I feel bad [...]]]>

Spending a lot of my time today following the nonsense surrounding the non-trade of Chris Paul, the point guard of the New Orleans Hornets, even though he doesn’t want to be. Unfortunately, David Stern, the de-facto CEO of the Hornets has blocked any trade of Paul… at least so far.

I feel bad for Dell Demps, the supposed general manager of the Hornets. He’s been completely neutered by the Commissioner’s Office.

Late word: Chauncey Billups has been claimed by the Clippers.

And so it goes.

Ciao for now!
Mike

There are many ways I could report on this game, but [...]]]>

Well, season 4 for the Duke Blue Devils under the guidance of coach David Cutcliffe began Saturday. The Blue Devils faced the Richmond Spiders, an FCS team (translation: Division 1AA) that has beaten them twice before, in 2006 and in 2009.

There are many ways I could report on this game, but for this week, I choose to replay it through a series of emails between my friend Loren back home in California and me during the course of the game. I’ll summarize (i.e. rant) at the end.

Game Time was 7pm EDT. I was following the game on ESPN Mobile as ESPN3 was unavailable to me at the time. Loren actually sent the first email at 17:35 EDT (5:35pm).

From: Loren (17:35)
Subject: Arachnophobia

Here’s to hoping today is the day that Duke overcomes their fear of Spiders!
90 minutes until kickoff…

Incidentally, Loren is a very good friend of mine from my time in California.  We’ve been through a bit together.  He went to Virginia Tech and he roots for the Hokies but he knows I’m a big Duke basketball supporter and when I started following college football, he was supportive of my support of Blue Devils football.

From: Mike (17:38)

I agree.
Incidentally, this should be my last weekend without TV video.
I’m looking forward to Duke-Stanford on ESPNU next week.
I just hope they don’t get spider-bit.

From: Mike (19:48)
Subject: Here We Go Again

Richmond 7, Duke 0
On a Sean Renfree fumble

Watching the replay on ESPN3, Renfree got hit on the hip followed by getting hit on the head.  In realtime, there was some concern that Renfree may had suffered a head injury.
Unfortunately, none of that comes across on a ticker.

From Mike (19:58)

Richmond 7, Duke 7
Nice drive, but now defense giving up huge chunks

From Mike (20:13) 8:13pm

Richmond 10 TO Points, Duke 7
Another fumble

Once Duke scored, Richmond drove down the field to the Duke 22.  On 2nd and 12, Richmond QB Aaron Corp was intercepted by Duke’s Walt Canty.  On the ensuing drive, Sean Renfree completed two quick passes.  After a 5-yard false start penalty, Renfree throws a screen pass to Brandon Braxton who went downfield 15 yards before coughing up the football.

From Mike: (20:23)

OK.  I’ve been a big Coach Cut fan, but he just punted on 3rd down.
I don’t get it.  Coverage on ESPN3, BTW.

When I watched the ESPN3 replay, I learned that ESPN ScoreCenter dropped a play from their plau-by-play and it was actually fourth down.

From Mike: (20:34)

Richmond 0+10, Duke 7
Weirdest 2 minutes I’ve ever read.
After 3rd down punt by Duke to 3 yd line, Spiders run the ball; Duke calls timeout twice.  Richmond runs the ball on 3rd down, doesn’t convert.  Then RICHMOND calls a timeout.
Half finishes with 13 yards to goal and 10 seconds, can’t score.  Doesn’t even attempt FG.

Is this how we’re going to become bowl-eligible this year?

OK, this is the problem with following a game with a ticker instead of actually seeing or hearing the game.  I already mentioned that the third down punt was but a fourth down one.  Duke had used all of their timeouts; so Richmond before punting the ball let the clock run down but called timeout not to take the penalty.

As for Duke’s time management issue, the 10 seconds alluded to were at the beginning of a play from Renfree to Braxton.  Afterwards, the players couldn’t get to the line of scrimmage in time for Renfree to spike the ball.

From: Loren (20:39)

I saw the attached and have talked myself into believing it’s an encouraging sign…unlike punting on 3rd down!

From: Mike (21:01) 9:01pm

Brandon Connette is #2 QB on the depth chart.
It’s normal for Cutcliffe in short-yardage situation.
A semblance of normalcy?
Richmond 10, Duke 14

From: Mike (21:10)

The Duke defense is generally considered to be the reason the Blue Devils can’t turn the corner.  Based on the Spiders’ last drive, things don’t bode well for the Dukies vs. Andrew Luck next week.

Richmond 7+10, Duke 14

From: Loren (21:19)

Luck’s crew didn’t exactly struggle to score today, I noticed.

From: Mike (21:26)

Conner Vernon and Donovan Varner, known as the Killer V’s, are Duke’s WRs, were both recruited from the same Florida high school, if I have my facts straight.  Vernon is a junior; Varner a soph.  (Senior/junior?)  They are the main cogs in Duke’s passing attack.

Richmond 17, Duke 21

From: Mike (21:31)

4th down pass attempt?
Was that the first desperation play for the Spiders?

From: Mike (21:39)

ESPN Mobile been sitting at 14:30 of the 4th for quite a while; anything happening?

From: Loren (21:41)

Cliche Alert: That could come back to haunt them.
Richmond 13 + 10, Duke 21

From: Mike (21:56)

Now he tries the FG???   ARRRRGH!

From: Loren (21:56)

It was a 28 yarder, for heaven’s sake. You MUST make those.

From: Mike (21:58)

Although it might explain why Coach Cut didn’t go for it at the end of the 1st half.
Frankly, Will Snyderwine is better than that.

From: Loren (21:59)

1:30 left: 3rd and 4 for Richmond at their own 26. Duke has burned their last TO

From: Mike (22:01)

A defensive stop would be nice.
Incidentally, congrats on your Hokies win earlier today.

From: Loren (22:02) 10:02pm

Duke will probably have a chance at a Hail Mary, but that’s it, unfortunately

From: Loren (22:03)

5 seconds left. Duke has it at the Richmond 41. Spiders have called timeout

From: Mike (22:09)
Subject: Richmond 23, Duke 21 [Final]

Without actually seeing the game, I’d have to say the Blue Devils lost the game, rather than the Spiders winning it.  I don’t understand some of the coaching decisions and the game was lost on turnover points.

Grade: F-
Not what’s expected from Duke students.

I was hoping the Dukies would cut down the Tree.
Maybe with some bad Luck.

And so it goes.

Ciao for now!
Mike

Scary news for the NBA: Blake Griffin 2.0 is on the way

My license expires on my birthday and since that was less than a paycheck away, [...]]]>

Any time I have interaction with a government agency, I expect delay and absurdity.  So, when I got my drivers’ license renewal notice in the mail last week, I looked on the situation with an air of foreboding.

My license expires on my birthday and since that was less than a paycheck away, I decided to go the DMV office nearest my house to get the license renewed.  Since I don’t have a vehicle at the moment, that meant taking the bus there.  The county has a fairly good bus system and with the help of a pretty good Android app named HopStop, I was able to map my route with little problem.

Here’s my account of what happened, recorded with WordPress for Android:

07:00  Left home to catch the bus for DMV

Generally, offices of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles open at 8:30 am.
Most people, me included, figure if you get there by opening, you can get in and out in a fairly reasonable time period.  Since I normally leave for work at 6:30 am for an 8am shift, I decided it would be better for me to leave early to arrive in time for DMV to open.  Using HopStop, I determined that leaving at 7am would get me to DMV @ 8:25am.  Perfect!

07:20  Stopped @ 7-Eleven for coffee & cigarettes

Nothing helps start a day better than coffee.  I can drink coffee anytime during the day, even before bedtime.  Coffee doesn’t overtly stimulate me; it relaxes me.  Cigarettes, on the other hand, are for stress relief.  Before I started working in retail, I had quit smoking for seven years.  As soon as I started working for the red bigbox retailer, I started smoking again and I haven’t stopped since.

07:40  Boarded S45 bus for DMV

Again, thanks to HopStop, I knew exactly where to wait for the bus.

08:30  Got off bus @ H. Lee Denison Building

08:35  Wrong building; walking to State Office Building

This was not the fault of HopStop; it was all ME.  I used DMV’s website to find the location of the DMV office, but I stubbornly didn’t ask the bus driver to let me off there.  I just got off where I thought the DMV office was.  The Dennison building has a sign in front asking smokers not to smoke within 50 feet of the entrance.  So, I finished my cigarette and headed for the door.  Fortunately, an employee stopped me before going inside and asked if I needed assistance.  She told me I was at the wrong building.  So, my own ignorance cost me 20 minutes.

08:50  Arrive @ DMV

OK.  So, 20 minutes later, I arrive at the State Office Building.

08:55  Going through security; set off alarn

One reason I hate airline travel is having to go through security.  Since 9/11, anytime you go to a government building, you’re faced with an identical routine.  So, approaching the scanner, I took my wallet, house keys and car phone and put them in the tray that the attendant had at the scanner.  So, of course, my belt (presumably) set off the metal detector.  The guy with the wand waves me forward and asks to see my legs above my socks.  I’m wearing jeans and tube socks; so that’s fun.  With nothing showing above my socks, I’m allowed to pass.

09:00  Waiting in “Information” line

A visit to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is always fun.  You stand in a lot of lines.  The more prepared you are, the less lines you have to stand in.  However, this line is so long that people are waiting outside the DMV office.  Once I got inside, the line was like one of those crowd control lines you find in a bank or an amusement park ride.

09:30 Cleared “Information” line: waiting in Line #2

Once I was called, I told the clerk that I was there for a license renewal.  I presented my renewal notice and she told me where I had to fill in the notice.  She also took my picture and sent me to Line #2.  Line #2 was actually a series of benches lined up in the same squirrelly crowd control fashion.  I guess they figured you might as well sit down while you wait.  While sitting on the benches, I filled in the renewal notice as I was instructed and then moved down the benches waiting my turn.

09:40 Called to Window 5; took eye test

This was actually the part I was looking at with the most dread.  The reason I went to DMV instead of renewing online was because the State required an eye test with this renewal.  I could go to an optometrist and pay for an eye exam or I could let this clerk do it for free.  My dread was because I wear reading glasses to read small print and I didn’t want to wear the glasses for the eye exam.  However, I was able to pass the test easily and after paying the license fee of $80, I was sent on my way with my original license and the temporary extension.

09:45 Finished @ DMV

I needed a quarter for the return ride home; so I decided to stop in the lobby shop and grab a Wild Cherry Pepsi and get the resulting change.  Unfortunately, the woman ahead of me was buying lottery tickets and doing her best to try and confuse the elderly male cashier behind the counter.  As someone who works in retail, let me just say that the best part of this encounter was that he was right and SHE was wrong.  She turned in a coupon for a free Pick 5 ticket which she insisted he hadn’t given her even though she was holding it in her hand.

09:52 Got lucky; bus was waiting outside the building even though it was due @ 09:47

My good fortune.  The Creator was smiling down on me for which I give my thanks.

I made a few stops before I got home at 11:20am.
So, all in all, it wasn’t as horrible as I thought it might be.

Ciao for now!
Mike