I’ve woken up twice already; once at 5:15, and once at 6:27. Mom wakes me up at 7:22 to see if I want to have tea with her and my aunt. I do. The tea is made with more milk than water and it’s fantastic. However, it’s not fantastic enough to prevent me from going back to bed until 9:30. That’s when I start to feel guilty about staying in bed when I’m not really that tired anymore. After a quick breakfast and a shower, we hop in a car and head to my dad’s family’s home.
Four years is a long time. I recognize a few buildings on the way, but much of the scenery is different. Only visiting every few years, I have this idea in my head that no matter how much I change, India always stays the same. I expect to come back to the same place that I left last time but Delhi has changed far more in the past four years than I have. There are malls popping up everywhere, the Metro is simplifying the daily commute for hundreds of thousands. College kids are blasting remixed Hindi songs with reggaeton beats. And this is happening throughout the traditional working-class neighborhoods of Delhi; I’m not sure what to expect of my trip to Connaught Place tomorrow.
Dad’s family is different, too. My grandmother is looking her age. She’s still sharp as a tack, but each of those 97 years has taken its toll physically. One of my cousins just had a baby boy and she has started looking the part of a mother. Another cousin is far more… stout… than he was just four years ago. He’s getting married next Saturday. Another cousin is far prettier than I remembered. She’s getting married in two weeks.
The changes are sobering and exciting at the same time. I sit with my grandmother for an hour, holding her hand as she lies in bed. But then my aunt comes in with her handsome baby grandson. I’m not one who usually gets excited about babies, but I am right now because we lock eyes and I catch him smiling and reaching for my face with his tiny fingers. I’m fairly certain we have a deep connection.
From there, we head to another aunt’s house (dad’s sister) for lunch. There’s far too much sitting and talking before lunch and my uncle decides to deride my life choices after interrogating me. Lunch is good and it’s good to see that my aunt is sweet as ever. We head back to dad’s family’s home, sit around for a while, and then Mom and I go back to her sister’s.
I watch a little bit of cricket (Sri Lanka vs. Zimbabwe), we eat dinner, and I retire to my room. Before sleeping, I try to write a bit, which is surprisingly easy until I realize that I have no distractions, and then it’s less surprising but still just as easy. I plan on going to bed early, but for some reason, there are small firecrackers being detonated a couple blocks away and the upstairs neighbors are trying out their new subwoofer at full blast. Nobody seems to care how tired I am.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Arrival – Thursday, November 20th
Flying into Indira Gandhi Airport at night, Delhi doesn’t look like other large cities. That’s because it isn’t like other large cities. The airport has been somewhat renovated since I’ve been here last. I can’t tell if it’s structurally any different than it used to be, but the lighting is better and there have been some superficial improvements. Certainly, I’m in no shape to critique the airport as I arrive. However, I can tell without a doubt that it is cleaner than I remember.
After what seems like an eternity waiting for our baggage, we make our way to the reception area to look for our driver. He better have a picture of us or sign with our name on it because it is packed in here. He does have a sign. Mom, intent on being the worst traveler ever, walks right past him and I have to chase her down and let her know I’ve found our driver.
Pushing the luggage cart out into the night, the smelly, foggy, heavy, night, I make a promise to never utter a harsh word about American airports ever again. I’m weaving a luggage cart stacked with suitcases through moving traffic and fighting the urge to freak out any time a car gets close to hitting me, which is often. After making it to our car, I look back at the vast river of disorganized airport traffic and realize I only crossed about twenty feet of road. That’s when I realize that I could never live in India.
The drive to my aunt’s house (mom’s sister) is surprisingly pleasant. Traffic is heavier than one would expect at 11:30 pm on a Thursday, but the driver gets us home quickly and safely. Thankfully, the car has air conditioning so we are able to make the trip with the windows closed, avoiding the dust and exhaust that mix with oxygen and nitrogen to form ‘air’ in Delhi. Upon entering, I’m happy to see my aunt although she looks much, much older than I expected. After sitting and talking for a bit, I decide I’m still tired and retire for the evening, falling asleep around 1:00 am.
After what seems like an eternity waiting for our baggage, we make our way to the reception area to look for our driver. He better have a picture of us or sign with our name on it because it is packed in here. He does have a sign. Mom, intent on being the worst traveler ever, walks right past him and I have to chase her down and let her know I’ve found our driver.
Pushing the luggage cart out into the night, the smelly, foggy, heavy, night, I make a promise to never utter a harsh word about American airports ever again. I’m weaving a luggage cart stacked with suitcases through moving traffic and fighting the urge to freak out any time a car gets close to hitting me, which is often. After making it to our car, I look back at the vast river of disorganized airport traffic and realize I only crossed about twenty feet of road. That’s when I realize that I could never live in India.
The drive to my aunt’s house (mom’s sister) is surprisingly pleasant. Traffic is heavier than one would expect at 11:30 pm on a Thursday, but the driver gets us home quickly and safely. Thankfully, the car has air conditioning so we are able to make the trip with the windows closed, avoiding the dust and exhaust that mix with oxygen and nitrogen to form ‘air’ in Delhi. Upon entering, I’m happy to see my aunt although she looks much, much older than I expected. After sitting and talking for a bit, I decide I’m still tired and retire for the evening, falling asleep around 1:00 am.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Departure – Wednesday, November 19th
I like to travel light. I use one checked suitcase. I carry a couple things in my backpack. My mother, however, knows that each passenger is allowed two checked items, one carry-on, and a personal item. She packs three suitcases, a carry-on, her laptop bag, and a second carry-on for me. So I guess I won’t be traveling light. After checking in and making our way through security, Mom decides she’s maybe kind of hungry but won’t decide where to eat. She claims to be ‘okay with anything’ but somehow rejects each eatery we pass. Twenty minutes later, she finally settles on McDonald’s of all places, and I decide this is not a good start to the trip.
Once we board the plane, I decide to put the rolling carry-on in an overhead compartment and keep my backpack underneath the seat in front of me. Mom, however, elects to keep her carry-on and her laptop bag at her feet, cutting down on the room available for my backpack and, therefore, my legs and feet. Fantastic. Oh, and she takes the aisle seat.
After 3 hours in the air, The Dark Knight, and some mediocre pasta with chicken, Mom decides she’d rather have the window seat. One would think I’d be used to dealing with all this after years of traveling with my mother, but, alas, no, I’m not. I take a Diazepam and sleep for a few hours, wake up for 2 hours, and sleep for a few more hours. I’m not sure how long I sleep on the plane, but it doesn’t feel like 15 hours. That’s partially because it hasn’t been 15 hours since takeoff. We’re told we will reach Delhi about an hour early.
Once we board the plane, I decide to put the rolling carry-on in an overhead compartment and keep my backpack underneath the seat in front of me. Mom, however, elects to keep her carry-on and her laptop bag at her feet, cutting down on the room available for my backpack and, therefore, my legs and feet. Fantastic. Oh, and she takes the aisle seat.
After 3 hours in the air, The Dark Knight, and some mediocre pasta with chicken, Mom decides she’d rather have the window seat. One would think I’d be used to dealing with all this after years of traveling with my mother, but, alas, no, I’m not. I take a Diazepam and sleep for a few hours, wake up for 2 hours, and sleep for a few more hours. I’m not sure how long I sleep on the plane, but it doesn’t feel like 15 hours. That’s partially because it hasn’t been 15 hours since takeoff. We’re told we will reach Delhi about an hour early.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Loyola @ #11 Purdue - 11/18/08
Purdue, 78 - Loyola, 46... and Rambler fans everywhere shed a single tear.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
"Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man."
Friedrich Nietzsche uttered those infamous words long ago as an eerie premonition about the state of Loyola Rambler basketball fans in the 21st century.
Loyola was once a proud basketball program. The Ramblers reached the NIT Finals in both 1939 and 1949. In the 1962-1963 season, the Ramblers, led by coach George Ireland, took home the national title by winning 60-58 over Cincinnati in the NCAA Tournament. Loyola returned the following season to the Sweet Sixteen and once again in 1985.
My tenure at Loyola is probably best remembered for the selfish heroics of the miniscule star guard David Bailey, and later the fearsome duo of Blake Schilb and Majak Kou. Those 3 Ramblers gave hope to a program that hasn't seen any significant success since the mid 1980s. However, those 3 Ramblers, along with thousands of Ramblers fans/students had their hopes dashed repeatedly. I was, and continue to be, one of them.
Yet each year, forgetting the disappointment of January and February, we once again let hope rise in us like mercury, thinking, "This is our year," like some sort of idiotic Cubs fan. Speaking for myself, this season is no different. The Ramblers return with an experienced team that has faced tough competition year-in and year-out against an increasingly talented Horizon League. Battle-hardened veterans like JR Blount, Darrin Williams, and Leon Young have seen the ups and downs of the program and have begun to stand out as the unquestioned leaders of the squad.
Blount especially has become a fan favorite by averaging 10 or more points-per-game during his first three seasons at Loyola. Two games into the season, it appears he's ready to continue that trend in 2008 and 2009.
Loyola opened the season against a relative cupcake in Division II Rockhurst. Blount showcased his quickness, scoring prowess, and mettle by hitting 12 of 22 from the floor and 17 of 20 from the line for a total of 42 points (tying David Bailey's record for total points at Gentile Center). However, a weak performance from the bench put a damper on Blount's record night and cast an ominous shadow over the rest of the upcoming season. Rockhurst took advantage of terrific 3-point shooting to upset the Ramblers 86-79. Plus, rebound fiend Leon Young suffered a broken hand and will be missing for 4-6 weeks.
Scheduling a Division II team for the season-opener is a double-edged sword. One one hand, it usually proves to be an easy win and can help build momentum. On the other, though, a loss can be devastating. In either case, it tends to set the tone for the season, and judging by Loyola's loss, it's hard to remain optimistic competing in an increasingly difficult Horizon League field.
However last night, the Ramblers, true to form, have gotten our hopes up once again. In the opening round of the NIT Season Tip-Off, the Ramblers faced a Georgia team that carried a losing record last season but still managed to make it to the big dance by winning the SEC tournament. The last time Loyola had beaten a current member of the SEC was in 1964 against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.
Loyola brought a balanced, efficient offense and a stingy defense to stomp the untested, green Georgia squad 74-53. Blount didn't put up 42, but he did manage 16 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals to lead 4 Loyola scorers in double digits. Solid, unselfish play from all five starters overwhelmed a weary Georgia team early in the second half and advanced Loyola to the regional finals.
Tonight, Loyola takes on a Purdue squad ranked 11th in the nation in West Lafayette. Still riding high off the win against Georgia last night, I'm praying to the basketball gods that we don't get completely destroyed by the team predicted to win the Big10. A loss against Purdue definitely isn't a bad thing. We've seen that 3 times in the last 4 years. Losing to a Big10 team, especially a ranked one, isn't going to demoralize the players. But they can't get blown out. Loyola beat Purdue in Chicago in 2005. Granted, this is a very different Purdue team, more similar to the one that shot almost 60% from the floor against the Ramblers last year, but winning is not out of the question.
Loyola upset #15 Butler last season and has proven it has the talent to take down programs that make mistakes, but the Ramblers need flawless play from all five starters and solid defense from the bench to have a shot at this one.
The ability to force turnovers and keep the ball out of E'Twuan Moore, JaJuan Johnson, and Robbie Hummel's hands as much as possible. Purdue will shoot the ball well and is very adept at forcing turnovers. Loyola needs to continue last year's efficient, mistake-free offense and force Purdue to foul Blount. Darrin Williams holds a 25 pound advantage on JaJuan Johnson and could cause problems for the Boilermakers in the post and on the glass.
Loyola is 8-1 in their last 9 games when scoring 70+ points. But that won't matter tonight.
My prediction: Purdue wins 87-71. The Boilermakers advance to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden, go on to win the Big10 and earn a spot in the Elite Eight. Loyola hovers just over .500 in the Horizon League, makes a deep run in the conference tournament, but gets stood up for the big dance despite a winning record and all-conference honors for Blount and Williams.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Cautious Optimism
"Careful, this is not the world, only the way you need to see the world." - Philip Graham
The election of Barack Obama and the growth of a Democratic majority in Congress seems to have been a turning point for many people in this country. The celebration has been widespread after a campaign carried by the most politically active public in our country's history. Emotion was the fuel for those fervent voters and campaigners; discontent with the current administration and legislature and a desire for an alternative, the replacement of those that betrayed them.
At a time when dissatisfaction reigns, idealistic rhetoric can be the most powerful instrument for change. However, the change we seek is not limited to electing Barack Obama and establishing a Democratic majority in the legislature. These are but the first two steps to realizing the abstract concepts that were so often spoken of during the election. It is unfortunate that terms like "equality," "peace," "cooperation," "stability," and "compassion" are abstract ideas, but they will remain that way until we recognize that there is no end to the change we seek. We cannot fall back into apathy after each accomplishment and then claim ignorance when things subsequently go awry. There is no question that change can be made quickly, but it needs to be maintained vigilantly.
Barack Obama is not our nation's messiah. He may prove to be a great, successful leader in the White House, but we cannot let the burden of our expectations rest solely on his shoulders. In electing him as our next president, we have made ourselves just as responsible, if not more, for bringing about the "change we need." Likewise, the blame for the past eight years falls on us as much as it does on President Bush, his administration, the incumbent legislature, and the intelligence community. We've seen what complicity can do to our country when we rely on others to take action on our behalf. We need to re-establish accountability, not simply by voting every two years but by making ourselves known, by reaching out to our elected officials and to each other. Write letters. Make signs. Protest. Make use of the rights given to us by our Constitution. Our 300 million voices make up the most powerful political body in our nation's history. So let your cheers be heard now, but also your complaints, your desires, and your outrage. Our government cannot fail us unless we let it, and it cannot succeed unless we support it.
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Penguins
1) Eat fish.
2) Huddle for warmth.
3) Protect eggs.
4) Feed offspring.
5) Star in superhero movie as villain opposite Michael Keaton.
6) Parlay stardom into documentary about habits 1-4.
7) Be proactive.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Report Card: Week 8
Okay, so not all the games went according to my plans yesterday. But I think I did pretty well with my predictions.
#7 Texas Tech def. Texas A&M, 43-25
Yes, I said Tech would win big and they did. But A&M led at the half and kept me biting my nails. Tech only put up 561 yards of total offense... I was 239 off.
Grade: 9 out of 10
#19 South Florida def. Syracuse, 45-13
USF covered my meager 7 point spread. 'Cuse let me down by getting crushed.
Grade: 7 out of 10
Northwestern def. Purdue, 48-26
The Wildcats opened up a can with a 24 point second quarter. Big game for Bacher.
Grade: 7 out of 10
#10 Georgia def. #22 Vanderbilt, 24-14
Georgia had this game in the bag the whole way through, but Vandy made it look close. I called a dozen, Georgia won by a dime.
Grade: 9 out of 10
Eastern Illinois def. SE Missouri State, 24-21
Looks like it was a close game. Still, nobody cares.
Grade: 10 out of 10
#6 USC def. Washington State, 69-0
It was disgusting. My prediction that the Cougars would put up a field goal was a bit optimistic.
Grade: 9 out of 10
#12 Ohio State def. #20 Michigan State, 45-7
Holy crap, the Buckeyes unloaded on MSU. Terrelle Pryor and Beanie Wells might be the most dangerous backfield in college football. I was way off.
Grade: 0 out of 10
UCLA def. Stanford, 23-20
UCLA stepped up to keep hope alive for this season. I'm disappointed in Stanford.
Grade: 2 out of 10
#3 Penn State def. Michigan, 46-17
Michigan scored a little more than I thought they would, but apparently decided to just not play the second half. Penn State is another step closer to a national title.
Grade: 9 out of 10
#1 Texas def. #11 Missouri, 56-31
Missouri lost this one in the first half and came up with trash points after halftime to preserve a very thin shred of their dignity. Longhorns look scary good.
Grade: 8 out of 10
Illinois def. Indiana, 55-13
Juice Williams is the most exciting QB in college football. I said he'd score more by himself than Indiana would as a team; he did it in the first quarter.
Grade: 10 out of 10
Boston College def. #17 Virginia Tech, 28-23
The Eagles won this game in the first half. The Hokie offense looked atrocious. Nice effort from the D though.
Grade: 3 out of 10
Final Grade: 69%
D+
#7 Texas Tech def. Texas A&M, 43-25
Yes, I said Tech would win big and they did. But A&M led at the half and kept me biting my nails. Tech only put up 561 yards of total offense... I was 239 off.
Grade: 9 out of 10
#19 South Florida def. Syracuse, 45-13
USF covered my meager 7 point spread. 'Cuse let me down by getting crushed.
Grade: 7 out of 10
Northwestern def. Purdue, 48-26
The Wildcats opened up a can with a 24 point second quarter. Big game for Bacher.
Grade: 7 out of 10
#10 Georgia def. #22 Vanderbilt, 24-14
Georgia had this game in the bag the whole way through, but Vandy made it look close. I called a dozen, Georgia won by a dime.
Grade: 9 out of 10
Eastern Illinois def. SE Missouri State, 24-21
Looks like it was a close game. Still, nobody cares.
Grade: 10 out of 10
#6 USC def. Washington State, 69-0
It was disgusting. My prediction that the Cougars would put up a field goal was a bit optimistic.
Grade: 9 out of 10
#12 Ohio State def. #20 Michigan State, 45-7
Holy crap, the Buckeyes unloaded on MSU. Terrelle Pryor and Beanie Wells might be the most dangerous backfield in college football. I was way off.
Grade: 0 out of 10
UCLA def. Stanford, 23-20
UCLA stepped up to keep hope alive for this season. I'm disappointed in Stanford.
Grade: 2 out of 10
#3 Penn State def. Michigan, 46-17
Michigan scored a little more than I thought they would, but apparently decided to just not play the second half. Penn State is another step closer to a national title.
Grade: 9 out of 10
#1 Texas def. #11 Missouri, 56-31
Missouri lost this one in the first half and came up with trash points after halftime to preserve a very thin shred of their dignity. Longhorns look scary good.
Grade: 8 out of 10
Illinois def. Indiana, 55-13
Juice Williams is the most exciting QB in college football. I said he'd score more by himself than Indiana would as a team; he did it in the first quarter.
Grade: 10 out of 10
Boston College def. #17 Virginia Tech, 28-23
The Eagles won this game in the first half. The Hokie offense looked atrocious. Nice effort from the D though.
Grade: 3 out of 10
Final Grade: 69%
D+
Friday, October 17, 2008
What You Should Be Watching Tomorrow
Here are my recommendations for which college football games you should be watching tomorrow. (All game times are Eastern time. And, yes, I realize that not all these games are going to be broadcast in your region. Sack up and get a decent football package.)
#7 Texas Tech at Texas A&M - Noon
Why: Because you're curious as to whether or not Tech will put up 800 yards of total offense.
The Call: Tech. By a lot.
Syracuse at #19 South Florida - Noon
Why: Syracuse is better than their record shows (and, no, I'm not being sarcastic this year). It'll be closer than people think, but...
The Call: I'm giving it to USF. They play harder than most of the guys getting paid for playing on Sundays. South Florida by 7.
Purdue at Northwestern - Noon
Why: It's time to find out if the geeky kids in Evanston are for real. Yeah, they're bowl-bound, but can they finally hang in the BigTen again?
The Call: Northwestern by 10. And the field will be littered with shoes after the game. Because Tyrell Sutton will have juked every Boilermaker out of them.
#22 Vanderbilt at #10 Georgia - 12:30 pm
Why: Are you serious? "Why?" Because Vandy is 3-1 in the SEC and is licking its chops at the prospect of an SEC East title. It'll be interesting to see if Georgia can cut up Vandy's soft secondary. Count on Knowshon Moreno to keep the Commodore linebackers honest.
The Call: Georgia by a dozen. As much as I'd like to see Vanderbilt do it, I'm fairly certain they won't.
SE Missouri State at Eastern Illinois - 2:30 pm
Why: I've got nothing. You don't want to see this game. And I doubt it'll be televised anyway (even around Charleston).
The Call: Everyone loses.
#6 USC at Washington State - 3:30 pm
Why: Because the Cougars are young, banged up, awful, and begging to get stomped on. Count on USC to put up at least 50. And stay tuned after the game for when Rey Maualuga gets arrested after decapitating everyone WSU throws in at QB.
The Call: WSU hits one field goal. USC scores 8 touchdowns. It's going to be disgusting.
#12 Ohio State at #20 Michigan State - 3:30 pm
Why: This game could very well determine who gets the #2 spot in the BigTen behind Penn State. It'll be interesting to see if MSU can contain double threat Terrelle Pryor.
The Call: MSU earns the win late in the 4th quarter.
Stanford at UCLA - 4:00 pm
Why: Can the Cardinal improve to 4-1 in the Pac-10? Can UCLA salvage some dignity by not losing to the conference nerds?
The Call: Stanford by 14.
Michigan at #3 Penn State - 4:30 pm
Why: Penn State has lost their last 8 to Michigan. And they know it. Look for the Nittany Lions to show off why they're the best in the BigTen.
The Call: Penn State is going to put up basketball numbers. Michigan is going to put up baseball numbers.
#11 Missouri at #1 Texas - 8:00 pm
Why: Colt McCoy looks as good (if not better) than any QB out there right now. On the other side is star QB Chase Daniel. We might have a shootout down in Austin.
The Call: Texas by double figures, but don't be surprised to see Mizzou keep it close in the first half.
Indiana at Illinois - 8:00 pm
Why: Juice Williams is making a mockery of defenses everywhere. Illinois needs to prove last season wasn't a fluke and the Hoosiers are just the team to help them do it.
The Call: Juice Williams puts up twice as many points as the Hoosiers on his own. Illini win big.
#17 Virginia Tech at Boston College - 8:00 pm
Why: The Eagles are favored. You better believe the Hokies aren't happy about that. This is a make-or-break game for VTech. They're out to prove they deserve to play in January.
The Call: The Eagles keep it close, but it's the Hokies by a beak.
I'm sure I'm going to be eating my words on more than a few of these predictions come Monday, but until then, I stand by my picks.
#7 Texas Tech at Texas A&M - Noon
Why: Because you're curious as to whether or not Tech will put up 800 yards of total offense.
The Call: Tech. By a lot.
Syracuse at #19 South Florida - Noon
Why: Syracuse is better than their record shows (and, no, I'm not being sarcastic this year). It'll be closer than people think, but...
The Call: I'm giving it to USF. They play harder than most of the guys getting paid for playing on Sundays. South Florida by 7.
Purdue at Northwestern - Noon
Why: It's time to find out if the geeky kids in Evanston are for real. Yeah, they're bowl-bound, but can they finally hang in the BigTen again?
The Call: Northwestern by 10. And the field will be littered with shoes after the game. Because Tyrell Sutton will have juked every Boilermaker out of them.
#22 Vanderbilt at #10 Georgia - 12:30 pm
Why: Are you serious? "Why?" Because Vandy is 3-1 in the SEC and is licking its chops at the prospect of an SEC East title. It'll be interesting to see if Georgia can cut up Vandy's soft secondary. Count on Knowshon Moreno to keep the Commodore linebackers honest.
The Call: Georgia by a dozen. As much as I'd like to see Vanderbilt do it, I'm fairly certain they won't.
SE Missouri State at Eastern Illinois - 2:30 pm
Why: I've got nothing. You don't want to see this game. And I doubt it'll be televised anyway (even around Charleston).
The Call: Everyone loses.
#6 USC at Washington State - 3:30 pm
Why: Because the Cougars are young, banged up, awful, and begging to get stomped on. Count on USC to put up at least 50. And stay tuned after the game for when Rey Maualuga gets arrested after decapitating everyone WSU throws in at QB.
The Call: WSU hits one field goal. USC scores 8 touchdowns. It's going to be disgusting.
#12 Ohio State at #20 Michigan State - 3:30 pm
Why: This game could very well determine who gets the #2 spot in the BigTen behind Penn State. It'll be interesting to see if MSU can contain double threat Terrelle Pryor.
The Call: MSU earns the win late in the 4th quarter.
Stanford at UCLA - 4:00 pm
Why: Can the Cardinal improve to 4-1 in the Pac-10? Can UCLA salvage some dignity by not losing to the conference nerds?
The Call: Stanford by 14.
Michigan at #3 Penn State - 4:30 pm
Why: Penn State has lost their last 8 to Michigan. And they know it. Look for the Nittany Lions to show off why they're the best in the BigTen.
The Call: Penn State is going to put up basketball numbers. Michigan is going to put up baseball numbers.
#11 Missouri at #1 Texas - 8:00 pm
Why: Colt McCoy looks as good (if not better) than any QB out there right now. On the other side is star QB Chase Daniel. We might have a shootout down in Austin.
The Call: Texas by double figures, but don't be surprised to see Mizzou keep it close in the first half.
Indiana at Illinois - 8:00 pm
Why: Juice Williams is making a mockery of defenses everywhere. Illinois needs to prove last season wasn't a fluke and the Hoosiers are just the team to help them do it.
The Call: Juice Williams puts up twice as many points as the Hoosiers on his own. Illini win big.
#17 Virginia Tech at Boston College - 8:00 pm
Why: The Eagles are favored. You better believe the Hokies aren't happy about that. This is a make-or-break game for VTech. They're out to prove they deserve to play in January.
The Call: The Eagles keep it close, but it's the Hokies by a beak.
I'm sure I'm going to be eating my words on more than a few of these predictions come Monday, but until then, I stand by my picks.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Equality in Connecticut
Here's an interesting article about the Connecticut Supreme Court's gay marriage decision. The rationale employed by the Court in its decision seems to be one of breaking down the arguments against rather than promoting the arguments for gay marriage.
Yes, I know that The New Republic is unapologetically liberal, and while the bias is evident in the article, the analysis of the decision is sound.
Before reading the article, I had never considered the difference between taking the fight for gay marriage to the courts or the legislature, but Richard Just uses two examples (the women's rights movement in the 70s and the recent California Supreme Court decision on gay marriage) to illustrate the caution that should be taken with either approach.
Take a look.
Yes, I know that The New Republic is unapologetically liberal, and while the bias is evident in the article, the analysis of the decision is sound.
Before reading the article, I had never considered the difference between taking the fight for gay marriage to the courts or the legislature, but Richard Just uses two examples (the women's rights movement in the 70s and the recent California Supreme Court decision on gay marriage) to illustrate the caution that should be taken with either approach.
Take a look.
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