A win and a loss

The last few days have been intense for Northeast Ohio as the Kent State Golden Flashes baseball team took on Oregon in the Super Regional for a berth to the College World Series. The Flashes were up 2-0 for most of the game until the Ducks came back to tie it in eighth. In the bottom of the ninth, senior and Kent State's all-time hits leader Jimmy Rider nailed one to left field, allowing sophomore Derek Toadvine to score the game-winning run. The 3-2 victory sent the Flashes to their first trip to the College World Series. Not since 1970 has a team from Ohio made it to the CWS and not since 1976 has a team from the MAC moved on (the last teams to experience such success were Ohio University and Eastern Michigan, respectively).  This is the first time since 1970 a team from Ohio will be represented in the CWS and also the first time the MAC will be represented since 1976.

Golden Flashes pile up (photo via Kent State)

Usually when Kent State is on national news it's because of uncontrolled block parties and bizarre crimes so it's nice to see positive press. As a recent M.A. recipient from the school, this is especially pleasing. If you missed the moment or want to relive it, you can do so here.

And now for more somber news. Many of you might have seen me talk about Sandusky, Ohio on Twitter. Normally, I'm poking fun at the rockin' roller coast (it's all in good nature, I swear), but today I have to give my extreme condolensces to the community as they continue to mourn the loss of a beloved coach and friend. I did not know Chris Smith, but I do know a few of his relatives and many of the people who had the pleasure of knowing him as a person. Judging by the Facebook and Twitter statuses, this man had an impact on many lives throughout the Sandusky area. While it's unfortunate it takes something so tragic to remind us how precious and short life is, it is important to take this time to be thankful for the life we're given. No matter what you're doing or where you are, always remember to tell the people in your life how much they mean to you. No one is every too busy to hear those words.

Woops

As I said in my last post (in July...sorry about that) I am a terrible blogger. I have the potential to be good, but I don't have the time. New Years is only a month and a half away, but one of my resolutions is to get back to blogging and to be consistent about it. This, however, will not happen until I graduate in May. I'm sorry if you've been waiting for new posts, but I just don't have the time right now. I do have tons of ideas for things to write about. We'll just have to wait until spring time for them to be revealed.

Keeping up with Real Time

I'm a terrible blogger.

I'm sorry I haven't written about the Tribe still hanging in there, LeBron still being a d-bag, Ohio State still taking bullets to the head, or the bureaucracy involved with it all. I'm sorry I promised to be more consistent, but instead violated this all-important rule of blogging.  I could make a thousand excuses for my non-existent presence, but I'll limit the number to two. Neither of these have to do with my job taking over my life (because it doesn't, even if I am working more than 40 hours a week).

The first is that it's summer. In my 23 years of life, summer has been the time where my mind gets to rest. I've never taken summer classes, the only other "summer" internship I had was more of a shadowing opportunity and I've worked food service/retail jobs since I was 14. This is the first summer I've had a real job where I'm required to be just as, if not more, creative as I was during the school year. You would think I'd be adjusting with difficulty, but in fact, I love this pace. And every single weekend thus far has been phenomenal. This state of bliss is possible because I'm not waiting on ignorant men who think giving out their phone numbers will suffice as an adequate tip, or tourists who spend so much money on water gun games that their food budget had to be sacrificed. So, rather than staying at my apartment or sitting behind a computer 16 hours a day, I've been enjoying summer, as all of us should be.

Some friends and I waiting outside Grimaldi's in Brooklyn back in May. This was taken a few days after my first Yankees game. Go Tribe!

                                                                                       

The second reason is that I got rid of cable and won't allow it to return to my life until mid-August. For sports people, not having cable is sort of sacrilegious. I got rid of it because my roommates moved out and I barely watch TV in the summer anyway. As far as the sports stuff is concerned, I get everything I need to know from blogs, Twitter and sports websites. Personally, you should all be jealous of me because I have the privilege of NOT watching ESPN. However, the bad part of not actually watching sports and sports news is that I find it much more difficult to get a 360 platform of inspiration. Hearing other people talk about stuff is fine for knowledge, but not when you want to get in the conversation surrounding a live event.

Speaking of the conversation, who's heard of this little thing called Google+? I hope the answer to that is yes, but hey, it's summer. I don't blame you for living under a rock. Basically, Google's been paying attention to the way people communicate, connect and create content, and has developed an interface to give everyone a unique place to do what they've already been doing. It seems most of the people I've added to circles share like they would on Twitter, but it looks like it would on Facebook, if Facebook wasn't so busy.

I'm not saying Google+ is going to wipe out either of these networks. Facebook connected people in a way MySpace couldn't and Twitter made real-time the norm. But as someone who has established myself in a sports circle in the Twitterverse, I can honestly say this platform can give us a whole new way to talk about live sports- if we have a way to watch them, of course.

Think about it. Every Saturday from September to November and in the three weeks of bowl season, those of us who are not at a college game, at a bar watching a college game, at a party watching a college game, or doing anything involving a college game that keeps us away from our computers, were most likely live blogging or live tweeting with others about that game. With Google+, we can take our live discussions to the next level and "hangout" with each other, "spark" content with each other and follow our "circles," all in one place. Now, for those of us who don't get to leave the house, we can technically watch and absorb the game with other people in the same boat. Brilliant.

I personally would much rather be out and about on football Saturdays, but if I learned anything last year it's that grad school doesn't always allow a full day for fun. Sometimes I have to stay sober and the only way to do so is to pretend I'm doing homework while watching the game(s). It's a wonderful mind trick I seem to have perfected. In either scenario, it's much better enjoying football with others.

I'm still learning Google+ and all the fun that might come with it. I'm not quitting Twitter because I like it too much. I'm not quitting Facebook, because that's where my friends are, though I suspect my activity will decrease even more than it already has. I guess if I removed some of the clutter, aka people I don't care about, I could make Facebook a little more like Google+. But nobody likes the feeling of being "unfriended," and I don't like hurting people's feelings. I actually like that these social networks are different, serve different purposes and keep up the conversation in different ways.

For me, and hopefully for others, the unique purpose of Google+ can be another way to make our communities more open. But if this summer taught me anything, it's that no interface, social platform or real time conversation can ever replace real life experiences. I can look at people's beach vacation pictures all day, but nothing compares to actually going to the beach. I can read about stuff going on in Cleveland, Columbus or NYC but it doesn't do much for me unless I'm really there. I can drink a Summer Shandy while writing this post, but it doesn't taste as good as when I'm sitting around a patio table, having a toast with my friends.

RED, WHITE AND WINDIANS, LOOK WHO'S BACK ON TOP AGAIN

It's Friday. Tomorrow is the Columbus Crawl for Cancer. Leave my cheesy title alone.

For most of you, the first official holiday of summer begins this evening, and, if you live in Ohio, the first 10-day forecast boasting an overwhelming majority of sunny days is finally here. Despite all the roller coaster weather, I think all of us can already smell the barbeques from every corner of our neighborhoods. For some, this weekend is a 72-hour vacation. For me, I've been on vacation for weeks. Since school ended May 5, I've traveled to Columbus, New York City and that state up north all within a 12 day span, and I'm now taking a "relaxing" two weeks to prepare for my summer internship.

But enough about where I've been and where I'm going. The most important thing about this weekend is that the Cleveland Indians will enter the weekend series against the Rays 30-17. The CLEVELAND Indians. The same team that was ranked dead last in the MLB's preseason rankings is now your number one and the team everyone wants to see fail simply because they are consistently #WINNING. Nobody, and I mean nobody, that I have come across, anyway, predicted how electric these first two months would be. Sure, the Red Sox did to them what they've been doing to everybody during Wednesday's home matinee, but that's the beauty of baseball: you're allowed a bad game without too many people reading too much into it. No other sport has that luxury, especially before the all-star break.

Untouchable. For now.

Is this really the same team that took until June 30 to reach 30 wins last season? Not exactly. While a decent number of players from the 40-man 2010 roster returned in 2011 (26 to be exact), notable additions, such as Jack Hannahan and Orlando Cabrera, have everyone saying "Grady who?"

A few weeks ago, Wall Street Journal writer Darren Everson completed a forensic journalistic analysis of every trade and how it's impacted the Tribe's unexpected success. While it's fun to hate on Larry Dolan's frugal attempt at running a business, reading this article probably made you kind of like the old man and think he's not so senile after all. Besides the roster, notable changes made to the organization in the last few years include:

Brad Paisley wants to see YOU at Progressive Field. 

• The Indians Social Suite: Located where the old left field bleachers once stood, social media geeks like myself can apply to have experience the power of social media and sports, away from their TV sets. Not too shabby for a team owned by an 80-year old, though I doubt it was his idea.
• @tribetalk: The official Twitter page for Cleveland Indians social media. If you follow @tribetalk, you will get a follow-back, the opportunity for discounted tickets and a place in the Twitterverse to vent or praise about anything Tribe-related.
• The brand campaign of "Creating memories. Connecting Generations. Celebrating Families." or, as I like to call, six words that reinvent the meaning of America's favorite past-time.
• The Cleveland Indians Music Festival: Sure, it's all country, and if you know me, that's not exactly my favorite genre, but country concerts are probably some of the best concerts. While it might have nothing to do with baseball, it's going to get people to Progressive Field, where they will drink lots of beer and spend lots of money. How is that not a win for everyone?

With all the renovations to the Wahoo brand, we have to wonder: did the front office and team management/coaches know the Tribe would be this good? Or did these changes just fall into place at the right time? Whatever the case, the Tribe is back, though, its drought really doesn't compare to anything we ever dealt with from the Cavs and Browns combined. The team dominated the American League in the nineties to the point where Burger King thought the team was worthy for its own collectible baseball set, and didn't exactly "suck" up until game five of the AL Championship in 2007.

What happened last July with "The Decision" proved that in sports, if a team fails to bring home hardware, it will never be the best and will simply fade into our distant memories. As Cleveland fans, or any fans (I'm talking to you with my sincerest sympathy here, Chicago), our teams can be amazing all season, but if they choke in the playoffs and crumble in the coming year, what was once our source of happiness is now the reason for a daily eye roll. We cannot keep assuming that a near flawless record equals a championship. What we can do is remain faithful and proud, go to games (or at least give them the ratings) no matter what the record, and refrain from fair-weather syndrome.

We can hate our owners all we want, but sometimes it takes a series of bad decisions to make the right ones. Sometimes it takes more than a good team to bring people to the stadium, though that is an enormous part of it. Everything in life has its villain, especially sports. But not every athlete, team or organization is ignorant to fan loyalty (or, the consumer of the product, if you want to look at it that way).

It's almost June. The Browns might never see the field. The Cavs are rebuilding. Mike Brown no longer works at Winking Lizard (okay, maybe he never did, but he has a doppleganger named Tom). Ohio State football is a perpetual mess. That's all irrelevant because it's Tribe time now. No one knows if they'll roll through October, but at least we can enjoy the ride while it lasts.

Taking a Break..Well, not really

I know I don’t have the biggest fanbase in the world, but I know people read this. I have a few thousand views, including 19 (and counting) from someone or multiple someones in Malaysia. I don't know who you are, but thanks for boosting my numbers and hopefully enjoying what I have to say. That being said, I think it’s only fair I let you know a little about what’s going on in my life.

As some of you may know, I’m a Master’s student at Kent State University. This semester, I am taking an PR online tactics class, which is all about Web PR and social media. One of the class requirements is that I post a weekly blog. Unfortunately, it would be cheating the system if I used this blog, so for a couple months, I will be taking my talents to WordPress and writing a blog called Sports PRspective. I’ll still be writing about sports, but this is from a PR and image management angle, rather than a fan/general sports angle. I would love if all if you would read it and comment on it so I get some good traffic (I’ll post links each week here). I would love to keep doing my bi-weekly postings on here, but between that, my other classes, my assistantship, and my duties for Our Honor Defend, trying to manage three blogs is a bit much for me. I will be back sometime in April or May. Once I return, I’m going to try to post weekly instead of bi-weekly, since I know you can’t get enough of me. Thanks again for reading and boosting my self-esteem :)

Odds and ends of 2010

As usual per this time of year, everyone takes a little time to reflect upon the last 12 months and hypothesize what might happen in the next 12. For me, I came into 2010 a Buckeye and will leave it a Golden Flash. I have a Bachelor's degree from the best university in the world (debate me if you want, I'm not going to back down) and am working on a Master's from one of the best kept secrets in the J-School world. In January, I was taking care of a roommate's dog, but in December I have my own. I've watched friends get engaged (about 7 in the last week actually) while I've remained content in a relationship with myself. I lost somewhere between 10-15 pounds and 2 jean sizes thanks to P90X and my drinking has slowed down significantly thanks to grad school.

Writers often use this time to put this reflection into prose through Top (insert number here) lists, ranking the best and worst news stories, scandals, sports moments, mysteries, movies, music, political shenanigans, etc. You name it, there is probably a list for it somewhere on the Internet. As a sports writer, I have had numerous opinions about my favorite athletes, teams and events, and I think it is my duty to narrow it down to ten for the five of you who really care what I have to say. These are in no specific order because I don't have the credibility to be ranking things.

1. Tiger

Ok, the incident technically happened in 2009, but the aftermath has 2010 written all over it. Tiger lost his wife, his credibility with his female fan base, his endorsements with brands like Gatorade and Gillette, his number one ranking, and, most importantly, his ability to come out a winner in any major golf tournament since he got back on the green in April. The only thing consistent in his life is constant media scrutiny, the backing by the ever-so morally conscious Nike and money from video game sales.

When Tiger's drama unfolded, I, like most women, was disgusted that a man could stoop so low. I never really cared about golf so I didn't feel like one of my favorite athletes had betrayed my trust. But, neither did the guys I worked with at Quaker Steak and Lube, who worshiped Tiger. The only thing they cared about was that he was back playing golf. This reminded me that golfing was Tiger's profession. Cheating was his personal life. I don't condone cheating, but I could probably guess that chronic cheaters exist in all walks of life. The only difference between them and Tiger is that Tiger is a celebrity. Would we be more or less disgusted if we found out a close friend had cheated on their spouse with a dozen or so people? For me, probably more, but I wouldn't be writing about it, and would try to be there for them, even if I didn't think they were in the right.

The real lesson from the Tiger incident is for anyone who thinks they want to make it big, and for those of us who are obsessed with celebrity culture. If you want to be a celebrity, you have to know that your actions, no matter how bad, good, or unimportant, are subject to public scrutiny. But what we, as followers of athletes and celebrities need to realize is that these people are still people. They are not gods. We should not be idolizing them as such. Is there anything wrong with going back to worrying about our own lives instead of putting so much energy into caring about celebrities' stupidity? I'm going to go with no.

2. OSU tatgate

In the most recent installment of "How does the NCAA REALLY work?" Buckeye fans were thrown into a whirlwind of disappointment and ambiguity known in the Twitterverse as #tatgate. What started as a rumor that OSU players were getting free tattoos in exchange for autographs turned into a memorabilia-selling meltdown that led to the five-game suspension (not counting the Sugar Bowl) for a group of OSU's best of next season's senior class. Most of my holiday parties consisted of discussions of "What do you think about those football players, Margaret?" "Are you ashamed to be a Buckeye right now?" "Do you think they were set up?"

When I was a freshman, I decided I would make it a goal to save all of my ticket stubs from every sporting event or concert I attended, from there on out, especially the OSU games. I also made a promise to myself that I would never, under any circumstances, miss a home OSU game while I was a student. From 2006-2009, I made it to every single one, even the 2008 Penn State game when I was black-out drunk off cherry bombs and my friends were making $200 per ticket. That game had a sad ending, but one that didn't was The Game of the Century between No. 1 OSU and No. 2 Michigan in 2006. It was one of the best moments of my life, however, my ticket stub from that epic game is the only one I am missing. I would give anything to have that ticket back.

Tradition is something that is bred into every single OSU student way before they start taking classes or participating in extracurriculars. The intercollegiate athletes are the ultimate representation of that tradition. Maybe they didn't fully understand what it means to be a Buckeye. Maybe they really did need to help their families. Maybe the rules concerning athletic scholarships are too stringent. Whatever the reason, Pryor, Posey, Herron, Adams and Thomas, all freshmen at the time of the sales, figured there would be no harm in making some quick cash off memorabilia they knew they would get duplicates of later in their careers. Out of the entire team, Pryor was the only one that saw significant playing time that season, so the stuff they were selling probably wasn't very important since they didn't really earn it. The problem is that that stuff is important. It's important to the fans, it's important to the culture, and it's important to the tradition of OSU athletics. No matter what the circumstance, it is a disgrace to Buckeye nation when the leaders of the current legacy betray it.

As in the Tiger mess, we have to remember that these players are only human. They were 18/19 years old at the time and most likely from families who probably thought the athletic scholarship was also going to pay for living expenses so they wouldn't have to. While this is understandable, we must take into account that there are thousands of students attending OSU who come from poor families, struggling to pay for their Buckeyes to have a better life. The difference is that these students are able to work non-university jobs, take gifts from other family members, and sell whatever they want to make a living, even if it means sacrificing tradition. Is it going to get to the point where an athlete can't take Christmas money as a gift without facing NCAA violations? Also, what would have happened if the players said their parents sold the memorabilia without their knowledge? Cam Newton did it, and ended up winning the Heisman. If the NCAA really cared about the incident and not the monetary value these young men bring to the organization, Pryor and Co. would have been suspended for the bowl game, instead of the first five snoozer games of the 2011 season, and Kellen Moore would be the newest addition to the Heisman fraternity. Luckily for OSU, Jim Tressel still carries his Northeast Ohio roots, and supposedly worked out a deal ensuring these players would not leave for the NFL. As fans, we are forced to wait and see how this will fuel the fire for Tuesday's Sugar Bowl and whether or not these players will betray us again.

3. B1G Ten: Legends + Leaders = Doubl3 Los3rs

I still am having trouble taking this seriously, so this is going to be brief. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO EAST AND WEST? WHEN DID IT BECOME STANDARD FOR CONFERENCE NAMES TO LOOK LIKE GRE ALGEBRA EQUATIONS? WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO MAKE THE CONFERENCE THE BIGGEST JOKE IN ALL OF COLLEGE SPORTS? I don't know either, but it is for this ridiculous move that I am convinced sports PR is low on intelligent life forms, yearning for people like me to bring its credibility and sexiness back.

4. LeBronaclypse

I have voiced my opinion on this enough, so if you've been reading my stuff you know how I feel about this person. But what has been forgotten in the aftermath of Jan. 8 and Dec. 2 is the current Cavaliers. In the beginning of the season, the Cavs beat the Celtics, went .500 and looked like they were going to be okay. Now, they are proving all their critics right. The biggest lesson to be learned with the Cavaliers is that if you want to be great, you cannot build your team around one superstar, because there's no guarantee he will always be on your side. The Lakers and the Celtics have always been great teams because for every superstar that leaves, there is always another waiting in the wings to take his place. Or because the NBA is rigged and God hates Cleveland.

5. OSU Men's Basketball

My freshman year could have been the best year for OSU athletics in my college career if football and basketball hadn't choked to the same school in the end. I still think the 2006 football team was one of the greatest to ever play in the Shoe, but for basketball, the 2010 team blows the 2006 team out of the water. David Lighty, the only surviving member from the 2007 Florida aftermath, got his rematch against the Gators and did it with a smile. That game was the stepping stone to propel these men to greatness. Now in his best start as an OSU coach (13-0), Thad Matta is giddy as ever. Though the December games were a series of snoozfests, we got to see how deep the Buckeye lineup really is. Jared Sullinger owns the Big Ten freshman of the Week award, Jon Diebler could shoot threes behind blindfolded, and Dallas Lauderdale blocks like he used to play volleyball. This team is going to be dynamic in 2011, as long as they survive any potential upsets in March and April.


6. The Browns

Another season is about to end as the season that almost happened for my beloved Browns. It seems like the pieces are slowly coming together, finally. Colt McCoy isn't a superstar yet, but he is better than Delhomme and as long as he stays healthy, will do great things next season. The same goes for Joe Haden, even if he is from Florida. Peyton Hillis, aka the great white rhino, is one of the best things to happen to the Browns, since, ever. We got him and the Broncos got Brady Quinn, who uses his time wisely to warm up the bench for the holy Tim Tebow. Talk about lopsided. The best thing about the 5-10 (soon to be 6-10) season is that the Browns get another high draft year, and if they make smart decisions like last year, could finally have a playoff calibur lineup.

As far as Mangini is concerned, I'm not really sure if getting rid of him is the best measure. It might be a bigger gamble getting rid of him than keeping him, especially when the players are finally starting to resemble a professional football team. The only person I could trust doing a better job, at this point, is Sandusky native, Jon Gruden. Although this is probably because his cousin dates my best friend's brother, and his coaching tenure could lead to some non-nosebleed tickets for myself. 


7. The Yankees were not world champs

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Even though the Indians sucked and Larry Dolan sucked even more with his "Why would we ever pay good players with the outrageously high salary cap in MLB but not lower our ticket prices" mentality, fans can breathe easy knowing the Yankees don't have a 28th title to add to their stadium decorative scheme. Thanks Texas, even if you did blow it in the end.

8. UCONN

Women's basketball
Last night, UCONN's streak ended at 90, thanks to a loss at Stanford. What is more astonishing than their record-breaking streak and ESPN's obsession with it, is how many people (I'm talking to you men out there) who think they don't deserve to be compared with UCLA because they are women. I do agree that men's and women's sports are different, and the comparison was a little off-balance, but if you are a man, who spends your life watching sports rather than playing them, do not say you could put together a pick-up basketball team that could beat the UCONN women any day because you can't. I hate to go all femi-nazi, but nothing irritates me more than when people crticize sports because they aren't football, baseball, or men's basketball. What those women did was truly remarkable. They have played some of the best teams in women's ball and beat them to the core. If you were to ask the average person which team has the most national championships in OSU history, I doubt they would come up with the correct answer: synchronized swimming. It may not be the most exciting sport to people, but it means something to those involved with it. Who is anyone to discount either one of these remarkable feats as meaningless because they aren't part of the big three?

Football

Another example of why the BCS needs to disappear. UCONN is horrible. The Big East is horrible. Just because your conference used to be good doesn't mean it still is. At the very least, it should not be based on conference but on top ten ranking as to who goes to each of the BCS bowls. The problem is that the BCS and the NCAA doesn't really care what we think because they know we will watch. Why do you think there are so many pointless December bowl games? I bet most of the people I avidly converse with on Twitter have been watching football all day yesterday and are continuing today. We love the sport. We can hate on the BCS all we want. We're still curious to see what happens. The same goes for ESPN. We all make fun of ESPN's worship of the SEC, UCONN women, Brett Favre and the Miami Heat, but we watch that channel every day. I even fall asleep with it on in the background. Both organizations know they will make money off of us no matter what post-season path they choose, which is why we are left out of the process.


9. Favre

Brett Favre is a joke. He used to be great, hall of fame material. Friends of mine in elementary school loved wearing their Brett Favre jerseys, even the ones who were raised Browns fans. Now, with his retirement indecision, Wrangler commercials, and dismal 6-9 season, one has to wonder why he didn't just quit while he was ahead? Was it worth it to face all these injuries leading to a concussion that will most likely end his season before Week 16 is even over? Did he not take the collapsing Metrodome roof as a hint that he needs to end this before it gets out of hand? Apparently not. This is why ESPN loves him so much. 

10. KSU football

My final sports opinion is not so much a reflection but a premonition for the future. After coming from a school that realllllyyyy cares about their football team, I was in culture shock at Kent State when I found out that people could care less what happens to the Golden Flashes on the field. I know that some schools are just not football schools, and education should be the main focus of an institusion. I mean, KSU is number 194 in US News and World Report's top 200 Colleges and Universities, why should they care about football? The point is, if you are going to put so much money into a sport you better make sure you aren't going into debt because of it. Kent State was, in fact, in jeopardy of losing its Division 1 standing if it didn't sell 90,000 home season tickets, including the free student tickets. I'm not sure if they ever reached this goal, but I do know that local businesses had a plan in place to buy up what was left if they didn't. Very celebrity AIDS awareness Twitter-death-esque.

Following another losing season, Coach Doug Martin stepped down, and former OSU assistant coach, Darrell Hazell stepped up. At the Kent vs. Youngstown State basketball game, Coach Hazell received a warm welcome from the crowd, especially after he stripped down into a "Beat Akron" tee. In case you aren't familiar with the MAC, the Akron/Kent rivalry is Northeast Ohio's OSU/Michigan. Those games actually sell out, although that probably has to do more with geographic proximity than fandom. Either way, I think Coach Hazell will turn things around and make the program worthy of recognition within the KSU community. Having learned a thing or two about rivalry and recruitment at OSU, I am certain Hazell will lead the team to a winning record, though this might not happen over night. He will also contribute to the PR and marketing schemes that will make people excited about Golden Flash football. If there is anything I learned after a semester in a public relations graduate program, it is one part good team five-parts atmosphere that get people fired up about a sport. If it wasn't, why on earth would we be so invested in it that we devote our writing skills to it?

Freshman Forgiveness

The word "excited", a term most people resort to when expressing their joy for something, could never correctly describe my feeling for this year's college basketball season.

Anxious.

Elated.

Fired up.

Those adjectives, courtesy of thesaurus.com, do my happiness for this time of year much more justice. But it's not because Ohio State is supposed to be the best they've been since I was a freshman or because Kent State students actually care about what happens on a court rather than a field. It's because of a fifth-year senior that reminds me of my glory days every single time he makes a shot.

David Lighty and I entered OSU as part of the freshman class of 2006. Though he never personally knew me, we have a connection that is one of those "small-world" scenarios. He played three-on-three with Daequan Cook and Mike Conley Jr., against some of my good friends outside Stradley Hall. He used to stop by Morrill Tower to visit Shavelle Little and Lesslee Mason, two freshmen on the women's team, and also my suitemates. And there was one weekend when I was convinced his teammate, Greg Oden, was stalking me. Every single party or bar I snuck into, Oden was sure to be close by. Also, when I worked at Victoria's Secret, Oden came shopping with one of his lady-friends and was responsible for the first-and last- line of teenage boys outside the lingerie store.

So you see, Lighty and I are only separated by one degree. But the separation is not the only reason I have a soft-spot for him.

As a first-year graduate student, I constantly feel stuck in limbo between that undergraduate youthfulness and that graduate responsibility to self. I want to party five nights in a row and function normally each morning but the sad reality is that I can't.

Let me clarify: I worked my butt off in journalism school and managed to graduate Cum Laude, leading me to a full ride at Kent State. The only time I really went out five nights a week was spring quarter senior year when I set my schedule up in a way that was conducive to my "Go hard or go home" mentality of that final ten weeks. I was determined to go out with a bang. If I ever tried to do that again I would surely die. But anyone who was/is a social drinker in college will tell you it's not so much the actual substance they are obsessed with but the ridiculous, "man, if my mother found out about this" stories they have with friends the next day.

For me, I was one of the lucky ones who made friends that I could create memories with sober, and work together with to elicit a collective memory following a night of heavy debauchery. I would never be able to list these stories in a blog; that piece of work will be saved for a novel. But whenever I watch David Lighty play I am reminded of the last four years of my life and how meaningful they were to my journey.

I would love to re-do some of my experiences, either to correct the mistakes or make the fantastic fabulous. There are also some that I never got the chance to enjoy, so I wouldn't mind giving them a shot. But I am in grad school now, 2 hours from Columbus. My visits only happen on weekends and my freshman forgiveness has long expired. 

Now, in his final year of eligibility, Lighty is determined to accomplish feats that he missed in the last four years. If I had chosen to pick up another major and take a fifth year, I would have undoubtedly done the same.

Already, he's had the chance to re-live one of the most scarring moments of his career, besides his season-ending injury. In 2007, OSU and Florida faced-off for the NCAA National Championship. Instead of the Buckeyes making up on the court what the football team couldn't do on the field, they were also outplayed by the SEC powerhouse. This marked the second of two blemishes that tarnished my otherwise flawless first-year experience.

Tuesday night, OSU played in the rematch it had been anticipating for more than three and a half years. The Buckeyes knew the stakes were high. The SEC has historically owned OSU, and the Buckeyes hadn't won a non-conference, top-10, regular season road game since 1961. Florida held a slight edge the first half, and, going into half-time, I was slightly prepared for the usual disappointment my teams throw at me. But, with 26 points, and a smile after every single one of them, Lighty and his teammates owned Florida in the second-half. Those little blue pom-poms and smurf people were not enough to scare away the Bucks from Gator territory. Once it became a 15-point game, Lighty finally received freshman forgiveness from the sports gods.

Luckily, for athletes, anytime they have a bad game, they get to hear "it's okay, there's always next year". Sometimes there is no "next year" for certain match-ups, but generally, they get a second shot at something. In academia, freshman year is your one shot to get it right.

Though most of his first-year teammates have long since moved on to other endeavors, either the NBA, ESPN or the infinite injury report (poor Greg Oden), Lighty remains the oldest member on the Buckeye roster. He is the only person in Scarlet and Gray who fully knows what the Gator pain feels like. I always say everything happens for a reason. Had Lighty not been injured his junior year, he never would have been able to give that pain right back.

That second chance was a defining moment in Lighty's career, and the rest of OSU's season. With three and a half months until March Madness, I am excited to see what's going to unfold. College sports are everything but predictable, and if it weren't for those little second chances, the sweetness of it all wouldn't taste this good.

Image is Everything

In my last quarter of undergrad, I took a crisis communication class that ended up landing in the top 5 of the most interesting courses I ever took at Ohio State. This week, in one of my graduate classes, we discussed how crucial crisis communication is for a business. Any organization, no matter how big or small, must have a crisis communication strategy in place or else failure of that organization is imminent. In the last decade, we have seen some of the world's biggest corporations crumble, not because they messed up in their operations but because they failed to clearly communicate with their publics about what went wrong and what they are doing to correct the problem.

As I began reading the chapters and engaging in class discussion, I got to thinking: why aren't athletes trained in crisis communication, or at least surrounded by people who are?

Athletes are their own business. Each is branded based on their market value within the world of sports. This goes beyond endorsements to the image these figures present the fans and where they make these images fit the best. Like in business, there are those who are:

• Your typical small business in the wrong market either because of too many fish in a big pond or not having what it takes to stand out: any 7th round draft pick that gets cut before the season, only never to be picked up again or stuck in the UFL
• Your niche market: Joshua Cribbs, Daniel Gibson
• The up and coming businesses that will change the market: Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Peyton Hillis
• Your fad market: Allen Iverson
• Your sketchy market that sounds great in their sales pitch but really are out to scam you (like those check cashing places and Safe Auto): Ron Artest
• Your big businesses we love to love that really got their marketing campaign right: Shaq, Michael Jordan
• Your big businesses that got so big it was only a matter of time before their egos became too big for their markets: Tiger Woods, LeBron James

Each category is what makes the U.S. business moedl one of the world's most powerful and what determines athletes' positions in sports hierarchy. For both worlds, it's the one that usually fails in connecting with their publics that takes a bigger fall when a crisis occurs.

Let's first look at Tiger. The media has finally gotten over all his drama, for the most part. However, he is going to forever be a topic we'll hear about and think "oh no, why are we talking about him again." But he is a perfect example of an athlete who definitely did not know how to handle an image crisis. When Tiger came on the scene, he became one of the most fascinating athletes to walk this earth. If it wasn't for him, golf would undoubtedly still be an obscure topic to most Americans. He didn't just make himself America's hottest brand; he made the golf market relevant to the overall picture. People only started watching golf to see what Tiger would do. People that don't even golf would buy Nike golf products to look like Tiger. That is the goal every athlete wants: be the biggest and the best. Isn't that the same goal of business-people? Hmm..

If I had to compare Tiger to a billion-dollar corporation he is Enron. Before the whole scandal, I had no idea what Enron was all about. In fact, I didn't even know it existed, mostly because, at the time of its downfall, I was 13. But most people past a high school education would tell you they've heard of Enron. They could probably also tell you Enron was an energy company in Texas. That's where the knowledge of the company stops. It's a big mystery that was only cracked when scandal struck. The same goes for Tiger. Everyone knew Tiger was a biracial golfer that was freakishly good at the sport. But that's it. Every now and then there would be mention of his family, but, usually athletes and their families aren't hot topics in mainstream and celebrity news unless they have a unique angle.

Last year, Tiger found his angle.

I'm not going to re-summarize the story that's been summarized hundreds of times before; we all know what went down. But what is the most interesting part is not the situation but how long it took Tiger to face the public to talk about it. Even in his monotone apology three weeks after the Thanksgiving incident did he never come out and say exactly what went down.

Here was this person, invincible in our eyes, that, overnight, became one of the most hated people in the country. Enron was the same way. It was one of Forbes' most innovative companies, yet no one really knew what it did. All people needed to know about Tiger and Enron was that they were badasses in their business strategy. So when each fell, everyone was stumped and curious.

It really makes you think: how can we trust something we know so little about? Why do some of the most loved people end up being the most shady?


If I had to compare LeBron to a billion-dollar corporation, he is BP.

BP is one of the most notable and profitable businesses in the world, and, unlike Enron, most people could tell you some facts about BP and why they use them for fuel. LeBron is one of the most notable and profitable athletes in the world. Unlike Tiger, people could tell you all about his life story and why they love him. Within months of each other, BP and LeBron Inc. managed to go from these humble, yet massive market powerhouses we love and respect to these entities we love to hate. The key similarity between the two, besides the obvious letting-people-down thing, was that they ran from their disasters, instead of admitting they were wrong.

While the oil spill was terrible for the environment, the public might not have been so pissed at BP for letting this happen had the CEOs immediately apologized and said they were doing everything they can to fix the problem. Instead, they were off on a sailing trip, amongst other ritzy activities. LeBron leaving Cleveland was going to suck regardless. Not only were fans losing the biggest superstar in Cleveland sports history, but Northeast Ohio was about to lose its biggest economic stronghold (See video below).

Hastily made Cleveland Tourism video

The part about his decision that angers people the most was "The Decision." Like most educated people, I get business. I understand that in order to capitalize on your wealth, you need to go where you think you will get the highest return on your investment. Athletes are traded or sign contracts with different teams all the time; people change careers all the time. Sometimes, we lose co-workers we love because a better opportunity awaits. Sometimes, we lose our superstars for the same reason.

Another key similarity between LBJ Inc. and BP: they continue to make money off consumers, because we can't live without them. Everyone says they hate BP, but they'll still get gas there because they need it. Nobody likes LeBron except for fans of the Heat, but people need to know what will happen next. Interesting fact about the Heat/Celtics game was that the city with the most viewers behind Boston and Miami was Cleveland. We may not like LeBron, but we can't stop watching, just like the way we can't stop driving our cars. 

Whatever happened on the business side of basketball that made LeBron want to leave is still a complete mystery. All he had to do was issue a statement, maybe even a small press conference saying he was leaving and why he was leaving. Instead, he created a PR spectacle that was so ludicrous that it earned him twice as many haters as he would have had if "The Decision" never took place. Now, he wants to work with Nike and create a commercial basically telling Cavs fans "What do you want from me? I had fun but, oh well, I'm going to do what I want, I don't know why you are so mad."

Let me say this again:

IT IS NOT WHAT YOU DID IT IS HOW YOU DID IT! Stop pretending you are a good person when you have yet to admit the biggest mistake you have made in your career thus far. Maybe your choice wasn't necessarily the mistake but your method sure was and that is something Nike is not going to be able to fix for you.

That commercial was not image repair but image reaffirmation, that LBJ just doesn't get it.

If a person, famous or not, or an organization, big or small, is up front about their image rather than trying to hide it, less people will feel betrayed if an "oops" occurs. Also, waiting to react to a situation is a great way to lose respect. People don't like uncertainty. We must constantly be in the know about everything important to us. If we feel like we are being fooled, we need to know the truth. That's what crisis communication is: communicating the truth about mistakes, as fast as possible, and letting the audience know what is being done to rectify those mistakes.

Maybe athletes don't have PR representatives for crisis communication. Maybe this is because they are supposed to be people, not entities, and should know what to do in the event they mess up. But the truth is, they are entities. They are not just the people we see on the court, the field or the green. They are the apparel and the sports drinks they endorse. They are the movies and TV shows they make cameos in, the same way corporations use product placement for their brands. They make money off the consumer, not just their talent. 

The more these entities try to fake their images, or fail to admit their mistakes, the greater the reprucussions when the dirt comes out. Tiger ended up admitting his infidelity and apologizing, even if it was forced and totally unbelieveable. In the year since, he has yet to win a PGA tournament and his earnings have plummeted. Enron's top executives also apologized and were incarcerated. Following its bankruptcy, it never regained its position in the corporate world. BP, on the other hand, still remains in business, because we can't live without them, even if they never fully admitted their failure. LeBron also has yet to apologize to his fans and admit the way he humiliated them on national TV was wrong. Time will tell what happens to his career. But, to me, LeBron saying he still has a soul is like saying I don't drink for 14+ hours in Columbus for OSU gamedays. What's the point in trying to pretend you're something you're not?

Hey, don't forget the "little" guy!

Unless I am so exhausted I could sleep standing up, I have to fall asleep with the TV on. I'm probably not alone in this; having the TV on brings on an unexplainable comfort that doctors usually say is bad for children, but I think I turned out okay. As my interest in sports has grown, I usually turn on the late night version of SportsCenter, and last night was no different. Just as I entered that state right before sleep was about to set in, Stan and Neil started talking about how many people thought the Cleveland Cavaliers would cease to exist after the departure of LeBron James. I got to thinking "wow, they're going to finally mention how well the Cavs are doing in the preseason." It was too good to be true. Instead, they talked about the original 2011 Cavs calendar with LBJ on the cover and how he hasn't completely left the city yet. Then they went to talk about his performance with the Heat and all of his awesomeness.


Immediately, I woke up and actually had to turn the TV off. By now, I'm used to everyone disregarding the Cavs, but I have barely heard any mentions in the sports world outside of Cleveland how well they are actually doing. I know, it's just preseason, but everyone thought they were going to be horrible. While they are missing a superstar, one thing they've always done well, is work together. I was at the only preseason game they lost so far (go figure) and I was impressed how they played like LBJ never existed. They were nowhere near "best team ever" status, but they put on a show that was still so dynamic that it's gotten them to a 4-1 record.

From a media standpoint, I understand why the Heat are going to be the most-talked about team this season, but from a fan standpoint, I hate that the Heat are going to be the most-talked about team this season. But what agitates me more than the Heat is how much hierarchy exists within American sports; how a synchronized swim team can bring a school the most national championships out of any of its intercollegiate programs, yet barely get recognition because football is "better"; how a state can have seven Division 1 FBS teams but only one really matters; and how a professional basketball team is only as important as its number of superstars (times that by three and, congratulations, you won yourself a special section of ESPN).

Before I continue, I must make one thing clear: I am all for competition. If life didn't thrive on competition, we may avoid major problems like war, but, if it wasn't for competition, how would we ever form goals? How would this country become what it is? How would we be pushed to constantly better ourselves? If there was no competitive aspect about sports, then why play them? Even in an intramural game that's supposed to be "just for fun", there has to be a level of competition or else everyone would just stand there and stare at each other. Someone has to be the best, and ties don't work- which is probably part of the reason Americans are nowhere near as excited about soccer as the rest of the world.


But, can we really pinpoint how to measure the best? If you said it is measured by the number of championships, then, fine. Let's look at Ohio State athletics.
Number of intercollegiate teams: 35 (36 if we count cheerleading, er, spirit program).
Most popular sport: football.
Sport with the most national championships: synchronized swimming (26)

When I wrote for The Lantern, I covered synchronized swimming and other sports that no one else would, because, as a school newspaper, I felt it's only fair for it to represent the entire school, including its athletic department. Most people would argue that synchro is boring, but that doesn't mean it sucks and doesn't deserve notoriety. If anyone has a chance to go watch synchro at OSU, I highly recommend it because it is incredible how strong their bodies are. They don't just float around and do little flips and leg kicks like on those Nuva Ring commercials; they tread in 10 feet of water for about 4 minutes, hold their breath for 30 seconds at a time and flip into the air like dolphins. These girls can do things the Terrelle Pryor could never pull off. If he did, he would either drown or severely injure himself.

Even with their success, people would much rather spend a Saturday at the Shoe than at McCorkle Aquatic Pavillion. But, if we talk strictly about football, why is it that most people would rather spend it at the Shoe than at Dix Stadium, Summa Field or the Glass Bowl? Ohio is home to 7 Division 1 FBS teams, but only one really matters. These MAC teams can be found in all corners of the state, so their fan base is strictly a niche market. Also, the MAC has never had the funding or the talent to ever compete with Ohio State for market share. In fact, when MAC schools face OSU, some of their students actually cheer for the Buckeyes. What is really crazy to me, though, is how people actually wear OSU stuff to MAC games that have do not involve OSU.










I went to the Kent vs. Akron game last weekend. The only thing better about KSU's Dix stadium than the Horseshoe was that it sold beer. Two of the people we were with wore OSU jerseys (in their defense, they were alum who, unlike me, are not continuing their education at Kent), and as we walked around the stadium, there were way more. The worst non-display of Kent or Akron spirit wear had to be the people wearing Pittsburgh Steelers jerseys. Seriously? I could see Browns jerseys because KSU is Josh Cribbs' alma mater, but Pittsburgh. This would never be seen at OSU, but I guess that's what happens when there is only one alpha dog in a state full of teams that never learned what it takes to be a football powerhouse. However, this doesn't mean it can't happen..Cue Boise State and TCU highlights.

The worst hierarchy system of all happens in professional sports, although, I'm starting to think this is more of a media issue than a fan issue. As mentioned before, the Cavs are surprising everyone with their winning preseason record, but the only people that know, or care to know, are Cavs fans. It's hard to remember too much of life before LeBron, but I'm excited for life after. ESPN doesn't think it matters though. What I heard last night got me thinking about all the other teams in the NBA that aren't the Heat, the Celtics, the Magic or the Lakers. All the other teams that lack those mega-superstars but probably play with a whole lot of passion. Why don't teams like the Cavs or the Grizzlies or the Warriors get a special section devoted to them on ESPN? Even the Celtics and the Lakers don't have devotion pages, which could be called things like "Shamrock Showcase" or "LA Confidential". I was taught that in the media, whatever media it is, you should remain fair and balanced. ESPN might be relatively neutral in their content, but that doesn't mean they're fair to the world of sports. Again, I get that some sports, teams, and athletes are just more popular than others, but if you are going to over-analyze LBJ's new team you better be able keep tabs on where he came from.

Many of you who sat through this post might think I'm crazy and the answers to my questions are a no-brainer. I know why the sports world is the way it is. I know that competition is one of the things humans thrive on. And I know that things are not going to change. But that doesn't mean we can't question it and stop to think about the "little" guys (and girls) once in awhile because to somebody, they matter.


By the way, The Heat are 3-2. Every loss is Cleveland's gain.

Links to 3 videos that you've probably seen, but I had to share the wealth just in case

To start the weekend off right, I figured I'd post my favorite web videos. None are new or in anyway enlightening, but I find all of them hilarious and excellent pieces of the YouTube world. Enjoy, and Happy Friday!

First one is patron chug. It was on Tosh.0 a few weeks back. Sadly, I probably can name a few people stupid enough to try this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31m33PJW7cw

Number 2 is a little less disgusting but a lot more hilarious. There's a good chance you haven't seen the first one but if you never saw this one you're living under a rock.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzNhaLUT520


And finally, if you want to know what we're taught NOT to do in journalism school, please watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5C2gihnEkE

Back in Action: Happy October

Well, hello, blog world, my have I missed you...

The dozen people in this world that actually care about what I have to say probably thought I disappeared for good, or that with LeBron's departure was the end of my inspiration. But unlike he, I am no sell-out. My hiatus was merely because of two reasons.

First, summer is a slow sports month, and after "The Decision", there really wasn't much of importance going on, at least not anything I was paying attention to. I will admit, I tuned sports out of my life for about two weeks following LBJ's display of douchery. Then, I wrote a post, and tuned out again until football season.


Second, I was trying to do as little thinking as possible so I could rest my brain for what I was about to take on for the next to years: graduate school. Six weeks in, I think I've gotten my new routine in order and have found the time for free time. Also, I can count my number of friends in this area on both hands and the number of bars on one so there are far less distractions than in Columbus. Of course, I am already counting down the days until I get out of here. I love the program, the people, and the campus isn't bad, but it's far from the city life I thrive on. And no one really cares about football. The night Ohio stayed played Marshall, Kent also had a game, against Murray State. But, you would never know because there were more people in Scarlet and Gray than Blue and Gold, and all the "college" houses were silent. The black squirrels weren't even running around; they're usually ALWAYS running around. I guess that's how it is at MAC schools. Every day I think of how lucky I was to not go anywhere besides OSU for my undergrad. I imagine my life would have turned out much differently, which probably would have been for the worse.

But, now that I have my life in order, or at least the illusion of having it together, I can get back to my art. And, what better time than October?

If you are sports fan, it's hard to argue against October being the best month of the year. For me, it is actually my second favorite. The first is March because that is when I celebrate my birthday-which for the past 4 years has fallen on spring break, and will do the same for the next 2, giving me an extra reason to sacrifice my dignity for a week.






If it weren't for all the horror film previews, October might take the top spot. If I was to try to write about the awesomeness that is October I would be on the verge of a small novel. Baseball, football, basketball, soccer, hockey and even golf are all in session, giving ESPN more than five stories to dwell on 24 hours a day. Wait, what am I talking about, they do that regardless.

This year, I'm a little irked at all my sports. Usually, this is only because the Indians did not make the playoffs. This time, it's more than that. But, it's still October so for every negative there is at least one positive around the corner.

The one irking me the least: Ohio State football. The only thing I'm annoyed about is how they almost lost to Illinois. Why do they almost lose to Illinois every year? In 2007 they DID lose to Illinois, but the Illini weren't exactly terrible. They weren't ranked, but they had a winning record in a year where only OSU and Michigan represented the Big Ten in the AP Top 25 at that point of the season. As far as Pryor's injury, I'm not too concerned. I hope this doesn't bite me in the ass but facing Indiana before they head to Wisconsin should give him some time to heal. So as long as he stays healthy, something clicks with the special teams and they don't have another October upset, it should be smooth sailing into November (arguably our toughest month of the season).

The no-brainer annoyance: The Indians failing to make the playoffs, or even have a chance. I really don't need to say anything more except I'm with the rest of the country and hope the Yankees blow it (besides Yankees fans, of course). The bright side to baseball this season: There is an Ohio team in the playoffs. Yes, they were shutout by Roy Halladay, but at least they made it. That's something the Tribe can't boast, 3 years and counting.

The team starting off October right: The Cleveland Browns. So far, the Brownies have a winning record in October. Despite T.O.'s 200+ yard game, the Browns held-off the Bengals 23-20. And I have fallen in love with a running back named Peyton Hillis. Every time I see his face after he makes a play I learn what a Bieber-obsessed 12-year-old feels like when the words "Baby, baby, babyyy" come on the radio. The only bummer about the Browns so far is knowing they should be undefeated. Instead, they decided to turn into a junior varsity football team in the second half of all their September games. The most ridiculous play was (against the Ravens, I believe) when Seneca Wallace through the ball BACKWARDS TO NO ONE! I don't know what that was, but it's irrelevant now because an 0-3 September is going to turn into a 4-0 October.

What irks me the most: The Heat Index. In case anyone is unfamiliar with ESPN's latest coverage stunt that goes against everything we're taught in journalism school, please refer to the following link:

http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2010/10/espn-com-to-launch-%E2%80%9Cthe-heat-index%E2%80%9D-oct-11/

I never really thought ESPN favored LeBron this much until he took his dignity to South Beach. Then again, this could be one of those situations that is comparable to a bad relationship: everyone tells you he's a douche but you don't want to hear it and then when it's over you wonder why you never realized how bad it was while it was still going on.

With the Heat Index, Cleveland fans can be slapped in the face every time they check ESPN.com. It's a fantastic move by ESPN. Everyone is sick of Brett Favre so to spread out their time they put more focus on Miami. What's even more genius is that they got former Cavs beat writer, Brian Windhorst, to be one of the main contributors for the special site. In his defense, he always hoped to take his talents to ESPN and faced the music when the critics came calling. It is also good to know that he will crank out more critical pieces about LBJ than any other journalist who didn't see first-hand how bad he hurt an entire city. It's okay though. The Cavs are 1-0 in preseason play, showing they haven't totally lost themselves.

The Heat are also 1-0, but I don't really care at the moment. I've already put enough time into thinking about them for one day. I can't waste too much time dwelling about bad things happening in October when there is so much good all around. I will be at the Cavs second pre-season game tonight. I think it will be a reassuring experience knowing that Cleveland fans always bounce back and look on the bright side. It's just in our nature.

And so a new blow to Cleveland is now in the record books...

It has been 14 hours since a dagger has been twisted in the back of Cavs fans but the wound is still deep. Our beloved "chosen one" has chosen another, as if he was the bachelor choosing the whore over America's favorite at the final rose ceremony. We are now left with feelings of anger, grief, and outright pain that has been illuminated by the light of the hundreds of burning number 23 jerseys. Cleveland fans are used to pain: we all know "the fumble", "the drive", "the shot", Jose Mesa, and countless other events that have slapped Cleveland sports fans in the face. But I can argue that none of these events will EVER top what happened last night. In a preconceived media spectacle, Cleveland's "king" went before the nation and announced "the betrayal". As soon as the words "South Beach" fled from Lebron James' mouth I could hear sighs and curse words all across Ohio, well, okay, maybe just across Quaker Steak and Lube. I can say without a doubt that in 50 years if I go back into that restaurant I will be able to look around the building and point out EXACTLY where I was standing when those words were announced as if it was happening all over again.

Though many teams were in the running and are disappointed about the decision, they will never feel the pain that Cleveland feels. Dan Gilbert even posted a statement about the decision, something he may or may not regret in the coming days. His words were the words that all Cleveland fans wanted to say, and were saying through social media. A trend I noticed with my friends and followers was that it wasn't so much THAT he left, it's HOW he left. This was just not a decision that every other free agent annoucned to ESPN through a simple fax or phone call but a pre-orchestrated public relations ploy that probably will be one of the highest rated shows in ESPN history. It was a flawless marketing scheme and we all bought into it. I, however, like to think of myself as better than that, and had I not been working, I would have saved my Nielsen number and waited for it to show up on Twitter.

I, like millions of others, was one of LeBron's biggest fans. Yes, I am a Cavs fan, but LeBron, to me, represented more than a team. He represented a city and I believed him to be one of the few athletes that put the game first, not their egos. In fact, my very first blog post was titled "58476521 reasons why LeBron won't leave Cleveland." I thought he knew how much he meant to the Cleveland area, not just for sports, but for the life he brought back into the city. With him gone, there goes even more of the economy of a city that was already coming into its slow demise.

As the 2009-2010 season ended for Cleveland two months ago, the talk became about where he would choose. The whole season we heard how the Knicks and the Nets were going to have loads of salary space and were the front-runners for LeBron, but when I started hearing about the Bulls, The Clippers, and The Heat wanting to make a plea for him, my first instinct was that if he doesn't stay in Cleveland, he would go with the Heat. After last night, I will, for the rest of my life, always trust my first instinct with every single decision I ever have to make. Most people, including those "expert analysts" on ESPN, only mentioned the Heat because of the salary space but never even considered it as an option for LBJ. It seemed crazy to people because the Heat is Dwayne Wade's team and there was no way he was going to sign with anyone else. Most people could have agreed that it would have been between New York, Cleveland, and Chicago because they thought they knew LBJ and the decisions that would be most important to him: choose the spotlight and the money in NYC with his pal Sean Carter, stay in his hometown and remain its savior, or take his chances to Chi-town and have his best option at a championship in 2011.

While all these seem like great ideas on paper, we must not forget who we are dealing with and that though he is a gifted athlete he cannot win a championship alone. Kobe couldn't do it alone and neither could Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, or anyboday else with multiple rings. Why would LeBron be any different? In the last 7 years he has been working hard to find someone who is up to his superstar caliber to get him the ring. The closest they got was in 07, but I like to believe that was just pure luck because they were severely underrated. Last season was the season. All of the puzzle pieces were in place. Anderson Varejao was a dominant force, Mo Williams was arguably the most improved player, Shaq brought in a whole new fan-base and experience, and Antawn Jamison was like that last piece that you swore was missing for good but you later found it underneath the coffee table and could smile when it finally completed the the board. But with the upset by Boston, it was like someone just came across and picked up the puzzle board and tossed it across the room. There was no rhyme or reason for it, it just happened and it would never be the same.

That loss was undoubtedly the last straw for LeBron. He now had to turn to himself and think what would be the best fit for him and that fit was Miami. Why did I think he would choose it? Well, it's simple: which other team was going to put him alongside another superstar? Definitely not the Nets or the Clippers. The Knicks? Probably not, even with the addition of Stoudemaire. Though he is an above-average player, he is nowhere near superstar status. The Cavs? most likely the same roster, but why would anyone with a heart quit on the team you have helped shape? The Bulls? probably the best option with the deepest bench, but would LeBron and Joakim Noah really have been able to play on the same team? I mean, has everyone forgotton about round one of the playoffs and all of the other meetings between the two? Having beef like that with someone just isn't going to change over night. The Heat? Perfect in his mind. Yes, they have no bench, and last time I checked Bosh is great, but he will always be a number two. But all LeBron is seeing is another number one player and that's all he's been looking for this whole time. If by some unheard of chance that Wade would have signed somewhere other than Miami, I would have picked that team to be the team LeBron goes (if he didn't stay in Cleveland, that is).

In Bill Simmons' column yesterday, he mentioned how a true competitior would want to play AGAINST someone like Dwayne Wade, not WITH him. I completely agree. LeBron could have convinced Wade to come to Cleveland and remained loyal to the city that is half the reason why he's such an icon. So what if Cleveland has winter? It's not like they actually have to drive themselves around in the snow. People do that for them. And since the majority of the season is in the winter, how much time do they really have to be doing extracurricular activities? But no, Wade got LeBron to come to his turf, which is a clear indication of how he is unquestionably the Alpha dog in this relationshp. LeBron is not finding HIS second guy, he has become the second guy. I don't care how good he is, Miami is NEVER going to throw Wade under the bus because Wade did not throw Miami under the bus like James did to Cleveland. LeBron is now a sell-out and, in my book, sell-outs are the ultimate losers. Becoming a sell-out is another way of saying one made a deal with the devil: these people always get burned.

Despite all my logic about how Miami would be the choice if it wasn't Cleveland, and how heartbreaking it may have seemed at the time, I still respected LeBron. That was until a few days ago when I heard about "The Decision". As soon as that news reached my ears, all of my respect for LeBron as a person went completely out the window. Every word I ever wrote about how he was loyal to his fans I will take back. He could have very well said he was staying, but he didn't and he said it in such a way that absolutely makes my toes curl. As a recent college graduate from a journalism program, I have, fresh in my brain, the textbook knowledge of how media is a business and business cannot be carried out without the media. No other athlete in the history of sports has decided to turn their free agency decision into an hour-long special that was disguised as a charity event. If LeBron wanted to donate to the Boys and Girls Club, he could have done that any other way. No, he decided that he was going to promote himself and completely dog an entire city on national TV. Michael Jordan would have never done that. Hell, Kobe would have never done that. This was by far the most egotistical display of entitlement that I have ever witnessed. And what hurts the most is that it was by someone who, two months ago, I never thought would have stooped so low.

I made the comment on my Facebook and Twitter that maybe LeBron should have taken note from the book of the Browns' Josh Cribbs on how to be loyal to your fans that have given you so much when it comes to these business decisions. One of my friends asked if I was referring to the same Josh Cribbs that publicly dissed the Browns organization. Yes, the same Josh Cribbs that dogged an organization that was not treating him fairly. It was the same stance that any employee would have made to their boss if they were not being properly rewarded for the above-average work they were putting in. Cribbs loves playing for the Browns and deserved to be paid more than what his contract orginally stated, just like when someone working for a corporate firm makes a badass deal and gets a promotion. He made it clear that he loves the fans and that none of his actions had to do with them. He never made a scene in front of national TV that he knew would hurt so many.

The other thing I learned most from all this besides trusting my instincts is that it is possible to change your opinion of someone overnight, just by one action, whether it be simple or extreme. Now that LeBron is out, Cleveland fans are saying how it is proof that Cleveland will always be Browns town. Football season isn't for another couple months, but I cannot wait. Cribbs might not completely realize it yet but he is now going to become the new face of the city. Let's just hope that our opinion of him will always remain one of respect.

Alumni status

Well friends, it has now been 10 days since graduation. Summer is officially here, and since this will be my second summer not on Lake Erie, it feels more like a work-fest with a little fun in between and absolutely no school work. Yet this summer is quite different for me because the past four were spent not only enjoying a break from class, but knowing that in September I would return to my fabulous life as a student at The Ohio State University. This summer, I face the reality that I am no longer an OSU student, I am an alumnus, and in a couple months I will go on to the next two years of my life as a graduate student at Kent State. Though northeastern Ohio is one of the last places I thought I would end up after getting a bachelor's degree, it was the only place that had an opportunity for me that everyone said I would be stupid to pass up. One of my friends said that it would be good for me because I wasn't ready to be done with school anyway. She's exactly right.

My last four years have hands down been the happiest time of my life. I had a childhood that was quite strange and abnormal so coming to Ohio State was my escape from the hardships and a gateway to what would become my ultimate happiness and strangely positive attitude. I experienced so much at OSU and every year was unique. Freshman year is what I will call "My learning year". This was the year I learned that it was okay to be myself and the people who truly care will be there for me no matter what. It was the year I made the majority of what will become my lifelong friends. And it was the year I learned what a broken heart feels like, in more ways than one. Not too mention, I became quite good at a variety of drinking games, and how to get courtesy rides from student safety services, a skill I would definitely use in the future.

Sophomore year is what I would call "the in between year". One could compare the sophomore year of college to the middle child in any family. Not really as respected as the oldest sibling but often overlooked because of the youngest. In this year, one is no longer a freshman so all the strict guidance by first year experience is gone, and freshman forgiveness does not carry over after 45 credit hours are completed. In the social aspect, because most sophomores aren't 21, yet have their own house/apartment, they resort to taking turns hosting massive house parties with ironic liability signs that read "Must be 21 to drink". These parties usually end up as some of the most epic nights for the respective hosts, as was the case with the parties thrown at my apartment. We had three of them and each one was full of strange sequences of events that none of us will forget. In addition, my sophomore year was the year that the blizzard of 08 took place, and my best friend and I decided to see how it feels to be in 20 degree weather wearing a swim suit. The biggest upside of this year though is that since it was stuck in the middle, we had already learned a year's worth of lessons about how we needed to act in college but did not need to really find out our purpose in the world for another year or so.

This brings me to junior year, which would probably be my best year of college. I had finally figured out that I wanted to do, which was, and still is, sports journalism, instead of my previous two ideas of investigative and political reporting. I loved having my criminology minor but my opinions are too strong about certain issues to remain unbiased in my reporting. I have my favorite teams, yes, but if I'm not writing an opinion column I think I do a pretty good job of not letting people know who my favorite team is. This was also the only year of college where all of my roommates got along, which is hard to believe since the house consisted of 7 girls. I love having roommates and this is the year that solidified why. But probably the best part of junior year was the long-awaited 21st birthday celebration. To top it off, mine was in Panama City (see my post "Back on the Boat" for details).

Finally, there was senior year, "the year I need to figure it out". I never actually did figure it all out, but at least I have a plan for after graduation. I did quite a few internships to make some great connections and get something other than countless serving jobs on my resume. I also managed to win a peer-pressure induced jello wrestling contest, which really was more like stick three girls in a pool of jello and see who could collect the most beads. I think the other two really wanted to fight each other. I just wanted to collect the beads and win the 50 bucks. Clearly my strategy was best, and less skanky.

Now that this is over, I feel a huge cloud of uncertainty over me. Yes, I'm going to grad school, but that wasn't in the plan until recently. Throughout my entire life my educational career was completely planned out and I knew exactly what I would be doing the following year. When I graduated from high school, I was so excited and ready to move on and away from my hometown. Ten days ago, I was sad and terrified to leave Columbus and ten days later, I still am.

As depressing as all this may be, I could also put a positive spin on the last week and a half. We could call this timeline of post graduation days 10 days of P90X because I jumped into the latest workout craze the day after I became an alumnus. I still have 80 days to go, but I already can feel my body changing into the healthiest state it's ever been in. I'm not the most unhealthy person; if it wasn't for the drinking and the drunk food and the dorm food from freshman year I probably would still be my high school weight. But I can honestly say that I never have really enjoyed a workout regimen and thought about sticking with it for so long until this.

In addition, in the last 10 days, well, actually, the last 14 days, many Americans have all of a sudden began to care about soccer (known as futbol in every other country). I've never minded watching the sport and I have a real respect for those that have the endurance to run up and down a field for as long as soccer players do. But, I have never been a die-hard fan and I'm not going to pretend I have. I understand the penalties and the positions, but I still can't quite understand the tie bracket and how they determine who moves on to future rounds if teams have so many draws. I often wonder how if there weren't ties in futbol maybe even more Americans would care about the sport and it would be as revered as "the big three" (football, basketball, and baseball). America is a nation prided on competition and there must be a true winner in life, ties are not an option.

We could also call this the 10 days where I still continue the shenanigans that I get myself into, as if I was still an undergraduate. Four years later, I managed to somehow still have the skills to pick up a courtesy ride from the otherwise appointment-only student safety services. And it's never a dull moment when I make an ass of myself in front of a political figure. Monday night I waited on a US senator from Maryland. I'm not going to say what his name was but he was clearly enjoying some down time and was supposed to be meeting up with Sen. Sherrod Brown (never showed) of Ohio. Why they chose Quaker Steak is beyond me and this guy was probably the most prominent figure to ever walk into The Lube (besides Terrell Pryor). The humiliation occured when I thought that Sherrod Brown was an Ohio senator when in fact he is the U.S. Senator representing Ohio. So much for being college educated, but at least I reconfirmed to myself why I switched to sports journalism. The only mistake I've made (so far) is accidentally tweeting something about USA/England when I was actually referring to USA/Slovenia. Oops.

So I guess since I walked through the Shoe with my diploma, it has started to sink in that graduation is not the end of my book and that I'm still the same person, it's just the end of what was so far the best chapter in the story of my life.