Disclaimer

If you do not know me (I mean, really know me) then there is something you need to understand before you read this blog: I value the truth above everything else... except a good laugh. A good laugh will almost always beat the truth as far as I’m concerned. Everything you read on this blog will be true, somewhat true, or something I made up in an effort to get a laugh. Sometimes I will go on a rant that I don’t really mean (or only kind of mean). Sometimes I will mean what I write only to completely change my mind a year, month, or day later. Such is life. By reading this blog you agree not to get offended by anything I write (or, at the very least, you agree not to tell me or anyone else that you are offended). It is worth noting that my employer does not endorse my blog (or even read it, to tell you the truth). The Wife also does not endorse my blog (though she will read it from time to time). I am not paid to write this... it’s just my way of giving back to the community. I have, and will, touch on a wide range of subjects and will give my opinion on these subjects. Again, most of what I say is for laughs but every now and then I will say what I really think and feel (see my views on Westboro Baptist Cult). How will you know when I’m serious and when I’m trying to get a laugh? You’ll know. And if you don’t know, well... maybe this isn’t the best thing for you to be reading. So, sit back, read and enjoy. Leave comments if you want and don’t be afraid to publicly follow me.



Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Eve 2009

With today being Christmas Eve, I thought I’d share one of the most famous Christmas poems (‘Twas The Night Before Christmas). But then I figured everyone already knows that poem. So, instead of reposting that poem, I’ll post the legal version I found somewhere on the internet.

Twas the Night Before Christmas (Legal Version)
Author Unknown

Whereas, on or about the night prior to Christmas, there did occur at a certain improved piece of real property (hereinafter "the House") a general lack of stirring by all creatures therein, including, but not limited to a mouse.

A variety of foot apparel, e.g. stocking, socks, etc., had been affixed by and around the chimney in said House in the hope and/or belief that St. Nick a/k/a/ St. Nicholas a/k/a/ Santa Claus (hereinafter "Claus") would arrive at sometime thereafter.

The minor residents, i.e. the children, of the aforementioned House, were located in their individual beds and were engaged in nocturnal hallucinations, i.e. dreams, wherein vision of confectionery treats, including, but not limited to, candies, nuts and/or sugar plums, did dance, cavort and otherwise appear in said dreams.

Whereupon the party of the first part (sometimes hereinafter referred to as "I"), being the joint-owner in fee simple of the House with the parts of the second part (hereinafter "Mamma"), and said Mamma had retired for a sustained period of sleep. (At such time, the parties were clad in various forms of headgear, e.g. kerchief and cap.)

Suddenly, and without prior notice or warning, there did occur upon the unimproved real property adjacent and appurtent to said House, i.e. the lawn, a certain disruption of unknown nature, cause and/or circumstance. The party of the first part did immediately rush to a window in the House to investigate the cause of such disturbance.

At that time, the party of the first part did observe, with some degree of wonder and/or disbelief, a miniature sleigh (hereinafter the "Vehicle") being pulled and/or drawn very rapidly through the air by approximately eight (8) reindeer. The driver of the Vehicle appeared to be and in fact was, the previously referenced Claus.

Said Claus was providing specific direction, instruction and guidance to the approximately eight (8) reindeer and specifically identified the animal co-conspirators by name: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen (hereinafter the "Deer"). (Upon information and belief, it is further asserted that an additional co-conspirator named Rudolph may have been involved.)

The party of the first part witnessed Claus, the Vehicle and the Deer intentionally and willfully trespass upon the roofs of several residences located adjacent to and in the vicinity of the House, and noted that the Vehicle was heavily laden with packages, toys and other items of unknown origin or nature. Suddenly, without prior invitation or permission, either express or
implied, the Vehicle arrived at the House, and Claus entered said House via the chimney.

Said Claus was clad in a red fur suit, which was partially covered with residue from the chimney, and he carried a large sack containing a portion of the aforementioned packages, toys, and other unknown items. He was smoking what appeared to be tobacco in a small pipe in blatant violation of local ordinances and health regulations.

Claus did not speak, but immediately began to fill the stocking of the minor children, which hung adjacent to the chimney, with toys and other small gifts. (Said items did not, however, constitute "gifts" to said minor pursuant to the applicable provisions of the U.S. Tax Code.) Upon completion of such task, Claus touched the side of his nose and flew, rose and/or ascended up the chimney of the House to the roof where the Vehicle and Deer waited and/or served as "lookouts." Claus immediately departed for an unknown destination.

However, prior to the departure of the Vehicle, Deer and Claus from said House, the party of the first part did hear Claus state and/or exclaim: "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!" Or words to that effect.


And really, what would Christmas be without Christmas Vacation?


Chase Towne update: Nothing new to report.

Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs won last night 117-104. They play the Lakers (in LA) tomorrow.

Winthrop Eagles update: Nothing new to report.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Wait... is Christmas almost here?

As you may or may not have noticed, I’ve been away for the past few days. So let’s catch up…

Saturday night I went up to Orangeburg for the Rickenbacker Gala. What is the Rickenbacker Gala you ask? Let me tell you. Many years ago (not 100% sure how many) Mr. and Mrs. Rickenbacker died after years of suffering with Alzheimer’s disease. Their children decided they would honor their parents by raising money for Alzheimer’s research. As far as I know, they had never been to my office. The children looked us up (or heard about us somewhere) and decided we would be the group they would support. They decided they would throw a gala every year to raise the money that they would then donate to us. This past Saturday was the 13th Rickenbacker Gala (and the 3rd one that I’ve attended). It is held on the 3rd Saturday in December each year. The family begins planning it in January each year. This is not some small gathering. It’s held in an old theatre in the Orangeburg Mall and while I don’t know how many people were there, I can tell you it was packed. A few years ago, The Wife and I went to it. That night there was a freezing rain… and the place was packed. It would seem this thing is a big deal in Orangeburg. They have a band (not sure if it’s been the same band all 13 years, but it has been the same band since I’ve been going). They are out of Augusta, Georgia. I think their name is Perfect Picture. They sing all kinds of songs. I really enjoyed them. I loved their saxophone player. Not so much for his playing (though that was good) but just for how he was up there. This dude was one cool cat from back in the day. Words can’t really do it justice. You’ll have to ask me about him the next time you see me. Anyway, the Rickenbacker’s typically raise anywhere from $4,000 - $6,000 each year with this gala. It is a great way to not only raise money, but also to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s in the Orangeburg community. Over 5 million people have been diagnosed with this disease and over 80,000 of those people live in South Carolina. The Rickenbacker children (along with a man who I believe is their cousin) organize and run the event while their children (who are around my age) fill in as support staff. I hope that the 3rd generation of this wonderful family will step-up and continue this great event when their time comes.

So that was my Saturday. On Sunday I drove Jeremy up to Rock Hill for a Winthrop basketball game. Of course, I wanted to go to Ashley Ridge Church to hear my dear friend Jenn preach… but it was my turn to drive and I couldn’t let Jeremy down. Winthrop gave a great effort against the Charlotte 49ers, but it was not enough. Here’s a little useless fact for you: This past Sunday, the 49ers played the Eagles in the NFL and in College Basketball.



I know that some of you are not able to view the videos I post on here, so I’ll type what was in that video. It had a letter to the editor of the New York Sun from a little 8 year old girl named Virginia that was written in the late 1890s. One of the paper’s editors, Francis P. Church, answered with what would become one of (if not THE) most famous editorials. Honestly, the response was so great that I can only assume that Mr. Church was either from the South or was at least a Southerner at heart. First, here is the letter to the editor:

DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

VIRGINIA O'HANLON
115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET

Here’s the response from Mr. Church:

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Chase Towne update: (from his father) Clinic was short and sweet, like we like it. Chase's counts were really high so they told us we could stop his ANC shot at home. This means his counts will probably be at a low on Christmas day. Sounds like a good reason to stay home and enjoy the day. Chase is still on schedule to start his scans next week. Today marks 8 months in Chase's journey. It has been a long and bumpy road. We are thankful for Chase's progress. We are also humbled and grateful for all of your support and prayers. Each of you has made our journey a little smoother. Thank you! Please pray for Chase's body to be ready to fight the germs on its own. Thank You!

Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs are 21-8. They play at Sacramento tonight.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles fell to 5-6 on the season with a loss last night at Cincinnati. The next game for the Eagles is Tuesday night (December 29) when they travel to Raleigh, North Carolina to take on the NC State Wolfpack.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Friday night fun...

As all of you know, I’m a big family man. Family is important to me. Some would say I’m a lot like Michael Corleone (except that, while I might make fun of my brother, I won’t have him killed). Some people ask me why I don’t talk about my family on this blog more. There are two simple reasons...

1. The Wife doesn’t like for me to make fun of her.
2. I have trouble talking about The Wife without making fun of her.

Still, I will include in this post a picture of my two sweet girls. It’s funny... people always like to tell me who the girls look like. I think the big one looks like Mary Ruth and the little one looks like Susie. Maybe I just don’t look close enough.





Before I forget... Congrats to CJ Spiller and all of the other Clemson football players who graduated recently. I don’t know how hard it is to play college football and get good enough grades to graduate, but I do know how hard it is to “just” graduate… it ain’t easy. So hats off to them.

I don’t know how many of you have ever listened to the Tony Kornheiser (you can only hear it over the internet from down here) but it is great. I love this guy. We have a lot of things in common. We both hate flying, cruises, and strangers. He has a theory that if two people go on a cruise, only one is coming back. This is funny... except for the fact that The Wife has been trying to get me to go on a cruise with her for as long as I can remember. Interesting...

Chase Towne update: Nothing new to report...

Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs take on the Bucks tonight.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles take on the Charlotte 49ers on Sunday.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Thursday thinkings.....

I would like to start today by reminding everyone about the super fun stuff going on at ARC this weekend. As you know, this new church comes with the I’m just sayin... stamp of approval. It has held the top spot on the I’m just saying... Top 10 Churches Poll since the day the poll was started. So, this Saturday take your kids out to Ashley Ridge High School from 10am – 1pm to let them see Santa and his better half. Then come back on Sunday night for a 6:30 worship service. Remember, set-up starts at 4:00... so don’t get there too early or they will assume you are there to help and they will put you to work (trust me, found that one out the hard way).

Now, friends, you know that I’m not one to complain... but I did come across an “open letter” that may or may not have been sent to CSU leadership in May of this year. I, like the person who wrote this letter, am a student at CSU. (***Before I continue, let me say to any of you thinking about going back to school to get your masters... DON’T! Make sure you understand me... do NOT go back to school to get your masters. The only reason I’m doing it is because I want to have something that everyone else doesn’t have. So don’t do it... unless you want to go back for something silly like Education or Religion... that’s ok. I’m only talking about going back for a real masters.****) Anyway, after a word from our sponsor, we’ll look at the open letter to CSU.


*********************
Dear CSU Leadership:

How do you freakin’ people sleep at night? While looking at my next four classes that I will be taking at your “university” I noticed the price of the books:

(Course # deleted to protect identity): $176 (New); couldn’t find it used
(Course # deleted to protect identity): $135.35 (New); $101.50 (Used)
(Course # deleted to protect identity): $165 (New); $123.75 (Used)
(Course # deleted to protect identity): $193.35 (New); $145 (Used)

Meanwhile, I have TWO versions of the Bible (yes, THE Holy Bible) that TOGETHER cost me around $15. And they were NEW! That’s right, friends, I have a NIV and King James Version of the Bible (both new) that together cost me a small fraction of what a used textbook costs at your bookstore. So really, how do you freakin’ people sleep at night?! I might expect this at some ultra-liberal “We don’t believe in God” type school, but Charleston Southern? The former Baptist College ? Has a change in name made all of you stupid? Do you really think ANY of the books listed above are worth more than God’s Word? $193.35 for a book that I won’t even look at after December 2009? My goodness! For that much money the book should be autographed, I should get a handwritten thank you note from President Jairy Hunter, and the school should provide me with someone who will read the book to me! You people should be ashamed. The money that I now have to use to by textbooks at these outrageous prices would have gone to help start a new church, but now that is not possible. Sure, it’s a Methodist church that will be lead by a woman… so you’re probably happy to be taking money from it, but that’s not the point. The point is that the price of your textbooks is taking money away from people doing God’s work. While I try not to judge others, let me just say that I hope you sinners get your act together before it’s too late.

While I have your attention, what’s the deal with the mascot? A pirate? Really? YOU’RE A CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY ! The Charleston Southern Buccaneers… who came up with that brilliant idea? Change your mascot to a dove. It’s not like your athletic teams scare anyone anyway. Or be the Deacons. But come on… can you really judge a student who steals from another student when the school mascot is a pirate? What do you think a pirate does?

God Bless,

(name deleted)
**************
While I don’t know the person who wrote this, I do know how they feel. This past semester I spent over $250 on books only to “sell them back” to the school for $35. Not sure, but I think I got screwed in that deal. We never even used one book. What a waste. Oh well, just one more semester left.............

Chase Towne update: (***Note: These updates come from a blog that Chase’s parents update somewhat regularly. I will use my blog to help spread the word on how he is doing. I trust they will not mind, though if I find they do mind I will stop***) So here is the latest update:
Chase is doing ok. Clinic went smooth today, in and out. Chase will continue to get his ANC shot at least until Tuesday of next week. He will go back to clinic on Tuesday 12/22 to check his blood work again. It is a mixed blessing with the ANC shot. The first part is his body is not yet strong enough to fight germs by itself. But we are thankful we have these shots to help him fight and these shots will help him enjoy some Family Christmas activities this weekend. Thankfully Chase is still on the go and eating well. He gets tired a little more often but goes strong until he is exhausted. Please pray for continued strength for our "miracle baby". Thank you.

Here is a picture of Chase:
Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs beat the 76ers in their last game to give them a 19-7 record. Their next game is tomorrow night vs the Bucks.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles traveled to USC Upstate to take on the Spartans last night. Winthrop won 62-53 to bring their record to 5-4. Their next game is a home on Sunday against the Charlotte 49ers.

Here we go again....

Well I’m back and better than ever. Last night was the last night of my semester. In perhaps the hardest semester of my graduate career, I was able to pull out a ‘B’ in my ECON class and an ‘A’ in my Finance class. The funny thing is between the two classes, the Finance class was the one I was worried the most about. We started with 24 students in that class… by the end of the semester we were down to 9 students (we few, we happy few, we band of brothers… and sisters). So now I only have one class left until all of you will have to call me Master Greg (or Master G).

(****I interrupt this blog to tell you this: As I’m typing this I’m watching my own little MacGyver marathon. What can I say, I love the show. Anyway, the DVD I have in right now is from the 3rd season. Some guy is in a jet and the bad guys are shooting him down. The cockpit scenes are from MacGyver… the scenes of the jets are straight from Top Gun. Even the scene of Maverick slamming on breaks so the MIG flies by him.*****)

So, Saturday is the first day of the “Bowl season”. This is a time that I admit used to be special to me before so many bowls came along that all you had to do was win 6 games to be “rewarded” with a bowl game. But that’s neither here nor there. The thing I really hate is the BCS. Why? Because it claims to crown a National Champion. Here’s the thing, I’m a fan of a playoff system. Not an “And 1” system, not an 8 team playoff, but a 16 team playoff. It’s something I have been demanding for years now. I’m not the only one who has been calling for this. Some of you have as well. So has this guy (I posted this last week, I think). There are many arguments for the BCS… I will answer some of them here:

1. It’s better than the old system. - This would be a great argument… if I was in favor of the old system. Since I’m not fighting for the old system, this argument isn’t relevant.

2. It will make the season too long… kids will have to miss too many classes. – This argument is so stupid, I’m shocked people don’t laugh when they say it. Really, take a look at college basketball and baseball… those kids take classes too. Oh, and this argument would have been better back before they added an extra regular season game and (for some at least) a conference championship game. That kind of hurts that argument.

3. My favorite argument came from Bill Curry (who guys on ESPN called an “expert”). When asked how the other NCAA football divisions were able to have a playoff system and Division 1-A couldn’t, Curry answered: “The other divisions can split scholarships, Division 1 –A (FBS) can’t do that”. - While Bill Curry might be a nice person, I feel he is a moron.

4. Teams would still complain. – Big difference between a team complaining about not getting an At-Large bid and an undefeated team complaining.

5. The bowls are too good for college football. - So keep them. They will matter just as much as they do now.

6. There is no money in a playoff system. - Yeah, what company (or companies) would want to have their name associated with a college football playoff system? Stupid.

7. It would mean too much travel for fans. - Yeah, fans will travel to Boise freakin’ Idaho for a game that doesn’t mean crap but there’s no way they’d travel for a playoff game that could lead to a National Championship. Right.

8. Every game matters/The regular season is a playoff. – Let’s assume the regular season is a playoff. That would mean that as soon as a team loses a game, none of their remaining games matter. So, the regular season is a playoff… in that case, let’s take a look at this (BCS “Champ” Bold, all undefeated teams listed):

1998 (first year of BCS… I think… at least the first version of it) – We have Co-National Champions: Tennessee and Tulane. I guess the “playoff” this year didn’t end with the two undefeated teams playing each other. Oops.

1999 – Co-National Champions: FSU and Marshall. These two teams didn’t play each other either. Oops again.

2000 – National Champion: Oklahoma. Hey, it worked! Kinda. See, the Sooners still had to play FSU in the “Championship Game” even though FSU already had one loss. Not sure how that “playoff” worked.

2001 – National Champion: Miami. Hey, it worked again! Not really (see previous year… same thing, different team… this time Nebraska was the one loss team with the loss that didn’t really matter).

2002 – National Champion: Ohio State. There’s an old saying about a blind squirrel finding a nut…

2003 – National Champion: None. LSU (with one loss).

2004 – Co-National Champions: USC, Auburn, & Utah. USC ended up beating Oklahoma (who was also undefeated at the time) in the “National Championship Game”.

2005 – National Champion: Texas. Yay, BCS!

2006 – National Champion: Boise State! Except the BCS claims Florida is the National Champ for that year… with a 12-1 record. Guess their one loss didn’t count.

2007 – None. LSU (with 2 losses)

2008 – Co-National Champions: Utah & Florida (Florida had one loss).

2009 – Still up in the air, but at least 2 teams will end up undefeated… possibly three teams. Of course, only two of them are playing in the “National Championship Game”.

Now, here’s the thing… it’s not that I think a team should have to go undefeated to be national champion, but if the regular season is a playoff… well, I do think a team should have to go undefeated in the playoffs to win a national championship.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

GO NAVY!

BEAT ARMY! For the 8th straight year, Navy has beaten Army in football. Eight years. That's a long time.

Congrats to Mark Ingram for winning the Heisman. For what it's worth, I would rather have CJ Spiller on my team than Mark Ingram. In fact, I'd take Spiller over any of the Heisman candidates.

Well, I've got a sick big girl and a crying little girl and The Wife wants me to help her... so I will wish you all a good night and I look forward to "talking" to you again after my semester is over on Tuesday.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

A year ago today...

I know I said I wouldn't have time to post much until after next Tuesday, but I had to take a break from my studies to bring this up. Friends (and brother) it was a year ago today (December 10) that I put into action what I feel will go down in history as my greatest idea EVER. You see, it was a year ago today that I released the first Greg Horres Top 25 Friends Poll. Like most people with great ideas, I wasn't sure if the public was ready for this. So, I sent the original poll to my dear friends KC, Jenn, and Danny. It didn't take long for word to get out and that's when things started looking up. Not only were people ok with this, they wanted it. They needed it. (I have to admit, there was at least one person who was irate with where she was ranked... all I can say is if I had known her feelings on Bill Cosby at that time she might not have been ranked as high as she was). What started as a one time joke became the talk of Summerville over the next 7 to 8 weeks. I had parents of friends lobbying to get their children higher in the poll. People would call me out of the blue just to see how I was doing and ask if I'd like to hang out. I started receiving gifts. One guy even gave me a sweet deal on my mortgage just to move up in the poll (I mean really... who knew you could get a -2.5% rate on your mortgage?). I had the biggest birthday party since I was 8 years old (and received the most birthday gifts since I was 6 years old). The "Top 25" emails were the meat of my second published book.

(SIDE NOTE***That's right, I have written two books. The first, Kevin, was published in 1995 and the second, Emails for Jenn, was published this past summer. There are only two remaining copies of each book. I have one of each. The other copy of Kevin is with my brother (unless he sold it to buy my sister-in-law an engagement ring). I believe I saw where Emails to Jenn was sold on e-bay this past October to raise money for Ashley Ridge Church... though I haven't been able to confirm this yet. END SIDE NOTE****)

There is a good chance that they will show up again someday when I write a book about me (since it doesn't look like anyone else is going to write it). Anyway, I had a great time writing THE Greg Horres Top 25 Friends Poll emails and, to be honest, I'm glad I had enough friends to fill it.

Now, you and I both know that I would love nothing more than to have this post be all about me... but I want to take a minute to promote a good cause. As you know, I dislike cancer. I was young when Jim Valvano was a coach at NC State. My clearest memories of him are when he was an announcer. I liked him. I read a book about him around 1991 (Personal Fouls by Peter Golenbock) that wasn't very flattering. It made him look pretty bad. While I know books don't always tell 100% of the truth, I have a feeling that this book was more right than wrong. Still, I think the good that Jim Valvano did at the end of his life out shines any of the bad he may have done before. He was not perfect, but I think he is a good example of how God can use people. He died a good many years ago, but his name lives on through the V Foundation. This foundation raises money for cancer research. From what I have been told on ESPN, 100% of donations go to research. That's a lot. My grandfather was a cancer survivor. My dad and uncle are cancer survivors. Lucy (my oldest dog) is a cancer survivor. I'm no doctor, but I think the odds are good that either my brother or me (or both of us) will be a cancer survivor at some point. Cancer is bad. It doesn't care if you're a man or a woman. It doesn't care if you're a yankee, a Southerner, or Puerto Rican. You can be rich or poor, it doesn't care. It doesn't even care if you are old or young. I've got a friend from my days at Ashley River Baptist Church. He has a son (Chase Towne) who is fighting cancer right now. This past April when Chase was 8 months old they found out he had cancer. Since then, they've been going to MUSC for chemo... he's now on round 10. The family has a blog on CarePages.com where they update everyone on how Chase is doing. Every time I read it I am amazed at what this family (Chuck, his wife, daughter, and Chase) has to go through. Most posts bring tears to my eyes. I've never had it myself, but from what I've been told chemo ain't fun at all. The fact that he's now on round 10 is amazing. It makes me think about Jimmy V's words, "Don't give up, don't ever give up".

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

So.....

As I'm sure all of you have noticed, I have not been posting lately at the rate I usually do. I was busy with the Living Christmas Story two days last week (had two parts... nailed them both) and now I am busy trying to get ready for finals. I have a final on Monday night and a group presentation on Tuesday night. So, I will be busy this week getting ready for both. Therefore, I will not be posting anything to my blog until after next Tuesday (except for this Saturday, I'll probably post something then). I will leave you with this:

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=dw-ncaafplayoff120709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

This points out how great a college playoff system would be for college football.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Mailbag, Part 2

Time to catch up on some mail...

Dear I’m just sayin…,

I’m scared! I’ve had a sweet gig for the past few months. I’ve been getting paid to hang out with friends and only do real work about once a month. But starting next month that’s all going to change…. starting January 17th (the middle of January) I’m going to have to work every Sunday! I don’t know if I can do it!

Worried Preacher

Dear Worried,

Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God… so remember to trust Him and keep Him first and I’m sure this church thing will work out for you. As for having to work more… I feel your pain. I’ve had more and more work to do lately and (get this) my boss is expecting me to get the work done (in a short amount of time, no less!). Honestly, if I wanted this kind of pressure I’d work in the private sector. But enough about me, this is about you. You’ll be fine. Just remember, it’s all about Jesus… but that doesn’t mean you should forget about money. Money pays the bills. I’ll be more than happy to help you in the fundraising department. Speaking of money, remember the advice my first retail boss gave me: In God we trust, all others we check behind. The point… money is a big temptation, so don’t put people in a situation where they’ll be tempted.

Dear I’m just sayin…,

I was out with some friends two weeks ago playing football when one of them got hurt. It turns out he “suffered” a concussion. Well, we had a big game this past Sunday and my friend didn’t play because he told the doctors he was still hurt. What a wimp! How could he leave us hangin’ like that? I said he needed to man up! I’m right, right?

Pissed in Pittsburgh

Dear Pissed,

You’re wrong on this one, my good friend. Trust me when I tell you that when it comes to the brain, you don’t play around. Let’s face it, chances are good that if your friend had played he would have gotten hit hard. Concussions are one thing you shouldn’t “man up” on. Too many close together can kill you. Even if they don’t kill you, they can kill brain cells. What good are all of your accomplishments if you can’t remember them? In my humble opinion, you should sit out AT LEAST one week after a concussion. And hey, if you really care about your friend… don’t let him do anything stupid. And don’t talk bad about him to the press… you’re better than that.

Dear I’m just sayin…,

Hey, it’s Tiger. I need some advice. My wife is pretty pissed at me right now. And to add insult to injury, my girlfriends aren’t calling me back. Where did I go wrong? I’m not a bad guy. People don’t know what it’s like with my wife. It’s always, “Look at the baby”… well what about me? And all these people judging me, they don’t know what it’s like having tons of hot women throwing themselves at me. That kind of thing doesn’t happen to them! It’s not fair!

Tiger

Dear Tiger,

I will give you two answers:

1. You got married. You said I do. Keep it in your pants. And don’t think I don’t know how it feels. I don’t want to brag, so let’s just say you aren’t the only person who has hot women wanting him. I’ve had this “problem” since high school. But guess what? Since I told The Wife “I do”, I’ve told the other women “I don’t”. Of course now, thanks to you, The Wife is starting to question why I took up golf a couple years ago. Thanks, a-hole.

2. What the hell were you thinking? Calling her with your cell phone? Leaving your name on her voicemail? Dude… you have millions of dollars! Think! Pay someone to go tell her. And what the hell is her number doing in your phone? Are you really that stupid? DELETE! I always clear my phone before I get home. The Wife looks through my phone and guess what she’ll find… nothing! If you’re going to play the game that sloppy, stay on the bench.

Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs played the Bulls tonight (Friday). Their next game is Sunday night against the Bucks.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles lost a close one at home in overtime to preseason favorite Radford on Thursday. The Eagles will face High Point on Saturday night at home. I won't be there... have to go to something that the Cosby hater put together.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Advent Conspiracy

As many of you know, I have been a fan of the Advent Conspiracy since before it had a name. This is a subject that I enjoy talking about and I’m sure that others in the blogging world will follow my lead on this (I might even influence a follower of mine to talk a little about this in her next monthly sermon). *******Oh, before I forget… Today is the first day of December which means Sunday is the first Sunday of the month! Time to meet at the ARC! I’m sure the music will be great.******* Anyway, before I talk about the A.C. (as some of us call it… or maybe I’m the only one who calls it that, I don’t know) I wanted to talk about how things have changed for me over time. When I was a little lad growing up on James Island, things were simple. Santa would give me gifts, my parents would give me gifts, and my brother and sister would give me gifts. I, in turn, would give gifts to my parents and brother and sister (paid for by my parents) and Santa would get cookies. Life, as they say, was good.

Then the family started to grow. My generation got married and had children. My parents stopped paying for the gifts that I gave to others. The cost of Christmas shot up big time (The Wife don’t like cheap gifts). Then the people in charge started changing things. We started drawing names with my Mom’s side of the family to help us decide who we’d exchange gifts with. The only reason I was ok with this is that I was able to fix it so that I was always exchanging gifts with my cousin Louis (that’s right, I fixed the name drawing… don’t judge me). I fought against other ideas, like everyone buying a gift card and then we each draw one out of a hat. I came up with what I still think is a brilliant idea: Everyone buy for the same person (and we rotate who that person is every year). For example, the first year everyone would buy a gift for me. The next year everyone would buy a gift for my brother and so on and so on. This, however, was too perfect to catch on (my brother was the only one I could sell the idea to). I’ve also seen at work (and other places) the idea of everyone buying stupid gifts and then people picking the one they want and someone else “steals” it from them and around and around it goes. Things got to the point with my family that I finally said listen, let’s just all buy for the kids (because you know I love the kids) and not worry about buying for each other. Let our presence be our present to each other. So that’s what we do now.

But what about this whole Advent Conspiracy thing? The concept is simple and can be broken down into four parts: Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, and Love All. In other words: Remember what Christmas is all about. You can still give gifts… but don’t give just for the sake of giving something. Don’t go into debt over meaningless stuff that will be forgotten by the end of January (if not before then). Don’t buy a gift because you “have” to. Memories come more from being with each other… not buying stuff for each other. Think about that.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Clemson/USC 2009

I hear from time to time people complaining that this game doesn’t get enough respect nationally. My response… so what? I could care less if someone up north or out west is watching this game. It’s their loss. As for me, I love it. I enjoy watching the game. I don’t base my feelings on what other people think about the game. I have told you my story about not caring as much about Clemson football now as I have in the past (and that’s true), but I still love this game.

All things considered, I like things the way they are and I wouldn’t change a thing. It would be nice if both teams were at the top of the polls year in and year out… but it wouldn’t make the game anymore special to the fans. I was at the game in 1998 when Clemson entered the game with a 2-8 record and Carolina had a 1-9 record. Of all years, this would seem like the year for the fans to not care about the game. But that didn’t happen. Instead, the teams played in front of a sell-out crowd at Death Valley.

You can never be 100% sure what will happen in this game… but you can be 100% sure that you will hear about it until the game next year (if not longer).

If I could change anything in the history of this rivalry, I would have Danny Ford still coaching Clemson and Joe Morrison still coaching at USC (and thus, still living). Both programs had their best years under those coaches and both programs were in good shape when their coaches left (Morrison died and Ford was fired). I’m not saying both programs would be playing for a National Championship every year, but I think both programs would be in better shape. I would also have the schools in the same conference (either the ACC or SEC... or Big South).

As for the game today, it should be interesting. How will CJ Spiller do against Eric Norwood and the USC defense? Will Stephen Garcia complete more passes to Alshon Jeffery or the Clemson secondary? Can Clemson’s offensive line give Kyle Parker enough time in the pocket? Can Carolina’s offensive line do the same for Garcia? I guess we’ll find out…


Navy plays at Hawaii today.

Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs fell to the Bobcats last night 87-94. They are back in action tonight at home against the Dallas Mavericks.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles are working on the press to prepare for their Monday night game.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Carolina/Clemson 2001/2000

Before we get to sports, let me ask a quick question… Why do strangers think that because I have an infant with me that means I want to talk to them (or let them talk to me or Susie)? I didn’t like strangers before… and now I have one in my life (Susie) that I love, so what are the odds I’ll want to talk to another stranger?

It’s looking like Jeremy’s boy (Charlie Weis) is going to be let go at Notre Dame. I’m split on this. I don’t like Weis, but I hate Notre Dame… so I kind of liked him being there and losing.

Someone should do a study to see if games between in-state rivals causes church attendance to rise on the Sunday before the big game. That would be an interesting. Now to our regular program…

USC: November 17, 2001. The Gamecocks came into this game looking to take out four years of frustration on the Tigers. The last time USC had beaten Clemson was in 1996 when Brad Scott was the head coach and Randy Wheeler and Benji Young were captains. Since then the Gamecocks had suffered a losing record in ’97, a one win season in 1998, and coaching change (that involved Brad Scott going over to the evil Tigers) that brought Hall of Fame coaching great Lou Holtz… only to go 0-11 in 1999. Things started to turn around in 2000 with the exception of a heartbreaking loss to Clemson (more on that below). 2001 started off great for USC with 5 straight wins which included wins at Georgia and at Mississippi State and they entered the Clemson game with a 7-3 record and a #22 ranking. The Tigers had also fallen on hard times, replacing Coach Tommy West with Coach Tommy Bowden at the end of the 1998 season. The Tigers entered this game after back to back losses to FSU and Maryland (who was actually good that year… strange). The Gamecocks won this game 20-15 and went on to beat Ohio State in the Outback Bowl to give them a 9-3 final record (5-3 in the SEC) and a final AP ranking of 13. One would think only good things were on the way for the Gamecocks. The Tigers went on to beat Duke (a make-up game due to 9/11) and then beat Louisiana Tech in the great Humanitarian Bowl. This gave the Tigers a final record of 7-5 (4-4 in the ACC). One more note about this game. One of the captains for USC in 2001 was Brian Scott. I saw Brian Scott play high school football in 1995 when Darlington faced James Island in the playoffs. Darlington won 28-0. At the end of the first half, my friend and baseball teammate Adam Mims threw a pass to my friend and baseball teammate Tony Elliott. At least, I think he was throwing to Tony. I can’t be 100% sure because the ball was caught in the back of the end zone by Brian Scott… who returned it 104 yards for a TD. Sorry, I couldn’t find any video on this game.

Clemson: November 18, 2000. The Catch II. The Tigers started the year with an 8 game winning streak. However, back to back losses to Georgia Tech and FSU put the Tigers in a bad mood heading into the Carolina game. The Gamecocks were also having a good year entering the game with a 7-3 record and a top 25 ranking. It was a low scoring game with the Gamecocks holding leading by 1 point with time running out. In a moment of desperation, Clemson QB Woody Dantzler threw a deep pass to Ron Gardner. This set up a game winning FG to give Clemson a 16-14 win. Clemson fans call this The Catch II while Gamecock fans call this the Push-Off (I guess because the Gamecock defender was making contact with Gardner the whole way down the field? I’m not real sure why they call it that…). Clemson would go on to get killed by Michael Vick and Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl. The Tigers would end the season with a 9-3 record (6-2 in the ACC) and a final ranking in the AP of 16. The Gamecocks would bounce back and defeat Ohio State in the Outback Bowl for a final record of 8-4 (5-3 in the SEC) and a final ranking of 19.


See Gamecock fans… this week hasn’t been so bad. I told you I’d keep it fair and balanced and I have. I didn’t say anything about the 45-0 Clemson win in 1989 or the 63-17 beat down the Tigers gave the Gamecocks in 2003 (both games happened in Columbia, by the way). No, I didn’t talk about either of those games. So for that, you’re welcome.

Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs are at Charlotte tonight to play the Bobcats.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles are back at work getting ready for their Monday night game.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Clemson/USC 1977/1992

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

There are a lot of things that I have to be thankful for. The best is that life is so good for me that I can talk all week on this blog about the football game coming up this Saturday. So with that, let’s go down memory lane...

Clemson: November 19, 1977. Two words… The. Catch. Coach Charley Pell took his Clemson Tigers down to Columbia to battle Coach Jim Carlen’s USC Gamecocks. The Tigers came in as the favorite with a #15 ranking. The Gamecocks weren’t about to just roll over for the Tigers, however. Late in the 4th quarter the Tigers found themselves behind with time running out. I think you know what happened next. With 49 seconds left in the game, Clemson QB Steve Fuller dropped back and launched a 20 yard pass over the head of WR Jerry Butler... BUT WAIT! Butler dives BACKWARDS AND CATCHES THE PASS to give the Tigers a 31-27 victory! The Tigers would go on to lose to Pitt in the Gator Bowl ending their season with an 8-3-1 ranking (4-1-1 in the ACC). The Tigers ended the season ranked #19 in the AP poll. The Gamecocks season ended the next week on the road at Hawaii giving them a 5-7 record for the year.


USC: November 21, 1992… 2 words… Steve. Tannyhill. This was a big year for USC. After going 6-5 in 1990 (including a loss to The Citadel) and going 3-6-2 in 1991 (including ties with Duke and Louisiana Tech and a loss to East Carolina) the Gamecocks earned a bid to join the mighty SEC in 1992. Coach Sparky Woods and his Gamecocks got off to a slow start in 1992 with 5 straight losses (damn that East Carolina) but after Freshman QB Steve Tannyhill led a player revolt USC got things turned around winning 4 of their next 5 to set up this game. The Gamecocks were also out for a little revenge as they had not beaten the Tigers in four years (making Levon Kirkland and Kevin Horres undefeated against the Gamecocks... not that Kevin played... he wasn’t even on the team... but he was at Clemson at that time and this is probably the only time he’ll ever see his name listed with Levon Kirkland so I figured I’d throw my big brother a bone). Anyway, the Gamecocks were ticked off and they weren’t going to take it anymore. As an added bonus, they had a chance to hand Clemson its first losing season in a long time. The game was in Death Valley and the Gamecocks took it to the Tigers. USC won the game 24-13 with Steve Tannyhill “signing” his name on the Tiger Paw in the middle of the field making him at once the most loved and most hated person in the state. The win gave USC a final record of 5-6 (3-5 in the SEC). The Tigers ended their year with a final record of 5-6 (3-5 in the ACC).

Ok, I couldn’t find a video of this game... so I decided to give my Gamecock friends something to laugh at. Watch this video...


Oh, I’m also thankful for something like this...


Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs beat the Pistons 98-88 last night. Their next game is Friday at Charlotte.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles are off today so that the players and coaches can spend time with their families.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Carolina/Clemson 1987/1981

Here is the intro to the 1987 game...

USC: November 21, 1987. That was the intro to one of the bigger match-ups between USC and Clemson (at least when it comes to national rankings). The Gamecocks entered the game ranked #12 while the Tigers were ranked #8. The Gamecock captains that year were Sterling Sharpe and Brad Edwards. Clemson’s defense that year included senior Michael Dean Perry, but it was the Gamecock defense that stole the game with 3 interceptions. Tiger QB Rodney Williams left the field that night to the taunting chants of “Rod-ney, Rod-ney, Rod-ney” from the USC faithful. The Gamecocks, in front of 75,043 fans (plus a national TV audience watching on ESPN) smacked the Tigers all over the field for a 20-7 win. (***Side note: I remember watching this game at the Freeman’s house [they lived down the street from us]. After this game, I never watched another Clemson game at their house. End Side note***). The Tigers would bounce back in the Citrus Bowl to hand Joe Pa and his Penn State team the worst bowl beating ever (at least at the time... not sure if that’s still true). The Tigers would end the season at 10-2 (6-1 in the ACC... ACC Champs) and would have a final AP ranking of #12. USC would travel to play at Miami (again on ESPN) the week after the Clemson game where they would fall to the #2 ranked Hurricanes 20-16. I remember this game because it was the first time I learned you can’t spell “THUG” without The “U”. For what it’s worth, I still think USC got cheated in this game.

Anyway, the Gamecocks would end their season with a Gator Bowl loss to LSU. The final record for the Gamecocks in 1987 was 8-4 and they ended up ranked 15th in the final AP poll.

Clemson: November 21, 1981. Coach Danny Ford took his undefeated, #2 ranked Clemson Tigers down to Columbia to face Coach Jim Carlen’s Gamecocks. The Gamecocks wanted nothing more than to give the Tigers their first loss of the season in front of 56,971 fans (plus an ESPN audience). The Tigers would have none of it as they used a punishing ground game to rush for 254 yards and 3 TDs to win 29-13. The Tigers would go on to beat Nebraska in the Orange Bowl to end their season as National Champions with a 12-0 record (6-0 in the ACC). Two major wins for the Tigers that year (other than the Orange Bowl win) came against Georgia (final AP ranking #6) and North Carolina (final AP ranking #9). The Gamecocks ended their season with a loss at Hawaii to give them a final record of 6-6.


Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs are in Detroit tonight to face the Pistons.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles are off until Monday.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Clemson/USC 1980/1984

There is a scene in The Godfather where we see Clemenza telling Michael that wars every five to ten years between the families are good because they help get rid of the bad blood. Such is the case when talking about the USC/Clemson football rivalry. Most people know about the fight in 2004 but few remember the fight in 1983. Granted the fight in 2004 involved more players and lasted longer… but it wasn’t the first and it won’t be the last. Below are videos from each game. One thing I remember from the 2004 game was a USC player standing at the bottom of The Hill taunting the Tiger players as they ran down. That’s nothing new really. Players have done it in the past and I’m sure they’ll do it in the future. The reason I remember this one is that after taunting the Tigers, this Gamecock player proceeded to fumble away the opening kickoff. Good one.

From the 1983 game (I love the audio on this one)


From 2004 (I could do without the audio on this one)


Now, back to our regular program…

Clemson: November 22, 1980. Coach Jim Carlen took his 14th ranked Gamecocks into Death Valley to face the unranked Tigers. The Gamecocks were feeling pretty good with future Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers running wild all season. Clemson, on the other hand, was just ready for the season to end. Then in the Clemson locker room before the game Coach Danny Ford pulled off one of the greatest motivation acts ever… orange pants. It sounds so simple, yet when the Tigers put on the orange pants they knew they couldn’t lose. And so, with the orange pants on, Clemson held USC to two FGs and won the game 27-6. Clemson would end the season with a 6-5 record (2-4 in the ACC). USC would go on to lose to Pitt in the Gator Bowl.

USC: November 24, 1984. Perhaps the greatest year in Gamecock football history. If not the greatest, it’s at least in the running. The week before this big game, the Gamecocks were ranked #2 with a very good shot at #1. All they had to do was take care of Navy on the road and then travel to Death Valley to crush the Tigers. It shouldn’t be a problem… the Gamecocks had already beaten #12 Georgia and #11 Florida State. So of course, Navy won 38-21. The Gamecocks were able to pull things together in time to beat the Tigers on ESPN 22-21. The Tigers would end the season with a 7-4 record (5-2 in the ACC). The Gamecocks would go on to lose to Oklahoma State in the Gator Bowl to end the season with a 10-2 record (the only 10 win season in Gamecock football history). The Gamecocks would also come in at #11 in the final AP poll.

Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs still haven’t played since the last time I posted.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles lost to the Clemson Tigers last night 102-66. The good news? It was a season high in points for the Eagles. Next up… at App State on Monday.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Carolina/Clemson 2006/2008

As I told you, I will be talking a good bit about past Clemson/USC games this week. If you don’t mind (and really, even if you do mind), we’ll start with the most recent win for each team. Before I get started, let me point out something I came across while doing my research. The USC Board of Trustees banned football in 1906. Football was reinstated in 1907 after a series of unfortunate “accidents” led to the disappearance of a few of those Trustees.

USC: November 25, 2006. Steve Spurrier took his unranked Gamecocks into Death Valley to face Tommy Bowden’s 24th ranked Tigers. This is a game that saw Clemson score on big play after big play... but when it mattered the most the Gamecocks were able to march down the field and score. Clemson had a shot to tie it at the end of the game but they couldn’t make the FG. The Gamecocks had 492 yards of total offense that day on the way to a 31-28 win. The captains that year for USC were Fred Bennett, Ike Crofoot, and Chris White. The Gamecocks would go on to defeat Houston in the Liberty Bowl and end the year 8-5 (3-5 in the SEC). Clemson would go on to lose to Kentucky in the Music City Bowl and would end the year 8-5 (5-3 in the ACC). Here are some highlights from the 2006 game:


At this point I would like to share a clip from the Entourage Season 6 Finale. I don’t watch this show, but I came across this clip and I found it laugh out loud funny (Matt Damon is in this clip... need I say more?). There is some bad language here, so turn down the volume if you’re at work.


Clemson: November 29, 2008. Interim Head Coach Dabo Sweeny and his Clemson Tigers welcomed Coach Steve Spurrier and his USC Gamecocks to Death Valley in a match up of unranked teams. The captains that year for USC were Jasper Brinkley, Kenny McKinley, Eric Norwood, and Justin Sorensen. Clemson needed to win this game to become bowl eligible and many felt like Sweeny needed a win to help him earn the job of head coach. The Tigers went out and played this game like they wanted it more (and perhaps they did). Death Valley was rocking as the Tigers took control of the game and never let go as they went on to win 31-14. The Gamecocks went on to lose to Iowa in the Outback Bowl to end their season at 7-6 (4-4 in the SEC). The Tigers went on to lose to Nebraska in the Gator Bowl to end their season at 7-6 (4-4 in the ACC). The following clip brings me to tears every time I watch it... it’s that funny. So now I will share it with you...


Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs are preparing for their game this Wednesday night.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles travel to Clemson tonight to face the Tigers. I expect this to be a close game at tip-off. After that... I don’t have a clue. Still, if you must know, I pick my Eagles to win in a close game. The Eagles have won at Clemson before ('01-'02 season). Of course, that was before Littlejohn and Clemson's team were both renovated.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Weekend Update....

I want to start today by wishing my good friend and faithful I’m just sayin… reader Michael Wood a happy 30th birthday (his birthday was yesterday). Michael had a great party last night and I have no doubt that all charges stemming from that party will be dropped in the near future.

One more thought on the party. Jamin did a great job with the music. I got their late, so I’m sure the reason I didn’t hear Free Bird or The Devil Went Down to Georgia is that they had already been played. I did notice that there is still no cowbell in the group. My schedule is full right now, but maybe when I’m done with this whole MBA thing I will be available to fill that void.

I’m sure by now you know that I’ve been knocked out of the high school playoffs after going 0-2 in my picks. James Island had their playoff run ended when they lost by over 40 points. Summerville, playing in the other playoff game, fell by 7 to end their run.

Not sure if you’ve heard or not, but there is a big game coming up this Saturday. That’s right, this Saturday is the Clemson/Carolina (or Carolina/Clemson) game. In honor of this, I will be posting on various Clemson and USC things (including recaps of some past games). Now, friends, you know that when I’m talking about any topic (basketball, football, politics, my past…) I’m nothing if not fair and balanced. So this isn’t going to be just some USC bashing stuff going on. I made a pledge to a faithful reader that I would do my best to find something good to say about USC each day. So there is a chance that each day this week you will read something you like and something you don’t like. My advice would be to deal with it. Some of you may be from up north and will think you shouldn’t care about this game or the history between the two schools. I can’t say I’d be surprised by such a stupid thought from a Yankee. Then again, I think that most of my northern readers are smart enough to appreciate how big this game is to people in South Carolina.

Promotional consideration for my post today is paid for by ESPN…


Cleveland Cavs update: Since we last met, my Cavs won 105-95 at Indiana and 97-91 at home vs. Philadelphia. The Cavs won’t play again until Wednesday when they will travel to Detroit to face the Pistons.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles won a defensive battle yesterday against the Spartans of USC Upstate (49-46). At one point around the middle of the second half, the Eagles were down by 13 before making an epic run to win the game. Winthrop will be on the road on Monday when they travel to Clemson to face the Tigers. To be honest, my hope is that Clemson will forget about the game… or that Winthrop will build on their late second half run from yesterday and will stick it to the Tigers.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Friday fun night.....

The Wife left me home alone with Mary Ruth and Susie… so this is going to be short.

Big news... Oprah has announced that her TV show will end in 2011. I can’t help but think my blog has something to do with this announcement.

The post tonight is brought to you by ESPN…


We have two I’m just sayin… High School Football Games of the Week tonight. Game number one is a game that all in the state will be following: James Island at South Pointe. South Pointe is the defending Division II-AAAA state champion. James Island doesn’t care. The line is South Pointe by 21 ½. Give me JI and the points. Game number 2 is a lesser known contest but people in this area seem to care about it: Gaffney at Summerville. Gaffney killed Summerville last year… but this game is being played this year. The line is Summerville by 3. I say take Summerville and give the points.

Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs are in Indiana tonight facing the Pacers.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles are at home tomorrow against USC Upstate.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Raising money.......

As you, my faithful readers, are aware I spoke many weeks ago about the difference in the amounts that people give to their church and sports teams. For most, money goes first to the college booster clubs and then what is left (if any) goes to the church. I’ve thought some more about it and I’ve come to realize that the colleges just flat out do a better job of raising money. Let’s look at the 3 major colleges in South Carolina and see what their booster clubs are like.

The Eagle Club: This is the booster club for the Winthrop Eagles. There are 8 levels of membership in the Eagle Club. The first four levels are Gold ($50+), Garnet ($150+), Coaches ($300+), and Imperial ($500+). Next you have the President’s Circle, which is made up of the following four levels: Golden Eagle ($1,000+), Executive ($1,750+), Scholarship ($3,500+), and Platinum ($5,000+). There is also a student club (the WU Crew) and a club for children (the Lil’ WU Crew). Each of these levels, of course, comes with their own little set of “benefits”. One mistake Winthrop makes, in my opinion, is that the benefits for Imperial and Coaches are the same… and all four levels in the President’s Circle have the same benefits. So someone giving $5,000 doesn’t receive any more benefits than someone giving $1,000. To be fair, it might be this way because there might not be anyone giving more than $500 at this time… so it might not really matter. Winthrop’s Alumni base (for the most part) is still rather small and poor compared to the other two schools we’re going to look at.

IPTAY: This is the booster club for the Clemson Tigers. IPTAY has 10 levels: Purple ($140+), Orange ($350+), Champion ($700+), Tiger ($1,400), Howard ($2,100+), IPTAY ($2,800+), Jervey ($4,200+), McFadden ($5,600+), Fike ($7,000+), and Heisman ($10,000+). Clemson also has a student club (IPTAY Collegiate Club) as well as a level for children (Tiger Cub Club) and a club for teens (IPTAY CATS). The biggest benefit (that I can see) with each level is the number of football and basketball season tickets you are allowed to buy at that level. I have to admit… this just blows my mind.

The Gamecock Club: USC’s booster club, this also has ten levels: Roost ($55+), Century/Classroom Club ($165+), Roundhouse/Tutor Teammate ($385+), Half Scholar/Book Benefactor ($725+), Full Scholar/Computer Contributor ($1,500+), Silver Spur/Meal Member ($3,300+), Garnet Spur/Housing Host ($7,000+), Golden Spur/Tuition Tier ($10,000+), Platinum Spur/Scholarship Society ($15,000+), Diamond Spur/Commencement Circle ($30,000+). Just like with the other clubs, these have different levels of benefits… although I will say for $30,000 a year I think you should get to call at least one football play on offense and defense each game. I mean really, for $30,000+ a year you can buy a state worker.

So I hope by now you see where I’m going with this. Churches need to have different membership levels! BRILLIANT! I know. Of course, you have to be careful doing something like this. You don’t want people to think that the people in the higher levels will have a better shot at getting into heaven. Well, you DO want them to think that… you just don’t want them to know that you want them to think that. Different benefits could include “priority” parking and seating, car decal, church newsletter, use of church gym, extra prayers (whoops… how did that get there?)… anyway, you get the idea. I really think this could work. If only there was a new church with a preacher bold and brave enough to implement an idea like this. If only…


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Cleveland Cavs update: The Wizards (even without Harry Potter) were able to upset my Cavs 108-91 last night. The Cavs were off tonight.

Winthrop Eagles update: While there is still debate on if this is a real man’s sport or not, I have to congratulate the Winthrop men’s soccer team for winning the Big South Championship and making it to the NCAA Tournament (where they lost tonight to a bunch of spoiled rich kids. FYI… a devil by any other color is still a devil. Here’s a question… is a blue devil a liberal devil?).

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Clemson Tigers..............

I would like to take a second here to talk about Clemson football. As you well know, I am a huge Winthrop Eagle fan... but I grew up a Clemson fan. To be honest, I wouldn’t really call myself a Clemson fan anymore. I’m more of a Clemson football follower, if you will. I still cheer for them, but I’m not nearly as into Clemson football as I was back in the day. It’s funny (in a sad kind of way) but I can still remember when I stopped caring. It was September 11, 2004 and Clemson was playing Georgia Tech. The Tigers had ended the 2003 season on a high note (thanks in large part, I believe, to my friend Tony Elliott) and the ’04 season started with a win. I was all about Clemson football. Then I stayed up until after midnight to watch Clemson give the game to Georgia Tech. The next day, my sister-in-law’s Dad died (unrelated to the game... I think... he had been in the hospital for something and was going to go home when he died). [***A word about Tommy (my sister-in-law’s Dad)... I met him when I was in middle school some time after my brother started dating his daughter. I was rather tall for my age back then, but I met Tommy and thought “Good God this man is huge”. Anyway, he always treated me great. Maybe he was this way with everyone... but I like to think he treated me great because he thought I was a swell guy. It’s not like he had to be nice to me. It’s not like I was the one that was going to marry his daughter. Hmm, now that I think about it, maybe that’s why he was nice to me. But really, it’s not like I could intimidate the guy... at best, I could only hope to out run him. He was a great guy, and to be honest... I miss him.***] So, Tommy died on the 12th... and then Dach (aka, greatest dog ever... I’ve talked about him on here before) died that Monday (the 13th). After that, I just couldn’t care. I haven’t been able to care as much since. I don’t know why... I just don’t care anymore. I think in some way, I was pissed at Clemson for the way they played that game. Tommy was a big Clemson fan. What if he saw that game? The last game he ever saw and it was that?! How much would that suck? Oh well... enough of that talk.

Now let’s talk about CJ Spiller. Remember I told you here first weeks ago that this guy is fast (and good). I know some people don’t like him because of where he’s playing... but he’s still good. And he’s doing this stuff hurt. Amazing. I saw where he was voted one of their captains. I remember my friend Tony was a unanimous selection for captain his last season (2003). I always thought that might have been the highest honor for him (that I know of). I mean, he was a walk-on WR who was 4th on the list of Clemson receivers that most people wanted to talk about that year... and he was a unanimous selection. That’s respect right there.

I knew a baseball team that voted on captains (or had the coach appoint a captain) at the beginning of the year. We didn’t do that at JI. Someone (almost always a senior) just stepped up at some point. It was never something that was said out loud... it was just a case of everyone on the team looking to that guy. When I was there, Coach Hatley was teaching at Harbor View Elementary School and coaching at JI. So we would start stretching and warming up early so that when he got there we were ready to practice. The main thing the (unspoken) Captain would do is announce when it was time to get started. I remember my senior year standing out at the field thinking about who would be the one making that call that year when I noticed everyone was looking at me waiting for me to say something. That’s how it worked on that team.

I have an idea to help churches raise money... and I’ll tell it to you tomorrow. So make sure you check back tomorrow because this one is a good one.


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Cleveland Cavs update: My Cavs crushed Golden State last night 114-108. Tonight we are at Washington to play the Wizards (no, Jenn, Harry Potter doesn’t play for Washington).

Winthrop Eagles update: My Eagles are back in Rock Hill trying to figure out a way to make a jump shot in a game. I really hope they figure it out soon.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Do you believe in miracles?

YES!

I MADE A 97 ON MY FINANCE TEST LAST WEEK... proving once again that miracles still happen! With this 97, I still have a mathematical chance at an A in this class. It's a long shot though... but it does remind me of a Quantitative Methods class I took at Winthrop in the Fall of 2001. I found myself not doing too good in that class. I'm not one to make excuses... let's just say The Girlfriend was taking up a lot of my time. Anyway, with two tests and one other assignment left I was in need of the following grades: 100, 100, 100... in order to get a C in the class. Nailed it.

I have been told that it has been said that I am a fun guy to be around. It’s good to know that someone out there speaks well of me… especially when you consider The Wife and The Mother-in-Law are most likely out there speaking ill of me.

I wish I could play the guitar. Have you ever noticed when someone is speaking while a guitar is softly playing in the background they sound so cool and smart… it makes you feel like you really need to listen to what they’re saying. I’m thinking of paying someone to come with me to meetings and presentations just to play the guitar in the background while I speak. Really, it’s hard to do with anything other than a guitar. I tried something like this at work the other day using a cowbell, but I didn’t really get the result I was looking for.

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Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs are playing the Golden State Warriors tonight.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles were at the College of Charleston tonight. The Eagles are still ice cold from outside… which didn’t help things tonight. They fell to the Cougars 69-57.

Monday, November 16, 2009

I'm BAAAAAAAAAACK...........

I was away from my computer all day Saturday and then Sunday was my regular day of rest, but I’m back now and still great. I guess we have some catching up to do.

Let’s start with this……….. HOW ‘BOUT THEM TROJANS?! TR-OJ-A-N-S! TR-OJ-A-N-S! That’s what I’m talking about. Last Friday night, James Island beat Wren in OT. I still don’t think JI should have made the playoffs…. But since they’re in, they might as well win it.

Saturday was also a good football day. Navy was able to follow their expected win over Notre Dame with a 35-18 victory over Delaware. Navy still has a couple of games left in the regular season, but they have already accepted a bid to play in the Texas Bowl. They have this cool deal
here that allows you to purchase tickets and donate them to midshipmen or enlisted servicemen (and it’s tax deductible).

Clemson beat NC State bringing them one step closer to the ACC Championship game. Georgia Tech crushed Duke to win the Coastal Division of the ACC and earn their spot in the championship game. South Carolina went toe to toe with #1 Florida for 3+ quarters before falling at the end. They put up a good fight.

I spent most of Saturday in Rock Hill. I can tell you this… Winthrop alumni know how to give back to their school. There are some NICE buildings there that have been paid for (in large part, at least) by various alumni donors. I’m starting to save my money now so that one day business students can study in Horres Hall. Anyway, this past Saturday was Homecoming at Winthrop. This was the first fall Homecoming that I can remember at Winthrop. It might be the first one ever… I’m not sure and I’m too lazy to check. I bet Jeremy would know. He knows everything. The weather was great and I had a great time tailgating before the game. The game was… well, Winthrop won. Whoever said, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game that matters” must have never won an ugly game. Winthrop played ugly up until the last 2 minutes. They did just enough to come away with a 2 point win over a very good (against Winthrop) Limestone team.

As you know, I’m not one to judge people but I have to ask… What kind of sick, twisted, crazy person watches that tv show Brothers and Sisters? I mean really, who can sit and watch such filth? (***NOTE: I’ve never seen the show… I didn’t even know about it until about today***). Ok Greg, what current TV shows do you like? NCIS, NCIS-LA, Psych, & Big Bang Theory are the main shows that I watch. There are others that I watch… but those are the main ones.

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Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs beat Utah 107-103 on Saturday. They take the court again tomorrow night against Golden State.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles will be in Charleston tomorrow night to face the College of Charleston. GO EAGLES!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Friday the 13th..........

The date was November 13... 1992. I remember it well. It was a dark night (because the sun and gone down). It is a special date... the last day I had a big brother. You see, he got married the next day. So there we were in Spartanburg, South Carolina the night before his wedding day. I was in the 8th grade at the time. I won’t go into details about what we did that night (because I have a preacher reading this thing...) but if you really must know, this pretty much sums it up. I will say that this night was the reason I’ve been addicted to strip clubs since the 8th grade. Haha... just kidding, I’ve been addicted to them since the 6th grade. But seriously, I’m not addicted... I could stop going if I wanted. ($10 says The Wife is rolling her eyes after reading that). Anyway, it was good to have one last fun night with my brother before he started his sentence... uh... marriage.

Well, well, well... looks like my James Island Trojans are in the playoffs. That’s right, the 3-8 Trojans are in the playoffs. My question is simple... How is this the first time in 6 years that they’ve made the playoffs? If all it takes is 3 wins, how are they not in it every year? High school football makes it look like it’s hard to make the post season in the NBA. I mean, when you’ve got 3-8 teams making the playoffs, maybe it’s time to stop letting so many teams in. Speaking of playoffs...

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The I’m just sayin... High School Football Game of the Week this week is none other than James Island at Wren. I don’t know much about Wren but I do know something about JI (and it ain’t pretty). Still, the Trojans are getting 21 points in the game. While I don’t think they’ll win, I do think the Trojans will cover... I say take JI and the points.

Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs have the day off after cooling off the Miami Heat last night. In a game that saw some of the brightest stars in the NBA today (there are some good players playing for the Heat, too) LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavs won 111-104.


Winthrop Eagles update: Coach Peele told me the other day that this Winthrop team has worked very hard during the fall workouts and the player have gone through the toughest preseason conditioning of any group in the past seven years. I expect this hard work to pay huge dividends this season.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

CMAs and Sammy Sosa...

Congrats to Taylor Swift for all of her wins last night at the CMA’s (Music Video of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year). Congrats also to Charleston native Darius Rucker for winning Best New Artist of the Year. It seems Darius is just the second black performer singer to win an individual CMA award. Charley Pride won Entertainer of the Year in 1971 and Male Vocalist of the Year in 1971 and 1972. I love Darius, I loved him with Hootie and the Blowfish and I love him as a country singer. So it is with all due respect to Darius that I say what Charley Pride did was far greater than what Darius has done. I’m not saying it’s easy now for a black performer in country music… but I am saying it’s a heck of a lot easier now than it was in the early ‘70s.

Then again, the early ‘70s didn’t have all of the media outlets that we have now… so there’s a chance most country music fans back then didn’t know Pride was black. I can’t help but think about how it was when Pride’s friends found out he was going to the awards show. I think it was probably something like the scene in Lethal Weapon 2 when Leo and Murtaugh talk to the South African consulate about Murtaugh going to South Africa.




Anyway, it was a good show last night that was worth watching.

I’ve never been a Sammy Sosa fan, but still… What the hell happened to this guy? He went from this:




To this:


That ain’t right.

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Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs won at Orlando last night 102-93. They are playing in Miami tonight.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles signed 6’9” center Martaveous Smith out of Burke County, Georgia yesterday.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Happy Veterans Day!

Well I had a great Veterans Day today. I watched an all day marathon of war/military related shows and movies... GI Joe (cartoon, not movie), Midway, Top Gun, Star Wars, NCIS, M*A*S*H... you know, all the good stuff. I also had my Dad come up and help me with a few home improvment projects The Wife wanted done. Of course, you have to understand that me saying I had my Dad help me with home improvement projects is like Dr. Watson saying he had Sherlock Holmes help him solve some cases. Anyway, it was fun and we got a lot of work done.

But really, I think I've told you on here before how much I respect veterans. They do something I'm not sure I'd be able to do. I've also told you about some books that all of you should read. Since I don't think you've read all of them yet, I will list them again for you:

Halsey’s Typhoon – A book about a typhoon during WWII that tossed around a bunch of aircraft carriers and battleships like they were little toys.

In Harm’s Way – About the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. One word... sharks.

We Were Soldiers Once... And Young – The movie was very close to the book... but the book was 100 times better. Amazing book.

Breakout – A book about the Chosin Reservoir Campaign in Korea (1950).

A Civil War: Army vs. Navy - While this book is about the Army/Navy football game, it is also a reminder that the guys who play in this game will one day serve in either the Army, Navy, or Marines. Great book. Go Navy! Beat Army!

Trust me, read these books and you'll have a whole new respect for people in the military and their family members.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Late night with I'm just sayin....

Well, the exam is over and I think I did ok on it. I was able to answer every question this time… at least that’s an improvement over last time. To be honest, I hate this class. The professor, I like. She, like all of the professors I’ve had here at CSU, is top notch. It’s just there is so much material each week that it kills me just to keep up. The good news is I will have no more exams in this class. The main thing we have left is a group project and I think I have a pretty good group. So I’ve got that going for me.

I love this picture that was forwarded to me by my good friend KC. That’s a classic look on De’Andre McDaniel’s face.



A fussy Susie is keeping me from typing so I’m going to cut this short.

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Saturday, November 7, 2009

ANCHORS AWEIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO NAVY! GO NAVY! GO NAVY! GO NAVY!

I told you earlier this week that it was going to happen and it did. Navy went to South Bend and laid it on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The final score was 23-21, but it wasn’t really close until the end. Navy just pounded the Irish… Notre Dame players are going to be hurting all of next week. Great game. GO NAVY! This is just another example of good overcoming evil.

I also told you to take James Island and the points last night… and I was right about that, too. The Trojans beat the West Ashley Wildcats by 10 points (35-25). This allowed the Trojans to end the season on a high note.

I have noticed something I find rather funny about college fans (mainly in football and basketball… but it might be like this in all sports). If their school has a good team, they will talk about their team. However, if their school doesn’t have a good team, they spend most of their time talking about their conference. As if just being in the conference makes them good. At best, this is faulty logic… at worst, a lame excuse for not winning.

Summerville won Region 8-AAAA, yet no Green Wave players will be playing in the North-South game. Seems you have to be under 20 years old to play in that game. HA! I don’t care what you think, jokes like that never get old.

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Just to let you know, I will not be posting tomorrow or Monday. I have been hearing from people who are having trouble keeping up with all of my posts. Seems the other blog they follow only has about 1 or 2 posts a week (max). So, in an effort to help them catch up, I will take the next two days off. Ok, the real reason is I need to study for my Finance exam on Tuesday. I didn’t do all that great on the first one, so I need to get a good grade on this one. And with USC playing at 12:30, Navy playing at 2:30, and Clemson playing at 7:45… well, let’s just say I haven’t gotten much studying done today. But I will be back and better than ever Tuesday night after my exam.

Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs beat the Knicks last night, 100-91. Their next game is Wednesday night in Orlando against the Magic.

Winthrop Eagles update: Sophomore Point Guard Reggie Middleton is looking to lead The Eagles to a Big South Championship this season and add his name to the list of great Winthrop point guards. Middleton is a scoring threat who can open up scoring opportunities for other players. Like most Winthrop players last season, he seemed to improve as the season went on.