Spokane Shock Weekly Update: The Thrill is Back!

We're going to do a new feature here on Just South of North. With plenty of local teams to cover in the Pacific Northwest, we've decided to pick some of them that matter the most to you, the readers, and do weekly updates.

First up? Spokane Shock Saturdays. The af2 dynasty sitting next to the river in the Lilac City and since the AFL has cancelled the season this year, will probably be the best place to watch Arena Football now.

While it's rather strange for the main league to cancel a season but the feeder leagues to keep going, that's exactly what is happening and while many AFL players are out of work, they won't be playing in the af2. The big change will be players looking to move to the AFL from the af2 will probably return to their former team for another year.

One of those players? Raul "The Thrill" Vijil, one of the best wide receivers in Eastern Washington University history and the best WR in the history of the Spokane Shock. Here's his stat line from Kevin Maloney's release on the Spokane Shock website:

After three seasons with the Shock, Vijil is the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions (223), touchdown receptions (62), reception yardage (2,454) and all-purpose yardage (4,164).

Kevin also gave us an interesting number to ponder coming into the 2009 season:

Vijil, 5-10 190, is the 11th member of the 2008 National Conference Champions to re-sign with the Shock.

We're going to see a lot of familiar faces this season, meaning that the team wont have to spend as much time trying to mesh, meaning that the players wont have to spend as much time adjusting to the indoor game, meaning that the rest of the af2 is basically screwed.

Woo hoo! Is the Ninth Man ready to ride again?

The NFL is going to the birds

Since ESPN's Sports Guy Bill Simmons was 0-4 in his NFL playoff picks last week, I felt that I really couldn't do any worse.

Although I do have a history of jinxing teams on the cusp of making the Super Bowl, I think that I'm a few years older and wiser. So without further delay, here are my picks for the upcoming AFC and NFC Championship games.

Arizona Cardinals over the Philadelphia Eagles

The Cardinals probably have the strange distinction of going from "darkhorse favorite to the Super Bowl" a couple years ago to "Not making the playoffs because they can't beat the Seattle Seahawks" to "Nobody really cares about this team" to "They could be alright in this division, if Kurt Warner and Matt Leinhart weren't playing quarterback" to "They're the best team in the weak NFC West" to "God, ever since they clinched the division they've been playing horrible" to "They'll lose in the first round of the playoffs" to hosting the NFC Championship Game.

And with Brian Westbrook not 100 percent (that happens when your knee swells up), I think we might be adding another desciption to that... Super Bowl bound.

Baltimore Ravens over the Pittsburgh Steelers

Remember when Big Ben got into a motorcycle wreck and had to have his jaw wired shut? That's going to seem like a trip to the dentist compared to the beating he'll take if Pittsburgh can stop the rush of the Ravens - which are simply too physical for really any team in the NFL, and are red hot.

And besides... an all-bird Super Bowl? Oh the jokes I can make.

Oh look! Frost!

This was just plain legendary!

The AP reports:

HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) ―In a scene straight out of the movie "A Christmas Story," a 10-year-old Indiana boy got his tongue stuck to a metal light pole. Hammond police say the unidentified fourth-grader was able to tell them that a friend dared him to lick the pole Wednesday night. Temperatures in the Chicago suburb were around 10 degrees at the time. By the time an ambulance arrived, the boy was able to yank his tongue off the frozen pole. Police say ambulance personnel explained to the boy's mother how to care for his bleeding tongue. The 1983 movie is set in a fictional city based on Hammond, the hometown of author Jean Shepherd.

If I would have seen him, I would have taken his picture.

Reasons why you're still single...

You wear shirts with Looney Tunes on them in public.

Boardman!

So last night in the Washington Huskies victory over the Oregon Ducks, Jon Brockman the Senior Power Forward for the Huskies broke A) His nose again, or B) a 50 year old Huskie record? I'll wait.....ok if you answered B you would be correct (peeling off a piece of clothing a la Chris Farley in Billy Madison).

With 11:17 to play in the 2nd half Brockman grabbed a rebound off of a missed free throw (convenient because of Brockmans own charity stripe woes) by Matthew Humphrey to break the record that was held by Maxwell....er Doug Smart.

Congratulations Jon! Now Detroit or bust Dawgs!!

Epic Video: Skip Bayless Music Video

Skip Bayless has officially made hiphop uncool.

Attack of the Sugar Gliders!!

Until recently I had never heard of a Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) but once I did I was in pursuit of more information. They are very small, very cute marsupials that get there nickname "Sugar Glider" because they prefer sweet foods and they glide through the air like Flying Squirrels (not to be confused with the Mary Baldwin College type).

Sounds great as a pet right? Well hold that thought until you hear some drawbacks on these little guys. First of they are nocturnal so when you want to play with them they are asleep and when you want to sleep they want to play (noisy!). Also they are social animals so it is suggested if you decide to own one that you get a companion for it. Oh yeah and they also bite, pee and poop all over the place, and require a large cage since they move around a lot.

Even though these animals are cute and really cool I suggest really doing some research before deciding to get one...I mean two, because a large percentage of Sugar Gliders are abandoned within a year.

Go Mary Baldwin College!!!

The Wolf Debate: Conservation or Safety?

Recent debate about the reintroduction of wolves in many western states has brought up some interesting points, but seems to be largely about urban vs. rural people.

I mean, nothing against living in the city but wouldn't you be less inclined to lift the grey wolves' (who were once on the edge of extinction) protection rights than the people who actually have to live in the same environment as wolves? And since most population centers are cities, doesn't that swing things towards the urban people's favor?

Now recently, the government is lifting it's protection of wolves after years of conservation efforts - here's an article from the Spokesman-Review:

Eleven months ago, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the federal government would stop managing wolves in the Midwest and Northern Rockies. Wyoming nearly immediately began to allow unregulated hunting in most of the state, while Montana and Idaho began plans for tightly controlled hunting seasons. An environmental lawsuit ensued, and a federal judge restored protections in July.

On Wednesday, six days before President Bush leaves office, agency officials announced that they think they’ve answered the judge’s concerns and are again lifting federal protections for wolves.

The decision applies in Montana and Idaho, portions of Washington, Oregon and Utah, and the upper Midwest. Wyoming is excluded, until the state comes up with a management plan that federal biologists say won’t threaten the species.

Listening to plenty of people around my hometown, there's plenty of malice towards these creatures, namely because no one wants to be stalked by one or have their animals stalked by them.

And that's where I have to step in, the number of wolves is really negotiable and it's not like they're running over the countryside. However, while you want the wildlife to recover to acceptable levels, you don't want them to become too numerous. With wild areas and human populations converging, encounters are only going to continue to increase and wolves aren't the most compatible things with human beings.

Some speculate that Obama may reverse the protection ruling, which I would strongly disagree with. While you're going to have some people that go out and hunt wolves, I'm pretty sure these natural predators can outsmart Joe Bob and his mudflapped pickup truck. The losses would be negotiable if game wardens and the departments of wildlife could come up with a wolf hunting regime that was very strict (like elk hunting) and then grant ranchers special rights to hunt wolves if they're a problem.

Maybe you wouldn't allow hunting at all? Who knows? Main thing is though, you don't want the wolf population to explode - there's a reason our ancestors hunted them into near extinction - they're dangerous.

Smart management is what should happen, although when it comes to government, that sometimes doesn't happen.

Josh McDaniels

Josh McDaniels has big shoes to fill. Mike Shanahan has been the only Denver football coach I can remember since I've been a Denver fan. The man that made one stern face, expressed no emotion and I can only remember smiling twice (at Denver's 2 Superbowl wins) made a clear impression on me as a fan.

However, despite his young age and lack of head coaching experience I think that McDaniels was a smart move for Denver. While I admire Shanahan - I'm not stubborn enough to admit that Denver has exceedingly less impressive seasons the last several years. And a fresh perspective from a man whose worked with a team that has brought him three Superbowl rings can't hurt.

Denver has great potential, the offense is doing pretty well - however the defense needs a serious change to become successful again and I am hoping McDaniels is the key to getting it done.

Virginity for sale

Just South of North likes to keep its posts clean, family friendly and about the outdoors or sports. But the truth of the matter is, this was just too crazy not to post.

Who I'm talking about of course is Natalie Dylan.

Come on, you all remember her. Natalie, 22, is the one who, for the past year, has been auctioning off her virginity online.

I know you've heard of her. She was all over the news. Heck, some of you maybe even bid. (But if you did, keep that too yourself cause you probably lost)

How do I know you lost? Well, her virginity auction has just hit over $3.7 million dollars.

She says she's going to use the money to college and get an education. I didn't have to go to college to find out what they call someone who gets paid to have sex. Yeah, you all were thinking it, I just said it.

Geocaching

Tomorrow I'm going Geocaching.

Geocaching is basically modern day treasure hunting. You go into the wild and use a GPS to locate the cache.

I've always wanted to go, but just never have. I'll keep you posted and let you know how it goes and what I find.

Epic Song: You're hot and you're cold

Since this will probably be on the radio this morning and I'll probably be signing along to it... Katy Perry.



Guess she kissed a guy and didn't like it... ohhhh, zing!

JustSoN Quesiton: Who's Better?

Today's question starts our weekly segment on Just South of North of "WHO'S BETTER?"

So the JustSoN Question of the day is: Who's better, Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler?

Epic Video: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Concept

Screw a recession. This truck ROCKS!!!

What a world we live in!

Now many people in the world never get outside of their bubble. And by bubble I mean the area where they feel safe. They have their houses, their cars, their jobs and back to their houses. Now think of all the things these people miss.

Take these creatures for example. What a site they would be to see!

Axolotl salamander


No joke. That is the creature. Often called the Mexican Walking Fish. He is pretty darn happy looking. And for a walking fish, pretty darn cute. Just look at that smile. Nobody tell him that his species is on the Endangered list and that thanks to many non-native fish in his habitat, he probably won't last much longer.


Trichobatrachus robustus


This crazy looking frog, also called the Hairy Frog, is in a class of his own. He takes "break a leg" just a bit too far.

Ok, maybe not break a leg. But more like break a bone.

Yes, this Hairy Frog breaks his own bones.

...actively breaks its own bones to produce claws that puncture their way out of the frog's toe pads, probably when it is threatened.

Now that is what I call a good party trick. Nay, a great party trick.

I shall call him Wolverine.


Zombie Caterpillar

Yes, it is a real thing. And a very, very, very strange thing. Did I mention very? (Oh, and beware those of weak stomachs)

These Voodoo wasps lay their eggs inside of young caterpillars. Because yes, the wasps are parasitoid. The eggs hatch and then the young wasps live inside the caterpillar on its bodily fluids.

When the wasps are fully grown they eat through the caterpillars skin and attach their cocoons to a nearby branch.

Now ready for the really strange part? The caterpillar doesn't die. Instead it stays near the cocoons and for some reason protects them from other creatures.

Watch it here.



So yeah, once the wasps come out, the caterpillar dies. I told you it was strange.


Now what do each of these things have in common?

Come on. Guess.

Well, if you said all FOUR of them are odd, then yes. You got it correct.

Yes, the Zombie caterpillar, underwater alien, and horror frog are very strange. But so are the people who sit around and refuse to go explore their world.

Besides, you never know what crazy animal you may run into.

Donovan McNabb: The Only Thing Drawing My Attention

Yes, this past year in sports sucked. You know that. Save for the Philadelphia Phillies World Series championship, pretty much every aspect of 2008 sport was discouraging for us fans in the PNW. Ironic, I know – Philadelphia is thousands of miles away from the PNW.

I would liken sports in 2008 to what would it would have felt like if Happy Gilmore didn’t make the miraculous last shot to beat Shooter McGavin. In short, I’m darn ready to bid farewell to the 2008 football season, too. Even they suck right now for most of us – who would have ever guessed the final four teams in the playoffs would include the Eagles, Cardinals, Steelers, and Ravens?

Now, to be sure, I’m quite excited at the thought of the season ending so I can begin dreaming again of next season (Oh, Jim Mora). That said, I do still have some semblance of loyalty to the sport (can’t completely abandon my passion). Thus, I’ve discovered one, and only one, reason to continue watching the 2008 playoffs.

It is Donovan McNabb. And that’s it.

People often ask why I care about Donovan – The Eagles aren’t particularly my favorite team, and McNabb not particularly my favorite quarterback. Most of the time, I’ve rooted against him – just like I’ve rooted against most quarterbacks whose names didn’t end with Hasselbeck or Wallace. Just the way it is for a Seahawk fan. But anyone who has paid an ounce of attention to ESPN over McNabb’s career is at least partially aware of the fact that he’s been under an amazing amount of scrutiny since he was drafted by the Eagles with the 3rd overall pick. Remember when he got booed by Eagle fans who were still bitter about them not drafting Ricky Williams? Yes, that would have worked out good for them. Remember the Rush Limbaugh shpeel? Remember seemingly every other game when the commentators start reminding us that “this may be the last time we see Donovan McNabb and Coach Andy Reid play on the same team,” nonsense? This has happened every single season. Every year, it seems like people are looking for new reasons to discredit just how good McNabb has been over the course of his career. Twit sportcasters seem to think that he’s “losing a step” or “losing favor in the locker room,” but what in God’s green earth has McNabb done OTHER than win games, make Pro Bowl Rosters, and keep his image SQUEAKY clean?

Brandon mentioned this last week in one of his blogs, but let me reiterate. The guy doesn’t have off-field problems, he puts up great numbers, he’s a great leader, he’s smart (tell me that every NFL player knows the overtime rule off the top of their head…yeah, shut up), and he’s taken his team to 5 NFC conference championship games in 10 years. Not even Tom Brady has been to that many (though I will say Brady is the better quarterback – considering his supporting cast has been far superior). The fact is, McNabb has endured a lot of undeserved scrutiny. It baffles me that he’s been able to maintain his composure the way he has, especially in light of the reputation Philadelphia fans have. What better way to shed all of the nonsense than by winning a Super Bowl? It would be similar (but not exactly like) when Peyton Manning finally won his championship – finally, no detractors, no naysayers could slam him for choking.

These are the reasons, then, that I am rooting for Donovan McNabb the rest of the playoffs. For fans in the PNW, this should be second nature anyhow (at least to some of us). Anyone who is rooting for the Steelers can’t relate to me. Anyone who roots for the Cardinals…..why? Anyone who pulls for the Ravens, well I guess I have no deal with that.

At any rate, I’m not a huge McNabb fan normally. You won’t ever see me wear a McNabb jersey. But for the rest of this post-season, you can count me in as one of the biggest supporters of McNabb from the PNW. Take it for what you will - agree or disagree - but this is about the only thing that could make up for what has been the lousiest sporting year of my life.

What to yell at the other team's goalie...

In case you're not sure how to heckle, here's some things you can pull out:

Tell him that his mom had to use a zoo MRI Machine.

Remind him that best case scenario, he's playing on the Versus Network right after the Rodeo Championships.

His airbrushed mask is pretty fembot.

Eastern Europe called, it wants its last name back. (Don't use this if the goalie has a last name like "Smith")

Make a Seinfeld reference.

Tell him he killed Ronald McDonald.

Ask him why he voted for McCain in the last election.

Tell him the general plot of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" ... that's enough to drive anyone to the edge of sanity.

Reasons why you're still single

Your idea of business attire is a hoodie. A hoodie bearing your fraternity symbols.

New shows for CBS you haven't heard about

Alright, so that's a photo of NCIS, but here's a smattering of shows that CBS should be premiering to make their geriatric, slightly jaded viewing audience happy. And keep in mind that these shows won't air during Bingo time.

CSI: Spokane - While most CSI shows take place in state-of-the-art labs, Spokane's version of the show will take place in the STA Bus Plaza and at Zips. Ahhh, Zips.

Washed up celebrity #8 gets his own sitcom - Which Seinfield cast member is going to give it another go? Anyone? And by the way, has anyone seen Two and Half Men, good stuff.

Stories from the Financial Crises - A heartbreaking drama about how Wall Street Brokers are having to fill their jets with regular fuel, and making the tough decision about whether or not to buy out companies with their bail-out money or spend it on a sexy party.

The Quadminifier - In the same line as "The Closer" and "The Goat Farmer" ... this show sucks.

That one cop show where there look up old 1970s crime cases - Giving viewers plenty of recreations on the time period on a shoe-string budget. Don't question the show when you see a Ford Focus in 1973.

With a line up like this, what could go wrong? Really? At least it isn't FOX.

Here's your sign

I came across this site, and it is AWESOME!

It's called signspotting. Basically, a never ending supply of hilarious signs from around the world.

Check it out here.

http://www.signspotting.com

So look around and let JustSoN know some of your favorites!

JustSoN Quesiton: Boy Bands

It seems you can't turn on a television without having some shot of the Jonas Brothers. Now I know that they may be a favorite of Brandon's, but for me, not so much.

Which leads me to the JustSoN Question of the Day: Who do you consider the worst boy band of ALL time?

(and yes, it seems Boy Bands have been around since the beginning of time)

One of the best

Thanks Coach!

The NFL said to goodbye to Tony Dungy as he decided to step down today as the Head Coach of the Indianapolis Coach.

Here was a great article on him. CLICK HERE.

In case you missed 24...

... which I did, but I'm pretty sure Jack Bauer kicked some pretty serious terrorist butt last night at 8 p.m. Pacific Time. Not exactly sure what he did in the Central and Eastern Time Zones but would venture to guess that he did the same.

For those of you that are total piles, like myself, here's a handy-dandy 24 News Feed that should give you all the happenings in a day of Jack Bauer.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go torture some terrorists in the name of national security.

JustSoN Quesiton: TV Show

The winter hiatus for TV shows is now over, and all the shows are coming back new.

So the JustSoN Question of the Day is: What show are you most excited for coming back?

Random Stuff: A Ninja, a Taco Bell wedding and a grumpy old man

When I think of a ninja, I think of a small man, dressed in black, jumping around kicking butt.

Or maybe a giant turtle.

Or maybe Jackie Chan.

But I certainly don't think of a fat man with a pot belly. No joke, in West Palm Beach, Florida, police are looking for a man described as "portly" complete with belly, dressed in a ninja suit.

The reason they are looking for him is because he has tried (unsuccessfully) to steal two seperate ATM machines over the last two weeks.

Security video from the automated teller machines showed the unidentified man dressed in a black ninja outfit with a hood that showed only his eyes.

A ninja? More like a nonja.


In other news, wedding bells were heard in a Taco Bell. Say What?

In Normal, Illinois, a couple did something, well not Normal. They got married in a Taco Bell restaurant.

Why? you might ask. Because they are not Normal. Well here you go.

The bride wore a $15 hot pink dress and the entire wedding cost about $200. Several dozen guests looked on as the couple's friend, Ryan Green of Normal, administered the vows while wearing a T-shirt. He was ordained online.

"This is the way to go — there's no stress," said the groom's mother, Kathy Brooks.

Caragh Brooks, 21, of Australia, met Paul Brooks, 30, on an Internet dating Web site. They already had the same last name.

The couple wrote back and forth and talked on the phone for nine months before Caragh Brooks moved to the United States.

"We have the same brain, just in two bodies," Paul Brooks said. "We think alike in virtually every manner. We have the same interests, viewpoints."

If they liked it, then that's great. But all I can say is, a hot pink dress, hot sauce packets, tacos and the same brain.

WOW.

And lastly, a man in Stony Point, New York is in trouble for hating people. Yeah, 60-year-old Michael Delisio has been plotting against his enemies for years. How? Well he throws nails in their driveways to cause flat tires.

Seriously, what is suckier than a flat? Nothing.

This man is a genius. Perhaps a bitter old man, but a genius none the less.

No more "3" for Eastern Washington

Because Rodney Stuckey became the first basketball player - and I'm pretty sure the only athlete ever - in Eastern Washington University history to have his jersey retired. Reese Court was packed (kind of) and the Detroit Pistons start put on a good face for the fans at the Sunday afternoon game against Weber State.

Eastern lost the matchup 77-69, but at Stuckey didn't miss a shot.

He did however, have a nice argyle sweater on. What can I say, the guy is a nice dresser.

It's kind of funny that he only played two years at the school, prompting one of my friends, Shane, to say "somebody is going to see the years on that jersey and say 'what? did somebody die in an automobile accident?'"

That along with making fun of a sub-leprechaun player on Weber State's team and some guy named Lillard, equaled a pretty fun afternoon. If Eastern Washington could make a tradition of retiring numbers, I wouldn't complain at all.

Reasons why you're still single

You own a Terrible Towel.

Or are a Pittsburgh Steelers fan at all.

Epic Video: South Pole Diaries

Found this on the "Living in Tok, Alaska" blog. And if you've ever wanted to live near the South Pole... be sure to bring your alcohol.

Man, I'm a wimp

I've been sitting here complaining about the weather in Spokane, which is actually pretty lame compared to the stuff that the people of Tok, Alaska have to deal with.

I ran across this blog, written by a lady living in Tok. It's a pretty interesting read and it will be on our sites to see for sure.

We're talking about living in negative 80 degrees weather in a town of 1,400 people. Super Awesome? Yes.

A moose invasion

Another one of those "Only in Spokane" stories as a moose calf crashed into a couple's basement bedroom and had to be tranquilized and removed.

A north Spokane couple that’s expecting a baby got an early arrival Thursday evening when a moose calf dropped into a bedroom through a basement window.

Tony Mantese reported the moose-entry incident around 4:30 p.m. from his home on Stevens Street just north of Francis Avenue. The moose apparently had been taking advantage of the shallower snow around the neighborhood buildings when it fell into a deep window well. As is struggled to get out and rejoin its mother and sibling, it kicked through the window and fell into the house.

“I got the call around 6 p.m. that there was a moose in somebody’s basement,” said Woody Myers, a Washington Fish and Wildlife Department biologist trained to tranquilize big-game animals. “I said ‘You’re kidding’ and the officer quite sternly said, ‘No I’m not.’ ”

Myers, a 32-year veteran with the wildlife agency, is the region’s go-to-man for tranquilizing moose and other big game. He said this is a first.

The article also said that tough winters like the one Spokane is currently having is causing wildlife to go places that they would not normally go. Six elk were also killed a little while back when the hay barn they were taking refuge in collapsed due to the weight of snow.

In other words, expect company from the animal kingdom for dinner.

How they should decide the college football national champion

1. A hearty, well-fought game of Pictionary.

2. Anything other than having coaches vote for their own teams. I'm waiting to see Duke get a first place vote in the final standings.

3. Lets just skip the actual games themselves and do virtual simulations in a 16-game playoff and name the winner the national champion. And lets not use EA Sports latest offering... lets just assign schools to teams in Tecmo Super Bowl.

4. Cheerleading mud wrestling.

5. Give Casey and I final to crown a national champion. It should be a good run for Eastern Washington University...

BCS Championship? More like just BS Championship

All I can say about the game tonight is, "who cares?"

Not I.

The BCS is a joke and this game proves it.

Lee Russakoff said it great in the article A Vote for USC Is a Vote for Change.

View it HERE.

Best and Worst of Big Sky Helmets

I found this site while cruising around the Internet tonight. It showed all of the football helmets used in the Big Sky Confrence. But the coolest part was that it showed the past helmets as well.

For the link CLICK HERE.

But let me tell you about some of my favorites.

First off, I think the BEST helmet would go to the Idaho State Bengals of 1962.

I love the way the helmet logo is the state shape, and then it says STATE. I think that is crisp, clean and very original.

The SECOND BEST helmet would go to the Portland State Vikings of 1999-2001.

The white and green really flow together and the viking is futuristic and badass.

The THIRD BEST helmet has to go to (I can't believe I am going to write this) but the Montana Grizzlies of 1988-1995.Now stay with me for a moment. The graphic doesn't do the colors justice. The real colors of the helmet were gold paint, with a copper logo and a silver facemask. Here's why:

The University of Montana's official colors have for many years been silver, copper, and gold (in recognition of the state's mining industry), but a set of "spirit colors" which are used by the school's athletic teams was adopted in about 1996; these are maroon, silver, and gold.

Any school that uses copper in its scheme can't be that bad right? Right? Ok, I like their helmet, still not their school.

The U of M actually brought back the uniforms this season for their home game against Montana State. The uniforms are terribly ugly, but the helmets are cool.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love stuff from random schools. I own many random college t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats simply because they look original. That is why the Griz make the list. Based on appearance alone.

HONORABLE MENTION: The Eastern Washington Eagles of 2000-present.

The red is great, the logo is great, but just misses the top 3.


Which leads me to the top 3 WORST helmets in the history of the Big Sky teams.

The WORST helmet goes to the Idaho State Bengals of 1992-1996.

Yes, Idaho State had the coolest and the ugliest helmets over the years. They also have had 22 helmets since 1960. PICK ONE ALREADY!!!

But I don't like this helmet because they stole the University of Miami "U" and tried to jam it in there with the "IS". WAY too much going on.

The SECOND worst helmet goes to the Sacramento State Hornets of 2001.

Yeah. The helmet says SAC on it. Nice.

And finally, the THIRD worst helmet goes to the Montana State Bobcats of 1961.

Look closely at this helmet. It looks like a knock off of the University of Michigan. I see that the front lines make an "M", for Montana. But seriously? Who thought that was a good design?

Honorable mention: The Weber State Wildcats of 1980-1996.

Purple and white. Bad. Giant "W" with an arrow pointing forward. Bad. Used it for 16 years. Bad.

And that is my top 3 best and worst of football helmets of the teams in the Big Sky history.

JustSoN Question: Favorite Animal

Well, the rain is here. At least in Western Washington. So much so that I think it may come down for 40 days and 40 nights.

Which leads me to the JustSoN Question of Day: What is your favorite animal?

Cause Noah couldn't pick a favorite.

Only in Spokane

Since we're reaching the breaking point here in Spokane, where apparently every mini-van in the city has become high-centered, this was just bound to happen:

One man was arrested by Spokane police after gunshots were fired Monday morning at a private snow plow operator who was clearing a parking lot. Police said the motorist apparently got upset when the plow operator honked his horn.

"It's safe to say that fuses are short, people are frustrated and we are having an increase in neighborhood disputes regarding snow-related issues," said Jennifer DeRuwe, a police spokeswoman.

My uncle's company, Hansen Logging, which has helped out with the plowing in Spokane County, has had someone shoot at their machinery with a pellet gun, and one of their trucks was vandalized.

One of the worst things right now about the snow is the large pot holes that are developing in the plowed snow everyone is driving over. They're developing at every turn-in and turn-out in the city so basically you're taking a chance to get stuck everytime you go someplace unless you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

And I get to go downtown this evening... yessss.....

Reasons why you're still single...

You wrote a strategy guide for the board game "Clue."

Epic Video: Doogie Style

Don't believe me that Neil Patrick Harris is awesome. Not only was he Doogie Howser, M.D. but he also has enough sense of humor to do this at the end of How I Met Your Mother. That's right ladies and gentlemen. Doogie returns.

A show of LEGENDARY humor

I'm here to tell you about the awesomest show on television. It truly is a show the is LEGENDARY.

Now many may have seen this show while flipping through the channels. Yet, I believe that this show is truly the new FRIENDS.

I'm talking about How I Met Your Mother.

I recently purchased the DVD seasons of the show (because Target was having a major deal on them) so I figured, "Hey, why not."

It was the most awesome decision of my life.

The show is amazing. Now I had watched all of this season, currently the fourth, and parts of the other seasons. But to sit down and watch them back to back is epic.

How I Met Your Mother is about just that. Bob Saget, one of the most famous TV dads of all time, is telling his kids in the year 2030 about, yep you guessed it, how he met their mom.

Now being a huge fan of FRIENDS, it would take a lot to get another show to not only grab my attention, but to grab my attention and tickle its funny bone until it collapses in a laughing heap on the couch.

This show does just that.

From the way the five characters interact. Yes FIVE, unlike the SIX of FRIENDS. That six slot is reserved for non season regulars that pop in for a few episodes and then fade away into the metaphorical TV sunset.

To the way the storyline twists and turns, yet never gets boring. If you don't believe me that the show is legendary, just ask this guy.



It's good. So watch it. Monday nights at 8:30 Pacific Time. On CBS. And yes, Neil Patrick Harris is a badass. Check out Barney's blog by CLICKING HERE.

Stay away from this man

So the Seattle Seahawks think that the best way to improve their team is to hire a man that just went 0-16 with the Detroit Lions?

...the Tribune and the Seattle Times reported that Marinelli was in Seattle on Monday to interview with the Seahawks, purportedly for the defensive coordinator's job, even though current coordinator John Marshall has not been dismissed yet.

The good news is that Chicago's head coach Lovie "I'll keep playing my quarterback no matter how many back-breaking interceptions he makes" Smith, has already extended an offer to Marinelli to join his staff.

Art Shell is also available too, guys.

Colt McCoy's pickup line is "I'm Colt McCoy"

Hi I'm Colt McCoy, the quarterback for the Texas Longhorns.

If there's one thing I've learned while being the quarterback for one of the best teams in the Big 12, it's that the Big 10 is actually made up of a bunch of ninnies.

The biggest of those ninnies? Ohio State has choked more times than a porn star. Believe me, I know, I just sent half of their overweight, sorry-sack, get a life fan base to a suicide watch program.

Me? I'm gonna go to a near campus party this Friday and get more numbers than a phone book.

Hook em' Horns!

JustSoN Question: New Pepsi Logo

Pepsi Cola has changed the logos of all their sodas.

The JustSoN Question of the Day is: What do you think of the new logos?

To view the new logos, CLICK HERE.

Epic Song: The Ballad of Jeremiah Johnson

Since we've been talking about manly beards at JustSoN, I figured I'd post the ballad of Jeremiah Johnson.

A real mountain man. And a great movie. So sit back, listen and enjoy.

Scout earns 121 badges

The video embedding was disabled for the video I wanted to post, but here is the link.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

This kid earned all 121 merit badges that are offered by the Boy Scouts of America. And he did it to honor his grandma.

As an Eagle Scout myself, I know that being a scout is not always easy. You often are ridiculed for what you do. But Scouting taught me many values that I still hold with me today.

For example, my love of the outdoors was truly developed while camping every month with the Scouts. This enjoyment of the outdoors, and of writing, showed me where I want my career to go.

One great example of when my outdoor skills were ridiculed, was on a campout in college. A group of the guys along were trying to get the fire started. Any outdoors person knows that you don't build a fire using full logs and gas. But that is what they were trying. After sitting there for 45 minutes while they made fools of themselves, I calmly asked if I could start it.

They laughed and said sure and started to had me the gas. I said, "No thanks. And to top it off, I'll do it without a match, in under 5 minutes."

They laughed and didn't think I could do it. I grabbed some lent from my bag and my flint and knife. I kicked away the mess they had made in the fire pit and started fresh. I put down the lent, then some dry bark chips, then twigs and small branches in the tee-pee shape. I struck the flint to the steel, and got a flame. I nurtured the fire and soon it was roaring. (fire building was probably my favorite part of the campouts in scouts)

Then one of the guys says, "what, are you a boy scout or something?" Laughing, obviously meaning it as an insult.

I said, "Actually, I am an Eagle Scout."

He countered with, "Oh, I didn't mean it as an insult. That's cool."

And he was right. It was cool. While Scouts doesn't always have the best image, I do know that if I was stuck in the woods, I would know enough to survive for at least a while.

So to Shaun Goldsmith, who worked very hard for his 121 badges, I tip my hat. Good work Shaun.

Also, 2010 marks the 100 anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. They were founded on February 8, 1910.

How about this:
Boy Scouts of America Silver Dollar Centennial Commemorative Coin

A new House bill recently introduced to celebrate the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) with the minting of a commemorate silver dollar has exceptionally strong bipartisan support.

Rep Pete Sessions [R-TX] introduced the new bill on April 22, 2008. The bill looks to be soundly popular with an already 296 cosponsors lined up to provide their early signature for the "100 Years of Scouting" commemorative coin.

Rep. Sessions commented,

“Boy Scouts are a significant part of American culture, shaping the values, citizenship, and skills of millions of young men,” Sessions stated. “As an Eagle Scout with four generations of Boy Scouts in my family, I strongly value the Boy Scouts’ history of instilling a sense of duty to God, country, and self.”

Not altogether surprising, in the 110th Congress, 248 members of the House of Representative and the Senate have participated in Boy Scouts of America as Scouts or adult leaders.

The bill, H.R. 5872, is entitled the Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act and calls for 350,000 silver $1 coins to be minted in 2010. The collector coin would contain 90% silver and 10% copper.

Given the history of the organization and the support of congress, this bill would seem a likely candidate for passage. It is now under consideration in the House Committee on Financial Services.

In addition to the commemorative coin initiative, Sessions is also building support for a U.S. postage stamp to celebrate “100 Years of Scouting.” Currently, Sessions has garnered the support of over 320 Senators and Members of Congress for a letter to the U.S. Postmaster General, requesting a commemorative stamp for the 100th anniversary of Boy Scouts of America.

In 1960, the United States Postal Office celebrated the Boy Scouts of America’s 50th Anniversary with the introduction of the 4 cent commemorative stamp depicting a Scout holding up the Scout sign.

What a sweet coin.

UW has new D

So do we call them the University of Washington Trojans?

HOLT TAKES OVER WASHINGTON'S DEFENSE

Associated Press

SEATTLE -- The University of Washington announced Monday that Nick Holt is leaving USC to become the new defensive coordinator at Washington, plucked away by new Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian, another former Trojans' assistant.

Holt replaces Ed Donatell, who was not retained after Sarkisian was hired in early December.

Holt previously was a defensive coordinator and head coach at Idaho. Aside from a 5-18 stint as head coach at Idaho in 2004-05, Holt has been on the staff at USC since 2001.

Part of the reason Holt is believed to be leaving the Trojans is a chance to run the defense himself. Despite being the defensive coordinator at USC, Holt often shared those duties with head coach Pete Carroll.

If these guys turn the Huskies into winners, I'll call them whatever they want to be called!

The oldest tree on earth

There are a lot of trees in the Pacific Northwest and while some of those trees are old growth - for the most part, they're fairly young twigs compared to the old man currently still alive in the White Mountains of California.

In Nevada, a tree by the name of Methuselah was germinated in the year 2,832 BC, giving it a grand old age of 4,840 years old. So basically this tree has been around for a large bulk of the rise of human civilization.


While there's certain root systems that are older, one in Norway is estimated to be around 10,000 years old and there's a clonal colony of trees that is estimated to be a living organism that is around one million years old in Utah (no it's not Karl Malone).

But the longest standing tree has to go to Methuselah. However, it hasn't been confirmed yet if Joe Paterno was born before the tree was germinated.

And since it's in Nevada, I'm sure it gets a senior discount at the casino buffets.

The exact location of Methuselah is kept secret so it doesn't get vandalized, or so telemarketers don't get it caught up in a pyramid scheme.

Epic Photo: This is what a man's beard looks like...

Look at that thing?!?!?!? I'm pretty sure a rabbit is living in it somewhere.

Live from the Metrodome!

Since ESPN is showing the high school football all-star game, which is a good look at the core group of Notre Dame's underachieving squad for years to come, I'm going to do a run down of the few thoughts that have run across my brain today after the NFL Wild Card Round.

1. Baltimore vs. Tennessee is not a game I'm excited about. A hot team vs. a team that really hasn't had anything to play for in weeks. Luckily, Jeff Fisher is the head coach of the Titans. He called Bill Cowher out today for being a cheap player during this morning's CBS pregame show. Any man will enough cajones to call out Bill Cowher (jokingly of course), is going to have his team ready to play on Sunday. That being said... have you seen Baltimore's defense? Wow.

2. Good to see Ed Hocc still wearing three shirts sizes too small as a referee.

3. Why do people hate Donovan McNabb? All he has been for the past eight years is win football games, not get involved in a dog-fighting ring and now he'll face the Giants next week. Okay, you can hate McNabb next week after he throws three back-breaking picks.

4. So the NFC North and AFC East must feel rather stupid being the only divisions in football not to have someone in the playoffs now.

5. I'm still trying to imagine the NFL if they had the BCS. Would that mean the Lions would be in Div. I-AA?

Epic Photo: Joe Flacco

Brandon just noticed the rather mob-ish look of Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano. It got me thinking about Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. This guy is in serious danger of having a unibrow, not to mention also has the look and the name that screams mob. How funny that it was Flacco's Ravens and Sparano's Dolphins that played together today. Before you know it, they'll be sending the Fettucini family out taking hits out on each other. 

Epic Photo: The Sparanos

I'm just saying, Miami's head coach Tony Sparano looks like he takes hits out on people.

If Walmart were around in the 1860s, there wouldn't have been a civil war

... because people would have been too busy buying $5 DVDs. Walmart is apparently trying to rectify the problem by proposing a Supercenter near the site where Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant first battled.

Historians are obviously in an uproar.

However, one thing i find interesting is that there's a strip mall already near the site anyways, and and the Walmart would be a whole mile from the actual battle site. And this quote kind of sweetens the pot a little.

"In these economic times, the fact that Wal-Mart wants to come into the county is an economic plus," said R. Mark Johnson, a tire shop owner and chairman of the county's board of supervisors. "This is hardly pristine wilderness we're talking about."

Yeah, in these economic times it's really ballsy to see Walmart do something like this. Is it me or do the people that survey the sites for prospective Walmarts pick the most controversial places possible. I mean you don't hear Kmart or Target setting up shop on an Indian Burial Ground or a wildlife preserve but Walmart seems perfectly happy to do so.

How hard would it be to move the store like five miles down the road just to escape the media poop storm that they'll be getting?

But hey, at least they're building instead of stuffing their money under a mattress.

Why it rocks to be a guy

I've decided to be an extremely sexist person and write several reasons why it rocks to be a guy. Please do not be offended by this, I don't want to get sued because I have no actual money for a lawyer.

So without further delay, here is the ten reasons why it rocks to be a guy.

1. Childbirth - I don't think a single guy could bear the pain of delivering a baby. We'll pass on this one.

2. Short lines at the rest room - Otherwise there would be a lot of guys standing around peeing on fire hydrants.

3. How many nude guy scenes do you see in movies - exactly, we don't have to see that.

4. High Heels - the most extremely uncomfortable shoes on the face of the planet are strictly for girls. I'm glad I don't actually know this from experience.

5. That time of the month - Thank god we don't have to go through this. Seriously THANK GOD. Can I say it again? THAAAAANK GOD.

6. Bras - What? They seem like they would be uncomfortable, that's all.

7. It's cool for a guy to wear a hat - Where as girls have to spend a lot of detail on their hair. Guys would never be on time to anything if they always had to do something with their hair in the mornings. Thank goodness for my Boston Red Sox cap.

8. Dresses - A bit drafty, eh?

9. PMS - All guys really have to deal with when they get old is buying their Viagra and drinking prune juice.

10. Bathing Suites - Let me put it this way, what NFL lineman would you like to see squeeze into a two piece?

... please don't hate me.

Party like it's 1947

I used to hate Kurt Warner with a passion.

Used to.

Mainly because the Rams were the toast of the NFL and he led them over my Titans for a Super Bowl Championship.

Then after a few years, he sucked and tumbled off the face of the football world and right into the lap of the Arizona Cardinals.

And now I find myself rooting for the guy. After reading this piece about just what kind of guy Warner is, I couldn't root against him. And if you really think about it, Warner has never put himself in front of the team and has been extremely gracious during the downturn of his career.

That being said, with the Cardinals going into the playoffs, I figured that they had no chance whatsoever. Much like no one gave Warner a chance - he was bagging groceries and had to work his way up through the AFL to the NFL (beginning as the third stringer). However, Arizona, which was hosting its first playoff game since 1947 when they were the Chicago Cardinals, beat the upstart Atlanta Falcons 30-24 today.

It's kind of strange how sports can change your mind.

Powder Blues rule the night again

So fellow blogger Casey tells me. After various texts back and forth about how terrible Madden is at commentating a game, he called the game with that bold prediction about the jerseys.

Badass jerseys + winners of the previous four must win games = upset over the Colts and ... yep, it's back... THE MANNING FACE!

For the second straight year, Eli Manning will be in the hunt for the Lombardi trophy longer than his brother. How ironic is that? Who saw that coming? Will Eli turn out to have a better career than his brother?

Jason Whitlock, I finally agree with you

Usually I hate Jason Whitlock's columns because a lot of the positions he takes are completely off base and saying that they were a stretch would be something of an understatement. However, I read his New Years column and there were several parts that rang absolutely true about sports journalism.

Here are the two items I one-hundred percent agree with:

7. If you've ever wondered what makes Bill Simmons the second-best sports columnist working today, check out this column written in November about the death of NFL home-field advantage.

Wow. I've spent the past month obsessing over this column and recommending it to friends in and out of the sports-writing profession. It's brilliant. It combines humor, useful information, analysis, storytelling, original thought and a fan's perspective. It's the best thing I've read on the NFL this year (excluding the NFL Truths).

Simmons gets hammered by many traditional sports writers. They say he doesn't report, writes too long and cracks stale jokes. They're wrong. They're jealous.

If newspapers consistently wrote pieces like the Simmons' piece referenced here, newspaper sports columnist wouldn't be losing their relevance and influence so rapidly.

Traditional sports writers are so caught up in the 1980s and 1990s, Mitch Albom model of overwritten narrative of things we've already seen on television that our industry fails to recognize that the publishing of original ideas is the only thing of value we can consistently offer.

Simmons is a star because he specializes in original thought.

6. Given what I just wrote about Simmons, it's no surprise that I think ESPN wasted 3 million bones on Rick Reilly, whose last original concept was hoodwinking ESPN into giving him a golden parachute from Sports Illustrated, back-page irrelevancy.

Oh, Reilly had his day. He was at the top of the game when he broke news about a Michael Jordan comeback. Reilly's descent began in 2002 when he sanctimoniously asked another grown man (Sammy Sosa) to pee in a cup.

By the time ESPN made it rain on Reilly he was more qualified to work the door at Spearmint Rhino than make more money at the Worldwide Leader than Simmons, Wilbon, Van Pelt and countless others.

Despite the improved platform, his columns create zero buzz and his television commentaries make Mike Lupica seem informed, Jay Mariotti sound clever and Skip Bayless appear genuine.

Please, God, take me tonight and bring me back as a washed-up, 50-something American white man. Only in America.

While sometimes I think Whitlock says things just to piss people off, at least he isn't afraid to do it. The NFL home-field advantage article was an excellent piece by Simmons, and honestly, he's the only one that could write it.

All the other sportswriters are two deeply ingrained into the "haves" of the NFL that they don't even notice that the regular fans are being pushed out. They go to lavish press conferences and are afraid to say anything to inflammatory for fear of burning bridges.

Simmons really doesn't have to worry about that because he doesn't interview anyone. He simply write what he thinks without having to worry about T.O. throwing a tissy fit about it.

And Reilly? Well anytime Simmons has a piece on the web, it's like opening a brand new present. Anytime Reilly writes a column? Well I haven't read one of his ESPN columns yet.

Shouldn't have left SI, buddy.

Thanks Jason! For once I don't totally disagree with you.

Epic Video: The greatest training montage ever

What are we waiting for?!?!?!

If you need a jump start to that New Year's Resolution, here's the best training montage ever. Bar none. There is nothing that even comes close to this.

Rocky using a sledge hammer, check.

Rocky doing one-armed pullups on a jungle gym, check.

One-armed pushups? check.

Signature jogging scene? check.

What more could you ask for?

Pac-10 better than the AFC and NFC West

Everyone had the PAC-10 written off as having a down year with USC only being the only real true power in the West. And even though the Trojans were respected, they were somewhat looked down upon for playing bad competition in the conference.

Well, the PAC-10 pretty much showed all the pollsters, experts, coaches and ESPN analysts that they were dead wrong in determining the toughness of the conference after they went 5-0 in Bowl Games this year.

No other conference can say that, and if you're the Big Ten and your champion just got trounced by the Trojans, you've got to be a little embarrassed. You'd better be hoping that Ohio State doesn't pull their normal Bowl Game choke job against Texas.

The Big East and ACC Champions are currently facing off in the Orange Bowl to a half full stadium, and while I'm watching the game, I really can't say that I blame football fans for not being enthralled at the prospect of Virginia Tech and Cincinnati. Might as well just go to the Winter Classic instead -- which was an awesome spectacle, again.

I think this selling of the PAC-10 short always happens because (a) fans on the west coast aren't as crazy as the SEC and east coast fans, meaning that there's a perceived lack of interest... which is stupid, west coast fans just don't stab one another over football games but it leads to (b) the major media centers, which are located on the east coast, focusing their coverage on other teams.

Obviously USC and UCLA get their fair share of coverage because they're in LA, but the rest of the teams are really out on an island. Unless you're in the state of a respective team, your don't really follow them as closely.

Sure they'll get ranked, sure they'll still get on TV but people don't go as gaga over them as they would over an east coast team.

And with that said, I'm glad people are kind of ignoring Washington and Washington State.

Reasons why you're still single...

You wish that they would show the New Years Ball in Times Square drop at 9 p.m. on the west coast live instead of showing it recorded three hours later. Why make everyone on the west coast wait up until midnight?

JustSoN Question: Big Travel Plans

It's now 2009. A whole new year.

That makes the JustSoN Question of the Day: What are your big travel plans for 2009? Any big trips in the works?