The Dark Side...

So a bit off topic, but I thought I'd just poke fun at myself for a bit.

I was recently looking for paid jobs on campus, and I just randomly picked ones that looked like they would fit my class and activity schedules. One of the jobs was intramural officiating, and it specifically said that it would have flexible hours...

So I let the guy know that I was interested, and I have training next week to be a sports official.

One of the sports I would be officiating is basketball. I wanted to let everyone know that I will not be accepting offers to give your college or university the win. You can forget about that. And if anything, I would manipulate the calls to give MY school an advantage HAHA! Just joking.

I promise I will be as fair as possible, but it's interesting, seeing as I'm one who bashes officials and referees quite often and willingly. It would be fun to be on the other side of that. While I understand their job and how it's not easy, I want to do a sort of "inside job" and REALLY get the job of being an official.

I also have the option of being an ice hockey, flag football and indoor soccer official if I wish after basketball season finishes. I'm excited, and I hope I get the chance to learn something as a referee.

Lane Kiffin - the Con Man

Really quickly, I want to know how Lane Kiffin keeps getting top jobs (became coach at USC)! What is this! I heard somebody say it, and I couldn't have said it better: He's a con artist! I agree whole-heartedly! And I don't see any good coming out of Kiffin after the shenanigans he supposedly was a part of at Tennessee.

So then how is it that Carroll leaves USC, and then heads to the NFL to the nearest stop away from USC, and then Kiffin leaves Tennessee? I'm waiting to see who leaves their scandal-filled school to enter into Tennessee. IT'S SHENANIGANS! And nobody is held accountable because these scandals don't get found out until the players are about 2-3 years out of school. It's ridiculous.

I don't like USC, but I have to feel bad for them now (not too bad though).

Mike Wise - "it's hockey"

I have to talk about this being a DC-Native and a die hard hockey fan. In response as to why he believes the Washington Capitals don't receive props for being the lone good team in DC, DC sports "expert" , Mike Wise claims it's because "it's hockey".

And this was the attitude I have been so sick of for so many years. The fact this area gives all the attention to the worst-of-the-worst teams here and ignoring when the Caps do well is a disgrace! The reason is because it is hockey, so why should we care? Hockey is boring and barbaric and whatever other reason.

To cover DC sports, you can't just ignore a MAJOR TEAM just because you don't like it. The team finally have won a playoff round, and this year, once again, the Capitals have an excellent chance again to bring the Cup to DC for the first time as champions. And the option for ALL of sports media in DC, not just Mike Wise, is to ignore that success and to rather spend time on other things...

...Like focusing on why Gilbert Arenas had gun in the locker room even though he's such a nice guy he is, as there's nothing else to talk about regarding the Wizards since they're no good, and the fact that the Redskins are no good either.

I understand that the Redskins will always be #1 in this town, and that's fine. I understand, this is not a hockey-town. That's okay. That isn't my problem. My issue is when I'm being force-fed the Redskins through radio shows, local sports television, and the Washington Post. Of course, I take my liberties and shut it all off and don't listen.

When for the past 3 years I'm still excited to see a huge Caps win on the front page, and satisfied when then a feature story on one of the players is done, I sort of see that as a problem. Ongoing drama gets old. Can we surprise the readers with something new?

Of course I'm running on how I feel about the issue, it's my blog, I can do just that. So I will say that Mike Wise's comment was entirely rude. From reading someone else's post on this issue, I also found out what he thought of hockey fans in general. Anybody who apparently called him out his statement about the Caps not deserving attention was getting defensive because that's just how hockey fans are. Whatever man. Un-Wise.

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Finally...

Fsinally, Haiti has been a poor country suffering for years. Recently though, the country was hit by a 7.0 earthquake. Thoughts and prayers go out to those in Haiti, and all my friends and readers with family in Haiti. I wish all the best.

A Lot Going On!

Hello all! It's been a while again, but I'm back!

So I just figured I'd tell you all the things that have been going on that I haven't told you about...

Agent Zero?

Yes, I mean that exactly. No, Gilbert Arenas. You are NOT a secret agent. You are NOT allowed to carry guns into an NBA arena just because you call yourself Agent Zero.

There are plenty of gun carriers of all shapes and sizes around the country. I am pretty sure that they do not choose to take their guns into their workplace - and if they did it in DC, I'm 100% sure that's illegal, being a resident here and all.

We've heard all the excuses. We know. And I still don't think Arenas gets it. Mocking and laughing at the situation doesn't make it go away. So David Stern decided to suspend him because Arenas was "unfit" to play; hence, making him a literal Zero in the eyes of his team and the NBA at this point.

Unfit in my mind means that he is mentally unstable, and needs to go seek some help. The fact that he cannot decipher what's a joke and what's not (also going off of previous pranks he's pulled in the past) is a serious problem, and not only has it become detrimental to his team and the people around him on the court, but his lack of seriousness has gotten him in trouble with the law.

If Arenas was to plead anything in the future in the court of law, real talk, I would advise an insanity defense.

USA Won Gold!

I bet none of you cared, but in the World Juniors Hockey Classic, the final was between the Canadian junior ice hockey team and the US team. John Carlson, a Washington Capitals prospect, pulled the OT game-winner about 4 minutes into the sudden death period to give the USA gold. USA won 6-5 in a wild, wild match.

With the US winning their 2nd gold medal ever in the tournament, in a perfect world, something like this would help to prove that we have homegrown talent here in the States, and then bring on a revival of young American kids playing hockey with the hopes of playing in the NHL - then again, if it were a perfect world that already would have been the case. We'll see what happens from here.

Another note I'd like to make on this was one that I'm probably going to lose a couple of friends. Not all Canadians are peace-advocating people who have no bad intentions, as many Americans like to label them. As Team Canada INVITED the United States into their tournament in Saskatchewan (I spelled that right first try by the way).

I read an article about how the Canadians booed the US team and how the "Hockey Gods" disapproved of such Tomfoolery. The US, in my mind was booed for 2 reasons:

1. The US has been "at war" for quite some time now. Many people around the world have disagreed with the US decision to go to war since the beginning. Since then, events involving the United States in Canada, some Canadians have booed the American National Anthem, protested US teams, and booed at US victories made on their turf.
2. The US junior hockey team has been clipping at the heels of Canada's junior team for some years now. The "non-traditional" market of the United States for hockey, I suppose, has given the Canadians some sense of elitism in winning games and who deserves to win the Gold, and in the NHL, the Cup. So in a way, Canada is essentially "hating on" US hockey, who's success seems to be promising.

The result of the booing? Canada loses their shot at winning a gold medal; thus, rewarding the USA with a 2nd golds medal in a decade. It's an interesting look at sportsmanship, and I advise that you check it out.

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/sports/2010wintergames/hockey+gods+wreaked+their+vengeance/2414889/story.html

The Real Punk @$$

So apparently, according to news sources today, the Manny Pacquio and Floyd Mayweather boxing match is OFF. Yes, I said it, it is supposedly NOT HAPPENING.

Now, I am not the biggest boxing fan out there (nothing about boxing in particular, it just doesn't interest me like that ), but I am still fully aware of the implications that this match had on the revival of boxing in the United States. Boxing sure isn't what it used to be back in the '90s or before that, but in a fight with supposedly the best boxer right now in Mayweather and the recent winner of the most recent last big fight in Pacquio, this was supposed to bring boxing back to popularity...

...And now it's off. Supposedly. Now I keep saying "supposedly" because of the tendency of boxers and their people to just talk, and just say things just to say things, but I digress.

It's off because the reluctance of Pacquio to agree to a full drug test, drawing blood before the fight. This requirement to fight, however, was pushed by Floyd Mayweather and his party. Now that Pacquio doesn't want to take this type of test over a more typical urine test, Mayweather is referring to Pacquio as a "punk a**".

My question is: Who is the REAL punk here?

Of course the obvious answer is both of them. But one is clearly more of a punk than the other. The consensus that I have spoken to has stated that Pacquio is the punk. He can't consent to a blood test even with a bajillion dollars on the line. Whether he did it because he was scared or because he was dirty, I don't call that a punk move. If he was dirty, then sure, that dumba**, but hey he's just trying to keep his job. If he was scared, he was honest about it at least.

Mayweather, however, hides behind the "brolic" facade, when probably Mayweather himself wanted an out to the fight. For whatever reason that would be, is beyond me, but nobody just goes around trying to make somebody look like fool unless they had something to hide or if they were trying to "appear" as the tough one. It may fool his followers and fans, but Mayweather doesn't fool me.

National Championship Game

Alabama rises as the BCS Champion over the Texas Longhorns by a final score 37-21. Texas made it close toward the end, getting the score as close as 24-21, but that was all that they could muster before Alabama went in and solidified their victory.

Just to note, Colt McCoy injured his shoulder in the first half, causing him to have to sit out for the rest of his last game of his collegiate career. He returned to the sideline, however, to watch his team and cheer them on. He also handled himself well in the post-game interview, trying very hard not to cry. I don't know how he did it, because I couldn't do it.

The game was quite anti-climactic, I'm not really sure why, but I didn't feel satisfied after watching this game. I'll probably find out why tomorrow.

By the way, doesn't that smile on Nick Saban look like it hurts a little? Just a little...

Finally...

Alex Ovechkin was named captain of the Washington Capitals earlier this week. He's up for the challenge. Since then the team has won their 2 games under his captaincy and now go on a 3-game road stretch.

And Andre Dawson was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I personally would have wanted Edgar Martinez and Alomar in the HOF, but that's not my decision. Baseball writers do want to keep the HOF pure as ever anyway. So it seems as though they are very stingy with their inductions now. Another year, I suppose.