When the Saints Go Marching In

hyperbole runs rampant in sports. every game or match is a battle (with kellen winslow, jr. of the cleveland browns the main "soldja!"), the final seconds are always "do or die," there's "tremendous sacrifice" among players, and teammates trust the guys they "go to war" with. now, i'm a die-hard sports junkie but even to me, on most nights, the overstating of importance on a sports game by the announcers (have they really gotten THAT much worse over the past 10 years?!) and by the players in post-game interviews is not only aggravating, but often insulting to soldiers or heroes from other walks of life.

tonight, however, the importance and impact of a football game could not be overstated. after we all witnessed the sheer destruction of one of america's most renowned cities a little more than a year ago, the new orleans saints returned home to the superdome, site of some of the more embarrassing and saddening scenes during the katrina fiasco, for the first time in nearly 2 years.

everyone knew it'd be a big deal. i, for one, figured that somehow the network (ESPN) would make a complete circus of it and ruin the nostalgia and poignancy of the event. all week, the hype was built through all modern media. websites previewed the game and offered slideshows of the devastation juxtaposed with images of proud, rowdy fans gearing up for the game. highlights and analysis shows on all stations, not just ESPN, had wall-to-wall-blow-out-the-budget coverage, and radio dj's (even the ones on FM) were getting geeked for the showdown.

the run-up was tremendous....and we were all poised for a HUGE letdown. media contingencies, non-football fans, and celebrities alike descended upon the completely rebuilt superdome in the "big easy" for the welcome home celebration. kickoff was set for 8:30ET, but a delay was inevitable.

the opening montage was touching, recapping the utter annihilation of the crescent city. the schools, churches, clubs and virtually every free-standing building was destroyed by either the winds or the flooding. rhapsody, the music service, is sponsoring the "music rising" program,which is funding the replacement of instruments and studios destroyed by the hurricane, offered its own lowlights of new orleans' famous music scene affected by the disaster. it was all very sad, disheartening...especially knowing how little the government did to help anyone.

the mood shifted from sadness to pride and hope, as U2 and Green Day--2 bands neither of which i'm a huge fan--took to the stage setup at midfield. they sung some of their more recognizable hits, but changed the lyrics (predictably) to include mentions of new orleans and the surrounding areas. as cheesy as some of it may have been, it set off a string of emotions in me that i didn't know i had. music has a funny way of eliciting memories and thoughts one may otherwise supress. i felt the hair on the back of my neck raise a bit, followed by a wave of goose bumps as Bono and Billy Jo and the Edge chanted "here come the saints." for the first time, the phrase "this puts everything into perspective" that commentators are so fond of was ACTUALLY true.

the perspective here is that in the face of unspeakable tragedy, much like 9/11, sports offer a diversion, if only for 3 hours. they are an escape from the harsh realities we live. as importantly, the rebuilding and refurbishing of the superdome was a symbol of a city on the rebound. sure, the $185 million spent to fix the cornerstone of new orleans' convention and toursim industry could very well have been better spent on more police, firefighters, teachers, and other rebuilding efforts. but the value the rebuilding effort holds is completely immeasurable. new orleanians had, for the first time in 15 months, a safe place to gather and enjoy themselves.

the superdome is an icon, recognized by millions around the world as an architectural marvel. renovating and rebuilding it first was the smartest thing gov. blanco and mayor nagin could have done, as it put a familiar face on the city and kept the national spotlight on new orleans, where it should be. it will take years, maybe decades, for the remainder of the city and the region to be restored as closely to its original self as possible. in the interim, incremental steps, even symbolic ones like the superdome project, will make the remaining work a bit more tolerable and a bit less ardous.

my NFL allegiance resides in cincinnati. but tonight, even the most ardent homers were saints fans, and it was a bittersweet sight to see them go marching in.

Love and Sex - A Brief Review

it may be a bit effeminate for a straight guy to watch a chick flick. but every once in a while, one may stumble upon a movie that can transcend its atomic estrogen rating and reach new heights: a damn good film. earlier this week, this happened to me.

though it was actually the second time i'd seen it (stumbled upon it 2 years ago while channel surfing), "love and sex" (2000) is a great script disguised as a chick flick. ordinarily, i'd not give watching it a second thought, but a movie starring one of my favorite actors, jon favreau (before he began looking like he ate the old jon favreau) and the dutch uber milf goddess famke janssen is worth a try.

the film is a refreshing and honest look at the intracacies and psychological games of, well, love and sex. it follows a struggling journalist as she attempts to produce a piece on loving relationships. sadly, as she recounts her many failed trials in love, she questions whether she's even qualified to write on such a topic. any human worth the air he breathes can relate to at least one part of the film, whether it be the doting (yes, doting. look it up), the cheating, the make up sex or the essence of "timing," to name a few.

certainly those that enjoy the typical romantic comedy will like it, but even those that frequently watch dramas, action or artsy foreign films will appreciate a story wrought with sarcastic, clever humor and wit...which just may be why it appeals so strongly to this jeen yes.

1+1= 3

the time has come for me to fulfill my academic potential. i decide a few weeks back, along with my good friend cj, that it was time, finally, to head back to campus and pursue the ever-so-valuable MBA.

over the past couple of weeks, i've been haphazardly studying the sample materials that typically appear on the GMAT, perhaps the worst test ever invented by man, by dedicating exactly half my attention to said samples. naturally, the remaining 50% has been dedicated to people watching while i'm "studying" at my local bookstore/cafe. this week, however, my studies kicked into high gear as i spent the better part of 2 hours per night for 4 nights reading through monotonous lessons and attempting to solve sample problems--with a mere 15% of my attention dedicated elsewhere. not bad for an ADD-head.

while i've been adequately balancing my new job, my addiction to the gym, and my nightly study sessions, i've realized a few things:

realization #1: this college go-around is far more important than my first. this time it actually DOES matter where i go and how i do. there won't be any fraternity parties, though there will surely be plenty of young, tanned and toned coeds. there won't be any "weekends start on thursdays" mentality and, to a lesser degree, there won't be nearly the level of identification with my institution (point of order here, i went to EMU, a school with which i was too embarrassed to truly identify myself. instead, michigan was my identity, as it's a superior school with superior athletics to boot).

reality #2, i suck at math. i mean i REALLLLLLLLY suck. actually, i don't suck. i'm below "sucking" on the math chart of suckiness. i was terrible at math in both high school and in college. now, i've forgotten all the stuff i was so terrible at. so, basically, i have to work my way back to sucking just so i can potentially move beyond that and into the "mediocre" category. fun times.

observation #3: no matter how hard the coursework may be, school is infinitely more entertaining/satisfying than working. i've never been excited about a job. ever. in fact, even the jobs i didn't hate, i still hated simply because i hate working. i'm aware that an MBA will simply lead me to a higher level of job that i may hate, but hell, at least it'll be a nice 2-3 year break from waking up at 6am every morning, heading to an office, and having to fulfill obligations that really hold no interest to me. on the other hand, even knowing how effin hard a graduate program in business will be, i couldn't possibly be more excited about it. aside from pondering how on god's green earth W managed a degree from an ivy league school, my own post-secondary education occupies my mind the most. and chicks. man, how i love chicks. especially the ones with the.....ok, another time.

new fact #4: i'm an ego-maniac and a narcissist. i never really thought much about it before, but it's become increasingly clear to me lately that one of the true leading factors in my decision to go to grad school is that i have a big ego and that i want recognition above and beyond that of others. before, an MBA was just something "i've always wanted to do for myself." now, it's something i kinda need to do to satisfy the craving to have 3 letters after my name and to compete with my friends who possess post-secondary degrees (though only a handful claim MBA's). i also like to be seen with my GMAT book in public. it makes me feel important knowing that the other schlubs in my locale aren't trying to better themselves which, in the end, means i'm better than them. i'm not saying it's a good reason to go (it's not the primary one, so don't worry), but i'm okay with it. anything that furthers my love for myself is fine by me.

pensamiento final (final thought): money really DOES make everything better. i've worked a lot of jobs. i've never made a lot of money. hell, most of the time i'm making just enough to get by. and i grew to hate and/or resent each job over time. now, while an MBA is no guarantee of a high-paying job, it does increase the likelihood of receiving a nice offer over another candidate with a simple bachelor's degree, which means that even though i'm certain to eventually loathe that job too, at least i'll have the financial means to buy a slice of happiness. or a slice of pizza. mmmm, pizza.

so, in the coming year, i plan to leave the undergraduate world a bitter, job-loathing, poverty-stricken individual and emerge in MBA land an egotistical narcissist with money, 3 letters after my name, and i'll be better than 85% of you. can someone cosine on my loan?

Hut, Hut, Hike!

i could write a really lengthy post on just how much i love the end of summer/beginning of fall. i could reminisce about all the wonderful memories i had experiencing the midwest autumn (it's the ONLY time of the year i wasn't miserable there). and i could carry on and on about how the cooler temperatures are a welcome break from the oppressive summer heat. but i won't. know why? 'cause college football season is officially under way and kicks into high gear in a mere 9 hours. so fuck the long-winded memoirs. GO BLUE!