Digging In

Well, it's been awhile since I've had the chance to update (thanks Verizon). I will try and get to everything tonight; we'll see how it goes.

The big news is that Ernst & Young has decided to go with someone else. I learned of this last night and was extrememly disappointed. But I've gotten over it and am looking forward to the next opportunity. I have no ill feelings with E&Y, they are a class organization. And I'm not second-guessing anything I did during the process. I made it to the final cut, I did alright. I gave it the best shot I had with them and it just so happened someone was better and more qualified for the job, so congratulations to them. If that's how you get beat, that's the way to do it.

So one good opportunity is gone, but one still remains. But now having just one instead of two does start triggering some thoughts. If I get the 2nd No, where do I go from there??? If that happens, I'm forced to "Go Back to Start" if you will. I've still been applying on-line, but that hasn't yielded a lot. So that brings up a couple of things I might have to consider. After all, things happen for a reason, and if I were meant to get one of these two jobs, maybe this is a signal to travel a different road. For instance, if this doesn't work out, do I go back and get my PHD??? I would have to decide this very quickly since I'd have to take the GRE, get recommendations, and so on. But I really don't want to do this right now. If I did, I'd be in grad school somewhere right now. However, when push comes to shove, maybe this is the way to go.

The other question I'd have to ask this: Is this the sign to forget economics and go after my dream job, which is (surprise, surprise): sports journalism. I did Mini-Sportscenters when I was 4. I used to read the Sports section out loud when I got home from elementary school as if I were on Sportscenter. This is what I wanted to do until I realized if I wasn't a former college/pro athlete, I didn't have much of a chance. But I still let it cross my mind. I bring this up because there happens to be an opening for a Weekend Sports Anchor at one of the Dayton stations. I know I could do the job, despite not having real journalism experience. But, I have all of the basics covered:

Public speaking: Hey, I've defended a Master's thesis among other things, reading sports highlights, no problem.

Writing: Collegehoopsnet.com, HawkHeads newsletter, and all of my school writing, check.

Sports knowledge: I'd test my knowledge against anyone's (except baseball haha).

The only thing I'd be lacking in would be the technical stuff, reading the teleprompter, matching script with the highlights, etc. But with practice, I know I'd be good. And, what have I got to lose?!?!?! So, I think I'll be applying for this. Hey, you never know......

Alright, a lot to catch up on in the sportsworld:

Central Michigan 38, Miami 37. Uh oh. Josh Betts threw for 395 yards, and Brandon Murphy rushed for 98, but it wasn't good enough because Kent Smith threw for 300+ and ran for close to 100 yards himself. As I watched the game, the lack of emotion Miami showed was very apparent. For example, Miami safety Joey Card intercepted a pass, making a tough catch. There was NO excitement or emotion shown by ANY of his teammates. That's scary, especially when every game in the MAC is crucial. Now, Miami must win the rest of their league games to guarantee a spot in the MAC Championship. Personally, I just hope we can get a win at Kent St. to end the 4-game losing streak.

Texas 25, Ohio St. 22. Living smack dab in the middle of Buckeye country here, it feels like someone died. That's what happens when Ohio St. loses. The Bucks had their chances, specifically tight end Ryan Hamby dropping a pass in the end zone that would've put OSU up 26-16. But OSU let Texas hang around, and Vince Young played a monster 4th quarter, making up for his 2 turnovers. Young impressed me with his toughness and improved passing.

Notre Dame 17, Michigan 10. Oh, those Irish have everyone talking. Have you seen any other school go from unranked to 10th in 2 weeks?!?!?! Let's see how they handle being the favorite at home vs. Michigan St., who has beaten them 6 of the last 8 years, including the last 4 meetings in South Bend. ND didn't win this game as much as Michigan lost it with their Red Zone incompetence. 2 red zone turnovers won't get it done.

Alright, here's the top 10:
1. USC. Arkansas might play them tough for a half Saturday.
2. Texas. I'm convinced for now, until they play Oklahoma. They should take the Sooners behind the woodshed, but OU still has the psychological edge going for them, which sometimes is all you need in a rivalry game.
3. LSU. What a great win. 28 points in the 4th quarter, 14 coming on special teams. Arizona St. is a good team, and for LSU to have to open their season in Tempe with everything that's happened shows great togetherness.
4. Virginia Tech. I'm slowly becoming a Marcus Vick fan. Yes they played Duke this week, but he showed great focus and executed. That can be tough to do against a weak opponent after a short week.
5. Ohio St. The Bucks should've won Saturday night. They should not lose again. Their defense played great the last 3 quarters after a slow start. Now that Troy Smith is the starter, they should develop some offensive continuity.
6. Florida. They've taken care of business, we'll find out how good they are this week.
7. Tennessee. So much talent, but do they have the mental toughness??? Tennessee vs. Florida, Saturday night, should be a dandy.
8. Georgia. I think South Carolina surprised them with how good they are. But the Dawgs held tough. The role of sleeper in the SEC East might serve them well.
9. Notre Dame. Who else am I going to put here?!?!?! I don't think they're a top-level team, yet. You've gotta like their balance on offense and the way they pursue the ball defensively.
10. Florida St. They might not be here for long. The Noles go to Boston College this weekend, and BC is tough at home.

In front of a disappointing crowd of 8,000 (ok, still big, but I thought it would be bigger), Centerville showed why they are Centerville by somehow beating the more talented Northmont Thunderbolts 20-7. Centerville forced 6 turnovers, allowing the Elks to take the early lead. Centerville football is the equivalent to Temple basketball in their heyday. Trailing Centerville 14-0 is like being down 35-0 to anyone else. Centerville doesn't throw the ball, they stick to the triple option. What also makes Centerville good is their mental toughness. They believe they are better than you, and they play like it. No one intimidates them. They don't look impressive physically, but they hate to lose. This is where Northmont couldn't matchup.

And, Da Bears lost 9-7 to the Redskins. Kyle Orton was 15/28 for 141 yards, 1 INT, and 1 fumble in his debut. Honestly, that's as good as Chad Hutchinson or any other Bears quarterback of the last 10 years would've done. The defense is going to have to make some plays to help get Da Bears some wins.

Finally, Roger Federer defeated Andre Agassi in 4 sets to win the US Open. Agassi gave it all he had, and for 3 the better part of the first 3 sets, he outplayed Federer. Agassi beautifully kept Federer off balance with a variety of angles, mixing up the pace on his serves and groundstrokes. Agassi had a 4-2 lead in the 3rd set, looking like he would take control of the match. At this moment, Federer found his game, specifically his backhand which he had struggled with up til this point. When Federer finds that extra gear, no one can beat him, not even Agassi at his very best. Federer got back on serve, then ran away with the 3rd set tiebreak. Demoralized, Agassi had nothing left in the 4th set, allowing Federer to roll the rest of the way. But to win 3 straight 5-set matches, then push Federer more than anyone expected, speaks volumes of the greatness of Agassi. He didn't win it like Pete Sampras did, but he played just about as well as Pete did in that 2002 Open. Great job Andre!!!!

On a non-sports note, I've watched some of the John Roberts confirmation hearings. Personally, I think Roberts has done a great job. Some have criticized him for not revealing how he would rule on certain cases if they came before the Supreme Court. I don't think he has to. He's a judge, not a politician. Also, if you're selected for jury duty, and have some knowledge about the case or some prejudice that would affect the way you voted, you would be thrown out. The politicians on the Judiciary Committee are upset, I think, they can't find anything dirty on this guy. Plus, Roberts is SOOOO much more of an intellectual than these committee members, I love it when he puts them in their place.

Well, I'm sure I'll think of something I forgot for tomorrow night (if my internet cooperates). I think I'll treat myself to a little Moose Tracks ice cream.

Song of the Night: Aerosmith, "Angel".