The Bears & The Lions...Oh My!!

Last year's Super Bowl runner-ups, the Chicago Bears, has fallen on hard times. If I must say so, very hard times.

You can't blame it on their defense which has been business as usual until the Cowboys came into town last Sunday. If there's anyone you want to pin the blame on for why the Bears are 1-2 so far, it would be their QB for the first 3 games, Rex Grossman. And have his performances on the field for 2007 been gross, man...lol...get it? Of course we do. No wonder then that the Chicago offense has been oh so much crap...Then of course plenty of Bears fans out there are hoping for some good things to come out of his replacement, Brian Griese, when the Bears hit the road for Detroit (one of the toughest, more imposing places to play in the NFL).

Can Griese turn things around for the Bears? Of course; all is not lost unless the powers that be say so. In fact, Griese can do a variety of things which Grossman never had the wherewithal to do, i.e. look calm & collective in the pocket, not try to force his throws, read his receivers right on the money. If memory serves me well, he could turn the Bears' sinking ship around, if not in a hurry, in a short matter of time.

That is, if he's ready to play & ready to take on a hostile Lions ballclub who got soundly drubbed the weekend before @ Philly, a ballclub who's ready for a challenge when they see one.

Cubs commentary

Those Cubs...now 3.5 games ahead of Milwaukee in the NL Central division & playing like they're on a mission with nothing to lose...they're definitely at the top of their game right now & with just several games to go, they're on a roll.

At the start of June, however, a lot of folks were thinking differently about the Chicago Cubs. They were underachievers, unable to make effective use of the awesome talent at their disposal...preparing for an early season meltdown from which there would be no turning back. Throw in a little team infighting for good measure & you had at that time one of the more troubled ballclubs around, & I'm stating fact.

But no, they kept fighting back time & time again. Just when we thought they lost first place & were planning a permanent tailspin, the Cubbies returned victoriously to the top of the NL Central's top perch. In an otherwise weak division, how could they not do otherwise? They had the usual suspect on their trail for a majority of 2007 in those pesky Brewers & for a brief time even the St. Louis Cardinals, in an attempt to regain their NL Central elite status, got in on the fun. Somehow, it took one win against the Cards to send St. Louis down the Central ladder & the Cubs were (& still are) riding a hot streak which isn't likely to stop just yet.

With solid pitching & effective hitting, the Cubbies have rode a wave to reach first place numerous times in the NL Central & with a 3.5 game lead, everyone in the ballclub is feeling an excitement which for a few years has been totally missing from the dugout. By playing like they've been doing for the past few games, an automatic trip to the playoffs is one of the best things that could happen to them.

Who knows, this year could be the year that the Chicago Cubs once again tell the rest of the league that despite the "lovable losers" tag they've been wearing for years, they're once again a force to be reckoned with. Seriously, they're that awesome right now.

(untitled #2)

A while back, I wrote a good deal about Bid Day & all things sorority-related; plenty of duders were pro'lly wondering, "Dude, are you an AOII/AGD/A-Phi now?..." (lol). A full week has passed since I last posted on all things Greek & naturally enough I wanted to get my "frat" on - in a positive way, of course. So without further hesitation, here goes:

Who knows how many fraternity members should know by now that just a short time ago their favorite sororities got new (& wonderful!!) ladies; naturally enough, the new member educators/pledge educators also got the memo as well. If there was one way among many where not only the actives but also the new duders could get to know their sorority counterparts more personally, it would be to go to each respective chapter & serenade them, if this hasn't been done already. (I almost forgot: if one dude from this house or that is a DZ flame, a Daggerman, an Ivy Man, an Owl Man... this advice of getting new members to serenade their respective sororities needs to be taken into full consideration.) Not only is serenading showing one's appreciation & courtesy toward AOII, A-Phi, AGD, etc., the new members are also doing the same & learning about respecting women in the process.

Serenading might seem corny to some duders but when it comes to your new duders getting to know their new sorority counterparts, this is an awesome way to show that they're appreciated, seriously. It doesn't have to take Bust, Homecoming or the next house party/social before your new guys get a chance to know their other halves in the Greek community; if they have their sweetheart songs down pat & the timing is perfect to make a chapter visit, go for it. Your fave sororities will be glad that you did care about them wholeheartedly through serenading & they may even have a good line to say about the new guys.

Oh yes, serenades, like sorority cheers, do count as music too :-)

A good run of bad (Irish) luck

Oh, Notre Dame, we hardly knew ye.


Three games into the season, our worst fears about this year's ballclub have already been realized & from the looks of things, a chance to grab just 6 wins seems like a long shot.


First of all, the Irish can't score to save their lives. Michigan gave ND the big ol' goose egg back @ the Big House last weekend much to the chagrin of many Irish fans (& much to the delight of the Wolverine fanbase). Then looking at their other abysmal efforts against Georgia Tech & Penn State, we can't help but wonder: where's Brady Quinn when you need him most? But then again, the Irish have had to replace virtually much of their offensive firepower from last season & naturally enough from what we've seen the past three Saturdays, the end results speak on their own terms: only 10 points & no offensive touchdowns...how pitiful. And things aren't going to get any easier as they take on Michigan State, whose defense leaves plenty of reason for concern: Notre Dame's not getting anything done on offense & with a Spartans D which so far has been downright stubborn, the prognosis for weekend 4 is looking rather bleak as far as their game plan goes.

Secondly, the most likely savior to replace Brady Quinn was a flop in his first start against the Yellow Jackets, leaving Jimmy Clausen to pick up the pieces for this season. And where's Mr. Jones now? He's about to take his QB skills over to Northern Illinois...what a shame that he never told anyone over @ Notre Dame about his change in plans until the 11th hour. As for Mr. Clausen...no comment...not yet, anyways.

Third, Charlie Weis is putting himself up there with some good company, that is to say, dudes like Ty Willingham & Bob Davie. And we all know what happened to Bob Davie after not meeting the expectations of his fans & the ADs...Weis, in a sense, is headed on the exact same road as some of his more underachieving predecessors. We were thinking that Weis could be this team's savior, the one coach to lead them on the road to victory. But seeing 3 straight abysmal performances, our misgivings towards such thoughts have already been made clear. And for the assumption that ND could get at least 7 wins this season? Please...not from the dismal sights we've been seeing on the football field.

The luck of the Irish is pretty bad right now & their next opponent, Michigan State, isn't going to help ND's cause one whit. Hopefully their good run of futility will come to a halt sometime in 2007 but the question is when?

I just don't know...& a lot of diehard Notre Dame fans, I feel, are echoing my sentiments.

Lucky #9?

Just 9 more games to go. Yup, just 9 more games.

With just 9 games left in the regular season, the Cubs have got a 1.5 game lead on the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. The Brewers have been the proverbial monkey on Chicago's back all season; question is, Chicago at this point can't count solely on a little help from the opponents left on Milwaukee's schedule to clinch things outright. The Cubs have to step up & be ready to play themselves & prove that they're on a mission & nothing - not even the Marlins or Reds - can keep them from accomplishing something which for the past few seasons was beyond their reach.

Anything goes when you're in as tight a divisional race as Chicago & Milwaukee have been for much of '07. But if they keep playing consistent baseball, them Cubs could really turn some heads throughout the entire NL.

Pink Moon: First Thoughts

Nick Drake's last release from 1972, Pink Moon, has always been one of my top 10 personal favorite albums to listen to & not for the reasons which you might expect. Very true, he recorded this album while he was in the midst of an extreme depression, a depression which really took the love of music out of him (a love which didn't resurface again until just before his death). But here are just some of the reasons why I love Pink Moon with a passion:


(1) Its brevity. Clocking in at a mere 28 minutes, Pink Moon gets to the point; after one musical statement has been made, Nick moves on to the next one without hesitation. (The longest track, "Things Behind The Sun," is 3:55.) I have always thought Simon & Garfunkel were the masters of making concise music (still do, in fact) but Pink Moon is a concise masterpiece in its own right, a statement which has stood the test of time, long after its creator has passed on.

(2) Its simplicity. Though simple, it also sounds stark & foreboding: Pink Moon is the sound of a man all by his lonesome - his voice & acoustic guitar (the only additional instrumentation - & this too is at an extreme minimum - is a small splash of piano on the title track). And if this isn't enough, this recording was completed in merely two nights, bare bones & all of its spooky vibe intact.

(3) Its emotional impact. Pink Moon reveals an artist not only in a deeply intimate setting - his voice & his acoustic guitar - but also in the throes of a devastating depression of which I mentioned earlier on. For him to create such a masterpiece of haunting, heart-wrenching beauty under such circumstances took a lot of faith & heart. And with his last bonafide album, that's exactly what he did, despite/in spite of the fact that his depression was pretty major.

As reason #3 boldly illustrates, such a beautiful recording like Pink Moon came about during a very dark time in Nick's life. Yet listening time & time again to all 11 songs, I can't help but marvel at how ethereal & riveting this entire album is, stark atmosphere aside. If there was an immense ray of light at the end of the tunnel, Pink Moon is that light, a ray of hope which continues to shine brightly & endure over three decades time.

Quote(s) of the day

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit." -Aristotle

"We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right." -Nelson Mandela

"A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need." -Proverbs 17:17

Burning CDs = burning out music in general

When it comes to downloading music, I feel we've made great strides in getting music out there for folks to listen to well before it hits the shelves of places like Borders, Best Buy, etc. But I also have misgivings toward downloading/burning CDs as well & here are some of them:

First of all, it hurts your favorite artists & I don't care who, whether it's 50 Cent, Rihanna, Kenny Chesney...I know, I'm going to get a lot of flak for this. But like any business/financial corporation, the main premise of the music business is to rake in the dough. You see, if a product like a compact disc isn't selling up to expectations, chances are likely that it'll be discontinued if not sporadically available. That's the whole thing behind a lot of record labels nowadays: if their rosters of performers are selling product at breakneck speed, the companies will take the time to put money into the artists on such-&-such label, be it in terms of marketing, promotional deals, distribution, touring dinero & a tenable budget for them to work with for their next proposed effort(s). So going out & actually buying their CDs is an imperative here; it not only helps boost your fave artists' cause but also keeps them on their respective labels' active roster. If not, & we choose to burn/download their music instead, we're putting them on tenterhooks with their label (who more often than not will show them the door) & not only that, that distinct possibility of never hearing any music from them again.

Think about it; just consider the downsides that come with downloading. Here's a little math for folks to look into & the next issue I'm taking concerning downloads/burning music onto CD:
If a group/singer sells about 40,000 records they're given $40,000 to work with on their upcoming release(s).
Via downloading/burning CDs, however, we can see drastically different end results: 20,000 in sales = $20,000.

When it comes to making a properly mixed, packaged & produced piece of music, $20,000 doesn't amount to much dinero by any stretch. And that's where the artists suffer greatly when someone else decides to infringe on music which they worked long & hard to complete.

In essence, burning/downloading music is the equivalent of taking a CD without paying for it...& that's saying a great deal for the musicians/performers who put this stuff out in the first place. Not only is it robbing them of hard-earned pay; it's also putting them at odds with their label in every aspect of the business: the boss, A & R, on down the line.

This also factors into live performances & if you love seeing your favorite bands/singers live, buy their music (among other merchandise like T-shirts) so it could help give them money to stay on the up & up (& keep them from getting in the hole as far as touring expenses go). As one will discover, by going to see, say, DMB playing live & taking the time to buy who knows what (CDs, shirts, etc.), you're doing your favorite group(s) a favor; rather, you're helping their cause & keeping their cash flow going strong. But if you deliberate a little more, your support is helping these same groups stay alive in one way or another.

Here's the bottom line: by burning CDs/downloading music of your favorite artists, what are they gaining from all this? Well, here's the rundown:
If they don't sell product, naturally they won't be given money for doing another record.
And if they don't sell product, they can't go to places like Conseco/Verizon & perform (BTW, touring is another means for musicians to get paid).
If they don't sell product, how can your artists promote themselves? How can they get the marketing funding which tells you when their next releases will hit stores/the next time you'll see them live? They won't be able to do either of the above if they're not making any sales.

The best thing you could do here, if it hasn't been done already, is go out, buy a CD of your favorite artist(s) & show that you do care about music in general. By burning their output on CD, though, chances are you could burn them out of a label deal - worse yet, you could burn your fave performers off the musical map for good.

Deuces Wild!!

Weekend 2 in the NFL, more often than not, was a pretty wild & crazy one in every sense of the words "wild" & "crazy." Two major cases in point:

My beloved Indianapolis Colts in their 22-20 win against the Tennessee Titans. Man, did Adam V have a rough day...he missed a PAT & even his clinching field goal almost never got through but somehow, someway Vinatieri nailed it & the Colts are now 2-0.
Them Cleveland Browns...how'd they do it? After looking abysmal against the Steelers, things weren't going to look any easier against the Bengals. But with a new QB (& with it a renewed outlook & purpose), Cleveland took it to 'Nati & won in a 51-45 shootout. The Bengals knew their defense was highly suspect in every way, shape or form; no one envisioned Cincy being that horrid defensively...but then again, Cleveland had a rough time putting the Bengals away too. Go figure!!

Then of course the Bears not only got back to playing great football defensively; offensively they were just as awesome (included in that mix is Devin Hester) in their 20-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs @ Soldier Field. On the other hand, the San Diego Chargers just looked lousy against New England...the Pats made LT look like nothing. But on offense, the Pats kicked plenty of tail here as well & with WR Randy Moss re-emerging as one of the top receivers in the league, an awesome QB like Tom Brady, among other factors, New England simply was unstoppable. And with a team like the Chargers, they had to be; playing San Diego from behind wasn't one thing New England had any inclination in doing on Sunday. And oh, the Cowboys are 2-0 with Tony Romo at the helm...sweet!!

...Gotta love how things are shaping up so far in the NFL.

Quote(s) of the day

"A lot of folks, when they see how involved I am in Greek life, especially when it comes to supporting sororities, are naturally going to ask questions. It's not like, 'Who does he think he is?' This isn't to say I'm a household name; I mean, any woman who has seen how strong my support is will have a good line or two to say about me. Rather, it's 'Why does he do what he does?' My answer to such a question is plain & simple: I do what I do because I care & to show my sorority counterparts that they are appreciated." - yours truly

"Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks." - Samuel Johnson

Reflections on Bid Day

Yesterday I had one of the best times of my life & what better way to have a blast than to attend Bid Day. Not only was this a perfect chance to show my true colors for my sorority counterparts but this was also a great opportunity to prove that my Greek pride is very much alive & well.

In my previous posts, & I'll sum them up in one sitting, Bid Day is one of the best days of one's life not just as a sorority sister but as a member of a more extensive Greek community; by the same token, for those dudes who love just one sorority with all their heart, this is an awesome day as well, to show their support, dedication & appreciation for whoever their fave ladies are. I'm glad that I was able to do just that & continue showing my support like none other; I only wish more men out there would have gone & done the same if they really wanted to but they didn't...boo.

(Side note: For the duders who weren't there for Bid Day, i.e. the ones who felt that watching football, being on Playstation, etc. (things not chapter/work-related) trumped showing your support for your favorite ladies, sorry for ya; you missed out on a lot, a whole lot in fact. And you wonder why the talk about who was really representing on Bid Day is focused on one guy alone, aka yours truly.)

At any rate, I had an awesome time & life is beautiful...no, not just beautiful, it's also sweet & I wouldn't want it any other way on days like yesterday. I said congratulations to all the sororities who got new ladies on my FB profile already so I'll leave things well enough alone.

I'll close things off with a quote:

Bid Day: one of the best days & times of a sorority sister's life; one of the best days & times for a dude to go out & show his support for his fave ladies :-)

A Roller Coaster Ride for the ages

Up & down, up & down.

These words could best characterize the Chicago Cubs' season in their attempts to gain a foothold as leaders of the NL Central. For much of 2007, they've had to contend with them Milwaukee Brewers & for a short spell (in fact, not too long ago!!) they've had the Cards hot on their tail. And despite having to tie for 1st or lose their 1st-place perch here & there to the Brewers on numerous occasions, somehow they've endured & regained their touch just in time to make a statement that they're not going to back down so easily. Now they're 1 1/2 games ahead of Milwaukee with over a dozen or so more games to play. The St. Louis Cardinals, the Cubbies' opponent for this weekend, are a good 6 games behind the pack, just 2 ahead of the Reds (who earlier this season were the worst team in MLB...not anymore!!)...you do the math here. But at any rate, with the aforementioned number of games to play, things could look rather interesting: the outright winner of the NL Central gets a trip to the NL playoffs while the wild card bid is up for grabs & may the top team take all.

And for the Chicago Cubs? Let's hope that they keep on a roll; otherwise it could be a long road to claim the NL Central division & with it a chance to make some noise in the playoffs. But wait: the Cubbies are making noise already, aren't they?

Travel Fever & Other Assorted Stories: Entry Ten

3 more days. Just 3 more days before I head back down to Muncie. The anxiety which comes with returning is mounting already; not much I can do here but patiently count down the days until I'm back on familiar ground, with so much dedication & support to give, so many stories to tell, other stories as yet untold...Soon I will be back home where my heart has always belonged, where my heart is, was, always will be.

Soon I will make up for lost time, where a visit back to the frat would do me some good. No longer will I carry the impression that I'm too cool/too good to pay the house a much-needed visit; this return is long overdue & I'm going to make the most of my return. The rest of my time on Sunday is left to speak for itself & by golly, it's going to be an awesome day overall to spend as only I know how. But a visit to my frat, first & foremost, wouldn't hurt; the timing couldn't be more right on for me to head back down & see how things are going over @ Sigs. One thing which I cannot show toward my fellow Greeks is a selective amnesia, that is to say, a forgetfulness about Greek life (yass, even my own fraternity) which chooses to rear its head at will (with the exception of Homecoming Weekend which'll be fodder for another journal entry). On Sunday, once more, my old residence for 1 1/2 years will come back into view; the initiative to enter these four walls of Greek bliss is mine & mine alone.

Until then, I'm waiting out three more days patiently, not because it's the weekend but because it's time to get back to the heart of all things Greek, the frat included.

Rush Week: Note to Self, Duders!!

For anyone who's interested in Greek life, this week is kind of a big deal. No, seriously, it is a big deal. It's Rush Week for all you duders planning to go Greek but wait, there's more:

This is also a week to check things out to see if Greek life is really for you. Of course, there are those folks who are going to say, "C'mon, Greek life just isn't for me," but if the smallest notion of rushing is on your mind, my suggestion to such individuals is that they should give it a go & see what they think. Why for is beside the point; to be honest, why shouldn't anyone go Greek? There's absolutely nothing to lose & oh so much to gain from such an experience as the next few days or so will confirm. Not only that, you'll have a chance to meet new people, possibly make new friends, new connections. And more often than not, just by checking out Rush alone, chances are good that you may get a bid...Remember, accepting your bid is up to you in the end.

The possibilities of which fraternities to check out are endless as well as exploring them, meeting the members of this house or that, etc. And it wouldn't hurt if duders did their research beforehand, just to see if fraternities are much more than party central on the weekends. Even if certain men are preoccupied with one fraternity whom they've, as it were, committed themselves to, they can still look around a bit before getting their minds made up & accepting their bid from the house(s) of their choice. There's no pressure (& shouldn't be) to go Greek unless the spirit really moves you; the options in such cases are always open if you want to join a fraternity or not & with good reason: those folks who feel pressured to become part of the Greek system after rushing, pledging, the whole 9 yards, more often than not bail out (i.e. quit/disaffiliate) when they feel that Greek life isn't for them anymore (among far worse factors such as bad grades, drug/alcohol abuse, conduct unbecoming a fraternity member...). Don't be the duders who were pressured to join a fraternity without giving themselves a chance to think their other alternatives over; every fraternity member who has seen duders drop out of their chapters in like fashion know this personally & firsthand.

At any rate, this week is an opportunity to make a wise choice, a good call on which fraternity one wants to join (as well as ask as many questions as possible to help you along in your decision-making process). This is your chance to give Greek life a go; if you decide to rush, you'll be glad you did. If not, take heart that you learned something valuable about what makes this week so special, should you decide giving Rush another try next semester or next Fall or no.

Go Greek!!!

Brief pause

Yesterday was 9/11 & I had plenty of time to reflect on the impact that day made on who knows how many thousands of lives, mine included. At the same time, it was an extremely important event in the history of music as two of rap's biggest stars, 50 Cent & Kanye West released their Curtis & Graduation CDs respectively.

Knowing that these two duders released their newest CDs on the same day not only had me all excited, as I had every right to be. At the same time, yesterday left me all anxious as well, as I'm considering what CD I'm planning to buy next, what kick I'm on genre-wise, which groups/singers I should be listening to more often, etc. and with plenty of good reason too.

You see, I'm really open to pretty much every genre of music out there. And at a time when it seems that what is passed off as music really isn't music at all - that is to say, something of lasting quality & value, something which is not viewed as disposable product or pure musical dreck because it didn't sell up to expectations - the newest releases from 50 & Kanye could be seen as a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stagnant time for popular music in general. Not only that, but 50 & Kanye could serve short notice that hip-hop & rap are once again rising to the top of the charts & there's no stopping either of them from accomplishing that feat.

And yet, there's only one winner in this duel for rap's top prize: will it be 50 or Kanye? It's anyone's guess but one rapper will come out a victor, a conqueror & the other's got to show his love & respect where it's due.

How The Mighty Have Fallen...

This past weekend was a pretty eventful one for three of the more storied college football powerhouses in the nation, but not for the reasons which you might expect.

First of all, I thought Michigan would redeem itself after losing to a second-tier team called Appalachian State. But no: they got thoroughly dismantled by the Oregon Ducks 39-7 @ Ann Arbor & are leaving plenty of Wolverine fans in a state of unease & discontent. And with good reason: Notre Dame's next on the schedule & things aren't exactly looking promising for the Big Blue right now.

Secondly, while Notre Dame's still fresh on my mind, the Irish got hammered 31-10 by Penn State @ JoePa's place. Where's Brady Quinn when you need him most?

Third, the Miami Hurricanes got clobbered by Oklahoma 51-13...one of the worst defeats they've had for ages. Right now, the Sooners are looking pretty good in who knows how many aspects of the game but until they start Big 12 play, I'm not guaranteeing that they'll do it all this year. Yet from the looks of things on Saturday, they could make a racket this season. On the other hand, the Hurricanes are total blah.

On the upside, Ohio State won; LSU manhandled VA Tech; Washington beat Boise State (whoa!!), Indiana won again (awesome!!), & Ball State defeated Eastern Michigan...what an crazy weekend in the world of college football. But then again, such is life on Saturdays!!

Back to front

In my last post, titled "Well Wishing," I wrote about offering my sorority counterparts all the encouragement they need during next week & as always keeping things heartfelt. It'd be superfluous to say what's already been said countless times before about my love for Greek life, especially with sororities, so I'll leave it at that. But when it comes to other Greek duders going out & doing the same for their fave sororities...is there anyone found lacking here?

I'm not sure. To be honest, I'm really not sure.

Of course, there are those who have followed my lead (if not exactly to the letter, pretty close to it as they can get). Then there are those duders who are just giving out lip service; they can be the biggest, baddest drinkers/partiers/duders around at their respective houses but when it comes to offering their favorite sorority (-ies) the best of luck at this particular time of year, it's not that such suggestions don't register with them. It's the fact that they just don't get how important Recruitment week is for sororities in general; if they really wanted to show their love, they could have said it then & there. But they don't want to. Or they really meant to wish the best of luck to their sorority counterparts only to change their minds at the 11th hour...which is just as bad.

Fraternity Recruitment may be going on this week too, but still, duders, here's the thing: It doesn't hurt to offer your sorority counterparts within the Greek community good luck this week & really, really mean every word that you said. And if these dudes happen to be either an Owl Man, an Ivy Man, a DZ Flame, or an Arrowman, etc. (the best thing that could happen to any dude is become a sorority sweetheart!!) ...this note of advice is equally applicable to all of the above. It not only shows we've got courtesy & appreciation for women in general; we're also showing that we actually care about the sororities which we're proud to represent, not putting on some half-baked front to "show our love."

Well Wishing

- to everyone in AOII, A-Phi, DZ, etc. (as well as the Pi Chis)

Tomorrow another day will begin
& with it a long week full of one
endless adventure after another:
Recruitment Week
is in the air,
this much is for certain.

This is where words of hope,
words of encouragement, words which show
much love & respect
need to be spoken
to carry you through the days ahead.

And how many men have found the muster,
the strength,
the confidence to speak these words?
Only a few have taken the time
to do just that, even if it is
one man & one man alone
saying these things from the heart.

So I say these words to you,
to wish you well as you go on your way,
to give you encouragement where it is needed,
to help light your way as best I can,
to brighten each day of yours
as you take to this weeklong journey
which is unlike any other
happening this autumn.

The time has now come
to get fired up,
to get things started
out right:
I wish you
the best of luck
with everything this week.

Three's Company

When Steve Hackett left Genesis in 1977, in no small part due to the group's democratic approach to songwriting (& having his own material rebuffed time & time again), one would think the band would have thrown in the towel & called it a day. But despite losing Hackett, Genesis soldiered on as a trio & came through with the brilliant ...And Then There Were Three. Not only is the album title a nod to Messrs. Banks, Collins & Rutherford's former bandmate; this would also signal the start of something new, a shift in the band's musical direction (& which would become apparent by the start of the following decade).

...And Then There Were Three, as a result, could be seen as a transitional album: one foot deeply set in familiar prog-rock waters, the other set in a poppier, more accessible mode (as their first bonafide hit, "Follow You Follow Me" boldly indicates; this song became a precursor to the hit-making machine Genesis would become some time afterwards, as well as throughout Phil Collins' solo career). This isn't to say that the results are mixed; far from it!! "Down and Out," "Ballad of Big," "The Lady Lies" & "Deep In The Motherlode" reveal that the threesome still had it in regards to their old prog-rock sound but the songs come off more focused, more concise, a refining of the epic songcraft from their previous studio release Wind and Wuthering. "Snowbound," "Many Too Many" & the aforementioned "Follow You Follow Me" on the other hand showcase Genesis entering the next phase of their career, when they would become even more famous than ever.

A lot could be said about Tony Banks' keyboard playing & Collins' rock-solid drumming throughout this album but I'll sum it up like so: both men are up to the task & kick some major tail. Yet the other key player in this incarnation, bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford, deserves equal praises & kudos. Filling Hackett's shoes would have been a bit much to ask but Rutherford stepped up to the challenge & not only is his guitar playing effective ( & stellar) but it also services the needs of each song. At the same time, Mike's playing would make his old bandmate & predecessor (an amazing guitarist in his own right both with Genesis & solo) proud...paying the man homage for sure!!

At any rate, ...And Then There Were Three was a musical fork in the road for Genesis: one still set in its proggish leanings, the other going in a more poppier direction. Still the group proved that they could forge ahead as a triumvirate & deliver the goods in spades before hitting paydirt with Duke, Abacab and their 1983 eponymous effort. And ...ATTWT showed us that life could still go on with one of the more important bands of our time, despite the odds & setbacks which came their way.

Well, what can I say about my beloved Indianapolis Colts?

After last night, I can proudly say that they haven't lost a beat, picking up where they left off to wrap up last season by dismantling the New Orleans Saints 41-10. And for every Colts fan out there, you've got to love that, considering that the Saints were the first huge test of faith Indy has had to contend with...for the first regular season game!!

Offensively, the Colts were clicking on all 4 cylinders; Peyton once again showed us why he's an awesome QB with an awesome arm to match, victimizing former teammate (& current Saints DB) Jason David multiple times. But Indy was equally stellar defensively, shutting down the dynamic duo of Drew Brees & Reggie Bush, not really allowing them to get anything going for much of the game. And that's saying something about a defense which was downright horrid stopping the run for most of last year (among other issues). Hopefully this signals the start of something good for Indy defensively...something to carry over from last year's playoff run & put to outstanding use game in, game out.

And this is only the beginning of the Colts' long road to victory...great way to get things up & running, though, by making quick work of an otherwise formidable New Orleans ballclub.

Defending their turf

The Colts have a lot to prove when they take on the New Orleans Saints tonight. Last year was last year, a very good year for Indy when they won Super Bowl XLI over a dreaded Midwestern rival, those good ol' Chicago Bears. But that was then & this is now; tonight is Indianapolis' first test of faith & a pretty good one at that.

Sure, we've got Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne & Joseph Addai back in the mix; you can't go wrong with each of these guys on offense. But on the offensive line, they're definitely going to be missing now-retired Tarik Glenn; hopefully Tony Ugoh knows what's up, as he knows Glenn's shoes are very big ones to fill for sure. If that's not enough, Ugoh's got a lot of growing up to do in Glenn's old spot as well.

On defense, three key players from last year are sorely going to be missed as CB Nick Harper bolted for Tennessee; LB Cato June headed off to Tampa Bay while Jason David is now with - you guessed it right - the Saints. It's not that the Colts are going to miss them that much as they've had success year in, year out with tried & tested players thrown into the mix...and amazing results. The next question is, how will they respond to these key losses on defense? It's time that the replacements, first game or no, step up & play all out; New Orleans is one team which is going to be a daunting task to defend with QB Drew Brees & Reggie Bush leading the way as usual. And can Indy make their horrible run defense from last year a distant memory? Tonight they could do just that...if they're ready to go.

Comments aside, the Colts have got their work cut out for them. But if Tony Dungy & company have got Indy fired up & ready to play, things could turn out awesome in the end. Yet this first game to kick off the regular season is going to be an important one in every aspect of the word "important."

Go Colts!!

Something for the ladies

Sorority recruitment is just around the corner & I thought that I exhausted all my resources in saying what needed to be said about this particular time of the year. But no, there is still so much which needs to be said & to keep things on the up & up, I'll proceed without further ado:

It seems that on some campuses, with each passing autumn, fewer & fewer women have been going through Recruitment; why that is the case, I positively don't know. At universities where the Greeks are definitely a minority group, getting quality women into the sorority of their choice, let alone go Greek, can indeed be a challenge. But the next greatest challenge begins with the freshman class: At some colleges, the freshmen have come in record numbers; the next issue is finding out how many will sincerely find the initiative to go Greek. And if plenty of incoming freshmen ladies (among other undergraduate women who are willing to give sorority recruitment a go) should go through the ringer of chapter visits coming up shortly, I have every reason to feel optimistic & each respective sorority whom I'm rooting for should feel the same way as well. There's no doubt that the incoming freshmen could make an impact this year; just how much of an impact they're going to make remains to be seen until the end of next week. But still, I'm hoping for the best & keeping a positive outlook on things :-) And again, I'm wishing every sorority the best of luck during Sorority Recruitment!!

Having said all this, I just wanted to touch on my previous post, a piece which focuses on Bid Day, the crowning moment which closes out Sorority Recruitment. Not only is it a perfect opportunity for those duders who have a favorite sorority (not 3 or 4 of 'em; one will do) they love with a passion to take time out of their day to go out & show their support. As I can speak from experience, I'll say that Bid Day is one of the best days to really show one's true colors not in terms of being proud to be Greek but also showing how strong one's love for his sorority counterparts can be. If that doesn't suffice & if it were up to me to do so, I'd be telling a lot of duders right now, "Your fave sororities will love you for showing up & offering your support on Bid Day." Because I've actually done both of the above, that makes things all the more sweeter.

Once more, ladies, fire up for Fall 2007 :-)

(no title)

On a day like today
there is no greater joy,
no sweeter feeling
than to be right here,
showing my heartfelt support
& dedication like none other,
showing my love
wholeheartedly
not only on my sleeves
but also on my heart
as well.

Of all the free time
I have to spend today
some of it will be spent
representing
my favorite ladies
not only to show
that they are appreciated
but also to celebrate,
to welcome more new women
into the fold,
to share in their joy
via congratulations
& most of all because I care.

Only a select few
have taken the time
& effort to make
the journey over here
to lend their support,
to show their love
& appreciation
for their #1 sororities;
I am one of those few
who took time
out of his day
to tell of these things.

On a day like today
there is no greater love,
no greater joy
than to be right here
representing
my favorite ladies
with a passion
like none other.
And I wouldn't
have it any other way.

Big Problems at the Big House

Michigan's head football coach, Lloyd Carr, has had his share of losses to go with some awesome wins. But nothing could be as embarrassing as having to explain why the Wolverines lost to, of all the teams they could have delivered a sound drubbing to, (gasp!), Appalachian State (to the tune of 34-32) this past Saturday.

And letting Appy State beat Michigan at the Big House...if this doesn't get the Athletic Department's blood boiling, what will? As it stands, of all the elite programs in college football where winning is taken seriously, Michigan is one place where you do not want to be in the hot seat because you're not living up to everyone's expectations. And after this demoralizing upset, Carr finds himself once again on that dreaded hot seat...to some of his fans, he's too conservative, too old-school for their liking. Others feel that even though his track record has included some huge wins over teams like Ohio State for instance, lately victories over top-tier teams have been hard to come by. (Which isn't the least bit surprising: a cooldown in victories of that caliber are to be expected.)

Now this. Appalachian State?

For those who couldn't stomach Notre Dame's blowout loss to Georgia Tech, life seems a bit easier now. Same for the good ol' Buckeyes. How about them Florida Gators? USC? The Wolverines were expected to make some noise, even vie for a possible BCS bid...whatever that BCS stuff means anyway is a total crock. Now those chances of making a BCS bid are history, much less an opportunity to contend for a national championship. Where the Wolverines' heads were at on Saturday afternoon is beyond me, but they sure weren't in Ann Arbor from the looks of things. Then again those Appalachian State Mountaineers proved that they could play with the best of them but that'd be an understatement: the Mountaineers made Michigan go round in circles pretty much the entire game.

Now Lloyd Carr's darkest hour has arrived & with it a ballclub that shot themselves in the foot against a team it could have easily sent packing by halftime.

Oh wait. The Mountaineers were Division 1-AA champions last season & had the longest winning streak in the nation prior to going up to Ann Arbor. Now they've garnered a lot of hype & other whatnot; the best hope they could have entering this weekend is avoiding a letdown of any kind, letting us know that they're the real deal (& with it a chance to keep their winning streak intact).
As for Michigan, they're going to be going through some hard times up at the Big House. And Lloyd Carr, of all the people you'd want to talk to, is a worried man right now.

(untitled)

Fraternity Recruitment is coming up just under a week from now but there's something else looming over the horizon which has me equally excited.

FYI: it's Sorority Recruitment.

When it comes to showing my support for sororities, I go all out; that's how strong my love for sororities like AOII (& now Alpha Phi, DZ, etc.) are. Even as an alumni, when it comes to showing my dedication & support for my sorority counterparts, I've still got it. To be honest, I've never been one to pay a bunch of lip service as my dedication & support are always heartfelt; no duders can ever question that fact. (Trouble is, I wish there were more duders out there who had the same faith as me in this regard...aw well. If they won't go out & do the same, their loss, not mine.) One look at me wearing sorority letters & women not only know how sweet & heartfelt my support is. They can feel it too.

For me to show my true character along with my true love, appreciation, & respect for my sorority counterparts, I've got to show initiative & courage (as well as have faith in them!!) to wear their letters on my sleeve on a daily basis even if I'm not actually wearing, say, an AOII T or an A-Phi T. At the same time, it's all about finding what spare time I have during my days to step outside the box & show how much I care about my counterparts within the Greek community. My support doesn't magically appear at will, that is to say for Homecoming among other social events but it is shown day in, day out. And that won't change anytime soon.

Some are of course going to ask, but why is that? My answer to such a question is this: being Greek is a lifelong thing & the same can be said for my love & dedication for my fave sororities. I just couldn't see myself abandoning a part of the Greek community which has always remained
dear to my heart, even if I tried. When I think of such an awesome fact as this, life is more beautiful, that much is for certain.

In closing, I just wanted to tell my sorority counterparts, along with the Pi Chis who are going to show women the ropes on Greek life next week: I wish you the best of luck for Recruitment; fire up for Fall 2007 :-)

Many Roses, AWWW...DZ :-), much Alpha Phi love, much AGD love, etc.,
Chad

Fire Up!!

It's about that time of year again.

Fraternity recruitment is coming up shortly (less than a week from now, in fact) & even as an alumni I'm still stoked about it. Events such as this bring up an enthusiasm that I can't keep bottled up, an enthusiasm that's so hard to keep tied down.

"But why is that?" you might ask.

Well, some fraternities have sworn to make a return to the core values which their founders lived by with a passion (& from the get-go). In order to keep their promise to live up to these values, they're looking for quality duders who aren't planning to go Greek solely on the premise that the house(s) of their choice aren't well-stocked bars which supply them with tons of booze virtually every weekend. And if there is something every Recruitment chair needs to keep in mind when looking for quality men, it's grades/academics. If there are duders who got awesome grades in high school (& again the Recruitment chairs for each chapter need to take this into full consideration) or if they decided to forego Rush during their freshman year & still ended up getting stellar grades anyway, chances are they'll excel for the fraternity (-ies) which they're planning to check out.

If that's not enough, our respective chapters need men who are willing to stay involved not only within their own chapters - & within the Greek community - but also outside both of the above areas as well. This is where words like "initiative," "networking," & "leadership" need to make their presences felt to give the prospects the pitch on what each fraternity is all about & eventually the hard sell on everything our chapters truly stand for.

One thing we cannot do is present our prospective members with a caricature of everything that Greek life in general is about. In other words, during Rush Week, we're all about giving these guys the real deal about our fraternities, not these obvious stereotypical notions which non-Greeks have of us. If the best we could do during Recruitment Week is present ourselves along the lines of Animal House or Old School, something's awfully wrong & we need to make an immediate assessment on where we failed these duders during Recruitment.

But Greek life isn't all hooey or anything stereotypical if we take a closer look into it.

This year, I foresee awesome things happening again, not based on statistical figures (the idea of Recruitment should always be quality over quantity) but in terms of quality individuals entering the ranks of Greek life not only as members-to-be but so much more.

My closing words for all the fraternities doing their respective things Recruitment-wise next week are: Fire up!!