To kick off the 2013 College Football Season, I'm saying the game to watch is (No. 8) Clemson University vs. (No.5) The University of Georgia. Kick off for this game is Saturday at 8:00 p.m. (EST).
Noone likes to lose, especially in week one! This game will provide a preview for what's in store for these two teams for the rest of the season. Georgia ended the 2012 season hot- winning their last 6 regular season games, nearly beating Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and then beating Nebraska in the Capitol One Bowl. Can that momentum carry over to the 2013 season?
The University of Georgia is returning their entire offensive line, which will be lead by Quarterback, Aaron Murray for one more season. The defense has some new faces as they only have 3 returning players and lost 4 of last year's top tackles. As long as the offense can outscore the defense UGA should be in good shape.
But then there's Clemson. Clemson has 12 starters remaining from an 11-2 season and a big upset over LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Clemson has lost some key players on both offense and defense. This will now put more pressure of QB, Tahj Boyd to make sure execution is top notch.
The Bulldogs and Tigers have not played each other in 10 years. And on that day UGA shut-out Clemson, 30-0. That's the last time the Tigers were shut out.
Both teams have wonderful talent and the potential to make it to their conference championships. And we'll see what happens from there. You already know my prediction.
For this game, I say the Bulldogs over the Tigers!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I'll obviously be watching Rutgers play Fresno State tonight, even though the game doesn't start until 10:30 p.m. (EST)!! Who's with me?
What game(s) will you be watching this weekend!! I hope you have a wonderful Labor Day weekend! :)
Brett Eldredge is a country artist that just released his first full-length album, Bring it back, earlier this month! You may have heard his single, Don't Ya, being played on the radio. A few weeks ago, Brett made a deal with his record label that he would go skydiving if his single went to #1. What you may not know is that Brett is afraid of heights and yesterday he WENT SKYDIVING!!!! Don't Ya officially became his first #1 hit on the Country Billboard charts last week!
I LOVE when new artists find success and are so grateful and appreciative to everyone involved. It really is refreshing! Not that "older" artists don't feel the same way, but there's something special about the reaction of a first #1 hit.
Brett's album, Bring You Back, brings a soulful and acoustic feeling, both are styles that I enjoy. Numerous times when listening to album I found myself rocking or tapping to the beat. The songs are emotional, vulnerable, and heartfelt, and the fact that Brett co-wrote most of the ballads assures me that he's only getting started with exploring his talents.
Brett reminds me of Jerrod Neimann in his style and approach. Bring You Back is definitely worth downloading. Brett is someone who's just getting started and here to stay!
My sisters have officially left for school. Kaylee is starting her junior year and Kristine is starting her freshman year! This means I'm living at home by myself with just my parents (and dog) for the first time since I was, well, 3!
This is sure to be an interesting adjustment. I get along great with my parents and they're wonderful roommates ;), but it's definitely going to be different without my sisters here! I thought moving home after college was a big adjustment, so here comes round two.
I'm so happy and excited for my sisters. They're going to be having so much fun, finding their independence and making memories! College is such a wonderful learning experience and I'm excited to continue to watch them grow! Do I sound like a mom?
Anyway, they know I like Arts & Crafts and asked me to make some decorations for their rooms in their dorm/apartment! If for nothing else, this skill and love of mine would have made me a great sorority girl! :) I was painting all last week for them! #SisterOfTheYear #ThankYouVeryMuch
Kristine wanted a sign that said "Hakuna Matata" and gave me the colors to use, but didn't really care about anything else... this is what she got:
I had seen an adorable sign that said "PS i love U" and decided she had to have it since she was headed to Penn State. So this sign will also be in her dorm!
And last but not least, she wanted a print that said "A smile is the prettiest thing you can wear" and waalaaa...
If you know Kaylee, you know she's a Plain Jane. Her wardrobe consists of work out clothes and the color grey! Kaylee wanted to spice up her room a little bit (SHOCKER) but wouldn't have done it herself, so she asked if I would make her something to put on her wall. I made her a little collage of canvases in chevron!
She does love pictures and puts them all over her walls to add a little character. I made her this heart of lights to put all of her pictures in. I think it will give it a nice touch! :)
I'm going to miss my sisters, but I now have my own bathroom for the first time, ever. So that's a plus!
Hopefully I'll make some changes in my life soon and my parents will officially be empty nesters! But until then... it's just me and the pup living with the parentals. Wish me luck!
I don't know about you, but I literally can not wait for football to start! ONE. MORE. WEEK. I can't wait to be able to talk about actual games and performances rather than what might happen.
And ironically, today I'm talking about who my top prospects for the BCS National Championship are.
It's no secret that the favorites going into the season are Alabama and Ohio State. They both have definitely proved they have the talent on their roster to be the best.
You can't knock the dynasty that Nick Saban continues to build at Alabama. The University of Alabama has won 3 National Championships in the past 4 years. They have one more year with some key play makers, like Quarterback AJ McCarron, Running Back TJ Yeldon, and Wide Receiver Amari Cooper still on the roster. If they can win at least 10 or 11 games, I'm sure they'll be heading to Pasadena to compete for the title yet again!
And what about Urban Meyer's Buckeyes? Braxton Miller and Philly Brown have great QB/WR chemistry. Despite lots of close games, Ohio State had an undefeated 2012 season. They were banned from post season play and therefore did not compete in the National Championship Game. Bummer. If it wasn't for that, a game of The University of Alabama vs Ohio State University could have been played out last season.
But is anyone seeing any upsets?
Since the SEC Media Days I've fallen more in love with (code for became a bigger fan of) The University of Georgia. Fun Fact: My Grandpa played at UGA in the 50's before having an injury and later getting drafted into the Korean War. I know I said that I was impressed with the University of Tennessee and I was, but we all know they have a lot of work to do before they get to the National Championship.
Back to the University of Georgia. They were one defensive stand away from beating Alabama in the 2012 SEC Championship game. They're going to be a dominate force in the SEC this year. It's going to be interesting to see who makes it to the SEC Championship game and then who potentially goes onto Pasadena for the National Championship Title. Aaron Murray is an outstanding Quarterback and was just voted 1st team all-conference by the coaches of the SEC, beating out Manziel and McCarron. I would love to see the Dawgs make it to Pasadena for Murray's last season!
If smiles could win football games..... :)
The SEC as a whole is a dominant conference. No doubt. There's a lot of rebuilding going on with 4 new coaches, but there's also a lot of power. The University of Alabama, The University of Georgia, and The University of Florida all have the potential to go all. the. way.
Other schools that are going to be on my radar as National Championship hopefuls are Oregon, Texas A&M, Clemson, South Carolina, Stanford, & Notre Dame. Each of these teams have the potential and talent to make it to Pasadena, but they also have difficult schedules to over come. It only takes a few upsets in a particular team's favor and BAM!, National Championship Game!
I'm just so excited for the season to start and see how it all plays out!!!
Who do you see in the National Championship Game?
I predict The University of Georgia vs. Ohio State University. They're both hungry for a title!!!
To be honest, I've never really been a huge Luke Bryan fan. I obviously think he's smoking hot and love when he shakes it on stage, who doesn't? But a fan of his music, not entirely.
I was shocked (!!!!!!) when Luke won ACM Entertainer of the Year, but then when I thought about it, it's true. He's an entertainer. He puts on good shows more than playing good music. He gives the crowd what they want... his tight jeans, v-neck t-shirts, dark baseball hats, and probably the most essential aspect- his big pearly whites oh and, shaking-that-ass, duhh! For what it's worth, my sister said that Luke Bryan was her favorite and best concert of the summer. She had the "Mega Ticket" so she also went to Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert/ Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton, and Jason Aldean. I've never seen Luke perform live, but would like to! So, okay, Entertainer of the Year it is! -I still think that was a little premature considering he only started headlining at the beginning of the year, but I'll let it go. Maybe.
Don't get me wrong, from what I can see, Luke Bryan is a great guy. He loves his fans, appreciates them and wants to put on a good show for them. He wants a relationship with his fans and wants to give them what they want. I respect that. He has LBTV which highlights what he's up to and his life on tour, which I do catch up on every now and then. He's respected in the industry. I just don't care for his music. (Have his fans listened to his "Spring Break" Album? Those songs may be fun and appropriate in the moment, but com'onnnnn. His Sorority Girls song literally makes me cringe.. But I do have to admit, I enjoyed BuzzKill, I'm not sure why, but I think that song's funny).
Anyway, with all of that being said, I had high hopes for Luke's newest album, Crash My Party, which hit stores on Tuesday. I've been hoping that he'll be able to do more of what he wants to do instead of label personnel chirping in his ear. I want to see him come into his own. I want to see if there's something that I'm missing.
I was hooked on Luke's first single & title track off this new album, Crash My Party, after he performed it in April at the ACM Awards, and was excited for the release of the album.
Why did I like it so much? Was it because the first time I heard it was while I watched him perform it? Would I have felt the same way if I heard it for the first time on the radio? Did he hook me in with his sexy presence on stage? Maybe, but I still like it, even if it is a little cheesy!
With Crash My Party being Luke's fastest rising #1, ever, I knew hoped this album was going to be awesome! And now, after listening to it repeatedly for the past few days, I'm disappointed.
I don't really know what I wanted or what I expected, but I'm not that impressed. Most of the songs sound the same to me. Am I crazy? There's a good chance. I really really really wanted to love the album. I did. But I just can't see myself getting all giddy and over playing this album like I've done in the past with Jason Aldean, Brantley Gilbert, Zac Brown Band, Lady Antebellum and The Band Perry. (Still can't believe I didn't post about that one! My bad. And if you haven't listened to it in its entirety, you're missing out!)
I digress..
But I guess "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", comes to play here. Luke's had great success in the past few years and is still rising. He keeps giving people what they want. I just thought Luke was going to take more risks with this new album. That we were going to hear him do something he's never done before. Something different. But I don't hear that. Maybe next time. In the mean time, I'll continue to watch him perform and catch up on LBTV so I can watch him SHAKEDATASS and listen to his oh-so-cute southern drawl. See, you can't really dislike him!:)
Oh and according to Billboard, this album has the potential to sell almost half a million copies in it's first week. The third best debut-week of the year, behind JT and Jay-Z. So there's that. Impressive.
The songs worth listening to off this album?
Crash My Party, my favorite track!
Play It Again, best story-telling track, which I got stuck in my head and caught myself singing!
Dirt Road Diaries couldn't find a great version, but this'll do!
On another note, I'm so excited for Nashville to be back on!
I mentioned in SEC Media Days recap that I was going to devote a post to elaborate on Johnny Manziel and the hype he received at the Media Days about his "actions" this off season. Then Wright Thompson's piece on Johnny and his background was released, with Johnny's father making some questionable comments about him, but otherwise, provided some great insight (definitely worth reading). And now news has surfaced that Johnny Manziel is being investigated by the NCAA (& Texas A&M) about possibly selling his autograph- which is against regulations.
Since winning the Heisman Trophy, Johnny Manziel has had quite the life. He has attended parties, red carpet events, sporting events, and met celebrities, but also had to learn how to handle the new-found fame and never-ending attention/pressure of the media/fans! And let's just say, he's still learning.
Johnny with Lebron James, via his Instagram
Johnny has gotten into some trouble with things he's posted on social media and other poor choices he has made. These include, but are not limited to: Tweeting that he couldn't wait to leave College Station, being asked to leave the Manning Passing Academy early due to "over sleeping" and missing obligations (!!!!!!!), partying/drinking beer (he's only 20), and if the new allegations of him receiving monetary compensation for his autograph are true, it could cost him his college football career.
I'm not sure weather to feel bad for Johnny or think he brought this on himself.
He's a kid, we know this. But he is also a "public figure" with an image for himself, his school and the sport of college football to uphold. In each case (minus his new allegations) he has taken responsibility for his actions. But that's just it.. he apologizes after he does it, knowing that he shouldn't have done it in the first place.
Media crowding around Johnny at SEC Media Days
This is what makes me question Johnny's maturity level and wonder if he was ready for this "role"- regardless if it's a role that he's accepted or society has put him in. I think he's immature not only for his age, but for someone of such "high regard". His excuse, or really lack-there-of, for the Manning Academy being the top of my list. Like com' on man, you couldn't be responsible enough to make sure you have an alarm set or back-up. Even if he was drinking/hungover, he should have been there. He let down a lot of people that day, most of them being young kids and fans that look up to him. I don't like that.
There have been College Football players that have won the Heisman Trophy at a young age before, and what makes Johnny different from them is, again, his maturity. Take Tim Tebow for example. He won the Heisman at a young sophomore. He still had years left to mature in college and grow as a player. He had the attention just like Johnny is experiencing, but did not handle it the same way! I'm not saying I'm a fan of Tebow's, or that I'm not. Truthfully, I'm indifferent. I'm just saying that their maturity levels at that age were different.
Other athletes Johnny's age, who granted may not have won such a prestigious award, but are in the eyes of the media non-the-less, have not acted the way Johnny has during the off-season.
AJ McCarron, University of Alabama Quarterback and 2-time National Champion, is a great example of someone who knows he's looked at to set an example. At the SEC Media Days he said, "I want to be that type of guy that younger kids can look up to. I want them to have a role model." This is not me saying that McCarron deserved the Heisman, but I think he might have been able to handle himself a little better in the after math! (Maybe next we'll talk about what it will take for him to win in 2013)
Its been pointed out by the media that Bryce Harper, Outfielder for the Washington Nationals, is less than 2 months older than Johnny and the maturity levels are on opposite sides of the spectrum. It makes me wonder, does Johnny not take his "role" seriously? No one would care if some other, "regular" student at Texas A&M said they couldn't wait to leave College Station. But it has a completely different meaning coming from "Johnny Football". And that's also where the maturity comes in. He just can't say stuff like that and the fact that he took to Twitter to rant about "a parking ticket" can be deemed immature. Johnny said, "At points in time, I feel like it was blown out of proportion. But I should have known better," as he addressed the media at the SEC Media Days!
Whether you agree with the NCAA rules that say that students on athletic scholarship are not allowed to work or accept monetary compensation are "right" (and I'll tell ya, I don't- Texas A&M is making boat loads of money off this kid and he gets nothing in return? That's not fair), he broke them. He knew the rules and knew the controversy that would arise if he broke them. Johnny has shown that he is thinking "Me", not "We". Which I think will hurt him down the road when the NFL is thinking about him. (again, Bryce vs. Johnny)
Sure, his football skills and development as a young college football player and more specifically a Saturday in November at Alabama, put him on the map and in contention for the Heisman Trophy. But was he ready to win it? Was his ready to handle everything that came along with it- the media attention, the fan attention, the celebrity status, and everything as a whole? Was he ready to live his life fully in the public eye? I think it's safe to say, no.
But really, Johnny didn't choose this and all of it does not make him any less deserving of winning the Heisman Trophy or any less of a football player. Actually, we'll be able to judge that better once the season starts. You know that if he doesn't play to people's standards right off the bat, everyone is going to blame it on his shenanigans in the off season. And well, now I guess we have to worry about if he'll even be playing at all.
Based on the 2012 season, Johnny Manziel earned the Heisman and should reap the benefits. He should just be more mature in the decisions and choices he makes, knowing very well that everyone is watching and that people are looking to him to be a role model, whether he wants to be or not.
This Sunday I completed my second Jersey Girl Triathlon. This Triathlon is a sprint with a 300 yard swim, 11 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run. The Jersey Girl Triathlon takes place in Long Branch, New Jersey with the swim in the ocean, bike along the streets of the beach town, passing beautiful beach mansions, and running on the boardwalk.
I signed up back in January/ February with my 2 sisters (Kaylee & Kristine), 2 cousins (Kate & Audrey) and aunt (Linda). Kate, another cousin (Jackie), Aunt Linda and I had done it together 2 years ago and when we decided to do it again we were so excited to have our group grow. Unfortunately, Jackie tore her ACL in the spring and was unable to do it with us this time. She was a wonderful cheerleader and helped us tremendously on race day!
As I've mentioned, this year marked the 10th Anniversary of my Grandmother's passing. She always wore a vibrant shade of pink lipstick, called "Naked Pink". We wanted to honor her during the race and know she would have been so proud of us. We all wore the same shirt, though the color didn't totally match her shade of lipstick, and decided to call ourselves, "Team Naked Pink".
Everyone is split into age groups to start the swim, which is the first step to the Triathlon. Kate, Kaylee, Kristine, and I were all in the same heat because of our age. Audrey and Aunt Linda were in separate age groups. The swim was about 100 yards out into the ocean, 100 yards across, and then 100 yards back in. When we did this 2 years ago, it had just stormed or a storm was coming, so the waters were extremely rough. They had cut the swim down to just out and back. This made a big difference. Naturally, the swim was much harder this time than I remember it being.
After the swim, we run up the beach to the transition area to quickly dry off and get on our bikes. Our family was cheering for us as we got out of the water and started biking, which was fun! Kate, Kaylee, Kristine and I started together because we were in the same heat. Kristine and I started to fall a little behind and all of the sudden came across Kaylee off her bike on the side of the path. Her pedal fell off her bike. We told her to just cut across and head in the other direction, which would have cut off probably 2 miles. She refused to do that, continuing to the turn around point and finishing the race with one pedal. Kristine and I stayed with her the whole time and kept offering to take turns with her, but she kept saying no. She could pedal normally with the left foot and tried to put her foot on basically nothing to pedal on the other side, but it was a struggle. We even stopped at the "bike repair man" and he said that she was missing a part and there was nothing he could do. She probably pedaled a good 5-6 miles of the race with one pedal (we don't know for sure because there were no mile markers). Could you imagine? I would have cut across and headed back to complete the run, for sure.
This obviously messed up our times because it took us so long to complete the bike. But I wasn't worried about time, I just wanted to do it. My mom said she started to get worried that something happened because we came in a good 20 minutes after Kate. They all couldn't believe what had happened.
We completed the run a little staggered. And when we saw Aunt Linda coming towards the finish line, we all got back on the track and ran the last little bit with her to cross the finish line together! She had told us she wanted us to do that before the race and it was so fun!!
I love my family and the fact that we do these crazy "Forced Family Fun" things together. It was so much fun to push each other in training and plan the "activity"! I'm so proud of us! Can't wait to see the next "Forced Family Fun" adventure we come up with! :)
I know I've been talking a lot about the SEC lately. But that doesn't mean I've forgotten about my beloved Scarlet Knights!!
I've been a Rutgers Football fan and attending games for as long as I can remember. Rutgers is some-what of a family tradition with my mom, 2 uncles and 3 older cousins all attending the University. Rutgers, to me, is more than my alma matter. Rutgers is something that I associate with friends, family, football, my childhood, many memories and countless other blessings in my life. And on top of all that, Rutgers gave me the best four years of my life!
Wearing a Rutgers sweatshirt circa 1993
Graduation 2012
Rutgers University's Football team has had its ups and downs throughout
the past decade or so. And I've been there through it all. In a way, I grew up on the banks. Not only being a die-hard fan throughout childhood, being a student, and now an alumni, but having the memories that I have and being able to watch the football program grow into what it is today has been truly amazing. The fact that my family has full blown crazy tailgates for every game doesn't hurt either!
I was in the stands during games of complete disappointment through a 2-9 2001 season, but I was 11 and didn't know much about football. And then again in 2002 when the Scarlet Knights went 1-11. I flew to Miami with my grandpa, aunt/uncle and cousins for the game against the Hurricanes in 2003. I was there for the biggest win in school history when Rutgers beat Louisville, ranked #3 at the time, 28-25 on Thursday, November 9, 2006. I also traveled to Houston, Texas with my dad and other family members for the 2006 Texas Bowl against Kansas State. I was there throughout a devastating 2010 season of 4-8; the season with no bowl invitation and when Eric LeGrand became paralyzed. I have been there during the scorching hot days early in the season, and freezing cold ones towards the end. I have stayed during rain, snow, and really any weather condition that presented itself on game day. And I have taken numerous road trips to Syracuse, West Point (Army/ Dad's alma mater), Annapolis (Navy), etc, to cheer on the Scarlet Knights. But most importantly, I'm here now, as Rutgers finished the 2012 season 9-3 with a devastating loss to Louisville and shared Big East Champion title, and after facing difficult times in the off season. Rutgers is heading into their final season in the Big East/ American Conference before heading to the Big Ten.
To say that I love football and Rutgers, both together and separately, is the understatement of the century. I could not be more happy, proud or excited to watch the team and program "KEEP CHOPPING"! I also see some very fun road trips in the future once Rutgers is playing against those Big Ten teams!!! I've always wanted to go to "The Big House"!
