Rays of Light

Halloween is coming up next Friday, October 31st. It is a big deal around Chapel Hill, with somewhere between 65,000-80,000 folks showing up on Franklin St. The over/under for the number of these individuals that are intoxicated is 78,508.5. I never cared about this "holiday" prior to college, and could care less now. But, for four years, it was the third-biggest day of the year, behind Late Night with Roy and the home game versus Dook. I attended all four Halloweens, with varying costume success. My freshman year, I did not dress up (had no idea it was such a big deal), but did witness our exchange student friend Jose dressed up as a chicken and watched my dear friend Tommy walk straight into a door. To quote John Madden, "boom!" Sophomore year, I dressed up as Yoda and took pictures with a ton of people. Apparently Chinese people really, really like Yoda. Junior year I dressed up as Carolina basketball great Kris Lang (pic) and talked like a thug all night...like that was hard for me. Finally, senior year I dressed up as USA gymnast Paul Hamm, complete with name on the back of my shirt. Unfortunately, all night I had people yelling "hey Mia" at me.

I tell you these things because I have figured out my costume for this year if I were to attend Halloween on Franklin St. I would build a wagon around me, buy a spanking new jersey and hat, carry a cowbell, and ask questions like "how many points do you get when they cross home plate again?" and "what's a balk?" and "why don't they have 4-run homers?". That's right, you guessed it. I'm going as a fan on the Tampa Bay Rays' bandwagon!

Many, many moons ago, Tampa Bay was awarded an expansion baseball team, this coming five years after they nearly stole the Giants from San Francisco (after San Fran stole the Giants from NYC some 35 years earlier). They had some fans for a year or two, but a bad team, bad venue, and bad management decisions ran them off. So four the next eight years or so, Tampa largely ignored the Devil Rays. Now, all of a sudden, people are going to Rays games...and cheering. It's almost like the were kidnapped and held hostage for eight years, then turned loose right as the playoffs began. Where have you been folks?

Alright, I'm done. It is very hypocritical of a Charlotte sports fan to be critical of any other city's fanbase, but we have a reason to be. As for the upcoming World Series itself, I have no preference. I appreciate Joe Maddon listening to your's truly and a) matching up his bullpen pitchers lefty/righty; and b) using David Price when the game mattered. I'm not kidding, when Price entered the ballgame, I ceased to be nervous for Tampa at all and felt like the game was over. As long as he controls his emotions and throws strikes (check and check), Price cannot be hit right now. No one has seen him enough to write the book on him and his talent level is too high to be hit without knowing his tendencies. However, I was completely off base prior to the playoffs in picking Chicago to beat this team, largely because I did not think they had enough bats to carry them. Little did I know that Upton, Pena, and Longoria can carry a team, with plenty of support from Crawford, Iwamura, Navarro, and Baldelli. This team is strong from top to bottom. Which is why...

The Rays will win the series in 6. I'd break it all down for you, but why bother when a professional has done just that. The only area I feel Philadelphia is much stronger is the bullpen, but Price changes that for me. I think Maddon can mix and match enough, then rely on the rookie in the key situation (not always the ninth, mind you) to bail them out. The starters for Tampa (except Kazmir matched up against Hamels) are much better than the Phillies' starters and their order is balanced (lefty vs righty) and strong from top to bottom. Thus, I am picking the Rays. In other news...

• Late Night with Roy is Friday night, officially kicking off the basketball season in Chapel Hill. Finally.


• I cannot yet write coherently about last Saturday's loss by the Heels in Charlottesville. I did not go with the expectation of a win, but after 58 minutes of domination, I felt like it was at least a distinct possibility. I thought we had lost in every conceivable manner...then we blew a lead and lost in overtime.


• That being said, Charlottesville is still beautiful. The Grounds are gorgeous year-round, but especially in autumn. It felt kind of odd to hear someone call Carolina fans rednecks, but I guess to the posh attendees of Thomas Jefferson's University, we are. And I did not mind a bit (pre-game).


• Life is a bit off-base right now. How do I know? I've nearly died in the gym three times recently. First, I managed to finish a clean-and-press by pressing the bar right into my jaw; felt like a Mike Tyson uppercut. Second, I flipped a bar after unloading only half of it following a heavy squat; not unusual other than the fact that I'd had more weight on only one side in previous workouts without flipping it. Finally, I almost threw a heavy dumbell over my head while preparing to do flat-bench; I celebrated my final mishap by listening to Savage Garden during my dead-lift.


• Firefly. Which fittingly brings us to today's closing lyric:

"If you don't know, now you know..."

Brandon Tate, you can have my ACL...and MCL

So the best season in Carolina football (recent) history has been derailed by an injury to Brandon Tate, a potential All-American, ACC Offensive Player of the Year, and NFL 1st Rounder. And yes, there is already a facebook group in which students are offering the ligaments of their respective knees to the senior wide receiver. I posed the question at dinner the other night to a respected sports mind: if your favorite team's most important player injured himself (or herself if you like volleyball, softball, or soccer...but not the WNBA) in the midst of a potentially historic season (i.e. a championship is a distinct possibility), would you willingly give a healthy appendage and take on the injury yourself? Let's say you are a New England Patriots fan and the Pats are 13-0 (again). Tom Brady goes down with a torn ACL in his right knee and Matt Cassel is entrusted to lead the team to the Super Bowl. If you could, would you call God up on the Holy Phone and say, "you know Big G, I'm willing to suffer a torn ACL instead of ol' Tom and rehab it, so if you don't mind, just heal him right up and let me go through the pain instead while he leads my Pats to a Super Bowl"? Post your comments and let me know. As for the "respected sports mind" I posed the question to? He's not so respected anymore, because he looked at me like I was absolutely crazy and said "no way". Take that Voice.

Anyway, the Tar Heels still managed to pull off a great win last Saturday against America's Most Hated Team, Notre Dame. As a life-long Golden Domer, it was surreal seeing them in person and not being able to cheer for them (cause you know I was beating my hand on the bleachers at Kenan Stadium, screaming for Hakeeeeeem the Man, and hugging everyone...though not as many as Andrew). Unfortunately, the victory meant...absolutely, positively nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zippidy-Doo-Da. At least in the context of the bowl the Tar Heels will play in this season, the next six games versus conference foes mean far more. It was, much like a bowl game, a glorified exhibition for all intents and purposes. On the flip side, I will argue that it helps recruiting, meant a lot to win on a big stage against a historic program, and was a heckuva lot of fun. But it does not do much for the goal of New Year's in Atlanta, Jacksonville, or Miami.

As for the rest of the week in sports, the Fightin' Phils have made the World Series. I have professed my hatred and disdain for the Phillies many times in recent years. I really just hated Philadelphia sports in general, their fans, their teams, and frankly, the city. Not one of my favorite places on earth. But, after a visit last summer and the best cheesesteak of my life, I began to soften. Then a trip to see the Phillies play helped. And I begrudgingly began to admit that I really liked watching Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, and my guy, Shane Victorino. But the straw that broke the camel's back was the back-to-back championships of the Hokie Diamond Thugs, anchored by many of these players. You bring me fantasy championships and I'll cheer for you to get one in real life (as long as the Braves are not involved). Thus, I have been quietly rooting for the Phils. Not out-loud, cheer and pump your fist, but quiet, "ok, I kinda want this team to win".

On the other side of the MLB Playoffs, I am sitting and watching the Rays take batting practice against Boston pitching. I think I am finally buying into the theory that once Tampa Bay dropped the "Devil" from their nickname, God would allow them great success. I admit that I keep hoping to see Tony Parker sitting in the stands pulling for his wife as she plays third base for the Rays. What? Oh, that's Evan Longoria, not Eva? Daggum.

Some quick hitters to wrap things up:

• We are heading for another year of controversy with the BCS. It is a shame that the NCAA knows that a) it needs a playoff; and b) officiating is at an all-time worst, but does nothing about either. It's like they say "it's college football, we're still going to make a crapload of money because people love it too much to not attend and watch, so screw it, no changes are going to be made, even though it would help the quality and legitimacy of the game".
• On my way out of town to Chapel Hill this weekend, I realized I had forgotten my Rainbow sandals. Naturally, I turned around and sacrificed fifteen extra minutes to run home and get them. I have officially joined Darth Vader, Coach K, and the Devil himself on the Dark Side of the Force. Sigh.
• The NBA season starts soon, and I cannot wait. I am the lone individual in Blacksburg, VA who feels this way. I guarantee it.
• Check out Consequence. I like his sound.
• There is definitely a "no Derricks with a mustache" clause in the fine-print of Lil' Kylie's phone plan.
• I missed last night's final debate, so I have to catch up on it one day soon. But, as I mentioned to a few folks earlier this week, the fact that there is even a chance that North Carolina will vote Democrat shows me that this election is pretty much a done deal. There are still a lot of people in my home state who do not want to see a black man/woman in office at any level, much less as the President of our nation. But, enough people are apparently convinced that Obama fo yo Mamma is the best candidate and getting over any secondary factors.
• For so many people, especially young ones, to hate Notre Dame so much, why does nearly every student section in America celebrate touchdowns by hoisting so drunk frat guy named Wade or some cute, drunk chic with a skirt on in the air and tossing them up and down until they have equaled the number of points the home team has scored? Notre Dame has been doing this for years folks. In the case of the drunk girl, I understand it is normally so a bunch of pervs can look up her skirt and holler "pink" or "yellow" to their friends...but tossing a dude named Wade in the air seems stupid to me.
• Tommy Bowden was fired this week by Clemson. I worked briefly with Coach Bowden during my short stint in Clemson and I must say he is an extremely nice guy. Goes to church, does not drink, and works hard. I do not think Clemson really handled things well with him, but I was not surprised to see that he stepped down before things got uglier. He is too good of a coach to not get another job, assuming he wants one. As for Clemson, I predict a couple of attempts at a high-profile name coach before settling for Bobby Johnson or Lane Kiffin. Skip Holtz might be the guy they really need. Either way, the job/program is just not what many people think it is/should be. Clemson won a national title in 1981 and ever since, its fans have been clammoring for another. It was a fluke. Yes, I said it. Fluke. F-L-U-K-E. They have not won an ACC title since 1991, have won only three bowl games since 1993, has served 3 NCAA probationary periods, and has a fight song with no lyrics. Clemson must deal with SEC teams, ACC teams, and others in the recruiting circles. And, it's hotter than hell in Clemson, South Carolina. Seriously. Like the seventh circle of Hades. Head football coach at Clemson is a very good, but not great job, much like the program is a very good, but not great program.

I finally finished watching the VH1 100 Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop today at lunch. A breakdown is sure to come at some point. I know you can't wait.

Check the rhyme ya'll...