That's What it's Called??

(To start things off, this is not a sports post, just a personal story.)

Do you ever remember being told something when you were young, and continuing to believe that thing for far too long. No, not like the Easter Bunny or Santa, but more like a word that you started saying when you were young, and even though it was wrong you were never corrected.

For me, that word is “beezer”. I started saying it when I was young, still use it to this day, but it wasn’t until late in my high school years I realized it was a made up word.

What does it mean? Well, imagine the sound of a beard trimmer or clippers for shaving heads. They make a “buzzing” sound or to me a “beezing” sound. And ever since one day as a little boy at the barber shop when I heard that sound, those things have been known as “beezers”. It was used a noun as in “go get the beezer” or as a verb “time to beezer your hair”.

So it was a strange and disappointing day in high school when I remarked to my friend that I needed to “beezer up my hair” and he had no idea what I was talking about. I had been led on this whole time to believe that’s what they were called! My parents lied to me!

But now the word has become a joke in our family. It is still used and will continue to be and I am sure when I have kids they will be told it’s a beezer.

So, does anyone else have stories like that or did my parents just want a good laugh later on in life??

Bad for Baseball

PED. Those letters look like they are about to be back in the headlines for Major League Baseball. And once again, it is another star player who is being linked to Performance Enhancing Drugs.

The 2011 NL MVP, Ryan Braun of the Brewers, has tested positive for using PEDs. This is bad news for baseball. Braun has been one of the best players in the game over the past few years and become one of the more marketable players around the league. Now to have this come up after a great postseason and a big start to free agency is not the kind of news that MLB wanted.

The "Steroid Era" looked like it had come and gone. Players are no longer hitting 60 home runs and looking like bodybuilders. But apparently there are problems still around. If Braun is not able to win his appeal, he will serve a 50-game suspension which will be a black eye for Bud Selig and the league that looked like it was becoming clean.

I'm BACK!

After a long hiatus, I'm giving this another go. I've had some recent motivation to put my thoughts back on the web. I last left off (two years ago) at the start of another college football season in which my team, the Troy Trojans, would go on to win a fourth straight Sun Belt championship in 2009 and added another in 2010.

As much as we don't like it, all good things must come to an end. That happened in a big way for the 2011 Troy football team. The team finished 3-9, the worst season under coach Larry Blakeney. Excuses can be made, but they don't help. It was just the second time since I have become a Trojan we have had a losing season. The last time it happened was in 2005. I won't dwell on the season, because it is come and gone. There will be another next year and another chance to start a streak.

There are some things to look forward to for fans of Troy. The basketball team has started the season 4-3. While that shouldn't blow you away, for this team with no expectations that start is impressive. With a new arena coming into play next season, there could be good times ahead for Don Maestri and his teams.

But even looking past Troy sports, the headlines are full of big-time news. From scandals to lockouts, big free agent signings, and the always fun BCS there is plenty of things to talk about and start some good conversations.

I will be back to speak my mind but until enjoy reading.

Super Conferences? No Thanks

Syracuse vs Duke.

Pittsburgh vs. North Carolina

Looks like my bracket for a Final Four, but in this case it is future matchups on the ACC gridiron as the collegiate conference landscape continues to change.

Are these new 16-team super conferences really the way to go? What will it do for not only football, but the other sports played throughout the year. And is all the money worth it?

Back in 2003, Boston College, Miami, and Virginia Tech each accepted invitations to join the ACC. Many expected this move to lead the ACC to becoming the next great conference in college football. The results? A 1-6 record in the BCS during that time.

Not that those games are the ultimate factors in determining conference success, but come on , penning your conference’s best against the best from another, one would hope to at least win half of those.

The ACC is back at it again, but they are not the only ones.

In recent weeks, the Big 12 has lost Texas A&M to the SEC and now could lose others to either the ACC or PAC-12.

For a conference like the SEC, which has won the last five BCS championships, what exactly do the Aggies bring to the table? Sure, there will be more Texas TV sets tuned in on Saturday afternoons but does the quality of play get that much better?

For all these college presidents and conference commissioners saying the top priority is the student-athlete are making fools of themselves. This is all about the almighty dollar. Sure Syracuse and Pittsburgh will help the ACC during basketball season, but are there other major sports worth it? Syracuse last finished in the top 10 in the polls in 1992. For Pittsburgh, you have to go back to 1982! The thing those schools do for the conference is give them more market access which means more money.

Another thing we’ll see out of these new mega-conferences is the possible loss of some of college football’s best rivalries. The Texas-Texas A&M matchup could be done. Instead of the Longhorns, the Aggies could be facing Vanderbilt to wrap up their year. For Pittsburgh, instead of the Backyard Brawl with West Virginia, it could be season-ending game against fellow import Boston College.

For some fans these super conferences are great. The bigger the better. But for traditionalists, let’s keep it the way it is, strap on some leather helmets and play three yards and a cloud of dust kind of game.

As you read this, deals are still being made “in the best interest of the student-athletes” to make form these new conferences. While I’ve complained about these this whole column, when the new conferences are put in place, I know where I’ll still be on those wonderful fall Saturdays. Sitting right on my recliner, watching every single minute of it that I can.

It's been a while. (Understatement of the year)

I haven't written here in over a year now. The reason is I felt like it was a waste of time. If people aren't reading it, why bother writing it. Well, I changed my mind. Writing is something I enjoy doing. It is something I feel I'm good at. So here I am, back at the helm.

What's on my mind? Well, my girlfriend for one, but also college football. I can't wait for the season to start. The fall afternoons of sitting on the couch and watching gridiron action all day long are something I long for. To be at a game and hear the crack of the pads, the band playing, the cheers of the crowd. I get chills just talking about.

My Troy Trojans will take on Bowling Green September 3 in their first game of the year. So the countdown is on, just 92 more days until kickoff!

It's been a while....

I know it's been a while, and I need to get back on this. Not too much going on...college baseball has started which is always one of my favorite times of the year. I am a huge baseball fan. I grew up playing it from little league even into my first two years of college. This is something about the game that is so beautiful to me. To some the game is a slow, boring atmosphere; to me it's a intense chess match. Small moves making a big difference, pitcher against batter, coach against coach. Every pitch matters, every inch on every play is crucial. It's a sport that has given me many great memories, on the field and off and it's something that will always be close to my heart.

Here are some pictures I took so far this year in Troy's season:

This quote kind of sums it up:
You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time. ~Jim Bouton, Ball Four, 1970

Signing off, Jono

PS: if you read this, please leave a comment. Let me know there is someone out there that checks it out.

Sorry...

Sorry for the lack of blogs recently. That will change soon. Christmas is a crazy time and I was away from my home in Troy. I was able to go on a few photo expeditions, which was great. More on those to come...

Here is a photo I'll leave you with. Shot from a low angle with a wide-angle lens at a Troy basketball game. Enjoy: