Last Saturday, with dark clouds everywhere and a brisk wind, the 2009 UTC football team held there first scrimmage under the watchful eye of new Head Coach Russ Huesman. This would mark the first opportunity the new boss would see how his players would react when the pads started popping.
After last year’s disappointing season which just managed one win. Huesman’s arrival in Chattanooga has created a buzz that has been lacking. Coach Huesman is a former UTC defensive back himself and hopes to revive a football program that has been dormant for far too long. Most recently, Huesman was the defensive coordinator for the Richmond Spiders, who played for the Division II title game here in December.
Huesman is easy to locate on the field. He looked over drills before the start of the scrimmage while looping his whistle anxiously, awaiting a chance to correct a mistake. The Mocs imitated their leader’s intensity by hustling from station to station.
According to the new boss, the first scrimmage was a success. “I was a cheerleader for most of the day, it was a lot of fun,” said Huesman. “Overall, I am pleased with the effort.” Huesman also commented on the progress so far during spring practices. “We are probably where we should be right now.”
Senior quarterback Jare Gault led the way by completing 10 of 16 for 150 yards and three touchdowns. For the first time this season, Gault was playing in real game situations. Gault was efficient and remarkably accurate throwing the ball downfield. In the shotgun most of the time, Gault was confident with his throws and seemed comfortable with the new system.
On the receiving end of four of those passes was junior Chris Pitchford, who totaled 85 yards and two touchdowns. Pitchford got behind the secondary several times and made two acrobatic catches in which he totally extended to snare the ball.
The Mocs running game didn’t shine as bright. UTC running backs were unable to find their way.. Behind an offensive line learning the nuances of a new system the rushing attack was often just a big pile up at the line of scrimmage. J.J Jackson was the best of the bunch, with 19 yards on 12 carries.
With winds howling, the UTC kicking game struggled at times. Placekicker Craig Camay had an adventurous day to say the least. After clanking a field goal try off the right upright, the strong legged Camay just shook his head. Special teams were limited to just placekicking and punting. Each offensive attempt would start at the opposing team’s 35-yard line.
Coach Huesman summed up the performance. “If we stop working, and don’t get better, we’ll have issues.” The football team will continue practice while leading up the annual Spring Game. The intrasquad contest will be held at Finley Stadium on April 18th. Kickoff is set for 7:00 pm.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
March Madness
“How does your bracket look?” Since last Thursday, I have heard this question at places like Lowe’s, McDonalds, Publix, as well as on campus. The Men’s College Basketball NCAA Tournament has become such a popular time of year, even in Chattanooga, TN that men, women, and children are diligently watching, and more importantly, tracking the winners and losers.
The talking heads on ESPN are running day and night coverage and endless commentary. even the USA Today newspaper has had front page coverage of the event. Each game has more in depth analysis that is really deserved. Do I really care that Western Kentucky’s point guard enjoys ice cream and walks on the beach. Then of course, there’s Dickie V. That is, the irreverent Dick Vitale. Vitale is screaming from my screen. Does that guy talk to strangers that way? He looks he might spin right out of the screen at any time.
I was watching a very good LSU-North Carolina game last Saturday, when suddenly I was switched to another game, and then another. There is an endless crawl at the top of the screen, updating every game every minute or so. I am kicking myself for not going out to watch the game. “March Madness” has turned me into a mindless zombie in pajama pants, and a red ink pen.
Even our new President has a bracket. In case you missed it, President Obama actually took time to explain to an ESPN talking head on how he came up with his picks. For the record, Obama has done fairly well so far. You have to wonder if there was some sort of committee put together to enhance his chances.. It is well known that President Obama is a sports fan, and an decent pick-up basketball player. His “body man” is a former Duke hoopster, and is always on the President’s team. Like the rest of us, Obama understands that all of us need a distraction, especially with seemingly endless bad news about the economy and the war in Iraq.
The late March early April love affair with college basketball has been evolving and evolving. Historically, the tournament itself was born in 1939, with just 8 teams, and has been expanded numerous times, including a jump from 48 teams to 64 in 1985. Currently, there are 65 teams, with two teams competing in a “play-in” game. Our own UTC men’s team played valiantly to get into the field, but fell prey to a mighty UCONN team with several NBA caliber players.
Of course, if you have filled out a bracket, you might be complaining about a big upset that may have occurred, or your favorite team has been bounced. Don’t feel too bad. There are 18.4 quintillion possible outcomes, therefore the odds are less that great on you picking a perfect bracket, but you can still have fun with it. That being said, I have filled out three, and all of them are blown up. Stupid Wake Forest. I need a hobby.
The talking heads on ESPN are running day and night coverage and endless commentary. even the USA Today newspaper has had front page coverage of the event. Each game has more in depth analysis that is really deserved. Do I really care that Western Kentucky’s point guard enjoys ice cream and walks on the beach. Then of course, there’s Dickie V. That is, the irreverent Dick Vitale. Vitale is screaming from my screen. Does that guy talk to strangers that way? He looks he might spin right out of the screen at any time.
I was watching a very good LSU-North Carolina game last Saturday, when suddenly I was switched to another game, and then another. There is an endless crawl at the top of the screen, updating every game every minute or so. I am kicking myself for not going out to watch the game. “March Madness” has turned me into a mindless zombie in pajama pants, and a red ink pen.
Even our new President has a bracket. In case you missed it, President Obama actually took time to explain to an ESPN talking head on how he came up with his picks. For the record, Obama has done fairly well so far. You have to wonder if there was some sort of committee put together to enhance his chances.. It is well known that President Obama is a sports fan, and an decent pick-up basketball player. His “body man” is a former Duke hoopster, and is always on the President’s team. Like the rest of us, Obama understands that all of us need a distraction, especially with seemingly endless bad news about the economy and the war in Iraq.
The late March early April love affair with college basketball has been evolving and evolving. Historically, the tournament itself was born in 1939, with just 8 teams, and has been expanded numerous times, including a jump from 48 teams to 64 in 1985. Currently, there are 65 teams, with two teams competing in a “play-in” game. Our own UTC men’s team played valiantly to get into the field, but fell prey to a mighty UCONN team with several NBA caliber players.
Of course, if you have filled out a bracket, you might be complaining about a big upset that may have occurred, or your favorite team has been bounced. Don’t feel too bad. There are 18.4 quintillion possible outcomes, therefore the odds are less that great on you picking a perfect bracket, but you can still have fun with it. That being said, I have filled out three, and all of them are blown up. Stupid Wake Forest. I need a hobby.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
some more musings...
hello everyone. it's been awhile, so lemme get caught up.
It's Spring Break...and I'm a million miles away from Daytona. Oh...the sadness of not being able to shotgun beers, go to wet t-shirt contests, or see jello wrestling. Instead, I'm in pajamas with American Idol in the background. lame
For all of those that gave me a shout out for my birthday, I thank you. I am 35 and surprisingly spry. I can't drain it from behind the arc anymore or play the net in tennis, but I feel great nonetheless. I got an Emma voice mail singing the sweetest version of Happy Birthday you would ever hear.
I am debating whether to sell a kidney and join the UTC basketball team on the road for some March Madness. I was there Monday night to watch them "punch their ticket" against Charleston. It was like watching an action flick with a bomb ticker. I just kept looking at the clock to see how much time was left. In the end, I felt very privileged to have a press pass, sit on press row, and watch the pure joy those guys had...of course now they get to play Carolina...or someone like that and get destroyed in the first round. Be careful for what you wish for I guess.
It's that time of year again. American Idol is on. Im not going to pretend to know what Im talking about and make a prediction on who is going to win, but to me, this season has been lame. It's Micheal Jackson night tonight and I would rather take an 8 iron right to my ryanseacrest. Anyway, I just think the novelty has worn off. I'm pulling for the girl from Starkville, MS at any rate.
Speaking of bad tv, I think I have a problem. You just have to understand that this household watches the worst crap in history. It would not surprise me to see Bonnie watch anything with Bret Micheals in it (former lead singer of Poison) or the "Hills" you know what, I don't know what that girl is thinking sometimes, but of course, leave it to me to find the bottom of the well....and drink from it.
I was up very late the other night and was doing some surfing. On Showtime, there is a program called "Deeper Throat." Yeah, it's exactly what it sounds like. I check the info button and see that some porn production company is trying to remake the 1970's porn flick......SOOOO, I check it out because I'm pretty sure that the end is near with this on. Guess what, it is facinating. It is amazing to me go "behind the scenes" of a porn flick. I cannot believe how laissez-faire these folks are about doing realllllllly dirty stuff. Here is a line..."Hey, I need some more lube for this scene." Im sure some of you are offended. Hey, Im disgusted Im even watching it, but it's not about seeing boobs....that's cool and all, but it's interesting how much of a business it is and how a porn flick is produced much like a studio flick....just without the lube.
Speaking of crappy TV, if you ever see the show "The Exterminators" on cable, check it out. It's about a family of bug killers that live in Louisiana. It's awesome. I mean, they kill bugs, but the bayou country has critters on roids. Pulling out gators and catching bats and the family is crew of seriously down home southern folk. Trust me, it's funny and entertaining.
Im a moron.
Got another epidural today. It's not a good day when it's 8 am and your nurse is on try NUMBER 3 on the IV. I understand that my veins don't come a runnin,but come on. I nearly took the dadgum thing and stuck it in my own neck. Since my accident, I have really found a deep appreciation for nurses especially, but occasionally I want to choke one out.
Dr. White let me know that one of my discs has gotten worse and that he'd be injecting me more on the hip today and that I'd be more "uncomfortable" later. OUCH....and he was right. It hurts like crap and Im sore. Even the good narcotics are not helping. It's my own fault really...if I get off my fat but and exercise I would be better off. lazy.
Speaking of shots, I must comment on A-Roid. I hate him already for being a Yankee, but really, is there anyone else that I thought was great that wants to step up and break my heart??? I'm waiting for Micheal Jordan to tell ESPN that he was juiced. I have never been more disheartened by what is going on in sports. Maybe Ill just watch college or high school stuff for awhile. They are not totally corrupt..yet.
We are about 60 days into the Obama administration and so far Id give him a B-. I have really started to follow politics again..(now that it's interesting) and I like the fact he has been able to get some stuff thru the Senate and House. The stimulus package had a ton of pork...and wasteful spending, but I guess you can't get too broke. I like the fact he used the executive order to get the ball rolling on stem cell research. Im all in favor of medical research.that could lead to big improvements or vaccines..and I think we need to think outside of the box to whip cancer and HIV, to say the least. Bad news is that there are a ton of scare tactics coming out of the White House. Like....the other day, the headline was that "Iran is a week away from having a nuclear weapon." What the hell man....Iran is no threat to this country...they'd need a boat to get it here....besides, Isreal would make Iran into a glass parking lot if need be. It's a longtime strategy for democrats to push the fact that the world is in the tank, so I wish they would lay off that. Oh, and get ready for this headline. "TODAY, WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN HISTORY." I don't care who you vote for, it's gonna happen. Taxes are going to go up at some point. Obama only hopes it will be in his second term, that is, if he gets one. One other thing...someone needs to let the democrats know that the "We won, so shove it" attitude is lame....and getting old. Debate and argument keeps everyone on their toes and poliltician honest (relatively speaking) so I think the folks like Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity are needed. They are no less passionate than a James Carville is. Besides, if you form your opinion based strictly on what a talking head says solely, then you are misinformed. End of speech.
Not a great blog at all. Blame it on the drugs.
peace
It's Spring Break...and I'm a million miles away from Daytona. Oh...the sadness of not being able to shotgun beers, go to wet t-shirt contests, or see jello wrestling. Instead, I'm in pajamas with American Idol in the background. lame
For all of those that gave me a shout out for my birthday, I thank you. I am 35 and surprisingly spry. I can't drain it from behind the arc anymore or play the net in tennis, but I feel great nonetheless. I got an Emma voice mail singing the sweetest version of Happy Birthday you would ever hear.
I am debating whether to sell a kidney and join the UTC basketball team on the road for some March Madness. I was there Monday night to watch them "punch their ticket" against Charleston. It was like watching an action flick with a bomb ticker. I just kept looking at the clock to see how much time was left. In the end, I felt very privileged to have a press pass, sit on press row, and watch the pure joy those guys had...of course now they get to play Carolina...or someone like that and get destroyed in the first round. Be careful for what you wish for I guess.
It's that time of year again. American Idol is on. Im not going to pretend to know what Im talking about and make a prediction on who is going to win, but to me, this season has been lame. It's Micheal Jackson night tonight and I would rather take an 8 iron right to my ryanseacrest. Anyway, I just think the novelty has worn off. I'm pulling for the girl from Starkville, MS at any rate.
Speaking of bad tv, I think I have a problem. You just have to understand that this household watches the worst crap in history. It would not surprise me to see Bonnie watch anything with Bret Micheals in it (former lead singer of Poison) or the "Hills" you know what, I don't know what that girl is thinking sometimes, but of course, leave it to me to find the bottom of the well....and drink from it.
I was up very late the other night and was doing some surfing. On Showtime, there is a program called "Deeper Throat." Yeah, it's exactly what it sounds like. I check the info button and see that some porn production company is trying to remake the 1970's porn flick......SOOOO, I check it out because I'm pretty sure that the end is near with this on. Guess what, it is facinating. It is amazing to me go "behind the scenes" of a porn flick. I cannot believe how laissez-faire these folks are about doing realllllllly dirty stuff. Here is a line..."Hey, I need some more lube for this scene." Im sure some of you are offended. Hey, Im disgusted Im even watching it, but it's not about seeing boobs....that's cool and all, but it's interesting how much of a business it is and how a porn flick is produced much like a studio flick....just without the lube.
Speaking of crappy TV, if you ever see the show "The Exterminators" on cable, check it out. It's about a family of bug killers that live in Louisiana. It's awesome. I mean, they kill bugs, but the bayou country has critters on roids. Pulling out gators and catching bats and the family is crew of seriously down home southern folk. Trust me, it's funny and entertaining.
Im a moron.
Got another epidural today. It's not a good day when it's 8 am and your nurse is on try NUMBER 3 on the IV. I understand that my veins don't come a runnin,but come on. I nearly took the dadgum thing and stuck it in my own neck. Since my accident, I have really found a deep appreciation for nurses especially, but occasionally I want to choke one out.
Dr. White let me know that one of my discs has gotten worse and that he'd be injecting me more on the hip today and that I'd be more "uncomfortable" later. OUCH....and he was right. It hurts like crap and Im sore. Even the good narcotics are not helping. It's my own fault really...if I get off my fat but and exercise I would be better off. lazy.
Speaking of shots, I must comment on A-Roid. I hate him already for being a Yankee, but really, is there anyone else that I thought was great that wants to step up and break my heart??? I'm waiting for Micheal Jordan to tell ESPN that he was juiced. I have never been more disheartened by what is going on in sports. Maybe Ill just watch college or high school stuff for awhile. They are not totally corrupt..yet.
We are about 60 days into the Obama administration and so far Id give him a B-. I have really started to follow politics again..(now that it's interesting) and I like the fact he has been able to get some stuff thru the Senate and House. The stimulus package had a ton of pork...and wasteful spending, but I guess you can't get too broke. I like the fact he used the executive order to get the ball rolling on stem cell research. Im all in favor of medical research.that could lead to big improvements or vaccines..and I think we need to think outside of the box to whip cancer and HIV, to say the least. Bad news is that there are a ton of scare tactics coming out of the White House. Like....the other day, the headline was that "Iran is a week away from having a nuclear weapon." What the hell man....Iran is no threat to this country...they'd need a boat to get it here....besides, Isreal would make Iran into a glass parking lot if need be. It's a longtime strategy for democrats to push the fact that the world is in the tank, so I wish they would lay off that. Oh, and get ready for this headline. "TODAY, WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN HISTORY." I don't care who you vote for, it's gonna happen. Taxes are going to go up at some point. Obama only hopes it will be in his second term, that is, if he gets one. One other thing...someone needs to let the democrats know that the "We won, so shove it" attitude is lame....and getting old. Debate and argument keeps everyone on their toes and poliltician honest (relatively speaking) so I think the folks like Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity are needed. They are no less passionate than a James Carville is. Besides, if you form your opinion based strictly on what a talking head says solely, then you are misinformed. End of speech.
Not a great blog at all. Blame it on the drugs.
peace
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Monsteriffic...
**This is an article that I wrote for the "Echo" and I thought I would post it here...before it got edited**
Three boys out on the town on a Friday night, Chattanooga would not know what hit it. We were on a mission to find a good time, and that led us to a location very familiar to yours truly, “The McKenzie Arena.”
I am used to covering the Lady Mocs and their impressive run of ten straight championships, but tonight, McKenzie took on a different persona all together. The raucous crowds pulling for the UTC Women could not hold a candle to the teeth rattling, seat vibrating, deafening roar that made up the “2009 Thunder Nationals.”
That’s right, it was Monster Truck night on campus, and if you were like me, and forgot to bring your ear plugs, then you were left scrambling to come up with some way to ensure that your hearing would leave the building with you. To me, it felt like I was inside a bass drum, in an airplane hangar with several F-16’s about to take off.
Fortunately, my company was just as lost as I was. My good friend and local “weatherman,” Brian Smith was there, and he brought along his little brother Aaron. Lil Aaron is seven and Brian has been his “big brother” for a couple of years, and I have to tell you, Lil Aaron was so pumped to see this spectacle that he completely forgot that we had told him we were going to see a movie.
Side note here folks, the Big Brother/Big Sister program is one of the best ways to really give back to your community. In addition to giving the best weather prognostications around, Brian helps out with Boy Scouts of America and is very active with his church, and is just a sweetheart of a guy. ***I just earned some extra dough by saying all that. Brian’s parents pay well for their son to look good. Truth is, his wife Becca is the only thing that can make that guy look good, but I digress.
So, me, Lil Aaron, and my celebrity friend Brian are sitting around watching what happens when explosives, testosterone, and stupidity are all mixed and melded together in the form or a Monster truck. You have all seen them before. Huge tires taller than most NBA centers, and engines that just sound like they have a bad attitude. I mean, this is just plain meanness with a steering wheel.
As these giant leviathan’s trudge around the arena crushing mid-sized sedans that have now been sacrificed for our entertainment, I look over at Lil Aaron and see that he is entranced. For the first time that I can recall, Lil Aaron is not acting like a kangaroo on Red Bull. His eyes are glazed over as he watches the his favorite monster truck destroying everything it gets near.
Talk about irony, Lil Aaron is enthralled to see the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle” monster truck crush and maim the cars that are their to be sacrificed. Yes, this truck’s body is shaped like a turtle. It defies gravity by jumping cars and is somehow able to not flip over (now, that would have been funny to see a turtle truck on its back, but it was not to be)
I would be ashamed of myself if I did not say that I was engrossed by a few other details besides the destruction and the ear drum rattling trucks with catchy names like: Raminator…..Rammination……The Grave Digger, and my favorite, Monster Masher.
All of this was cool, but the true entertainment was in the details. For example, $13 would get you cotton candy…and a hat shaped like a monster truck. How about a $11 snowcone in a commerative cup? Finally, for $18, you could get a poster of the truck of your choosing. How cool is that?
I could not help but wonder how many folks were in attendance that were “green.” Folks, the environment was taking one on the chin during this event. A thick, blue smoke sat a top of McKenzie Arena and just hung there. I was wondering if I was getting a little to much carbon monoxide for the sake of having a good time.
I looked over at Lil Aaron and knew what he thought. He was so happy to be watching this demolition derby on steroids that I had to stop thinking of my health and whether or not all the grass outside was dying. Bring on “Grave Digger!”
Three boys out on the town on a Friday night, Chattanooga would not know what hit it. We were on a mission to find a good time, and that led us to a location very familiar to yours truly, “The McKenzie Arena.”
I am used to covering the Lady Mocs and their impressive run of ten straight championships, but tonight, McKenzie took on a different persona all together. The raucous crowds pulling for the UTC Women could not hold a candle to the teeth rattling, seat vibrating, deafening roar that made up the “2009 Thunder Nationals.”
That’s right, it was Monster Truck night on campus, and if you were like me, and forgot to bring your ear plugs, then you were left scrambling to come up with some way to ensure that your hearing would leave the building with you. To me, it felt like I was inside a bass drum, in an airplane hangar with several F-16’s about to take off.
Fortunately, my company was just as lost as I was. My good friend and local “weatherman,” Brian Smith was there, and he brought along his little brother Aaron. Lil Aaron is seven and Brian has been his “big brother” for a couple of years, and I have to tell you, Lil Aaron was so pumped to see this spectacle that he completely forgot that we had told him we were going to see a movie.
Side note here folks, the Big Brother/Big Sister program is one of the best ways to really give back to your community. In addition to giving the best weather prognostications around, Brian helps out with Boy Scouts of America and is very active with his church, and is just a sweetheart of a guy. ***I just earned some extra dough by saying all that. Brian’s parents pay well for their son to look good. Truth is, his wife Becca is the only thing that can make that guy look good, but I digress.
So, me, Lil Aaron, and my celebrity friend Brian are sitting around watching what happens when explosives, testosterone, and stupidity are all mixed and melded together in the form or a Monster truck. You have all seen them before. Huge tires taller than most NBA centers, and engines that just sound like they have a bad attitude. I mean, this is just plain meanness with a steering wheel.
As these giant leviathan’s trudge around the arena crushing mid-sized sedans that have now been sacrificed for our entertainment, I look over at Lil Aaron and see that he is entranced. For the first time that I can recall, Lil Aaron is not acting like a kangaroo on Red Bull. His eyes are glazed over as he watches the his favorite monster truck destroying everything it gets near.
Talk about irony, Lil Aaron is enthralled to see the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle” monster truck crush and maim the cars that are their to be sacrificed. Yes, this truck’s body is shaped like a turtle. It defies gravity by jumping cars and is somehow able to not flip over (now, that would have been funny to see a turtle truck on its back, but it was not to be)
I would be ashamed of myself if I did not say that I was engrossed by a few other details besides the destruction and the ear drum rattling trucks with catchy names like: Raminator…..Rammination……The Grave Digger, and my favorite, Monster Masher.
All of this was cool, but the true entertainment was in the details. For example, $13 would get you cotton candy…and a hat shaped like a monster truck. How about a $11 snowcone in a commerative cup? Finally, for $18, you could get a poster of the truck of your choosing. How cool is that?
I could not help but wonder how many folks were in attendance that were “green.” Folks, the environment was taking one on the chin during this event. A thick, blue smoke sat a top of McKenzie Arena and just hung there. I was wondering if I was getting a little to much carbon monoxide for the sake of having a good time.
I looked over at Lil Aaron and knew what he thought. He was so happy to be watching this demolition derby on steroids that I had to stop thinking of my health and whether or not all the grass outside was dying. Bring on “Grave Digger!”
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