When you can be summed up

There was this little back and forth among the women of the family on FB and it ended up with the most succinct description of my essence, that I don't quite know what to think of being perfectly "summed up."

Vanessa's Power Flirting

A few days ago my car wouldn't start b/c the battery was finally dead after the long drive across the country. Brian sent me to such-and-such shop where they replaced my battery for me. While What's-His-Face was replacing the battery, he asked me if I was from Cleveland. I was quite impressed because he knew what the shirt I was wearing meant. He's the first one to know since I got it from Shannon.
This is very sexy.

So we spent the next 15 or 20 minutes talking about baseball (moronic!), then about football (he likes the New England teams), complained about the basketball lockout and rounded it off with a nice discussion of the Boston Bruins and their recent Stanley Cup, along with a nice chat about Tim Thomas.

This is me power flirting.

Metrodome's Collapse

So it's snowed like bonkers in the upper Midwest. They got hit with just under two feet in the Twin Cities.
There was supposed to be a football game between the Vikings and the Giants, but the Giants were stuck in Kansas City b/c of the storm. The game schedule at noon on Sunday got pushed to Monday night. Now the game has been moved from the Twin Cities to Detroit. Here's why:

That is the place, BYU football, rumble on

With the possibility of BYU becoming an independent in football, I couldn't help but laugh when I thought of the historical, eschatological and LDS cultural implications when I saw the picture used on SI.com.
Bronco Mendenhall, AKA Brigham Young, points (back?) to independence, while we've been in the right place for a number of years, it is enough. It appears we must drive on and make our mark in THE WEST again, blazing trails as a football independent.**

**I know that I should apologize for the shameful, groan-inducing post and for my egregious cheesiness, but I'm just going to own it.


Also, if music videos still had dancing like this, I think I might actually watch MTV or VH1.

On to Georgia!

I've shared this song before, but it's much more apropos right now, as we head off to Georgia this next week. Julie Rae and Brian are moving so that he can do his PhD program. So it won't be so much a train as a caravan of a Penske moving truck and two cars. And it won't be so much midnight as the middle of the day so that we can enjoy the scenery. But it will be Georgia, so it's close enough:

Pondering *the* moments that I've watched

{The following is a sports indulgence. But at least there are short video clips!}

After watching and thinking about and reliving Donovan's goal today, I started thinking about the moments when my favorite team pulled off the amazing.
The 1986 baseball season was the first time that I paid attention to any sport. I was seven and completely enamored with the Mets. I picked a great year to love them.
I still remember when this happened and how I felt:

I had a poster of the ball going between Buckner's legs and Mookie Wilson about to round first on my wall for about 6 years.

I branched out from baseball, loved the Redskins who won the 1988 Super Bowl, and fell in love with the Utah Jazz.
In 1997, Stockton made the most important 3-pointer in the history of the Jazz, sending them to the Finals:


I was on my mission for One Last Miracle for Lavell, but this play still might have beaten that out:

(I absolutely hate that this rivalry is going to die. It was by far one of the best in the nation.)

Donovan's goal today joins the list:

Apology Provided in Advance

I just saw this headline about a quarterback on ESPN's homepage:

Look, it even has a video link attached to it.






I know, I know.

How BYU fans continue to completely love their players in the NFL

Subtitled: how Vikings fans are pouting.

There are 4 states that are more excited for the Super Bowl this year than in general, 2 are the home states of the participating teams, 1 is Mississippi, a state that practically claims the Saints as their home-state team, and, finally, Utah.
Why Utah, you ask? I'm positive the answer is BYU fans are excited that Austin Collie's in the big game. BYU fans remain extremely loyal when players go on to the pro ranks.


Also, can you see how Minnesota's completely bummed? I would be, too.

woe, weeping

I'm really, really sad. The elation of two Saturdays ago against Oklahoma has dissipated. But I have faith in my mighty mighty Cougars that they'll rebound. Vegas Bowl ahead.
But I think tonight I just might cry myself to sleep.

CF & Peaches

I watched (or am still watching) parts of 5 college football games tonight.
I also got splattered by peach goo working at the cannery earlier.
Tonight has been a great night.

not my poll

This alone shows how much U.S. Americans don't understand sports around the world:
The Super Bowl? The Super Bowl is tied for 1st?
The World Cup is #1. I mean, nearly 2 billion people tune in.
Ask people outside of the US and you'll get the World Cup at 70%, the Olympics at 20%, the World Series at 6% and the Super Bowl at 4%.
Yes, this shows how much Americans don't think outside of their borders in sports (reality?).

Addendum!:
Here's the "view map" portion of the poll. Look at Utah, one of the two states that has the World Cup as the biggest sporting event in the world. I'm thinking this is all of the RMs that have actually lived outside of the US and know what's really going down. That's my guess.
See, missions are very important.

tears, tears, tears

I just want everyone to know that I'm in mourning:

ASU 76 -- BYU 75
Arizona 31 -- BYU 21






As of right now, I am boycotting the state of Arizona--even though it's nice and warm and is mostly snowless. Those that know me will understand the depths of my sorrow if I'm willing to boycott warmth and no-snow.


A video that I think epitomizes today:

the founding brethren

I almost always accidentally refer to the Founding Fathers and "The Brethren." I've done it before. It's very embarrassing.

Anyway, I can't remember who I promised the comparison of basic political platforms to. So if I promised it to you, will you let me know. I should really write these things down. And if I haven't promised it to you, and you want it, let me know.

Anyone else annoyed about Falling Back? I'm a big fan of making Daylight Savings the standard. Time to start counting down to the 2nd Sunday in March. I love sunsets occurring after 9pm.
You know, I was really happy when the dates were changed to extend Daylight Savings during the year. But I really miss President Monson's reminders during April Conference.

BYU and Colorado State played a game today that was more reminiscent of the crazy scores from the Wacky WAC. Seriously, where'd the Cougars defense go? 45-42?

I don't know how much this will help the Senator's presidential campaign, but it's pretty darn funny:


And one more:

a joke that will cause a kerfuffle

Little Tommy went to school one day wearing a BYU shirt. His teacher asked him why he was a Cougars fan. He said, "Because my parents are." His teacher replied, "That's not good enough. What would you do if your parents were drug dealers and hookers?" He replied, "Well, then I'd be a Utes fan."


*Before you have too much of a freak out, let me put on my Utes sweatshirt.

Saturday

Anyone else nervous about BYU's football team? What's happened to them? They used to play like a well-oiled machine and now they're playing haphazard and their defense makes me wanna go crazy. I'm struggling with the knowledge that'd it'd be better for the U to go undefeated this year (beating BYU) and making it to a BCS game. I might have to do a Megan Neeley and pray about the game.
(She's home on Thursday!!!!)

The TB Rays lost tonight to the Phillies. This makes me sad.

I hit the wall today in thesis writing. Today was more like the camel through the needle syndrome.

I saw the 4th Indiana Jones this weekend for the first time. I ended up rolling my eyes at various moments, fastforwarding at others and then simply freaking out about this:
Iguaçu Falls is NOT in the Amazon. I know this doesn't really matter a whole lot, because they were stupid enough to bring in aliens, thus unwisely destroying the believability of the show (yes, I totally believe the others are possible). But seriously! They're thousands of miles from each other.

Sign that Sarah Palin is mailing it in, not believing the ticket can win, and setting herself up for later political and television opportunities.

But, honestly, they should have had a better feel for her politics before they tapped her out of nearly nowhere. Then they should've let her talk to people rather than muzzling her, just making sure that she doesn't stray too far off the reservation.
Speaking of, wouldn't it have been nice to have a campaign where McCain was also McCain?

This is how I feel about tonight's BYU game

First Snow in the Valley, BYU game #6

Tonight as Mom and I were walking out of Macey's, we caught the first snowflakes of autumn. Yet again I was confronted with the question, "What in the Sam Hill am I doing living where it snows?"


BYU won their game today 21-3 (really, it should have been 21-10 because New Mexico had a TD taken away on a bad call). They looked a bit sluggish and couldn't seem to overcome some of the Lobos' defensive moves. This could be a problem come Thursday against TCU. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the way the Cougars played defense. TCU's offense is quick and mobile, especially at the quarterback position, which will be a problem. But BYU handled the Lobos pretty well today. This bodes well. BYU's offense needs a little bit more pop for this Thursday's game, too, or the winning streak is going to end at 16.

Three top five teams lost today, too. #1 Oklahoma lost to #5 Texas, #17 Oklahoma state beat #3 Missouri and #4 LSU lost to #11 Florida. I don't know what this is going to mean for the top 10, or if BYU is going to stay in. How much do you want to bet that BYU's going to get leapfrogged by Florida and Georgia, maybe even Oklahoma State, and those top 5 teams that lost will stay in the top 10?
I'm hoping that I'm wrong and that BYU can stay in the top 10, because if they can beat TCU in Texas, the Cougs could conceivably go as high as #7 or #6.
*As a side note Texas Tech--at home--had to go to overtime to beat lowly Nebraska. BYU could beat Texas Tech at their home. They're ranked above BYU. Overrated? Yes.

The trick to all of this is that teams in the top 10 are starting to play eat other in their conference play. The conferences essentially cannibalize teams, meaning that teams that are currently undefeated cannot stay that way. We need to cross our fingers that these teams can beat each other up and that the Cougs can stay undefeated.
#7 Texas Tech is going to end up with possibly 2 losses. #6 Penn State will lose at Ohio State, most likely. #2 Alabama could lose any game because they're in the SEC. Georgia will lost at LSU. Florida could lose another game. #8 USC will win out because the Pac-10 is pathetic.
Anyway, BYU could get into the top 3 or 4 if they continue to play well and stay undefeated. Oh, this is such a pipe dream...

a smattering

Whoop! for General Conference! Those temple announcements brought tears to my eyes. I admit it! I have a good friend in Calgary, a cousin and friends who have served there. Then President Monson announced Córdoba, Argentina, which made me think of my buddy whose dad was mission president there. I also wonder if Elder Scott had something to do with this... Next, Kansas City, then Philly, but really when he announced a temple in Rome?! My hand flew to my mouth. I want to know what changed so that they could do this. I thought of my friends who had served in Italy and what must be going thru their minds (and hearts). Lily wrote an excellent post to this effect.
And when President Monson talked about the temple dedications, yeah, there were tears then, too. Curitiba! Those Brazilians considered Elder Faust "nosso apóstolo" (our apostle). They love Elder Bangerter, too. I think I've had 3 total Bangerter relatives as Portuguese students, but it might be more. That's a very huge family.
I loved the fact that three of the speakers at the first session spoke English as a second language. The Church is spreading throughout the world and it makes me so happy to see this in General Conference.
General Conference Saturday was a great day. It always takes me a few days to digest Gen Cong, so maybe I'll bring it up again later. I do think Elder Holland's talk was something of wonderful.



Onto other things:
I hate cold weather, as I'm sure you all know. Hate it. But one good thing about this is that it's beanie weather! I love beanies. Even though I can't stand the snow, having a beanie on my head makes me feel just a bit better.

Our poor little doggie, Millie, had surgery on Friday, 4 puppy teeth removed and her last shot. What a terrible day, no?
Speaking of pets, can I get an AMEN!?

Friday was also Laurel's birthday. My younger, taller sister is 23. What the heck is up with that?

No amazing football upsets this week.

The Cubbies were swept by the Dodgers. Those poor Cubs fans. I mean, seriously, can't this team win more than 1 World Series in 100 years? Obviously not. The best they have to hope for is a 101-year championship drought. Maybe next year...
Honestly, though, I didn't want to feel guilty rooting against the Cubs if they made it to the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. I love watching that team win and have all phlangies crossed.


And this is really funny:

Rankings

What in the Hannah Bell happened to the top 25 this football weekend? In the top 10 alone, of the 8 teams that played, half of them lost. Granted 1 game was #8 against #3, but it was #3 Georgia that lost (was destroyed?) at home. There were 16 games and 7 losses in the top 25.
So what did this mean for #11 BYU that didn't even play at all?
AP Ranking #8
USA Today/Coaches #7
They're ahead of USC in both polls. What does this mean? They're the best team in the Pac-10 right now.

BCS Conference Rankings:
ACC: #22 Florida St., #20/24 VA Tech, #25 Wake (who lost, why are they still in the top 25?)
Big 12: #1 Oklahoma, #4/3 Missouri, #5 Texas, #7 Texas Tech (overrated) #16 Kansas, #21/22 Ok St.
Big East: #10 South Florida, #24/23 UConn
Big Ten: #6 Penn St., #14/12 Ohio St (overrated), #18/17 Wisconsin
Pac-10: #9 USC, #23/20 Oregon (shouldn't be ranked)
SEC: #2/4 Alabama, #3/2 LSU, #11/10 Georgia, #12/13 Florida, #13/14 Auburn, #19 Vandy

Mountain West: #8/7 BYU, #15 Utah
WAC: #17/18 Boise St, #22/21 Fresno St

What does that all mean? The Mountain West right now is better (firmly in the polls and possibly top to bottom) than the ACC, the Big East and the Pac-10. The WAC is a weaker conference but has better top teams than the ACC.

What does all of this teach us? BCS=bogus and cannot provide a true nation championship. The SEC title game provides a better national championship game than does the wack BCS.

Just like 1985

So the Cougar defense hasn't allowed a point in 8 quarters, which is a very beautiful thing. And not only that, but in the wake of amazing defense the Cougars have rattled off 103 points.
When was the last time that the Cougars had 2 shutouts in a row? 1985

11/2 59   BYU 0   Wyoming
11/9 44   BYU 0   at Utah St. 

Do those scores look familiar?

9/14 59   BYU 0   UCLA
9/20 44   BYU 0   Wyoming 

I thought it was sort of a crazy coincidence. Wyoming did better for itself this time, though.

So what was the next score in 1985, you might ask?

11/16 28   BYU 21   Air Force

The next game for the 2008 Cougars? Utah State on Oct 3. Eesh. USU's offense is worse than UCLA and Wyoming.

Three shutouts in a row, anyone?