(This is all a parody – I could never give up on UVA, but there are times that I want to throw every thing I own that is orange and blue into a fire)
I am done with Virginia. They consistently let me down. Al Groh came in talking a big game, but has provided 2-3 great moments during his 7 year tenure.
Here’s a quick history lesson. Before George Welsh arrived in 1982 the Cavs had two winning seasons in the previous 29. Two. Welsh turned a miserable program into a perennial 7-4 team who made appearances in mid tier bowl games. Years like 1994, 1995 and 1998 with 9 wins and top 20 finishes were a breath of fresh air for older fans who had seen several years in which the Wahoos won fewer that 3 games. Let’s face it, given the history at UVA, 8 wins is a great season.
That some how all changed in 2001 when Al Groh was hired and began talking about ACC titles, checkers and chess and other absurdities. Almost immediately, the fan base forgot their history. All of a sudden, fans complained during 7-8 win seasons and scoffed at late December bowl games in Charlotte. It also did not help that during this time rival Virginia Tech consistently won 10 games a season, joined the ACC and even won the conference championship twice. This year UVA will be lucky to win 5 games, let alone compete for an ACC title or even go to a bowl. Al Groh talks the talk but does not walk the walk.
So here is my solution. I am done with Virginia football and I am looking for a new team.
The criteria
Can not be in the ACC.
No National Championships in the past 10 years (aka no bandwagon)
Here is my list
Considered, but eliminated because of distance.
10. Georgia
9. Tennessee
8. Louisville
7. Kentucky
6. Alabama
These made me create a new rule – Must be within 6 hours driving distance.
Close, but not quite
5. Penn State
Pro – Awesome fans. Great traditions. Multiple games on TV.
Con – Too cold. Bandwagon factor is a little high.
4. Navy
Pro – Not too far away. A team on the rise.
Con – I have always sided with Army in the Army/Navy rivalry.
3. Pitt
Pro – I like other Pittsburgh teams. I have been to a few of their games.
Con – If I was going to Pittsburgh, I’d rather it be for a Steelers game.
2. West Virginia
Pro – Well within driving distance. A good Big East team. I can still hate Virginia Tech. My buddy Matt works there and can probably get me free tix.
Con – Not much here. It’s a great program, but just loses out to my number 1.
1. South Carolina
Great college football atmosphere. Loyal fans. Sunny, Southern weather. My brother lives in Columbia, so no hotel needed. SEC football without the bandwagon stigma.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
BDF Notes 8/29/2008
- College football is in the air. I could not be more excited. I'll be at the UVA/USC game tomorrow. I'm not expecting a win, but should be a fun day. My pick for National Champs - Oklahoma.
- Sarah Palin is picked by McCain as his running mate. Minutes later t shirts with the phrase "VPILF" are fresh off the press.
- I am not afraid to admit I am really pumped for the 90210 premiere next Tuesday. It seems like they are really keeping the show under wraps before the first episode, very few commercials with scenes from the show. Also the will he or won't he Brandon Walsh rumors are really heating up.
- Baseball is getting really exciting. The Rays, I repeat THE RAYS, are in first in the AL East, while the Halos and Cubs are also tearing it up. The possibility of an all Chicago World Series is not too far fetched these days.
- I can not believe the lack of new bands that are good. When I was 14-15 we had Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Oasis, Phish, Dr Dre, Cypress Hill, Wu Tang Clan - kids today have the Jonas Brothers, Justin Timberlake and shitty rap acts. Superman that ho? Give me a break.
- I still can not find the appeal of The Office. To me it seems like a bad Dilbert strip plus Office Space plus Steve Carell's lack of comedic ability equals 22 minutes of me not laughing.
- Sarah Palin is picked by McCain as his running mate. Minutes later t shirts with the phrase "VPILF" are fresh off the press.
- I am not afraid to admit I am really pumped for the 90210 premiere next Tuesday. It seems like they are really keeping the show under wraps before the first episode, very few commercials with scenes from the show. Also the will he or won't he Brandon Walsh rumors are really heating up.
- Baseball is getting really exciting. The Rays, I repeat THE RAYS, are in first in the AL East, while the Halos and Cubs are also tearing it up. The possibility of an all Chicago World Series is not too far fetched these days.
- I can not believe the lack of new bands that are good. When I was 14-15 we had Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Oasis, Phish, Dr Dre, Cypress Hill, Wu Tang Clan - kids today have the Jonas Brothers, Justin Timberlake and shitty rap acts. Superman that ho? Give me a break.
- I still can not find the appeal of The Office. To me it seems like a bad Dilbert strip plus Office Space plus Steve Carell's lack of comedic ability equals 22 minutes of me not laughing.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
BDF's Over and Unders
The other day I was listening to sports radio and the host was talking about over rated and under rated sports related items. I agreed with some and disagreed with others. Here are the definitive BDF Top 10 over and under rated lists.
Let's start with over rated.
10. Bill Parcells since leaving the Jets.
No one can take away what Parcells did with the Giants - 2 Super Bowl wins, 8-3 in the playoffs. Then with the Pats and Jets, he turned losers into perennial winners. He came to the Cowboys after the team suffered 3 consecutive 5-11 season. Sure, he improved the team, but they never got over the proverbial hump - zero playoff wins.
9. Hockey style catcher's masks.
Call me old school, but these things just look out of place.
8. Not bending your hat brim
You're on a baseball field, not in a rap video.
7. ESPN SportCenter catch phrases.
If I hear Matt Winer say "You are SO not catching that one" again I am just going to snap. Come on - who are you, Ross from Friends?
6. The Masters.
I know I will catch heat for this one. Is it a great tournament? Sure it is, but in my opinion it is way over blown. I also believe that the British Open and the US Open are actually more interesting to follow.
5. Dale Earnhart Jr.
Imagine if over 50% of NFL fans were Seattle Seahawks supporters. This is the closest thing I can think of to compare to Jr- a team that does well, but never wins it all. Such is Jr. Until recently, he had not won a race in 2 years. Despite this, he is by far the most popular driver.
4. The Hall of Fame Game (NFL).
The first preseason game of the year. Wake me up in September.
3. Big 12 Basketball.
Kansas won it all in 1988 and 2008. Other than those 2, no other Big 12 (or Big 8) team has won a national title in basketball since Kansas in 1952. More often than not, Kansas is highly ranked going into the tournament. Recently, Iowa State, Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State have had moderate success, but none have advanced past the Final Four. Kansas is certainly a great program, but their level of competition leaves something to be desired.
2. The third man in the booth.
There is no logical reason for there to be more than two people calling a sporting event. One does the play by play and the other provides analysis and insight. If you need an example, just watch Monday Night Football.
1. The Wave.
I can not tell you how infuriating it is for me to see UVa on defense with the other team facing 3rd down and some jackass in section 116 is trying to start a wave. Are you serious? I thought it might be a result of poor fans, but I have seen the same thing at Phillies games. We're here to watch the game and cheer, not organize a dance routine involving 60,000 people. Enough with the wave!
On to my under rated list.
10. One Bracket for March Madness.
Complete a single bracket and win your pool, you earn my respect. Fill out multiple brackets and brag to me that you have 15 out of 16 Sweet Sixteen in your office pool? Don't tell me about it.
9. Chuck Noll's Legacy.
I watch a lot of NFL coverage and for a guy who turned an awful team into a dynasty, Noll doesn't seem to get the credit he so greatly deserves. Sure Lombardi rightly gets his due as does Bill Walsh. But I can't help but feel like Chuck Noll tends to be forgotten when people debate the greatest head coaches of all time. Noll was 4-0 in Super Bowls and 16-8 overall in the playoffs.
8. Bowls with traditional names.
I think we can all agree, the Peach Bowl is much better than the Chick-fil-a Bowl. Even a bowl like the Music City Bowl sounds a lot better than the Champs Sports Bowl or the Outback Bowl even though the two latter are better games.
7. Chris Fowler.
Chris Fowler is knowledgeable, interesting and versatile. He is at his best during College GameDay. He fits in perfectly with Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso. In addition to college football, Fowler does tennis, NASCAR, horse racing and even the X Games.
6. College World Series.
Every single game is huge. This year was even more exciting as Fresno State came out of no where and won it all. Round robins, followed by best of 3 series, then onto another round robin. Wow. Other than the World Cup, it's the only tournament I know of that uses a round robin format.
5.Triples.
Chicks dig the long ball, but true baseball fans love triples. Is there a more exciting play? Not in my book.
4. Coke Zero.
I know this has nothing to do with sports, but man this stuff is great. Calorie free!?!?! I've waited a long time for something like this.
3. The South Carolina-Clemson rivalry.
This one gets overlooked by many, but those in the know can all agree that these teams, fans, alumni all hate each other.
2. Gus Johnson.
Imagine if Dick Viatle got excited for every team like he does for Duke, UNC, UK and didn't use stupid acronyms. I have never heard anyone get so excited about college basketball. "Bautisa with the caaaaaaaaaaaaatch", "Lewis has been awesome ---- briiiiiiiing it hoooooooome", "Larry Bird....BABY". I have watched his clips on you tube about 100 times and they never get old.
1. The NHL.
I absolutely love hockey. It is great. It's up and down action with lots of contact for 60 minutes. Not many people South of DC like it, but I think they might if they just gave it a chance. TV does not do it justice, and frankly neither does the ECHL and other low level minor leagues. If you're ever in a big city like Philly, Chicago, New York or Boston I highly recommend it. I think you'll be surprised at how much fun it is to watch.
Let's start with over rated.
10. Bill Parcells since leaving the Jets.
No one can take away what Parcells did with the Giants - 2 Super Bowl wins, 8-3 in the playoffs. Then with the Pats and Jets, he turned losers into perennial winners. He came to the Cowboys after the team suffered 3 consecutive 5-11 season. Sure, he improved the team, but they never got over the proverbial hump - zero playoff wins.
9. Hockey style catcher's masks.
Call me old school, but these things just look out of place.
8. Not bending your hat brim
You're on a baseball field, not in a rap video.
7. ESPN SportCenter catch phrases.
If I hear Matt Winer say "You are SO not catching that one" again I am just going to snap. Come on - who are you, Ross from Friends?
6. The Masters.
I know I will catch heat for this one. Is it a great tournament? Sure it is, but in my opinion it is way over blown. I also believe that the British Open and the US Open are actually more interesting to follow.
5. Dale Earnhart Jr.
Imagine if over 50% of NFL fans were Seattle Seahawks supporters. This is the closest thing I can think of to compare to Jr- a team that does well, but never wins it all. Such is Jr. Until recently, he had not won a race in 2 years. Despite this, he is by far the most popular driver.
4. The Hall of Fame Game (NFL).
The first preseason game of the year. Wake me up in September.
3. Big 12 Basketball.
Kansas won it all in 1988 and 2008. Other than those 2, no other Big 12 (or Big 8) team has won a national title in basketball since Kansas in 1952. More often than not, Kansas is highly ranked going into the tournament. Recently, Iowa State, Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State have had moderate success, but none have advanced past the Final Four. Kansas is certainly a great program, but their level of competition leaves something to be desired.
2. The third man in the booth.
There is no logical reason for there to be more than two people calling a sporting event. One does the play by play and the other provides analysis and insight. If you need an example, just watch Monday Night Football.
1. The Wave.
I can not tell you how infuriating it is for me to see UVa on defense with the other team facing 3rd down and some jackass in section 116 is trying to start a wave. Are you serious? I thought it might be a result of poor fans, but I have seen the same thing at Phillies games. We're here to watch the game and cheer, not organize a dance routine involving 60,000 people. Enough with the wave!
On to my under rated list.
10. One Bracket for March Madness.
Complete a single bracket and win your pool, you earn my respect. Fill out multiple brackets and brag to me that you have 15 out of 16 Sweet Sixteen in your office pool? Don't tell me about it.
9. Chuck Noll's Legacy.
I watch a lot of NFL coverage and for a guy who turned an awful team into a dynasty, Noll doesn't seem to get the credit he so greatly deserves. Sure Lombardi rightly gets his due as does Bill Walsh. But I can't help but feel like Chuck Noll tends to be forgotten when people debate the greatest head coaches of all time. Noll was 4-0 in Super Bowls and 16-8 overall in the playoffs.
8. Bowls with traditional names.
I think we can all agree, the Peach Bowl is much better than the Chick-fil-a Bowl. Even a bowl like the Music City Bowl sounds a lot better than the Champs Sports Bowl or the Outback Bowl even though the two latter are better games.
7. Chris Fowler.
Chris Fowler is knowledgeable, interesting and versatile. He is at his best during College GameDay. He fits in perfectly with Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso. In addition to college football, Fowler does tennis, NASCAR, horse racing and even the X Games.
6. College World Series.
Every single game is huge. This year was even more exciting as Fresno State came out of no where and won it all. Round robins, followed by best of 3 series, then onto another round robin. Wow. Other than the World Cup, it's the only tournament I know of that uses a round robin format.
5.Triples.
Chicks dig the long ball, but true baseball fans love triples. Is there a more exciting play? Not in my book.
4. Coke Zero.
I know this has nothing to do with sports, but man this stuff is great. Calorie free!?!?! I've waited a long time for something like this.
3. The South Carolina-Clemson rivalry.
This one gets overlooked by many, but those in the know can all agree that these teams, fans, alumni all hate each other.
2. Gus Johnson.
Imagine if Dick Viatle got excited for every team like he does for Duke, UNC, UK and didn't use stupid acronyms. I have never heard anyone get so excited about college basketball. "Bautisa with the caaaaaaaaaaaaatch", "Lewis has been awesome ---- briiiiiiiing it hoooooooome", "Larry Bird....BABY". I have watched his clips on you tube about 100 times and they never get old.
1. The NHL.
I absolutely love hockey. It is great. It's up and down action with lots of contact for 60 minutes. Not many people South of DC like it, but I think they might if they just gave it a chance. TV does not do it justice, and frankly neither does the ECHL and other low level minor leagues. If you're ever in a big city like Philly, Chicago, New York or Boston I highly recommend it. I think you'll be surprised at how much fun it is to watch.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Three things BDF will never do.
1. Use a blue tooth. Sure, I understand why people would use such a device while driving, but why people feel the need to leave their blue tooth in their ear at all times is a mystery to me. Actually, I just solved it - these people are massive tools.
2. Watch an entire WNBA game. I am all for women's sports. I like women's tennis, golf and most Olympic sports. I've even taken in a few innings of college softball. Women's hoops is just painful in general and the pro league is no exception.
3. Tell another man that the beer he is drinking isn't good. No one likes a beer snob. No one cares that you drink India Pale Ale because of the rich hops. I like a cold Coors Light just as much as a Grimbergen Blonde straight from the tap in Brussels, Belgium.
2. Watch an entire WNBA game. I am all for women's sports. I like women's tennis, golf and most Olympic sports. I've even taken in a few innings of college softball. Women's hoops is just painful in general and the pro league is no exception.
3. Tell another man that the beer he is drinking isn't good. No one likes a beer snob. No one cares that you drink India Pale Ale because of the rich hops. I like a cold Coors Light just as much as a Grimbergen Blonde straight from the tap in Brussels, Belgium.
Friday, May 2, 2008
1993
Fifteen years ago I was a 140lbs rising Freshman. Although I have very few regrets, I thought about what I would tell my 14 year old self if I could go back in time.
A few things I would tell 1993 Dave
-Practice ping pong, foosball and horseshoes. This will come in handy in college more than half of what you learn in high school.
-The Grateful Dead are a phenomenal band. Ditch the 311 CDs for American Beauty and Europe ’72; and go see them live before August 1995. Call it a hunch. Oh, and speaking of music, go see Nirvana at William and Mary in 1993 too. Another hunch.
-Don’t waste your time with the movie Showgirls. It will come out in 1995 starring Jessie from Saved by the Bell. She goes to Vegas to be a strip – I mean dancer. The 10 minutes of skin is not worth the other 121 minutes of the worst acting ever recorded on film. Just kidding – watch it religiously.
-Never have a girlfriend in high school. Not that the ladies I dated in high school weren’t lovely, they were, but I can’t help but feel like I missed out on a few good times with the bros. Actually, while we’re talking girlfriends – avoid them in college too.
-On the subject of girls – learn to swing dance. It will pay off immeasurably in college.
-In 2001 I quit eating fast food. I recommend stopping immediately. I did it because of a story I heard from a guy who used to work at Wendy’s. If you want to read the story, highlight this paragraph with your mouse. One night after closing this guy was cleaning the front counter when he heard an unusual sound. He turned around and saw a coworker cleaning out the inside of the Frosty machine WITH THE MOP HE JUST USED TO CLEAN THE FLOORS. BLAAAHHCCHH. Right when I heard this story I began to think about all the idiots who work in fast food and the unsanitary things they probably do and thought would I have them make me lunch in my home? Not a chance. Don't worry, Chick-fil-A and Sonic are not included, so keep eating chicken biscuits and cheddar tots.
-Bass Bucs? Are you serious? Time to be a big boy and get some brown loafers.
A few things I would tell 1993 Dave
-Practice ping pong, foosball and horseshoes. This will come in handy in college more than half of what you learn in high school.
-The Grateful Dead are a phenomenal band. Ditch the 311 CDs for American Beauty and Europe ’72; and go see them live before August 1995. Call it a hunch. Oh, and speaking of music, go see Nirvana at William and Mary in 1993 too. Another hunch.
-Don’t waste your time with the movie Showgirls. It will come out in 1995 starring Jessie from Saved by the Bell. She goes to Vegas to be a strip – I mean dancer. The 10 minutes of skin is not worth the other 121 minutes of the worst acting ever recorded on film. Just kidding – watch it religiously.
-Never have a girlfriend in high school. Not that the ladies I dated in high school weren’t lovely, they were, but I can’t help but feel like I missed out on a few good times with the bros. Actually, while we’re talking girlfriends – avoid them in college too.
-On the subject of girls – learn to swing dance. It will pay off immeasurably in college.
-In 2001 I quit eating fast food. I recommend stopping immediately. I did it because of a story I heard from a guy who used to work at Wendy’s. If you want to read the story, highlight this paragraph with your mouse. One night after closing this guy was cleaning the front counter when he heard an unusual sound. He turned around and saw a coworker cleaning out the inside of the Frosty machine WITH THE MOP HE JUST USED TO CLEAN THE FLOORS. BLAAAHHCCHH. Right when I heard this story I began to think about all the idiots who work in fast food and the unsanitary things they probably do and thought would I have them make me lunch in my home? Not a chance. Don't worry, Chick-fil-A and Sonic are not included, so keep eating chicken biscuits and cheddar tots.
-Bass Bucs? Are you serious? Time to be a big boy and get some brown loafers.
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