Cruise Chronicles Day Four: A Grand Adventure

March 14, 2011

It was an early wake-up call once again, as I arose at seven o’clock for a shower and breakfast.  While I was showering and breakfasting, the ship was pulling into our first port of call for the week, Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI).  At approximately 8:15, I got off the ship for the first time in some forty hours, as Dad and I left for the cruise center.  A taxi, driving on the left side of the road, took us to the Grand Turk National Museum, where we saw some artifacts from the oldest known Atlantic shipwreck.  The wreck occurred sometime in the early sixteenth century, most likely between 1511 and 1513, off the third largest reef in the world, located in the TCI.  The small and quaint museum kept our interest for about a half an hour, when we headed back to the cruise center.

Next was the real fun of the day:  Christopher and I took an excursion that involved a kayak ride up and down one of the creeks on the north side of Grand Turk.  Our bus driver to the kayak center, Conroy, gave us a great view of the island and some history tidbits about TCI.  Our crew of two-person kayaks was led by the great Captain Max and nature guide Juanito.  The kayak trip took us downstream to see some mangrove trees and a wrecked barge.  The barge had been part of a two-boat team assigned to widen the creek when it ran up on the shallow water of the reef.  The TCI officials left the barge where it was, and now the only pair of osprey on the island make their home in that boat.  We then headed back upstream, ending at a nice beach, where we walked up a hill for a short time and were introduced to such plants as the buttonwood and prickly pear.  Back on the beach, we learned about sea cucumbers, two different kinds of sea urchins, starfish, and conch.  We were treated to fresh conch meat; there was no preparation other than removing the creature from its shell and cutting the meat in order to portion it out.  We rowed back downstream to the kayak center, where Conroy picked us up and returned us to the cruise center.

After running back up to drop some stuff in the stateroom, it was to the beach for a quick lay-out to end the afternoon in Grand Turk.  Some facts about the island, and Turks and Caicos:

• Grand Turk is seven miles long, and up to two miles in width, with a population of 4,000.
• There are two former US military bases on the island: a Navy base on the north end, and a Marines base on the south.
• The TCI are a part of the British West Indies, a part of the United Kingdom’s colonial holds.
• The primary industry of the islands was the salt trade for a long time, but their production has either diminished or been outshined by other industries, such as tourism.
• In 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth from outer space.  He landed in the waters near Grand Turk, and his landing capsule is displayed outside of the international airport.
• Outside of the Islands, there is the third largest barrier reef in the world, behind the one in Australia, and one in South America.  The water landside of the reef can get anywhere from thirty-five to fifty feet deep, but the reef has a 7,000-foot dropoff.
• In 2006, Hurricane Ike passed over TCI as a class five storm.  The Hurricane, as it is simply referred to by the locals, devastated the islands.  Many establishments are still recovering from the storm five years later.

Back on the ship, I enjoyed a relaxed Lido lunch as I once again listened to Charlie and the Hal-cats (the bass player, incidentally, was on our kayaking shore excursion) send the ship off on its way to San Juan, Puerto Rico.  After some rest in room 7028, it was time for dinner.  Tonight’s fare consisted of a delicious Caribbean soup, a Caesar salad, and a couple slices of pork with Caribbean seasonings and dressing.  The meal was fantastic, and I walked it off with a mile around the Promenade.  The night’s activities included another memorable stay at the piano bar.  Trivia tonight consisted of 1960’s Name That Tune.  Alone, I was a point away from the winning score.  Unfortunately, I was a one-man team, so I didn’t win.  Some sing-along with Eric and the rest of the piano bar visitors ended the night, and the rocking of the ship and the Jack Black classic movie “School of Rock” put me, eventually, into a very restful sleep.

Cruise Chronicles Day Three: A Day Asea

March 13, 2011

Oh sleep, there’s just something about you that can absolutely not be underestimated.  My alarm, set for 8:30, went off at the appropriate time, but, being very intelligent, I decided to keep it on the bedside table.  This, of course, led to the inevitable turning off of said alarm, followed by four more hours of un-planned sleep.  Luckily, there were only several thousand square feet I could access all day on Sunday, so the extra sleep was not a loss at all.

After a shower, I took my talents, which the day previous, had been very near South Beach, to the Lido deck.  Poolside, I enjoyed a cheeseburger and the on-ship band Charlie and the Hal-Cats.  The Hal-Cats played some classic tunes, with the wonderful Caribbean twist of a steel drum player.  After my lunch, I made my procession to the Crow’s nest for Team Trivia Challenge.  The Challenge was hosted by cruise director Jason, and I came across a bit of a connection to home.  Two of my team members in this day’s challenge are freshmen at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  Our team name was the Vols, as another member of our team was once a UT student, and because of my ties to the state.  The mighty Vols were a jaw, Monica, and Luxembourg away from winning the challenge and the much-coveted Holland America keychains.  Despite our loss, we did finish in third place, as a part of a series of three teams, right next to each other, finishing in the top three.

The rest of the afternoon I spent idling around the ship (this had already seemed to have become a favorite pastime) until it was time to come up to the room to prepare for formal night number one.  The attire for yours truly included a grey suit, complete with a blue oxford shirt and a black and red tie bought at Sears in Chattanooga the week previous.  There was a bit of a wardrobe mix-up, as the suit I was supposed to wear remained next door, and had holes all in the pants.  After a quick switch-a-roo with the paternal, we were each in the correct pants and jacket for our first set of formal pictures and then dinner.

A shrimp cocktail and Caesar salad started the entire family (except possibly Christopher, who I think might’ve been determined to be as different as possible from all of us, though he might have gotten at least the cocktail).  A surf and turf option was the entrée for the three oldest family members, a juicy fillet mignon matched with two prawns and a serving of whipped potatoes and assorted vegetables.  In the midst of dinner, we witnessed a magnificent sunset, and I had to excuse myself from the dining room for a time, so as to get some pictures from the Promenade deck’s walking track.  After a chocolate sundae for dessert, I accompanied the family for more formal portraits, followed by the Captain’s toast and the showcase performance for the 14-member stage cast of the ship.  The show was a nice revue of dance club varieties from the past, and the costuming, sets, and choreography were spectacular.  Lastly, we settled into the piano bar for stage and screen music trivia; once again I finished near the top, but the family did not win.  The parents traveled back to the stateroom, while I spent some more time at the piano bar and then did some last ship roaming for the night.  A rocking ship proved oddly difficult to fall asleep on that night, but once I was out, it was an incredibly peaceful sleep.

Cruise Chronicles Day Two: Relaxation Comes

Saturday, March 12, 2011

I was assigned the third wakeup call, at 6:30 am (5:30 home time, some four hours after going to sleep).  After showering and a complimentary, yet worse-than-caf hotel breakfast, we were all ready to hit up the hotel shuttle bus to the airport, set to depart at 8:00.  On more than one occasion this morning, I made note that the previous time I had been awake at such early hours, I was in the midst of finishing a CP paper and pulling an almost-all-nighter.  So, after great effort by the entire family, working on more than a mild lack of sleep, there we all were, ready to be at the airport by 8:15.  But, the misfortune of the night before struck once again.  The Comfort Inn shuttle bus was broken down.  They were working on getting another hotel’s bus to take us.  Finally, after much frustration by all, the shuttle from Quality Inn got us to the airport.

Security at the Atlanta airport was as smooth, to quote Willie Gault, “as a chocolate swirl.”  The Hurdle four boarded their AirTran Boeing 717, sponsored by the Orlando Magic, at approximately 9:55 a.m., twenty minutes before departure time.  But, of course, our travels to Fort Lauderdale were not yet complete, so something else had to go wrong.  This time, the pilot had some computer failure, and had extra paper work to do as a result of it, so takeoff was delayed some forty-five minutes.  A beautiful pre-Spring day and XM radio made the flight itself enjoyable, once the plane left the ground.  Our scenic flight route gave us a view of Florida’s Gulf Coast from the time we flew over the Panhandle to our turn east over the Everglades.

Upon landing in Fort Lauderdale, we quickly proceeded to baggage claim, and hailed a taxi.  Cab number 443 took us directly to Port Everglades, where our ship, the M.S. Eurodam, was awaiting us at terminal number 26.  Boarding the ship was much simpler than two and a half years ago when we had three party members in wheelchairs, so we were on in a very decent amount of time.  However, they were trying to whisk us through at a frightening pace at times, causing my sleep-deprived temper to snap just the slightest bit.  We plopped into rooms 7028 and 7030 on the Rotterdam deck, and quickly made our way to the ninth deck, home of the Lido restaurants and pools.

After lunch, ship exploration commenced.  Christopher and I soon found the basketball court on deck, but not before many more had done the same.  Thus, we settled for a friendly game of mutual horrendousness at the ping pong table.  The horrendousness was capped off by, and ended with, a ping pong ball hit over the protective shield and down, down, down, presumably onto the dock.  We hit up the Lido pools next.  I spent most of this time relaxing in one of the four whirlpool hot tubs, Christopher, meanwhile, braved the frigid waters of the main pool.  The mandatory droll of the lifeboat drill followed, and I spent an hour or so on my own discovering the majesty that is the M.S. Eurodam.

Around the time of our departure, 5pm, I ventured onto one of the outside observational decks (well, all of them, really) to say farewell to the barely-visited city of Fort Lauderdale.  Shortly after was the first dinner in the Rembrandt dining room.  Smart casual night number one brought up great food and service.  Seated at table 132, our table attendant, Herry, was a blast from the past for the parents.  Herry was their dining steward on their last Caribbean cruise in 2006.  Tonight’s dinner selection included an Antipasto dish for me and the brother, a delicious garden salad with apples and green beans for all but Christopher, and a luscious Prime Rib for three of us, while Christopher once again differed with a Linguini dish.

After the dinner ended, I continued my explorations of the ship, accompanied this time by Dad, who wanted to burn off some of that incredible Holland America dinner.  Dad soon went off to sleep, while I did some more Eurodam discovery by myself.  I was soon through with that, and with it came the first of seven nights of restful, ocean-aided sleep.

Cruise Chronicles Day One: Delayed Beginnings

Well, boys and girls, it's been an interesting week, to say the least.  I will eventually get to you about that.  Poetry and stories will come for that.  But, for the next week, I will be treating you to a day by day account of my Spring Break cruise.  Today I begin with part one of nine, Friday the 11th.  Enjoy.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Well, coming off the high of the Night in Kenya, Thursday was pretty much a relative downer.  I mean, not like, uber-depressed, everything sucks downer, more like hangover from #epicwinning downer.  Anyway, so Thursday night’s sleep ended in a Friday morning wake-up and a leisurely morning.  CP was abbreviated, and during the class I learned that the parentals and brother unit were, shall we say, running the slightest bit behind on packing.

This allowed me to continue my state of leisure, as I gradually completed three loads of laundry and packed for the cruise.  In retrospect, I do feel a little impressed, yet disappointed in myself.  Whereas the family had spent all morning and a good deal of the afternoon frantically packing, I was able to pretty much procrastinate until they left around 2:50 (well, I didn’t stall that much, but I could have).  This start time was nearly three hours later than the noon departure originally intended by the Hendersonville crew.  To make matters worse for Dad (who I swear has about as much Adaptability as I have Discipline, so doesn’t like averting from original plans AT ALL) and the rest of the family, they got stuck in a massive traffic jam full of, as Christopher so wisely put it, “idiots being stupid.”  It was a quarter ‘til seven in the evening when my three cruising partners finally pulled into the lot beside Smith Hall.  I believe we were planning on being on the way to Atlanta by that time.

After stopping to use my lavatory and get my luggage loaded in the car, we were off to Jason’s Deli in Brookwood Mall to grab a bite or two of dinner.  A short trip to the Eagans’ house allowed my obnoxiously long hair to get a long-awaited and massive shearing, while we wished Will a happy belated first birthday.  Then, by nine-ish, we were out of Mountain Brook, heading out on I-20 towards Atlanta.

Oh, but the fun doesn’t stop there.  Somewhere along I-20, there was some major construction and/or rubber-necking, coupled by more “idiots being stupid” and a 55 mile-per-hour speed limit for a long stretch of road.  While the construction et al. probably only lasted for 5 miles or so (5 miles that took an hour or more), the 55 miles per hour limit remained until after we had entered Georgia.  At long, long, last, at right at two o’clock in the morning, Eastern Time, we made it to the Comfort Inn and Suites near the Atlanta airport.  All were in bed soon, though not all may have slept until some time later, dreading the 5-6:45 (depending on the person) wakeup call just a few hours later.

101 Things NOT to do...

Band Trip:  Friday Blog Post
Samford women won this morning, so we'll be hanging in Chattanooga until at least Sunday.  This will be fine, as long as said hanging doesn't include another trip to the good old Hamilton Place mall.  Last time I was there before today, was on some church trip a few years ago.  Mall security stopped a group of us and informed us, for the first time that night, that none of us was allowed to be in the mall without supervision of an adult.  The adult chaperones, until we had informed them of this incident, had no clue that the policy existed.

Fast forward to today.  We spent a mainly enjoyable afternoon in the mall, playing with puppies and haggling with virtual roller coaster ride employees.  However, one incident stood out far above the rest.

In the midst of our venture, the group I was in ascended an escalator.  Yours truly got on a little sooner than everyone else, hence he was some five steps ahead of the rest.  I decided it was best if I descended those five steps, on an upward-moving escalator, to rejoin my group.  About five minutes later, mall security approached us.  "We're going to have to ask you to leave," they said.  Absolutely confused as to what they were talking about, all five of us looked, probably looking completely dumbfounded, as the two security officers explained that I was "playing on the escalator" or some other such business.  I agreed to leave, and Jay offered to go with me, and the officers asked "where are you parked?" to which we responded that we were on a bus with about twenty or thirty others.  They let us go along, reluctantly, but these guys were legitimately going to kick me out of the mall for walking down five steps of an upward-moving escalator.  Thus we have all agreed that mall security at Hamilton Place is a little too uptight.

The rest of our mall adventure was spent stopping every two seconds and determining if our every action was risking our getting thrown out of the mall.  I have decided to compile a list, with a little help from my good friends Jason, Robin, Jay and Chris, of some of 101 wacky ways you might attract mall security.

1. Do not, whatever you do, touch handrails anywhere, on escalators, elevators, or staircases.
2. If you speak louder than a whisper, prepare to be cornered.
3. NO RUNNING.
4. NO SKIPPING.
5. NO POWER WALKING.
6. Don't step on the green tiles.
7. Don't step on the cracks.
8. No acting like a 13 year old escaping a "stalker", when you're clearly at least 17, and the "stalker" is one of your friends.
9. Don't play hide and seek in the shoe store.
10. Don't play freeze tag elsewhere in the mall.
11. If you're in a group, don't just stand.  That's loitering, a big no-no.
12. No finger guns.
13. Don't make any weird shapes with your hands, they can and will be taken as gang symbols.
14. Don't wear any clothing that can stereotype you.
15. Make sure to get everything you need from your food court restaurant that you will need, when you order your food.  Going back for a refill or Parmesan cheese makes you liable to be tased.
16. Do not stand out in anyway, act completely normal.
17. Show no shame in anything that you do, as long as it complies with rule 16.
18. DO NOT make eye contact with mall security.  They WILL ask you to leave immediately.
19. Do not make conversation with mall security officers, unless spoken to first.
20. Do not feed a dog in the pet store paper.  Said dog will get cancer, die, and you will be apprehended for trespassing.
21. No backwards walking.
22. Don't play tag in Barnes and Noble.
23. No cards.  If you are playing cards, they will be confiscated, and you will be banished from Tennessee for life.
24. Don't smile or laugh.  You're automatically up to something if you do so.
25. Texting equals plotting to take down the government.
26. Talking on the phone is equal to an actual terrorist attack.
27. Any sort of joke is uncalled for.
28. Do not ride any of the kiddie rides.
29. Don't stuff five people into a photo booth.
30. Don't touch the pillow pets.
31. If you look over the balcony, you're a sexual predator.
32. Do not look out of the elevator.
33. No strange accents.
34. Five is right out.
35. No physical contact of any kind with others.
36. Do not abruptly stop in your tracks in front of a moving person.
37. Don't get in the way of the train.
38. Don't touch the train.
39. Don't ride the train.
40. Don't jump on the train.
41. Any other action with the train is strictly prohibited.
42. If you walk into Build-A-Bear, you will be considered a pedophile and apprehended.
43. No hats, sunglasses, or wristwatches allowed.
44. Don't injure your elbow on the ceiling while jumping.  Chris Rester did this, and now he only has half an arm.
45. You are not allowed to check the maps.
46. If you are caught mocking any of these rules, or those who enforce them, your punishment will be severe.
47. If you ask for a receipt, you will be stoned.  With actual stones.  Not drugs.
48. No playing with the sound-making books in the bookstore.
49. Do not read the children's books about chickens.
50. Don't sing.
51. Don't dance.
52. No whistling.
53. No humming.
54. Imitation of cows is illegal.
55. In a large group, each person must not pay in twenties when food is less than twenty dollars.
56. Don't use metaphors.
57. Pick up the birds in the pet shop, and you will surely die.
58. Don't jump over the balcony.  Like, seriously, the mall cops will be on you like a freaking spider monkey.  It's that bad.
59. Don't take pictures.
60. No Bon Qui Qui impressions.
61. Using those penny drop things?  Not a good idea.  Mall security will make you leave, and take your money.
62. Do not speak Spanish in the mall.
63. If you walk into Hot Topic in a white shirt, you will look out of place, and thus be out of compliance with rule number 16.
64. Do not look at the Florida shirts in the sports store.  Not only will your eyes burn out of their sockets, you will be dismissed from the mall.
65. Inside jokes are considered bomb threats.
66. Don't say that Osama Bin Laden is working in Auntie Anne's.  One, Hamilton Place doesn't have an Auntie Anne's, two, Osama's in Taco Bell.  Mall Security will immediately take you there to be "disposed of".
67. Do not take more than one free sample from the Chinese place.
68. Multiple toothpicks is an egregious offense.
69. Don't get a massage.  Massages are a sign of rebellion.
70. Don't push open the automatic sliding doors, however slow they're going.
71. Don't wave at the security cameras, which are all over the place.
72. You know, it's probably best not to wave at all.
73. Sears cart in the food court:  HUGE no-no.
74. Sears cart plus child in the food court:  HUGER no-no.
75. If you lose the game, you better not announce it.
76. If you don't announce that you lose the game, you will be breaking the rules of the game, which is not allowed in the mall.
77. Don't get Dr. Pepper stains on your white polo.  You will be escorted from the premises of the mall immediately.
78. Shooting items into a trashcan like a basketball is not allowed.
79. No folding napkins into paper airplanes.
80. No napkin origami, either.
81. Don't Rick Roll anyone.
82. Don't put your money together with others to buy a cookie cake.
83. Never check your wallet while walking.
84. Don't let the rabbit nibble your finger.
85. Do not clap.
86. Do not snap.
87. Do not nap.
88. Do not rap.
89. Do not tap.
90. Do not yap.
91. Do not sap.
92. Do not slap.
93. Ripping of paper is strictly prohibited.
94. Don't play stupid ninja game in the food court.
95. Don't jump in the fountain.  There isn't a fountain, and you'd get a values violation anyway.
96. Don't throw a frisbee in the mall.  Especially around the nonexistent fountain.
97. Do not spam Jay Jasper's Facebook profile, mall security will find you.
98. No flirting whatsoever.
99. Do not yell for another team at the SoCon basketball tournament, especially when your team's not even playing.
100. Standing on the bus is strictly not allowed.
101. Lastly, if you list 101 reasons to get kicked out of the mall, you will be excommunicated from the world, forever.

Wow.  What a list.  I'm surprised I got 101 different things.  Well, tomorrow's blog will come with more adventure from Chattanooga.  Possibly some basketball action, we'll have to see.

Until then,

-Clayton

The Ultimate Step Sing Recap

Have you missed the action so far in the greatest tradition at Samford University?  Are you going to miss out tonight as well, because you couldn't get tickets?  Fear not, my friends, I will offer a concise but thorough overview of the weekend's performances, from One to Thirteen, and then offer my top three in three or four different categories.

Real quickly, I need to throw a disclaimer on this.  I tried to be very objective in my critiquing, I am not aiming to upset anyone in any shows that I don't speak incredibly highly of.  I'll try to focus on the positive as much as I can.

The show started off with Zeta Tau Alpha's "The Journey Home."  I was blown away by some of the harmonies the Zeta sisters threw out for the audience.  The Wizard Of Oz-themed show was a phenomenal start to Step Sing 2011.

The brothers of Pi Kappa Phi were set to perform next, with "Does It Live."  While not as strong musically as Zeta, Pi Kap's news-themed performance was one of the most entertaining shows of the night.  Fun selections such as "All I Do Is Win " "We Didn't Start The Fire" (with new, more modern lyrics, but it was the same song that helped Sigma Chi win 1990's Sweepstakes), and "The Bed Intruder Song" made this show a delight to watch.

Next up, Phi Mu had a video game theme in their "When Legends Come To Life" show.  Phi Mu's performance, while enjoyable, was not quite up to the par set by the two previous groups.  The vocals were somewhat lacking, and although the execution was good, the choreography was not outstanding.  Seeing several popular video games depicted on stage, though, was fun.

Lambda Chi Alpha was determined to have fun, although their cast for "Shuffles Up Your Day" was significantly smaller in comparison to Zeta, Pi Kap, and Phi Mu.  The choreography was very poorly executed, but the energy was incredibly apparent.

The first independent, and co-ed, group of the night was University Ministries.  UM opened with an out-of-this-world acapella of "Dear Old Shiz" from Wicked, modified to fit Hogwarts.  I said that Zeta's harmonies blew me away, UM singing this song without any instrumentals knocked me into another dimension that has not yet been discovered.  It was that powerful.  As far as the rest of the show, it was entertaining, very musically pleasing, and visually sound.  Closing with the opening bars of "The Mysterious Ticking Noise" from the infamous "Potter Puppet Pals" youtube video, UM's performance immediately topped my list.

Poor Alpha Omicron Pi, having to follow UM's fantastic "In The Potter's Hands" show.  Nevertheless, AOPi had a very solid "Won't You Be My Neighbor" performance.  I enjoyed AO's sequence, and equally enjoyed spotting probably a dozen familiar faces among the performers.  I feel the music could have included more harmonies, and the show didn't quite measure up to the first two performances of the night.

After the intermission, Sigma Chi presented the first show of the second half, "The Organization."  Taking the audience through a series of events within the Mob, Sigma Chi's show was full of wonderful moments, musically, choreographically, and plot-wise.  But nothing I saw at Step Sing on Friday night could compare to the end of the Sigma Chi show.  It was an absolute had-to-be-there moment, it can't be described to someone who has not seen it.  At least, I can't.  All I can say is that it was an insanely powerful testament to what a little faith and determination can do.

The Freshman Ladies were next.  "Shooting Stars" was their show about the pressures of fame.  This wonderful group of girls with which I will be going to school for the next three and a half years showed that they were indeed rookies to the Step Sing stage, but for such a large conglomeration of first-timers they did a fantastic job.  They certainly had an enjoyable show, even if it wasn't top-notch.

I had great expectations for Dudes A Plenty, the reigning Sweepstakes champs.  "Grandpas" really didn't disappoint, but it wasn't championship-caliber.  There were still three shows in the first half that I had rated above Dudes at this point, and Sigma Chi's show from the second act I felt was better.  It was certainly great entertainment, though, and the quality of the choreo and music was great.  My criticism on DAP is not that they weren't good, just that they weren't good enough.

The Artistic Activity Alliance was small, but I enjoyed their debut Step Sing performance, "Saturday Morning Showdown."  My buddy and JMC 201 project partner Alek Pike did a great job of putting together AAA's inaugural Step Sing show.  It brought me back to the Saturday morning cartoons of the past, although I could've enjoyed it more with a certain few different song selections to more reflect my cartoon interests.  Nonetheless, if the AAA picks up some more folks for next year's show, they could soon be a force to be reckoned with.

Alpha Delta Pi's "It's Time for a Change," despite suggesting liberal propaganda, was a Transformers-based show.  This had some of the best choreography of this year's Step Sing, but too much backing track music and not enough singing.  The song selections were very theme-appropriate, though, and were great selections by my opinion and tastes.  Probably half of these selections, however, deserved MUCH better vocal arrangements and harmonies.  Despite my musical yearnings not being met, ADPi had a good show this year.

Penultimately, the Independent Ladies showed us how to "Get Intense" (read "in-tents") with a summer-camp theme.  The Indies brought some great energy, music selection, and choreography with their performance.  The harmonies were unbalanced in a couple of spots, but were definitely there.  Singing the beginning of the chorus to Michael W. Smith's "Friends," the Independents nearly brought me to tears.  They did a great job of relating to feelings and emotions with their show.  I was highly impressed.

The Babes in Toyland of Chi Omega presented "Imagine That."  I had a hard time imagining how Chi O's song selections all fit together, and with their theme.  None of the music and choreography really related to the toys come to life story, and the ending was abrupt.

My picks are as follows:

Music, to me the most important quality (Includes Song Selection and Musicality, among other things):
3. Independent Ladies
2. Sigma Chi
1. UM
Honorable Mention: Zeta, AAA


Overall Entertainment
3. UM
2. Dudes
1. Pi Kappa Phi
Honorable Mention:  Independent Ladies, Sigma Chi


Most Energy
3. UM
2. Pi Kappa Phi
1. Independent Ladies
Honorable Mention:  Zeta, Dudes


And now, from 13 to 1, I give the worst and best shows in this year's Step Sing:
13. Lambda Chi- They went there and had a good time.  But they could've put more effort into their show.
12. AAA- AAA needs some growth, so that mistakes aren't as noticeable and vocals are stronger.
11. Phi Mu- Need to pick a better theme, so that there's not so much instrumental music and more singing.
10. Chi Omega- Need to relate to theme more.  Show would've been much better if it were coherent.
9. ADPi- Stop flashing your gang symbols at every possible moment, it might help the overall quality.
8. AOPi- Good, but not outstanding.
7. Freshman Ladies- Great effort by first-time performers
6. Zeta- Energy and music set the bar which was only beaten by a handful
5. Dudes-A-Plenty- Probably lower than most would have them, but like I said, great but not better than four others.  For the third time in six years, no repeat for DAP.
4. Pi Kappa Phi- Very entertaining show.  Looking back 21 years and taking from a past champion a nice touch, especially when they did a little modification and modernization.
3. Independent Ladies- I originally had them in the first-runner up slot, but further comparison with the other runner-up was not beneficial for the Indies.  Still a fantastic show.
2. Sigma Chi- Fantastic show by the brothers of Sigma Chi.  They didn't let their recent probation affect their performance, just like Ryan Penney didn't let a car crash affect his contributing to the show.
1. UM- Matt Taylor is a genius.  Harry Potter is a win.  Shiloh's going to be awesome on Tuesday.  UM brings home the sweepstakes title for the first time in 36 years.

Well, here's the recap.  We'll know in about three hours how right I am, and what all I've gotten wrong.  In the meantime, those of you that saw the dress rehearsal on Wednesday, or the show for the first two nights, what do you think?  Who's your favorite?  Comment below!

Winners and Losers: Super Bowl XLV

What a game last night.  The Green Bay Packers won their fourth Lombardi Trophy, meaning there are only three teams with more Super Bowl championships (Dallas and San Francisco at 5 each, Pittsburgh at 6) than the Pack.  I'll go through the winners and losers of the big game, in several different categories.

THE GAME  (I totally just lost the game, btdubs.)


Winners:

• The Packers.  Well, this is a no question, when you win the Super Bowl, you're a winner.  After jumping out to a 21-3 lead in the second quarter, the Pack let the Steelers make the game interesting in the second half.  Great efforts on defense, special teams, and by Aaron Rodgers overcoming some egregious receiver mistakes, allowed Green Bay to hold on for the 31-25 victory.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers.  In Super Bowl history, no team has ever come back from more than ten points behind to win the game.  The Steelers were a bad Packers play away from winning the game after at one point trailing by 18.  That shows a lot about the aptitude and resolve of the Steelers, and their head coach Mike Tomlin.
• Aaron Rodgers.  In terms of the NFL's biggest stage, A-Rod is only one win and 200-some yards away from besting Brett Favre.  In one Super Bowl appearance, Rodgers has met or surpassed Favre's marks in wins (1 each), passing touchdowns (3 each), and MVP awards (1 for Rodgers, 0 for Favre).  For the record, it took Brett two Super Bowls to post those stats. Rodgers is far from breaking Favre's marks in career yardage and touchdowns, and never will beat the consecutive games played of number four, but at least he can already say he's bested his predecessor and mentor in one category.  Plus, it's gotta be cool to be one of three guys in a group (Packers Super Bowl winning QBs), particularly when the other two are named Starr and Favre.
• Nick Collins.  What a beautiful first-quarter pick-six.  That swung the momentum towards the Packers in a big way to begin the game with a 14-0 lead.  He contributed all night for Green Bay, but his first big play was perhaps the biggest in the entire game.
• Mike Wallace.  Had the Steelers somehow pulled off the win, Wallace would've been the hands-down game MVP.  In his first Super Bowl appearance, the second-year wideout led all Pittsburgh receivers with 9 catches for 89 yards and a touchdown.  If the Steelers' final drive had resulted in the game-winning touchdown, I have no doubt those totals would be somewhere around 11 or 12 catches, 120-140 yards, and two scores.  As Roethlisberger had a ho-hum day, Rashard Mendenhall only gained 63 yards while fumbling the ball in a critical situation, and there were no huge defensive stars, Wallace was clearly the top contributor for Pittsburgh in last night's game.
• Tim Masthay.  The Packers' punter, coming to the field six times throughout the night, played an incredibly solid game, averaging more than 40 yards a punt, and pinning the Steelers inside their own 30 yard line multiple times, despite often being deep in his own territory himself.  In fact, the only thing Masthay didn't do right was hit the Jerry-tron with a punt.  In a game that came down to field position and special teams, the 23-year-old Masthay was the unsung hero for the Packers.
• Steelers O-Line.  With all the talk about Maurkice Pouncey for the past two weeks, the Steelers' line did a phenomenal job, only allowing one sack of Ben Roethlisberger for the entire game.  Doug Legursky may have had one halfway-bad snap in his first NFL start at center, but it didn't affect the outcome of whatever play it was.

Losers:

• Ben Roethlisberger.  This game was supposed to be Big Ben's redemption.  Instead he finished with a so-so passer rating of 77, threw two interceptions--including one returned 37 yards for a touchdown, and was sacked on a critical third-down play in the second half.  Not a championship performance for a two-time championship-winning quarterback.  But, hey, it was better than his Super Bowl XL showing.
• Packers receivers.  There were three crucial dropped passes for the Pack in last night's game.  The first would've resulted in a long touchdown, but was dropped by James Jones.  Jordy Nelson, while catching nine passes for 140 yards and a score, had two big drops in the second half.  Meanwhile, twelve-year veteran Donald Driver, drafted by the Packers two years after their Super Bowl XXXII loss, spent the majority of the second half on the sideline with an ankle injury.  After waiting such a long time to be in the big game, it had to be bittersweet for Driver to finish the game on the bench, even though his team won.
• Packers secondary.  Yes, I know I'm coming down hard on the winning team right now, but the coverages the Green Bay secondary threw out after being banged up a bit physically in the first quarter and a half were pitiful.  There were several open looks, including a wide-open Hines Ward when the Steelers scored a touchdown to close out the first half.  Charles Woodson was the only member of the unit not to return for second-half action, but it seemed like the entire secondary was replaced.  If any one thing is to blame for the Steelers getting back in the game, it's the cornerbacks and safeties of the Green Bay Packers.
• That poor camera-man.  During one of his fourteen rushes, Rashard Mendenhall was forced to run out-of-bounds...and right into a camera-man.  Both Mendenhall and the camera-man had some difficulty recovering from the collision, but it wasn't a problem as Isaac Redman immediately succeeded that play with a 16-yard burst to get Pittsburgh in scoring position.  Mendenhall was back in enough time to end that drive with a touchdown run, putting the Steelers behind by only 4, 21-17.  The least the guy could've done was take Rashard out for the rest of the game....
• Injuries.  As I've already hinted on, there were at least a dozen players that had to miss at least one play due to injury.  The Packers were hit especially hard; both Donald Driver and Charles Woodson, seasoned veterans, had to finish the game on the bench.  Fortunately, although he took a few vicious hits, Aaron Rodgers did not suffer another concussion and didn't have to sit out at all.

THE COMMERCIALS

Winners:

• Budweiser.  Once again, Anheuser-Busch came away with the best set of Super Bowl Commercials.  Among my favorites this year were the Bud Light home makeover, and the Bud western spot.  I also enjoyed the dog-organized party.
• The Automobile Industry.  There wasn't a truly disappointing car commercial in the entire batch released by the various companies, and there were certainly a lot.  From Audi's spot with Kenny G, to the Chevy Camaro's "what would make a good commercial?" ad, to Darth Vader kid using the force on a Volkswagen, to Eminem's "Lose Yourself" playing background in a Chrysler commercial, the auto industry used its bailout money to maximum effect in this year's Super Bowl.  My favorite car ad of the year, though, goes to the Kia Optima's "Epic" commercial.
• Pepsi Max.  Great commercials featuring Pepsi Max cans flying and hitting just about anyone in just about any way are a classic way to successfully sell a product.
• Eminem.  While his first commercial, for Lipton Brisk, made me say, "What. Just. Happened.", the rapper capped off his "Recovery" album, tour, etc, with being featured two commercials, including a two-minute spot for Chrysler which captured the essence of the recovery of the auto industry.

Losers:

• Coca-Cola.  I was not impressed by the effort Coke put into its ads this year.  The two that I can remember were incredibly slow to develop, and you knew what was going to happen.
• E-Trade.  The E-Trade baby is getting old.  It probably should think about retiring to Tuscany.
• GoDaddy.com.  Sex sells, yes, but when it's the only thing you're using, it stops selling pretty quickly.  Any more incredibly suggestive ads, and people are really going to stop visiting the website.
• Teleflora.  "I like your rack."  Really?  Kids watch the Super Bowl.  That was inappropriate and completely distasteful.
• Groupon.  Also very distasteful and inappropriate.  If you're talking about enslaved Tibetans, or wherever the heck they are, and the things they are forced to make in poor conditions (in other words, going for a human interest, public service announcement sort of thing), don't EVER twist off and say "But hey, screw the people who made this stuff, we've got a ridiculous deal on it."  It's not funny, and you should have some more sensitivity about the subject.  I'm ashamed.

THE MUSIC

Winners:

Well, there wasn't much winning going on in the music front Sunday night.  I was able to pick out a couple of good things, though.

• Lea Michele.  Although she is one of my least favorite singers, and characters, in Glee, she absolutely rocked "America the Beautiful".  I very much enjoyed her rendition of the song.
• Slash.  The ONLY good part of the halftime show (Usher was lip-syncing, it doesn't count.) was the riff from "Sweet Child of Mine" which Fergie promptly chose to ruin with her horrendous vocals.
• Christina Aguilera staying in tune.  Yeah, she flubbed up the lyrics.  I'll get on to her later about that.  But, in retrospect, I'd rather have Aguilera messing up the words, but keeping in tune with an incredible voice, than Fergie getting all the words right, but being off key.  She gets kudos for me for her ability to sing the second half of the Anthem absolutely phenomenally.

That is literally it.  The only winners, musically, in the spectacle that is the Super Bowl.  Now, here comes the fun part.

Losers:

• Aguilera's Anthem.  No.  You can not mess up the lyrics.  Especially on the country's biggest stage.  There is no excuse.  No one should or will ever ask Christina Aguilera to perform the Star-Spangled Banner at another sporting event.
• Fergie.  No.  Just no.  She single-handedly destroyed any entertainment value in the halftime show.  It was HORRENDOUS.  With a capital HORRENDOUS.  If I wanted to hear someone singing so horribly off-key, I'd go to a elementary school talent show.  It's kind of precious when kids that can't sing try to sing.  A full-grown woman, not so much.  Especially when said full-grown woman is a professional musician.
• The Black-Eyed Peas in general.  I didn't have much expectations for them anyway, so I wasn't disappointed having to put them in the "Losers" column.  In addition to Fergie being so terrible, you can't sound good by just yelling into an auto-tune mic.  You have to at least get somewhere close to the desired note.   I didn't like how it seemed that Tron sponsored the show instead of Bridgestone, either.

THE EXPERIENCE

This will cover anything from the site of the game, to the TV coverage, to the Internet.

Winners:

• Jerry Jones.  J-squared got to show off his pride and joy to the world, and boy was it worth the 1.2 billion he spent on it.  There were a couple of glitches, that I'll get to in a bit, but Dallas should have no trouble landing more Super Bowls while the Jones Mahal is standing.
• A-Rods.  I've already discussed at length on A-Rod's on-field accomplishment.  Alex Rodriguez, however, got the best off-the-field treat ever:  his woman feeding him food, on television, in front of millions.  Doesn't get much better than that, being in a luxury suite in the best stadium in sports, while your girlfriend does all the work and puts the popcorn in your mouth for you.
• @Fake_BigBen.  During my epic 100-plus-tweet Super Bowl coverage, I also got to follow Ben Roethlisberger's inner thoughts and desires as the game unfolded.  And the joke account for Big Ben was absolutely entertaining in every aspect.  In fact, many of the folks I follow on Twitter were fun to read as the game went on.  Some other notables were @PeytonsHead, @wingoz, @BIGJOEONTHEGO, and @ComradeJoey.  You can find all of my Super Bowl tweets @churdle76, if you so choose.
• The Pizza Places.  I spent over $50 for Pizza Hut to bring me three large pizzas and two two-liters for my party.  It was completely worth it, and knowing how many others got pizzas for the big game, it had to be a HUGE money-making day for the Hut, PJ's, Domino's, and so forth.  

Losers:

• 400-some people that weren't able to watch the game at Cowboys' stadium, because some 1200 temporary seats were declared a fire hazard.  About 800 were able to be re-located, but 400, some die-hard Packers and Steelers fans that traveled long distances to come to the game, were sent away.  The triple-face-value reimbursement (some tickets netting upwards of $2K) was hardly compensation for these folks.  
• The sound system.  Of course, they couldn't do the courtesy of keeping Fergie's mic off.  There were a few technical/sound glitches at the halftime show, they were fixed, but kept recurring.  On the biggest stage in American sports, that's something that shouldn't happen.  Still, despite this and the seats issue, there is still great praise for Dallas's first Super Bowl.
• The National Media.  Those guys really have a way for blowing things out of proportion.  If the Steelers had won, Ben Roethlisberger would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame the very next day.  Super Bowl XLV would be the last ever NFL game.  That's just a couple of things I heard that were very hyperbolic and untrue.  But, that's just something we'll have to live with.
• A trillion hours of pregame.  How much can you talk about two football teams without beginning to sound like a broken record?
• John Madden and George W. Bush.  The two were sitting right next to each other, and when they were shown on national TV, the former was checking his email or tweeting on his cell phone, and Bush 2 was looking down for an extended length of time.  Neither was paying any attention to each other, the camera pointed right at them, or the game.  Not good spectator-ship from either.

Well, there are a few winners and losers from Super Bowl XLV.  I could probably go on forever, but I don't need to bore you any further.

-Clayton

The Super Bowl reaction post will come tomorrow. Meanwhile, a little Step Sing History.

Step Sing Celebrating Sixty Years
By Clayton Hurdle

                In 1951, a few groups of students at Howard College participated in a small singing competition which they named “Step Sing.”

                As February 10 fast approaches, fraternities, sororities, and other groups are spending vast amounts of time preparing for the 60^th anniversary rendition of the biggest three nights of the year at Samford University.  Through the years, Step Sing has blossomed in more ways than those 1951 participants ever could have imagined.

                When Step Sing had its humble beginnings in October of 1951, there is no solid evidence that groups competed for a prize; rather, the event was purely an exhibition.  The first Step Sing took place on the steps of Renfroe Hall in Howard College’s East Lake campus.  Records show that the first “Annual Inter-Organization Sing” took place on the first day of December in 1953, and was most likely won by Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and the Young Women’s Auxiliary.

                As Howard College made the transition to Homewood, Step Sing (it is not certain when students began to call it “Step Sing”) moved locations as well.  The first Homewood Step Sing, which was held December 9-13, 1957, occurred in the chapel, and added a third division.  Alpha Delta Pi and Sigma Nu each won for the first time, and the French class was the inaugural mixed-gender division winner.

                The cafeteria hosted the next two Step Sings before the event moved to Seibert gym, and the Sweepstakes competition was introduced in 1969, with Alpha Phi Omega taking the first overall title.  In the 1961-1962 school year, Step Sing was held each semester, in order to move the event to the spring.  1962’s Step Sing, held in March, was only the second time Step Sing was held during the spring, and the first time in ten years.

                On March 5, 1976, the Wright Center became the fourth location on the Homewood campus to host Step Sing, ending a fifteen-year run at Seibert Hall.  With their show themed “Everybody Loves a Loser,” Sigma Nu became the seventh different group in eight years to win Sweepstakes.  For the next eight years, however, Sigma Nu, Pi Kappa Phi, and Zeta Tau Alpha were the only three groups to win the Sweepstakes competition.

                During the mid- to late-1980s, Step Sing became more and more centered around the choreography.  This brought about a controversy with the Alabama Baptist State Convention, and resulted in a 1988 Step Sing with no awards other than one for spirit.  The sophomore class received this award.  From 1985 through 1989, Alpha Delta Pi won every Sweepstakes title that was awarded, giving them the longest Sweepstakes victory streak in the history of Step Sing.

                Nearly as impressive was the hold Sigma Chi had over the men’s division; stretching from 1984 to 1995, the fraternity finished in the top three in the division each year.  Sigma Chi finished in either first or second place in the men’s division every year except for 1988 and 1993.  Although only winning two sweepstakes titles during that time, Sigma Chi’s run dominated a decade marked by controversy and Step Sing’s resultant revitalization. 

                As Step Sing approached the twenty-first century, several changes occurred.  In the latter half of the 1990s, the men’s, women’s, and mixed divisions were eliminated, and the live bands that played for the Step Sing shows were replaced with piped-in music.  Participating groups changed.  Alpha Omicron Pi became a Samford sorority in 1995.  AOPi quickly became dominant in the fields of philanthropy and banner design, but have yet to win a Sweepstakes title.  In 2004, after eighty years of existence, Samford’s chapter of the Delta Zeta sorority was disbanded, but their spot in the Step Sing show was quickly replaced by the most dominant Step Sing team in recent history.

                The newest addition to the culture of Step Sing is the independent men’s group, Dudes A Plenty.  Founded in 2005, DAP won Sweepstakes honors in three of the group’s first six years of existence, and for the last half of the decade have been a fan-favorite on Samford’s campus.  They look to take back-to-back Sweepstakes titles for the first time in their history.

                In the past sixty years, top honors have been awarded most to Pi Kappa Phi and Zeta Tau Alpha.  The sixty years that have gone before are only the beginning, and are a sign of the things to come for Step Sing.

It's Super Sunday!!!

Happy 100th Birthday, Ronald Reagan.

Ok, now that I got the important stuff out of the way, my pick is Packers, 38-34.  You may think I'm crazy, but I think A-Rod, Rapistberger, and their respective offenses will be ready to shred the highly-touted defenses, both of which are similar to each other.  Packers win merely because I don't like the Steelers, and because they have the edge at O-line and special teams, which is what this game will probably come down to.

I'm hosting a Super Bowl party today in the bottom of Smith, so if you're not doing anything come on and hang with us.

I'm also considering giving instant analysis and reactions via Twitter during the game and commercials, so if you're so inclined go ahead and follow me up @churdle76.

Should be an exciting game!  Go Pack Go!

-Clayton

"The following is based on real events. Only the places, locations, and events have been changed."

Yes, you can find those words prominently displayed on a black Step Sing banner in the Caf right now, and I didn't come up with them.  However, I liked it for a title, so that's what it is.

The following poem came from my thought process resulting after a facebook conversation I had with one of my incredibly dear friends (who happens to follow my blog, shoutout CUBS followers!).  I just want to say, this will probably be touchy for both of us, but I felt it was something I needed to get out there.  Nothing against you, and don't take it as if I'm trying to condemn you or make you feel bad or guilty.  I'm not.  I'm expressing how my feelings changed from immediately after the conversation to after I had thought about it for awhile.  Some things in it are probably over dramatized a little too.

Oh, and as for you poetry freaks, I was not trying for a consistent meter/rhyme scheme throughout, so call it "free verse."

So, that's my disclaimer.  Without further ado, here it is, "Untitled Poem Number One".

Love:  mysterious and wonderful,
Yet, marked with pain.  It's worth the toll,
Oh yes, but some things you just can't grasp.

For instance, take a friend you love.
You know you'd drop everything at once
If this friend needed comfort.
But you're not completely sure if he'd do the same,
If she'd stop what she's doing to ease your pain.
You want to say yes, but if he doesn't come,
No.  He'll be there.  But...doubt, there might be some.
Of course, it's not just that, oh no, there's more.

You want to be there, but you don't know if you can.
You know your friend so well, you understand
What makes him tick, the things she loves and hates,
Your friend, with you, you know you can relate.
At least, that's what you think....

You're talking and your friend brings something up.
You latch on with excitement,
You want to know some more.
Anticipation building,
Like walking towards a door,
A door to something special,
Something few appreciate,
You're bursting with excitement, you can hardly longer wait....

Stop.  Back to Earth.  Your opinion doesn't count.
Your friend won't fully trust you, and so you are put out.
You shrug it off, but still you can't deny
The way it hurts, so much, down deep inside.
And then, she says, she's told another,
One you both consider like a brother.
Although one of you once may have thought him more,
But that time is over, it was much too long before.
And if that wasn't enough of a blow,
Your friend's told folks you think he barely knows.

Let the shock subside, though, and you'll realize
There's things you'd have to see through your friend's eyes
To fully understand her motivation,
The reasoning behind his consternation
To let you know what's very hard to tell,
To anyone, even those she knows so well.

So, yes, upset as you may be for now,
And disheartened as you try to question how,
It's your love for him helps you survive the fall,
They say patience is a virtue, after all.
It hurts right now, but tomorrow morn,
No love is lost, no thoughts will be forlorn.
If anything, you love him even more,
Than you ever imagined you could before.
Of course, the cycle can and will repeat,
But when you earn her trust,
It's the trials that make that feeling much more sweet.

Unconditionally, that's how Jesus loved,
Through much more disappointment than we ever could dream of.
His example's one we know we all should take
And follow.  And though we'll make some mistakes,
We can love each other like God taught us to,
No matter what our friends might say or do.

-Clayton

Some things perplex me.

So, another semester has started at Samford.  Classes are underway, friends have been reunited, and, oh yeah, the campus is all abuzz about Step Sing.  But this second-semester freshman needs some clarification, or maybe just wants to complain, perhaps expressing thoughts that some of you may be thinking.

Firstly, Step Sing.  Ok, I get it's a big event.  When I say big, I mean huge.  And it's incredible.  And before you bite my head off for criticizing it, let me say that I have already purchased my ticket and will be sitting right there in row E, orchestra level of the Wright Center on Friday night the eleventh, enjoying every second of it.

But, being the unseasoned newbie that I am, I have concerns with the whole Step Sing process.  Firstly, I didn't quite get what was up with the whole banner drop thing, followed by the theme presentation at the basketball game yesterday.  Seems to me like the former was just a glorified version of the latter, followed by the crappiest rave I've participated in just over one semester as a college student.  Just do one without the other, and everything's just fine.

Next, I sorta get the whole thing about keeping the shows secret to everyone not involved in each show, but at the same time it's annoying.  Being a part of the OA, I can totally understand the concept behind mysteries and concealing stuff, so I guess it's just that as and outsider, I really want to know.  So that aspect of Step Sing isn't too troublesome.

The rest of my rant against Step Sing has to do with all the confusion, specifically surrounding all that ticket junk.  It took me about three days to figure out how and where to get a ticket, after asking fellow students, the Hub, and even members of the Step Sing committee.  And all this wristband business for the participants I know causes confusion, and always has in the past, that was one of the few things I understood at the banner drop.  So, here's an idea, Step Sing committee, give a certain number of tickets for each night to each group, and have them distribute them to their members accordingly.  That reduces so many questions about the process, all that needs to be known is how many people are in each group.

Another way to reduce so much chaos and confusion is not to kick off all the Step Sing stuff the moment students step back on campus.  Give them a half a week or a week to get settled in and acquainted with their new classes, then go into Step Sing prep.  If that means having to move the event back a week, so be it.  But it's just too much, too soon, in my opinion.

Alright, on to the class I'm sure we all love to hate:  CA.  It's so pointless.  I know how to write, and so do many people that have to take one or two courses in the CA program, I'm sure.  People should be able to "test" out if they take the equivalent to 101 and 102 in dual enrollment composition classes, and pass with no difficulty whatsoever.  This is not to say that I won't continue on with my CA 102 to get it over with, but I'll do so ever so begrudgingly.  I'm not spending any money on the stupid "how to write" textbook, I'll borrow someone's if there's some sort of required reading.  I'll show up to class, just because there's an attendance policy, even if nine out of ten times I won't get anything out of going to class.  So, I guess it just is what it is, and I'm not much of a fan.

Well, Samford, what do you think?  Am I being crazy for bashing Step Sing?  Is there logic behind my dislike of CA?  Does it really even matter what I think?  It's your call.

-Clayton

Well, since I've got it pretty much done...here's Thursday night's game in all its shining glory.

Bulldog Men win SoCon thriller against Elon, 69-67

By Clayton Hurdle

                The Bulldogs, led by John Peterson, Josh Bedwell, and Jeffrey Merritt, survived a late run by conference foe Elon on Thursday night to win at home.

                After winning the opening tip-off, Samford took a quick 12-5 lead, featuring two early baskets by redshirt freshman center Drew Windler.  Elon fought back, however, evening the score at twelve with ten minutes to play in the first half.  The next six points were scored by the Bulldogs, who eventually lost their lead briefly after Elon’s senior guard Chris Long hit a three-point shot to pull ahead by a point.  Two free throws by senior guard Josh Davis and a three-pointer from junior guard Jeffrey Merritt gave the Bulldogs back the lead.  The rest of the half was played with Samford ahead, and the Bulldogs were leading 29-25 at the intermission.

                The Phoenix of Elon dominated the first three minutes of the second half, tying the game back up as Long made back-to-back free throws.  After four more tied scores and eleven lead changes, Elon showed signs of pulling away after a seven-point run, led by a crucial Long three-pointer, put them in the lead at 55-50 with less than six minutes to play.  The five-point advantage was the Phoenix’s largest lead of the game, and it was the first time since the start of the half that a team had led by more than one score.

                Samford was not fazed by this five-point hole, however.  Junior forward John Peterson and senior center Andy King each scored five points in a 16-3 Bulldog run, giving the team a 66-58 lead and putting them in position to win with about a minute and a half to play.  Game seemingly at hand, Samford suffered several costly turnovers, allowing Elon to pull within two points as Long sank two three point shots within the next minute. 

Needing the ball back, the Phoenix intentionally fouled senior guard Josh Bedwell with eighteen seconds to go.  Bedwell was cool and collected as he nailed both of his free throw attempts, putting Samford ahead 68-64.  It took Elon just six seconds to get the ball back in the hands of Long, who made yet another shot from behind the arch to give the game a one-point difference.  Long was the game’s leading scorer, and finished 6-for-12 from three-point range.

With just over nine seconds to play, Elon once again committed a foul, sending senior guard Gaby Bermudez to the charity stripe.  After making his first free throw, Bermudez’s second attempt was rebounded by Elon’s freshman forward Lucas Troutman.  Troutman quickly got the ball to Long, who passed to wide-open freshman guard Jack Isenbarger.  Isenberger’s three-point attempt bounced off the back of the rim, and Peterson secured the Samford rebound as the buzzer sounded to give the Bulldogs a 69-67 victory.

                Peterson’s game-clinching rebound ended a game in which he scored 16 points, the most of any Bulldog and a career high.  The Bulldogs (11-10 after the game, and 3-6 in the Southern Conference) had two more players score in double digits:  Bedwell did not miss on four field goal attempts and three foul shots to finish with 12 points, and Merritt also scored 12.  Merritt also led the team with six rebounds, three steals and a block.

                For the Phoenix, Long scored 21 points while dishing out seven assists.  Junior guard Drew Spradlin added 10 points for Elon, despite committing seven turnovers, more than any other player.

The Times, They Are A-Changin'

Take a look at my first blog. 

Now, go through my entire archives.  (If it helps, I’ll throw in a few suggestions: from August ‘08, a mention of Annabell Lee, October 2008, May 2009, an entertaining post from November 2009, my insightful playoff blog from last year,  July 2010, and my most recent).

It would help if I had kept up CUBS on a regular basis, but it’s incredibly apparent that my writing style has changed immensely in the last two and a half years.  You can tell my language, typing style, and use of punctuation have changed so much.

I see the same thing in my archived interactions on facebook (picture comments, etc.)  And I daresay if you went to my Myspace page (I think it's located at http://www.myspace.com/cth7692 but it may not be, I haven't checked in months, and not regularly in over two years) you'd see a far different Clayton, writing and comment-wise, than the one you know now.

I don't really have a point to this one, I just think it's kind of interesting how my style of online writing has changed in the past three years.

Hopefully, tomorrow's blog will be much more interesting.  I'm planning on having a nice little pseudo-rant about some things, so if you like exaggeratedly angry college students, you'll love my post tomorrow!

As you can see, I have once again changed the look of CUBS, as a part of the Clayton Blog Makeover.  Tell me what you like and don't like, how it compares to the first change (don't worry, I saved a sample from it and will be posting a set of pictures from each new look to facebook so you can compare good and bad), and so forth.  I already have seen a couple items that will be staying from this look, font-wise.

Lastly, I'm still taking suggestions for my new blog's name.  Let me know what you might like it to be called.

-Clayton

I was totally worried I wouldn't have a good topic today...

Big news out of Nashville this evening is that Jeff Fisher will no longer be coaching at Tennessee.

This is huge, Fisher, having served 16 and a half years as a head coach for the Titans, will be moving on to bigger and better things next season.

This is a shocker, and I'm still trying to grasp it.  Like, it's just surreal.

I wish I had words to use, but this is one of those rare instances where exhaustion meets with disbelief and raw emotion.  All I can say is I am upset, and intensely shocked.  Jeff Fisher has been the head coach of the Oilers/Titans franchise as long as I've been a football fan.  I suppose all good things must come to an end, but it's so sudden.  He should be on the sidelines for the Titans next year.

I can not see how this doesn't have to do with Bud Adams.  Just twenty days after saying that Jeff Fisher would be the Tennessee Titans head coach in 2011, somehow, mysteriously, Bud Adams finds himself looking for a new head coach.  It's astounding, absolutely, thinking that Bud Adams turned back on his word.  If you'll remember, he was the guy that said Vince Young and Jeff Fisher would both be Titans through next season.  He made these commitments, and now has turned back on both of them fully.  That rubs me the wrong way, backing out of commitments.  Thus, I have lost all respect for Mr. Adams, and although I remain a Titans fan, I will not support a team of which Bud Adams is the owner.

So, what comes next for Clayton?  Temporarily, at least, I'll be supporting the Philadelphia Eagles more.  They are my favorite NFC team, and they're a lot like the Titans.  So hopefully they won't disappoint me.

On a happier note, Samford men's basketball pulled out an thrilling win over conference foe Elon.  I won't elaborate much; I'm writing my first article for the Crimson, so I'll post it when I get finished so as to do the game full justice.

And now, I turn it over to you, the readers.  Am I reacting too harshly?  Or are my thoughts justified?  What are your opinions?  As always, topic suggestions are wonderful.

-Clayton

Going Interactive

Ok, folks, here's what's up.

It's time for a bit of a change for Clayton's Universe: Blog Style. Yes, the basics of the blog will still be the same, but I'm looking at adding a bit more structure to it. So, here's what's happening, in a nice bulleted list.

• I'm still going to be blogging about sports, music, life, and so on.
• In addition, any suggestions for blog topics you might have, I want to know so I can write about them.
• This blog will be informal, and more personal. This is in response to the more professional-like blog I will be maintaining for my JMC class.
• Image: I'll be experimenting with some new aesthetic formats and layouts. With the new interactive-minded blogging style I'll be using, of course I'll want feedback on what you like and don't like.
• I'm going to try to upkeep the blog daily, so look for a new posting every afternoon.
• Again, feel free to give me any feedback, on anything. Or if you have something you want to tell someone, but you're not sure who, I'll be here to talk to you, privately or otherwise.

Now, the new blog. It'll be officially going live on Monday, January 31, at around 4pm CDT, but I'm planning on getting it made this weekend. It will be a semi-professional (semi, mainly because I imagine I will be progressing from student to professional during its tenure) review and analysis blog. For the next semester, I will be exploring the Chicago Tribune, analytically reviewing one or two stories per issue, week, or something in between--once I get a feel for it, I'll have a better gauge of regularity--as well as posting a few reviews and analyses of class projects. If you have any ideas for names, formats, etc, I can use (keep in mind, I'm using this as a resume-builder, so keep it formal/professional) for the blog, let me know.

It's an exciting time for Clayton Hurdle Enterprises (yeah, not really an Enterprise. But if you need a ride, and I have a car, you can know for sure that I'd pick you up.) and the Blogger world. Stay tuned for more excitement and adventure.

-Clayton

Looks like Tuesdays and Thursdays will be homework days...

But for now, I'm surfing the web all afternoon.

Not much to note today, other than the beginning of Latin 202. We'll call it "The Last Semester of Latin....EVER." So, naturally, pretty pumped about that. Not so much about the class part, but we'll see. Got my book for the class at B&N online for less than 10 bucks. We'll call that a steal. Speaking of stealing, I hope the Steelers lose. Also, Black and Yellow by Wiz Kalifa is going to be one of my least favorite songs over the next two weeks. But, I digress.

Anyway, just chilling most of the afternoon, and a quick wisdom teeth update: woke up this morning and my gums weren't feeling weird at all, so I ended up eating some Chick fil A chicken mini biscuits for breakfast, and a salad for lunch. So, I'm progressing into a not totally soft diet now, which is great. It'll be nice when I have a full variety that I feel comfortable eating.

Now, a really quick plug. My friend Dakota has a special-needs brother. Their family is trying to raise money so that they can have a canine assistant for him. You can read about their predicament at their website. If you feel led to help out by sharing the site or making a donation, please do so. I know that it would be very much appreciated.

Well, that's it for now. I'll have info on the new blog up tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Back to school, and this time, I'm jumping right in.

Well, I'm a second-semester freshman now. I had my first day of classes (and it was a full day) today, so the semester's already off to a rolling start. In 26 hours back, I've already

• Watched football with some great friends.
• Eaten three cafeteria meals.
• Reconnected with many, many people.
• Unpacked, completely.
• Made a CD exchange.
• Participated in a Rave.
• Lent a book.
• Attended three classes.
• Consumed copious amounts of caffeinated beverages.
• Requested three transcripts
• Purchased two books
• Prioritized.

I'm really excited about that last one. I've got a list going of things I need to do today (Should be headed to dinner in about ten minutes, so I've gotta hurry up writing this blog entry), and a list of "To Do" things in my free time. I'm hoping I can keep this up past day one, but a start is better than I've done in past semesters, both of college and high school (Middle and elementary schools too, for that matter).

Today started with a 7:50-ish wake up call. After showering, I found myself eating breakfast in the caf for the first time since September, and made it with ample time to spare to my CA class. I think I'm going to find it much less challenging than my last attempt at CA 102. My teacher is one of those that will sap up every last second of class time, though. Being a 9:15er, that will be a little tough for me. But I'll deal with it. After about a 75-minute break, I found myself right back in the same classroom for CP. It'll take another class to get a good feel for the class, but I like the literature we're going to be reading. After lunch, I got a really great price on one of my CP books, and comparison shopped for several others. Then for the 3:00 class. Ugh. But it's JMC, and it's my best bet for something so late. I shudder to think about CA at 3. Or CA at anytime for that matter, but I digress.

Anyway, the primary reason I'm writing this blog this afternoon is that one of my primary assignments in my JMC class is: writing a blog! Right up my alley, right? Chances are it won't be located here, but I might just use this one as much or more frequently from now on. I'll keep all six of you that might ever read this (if you are one of the lucky few, do leave a comment and let me know what's up with you! Or, have an idea of what I should blog about? Tell me!) posted as to where you might find this new, professional-like blog once it is created.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the big sports news of the day (Other than Jay "Ouch, that really hurt" Cutler), and that is Carson Palmer wanting out of Cincinnati. Hey, the Titans are looking for a new QB. One stipulation, Carson, you gotta switch your number back to the 3 you wore at USC (Incidentally, that's where Coach Fisher played his college ball, if you'll remember). Ain't nobody gonna take Air McNair's number. That's sacred. Well, football sacred at least.

Lastly, on the terrorist attacks in Moscow today, be in prayer for the family of those affected, and the Russian government as they try to deal with an unspeakable tragedy.

Well, that's it. I'll keep you posted on the new blog, and, in case you were the wondering, I'm pulling for the Packers to win the Super Bowl, although I have a feeling I'll be disappointed. Sorely disappointed.

-c

Instant Reaction: VY OUT at Tennessee

Well, this evening, Titans owner Bud Adams announced that Vince Young would not be returning to play quarterback for the Tennessee Titans in 2011, should there be NFL football next year. So, this poses several questions. First, what happens to Vince? Second, what happens to Jeff Fisher? Third, what happens to the Titans QB position? These answers and more, right now.

Now that everyone knows the Titans are getting rid of VY, it really does give Vince a leg up on the so-called "process", in that he more or less will be able to determine his value, and go to the highest bidder, so to speak. This means, if he or his agent think that there's a team willing to spend money, instead of a player or a draft pick or two, for him, it's going to be tough to trade Young away. Something tells me he's going to try to keep the Titans organization from getting anything for him if he sees free agency as a feasible possibility. As a Titans fan, I would enjoy if we could trade him to a team like Denver or Philadelphia for either of their respective backups. I'd even be satisfied if we could get some middle-round draft picks, or even a pick or two for the 2012 draft, from any team interested. As a realist, I don't know if it will work out best for the Titans. I do hold onto the thought, though, that Vince proved himself this year to not be the best leader, and still had to mature a lot. Other teams will look at that one of two ways: either he's not equipped to be on their team, or it was just an environment, and it's worth a player or a couple of draft picks to give Vince a second chance. Here are the top three places I see VY:

1. San Francisco--It seems to me that they have the most to gain from picking up a guy like Vince Young. The Niners will be starting over with coaching, and I daresay they'll be getting rid of both Alex and Troy Smith. At the very least, San Fran will give Vince a shot at earning the starting job. Plus, it wouldn't be a horrible situation if they trade the Titans one of the Smiths (preferably for me, Troy) for Vince.

2. Miami--Maybe Vince can follow the footsteps of LeBron James and take his talents to South Beach. Perhaps he'll be appreciated by a team that has a little bit of a question where the quarterback position is concerned. Hey, I wouldn't complain if I was throwing the ball to Brandon Marshall fifteen times a game...

3. Arizona--Like San Francisco, the 5-11 Cardinals were merely a couple of wins away from earning the NFC West's playoff bid. They drafted Matt Leinart the same year the Titans drafted Young, maybe the Cards were hoping VY would fall in their laps that year...now's a great time to take a chance on him. If Vince was traded, I definitely would rather get draft picks...much better than a guy that takes this s--t too serious.

Next, whatever will happen to Jeff Fisher? I think it is in everyone's best interest that now that Vince is out of the way, Bud Adams lets Coach Fisher run out his contract. He's got one more year; if the Titans have a great season, re-sign the man. If the season's not-so-great, the contract's up, Jeff and the Titans go their separate ways, and there aren't very hard feelings. My only concern is that Fisher will let it get to his head that he's coaching for a new contract, and that has the possibility of more conservative play-calling in certain situations where more aggressive tactics might be needed. But I sincerely think that the Titans should give Fisher at least one more year now that the VY situation is behind us. Quite honestly, I don't know who would be a good replacement should the team get rid of Jeff now, so that's an added incentive to keep him on for another year.

Now the Titans will more than likely be looking for a quarterback going forward. I say, definitely keep Rusty Smith on, and have him work for a possible starting job, but bring in a 5- or 6-year veteran QB that hasn't necessarily started a lot, but is a good talent, to compete with Rusty for the job. I'd like to see either Troy Smith (2006 Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State, formerly of Baltimore and currently with San Francisco), Kevin Kolb (benched for Mike Vick in Philadelphia), or Kyle Orton (the seasoned Purdue alum tossed around from Chicago to Denver, most recently benched for Timmy T) brought in for that purpose. I would keep Kerry Collins on in an advisory sort of role, maybe do some player-coaching if he's ok with it. The other option is to use that eighth pick in the draft and try to get another Quarterback of the Future. I've rethought my previous blog, and I'm not so sure the Panthers will want to draft a quarterback with the first pick, as they recently (see, last year) invested a rather high pick on Jimmy Clausen. So, that may open up the Titans (the second through seventh positions, respectively, belong to Denver, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Arizona, Cleveland, and San Francisco) to a good QB pickup (or a trade for the fifth or seventh spot, leading to said QB pickup) such as Ryan Mallett (should Carolina pass him up), Andrew Luck (same), Jake Locker (although, with two PAC-10 QBs in the same draft, one of them's gotta be a bust) or Cam Newton. I'm not a big fan of Newton's NFL prospects, but I've rethought my opinion on Luck after that Orange Bowl.

Of course, I'd rather we spend our high draft pick on a linebacker, but there really aren't that many LBs talented enough to be a top-10 pick. I say that with hesitation, there is almost always a defensive player taken high that no one could see coming (see recently: Jerod Mayo, Tyson Alualu). All I know is it will be an incredibly interesting offseason in Nashville. We'll see what happens.