College: Past, Present, and Future

The past couple of weeks have been filled with my friends and I wondering how we are almost seniors in college. College has been filled with so many experiences and it has been the greatest time of change in my life. I went from a lost, lazy, nice guy in high school to a dedicated, passionate, and still nice guy. With all of the stuff that I have done I thought it would be fun to put it all in this blog post. I will separate it into a few categories. These will be What I am Proud of, What I still want to do, What I wished I had done, and Other.

What I am Proud Of:

- Sport Management Club President - As a freshman, I noticed how little the club was doing and the potential it did have. I attended almost all of the meetings as a freshman, and when it came time to find new leaders for the club, I wrote up and application and sent it in. Lucky enough I was given one of the highest positions in treasurer. (Although we did not have a budget...) In my first semester as one of the leaders, I was quickly vaulted into the Vice President position, which was a shock because I really did not know the process. Zack, the President, and I find of floundered for the first semester putting together our ideas and trying to figure out how to execute them. Once we got started however, the club really took off. Our membership process was successful, our round table events have worked, we just had an end of the year banquet, and we will have a newsletter released within the next two weeks. I will be continuing this next year, and am excited at where we can go with the club.

- Alternative Break Site Leader/Student Director - I went on the 2009 ASB trip to Knoxville working with Disability Issues, and immediately found a passion for community service in general. I was told to apply as a site leader, and I did, and thankfully I received the ok from our Director. From there, I became a major member in the OCO office, not only leading a trip, but starting two awareness projects, conceptualizing a service dance, and planning the Spring Staff Retreat. I lead an amazing trip with an amazing group that further solidified my passion for the program. From there I applied for the Student Director position, and was recently accepted. I hope to help plan all of the trips and assure that they are successful.

- Men's Chorus - Although I am not in this anymore, I am very proud that I did this. I did a decent audition where I was accepted even though I could not read music. Our first concert was an amazing experience and I left in a euphoric state. After that however, every concert left a bitter sweet feeling in my mouth. I realized later that this was because I really just wanted my one concert of recognition, and after that it was just having fun singing the music. Once I got even busier however, it was one of the first commitments to go. I am still happy I completed a year in the Chorus and would not take it back.

What I Still Want to Do:

- Dance Marathon Dancer - I went and visited the event this year and was struck by how much fun everyone was having. I investigated the dancer commitment, and when I found that it was not a big one, I decided that I wanted to do it. I do enjoy dancing, and when I can help others by doing it, that makes it even better.

- ODK - This is the leadership honorary, which I believe I can certainly be accepted into. Unfortunately with my major, I do not have a honorary in my division (although I tried to start one) and therefore I would like some honorary recognition before I graduate. Hopefully I can get nominated into the Communication Department one as well because of my public relations minor.

- Start a project aimed towards getting more of B-W handicap accessible by going to Student Government. I do not know all of the details yet, but I know I want to do something about it.

- Help to plan the Distinguished Leadership Conference in 2011. I was nominated and attended this earlier this year, and had a lot of fun. It was a great experience and I would like to help others by giving them this experience.

What I Wished I Had Done:

- Study Abroad - This is really the only thing that I have now run out of time for. I would have loved to study in Australia for a semester, however it did not make sense with what I had going on here, and the amount of American sports here. I did here from people who studied there and I believe there are better internships and such here. My travel itch however, reminds me that I have not been out of the country in a while.

Other:

This is kind of a miscellaneous goals section for the year and the other things that I have done:

Still have to do:

- Go to Melt
- Go to the Cleveland Film Festival
- Go to the Science Center
- Go to a Lake Erie Monsters Game
- Go to a Cleveland Gladiators Game
- Go to a Cleveland Browns Game
- Go to a Akron Aeros Game

Other things that I have done:

- Public Relations Club
- College-101 Course Instructor

Sports: My Most Hated People

For those who don't know me, sports is a huge part of my life. I have always been infatuated with them, and in the next 1.5-4 years I hope to make them my career. I have seen some amazing games, both in person and on TV. Best in person = A tie between sitting in Wyc Grousbeck's (Celtics Owner) court-side seats watching the 76ers (still with Iverson) face the Celtics with Kendrick Perkins randomly having a 20-20 night. (Side note: Ricky Davis was with the Celtics) The other came in Fenway, where my best friend and I got tickets on the home dugout and watched Papi beat the Angels in the thirteenth inning.

For TV, my favorite hometown related moments was watching the Red Sox beat the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS. The best game that didn't involve one of my teams is probably the Texas - USC BCS Championship Game where Vince Young cemented himself as a God in the college quarterback rankings.

However, so many great memories has also led me to hate a whole lot of people in sports. I thought it would be fun to identify my most hated athletes, coaches, and media personnel in many different avenues in sports. I will separate them by sport, and pick my most hated person in each area.

Football:

Current Athlete: Joey Porter. This was close between Joey and Big Ben, especially because Porter has not been alleged with rape. Porter however, just never shuts up. I can forget Big Ben for a while until he crashes a motorcycle while touching a minor, but Joey never shuts his mouth. While his play justifies some of his trash talk, his mouth never says anything respectful and his standing at the fifty yard-line trash talking the other team while he shows his abs routine has gotten incredibly old. Then the icing on the cake, Porter thanks the Arizona Cardinals for a unjustifiably large contract by getting arrested for DUI and avoiding arrest. Good job Joey.

Current Coach: Rex Ryan. This one wasn't even close. I will give credit for Rex Ryan turning around the miserable team that Eric Mangini left, and signing himself some legitimate players, while still allowing Mark Sanchez to improve as a quarterback. But anyone who begins their coaching career by demanding respect from every team needs to be slapped. You do not declare yourself respect worthy, others give it to you when you have earned it. Ryan's Ra-Ra style never allows him to say "No Comment", instead he talks about how he has already scheduled the Super Bowl parade in the second round of the playoffs. Then, after their season is over, Ryan declares that he has earned everyone's respect. Ridiculous.

Current Media Personnel: I respect pretty much everyone who covers the NFL for ESPN, so I will just say Skip Bayless and move on. For those who don't know much about Skip, click here

No longer involved: I guess I should have titled his, "Who knows if he is involved?" Yup, Brett Favre. Please go away Brett, please. Your across the body, ruin the Vikings season, I don't have this arm anymore pass against the Saints shows you don't have it anymore. Be a coach, but not at first, because you will purposefully cut all of your quarterbacks, then add it to your job description.

Baseball:

Current Athlete: Alex Rodriguez. I try, even as a Red Sox fan, to at least respect the Yankees players if they are talented. Derek Jeter, although would look fantastic with a black eye, is a solid player. Cannot deny it. A-Rod has the numbers of a great players, and there are times where he is disgustingly good. However, the steroid confession, the can't keep his fly up, and the slapping the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's hand against the Red Sox doomed him. Forever.

Current Coach: Ozzie Guillen. Although some of his rants are funny. Ozzie just doesn't get it sometimes. Who knew you couldn't be wildly offensive, rant all of the time, turn on your team in a heartbeat, and not be disliked? Not Ozzie.

Media Personnel: Joe Buck. If you have ever watched Joe Buck and Tim McCarver broadcast of a Yankees game, you know what I am talking about. These two despise everyone except the Yankees, and there is glaring evidence in every broadcast that this is true. They give inappropriate comments and then become silent at the wrong times. Please, FOX, do something right for a change, and get a new lineup?

No Longer Involved: Barry Bonds. Does anyone else laugh when they hear that he is training for a come back?

Basketball:

Current Athlete: Joakim Noah. Noah narrowly beat Anderson Varejao out for this award. It might have been his face. It is also his style of play. He is the "I'm not talented enough to be here, I just hustle a lot, and annoy the hell out of people while I fill up the stat sheet." In other words, the most frustrating player alive. I would rather the annoying superstar drill shots on my team over and over, then watch players like Noah do anything against my team.

Current Coach: Phil Jackson. Ever watched a sideline interview with the Zen Master. Don't. Ever. I will not include the link. His smarmy attitude while hitting on the sideline reports makes me want to lose my lunch. And the fact that he had zero control over Kobe for several years does not help his image either. Oh, and last but not least, the fact that he asked to only be with "his team" for home games.

Media Personnel: Stephen A. Smith. I know he's not technically not involved, but I am sure he is still playing the race card with everything, including basketball. So he counts.

No Longer involved: Reggie Miller. Scratching people as he ran by. The biggest flopper in the history of the NBA. The fact that he was so good at shooting threes. The fact that his game had nothing besides the prettiest shot the league has ever seen. It's a good thing he is a good announcer.

College Football:

Current Athlete: Tim TeBow. He is not yet drafted in the NFL, so he still counts in this category. He is far less hated then some of the people on this post, but he is very annoying. His Super Bowl commercial with his Mom for Pro Choice was disgusting, his story about riding in a car without a seatbelt because Jesus would save him is awful, and his buddy buddy relationship with Urban Meyer is super creepy. I need to learn to like him though, because he is going to play for the Patriots. Somewhat unfortunately.

Current Coach: Nick Saban. He just beat out Urban Meyer but because Florida has already been discussed, I went with Bama. Nick Saban is far too narcissistic and far too boring in interviews for me to like him.

Media Personnel: Lee Corso. Today I am going to put on this mascot helmet, because we are in their city! Yay!

No Longer Involved: LenDale White. Although I am a USC fan, I always loved Reggie Bush, and never much cared for White.

College Basketball:

Current Athlete: John Wall. Not because I actually hate him, just that nobody can shut up about his awful dance.

Current Coach: Coach K. I respect him, but never has a coach looked more like the team mascot.

Media Personnel: Can I just say Skip Bayless again? I guess Dicky V. then.

No Longer Involved: J.J. Redick. Always. The Worst.