2 days and a fond memory

As with any good buckeye nut the last few days before the first game of the season are twitchy! I can barely sit still and my mind pings from memories of past games and great times, so I figured I'd give all my loyal followers one of my favorite memories from my childhood.

No surprise to anyone, but going to a buckeye game with my dad is about the greatest thing ever and I have many great memories from my childhood of games and after games at roosters!! One of the best stories of a game day relates how important osu football is and how people around here just get it. When I was a kid I played everything (and was pretty good i'd say) from soccer to tetherball (spelling?) and I don't know how my parents kept up (time or money), amazing. Anyway, soccer was the first organized sport I participated in and still something I love to this day, but why they must play the games during the fall on saturday is beyone me? Well we always managed to get home for the games or schedule around the bucks. One day, when I was nine, it didn't look good. It was an early kickoff that saturday and my soccer game went into overtime (we already had the oranges just call it a tie!!). As soon as it was over, dad and I hoped in to his work truck (a stripped down blue toyota five speed with a Jim Croce tape stuck in the radio and about 200k miles on it!!) and tour ass to get home get changed and get to the game. We were playing Oregon and as we don't ever lose to ducks!! (see the rosebowl biotches) probably could miss a play or two, but NO!! We don't miss plays we get there and cheer on the bucks start to finish baby (unless its 400 below zero and iowa, another story). So we are going about 140 mph (probably like 75mph, but I was nine what did i know seemed like 140) down west case past the osu airport when a cop pulls over my dad. He comes up and asks what the hurry was and my dad (thinking quickly) says we are in a rush because he is taking his oldest boy to his first buckeye game and stupid soccer ran late (mind you i'd probably been to 3 or 4 games already at 9)! The cop smiled said thats great, get going, don't wanna miss that band!! How F-ing great is that, almost makes me cry! Hope one day my kid (kids if you ask Callie) have a memory that great, though i'm not sure i'd stop for a cop if I was late to a game?!

Day 24

It's interesting how you can feel your doing one thing and be way off. I did my 2 laps around the pond (2.4mi) yesterday and felt as if it was much quicker and that I jogged quite a bit of the distance. My overall time was 41:30, which I believe is my best time yet, but I was at 19 min after the first lap and thought I didn't drop off much in the second lap. Clearly I must have slowed down, my speculation is that when jogging in the second lap I must have been moving slower than if I was walking. Sounds funny, but the stride on a jog (when fatiqued) could be shorter and slower than a brisk walk. I'm going to try something today, not jogging at all, but 'power walking' the whole 2 laps just to see what my time is, ought be interesting. Oh and as soon as fall wants to get here and stay is fine with me, 93 degrees sucks!!

Office-niesta

Say it was his fault.

Actions say two must be at fault.

Sitting in a cubicle gossiping with cohorts -

Gal Pal Bon-bonistas,

One more useless than the other.

I've known good women, barren, longing

for what others are failing at.

Live religion more and preach less,

be less concerned of perceived sins,

teachings clung to: bigotry masked as compassion.

Practice it daily, eye turned to the mirror - blind to the world.

Then might future relationships be true,

not the Kincaid painting some want life to be.

Few truths are harder to come by or more rewarding than Love.

Love that finds you and might be difficult,

but is true -

Never conceived, located and conquered.

Day 22/23

B e a utiful weather this weekend, looks to be more of the same for Labor day weekend!! Saturday got away from me and I didn't go for a walk, but I was plenty active getting ready for thursday night. I made up for it sunday by taking the dog on a hour and 40 minute voyage. Got to love a dog, he took a 30 minute nap when we got home and then wanted to play! I could barely get up to get more water and he was like "wanna go again"? Anyway, figure did close to 5 miles sunday and it actually felt pretty good. Not going to be hard to get motivated this week, its game week baby!! and a short one too. Have the brats/dogs, gonna make mom's mac n cheese, have some drinks, family, and friends coming over... You can't argue that fall isn't the best time of the year! Go bucks!!!

Shouts of a Mime

This has always been me
Cloaked behind a costume no more
To long in that way

Those wanting who I was
Getting who they think i've become
Look! I am as always - strange and eclectic


Yet invigorated with the smooth
stroll of new days.

Day 20/21 and SRV

Got stuck at work late last night, no time to go to park so I walked around by my house. Only did 30 minutes, but was actually able to jiggle my fat arse at a jogging pace for about 5 minutes or so, so surely I got my 2 miles in. Today is off day, but think I might take dog for a long walk when I get home, because it is 'why the fall is best time of the year' beautiful in buckeye land today. 79 slight breeze nice and sunny with a few clouds. Perfection. On a sadder note......

I'm not good with anniversaries or dates of this or that, but the slackman is and keeps me well informed. 20 years ago today the world lost (in my opinion) the greatest guitar player in history of the world Stevie Ray Vaughan. Now before anyone screams (fill in your guy here) is the best: Hendrix is the greatest creator/unique player ever and I love slowhand like anyone and I think Mike McCreedy is most under appreciated ever, but Stevie is the man! 2 reasons, the pure soul of his play makes you feel the pain or joy or whatever emotion he is trying to convey in a song and he had a frickin' Peacock tattooed on his chest!! RIP SRV, biggest reason (aside from my family/friends) I hope I'm wrong about heaven is so one day I can see you in the best/never ending concert in the sky. Gonna go put on the ipod and try and get some work done (some/not a lot).

Day 19

Did the 2 laps around pond (2.4mi) in 41:40, 3 seconds slower than yesterday (must have sneezed or something?). Got thru 9 bottles of water, not as hard as I thought and didn't keep me in the bathroom all night, so I'm not 'that' old! yay! 1 F-ing week!!!! Yes!! Go Bucks!!

Don’t take these to Vegas: Week 1

Since these are the first picks of the season, here’s a short history of the evolution de useless blog. I can always remember people saying I should be a football play by play guy, but I can’t be impartial and I’d burn up the delay button by the second quarter, so ehh – not for me. Once I joined in the fun of NASCAR fantasy picks (and subsequently we started doing college picks) I grabbed the infamous Slackman style ramblings/format and added my opinions to try and make a pseudo funny/informative look at how I come to my picks. I found I liked spewing nothingness and could do it on many subjects, thus giving an outlet for the voices in my head. If I am only funny or enjoyable every 2 out of 5 posts, then I’d be in the hall of fame by baseball standards!

Given that you now know how this all came to be, I say here are my picks and good luck, but less luck than me!!!

10 pts – USC wins, I have a rule about traveling to Hawaii and how distracting it can be, but that generally applies to Midwest teams going for a bowl game and not So Cal guys who see short white skirts daily. Plus, Hawaii sucks, SC still has talent galore and who doesn’t want to see them run the table and have to sit at home for being the cheaters we all know they have always been, sadly Pete jumped ship before he got his, how very brave of you Pete.

9 pts – TCU wins, Well I’ll buy in I guess to the little guy hype on this one, plus pac10 teams (not called Trojan) don’t generally travel well out of conference early in the season. I can only hope Oregon St can have someone go L. Blount and Mike Tyson a hornfrog lineman after the game.

8 pts – Mizzu wins, how is Zooker still coach? Cooper is amazed at how you can do so little with so much talent. Richrod should take note that if you pull some big upsets (i.e. illini v bucks 07) you can ride that to a lot of forgiveness like the Zooker.

7 pts – T.U.N. wins, this is where emotions and personal beliefs affect decision making. Everything I read and hear points to a 3rd train wreck season for richrod, but I just can’t believe it. Something smells fishy and with him talking about which quarterback is ahead and taking the wings from Forcier and then him earning them back etc etc……. I think if he gets rid of the turnovers he is very dangerous. I will ignore how depleted the defense is and just assume that bringing in the 3-3-5 to bigten play will work, some? Jesus, being a buckeye fan is like being in witness relocation, paranoia!!

6 pts – NC wins, Well butchy screwed my a lot last year, but I keep hearing how he has 8, that’s right 8, first round picks on defense this year. You don’t have to have David Klinger’s offense to win games if the other team can’t score. Oh and butchy, letting some of your players live in a plush 150 a night hotel, might send up some red flags to NCAA investigators. But, it’s not your problem just whoever the coach is in 5 years when the NCAA gets around to penalizing NC, while you and the players involved are living the good life in the NFL. (That’s right reggie I’m talking bout you F-ing cheater)

5 pts – Kst wins, let’s face it even if the scoreboard says Kst won, we all agree that the guys at UCLA win everyday walking to class?! Good to see Bill Snyder back with all his superstitions, I like guys with superstitions - makes me feel less weird. He only likes soft butter and will only sit on the shady side of a plane. How one figures that out is beyond me, but its awesome crazy funny!!

4 pts – Purdue wins, I think Brian Kelly is going to do good things at ND, but not sure if he’ll get that defense there in season 1. We will see if Purdue’s coach is right and we need to “get used to it” (it being Purdue being good) or if they just got lucky last year and will go back to the mediocrity that is normal for them.

3 pts – L’ville wins, Unless Calapari has figured out how to illegally recruit for Kentucky football like he is doing for Kentucky basketball, I’m going with the home team.

2 pts – Wash wins, the great white Locker is back to take on the - we are going ND in football fighting Mormons. What network will score that mighty TV contract for the throngs of Ty Detmer fans? This totally goes against my pac10 teams on the road early theory, but I told you none of this makes sense, I just make it up as I go and I’m pretty sure the voices in my head don’t BBM each other. Oh yeah and I drove thru Utah a couple of years ago, do it for your self and you will understand Polygamy!!

1 pt – Boise St wins, I want Va tech to absolutely hammer Boise St and put them in their place, but the Blue turfs probably will stay close and might get lucky. Furthermore, why do some (nationally) preach the gospel of ‘beamer ball’ yet Tressel is too conservative and has no offense? I guess that’s a bigger question for another time, but it should be called ‘Senator Ball’, play great defense-great special teams-don’t turnover the ball.


If you’ve made it this far (which is probably just me so now I can add talking to myself on the list for the psychiatrist) then I hope you gleamed (now I want to rent/watch Gleaming the Cube) some info and maybe had a chuckle. Look forward to more posts (not so long) in the weeks to come and hopefully can bring home the trophy this year!!

Day 17

Went after work to the park and walked twice around the pond (2.4miles) in 41:37 (not bad) actually jogged a little, more to come hopefully. I drink a good amount of water thru the day, but I'm not sure I ever drink "8 glasses" in one day? So today I have a water bottle and i'm going to drink 8 bottles and see how much "old man" time I spend in the bathroom. Wish me luck! 1 week from tomorrow baby, go bucks!!!

Day 16

Did 2 miles at the track whilst volleyball night was in full force. Time 38:53, kinda slow but got it done. Didn't sleep well last night, neither did the dog, maybe he was nervous about our nephew too? How can a procedure be considered simple when they have to put the person (in this case child) under full anesthesia? I'm sooo looking forward to being a dad - it's going to make me more of a nut case than I already am, lol! Logically I know everything will be fine today, but sometimes I'm a glass was half empty and then I spilled it and now there is only a drop left in the glass kinda guy. I should/am working on that, but cynicism is my comfort zone. Everything is going to be fine and life is good, um saying it kinda helps I guess? Great thing about a 2-3 yr old is as long as the mac n cheese plus hot dogs are flowing they don't worry about stuff. I'm going to keep working on that carefree mentality, you know in between panic attacks!! lol! Kinda of want some mac n cheese now, I don't think we have that flavor creamer for the coffee at work?!

Too good too be true

Looked at a house yesterday close to park we like, it is for rent and the rent is close to what we pay for our apartment. Now my hopes were not up because I expected kinda what I saw, but you have to look, never know when you might get lucky. (and our neighbors are jackasses, I actually want to shivv the one guys friend, I don't even know how to make a shivv, but i'll learn and then use gladly on this thug wanna be next time he wants to wake us up at 3am with shitty rap music, get some Pac or biggie loser) This house is huge has a detached two car garage, large yard, 5 bedrooms, finished attic, and a large basement, sounds great right? Well, only 1 (nicely remodeled) bathroom is the highlight of the place. The kitchen is (and we were told would be before we moved in) in desperate need of a remodel just to be usuable. The basement looks like a set from a horror film, one of the bedrooms has a drafting table taking up half the room, all the windows and doors need replaced and the roof looks as if it needed replaced 20 years ago. The best part is the amount of temporary sealant sprayed everywhere, inside and out. Oh well, its also for sale, but as my friend Justin said the house would never pass inspection, so they would have to take down the house and just sell the land. Who knows, maybe by the time we can afford to buy a house good ole uncle sam will be giving 16k dollar tax credits?

Day 15

Went on nice walk/hike through trails with my wife and our dog sunday. Not sure how far, but atleast 2 miles probably 3. Was a beautiful afternoon and looks like weather this week is promising more of the same. Just in time for football season. Good thing too, just got week 1 pics for fantasy college football, have 2 nfl drafts this week, and the bucks start in 10 days!!(fall is best time of the year) Sadly, after second week in a row of having my driver shyte himself, it appears my chances of a 3peat in nascar is slim to none, but may keep the winning in the family if the wife keeps going Carnack on her picks! Oh, and for those in the know - Brad Keslowski is right, Kyle Busch is an Ass! Too bad that ass owned Bristol all weekend, i'd still rather cheer for a cool guy riding 14th (and sadly that was a good week for the 88) than root for an ahole that won.

Day 14

Went to the park and walked around the pond twice (2.4 miles) in 42:40. Not bad, leg hurt - might be my vagina not sure, but didn't jog much because of it. I'll take some Midol tonight and try to jog some tomorrow. Browns are on tonight and Bristol night race, have a friends 30th bday party to go to, so not gonna see much but should be a good party and I have Dvr for a reason. So close to first game my jock itches!!! Go Bucks!!!

Day 12 and 13

Well obviously I've been busy, too busy to get to my throngs of fans and update them on 'operation dumbo drop (dumbo being my gut). Anyway, day 12 was wicked busy and I only did one mile, on my lunch break (untimed). Today I did about 3 miles, went to antrim park to check it out and see how it was marked for distance (miles of trails etc) and think it might become my place to do my 2 miles right after work (sans dog). We did 2 laps around the lake (pond) which is 2.4 miles (total) and then did some other walking while looking at bike trails and other areas, getting done the 3 miles I wanted to do for today and what I missed yesterday. Tomorrow is off day. Then will definitely hit up the park Saturday and Sunday. Oh Yeah!!! 2 Weeks from right now should be watching the bucks (hopefully and easily) wrap up the first win of the season!!! Go Bucks!!!

Big Sighhhhhhhh

Well here it goes, guess I just can't resist throwing my two cents in on Farve and this comment is the kind that might offend some but remember I'm only half serious so if part of this offends you... I was joking - it was the other half I was serious about. :-) Now, I actually like Bret Farve and love that he won't hang it up because on the field he still has amazing skill. I actually wish he would say I'm sitting out till week 4 then come back so he's still fresh for the playoffs; then we wouldn't have a berry faced midget and "sorry 'bout that SC" Bush lucking into a Superbowl win! Having said that, I'm as disgusted by all the hype as everyone else. I'm ready to clue people in on a secret, there are 2 things that are used to generate interest and money that will probably never happen in my life time, despite people predicting both of these every year for a long long time: 1, Bret Farve retires (with class and permanently) and 2, the second coming of Christ. And if I'm wrong, then they probably will happen in conjunction with each other!!

How are more people not following my blog, there has to be someone keyword searching google right now with only the words Christ and Farve! Really, where else will those two subjects be breached in the same paragraph? Do I have to cut off an ear or die to get famous? I'm willing to loose an ear, all my life my mom and the last 4 years my wife have told me I don't listen anyway, so what do I need the ear for?!

Also, clearly for the few that do read this ya'll know I'm a big buckeye fan, but I have a really good friend whom is a team up north fan and things have been cruel for him the last few years. Now I'm as or more committed to beating them and getting to 9-1 under Tressel as ever, but it would be nice to see t.u.n. catch a break and win their other games. Today it was announced that the best defensive player they have (on a non too impressive defense the last few years) is probably out for the season with a dislocated ankle and a broken bone in his leg! Wow! Richrod optimizes the saying "if it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all"

Day 11 and update

Did another 3 miles last night in 51:16.5. I have made amends for missing my 2 miles saturday and I learned something that will make me adjust my plans for escalating my walks. What i'm leaning towards is staying at 2 miles 6 days a week, and focusing on improving my time and jogging more of each mile. Last night I jogged a quarter lap of the first 2 miles (half a mile) and I would like to get to where I can jog a whole mile straight. I think it would be better for loosing weight and getting in better shape. I know it is more realistic for time purposes, I don't see it as realistic that I would take 2 hrs (including driving to and fro track) to walk 4 miles in november. I believe, especially if my times improve, that by then I could be 30 min or less on 2 miles. Anyway, thats my goal and so far I feel really good about how things are going. 2 weeks and 1 day till the first game, Go Bucks!!!

Warning R rated Warning

If you haven’t seen it yet, check out Tosh.O, the best show on TV (ok Big Bang Theory may be a tie for best, but different types of comedy). Now the show is shot like talk soup, or if you don’t know talk soup – it’s just a guy in front of a green screen talking about clips. These clips come from the internet and comedian Daniel Tosh riffs on the youtube clips or viewer submitted clips. They have other bits they put together and general vulgarity runs rampant thru the show, I love it!! Big Big belly laughs, one of my favorite segments is when he reads (usually subject oriented) viewer comments (downside via twitter, I still hate twitter). Probably the hardest I have laughed (and still laughing at as I type this) was when a viewer said “I want to tongue punch your mom’s fart box”. I may be a childish fool, but god that makes me laugh every time!! This morning on Howard I heard a caller say something almost as funny when arguing with Robin Quivers and seeing how I don’t do twitter (thus I can’t send to Tosh.O – seriously they don’t take emails WTF?) I figure I’d just put it on my blog so my millions of followers can enjoy. Now the caller said the first half, I ‘spiced’ it up by adding the second half. (Remember I put a warning, you can still stop, my mind is warped and I’m not sure why I find vulgarity so funny) Anyway, he said “Why don’t you write the declaration of independence on my D-ck with your tongue and I’ll sign it with my load” What that had to do with their argument I still can’t figure out, and why the declaration of independence (why not the constitution?) is beyond me, but it made me laugh? It is very Mel Gibson (“why don’t you just smile and blow me?”) I guess if there is any lesson from all this, when arguing with a distraught man, expect a crazy BJ reference at any given moment! Oh yeah and if you didn’t find this funny, give Tosh.O a chance, they are professionals and I guarantee something will make you laugh.

Day 10

Knocked out my 3 miles in 51:59.4!! not bad, well for a fatty. You know an Ethiopian could probably do a half marathon in 51:59.4, another reason I'm glad I'm not Ethiopian!!

Day 8 and 9

Well sad to say I let day 8 get away from me and didn't officially walk 2 miles. I was very active and busy, but didn't get to go on a walk. I did walk last night for about 50 minutes around the neighborhood, so I got atleast 2 miles in for day 9. Now I will do 3 miles for day 10/11 to make up for day 8 and get back on track. Hope everyone had a good weekend, except for Kurt Busch, I know you had a crap weekend and thru a major kink in my 3 peat! Your a big eared loser like your brother, can't believe I was loosening my hate for you, back with your brother scum bag!! Less than 3 weeks to football!! Um yeah and I know it's only preseason, but did you see the browns first team offense move the ball and score? I I I I I I can't wrap my head around it either!

A great memory from the past

With football season finally getting ready to start, I figured I'd share a picture and memory of a great trip my buddy and I took. First I've only been to 2 OSU v t.u.n. (team up north) games in person. The first was "the slip" where Shawn Springs had improper cleats on and let one play ruin a shot at a national championship, an all to common experience in the Cooper years. Now let me say that time, winning, and a little perspective have allowed me to appreciate the good things coop brought to Columbus: a rose bowl victory, competing year in year out nationally for the best recruiting class, and doing so in a classy manor. Unfortunately the pain of 2-10-1 will always be the first thought when coop is mentioned, but his time at OSU was important and set up a good program so coach Tressel could come in and take that talent to the next level. Now on to my second trip....... My friend Munish says to me lets go to Ann arbor and see 'the game' at their place in early fall of 2005 and I was hesitant to say the least. If you have read my other stuff you can see I'm a bit superstitious and was not sure if I'd be a jinx seeing the game in person. He convinced me that it was a once in a life time chance and that Tressel was 3-1 vs Michigan, things are different now. Now we didn't have a ticket hook up, wanted good seats, but didn't have deep pockets. Looking at tickets on ebay, it was clear that we could get way better seats if we bought single tickets in sections close to each other and went that way, so he got a ticket for a little over face value just above the student section and I got one in same section, but down about 15 rows in the heart of the student section. You may think I'm crazy, and I am, but I would consider it a great honor to die fighting for the buckeyes in the student section. It wasn't till the 3rd quarter of the game that it occurred to me "what would I do if we lost and I was stuck around all these people?" OK, I'm stupid, but you'll see someone was looking out for me that day. The buckeyes pulled out a great victory capped by a Antonio Pittman TD run after future Heisman trophy winner (and Michigan game stud 3-0 with sick numbers as a starter) Troy Smith led a great drive! I still remember the long faces and the overwhelming personal disbelief at what I had just seen. We O-H I-O'd all the way back to the car. We were sitting in traffic listening to the local fans call the local sports radio station and bitch about the game and I just started pounding on my steering wheel like a mad man saying "I can't F-ing believe we won, I can't believe it!!" I think Munish was as scared as happy, probably thinking why did I let him drive he's more nuts than I thought.

Now here is the kicker, we waited forever (not good layout at bighouse for crowd control) for crowds to clear out to get to where we could talk to each other about the game and take some pictures, plus we wanted to sing Carmen Ohio with the team and soak it all in!! So we were looking for someone to take a picture of us, but the only people still close to us were an older couple whom were Michigan fans. The guy was turned around talking to the other Michigan fan still around, so we asked the lady to take our picture and she kindly obliged. (I will take a second here to bash buckeye fans, Michigan fans are way more classy and even tempered than we are and showed great sportsmanship, of course that was before they knew they were upon a cooper like era) Anyway, right as she took the picture her husband turned around to see what we were doing and yell what are you doing to her as she snapped this sweeeet picture!! 4-1 baby!!!

Day 7

Did my 2 miles in 38:16 last night, not bad but man was I feeling it, made a trip to have best sub in the world yesterday at Belacino's! Not a good idea for exercising, but well worth the pain. Today is a rest day, then will start back up Saturday morning. If anyone follows bucks like I do, you will know this isn't perfectly in line with there schedule, but Friday's needs to be my off day for my sanity. End of the work week is not the day to go to track at 10pm. Who knows, maybe i'll find some other form of recreational activity to get a little workout in for the day?! Less than 3 weeks and I have that itch that comes every year where I see some guy in the grocery store that looks like he used to play ball and I just want to form tackle him, get up say "its your turn" let him tackle me, then high five and say America is the greatest nation ever simply because of football!! God I love this game, shit I need some guys in my office! Can't tackle soccer mom's, not going to tackle the gay guy in accounting, and don't think i'll tackle the owner's? I just want to tackle/hit someone, maybe i'll just run into the wall!! Haven't done that since I was like 5, ok maybe 19 but I was really really drunk!! Go Bucks!!!!

Day 6

A long day made it tough to go to the track last night, but I did and though my time wasn't great 40:14, I did finish the 2 miles. Sometimes its not about doing the best, but your best for that day. If I say Just Do It, maybe i'll get sued by Nike and then get some publicity for my blog!! I haven't checked yet, but I don't think I got any I-O's yesterday from my O-H.


O-H

Big 4, Little 8?

Tomorrow will be three weeks till the first buckeye game of the season, today I’d like to pause and look to next year and beyond. Nebraska is coming and more will follow as the big ten and college football step towards the ‘Super Conference’. Four – sixteen team mega conferences are on the way and the big 12 managing to hold on to Texas and those other 9 only stayed the execution, there is no governor’s pardon in the future. They will be absorbed into the Pac 10, Big 10 (both now with 12 teams), and the SEC; in conjunction with the Big East and ACC trimming some fat and becoming the fourth mega conference. How all this will actually shake out is still to be seen, who will win the Texas lottery? Will this affect all sports or just football? Will they take my suggestion and rename the conferences The Big Money: East, South, Midwest, and West? Probably not, but lets deal with next year and the more immediate future.

With Nebraska now in the Big12Ten and we know there is a conference game in 2011 I will speculate about how the divisions will be aligned. Everyone seems to agree that OSU and Michigan must continue to play every year and I believe many agree this should remain at the end of the regular season. I know this hasn’t always been the case, but last time it was leather helmets were still used, so maybe things are better now? Also, I have no problem with the possibility of ‘the game’ being played twice in one season, so I see no need to put both teams in the same division. Now if they are placed in the same division it wouldn’t bother me either, but there are large reasons they shouldn’t. The obvious is then your two traditional powerhouses would be in one division, second you would also have Penn State in that division or in a division that is far from geographically balanced. Now I don’t care about geographical balance, but the schools do and rightfully so for travel cost and other reasons. My proposal is geographically balanced, allows for end of regular season rivalry matchups, traditional power balance and the possibility of the Big 2 playing for the conference championship; the way it has been and should be.

As you can see in this wonderful and artfully done (inspired by my wife’s craftiness) picture we would have the BT10-North and the BT10-South. With the north being comprised of traditional powers Nebraska and Michigan along with Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan State. The south would have traditional powers Ohio State and Penn State along with Illinois, Northwestern, Indiana, and Purdue. I will agree that the North would be a more dangerous conference year in and year out, but this will be more balanced when four teams are added to make a super conference. Indiana and Minnesota are a wash as dogs, while MSU/Wisconsin/Iowa are stronger now than Purdue/Illinois/Northwestern, I contend they are mostly even level of competition over the last 20 years. Ohio State and Penn State have been considerably better than Nebraska and Michigan the last 5-10 years, so that helps balance against the fact that the north has a stronger bottom 4 than the south.

I also don’t like the final regular season game being thanksgiving weekend, I can deal with it being that weekend and understand that the long layoff hurts the big ten in bowl games, but with a championship game I think we can have the best of both worlds (at least for the 2 teams contending for the crown). How? Easy, make the last week of the regular season cross division rivalry week held the weekend before thanksgiving, with ‘The game’ – PSUvMSU – IowavIll – WiscvPur – MinnvIndiana – NebvN’west. Now maybe some of those aren’t rivalries, but it is impossible to have each game be a traditional rivalry and maybe new ones can be formed. Then thanksgiving is an open week for the 2 division champs before having the championship game the first weekend in December(giving rest and prep time for the teams and space if it were to be a rematch game). The teams not involved would still have a long layoff, but they won’t be in the National Championship picture so who cares how long their layoff is and it shouldn’t be too long a layoff because at the latest they’d be playing Jan 1 and most would play end of December. Let me know what you think or any additional or better ideas. Is it great to be talking football or what? O – H baby!!!

day 5

Did 2 miles in 35.43 tonight, no dog, cut almost 2 min off time. first day of pads was today, hearing good things, glad to see Tyler Moeller back on the field after missing a year and a half because some moron got (ironically) 'Moellered up' in a bar and started a fight. hey Gary would anyone remember you as the guy between Lllllloyd Car and Bo if not for your whiskey induced exit from Ann arbor?!

day 4

Did 2 miles in 37:42 last night. walking with dog still sucks, unless you wanna walk with a crack head pulling you to the right and then the left and then jumping in front of you and then looking at you like why are we doing this, where is my toy?............ Today is first day of pads!! Time to hit baby, those joggers that give this fat guy a dirty look for being on 'their' track better watch out, i'll show them how fast 340lbs can explode in a 3yd burst! Then they'll be a cloud of dust!

day 3

Didn't get around to posting last night, but I did get my walking in yesterday. It was a bit spread out, but I played golf and then went to the richland county fair for a few hours yesterday. So I'm sure I got at least 2 miles if not more in, but now need to walk this week whilst eating normal, cause the fair food totally nixed the benefit of walking! No complaints though, cheese on a stick is a gift from Ganesh.

day 2

Of to a good start, just walked about 3 miles with the dog, might play some golf today. Even might walk again later this afternoon, looks like a lot of garage sales around the neighborhood today. 26 days till game one and looking for a strong start to camp! Go Bucks!!

Day 1

Well, I'm out of town so didn't go to the track and officially walk 2 miles, but definitely walked my 2 miles. In fact I walked to the bar previously mentioned from my mother-in-laws place and it was easily 2 miles maybe even 3. Already have plans to walk 3-4 tomorrow and then plenty of walking at the fair on Sunday. All good because the food is not going to be healthy this weekend and going the extra mile is what the bucks need to do for success this season. Less than 4 weeks to the first game!!

88 problems and a bitch ain't one!

Five races left till the chase is locked in and Dale Jr. stands 129 points out of the top 12 (he was in 10th three races ago). This week is the road course at Watkins Glenn, then Michigan, Bristol, Atlanta and finally Richmond. That’s 26 pts better per race to catch 12th, plus whatever else all the others close do. Well a road course is a shoot out I guess, I mean he’s done ok, but he’s got no chance at a win and a good chance at a crap finish. He does have 6 of his 18 career wins at the last 4 tracks, but Michigan was a fuel mileage win and Bristol and Atlanta was in 2004 the peak of his career where he had 6 wins including the Daytona 500. Richmond the last race before the chase is his best hope for victory, he has 3 career wins there and should have 4, but was robbed by douche bag 18 car in spring of 2008 (the only down part of a great race weekend for my friends and I). The hard part is knowing the fingers left to point at the crew chiefs are running out and soon only thumbs will be left to point and those only point back at the driver. Some say he needs Eury Sr. back (not going to happen) and that is the only crew chief he can win with, I can’t believe there is only 1 guy that can make it all work for him. Sometimes I wonder if he had a delayed sense of fear from his fathers death on the track or a wend ling desire to sacrifice what needs to be sacrificed to win. Who knows, you see signs of consistency for a few weeks each year, but it doesn’t last and consistency won’t do it now. We need a magic run of top 5’s and a victory or 2. I’ll always pull for Jr., just hope he figures something out and finds a way to give us more victories and good times. The chase without Jr. is like a Boise St vs. Utah national championship game, who cares.

Side note 1: anyone that might stumble on this and thinks he’s overrated and not that good, ask mark martin how many of his victories he’d give up for a Daytona 500? And how many drivers have 18 career victories, are dominate at Dega and Daytona and won 2 championships in the Busch series, being down and being not good are completely different issues.

Side note 2: Come on Jay-Z, great song, but I think you might have a hundred problems, cause there is no way Beyonce’s not a enormous pain in the ass! Her hair extensions probably have their own personal assistant and she looks like maybe she can nag, just a little?! Probably, but 100 doesn’t rhyme so well does it?

Side note 3: Maybe a bitch is one? Jr’s very private, maybe his girl/s or lack there of is causing problems, but come out and tell us. If he’s using wrangler’s commercials and fame to role thru southern bells like Magic and Wilt partying at the Playboy mansion in 1982, that’s fine just write a book with a good picture section in the middle! We need victories or debauchery, nothing else will do!! and if not having a girl is the problem ask a friend to hook you up, shouldn't be a problem. Also, Jr - they aren't all like Teresa!! Oooo cheap shot on my way out!!

Just listen baby!!

Ipod suggestion for today…. The Slackman and I will text randomly our ipod/cd pick of the day to each other because we have similar musical taste and it’s nice to get inspired from someone else to listen to something you might not have listened to in a while. Often on Fridays I’ll put my ipod on shuffle till I hear something that I want to listen to the whole album (if youngins is reading that’s how music is supposed to/was listen to before itunes and crap Justin timberakon speareyonce). Today’s pick is Simon and Garfunkel’s greatest hits, man if oil and water don’t mix them sure as hell can sing!! The Boxer, Cecilia, Bridge under…., Homeward bound……… If you have some or can get some, do you won’t be disappointed, hell get some parsley, rosemary, and thyme and really enjoy (though not if your at work). The boxer is my favorite, but listen to homeward bound, the best song about being on the road; young not yet a star and lacking confidence in your song writing abilities. Ironic because Paul Simon is a genius, but we all struggle with self confidence I guess. “All my words come back to me in shades of mediocrity like emptiness and harmony I need someone to comfort me – homeward bound. I wish I was – homeward bound” Wonder what it must be like to write something that the masses can relate to like that? Anyway, listen if you can and enjoy.

update/correction

No walking yesterday, I miss spoke and should have said I’d start today (and I will). Yesterday was just move in day, I had to get the mini-fridge moved, make sure the hair was good for photos; the Ps3 is hooked up etc etc….. Now I will start tonight, but it will be difficult because we are traveling back to my wife’s hometown for the weekend and should be going to a bar that serves free cheeseburgers on Fridays!! Need I say this louder FREE CHEESEBURGERS AND COLD BEER (cheap $ on beer for a bar too)!!! Nice thing about a small bar on the outskirts of a small town is good people who all know each other and still live as if they are in America and not the people’s republic of America. They (oooo bad word) SMOKE in the bar. It’s a BAR not a children’s playhouse for crying out loud!! Free dead cow, cold buds, and a couple of grits go together like apple pie and vanilla ice cream!! On the downside, my wife was called the ‘N’ word as a kid cause she is a little tan, ehh my hometown has a cement corn field – we all have crazy people in our town’s - got to take the good with the bad! Anyway, I will get my miles in all weekend and will need to seeing as how the food will be abundant, its fair season!! Fried cheese on a stick baby!! Go bucks!!

The Hypothosis

Can I make my ritualized paranoia work for me? I’m known by many to have a quirk or two (or 5 million) when it comes to OSU sports (especially football). I am sane enough to realize these have no actual effect on the outcome of any one game or season, but crazy enough that I need to do these for my peace of mind. I would say I’m mildly/functionally OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and this tends to manifest numerically in my daily life. I count how long my soap is in my hair and it has to be some increment of 30 seconds, this is a good example my OCD behavior. I’ve seen things on television where people have extreme OCD and it ruins their life, fortunately I’m not that bad – mine is manageable. As I mention before OSU sports is where this affects me the most with the things I like to do to “help insure victory” (it funny just typing that). So this football season I’m going to attempt to use this disorder to help with another life long battle.

I’ve always been “the big kid”, but sometime in the last 8 years (I’m 31) I came to understand I wasn’t fat, I actually was a really good athlete and though a little chunky – in pretty good shape. That train left in college and has stayed far away since. A couple of years ago I did lose 40-50 lbs (eating better and exercising, crazy huh?), but ___________ (fill in excuse here) I gained it all back really easy. Plus, I’m kind of an all or none person who has never done moderation well. So when I exercise and eat right I do really well till I fall of the wagon and then I jump off the wagon on the edge of a cliff! It’s all bad, so my idea is to attempt to exercise and tie it to my sports OCD.

Now if you’re skeptical or want to say, but what if….. I’m not stupid, I know the bucks could tank in week 2 or any other week and then where would I be? Well, I’m starting with the opening of camp for 2 reasons: one, cause that’s when the prep for the season begins and when I should begin and two, if the team should falter than hopefully I’ll be seeing enough results to continue on. The plan is to walk/jog/run 2 miles 6 days a week starting Aug 5th (players report for camp) till Sept 5th. From there I will add a mile every month on the 5th (eventually getting to 5 miles 6 days a week in Nov) and hopefully looking good as the buckeyes look good for a run to another National Championship?! Last night I did a test walk and finished at 40 minutes, I did have a few pauses with the dog (to keep him away from a runner at the track) but think I’ll average about 36 minutes for the first week or two. Hopefully within each month I can make gains in speed/time and jogging more than walking.

My lovely wife is going to be trying this with me (accept for volleyball night), so hopefully it will be good for both of us. I get annoyed at work listening to people talk about this workout and this run because I’m usually more of a shut up and do it person (when I quit smoking I just decided regularly smoking a pack a day wasn’t for me anymore and quit cold turkey) but in this case I figure ‘blogging’ about it would be a good way of holding myself accountable to others and give me something to write about on slow news days. If this adventure is successful I’ll put some pictures up, hopefully looking like a young Greg Fry! Lol!! Go bucks!!