I love my dog.
You love your dog. My mom loves her dog. My dad loves his dog. My sister loves her dogs. My friends love their dogs.
And I like Michael Vick.
And it displeases me to see people giving Vick such a hard time about his past when all he's trying to do is put it behind him by returning to football. He could have easily given up on the game, like so many athletes do when they run into trouble, but at least he's trying to live up to the potential he was once slated to have.
What makes me even more disgruntled with this whole situation is the identity of the anti-Vick groups that have conjugated around the Philadelphia Eagles organization. Go on ESPN or Google some pictures of these groups. Do they really look like a bunch of die-hard football fans that have the knowledge of the league to understand that there are former criminals that have done far worse things, actively playing?
No, they don't. They look like a bunch of mindless animal rights activists that will jump on any case that involves an abused animal (see PETA's approach to Obama killing a fly during an interview).
So how many of these people would still be out there, picketing and bitching about Vick's past, if they knew about Dante Stallworth, Pacman Jones, or even Plaxico Burress to an extent?
Leave sports-related protesting to sports fans. Vick is not a dogfighting organizer anymore. He's a FOOTBALL PLAYER.
Now, I don't condone animal abuse by any means. I've owned lots of pets over the years and would never considering harming them. But I'm also not saying that what Vick did was right. But it is right that Vick came back to football, where he belongs.
Welcome back to the NFL, Mr. Vick. May your NFL career thrive, stress-free from here until retirement.
-Mitch
Friday, August 28, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Sports blog!
Fall approaches.
That bodes good things for me. My two favorite sports are about to start, and this year will likely be the best ever (for me, not those sports). Football starts in a matter of weeks, while hockey starts in October.
Now that I'm active on the UGA campus, I've been hit with a cinder block of hysterical college football anticipation. I ordered a season ticket package ($48, bitches!), but due to my "transfer student" status, I'll likely only get half a season. And they won't be the exciting games either. Hello, Tennessee Tech, Kentucky and Arizona State!
But any ticket's a good ticket, since I've never been to a game in my entire life. Ah, the perks of being a student.
I have a pretty good feeling about this season. Like a lot of SEC teams, we have constant "turnover" framework and perennial recruiting classes that lead us to expect a decent season of at least eight or nine wins, as usual. Barring a slew of injuries (again), we're hearing second in the SEC East and a likely Capital One appearance again.
But I like to think of this season as redemption. Last year, Georgia was preseason No. 1, and ESPN and every other national sports network was getting off to the offense, the superstars, blah blah blah. Then injuries came, Tebow and his brigade surged, and we slipped. Sub-par to preseason impressions, but Jesus (the real one, not Tebow), 10-2 IS A GOOD RECORD.
This year, no one's watching us. We're sleepers, if you will. Florida gets to deal with the preseason crap. For the first time in over a year, ESPN is backing the fuck off.
You wouldn't imagine how much of a help that is.
Or maybe you can.
Either way, it was evident at preseason media day (which I got the pleasure of going to) that this year's team is a far more focused Bulldogs. Richt likes not having the hype on his team, which allows them to find their own identity, not just "No. 1." No more weaving through the traffic cones of press, as I was that day (snicker).
Talking to the players was a relief, as well. I was impressed by Joe Cox's character and comfort around so many people, two things I think Stafford was, well, undeniably, no, fucking terrible with. Quarterbacks have to be approachable and intelligent, and Cox definitely brings that to the table. He's had plenty of time to get ready for this, which also makes me confident in him. This ain't no true freshman.
After speaking with Cox, as well as A.J. Green (chilled out black dude), Rennie Curran (stocky, scary-ass black dude), Shaun Chapas (stocky, scary-ass white dude), and Geno Atkins (real-life version of Jax from Mortal Kombat), the response about the lower ranking and lack of attention was the same: they like it.
And I can see where they're coming from. Who cares about rankings and hype? There's no glam and Tebow-ness here, and I think the players realize that. It was time to stop giving a fuck about everything and just play football without worrying about rankings, preseason opinions and all the worthless crap that come with it.
Hell yeah!
Whoops, guess I was supposed to go into hockey talk here. Not enough time. Next time, friends, next time.
Class time!
-Mitch
That bodes good things for me. My two favorite sports are about to start, and this year will likely be the best ever (for me, not those sports). Football starts in a matter of weeks, while hockey starts in October.
Now that I'm active on the UGA campus, I've been hit with a cinder block of hysterical college football anticipation. I ordered a season ticket package ($48, bitches!), but due to my "transfer student" status, I'll likely only get half a season. And they won't be the exciting games either. Hello, Tennessee Tech, Kentucky and Arizona State!
But any ticket's a good ticket, since I've never been to a game in my entire life. Ah, the perks of being a student.
I have a pretty good feeling about this season. Like a lot of SEC teams, we have constant "turnover" framework and perennial recruiting classes that lead us to expect a decent season of at least eight or nine wins, as usual. Barring a slew of injuries (again), we're hearing second in the SEC East and a likely Capital One appearance again.
But I like to think of this season as redemption. Last year, Georgia was preseason No. 1, and ESPN and every other national sports network was getting off to the offense, the superstars, blah blah blah. Then injuries came, Tebow and his brigade surged, and we slipped. Sub-par to preseason impressions, but Jesus (the real one, not Tebow), 10-2 IS A GOOD RECORD.
This year, no one's watching us. We're sleepers, if you will. Florida gets to deal with the preseason crap. For the first time in over a year, ESPN is backing the fuck off.
You wouldn't imagine how much of a help that is.
Or maybe you can.
Either way, it was evident at preseason media day (which I got the pleasure of going to) that this year's team is a far more focused Bulldogs. Richt likes not having the hype on his team, which allows them to find their own identity, not just "No. 1." No more weaving through the traffic cones of press, as I was that day (snicker).
Talking to the players was a relief, as well. I was impressed by Joe Cox's character and comfort around so many people, two things I think Stafford was, well, undeniably, no, fucking terrible with. Quarterbacks have to be approachable and intelligent, and Cox definitely brings that to the table. He's had plenty of time to get ready for this, which also makes me confident in him. This ain't no true freshman.
After speaking with Cox, as well as A.J. Green (chilled out black dude), Rennie Curran (stocky, scary-ass black dude), Shaun Chapas (stocky, scary-ass white dude), and Geno Atkins (real-life version of Jax from Mortal Kombat), the response about the lower ranking and lack of attention was the same: they like it.
And I can see where they're coming from. Who cares about rankings and hype? There's no glam and Tebow-ness here, and I think the players realize that. It was time to stop giving a fuck about everything and just play football without worrying about rankings, preseason opinions and all the worthless crap that come with it.
Hell yeah!
Whoops, guess I was supposed to go into hockey talk here. Not enough time. Next time, friends, next time.
Class time!
-Mitch
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Greetings, from Athens!
Well, I've moved in, and classes have started. In fact, my first week is almost over.
So far, things haven't been that bad. My classes will definitely be challenging, but I feel that I can get some solid A's and B's with some effort.
The roommates have been pretty good so far. I haven't had problems yet, so hopefully that's a good sign for things to come this year. It's also been a while since I've met so many people in such a short span of time. We had a little housewarming party last weekend, and have another one coming up tomorrow. I'm always up for getting to meet people, so here's to the night.
It seems like every day I shed a little bit more of my Gainesville self. I guess this is my transformation into total independence, and I couldn't be more excited. I don't regret making the decision to come here at all; this place is a great balance between a good education and a great price, as well as a social commerce. A definite recommendation in my book.
There are some downs, though. I still feel like I'm inferior to the people around me. Most of them got into UGA as freshmen, making them outstanding high school students that were heavily involved and made top-tier grades. While I like to consider myself an excellent high school student, I didn't get in to UGA as a freshman, and it took me three years of college before I could come here. And for that, I feel stupid. And I probably won't shed that notion until I see my first grade this semester.
I also miss the diversity of the past. Most UGA students appear to be similar; they dress the same, they engage in the same activities, and so forth. Being one who likes to find the different in someone, I still feel like an outlier. I'm optimistic in the thought that there's a group of people I can feel comfortable with. It's just a matter of finding them. Until then, I'm just a free agent.
And I can already tell, with the way the girls appear to be here, I can look forward to a solid 2 years of being single. Let's hope for another outlier.
Outta here,
-Mitch
So far, things haven't been that bad. My classes will definitely be challenging, but I feel that I can get some solid A's and B's with some effort.
The roommates have been pretty good so far. I haven't had problems yet, so hopefully that's a good sign for things to come this year. It's also been a while since I've met so many people in such a short span of time. We had a little housewarming party last weekend, and have another one coming up tomorrow. I'm always up for getting to meet people, so here's to the night.
It seems like every day I shed a little bit more of my Gainesville self. I guess this is my transformation into total independence, and I couldn't be more excited. I don't regret making the decision to come here at all; this place is a great balance between a good education and a great price, as well as a social commerce. A definite recommendation in my book.
There are some downs, though. I still feel like I'm inferior to the people around me. Most of them got into UGA as freshmen, making them outstanding high school students that were heavily involved and made top-tier grades. While I like to consider myself an excellent high school student, I didn't get in to UGA as a freshman, and it took me three years of college before I could come here. And for that, I feel stupid. And I probably won't shed that notion until I see my first grade this semester.
I also miss the diversity of the past. Most UGA students appear to be similar; they dress the same, they engage in the same activities, and so forth. Being one who likes to find the different in someone, I still feel like an outlier. I'm optimistic in the thought that there's a group of people I can feel comfortable with. It's just a matter of finding them. Until then, I'm just a free agent.
And I can already tell, with the way the girls appear to be here, I can look forward to a solid 2 years of being single. Let's hope for another outlier.
Outta here,
-Mitch
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Boxes
These entries are getting pretty sporadic, but then again, I never promised to blog on a tentative schedule. They come whenever I get a chance. Deal.
Right now, I'm taking a quick break from cleaning out my room and getting rid of old stuff. Then I'll get ready for the actual packing.
Easy job for just one room, right? Wrong. I'm actually taking it with mixed emotions. One side of me tells me I'm ready for a change in my life. A new home, new school, new job (eventually), and so many other news. It'll be exciting, yet challenging. UGA is a great school and I think it'll be a great place for a ambitious student such as myself.
But another side of me says I'm not ready. I'm afraid I'll break under the weight of so many new experiences coming at once. Really, the only constants I have are my stuff, my car, and my family. Gone is Gainesville State College, The Times, and, as of recent, my girlfriend.
I don't even feel like I'm the same person I was a few weeks ago. This may, in fact, be one of the biggest corners I've turned so far in my life.
But no one stays on the interstate forever. That's what exits are for, and I guess mine is coming up.
I could probably mope about this more, but there's no point in getting down when school starts in a little over a week. Motivation has never been more important than now, so let's keep cleaning and packing.
Athens, here I come.
Right now, I'm taking a quick break from cleaning out my room and getting rid of old stuff. Then I'll get ready for the actual packing.
Easy job for just one room, right? Wrong. I'm actually taking it with mixed emotions. One side of me tells me I'm ready for a change in my life. A new home, new school, new job (eventually), and so many other news. It'll be exciting, yet challenging. UGA is a great school and I think it'll be a great place for a ambitious student such as myself.
But another side of me says I'm not ready. I'm afraid I'll break under the weight of so many new experiences coming at once. Really, the only constants I have are my stuff, my car, and my family. Gone is Gainesville State College, The Times, and, as of recent, my girlfriend.
I don't even feel like I'm the same person I was a few weeks ago. This may, in fact, be one of the biggest corners I've turned so far in my life.
But no one stays on the interstate forever. That's what exits are for, and I guess mine is coming up.
I could probably mope about this more, but there's no point in getting down when school starts in a little over a week. Motivation has never been more important than now, so let's keep cleaning and packing.
Athens, here I come.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
But tonight, I'm cleaning out my closet
This entry almost didn't happen.
Why? Because I can't remember passwords. I don't have many passwords (don't act like you have a different password for every different username), but I struggle to remember what password is valid for which username at said website. I was this close (holding my fingers CLOSE together) to giving up. But I got it. Uncork the champagne.
It won't be long until I move out. I'll be in my new apartment in Athens on August 14. In fact, I made my first rent payment Saturday. Barring a glitch in the online rent payment system, I'm set for the month. Of course, I am expecting a glitch, or some way that the apartment complex (which will remain anonymous) will fuck it up. The cow always gets tipped in my direction.
So of course, I've been spending the past little while cleaning things up at home and getting ready to pack and say goodbye to the basement that I've called my cave for the past 4-5 years (not quite sure when I moved downstairs). This means cleaning out my closet, which, until today, was an enclosed space filled with old clothes and random boxes in no uniform fashion. I can't remember the last time I was able to close the door.
I spent five hours today cleaning it, collecting four giant garbage bags worth of junk that I don't need anymore. Old software, schoolwork (dating back to senior year), junk from exes, you name it. It all had to go.
Boy, did I take a trip down memory lane during the clean. Finding old papers I wrote, letters from people I used to "love," and so forth. As useless as this stuff is, it was tough to let some of that old stuff go. Especially the ancient computer games (we're talking MS-DOS boot-up games) that I played for hours on end as a young'n, but are just too scratched up and damaged to keep. Oh well, most of those games are available for download online nowadays.
I finally finished cleaning, and there's parts of the floor in my closet that I haven't seen in years. Now I just have to keep it clean for another two weeks.
Two weeks.
It's so hard to believe that in a mere two weeks, my entire life is going change, in more ways than ever before. New school. New home. New lifestyle. New job (when I can find one). New everything. The only constants are family, girlfriend, car, and whatever friends decide to stay in touch. It's almost scary to think about, seeing how I still have so much to accomplish before making the jump. I'll represent The Times at UGA this week for pre-season media day, while doing a high school football story (my specialty) and getting some preseason volleyball caps ready (not my specialty). The upcoming weeks may be the busiest of my life. Not to mention I have to apply to Grady somewhere in there. There goes my sleep.
At the same time, these are the weeks that stand as trials. If I can conquer this, I can conquer anything. A lot of people have high hopes for me; can't let them down.
That's all for now. NHL 09 calls.
Until we meet again,
Mitch
Why? Because I can't remember passwords. I don't have many passwords (don't act like you have a different password for every different username), but I struggle to remember what password is valid for which username at said website. I was this close (holding my fingers CLOSE together) to giving up. But I got it. Uncork the champagne.
It won't be long until I move out. I'll be in my new apartment in Athens on August 14. In fact, I made my first rent payment Saturday. Barring a glitch in the online rent payment system, I'm set for the month. Of course, I am expecting a glitch, or some way that the apartment complex (which will remain anonymous) will fuck it up. The cow always gets tipped in my direction.
So of course, I've been spending the past little while cleaning things up at home and getting ready to pack and say goodbye to the basement that I've called my cave for the past 4-5 years (not quite sure when I moved downstairs). This means cleaning out my closet, which, until today, was an enclosed space filled with old clothes and random boxes in no uniform fashion. I can't remember the last time I was able to close the door.
I spent five hours today cleaning it, collecting four giant garbage bags worth of junk that I don't need anymore. Old software, schoolwork (dating back to senior year), junk from exes, you name it. It all had to go.
Boy, did I take a trip down memory lane during the clean. Finding old papers I wrote, letters from people I used to "love," and so forth. As useless as this stuff is, it was tough to let some of that old stuff go. Especially the ancient computer games (we're talking MS-DOS boot-up games) that I played for hours on end as a young'n, but are just too scratched up and damaged to keep. Oh well, most of those games are available for download online nowadays.
I finally finished cleaning, and there's parts of the floor in my closet that I haven't seen in years. Now I just have to keep it clean for another two weeks.
Two weeks.
It's so hard to believe that in a mere two weeks, my entire life is going change, in more ways than ever before. New school. New home. New lifestyle. New job (when I can find one). New everything. The only constants are family, girlfriend, car, and whatever friends decide to stay in touch. It's almost scary to think about, seeing how I still have so much to accomplish before making the jump. I'll represent The Times at UGA this week for pre-season media day, while doing a high school football story (my specialty) and getting some preseason volleyball caps ready (not my specialty). The upcoming weeks may be the busiest of my life. Not to mention I have to apply to Grady somewhere in there. There goes my sleep.
At the same time, these are the weeks that stand as trials. If I can conquer this, I can conquer anything. A lot of people have high hopes for me; can't let them down.
That's all for now. NHL 09 calls.
Until we meet again,
Mitch
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