Saturday, October 27, 2007
dear kathyr: those wee little bears were so CUTE!
KathyR, it was ever so nice of your team to come up and visit with our team.
GO COUGS!
[I have to take a moment to say that as someone born and bred a football fan, in Happy Valley PA no less, it was really disconcerting/embarrassing to have a foreigner taunt me for not yet knowing the appropriate cheers. Have no fear, German girl! I will know them for the Stanford game.]
GO COUGS!
[I have to take a moment to say that as someone born and bred a football fan, in Happy Valley PA no less, it was really disconcerting/embarrassing to have a foreigner taunt me for not yet knowing the appropriate cheers. Have no fear, German girl! I will know them for the Stanford game.]
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
sports-loving grad students
Many people in my program also love sports. That's probably not unusual, but what is unusual is that we all freely admit it and it's ok. It doesn't make us less intelligent or serious or scholarly to admit to liking football (or baseball or basketball or soccer). Except for the occasional posts from Collin, Derek, and Billie, I don't recall reading much about team sports and rooting for same. I know the comments sure pop up when sports are mentioned, but not so much with the individual posts, and some of us are in pick 'em pools on Facebook and the like. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places for academic-bloggers-who-talk-about-sports-too. More likely, my memory is crappy and there are tons of you who write about such things and I've just forgotten. Sorry!
Anyway...
One of my new school chums is in the process of visiting all the major league baseball parks—I think she has eighteen under her belt. During the first week of classes we were killing time in her office and ended up talking for well over an hour about baseball before we switched over to something like Henry James or how to teach FYC.
Then there's the softball team. We're part of an actual intramural league, with rules and tournaments and everything!
But most of all, there's football. I had at least five or six conversations last week, with different people, all about the upcoming college and pro season. Not just "Go Cougs" but thoughtful insights on various players and teams. Sigh. So wonderful.
Anyway...
One of my new school chums is in the process of visiting all the major league baseball parks—I think she has eighteen under her belt. During the first week of classes we were killing time in her office and ended up talking for well over an hour about baseball before we switched over to something like Henry James or how to teach FYC.
Then there's the softball team. We're part of an actual intramural league, with rules and tournaments and everything!
But most of all, there's football. I had at least five or six conversations last week, with different people, all about the upcoming college and pro season. Not just "Go Cougs" but thoughtful insights on various players and teams. Sigh. So wonderful.
Labels: grad school, sporty
Saturday, September 1, 2007
football season
I am very very very very very happy that it is football season. I am always happy to see football season roll around, but this year I'm even happier because it's been rough rooting for Giants baseball this spring/summer.
Then again, I am now morally obligated to root for the WSU Cougars (go cougs!) and they're not exactly poised to win the conference. But I will root for them nonetheless, such as today when they are playing Sara's team, Wisconsin. The next two games (home) should produce wins, but then we go to USC. Hmmm. I predict WSU will win six games overall. That's bowl eligible, baby!
A few fun facts: I walk past Martin Stadium almost every day. I can see the very tops of the lights from my living room. Next to the stadium are the 50-yard practice fields, and I've walked past football practice a few times. It's pretty cool. The practice fields are between the stadium and the library; the study carrels on the third floor of the library offer a spectacular view of the game!
I still care about my alma mater and will also root for SJSU (go spartans!). I predict they will win seven or eight games. Then there's Penn State, the school near my hometown. I was raised a Penn State fan. I took a few classes there and I care about how they do, so I root for them as well. Go Nittany Lions! I think they have a good chance to run the table, but I'll go conservative and say they'll go 10-2.
I am pleased that none of my teams play each other this year. Whew! That could get rough.
Then again, I am now morally obligated to root for the WSU Cougars (go cougs!) and they're not exactly poised to win the conference. But I will root for them nonetheless, such as today when they are playing Sara's team, Wisconsin. The next two games (home) should produce wins, but then we go to USC. Hmmm. I predict WSU will win six games overall. That's bowl eligible, baby!
A few fun facts: I walk past Martin Stadium almost every day. I can see the very tops of the lights from my living room. Next to the stadium are the 50-yard practice fields, and I've walked past football practice a few times. It's pretty cool. The practice fields are between the stadium and the library; the study carrels on the third floor of the library offer a spectacular view of the game!
I still care about my alma mater and will also root for SJSU (go spartans!). I predict they will win seven or eight games. Then there's Penn State, the school near my hometown. I was raised a Penn State fan. I took a few classes there and I care about how they do, so I root for them as well. Go Nittany Lions! I think they have a good chance to run the table, but I'll go conservative and say they'll go 10-2.
I am pleased that none of my teams play each other this year. Whew! That could get rough.
Labels: sporty
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
why i love mccovey chronicles, part 5748
This will be of no interest to any of you unless you're into baseball, reading about baseball, and/or the SF Giants. I think that excludes just about all of you!
Anyway, McCovey Chronicles is a group blog/online community that discusses any and all things Giants-related. It's part of the Sports Nation network, so there's probably a similar blog for your favorite team.
What makes reading McCC a bright spot in my day? The people. The Man in Charge is a talented fellow named Grant; I thought highly of him even before I knew he went back to school for creative writing at my alma mater. I've probably walked by him in the halls and never knew it. Go Spartans! But the community of people who comment on posts is just top-notch. Geeky. Nerdy. Pretty darn smart. For instance, the comments on a totally innocuous post about a draft pick finally signing with the team turned into a 70+ entry thread of puns on players' names from the minor league system.
It's one of those "had to be there" moments, I'm sure. I'm just saying that it's a welcome change from the typical juvenile comments that litter so many sports sites (have you ever seen the ESPN forums? talk about wanting to spork your eyes out. gah.).
Anyway, McCovey Chronicles is a group blog/online community that discusses any and all things Giants-related. It's part of the Sports Nation network, so there's probably a similar blog for your favorite team.
What makes reading McCC a bright spot in my day? The people. The Man in Charge is a talented fellow named Grant; I thought highly of him even before I knew he went back to school for creative writing at my alma mater. I've probably walked by him in the halls and never knew it. Go Spartans! But the community of people who comment on posts is just top-notch. Geeky. Nerdy. Pretty darn smart. For instance, the comments on a totally innocuous post about a draft pick finally signing with the team turned into a 70+ entry thread of puns on players' names from the minor league system.
It's one of those "had to be there" moments, I'm sure. I'm just saying that it's a welcome change from the typical juvenile comments that litter so many sports sites (have you ever seen the ESPN forums? talk about wanting to spork your eyes out. gah.).
Labels: sporty
there's more!
archives:
12/06 · 01/07 · 02/07 · 03/07 · 04/07 · 05/07 · 06/07 · 07/07 · 08/07 · 09/07 · 10/07 · 11/07 · 12/07 · 01/08 · 02/08 · 03/08 · 04/08 · 05/08 · 06/08 · 07/08 · 08/08 · 09/08 · 10/08 · 11/08 · 12/08 · 01/09 · ???
labels:
foody · grad school · home improvement · misc life · one local summer 08 · outdoorsy · sporty · teacher-like · technical interlude