Wow, tonight was one of those sporting events I’ll remember for a long time, up there with the Houston Comeback, Derek Plante in OT, and the Sabres run to the Stanley Cup. Tonight, RIT upset nationally ranked St. Lawrence (#18 in the nation), 3-2. They were outshot 68-14 (!) but the RIT goalie Giumond was all-world, stopping everything they threw at him, including 47 power play shots on goal. Simply unbelievable. I was yelling at my computer for the whole third period (including the tigers killing of a 5 minute major to start the third). Thrilling game, the biggest of the program by far, great day to be a fan.
Also, here’s a shot of my current work set up, complete with ergo keyboard & mouse, and dual 19” flat panel dells :).
Old Googley eyes
Anyone living around me since my college days probably heard me swear about Steven McNair once or twice. For those not in the know, McNair’s the quarterback of the Tennessee Titans, and one of the few atheletes I’ve changed my mind about (Alexander Mogiliny & Doug Flutie being two others that pop to mind). Here’s what I used to hate about McNair, you would watch him play and he would just be mediocre yet seem to land on his feet. Every shot of him on the sideline showed him wide eyed and seemingly confused (thus googley eyes), he rarely got over 250 yards passing, no big risks. Just give it to his running back, let the defense do their things, and play within the system. When it all fired right (and it did for a good four years), he never did anything special, but his team would go 12-4 and he’d beat other “better quarterbacks. I’d sit there and think “how has no one figured out how to make this guy look like a fool yet?”. In fairness, the last 3-4 years he’s done some amazing things and I’ve changed my mind on him. But that ruins my argument here, so let’s ignore that….
The wheels officially fall of George Bush tomorrow, and I just may do a dance. Bush has been pulling the Googly eyes “stay in the system and do what the coach says” routine and just slinking by. But suddenly Georgie’s gone off script and it’s all gone to shit. The Social Security debacle quagmired back in the winter, Iraq is the same, even hitting another milestone today. The whole Harriet Miers thing, which pissed of the righties and even surprised the Dems at how dumb a move it was. Gas prices, Katrina, and finally the CIA leak indictments. Rush and the rest of ‘em are trying to pretend how this isn’t a big deal, and it’s all political, but it’s a hard sell for the God Bless America crowd to write off treasonous acts (remember ditto heads, it’s Clinton’s fault, somehow). Here’s my Vegas style odds on inditements tomorrow:
Libby: 1 – 2 (bet $2 to win $1, ie. It’s gonna happen)
Rove: 3 – 1 (i hope i hope i hope, but who knows)
Cheney: 20 – 1 (you never know)
Some guy you never heard of: 1 – 1
Woo
What a weekend. Pictures up on the left (Ang and Me in San Francisco). The trick to San Francisco is to walk everywhere, that way every 4 miles you can have a huge meal and still be able to move (especially seeing that walking 4 miles is more like 4 flat miles and 10 vertical). Alcatraz is just as great the second time around, and Columbus Ave Italian food is even better. I also got to explore the Presidio sober for once, great part of the city (and check out Tommy Tequilla’s at 23rd and Geary, best Mexican food ever). Angela loved the city, and the whole weekend couldn’t have been any better.
Now I need advice. Being 2600 miles away from the family and my lady friend, I’m now in the market for a credit card with airline miles rewards, or just a good airline based promotion. SFO (united is big there I know) is 5 minutes away, but San Jose is doable. Right now I’m leaning towards something through Southwest, as they fly everywhere I want (Vegas, Buffalo, New York) for relatively cheap, I just have to drive down to San Jose to fly. What do you all use? And I already tried Capital One, and the bastards said no.
Just buy some 7up & chicken soup, then shut the hell up.
Ok, people really need to shut up about this bird flu thing. All flu comes from birds! Blah blah, newsmen spread panic everywhere, and once again I will not get a flu shot, angrily tempting the stupid panic gods. Remember kids, unless you’re old, have a weakened immune system, or a health worker (or some bizarre combination of all three, then you might wanna get that shot). Sure the flu is rough and all (for like 3 days), but if I can survive all the other media scares, like looters, shark attacks, Aruba kidnappers & africanized bees, I think I’ll be ok.
Also, from Dan on the heels of old man testeverde’s latest performance…
’small north jersey company seeking anyone with football knowledge for starting quarterback position. must provide own transport to/from long island training facility. weekends a must. no experience necessary’
Posted in
Hockey by Don on October 11th, 2005
Remember when Sopranos still had new episodes? One of last year’s (year before’s) ongoing plots was Christopher’s gradual slide into becoming a junky. Typical TV addiction, becomes useless, can’t function, ignores the one he loves, and refuses to admits anythings wrong. Then the intervention comes, wherin everyone in the room just beats the fuck out of him and puts him in the hospital. There he finally breaks down and realizes he’s a mess, and goes about fixing himself up, and going back to being his usual thug self.Well, the NHL is back, and dear god its beuatiful. The powers that be had to nearly kill the sport to fix it, but it’s what it honestly needed. Too many people “in the biz” thought the trap was never going away, it was a great idea to be like baseball and have only 3 teams compete, and that skill was just too diluted to have teams like back in the 80s anyway. Well, they finally got the Wayne Brady treatment they needed 12 years ago. Scoring is up, and more importantly, the game is flowing again. Guys fly through the neutral zone (with or without the puck), where they used to be grabbed and ridden into the boards. Defensemen can just grab on and drag on the back of forwards, so even 3rd line wingers can get creative with puck handling in the corners. Watching the Sabres play the Penguins* tonight was incredible, I was maybe 12 the last time I saw that much offense from Buffalo, back when mogiliny smoked, lafontaine was healthy and Grant Fuhr was trying to get intro Buffalo Country Clubs. Trust me, sit down and watch a game, it’s so much better it midas well be new sport.
*Crosby is for real. Just a great talent. Points in all his games so far, including 3 or 4 against Boston. But Vanek just might be better 
Random thoughts I go through during the business day.
I love orange sherbert ice cream. One of my favorites. This is really unfortunate as the air freshener in the office bathroom uses this very scent. Luckily, this is the only thing wrong about my job before.
So yeah, I used to play hockey, and every now and then the old instinct kicks in, and I just want to hipcheck the fuck out of someone and see if I can flip them over. One of these days I might not be paying attention and do it. That could be bad.
Everday I fear I will start air drumming to the ipod in my very-visible-to-the-whole-company desk.
