Bruins Gift Exchange

This was just funny!

Some Texas faculty irked by Brown's $2M raise

Some Texas faculty irked by Brown's $2M raise - from ESPN.com

You know what gets me about articiles like this? It's that you have a group of faculty members that can't see past a headline, consider that has happened to be a tragedy and an attack on academics, and then forget two important facts. First, they not getting past a headline means they never see this line:

Brown's salary is paid with money raised by athletic department revenues.

UT Athletics pays for itself! They're not contributing to the University's budget problems because they pay for themselves. Second, they forget that UT Athletics contributes over $6 million to academic programs. They're taking the money that they made on their own and putting it back into the University. Wouldn't something like that actually help with UT's budget problems? But why point that out? It's easier for a bunch of people with large amounts of eduction but a small amount of common sense to go after the Athletics department and say that it's another example of sports becoming more important than the academic programs in higher education.

This thing probably bugs me so much because we heard it in Tucson non-stop last year. Coach Stoops took UA to a bowl game last year, and was rewarded for it with a raise that put him into the seven-figure range. And, guess what? He had a better season this year, beat USC, tied for second place in the Pac-10, and is taking the team to an even better bowl game this year! He earned the money he's paid. We also hired Sean Miller to be the new Men's Basketball Coach. To lure him away from a very talented program at Xavier, it took some money. Now, just to point out that we didn't just throw money at some scrub of a coach, Xavier went to four NCAA tournaments, in addition to winning three A-10 regular season championships and one conference tournament championship during Miller's tenure of five seasons. The last two years, they made it into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, with an Elite Eight appearance in 2008 and Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2009.

My point in bringing up Coach Stoops and Coach Miller...UA Athletics pays for itself! They take NO STATE FUNDS! Their budget is whatever they bring in! So, if an athletics department wants to pay their coaches whatever amount of money they feel they are worth, let them! And, in the mean time, the professors can go back to worrying about academics and let the coaches and AD worry about athletics!

Dropkick Favorites

So, I had a great time at the Dropkick Murphys concert last weekend. My only wish is that they had played my two favorite songs. The videos are sandwiching this post. Just thought I'd share.

Dropkick Murphys Tomorrow!!!

Tomorrow will be my first Dropkick Murphys concert! To make it even better, I'm seeing them in San Diego! I cannot describe how excited I am for this trip! But, just for the fun of it, here's another DKM video!

College Football - Week 10

So, I once again forgot to put my picks down in writing for Week 9, but I am happy to report that Week 8 went very well for me...4-0 kind of well. Now, I will be traveling this weekend, so I do not plan on watching any of the games that I'll write about, but I expect that they all will be good games. As an added bonus this week, I will be covering all three of the Service Academies this week!

Washington State at #18 Arizona
Arizona is coming off a bye week. A great mid-season opportunity to rest and recover before the final five games of the year. Washington State went to San Antonio and got manhandled by Notre Dame (Go Irish!). Washington State has been a stumbling block for Arizona in the past, but the pass defense of WSU will fold under the pressure of Arizona's spread offense attack. By the way, this game is at Arizona, and the crowd will be ready to welcome their team, ranked in the BCS for a second straight week!

The Wildcats tame the Cougars at Arizona Stadium.

Navy at #22 Notre Dame

In one of college football's storied, yet most lopsided, rivalries, Notre Dame will once again be tested by the triple-option offense of Navy. The Midshipmen are coming into this game in much the same shape at Notre Dame (lots of very close games with just two real blowouts). The difference is that Navy has not had the kind of consistent competition that Notre Dame has defeated.

Notre Dame pulls out the win over Navy for a second year in a row.

#16 Ohio State at #11 Penn State

In the event that Iowa trips up in the next few weeks, both of these teams will be looking to take Iowa's place in Pasadena. Penn State has already fallen to Iowa. Ohio State plays them later this month. Here's the difference between Penn State and Ohio State. PSU lost to Iowa. OSU lost to USC and Purdue. There's a quality of loss difference, plus OSU has dropped two games this year. Sophomore QB Terrell Prior of OSU is not the same caliber QB as Penn State's Senior Captain Darryl Clark.

The experience of the Nittany Lions will stop the Buckeyes on their trip to Happy Valley.

Army at Air Force

ESPN's College GameDay is making the road trip to Colorado Springs as part of ESPN's Veterans Day-week festivities. Air Force has already lost to Navy, knocking it out of contention for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. The only way to keep Navy from taking that trophy back to Annapolis is by Army beating Air Force this weekend and Navy in December. Since Army isn't going to beat Navy, there's no reason for them to beat Air Force.

Air Force's option attack stops the Black Knights in their marching cadence.

Week 8: 4-0 Season: 19-5

Two weeks away...

Two weeks from today I will be waking up in San Diego, with ears will ringing from the previous night's festivities. What are the previous night's festivities? Dropkick Murphys live in concert! While there are multiple traditions that go along with this event, the favorite that I have seen thus far is the one in the video above...the crowd coming on stage for the final song, Skinhead on the MBTA! This video is from their St. Patrick's Day show in 2002.

Of course, when I wake up in two weeks, with ears ringing, I'll be looking forward to the rest of the weekend in beautiful San Diego. This trip is going to be awesome!

College Football - Week 8

So, I've missed doing my picks for the past two weeks, but I did have a very good Week 5, going 4-0.

Now, back on track for this week's games: (By the way, ranking numbers are now shifting from the AP Poll to the BCS Rankings)

UCLA at #22 Arizona

Arizona is coming off an exciting win over a talented Stanford team. The Arizona offense is running on all cylinders, it's just up to the defense to really begin to step up. UCLA is on the rise, but is not at the same level as Arizona.

The Wildcats stop the Bruins in Arizona Stadium

Boston College at Notre Dame

Notre Dame is coming off another loss to USC. It's been a long time since the Irish have beaten the Trojans...but I digress. Boston College is the only other Catholic University that plays D-I football...I mean, plays FCS Football. This is a major rivalry, and typically produces a very exciting game. Boston College continues to climb their way up the ACC's pecking order, having made multiple appearances in the ACC Championship Game in their brief tenure in that conference.

The Irish look to get the sour taste out of their mouth, and takes it out on BC.

#13 Penn State at Michigan

Penn State wants to climb back into the Top 10 and into the Rose Bowl picture. While this will take Iowa being knocked off a few times, Penn State will need to win out. Michigan is a decent team, but they are not at the same level as Penn State. The Wolverines' advantage will be the location, as this game is being played in the Big House.

The Nittany Lions tame the Wolverines in the Big House.

#8 TCU at #16 BYU

In the revolving door of potential BCS busters, TCU is the ugly stepchild. They're always right there in the mix, until they face either BYU or Utah. The downside to TCU's stellar season...Boise State is also undefeated. If there's going to be a BCS buster this year, it won't be TCU. But, BYU won't be the team to keep them out of the BCS hunt.

TCU wins on the road and stays in the Top 10.

Week 5: 4-0 Season: 15-5

Late Night Musings

From time to time, I can't sleep. Sometime there's a reason, sometimes there's not. It's on these nights that I do enjoy just laying in my bed and writing. Tonight is one of those nights. I try and not distinguish between the nights where sleep escapes me for a reason or not, and I'll continue that practice tonight. I think that it wouldn't be fair to the handful of people who actually read what I write (yes, all three or four of you), as it would give away too much of what's going on in my mind. And where's the fun in that?

I like to listen to music as I write. Tonight the music is coming via YouTube. It's interesting to see record label's stations. Who would have guessed that Miley Cyrus and Breaking Benjamin were on the same label?

My boss commented on my music collection recently. If one were to review a list of my iTunes purchases over the last six months, they may wonder about my sanity. In my defense, some of the songs I bought were for specific purposes. I mean, to buy Danny Boy being sung by the Man in Black (and if you have to ask who that is, that that's just sad) would have to have a purpose (a colleague's 50th birthday). But, let's take a look at what's there:

Hockey Song - Vile Richard
It's a bunch of Canadians singing about hockey. I went to a hockey game last weekend, and that was a big deal for me, as it was my first NHL game.

I Wanna Drive the Zamboni - Martin Zellar
A song about the Zamboni. It's played at every hockey venue in the english speaking world. Plus, it got me excited for the hockey game.

Simple Gifts - Alison Krause and Yo-Yo Ma
I'd be hard pressed to find a more soothing voice than Alison Krause's. My job is such that, for the time being, I am facilitating on-job-training for people that I've facilitated formal training sessions for since June. They're wearing on my nerves, to put it mildly. Having something that can calm the mind for a few minutes is a good thing.

I'm Alright - Kenny Loggins
This is the Theme Song to the movie Caddyshack. It was a celebratory song played after the first successful payroll run of our new system.

Don't Think Twice - Mike Ness
Mike is the lead singer of Social Distortion, a So-Cal punk band that's been around for almost 20 years. But, even in Social D's songs, you can detect some country influences. On Mike's solo albums, you definitely hear the country influences. And, as can be found with many country songs, there's a story being told with the lyrics.

If I Should Fall from Grace with God and A Pair of Brown Eyes - The Pogues
The Pogues are a listed inspiration for most modern Irish Punk bands. They were the group that made Irish music cool to a younger generation. Kids from the 80's couldn't sit an listen to The Dubliners by themselves. But, have them listen to something by the Pogues first, then they would listen to see where it came from. The Pogues and The Dubliners even collaborated on a version of The Irish Rover.

Up, Something Beautiful, and Fortune's Favour - Great Big Sea
These albums by this Canadian band provided both upbeat songs about fishing, sailing, pirating, and drinking while also providing plenty of ballads to calm the frayed nerves, but can also put on in a reflective mood. It's a double-edged sword.

I Heard a Voice (Live) - AFI
I'm a sucker for live music. I could bypass most band's studio albums if I could just get one or two good live albums out of them. I'm not a diehard AFI fan, but it was a good live album with some songs I recognized and liked.

The General's Boombox - Street Dogs
"You lit the fire in us, and we play on in your trust." Motivation is an interesting subject. Why do we do what we do? Is it for us? For someone else? Will that someone else know why we acted the way we did? Do we expect our actions to have some sort of affect on other people? There's a reason behind everything.

Daylight - Matt & Kim
This was the song in the Bacardi commercial that takes a guy from one era to another while he's just trying to get a mojito. It's a catchy little tune, and it just sounds cool. No other real reason for this one.

Indian Summer - Carbon Leaf
I really only wanted one song, but figured I'd give the album a try (and I liked what I heard). My favorite song is What About Everything? Life is full of thoughts and questions, and this song points a number of them out. But, we will finally reach a point where we'll just look at those thoughts and questions and just say to ourselves "Forget it!" We'll become so fed up with worrying about things so much that we'll let the worries go and finally live life.

The Red Sox Album - The Boston Pops
No one that knows me should questions this one at all. Go Sox!

Fatty - Street Dogs
I made a few Street Dogs purchases, but a few months apart. I've never been a small kid. Now, I really put on weight after my dis-enrollment from ROTC my junior year at UA, but even in high school I was a big kid. I was tall and played football on the O-Line. The only reason that I wasn't openly picked on was because I was an athlete, but my self-perception has not been good for many years, and it's catching up with me now. I can relate to the kid in this song. "Do you remember, back in High School, that kid we all picked on? No one backed him, ever liked him. He carries that with him today."

Mekong - Refreshments
Some days, you just wish you were at a bar, getting hammered to the point of oblivion, talking about all of your cares and worries with some stranger that is also getting smashed. The best part is that they won't know if you're telling the truth or not "Flip a coin, what shall we talk about. Heads, I tell the truth and Tails, I lie." But the overarching message of the song can be summed up in the chorus "And is it true it's always Happy Hour here? And if it is, I'd like to say a while. And as cliche as it may sound, I'd like to raise another round, and if your bottle's empty, help yourself to mine. Thank you for your time, and Here's to Life!"

Making the most of life is something that I've tried to focus on recently. Being one's own harshest critic doesn't allow for much allowance of mistakes and miscues. So, when you spend four years on something that doesn't end up working out, it's easy to get down on yourself and not let yourself get back up off the mat. I had to make a conscious effort to let myself get back up, to put myself out there a little bit, to chance rejection for the opportunity of acceptance. To make new friends and become closer to people that you've known for a long time. The hardest part is allowing yourself to think that you may actually find love while trying not to force that issue. It's a balancing act that you're trying to perform right after you've lost your ability to balance. It's tough, but the farther I get from the previous setback, the easier it gets to move on with my life. I'm now to the point where I feel like the world is telling me "So close your eyes and embrace your memories. Leave your troubles and your worries far behind. Stop contemplating. Start celebrating. You gotta live before you die." (from Social D's song Live Before you Die)

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Talk about the 12th Man

This was just too good to pass up. I saw this on the 'Shutdown Corner' blog on Yahoo! Sports, and the video was on YouTube, and now it's here. How can you not like a pigeon playing football? Enjoy!

Bruins Tomorrow!

This was just too good not to share. I mean, really, who doesn't love a dancing bear? Go Bruins!

...it's Time to Go!

So, a few weeks ago, I posted the release trailer for NHL 10. A nice little song plays behind the video. It's called The Hockey Song. Today, in honor of the Bruins' impending visit to the valley of the sun, I'm posting a video of Dropkick Murphys' 'Time to Go'. It's a song about going to see the Bruins, which I will do on Saturday evening. This will be my first NHL game, and I'm very excited. I will also be seeing Dropkick Murphys in San Diego in three weeks out in San Diego. It will be my first Dropkick Murphys concert, and I am very excited about that as well! So, enjoy! Go Bruins!

Computer Security

Since becoming a Management Analyst back in February, I have found myself becoming more and more like an IT worker. I'm becoming more appreciative of technological security functions while maintaining the jaded view of a functional user of technology.

Now, I do not feel that my blog is as secure as it should be. This blog is susceptible to the evil demons of stupidity. As such, I had decided to employ the best security measure against the evil demons of stupidity...Saint Dogbert!








There...this blog is now secure!

College Football - Week 5

So, I've gotten back on the right track, survived the past working weekend, and managed to see the second half of three decent games last week. Two of them I was happy about. The third...not so much. I went 3-1 again, with the incorrect pick coming when Iowa upset Penn State...at Happy Valley...at a White-Out! Not happy!

This week sees our first bye week for a team, as Arizona does not play this week. So, there will be two bonus games to compensate.

Now, let the games begin!

Washington at Notre Dame

The Irish are coming off an exciting last minute win over Big-10 Purdue. The Huskies are coming off a disappointing loss to Stanford. Notre Dame Junior QB Jimmy Clausen is still suffering from Turf Toe. Washington Senior QB Jake Lockner is in good form, especially after leading his team to a win over Pac-10 powerhouse USC. This game will come down to how well the QBs play.

The Irish, in another close and exciting game, win another game at Notre Dame Stadium.

#15 Penn State at Illinois

Penn State faced their first loss of the season last week at the hands of Iowa. Illinois is being Illinios. Penn State will look to silence their critics by beating up on a Big-10 school. Of course, this game won't help much, as they are Illinios.

The Nitany Lions beat the Illini big on the road.

Air Force at Navy

The first meeting of two service academies of the year pits the powerful triple option of Air Force against the wishbone option of Navy. Navy managed to give Ohio State all they could handle. Air Force beat SDSU last weekend. Navy has won the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for the past three seasons. As much as I'd like Air Force to pull this one out, I know better.

Navy continues it's resurgence in football and begins their quest for another C-in-C Trophy.

#8 Oklahoma at #17 Miami (FL)

Sooner Heisman Trophy winner and Junior QB Sam Bradford will still be out for this week's game at Miami. He did work out this week, but he also received a consultation from Dr. James Andrews (surgeon to athletes of all kinds). Miami is coming off an embarrassing loss to Virginia Tech. Miami is hungry to win this one and let America know that "The U" really is back.

The 'swagger' of "The U" overcomes the tenacity of the Sooners.

Last Week: 3-1 Season: 11-5

How do you connect a BYU student to a shot of whiskey without violating the BYU Honor Code?

So, I have a friend who turned 21 on Thursday. She's a junior at BYU. I wished her a happy birthday on Facebook, got a message back from her, and continued on with my day (I was in the office until 2345 that night). On my walk to my truck, I was talking with one of our consultants, he asked me what time last call was. By the way, it's 2 am. I mention to him that if he wants to raise a pint to Arthur Guinness, he still has time. I then think that my friend shares a birthday with Guinness Stout. I assume that this is the closest that she'll come to a beer on her 21st birthday. But, I think back to my mission. In my second area, we were close to a family who had a daughter that turned 21 while I was there. My companion had been in that city once before and was very close to the family. So, we got the daughter a birthday present and a card. When we were looking for a card, I noticed one that we ended up buying. On the front, there was a shot glass full of whiskey. The inside of the card said "Cake is for Wussies". The family thought it was my comp that picked it out. They were very surprised when he credited me with the selection. So, how am I tying this all back together? I thought, on my drive home, that if I had thought about it before hand, I could have found one of those cards, sent it to my friend, and then say that I bought a BYU student a shot of whiskey for her 21st birthday.

College Football - Week 4

So, Week 3 was a rough one on me. Arizona announced mid-week that Junior TE Rob Gronkowski would not play against Iowa, and then announced on Saturday that his season was over before it began. Notre Dame lost Sophmore WR Michael Floyd to a broken collarbone, which will keep him out until a bowl game, at the soonest. The scores didn't help my mood much either, as both Arizona and Utah let me down, with Notre Dame and Penn State picking up the slack. I went 2-2 last week, and hope to improve this week.

Arizona at Oregon State

Arizona will be utilizing Sophmore QB Nick Foles for the first time this week. The announcment, made mid-week, will put Matt Scott on the bench, where he can hopefully refine his technique for mobile passing. The Arizona offense has sputtered over the first three games, and that sputtering cost them at Iowa last weekend. Oregon State's Jacquiz Rodgers leads a dangerous Beaver offense that will give the Arizona defense a run for their money on Saturday evening.

Arizona in a defensive slugfest. But, slim margin.

Iowa at #5 Penn State

Penn State is looking for retribution. A loss at Iowa was the game that kept Penn State out of the BCS Title Game. Daryll Clark has played well, but still has room for improvement (especially as the Penn State O-Line improves). Iowa played well last week against Arizona, especially the defense stopping the running game of Arizona. Iowa has the defense to stall the Penn State offense, but I don't think that Iowa has the offense to score on the Penn State defense.

Nitany Lions begin the Big-10 season on the right note, avenging last year's loss.

Notre Dame at Purdue

The Irish are without WR Michael Floyd. QB Jimmy Clausen is hampered by Turf Toe. The game is in West Lafayette. This is a fierce and long-lived rivalry. It doesn't matter.

The Irish roll over the Boilermakers on the road.

Arizona State at #21 Georgia

Oh, this is just a glorified opportunity to smack ASU around a little bit more. ASU's season went downhill after back-to-back losses to UNLV and Georgia at home last year. Now ASU is going to have to travel east and play 'Between the Hedges'. There's no chance that ASU wins at Sanford Stadium.

UGA VI takes a bite out of Sparky, and Georgia wins big in Athens

Last Week: 2-2 Season: 8-4

What's better than one Perry? Two of them!

MTV Shows

When talking about the best guitarists of the last 30 years, Joe Perry must be included in the discussion. His classic riffs have made Aerosmith one of the most recognizable bands in the world for over 30 years. Katy Perry was the up and coming artist of the summer of 2008, and has continued her success in 2009. Plus, she's pretty hot. Together, performed an impressive entrance number to kick off this year's MTV Video Music Awards. I liked the video, so I'm posting it. Yeah, not a lot of deep meaning in this post, just my favorite guitar player and a hot singer. This is one of those days that I'm really not hard to figure out at all.

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Drop the puck...

When the weather begins to cool off in Tucson, it's a sign that it's starting to really cool off north of the Mason-Dixon line, which means only one thing...Hockey Season! And, for someone who does enjoy the occasional video game, a new season means the release of new version of your sport's video game from EA (except baseball, but that's another story). Earlier this week, NHL 10 hit stores. I haven't played it yet, but the TV spot just looked really cool. So, enjoy this good, traditional hockey song. Maybe, if I can find it, I'll post another hockey song later. Oh, and before I forget, Go Bruins!

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

EA SPORTS NHL 10

College Football - Week 3

Last week was another 3-1 week, though I was two minutes away from a perfect 4-0 (thanks Michigan...jerks). The heartbreaking upset of my beloved Irish was the low point in last week's college football season. But, I remain undeterred and overall, very happy with my performance thus far this year. Kudos to UCLA for pulling out the win in the Deep South.

Now, on to this week.

Temple at #5 Penn State

Penn State has looked solid in their first two games. Senior QB Daryll Clark has lead this consistent and dangerous offense while the moniker "Linebacker U" has lived up to its defensive reputation. While Temple is an in-state rival, they're don't have anywhere near the same talent that Penn State has.

Penn State rolls over the Owls.

Michigan State at Notre Dame

The Irish return to the friendly confines of Notre Dame Stadium after losing a heartbreaker in The Big House. The offense had sparks of brilliance that were dimmed by moments or ineptitude. The Irish defense also played an aweful third quarter last week, which didn't help matters. If Notre Dame wants to overcome this talented Big-10 team, they will need a consistent defense, outstanding play from Clausen, and a solid running game to set up Jimmy. Of course, if they need any additional motivation, they can always look back to a recent Michigan State visit to South Bend.



Notre Dame defends the home field, in more ways than one, and beats the Spartans.

Arizona at Iowa

Arizona will be getting All-American Tight End Rob Gronkowski back in the line up this week after missing the first two games of the year with back problems. This is huge for an Arizona offense that has not been able to pass the ball effectively in their first two games (both wins), which has allowed defenses to focus on stuffing the run. Iowa is a talented Big-10 team that welcomes the challenge of playing a Pac-10 team during the season. With this game in Iowa City, they will think that they have a distinct advantage. I still like Arizona to pull out the upset on the road.

Arizona clips the Hawkeyes' wings in a close (and I mean close) game.

#18 Utah at Oregon

Oregon is trying to get back to being Oregon. They had high hopes coming into the season, even being one of four teams featured on the SI College Football Preview issue cover. But, after a loss at Boise State, the loss of their Senior RB Blount for the year due to suspension, and then a squeaker of a win over Purdue, the Ducks are looking to correct their course before they begin Pac-10 play. Unfortunately, they scheduled Utah. They are trying to become the BCS buster again and show that they are a superior team to their in-state rivals, #7 BYU. While Utah has played a relatively weak non-conference schedule, they are going to be ready when they travel to Autzen Stadium this weekend.

Utah puts the Ducks in a tailspin, wins big in Autzen.

Last Week: 3-1 Season: 6-2

College Football - Week 2

A recap of Week 1 - The Haus went 3-1. This occured due to the unexpected departure of Sam Bradford from the BYU/OU game. A good game to watch, but the wrong outcome for my mood.

In a non-talked about game last week, Boise State defeated Oregon on the Smurf Turf in Boise. BSU controlled most of the game, yet did not fare well in the post-game impromptu boxing match. If you didn't see OU's (former) starting RB Blount take a sucker punch at a BSU player, than I'd point you to ESPN.com's video section. It's there. Good for Oregon for suspending this guy for the rest of the season. Blount's actions give the game of College Football a black eye.

Now, on to this weeks games.

#18 Notre Dame at Michigan

The Irish are coming off an impressive 35-0 will over Nevada. The Irish defense was able to contain the dangerous Colin Kapernick (sp?) and the Irish offense looked better than it has at any time over the past two years. Michigan spent their opening weekend with a typical FCS opponent (and this year managed not to get upset by them) in Western Michigan. Michigan has announced that their freshman phoenom Nate Forcier will start at QB. Notre Dame has announced that RB James Aldridge will sit after being injured against Nevada.

This boils down to one thing...this is a big rivalry for both schools. This is one of college football's oldest rivalries. These guys want to beat each other into a pulp, and then keep beating them.

The Irish will 'Rise and Strike', pulling out a 'Victory' (see above video) in the Big House and avenging the defeats of the past two years.

Northern Arizona at Arizona

This is Arizona's yearly FCS opponent. While NAU should not be overlooked, this game will not be nearly as close as last weeks game was against Central Michigan. Newly minted Arizona Sophmore QB Matt Scott looked good in the pocket, but has work to do on the move. Also, Scott needs to learn to slide feet first. Arizona's defense looked like it was in midseason form. Any improvement on last weeks effort will be warmly received, especially as the Pac-10 season draws near.

Arizona sends the Lumberjacks north emptyhanded.

Syracuse at #7 Penn State

The Nittany Lions rolled the 'Mightly Zips' of Akron, earning Senior QB Daryll Clark Big-10 Offensive Player of the Week honors. Syracuse had a close game with Minnessota, coming up just short behind the valiant effort of former Duke Basketball player Greg Paulus.

Linebacker U. gives the Dukie trouble all...day...long, and wins in a game that's over by the end of the 3rd quarter.

And, a 'for the fun of it' pick (this way I have four games each week)

UCLA at Tennessee

UCLA beat SDSU at the Rose Bowl, despite the impending fires throughout Los Angeles. Tennesse beat up on Western Kentucky. UCLA plays a team with a shot at an upset, Tennessee rings in the Lane Kiffin era with a cupcake. And, as I recall, UCLA found a way to beat Tennessee last year at the Rose Bowl (a nice way to ring in the Rick Neuheisel era). The Vols are favored by 8 in what will be a closely played matchup.

UCLA finds a way to pull the upset over Tennessee in Lane's first real NCAA test.

Last Week: 3-1 Season: 3-1

Capt. Paul D. Raymond, USAF

On 5 Sept 1967, 1Lt Paul Raymond and his navigator Capt. Donald Downing were flying in their F4 Phantom over the Yuang Binh Province of North Vietnam. Their F4-C Phantom crashed 10 miles north of the city of Vinh Linh. Both men were classified as 'Missing in Action'. In the time since that crash, Lt. Raymond was promoted to Captain and Capt. Downing was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

Capt. Raymond graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1965. He had a wife and a son. His hometown was Deposit, New York. He was a father, a son, and a husband. He was an athlete and a man of faith. Now, he is one of 1731 servicemen and DoD civilians that is still unaccounted for.

During my junior year at UA, I received a POW/MIA bracelet. My bracelet has Capt Raymond's name on it. I have worn this bracelet since I received it. I'm sure most people have noticed it. Some has asked me what it is, some have recognized what it is and asked me if I knew of the person (either by relation or by him being a family friend). I didn't ask for Capt Raymond's name, members of my family didn't know him (that I know of). In fact, my dad didn't enlist in the Air Force until a year after Capt Raymond's crash. But I have worn this man's name on my wrist every day for nearly four years, and it is a constant reminder of the price that some have paid so that I can enjoy the freedoms that I enjoy.

42 years ago today, this man was doing his job defending our nation. Now, to all too many, he's merely a name on a list, and that list is looked at as merely a concept. It's sad that these people are not remembered more often than they truly are. We should each take a moment to remember those who have sacrificed all so that we may enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy, and many times take for granted.

Capt. Paul Darwin Raymond, You Are Not Forgotten.

College Football - Week 1

Saturday marks the beginning of the 2009 College Football Season. Now, as can be accurately said, I have four teams that I follow and root for religiously:
1 - The University of Arizona (my Alma Mater)
2 - The University of Notre Dame (the team of my childhood)
3 - Pennsylvania State University (it's a family thing)
4 - Any team playing against BYU (did you expect anything different?)

So, I'll give my breakdown of each of these team's games from a fan's perspective.

Central Michigan @ Arizona
Central Michigan is not to be overlooked. A Bowl-Bound team from last year and one of the MACs better programs, the Chippewas will be ready to pull an upset over a Pac-10 team. Their case is improved by Gronk being out indefinitely and a starting QB not being named yet. But, a strong returning receiving corps, mixed with a solid O-Line and a re-tooled defense will help UA overcome their few downside and defeat a good CMU at home.

The Wildcats give the home crowd something to cheer about and beat CMU.

Nevada @ Notre Dame
The video above is from a Notre Dame pep rally last season. The band is playing Celtic Chant, a personal favorite of mine. The only song better than that is the Notre Dame Victory March, a song I expect will be heard frequently in Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday. A quarterback that is finally comfortable in Charlie Weis' offense, a receiving corps that is used to their quarterback, and a defense that is a year older and wiser. I'm optimistic for 9 Irish wins this year, and their first will come at the expense of Nevada.

The Irish will 'Rise and Strike', beating Nevada by at least 21

Akron @ Penn State
Really? Do I even have to say anything about this one? No, but I will anyway. Akron is the annual sacrificial lamb for Penn State. They'll get trounced, JoePa will come out in his khaki pants that are two inches too short and fire up the students who idolize their octogenarian coach, and the classically dressed Nittany Lions will make Akron look like the MAC team they are.

PSU mauling the 'Mighty Zips' of Akron.

BYU @ Oklahoma (at Dallas Cowboys Stadium)
Here are the advantages that BYU has in this game - It's not in Norman, It's...well, that's really the only advantage that BYU has in this game. OU is the better team, top to bottom (having a Heisman Trophy winner in your locker room helps). BYU isn't a bad team, but they're not OU. It makes one wonder why a decent program would take a game of this difficulty to start the new season, especially when one loss in the Mountain West (especially a non-conference loss) will keep you out of the BCS. But, for as much credit as I may give BYU, they'll see the Sooner Schooner and the Ruff Necks too many times on Saturday.

Oklahoma big in this one. Boomer Sooner!

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

From Haus' iPod

A lot of what I think about on a daily basis comes from the music I listen to. Here's a sampling of what's in my iPod right now and what kind of effect it is having on me:

Taylor Swift (don't laugh!) - Our Song
"Our song is the slamming screen door, Sneakin' out late, tapping on your window. When we're on the phone and you talk real slow Cause it's late and your mama don't know. Our song is the way you laugh. The first date "man, I didn't kiss her, and I should have." And when I got home ... before I said amen, Asking God if he could play it again."

This brings back memories of big things I've done badly. I remember being a junior in high school and talking with my girlfriend on the phone late at night. The only downside was my parents did know, as the light on their phone showed the line was being used. There's another girl out there that I should have kissed long ago, but I've never wanted to jeopardize the relationship we already have. This girl brings out the best in me, but she also brings out my biggest character flaw...my inability to take a big chance. Of course, there's another girl I did kiss on our first date where I now wish I would have slow-played things for a bit. That would have saved me a lot of heartache later. I have been in a relationship where there's been an 'our song'. It was 'You Belong to Me' by Jason Wade. All of the other ones, though, we haven't really had a song that was ours, which may be for the best. I haven't listened to 'You Belong to Me' in a few years, especially after the 'Dear John' letter I got two weeks after Valentine's Day.

Dropkick Murphys - The Legend of Finn Mac
"This mighty soldier on the eve of the war he waged told his troops of lessons learned from battles fought. "May your heart grow bolder like an iron-clad brigade" said this leader to his outnumbered lot."

There are just some days when you feel outnumbered beyone belief. You look out and see a veritable sea of enemies and obstacles, and you look behind and see it's you and your shadow. To get through this advisarial force, a bold heart and a smart head are needed. I have to remember that as long as I keep my head about me and know where to turn for help, that 'those that be with us are more than those that be against us.' That's a thought that will help embolden a man's heart.

Dropkick Murphys - Never Forget
"In a child's eye there's something I hope someday you'll know. A friend's dedication, it's something to behold. A mother's smile, it makes everything all right. To a women's caring hand I'll be holding on tonight.
When you got love and we got family, keep 'em close and don't forget to hold them right there in your heart. When you got love and family."

There's always something good in life, and sometimes we have to look at the little things to find the good in life. Something as simple as a look in a child's eye, a smile from Mom, or just the simple touch of a woman. You want to keep these little things close to you, as it's those memories that will help you as you feel alone. Plus, really, there's nothing better in life than a woman's caring hand to hold onto. Well, at least I'm thinking that now as I don't have any children (or a woman's caring hand to hold onto, but that's another story).

Great Big Sea - Sea of No Cares
"When you decide that what counts is inside, your friends all say it's a lie. But there's no brighter light than the look in her eyes when you're walking her home through the night. And hey, hey somewhere, you threw your fear in the Sea of No Cares."

Nowadays, I don't walk many of my dates home. Drive, yes. Walk, not so much. But, I do walk each one to the door. And when we get to the door, I make sure to look each one of them in the eyes before wishing them a good night. It's cliche to say that the eyes are the window to the soul, but I happen to find the eyes to be the most beautiful part of a woman. You can tell a lot about a person from their eyes. And, in the case of a woman with beautiful eyes, you can get lost in them. When you see a person's feelings in their eyes before you hear them express them, then you know that you truly understand a person. And to see the love of a woman in her eyes before she says anything is the kind of connection that I really want in life.

Rise Against! - Paper Wings"
"And I can't tell if you're laughing. Between each smile there's a tear in your eye. There's a train leaving town in an hour. It's not waiting for you, and neither and I."

Sometimes I wonder if this is my life talking to me. I'll do anything in my power to not show weakness, sensitivity, or sorrow. For someone to actually see me sad, they have to either catch me at a weak moment or they have to be really close to me. I want people to see the smile and to hear me laugh. I want them to see the thoughtful look. I don't want people to see me when I'm sad. You may think it's my massive ego, or an overdeveloped sense of machismo, but I don't want people to see me when I'm seriously down. I try and keep an even keel in public, not too far up and not too far down, and that's how I want to be seen. Calm, collected, and stable. Nobody needs to know when I'm freaking out inside, and nobody needs to know when I'm hurting inside. When I broke up with my most recent girlfriend, I didn't say anything right away. I told my brother (who then told my parents), and I mentioned it to my boss after she mentioned to me that I looked like I had checked out (in my defense, I did have a vacation coming up at the end of that week, which is what she attributed it to). I didn't want to make a big deal about it because I didn't want people to see how if affected me. I wanted life to continue on as normal. I knew people would eventually find out, but I didn't want life to stop because of it. And that's just how I am. I play things close to the vest and only show what I want to show. Is this healthy? Probably not. But, it is the way it is.

Street Dogs - The General's Boombox
"You lit the fire in us and we play on in your trust. A reluctant, poetic guttersnipe. Beyond images and songs, more than your memory carries on, As the general's boombox still plays on."

Everyone has something to motivates them. A person, a concept, a goal, a twinkie. It's different for everyone. I'm currently motivated to work hard because I know that I'll get a nice, well-deserved vacation at the end of our Go-Live and Transisiton process (73 days until San Diego!). The memory of a fallen teammate motivated my high school football team on to victory week after week. It's the memory of how a woman feels in my arms that motivates me to want to find the woman that I'll be able to hold for the rest of my life and into the eternities. Memories can cause us to do all sorts of things, and it's the results of those actions we remember that can be our constant reminder of what we know and how we want it to affect our lives.

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Live by the Smack, Die by the Smack

So, I'm in a fantasy baseball league with my cousin and a few of his friends. One of them decided to talk some smack once he made it to the top of the league (last week), and then immediately lost to the worst team in the league (dropping him in third place). So, in response to the smack talk, he got this today, courtesy of me. Hutch will just have to learn from his mistake. Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes, I am in first place in the league (technically tied for first, but I own the tiebreaker).

Let's Go Murphys!

I went into the office a little early this morning. I got settled in, checked in with the boss, and then started waiting for today's trainee. She was half an hour late, so while I was waiting (and complaining about her being late to training), I went onto the Dropkick Murphys website. I've been looking for information on either a fall tour or their new live album (also expected out before the year's end). It seems that sometime on Thursday, they posted the dates for a November tour! Now, I looked at the dates and cities to see if they were coming to Arizona. Nope, no shows in the Grand Canyon State. So, next I look for dates in neighboring states. Now, they're starting this tour in Anahiem, and the second show is in San Diego. San Diego is only 400 miles from Tucson, so I made a bee line for the boss to get a couple days off and bought my ticket to the show. I had been looking to get out of town in November (as September and October will be pure tourture at work), and now I have a date and place for this vacation. So, in the space of one hour, I had taken care of making travel plans for a vacation that I've been looking forward to since May, I just didn't know what I was going to do until today. So, that made today a very good day.

Thoughts of a Musical Nature

At the end of a long day at the office (and I've had plenty of those lately), I like to come home, change into something comfortable, and then sit down with my guitar for a little while and play while I decompress. Now, I'm not any good, but I enjoy trying to get better. I have two simple songs in my back pocket, and I'm learning more as we speak. Now, what kind of guitar do I play? Good question. I play an Ephiphone Les Paul Special II.

Now, why do I bring up what I play? Simple. The world lost Les Paul today. Here is a guy that invented many of the things that musicians (and even wanna-be guitar players like me) take for granted. First off, and probably most famous, the solid-body electric guitar. Because I have an electric guitar, I can play whenever I want just by plugging a set of headphones into my amp, that was all the sound goes to my ears and doesn't bother my neighbors. Second, he invented multi-track recording. Where would we be without that. The way that music is recorded would be considerably different, probably more expensive, and not as accessable to us. That would be undesirable, as music is what I use to decompress at the end of the day, and I know that I'm not the only one to use music as a method of relaxation, stress relief, or artistic expression. Les Paul was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame years ago, but it was about 4 years ago that he was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame. This is a recognition that was definately overdue.

As I drove home from work this evening, I noticed one of the local music stores already had something on their sign out front noting the passing of Les Paul and how he'd be missed by the music world. Interviews have been done, and will continue to be done I'm sure. People will talk, and think, and write (obviously, because I'm writing). But do you know what I'm going to do next? I think I'll sit down with my guitar.

What's your name again?

Ok, so when I saw this today, it was just too good to not go ahead and post. I mean, really, what kind of mind sees something like a 'Hello, my name is...' sticker and immediately thinks of 'The Princess Bride'? So, props to whomever came up with this.

Reflections on the Heart

Disclaimer: These thoughts are general thoughts, and are not about any particular person, so don't read that deeply into them.

So, I was bumping around online and found this statement, and it made me think:

"Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love". – Neil Gaiman


Now, there are aspects of this statement that I can't argue with. Being in love does make you vulnerable. If you're really in love, you do open yourself entirely to someone, and hope for the best. Of course, sometimes the best doesn't happen. There are times where you may not feel like you're no longer in control of yourself. There are times when you feel as if you're whole life hangs on their each and every word. And when things don't work out as you'd like, it can send you into a spiral that's hard to counter. It gets into every part of your being, and drags down all of your thoughts and actions. It tears you apart from limb to limb, and then continues to tear at the bits that are left.

But, does this downside of love outweigh the upside of love? Let's see.

When you're in love, you open yourself completely to someone. You give yourself to someone, and do so without regard. And if they take what you give them and treat it correctly, you feel invincible. Nothing can take you down from the high that you're on. You enjoy hanging on your love's every word, and you take whatever opportunity you can to be around them. You look at them and think that nothing in the world can be wrong so long as you're around them. When you drop the armor around your heart, you feel as though a weight has been lifted from you. You can move freer when not constrained by the armor and barriers that have been built up to 'protect' your heart. You don't mind the access that your love has to you, because you want them to know that a part of you belongs to them.

I think back to something I read a few years ago. C.S. Lewis, in his classic work Mere Christianity, tackles the topic of love. He distinguishes 'love' from 'in love'. 'In Love' is the thrill-seeking, can't live without you feeling that people have in their gut when they fall (and how aptly titled) 'in love'. To be 'in love' takes a lot of effort, action, and energy. On the other hand, the emotion of 'love' is a calming feeling that is more easily sustained and creates a more fulfilling state of being. This isn't to say that 'love' is boring, as it provides ups and downs, just like being 'in love'. He compares these emotions to thrill seeking: "Let the thrill go - let it die away - go on through that period of death into the quieter interest and happiness that follow - and you will find you are living in a world of new thrills all the time."

So, in my opinion, Mr. Gaiman, don't hate love. You may disdain being 'in love', but love opens up a world of new possibilities that can heal a ripped-apart gut and (more importantly) mend the broken soul.

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Lamentations of a Summer

In two weeks, the students will return to campus, I'll have trouble finding parking, and I'll actually have to bring myself to hitting the books once again. Now, granted, I'm a part-time non-degree seeking graduate student, but school was never something that I spent a lot of time working too hard at. Learning has come easy to me. Well, book learning has come easy to me. Other aspects of learning have not. But, that's for another day, or at least another paragraph. I know that an education is important, I would not trade my college experience (and the degree that came with it) for anything. But, I sometimes feel that by staying in school, and especially by staying in Tucson, that I'm trying to extend something that should have ended for me two years ago. Of course, if I had just gone straight to grad school full-time, I would be done by now. But, that's also besides the point. Putting myself in the correct mental state to go back to school is difficult, though it's something that I've been thinking about more and more recently.

The thought of just going back to school, and by definition leaving Tucson, is something brought on by the idea that my life just isn't where I want it to be. To quote Flogging Molly, "There's an ocean between where I am and where I want to be." This thought has been intensified this summer. Now, an outside observer would think that I've had a good summer, maybe even a really good summer. I, though, an not an outside observer. I'm just over three months removed from a nearly four-year relationship. It has been a tough time, but I thought I was getting through things fairly well. After spending a month in a self-imposed house arrest, I decided to go out with some friends one night. We went to see the Tucson Pops at Reid Park. I started to meet new people, make new friends, and have fun again. Where my wheels started falling off the wagon, though, is when I met and started talking to one of the girls that was at the park that night. As I got to know her, I had a few realizations. First, that I still have the ability to make a decent impression on a girl. Second, it was fun to get to know someone new. Third, that it wasn't good for me to be alone anymore. Now, I can tell you that in the short time I've known her that I haven't thought through that third point in relation to her, but just in general. But that general thought was enough to get me thinking about where I really want the direction of my life to go.

So, what have I done to change the direction of my life? Very good question. I've started prepping for the GRE so I can become a degree-seeking grad student. The next question is where. I could stay at UA, work and go to school at the same time, and then just hope that I meet the right girl here. It would also help that I really wouldn't have to pay much for school (as being a University employee is good for the tuition bill). On the flip side, I could pack up and leave, live on a part-time job and a student loan, hope to find a woman whereever I end up, and finish my degree in half the time it would take at UA going part-time. The next question would be where to go? So, I took a minute to do something that I would never have considered a year ago...I looked at the grad programs offered in Happy Valley (and I'm not referring to Penn State). I've thought about Notre Dame, which would be cold, but fun. I've thought about a few SoCal schools. I've thought about PSU, UConn, and BC. But I haven't come any closer to making a decision that I was a month ago. I just know that the status quo can't continue if I want to be happy. And this is where my summer has gone.

The First Post

I am sitting in an all-day training session, waiting for the session to finish so I can get up and stretch. This is the third of these PeopleSoft Basic sessions I've had to co-facilitate, and is also the last of them. I've become the de-facto BenAdmin trainer, though I'm trained to be a functional person. Months spent learning configuration, analysis, and analytics, and all I'm doing is talking to groups of people who really don't care too much about what I'm saying. But, on the upside, I do get a change of scenery for a few hours. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but training all day long (especially one-on-one sessions) does get tiring.

I feel I should explain the title of this blog, seeing as how this is the first posting. While on my mission, I was given the nickname of 'Haus'. The inspiration for this nickname is the character from the TV show 'Bonanza', though I believe that character's name was spelled 'Hoss'. Since we were missionaries, we had a tendency to speak in a biblical manner. So, when I would get done speaking, and someone felt like being a wiseguy, they'd pipe up and say 'Thus Sayeth our Haus'. After a while, I'd end my comments with 'Thus Sayeth Your Haus'. That's where it's coming from.

While I may seem like a bit of a sports nut, there is a more intellectual side to me which I hope to express through this site. We'll see how it goes. But, in homage to my inner sports fan, I have to say this: Yankees Suck! Go Sox!

For now, this is all. Thus Sayeth Your Haus.