Why Being Really Lonely Is Sometimes Super Awesome

Well, that's not exactly true but I find that quote from that show so funny I decided to make it the title for an article. And with that some quick hits:

Alone...

...On a Thursday night in an important football game THE University of Arizona Kitty Kats vs Oregon Ducks, all the spotlights are on them. F*&K the Ducks. Don't overlook U of A on this one. Here in the Stoops era the Cats have been very VERY inconsistent, and it seems like they never win when they're supposed to, on the flip side to that they have a habit of winning big when they're not supposed to. Don't get me wrong, I don't really foresee my beloved Kitty Kats taking down the Number 2 team in the country led by Heisman Candidate Dennis Dixon, but our boys know when to show up big for big games. Yeah Stoops record over the last 4 years (12-22) is not the greatest. But upon closer inspection:
2004, His first season defeats #20 ASU
2005, Defeats #7 UCLA 52-14 in a seriously impressive win (as I have mentioned before, great game)
2006, An impressive upset of #8 Cal (as well as a victory @ #25 Wazzu)
These all share a few characteristics:
Ranked Opponent: #20, #7, #8
Huge Games: Rivalry game, Homecoming, Homecoming
Where: Home, Home, Home
TV: Yes, Yes, Yes
Lets look at tonight's game:
Ranked Opponent: Check, #2
Huge game: Check, Big Thursday Night Game
Where: Check, Home
TV: Check, ESPN

And let's not forget Oregon is # 74 in Total Defense allowing over 400 ypg (yards per game) and over 5.4 ypp (yards per play) and they're 105th against the pass allowing almost 13 yards per completion and almost 270 ypg. Meanwhile in lowly Tucson, the Kitty Kats are 9th in the Nation in Passing offense averaging 316 ypg in the air. If the Arizona Defense led by Spencer Larson and Antoine Cason can shut down Dixon and Jonathon Stewart at all, they have a serious chance. Plus Arizona's passing attack centers on a couple of deep bombs to break up the Defense and short passes meaning serious Time Possession, limiting Oregon's time with the Ball will work out for Arizona.
By no means am I guaranteeing an upset, but it wouldn't be the first time Stoops Troops made some noise on the big stage.

Alone...

...at the bottom of the Eastern Central Division, the Chicago Bulls. It's time to make some noise and move up. No more trade talks, it's time boys you always start slow, well now's the time for that yearly push. Not likely though seeing that they are beginning their tumultuous November Road Stretch.

Alone...

...at the bottom of the NFL, The Miami Dolphins, really pushing for the 0-16, Running the table in the opposite direction, something many of us have been waiting a long time for, we just need a little help from a few teams (the Pats losing, and everyone else beating the Fish) and The Dolphins will not only have the only undefeated team in NFL history but on its' historic 25th Anniversary, they will have the only 0-16 team ever.

Alone...
...Atop the NBA the Boston Garnetts. This team is incredible. Three stars forming together at the perfect time for some outrageous chemistry and selflessness leaving them to dominate everyone else. I knew this team was going to be good, but not this good. And I have always liked Garnett so good for him. On a sidenote my early pick for GM of the year...not Danny Ainge who picked up Garnett and Allen to forge this unholy union, but other Former (and possibly current) Celtic, Minnesota GM Kevin McHale for guaranteeing a successful Celtics team with that trade. How did he let that deal happen. I know what he was thinking, I can take a job in Minnesota, sit around for a few years and the *BAM* ship my best player to the Celtics. I half expect to walk into his office and see a complete replica of the Parkay floors and Celtic Green everywhere. He's like Sting, everyone thinks he's joining the NWO then *BAM* hits Nash (or was it Hall) with a bat and stays a good guy.

Alone...
...at work. I just heard Star Wars Yoda impersonations between two of the guys I work with. Having a conversation. Why do I work at a software company. I'm the only one here under 30. I hate this place.

Alone...
...in the thought that Colt Brennan is not overrated and unfortunately plays for an underrated Hawaii team. This guy is a class act and will be a good pro quarterback in a pass first offense. Expect him to make some waves on Sundays.

Alone...
...in the thought that Reality TV needs to go bye-bye, especially the Dating shows. These people aren't looking for love. There is what one successful one out of all the Bachelor/Bachelorette/Flavor of Love/I Love New York/Joe Millionaire, etc shows. These people are looking for fame, and shame on you, America, for giving it to them.

Alone...
...at the bottom of their storied tradition, Notre Dame, playing for it's second win of the season, and it's not week 3 or 4. There are rebuilding years and there are tear it down, play somewhere else for a year and come back years. This is the latter, everyone knew it was going to happen, but who would have guessed they were going to lose 2 to the service academies. The fact that GaTech (6-4, 3-4) was ranked #21 after beating them and that team hasn't really impressed again all season, and really didn't deserve to be 21st, and especially didn't deserve to be 15th after defeating Samford to go 2-0.

I guess being lonely sometimes is Super Awesome (Pats, Celts, and hopefully another Huge Upset at Arizona Stadium tonight). As Always GO CATS!!
More after the jump...

God help us...

... A phrase that was uttered...well actually written by my buddy Tanner. It was in regard to an expected addition to my family. Sarcastically (I hope) but I figure it has a more global meaning than he originally intended.

Kevin Garnett's a Celtic...A white guy has been the NBA MVP 3 years in a row...a Canadian and a European...The Colorado Rockies are in the World Series...South Florida was number 2 in the college football polls...5 top ten teams lose one week, 4 the next, and the number 1 and 2 the following week...there is a chance there will not only be a one-loss team in the National Championship but possibly a 2 loss team...sports are upside down all over the place.

The worst part of it all is that not too long ago ESPN and various other news reports discussed sports during their nightly airings. The biggest sports stories were streaks, records, scores, individual performances on the field. Now I listen to sports radio on the way home from work as they discuss the daily Police blotter. The pages of ESPN or FoxSports consist of Pacman Jones "making it rain"...gunfire, and a bouncer at a Las Vegas club will most likely never walk again. More people know the intricate details of that story which ocurred months ago at NBA All-Star weekend in Vegas (a reason Las Vegas should never have a professional sports team) than about the amazing story of Kevin Everett of the Buffalo Bills who began walking last week with assistance when just over a month ago he was in critical condition following an awkward hit in Buffalo's opeing game. These are the off field stories I want to hear about. As much as I rooted against Nebraska in the mid-90's it's hard to forget some of the memorable performances from Lawrence Phillips, of course, all I think about when I hear that name is him throwing his girlfriend down a flight of stairs. The sports magazine TV shows have court reporters and legal correspondants. This is preposterous.

If you make a league minimum (depending on the sport) you make more in a year than I do in 15 at my job, and good for you, the rule is if you can get them to pay it, then you're worth it. I take a cab or walk when I've had too much to drink, why is one of my favorite players, Lance Briggs (Chicago Bear and UA alumn) crashing his Lambo into a tree at 3 AM and fleeing from the scene. You can afford a cab, even with the Franchise tag limiting your funds so. Over a decade ago, when things were different there was an athelete who was ridiculed by some and praised by others for his now famous quote, "I am not a role model". At the time Chuck was a monster on the floor, and twice as brash off of it. I wish we had more players like Sir Charles around today to be role models. Where was Reggie Miller during the Artest "Malace in the Palace" melee a few years back. He wasn't in the stands. He wasn't throwing punches. He was old school, and he knew his place. People are cracking back on Roger Goodell saying he is being too harsh with these players. Maybe Tagliabue should have done something a few years ago so this wouldn't be happening with as much frequency. Children look up to sports stars, all I wanted to do when I was a kid was "be like Mike", like it or not athletes are raising our kids, along with the rest of popular culture, and we need more positive action from them. We need to get rid of this gangsta culture prevalent in todays sports.

One of my all time favorite quotes from a short-lived TV show, Sports Night. Spoken by Casey McCall:

"Look, I got into this because I like getting people to like sports. And I've turned into a PR man for punks and thugs. And any atrocity, no matter how ridiculous, or hideous, or childish, it doesn't matter. I make it sports. Ten-cent bagman whacks a skater's leg with a crowbar, that's sports. Second round draft pick gets cranky in a Houston bar, and that's sports. And let's not forget the mother of all great sports stories - a double homicide in Brentwood. "

Where's Bo, he knew things, he wasn't on the Police Radar (unless it was an ambulance taking him to the hospital after another hip injury or Cops playing Tecmo at the station), Where's Larry Legend playing HORSE with Michael and Earvin (Magic), Who remembers Lil' Penny or Mars Blackmon telling us it's gotta be the shoes, what happened.

Sports used to be about sports, sports facts used to consist of Batting Averages, Field Goal Percentage, and Yards per Carry. Now sports fact consist of suspensions, HGH, and prison sentences.

I'm supposed to raise a child to love sports as much as I do in this culture.

God Help Us.
More after the jump...