Ahhh... The First Kiss Chronicles: Part 2: The second (and third and fourth and fifth) kiss

It just keeps getting sweeter. While I considered not to continue blogging about my romantic life, I have decided to do so even if it means only that others can experience romance vicarously through me. But also because I believe that although flirting, romance, intamacy, love and everything in between are personal, discussing it in a public forum, as long as details are kept to a minimum and names anonymous, can help people in their lives, as well as help me deal with the ever-confusing world of dating. Read on for more from "Ahhh ... The First Kiss Chronicles"

Last night I see Mr. New New (not be confused with Mr. New Old) at the watering hole and we had a great time like I expected.

He kept kissing me at the bar, which I guess is ok. Its just awkward the first time you kiss someone in front of other people, especially HIS friends.

Anyway, he drives me home and of course, I am totally nervous and he could tell. But whatever, I am allowed to be nervous. I think it gave me a little bit of sex appeal. I gave him a nervous tour of the house and kissed him in my room. Too bad about the rents, because that could have been fun ...

Then he left, but not before kissing me by his car, among other things. I spare details.

I am on Cloud 9 and I don't want to leave. Could this be the start of the next chapter in my book of love, or is it just another Mr. New, soon to be an old fling?

Stay tuned for more of "Ahhh ... The First Kiss Chronicles"

Post-season, SEC commentary

(AP Photo/Butch Dill)

I simply couldn't help myself. I saw this on ESPN.com shortly before Game 3 of the Dodgers, Cubs series began, a game the Cubs would have to win to keep their post- season hopes alive. While everyone cheers for the quintessential underdogs, The Chicago Cubs, I couldn't help but laugh out loud as I read this comment posted by an ESPN blogger...

"My broom is working, and I need to start sweeping. Oh let's say 9 p.m. PT. "
brianz0009

Another fantastic football Saturday is almost over and bigger than the Bama win over the tough UK is Vandy's heroic defeat of Auburn. Go Vandy. I'm rooting for you to keep this up. I have always respected you guys and in a recent post, I said this:

If you are a Vandy fan, you are probably hopeful, thats what a win over The Evil Genius Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks will do for you. Keep it up and you may be able to ruin somebody else's Saturday this season...I would put money on it.

And I was correct. Good for you guys!

And because I was at work during the Bama Kentucky game, I will leave it to other bloggers to share their thoughts on today's game as well as other matchup. It's a little lazy, but some of these comments are great... I couldn't have said them better myself. Read on and enjoy:

I'll agree, Kentucky SHOULD be ranked, even with that loss. And I'm not saying that to inflate Bama heads either. UK deserves it. 4-1 is a respectable start.

I will freely admit that Bama is a great team...maybe the best in the nation??? not sure yet. But if Hartline didn't drop that ball and give up a freebie TD, KY wins this game 14-10. I think some attention should be given to that.

Well... outscoring your opponents 88-0 in the first quarter and not trailing at all in the first six games IS pretty amazing and it's a huge accomplishment, so the media will tag that as well.

Hey look at it this way; Vandy won, but they keep hearing that it's their first 5-0 start since WWII. Now how would that make you feel to hear after beating Auburn for the first time this century?

Congrats to Bama. They played a great game. Being a cats fan I was very happy. We gave up the big play early with the 80 yard run and then gave away the fumble for the score but they held on and played hard. Bama made some mistakes too to make up for what UK did early in the game and then it got interesting. It showed to me that the cats defense is good, REAL good, and that they SHOULD be in the top 25 and could be up there with the rest of the powerhouses in the SEC. Good game Bama and good luck. GO CATS!!

Kentucky is a good team, and makes Alabama's resume that much better at the end of the season. I'll vouch for that even against other Bama fans.
If Alabama could have capitalized on a few more of those mistakes though, it might would have been a wider margin.

Kentucky is not a bottom feeder. They have come off of two winning seasons and two bowl victories. They were one of only two teams to beat the national champs last year. They held their own against the nation's best team. YEAH,I SAID IT. Alabama is the best team in the nation. Oklahoma just looks good playing against crap competition.

I guarentee you'll hear about how close that game was more than you will about the win. But, on the other hand, it is a pretty big deal when one player rushes for 200+ yds. against the nation's scoring defense leader. And that is a compliment to Kentucky as well.

Good game, it had me on my heels.

I love some of these idiots knocking Kentucky. Kentucky played with Bama the entire game. Alabama is an awesome team so it speaks volumes when Kentucky only loses by 3. Are some of you really comparing Baylor to Kentucky? That is absolutely idiotic.

Bama is great and Kentucky has turned the corner. A win over LSU should have told you guys to wake up. Kentucky is no longer a pushover. They are a legitimate team.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda....bottom line it's a win for Alabama.....bottom line for Auburn...you loose

I don't understand why it is if you listen to the media discuss this game (CBS, ESPN, etc), they just talk about how much rushing yards Bama had, how well they played in the first half, and how they moved on to be 6-0. They barely mention the final score, and don't say a damn word about Kentucky, and how well they played.

Alabama played horribly, and Kentucky played very well. There was horrific officiating, which may have affected the tide more than UK. The Tide's Coffee needs to get better at holding onto the ball, this has been a problem for him all season long. Bama should have scored much more than it did, but UK's impressive defense was able to keep them under control. Unfortunately, Bama's pass defense hasn't been great at preventing first downs all season long, which allowed Kentucky's strong passing offense to score some much needed points on the board. Alabama got lucky this game, because according to the skill, and how well both teams played, UK should have come away with the victory. The win can be attributed to the Tide's defense, and Coffee, who put the team in the position to make the game point.

People expect good teams to have blowouts. That rarely happens in SEC conference games because almost all SEC teams are good teams. The SEC doesn't have any "high school" teams masquerading as college football teams. The SEC has talent.

I second this. The SEC is the BEST conference by far.

Thank you..a win is a win is a win! I just think people did not give enough credit to UK...it's not like they are a Baylor team..they are an SEC team.

Good, Bad, Ugly, Pretty, Penalties, No - Calls,Fumbles. Talk is talk. The game is over. Kentucky and Bama both have a good football team and this was just a classy SEC matchup that proved Kentucky is a good team. Alabama is not overrated, if anything Kentucky is underrated. Still, good game and congrats to the Wildcats and good luck the rest of the season. Talk all you want, but Bama is still 6-0. dmccullough007 (35 minutes ago) Report Violation Goodness...a little too close for comfort...but all is well...a win is a win...especially in the SEC! Roll Tide...Ole Miss in two weeks.

This speaks more about Kentucky than it does UA. That defense for the 'Cats did not quit, but their young QB did them in. That being said UK isn't a homecoming game anymore and UA showed why they're one of the top teams in the SEC. hogwild1989 (42 minutes ago) Report Violation good job Bama.. now that you got that little hickup out.. roll the rest of the season and then crush whoever you're up against in Miami Catsbyfive (46 minutes ago) Report Violation Alabama was the better team. They made a lot of mistakes and maybe a few bullsh*t penalties, but the tide's defense is definitely better than the cats. I think UK showed a lot of heart and character today though, especially without the help of micah, cobb, lumpkin, and jeffries. If even 3 of those 4 are healthy for the rest of the season, I think UK could potentially beat anyone at home, I know that's a bold statement but i was impressed with their play today. Hopefully we will pull one out against the old ball coach for once next weekend.

You're right,UK was really, really good. Excellent test for our Bama team ("Mt. Cody" hasn't breathed that hard all season). They needed that little smack in the mouth to keep them humble for the rest of the season. We cannot sleep on Ole Miss.

We are, once again, back in the position of being every SEC team's rival. It's a savory spot to be in, but we haven't had a group of players that are used to that kind of pressure in a long, long while. It will be interesting to see how they handle being that heavily targeted -- esp. by teams that most people will not consider real competition for 'Bama. Those are the teams that can pull out one of those Boise St. Statue of Liberty-type stunners (God forbid...).

This is neither a Coach Bryant nor a Coach Stallings type team. The players on those teams signed with 'Bama because they wanted to play for the school and contribute to the program's winning tradition. This group of players signed with 'Bama because they wanted to play for Saban. Totally different vantage point. Totally different mentality.

Will be very interesting to see if these kids can keep their heads.

Saban didn't let Bama down like Nutt did in the Ole Miss game after a big win.

I hope mizzou does jump lsu in the polls this week because rankings mean nothin right now

Congrats to Kentucky on a tough game. The cats are the real deal for sure. This was the first team to test the Tide all year, and this game was the hardest hitting contest Bama has been in. In a way, I'm glad the Tide played such a physical opponent that they couldn't easily push around. Even though they lost, Kentucky still looked like a top 20 team. I'm sure that Bama's players and fans would agree. Again, good game Cats. Your team is damn good.

I hear u brother! all u can do is laugh at some of these post! I hear the scenery in Lexington is nice this time of year w/ Keeneland and SEC football

Cat fans be proud you will go bowling again, hope Vandy goes. Now we need to finish Bama.

Hats off to the CATS, They played their butts off against one of the best teams in the country! great job with both programs, hell of a game!

Ahhh....... The First Kiss Chronicles: Part 1: The First Kiss

The way your heart races so fast it almost jumps out of your chest. The way your hands shake and your legs tingle. The way the world as you know it disappears from your mind. I am talking of course, about a first kiss. There is nothing more glorious than that first kiss as you lean in, the way you wish it would never end and the way you are gleefully consumed by it for days. So new and exciting that I felt compelled to write about it here.

Is this a softer side of Scoops? I think so. Normally I am blogging about SEC football, baseball or how I dislike liberal policy. But today, I too, am gleefully consumed by a first kiss. Only 2 months after The Break Up from my longtime beaux, I have found myself immersed in singleness. I am wading around in the scary waters of dating, finding that this it is a f*cking blast and wishing I had done it sooner. How come nobody from the single team sent me a Memo about this? Eh, they were probably too busy enjoying singlehood. Since the breakup however I have been fortunate enough to reunite with an old friend and make some new ones at a local watering hole that has become my second home, and the people, a new family. The old friend is out of my league in my play book, but he disagrees. We went out a few times and eventually the innocent flirting turned into not so innocent slumber parties. However, recently he chose not to call me back regarding plans we made and has yet to answer as to why. While I am not mad (anymore) I am a little disappointed. Unsure where that was going, if it was going anywhere at all, I continued on my quest to have a good time.

Last night, just as my anger faded from the unreturned phone call from Mr. New a week ago, a somewhat unexpected event occured. An attractive, Paul Newman-esque gentlemen who I was social with at my local watering hole, began to show some interest in me. He was the last of the crew to flirt with me, the others were overly eager. It started last week with playful flirting that spilled over into last night. We bonded as partners in a game of beer pong (sarcasm of course) and then inched closer to each other at the bowling arcade game in the back corner. He distracted me during our bowling game, I'll spare the details, but it was quite nice, and I found myself in a place that I haven't been to in so long I almost forgot what it was like. For those precious moments I wasn't the woman who over thinks every little detail of every aspect of my life. I wasn't the SEC expert talking defensive spreads or the uptight, overworked, underpaid maverick. I was instead a free spirit, an innocent girl who jumped up and down and cheered every time I bowled a stike and giggled as he kissed my neck and sqeezed my behind. I was the girl who leaned closer to him while we played that arcade game and smiled as he looked at me. Oh, it felt so good.

As the bar cleared out and Laura hollered 'Last Call!!!!' we found ourselves alone at a table. Then we went outside as the night winded down. We leaned against the concrete column smoking and talking, and then, it happened. He kissed me and I kissed him and all the world around us stopped. Laura and Trish came outside to continue a catfight and Guido followed, but none of that mattered. He held me so close and I couldn't help but wrap my arms around him and go with it. After all, it felt good, so good. This continued by my car.

Once the makeout session was over, I pulled out, smiling ear to ear, a smile that has remained on my face all day today despite my hangover and being at work. I don't know what will happen now... Maybe nothing, maybe everything, but it is fun and it feels just like a should, a first kiss.

Oh, and by the way, Bama won today over Kentucky 17-14.

The Tide has rolled in

Crimson Tide defeats UGA in an upset 41-30 between the hedges.

Ok, so I promised that I wouldn't talk trash to Georgia fans during the game. I did this for two reasons.

1. A game can shift momentum at any time and...
2. I have more class than that

But... the game is over, and now the insult to injury can begin and my class can go out the window. I think I'll start with the blackout. How foolish does UGA look after their mega-loss to the Crimson Tide after all the hype about the spiffy black jersies? I warned in my last post that all the black jersies and barking wasn't going to win UGA anything, but their talent would. Well at least I was right about one thing! I think it's safe to say that the Tide put an end to UGA's infamous blackouts for awhile. See, I told you guys black jersies wouldn't win you anything.

Next, Knowshon Moreno was more like 'No'shon Moreno. Where the hell was he? All I heard about for days before the game was Knowshon this and Knowshon that. Don't get me wrong, I know he is talented, but apparently the Tide was too much for Moreno to handle. And just because low blows are kinda fun ... What was up with that stupid mohawk?

The offensive line for UGA is young and one that will certainly grow as the season progresses and probably mold into a strong line in a year, but they were no match for our defensive line stacked with our center, Mount Cody, Dont'a Hightower and our offense is far superior at this point. Andre Smith, Antoine Caldwell, Mark Ingram, Glen Coffee and need I even mention Julio Jones all had fantasic games.

Quarterback control is key to this game and John Parker Wilson had a near perfect game. His arm strength, although, not what he is known for, was fantasic. He was in complete control the entire game, never faltering. He carried himself like a true leader. Stafford on the other hand had a tough game. Poor guy, probably is still sleeping off our wrath.

Nick Saban straight up outcoached Richt and Bobo. He was prepared for the game and instead of worrying himself with how his players would dress, he stuck to calling the shots. (Ouch, even that was too harsh for me). Let's just say those White jersies work just fine for us.

But now that all is said and done I will give UGA a much needed pep talk. Don't worry. I am certain UGA will bounce back from this. It is likely that you will contend in the SEC East, and if that is true, then it is also likely that the Tide will see you again in the SEC championship. Except maybe this time, you guys will stick to your more traditional red jersies : )

Let the Munson bashing begin

For those of you who liked Larry Munson, I advise you to NOT read this. But for the rest of us with a sense of humor, please enjoy this Munson bashing e-mail as written by my father. NOTE: My father passionately disliked this man. ENJOY!

After 43 years of mediocrity UGA will finally be forced to put a professional announcer in the booth. Larry Munson, a joke of a man, has seen fit to retire and give all of us a break. This poor-mouthing weasel, who wouldn't know a spread formation from a power "I" if it bit him on his bulldog ass has finally decided to spare us anymore of his histrionics and retire to a life of fondling college girls in dark movie theaters. Back in '66 this buffoon couldn't find work up North so he wandered aimlessly to Georgia, where after a quick stop in Nashville, he convinced Vince Dooley that he was capable of handling the announcers chores. His worn out phrases and complaining about everything from the weather to the stadiums to the buses became old twenty years ago. Now a real announcer with a family to support will have the opportunity to call play by play and bring the game to life. This day could not have come any quicker to suit me. There is a reason why Woody Harrelson's character in "Kingpin" was named Munson. One of the great losers of our time.

College football preview: Tide rolls into Athens this weekend

A look back:

Greetings my faithful football fans. I think its safe to say that once again, another fantastic football Saturday has ended, and some of us are more pleased than others...

If you are an Auburn fan, chances are you are pissed off, as you should be, over your loss to Les Miles and his crew of misfits, a.k.a. The Ragin' Cajuns. I get your angst, but I do not sympathize with you, as we have all been beat by the Cajuns. Besides, we all know Miles is an idiot, who without the talent -- recruited by Nick Saban -- would not be where he is today. But more on Cajun bashing later.

If your a Tennessee fan, chances are you are feeling hopeless, as you should be, over your garbage can of a season thus far. You guys have problems, major problems, starting with an offense that is out of sync. Your special teams are anything but, and your coach... well I will leave that one alone.

If you are a Georgia fan, than there is no doubt you are feeling superior, as you should not, because you haven't played a real game yet this season. Joe Cool, aka Coach Mark Richt and your team will have your challenges this season, starting with your black out game against, No. 8, Bama. All your barking and black jersies will not win you anything, but your talent will, so stick with that. I will keep my critisism of you to a minimus for two reasons: One, we play you this Saturday, and two, you do have talent that will take you to the championship.

If your an LSU fan, there is no doubt you are also feeling superior, as you should be as the reiging National Champtionship team, but mark my words Baton Rouge ... Your days are numbered!! You guys just won't go the hell away!

If your an Arkansas fan, you have realized that you are a drastically different, and far inferior team without Houston Nutt, Felix Jones and Darryn McFaden. Too bad so sad. Petrino's best hope right now: Start planning for next year buddy.

If you are a Florida fan, good for you. I dont like you, Urban Meyer or Tim Tebow the annointed one, but I dont have to. However, I do have to except that you are playing great football and that you will contend in the SEC this year and will, WITHOUT A DOUBT win some big games... Cocktail Bowl anyone?

If you are a Vandy fan, you are probably hopeful, thats what a win over The Evil Genius Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks will do for you. Keep it up and you may be able to ruin somebody else's Saturday this season...I would put money on it.

And, if you are an Alabama fan like me, you are smiling ear to ear, but nervous as you should be. John Parker Wilson has come back this year a completely different QB than last year. Terrence Cody, Mark Ingrahm, Julio Jones, Andre Smith, Caldwell, Grant and Javier Arenas have SHOWED up big so far. While Saban's second year as the King of Tuscaloosa is already ahead of schedule, we have no easy season ahead of us. Let's start with Georgia and go from there. this will be no easy win, if a win at all, neither will our games in Baton Rouge, and dare I say Knoxville. So lets not get ahead of ourselves. We are far better than anyone, even us, thought we would be this year, but are we good enough to beat Georgia? We will know soon enough!

Braves break come in form of angels

After arriving in southern California after a 5-plus hour flight from Chicago, a town we just couldn't get out of fast enough after a sweep from the mighty Cubs, things looked bleak for the Bravos. The starting pitching staff went thin with, Glavine, Jierjunns on the disabled list, Smoltz way beyong the disabled list. As if that isn't bad enough, the team couldn't put together a multi-run inning, or an ANY run inning for several games, the 'bull'pen became the 'bear'pen, as relievers, came in late (actually pretty early in some games) and gave away leads that were, in most cases, not more than one or two runs. Even the broadcasters were somber at the start of game one against the Anaheim Angels, criticizing the young players for not performing well during their opporutnity to play in the Bigs.

As the division rivals, and quite possibly the best team in the National League, The Phillies stayed hot, as the Braves went on to break the record for losing the most one-run games on the road ( twenty-something I believe) . Things couldn't any worse. And then, they did.

Only minutes prior to the first pitch in Anaheim, Chipper, one of only two consistant performers (the other being McCan), and the backbone of the team, gets injured, quite freakishly, during batting practice. A ball hit off his bat, ricashaid off the metal in the batting cage and got Chipper on the cheek. The injury, although sounds silly, actually looked painful, as Chipper winced in pain, walked off the field with excorts and his cheek immediately began to swell. He left the premisis to get x-rays. And once again, the cards we were dealt, were a a bad hand, stacked with a whole bunch of nothing. But ol' Luke was right because "sometimes nothin' is a real cool hand,: because 'nothing' turned into something.

Something happened. We took the lead on Vlad Guierro and the Angels. Jo-Jo Reyes, a pitcher recongnized by Braves broadcasters as a genuine, eager to learn pitcher, threw a beauty of a game after recovering from two speedbumps, one being a leadoff homer.

Blanco hit a two-run double, getting the Braves in the lead, one that would stay a lead and turn into a bigger lead. Jo-Jo put faith in his defense, piching to allow contact, but trusting the guys to take care of it... And they did.

Brandon Jones, the new guy in the lineup had a fantastic debute batting in the lower part of the order, went on a hitting spree with Blanco and Franceour, who, as the three-player entourage, gave the lower end of the order most of the credit for the runs produced. For the first time a week, the Braves came out on a top beating National League-style coach Mike Scocia and the American :eague Angels 5-2.

Then, I there is the mlb.com sports reporter, who lead his game coverages story stating that nothing has gone according to script for the Braves. What scipt? There is no script..."You can't script October" ringing any bells?

There is still plenty of baseball to be played. The Braves are going to come out of this. Maybe not now, but soon enough.

Did we just get lucky tonight? Did the Angels play below their abilities tonight? I don't know. But I do believe that everything happens for a reason. Chipper going down while the ship was sinking is no exception. Maybe there was a spark. Maybe Bobby game em' hell in the dugout before the game. Or maybe, it was a sign, a message telling use to disperse our egges more wisely and not rely on Chipper to carry us. A sign directing us to a different road, one we have taken yet.

However, to contend, not just win, but pose an October threat, the Bravos hasve some holes to fill in.

- WITH A QUICKNESS: Speed, we need it. We need a speedy Gonzalen lead-off man, a base-stealer, someone to give us that edge, Blano, while swift, is not a "smart" runner, a skill that be honed to be effective.
-BAG OF TRICKS: picking off runners, catching guys trying steal, lineup order shake-up, small ball by with the old get em' on, get em' over, get em' in tactice,sqeeze plays ...
-CONSISANCY ALL AROUND: hitting, piching.........
-INSURANCE RUNS: A hotel room is refuge, something to support a family by providing a place to sleep when their house burns down ... insurace is a something you pay into over time, but helps to get the displaced family through to the other end.
The point? Run support just gives us a lead for a little while, insurance runs are consistant throughout the game, an accumulation that helps the team to the
other end allowing breathing room for everyone.

The Obvious:
ability to take a lead, and keep it
ability to come from behind
leave less Braves players on the basepads
make opponent pay for mistakes (error, up and in pitches, walks, lack of hussle ... etc.
starting pitchers staying in deeper
And so on......
Let's just hope we can keep our hales.

I am glad that I did not see it ... but it still happened!

So, last night, Friday June 6, my boyfriend and I found ourselves at our old watering hole, the bar we used to frequent twice a week when we first met, now we make an appearance about once a month, if that. However, Steve the bartender welcomed us with Jager bombs and cold beers. The night turned into a drunk fest and as the innings went on in the Braves game, as well as the Sox/Mariners and Cards/Astros on the adjacent TVs I lost myself in the scene, drank too much and do not remember if I paid my tab. I am pretty sure I didn't because I do not see it on my debit card ... OOOPS! Nor did I see or even think to check the Braves game after a huge blowout with my man and a night that ended in a drunken rage, that poured over to this morning and well into the afternoon that included a fight with my mom and a call to AAA to recover keys presumed to be locked in my vehicle. I am not proud of my actions ... so much so that I am embarrassed and have sworn off alcohol for at least a week.

Anyway, I read today on atlantabraves.com that we lost the first of three at the Ted against the Phillies, aka, the biggest pain in the ass in the NL East for the Braves. Not only did we LOSE, we GAVE the game away after Huddy's gem pitching performance, a two run homer hit by (???) I read that we made rookie errors, I think the phrase used was 'comedy of errors' including base running mishaps, another Acosta blown save and a pop-fly dropped by Johnson which officially was the end of the end for a game that we already, and I quote, "did not deserve to win."

All I can say about it is this: Because I do not get down my guys because... that is reserved for fans of teams such as Red Sox, Yankees, Mets and Phillies... I have to be reserved and say I am glad I did not see it ... but it still happened!

Because they said so

Alright. We get it: the housing market is in a slump, foreclosures are high, credit is tight, stocks are down and oil is up. The soaring price of black gold is straining every aspect of American life from middle class Americans to multimillion dollar conglomerates. Many experts, analysts and investors are sure that as the sun is hot, the U.S. is in a recession. But Uncle Sam didn't just wake up one day in the midst of troubled times. When did we (the American people) decide that the economy was so bad? The answer: when the media said so. The media is merely the beast that feeds itself. By constantly reminding everyone that the economy is bad, 'the beast' feeds the public, manifesting fear; causing panic thus worsening the economic situation and, in turn, giving 'the beast' more bad news to report about the economy. But did anyone do more than accept the negative economic climate, such as question the validity of the claim? Did anybody ask how and when the economy took a turn for the worst? Well, some did. I wonder what those few discovered though. See, I'm not sure because nobody filled me in. Maybe nobody did ask after all.

And did anybody else note the ever-so impeccable timing of the bad news? As Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama fight til the death for the Democratic nomination, President Bush prepares for his White House goodbye. Certainly the prospect of a slumping economy occurring during the Bush tenure doesn't give Democrats any ammunition in their fight to win the White House. And certainly the bad news doesn't give Democrats someone, or something to blame. And certainly this someone, or something to blame is not conservative, right? Did the democrats make it up to exploit voters? I wouldn't put it past them, but no, they didn't come up with the bad economic forecast. But much like a guy with lemons, they are making lemonade. Ah, another evil that merely fuels the fire.

I believe there misconceptions in this situation that are creating both a divide between parties and uncertainty among Americans. At the end of the day, the GOP and the Dems aren't that different; we all want the same things, but it is how we go about getting it that divides us. Another fallacy: Republicans are rich and therefor their interest in a tumbling economy, is just that, theirs, not the American people. Did it ever occur to anyone that the economic situation may actually hurt the big, bad wealthy Republicans the most? And did anyone stop to wonder what it would be like if the economy never slumped? The strength of a free market is also the weakness. If the economy never fell, than it would never rise either. Maybe things are bad right now, but playing victim all the time is tiring.

And of course gas prices are pinching everyone, but haven't they always? When gas rose to $2 a gallon, we were outraged, at $3 we went ballistic, and now at nearly $4, well you get the picture. Our dependency on oil, thus our dependency on foreign oil, is the culprit but we have to lay in the bed we made.

As far as foreclosures, key interest rates, credit crisis, tightened loans, net profit losses and futures, buyouts, mergers and takeovers, and any other Washington jargon, I don't know the solution, or the problem for that matter. But I do know that as a society we have so blindly accepted the notion of a bad economy, and on what grounds? ... Because the media said so?

All I contend is that we take the economic situation with a grain of salt, recognizing that the sheer act of claiming its weaknesses and failures only worsens the blow.

The new face of the Atlanta Braves

When the Braves traded Ole' reliable, shortstop Edgar Renteria, I was disappointed. Renteria, although not a 'finesse' player, had a way of quietly putting up great, consistent numbers and doing so with class- no whining or edgy comments to the press.

But then we got an unknown- a young Cuban by the name of Yunel Escobar- who sparked mix reviews by both the fans and the local press. However, only a short while after skeptical Atlanta fans, myself included, almost wrote him off, he grabbed our attention ... and I mean GRABBED! Already the 25-year-old second round amateur draft pick has starred in a highlight video of a beautiful spinning defensive play in the home opener against Pittsburgh, not to mention 7 RBI, more than the beloved Chipper and Franceour.

His presence on the Braves club, in the dugout, at the plate and in the field is just as likable as his numbers. He possesses that youthful smile and that twinkle in his eyes that just tell you as a fan 'This is OUR guy ... He is going to be a difference maker, a force that will continue to turn heads in the stadium, frustrate ace pitchers who just can't wear him out and infuriate runners who are a half-a-step behind his rocket arm.'

He will be the guy that you just can't stop ... he will battle during tough at bats, he will steal bases and he will OWN shortstop.

I love our guys- Chipper, B-Can, Diaz, Frenchy, Tex etc ...- but there is a new sheriff in town and I think I speak for most, if not all, Braves fans when I say ... Yunel, welcome to Atlanta.

Back to the blog

It has been almost a year since my last posting. I am going to start keeping up with this blog. I swear. What to look forward to:
-Obama has the right attend any church he wants & and Americans have the right to complain about it.
-Major League Baseball is oh so close
-The Crimson criminals- why can't those Bama boys stay out of trouble?
-Gatlinburg...here we come

I am 8.2 pounds skinnier!

After being on weight watchers for only 2 weeks, I have lost a total of 8.2 pounds. The first week I lost 3.8 pounds and the second week I lost 4.6 pounds. I feel great and even better, I feel great. I have changed my eating habits and have begun walking to school when the weather is nice. What a great accomplishment. I bought this meat substitute and tomorrow night I am going to make sloppy joes with it. I am also going to try this grilled veggie sandwich for lunch sometime this week.

The King is Here: Roll Tide

Alright already! We get it...as Bama fans we have become accustom to your "hating" and constant trash talk. However, we have a little message for all of you out there. You know who you are, so lets not make small talk. The following was in an email that my dad wrote me. The writer of this testimony said it better than I ever could so I will allow him or her to do so. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE IT...YOU JUST HAVE TO ACCEPT IT!

Hey my Bama faithful, you know... I was reading the article about us being on probation for the last 15 years and I realized that if most other schools had sustained a blow of the magnitude and duration that we've had to endure they would simply fold and vanish into the realm of football has been's. Sure we have'nt been the usual dominate Alabama of the past, but we have been far from slouches. During these past 15 years we've had some teams that could hang with anybody and I think our 1999 SEC championship team could have been national champions if it had not been for that mental fart (LA Tech game)we lost that year. My point is...it shows our strenght and why we are the Epitome of college football...second to none!!!

LISTEN UP!! TENNESSEE, BARNERS, LSU AND EVERYONE ELSE OUT THERE, HEAR ME LOUD AND CLEAR. YOU'RE DAYS ARE NUMBERED!!! NO LONGER WILL YOU BE ABLE TO REAK HAVOC AND CHAOS OVER THE SEC AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL WORLD DUE TO YEARS OF OPPRESSION OF THE BAMA PROGRAM. THE RIGHTFUL KING OF NCAA FOOTBALL IS BACK. WE WILL SHOW YOU WHAT A JUGGERNAUT PROGRAM IS ALL ABOUT. YOUR GREATEST DAYS ARE BEHIND YOU (hope you enjoyed). TIC TOC, TIC TOC, TIC TOC....THOSE ARE THE SECONDS THAT WILL FEEL LIKE YEARS AS YOU WALK DOWN THIS GREEN MILE. DON'T BOTHER STEPPING DOWN BECAUSE WE WILL KNOCK YOU DOWN AND WHILE YOU'RE DOWN THERE....BOW!!! YOUR KING IS HERE!

It's Saban Time

Yesturday, Nick Saban, former head coach of the Miami Dolphins, arrived in Tuscaloosa Alabama to be welcomed as the new head coach of the legendary SEC Crimson Tide. He was greeted by a swarm of excited Crimson Tide fans shouting, "Saban time" as he stepped off the plane. Since then, I have heard nothing but scrutiny, criticism, and in the case of Auburn fans, all out low blow comments. "He has no credibility," said one Ole Miss fan in distress. "If he is stupid enough to take the job, then he gets what he deserves," said on particularly mean Georgia fan. "You may have a new coach, but since you have no talent, I do not see why it matters much," said one Tennessee fan.
For all of these "haters" and pessimists, allow me five minutes of your time to outline the highlights of his college coaching career. If you will give me that much, than I will give you his credibility, what he deserves and all the talent you can handle.
Let us begin with his tenure at Michigan State. He came in when Michigan was under investigation from the NCAA because of bad behavior under preceeding coach, George Perles. He had a huge part in improving the Michigan State program. In 1999 Michigan State finished SECOND, thats right, I said SECOND, in the Big 10 Conference with a 9-2 record. It should be noted that a 9-2 record was the best record for Michigan State since 1966 (33 years ago!) Oh, an one more thing about that year: Saban let Michigan State to the school's highest poll ranking, #7, since 1966 as well.
Furthermore, and yes, there is more, he defeated #1 Ohio State, ON THE ROAD November, 1998 earning him and the team an invite to the Florida Citrus Bowl.
I am sure you are not convinced yet, so lets look at his success at Alabama rival school, LSU. When Saban arrived in Baton Rouge, he inherited excellent talent (thanks to the good recruiting of Gerry Dinardo) but he also inherited an 11- year long slump. However, Saban coached the team to an 8-4 season and a Peach Bowl victory. It should be noted, that same year, LSU upset Tennessee and arch nemisis Ole Miss in Oxford. He also coached LSU into breaking a 31-year long losing streak against none other than Alabama.
He led LSU to an SEC Championship in 2001. He also won the BCS against the Oklahoma Sooners in 2003. Oh yeah, one more thing, he also won the NCAA Coach of Year. In his college career he has wan 91 games, lost 42 and one tie. Now, that is what I call a record.
If you are not convinced that Alabama is on the brink of a winning season, and a new legacy, than you are simply jealous. Chances are if you are a Georgia fan, Auburn fan or Tennessee fan, you are also scared. You had your turn, but now, it is SABAN TIME!!

The People's Republic of McDonalds

On my way to school each day I pass an overwhelming amount of fast food establishments: McDonalds, Chick-Fil-A, Burger King, Zaxby's, Arby's and the list goes on. What is mind boggeling to me as that the drive thru lanes are usually backed up. Are Americans really that lazy? I mean we are already eating billions of Big Macs each year, is it too hard to park our cars, walk inside and order? I guess so. Families now have the option of ordering family size meals to feed everyone instead of cooking. So we can eat with our families around the dinner table, but we have to be shoving grease and unnessesary calories in our faces to do it. It is truly pathetic. I wonder what the average american's health status would be like if we just cut fast food out of our diets completely and settled for home cooked meals. Are we in that much of a hurry that making a sandwich and bringing it to work is too much time? Are we so concerned about being there on time that we want to clog our bodies with cholesterol? And is the food really that good that it can be sacrificed? It kills me...and chances are it is killng many Americans each year who substitute fast food meals for a healthy, harty meal. Unfortunately, the fast food industry is booming, new establishments are popping up everywhere, and the biggest shock to me, no matter how many of them they build, they will be crowded!

The Sentinel: Meteoker all around

Recently I went to see the heavily advertised movie, "The Sentinel" with my friend Jason who is a Keifer Sutherland fanatic. The movie stars Sutherland as well as Michael Douglas, Kim Besinger and Eva Langoria. The film's plot sounds good on paper. In 141 years there has never been a traitor in the Secret Service until now. There is a plot to assasinate the president and it roots from inside the Secret Service. The suspect is Douglas' character, who is innocent but is being framed. The twist is that he is having an affair with the First Lady. Agent, whatever his name is, I dont remember because it was not worth committing to memory, is hired to take on Douglas. Turns our Sutherland and Douglas are old friends and Douglas is married to Sutherlands ex-wife, whoa watch out! Anyway, the film was ok and just ok. The plot, in reality was ok, the acting was ok and the twists and turns were ok, I guess you could say it was meteoker all around. The flick had an element of predictability that I was hoping would stop. I was expecting a big twist at the end, but it never came. Overall, I wasted $8.50 on a movie that I should have waited to rent on DVD, oh well.

Baseball in the rain

When it rains, it pours they so and in baseball that could not be more true. About two weeks ago the Atlanta Braves played the San Fransisco Giants in San Fran. The game was delayed because of rain for almost two hours. The San Fran ground crew who was not prepared for the bad weather cleared the feild as safe to play on and the game began. Chipper Jones, the all-star thrid baseman, and the Braves' go to guy went to catch a simple ground ball. While coming up to throw the ball, Jones slippd on the wet grass and twisted his knee. The viewers at home held their breath as Jeff Porter, the Braves' trainer and Coach Bobby Cox ran out to field as Jones winced in pain on the ground holding his knee. Since then he has been on the disabled list and is scheduled to return on Tuesday against the Brewers. I told you that story to tell you this one. Yesturday the Braves were scheduled to play a game against the Washington Nationals in Washington. The game was on a two and half hour rain delay and when they removed the tarp it was obvious that this field was not safe for playing. Later in the game as the rain poured down, Braves reliever Mike Remlinger threw a pitch, the ball slipped because it was wet, it went all the way to the fence and the runner on thrid scored causing the Braves to lose in the ninth inning 4 to 3. I have three points to make about this:
1) Rain delays should only go as long at 90 minutes. After that, cancel the game and reschedule.
2) Wet fields cause many problems. In the case of Jones, the potential for injuries is higher and the injuries can be substantial putting essential players on the Disabled List for days even months.
3) It is unfair to both teams because a wet ball, wet cleats and muddy base paths can cause errors that would not have happened otherwise.

I-pods, the new pastime

What is the deal with these things? Are they magical? Do they attract beautiful members of the opposite sex? Do they make you lose weight? They must be doing something because like DVD players, everybody owns one. The I-pod, a portable device that allows owners to download their own music and listen to it where ever, have become an epidemic. At school I see people walking the campus with these gadgets. Who said college was for socializing? Now that you have your nifty little i-pod, you don't need friends. What really bothers me is because of their portability students get away with listening to their i-pods in the middle of class. Yup, that's right, while the professor is lecturing on American culture in the age of blacklisting, students can not hear a word of it because they must hear their music right away. I don't see a problem with these devices if used properly, like while excersizing, cleaning, resting or traveling on a plane, but during class, that is just plain rude. Furthermore, they are desocializing America. Instead of making friendly conversation with peers, Americans are listening to their music. Now call me old fashioned, my friends do, but I am a radio person, much like my dad. The static gives me a sense of nostalgia, and the radio personalities entertain me. I own SOME cds, but I will never own an i-pod. I love music just as much as the next guy, but I can certainly do without it while I am in class.

What happened to family values?

The other day I was at the movie theatre and I saw something that disturbed me. An old friend of mine who is in college at the University of Georgia, has a younger sister, who is know 15 years old. We will call this 15 year old, Angela. What I saw outside the movie theatre was Angela and 2 boys, who appeared to highschool age but probably a little older than her. They were all dressed in dark, dumpy clothes and she was wearing thick black eyeliner, bright eyeshadow and her hair was dyed a reddish pink. Now, I don't say this to pass judgement on one's appearance, especially when their age is vulnerable to the new phase of the week and self esteem is low. However, it is not that which amazed me. Angela pulled out å cigarette from her back pocket and lit up along with the two boys. When I approached her to say hello, she began to giggle to out of control and she said "Kayla, I am so wasted, we just finished off a bottle of vodka in the car." I did not care to know where a 15 year old got a bottle of vodka and whether the driver drank it while driving over to the theatre, but I was appauled. I though back to the days of highschool when Angela's sister and I used to hang out. Her mother was a single mom and she never met her dad. Her mom h had been remarried once but divorced again after the stepfather abused her physically. She spent a lot of time home alone and had plenty of freedom regardless of how hard her mom tried. As if seeing her younger sister making huge mistakes like smoking and drinking was not enough, it turns out one of the boys was her boyfriend who is actually 18 years old. C'mon. It begged the question to me...if Angela was sitting around the dinner table each night with her family would she have turned out this way? Nobody is perfect regardless of their upbringing, but as someone who was raised in a good family with married parents I can say I benefited from family dinners. Perhaps if Angela had a father figure, she would not be allowed to dress so smutty and date someone that age... I know my dad would not have gone for it at 15 years old. Perhaps if she was doing things like playing a sport or participating in after school activities she would be too busy to get wrapped up in the wrong crowd. And perhaps if she was raised not to smoke or drink, she would not smoke or drink! The point is: family values are deteriorating. Parents don't know where their kids are, what they are doing and who they are doing it with. Family dinner is rare these days because of divorce rates, second jobs and busy schedules. However, I wonder, that if we just stepped back and spent a little more time with our family and a little less time watching tv we would all be better off.

Thank You for Smoking

There is only one word for Fox Searchlight's newest endeavor, "Thank You for Smoking" and this "refreshing." Washington's most hated lobbyist, Nick Naylor, works for the American Tobacco Studies Agency and represents the big conglomerated tobacco companies. Naylor, describes his job quite simply, he talks for a living, and talks well. However, Naylor also claims to be a man of the people, that is why he flies in coach on business trips. "Thank You for Smoking" features an all-star cooky cast of characters, some who have small, yet essential parts in the film. William H. Macy stars as the Vermont Senator, an anti-smoking supporter and Naylor's arch nemesis. Katie Holmes, stars as the sleazy, young Washington Probe reporter who seduces Naylor to tell her all of his secrets. Other roles include Naylor's son, Naylor's boss, a true loud mouth, and my personal supporting characters, Naylor's two best friends, who are representatives of the alcohol industry and firearms industry. The photo above is a scene from the movie with Naylor and these characters. The movie takes many twists that feature Naylor showing off his ability to talk, even the biggest skeptics into believing he is right.
What I liked the most about this movie is that is a realistic look into the real world of lobbying for a product that kills so many people. The characters are reaslistic and so is the plot and that is why the film is refreshing. Overall, I would give this move an A-. My recommendation for those who are thinking about seeing it: Beware, it is a tough-skin kinda flick with lots of adult humor and sex. But the flick is also light-hearted in many ways and refreshingly funny.