I used to be baffled by the lure of MMA. I thought it was gruesome, homoerotic (come on, you've all thought that), and I just plain thought it was dumb. But, I also thought that without actually watching it. But my husband is a big fan, and constantly puts on any UFC event that is on TV. At first, I groaned and complained every time he switched it on and, and flat-out refused to watch it. But each time I would watch a little more, and complain a little less. I still pretended like I hated it, just so he thought I was really giving him something by letting him watch it, but even that fell by the wayside the more I watched. After a few months, I was the one turning on UFC Unleashed, turning on Spike Wednesday nights at 10 to watch a new episode of The Ultimate Fighter, and I was even the one who suggested that we go to a bar a few miles from our house and pay $10 each to watch UFC 97.
Last week I interviewed Sgt. Nate Banks, a combatives trainer at Fort Stewart, who is getting out of the Army to join Greg Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts, one of the best MMA schools in the world.
If you are a fan of the UFC, you undoubtedly have heard of Greg Jackson, who has developed 10 world champions, and many of the athletes that train at his gym - Rashad Evans, Georges St. Pierre, Nate Marquardt, Keith Jardine - aren't little-known fighters.
But while Sgt. Baker may be in the minority of those training at such a prestigious academy (Jackson trains only about 32 professional fighters), he is part of an ever-growing population of Soldiers studying MMA.
MMA is a full-contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques from a mixture of martial arts traditions and non-traditions to be used in competitions. The rules allow the use of striking and grappling techniques, both while standing and on the ground. In MMA, and most famously the UFC, fighters often utilize parts of boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiujitsu and muay thai kickboxing, among other disciplines.
Just 5 years ago, the UFC was an underground sport, often looked at by outsiders as gruesome, barbaric and sadistic, and even called "human cock fighting" by Sen. John McCain, among others. But today, after dropping the "no holds barred" label and adopting stricter rules, the UFC is now a billion-dollar enterprise that has up to 12 fights a year telecast on Pay-Per-View, each up to 1.5 million viewers paying $44.95 a piece.
The popularity of MMA isn't just in the civilian world; the Army began training its Soldiers in hand-to-hand combat, much like mixed martial arts, in 1995, when the 2nd Ranger Battalion began training in Modern Army Combatives, and the instruction has since spread at the grass roots throughout the Army.
Many Soldiers are currently training in Army combatives, and probably many of them are those 1.5 million (mostly male) viewers who pay to watch UFC fights each month or who tune in to watch The Ultimate Fighter on Spike. Most of the UFC viewers are males age 18-35, but I know for a fact that there are many underground female fans, because I wasn't the only one at the bar that night. I honestly think that anyone gives it a chance, you could get sucked in just like I did... but I still don't like boxing.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Top Chef
The biggest event since the Super Bowl... so two of the show's biggest fans, myself and Mary, did a running diary. I will do my best to take out the explitives, but if you are like us and think Stefan was the best and Hosea sucked, then you know that will be difficult.
Without further adieu... Jen and Mary's Top Chef Finale running diary!
Mary: jen where are youuuuuu
10:03 PM top chef is on!
10:10 PM Contestants get their sous chefs - former finalists! Hosea picks first and takes Richard (runner-up Season 4), Stefan picks Season 2 runner-up Marcel, and Carla gets Season 3 runner-up Casey.
me: eeeeeeeeeeeek i love what stefan said about marcel "he's kind of a twat, but who isn't?"
Mary: see, stefan keeps it real and whats up with f'in hosea stealing all the high end food
me: and why is hosea taking all his food
Mary: f***er
me: like he would use foie gras and caviar come on that isnt fish and potatoes
Mary: hosea news flash: you cook in colorado make some damn bison and trout. embrace it
10:14 PM
Mary: and i hope that carla isnt a pushover w/ casey
me: yeah Casey like told her how to cook the meat? i dont know if its a good idea to cook beef a way you've never done in the last challenge1
Mary: i agree
me: i hate to say it, but hosea is right... it will either be awesome or fail miserably
Mary: ugh, hosea. i hate that he's paired with richard, who i like
me: yeah but i kinda forget richard he cooked good food, but it was kinda boring. last season was my least favorite
10:18 PM Eating king cake to find the golden baby for who will choose first between the "twist" items: crab, red fish and alligator.
me: i hope stefan gets ittttttttttt
Hosea finds the baby, takes red fish, gives Carla crab and Stefan the gator
me: F**KRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Mary: DAMMIT I HATE HIM
Mary: DIE.
me: i hope Stefan kicks ass with gator
Mary: me too, and that hosea totally screws up whatever he has b/c he suuuuccks
me: Hosea sucks at fish even though hes supposedly a "fish specialist"
10:20 PM menus are announced
Mary: oh hosea is making deer
me: of course
Mary: so he IS embracing colorado
me: don't eff this up stefan
Mary: so stefan is making like, two things that have worked for him in the past, the cabbage and dessert lollipops
10:23 PM Casey tells Carla to make her beef sous vide, which Carla stupidly decides is a good idea, even though she has never used that technique before. She then convinces Carla to make a cheese souffle rather than a cheese tart.
Mary: casey shut the f' up omg...tart vs. souffle
Mary: i feel like a souffle is easier to f' up
10:28 PM first course goes out, an appetizer made with the "twist" items. Hosea's blackened redfish
Mary: ugh, i'm so nervous
Mary: your head must be a hell of a weight on your shoulders, hosea
me: what was that smoking thing on top? damn it! That is Richard, not Hosea!
Mary: no idea DAMN IT
10:30 PM Stefan's gator soup goes out
me: please be goooooooood
Mary: fingers crossed
me: yessssssssssssssssssssssss woo hoo! They love it!
me: i love how they have fabio cause he's so funny
Mary: he'll have his own show
me: i bet i heard his restaurant is awesome
Mary: where is it me: firenza or soemthing
Mary: cafe firenze
me: near la i guess
(all of the appetizers went over very well)
10:33 PM first courses go out: Stefan, halibut and salmon carpaccio; Hosea, trio of sashimi; Carla, seared snapper with saffron
me: oh no stefan... that didn't go over too well
Mary: how confusing who do you trust: regular top chef judge or real food person ???
me: ???
Mary: like, the judges are so critical, and then the real food person is always like "that was great"
me: well, the Top Chef judges are the ones who vote
Mary: sigh
(Carla's goes over best by far, the judges were so-so on the other two)
10:34 PM second course: Hosea, scallop and foie gras with pain perdu and some gross-looking foam; Stefan, squab with braised red cabbage; Carla, sous-vide NY strip steak with potatoes and merlot sauce
Me: I guess Hosea didn't get the memo that this is top chef, not top scallop
me: ew i hate when they make foam, I thought Marcel was with Stefan
Mary: i dont like foam on food
me: it looks and sounds so nasty
(the judges deem Carla's steak too tough, with sous vide taking much of the flavor out of meat)
Mary: OH NO
Mary: sous vide loses :(
10:35 PM The judges love Stefan's pigeon
me: yay stefan
Mary: STEFAN weeee! red cabbage wins again!
10:36 PM The judges also like Hosea's scallop, though they were divided on the foie gras
Mary: G*D DAMN HOSEA
me: F**k
Mary: he made a stupid scallop
me: this is top chef, not top scallop!
10:37 PM
Mary: omg casey needs to die
me: yeah she effed up that meat
Mary: i guess carla lost it for herself by listening to casey
10:38 PM Final Course: Hosea, venison loin with wild mushrooms; Stefan, ice cream & chocolate mouse with vanilla syrup and lollipops; Carla, cheese souffle with apple coins and marmalade
me: im afraid Hosea's vension will be good
(Carla doesn't turn down the oven and her souffle doesn't rise... she makes the decision to go without it.)
me: oh shit you were right about the souffle
Mary: why would you make a souffle when you can easily make a tart that people LOVED before
me: right
Mary: F***KING CASEY
Mary: that bitch i mean, you are a sous chef cut some vegetables
me: well carla shouldnt have listened to anyone else in the FINAL
Mary: um, that's a lot of dessert Stefan
me: it looks pretty?
me: i mean, why did Carla tell the judges about the souffle debacle?!?!?!?!?!
Mary: why would you TELL anyone that? GOD
10:39 PM
Mary: gail has to be pregnant
me: oh yes
Mary: look at those BOOBS
(Carla's lack of food kills her, Stefan's dessert goes over so-so, and Hosea's venison goes over well)
me: oh shoot
Mary: "hosea can NOT win" - rachel
Mary: fabio just threw stefan under the bus! omg fabio shut your mouth F**KITY NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
me: douche! arghhhhhh F**K YOU
10:40 PM
Mary: LISTEN TO THE REAL FOOD PEOPLE
me: this will be close im worried... carla is out
Mary: right
me: her meat and last course were bad
Mary: slap her
me: casey f**ked up carla like did for herself in the final
Mary: omg
me: i cant believe she listened to that loser
Mary: i'm gonna vomit
10:41 PM
Mary: hosea you have never kicked ass!
me: he didnt win any challenges did he?
Mary: I don't think any individual ones
me: ugh
Mary: maybe a team one
me: i think they should go with the best of the whole season
Mary: siggggh
me: im scared
Mary: so its really between hosea and stefan now... terrified!!!!
me: for sure
10:43 PM JUDGING - The judges immediately take Carla out of the running for her sous vide beef and lack of third course... it is between Hosea, who didn't have a bad dish, and Stefan, who had two very good, and 2 not so good, but it is agreed that his squab was the best course of any
Mary: stefan NEEDs to win or Top Chef is a farce
10:46 PM
me: casey sucks.
me: Carla is throwing casey under the bus, and therefore throwing herself under
Mary: um, Hosea, are suposed to be a SEAFOOD guy... he's made no seafood, ever, no eel no redfish
10:48 PM
Mary: yes Hosea, because when you've been eating three courses, you love to end with a heavy meat dish
me: yeah the heaviest... f**k
Mary: "i really enjoyed stefan's squab"
Mary: that sounds dirty
me: it does
me: its going to be hosea :(
Mary: Hosea said he "deserves it" bah baaaaaah
10:50 PM Carla knows she is out when she talks to the judges
Mary: oh carla
me: she made stefan cry
Mary: hosea has no heart
me: oh i love stefan
Mary: he plays the asshole, but he's always helpful
me: yes i hate everything scar says
10:51 PM
Mary: me too: "it was pedestrian at best" such a f**kin' snob
me: "pedestrian at best"
Mary: i hate her now
me: go back to your 67 year old men
Mary: hahaha BURN yeah, if stefan was 80 and rich, she'd be all over him
me: ahahahaha
10:53 PM
Mary: shit shit shit
Mary: oh my f**king god
Mary: rachel: "gail - die."
Mary: "hosea has no soul" - Toby
me: thank you toby
Mary: SHUT THE HELL UP HOSEA you are such prick
me: its going to be hosea :(
Mary: F**KITY F**K F**K
10:54 PM
me: why did stefan totally choke the last 3 weeks?!
Mary: ugggh
10:56 PM
Mary: um, people who text from home are retarded. Carla should win by 65%?
me: right?!
10:58 PM "Congratulations.... Hosea. You are Top Chef"
me: f**k f**k f**k :(
Mary: :(
Mary: F**K
me: what a crock of shit
Mary: this show sucks
me: i mean, stefan choked
me: but its bullshit that they only go off the final meal
10:59 PM
Mary: that's the stupid thing they had high expectations for stefan and lower for hosea
me: yes that was a disappointing finale
Mary: that sucked balls oh we love you carla
me: i'm so pissed he was mediocre through the whole season
Mary: SHUT THE F**K UP hosea stop it SHUT UP
me: i'm mad at fabio
Mary: me too
11:00 PM
me: stick up for your brother douche and padma she is a douche too
Mary: omg terrible i cannot believe it
Mary: stupid hosea
me: buttshit
me: *bull... the best chef did NOT win
Mary: buttshit too, why the hell not?
Mary: NO, the best chef DIDN'T win
me: the worst of the 3 did. Carla is a better chef that Hosea too
Mary: agreed
11:01 PM
me: casey should be embarassed
Mary: yeah, she pretty much lost two seasons
me: yup
11:02 PM
me: well i'm pissed
Mary: this show holds no credibility for me anymore
11:03 PM
Mary: http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/02/top-chef-finale.html
Mary: read the first paragraph
11:09 PM
me: "Hosea cooks with being boring"
me: i hope his restaurant fails. i'm so mean
Mary: eh, i agree, and i dont feel too bad about it
11:11 PM
Mary: its stupid and sad that hosea still talked about stefan after he won
Mary: sighh now im going to have top chef nightmares oh well its just hours of my life wasted to watch a crap chef win. no big deal, not at all.
11:13 PM
me: no well i guess ill hit the hay now then :(
Mary: lets have a moment of silence for stefan ..... its been real
me: thank you stefan, i love your pompous attitude ...at least you could back it up
Mary: okay goodnight i am eager for the reunion episode11:18 PM me: yes we will discuss next week
So there you have it. The crap chef won, probably because Richard did all of the work for him as his sous chef, Casey screwed over Carla as HER sous chef, since the two dishes that failed were her idea, and Stefan choked a bit at the end... we all know he makes the best food, but his dessert wasn't great, and the carpaccio was dull.
Without further adieu... Jen and Mary's Top Chef Finale running diary!
Mary: jen where are youuuuuu
10:03 PM top chef is on!
10:10 PM Contestants get their sous chefs - former finalists! Hosea picks first and takes Richard (runner-up Season 4), Stefan picks Season 2 runner-up Marcel, and Carla gets Season 3 runner-up Casey.
me: eeeeeeeeeeeek i love what stefan said about marcel "he's kind of a twat, but who isn't?"
Mary: see, stefan keeps it real and whats up with f'in hosea stealing all the high end food
me: and why is hosea taking all his food
Mary: f***er
me: like he would use foie gras and caviar come on that isnt fish and potatoes
Mary: hosea news flash: you cook in colorado make some damn bison and trout. embrace it
10:14 PM
Mary: and i hope that carla isnt a pushover w/ casey
me: yeah Casey like told her how to cook the meat? i dont know if its a good idea to cook beef a way you've never done in the last challenge1
Mary: i agree
me: i hate to say it, but hosea is right... it will either be awesome or fail miserably
Mary: ugh, hosea. i hate that he's paired with richard, who i like
me: yeah but i kinda forget richard he cooked good food, but it was kinda boring. last season was my least favorite
10:18 PM Eating king cake to find the golden baby for who will choose first between the "twist" items: crab, red fish and alligator.
me: i hope stefan gets ittttttttttt
Hosea finds the baby, takes red fish, gives Carla crab and Stefan the gator
me: F**KRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Mary: DAMMIT I HATE HIM
Mary: DIE.
me: i hope Stefan kicks ass with gator
Mary: me too, and that hosea totally screws up whatever he has b/c he suuuuccks
me: Hosea sucks at fish even though hes supposedly a "fish specialist"
10:20 PM menus are announced
Mary: oh hosea is making deer
me: of course
Mary: so he IS embracing colorado
me: don't eff this up stefan
Mary: so stefan is making like, two things that have worked for him in the past, the cabbage and dessert lollipops
10:23 PM Casey tells Carla to make her beef sous vide, which Carla stupidly decides is a good idea, even though she has never used that technique before. She then convinces Carla to make a cheese souffle rather than a cheese tart.
Mary: casey shut the f' up omg...tart vs. souffle
Mary: i feel like a souffle is easier to f' up
10:28 PM first course goes out, an appetizer made with the "twist" items. Hosea's blackened redfish
Mary: ugh, i'm so nervous
Mary: your head must be a hell of a weight on your shoulders, hosea
me: what was that smoking thing on top? damn it! That is Richard, not Hosea!
Mary: no idea DAMN IT
10:30 PM Stefan's gator soup goes out
me: please be goooooooood
Mary: fingers crossed
me: yessssssssssssssssssssssss woo hoo! They love it!
me: i love how they have fabio cause he's so funny
Mary: he'll have his own show
me: i bet i heard his restaurant is awesome
Mary: where is it me: firenza or soemthing
Mary: cafe firenze
me: near la i guess
(all of the appetizers went over very well)
10:33 PM first courses go out: Stefan, halibut and salmon carpaccio; Hosea, trio of sashimi; Carla, seared snapper with saffron
me: oh no stefan... that didn't go over too well
Mary: how confusing who do you trust: regular top chef judge or real food person ???
me: ???
Mary: like, the judges are so critical, and then the real food person is always like "that was great"
me: well, the Top Chef judges are the ones who vote
Mary: sigh
(Carla's goes over best by far, the judges were so-so on the other two)
10:34 PM second course: Hosea, scallop and foie gras with pain perdu and some gross-looking foam; Stefan, squab with braised red cabbage; Carla, sous-vide NY strip steak with potatoes and merlot sauce
Me: I guess Hosea didn't get the memo that this is top chef, not top scallop
me: ew i hate when they make foam, I thought Marcel was with Stefan
Mary: i dont like foam on food
me: it looks and sounds so nasty
(the judges deem Carla's steak too tough, with sous vide taking much of the flavor out of meat)
Mary: OH NO
Mary: sous vide loses :(
10:35 PM The judges love Stefan's pigeon
me: yay stefan
Mary: STEFAN weeee! red cabbage wins again!
10:36 PM The judges also like Hosea's scallop, though they were divided on the foie gras
Mary: G*D DAMN HOSEA
me: F**k
Mary: he made a stupid scallop
me: this is top chef, not top scallop!
10:37 PM
Mary: omg casey needs to die
me: yeah she effed up that meat
Mary: i guess carla lost it for herself by listening to casey
10:38 PM Final Course: Hosea, venison loin with wild mushrooms; Stefan, ice cream & chocolate mouse with vanilla syrup and lollipops; Carla, cheese souffle with apple coins and marmalade
me: im afraid Hosea's vension will be good
(Carla doesn't turn down the oven and her souffle doesn't rise... she makes the decision to go without it.)
me: oh shit you were right about the souffle
Mary: why would you make a souffle when you can easily make a tart that people LOVED before
me: right
Mary: F***KING CASEY
Mary: that bitch i mean, you are a sous chef cut some vegetables
me: well carla shouldnt have listened to anyone else in the FINAL
Mary: um, that's a lot of dessert Stefan
me: it looks pretty?
me: i mean, why did Carla tell the judges about the souffle debacle?!?!?!?!?!
Mary: why would you TELL anyone that? GOD
10:39 PM
Mary: gail has to be pregnant
me: oh yes
Mary: look at those BOOBS
(Carla's lack of food kills her, Stefan's dessert goes over so-so, and Hosea's venison goes over well)
me: oh shoot
Mary: "hosea can NOT win" - rachel
Mary: fabio just threw stefan under the bus! omg fabio shut your mouth F**KITY NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
me: douche! arghhhhhh F**K YOU
10:40 PM
Mary: LISTEN TO THE REAL FOOD PEOPLE
me: this will be close im worried... carla is out
Mary: right
me: her meat and last course were bad
Mary: slap her
me: casey f**ked up carla like did for herself in the final
Mary: omg
me: i cant believe she listened to that loser
Mary: i'm gonna vomit
10:41 PM
Mary: hosea you have never kicked ass!
me: he didnt win any challenges did he?
Mary: I don't think any individual ones
me: ugh
Mary: maybe a team one
me: i think they should go with the best of the whole season
Mary: siggggh
me: im scared
Mary: so its really between hosea and stefan now... terrified!!!!
me: for sure
10:43 PM JUDGING - The judges immediately take Carla out of the running for her sous vide beef and lack of third course... it is between Hosea, who didn't have a bad dish, and Stefan, who had two very good, and 2 not so good, but it is agreed that his squab was the best course of any
Mary: stefan NEEDs to win or Top Chef is a farce
10:46 PM
me: casey sucks.
me: Carla is throwing casey under the bus, and therefore throwing herself under
Mary: um, Hosea, are suposed to be a SEAFOOD guy... he's made no seafood, ever, no eel no redfish
10:48 PM
Mary: yes Hosea, because when you've been eating three courses, you love to end with a heavy meat dish
me: yeah the heaviest... f**k
Mary: "i really enjoyed stefan's squab"
Mary: that sounds dirty
me: it does
me: its going to be hosea :(
Mary: Hosea said he "deserves it" bah baaaaaah
10:50 PM Carla knows she is out when she talks to the judges
Mary: oh carla
me: she made stefan cry
Mary: hosea has no heart
me: oh i love stefan
Mary: he plays the asshole, but he's always helpful
me: yes i hate everything scar says
10:51 PM
Mary: me too: "it was pedestrian at best" such a f**kin' snob
me: "pedestrian at best"
Mary: i hate her now
me: go back to your 67 year old men
Mary: hahaha BURN yeah, if stefan was 80 and rich, she'd be all over him
me: ahahahaha
10:53 PM
Mary: shit shit shit
Mary: oh my f**king god
Mary: rachel: "gail - die."
Mary: "hosea has no soul" - Toby
me: thank you toby
Mary: SHUT THE HELL UP HOSEA you are such prick
me: its going to be hosea :(
Mary: F**KITY F**K F**K
10:54 PM
me: why did stefan totally choke the last 3 weeks?!
Mary: ugggh
10:56 PM
Mary: um, people who text from home are retarded. Carla should win by 65%?
me: right?!
10:58 PM "Congratulations.... Hosea. You are Top Chef"
me: f**k f**k f**k :(
Mary: :(
Mary: F**K
me: what a crock of shit
Mary: this show sucks
me: i mean, stefan choked
me: but its bullshit that they only go off the final meal
10:59 PM
Mary: that's the stupid thing they had high expectations for stefan and lower for hosea
me: yes that was a disappointing finale
Mary: that sucked balls oh we love you carla
me: i'm so pissed he was mediocre through the whole season
Mary: SHUT THE F**K UP hosea stop it SHUT UP
me: i'm mad at fabio
Mary: me too
11:00 PM
me: stick up for your brother douche and padma she is a douche too
Mary: omg terrible i cannot believe it
Mary: stupid hosea
me: buttshit
me: *bull... the best chef did NOT win
Mary: buttshit too, why the hell not?
Mary: NO, the best chef DIDN'T win
me: the worst of the 3 did. Carla is a better chef that Hosea too
Mary: agreed
11:01 PM
me: casey should be embarassed
Mary: yeah, she pretty much lost two seasons
me: yup
11:02 PM
me: well i'm pissed
Mary: this show holds no credibility for me anymore
11:03 PM
Mary: http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/02/top-chef-finale.html
Mary: read the first paragraph
11:09 PM
me: "Hosea cooks with being boring"
me: i hope his restaurant fails. i'm so mean
Mary: eh, i agree, and i dont feel too bad about it
11:11 PM
Mary: its stupid and sad that hosea still talked about stefan after he won
Mary: sighh now im going to have top chef nightmares oh well its just hours of my life wasted to watch a crap chef win. no big deal, not at all.
11:13 PM
me: no well i guess ill hit the hay now then :(
Mary: lets have a moment of silence for stefan ..... its been real
me: thank you stefan, i love your pompous attitude ...at least you could back it up
Mary: okay goodnight i am eager for the reunion episode11:18 PM me: yes we will discuss next week
So there you have it. The crap chef won, probably because Richard did all of the work for him as his sous chef, Casey screwed over Carla as HER sous chef, since the two dishes that failed were her idea, and Stefan choked a bit at the end... we all know he makes the best food, but his dessert wasn't great, and the carpaccio was dull.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
SUPER SUNDAY
No excuse for the long absence, other than I was swamped with school, work, and other matters :)
Anyway, what better time than to make my comeback than just in time for the Super Bowl?!
As broken hearted as I am that my Patriots didn't make the playoffs, how can you not cheer for the formerly-lowly Arizona Cardinals? Yeah, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a tough-guy, blue collar team, but I really can't cheer for a team who's quarterback is referred to as just his first name, and a safety who has more hair than me (and I have a lot). Plus, the Steelers won it all just 3 years ago... I think it's time for someone else to take that silver football-topped trophy.
Reasons why I like the Cards and want them to win:
Let's start with my #1... Larry Fitzgerald. I've loved him since his days at Pitt, and I've had him on my fantasy teams most years, when I can get him. What's not to love? Acrobatic receiving skills that are pretty much unbelievable unless you witness them, he loves the game and doesn't showboat, he's from Minnesota (I have an affinity for men from there :-P ), his dad is a sportswriter, he's got an awesome Boston-Irish sounding name, and he was born in the best year ever, 1983.
Okay, so most of you probably only care about two of the above six reasons, but for me that hexagon of reasons adds up to him being my receiving bad-ass fave. Plus, he had three touchdowns in the FIRST HALF against Philly, and I don't like teams from Philadelphia, well, I don't like their fans and I enjoyed watching them cringe each time Fitz (yeah, that's what I call him, we're real close) ran into the end zone last Sunday.
Kurt Warner
Yeah, his wife is annoying and so is his sometimes "holier-than-thou" attitude... but really, the guy used to be a grocery bagger and has worked his ass off to get where he is. Plus, brother's mad old, and playing some of the best football of his career the past few weeks. He's not the MVP Kurt Warner of the "Greatest Show on Turf" (man I hated that team), but, I think more impressively, he's led a team of lesser-knowns to the same place - the Super Bowl.
Anyway, I have to cheer for the guy who put Matt Leinart in his place cause boy has let me DOWN. I was Leinart's biggest supporter coming out of college, I ever wrote an editorial raving about him when he came out of USC, how he was going to be a good, solid NFL quarterback. Instead, all pretty boy's done is show that he's more interested in partying and having a good time than being the Cards starting-QB. Anyway, I hope that Warner playing out of his mind at age 37 will show Leinart he isn't owed anything, he isn't God's gift to the quarterback position, and if he really wants to be a GOOD NFL quarterback, he needs to get back to the trenches and work his ass off.
Edgerrin James
First of all, I have to give props to his mom... anyone who comes up the name Edgerrin, henceforth giving his son the nickname "The Edge" is alright in my book.
There are many things to dislike about James... he went to the University of Miami, he used to have nasty dreds and gold teeth, and he left his plum job with the Colts to jet for more money in Arizona. All of that aside, a few weeks ago he was washed up, and now he's a key component to the Cards' playoff run. I almost felt bad for him a few weeks ago, when he had something like 90 yards in the six games leading up to the Super Bowl. But then, the coaches started utilizing him cause, let's be honest, the man can run. The man has somewhat quietly rushed his way to 12th on the all-time list, and since he's cut out his thug image that I think sets a bad example for young kids who look up to athletes, and now looks like this. Anyway, I'll be rooting for him to run all over the Steelers and their joke of a candidacy for "best defense ever." Speaking of...
The Steelers defense calling themselves the "best ever"
I hate any team or individual who calls themselves the best ever. Not only is it egotistical, its disrespectful to the historically great defenses. Now, you can't really compare a defense from the 60s to a defense today, when players are about 50 pounds heavier and pure muscle, but if the Steel Curtain teams of the 70s had the same training and facilities of the pansy 2008 Steelers, I have no doubt this question would be laughably answered in favor of the older teams. Plus, I really can't stand Troy Polamalu for some reason... I think it's the hair. I don't get why people he's trying to cover don't just pull it and call it a day.
Finally, I hate the "we're the underdog, no one believes in us!" role all underdog teams take, so I'm not going to give that to the Cards. That being said, I like rooting against to the expected winner*.
But really, in the end, unless you are a fan of either team, and let's be honest, there are maybe 100 "true fans" of the Cardinals, the Super Bowl is just an excuse to hang out with friends, eat lots of fatty, disgusting and delicious food and drink too much on a Sunday and have an legit excuse for it.
*unless it's my team, of course
Anyway, what better time than to make my comeback than just in time for the Super Bowl?!
As broken hearted as I am that my Patriots didn't make the playoffs, how can you not cheer for the formerly-lowly Arizona Cardinals? Yeah, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a tough-guy, blue collar team, but I really can't cheer for a team who's quarterback is referred to as just his first name, and a safety who has more hair than me (and I have a lot). Plus, the Steelers won it all just 3 years ago... I think it's time for someone else to take that silver football-topped trophy.
Reasons why I like the Cards and want them to win:
Let's start with my #1... Larry Fitzgerald. I've loved him since his days at Pitt, and I've had him on my fantasy teams most years, when I can get him. What's not to love? Acrobatic receiving skills that are pretty much unbelievable unless you witness them, he loves the game and doesn't showboat, he's from Minnesota (I have an affinity for men from there :-P ), his dad is a sportswriter, he's got an awesome Boston-Irish sounding name, and he was born in the best year ever, 1983.
Okay, so most of you probably only care about two of the above six reasons, but for me that hexagon of reasons adds up to him being my receiving bad-ass fave. Plus, he had three touchdowns in the FIRST HALF against Philly, and I don't like teams from Philadelphia, well, I don't like their fans and I enjoyed watching them cringe each time Fitz (yeah, that's what I call him, we're real close) ran into the end zone last Sunday.
Kurt Warner
Yeah, his wife is annoying and so is his sometimes "holier-than-thou" attitude... but really, the guy used to be a grocery bagger and has worked his ass off to get where he is. Plus, brother's mad old, and playing some of the best football of his career the past few weeks. He's not the MVP Kurt Warner of the "Greatest Show on Turf" (man I hated that team), but, I think more impressively, he's led a team of lesser-knowns to the same place - the Super Bowl.
Anyway, I have to cheer for the guy who put Matt Leinart in his place cause boy has let me DOWN. I was Leinart's biggest supporter coming out of college, I ever wrote an editorial raving about him when he came out of USC, how he was going to be a good, solid NFL quarterback. Instead, all pretty boy's done is show that he's more interested in partying and having a good time than being the Cards starting-QB. Anyway, I hope that Warner playing out of his mind at age 37 will show Leinart he isn't owed anything, he isn't God's gift to the quarterback position, and if he really wants to be a GOOD NFL quarterback, he needs to get back to the trenches and work his ass off.
Edgerrin James
First of all, I have to give props to his mom... anyone who comes up the name Edgerrin, henceforth giving his son the nickname "The Edge" is alright in my book.
There are many things to dislike about James... he went to the University of Miami, he used to have nasty dreds and gold teeth, and he left his plum job with the Colts to jet for more money in Arizona. All of that aside, a few weeks ago he was washed up, and now he's a key component to the Cards' playoff run. I almost felt bad for him a few weeks ago, when he had something like 90 yards in the six games leading up to the Super Bowl. But then, the coaches started utilizing him cause, let's be honest, the man can run. The man has somewhat quietly rushed his way to 12th on the all-time list, and since he's cut out his thug image that I think sets a bad example for young kids who look up to athletes, and now looks like this. Anyway, I'll be rooting for him to run all over the Steelers and their joke of a candidacy for "best defense ever." Speaking of...
The Steelers defense calling themselves the "best ever"
I hate any team or individual who calls themselves the best ever. Not only is it egotistical, its disrespectful to the historically great defenses. Now, you can't really compare a defense from the 60s to a defense today, when players are about 50 pounds heavier and pure muscle, but if the Steel Curtain teams of the 70s had the same training and facilities of the pansy 2008 Steelers, I have no doubt this question would be laughably answered in favor of the older teams. Plus, I really can't stand Troy Polamalu for some reason... I think it's the hair. I don't get why people he's trying to cover don't just pull it and call it a day.
Finally, I hate the "we're the underdog, no one believes in us!" role all underdog teams take, so I'm not going to give that to the Cards. That being said, I like rooting against to the expected winner*.
But really, in the end, unless you are a fan of either team, and let's be honest, there are maybe 100 "true fans" of the Cardinals, the Super Bowl is just an excuse to hang out with friends, eat lots of fatty, disgusting and delicious food and drink too much on a Sunday and have an legit excuse for it.
*unless it's my team, of course
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Oops!
WOW, it's been a reallllly long time! I've been super busy wrapping up the job and getting ready to head back up towards the North. It's going to be a pretty crazy next 6 months for me as well, but I will try my best to start back with more regular blogs.
Anyway, I promise to post tomorrow :)
Anyway, I promise to post tomorrow :)
Thursday, August 28, 2008
My friends are funny
I have realized over the past few weeks that my friends are funny. Like, really funny. Way funnier than your friends. As an ode to them, I am going to share my favorite Olympic (and sports) quotes from my friends (it's mostly Mary, cause she's the only one who is almost as obsessed with the Olympics as I am)
Mary: i wish there was an olympic schedule search function, where you can type in an athlete's name and it will tell you when he/she will be on.
Mary: "when will hot, single, shirtless men be featured? tuesday at 9 pm? excellent. I'm there"
Sara: I am about to go to bed, but I just wanted to let you know that synchronized swimming makes me embarrassed to be a swimmer
Sara: I feel like I forget how lame it is over the course of the four years, my burning hatred kind of mellows
Sara: "these two picked a light jazzy routine." They actually just said that.
Mary: synchronized swimmers, rhythmic gymasts, and trampoliners are just a waste of olympic medals that could just be given to Michael Phelps
Sara: I've decided I'd rather eat bad food and watch people work out (olympics) than work out and watch the food network
Mary: if I were a diver, a male one, I would list in my Olympic bio under interests: "women." that's it.
Susan: I've had pretty much No motivation this week whatsoever. all i do is think about the olympics and how i want aaron piersol
http://www.topnews.in/sports/files/images/Sascha-Klein1.jpg Mary: Check out the shoulder tattoo...HOT...he looks dirty.
"Dear Ryan Lochte: There's no need to speak. Just stand there & look hot. Thanks. Signed, Everyone"
Me: I’m so mad, I would have been such a good swimmer, with my abnormally long torso, midget legs and big shoulders. My parents are assholes
Sara: I am totally on team USA dont get the wrong idea... but dont you ever want to go into the locker room and cheat with Alain Bernard from France???
Mary: omg last night's heats were so hot. Lochte and Phelps
and Peirsol
Normal people, good people watch gymnastics and take it very, very personally. No matter how creepy the little freaks are. But we're lucky this year, because our little freaks are Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin. – SportSquee, a really funny blog.
Amy: I was crying watching it last night. I got SO into it
I love gymnastics.
I used to do floor gymnastics competitions!
I could have been good if i didnt get boobs and a butt
Amy: It would have helped too if my father was the coach
Chelsey Kelly
in search of a (fantasy) football primer, although my plan of drafting the hottest player available at the time has seemed to work in the past
Mary: i wish there was an olympic schedule search function, where you can type in an athlete's name and it will tell you when he/she will be on.
Mary: "when will hot, single, shirtless men be featured? tuesday at 9 pm? excellent. I'm there"
Sara: I am about to go to bed, but I just wanted to let you know that synchronized swimming makes me embarrassed to be a swimmer
Sara: I feel like I forget how lame it is over the course of the four years, my burning hatred kind of mellows
Sara: "these two picked a light jazzy routine." They actually just said that.
Mary: synchronized swimmers, rhythmic gymasts, and trampoliners are just a waste of olympic medals that could just be given to Michael Phelps
Sara: I've decided I'd rather eat bad food and watch people work out (olympics) than work out and watch the food network
Mary: if I were a diver, a male one, I would list in my Olympic bio under interests: "women." that's it.
Susan: I've had pretty much No motivation this week whatsoever. all i do is think about the olympics and how i want aaron piersol
http://www.topnews.in/sports/files/images/Sascha-Klein1.jpg Mary: Check out the shoulder tattoo...HOT...he looks dirty.
"Dear Ryan Lochte: There's no need to speak. Just stand there & look hot. Thanks. Signed, Everyone"
Me: I’m so mad, I would have been such a good swimmer, with my abnormally long torso, midget legs and big shoulders. My parents are assholes
Sara: I am totally on team USA dont get the wrong idea... but dont you ever want to go into the locker room and cheat with Alain Bernard from France???
Mary: omg last night's heats were so hot. Lochte and Phelps
and Peirsol
Normal people, good people watch gymnastics and take it very, very personally. No matter how creepy the little freaks are. But we're lucky this year, because our little freaks are Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin. – SportSquee, a really funny blog.
Amy: I was crying watching it last night. I got SO into it
I love gymnastics.
I used to do floor gymnastics competitions!
I could have been good if i didnt get boobs and a butt
Amy: It would have helped too if my father was the coach
Chelsey Kelly
in search of a (fantasy) football primer, although my plan of drafting the hottest player available at the time has seemed to work in the past
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