I DON'T WANNA GROW UP

I'm a Toys R' Us kid. OK, not really but anyone else remember that jingle? Well, if you did, 2 points for you.

So I'm 21 years old. and loving life. I have no girlfriend (by choice kind of right now), I have minimal responsibilities and above all, I have a set of friends who share my feeling of living life to the fullest right now. So why would I want to grow up and risk losing that? Yea, there's a chance to be a dad or make lots of money and start a career but really, getting older just seems like a bad idea.

So what made me think of all this? Well, in the USA Today, there was a study about how the 18-25 age group should not be considered "adults" yet. That's according to Moms, Dads AND the 18-25 age group themselves. All felt like the group is still learning how to truly become an adult and that it is an experimentation phase in one's life. One so-called expert felt like the age group should be called the "emerging adult". He felt like young adult was too vague. The study was quite funny (and predictable) and sparked a conversation between my dad on I during the trip up to Brew City, USA (Milwaukee, WI).

(Quick aside: This story in the paper was right next to another story that had a headline that read "Study: Young adults now find porn more acceptable". Well, duh)

So we talked about how I didn't wanna graduate and how I should embrace my college years. It was brief but interesting. Then, we got to my sister's place and headed to a Milwaukee bar. And that's when it kinda hit me. I was sitting there, watching my 25-year old sis dance the night away with all of her grad school friends, celebrating the end of finals (and classes in general for some like my sister). At that point, I told myself, man, I don't wanna leave this age. I mean, 18-25 is that time to just let it loose. Do what you want. Have fun. I mean, what could be better?

You know, being a tour guide and PreCollege advisor, I always emphasize this to those students. Embrace your college years. Don't let them just be another 4 years of your life. And looking back at my 3.33 years, I think I've done a helluva job. Yea, there have been regrets (few) but man, overall, it's been a great ride. Made great friends. Done things I never thought I would. Gone places I never thought I'd go. Heck, I've even been in a commercial. So no, I don't wanna leave college. No, I don't wanna grow up and see the real world. I'm just not feelin it now.

But you know what's funny...as I was thinkin all of this, a 40-something woman came to the bar where my Dad and I were sitting watching my sister have the time of her life. She looked at me and asked me if I wanted to dance. I politely said no. I mean, come on, I already hate dancing and then with someone her age, I think not. So once I declined, she turned to my dad and asked. Without hesitation, my dad said "Sure".

That's right. My 54-year old, married dad got up and danced with this random lady. He only had one beer in him so I couldn't attribute his behavior to intoxication. NO, his behavior was one of spontaneity. It was like he knew I was thinkin that I don't wanna grow up...so he countered that with "hey, I'm 54 and dancing like a fool just like these twenty-somethings". And just like that, my thoughts of not growing up began fading away. I mean, my dad looked like a fool out there. Let's just say Alex Hitch would not be proud. But my dad was just being innocent, having fun, and treating this lady to one dance at a bar that was filled with college-age students. It was the right thing to do...not just for him or her, but for me.

You know, I do enjoy college and still am afraid of the real world. But watching my dad hit the dance floor numerous times at the bar, I'm not nearly as scared as I was. I've always tried to model myself after him and after tonight, if I can do what he did at the age of 54, then I will be having just as much fun as I am having right now at age 21. And that's saying a lot.

SORRY SANTA...

So there are less than two weeks until Christmas...the most wonderful time of the year according to numerous songs and commercials. Most years, I would agree but honestly as a senior in college, I think spring quarter at OU wins. But Christmas is still a good time.

But here I am, a 21 year old at my parent's house over Winter Break. The tree just went up today (I had to do it) and we have yet to decorate the tree or even put up a single Christmas light. No one in my family has given me a Christmas list and my Mom has even brought up the idea of not even giving gift this year but instead, giving our money and time to those who are less fortunate. Now I am all for helping others, especially those who need it but when it comes to Christmas, I feel like there is a family element and just tradition in it. In other words, if my family did not open up gifts Christmas Day, it would be a travesty in my mind.

For the record, my kitchen is being renovated so my house is a mess. I mean, the food is in the living/dining room, the microwave is in the den, the fridge is still in the kitchen and if we need to wash dishes or just need water for a food dish, it's off to the bathroom. That's not to mention all the equipment from the carpenter that is scattered about the kitchen, family room and garage.

So how does one get ready for the Christmas season with no Christmas spirit evident in the house? Well, one takes matters into his own hands. So today, I did more than my usual sit and watch TV all day. Don't get me wrong, I still did plenty of that but I did move. I moved a cabinet and plant to my patio and moved my TV about 3 feet away from the corner it usually resides. And then, I told my parents that the Christmas tree was going in the spot vacated by the TV. Though they were a bit skeptical of my idea, they knew better than to question me. The look in my eye told them that they had no choice. Their little boy was DESPERATE for Christmas to enter the home and the tree is essential. They knew that disagreeing with me would be like being The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. So they let me do what I wanted and not gonna lie, I like the results.

Then, it was time for another essential part of the Christmas season. The creation of a Christmas list. My parents' lists were short as usual, asking for things ranging from gift cards for restaurants to a vacation to Hawaii (they've been asking for that for the last 5 years). My list, as usual, was long...but I have a reason for that. Every year, I make a list that has about 15-20 things on it that I would like. I do that so that when Christmas Day rolls around, I have no idea what I am getting. Granted, it will probably be on my list but with so many options, it will surprise me.

So I begin to make my Christmas list and I sit there for about 5 minutes and cannot think of one thing. And that's when it dawned on me...what do I want? Or better yet...what do I need? It's funny. When I was younger, Christmas gifts were things I wanted. Now, as a 21-year old college student on the verge of graduation (scary), the Christmas gifts I am asking for are things I need.

For example, my list this year includes stuff such as dress shirts and ties, another suit, windshield wipers for my car and other necessities. I mean, what has life come to when I am asking for windshield wipers? Oh man, I miss the glory days of asking for Sonic The Hedgehog, RollerCoaster Tycoon, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles gear. I mean, some of my favorite Christmas' are the ones where I got my Sega, PS2 and The Lion King trilogy. And now, I'm looking forward to ties and boxer briefs? Yikes.

But I know this is just a sign of the all-too-cruel future ahead of me. The future that is the real world. Where watching YouTube videos for 2 hours at a time may never happen or when late-night debuachery with friends will only happen when I have vacation time. So instead of getting depressed about this Christmas, I cannot wait to embrace it. I mean, my hope is that I still get a few fun gifts like another guitar for Guitar Hero or all seasons of Entourage on DVD but I actually hope more that I get my dress shirts, ties and windshield wipers.

Call me old or pathetic but honestly, this is my life now. I have everything I want (well, besides any hope of a love life) and almost everything I need. So why not hit the need column for a change this Christmas right? So yea, sorry Santa. Tell the elves Matt Barnes doesn't need anything too extravagant this year. Just give me the essentials and I'll be just fine.

IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS...

What would I do? What would you do? It's not an easy question. And it's definitely not an easy answer. I was watching the lottery drawing for Tuesday and it sparked a small conversation among my parents and I about what I would do with that kind of money. Like many things, I just kinda brushed it off as something that will never happen. But what if it did?

So I thought long and hard about it for the next 5 minutes (trust me, that's long and hard for me over Winter Break) and came up with some ideas of how I would spend that kind of money.

Since I have kids to save money for college for and my sister and I are done this spring, there's no need to put any money towards education. That didn't help me make any choices. Plus, I have no debt. I have no outstanding bills. I don't even own a credit card. My car is paid for and I think I am a lock to win any bets I have with friends right now.

So instead of education and/or debt, I thought I'd start with the one that's most important to me: my family. First off, I'd make sure my parents got as much money as needed to pay off anything they need plus do any and all renovations to the house that they wanted...or move to a new one, though I find that highly unlikely. Once they are good, I'd buy them a vacation anywhere in the world. It'd prolly be a cruise, since my mom doesn't like flying. Week-long away from home in a nice tropical setting would be just what the doctor ordered for them I'd hope.

After I satisfy my parents, it's on to my sister. She's graduating in May and will eb actively searching for a job just like myself. Once she fins her first place, I'd help pay for it. You know, take some of the burden off her shoulders. From there, I'd also treat her to a shopping spree. Not sure on the dollar amount...I mean, I'm dealing with fake money here. But wherever she goes, I go because well, seeing my sister shop on a limitless budget would definitely be a sight to see.

From there, it's on to some donating. I'm thinking about $100,000 to my high school to help with their future endeavors. Another $100,000 to my church since tithing is the right thing to do. And I should probably donate some to OU but you know, wouldn't it just be paying them back? I mean, it's like getting a gift and then giving it back saying, "No, I'm OK. You keep it".

Finally, I'd wanna save at least $100,000 and take it to Las Vegas with some of my best friends. The mission: gamble, drink and be merry. Nothing more and definitely nothing less. I mean, it's not fun to spend money on just yourself. Spending money on yourself and others...now that's fun.

The rest of the money goes in the bank because a brotha can't make an MC Hammer-like mistake and spend it all. Hopefully, the stock market goes well and I make some money off some good investment advice from my Charles Schwab agent.

So yea, it's not the most exciting plan for the million dollars but it's a smart one. It takes care of my family, my school and church family and yes, the friends and social life. Something tells me that if I really thought about this, I'd come up with a better plan but I like my inital plan. Now, that I have a plan, all I need is a million dollars....

WHISTLE BLOWING

Take a shot at this question. What is the best part-time job for a college student? Working at a dining hall? Heck no. Maybe being a tour guide? Fun but not enough hours. What about a nice, quiet job at the library? ZZZZZZ. But how about being an official? Ah, now we're talking.

When I came into college, I had no desire to get a job. I mean, college was paid for and honestly, I thought a job woud just get in the way. So Fall quarter, I did nothing (kind of like this Winter Break) and man, it was boring. I sat in my room, watched a lot of TV, played three seasons of NCAA Football 2005 and learned more about what was on the internet than I ever wanted to know. After a Winter Break of doing nothing to though, I knew that the go-getter in me couldn't sit down anymore and do nothing. So I set out to get a job. I happened to see a job posting in Ping for basketball referees. Thought it would be a good idea. Went to the meetings and clinics and next thing you know, I earned my stripes.

Now in my fourth year of being a referee/official in a variety of sports, let me tell ya, there's nothing better. There are many reasons behind this statement. First off, it's the feeling of being in control. Now let's be honest people, everyone likes to be right. Whether with family, friends, enemies or strangers, being right about something feels good. Well, as a referee, you're always right...or at least, you convey that feeling to everyone else. The confidence in your calls says it all. The more confident the call, the more believeable the call. And in my fourth year now, every call is confident. Am I always right? HAHA, no way. But man, once I put the stripes on, I'm not wrong. Question me, I dare you.

Another reason the job is so good...the travel. Man oh man, I can't think of my college experience without traveling for extramural tournaments. I mean, I've been to College Park, MD, Hattiesburg, MS, Pensacola, FL, Dallas, TX, Tempe, AZ, Davis, CA and in just a few weeks, I'm off to New Orleans, LA. Now tell me what other organization on campus is gonna sponsor and help pay for travel to all of those places and more? Somethin tells me, not many. Not only are these trips a chance forme to see this great country of ours, but they are great times with people all over the nation. And all because I blow a whistle and make some calls.

Need another reason why the job of referee is so good? How about the pay rate? No, I'm not talkin about the starting Intramural Pay Rate. That's chump change like any other starting rate on campus. But once you get off campus, that's where the real money sets in. Especially at times like right now, during basketball season. For example, this past weekend. Along with my friend Eric (check out his blog on the links to the right), I reffed 4th, 5th and 6th grade games at a local elemantary school. Just like any grade school game, we had to deal with parents who think their kids are the next LeBron or Lisa Leslie or parents that think they know the rules. Coaches aren't normally a problem but the slippery floor is.

But once you get past all that, think about this. $23 a game...yes, $23/game. Saturday was a 9-game affair while Sunday was 5 more. Do the quick math and we made $322 cash money. And I mean cash in hand when we left the gym. Cha-ching! Not to mention tomorrow, I get to do two middle school games for $50. Oh, what a 3-day weekend.

So let's recap. I blow a whistle to stop little kids from kiling each other for 3 days and come out with $372 of tax-free money. Meanwhile, I have friends working twice as many hours doing four times the amount of work and getting paid almost the same amount. And to think, this whole officiating odyssey just started with some lowly freshman trying to find a way to not be bored during winter quarter.

So I know I probably didn't give you the best reasons but I hope I gave you a taste of what makes officiating the way to go...or at least why I do it still. For a guy majoring in sports broadcasting, a lot of people do question me why I take officiating so seriously. But I mean, with opportunities like the ones I've had, I wouldn't have it any other way.

WINTER BREAK...AND I MEAN IT

Ohio University is a great school. I say that a lot in this blog, on the phone, on Facebook and in person. It's a great school for many reasons ranging from its atmosphere, its opportunities and yes, it's long 6-week break between Thanksgiving and New Year's.

Now, there are a lot of critics of our long 6-week break. Some of them are OU students. But if you take a closer look at the break, it's hard for me to find a problem with it.

First of all, it's 6 weeks! And this year, it happens to be 7. That's a long time to get a job, make some much-needed money and eat some (free) home-cooked food from Mom and Pops. Second, while all your friends are thinking about papers and exams they have after a long thanksgiving weekend, all OU students worry about is how much turkey, mashed potatoes and sweet potato pie they can stuff down (and there are always leftovers). And then there's the argument of "Well, we get out in May and you all are out in June". My response: Thank God we get out in June and not May...because what that means is less time in Athens during the always-exciting Spring Quarter. I mean, let's be honest, would you rather be at OU now or in June? Come on, it doesn't get much better than this break. Good time to clear the minds, replenish the wallets and get ready for what will be, for me, the final two quarters of my college career.

So what does one do during this break? Well, some people get jobs. Some go on vacations. Some take on an internship or co-op. Me? I do nothing. And by nothing, I seriously mean nothing. My routine is rather simple. I wake up around noon. Some days are earlier than others. Sometimes, I get up in time to watch Price Is Right at 11am. Other days, I'm in the bed until 2pm. It just depends. During the day, I watch a hodgepodge of TV ranging from dumb MTV shows to the CNN Newsroom. Hey, a boy has gotta know what's goin on in the world. Anyways, at 3pm, I make the most crucial decision of the day: Go to wrestling practice at my former HS or sit at home for 3 more hours. If I go, I get a slight workout, help out my coaches and generally have a good time. If I don't, I do more watching TV, surfing the net and even play some Guitar Hero if I feel daring enough that day.

6pm means parents are rollin home and dinner time. 7-8pm is reserved for Jeopardy and Wheel Of Fortune, unless the Blue Jackets have a game. Then, I begin watching them at 7pm. At 8pm, I begin looking on the TV for somethin good to watch or call some friends on campus and see if anything's up at THE OSU. No matter if I am there or at home, bedtime ranges from 2am-4am and then the cycle restarts.

So why not get a job? Why not intern? Why not take a small vacation somewhere? Well, it isn't called Winter Break for nothing. I work 4 jobs on campus and at all times, am stressed out. So when I come to CBus, the LAST thing I wanna do is work. Yes, the money would be nice but so is watching Plinko and Youtube videos. It may sound lazy but this is now my 4th year doing it. I've got a system and it keeps me busy. I'm never bored. I've always got something to do. It may be as small as beat a high score in text twist or watch a movie such as The Departed at 2am (great movie by the way) but it is a goal for the day.

Now, I will be traveling over the break. I've already gone to Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Next up will be back down to the ATH. Then a trip to Milwaukee to bring the sis back home and then after Christmas, it's down to the Big Easy and Big D for some flag football officiating. But these aren't vacations...they're actually more like work so it almost trumps my point of Winter Break = Break. But hey, can't win 'em all. I mean, heck, my kitchen is being remodeled right now and so far, most days, I awaken to a hammer or drill that sounds as if its right next to my head at 9am. Now that stinks.

So before you go complaining about your Winter Break job/internship/co-op/vacation, just think about me. I'm doin nothin and lovin it. I still have a good time, hang out with friends and eat well. But in general, I do nothing. I am taking a break from school. The books, professors, the JOBS and the stress tht comes with all those. I mean, I do miss Athens and the people but honestly, I love this break because well, it's exactly that. A BREAK!

O-H....N-O

The Ohio State Buckeyes are in the National Championship...again. How? Well, I'm not really sure ANYONE understands. Just three weeks ago, the team lost at home on senior day to Illinois, ending all hopes of playing in the big game. Or so we thought. What followed in the next three weeks included EVERY team ahead of the Bucks losing. And now, the team is playing for the title once again. But let's be honest...do OSU fans really want this?

Let me take you back to the year that has been 2007 in terms of Ohio sports. Needless to say, it's been rough. It all began on January 8th. The undefeated, top-ranked and favored Ohio State Buckeye football team taking on the Florida Gators. I'm pretty sure most people were expecting the Buckeyes to win. Even Buckeye haters were resigned to the fact that obnoxious OSU fans would be gloating for the coming months about the victory. Well, that didn't happen. Instead, there was a humbling of OSU fans everywhere as Florida thumped the Buckeyes. I mean, it wasn't even close.

But that's not the only thumping Florida put on Ohio State. Oh no, we can't forget about basketball can we? The Thad five came in with huge expectations and by george, they not only met them but exceeded them. Thanks to Greg Oden's intentional unintentional foul and Ron Lewis' amazing shot (cue Gus Johnson please), the Buckeyes marched all the way to the championship game to meet, you know who, the Gators. Again, the Gators chomped the Nuts and again, Buckeye Nation was left humbled.

So with two losses already for the Buckeye State, it couldn't get worse right? Oh but it could. As amazing as it was to see Lebron James propel the Cavs to the Eastern Conference crown, it was just as disheartning to see them get swept in the NBA Finals by the Spurs. This loss was slightly different though. No one was giving the Cavs a chance (and deservedly so) against San Antonio but I mean, the team barely put up a fight in four games. So for fans in the state, the hearbreak continued as yet another team could smell the championship pie but not even get a slice.

Then, just about a month later came this little ray of sunshine from Columbus. It wasn't from OSU this time but from a pro sports team (Yes, we have those in Columbus). The team was the Columbus Destroyers. The sport was Arena Football. The league is under the radar and in CBus, the team is too but this year, they worked hard to at least make themselves a blip. They did a damn good job of that. Entering the playoffs with a 7-9 record, the team was left for dead by the AFL pundits. The Destroyers didn't listen though, winning three games in a row to get to ArenaBowl XXI. The run was impressive but it wouldn't mean anything if they didn't win it all. Well, they lost. Badly. 55-33 to be exact. Just making Ohio teams 0-4 in national championship games.

After fans were licking their wounds over another loss, then came the hunt for October in MLB. And right in the thick of the playoff race were, you guessed it, an Ohio team. Since the Reds are still a dump, it had to be the Indians and man, what a run they made. The team clinched the division at home and nearly won home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Instead, they tied for the best record and oh, that would be critical. The Tribe first took down the Evil Empire, known as the Yankees. Then, grabbed a 3-1 lead over the Red Sox. With Game 5 at home and 3 games to just win ONE, this series looked in the bag like the OSU-Florida football game. Instead, the Tribe lost the last three games, including a Game 7 thriller that was not for the faint of heart.

Oh, and since I do go to school in Athens, let's not forget how the Ohio Bobcats went from 9-5 to a dismal 6-6, despite the fact they were picked to win the MAC East. They did beat their rival Miami (OH) though...who then went on to lose to Central Michigan in the MAC championship, go 6-7 and lose their shot at a bowl game. Yep, the curse even hit the mid-majors.

And that now brings us to today. The Ohio State Buckeyes going to the National Championship. Can they win it? Of course. Will they win it? That's the question. The best part about the game is that the game is in 2008, meaning the curse of the Ohio teams need not apply. Heck, maybe all of this suffering in 2007 just means 2008 will be that much better. OSU beats LSU for the title. The Browns make the playoffs (equal to a national title in my mind), the Blue Jackets make the playoffs (see Browns comment), the Cavs upset the Celtics for the East crown and go on to win the Finals, the Destroyers take home the AFL title, and of course, the Tribe make up for last year's collapse and win the Fall Classic.

That's a year that I would like to see...and that's coming from a guy who doesn't even like the Browns or Cavs. But after all the heartbreak Ohio fans have felt this year, it just seems like we deserve to have some good things happen. So let's hope for the sake of all Ohio sports fans that the Buckeyes take advantage of the collapse of every college football team in America and reverse the curse that was 2007.

NOTHING BETTER THAN FRIDAY NIGHTS AND GRIDIRON GLORY

4 years, 60 episodes, hundreds of hours. That's how much time I put into it. Late nights and early morning. Cold Opens and Week Previews. Intros and Tags. Man, hard to believe that's it's all over.

This was a post that I had planned to write prior to the season finale of GG but I could never get myself to sit down and write it. The main reason was because I never had time since I was working on the finale every night. The other reason was that I didn't wanna leave the final part of the script unwritten. But now, I have come to the end, had time to reflect and man, what a ride it has been.

I mean, seriously, I came into freshman year really having no clue what the show was even about. I was pretty much talked into it by a couple friends who had heard about it. Since I was willing to try anything that did not involve me being a loner in my dorm room on my first Friday night, I followed them to the meeting, and well, the rest is history.

I had zero aspirations and hopes of becoming host. It was Luke, my "tell-it-like-it-is" roomie who kept telling me I'd get the host gig. I was dead sure they would choose anyone but me, including Luke himself. But after he didn't make the first cut and I did, I was thinking more and more about the idea. Still not sure, the producer and director of the show told me to take it seriously...and I did to the best of my ability. After an interview and some days and nights, the call came. I would be the next host. Yikes.

Junior Year flew by. Mistakes began the year and at that time, I immediately felt like I had made a mistake. I felt like I (and others) was in way over my head. I wasn't ready for this spotlight. I needed another year of seasoning. But as the year went on, things got better. And when I mean better, I mean better. From a week 2 meltdown to a Week 10 Emmy-Award winning show.

And then, the final year. I told myself from the start that on each show, I had to bring my best because well, there's no lookin back now. There was no more buffer zone of "next year". The year began good, got rocky at times, but like the year before, rebounded nicely and ended the way I wanted it too...with the credits and everyone who helped make the show a success around me celebrating what a great year it was.

For those of you reading this who have never been around our TV program, I can't even begin to tell you how much this show meant to me. It's not just a show we do for fun. It's a show that gets us ready for the real world. It's a show that lets us be creative. It's a show that requires a lot of work, day and night. It's a show that you put your whole heart into. It's a show that takes cooperation from 20-30 people. It's a show that pushes the limits of student productions. And above all, it's a show that gives this area coverage they would never get without us.

I have made great friends through this show. I have made great strides in my young broadcasting career because of this show. But if there's one thing I will miss about being a part of GG, it will be this community. The people that turned us on every Friday night at 11:30 and put their faith in us to show them highlights and scores from the area. The people that watched to see themselves on TV. Heck, even the people that tuned in just tee their sons, grandsons and nephews, even for just one play. It is those people and their commitment to our show that I will miss the most. I always said every time we put on a bad show, not only did we disappoint ourselves, but we disappointed an entire region. That's a lot of pressure, but each week, we took that pressure head on and worked hard to make the best show possible. That's why this show is so special.

So now, it's over. 4 years of giving up my Friday nights for SE Ohio football. Sounds funny (and even pathetic) to the casual OU student but trust me, it's so much more. I have met some great people through this show. Some are gone (Terrence, Evan, Killer, etc...), some are saying goodbye with me (Tom, Andy, Suz, etc...) and others have just begun (GDizzle, JFlan, Jake, etc...). Everyone of them have made some sort of impact on my life because of their work on the show and for that, I am forever grateful. It's funny cuz last Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, I went to a movie starting at 9:50pm. I remember turning to my dad and saying "Man, I feel like I have a show to do". Unfortunately though, the show is no more. But no matter where I go from here in my career, I will always remember one thing: There's nothing better than Friday Nights and Gridiron Glory.

I AM THE PROMISE

Yes, those are the famous words I have become famous for. Hell, it's even become my nickname. The Promise....who knew. Quick background to this whole situation. I got a call before school started from the PR department of OU. They said I was suggested as one of 12 students to be involved in a commercial campaign for the university. As usual, I didn't say no (I say yes to everything pretty much) and passed it off as just something small. Next thing I know, I'm all over TV, billboards, newspaper ads and yes, even the OU webpage.

So what's it like being "The Promise" of OU? In simple terms, how bout annoying. When the campaign first began, it was pretty cool. My parents flipped out when they first saw it. They called me instantly and the surprise and pride in their voice was great. It made me so happy to see that I had (and continue to) make them proud. Not only that, but be able to show them how the little boy they've worked so hard to be successful in life is on his way, slowly but surely. My friends enjoyed it too, giving them something else to make fun of me for. You know, something different than my TV theme song obsession or lack of basketball skills for a black guy. And for our show, it was cool to see that the university found OUR achievement special enough to showcase it in a promotional campaign. There are a lot of great things going on at OU but for them to choose OUR show meant a lot to me (and hopefully others).

As the days and weeks went on though, being "The Promise" simply lost its luster. Now, I have friends from all the way back in middle school coming outta nowhere just to say they saw me. Is that cool? Absolutely, especially since it's prolly my fault I lost touch with them. But when it comes to the point of 2-3 people a day, it can be a bit much. Then, the billboards popped up and yikes, talk about really hearing it then. The first three sightings were funny. The next 3 were okay. Then there were 20+ more sightings and feelings of people just HAVING to tell me and well, let's just say that at some point, I hope people understand that yes, I know I am on a billboard.

And then the website....yikes. It's bad enough people make fun of me for knowing a lot of people here at this university already. But that's because of things such as PreCollege, OUIM, Tour Guiding, etc..., not because of the OU homepage. So when I am sitting in class and hear people behind me whispering "that's the guy from the website", trust me, I'm not flattered. I'm actually kind of annoyed. My professors point it out (again, I already know...kinda hard to miss) and today, when I went to my high school, I had former teachers, guidance counselors and future Bobcats all saying they saw my mug on the homepage. And now that my family knows, my ENTIRE family and church family knows. Let's just say Thanksgiving and church were a little different this year than any other.

At some point, my fake smile and responses are gonna wear out...and what sucks is that it's not the people I'm mad at. They don't know that I'm tired of hearing about the commercial, billboard or webpage. They geniunely just want to show how proud, excited or surprised they are to see me doing well and the face of the university. I however, just want this campaign to disappear into oblivion and move on with my college career.

There are two things about this campaign that bug me the most. First of all, it's all this attention that I am getting. I try to be a humble person and I honestly mean that. I hate people who talk themselves up or just constantly feel the need to one-up others. It bugs the hell outta me. So when people tell me about the billboards and website, I try to just shrug it off. But when you hear it over and over and over again, shurgging gets harder and harder. I actually had one person tell me "I have a feeling that deep down you are a really humble person but it's hard when people keep telling you how great you are. If I were you, I'd be like 'yea, that's me. I'm that good' and eat up the attention". See, I can't do that. Whenever I do, I am strictly joking just to make fun of those who do. So yea, this attention is a bit much, which leads me into my next point...

The second reason why I despise this campaign is that is glorifying ME and not the show. The Emmy that was won was not MY Emmy. No, it was an Emmy won due to the hard work of over 30 students who put in countless hours all week and gave up their Friday nights to put on a kick-ass television program for a under-appreciated region. It was an Emmy well-deserved too for a student production that kicks the ass of any other production put on here at OU. It was an Emmy that proved that the show has been the best production ever put on air by WOUB. I mean, 3 Emmys in 8 years in no fluke. So when the words next to my face say "This Ohio student has already won an Emmy", it makes me cringe bceause I know how inaccurate the statement is. It should read "This Ohio student hosted a show that won an Emmy". Just a few extra words make the statement ring more true than ever. It doesn't make me look like a hero I am not.

So in the end, I am tired of this whole "Promise" thing. Will I use it on my resume? Absolutely. It'd be foolish not to. But will I forever announce to the heavens that I am the promise? Absolutely not. What started as cool has turned into an annoyance. So what is it like to be the promise? You probably already know since everyone has achieved some sort of their promise either in high school or college. You just might not be on a billboard or website...and trust me, that's for the better.

FRIENDS...CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT THEM

First off, lemme start this blog with an apology for the more than 4 month layoff. I've been busy or just lazy and have failed to put a post up but right now, I have time so I shall proceed.

So this past weekend, I went home. I've been reluctant to go home this entire quarter because every weekend away from OU is truly one to be missed. Whether it be the parties, events or random interactions, there's always smething I'm missing out on when I leave for the capital city. But the one thing that I get when I go home is my friends....the ones that have been with me since I was a 119lb. freshman who only knew three people on his first day of high school.

Going home to them was great...a welcome break from the drunken debauchery at the bars in Athens. Oh, there was still drinking involved but it was a more relaxed atmosphere because there was no pressure to leave for someplace else or do anything...because we all knew just being together is what mattered. I especially felt this way after not seeing all of them at one time in over 2 months. I was able to catch up on the latest news and gossip of the crew back home and we talked like idiots as usual about stuff that doesn't even matter. But that's the joy of it...having a good time and you don't really know why.

Now don't get me wrong, I have close friends at OU as well. Friends that I can turn to whenever I need to talk, argue or rant. I've noticed that in this senior year, it is those friends that I call every weekend to hang out with because I know deep down, those are the ones I am going to miss when I depart this heaven known as the college years in Athens. They are the ones I really plan on staying in contact with and visiting whenever possible. Every time we hang out, it's a blast and even when it isn't that much fun, there at least seems to be a good story about why it wasn't.

So yea, I think, I'm a lucky guy. I've got friends in all places (I'm no Garth Brooks....sorry) and lemme tell ya, it's a great feeling to have. Whether it's my TNC Mafia boys in CBUS, my IM Buddies in Athens, my WOUBers in RTV or the Browns Backer at the 'Berg, I know they have my back. Now I just can't wait for my bachelor party when we all get together and well...lemme stop dreaming about that cuz I need a girl first but you know what I mean. It'll be fun...a lot of fun indeed.

HAKUNA MATATA

2007 SUMMER MOVIES SERIES

I'll admit, I am a terrible movie critic, but you know what, it's still fun to do. So let's continue. Movie #3 is:

KNOCKED UP
Directed by Judd Apatow
Starring Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann

Write it down: THE BEST MOVIE THIS SUMMER! I know, I know, how can I proclaim this movie the best before the summer is even over? The answer: because it is. Judd Apatow has made written and directed yet another gem with Knocked Up, just following last year’s 40 Year-Old Virgin. Though a bit long, it provides you with laughs during all 129 minutes of its running time.
I’m not even sure where to start with this movie. Ladies first I guess. Katherine Heigl, who is the leading lady, does a great job playing a pregnant Alison trying to balance her “accidental” pregnancy with her amazing new job as an on-air personality on the E! network. I don’t normally watch Grey’s Anatomy so I wasn't sure if Heigl would just be a pretty face or not but you can tell, she truly embraces the comedic feel of the show, including going over the top at times (like pregnant women do….I think). Leslie Mann is just as funny as the sister. The way she is always concerned about her husband and her appearance give the audience a great sidebar to the main story of the pregnancy and relationship between Alison and Ben.
Speaking of Ben, played by Seth Rogen, what a dork but a lovable one at that. He has no job and barely any money and his only hope for surviving financially is to get a website up and running that deals with when stars show skin in a movie. The premise is far-fetched but what brings is back home is the reality of the situation between him and Alison. Even though it’s never really funny when a girl gets pregnant accidentally, the way this movie makes light of the situation is downright superb.
There is the seriousness with the abortion topic but it’s hard to realize the topic is serious because of Rogen’s darkish comments and Heigl’s confusing thoughts. Mad props also to Rogen’s cast of friends who are always there for him for dumb ideas and drugs. Also, mad props to Joanna Kerns, who plays Alison’s mom, who has an hilarious cameo at a restaurant with her daughter.
The best supporting cast member though is Paul Rudd. Just like in Virgin and Anchorman, Rudd plays second-fiddle amazingly by being quirky. In this movie, he does a great job acting as the husband who is tired of his wife and kids and just wants time to himself, something any guy can appreciate. When he and Ben leave for Vegas, it makes for the funniest 5 minutes in the movie. Oh, and I don’t wanna leave out the kids who are funnier than even the kids in Talladega Nights.
One-liners are the name of the game in this movie. Though not as quotable of a movie as Anchorman, it is just as funny as the Will Ferrell flick. Honestly, this movie is just that good. Make this your movie to watch this summer. If not, you’ll regret it because it’ll be the movie everyone is talking about.
**** out of four

MATT’S SUMMER MOVIE SERIES

Alright, so it took longer than anticipated but I am finally writing some reviews. I have done well in my goal to see the summer movies on my countdown. I’ve actually seen one every week besides one which was sort of busy covering the Memorial golf tournament. As usual, I don't bother to spell check or check for grammar so read some parts twice to truly understand. The reviews started with Spiderman 3 (look below). Slowly (but surely), I will be posting the reviews of the other movies. Movie #2 of the Summer Movie Series is:

SHREK 3
Directed by Raman Hui and Chris Miller
Starring the voices of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Justin Timberlake, Rupert Everett and John Cleese

Who didn’t love the first two Shrek movies? I mean, what other movies can make not only kids laugh, but teenagers, college students, and adults at the same time? That’s the mentality I had going into the third movie and though it wasn’t up to par with the first two, it still used the same magic formula that made the first two a success.
I’ll start with the negatives first though. As this series moves on (and the fourth is being produced right now and set to be released in 2009), it is clear to me that it won’t get much funnier. Reason being is that we know these characters now. Donkey was great in the first movie with his ADD personality and just flat-out idiotic nature. Shrek was great with his wise-cracks and sarcasm and occasional sexual innuendos. Pinocchio, Gingerbread Man and the others were great as well. Then, in the second movie, Puss ‘N Boots gave the audience something fresh to laugh at. Also, the addition of Far Far Away made for good times too.
In the third though, the only new character of note is Arthur (voiced by Timberlake) or as Shrek calls him, “Artie”. Let me tell you know, Artie isn’t funny. He’s actually really annoying, reminding me of the kids I used to babysit. Always whining, complaining and crying about how pathetic his life is or will be as the new king. I know this is part of the storyline but the movie really went slow through these parts. Plus, with Artie not being that compelling of a character, it needed something really funny tomake up for how annoying and boring his character was.
I will say this though, the movie continues to have its flat-out hilarious parts. Fiona’s baby shower is great, especially Sleeping Beauty who continually passes out and Snow White just giving away one of her seven dwarfs to the mother-to-be. The fairy-tale high school of Artie’s is funny as well as the movie writes do a great job of again mixing the present with the make-believe past. Also, Merlin the Wizard adds some comedy too.
The ending is weak in my mind, though I did enjoy watching Charming’s terrible acting performance. The promise for the fourth movie also scares me because if it just deals with Shrek’s kids, then I don’t know just how funny it can be. This trilogy so far has done well with the jokes, addition of new characters and finding ways to keep it fresh but with another coming in just 2 years, I just don’t know. For now though, kudos for three great Shrek movies. Let’s hope the fourth can only live up to the first three.

*** out of four

ROUNDING THIRD AND HEADING FOR HOME...

It’s hard to believe it. I’ve gone through three years of college and now, there’s only one year left. The time has seriously just flown by. Do I have any regrets? Maybe a few but overall, what I’ve experienced these past three years has been beyond what I thought I’d experience when I first stepped foot in Athens. The friends, the fun times, the stressful times, the classes, the professors, the jobs and yeah, even the fateful night in July that landed me in a place I hoped I’d never be.

But as I look back at this past school year, all I can do is smile. It was easy at times but also hard in others. Fall and spring quarters were cakewalks academically but winter quarter…well, it pretty much kicked my ass. I’ve never worked harder to keep grades up than that quarter. Words of wisdom to the young ones who read this blog: don’t stack a ton of hard classes in one quarter, even if you think it’s because it’s winter and you’ll study more because it’s cold. That’s not exactly true…and I should know. I am a PreCollege advisor. To get an idea of the classes I took this quarter, just take a peek at this:

Basketball Officiating, Football Officiating, Recreational Sports Officiating, Class Piano, Ultimate Frisbee, Beginning Swimming, Intro to Acting, Jogging, Sportswriting and Intro to Coaching

So as I said, pretty easy class load. So that wasn’t a problem this year. Instead, in true Matt Barnes form, I decided to stack my time in my jobs. It’s sad when most of the stress I feel during the week comes from my jobs and not academics but hey, that’s how it goes sometimes. Gridiron Glory was fun work. It was my chance to be creative, learn new things and interact with the community. Being a tour guide had its high points as usual (lying to prospective students is always fun) but it also had some rough spots. The job that made me lose the most hair was my job with Intramurals.

I did a ton of work. I also slacked off at times but still got things done. I tried new things in hopes of improving the program. Some worked and some bombed. No matter what I did though, I never felt like I got any credit for it. I got plenty of complaints but never any compliments. In the three years I’ve worked for them, I’ve loved every second of it, seriously. Even when I’m getting yelled at on the bball court or flag football field, I love it because I know that their complaints are either worthless or dead wrong. And come on, we all like to be right, especially when it comes to someone screaming at you. But anyways, this year, there were multiple moments where I was close to quitting and I hate doing that. I’ve never quit anything in the middle of the year but damn, I was sure close. It wasn’t worth the grief, stress and sure as hell not worth all the work I was putting into the job. Thankfully, the year ended somewhat positively and I’ll be back for one more year of IM excitement but man, that was a ride.

What else happened this year? Well, lots of things and I don’t wanna bore you with it. But as I write this, I can’t help but think about the year that lies ahead. It’s the last one at OU and honestly, it scares me and excites me at the same time. Part of me doesn’t want to graduate. Instead, just try and Van Wilder this next year and stretch it out as long as I can. I’m already doing that now though by staying the entire year though I only have 3 classes to take. The college atmosphere is just so comfortable. Friends are no more than 15 minutes away. Responsibilities are there but can be forgotten every weekend. Mistakes can be made without a job being on the line. The thought of heading into the real world and all of that being snatched away from me…yikes.

What scares me the most is the job hunt. I’m interning now and all everyone wants to talk about is my résumé tape. The LAST thing I want to think about is my résumé tape. It’s my final summer as a college student. I want to see movies, drink beverages, hang with friends and sleep in. I don’t want to have to worry about where I will be a year from now but the reality is, I have to. I hate the saying “The early bird gets the worm” but sometimes, that saying is exactly right. If I get my stuff in order, I’ll be in great shape. If I procrastinate (which I LOVE to do), then I might be kissing some great jobs goodbye. So what am I doing now? Working my ass off at this internship, gaining as much insight as possible and yeah, even paying $100 for a subscription for a website to start looking at sportscasting jobs around the nation. I’m more than a year away from my first real job and I’m laying the groundwork now. Damn you real world.

It’s hard not thinking about the upcoming year but everyday, it creeps into my mind. Whether it’s just discussing the next season of Gridiron Glory, the future of the OUIM officiating program, future story ideas for WOUB, new lies for my tours or just personal goals for myself, I can’t stop thinking about it. I mean, maybe that’s a good thing. I’m getting ready and I won’t be surprised by anything. Oh, who am I kidding? I have no clue what’s coming next but you know what, that’s what great. I didn’t know where I’d be three years ago either and I’m pretty damn happy right now. So hey, just like the first three years, I’m gonna play this last year by ear. You know, hakuna matata. Senior year is gonna be fun, I know that for sure. It’s what after senior year that isn’t clear at all…

Matt’s Summer Movie Series

Hello there. I know, I know, you’re looking for another entry regarding some lame thing that happened in m life or my opinion of some sporting event. Well, if you came for that, I am sorry to disappoint. Instead, I have decided to start a little movie review series.

It all started when I was looking through my Entertainment Weekly magazine that gave “all the buzz on 115 new films” for the summer. After reading through the movies, I thought to myself, I want to see a lot of these. And for once, I’ll be home in Columbus to watch them with my friends who are movie aficionados. So, I made a list of movies that I want to see each week. Then it dawned on me, why not share my opinion of these movies with the general public? Not like I’m ever afraid to share my opinion. So, here goes. The list of 20 movies I plan on reviewing are:

(Release Date in Parentheses)

(May 4) Spiderman 3 – Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst
(May 11) 28 Weeks Later – Rose Byrne, Robert Carlyle [Sequel to 28 Days Later]
(May 18) Shrek The Third – Voices of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy
(May 25) Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End – Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom
(June 1) Knocked Up – Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl [By creator of The 40-Year Old Virgin]
(June 8) Ocean’s Thirteen – George Clooney, Brad Pitt
(June 15) Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer – Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis
(June 22) Evan Almighty – Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman
(June 27) Live Free or Die Hard – Bruce Willis, Justin Long
(June 29) Ratatouille – Voices of Brad Garrett, Patton Oswalt
(July 4) Transformers – Josh Duhamel, Shia LeBeouf
(July 4) License To Wed – Robin Williams, Mandy Moore
(July 20) I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry – Adam Sandler, Kevin James
(July 27) The Simpsons Movie – Voices of Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright [OU Alum]
(August 3) The Bourne Ultimatum – Matt Damon, Julia Stiles
(August 3) Resurrecting The Champ – Josh Hartnett, Samuel L. Jackson
(August 10) Rush Hour 3 – Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan
(August 17) Superbad – Seth Rogen, Bill Hader
(August 24) The Comebacks – Matthew Lawrence, Carl Weathers
(August 24) Good Luck Chuck – Jessica Alba, Dane Cook

I know what you are thinking…there’s no way you are going to see all these movies, especially at $7.50 each (Quick math: $150) Well, trust me, I know. I’m just hoping to hit half of these movies. I want to see most of them on release weekend to give people less time to ruin it for me with their jabber. Not only that, but my rule of not seeing movies before seeing their predecessors may be in jeopardy, especially with all the trilogies this summer. So, for my first review (speaking of trilogies), I begin with…

SPIDERMAN 3
Directed by Sam Raimi
Starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Topher Grace, Thomas Hayden Church, Bryce Dallas Howard


I’ve been waiting a long time to see this movie. I loved the first one, loved the second one even more, and then sweated in anticipation for the third. The critics were giving it a hard time, but hell, they gave Hardball a hard time too and that’s my second favorite movie of all time.
Unfortunately though, the critics got this one right.
The movie is just too damn complex for a comic book superhero action flick. There’s not one, not two, but three bad guys during the movie. Not to mention Howard’s character which acts as a roadblock in the Peter Parker – Mary Jane Watson relationship. No normal movie-goer needs that many things going on in their head. It’s sad but the best metaphor I can come up with to describe the storylines is a web. One strand led to another, then went around aimlessly, connected to another, etc… In other words, it was confusing at times.
The three bad guys were all interesting, but come on, two is already pushing it. Franco’s character frustrated me the entire movie. Either be a good guy or bad guy. I could never read him…which was probably the point, but still, for the sake of my brain about to blow up, I could’ve done without his “accident”. It also probably could’ve saved about 20 minutes of the movie.
Church’s character of the Sandman was cool in terms of special effects but in everything else, he was pretty much worthless throughout the entire movie. His character would die and come back multiple times. He would reappear in the movie in 30-minute spurts. I mean, even people in the movie theater moaned when they saw him come back for the third time. Get the hint Sandman, no one likes you in this movie. Maybe in Spidey 4 but Spidey 3 already had enough bad guys. Props to Church though…he plays a great bad guy with a good heart. The ending proves this…you’ll hafta judge for yourself though.
Grace made this movie fun for me. I bet a lot of people will find him annoying but I thought his Eddie Brock character was great. He was abrasive, sleazy and downright rude. You know, all you wanted in a bad guy…and he wasn’t even a bona fide bad guy until the last hour when he got his “powers”. I wish they would’ve used this storyline more because I thought it showed a lot about Peter Parker and Spiderman. The partnership between Brock and the Sandman was forced and downright awkward for the two minutes it was on screen but hey, by then, any moment with the Sandman was awkward cause we all thought the damn guy was dead.
I will say this…this movie was the most intimate of them all. I don’t like love stories so the first 45 minutes to an hour really dragged for me. It was too much love story stuff for my liking. Seemed like they could’ve moved that part faster. I know the director was trying to build up how Peter had changed but come on, we all saw that. we could’ve sped that up.
The humor never lacked though in this movie. The proposal scene at the French restaurant was the best of the comical scenes. Mad props to the actor playing the waiter. He was frickin hilarious. The entire sequence of events there was just money. It proved to be a good transition for the next part of the movie. Also, Peter’s dancing after getting his “evil” powers was great. Needless to say, Tobey Maguire has never taken dance lessons.
Dunst and Maguire act as expected so no need to criticize them. They’re solid as usual. Franco also does a nice job with his part, that as I said earlier, was more complicated than it needed to be.
Besides the 3 bad guys, the 2 hour, 20 minute length kinda sucked too. The movie could’ve easily been 1 hour, 45 minutes with some editing out of a few characters or unneeded storylines. I don’t like long movies. They tend to drag, as this one did. It’s an action movie, so scenes can be shorter, quicker, crisper, and have more impact than a long dawn-out one.
The fighting scenes were remarkable and the effects were great too. That’s always something you can count on with this franchise. The final fight scene, though a bit long and confusing, was amazing in terms of effects. At times, you forget that what you are watching is fake. Maybe it’s because the people are current and it is set in New York City unlike a fake place such as Gotham City. Whatever it is, it works.
All in all, this movie was enjoyable and I am glad I saw it but I wasn’t overly impressed either like I was with the other two. There was no tease for a fourth installment, though word around the movie biz is that Spidey 4 is all but a sure thing. I don’t mind that news because I want it to get a chance to redeem itself. My advice: go see the movie for yourself and make your own decision. This isn’t the type of movie that is going to get rave reviews across the board because of its many glaring problems but it still has great entertainment value. Spend the 6 to 7 bucks and see it…you’ll be mad if you don’t.

*** out of 4

TWO DAYS IN THE LIFE...

So if you know me, you know that I like to stay busy. You also know that I like to complain. Well, for this blog, I thought I would give you a look into two days of my life and how I get busy and why I complain so much about being tired (and yes, I already know that it's my fault)

The days I used were Monday, April 9th and Tuesday, April 10th.

Monday, April 9th
8:00am: My cell phone alarm goes off. As usual, I regret even setting an alarm. Though my first class isn't until 9am, I always need an hour of being awake before I can have contact with people. I'm just not a morning person...actually just downright cranky. Anyways, the first thing I do once the alarm is turned off is check the e-mail to see if my first class is cancelled. No such luck today. Time to hop in the shower, get dressed, and a small bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios.
9:00am: First class of the day: Jogging. Yea, it's a pass/fail class but sometimes, running in the morning isn't easy. On this particular day, it's no more than 40 degrees and the wind chill is lower. Yet, we run...and run farther than we have yet. It's easily a 3 mile run...something I haven't done since a 5k in high school. I jog the first mile and a half but do the whole walk/jog when I want. By the end, I'm spent and wishing for more than just 15 min to towel off the sweat and stretch
10:10am: Lights, Camera, Action! Intro to Acting class begins and as usual, I'm still somewhat sweaty. After the name game (for the fifth time now), we start talking about some freeze tag acting. In other words, walk around a bit, freeze, and start a scene from there. Mine involve crocodile hunting and going through the playpen tubes. I know, fun stuff
12:15pm: From acting to the pool. Swimming class begins and for the first time in two weeks, I am not nervous because the douchebag that had been helping out the real teacher has been asked not to help anymore. The guy treated the class like his personal swim team, making us do laps all the time and threatening us with penalties if we take a break. Fuck off man. Anyways, the entire class loves the new guy, much more low-key and actually helping us with the stroke instead of trying to kill us. Class runs short, but I stay an extra 5 minutes to do a couple laps of breaststroke
1:30pm: Quick lunch in Grover Center between classes. Read the paper and listen to some tunes on the IPod. Not exciting but my first true rest of the day.
2:10pm: Ultimate Frisbee class in the freezing cold. It is actually colder now than it was for jogging. By now, my legs are shot but for 30 minutes, it's all about quick sprints and accurate throws. Too bad I don't care.
3:00pm: Since Ultimate class gets done early, I head to WOUB to start working on my sports cast. I am the sports anchor for the news show that airs at 6:30pm. Once I set my rundown (the stories I want to use), I think about writing but then, to give myself an easy day, I have an up and coming sophomore handle the writing duties instead. While he writes my stories, I walk to my apt. building to bring my car closer to the station (you'll find out why later) and start getting my video together. I forget when I walk to my apartment to set up the video to tape Falcon Beach on ABC Family but am relieved to remember it can be found online. Bad enough I missed it live, watching with my buds from the summer. While I'm editing some video, I get a call from my tour guide bosses and they ask if I can give a tour tomorrow and Thursday. As usual, I say yes because I have problems saying no. They also wonder why I missed the meeting during the day. I don't even bother to explain.
6:52pm: The cast goes well, even though it took longer than usual to finish because I let someone else write it. No worries though, my day isn't over yet.
7:15pm: As soon as I can, I get in my car and drive over to Ping for the Indoor Soccer Officials Clinic. Since I am the Student Director of Officials, it is sort of a requirement that I be there. Once I show up though, I notice something wrong: There are only four officials at the clinic. Immediately, I wonder why. And what do ya know, I told people two different times. Some people heard 7pm, others heard 9pm. In other words, I screwed up. Even with the mix-up, I sit through the indoor soccer clinic, wishing and hoping for a nap (Chlorine tires anyone after about 3-4 hours). At 8:45, after helping an official fill out the payroll paperwork, I jet outta Ping and head to...
9:00pm: the Intramural Fields. It's now time for the 4-on-4 Flag Football Officials Clinic. By now, I'm not only tired and hungry (I had an apple at 8:55pm), but wearing thin on patience. No time to let that be shown though as for two hours, I help explain the rules and mechanics of flag football. Explaining these rules for now the fourth time gets old. Even worse though, I begin to start mixing up rules. Softball season just began, Indoor Soccer and 4-on-4 is beginning, and basketball won't go away just yet as the National Tournament is this weekend and I'll be there. The clinic goes well though and the crop seems promising. Time for bed right?
11:00pm: Nope, not yet. It's softball time...PC2K7 style. The Pre-College softball team is ready to play our first game...or are we? Instead of demolishing our first opponent, we forfeit the game due to lack of females. I'm easily not happy because now I've lost 30 bucks, encountered my first no-show forfeit ever in my IM history and am lacking energy. Yet, our team gets together in the cold and plays a mock scrimmage and find out our many weaknesses and few strengths. By the end, I can see our potential...if we don't forfeit again.
1:30am: Bedtime. In between the end of our scrimmage and bedtime, I just did nothing important. Watched Barack Obama on Letterman, an old Fresh Prince episode, and Jimmy Kimmel's monologue. Once he finishes the funnies, I hit the sack for good.

Tuesday, April 10th

6:40am: My cell phone alarm goes off. WAY TOO EARLY to be getting up but such is life. I throw on some clothes quickly and get to my car
7:00am: Time for an Intramural Supervisor Meeting. Every Tuesday, I have a 7am Intramural meeting so I'm used to it now. What I will never get used to though is being really awake within an hour of waking up. So of course, I talk like an idiot, I spill orange juice on donuts and don't even bother to scrape my car before I leave, so I can't even see when I drive the 3 minutes to the rec center. The meeting goes very fast this week. Thank God
7:30am: Back home, but no time to fall back asleep. Just enough time to start my normal routine of shower, breakfast, and putting on clothes for the day.
8:30am: Athens Midday begins. For those who don't know, this is the TV show we do every day at noon. I only have it Tuesday and Thursday so Athens County doesn't get to see me everyday unfortunately. Anyways, today, I am the main anchor which means I get to do my favorite thing: news. Yea, that's sarcasm. News is depressing, boring, lifeless and downright a drag to do. I mean, my stories range from a man dying at a Youngstown airport, a truck driver getting charged for running over an exchange student and brush fires in Florida. BLAH
9:05am: Quick sidenote. While I am searching for stories for the day's newscast, I find out my mom is one of 7 finalists to be appointed to Columbus City Council. Big deal in my book, especially since my mom doesn't even call me. I have to find out on the internet.
11:15am: I head over to the Front Room to grab some food and say hello to a friend. I like to do this during MidDay because it gets me away from the classroom just for a little while. My friend and I head over just to head back empty-handed. We really weren't hungry.
Noon: Showtime! Turns out to be a pretty good show. I didn't screw up a name and my pink shirt looks amazing on TV. We had our usual glitches and mistakes by personalities but all in all, it was a solid show.
12:55pm: After our critique of the show, it's off to the the Student Center to pick up a tour group. When I get there though, I notice that there are only 10 people and a tour guide already waiting. I ask her if she can take them all and just like that, I pick up a little time to get some grub.
1:15pm: I sit in the IM Office and eat. Could I have eaten at the Student Center? Of course...but it's more fun to sit in the IM Office and bother the people in there. After eating, I actually start doing a little bit of work during my official office hours of 2-3pm. Normally, I work out from 1-2 but due to the tour situation, I didn't bring working out clothes. Not to mention by body is sore as hell from Monday's physical classes.
3:10pm: Sportswriting class. Always enjoyable. Today's discussions are all about covering teams and what is acceptable for a sports reporter to cover. It turns out to be a very good discussion and I learn a few things as well. Because our teacher is a young gun and taking classes of his own, we get out early so he can study for stuff he has.
4:15pm: Back to the TV station. This time, I get to be the AP or assistant producer. That means I get to edit all the video to what the anchor writes. For the third straight week, I have a freshman shadowing me so I make him do all the work as I look over his shoulder. It was a fairly easy day in terms of editing video though so he got off easy. I even get the chance to help another freshman who brought back game highlights to learn how to do it himself. The bets part though is when the one freshman is with me in the newsroom gets the final score of the softball game that he covered. I then call the other freshman who is upstairs in the control room watching the cast that is going on simultaneously. I give him the score and relays it to the anchor, all within 30 seconds (and 15 seconds before the story came on air). Gotta love live TV...and being a good mentor.
7:10pm: After feeling like I did my part to make the world a better place, I head to my scholarship meeting, or roundtable discussion. This week's discussion focuses on the word Latino/a and the word America. I hate these meetings normally because they run long, are boring, and we literally talk about the dumbest things. But this week, the presenter was very interesting and I learned a lot of stuff about words we use all the time such as hispanic, latino, and yes, even America.
8:40pm: I love the presentation so much that I almost risk being late for work to stay until the end but because I know work is also important, I leave while she is talking (I hate doing that to guests) and head to the rec center
9:00pm: Indoor Soccer training continues in the rec center. This time, we hit the court and go over more rules, signals and mechanics. I take a backseat as the soccer experts explain things. I do my best to just stay awake as my day just keeps rolling along. The two hours seem to crawl by, especially the last 30 minutes but we get thru it and put together a damn good training.
11:15pm: After that training, I head to the library to search for a play that includes a monologue. I am going to need it for Acting class tomorrow. Of course, the library is closing at midnight so I search like crazy looking for the plays and dramas. Unfortunately, I haven't even been to the the 7th floor of the library before so I walk around aimlessly, hoping to just stumble upon them. I never do and end up empty-handed when the clock strikes midnight. Not to mention, my IPod decided to freeze up at the time I need it most...in a quiet, spooky library
12:30am: I head to my apartment for the first time since 8:30am. To perk me up, I grab a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios and go to abcfamily.com and watch the Falcon Beach episode I missed and let me tell ya, that show just keeps gettin better. After watching the episode, I get my stuff together ready for tomorrow's classes.
2:00am: After Jimmy Kimmel and a Cosby show rerun, I go to sleep. Before that though, I pray that the rain that is projected to come will come fast enough so that jogging class is cancelled because my legs are still hurtin.

And just like that, you have seen two days in the life of Matt Barnes. Is this typical? The answer is yes. I like to stay busy. Downtime for me is wasted time. That's why I stack my schedule with so much. It can be a lot at times but for now, it's goin well. There are many days I yearn for a nap. There are other days I just wanna flip out on someone. But most of the time, I make it through my day just by remembering one thing: Hakuna Matata. No worries...it'll all get done.

WELL DONE BUCKEYES!

For the second time in 84 days (yes, I counted), I have watched the Ohio State Buckeyes lose a National Championship game. Even worse, both losses came to the same university. Am I disappointed? Of course. Am I angry? Not at all. And let me tell you why.

It literally cracks me up to see people get pissed off at Ohio State after a loss…even better, a National Championship loss. How spoiled are we as fans to get mad at a team that gave us so much throughout the season?

The Ohio State football team came in with great expectations with an explosive offense and a young defense that had amazing potential. Though there were doubters all year about whether we could run through our regular season, the Buckeyes triumphed in those 12 games, including an impressive victory over the hated rival Michigan. Now in most years, a win over Michigan is enough to make the season a good one. But after the debacle in Arizona against the Gators, I have never seen OSU fans get more sour. Until now…

Tonight, right after the basketball game was over, I was “lucky” enough to see just how bad OSU fans can be (and it was probably worse on the actual OSU campus). Instead of actually just thinking about how great of a season it was, they immediately start screaming cuss words off balconies and get pissed off at Florida. Let’s get this straight. Florida WAS the better team and has been all year. The only way the Buckeyes come away with that victory is if they play a better game. And tonight, they didn’t. So suck it up Buckeye fans, we had a helluva year, especially with 4 freshmen playing a ton of minutes.

It’s as if the Big Ten Championship wasn’t enough? Or how about beating Wisconsin twice, including a HUGE win in the Big Ten Tourney championship game? Oh, and let’s not forget the Xavier game…that Ron Lewis shot will forever be a part of OSU basketball history. Hell, without it, OSU doesn’t even make it THIS far. That Sweet 16 game against Tennessee wasn’t too bad either…we only came back from 20 points and sealed the deal with a Greg Oden block. The Memphis game sent us to the Final Four, something we haven’t seen since 1999 (or 1962 depending on who you are). And then the Georgetown game that no one gave us a shot in.

And then we lost to Florida.

Hmmmm, seems like a lot more highlights than lowlights. Suck it up Buckeye fans. We had a good run and an amazing year.

Before I end this blog, I just want to give my thoughts on March Madness in general. Every year, I cannot wait for this tournament. It’s the best postseason sporting event in the U.S. and will continue to be. This year was no exception. There were upsets, there were great shots and the best part, there was Gus Johnson (check out this link: there’s no one better in the business http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWdjhRaVQ74)

So to recap another great March Madness, I have listed by top 10 moments from March Madness 2007:

10. Memphis wins a thriller against Texas A&M when Acie Law blows a late lay-up that could have given the Aggies an important three-point lead late in the game
9. Who doesn’t love a good Butler Bulldog tourney run? The Bulldogs went to the Sweet 16 once again, just to fall short to eventual champ Florida, in a game the Bulldogs stayed with the Gators for most of the way
8. There weren’t many upsets this year but the Winthrop upset over Notre Dame was pretty cool. Winthrop goes up big, Irish fight back, but Winthrop and Craig Marshall will not be denied their first ever Tourney win
7. Vanderbilt beats Washington State in 2OT. This game was just flat out exciting…though I can’t name one player on each team. Just the coaches.
6. The shot by Jeff Green to send Georgetown into the Elite Eight. Did he travel? Probably but hey, that’s the joy of this tourney. Big time player making big time plays. Too bad the big time refs forgot the big time whistle.
5. VCU upsets Duke. VC-who you say I know. This team has been on the up since Jeff Capel started coaching their a few years ago. Now, they are beating one of the most historic programs in college basketball. Eric Maynor, the hero.
4. Georgetown coming back to beat North Carolina to clinch their spot in the Final Four. Pretty sure most thought the Tar Heels were moving on but the Hoyas showed great fortitude and guts, sending the game into OT and then dominating Tyler “I cry like a baby” Hansbrough and UNC in the extra period.
3. Tennessee vs. OSU. Sweet 16. OSU down 17 at the half. Down 20 at one point. Too bad this is March Madness. The Buckeyes pull off a great comeback, with a combination of Oden inside and big 3-balls outside to bring them back and to the win. Oh, and there was a block too.
2. Florida defeating OSU for the title. Yea, I’m a Buckeye fan but you gotta respect a team that actually plays like a team and knows how to take over and finish games. Did you notice no one really came back on these Gators during the tourney? They deserve this one and as a college basketball fan, it’s nice to see players come back for another run instead of running to the money and fame of the NBA.
1. Come on, that Lewis shot is what college basketball is all about. OSU fan or not, that shot was clutch, especially when a 9 seed has a 1 seed on the ropes. For me, I about went crazy, especially since I thought it was long. Ron Lewis didn’t shoot well in the Final Four but I’ll tell ya this. I”ll take his shot in that Xavier game anyday than him making 2 or 3 trifectas in a later game. It’s all about the thrill and suspense and pure excitement. There ain’t nothing better.

So now that the Madness is over, let’s all take a breath and remember the year that was. It was a good one, actually, a damn good one. Lot of great players, lot of great teams, and a lot of great basketball.

And for you OSU fans still screaming off the balconies, get over it already. Odds are, the Buckeyes will be back soon in both sports. That’s what happens when you have an athletic department that actually makes money (see Ohio University). And if that doesn’t help, well, I guess all I can say is HAKUNA MATATA!

Are you serious?

I probably shouldn’t write blog entries when I am angry/frustrated. I just don’t seem to write my best. I just seem to ramble, complain, bitch and moan. But this time, I felt compelled to write this out because well, as the title suggests, I could not believe what happened earlier today.

Most of you who read this should already know this but in case you don’t, I have a minority scholarship here at OU that pays for everything and even gives me an overage check each quarter. So in essence, I get paid to go to school. Scary thought I know. Anyways, it’s our program’s usual Tuesday roundtable meeting where we are to discuss some topic. It could be anything, ranging from global warming to universal health care to any scholarly subject.

For this meeting though, we had our program’s leaders in the meeting with our GA and our usual professor who leads our discussions. For today’s roundtable, we were going to discuss the direction of the program. Let me give you a quick snapshot of what we have to do to keep our scholarship:
1. Maintain a 3.0 average w/ minimum 16 hours each quarter (fair enough, I mean, it is a scholarship)
2. 6 hrs of community service each quarter (not asking too much)
3. Attend weekly roundtables (more on these later)
4. Write a 1-2 page personal reflection paper each quarter (usually takes me 15 min on a weekend to finish)

That’s honestly about it. Not much huh? Well, you wouldn’t be able to tell that from our meeting tonight. Here are some quotes from people and my feelings. Feel free to gasp, moan and get mad. I sure did.

“I think the UC classes are pointless…they told us to make a collage for an assignment. It was simply busy work. I mean, I have real classes with real papers and real reading and don’t have time for busy work” (Freshman)

Two things here. The freshman must take three UC classes over the first year. UC 115 (First-Year Experience), UC 169 (First-Year Seminar, and a UC Class TBA. Also, these UC classes might be the easiest classes on this campus behind the recreation classes such as bowling, swimming, etc… The are designed for students to succeed. They are not a lot of work. They are made to make sure there is a good transition between high school and college. Got it? Now, look at the quote.

Are you frickin serious? You’re telling me you think a class that is an easy A is pointless? And then you’re complaining about a collage? WTF! You could just have a third “real paper” in another “real class”. The sad thing is that most of the freshmen agreed with this guy, all agreeing that the UC class doesn’t challenge them. It’s like they want more work, more papers, more thinking. The sad part is that since they are freshmen, they don’t know that everyone else in that room would DIE for a UC class right now. Classes get harder and more time-consuming. If they are complaining about a class being too easy, then they’ll be downright excited when junior year rolls around and all that free time they have now turns into study time at the library or in your room. Oh, and they’ll want a collage then no doubt. Frickin naïve frosh.

Oh, and just for fun. One freshman threw out a comment about how they only used one page in her $40 book for the first UC class. Well, cry me a river. You get a refund check ranging normally from $300-$1000 your first year. I think that’ll make up for it. So don’t give me a sob story about $40. Take away this scholarship and then come crying to the moon.

“I don’t need a ‘cushion’. I don’t mean to be rude but who are you all to say I need a ‘cushion’”. (Freshman)

The “cushion” I refer to here is the UC classes I talked about. One of our program directors called those classes something to kind of fall back on, lighten the load on a hard quarter, in other words, a “cushion” for freshman. So who is this guy to tell our director he doesn’t need that cushion? Is he offended that he is being forced to take a class that is created to give you a GPA-boosting A or A-? I just don’t get it. These freshmen all felt like they were too good for a UC class, as if they were supposed to be for dumber freshman, not “scholars” like us.

This is what I say. Stop whining, take your A, and move on. I have never heard more people complain about such an easy class. It’s like saying to your advisor that you hate your psychology class because attendance is optional and not mandatory. It just doesn’t make sense. You pay ZERO dollars to go here. You have no right to complain about a class you have to take. You aren’t paying for it. Just do the work, no matter how little of a “challenge” it is. Get rid of this attitude that all classes HAVE to be hard. If you wanted that, then go to Harvard. If you want to succeed in school and still have somewhat of a life outside of academics, then stay here. Oh, and did I mention it’s FREE here. Ugh…

Oh, and his blurb about who do they think they are? I don’t know if he knows this but he was talking to three people with doctorate degrees. All have dealt with students and managing students their entire career. So shut up because they know more than you. You may think you know what’s good for a freshman like yourself but guess what, you don’t because you ARE A FRESHMAN NOW! Even I know what’s better for you as a first-year student. So get rid of that “too good for this” attitude. You don’t know what is.

“I feel like you all (the program directors) always look at us (students) as if we are stupid kids trying to get out of work. There is a huge disconnect between us and the program. I just want you all to treat us like adults.” (Senior)

This one fired me up too. Not as much as the UC class subject because this one has some merit to it. There is a lack of communication between our program heads and the students but again, more on that later. I want to address this quote.

The senior says the program thinks we are stupid kids who are trying to get out of work and that we should be treated as adults. The sad part is that as the senior says this, he/she looks like more of a child. The program gives us all this money to do only those 4 things I listed earlier. Then, all we do is complain. Oh yeah, that’s mature on our part, especially since we signed a contract agreeing to the terms above. So when I hear argue about community service or class hours, I get a headache. We have literally 4 requirements. THAT’S IT. 4 requirements to keep a scholarship worth just under $80,000 over four year. If we were true adults, we would listen and do what is asked of us. Also, if we had a problem, we wouldn’t bring it up in front of everyone, but instead do it in front of the program directors, face-to-face in their office. This is more informal and makes for better conversation. Instead though, we start petty arguments about trivial things and argue for hours at a time since we can’t act like the mature adults I thought we were.

“I never came to see you because I didn’t know who you all were. I feel like there was never an attempt for you to meet the freshman so it was kind of intimidating to come and ask you a question” (Freshman)

First of all, my rule of thumb when it comes to getting to know someone is that if you care that much, then you’ll go and introduce yourself and get to know them. If you don’t care, you’ll worry only about yourself and other things. This is important because in this situation, the freshman complains about all these classes and other crap YET has never gone to talk to our director face-to-face and talked about their problem. Instead, she felt intimidated by a director that all year has said her door is always open. Not only that but why should the director have to carry all the burden to met the freshman. Why not flip that situation? It seems to me this was just another way for the freshman to complain since obviously, they have more time to think of complaints cuz their UC class doesn’t keep them busy from thinking of complaints.

If the freshman really cared, she would’ve gone a long time ago and talked about these problems. But nope, instead she just waits for the right moment to pounce on the directors as if her suggestion in front of them and 30 of her peers will carry more weight then a one-on-one meeting. Yea, that’s mature. Crap like this fires me up. If you have a problem with me, tell me. If you have a problem with something I’m a part of, tell me. Don’t beat around the bush. Don’t stay quiet. Just tell me. We are all big boys and girls. We cannot lose our scholarship simply because we are speaking our minds. So being afraid isn’t an excuse…well unless of course, you’re a kid.

The last point I will bring up is our roundtable discussion. Yea, they can be boring but sometimes, they can truly be intellectual. Problem is though, normally we talk about one of two things:
1. What needs to be fixed in the program (and it ALWAYS goes long)
2. What we will talk about in next week’s meeting (just one big circle week-to-week)
I’m not a big fan of these, especially this quarter because I feel like we talk about nothing relevant to a group of 30 minority students with homework and books to read after the meeting. Yet, I go for two reasons. The first is that I have to. The second is that it’s the least I can do to thank the program for giving me this scholarship.

MY FINAL TAKE:

So what do I really think? I think that now even people with full scholarships are getting stuck-up and spoiled. The program provides them with all this money. Actually, an excess of money. And instead of properly thanking the program by simply following its wishes, it challenges and questions them. And not the good challenge and question that brings about change. No, the kind of challenge and question that shows how lazy and arrogant the scholars have gotten. The program started on very shaky roots. There was a lot of opposition to it. People had to fight hard to make these scholarships and the least these freshman and others could be in grateful. They could be like other students I know who are paying their way through college, with or without Mom and Dad’s help. They could be paying for books with money made from all that work over the summer. They could be taking 20 hours of hard material.

But instead, they are getting paid to go to school. They have money left over to pay for books. They get to take classes that give you an early A to pad the GPA. But most importantly, it gives you a support system in 30 other people just like you. So, with all due respect, shut up. Don’t start thinking you are too good for things such as community service and UC classes. Too good for professional dress or etiquette dinners. You are part of a distinguished group of students. We have a great opportunity. Don’t screw it up by complaining with your big mouth. You don’t have the right…especially when you’re a freshman. I am glad they were honest and forthright in their opinions but I am NOT happy that their opinions leaned toward the side of arrogance and not humility. We are NOT better than anyone. We were just given an opportunity and a damn good one if I may say so.

If I hear anyone else complain, I’m gonna flip. Either go the directors or don’t talk at all because if not, there probably won’t be any change because you’re not mature to understand the true reason for this scholarship and its requirements. Just go to class and do what needs to be done. No more whining…leave that for kids.