Calling All Democrats!

So let me preface this post with saying this: I hate discussing politics. For me, it always turns into an argument, and it always ends up finding its way back to religion. I do not want to discuss my religious views on this blog unless out of necessity, so I will just let you know that I am a Republican, and therefore, pretty conservative (yeah I know, what kind of college student is conservative?). The point is, I in no way want to step on anybodies toes, and I am not trying to start an argument. I just feel that as a college student who understands a little bit about the U.S. Government (I did get a passing grade on my AP test as a Junior in High School), that I need to offer some help to the voters of the upcoming election.

As it stands, we now have a chosen representative of the GOP and Democratic Parties in John McCain and Barack Obama, respectively. With Obama just recently wrapping up the nomination, many are complaining that Hillary will not be President, and that McCain is better than Obama. Now, I don't know which current Senator is the better candidate, but I do know one thing regarding the Obama Haters/Hillary Lovers...

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, though having different approaches, had similar views. This is what frustrates me:

I have heard countless whiners and complainers saying that it is an outrage that Obama beat Hillary and that they will now vote for John McCain. THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!!!

If you want to vote for someone, you should want to vote for them because they have the same values and morals as you do, not because you like one person or the other. This is not American Idol. If you screw up the election, you don't get to just change the radio station and hear another artist. You are stuck with the same guy for 4 (maybe even 8) years.

This is why the whole racism/feminism thing is so hilarious. I will handle both of these separately:

Racists: You don't deserve a vote anyways, so just be thankful that you get one. If you are pro-life, against gay marriage (I should note that all of the 'big-3' candidates are against gay marriage), don't want to spend government money on anything excessive, want to continue fighting in Iraq, and want to limit higher taxes, then go ahead, vote for McCain. But if the reason you will be voting Republican this fall is because you hate blacks...well, go to hell. Seriously, I don't want you scumming up our election.

Feminists: Same as above, if you are pro-life (I think that right there should be all I need to really question), don't want to spend government money, etc. etc., then by all means vote for McCain. But then drop your feminist act. If you were going to vote for Hillary because she was a woman of power that had all the same values as you do, but now are not voting for Obama because he happens to have a Y chromosome...then please just re-evaluate your life.

Here's something I learned in my 21 years: The President doesn't do everything. They have a Cabinet. They have speech writers. They have Advisors. They pick people that are in agreement with their morals, values, and have the same views on the progression of our great country, not by their race, creed, color, or gender. If you can't vote for Obama because he isn't Hillary, fine. Just make sure you aren't voting for McCain because he ISN'T Obama.

This is not a post about how I think you should vote for Obama. I don't know who I will be voting for. I can tell you this much, however; I will be voting for the candidate whose views most resemble mine.

So think twice, Americans, because you really do have an opportunity for change. But it rests on what we do this November. Vote because you know what you want, and if you don't know, stay home (yes, I am saying you should not vote if you don't know who the better candidate is). It is better to not help either candidate, then it is to help one for the wrong reasons.




p.s. If Obama decides HRC is the best VP candidate, he is out of his mind, and then you should forget everything I just wrote and vote for McCain.

Bud Selig...

(Here's the link to the original story: http://sportfiends.com/2008/06/02/bud-selig-hates-little-leaguers/)

If it wasn't for the fact that you keep handing over World Series trophies to the Red Sox, I would probably have to hate you (in fact, someone else could give the Sox the trophy...I'm officially off Bud). If you think that as commissioner, you have done what you can to save baseball from the annals of sports shame with the steroid issue, you are wrong. We all know there are still guys out there that are finding a way to use PEDs. But I guess you have gotten a little sick of picking on the Really Big (read: Juiced Up) Boys, and decided to find someone of a little bit smaller stature to harass.

I understand the move regarding the Cape Cod League and requiring certain teams (Chatham A's, Hyannis Mets, etc.) to pay royalties to Major League Baseball for using the trademarked names (Colleges and High Schools tend to pay for using similar logos, so the CCL shouldn't get a break), but now you, Bud Selig, have gone too far.

As a little kid, I waited by my phone anxiously every Little League draft night for my coach to call and tell me what team I was on. Every year, I hoped that that year's Red Sox coach would draft me. I wanted to wear a Boston 'B' and play under that uniform. If I was on the Red Sox, I would be just like my heroes...John Valentin, Mike Greenwell, Mo Vaughn, Nomar Garciaparra...I never did get to play for the Red Sox. I was locked up as an Oriole for my extended time in the Majors, so I had to settle on pretending to be Cal Ripken Jr. (it could have been worse).

Little League baseball is now going in the same direction that some Sports Video Game franchises have gone...no illegal use of team names. Unless the leagues pay licensing fees, teams will have to settle for non-MLB team names or advertisements on their jerseys.

When I was 13 and made the jump to Babe Ruth League, my town made the decision to use our jerseys as billboards, allowing local companies to advertise by sponsoring a team. Gone were the days of imagining I was actually on the Baltimore Orioles, playing Shortstop as Cal Ripken Jr. made the move over to 3rd Base to make room for me. Now I was playing for "Savings Bank Life Insurance".

I had a hard time imagining Johnny Accountant moving out of the corner office and into the cubes to make room.

Here's the link to the story. If any more details comes out, I will certainly post them.

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Some other links of note:

Kelsey Grammer suffered a mild heart attack after having symptoms following a morning of paddle boarding with his wife.

Have you heard about the MTV Movie Awards bit with the boys from Pineapple Express?
Take a look for yourself
If you were one of the 27 people to have watched this airing, what did you think?

For music fans, a sad day... Bo Diddley has passed away due to heart failure. He was 79.

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That's a wrap. Don't forget to follow me on twitter for updates all the time.

How the NBA Wanted It.

I would say it's not much of a surprise that the Celtics and Lakers will be squaring off in the NBA Finals starting Thursday. First of all, both of these teams were the best teams in their conference. This is the ultimate reason they both made the finals. However, it came a little easier for the Lakers than it did for the Celtics.

It seemed like every game in the WCF, once the third quarter started to come to a close, everything would work in favor of the Lakers....the rolls, the refs, etc...

Let's be honest...did Derek Fischer commit a foul in game 4? YES.

Did Paul Pierce commit that offensive foul last night? NO EFFING WAY.

Despite the bogus call going against the Celtics, in what should have resulted in a potential 4-point play, the Cs did exactly what I couldn't do. They kept their cool.

Down 10 in the 4th, they kept fighting, allowing only 13 points in the 4th, and beating both the Pistons, and the WWE Refs.

If I am David Stern, I am getting out of this league as fast as possible, because even though the dream matchup is in effect, and television ratings will be through the roof, it only means more people watching the NBA referrees botching more calls than their Pro Wrestling counterparts. I don't know which way the calls will sway, but lets be realistic and say that the Celtics haven't exactly had much help this postseason, and probably will not in the Finals.

Regardless, WHAT A WIN. Beat LA.

I'm off to the horse track in a few minutes. I went for my first time on Thursday afternoon (gotta love corporate sponsored boozing and gambling). After winning my first ever bet on the horses (a $2 exacta on a 1-4 and a 10:1 paying off $14), I became absolutely hooked. I'm going with my dad and my grandfather, and I am determined to come out in the positive.

To those of you who have been waiting for some entertainment news...well, so have I. I promise that with the Celtics not playing until Thursday, I will have other stuff to write about. I might do a couple CD or Movie reviews, or do something similar to what is on Popcandy.Usatoday.com with a bunch of interesting links I am viewing (you can also see some by checking out my Digg page). Once again, don't forget to add me on Twitter and get updates from me when I am not able to post here.

Let's win some money.

Podcast Heads Up

Just wanted to give everyone a little heads up on the podcast I'm starting on this blog. I am putting together a little intro music as we speak, and will try to have that ready by this weekend so that I can record a show. I have a few things I'd like to talk about (just like Mr. Rogers) but I always appreciate listener/reader content. So either send me an email at legendaryblog@gmail.com or send me a response in the comments here or on twitter.

Have a good night, and I'll try to update after the Celtics game tomorrow.

Ryan

My School won a National Championship...

and I still went to bed upset.

First off, a big congrats to Syracuse on their 10th Lacrosse National Championship! As a 'Cuse fan, I am excited that we will not have to remove the lacrosse banner in the Carrier Dome that says we have the most championships ever. That would have been depressing....like an anti-retirement of a number.

Speaking of anti-retiring (is there a better way to say this??), I really wish Roger Clemens had retired a few years ago and some team jumped to be the first to retire his number, then all these allegations came out, and the team decided to un-retire (better?) his number... This probably would never happen, but I am hoping that it does eventually (and not the un-retiring of a number like Michael Jordan...I want something to happen where an athlete actually does something so bad that his former team is too embarrassed to have his number retired).

And I'm ranting.

It is days like this where I just want to fall asleep at 7:00.

When you are at work at 7:30 and do nothing all day because you are in training, the day just snails along. Throw in the 1 hr. plus commute due to traffic (idiot drivers), and you have yourself one long, monotonous, frustrating day...

Then we throw in the Celtics...

I posted on my Twitter last night that watching Big Baby and Sam 'Yoda' Cassell on the floor together was like watching a bunch of little kids playing Y ball. The only problem was that Mr. Doc Rivers, Not Ph.D must have been trying to make up for all of his son's Y ball games that he missed when he was on the road, because he just didn't stop playing these guys! The only thing these guys have going for them is that every single time they make an average play, the fans go nuts because it is so unexpected. Davis made a lay up at one point (practically uncontested), and I found myself jumping out of my seat and screaming how excited I was (then he blew a defensive assignment and I just sat there like I expected it).

I can't figure out why Doc always brings the scrubs out to start quarters after we have rallied back at the end of the quarter. We have the momentum with our big guys...why don't we try and keep it?

I can't really blame everything on Doc. I think he is a nice guy, and a DECENT coach. His players don't complain about him, and the media loves him. Overall, the reason we lost last night was because we couldn't shoot. Ray Allen apparrently started sharing his water bottle during practice, and the whole team caught the cold (as ice).

But it is still an even series, and we have home court advantage.

I'm off to get food, then probably a few drinks at the bar...$10 buckets of Rolling Rock is decent when you are off of a college campus.

In the meantime, friend/follow me on Twitter for more updates.

Peace

Ryan

Celtics Get Some Away From Home

I have said in the past that if a team cannot win a game on the road in the playoffs, they don't deserve to advance. The Celtics finally decided to play like the regular season team with the best road record, and put all the critics to rest as they defeated the Detroit Pistons 94-80. Despite a few late runs by the Pistons, the Celtics were able to calm the storm and hold on for a 14 point win.

I love how despite it being a 14-point win, it still feels like they only won by 4 or 5...

That's what it is like to be C's fan this postseason. It took 17 games for a road win, and it felt like a lifetime (or 2006-2007).

As for the Western Conference Championship...

EVERYTHING is going LA's way.

Kobe Bryant is absolutely manhandling the Spurs, and will continue to do so during this series.

I wouldn't be surprised, nay, I expect to only see a 4 or 5 game series...this thing is NOT going 6.

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Two more notes before I sign off:

1) Jamele Hill is a very respected columnist for ESPN.com, but completely whiffed at this one.
Hill: The dream matchup

2) I live in the Chicago area, and although I am not a fan of Chicago teams, I still read a lot about them. This article right here did not surprise me AT ALL. Joakim Noah

I guess we now know exactly what he was talking about...

Winner Winner. Chicken Dinner.

So California Pizza Kitchen DOES serve Beer. That was a relief. The only thing that I really think I like about CPK is that I know exactly what I'm going to get every time. I don't have to look at the menu really. I just go to the 10 or so Pastas they have and choose between the Kung Pao Spaghetti or the Tequila Lime Fettuccine (I got Kung Pao Spaghetti with some Goose Island 312...which was pretty tasty).

Nothing interesting really happened last night. Two of my friends wanted to play chess, badly. We have an ice cream store around here called Oberweis, which resembles one of those zappers that attracts mosquitoes. If you could imagine the lighting section at Home Depot, but with all of those lights being fluorescent, you would understand the attraction to Oberweis. Basically, you drive down the highway, and are blinded by this incredible amount of lights, and you have no choice but to walk in and see what is going on.
Here's the thing about the lighting though...their energy bills must be through the roof. That explains why it is over $3 for a lousy single scoop of their "super-premium" ice cream. I mean, I understand Super-Premium gasoline. But I'm pretty sure that super-premium ice cream has ZERO beneficial effects on a person. If anything, it probably makes the consumer more gassy than usual (I see the connection now).

But back to my chess story...

Oberweis has a few tables with chess/checkers boards. Even though they are always losing the pieces due to petty theft, there is always enough for probably one game of chess. We walk into the "Mosquito Zapper", and see the chess board...then see 3 kids (probably 8-10 years old) hogging the board and playing with the pieces like they are action figures. After 15 minutes of sitting there watching these kids, my friend had enough of it. This 21 year old guy walks up to these kids and asks them if they could let him use the chess board since they were obviously not playing real chess. Then one of the parents looks at my friend and practically rips him apart for intimidating little kids.

Long story short...my friend felt bad, so he gave the parents his receipt from the ice cream he bought, which had a coupon on it for a free extra scoop of their "super-premium" ice cream.

Anyways, next time I go out, I'll take a picture of the place so everyone can see how ridiculous it actually is.

Before I sign out...make sure you follow me/add me as a friend on twitter for more insights from myself, as well as friend me on Digg to see some of the things I might talk about in the future.

Peace,
Ryan