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New workplace (Taken with Instagram)

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Stopping in SC for the evening. Finishing the trip to Valdosta tomorrow. (Taken with Instagram)

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Where I'm going I need roads (Taken with Instagram)

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Browns Make a Flashy Gamble for Gordon

  Cleveland Browns select wide receiver Josh Gordon, of Baylor University, in the second round of the 2012 supplemental draft.

  On Tuesday I drove through the Cleveland area and listened to 93.1 The Fan, which is their sports radio station, and heard the debate about whether or not to select Josh Gordon. Multiple teams sent more than one scout to Gordon’s workout prior to the supplemental draft, which raised many sports analysts’ eyebrows. Analysts and football fans alike realized the ability to get Gordon to their respective team would require a high draft pick, which eliminates that same round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft. The second round pick requirement appeared inevitable on Tuesday with the speculation surrounding Gordon and came to fruition on Thursday when he was selected. Is Gordon worth such a big gamble though?

Josh Gordon’s journey to the NFL Supplemental Draft is the result of an arrest in 2010 and a failed drug test, which led to an indefinite suspension from the Baylor University football program. Afterwards, Gordon transferred to the University of Utah but did not play a single down, which permitted his entry into this year’s supplemental draft. These past events concerning Gordon raise many red flags but some teams believe he has rectified his wrongdoings.

Gordon’s physical attributes and speed encourage many NFL teams to look past his mistakes. His high score on the Wonderlic test and ability to pass drug tests now show an improvement in character over the past two years as well. The NFL has shown in the past that second chances are rare and cannot be taken lightly. The Browns organization will need to make sure Gordon doesn’t step out of line at the professional level.

When an NFL scout hears the numbers 4.52 in the 40-yard dash and 6’3” for the height of a wide receiver, it grabs their attention. The Browns were on the lookout for wide receivers after drafting quarterback, Brandon Weeden, who is 28 years old. The gamble to take a 28 year old in the first round of the NFL Draft means the Browns will do whatever it takes to win now despite being ranked last in the NFL Power Rankings this week.

The Browns recent actions show they’re all in when it comes to building a great team and will take the required risks to do so. Past draft woes, including the selection of QB Tim Couch and QB Mike Phipps, may be rectified through the gambles of taking Weeden in the first round of the NFL Draft and Gordon in the second round of the Supplemental Draft. Otherwise, these will be two names to add to the long list of draft busts by the Cleveland Browns. A city like Cleveland who experienced ‘The Decision’ by LeBron James and the suspension of team operations from 1996-1998, deserve a little luck. Isn’t that what a day like Friday the 13th is known for? The 2012 calendar year has been filled with other unlikely success by teams including the Los Angeles Kings winning the Stanley Cup as an 8-seed and the Mets having a perfect game (according to the scoresheet), so why not the Cleveland Browns?

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Legacies May Fall But Spare the Innocent

The fall of Joe Paterno and Penn State with the potential ‘death penalty’ looming.

  On July 12, the Freeh Report was released upon the completion of an 8-month investigation into the child abuse scandals revolving around Jerry Sandusky during his time at Penn State University. Many news stations were playing footage of the press conference over and over but many questions have arisen regarding legacies and whether or not the NCAA will enforce the ‘death penalty'. It is very unfortunate that these victims had to wait so long to receive justice, through this report and current lawsuits in progress. This article is not meant to downplay the crimes that have occurred, but is meant to cover one portion of the ramifications of the Freeh report.

Within hours of the press conference Mark Parker, the President of Nike, announced that Paterno’s name would be taken off the Child Development Center on the Nike Campus. Nike is known for naming buildings after prominent athletes and coaches, and this announcement occurring so quick may only be the first of many dominos to fall. Right after the press conference was aired on ESPN, questions were asked of the Paterno statue potentially being taken down in response to the report. Up to this date, there has not been a story of this magnitude in the sports community regarding a prominent figure. The widespread nature, in terms of the amount of people involved and the years the cover-ups took place, hasn’t been seen before.

Aside from the black eye on Paterno’s coaching legacy and the Penn State football program as a whole, some people wonder if the college football death penalty is next. Southern Methodist University’s football program is the only one to experience the death penalty from the NCAA, which resulted in the cancellation of the 1987 and 1988 football seasons. The program has not fully recovered despite the time that has passed. SMU has had two post-season bowl berths under Coach June Jones, but the program hasn’t risen to the national championship level it had in 1935, 1981, and 1982.

What did the death penalty really do for NCAA football though?  It prevented athletes at SMU from playing football for two seasons and eliminated scholarships for potential student athletes in the subsequent years. If the death penalty is enforced at Penn State University, it will take down another national powerhouse football program that includes over 100 student athletes. More importantly, why should student athletes suffer for actions of their administration that occurred before their time at a college program? The death penalty was a mistake when enforced at SMU, and many sports writers have argued that point to this day. The University of Southern California football program was rumored to potentially face the death penalty from the NCAA but cooler heads prevailed as a number of scholarships were eliminated instead.

Student athletes should not suffer as a result of the actions of an administration. Those people should be dealt with directly and the athletes themselves should not be punished through a loss of a season. The events that occurred at Penn State University are horrendous but the NCAA shouldn’t punish the innocent student athletes. The officials involved with the criminal acts should be punished using the judicial system. The current Penn State University football team is not directly involved with the criminal acts and should be spared in the process of punishments delivered as a result.

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#nofilter Onondaga Lake (Taken with Instagram)

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Good bye Mount Pleasant (Taken with Instagram)

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Time to take the next step (Taken with Instagram)

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Harvest Moon (Taken with Instagram)

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'Ted': Polarizing Reviews Raise an Eyebrow

           Ted was released nationwide in the United States on June 29 and has faced polarizing reviews. The answer for it may lay in this simple question: When you watch Family Guy are you a person who only laughs when everyone else does?

            This past weekend Ted took in $54.1 million and broke the record for the best debut of an R-rated movie, which was formerly held by The Hangover. The movie industry did not anticipate this because of having its eyes set on the superhero films of the summer including The Avengers, The Amazing Spiderman, and The Dark Knight Rises. Despite breaking box office records, Ted was not a favorite of all critics or moviegoers. If you don’t like Family Guy and, or Seth McFarlane and you decide yourself to go to the movie and complain you didn’t like it, take a look in the mirror for the answers as to why you disliked it.

            Ted is a film for ‘true’ fans of Seth McFarlane and Family Guy with its inclusion of numerous subtle jokes and the in your face humor. This is a film that needs to be played without people talking behind you or else you may miss some of the best moments. Moviegoers will probably notice some of the scenes from the trailer, but make sure to NOT talk to someone that is chatty about films and has seen this before going. There are some aspects of the movie that were withheld from the trailers and made it a lot better than expected beforehand.

            If you are someone who only laughs when most others do while watching Family Guy, this film may not do a lot for you. The subtle humor is what makes this movie about average and worth the price of admission. It is difficult to pick up on the jokes if a viewer does not have a good understanding of Hollywood history including the actions of past stars, movies, etc. Family Guy is filled with those types of jokes and sometimes only one or two people in a packed room may be laughing when the lines are delivered. This isn’t a moment to give those who laughed a puzzling look though, because most likely you don’t understand the reference. If that occurs, use the power of Google or another search engine to figure out what Seth McFarlane and the team of writers were referring to.

            Ted is a B+ film that is surprisingly funny and a treat for Seth McFarlane fans. This is not a movie for children though with its inclusion of multiple references to drugs, sex, and crude use of language. The film may star a talking teddy bear but that doesn’t mean it’s for the kids. Parents, please don’t make this type of mistake as many did with bringing children to Watchmen because it looked like a superhero film to some.

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Late night storm (Taken with Instagram)

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Waiters Shows that Teamwork Yields Rewards

                         Shooting guard, Dion Waiters of Syracuse University, is projected to be a top 10 draft pick in the 2012 NBA Draft despite only starting 1 game in his college career.

Tonight when the NBA Draft begins, Dion Waiters can expect to hear his name be called within the first 10 picks. Unlike most of the other top 10 draft picks, Waiters only started 1 game at the college level but he made his playing time count.  Most bench players wouldn’t average 23.9 minutes per game in a season, but Waiters played in the role assigned to him by Syracuse University Basketball Coach Jim Boeheim.

Waiters also wore the #3 jersey for Syracuse, which has a storied history recently with the play of Gerry McNamara and Preston Shumpert who were fan favorites during their playing careers with the Orange. Waiters also received the same type of appreciation that came with the jersey during his two years at Syracuse.

Boeheim utilized Waiters’ talent as a spark of energy off the bench during his two years at Syracuse. Every time the Carrier Dome announcer announced Waiters’ name as an incoming substitution, a loud roar of applause would be heard from the crowd. The fans had reason to do so with Waiters’ ability to hit big shots and provide a boost that is shown by his averages of 6.56 and 12.62 points per game during his Freshman and Sophomore seasons respectively.

At the end of Waiters’ Freshman season, Syracuse fans wondered whether or not he would return though. Waiters only averaged 16.3 minutes per game that season, despite being productive during those minutes, but it was a team filled with multiple star players. Coach Boeheim and fans alike knew the 2011-2012 season could be a deep postseason run if Waiters returned though, which led to himself and teammates encourage Waiters to stay at Syracuse.

Coach Boeheim and fans were right about Syracuse having another productive season with him too. The overall season record of 34-3, combined with making it to the Sweet 16 despite losing their center, Fab Melo, right before the NCAA Tournament was a result of hard work by Waiters and his team. Unlike most star players of a team, Waiters did not create any controversies about minutes played or not starting though. Waiters’ play that season led to him being named Sixth Man of the Year by the Big East.

The anticipation of hearing Waiters’ name in the Top 10 of the NBA Draft tonight is a result of his ability to be a true team player. Waiters works well with his team members to work towards certain accolades, as shown by his play at Syracuse.  A player doesn’t have to start a game to make a difference and potentially be a deciding factor in the outcome of it.

Congratulations Dion Waiters, your time to shine at the NBA level is now.

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Who are the Boston Red Sox?

         ��                         The recent trade of Kevin Youkilis means only one active member from the 2004 World Series championship remains with the team.

  In 2004 history was made when the Boston Red Sox became the first team to win a MLB postseason series after being down 3 games to none. Ironically, this series was against their rival, the New York Yankees, and it appeared to be another disappointing postseason for Boston fans. Despite the odds being against them, the Red Sox rallied to win 4 straight and advance to the World Series. If you want to witness the complete story watch either Fever Pitch (2005) starring Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon or ESPN 30 for 30’s Four Days in October starring Boston sports writer, Bill Simmons.

Most Boston Red Sox fans claim the 2004 championship series as a change in the team’s luck because of it ending an 86-year drought and leading up to another eventual World Series title in 2007. The fans are very supportive of the members of each of these teams, which is evident by the 4-minute standing ovation upon Nomar Garciaparra’s return to Fenway Park as a member of the Oakland Athletics on July 6, 2009 and the curtain call given to Kevin Youkilis on Sunday June 24, 2012. Fans had been expecting Youkilis to leave Boston with the large volume of trade rumors surrounding him during the preceding weeks. Some Boston fans even knew it was possible at the start of the 2012 season when Manager Bobby Valentine and Youkilis were not getting along after previous statements were made. The question was who was going to go first: the beloved player who helped bring 2 world series titles to Boston or the manager brought in to rid the clubhouse of chicken and beer?

It was not a surprise to see Youkilis to be traded because the Red Sox organization is appreciative of the players’ work to win two World Series championships but knew the system in place was no longer working. This was shown by the biggest collapse in the last month of the season in baseball history when the Red Sox went 7-20 after having a 9 game lead in the AL East division, which cost them a playoff berth. Manager Terry Francona was fired less only days after the season ended and a few weeks later General Manager Theo Epstein left the Red Sox to become the GM for the Chicago Cubs. The only active member on of the 2004 Red Sox team is David Ortiz now.

Age isn’t the only reason the 2004 team has been dismantled for the most part. It is a reflection in the change of philosophy by the Red Sox organization. The addition of a new GM, Manager, and other members of the staff were inevitable. The infamous curse on the Boston Red Sox was broken in 2004 but it is a lesson the organization and fans must learn from. Loyalty is easy but realizing when change is needed is hard because fans and staff members alike have respect and allegiance for the players who accomplished this great feat.

Boston may not be the current powerhouse in the AL East, as fans have been accustomed to seeing, but it takes time for change to occur. Look at these three divisional leaders: Washington Nationals (NL East), Cincinnati Reds (NL Central), and the Chicago White Sox (AL Central).  Three years ago in the 2009-2010 season, these teams combined to be 216-270 or an average of 72-90 (.444).

This is a season of change for the Boston Red Sox and it will be tough for fans to handle it after being used to attend the playoffs for most of the past decade. The Red Sox organization has learned its lesson after the September 2011 collapse and it will be a matter of time before seeing if they have made the right moves to achieve future success.

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Classy mug for an amazing brew @glbc_cleveland #Marist #Rennies #LakeErieMonster (Taken with Instagram)

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#NoFilter beautiful evening in Michigan (Taken with Instagram)

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The Final Active Fab Five Member Wins a Title

              Former Michigan Wolverine Fab Five member, Juwan Howard, will get a championship ring after 17 years in the NBA.

Juwan Howard may not have placed a large amount of minutes in the NBA Finals, with only 3 minutes of play in Game 5 of the series, but the Miami Heat team has felt his impact. Sometimes it takes more than making baskets or grabbing rebounds to win a championship title. Howard provided senior leadership for the Miami Heat team while they faced the most scrutiny of any team in the NBA this season.

The highlights of Juwan Howard’s basketball career start with his collegiate career while playing at the University of Michigan. During his freshman year (1991) he was a member of the famous Fab Five of Michigan that consisted of Ray Jackson, Jimmy King, Jalen Rose, Chris Webber, and himself. The team appeared destined to win a title with one of the best lineups in the NCAA at that time. In Howard’s freshman and sophomore seasons, his NCAA championship hopes were dashed by ACC foes, Duke and University of North Carolina respectively. During his Junior year, which was his final season of collegiate play, his team made it to the Elite 8 where the University of Arkansas ended their postseason run. In the 1994 NBA Draft he was selected fifth overall by the Washington Bullets and was reunited with his Fab Five teammate, Chris Webber.

Howard moved around the NBA throughout his career with 12 stops at 8 different franchises. He was an NBA All-Star in 1996, after being named NBA All-Rookie second team in 1995.  He appeared destined to win a title early on in his NBA career with his great play but was plagued by injuries and other medical conditions throughout the years. In 2010, he was signed for a one-year deal with the Miami Heat while it appeared his career was close to ending. This occurred after the Miami Heat had one of the most memorable and publicly criticized off-season’s with the signing of LeBron James and the sign and trade for Chris Bosh. Despite not winning a championship after the Big Three of Bosh, James, and Wade announced they would win multiple titles in Miami, Howard was resigned for another one-year deal.

The 2011-2012 season included the smallest amount of average minutes played, 6.8, and lowest number of points per game at 1.5. Howard helped provide senior leadership in the shortened season though with the ability to help keep the team focused its ultimate goal, an NBA Championship.

Last night, was a poetic ending to Juwan Howard’s career. This is based off the presumption that this will have been Howard’s last season at the age of 39. Despite having two NCAA tournament finals appearances in 3 years of play at the collegiate level, Howard only had two appearances in the NBA Finals with both occurring in back to back seasons in Miami (2010-2011, 2011-2012). Howard is the only member of the Fab Five that will win an NBA championship title because of being the last active member of the group. Past success in college play doesn’t mean you will achieve greatness in the NBA, just as Adam Morrison or Marcus Fizer. Achieving success at the NBA level requires hard work and never letting go of the passion to play basketball at the highest level possible. Howard could have given up his hopes for a title but was able to play the necessary role for the Miami Heat to aid them in their title run. Congratulations Juwan Howard.

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An Auteur Theory Pioneer Passes But The Debate Continues

                     Andrew Sarris, a famous film critic and a pioneer of the auteur theory, passed away June 20, 2012 at the age of 83.

            In 1962, Andrew Sarris wrote an essay titled, “Notes on the Auteur Theory”, which was published in Film Culture. This brought the auteur idea to the United States that year, and here is a link to it http://bit.ly/MvuXpt (PDF format). The essay was inspired by the work of Francois Truffaut and his essay in 1954 titled A Certain Tendency in French Cinema. The auteur theory states that directors deliver artistic expression in their films and it continues through other films throughout their career. As a result Truffaut wrote this famous line in the 1954 essay, “There are no good and bad movies, only good and bad directors”.

            This theory has faced criticism ever since it came to fruition by multiple film critics across the world. The debates continue with each subsequent generation despite it being 68 years since the idea came to light. Can critics and avid movie goers alike deny their ability to tell who directed a film more times than not though? Some film critics believe the work of these great directors is because of the collaboration of the entire film crew producing the work, but the people working on films typically change with each project.

            One of the first names that come to mind when speaking about auteur theory is Alfred Hitchcock. If you have ever had an opportunity to take a class on Hitchcock films, most likely you would agree his work is easy to identify for the most part. Netflix has a good collection of his films if you haven’t seen his work, but some work is harder to come by such as North By Northwest (1959). Hitchcock has many subliminal messages in his films that critics and moviegoers can recognize if they’re paying close attention to the film. Despite, his movies having different storylines and characters there are artistic factors that make them a Hitchcock piece. Many filmmakers pay homage to his work through their work, whether it be a particular camera angle or the presentation of certain character.

            Hitchcock’s films may not be for everyone now especially for moviegoers that don’t appreciate the black and white style of earlier films. Some movie critics consider Quentin Tarantino as a modern day auteur through his work. Tarantino has an in your face style with the bloody kills by his characters to the dark humor seen across his film work.  It is easy to tell if Tarantino directed a movie as a result, and he pays homage to directors who inspired him as well.

            Tarantino’s auteur status will be tested in his upcoming film, Django Unchained.  Here is a link to the international trailer for it http://youtu.be/KKb20n7gkVQ. This will be the first major release of a Tarantino film without editor, Sally Menke. She passed away in September of 2010 after going on a hike and was later found dead. Menke and Tarantino had a great relationship with one another and there was a large amount of trust between them while working on films.  Menke was nominated for multiple awards for her work as a result. An editor can change the look and feel of a film and her work will be missed by Tarantino and many others.

            For Django Unchained, Tarantino turned to Fred Raskin to be his editor. Raskin worked as an assistant editor on Kill Bill: Volumes 1 and 2, which should help ease the transition in this new project. The film will show whether or not Tarantino was truly an auteur in his ownright or if it was a collaboration between Menke and Tarantino that led to his modern day standing as an auteur. If it was the latter then moviegoers were lucky to be able to witness great work that will not be replicated again unfortunately.

            These are only two examples of directors that are considered auteurs. Some critics disagree with the notion that it was the director who presented an artistic message throughout their work rather than a reflection of an entire crew’s work. The theory is not meant to take a jab at film crew members, instead it is meant to show that a great director can assemble a team and encourage them to work cohesively while creating a piece of art. Sarris’s work regarding the auteur theory will continue to be supported and scrutinized but it will also create great conversation amongst film critics and moviegoers alike.  

  RIP Andrew Sarris (1928-2012)