Cranking this thing back up...

It was brought to my attention that I am a horrible person when it comes to my blogging skills and my consistency in performance relative to my frequency in accomplishing what it is that I want to accomplish in terms of my goal in being a champion in respect of blogging. (Hey, if you can make that sound any more Nick Saban-esque, I'll pay you.)

Who had the stones to call me out on my horrible blogging skills? Well that's her in the red shirt... Rachel... the professional photographer... Not only did she insult my abilities to be consistent in sharing my life on the world wide web... but when I asked her to bring a camera, she promptly insisted that I bring my "piece of shit" camera. HAHAHA.... She and John have become some incredible friends of mine. We didn't meet until the week of the National Championship Game in Pasadena... but it seems as if we have been friends longer than that. Isn't it cool how you meet people who are a lot like you? Well these two are an example of that. As most of you know... I have a very strict policy, I normally do not accept applications for new friends... and as most of you know, EVERYONE starts out in the "red" and has to earn points to get into the "black". It's with great pleasure that I welcome John and Rachel to the inner-circle. If you like me... chances are good that you'll like them as well. They're pretty good peeps.

We went to the Crawfish Boil in Birmingham to hear Train and The Goo Goo Dolls... We had a great time. Although I have to admit, it was unanimous amongst our group, whom The Goo Goo Dolls all played a BIG part of our youth... it was disappointing to see how far they have fallen in such a short time.

Getting ready to watch the Yankees-Orioles game on MLB.tv.

Until next time... GO YANKS and ROLL TIDE!!!

Missing My Friend...

For some reason Victor is on my mind tonight and I can't sleep... so I thought I'd write about him.

On March 25, 2008, the world lost a great person, the University of Alabama lost a great former-player, proud alumnus and prominent supporter, and I lost one of my dearest friends.

Victor Ellis had a smile that could light up the room and an attitude that would almost irritate you to death because it was just so positive about everything. Victor passed away after only 28 years of blessing those around him. But in his 28 years here, he made the most of every single second. I issue a challenge to find someone that Victor came in contact with, who is not better for the experience. Victor was a hard-fighting, head-strong leader for the Crimson Tide on the field, and he was a hard-fighting, head-strong, AMAZING person off the field.

While I am not usually a mourner or someone who gets caught up in sad situations... I have never in my life been more devastated than I was when my hero and my friend passed away almost a year and a half ago. Victor was not only someone that I looked up to but someone whom I aspire to be just like. He was never bitter and never angry about the hand he had been dealt, instead he encouraged everyone around him to just smile, make the best of it, and move on. It doesn't seem that easy to me... but it sure did to him.

My fondest memory with Victor and one that I will cherish forever, was being able to walk out to midfield with him for the coin-toss before a game in which he was named as a honorary captain. We walked out together and walked back... and even though you could tell his body was weak, he insisted that we keep going. I walked with him back up to the skybox where he was sitting for the game and as I turned to walk out and make my way back down to the field to work, he stopped me, gave me a big hug, thanked me for being with him, and told me he loved me. I cried my eyes out the whole way back to the field... it is amazing the impact that one person can have on your life and I am thankful to God for allowing Victor to be a part of mine.

I love him and I miss him... and I think about him everyday. On that day when it seemed like everyone was losing, someone else scored a touchdown. God received an ambassador, a role-model, and a great man.

God bless you Victor... thanks for the memories!

Counting Down to Kickoff: 61 Days...

As summer continues to heat up, the days until the start of the 2009 Alabama Football season continue to count down. We are now just 61 days from the kickoff of another year of Crimson Tide Football here at The Capstone.

This season will be Coach Saban's third in Tuscaloosa and the excitement from the Alabama fan-base is still as high as it was on January 3, 2007, when he first arrived. With each season comes another top-notch recruiting class, another year of experience in doing it the "Saban way" and more and more high expectations for the end result. I would challenge any one to find a coach in college football that is as intense and passionate about the game as Coach Saban. For example, take a look at this video, which is originally from www.coachsaban.net and features highlights of last year's dramatic 27-21 win over LSU in Baton Rouge in overtime to secure a spot in the SEC Championship game in Atlanta. The very beginning of this video is the pre-game speech from the lockerroom. The very beginning shows the intensity that is given 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year by the man who is putting Alabama Football back on the map. Watch the video and tell me you aren't fired up! ROLL TIDE!

The Day After...

Yesterday, June 25, 2009, was quite a day in the entertainment world... many have compared it to August 16,1977, the day that Elvis Presley... the "King of Rock and Roll", a dynamic trend-setter in the music world and a heartthrob worldwide, passed away. Time will tell if 6/25/09 is indeed as important as 8/16/77... 20 years from now, will your kids ask you, "Where were you when you heard that Michael Jackson died?" Twenty years ago, there was no one in the world that was more popular that the "King of Pop" but allegations regarding his personal life, which I don't need to remind anyone of what those are... tarnished, for some, the memories of "Thriller", "Billie Jean", and so many other hits that made fans young and old idolize him world-wide and literally faint in his presence. I am just a FEW (not many) years too young to truly appreciate what Michael Jackson did for music, so I asked a few people today who would know better than I would... and they, without a moments hesitation agreed with each other that today is every bit as big as that day in 1977.

The former Jackson 5 star was 18 years old and had almost a decade of music experience under his belt when the "King of Rock and Roll" died in 1977... Almost 22 years later, it seems almost ironic that both "Kings" suffered mightily from drug addictions and struggles in their personal lives. History has forgotten all the negatives surrounding the end of Elvis' life... and although they were not near as outlandish or astonishing as those that surrounded Michael Jackson in the final years of his life... I, for one, hope that history will be just as kind to the "King of Pop" and that 20 years from now, people will have moved on from the bad and remember the talent that so many people adored for so many years.

Kobe and the Lakers DOMINATE in Game 1...

Another stellar performance by the best player in the NBA... Kobe Bryant scores 40 points (a career NBA Finals high) as the Lakers defeat the Magic 100-75 and take Game 1 of the series. Los Angeles is playing in their 30th NBA Finals as a franchise and going for their 15th World Championship.
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Summer school is in full swing... it hasn't completely started kicking my ass, but I can feel it coming. Economics and Math aren't my strong suits... and taking them at the same time probably wasn't the wisest choice I've ever made. BUT I know I won't have time to deal with classes like that during the fall, and I am determined to get the hell out of school in December!

Goodnight, Go Lakers... and ROLL TIDE!!!

What a rollercoaster day...

I was able to be at the Tuscaloosa Airport when the softball team arrived home from Oklahoma City and it was probably one of the most emotional scenes I have ever seen. My best guess would be 100-150 fans came out and cheered for the girls as they stepped off the plane, many of them in tears. I had a chance to talk to Coach Murphy and Van for a few minutes and was able to tell them how proud EVERYONE is of what this team was able to accomplish.

The rest of the day was spent in the office. We did a few interviews of people who are going to be working with us in the summer and in the fall and brainstormed some ideas for sports in the fall semester.

I did catch some rays today!!! I left work about 4:30 and headed to the pool to soak up a little bit of sun and loved every minute of it!

Summer classes start tomorrow and it's going to be a sucky month for me... but I'm determined to stay focused and on track to make good grades. We'll see how that turns out!

Goodnight and ROLL TIDE!

BAMA Softball drops heartbreaker...

The University of Alabama Softball team was one out away from forcing and "if necessary" game to make their run to the WCWS Championship series. That out never came, the Tide up 5-2 in the bottom of the 7th fell to the Florida Gators on a walk-off grandslam by Ali Gardiner to give Florida the 6-5 victory over Alabama.

Hats off to Murph and the entire BAMA Softball organization for a fantastic season... ROLL TIDE ladies!