Loyola @ #11 Purdue - 11/18/08

Purdue, 78 - Loyola, 46... and Rambler fans everywhere shed a single tear.

"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.

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.

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.

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+

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.

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.

3 Musketeers Mint with Dark Chocolate

Holy crap, go try one NOW. I found these guys while I was waiting to pay for groceries yesterday morning. (Buy one, get one free? Don't mind if I do.) They're pretty much York Peppermint Patties in bar form and I'm surprised nobody has attempted this before. I'm not really a candy person, but if I had to spend the rest of my life with one candy bar in sickness and in health, this would be it.

3 Musketeers Mint with Dark Chocolate, I think I love you.

Don't Panic

While checking my e-mail this morning, Gmail provided me with some very exciting news via Reuters. Author Eoin Colfer (of Artemis Fowl fame) will be writing a new book in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series! (Adams passed away in 2001 from a heart attack at age 49.)

The book, titled And Another Thing..., continues the story from the previous five books The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life, the Universe, and Everything, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, and Mostly Harmless. And Another Thing... is scheduled for publication in October of 2009.

I can't speak for anyone else because I haven't been practicing my ventriloquism, but I'm terribly excited to get my hands on that book; so much so that I may even attempt to break in to Penguin's offices and "borrow" the manuscript. Keely, I'm expecting you to be my wingman ---wingwoman... no... partner in crime... hmmm, seems like a little much... teammate... yes--- teammate on this definitely illegal and potentially deadly mission. (On second thought, "teammate" sounds a little cheesy... ACCOMPLICE! Success.)

Taking on Water

Almost 14 inches of rain fell over the weekend. There's water in the basement all over the bar, on the floor, and a cracked pipe on a pump sprayed water all around our furnace room.

Fantastic.

I understand that Hurricane Ike was about the size of Texas, but did it really have to reach all the way up here, 1500 miles away, and dump rain on us? Combined with what it did to lovely places like Galveston and Houston, I'm more convinced than ever that we should start a War on Weather Systems. We've been attacked on our own soil for the third time in 2 weeks.

Ike, you have soiled the good name of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. And for that, I'll never forgive you.