Thanksgiving and tough week at school

Well, thanksgiving was comming up and everyone was gonna go home...but me. I was stuck here...but things turned out not too bad. It was great for the break. I needed a break. I was falling apart. And things where only going to get worse afterwards. I have 2 solid weeks of hell and then I get to go back home the 14th for the first time since August. It is code named the Fortnight of Hell. So anyways...

I was loaded with basketball. Had a bunch Weds. Thursday we had practice int he morning. Then we got off the after that. I went to the Seromics for thanksgiving and it was a bunch of fun. I had a good time with the pies and stuff. Also, the little boy Juan Pablo is awesome. Me and paulina and Natalia went to go see Walle at night and then snuck in to see the last 30 minutes of The Dark KNight. Awesomeness. I cant wait till it gets out in BlueRay. Haha. I was so glad. I spent the night there, got up early friday, and then go to practice...again.

We had practice and walkthrough friday nigth. And it was fun. I am so tired right now, I dont remember what happened, it was too long ago and I am tired, hahaha. But afterwards we had to go to the office to get this newsletter for coach Beilein done. Apparently the manager who was suppose to get it done didnt come the last 2 weeks so it was not done. SO I took the burden and got to work and got a few to help me out and it was good stuff. I also got these sweet posters up for our game goals and stuff. Dang, I am leading the way in the second wave of managers. Its kinda cool.







Then Saterday we had our game against Savannah St. This game was crazy. For one, we hardly had any managers at all because of thanksgiving break, so I had to go up and film. But the game itself...oh what the drama! We had terrible practices leading up to the game, so I anticipated us stinking, but I had no idea this bad! You wouldnt have htought we had beated #4 UCLA the week before! We came out terrible and them awesome. We were missing everything and they were making everything the whole first half. They were making ugly buzzer beating shots. Everything. In fact they only missed 6 shots the first half, going 71.6% from the floor and 100% from 3s (6-6). So we went into the locker room quite...down by 20...yes, down by 20 to a terrible terrible team.




We came back in the second half and had a 15-0 run. The rest of the game we were trying to inch up on that 5 extra points. Finally in the last minute we were able to make it. Then, before you knew it we were tied with 30 seconds left in the game and they had the ball. Yeah, it couldnt get any more intense...but wait, it did. We fouled them 3 times in a row so that they kept having to take it out of bounds (cause we were not in the penalty). The last throw in there was 3.5 seconds. Well, as they pass it, our freshman Zach Novak (remember this dides name... this 2-star is gonna help our team a lot, just wait) lunged and tipped the ball out in front of him...only to grab it himself and run down the court at full blast next to Manny Harris to finish the game with an emphatic two handed dunk at the buzzer!...only for the ball to bounce out of the rim after time had expired! Yes, that is right, we could have won the game at the buzzer with a game ending dunk and ...it went out...so then we go to overtime. It gets better...

Overtime, we are doing pretty good but they are staying with us. Freethrows were huge for us this game. There we roll. We are winning by 2 points. A few seconds on the clock. They have the ball. As the clock rolls down and they are using up the clock, one of their players takes a ballsy contested shot at the short corner over our players to sink nothing but net with 5 seconds left to tie the game. I was for sure thinking we were going to have to suffer more...but, well...just listen.

(Zack Novak`s tip for the steal with 3.5 seconds left)

We pass the ball in, notice, with 5 seconds left, to Manny Fresh...he dribles once, tosses the ball half way through the court to DeShawn Sims at the women´s 3point line and shoots immediately with 0.8 seconds over one guy...and...and...nothing but net at the buzzer! The players jumped all over him and we finished a scare to a terrible team. Yes, we were down by 20 to Savannah St. But you know what? We know now that we can come back from a 20 point deficit and still win in 20 minutes. So over all good. Next...Duke, thats right, Duke Rematch 12/6. You be ready and square...

(DeShawn Sim`s shot with 0.8 seconds for the win)

(Our team extatic after the win)

BigTenNewtork Highlights

Michigan Vs. UCLA, Duke, and Ohio State

Before I want to get into my real post, just wanted to say that I just got my new Sennheiser 280 Pro headphones in, and they are freakin sweet. Got them for only $89. And they sound awesome. You can hear pieces of the songs that I have never heard before. Of course the one down side is that its super obvious which songs are CD quality and which are some cheap recording of a song. They are a bit big and a little attention-catchy (I dont knw if that is a word), and have a long, spirally cable, but the sound is well worth it. Haha, but yeah, they are sweet. Oh, and rediculously cold here! Ahhh! Now to the real stuff, like, this week!


Wow, this week and weekend was nuts! I was so busy and it was so exciting! Since we won our section of the 2K tournament here in Ann Arbor last week, we were set to play at the Madison Square Garden in New York City this week. We were set to play UCLA on thrusday and if we won or lost, we would be in either the championship game or the consolation game on friday. I was not set to go, since I am only a sophomore, and they take only a few managers. Weds was cool because we had practice at 11am. I was able to go and still make it to my spanish presentation at time. This gave me the whole afternoon off to get catch up on lifting and school work and hanging out with UCO dudes. I was also busy at work making charts for Coach Meyer and working on banners for Coach Mahoney. Check out these banners I made for the upcomming game:




We had our game Thrusday night at 9pm Eastern on ESPN2. I think I told just about everyone. Us managers meet at Cristler Arena to watch the game together in the locker room with the nics HD flat screen and sit on them sweet laz-y-boys. I met up with a few of the managers, one of the players that stayed here because of a sprained ancle, and one of the football players, Stonum. We started off in that glorious arena against UCLA looking so scared! I mean, I figured it would happen, but it was annoying! 1-9 in just a matter of minutes! And then we came back 7-9. And then they rolled 7-14. But at least we were staying with them. I think we were only down by 4 at the half. We came back in the second half working hard, creating opportunities, creating tips and turnovers with our 1-3-1 defense, and finishing with fast break points and some key shooting. Towards the end, we wee only up by 1. We kept missing shots. Then Anthony Wright gets the ball at the 3point line free through line extended, dribbles, does a dump off to true freshman Stu Douglass who jacks up a 3pointer with his feet completely off-centered....and he makes the huge shot! It was nuts! Then later we were up by 1 again with a minute to go. We ran the ball using the shot clock like we had all game...running out of time, and at that instant, DeShawn Sims cuts back door down the center of the key for a huge two-handed dunk! It was nuts! But then they hit a 3 pointer! And then Manny Fresh made 2 easy free throws and even semi-blocked a buzzer-beater shot to finish the game! Oh my gosh! We won! We beat UCLA! WE BEAT UCLA! It was bonkers in the locker room! Us managers and others were jumping up and down like nuts! I got back to the dorm and was yelling all outside that we had won and down in the lobby and through 4 different floors that we had beaten UCLA. They were the number 4 team in the country! We had not beaten a top 5 ranked team in like 12 years! We havent gone to the NCAA tournament in 10 years! We havent had an All-American in 14 years! And UCLA had 2 of them! They had made it to the final four the last 3 years and were predicted to go again! And we took them down! We who had a record 22 losses last year! We who are full of underclassmen and flat talent! We who are just unrecognized in a school that expects the best but is getting no love from the football team. And we won! And I was excited...
Make sure to check the highlights on ESPN.





Again, I told everyone I knew about the Duke game. I was so busy that day that I didnt get to work out till late. It was so full at the IM building that I went to work out at Cristler, came back to shower and eat, and then back to Cristler for the game. This time it was just 3 of us managers at the game. We were all tired. And the game stunk. We were creating open looks but nothing was falling. Our defense wasnt nearly as effective. And number 5 Duke was playing extraordinary. Shortly speaking, I was so tired and that laz-y-boy was so comfortable, that yes, I fell asleep and missed the entire second half and some of the first. I was awakened only to be told that we had lost by 15 and that we just did not play well at all. Dang it. This is what I did not want. I did not want to lay an egg. But whatever. That was just the first part of the disappointment. ESPN.




The second was saterday. Yes, the biggest sports rivalry of all time was today. Michigan Vs. Ohio State. But there were loads of problems. First off, we suck. Our team really is not doing good this year. Filled with new plays and terrible mistakes, we just have been cruising to the record 8 losses, which was about to become 9 with OSU. It was at Columbus, Ohio. Our quarterback was injured. Our running back was injured. Our offensive line was injured. All we had was our defense, and they werent even that good. But we still ahd hope. And that died off fast. Within a few seconds of the game, we intercepted Tyrell Pryor`s pass and ran it to the red zone before being pushed out. Then we couldn`t convert. Then we missed the filed goal. That was the story of the game. The defense actually did a decent job, making huge hits. There was a lot of scrambles and a few short-lived fighting, but with all this empty talk, we just did terrible and lost again. Want another record for the books? Why not, this blog post has been full of them...we have never lost to OSU 5 times in a row until now...Great Scott. ESPN. BigTenNewtork

Anyhow, I am sick of this. Terrible weekend. Great win over UCLA. I hope that our basketball quickly becomes our bright side and that our campus not only realizes that, but also embraces and supports our Wolverines. And next year!....well, next year we will see where I am with the team! Who knows, perhaps I will be traveling with them next year to our tournament in Orlando, Florida!

Video of the Month! Jesus is a friend of mine!

Now that is what you call a song of praise!



Just hope you dont have that evil stare like that lead singer...he is a bit creepy...so is the song at that, hahaha. rad found it and has literally been playing it in the room like for days now. "Thats terriffic!..."
ZAP!!!
...yeah, whatever

And if you thought that was good, check out the chipmonk version...oh dear...




WARNING:This song contains an addicting yet illusive tune....listens beware...

Spiderman Visits University of Michigan!

So, a few days ago the University erected this huge steel TeePee...or at least that is what it looks like, in front on Angell Hall. Me and David were talking about it one day walking by it after eating at the brothers´house for dinner. We talked about how weird it was and that it would be kinda cool to climb. I personally admit I did not think it could be climbed because of it being thick steel and there is hardly any grip. David differed, and ended up proving me wrong...and thats where it all started for the great idea we put together...let me say no more...enjoy...






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Nov. 4 ...and President Obama

Well this voting stuff was getting old. Obama is so suppported here. People think that Bush is an evil tyrant and they blame everything on the man. Even though I agree Bush has made some errors I do not beleive one should hate a man, especially someone in that sort of office, in which we should respect him for who he is and then disagree with his policies. Anyhow, people want notthing to do with the republican party here in South MIchigan because republican smells like Bush and Bush is evil, so therefore lets get as liberal as possible...which equals to Obama. There are Obama signs everywhere. All over the bathroom, the hallways, the elevators, the class roms, the polls and signs around ampus. Its nuts. Youd think he was a dictator and puting his image all over the world. Its somewhat humorus but it gets old very fast. Actually, I did see one McCain Paline poster, but it was only the size of an index card, and it was in the urinal. SO I dont know if that is to promote him in a place that is going to be extremely visible in the male domaine, or if people just want to piss on them and feel better about themselves. Either way, that is the only McCain poster I have seen.

SO Today is Tuesday, November 4th, 2008. It is election day. People around here have been showing 8.04.08 and 1.20.09 around forever. The first is today, the election day. The second is the last day George W. Bush will serve as president.

These are 2 videos from the MIchigan Daily, the newspaper here for UofM...






As you can see, everyone was full of excitement here in Ann Arbor, except the conservatives who are scared of what might be with things like socialism, the freedom of choice act, and higher taxes on businesses. But besides that, people were really excited. I had to go vote during my busy schedual up in Bursley in North Campus, wehre I lived last year and regestered last year. But it worked out. Jevohn Sheperd, our senior player, kept telling us to vote and to vote Obama Monday night after practice. He was all enthusiastic about it, and the we just all started to laugh at him..."Shep! You cant even vote! Hahaha!" Jevohn is from Toronto, so yeah, he cant vote, but he looked hilarius telling us.

Click here to see McCain´s speech
Click here to see Obama´s Speech

Well, I am very excited about the future. I want to see what Obama can do and will do to bring in this "Change", this change that is very veague and has little connection to anything. But I want to see him connect this nation and lead this nation, which I think he will. I think he can lead this nation, even though his policies and beliefs are not quite in the right shoe box.