Reasons I Love Sports

Nate’s 9: Reasons I Love Sports

I liken it more to a disease than I would a hobby.  I literally can’t get enough of sports.  Football, soccer, basketball, tennis, baseball, golf, hockey, the Olympics; if it’s on, I’m probably most likely watching them.  Most of my quality time with my children involves playing sports or something there of. (I believe that hide and seek is just a children’s version of the NFL combine as one must accelerate quickly, show agility in hiding in hard to find places, and resourcefulness as one may also have to locate new and interesting places to hide).  Well, many, many months ago when I first came up with the idea for the Nate’s Nine blog, this was one of the categories that I was pleased to work on.  It kind of sat on the back burner (for over a year), as there were more untailored topics to write on (Mortal Kombat, bucket lists, soda flavors, NFL players, etc), but as Nate’s Nine comes to a close, I thought, why not finally finish my junior masterpiece (I’m saving my masterpiece for the final edition; probably about 3-4 blogs down the road).  Here are the main reasons why sports are all around me.

#9 – Goals.  Love them.  I used to love them in hockey when I was a young child.  I wasn’t familiar with the soccer version, nor did I care to familiarize myself with them until I turned about sixteen.  Then, when soccer came into my life, hockey’s great goals sort of faded away from memory.  I still remember Ovechkin’s.  And I’ll never forget Brett Hull’s (nor will I ever understand it). Now, I identify with goals almost on a weekly basis in soccer, and I think it’s the main valuation of how good and popular a team can be (no one particularly cares for clean sheets every week, but they love their goal of the week moments).  I can usually use sports markers as defining moments in my life.  I know that I was in my living room, just getting home from school, when Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer put home the two goals to give Manchester United the European trophy.  I know that I was almost in the exact same spot when Zinedine Zidane hit the legendary left-footed volley that was able to sink Bayer Leverkusen to lift the same trophy.  I remember standing at the host stand at Champps running back and forth from the kitchen for every one of Ronaldo’s three goals to knock out my darling United.  And I know that I turned my back to Gotze to take a drink of beer when he put away the goal that won Germany the World Cup of 2014.  Life’s grand moments, all.

#8 – Touchdowns.  Love them too.  Maybe a little bit more, just because I was raised on them.  I can go on and on about them in the same manner of which I mentioned goals, but I think it’s better to just explain why.  Touchdowns change lives. Touchdowns change people.  They change moods.  They can change a season, just by the football crossing a goal line.  The Vikings scored plenty of touchdowns in 1998, and I still have yet to see this state as vibrant and excited for sport as I did during those four months of my senior year of high school.  (As a Cheeser, it was brutal, but looking back, it was a fun time to be a part of - “We’re going to Miami”).  That team could score touchdowns at any moment, from anyone and from anywhere.  As for the lives moment... my mother believes this whole-heartedly and without question, and I still waver a little bit on the memories of it, and the possibility of it all, but in early 1998, Randy Moss had scored a pre-season touchdown and jumped into the stands as Green Bay Packers’ players were wont to do, and still are I suppose.  She glanced in my direction to see how I would react, while the light had turned green.  I thought about it, and made some comment about how that was our thing, but whatever.  A red truck (I remember the red, if anything) came barreling through the intersection seconds after the switch had been made.  In any case, my mother believes her life was gone if we had accelerated when we were supposed to, and mine could have ended just as badly.  It was a puny little car, and I’m thankful that we’ll always be able to guess, as opposed to the experience of it.  I have no problem with touchdowns.

#7 – Storylines.  So many great stories come from sports.  Stories of succeeding out of turmoil like the Tide football team after the Tuscaloosa tornado. Tony Dungy getting redemption by winning a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts after the unfortunate release in Tampa, and the loss of a family member a few years later.  Jackie Robinson’s story.  Sandy Koufax. Tom Brady as a 6th round draft choice. Nancy Kerrigan making her great comeback. The real Hoosiers. Miracle on Ice. Blue Chips. (Just kidding!) Sports are great just for the competition, relationships, health and the like.  Yet, I think they are always just a bit more interesting, a bit more moving, when there’s an enjoyable story in which to follow.

#6 – Solidarity. I know that my experience in Germany as an exchange student would have been entirely different, if I didn’t embrace soccer completely and unconditionally during that year abroad.  Sports are probably the main reason that I was able to make so many friends while I was there.  I would wear my Charlotte Hornets fitted cap (God, how I miss that thing), and Germans would come up and spark conversations about basketball, and of course, Dirk Nowitzki.  I had 20,000 Borussia Dortmund supporters cheering me on just because I got to wave their flag (it’s beyond huge) from one end of the South Stand to the other. I can’t tell you how many lasting friendships that I have been able to develop over here in the United States just because of my love for one Manchester United.  It even goes further than that though.  Even the little instances have made an impact. I got to meet a Californian on his virgin Lambeau experience just because we were both wearing green and gold sitting at a bar in Green Bay.  I purchased a San Francisco Giants hat back in 2002 to show my allegiance to Barry Bonds and that World Series squad, and I had the chance to have a conversation with someone for over an hour about the Giants and what they meant to him and his city.  Sports are great, because they bring you together with people that you would have no business getting to know otherwise.

#5 – Discovering your Favorite Player.  For those who follow sports as obsessively as I do, you know that cheering for a particular athlete can be rewarding.  I would like to bring up the Jordan vs. Bird video game, which was way ahead of its time.  It forced people to pick a side, and make a decision.  It was marketing genius. There are still so many people that I come into contact with that view favorably upon reminiscing about both Larry and Michael.  It’s such a sweet connection when you finally have that favorite player that brings you closer to the sport than you ever could be before they started playing.  Take my two biggest examples.  My favorite football player for many years was Walter Payton.  I loved him from the time I was 5 years old, and I kind of viewed him in a larger-than-life character in which he could do no wrong.  Fast forward fifteen years and I know that he’s not the guy that I made him out to be.  But what he did for my love of football... I don’t know if it can ever be replicated.  I watched football every weekend, and when I wasn’t day dreaming or writing about it, it’s because I was playing it. Now, my favorite football player is, of course, Aaron Rodgers. Like most Packer fans, I’m sure, yet I’ve loved his style from the days of Cal-Berkeley.  I know the player more now and I believe it has a lot to do with why he’s my current and perhaps all-time favorite the way my dad’s was Roger Staubach.  When we get to a certain point in our lives, it becomes more than just about the game.  We want to see how they interact off the field, how they take action with teammates, how they lead, and all that good stuff.  My favorite player never whined while he sat for (3 years!) on the bench in Green Bay, he never complained when the GM decided to let players he counted on like Greg Jennings, James Jones and JerMichael Finley loose.  I’ve been very blessed as a sports fan; I’ve also been quite cursed as a fan of players.  Besides Walter playing for the Bears, I’ve had the unlucky experience of seeing Randy Moss and Adrian Peterson, two players of whom I loved in college; pull on the purple as professional athletes.  I had to see Carlos Tevez leave my beloved United, and dress himself in that nasty blue of Manchester City.  Yet, Aaron Rodgers and Wayne Rooney were my favorites long before they wore my favorite team’s colors, and for that I’m thankful.  As fans we should be so lucky.

#4 – The Business Model. Perhaps you can see the humor in this, because government should be so lucky.  Essentially all five major teams’ sports (Football, European football, basketball, baseball, and hockey) use different models in which to run their entities.  For the most part, they all work, and quite obviously, they all bring in serious money.  We know that the NFL is able to do it with a socialist philosophy, in which all teams get equal spending and then it is up to them on how to utilize those dollars in order to achieve organization expectations.  The fans love it, Goodell sure as hell loves it, owners love it; it certainly works for everyone (except for Oakland and Jacksonville).  I mean this league has some serious issues: domestic violence, concussions/player safety, arrests, among other major concerns, but they just cruise right along, and give us a product we can enjoy.  It’s a successful model, and I enjoy it, and I think most everyone is happy with it...  Baseball has the revenue stream package in which most of them (owners) are given the opportunity to run each team as a separate entity, but then they share revenues with the clubs that are less fortunate/in smaller markets.  I love what it can do, and for the most part, I don’t believe that the smaller markets’ owners have been taking advantage of these contributions from the most profiting teams.  I do remember hearing years back that the Pittsburgh Pirates were pocketing the cash that they were receiving from the richer clubs, but I can’t confirm or deny that any of it happened, which is either a poor internet search on my part, or fantastic maneuvering by those associated with the Pirates and also by the internet.  Anyway, now you often see small market teams profiting, and the larger market teams losing a bit of money at season’s end, but it does give all teams the opportunity to remain competitive, so I consider baseball’s strategy a success...  Basketball has a luxury tax and soft cap, and two of the NBA’s four worst teams are at the top of it.  I like the soft cap, because it allows teams that have built strong squads within, the opportunity to keep everybody together for a long period of time.  I like the luxury tax, because you can go over the cap if you want to push for those extra player/players to win a championship, but you have to pay the price to do so.  It’s what I wish the NFL would do for certain players that reach an age milestone (guaranteed money and all that, but that’s probably for another day).  Anyway, it’s definitely why the San Antonio Spurs have been successful for so long (5 titles in 16 years), and I don’t think you would be able to see this in any other sport (imagine if Stoke City won the Premier League).  David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Sean Elliott, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili all stayed for the duration of their careers, and you would never see that in football. Or in soccer for that matter...  Hockey is finally getting it right.  They used to have these ridiculous contracts in which a player could sign for 18 years at 100 million dollars, but they would just push out the money until the end of the player’s contract, so while they were in their prime, they wouldn’t count against much of the cap.  Well, that sucked for teams that had no idea on how to get better (Unless they got Chicago[Toews, Kane], Washington[Ovechkin] or Pittsburgh[Malkin, Crosby] lucky in the draft), and most of the teams recycled themselves at the bottom of the league (Atlanta, Nashville, Columbus, Florida etc). They also used to have the ridiculous TV contracts where places like Minnesota, if the Wild weren’t on television, would get to see only Detroit, Boston, Chicago, the Rangers, and Montreal over and over again. I can’t imagine that was healthy for the league, and it’s no wonder why the south struggled to ever develop a passion for the game (Atlanta has moved back up, rumors persist that the Coyotes will do so).  NBC Sports and the NHL network have done a much better job balancing out the television viewership over the past couple of years, and I think having more equality on television will develop more fans for the sport over the long run.  Keeping the cap number down is also a positive I believe and it allows for different teams to have success in successive seasons (Colorado won the division last year, now could finish last; on the flip side, Nashville missed the playoffs last season, and may have a shot at a division title)...  The soccer version is American capitalism at its finest. Clubs can spend as much as they please, buy whomever they’d like, and unless Financial Fair Play starts poking its head around, pretty much give sports agents’ full reign of moving players for dollars whenever necessary.  Take Real Madrid for example.  They won the European Cup last year, the tournament that determines which team is the best in all of Europe.  Financially, they could’ve kept that same team intact, and would have realistically had the same chance to do it all again this season.  However, money flexed its big muscles, and they brought in three players for over 150 million dollars (Kroos, James, and Navas).  To accommodate FIFA FFP, they also had to sell a couple of players, and so they sold Angel Di Maria to Manchester United for no apparent reason other than money (He doesn’t seem to be happy in Manchester, Real Madrid players and coaches alike seem to miss him, and the fans most certainly do).  Sucks, right?  The reason that I love this model though is that if club ownerships, or boards, or public stock options are God willing, any club can turn into a potential European powerhouse (see PSG, Manchester City, Malaga and Shakhtar).  PSG was wallowing in the middle of the French League with no threat of ever challenging for major trophies as recent as five seasons ago.  Enter, Qatar Sports Investments. They have just preposterous amounts of money, and now PSG are annual favorites at not only winning France, but the European trophy as well.  They didn’t change anything but the players, but they are also doing things that should have some valuable long-term effects as well.  PSG currently has one of the best youth systems in the world, and there are many promising players coming through the youth teams ready to make their mark on the world of soccer.  While all sports leagues are very different, I don’t think any changes are necessary and each entity makes for great entertainment and sporting value.

#3 – Global/Local Friendships.  Sports have been terrific for me as far as this goes.  I think most of my best friendships have a solid foundation that has been built on sports.  I can name a friend on six of the seven continents (I’m really searching for that die-hard football fan that lives just off the coast of Antarctica), and I’m not sure that any of them would have been established if it wasn’t for our mutual appreciation of sports.  With the exception of the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, I had received an offer from citizens that lived in the countries that have hosted the World Cup during the last four events (Korea, Germany, and Brazil).  It’s lovely to know that those offers are on the table, and I hope to return those same offerings if the United States is ever given a chance to host.  I’ve connected with Finns and Swedes based on their love for hockey; while I enjoy watching hockey, I’m far from saying that I am completely in love with it, but I do respect those that have that fervor.  Yet, I do enjoy those opportunities to engage in conversations with sports enthusiasts from the other side of the world and I’m very thankful for all the people that I’ve been able to meet worldwide and here locally, and I owe most of those friendships to one particular passion.

#2 – The Identity of Franchises.  I love it. I think it’s part of the reason that gets everyone so fired up. The Los Angeles Lakers – Showtime, Hollywood type basketball.  The Boston Celtics – Classy, fundamental basketball.  The New York Yankees – Yeah, you already said it.  And so on and so forth.  The reason I enjoy franchise identity so much though, is because it can be sold to the public, then hype gets bigger, so there is more media coverage, and then there is this explosion of interest that get more fans involved...  For example, the New England Patriots are polarizing; there is no doubt about that (The most recent Super Bowl was the most watched event in US history).  If you love them, you see them through the lens of Bill Belichick, creator of heaven and earth.  His only son, Tom Brady, and the holy cathedral – Foxboro Stadium (Gillette to those that care about that kind of thing).  Then there is us: Belichick – Darth Vader, Brady – Heath Ledger’s Joker, and Gillette – The Waste Lands.  Either way, New England is out there, they are identifiable, and they generate huge interest in the National Football League.  Lakers vs. Celtics will always draw lines, just like Canadians vs. Maple Leafs. Part of it is history and the amount of winning that came from that history, sure, but another part of it is the good vs. evil representation and our identification through that process. Montreal is for the people (good?), Toronto for the rich (evil).  Lakers basketball is for those that like creative stimulation (evil?), the Celtics for those that need to think rationally (good?). I have modified my passions to accept either way of success (Manchester United – money\evil? / Borussia Dortmund – youth development\good?). I just accept and enjoy that people think of sports as more than just a form of entertainment; it’s a way to identity with oneself and the communities of which we are a part of.

#1 – Competition.  It’s straightforward really.  The 1 on 1.  The team vs. team.  You vs. me.  Who’s better?  Who has more determination, more resolve, more energy, or more drive?  It’s something I’ve loved since I’ve been old enough to know what it is, and I hope to instill the same values and ideas into my children.  At the end of the day, I don’t take it too seriously to the point of death threats against players, personal unhappiness, lower self-worth, etc.  But I do think that competition and sport teach us a lot about ourselves, our lives, our cultures and about the world that we live in. We have to work towards everything that we want and need. If I get a 3.9 GPA and I’m going up against you for a job and you had a 4.0, you should get it.  That’s my life’s lesson.  I know what I need to do.  Simply, I just want to be better than you.

Favorite College Programs

Nate’s 9: Favorite College Football Programs

            This one is going to be completely biased and utterly unfair.  I haven’t taken any outside considerations when selecting those that I believe to be in my top 9, and it’s based on my feelings only.  I decided to do this for two reasons.  First, I want my children to have some sort of guidelines as to what schools they need to aim for if they want to achieve greatness at football (I’m kidding).  Second, it’s waaaay to hard to actually create the list for top 9 college football programs.  There’s no way I would ever get it right, there would be way to much debate, and I’m not trying to engage a circus of opinions.  I just want to share my bias in football. 

If I did try to list top 9 of all-time though, maybe it looks something like this...?

#9- University of Miami (not of Ohio)

#8- USC

#7- Michigan

#6- Ohio State

#5- Florida State

#4- Oklahoma

#3- Texas

#2- Notre Dame

#1- Alabama

Or something pretty close to that anyway.  I prefer the personal relationships with a college program; someone that may have invited you to their tailgate BBQ when you’re an out-of-towner, or a school that is considered beautiful, or fans that are so passionate that they cry when they win, and cry when they lose.  Here are the 9 programs that I share those same values with. (Just know, my #1 is a personal thing, I grew up with them in my heart).

#9 – Minnesota Golden Gophers.  At first, they were on the outside looking in.  Hovering around the 13-15 spots.  Then, they just kept staying alive while I eliminated the Seminoles, Cornhuskers, and a few others.  I don’t know what it is about this program, because I don’t think that they have a loyal fan base, they don’t win enough to be considered a big time program, and there is nothing here in Minneapolis that stands out to the purpose that would make the Gophers an attraction.  But, I find myself always wanting them to do well, and I certainly follow the careers of Gophers that find their way to the NFL (I own Laurence Maroney and Marion Barber jerseys, and I follow MarQueis Gray on Twitter). I love my own personal game experience at TCF Bank, and for what they lack in competitiveness and fan support, is surely made up for in staff politeness and menu selection.  I’ve been to Ryan Field (Northwestern) and so I can say legitimately that those things do account for much. 

#8 – Michigan State Spartans.  I’ve always had a soft spot for Spartan football and basketball.  I’m not quite sure why, only that it came from a really young age.  I liked Shawn Respert and Mateen Cleaves growing up as far as basketball was concerned, and for some reason TJ Duckett, Jeff Smoker and Charles Rogers were favorites of mine in the world of football.  Winning had nothing to do with it; Michigan State had a hard time winning football games until Mark Dantonio arrived on the campus in ’07.  I know their basketball team has been good for quite some time, but to the point of me purchasing a Spartans jersey and cap, I can’t say for sure.  I know their rivalry with Michigan must have a little to do with it; most of you probably know I can’t stand the Wolverines and Michigan fans in general.  In any case, East Lansing is a trip I’ve always wanted to make, and I really do enjoy seeing the Spartans succeed in the world of athletics (minus hockey, of course).

#7 – Tennessee Volunteers.  I dedicate their position in my nine completely to Rocky Top.  I can’t get enough of that football fight song.  I get excited about college football just thinking about it.  Also, you have to consider that while they haven’t been great as of the last few seasons, the Vols have had the pleasure of having Peyton Manning, Reggie White and Willie Gault, who are three of my all-time favorite players.  They did happen to win a championship in my lifetime, albeit with Peerless Price and Tee Martin leading the way (which no one saw coming).  They should have played for a championship in 2001, which I consider to be one of the greatest college football teams that I’ve ever seen. They had Donte Stallworth, John Henderson, Albert Haynesworth and Jason Witten among many others.  A bad loss to Georgia and losing in the SEC Championship ruined any chance at a title, but as you can see, my heart still breaks for that team.  That influence, the fight song, and all that damn orange is enough for me to admire a program that I wish would reach the heights that they were once used to.

#6 – Wisconsin Badgers.  I used to hate this program for so long.  I couldn’t understand how Madison, a city that in my head had absolutely nothing of value, could lure great athletes from both Illinois and Minnesota, and essentially play for Big Ten championships every year.  It was baffling to me. But Barry Alvarez leads the life that I can only dream of.  He put the school and football program on the map, he became the athletic director that oversees one of the best programs in the country in all of the sport considerations, and they do it in a place that doesn’t allow for easy recruiting access.  For the most part, there are no ultra talented football players in the state of Wisconsin.  There certainly aren’t any top of the nation basketball players in the state of Wisconsin.  They raise cows and the occasional hockey player.  But damned if I’m not jealous and a little bit proud of what Wisconsin football has done for the upper Midwest in general.  It’s where I wish the Gophers could be.

#5 – North Carolina Tar Heels.  This is a funny one, I know, and I can honestly say that it correlates a little bit to the love that I have for their basketball program.  Yet, I can’t help but think that their football program should be close to that level as well.  They certainly have all the means to be there.  Because of the basketball program, the school is very visible to the country.  They are in a state that now hosts professional football on Sundays, and between the up and rising Duke Blue Devils and the always steady NC State Wolfpack, are part of a group of schools that should give depth to the ACC.  I’ll tell you why I like them though.  They seem to get really lucky, and every 4-5 years, recruit a player that I really enjoy watching.  It all started with Vonnie Holliday, Dre Bly and Greg Ellis.  I loved them all coming out of college, and I was super excited when the Packers had the chance to draft Holliday (Steady, but never spectacular NFL career).  Then, one of my all-time favorites in Julius Peppers who I enjoyed watching on the court too.  Ronald Curry also played during that time, and what a treat he was to watch.  I had wished the world for that player, he certainly had the skill set to be one of the greats. Michael Waddell and Dexter Reid never really panned out in the pros, but they were a great pair of defensive backs during a high time for the Tar Heels.  And most recently, I’ve enjoyed Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate (hell, I even own a Nicks NY Giants jersey).  For some reason, I can’t get enough of Tar Heels football. 

#4 – Florida Gators.  If I had been a five-star recruit, I would have gone to Florida.  I love everything about this program, or I have since Steve Spurrier got them to play that high flying style of football twenty years ago.  Danny Wuerffel, yep that was my guy.  Ike Hilliard and Reidel Anthony are still two of my favorite wide receivers.  This offense just went.  I love the swamp, I love the chomp, I love the colors, and most of all – I love the speed.  When the Gators were at the top of the college football world, they just flew around the field, offense and defense alike.  I still think the CB combo of Joe Haden and Janoris Jenkins is one of the best that I’ve ever seen.  Maybe only Philip Buchanon and Mike Rumph would I consider to be better, but both groups won NCAA championships.  I was a huge fan of both the Urban Meyer led Gators and Spurrier’s Gators as well.  I loved the pistol and the jet sweep, even though it was run by Tim Tebow, one of the few players that I didn’t particularly care for (on the field, naturally).  I even tweeted out my agitation at the Will Muschamp led Gators, because I hate seeing a proud program like this suffer so.  Once Tennessee and Florida start winning football games again, will everything be right with the SEC.

#3 – Oregon Ducks.  It’s recent, I can admit that. It all goes back to the speed, and how much they have of it.  But for all their speed, and flash, pretty jerseys and beautiful facilities, they still play some tough and intelligent football.  They test the limits of other teams with their preposterously quick hurry-up offense, and I appreciate why and how they do so.  I know a lot of the traditionalists complain, but who doesn’t love points in football?  Well, me, I love 13-7 games, but if you're going to go, go all out.  I love how their complex offensive plays get multiple players so wide open, that you can’t find the defensive players on the camera.  I love that they recruit 3 five-star running backs, and find the amount of carries to keep all of them happy.  I love that when they can’t keep them happy; they just move them to a different position on the field.  What I think I love the most though is that football is about guts and glory, and about who’s stronger and has more determination, and they’ve taken that theory and shoved it right back up the bleepity bleeps of the people who don’t care for change in their sport.  Well done, Ducks.

#2 – Miami Hurricanes.  Schwag – Swag, but not white people swag.  Like, the we get 30 for 30 (2) documentaries made about us, we have the entire nation wanting us to lose, we could take on an NFL team, we do so much coke down here on campus but don’t give a – type swag.  I loved Schnellenberger, Dennis Erickson, Butch Davis and grudgingly Jimmy Johnson.  It was around the time of Johnson that I thought they took it overboard.  And they did.  But now that they are forgiven, it truly is one of the great resuscitations in college sports history.  (Watch the 30 for 30, there were talks of them eliminating the program).  While Randy Shannon and Al Golden have done their best to turn this program around after all the penalties that the Canes received, it still is a long way back for them to recoup some of that luster from their glory days.  I don’t think they’ll ever quite get that back though, not with Twitter; not with the constant media attention and analysis and everything you say can and will be used against you in the court of sports.  But for those ten to fifteen seasons, there was no schwag better than that of these Miami Hurricanes. The U.

#1 – Penn State Nittany Lions.  This wasn’t hard.  It wasn’t supposed to be.  I’ve been a fan of the Nittany Lions since I can remember watching football.  My first starter jacket?  Yep, a Penn State one.  My first favorite player? Yep, a Penn State player.  (Blair Thomas, for you curious ones).  I’ve kind of treated my fandom of Penn State as one would breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It’s what I know, so I’m going to continue to do it.  And they’ve made it tough.  I still question whether or not I would let my children attend Penn State to play football.  That hurts to say, but it’s what I feel in my heart.  That school let me down big time, not only by ignoring the situation, but how they reacted to it after it became public.  Yet, we all make mistakes, and I’ve forgiven the school and the program.  I’m pleased to see that the NCAA has as well, and that a majority of the mistakes were done by the prior board of the school, and one man. 

I also still get jacked up over the 1994 football season.  They would have beaten the Cornhuskers that year, of which I have no question.  A horse crap game against a bad Indiana team must be what people remember, because Penn State was #1 in the country prior to that game.  They won it, but still dropped down to #2.  And stayed there, undefeated, until the season was over. 

            A game day experience at Beaver Stadium is still unlike any other I’ve been a part of, including Lambeau.  It’s such a tight-knit town, with polite fans that are passionate about their football.  I’ve never seen a visiting fan get heckled beyond what would be considered uncomfortable, and it’s usually friendly banter that isn’t taken very seriously. (Although I’ve heard home games against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish aren’t considered quite so friendly).  Everyone makes a day of the event, because parking getting there is atrocious and leaving after the game is a slow, excruciating process.  I think my dad decided to leave a game directly after and it took us 3 hours to get home, when normal circumstances run about 15 minutes.  I have yet to see Penn State lose at home, so part of that might come into play, but for me there will ever only be one #1 program.  That of the Penn State Nittany Lions. 

Favorite Movies

Nate’s 9: Favorite Movies

This was really hard, because when I started I thought “Goodfellas” would be top 5, and I thought that “In the Name of the Father”, “There Will Be Blood”, “Crash”, and “Midnight Cowboy” would all have places in the top 9.  I sat down with 94 movies when I started, and while I don’t feel good about kicking some ridiculously good films out of this list, I had to have all of these in here.  I think the reasons that these pictures made it, and not the aforementioned, is because they got to me beyond the realm of just watching the film, and have stayed with me leading up to and through the writing of this blog.

Note: Lion King makes the top 9 under normal circumstances, but since I’ve already completed an animated movies top 9, I decided to leave this for the film industry.

#9 – Sandlot.  The first movie that I feel in love with, so I had to find room for it on this list. With classic lines like,
“For-Ev-Er”,
“You’re killin’ me Smalls”,
“Remember kid. There’s heroes and there’s legends.  Heroes get remembered, but legends never die. Follow your heart kid, and you’ll never go wrong.”
It’s one of the greatest sports movies for quotes that I’ve ever had the privilege of watching.  Even the character’s names are memorable.  Ham. Squints. Yeah-Yeah. The Jet.  I’m not sure if any of our kids are going to be able to relate to the film the way that we were able to.  One of my favorite memories growing up were all the sandlot sports games that we used to play, and the freedom that came along with that.  Our parents never worried about where we were, because we were always together.  We didn’t have to be at a particular sporting event by 6:00, because we always made our own games.  I cherished those memories, and I’d never trade them for organized sports, and I think this movie emulates most of those feelings that we had as kids.  Wendy Peffercorn may still live in the minds of many grown men, hoping to be saved from drowning. One of the best things at the end of the film was knowing that Squints was able to lock that up after all.

#8 – Kramer vs. Kramer.  Knowing what a child means to a home now, I can totally appreciate this movie much more than I ever would have been able to under other circumstances.  Dustin Hoffman is terrific as Ted, and Meryl Streep plays the unhappy Joanna so well, that even though I think she wasn’t doing the right thing, I can absolutely understand what she was going through.  The dialogue is phenomenal; Hoffman and Justin Henry, who plays their son, have excellent chemistry.  It’s a battle that I would never want to go to war for, but I imagine that this type of thing plays out a lot more than we think.  The ending still fires me up just thinking about it, but I believe that it was a reflection of America at this time.  One of the more emotional and involved movies I think I’ve ever watched.

#7 – Field of Dreams.  Woo boy.  If this ending doesn’t choke you up a little bit when the sun is setting and the ball is getting tossed around, then I question your feelings as a human being.  A movie that I can relate to for many reasons.  First, my complex relationship with my father.  Any boy would love to have that second opportunity to spend some quality time with a dad that can no longer be with them.  Second, his passion for sports takes him all around the country in his quest for discovering what he needs to know about himself.  I needed that year in Europe; without it, sports wise I don’t think I would be complete.  Soccer, after my family and writing, probably defines me more than anything else, and so I thoroughly understand why Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) needed to build his baseball field.  If I had the yard, well, you know.  Third, James Earl Jones is the master.  His laugh walking through the cornstalks is hauntingly beautiful and inexplicably sad all at once, and it leaves you wondering exactly what is beyond the baseball field in Iowa.  And sweet, little Burt Lancaster.  His smile makes me smile.  A rich film indeed.

#6 – Michael Clayton.  Recommended to me by a friend.  At first I wasn’t sure why.  The cast was okay, but it wasn’t any of my favorite actors. All he said was that it was my type of film.  Halfway through, I was confused, disoriented, and wasn’t connecting the dots at all.  The second time... masterpiece.  It was so brilliantly interwoven, and the truths weren’t revealed until the very end.  It wasn’t edge on your seat suspenseful, with guns blazing and cars flipping, but every scene required some little insignificant detail, that would be later returned in vociferous encounters with undetermined assailants.  It shows a soft side as well through Clayton’s (George Clooney) relationship with his son Henry.  My entire favorite part of the movie though, is Clooney’s fabulous line near the end of the story. “I am Shiva, The God of Death!” In any case, if you haven’t seen this movie, or didn’t like it the first time of viewing, just give it one more try.  When all the t’s are crossed and all the I’s dotted, the ending is mind blowing.

#5 – The Pianist.  I remember this movie being talked about when I was in my early twenties, but I’m glad that I didn’t give it a try.  I feel partly responsible for World War II; I am familiar with all the hate crimes that the Nazi’s committed, and yet I’ve forgiven them.  Deep down, I really feel like its one situation of which I shouldn’t.  Someone, anyone could have done so much more to help stop the madness that occurred throughout Europe.  I still think it took the Russians to do most of the heavy lifting, but two stories have convinced me that not all was evil.  Not everyone wanted the Hitler dream.  The first was Schindler’s List.  Damned if he didn’t so some good, and I’m glad he was recognized for it.  The second is the Pianist.  At first I just thought it was a good film. About two hours in I believed it worthy of the three Oscars, but that it wouldn’t go down as one of my all-time greats.  After watching Warsaw get destroyed over and over again, I just assumed my bitterness would get the best of me and I wouldn’t be able to finish the film.  I’m so, so thankful that I kept going.  Wilm Hosenfeld deserves to be remembered for the remnants of time; all those wonderful things he did for the Polish and Jewish people during the Second World War is amazing and altruistic. Władysław Szpilman deserves some credit too; using his own memoirs to create this film, and getting the knowledge of what Hosenfeld did for the world to see.  It’s a special, heartfelt movie, and I only wish it could have ended with a happier result.  It's the only movie that I physically walked away from, in tears, when it rolled to the credits. I have taken much from it though; I have read James Michener’s “Poland”, and I spend part of my limited free time learning and understanding the proceedings that took place during our history’s most turbulent time.

#4 – Blow.  Johnny Depp has done some amazing things throughout his career. Edward Scissorhands, Sweeney Todd, Captain Jack Sparrow, Ichabod Crane, and on and on.  But it’s his portrayal of George Jung – the supplier of most of America’s cocaine in the early 1970’s that has me convinced that he’s one of this generation's greats.  He captures Jung in all of his moments – 'carefree' early in California, 'supportive' in his relationship with Barbara before she moves on, 'afraid' of meeting El Diablo for the first time, 'over-confident' when he starts to make a killing on cocaine sales in the US, 'humble' during his come down, and 'repentant' when his daughter comes to prison.  It’s one of the greatest true stories that I have ever watched, and for many years, was my favorite film of all-time.  I haven’t used cocaine once in my entire life, but to watch what it does to people... that’s entertainment.  Everybody is brilliant in this flick, but I think special reverence goes to Penelope Cruz – she was unforgettable in her interpretation of Mirtha.  She left a mark.

#3 – Taxi Driver. Travis Bickle!  I had seen a number of Robert DeNiro films by this point, but it wasn’t until his portrayal of Bickle, did I believe him to be part of the all-time greats (Now I have him #3).  I understand and can sympathize with any solider that fought over in Vietnam, it’s was the main topic in many of the conversations that I had with my dad, once I was old enough to comprehend what happened over there.  They got effed. (The troops). Really bad.  And those troops reacted to their experiences in many different ways.  Take Bickle.  He just wanted to commit random acts of violence (albeit for the good of man), and took the steps necessary to try and make that happen.  While his life probably didn’t end up the way he planned for it too, I hope he can take solace in knowing that he was the hero in someone’s eyes, who probably didn’t have hope for those types of thoughts to take place. And the instant classic, “You talkin’ to me?” That scene propels this movie straight into the top nine as far as I’m concerned.

#2 – Big Fish. For me, by Tim Burton.  While I don’t particular care for Mr. Burton’s directional procedures, I know without a doubt that this film was meant for me to be in the audience.  I can only hope that each one of you have a film that touches you, and affects your life and your experiences, the way this one did for mine.  Don’t really need to touch on why it’s on my list, or even recount the great lines, but just know that if you want to know a little more of my story and what I’m about, that you only need to give up 2 hours of your life.

#1 – Godfather.  5th in my book list, but the movie.  The movie is simply perfect.  Mario Puzo is one of, if not the favorite author of yours truly.  It’s a great book.  He captures the characters so well, and most of you probably agree that a book always kicks the crap out of the film that tries to replicate it.  NOT THIS TIME. I don’t want to label it the perfect film, because every piece of art and entertainment needs to be appraised and critiqued beyond all reasonable doubt (Pete Carroll, anyone), but Marlon Brando captures Don flawlessly. Al Pacino with Michael Corelone. I don’t need to go on, if you’ve seen these films (the first two), you know exactly what I’m talking about. It has a perfect score on Metascore is which nearly impossible to do (only one publication has to give you a 99, for your score to be a... 99). The trailer is so good that I’d rather watch that then about 90% of the film industry.  It’s much more than a classic; I’m still looking for the right words to express what this film means to me, what it means to the industry, what it means to our culture, what it may mean to you.  There are no stereotypes, no one is typecast, no one hogs the screen, and no one over pursues their character.  Pacino waits in the background until his moment is called, and that’s probably my all-time favorite moment, in any movie, or entertainment product ever.  This movie is in a class, all by itself.

Favorite Alcoholic Beverages

Nate’s 9: Favorite Alcoholic Beverages

            I love all of you, so I hope that when you are having a good time and enjoying alcohol, you are doing so responsibly and safely!  Just a fun little blog that has nothing to do with sports or other such obsessions!

#9 – Colorado Bulldog.  I don’t have them much, because I never think to order one.  Plus I consider it to be more of a sippy drink, and with 3 children, I don’t have nearly as much time as I used to have to sip.  Anything that has coke in it though, should do well for me.  And this one does.

#8 - Amaretto Sour.  It started out as my introduction to the hard stuff.  I didn’t really drink that much in high school, and when I did it was usually the Jim Beam mixed bottles (oh jeez).  Arriving in Germany was the best thing that could’ve happened for me.  I went from the classic Amaretto-apple juice to the much more sophisticated (or so I thought) Amaretto-sour. Di saronno specifically.

#7 – Ayinger Brau Weisse.  The best hefeweissen beer in the world.  Well, maybe.  There’s so many great ones, that I just have to pick the one that I drank the most while in Germany.  It’s really thick and it’s alcohol content is quite high, so chances are you can only have one, but I guarantee that it’s one you’ll always enjoy.  

#6 – Gin & Tonic.  My current preference.  It does what it’s supposed to do, taste good and allow for the opportunity of fun, but without the pounding that vodka and/or tequila are known to do.  It took awhile with this one.

#5 – Vodka & Cranberry.  My old preference.  It went down nice with the Grey Goose, and everyone knows that I can put away a little cranberry.  In fact my favorite refinement was to chase the vodka-cranberry with a glass of cranberry.

#4 – Whiskey & Seven.  Preferably Crown if available.  I’m not much a fan of the Sierra Mist, Seven Up, Sprite family, but for some reason if you throw in a little whiskey, it makes all the difference.  Whiskey on the rocks is still probably ten years out, so I might as well enjoy the sugar before it decides to take a shot at my metabolism offerings.

#3 – Strongbow.  World’s best cider.  I was honestly devastated when I found out that Magner’s had pretty much purchased all the Strongbow taps around the twin cities.  It did everything a cider was supposed to do.  Go down easy, taste sweeter than candy, but hard enough that you just can’t stop at one.  Or two.

#2 – Goose Gimlet.  Extra lime.  I can take down about 4-5 of these in one sitting.  When I first heard about this concoction, I thought it was absurd.  Who would want vodka with lime juice!? However, after watching my bowling team put away around 20 an evening for a number of years, I decided to give this ‘seniors’ drink a stab. Delicious, indeed.

#1 – Amstel Light.  My mouth still waters at the thought of a fresh, cold Amstel light fresh out of the bottle.  It’s the only light beer that I ever care to drink.  Yet, I never drank this wonderful beverage in Europe, nor did I care to.  I was a snob!  German beer was the best!  Then the Irish!  The Dutch... come on now.  When I finally turned 21 here in the states, the beer coolers in every liquor store opened up their options in my favor.  It didn’t matter where the beer came from, as long as it met my taste bud’s requirements. This little treat chose to be my bride.  

Favorite Teams that aren't my Teams

Nate’s 9: Favorite Teams that aren’t my Teams

             I don't think life would be very fun if we couldn't cheer for other teams every once in a while.  By no means am I saying that you should cheer for your team's biggest rival, unless you are unaware of who that rival is (whoops).  But there have definitely been some teams that I've really enjoyed throughout the years.  These are the nine that I've enjoyed the most:

            #9 – German Football National Team (DFB) 2006-14. I had a conversation with a friend about eight years ago (during 2006 World Cup) over the topic of the German national team and why they were so successful, even though they really didn’t have that many good players.  My argument was, they are good, they just don’t get any recognition, because the Arsenal’s and Manchester United’s of the world never pay for them.  I’m not sure why.  They have a factory of good players.  In fact, I had made a prediction that they were going to win the 2006 World Cup even though I agreed that France probably had the world’s best team back then, and the Brazilians were probably second.  What I will say is that I didn’t see Italy winning the World Cup, especially after their league fiasco. In any case, it was the year 2000 when I officially fell in love with the German national team, but like most Germans I thought there wasn’t something quite right with the squad.  I don’t know if it was the result of the East meets West generation or what, but when I watched them at the 2000 European Championships in Belgium, I came away rightly disenchanted by them.  They scored 1 goal in 3 games in a group that they were probably supposed to win, and their team looked old and dispassionate.  Guys like Mehmet Scholl, Lothar Matthaus and Thomas Hassler had hit their end, and weren’t going to have much of an impact during the rest of their careers.  I was caught unawares that this performance became the part of one of the most special sides in recent soccer history.  I guess that soon after their lackluster performance, the German FA (DFB as well) decided enough was enough and encouraged clubs to spend money and overhaul the youth system as opposed to the expense of signing foreigners.  While German football took a pretty big hit for a number of years (after Leverkusen appeared in the 2002 Champions League Final it was 8 years before Bayern made it back for the German clubs), they were slowly developing what I now believe is the greatest national team in the world.  They finished 3^rd in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. They were runner up at the 2008 Euro Championships.  Fun and exciting players like Miroslav Klose, Mesut Özil, Marco Reus and Philip Lahm are giving the national team an identity; a counter-attacking side that pressures the ball non-stop for 90 minutes.  And there are ‘factories’ more of good players coming through.

            #8 – Philadelphia Flyers 1996-2000. During my most impressionable years, Minnesota did not have a hockey team.  I didn’t think that was fair considering all the time my friends and I spent playing NHLPA 93 and the like.  I dabbled with the Chicago Blackhawks for a bit, enjoyed some of those Vancouver Canucks teams... (Or just Pavel Bure).  But when this big, bad, bruising hockey team started to develop in the mid 90’s, I had to give them my undivided attention.  In fact, I think it was the day they traded for Paul Coffey.  They already had a pretty decent team.  Especially in defense.  Guys like Eric Desjardins, Chris Therien and Petr Svoboda.  Ron Hextall was still in goal, and he was a BAD-ASS! I don’t think any players messed with him, because they were afraid.  But for me it started up top.  I think my favorite player in the league was John LeClair, and my second favorite player was Eric Lindros.  They had the Osseo graduate Trent Klatt, the Elk River graduate Joel Otto, Rod Brind’Amour etc, etc. I still liked them even when Hextall left, and Vanbiesbrouck came into the fold.  But it was two trades late into this era that set them apart from every other hockey team that I’ve enjoyed watching and cheering for.  The separate trades for Mark Recchi and Keith Primeau. Bring in the 19 year old Simon Gagne into the mix, and I still think this team failed by not bringing home the Stanley Cup trophy.  Still to this day, this is probably the team that was tailor made for everything I enjoy about hockey.  An intense, physical group that just wears down opponents and eventually beats them into submission. 

            #7 – Los Angeles Raiders 1986-88.  Before I wholly embraced the Green Bay Packers as my heart and soul of the NFL, I liked the Raiders. Well, specifically 5 Raiders anyway.  But it was enough to the point that I really only played the first Tecmo Bowl with one team, and I always looked for them on the television when I was a youngster.  They were: Marcus Allen, Tim Brown, Willie Gault, Mike Haynes and Bo Jackson. What upset me was I could never use Tim Brown as a receiver on Tecmo Bowl; he was only available as a return man.  For whatever reason, they only gave the Raiders 1 WR to play with and that was Willie Gault.  This team wasn’t that great in real life and never made the playoffs while I watched them.  My only strong memory that I still have is Bo’s 92 yard run against the Cincinnati Bengals when I was sitting in my living room, going crazy.  He hit the edge, and bam!  The fastest run I’ve still seen to this day.  Bo was one of the greatest.

            #6 – Houston Rockets 1994-96.  I still think it’s the greatest collection of chemistry in NBA history.  While I think that the Chicago Bulls are probably the best team of my generation, you could see a little bit of us versus them in that squad, specifically with Jordan’s camp and Kukoc’s camp.  It didn’t really take away from the team though, those western conference teams were great, and none of them really challenged the Bulls for the title.  This Rockets team probably could have though if the timing was right.  Every player on this team had a distinguished role, and the most impressive part was they never really deviated from those responsibilities. Hakeem Olajuwon sat in the post, and was the leader of the franchise.  You never saw him taking threes, he never brought the ball up court, and he just sat down low and used his array of skills to score baskets.  Robert Horry was their starting power forward and played second fiddle to Hakeem, but played out in the perimeter a little more, which benefited his game and Hakeem’s as well.  Clyde Drexler and Mario Elie shared heavy minutes at the 3 spot and while Drexler’s gifts were on the offensive end, Elie could shore up things defensively.  Vernon Maxwell was an underrated 2, although he started to play himself off the team at this time.  I remember him always being temperamental, but when he was focused he held his own with the best.  Sam Cassell and Kenny Smith shared the point guard duties, and while Smith was more conservative and got the team to play calm during pressure situations, Cassell played more balls to the walls and up-tempo.  It really was one of the better NBA teams that I can remember, and one that never really dealt with any kind of locker room issues, outside of Maxwell’s behavioral concerns.  It’s a shame it never worked out with Charles Barkley joining the squad, but they ran into a team that had a similar style of chemistry plus maybe a pinch of more talent, and the Jazz would appear in back-to-back finals down the road.

#5 – The U 2000-02. While I wasn’t too young to remember the loud, brazen Hurricanes of the early 90’s, I was more a fan of the quiet, unassuming Washington Huskies of that time.  I thought they were doing things the right way, winning and being quiet about it.  When I came back from Europe in 2000, I realized that it shouldn’t matter what the team’s persona was like, because every environment can be a stepping stone toward prominence. These ‘Canes were the first team that I embraced that played with a different style.  And what a team.  I still think it’s probably the greatest collection of talent in NCAA history, at least in the modern era (post 70’s).  Their third string running back was Frank Gore for goodness sakes.  While many could see that Ken Dorsey wasn’t the most talented guy, he knew what it took to win games, and he just put the ball in the hands of his playmakers, of which there were many.  Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, Gore, Najeh Davenport, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow Jr, Andre Johnson, Roscoe Parrish, Devin Hester and on and on. I thought they were better defensively.  There’s no doubt in my mind that the secondary is the greatest, during certain times they were able to utilize Ed Reed, Philip Buchanon, Mike Rumph, Sean Taylor, Kelly Jennings and Antrel Rolle.  All first round selections.  For as good as some of these Alabama, LSU and Auburn teams have been recently, none could put up the talent to the NFL that this team did.  I haven’t even touched on the interior, and I shan’t.  I’ll just leave you with a few of these that I remember from over the years... 52-6, 33-7, 61-0, 49-27 @ Tallahassee, 59-0, 65-7 (both against ranked teams), 37-14 (for the title), and 41-16 (at the Swamp).  Just a handful of games against my beloved Nittany Lions, Florida State, Florida, Syracuse, Vick’s Tech, and a couple of other impressive opponents back at the beginning of the century.  Good stuff.  

            #4 – Arsenal 1998-2000. The 1997-98 was the first season I really started to get interested in European football, most likely the result of purchasing the game FIFA and the France World Cup coming up around the corner.  At the time I had no inkling of who to cheer for, or even how the game was played specifically.  Someone at school that was well-versed in soccer told me that if I was going to watch England, the star teams were Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle.  The first game I watched was Manchester United vs. Sheffield Wednesday, and I decided that if they won, that would be my team (They did).  However, looking back, I really enjoyed that Arsenal squad, and until I went to Europe to learn that it’s like cheering for the Lakers and the Celtics, was pleased to see Arsenal get positive results.  That first year it seemed like that’s all they did.  I think every time I turned on Fox Sports World, Arsenal won a match.  And why wouldn’t they?  They had a great collection of talent including the best English GK I’ve still seen to this day, David Seaman.  Marc Overmars become my first favorite soccer play, and my e-mail address to this day is still overmars_wu.  This is tough to admit, but while I was in London, I may or may not have purchased a Marc Overmars Arsenal jersey.  Confusing, considering that I could have put 2+2 together and bought a Dutch Overmars jersey instead.  Lesson learned.  Patrick Vieira, Ray Parlour and Emmanuel Petit were still a group of midfielders that I believe to be just as talented as the three that manned United’s midfield: Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and Roy Keane.  It wasn’t until I spent a year in Europe that I realized that Arsenal was not allowed to be my second favorite club, and as if to prove a point, they decided to sell Marc Overmars to Barcelona that same week.  I’ve been United thoroughly ever since, but I still have a bit of a soft spot for that talented Arsenal squad that turned it up at the end of the last century. 

            #3 – Seattle Mariners 1991-96.  While baseball has always been my least favorite of the now ‘5 big sports’, there was a time when I really enjoyed sitting down with my baseball cards and dreaming up of fantasy teams and scheming trades.  My friend Joey and I used to generate lineups of our favorite players and create a score sheet using dice, and seeing which one of our ‘fantasy’ teams would win it all.  While I liked the Twins, and I was pleased when they won the World Series that fall, I really liked the collection of all-star talent that the Mariners had put together.  Jay Buhner, Tino Martinez, Edgar Martinez, Harold Reynolds, Omar Vizquel, Randy Johnson, Ken Sr, and Ken Jr were all a part of this up-and-coming franchise.  1991 was the first season that the club had a winning record in franchise history (thank you baseball-reference).  When we created our teams I would say that 50% of my team came from this group of players, and I always used Randy Johnson as my starting pitcher (Rick Aguilera was my closer).  I know this team never won a World Series, and that it got dismantled rather quickly (probably too soon in my opinion), but while these guys were together the Mariners not only had a chance to get to the Series, but they probably missed the chance to become the dynasty that the Braves and Yankees decided to grow into instead. 

#2 – Real Madrid 2002-03.  This team really should be number one.  For all the great teams that I’ve had the privilege to watch and be entertained by over the years, the collection of individual talent that Madrid put together these two seasons probably hasn’t been replicated since.  They signed one player in 2001 and that was Zinedine Zidane.  He led them to a Champions League title.  They signed one player in 2002 and that was Ronaldo.  The ‘fat’ one.  While he couldn’t quite led them back to the Champions League final, he played and scored a hat trick in what was one of the greatest individual performances in Champions League history (the game at Old Trafford).  The reason that I loved this team so much though is because they were the Porsche and the Ford F-350 together as one.  They had the flair and exciting players in Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Raul, Morientes, Roberto Carlos, and Guti. But it was the engine that I truly enjoyed.  The guys like Fernando Hierro, Claude Makelele, Flavio Conceiçáo, Ivan Helguera, Iker Casillas and Michel Salgado.  All of those guys worked hard, and for the good of the team.  In fact, after Perez sold Makelele and had managers stop playing Helguera did the team fall apart and just look like a pretty toy (with Beckham of all people).  Yet, when this line-up was at full strength, and everybody on form, I think they are still one of the best sides ever pieced together in world sports.  (To be fair, this wonderfully put together squad finished 3^rd in La Liga, and runners-up in the Copa Del Rey.  But their hearts were only set on getting the one trophy.  And that one they got.)

#1 – Saint Louis Rams 1999-2001.  I’m still obsessed with this group of players. Proof?  I own a Rams beanie hat, I have Marshall Faulk’s, Torry Holt’s, and Isaac Bruce’s Rams jerseys, I still wish that Mike Martz would become the Packers offensive coordinator, and I don’t get sad whenever the Rams beat the Packers.  I still know about 75% of this era’s roster, and the names Dre Bly and Dexter McCleon will never be forgotten.  I just really took to this football team.  I’m not sure why.  I was in Germany when the team started to develop into the offensive powerhouse that it became during their super bowl years. I didn’t even know that Kurt Warner had taken over from Trent Green until I saw that the Rams had the best record in the NFL at a certain point.  My phone conversations with my dad and the Sports Illustrated issues were the only updates I could get while I was over there, because my first host family didn’t have the internet.  Yet, they engulfed my passion for some reason, and they still haven’t let go and here we are some fourteen years later.  While they’re known for their offensive talent, it’s the defense that I thought gave this team their identity that allowed for them to make it to two Super Bowls in three seasons.  They gave up a fair amount of points and yardage, but I think that was a result more of teams trying to keep up, than for the lack of talent or execution that the Rams may have had.  They generated a lot of turnovers, and made plays at crucial points throughout the three seasons.  (Fun statistic:  They led the NFL in rushing defense and sacks during their title season – look it up).  They also of course led the NFL in points scored, passing yards and total yards as well.  Their front four of Grant Wistrom, Kevin Carter, D’Marco Farr and Ray Agnew were very underrated and one of the reasons why they got to the Super Bowl only scoring 11 points in the NFC Championship game.  But, yes, let’s talk about the offense.  We are all very familiar with Warner.  Marshall Faulk was one of the NFL’s best, and hell for all you Big Ten fans, you’re familiar with Illini running back Robert Holcombe.  He was the lead blocker for the great Faulk.  The group of wide receivers is probably one of the deepest in NFL history as Tony Horne was their fifth guy.  Ricky Proehl was their third, and Az-Zahir was the #4.  The offensive line finally came together to forge one of the great ones of the last generation, and Orlando Pace and Adam Timmerman were both all-Pros.  In any sense, I wasn’t mad when this team won the Super Bowl, in fact while sitting in my German family’s living room at about 4 in the morning, I was in awe.  Tennessee put together a nasty performance, and it looked like things were going to go their way until two events.  One, Warner to Bruce.  Two, Mike Jones at the one.  While Tom Brady kept this team from truly being considered one of the greats, it sure was a fun and exciting team to watch.  In reality, it was my favorite one. 

Stadiums to Visit

Nate’s 9: Stadiums I would like to See

                           When it comes to travel, I have done pretty well.  I’ve seen a fair amount of the United States, at least when it comes to the mid-Atlantic and the east coast.  I saw more of Europe than I could ever have dreamed of.  But I did miss a few of the great sports stadiums from around the world.  All these stadiums are for personal reasons; these are the locations that I must visit.

#9 – Memorial Stadium.  Home of the Clemson Tigers.  Death Valley to all of those familiar with the game of college football.  I know that the SEC believes that every single one of their stadium experiences is better than anything outside of the conference, but I bet Clemson would beg to differ.  The football team begins the evening by riding the bus around the campus getting everyone hyped up for the night’s event.  They park at the top of the stadium before all the players come in through the top of the stadium, single file, and rub the rock for good luck.  Then all the players run down “The Hill”, and by that point, the stadium just rocks (pun most definitely intended).  It would be fun to be a part of that.

#8 – Fenway Park.  I really don’t like the Boston Red Sox.  And that might be an understatement.  If I were to do a Nate’s nine on my nine least favorite sports franchises, the Red Sox would be close, if not at the top of that list.  I can’t stand the drumming on by their fans and organization about how great they are and how evil the Yankees empire really is, and how the Sox are for the people by the people.  It’s maddening. They are just a smaller shadow of the exact same thing, except they can’t win when it matters (most of the time) With that said, if someone were to lend me a pair of ear buds and I could experience the history and luster that is Fenway Park, without the elitist mindset of the Boston fans, I wouldn’t be opposed to it, on the contrary, I think it would be something that I would covertly enjoy.

#7 – Yankee Stadium. Hell, since I’d most likely be in the area and everything, I might as well just take a train ride down and visit the Cathedral in the Bronx.  I love the history of baseball, and its stadiums are one of the great allures of the sport for me.  Since Tiger Stadium, Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds are essentially dirt, I may as well visit the only stadium that has been built to be an exact replica of the old one.  I was once told that the “House that Ruth Built” was a very nice stadium, except there weren’t any niceties about it.  The new one is supposed to accommodate those that would not want to sit in a stink box, but give the magnetism of history as well. I am interested to see what the church of baseball is all about.

#6 – Nou Camp.  A third stadium in a row in which I’m not in favor of the team that plays within the stadiums’ boundaries, but this is a place that offers such richness and narration that one would be foolish not to consider taking a journey to see the holy point.  FC Barcelona, one of our world’s great soccer teams, performs spectacular football in this giant place of worship.  From the outside I hear that it’s uninteresting, dreary and lacking creativity or progressive viewing, but it’s the experience that one is left with after a customary Barcelona victory that gives people the excitement about making a visit.  While it would be fun to see them there and perhaps witness it without one of those victories, I can’t help but think that my experience would be lessened if I couldn’t experience the Camp Nou in high spirits and with the Catalan passion.

#5 – Superdome.  First, I thought I wanted to go there during a Super Bowl week and experience things from that joyful occasion (assuming the Packers made it).  Now, I think I would rather go when the “Who Dat” Saints hosted an intense home game.  I know that there are louder stadiums in our country and the acoustics ratings have proven this.  But as far as visiting a stadium that has the passion and support of the home side no matter how poorly things might be going... I just think it would be one of life’s great events if I could visit the dome during that time.  I know it’s probably the ugliest stadium in the country, and in one of its dirtiest cities.  Yet, I get the feeling that it’d be one of the few that I couldn’t visit just once, like a place that could be considered a second home.

#4 -  The New Wembley Stadium.  As a soccer fanatic, I don’t think my life would be complete without a visit to the hallowed Wembley.  Well, since I can’t do that either (damn Yankees & Brits), the new-same experience will have to do.  I have no problem with modernity; but a number of my reasons for visiting these stadiums have to do with their history and players that have walked the halls through them.  I will never sit in the same right field that Babe Ruth fielded in, just like I won’t ever be able to see a goal scored by Wayne Rooney that was also scored into the same goal by Sir Bobby Charlton.  And I’m okay with that.  But I would like to experience the human thought and analysis as to why we felt like the old ones with all their history, charm, personality and attraction weren’t good enough and why these new amenities will give us the thrill that we so desperately seek.  So New Wembley it is.

#3 – Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.  The Swamp.  Duh-dun.......  Duh-dun.... Duh-dun, Duh-dun, Duh-dun, Duh-dun, duh-dah-dah-dah-duh, GO GATORS! I see the irony in a shark themed music piece that is intended for an alligator.  But after years and years of playing with the Florida Gators on all seasons of NCAA football when I got tired of using the Nittany Lions, I couldn’t get enough of this chant or the atmosphere of this stadium (or the ridiculous amount of football talent in Florida).  As a result, I have 2 Gators t-shirts, a Gators cap, a Gators beanie, a Gators blanket and more Gatorade than I could think to drink (okay, the last part isn’t true).  I rocked that bandwagon hard!  There’s even a signage in the upper deck that says, “This is The Swamp!”  Such southern hospitality.  For it to come full circle, I need to spend a day at The Swamp.

#2 – Wrigley Field.  Might as well finish off the trifecta of baseball immortality.  It solely ranks higher on here than Yankee Stadium, because I can actually visit the damn place!  In all seriousness though, it’s a great stadium in my favorite American city, in a cute little area, with a cute little ball club.  It’s the one stadium on this list in which I almost wish that the home team would lose so I can get the full game day experience.  But before my life is done, I have to see the vines, the rooftop seating, the manual scorecards, and all the other charms that take me back to the decades of which I’ve been reading from.  I can say this much – there’s not one other franchise in professional sports that would embrace the name “lovable losers”, and I need to understand why.

#1 – Old Trafford.  I’ve been to Lambeau.  I’ve been to the Signal Iduna.  I’ve been to Happy Valley and the great Beaver Stadium.  Even my biggest love interest, Manchester United has made many a ventures to come and placate my viewing pleasure here in the U.S. Now, I must finish this love story and spend some time in the Theatre of Dreams. 

Favorite Quotes

Nate’s 9: Favorite Quotes

     Winding down to the final couple of Nate’s 9 blogs, this was a topic that I’ve really wanted to do from the get go.  After getting started on it though, I realized how extreme of a topic that quotes are, and how difficult it would be to whittle it down to nine.  There are essentially hundreds of thousands of great quotes, and I wouldn’t be able to navigate through all of them to get it down to single digits.  I decided to go with a different method instead, and picked out some quotes that I try to live by on a daily basis.  Some are favorites, some are just true, some brought a smile to my face, and some are goals of mine.  Hope you enjoy the list, and thanks for taking the time to read some of these nine over the last 2 years.  Peace.

Note: I’ve decided to leave the names of the people who have made these statements out of my blog for the sole purpose of the reader not having to make judgments about the author. There’s always copying and pasting to Google if your curiosity gets the best of you!

Note II: The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot is my favorite work of literature.  Sometimes it reminds me of life.  I included a few of his quotes within this list, and I will share Part I of that poem at the bottom.  If you care to read it, I hope you enjoy it!

For success, attitude is equally as important as ability.

When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.

As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death.

I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives.

Your best teacher is your last mistake.

If you love a flower, don’t pick it up. Because if you pick it up, it dies, and ceases to be what you loved. So, if you love a flower, let it be.

Love is not about possession.  Love is about appreciation.

Live in such a way, that if someone spoke badly of you, no one would ever believe it.

"I wanted to see exotic Vietnam, the jewel of Southeast Asia. I, uh, I wanted to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture, and kill them."

Sports do not build character. They reveal it.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt.

Whatever you are, be a good one.

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.

If there is dissatisfaction with the status quo, good. If there is ferment, so much the better. If there is restlessness, I am pleased. Then let there be ideas, and hard thought, and hard work. If man feels small, let man make himself bigger.

I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.

Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.

A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.

It is obvious that we can no more explain a passion to a person who has never experienced it than we can explain light to the blind.

People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.

We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know.

I always turn to the sports pages first, which records people's accomplishments. The front page has nothing but man's failures.

What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.

A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.

It is difficult to know at what moment love begins; it is less difficult to know that it has begun.

Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it.

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'.

I. THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD

APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding     

Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

Memory and desire, stirring

Dull roots with spring rain.

Winter kept us warm, covering                5

Earth in forgetful snow, feeding     

A little life with dried tubers.         

Summer surprised us, coming over the Starnbergersee      

With a shower of rain; we stopped in the colonnade,       

And went on in sunlight, into the Hofgarten,          10

And drank coffee, and talked for an hour.  

Bin gar keine Russin, stamm’ aus Litauen, echt deutsch.

And when we were children, staying at the archduke’s,  

My cousin’s, he took me out on a sled,       

And I was frightened. He said, Marie,          15

Marie, hold on tight. And down we went.

In the mountains, there you feel free.         

I read, much of the night, and go south in the winter.      

What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow        

Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man,          20

You cannot say, or guess, for you know only        

A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,      

And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,   

And the dry stone no sound of water. Only           

There is shadow under this red rock,              25

(Come in under the shadow of this red rock),         

And I will show you something different from either       

Your shadow at morning striding behind you       

Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;     

I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

As the seasons go, I am afraid of what I don't know. - Life: by Nate Confer (est.2002)