Twenty Six point... wait how many?

Well this just in, I've officially lost my mind. Or at least it appears to be that way. I've decided that I'm going to be running a marathon next year. 26.2 miles, 138,336 feet, 1,660,032 inches, or 64.24% of Brett Favre's career passing yardage (on 12/15/2010). Wow that's a lot of miles, feet, or inches. Pretty much no matter which metric you put it with, it's far... real far.

So a sane person may ask "Hey why you doing this?". Well I think it's a combination of things that have led me to the conclusion that I want to run a marathon.
- I had reached my current fitness goals about 2 months ago and I've just plateaued since then.
- My trainer has been forced to take a night class and won't be able to teach the wicked mean class I currently take twice a week.
- Since I've become hooked on NBC's 'Biggest Loser' show, I've seen several people go from morbidly obese to running a marathon in like 6 months, and they've half inspired me and half made me think why the hell can't I do that?
- But most importantly, I feel that I need a far off challenging goal in life right now.

Growing up I always had goals ahead of me, whether I liked it or not. It starts with do good in school (very general), then progresses to graduate high school, make the varsity soccer team, go to college, be the best SAE I could be, pass calculus (haha stupid class), graduate college, go to grad school, move to Dallas, make it on my own in Dallas, graduate from grad school, find a good job. Well all those things are done now (along with a few other things I guess I've accomplished along the way) so I need something else. I hate being stagnant, I want to continue to be better tomorrow than I was today. Lately I'm not sure that has been happening. I feel as if this will be a guiding force that helps me be better.

So what better challenge than the ultimate feat of athletic ability, something only 1% of people have done? I say this is perfect!

I've even decided on when and where I'll run my marathon. I'll be running 26.2 miles on December 4th, 2011 in the White Rock Lake Marathon here in Dallas.

Now I've been told by a couple people that I need to join a running group and use them for motivation and a good training plan, so that will be in the works. But first I think I need to get myself to a "training ready" point. My current 1 mile run 4-5 times a week is nice for me and Beau but won't cut it when training for a marathon. So today I bumped it up to 1.8 miles and over the next 3 months I'll get to running 3-4 miles a day several times a week. From the preliminary research I've done I think at that point I'll be able to start my official training. Coming off a year where I battled shin splints I want to make sure I do this right and in a smart way, I feel great physically now and I want to keep it that way.

So if any of you have ran one before please offer your words of wisdom and encouragement. If you haven't ran, words of encouragement will still be much appreciated as I go through a very interesting year in 2011.

You can also keep track of my training by using the link above this post, and I'll surely keep my faithful following posted on your favorite blog of all time (hint hint, this one).

WHITE ROCK HERE I COME!

To whomever sent her my way, Thank you.

So I realized the other day that I hadn't posted anything in a long time. What I didn't realize until just now is that a long time meant nearly 7 months! So I know you've been sullied with the trash of Glee and Twilight and whatever else you crazy kids watch these days, here I come to save the day with a nice big giant soap box (and I ain't even gonna race it in a derby).

Why have I not written anything in almost 7 months what has been taking up all my time? Well the answer is not what but who, yes ladies and gentlemen I have me a lady friend. The last 8 and a half months have been awesome. I don't know why I'm so lucky, or what I did to deserve a girl like her, except beg for one in a post on 3/3/07 (go check it out, seriously I need the hits on the site and I can wait).

See I told you she has everything I thought I wanted 3 and a half years ago, and I am always right. Blonde hair, blue eyes, hardcore Mavs fan, strong educated woman, the list goes on but it goes on exactly like I wanted. So yes she takes up much of my time and I guess some of the time that I would sit and write to clear my mind and express myself, she now takes up (in a good way). As far as the clearing my mind and expressing myself part well just being with her clears my mind and puts me at ease, and I don't need to express myself around her she already knows who I am and what I'm about. It's nice. For those of you that have met her trust me I've heard you loud and clear.

Matt Morris "Dick don't fuck this up"
Moulton (he's like Madonna or Prince only needs one name) "Seriously Dick don't fuck this up"
Kevin Stevenson "little Ricky I don't know how you did this but don't fuck it up"
Bloch (he's like Jebediah or Ishmael only needs one name) "I'm happy for you brother, but seriously don't fuck this up"

Trust me boys, I'm trying my hardest to not "fuck this up".


How did I meet this little lady you may ask, well online of course. Isn't that where we get everything else we want these days? You can watch videos, buy clothes, get Christmas gifts, send flowers, find a job, tweet, tell your friends about your status, and yes you can even purchase a girlfriend. Okay, okay, I didn't "purchase" her, but I did use a popular Internet dating site to find her. It's kinda weird about 5-7 years ago the people who used the Internet got made fun of and were ridiculed for not "being able to find anyone". Now the sentiment is quite the opposite. I've become less and less - embarrassed - for lack of a better word because it seems nowadays everyone has either tried it or knows someone who has tried it. Maybe Internet dating is the bell bottom pants of the aughts.

Whatever the sentiment or feeling anyone else has, I'm falling hard, fast and hoping that I can keep her tricked that I'm good enough for her, long enough to where it's too late for her to turn back(fingers crossed).

So just as Beau got a proper introduction into the blogosphere, so shall she (I had to wait a little longer to introduce her, she was a higher flight risk). I present to you my wonderful, beautiful, amazing, above hyperbole, girlfriend Sarah...




That's it for tonight folks, but I've got some other ideas of things to write about so stay tuned. I may ramble off a few post in the next couple weeks. And as always how could I forget the most inspirational speech of all time. Today starts Jimmy V week and ESPN showed the Jimmy V speech in it's entirety today while I was at the gym. If you want and or need to be inspired... just youtube it.... GREATNESS.


Goodnight!

Home of the... brave?

Ya miss me? Ya I didn't think so, oh well. Here's some reading to kick start your weekend and hopefully your thought process.

As many of you already know (if you have come out of your Dos XX and Corona daze yet) Cinco De Mayo was this week. So most of you drank for no real apparent reason... good for you, your an American and you have rights so you had the right to do so. That's interesting because apparently what you didn't have the right to do was to wear a T-shirt with an American flag on it to high school on that day. On the 5th of May, Cinco students were asked to remove their T-shirts which were either American colors or had American flags on them. The school's administration called the shirts "incendiary". Assuming that these kids weren't committing arson, Merriam Webster's dictionary online gives the definition of "a person who excites factions, quarrels, or sedition : agitator".

Here are my thoughts on the incident:

As I know it to be true these students were not in the face of any particular students or taunting them with their clothing choice. Unless I'm mistaken or have not heard all the details these students just wore these shirts (sure it was in a rebellious way, I'm not saying they didn't do it solely because it was Cinco De Mayo because I'm sure that's the only reason they did it) and went about their day at school in a normal matter. If these assumptions are wrong some of the following opinions may change.

These students did nothing wrong, period. In school we teach and even force patriotism upon students, making them stand up and say the pledge of allegiance every morning (I don't have a problem with it I'm just sayin...) so why is it a problem when they decide to show that patriotism on their own? We get so upset with the "youth of America" because they are so disconnected with politics or have no world view, but the second they decide to stand for something or take pride in something they are sent home from school? That doesn't seem right to me. In this clip (http://bit.ly/cIJpMh) there is an interview with a Hispanic girl who feels the students were wrong. I wonder if she even knows what the holiday is? It's NOT even a holiday in Mexico! It is only recognized in the Mexican state of Puebla. It is Mexico's equivalent of The Alamo, an event not celebrated by many in the United States outside of Texas. It's NOT Mexico's independence day that day is September 16th (doesn't sound as cool to surround a marketing campaign of drinking beer though so you don't know about it), and if it wasn't an excuse to drink Mexican beers, I'm about 95% confident nobody would celebrate it here either.

As in most cases, a larger picture is needed to really see what's going on here. In my opinion this isn't about these 5 students. This is just another case in the dumbing/watering down of America. Last week I read an article about the Boy Scouts of America. This organization has taken charge in molding a moral base and a sense of the great outdoors in young men for many years. But now as a Boy Scout you will be able to earn a (excuse the following language) Fucking Award for playing Video Games! That's right an organization known for the outdoors and teaching right from wrong is now promoting sitting in front of the TV and playing video games.

You wanna know why our economy sucks and people can't find jobs? It's not George Bush's fault it's not Barrack Obama's fault... IT OUR FAULT! Take some damn responsibility for yourself. We take dodgeball out of P.E. because it's too mean for kids, we give participation awards for everything (try just showing up and getting a raise at work), we sue each other because we spill coffee on ourselves.... AHHHHHH. Maybe the terrorists are right, maybe we do need to be killed. Cause we're acting like freakin' idiots. Other countries are blowing by us in education as we are busy leaving no child behind why don't we stop with fancy political slogans and do something about it? Other countries are catching us financially, as well as becoming our creditors while they collect interest on all our debt. And as our own political parties are busy telling everybody that the other side is soooo wrong most of the country is busy losing interest in politics. Many people in my age group and group of friends, including myself are becoming or already are disgusted with politics in this country. The youth movement was so inspired in this past election and I wouldn't be surprised if, that election may be the last to have an inspired youth movement. I was very interested in politics and now I just get sick when I hear about the left being liberal hippies or that the right hates people. They both suck and they've both lost me. Mickey Mouse for President!

Where is the American spirit that created modern day capitalism? Where is the winning attitude that turned a country of misfits into the most powerful country in the world? Why can't we tell kids, adults or the American people as a whole the truth anymore? Are we so dumb that we just need to have our ego's stroked so we don't get our pretty little feelings hurt?

STOP BEING A BUNCH OF PUSSIES AMERICA!

Geez in the real world you don't always win. In the real world sometimes you just flat out get screwed over. But we need to learn that at an early age so we don't fall apart when that happens as an adult. I love this country with all my heart but more and more often I'm so utterly embarrassed for us.

I was asked this week by my Dad and I forwarded the question on as well. What is greatness? As I tried to figure out the answer to that question (if there is a right answer) I came up blank. But what I do know is what greatness is not. Greatness is not sending home kids who wear the flag of their country on their shirts ON ANY DE MAYO.

96? C'mon let's not ruin this please...

I love sports so much, I have a degree in the sports industry and the best month of the sports in this country is about to be upon us like the 12 and a half inches of snow that blanketed Dallas two weeks ago. For these reasons I bring to you my opinion on the recent rumors of an expansion to a 96 team field in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

The current field is comprised of 64ish teams. It was 64 until the Mountain West Conference came into existence. This conference was a break up of the WAC which had grown too quickly to 16 teams and for whatever reasons (probably ego) the teams didn't get along and the teams that were originally in the WAC had to break off and leave to create the MWC. At this point college basketball was already at odds with figuring out how to limit the "snubs" or teams that didn't get into the tournament at the end of the season. Being that the MWC would soon (had to wait till their second season) earn an automatic bid to the tournament for their conference tournament champion, the NCAA had to get creative. Now instead of having 30 automatic bids there was now going to be 31, small change right? Wrong. This change also meant that there would now be 33 instead of 34 "at large" teams would get a bid to the tournament. This means there would be one more "snub" and the NCAA was already taking heat for letting teams like Liberty, Johnny Walker Northwest State southern community college, and Stony Brook into the tournament every year (I made one of those up... guess which one). So they added the "Play-in" game or as I like to call it "Hey we get to play in Dayton (who cares) for a chance to get our asses handed to us by a team with at least 3 future NBA players on it"... HOORAY!

So now we have a field of 65 or like I said 64ish.

Recent rumors and some legitimate reports have surfaced. The main legitimate source of information has come from Street and Smith's Sport Business Journal. In an article from February 1st they say that they have obtained an RFP (request for proposal) from the NCAA showing a request for bids on a new TV deal which would include and expansion to 96 teams. Yeah you read that correctly, freaking 96! Based on Current RPI rankings and assuming the current RPI theory of the top 40 teams get in with 65 teams, with no more automatic bids in a 96 team tournament, that would mean the 71st best RPI would get in. Everybody please welcome to the tournament From The University of Tulsa your completely average and on a 4 game losing streak Golden Hurricane! Yes in theory they'd make the dance.

College football has already sold their soul for money and considering the fact that the governing body for both football and basketball is the infamous NCAA, I guess basketball soon will too. College football now has 34 bowl games (including the world famous New Mexico bowl, the Little Ceasar's Pizza bowl, and I can't forget the uh oh... Better get Maaco bowl) that means that 68 out of the 120 college football teams in Division 1A make the post season, which is 57% (yeah, and the Lobos STILL weren't good enough). Although 96 out of the 347 NCAA Division 1 basketball teams isn't as ridiculous at 28% that number seems a little low but it's not when you consider the complete lack of talent or teams able to compete at the highest level, I mean after you get past about 181 they are all teams with losing records from schools with multiple directions in their name that you could pick out on a map in your life depended on it.

I understand that sports is a business, I better considering that whole degree in Sports Management thing right? I'm also aware that a large and substantial portion of the NCAA's income (not just basketball but the entire NCAA) comes directly from TV rights to their end of the season quest for a champion. As stated in the SJB article the NCAA is currently in an 11 year $6 billion contract with two years remaining. Due to the escalating nature of the contract a little more than a third of that money is still remaining in the contract ($2.131 billion). So increasing the tournament from a field with 64 games to a field with 95 games, would therefore increase the size of the rights deal due to increased exposure and advertising revenue, etc, etc. But at what cost does the NCAA risk in this possible change? I feel they could lose a large piece of their credibility. In doing research for this posting (yeah I haven't done that since school, it was a little weird) I found that a phrase most often uttered was something along the lines of "your ALREADY have it right". It is arguable that college basketball is the only American sport that has their method to crowning a champion correct, including the professional sports. So driven by greed and money (aren't we all) the NCAA will risk screwing up a good thing. The tournament has the perfect mixture of teams, has a great buzz around trying to get in, and lasts the perfect length, everyone is tuned in for the entire 3 weeks. It's what is talked about around the water cooler, shoot I even remember bringing a walkman and rigged head phones to class in high school so I could listen to broadcasts of games between two random schools (I love college basketball).

Possible poor outcomes of a 96 teams field:

-Are you really gonna want to fill out a 96 team bracket? You may think that's not a big deal but, every office, club, or group of friends currently fills one out and guess what... a lot of them then watch the tournament for the sole purpose of seeing how their bracket does. Which in turn relates to ratings which is translated into higher prices charged for advertising which means more money for everyone (well except the players... that's what the boosters are for haha).

-Lack of credibility. How many people outside of Albuquerque and the two crap teams that end up playing in the New Mexico bowl really tuned into that one? Exactly, NOBODY. That's what will happen to the first round of games with a 96 team field. That will then lead to less people watching the following rounds. Momentum and intrigue of watching George Mason all the way through as they make their run at the final four is one of the main reasons to watch.

So I make this plea. Please NCAA don't expand your tournament, you have it right. You are already the big winner don't get greedy. Tell coaches like Jim Boeheim whose Syracuse teams gets in every year already to stop championing the cause of this ridiculous endeavor. Sure if you're a coach "making the tournament" helps with job security but that could soon mean the same as being "bowl eligible"... absolutely nothing. This would also render the regular season meaningless. All you have to do is be so-so and you make post season play. PLEASE, PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU DON'T RUIN MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR.

Also please join the Facebook group I created.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=366002785210&ref=nf

It's all about the YOU baby!

No Ernest not "The U", but "The YOU".

Today I stumbled across a very interesting article that caught my attention and possible will change the face of this blog. Here's the link if any of YOU are interested after reading this of course ;)

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2009/02/28/8-tips-for-building-community-on-your-blog/

So what did I get from this article YOU may ask, well I'll tell you. As some of YOU still continue to read this and some even tell me they enjoy reading (imagine that), I feel it is getting dry and boring. So I've been thinking for months for ways to making this a website that YOU like, YOU enjoy, YOU can't wait to read in the afternoon when YOU get off work. I want this to be a place that a close net group of friends and family and a few stragglers that wound up clicking their way here, can come to get information that is pertinent to their lives. Just hearing me talk and feed YOU my opinions my be entertaining and have some relation to YOUr current situations. But how do I get YOU to take ownership in this site? Well... Give YOU ownership. Yeah YOU'd think a guy that was in school for 20 years would have come up with that on his own - but no - it took a "tiny url" on twitter (what is this world coming to?).

So here is what will change on this site:

I would guess a large majority of YOU have Facebook accounts (follow this blog, you can do it by going to the upper right of this page and clicking follow, hard right?). I'm not going to stop sending out the email to the several readers that are informed of a new post by that method, but rather send out a monthly email reminder (eventually eliminating it). I sometimes feel like I'm spamming YOU when I send the email so I want to phase that out. Eventually I'd like this to be a site YOU just check on a daily or weekly basis.

I'm going to start posting interactive surveys, polls, quizzes on here as well. Yeah that's right YOU scrolled right over one just a second ago (go back and look at the top of this page). So every now and again there will be a new something at the top of the page for YOU to participate in.

As most of YOU know I'm in the process of accomplishing 100 goals in 1000 days. I've figured out a way to keep YOU involved with that as well. I've only been able to come up with 80 things anyway. So why not open the other 20 spots to YOU the viewers/readers? That's right I want to know what YOU have set for a goal for YOUrself in the next 1000 days. Or if YOU want to finish YOUr goal list with me my 1000 days is up on June 16th 2011. But either way please get me a goal that YOU have set for YOUrself and the community of this blog will cheer YOU on and help motivate YOU to YOUr goal. What YOU think? Get me those goals ASAP!

The most important and I think vital change to ensure that YOU feel like this is a site YOU want to visit on a regular basis is, guest bloggers! That's right I want YOU to write on here. There are several people I'm going to reach out to and see if they are willing to put something together. I want the topics to continue to be along the same lines of the stuff I talk about here but from other points of view and in a different tone. If you want to be a guest blogger please let me know (if YOU don't have my contact information, I probably don't want YOU to be a guest blogger anyway).

Other changes will come shortly but that is what WE will start off with. YOU might say, this is kinda weird or why is he trying to build a "community blog"? Yeah YOU're right this idea might not work. But think of it this way, this may just be a smaller more relevant to YOU, version of Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, LinkedIn, tiddlywinks, basket-weaving or where ever else YOU are currently getting your information.

So frequent the site and enjoy the changes... It's now YOUrs!

3 months... and no me?

This is easily the longest I've gone without posting something and I'm sorry or you're welcome depends on who are. I usually try to write when something happens in my life but in the last 3 months I've been pretty busy. Sure I had an hour here or there to write something but I didn't. So what the hell did I do the last 12 weeks?

Maybe it's the way our current culture has developed. Maybe that's the reason I don't have the drive or energy to post much lately. With twitter and Facebook (how come my computer thinks twitter is a word but not Facebook?) providing quick fixes for information, these blog posts seem longer and longer to me even though they may be getting shorter. I've noticed I am to the point where I know all of what's going on in the world but without any detail. It seems as I just read headlines and my thirst for information has been quenched (so if you're still reading this I applaud you).

So here's some twitter-like headlines of the past 12 weeks:

• I played 4 full length outdoor soccer games in 36 hours and loved it. I miss playing SOO much.
• Had my work holiday party at my old work... is that odd?
• Cowboys win!
• Cowboys lose :(
• Disco dies in big D but is born again in the Burque! PA bro.
• 10 hours each way is WAY worth it to spend 9 days at home for Christmas.
• Sister has a boyfriend!
• Everyone's a LOBO! Finally a college bball season to be excited about! Coach Alford needs to be here to stay!
• Just when I thought I was making some head way... her econ classes were over. Damn.
• Jersey Shore is rotting the brains of America's youth
• 90999
• Amazing Mexican wedding! Congrats Greg we all had a great time!
• 34 Bowl games is too many! If they let that % of teams in for bball there would be like 160 teams in the tournament.
• Dirk 20K! Stop the haters

"The True Gentleman [is a man] whom honor is sacred and virtue safe." - John Walter Wayland