Saturday, December 04, 2004

Friday Fun: News, Notes & More about Friday Nite

Friday started off like every other Friday, English @ 9 am that no one went to, boring Media in Society class that included "Richard Simmons in a Spider Man Suit", the difference between US radio stations and Kenyan radio stations is that our radio stations work and play music and gratuitous T-n-A from MTV India that mocked American values. Look, just cuz our chicks are hotter than yours, doesn't mean that you should be hating on us. And all-in-all, class sucked, but it was FRIDAY, and that means you can screw around as much as you want because on Monday everything goes back to normal. The pre-game took place in my room. For those of you keeping score at home, pre-gaming is when you drink before you go out drinking. For all intents and purposes, its getting drunk before getting absolutely FUBR (fucked up beyond recognition.) I wasn't there for that because I went to go to a friends room to play Madden. I whooped him. 59-42 Colts over the Falcons. The final score doesn't do me justice when it comes to the whoopin this kid took. I knocked out all 3 of his quarterbacks at one point (Michael Vick and Doug Johnson for the game). I scored touchdowns by passing (Manning to Harrison 68 yds on the 1st play), Running (58 yd. TD run by E. James), Punt Return (Walters 73), Kickoff Return (Walters 96) and interception (Doss 38). Other scoring included Manning to Stokely (13 yards), Manning to Wayne (53 yards), 2 Mike Vanderjagt field goals and I don't remember. All but 14 of my opponents points came in the second half when I focused my concerns on knocking out his last QB for the rest of the game. I passed for 450+ yards and rushed for 100. Great game for Louie and his Colts. It was 8:30 when I went back upstairs to start drinking. I wasn't going out because I had my own stuff to drink, and I wasn't gonna pay for what I had for free. I had a pint of Bacardi 151, a pint of Hennessey and a bottle of Absolut Citron. I'd like to thank an anonymous donor for supplying me. We started around 9 pm. Me, Jameel (aka Jamal when I been drinkin) and Keith were going shot for shot whether it was 151, Henney or Absolut. We had lemon drops, which is a shot of 90% liquor 10% lemonade. Thats some good stuff, it makes it go down so easy, by the end of the night, it was like breathing. That is not good, thats how you become an alcoholic or something like that. But to become an alcoholic, you have to admit that you have a problem. And I won't say I have a problem, but I will say that I don't not have a problem. I was pretty messed up until I decided to take my drinks back to my room to watch a movie. I told everyone I was going to sleep, which I was, I was tired as all hell at 11:00 pm. Then I talked to my cousin and she had her stuff and I had my stuff and right as I was going to bed, I found myself on the third floor going lemon drop shot for lemon drop shot with my new buddy Todd. Later we played Scattegories. Scattegories is a game in which you roll a dice and it lands on a letter of the alphabet. With that letter of the alphabet you answer questions with answers that start with that letter. For example: the letter is J and the question is Boys names. You answer Jack and you get a point unless someone else answers Jack, then you get nothing. Its a great game, especially when you are drunk and you don't know obvious answers.
Things I am Learning...
After you've dranken enough, all the alcohol tastes the same.
When you are a college students and you are a guy you're in a tough situation. You either want to get with every girl non-stop, or you want a serious relationship. That is the two opposite ends of the spectrum there. That is the situation I am in, I am the kind of guy that wants to get into a serious relationship, but since thats not falling through you move to plan B...but what happens if plan B falls through.
College students partake in the most expensive habits and then complain about being broke. Drinking, Smoking and Starbucks. Man, if Starbucks wasn't so damn expensive, paying $5 to get into Cherry Pit, $1 for a shot, $2 for mixed drinks and $3 for mixed frozen drinks wouldn't be that bad. But no, its $5 for a strawberries and cream frappuccino, $1.75 for a carmel-fudge brownie. Smoking is expensive unless you go to Indiana, but thats so much harder when you're not in Chicago and Gary Indiana is right across the bridge.
Drinking isn't the problem, but thinking is. Thinking can get you in just as much trouble as drinking can.
College girls are major problems. They complain that they want equal rights, but then complain when they are handed responsibility. They complain that they want to be in major relationships but then they go sleepin around. They complain that they are called bitches, hoes and sluts. But then they go screaming up a storm because one hair is out of place and then go screwing everyone on the dormitory floor. They complain about all of the stereotypes that are given to college girls, but then they fit all of them. Its like self-fullfilling prophecy. But hey thats college, crazy shit happens.
News and Sports
News reports out of Colombia reported that Colombian rebels were planning to assassinate President Bush, but that the rebels had nothing to say about it. Did you really expect them to say anything, really? Did you really expect for rebels to reveal their plans to the whole world when it came to assassinating the leader of the free world. "Hi, we are planning to assassinate President Bush Friday December 3rd at 1:23 pm Eastern Standard Time while he is eating at Taco Bell at 1234 Drug Deal Drive. Jose will be our sniper at the Taco Burrito Queen across the street. Our operatives include the Taco Bell manager Don Juan, the waitress Maria and me, Don Papi." Yeah, didn't think so. Them hispaniks iz knot ass stoopid az u wood theenk.
Steriod Watch is on now. Giambi came out of the closet, Bonds admitted but said he didn't know he was using it. So who's next? I'm going with Jim Edmonds, who has Cali roots as a former Anaheim Angel. He never hit more than 30 HRs and was never healthy in Anaheim. He goes to St. Louis all of a sudden he hits 40 HRs, he's steriod man. Sammy Sosa, nah, he used them Flintstone vitamins. Don't know about you, but I used Flintstones at 5, not 35. But hey maybe hes catching up on what he didn't have as a kid.
Notre Dame football is now on the bottom of the list of respectable football programs. They fire Tyrone Willingham after 3 years of his 6 year term after going 21-15, 6-5 and a bowl game. They try to hire their guy in Utah who has an out clause to come to ND. But he ditches them to go to Florida and now ND is caught with their pants down with rampant rumors of racism (firing their first and only black coach to possibly hire a white coach after the black coach finishes with a winning record.)
If #1 USC loses to UCLA, #2 Oklahoma loses to Colorado in the Big 12 Championship game and #3 Auburn loses to #15 Tennessee in the SEC title game, that would leave Utah and Boise State as the only two undefeated teams in college football. And guess what, they wouldn't get the national title bid would they. So who would? California, Texas & Louisville all have only one loss. Louisville has the best offense in college football while Texas has arguably one of the top defenses and top rushing offenses. And California is the only team in the last 2 years to beat USC.
Who is the best team in college basketball? #3 University of Illinois beat #1 Wake Forest. Kansas was a pre-season favorite and is the #2 team in the country. Duke is always up there, the defending national champs are still undefeated. Syracuse is still good and young and North Carolina is the most dangerous open court team in the country...so who's #1?
Well, thats it for now, time to eat. I think, I'm starving, gotta go find food.
HOLLER!

Thursday, December 02, 2004

Things I Hate

I am, in general, a loving person. But like every natural human being, I have things that I hate as well. That goes beyond athletes, teams, celebrities and politicians. But in my world, there are certain groups that I just can't stand. Group #1 would be pretty people that know that they are pretty and think they are better than everyone because they are pretty. These should be number one on anyone's hitlist, unless they are pretty themselves. They take advantage of their prettiness to get whatever they want and they live fake lives. They have no true concept of what the real world holds, just a conception brought to them by their late night television news. They think they are better than everyone else because of their status but they are no better than you and me. I hate skateboarders. They are the most evil beings on the face of the earth. They ride the streets as if they are gods gift to the streets, as if they own the streets. "We're cool, we're skateboarders, we're rebels." No, you're dumb, weird losers and if you are not careful, you'll "accidentally" get ran over by me. It is not fair that they get to ride the streets and I can't drive on the sidewalk. I am a man of fairness, if anything, I truely am. So, in fairness, the skateboarders can ride in the streets and I can drive on the sidewalk with them. Bicyclists. Another group I can't stand because they have the same rules I do as a driver and if they don't follow them no punishment. I don't follow them, there's hell to pay. And then if I hit them, I have to pay because its my fault. It's not my fault that your dumbass doesn't stop at stop signs, looks where they are going or braves going across 6 lanes of traffic. Thats it for now.

Wednesday, December 01, 2004

Even though I'm 6 Hours Away I can Still Ponder Outloud about my Cubs

The months of November and December mean two things: The Holidays are coming and Hot Stove baseball is heating up. Unlike the few months that basketball and football give their fans to hope for better days, the months of November and December are for the fans to hope and pray for the big superstar to land on their field. Fans still have January and February and a little bit of March before baseball starts to shape their ultimate team in their head. Since the end of the baseball year, Cub fans have been lighting up the hot stove like it was nothing. First, the Sammy Sosa fallout. A once proud Chicago icon has now been decimated with corked bat taunting, titanic-sized sneezes and a quitter label. No one wants the third, real hard nosed winners would rather die alone in a cold dark alley than be called a quitter. Who cares that it was the last game that meant nothing. 40,000+ Cub fans showed up to see you play 81 times a year and pay an outstanding amount to do so, and that is how you repay them, by not showing up, and on top of it lying. That was a totally unfair gesture towards the Cubs, but it also showed up the fans, the same fans that welcomed you with open arms from the South Side and had your back since your first day in Cubbie blue. Now, the Cubs look to trade their future Hall of Famer to potentially get the monkey off their back. Rumors have him going to New York for Chicago native outfielder/1st baseman Cliff Floyd who can play Alou's left, spell D. Lee at 1st base once in a while and would be a welcomed left-handed bat in Wrigley Field. Also possibly in that trade could be Mike Piazza, who would immediately be dealt to Los Angeles for Shawn Green and then you have locked up two glaring needs...but the latter is not likely to happen. Sosa-for-Floyd seems foolish, but attatched to Sosa is baggage. So the deal looks more like this Sosa+Quitter+Ego+Clubhouse Cancer-to NY-for-Floyd+a fresh start+Chicago's own+a new page in Cub clubhouse lifestyle....Nomar Garciaparra is likely to come back to the Cubs in a one year deal to prove his health, stamina and endurance are back to a point in which he can demand a long term deal. A more likely scenario has the Cubs filling two needs by ransacking the Cardinals for clutch all-star shortstop Edgar Renteria and second baseman Tony Womack. Sounds good in principle, taking your biggest rivals double play combination. On top why not take their ace Matt Morris and make him the 5th starter? Just blow them all up. In my world, it'd be simple. Cubs sign Renteria and Womack. Re-sign Nomar and turn him into Robin Yount and move him to left field. Or, if you still have doubts about Womack as a one-year wonder, how about moving Nomar to second, a position he would be open to playing for the New York Yankees. Now you have taken from the best team in the division last year, improved your outfield and still have room for the grand prize of baseball CARLOS BELTRAN...Carlos Beltran had been living under the radar in Kansas City for a long time, but since his massive run with the Astros in the playoffs, Beltran is the man, just like A-Rod was the man. Beltran is on record saying that he would love to play for the Cubs and in Wrigley Field, and off the record by some sources saying to Dusty Baker that he wanted to play for him. Carlos seemed to love Chicago, I can't blame him, he could be the star of stars and do something that could overshadow Jordan's six championships and the '85 Chicago Bears...WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP that is 97 years in the making. The Cubs have other glaring needs though, a closer because God knows if they had a legit closer us Cubs fans would be talking celebrations, not repairs. That 2004 team was too good not to be in the playoffs. They had 6 guys that potentially could hit 30 HRs and 100 RBIs and 4 guys that could win 15-20 games a year. One of the best long relievers and set-up men in baseball in Rusch and Hawkins. But instead injuries and certain players pointing the finger at Dusty, the fans, the broadcasters, the umps, the sky whatever and whoever to take the blame off their back. It is a shame. Last winter, Jim Hendry and the Cubs looked for talent to fill in their noticeable holes. This winter, they should be looking for mind over matter.

Monday, November 29, 2004

Thanksgiving Break and The Return To Carbondale

Thanksgiving is the best holiday, hands down. It's not a Hallmark Holiday, it's not really commercialized or materialistic like Christmas, it is a time in which family gets together, puts aside the beef (no pun intended) and eats peacefully (in most cases.) I love Thanksgiving because it promotes eating, and drinking (mostly eating) and football. Eating multiple kinds of turkey, macaroni and cheese with three different types of cheeses, a myriad of desserts and much much more. After Thanksgiving, I made my return to Carbondale, leaving the cold, windy city of Chicago to comeback to the cold, windy & rainy Carbondale. I missed that place Chicago. I hopped off the train and saw buildings that touched the sky, felt the noise and loundess of cars honking and music blaring, and the arguing of cab drivers. Ahhh, home sweet home! I enjoyed my time home. Sleeping in my own bed, sleeping late and often. Getting homecooked grits, biscuits, eggs, crema, arroz con mole, coconut cake, cheesecake, apple/peach cobbler, smothered steak, and garlic mashed potatoes. Getting real pizza. Sausage and pepporoni, greasy, meaty and cheesy, the way true Chicagoans like it. Italian beef cooked, not microwaved and some quality burritos and tortas from an authentic Mexican restaurant, not a "Mexican" restaurant run by hillbillie white folks from the boonies and quality Puerto Rican food. Now, I'm back, in a town that I consider boring if it wasn't for the parties. But the people here are nice, I've made plenty of quality friends that I could count on, and I've only known them for a few months. It was strange to return to Chicago to happy faces of excitement from friends and family. And when I returned to Carbondale, I was welcomed with smiles and a sense of happiness from friends. I didn't see these people for one week, but it felt like it was longer than that. It was two weekends without the infamous Cherry Pit. Two sober weekends is most likely what made it feel like such a long time without these people. But back home, it seemed like it went too quickly. Quicker than you can call a Cubs chokejob, it was Wednesday night and I was going to bed so I can wake up early to play a good ol' fashioned Thanksgiving Football Game. Going home was not as promising as advertised or promised by certain females. Ex-girlfriends calling to say that they have gotten back with another ex-boyfriend. Ex-co-workers calling from Texas not home, but wait till Christmas (same one who said at Halloween wait til Thanksgiving) and flirty friends that talk about other guys they've been with while they know you have feelings for them. But that is what happens when you are best friend to the world, but ya gotta love it though, cuz when you are friend to the world, you are on top of the world. I got back, some were in the same predicament I was in. "Did you get laid?" "No." "Me neither." See, I'm not the only one who didn't get any when I went home. Then I had to wake up the next morning to go to class. It was cold, rainy, windy and I didn't have my car to take me to class warm and dry. Class was boring, as usual on Monday morning. Students exchanged tales of turkey and stories of stuffing and good times at home. Despite the cold, wet, winter-like conditions, it was good to be home, both in Chicago and in Carbondale.

The Best of the Best (in my opinion, don't kill me if you don't agree)

To get a better understanding of me I will give you my opinion of the best of the best in my favorite topics.
Top 5 Rappers
  1. 2 Pac
  2. Biggie
  3. Jay-Z
  4. Eminem
  5. Nas

Top 5 Movies

  1. The Fugitive
  2. The Sandlot
  3. The Godfather
  4. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
  5. Star Wars

Top 5 Underrated or Underappreciated Rappers

  1. Twista
  2. Kanye West
  3. Common
  4. Talib Kweli
  5. Big Punisher

Top 5 Musicians (Non-rap)

  1. The Temptations
  2. Elvis
  3. Michael Jackson (1980s)
  4. The Rolling Stones
  5. Marvin Gaye

Top 5 Chicago Sports Stars of My Life Time

  1. Michael Jordan
  2. Walter Payton
  3. Ryne Sandberg
  4. Greg Maddux
  5. Mike Singletary

Top 5 Sports Stars of Today

  1. Michael Vick
  2. Mark Prior
  3. Kevin Garnett
  4. Derek Jeter
  5. Tie: Brian Urlacher, Ray Lewis

10 Artists I Would Like To Work With If I Ever Made It Big In Music

  1. 2 pac, Biggie, Big Pun (the best of the dead rappers)
  2. Marvin Gaye (to write the greatest love song of all time)
  3. Kanye West, Twista, Shawnna, Common, Billy Corgan, Disturbed (Chi-town's Finest)
  4. The Rolling Stones (the greatest band of all time)
  5. Jay-Z, Nas, Jadakiss, Mase, Diddy, 50 Cent(The Best New York has to offer)
  6. Eminem
  7. Usher (The best R&B has to offer today)
  8. Mariah Carey, Lil Kim, Missy Elliott
  9. Grand Master Flash
  10. Ludacris, T.I., Ying Yang Twins, Young Buck, Scarface (The best of the south)

10 Producers I want producing my album

  1. Lil Jon
  2. Kanye West
  3. The Alchemist
  4. Rick Rubin
  5. Just Blaze
  6. Timbaland
  7. Quincy Jones
  8. Dr. Dre
  9. The Neptunes
  10. Grand Master Flash

Top 5 Best Chicago Sports Teams of My Lifetime

  1. The 1996-97 Chicago Bulls (72-10, MJ, Scottie, Phil and The Worm surrounded by the greatest supportting cast since the 1992 Bulls)
  2. 1989 Chicago Cubs (Division Champs Upset by the Giants, Cubs fans hate California teams)
  3. 2001 Chicago Bears (Best Bears team since '85 just couldn't beat Chi-town's best QB)
  4. 1992 Chicago Bulls (The best TEAM from top to bottom. Everyone was clutch: MJ, Scottie, Ho Grant, Paxson, BJ and The Role Squad)
  5. 2004 Chicago Cubs (Even though they won absolutely nothing, the talent on that team, if completely healthy-mentally and physically, was the most dangerous team in baseball. Alou, Patterson, Sosa, Ramirez, Nomar and D. Lee could all hit 30 HRs with 100 RBI. Maddux, Prior, Wood, Zambrano could've all won 20 games and mentally strong Kyle Farnsworth with his 100 MPH fastball, 80 MPH breaking ball, and that new cutter that he learned from Maddux would be the most dominating closer in team history)

Top 5 Worse Chicago Sports Teams of My Lifetime

  1. The 1997 Chicago Cubs (0-13! 0-and-fucking-13..."Cubs win...Party on Chicago." got a certain play-by-play commentator-Josh Lewin-fired the next year.)
  2. The 1999 Chicago Bulls (When Tim Floyd is your coach, you've just dropped the greatest dynasty in Chicago history and your best player is Brent Barry, its not gonna be a good year)
  3. The 1997 White Sox (4 Words: White Flag Trade, QUITTERS)
  4. The Blackhawks (even though no one cares, hockey used to be loved in the Chi, now, who knows what hockey is)
  5. 1998/2000 Chicago Bears: Wannstedt's last team couldn't do anything right. Jauron's 2nd team quit and it all started with Cade McClownass and Curtis Penis

Top 5 TV Shows

  1. The Simpsons
  2. Family Guy
  3. 24
  4. Seinfeld
  5. Tie: Law and Order and Family Matters

Top 10 Hip-Hop Songs of all-time

  1. The Message- Grand Master Flash
  2. Gangsta's Paradise- Coolio
  3. Hit Em Up- 2 Pac
  4. Jesus Walks- Kanye West
  5. Stan- Eminem
  6. Killing Me Softly- The Fugees
  7. Parents Just Don't Understand- The Fresh Prince
  8. 99 Problems- Jay-Z
  9. Gin and Juice- Snoop Doggy Dogg
  10. Crossroads- Bone Thugs and Harmony

Top 10 Rock Songs

  1. Jailhouse Rock-Elvis Presley
  2. Back in Black- AC/DC
  3. Rock You Like A Hurricane- The Scorpions
  4. Let's Spend the Night Together- The Rolling Stones
  5. Born in the USA- Bruce Springstein
  6. Dammitt- Blink 182
  7. Enter Sandman- Metallica
  8. Counterfeit- Limp Bizkit
  9. Crazy Train- Ozzy Osbourne
  10. Iron Man- Black Sabbath

Top 5 Songs of All Time

  1. Thriller- Michael Jackson
  2. Rappers Delight- Sugar Hill Gang
  3. Hells bells- AC/DC
  4. Hound Dog- Elvis
  5. Sweet Home Chicago- The Blues Brothers

Top 5 Worse Movies

  1. Titanic
  2. Never Been Kissed
  3. Major Leage: Back to the Minors
  4. Like Mike
  5. Home Alone 3

Top 5 Best Sports Moments of My Lifetime

  1. Michael Jordan's Last Shot as a Chicago Bull (1998 NBA Finals-Game 6 Winner)
  2. Young-to-Owens 1998 49ers eliminate Packers in comeback fashion
  3. Joe Carter Wins the 1993 World Series with Walk-off Home Run
  4. The Drive-John Elway's 98 yard drive against the Browns
  5. 1993 UNC beats Michigan

Top 5 Best Chicago Sports Moments

  1. The Shot-Jordan switches in mid-air over the Lakers
  2. Cubs win Game 163 to reach the playoffs
  3. Mike Brown's back-to-back game winning interceptions
  4. Bo Jackson Sends the Sox to the playoffs in 1993 (Even though I hate the Sox, Bo Jackson is one of my favorite athletes of all time)
  5. The Cubs beat the Cardinals 4 out of 5 in the 1st week of September to eliminate them

Top 5 Worst Chicago Sports Moments

  1. The Bulls Get Broken Up
  2. The Bartman Incident and the Ensuing losses of Games 6 and 7
  3. Bears Pass Up Moss/Culpepper/Portis in the draft (Enis/McNown/Colombo)
  4. Cubs win 2 games in final week of 2004 season, lose out on Wild Card Berth
  5. Bulls lose to Orlando in Eastern Conference Finals (Jordan embarrassed in comeback year by the cocky fags of Orlando Nick "The Dick" Anderson, Anfernee (Don't Call me Anthony) "I'm not worth a Penny" Hardaway and Shaq's big fat black ass

Top 10 Hottest Chicks of today

  1. Halle Berry
  2. Beyonce
  3. Jenny McCarthy
  4. Denise Richards
  5. Lindsay Lohan
  6. Angelina Jolie
  7. Charlize Theron
  8. Shania Twain
  9. Jessica Simpson
  10. Carmen Electra
  11. Julia Roberts
  12. Kirsten Dunst
  13. Gretchen Wilson
  14. Paris Hilton
  15. Jennifer Garner

Opening Shots

Name: Luis M.
Nickname: Lou, The Rican
Age: 18
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Race/Ethnicity: Puerto Rican
Occupation: Student (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Freshman)
This is my first blog. I'd like to start off by introducing myself. Hi, I'm Luis and I am a freshman at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The Carbondale campus of Southern Illinois University is known as one of the most notorious party schools in the country, and with this blog I plan to take you through my life and times as often as I can. The things you will read hear are true and to protect the innocent, will secure the identities of my friends and classmates. To catch you up on my situation:
  • I have a new love in my life, vodka.
  • I have learned that the "Party Boy" lifestyle isn't all that it's cracked up to be (and a lot more expensive than I thought)
  • If you don't have your priorities straight when you get to college, you will be realizing that you by semester you have wasted at least $7,000 on a 4 month vacation without a hotel, room service, tourist attractions, with limited food and entertainment.
  • The city that the college resides in and the college itself make most of their revenue by arresting students, fining students and issuing parking tickets to students.
  • When it comes to women, be careful. Don't get attatched, don't be too aggressive, yet don't fall into the infamous "friend zone."
  • Drinking is all good until someone gets hurt, arrested or violent.
  • In college, there's no place like home, but when you're home, there's no place like college.
  • Leftovers become a good second option when you're down to your last $5 and you wanna go out and drink.
  • It's not stealing, it's permanantly borrowing.
  • It's not stealing until you get caught.
  • Stealing music off the internet is fair game. You put out only one good song on a CD that I pay $15 for. It damn near gives me the right to take all of your other hits on your other CDs in which you only put one good song on.
  • Pussy is pussy, unless it is used, abused and has something growing in it (aka STDs to be named later)
  • Sleeping all day and eating once a day is not a viable diet.
  • Go to class, $7,000 is a lot of money to waste not going to class because (drunk, lazy, tired, sexed out, insert other excuse here.)
  • College is fun!