Hail to the Orange, Hail to the Blue...

Hail Alma Mater, ever so true. We love no other so let our motto be... VICTORY ILLINOIS! Varsity. :)

Holy cow- what a game! I felt that same pit in my stomach I get when I'm trying to will LaTroy Hawkins into closing a Cubs game (I even had to get my lucky gum out). How in the world did the boys from Champaign come back from 15 down late in the 2nd half? Well, they aren't called the Fighting Illini for nothing. That was incredible!!! Dick Vitale must be going nuts. At least I know Illinois will have the Memphis fans rooting for them since they all despise Louisville. Oskee wow-wow Illinois!

Feel so bad like a ballgame on a rainy day

Once again, it is raining in Memphis so tonight's baseball game vs. Ole Miss at AutoZone Park has been postponed (it's like I live in Seattle South). However, I really shouldn't complain since our neighbors to the North are still getting snow. Hopefully the weather will improve by tomorrow night since the Tigers should be in good shape for a W vs. Murray State.

It's March Madness time and even I have to admit that the action has been pretty exciting thus far. There have been so many upsets that it's a good thing that I'm not allowed to participate in the pools because I would have lost money for sure. I'd like to give a shout out to Mike Gansey (former Bonnie) who has been tearing up the court for West Virginia. And best of luck to the Fighting Illini vs. UW-Milwaukee. They are a scrappy bunch so the boys from Illinois better be ready to play. Congrats to the Memphis Tigers for kicking butt in the NIT so far. Good luck tomorrow vs. Vandy!

The best news of all is that Opening Day is less than 2 weeks away. May the baseball gods bring healing powers to Wood and Prior so that the Cubbies finally have a chance to win the World Series. GO CUBS GO!

Corned beef and steroids

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I find it kind of odd that such a festive occasion is being combined with the Congressional hearings on steroid use in Major League Baseball, but I digress... So far, Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas, and Rafael Palmeiro have denied using steroids. Mark McGwire, on the other hand, will not answer whether or not he or his teammates have ever used performance enhancing drugs. Very interesting, Big Mac. You could be using this opportunity to clear your name but instead you are pleading the 5th. Maybe there really is some truth to Jose Canseco's allegations then. As for Curt Schilling's presence, all I can figure is that there are some huge Red Sox fans in Congress and they just wanted to stick it to the Yankees since two of their players (Giambi and Sheffield in case you've been living under a rock) have already admitted taking 'roids. So kids, remember the wise words of Mr. Mackey on South Park: "Drugs are bad umm kay."

Just another Manic Monday

Boy, it sure is hard to get back in the groove after even a short vacation. Since it was Spring Break here, I went home last Thursday- Sunday for a little R & R. It was nice to chill with the fam and eat lots of good food, but now it's back to reality. This week is going to be busy too since it's advising time. Basically, the next 3 weeks are going to be crazy but at least I won't be bored.

In entertainment news, Mario has left American Idol due to personal reasons. It's too bad because I thought he had a real chance of winning the whole thing. However, I admire him for giving up his dream and realizing that family comes first. He has a good shot of becoming a pop star anyway. On a brighter note, Michael Buble' is going to perform in Indianapolis on May 21 and I had already planned on going home that weekend anyway. Tickets go on sale tomorrow and I can't wait! To quote the Pointer Sisters, "I'm so excited and I just can't hide it. I'm about to lose control and I think I like it."

Sending out an S.O.S.

In this case, S.O.S. stands for Save Our Show, "American Dreams". Please tune in to NBC tomorrow night at 7:00 pm Central so that this fine show can hopefully stay on the air. For those of you who don't know, this program focuses on the Pryor family's trials and tribulations during the turbulent 60's. Not only is the writing excellent, but the music is also fantastic. Check out this website for more info: http://www.nbc.com/American_Dreams/
If you're longing for a great drama that doesn't involve digging up dead people (no offense CSI: Every U.S. City), then please watch "American Dreams" on NBC Wednesdays 8 pm ET/7 PM CT. You won't be disappointed.

Rock the Vote!

Tonight's episode of American Idol has inspired me to blog. If you haven't voted yet, pick up that phone and dial 1-866-IDOLS-08 right now. Anwar was amazing--his singing makes it a "wonderful world" indeed. I also enjoyed Mario as always with his rico suave rendition of "How Do You Mend A Broken Heart." Nikko was also very good. I never thought I'd vote for the spawn of a St. Louis Cardinal, but he did Ray proud with his version of "Georgia On My Mind." The final contestant worthy of my vote was Bo, who brought it down with "I'll Be." Who knew the rocker had a softer side?

Now, on to the rest of the gang. Anthony's little Latin number wasn't too bad, but he didn't quite have the personality to pull it off. Speaking of personality, Constantine has plenty, but it takes more than good hair to make the Top 12. As for Scott, I still find him kind of vanilla and his voice is just average. Travis needs to go. The last time I checked, this isn't Dance Fever. You should be able to sing in tune at this point in the competition. Bridget OUT!

Play-by-play, I heard it on the radio

This afternoon, I had the privilege of listening to Pat Hughes and Ron Santo call the first Cubs Spring Training game on WGN Radio. Thanks to computer geeks like Bill Gates, fans from all over the world can now listen to their home team's broadcasts online. This is definitely a dream come true for baseball nuts such as myself who no longer live close to their favorite teams. The Cubbies even managed to squeak out a victory today, 2-1 over the Oakland A's. A big high-five goes out to Aramis Ramirez for his 2-run homer. GO CUBS!

Speaking of Ron Santo, I'd like to know if the Veteran's Committee is suffering from brain damage due to prolonged tobacco use. How in the hell do you not elect anyone to the Hall of Fame two years in a row? Ronnie is more than deserving as were several other candidates. This old boy's club needs a history lesson as well as a stepladder to get off their high horse.

Congratulations to Coach Sudbrook on his 400th win with St. Bonaventure Baseball! You are my hero, Coach. GO BONNIES!

Hey ABC, can I get a refund?

Last night's finale of "The Bachelorette" brought whole new meaning to the word lame. I would estimate that we watched 10 hours of footage from this series, so we should be able to get at least a $1 an hour back for the electricity that was wasted. It's hard for me to believe that Jen gave her so-called relationship with Jerry much of a shot when taping just ended in October and they could only see each other in secret until last night. Something tells me that the rumors of a new lover for Ms. Schefft could very well be true. All I know is that I am now boycotting this pathetic excuse for a show. Jerry, feel free to give me a call. ;)