So You've Decided to Waste Your Time

On a Tour de Stade: Completed Version

2009-05-02T02:23:00.000-05:00

In case you, my one and only reader, need a reminder, the concept of this tour is attend a home game for every team in the NFL during one regular season. Additionally, ALL transportation must be by car, preferably a mid-1990s conversion van, complete with crappy window blinds in the back and wood paneling all over. This is the kind of journey two college dropouts/temporary dropouts would take instead of enrolling in the fall semester (Yes, I wish I was doing this, and no, I have nowhere near enough money). The first and last destinations are my hometown, the pumpkin capital of the world: Morton, IL. For those who are illiterate, I’ve included a PowerPoint presentation (which will be posted on YouTube as soon as I figure out how to post something on YouTube).

As it turns out, this year’s schedule did, in fact, lend itself to a 32-team tour. In fact, thanks to the NFL’s heartless disregard for its loyal Buffalo Bills’ fans, this tour even goes north of the border and pulls in a 33rd home game in Toronto. To be completely honest, I am SO excited that this worked out. My one issue is that I don’t attend the 32nd (33rd) game in Chicago in week 16. Because Seattle was so FREAKING frustrating to include, I had to put the Jets’ home game** in week 17, requiring, in essence, a there-and-back trip to the Jersey swamp.

**To the NFL: you really kowtow to the Giants, don’t you? The Jets had home games on all the wrong weekends. They had to complain to you because you scheduled them for both Rosh Hashanah AND Yom Kippur. You should have just booked them for Christmas and Eid Al-Adha to alienate every Western religion from the Jets. Anyway, even an “unknowing” Midwestern who has met ONE Jew in his entire life can recognize that the NFL is basically trying to run the Jets out of business. Well done, NFL-o-crats. Well done.

Without further ado, the Tour de Stade:

Week 1:

Thursday, September 10:
Tennessee Titans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers; Heinz Field, 8:30pm ET
Leg Distance (Morton, IL to Pittsburgh, PA): 561 mi.; Week Distance: 561 mi.; Total Distance: 561 mi.

Sunday, September 13:
Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants; Giants Stadium, 4:15pm ET
Leg Distance (Pittsburgh, PA to East Rutherford, NJ): 372 mi.; Week Distance: 933 mi.; Total Distance: 933 mi.

Monday, September 14:
Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots; Gillette Stadium, 7:00pm ET
Leg Distance (East Rutherford, NJ to Foxborough, MA): 210 mi.; Week Distance: 1,143 mi.; Total Distance: 1,143 mi.

Week 2:

Sunday, September 20:
Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons; Georgia Dome, 1:00pm ET
Leg Distance (Foxborough, MA to Atlanta, GA): 1,088 mi.; Week Distance: 1,088 mi.; Total Distance: 2,231 mi.

Monday, September 21:
Indianapolis Colts vs. Miami Dolphins; Dolphin Stadium, 8:30pm ET
Leg Distance (Atlanta, GA to Miami Gardens, FL): 650 mi.; Week Distance: 1,738 mi.; Total Distance: 2,881 mi.

Week 3:

Sunday, September 27:
New Orleans Saints vs. Buffalo Bills; Ralph Wilson Stadium, 4:05pm ET
Leg Distance (Miami Gardens, FL to Orchard Park, NY): 1,363 mi.; Week Distance: 1,363 mi.; Total Distance: 4,244 mi.

Week 4:

Sunday, October 4:
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns; Cleveland Browns Stadium, 1:00pm ET
Leg Distance (Orchard Park, NY to Cleveland, OH): 183 mi.; Week Distance: 183 mi.; Total Distance: 4,427 mi.

Monday, October 5:
Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings; HHH Metrodome, 7:20pm CT
Leg Distance (Cleveland, OH to Minneapolis, MN): 751 mi.; Week Distance: 934 mi.; Total Distance: 5,178 mi.

Week 5:

Sunday, October 11:
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Seattle Seahawks; Qwest Field, 1:15pm PT
Leg Distance (Minneapolis, MN to Seattle, WA): 1,659 mi.; Week Distance: 1,659 mi.
Total Distance: 6,837 mi.

Week 6:

OFF
Total Distance: 6,837 mi.

Week 7:

Sunday, October 25:
Indianapolis Colts vs. Saint Louis Rams; Edward Jones Dome, 12:00pm CT
Leg Distance (Seattle, WA to Saint Louis, MO): 2,139 mi.; Week Distance: 2,139 mi.; Total Distance: 8,976 mi.

Week 8:

Sunday, November 1:
Carolina Panthers vs. Arizona Cardinals; University of Phoenix Stadium, 2:15pm MT
Leg Distance (Saint Louis, MO to Glendale, AZ): 1,505 mi.; Week Distance: 1,505 mi.; Total Distance: 10,481 mi.

Week 9:

Sunday, November 8:
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Kansas City Chiefs; Arrowhead Stadium, 12:00pm CT
Leg Distance (Glendale, AZ to Kansas City, MO): 1,359 mi.; Week Distance: 1,359 mi.; Total Distance: 11,840 mi.

Monday, November 9:
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Denver Broncos; Invesco Field at Mile High, 6:30pm MT
Leg Distance (Kansas City, MO to Denver, CO): 610 mi.; Week Distance: 1,969 mi.; Total Distance: 12,450 mi.

Week 10:

Thursday, November 12:
Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers; Candlestick Park, 5:20pm PT
Leg Distance (Denver, CO to San Francisco, CA): 1,272 mi.; Week Distance: 1,272 mi.; Total Distance: 13,722 mi.

Sunday, November 15:
Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Diego Chargers; Qualcomm Stadium, 1:15pm PT
Leg Distance (San Francisco, CA to San Diego, CA): 504 mi.; Week Distance: 1,776 mi.; Total Distance: 14,226 mi.

Week 11:

Sunday, November 22:
Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys; Dallas Cowboys new stadium (naming rights TBA), 12:00pm CT
Leg Distance (San Diego, CA to Arlington, TX): 1,336 mi.; Week Distance: 1,336 mi.; Total Distance: 15,562 mi.

Monday, November 23:
Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans; Reliant Stadium, 7:30pm CT
Leg Distance (Arlington, TX to Houston, TX): 265 mi.; Week Distance: 1,601 mi.; Total Distance: 15,827 mi.

Week 12:

Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving)
Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions; Ford Field, 12:30pm CT
Leg Distance (Houston, TX to Detroit, MI): 1,394 mi.; Week Distance: 1,394 mi.; Total Distance: 17,221 mi.

Sunday, November 29
Washington Redskins vs. Philadelphia Eagles; Lincoln Financial Field, 1:00pm ET
Leg Distance (Detroit, MI to Philadelphia, PA): 592 mi.; Week Distance: 1,986 mi.; Total Distance: 17,813 mi.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens, M&T Bank Stadium, 8:20pm ET
Leg Distance (Philadelphia, PA to Baltimore, MD): 98 mi.; Week Distance: 2,084 mi.: Total Distance: 17,911 mi.

Week 13:

Thursday, December 3
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills, Rogers Centre, 8:20pm ET
Leg Distance (Baltimore, MD to Toronto, ON): 459 mi.; Week Distance: 459 mi.
Total Distance: 18,370 mi.

Sunday, December 6
Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Paul Brown Stadium, 1:00pm ET
Leg Distance (Toronto, ON to Cincinnati, OH): 491 mi. (810 km); Week Distance: 950 mi.; Total Distance: 18,861 mi.

Monday, December 7
Baltimore Ravens vs. Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field, 7:30pm CT
Leg Distance (Cincinnati, OH to Green Bay, WI): 502 mi.; Week Distance: 1,452 mi.; Total Distance: 19,363 mi.

Week 14:

Sunday, December 13
New York Jets vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Raymond James Stadium, 1:00pm ET
Leg Distance (Green Bay, WI to Tampa, FL): 1,381 mi.; Week Distance: 1,381 mi.; Total Distance: 20,744 mi.

Week 15:

Thursday, December 17
Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, Alltel Stadium, 8:20pm ET
Leg Distance (Tampa, FL to Jacksonville, FL): 228 mi.; Week Distance: 228 mi.; Total Distance: 20,972 mi.

Sunday, December 20
Minnesota Vikings vs. Carolina Panthers, Bank of America Stadium, 8:20pm ET
Leg Distance (Jacksonville, FL to Charlotte, NC): 385 mi.; Week Distance: 613 mi.; Total Distance: 21,357 mi.

Monday, December 21
New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins, FedExField, 8:30pm ET
Leg Distance (Charlotte, NC to Landover, MD): 413 mi.; Week Distance: 1,026 mi.; Total Distance: 21,770 mi.

Week 16:

Friday, December 25 (Christmas)
San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans, LP Field, 7:30pm CT
Leg Distance (Landover, MD to Nashville, TN): 686 mi.; Week Distance: 686 mi.; Total Distance: 22,456 mi.

Sunday, December 27
New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts, Lucas Oil Field, 4:15pm ET
Leg Distance (Nashville, TN to Indianapolis, IN): 287 mi.; Week Distance: 973 mi.; Total Distance: 22,743 mi.

Monday, December 28
Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears, Soldier Field, 7:20pm CT
Leg Distance (Indianapolis, IN to Chicago, IL): 185 mi.; Week Distance: 1,158 mi.; Total Distance: 22,928 mi.

Week 17:

Sunday, January 3
Cincinnati Bengals vs. New York Jets, Giants Stadium, 1:00pm ET
Leg Distance (Chicago, IL to East Rutherford, NJ): 790 mi.; Week Distance: 790 mi.; Total Distance: 23,718 mi.

Final Leg Distance (East Rutherford, NJ to Morton, IL): 919 mi.; Week Distance: 1,709 mi.

Final Total Distance: 24,637 mi.

On the People's Sports Alphabet

2009-04-20T16:58:00.012-05:00

The polls are open! I have included links for each candidate beneath each poll, because they weren't cooperating with the HTML code. Please vote only once! I know that most of you know how to delete cookies to vote again. I don't want this to turn into a game of "Who has no life, is on the computer the longest, and can delete cookies the fastest?" Also, DO NOT vote based on which team you like; vote on which logo treatment looks the best. Lastly, please bring other people who would appreciate this to the site to vote. I want this "alphabet" to be as representative of the people's opinions as possible. Thanks for voting.

Alabama Crimson Tide, Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Wildcats, Atlanta Braves, Australia (WBC), Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland Athletics

Baltimore Ravens, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Bengals, Milwaukee Brewers,

Cal Golden Bears, Calgary Flames, Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks, Cincinnati Reds, Connecticut Huskies, Montréal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks

Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers (cap), Detroit Tigers (jersey), Duke Blue Devils, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Padres, San Diego State Aztecs,

East Carolina Pirates, Elon Phoenix, Philadelphia Eagles

Atlanta Falcons, Cal State Fullerton Titans, Florida Atlantic Owls, Florida Marlins, San Francisco Giants

Georgetown Hoyas, Georgia Bulldogs, Green Bay Packers, Grambling State Tigers, San Francisco Giants

Hawai'i Warriors, New Hampshire Wildcats

Illinois Fighting Illini, Illinois State Redbirds, Iowa State Cyclones

New Jersey Devils, South Dakota State Jackrabbits, Toronto Blue Jays, Utah Jazz (current), Utah Jazz (throwback)

Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas Jayhawks, Kent State Golden Flashes, Kentucky Wildcats, Sacramento Kings

Detroit Lions, Long Beach State 49ers, Los Angeles Galaxy, Louisville Cardinals, Loyola (MD) Greyhounds, Loyola (Marymount) Lions, Saint Louis Cardinals

Florida Marlins, Marshall Thundering Herd, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Minnesota Twins, Morehead State Eagles, New York Mets

Nebraska Cornhuskers (helmet), New York Yankees (hat), New York Yankees (jersey), North Carolina Tar Heels, Northwestern Wildcats (another view)

Baltimore Orioles, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers

Cal Poly Mustangs, Indiana Pacers, Penn Quakers, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Portland Pilots, Puerto Rico (WBC)

Duquesne Dukes, Quinnipiac Bobcats, San Jose Earthquakes

Arizona Rattlers, Cal-Riverside Highlanders, Chicago Rush, New York Rangers (alternate), Puerto Rico (WBC), Saint Louis Rams

Chicago White Sox, Oregon State Beavers, Sacramento State Hornets, Saint Louis Cardinals, San Diego State Aztecs, San Jose State Spartans, Washington State Cougars

Tennessee Titans (helmet), Tennessee Titans (script), Tennessee Titans (sword), Tennessee Volunteers, Texas Rangers, Toronto FC

Miami Hurricanes, San Antonio Spurs, South Florida Bulls

Villanova Wildcats, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies

Washington Capitals (alternate), Washington State Cougars, West Virginia Mountaineers, Wisconsin Badgers

Xavier Musketeers

Brigham Young Cougars (helmet), Brigham Young Cougars (logo), New York Giants, New York Yankees (hat), New York Yankees (jersey)

Akron Zips, Utah Jazz

On a Tour de Stade

2009-04-16T13:58:00.003-05:00

This past Tuesday marks my 2nd attempt at devising a schedule so that someone(s) could attend a home game for every team in the National Football League in one regular season. I gathered this idea from a series of MasterCard commercials that aired earlier in the decade. Two guys prepared a van and drove around the country visiting all 30 Major League Baseball parks in one season. I thought to myself, "Yeah, that would be fun, but it's not that difficult considering each team is scheduled to play 162 games in a season." Football, on the other hand, has 32 teams, yet only 17 weeks. That means such a venture would require viewing multiple games per week for almost every week in the season. I continue to use the idea that travel accommodations are by van only. There are no plane rides, and there are no buses; there is only the van. Hence, drive times between cities play a major factor in determining the aforementioned schedule.
Unfortunately, after roughly 8 hours of work on Tuesday night, it does not look like this year's schedule will offer itself to such a journey. I will continue to work on this, and when I reach the best possible schedule (based on current projections, I estimate 31 teams out of 32...stupid Seahawks) I will post it here.
...Oops. I almost forgot: no, I was never planning on actually attending all these games this season. The price of one ticket for one stadium alone (even nosebleed seats) is too expensive for this college student. Amassing enough money to attend 32 NFL games, purchase enough gasoline to travel all around the country and then some, and...you know...eat would take years. Yet, one can always dream.

On the Best Letters in Sports: A Follow-Up

2009-03-17T21:18:00.008-05:00

At the request of Uni Watch (aka Paul Lukas) (scroll to the bottom...keep going...keep going...it's down there I promise...), I have compiled all the final images into one picture. This is the sports logo, alphabet if you will.

Then again, you may not. If you finally found where I was mentioned, you saw that Paul "[didn't] agree with most of [my] choices." There's a good chance that you don't either. So, I would LOVE it (seriously!) if you challenged my choices. Part of the process of compiling this whole thing was getting the opinions of my friends. Why not hear the opinions of people I've never met? Just leave a comment with your...comments. Maybe, if time allows, I'll make a consensus sports alphabet.

This one's to you, Uni Watch: which letters did you agree with? I'm guessing 'D,' 'H,' 'I,' 'J,' 'M' (you homer), 'O,' 'R,' 'W,' & 'X,' with maybe 'U' as a sleeper. Go ahead and make it better. It's not like you have anything else on your plate...like a blog...or an Page 2 column...or research...or traveling to do research...or following the Mets.

On Infinity

2009-03-15T15:06:00.007-05:00

Note: There were many graphics that helped to explain my point that I just couldn't include. I'm not well-versed enough in blogging. So, if you want the full version, you can email me and I can send you a read-only version. Thanks for reading.

We live in a finite world. Our money is finite (although we treat it like it isn’t). Our bodies are finite. Our resources, both natural and manufactured, are finite. Our characteristics, our achievements, our time—everything on this earth is finite. Some have claimed to grasp the infinite. After all, if you are reading this, you have proven that your life has not ended, and thus you know not of your finite lifetime’s end. To you, simply by a lack of experience, you only know an infinite life for yourself.

However, infinity is dual: there is an infinity future, in which we reside and will continue to do so until these human bodies die. There is also an infinity past. Regardless of spiritual beliefs, it is widely accepted that there was just nothing before the universe we know was created. Creationists assert that God created the earth and the universe out of nothingness; non-Creationists (since Big Bang theorists only applies to the creation of this one universe and Evolutionists only applies to the development of life on this earth) assert that the universe has been expanding and collapsing, like an enormous accordion, for infinity past. In both, and all cases, it is established that time has never started; rather, it was before we recognized it to be. Every one of us came to be as the result of procreation by creatures existing before us. Thus, infinity past is incomprehensible to us simply because we do not know what it is like to have no beginning.

Hence, we cannot think of infinity as a reality. Instead, we must consider it a concept. By conceptualizing a very, very large entity, we can apply what we do know about this finite world and its workings to something about which we can never know anything. If we could know everything, either a) it would not be infinite, or b) we would have to be infinite as well.

Not all of God’s attributes can be “measured” on humanity’s traditional continua. Some can, like goodness in contrast to evil. Other dichotomies, like mercy and judgment, are not as attributable.

This is because God is not 50% merciful and 50% just. Additionally, He is not even 100% merciful and 100% just. Nay, He is infinitely merciful and infinitely just. No standard continuum can express such a concept. However, the example of the parameterization of the number line over a circle can provide a clearer picture. In this parameterization (and in all other parameterizations over conic sections), infinity, both positive and negative infinity, are not represented by two unique directions in diametric opposition. Rather, they “meet” at a singular point.

The value on the number line is equal to the slope of the line passing through the point (-1,0) and its unique parametric equivalent found on the number line. As the point on the circle approaches (-1,0) from (0,1), the value of the slope (the value on the number line) approaches positive infinity. Similarly, as the point approaches (-1,0) from (0,-1), the value of the slope approaches negative infinity. However, in slope, there is no such thing as “positive infinity” and “negative infinity.” If the line has a slope of either infinity, by the nature of geometry it is of the slopes both positive and negative infinity. Hence, the value, from two directions (or attributes) approaches both aspects of infinity simultaneously.

Such is true about God’s divine, paradoxical attributes. He is both forgiving and vengeful, loving and hateful, gracious and lawful. And, He is infinitely so for each member of each pair. Just as we have to stretch the number line to accommodate the parameterization, so we have to stretch our minds to accommodate an infinite God viewed from a very finite world.

To prove this point to the fullest, it must be admitted that even this analogy is incomplete. In mathematics, there is no such thing as an “infinite” slope. Instead, mathematicians must say that the slope is “undefined.” The thing is, God is most certainly defined, just not by our finite measurements. And so, while we may feel as though we have grown closer to comprehending Who, exactly, this infinite God is, in reality we haven’t grown in closer at all. In fact, we can never technically grow closer to understanding Him because one cannot be closer to or further from infinity than one once was; one can only be infinity away. And yet, because He is the God of miracles, He does, indeed grow closer to us. For no other reason than that He loves with an infinite love, He grows closer and closer and closer and closer and closer and closer and closer and closer and closer and closer…

On the Best Letters in Sports

2009-03-12T22:33:00.000-05:00

I weaned this idea from ESPN's best numbers in sports (by person wearing it, not by aesthetics) piece they did about seven years ago. Because A) I enjoy looking at uniform design, and B) staying focused in art class is harder than painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, I worked on this during class periods. And, after much research using such exclusive tools as Google Image Search and Chris Creamer's sportslogos.net (thanks, Chris. Well-run site), I was able to determine what are, in my opinion, the best letters in sports. I only went so far as to choose one representative for each letter.

The rules were as follows:
1) If a team was awarded the top prize for a letter, it was ineligible for nominations in all other letters.
2) Standard, block lettering was not eligible.
3) My personal fan biases could not influence the choice (case in point: the Chicago Cubs didn't even make Honorable Mention for 'C').
4) Runners-up and Honorable Mentions are not ranked within themselves, but they are differentiations between the two groups.
5) This is not a list of the most iconic letters in sports. Though some iconic letters may make the final cut, that is merely coincidence. It is purely about aesthetics.
6) All logos must be currently used in any one of the following: NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, NCAA Division I, World Baseball Classic, Arena Football League, WNBA, or Canadian Football League.

Without further ado, I present the best letters in sports:

A: Colorado Avalanche: According to some, this is sports' only perfect logo. While I don't necessarily agree with that, I did find it absolutely impossible to elevate any other logo over this one.
Runners-Up: Arizona Diamondbacks, Oakland Athletics, Australia (WBC)
Honorable Mentions: Atlanta Braves, Alabama Crimson Tide, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Arizona Wildcats

B: Milwaukee Brewers: I know that one person, in particular, is upset that I did not choose the classic Boston Red Sox 'B,' but I found the curls and rounded serifs, in addition to the wonderful color scheme, to be insurmountable.
Runner-Up: Boston Red Sox
Honorable Mentions: Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens

C: Montréal Canadiens: This was, without a doubt, the deepest, best letter category in the alphabet. To put it in perspective, the 'C' shared by the Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Reds and Minnersota Twins didn't even make the runners-up. For the longest time, I debated among the Calgary Flames, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Connecticut Huskies. Then, in an embarrassing realization/epiphany, I had forgotten the legendary Habs' 'C.' I had no choice.
Runners-Up: Calgary Flames, Connecticut Huskies, Vancouver Canucks
Honorable Mentions: Cal Golden Bears, Chicago Bears/Cincinnati Reds/Minnesota Twins

D: Detroit Tigers (cap): I was hesitant to award a team with two different logos a "best letter," but that white 'D' on that navy field is just gorgeous. It looks better with the away jersey (because there's no clash of the 'D's), and with a weak opposing field, this was a no-brainer.
Runners-Up: San Diego State Aztecs, Anaheim Ducks, Duke Blue Devils
Honorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks

E: Elon Phoenix: very, very weak field. There were a total of four entries, and only three were even worthy of consideration.
Runner-Up: Philadelphia Eagles
Honorable Mention: East Carolina Pirates

F: Atlanta Falcons: one standout in another weak field. I was surprised there weren't more 'F's.
Runner-Up: San Francisco Giants
Honorable Mentions: Florida Atlantic Owls, Florida Marlins, Cal State Fullerton Titans

G: Georgetown Hoyas: you may be surprised with this choice. I know what you're expecting. While I respect the history and legacy of that 'G,' I just found the circular symmetry (and the fact it wasn't copied by two other sports entities) more visually pleasing than the oval shape of the other set.
Runners-Up: Green Bay Packers/Georgia Bulldogs/Grambling State Tigers
Honorable Mentions: San Francisco Giants

H: Hawai'i Warriors: Enough said
Runner-Up: New Hampshire Wildcats
Honorable Mention: none

I: Iowa State Cyclones: If they hadn't changed their logo this year, this one would have been given (albeit somewhat sheepishly) to the Illinois State Redbirds. But the mitered 'I' with the subtle two-toned three-dimensionality is just perfect. Well done, Iowa. You've made your entire state worthy of being in the Union.
Runner-Up: Illinois State Redbirds
Honorable Mention: Illinois Fighting Illini

J: Utah Jazz: Up until this season, this logo hadn't been used in the NBA since the early 1990s. But, the Jazz have begun to sell it on powder blue t-shirts available through the team store. I will not apologize: this is the BEST 'J' EVER!
Runner-Up: New Jersey Devils
Honorable Mentions: Toronto Blue Jays, South Dakota State Jackrabbits

K: Kansas City Chiefs/Kentucky Wildcats: Surprisingly, this was an abysmal letter. There was nothing--nothing. I was amazed at how few decent 'K's there were. So, since something had to get the letter, I figure I'd give it to the letter that was used more than once.
Note: let it be known that had Korea not changed their World Baseball Classic logo from this to this between 2006 and 2009, they would have been the runaway victor. Stupid Korea...
Runner-Up: Sacramento Kings
Honorable Mentions: Kansas Jayhawks, Kent State Golden Flashes

L: Loyola (Marymount) Lions: Last time I checked, "mediocrity" started with an 'm.' Apparently, that is no longer the case. I could have chose from among 6 different average 'L's. I ended up picking the one you probably have not seen before. Cardinals' fans, don't be mad. It's not fan bias (scroll down for verification of such).
Runners-Up: Saint Louis Cardinals, Loyola (Maryland) Greyhounds
Honorable Mentions: Louisville Cardinals, Los Angeles Galaxy, Long Beach State 49ers

M: New York Mets: When I thought of 'M,' this was the first and only logo that came to mind. Even though the other people I polled all said Minnesota Golden Gophers, I stuck with my instincts. Meet the Mets, meet the Mets! Step right up and greet the Mets!
Runners-Up: Minnesota Golden Gophers, Minnesota Twins
Honorable Mentions: Florida Marlins, Morehead State Eagles, Marshall Thundering Herd

N: Northwestern Wildcats (another view): This letter had quite a few good entries, but no particular one stood out head and shoulders above the rest. Thus, I went with the Wildcats of the crappiest university in Illinois, Northwestern.
Runners-Up: North Carolina Tar Heels
Honorable Mentions: New York Yankees (hat, not jersey), Nebraska Cornhuskers (helmet)

O: Oregon Ducks: PHENOMENAL. What a fantastic 'O.' This couldn't be any better (the uniforms on the other hand...look away!). To be honest, I was surprised how many good entries there were. Still, it was Oregon from start to finish.
Runners-Up: Oregon State Beavers, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Baltimore Orioles
Honorable Mention: Ohio State Buckeyes

P: Indiana Pacers: 'P,' like 'C,' was absolutely loaded. I mean, the PowerPoint slide for the letter was absolutely filled from corner to corner. Even so, there were so many great 'P's that the decision was grueling. From the beginning, I had my sights set on the Pirates. But, after much deliberation, I just couldn't turn away from this ABA classic.
Runners-Up: Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Flyers
Honorable Mentions: Portland Pilots (NCAA), Puerto Rico (WBC), Penn Quakers, Cal Poly Mustangs

Q: Quinnipiac Bobcats: It's simple: there just aren't that many 'Q's in sports.
Runner-Up: San Jose Earthquakes
Honorable Mention: Duquesne Dukes

R: Saint Louis Rams: Wow, that is just a fantastic 'R.' A) the color scheme (just like the Brewers') is a wonder to look at, and B) paying homage to the old Los Angeles Rams, who used to have rams' horns on the shoulder, the 'R' takes the shape of a ram's horn. I know it's self-explanatory, but it's still a benchmark in sports logos.
Note: The only logo that had a chance at challenging the Rams' was the old Rutgers logo. That thing is sharp. However, somewhere shortly after the turn of the century, they switched to this. Speechless.
Runners-Up: Arizona Rattlers (AFL), Chicago Rush (AFL)
Honorable Mentions: Puerto Rico (WBC), New York Rangers (alternate), California-Riverside Highlanders

S: Chicago White Sox: This was the most disappointing letter in the entire alphabet. Here I was, thinking that the most used consonant in the alphabet would be chock full of good examples. Instead, one letter and bupkus.
Runners-Up: Washington State Cougars, Sacramento State Hornets, San Diego State Aztecs
Honorable Mention: San Jose State Spartans, Oregon State Beavers, Saint Louis Cardinals

T: Tennessee Volunteers: Very, very few legitimate entries. So few, in fact, that the Titans had three to themselves. All in all, it was the shape of the 'T' for the Vols that took the prize.
Runner-Up: Tennessee Titans (sword)
Honorable Mentions: Toronto FC (MLS), Texas Rangers

U: Miami Hurricanes: This was the last letter I chose. It came down to two VERY, VERY good letters. For the life of me, I just couldn't come a decision. At long last, I went with the one that was rounder, solely because it looks more like a traditional 'U.' And, so, 'U' goes to the 'Canes.
Runner-Up: San Antonio Spurs
Honorable Mention: South Florida Bulls

V: Villanova Wildcats: Two words: color scheme. Quite a few respectable 'V's, but the blue-on-blue of 'Nova is what swayed this writer...and chooser.
Runner-Up: Virginia Cavaliers
Honorable Mention: Virginia Tech Hokies

W: Washington Capitals: I don't care what you Big Ten (eleven) enthusiasts say. This alternate logo is incredible. It has a 'W,' it has an eagle, and it has the silhouette of the U.S. Capitol Building. AND, it's red, white, and blue. WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?
Runner-Up: Wisconsin Badgers
Honorable Mentions: Washington State Cougars, West Virginia Mountaineers

X: Xavier Musketeers: Um, yeah, there was only one.
Runner-Up: none
Honorable Mention: none
Last place: The XFL

Y: New York Giants: There were only three choices, and none of them really deserved a title. Both Brigham Young and the Yankees have two sets of logos. And, unlike 'D' where Detroit's gothic logo was far and away the best, as a result of the process of elimination, I gave it to the New York Football Giants.
Runner-Up: New York Yankees (hat)
Honorable Mention: Brigham Young Cougars (helmet)

Z: Akron Zips: (see 'X')
Runner-Up: none
Honorable Mention: none

In case you had any questions, I started to look for the best numbers in sports, but I don't have proper access to see all the pictures necessary to determine what the best jersey numbers truly are. If you would like to work on that your own, by all means go for it. Also, as always, comments are always welcome. Thanks for reading. And Hooter, sorry you couldn't see the colors.

On the Great Delay

2009-03-09T15:50:00.000-05:00

Hello reader...s,

As you may have noticed, I haven't posted since January 3. I've been working on about four different projects, all of which are culminating at the same time. Expect about four posts this months (DEFINITELY two, most likely 3, probably 4). For the first time, I will talk about something that relates in no way to sports. Also, I talk about sports. If you are still reading this, I pity you.

On a Biblical Football Team

2009-01-03T18:08:00.001-06:00

Sorry this one took so long, guys. However, as a result of taking so long, I feel like this post is very thorough as EVERY player has Biblical references to back up the pseudo-claims.

This whole thing started at a lunch table at Fall Getaway. Sidenote: Fall Getaway = freakin’ sweet. Anyway, somehow the concept of a Biblical football team was brought up. Some guys starting talking about it then, but nothing was ever written down. Later that night, Douglas Daube, Justin Francis (you were there; you helped), and I worked our way through a 25-man starting lineup comprised solely of men whose lives were detailed in the Bible. Every guy, and I mean EVERY guy, wanted to get their hands on this. Sadly, only a few guys have seen it. Now, it is available for the World Wide Web to view. If you read this and want to pass it on, please do. It’s worth the time.

Let it be known that this is purely for entertainment. Some (if not most) of the comments are satirical in nature and do not reflect the true opinions of these heroes of the Bible held by us who follow Christ. It is equally important to note that Jesus was not eligible to fill any position, because then he would fill all positions. Any references to “greatest” and the like are with the understanding that said person is not being compared with Jesus but, rather, among all other non-Jesus men in history. I don’t want to receive comment after comment of “How could you say [so-and-so] is more [adjective] than Jesus? Jordan, you ignorant slut.” Hence, you have been disclaimer-ed.

I now present to you, the All-Bible Football Team:

Offense: I-Formation, Single TE
QB: David
Who better than a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14) to lead a Biblical football team? It is clear that God dotes upon David more than any other person in the Bible, save for Jesus Christ, of course. This is not undeserved, as time and time again, the once and future King of God’s people (Jer. 30) is victorious in battle by relying solely upon the wisdom and power of the LORD Almighty.

HB: Joseph
A successful halfback has to have good vision and the ability to cut back when necessary. Joseph gained recognition during the Egyptian reign over the nation of Israel merely for his vision (Gen. 40:1-41:36). Additionally, his foresight and ability to cut back before the hole of economic success closed up saved both the Egyptian empire and its then occupied territory, the nation of Israel (Gn. 41:47-49, 53-57). When one also takes into account that Joseph was well-built (Gen. 39:6), he made for the perfect halfback.

FB: John the Baptist
The role of the fullback is to lead the way for the halfback coming behind him; the role of John the Baptist was to lead the way for the Messiah coming behind him (Jn. 1:23). This one was, undoubtedly, the easiest one to pick.

LT: Nehemiah
It’s important to note that David was right-handed. This makes the blind-side tackle (in this case the left tackle) the most important position on the field behind the quarterback. Thus, we chose the person most accomplished at building walls.

LG: Jacob
This one is very simple. Jacob wrestled with an angel and forced the angel to forfeit (Gen. 32:24-26); thus, he out-wrestled an angel. Anyone who can wrestle with an angel and win is certainly strong enough to play on the offensive line.

C: Abraham
Abraham, of course, is the father of the nation of Israel (Gen. 17:5-9). In terms of the covenant with His people, this is where it all got started. Naturally, then, on the football field, it should start with Abraham. So, he is locked in at center, so he can commence play.

RG: Noah
The offensive line is there to preserve the (football) life of the players in the backfield, especially the quarterback. Noah’s main role in the story of the world was to preserve life (Gen. 6:20) so that God could destroy the rest of the world. Additionally, he was strong enough to build an enormous ark made out of wood (without the help of power tools) (Gen. 6:14-16, 22). Presumably, he did this by himself, since it had never rained up until that point (inferred, Gen. 1:1-7:10), so anyone watching him doing this would have thought him insane. I.e., he built an ark—by himself. He’s in.

RT: Solomon
The great and sage-like Dennis Leskowski pointed out that, more often than not, the most intelligent people on the football field are the offensive linemen. We know that there was no one wiser than Solomon (1 Kgs. 3:12). Since Nehemiah had already occupied the left tackle, Solomon was given the next-most important position in right tackle.

TE: Moses
The tight end has to be able to block and catch, requiring strong arms and great physicality. Additionally, due to the blocking aspect, the tight end does not, necessarily, have to be a fantastic leader. Considering that Moses all but denied his God-given responsibility to speak to Pharaoh, he wasn’t the most promising leader. Yet, he had to have some serious biceps to carry those enormous stone tablets containing the newly-formed Ten Commandments (Ex. 24:12) all the way down the mountain (Ex. 32:15). Moreover, after carrying them all the way down, he still had enough muscular fortitude to throw them to the ground with enough force to shatter them (Ex. 32:19).

WR1: Samuel
In order for a wideout to excel at the professional level, he must be able to hear the quarterback whenever there is an audible. We know that Samuel has some of the most precise hearing (1 Sam. 3:4-8). When his auditory skills are united with his devotion to leadership (1 Sam. 3:10) and his youth (1 Sam. 3:1), he makes for the perfect wide receiver.

WR2: Elijah
Recently, the wide receiver has become the flashiest position on the field. No follower of God was flashier than Elijah. With his use of post-touchdown pyrotechnics (1 Kgs. 18:38), repeated taunting of opponents (1 Kgs. 18:27,33-34), and astonishing ability to perform on the biggest stages (1 Kgs. 18:39), his life story is ideal for a wideout.

Defense: Standard 4-3
LE: Samson
Defenses put their fastest, strongest, most athletic player as the blindside defensive end. Because there is no “villains” team, we assumed that the quarterback would probably be right-handed. As such, the blindside defensive end would the left end. One thing is certain: no one was stronger than Samson (Judg. 15:16)

DT: Isaiah & Jeremiah
A defensive tackle needs to be able to bring the pain. No two prophets from the Old Testament brought more pain and suffering to the nation of Israel than Isaiah and Jeremiah. They both foretold of the impending enslavement and destruction at the hands of the Babylonian empire. Isaiah was sent specifically to tell the Israelites that they would not understand that they were about to be destroyed (Isa. 6:9-13), and Jeremiah was told that he was over the nation of Israel to uproot and destroy them (Jer. 1:9-10). That, my friends, is some serious pain.

RE: Joshua
At the other defensive end, a player must be able to lead his team into enemy territory (the offensive backfield). Joshua was assigned the task of leading the nation of Isreal (now sans-Moses) into its famed promised land, Canaan (Jos. 1:2-5). Because he relied upon the instruction and strength of the LORD (also the Defensive Coordinator), he was greatly successful (Jos. 24:8-13). That’s defensive line-worthy.

OLB: James & John, sons of Zebedee
Here is what we know about James and John: they were fishermen before they were called by Jesus to be disciples (Mat. 4:21-22). Hence, they were assuredly somewhat buff and muscular. They had somewhat of a temper problem, which is why Jesus called them the “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17). I’m sorry, but two really buff guys with temper issues called the Sons of Thunder sounds exactly like a pour of outside linebackers to me. We tried to figure out which one would be LOLB and ROLB by looking at when their mother asked Jesus for her sons to sit at his left and right hands in Heaven (Mat. 20:20-22), but she does not specify which son gets which side. So, we’ll just assume they can both play both sides.

MLB: Boaz
Of all the defensive positions, the middle linebacker has to be the most aware. He is responsible for alerting the rest of the defensive unit should the offense call an audible, for resolving potential matchup issues, and providing emotional leadership. Boaz was a man among men when it comes to awareness and leadership. Even though he had a beautiful, young Ruth at his disposal (Ruth 3:7-14), he made sure to be responsible enough to marry her properly and then see to her well-being (Ruth 4:9-13). Secondly, the name "Boaz" in Hebrew literally means "strength." Lastly, Boaz is a stud.

CB: Timothy & Titus
If there’s one thing I’ve noticed about the NFL, it’s that as cornerbacks age, they move to the safety position. As a result, safeties often mentor cornerbacks throughout their careers. Additionally, cornerbacks have to be young, fast, and have the ability to cover large areas. Since Timothy & Titus were the most prominent disciples of Paul, they were forced to cover all of the Middle East with him during his missionary journeys (Acts 16:3-4; Gal. 2:1). We also know that as a result of their devotion to a more experienced FS Paul, they will develop into all-star caliber defensive backs as their careers mature.

SS: Peter
Often times, the strong safety is viewed as the rock of the defense (see Sanders, Bob). It is his responsibility to stay at home and make sure that nothing coming up the middle gets past the last line of defense. It was Peter’s responsibility as the rock upon which the church will be built (Mt. 16:18) to see to it that nothing at home (the center of the Early Church, Jerusalem) got out of control (In Acts 11:1-18, Peter takes care of business in Jerusalem).

FS: Paul
A complement to the strong safety, the free safety is the roamer. His job is to see that absolutely nothing gets past, no matter what part of the field. Paul roamed all over the Earth (Acts) making sure the Gospel was heard (Philippians) and no church became too disobedient of God’s Word (1 & 2 Corinthians). He was able to hit hard when it mattered (Galatians) with the ferocity that comes solely from the power in Christ (Romans).

Special Teams:
KR: Daniel
A kick returner must have great vision (Dan. 2:31-45, 4:19-27, 5:17-28, 7:1-8:27, 9:21-12:23…that’s a lot of good vision!) and be able to make it through a very tight hole, often compared to the mouth of a lion (Dan. 6:10-23). I rest my case.

K: Job
Kickers whine. Job whined (Job 34:5). ‘Nough said.

P: Aaron
The punter, as we all know, is the last-ditch effort of the team. We see in Exodus that Moses was the first choice, but he refused to obey. As a result, God went to the back-up plan, Aaron (Ex. 4:13-16). Needless, to say, the LORD was upset that he had to bring in the punter of the nation of Israel (Ex. 4:14); I know I would be.

Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Jesus
Offensive Coordinator: (see Coach, Head)
Defensive Coordinator: (see Coordinator, Offensive)
Special Teams Coordinator: (see Coordinator, Defensive)
Do you see why we had to make it explicit that Jesus couldn’t fill any one position?

Head Trainer: Luke
Yes, I know, Jesus was a better healer than Luke. Still, though, we needed to include the “team doctor” joke in here somewhere.

Notable Exclusions: Adam, Gideon, Jonah, Isaac, Jonathan, Stephen, Ezekiel, Elisha, Enoch

Possible Villains: Satan (obviously), King Saul, Goliath, Anyone one of the evil visionary creatures from Revelation, King Herod

For those of you who have asked me to turn this into a series of Bible studies, it is not yet complete. 1) I do not have the time, and 2) I am certainly not Biblically scholarly enough to write a series of Bible studies. If and when I have the time and knowhow to put together such a study, I may do so. Don’t pressure me, though. I just went on academic probation because school is just that difficult right now. I’ll get to it when I get to it.
I do, however, recommend reading David by Charles “Chuck” Swindoll. It is a Biblical study of the greatest man to walk the earth (apart from Jesus, of course).

On the NHL: a Follow-Up

2008-12-19T16:59:00.000-06:00

After reading over it and editing it...a lot, I wanted to write a little bit more about some things I mentioned. I have the feeling that these follow-ups will happen a lot as I continue to write more and more. I'm not sure that I like that or not.

Early in the post I "cited" the two reasons that the NHL needed to contract to 22 teams, according to Bill Simmons. Those cannot be considered legitimate citations since I couldn't find the original article. That sucks.

I decided that it would be in the best interest of the NHL to move the Capitals directly to Québec to form the Nordiques. You can't just have a phenom like Ovechkin available to a draft or the highest bidder. He gets to keep the red/blue color scheme, he gets to play in a hockey-crazed city, in Canada, nonetheless, and there's no controversy over who does and doesn't get him. Problem solved.

I left some additional commentary about the 'X' in 3-letter nicknames. Why don't they abbreviate Jacksonville that way on all NFL broadcasts? It's so disappointing to see "JAC." The 'X' is exciting. If anything, you could use it as a tribute to the late XFL, which gave the NFL the cable cam, Tommy Maddox, and...well...nothing else. It looks so cool to have an 'X' anywhere on the screen, be it on the back of a Nebraska Cornhuskers helmet, on the front of a Phoenix Suns jersey, or on the score box at the top of the screen. It needs to be there. Please, CBS and FOX,...and NBC,...and ESPN,...and NFL Network. Step down from your monopolistic throne for just one second and reach out to the fans.

One more thing: I don't really like the NHL. I tried to get into it in high school, but since I don't have cable, I don't have HD, and NBC doesn't even show every game of the Stanley Cup Finals, how am I supposed to follow hockey? I mean, I read the power rankings on ESPN.com every time they come out (wow, the Sharks are really good this year). Still, hockey is just not my thing. Geography, on the other hand, is.

That is all.

On the NHL

2008-12-18T16:05:00.001-06:00

Before I do anything, I've decided to copy the great Augustine and start each of my posts with "On." I figure I can use plenty of literary devices within each post. I'll just make the titles straightforward.

Now, I read The Sports Guy (aka The Boston Sports Guy aka Bill Simmons) no matter what he posts. Multiple times, he has advocated contracting the NHL to a 22-team league, with 11 teams in both the United States and Canada. He maintains that having franchises in warm-weather cities is bad for business because a) hockey doesn't sell in the South, and b) those cities don't need hockey because they have football and baseball year-round.

I've been thinking about it for a while, and during a mass procrastination session, I came up with a solution. Given, I decided to have 2 12-team conferences, but I kept the America vs. Canada concept. Additionally, I explained all (most) of my picks in case someone wants to debate (looking at you, Simmons). Without further ado, the new NHL:

First things first: all of the original 6 teams HAVE to stay. So, after one addition, we have:

America (4): Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers;

Canada (2): Montréal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs.

In an attempt to re-establish the America vs. Canada rivalry, all current Canadian teams are in. So, after two additions, we have:

America (4): BOS, CHI, DET, NYR;

Canada (6): Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, MTL, Ottawa Senators, TOR, Vancouver Canucks.

Any teams that either moved to America from Canada or used to exist in Canadian cities that currently do not have an NHL franchise but folded at one point in time are moved back…with one exception: the Avalanche. Colorado is to beloved to move back to Québec. So, the Nordiques are re-established with an excluded franchise to be determined later. After three additions, we have:

America (5): BOS, CHI, Colorado Avalanche, DET, NYR;

Canada (9): CAL, EDM, Hamilton Tigers (folded), MTL, OTT, Québec Nordiques (from TBD), TOR, VAN, Winnipeg Jets (from Phoenix Coyotes).

Any team that moved South from the North is moved back. The one exception is that the Whalers move to Halifax. You can bring back the “H-W” logo, which looks CLASSIC. But, as we will discover later, New England will have way too many teams to deal with, and we need to plug Canada with 11+. After four additions, we have:

America (6): BOS, CHI, COL, DET, Minnesota (North) Stars (from Dallas Stars from Minnesota North Stars), NYR

Canada (10): CAL, EDM, Halifax Whalers (from Carolina Hurricanes from Hartford Whalers), HAM, MTL, OTT, QBC, TOR, VAN, WIN/WPG (not sure which abbreviation I like better).

Now, we discuss the American teams that need to stay. I nominate the following teams: St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and one of New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, or Washington Capitals. The Blues need to stay because, believe it or not, they have a great fan base (despite recent putrid records). The Sharks have a rabid fan base; any time the entire arena out-boos the Canadian national anthem during the Stanley Cup playoffs, you’re in. That’s hockey. The Sabres…well, Buffalo has suffered enough. They get to keep this franchise. The last thing I want to do is offend the fair citizens of Buffalo. The Penguins are the franchise on the rise. They have the most gorgeous uniforms (the powder blue alternates, as pointed out by both Paul Lukas and Dave Dameshek), they have two of the best players in the game in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and they’re primed to win a title in a wintry city. I think they’re in. Philadelphia is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., and it’s cold. Done and done.

Unfortunately, one of these three franchises has to go. The only reason I nominate the Caps is because of Alexander Ovechkin. Given, he can be re-drafted, but it wouldn’t be the same. Now, it comes down to the Devils and the Islanders. The Devils have won 2 titles in the last 10 years. The Islanders, of course, have one of the most storied dynasties in league history. Without going into too much detail (too late), I chose to keep the Islanders. Especially with the Long Island & Y/stick logo they have, it’s just too classy not to keep. After 5 additions, we have:

America (12): BOS, Buffalo Sabres, CHI, COL, DET, MIN, New York Islanders, NYR, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Saint Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks;

Canada (10): CAL, EDM, HFX (I like the idea of having an ‘X’ in a 3-letter abbreviation, like PHX for Phoenix; it just looks cool watching at home), HAM, MTL, QBC, TOR, VAN, WIN/WPG.

Two teams remain, and they both have to be in Canada. The next two largest metropolitan areas are Victoria, BC and Regina, SK. Having a team in Saskatchewan is fantastic if only that you get to say “Saskatchewan.” They automatically get a team. I have no idea which franchise they should get. I have no idea what the new nickname should be (Rough Riders is out, thanks to the CFL). Maybe they should get the Devils just so they can have the championship banners. Sure, the historical nature of the Devils (which stems from the legendary New Jersey Devil which roams the southern forests in the state) is lost, but, who cares? They had a lockout in 2004. History doesn’t even matter anymore. For the final team, I debated putting another team in Toronto to match the Rangers/Islanders supremacy battle. Considering how lopsided the population battle is between Ontario and the rest of Canada. (I live in the Midwest. The media only loves the Cubs here—NOTHING else. Not OSU football, not IU basketball, not the Bulls, not the Cardinals, not the Packers now that Favre is gone, NOTHING), I felt it necessary to put the 12th team somewhere else—Victoria. You could have a supremacy battle there, instead. I say move the Los Angeles Kings to Victoria (to keep the regal feel) and start a new rivalry with the Canucks. It can only be good for the much-ignored West side of Canada.

With division alignments, the final league setup would be:

America (12):

East (6): Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins;

West (6): Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota (North) Stars (from Dallas Stars), St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks;

Canada (12):

East (6): Halifax Whalers (from CAR), Hamilton Tigers (re-established), Montréal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Québec Nordiques (from TBD), Toronto Maple Leafs;

West (6): Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Saskatchewan TBD (from NJ), Vancouver Canucks, Victoria Kings (from LA), Winnipeg Jets (from PHX).

Contracted: Atlanta Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, with one franchise being moved to Québec to become the Nordiques.

Now, for you, the Sports Guy, my two franchises to be eliminated should you decide to go to a 22-team league would be the Islanders and the (Victoria) Kings. They were the last two entries to their respective nations. I know you’ve been pining for this for quite some time. Hopefully, this makes your campaign for Sports Czar have a little more substance. Feel free to leave any comments on my opinions.

An Introduction

2008-12-16T20:01:00.000-06:00

Hey all,

This is my new blog. It's funny since I hate the concept of the blog, which is, in my opinion, that a person thinks that his/her irrelevant, unimportant, and, often, errant opinion is, somehow, worth reading to the point that cyberspace needs to be alloted so that everyone in the world has access to the thoughtless dribble that pours forth from his/her fingers. And yet, I got bored and saw that Google had blogging software.
Well, I intend to write about fantasy football--a lot--as well as my thoughts on God and Christianity and society in general from my very minimal, miniscule perspective. Please feel free to comment, but remember that I am just one person in a world of more than 6 billion. I am still in college. I am as uninformed and educated as necessary to form a blog. Basically, don't take me to be an educated scholar on anything. In the realm of fantasy football, I am only able to watch 5 games per week, maximum, so I won't have the amazing insider information you won't get anywhere else. In fact, I will probably be guilty of stealing information from ESPN.com's fantasy football writers. In the realm of Christianity, I am as ignorant and foolish as many other humans. My opinions are as faulty as my mind is. I may have something pertinent to say, but it could very well be unintentionally plagiarized and/or in complete discord with what God's Word says.
In summary, this is just a waste of (cyber)space. Take from it what you will. Just remember: my opinion means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things, so don't spend too much time here.

A
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B
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C
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D
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E
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F
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M
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N
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O
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