Hey everyone.  I am graduating from college on Saturday, something Bill Gates could never say. 

I still remember my first night at Mount St. Joseph.  I was in my dorm room with Nick.  We got Taco Bell and couldn't believe we had wireless internet and laptops.  I was on top of the world.  At the time, I wanted to be in interior design.  The times have changed.  I'll be graduated with a Bachelors in Sport Management and a minor in Business Administration.  

4 years of school, 3 seasons of baseball, multiple jobs, 2 dorm rooms, 2 apartments, and countless friends. Everyone tells you that college years are the best of your life.  I can see why, and it's not just because of the parties.  It's the first chance I got to be on my own.  I was paying my own bills, scheduling my own classes, and deciding what I'm going to do with my life.

Of course, I'm getting asked, "What are you doing after graduation?"  Going out to dinner with my parents probably.  I really haven't thought too far past that.  Seriously though, I have accepted an internship for the Florence Freedom, a semi-pro baseball team.  Living out my dream, that's exactly what I'm doing.  Working in baseball.  I decided that was the only route to go after I retired at the end of my junior season.  You just can't put a price tag on a centerfielder with no arm who hit .230 lifetime and couldn't run anymore because of leg injuries.  Baseball too, was part of my college experience, and one I'll never forget.  Mainly because I have a huge NCAA Championship ring to remind me.

I have received so much advice in my 4 years.  Some of it you let in one ear and out the other, and some stays with you.  Here are a few words that I really think are just cherry.

- Do something you love.  You're going to have to find a job.  You might as well get paid doing something that makes you happy to be getting out of bed every morning.

- Your education is what you want it to be.  This means, when you find a class or a professor you really enjoy, go all out.  If you have a class that you know you have no use for, do enough to get by.  You're always going to get out of it what you put in.

That's it for me everyone.  See ya.  We did it.

Hey everyone.  The NFL moved its draft this year from a two-day weekend event to a three-day primetime TV event.  It was amazingly successful in terms of the ratings, but we don't care about the ratings do we.  We care about who got picked and who picked them.  Who better to give us their in-depth analysis than MSJ students Jeremy and Dean. Here we go.

Me: Who should have been the #1 overall pick, and you can't pick me.

Jeremy: Tim Tebow.  Everyone is going to hate me now if they read this.

Dean:  Tony Pike

Me: What team did you think had the best draft?

Dean: Denver Broncos

Jeremy: Cleveland Browns.  Don't write the Browns.  Put the Bengals and say because they got Tim Tebow.

Me: Did you know the Bengals didn't get Tim Tebow?

Jeremy: Not yet

Dean: What?  Now I'm upset

Me: Which team had the worst draft?

Dean: Raiders, no draft can help them.

Jeremy: Da Bears, because they didn't have a pick until the 3rd round and no one is good by then.

Me: Tom Brady was drafted in the 6th round.

Jeremy: You're just not as good at interviewing as you used to be.  You're like Dan Rather.

Me: What Bengals pick do you think will turn out the best?

Jeremy: Jordan Shipley, no not really.  Andre Smith.  Wait, does it have to be present day?  Write down Tim Tebow.

Dean: Akili Smith.  He's a Hall of Famer

Me: Did you guys even watch the draft?

Jeremy: What draft?

Dean: No comment.

Me: Ok, I'm going to give you guys one more chance.  Do you think Sam Bradford will have a successful career?

Jeremy: Is that the guy who sings about sausages for the Cincinnati Reds?

Me: That's Bronson Arroyo.

Jeremy: Dan Rather.

Me: Ok, Dean, I'm giving you one more chance.  Sam Bradford's career.  What do you think?

Dean: Tim Tebow

Me: Who do you think the steal of the draft was? And no answer can have Tim Tebow in it.

Dean: Alualu.  10th overall.

Jeremy: I let Dean go first because I was being polite.

Me: So we're actually answering the questions I ask now.  That was my last one.

That is probably better draft analysis than you're going to get from Mel Kiper.  See ya everyone.

Hey everyone.  Since I am in a place in my life where money doesn't seem to exist, I've found I have to fill my free time with activities that don't break the bank.  I guess I already broke it technically.  Anyway, I've been watching a lot of sports movies, and I thought I'd compile my own list of the best sports movies ever.  If there is a movie not on the list that you liked, either I haven't seen it yet, or I just thought it wasn't good.  Either way you can let me know.  Ok, here it is.

Remember the Titans - No, I'm not starting off with a sports comedy.  It's definately powerful though.  Thanks Denzel.

Field of Dreams - Ever wonder if baseball was bigger than life?  This movie answers that.

Caddyshack - Not exactly how we picture a country club, but it's one comedy that made my list.

Prefontaine - I actually knew nothing about this track runner until I saw the movie.  You'll get quite a history lesson on him as well as the beginnings of Nike.

Little Big League - A corny movie, but what kid hasn't dreamed of running his own baseball team and having his own card.

Bull Durham - Not only one of the best sports movies, but one of the best movies of all time.

Hoosiers - If you're in the mood for inspirational, look no further than Gene Hackman.

Kingpin - I don't really know if it's a sports movie, but for my sake it is.  Plus, everyone loves Woody.

Rudy - I don't even like Notre Dame, but darn it, he had heart.

The Sandlot - I kind of feel like this movie sums up my childhood.

Tin Cup - Kevin Costner is all over this list.

Green Street Hooligans - Don't call it soccer.  This movie just makes me want to get up and go to my local pub.

Cinderella Man - Yea, the only boxing movie on the list.  I'm not huge on boxing but I like Russell Crowe.

I mean, I guess I could go on forever, but these movies are on the top of the list.  Not making an appearance on any of my list will be "A League of Their Own" or any movie which involves Air Bud.  Long live Kevin Costner

Hey everyone.  I was watching the Twins home opener yesterday, and they had a segment on Joe Mauer.  ESPN did a short run on his house, and then a run on his second house, which is his private getaway in the backwoods of Minnesota.  This intimate dwelling is a hunting spot for Mauer, and consists only of a full bar, batting cages, big screen TVs, and 2 bowling alleys.  Some people just try to keep it simple, and I respect that.  Anyway, it got me thinking about what rich people can actually afford, so I did some research on some extravagant possessions dwelling in the homes of the wealthy.

In the home of Nicolas Cage, you will find a dinosaur skull, which he purchased for a mere $276,000.  It's not so much a question of "why" but "are you kidding me?" that comes to mind.

Ok, this is a good one.  Jay Leno, the car connoisseur, must have a big garage.  He owns, at last count, 107 cars, including a McLauren F1 and a Lamborghini Miura P400.  Logic tells us he can only drive one car at a time, so by sheltering the others, he's keeping cars off the road and doing his part to be green.

Johnny Damon is, another baseball superstar, and one of my personal favorites, so I had to scope him out.  Johnny is rocking a two-story closet, complete with windows and a staircase.  Imagine the amount of clothes he has.  I am immediately envious.

Beyonce, we know those legs are nice.  It doesn't mean you have to drop $100,000 on a pair of gold leggings.

2007.  Akon purchases an entire South African diamond mine.  Sweet.

There's been a lot in the news about Michael Jackson being in debt.  I'd like to say that not everything he bought was outlandish.  Before his death, Jackson purchased ten artificial intelligence robotic dogs.  Necessity has a price too.

So, my dream house may not include all of these possessions, but I wouldn't be upset if I owned them either.  See ya everyone.

Hey everyone.  The plans are being finalized, and the wheels will soon be set in motion.  Groundbreaking is almost underway for the new casino to be built in downtown Cincinnati near Broadway Commons.  After Issue 3 passed last November, 4 major Ohio cities, including Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, as well as Cincinnati already have plans to open casinos.  Did Ohio finally get tired of losing money to Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania?  Probably.

So what do people think about having a casino downtown?  I've spent much of my hard earned money over in Indiana.  Whether it was the Argosy, Grand Victoria, or the new Hollywood Casino, I never came home a winner.  Does that mean I am against casinos?  Absolutely not.  First of all, it's just plain exciting to throw a wad of cash down with the hopes that your about to hit it big.  The big picture though, comes from what it will do for our city.

Here are some numbers I dug up.  Anticipated annual revenue from the casino will be $14 million for the county, and $22 million for the city.  That should do something to help out our deficit.  The project is anticipated to run around $250 million.  It's also going to be one of the greenest casinos ever built.  Cincinnati area construction companies are going to account for 90% of the workforce in building this beauty.  Helping out that unemployment rate?  I think so, but there's more.  Roughly 5,000 workers will be needed to help operate the casino once it opens its doors, which is expected to be in 2012.  Boosting those workforce rates up even more now.  Issue 3 also covers money needed for gambling addictions, which in my opinion, is your own problem.  Some people are worried about the crime that a casino could bring.  Issue 3 covers that too, with money for extra law enforcement.  Besides, I've been to lots of casinos, and they aren't exactly rundown, crime promoting areas.  Recent estimates showed that Ohio lost over $1 billion a year from people going elsewhere to gamble.  Not anymore.  We're creating jobs, building something that is far from an eyesore on the city, and having a gosh darn lot of fun in the process.  Everyone wins.  If all this isn't enough, I've added a picture at the bottom of beautiful people having fun and winning lots of money to prove my point.  See ya everyone. 

Hey everyone.  Today is, as I have heard it said by countless individuals already, a historic day for Reds baseball.  Today, March 30, 2010 the Reds announced that they will be serving sushi at all home games this year.  The sushi, provided by Sake Bomb Restaurant in East Hyde Park, will be making its first appearance on menus, and will be in meal-sized portions for $12-$14.  According to local food laws, no raw fish will be served, but you’re still going to be able to get your hands on California rolls, Smoked Salmon, Vegetable, as well as others.

Now, looking at this from someone who has seen hundreds of Reds games in his life, played baseball for 18 years, and is also in college for sports marketing, I think this is an absolutely brilliant idea.  Baseball isn’t the game of our ancestors anymore.  It’s more mainstream, and what is more mainstream than sushi.  Many teams have already implemented this kind of menu marketing.  Baltimore sells crab cakes, the Yankees serve full Chinese dishes, among countless others.   You can already get Penn Station, LaRosas, and Skyline at Great American, so why not go all out?

Hey everyone.  The greatest golfer in the world has hit the front pages again.  Tiger Woods will be rejoining the PGA tour to play the Masters on April 5th.  That's not who I'm talking about though.  Our very own Mount St. Joseph senior Nick Barlow captured a 1st place victory at the MSJ Invitational this weekend at Aston Oaks.  Barlow finished with a two round total of 153, putting him in a first place tie at the end of regulation holes.  He then went on to defeat the Dan Martina from Columbus State in a one hole playoff to seal the victory.  Along with the victory, Barlow claimed HCAC Player of the Week.

I was lucky enough to be on the course for this historic victory.  Before Nick teed off for his playoff match, I got a chance to ask him if he was nervous.

Nick:  I feel like I can hit my drive wherever I want right now.

He was right.  Barlow pasted his drive on the 1st playoff hole at Aston Oaks, landing just off the fairway, giving him perfect position for his approach shot to the green.  Columbus State's Martina went a few yards left and found himself in a fairway bunker.  I was part of the gallery on hand that watched the magic that was about to unfold.  Barlow proceeded to hit a gap wedge in from about 100 yards, landing on the back of the green, giving him a long birdie putt.  Marina hit one fat out of the bunker but then pulled out a terrific shot, chipping it to within 4 ft. of the flagstick with a chance to save par.

Barlow was up to putt with a chance to win the match.  The energy on the course was electric on the windy, overcast day.  As we watched on, Barlow left his birdie putt well short, leaving him 6 ft. for par, and turning the advantage over to Marina.  Barlow was still up, and needed to sink his putt for par.  He hit it in the dead center of the cup and the MSJ faithful went wild.  Martina now needed his 4 footer to save par and keep the match going.  He hit his putt, a short left to right breaker.  It trickled towards the hole, just missing the right edge.  The match was over.  Nick Barlow was the MSJ Invitational Champion and we all knew it was time to celebrate.

If anyone sees Nick around school, make sure to give him a pat on the back, as he carries his new title of The Greatest Golfer Ever.  See ya everyone.

Hey everyone.  I just got back from my spring break adventure to Los Angeles.  It was a blast, although traveling was not.  Prefering to fly as cheap as possible, my journey out was from Dayton to Atlanta to L.A.  The return was L.A. to Detroit to Dayton.  I learned a little about each airport as I wandered through, and also racked up some nice bar tabs.  I am not a fan of flying.

L.A. is possibly the busiest city I've been to, especially traffic-wise.  I've been to Vegas, New York City, and Chicago.  L.A. traffic is ridiculous.  My flight came in at about 8 PM and there was bumper to bumper traffic, the kind you only see around here about an hour a day on 75.  These people are scary too, switching lanes whenever they want and getting as close to they can as the car in front of them without hitting them.

I stayed in the San Fernando Valley, which apparently is quite expansive, but my first experience of the city was Hollywood.  I did see a few celebrities, but they were the kind that you know you have seen them in some movies but you have no idea what their names are.  C-list celebs I guess.  We ate at Hooters Hollywood and our waitress was, as I suspected, an aspiring actress.

The coolest part of the trip was probably Universal Studios. We watched Waterworld, and the lead female character was the lady who played Esme on Twilight.  I love that.  We also took a tour of the Universal Studios Backlot.  This was what I came to see.  Miles of sets, studios, props, anything you can think of that you need for a TV show or movie.  I saw some sets to Desperate Housewives, King Kong, Ghost Whisperer, and Psycho, as well as some others.  

Unfortunately, I haven't uploaded my pcitures from the trip yet, so next week everyone can look forward to then.  See ya later.

Hey everyone.  Tomorrow could be a big stepping stone in my life.  I have an interview for an internship for the Florence Freedom.  I know I have slammed internships in the past, but the fact is, I have to do one.  I am really hoping it goes well.  I have been doing a lot to prepare for it, so I put together some helpful tips since a lot of us are going into the real world and have to face the pressures of interviews.  As always, I have included the things you should not do as well.

1.  Dress for the job - You know I wasn't going to let this one slide.  Dressing for an interview doesn't always mean suit and tie.  You should research what the work environment that you are going into is like and try to dress the part.  

 What not to wear - Tuxedos.  They tried it in Stepbrothers and although I can't say the tuxedos were to blame, they didn't get the job.

2.  Have some questions about the position you are applying for - The more you can find out about the company before you go the better, but there are still going to be things you need to find out.  For example, "What would my job responsibilities consist of?"

 What not to ask - What is your policy on inter-office relationships?  Because your secretary is very attractive.  Focus on the job.  I don't know how many times I've made this mistake.

3.  Prepare your resume and alter it for the specific job you are trying to get - I've gone back and added some courses I thought would relate to the internship. The more experience you have the better, even if its some small activity, if it relates to the job, it could be helpful.

  What not to add to your resume - Don't embellish the truth, and even if you are the county's record holder for most bratwursts eaten in an hour, let it go man.  A resume is not the place.

4.   Send a thank you note after the interview - This lets the interviewer know you appreciated their time and the opportunity they gave you.  It's also a good way to stay in contact with them.  Even if you don't get the job, maybe you get some networking sources.

  What not to do after the interview - Proceed to ask for the secretary's phone number. 

See ya everyone.

Hey everyone.  I was listening to a conversation on the radio the other day about how more and more college and high school teams are changing their names away from their original mascots.  We're talking about the Indians, Braves, Redskins, and Chiefs.  The argument against the names is obviously that some people think they demean the people of that orientation.  Much of the argument is against the mascot itself and not the name.  For example, the Cleveland Indians got rid of big smiling Chief Wahoo because he supposedly stereotypes an Indian in an unfair manner. 

The other side of the argument is that the schools put these names in place not because they were making fun of Indians, but because they were brave, as in the name Braves.  Say we have a high school team named the College State Braves.  Their mascot is an Indian warrior.  People are going to complain because it's an Indian.  If the same school was called the Braves and the mascot was a white warrior, people would compain because they are saying only white people are brave.  Why don't we take the name for what it is?  Part of our history.  I don't think that any institution has put the name Brave or Warrior or Indian in place because they think the Indian mascot looks funny.  

I think that this problem represents part of our country's greater problem.  There is always someone wanting to complain about something.  We never take things as they are.  Not everything needs to be changed.  No everything needs to be tampered with.  Bring back Chief Wahoo.