The BCS is a JOKE

Is there a bigger joke in all of sports than the BCS? I really don't think there is. And here is why...

BCS stands for Bowl Championship Series. Series? How can there be a series of championships in one sport? There is no Series of Championships in baseball. There is on series, the World Series. There are no multiple championships in the NFL. There is one, the Super Bowl. In hockey, there is one winner, they hoist the Stanley Cup. By now, you should be firmly grasping my point. If not, stop reading and go watch a replay of your favorite magicJack St. Petersbug Bowl, San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, or the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

So, the current system, the BCS, creates a Series of Championships in which the best teams play. None of the bowls listed above are in the BCS. They are other, less important bowls created to raise money for a university (not such a bad thing) and make bad teams feel like they aren't bad (not such a good thing). Within the BCS, you normally find teams like Texas, Oklahoma, USC, Ohio State, Penn State, Florida and an ACC team that certainly has no business being there. Why not have these 8 BCS teams play a small tournament to decide the winner of the season? What, with all the controversy that ensues after the BCS ends, it only makes sense. Until there is a way to decide the champion on the field, I will never fully enjoy watching college football.

Researching this post, I found a Wikipedia article named "BCS Controversies". It lists all the controversies by year. Here is the funny part...Under the heading 'controversies by season', it lists the following years: 1998-99, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09. Almost every season is included dating back to 1998!! What a joke! How much more do the people need? Literally, the BCS creates controversy every year. When was the last time there was controversy over any other sports championship? The other systems seem to be much more sound. I will not say they are perfect but I will say most of the controversy that seems to surround any other sport is over a call by a referee. This is human error. It is not an error in the system. An error in system is what we have with the BCS.

So what about those controversies? Remember the Big XII from last season? The log jam of Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech. What a joke that was. How about Kansas getting a BCS bid over Missouri after Missouri beat Kansas? Another joke. Or in 2006-07, with Boise St. undefeated and not getting a chance to play for the Championship? The classic argument is that they did not have the strength of schedule. My response? Boise St. went on the beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl in one of the most exciting games ever. And was it in primetime during a tournament for the world to see? No! It goes on and on and on and on and on. There are too many to discuss. The point is this: A system that relies on computers and formulas to determine who the best two teams are, cannot be sustained. It must be replaced now. Here is an idea. The top 8 teams would play a bracket style tourney. 1v8 2v7 3v6 4v5 This would be the first week of the tournament. It could occur 2 weeks after the season ends and then every week until a champion is crowned. This year the tournament would start December 19 and end January 2. It's that easy.

Until something like this is put in place, I cannot respect college football. It's a joke of a sport.

Vick can play in Week 3!!!!!

Breaking News: Roger Goodell has decided Michael Vick can play in Week 3.

After meeting with Vick for about 45 minutes, Goodell has determined that Vick can play in week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Ok, so far I've been writing this like a news story. I've been acting super excited at the 'breaking news.' Well, I'm not excited. I actually don't really care. This is the part that burns me...

Why week 3? Why in the world has Goodell decided that he can play in week 3? There is literally no objective way to decide when he can play. Goodell met with Vick and his 'personal mentor' Tony Dungy. After these few meetings, Goodell has determined that he can play in week 3. For what reason. What standard has Goodell to decide eligibility? There is none. He cannot rationalize his decision. And if he cannot rationalize the decision, it makes the decision irrational. This decision is irrational. There is no reason, no explanation for why the suspension is for 2 weeks. Did he close his eyes and point to a clock? When he opened, his finger was pointing to 3. That makes the same amount of sense as the method he actually used.

Oh man, this makes me mad. Were there only 2 protesters outside the stadium that day? Did he think getting Vick back sooner would lead to better ratings, better ticket sales, and better jersey sales? Was it something like, hey there's a guy right there with a Chiefs jersey! I think Vick should play against KC. NO. NO. If it was week 4 or 5 or 6, then that's how it would be. How could anyone argue for or against this decision with no rationalization for it? Just let him play in Week 1 for crying out loud. That would be just as reasonable as Week 3. I thought of a number and 1 was that number. Makes sense, right Roger?

The Best of the Best

Every time I watch golf, no matter what tournament it might be, I root for Tiger Woods. I do. There is the extremely rare circumstance where I will root for another golfer but these come in the even rarer circumstance when Woods is not near the top of the leader board. But, about 99% of the time, I root for Tiger to win everything, every time, no matter what. It's just how I feel. I love to see the best of the best win it. Tiger has been on top for a long time. Ever since I saw him destroy the competition at the 1997 Masters for his first major title, I have wanted him to win. When I was in 7th grade, right around the time of that triumph at Augusta, I got a Tiger Woods shirt. It was a white t-shirt that simply stated "I am Tiger Woods." I was in love and still am.

I was even younger when the best basketball player of all time was dominating everything. MJ. Michael. Jordan. #23. Michael Jordan. The best ever. He won 3 straight and retired. He came back and then won 3 more. When he came back as owner/player of the Washington Wizards, I wanted him to win it all. Every time.

There is a new 'best player ever' named LeBron. People give him standing ovations in New York. And that's not just because he's rumored to be going there in June 2010. They give him standing O's and chant MVP in other cities because he is universally loved. The whole country loves LeBron. They all want him to win. I am part of that group.

There is another player, in another sport, who is considered 'The Best of the Best.' His name is Brett Favre. For some reason, the love is lost on Favre. I understand the annoyance that comes with his faking on retirement. It seems like he's done it every year for the last decade. But how can you blame him? If he does not try to do it now, he will never be able to for the rest of his life. It is literally now or never. He is the best QB of all time, so why would you not want the opportunity to see him play one more season, especially with the two games against Green Bay - one at Lambeau. This is great entertainment. You better believe the world will be watching Favre this season. When Favre was deciding whether or not to come back last season, Green Bay GM told him that they did not want him on the Packers and they did not want him in the NFC North. They said he was not good enough to play on the Packers but also could not play for another North team. Why do that? Whatever the reason, it got Favre fired up. He's pissed. He wants to show the Packers what they lost. He gets this chance now, with the Vikings. And we get to see the best of the best for one more year. Or two. Or three.

So let's give some love for 'The Best of The Best'. Woods. Jordan. LeBron. Favre. Everyone is a fan. Consider yourself lucky for getting the opportunity to see Brett Favre in the NFL.

Healthcare = Fundamental Right?

This is the question of the moment. Is universal, government-sanctioned healthcare a fundamental right? I have had some internal debate over this subject for a while now. I use the words 'fundamental right' because these are the words most often used by the media and the government officials speaking on the subject.

On the one hand, I am unemployed and have no health benefits from an employer. It should be obvious that I would be an advocate for free healthcare. Who would not like free healthcare? Especially people who currently do not have any sort of healthcare. In the last 2 weeks, there has been a string of robberies and muggings in the Lincoln Park/Lakeview area. If I became the next victim, I could be in big trouble if they decided to break my jaw like they did to one of the victims. The size of my medical bill would easily drown me. If tomorrow, the government said that I was covered under their healthcare plan, I should be thrilled. Why don't I feel thrilled?

I was watching CNN and FoxNews and saw that they both used the words "Fundamental Right" when describing this healthcare plan. My next move was to go to Wikipedia and type in those words. Here is that link (Wiki). From what I gather from Wikipedia, here is a list of the fundamental rights...

Some rights generally recognized as fundamental at the federal level follows

• Right to life after viability
• Right to freedom of movement within the country
• Right to property
• Right to marry the person of any race (not gender) of one's choosing
• Right to procreate irrespective of marital status or other classifications
• Right to freedom of association
• Right to freedom of speech
• Right to equal protection under the law
• Right to freedom of thought
• Right to vote in general election
• Right to freedom of contract by parties with proportional bargaining power
• Right to privacy

From this list, here is what I gather...

These rights are fundamental. What is meant by fundamental? Something that is given to you from the time you are born. It is guaranteed for every citizen regardless of race or religion. So far, I can see how universal healthcare could fit into these categories. But when you look closer at this list, I don't find healthcare fitting into the list. These rights are not rights on the scale of something like universal healthcare. It does not cost $230 billion dollars to give someone freedom of speech or freedom of movement about the country. It does not take government intervention to give someone the right to freedom of thought or freedom of privacy. What fundamental right takes so much money to provide? What fundamental right forces a tax increase to pay for someone else? What fundamental right takes any money from its citizens? I suppose due process costs tax payer money and so does an election. But to the capacity of healthcare? Due process and the court system is set up for all citizens. It's for the protection of all citizens. Elections are for all citizens 18 years and older. Neither of these cost close to what a healthcare plan costs. What if we get a healthcare plan covering all citizens, even those who are unemployed and living on the streets? Now those people can stand in front of us in line to visit the same doctor we have been visiting for our entire lives. Is that fair?

To me, there is no doubt that universal healthcare is not a fundamental right. It might be a different kind of right, but it is not fundamental. These rights are clearly different altogether. So, should the government mandated healthcare proposal go through? It's tough to say; but I can clearly see that it is not a fundamental right.

Everyone Should check this out

The New Cursed: Bronx, NY

With the rivalry renewed tonight, I thought I would offer my opinion of the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry and curse.

For the past who knows how many years, up until 2004, the team that everyone knew could never win, was the Boston Red Sox. They were cursed. The curse of the Bambino. The ball got through Buckner's legs and on and on. Red Sox nation simply could not win. It didn't matter. They lost.

Bring on 2003. ALCS. Red Sox/Yankees. Game 7. Red Sox lead 5-2. Grady Little is the manager, the man to blame, who left Pedro in the game. Yankees rally and Aaron Boone is forever famous. Yankees go on to lose in the World Series to Josh Beckett and the Florida Marlins. They have now lost in '01 and '03. Why? I believe it was the slow turning of the curse from the Red Sox to the Yankees. It did not come full circle until the following season...

2004. Red Sox. Yankees. Same story. Yankees are pounding the Sox. They have a 3-0 series lead and seem to be a lock for another World Series appearance. But something happens. The Red Sox win Game 4. Ok, blow it off. No big. Then the Red Sox win Game 5. Still, the Yankees have a 3-2 lead and they have home field advantage. Game 6 back at Yankee Stadium. The bloody sock. Curt Schilling. Game over. Sox destroy Yankees in Game 7 to complete the comeback. They then go on to win the World Series.

Since the 2004 ALCS, the Yankees have lost their swagger. In 2005 and in 2006, New York lost in the ALDS both times. In 2007, they lost in the first round after Joba Chamberlain was attacked by bugs in Cleveland. And who won the World Series that year? Red Sox. Again. Shortly after, Joe Torre departed the team for LA. 2008 was even worse. In the last year played in the House That Ruth Built, they missed the playoffs entirely.

We arrive at 2009. The Yankees did their usual reloading. They added starting pitchers A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia. They also added All-Star first baseman Mark Teixeira. How has the season gone? They lead the AL East by 2.5 games. They open an epic 4 game set at Yankee Stadium tonight against the Red Sox, who have gone undefeated against NY this season.

So, what about curses? What about the Yankees? I believe the Red Sox are the team in the East nowadays and the Yankees have to fight the curse. But there is only one way to find out. Watch what happens.

Steroid talk

There is a list with 100+ players who tested positive for Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs). This test was in 2003. MLB wanted to see how many players were on PEDs before it implemented its Steroid policy for the first time the next season (apparently a lot players were on this stuff). So far, there have been a few big names on the list.

Before the start of the 2009 season, Alex Rodriguez was leaked from the list. Back in 2007, he denied ever using or needing steroids. Two years later, he's guilty. There was a fairly large amount of upheaval over his name being released - for a variety of reasons. A-Rod was the man who was supposed to save baseball. He was supposed to hit 800 HRs and leave all the steroid talk in the past. He was the savior. Apparently not. Now, just a few months after A-Rod's name was leaked, we found out that Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz are also on the list. This means that two of the players who helped the Red Sox win the World Series in 2004 and in 2007 were juiced. Where is the public outrage? Why are fans continuing to fill seats? Manny gets standing ovations in LA and I have heard that the Red Sox fans are continuing to support Ortiz, maybe more now than ever. Are you f**king kidding me? These players, along with 97 others, have ruined what once was the great American pastime. Does anyone else see this? Am I the only one?

In baseball, numbers are paramount. At the end of your career, you have numbers next to your name. This is how you are judged. If you have 500 HRs, they say that's a good mark to decide Hall of Fame eligibility. If you have 3,000 hits, you have the same HOF mark. Because of the need to "keep up" or because "I was caught up in a culture", these numbers are forever skewed. FOR. EV. ER. There is no possible way to make things right. In my mind, 755 is the career best for Home runs and 61 is the season best. No one who was not on some PEDs has ever beat either of these numbers. This bothers me to a great extent. In 100 years, baseball will be over 200 years old and people will look back on this time with a different perspective than we have now. I just hope in the year 2100, they still remember Aaron, DiMaggio, Mantle, Musial, Gibson, Rose, and NOT Rodriguez, Ramirez, McGwire, Sosa, Ortiz, Giambi and whoever else is hiding behind the list.

One other thing: release the list in its entirety NOW. The sooner we get past this, the better. At least one Hall of Famer agrees with me.

testing 1,2,3

Colorado

Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago

Musical Genre related to IQ

Musical Genre and IQ

Opera 108.2
Classical 108.2
New Age 107.5
Jazz 107.2
Showtunes 107.0
Blues 106.3
Big Band 105.2
Folk 104.6
Latin 103.3
Oldies 102.3
Contemporary Rock 101.1
Easy Listening 100.2
Reggae 99.7
Heavy Metal 98.5
Bluegrass 98.1
Country 97.1
Gospel 96.0
Rap 93.5

http://www.highiqsociety.org/iq_tests/

I got 111 after 3 beers.

Re: Music

I have read the previous post quite a few times and there is one thing I can't get around: Music is subjective. Subjective means there is no one right answer. I hate when things are subjective. Especially when it comes to an argument. I might have been a bit harsh on country music fans. Let me take this space to apologize to them. Please accept my apology. But don't forget this one thing: country music sucks a big one.

Music

There are many types of music out there. There are tons of genres and tons of mixed genres. Music really is becoming eclectic in itself. It's come a long way. From the beginning with ritual hymns to jazz to rock 'n roll to metal to country to rap to fusion. I consider myself fairly knowledgeable when it comes to music. I am no expert and have not taken more than 1 course on the history of music BUT I taught myself to play guitar, I have been to many many concerts, taken a class on Jazz and been around some talented musicians. So, I know a little.

My iPod is full of lots of different music. From Radiohead to Taylor Swift to Jay-Z. Three corners of the music world. What do they all have in common, aside from being on my iPod? They are all talented musicians making good music. Listen to any Radiohead and you'll hear some of the best music being produced today. 'In Rainbows' is unbelievably good. Taylor Swift has some well written, catchy tunes. She knows what she's doing. Jay-Z is one of, if not the best rapper of all time. His music is full of great beats, piano, guitar, and some awesome lyrics.

The common theme that runs through these three examples and throughout most of the music on my iPod is that it's really good, well written, creative, new music.

I recently went on a trip to upstate New York. One of the most popular styles of music among the locals and among the people I was with was country music. The music has a long history. It's origins in the 1920s to the 1950s and 60s with Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley to the 70s and 80s with Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. Somewhere along the line, country music lost its quality.
(Check out the cowboy pictures - why are they wearing cowboy hats? Do any of them actually use them for their true purpose? They wear them to say 'hey, i'm country'. And that's lame.)

The music nowadays is not good. I do not find any pleasure in listening to country music today. The artists I speak of include Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson and Toby Keith. For one, I cannot get over the voices. The way they sing is not the way they talk. There is no emotion in their delivery. They just sing with a made up twang. They all sound similar too. Second, the poor quality of the actual music. They don't seem to try new ideas. They write simple songs that don't feel creative or new. Finally, the lyrics. I cannot get over the poor quality of the lyrics. One example from this past weekend is a song by Alan Jackson. It's called "Good Time". The point of the song is this...He is tired from a long work week and wants to go out and have a good time. Simple enough. Here are some of the lyrics...

Work, work all week long
Punchin’ that clock from dusk till dawn.
Countin’ the days till Friday night
That’s when all the conditions are right.
For a good time
I need a good time.

Yea, I’ve been workin’ all week
And I’m tired and I don’t wanna sleep
I wanna have fun
It’s time for a good time

I cashed my check, cleaned my truck
Put on my hat, forgot about work
Sun goin’ down, head across town
Pick up my baby and turn it around
Good time,
Aahh, I need a good time

I’ve been workin’ all week
And I’m tired and I don’t wanna sleep
I wanna have fun
Time for a good time


Someone tell me where in this example do you find something better than anything any of us could have written. I want to see it. I could have written these lyrics blindfolded. Let's look at an example from Radiohead....

Jigsaw Falling Into Place

Just as you take my hand
Just as you write my number down
Just as the drinks arrive
Just as they play your favourite song
As your bad day disappears
No longer wound up like a spring
Before you've had too much
Come back in focus again

The walls are bending shape
You got a cheshire cat grin
All blurring into one
This place is on a mission

Before the night owl
Before the animal noises
Closed circuit cameras
Before you're comatose

Before you run away from me
Before you're lost between the notes
The beat goes round and round
The beat goes round and round

I never really got there
I just pretended that I had
Words are blunt instruments
Words are sawn off shotguns

Come on and let it out
Come on and let it out
Come on and let it out
Come on and let it out

Before you run away from me
Before your lost between the notes
Just as you take the mic
Just as you dance, dance, dance

A Jigsaw falling into place
So there is nothing to explain
You eye each other as you pass
She looks back and you look back
Not just once
and not just twice
Wish away your nightmare
Wish away the nightmare
You got the light you can feel it on your back
[A light,] you can feel it on your back
Your jigsaw falling into place.

How can anyone say that the first set of lyrics are superior to the second? The great thing about using a Radiohead example is that the lyrics are secondary in their mind. The write such great music, the lyrics aren't even the focus of the song. Another example from Jay-Z...

99 Problems

The year is '94 and in my trunk is raw
In my rear view mirror is the mother fuckin law
I got two choices yall pull over the car or
Bounce on the devil put the pedal to the floor
Now i ain't tryin to see no highway chase with jake
Plus i got a few dollars i can fight the case
So i...pull over to the side of the road
And i heard "Son do you know why i'm stoppin you for?"
Cause i'm young and i'm black and my hats real low
Do i look like a mind reader sir, i don't know
Am i under arrest or should i guess some mo?
"Well you was doin fifty five in a fifty four"
"Liscense and regestration and step out of the car"
"Are you carryin a weapon on you i know alot of you are"
I ain't steppin out of shit all my papers legit
"Do you mind if i look round the car a little bit?"
Well my glove compartment is locked so is the trunk and the back
And i know my rights so you gon' need a warrent for that
"Aren't you sharp as a tack are some type of lawyer or something?"
"Or somebody important or somethin?"
Nah i ain't pass the bar but i know a little bit
Enough that you won't illegally search my shit
"Well see how smart you are when the K-9's come"
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

These are some of the best lyrics around. He writes such great stories.

Many times, when I am critical of country music, people ask why. I tell them some bullshit like I just don't like it and can't distinguish the voices. The truth is different. Here is the truth: I believe country music is, in every way you can imagine, inferior to other types of music. And those who listen to it exclusively are less intelligent than those who listen to other music exclusively. Yes, I just said that. But why? Is it that those who listen to country music just don't enjoy music as much as others? It's possible. I know many people who don't really put much stock into music as a whole. I know a few people who listen to country are in this boat. Maybe the fans of country music just want some fun music to listen to. They aren't interested in anything too deep. They want music to sing and dance to and that's it. To each his own, but I do believe you are inferior.

The Vegas Recap Day 3

Saturday 4/18/09 Las Vegas

On Saturday morning, we knew we had to take full advantage of the our last full day in Vegas. I woke up around 10:30 to Pat busting in the room with a bottle of Captain. I had a golf outing at 12:30 and Ben and Pat were going to get the day started right. While I golfed, they boozed. The golf trip was excellent. There were six of us. Rob is a pro at a course in Phoenix, so he got us a great deal for the round. It was Tim, Chad, and I versus Wilkerson, Scott, and Rob. I believe they gave us 18 strokes (Rob is good) and we won by 1. My round was not what I was hoping for. I personally shot a 102. I had 3 pars, and lots of bogeys and double bogeys. I had some good shots and some real pathetic ones. Either way, it was a great trip. We had some amazing mountain views and the course was in great shape. I got no sunburn, save for my legs getting super red. We got back to Vegas at around 6:30. I found Pat, Ben, and Emily at the IP bar. They were mostly lit. They had been at the Sports Book all day, parlaying everything they could think of. They Cardinals lost in 11 and that ruined it right there. So, while they continued to drink, I went upstairs and got ready for the night. I donned my black pinstripe button down and jeans. They also got nice and dressed up. While they were getting ready, I went back down to the bar to convince Emily that I in fact did not hate her and wanted her to go out with us that night. I'm glad I did because she did come out and it was a great time. My goal was to get over to Harrah's to get some black shoes from Tim. The idea was that it would be impossible for me to get into either Ghost Bar or Rain with my green and orange Asics. Well, I got caught up talking to Emily and Tim left without me. They went early to get some Rio Buffet. That is phenomenal planning. Anyway, I was stuck with my Asics. It would be a test to see if I could get in. It almost made us bail on the Palms altogether. It turns out, we are all happy we made it.

The line at Rain is out of control. They are all kinds of ropes and lines and really awesome door guys wearing ear pieces. Anyway, we were on the list and got in rather quickly. We bypassed the entire line. It was nice but the $30 cover hurt a little. I wasn't sure if it would be worth it. It turns out it was. On the way into Rain, you can hang out at the pool bar. While we waited for Pat and Emily to get in, Ben and I got a drink. It was a standard 2 drink $20 price. Thankfully, Tim went back and got Pat and Emily inside. Whew! The show that night was the Paul Oakenfold Experience. There were people dancing on rings hanging from the ceiling and guys on stilts walking around with spotlights. It was pretty crazy. We decided to get a shot. It was going to be Ben's staple, RumpleMinze, but we weren't sure if they would have it or not so Pat just ordered 4 CP's. The cost: $44. Wow. I will say that the shot was pretty big. It semi made up for the price. I owed a round from a couple nights before, so I paid. Now comes the good part. Raving. The Oakenfold music was non-stop Techno. I loved it. We 'went to the middle'. The dance floor was jam packed with people and thats where we wanted to be. The four of us made it to 'the middle' as I liked to call it. While there, I sweated more than I have ever sweat. It was dripping off my eyes and nose and ears. It was everywhere. And damn, was it worth it. We just raged. The music never ended. The dancers were directly above us. And then.....it rained. Every few minutes, they make it rain. It is more like snow bubbles. In either case, rain combined with strobe lights was quite the experience.

We took a break and lost Pat and Emily. We found Pat but could not find Emily. Ben and I took a big shot of Absinthe. It is light blue in color and tastes like black licorice. We also bought a new drink. Ben decided to leave his in a corner and hope that it would be there when he came back. It was a horrible idea, as it was very much gone when we made it back 30 minutes later. BUT, 30 minutes later, we got a free shot of Absinthe thanks to our background in bartending and our friendly nature. Between the lost drink and the free shot, Ben and I decided to get back to the middle. We got back and Ben started pimping. He starting dancing with a girl and then did some recreational kissing. After she left, he started dancing with another girl and did even more recreational kissing. The only difference was the older brother. We left the middle and tried to get in the limo to the strip club but got lost. We decided to enjoy the EGG-travaganza across the street. At this point, it was around 3 am. We had some good drunken conversation. After, we walked to the empty lobby and grabbed a cab. We got the cab home for $12 after the guy went the wrong way. He was a nice guy and took a couple bucks off the fair. We got home around 4:30. All in all, Saturday night was the night of all nights for us in Vegas. Ask if you want more details. I wish I could have this night more often. Sunday was nothing to talk about. We went to BLT Burger and had a really cute waitress. Then we laid around until our flight. All in all I bought $550 worth of goods with only $410.

The Vegas Recap Day 2

Friday 4/17/09 Las Vegas

Onto Friday. We woke up around 9:30 and got ready. I was showered and playing craps/drinking at 10:30. We started the day just like we ended the night before. I lost $165 in that craps game. After sick of getting run over, we decided to meet up with the guys who had just gotten in. They were, appropriately, at Chipotle. Nice start, guys. I got a slice of pizza and the 20 of us headed to The Venetian. We were awkwardly standing in the middle of nowhere. The two Jake''s put bets on one spin of the roulette wheel and both lost. Nice one guys. They all started to move on while we stayed and got a hot hand in a game of roulette. I started to get my 'black overs' after I started crushing. I went on a run and won a few hundred. We were trailing them. We went to Treasure Island and the same happened. We won at both craps and roulette. Big Jake kept calling Ben 'Chuck Norris'. We still aren't sure why. Ben was still deep in the hole. Not good. By this time, it was around 4 pm. We had some Blues hockey to check out so we went to the sports book at Caesar's Palace. There we sat for about 4 hours. The games were not going well. We had a 4 team parlay with Blues over Canucks, Dodgers over Rockies, D'backs over Giants, and Tigers over Mariners. It might have been the worst parlay in history. We were losing all of our bets. The Dodgers came back and won but that was our only win of the 4. Sad. While we watched in defeat, we ate some good burgers from the food court nearby. You just walk toward the big chandaleer and go right. Perfect directions. The games ended and we got out of there. By this time it was around 8 pm. We hung out and gambled a bit til around 10:30. Somewhere in here, we went back to Bobby's Room and saw Doyle Brunson and Allen Cunningham. I loved it. I was star struck. I wanted to take a nap before we went out. I went on a bathroom rant about the book club we were with. We were real tired so Pat called it a night and Ben and I went to meet up with Tim. We made it to Planet Hollywood and Paris. There was a piano player at PH and then we gambled at Paris while Tim, Rob, and Cooley bailed on us, mid gamble, mid waiting on cocktail. Lame. We got home around 1 am and called it a night. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

The Vegas Recap Day 1

Thursday 4/16/09 Las Vegas

Ben and I flew into Vegas on Thursday night. We got to our hotel around 10:30.

We met up with Patrick and checked in. Pat had his friend Emily with him. She was there to work. Lucky. We checked in after a long drawn out process by Pat. See, he was trying to decide which credit card to use for the hotel room. He switched cards about 10 times. He kept pulling one out and putting one away and then switching, sometimes between just two cards. He went back and forth between 3 or 4 cards. It was quite the process. Finally, we got checked in. All 3 of us dropped our bags off in the room and got started.

The Imperial Palace is not the best casino around. In fact, it's extremely dated. The chairs look like they are about 15 years old. They are wood, painted white. Real classy. We got our first drink at the IP and started the walk to The Venetian. Our drinks were empty by the time we got there so we decided to gamble so we could drink for free. Well, The Venetian is one of the more expensive casinos on the strip. Our only option was speed roulette. Ben started it off with $60. He was broke. Fast. Pat went next with $20. He went broke quick. I sat next to him and put in $40. I was broke fast. We all put in $20 more and went broke fast. In this time, we had gotten 2 drinks and lost about $200. They were the most expensive drinks ever. Out of the $200, we hit zero numbers on the wheel. It was the most pathetic display of gambling that I have ever been a part of. We were instantly in the hole.

After getting a fresh drink, we decided that The Venetian was not doing it for us. We started the trek to Bellagio. Bellagio didn't go well either. We lost more money playing Roulette and Craps. I bought our first pack of cigarettes for the weekend. It was $8.95 in the Bellagio shop. We decided that because our hotel room was a smoking room, we would smoke the whole weekend. We went to the Bellagio Cafe and ate some food next to some attractive ladies. They ate a lot of good food. I remember one of them had Eggs Benedict and Ben wanted her to take a bite so he could ask her if it was any good. She took a bite but he never asked. We got burgers. They were expensive and delicious. By the time we were finished eating, it was around 3 am. We walked to the poker room and saw a few pros. We saw Johnny Chan, Eli Elezra, Barry Greenstein, Minh Ly (pictured), and a couple others. We got a drink from the bar and pulled straws for the bed situation. I won it and got to sleep by myself. I was glad to win as I have been on a futon for the last few months. We then headed home. We got home around 4:30.

The World Baseball CLASSIC

Who gives a shit? Anyone in America? NO. 2009 marks the second year of the WBC. The 'C' stands for classic. Nothing can be called Classic if it's in its second year of existence. Not even Coca Cola. Coca Cola has put its time in and can now be called Classic. The World Baseball Classic cannot be classic for at least 10 years. At least. Maybe not ever. This tournament sucks.

Pedroia to Jeter to Youkilis for a double play? Something is extremely wrong with the sound of that. Pedroia is a Red Sox and Jeter is a Yankee. These two should never turn double plays together. They should be throwing punches at each other. I would take Pedroia anyday in that fight. Jeter is a pussy more concerned with how he looks than how he plays. Pedroia would no doubt club him in the face with his MVP trophy, ending the fight quickly. (See: here)

What about the MLB season? Why are the players in the WBC playing every other or every second day? They have the real season coming up and, instead, they are wasting their time sitting on the bench for Team USA? This puts everyone behind. I'm glad the St. Louis Cardinal players aren't busy with the WBC. Chipper Jones said it best when he said this tournament has serious flaws. I have a solution: Get rid of it.

The NEW Up and Down

Ok, the Sweet Up and Down was once my place to bitch about bad beats and other BS that goes on at the poker table.  Now that that life is fading in the distance, I have decided to post the things that have been Burning me.  Thanks to my friend Bryan for the inspiration.

Selection Sunday.  Tons and tons of basketball. I love selection sunday because college basketball is the best sport.  Luckily, I went to KU and saw a National Championship and now I know what good basketball looks like.  There is also BAD basketball. Watching the SEC Tournament Championship game was like watching the WNBA championship.  (check this out WNBA 2K8)  It was awful.  Mississippi St. vs. Tennessee.  Both of these teams suck.  Tennessee especially is grossly overrated.  I'm glad Miss. St. won mostly because Tenn. does not deserve to win anything, ever.  What Tennessee calls offense, I call craptastic basketball.  It is simply unwatchable.  They never take good shots or even run any set plays.  Then, and this is the funny part, they miss a shot, get the rebound and immediately shoot again?!  I mean, this is pathetic basketball.  I honestly find myself laughing out loud. High percentage shots is what it's all about.  Bruce Pearl does not know this.  Watch these teams crash and burn in the early stages of the tournament.  I anticipate some haters pointing out KU's quick exit from the Big 12 tourney and I will reply with "we lost all 5 starters and Bill Self is the best coach ever".

Just above this version of basketball is the Big Ten.  Purdue vs. Ohio St.  They are almost as unwatchable as the SEC.  I've seen pickup games more entertaining than this garbage.  No one can score the basketball.  But if you ask an expert (not Dickie V), it's because the Big Ten plays such great defense.  HA.  The truth is, they pass the ball around until the shot clock runs out.  Then they have to shoot.  Any top team in the Big 10 (11, but don't get me started) would be destroyed by any good team in the ACC, Big East, and Big 12.  It's kind of like Big Ten football.  They all think they are the best but I can't seem to find one good team out of the bunch of losers.  THE Ohio State?  Lick. My. Nuts.  

Now all I can think of is how much I hate Jim Tressel.  This naturally leads me to how much I hate Pete Carroll.  I can picture them with their headsets on their stupid heads and it makes me want to punch them in the face.  Coaches should be like Mark Mangino.  HUGE.  And mad.  

Until the next Burn...

The Bad Taste Never Leaves...

I'm sitting here listening to this bullshit that I could not care less about.  All day long, I go through the motions.  My life has become the thing that I hate the most: routine, mundane, boring.  For six months of my 24 years on earth, I played poker every day.  It was a mix of emotions.  I was stressed, upset, nervous, excited, and alive.  I was doing something different.  

Now, I know poker has had its rise in popular culture and has reached a climax.  Even so, I felt like I was doing something that could work for a while - and it did.  For those six months,  I was making 25/hr.  I would leave at 9 am with 400 in my pocket and come home with 800 or 600 or 1000 or 100 or 0 or 500.  It was such a unique type of living and I was pulling it off.  I was really doing it.

Of course, things started to turn downhill.  I started to pay back my debts to Annie and to those who got me through school. The bankroll started to dwindle.  The bills started to pile and I felt the pressure at the tables.  During the height of my six month run, I won 16 sessions in a row. After the pressure started to mount, I had a hard time winning 3 in a row.  I wasn't myself.  I was playing differently, less aggressive.  It didn't help that I started to get incredibly unlucky during this span.  The combination of the dwindling bankroll, the loss of confidence in my game, and outdraw after outdraw, it was tough to keep up. After a while, I could not.

It has been nearly 3 months since my last session at a casino.  3 months can give you some perspective.  I have learned a lot about myself through the time I spent playing poker.  I learned that I can really do it.  FACT: I made a living playing poker.  I learned that the saying is right on. "Poker is a hard way to make an easy living."  FACT:  This shit is hard.  Putting in the hours is just as stressful as an office job.  In some ways, it is more stressful, more difficult, and scarier.  I was my own boss.  I had to show up on time and I was responsible for everything.  Money management is extremely important.  Not just in poker but in life as well.  

If I were to make a come back, and that is a big IF, it would be under different circumstances.  My bankroll would be safe.  I would have no debts to anyone.  In order to do this, I would have to somehow get a hold of around 38k.  That is why the IF is so big.  Lots of things would have to happen.  BUT, if this were to happen, the 38k, I believe I could really make a run at it.  The situation would be set up nicely.  My routine from Chicago to Indiana was smooth.  The only thing that I could see as a problem would be the gas necessary for the vehicle I used.  If I were to make a run at it in some other city, it would most likely be even more smooth.  

Until I either realize that I do not want to play poker anymore OR get the perfect situation to maximize my EV, I will have my boring new life and the memories of what once was.  You know the bad taste never leaves.

I run bad

I run my Streak for the Cash up to 10 and then Buffalo can't finish at home against the lowly Browns. Sad. So I have 99 run into 1010 on a board of 245 and then my streak goes to shit after I make an impressive run.  

How else can I run bad?  I guess the rest of my life is running pretty well.  My computer freaks out from time to time but mostly it has been running smoothly as of late.  I hasn't happened in a bad way lately - the way that requires multiple restarts and battery removal -  just the good way where all it requires is a quick restart.  

The more I think about it, the more I realize that running bad is a state of mind.  It's a function of your ability to think the worst of yourself.  I think that is how poker players are.  They are eternal pessimists.  If they get it in with the best of it, they immediately ponder how they could possibly lose it.  I think that way.  But why?  All you can do as a poker player is get it in while you have the best of it.  While that does not happen every time, it does happen most of the time.  If that was not true, I would not be a winning player.  Once I get it in with the best of it, there is nothing else to do.  

Tonight,  I thought my bet of Buffalo was +EV and I still think it is.  I would make the same bet again if I had to.  That's all I can do.  If this one time it turns out to be -EV, then so be it.  I can do no more.  

This is the attitude I need to really concentrate on.  Results do not matter.  Decisions are the most important part of anything.  I try to make the best decisions, the most +EV spots I can get.  If the results don't follow, I have to remember that they eventually will.  Stick to the grind. Stick to what you do.  If what you do is +EV then you get +V, even if you feel you are running bad.

Things I Do

What do I do well? I thought I would make a list.

I know correct hand ranges for opening the pot in and out of position.

I know how to attack weakness with bluffs/semi-bluffs.

I know how to take someone down to Value Town.

I know how to play in position against weak opponents.

I know how to properly size bets depending on situations.

I know how to determine hand strength.

I know what it takes to stay mentally tough.

I know how to exploit my tight image.

I know how to release a hand.

I know how to switch gears.

I know how to translate board texture and table texture.

I have good money management.

What do I need to work on?

I need to not let my emotions control my actions.

I need to lose all distractions affecting my play.

I need to learn to pick off bluffs.

I need to avoid getting bluffed.

I need to become more aggressive in position.

I need to not worry about my plus/minus and concentrate on each hand.

I need to get to level 3.5/4 thinking.

I need to get finances in order to play optimally.

I need to be more patient when donkeys go on heaters.

I need to see the big picture while in the trenches.

I need to not involve other people when I'm upset.

I need to realize that Rome was not built in a day.

A revelation? This all happened in like 15 min.

I just pwnd .05/.1 and I'm not sure why.  I had $3.45 left in my FullTilt account and just ran it up to $11.85 in 20 minutes.  I spent some time watching CR/Stox videos and am already feeling the effects. I want to be the best I can possibly be and I may be on my way.  I am very excited for Monday.

Full Tilt Poker $0.05/$0.10 $3 Cap No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

Hero (BB): $11.35
UTG: $4.65
MP: $8.70
CO: $6.70
BTN: $5.85
SB: $3.00

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BB with A 8
1 fold, MP calls $0.10, 2 folds, SB calls $0.05, Hero checks

Flop: ($0.30) K 2 9 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, MP checks

Turn: ($0.30) 8 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.30, MP calls $0.30, SB calls $0.30

River: ($1.20) 7 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, MP bets $0.80, SB folds, Hero calls $0.80

Final Pot: $2.80
Hero shows A 8 (a pair of Eights)
MP shows 3 J (King Jack high)
Hero wins $2.55

I Pwn MSNL

Full Tilt Poker $0.05/$0.10 $3 Cap No Limit Hold'em - 4 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

Hero (BB): $9.15
CO: $6.55
BTN: $7.80
SB: $6.30

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BB with 8 Q
2 folds, SB calls $0.05, Hero raises to $0.30, SB calls $0.20

Flop: ($0.60) 6 8 6 (2 players)
SB bets $0.40, Hero raises to $1, SB raises to $2.70, Hero calls $1.70

Turn: ($6.00) 7 (2 players)

River: ($6.00) 4 (2 players)

Villain mucks Kc10d

PWN

Full Tilt Poker $0.05/$0.10 $3 Cap No Limit Hold'em - 5 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

Hero (BTN): $6.35
SB: $5.15
BB: $5.65
UTG: $5.70
CO: $7.25

Pre Flop: ($0.15) Hero is BTN with Q J
2 folds, Hero raises to $0.35, 1 fold, BB calls $0.25

Flop: ($0.75) 2 Q Q (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0.50, BB calls $0.50

Turn: ($1.75) 7 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

River: ($1.75) 9 (2 players)
BB bets $0.10, Hero raises to $0.80, BB calls $0.70(AcKc)

How about a blog?

So I have been avoiding blogging because I've been getting run over lately. I mean hard. Get hit by a car type of running over.

I had A8 against AA on a board of A82

I had JJ on a board of QJQ and lost to KQ when a K spiked.

I had second nut flush with J8h on a board with the Ah and Kh.

I had JJ on a board of Jh10c9h8h.

I had 89d on a board of 10d Jh 5d 3h Qc.

And now on the other side of it all, I had two set of Jacks today.  One was a double up and the other was  a big pot.  I also raised with 35s and flopped 246.  Sickening.

So what is poker?  What's it all about?  I've been doing this for 5 months now and wow, what a roller coaster.  I have had some crazy swings.  And the thing is, I didn't have any swings for the first month, my best month.  It was the month of 16 winning sessions in a row.  I would love to make a run like that again.  I could not agree more with the saying that playing poker for a living is a hard way to make an easy living.  I mean that is truth.  This is no walk in the park.  I have been hit in the face with some tough situations.  I have been on the highest of highs and more recently the lowest of lows.  I lost 3 buyins in one session just last week.  It was brutal.  I was in the most unlucky of spots.  

I am not sure if this is true but I think playing 9 handed does something to poker.  I have been a lot less consistent since switching to the Horseshoe, where they play 9 handed only AND, probably more importantly, have better players.  But having better players cannot explain everything because I still consider myself the best player at my table at any given time.  I have just taken some brutal beats.  

Perseverance and mental toughness is something you must have to player poker.  There was this guy at the table today who was livid, and I mean LIVID, every time something bad happened to him.  Imagine being in the BB and having the guy next to you straddle.  This made him livid.  Imagine having to fold after you limp because someone raised.  This made him livid.  I raised once and he folded while showing only his middle finger to the table.  He must have rebought 5 times and everytime he lost he mumbled 'son of a bitch' under his breath, threw his cards into the muck, punched the felt, and had the greatest look on his face.  He was obviously the biggest donk ever 3.0.  I kept laughing.  It was extremely amusing.