JSchool::Student+Alum Blogs

Meet the Millennial HuffPo | @Digiday (Y-rd)

Sat, 25 May 2013 23:57:00 +0200

Forget the image of an “influencer” as a seasoned industry exec with thousands upon thousands of Twitter followers. Star college basketball players who have tons of Facebook friends or popular sorority girls who have tons of Facebook friends are the kinds of “influencers” that David Arabov is trying to get his publication in front of because they are the ones who read it and help increase its audience.

What if God doesn’t answer my prayers? (Love God. Love People.)

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:06:32 +0200

Wrestling with the sovereignty of God is never an easy task, even in the abstract. Doing it in the real, everyday, muddy details of life is like trying to thread a needle while riding a bull. Recently, I've been wrestling with this idea, once again. It seems to be a theme of my life this […]

Wrestling with the sovereignty of God is never an easy task, even in the abstract. Doing it in the real, everyday, muddy details of life is like trying to thread a needle while riding a bull. Recently, I've been wrestling with this idea, once again. It seems to be a theme of my life this year.


For those who might not know, next year I've taken a position as an intern with Cru at OU, a Christian organization with a focus on sharing the Gospel, disciple-making, and world missions. It's literally a dream job, and I'm so excited to get to go back to the campus I love and share the love of Jesus, full-time.
But, before I go, I face a pretty big challenge. Cru staff, like a lot of other missionary organizations, raise their own financial support, by partnering with individuals and churches. I have to raise my own between now and August 1st. If I don't raise it, I don't go.
This is what's been really tough for me. I can put up post-it's with verses of God's promises of provision. I can memorize passages of Scripture that tell me of how He will not forsake those who seek Him. I can fall on my knees everyday, acknowledging my very real dependance on Him to provide the means for me to fill my mouth with food. All of those things, I am doing. But what's been hard, is acknowledging that He may choose not to.
I haven't even let myself think along these lines. But He could. He could choose not to bring the support in. He could choose, come August 1st, to keep me off staff. (Just writing those words was so hard, I started to cry.)
This is where faith gets real. Yes, it requires real faith to believe that God will provide me the financial support for an entire year. But I think it requires even more to believe that He is good, kind, and loving, even if He chooses to not allow the support to come in.
What will I do, if that happens? Will I hate him, and curse him, like Jonah? Or will I stand with Job, and say, "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."?
As of now, I'm fairly certain I would curse Him, just to be honest. It would be so excruciating to see yet another dream die, another hope deferred.
But I must, I must, believe that He is in control of ALL things, good and bad. I must believe that He works all things for my ultimate good. I must believe that if He did not spare His own son for me, then neither will He withhold any other sort of good from me, (no matter what I think good looks like.)
Oh, God, change my heart that I might be able to say, no matter what happens this summer, "Blessed be the name of the Lord."



Is Obama Richard Nixon? (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Wed, 22 May 2013 07:00:00 +0200
Despite what you may hear from some of his more fevered critics, President Barack Obama's recent scandal-quakes don't appear to fall anywhere near the level of Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal. But by another Nixonian yardstick, trying to muzzle on press freedoms, Team Obama appears to have surged into the lead.     





Peter King: There's no good reason to move back draft; mail (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Tue, 21 May 2013 17:04:22 +0200
BOSTON -- I've been trying to find reasons to justify the NFL pushing back the draft by a whopping three weeks next season, to Mother's Day weekend, May 15-17. I can't find one. I'm not alone.


“People find some reason to believe” (Anthony Castrovince, BSJ '03)
Mon, 20 May 2013 23:43:31 +0200
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.comOn Twitter: @Castrovince All right, fine, I’ll bite: I believe in the Indians. I believe that what’s happening these last few weeks — the wins in 18 of their last 22, the plus-54 run differential in that span, the relentless pursuit of runs even against Cy-caliber arms and the opportunistic approach to the […]


Peter King: Brady more confident than ever as Patriots need him more than ever (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Mon, 20 May 2013 06:07:30 +0200
Considering what a transcendent talent Tom Brady is, the career he's had, and that he turns 36 in 11 weeks, this statement he made to me over the weekend is significant: "Going into my 14th year, I have never had more confidence in how I am throwing the football. I've never felt better throwing the football."


“All you want to do is believe” (Anthony Castrovince, BSJ '03)
Thu, 16 May 2013 15:48:59 +0200
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com On Twitter: @Castrovince The Indians have been a contending team at this late (and by late, I of course mean … not at all late) juncture of the season schedule for three consecutive years. They have established a tradition of early season excellence. Or at least competence, which, even when followed by […]


Peter King: Woodson a good veteran fit for Broncos; remembering Muncie; mail (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Tue, 14 May 2013 20:03:58 +0200
Three quick-hit thoughts:


What I'm going to do today. (person on the street)
Tue, 14 May 2013 18:18:00 +0200
Welp, Erin ya graduated college. It's about time you started writing your people observations again.

I'm a busy body, a busy bee. I like to go, and I like to be going. And when all the GO GO GO turns into SIT SIT SIT around and watch Kitchen Cousins and Curb Appeal for seven hours straight, two things happen: one, I have really beautiful and memorable intense workouts (thank you!) and two, I start thinking. I have been going for four years straight and I thought I would take a week to let myself rest before I let myself fix my portfolio or post in my blog or apply to ten jobs a day or unpack all of the boxes now sitting in my parent's garage.

But there's a problem with trying to let myself rest: I'm a thinker. And when I get thinking, I get really thinking. First, I replayed my last semester in Athens. (Yes, It was a great one, but this blogpost isn't about Athens... I think there are enough nostalgic manifestos that I'm afraid to even read because I'll cry let alone write my own cookie-cutter version of.) Then I replayed my own experiences over the last four years.

So, yeah, I'm going to talk about me. Suck it.

I thought of the four principles, two academic and two personal, that I lived by in college and I'm going to feature them over the next four days.

The first academic principle: I took extra classes that challenged me and had absolutely no importance towards my graduation.

The second academic principle: I did not let myself be a selfish student. 

The first personal principle: I never said no to adventure or good conversation.

The second personal principle: I let myself become an artist. 


Nearly 20% on Forbes Ranking Of Top 100 VCs Do Deals in China (Rebecca Fannin, BSJ '77)
Mon, 13 May 2013 23:14:00 +0200
VC pro Hans Tung of Qiming with tech star David Li of YY
The impact of tech innovation in China can be seen in the just-released Forbes Midas listing of top venture investors.
Of the 100 top tech investors on the list, 17 VCs are actively investing in the Chinese market or have made at least one deal in the Mainland. If you add in those who have overseen their firm’s strategy in China, the group expands to 19, including such notables as Jim Breyer of Accel and John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins.
Next to the U.S., China soars on a breakdown of geographic markets on the Forbes list. China also out-distances that other notable Asian venture market, India, by a long shot. India counts three dealmakers within the ranking. Remarkably, some 20% of the top 100 VCs have invested in these two emerging markets, a major development in recent years for these Startup Asia markets. 
Read full post here. 
Hans Tung, pictured above, is one of the VC pros who is speaking at our Silicon Dragon Beijing 2013 forum, May 29.  


Peter King: This week could be pivotal for Manti Te'o as the Chargers veterans report  (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Mon, 13 May 2013 12:17:31 +0200
So the early reviews on Manti Te'o are positive in San Diego, but what would they be, really, when the players aren't in pads and it's only the rookies out there? Today, when the veterans report and the full squad begins offseason training activities, is when he and his fellow Charger rookies really start to be measured.


10 hilarious digital media parodies - via @iMediaTweet (Y-rd)
Sat, 11 May 2013 15:05:00 +0200
10 hilarious digital media parodies - iMediaConnection.com

This one is especially hilarious:




“You see where I’m coming from?” (Anthony Castrovince, BSJ '03)
Tue, 07 May 2013 19:33:12 +0200
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com On Twitter: @Castrovince Naturally, nothing I write in this space can compare to the captivating nature of the Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight story. Or frankly, to the entertaining nature of the now-viral interview with Charles Ramsey. But if you’re up for a distraction from the biggest story in Cleveland [...]


Peter King: Nobody balances need vs. value better than the Ravens; mail (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Tue, 07 May 2013 17:47:48 +0200
The fashionable thing to say for men who run drafts is they'll set their boards and honor them and take the best player available. I believe general managers approach drafts that way, but when it comes time to pull the trigger, they're going to pay more attention to positions of need than they'll admit. They should. If you're set with two good young tackles, why pick a tackle, just because the top guy on your board is a tackle?


Peter King: Vikings' strategy one of many that paid off in draft (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Mon, 06 May 2013 06:35:43 +0200
It struck me during the draft, while watching the Rams go hard after Tavon Austin and Alec Ogletree, that there are four kinds of draft strategists in football today:


How to update census' race question (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Sun, 05 May 2013 07:00:00 +0200
A notable example of how Americans fall through the cracks in census data-gathering caught my eye recently. It appeared on the black-oriented TheRoot.com website under this intriguing headline: "I found one drop; can I be black now?"     





Snapshots on the Farm (Holly Stebbins Michael, BSJ '96)
Sat, 04 May 2013 18:39:00 +0200
A warm, dry day in May is perfect for planting season. Our family is getting into the fields this week to start planting corn and soybeans.




From Your Feminist Friend Here: Great Piece from The Atlantic about the Word 'Feminism' (Y-rd)
Sat, 04 May 2013 17:29:00 +0200
Wow! This commentary about feminism in The Atlantic really hits home. I'm so sick of having to explain that the word "feminism" is just a lowercase word to describe the support of equality despite gender/sex/race. And yet I find myself ducking from the word like this author:
And yet, in my professional and personal life, I increasingly find  myself talking about feminist ideas without actually using the word  "feminism." Why? It is exhausting to preface every conversation about  combating misogyny with winsome, disarming anecdotes about how I  actually do like men—enough to even marry one!—and how I actually haven't burned any bras (and probably never will, because they are so  expensive). I'm tired of doing this myth-debunking dance, and, weirdly  enough, the conversation often goes more smoothly if I just avoid the  "F-Word" entirely.
But neither of us drop the word entirely:
And yet, when I get to the point of ditching the word "feminism"  entirely, something holds me back. I think of myself as that college  student again, just waking up to the pervasiveness of sexism. My world  was cracking open and in that tumult, feminism, as both word and ideal,  became a life raft for me. I clung to it. 
It's telling that the friend who sent this to me says "for my feminist friend." I'm proud to carry that label, but after reading the piece, it makes me chuckle that I'm someone's "feminist friend." It's that unique these days to call oneself a feminist, even among other independent, smart women.

Go read it!

And thanks to my fabulous feminist friend who sent this. Whether you label yourself that way or not, I always admire your outlook of the world. ;)


Obama's 2nd-term blues? (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Wed, 01 May 2013 07:00:00 +0200
Was President Barack Obama really joking at Saturday's White House Correspondents' Association dinner? Or was he showing, as I suspect, early signs of the second-term blues?     





Sign of the Farmpocalypse (Holly Stebbins Michael, BSJ '96)
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:48:00 +0200
Every issue of Sports Illustrated has a brief quote titled Sign of the  Apocalypse, a humorous but true sports news item that makes you wonder--have  we gone too far? In that spirit, I present another installment of Sign of the  Farmpocalypse, because I just can't make this stuff up.

A newspaper in Australia was forced to issue a correction about a story on pigs that were endangered during a flood. They originally reported 30,000 pigs as being lost, when actually the farmer said, "30 sows and pigs." [Note: I realize this clips is from 2011.]


Peter King: NFL must create environment for others to follow Collins' lead; mail (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:13:06 +0200
In the wake of NBA player Jason Collins' decision to come out as gay in this week's Sports Illustrated, the obvious conclusion to draw is that it will start a trend of players to do the same.


Peter King: Inside the Rams' war room and more draft thoughts (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:26:07 +0200
ST. LOUIS -- When you spend a round in a team's war room, as I did Thursday night with the Rams, you understand why so many players, coaches, scouts and executives are magnetized to this game and cannot give it up.


Sunday Morning (Michael Dibari)
Sun, 28 Apr 2013 17:44:46 +0200
Sunday mornings have always been peaceful and reflective. Most Sundays, we just relax and watch CBS Sunday Mornings on the television. When I was younger I used to like to go exploring, either by bike or by scooter (a couple times in my life I had a scooter which was great for just driving around [...]Sunday mornings have always been peaceful and reflective. Most Sundays, we just relax and watch CBS Sunday Mornings on the television. When I was younger I used to like to go exploring, either by bike or by scooter (a couple times in my life I had a scooter which was great for just driving around the neighborhood). More recently, I used to go out with my camera and take photographs. Then kids, work, more work and life made it more difficult. This morning I was able to go out for a little ride and find a few images. Sometimes that’s all you need.
  

   


Give 'bomb control' a chance (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Sun, 28 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0200
He thought his wife was in love with another man, police say, so James L. McFillin of Baltimore decided to blow up the other man.     





Snapshots on the Farm - Auction Edition (Holly Stebbins Michael, BSJ '96)
Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:41:00 +0200
Morgan and her cousin were big helpers at our pig auction this weekend.




7 Characteristics Of Creative People | @BusinessInsider (Y-rd)
Sat, 27 Apr 2013 17:24:00 +0200
A fascinating look at the benefits and tradeoffs of being around creatives. 
7 Characteristics Of Creative People - Business Insider: ... "creative people are not always equally practical and performance oriented" ... an employer looking to bring creativity into her organization "would be wise to conduct a position analysis to weigh the requirements for the ability to cooperate against the need for creativity."


Tomorrow (Holly Stebbins Michael, BSJ '96)
Sat, 27 Apr 2013 04:36:00 +0200
Tomorrow is our annual pig auction and the kids (and Husband) are all quite excited. In fact, it's 10 p.m. on a Friday night and I am the only one still up. Tomorrow is going to be a HUGE day.


Preparations for tomorrow started last September when Husband had to plan out which sows would be mated with which boars, so we could have little pigs the right age in April.



Husband has been working hard the past two weeks to sort out the pigs he wants to sell (the pigs are being auctioned to 4-H kids and families who want to take a pig to the fair). Each pig has a new ear tag for easy identification during the auction and has had a haircut by world-renowned pig groomer, Claude'.


Tomorrow, we will load up the pigs on multiple hog trailers, gather up all the 4-H volunteers and family members we can find and head out to the local fairgrounds, where we'll wash each pig (and by "we," I mean the kids) and put them in pens for families to review prior to the auction.



From our youngest helpers to the camera-shy Claude' (see him in the background of this photo!), to even me and the other women in the family as sale clerks, this is truly a farm family event. Tomorrow we will work hard, sell a LOT of pigs (we hope) and then march our stinky selves into the local Big Boy minutes from closing and order a ton of food.

Tomorrow at this time, I'll probably just be turning off our ancient sale computer. 

So tonight I better get some sleep.








Peter King: Looking back on a strange first round, ahead to a starry second (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:33:26 +0200
ST. LOUIS -- After the strangest first round of an NFL draft that I have seen, here's a look at the bizarro-world day-one (yes: Justin Pugh and Travis Frederick; no: Geno Smith and Matt Barkley) and a look ahead to a second day that will be starrier than the first.


Annual ImPRessions Awards Banquet Recap (OU ImPRessions)
Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:11:28 +0200
By: Kiley Landusky Last night the OU ImPRessions internal account hosted an all-firm end of the year banquet in Ping lounge. It was a night to celebrate and recognize numerous accomplishments of the 18 accounts all linked under the ImPRessions … Continue reading →


“That’s when the DJ dropped my favorite tune” (Anthony Castrovince, BSJ '03)
Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:14:06 +0200
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com On Twitter: @Castrovince Spinning, I’ve come to learn in recent months, is a great way to expend a tremendous amount of energy while going absolutely nowhere. It is both exhilarating and defeating, offering all the physical benefits of performance cycling without any of the beautiful vistas or genuine sense of accomplishment in [...]


Peter King: My 2013 Mock Draft (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:57:24 +0200
I say it every year, but this time I really mean it: There'll be a mad dash to trade down from the top. There's no Andrew Luck superstar to froth over, but there's good depth from 10 to 50. Here's how Round 1 will play out. 

(Editor's Note: NFL Draft Live: 3 p.m. ET Wednesday and Thursday on SI.com. Watch Peter King and Don Banks discuss the hottest draft topics on our live SI.com draft show heading into Round 1. Submit your questions on Twitter using the #SIDraftLive hashtag)


When profiling becomes a real menace to society (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0200
Some media found the possibility that foreign terrorists bombed the Boston Marathon to be too tantalizing of an explanation to pass up, even when it snares the wrong suspects.     





Peter King: Trying to get inside the mind of draft's quietest top-10 team; mail (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:26:08 +0200
Is it just me? Are the Arizona Cardinals in the witness protection program for this draft? The Cards, with the seventh pick, seem positively under the radar like no other team in the top 10. I had the chance the other day to look into their feelings about the pick and about the tenor of the top of this unpredictable draft with Cardinals GM Steve Keim, who, like so many of his peers up top, will be running a draft room for the first time.


My Journey as a Young PR Professional (OU ImPRessions)
Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:20:13 +0200
Briagenn Adams  I came to Ohio University with my heart set on news writing and print journalism. As a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed freshman, I bounced out of bed every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 7:15 a.m. sharp, convinced that Journalism 101 was … Continue reading →


Peter King: Inside how the Revis trade to Tampa Bay finally went down (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:33:43 +0200
By Sunday morning, the Bucs and Jets had worked out the trade details for Darrelle Revis -- Tampa Bay's first-round pick in this draft and likely a third-rounder next year to New York. The Bucs had a contract done with Revis -- six years, $96 million, none of it guaranteed. But there was no deal yet. Revis had to pass the Tampa Bay physical, and if his surgically repaired knee wasn't healing to the Bucs' liking, this deal wasn't going to get done.


Gun vote reveals new GOP divide (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Sun, 21 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0200
It pains me to congratulate the National Rifle Association, but the organization's aid to the U.S. Senate's defeat of background checks for gun purchasers was an impressive victory — against common sense.     





The Anxiety of the Unanswered E-mail | @NYTimes.com (Y-rd)
Sat, 20 Apr 2013 16:47:00 +0200
This is an interesting analysis on a trend in our culture to ignore rather than respond to messages you don't want to respond to. The ease of technology has broken down barriers and made it easier to communicate (perhaps even when you shouldn't). Our defense mechanism is to ignore some of the messages. Of course this isn't a new human response:
The Anxiety of the Unanswered E-Mail - NYTimes.com: Over the last few years, Adam Boettiger, a digital marketing consultant based in Portland, Ore., said, “We’ve seen an increase in the nonresponse rather than just politely declining. You delete it and hope it goes away, just like if someone comes to your door and you pretend you’re not home.”


Millennials Turn Up the Radio | @SN_News (Y-rd)
Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:17:00 +0200



Anxiety + Alcohol --> Facebook  (Y-rd)
Thu, 18 Apr 2013 05:33:00 +0200
Confirmed: Facebook among ways that Millennials self-medicate. 
Study: Anxiety and alcohol use linked to Facebook | Cutting Edge - CNET News: He found that the students who reported both higher levels of anxiety and greater alcohol use also appeared the most emotionally connected with Facebook


No. 1 goal: Find who did it (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Wed, 17 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0200
President Barack Obama has made it official. The Boston Marathon bombing was an "act of terror."     





Peter King: Even in wake of tragedy, we can't change who we are; mail (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:06:57 +0200
Monday, and Boston, struck us all in different ways. I thought of the nearly three years my wife and I called Boston home, of the sights and local businesses we frequented in the area, and the people that worked there. The Marathon Sports store, at the finish line ... bought five pairs of shoes there, including the one I used for the 2010 half-marathon I ran. Friendly, helpful and encouraging to a decidedly out-of-shape guy like me. That Atlantic Fish restaurant ... ate there four or five times. That Abe and Louie's ... drank there a few times. That Lenscrafters ... made the glasses I'm wearing right now. In fact, when I picked up a pair there once and tied Bailey outside, they said, "Bring her in!" And so Bailey, my golden retriever, came in and sniffed all the lab techs.


Peter King: New GMs, coaches with early picks making draft hard to predict (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:03:26 +0200
Lord. How great was that golf? Angel Cabrera's approach shot on 18 and Adam Scott's putting and Cabrera's excruciating near-miss putt and Scott's winning putt ... and the sportsmanship. The real sportsmanship. And hitting those championship shots under such tremendous pressure. That's one of the best 40 minutes of sport I can recall, in any game, any match.


Rand Paul has lotsa 'splaining to do (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Sat, 13 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0200
Within hours after Sen. Rand Paul's news-making speech at historically black Howard University, someone posted this new definition on the user-driven Urban Dictionary website of an awkward-sounding but quite timely verb: "whitesplain":     





An Open Letter to My Brothers and Sisters (Love God. Love People.)
Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:33:26 +0200
I’m going to deal with an in-house issue today. This is an open (letter, blog?) to all of my fellow Christians. So if that’s you, then stick around. If you’re not a Christian, feel free to read it (in fact, please do) but I do want to include a side not. Just because I’m saying [...]I’m going to deal with an in-house issue today. This is an open (letter, blog?) to all of my fellow Christians. So if that’s you, then stick around.
If you’re not a Christian, feel free to read it (in fact, please do) but I do want to include a side not. Just because I’m saying these things does not at all reflect any animosity. I’m writing this to people I consider my “brothers” and “sisters” in Christ, and that’s exactly how I feel about them. I love them dearly and intensely. Nothing can change that. Even when they hurt my feelings, (which, as my “family” they often do,) I still love them. So please read this post as a discussion between siblings who are trying hard to live life as a family, with all of it’s faults and failures.
Alright, that said, here’s what I really wanted to get to. Tomorrow, I will have been engaged for two weeks. Not very long! The word has still been getting around.
And it seems that every time, after the initial “congratulations!” the same question follows; “So when is the wedding?” A natural question. Totally fine. It’s been people’s reactions to my answer, however, that have been hurtful.
See, even though Clay and I got engaged in April, we’re not planning on getting married until late May/early June of 2014. There are several, personal, economic, and familial reasons behind that, but the largest reason for that date is because next year I will be serving as an intern with Cru at OU (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ.)
This is something I’ve felt God leading me to for over a year now, and in the past few months the call has been more than confirmed for me. The internship runs August-April, and in that time, I don’t get any vacation time (other than holidays and such.) So, obviously, wedging a wedding in there would be pretty much impossible.
We talked about it, and although we definitely desire to be married sooner rather than later, this is what we feel is right for us, what God wants for us.
So it really hurts my feelings when people express surprise, and veiled (or not-so-veiled) judgement at our 15+ month engagement. I understand that typically in Christian circles, 6-8 month engagements are far more typical, but that’s just not a reality for us.
A long engagement is not a sin. Please don’t suggest that I ought not to intern with Cru just so that I can get married sooner (and yes, several people have said that to me.)
I wouldn’t blame someone if they did that, but I feel that to do so would be disobedient to what God has called me to do. So it really hurts when people suggest that I’m stupid, sinful, or some combination of both to choose to wait so that I can serve the Lord for less than a year.
I firmly believe that my life is not my own. I belong to the Lord, and to the Lord alone. I do what He has asked, even if that means waiting over a year to get married. I’m sure it will be hard. But I am indwelt with the Spirit. His grace is sufficient for me, for His “…power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor 12:9) I will endure, I will learn to love God and Clay more, and I will have joy in it all.
So please, remember to watch what you say. Let only good things come out of your mouth, “such as is fit for building up, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph 4:29)
And please, don’t tell me how much I’m going to hate being engaged by the end. I’m just starting to enjoy it now.
That’s it. Love you all, brothers and sisters, I just want you to know. Ok, now let’s get back to regular life.

   


“I’m disturbed, I’m depressed, I’m inadequate… I’ve got it all!” (Anthony Castrovince, BSJ '03)
Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:18:34 +0200
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com On Twitter: @Castrovince We’ve spent the last few months talking about how interesting these 2013 Indians would be. Well, they’re interesting, all right. In what was supposed to be the ninth game of the season, the Indians were set to use their seventh starting pitcher (Corey Kluber: No. 7 in your depth [...]


The Best Little Panty Raid in Ohio (The Barrel Racing Blog)
Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:15:54 +0200
Hi Everyone : ) It’s been a while, I know I know. Things are nuts, and I know that’s what I always say, but, seeeeeeriously… not kidding. I just wanted to stop by and remind y’all to catch the Best … Continue reading →   Hi Everyone : )
It’s been a while, I know I know. Things are nuts, and I know that’s what I always say, but, seeeeeeriously… not kidding.
I just wanted to stop by and remind y’all to catch the Best Little Panty Raid in Ohio that On the Road with Dawn and Clea are producing! It’s going to be TOPS. If you can’t be at the Champions Center to enter up yourself, catch it online here.
Dawn and Clea have put up TONS of cash and prizes, not to mention one BAD-A Cactus Saddle that my lovely friend Cherie designed for us!
This show is to raise money for our September show, and we can’t wait to tell you about all the awesome sponsors who are back on board with us for 2013, and the NEW sponsors who are signing up by the day.

   


Not a 'quota woman' (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Wed, 10 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0200
Margaret Thatcher never cared much for feminism and other progressive equal-rights movements. Yet she deserves to be honored by those of us who do, whether we like the result of her politics or not.     





Peter King: Brian Banks not worried about long-shot odds to make Falcons (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:08:44 +0200
Brian Banks and his mother, one of the only people who really believed Banks was innocent of rape for a decade, were on a dream trip to Times Square in New York last week, walking and marveling at the sights they were seeing for the first time after telling his incredible story on The View.


Peter King: Led by shaky QBs, 2013 draft might not be kind to top-10 teams (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Mon, 08 Apr 2013 06:59:40 +0200
Now this could be a lot of fun.


What you should know about my engagement photos (Love God. Love People.)
Mon, 08 Apr 2013 05:05:05 +0200
I just this really great article at Relevant, and it really made me stop to think. Now, I don’t have Instagram, but I have Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and a blog. I use all of them every day. And I will admit that I often leave my computer defeated, feeling as if I don’t measure up. [...]I just this really great article at Relevant, and it really made me stop to think.
Now, I don’t have Instagram, but I have Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and a blog. I use all of them every day. And I will admit that I often leave my computer defeated, feeling as if I don’t measure up. Like, my life isn’t as cute, or as romantic, or as wonderful as everyone else. And I start to wonder where I went wrong, or, even worse, I begin to question God.
The article hits it spot on; “I so easily fall prey to the seduction of other people’s partial truths and heavily filtered photos, making everything look amazing. And their amazing looking lives make me feel not amazing at all.”
Partial truths and heavily filtered experiences. That’s the nature of the Internet. Just today, I posted these photos of my engagement. They are everything that moment was; Sweet, surprising, beautiful, and so full of love.
But that’s what it was. A moment. A 10 minute span of time. What those photos have failed to show is the long 2.5 year relationship, and agonizing 6 month struggle that lead up to that moment. This is the reality.
Clay and I have been dating for over two years. We’ve known each other for three. Our relationship has been wonderful, but it’s also been really hard work. Back breaking at times. You don’t bring two people together with 20+ years of history, much of it difficult, without conflict.
The past 6 months alone for us were, quite frankly, awful. We’ve been long distance. We weren’t communicating well. There were lies we both believed about how the other felt and thought. We harbored hurt feelings, bitterness, anger, resentment. For three months, we had disagreements just about every time we talked. There were two months where I lay awake at night every night, worrying. There was a moment that I thought we might not make it.
But we did. It was hell, but we did. We struggled. We cried. We prayed. We sought counsel. We read the Word. We prayed, and prayed some more. We (ok, I) cried even more than I prayed. We WORKED. And it was hard, but it was so worth it, because it brought us to the moment when those photos were taken.
And that’s what it was. A moment, preceded by a billion others filled with blood, sweat, and lots of tears. So remember that, when you look at my photographs (or statuses, or Tweets, or blogs, or whatever) or anyone else’s.
One moment, proceeded by a billion other happy, sad, and mundane moments. That’s life.


   


We'll still hear Ebert at the movies (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Sun, 07 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0200
Roger Ebert's death is mourned by many, but I will remember it as bringing down the curtain on a special guy in a special time: He was multimedia before multimedia was cool.     





Stumbleupon: The Life Cycle of a Web Page (Y-rd)
Sun, 07 Apr 2013 05:41:00 +0200
Stumbleupon: The Life Cycle of a Web Page




Datpiff Adventures (Blog of Duty)
Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:54:36 +0200
Sup everybody. I want to say this right off the back; this post was inspired by the Where’s My 40 Acres Podcast crew. On their latest podcast, they did a search on Datpiff to find the most horrid, ratchet mixtape pictures. So, I decided to do my own search and found a couple of decent [...]Sup everybody. I want to say this right off the back; this post was inspired by the Where’s My 40 Acres Podcast crew. On their latest podcast, they did a search on Datpiff to find the most horrid, ratchet mixtape pictures. So, I decided to do my own search and found a couple of decent ones.
      

Well, there you have it. Until next time, peace!

   


Philanthropy Spotlight: My Sister’s Place (OU ImPRessions)
Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:37:01 +0200
By: Allison O’Brien, Account Associate, College Book Store This year, College Book Store will be celebrating its 5th annual MomsWeekend philanthropic event by donating 20% of Moms Weekend t-shirt sales to My Sister’s Place. During Moms Weekend April 5-7 OhioUniversity … Continue reading →


"You Cannot Destroy Me:" A reflection on life and My Chemical Romance (Views of a Music-freak)
Fri, 05 Apr 2013 05:38:20 +0200









I couldn’t find words for this for so long. I think I’ve
finally accepted that it’s because I’ve said all that I need to say already. 



I’m not interested in sweeping statements or writing a memorial piece. For the
past 8-and-a-half years, I’ve spent nearly every waking moment living My Chemical Romance, honoring and
praising them daily. 



At first, I wanted to do those
memorial things. Finding some perfect way to sum up and honor something I’d
been actively immersed in and loudly appreciative of for years was impossible,
because—as I’ve realized—I’ve already done it. 



I have no regrets, nor confessions nor treasures I feel the need to share.



I searched for the right words to suspend the magic that surrounds My Chemical
Romance, and they don’t exist. What does is the music that awakens and stirs
it, makes it swirl around and engulf us again and again, forever. It’s in that
feeling—those moments of possession at the live shows, the smell of honey and
powder, crossing countless state-lines, the grit of a city on your skin while
leaning, sunburnt and exhausted against a barricade, the chills, the
inspiration, the red, the black, the bats, the confetti, the screams, the
punches, the hugs, the Canadian winter, the Danger, the first aide tent, the
racing hearts, Joan Of Arc, saints, villains, mortality, lessons, bruises, sweat,
blood, falling, feeling, Gerard,
Frank, Ray, Mikey…



It exists in every memory we have, and it’s different for each of us, which is
the beauty of it, because that means that it spreads infinitely, through facets
of human life that some of us don’t even know exist. 



My Chemical Romance turned my life around at roughly the same time they saved
Gerard Way’s life for the second time, I learned to drive with The Black Parade, graduated high school
as the Parade died, survived, thrived and learned to destroy my way through
college with Danger Days and
graduated on the eighth anniversary of Revenge’s release. On March 22, 2013, I was prepping for my move into my first real,
adult apartment when the band announced their end.



I spent that night—you guessed it—crying. Until 5 a.m.. I felt as if I were
losing everything. I spent the next week in my new apartment feeling cursed and
crying silently and whenever I was left alone for more than a moment. I also
spent that time avoiding communication at all costs (an easy feat; as, I didn’t
have an internet connection outside of work.) I still have yet to more than skim fellow MCRmy sentiments. 


I felt like I first needed to reflect, and I needed to do it
without influence beyond that of the members of MCR. The only ode I’ve read at
this point is the one I helped compile with my editor, Jason, for Alternative Press. 


Quiet and detached reflection is a funny thing. It makes you
see signs: A chillingly silent cluster of ambulances I passed on my way to my
new apartment, a black cat, a clover falling from a Danger Days diary…



It also turns you into a bit of a ghost.



It took only Gerard’s reflection to snap me out of it and gradually make me
comfortable living again, because it reminded me that nothing is going away.
None of the guys are going to lie low—I don’t think they can. The idea and the magic of MCR is not now and can never
vanish.  



I picture it this way: That announcement was an explosion and everything we’ve
ever learned or felt from the band rose and fell, distributing itself elsewhere—in
them; in us.



Everything changes. Everything must die. But, as Gerard said, My Chemical
Romance can never die. "It’s not a band, it is an idea." It’s way bigger than me
or you or any weapon anyone has ever tried to use against it. It’s even bigger
than even itself. 



And I’m eternally indebted to it and grateful to have been a part of it.



It’s not the end. 



In my reflection, I realized that next year, I will be the
same age Gerard was when he wrote Bullets.
 It’s easy, in a world that forces you to
grow up so fast, to feel as if it’s too late for you, or you’ve passed your
prime, but MCR reminded me that my life has only just begun, and that I’ll
continue to grow, and they’ll continue to help me. 



Even if they aren’t making music together, My Chemical Romance instilled so
much in me and in anyone who has made it far enough to read this, and we’ll
carry it forever.



Faith Kept. Forever.

cassie.



Cubs Home Opener Countdown (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:45:24 +0200



Cubs above .500 for first time since April 2011 (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:35:22 +0200
When the Cubs opened the 2012 season (0-2) I wrote that the entire season could be spent below the .500 mark. That brought about frustration with some readers who felt it was too early to write off a .500 record...
When the Cubs opened the 2012 season (0-2) I wrote that the entire season could be spent below the .500 mark.
That brought about frustration with some readers who felt it was too early to write off a .500 record so quickly. But with the Cubs facing an unforgiving schedule last April (two series against St. Louis and series against Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Philadelphia) it didn’t feel like I was climbing out on a limb, and unfortunately, it turned out to be true with the Cubs going wire-to-wire sub .500.
However, thanks to a terrific start by Jeff Samardzija in Monday’s 3-1 season opening win against Pittsburgh, the Cubs are above .500 for the first time since April 20, 2011–breaking a string of 11 consecutive months below .500.
The next step is trying to maintain a record at or above .500 through the end of April. But similar to last season, Chicago faces a tough road ahead over the next 27 games, squaring off against five contenders with only one scheduled off day on Monday, April 15. 
Through the end of the month there are two series against Milwaukee and single series against Atlanta, San Francisco Texas and Cincinnati. The only breathing room in the schedule doesn’t come until the final week of the month with series against Miami and San Diego.
The Cubs need, at minimum, 14 wins to finish the month at .500.      
One down, 13 to go…


Anthony Rizzo’s 445’ HR one of the longest ever at PNC Park (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:15:10 +0200
Anthony Rizzo’s 2-R HR off AJ Burnett in the first inning of Monday’s game traveled 445 feet according to hittrackeronline.com. (video here) It’s one of the longest home runs in the 13-year history of PNC Park, and the longest home...
Anthony Rizzo’s 2-R HR off AJ Burnett in the first inning of Monday’s game traveled 445 feet according to hittrackeronline.com. (video here) 
It’s one of the longest home runs in the 13-year history of PNC Park, and the longest home run of Rizzo’s career. His previous high was a 432′ blast off the Pirates’ Jared Hughes on Sept. 16, 2012.
Rizzo’s opening day smash is the second longest in the big leagues this season, behind Braves outfielder Justin Upton, who hammered a 460′ shot off Cole Hamels at Turner Field on Monday. (video here)
Meanwhile, three former Cubs have registered some of the longest tape measure shots in PNC Park’s history (which, unfortunately, I was unable to locate an up to date list of the park’s longest home runs as of 2012). To the best of my knowledge, Sammy Sosa remains atop the list with his 484′ smash that landed near the base of the flag poles in deep left-center field on April 12, 2002. 
Three months later, Daryl Ward, then playing for Houston, crushed one 479′ on July 6, 2002. It remains the only home run to reach the Allegheny River on the fly.
Matt Stairs, as a member of the Pirates, cleared the right-center field seats with a 461′ blast that rolled into the Allegheny on July 21, 2003.
Below is a chart of Rizzo’s home run against Burnett on Monday.


An odd push to privatize marriage (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0200
Should government get out of the business of defining marriage? That's not a new question. But as conservatives appear to be losing ground in the same-sex marriage debate, some are showing new interest in changing the rules. 





Peter King: Palmer deal had to happen, more QB musical chairs; mail (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:18:04 +0200
It's another day to write about quarterbacks. Three topics I want to clear up, in the wake of all the quarterback action in the last few days.


Cubs Home Opener Countdown (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Tue, 02 Apr 2013 07:30:02 +0200



Cubs Win! Sharks Shines and First TOOTBLAN of 2013 (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Tue, 02 Apr 2013 07:25:14 +0200
Game 1 – Opening Day – Cubs win 3-1 Samardzija (1-0), Burnett (0-1), Save: Fujikawa (1) Baseball is better win you win on opening day. Cubs first lid lifter victory since 2009 (won 4-2 @ Houston). Samardzija, outstanding: 8.0 IP,...
Game 1 – Opening Day – Cubs win 3-1      
Samardzija (1-0), Burnett (0-1), Save: Fujikawa (1)

Baseball is better win you win on opening day.
Cubs first lid lifter victory since 2009 (won 4-2 @ Houston).
Samardzija, outstanding: 8.0 IP, 2 hits, 1 walk, 9 Ks.       
First inning jitters were his toughest outs.        
For one stretch he retired 14 straight batters.
Lillibridge boots a first inning grounder, go figure (E-4).
Rizzo, first pitch, yard work. HR (1).       
Official distance on Rizzo’s shot not updated yet…        
But unofficially, one of the longest HRs ever at PNC Park.
Castillo 2-for-4, 2 doubles…and  2 brain cramps…       
Forgetting No. of outs in 1st inning, and first TOOTBLAN of 2013.
Schierholtz 1-for-2, run scored and Cubs only walk.
Cubs strikeout 15 times! Lillibridge whiffed 3 times.       
Chicago 0-for-8 with RISP, 12 left on base.
Marmol…same results different season: walk, HBP, K and a run.       
Tough spot for Sveum, who needs to win games, and maintain Marmol’s trade value. It’s one game, and one bad outing for Marmol, but it’s cracked the door open for Kyuji Fujikawa.
Tuesday’s an off day…Wed. Edwin Jackson (10-11, 4.03) vs. Wandy Rodriguez (12-13, 3.76)


Sveum on Samardzija      
”He stuck to his game plan. That was probably as good of a game that he’s pitched in his starting career.”
Sveum on Marmol      
”Not making any changes or anything like that. He just didn’t have it today.”
Marmol on being removed in the ninth       
”If you’re struggling to get people out, that’s what you have to do.”
Pirates starter AJ Burnett       
”The pitch to Rizzo and the rosin bag, that was my day.”


Radio Gives Millennials Escape from the Noise (Y-rd)
Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:34:00 +0200
Nice words of wisdom from radio host John Tesh about how radio can connect to Millennials — a belief you know I have as an audio enthusiast. I love that I now work in radio, as I truly believe the platform of listening to podcasts/radio/other audio is — ironically — an escape from all of the noise.
Radio World: John Tesh on Radio With Distinction: “There’s so much information out there right now that people really want an opportunity to connect with good information,” he said. Millennials “are sick and tired of being screamed at. I think they want to be encouraged. I’m not talking about happy talk. They don’t just want to be entertained.”


A little black book can boost your work life - The Globe and Mail (Y-rd)
Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:13:00 +0200
I get this! 
A little black book can boost your work life - The Globe and Mail: He has short cuts for taking notes and for drawing attention to items. A lightening bolt highlights something requiring action. A light bulb showcases special ideas. When he has acted on an idea, it gets a big check mark. He’ll use sticky notes to find items he returns to regularly, such as his lists of favourite books and favourite movies. Each page has a date, to help in flipping through.


Cubs Home Opener Countdown (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Mon, 01 Apr 2013 23:05:41 +0200



Cubs Scorecard vs. Pirates Opening Day 2013 (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Mon, 01 Apr 2013 23:00:35 +0200



Chicago Cubs 2013 Opening Day Lineup vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:00:02 +0200



Now Who’s Out of the Cubs Starting Lineup? (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:00:07 +0200
Name the Cubs opening day first baseman last year. Anthony Rizzo? Bryan LaHair? Nope, try Jeff Baker. LaHair was a late scratch with a tight back (if I remember correctly). Baker stepped in nicely going 1-for-3 with a walk in...
Name the Cubs opening day first baseman last year. Anthony Rizzo? Bryan LaHair? Nope, try Jeff Baker.
LaHair was a late scratch with a tight back (if I remember correctly). Baker stepped in nicely going 1-for-3 with a walk in the Cubs 2-1 loss vs. Washington.
Thankfully, however, LaHair was back playing the next game, albeit off the bench, and returned to the starting lineup by the third game of the season. 
LaHair went 2-for-4 with two doubles in his first start to began his tear of batting .390, 5 HRs, 14 RBI during the month of April (a hot streak that essentially made LaHair an NL All-Star).
It appeared whatever back troubles LaHair suffered on opening day were minor, if that, and may have simply been the result of the cool weather at Wrigley Field during pregame warmups. Ultimately, it was no biggie.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case with Darwin Barney this year, who’s looking at a possible 15-day DL stint after suffering a knee injury during the Cubs final exhibition game on Saturday.
Barney, chasing down a popup, gashed his left knee to the bone after colliding with a concrete slab in foul territory. The cut required five stitches, and likely has Darwin out of game action for the next several days–at best.      

So yeah, losing your Gold Glove second baseman right before opening day is definitely a biggie.
In the meantime, newcomer Brent Lillibridge will make today’s opening day start at second base in place of Barney. And if Darwin does, in fact, get placed on the DL, another journeyman, Alberto Gonzalez, 30, could also see playing time at second.
If we’re lucky Barney will be back soon, and possibly soon enough for us to forget 12 months from now he ever missed the 2013 lid lifter. Chances are, though, we won’t forget if our Gold Glover starts the season on the DL.


Peter King: Palmer, Flynn moves make sense, but they're not guaranteed fixes (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Mon, 01 Apr 2013 05:46:21 +0200
Two deals feel inevitable this morning: Carson Palmer to Arizona, Matt Flynn to Oakland. They make too much sense not to happen. Sense, yes. Whether they'll solve problems in quarterback-needy places ... that's another issue. Palmer has a much better chance when it comes to raising Arizona than Flynn has to save Oakland.


Cubs Home Opener Countdown (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:05:31 +0200



Cathedrals of the Game: Houston Astrodome (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Sun, 31 Mar 2013 18:00:50 +0200
One of the special treats about being a Cubs fan is the beauty and charm of Wrigley Field. It’s one of the most cherished ballparks in baseball, and especially to those rooting for the Cubs. Of course not all baseball...
One of the special treats about being a Cubs fan is the beauty and charm of Wrigley Field. It’s one of the most cherished ballparks in baseball, and especially to those rooting for the Cubs.
Of course not all baseball fans have the privilege to grow up enjoying the gem of a ball yard at Clark and Addison. Instead, for many youngsters the greenest grass on earth may have resided at one of the rinky-dink stadiums of the 1950-60s, or in other cases, there wasn’t any green grass at all, but the shine of green Astroturf in the multi-purpose, cookie cutter parks from the 1970-80s.
At any rate, they’re all cathedrals to budding baseball fans dreaming of playing in the major leagues. It’s where heroes play and where hearts jump out of chests the moment the field comes into view after passing through a turnstile.
This season I’ll be writing about the many cathedrals of major league baseball; young and old, good and not so good, and all those in between. Particularly, I’ll look at some (not all) of the best performances in each stadium. Who had the most career hits? Who stole the most bases in a single game? Which pitcher collected the most strikeouts? etc.
With the opening of the 2013 season in Houston, I begin this series with the Astrodome, the former home of the former National League Astros.
ASTRODOME      
-"The Eight Wonder of the World"       
-Opened April 24, 1965      
-Closed October 9, 1999      
-Still Standing      
-Key Feature: Air conditioning      
-Originally the park was to have natural grass growing beneath the more than 4,000 clear plastic panels on the roof. When that didn’t work, it lead to the birth of Astro Turf.
Top Individual Performances Single Game

Hits: Edgardo Alfonzo (6) – 8.30.99
Triples: *tied first* Ernie Banks (3) – 6.11.66
Steals: Tony Gwynn (5) – 9.20.86
RBI: Pete Incaviglia (7) – 6.14.92

Pitching Performances

Scoreless innings: Randy Johnson (36) – 1998
Strikeouts: Nolan Ryan, Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson (16)

Career Leaders

Games: Jose Cruz (931), Biggio (857), Cesar Cedeno (791)
Plate Appearances: Biggio (3,686)
Hits: Jose Cruz (949), Biggio (913)
Runs: Biggio (535), Jeff Bagwell (465)
HRs: Bagwell (126), Jim Wynn (97), Glen Davis (72)
RBI: Bagwell (469), Jose Cruz (460)
OBP: Bagwell (.421), Joe Morgan (.404), Biggio (.383)

Pitching Leaders

Wins: Larry Dierker (87). Joe Niekro (73), Mike Scott (65)
Complete Games: Dierker (67)
Shutouts: Dierker (17)
Saves: Dave Smith (107)
Strikeouts: Nolan Ryan (1,004), Dierker (882)



Fear of gay-marriage backlash far-fetched (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Sun, 31 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0200
Even U.S. Supreme Court justices care what people think about them, experts say. In their current same-sex marriage cases they fear a big public backlash if they overreach. But history shows such fears to be greatly exaggerated when a controversial decision's time has come. 





Cubs Home Opener Countdown (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Sat, 30 Mar 2013 20:00:47 +0100



About that Tyler Colvin for Ian Stewart Trade… (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Sat, 30 Mar 2013 19:45:15 +0100
Tyler Colvin is starting the season in Colorado, but not with big league team. In an unexpected move, the Rockies optioned the 27-year-old to their Triple-A affiliate in Colorado Springs. However, it’s not suspected Colvin will stay in the minors...
Tyler Colvin is starting the season in Colorado, but not with big league team. 
In an unexpected move, the Rockies optioned the 27-year-old to their Triple-A affiliate in Colorado Springs. However, it’s not suspected Colvin will stay in the minors for long.
Although he’s blocked from a starting job by outfields Carlos Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler and Michael Cuddyer, Colvin’s versatility to play all three outfield position, and first base, should be enough to bring him back to the bigs on a bad team.
In the meantime, the Rockies think regular at-bats will help Colvin improve on the rough numbers he posted in the Cactus League this spring:      
.167 (8-for-48), 14 K, 18 games.
Cubs fans seem to have difficulty letting go of the Colvin trade (Dec. 2011) because neither RHP Casey Weathers (Colorado’s 1st Rd pick in 2007) or Ian Stewart have panned out with Chicago.
But Colvin hasn’t reached the potential many saw with him in 2010: 20 HRs, 56 RBI in 135 games. His biggest obstacle, in Chicago and Denver, in establishing himself as a starter has been a continuous struggle with hitting for contact. 
2010: 100 K, 25-perent of plate appearances.      
2011: 58  K, 26-percent of plate appearances.      
2012: 117 K, 26-percent of plate appearances.
Granted Colvin has shown plenty of pop at the plate (.858 OPS in 2012), he strikes out far too often, whiffing at a clip of once every 3.6 at-bats in his career.
That certainly had to be one reason why Jed Hoyer traded Colvin in the first place; he’s not a player who fits the organization’s grind-it-out plate mentality. But the other reason Hoyer made the move was to replace Aramis Ramirez at third base, and Stewart was expected to be the everyday starter, which obviously takes precedent over a swing-happy fourth outfielder.
If we have to choose a winner in the trade it’s Colorado because of the inclusion of DJ LeMahieu, who was packaged with Colvin, and served a bench role as a backup infielder with the Rockies last season. Weathers, on the other hand, went (4-2, 6.62) in 31 games with the Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2012.
Realistically, however, neither side benefited greatly from the trade, and the evaluation could change entirely if Stewart finally has the breakout season the Rockies always expected, and the Cubs have been waiting for.
Besides, the Cubs already have their own left-handed batting outfielder with good pop and a knack for striking out. And Brett Jackson may have a greater upside than Colvin does anyway.


Sports Illustrated Preview, Cubs (67-95), 5th NL Central (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:05:57 +0100
Sports Illustrated’s MLB preview says the Cubs will finish (67-95), fifth in the NL Central. Writer Albert Chen does a nice job with the Cubs preview, which you can read here. Not certain if Chen decided the Cubs final record...
Sports Illustrated’s MLB preview says the Cubs will finish (67-95), fifth in the NL Central. Writer Albert Chen does a nice job with the Cubs preview, which you can read here.
Not certain if Chen decided the Cubs final record or if that was a staff pick. But it’s in the neighborhood of where I have the Cubs finishing the season (72-90), fifth in the division.
My only true disagreement with the piece is Bryan LaHair being tabbed as Chicago’s biggest loss from last season. While he did finish the campaign second on the team in HRs (16), LaHair was a disappointment in the season’s second half, transitioning from All-Star to bench warmer.
I suspected some of LaHair’s struggles were due in part to the arrival of Anthony Rizzo in late June, which forced LaHair from first base to the outfield. 
Nonetheless, Rizzo was clearly the better player offensively hitting one fewer HR (15) than LaHair and driving in eight more runs (48) in 12 fewer plate appearances and 43 fewer games. Darwin Barney, who posted an on-base percentage under .300 (.299) managed to drive in four more runs (44) than LaHair (40) as well.
Even without Rizzo the Cubs would likely be better off without LaHair in 2013. And we can fairly assume the young Rizzo will perform just as well, if not better, than he did last season.
For my money the biggest loss was Ryan Dempster (5-5, 2.25), who managed a quality start in 69-percent of his outings, had an ERA+174 and a 3.5 WAR. Jeff Samardzija could push for similar numbers this season, but the Cubs will be hard pressed to get Dempster-esque production from their other starters aside from Shark.
“The Cubs are headed in the right direction, with a vastly improved farm system and a promising young core in place, but nobody’s putting the champagne on ice just yet. Next year will be a different story if prospects like Soler and Baez begin making an impact earlier than expected.” –Chen SI.com

Simply put, I see two factors determining the Cubs’ season. 1.) How well they start the season in the win/loss column. 2.) What happens at the trade deadline?
If the Cubs play well in the first three months we could see fewer moves at the trade deadline, which could mean a respectable second half, and an overall record that avoids 100-losses. If not, however, we can expect another yard sale similar to last season’s July moves and the team fighting to avoid triple digit losses during the final two months.
Either way, let’s just be excited Cubs baseball back–for better or worse.


Cubs Home Opener Countdown (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:05:38 +0100



5 Tips for Creating an Event (OU ImPRessions)
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:10:02 +0100
By: Morgan Blank Being in Public Relations it is inevitable that we will be planning and putting on events.  The biggest trouble most people have with creating an event is how to make it unforgettable and stand out.  Here are five tips … Continue reading →


5 Tips for Creating an Event (OU ImPRessions)
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:10:02 +0100
By: Morgan Blank Being in Public Relations it is inevitable that we will be planning and putting on events.  The biggest trouble most people have with creating an event is how to make it unforgettable and stand out.  Here are five tips … Continue reading →


“The Guide” abides. (Anthony Castrovince, BSJ '03)
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:42:27 +0100
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com On Twitter: @Castrovince You can’t tell the players without a scorecard. Or so the old saying goes. But you really don’t know the players’ hopes, dreams, fears and quirks without a media guide. Or so the public relations departments would lead you to believe. Media guides, both figuratively and quite literally, don’t [...]


Fantasy Baseball Names for Chicago Cubs Fans (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 06:01:15 +0100
Still in need of a team name for your fantasy baseball league? Look no further than this list of 10 well suited nicknames for Cubbies fans. Feel free to use, at your own risk of course! Click here
Still in need of a team name for your fantasy baseball league?      
Look no further than this list of 10 well suited nicknames for Cubbies fans.       
Feel free to use, at your own risk of course!
Click here


Cubs Transaction History March 27: The D-Train, Matt Clement & Carlos Silva (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Wed, 27 Mar 2013 22:55:50 +0100
Here’s a quick look at some of the more notable moves by the Cubs on March 27. MARCH 27, 2002 The Cubs traded Jose Cueto, Ryan Jorgensen, Julian Tavarez and Dontrelle Willis to the Florida Marlins for Antonio Alfonseca and...
Here’s a quick look at some of the more notable moves by the Cubs on

March 27.

MARCH 27, 2002

The Cubs traded Jose Cueto, Ryan Jorgensen, Julian Tavarez and Dontrelle Willis to the Florida Marlins for Antonio Alfonseca and Matt Clement. 
Clement immediately established himself as the No.2 starter behind Kerry Wood in 2002 before becoming an integral part of the Cubs’ division winning team in 2003. In both seasons he made 32 starts, pitched more than 200.0 innings and won a combined 26 games. 
His final season with Chicago (2004) wasn’t as productive on paper, but he posted a career-best ERA+120 while going (9-13, 3.68) in 30 starts and 181.0 innings pitched. Interestingly, according to Clement’s WAR score his best season in Chicago was in 2002 (4.2) followed by 2004 (3.5) and finally 2003 (2.6)–perhaps the season he’s best remembered for.
Alfonseca, meanwhile, was the poster child of a replacement level player in his two seasons with the Cubs posting a (0.1) WAR in 2002 and a (0.0) WAR in ’03. His best asset was durability, making 126 appearances in those two season. But his combined ERA hovered around 5.00. Although, he did manage 3.1 scoreless innings during the 2003 playoffs. 
However, I’ve always felt one of Jim Hendry’s biggest mistakes as general manager was failing to add more bullpen help at the 2003 trade deadline. I think, at least partly, that’s one reason why Dusty was so keen to stick with his starters longer than he should have. That wasn’t to say the bullpen was poor, but it could have used more support than Dave Veres, Juan Cruz, Todd Wellemeyer and the ‘Octopus’ known as Antonio Alfonseca.
Tavarez made 28 starts for Chicago in 2001 and then bounced around for another eight seasons in the majors—nearly all of it after converting to a reliever.
Willis of course went on to win the 2003 Rookie of the Year Award and finished second in the Cy Young Award in 2005. The wheels began to fall off  in 2007 before his trade to Detroit, where he progressively pitched worse upon arrival. That eventually led to his release and partial stints with Arizona and Cincinnati, among other brief stops, before reuniting with the Cubs this spring. 
Unfortunately, Willis suffered shoulder discomfort just seven pitches into his comeback with Chicago and hasn’t pitched in a game since—and it’s reasonable to believe he may never do so again.

MARCH 27, 2010

On this date the Texas Rangers purchased from the Cubs slick-fielding shortstop Andres Blanco. He managed to play 53 games for Chicago in ’09 but his inability to hit consistently (.252/.303/.341) pushed him down the Cubs’ lengthy infield depth chart, one which included Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot, Jeff Baker, Blake DeWitt, Chad Tracy and the lovable Bobby Scales. And that didn’t include two rising stars named Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney.
Blanco temporarily made headway with the Rangers the following season hitting .277/.330/.349. He played 40 games at second base and 16 games at short. But the arrival of talented shortstop Elvis Andrus, combined with the recovery of an injured Ian Kinsler at second base, put Blanco on the outs in Texas. He’s currently playing in the Phillies’ system.

MARCH 27, 2011

The Cubs release Carlos Silva. You can trace this one back to the debacle that was the Milton Bradley experience in 2009. After Bradley alienated his teammates, the fans and finally the entire organization, Hendry somehow convinced the Mariners to trade for him during the offseason. In return Seattle sent cash and their own malcontent in Silva.
The portly right-hander managed a respectable 10 wins in 21 starts with the Cubs, but injuries limited him to just two starts following the All-Star break. Silva struggled the following spring, reportedly clashed with teammates and manager Mike Quade, and was finally given the heave-ho. Despite his relatively young age at the time, 31, Silva has never pitched in the majors again.


Where Obama should hear Paul: Legal pot (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Wed, 27 Mar 2013 06:00:00 +0100
As the nation's capital prepares to open its first legal medicinal marijuana dispensary and Sen. Rand Paul's call for legalization basks in bipartisan praise, it's time for President Barack Obama to clear the air around his own passive-aggressive position. 





ImPRessions accepting applications for the new Board of Directors (OU ImPRessions)
Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:18:54 +0100
The 2013-2014 ImPRessions administration is pleased to release the applications for three newly created positions on the Executive Board: Finance Director, Communications Director and Human Resources Director. Applications can be found here and details on each position can be found here. … Continue reading →


ImPRessions accepting applications for the new Board of Directors (OU ImPRessions)
Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:18:54 +0100
The 2013-2014 ImPRessions administration is pleased to release the applications for three newly created positions on the Executive Board: Finance Director, Communications Director and Human Resources Director. Applications can be found here and details on each position can be found here. … Continue reading →


Peter King: Titans feel good about leap of faith hiring Gregg Williams; mail (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:33:35 +0100
Tennessee coach Mike Munchak knew he'd have a bullseye on his back when he stuck his neck out and hired Gregg Williams as the team's senior assistant on defense (that's the real title) last month. So many questions surround the hire, and will surround it, until the Titans begin playing and we can all judge whether Williams, whose career on the field and off went down in flames his last year in New Orleans, was a smart import to help Jerry Gray run the Tennessee defense.


Spring Training Records As Misleading As Your NCAA Bracket (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Tue, 26 Mar 2013 07:30:45 +0100
I try not to get roped into or frustrated by discussions regarding spring training stats. It’s only numbers, after all, meaningless spring time fiddle-faddle. But I do understand it’s the natural course of baseball talk with only one week to...
I try not to get roped into or frustrated by discussions regarding spring training stats. It’s only numbers, after all, meaningless spring time fiddle-faddle. 
But I do understand it’s the natural course of baseball talk with only one week to go before the season’s lid lifter. However, I’ve become more convinced each spring the Sun Belt stats can be thrown right out the window when it comes to predicting performance during the regular season.
At the end of the day, know this–spring stats and spring records provide little, if any, indication of which teams will reach October baseball or which players will excel during the regular season.
Felix Pie, for heaven’s sake, is batting .417/.585/1.002 with Pittsburgh this spring. Any takers those numbers stand up after April 1st? Didn’t think so.
Nonetheless, this year nonsensical spring stats discussion centers around the Kansas City Royals’ sparkling (22-6) Cactus League record. “Looks like that whopper of a trade with Tampa Bay has already paid off”…”The Royals appear poised to break through in 2013.” 
Good grief. Haven’t we learned these spring feel-good stories never last when the games matter most? 
As a reminder, I’ve gone back through final spring training standings since 2007 detailing how misleading a team’s spring record can be. And if you’re someone who hasn’t already taken notice, make sure to jump off the Royals bandwagon before the wheels fall off.  

2013 The Royals, who finished with 90 regular season losses last year, lead the way this spring at (22-6). Meanwhile, the Reds, who won the second most games in baseball in 2012 (97), and are again the favorite in the National League Central, stand (9-18) in the Cactus League. Any doubts these fortunes won’t flip?
2012 Toronto set the bar in Grapefruit League play going (24-7). They finished the regular season with 89 losses and a fourth place standing in the AL East. Atlanta finished the spring (10-18), then won 94 regular season games and the NL wild card. Texas (12-17) in the spring, won 93 games and the AL wild card. Oh, and the Nats,(12-17) in the spring, later won the most games in baseball (98).
2011 The Twins ran away with the Grapefruit League title (20-12). Then lost 99 games in the regular season, posting the second worst record in the majors (Houston 106). Those pesky Royals finished the spring with the best record in the Cactus League (20-10). Then lost 91 regular season games.
2010 Texas (10-19) in spring training, won 90 games, the AL wild card and reached the World Series. Cleveland posted the best mark in the Cactus League (19-9), before losing 93 regular season games.
2009 Atlanta had the second-best record in the Grapefruit League (21-12), but missed the playoffs and finished third in the NL East. Milwaukee went (22-10) in Cactus League play before finishing two-games below .500 in the regular season. The Dodgers struggled to a (15-22) spring record before winning 95 games and the NL West.
2008 Boston was a complete mess (8-13) during the spring. But won 95 regular season games, the AL wild card and reached the ALCS. Oakland posted the best record in the Cactus League (18-8), then lost 86 games during the regular season. The Cubs finished the spring (15-15) and still found a way to win the most regular season games in the National League (97).
2007 Detroit took top honors in the Grapefruit League (21-10) but couldn’t reach the playoffs. Houston had the second-best Grapefruit League record going (18-11). They lost 89 regular season games. The Rangers ended Cactus League play (16-11) before finishing last in the AL West with 87 losses.

Cubs Cactus League (CL) vs. Regular Season (RS) Records

2012: CL (17-16) RS (61-101)
2011: CL (14-19) RS (71-91)
2010: CL (18-12) RS (75-87)
2009: CL (18-18) RS (83-78)
2008: CL (15-15) RS (97-64)
2007: CL (17-13) RS (85-77)



Sheryl Sandberg on Why It's OK to Cry at Work (@Jezebel) (Y-rd)
Tue, 26 Mar 2013 05:04:00 +0100
Love this insightful piece from Jezebel about Sheryl Sandberg's new book. I wholeheartedly agree with the bolded statement in this excerpt:

What was most striking to me in the book was Sandberg's chapter on  being emotional at the office, sharing stories of when she cried in  front of her coworkers. And she believes it's OK because "sharing  emotions builds deeper relationships" and places an importance on  striving for "authenticity over perfection," adding that "maybe the  compassion and sensitivity that have historically held some women back  will make them more natural leaders in the future." As someone who's a  cryer—it's an uncontrollable physical response to emotions like anger  and frustration—I found this really powerful and in contrast to  everything I'd ever thought about tears at work. For example, when it's  happened to someone as powerful as Hillary Clinton, it seemed to  undermine her. She was accused of either being weak or just playing her girlie emotional card to get out of a bad situation. Sandberg sees it differently:
"Look,  I'm not suggesting that the way to get to the corner office is to cry  as much as possible. Nobody is going to publish the next Seven Habits of Highly Effective People  and say that crying is one of them. But I am saying that it happens. It  has happened to me. It has happened to me more than once. It will  happen to me again. It happens to other women. Rather than spend all  this time beating ourselves up for it, let's accept ourselves. OK, I  cried, life went on. And I think that's part of the message of Lean In,  like we are human beings, we are emotional beings and we can be our  whole selves at work."


You Cannot Keep Running from God (Love God. Love People.)
Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:29:48 +0100
Ok, I’m sorry. I know I promised to post about my family, my friends, and my boyfriend. And I will. Life just has a funny way of getting overwhelmingly busy. And I want those posts to have the time put into them that they (and the people that they are about,) deserve. I’m ever learning [...]Ok, I’m sorry. I know I promised to post about my family, my friends, and my boyfriend. And I will. Life just has a funny way of getting overwhelmingly busy. And I want those posts to have the time put into them that they (and the people that they are about,) deserve.


I’m ever learning this one incredible truth.
I cannot run from God.
I can’t. No matter how fast I think I’m going, or how far I flee, or what I tried to hide under. I cannot run from God.
He tracks me down, He finds me out. No matter where I go or what I try, He knows.
And instead of being angry at me for my stupidity, He offers comfort and life. He says, “Come to me, you who are weary and heavy laden, I am gentle and lowly of heart. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matt 11:28
He loves me. He loves me so desperately. When will I stop forgetting that? When will I stop fighting Him at every turn? When will I stop being reluctant to come to Him?
I need to come. Even if most days it feels like I’m dragging a broken, bleeding shell of a soul, I need to come.
I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;

I fled Him, down the arches of the years;

I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways

Of my own mind; and in the midst of tears

I hid from Him, and under running laughter…

From those strong Feet that followed, followed after…
That voice round me like a bursting sea:

“Rise, clasp My hand, and come!’Halts by me that footfall:Is my gloom, after all,

Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?

‘Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,I am He Whom thou seekest!

Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me.”
-The Hound of Heaven, by  Francis Thompson

   


Peter King: With Dumervil deal, sky isn't falling in Baltimore after all (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Mon, 25 Mar 2013 06:47:08 +0100
Revenge is best served cold, but this is ridiculous. It took 30 years for Baltimore to finally get revenge on John Elway.


Name That Cub! (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Mon, 25 Mar 2013 06:05:04 +0100
Attended University of Washington. College teammate of Tim Lincecum. Drafted by Pirates in 2005. Traded 4 times in his 5 big league seasons. Played every position except pitcher and catcher. Name that Cub! (Answer after the jump) -Brent Lillibridge
Attended University of Washington.     
College teammate of Tim Lincecum.      
Drafted by Pirates in 2005.      
Traded 4 times in his 5 big league seasons.      
Played every position except pitcher and catcher.      
Name that Cub! (Answer after the jump)

-Brent Lillibridge


Farm Dog Heaven (Holly Stebbins Michael, BSJ '96)
Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:47:00 +0100
How many children are told that their missing pet went to live on a farm, where it will have plenty of room to run and other animals to play with?

Yesterday we buried our farm dog, May. She was approximately 13, having come to live on our farm, like many farm dogs do, after being abandoned by her original owners. 


May the Dog was a chaser of cats and catcher of ground moles. She "farmed" every day with Husband. Although we suspect she was part pit bull, she was kind to children, pigs and cows but tough when faced with raccoons and even foxes. 

While her roadkill breath was not welcome in our house, she found shelter in soft piles of straw in the barn and sunny spots in the barnyard. 

Having already enjoyed wide open spaces, stealing water from the cows' deep, cool tank, snacking on pigs (that died of natural causes) and rodents (that didn't), doing daily "work," barking vigorously at every possible feed truck, sampling every type of poop, I have to wonder how farm dog heaven could be any better than farm life.



May the Farm Dog
May 2000-March 2013






Cubs’ Plan-B Saving Rotation (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:45:36 +0100
At the beginning of spring camp the Cubs had more starting pitching arms than spots available in the rotation. Now one week before opening day and the Cubs have just enough arms to fill out a decent rotation: Samardzija, Jackson,...
At the beginning of spring camp the Cubs had more starting pitching arms than spots available in the rotation. Now one week before opening day and the Cubs have just enough arms to fill out a decent rotation: Samardzija, Jackson, Wood, Feldman, and Villanueva. That’s a credit to Team Theo.
Had the Cubs failed to sign either Edwin Jackson or Scott Feldman the rotation would be in dire straits entering the season. But despite the injuries to Matt Garza (pulled lat muscle) and Scott Baker (strained elbow), both of whom will miss extended time recovering, Chicago still has a decent chance of contending out of the gate. 
As often as we hear ‘you can never have enough starting pitching’, it’s not unusual for teams to fall short when adding starting pitching depth. That’s partly because good starting pitching is hard to find. But I assume another reason is good starting pitching cost good money–and some teams simply don’t want to spend on players they view as insurance policies.
However, if you do need those insurance arms, and don’t have them, you’re in a world of trouble. And the 2011 Cubs under Jim Hendry are a perfect example.
The season wasn’t a week old before the starting rotation ran off the track with injuries to Randy Wells and Andrew Cashner. Wells was sidelined nearly two months and Cashner didn’t return until September, as a reliever no less.
Meanwhile, Hendry was left to fill the holes with 23-year-old Casey Coleman

(3-9, 6.40 ERA) and 35-year-old Rodrigo Lopez (6-6, 4.42 ERA)  for a combined 40 starts. And that doesn’t include the drastic desperation move of signing 35-year-old Doug Davis, who lit the mound on fire with a (1-7, 6.50 ERA) in nine starts.
Chicago was doomed from the onset without a viable Plan B for the starting staff. That, in combination with other roster shortcoming, put the team on course for a 91-loss season.
The Cubs’ record this season may not be any better than it was two years ago. But we can rest assured it won’t be from a lack of preparation to supplement the rotation with good arms in case of injuries. 
Part of understanding the importance of rotation depth is knowing whatever plan you do have in place is only as good as its Plan B.


Cubs Notes Entering Final Week of Spring Camp (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Sat, 23 Mar 2013 20:50:01 +0100
This is it, folks. One more week of spring games before the lid lifter at Pittsburgh on April 1st. And somewhat surprisingly, this year marks the first time since 1978 the Cubs will open on the road against the Pirates....
This is it, folks. One more week of spring games before the lid lifter at Pittsburgh on April 1st. And somewhat surprisingly, this year marks the first time since 1978 the Cubs will open on the road against the Pirates. Who knew?
Meanwhile, this time next weekend the Cubs will be in Houston for two exhibition games against the Astros to wrap up the spring. Entering this afternoon’s Cactus League contest against the Angels at HoHoKam Stadium, the Cubs are (14-15) overall having won 9 of their last 14 games.
Minutia of note:

Cubs pitching has walked just 2 batters in last 5 games.
And for the spring has allowed 3 or fewer walks in 18 games (Nice).
Chicago’s 43 spring HRs are second most in the majors (Seattle, 47).
David DeJesus is on a 10-game hitting streak.
Dioner Navarro leads the club with 11 RBI.
Carlos Marmol has not allowed a run over his last 6 outings (5.2 IP).



Dr. Ben Carson, new right-wing hero (Clarence Page (BSJ '69))
Sat, 23 Mar 2013 08:02:21 +0100
Whenever somebody says something like, "Now, I know this isn't PC, but ... ," watch out. It probably means they're about to say something rude. 





Former Cubs Aramis Ramirez and Ted Lilly Talk Agents (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:30:17 +0100
Two former Cubs have been featured in a series called ‘Why I Chose My Agency’ by Tim Dierkes at MLBTR.com. Below I’ve posted bulleted pieces of the articles on Aramis Ramirez and Ted Lilly. There’s an overriding theme in both...
Two former Cubs have been featured in a series called ‘Why I Chose My Agency’ by Tim Dierkes at MLBTR.com. Below I’ve posted bulleted pieces of the articles on Aramis Ramirez and Ted Lilly.
There’s an overriding theme in both articles about trust and friendship between player and agent (Aramis and Lilly have both kept their original agent throughout their careers). This also appears time and time again throughout the other articles I’ve read in the series.
Despite the millions of dollars involved, no matter how ridiculous the amount, we learn players deeply value the personal relationships with agents on an equal, if not higher level than the huge sums of money they’re raking off the table.
When analyzing these million dollar deals, alongside a player’s worth on the field, it’s easy to lose site of the human element involved. The money alone is hard enough to comprehend, at least for those of us not making a guaranteed $30 million over the next three years.
But it goes to show some things in life are truly more valuable than money. Having the decency to show your business partner some personal respect is one of them, and heaven help us if we ever lose site of that.
ARAMIS RAMIREZ
Age 34     
Entering his 16th season in MLB.      
Signed by the Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1994.      
Acquired by Chicago on July 23, 2003.      
Played 9 seasons with the Cubs (2003-11).      
Joined Milwaukee in 2012, finished 9th in MVP voting.      
He’s signed through 2014 at 3-years, $36M.      
Agent Paul Kinzer has been with Aramis from the very beginning.      
Read full story here

"After I played in the New York-Penn League in 1996, I met him in the Dominican and at the time I didn’t have an agent, so he was my first agent and my only one."
"We have a real good relationship, he’s like a father to me. He was the best man at my wedding. It’s not a business relationship between me and Paul. It’s more like a friendship, a father/son thing. We’ve been together for so long…he loves my family, I love his, and we always keep in touch besides business stuff." 
(On recommending Kinzer to other players): "I have in the past. I don’t really like that, but if there is a guy that doesn’t have an agent, or a young player, I recommend him. I did with [Starlin] Castro when he was coming up. I told Paul he has to go to the complex and sign this kid, he was going to be good."
(On the contract clauses with the Cubs that allowed Ramirez to void): "That was his idea all along, and it worked out well.  We did it in Chicago a couple of times and that was a good job on his part."

TED LILLY
Age 37     
Entering his 15th season in MLB.      
Drafted by Dodgers in 23rd round, 1996.      
Signed as free agent with Cubs in Dec., 2006.      
Played 4 seasons with Cubs (47-34, 3.70).      
Traded by Chicago to L.A. (with Ryan Theriot) on July 31, 2010.      
In the final season of a 3-year, $33M contract.      
Agent Larry O’Brien has been with Lilly before he reached MLB.      
Read full story here

“I kind of thought I was going to get the Jerry Maguire deal which was what I got with the majority of guys I ran across. Style is one thing but for me, it takes a back seat to substance and that’s what Larry is about."
"He’s definitely more than just my agent. He’s a good friend. He’s a very bright guy so as far as investments and making good choices, certainly in real estate and some other endeavors he’s done well. I think maybe because he’s Irish and he gets a little lucky too."
"To the end, whichever direction your career may go, Larry will be there. I think from what I’ve seen and having to be in professional baseball for 17 years, that’s pretty unusual really. In the industry you don’t see that. I’m sure the big agencies do a good job but having a number of friends that have gone that route, when their career is no longer as promising as it once was, they get forgotten about very quickly. Not with Larry. He’s done a great job.”



Returning to Little Lake Nellie (Anthony Castrovince, BSJ '03)
Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:31:20 +0100
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com On Twitter: @Castrovince We watched Steve Olin on that old television set in my mother’s living room. It was 1989, and my brother and I were tuned into the Triple-A All-Star Game. Olin represented Colorado Springs and, therefore, represented the Indians. They were our team, so he was our guy. And when [...]


Does Alfonso Soriano have a 40 HR season left in him with the Cubs? (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Thu, 21 Mar 2013 18:05:55 +0100
It took Alfonso Soriano 119 at-bats to hit his first home run last season. You may even remember the dramatic solo blast. Soriano tagged St. Louis flame-thrower Jason Motte in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game...
It took Alfonso Soriano 119 at-bats to hit his first home run last season.

You may even remember the dramatic solo blast. 
Soriano tagged St. Louis flame-thrower Jason Motte in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game 6-6. More specifically, his smash was just one of two home runs Soriano hit to the opposite field in 2012 (video here).

Unfortunately, the Cubs would go on to lose this particular game on a walkoff hit by Yadier Molina (Grr!). But Soriano, as we came to see, was ready to embark on a home run tear.
Despite the fact Bryan LaHair already had 10 HRs, including one during this game, Soriano not only caught LaHair, but went on to stroke a team-leading 32 HRs by season’s end. It marked his second-highest home run total (33) since joining Chicago in 2007.
According to hittrackeronline.com, Soriano finished second in the National League in ‘No Doubt’ home runs (11), defined by the site as “the ball cleared the fence by at least 20 vertical feet AND landed at least 50 feet past the fence. These are the really deep blasts.” Giancarlo Stanton led the NL with 12 no-doubters and Josh Hamilton took top honors in the American League with 15 deep blasts.
Soriano went yard 15 times at Wrigley Field. But his longest home run at the Friendly Confines, a 429 ft shot off San Diego’s Eric Stults, was only his fourth longest of the season. 
SORIANO’S LONGEST HRs 2012

452 ft off Zack Stewart, US Cellular Field (video here)

443 ft off P.J. Walters, Target Field

435 ft off J.A. Happ, Minute Maid Park

Much of the credit for Soriano’s eventual power surge is credited to manager Dale Sveum gently nudging Soriano to switch to a lighter bat. This appeared to allow Soriano to regain some bat speed that’s naturally lost in a 36-year-old body with tattered legs.
Meanwhile, with the Cubs relying heavily on Soriano to carry the offense this season, the hope is he can come out of the gate much quicker than he did in 2012. 
Coupled with a healthy body (Soriano also battled a nagging knee injury for six weeks last year) and Anthony Rizzo protecting him in the order, there’s reason to believe Soriano could take a crack at hitting 40 HRs, which he’s done on one other occasion, hitting 46 with Washington in 2006.
Not only would this be a huge lift for a Cubs offense, which is likely to struggle scoring runs, but the trade possibilities for a healthy, homer-happy Soriano could net Chicago a pretty return at the trade deadline.
However, the truth of the matter is Soriano could also get off to another slow start, suffer an injury or simply show signs that his tired legs are finally out of gas. That’s part of the risk the Cubs have taken by holding onto Soriano this winter and throughout the beginning of the season.
But we also know Soriano brings more to the table than just home runs. His leadership and work ethic are praised by the organization and teammates alike. 
That doesn’t erase the albatross of a contract hanging around his neck and squeezing the Cubs’ budget, but another solid year would be a fresh reminder not all of Soriano’s remaining 2 year, $18 million contract is dead money that’s gone to waste—even if it takes him another 120 at-bats to find his groove.



Peter King: Revis trade talks between Jets, Bucs in a fragile state (Peter King, BSJ '79)
Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:58:49 +0100
The Jets have a vexing problem with Darrelle Revis, but if GM John Idzik plays his cards right, he could at least partially save face for trading the franchise's best player by getting no less than first- and third-round draft choices from Tampa Bay for the problematic cornerback, a source close to the negotiations told SI.com.


Three Tough Questions Facing the Cubs in 2013 (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:05:40 +0100
What are three of the tougher questions facing the Cubs this season? Scoring runs tops the list and avoiding 100-losses ends it. What’s in the middle may surprise you. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING
What are three of the tougher questions facing the Cubs this season?     
Scoring runs tops the list and avoiding 100-losses ends it.      
What’s in the middle may surprise you.
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING


Chicago Cubs Franchise Leader In Manager Ejections (Brian Corbin, BSJ '06)
Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:15:59 +0100
Any idea which Cubs manager leads the franchise in game ejections? Sweet Lou? Mike Quade? Lee Elia? Nope, none of those guys. Dale Sveum’s not the answer, either. The title, in fact, belongs to Leo Durocher who managed the Cubs...
Any idea which Cubs manager leads the franchise in game ejections?

Sweet Lou? Mike Quade? Lee Elia? Nope, none of those guys. Dale Sveum’s not the answer, either.
The title, in fact, belongs to Leo Durocher who managed the Cubs from 1966 until midway through the 1972 season (he was replaced by Whitey Lockman). 
Umpires ran Durocher 17 times during his 1,065 games skippering the Cubs, and 94 times total throughout his 26-year Hall of Fame managing career.
Durocher remains in the top five for all-time ejections trailing only Bobby Cox (161) and John McGraw (118). No wonder Durocher was called “Leo the lip!”
You can read more about manager ejections at TwinsTrivia.com where lead writer John Swol has a lengthy article dedicated to the topic. Here are a few nuggets of minutia from Swol’s post:

Twins skipper Ron Gardenhire is fourth (63) on the ejection list among active managers. But he’s always been a fast climber averaging a heave-ho every 28 games per season.
Seattle’s franchise leader in manager ejections is none other than Sweet Lou. He hit the showers early 28 times during his 1,551 games leading the Mariners.
Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem is responsible for the most ejections (256). Bob Davidson is the active leader (156).
As for the most ridiculous manager meltdown of all-time? It must belong to Bush League skipper Phillip Wellman, who went berserk on June 1, 2007. It brought him national fame and a three-game suspension.