I've Got Friends In All Places

When I first moved to Augusta, I knew that being far away from the friends I know and love would suck. I mean, many of the bets moments in my life have come with friends and not family. So being away from my friends does suck. Now granted, my family will always be missed first. But I tell ya, friends come a close second.

And I know I have good friends when I am in bed at 4am and getting a drunk dial from them at Union Street Diner after the first Gridiron Glory of 2008. Or a call at 11:30pm when they all gather at The Pub, just to remind me of the many good times had there on Monday nights. Or the numerous friends who sent a text my way to infrom my ugly mug is still promoting my alma mater on television. Or the friends who continue to text me when they pass my billboard. Hell, even the friends that read this blog.

So what I can do with this blog is see where people are reading my blog from. Well, so far, I'm up to 28 states (including Montana) and 2 countries. And one day when I was bored, my mind started wandering about what if I could take a month off work, paid leave let's say, and just drive across the nation. How cool would that be. And that got me to thinking about the friends I have all over this great nation of ours. It's not necessarily the amount I have. I know there are many more people in this world with more. But it's where they are.

For example....
- If I wanna hang out with the stars in Los Angeles, just give Theetge, Joe, Goldfarb or Basford a call.
- Feel like gambling in Sin City? Holla at Alex and Killer in Las Vegas.
- If I wanna touch a cactus and see some amazing looking ladies in Tempe, AZ, talk to Jacinta and Wyatt who are livin it up at Arizona State (Beadle graduated early for no reason).
- If I ever learn how to ski, I could hit the slopes in Denver with Whitney.
- If I wanna visit the land where Fran Solich used to roam, head to Lincoln, NE and visit Gant and Fulton, who prolly has a dead baby joke for me.
- If I wanna wear a cowboy hat and act like Cowboy Troy for a day, I'll go to Stillwater, OK and hang out with Cody and Devin.
- If I go to College Station, TX, I can lose my mind hanging out Keefe and Jerrod.
- If I head south from there, I can hit up Dallas and say what's up to the always laid-back J-King.
- Go south on I-35 and I could be wild in Waco, TX, where I'm pretty sure TI will show me a good time.
- Head a bit southwest and I'll be in Houston, where Mark is prolly doing something he shouldn't be doing and Morris is doing...actually, I don't know.
- And if I wanna be on the border of Mexico, I think JA would be a good host, as long as a hurricane isn't coming.
- If I wanna go to Bill Clinton's birth state of Arkansas, I can also visit Sloan and RJ and tlak about the good ol' extramural times.
- If Missouri is on my mind, I could visit Shane at SEMO and get in some trouble or find me in St. Louie with Rocco
- If I wanna freeze my butt off in Minnesota, I'll just talk to quirky Siebrecht and kooky Zmyslinski
- And since I'm cold already, might as well head to Madison, WI and hook up with Lumpkin and KHunt and have some beverages.
- If I wanna visit the beer capital of the world, Milwaukee, WI is where I'll go and meet up with Marquette peeps that my sister introduced me too but I don't remember the names of.
- Just an hour away, I can go to the windy city of Chicago and hang with Harbert, gossip with Danie, live it up with Liza, or see the sights with my second sister Lyndsey
- Down in Hattiesburg, MS, I could reunite myself with "pint-sized Matt"
- If I wanna learn that pop = Coke, I could chill in Alabama with Jerome, Taylor and whoever else is still in that state that I know.
- If I wanna figure out the words to Rocky Top, Knoxville is home to the famous Mike McCarthy and Meredith McMahon (talk about alliteration).
- To see where Vince Young is hiding, I could travel to Nashville and search the scene with Rapking and Braverman.
- Up in Hoosier country, I could meet up with Stacey and A-Ho in Indiana.
- If I wanna spit on the ground of Michigan, I can find Saunders and yell at him some more afterwards
- If I wanna spit on the ground of Florida, I can see Ashley in Tampa, Dan in Jacksonville, Jenn in Melbourne, and Rosie in Miami
- If I leave Augusta and go around Georgia, I can find Segi and company in Statesboro, Wyatt and BFunk (soon) in Atlanta, Todd in Macon, Storch in Athens and Huggy Bear and Noble holdin it down in Valdosta.
- If it's the beach I want, I'll talk to Shari in Myrtle Beach, SC or Mallory in Virginia Beach, VA.
- In Columbia, SC, I can talk to Kyle and learn more about life
- If it's North Carolina I wanna head to, I got Criswell in Greensboro and of course, Michelle and Granger chillaxin in Charlotte.
- If I wanna get the New England feel, I'll go to Boston and chill with some grad student guys, Brett and Will
- If I wanna see the bright lights of the Big Apple, I can visit Jen and Jones in New York City.
- If I wanna make fun of the Mountaineers, I'll go to Morgantown and meet up with Lindamood.
- If I wanna check out the Worldwide Leader in Sports in Bristol, CT, I'll call up Blair, Gandee Man, and Kimmy K.

- And of course, in the great state of Ohio, I've got friends all over. Let's not even try to go city by city. My head will blow up.

In other words, I'm a really lucky guy. Because of the profession I am in, I could be in a different locale every 2-3 years. But the reassuring thing is that no matter where I go, I'll have a friend nearby. Thanks peeps. And of course, Hakuna Matata.

(Oh, and by the way, this post took forever. I've been mapping out where my friends are for the past three days and I know I probably either don't know where some are or simply forgot someone because I am forgetful. Heck, I forgot my microphone at a high school football practice yesterday. So no offense intended at all. Just had to throw that out there.)

Political Convention Comedy

So I've been watching these political conventions the past two weeks and man, are they fun to watch. Whether you are Republican, Democrat or Independent like me, you have to laugh at the stuff that goes on during these things. The speeches, the music, the videos and the people dressed like absolute idiots. It makes you really wonder how the hell we are a respected nation in the first place.

Now, I know who I am going to vote for and most of you know who. I do my best to stay open-minded and aware of the issues. Hence why I think I have enjoyed these conventions so much. So without trying to add bias, here are my quick impressions of what I've thought of both conventions (except McCain's speech which will come Thursday during SC football, Roddick/Djokovic and the start of the NFL season)

DEMOCRATIC: Well, first off, a lot of splash, dash and flash. Democrats like to do it up big. The stage was unbelieveable. There was a screen. Then a 3 screens above it. Then 3 screens above it. Quite impressive. But that wasn't it. Just check out this clip from Monday from the DNC


Two things to take from that.
1) his floating head talking to his kids reminded me of Power Rangers when Zordon talked to those colorfully costumed heroes
2) God bless the Obama family and his youngest daughter Sasha but Sasha, shut up! There's cute and then there's annoying. When Daddy says where he is, listen so you don't hafta ask 45 seconds later. And Michelle, don't give her the mic when she's just gonna interrupt him. Bad enough he is delayed. And they say Obama hasn't been tested. I betcha his little one does everyday.

Anyways, the convention had more than just technology. The entertainment at the DNC was amazing. Just take a look at the list of musicians that performed that week in Denver: Jennifer Hudson, Will.I.Am, Melissa Etheridge, Michael McDonald, Sheryl Crow, John Legend and Stevie Wonder. Not bad if I may say so myself. Not to mention also that the music from the house band always had the joint rockin'. If you don't believe me, just watch this:


Well, that is just sad for all Americans, no matter who you support. Grown people looking like they have had a bit too much to drink. Eh well.

I will say this. That as much as the convention worked to show "unity" between Clinton and Obama, it just seemed forced. I know it all looks symbolic but it actually just comes off as awkward and odd. Not really sure Clinton supporters cared. Hillary lost. Now, it's up to Obama to convert them, not Hillary. But that was the vibe I kept getting from the convention. Hillary and Bill can say what they want but in the end, it's up to Obama himself. so don't cheese it up or do all these ceremonial things.

As far as the speeches, I thought all the speeches at the DNC were pretty darn good. They all kept my attention and had good talking points. As usual, a lot of bashing the others and promoting their ticket. But if I had to pick one speech that I particularly enjoyed, it was from Bill Clinton himself. I think the guy is one of the best presidents ever (if not for...you know) and is a great speaker. But watch the intro to this speech and I heard this from someplace else. Replace the word "sit" with "kneel" and tell me if that makes his speech a bit funnier. (Only go to the 2-min mark unless you feel inspired)



And Obama's speech in Invesco Field, talk about impressive-looking. I don't even think Hannah Montana could fill that place up like he did. Of course, there were lies and half-truths said all week but that's politics. All in all though, it was fun.

REPUBLICAN
Now I'll be the first to say that I have seen less of this convention. Monday was rained out due to Gustav. Tuesday, I watched more tennis than anything else. Wednesday, I didn't tune in until 9:45ish cause I was a minor league baseball game. But from what I have seen so far, it has been flat out BORING, or should I say conservative. I mean, the music is dry. There was jazz on Tuesday that I did enjoy but it just wasn't as exciting as hearing the Motown hits. The stage is simple. Just one screen and rotating images during speeches. I kind of appreciate that though. Didn't really need that many screens at the DNC.

The most glaring thing missing from the RNC is well, color. I mean, I know there aren't many minority Republicans but man, put the RNC in Minnesota and have a running mate from Alaska and you have officially made the convention a white-out. It's sad but a reality. I've seen few minorites at all. Now, that's not to say that makes the Democrats better with minority issues (though history shows that) but any minority on the fence watching the RNC has to prolly wonder why no one who looks like them is there in the Twin Cities.

Oh, and as for the speeches, Tuesday could not have been anymore boring. Fred Thompson using metaphors that were simply confusing and man, he was completely congested. Seriously, he hacked through his speech. And then Joe Lieberman, an Independent Democrat (what?) goes on stage and if people weren't tired enough from Fred, a lullaby from Lieberman did the trick.


Did that bore you too? And also, doesn't Joe Lieberman kind of look like the cartoon character Droopy?
Maybe it's just me. Regardless, you can see why a Gore-Lieberman ticket never really inspired America in 2000. (Letterman on Wednesday: "John McCain spent 5.5 hours in a POW camp and even HE couldn't get through Joseph Lieberman's speech"---that's great)

Wednesday's speeches were much better. My favorite Republican Mike Huckabee gave a great speech about something rather (don't wanna go to detail). Rudy Guiliani went on and on about John McCain being a hero but never really talked about what he would for the country. He did throw some words Obama's way, saying he wasn't ready and that the only one who has fought for America actually is McCain. Well duh! He was in the Navy. Are we gonna start faulting candidates of any offices because they have no service time? Get off that argument please!

Meanwhile, Sarah Palin's speech was good as well. She appealed to who she needed to. She did mispronounce Lancaster, OH. It's LANE-kis-ter, not lan-CAST-er, like in Pennsylvania. She'll learn though if she wants the votes I assume. (Another Letterman joke: "Doesn't Sarah Palin look like a model for Lenscrafter?" ---again, so so true).


As far as how she came off, she impressed me a lot. As many Americans, I woke up Friday to CNN and said "WHO?" Well, now that I know she is hockey mom with some spunk (and other credentials), I do feel a bit better if/when McCain dies if/when he becomes President. That was my inital worry and still kind of is. A funny moment from it though was when Sarah Palin said "The only difference between hockey moms and pitbulls? Lipstick." And while the audience laughs and applauds, they go to a shot of Cindy McCain who mouths to Sarah's husband Todd Palin, "That's true!" HAHA, what the hell does Cindy McCain know about hockey moms? You live in Arizona (4 houses), Washington, and two other places.

After her speech, John McCain came on stage with the family and just like in Dayton, it just felt awkward. Seeing a 72-yr old man with a good-looking 44-yr old woman is just awkward. Just watch this video from YouTube, inspired probably by the awkward feel of this ticket.



Oh, that's good stuff. But in the end, Sarah Palin did herself and Alaska proud with her speech. I look forward to the VP debate with her and Biden. I find her likable and a great pick from McCain. In 4 years, I wouldn't mind seeing her run for President if/when she loses this year. She has a bright future for the party and hopefully, the nation. We still don't know about any of her stances on foreign policy which scares me as someone who has to help the President with those decisions but as far as domestic policy, I may be able to trust her.

The only questions I have so far from the RNC is why they don't mention Barack Obama's name ever (they always say "the opponent" or 'they")? Why do they keep blaming the media for things (do they understand the media decides who and what gets on TV for viewers to watch)? And when are they actaully going to get into the issues because if I hear one more argument about McCain being a hero making him more suited to be president, I may puke. I would hope McCain will address the differences between him and Obama (and maybe by name) and talk about what he WILL do for America and not what he HAS done before he was even in Congress.

Unfortunately, I will not be watching John McCain's acceptance speech live. Maybe later but not live so I cannot answer that final question. But I will end this blog entry with something funny. Check out John McCain on Letterman just a few months ago:


If he does that tomorrow, he may win himself some votes. (FYI: Love how McCain can't raise either arm above his shoulder so he does that awkward downward point) Hope you enjoyed the post peeps. I hate talking politics but these conventions were screaming for me too. Hakuna Matata.

My "Grad School"

When I first stepped foot onto the OU campus, there were many things running through my head. Everything from how small my room was to the amazement of how many empty beer cases there were in every dumpster. I came into OU with a big goal: graduate. There were smaller goals but none bigger than that. But I also came in with a few guidelines for myself. One was to not aim for the Dean's List and add more pressure to myself. Well, I didn't do that and somehow still got on it (Scripps is not THAT hard). Another one was that no matter what, there would be no grad school and that this would be my last time in school. And that one is holding true.

But as I sit here in Augusta, I kind of came to this idea that you know what, these 2 years in Augusta are my "grad school". In case you don't know, I signed a 2-year contract so I'm here in Augusta for sure until those years are over, unless something crazy or opportunistic happens. So far, the job has been a lot of fun and challenging at the same time. But it has a lot of similarities to grad school, or what I think I know of grad school.

One of those things is that most people who go from undergrad to grad are doing it to make themselves more marketable in the working world. Well, that's the case for me as well. By working two years in a market this size, I am preparing myself to work in a larger size market.

People also go to grad school to learn more. Well, that's definitely the case for me too. Just in the two months I've been here, I've learned a lot about how the TV world works once money is involved, and by that, I mean sponsors and sales and such. For example, I worked at WOUB, a PBS station that is funded by well, the public. Even Gridiron Glory, which had financial backers such as Follett's, was unknown to most of us because we didn't have to say their name on air. But for my high school football show, I have to mention sponsors like crazy, saying who paid for this scoreboard or who supplied these drinks or how this is the (insert company) Player of the Week. It's just a different world and one that I learn more about everyday.

In undergrad, the amount of work is sporadic. Sometimes large, sometimes small. No matter how big though, there's always time to play hard. But in grad, there's not only more work, but more responsibility. It could be that you are a GA, TA or just knowing that the grades really will suffer. Same deal for me. Maybe not the suffering part but with me being known by face to a fair amount of people, being seen as I had been seen in college just can't be done. In other words, it's more work and less fun.

And finally, like grad school, it means yet another beginning. That could mean new friends and a new location. New schedules and new expenses. While some do the grad school thing at the same place as undergrad, most move, even if just a couple hours away. It just makes for one more transition. It's not a huge one though, since you are still around people your age and interacting with people with the same interests as you. Well, same goes for me. I work with people my own age and many with around the same experience. I moved away and came upon many new things, among them, a new climate (still too damn hot).

So what do I want to get out of my "grad school" experience? Well, as of now, I can tell you I want to improve. Diction, creativity, on-air presence, wardrobe, likability, etc... There's a lot. I also want to make a lot of friends while here. I honestly don't know if after this job, I will ever live this far south ever again so why not make some friends down here? Plus, just like my friends at BHHS and OU who are all over the map, there could be some great connections later (or places to crash at). I also want to move on to bigger and better things. You know, the great thing about my "grad school" is that I can make mistakes and yet, not be punished extremely for them (unless I make a HUGE mistake). And the same can be said for real grad school. It kind of represents your last chance to make mistakes. But once I move on to bigger and better things, something tells me those mistakes won't be handled the same way.

So am I counting down the months like I did in undergrad? Not gonna lie, yea. Kind of already picturing my "graduation" from small-market television in July 2010. I'll only be 23 years old and will have the world in front of me (again). But I still have a little more than 22 months left so right now, I'm just soaking it all in. I may be far away from a lot of my friends but hey, it's only 2 years of "grad school". And just like undergrad, in this "grad school", they're paying me.

Gimme A Break...

"Pure Gold". "The Golden Boy". "The 8th Wonder". And my personal favorite, "The Best Ever!".

All of these were headlines after Michael Phelps won his 8th gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games. Some were from newspapers. Others were online. No matter where they were though, they all were a bit much for me, especially that last one. Why? Because Michael Phelps is NOT the greatest Olympian ever.

Now, I know I have about half the athletic ability as the worst football player at OU (and that's saying something) but I do think I am somewhat qualified to make this argument. I've watched every Olympics faithfully since I was born. Yea, that only takes me back to 1988 but hear me out. I'm a big Olympics fan and know a lot about Olympic history, especially the athletes and their achievements. So when I hear all these people gushing over Phelps, it just makes me shake my head.

Don't get me wrong. Phelps is an amazing athlete. He did what no other SWIMMER has ever done. He does have more gold medals than any other SWIMMER. But think about this Olympics fans: What other sport can you take in a haul such as 8 gold medals other than swimming?

Track? No way. The distances are too diverse. You think Phelps could win the 1600m Free? I don't think so.

Gymnastics? Well, for guys, the max you could is 8 but that means win the team competition, all-around, and all 6 individual events. Again, that's a bit much, considering how different each apparatus is. The vault is completely different than the still rings. The floor exercise is nowhere close to the pommel horse. Nuff said.

And what else comes close? Rowing? Weightlifting? Badminton? It's just fact. Phelps happens to be best swimmer in a sport that allows the athletes the best chance to rack up a ton of hardware. But does that make him the best ever?

Not at all. Think about the many athletes that came before him. Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis come to mind first. Track legends that overcame many odds. Owens competing in Berlin in the face of Adolf Hitler. Carl Lewis winning 7 gold medals in all types of track events. And beyond track, there are countless gymnasts, volleyball players, divers and more that have dominated their Olympic sport but because of the lack of medals offered, their notoriety suffered. It's a shame too because while they get two or three days of being in the news, Phelps gets a whole week and much, much more.

Oh, and how much more. How about a cool million bucks from Speedo just for winning all 8 gold medals. Oh, and add in an estimated 30 million more in endorsements he will get now that he did this feat. Not to mention at 23, the guy is still young enough to get any girl from the legal age of 18 to well...I don't even wanna think about the oldest lady that would wanna "get wet" with him. He's got it made and all just because the media and fans went crazy about a medal haul that is only possible in his sport.

He is a swimming phenom for sure but really, we're talking about swimming. It's only important every four years. The gold medal is important and by far, the greatest accomplishment any athlete could get in my opinion but when did we start shelling out millions of dollars to people for representing their country athletically? While we have Americans representing and fighting for our country overseas getting paid much, much less, we have swimmers like Mikey making tons just for going fast. Shouldn't the gold medal be enough? The countless interviews with Bob Costas? The knowledge that you are by far the best swimmer on the planet right now? Guess not. As usual, money talks.

Oh, and this whole world record thing is ridiculous. Everyone was breaking world records this Olympics. That's because of the pool and equipment. From 2004 to the 2008 Olympics alone, the pool went from 8 to 10 lanes, gutters were put at the ends of both sides and the depth went from 6 to 9 feet. All of this helped the swimmers go faster, whether it be less wave action or less density. Plus, the new Speedo equipment is just crazy. Back in the day when I was just an egg, the swimmers wore swimsuits that you could buy at K-Mart. Now, the swimmers pay $200 for these suits that shave 1 or 2 seconds off times. So of course, he was breaking world records.

Oh and finally, remember, Phelps does not achieve this feat without one person: Jason Lezak. While we all gush over Phelps, I think Lezak is the one who should be getting a cut of that Speedo Million Dollar Bonus. Without Lezak, Phelps is another "close but no cigar" case in sports that we talk about every Olympics. But because of Lezak, he's now a legend and pioneer. If I had the choice, I'd give Lezak the million in a heartbeat. What he did in that relay was better than anything I have even seen Phelps do...and that includes what he did in that butterfly race (Cavic should've timed his ending better).

And if not Lezak, how about Dara Torres? She's 41 and almost won a gold in the fastest event in the pool. She lost by one-hundredth of a second! She's solid as a rock and according to every drug test, clean as a whistle. Torres is more of an inspiration than Phelps by far. She proved age IS nothing but a number and that if you set your mind and heart to something, you can achieve it. Remember, she is 41, way past her prime, unlike Phelps. She has a 2-year old kid and skipped the '04 Games in Athens. Pretty sure Phelps hasn't had to overcome those obstacles. Torres received plenty of publicity during the Games but something tells me that people will forget just how remarkable her performance was whereas Phelps will be talked about ad nauseam. I mean, NBC is already advertising a DVD for the guy!

So in the end, I may seem like a hater of greatness but think about it for a while and you may even agree with half of my argument. Phelps is a great swimmer and deserved every medal he got. But before we crown him the King of the Olympics and Best Ever, put it in perspective. The guy competes in the sport where gold medals are a-plenty if you can be good in each stroke. He also had help from his teammates, who aren't getting nearly enough credit. He has the benefit of equipment upgrades and pool renovations. He has the perfect body frame for his sport and has gotten lucky numerous times. Kudos again Mikey. You're good. Hell, you're great. One of the best Olympians ever? Sure, why not. The best swimmer ever? I may go that far too. But THE BEST EVER? Let's not go that far yet people.

My Pursuit of Happyness

So I decided after two days of drinking this week, I should prolly lay low on this Friday night. Between driving to Charlotte, buying a bed (finally), and buying dinner for a crazy girl, I needed to save a little money. So I went to Blockbuster and got a movie. I have a $15 gift card to waste so why not? The movie selection is a bit bleak for me but I narrow it down to I Am Legend and The Pursuit Of Happyness, two movies I have been meaning to see. I choose I Am Legend and drive home. Well wouldn't ya know it, right when I get home, The Pursuit Of Happyness is on a movie channel I get in 20 minutes. Guess I know have another movie to watch by 8/9 by noon.

If you've never seen this movie, do yourself a favor and watch it. The movie is well-acted, produced, directed and written. It is based on a true story and what a story it is. Truly inspirational for anyone.

As I was watching the movie, I started thinking though: how is my pursuit of happyness going? (By the way, I know it is spelled happiness but I want to stay consistent) As a guy who just entered the proverbial "real world", it is quite a question to ponder. In college, it was never something to really think about. Honestly, each day was a pursuit to happyness. You know, the pursuit to get drunk and have a great time (sorry OU for wasting that money...not really). But after college, the pursuit really begins.

But before I could analyze the pursuit, I have to define happyness. And that is a tough one to answer too. Every time someone asks me about long-term goals, I always say is to just have a job. I'm a step-as-a-guy person when it comes to this job thing. My profession is just too volatile for me to plan too far ahead. I mean, something like ESPN would be amazing but not gonna lie, I've never considered Bristol, CT as my future home nor happyness. During my phone interviews, I answered the question by saying a large market local station doing sports. Again, all vague answers because at the young age of 22, I don't know what my true happyness is yet.

I'm sure it involves having a family, a secure job and living in a nice neighborhood etal. I don't know where or when but that's where the pursuit part comes in. So far, as I sit in my one-bedroom apartment in Augusta, GA watching Shark Week on Discovery Channel HD, I am convinced my pursuit is rather slow. Not really speeding there but at a steady 25 MPH or so. Because I have no true long-term goal or definition of my happyness, I can't see how close or far I am. But at the present moment, I'm just happy on the road.

So how close are you to your happyness? Are you even in pursuit of it or have you given up? Are you waiting for an epiphany or act of God to get you jump-started or are you just burnt out and thinking of starting over?

For Chris Gardner in the movie, the pursuit was long, hard and a true test of his moral being. For me, the pursuit is fun. I say this now because I figure it can't get worse than where I am now. Not saying that where I am now is miserable or that I am in need of help but my hope (and goal) is to have the next job be better than the first. That's what make my pursuit of whatever my happyness is fun. Because I know it will only get better. From my measly salary to a decent salary. From one-bedroom apt to...well, a bigger one-bedroom apt. From a city of Augusta's size to a city of maybe Charlotte or Nashville's size. Chasing down that small hope is fun. That's why I still check tvjobs.com everyday, even though I am comfortably in one right now. I like to think ahead at what could be.

But in the end, I still don't know when that happyness will come. It could be 20 years from now. It could be 20 months. I honestly don't know. But for now, I am going to enjoy every second of my pursuit of it because once I reach it, I want to be able to look back at that pursuit and tell myself not only was it long, hard and tough, but it was a ton of fun.