I'll rarely be able to write this year with the load of homework my professors are deciding to give me, but I happen to have a few breaks here and there. For one of them, I have decided to spend time watching this amazing sport, which is known throughout the world, but just not as popular here. Many of you, I am suspecting, don't know it, so I am here to tell you about it.
Imagine a league of point guards, some like Steve Nash with amazing passing ability, some like Deron Williams with the muscle to take you off the dribble, some like Chris Paul who do everything. This sport emulates this idea, in that everyone is a passer to some level, just with different skills, whether it be a knack for scoring, an ability to shut down whoever they are defending, or a mix of both with a highlight on passing.
The brand of offense employed? Phil Jackson would be incredibly happy, because it is basically a triangle offense implemented in a different sport. Triangles are constantly formed, the players are constantly moving, and the ball is evenly distributed. Mismatches are created at a whim, because in this sport, the defense employed is almost always a zone, but the offense flows however it wishes.
The game speed? Just like the Phoenix Suns of 2006 and the San Antonio Spurs of this decade, there are teams that are fast paced, and teams that will grind it out and play good defense. The game I am watching holds teams that traditionally played slower, more smash mouth. But just like the Suns changed their style with a new coach, so did this team, becoming quicker and more agile, more aggressive on offense.
Even better is the fact that this game is a rivalry, so much so that the team I am rooting against made voo doo dolls to try and jinx my team. I know Celtics-Lakers is intense, but I'm pretty sure you haven't seen voo doo dolls make its way into the NBA.
This sport I'm telling you about is intriguing, and when I first heard about it and saw it, I fell in love with it. The sport?
Soccer.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Money Making Schemes
A week ago, I decided to go to the magical world of Disneyland, but realized that magic is pretty expensive these days, and as a self proclaimed expert ticket purchaser (not including scalping, but I will perfect this art as time goes on, believe me), I decided to make a purchase through craigslist. My skill was rewarded with park hoppers for me and two other friends, each at $55/ticket. All I had to do was take the three 8-day park hopper tickets, use it for that day, and return it to him so he could resell it.
Now, regular park hoppers go for something like $93, so I'm sitting there thinking wow, golly gee willikers, I definitely got the better end of this deal! I thought about it some more, and realized that the guy I purchased it from was trying to run this as professionally as he could, so I tried to crunch some numbers, and see how much he could make, because you wouldn't try as hard as he did for no reason.
Each 8-day park hopper is $204, meaning that for every 8 sales he makes per disneyland ticket, he collects $440, with a profit of $236.
Now he's not going to sell only one ticket at a time, as demonstrated by me purchasing 3 tickets. Assume he sells 600 days worth a year, total, which when you think about it, is a very modest number. Come winter time, I'm willing to bet he goes through at least 300, 200 for the summer, and at least 100 for the other months (which include spring break, halloween, long weekends, etc.)
This modest number yields: $17,700. That's $17,700 untaxed, untraceable, straight cash. He was working with another guy, so split that in half, $8850 a year, and all you have to do is in the morning before work, distribute tickets right next to disneyland, and after work, collect them. It's risk free for him, because he holds an ID until you return them.
Earning $50,000 a year? Make that $58,850. That's a 17.7% raise. If it was me, I would do the job alone, and get a 35% raise. Try asking your boss for that, see what he says. I did. You know what he said? Sell disneyland tickets.
Now if you put in a little more work (let's say you're single, and just trying to make some money to pay off loans or who knows what), and you sell 1,000 tickets, which I truly believe is possible, you'll make $29,500. That's a lot of money for a side job.
Tell me that isn't a deal. I have to say, I am quite impressed.
Now, regular park hoppers go for something like $93, so I'm sitting there thinking wow, golly gee willikers, I definitely got the better end of this deal! I thought about it some more, and realized that the guy I purchased it from was trying to run this as professionally as he could, so I tried to crunch some numbers, and see how much he could make, because you wouldn't try as hard as he did for no reason.
Each 8-day park hopper is $204, meaning that for every 8 sales he makes per disneyland ticket, he collects $440, with a profit of $236.
Now he's not going to sell only one ticket at a time, as demonstrated by me purchasing 3 tickets. Assume he sells 600 days worth a year, total, which when you think about it, is a very modest number. Come winter time, I'm willing to bet he goes through at least 300, 200 for the summer, and at least 100 for the other months (which include spring break, halloween, long weekends, etc.)
This modest number yields: $17,700. That's $17,700 untaxed, untraceable, straight cash. He was working with another guy, so split that in half, $8850 a year, and all you have to do is in the morning before work, distribute tickets right next to disneyland, and after work, collect them. It's risk free for him, because he holds an ID until you return them.
Earning $50,000 a year? Make that $58,850. That's a 17.7% raise. If it was me, I would do the job alone, and get a 35% raise. Try asking your boss for that, see what he says. I did. You know what he said? Sell disneyland tickets.
Now if you put in a little more work (let's say you're single, and just trying to make some money to pay off loans or who knows what), and you sell 1,000 tickets, which I truly believe is possible, you'll make $29,500. That's a lot of money for a side job.
Tell me that isn't a deal. I have to say, I am quite impressed.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Sports Engineering. Wait, Sports Engineering?
My friends, I have a dilemma, and I think the best way to solve it is to talk it out in a blog/informative fashion.
On a side note, I think I'm finally forgetting about John McCain, because reading that first line of what I wrote, it sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite put a finger on what it was . . . .
To sound lame and typical, there comes a time in every persons life when they realize that they have to make a career choice and pick a direction to take their life in. For some, it's easy; they grew up messing with cars, always loved drawing cartoons, averaged 35 points and 15 assists as a 3rd grader in a 12-years-old bball league.
For others, picking is harder. Some have no idea what they want to do with their life. In that quest, they all end up hearing some version of 'Do what makes you happy. You want a job where you don't wake up in the morning, dreading going to work'. Sound advice. Among the best you can get. If you like cars and you are majoring in business, get a job in the auto industry that deals with business in some fashion. If you are majoring in bio, and are fascinated by plants, do your research in that area.
What happens when you have found the perfect position for yourself, but the opportunities are slim, and the money is bordering on not worth the effort? Do you give up on the dream (a Clippers fan who used to dream of a championship)? Do you act like a Laker fan from the 07-08 season (push hard, get your hopes up, and get flat out crushed at the end)? Or do you succeed and take the smaller pay check in search of more championships/happiness?
I am going to use an, ahem, arbitrary example. Say you were a mechanical engineer who loved sports, and one day, following the mantra 'do what you love' decided to pursue sports engineering. Early research indicated that to get into the field, you'd need to be a mechanical engineer (check) who loves sports (check) and had some knowledge of biomechanics (check) and materials (check). 4-4 in 10 minutes of playing time? That's a PER of 74 according to John Hollinger, meaning you should be better than LeBron and Kobe combined.
When playing the remaining 38 minutes, you realize that getting into the field would require tons of work, mainly exploiting contacts, making calls, going to the companies across the nation to meet them face to face. Looking at it, it doesn't seem too bad, and if you really want the job, you will do what it takes to land it. You also find out, however, that sports engineers make significantly less money than their fellow M.E. majors pursuing other careers.
So the career choice has been narrowed down to the money issue. Do you take the admirable road and choose less money, getting respect from those who did not travel your path and work in a job that isn't all to their liking? Or do you make more money, and know, regardless of how happy you are at your current job, you could have been much happier. . . . .
To be continued, as I come to further conclusions about this, ahem, strictly hypothetical situation. Advice about this nonexistent problem is welcome.
By the way, question of the day: What is Gilbert Arenas up to?
On a side note, I think I'm finally forgetting about John McCain, because reading that first line of what I wrote, it sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite put a finger on what it was . . . .
To sound lame and typical, there comes a time in every persons life when they realize that they have to make a career choice and pick a direction to take their life in. For some, it's easy; they grew up messing with cars, always loved drawing cartoons, averaged 35 points and 15 assists as a 3rd grader in a 12-years-old bball league.
For others, picking is harder. Some have no idea what they want to do with their life. In that quest, they all end up hearing some version of 'Do what makes you happy. You want a job where you don't wake up in the morning, dreading going to work'. Sound advice. Among the best you can get. If you like cars and you are majoring in business, get a job in the auto industry that deals with business in some fashion. If you are majoring in bio, and are fascinated by plants, do your research in that area.
What happens when you have found the perfect position for yourself, but the opportunities are slim, and the money is bordering on not worth the effort? Do you give up on the dream (a Clippers fan who used to dream of a championship)? Do you act like a Laker fan from the 07-08 season (push hard, get your hopes up, and get flat out crushed at the end)? Or do you succeed and take the smaller pay check in search of more championships/happiness?
I am going to use an, ahem, arbitrary example. Say you were a mechanical engineer who loved sports, and one day, following the mantra 'do what you love' decided to pursue sports engineering. Early research indicated that to get into the field, you'd need to be a mechanical engineer (check) who loves sports (check) and had some knowledge of biomechanics (check) and materials (check). 4-4 in 10 minutes of playing time? That's a PER of 74 according to John Hollinger, meaning you should be better than LeBron and Kobe combined.
When playing the remaining 38 minutes, you realize that getting into the field would require tons of work, mainly exploiting contacts, making calls, going to the companies across the nation to meet them face to face. Looking at it, it doesn't seem too bad, and if you really want the job, you will do what it takes to land it. You also find out, however, that sports engineers make significantly less money than their fellow M.E. majors pursuing other careers.
So the career choice has been narrowed down to the money issue. Do you take the admirable road and choose less money, getting respect from those who did not travel your path and work in a job that isn't all to their liking? Or do you make more money, and know, regardless of how happy you are at your current job, you could have been much happier. . . . .
To be continued, as I come to further conclusions about this, ahem, strictly hypothetical situation. Advice about this nonexistent problem is welcome.
By the way, question of the day: What is Gilbert Arenas up to?
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Going Underground
It's that time of year again, where you start putting in the 13-15 hour days with your nose stuck in a book, so I'm going out of commission until at least the 20th, whereupon I will once again, enrich your lives as I did in the days of yore.
BUT, as a last stand (until the 20th), I will leave you with some things to think about until that time
BUT, as a last stand (until the 20th), I will leave you with some things to think about until that time
- A recent post talked about the daily newspaper being one of the primary reasons he woke up every morning. There was just something about the palpable effects of a physical newspaper that he enjoyed; just like most sports fans, the thing he would do first is flip to the sports page to read up on who knows what is happening in the crazy world of athletics. Nowadays, however, he finds himself flipping to the sports section not just for that, but just to avoid the front page articles on the crumbling economy, different attacks, and general state of chaos. Sports is like a fantasy world where there are no worries. I sometimes find myself doing that, but I never noticed it until now . . .
- Regardless of any excuses you can come up with, Obama has been spotted using a zune at a gym.
- How many of you have heard of India going to war (legitimately)? They're close to something like that happening if Pakistan does not cooperate in turning over wanted terrorists tied in with the Mumbai bombings.
- Elton Brand has been officially replaced by Zach Randolph. I'm sold.
- If anyone has news of Detox coming out this winter, please inform me
- If you are in limbo about making a big purchase now is the time to do so, as cars/houses/etc. are reaching record lows in pricing.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
That's Shaaady
Big Game, November 22, 2008
3rd and 7 or so, Stanford has the ball. A Stanford receiver runs a post pattern, Tavita Pritchard throws a low ball for him, and he scoops it just before it hits the ground, and adds some yards after the catch to make it 4th and 1.
The play is then shown on the big screen and it is EASILY seen that the ball in fact hits the ground before it is caught. It is so obvious, that coach Tedford sprints onto the middle of the field to make sure the play is reviewed before another one is snapped. The ref's review it, and decide not to reverse the call.
That's shaaady.
(in case you were wondering, it did not matter, we stopped them when they went for it on 4th and 1, and we destroyed them in the game)
3rd and 7 or so, Stanford has the ball. A Stanford receiver runs a post pattern, Tavita Pritchard throws a low ball for him, and he scoops it just before it hits the ground, and adds some yards after the catch to make it 4th and 1.
The play is then shown on the big screen and it is EASILY seen that the ball in fact hits the ground before it is caught. It is so obvious, that coach Tedford sprints onto the middle of the field to make sure the play is reviewed before another one is snapped. The ref's review it, and decide not to reverse the call.
That's shaaady.
(in case you were wondering, it did not matter, we stopped them when they went for it on 4th and 1, and we destroyed them in the game)
The zune is making moves again . . .
News on the Zune front (besides the addition of sudoku, checkers, and a game just like phoenix on the TI-83, but tricked out a little more): a writer on gizmodo is switching to a zune for the music subscription.
This is the start of a slow, but steady shift in the market, and you will see, as time goes by, Microsoft will grab some of the market back. Keep an eye out, and keep your mind open when you're buying your next player . . . You might just be impressed with the Zune if you take a test drive.
This is the start of a slow, but steady shift in the market, and you will see, as time goes by, Microsoft will grab some of the market back. Keep an eye out, and keep your mind open when you're buying your next player . . . You might just be impressed with the Zune if you take a test drive.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
That's Shaaady
I've decided to start a little thing called 'that's shaaady' where any time I see/hear about a shady call/move/etc., I'll post about it here. If this blog existed earlier, things that would have made the 'that's shady' hall of fame would include the Pau Gasol for nothing trade, the verbal abuse Materazzi heaped upon Zidane, and a lot of the McCain campaign in general.
Let's start it off with yesterday's Warrior's/Blazers contest, which I attended.
The Blazers, down by 2 with 5 seconds left are playing defense, trying to steal a side-line inbounds from the Warriors. The Warriors throw it to the backcourt, but overthrow the intended man, Anthony Morrow. Rudy Fernandez sprints to get it, but in an effort to keep the game from being tied, Morrow holds onto Rudy.
Foul is called.
But wait . . .the foul is called on Rudy, somehow, some way. Coach McMillan of the Blazers complains, gets t'd up, and that's your ball game, Warriors escape with a win.
That's Shaaaady.
Let's start it off with yesterday's Warrior's/Blazers contest, which I attended.
The Blazers, down by 2 with 5 seconds left are playing defense, trying to steal a side-line inbounds from the Warriors. The Warriors throw it to the backcourt, but overthrow the intended man, Anthony Morrow. Rudy Fernandez sprints to get it, but in an effort to keep the game from being tied, Morrow holds onto Rudy.
Foul is called.
But wait . . .the foul is called on Rudy, somehow, some way. Coach McMillan of the Blazers complains, gets t'd up, and that's your ball game, Warriors escape with a win.
That's Shaaaady.
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