Nike: Just Did It

Nike has been at the forefront of innovation for years now starting with the Jordan shoe back in the early 80's and continuing today with the new Pro Combat football jersey's worn by 10 college football teams. Apparently, the jersey is suppose to be lighter and more agreeing to football type moves but it's really an excuse for Nike to push the envelope with jersey design. Most of the jersey combos look really cool actually as I think Nike got it right this time. Instead of every team looking alike, Nike decided to customize each jersey to fit the respected school. Let's take a look...

Florida Gators: This is my favorite Pro Combat jersey. It's very simple and I like the white helmet to go along with the all blue jersey.

Miami Hurricanes: This jersey is a close 2nd to the Gators jersey. The feature that I like most about this jersey is the white stripe the separates the two colors in the numbers. Really cool idea and very U'ish.

Florida State: Rounding out the Sunshine state, Florida State debuted their Pro Combat jersey's last week and they looked very sharp. The Black helmets were a surprise as we are used to seeing the gold and the all maroon jersey really finished off the bad ass look.

Texas: Not much to say here, they added numbers above the longhorn. Big whoop.

TCU: Staying in Texas, Nike decided to spend all of their time overhauling this jersey as compared to UT's jersey. Frog scales on the helmet and also a red streak down the center to signify the blood that squirts out of a horned frogs eyes if it feels cornered or threatened. Nike does it again.

Virginia Tech: VT has always been along for the Nike ride and this time it was no different. They used the same two-color effect for the numbers only instead of the colors being separated, the maroon and orange fuse together. Nice touch and again, something that hasn't been done before.

Oklahoma: Not many changes a la Texas. Sooner Magic is written in a few places, whatever that means. Not a fan of the blank helmet.

Missouri: The surprise team to me because I didn't even know that they were a big Nike school. Nonetheless Nike has gone and revamped to the max. I'm not a fan of the black on grey on the helmet and they also phased out too much gold for my liking. Still a cool jersey though.

Ohio State: Big changes for Brutus as the Buckeyes jersey gets a retro overhaul. They don't look like Ohio State jersey's and that is probably because the helmet is white. I like the silver.

LSU: This leaves me with the only Pro Combat jersey that I did not like. LSU is known for their purple and yellow colors. They aren't purple and vegas gold. When I turned on the game today I thought I was watching Tulsa play and I wasn't the only one that thought that. Bring back the yellow.

Eat your heart out Paul Lukas.

Curse of the Crabtree?

We all know the story. A rookie gets drafted into the NFL and after he thinks he should get paid more then the pick suggests. Case in point, one Michael Crabtree...

Crabtree came out of Texas Tech as their greatest player of all time and one of college football's most decorated receivers. He came into April's combine assuming he would wow all scouts and perhaps be a top 5 pick. Only the wowing didn't happen, just the owing. Crabtree injured his ankle in Indianapolis and the murmurs started about his durability, even though I can't remember a time that he was injured in college. Because of this (and because Al Davis is an idiot) Crabtree fell to the 49ers who occupied the 10 spot in the draft. The 49ers were ecstatic that a player of Crabtree's level fell to them because they were starved for a playmaker on offense to spread the field (a la ROY Percy Harvin, the 9er's along with 21 other teams passed on Percy. Whoops) Crabtree on the other hand, was not so pleased.

Apparently, Crabtree thought that wherever Mel Kiper Jr. says you should be selected, you should be selected and get paid like that pick should be paid (which is over paid but that's a different subject). Crabtree felt like he was a top 5 talent and he wanted to be paid as a top 5 talent. Or at least he should be paid as much as the 7th pick in the draft, fellow wide receiver Darius Hayward-Bey, got from Oakland (again, Al Davis....just die. Not in a mean sense but c'mon man. He's never going to step down and he is running a franchise into the ground) The 49er's wanted to pay Crabtree what other 10th overall selections in the draft usually get. Crabtree said no mas and negotiations were put on the back burner.

Fast forward to October. Crabtree has missed all team activities and the teams first 9 games (counting preseason) so you can imagine that he was behind in all of the team bonding and the hazing that rookies usually go through. Also, if you weren't aware, the 49er's have a coach that used to be somewhat of a badass linebacker for one of the most dominating defenses in the National Football League's history...He isn't to keen on bullshit. Singletary said all of the right things when Crabtree was holding out and rightfully so. The 9er's were 3-2 and looking like the surprise team of the season. When something amazing happened. An act of Deion.

Prime time himself stepped in and played peacemaker between the two sides and eventually they came to an agreement. Crabtree stood on a NFL field for the first time on October 25th in Houston. The 49er's lost. The lost their next game to the Colts. They lost their next game to the Titans. The 49er's lucked out and won a crappily played game vs the Bears on a Thursday night but then they turn that around into another loss to the Packers. That means the 49er's are 1-4 since Crabtree signed. Not good.

Crabtree is easily the 49er's best wide receiver option outside of Vernon Davis and should be an impact player for many years to come but what does this say about the 49er's? They caved into Crabtree's demands and look at what has happened. It could be coincidence. It could be related. I'm not here to judge.


Happy Thanksgiving!

My list of lasts...

My time in the great state of Minnesota is coming to an end (for now anyway). The last few weeks I have been actively looking for an internship with a minor league baseball team. I didn't really care where I would end up. I sent emails to about 20 teams and hoped that I would have a place somewhere to start. That somewhere is now the little town nestled close to the Blue Ridge Mountains called Salem, Virginia. This town of 25,000 (Minneapolis has over 400,000) is about 10 minutes outside of Roanoke and is home to the Salem Red Sox. It has been quite the whirlwind week. I nailed a few phone interviews. Sent out some thank you emails and in about a week I went from being unsure of what I was going to do after this semester to planning a move that will take me 20 total hours of driving (quick stop in Nashville to visit someone. I think his name is Abram or something...). It has been crazy to say the least. (on a side note: the fact that I will be paid and that housing is taken care of is probably the best news I have ever received in my life. Other then the news that baby Lucy was available, this has to rank right up there.) (side: side note: What am I? A parent? Lucy is just a dog...right. She is losing her baby teeth by the way. They grow up so fast)

Anyway, the internship starts January 11th and the tentative move-in date is the 8th. There isn't much of a plan yet because I only know that I have the internship but I'm thinking that I will leave sometime after New Years and head to Nashville to visit before mentioned half-Jew and Joe Mauer enthusiast, Samuel Leof and his budding "family" before finally making my way through Blacksburg, VA (home of VA Tech) finishing in Salem. It's going to be quite the change but I am ready for it. More to tell as they become more clear but for now I'm practicing my southern accent in preparation...

Since my time is limited and I don't know how many times I will be back in the Minni Apple, I want to compile a "list of lasts". Example: Last piece of Mesa pizza or last time drinking a summit at Mannings. You know, the important stuff. Here is what I have come up with so far and if you have any other suggestions, please pass them along my way. I'm pretty open to most suggestions. Even perhaps: First and last time visiting the Vu. Not saying that I will, not saying I won't.

Eat at Al's Breakfast: I've heard good things but never been. I should go.

Have a Long Island Iced Tea from Barney's: Historically sugary and will rot your stomach the next day. Historically they also get you drunk.

Check out Target Field: Not sure if I will be able to go to the home opener next year at the field that I have been waiting for as a Twins fan. A big bummer if you think about it but that is why I need to get over there before hand.

Bar hop on Cedar and NE: Again, never been. I should go.

Get an ice cream cone from Sebastian Joe's: I know it will be the winter and I'm not sure if it's open right not but it's damn good.

Walk around Lake Calhoun: It will be cold but Lucy probably will enjoy it. Gotta make the pup happy.

Ride a Campus Connector: Preferably, one driven by Jazz Man. You just have to be a student here to get that one.

Walk down frat row: For old time's sake. I may steal a brick or two. Haven't decided yet.

Have a piece of Steak and Fries pizza from Mesa: Best pizza ever. Not sure if I will find that in Salem.

Go to MOA and stay there all day: It's the Mall of America. It's huge. Plus at the Best Buy there you can play the drums. Real drums. Where else can you ride a roller coaster, have a dance party in abercrombie, play the drums and have the choice to either eat a Big Mac or stare at some hooters while eating wings. Can't beat it.

Well, that is all I have for now. I'm sure I've missed something but like I said, send ideas my way if you have any. It has been a pleasure to all I have met in my time in Minneapolis but it's not over yet. Catch ya on the phlip side.

Na na na na naaaa naaaa, I told you so

Week three of the NBA season has kicked off and who is the darling that everyone is talking about? Lebron James? Nope. How about Dwyane Wade? Nope again. It can't be the one person that I told everyone about and the one person that I knew was going to be the steal of the draft even if picked number one can it? No.....

Well I hate to tell ya folks, but I TOLD YOU SO! Brandon Jennings was once suppose to be a top 20 pick. He went 10. Brandon Jennings was suppose to see little action this season coming off the bench. He is starting. Brandon Jennings wasn't suppose to be this good was he? Well the answer is now very easy to see my friends.

People laughed when I wanted the wolves to pick him. He only averaged 6 points per game last year they'd say, he won't be that good. Yet he is the team leader on a team coached by strict, no bull shit coach in Scott Skiles and he is flourishing . Maybe it is the structure that Skiles creates for Jennings. Maybe it is the countless amount of extra hours that he has put in at the gym as he basically lives there when he isn't at home. Maybe it was me...who knows.

Whatever it is, it's working and I've never been so proud to be a fan of a player. Brandon isn't living it up as a NBA player. He knows that just getting to the NBA isn't enough. He wants to win. He wants to improve. He has drive to go along with his top notch skill and that is something seldomly seen in today's sport world. Dropping 55 in a game isn't a bad start either...

I recently went to the Bucks v Wolves game to see my new hero live. He didn't play all that well (4-16 shooting) but the Bucks won and he was still fun to watch. Here are some pictures from said night...

Stroking 3's during warm-ups

Hopefully this becomes a fun rivalry

#3 on Sportscenter's top 10 that night. Bogut dunk off a behind the back pass from Brandon

Breaking down J Flynn

Last shot of the night, one of his four makes

Scotty passes on wisdom

Casilla and Mijares wonder where that other spanish speaking player went

In an unsuspecting trade, the Minnesota Twins traded the center piece of their trade with the New York Mets for Johan Santana, Carlos Gomez to the Milwaukee Brewers for short stop J.J. Hardy. Many in the organization were surprised by the move as Gomez was an intricate part of late inning defensive replacement situations. "It's going to be weird looking behind me and seeing Denard (Span) out in center instead of Go-Go," Twins set-up man Matt Guerrier said, "I'm used to coming out in the 8th inning and Carlos would always be there."

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said the trade wasn't all that easy, "We are going to miss Go-Go swinging at the first pitch and his enthusiasm for getting on TV." While the trade was a surprise for some, others saw that the time was right to make the move. Twins MVP catcher Joe Mauer was one of those people. "I'm excited to bring in a quality player like J.J.," Mauer said, "I think he will fit in very nicely here. Also, I could never understand a word that Carlos said to me."

Perhaps the players that will miss Gomez the most are 2nd basemen Alexi Casilla and relief pitcher Jose Mijares. "I remember talking in spanish with another player on this team but I haven't seen him around lately," Mijares said, "I wonder what happened to him?" Casilla, perhaps the most distraught over the trade that sent his best friend to Milwaukee, "Carlos and I were the best amigos and we did everything together. Now I have to hang out with Jose and he always wants to drink dos equis and watch telemundo. Carlos never liked to do those things"

With Gomez gone, the Twins are rumored to be in dealings with the Toronto Blue Jays for a swap that would consist of the Jays trading 2nd basemen Aaron Hill and pitcher Jesse Carlson to the Twins for the before mentioned Casilla and Mijares. "With us moving into the new stadium next year," Twins General Manager Billy Smith said, "we went to create an All-American atmosphere for our fans. Being understood when we talk helps us create that."

It is yet to be seen if outfielders Denard Span and Delmon Young will be on the trading block but with the recent moves the Twins have made, it will not be surprising if those players are gone by Opening Day.

Where, O Where, have my little students gone?

That is the question that Gophers AD Joel Maturi has been asking over the last two weeks. It was first brought up in this article after the big L to last place Illinois. What did Maturi expect to happen, is the question that I want answered...

Did he think that just because you build a new stadium and conventional wisdom says that there is a new stadium hangover effect (which means that people will go to games based on the awe factor) that people will come regardless? Has he watched this Gopher team this season? They do everything they can to drive off their fan base with the way they play. They are the worst team in the Big Ten in terms of 3rd down conversions on offense and defense. In layman's terms, they can't stay on the field on offense and they can't get off the field on defense. Couple that with the fact that they are the most penalized team in the conference and no Eric Decker leaves you with a fan base chanting for a quarterback who has thrown less then 10 passes in his collegiate career.

So, what is to blame for the empty seats in the student section? It's quite simple and it is something that nobody talks about. History. The Ohio State Buckeye's have it. The Michigan Wolverines have it. Hell, even the dumb Wisconsin Badgers have it. The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers have none. Zip. Zero. Oh sure they won a national championship in 1960, but both of my parents were swimming around as mindless cells with tails at that time. They haven't been to a January bowl in who knows how long and we just got this brand new stadium and nothing to cheer about. It's like I said to a few friends after the game, the students knew that Illinois was going to win that football game. It's what we are used to and come to expect out of Gopher athletics. Why do we want to go see our team choke and let us down? What is the point?

The Gophers have been disappointing to say the least and it all started when this happened, then this happened, and we can't forget about this either. Quoting a fan from the South Dakota State game, "This is why we don't come to football games. You suck Maturi."

Update

I haven't been posting much recently, so what have I been doing? Well let me check the list...

It has been a lot of nothing really. I got "terminated" from my lovely promotions job at clear channel because of "some decisions and a lack of hours". That was their words. The real reason I was fired was because I wanted to see how long it takes someone to fire someone. Go back and read the State Fair piece, do you think I was happy with my job? Anyway, when I would go into the office I was never told what to do or what to work on. That makes working tough when you have nothing to do. So, I was let go. Worked out for me because I had wanted to quit but two people already beat me to the punch in the office so I felt like I had to stay on.

It was also the first time that I had ever been fired from a job. I can remember the first meeting I had with my boss after the State Fair. He fed me some bullshit about what was going to happen and he told me to check my email a lot for events and what have you. I continued to check my email for events and maybe a list of things that need to get done but I never got that email, or any other emails for that matter. So, like any good employee would do when they didn't know what to accomplish that day, I sat around and watched youtube videos and checked my fantasy teams. So I was let go.

Have I told you that I have a puppy? Well, I do. And she is an attention whore. That is another reason why I have been lazy I suppose. I will try to sit down and write and Lucy will start whining about me not looking at her. So I have to pick my spots to do homework (which I don't do much of anyway) and when to post on here. Lucy is getting very big and still has a lot to grow which is scary. Right now she weighs approximately 40 pounds and 30 more can be expected in the coming months. She is now potty trained (after some funny incidents) and has learned a few tricks. I have stockpiled some pictures from our walks that I will unveil to the world sometime soon.

What else is there to get caught up on? The Vikes look good, although I couldn't care either way. My boy Brandon Jennings is awesome, like I knew he would be. School is school, which I never go to. That's about it. Hopefully I will update this more often but until then...