Snowed Out

I am currently in a quaint little Inn, in Pinehurst, North Carolina. If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you might know that I looooove Pinehurst. I have posted pictures of Payne Stewart's statue and written in adoration for this holy ground. Well folks, my luck here has run out. I am a senior and my last chance to play Pinehurst is gone. Two inches of snow fell last night and temperatures hoovering around freezing will keep us from teeing it up this week.

As for the remainder of our trip, it will be filled with good food, staring at books, typing, and studying till I fall asleep. Midterms this week.

Great Views

Memphis welcomed me back on January 11th with this beautiful view.

Basketball Season

College basketball has been outstanding lately, at least the games I have seen. I attended Memphis v Houston a couple weekends ago. Houston had a player that earlier that week stepped on some guys face, intentionally. Every time he was shooting free throws by our band, the kids would take off their shoes, place them by their face and scream. It was hilarious. Houston's jersey tops were bigger than their shorts and Memphis', being the hood team that they are, shorts look more like man-pri's than shorts. Kept me laughing the whole game.

Memphis played Gonzaga last Saturday. This game had a lot of hype because Memphis and Gonzaga were similar in rankings, and matched up pretty well on the floor. I was nervous because we have been throwing the ball away on stupid turnovers lately. The usual scenario played out. Memphis runs the crap out of the other team and they are just standing there spinning in circles wondering which goal is theirs. We killed them. Coach Cal says the boys are starting to come together and play like they know what they're doing. I would have to agree. Couldn't be at a better time either, its getting closer to March.

Last night Duke played UNC. The first 30 minutes of this basketball game was probably the best 30 minutes I've ever seen. Scoring a combined 50+ in the first 10 minutes left me speechless. Every possession was a field goal and the pace was very quick. It's always impressive when a college team gets to 100 especially in this rivalry so needless to say when UNC scored 101, at Cameron Indoor Arena (Duke's home), I was very impressed. That is not easy to do!

This year's NCAA tournament will be a good one I suspect with all of the upsets already and the teams inching closer to the top 10, like Memphis. March can't get here fast enough.

**Here is Memphis' intro video for this year. It's a little blurry but a fan recorded it. This is an awesome way to get the fans hyped up. Just imagine standing in a pitch black bball arena and this bad a video comes on the screen.

US and A

The hallowed Ryder Cup matches conclude today. The US has a 9 to 7 lead over the Europeans. The US hasn't brought the cup home since their monumental run in 1999 at Brookline CC. If you aren't familiar, Justin Leonard made like a 45' putt to win his match and lead the US to victory. This year, the US is competing without Tiger Woods. Having struggled the past two Ryder Cups with Tiger, commentators said the US wouldn't have a chance to beat the Euros especially with Padraig Harrington, a hot player in 2008, playing for the Euro team. Currently, if they win the matches they are leading, the cup will return to the US.

This is golf's most exciting tournament. It's not about money. It's all about bragging rights, national pride and raw competition. I would recommend tuning in (NBC) if you think golf is a boring sport.

7 Years Ago....

Currently, I am watching a show on the History channel taking witness, home video accounts of 9/11. After traveling to NYC, seeing what used to be the grounds for the Two Towers leaves me in utter shock after seeing it when it actually happened. Being able to gauge the scale of how widespread the effect was throughout the city is unexplainable. Seeing the huge buildings on either side of you walking down the street and imagining one of them, well two of them could possibly collapse. What are you going to do? Seeing the people frantically running throughout the streets is shocking and sickening. Imagining a rushing wave of thick, heavy dust, about to wrap itself around you and through you would be utterly frightening. Thinking about the families of people that died that day is devastating. Trying to grasp the amount of courage and commitment to service the firefighters, police officers, and other aid teams demonstrated is beyond words. Realizing the ripple effect that disaster caused is unfathomable. Seeing it year after year I understand more about the world, and more about the effects this day, September 11, 2001 had on the rest of the world.

And I am left speechless.


**This is a shot I took looking through a blocked fence at ground zero. Construction for the memorial and the new tower are underway.

No Studying Going On...

I was studying, for finals, and a friend made this video known to me. Check it out.

Feed that warrior. Get some.

A Tradition Unlike Any Other

The time has come.

The green jackets are dusted off.

The Masters starts this week.



As most of you know, I'm pretty obsessed with this golf tournament. I'm pretty sure I've devoted a blog post to it, or maybe a couple, to it every year. This is the tournament you skip class for. Instead of practice you watch the Masters. Augusta's lush fairways, super slick greens, and beautiful azaleas, have me hypnotized for a week every April.

My prediction this year hasn't been totally solidified, but my tentative pick is Tiger. After breaking his 7 tournament winning streak last week, he's probably ed (you could have thought that after his threats to the camera man, for footage go to youtube). Tiger is always hungry and Augusta is his Thanksgiving Day feast. Not to mention, most of the world is scared less of the man on those greens. Ha.

I think the Masters is the best remedy after the heartbreaking loss last night in the National Championship. Sad day in Memphis for sure...

The Curse Is Broken

After losing the past two years in the Elite 8, we finally made it.

The Final Four.

I have high hopes for this team. After watching the game against Michigan State, jumping at the tv reenacting Derek Rose and Joey Dorsey slam-down-your-throat dunks, I stand firm in my belief that we have the best team in the nation this year.

Next opponent: UCLA Bruins.

Just a reminder: Tigers are at the top of the food chain.

YouTube Find

Check that tackle.
T. Woods that was solid.

I'm Back.....From Hawaii

It's funny, I feel the sudden urge to blog when I am at 30,000 feet. After a solid 10 hours in the air coming back from Hawaii, I am exhausted. I have been up since 4:45am yesterday, played a round of golf in 40mph gusts, and about ready to really loose it. The computer screen is blurry, at times I am seeing double. My stomach is in knots and my feet hurt. But missing a week of school for the paradise known as Hawaii was well worth it. The ocean never ceases to amaze the crap out of me. That part of the world is incredibly beautiful.

I leave you with a shot from Paradise Cove, in Ko Olina.

1 vs. 2

Memphis vs. Tennessee



Tomorrow the state's elite basketball teams face off in Tiger country. The city is like, totally, so excited. I have never seen so much hype for a regular season game. There are a lot of UT fans that live in Memphis and I'll see an occasional vomit orange flag flapping in the wind, but today the flags were out in force. Random banks are hanging up signs saying, "Go Tigers!" or "Go Vols!" The energy is raw, it's exciting, it's got everyone talking. Tickets are going for thousands on ebay. The UofM team is just calling it another game, and that...is...exactly...what...it...is. People say UT is our rival, but we play them once a year.

Tomorrow's 8pm tip-off will be exciting for the state of Tennessee. I am excited to watch it. I wish I was going, the atmosphere would be amazing. We are flying to Raleigh, North Carolina for our first tournament of the season. As always, I am pumped up and ready to rock it.

I'm hoping for two University of Memphis wins this week.

Go Tigers.

Numba 1 in da Nation

Buh Bye

OUT


I'M


BACK TO


See you there?

Hope

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

The Playlist

Apoligize Remix- OneRepublic feat. Timbaland
Fidelity- Regina Spektor
Faded from the Winter- Iron and Wine
Here at the Right Time- Josh Ritter
Bubbly- Colbie Caillat
World Away- Emery
Searchlights- Falling Up from Exit>Lights album
Luven Me- Nelly
I'm For You- Toby Mac
Doe Boy Fresh- 36 Mofia
A Little More- Skillet
Soul Meets Body- Death Cab
More Than A Feelin'- Boston
Take Me Away- Lifehouse
California Dreamin'- The Mamas & the Papas
Tusk- Fleetwood Mac

Ba Ba Back It Up

Here's some sweet old school Anberlin. This music video is just down right funny. Nate, the drummer, is about 15 here. Yikes. Enjoy.

Please welcome to the #1 tee.....

Tomorrow is begins.

A 5am wake up call. Put on our uniform. Breakfast soon to follow. Eggs, toast, yogurt, tea. Grab my clubs, cart bag and iPod and get in the van to head to the golf course. Organization. Depart for the range. Hit 10 balls with every other club starting at pitching wedge ending with sand wedge. Anberlin blasting into my head and me thinking of amazing shots I have hit in the past. I gather confidence as I warm up to get ready for a nice, long day of 36 holes. After the range, head over to the chipping green. 3 balls. Scatter, and hit a variety of shots. They're close. I'm pumped. I catch a teammate, and head up to putt. 2 balls. Putter. 3 footers around the hole, make them all. After a full rotation, move to the 6 feet. Go around twice. Move to 8 feet. Once. 10 feet. Once. Lag some putts from around 30 feet. Time to get it goin'. Head to the tee and let the magic happen.


This is a typical day going to the course. Tomorrow is when our season starts. We are in Louisville, KY. I have never been here and its beautiful. Rolling hills of lush, green grass and full oak trees. Crisp mornings and blazing afternoons. Golf season is starting. Yes.

Anticipation

I am stoked. Emery's third cd comes out on October 2. I've heard all the hype so I hope it lives up to its reputation. I have been in a musical rut lately so something new is going to be great. Don't worry, I pre-ordered a copy. Yess....



Hilarious.

Love It

This picture was taken on my bike ride to school. This is one of the main streets around the University, Central Ave.

My Favorite Spanish Song