UH OH Broncogaytor Nation...

I just want to give myself credit first and foremost for that excellent title....

Ahh that feels good thanks.

Ok, so that whole Tebow Bronco following makes me sick. Yes, he is a great guy, and who wouldn't want him to date your sister, but clearly this has been well documented that a 3rd String QB would not have saved the Jaguar franchise. Maybe the Gator fan's jorts are pulled up so high it is blurring their visiion. I think many of them may actually believe that the Gators are the Jaguars AAA team. Who knows, and I cannot wait til we destroy the Broncos on opening day. Thank you NFL schedule makers for giving us this....I also think we have found the ultimate dagger....

Many Jag experts, by this I mean Vic, and everyone else who gets paid to cover this team have stated that next year's draft (ignoring the fact Garrard is going to win the MVP and take us to the Super Bowl HEYO!!!) will start with the next franchise qb.

And who just happens to be on the most recent National Scouting Grade as the top Senior QB? Christian Ponder of FSU!!!!!! O I would love this. Lets bring the SPEAR to Jacksonville.

Of course this is still early, and he is coming off shoulder surgery, but hey, he scored over a 30 on his wonderlicwhatever test. I have no idea what that really means, but I know a high score is good, and a bad score means you get in trouble in night clubs like Vince Young....

And since our Night Life is lacking here in the River City, bring in PONDER!!!!!!

Gator Fans were in uproar when we took the best available player in last years draft because he did not go to Florida (look how Reggie Nelson and Derrick Harvey have worked out) just wait until we here their excuses about taking someone from the ACC....

I may have to buy 7 Ponder Jerseys, one for every day, so I never miss a chance to rub it in everyone of their gator lovin faces....

Here is a link to the post http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2010/6/21/1529503/national-scouting-grades-christian

Man's Guide to First Dates...

While I was at work today I had an epiphany. Men really need help with the first date. Why is the fist date important? Well simply, screw up and you will never get a second one. But then if you make it too awesome, she may run to the hills or constantly hold you to the high standard. It is important to very much be yourself! As the great Hitch said "it is not your job to get her to like you, she already said yes."

Anyways...

DO NOT TAKE HER TO THE MOVIES. It does not allow the two of you to talk. The only opportunity it allows is maybe the classy, smooth, arm around her shoulder move, but really we are not 15 anymore. Second, she may have already seen the movie you have been dying to see with a much better looking guy the weekend before....

DO NOT TAKE HER TO THE COMMON CHAIN RESTAURANT. Really Guys? You have been dying to ask this girl out for months now and the best thing you can do is take her to the place she visits with her girlfriends on a regular basis. Also, in all likelihood the food will not be that good, the service will be sub par, and the wait will be amusement park long. Pick somewhere fun. Hibachi, some local establishment, somewhere romantic, somewhere by the beach, somewhere not in the town center...

DO NOT NOT PAY. Even if it is something casual like coffee, do not give her the option. If she puts up a fuss, be cool, say "you can get the next time." Obviously your intention is to never let her pay, but hey, you have also put in her mind you want to see her again...

DO NOT TAKE HER ANYWHERE WHERE THE BIG GAME IS ON. Your whole idea is to get to know her, and for her to know you, this does not mean for her to see your die hard obsession with your team, or worse, ignore her...

DO NOT BE ANYTHING BUT YOURSELF. If you are a romantic guy, be romantic and show up with flowers, if you are funny, be funny. But don't pretend you are something you are not. It is not fair to her. Sure, you will be nervous, and more likely than not in full blown interview mode, but sooner or later she is going to figure you out and like or dislike you based on you. Also, do not change, the last conversation you want is "you don't treat me the way you used too"

DO NOT NOT OPEN HER DOOR.

DO NOT GO SOMEWHERE YOU TOOK AN EX. Even if it was nice, or it worked. You should never compare ex's, and it is even worse to try to re-create them.

DO NOT BE LATE. She is allowed to keep you waiting...

DO NOT NOT CLEAN YOUR CAR. She will notice if it looks like hell. You wouldn't go to church or a job interview looking sloppy would you? If you respect her, show her....

DO NOT TALK PAST RELATIONSHIPS, POLITICS, OR RELIGION. Even if that is her favorite thing to do.....

DO NOT POUR YOUR HEART OUT. The old adage "it is better to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt" rings especially true....

DO NOT NOT FORGET TO CHECK THE WEATHER. See, nothing is more suave than handing her an umbrella you had in the back of your car just in case. It would be even better if it was almost broken, you know, you could make some wise comment that this is the best day of this umbrellas life, or heck, this umbrella is the luckiest umbrella in the world, or hey even, well I guess walking with a pretty girl can be struck off this umbrellas bucket list.....

DO NOT FORGET TO CALL FOR RESERVATIONS. Find out what the attire is, find out if where you are going may be busy and to loud. All of these things matter men.

DO NOT HAVE LIL WAYNE BLASTING IN YOUR SPEAKERS. Even if your favorite rapper saved your mother's life do not have that rocking in your car. She is not impressed with your base system. The radio turned down low is fine, or even some kid of live music turned low works....

DO NOT PICK THE CLOSEST PARKING SPOT. By not choosing the closest spot it will allow the two of you to walk for a bit....Do not pick the farthest, this is just dumb and creepy...

DO NOT NOT DRIVE AND DO NOT NOT PICK HER UP. Please, do not tell her you will meet her somewhere....* If however you met her online, and this is a first meeting, choose an area of town that she is familiar with, and this is ok to meet her....

DO NOT SHOW UP DRENCHED IN COLOGNE.

DO NOT NOT SHAVE. And get a hair cut.

DO NOT TAKE HER TO A CONCERT. For all the same reasons as the movies. Now a baseball game, that is totally a good first date. Yall can talk, yall can laugh, yall can people watch and make fun of others. And most importantly, you can figure out if she eats hot dogs (any girl who doesn't is not worth your time)...

DO NOT DO A DOUBLE DATE. Grow a pair and ask her out...

DO NOT ORDER THE CHEAPEST THING ON THE MENU. This will pressure her to also pick something cheap. Do not also pick the most expensive thing, that is just making it seem like you are trying to hard. If she picks the most expensive thing, never ask her out again...

DO NOT GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THE 3 DAY RULE. If you are interested in calling her afterword, do it....if she is the right one, she will be more excited you did, than scared you may be a creepo...if she is into the whole game thing, than she needs to grow up...

DO NOT TRY TO KISS HER, BUT GOSH DARNIT WALK HER TO HER DOOR.

Top 5 Reasons Minor Leauge Baseball is Awesome.

Yes I know there is another sporting event going on right now, called the World Cup or something, but that will be over soon and we will all return to our soccer hating lives....

In the meantime I was reminded yesterday why our Nationan's...errr...your Nation's National Pastime is truly great.

While there is nothing like seeing the green grassy fields and smelling the fresh pine tar at a Major Leauge game, there is something about the Minor Leagues that is well, truly romantic...

5. By one get one free tickets. Where else can you bring a old Kraft singles wrapper and get a ticket for free? Trying do that at a concert, or the zoo. Ok Ok, maybe a Marlins game has promotions like that...

4. .50 cent hot dogs, ice cream, peanuts. 1 Dollar Beers on Thursday. It is deals like that that make dating fun again....

3. You get to watch kids before they are superstars. I mean, Mike Stanton, come on, I saw that kid play when he was only in AA. Strike that conversation up with a baseball fan, he will be so jealous. Heck, in my life time I have seen Roy Halladay, Vernon Wells, Milton Bradley, Manny Ramirez, Derek Jeter, Jason Werth, Grady Sizemore, even Jose Canseco and Daryll Strawberry!!!

2. The chances of getting on the big screen, or catching a foul ball are much higher. ( I don't know if this is true, but I have been on a big screen now and have gotten two foul balls, and neither happened at a pro game). (although I did catch a batting practice home run at Yankee Stadium).

1. Just another excuse to hang out with good friends.

Take this Subway...

"Eat fresh", my ass. Saturday I went to the Subway off Gate Parkway in the Daily's (or maybe Gate gas station) just past the on ramp to JTB. While I thought was going to be a quick in an out for a nice afternoon healthy lunch turned out to be anything but. What I did not know was I would be witness to the worst case of customer service I have ever encountered.

It all started when I approached the line to order. No one was present. I looked behind and noticed the two female employees eating bread in the back. Upon seeing me, one came out and said, and I lie to you not, "what do you want." I said "turkey sub on wheat." She then turned around and went back into the back and came out with a piece of wheat bread. Why the heck it was in the back I have no idea, but I ignored it....

So there we are standing facing each other and she does not say a word. I say, turkey please. Her response, "we need more turkey". I said ok. She yells to the other girl, to bring out more turkey. Now side note, I know what it is to work in a restaurant, and to run out of ingredients, but this was 11:30 (clearly lunch time) and they were not prepared at all.

So I stood there waiting for what seemed like a thousand hours as she cut the turkey out of the package and place it on my bread. She then asked what else. I said "provolone cheese". She then placed the cheese on my sub. At this point she goes into how crappy she feels and how she was out drinking all night (like I care). She asked me what my plans were ( i greatly appreciated the small talk) and said I was on my way to the beach. She then replied, are you going to the beach or to the beach ( i did not know there was a difference, and would have thought my bathing suit gave it away, but I said I am going to lay in the sand and swim in the ocean to remove all doubt)...

So we moved on to the lettuce, a key ingredient for a sandwich and one in which they had none of. She had to scoop it from the bottom to even remotely get close to the amount to which I am used too. This of course now angered me. She asked me what else I said tomatoes, lite mayo, and oil and vinegar. She replied all of our mayo is lite. Not sure I believe her since some are labeled lite and others just regular, but I will give her the benefit of the doubt....

Her next question for me was as follows "you don't talk much do you?" This of course was followed by one of my classic eat shit and die looks. My response was "no." I really wanted to say just "make my freaking sandwich woman" but restrained due to my higher sense of self worth at this point. She never asked me for a meal, or a drink.

Clearly this girl needs a serious dose of schooling, parenting, or some small sense of logic and customer service. The other employee did nothing more than grace my presents stuffing her face with bread (another attractive subway customer exp) and safe to say I do not think I will eat there again...

O yea, and I told her I did not need a receipt.

Why Men Love Sports....

This has been on my mind for sometime now, and I thought once and for all, lets clear this up. Woman, pay attention, and if we start looking like that guy, you have every reason to leave us....

Why Guys Love Sports.

First off, never say that is all we care about. It is insulting, and not true. Second, when we break it down logically, there is nothing different than watching sports, which are really nothing more than competitive entertainment, than say, hmm American Idol or Bridezilla (all perfectly acceptable in the book of female). So please, don't do it.

And here is why we love sports....

The Male Bonding Experience

You see, one of the reasons that men love sports is because they give us a chance to enjoy each other. We love our fathers, but never get a chance to truly express such love (if you come from a household where you do truly express such love, I’ll bet you know the finer points of interior decorating, or actually own a spatula).

Instead of offering us hugs and kisses, our fathers teach us important stuff: how to fight, change the oil, how to play sports, how to enjoy sports, and whether or not a girl is worth spending money on. We fall in love with our teams in a way that transcends enjoying mere entertainment. This is why we get emotional when our fav player retires. This is why Field of Dreams always chokes us up and most chick flicks make us laugh. We equate our favorite teams with love for our fellow men. They are our brothers. Also, sports is a way for us to network with other men. In the past week I have had at least 20 non baseball fans ask me if I saw the Kid Strasburg make his debut. Yes of course I did, but you miss the point, because I did I am able to talk about this with someone else, and who knows were this conversation would lead too (maybe a job) (although that is lofty thinking)...

Anyway, the main reason why we love sports is because sports provide us with an avenue by which we can connect with our fellow men. Understand this, and maybe you won’t find our love of fantasy so stupid and unnecessary.

The Respect Factor

Say what you will about any professional sport, but the truth of the matter is, that crap is hard. People complain about teachers making nothing and athletes getting paid so much, but you know what? That makes sense. You have a one in a million shot of becoming a professional athlete, and all you need to be a teacher is a college degree and a certificate from your state (capitalism baby, supply and demand). That’s another reason we love the sports and don’t mind how much money athletes make: we respect what they can do. Say what you want about Kobe or Tiger, but I cannot do that. I cannot throw 100 miles an hour, let alone hit it. I cannot skate circles around those guys, and in no possible way could I ever kick a field goal. We respect their hardwork, their speed, and the grace in which they make it look easy.

The Quantifiable Experience

Men are more logical (for the most part) than are women (who for the most part, are more emotional). Because of this, we enjoy experiences that we can easily break down. One of the reasons more men read about sports than music is because sports give us easy answers. Why is Peyton Manning worse than Tom Brady? Just go to the post-season statistics and your questions are answered. With movies, books, popular culture and music, no experiences are truly quantifiable.

This is why English class usually makes us bored: when you write passionately about music or popular culture, you are basically offering an opinion of abstract experiences. (In other words, everyone has their opinions on culture and all opinions have merit.) When you write passionately about sports, you’re basically describing what everyone else already experienced. (In other words, everyone has to admit that they’d sooner bet on Brady than Manning in the AFC championship—statistics don’t lie.)

Because of this, we can digest sports like nothing else. To men, sports are one of the few things on planet Earth that just make sense. Men don’t want to accept confusion. We want things simple. We don’t want drama and we don’t need passion. We just want to figure stuff out, plain and simple, and then move on to the next problem. Sports allow us to do that.

The Foxhole Experience

Another extremely important thing about sports is the camaraderie we get with one another through it. Watching your team, you feel like they are a part of you. That is why we dress up in our jerseys when we go to the sports bar or the game. We relate to them. In their struggle and competition, we find beauty in that. When they are in slump, we want nothing more for them to pull through. When the player off the bench has the game of his life, we also relate to his success. The size, strength, power, speed of these athletes is something we marvel at. They are our heroes. The other team is our vilans. It is good and evil, pure and simple.

Now, what does this mean for girls. First, it definitely means you do not call us out on this if you do not relate or understand our passion for our teams. It is our hobby, and in all likelihood something that has been our hobby since we were kids. That is not going to change. We love when you watch the game with us, or come with us. That does not mean you have to LIKE it. We just want you THERE. We do however want your SUPPORT. If we talk about the game, how some player is killing our team, we want you to listen. Do not shut us out, or you will regret it later. You see, part of the way we may open up and trust you is through talking about sports (that is how we do it with our friends, and our fathers). What may start as a simple Vince Carter cannot make a shot in the playoffs, could lead to hey you wanna go to Orlando this weekend? You see by tuning our passions out you may miss the opportunity to talk or do something fun. Tell us you hate our sports, and you will find yourself left out of a lot of events (that is what neither of us want). While it is OK to replace our team sheets with something pink with girly fluffy pillows and college sports themed bathroom, please don't take our sports. Besides, we all dream for the day we come home to you dressed as our teams cheerleader (I have got to stop writing what I am thinking).

You may read People Magazine, or TMZ, we pick up the box scores...

World Cup

So this morning on Good Morning America, it was stated that 26 Billion people would be watching today. Interesting. I wonder where the other 20 Billion people live....

Inside Jokes are Quote....

The great Hitch once said "Basic principles: no matter what, no matter when, no matter who... any man has a chance to sweep any woman off her feet. He just needs the right broom...."

Well fellas, one way to find that swiffer sweat picker upper is to use inside jokes. Nothing ends an argument or starts a good laugh better than a well timed inside one liner. Now, these jokes can be something as simple as a mis-spoken word, a typo, or something only the two of you would know...(stuff like, sorry, a gentleman never tells)...

Anyways, I guess many of you are wondering what the heck does the title mean. It is an example of an inside joke. See one time I was talking to a good good friend on facebook chat (the telegram of our generation) and instead of saying cute, I wrote quote. Now, anything cute is quote. See it is that simple....

I remember in my younger high school years, my one friend mis spoke and called the Leafs the Maples. Turned out to be her nickname...or Mapleface as I prefer

Or my personal fav, the ex Leaf Captain being incorectly called Mats Sunbeam. Still don't know how you get Sunbeam out of Sundin, but hey, its quote....

So like I said, there is nothing like a good inside joke, especially the nasty or dirty kind. In a public place or at work, there is something about saying something that only the two of you know that can really make you smile.

So how does this relate to Hitch? Well if used correctly, it can be a sweet tool to make HER smile. But this requires LISTENING to her, and maybe just maybe remembering. She will love it, and if used tactfully may help to sweep her off her feet. It doesn't matter if it isn't manly or cool, it is something only the two of you know anyways, its not gay, its quote. So eat your fav appetizers, those yummy delicious cheese sticks (inside joke) and enjoy the times with your good family and friends...

Nothing Like a Good Rookie Hazing...

O man, so after Strasmania was over, and the most prized pitching prospect in a long time absolutely dominated the Pirates, I couldn't help but laugh when he got the shaving cream pie in the face treatment, not once, not twice but a total of three times....

O the good ole days of sticking it to the newbies....

And whoever found the silver Elvis hair is really the most beautiful human being ever.

Phenom....

Yea, this kid is that good.....

What's Vacation Mean? Where Daniel Went.....

A blogger a rest, stays at rest... I might write something this week. Maybe...

Arod Keeps Creepin....

While Ken Griffey Jr. retired two days ago, number 4 all time on the home run list, Arod keeps adding to his list. He is now only 18 away from Sosa. When he isn't involed in contrevsy, whether yelling "Ha" behind the opposing players or stepping on their mounds, he has been able to produce very good numbers. And while I think he is a roid head, a loser, a cry baby, terrible for baseball, a yankee, terrible in the clutch, it will be kinda cool to see him make a run at Bonds (clearly a way better hitter)...

I Can't Believe What I Just Saw....

0k, while I was watching my Blue Jays blow another 9th inning lead to the hated first place rays (yes I hate them now) I also had the tigers game on my computer as there pitcher Armando Gallaraga was pitching a perfect game. Now I know we have been blessed with two already, but who really gets tired of perfect games? Anyways, it had all the makings, the play of the year in center feild for the first out in the ninth, and then a lazy ground ball to first. What I saw next I could not believe, the Ump called the runner safe. The play was not even close. I know he admitted later he missed the call, NO FREAKING WHATEVER WORD YOU WANNA ADD HERE....

How do you not call him out even if he was safe? It is a perfect game and he immortality would have followed him. I feel horrible for the pitcher, I really do. To have that sucked away from you because of a bad call is terrible. I think he would have much rather given up a clean hit. Let's see what the MLB does. I really hope to God its not instant reply though. That would be awful. I know bad calls are part of baseball, but shitty calls should not be. I am surprised there isnt a hit on this umpires life. I know for a fact that if this game was in NY he would be dead as the bleecher creatures wouldda pulled out their peices and made him sleep with the fishes....

In other sports news, Ken Griffey Jr. called it a career. The Kid was really the best player we have seen in a long long time, and it is really sad that injuries derailed his career. He still finished with way over 600 home runs, but this guy should have been the Home Run King. It is sad to see my heros of the past calling it quits.....

In Case You Also Missed It....

BTW my blessed Blue Jays have once again given me a false sense of home here approaching June and I think we have a chance to make the playoffs once more. We are hitting more home runs than Fired Up and our young pitching is largely to do with our victories. We now have a 9 game stint against the first place Rays (starting tonight) than the hated Yankees, and then 3 more vs. the Rays....If we come out of this victories, PLAYOFFS!!!!! If not, Tank Nation 2010....

Top 5 Reasons All Holidays Should Fall on Mondays

What a better way to write my Top Five Monday, than laying in my bed, at 8 am, and not already slaving away doing overtime....also, I would like to point out let's not forget the importance of Memorial Day, the sacrifices of young and woman past and present that allow such freedoms such as holidays and free speech to exist today...Be sure to have your moment of silence at 3 pm...

5. It makes the whole weekend better. I mean a night out on the town Friday allows two full days to Sober up. Or in my case, if your a colleague and your team is eliminated in the playoffs, you have an extra day before you have to come back to work and hear it from other fans. If your lucky, they may have even forgot...

4. Sunday night isn't depressing because it leads to work the next day. Also, you can stay up late and watch Gladiator without the tired feeling the next day.

3. Sleeping in on a Monday is really an amazing feeling. While, my terror of a dog thought it would be a good idea to wake me up at 5:30, I get the last laugh as I went back to bed and will not feed him til at least 9....

2. The work week is shorter. I mean, hump day is only one day away now and then its almost the weekend again!!!!!

1. It would also be an extra travel day if needed to go see family. Which is really the best thing about holidays, spending it with those you love, but Halladay perfect games aren't to bad either....

Halladay!!!!

I love him. A perfect game. Wow. I just wish it wasn't in that gross red uniform....really have nothing else to say, he is the best pitcher in baseball and I wish he was still a Jay.

Meet The....

Mom's say the darnedest things when you meet them for the first time. Yea. They say ...

I Am A Man, I Can Change, I Think...

My name is Daniel, and I am a fantasybaseballacholic. I don't know how our parents, grandparents, founding fathers, ancestors, or even Noah himself on the Ark functioned without it....

God bless them for being so strong.

Top 5 Reasons Lady Gaga is Weird..

I have no idea why I am writing about a bleached blondie with dark glasses, is there really nothing important to talk about in the world anymore? Anyways...top five reasons must go on...

5. Her name. What the heck is that? In fact her real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. In no way can you get GAGA out of that...maybe its not the record that she can't see strait....

4. She attributes her musical style to David Bowie and Madonna. She should. She dresses weird like them...I mean or is it just me, doesn't she look like she belongs in the movie the "5th Element"...

3. She calls her fans "little monsters" and got a ta too of that somewhere on her body... She also has a peace ta too because John Lennon is her hero...

2. Toward the end of 2008, comparisons were made between the fashions of Lady Gaga and recording artist Christina Aguilera, noting similarities in their styling, hair, and make-up. Aguilera later said she was "completely unaware of Gaga" and "didn't know if it was a man or a woman." I totally agree.

1. She preaches abstinence. You would not tell it by her songs. She is not like other pop stars however where she had said I have not had sex, none of whom I believed then, nor now...What I also find interesting is she is an outspoken bisexual. Ironic that a bisexual would preach abstinence....Regardless, you can read that here...http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/04/12/pro.abstinence.celebs.tf/index.html

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem...

Take your jeans day, I am in bed totally relaxing. FREEDOM!!!! Vacation is awesome. BTW this is what I did Tuesday Night, baby sat that puppy....

I want to take her to the beach and puppy pimp......

When the Black Mamba Gets You, Your Dead

Yea. Sorry Sun's. When Kobe isn't raping woman (insert any pro athelete joke here) he is pretty much unstoppable...even with broken knees, fingers, toes, and elbows....

This series is over as long as Kobe can keep his Black Mamba in his pants....Sorry I can't help it..

p.s I hate snakes.

Top 5 Disney Characters I Would Want to Be....

Don't know why I thought of this, maybe it was because I just watched the new Robin Hood...anyways, here is my list...

5. Buzz Lightyear. I mean how cool is this guy? He can go to infinity and beyond, and all the cool gadgets he has.

4. Pongo. Who wouldn't wanna be a Dalmatian? And how cool of a name is Pongo?

3. Robin Hood. You get to mess with Prince John and the Sheriff, get to chill with Little John and Will Scarlet. You live in a tree, are nails with a boy and arrow, and Maid Marian is one hot fox (pun intended).

2. Peter Pan. You get to fly, fight and crow. The coolest bad guy ever, Capt. James Hook is your bitch. Mermaids love you, Tigerlilly is sweating you, and the lost boys think sliced bread is actually the best thing since you.

1. Aladdin. Jasmine, enough said, although a Genie and a Magic Carpet doesn't hurt either.

What I Love About Sunday's....

I don't know what it is about Sunday, but I love it. Yea, I know work starts the next day, and you have that in the back of your mind, but there is just something about the day that is really great. It is a day to relax, go to church, watch the ballgame, play your guitar, take the dog for a walk, go out for a nice lunch, call an old friend, sleep in, take a nap, do something new, see something different, lay by the pool, go to the beach, sit in the park, read a book, watch an old movie, take a drive, spend time with someone you love...

But there is also something about it that is refreshing to me, in the way Friday Night, or Saturday cannot even compare. And no, I am not talking about the chance to Sober up. What I am referring to is the start of a new week, the chance to contemplate things that matter, and things that don't.

I was reading my Bible this morning, and I was reading about the Story of Joseph. And what really caught me today was how similar his life was to some of ours. Everything was great for him, and yet his own brothers because of their jealousy turned on him and sold him into slavery. Things used to seem so good for him, he was handsome, young, and had his whole life in front of him, now he is a slave. But he didn't complain he worked hard and ended up becoming the Master Servant in his Owner's home. Once again, his life would have been pretty good, that is until the Owner's wife wanted to get with him, or "smoke" him if your from the Bronx. But, he didn't give in. He easily could have knocked that girl up and no one would have known. Instead, he did the right thing, and made the right decision. The funny thing is because he didn't rock her world, she flipped out and lied that he did (whore). Next thing you know poor Joe is in prison and for a long time. But he never complained, and he met someone in prison and befriended that person. That person happened to have some connections (also a positive from this story) and when that guy got out, he told Pharaoh about Joseph, and next thing you know, Big Joe is now working for Pharaoh and helped save their nation from a famine. Now I know I gave all the credit to Joey here, but really it was God. He had a plan far bigger than anything we could have imagined. I guess what I am trying to say is sometimes we have no clue why things happen to us, why young people die early, why people hurt us, lie to us, things may stink at our job, we may not be happy, money may be tight. Well maybe just maybe this is learning period and a test of character for something greater. I like to think that like Joe, we are being fined tuned to be something greater....

I remember the first time I had my heartbroken after a long relationship, I did not understand why all the pain, and loneliness had to happen to me. I never understood why it had to hurt, and I tried so hard not to do the easy thing which would have been jumping into a new relationship or sleeping with someone totally random. It took a long time, and a lot of sleepless nights. I battled with depression and anger. But that struggle was not in vain for as it turned out I went through all that, so that I could be there for my best friend as he had to battle the same situation shortly there after...funny thing is he was right back there for me when I needed him.

You know sometimes I think we all pray for Angels, or Miracles or Signs from God to show us the way and what we are supposed to do or be. I think we miss the main idea, and that is all of this happens for a reason, and something better is on the way if we do the right things. But I also believe he does send Angels, Miracles and Signs. There called friends.

Some People...

Ok so today while I was getting a soda at the Merrill cafe, I witnessed something today that just made me want to slap this old man silly. Some big wig ( I guess) old man Merrill employee seriously bitched out a lil ole worker because the soup was improperly labeled. Now I am not a soup connoisseur of any such sorts, and am typically not offended by such mistakes. This loser was however. I also totally understand the importance of properly labeling food for allergy reasons, but this was not the case. He said, and I shit you not, "This soup is labeled Manhattan Chowder." "Manhattan Chowder is red." I did not know we were talking about a 59 Bordeaux. I am sorry, there is some battles worth fighting, and this was not it. It made him look like a total ass, and I hope I made him feel like a worthless human when I gave him a you-need-to-grow-a-pair look. Who takes out their frustrations over the color of a soup? I mean, improperly labelling the decaf coffee would be one thing...

In addition to that, WHO HAS EVER HEARD OF MANHATTAN CHOWDER? I lived there and never heard of the stuff. I ate New England Clam....

His 3rd wife must really hate him

Witnesses of What?

Really Lebron, while I was writing this you have 8 turn overs. Hardly a stately performance. I especially liked the "New York Knicks" chant that occurred with 3 minutes left in the 4th Quarter by the Boston faithful...

Lebron is a sell out and when it counted the most, you couldn't count on him. Take your sore elbow and millions of dollars and leave the state of Ohio, they do not need you. Somewhere Kobe is home and smiling...

Being Sick

There is nothing worse than being sick. And isn't it ironic that whenever you are sick, things just seem to make you more sick? Like I am on my death bed here at home, and what is on tv? The Montreal Freaking Canadians. And they are winning. My biggest rival. I want to throw up again, and this time not for the lack of sleep, chicken wings and one to many alch beverages...

And since Bank of America in all it's wisdom thought it was a good idea to not allow overtime if you don't physically work a full 40 hour week, I have to go to work just so I can infect my colleagues.

Wanna know what also makes me sick? I don't care what you think, I am telling you. What makes me sick is liars, cheaters, bills, losing, stress, flat soda, terrible smells, granny panty lines, getting let down, heartbreak, letting other people down, seeing other's in pain, the fact that Patty has not wrote a post in almost 3 weeks, TV blackouts, Full price items, no ice cream in the fridge, regret, not knowing and fake people...

Top 5 Reason's Perfect Games are Amazing...

Wow. I cannot believe what I just saw. Dallas Braden, yes that Dallas Braden, the kid who just two weeks ago was throwing a temper tantrum in the dug out because lil Arod stepped on his mound. Today he took the hill and tossed a perfect game on Mother's Day. Sad thing for him is he lost his mother in high school, and his Grandma (who raised him) was on hand for today's gem instead....

5. I am sorry, but there is nothing more exciting in sports. I mean this is more pressure than a basketball player on the free throw line with the game on the line. Immortality lines ahead with three more outs. I was lucky to tune into the last half inning. One count went to 3 balls and 1 strike. I mean, the amount of pressure, concentration, and luck that goes into a perfect game is just insane.

4. Unlike records that can be tainted due to Roids, it is pretty near impossible to throw a perfect game. I mean 27 up 27 down, no base runners of any sort. This is just the 19 perfect game in the history of baseball, and only the 7th by a left handed pitcher...

3. Dallas Braden did it against the best team in baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays.

2. Billy Chapel did it in a movie, and any baseball movie with Kevin Costner is awesome.

1. What is better than being perfect?

Proof of Losership..

In Addition to Being Old..

So I woke up this morning, still hurting from this weeks softball marathon, and realize that I am getting old. How else do I know this. In one week two of my best friends both became Uncles. I just got a new cousin who was named after me. I have teammates who are married, have kids, or are expecting kids. My little brother graduates college today. How much worse can this get? My dog has a beard. My knees don't work. I am thinking about buying a house. I am thinking about becoming an Usher at church. I look forward to bed. I wake up before 7 am. I read the paper, and more than one. I drink Tea in the morning. A crazy Friday night is spent at Carrabba's. Saturday I feel like renting a movie. My back constantly makes me feel like hell. I have bills. I am growing hair on my back. I actually considered playing golf. I love my life. And patty still has yet to make a comment.

If you are not First, you Suck.

Last night ended the dream season. I especially made it happen. While we did beat our Nemesis Hit Shoppe, by a whopping 1,000 runs, we moved on to the Championship game and lost by one run. I of course did my part by grounding out to the pitcher to end the game. Good thing I didn't have a mother or girlfriend or uncle or father or brother or sister or token friend in the stands to witness my utter failure. Quick memory, we will be back. And yes, I struck out looking in the first game to join James for the strike out race. I told my mother, and I have been disowned.

Also, since I am now 25 years old, and my knees, back, hammy, quad, ankle, arm, neck, shoulders whole body all hurts, I have realized my dreams of playing catch with my son while he grows up are over. Instead I will buy him a pitching machine, and just launch the balls at him.

Sometimes you Win, Sometimes you Lose, and Sometimes, it Rains.

Think about that for a second.

We won an epic comeback in the rain tonight, 20-17 after being down like 11-2. This was a real character win and I felt that I was playing high school football again, or like our ancestors fighting the English off our lands....

Either way, James struck out again, this time looking. Again, in no way could his mother be proud.

Our second game got rained out, so we are making it up today at 6:45 pm. Be there or be a loser.

So, yea it is the playoffs now, and wow, are we lucky we played the Inner City Slammers. I mean I am not going to make excuses, but we were sorry. Thank the Baseball gods that they only had nine players, and the 10th hitter was an automatic out, or I would be in a drunken stupor right now. We played the way it makes me feel seeing stupid Philly fans wearing Roy Halladay jerseys like he is Mike Schmidt. Traitor. But back to softball and our game, it was gross. While I have forgotten the score, I think it was 7-3. Maybe it was 12-4. Regardless, we did not hit one home run and hit like girls. Thank goodness they made errors, couldn't run, and their pitcher was a whiny baby.

Tomorrow we play some other team and hopefully we show up with our real sticks. Thanks for all of you who came out tonight to watch us embarrass ourselves.

And while a win is a win is a win, James stuck out and his mother in no way can be proud of that.

Don't Freak Out

No I did not block you from facebook. I blocked facebook from me. I hate it.

Here are top 5 things I also hate right now.

5. Humidity. I have no idea why it is necessary.

4. Cleaning a bathroom. Waiting for the magic button for that.

3. Bills. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like they have worked for over a year now, and have nothing to really show for it besides a decrease in debt (i hope).

2. Losing. Losing anything is terrible. Honestly, I can't think of losing anything that is a good thing. And get your mind out of the gutter, I was not referring to the v-card.

1. The unknown.

Sunday Funday

Ok, there is nothing fun about 1000 degree weather, but I tried. Went to the Jag's mini camp today and could not believe two things.

First, Maurice Jones-Drew was wearing sweat pants and sleeves.

Tyson Alawhoalwho (still not old) calves are the size of my head.

That is all I got, softball playoffs tomorrow.

O yea, and who is that guy at the top? No it is not Alawhoalwho (okay maybe getting old now). That is my Pastor of my church, and a real inspiration for me. This is not a religious blog by any means, but the impact Southpoint Community Church is having on my life is really important to me. And since Patty's contribution has been, well, awful, I can write what I want. This weeks sermon was also incredible, and you will find that through his down to earth approach, this is the kind of Religion that you can get excited about. He is a real pastor. Anyways, if you are wondering, here is a link to his latest sermon Podcasts, the one I listed to was "How Do You Rate as a Date". Check it out at http://www.southpointcc.com/

nails.

Top 5 Reasons I LOVE this draft...

After the initial shock of AlwhoAlwho, I really am loving this draft..and while I may be the only one so far, I think Gene Smith really did the best thing for this franchise..here is why...

5. We did not get Tebow. Sure we would have sold maybe 5,000 more seats including possibly Patty stepping up, but honestly, do we really want Gator nation at OUR jaguar games? I don't, and I know fans of other colleges don't. Sure Football fans are football fans, and you can like the Gators and Jags, but come on, I don't want people fans of this team ONLY because of Tim Tebow. I get it, the kid is a legend and a great kid, but he is not NFL ready, and the pressure to preform he would get in this town would be unobtainable. And for all of those who complain about not getting an SEC guy, where are all the Derek Harvey gator fans, or Reggie Nelson, I mean we had FRED TAYLOR for gatorsakes. Fans are fickle, and that is why you cannot draft based on what they want.

4. Building on the last statement, college success does not necessarily guarantee pro success. Look at Tom Brady, or Matt Cassel, or heck even Peyton Manning. Did anyone get excited in Boston when Tom Brady was drafted? No. Was anyone excited here when we took Maurice Jones-Drew? I doubt it. Players build names for themselves at the next level based on how they preform on that level. If they have stellar college careers (Eric Crouch) and do not perform in the pros, they will be forgotten or starting for the Toronto Argos. The fact that Gene Smith drafted non big names means something. HE SAW POTENTIAL TALENT. This is based on SCOUTING. Hours were spent dissecting film and looking at the combine numbers, players size, speed, explosiveness, coach-ability and character. A case could be made that AlwhoAlwho (I promise this is the last time I do this) was BETTER statistically (college numbers and combine stats) than the 3rd overall pic. If that turns out to be the case, I GUARANTEE he will become a fan favorite.

3. We picked up a middle linebacker, Kirk Morrison who is in his prime, had over 100 tackles last year, and all of this for basically Quentin Grooves. That is a trade my friends.

2. While none of the pics are considered sexy, it really does not matter. Like I said before in the pros they can become stars. And to all those Gatorlovers out there that say we needed Tebow to sell tickets, I disagree. When we sold out in the past, it was because of three reasons in my mind. A, we were a new team, and the cool new thing to do. Like any major league baseball team that builds a new stadium, the initial awe caused people to come out. Once the honeymoon is over though, people stop coming. For proof look at Camden Yards. B, the economy. The 90's were just such a better (or maybe just more free spending) time. And C, they were winning. Year after year, because of their defense, they were making the playoffs. Notice how none of those reasons involved Tim Tebow or Dez Bryant or Jason Pierre-Paul. And to say we don't have star power? We have MAURICE JONES-DREW!

1. Defense wins Championships. I know I briefly discussed it before, but think about it. The Ravens won a Super Bowl with TRENT DILFER at QB. Think Garrard is better than him? I do. I know it is over stated, but a good defense is a good offense. BUT A GREAT defense makes a mediocre offense GREAT. Not only do they put up points due to pick off returns, but they also win the field position battle, and kill the clock. And what is our offense built on? RUNNING the football. We are based on LONG Drives, not quick strikes like the Colts. How do you beat the Colts? Ask the Saints, you keep Peyton OFF the field. This is done by running running running, and when he does go on offense and get the ball, you put him on his back. You make him move his feet, disrupt his timing. I see good things in the future, and I am really really excited about what is to come....

Draft Grade B

While I know none of the guys we drafted, we did receive a draft grade of a B from the NFL network. I think that pretty much means that this is an A + draft, if the people who were giving us a B were like me and knew of none of these guys as well. Add that to the fact we got a middle linebacker who last year had OVER 100 tackles, this is going to be a VERY VERY good draft. Remember when the Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl? The reason they did so was their RELENTLESS pass rush of Tom Brady. They were running 4-5 guys deep out there, and no namers (at the time) like Justin Tuck became instant stars. I envision our front 7 to bring on that kind of pass rush. And you remember all that talk of our Reggie Nelson (err Secondary) being garbage? Just watch how fast that talk goes down the toilet with all the interceptions they are going to get because of our front line. Yea we did not get C.J or Clausen. Yea our stadium will not be sold out with Gator fans sporting Tebow jerseys, but we are going to win. I really love the pic. Good luck Matt, Peyton and Vince, you are going to need it. Bring on the 2010 Teal Curtain!!!

ALU ALU ALU

"We are not trying to win a popularity contest, we are trying to win the Super Bowl." -Gene Smith.


UGHHH YOU BETTER BE RIGHT. I know for one thing I wont be getting a Tyson Alualu jersey anytime soon....

And If I hear the announcers say another "Bear Hug" to the Commish, I will throw up...

But here we go...http://http://www.jaguars.com/Multimedia/?id=3572and if you notice at the 1:20 mark, he nails Tim Tebow!!!!!!

Oh, somewhere in this First Coast land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Jacksonville - mighty Fired Up was blown out.

Are Your REAAAAADY FOR SOME FOOTBALLL!!!!

Yea Yea, I know it is still early baseball season, but come on, the NFL schedule just came out and I am ready for my Season tickets!!! and what have we here??????? A MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME IN JACKSONVILLE VS. THE TITANS on OCT. 18th!!!!!!!!! And we open up at home September 12th vs the Denver Broncos!!!...And just because they love me so much, they gave me Donovon Mcnabb for Christmas!!!!!!!

Top 5 Things That Make Me Wonder....

Somethings, I really really really do not understand. And here they are;

5. The human body. I mean it just really amazes me. Think of all the stuff that we can do' run, jump, swim, throw and many others...and than think of all the other stuff, like why do we stretch, or need sleep, or talk. And why do we think of things that most other animals don't. We record our thoughts, get emotional, and yet science can't even prove why...

4. The Moon and atmosphere. I just don't get it. How come in all the pictures of earth, are we a round mass, yet if you were to take a space shuttle to earth, you have to fly through the sky and into the planet. The moon you just land on. I just don't get it.

3. How if you are from Holland or the Netherlands, that makes you Dutch. I mean, if you are from America, your an American, from Canada, a Canadian, if your from France, your French and Germany your German. But, if you are from Holland....

2. How the Internet and cell phones really work. I mean we must have a serious case of floating invisible wires that we ingest each day. I swear 30 years from now they are gonna say it causes cancer.

1. Woman.

I Am Sorry...

Excuses excuses, i know we have plenty of them so I am not even going to begin to start making them as to why I have not been updating this piece lately. Sure I know Patty has been to busy watching the Yankees (eer studying for his series 7) and I have been to busy with the Girl, the dog, the Jays, the helpless disgusting Raptors, reading Dirk Hayhurst's new book, The Bullpen Gospels (which is nails!), getting intentionally walked in church league softball, shamelessly destroying the competition in James' league, working overtime, cleaning my house, reading up on every mock draft coming out, planning my trip to New York, watching Canadian Idol (a boy can dream), pooping my dog( yes this is different than just hanging out with him) and writing run-on-sentences...

But I have this to tell you. The Jags are only about 12,000 seats left to sell to avoid black outs (heyo!!!!!)...

Next Thursday there is going to be a party downtown for the draft, where some players (Newbie Kassem the dream Osgood, Last years 2nd round corner back Derek Cox, and our third receiver Mike Thomas) will be signing autographs. Also the Roar of the Jaguars (our cheerleaders) will also be there so this is def an event you want to bring the kids and girlfriend...

Anyways, it starts at 6 and it is going to be a good time. Gene Smith (our Gm and see above) is going to get us all the players we need to get us to the SuperBowl. This includes...well..we will see. For more information check this out. http://www.jaguars.com/fanzone/draftdayparty.aspx. Some of you I know need to skip a rehearsal dinner to be there...

And in case you missed it I now have a man crush on Ricky Romero....I mean only one hit in 8 innings, the Good Doc only did that a few times....

Anyways, I want to sincerely apologize for being M.I.A this week, and I will promise to do better going forward..

Vernon Wells to hit 129 Home Runs!

Start the Vernon for MVP chants. He's going to hit over 120 Home Runs and have have about 225 RBIs. At least that's what this weeks numbers tell us, and numbers never lie.

Everyone knows defense wins you championships, but offense gets you to all star games...

With that in mind let's look at the All Star Squad from week 1.

C: Yadier Molina (but look out for Chris Snyder.. 1 start 2-4 1HR 5 RBIs)

1:Ryan Howard who's actually hitting above .400 with only 1 strike out which cannot last as it is a sure sign of the apocalypse

2:Robinson Cano

3: AROD, stats don't matter its a done deal. But insert Longoria here if you would like...yeah you would like to insert Longoria

SS: Alex Gonzalez leads SS with 4 HRs

LF: Matt Holiday life is good hitting after arguably the best hitter in baseball

CF: Its gotta be Vernon.. The man is going to almost double the single season HR record...

RF: Nelson Cruz who is the only reason my fantasy team has any home runs so far... its a sad sad story

DH: Matsui happy to see him doing well with the Angels

SP: ROY HALLADAY he's going to have a 30+ win year, let's give him the Cy Young now so the other guys can stop trying. Its just not fair. I mean the guy has a .56 ERA... .56! with 17 strike outs. and is 2-0 now with 1 complete game.

Other Starters: De La Rosa, Lincecum, and Kiroki Kuroda

RP: Sean Marshall, Hawkins, Moylan

Closers: Jon Rauch and Jason Frasor/Kevin Gregg (which ever one the Jays let come out and play)

Rookie of the Year: Despite the pressure to go with Heyward, I'm going to go with Heyward, he's too good

If this had been the All Star team after day 3 I would have been all about supporting Garrett Jones since the second game he's been 2-15 (not good Garrett)

Other Interesting numbers from the first week

MLB wins leader: Casey Jannsen with 3, one for each of the innings he has pitched...

Martin Prado is batting .600 and thats actually gone down in the last 2 games

Please Don't Ever Be Like This Mystery Guy...

Yesterday, at work, we get an email from a colleague. The email is below. ( I promise I did not make this up, nor has it been edited so as not to lose it's value)...

"Fellas,
So I’m in there just a moment ago dropping a Deuce. I’m back in the Handicapped/Luxury stall just taking care of bidness, and somebody comes up and pulls on the door. Nothing wrong with that……it happens all the time. Then they start knocking and toggling the door some more?????? WTF?????
Did they expect to come answer the door with my pants around my ankles????? I didn’t say anything, I just started grunting louder. Be careful of this guy…."



Guys. I was also shown this shortly there after, and need to relay this to the rest of the world, and pay special attention to the burglary piece....

Subject: Dump at work Survival Guide

ESCAPEE

Definition: A fart that slips out while taking a leak at the urinal or forcing poop in a stall. This is usually accompanied by a sudden wave of panic/embarrassment. This is similar to the hot flash you receive when passing an unseen police car and speeding. If you release an escapee, do not acknowledge it. Pretend it did not happen. If you are standing next to the farter at the urinal, pretend that you did not hear it. No one likes an escapee, it is uncomfortable for all involved. Making a joke or laughing makes both parties feel uneasy.

JAILBREAK

Definition: When forcing poop, several farts slip out at a machine guns pace. This is usually a side effect of diarrhea or a hangover. If this should happen do not panic, remain in the stall until everyone has left the bathroom so to spare everyone the awkwardness of what just occurred.

COURTESY FLUSH

Definition: The act of flushing the toilet the instant the nose cone of the poop log hits the water and the poop is whisked away to an undisclosed location. This reduces the amount of air time the poop has to stink up the bathroom. This can help you avoid being caught doing the WALK OF SHAME.

WALK OF SHAME

Definition: Walking from the stall, to the sink, to the door after you have just stunk-up the bathroom. This can be a very uncomfortable moment if someone walks in and busts you. As with all farts, it is best to pretend that the smell does not exist. Can be avoided with the use of a COURTESY FLUSH.

OUT OF THE CLOSET POOPER

Definition: A colleague who poops at work and is damn proud of it. You will often see an Out of the Closet Pooper enter the bathroom with a newspaper or magazine under their arm. Always look around the office for the Out of the Closet pooper before entering the bathroom.

THE POOPING FRIENDS NETWORK (PFN)

Definition: A group of coworkers who band together to ensure emergency pooping goes off without incident. This group can help you to monitor the whereabouts of OUT OF THE CLOSET POOPERS and identify SAFE HAVENS.

SAFE HAVEN

Definition: A seldom used bathroom somewhere in the building where you can least expect visitors. Try floors that are predominantly of the opposite sex. This will reduce the odds of a pooper of your sex entering the bathroom.

TURD BURGLAR

Definition: A pooper who does not realize that you are in the stall and tries to force the door open. This is one of the most shocking and vulnerable moments that occur when taking a dump at work. If this occurs, remain in the stall until the TURD BURGLAR leaves. This way you will avoid all uncomfortable eye contact.

CAMO-COUGH

Definition: A phony cough which alerts all new entrants into the bathroom that you are in a stall. This can be used to cover-up a WATERMELON or to alert potential TURD BURGLARS. Very effective when used in conjunction with an ASTAIRE.

ASTAIRE

Definition: A subtle toe-tap that is used to alert potential TURD BURGLARS that you are occupying a stall. This will remove all doubt that the stall is occupied. If you hear an ASTAIRE, leave the bathroom immediately so the pooper can poop in peace.

WATERMELON

Definition: A turd that creates a loud splash when hitting the toilet water. This is also an embarrassing incident. If you feel a WATERMELON coming on, create a diversion. See CAMO-COUGH.

HAVANA OMELET

Definition: A load of diarrhea that creates a series of loud splashes in the toilet water. Often accompanied by an escapee. Try using a CAMO-COUGH with an ASTAIRE.

UNCLE TED

Definition: A bathroom user who seems to linger around forever. Could spend extended lengths of time in front of the mirror or sitting on the pot. An UNCLE TED makes it difficult to relax while on the crapper, as you should always wait to drop your load when the bathroom is empty. This benefits you as well as the other bathroom attendees.

FLY BY

Definition: The act of scouting out a bathroom before pooping. Walk in, check for other poopers. If there are others in the bathroom, leave and come back again. Be careful not to become a FREQUENT FLYER. People may become suspicious if they catch you constantly going into the bathroom.

CRACK WHORE

Definition: A crapper that has seen more ass than a Greyhound Bus. Tell tale signs of a CRACK WHORE include hairs, stains and streaks. Avoid CRACK WHORES at all cost. Try finding out when the janitor cleans each particular bathroom. Don't forget with a good cleaning, a CRACK WHORE can become a SAFE HAVEN

Rashean the Dream...

This weekly player bio is featured by none other than Pro Bowl Cornerback Rashean Mathis. Rashean Jamil Mathis or Rash (can I call him that?) attended Englewood High school in Jacksonville, the same school that also featured Wife Beater (err) Starting Pitcher Brett Myers. In high school he was second team All-State, All-Conference and All-World. He was also recruited to play centerfield for numerous Community Colleges, obviously the highlight of his athletic career.

He passed on the chance to pursue a career in America’s Pastime, and instead followed the pigskin to Bethune-Cookman University. While I have no idea where this is, the reason he didn’t go to powerhouse schools like Syracuse was because he broke his leg during his senior season and they overlooked him.

While at BCU he still holds the BCS record for most interceptions in a single season (14), and he won some award for being the best defensive player in D1 AA.

He was drafted by the Jaguars in the second round (39th overall) in the 2003 draft.

In his rookie season he played safety and cornerback and recorded 81 tackles. He converted to cornerback full-time in 2004. Mathis had 2 interceptions in his rookie year and another 10 interceptions combined in the two years following. He had his best year in 2006, collecting 8 interceptions (tied for third in the league) and being voted to the Pro Bowl, Nails!

Mathis had his most significant game as a professional on January 5, 2008 in an AFC Wild Card playoff game against Pittsburgh. He had 2 interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. Double Nails!

On December 1, 2008, Mathis sustained a knee injury against the Houston Texans and was put on the injured reserve list ending his season.

On November 16, 2009, Mathis injured his groin while breaking up a pass in a win over the New York Jets. He would only play in one other game during the 2009 season, missing the rest because of the lingering injury

Rash owns franchise records with 25 career INTs, three INT returns for touchdowns, 441 INT return yards and 28 takeaways …

He lives in Jacksonville, loves golf and community events. Rash Served as spokesperson for the RealSense Prosperity campaign from 2007-08, a program that encourages people to take advantage of free tax preparation offered by volunteers. He participated in the 2008 Jacksonville Association of Firefighters charity softball tournament at Jacksonville University. Mathis partnered with Home Depot and KaBoom! on a project to refurbish and build a new playground at a local YMCA (Rash seems like an upstanding citizen). He serves on the Jacksonville Parks, Recreation, Entertainment and Conservation Advisory Board, and the coolest thing ever was a contestant on Wheel of Fortune. Big Money Mathis.

Thirsty Thursdays....

While my co-writers are basking in their Yankee victory over the Red Sox and a Duke Championship, I can say one thing, sports has never been better this time of year...

I mean, think about it, The Jacksonville Suns open up today at the friendly confines of Whatever the Stadium is called.

The Masters open up today, and we get to hear all about Tiger Woods for another 3 weeks. And in case you haven't heard, his new Nike ad with the voice of his dead father is just plain creepy...Also if you hear the ad, it is very personal, something I thought was off limits for Tiger. I guess if you pay him, he will speak.

Baseball has opened up in full swing, and for some reason, baseball season really makes me think it is summer again...

Speaking of the diamond, another victory on the Softball Field for Fire Up. We beat the punchless and heartless Indians once again by a score of 17-2. This game would have been much higher scoring and over much faster had we even cared. And since the other #1 team, Hit Shoppe had to forfeit a game, we are now in sole possession of first!

NBA and NHL seasons are winding down and playoff time is near. While I have conceded that my Raptors are not going to make it because we keep getting facial fractures, I always like the intensity in both sports playoffs (intensity that is so sadly lacking during the regular season).

NFL draft is only two weeks away, and I am saving my shackles for my new Bryant or Clausen Jersey....

Latest and Greatest...

Let me first begin my rant by stating how this has been the absolute worst sports month for me...

Where do we begin... Syracuse loses to Butler in the Sweet 16, screwing Jimmy B out of his fourth final four and then Butler blows it to DUKE... UGHHHHHHHHH I LOATHE DUKE basketball. Now I have to deal with all the dukies and their new bandwagon fans. Gross.

Oh Donovan... I am a life-long Philadelphia Eagles fan and Syracuse Orangemen fan as well. McNabb going to Philly was A DREAM... and a dream it was... never did I realize my boy Big D holding the lombardi trophy in Philly... Screw you the city of Philadelphia and your backwards management for making the team worse off... ESPECIALLY after we FINALLY put top talent around him... Ugh.... Welp, the Kevin Kolb era is in... and boy is that fella COUNTRY...












Jimmy B gets coach of the year. Love you JB.... Can't wait for next season already!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5060137






















This one goes out to my boy Canada... Roy Halladay was lights out in his opening day debut with Red Pinstripes... Finally the man has a chance to succeed in a division where his talent is not buried by the Superior Yankees. The man also will have the most run support of his entire career... My prediction? Doc wins 30 in the city of brotherly love.