It Means Everything

The Game is the most important day of the year for Michigan fans.  You can call it our Super Bowl if you want.  Unless we are playing for the national championship, the game will always matter more than anything else. 

I can remember when beating OSU during the Cooper years seemed like near certainty.  Sadly I was too young an naive to truly appreciate the dominance that was so special.  Cooper was 2-10-1 against the Wolverines and had OSU national title hopes dashed in consecutive years in 1995 and 1996.  He was fired primarily for not being able to beat Michigan.

Michigan hasn't beaten Ohio State since 2003.  I wasn't even able to watch that game live because I was playing in our school's first playoff game in a long time.   I remember being certain that Michigan would win the game because they couldn't possibly lose to the Buckeyes three years in a row.  My gut feelings were pretty accurate back then too. 

It has been 7 years since Michigan sniffed victory against the Buckeyes.  6 straight defeats.  I don't even have many gut feelings anymore because this is a different Michigan program, one that I support and believe in, but not yet one I can figure out.  Sometimes Michigan has lost because of talent deficiencies (2008, 2009), sometimes your two best players are so banged up you have no chance (2007).  Other times your coach decides give your opponent a chance to win (2005) and they take advantage.  Sometimes your Rose Bowl bound but lose to a 7-4 team who isn't playing a new years game until they beat you (2004).  Sometimes you can't win when finally the game after the Game will matter even more (2006). 

Life as a Michigan fan has been humbling over the last three years.  It's not supposed to be like this.  But I can tell you that I am learning an awful lot.   I'm learning to appreciate things more like the Game.  I have held out hope that we can beat the Buckeyes for the last few meetings even when things were bleak.  I hype myself up and immerse myself in stories of the past and present during what is called Hate Week.  There is no productive work that gets done and everything else that is in my mind is background noise during this week. 

This year's game brings new opportunity and a chance to make the season a success.  It's a chance to shed the negativity surrounding the program and a chance to feel something I have no real grasp of yet.  I never experienced OSU dominating the rivalry like this.  I imagine that a win on Saturday will be akin to our 1997 National Championship.  It will mean that much, so I'll continue to hold out hope as we open up as 19.5 point underdogs heading into Columbus.

My brother and I will be venturing in Ohio Stadium on Saturday expecting the worst treatment that we have ever received at a sporting event.  The fact that were each sitting alone makes things even worse.  Defeat may seem like an inevitability to some and the chance of psychical abuse is high.  We'll go anyways.  I will risk putting myself through absolute torture for the chance to see one of the greatest victory's in Michigan history.  I want that feeling where your so happy you cry.  I want to stand in Ohio Stadium and soak in the moment.  I want my memory.  Go Blue!

Girlfriend Qualifications Annual Update

So it has been over a year since I launched this website. I have since  moved onto notasgoodayouthink.blogspot.com  This is the post that I launched this blog with and has been updated.  It was and still is one of my favortie posts.  It is based on my personal preferences as well as general preferences of people I associate with.  Ideally you want to have about 8 of 10 on the list to have hopes of anything lasting.

1. Looks
This is number 1 because its the first thing you notice. It all starts here, there is no number 2 if this does not qualify.  Some people say this is shallow, I'd say it's honest.  There is a reason there are 9 other things on this list, looks only go so far. 

2. Values
This is probably the most important thing to have. Similar values and beliefs are vital the further you advance in a relationship. You must share similar opinions and generally handle situations in reasonable way. Honesty, loyalty, morality and many other things follow in here. Politics and religious beliefs don't necessarily overlap here.

3. Real Job
I understand if your having some trouble with the economy but if your 25 and still working at the bar/club or the hair saloon don't look for me to foot the bill. You must have graduated and have a decent major. The lights must be on upstairs.  If you can't carry on a conversation, it's not going to last long.  Housewives need not apply.

4. Fun
You have to be fun to hang out with and bring out the best in me. Willingness to be up for just about anything. Have me do things I wouldn't normally do. Desire to travel. Good chemistry is key here.

5. Active
Bike riding, running, yoga, whatever as long as you like doing something active. It's attractive if you are somewhat athletic. Laying around all day is boring.  This topic is hitting home with me more as I progress.  If your out and about often, your more productive, your healthier, and your having more fun.  The ability to do something active even if the intensity is toned down key to a healthy relationship.

6. Friends and Family
Your family is preferably nice and together. Maybe your dad is a real sports fan and your not an only child. Friends are cool to hang out with and not stuck up. Hopefully they are cool enough to hang out with in a group.  Its important to maintain your friendships and not be so absorbed in each other that you neglect your friends.  It also helps things from becoming stale.

7.Sports
I wish this didn't have to be on the list but it does. You don't have to like sports but you must tolerate my fandom. Hopefully you find the athletic competition interesting but at the very least humor me from time to time. Hopefully you enjoy going to events be it sports or otherwise.  This is a major point of contention and has been discussed ad nausea outside of this space.  Each side has to sacrifice a little here but don't expect me to attend Saturday weddings in the fall.

8. Independent
You do your own thing and can think for yourself. You are not co-dependent on others all the time. You don't get sucked into hype and trends. Generally speaking you don't do things solely because it's the popular thing to do. You hate Dave Matthews Band because you know they suck.  You can stand your ground if necessary.

9. Bed
There should be little to no restrictions here. Preferably everything is in play.

10. Driven
Something motivates you. So passionate about something that you will work hard to achieve your goal. You have future plans even if they aren't always crystal clear.  This can apply to alot of things and can simply separate you from other people.

The Site Has Merged

It's not the end but we are taking on a collaborative project for the moment and are posting on notasgoodasyouthink.blogspot.com

Red Flags for Women

If your like me you have a certain list of qualifications in your head when your dating. Mine are here. http://ragecage35.blogspot.com/2009/10/girlfriend-qualifications.html There are also several red flags that should go off in your head to get the fuck out of there. A grenade has been thrown in your bunker, bail.
-She smokes weed or does any other drugs
-She doesn't return the favor
-She doesn't say thank you after dinner or movie
-She is an only child and lives in a nice area
-She is determined to live in NYC without a chance of a decent job
-She was or is in the hot sorority at school
-She wants to try modeling and bartending for a while without a real job

Women in Sports Apparel

When I see a woman wearing nothing but a Michigan Jersey or a Team USA jersey I get excited but why? I don't want to bang Mike Hart or Landon Donovan, but the idea that the girl may very well share some type of common interest to you is appealing. If you see a woman in your team sports team apparel is it sexier to you? Does she look that much more appealing to you? Is this weird? For me its real cool to see at first but that shit would have to come off asap if things were about to go down.

Favorite Bands

This list is every fluctuating because of changes in preferences and discovery of new music. But here goes...

1. TOOL- The band has five albums and I have been listening to them non stop since the spring. They seem to fit just about every mood.
Listen to : Bottom- Undertow
Jambi- 10,000 Days
Parabola, Parabola- Lateralus
Forty Six & 2, Pushit- Enima

2. Black Label Society- A spin off of Ozzy Osbourne sure, but Zakk Wylde is the man. Anyone who can play the Star Spangled Banner on Guitar to perfection rules.
Listen to: Bleed for Me, Stillborn, Stronger than Death, Spoke in the Wheel.

3. Metallica- Do you really need any info here? They should probably be number 1 but I don't listen as much right now.
Listen to: Anything from the Black Album, Ride the Lightining, Seek and Destroy, The Call of Ktulu, Fade to Black, St.Anger

4. Nine Inch Nails - Creative, passionate, heartfelt lyrics. Songs seems to reach many moods as well.
Listen to: Hurt, Everyday is Exactly the Same, Right Where it Belongs, My Violent Heart, Closer

5. Iron Maiden- Made it big in Europe first, but they rule the globe now. An 80s act like Metallica but they can still bring it.
Listen to: Fear of the Dark (Live), Sign of the Cross, The Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills

6. Rob Zombie- An older favorite from the high school days but it's still good. Creepy plus hot beats meets sex and equals weird. Zombie can either be humorous or hardcore and sometimes both.
Listen to: Dragula, Superbeast, Feel So Numb, Sic Bubble Gum

7. Nirvana - Would be higher on the list but radio seems to want to kill their legacy. It's a shame that grunge wasn't popular when I was in high school, then again I'm sure I wouldn't have liked it. Some people believe Cobain killed himself in part because he had become too popular and that's exactly what he didn't want to happen.
Listen to: Smells like Teen Spirit, Lake of Fire, Something in the Way, Come as you are, Lithium

8. Slipknot- Can go real heavy and can slow it down.
Listen to: Snuff, Vermilion Parts 1,2. Pulse of the Maggots, The Nameless

What? Is it a rule there has to be 10?

But They Will Never Have Rome

College Football scholarships are great because they allow those who would ordinarily be unable to attend prestigious universities because of grades or monetary issues an opportunity. They force students who would ordinarily skate their way through high school, to focus on a goal of going to school to get a free education and an opportunity to compete at a high level. The NCAA has certain minimum guidelines to pass through the NCAA Clearinghouse and enroll in college. The guidelines are modest to the majority of students and chances are you never had to consider them. But what about those can't qualify despite their best efforts. Either they just started going to school, or they are mentally incapable of successfully completing their school work. So what happens if kid is blessed with natural talent and needs a couple of years of seasoning in college football to take his skills to the next level except their is no way in. Now Juco is a route to go and it works for some kids, but not all. Is it fair for these kids not to play football at a major program where they can be noticed by pro scouts?

I am not outright arguing for kids to be "pushed through" high school and college to afford them the chance to play professionally. I realize that kids would take advantage of this worse then people take advantage of welfare (nothing could be that bad). I am merely stating that the system is imperfect and that football is the only major sport without a realistic option of making it to the big leagues without going the college route. Look no further than Brandon Jacobs a kid that could not qualify to play at USC and instead opted to play pro ball in Rome for a year to meet the ludicrous NBA Draft requirements. He was able to work around going to college and now he is averaging 19 Points and 6 assits per game as a rookie.

Hundreds of kids each year are unable to qualify in college football. Some are able to go to Junior College and work on their grades and end up playing big time college football eventually, others never make it and thats a shame. It's just as wrong for athletic gifts to wasted just as it is for mental gifts to be wasted. If football is your sport, you don't have Rome. You can't play internationally to earn a living. Our country focuses on grades to a fault sometimes. Instead of going into specialized training programs for atheltes that afford the opportunity to earn yourself a living in sports, you are faced with uncessary roadblocks. To play on the NCAA's favorite commerical during tournament time, what happens to the kids whose only option to go pro...is in sports?

Life of a Salesman...Death of Auditor

I'm young and stupid but auditors and bank examiners lead boring lives. They get caught in these jobs because its steady pay with good benefits with the slim hope of upper management or partner. We sit in a room in a bank far away from our house and stare at our computers all day. We get excited if we are given enough space to work comfortable or if an assignment is 45 minutes away from our house instead of 2 hours. We rack up hotel points and platinum status but we'd rather be home then use them.
Mom... Dad.... it wasn't supposed to be like this. I know you want what is best for me, ( steady job, paycheck, security) but don't expect me to heed your advice for long. I see the pitfalls and traps that people get stuck in here and at the Big 4. I am going to chances and go for broke because I am not afraid to fail. I have failed before and will again but this 9-5 safety is not gonna cut it. I'll live with the ups and down. Because you see I want to chances because being the average Joe is still my fear.
Spread the field, put me out in space, and Ill make something happen. Put in a little more time here and then it's time to reopen the search. Book smarts may not be my strengths but I am too pretty for this job anyways. Time to sell myself, maybe as a realtor, salesman, or agent. Chances are I'd fit in better there.

Pre Marital Sex- Contributing Cause of Divorce?

Recently it was discussed that pre 1960s people didn't sleep around too much so when people got married they usually stayed married. There are alot of factors that kept divorce low; religious beliefs discouraged people from divorcing, women were still fighting for equal footing in society, and it was not the popular thing to do. However, another possible reason could be that people did not thing it was proper to sleep around and perhaps some even saved themselves for marriage. Therefore when the weeding night rolled around, what they were experiencing was the greatest thing ever.
Fast forward to present day and divorce rates are hovering around 50%. Is it possible that when people get married they find it difficult to remain committed to one individual and resist the urge to have sex with someone else? It's definitely possible, how much is it a contributing factor to the divorce rate is impossible to know.
So should we go back to the the days of our grandparents and save ourselves? The choice is yours, but I know which way I'm going(gone). I think its best to work your desires out of your system as best as you can before (if you) you decide to get married. A wise person once said "its better to test drive the car before you buy it."