LT not yet GOAT

If you think you know football, and you think you know great running backs, then you need to read this. If you don't know about great running backs, you're about to get educated.

In response to LaDainian Tomlinson setting a new single-season TD record (29) this afternoon, ESPN.com has a new poll question up:

Who is the greatest running back of all time?
Jim Brown
Walter Payton
Barry Sanders
Emmitt Smith
LaDainian Tomlinson

The scariest part of this poll: LT has captured 20% of the vote so far, and he's leaps and bounds ahead of Smith and - more astonishingly - Brown.

That's somewhat flattering to the new touchdown king, but let's just put things in perspective, shall we. On a day where Tiki Barber became the 20th back with 10,000 career rushing yards, this is a poll putting LT in the same category as the greatest backs in the history of the game. Now, I don't think Barber should be included in that group, but neither should LT - at least not yet.

If this question was "who had the best season for a running back?" or "who had the best first six years in the league at running back to start a career?" then LT would make for a fine choice.

Just because he set a new mark doesn't mean he automatically gets put in the same category, or the same realm of greatness, as those other names. Yet somehow it's happened.

Before I continue what I'm sure many would consider an LT-bashing, let me just make a case for him. He's in his sixth year, and at this pace should reach the 10,000 yard plateau at the end of the 2007 campaign. If - if - he can stay healthy, he has a legitimate chance to become the all-time rushing leader (which would be a tough task considering he's not yet halfway to Emmitt Smith's 18,355).

When historians look at back LT's career, they will see a Hall of Famer. He's helped to revitalize a struggling San Diego Chargers franchise. He's the heart pumping life through that organization and has been ever since arriving in 2001.

But before you put him in a category with Brown, Payton, Sanders and Smith, let's look at what those four did. Really quickly, here's a look at the NFL top 8 all-time leading rushers:

1. Emmitt Smith 18355
2. Walter Payton 16726
3. Barry Sanders 15269
4. Curtis Martin 14101
5. Jerome Bettis 13662
6. Eric Dickerson 13259
7. Tony Dorsett 12739
8. Jim Brown 12312

Now, numerically you can't argue with Smith, Payton and Sanders, and had Jim Brown played more than nine - yes, nine - seasons in the league, there's no doubt he would have continued to run over defenders at an alarming rate.

The knock on Emmitt is that he had great blocking and played on a good team, so he's not the greatest. Okay, arguably Michael Jordan played on a good team. Joe Montana played on a good team. Perhaps it wasn't a good team around him as much as him making the team better. There's no denying Smith's blockers were great - perhaps none greater than his fullback Darryl "Moose" Johnston - but someone still had to gain those yards.

Walter Payton. Sweetness. For nearly two decades his 16,726 seemed like the Holy Grail of pro football. He was the wheels that kept the famed '85 Bears moving in the right direction. He ran with a combination of power and speed that hasn't been seen since he hung up his cleats.

Barry Sanders [who by the way is leading ESPN.com's poll by a large margin] had jukes and moves that made video games require bigger hard drives. No one has escaped from as many defenders who had the "sure tackle" as Sanders. He was elusive. More importantly, he avoided getting hit hard, allowing him to play until he decided it was time to call it a career.

The best running back of all time is Jim Brown. No one has ever dominated the way he did. He led the league in rushing all but one year he played. And no defense could stop him, only the dream of an acting career.

So before LT gets put in Canton, let's just make sure he can keep it going like those who are already there.

Thursday Night Football

Did you know there was a football game on last night? An NFL game. Really, I promise it happened.

That's the problem. Even though people across the country know the NFL Network is showing football games on Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the final month of the season, that doesn't mean they are tuning in.

First of all, some cable providers don't carry the NFL Network, and some who do still block it out. But that's not my big problem with NFL games on Thursday nights.

The thing that makes football, professional football, so much more popular than any other professional sports league in the country is not just the games, but how rare they truly are. Any night of the week, you can turn on the TV and find a basketball game or a hockey game. Any day of the summer, you know there's a baseball game on.

But football? Fans have to wait for a week, allowing the anticipation to build up. They don't get to see their teams every other day. A fan's NFL team becomes more special as a result.

That's one of the reason's I can't stand NFL Network broadcasting Thursday night games. (Oh, and by the way, I do get the NFL Network, but I haven't seen a Thursday night game since Thanksgiving).

But I have many reasons I don't like Thursday night games on the NFL Network in particular:

1. NFL games become more commonplace as they get spread out through the week.
   
2. As a fan, I like knowing that I can reserve Sunday's for football.
   
3. Some fans don't - or can't - get NFL Network, so unless they live in the local market, they can't see the game. (I currently live in Los Angeles, and there is no local team, so it's NFL Network or bust in the City of Angeles).
   
4. Teams don't play as well because they are not as fresh on the short week. Coaches and players don't have as much time to prepare, and the semi-bye week from Thursday until the following Sunday is hardly a reward.
   
   (Now there is an exception to every rule, and the exceptions to this rule are the Thanksgiving Day games. Those happen once a year, and it's for a special occasion. That has become tradition, and unless you are the Cowboys or Lions, your team doesn't have to play the extremely short week except for maybe once every eight to 10 years).

Let me make one thing clear: I don't have a problem with the games being on NFL Network. Eventually people will find a way to see those games. It wasn't a big deal about a decade ago when Sunday night games were televised on cable by ESPN. Granted more cable companies carry the "worldwide leader" but it was still a radical move at the time.

On the surface it seems like a good idea.

Hey, people like football. I like football. I would watch football if it was on TV every day of the week. *light bulb* What if we put football on TV every day of the week?! Then you can get all this football. It'll be great!

Actually, no. No it won't be. Wives who put up with their husbands gluing themselves to the couch on Sundays must now deal with Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and Thurdays - all the days of the week when the NFL plays games in December this season.

How trivial have the non-prime-time games become? Hell, now watching football at 1pm and 4pm EST on a Sunday is a horrible experience. Any game that is half-decent will find a prime-time slot on Sunday, Monday, Thursday or Saturday.

The NFL is becoming almost too popular for its own good. And no one - certainly not a pathetic collection of cable companies - can stop their latest move. I wasn't a fan of Super Sunday moving to February, and I'm not a fan of this.

But I am still a fan of football. So begrudgingly, I will be watching no matter when the games are played. Go Cowboys!

Not voting defies system

I've given the issue three days, and it seems that any outrage over this situation had all but died down. That's disappointing.

Three days ago, it was reported that Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel did not cast a vote in the final polls of the season, a vote that helped to determine Ohio State's opponent in the BCS Championship Game Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz.

Tressel just opened Pandora's Box. It's only a matter of time before everything escapes from it.

I understand Tressel's argument that he "didn't think it was appropriate for us to participate in something like that."

Yes, I'm sure Tressel did in fact feel somewhat uneasy about helping to choose: Michigan or Florida. But that's the problem. At what level does this end?

What if USC Head Coach Pete Carroll, sick from Saturday's surprising loss, decided that because the Trojans didn't have a chance to be in the BCS Championship Game, he didn't feel like voting. So then that's two less votes (which, by the way, is all it would take to swing a decision from a one-ballot loss to a one-ballot win).

What about Arkansas's head coach Houston Nutt? He knew USC lost to UCLA during the SEC Championship game versus Florida. He would know that his team would then have the ability to leapfrog the Trojans with a win, thus ending the season with one loss compared to USC's two.

If Arkansas had won the SEC title game, they deserved a shot to be in the title game. Their only loss would have been to a conference champion that finished No. 7 in the BCS. But they lost to Florida, 38-28, so Nutt didn't have a chance to vote for his team as second-best in the nation. Knowing that, what he decided, "Well, it's really not up to me."

That's three votes less now.

I could go on and on. As that's the point. As unlikely as it may be for someone to look at the situation and say, "that wouldn't happen," the point is it could.

And if it does, then the entire system - flawed as it may be - becomes even worse. Coaches agree to vote, and agree that their coaches poll may be used in the BCS to determine who plays for the BCS Championship.

If Jim Tressel doesn't respect the system enough to cast a ballot in the most important vote of the season, then he doesn't deserve one at all. Period.

Tressel should not have a vote in the coaches poll next season. Unlike American elections where voting is a constitutional right, in the BCS it's a privilege, and Jim Tressel just lost it.

BCS Breakdown

Tostitos BCS National Championship
Ohio State vs. Florida

I predicted this match up just before it was announced. Ohio State will have not played in 51 days when they take the field in Glendale, Ariz. Florida will be ready, but it most likely won't be enough.

My pick: Ohio State

Florida is a great team, but the perception has been whoever received the bid to the title game would be simply looking for a claim to "second place." Ohio State and the likely Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith will be tough to beat, and I don't think it'll happen.

FedEx Orange Bowl
Wake Forest vs. Louisville

This is the game that matters only to people on the East coast. The Big Easy, *cough* I mean Big East champion Cardinals made it to their first BCS bowl after both Rutgers and West Virginia fell off toward the end of the season. Wake Forest plays in a conference that collectively has fewer national championships and Heisman Trophies than USC alone.

No one had Wake Forest in a BCS Bowl at the start of the season - and if someone tells you they did, they're lying. Wake's run was impressive, and they deserve their shot after capturing the ACC title.

My pick: Louisville

Louisville won a big game in West Virginia earlier this year, and they kept it close with Rutgers. The Cardinals seem to be on the brink of becoming a big-time program. Earlier this season, they held the No. 3 spot in the BCS.

Allstate Sugar Bowl
Louisiana State vs. Notre Dame

LSU thought they were going to the Rose Bowl - and if USC hadn't lost to UCLA (and no, I still don't want to talk about it) the Tigers would be heading to Pasadena. The Sugar Bowl isn't the worst consolation prize a team could get. The Tigers have had a remarkable season, losing only to Auburn and Florida.

The Fighting Irish were last seen getting whipped in the Coliseum. While I feel Notre Dame is perenially overhyped, there is no denying they have talent. Brady Quinn and the gang will be ready, as coach Charlie Weis will look for a strong performance to rebound from a crushing loss to the Trojans.

My pick: LSU

If the Irish thought it was tough to play the Trojans in Los Angeles, they are in for a world of hurt when it comes to taking on Louisiana State just 80 miles from campus. Whatever is in the water down in "Nawlins" that the NFL's Saints have been drinking all season might serve the LSU Tigers will. I know Notre Dame travels well, but that won't be enough to out-number the entire state of Louisiana.

I know that doesn't translate directly onto the field, but keep this in mind: LSU ain't that bad. The Tigers are the second team in the tough SEC to get a BCS bowl bid (the other being Florida). The problem: Notre Dame is ready for another let-down. After getting themselves so hyped up to play USC only to lose by 20, don't be surpised if the Irish come out flat.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Oklahoma vs. Boise State

The Oklahoma Sooners have had an amazing season. They were essentially one blown call in Eugene, Ore., away from being in the conversation for a shot at Ohio State. They've overcome so much this season after losing would-be quarterback Rhett Bomar before the season and losing Heisman Trophy candidate Adrian Peterson half way through the season.

Boise State will be playing on behalf of every other Mid-Major in the country. They have an opportunity to legitimize any school that isn't in one of the six BCS conferences. Ian Johnson and Co. are a talented bunch, and they've done it under a first-year head coach.

My pick: Oklahoma

This match up is essentially the University of Oklahoma against Boise State, TCU, Utah, Hawaii, and every other college that doesn't play in the ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Pac-10 or SEC. But if OU can overcome all that they have this season, they can overcome the Broncos. Sorry, Boise State, but they play the Fiest Bowl on a green field, not "smurf turf."

Rose Bowl presented by Citi
Southern California vs. Michigan

The Rose Bowl. The Granddaddy of them all. The most prestigious bowl game in the nation played in front of one of the largest crowds in the nation. And neither team could care less.

The Gators just barely squeeked by the Wolverines, ending any rematch hopes in Ann Arbor. Michigan will travel to Pasadena after more than six weeks since their last game.

The Trojans of USC - as my friend Jeff said leaving the Rose Bowl after Saturday's loss - "will be right the [expletive] back here!" They will go back to Pasadena for their record 31st Rose Bowl. Pete Carroll has led his squad to a fifth straight Pac-10 title - and USC is 3-1 in BCS bowls under Carroll. It's just tough to know that scoring five more points Saturday could have been the difference between their third Rose
Bowl in four years instead of a third straight shot at a BCS title.

This is a rematch of the 2003 Rose Bowl (USC won, 28-14, and captured a share of the national title). Both teams are going to their third Rose Bowl in four
years. Each lost to Texas (Michigan in 2005 at the official Vince Young coming out party, and USC in 2006 at the official Vince Young send-off to the NFL). Considering this stadium has been so unkind to both programs, are either actually looking forward to this?

My pick: a zero-zero tie, as neither team shows up because they are so distraught. As a result, student sections empty as students from both schools take the field to represent for their respective schools. Amidst all the chaos, I - in my own egotistical mind - think I should be on the field helping to represent USC. I go down to play and end up re-injuring my ankle.

Match up mayhem

With the announcement of who will play whom is the BCS bowls happening as I type these words (they just announced Boise State and OU for the Fiesta Bowl), I want to quickly give my take on USC's BCS future this season.

USC's loss to the Bruins cost them a title shot, and threw the entire system into chaos. The Trojans, however, will still play in a BCS Bowl (the Rose Bowl). Their opponent depends on who will face Ohio State in the national title game.

If Ohio State faces Michigan in a rematch, then LSU will most likely head to Pasadena to take on the Trojans in a battle of the teams that split the titles in 2003. That brings into question the idea of a rematch, but that will decided momentarily.

If Florida reaches the national title game, I would assume the Rose Bowl would want it's traditional Big-10 versus Pac-10 match up. USC would most likely take on Michigan in a rematch of the Trojans' 2004 Rose Bowl appearance where they won their share of the split national title.

If that's the case, then LSU would probably get the SEC's nod to the Sugar Bowl because the Gators would be heading to Glendale on Jan. 8.

My guess?

Florida passed Michigan in the coaches poll, and the Gators played a pretty complete game in the SEC title game against Arkansas. Florida won the SEC, arguably the toughest conference in the country. Michigan on the other hand only lost to the top-ranked team in the country. They have a legitimate argument for a title shot despite losing to the team already slated to play for the championship.

That being said, Florida will probably be the team traveling to Glendale to take on the Buckeyes of Ohio State. The Rose Bowl wouldn't be too upset about that, either, giving them their traditional match up. Michigan will be upset, but when it's up to voters and not a plus-1 playoff system, that's what happens.

Stuck in the middle

The (dirt) road to Omaha, Neb. for the women's volleyball Final Four just got a little bumpier.

Tonight at the Galen Center, the USC Women of Troy will face off against BYU in the second round of the NCAA women's volleyball tournament. The winner goes on to the regional semi-finals in Honolulu for a shot to advance to the Final Four.

I've watched the Women of Troy take the court numerous times this year, and I've seen them beat all sorts of opponents. The one thing I hadn't seen this season was what BYU pulled off last night in their first-round match.

After falling to UC Santa Barbara 30-27, 32-30 in the first two games, it seemed the Gauchos were on their way to the second round. And why not? After all, BYU hadn't come back from an 0-2 hole all season, and UCSB was undefeated after taking the first two games of a match.

And that's why they play the games.

BYU appeared possessed as the Cougars clawed back into the match with a slim three-point win in game three, followed by a convincing nine-point triumph in game four. When the deciding fifth game rolled around, BYU had the momentum and took the match.

That's why I'm worried about USC tonight. They had a - I don't want to say easy, so as not to deminish their opponent, but what other word is there? How about - middle-of-the-road Mississippi team in their first-round match. 'SC blew 'em away and by the end of the third game, head coach Mick Haley had emptied his bench onto the court.

All advantages point to USC:

• They are playing at their home facility, the Galen Center with their band in the stands.
• They have fresher legs, playing only three games last night compared to BYU's exhausting five-game match.
• They survived a much tougher schedule than BYU, playing the country's toughest women's volleyball conference, the Pac-10.

The Women of Troy need to keep the pressure on BYU tonight, because any let up would allow the Cougars an opportunity to get back into this match. Even if USC gets up 2-0, they have to keep fighting until the final point is awarded. BYU is 3-0 this season after winning a five-game match the night before. USC, however, hasn't lost to a non-conference opponent this year.

I wouldn't think USC would lose this match, but BYU has consistent middle hitting. As for the Women of Troy, their offense comes from the outside, which I think favors BYU. Sure, USC has superior hitters, but consider this:

In football, offenses work to establish the run. They do this in order to free up the passing game. By establishing a strong running game, linebackers and defensive backs tend to cheat up to stop the run, allowing quarterbacks to exploit the secondary for big plays.

The same holds true for volleyball. At the beginning of a match, it's crucial to establish the middle. By doing so, the opposing middle blockers must respect an attack out of the middle. They then cannot cheat toward the outside and get an early jump on blocking a higher, slower set. Now when the setter goes to an outside or backside hitter, the opposing block is less likely to be sealed up.

Out of the middle, USC has potential to dominate opponents. Bethany Johansen, Kelli Tennant and Katelyn Bishop are extremely talented middles. They just don't get the looks that they should. Arguably it doesn't matter with big-hitters Asia Kaczor and Diane Copenhagen on the outside hitting over the blockers waiting below.

Still if USC is going to go deep in this NCAA tournament, they'll need some production out of their middles. Last night they got it from Kelli Tennant who equalled her season-high 10 kills and hit at a .389 clip. If she and her fellow middles can keep that up, USC should enjoy a lengthy postseason.

Giant problems in NY

The New York Giants are in trouble. If they have any chance to repeat as division champions, they are going to need to make an abrupt about-face. Now.

They have now lost three straight games after giving away Sunday’s game to a team that’s too Young (as in Vince) for its own good. No matter. The Giants let the Tennessee Titans creep back into the ball game.

The G-men held a commanding 21-0 lead five minutes into the fourth quarter. If Tiki Barber was still complaining about getting the ball, surely he’d have an opportunity to shine in a run-out-the-clock situation.

Barber’s fourth quarter line: six carries for 13 yards, and don’t call me Shirley!

The defense the Giants faced in the fourth quarter seemed like they’d been flown in from Baltimore. New York’s four fourth-quarter drives ended with an interception, punt, punt and interception. They ran a grand total of 16 plays in the final period. The Titans essentially averaged a three-and-out.

The Giants offense – as bad as it was – did not give the game away alone (although Eli Manning was trying). Their defense simply let the Vince Young and the Titans out of their grasp. Literally.

On fourth-and-10 with 2:44 left in the game, Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka wrapped his arms around Young. The game was very much in Kiwanuka’s hands – or arms. In that play, Kiwanuka became a microcosm for the Giants game: he let Young, and the Titans, go free. He let him go. Vince Young did not perform one of his burnt-orange Houdini routines. Kiwanuka just let him go.

And go Young went, for 19 yards, the first down, and eventually the game-tying touchdown.

“Thank God for letting me loose,” Young told reporters after the game about the play.

In that moment, the Titans were let loose, and on they went to beat the Giants on a 49-yard field goal with six seconds in the game.

And while the win is priceless for the Titans, I wouldn’t have paid a dollar to watch a football team as sloppy as the Giants were in the closing stages of Sunday’s game. Heck, the difference between the New York Giants and a dollar bill: you can still get four quarters out of a dollar.

The same cannot be said for Tom Coughlin’s team. As for Coughlin, he’s about to blow a gasket. Play-makers have been critical of him and the play-calling. Any veteran leadership is nowhere to be found. His big-name quarterback is making terrible decisions. If his last name wasn’t Manning, he’d be thrown under a bus – and knowing the New York media, he might be.

The Giants are now 6-5, second in the NFC East to rival Dallas, whose three-game winning streak are not nearly as scary as the difference in attitude. The Cowboys are full of life after a Thanksgiving Day route of Tampa Bay, 38-10, and quarterback Tony Romo is making a legitimate Pro Bowl bid.

If New York loses next week’s all-important division game to Dallas at the Meadowlands, they can kiss good-bye any dreams of repeating as division champs.

The Giants down-trodden locker room won’t be aided by players and coaches lashing out at the media about one another. Last week Barber complained he wasn’t being utilized enough. After this collapse, it was Coughlin ripping his quarterback for throwing a late interception. Quite a contrast to their division leader.

The Cowboys’ only concern – albeit a big one – is if Bill Parcells can count on his kicker. Dallas has demonstrated an attitude shift under Romo’s guidance erasing any memory of Terrell Owens preseason antics and end zone naps.

While the Giants remaind tightly wound, the Cowboys are just as loose as Vince Young on fourth-and-10.

When New York finishes the season third in the division behind the Cowboys and McNabb-less Eagles, just remember, the Giants’ season did not slip away. They let it go.

How 'bout that Cowboy

Coming into the season, I'd be willing to wager that the majority of the nation would have identified Tony Romo as "that restaurant."

And while some might award partial credit for Tony Roma's, whoever it is has been doing a great job of feeding the Dallas Cowboys.

Since Romo took the starting quarterback job from Drew Bledsoe, the atmosphere at Valley Ranch has seemingly come alive. Play-makers Jason Witten and Terrell Owens appear rejuvinated, and how couldn't they be, considering their new quarterback just torched Tampa Bay for five - yes five - touchdowns on Thanksgiving Day.

Just how amazing is that?

Well, other than the fact that Romo is on my fantasy team (I had this week won before finishing Thanksgiving with a slice of pumpkin pie), no Cowboys quarterback had ever thrown five touchdown passes in Texas Stadium. If you want to get technical, yes, others did it at the Cotton Bowl or at away games, but it's still an amazing feat.

The Cowboys are now 7-4, leading division rival New York by a half-game. If Tennessee can take care of business against the Giants, Dallas could be in prime position to separate themselves from the rest of the pack in the NFC East.

While it isn't exactly probably the Giants would continue to slide against Tennessee, the Titans have shown signs of football life in Nashville. The Eagles will most likely fall to the Colts in the RCA Dome, and with McNabb out for the year, they don't pose any threat to the two teams in blue.

Whoever win the division will need to win next week's battle at the Meadowlands. The Giants could enter either tied for the division lead or one game back. Regardless, the winner will have the momentum to carry themselves through December and into January.

If the Cowboys continue that run, it's because of one guy, who may or may not be connected to a large restaurant chain. Romo has given the Cowboys life. He's given the Cowboys hope. He's given the Cowboys a swagger that's been missing since Troy Aikman led this franchise to three Super Bowl wins.

A sign hanging at Texas Stadium Thursday said it best. He's given this team: Ro-momentum.

BCS Blues

The BCS is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

But in a way, the BCS has turned every college football program into Forrest Gump. They need to be in the right place at the right time. For now, the team best emulating Tom Hanks' character would be USC. They are the No. 3 team in the nation in the latest BCS rankings, and should - should - face off against the winner of Michigan-Ohio St. if the Trojans win out.

The reason I say "should" because somehow, someway a late-season loss matters more than one during the first few weeks of the year. If the Wolverines lose to the Buckeyes, and it's between USC, Florida and Michigan for the final spot, computers will decide who goes.

((side note: Rutgers did not play a tough enough schedule to get themselves into the picture. Sorry. It's just going to happen, nor should it.))

But think about this. USC would have one loss - to Oregon State. Florida would have one loss - to Auburn. Michigan would have one loss - to the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Michigan's loss is to a much better opponent, but if they cannot prove worthy of competing with Ohio State once, why should they get a second chance?

As for the Trojans, they've had chances the past two seasons in the BCS title game; the season before they won a Rose Bowl for the AP National Championship. If the Trojans win the Pac-10 and can close out the season without a loss, they should do enough to qualify for a third consecutive BCS title game.

Florida plays in the highly-regarded Southeastern Conference. Good for them. Urban Meyer is now complaining that conferences like the Pacific 10 and Big Ten have it easy because they don't play a conference championship game. Listen, Urban, that's just how those conferences operate. If you don't like it, move to the ACC ... everyone's doing it.

But Urban Meyer and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel have it right: a team must win its conference to play in the BCS championship game. That isn't always the case. In the 2004 Sugar Bowl, OU got to play LSU for the national championship despite losing their conference title game to Kansas State. That - along with both human polls putting USC on top - led to a BCS overhaul that gave more weight to human polls.

In the end, the BCS will work itself out. And in the end, two teams will say, "It works," and two others will say, "Change it!"

We just have to wait and see who will be on which side.

The moment of truth

Today I will be going to meet with a ankle-foot "specialist" person about my right foot. I hope this will shed some light on what exactly I did while playing football. Who knows what needs to be done. More importantly, how bad is it that I haven't had anything done since injuring it more than two weeks ago? I guess this guy will tell me today. And I'll probably need surgery. I feel like I'm stuck in a tunnel with a giant light fastly approaching. Even though I see it, even though I know what it is, the tunnel isn't wide enough to get out of the way (plus, I'm too crippled to run). So when I see this doctor today, I better brace myself for one big collision.

The ankle and the miracle that is the USC Health Center

A little under two weeks ago (10/22/06), I was playing flag football with the defending champs - Hammer Time. For some reason I was in on offense, probably because I'm a pass-catching machine. Actually, that's not true (I couldn't catch a cold if I tried). But because Jeff was double-covered and Merf was on the other side of the field, Eddie got the crazy idea that "Hey, maybe if I lob it to Josh, he can outjump everyone, catch the ball and score a touchdown." It sounds good in theory.

Then again, this is the same "Josh" that while playing basketball two years ago in the Lyon Center took a break-away steal down the length of the court for a sure dunk, until hyper-extending his knee while trying to jump. Basically, I'm not the elite athlete I think I am.
Back to the football field. Eddie lobbed the pass toward the corner of the end zone. I jumped up in traffic to catch it, got my hands around it, and started to reel it in. Just then another guy came in and knocked the ball out of my hands. I came down and landed on someone's foot. I landed hard and hit the ground. At that moment, I felt all the pain in the world on my right leg and ankle.

That night I went to the Emergency Room to get my ankle checked out. They said that I needed to see an orthopedist and stay off it. I made an appointment with the USC Health Center, but I wasn't allowed to see the orthopedist. First, I would have to see a primary care doctor who would - if he felt necessary - then refer me to an orthopedist at the USC Health Center.

The doctor looked at my ankle and said it was just a sprain and that there were four things I needed to do: ice it, elevate it, put pressure on it and stay off it. Keep in mind that I probably wouldn't have thought of THAT on my own...except I'd been doing that all night. But I digress.

At the end of the appointment, I asked to see an orthopedist. The doctor said I didn't need to to see an orthopedist. Apparently, he's easily offended if someone wants to get a second opinion or - heaven forbid - a friggen specialist. So I let it go. I continued to crutch around on campus and wear a boot to stablize my ankle.

The swelling went down, the bruising wasn't as severe. It seemed like it was improving. But the pain wasn't going away. I couldn't really drive to see a doctor; I wasn't supposed to put any sort of weight on the ankle, and it hurt to flex my foot to drive. If I was going to see an orthopedist, it would be at the USC on-campus Health Center. But according to the doctor I'd seen, that wasn't necessary.

For a week, I continued to use crutches, but I also took full advantage of the boot on my leg. I walked around on it, testing it and finding out just how much weight I could put on it. The ankle started to feel better. I felt a little more mobile. Plus my arms were killing me after a week and a half of crutches.

Walking felt good, but I stilled used the crutches for longer journeys. I didn't want to rush back, but I had no problem ditching the crutches. I just felt so helpless, and I don't like being dependent on others. I like knowing I can open doors for myself, get around on my own and not need to rely on others. After a week and a half of golf cart rides and campus cruisers getting me to and from class, I began to rediscover that independence. I never considered letting that independence slip away again.

But my ankle still felt awkward, and I still wanted to see an orthopedist. I called the health center, and once again got the run-around. I couldn't see an orthopedist unless a primary care doctor recommended me. I went back to the health center on Thursday (11/2) to revisit the primary care doctor. The bruising from my ankle appeared to have spread to the bottom of my foot. I didn't know what that could mean because I didn't have any pain on the bottom of my foot.

The primary care physician said that the bruising pattern changed because of gravity pulling the blood down. Okay. It still hurt, though. I told him I'd been icing, elevating, pressuring and resting my ankle. But I wanted more. I wanted to know what else I could do for a faster recovery.

"There's not a magic cure for it. Just time," he told me.

"I know there's not a magic cure," I said. "But I'd like to still see an orthopedist just to make sure it's just a sprain."

The doctor looked offended. How dare I attempt to circumvent his infinite wisdom by requesting a specialist. For I, the small-brained student, could not possibly comprehend the medical profession at a greater level than him. He was the primary care physician. I was a mere mortal with a sore ankle.

I asked if I could possibly injure it any worse by walking on it. I certainly didn't want to complicate the matter. The doctor informed that as long as I didn't put too much stress on it, the ankle would be fine. I just needed to wear the boot or use the crutches until I felt I could use the ankle. At that point, I could ease back into things.

True, I don't have the qualifications, but I know when to consult an orthopedist as opposed to any other type of doctor. I wanted a specialist. The doctor begrudgingly acquised.

"I can write you a recommendation to see the orthopedist if you really feel you need to see him."

"Yes, I would really appreciate that," I replied.

"The orthopedists don't like us to send someone to them without X-rays. Do you have the X-rays from the emergency room?"

"No, I didn't get them, and I wouldn't be able to drive up there and pick them up any time soon."

"Okay, then we'll have to take some here."

The doctor told me that once I took the X-rays, I could leave. He smirkingly said he'd call me if he saw anything that needed urgent attention. I got the X-rays and caught a golf-cart home. I didn't expect a call nor did I get one. I guess the ankle would be fine.

This morning, I woke up and the ankle felt great. The swelling had gone down, and the bruising continued to fade. My roommate Jake needed a ride to the airport, and I had nothing but time. I knew I couldn't drive with the giant boot on my right foot; I could control the pedals because the boot was too wide to hit only one at a time. The decreased swelling allowed me to fit into my right shoe once again. I took Jake and his girlfriend to the airport before heading to the USC Health Center for my appointment with the orthopedist.

I didn't budget my time well enough to get back to campus to be on time for the appointment. I parked the car and needed to head over to the health center. I told myself to forget the crutches and forget going back to my appartment to get the boot. I was already 15 minutes late. I walked over wearing regular shoes. What a relief. The only word to describe how I felt about my ankle at that point was relief. It felt great to know I could walk on it without collapsing in pain.

I got to the USC Health Center and met with the orthopedist. I sat down, he introduced himself and like a wrecking ball into a condemned home, he delivered his diagnosis. It may have hit harder than a wrecking ball. Ligaments that hold together the two bones in my leg, the tibia and fibula, near the ankle were either severely damanged or disconnected. As a result, my ankle had shifted significantly to one side and worsed with each step I took. This wasn't going to get better with ice and elevation. I needed surgery.

Awesome.

When he said that word, surgery, my heart sank. I don't want surgery. I don't want to go under the knife. I don't want to be wheeled around a hospital to get my foot worked on. I don't want surgery. I want to be back on my feet, without crutches, without the boot, without pain.

When I asked why no one had seen this before, he said that a primary care doctor wouldn't have spotted the shift. As an orthopedist, he recognized a larger-than-usual gap between one side of my ankle and the bones in my leg. Great. Well, at least I finally got my orthopedist. Super. Just friggen super.

"Okay, so what kind of surgery do I need?" I asked.

"Well," he began. "We would go in, reattach the ligants and put in a screw to hold everything in place. After 12 weeks, you could go back and get the screw taken out. Or you could--"
TWELVE WEEKS? Did he say 12 weeks? Isn't that three months? Three whole months, just recovering? I can't do that. I won't do that. I don't want to do that. Wait, he said "or" something. What was he saying. Turns out, it wasn't exactly that "or" was more of a silver lining than clearing the clouds.

"...Or you could have a biodisposable screw put in so you don't have to go back in to get the metal screw removed. It'd be one less procedure."

One LESS procedure? I don't want one LESS procedure. I don't want ONE procedure. One is too many.

"But don't worry. It's a very simple procedue," he attempted to reassure me. "Surgery like this, you'd be done in 10 minutes and be home the same day. It's pretty simple."

Simple? Uh, doc, maybe it's simple for you because you do this all day long, but please don't attempt to trivialize or downplay this. Not only am I terrified of going under the knife, I don't even want to think about it. To refer to it as "simple" doesn't help. And telling me you could break speed records with my procedure doesn't instill confidence.

The orthopedist recommended I go see the foot and ankle specialist at the USC Health Sciences campus. He had a health center nurse call to make an appointment for me as soon as possible. They could double-check this orthopedist's diagnosis and help me figure out a time for surgery.

I asked when he recommended I have the surgery, and he gave the answer I really didn't want: as soon as possible. Actually, the answer I truly wanted was "Surgery is optional." And while I guess it is optional, the other option is arthritis in my ankle for the rest of my life. No thank you. Okay, fine. I'll do the surgery. Even as I type this, I shutter with every mention of it.

"So what's going to happen after I have this surgery?" I asked. At this point, I couldn't sit up straight, I couldn't even raise my head. Depression started to sink in. This couldn't be happening.

"You'd have to be off it for 12 weeks. On your crutches and in your boot," he revealed. "You won't be able to put any pressure on it. You can't risk moving the screw that they're going to put in. You won't be able to put any weight on it."

Well that's fantastic. On a side note, just yesterday I registered for a sailing class next semester. I can't wait to see how that works out. I really hope I don't have to drop the class. Then again, I used to also hope I'd never need a surgery. I guess we can just forget that.

"Okay," the orthopedist said. "But you are good to go today. Uh, where are your crutches, or your boot?"

"I didn't bring them here. I walked."

"You walked??" He sounded astounded and worried at the fact. "Why would do you do that?"

"The doctor I saw yesterday said I couldn't hurt it any worse, so there's no harm in testing it out."

Then the orthopedist said the two words that I'd been fearing since my first visit to the health center the week prior.

"That's wrong."

Shit. That's no good. I walk on it over to the health center without the boot or crutches. The orthopedist seemed appauled that I would even consider walking back. But why should I be surprised? This is the same USC Health Center that diagnosed Brad with kidney failure a few years ago. By the way, his kidneys were fine. He just slept on his back funny.

"Can you call someone to get a ride home? You can't walk on this."

I summonded the golf cart and caught a ride back to my appartment. I immediately started looking for somewhere to get a second opinion. I just want to make that surgery is the right move before making it happen. My good friend Andrew would be the first to tell me to make sure I get an ankle injury properly diagnosed. Either way, I know something is wrong. It's tough, however, it accept what my be necessary to fix it.

I can't even comprehend this. I was just playing a football game. A flag football game. Now I'm going to be on crutches for at least three more months, missing a ski trip, unable to drive and essentially immobile for a quarter of a year. I gotta hand it to Jeff and Eddie; I really shouldn't have been playing offense.

Ready for Romo

Since Troy Aikman’s retirement after the 2000 season, the Cowboys had been searching for the next arm to lead Dallas back to glory. The fact that they had eight different starting quarterbacks since Aikman really meant they had none. The process for finding the next franchise arm hasn’t been simple for owner Jerry Jones. Despite Jones’ optimism year after year, the Cowboys couldn’t get the results.

So when Jones’ optimism finally cracked as he voiced frustrations about Bill Parcells sitting down Drew Bledsoe in favor of Tony Romo, it seemed the Cowboys were in trouble. If the club’s owner – who routinely predicts 10-6 seasons each August – isn’t confident in the switch, fans shouldn’t have any reason to feel comfortable.

Sunday night, Romo told those fans and his owner to relax.

As time expired in Bank of America stadium Sunday night, the scoreboard reflected more than a triumphant comeback. It showed more than the Cowboys’ most impressive win this season. The scoreboard represented a swagger back in the step of the boys in blue, a swagger they hadn’t had since Aikman guided them to their last playoff win a decade ago.

Despite poor performances in the Cowboys losses, I was positive Bledsoe had to remain at quarterback if the Cowboys had playoff hopes. Bledsoe had the experience. He’s a proven winner in the NFL. Romo represented a question mark no one – outside of Parcells – had the answer to.

And when Parcells announced the move to Romo, I thought that not only meant the end of Bledsoe’s tenure as quarterback of the Cowboys but the end of any playoff hopes as well.

But while fans, experts and even the owner weren’t sure what the career backup would bring to the table, the coach was. Parcells proved to everyone why he is referred to as the “Big Tuna.”

The next time I criticize a Parcells personnel decision, I’m going to have to remember to check my fingers to see how many Super Bowl rings I have before deciding how it will affect the team.
After a shaky first quarter that left Dallas in a 14-0 hole, Romo picked up a shovel and patiently began to dig his way out. Three quarters later, he was using the shovel to burry the Carolina Panthers.

As the game progressed, Romo demonstrated to the national audience that the ‘boys are back – or at least, they’re on their way. He is a long way from taking the Cowboys to three championships like Aikman or five title games like Roger Staubach. But Tony Romo has the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of those two Cowboys legends. He can help a talented team fulfill it’s potential. He showed that in Charlotte.

One of the more overlooked qualities Romo brings to the Cowboys is his relationship with Terrell Owens. If Owens has the good chemistry with Romo that he claims, that could be a big problem for opposing secondaries. Owens hadn’t found a grove with Bledsoe, and it’s no secret Bledsoe worked better with long-time teammate Terry Glenn. But Owens and tight end Jason Witten appeared seemed satisfied with their new play-caller.

Owens, who has developed a reputation for throwing quarterbacks under the bus, now has a quarterback he can trust to throw him the ball. TO had nine catches for 107 yards – his first 100-yard game of the season. Owens hadn’t caught more than five passes in any game this season prior to Sunday night. That trend should continue with Romo under center.

Romo demonstrated why Parcells made him the new starter in Dallas on a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. Romo took the snap and immediately stutter-stepped forward, faking a quarterback draw. Carolina’s linebackers bit just enough for Romo to zip the ball past them to Owens for a seven-point Cowboys lead.

Romo-advocates argued his mobility should be enough for him to line up under center on Sundays. Romo dispelled that myth. He is much more than mobile. He is a quarterback. And now in Dallas, he is the quarterback.

Begging for Bledsoe

The NFL season is one week old, and Dallas’ playoff caliber team is wrongly being put in a quarterback controversy. Starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe finished the day with one touchdown pass and three interceptions sparking the debate. The Cowboys other option behind Bledsoe is the untested Tony Romo.

Simply put, making a switch would be a mistake. Even suggesting a switch makes no sense. If the Cowboys were to make a change at quarterback anytime soon, it would signify the end of the 2006 season.

To merely look at the numbers, see Bledsoe’s three interceptions and determine he was awful is an insult to a strong Jacksonville team that people forget won 12 games last season. Had Bledsoe had this performance against the Texans or Lions, then perhaps things would be different. Sunday was nothing more than an aberration against a tough opponent.

Drew Bledsoe has quarterbacked for Bill Parcells dating back to their days with New England, where the two went to a Super Bowl together. He has run this offense since last season, a season where he out-performed expectations. He has emerged as a leader for this organization, and he is hungry to prove he can win his own Super Bowl ring without Tom Brady under center.

While the value of the preseason is debatable, there is no question Bledsoe has chemistry with his primary targets. He and wide out Terry Glenn hooked up for four catches for 81 yards in Sunday’s opener after connecting on several beautiful touchdown catches throughout the preseason. These two have proven they work well together and are capable of providing at least one big momentum-changing play every week.

The Cowboys are in not in a position to play for next year. If it’s true Terrell Owens will blow up the Cowboys from within, the team needs to win sooner than later. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones had one of the biggest off-seasons in the NFL, bringing in big name free agents at receiver and kicker. These moves were not designed with breaking in a new quarterback in mind. Jones is looking to win now, and Bledsoe is the only quarterback on the Cowboys roster of making that happen. Jones is arguably the most competitive owner in the league. He wants to return the Cowboys to their elite status of years past.

Bledsoe has the experience to take the Cowboys to the playoffs. Last season he completed 60 percent of his passes and finished the year with an 83.7 quarterback rating. He threw for more than 3600 yards, one of the top five passing seasons in franchise history. He may not consistently have Pro Bowl numbers, but Bledsoe can run the efficient offense Parcells is looking for.

Ever since the team signed TO, it seems the national media – not to mention rivals in Philadelphia – are waiting for the Cowboys to be destroyed. The only thing that can stop what some have described as a locker room cancer is strong team leadership in the locker room. Bledsoe provides that. He has accomplished a great deal in his 13 previous seasons in the NFL and because of that commands the respect of his teammates.

If the Cowboys replace Drew Bledsoe in favor of Tony Romo this season, it will come after they have been eliminated from playoff contention. Romo hasn’t proven he is ready to take America’s team on his back. Perhaps at this time next season things will be different. Romo supporters base their campaign on his preseason performance.

Romo did look good in preseason competition – against second and third team defenses. He completed almost 70 percent of his passes in the preseason and made his case why he can make the move to starting quarterback next season.

But Bledsoe’s preseason numbers trumped Romo’s, so if anyone were to make the case for the Cowboys quarterback based on the preseason, the edge goes to Bledsoe. They each threw three touchdown passes, but Romo had three interceptions to Bledsoe’s one. Bledsoe also completed 75 percent of his passes while facing the opponents’ first team defense.

The Cowboys have a great chance of making it to the playoffs this season. Prior to the game at Jacksonville, Joe Buck made them his Super Bowl pick. This season they have a very high ceiling, much higher than last year, when people suspected Bledsoe was a younger version of Vinny Testaverde.

The pressure of a playoff race is typically too much for a young quarterback to handle. Pittsburg’s Ben Roethlisberger and New England’s Tom Brady are the exception, not the rule. Tony Romo is virtually a rookie. He has never taken a meaningful snap in the NFL. While there is value in holding a clipboard for a few years and taking it all in, there is no substitute for game experience.

Romo could very well be the future of the Dallas Cowboys. He has shown tremendous potential in several preseason games. But the Cowboys must play in the present. Jones did not build a team for the future. He’s assembled this team to win now, and this owner has demonstrated he will do whatever it takes to win. There is no “playing for next season” for the Cowboys – they aren’t the Texas Rangers.

Scholarship Race update

The summer campaign for Vector ended a few weeks ago, and the company is still in the process of verifying the final tabs. I do, however, have good news that doesn't relate to car insurance.

Last week, I got a call from the company requesting proof that I was enrolled in enough college units and a photo for the scholarship brochure. I finished in the Top-50 in the scholarship race. Actually, I finished #50 exactly. And as if that wasn't close enough, I was $2 ahead of #51.

Granted, this is all pending verification, but from most of the managers I've talked to, people tend to drop up during verification because the company finds people on the list who aren't actually enrolled in enough units.

Either way, it looks like this summer's hard work will be paying off. Thanks to everyone who help me achieve this accomplishment.

Save it for the Super Bowl

Don't ask me about the Monday Night Football game.

Yes, I saw it. Yes, I cringed during the final four minutes. Yes, I thought the boys in blue had a chance even on the last play. And, yes, I was wrong about that.

How 'bout them Cowboys? How 'bout losing to the arch-rival Redskins in under four minutes?

There was only one thing I found more disturbing than the Cowboys' monumental collapse: the Redskins' celebration. After the game went final, the 'skins dumped a gatorade cooler on Head Coach Joe Gibbs. The players were all dancing around, jumping up and down like they had just won the Super Bowl.

In reality, they had come in to Irving, Texas and beat a team they hadn't beat at Texas Stadium in 10 years. I guess that's a big deal, but there are longer streaks than that. When's the last time the Lions won at Lambeau? Exactly.

I know that the Cowboys and Redskins are big rivals, probably the biggest rivals in the NFL (or at least the NFC). I just think that those over-the-top celebrations should be reserved for a time when they are deserved. They aren't for regular-season wins in week two!

Congratulations, Gibbs and crew. You've managed to embarrass yourselves even more than the Cowboys did during the final four minutes.

I sell knives

Desperate housewives love my 9" carver.

Forget your agenda and help out

On my way to class today, I encountered a pair of students who asked if I was interested in helping victims of hurricane Katrina. Of course I stopped.

"We need to get President Bush out of office," the girl said.

What?

Apparently - and I didn't know this until just this afternoon when I had this encounter - it's entirely President Bush's fault that a hurricane hit the gulf coast. Then while there was a hurricane, he scaled the outside of the Superdome to tear off half the roof. He also had the electricity companies turn off power to hundreds of thousands of gulf coast residents.

Actually, despite what these two told me, I'm pretty sure the storm did all that. Granted, they didn't say it exactly like that, but that was their point. Bush was responsible for this and he should be removed from office.

What is wrong with these people? Bodies are floating down streets in New Orleans - a city that is 60 percent under water - and these people feel the best response is the remove the President from office. I don't even like President Bush, but how can these idiots think that anti-Bush propaganda will help Katrina's victims.

If I'm now homeless because of the hurricane, I don't care what's going on in Washington as long as it leads to me getting food, water and shelter. The fact that these people thought they were helping the hurricane relief by trying to generate animosity towards the president for a natural disaster (note: a natural disaster is one that is of natural causes) is unbelieveable.

If you really want to help, donate a dollar, five dollars, food, clothes, anything. But don't waste time with your petty political bullshit. That's the last thing victims of this storm need.

...next class...

Today during two of my classes as the respective professors neared the end of the allotted class time, my ears perked up at the mention of two words: next class. The worst part was that these teachers weren't saying that they would "see you next class." Instead, they mentioned something they would be discussing during the next class period despite the fact they were not yet ready to end the current class.

As a student who is bored to death in a class I am required to take, that's just the worst thing a professor can do. I hear the words "next class" and the assumption is that we have reached the point where it is okay to break until our next session. Example:

"While it is important to realize the focus of market failures, that is something we will discuss next class."

At this point, the sentence I know I was expecting sounded something like this:

"But that's it for today. See you Thursday."

Instead:

"But what we do need to understand now is that..." and continue on for another 20 minutes.

Conference of Champions pictures

The boys of Lewisville were in Austin earlier this week for the Conference of Champions. Unlike last year, we decided to stay at a nice hotel as opposed to the Austin Motel.


Brian, Josh and Dustin hanging out at the UT student union.


G-money, Gaven Norris.


Josh and Gaven


Josh and OKC DM J-Whit, Johnathan Whitman.


Stephanie Carpenter and Texoma DVM John Carpenter


Shea, Steven and Josh


Steven, Zapata, Josh and Shea


Brian with Lewisville sweethearts Missy and Randi


Kafui, Hung and Brian Cluff stand tall in the face of adversity (and by adversity, I mean the smoke detector they disabled to smoke)


Lacey and Angela


Jason and Jarred sing


Missy and Mike

Road trip pics back to LA

I said goodbye to my parents and we hit the road.


We couldn't get very far without some food, so we decided to stop at Sonic.


I started off driving and got us from my parents house in Dallas to Amarillo before stopping to fill up the gas tank and switch drivers.


Andrew took the wheel.


I took a nap.


Once we got to Amarillo, we started to see some weird things, such as nine pink Cadillacs that seemingly fell from the sky...


...a flaming truck...


...a truck driver who respects his roots...


...a big ball...


...tee pees...


...and flashing lights along the highway for decoration.


After driving in and out of rainstorms all day - including a torential downpour just outside Albuquerque that left us nearly stranded at a gas station that was out of gas during the storm - Andrew and I made it to the Continental Divide, which was kinda cool.


Here's Andrew's continental divide.


So I resumed driving responsibilities as we drove on. Andrew thought I was some sort of king and decided to make me a crown....and coke. Just kidding. But it did make a cool hat.


As we drove into the night, Andrew did what he had done so very well the entire trip...sleep. zzzzzzzz


We made it to Holbrook, Ariz. for dinner at Denny's. At that point, we had driven 875 miles from my parent's house in Dallas. I woke up Andrew and we went inside to eat. The less-than-gracious hostess seated us and we ordered our food. I was really excited about the nachos because of the picture. I shoulda known better. It was not what I'd call good eatin'.


As I slept, Andrew drove us 90 miles into Flagstaff, but really all I wanted was for him to get me "as far away from that Denny's as possible!" Thanks, Andrew. Once we got to Flagstaff, I went from inn to inn looking for a room, but for some reason they were all full. We eventually found a Howard Johnson Inn to crash at. It was a pretty sketchy place, but then again, our goal was to end up at the USC campus, so being in a sketchy place was just something we would have to get used to. After seven hours of sleep, we hit the road. It was 7am, and we were LA bound!


We did think about stealing a bike before heading out, but common sense - and the unwillingness to become buddies with a large man with a monosyllabic name who wouldn't care to learn ours as he destroyed us - told us to just get in the car and get back on the road.


Before leaving Flagstaff, we put some gas in the Prius (yeah, you actually have to do that once in a while).


We also put some food in our stomachs at Burger King. Hooray for french toast sticks!


In the Burger King parking lot, Andrew and I got to wondering where the front of this car went. Maybe we would find in on the way to Los Angeles.


As we left Flagstaff, we realized we had a long way to go.


I drove 147 miles from Flagstaff to Kingman, Ariz. before deciding to stop and switch. Andrew wanted to stop 15 miles earlier at a rest stop to go to the bathroom, but when we saw a billboard for a Cracker Barrel in Kingman just 15 miles away, he decided to hold it.


In Kingman, Andrew spotted a rehab center and decided to check in for obvious reasons.


But who was I to judge him.


When we got out of rehab, Andrew took the wheel and drove the 206 miles from Kingman to Barstow, Calif. where I had been planning on stopping since I left California in May. There, we would hit the first In-n-Out Burger on our route.


In California, we saw a weird golf cart with green flames painted on it.


The view was pretty good too.


Oh deer!


We found my street in California, but unfortunately we were still not in LA, so we continued west.


We rolled into LA 1433.6 miles and 31 hours later. It's good to be back.

Home Sweet Home

I have checked in to my apartment at USC. For the second straight year, I'm going to be living in Cardinal Gardens. The best part is, I'm going to be living in the exact same apartment. Not an apartment with the same floor plan. The same apartment.

When I checked in at the CSC and saw my name next to a familiar apartment number, I got really excited. I loved my apartment last year. The location was great. I was pretty sure any other apartment in Cardinal Gardens would be not as good. Turns out it didn't matter. I'm back to where I was last year.

There was definitely a feeling of security going back into my old apartment. It was weird though, seeing everything clean and not having people ask about the smell.

But it is my home, and I'm glad to be back. I'm really looking forward to another great year out at USC.

FIGHT ON!

Scholarship Race (update)

With only three weeks left in the summer campaign, it's becoming a really tight race for a scholarship. Both Jordy and I have solidified spots in the top 50 for now, but he is already back at school and I'm leaving Saturday.

Hopefully, we've both done enough this summer to each be a winner. Here's this weeks numbers:

DATE ******* NATIONAL RANK *** $OLD
JOSH'S STANDINGS:
June 24 ***** 106 *************** 11,025
July 1 ******* 42 **************** 16,523
July 8 ******* 44 **************** 19,114
July 15 ****** 34 **************** 23,162
July 22 ****** 30 **************** 27,123
July 29******* 27 *************** 30,647
August 5 ***** 29 **************** 32,055

JORDY'S STANDINGS:
June 10******140 ****************6,402
June 17******111 ****************8,854
June 24 ***** 102 *************** 11,232
July 1 *******140 ****************11,232
July 8 ******* 143 **************** 12,901
July 15 ****** 126 **************** 14,925
July 22 ****** 47 **************** 23,391
July 29*******33*************** 29,039
August 5 ***** 30 *************** 31,888

A costly typo

You've gotta read this story about a Kansas newspaper's typo leading to a woman's possession being stolen. Because of the paper, people took $3,500 worth of stuff and her kitty. That sucks.

Anyway, check it out.

Pictures from SCII

Josh gets his personal sales trophy from Lloyd Reagan at SCII. Push report: $7,454.


Johnathan Whitman (Oklahoma City DM), Brian Dunivant (Lewisville DM), Josh (SFSM Lewisville) and Jordy Bernhard (Lewisville SA) each celebrate an SCII victory.

• Whitman's office was the top new office for the conference.
• Dunivant's office won the second consecutive summer conference push.
• I took home top team-builder honors as my personal recruit (Zach Shor) and I beat second place by $5K.
• Jordy Bernhard did what everyone knew he could as he turned in a $15,000 push report to win the conference's personal sales push.

Josh and Anna enjoy cruising around Dallas in the party bus after Summer Conference II.

Scholarship race update

Vector released updated All-American standings last Friday, and I'm proud to say that I am one of two Lewisville reps on the list. Yeah, I know I'd be on it this week, but there's another rep in our office who's busted his ass this summer - Jordy Bernhard. This guy is a stud when it comes to shipping blades, and this summer he is getting the recognition he deserves.

Congratulations Jordy! Keep it up!

DATE ******* NATIONAL RANK *** $OLD
JOSH'S STANDINGS:
June 24 ***** 106 *************** 11,025
July 1 ******* 42 **************** 16,523
July 8 ******* 44 **************** 19,114
July 15 ****** 34 **************** 23,162
July 22 ****** 30 **************** 27,123
July 29*******27****************30,647

JORDY'S STANDINGS:
June 10******140 ****************6,402
June 17******111 ****************8,854
June 24 ***** 102 *************** 11,232
July 1 *******140 ****************11,232
July 8 ******* 143 **************** 12,901
July 15 ****** 126 **************** 14,925
July 22 ****** 47 **************** 23,391
July 29*******33*************** 29,039

Worst day of the summer

I'm so glad that yesterday is over because July 28 was undoubtedly the worst day of the summer.

It started out like most days this summer, with me waking up at 4 a.m. to get ready for my internship down at 570 KLIF. But when I left KLIF, I went home to change before my 9 a.m. demo. When I got to my demo, I realized I had forgotten my bluebook (the binder with all the pictures of the different knives), so I only sold half of what I should have to that customer.

After that, I made a quick stop at the eye doctor before heading up to Richardson for a group demo. For the record, I hate group demos. They are never as good as a rep thinks they'll be. I thought that this was going to be a great demo. As it turns out, I - like most people going into group demos - was disappointed.

Two of the ladies there weren't in the demographic we typically show Cutco to, the man there was more interested in the female rep there who had set up the demo, and the other woman probably would have bought a small set had she not been in a group setting where no one else was getting anything.

When I escaped that beating, I got on to the George Bush Turnpike to head over to Lewisville, which is where I was when I got pulled over for goign 75 in a 60. While 15 mph sounds like a lot over the speed limit, I was going with the flow of traffic. The ticket definitely helped to just ruin my day.

So when I finally got to Lewisville, Brian decided to take me to Six Flags in Arlington. We had fun for a while but when it came time for me to leave, I walked out of the park, and I reached into my pocket to get my car keys. Too bad the keys weren't in my pocket. I had left them in the park. I had left them somewhere in the huge amusement park. At this point, I was already late to get to Lewisville to run a meeting.

I tried to get back in to the park, but because I didn't get my hand stamped as I left, they weren't letting me back in. One guy told me that if I wanted to get back in, I should have gotten my hand stamped. I told him I didn't know I'd be going back in, but it was only because I lost my car keys. He said that's exactly why I needed my hand stamped. I paused and considered punching the guy in the head.

Eventually, I found a cop who agreed to escort me into the park to the lost and found. I waited at the lost and found in the line for about 10 minutes before being helped. When I got to the front of the line, I described my keychain and thankfully the guy had it. He put it on the counter and asked me to fill out some survey or something before I left because I needed to do something to take back my keys. Well, when the guy turned around to get something from a back shelf, I took the keys and took off. I definitely did not have time for that!

I bolted out of the park and to my car, where I got in and got going. While I was on state highway 360, I started feeling sick because of the roller coasters. I hate roller coasters. Yesterday was my first time on a corkscrewing roller coaster, and it was most likely my last. I decided to pull over to the side of the road, get out, and throw up. I definitely felt a little better after that.

So from there, I continued driving up to Lewisville, but as in-a-hurry as I was, I couldn't speed. I couldn't risk a second ticket for the day. I finally got to Lewisville, only 45 minutes after I was supposed to be there. When I got there, someone was already giving the talk I was going to give because they didn't know how long it'd be until I got there.

So I had basically driven up to Lewisville for nothing. Awesome.

I really hope I don't have another day like this for a while, because I really don't enjoy it. This definitely was the back-breaker of the summer.

Irregardless

This morning on NBC's newscast, there was a story by Brian Mooar, who I assume is just some networ nut who did his national story and sent it out to affiliate stations. The story was about Democratic senators cracking down on internet pornography, but that's really not the point.

The point is that at the end of this story, Mooar said the following sentence:

"Senator Lincoln's office maintains that this is good legislation, irregardless of Third Way's involvement."

Does he not know that irregardless isn't an actual word? It is improper grammar and just annoying to hear someone say. Don't believe me? You don't have to.

I looked it up on www.dictionary.com to find out what one internet dictionary had listed for the word. The following paragraph returned from my search:

[Probably blend of irrespective, and regardless.]
Usage Note: Irregardless is a word that many mistakenly believe to be correct usage in formal style, when in fact it is used chiefly in nonstandard speech or casual writing. Coined in the United States in the early 20th century, it has met with a blizzard of condemnation for being an improper yoking of irrespective and regardless and for the logical absurdity of combining the negative ir- prefix and -less suffix in a single term. Although one might reasonably argue that it is no different from words with redundant affixes like debone and unravel, it has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so.

No time for sleep

After Monday's Summer Conference II in Grapevine, I went out for a night on the town with a few other Vector reps and managers as a reward for being one of the top sales reps from the conference. The 20 of us (including top reps, winning managers and the division manager) boarded a party bus and went to dinner at Fogo De Chao. We drove around Dallas before going to The Dome in Reunion Tower.

The night that started just after the conference around 6:30 p.m. ended at midnight. At that point, I stayed up past 3 a.m. talking to another rep I met on the party bus, Anna. Apparently, when you combine the propensity for constant talking that we both share, no one gets any sleep. We talked until about 3:15 a.m. before I finally went to bed for 45 minutes - after all, I did have to wake up at 4 a.m. for my internship.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed talking with Anna a lot - although she did make me feel like crap because I never single-handedly tried to solve world hunger (she's one of the truly good people in the world) - but I hadn't slept since 4 a.m. Monday morning.

Now I was expected to go to my internship having slept 45 minutes of the past 24 hours. Needless to say, that didn't work out too well.

When I got to my internship, the lady I work for let me go after about an hour because it was such a slow news day and I was so tired. Thank God! I went home and got some much-needed sleep.

"Are you tired?"

This moring, a gas-station clerk asked me a question that I felt didn't need asking. As I paid for my chocolate milk and muffin (I eat the best breakfasts!), he asked me, "So, are you tired this morning?"

Am I tired this morning?

Well, yeah.

Consider the fact that if you look at a clock it will tell you that it is not yet 5 a.m. here in the Central Time Zone. As a general rule, I think someone should never ask the question "are you tired this morning?" before 6 a.m. Anytime before then, there's no need to ask.

Scholarship race

This summer, while working with Vector, I've been in a big scholarship race. Everyone who works with the company this summer and is in school has a chance to win.

Last summer, I came pretty close to winning, but because the scholarship race is based on sales, and because I went back to school two weeks before the end of the summer campaign, I got passed the last week of the summer and dropped out of the top 50.

This year, I hit the contenders list June 24, when I reached 11,025 in sales for the summer. I was 106 in the company with room to go for the scholarship. With only a month left in the scholarship running, I decided I'd post my progress with the scholarship competition:

DATE ******* NATIONAL RANK *** $OLD
June 24 ***** 106 *************** 11,025
July 1 ******* 42 **************** 16,523
July 8 ******* 44 **************** 19,114
July 15 ****** 34 **************** 23,162
July 22 ****** 30 **************** 27,123

I'll make sure to update each week for the rest of the summer campain to let yall know how I am doing.

Commenting on comments concerning Cutco

Once again, I feel the need to respond to someone who insists on posting comment after comment on my blog about Vector Marketing. This will, however, be my last response to these comments because - quite frankly - I'm getting a little tired of dealing with this guy who keeps doing this.

If you haven't been keeping up with this ongoing online "feud" just take a look at these past posts and comments:
Top Dog (June 21, 2005) + comments
Response to recent comments... (June 22) + comments
Defending Vector: a response to more comments (July 17) + comments

Please stop referring to this as a "job" with your retarded quotation marks. This is a job, regardless of how uncommon or unique it is and regardless of how much you don't like it.

You say that the company will take every single person, but that's not entirely true. Would the company like more sales reps, yeah, of course they would, but why would they want to hire a moron to show their product and make the company look bad. I'm sure there are some managers who hire anyone with a pulse, but I also know that some managers hire only truly qualified, clean-cut kids who need some extra money and are strongly motivated. How do I know? I work for one of those offices.

Now this next comment of your, I just don't understand: "The only ones they seem not to accept are those who are not young, naive, and inexperienced because they are the only ones who don't know any better."

First of all, just as a personal pet-peeve, don't use a sentence with a triple-negative. It's just tough reading.

Okay, so you're saying the company only hires young, naive and inexperienced people because they "don't know any better." Where do I even begin with this??? Okay, first off, young inexperienced people are hired by a lot of companies all the time every day. Someone has to get a first job somewhere. Mine happened to be editing an SAT workbook. For other kids, it's bagging groceries. And for some, yes, it's working with Vector. That's probably one of the greatest things about this company, the fact that no experience is necessary. It's a great resume builder.

As far as the naivity of new sales reps, what does that have to do with anything? People are told at the interview what the job entails. If they don't wanna show Cutco to people, they are more than free to walk out of the interview. They aren't chained down. We don't lock the doors. Walk out if you don't like it. But don't say that those who are coming to the office looking for a job don't know what they'll be doing when they leave. They know the details of the job.

The fact that you say that those hired "don't know any better" is insane. Some of the best Vector reps are personal recruits of a friend who works with the company. That rep tells their other friend who is looking for some extra cash about his job, so the friend goes in, knowing all about what this job is.

Is it true that some people go in to the interview not knowing exactly what they'll be doing? Absolutely. But that can be said about many positions where you don't know the specific details of a job until it is explained to you at an interview - which is exactly what Vector does.

Me personally, I went in to the interview not knowing what I'd be doing, but who cares. The manager explained the job to me. I thought it sounded like fun, so when he offered me the job, I shook his hand and said "thanks" because I wanted to do this. Other people don't take the job because they don't like it, but if someone doesn't want to do the job, they don't have to.

I really don't feel like answering any more of your bickering comments, but if there is some reason you feel so strongly against this company, I've gotta hear this personal vendetta. Did you get a job with Vector, not do well, blame it on others, and set out a mission in life to destroy this company? Or are you just jealous that friends of yours can make $20K in a summer while you bust your ass and make $2K? I don't know your life's story. I don't care about most of it. But why do you honestly feel the need to - in your mind - educate the world about what you think are the "evils" of a good company?

How 'bout them triplets

When I heard the other day that the triplets - the original triplets - were going to be inducted into the Cowboys' Ring of Honor together, I thought it was one of the best calls Jerry has made since buying the 'Boys.

Troy Aikman. Emmitt Smith. Michael Irvin. The triplets.

There may have been others, but none were better. Aikman led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins. Irvin put up Jerry Rice-like numbers until an injury cut-short a Hall of Fame career. And Smith ran his way into the record books with 18,355 career rushing yards.

When the three amigos are inducted into the Ring of Honor, I have made it a point to fly back to Dallas for the game, a Monday Night Football game against the hated Washington Redskins in the home opener.

Growing up watching the triplets do there thing and do it well was one of the greatest experiences ever. As a kid in Dallas, nothing was bigger than the Dallas Cowboys, and on the Cowboys, no one was bigger than the triplets - not even Jerry.

They got to Dallas in consecutive years. Irvin was drafted in 1988 - and when he left the NFL, he was last player to play for Tom Landry to retire. Aikman entered the league in 1989, and Smith made his way to Dallas the next year as part of the Herschel Walker deal.

Until Irvin's untimely retirement, the triplets dominated football. The beginning of the end didn't come until Michael didn't get up from the solid turf of The Vet as half of Philadelphia cheered his injury (don't get me started!).

People talk now about Peyton Manning, Edgerine James and Marvin Harrison being the "new triplets." Until they do what the Cowboys' version of the triplets did, they will be nothing more than three good football players on the same team.

Any team can assemble three good football players, but until they can come together to dominate their positions at the same time while dominating the entire National Football League, they will not compare with the triplets.

HOW 'BOUT THEM COWBOYS!
HOW 'BOUT THEM TRIPLETS!

Defending Vector (a response to more comments)

If you don't like the company, them you can probably live a life without Vector and Cutco. I'm not saying it's a job that EVERYONE can succeed at, because I believe it does take some special skills, but don't this idea that the company wants its reps to quit after selling to family and friends is legit either. Go to any Vector conference and you'll see.

Secondly, the job is NOT for everyone. That's why not everyone interviewed is hired, and that's why not everyone hired starts.

Also, as far as the comments on the sample kit deposit, I could turn my kit in tomorrow and get a FULL REFUND if that's what you want to call it. People do it every day.

When it comes to sales reps not getting paid, don't think people try to scam this company when they start out all the time. Reps will turn in full forms of 10 people they "went to see" but they will all be no-sales. Out of 10 people, no one bought anything.

Managers then have to call the names and numbers of those people to see if they really did the demos. If the people never heard of the kid or never saw the demo (which happens virtually every time someone hands in a 0-for-10 sheet), then that rep should not be paid and chances are will not be paid.

Forging paperwork won't earn you crap with this company and in life. Those who think they've done such a clever job of filling up a sheet with 10 names of strangers or fake people but then come back to Advanced Training with a full bag of rope and leather they were supposed to cut up on the presentation have no reason to be paid because they didn't do their job.

I'm not saying you have to love a company that you don't work for - that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm just saying that there are students who succeed at this job every day. About 60,000 college-age kids will work with Vector this summer, and those who don't will be missing out on something that can truly change lives.

I don't know who your are because you keep posting annonymously, but you seriously need to just drop it. This company isn't going away soon. I really think you should focus your attention elsewhere.

Instead of hating a company you don't work for, why not try finding a job with a company you won't hate? Who knows, you might actually enjoy working for that company, despite what others think about it, and then you'll know how I feel.

[READ THE RECENT POST BEING DISCUSSED AND ATTACHED COMMENTS]
[SEE THE POST THAT SPARKED THIS DISCUSSION AND ITS COMMENTS]