all within a span of three academic years. Now that I'm wrapping up my third year here at Michigan, what have I witnessed? I've watched Appalachian State march into the Big House and shock the world. I've seen Dennis Dixon dick all over Michigan in one of the worst losses I've ever witessed in Michigan Stadium. I've seen Ohio State beat us not once, but twice in the Big House. Heck, I've even seen Michigan State beat us in the Big House. Better yet, I've seen the Big House not be the "biggest house." I've seen our basketball team be awful, then good, then awful again. I've seen our hockey team have amazing seasons, then just fail and falter during the playoffs. I will say though, I did have the pleasure in seeing another Hobey Baker Winner here in Ann Arbor.

I guess the combination of me growing up in Ann Arbor along with the perfect timing of my maturation as far as appreciation for sports goes spoiled me. Although this is all true, I'm not asking for national championships left and right. I would just like to see one of my teams do well. Watching Michigan State ease their way into another Final Four only furthers this general disappointment. Between Tom Izzo's stupid smirk he always has, and Terrelle Pryor dominating the Rose Bowl this past January, and all these devastating losses. I really am not sure if I can handle another season like this. I'm what I'd call an extremely loyal fan, but this is ridiculous. People joke about being cursed and all that, but seriously? How many other ways can we lose? We get blown out on the road. We get blown out at home. We have amazing regular seasons, and lose early in the playoffs. We have awful regular seasons and make promising runs, to get our little hearts broken. We get hit with buzzer beaters and last minute drives. We lose on national television, and we lose on regional broadcasts. This is all without even bringing up the embarassment that has been the ongoing investigation on whether or not we practice too much. I'm done. NO MORE.

I'll admit, I don't necessarily have a whole fix-it plan. Heck, I wouldn't know what to do if you put me in charge of one of those teams for one day. I do know this though: this is all completely unacceptable. If they have any sense of the athletic history of UofM (which we all know at least Red does) they will not accept this. They will sit their returning players down this offseason and demand greatness. I'm sick of "waiting for players to develop." I'm waiting for coaches styles to "develop." I'm over it all. We are the University of Michigan. We demand greatness. Time to step up.

Don't Fight the Hype

Because I'm busy this week, even more than usual, and I'm pretty hype for Thursday night, I leave you with these two hype tracks...






Lastly...I leave you with a quote from a t-shirt I saw in New York...

"Kobe is NOT Mike."

-KK

A Weekend of Hockey and Other Shenanigans...'Eh?

So, to sum up my weekend, I will say one word: Canadian. My housemates and I housed somewhere between 12 and 15 Canadians (I never got a final count) and it was, how do I say this...too much? Between our visitors from the north and UofM's Greek Week going on, and just general workload, I'm exhausted, and its only Monday. BUT, I did receive the good news that Mike Posner and B.O.B. will be performing on campus in April, so I'm hype. Anyway...I'll give top 3 highlights of the weekend...

1. Michigan Wins the CCHA Championship and Mason Cup, Clinching a Spot in the NCAA Tourney: I watched both the semifinal and championship Friday. Michigan beat Miami of Ohio, number one team in the country, relatively easily Friday night, and went on to knock off higher seeded Northern Michigan Saturday night to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tourney. Michigan will be playing Bemidji State Saturday night in Ft. Wayne, IN in the first round.

2. Rock Chalk Jay...f**k: After seeking refuge from our Canadian Bretheren, a few friends and I decided to go watch the NCAA Tourney at Damon's Bar & Grille. Little did I know I'd get to watch one of the most entertaining and biggest upsets I've seen in a long time. University of Northern Iowa defeated Kansas in entertaining fashion. This season's tourament has already been quite entertaining and hopefully it will continue to be just as nail-biting as the first two rounds.

3. Watching Hockey Night in Canada With Canadians: I have to say, watching not only Hockey Night in Canada, but Montreal vs Toronto was hilarious. There was a ton of money on the table, they were all hammerred, and I just watched it all unfold. I try not to talk about too many shenanigans, but it was just awesome watching this all unfold. To top it all off, the game went to a shootout. I decided to cheer for Montreal because, well...I don't know. But, Toronto won. Anyway, game was hilarious and the fans watching it were even more funny.

Anyway, it is Monday, which means Music Monday (even though I more or less only post on Mondays now). First off, I'll start with a song I really enjoyed last summer, but have been listening to it a lot lately...


Jermaine Coleman, better known by his stage name "Maino", is a rap artist who first started getting big in 2007 after ditching his deal with Universal Records and signing with himself and his Hustle Hard imprint to Atlantic Records. "All the Above" is the second single off of his first album If Tomorrow Never Comes and he will have his second album, The Day After Tomorrow be released sometime this year.



Next, a little country (yes...me, listening to country, although it probably isn't the country you listen to). The Mavericks were a alternative-country band founded in Miami, FL in 1989. Country artist Raul Malo was the lead vocalist and has gone on to have a relatively promising solo career. From 1991 until 2003 they released six studio albums and charted 14 singles on Billboard's Top Country Chart. Their highest ranking single was this little number...




And lastly, this one is just a cool mash-up. It has been out there for a while, but I came across it the other day for the first time in a while and I thought I'd share.



I hope everyone is enjoying the Madness that is March and I don't know about you, but I'm counting down the not only the days, but the hours and minutes until the Tigers take the field..13 days 22 hours 19 minutes

-KK

Chad Henne is a Wise Man

Chad Henne apparently agrees with me...whether or not you chose to, I don't care. But, Henne believe Tim Tebow is NOT an NFL QB.

St. Patty's Day...Musically

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my Irish bretheren, and to those who just want to celebrate. I really don't have too much to say other than that I think professors who schedule exams not only on St. Patrick's Day, but one of the warmest St. Patrick's Days in a long time, really need to just go away. All jokes...but because I didn't do Music Monday, I leave you with these to Irish-related tracks...





I hope everyone has a Happy and Safe St. Patrick's Day...

Music Monday and Other Glorious Spring Break Happenings

Well, as promised, I will now share the story that is Spring Break along with some musical highlights...

Day 1, Friday Feb 26th: As I got out of class, I started getting calls and texts from my parents. They really didn't think driving out into the eye of the supposed "snowicane" that was going on out east was a good idea. I agreed. After great deliberation, we decided that Florida was our next best trip, and the drive was not much worse than New York. After deciding on Lakeland for Tigers Spring Training, I took a look at the bank account. There was no way Florida was going to work. So, I settled for nothing. Ended up going home to see the fam and see what my realistc options for Spring Break were. AKA: LAMECAKE

Day 2, Saturday Feb 27th: The Brain Trust meets at Cottage Inn to discuss options. The train comes up...doable. Little bit of a long ride, but doable nonetheless. After smashing on a sub and watching Michigan lose to Ohio State in basketball, we decide...train it is. Everybody start packing...we're going to New York...

Day 2-3 Saturday and Sunday Feb 27th-Feb 28th: Bus from Ann Arbor to Toledo leaves at 8:50pm. Train from Toledo to New York leave at 2:50am...we have a little too much time to kill. I watch Miss March...awful movie. Really not entertaining. Just one big Playboy joke...not funny. I'm not even going to waste my time showing you a trailer. After getting on the train though, we travel through the morning and into the day...through Cleveland, OH, Erie, PA, Syracuse, NY, Utica, NY...eventually we start getting close to NYC.

Day 3 Sunday Feb 28th: As we're getting closer to NYC, I realize that the Olympic Gold Medal Game, USA vs Canada is almost over. I called my dad and he was able to put the phone close enough to the tv that I could listen to overtime. Unfortunately...this happened. Anyway, ten minutes later I was in Penn Station and checkin out Madison Square Garden, so whatever. We made our way to Long Island and relaxed the rest of the evening.

Day 4 Monday, March 1st: My friends and I decided it was time to check out the city. We took the train in, which is freaking expensive, and went to a bunch of different places. We ALMOST got standby tickets for Letterman, but no-go. We did get to see Bill Murray though, so that was cool. If we had seen the taping, we would've seen this little number perform...



This quickly became a song for the week...along with a certain Katie's rendition suggesting the lyrics were "I dont think you know..." hahaha. Regardless, it was a great day. We ended up going to the Hard Rock Cafe in Time Square for dinner and ran into a friend in Time Square, go figure. We also checked out a comedy show that evening. Pretty...interesting? Sidenote: don't ever bother going to the m&m store...waste of time.

Day 5 Tuesday, March 2: Its my half-birthday! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! But we really didn't do much during the day. We went to Long Beach and horsed around. In the evening though...we took Long Island by storm. First, we watched the New York Islanders play the Chicago Blackhawks. Blake Comeau had a hat trick for the Islanders, who won 5-2. We had a blast. We came back with this fine goal anthem...



After the game we met up with a friend and went bowling. I wasn't TOO bad.

Day 5, Wednesday, March 3rd: Decided to hit up the city again. We went to Rockafeller Plaza, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the NBA Store, the Museum of Modern Art, the ESPN Zone for dinner, and then "The Most Famous Arena on Earth", Madison Square Garden to watch my Pistons get smoked by the Knicks. It was just an epic day and I was exhausted by the end.

Day 6-7, Thursday and Friday, March 4th and 5th: Time to go home. We took the train back out of Penn Station around 3:45. The ride back was much easier than the way there in my opinion. Probably cuz the majority of the trip was at night and I could sleep. We pulled into Ann Arbor around 8:45 am and went on to sleep the majority of the day.

Overall, the trip was amazing. Time Square was beautiful and I enjoyed ever second of it. It was a little expensive, but what the heck...live a little. Lots of inside jokes and moments I'll never forget happened, and I'm glad I decided to go. The one question I have coming out of the trip is this...Is it bad that I enjoyed an Islanders game more than a Knicks vs Pistons game at MSG? Whatever...hope everyone had a great break and I'll be posting on the Tigers within the next day or two.

-KK

Lame-Cake Day

On my last "fun" day of Spring Break, here I am doing work at the library...Whatever. Thought I'd share a little music because I'm bored and have been jammin to tunes I haven't listend to in a while.

First...



Secondly...

Happy Birthday to Shaquille O'Neal (38) and Marcus Thames (33).

Thirdly...

Watched Disney's Up the other day...just thought I'd share my favorite part...



Last, but not least...a little inside joke from the NYC Trip...



I'll have some New York stories soon...just too busy to give them the attention and proper writing that they deserve currently.

-KK

PS: GO LIONS!

Back in the Deuce

Well, we made it back. Although I've been back since about 8:45am today, it has still been a long day of catching up on sleep and pretending that I don't have a million things to do. But, I do want to say...New York was amazing. Heck, I went to an Islanders game and had a good time (I will talk of that in a later post). I do just want to say that Time Square is everything is it cracked up to be. I saw that place and my jaw dropped. I was also approached by people asking if I had or wanted pot/crack/something special, but thats beside the point. I hope everyone has had a great week and I will post a recap of our trip within the next day or two. My thoughts go out to Rodney Stuckey and his family. Hopefully he is not nearly as sick or hurt as it seemed during the game.

-KK

Spring Break

Ladies and Gentlemen, "Spring" Break is upon us, or at least me. And with it, I will be heading to the eye of the snowicane that is going on on the east coast. I am more than open to suggestions as to how to spend my time out in New York, but the less money I spend the better. Any suggestions?

Music Monday

I'm gonna keep it light today. Was on WQAQ 98.1 today. Mike and Mike had a great show as always. I also enjoyed hearing the one and only Reid Benjamin's opinions on the status of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the likelihood of them winning the Larry O'Brien Trophy this year. Anyway, soon, I will have some worthwhile posts...until then, here's a few mash-ups I'm a big fan of that I found on YouTube.











Enjoy the mash-ups!

-KK

New York State of Mind

To quote the great Billy Joel, I'm in a New York State of Mind, for I will be gracing NYC and the greater State of New York with my presence in less than a week. But, I apologize for taking almost two weeks to blog again. I've been extremely busy, and also just haven't found myself with much to talk about. But, I shall just rant about a few things right now. First off, it is Olympic Time. I know I myself have enjoyed watching a large amount of Curling. I think I even understand the rules. Unfortunately, I've missed most of the US's men's hockey games so far due to the wonderful time waster known as class. They have played well so far, but today is the big test, US vs Canada. As much as I love Stevie Y and Mike Babcock, I gotta side with the homefront. I also had the pleasure of missing Shaun White's epic gold medal performance Wednesday night. Oh well...I guess thats why we have Sportscenter. One last note on the events going on in Vancouver, I personally enjoyed ESPN's Rick Reilly's column right before the games opened.

On a more local note...It is reported that the Tigers signed Johnny Damon to a one-year, $8 million deal. All I'm saying is that clearly Dave Dombrowski has been reading a certain blog (doubts). Now if only they'd start Alex Avila with regularity...

Now...to Hollywood. I took in Martin Scorsese's new movie Shutter Island on Friday night. I was thoroughly impressed. The entire movie kept me thinking what exactly was going on until the very end. Although it continued my general opinion that Leonardo DiCaprio is a terrible actor, it was an amazing story and was definitely worth seeing. Here's the trailer...



I'll save the wonderful world of music for tomorrow. Also, I will be on WQAQ-FM 98.1 sometime between 4 and 6pm tomorrow. Look out for that. I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day last weekend. I know it was a fun and interesting one for myself. And, if I can't leave you with anything too wise or ingenius, I'll leave you with the great words of John Lennon..

Music Monday

Because I've been joking about this "theme" of music for a few weeks now (for reasons completely seperate from Music Monday), Here are three songs that suggest strange hook-ups.

Stacy's Mom - Fountains of Wayne

The song is off of their third album, Welcome Interstate Managers. Fountains of Wayne formed in New Jersey and are named after a local small store that sold lawn ornaments. The song was released in 2003 and was the band's true "first hit." Adam Schlesinger, one of the founders of the band, actually wrote another one of my favorite songs, That Thing You Do. The music video follows the fantasy that a young boy has of getting with a friend's hot mom. Funny video, catchy song. Check it out.



I'm on a Boat - The Lonely Island ft. T-Pain

Originally a Saturday Night Live short, I'm on a Boat picked up speed thanks to the world wide web. The band, The Lonely Island, composed of comedians Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone, have continued making many humorous songs and music videos that have, and have not aired on Saturday Night Live. This song is quite funny and the end, suggesting getting with a certain marine creature, only makes it better.



Scotty Doesn't Know - Lustra

Featured in the movie Eurotrip, the song is a catchy upbeat, dirty as all get out song. The band, Lustra, is a pop punk band originally from Boston. In the movie, Matt Damon acts as their lead vocals. This is not the case in real life, but I always try to imagine its Matt singing (Cue Matt Damon joke). Regardless, the song is funny, catchy, and Kristin Kreuk is hot.



I hope everyone enjoyed the Super Bowl last night. Commercials were pretty lame in my opinion, but I will have my three best and three worst later on in the week. Look for me on WQAQ today (98.1 FM) from 4-6pm. It is Quinnipiac Local Radio (whack, I know). So, your best bet is to listen online at http://www.wqaq.com/ . I'm gonna be pretty busy this week, but as always I will do my best to post with frequency. Have a great week and GO BLUE!

-Kevin

Super Bowl Preview

So...we are minutes until kickoff, and I have failed at posting the pre-game preview. But...to make it up, I'll just say a few words.

(Edited After the Game.)

- The game will come down to who throws for the most yards. Although this wasn't true (Brees threw for 288 and Manning threw for 333, Brees had a much better passer rating.)
- I can't remember a game that Peyton Manning has honestly played poorly in a long time. If he plays well, it'll be the Colts' D's game to loose. (Although Manning didn't play poorly, obviously the interception was the deciding point.)
- I'll have my top 3 commercials in the next day or two. (These will be coming, but I personally, along with the majority of my house, enjoyed the Coca-Cola jungle one.)
- I highly doubt Tebow's commercial will be anywhere close to as controversial as its supposed to be. (Clearly was not that bad.)
- Dwight Freeney will play no more than one half. His pregame looked rough. (Very much wrong. Freeney played well.)
- Go Lions! (Will always apply.)

Predicted Score: Saints - 28 Colts - 17 (31-17 Final...pretty close)

Five Overrated Movies

Much like Thursday's post of five underrated movies, today's shall be five overrated movies, in my opinion.

5. Rudy/The Natural - I know a large reason I don't like Rudy is because it is about Notre Dame. So because of this, I'll throw in another sport movie that I really really don't like and I think is extremely overrated: The Natural. Rudy is about a walk-on football player for Notre Dame who barely even cuts it on the practice squad, but one day works his way up the ranks and is able to get in for a play or two. Personally, I think The Rookie did a better job of the story of the underdog. The Natural is the story of a baseball player throughout his playing days. It really does absolutely nothing for me and I don't see why people like it. Maybe because it has Robert Redford? I don't know. Neither the book nor the movie have ever impressed me one bit.





4. Pixar Movies of Late - Between Wall-E, Up, and Ratatouille, Pixar, in my opinion, has not lived up to some of its originals. The Toy Story Movies, Finding Nemo, Cars, Monsters Inc...all phenomenal movies. But the three I mentioned have not lived up to expectations. And don't get me wrong, definitely decent movies. But prior to seeing Up, it sounded like it was going to be one of the best movies I had ever seen. Same goes for Wall-E.



3. Signs - This movie is an overall disappointment. I'm about to ruin it, so SPOILER ALERT. Any alien movie where you don't see them until halfway through, and they look ridiculous, is lame. On top of everything, water hurts them? Just in general, it could have been a much better movie. M. Night Shyamalan is a great writer and director obviously. The Sixth Sense is a great movie. But, in my opinion, its a swing and a miss (no pun intended).



2. 300 - Unless you go to Michigan State or some other school that embraces Spartans, this movie overstayed its welcome in pop culture in my opinion. Definitely a good movie...the first time. By the 15th time, it had lost its luster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-6M5FukAoE (I couldn't embed the video).

1. Fight Club - I love this movie. I own it, and its awesome. The book is even better. But, Fight Club is not nearly as good as everyone makes it sound. Yes, it was one of Brad Pitt's breakout roles. Yes, Edward Norton is one heck of an actor. But, regardless, the movie is spoken of as one of the all-time greats. It is not and doesn't deserve to be spoken of so highly.



I'm always open to suggestions or comments, and of course debate. If you have any thoughts please share. I hope everyone is having a good weekend and GO BLUE Today! BEAT THE BADGERS...TWICE!

-Kevin

Five Underrated Movies

So, as I sat watching Josie and the Pussycats last night, I decided there are definitely a large amount of movies that are completely underrated. Some are on tv more than others, but still don't get the respect that they deserve. And here, I plan on sharing my Top 5.

5. Spaceballs: One of Mel Brooks' hits, yet never really gets any love when it comes to Mel Brooks movies. The movie, released in 1987, is a parody of Star Wars and stars Mel Brooks as President Skroob and Yogurt, John Candy as Barf, Rick Moranis as Lord Dark Helmet, Bill Pullman as Captain Lone Starr, and Daphne Zuniga as Lone Starr's love interest Princess Vespa of Druidia. It is definitely my favorite Mel Brooks movie and unfortunately find it to rarely get any love. This scene is one of my favorites and is poking fun at Star Wars obviously.




4. Across the Universe: This movie, an American Musical released in 2007, is an original story, written and directed by Julie Taymor. It features all Beatles music and has many other references to Beatles songs throughout the movie. It stars Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, T.V. Carpio, Dana Fuchs, and Marin Luther McCoy. The movie also features cameos by Bono, Eddie Izzard, Joe Cocker, and Salma Hayek. The story spans the time of The Beatles as well. From their underground concerts in Liverpool to the famous Roof-Top Concert. The movie is one of my favorites and does a phenomenal job covering Beatles songs. I know it hasn't been out long but I also feel that it doesn't get the love that it deserves. Here are a couple of my favorite songs from the movie.





3. U-571: Great war movie. Released in 2000, U-571 is a fictional story of a German U-boat and an American crew trying to capture an Enigma cipher machine from the boat. The movie stars Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, and Jon Bon Jovi. I don't want to give it away, but as far as WWII movies go, it is extremely underrated.



2. The Replacements: As the professional football league goes on strike, the teams all find replacement players. This is their movie. The Washington Sentinels, coached by the famous Jimmy McGinty (Gene Hackman) are desperately needing to make the playoffs, and McGinty knows just which quarterback can lead them: Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves). The movie follows the team up until the last regular season game and is filled with funny moments, motivational moments, and just plain "sport movie shtick."



1. That Thing You Do!: If you know me, you know this is my favorite movie. So, I'm going to try to stay as impartial about this as possible. Released in 1996, and written and directed by Tom Hanks, That Thing You Do! is the story of a local band from Erie, PA that hits it big with their single "That Thing You Do". The movie stars Tom Hanks, Liv Tyler, Tom Everett Scott, Charlize Theron and Steve Zahn. The music is great, the story is fun, and no one ever knows about it or has seen it. It is extremely underrated and needs to get out there. Tom Hanks even named his production company after the name of the record label the band signs with (Playtone). It has Hanks' directing debut, and if you ask me he did one heck of a job.



Feel free to post your thoughts and comments. I am more than willing to discuss. In the next day or two I also plan on posting what I think are the 5 most overrated movies.

Stay Classy!

-Kevin

Detroit Tigers Projected Lineup

Baseball season is only...oh...two months away? Is it weird that I'm excited for this? As we get closer to the season though, there are still holes in the Tigers projected starting lineup, according to me. So, without further ado, I provide you with my projected starting lineup.

1. Ryan Raburn - LF
2. Wilkin Ramirez - CF
3. Magglio Ordonez - RF
4. Miguel Cabrera - 1B
5. Carlos Guillen - DH
6. Brandon Inge - 3B
7. Scott Sizemore - 2B
8. Gerald Laird - C
9. Adam Everett - SS

Now, this is actually the exact same projected lineup that the Detroit Free Press has, so obviously great minds thing alike (or something like that). But, there are still a few changes to make, in my opinion.

1. Sign Johnny Damon - Now, I wasn't too excited to hear that Johnny Damon "wanted" to sign with the Tigers either at first (see ). But, after thinking about it, we don't have a lead off hitter. Really, are we going to have Raburn lead off? I don't think so...I say sign him to a 2-year deal. That way if a Carlos Guillen or Magglio Ordonez were to leave after this season, we have him for next. I'm not necessarily thinking what he is asking for is kosher just yet. But sign him nonetheless. If he really wants to be Tiger like he says he does, they'll figure something out.

2. Let Wilkin Ramirez Play in the Minors - Last year Ramirez appeared in 15 games for the Tigers and batted .364 with 15 AB's. This isn't horrible, especially considering his 6 R's, 3 RBI's, and 1 HR. Definitely something to look forward to. But, give him time. I think we let him mature in Toledo for a little bit longer, and then call him up around July.

3. Let Alex Avila Play - Gerald Laird sucks. I don't care what anybody says about Brandon Inge and his batting woes. Gerald Laird is worse. If you dare try to convince me otherwise, you will lose. He batted .225 last year, tied for his 2nd lowest batting average of his career, only a measily .001 higher than his lowest. Yes, he played in 135 games, but that still doesn't excuse him. Alex Avila on the other hand, batted .279 in 29 games, with 17 hits, 5 being HR's, and 14 RBI's. At this point I vote starting them both with regularity. Just split time. Clearly Laird can't handle a full schedule, and Avila needs playing time.

This all being the case...here is MY projected starting lineup.

1. Johnny Damon - CF
2. Ryan Raburn - LF
3. Magglio Ordonez - RF
4. Miguel Cabrera - 1B
5. Carlos Guillen - DH
6. Alex Avila - C
7. Brandon Inge - 3B
8. Scott Sizemore - 2B
9. Adam Everett - SS

Johnny Damon in CF is questionable, but you can't realy put him in right field unless Magglio moves to left, which is highly unlikely. Anyway, this is all just my two cents. I hope everyone is looking forward to the MLB Season as I am.

Music Monday and More

Because I yet again am incapable of posting with regularity, apologies go out to my few readers. Anyway, its been a pretty lame week for sports. The Pro Bowl was last night (who cares). College Basketball no longer has any undefeated members. Training Camp will slowly get going in the next few weeks. Nothing else is particularly interesting. The Grammys were last night. I didn't watch because honestly, I don't really care (is that bad?). Obviously everyone is waiting for Sunday Night and the big matchup between the Saints and Colts. And for those of college age like myself, exams are beginning to show up in our schedules. Worst of all of this? IT IS REALLY REALLY COLD!

My Music Monday shares for the week are Lauryn Hill filled, between a solo job and her early work with The Fugees. Lauryn Hill was a phenomenal artist who just went, psycho I guess. Wyclef Jean has noted that he would never work with her again, or at least The Fugees would never get back together. Regardless, they had some absolute jams. Both are covers, but both are great.





And...as a joke...and because I like it and haven't shared it yet...



Now, on a sidenote, I also forgot to mention this a few weeks ago, as it made its way across the University of Michigan Athletic Blogs, and other websites, but the Michigan Hockey Team hosted Alaska Fairbanks and...well...here you go...



And lastly, because I came across it and love Bob Knight...



Within the next few days, I plan on doing a general look at the Detroit Tigers for the upcoming season. Usually I'm spending this time of the year boasting about the Red Wings and Pistons, and well...that is not necessarily an option currently. I also want to give a full Super Bowl Preview. And lastly, look for me to appear on WQAQ 98.1 next Monday from 4-6pm. I will have my own little part. You will have to listen in to catch it. FYI, you can listen in on their website at http://www.wqaq.com/ . I hope everyone had a solid first month of 2010 and hopefully Punxsutawney Phil is nice to us tomorrow.

Music Monday...and a Few Other Things

So, I will continue Music Mondays with some videos from the Hope for Haiti Concert/Telefund that was on Friday night.





These were two of my favorite performances, but there were a ton of great acts trying to do all they could to help raise money for Relief Efforts in Haiti. I highly suggest downloading this album from iTunes. All of the money raised goes straight to relief efforts. If you don't feel like downloading music and just want to make a donation, you can text "HAITI" to 90999 and it will charge $10 to your phone bill and the $10 will go to relief efforts in Haiti through The Red Cross. I know we are all being bombarded by Haiti News and pleads for donations, but like I said, you can just buy some quality music and it goes to relief efforts. I figure that kills two birds with one stone.

ANYWHO, there were two relatively awesome football games yesterday. The Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints clinched births in Super Bowl XLIV two weeks from yesterday in Miami, FL. I myself didn't catch the AFC Championship (Colts vs Jets) and I also missed a majority of the NFC Championship (Vikings vs Saints), but I did catch the end of the 4th Quarter and Overtime, and man was it intense. Honestly, I'm glad the Saints won. New Orleans, like Detroit, has hosted yet never been to a Super Bowl, and obviously it was only a few short years ago that it was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. I also just like the Colts and enjoy Peyton Manning commercials, and Mike Hart's on the Colts. I guess I am really going to have to think about who I'm rooting for.

Hope everyone had a safe and superb weekend. And I'll leave you a Top 10 Goalie Gaffes YouTube...

Jack Johnson: A Michigan Man

That a boy Jack...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2010/01/dean-lombardi-jack-johnson-kings-michigan-hockey-.html

Apologies

To my readers few and far between, I apologize for my incapability to post with consistency this past week or two. I'm still trying to get use to my new schedule and balancing a few new responsibilities. Anywho, because I missed Music Monday, and and deeply regretting it, I'll share this hit from One Republic...



To touch on a few sports notes...

- The Michigan Men's Basketball Team beat UConn at home on Sunday. The win finally gives them a big non-conference win and one that hopefully they can feed off of leading into tonight's road trip to Madison, Wisconsin.
- The Jets, Colts, Saints, and Vikings are all in their respective conference championships and we will know who is heading to Miami for the Super Bowl this weekend.
- Mark McGwire admitted doing steroids (finally).
- Gilbert Arenas was suspended for his gun in the lockerroom (kind of old news, but I still thought I'd mention it).
- Red Wings suck.
- Pistons suck.
- Pistons might be sold.
- Red Wings lease at the Joe ends this summer (new home?)

All just little points that have come up in the past few days.

On a funny note...I came across this today, and it brought back some good memories.



I'm gonna try to be more current and come up with some interesting posts soon. I hope everyone has had a successful and safe 2010 so far and continues to live life to the fullest.

-Kevin

SNAKES!

Once again, I've been busy and haven't had time to post. But I definitely will post this weekend. But, to keep you all entertained until then, here's another interesting article I found.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100115/NEWS07/1150367/?imw=Y

Interesting Article: Native Americans in College Basketball

After doing my relatively large project on politically incorrect logos and team names for my sports management class last semester, I have certainly become more interested in Native American participation in college athletics. Now, this article I came across on ESPN today, by Dana O'Neil, talks about a group of Native Americans all playing together for a college team. What I don't get is why they are ok with playing on a team that goes by the nickname "The Fighting Indians." That can't be ok...

Regardless, this is a great article and I suggest you give it a read if you have a few moments.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=oneil_dana&id=4821534

Music Monday

A new week...a new Monday...a new Music Monday...

Today, I'm just going to share a few classics along with an artist who is quickly gathering a heck of a following.

I first wanted to share the J. Geils Band hit "Centerfold", but unfortunately I cannot find a link anywhere to embed it. So, the next best thing is the link to the YouTube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqDjMZKf-wg

The song just came up on my shuffle a few days ago and as a result I've had it stuck in my head for a day or two. I hope it gets stuck in yours!

Next, a hit from a classic band. Although this isn't one of their early hits, Aerosmith's "Jaded" is a great song and it was one of the first Aerosmith songs I remember liking, and as a result opened me up to one of the greatest bands of all time.



And lastly...this artist I was fortunate to see live this past summer, and he's quickly becoming a big hit, and certainly will become bigger this year. K'naan's music is a mix of political outreach, poetry, and commentry on society. He uses a mix of rap and reggae to spread his opinions. K'naan has collaberated with artists such as Adam Levine and Most Def over the past few years. These collaberations have helped him make the jump to mainstream music. K'naan's first single off his fourth album Troubadour, entitled "Waving Flag" has become the anthem of this summer's FIFA World Cup and is quickly receiving world recognition.



I hope everyone has a wonderful week and tries to stay warm. I know my personal favorite thing to do is sleep with a winter hat and long johns on.

-Kevin

MHSAA Needs to Get With the Times

An interesting article here by Mitch McCabe in the Detroit Free Press. I myself was unaware that high school athletes, if having played in an All-American game for one sport, they are not allowed to play in another sport that year. These All-American games, like the Under Armour All-American Football Game that was recently played, gives stuff to the athletes for participating (mostly t-shirts and gear) to wear during the game. As a result, in the State of Michigan, along with many other states, they forfeit their eligibility at this point. Some states, including Alaska and Ohio, allow the athletes to play other sports. This is just an interesting article that I thought I'd share. I personally don't see why they shouldn't be allowed to play other sports. There is a difference in my opinion between playing in an All-American game and being given spending cash by a booster.

http://freep.com/article/20100110/HSS1201/1100499/MHSAA-needs-to-abolish-rule-that-punishes-our-top-athletes

Its the Weekend and I Don't Feel Like Thinking Too Much

Because it is Saturday, and I really don't feel like putting in a lot of effort to a post, I am going to highlight a few things that have happened in the past few days, and share a few funny and cool links and videos.

BCS Championship: Alabama took care of business in Thursday night's championship game 37-21 (although the game was much closer than the score). Colt McCoy was knocked out of the game early in the 1st Quarter and Texas backup quarterback Garrett Gilbert played outstanding, all things considered. Highlight of the game was when Nick Saban got hit with the Gatorade cooler. He didn't just get the Gatorade poured on him...He got hit in the face with the cooler.



Coaches Leaving: First Charlie Weis got fired. Next Urban Meyer took a leave of absence. Now Pete Carroll is jumping ship for the NFL? All I need now is Jim Tressell to go coach the Browns and Mark Dantonio to finally open his own "Second-Chance" House for underpriveleged youths and quit coaching and I will be an extremely happy camper. But in all seriousness for a moment, it will be interesting to see if Carroll has a repeat of his stint with the NY Jets. In my opinion, I think the guy is one heck of a recruiter, but not a good coach. He obviously has had some phenomenal assistants, but I highly doubt the guy will be able to turn around the trainwreck that is the Seattle Seahawks (think Detroit Lions, except they've actually played in a Super Bowl).

Lastly, although it isn't Music Monday, I'll share a few YouTubes...