The Inner Thought of a Fish: Beware

Attention Kentucky Fan: The Sky Is NOT Falling.....

2009-03-06T14:13:00.000-08:00

As it may seem the sky is falling I do not quite think this season can be laid wholly at the feet of Coach Billy Gillispie. I have summed up this basketball team in poker terms....Essentially we have a 3 of a Kind all the time. Now 3 of a Kind will win a majority of your hands, last time I checked 19-11 was around a 2-1 win/loss ratio...I repeat WE DO NOT have a LOSING record Kentucky fan. At the same time you are going to run up against Straights, Flushes, Full Houses, and Four of a Kinds that will beat you, on occasion quite badly. Our problems boil down to more than just coaching and are quite simple to those who pay attention...

1.) Lack of Talent: Other than Meeks and Patterson(and maybe Miller) we don't have another player who would START on any of the teams currently ranked in the Top 25, so how can we be a Top 25 caliber team. Also 90% of the team that plays the majority of the minutes were recruited by one Tubby Smith, who recruited defensive minded, middle of the road talent. The cupboard was left bare with the likes of Stevenson, Harris, Porter, Stewart, Carter, etc...none of who is typical Kentucky Talent. Now while I can't prove it but I believe Tubby did this as a big middle finger, to those Kentucky fans who wanted him fired and placed For Sale signs in his yard, as he walked out the door for Minnesota. He had accepted that job halfway through his last season and basically left us hanging. You just cannot win basketball games 2vs5 or 3vs5. One of the best questions I've seen on a message board was someone who offered you two options 1.) Replace any of our guards with Devan Downey from South Carolina( a really great point guard and leader) or 2.) Replace Billy Gillispie with any other coach who could be hired right now(no Coach K, Roy Williams, Calapari, Pitino, or Donovan). Which option makes us better right now? In my opinion this is a no brainer, switch Downey for Porter and we are a Top 10 team easily while I don't know if any other coach could take this talent and make them a GREAT team. Our turnovers would be cut in half and we would have a skilled Point Guard who could bring the ball up the court, score, or penetrate. Even though we have 2 guys who average 20-25points per game, we have 4 to 5 guys that play over 20 minutes(half the game) and average only 3-4. That just will get it done for a championship caliber team.

2.) Inexperience: On Senior Night Wednesday we said goodbye to our single Senior player Jarrod Carter...who played maybe an entire game's worth of minutes in 4 years and essentially accomplished nothing. Other than Porter and Stevenson, both Juniors who didn't play much their first few years we have no leaders who have been to the tournament and won. Meeks and Galloway are also Juniors one who missed all of last year and the other a first year Junior College Transfer learning to play at a new level. Stewart and Patterson are just sophmores, while Miller, Liggins, and Harrelson are just Freshman. We have none of the guys who have "been there before" to take the reigns and lead this team to victory. Meeks while our number 1 players as far as scoring is a very quiet player, not a leader. Due to this inexperience we are having trouble taking care of the ball and losing close games that we won last year. Porter is a Shooting Guard playing Point Guard in his first year at a new position and his backup is a true Freshman in Liggins. We were 18-12 last year with 2 solid Senior leaders in Crawford and Bradley, who did a great job running the team as the PG and are 19-11 this year replacing those guys with Freshman. Many people praised Gillispie's Job last year, as evidenced by his SEC Co-Coach of the Year....he's had less to work with this year and has a better record! We reward him with boos and asking for him to be fired, what kind of sense is that?

Now I have some problems with Gillispie as he's been responsible for some of our worst losses in this proud program's history. Gardner Webb, San Diego St., VMI outside of conference and the Vandy debacle last year and Georgia this year are very BAD losses. He lost 6 home games for the first time in almost 40 years and we may miss the NCAA Tounrament for the first time in 18 years(30 if you count non-probabtion years). However, its just been 2 years and this guy has been a COACH OF THE YEAR in every conference he's coached in. Just like with Rich Brooks after 2 years, things look bleak but I really believe after another 2 years people will be praising this guys. However keep fanning the flames of negativity and you may see something really worth booing. Should Gillispie be run out of town or fired, we could lose 2 recruits in Daniel Orton and GJ Villarino, Patterson and Meeks would declare because why do they want to start all over with a new coach, and maybe a couple guys transfer. We would have nothing and probably have gasp....A LOSING SEASON. Then maybe the sky would be falling!

Favorite Horror Movies.....

2008-10-31T20:16:00.000-07:00

In honor of Halloween I just wanted to recommend my Top 10 Favorite Horror Movies. Scared yet? Did not think so........:)

10. The Mist: classic Stephen King, showing how people can loose it and follow a crazed zealot to even commit murder, a strange mist, and even stranger creatures. The ending is one of the harshest I've seen!

9. Scream: New take on the classic slasher flick with great suspense while poking fun at some of the classics of the drama.....

8. The Thing: John Carpenter at his best in this smart alien flick that is more about suspense and paranoia than special effects, set in the arctic wastelands.

7. The Shining: Jack Nicholson is fabulous as the father gone crazy and trying to kill his family at a resort hotel during the winter.

6. The Exorcist: Green Pea Soup vomit, demonic possession, and a girl violating herself with a cross screaming, "fuck me" to a priest.....does it get any crazier?

5. 28 Weeks Later: great new take on the zombie flick where it's no longer the slow moving, stupid zombies. These zombies are infected with the "rage" virus and go full out.

4. Saw: The first of the series really was a great suspense/mystery flick with all kinds of twist and turns and one of the greatest twist endings in recent memory.

3. the original Halloween: the consummate slasher flick in which the clinically insane Michael Myers breaks out of the insane asylum in order to kill his sister and terrorizes a whole town on Halloween night in plain, emotionless mask.

2.The Hill Have Eyes(the newer re-make): the first movie in a while to raise the hairs on the back of my neck. Craziest moment is when the shit starts to hit the fan all at once and you realize this movie is pulling no punches.

1. Aliens: not only is it my favorite sci-fi/horror flick it is my favorite movie of all time mixing suspense, terror, and action all rolled into one blockbuster movie. Favorite moment is when the Aliens come out of the wall for the first time and you realize the marines are screwed....Game Over Man, Game Over.

The Office plugs Battlestar Galactica.....Sweet!

2008-10-21T22:13:00.000-07:00

Could not have said it any better myself :)

Dwight said he never stole time from the company so Jim watched him all day with a stopwatch to time him whenever he did anything personal. Here he's trying to goad him into a conversation....priceless

Priceless....

2008-10-21T22:10:00.000-07:00

We've come a long way......

2008-10-21T22:06:00.000-07:00

Received my new issue of GameInformer for November and had an article on this video and where the next generation in animation is headed. Pretty impressive you ask me but you can judge for yourself

Gold Stars and 100% Songs

2008-08-22T14:30:00.001-07:00

Yeah so I was bored and wanted to document some of my Rock Band achievements for all to see. Yes it is my crack addiction!!!!! And Yes I do ROCK!!!!!

My guitar characters and achievements

My bass characters and achievements

The Jerk Line.....

2008-08-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

I found this hilarious and very disturbing at the same time. Some NFL teams have been adopting a policy of having a "hot line" that you can call if there is a problem with fans while tailgating in the parking lot. Well the Cincinnati Bengals are going a step further with what is being called the "jerk hotline" The phone number is 513-381-JERK and can be reached by call or text during tailgating and games. The idea being that if people are too obnoxious or cursing during games you can call the hotline and stadium security will first issue a warning. If the problem continues fans may be removed from the stadium and have season tickets revoked, serious issues will result in arrest. I found this extremely amusing at first but then it makes me think of Nikki's recent blog "What has happened to us?" Has common courtesy diminished so badly that now we have to have a "jerk" hotline. This sounds like a good idea to get rid of the true jerks but how long before this hotline is abused just by people who are annoyed or have a personal vendetta against opposing fans. How long before this becomes common place at all sporting events?

A Healthy Diet.......

2008-08-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps has an incredible diet based on the calories and energy he needs to compete at such a high level of swimming. He reportedly swims minimum of 5 hours a day burning over a 1000 calories an hour. Recently he spoke to ESPN about his daily diet. Do you think you could handle this daily......

For breakfast, Phelps has:

* Three fried egg sandwiches with cheese lettuce tomatoes, fried onions and mayo

* One five-egg omelette

* A bowl of grits

* Three slices of French toast with powdered sugar

* Three chocolate chip pancakes

* Two cups of coffee

That's 4000 calories!

For lunch:

* 1,000 calories worth of energy drinks

* A pound of pasta with tomato sauce

* Two large ham, cheese and mayo sandwiches on white bread

For dinner:

* Six to eight slices of pizza

* Another pound of pasta with tomato sauce

* And wash it down with another 1,000 calories of energy drinks

All together …12,000 calories a day!

Update....

2008-07-23T16:47:00.000-07:00

First off I want to thank everyone for their support and well wishes for my dad. As most of you know he was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in Feb. The doctor told him they caught it early and he did his research on where to do and decided to go to Vanderbilt to have the removal procedure. His surgery was last Wednesday afternoon in Nashville and they were able to do the robotic procedure and was a great success. My step-mom and dad were home by Thursday evening and he is recovering nicely. He'll be laid up for a few weeks of rest but they already removed his tube and bag that he had to use for the restroom. He said he'd be cleared to play golf in a couple weeks and my parents have a golf outing planned for September.

See You In 2009......

2008-07-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

I just received the good news last week and I will have to bid everyone adieu until 2009. Unless of course you would care to join me in the greatness that will be ROCK BAND 2. Due out in exclusive form in September to the Xbox 360 and coming to Sony Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii sometime before the end of the holiday season, Rock Band 2 is taking things up a notch. With a great new set of 84 new tracks (Rock Band 1 had an initial setlist of 59 songs) and many new features including the ability to make setlists to play, complete online play in co-op and career, the ability to make your Xbox 360 into a jukebox and more character customization options Rock Band 2 is sure to be the best selling music genre game. Another great announcement was that all songs purchased as downloadable content and all songs from the original Rock Band will automatically upload into Rock Band 2! This is the first time a game has had this type of backwards compatability. Also Harmonix stated that there would be over 500 songs available to play by the end of the holiday season. (Wipes drool off chin!) Harmonix recently revealed the entire songlist for Rock Band 2 at E3 in L.A. and here it is....

Rock Band 2 On-Disc Track List:

Artist Song Title Decade
1. AC/DC “Let There Be Rock” 1970s
2. AFI “Girl’s Gone Grey” 2000’s
3. Alanis Morissette “You Oughta Know” 1990’s
4. Alice in Chains “Man in the Box” 1990’s
5. Allman Brothers “Ramblin’ Man” 1970’s
6. Avenged Sevenfold “Almost Easy” 2000’s
7. Bad Company “Shooting Star” 1970’s
8. Beastie Boys “So Whatcha Want” 1990’s
9. Beck “E-Pro” 2000’s
10. Bikini Kill “Rebel Girl” 1990’s
11. Billy Idol “White Wedding Pt. I” 1980’s
12. Blondie “One Way or Another” 1970’s
13. Bob Dylan “Tangled Up in Blue” 1970’s
14. Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” 1980’s
15. Cheap Trick “Hello There” 1970’s
16. Devo “Uncontrollable Urge” 1980’s
17. Dinosaur Jr. “Feel the Pain” 1990’s
18. Disturbed “Down with the Sickness” 2000’s
19. Dream Theater “Panic Attack” 2000’s
20. Duran Duran “Hungry Like the Wolf” 1980’s
21. Elvis Costello “Pump It Up” 1970’s
22. Fleetwood Mac “Go Your Own Way” 1970’s
23. Foo Fighters “Everlong” 1990’s
24. Guns N’ Roses “Shackler’s Revenge” 2000’s
25. Interpol “PDA” 2000’s
26. Jane’s Addiction “Mountain Song” 1980’s
27. Jethro Tull “Aqualung” 1970’s
28. Jimmy Eat World “The Middle” 2000’s
29. Joan Jett “Bad Reputation” 1980’s
30. Journey “Anyway You Want It” 1970’s
31. Judas Priest “Painkiller” 1990’s
32. Kansas “Carry On Wayward Son” 1970’s
33. L7 “Pretend We’re Dead” 1990’s
34. Lacuna Coil “Our Truth” 2000’s
35. Linkin Park “One Step Closer” 2000’s
36. Lit “My Own Worst Enemy” 1990’s
37. Lush “De-Luxe” 1990’s
38. Mastodon “Colony of Birchmen” 2000’s
39. Megadeth “Peace Sells” 1980’s
40. Metallica “Battery” 1980’s
41. Mighty Mighty Bosstones “Where’d You Go” 1990’s
42. Modest Mouse “Float On” 2000’s
43. Motorhead “Ace of Spades” 1980’s
44. Nirvana “Drain You” 1990’s
45. Norman Greenbaum “Spirit in the Sky” 1960’s
46. Panic at the Disco “Nine in the Afternoon” 2000’s
47. Paramore “That’s What You Get” 2000’s
48. Pearl Jam “Alive” 1990’s
49. Presidents of the USA “Lump” 1990’s
50. Rage Against the Machine “Testify” 1990’s
51. Ratt “Round & Round” 1980’s
52. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Give it Away” 1990’s
53. Rise Against “Give it All” 2000’s
54. Rush “The Trees” 1970’s
55. Silversun Pickups “Lazy Eye” 2000’s
56. Smashing Pumpkins “Today” 1990’s
57. Social Distortion “I Was Wrong” 1990’s
58. Sonic Youth “Teenage Riot” 1980’s
59. Soundgarden “Spoonman” 1990’s
60. Squeeze “Cool for Cats” 1970’s
61. Steely Dan “Bodhitsattva” 1970’s
62. Steve Miller Band “Rock’n Me” 1970’s
63. Survivor “Eye of the Tiger” 1980’s
64. System of a Down “Chop Suey” 2000’s
65. Talking Heads “Psycho Killer” 1970’s
66. Tenacious D “Master Exploder” 2000’s
67. Testament “Souls of Black” 1990’s
68. The Donnas “New Kid in School” 2000’s
69. The Go-Go’s “We Got the Beat” 1980’s
70. The Grateful Dead “Alabama Getaway” 1980’s
71. The Guess Who “American Woman” 1970’s
72. The Muffs “Kids in America” 1990’s
73. The Offspring “Come Out & Play (Keep ‘em Separated)” 1990’s
74. The Replacements “Alex Chilton” 1980’s
75. The Who “Pinball Wizard” 1960’s
76. Abnormality “Visions” 2000’s
77. Anarchy Club “Get Clean” 2000’s
78. Bang Camaro “Night Lies” 2000’s
79. Breaking Wheel “Shoulder to the Plow” 2000’s
80. The Libyans “Neighborhood” 2000’s
81. The Main Drag “A Jagged Gorgeous Winter” 2000’s
82. Speck “Conventional Lover” 2000’s
83. The Sterns “Supreme Girl” 2000’s
84. That Handsome Devil “Rob the Prez-O-Dent” 2000’s

Oh and did I mention the new ION DRUM SET that will also double as a real electronic drum set!!!

My Soul Belongs To Microsoft......

2008-07-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

I am amazed to where the level of gaming has gone and very excited for the future. The gaming industry has now topped the Box Office and DVD sales to become the #1 form of entertainment in America. I know many have touted in the blogger nation the greatness of the Nintendo Wii. However I have invariably written the deed to my soul to one Bill Gates and the Microsoft Xbox 360. Why has the Xbox been granted my soul? Well simply Xbox Live. Microsoft's Xbox Live is by far the standard for online gaming (wake up Sony and Nintendo)and now with the Xbox Live Marketplace, sooo much more. The new marketplace offers classic arcade games including Joust, Pac-Man, Tetris, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Simpsons, and many more. I can also download online playable versions of Spades, Hearts, Texas Hold'em, and UNO. Many Xbox 360 games offer play online against thousands(there's consistently over 200,000 people playing Halo 3 when I sign on) and offer new downloadable content for games to increase their playable value. There are now Tens of Thousands of TV shows, and Hi-Def movies available for purchase and download to your Xbox on the marketplace thanks to partnerships with almost all the major networks and production companies. Just recently announced is a deal with Netflix that will allow Xbox Live subscribers and Netflix subscribers to be able to download over 10,000 movies and TV shows from Netflix at no additional cost. I have made friends over Xbox Live in Pennsylvania, New York, Florida, Canada, California, and many other cities as well as being able to play games with many of my Kentucky Friends. Anytime I want to jam on Rock Band with other people, play some Spades or Texas Hold'em, and do some good ole fashion killing with millions across America it's at the touch of a button. I bow to you great Microsoft for your innovation in leading the way to change the future of entertainment! Come to the Dark Side!

What's Your Story.....

2008-06-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

AnnaMarie tagged me in her blog to complete this blogger exercise.

Rules are:

1. Write the title to your own memoir using 6 words.
2. Post it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who tagged you.
4. Tag 5 more blogs.

The title of my memoir would be "Swimming Upstream: The Legend of Fish"

I now tag Roy, Jenn The Mother Henn, Josh Gregory, Brett, and Christo

Amazing Tiger..........

2008-06-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

I just have to marvel at how amazing Tiger Woods is. We are truly witnessing modern history and the most dominate player of any competitive sport. Golf is by far the hardest, most mentally challenging sport to play. You can be great and make just one mistake that can cost you the entire hole. A person can hit 2 or 3 great shots and then 2 bad putts and get bogey on a hole. For those who walk the course you truly have to be in shape to maintain a high level because once you get tired and your mechanics and mental fatigue start to take over your game can fall apart. You have to be near perfect and very consistent to be a "great" player in the golf world and even these guys have very poor showings from time to time. Golf is a very difficult, very precise, very unforgiving sport.

All of that makes what Tiger Woods did over the weekend even more incredible. For every other golfer just playing the U.S. Open(one of the 4 Major Golf Championships) and winning in a extra 19 hole playoff would be a remarkable feat. However Tiger Woods played 91 holes and won this even....ON A TORN ACL IN HIS LEFT KNEE and 2 STRESS FRACTURES IN HIS LEFT FIBULA!!!! You could see after almost every shot he took that he was in pain but nobody realized how bad it was because it was kept quiet until after the fact. The doctor told Tiger, "You need 3 weeks on crutches followed by 3 weeks of rest." However after being informed that he could do no further damage Tiger replied "I am going to play in the U.S. Open and win it!" So he proceeded to walk the course and swing the club an average of 4 times per hole for 91 holes over a 4 day period and win his 14th Major Championship. Tiger Woods will have surgery and be done for the rest of the year but this accomplishment will be the stamp of what will be the career of the best golfer to ever play the game!

ABDC: Season 2....

2008-06-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

I'm excited for the second season of America's Best Dance Crew which pits dance crews against each other for supremacy. I blogged about this show in an earlier blog and am still impressed with how skilled some of these dancers are. It's not typical dance but instead more a mix of style. I've tried watching So You Think You Can Dance but felt it was too much modern or ballet style and too individualistic. I guess I just love it sooo much cause I couldn't do a sliver of what these people can do but it just looks like way too much fun. Here's some vids of the ABDC: Season 1 Champs JabbaWokeez and a couple groups from the Season 2 auditions who may take the crown. Cheers!

JabbaWokeez doing Pretty Young Thing by Micheal Jackson

JabbaWokeez History of Dance Mix from week 3. Watch how long this dude spins on his head!

The commercial for ABDC: Season 2

This group is called Supreme Soul and as you can see they won a battle against Jabba and are probably the favorite for this season.

Another group Extreme Dance Force

I pity our culture.....

2008-06-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

Kate Brown recently posted on facebook that she had just watched her first episode of "My Super Sweet 16" on MTV and was horrified. I had to write her because I have uttered the words before that if you want to know what's wrong with our country then look no further than MTV. I pity the younger generation, especially girls who have grown up wathcing shows like The Hills, Laguna Beach, and My Super Sweet 16. How obscure must their vision of what reality is?

First is My Super Sweet 16 in which extremly spoiled rich girls get outrageous 16th birthday parties thrown for them. These parties are generally all about the same with one or two girls having a major bash in which 75% of the people there don't even know them. They usually get really expensive dresses, cars, and usually a top Hip Hop artist or group performs for them. There's always at least one scene in which the girl throws a major temper tantrum because she can't get exactly what she wants. I've seen the entertainment cost as much as $150,000 for a 1 night performance, one girl got 2 cars(an SUV and Sports Car), and parties costing up to 1 million. Is this what every girl growing up in America expects as a birthday party now?

Next is Laguna Beach in which extremly rich high school students are followed around in the OC. These kids are never shown working, surf all day, are all gorgeous looking, live in mansions, drive very nice cars, and generally just party and make out with one another. Most of the drama of the show centers around somebody trying to steal someone else's b/f or g/f. These kids have no "real" problems and are completely pampered but how does the younger generation not expect this lifestyle? What happens to most kids who can't live up to this version of how High School life is supposed to be?

Lastly is The Hills which is a spin-off to Laguna Beach in which, oh no the kids have graduated college and now live in L.A. They have been set up with nice jobs in entertainment and fashion or just plain don't work. So not only is the younger generation treated to fake High School life but also fake post High School life. This show even goes so far as to re-create scenes if the cameras weren't around the first time to capture it. Reality my ass! The show is nothing but nite clubs, blackberries, and sports cars.

It does worry me that this is the crap and the message we are sending out to other countries as a society. That we truly are overblown pigs who have so much excess we create shows just to rub it in other people's faces how the "better" half lives. I read AnnaMarie's blog about African women suffering then see any of these shows and it makes me want to be sick. We are we headed as a people here in America? How is the next generation going to come of age, as spoiled brats? Only time will tell but I for one am worried and embarrased!

Five Weird Things About Moi.....

2008-05-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

So yeah Roy and Anna both did one of these and it piqued my interest so I do am doing a 5 weird things about Fishy. Enjoy!

1. Since I think everyone in the world has something about food I'll start with mine. I'm a very picky and apparently slow eater. Jamie used to make fun of me in that he could eat a foot long sub before I ate a 6-inch one. Part of the reason I eat slowly is that I like to eat one thing at a time. If I've got steak, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, and bread, I'll eat one at a time until it is gone but there's no special order. Secondly I believe all fast food restaurant burgers should come plain or with just cheese then people can order what they want on them. I can have a burger with just cheese, or just mustard, or just ketchup but cannot have any combination. I also feel the nexus of evil are pickles, mushrooms, onions, spinach, and asparagus....YUCK!!!

2. Most everyone who knows me knows that I am a "low" talker, but most don't know why. I have damn good hearing, proof of which in college physics we did a hearing test and I was 1 or 2 people left who could hear the lowest or highest pitched sound. Why does this lead to my low talking? Well its because when I am talking I think I am being very loud. There are times I feel I am yelling at people but they ask me to speak up. So if you are talking to me and I am speaking low please ask me to speak up because I always think I'm talking too loudly.

3. I absolutely hate talking on the phone! 90% of the time my phones calls are, "Hey what's up, you coming over?" Generally its just to confirm meeting times or see if someone wants to do something real quick. I really can only take about 15 minutes on the phone. I just hate the whole act of holding up this little piece of plastic to my ear for hours. If at all possible I would rather just see you in person. Now don't get me wrong if I have to I will, I've even done 15hours straight...when I was young and in love....but I will never like it.

4. This one is kinda disgusting and is inherited from my father but I'm a sweater. Even when I was in decent shape and weighed a low amount I would sweat when hot. I think its part hereditary, part that I'm always in cool environments, and now being out of shape and overweight. I always remember being younger watching dad mow or work on a car or bike he would just be drenched in sweat and thinking thats disgusting but now whenever I am doing something like that I just start to drip as well. I've always been lucky and had jobs in nice air conditioned places so my body is always used to some temp between 69-75 degrees so when its above that I get hot. I remember Jason who worked as a cook for a long time would always being cold because he worked in front of a hot grill all day. He'd wear long sleeves and jeans in 80 degree weather and not be hot. I know Jamie feels my pain but if its hot or I'm active I am gonna sweat, can't help it.

5. Lastly is I am good at most everything and great at nothing. I have always done everything that I've trully applied myself at from school to sports to games to work related tasks and do them all well. However I have never just been great at any of these things. I honestly feel if I'm tasked with doing something, I would be ranked in around the 70-80% range but never get into the elite top 20%, nor will I be in the bottom 60%. So yes I've resigned myself to being just merely good at things :)

The Neighborhood Stories

2008-05-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

So by request I've been asked to blog about the good ole days back in the neighborhood. If some of you don't know the neighborhood was called Iron Works Estates and was essentially 2 neighborhoods separated by a lake, junkyard, and cornfield. There was a nice little bike trail that cut between the two hoods and a shelter for gatherings. Myself, Roy Cornett, Josh Gregory, Jason Schott, Greg and Sean Berry, Bryson Alford, Jeff Nace, Jeff Besser, and Ian Bonock(sp.) all lived in one of the two sections and were close friends who found many an adventure during our childhood. Anways the stories should be quite entertaining and if you'd like to read about our adventures here is the link. http://theneighborhoodstories.blogspot.com/

Note to the NCAA and NBA......MLB has it right!

2008-05-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

Everyone is wondering how to fix the problems in NCAA recruiting violations, agents, and early entry into the NBA. Well they can look no further than the MLB…..they have it right. The NBA needs to adopt MLB’s drafting policy in that everyone in the country is available for the draft. Anyone who doesn’t like their draft position upon being drafted may elect to accept a college scholarship offer and enroll at a university. However upon enrolling they must stay at the school for a minimum of 3 years. This puts all the work on the NBA to find the players who are actually coming out and will sign with their team after being drafted, it lets the kids who go to school,actually go to school long enough to earn or be close to earning a degree, and eliminates the problems stemming from agents.

The way the system is now there are problems across the board. The NBA says that all players are eligible for the draft 1 year after their high school graduation. Any college player who enters the draft and hires an agent or stays in the draft is no longer eligible for the NCAA. This hurts the kids the most in that the elite high school players have to go to college, a prep school, or not play for a full year. We are telling an 18 year old kid he doesn’t have the right to earn a living playing ball for a year but can go to war. These kids could get injured and lose all that they could have had. The one year at college is a joke anyhow, these guys only have to go to class the first semester because by the time they are ineligible they are drafted and don’t care about going to school or the NCAA. If I am OJ Mayo what does it matter to me to take the money. I get free room and board for a year, I’m not going to be punished, only USC but USC just used me to get into the tournament, increase ticket sales, and make more money.

Secondly so a kid wants to test the waters and is lied to by numerous scouts, agents, and friends about how good they are and where they will be drafted. Then they go in the second round or are undrafted and now what…can’t go back to school. I understand the point of losing amateur status but if they aren’t drafted, don’t have an agent, and never play pro ball then they are still amateurs! Why are these kids being punished? Allow them to come back to school and work on their game while finishing their education. Both of these examples show that the current system is not in the best interest of the kids which is what both the NBA and NCAA like to say.

Lastly even though some schools make money for one season on these kids, there are also negatives. Coaches will have to decide if it is worth it to recruit these “one and done” players and closely monitor them while they are there to make sure there are no violations of these kids being paid. USC is looking at being penalized for OJ Mayo and for what, a first round loss in the NCAA Tournament. Coaches also are continually having to remake their teams and never know whom they are going to have one year to the next because a kid might opt to enter the NBA draft and be drafted or go undrafted but not be able to return to school.

By adopting the draft policy of MLB and making every player eligible to be drafted it will eliminate the “one and done” college player. The NBA would still get their “elite” players and sooner rather than later. This also would allow kids who are taken in the second round(non-guaranteed contracts) or undrafted to return to school as long as they did not sign with an agent. Speaking of agents this would also help eliminate the “feeding frenzy” by agents on these kids. They would only go after the elite players because thats where the money would be and would not be trying to break NCAA violations by tampering with college underclassmen. They would know if these kids weren’t good enough to be drafted, then they will be in school till they are 21. Finally NCAA institutions would not have to worry so much about recruiting violations stemming from a player’s amateur status and teams would know they are getting a commitment from a player for at least 3 years. The way I see if by making this simple change it’s a win, win, win for all involved. So what is the NBA and NCAA waiting for…oh probably too busy counting their money!

Yippie...I'm a junkie for technology!

2008-04-15T12:14:00.001-07:00

So I'm pretty excited that I just got my new XPS Labtop. I know some of you bitch about Dell but they had a $850, free shipping, no interest for 12 months deal that I couldn't pass up. I've wanted a new computer for a while now being mine was bought about 6 years ago, which makes it about 20yrs old in computer years, and also a Labtop to take to work since it is sooo boring. Well now I've got both along with Verizon Wireless Broadband, meaning no more boring days at work as I can play games, surf the web, chat with people on Google chat, AIM, Yahoo, etc...and maybe even get a second job as a Google Clicker...whatever that is. So yeah pretty stoked as its a mean looking machine!

There and Back again....a tubby man's tale!

2008-04-09T19:18:00.000-07:00

So yeah I ripped the title from a blog I wrote on myspace but I thought it was clever so I'm going to use it again, besides I'm trying to be light hearted about something I'm very upset about. Anywho after another season has come and again I must go to the store to purchase some new clothes for my tubby ass, I'm finally fed up. Towards the end of high school I felt like I was at my biggest when I was wearing XXL shirts and a size 42 waist....I never know my weight because I don't do scales because they aren't a true measure of how you are with different body types, muscle mass, etc, etc...Anyways I did something about it starting my freshman year of college and fought to get myself down to a comfortable weight and I managed to get into Med or Large shirts depending on style and a 32 waist size. Well here recently after some rough times in life I just kind of fell into an impulse driven lifestyle of, I'm depressed so if I want it I'll get it. This included everything from clothes, electronics, movies, and of course food. Well here lately I've just felt ugh and have ballooned into a XXL and 40 waist again and I'm just sick to myself. I'm not using this blog to cry or complain or make excuses because I'm a firm believer in choice. I chose to eat alot of bad foods, drink alot of soda, and pretty much do no excersise at all and now I'm paying for it with pain in my knees, feet, and back. I'M DONE! As of yesterday I got my fat ass in the gym and did some needed excersing. It's been tough and my body has been rebelling against me from a couple of old nagging injuries but this week is the warm up week. Cause you can't bust out the old car and immediatley start yammin on the gas. However I have gotten my 20mins of continuous cardio in and some basketball to boot. Of course the first 2 weeks is the hardest but I'm pissed and I'm motivated and I know I can do it cause I've done it before. My goal is 195 lbs and within two weeks I will be doing 45min to an hour cardio 2 times a day, once at 8am, second time in the evening. I'm working out at Lexington Athletic Club so if anyone else wants to get into shape its always easier with a partner. Just be warned once this train is rolling you better be prepared for the ride! Its the first day of the rest of my life where I don't choose to sit around waiting for things to happen, I choose to make them happen!

The Spirit of the Program....

2008-04-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

On Monday evening we here in the Big Blue Nation lost not just a man, but the spirit of the program...Bill Keightley also know affectionatly as Mr. Bill or Mr. Wildcat. I heard the news first from my sister who is the bar manager at Merrick Inn which was a favorite joint of Bill Keightley, Tubby Smith, and Billy Gillespie. Monday night was her last night there as she's moving to Merrick's sister restraunt as manager and Keightley was supposed to come say goodbye, instead we all must say goodbye to a one of a kind man. In numerous tributes, comments, and descriptions of Mr. Bill he's been potrayed as a brother, father, grand-father, best friend, the most generous person I've ever known, and a man who never seemed to have a bad day cause he was always smiling.

Mr. Wildcat by the numbers
2: One of only two non-players or coaches to have his name hoisted into Rupp Arena rafters. The other was longtime broadcaster Cawood Ledford.
3: UK NCAA titles at which Keightley sat courtside.
6: Head coaches Keightley served under (Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Eddie Sutton, Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith, Billy Gillispie).
8: UK trips to Final Four at which Keightley sat courtside.
12: Southeastern Conference Tournament titles during his tenure.
19: All-Americans who have gone through UK in Keightley’s tenure.
24: Won or shared UK Southeastern Conference regular-season championships
48: Seasons as equipment manager on UK bench.
57: Percentage of games in the 105-year history of UK basketball in which Keightley worked.
1,113: Wins he witnessed from UK bench.

A longtime employee of the U.S. Postal Service, Keightley joined the UK basketball family in 1962 through the efforts of one of his buddies at the post office. George Hukle was also a letter carrier as well as Adolph Rupp’s equipment manager. Hukle brought Keightley on to help him wash Kentucky jerseys and hand towels to UK players and do all the other things that went with that job. Until Monday’s freak accident, Keightley never left. He was on the Kentucky bench the night of the famous loss to Texas Western in the 1966 NCAA finals. He was there when UK ruined Indiana’s unbeaten season in the ’75 Mideast Region finals. Jack Givens’ 41-point game in the ’78 national championship game. Rex Chapman’s freshman tour de force vs. Louisville in 1986. The Laettner Shot. The Mardi Gras Miracle. National titles in 1996 and ’98. Joe Crawford’s valiant 35-point game in this year’s NCAA loss to Marquette, Keightley was the link to all of them.

Not only was Keightley the equipment manager for the team, but also a friend, brother, father, confidant, mentor, and example to many players and coaches. He treated everyone the same and many people of all ages considered him their best friend because thats just how he made you feel when you talked to him. Former All American player Kenny Walker said, "coaches, players, and managers came and went but you always knew you could count on Mr. Bill to be there." Another story that I will remember is when his knees began to fail him, his supervisor at the post office told him they would provide him with a jeep so he could work his route. Mr. Keightley looked at him and said, "A postman walks and carries a bag, you can keep your jeep, I quit!" If it was a job worth doing then Mr. Wildcat did it right even if it meant washing jersey's till the early morning after roadtrips or running errands for the basketball team.

Rest in peace Mr. Wildcat, you will always be loved and remembered and can never be replaced. Bill Keightley was a shining example of a "rich" man, doing what he loved without much monetary reward but with a wealth of experiences and friends. Many should try to follow his example as the best way to remember a great man. UK Basketball will never be the same!

Rock Band/Gutiar Hero Vids....

2008-02-28T20:55:00.001-08:00

For those of you who haven't seen them before or are interested here are some of the cooler vids I have found for Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Most of them are people doing them on the Expert level of which I can do some songs on each game and I have gotten pretty adept at the Hard level.

Probably the funniest one I've seen from GH 2. YYZ on Expert

Metallica: And Justice For All Expert Drums

The Outlaws: Green Grass and High Tides...The finals guitar song on Expert

Full Band Boston: Foreplay/Longtime

Dragonforce: Through The Fire and Flame Expert GH Ultimate Song

Not Just Another Reality TV Show!

2008-02-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

So when I saw the commercials advertising MTV's America's Best Dance Crew I wasn't sure what to expect but it piqued my interest. Produced by Randy Jackson of American Idol this show is much better, IMO, then either Idol or Dancing With The Stars. It's not professionals, it's not celebrities, and these people really have some serious talent in dance. I also like the fact that you have all cultures here breaking down the barriers of "street" dance including black, white, asian, hispanic and the dudes from Indiana who break it old school on the roller skates. Check out some of these vids of some of the performances and marvel and the skill and choreography that these groups can come up with. You can also check out all performances at MTV.Com

Damn Youz Microsoft!!!!

2008-02-19T12:04:00.000-08:00

So as if I didn't need more things to graciously suck more money out of me, my favorite thing in the world just gets better and better. Rock Band has been offering consistently 3-6 new song downloads every tuesday. For anywhere from 80 to 160 microsoft points, each point being 80 cents, you can download each track for immediate play on bass, guitar, drums, and vocals. And yes Roy I know Microsoft shoulda just made it a dollar per point but how else would they screw you into having odd point totals that you can never be rid of thus taking more money from you...haha.... In any event to date I have downloaded 27 new songs for around $25 which is almost a whole new game, total songs now up to 85. Not only that but the songs have been good classics that are a joy to play. The list includes....

And Justice For All.....Metallica
3's & 7's....Queens of the Stone Age
All The Small Things.....Blink 182
Blackened....Metallica
Brass In Pocket....Pretenders
Buddy Holly....Weezer
Dirty Little Secrets....All American Rejects
Don't Look Back In Anger....Oasis
El Scorcho...Weezer
Fortunate Son....CCR
Gimme Three Steps....Lynyrd Skynyrd
Hard To Handle.....Black Crowes
Interstate Love Song...Stone Temple Pilots
Juke Box Hero....Foriegner
Limelight....Rush
Live Forever.....Oasis
Move Along....All American Rejects
NIB....Black Sabbath
Ride The Lightning....Metallica
Roam....B52s
Roxanne.....Police
Sex Type Thing....Stone Temple Pilots
Ten Speed(Of Gods Blood and Burial).....Coheed and Cambria
The Kill.....30 Seconds To Mars
The Number of the Beast.....Iron Maiden
War Pigs....Black Sabbath
Wonderwall....Oasis

Valentine's Day

2008-02-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

So I've sat in the store over the past week and watched as people came in. Many of them seemed to be in a fretting mood, wandering around lost picking up items here and there and making phone calls. Each one of them had the same problem.....What do I get my significant other for Valentine's Day or as I like to call it "The Dreaded V-day." This is a holiday that is supposed to be about showing the person you love just how much you love them. Why are so many people fretting about a material present?

I have always been against V-day whether I was dating someone or not...haha and miraculously I always seem to end a relationship before Feb....who knows why? Seriously though this is one of the worst "Holidays" invented solely for the purpose of driving some sales into what otherwise is a slow month. Restraunts, Cards Retailers, Flourists, Candy Makers, and Jewelers all make out on this day as people rush out to find presents to present to their significant others. The purpose of the day is most the time completely missed by alot of people who show up with gift but no time is really spent with said lover nor is the gift really a representation of their love. I won't even start discussing how this days makes those who are widowed, divorced, recently broken up, or just plain don't have someone feel.

A girl came in today with her friend, looked at several things and couldn't really decide then just bought a t-shirt in hopes her boyfriend would like it. As she was paying she asked me what would a guy want on V-day...my response was, "I think a nice evening spent with the woman he loves is what a guy would want on V-day....not a UK t-shirt. " I mean it's ONE day set aside in which you show your love but if you trully love that person you should show them everyday. V-day shouldn't be about gifts but making time to be with one another and share your love. I've written poems, covered rooms in rose pedals, cooked dinners, and so on and so on.....So as we near another V-day remember its not about a material possession you give but that you love the person you are with and make time to be with them on this day.

10 Songs I just enjoy

2008-01-28T15:03:00.000-08:00

I've been playing alot of online spades and listening to music. As most of you know I'm just a music junkie and love to have music on in the car, at work, at the apt. or playing Guitar Hero and Rock Band. These are just 10 songs I love right now if you haven't heard them you should!

1. Shadow of the Day: Linkin Park

2. Addicted: Simple Plan

3, Far Away: Nickleback

4, Hard to Concentrate: Red Hot Chili Peppers

5. Famous Last Words: My Chemical Romance

6. When You Were Young: The Killers

7. Ruby Tuesday: Rolling Stones

8. The Sweet Escape: Gwen Steffani ( Yes my guilty pleasure. But this song is just fun!)

9. 37mm: AFI

10. I'll Stay With You: Goo Goo Dolls

A guide to shopping: An education in Common Courtesy

2008-01-28T14:25:00.000-08:00

For those of you who go shopping anywhere let me first explain that yes people who work in a retail/service job are paid to deal with the public. At the same time just because you walk into a place and spend money doesn't mean these people are your slaves and need to bow to your feet upon entering. So therefore let me help you with my Guide to Shopping and some courtesy tips you should do for your fellow hardworking peers. Why? Because you don't want people coming to YOUR job and trashing the place or giving you extra work! Do you?

1. You don't know what kind of situation a person is in, a family member may have died, they may be sick, they may have been working a 10-12 hour shift. So just because someone doesn't fall over you and isn't super happy when you come in doesn't mean they are rude and you, in turn, shouldn't be rude or complain about them.(Now if you consistently go somewhere and consistently get bad service then you can complain)

2. If you are going in and want a favor such as returning something without a receipt, opened, or after the return policy, do not be rude and demand they return it for you. Explain nicely and ask politley why you want them to bend their policy for you. If its a regular employee and they say they cannot do it politely ask for a manager and again explain the situation and ask for the policy to be changed for you. Almost every manager at any store can make an exception to store policy. However if you walk into the store and demand them to break the rules, its probably not gonna happen. Respect is a two-way street just as employees need to respect the customers the customers also need to respect the employees and policies.

3. If you go into a store and pick up anything but then decide you do not want it.....put it back where you got it. It amazes me how lazy most people are who will pick something up and be right where they got it and still just throw it wherever they want. Also don't just take it to the counter and throw it at the person expecting them to put it back. This ecspecially applies to the dressing room. It is so rude to take a bunch of items into a dressing room and just leave them there.

4. Don't ask stupid questions like: Is that all you have of something? Of course it is what kind of buisness sense is it to leave half the product in the back. Also if there isn't a price on something don't ask, "Is it free then?" Come on you know its not free thats just stupid and annoying. Other dumb questions include "Do you work here?" when they have a name badge or are working. In a sports store, "Is this half off since they lost?"

5. If you are greeted or asked for help, respond to the questions. Don't ignore them or rudely say I'm just looking. On the same token don't tell workers your life story, honestly they don't care.

6. If you have children teach them NOT to go into stores and TOUCH EVERYTHING.

7. Don't complain about the store music. You are in there 5mins, 10mins, 30mins, at most an hour while the workers are there 4 to 8 hours. Sometimes music is the only thing that gets people through a crappy day. Also 90% of stores are playing some kind of Corporate music that they have to play.

8. Most people only get about 30mins for lunch, if you see someone is on break don't hassle them or ask them questions.

9. If there is a stack of folded items don't dig through the stack and grab one out of the middle. Chances are the one on top wasn't the one on top at the beginning of the day and THEY ARE ALL THE SAME

10. Don't bring food or drinks into stores and set them down on top of the merchandise or just leave them half full in the store.

11. When you are buying alot of items or heavy items have a plan to get them to you your car, most places aren't equipped or don't have people to carry your stuff for you.

12. Don't go somewhere and see that the employees are busy with tasks and just stand there in a huffy mood. They may not have noticed you or think you're just looking, it doesn't hurt to ask for help with something.

I offer these tips to keep you from looking like a fool or just one of those rude, lazy, dumb people. Remember you get what you put into things, if you're polite as a customer and treat employees like people then you will get 10x better service than if your rude and just expect that cause you walked in they should bow at your feet and wait on your every need.

Just Another Wonderful Day at the Mall!

2008-01-28T14:11:00.000-08:00

So two events happened today at the mall that just made me shake my head in disgust. The first was another store issue that I should add to my book....Common Courtesy and How to Shop! A couple ladies came into the store today and wanted to purchase a Tiffany style stained glass UK lamp. The lamp weighs maybe 25 lbs max but comes in a bulky box but by no means heavy. So I'm ringing up the purchase when the lady looks at me and rudely says, "You're carrying that out to my car for me right!" My response was a polite No! If you want to pay me I will otherwise its not part of my job. We are a small store, have no dolly or cart, 70% of the time only have one employee on shift, and yes its not in my job description to carry the stuff people buy across the mall for them to their car. We offered the advice that Sears offers shopping carts and they could get one of those. I told them it wasn't that heavy and one of the ladies even picked it up and remarked that it wasn't heavy just bulky, yet still bitched that we wouldn't take it out to her car. For those of you who don't know just because you make a purchase somewhere does not mean the employee is YOUR BITCH. I do not understand why you come to make a purchase like that and not be prepared to get it to your car. I purchased a 32 inch tv from Wal-Mart and they gave me a cart and otherwise sent me on my way. I didn't moan and groan and complain, I expected to carry the item to my car. When I got my 42 inch tv I had to pay Sears $50 to deliver it to my house. Its also not like these ladies were handicapped, elderly, or unable to carry it out which would be another story all together.

Secondly when I went to lunch I saw the Police talking to a table of elderly women. I went to Tumbleweed and made my order and inquired to what was going on. They proceeded to tell me that some guy walked past a handicapped, elderly woman in a wheelchair and stole her purse off the chair, ran out the mall doors, and into a waiting car which sped off. Are you kidding me? Stealing from an old, handicapped woman!!!! How low do some people have to stoop? How much money could she honsestly have? This is one of the most dispicable things I have heard of in a good while and cannot believe how some people are. I am aware that bad people do bad things to good people everyday but is their not a bottom level. Whomever did this is the scum on the bottom of a public toilet, thats how low and worthless they are. Like this woman doesn't have enough problems to deal with daily she's got to deal with this. I feel like throwing up!

Soundtrack for your life!!!

2008-01-16T21:21:00.001-08:00

So I normally don't do the "surveys" or "bulletins" but this is one that I've kinda enjoyed. Its called the soundtrack of your life. Turn on your music player and put it on random play then cycle through each portion of your life to find the song. Don't cheat, let it randomly select each song.

Opening Credits: Welcome to the Black Parade: Chemical Romance

Birth: Feelings: Offspring

Middle School: Kiss and Control: AFI

High School: Pure Massacre: Silverchair

Graduation: Here Without You: 3 Doors Down

College: One Fine Day: Offspring

Marriage: Animal: Pearl Jam

Birth of Child: Rapunzel: Dave Mathews Band

Climax: Downer: Nirvana

Golden Years: Buddy Holly: Weezer

Burial: Diamonds on the Soles of Your Shoes: Paul Simon

Closing Credits: He Who Laughs Last: AFI

Kentucky Basketball Games!

2008-01-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

As part of my job I get to attend every University of Kentucky home basketball game for free. Not only do I get to go for free but I also get paid at the end of the game.......haha jealous now aren't you! Now the downside to this is I gotta work for that money which means I'm stuck in a booth in the outside area of the arena....we do get a nice flat screen TV and I can walk over and watch from the lower arena stairs. Since I've been doing these games for nearly 4 years now, me and my booth partner Pat have come to notice some things we cannot understand.

1. The number of "fans" who come to Rupp Arena to watch UK who a.)have nothing UK on, b.) have no blue or white on, c.)who wear another team's logo, but not of the team who is the opponent we are playing. You are coming to Rupp to support the CATS and are showing no support at all....as a TRUE fan I cannot grasp this concept

2. The amount of people there to WATCH an event who spend their time walking around or shopping, paying zero attention to the game. Why are you here?? I specially hate the people who come to my booth with about 2 mins or less in the 1rst Half of the game and bug me while I'm trying to watch the crucial minutes before half-time....it's fine if YOU are a loser and don't wanna watch the CATS but I DO.....lol

3. This is one of the funniest things I see each game.....the amount of people who have a ticket to be inside and watch the game LIVE...yet stand outside and watch it on the TVs. I understand there are those whose seats are not good and I learned long ago if I was in the upper deck at Rupp, I'm staying home and watching it on 42 inch HD......pretty much goes for most sporting events. If I'm paying to be there I'm having good seats or i'm sitting at home drinking beer on the couch. Now this one guy actually was watching the game on the TV in front of us and has a ticket....he starts complaining about the TV(not using the entire screen for the game because of advertisements) and how they show replays at the wrong time forcing you to miss parts of the game......go watch it LIVE like you paid to do idiot!

4. The amount of people who leave early even if we are winning. This is after the Vanderbilt game so I use it as example but it does happen all the time. When the game was over in regulation....but not over....a huge surge of people left. Then after the first overtime another surge of people left...umm the game isn't over and the CATS still need your support. Well needless to say the pulled out a huge win in double overtime with a good chunk of the crowd who missed it. Once again why did you pay to come if you don't want to see the outcome? I can understand if we are being blown out of the gym and you're upset but not in a big game where we still have a chance to win.

So Pat and I have decided that there needs to be a "waiting area" outside for fans who want to get in but couldn't. Those who do have tickets as they come in will be screened and those not wearing blue and white or UK, those who, after a short quiz, aren't true fans, and anyone during the game who isn't watching it while it is going on(exception to those who need to use the restroom) will have their tickets taken from them and escorted out. The ticket will then be given to the TRUE fans in the "waiting area" and allow them to come in and support the CATS. That way one the TRUE BLUE are allowed into Rupp Arena!

Yeah I know would never happen....but it sure as hell would be funny if it did! :)

The Dark.....

2008-01-10T14:19:00.000-08:00

I read this as a note in the Novelization of Star Wars: Episode 3 and it just resounded with me and reminded me of why I fight for the light........but that the dark is strong.

The dark is generous...

Its first gift is concealment: our true faces lie in the dark beneath our skins, our true hearts remain shadowed deeper still. But the greatest concealment lies not in protecting our secret truths, but in hiding those truths of others.
The dark protects us from what we dare not know...

Its second gift is comforting illusion: the ease of gentle dreams in night's embrace, the beauty that imagination brings to what would repel day's harsh light. But the greatest of its comforts is the illusion that the dark is temporary: that every night brings a new day. Because it is day that is temporary.

Day is the illusion...

Its third gift is the light itself: as days are defined by the nights that divide them, stars by the infinite blackness through which the wheel, the dark embraces the light, and brings it forth from the center of its own self.
With each victory of the light, it is dark that wins...

The dark is generous, and it is patient...

It is the dark that seeds cruelty into justice, that drips contempt into compassion, that poisons love with grains of doubt. The dark can be patient because the slightest drop of rain will cause those seeds to sprout. The rain will come, and the seeds will sprout, for the dark is the soil in which they grow, and it is the clouds above them, and it waits behind the star that gives them light.

The dark's patience is infinite...

Eventually, even star's burn out...

The dark is generous, it is patient, and it always wins...

It always wins because it is everywhere. It is in the wood that burns, it is in the kettle that sits on the fire, it is under your chair, and under your table, it is under the sheets on your bed. Walk in the midday sun and the dark is with you, attatched to the soles of your feet.

The brightest light casts the darkest shadow...

The dark is generous, it is patient, and it always wins- but in the heart of its strenght lies weakness: one lone candle can hold it back.

Love is more than a candle...

Love can ignite stars...

Poems and Songs!

2008-01-07T20:26:00.000-08:00

Poems and Songs
by
Jeff Fisher

"Sitting So Close"
Sitting so close, yet so far away...
A beauty strikes my sight...
Two beaming baby blues stray...
Causing my heart to beat with might...
An enchanting vision close to fantasy...
Each glance in her direction accompanied by fright...
However it is love that may never be...
For there is someone whom she looks on so bright...
Such a lovely girl, I wish in some way...
To be in her company just for one night...
Sitting so close, yet so far away!

"FRIENDS"
Wasting time each and every way...
Taking control, seizing the day...
Making a toast igniting your soul...
With the whole crew waiting to roll...
Venturing out into the unknown....
Realizing how each and every one has grown...
Scouring all across this blazing town...
Checking to see what is going down...
All of the late nights taking their toll...
Which is the last thought when you feel whole...
Nothing saving you from those dark ends...
Except for the company of your friends...
Always up for that late night bout...
Paying no care if you venture in or out...
Soothing the mood, Pink Floyd is in...
Taking another round with Jim or the Captain...
Nobody ever said there would be hell to pay...
Living life, nothing else more to say.

"It Would Happen To Me"
We met one unexpected day....
Having casual conversation in every way...
In this great world we found a connection...
A mutual friend with whom we had affection...
Now with every conversation comes a wonder...
Of when and where we shall bump into each other...
I don't really know her, yet no stranger at all....
Making a world so large, feel oh so small...
What is left now, an unknown journey...
Above all else I just hope she will like me...
If things should happen to go right for once...
I will have to pay a great penance...
Just as I will grow closer and closer...
Soon school ends, followed by her departure...
Then off she goes to her home state...
For a whole summer I will have to wait...
Why is it everything in my life....
Has to be a struggle, met with great strife...
I guess the old sayings, true they must be...
That anything worth while in life, never, ever comes easy.

"About A Girl"
An angel of such pleasurable delight...
Just being in your presence, I tremble in fright...
Such beautiful eyes with a great flare...
Make my heart melt with one dazzling stare...
When you walk by, my breath you take away...
Leaving me standing, like a fool without a word to say...
My dreams may one day become reality...
If what can be overlooked is that which is petty...
I know I am no hunk, no darling baby...
Just a man like none other who would love you like crazy...
Don't drive a fancy car, no millionaire...
But instead possess a heart looking for a person to care...
I feel as if I have found a lavish pot of gold....
That is why I must be so bold...
To overcome fear, heresy, and pride...
And thus to my heart I will abide...
I ask you now at this peaceful moment in time...
If you could ever be mine.

"Her and I"
I cannot be rid of the memories
Pretending to all, that nothing is wrong
That something, if anything, is quite all right
As much as I try to put it aside
There we are again, walking down that empty road
Around that neighborhood out in the unknown
Striding by her side, one small step behind
Sharing this moment together, just her and I
Tell me...Where it all went wrong
Tell me...That we don't belong
Tell me...How things weren't to be
Tell me...Were we not happy
I sit now and ponder
Where the last year has gone
Seems like just last week, together still
Riding high on our love, one never thought possible
The last thought of the evening, the first of the day
Are those comforting words whispered into your ear last night
I even remember the beat of her pulse
As I lay there beside her, resting comfortably
Tell me...When did it all go
From I love you to I don't know
Tell me...How love felt truly
Ends with a fathers insanity
Tell me.... Why oh why
Tell me...At least, that it was hard to say goodbye
Now all that's left of a love thought true
Are what I have embedded in lasting memory
Strange how one event can change everything
One that you even take the blame for
Wanting to be done what was right, but having no control
The physical wounds now go unnoticed, the emotional ones still scarred
I know now that we don't belong together
Just nice to trudge through the mud, smile, and remember

"The Struggle"
What is it about life that is so hard...
Can turn you inside out, make you feel like you’re so far...
No matter what, on any given day...
Seems like nothing will pan out my way...
Study hard in school, but still no A...
Fall in love with a girl, she lives far away...
Or she belongs to someone else...
Breaking my heart down till it melts...
Can do everything right at work...
Yet still get yelled at for a little quirk...
Guess that is just how it will be...
That the game of life will never be easy.

"Infatuation"
She ventured into my life from afar…
At a time when my heart was scarred…
First thing to catch my view…
Was a shining smile that could melt you…
From a very sweet voice came words of intelligence…
Yet so softly spoken, hardly saying more than a sentence…
Two baby brown eyes like none I have seen…
Accented by one cute eyebrow ring…
Such a pretty girl from another place…
So enchanting as to make your heart race…
All I could do was sit down and ponder…
How could I capture such a wonder…
It would make me so very happy…
Just for her to go on one date with me…
I wish I could put aside this fear…
My dreams could come ever so near…
I just must be patient…
For there is another with whom she is intimate…
Maybe one fateful day it shall be…
That luck will change in favor of me.

"At First Sight"
Into my mixed up world she came...
As beautiful as the gem that bares her lovely name...
So marvelous was this graceful angel...
Captivated, my heart stood deathly still...
Introduced innocently on one quiet day...
Who could have thought it would happen this way...
At first my thoughts were centered on another...
But from our first conversation I knew there was no other...
Lingering in my thoughts each day and night...
I knew it was love at first sight.
Such a lovely girl in every possible way...
Like a rose in full bloom on an enchanting spring day...
Hair as golden as the sun, eyes shinning bright as a star...
Couldn't miss such a beauty even from afar...
However, was not her beauty that sets her apart...
A diverting personality stole my heart...
Honest, sweet, and tender to her very soul...
Adding to brains and sly wit, completing a magnificent whole.
However it may just be a dream, some romantic fantasy...
For there is another with whom she keeps company...
When this news I heard, my heart, was crushed...
But the fire inside was not so easily hushed...
I wouldn't dare meddle in what she has...
Hopefully it is just a crush that will soon pass...
I would give her my world, love her with all my heart...
Be faithfully true every moment spent apart...
Something inside speaks to me, maybe it's fate...
That on the day I met her, I may have found my soul mate.

"Salvation"
Life, What an interesting game to play...
Can make the most humble person go insane...
I take my seat, left to ponder...
Yet each conclusion leads me to wonder...
Is this how it's supposed to be...
Life playing cruel tricks on everybody...
Is there not something more...
Or are we left to what fate has in store...
Each time it seems peace has come...
Another cloud seems to darken the sun...
I do what I can to help those around me...
While trying to battle my own destiny...
Feeling as if in a Greek tragedy...
Fated to walk a road left empty...
Not that this road is foreign...
Tis one I have traveled ever since I was born...
Alone is where I seem the strongest...
Left at war with my personal darkness...
It seems that's when I come out on top...
Maybe because the darkness is all I have got.

"Reality"
Here I stand in front of it all
Trapped to view through false eyes
From where I was, just couldn't see
This great world hidden in a dark haze
Will it always be this troubling illusion
Or is it just my own true reality
Whenever it all comes together fatefully
I'll stand strong enjoying my time
For as always, the reign will be short
Then back into the war I'm forced to fight
What my fortune holds still encased
Kept from me till I have proven worth
Still I am young, with much to learn
As the world intrudes, still uninvited
I try not to dwell or look too far ahead
Since the now is where my focus must be
And life continues on ordinarily
Leaving only my vision and some time to prepare...

"Misguided Rose"
Such a lovely girl, in a lovely place...
Unfortunately a sorrow is etched on her face...
Wondering through each day, feeling alone...
True love, she needs to be shown...
Always seems to be some sort of trouble...
Being caught in an unhappy bubble.
What has brought on such great sadness...
She seems trapped in the world's madness...
No longer does she posses control...
Loneliness and anger have taken her soul...
Feeling as if she could be froze...
Unwanted as a misguided rose.
However, this is all a grand illusion...
Her life is not this unfortunate prison...
There are people who love her truly...
Who would grant her a life completely...
Because if we could not live and be happy...
Then what kind of world would this be...
If only she could let free for a while...
We could unleash an enchantingly beautiful smile.

"Midnight Break"
See you standing there, your eyes all around...
Lost in what complicates your mind...
Would you care to share a part of you...
Break from the throw of being individual...
The two of us will have a better time...
Just burning the day, away...
Lying together on a bed of string...
Floating above all that holds you down...
Music keeping the soul of the moment...
As the world turns only to you and I...
The cool breeze, an excuse to be arm and arm...
Swaying gently, staring out into love...
Driving till dawn creeps in...
Interrupting the shadowy hold of thought...
The fresh morning air stealing away...
Unfinished smoke, like water cleansing the earth...
Never aware of what a day may hold...
Reveling in the freedom that comes from the night.

"Endgame"
Why is it that I feel so cold...
Like it's all over, the darkness taking hold...
Never a moments peace given to my soul...
I begin to wonder if I can climb from this hole...
Always it seems I travel with nobody by my side...
Forced to face it all, no person to help, nowhere to hide...
I try not to give in to the evil that clouds my thoughts...
But when nothing will go right it leaves me distraught...
I know in life, good times venture along with bad...
Yet when the scale seems uneven it drives you mad...
We come up in a world that can be ever so cruel...
It's hard not to feel trapped or look like a fool...
Never make predictions, nor give into expectations...
It is a path that can only lead one to dejection...
Sadness climbs through me like an infectious disease...
I continue my search for a key...
To the lock that holds me in this prison...
For the moment what keeps me going may be an illusion...
Caught in a battle of wish versus reality...
It is hard to distinguish between them truly...
All I know is I must be stronger...
The war is not yet over and I must struggle longer.

"Ode to Beauty"
Women are true precious gifts of treasure...
Every aspect of them, an unfashionable pleasure...
Lovely shining hair, adoring lips, and soft, tender skin...
A mix of an almost perfect blend...
Walking by, it's hard to fully contain...
That feeling yearning inside like a flame...
Eyes shadowing every lovely crevice...
Like viewing a sunset on an open terrace...
A dream to hold them, feel them, love them...
Bask in every simple joy that comes from...
Spending just a fraction of your time...
Warmed by beauty so ever divine...
Forever the object of man's desire...
Questing for that inner most fire...
Women seem so mysteriously unintentioned...
Drawing even more interest that's unexplained...
My only thoughts are to adore...
Stemming from a love evermore.

"In Dreams"
Only in dreams do I find my comfort...
For it is safe, where I am less hurt...
Why must it seem that only in fantasy...
Be the only place I can be happy...
Can I really be in this state of sadness...
Where a hold on my life, I cannot seem to grasp
Take control of a lonely destiny...
And live each day simply, peacefully...
Vividly submerged into my own reality...
Presenting only what stands out plainly...
Life seems to flow in a constant...
Viewing the mirror only from the front...
Is there more behind this reflection....
Something deep down, not within vision...
I wonder why each task is very trying...
Like an unknown force I keep defying...
More and more I tend to ask myself why...
While days of my life pass me by...
Maybe it's time to forget those worries...
And begin living life more passionately...
Before you realize, it could all come to an end...
Leaving only the wonder of what might have been...
There is too much pleasure in living...
It's time to stop thinking of the ending.

"Imaginings"
Oh please, oh please...
Can this truly be...
Tonight I dream of this...
Such beauty just over there...
I'd give my world to just speak...
To listen to such a lovely voice...
Curly brown hair, and brown puppy dog eyes...
Never has there been a more enchanting prize...
If only I could escape my fear...
And speak to this lovely girl sitting so near.

"Adore"
Marvousely drawn into my sight...
Was an enchanting beauty, so very quiet...
Dark curly hair, and the most lovely brown eyes...
Leaving me to just smile anytime she passes by...
There's not much about her I can say...
Except that she gets prettier each day...
What is it about the feelings garnered by a crush...
That can brighten a day, make the world seem to hush...
I never am able to separate the dream...
For the fear of what reality may bring...
Adoring is, the anticipation of just seeing her...
Of all the obstacles that try to deter...
The strongest of which is me...
There is just something about this girl I see...
Tis too bad all I know is her name...
Which holds to it's own mystique just the same...
Everything about her so intrigues me, that may be why...
I cannot break myself of being so shy...
Maybe one day I'll be able to say...
How beautiful I think she is each and every day.

"Random Winters"
For here we sit tonight, one peaceful moment...
Staring out into what we have yet to view...
A gentle wind sends a chill through the air...
The leaves changing color, the sky a lonely blue...
Winter has brought the coming of new promise...
But as for what the future holds, wish I knew...
Adoring are the lazy days, spent in time of freedom...
Gently strolling through the river, all quiet...
The ghostly enjoyment of knowing you are alone...
Then a sound breaks the silence, one of a fight...
As guilty pleasure runs through your soul...
Pulling from the water the first morning bite...
Why is it each day cannot feel the same...
Away from the pressure of living to work...
Instead of more time spent on simply living...
I now have what brings to me a sly smirk...
A realization of how I've gone wrong...
And a promise to myself, live with a new outlook.

“Valentine's Day”
She ventured in quite unknown...
Standing quietly still, like a shimmering stone...
A beautiful young woman, shy as can be...
Never could have known she'd become so dear to me...
Slowly I began to break the ice...
And found something so pleasantly nice...
That beyond her swagger, blue eyes, and blond curl...
Was a caring, gentle, and adoring brown eyed girl...
Now I look forward to each new day...
So I can sit and listen to what she has to say...
This stranger who entered into my world...
Has now become the one I call my girl...
Slowly, my life she has become a part...
And each day, steals another peace of my heart.

"True Feelings"
Once again the feeling swells in me...
I've met another girl just so very lovely...
With the most amazing smile, dazzling brown eyes...
With an incredible aura blooming from inside...
Every time I see her my heart grows more fond...
Like she's casting a spell with her magical wand...
Although she is quite pretty tis not the outside that calls...
But her inner spirit that will put me into enclosed walls...
Now the question, is my heart to be opened....
And ask this fair maiden, in her company may I spend...
Even for the short time we'd have together...
I would enjoy caring for her like none other...
For she embodies all the beauty of the world...
All this wrapped up into this naturally beautiful girl.

“V-day II: Kristen”
Unexpectedly she ventured into my world…
A naturally lovely, vision of a girl…
So very sweet, and so very shy…
All of which shows through her baby blue eyes…
A treasure that some would feel forbidden…
Pondering if my feelings, can be kept hidden…
Hands begin to tremble, heart beats with might…
Each time she comes within sight…
And on the day where people express their affection…
I follow my heart to ask you this question…
As I end this small, quaint rhyme…
Wondering, could I call you sometime?

“Unaware”
My inside swells up, somewhere unknown…
A feeling that I am unable to show…
For the girl who sits next to me…
Is the representation of true beauty…
However a beauty that she may be unaware…
Her demeanor is shy, shown by her stare…
Hair is golden with eyes so fully…
Filled with sweetness spoken from her voice softly…
To be in her presence for even a small time…
Would be almost surreal, even sublime…
But as always I may not be able…
To admit my feelings, make true this fable.

“A Night At Yaunts Tavern”
For here we sit tonight…
Amongst the bar light…
Enjoying our time with one another…
Knowing there may be no other…
Bartender serving our every wish…
As we enjoy only sweet bliss…
I love my time with my friends…
Together, forever, until the end.
“A Night From Within”
Captivated by the night, as it comes fully…
With passions erupted, from deep within…
The light, which is life, which is love…
Which is truth, which is real…
Life loved from the heart.

Things that annoy me!!!

2007-12-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

I've worked about 18 of the last 19 days, am tired and fairly annoyed at the moment. I just felt like making a list of things that bug me so I can get them off my chest and hopefully leave them in the year 2007!

1. The mall staying open till 11pm.....utterly ridiculous

2. People looking at the license plate section then asking if thats all we have( No we're are hiding the good ones in the back but you can't see them!)...duh

3. People who don't use their turn signals

4. People who bitch because we are out of product in the final week before Christmas....you snooze you lose!

5. Hearing Christmas music starting Nov. 1rst immediately after Halloween

6. People who expect you to give them boxes and wrap their gift just because they bought something from you.

7. Employees who ask for more hours, then complain about working so much!

8. Children who find it necessary to touch everything in the store and put it back in the wrong place.

9. Girls who won't just tell guys how they feel. Have to play all the little mind games

10. Girls who give guys their number when they aren't interested. I know they want to be nice but giving the guy false hope is worse.

11. People who allow themselves to stay in bad relationships then bitch about it.

12. People who don't understand stop sign rules.

It's A Movie People!!!

2007-12-05T18:51:00.000-08:00

So something has been bothering me lately and it just drives me up the wall. I have seen all this press about The Golden Compass and that it is Anti-Religion. Ummm....am I wrong or is this not a movie that is a FANTASY! It's not intended to be a realistic take of someone else's ideal of religion but a form of entertainment. I don't seem to remember a huge uproar over the Lord of the Rings Trilogy with people attacking it and saying it is anti-religion even though there were elves, dwarves, beings who lived forever, a different take on heavan, etc, etc....So why so many complaints about the Golden Compass?? Some people just have to complain about everything, if you're not interested in it, don't see it. It's a pretty simple concept. It's a fictional piece of entertainment, grow up!

Reality TV....I'm disgusted with myself!

2007-12-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

So I have to admit it, I'm a reality TV junkie, I just cannot look away from train wreck after train wreck. Real World, Real World/Road Rules Challenges, Survivor, Flavor of Love, I love New York, Surreal Life, The Hills, Laguna Beach, Shot of Love with Tela Tequila, America's Most Smartest Model, Ultimate Fighter, Rock of Love, hell even WWE and TNA Wrestling can be included. You name it this year and I've probably watched it and wasted numerous hours doing so. It used to be I liked reality shows that had physical challenges because I enjoyed the competition part. Then I slowly picked up a couple of shows cause it had hot girls( I know I'm shallow). Slowly I began to realize how amazingly full of garbage these shows were. They aren't even pretending anymore to be anything but trash. I love how at the end of the Rock of Love the girl Brett Michaels picked just kinda came out and was like well the show was fun but we're not dating. According to her they had a 6 month period of non-contact between final filming and the live Re-Union show. Ok you've spent a week with a person, say your interested in them and choose them to date, then spend six months not even speaking to them cause of the TV contract...WHAT A LAUGH! How could you ever find true love on TV? I mean both Flavor of Loves, I Love New York, and any of the Bachelor/Bachorlette shows the two never end up together, but thousands tune in each time expecting them to. Of course we all know about editing, starting fights, people going on with an idea that they are going to be the villian, etc, etc....But it's not even about that. It's about the train wreck of how these idiots trully believe in whatever is going on and interaction with each other. The worst is these dating shows where the whole time 1 person, "looking for love" makes out with every contestant on the show, then kicking them off one by one. On the Real World before the quote 1on1 interviews the producers are telling then what a roomate has said about them to either instigate a fight or love connection. I know all this but still cannot turn away. I am ashamed at myself for watching all of these but I can't help it.....drama, love, comedy, action, sex all rolled into 1 hour....sometimes it really is just Must See Tv.

Kentucky Basketball: Merely Mediocre??

2007-12-03T14:42:00.001-08:00

So I'm trying to deal with something that I just never thought I'd have to....Kentucky as a mediocre basketball program! How'd this happen? It seems like yesterday we went to 3 straight National Championship games winning 2 which hadn't been done since the days of UCLA and John Wooden in the 1970's. Kentucky the #1 program in Collegiate Basketball in wins, tournament wins, SEC regular season championships, SEC Tournament Championships, 2nd in National Championships. Now we lose to a team whose gym holds 1000 people and is their first year in Division 1 Basketball. Now When North Carolina comes to town, it's an expected 20 points loss. No Final Fours or Championships since that fateful 1998 season. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those who believes a Championship is needed for a successful season because winning the NCAA Tourney Championship is the hardest Championship to capture in sports. Even UCLA's 11 championships runs them to about 1 every 10 seasons of basketball and thats the most. However for Kentucky to be unranked, losing to weak teams( no offense Gardner-Webb) and not even be competitive when the elite come into Rupp Arena. Once again How did we get here?

1.)College Basketball has changed since the powerhouses of the mid 90's being ravaged by early entrants into the NBA draft. Also there has now been a limit placed on the number of scholarship players each team can have allowing for a more competitive balance. Lets look at the Kentucky 1996 team that everyone around the State longs for....well in today's basketball that team would never have existed. First off Antoine Walker, Ron Mercer, Derek Anderson, Walter McCarty, Wayne Turner, and Nazr Mohammed wouldn't have even made it to school or only played a year. Thats all the starters and half the bench wouldn't have even set foot at Kentucky plus we could have only had 11 guys on scholarship instead of 14. 8 of the players on the 1996 Championship team went on to have solid NBA careers with 6 drafted in the first round.....Today you're lucky to have 2 players on a roster drafted in the first round and if you do you're an elite team. Also simply put Kentucky is not the only team in the last five years to have taken a drop from the elite. Duke, North Carolina, UCLA, Louisville, Indiana, and Arizona are all basketball powerhouses who've had a recent season in which they fell from grace. The landscape of college basketball has vastly evened out over the last 10 years and thats part of the excitement, case in point The Final Four run of George Mason 2 years ago. It's fun to root for cinderella, except of course when cinderella beats you!

2.) The Tubby Smith Era was a very interesting time of great success and ultimate failure for the Kentucky Wildcats. First off I am a staunch Tubby supporter, the man never won less than 20 games, never had a losing season, won 76% of his games, 4 elite 8's, 1 final four, 1 national championship. He is a top 5 coach in America today but it was time for him to go, if not simply cause he wasn't wanted at Kentucky by the majority. However when he did leave he left the program in shambles with 2 seasons of 10 losses or more, back to back 8 seeds in the tourney and back to back 2nd round exits, and a roster with many holes. I think the problem dates back to 4 years ago with the recruitment of Rajon Rondo, Joe Crawford, Randolph Morris, and Ramel Bradley....highly touted McDonald's All Americans, 4 players who never accomplished much at Kentucky. Also the year in which we passed on one Kentucky boy, Chris Lofton. The previous 4 years Tubby recruited solid, workmen like players who fit his system and played hard. He also had signed the Kentucky Mr. Basketball during this period and all had failed to be solid players. The fan base clamored for Tubby to step up recruiting even though we'd had great success. So pass on another Mr. Basketball with question marks in his game and recruit 4 Mcdonald's All Americans. Rondo was selfish and disliked by most the other players on the squad and was figuring to be 1 and done. Morris as well was figuring 1 and done and didn't quite supply the effort needed to be an elite player in the SEC and of course we all know he left, only to come running back when not drafted. He gave us 1 and a half more years after being declared ineligible but by then the damage was done. Joe Crawford wanted to go home half-way through the season and has shown flashes but not consistency. Meanwhile Chris Lofton was lighting up the SEC at Tennessee averaging 20 points a game and freshman of the year honors in the SEC. Through all of this the fans blamed Tubby, Tubby, Tubby when all he did was break his way to appease the fans demands and the hated him for it cause one of their own slipped through the cracks. Recruiters were able to use fan discension in the bluegrass to lure blue chip recruits away including Tyler Hansborough, Brendan Wright, Darrell Wright, and Corey Brewer who all went to rivals. If we'd have landed any one of these guys we would have been an elite team. So Tubby went back last year to what worked for him previously but that would take time. Meanwhile fans were putting For Sale signs in his yard and halfway through the season his agent was making a deal with Minnesota......Leave Kentucky for Minnesota. Tubby Smith was frustrated, unwanted, and hurt plus he knew that he was losing his two biggest recruiting targets to Florida in Patrick Patterson and Jai Lucas so he bolted. Now he's at Minnesota where if they just make the NCAA Tournament he'll be praised. All he did was win at Kentucky and all we did was complain it wasn't good enough. The fans have as much guilt in the current state of affairs as Tubby Smith does.

3.) The Billy Gillisspie Era begun with a roar as he was annouced as the new head coach of Kentucky. Now the bad part was he was the 4th choice behind Billy Donovan, Rich Pitino, and John Calipari who all said thanks but no thanks. Even so he was able to land Patterson, thanks to Donovan leaving Florida for the Orlando Magic long enough to convince Patterson he couldn't be trusted to stay and also got another All American in Alex Legion who backed out of his Michigan commitment. Problem is the team is young with only 2 senior players and the rest freshman and sophmores and no anchor in the middle since Randolph Morriss bolted for the NBA. Then came the home blowout loss to Gardner-Webb and injuries to Jody Meeks and Derek Jasper. So far, not so good!

So now Kentucky is just plain mediocre and this shall be a long season. My prediction from the schedule is 18-13 with our first trip to the NIT in a long, long time. I think Billy G. needs about 2 years to get the program back on track to being a ELITE program again. Hate to say it Kentucky fans but get ready to be just OK and remember the days that Tubby Smith was here winning 22 games, and SEC Championship and Losing in the Elite 8 because those seasons will look like a dream compared to what you are in store for the next couple years. When you're looking for someone to blame, just look in the mirror and realize you ran off a top 5 coach who was highly successful and got stuck with 4th choice. Good Luck Billy G. I'll be behind you win or lose because I'm a Kentucky Wildcat true fan!

The Greatest Game EVER!

2007-12-03T14:08:00.000-08:00

I'm here right now to discuss the game ROCK BAND. If you've played any of the Guitar Hero games then you shall be familiar with the concept but that was just the beginning, if not I'll explain the basics or you can head to rockband.com to watch video. Here is a game that is just plain ole FUN! no matter how good you are. I've jammed online with men, women, kids or all ages and everyone has said the same thing....this game ROCKS! Well lets face it, it literally rocks.....Rock Band comes with a guitar(a replica Fender Straticaster), drum set consisting of 4 colored pads and kick pedal, microphone and game disc. The concept of the game is to start your own band, name it, and rock your way into eterninty with a Lead Guitarist, Bassist, Drummer, and Singer. The game is played on 4 levels easy, medium, hard, and expert and obviously gets harder as you advance each level. Basically you select a song and the fret board will appear onscreen in which the notes scroll at you and you strum the guitar and hold the corresponding colored fret, or hit the colored pad on the drum set. For vocals the words scroll across karaoke style with a line showing pitch. You score points based on how well you play each song, with bonuses called overdrive. Now what is most fabulous about this game is that even playing on easy you honestly feel like you are bringing down the house. You can play solo, offline with 4 friends, or online with 4 friends or random people over Xbox Live. Even playing with others you can have some playing on Expert, some on Medium or Easy and each player is scored separately so that it doesn't hurt you if you aren't as good as somebody else. As long as you play your notes everyone wins! How great is that where people of differing levels can play together and it doesn't matter. Now for what makes this game so great, the song list.......

1960's
"Gimme Shelter" Rolling Stones

1970's
"Won't Get Fooled Again" The Who
"Suffragette City" David Bowie
"Blitzkrieg Bop" Ramones
"Detroit Rock City" Kiss
"Next to You" Police
"Train Kept a Rolling" Aerosmith
"Mississippi Queen" Mountain
"Paranoid" Black Sabbath
"Ballroom Blitz" Sweet
"Foreplay/Longtime" Boston
"Don't Fear the Reaper" Blue Oyster Cult
"Highway Star" Deep Purple
"Flirtin With Disaster" Molly Hatchet

1980's
"Wanted Dead or Alive" Bon Jovi
"Epic" Faith No More
"Orange Crush" REM
"Tom Sawyer" Rush
"Run to the Hills" Iron Maiden
"Should I Stay or Should I Go" Clash
"Wave of Mutilation" Pixies

1990's
"Learn to Fly" Foo Fighters
"In Bloom" Nirvana
"Say It Aint So" Weezer
"Creep" Radiohead
"Celebrity Skin" Hole
"Black Hole Sun" Soundgarden
"Enter Sandman" Metallica
"Vasoline" Stone Temple Pilots
"Cherub Rock" Smashing Pumpkins
"Sabotage" Beastie Boys'
"I Think I'm Paranoid" Garbage

2000's
"Main Offender" Hives
"Reptillia" Strokes
"Here it goes Again" OK Go
"Maps" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
"Welcome Home" Coheed and Cambria
"When You Were Young" Killers
"Go With The Flow" Queens of the Stone Age
"Are You Gonna Be My Girl" Jet
"The Hand That Feeds" Nine Inch Nails
"Dani California" Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Dead on Arrival" Fall Out Boy

Not only that but they've already put 3 songs packs by Metallica, The Police, Queens of the Stone Age, along with "Fortunate Son" Creedence and "Juke Box Hero" by Foreigner with more to come including the entire Guess Who album. An amazing song list on an amazing game by some people with an amazing idea. If you haven't played Rock Band or any of the Guitar Hero's you are trully missing out on a great new wave of video games that aren't just mindless violence. Now I'm gonna go play so cow bell on Don't Fear The Reaper....wooooo!