Morning coffee... June 18, 2010

Down 2-0 at halftime to Slovenia in the World Cup, the US battled back to get a tie and keep its hopes to advance to the next round alive.

I also heard via text that the US scored another goal but it was called offsides, something the replays show wasn't the case. Is it me or are refs getting worse and worse? Or perhaps replays are getting better and better?

College News

Montana State head football coach Rob Ash expects a breakthrough this year
And having nearly bit my nails off watching EWU play MSU year after year, I fully expect this to happen. By the way, remember when MSU was screwed out of a playoff berth after beating the Griz, having the same record and yet EWU and UM got the bids to the playoffs?

National News

Missing North Korean players show up a practice
Is North Korea not one of the most entertaining countries in the World Cup? I think we need more communist countries in this international events.

LA bursts out into riots after Lakers win NBA Championship
Because what would a championship be without a good riot.

Ron Artest gives the best post-game interview ever
No really, watch this video and try not to laugh, I dare you.

Utes to the Pac-10

It's official, Utah has joined the Pac-10. Or should we call it the Pac-12 now?

The rumors, projections, closed door meetings and dealings are over and the celebration has begun.

The University of Utah is officially part of the Pac-10. The move from the Mountain West Conference to the elite league was quickly approved Thursday by the unanimous vote of Utah's Board of Trustees in a public meeting at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

"This is an absolutely great day to be a Ute," said longtime Utah athletics director Chris Hill.

Even though the super conference idea with the Big 12 South is deader than Michael Jackson, the idea that the Pac-10 has added more schools makes me like the situation that the conference is in. It's at least good they were proactive with expansion instead of reactive like the Big-12 errrr.... Big 10 now.

They didn't get the prettiest girl at the prom, getting schools like Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State would have blown up the Pac-10 to epic proportions. It also wouldn't have made a whole lot of geographical sense but whatever. It would have been great to get those big schools and big money into the conference but WSU fans... you wouldn't have been competitive ever again.

Colorado and Utah make sense though. First you capture the Denver and Salt Lake City markets which gives you an even bigger stranglehold out west. You give the Arizona schools somebody closer to develop rilvaries with. You keep the "travel partner" system together and you can hope and pray that Colorado and Utah develop into bitter rivals.

(Can somebody go and defecate on a John Elway statue in Denver and then put a Utah Jazz jersey on it?)

This gives Utah a chance to show that they're a national program after getting snuffed by the BCS for years. It's a very underrated school and has both strong football and basketball programs. It's also not BYU... thank god. That whole leaving for years on a mission trip is such an unfair advantage, I really think the NCAA should do something about it.

Colorado was one of the weaker schools in the Big 12 but I think it will do better since the bottom half of the Pac-10 is a lot worse than the Big 12. 

Pac-10 fans might find the not becoming the Pac-16 might of been the best thing to happen to it.

Now if they could just fix those refs. Woof!

What loss to Brazil?

So lets say that North Korea loses 2-1 to Brazil. Nothing really to fret about, Brazil is one of the world's best soccer countries ever. North Korea is North Korea. However, if you read the game recap from the Korean New Service, they don't even report the final score.

Pyongyang, June 16 (KCNA) -- The league match of the 2010 World Cup between the DPRK and Brazil took place at dawn (Pyongyang time) on Wednesday.

From the outset of the match the two teams fought a seesaw battle. The DPRK footballers created good shooting chances, not losing their confidence even after losing two goals.

At about the 88th minute of the match Jong Tae Se headed the ball before passing it to Ji Yun Nam who powerfully kicked it into the rival's goalmouth, scoring a goal.

The DPRK team will meet its Portuguese rival on June 21.

What would happen if they did this for Detroit Lions games or season recaps. "The team played with heart and tenacity and even though they dropped sixteen games, they finished the season on a high note."

Classy. Another reason not to live in North Korea... crappy SportsCenter segments.

Raising bucking bulls

Since I'm in Montana, I've been doing a lot of rodeo stories. Here's a story I wrote about raising bucking bulls for rodeos.

The bull ride has been romanticized as eight seconds of glory. It’s a true test of someone’s meddle and toughness. Who’s brave enough to get on a bucking bull?

Have you ever stopped to think, “Where do the bulls come from?”

Watch one ride and you’ll realize they aren’t just your run of-the-mill cattle; they’re specifically breed to knock brave cowboys britches over tea kettle. Most bucking bulls are part of lineage, as they’re bred from other rodeo bulls and cross-bred with desirable strains. With over 100 different breeds of beef, there is certainly a large selection to choose from.

READ MORE

Morning coffee... June 17, 2010

Phil Jackson and the LA Lakers will take on the Boston Celtics tonight in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Some say this could be the last game for Jackson as head coach of the Lakers.

College News

Montana State football games will be broadcasted in high-def
I think I get my EWU Eagles broadcasts in You-Tube quality broadcasts.

Montana to the WAC? 
Otherwise known as the Big Sky Conference Apocalypse.

National News

Canceled training camps might mean bad things for the NFL
Otherwise known as the impending labor strike that will ruin professional football.

Man vs Wild Video Game, E3 2010: Debut Trailer

Here is the official trailer of Man vs Wild Video Game released at E3 2010 yesterday.

Man throws puppy at Hell's Angels

This is not a joke. I repeat. Not a joke. Although it really does seem like a really bad skit done by SNL. Nope. Real Life. Man throws puppy at Hell's Angels and escapes on a bulldozer.

A German student "mooned" a group of Hell's Angels and hurled a puppy at them before escaping on a stolen bulldozer, police have said.

The man drove up to a Hell's Angels clubhouse near Munich, wearing only a pair of shorts and carrying a puppy.

He dropped his shorts and threw the dog, escaping on a bulldozer from a nearby building site.

He was arrested later at home by police. The 26-year-old is said to have stopped taking depression medication.

After making his getaway on the bulldozer, he had driven so slowly that a 5km tailback built up behind him on the motorway.

After driving about 1km, he had abandoned the bulldozer in the middle of the motorway, near Allershausen. He continued his journey by hitchhiking.

"What motivated him to throw a puppy at the Hell's Angels is currently unclear," a police spokesman said.

The puppy is now being cared for in an animal shelter.

My question is, how lame is this Hell's Angels group if he got away on a bulldozer? A slow bulldozer.

Man vs Wild video game E3

Earlier this year I told you about the Man vs. Wild video game.

The release is getting closer. According to Bear's Twitter:

Bear Grylls: Off to LA now for launch of man vs wild playstation and wii then to Death valley, Nevada for HALO skydive into desert show.

It appears that Bear will be gracing E3 with his presence. E3 is of course the Electronic Entertainment Expo that is held every year to introduce the latest in electronic awesomeness.

Here's what the official press release said:

---

The game offers five authentic situations in a role play-style adventure, featuring seasoned survival expert Bear Grylls.

The action begins when players are dropped into extreme conditions and forced to demonstrate indigenous survival techniques such as escaping quicksand in the desert, exploring dangerous jungles, traversing ravines in the mountains and navigating some of the world's most treacherous waters.

The core gameplay of Man vs. Wild is a dynamic mix of exhilarating action adventure, role playing and puzzle solving tasks throughout five extraordinary expeditions. Players gather materials to accomplish tasks such as building fires, catching food, and creating the necessary tools for survival while traveling across miles of diverse landscapes.

Key features of Man vs. Wild game:

• Role Playing Adventure: Players will explore and survive wilderness destinations and discover hundreds of items while maintaining the health and well-being of Bear Grylls;
  
  
• Strategically Positioned Survival Challenges: Depending on location and skill level, players will be tested with hundreds of "Survival Challenges" ranging from the simple (building a fire) to the wildly insane (dodging a Grizzly bear);
  
  
• Wild Weather: Players will experience a wide range of weather conditions including snow storms, intense rain, sand storms and more while traveling through five challenging landscapes around the globe;
  
  
• Survival: Refuge, food and water are the constant priority for all players. Players must hunt and collect food, even if it means eating deer eyeballs, and water to keep Bear nourished and healthy for the challenges that lie ahead. When night closes in, the player must create a sturdy lean-to to protect Bear from potential animal attacks and the harsh elements.
  

---

The game is scheduled for a Fall release. And I can't wait!!!! Definitely buying that one.

Bigfoot sighting

I was watching the local news last night when a story from North Carolina came on about a Bigfoot sighting.

Now of course the Northern Rangers went Bigfoot tracking last year in the Ape Caves near Mount St. Helens last year.

But check out this guy's tale of the Sasquatch he saw:

Morning coffee... June 16, 2010

Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers tied up the NBA Finals 3-3 with a 89-67 victory over the Boston Celtics last night.

Is this series over? Do you realize that if Kobe wins this championship he'll have five rings, one short of Michael Jordan? Where does he rank among the greats in the game then?

College news

Former UM basketball player gets workout with Nets - MontanaGrizzlies.com
Word of advice for Anthony Johnson, don't make any jokes about Russia.

National News

Switzerland upsets Spain 1-0 in World Cup - The Daily Interlake
And those annoying horns are still blaring.

Izzo not headed to Cavs, stays with Michigan State
Lebron... why are you packing your bags....?

Don't promote beer at the World Cup...

Reasons to watch the World Cup? Weird stories like this...

Thirty-six female fans were ejected from Holland's World Cup match against Denmark and interrogated for hours for allegedly wearing orange dresses to illegally promote Bavaria beer, though there's no branding on the dress and the company denies hiring them.

Could they do this sort of thing during a NASCAR event if anyone is promoting beer? Is it possible to detain thousands of fans?

Canadians like their PEDs

Those dastardly Canadians are up to no good. The steroid problem has gotten so bad up there, they've had to suspend an entire football team.

The University of Waterloo Warriors football team will miss the entire 2010-2011 season over steroid violations.

As many as nine potential doping violations were discovered during a mass test of 62 football players from the University of Waterloo, resulting in suspension of the team’s activities for the upcoming season.

In addition, two players from the team received suspensions and a former player faces charges in a police probe into steroid trafficking.

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, Canadian Interuniversity Sport and the University of Waterloo held a news conference Monday to announce the findings of a sweeping probe of players in the university’s football program on March 31. More than 80 urine and blood samples were taken, resulting in nine infractions. The test was instituted by the school.

As for the NFL... move along.... nothing to see here. Go make fun of baseball...

Famous Eagle Scouts

This weekend I attended an Eagle Scout court of honor. And being an Eagle Scout myself, I always love to see another young man earn this prestigious award.

As Mike Rowe said, "The Eagle Award is not really meant for people who need to be dragged across the finish line. It's meant for a select few..."

Rowe is of course the awesome host of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel.

And he's an Eagle Scout.

That got me to thinking, what other famous Eagle Scouts are there.

Here's a short list of some famous Eagle Scouts:

• Neil Armstrong: First human to step on the moon

• Austin Collie: Wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL

• William Hanna: Animator, director, producer, cartoon artist, and co-founder of Hanna-Barbera

• Ewing Kauffman: Founder of Marion Laboratories and owner of the Kansas City Royals

• Howard Lincoln: CEO of Seattle Mariners baseball team; chairman of Nintendo of America; in 1956 he posed as one of the Boy Scouts for The Scoutmaster painting by Norman Rockwell

• George Meyer: Writer and producer of The Simpsons

• Harrison Salisbury: Journalist who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize (1955); twice received the George Polk Award for Foreign Reporting (1957 and 1966)

• Chuck Smith: President and CEO of AT&T West

• Shane Victorino: Major League Baseball player, current member of 2008 World Series and 2009 National League Championship Series-winning Philadelphia Phillies.

• Ken Whisenhunt: Head coach of the Arizona Cardinals NFL football team

There are a WHOLE lot more than I can list here. Yet, one thing is for sure, the rank of Eagle Scout is an elite award. Only 4% of all boys that enter scouting earn the rank. That's not very many.

Bear destroys camp

REI's co-op blog had a great post today on what a bear can do to a campsite that is unattended, sloppy and a just plain invitation to wildlife.

Each spring the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle sets up a demonstration to show what can happen if your camp looks like the above mentioned camp. They do this to educate the public on how we can camp and stay bear safe.

The video, which shows a previous year’s demo, offers a good reminder to secure your food and other scented items whenever you’re in bear country. While blueberries are typically a bear's favorite meal, they will make quick work of a campsite with poorly secured food.

Make sure that if you are in bear country that you either use a bear canister or a campground bear box and keep your tent away from your food.

For more information check out our earlier post about staying safe in bear country.

Freddie Ljunberg interview

The New York Times had a great interview with the Seattle Sounders FC's Freddie Ljunberg.

And since we're huge Sounders FC fans at JustSON, we pretty much think that Ljunberg is the coolest.

Check out the interview.

And now that they showed a picture of his house, I'm pretty sure Brandon might wait outside for a glimpse of this Seattle sporting hero.

Epic Video: Men without pants

I hate pants. I really do.

Wii Bowling Tournament

This weekend was very productive around here on Just Northwest.

Saturday Jeff and I hosted a Wii Bowling Tournament with the proceeds going to our ride with the People's Coast Classic.

Here's our site if you couldn't make it but would like to donate.

We had a number of great prizes that local businesses had donated or Jeff and I picked up in our journeys.

Here's the prize table from that night:

Everyone seemed to have a great time (I know I did) and enjoy the "all you can eat" taco bar that we provided.

Sunday I headed out to my parents house for a 20 mile training ride with my dad. It was beautiful weather with mid-70's and sunny. It was perfect riding weather.

Thanks to everyone who made the Wii Tournament a success! And congrats to all our winners.

Gulf of Mexico... meet old quarterbacks

The two former pro-bowl quarterbacks have a plan to solve this whole mess in the Gulf of Mexico. Lets hope the oil spill doesn't bring a blindside linebacker up to blitz.

Troy Aikman and Drew Bledsoe, both former Pro Bowl quarterbacks, are part-owners of a new technology that they claim can help clean up the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Their company, Ecosphere, has had meetings with BP. Bledsoe talked about the technology at a recent press conference. From FS Southwest:

According to Bledsoe, Ecosphere would set its filtration systems on barges in the gulf and on beaches to clean the water.

"This is not technology sitting on the shelf waiting for a disaster," Bledsoe said. "This is technology out in the field satisfying contracts for well over a year, so it's proven. ... When you watch it, it is magic seeing dirty, nasty water go in one end and then crystal, clean water out the other end." 

So wait, they have a Brita filter?

New jerseys are wonders of science

Check out the new threads for Team USA. And as usual, Nike has gone scientific on us.

When the United States men's national basketball team heads to Turkey for the FIBA World Championships this summer, they're going to look pretty cool. It's hard to mess up red, white and blue, and the various manufacturers who have supplied their uniforms throughout the years haven't made very many missteps. But this year, they're also going to feel cool thanks to a couple tweaks by Nike.

Through some kind of clothing wizardry, Nike has eliminated more than 13 inches of fabric from a typical basketball jersey, and probably double that when compared to Allan Houston's tarp-like mid-90s shirt. The back of the jersey will once again feature "Aerographics," which you probably know as those intricately-designed perforations that make it look like everyone has a super sweaty back like Patrick Ewing. And yes, that's two zings on the New York Knicks, who have been the antithesis of on-court aesthetics for two decades running. Make that three.

Aside from the extra tailoring, the jerseys are about the same. The shorts are the big story, as far as international basketball clothing news goes. Thanks to Nike's new Hyperelite design, the shorts are about half as light as a normal basketball short when dry. Get them wet — like, you know, from sweating during a game — and they're even better, weighing less when soaked (10.1 oz.) than a normal pair does when dry (13.6).

Don't ask me how that's done, I think they're defying the laws of physics.

Epic Photo: US vs England

Ha! We tied the Brits! And ESPN had this very cool ad. Epic eh?

Tastin' n Racin'

Looking for something to do today then head on out to Issaquah, Washington for Tastin' n Racin'.

Yes, it's so cool that it's name doesn't even need the "g".

When: June 12 - 13, 2010

Hours: Saturday: 9:00am – 7pm Sunday: 9:00am – 6pm

Where: Lake Sammamish State Park, 2000 NW Sammamish Road, Issaquah WA 98027

Admission: General Admission: $10.00, 5 yrs & under: FREE, Juniors (6yrs - 16 yrs) and Seniors (65yrs+): $5.00

Here's what the event has to offer:

• Delicious food in the Food Walk
  
  
• Live music on the O'Brien Law Firm Main Stage provided by Car Toys with a great tribute bands and Northwest favorites!
  
  
• Arts and Crafts offering unique items from Northwest artisans.
  
  
• Lots of other vendors with things to see and buy
  
  
• Family Fun, presented by Washington Health Program, area with inflatable children’s rides, face painters, pony rides, giant slide, and huge park play area!
  
  
• HYDROPLANE DISPLAYS and Exhibitions with some of the several current and classic Unlimited hydros and vintage Hydros on display. See Unlimiteds run on Lake Sammamish: Miss O'Berto, Miss Thriftway & U-17 Miss Our Gang Racing, & U-25, Superior Racing!!
  
  
• KZOK listener mandated Beer Gardens featuring Miller, Haywire and Snoqualmie Brewery Brews on Tap at the Main Stage and on the Beach - so you don't miss the racing action.
  
  
• Hot Boat and Bike Show Saturday presented by Skagen Boats & XLSR Racing!
  
  
• Custom Car & Hot Rod Show Sunday presented by Issaquah Reporter
  
  
• XLSR Hunger Ride - Motorcycle Pledge Ride Saturday benefiting NW Harvest
  New boats to buy from Lake Union SeaRay and PWC's from I-90 Motorsports to name a few.
  
  
• Spectator Pit Pass - see the racers and boats up close in the thick of action!

World Cup, 1986

Sorry just had to post this because I find it so funny. Those two are "fighting." The guy on the right is British, the guy on the left is from Argentina. Wonders of wonders, the two teams were playing one another at Aztec Stadium in Mexico City.

I think the internet just got its new viral photo. Enjoy.

Sad day at the World Cup

It's only a day old, but the 2010 World Cup already has a downer story to talk about.

JOHANNESBURG (AP)—It should have been a moment of triumph—Nelson Mandela, basking in the cheers as Africa’s first World Cup opened. Nelson Mandela with his great-granddaughter Zenani, who was killed in a car accident following Thursday's kickoff concert. (AP Photo/Peter Morey)

Instead, South Africa’s beloved anti-apartheid icon stayed at home with his family Friday in northern Johannesburg during the opening ceremony and game, mourning his 13-year-old great-granddaughter Zenani, who died in a car crash on the way home from a tournament-eve concert in Soweto.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said the tragedy “made it inappropriate” for the former president, who is 91, to attend the opening ceremony in Johannesburg.
That's a shame considering how much Nelson Mandela represents to South Africa and how this should be one of his finest moments. Prayers go out to him, and the good things that people say about this man are too hard to count. Sad day.

Tour Divide mountain bike race

Earlier this year we showed you a preview for Ride the Divide.

The film was about the Tour Divide mountain bike race which spans from Banff, Canada to Mexico.

And the 2010 edition kicks off today.

Racers will ride 2711 miles in this race which traverses the Continental Divide. They'll end up climbing over 200,000 feet during the race. This year's race has 48 riders and you can keep track on the event through live updates on ustream.

And of the 48 riders, six of them are from Washington. They are: Eric Bruntjen, Roslyn, WA; Brett Foster, Kirkland, WA; Kent Peterson, Issaquah, WA; Dave Preston, Seattle, WA; Mike Prochaska, North Bend, WA; and Derek Richert, Seattle, WA.

The Tour Divide is an completely self supported ride. That means that racers must carry all of their gear and supplies with them throughout the ride. And unlike more "traditional" bicycle races, there are no set start and stop spots besides the start and finish line. The clock runs continuously once started.

She or he who can ride the fastest while making fewer, shorter stops usually wins. With an average time-to-completion of three weeks in the saddle, TD is the longest–arguably most challenging–mountain bike race on the planet. It is a contest for the ultra-fit but only if ultra-prepared for myriad contingencies of backcountry biking.

And the riders must be prepared for anything. From single track trails to long dirt roads. And they'll be spending 16+ hours a day in the saddle through some of the densest areas of grizzly and mountain lion populations in the country.

The route is unmarked and riders must navigate their way through five different states and two Canadian provinces. Services are often 100 miles or more apart and remember, this ride is through the mountains where the weather can change in the blink of an eye.

Last year's winner was Matthew Lee. It was his fifth victory in the Tour Divide. He covered the course in 18 days. This year again Lee is registered for the race. We'll see if he can make it six.

We'll keep track of the race here.

Marlins will have real fish in their stadium

All these new Major League ballparks have gone retro, featuring unique quirks and aspects that make them stand out from the rest. It's certainly better than the cookie-cutter stadiums of the 60s and 70s, although it would be nice if they didn't cost tax-payers an arm and a leg.

The Marlins new stadium takes the cake for a unique quirk. They're installing an aquarium backstop. What?

The two giant aquariums will be located on either side of home plate, but not directly behind it. And no worries on a Faith No More-type situation with a fish flopping around on the ground and gasping for air because the aquariums will be constructed with shatterproof glass.
MLB.com has more details:

"Each aquarium will be constructed using a durable fiberglass structure, and white crystal-clear acrylic panels 1.5 inches thick will be used for the viewing windows. To safeguard it from impact, Lexan — the material used for bulletproof windows — will be installed in front and in back of the acrylic panels."

The aquariums will hold 600 and 450 gallons, but will sadly not be big enough for a real marlin.

This makes me think they should have Grizzly Bears at UM's home stadium.

Morning coffee... June 11, 2010

Boise State has left the WAC conference for the Mountain West Conference, leaving many wondering what other schools will make a move in the college football landscape.

Colorado and now Boise State have made changes, who is next? I can only expect the names of the schools to get bigger and more numerous. Ready for college football to change forever?

Montana college sports

Montana's Drennen finishes seventh in 1,500 meter event at Nationals - MontanaGrizzlies.com
The farthest I've ever ran is to the fridge. Seriously, distance running is the last thing you'll see a journalist doing. Buying a donut at the bakery across the street? Bingo.

Watch them set up the MSU basketball floor on YouTube
Sorry I don't have any Bobcat news at the moment. Forgive me.

Local-ish news

MMA bouts planned in Kalispel tonight - The Daily Interlake
Things you will not see me do... get in the octagon.

National news

South Africa ties Mexico 1-1 in the World Cup opener
For those of you that follow soccer, the WORLD CUP IS HERE!!!!

Epic Video: Reba

Which one is the real Reba? I can't tell.

Bicycle training

I'm still training for the People's Coast Classic and figured I'd update you guys on how it is going.

Fund-raising

First off let's start with fund-raising. We've been hitting the fund-raising trail and right now our team is sitting at just over $2,000. Keep in mind we need to raise $7,500 as a team. To all those who have donated THANK YOU! And if you haven't and have a few dollars to spare, please consider doing so.

The funds go to a great cause and are TAX DEDUCTIBLE. The funds are broken down pretty simply and again, we are riding in honor of my niece who went blind in one eye at the age of six due to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

For each dollar that I raise, 49 cents goes toward funding research, 19 cents goes to public education programs (such as camps for kids), 8 cents goes to patient and community services (such as Lifestyle Improvement exercise programs, 4 cents goes toward updating medical providers on the latest in arthritis treatments and 20 cents goes toward fund-raising costs.

So please donate and SUPPORT our ride! You can visit my ride site to donate. Thank you.

TRAINING

As for training I am slowly adding the miles. On Tuesday I rode into Seattle for a round trip 25 miler.

So far I've put on just over 200 miles of training. I know, I know. Not a tone. But it's been raining like a monsoon for most of the summer so far and to compensate I've been hitting the gym.

My bike has been holding up nicely. The tires however have not. Haha.

I got my first flat with it on a 50 mile ride two weeks ago. Glass on the trail. Since then I've had two more flats for a total of three. And you know what they say, "bad things come in threes." Let's hope that is true for flat bicycle tires!

On Sunday I'm meeting up with my dad for about a 50 mile ride. If the weatherman is correct should be a beautiful day.

That's all I have for an update at this time. Tune back in for more soon!

Big Sky Conference shake up?

Huge news for college football, and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Colorado is headed to the Pac-10. Now sit back and watch the Big 12 crumble to nothing. If more teams follow, the Pac-10 could look completely different in a blink of the eye. Also considering USC was just slapped with a two-year postseason ban, things are getting really juicy.

Now lets step back and take a look at how this affects more local teams, namely the Big Sky and the Montana schools. Talk of moving up to FBS is nothing new for Montana and Montana State, however is it the right move if this Big 12 vacuum clears some space in the smaller conferences?

Having seen a program fall flat when they moved up first hand, let me be the first to say that the Montana schools don't want to become the next Idaho. They also shouldn't expect to have Boise State-like success if they move up. I recently read this very well-written article in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle by Will Holden explaining the challenges of the transition from FCS and FBS. I want to show you a few snippets and explain why it would be a bad idea for the Montana schools to move up.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL BREAKDOWN

Epic Video: USPS Toy Story

This one is for my dad!

Reasons why you're still single... beach ball guy

You're sitting an enjoying a perfectly good sporting event with a big crowd and this guy shows up. He looks around for ushers. He pulls something out of his pocket. He blows it up.

... and for the next 20 minutes, the game is ruined because this damned beach ball is bouncing in front of you.

What is this? 1994? Beach balls are stadiums are not only outdated but they're also annoying. It's like the wave but less social. And what if I don't want to hit the ball around? Beach ball guy, I hope you die a long, painful death.

You can't count out Derek Fisher

This gets me every time when the Lakers are in the Finals. Derek Fisher turns in a clutch performance and the media acts like they've been blindsided. He's been doing this for years! Granted, he has played old and washed-up for most of the season but one thing you can never do in the NBA playoffs is underestimate somebody that has been there before.

Fisher took over in the fourth quarter last night, scoring four clutch baskets to help LA beat Boston 91-84. That gives the Lakers a 2-1 lead in the series and lets them regain home court advantage. He finished with 16 points, second highest to Kobe's 29 on the team.

Now, many people have said he's been playing like a wet suitcase all season. Many people were right, but mark my word, you can always count on Derek Fisher coming up big in the clutch. He's hit big threes, he's caused Sacramento Kings fans to contemplate jump off a building and he's been every bit a staple of the Lakers' greatness as Kobe.

Is he as good as Kobe? Heck no. Not even close. He's a role player for sure. However, Fisher is also a veteran that knows where he needs to be at the right time. When the moment is right, he knows when to pull the trigger. He understands that no matter how terrible he is during the regular season, all it takes is some plays in the post-season to help your team.

That is why, you can never count out Derek Fisher. He'll come back to bite you.

Epic Videos: SJAMAYEE!

I have no idea what SJAMAYEE! is. I tried a search for it. All I could find is that it is a "humor short that is shown on Belgian TV."

Gotta love European humor. Here's a few of them that I found.

Golden Tate likes maple bars

Is it wise to have a wide-receiver that likes maple bars this much?

Police were called to Top Pot Doughnuts in Bellevue, Washington, at 3:00 a.m. on Saturday after two men were found entering the store after hours. Turns out new Seahawk Golden Tate just had a case of the munchies.

It seems Tate, who lives in the building above the shop, apparently came home in the wee hours and was overcome by the smell of freshly baked maple bars. It's been well-established that the man lacks all self-control. So he and his buddy just went in and took some. Too bad the store didn't open for another four hours.

I don't know what is more weird, Tate thinking its cool to enter a store after hours or Tate living about a bakery. You decide.

Schools looking to get into the Pac-10

Before the Pac-10 becomes the Pac-39, here are some schools there should look at.

WSU - they're not in the league right now are they? Oh they are? Oops.

School of Hard Knocks - Their mascot, the high school dropout, is pretty cool.

Some Canadian school - that would make the Pac-10 competitive in Hockey. We're not being stereotypical are we?

Duke University - That way they could smell their own farts with the academics at Cal and Stanford.

The School for the Blind - This is where you could get all the Pac-10 refs!

Tim Tebow University - Formerly known as the University of Florida.

Seattle Seahawks - Come on, coached by Pete Carroll, a roster of good college players, they might even go to a bowl game.

Epic Photo: How many wins do these guys have?

I mean, I guess when you're the mascot of a really bad team you have to hang out with mascots of other really bad teams.

BP Irony....

Epic Photo: Casey's new office attire

This is what Casey takes to his job interviews. Cool Huh?

We've been in Afghanistan for a long time

Just saw this today on ABCNews.com. Obviously a milestone that nobody really wants to reach but the Afghanistan has lasted longer than the Vietnam War. But are we losing the war?

And today "The Other War" has gained a fresh and dubious distinction: it is the longest war in our nation's history, surpassing the conflict in Vietnam. 103 months passed between passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and the withdrawal of the last American combat forces from Vietnam. As of today, the Afghanistan war is 104 months old. 

Insurgency isn't something you can defeat on the battlefield, it's going to take reform. It's going to be interesting to see what happens when we pull out of that country, I have a feeling it may not be pretty. However, don't forget that everybody supported the war when it started so we really have nobody to blame but ourselves. And that's if there is blame to be thrown, we attacked Osama Bin Laden's home turf and put his organization on their heels.

I'm not getting in a jumpsuit and saying "Mission Accomplished" but I don't think you can look at Afghanistan as an absolute disaster. 

Outdoor Photo of the Week: A view of Flathead Lake

Here's a photo I took from my cellphone (!!!!) of a sunset on Flathead Lake in Montana last night.

Holy Cow!

Boo England!

So the United States will be taking on England in the first round of World Cup games, meaning we'll have to deal with some of the most passionate soccer fans in the world. Here is how you get into their head...

- Remind them that the NFL still makes more money than the English Premiere League. Also mention that unlike the EPL, there are women football fans.
- Remind them that they live in England.
- Remind them than even though we don't have universal healthcare over here, we still have better teach.
- Oh and our food is better.
- Say "lets play a game, raise your hand if you've won a revolutionary war."
- Tell them that their biggest contribution to the musical world was the Spice Girls.
- Braveheart. Yeah, you guys are a bunch of dicks. Oh, and William Wallace owned you.
- Inform them that they created Canada. Yeah thanks for that.
- America has NASCAR. England has Mini-Coopers. I think we win.
- Tell them France is better. That will go over well.

Reasons why you're still single... dishware

You've eaten off the same plastic plate for the past week (all peanut butter sandwiches, but the way) and use nothing but plastic items as silverware.

I mean do you really need actual dishware? That just equals washing dishes which equals work which equals stress which equals heart problems which equals death.

Real dishes = death.

Just saying. That's your reasoning.

Epic Photo: This basically explains urinals

Stephen Strasburg is changing the names of towns

As if the hype around Washington National's pitcher wasn't enough, a town in Virginia has decided to change their name in honor of the prospect who is slated to start for the first time on June 8th.

No pressure kid.

Maybe the citizens of Strasburg, Va., haven't heard about the softening ticket market for Stephen Strasburg's debut on Tuesday, because this action seems rash if they're doing it to get into the game.

OK, they're not really doing it to get into the game, but an excited group from the town of 6,200 people wants it to be renamed "Stephen Strasburg" for one week next year. (The town of Strasburg is about 70 miles from our nation's capitol.) The movement already has a website (RenameStrasburg.com) and an accompanying Facebook group of 19 members.

My thoughts is that Strasburg is going to be one heck of a pitcher, but all these expectations are setting him up for failure. Everyone needs to slow down a tad.

JustSON at the Movies: Robin Hood

I was disappointed when I heard that they were redo-ing Robin Hood. Kevin Costner's movie is still awesome and fantastic in every way (and I'll say that about any Costner movie), but Russell Crowe's offering is actually quite good.

But don't expect a Robin Hood movie. This isn't your normal "Here is the Sheriff, here is the merry men" parade that you're used to. Ridley Scott decided to take such a rapid departure from past Robin Hood movies (and cartoons and stories in general), that he basically goes off on his own adventure with it.

Scott does a good job making everything look real, and by that I mean you're looking at a movie for the most part that is almost all principal photography. Not a lot of CGI thrown in there or at least it looks like it. The close-ups of Robin Hood shooting a bow isn't 

Surprisingly, the Sheriff and even Prince John are small players in this movie. The Merry Men are in it, but more for comic relief. Maid Marian is a solid, almost complementary costar to Crowe (played by Cate Blanchette). 

That shouldn't be a surprise, Scott directed Alien and gave Sigourney Weaver the heroic role. He also portrayed Richard the Lionheart as a bit of a buffoon, and how he deals with Richard really throws you off for the rest of the movie and gives you a weird sense of "what the heck is gonna happen?" There's also a few new characters that really seem to fit in nicely.

Oh yeah, and the French are bad guys. How cool is that? 

You'll like this movie because it isn't just a remake... it's a completely different story.

Worst Baseball Promotion Ever

Really Ms? These are the kind of promotions you're coming up with? Celebrating websites that every baseball loving male hates.

Nothing like a 7-year-old Internet meme to show the kids you're hip, right Seattle? What's next, redirecting the team site to Last Measure? (Note: don't go to Last Measure.)

It was actually the second annual "Cheezburger Night" at Safeco, after the site that stole the idea from 4chan and made ridiculous money on it (which is okay, because 4chan found Happy Cat at Something Awful.

Enough with the tangled history of a meme we all wish would go away. Let's talk baseball, or the desecration thereof! The Mariners offered discounts on tickets and Happy Cat bobbleheads while supplies lasted. (Supplies lasted; they drew under their season average.) But, worst of all, they changed up "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" to put it in Lolcat speak.

I'm waiting for BobbleGut Griffey night.

Reasons why you're still single... the need for TV

Okay so I went something like four days without television and nearly went insane. That's probably not speaking a whole lot for my priorities. There were probably like 800 different things I could have done, some of them even productive. However, all I did was lament the fact that I had no television.

(On a side note, I hope that Dish Network has TV Land...)

Gary Coleman's Coffin

This isn't too soon is it?

University of Washington softball

Tonight the Dawgs take on Georgia in the first round of the College Softball World Series.

Three Huskies, Danielle Lawrie, Jenn Salling and Niki Williams made the NFCA All-America teamfirst team.

The UW Daily ran this preview by Christian Capel about the World Series yesterday:

WASHINGTON (50-7)

It’s pretty simple for the Huskies: If Danielle Lawrie pitches like she has all season, they’re the runaway favorite to win another national championship. And this is where Washington’s offense really came alive in 2009’s postseason run, when Jenn Salling and Niki Williams started knocking the ball all over the yard and the Huskies put up runs at a record pace. Plus, UW is in the weaker half of the bracket, facing a familiar Georgia team in the first round, then playing the winner (assuming the Huskies win) of a game between No. 15 Tennessee and No. 10 Arizona. And the Huskies are 7-1 this year against WCWS teams, the only loss coming in their Pac-10 opener against UCLA.

FLORIDA (48-8)

There wasn’t much of a drop-off for the Gators this year after All-American ace Stacie Nelson graduated. Stephanie Brombacher has stepped quite nicely into the void Nelson left, leading Florida with a 34-6 record and 1.89 ERA. The Gators hit the ball so well, though, all she has to do is be mildly effective. Florida has four players with 15 or more homers, led by the 20 of Francesca Enea. Seven of the nine players in their regular starting lineup are batting over .300. That kind of production can make the difference in Oklahoma City.

Read the rest of the info about the teams at The Daily.

Well at least he gets a car...

You know doubt heard about Armando Galarraga's perfect game getting ruined by a bad call by the umpire. Well it might have a happy ending...

Bob Barker and Rod Roddy couldn't have planned it better themselves.

In the wake of Armando Galarraga's perfect-game-that-wasn't, Chevrolet and the Detroit Tigers rightly decided that the jilted pitcher deserved a grand gift anyway.

So a new Corvette was driven behind home plate prior to Thursday's game with the Cleveland Indians and presented to the man who has been nothing but class in the face of Wednesday's disappointing and unjust finish. That'll ease the sting a bit.

Even better, the feelgood moments didn't end once Galarraga was handed the keys to his shiny new whip. With Jim Joyce scheduled to work home plate for the day, Galarraga then carried the lineup to the tearful ump and shook his hand. Joyce remained emotional and responded with a thankful pat to Galarraga's arm.

Bud Selig came out and refused to change the call - the which would have been the last out of the perfect game - that the umpire obviously screwed up on. While replays clearly show that the runner was out, I'm not sure what precedent you set by changing rulings.

And how about all these perfect games? Yeah the steroid era is officially dead.

Those North Koreans are up to no good...

When they're not sinking South Korean ships, they're cheating before the World Cup starts. You'd think that coming up with a roster wouldn't be too terrible difficult but the North Koreans ended up messing up roster rules set by FIFA.

North Korea, also known as The Bad Korea, tried to pull a fast one on FIFA, listing one of their strikers as a goalkeeper, in essence gaining an extra roster spot. It didn't work.

Kim Myong-won was put on the DRPK's final 23-man roster, as the third goalie. North Korea had better hope their first two stay healthy, because Kim isn't actually a goalie. He's a striker, who the defensive-minded Chollima were counting on to provide a little extra offense. They apparently listed him without first consulting with FIFA to see if that was legal.

A goalie as a striker? Perhaps the US should employ that strategy against England, it might throw them off. As for North Korea, well just continue to weird...

Epic Video: LA with no cars

I saw this and thought that it was pretty neat.

Running on Empty from Ross Ching on Vimeo.

FIFA 2010 Vuvuzela

Yesterday I showed you about the Vuvuzela.

Now you can buy the official FIFA 2010 World Cup Vuvuzela.

Now I'm cooking

Good news everyone! I'm officially back on the grid as I used a Verizon wireless card to get my internet back meaning I'll be blogging like a mad fool. The bad news is that I'll be blogging like a mad fool.

(Most of it will be making fun of Casey) By the way, these past few days without internet has been absolute torture.

Now I'll be able to update you all on the ins and outs of the fine state of Montana but first I would like to provide you all a counter-argument to Casey's worship about Ken Griffey Jr.

Sure he was basically the face of Seattle sports for years when he was with the Mariners but don't forget he left the Mariners. To go to the Reds. In Cincinnati. In the freaking' state of Ohio. And his career went into the tank after that.

As good as he was in Seattle, he was just as bad everywhere else and wasn't exactly Mr. Baseball when he came back to Seattle. I'll give that last year he was actually a big boost in the clubhouse. But this year he was falling asleep during games, which isn't a big deal in itself but it just goes to show you where he was in his career. He'll make a much bigger contribution as a clubhouse presence or coach - hopefully inside the Mariners' organization.

This doesn't tarnish his legacy but it's part of it. He came back to a rain check with the Mariners for the fans, not to better the team. Griffey is still one of the best players in the game all-time, and probably one of the clean ones, but don't omit certain parts of his career because of it. Everyone was calling for Griffey's head before the retirement and then once he announced it, he turns back into cuddly Griffey. What the heck?

Still love the guy, just being realistic.

Ken Griffey Jr. retires

I saw on KOMO 4 news moments ago that Ken Griffey Jr. has retired.

SEATTLE – The Kid is hanging them up.

Seattle sports icon Ken Griffey Jr. announced his retirement Wednesday, bringing a close to an incredible career that spanned 22 seasons and included 630 home runs and a highlight-reel of catches. Griffey's retirement is effective immediately.

Griffey made his debut with the Mariners in 1989 as a 19-year-old, earning the nickname, "The Kid." He spent the next 11 years as the cornerstone of the Mariners' franchise.

He was traded to Cincinnati in 2000 but returned to Seattle in 2009 to finish his illustrious career.

Griffey's 630 career home runs rank him fifth in the major leagues, and has been a 10-time All-Star, winning the AL MVP in 1997.

Griffey hit 630 home runs in a 22-year career but this season was batting just .184.

Tip of the hat to you Junior. You were THE Seattle athlete while I was growing up. Thanks for the memories.

Vuvuzela

If you've ever watched soccer on a national stage, then you've heard those extremely loud horns being blown during the matches.

Those horns are actually called a Vuvuzela and are from South Africa. Here's a great piece explaining more about the horn.

NOTE: Best part of the video is his description about the small horns.

Russians Mars mission simulation

Six dudes. One chamber. Mission to Mars. Sounds like a bad reality TV show.

But it's not a TV show, it's an experiment, and it's happening.

MOSCOW — A manned mission to Mars may be decades away, but an international team of researchers will try to experience what one might be like by locking themselves up in a windowless capsule for a year-and-half — the time needed for a roundtrip to the red planet.

The all-male crew of three Russians, a Frenchman, an Italian-Colombian and a Chinese won't endure weightlessness, but from Thursday they will live for 520 days in the spartan conditions of a mock spaceship and follow a harsh regimen of experiments and exercise.

The main task of the Mars-500 experiment is to study the effects of long isolation to help a real space crew of the future cope better with stress and fatigue.

According to the study it has been determined that a great way to pass the time is reading. No crap. I could of told you that scientists. Sheesh.

Now what I want to know is how much these people are making? Living in a small area with 6 others for a year and half does not sound like fun with me. Especially on bean night.

I still think this should be a reality TV show. Last one in there gets to go on the real mission to Mars. And Jeff Probst can host it.

Hanson is back!

Brandon's favorite band is Hanson. Why, I don't know. Could be because its close to his last name. I'm not sure.

But he has all one of their CDs and listens to it on repeat over and over and over and, well you get the idea.

Apparently Hanson has continued to be around and soon are releasing their 5th studio album titled "Shout It Out."

The album is due out on June 8th and Brandon already has it pre-ordered through iTunes.

Little known fact is that Brandon actually started a band and called it "Hansen." His main song was called Doowop. Hansen never made it mainstream.

And nothing says 1996 like Hanson and Mmmbop.

National Running Day 2010

Today, June 2, is National Running Day.

I don't run, but I have lots of friends that do. Are you doing anything for National Running Day?

The mission of National Running Day is to designate one national day to promote running as a healthy, easy, and accessible form of exercise.

The initiative of National Running Day strives to strengthen, encourage, educate, and inspire people of all ages to participate in an easy outdoor activity that will help them become more healthy individuals.

So if you're into running and doing something to celebrate the day, let us know with a comment!