Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Bowl Announcement Week!

Well, it's crazy here at the bowl office as we count down the days until we can announce our teams for the 2010 Poinsettia Bowl and Holiday Bowl. We still don't know who's going to fall into our laps for the Holiday Bowl!

The Poinsettia Bowl has already confirmed the Navy Midshipmen, and their opponent will be a selection out of the Mountain West Conference. We're not 100% sure yet, but all indications point towards the San Diego State Aztecs! I am stoked on this matchup...great military following and a local ticket base with Aztec fans? It's sure to be our biggest crowd ever!

If you're interested in watching all the bowl selections, the Selection Show is Sunday, December 5th at 5:00PST.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

20 Questions with Marc Sawyer

1) If you could meet any actor, who would it be?
Jim Carrey, duh.

2) If you could be any actor, who would you be?
Johnny Depp, double-duh.

3) If you could travel to one place, where would you go?
Greece.

4) Football or baseball?
Baseball

5) Who is your favorite all-time athlete?
Tony Gwynn (and yes, he was an athlete at one point)

6) What's the tastiest meal you cook?
PB&J on Oat-Nut Bread

7) What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas, followed closely by National Doughnut Day

8) How many pets have you owned in your life?
My sister had a beta fish, and my parents have two cats. One day - a dog (or three).

9) Would you rather be a professional singer, dancer or actor?
Actor, since I'm already a professional dancer.

10) What's playing on your iPod right now?
"Hip Hop Saved My Life" - Lupe Fiasco

11) Finish the sentence - All I want for Christmas is...
My Mom's cinnamon rolls. And a new golf driver.

12) What daily chore do you dislike the most?
Emptying the dishwasher.

13) Skydiving or bungee-jumping?
Skydive, for sure.

14) If you were stranded on a deserted island, what one item would you bring?
Slinky, duh.

15) Your significant other likes you because...
I let her think she's faster than me.

16) Sport you've never learned or played?
Cricket

17) What was the last thing you recorded on your DVR?
UCLA vs. Oregon State football game (which we won, for the record)

18) What's your favorite thing about your new beach house?
The man-cave.

19) If you were given an endless supply of cash, where would you go first?
Home Depot. Lids. Rico's.

20) What is your favorite website?
Sporcle.com, followed by ESPN.com.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Work Update

I know the postings have been light this year. Still trying to figure out a good system for this whole blog thing. That being said, a quick work update (for those of you who care about a) my job, or b) football):

The U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen will be coming to this year's San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl! After they thrashed East Carolina 76-35 on Saturday, they made themselves bowl-eligible by getting their sixth win of the season. This year's Poinsettia Bowl matches up the second selection out of the Mountain West Conference vs. Navy.

The Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl matches up teams from the Pac-10 and Big 12 conferences.

We will announce our other teams on Bowl Selection Sunday, December 5th.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Halloween Madness

Why haven't I posted? WHY HAVEN'T I POSTED? Oh, I don't know, maybe because I am up to my ears in Halloween! The scary holiday has literally vomited all over our house. I have a roommate/girlfriend who may or may not have the biggest obsession with ol' Hallow's Eve in history of humankind.

We are doing everything imaginable. From a living graveyard (tombstones with our friends names and projected cause of death), to wine bottles with tapered candles to spider webs to skulls to witches to black lights...you name it, it's in or on our house. And if I didn't list it, Julie is probably buying it right now.

*ADDENDUM TO LAST POST - some of you have expressed your worry about my Michael Phelps costume, especially with regard to me answering the door for trick-or-treaters in a Speedo. Well, don't you worry. The gold-medaled pothead costume only comes out on Saturday, 10/30 for our party. On actual Halloween, I will be wearing a much tamer Ace Ventura costume (the mental institute scene where he checks himself in wearing a tutu):

Sunday's Costume - Ace Ventura

So put your hearts at rest. I am not going to expose some 6-year old Ninja Turtle or Princess to my oh-so-fit Michael Phelps body at the front door. I got the tutu, combat boots and everything. And it's been a while since I've cut my hair, so we'll see if I can duplicate this awesome double-wing 'do.

For all of your sake, I doubt I'll post photos....

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Halloween Costume

Ladies and Gentlemen...Your 2010 Marc Sawyer Halloween Costume Is....

(*suspense builds*)...

(**more suspense builds**)...

(***almost unbearable***)...

MICHAEL PHELPS!

Halloween, 2010

That's right, hide your women and children, cuz this Halloween Marc is bearing all. Let's see if this costume news changes some of your party RSVP's from "Yes" to "Maybe Not"!

Yep, I'm serious. Julie suggested the costume, and for some reason I thought it was a great idea. And just to clarify, I'm not wearing one of those full body-suits or even the shorts-version of Speedo's products - I'm wearing THE SPEEDO. Eat your heart out European trend-setters!

So who's excited?!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Here's What I'm Thinkin'...

I am turning off the filter between brain and keyboard (yes, I actually do have one). I am just writing whatever comes to mind. Today, here's what I'm thinkin'...

-I really don't like soup. And I hate stew. Who wants liquid meals? Or soggy vegetables? Ick.

-I also hate bread pudding. Bread should not be mushy.

-My girlfriend loves Halloween. Holy hell. I have jack-o-lanterns coming out of my ears and spiderwebs in my nose. Our party is going to be ridiculous.

-If there was a statistical football category for "Teams That Find New and Creative Ways to Kill Their Hype", the Chargers would be at the top of the list...every year.

-Baseball season is hard for me to follow if my team was in it, but didn't make the playoffs. I feel empty. But if the Padres were bad all season and were never in the race, I'd probably be enjoying the playoffs. Instead, I have to watch blank-faced as the ugly-bearded Brian Wilson gets saves for the stupid Giants.

Brian Wilson - The Beard

-I think it is silly that pro and college football have different rules.

-I think it is okay if men sit with their legs crossed "like women do", as long as they are wearing pants. But if you are wearing shorts, you are not allowed to cross your legs.

Legs Crossed = Okay

-I think it's awesome that my mom called me yesterday and said "I have an extra pumpkin pie I made, you want it?"

-Where is Johnny Depp? I miss him.

Where has he gone?

Thursday, October 7, 2010

10/7 - THIS DAY IN MARC'S LIFE...

PLAYING OUT OF MY LEAGUE
In personal news, today is mine and Julie's one-year anniversary. Yep, after my perfect bowling form, witty humor, and rugged good looks made her heart swoon when we met a year ago, she didn't stand a chance. As I bowled strike after strike, her knees buckled more and more. She knew she had found the man of her dreams....

Oh man, if only that story were true. In reality, I wore a goofy bowling hat, was totally worried about saying something dumb in front of this girl (a virtual certainty with me) and now I have a quasi-creepy story about how I'm dating (and living with) a girl I met in a bowling alley. It must have been the size-14 bowling shoes. I guarantee it.

How I managed to convince a sponsored Adidas runner/corporate attorney that lived on the beach in Del Mar to go on a date with me is probably a testament to my bowling skills. Her choosing to stick around for a year is beyond me. But I'm not about to start asking questions.

On that note, "Happy Anniversary To Us!"


"DOCTOR NO-NO"

Roy Halladay is not human. Who goes into their very first postseason start, shakes off the nerves of being the staff ace and the pressure to perform, and goes out and pitches a no-hitter?! Oh, and it was his SECOND of the season (after his perfect game earlier this year). So sick. It's not even fair. I love me some Doc Halladay.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Padres, House, and Stuff

PADRES LAST GASP COMES UP SHORT
Well, they didn't do it.

They made a valiant effort to salvage September, but in the end, the San Diego Padres couldn't right the ship after their abysmal 10-game losing streak to start the final month of the season, or the three home losses to the Cubs leading up to the Giants series.

They won those first two, and we all had our hearts in our throats, myself included. I was so excited about the game, I did the only thing I could think of...book a flight to San Francisco and go to the final game of the season to see the Padres fight for a playoff berth. That's right, I spent $350 to watch my team get shutout on the final day of the regular season in San Francisco. And I have no regrets.

I won't get into the whole recap of the game (for your benefit), but suffice to say that the biggest hit of the game came from the Giants' starting pitcher...yes, the pitcher.

Like I said last post, they weren't expected to even be a contender, much less be competitive to the final day of the season. I appreciate their effort, and am interested to see what they do this off-season. They got some work to do.

HOUSE!
For the most part, Julie and I are settled into our new place in Solana Beach. The furniture is in, the photos are hung, and the cable and Internet are working. We have some small projects here and there (fire pits, patio furniture, outside lighting) that will last for a while, but that's the fun part. And knowing me, there will always be something to work on.

BAR OF THE MONTH - MCCAFFREY'S
We have also recently discovered McCaffrey's, a local pub in Solana Beach within walking distance of our place. Love this place! Old school bartenders with button-up white shirts, black bar aprons and waxed curly mustaches! They have a free pool table (so they can control who plays and people don't dominate the table), TV's, couches and fun Irish paintings/art on wall. And they have Harp on tap, which makes Marc a happy boy!


I'm slowly getting back into this blog thing...keep readin', and I'll keep writin'!

Friday, October 1, 2010

C'mon Padres! - One Fan's Rally Cry

You gotta believe.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know. Everyone has given up on the slump-stricken Padres. They lost 10 in a row when they had a 6-game lead. They just lost three of four from the long-past-eliminated Chicago Cubs...at home. They have to sweep a red-hot Giants team just to get into a tiebreaker on Monday, and then win that (unless the Braves pull the unthinkable and get swept by a Phillies team who is starting two minor leaguers this weekend...and even then we still have to sweep the Giants). They are being written off as the team with the epic collapse of 2010.

But I'm not giving up hope yet.

Am I being unrealistically optimistic? Maybe. Do the Padres have a snowflake's chance in hell of sweeping a team whose pitchers have been lights out for a month now? Probably not. But ya know what...?

They're still in it.

Ladies and gentlemen, I bring to your attention, Exhibit A - the 1996 NL West pennant race between the Padres and Dodgers. After being swept by the lowly Rockies, the Padres found themselves trailing the 1st place Dodgers by two games. They had three games left to play...in Los Angeles. They had to win out, or the season was over. After winning the first two games against the Dodgers, the Padres found themselves tied for first place on Sunday, and in a scoreless dogfight as the season finale went into extra innings. Longtime Padres faithful will remember what happened next...scarcely-used pinch-hitter Chris Gwynn (brother of a certain other Padre) hit a 2-run double in the top of the 11th inning, and Trevor Hoffman, Mr. Automatic, came in and got the save and sent us to the playoffs.

Tony & Chris Gwynn

The point is...

It ain't over.

Yes, our hitting is anemic. Yes, our pitching has floundered a bit down the stretch. Yes our best hitter needs an oxygen mask by the time he reaches first base. Yes, our best pitcher is a kid with a huge temper and no big-game experience. And yes, we have to go to San Francisco and win three straight, and then come home to San Diego and win a one-game playoff against the Giants.

If I'm manager Bud Black, I go into our clubhouse today and say, "We have to win today. If we don't win today, it's over. We win today, we get a chance to play for something tomorrow. Let's get runners on base, manufacture some runs, and do what we've done all year...win with strong starting pitching and our bullpen." And then let 'em go have some fun.

Likely? Not at all.

Probable? No way.

Possible? You bet your ass it is. As cute, little J.P. says in Angels in the Outfield, "It could happen."

"It Could Happen!"

Go Padres. I didn't expect your last series of the year to mean anything other than maybe battling for worst record in baseball and the first overall pick in the 2011 draft You have surprised me, and I, for one, will not stop cheering and being optimistic until it's over. Go get 'em boys!

Monday, September 27, 2010

My Trip to Austin

Well, having returned yesterday from Austin, Texas, I am officially done with all of my summer travels, and although I had a phenomenal time in all the cities and weddings, I am happy to now be home, with no need to pack a suitcase any time soon!

This past weekend was my yearly (or sometimes more often) UCLA Reunion, where my college friends and I organize a trip somewhere in the U.S. to watch a UCLA sporting event. This past weekend's destination - Austin, TX for the UCLA vs. Texas football game!

THE GAME
For those of you who hid under a rock this weekend - UCLA pulled off this season's upset of the year by thrashing the #7-ranked Texas Longhorns 34-12! I can tell you that my friends and I went to Austin with the intent to have a great time, see a great football town, watch a game, and enjoy each other's company. You will notice that list didn't include UCLA winning anywhere. But nonetheless, there we were, leaning over the railing of the stands, high-fiving the UCLA players as they celebrated their shocking victory.

We were all stunned. We couldn't believe it. We not only beat them, we beat them convincingly. They made the mistakes, not us. We made the big plays when it mattered, not them. They dropped passes, fumbled the ball, and never had an answer for us. It was, in a word, perfect.

But the most shocking part of the whole game was what transpired as we left the stadium. As we trekked back to our hotel, we had to walk through about 15-20 blocks of Texas post-game tailgates. We readied ourselves for the constant berating, cat-calls, boo's, and anything else expected from fans of a team who just had their butt handed to them on a platter. So we began our victory lap, proud to have won, but not wanting to be the overly-boisterous fans who rub it in after the fact...

And then we got killed with kindness. We didn't know what hit us. We walked through a graveyard of defeated souls, and they had nothing but praise and compliments for us.

"Great game, you played great."
"Man, y'all kicked our butts out there today."
"You folks enjoy Austin tonight, you earned it."
"This is your town tonight."
"Make sure you go to this bar, you'll have a fun time."

HUH?! We were floored. We went from being ecstatic about our stunning victory, to feeling guilty about winning because these amazingly nice fans lost. We tried to come up with responses to their hospitable attitudes. We wanted to tell them their running back was good for about 3 minutes in the 3rd quarter. We wanted to tell them we respect their coach. But all we could utter was "Thank You", because we didn't know what hit us.

But I digress...let's get to the good stuff...

THE FOOD
If you have a weak stomach, or would prefer not to hear about the unconscionable menu of food I ran through during my 2-day stay, you should skip down to "THE TOWN" section of this post. If you want to hear my legendary ravaging of the Austin fare - enjoy my friends!

When we arrived Friday, it was time for lunch, and we figured we'd start with some Tex-Mex. After walking 6th Street (the central hub) for a bit, we settled on a place called Chupacabra Cantina. Now, in retrospect, we did not select the finest Tex-Mex dining in Austin to kick off our weekend dining experience, but we were starving after our flights and time changes, and we knew we had many delectable meals to come.

The menu at Chupacabra was filled with your stereotypical tacos, burritos, enchilada type place, with one exception - the Tijuana Dog.

Tijuana Dog - my choice of the day...1/4 pound all beef jumbo dog, wrapped in bacon and deep fried, served on a hoagie roll and topped with cheese, jalapenos and spicy mayo. Yep, read it again. Deep fried hot dog. I ate it. I liked it. Let's move on.

Friday dinner, on a recommendation from my buddy's Dad, we went to "Dirty Martin's Kum-Bak Place". This place was my weekend winner. I ordered the Frito Pie, which consisted of Fritos, chili and cheese in a bowl. Best meal of the trip. Hands down.


For Saturday Lunch, we decided it was time to get some good ol' Texas barbecue, so we made our way to Iron Works BBQ, where I ordered the sampler platter that included beef brisket, beef rib and sausage (complete with potato salad, beans, pickles, onions and $0.07 bread). EXCELLENT BRISKET!

After the game, we stopped for a quick snack and slice of pizza at a random trailer. Help me out UCLA people, what was the name? It was GOOOOOOOD.

Saturday's dinner, we went to Zax, a nice low-key place to celebrate our victory (and a birthday). I had the shrimp, pesto, fontina and tomato pizza. Then we shared a chocolate torte, tres leches cake, and mint cheesecake. Excellent food. Not exactly Texas stereotype, but good nonetheless.



Sunday breakfast we went to a food trailer park where we all got breakfast tacos at Torchy's Tacos. I had a Migas taco and a bacon/egg/cheese taco. Very,very, very good.


Sunday snack, about 30min after tacos, Branden and I stopped at Sandy's Hamburgers for a frozen-custard root beer float. AMAZING.

Sunday snack #2, everyone else went to Gourdough's Doughnuts. I don't even know how to describe this, but I'll try. It's a deep-fried doughnut, filled and covered with anything you can think of, including brownie batter, peaches, yellow cake, bacon or chicken....yes...chicken. My gang went for the sweet stuff, and those doughnuts looked and smelled incredible. Julie was in hog heaven...chocolate and brownie batter on a deep-fried doughnut? CHECK!


THE TOWN
As mentioned earlier, the people could not have been nicer or more hospitable. Everywhere we went we had excellent service, helpful locals and lots of smiles. Austin is definitely a wacky, funky town. 6th Street is an animal of its own, with every type of bar imaginable, from old school country to upscale ritzy to pubs to clubs...they had it all.

If you are looking for a unique experience, make your way to the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge at sunset. This bridge is home to over 2 million bats, and at sunset they all fly out from underneath and go out to hunt and find food. So about 15 minutes after the sun goes down, this bridge (which hangs above a river) spews out 2 MILLION bats into the night. It is quite the spectacle. (*note here - 2 million bats don't smell good).


On Saturday, the town is all about football. Tailgates everywhere you look. Every person is wearing burnt orange for their beloved Longhorns. Mack Brown is a God. Lots of Miller Light, cowboy hats, BBQ and music. We had a great time walking around the area to see an entire town with a "football culture."

All in all, I give Austin two, overly-pudgy-due-to-food thumbs up.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Full Speed Ahead!

Wow, over two weeks since my last post?! Although I'm not surprised, I do feel some sympathy for my loyal readers who hang on my every word...

My Apologies.

I am in the middle of pure crazy mode right now. Last weekend was Tom's bachelor party (I'd tell you how it went, but, well, you know - rules is rules), this coming weekend we have weddings to attend on both Saturday and Sunday, and both those mornings we are doing something else...wait, what are we doing again....oh yeah...MOVING. Yep, Penske trucks, packing tape and heavy lifting all week, moving me Saturday, and then Julie's stuff Sunday into our AMAZING new beach house in Solana Beach. I can't wait!

So, as you can imagine, my blog-abilities have been slacking for a reason lately. But excuses are for...never mind, I make excuses with the best of 'em.

The Holiday Bowl's Barona Million Dollar Hole-in-One Shootout starts next week (September 6-17th), so I will be gettin' my golf swing on for the next two weeks! Come on out and join me!

Until we meet again...keep it real.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

PGA Championship - Heartbreak City

This past weekend, the PGA Championship (one of golf's four Major Championships) was hosted at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. The Straits is a brutal golf course, with over 1,200 sand traps, and crazy-strong winds on the final Sunday (today).

For those of you who did not watch, you missed one of the most bizarre, heartbreaking finishes in golf tournament history. The victim - Dustin Johnson.

Dustin Johnson

Now, before we get into this specific tournament, you may remember Dustin as the young guy who went into the final Sunday at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach with the lead and proceeded to BLOW UP, lose the lead, and shoot one of the worst final rounds by a leader in major championship history (82). After the event, many speculated that his epic collapse was one of such humongous proportion that he may never bounce back...

Well, he proved everyone wrong a few weeks later where once again, he carded a great score at the British Open (the year's 3rd Major) and showed he wasn't going to fall by the wayside.

Which brings us to this weekend's PGA Championship. On this fateful Sunday, Dustin found himself two shots back and paired with the 54-hole leader, Nick Watney. I could also write a whole post about Watney's Sunday performance, which rivaled the stink-bomb of Johnson's at Pebble Beach that I mentioned earlier - but suffice to say that Nick ended up shooting an 81 and played his way right off the leaderboard. But back to Dustin...

For the entire round, Dustin really couldn't get anything going in terms of scoring, but he played steady, consistent golf and kept his name toward the top of the leaderboard as he made his way to the final five holes of the course. After hitting the ball well all day, he finally started sinking putts, and after an impressive birdie-birdie sequence on the 16th and 17th holes, Dustin found himself in the familiar position of leading a major. Only this time, it was on the final hole of the tournament, and he knew what he had to do. Par, and he wins. Bogey, and he ties Bubba Watson and Martin Kaymer and goes to a 3-hole playoff.

Par to win, bogey to tie.

His nerves were startlingly apparent right away, as he shanked his drive way right into the gallery of fans. It was so far off that we couldn't see the ball through all the rabid fans running to stand next to what was about to be the most important shot of the tournament.

As Johnson reached his ball, he was quite surprised to find his ball sitting cleanly on a patch of soft dirt, obviously trampled by all the walking traffic of the fans. He had a clean lie, and the throng of fans opened a path for him to the green. He ended up hooking the ball way left, but made one of the best chips of his life to get the ball close for a shot at par and the outright lead. And what does he do? He missed the putt!

So right now you're thinking, "Boring story Marc, what's so heartbreaking or crazy about that?" Read on my friends, read on....

As Johnson walked off the green, noticeably upset about having missed the putt to win the tournament outright, the head rules official met him on the edge of the green, and shook his hand. At the time I figured he was giving him instruction as to where to go for the 3-hole playoff. But man was I wrong...

The broadcaster came over the air to tell the CBS audience that the official had informed Johnson that when he was on that patch of dirt on the 18th hole amidst all the fans, he was actually in a sand trap. And when he was in that sand trap, he grounded his club before his shot (for those of you non-golfers - when you're in a sand trap, you're not allowed to touch your club to the sand in your pre-shot routine or during any practice swings, or else it's a 2-stroke penalty). Well, Johnson and the rest of the world were incredulous.

Click here for the video recap.

As mentioned, Whistling Straits has over 1,200 sand traps on the course, almost 25% of which are way out of bounds and unreachable. The traps are also wide-ranging in size - some the size of a lake, some the size of my shin. Well, let me tell you - there was no way to know that Johnson was standing in a sand trap. By the time he got to his ball, there were fans standing in the sand trap (when have you ever seen fans in a sand trap???), and there was no sign of a lip or edge or anything to indicate he was in a trap. Hell, the ground was hard, not powdery like a...sand trap.

CBS showed countless replays of Johnson in that spot, his club definitively grounded (it's true, he did ground it). The question was never "Did he ground the club?" or "Does he know the rules?" The point of dispute came down to one question "Was it a sand trap?"

Sadly, the technical answer was "Yes". The course layout has that labeled as a sand trap, and the rules sheet said that any ground resembling a sand trap should be treated like a sand trap. So in objective, heartless context - yes, Johnson grounded a club in sand trap.

But how the f*** could he have possible known that? Sure, in retrospect, he could have said "Hey Mr. Marshal, would you please come look at this ball, which is sitting on a hard patch of dirt, which is surrounded by fans standing on the dirt, with no sign of an edge or lip in sight, and let me know if this is a sand trap?" But nobody would have even had that thought enter their mind - not Dustin, not Tiger, not Phil, not Jack Nicklaus. Johnson was up a creek with no paddle.

There was nothing he could do. The rules said there were traps all over, and were to be treated as such. He grounded his club.

So he got the 2-stroke penalty. And oh yeah, it dropped him from tied for 1st-place, to a tie for third place. As horrible as this was, could you imagine if he had sunk the putt? He would have celebrated immensely, thrown his hat in the air, done the obligatory fist-pump, chucked his ball into the crowd, high-fived his caddy, cried in his arms, pointed to the heavens, and every other conceivable celebration tactic...

...and then be told that his par actually was only good enough to make him finish second?

That's too horrific for me to even think about. It's bad enough that even when he missed the putt, he had the temporary consolation of knowing he could still go win the playoff against Watson and Kaymer. But, in hindsight, I'm really glad he missed that putt. Cuz it would have been too heart-wrenching to watch.

So now, if you're Johnson, what do you do? You have assessed yourself the 2-stroke penalty, lost the tournament, and are no longer part of the (now uber-anticlimactic final) 3-hole playoff. Let's just say half the media who normally walk the course during a playoff sat camped outside the locker room, just hoping to get a sound-bite from the expectedly and deservedly-pissed Dustin Johnson. I expected Johnson to decline comment, allow his temper to die down, not say anything stupid, and respectfully get out of dodge ASAP.

But he didn't leave. He didn't hide.

He came right out of the locker room, straight from a shower that I'm sure he wished would wash the whole nightmare scenario away. And he stood in front of those cameras, listened to the media ask questions baiting him to rip on the scoring officials, and he took the high road. He was obviously upset, and admitted he had no clue it was a bunker and disagreed that it was a bunker. But he didn't rip on the rules committee. He didn't rip the PGA. He told it like it was. He said, (paraphrase) "They told me I grounded my club in the bunker. It never even crossed my mind it was a bunker. It's a tough pill to swallow." He thinks its wrong, but he's not calling for anyone's head. And as the new hot, young star who just got robbed of a chance to play in a playoff for the PGA Championship - nobody would have faulted him if he did.

Golf is so cut and dry. I love it, and on days like today, I hate it. There are rules, and its officials do not look keenly on subjective interpretations. But Johnson deserved one today. I understand he grounded a club in a "bunker", but this is a hard one to shake off, even as a fan.

Dustin - I applaud you for your demeanor and your interactions with the media. I commend you for being a stand-up guy during a shi**y moment. But most of all, I applaud you for taking your collapse at Pebble Beach, not using it as an excuse, but rather using it as fuel, and coming a sand trap away from winning another major within the same year.

You earned points in my book today. Now if only those points meant anything.


*Footnote - Oh yeah, Martin Kaymer won the playoff.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Want to Win $1 Million?

ONE. MILLION. DOLLARS.

Yep, you read that right! The first two weeks of September, you have the chance to qualify for a chance to win $1 million!

For the 22nd consecutive year, my work (Holiday Bowl) is putting on its annual "Barona Million Dollar Hole-in-One Shootout" out at Stadium Golf Center (off the I-15 on Aero Drive). This year's event runs September 6th-17th (closed Saturday/Sunday) from 11:00am-8:00pm. And best of all, this event is run by me!

Click here for the Official Event Website.

So here's the drill:

For ten days, golfers of all ages and skill levels will try their hand at a chance to win $1 million. Over 25,000 golf balls will be hit over the course of two weeks as participants pay $1/ball and take aim at a pin 125-yards out. We also run specials all day long, like 2-for-1, or even 3-for-1 (balls per dollar), so you're bound to get a deal while you're there!

(No, that's not me)

Remember, anyone is free to enter!

The top ten closest shots of each day also receive great daily prizes, including $500 travel vouchers, golf rounds at local courses, restaurant gift certificates, hotel getaway packages, Padres tickets, SDSU basketball and football tickets, Farmers Insurance Open tickets, and tons more.

For those who qualify, the chance to win $1 Million at the Final Shootout will take place on Monday, September 20th at Barona Creek Golf Club. At the shootout, finalists will get one ball as they take aim at a pin 175-yards out. If anyone sinks a hole-in-one, they will win $1 MILLION! Prizes will also be given out to the three closest shots, even if nobody hits an ace. Oh yeah, and a huge brunch follows the shootout.

(The 2009 Finalists)

Like I said, this is one of the events I produce, so I will be out there for all ten days. Yep, ten days, outside, with t-shirt, shorts and sunglasses. Rough life. But even if you're not into golf, come say hi! It's a really fun event, and there are some people who get really into it!

So come on out and support my work (and me) and give yourself a shot to win $1 million!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Long Time, No Post!

Yikes! 16 days since the last post? Alas, I make no excuses.

Have I thought about posting during that time? Well, I have acknowledged the fact that I haven't posted over the last two weeks, but have not had the urge nor the motivation to post in that time. So am I sorry? Actually, yes! I got to respect my readers!

But enough of that crap!

WHERE I'VE BEEN
I have returned from my summer trips to San Francisco and Chicago, and am now home (San Diego) until late September! I won't detail each and every waking minute of our awesome trips, but suffice to say Julie and I had a phenomenal couple weeks exploring Chicago, seeing family in Chicago, being part of a beautiful wedding in Pleasanton at Wente Vineyard, and seeing family in SF as well! If that wasn't enough of a recap for you, go ahead and visit my Facebook page (only if you are my friend, no stalkers please) for some photo evidence of said journeys.

Yes, you read that right...I am actually posting photos on Facebook! Someone recently told me "You take all these photos, but do nothing with them...what's the point?" I had no argument. Thus my posting photos on FB began.

WHERE I AM NOW
1) Football season is just around the corner, so work is ramping up. I'm ready to see how the Pac-10 and Big 12 compete this year, especially with all the crazy expansion talk on the periphery. This is when my job gets fun!

2) I have joined my first fantasy football league. I'm already overwhelmed with drafts, trades, player rankings, and waivers. Not to mention the specific rules my league has instituted, which includes not being able to draft any players who attended U$C, or any pro defenses whose best player went to U$C. Yep, we're Bruins.

3) I have gone back to my normal 8-hour days, 5 days a week work-weeks. The 10-hour day work-weeks with every Monday off were nice, but I soon realized it essentially barred me from being able to run and/or surf. 7:30am-6:00pm didn't leave much wiggle room, so I decided to get back in the groove of normal weeks, with some athletic activity on the side.

4) The last point was also influenced by the fluctuating nature of my waist size...

WHERE I WILL GO
1) I'm getting really excited for Tom's wedding coming up in just over 3 weeks (not to mention the bachelor party)! He has made the mistake of making me best man...which means I get the microphone. Oh Tom, you have no idea what you've done.

2) September 6-17th is our annual Hole-in-One Shootout out at Stadium Golf Center. I will dedicate a post to this sometime this week. But for now, just know I work at a driving range for 10 days. Life is rough.

3) Julie and I are moving! First week of September we begin our house-party (yep, you read right - HOUSE) in Solana Beach! I can't even BEGIN to tell you all the amazing things about our place, but we are stoked! Holla at a playa.

4) Texas. Texas. Texas. This year's annual UCLA reunion journeys to one of the hearts of college football - the University of Texas. Our Bruins make the trek to Austin to take on the Longhorns, and we will be there, with bells on (no, not really - I feel like with my past track record as a fan I need to refute such rumors).

Ok, I'm back in the blogging-saddle!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Sunday's Best

My random mish-mosh, hodge-podge, cornocopia of thoughts today:

1) How hot was Cameron Diaz in The Mask? I mean, really. When Tina Carlyle (Diaz) enters the bank from the pouring rain outside, and bends over to fix her shoes and dress, I would have given anything to be Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey). She peaked RIGHT THEN.

2) Padres pitcher Mat Latos is on the 15-day disabled list because he has a strained oblique. How did he strain said oblique? "Stifling a sneeze" in the dugout between innings. Is it weird that I REALLY would like to have seen how strong that sneeze was gonna be?


3) I love mint chocolate chip ice cream. It's my go-to, never-fails delectable frozen treat. Honorable mention to: Chocoloate Chip Cookie Dough.

4) What happened to the days where I was 17, could play four sports in one day, and never feel as much as a muscle twinge? Now I get out of bed after a day of WORKING AT A DESK, and I walk around with every joint and bone creaking, cracking, and aching. WTF?

Friday, July 16, 2010

8th Grade Yearbook - 2010!

Well, after a full day's worth of in depth thought and analysis, I have come up with the current day answers to the questions posed to me back in 1999 from my 8th grade yearbook. There were some tough decisions along the way, but in the spirit of keeping the loyal masses fully informed, I narrowed it down to my very favorites.

(Click here to view my posts from 8th Grade)

MARC SAWYER'S YEARBOOK LIST (2010)

Favorite Movie - Dumb & Dumber; Shawshank Redemption
Favorite Band/Song - Boyz II Men/"Sittin on the Dock of the Bay"
Favorite TV Show - The Office
Favorite Actor/Actress - Jim Carrey/Charlize Theron
Favorite Sport - Baseball (watch); Surfing (play)
Favorite Books - The Partner (Grisham)
Role Model - Lebron Ja... just kidding! My brother, Todd.

*You will notice I did not answer "Favorite Class." I thought long and hard about a funny, smart-ass way to answer that question, but sticking to the strict criteria of comparison, I refrained. But let it be known here that in college, I didn't think too much about class. For those of you that remember, I kinda had a bit of a sports obsession at the time.


Dumb & Dumber - Oh Lloyd & Harry. No movie makes me laugh harder. I quote every line from the movie. Every scene is classic. It's hard for me to put into words how I feel about this movie without doing it an injustice. But for a non-comedy movie, Shawshank Redemption is an easy first place. Morgan Freeman's voice deserves a category in itself. But it's a phenomenal movie, and one that I won't turn off if I find it on TV (and I own it).


Boyz II Men - Where have you seen this before? Oh, that's right. It was also my answer in 8th Grade! Timeless. Go ahead, poke your fun. In no way am I ashamed to laud the talents of Nate, Mike, Shawn and Wanya. But yes, my all-time favorite song is by Otis Redding, "Sittin on the Dock of the Bay".


The Office - I don't watch a lot of TV these days, but The Office is a staple. I think Pam is "sneaky hot", Stanley needs more lines, Creed is the perfect nutjob, and Michael is the single most-awkward-trainwreck-you-can't-take-your-eyes-off I've ever seen.


Charlize Theron - No one even close. Stunningly gorgeous. Regal, yet totally real. Killer eyes, killer smile, killer hair, killer body. And no, I can't watch Monster because it makes me cry that the directors would do that. But, as a note of comparison, Sandra Bullock is still in the top five. And I'm not gonna even talk about Jim Carrey, cuz it would just be an insult to Charlize (and I spoke about him last post).



Baseball/Surfing - I gave two answers here because watching and playing sports are very different. I could go to baseball games every day and never be bored. Just think: fresh cut grass, smell of hot dogs in the air, crack of the bat, pop of the mitt, ice-cold beer at a day game...a sporting sensory explosion.


The Partner - If you haven't read this book, you need to. I used to have a huge obsession with John Grisham books. I know they are easy reads and you blow through them, but this book was so good. Without giving away the book, it's about a big-time firm who loses $90 million amidst a huge scam...and has a partner mysteriously disappear. Let's just say life ain't a coincidence. SO GOOD!


Lebron Ja...KIDDING! - Too soon? Sorry, couldn't resist. This was a tough call between my brother Todd and my close friend Branden (who both read this blog, so I'm sure I'll get shi* for this after the fact). But my brother has always led his life the right way, surrounds himself with wonderful people, puts himself in great positions for great opportunities, and, in my opinion, is directly responsible for all the good that has come to his life. That and he's paid for every meal we've ever had together...so that helps.


*Thanks for taking the ride down memory lane with me. As you can see, some things have changed a lot in eleven years, and others have stayed exactly the same (Jim Carrey + Boyz II Men = MARC FOR LIFE!).

Thursday, July 15, 2010

8th Grade Yearbook...

So I don't know if any of you did this, but when I was in 8th grade, the very back page of my yearbook had a page lined with questions, ranging everywhere from "What's your favorite band?" to "Who's your role model?" to "Who is your best friend?" I found some pretty awesome answers along the way, and thought you all might enjoy hearing them.

So I decided it would be fun to do two things over the next couple days:

Day #1 - Post the answers from 14-year-old Marc (with some present-day reflection)
Day #2 - Re-answer those questions for 25-year-old Marc

MARC SAWYER'S 8th GRADE LIST (1999
)

Favorite Class - Literature
Favorite Movie - Good Will Hunting
Favorite Band/Song - Boyz II Men "Water Runs Dry"
Favorite TV Show - Wings
Favorite Actor/Actress - Jim Carrey/Sandra Bullock
Favorite Sport - Basketball
Favorite Books - Good Night, Mr. Tom; Summer of the Monkeys
Role Model - Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

I'm not even sure what to say. Some answers are absolutely ridiculous. Some are downright embarrassing. And some are DEAD on. But, seeing as I would like to re-answer these questions tomorrow, I will leave my present day assessment of these questions until then. Instead, today I will attempt to explain why I gave those answers in 1999.

Literature - This answer is a combination of three things: a kickass teacher who was kind of a badass (Ms. Bruce, holla), a book I actually enjoyed (Lord of the Flies), and a general apathy towards the rest of my classes (it's not like I was about to put down Math). My only question here - how did I not put P.E.?



Good Will Hunting - I remember loving this movie. The weird part - how could any 8th grader understand that movie? I probably didn't even understand the plotline. But I can tell you exactly why I loved this movie: profanity and Minnie Driver. I never was allowed to use the former, and always had a closet crush on the latter.


Boyz II Men "Water Runs Dry" - I was definitely still listening to TAPES at this time. My favorites were Des'ree "You Gotta Be", Boyz II Men "II", and the Space Jam soundtrack. I know those of you that know me are looking forward to how I answer this question tomorrow.


Wings - Embarrassing answer #1. My sister loved this show, and apparently so did I. This was the show based in an airplane hangar with two brothers as main characters, a diner waitress, a dumb mechanic, and a loopy receptionist. Let's just say I wasn't about to put down Full House or Boy Meets World. But Wings?



Jim Carrey/Sandra Bullock - I didn't even need to look in the Yearbook to remember these two. In 1994, Jim Carrey came out with "The Mask", "Ace Ventura" and "Dumb and Dumber". Enough said. And any teenager that saw "Speed" definitely had a crush on Sandra Bullock at some point.



Basketball - Another answer I knew before reading it. I had a class of 20 kids, and I was at that stage where I was taller than everyone already, so hoops was my game. Me and my buddy Andrew would wreck shop all recess long. This was also the year where Patrick Ewing and David "The Admiral" Robinson squared off in NBA Finals. So NBA was still good.


Good Night, Mr. Tom - Talk about a depressing book. What was I doing reading this stuff in 8th grade? This is about a really abused kid who finds a good home during World War II, but has to get used to being treated well. No idea why I loved it then, but I can tell you it was great. I'm gonna go find it and read it again. (Notice I didn't discuss Summer of the Monkeys - cuz I have no idea what it is.)



Tim Duncan, Spurs - Great basketball player? Absolutely. Role model? M'eh. I think I chose him because he went to college four years when he could have left early. He was quiet and didn't boast, and just did his job with his head down. I had a poster of him and David Robinson in my room with a title that read "Twin Towers." Weirdest thing about this one - I hate the Spurs.



STAY TUNED: Tomorrow's post - Marc answers these questions for 2010!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

"How Awesome Was..." - The Food Edition

So this is the second installment of "How Awesome Was..." in this blog (if you missed it, click here to view the pilot post on this epic subject). This is the topic where I chronicle all the things I loved about childhood. Today's subject:

CHILDHOOD JUNK FOOD

Sunny Delight - Who wants that purple stuff? Not me. Give me the Sunny D baby! Absolutely ZERO nutritional value (if I remember, the thing said 5% juice), but man, I used to live off that stuff.


Baseball Card Bubble Gum - Don't get that shi* on my Ken Griffey rookie card! The gum was never very good, and sometimes you weren't sure if you were eating the gum or the card. But we all had those times where we got the cards for the gum, not the Bobby Bonilla card.


Kid Cuisine TV Dinners - Do you remember these things, the tv dinner with the penguin on the box? My mom is a great cook, so it was rare we had them as kids, but man I loved it when we did. How good was that little individual brownie in its little section of the divided plate? The corn and veggies always sucked, and the entree was a game of "Guess That Meat". Mmmm.




Lunchables - The ultimate lunch trading item. I've got my apple, granola bar and carrots, and Jimmy has the awesome Lunchables withthe fake ham and addicting cheese. So gross now, but man, those were delicious.


Kraft HandiSnacks - You may not remember the cheese and crackers, but who could forget the red spread stick! Yet another snack that falls under the "Questionable Cheese" category, but nonetheless, tasty. I used to make sure I got every OUNCE of cheese out of that plastic container.

Big League Chew - The gum whose taste played second fiddle to how many strands of it you could stuff in your mouth at once. That thing never lasted a full game (or full inning if your teammates saw it). I'm glad we all imitated having a wad of tobacco in our mouths as 9-year-olds.

Fruit Stripes - Yipes! Stripes! This stuff made your tongue turn every color in the rainbow. Never was a big gum chewer, but who could turn down that awesome zebra on the front?

Flintstone Vitamins - Did anyone not take these as a kid? I can remember Paige (sister) and I fighting daily over who got what vitamin (I always wanted Dino or Barney). I don't even think we knew why we ate them every morning, and my mom couldn't have been happier!


Squeez-It - Bottled sugar. Mom wouldn't let us have these as kids, and for good reason. I just thought the caps were fun to take off. But did you actually ever taste those things?! Even as a 7-year old sweet-toothed crazy boy, I thought that stuff was too sweet! I shudder just thinking about what that did to our teeth.

RingPops - Yet another childhood delicacy we coveted, yet rarely had access to. Luckily these fell in the "girly" category for me, so I was never too upset about not being able to suck on my finger.

Honorable Mention
Goobers Pre-Mix PB&J (never tried it, never plan to)
DunkAroos (remember the chocolate kangaroo dunkers?)
Peanut Butter & Jelly (I prefer the crust, but you can have it cut off if you please)
Animal Crackers (lifelong staple)
Capri-Sun and Orange Slices (shout-out to all the Little Leaguers out there)

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Lebron Says LeByeBye

Well, I'm back from my trip, which means it's time for me to follow through on my promise to chronicle my thoughts regarding Lebron James NBA free agency decision, which was oh-so-creatively titled "The Decision".

Let me first say that I am heart-broken. I'm not from Cleveland. But for those of you that know me and read this blog, you will remember that I am someone who has openly said "If I could be one person, I'd be Lebron James." Let the record show I am retracting that statement...because I don't want to grow up to be a bi***.

I would also like to say that I have no problem with Lebron James signing with the Miami Heat. If I was given the opportunity to play professional basketball with two of the (arguably) ten best players in the WORLD, who just happen to be my close friends, in South Beach, for an owner with a reputation of winning...you can bet your ass I'd be practicing my Spanish.

What I have a problem with was his decision to broadcast his free agency decision as a media spectacle when he knew he wasn't going to re-up with Cleveland. He created a one-hour media buzz about a one-word sentence ("I am taking my game to South Beach."). I am so disgusted by this whole saga that it requires my full attention to write a coherent sentence without jumping to my next thought (case in point - I just hit the BACKSPACE key 29 times typing that sentence).

So before I delve into this, I just want to remind you that this post is not intended to address Lebron's decision to play for the Miami Heat. It is about addressing his decision-making process, the media spectacle of his announcement, and the subsequent reactions across the country. And yes, this is LONG. I mean REALLY long. And I don't apologize. Consider yourself warned.


THE SITE

As if the media and/or public needed any more fuel to stoke the seemingly endless fire of Lebron "What If's?", Lebron announced prior to the big day that the official "Decision" would be made in Connecticut. Media outlets went crazy (especially on the East Coast) as they started speculating that, among other things, Lebron would be making his announcement "just 14 miles from the New York Kicks practice facility".

STOP RIGHT THERE. You're telling me that you've got a 25-year old superstar, who has 2 NBA MVP awards and an Olympic medal, who has the world by his fingertips, who is the most well-known human on the planet, who has already booked a one-hour ESPN show to showcase himself, who knew he'd have an AUDIENCE for it...and you think he's making a decision in Connecticut because it's 14 miles from the Knicks PRACTICE facility?! To steal the words of Allen Iverson..."Practice? What are we talking about here? Practice?"

Lebron could have made his announcement from the friggin Pope's chair in the Vatican if he wanted! If he was going to the Knicks, and wanted to hint at it, he'd arrange for Mayor Giuliani, Jay-Z and Derek Jeter to escort him to the center of Madison Square Garden. So I will tell you that the site of his announcement meant nothing in terms of hinting at where he was gonna go. But what it did do was confirm the news all loyal fans dreaded...

He sure as hell ain't staying in Cleveland. If Bron-Bron, the local kid from Akron, the guy who played 7 years of dominating basketball for the Cavs, and who single-handedly resuscitated the most depressed sports city in America had made up his mind to stay in Cleveland...you can bet your ass he would have made that announcement in Cleveland. By the time the word "Connecticut" was leaked, it's conceivable to imagine every Cleveland citizen already had a Lebron jersey in one hand, and a lighter in the other.


But here's what's so sick about the whole thing - they DIDN'T. Even though he was announcing on the East Coast, even though there was no news of him even meeting with Cleveland, even though every report and "source" was saying Lebron was gonna team up with his buddies Wade and Bosh in Miami...Cleveland fans kept that candle of hope lit. And not just Cleveland fans. Did I think Lebron was going to Miami? You bet your ass I did. But here's the thing...

I still watched.

Until we saw that bearded man make his formal announcement, there was still hope for every team involved, from Chicago to New York to Miami to...yes, even Cleveland. We will always maintain that sliver of hope that someone will do the right thing, even in sports. And then we walk away saying "Why did we watch?"


COVERING HIS TRACKS - PATHETIC

In addition to releasing the news that he'd be in Connecticut, he also revealed one other interesting tidbit - that all proceeds from the one-hour show would go to the Cleveland Boys Girls Club. Was that a ploy to keep people interested? Was it his way of giving something to Cleveland after they watched him ride into the Florida sunset?

All I know is, he's a friggin idiot. You really think Cleveland is gonna say "Hey Lebron, we know you stabbed us in the back on national television, but thank you so much for the donation to the Boys & Girls Club!" Ugh. I don't care what his intention was for that donation, what he thought it would accomplish. But whatever it was, he was wrong. The city of Cleveland probably had a tough time accepting his donation upon his departure. It's the ugliest, pity-gift of a divorce I've ever seen. He knew he was going to Miami, he should have severed all ties. Instead he just poured salt in Cleveland's wounds...sea salt from the beaches of Miami.


LEBRON AND CLEVELAND
Let me be succinct - Lebron not only ripped out the collective heart of Cleveland fans, he ripped it out, threw it on the ground, and danced the salsa on top of it. Although his press conference was "supposed" to be about where he was going, it ended up just being seen as a royal "Eff You" to Cleveland. He did not need to go on national television. He did not need his own show titled "The Decision", and he certainly didn't need to keep it a secret until then. He wanted the publicity, he wanted the fame...and he got it. He knew he'd be villified, and he still did it. It's one thing to leave a team you've been with forever, that happens all the time these days. It's a whole different thing when you choose to put yourself in the spotlight, brandish a knife, and coldly, without emotion, thrust it in the backs of Cleveland sports fans.

Which begs the question of how much he really cares about the city of Cleveland? I'm sure Lebron likes Cleveland. He was born and raised there, he played there, and was treated like a king. But for a city that gave him everything he needed on a silver platter, Cleveland didn't deserve what they got. Lebron was heartless. He was icy, cold and utterly uninterested in the effect his actions would have on Cleveland. And it showed.


JIM GRAY - REALLY?
Now this may appear as somewhat off-topic here, but I must address it. Who's ludicrous, half-cocked, hair-brained, numb-nuts idea was it to get Jim Gray to be the emcee/interviewer for Lebron's announcement? JIM GRAY?! Now, my reason for hating Jim gray is quite simple - The Pete Rose Interview. This may become a post in itself some day, I will just give you the context. At the 1999 MLB All-Star Game, MLB introduced the All-Century Team, and invited all the old players to come back, Rose was invited, and Gray lit into him in a way I can't even describe. Agree or disagree with Rose's past with gambling, he was the better man this night.

With that in mind, I thought every network would make sure Gray never saw as much as a camera wire ever again. But no, the geniuses at ESPN/ABC decided Gray should be the guy. Not Stuart Scott, not Chris Berman, not Magic Johnson, not Mike Tirico...Jim friggin Gray.

I will say that Gray did nothing offensive or questionable during Lebron's night, but how could he? It was Lebron's Night. Hell, Sloth from "The Goonies" could have asked those questions without a problem.
But Why Jim Gray? That may go down as one of the biggest sports mysteries of my life.


THE AFTERMATH - DAN GILBERT & COMIC SANS
For those of you that didn't read Cleveland Cavaliers' owner Dan Gilbert's letter public bashing Lebron, read it here before you continue (Dan Gilbert's Letter).

I would like to be put on record (because I know ESPN scoops my blog for story ideas) that Dan Gilbert is totally justified...in his thoughts. Notice the italics. Gilbert has every right in the world to think that Lebron is a little bi*** and that he abandoned the city and that the fans deserve better.

But you can't go public like that. By publishing this letter, you just gave Lebron credibility. You gave the devil reason to leave. Even though your city has reason to justifiably hate him for the entirety of their lives, you just made Cleveland look like a bad place to play. By going bonkers publicly and berating Lebron, when everyone in the country knows what he did for your city, you're crippling yourself. All you had to do was come out with a public statement saying "We are extremely disappointed to hear that Lebron is moving to Miami. He has done a great deal for our city, and we had sincerely hoped he would be a Cav for life. Obviously our hopes were not fulfilled."

Could you imagine how much worse this could be for Lebron? If Gilbert had decided to be a big boy and take the high road? Gilbert has always been a somewhat polarizing individual, and he stayed true to form. But I would have loved for Gilbert to have shown the world that Lebron had no reason to leave...instead he left us wondering if we were professionals, if we would even want to play for him.

Dan, I'm as pissed as you. But you gotta remember who you represent, who you speak on behalf of, and the full ramifications of your actions. Lebron dissed you. He dissed you bad. Everybody is ready to call Lebron the bad-guy here. And you just gave us all reason to hate him a little bit less.

***

That'll do for now, although I probably could have spent a day just on the media spectacle that didn't need to exist and the ego it takes for that to even come about. But I'd rather steer away from the obvious ego-trip line. We all know who Lebron is now.