Friday, March 09, 2007

Friday's Off The Wall Blog: Spring Break Freedom Edition

For us SIU Salukis, Spring Break begins after our last class on Friday ends. Granted a lot of us have gotten a head start on the festivities, but some of us are still here writing last minute papers and studying for the last mid-term before we get a week of being free. Which reminds me: school vacation equals blog vacation unless something "newsworthy" comes across the wires. Personally I doubt it'll happen, but it's Spring Break so you must be prepared for anything and everything. With that said, it's time to get the Friday fun started.
  • Really, I should probably call this OTW blog 'Sports Edition' because I've got three pretty interesting sports-related stories. But I'll start off with some 'Idol' talk. American Idol that is. Friday morning is generally regulated for Idol lovers to talk about who got offed on Thursday night. I'm not going in that direction though. AOL brings a great point about last year's winner Taylor Hicks: Where is the Soul Patrol? Hicks might just be Idol's first flop, his album hasn't even cracked a million sales yet and it doesn't look good. Heck, I've yet to hear Hicks on the radio....well, Taylor Hicks....I can listen to "hicks" on the radio all the damn time in Carbondale. Anyway, Hicks is bad now. He was bad then. Back then I predicted that hottie Katherine McPhee would emerge as the true winner, predicting that she would out sell Hicks and will be more popular than Hicks given time. McPhee is getting major radio airplay with her single "Getting Over" while Hicks ain't getting jack diddly. In the order of Idol operations it's: Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Ruben Studdard.....and whoever else won. Daughtry, the third place winner of last years show, is outshining both McPhee and Hicks with his likable rock stylings.
  • A well written piece from the best student run college newspaper in the state of Illinois, the Daily Egyptian here at SIU Carbondale. This piece is about Saluki senior guard Tony Young and his rise to prominence as a Saluki. Young has gone through some rough times on his way to the top, but his toughness (both mental and physical) got him through it. The Chicago Tribune, who rejected this original piece, later tried "biting" it (AKA ripping it off as one of its own) in a later article, but Saluki Nation knows where the truth is. If TY was at U of I, the Tribsters would be tripping over their own drool over this guy. I'm glad he's on our team.
  • Speaking of good things about Chicago sports, Forbes has come up with their list of the best general managers in sports. Two Chicago GMs top the list. Jerry Angelo, GM of the NFC Champion Chicago Bears comes in at number eight while Chicago Bulls GM John Paxson comes in at 10. Angelo, who came in third place among NFL GMs, is the brain behind putting together the most complete and deepest team in the NFL. We'll see how Angelo does with free agency after a Super Bowl year. Paxson, who ranked third among NBA GMS, is the man who saved the sinking ship abandoned by resident boob Jerry Krause. Paxson has brought in an emerging core of youngsters who excelled in college such as Kirk Hinrich (Kansas), Ben Gordon (UConn), Luol Deng and Chris Duhon (Duke) to go along with veteran leadership (Ben Wallace, PJ Brown, Adrian Griffin), championship experience (Andres Nocioni) altogether coached by Scott Skiles. Cubs GM Jim Spendry..er..Hendry came in at 59 while White Sox GM Kenny Williams came in at 67. My personal favorite GM the Athletics Billy Beane came in at 26th overall, but 1st among baseball GMs.
  • And finally a story a year in the making....J.J. Redick's poetry. I fought with myself if I should include this, in the end I decided why not. Everyone knows I hate Duke, which means I hate all of their players (until they're on the Bulls.) Everyone also knows that I have a specific hatred for the "sweet shooting rich white kid" from Virginia nicknamed by Tar Heel fans "JJ Redneck." Enough with the Redick bashing (for now) and let's take a look at the poetry. I'm surprised it doesn't consist of "Roses are red, violets are blue/Duke sucks and I do too." JJ's got some interesting things going on, and he's got this whole Devil versus God thing going on and it's quite interesting thinking of it from a poet's point of view. I'm sure a lot of his poetical insecurities come from being the most hated man in college basketball for the last four years. Still, no one told him that he had to go to the most hated university in college basketball. No one told him he had to be a pompous ass on the court. No one told him that he had to be a bitch ass whiny cry baby when he didn't get his way. No one told him to choke and disappear when the Dookies needed him the most. Damn, I guess I can't go a minute without bashing the kid. Well, he deserves it! GO HEELS!
FRIDAY'S FIVE. Five songs that I probably overplayed on my I-pod this week.
  1. Don't Matter by Akon
  2. I'm Throwed by Paul Wall featuring Jermaine Dupri
  3. Not A Criminal Remix by Chamillionaire featuring Snoop Dogg and Busta Rhymes
  4. Watching You by Rodney Atkins
  5. U Center Me by Robin Thicke
FRIDAY'S FIVE. Old School Edition. Because Old School Is Really Where It's At.
  1. Do You Believe In Magic by The Lovin' Spoonful
  2. Soul Man by Sam & Dave
  3. I Want You Back by The Jackson 5
  4. Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley
  5. I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Marvin Gaye
Have A Safe Spring Break Everyone! Fun and Safe!

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