5 games left. I cannot believe it! The team is still in thick of the race--2 games out with 5 to go. Tonight and tomorrow night the Lunkers play the St. Cloud River Bats, one of the two teams they are chasing...a perfect opportunity to make a run!
So, you know how, depending on the situation, there is always that standard talking point? It's that "stock" question that everyone asks to be friendly but no one truly cares or listens to what you have to say...But, nonetheless, you still ask it, the other person answers and then asks you back, you answer, and then you move on...Example:
Two people see each other at college after a summer away
Joe: Hey! Great to see you! How was your summer?
John: It was awesome. I had a blast. Partied with friends. Hung out with family. It was relaxing. You?
Joe: Yeah, man. Same here, same here. Just relaxed and stuff.
John: Yeah, yeah, great, great.
...And then A) the two people realize they have nothing to talk about or B) the real conversation starts
..But, sometimes one of the two parties involved actually gives an answer with substance that warrants a response outside of the legitimate "stock" responses typically given. But, the other person, not paying attention, doesn't realize this so the following awkward situation ensues...
Joe: Hey! Great to see you! How was your summer?
John: Dude, it was awful. I put on 15 pounds, I got fired from 3 jobs and I now have no shot getting that big internship next summer. I blew it, man.
Joe: That's awesome, man! Sounds fun. I did the same, just hung out with friends, family...you know. That's great you learned a lot and had a great time.
...You know it happens. Who is at fault? Joe for not paying attention or John for answering the typical stock question with an "out-of-stock" answer, knowing that the norm is for the other party not to really pay attention?
Either way, I was involved in such a moment yesterday...I will not give any names but in the press box last night I was involved in the typical Northwoods League stock conversation of the moment which is about how the season has passed and how it's almost time to go...Here's about how it went...
Me: Hey [name], whatsup!? Long time no see (bad joke, referencing how, after seeing him on Monday, Tuesday's game was rained out before we got to the park).
Other Person: Yeah, looks like we'll get both of these in, though.
Me: Yep...7 more left...I can't believe it.
Other Person: I know. Are you just counting down the days?
Me: Honestly, no, I am not. If you told me it was day 1 of the season, I would be thrilled. I am having a blast and, while I am excited to get back to school, I am not ready to leave!
Other Person: Yeah, me too...I can't wait to get out of here. It's been a long, stressful season. I am right there with you...
..So, how do you respond? Do you make it awkward or just leave it? I just left it...
But, I can't stand how you have to ask those stock, generic, cliche questions based on situation...and there is now way around it.
Hot Sports Opinion of the Day: Pretty soon college football is going to start. Inevitably, it will be a new, exciting year filled with surprises, disappointments, and remarkable performances and games. Each year is different, each year has its own unique personality. One thing is already different about this year...one of the best programs in the country, and a team that would fight for a BCS Bowl berth, the USC Trojans, are ineligible per NCAA rulings based on events that occurred in the mid-2000's.
I go to USC. I am a huge USC fan. But, to the best of my ability, I will write this from an unbiased standpoint. Unfortunately, this situation creates a domino effect in which so many different, unconnected thoughts and ideas come to mind so I am just going to bullet point all of my thoughts in the order they came to mind.
-USC did not follow the NCAA compliance rules during their reign...neither did the worst team in D1, whichever team that was. Everyone breaks the rules. After spending a majority of my college life working in the athletic department, I will stand by this statement. If you disagree, you are so oblivious to what goes on. This applies to football and basketball, without question.
-USC is penalized for "knowing" about things that went on between their players and people not associated to the program. Usually, people get penalized for illegally trying to get players to either go to their school or stay in school. But, the Trojans are getting penalized because others broke rules trying to get players to leave their program. Agents were trying to secure prospective clients for when they left school. Does USC deserve some blame based on the sequence of events? Yeah, but to the extent they received blame? No way.
-Once again, this is not to say USC did not do illegal things that were not mentioned or discovered...but, one more time...so did everyone else.
-Saying "If you are going to penalize USC, penalize everyone" is more figure-of-speech than actual wish...it is not practical to penalize everyone.
-Penalize USC...fine them, take away wins, records, etc.(not that that is a legitimate punishment)...but why penalize guys that were not involved in any of this by stripping them of a chance to win a championship or compete in a bowl?
-Why USC? Why now? Were they too good for too long? Sorry for partying.
-Honestly, USC fan or not, how awesome would it be for USC to use this as motivation and run the table? I hope it happens. Wouldn't be the first time they were left out of a title game despite being deserving.
-People who think Pete Carroll ran away from the trouble have a point, but so what? Pete turned a proud, historic program from years and years of mediocrity to years and years of dominance. Did people care how the transition came about? No. He gave almost a decade to that program and made them the best program of the 2000s without a doubt. He deserves the opportunity to accept his next challenge.
-I am not the biggest Lane Kiffin fan, but I do want to say this. Yeah, what he did leaving Tennessee was sleazy, but USC was his dream job. Are you telling me you'd pass up your dream job? That opportunity might not ever come around again. Talk about loyalty with Lane and you might say he has none because of how he left Tennessee...but what about how he returned to the school for which he used to work for...How about how he took the job knowing that USC was going to receive punishments from the NCAA? He stepped into a bad situation...He didn't just inherit a dynasty like everyone thinks. Do I love Lane? No. Do I think he was totally right for leaving Tennesse? No. But do I think he was totally wrong, either? No.
-I have to go to lunch, but I will continue with my thoughts on this in my next post, which will likely be today or tomorrow...and that's a guarantee.
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