Aug. 20, 2009

So I just got some great news - I won First Place in this year’s Maine Press Association awards for Sports Column for my “Game Point” titled “You know what time it is: Madness” from the March 14, 2009 edition of the JT. Pretty freakin’ awesome, huh? Funny thing is, when this year started the one thing I said I wanted to do was win Columnist of the Year for Maine; not get a new job or find the love of my life, nope, I wanted to be top columnist. Mission accomplished. And for your enjoyment, here it is, in all its glory.

You know what time it is: Madness
BIDDEFORD — I love sports. Like love, love. Like if it were just me and
sports on a desert island I’d survive just fine — sports is my Wilson. And
last week’s Syracuse-UConn Big East men’s basketball tournament game is
every reason why sports will always have me well before “hello.”
   The six-overtime, 70-minute thriller at Madison Square Garden — the mecca of
college hoops — is probably the best game I’ve ever seen. It had everything
you could want in an athletic contest: two legendary programs and coaches,
famed arena, grit and heart, multiple comebacks and, of course, my team
coming out on top. 
   The score is almost irrelevant, but that the Orange won the game, 127-117,
makes it all that much more remarkable. Syracuse, ranked 18th in the country
at the time, was a considerable underdog heading into the game. In fact,
then No. 4 UConn mopped the floor with the Orange earlier this season.
   However, my alma mater has now won four of the last five contests played
between the two in the Big East Tournament.
The game was so epic, before the sun rose Thursday morning, the Syracuse
University online bookstore had T-shirts for sale commemorating it. Now, you
can even buy the official score sheet autographed by coach Jim Boeheim for
$99. 
   Seriously, if you needed any reminder what month it is, that game gave it to
you.
   And forget that Syracuse went to overtime to beat West Virginia the next
night, or had an eight-point halftime lead on Louisville in the title game,
by then I was already diagnosed with a full-blown case of March Madness.
The conference tournaments are the perfect appetizer to whet the taste buds
before the Big Dance and this year’s were some of the best. Throw in Florida
St. taking out UNC in the ACC tourney, Missouri and Ohio St.’s run in the
Big 12 and Big 10, USC’s shocker in the Pac-10, and on and on. Bubble’s were
burst, legends were snubbed and that was before a single bracket was even
busted.
   This year’s NCAA Tournament is shaping up to one mind-numbing experience. I
know filling out my 17 brackets for the eight different pools I’m in has had
me on the brink of going Joker on someone. I’ve had Bison and Boilermakers,
Highlanders and Hilltoppers, Matadors and Mocs, Sun Devils, Blue Devils,
Spartans, Trojans, Colonials and Vikings full-court pressing and chucking up
3s in my dreams since Selection Sunday.
   I can’t go anywhere without seeing someone wearing blue and red and thinking
“Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk.” I was in the post office yesterday, saw a stamp for
Abraham Lincoln and wondered if I should change my picks and take Illinois
and American. (I didn’t.)
   Constant second-guessing is what makes filling out the bracket the funnest,
and most hair-pulling, experience. (For once I don’t mind being part of the
Bald Brotherhood.) Do I take VCU or UCLA, LSU or BYU, or even USC or U-Dubb
to make a run? (Negative on all.)
   One thing is for sure, and the same is true for food: I know who I like and
who I don’t like. Of course, I have a “homer” bracket with Syracuse coming
out of the West and winning it all. Honestly, I think we have the talent to
go toe-to-toe with anyone.
   However, with the money on the line, I like Louisville to win it all, with
Memphis, Pitt and Oklahoma in the Final Four. Missouri and Xavier as my
high-seeded sleepers.
   I talked to my buddy this week about possible lower-seeded picks, and we
agreed on Maryland in the West, North Dakota St. in the Midwest, VCU in the
East and Western Kentucky out West.
   Really, though, your guess is as good as mine. I’d say to call out sick the
next two days, because what’s better than shacking up on your couch with
your favorite snack watching 32 games of hoops in 36 hours? (Right,
nothing.) But with today’s economic climate, one sick day could get you
canned, so put yourself on cruise control, wear your school’s colors
underneath your hideous shirt and tie and watch the games online. Oh, and
don’t forget to muffle your cheers when Arizona knocks off Utah.

Aug. 11, 2009

So I’m here.

Los Angeles, California. The West Coast. LaLa Land. Mannywood. It’s pretty hard to believe but I really did it. I packed up the belongings at Brockman Manor into the Tahoe and made the trip so many have made before across country. Three-thousand, three-hundred and twenty-nine miles. The Sister and Perk Daddy came with and it was an epic journey stretching from the 207 here to the 323 - the Brockumentary is coming, so stay tuned.

I’m pretty sure this is common knowledge, but LA is a pretty ridiculous place. There are people from all over here - I’ve seen license plates from Wisconsin, Texas, Massachusetts and Maine (that would be me) but more over, people here love their money, and love to show you they have some. I’ve seen more lime green lamborghinis, red ferraris, black bentleys and yellow rolls royces than my brain can comprehend.

But, yeah, I’m happy to be here. I really am. I’ve fought change for so long and this time I really embraced it and leaped head first into everything this move encompassed. There’s no turning back. Check back for semi-frequent updates.

Let’s do this, son.