Control

I'm a little weird in that I'm extremely (bordering and occasionally crossing over) confident in my abilities ... so long as those abilities are being used in certain situations.

One of my few abilities that has the least situational restriction on it is being in control of myself with respect to projects, work, etc. I feel like I plan well, know my options, and when it's crunch time, I'm ready. I'm usually prepared for most things thrown at me, and for those I am not prepared for, I know I have the tools to figure it out and come to a solution. 

Recently, however, I was put in a situation where I had no control, no effect on the outcome, one that would impact me the most. Dealing with this has been ... a roller coaster. I'm forced to prepare for the worst while the worst/best scenario is still a month away and anything can change. I'm forced to trust that those capable of producing an end result have the same desire and drive to succeed in this task as I would. 

Emotionally, I wear my heart on my sleeve and I revert back to puberty stage of mood swings; I'm angry at the lack of progress, understanding of the situation, frustrated at my lack of involvement. Hopeful that things will turn out OK. Concerned that things won't turn out OK. 

Another quality I'd say I'm decent at is looking at situations objectively, and giving appropriate advice. As the saying goes however, it's always easier to give advice than to take your own. Or something like that. If that isn't a saying, quote me from here on out. 

All that's left for me to do then is to look at this situation as if I'm in the third person, and figure out what to do. I know Ajay gives good advice, and I'd definitely like to hear what Ajay has to say. 

• You know that you have to go into worst case scenario. Hoping otherwise would lead you to be less than fully prepared
• Regardless of the outcome, it will not be the end of the world. If it is a worst case? Lace 'em up, play some Swag Flu, and work your butt off
• Learn from this
• Be confident in  your abilities

I guess it's time to execute. 

'First had the booooosties, couldn't get it done ...'

The Concept of "Swag"

I've had many discussions with peers about my opinion regarding what it means to 'bring that swag,' so I might as well document it for future reference, as the concept of swag has and will withstand the test of time.

Looking at swag from a distance, it can be seen simply as confidence, but upon closer inspection, it is slightly more intricate. For me, it is going into a meeting, knowing that you will provide valuable input. It is understanding that if I am in a pickup basketball game, my team will always be competitive, and won't get blown out. It's going into an interview unsure what questions might be asked, but confident that I have the experience to provide a good answer.

Swag is knowing what your strengths are, understanding how to use them, and executing in appropriate situations with the goal of performing at a high level. It is the elimination of self doubt, and the ability to handle any obstacle thrown your way. It shouldn't be confused with cockiness; being respectful of the abilities of others, as well as being open minded and willing to learn are necessary. Swag involves taking everything learned into effect and using it to do your best.

Bring that swag on the daily. It'll do you good.

Betrayal

If there is ever a post that discusses shady business, this has to be it.

If you did not know, I am a Cal alumnus and big football fan. Those unfamiliar with college football, once the season ends, the coaches focus on recruiting high school students to join the team that fall (or even in the spring if they want a head start). Each school has a recruiting strategy and many rely on their ace recruiter; for Cal, that man was Tosh Lupoi, a man who bled Blue and Gold, started as a player and grew into a respected, classy recruiter/coach. Notice the past tense.

This week, he left the team, the act of which I have no problem with. Cal does not own him, and he has every right to do what is in his best interest. The way in which he departed, however, is where my frustration stems from.

With sports as well as life, I respect people based on how they play the game (a phrase that works for both sports and life). In basketball? Box out, play defense, make the right pass, shoot if you're open. In life? Don't do anything you wouldn't want done to yourself. Be conscious of people's opinions. Stand up for what you believe in. Pick your battles.

This coach, while at Cal, preached family, loyalty, etc., all qualities which I have learned to associate Cal with, from top to bottom. Every school has their skeletons, but I took pride in the notion that Cal has fewer than many others. Simply put, we do things the right way. The article I linked to describes many ways in which this was the exact opposite.

I will miss his recruiting skills and the feeling of having an ace in the hole. But after actions like this, I can say nothing else, but good riddance.

The Motivation Struggle

I read up on a lot of sports, and the articles that laud the great players in their respective sport often times mention the hours spend in the gym, the early morning workouts no matter the date or location, and the drive to be the best.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are those people who are not interested at all in improving, and are content with their current knowledge, career, and financial level, among other things.

Smack dab in the middle are people like me with the potential to improve themselves and reach every goal he or she sets ... only to waste away precious time and effort behind other activities. As you may have guessed from the title, this is a motivation struggle, but not in the general sense of the phrase. I personally want to reach my dreams, and the prospect of doing so excites me. I am held back by four mental barriers, however:

1. Getting started

2. Continuing the process until its finished

3. Doing these things alone

4. Fear of failure

Aaaand that's my elevator speech, when do I start? All jokes aside, these problems appear easy enough to solve, especially to my engineering-tuned brain:

1. Start

2. Finish it

3. Grow up

4. Seriously, grow up

Simple enough, right? It should be. I'm even one of those people blessed to have things come easy to them (#humblebrag) so it shouldn't be a problem. At the end of the day, however, it is. So what am I doing to solve it?

Super Mario 64.

I've never been good at video games (start wall), when I did play, I could never get very far so I'd stop (finish wall), it's a 1 player game (alone), and you lose lives a lot (fear of failure re-enacted with a dying Mario).

It sounds silly, but as of a week ago, I received this game through eBay and have started my quest to conquer these irrational fears 1 star at a time. Hell, if I can beat this game, what can't I do?

Resurrection

It's been about two and a half years since my last blog post, and though that seems like a short amount of time, I've become a very different person. Technology and how we use it has also transformed considerably during this time.

In two and a half years, tablets are no longer the wave of the future but the foam at the shore of the present. The cloud is no longer just that thing you imagine to be soft as cotton balls if you were to jump out of an airplane. We approach communication at a completely different angle. My parents understand how to use skype. Facebook is updated from do everything phones that make the first time you got a phone with a camera on it seem pedestrian and honestly, a joke. News is brought to you the instant it happens on Twitter.

Everything is faster.

Yet here I am, writing a blog post, among the slowest reads, especially when regarding a topic the reader (you) may not be interested in.

Part of these last two and a half years resulted in a maturation (#humblebrag) of my thoughts, and though I love twitter, the unwritten rule of publishing few, concise tweets, no matter the topic has proved too constricting.

I may not post much, if at all. The topics may be random. At the end of the day, my plan is to use this space not to get my opinion 'out there', but just to get it out.

New Tech!

For those of you who don't know, it's E3 week, where the public finds out about the next big new electronics gadget/game to come out in the fall or subsequent years. Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, and others make their announcements here, and it's a complete nerdy expo with a lot of exciting news all packed into one week. Today was day one, and it started off with a Mike Breen "baaang!".

First off, Microsoft's Keynote was this morning, and even though I'm not a gamer at all, this stuff seems potentially Wii killing. No joke. You know how the wii-mote charts the movement of the controller and turns that into control? What if instead of a physical controller, your body is the controller, and your full body motion (legs, arms, head, the works), coupled with face and voice recognition, was turned into motion? And what if this was a reality? As in today reality? (Come to the conclusion please. . . .yes, it is a reality now). They demonstrated its motion by the way, and it worked very well, which is promising.

Big news, huh? Add that with a bunch of new game titles (in Keynote link, in the earlier posts) that I'm sure hardcore gamers will be happy about, adding movies to your Netflix queue directly from your Xbox, twitter and facebook integration, streaming music, and some other things, and you have a pretty heavy hitting keynote, even by E3 standards.

One more thing for the microsoft fans in all of us, they just unleashed a new search engine bing.com, that apparently changes the way you search. Yeah, that's what they all say, so you'll have to find out for yourself, but on my first test, looking for a work table that folds away, bing found one for me on its first try, while google took me in circles and yielded nothing useable . . . That's one point for bing. I'll keep you updated with more tech stuff as this week progresses.

In 14-24 Seconds Or Less

If you have not read the book In 7 Seconds or Less, I recommend you do so; it is a story where a journalist is given the opportunity to follow the Phoenix Suns for an entire year as few fans do. The journalist was given almost complete access to the team, including the playoff strategy sessions, coach's meetings, practices, team plane rides, the whole schabang. It's a truly in depth account, and a sports lovers dream.

What if you were given the exact same chance, but with any team in the NBA of your choice? Many fans undoubtedly would choose their favorite teams, but there are teams out there that fans despise that are more interesting than their own team.

Are you thinking about the Spurs? You would be amazed at the ball movement, work ethic of all the players, and the camaraderie, but don't lie to yourself, after a month of the same "you're a great teammate", "no, you're a great teammate!", the lack of drama may get boring.

What if you are a fan of the Sonics, but they're still on sabbatical? Who do you choose instead?

What if you're a fan of the Clippers like myself? Do you take the torture of bad management decisions, a lack of work ethic from players like Zach Randolph, and literally the most vile, cunning, and money hounding owner in the league?

This is an important decision, and I will attempt to come to a conclusion, in a Bill Simmons format.

Wheat Grass Mixed with Soy Sauce Drink

No thanks, I'm not going to try that, just like I'm not going to try these teams.

30. The Los Angeles Clippers. I don't want to torture myself. If I find out the inner-workings of this team, I am afraid I will be thrown into a state of complete disbelief in a successful Clippers team. I'm still holding on to that dream right now. I'm not ready to let it go. I don't plan to. This might just do it though.

29. Detroit Pistons. Yes, there is a chance to see Dumars work his magic, which according to other writers, is actually a Ron Weasley instead of a Dumbledore on a Harry Potter scale (a.k.a. passable), but this team is dead. I don't feel the same passion, the same energy that is DEEEE-TROIT BASKETBALL. They aren't a bad team, but they are a pretty lost team as of now.

28. New Orleans Hornets. Besides Chris Paul, who would be a joy to follow, this team is a mess. I'm not ready for that kind of dedication, and their upside is more of a downside. I wish them luck, I hope CP3 has an mvp caliber season, but they're not my slice of pie. Not this year.

Pecans

27 - 21. Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Charlotte Bobcats, New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors

Though I dreamt about eating them last night, I have no care in the world for Pecans, just as I have no care for these teams. I do not care so much about the players or the development of these teams. I have nothing against them, but if they came to town to play the Clippers, and I had season tickets, I'd be very likely to give them away.

Pepperoni Pizza

20. New York Knicks. The Knicks are like pepperoni pizza. What's wrong with pepperoni pizza? It's a great flavor, and you can't go wrong with it. Ahh, yes, but let's say you're at the Pizza Parlor of all Pizza Parlors, and can get any pizza you want. Would you go with the flavor you have already tried before, the one you already know, regardless of how good it was, or would you go with a different flavor, a more unique flavor? We've already read about the greatness that is Mike D'Antoni. I would love to do the same thing as the author of the book did, but again, I only have one chance, and I'm going to have to pass on the Pepperoni and try the Pineapple and Curry Chicken on a peanut/tomato sauce

The Cinnamon Toast Crunch

19. San Antonio Spurs. Whats wrong with Cinnamon Toast Crunch? It's perfect at any time, for any meal, snack, or combo. It's never bad, and it produces every time. With the Spurs, you know what you're getting game in and game out. A team that listens to its coach, has good chemistry, and has no internal problems. Injuries will play a big role, but after a month or two, I'll know what to expect on a day to day basis from this team. It's not a bad thing, but I'm at a steak house. I don't want cinnamon toast crunch. I want a filet minon.

Philly Cheesesteak from Philly

If you go to Philadelphia and are a meat eater, you know you're going to have one of these. It's got the upside, and the potential to make some news, but on the other hand, will it be a big enough deal to you? (I have heard they are overrated by the way, sorry to crash the party)

18. Philadelphia 76ers. No, I didn't name the group after realizing Philly would be number 18. I actually named the group and then realized that Philly is the next on this list. This team pushed Orlando around a little, and has the chance to be a fun and interesting team, especially with the development of Andre Iguodala. With a new coach coming in, it would be interesting to see how they mesh, and what happens when the team hits its struggle, because it is not going to be a top 3 team in the east. It will hit its problems. This team gets dropped to this position because of the negative effects of Elton Brand, both on the court and on me. I don't want to spend a year being pissed off at him, or even worse, forgive him for what he did because I now know him. It was not understandable, and it will never be. My professor did that to me recently on research, and it sucked just as much.

17. Dallas Mavericks. They made some noise in these playoffs, and there is room to grow, but their appeal is low. Dirk is a great player, and I want to see him succeed. Jason Kidd was my favorite player for a long time, though Deron Williams has currently taken his spot. I want to see Kidd get a ring before he finishes his career. I feel like this is a top 6 team in the West, but I just don't see a reason to spend a year behind them, besides getting to see Mark Cuban in action. Which is the sole reason they are ranked 17th.

16. Atlanta Hawks. They have the talent, they got into the 2nd round, and had the bad luck of meeting the Cavs. Does this turn into a parallel of the Spurs/Cavs finals, where LeBron realized there was a lot of work to do? We all know how that turned out: the Cavs came out hungry and over the last 2 years have been very good. The Hawks have the potential, but Joe Johnson is getting tired. We'll see what happens next year, but only in front of the scenes.

15. Los Angeles Lakers. I would love to see the real interactions between Kobe and the rest of his team. I would much more love to see the reactions of other teams when they play Kobe, and what they really think of them. I would try to sabotage the Lakers as well, and that's just not right, so no thanks.

14. Phoenix Suns. They are a good team, but are low on potential. We know what each player is going to bring night in and night out. The time to get better is past, we know how they will work together. Predictability is not something I'm looking for at this stage. I have a lot of respect for Nash and Hill, which is why they are up on this list, but other than that, I'm looking elsewhere.

13-12. Indiana Pacers/Minnesota Timberwolves. These teams are very yong and are developing stars in Granger and Jefferson. They are starting to play well together, and may soon develop into a strong team with depth, next years 2007-2008 Blazers. I liked the 07-08 Blazers, and I definitley loved the 08-09 Blazers, so there's a chance these teams follow that path.

11. Miami Heat. This team in the 08-09 season can be compared to the 05-06 Lakers, in that Kobe led a 7th seed team to . . . nowhere, just like Wade did: Wade needed help. But their parts are slowly growing up, and they are one trade/draft pick away from going deeper in the playoffs. How will the coach fare, or will he succumb to the sophomore slump. Will Dwyane Wade, the leader, the star, continue to score in droves and accept it, or will he become frustrated with the lack of talent on the team, and the need for him to shoot 40 times a game! Find out next year, on 'The Young and Restless: Miami"

10. Houston Rockets. Playing the regular season without your stars makes the other players grow. They have to fill in some big shoes, and keep the team afloat. Playing in the second round without two of your biggest stars against a team that is slated to win the championship, and STILL pushing it into a game 7 while being written off by everyone? Yeah, it's going to have a huge confidence boost on next year's team, especially on Brooks and Carl Landry. It's a great team to follow, especially to see how they earn their name as a stat-geek team, how GM Morey works, how Battier learns on the defensive end. It's an awesome team. Just not the one I want to follow.

My Mom's Cheese on Toast (Grilled Cheese done right)

That stuff is bomb, and I have never tasted anything better. Ever. In my life. You can't beat it, unless you eat amazing food created by the world's best chef's. Which is why these teams aren't the food created by the world's best chef's. But you know what? I'd take any of these teams in a heart beat if I were only offered one of these.

10. Cleveland Cavaliers. The pre-game photo shoot. The Chalk. The team chemistry. The defense. The leadership. The greatest player on the planet. I'd love to see this team in action. It would be an amazing thrill ride, and from a more selfish perspective, this would be the team that would most probably involve me more in random things. I would get the best interviews, and a more indepth look at quite possibly, when his career is over, one of the top 5 players to ever play this game. They, however, have hit a stability point, where they are at a peak. They can potentially fall slightly, which may cause some drama, but it's just not as good as it would have been in the season following their Finals loss. They would have been number 1 on my list back then.

9. Boston Celtics. This team is no one person's team. The Big 3 run this team together, and they are completely different personality wise. How they spread their wisdom, and how they work together would be amazing. Rondo developing into a perennial All-Star? I'm in. Perkins becoming a bad-boy (Detroit style) in green? I'm in. Prove to me that their bench is worth following as well, and I'm in all the way. Until that time, they are the same team as the first 60 games of this year, which is great and all, but I know what happened this year. I need some new stuff.

8. Denver Nuggets. I have been fascinated with this team during their postseason run, and it still has not hit me yet that they can actually win a championship. I feel they can definitely beat the Lakers, and because they are so atheltic and deep, if they make it to the finals, they'll be hard to stop. If they are short, how do they respond next year? If they win the title, how do they defend it? Does the team still buy into defense after their successes, when teams can get lazy? Is Coach Karl going to take the heat if this happens? There's a lot of potential for Drama, but again, the team is set. There are no new postions that need to be figured out, again, not looking at free agency. Just not my cup of tea.

7. Portland Trail Blazers. The upside on this team is off the charts. Roy is coming off a huge year and can be in the MVP race. Aldridge is developing into a great player. They've got the Spanish Connecion (spelled correctly, just missing accents). Oden and point guard Steve Blake will provide drama with their development. How will this team gel? Will Aldridge, who has Shawn Marion complex, be able to handle the hype that Roy will undoubtedly be getting as the alpha dog on the team? I struggled putting them this high (it should be high, shouldn't it, as 8 is higher than 1-7), but it had to be done, as you will find out below.

6. Washington Wizards. The return of Agent 0 and the Big 3 Number 2 in the form of Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison. The team's youth had 2 years to develop. Before Gil went out for another year, they were battling the Celtics Big 3, and doing well agains them. They have a lot to prove after last year's debacle. They have a new coach. The chemistry of this team is unknown, except that Arenas is planning on toning it down, which he better do, with that $111 million dollar contract. There are a lot of questions on this team, and it would be great to be a part of their resurgence

Iron Chef Food

I'm not too picky about what I eat, but word on the street is that the Iron Chef's know how to cook damn good meals. These teams are on that level. Only one team though, mastered the use of the secret ingredient to perfection and has the perfect blend of texture, taste, and presentation to win me over.

4. Utah Jazz. Deron Williams, Jerry Sloan, and the 8th seed. These 3 have pushed the Jazz up to number 4 on my list. Deron Williams is my favorite player in the game today, but is viewed as the 2nd best point guard in the league (soon to be 3rd as Derrick Rose becomes lauded as the best thing since sliced bread and slides into the 2nd spot). Will he let that happen, or will he take the reigns and move ahead of Chris Paul? Deron Williams is the LeBron James of the point guard position, in that there is no matchup for him. As a fan of his game, I would love to see him in action and see the team dynamic, which starts with Jerry Sloan. Sloan is the greatest coach to never be recognized as such. He is the last coach to truly control every aspect of the team, to have the last say in all matters. Just to see him at work would be amazing, especially in his old school ways. As for the team, how do they respond to their flop last year as an 8th seed coming off a Conference Finals showing? They have the potential to win a title in the near future, if they make the right moves, and get it together at the right time. The Jazz will creep in the background, not bringing much attention to themselves, and at the same time, have the chance to come roaring out of the gates when the time comes. And still, they are only number 4.

3. Chicago Bulls. The potential for drama on this team is at an all-time high, higher than TNT even knows. And TNT knows drama. An epic 7 game battle against the Celtics can only make them better. The expectations will be great. How will they respond? If Coach Vinny Del Negro continues to make mistakes at the coaching position, how long until he is turned on by the players? Or, does Del Negro become a better coach because of his experience in the playoffs? How to players like Tyrus Thomas continue to develop? Word is that he is not the best guy to get along with on the team. How will Derrick Rose fare in his second year with even more expectations heaped upon him? Will the nucleus stay intact. If Ben Gordon gets resigned, will he slack off? Again, magnify all of these because of the expectation of this team being a top 4 east team. It all adds to an exciting year.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder. This team has reached a ranking this low on an upside bigger than Kanye West's ego (Do you like fishsticks?) and Sam Presti's genius. Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russel Westbrook, Nenad Kristic, Player X acquired in a genius Sam Presti trade, Shaun Livingston. Everyone should be going crazy over the first five players in that list. Clipper fans will do that over the entire list. This team is going to grow into a powerhouse over time, and their steps of growth will be amazing to follow. There is tons of room for improvement, and the team is willing to put everything aside and focus on winning. The drama is at a minimum, which goes against my previous actions, but you can't ignore this type of talent trying to get it together. I bet this whole team has been hitting the gym day and night for the last week and will continue through until next season starts. I want to see Shaun Livingston make it back as well. He was such a bright talent, and he deserves a second chance after the freak accident that I have still refused to watch on youtube. Sam Presti has made ingenious moves ove the past year, and if he can acquire Player X, he will have created a ridiculously talented team very quickly. Yet this team comes second to . . .

1. Orlando Magic. It's a weird pick, I'm not going to deny it, but there's too much personality, potential, and interest on this team for me to ignore. First off, this team is going to come off either a close defeat to the Cavs, a Finals loss, or a Championship. Response to these situations can vary drastically, and have an impact on player and coach relations in the next year. The tension between Coach Van Gundy and Dwight Howard is already known, and if the Magic lose this year due to coaching problems, we may see whose team this really is, the coach's or the star's based on whether or not Van Gundy gets fired. Jameer Nelson's return will cause problems with the point guard rotation, especially if he struggles. Do the Magic keep Rafer Alston as an unhappy backup (which he will be. He has too much of an ego to settle as a backup and be happy), or will they trade him and acquire another piece to the puzzle. Courtney Lee and J.J. Reddick are slowly developing into good players, it would be great to see where that goes. How will Dwight Howard respond to his lack of offense? Finally, getting to see the vaunted Stan Van Gundy pre-game whiteboard, which is legendary. His coaching ability is amazing, and his personality is one of the best in the league. His interaction and on-goings would be a treat to study for a week, but for a full NBA year? It is something you just can't ignore. The team is going in the right direction, and to add some more drama, regardless of where it finishes this year, it will still be 3rd in the East next year according to analysts, behind Cleveland and Boston. This team has the chance to do something special next year, regardless of what happens this year, and I wish I could be a part of it.

Coaching Kids

A little bird told me I hadn't even posted one thing this month, which is just sad, and I really should have, so the least I can do is take some time during lecture to get out to my millions of readers.
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Yesterday, I watch this show called Big Bang Theory (a show that appeals to my nerdy side) and was about to leave for the library when the next show, How I Met Your Mother came on. I watched it for about 5 minutes and left at the scene where one of the main characters was coaching some 7 year old kids, and started yelling at them. This show is a comedy, so it was just a joke, but it struck a chord with me, as I eventually want to get into coaching some day, probably in soccer. At what point do I strike home that winning is not everything, but try to win anyways? When do I transition from 'just have fun' to 'get better'?

We all know that when you are in your teens, you should be focusing on getting better, and its fine for a coach to drive home points about spacing, decision making as opposed to straight instincts, and plays. We also know that when you are 4, 5, 6, 7 years old, the coach focuses on having the kids run around, learn the rules of the game, and smile, whether it be through candy or silly drills.

But that transition period, the tweeners (I think that is the term) is of utmost importance, because this is where you make or break a kids passion in the sport. Push too hard, too early and they'll hate it. Don't push enough and you may keep your kid from reaching their full potential. Both mistakes result in your child quitting. Let me make one thing clear, a child quitting is not a bad thing, but you would hope they quit for reasons LZ Granderson's son quit, as opposed to reasons that shouldn't come into play, such as the ones mentioned in this paragraph.

Usually, I go through my posts pointing out problems, leaving them open ended, but today, because I'm in the mood and because this is an hour and a half class (56 minutes to go), I'm going to attempt to answer it. Hopefully, if any of you guys have improvements on this solution, let me know, I'd like to hear them.


UPDATE: Just like that Bill Simmons podcast where he cut off to say the next section would be put into another podcast because it was intense and long, I am doing the same thing. This is a very difficult topic and I want to make sure I hit the points well. But shoot me some ideas if you have any.

An Amazing Sport: Basketball with your Feet

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.

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.

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?

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

• 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.
  

That's all for the next 16 days, Shady Business out

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)

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.

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.

I'm Old. You're Old. We're All Old.

One of my friends constantly reminded me that as soon as I turned 20, it would be down hill from there. Yeah it was a joke, and I treated it that way until I realized that the day after I played basketball, my back started hurting, my muscles were sore, and walking wasn't as easy as it used to be.

I'm starting to get older, and it's slowly starting to hit me. Yeah, yeah, it's only 20, I'm about to hit my prime, and I'm not really old, but you know what, the definition of old for me is what I thought it was when I was a kid. Old was your parents taking your advice genuinely, living by yourself (plus a roommate) and making a majority of your own decisions. Old was learning how to make the right choice. Old is finding out that some of your friends are engaged, and realizing that you're going to hit that 9-5 within a couple of years. Old is watching your cousins become the age you remembered like it was yesterday, except that you're 9 years older than him.

I can go on, but you get the picture. And according to that definition, I'm in that old picture.

I don't ask for birthday gifts from my parents anymore, and this year, I tried a different path; I asked my dad for some advice. What he told me made me realize that as you get older, you need to look at life differently.

The way you lived your life, how you made decisions, they were all based on a preset notion of what your overall goal was. Was the goal to have fun? Was it to gain some knowledge at school? These goals determine your lifestyle and choices, and these goals change as you get older. I can say that I knew of the concept and it made sense, but I never thought about it, and it never hit me until this year. It was some of the simplest and best advice I have ever received in my life, and it has the potential to shift my life in a huge way. Whether his advice holds true or not, only time will tell; I'm going to take it for a test drive in the following years, and I will pass it on if it holds up. Regardless of the outcome, however, that transcending idea of adapting to your age is going to carry on no matter what.

Maybe getting older isn't such a bad thing. If your goal was to have fun, you were happy succeeding in it. If your goal changes to do well in school, and you pull a 4.0, then you again will be happy. If your future goal is to live on the beach, and travel internationally on business, and you are working towards that goal, then you may be happy, even if you're old in that process.

I used to fear getting older, mostly because I didn't want to hit the stage where I couldn't compete with the young'uns on the basketball court. I didn't want to get to the world where every day was a work day without real summer/winter vacations and taking a road trip to watch a football game did not happen as often as it should. But, those were all bad because they went against my current mind set. Maybe when I get older, that won't be what I'm looking for in life, and missing out on that won't be as bad.


That being said, as the younger one of our year, I'm going to age a little slower than the others, so thank god for that.

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S.O.T.D.

Outkast - So Fresh, So Clean

Youtube Clip

MJ loses to a CEO at one-on-one. Yes, at basketball, not at managing a company, or say, a basketball team.
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In case you didn't know . . .

• Obama will be the 44th president of the U.S. He is already holding steady on his resolve not to get involved with 'big corporate' in that he is refusing money from large corporate sponsors for the inauguration.
  
• That being said, president-elects have to fund a good portion of their own inauguration because the government only provides so much.
• Obama is like Michael Jordan. I'm down to be on any team with MJ, and if a = b and b = c, I'm definitely down to be led by Obama. (6th bullet down)
• If you are like me and don't have car, then I have some news for you. Gas is $2.30/gallon
• Former Phoenix Suns Guard Kevin Johnson is the mayor of Sacramento
• Granada Hills felt left out of all the news coverage from the fire in Porter Ranch, so it started it's own.
• USC is ranked 6th in the nation, which means there are 5 teams that are better, but if you go to Vegas and were to look at the point spread for each matchup, USC would be favored against all of those teams. Explain that for me please.
• I had no idea, until prop 8 was passed, how big the bubble I lived in was.
• Yao Ming must now be referred to as Dr. Yao Ming. Isn't his last name Ming? Why does it say Yao on his jersey, he's not Brazillian.
• The waiter at a dinner I went to was Ze Roberto. Thank you Brazillians for inventing that name, I like it. The name also belonged to a soccer player on Brazil.
• What rivalries exist that are legitimate anymore? Cal vs. Stanford? I don't feel it so much. Lakers vs. Celtics? You'll have to talk to 50+ year olds for that one. Yankees vs. Red Sox? I'll give you that one, though now that they are pretty much the same, buy the best team on paper clubs now, I don't see what the fans hate about the other team so much when they look in the mirror every day and are happy with what they see. Nope, I don't think rivalries last more than 2 or 3 years and then fizzle out into memories and constant rehashing from pre-game shows.
  
• Though it hasn't been advertised as much, do your research before you invest in a MacBook or iPhone . . . There have been a lot of bugs and a lot of firmware fixes that have had to be sent out. I think it is because they have such a large volume customers now, that they can no longer put as much time into quality as they could before.
• I implore all of you to learn how to solder correctly.
• You can now order pizza from your TiVo, but you'll have to like Dominos.
  
• Blu Ray player prices finally broke $200 without rebates, emphasis on broke
  

I'm done hibernating . . .

But apparently the Bears and Clippers are not.

Again, sorry for the prolonged absence, hell in the form of midterms coupled with laziness rivaling the defensive 'effort' provided by the 'savior' boom-dizzle (I should receive a pat on the back for refraining from using boom-fizzle to describe his ineptitude) kept me from writing.

As you can sense from the tone of that previous paragraph (I'm big on tone, aren't I?), this here is going to be a slightly more negative post, but hey, maybe there's a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, although on my drive back up from USC, I saw the end of the rainbow, and there definitely was not any gold.

Where to begin, Clips or Cal? Flipped a coin, no identity on one side (representing the Clips), lack of showing up when they need to on the others (representing the Bears) . . . and it fell on the Bears.

California Golden Bears:

Let's start with the defense, because I want to have at least one snippet of hope. I love this defense. In the past 2 years I have been here, I have always had to worry about defense, worry about where we are going to get beat. But you know what? One article I read put it best: this is a championship level defense. We kept USC to 17 points, and it really should have been 10. We have had our faults in allowing Jacquizz Rodgers to tear us apart, but other than that, I am proud of the way our unit played. Our linebackers were amazing, our corners were great, we have some good safeties developing and our line is pretty solid.

Next year, we are going to lose 3 of our starting linebackers, but you know what, we have two pretty good ones remaining in Mike Mohammad and Eddie Young. Our other talents will develop as well.

Now comes the questions about the defense. The 3-4 scheme was designed to take advantage of our amazing linebacking corps. We had the speed and ability to run this defense, but with 3 of our 4 gone, can we still run this defense? If not, we'll have to switch back to the 4-3, which over the past two years (and especially last year) didn't work too well. I'm not going to get into further detail about this, because I don't know all the problems internally the defense had, and I really feel that talent is not the reason our defense ever gets beaten, there is always something else going on, whether it just be sloppy play on our side of the ball, stellar play on the other side, or personal reasons.

Either way, I think we'll be ok there, if not great; there were problems other than the 4-3 on the defense, and I think we've adressed it for the most part.

As you can tell by the hurried way in which I skimmed over the defense, I just wanted to get to the offense and tear them apart like I would a 3rd grader on the basketball court if doing so got me a million bucks. Just kidding, I'm too much of an optimist to tear them up, plus it's just mean, seeing as I can't do any better. But still, I have some harsh words for them.


Kevin Riley/Nate Longshore/QB Position in general

• This year, it was obviously inconsistent. Longshore became hesitant in the second half, so much so, that a normal, par performance that made no mistakes, but did nothing special was received with happiness and thrill, even from me. Thats never a good sign. Riley was mobile, and made big plays, but man, he needs to hit open receivers IN STRIDE. Notice the in stride. Personally, I believe his focus on making the pass meet the receiver in his hands kept him from getting the ball in the best position for yards after the catch. Commentators on ABC talked about how our receivers weren't getting much YAC, but if you get a ball that stops you in your tracks, you're going to get hit before you can get back up to speed.
  
• Solution? Longshore graduates, that problem is gone. Easy, huh? For Riley, go to ESPN zone, and play that game where you throw footballs to moving cardboard pieces with holes in them. Improves accuracy and you learn to hit receivers in stride. All summer. So much so that it becomes second nature and he can focus on winning a game rather than just managing it.
  
• Outlook? Good. I can see him putting in the time and improving. The job is his alone next year, and he can focus on getting better as a junior

Runningbacks Jahvid Best/Shane Vereen

• Our focal points of offense this year should only get better. There isn't anything else positive to say about them that hasn't already been said: they are both quick game changers that can break free for 30 yards at any given moment.
  
• Changes still need to be made though if this tandem wants to be one of the best in the nation, which is where their ceiling is. Jahvid just needs to focus on game tape and learn how to either get through holes quicker, or recognize defensive tendencies. These are basically 'the little things'. He has all the physical gifts, and he already breaks off huge runs, but sometimes he gets caught right before he is about to break off a big run. Yeah, I'm nitpicking, but if what I have read about him is true, he'll nitpick at himself as well. And that is what I want.
• As for Shane Vereen, he has been known as the 'Lightning' to this 'Lightning and Lightning' combo, but I feel that he hasn't reached that category yet. He is a great back, and I see him as the Forsett to the Lynch, but he can get stronger, and again, game tape watching will help him out.
  
• Yes, this is nitpicking again, but there's not much that these guys didn't do for us. Hopefully they continue to get better and lead us to the top.

Offensive Line

• Injuries, injuries, injuries. And still, our line did a better than serviceable job. I can't say anything bad about them, because they probably had the hardest year out of any of the other positions on the team.
  
• We lose Alex Mack to the NFL, but his backup Chris Guarnero is supposed to be a big talent. He filled in at OT this year, but got injured . . .again, like most of the offensive line. The only good thing about this is that the young guns got playing time, and were thrown around just enough that their confidence wasn't shot, but so that they could see they have a LOT of work to do in the offseason. This translates to a good training camp and hopefully a good year next year for our highly touted 2007 O-line draft class. We'll see what happens, it is still, like always, a toss up.

Receivers - Receivers A/B/C/D/E . . .

• I know their names, I just refuse to use them until one, or even two if I dare hope, of them can separate themselves from the pack. Personally, I believe a lot of the times it is either Riley or Longshore's fault for them not being able to catch passes. When you run as fast as they do, and then throw the ball behind them, short, or too high, you're asking them to act on reflexes when they've been trained week in and week out to keep to their routes and expect the ball in a catchable place. At the same time, there were still way too many dropped passes, and route running can always be better.
  
• The positive? They are all young, and we aren't losing any real talent this year, so there's a good chance we will be better in this area next year. Tons of upside, but that means nothing on the football field.
• Tedford, if you are reading this blog, as I know you look for only the best in football advice, I suggest the Hofstra receiver training program to help our receivers catch the ball (worked for Marques Colston of the Saints): color the tips of each football a different color, and in the middle of the football, write any number from 0-9. When your receiver runs a route in practice and the coach throws the ball, the receiver must 1) yell out the color of the ball and 2) after catching the ball, yell out the number on the ball. Yelling out the color forces the receiver to focus on the ball as it's coming so they don't worry about what is happening around them. Yelling out the number makes sure they secure it (so they can read the number) and guarantee the catch first.
  

This year was a slight disappointment in that I felt we could have played better than we showed. Teams who scouted us probably changed their QB scout boards from 'pick your poison' to 'pick inconsistency or over throws'. We could have beat Oregon State, we could have beat Arizona, and we definitely could have stayed in the game with USC. We'll just have to see what happens next year, and hopefully, it turns out for the better. All in all, if I had to give us a grade, I'd give us a B-. Passing, a little above average, but not a fundamental understanding of the subject. We need fundamental understanding if we want to be first in the class.


Now, for your, Los Angeles Clippers!

Frustration. Anguish. Cheated. Tormented. These are a few of my fav- sorry, these are a few of the emotions I feel. Bill Simmons calls this team the most jinxed in the NBA, and knowing my luck, I'd end up a Clippers fan. I'm not switching, and I'll never think of switching. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't, not after I received a clippers hat, basketball shorts, and hoodie for my birthday. But you know what? We still deserve better.

This team has no identity. We are 12th in the league in pace; we're outrunning the warriors and suns, yet this Mike Dunleavy team is supposed to run half court sets. We are taking way more outside, long distance shots than mid-range and inside shots, yet we have a 'slashing' PG, and a good center. Players are saying there are too many plays to remember, too many rotations. Coaches are saying that the defensive effort isn't good enough, so we're switching up the players. Blowing big leads. Getting blown out early. Not finishing out close games.

The sad part is, all of this is true, meaning that to get better, the clippers need to fix . . . . wait for it . . . drum roll please . . . everything. Everything needs to be changed. The clippers haven't been the best of teams for a long time. Even still, 1-6, which is where we are at now, is the worst start we've had in a LONG time, as in at least a decade.

I understand we are building for the future with all of these contracts that expire in 2010. But you know what, we need to build up from the bottom again, just like the Blazers. We need to find a core player to build around, whether it's Baron Davis or not, and provide good locker room guys who have the drive and talent to take this team far, year in, year out.

Solutions? Wait. Wait until free agency. This team is too . . . weird, dysfunctional, different, to be able to win now. Every player is going to be playing for their contract, becasue they know they're not going to be here this time next year. It's a horrible feeling for a fan, and it hurts to know that this year is basically wasted. But all you can do is go watch a game or two, look for the current mainstays, B-Diddy and Kamen, to get better, and start looking at the free agent list and dreaming of a lineup of Bosh, LeBron, Baron Davis, Kamen, and Thorton.

To rebuild, you have to break some things down. This is the break down stage, and you know what, it stinks. Light at the end of the tunnel? I've been saying that for far too long. We'll see if that light is coming up this offseason. Until then, I'll continue to check up box scores and read ClipperBlog, but if they're going into hibernation during the season, then why can't I as well.

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S.O.T.D.

N.E.R.D. - Spaz

Youtube Clip:

Clippers Ineptitude

So cruel it shouild be illegal

This past Saturday, the Cal Bears football team lost to Arizona in Tuscon and with it, their week long residency as the #25 team in the nation. Now under heavy analysis this past weekend, I have narrowed down the reasons for them losing to some or all of the things in this list:

• I wasn't wearing this year's Cal football shirt, I was wearing last years shirt
• We had touchdown starburst's, which seems ok until you notice that the previous times we did TD brownies and cream puffs, losses resulted
• We were watching the game at my place, which we never do
• We didn't watch the halftime analysis and instead played mario kart
• I didn't study enough before the game, and this was my punishment
  
• I wasn't worried about winning the game, because I thought we would show up and win

We got creamed (2nd half). We were completely dominated (2nd half). We were lost (2nd half). Shane Vareen touched the ball twice in the first 3 quarters, and we abandoned the run before we were even behind by a lot. Our running backs, not our wide outs or QB's, are our offense. They are our leading receivers, and obviously our backs. Jahvid Best even returns our kickoffs. And we abandoned them. That's like the 90's Bulls going into a playoff game (because that's what these games basically are) and passing the ball to Pippen TWICE in the first 3 quarters, and not letting MJ go to work often enough against whoever was guarding him.

Our defense missed tackles left and right, and we let their running back, an unheralded freshman, look like a top 3 Pac-10 runningback.

Our quarterbacks, (becasue we used both at one point), underthrew, overthrew, threw behind, threw ahead, but rarely hit our receivers perfectly in stride. And when they did, there were many times our receivers dropped the ball. For a recruiting class of receivers that ranked #7 in the nation, that can't happen.

Basically, top down, we were shaky. We were up 10 in the first half, but just gave it away.

What is so cruel that it should be illegal? The hope that a team gives to a fan. When they are on a winning streak, a fan is at an ultimate high. The school week becomes bear-able (sorry, couldn't resist), and I look forward to the next game. I love reading the cal football blogs, becasue they have positive analysis about our play, and even when there are negatives, it's more of a "this can be changed by next week". It's hope. It's going forward believing you can have success and garner national attention.

But when you lose, oh man. Because college football is a 'what have you done for me lately' sport, any loss the later you get into the season not only shoots you in the foot for the standings, but kills you for the next year when the initial rankings come out. You'll have to win out to just crack the rankings. And if you lose just once, you're thrown back into oblivion. Teetering at #25, we needed to win out to get some respect, and potentially challenge USC for the rose bowl (assuming no one else matters). Even though with this loss, we are still tied for first in the Pac-10, it feels like we have already lost.

I know we'll win 6 games by the end of the year, become bowl elligible, and have a decent season. But like an Asian mom who demands perfection of their kid, I'm not satisfied with a B average (grades slipped from B+ with this loss). I want straight A's, and there is no reason they can't get it!!

But what just hit me was that maybe I have to step back from asian-mom status and look at it objectively. They are a young team, they have made mistakes, and they can't win a big one when it really matters right now. Maybe they are a B average team, and I have to be happy when we play games at a B+/A- level.

Or maybe I should continue to demand perfection from this team, because if they don't push themselves for that top spot, then they don't deserve to play football. You play to win, and nothing else. Take the loss in stride, get better. Fix the mistakes, prepare the team as best as you can, practice hard. Each saturday is a new day, a new chance to win. And if they focus on that, the success will come by itself.

I like the latter choice better. It hurts to lose, but when they win, it's an awesome feeling. I'm pumped for the rest of the week.

The Play

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S.O.T.D.

The World Is (Below the Heavens) - Blu

The Art of the Upset

Every week, in college football, there is at least one upset. Some unranked, or lower ranked team take out a quality team in some fashion, whether it a be blow out, ora close game. How does this happen?

We'll use USC/Oregon State as an example, because their polar differences make this easier to describe.

USC is a powerhouse. The name Pete Carroll is known to every high school football player, every D1 hopeful, whether they like USC or not. And if he or his contingents come knocking at your door, you know you're big time. USC recruits the best of the best of the best. Of the best. Talent wise, they have no match in all the nation.

Let's juxtapose this with Oregon State, a middle of the pac-10 (pun intended) team. They get quality, hard working players who had nothing handed to them. Their raw talent is not as high as those of USC, but they may know how to play the game, they may have talent, maybe not the right body. Jacquizz Rodgers, for example, is a 5'7 first string running back, who wouldn't even get blinked at by USC recruiters.

Big difference, right? Somehow, these Oregon State players got motivated to come together, make the big plays, and take out mighty USC. I've narrowed it down to 1 reason.

Motivation.

That sounds stupid at first, like 'what do you want to eat' 'uhh, food'. But even though it's a general term, it's the core of the upset.

It starts with the coaches, because no matter how talented or not your players are, the preparation you put them through plays a vital role in determining the outcome of the game. If the best team in the world has a coach who doesn't notice the other teamsNFL Blitz '99-like play that keeps getting touchdowns, then you're guaranteed that the other team will score that way in the game.

At the same time, if the coach looks at every facet of the game, has watched every play, every tendency of the opposing team, and has provided that information to his own team, then all that is left is execution. If executed well, victory will always be within grasp.

Coaches are important. At the end of the day, however, the players themselves are of utmost importance in making an upset a reality.

Every player, whether it be the scout team players who don't play to the to-be-outmatched safety, must believe not only that they can win, but that they will win. Every player, every coach, everyone on the team. The second that someone feels outmatched, or that they can't do their job, they instantly concede defeat. You lose the will to work harder, to push that extra bit, that will to dig in when you have nothing left, when you need a big play.

If you lose that fear, if you feel that regardless of who you are facing, you know that you have the capability of playing great, that you can trust in the countless hours of training, tons of video you watched, and your general talent, then you have the chance to do something great on the field. When every player on a team feels like this, the whole team comes together, and you can just feel the energy gushing out.

Upsets don't usually work. Usually the other team is prepared, too talented, whatever you want to call it. But every week, you'll find a team that had all those qualities listed above, and found success. That is the beauty of sports. That also leads me to my next question:

Why can't we do the same thing on our respective intramural teams? Let me make one thing clear first: I have never played on a team where people didn't try their hardest, regardless of whether we were up 20 or down 30, everyone hustled on defense and played to the last second. Trying hard, however, is not the same as believing you can win. I understand that no team trains for games, watches video footage, and puts everything into their games. Except maybe frat teams with nothing better to do. But getting on that page where you all feel that you can beat a team is more important than anything in an upset. Yeah, upsets don't always work. But every time you're an underdog, you fight for that one time where it does.

All this put into a clip on VM Sports