Happy New Years

I hope everyone has a safe and fun NYE, and brings in 2008 with a blast. The next time I blog will probably be on the 2nd or 3rd, when I am back in Muskogee.

Be safe... party hard... and last but not least... BEER ME!

Fool me once, shame on you...

Fool me again... and again... and again... SHAME ON ME.

I won't go into specifics, and I am sure that the person(s) involved here will get the point, but I will no longer play the fool.

I am SO tired of being "that guy"...

Welcome back!

11 visits yesterday hooray!

Welcome back everyone, and to the new visitors, welcome for the first time. Please leave comments for me, because I would like to know what everyone thinks, and as a professional writer (that's awesome to say) I like to have feedback.

So feel free to read the new stuff, check out the old stuff and look forward to the coming attractions. Also feel free to email me at iantownsend32@gmail.com or number32tx@gmail.com with any ideas for the site, things you would like me to write about, or critiques or comments.

And if you're wondering my credentials, here they are:

Associates Degree of Arts in Journalism from Bacone College

Award winning writer/photographer for the Baconian

Writer/photographer/sports copy editor/paginator for the Muskogee Daily Phoenix

So I am qualified. Drop by anytime y'all and enjoy yourselves ya hear?

~Ian

16 and OH!

It's not often you get to see football history in the amounts I've seen lately with the New England Patriots. Now before anyone hauls off calling me a bandwagon rider, lets get the facts straight. I like the Pats, not my favorite team, but a team I do like, respect, and like to see succeed.

Unlike the numerous haters and lovers that have come out this year, my stance on the team remains unchanged. I have liked them since Tom Brady became their QB and like to watch them win, unless they play the Broncos. I will always pick the Broncos over the Pats, even if I know it's hopeless, but that's being a true fan for ya.

Anyways let's get to my assessments.

I think Tom Brady is the best QB in the league and has a chance to be the best ever.



He came in his first year as a sixth-round pick and led the underdog team to an improbable victory. In the 5 years following, he has led them to two more Super Bowl victories, a perfect season, and a shot at an unprecedented 4th SB in 6 years. Tell me he's not the shit.

Bill Belichick makes me laugh. Yes he is an asshole. But you cant deny his ability to coach, and create a TEAM out of superstars. Not a single Patriot talks about themselves as better than the team, and always talk about what the other players are doing while downplaying their own accomplishments. Did Belichick cheat with that whole Spygate scandal? I don't know, and frankly I don't care. Every team steals signals, so give it a rest.

Now let's have a rundown of what New England did this year.

1) First time a team has gone 16-0 during the regular season. The Dolphins went 14-0 in their undefeated season.

2) Broke the single season scoring record with 589 points. The old record was 552.

3) Brady threw 50 TDs, 23 to Randy Moss, both records. (49-Peyton manning, 22-Jerry Rice)

4) 19 straight regular season victories.

Tell me that isn't amazing. Tell me in the era of individuals, cheating, and scandal, a team accomplishment like this isn't huge. Tell me that with a straight face and the chance of eternal damnation.

It also seems the Pats are poised to deliver Beantown its second championship of the season, with the Red Sox delivering earlier this year. If things keep progressing the way they are, the Celts may deliver number 3, earning a city 3 major sport championships in one year for the first time in history. (I think. I will check my facts) The NE Revolution was in the MLS Cup this year as well, but couldn't pull off the win. If only the Bruins woke up from sucking, then it would be the first time a city has won or been in the championship game in every major sport in history... wow right? Of course this is all based on the Pats and Celts doing the probably inevitable, and the Bruins doing the improbable.

As an avid SPORTS fan, such things rarely happen, and witnessing them in my lifetime is amazing. I congratulate the Sox for being baseball's best team and the Pats for making history. Keep up the good work fellas.

*On a side note, I plan on using the weekends to build posts and won't usually post a "real entry" unless it's called for like in this case. I just wanted to let you guys know. And also thanks for reading, and for not giving up on me after such a long layoff. I promise to be more consistent from here on out. Please let your friends know about this site and lets get the Word of the Wolf out to the masses. ~Ian*

Saturday Get Fuzzy

From now on, I will be posting Get Fuzzy comics on the weekends. Just a little humor for you guys and gals.

Hi, my name is Ian, and I am addicted to football...

There I admitted it. The first step to recovery is accepting that you have a... wait a hot minute... who said I wanted to recover? And who drank all the damn gatorade?!

I love football, and I'm ok with this. I have a job specifically designed where I can sit around and talk/write about it. How cool is that? For me its a dream come true... well sort of. I would rather still be playing, but my body said NO, so I'll do what I can to stay "in the game".

I played football for 15 years. Yeah, thats about 2/3 of my life. And I have the scars and injuries to prove it. Why would anyone put themselves through that kind of punishment? LOVE.

As they said in Varsity Blues, "Football isn't a game, it's a way of life". And that's true. Ask anybody who played the game beyond a junior high level. That's when football was more than just a game. It was a JOB. It was the kind of job you wanted to show up for. The kind where you would work your ass off to get that promotion. People (including myself) would go out there and kill themselves in pursuit of what the unknowing simply call a "kids game".

Football is the National Pastime. All of you baseball fans can kiss my ass, because you cant deny the drawing power of the gridiron. When 70,000 people sit in snow flurries to watch two teams battle, that's passion for the game. When 100,000 people wear one color to support their team and psyche out the other team, thats passion for the game. When a whole STATE rallies behind a team because they embody the rebuilding effort that is going on, i.e. the New Orleans Saints last season, thats passion for the game. When MILLIONS tune in around the world, and companies pay out the nose for advertising time just to see which team lifts the Lombardi Trophy, thats passion for the game.

I already failed in my attempt to watch every Bowl game this year, but doesn't mean I wont see all of the ones I can. I watched every second of the Holiday Bowl (after I got home from the movies), and even after the game had been decided, I still watched. I watched the highlights AFTER the game. Yes, the highlights of the game i JUST WATCHED. Then I read the articles for the game the verysame night. Read more this morning. Some might call that obsession, but I call that being a fan, a LONGHORN fan at that.

Also, being a TRUE fan entails one thing: being a constant fan. Pick a team and stick with them, through good and bad. I HATE fair weather fans. When the Longhorns won the National Championship, there were ASSLOADS of Horns fans all the sudden. Now that the Cowboys are good again (puke) there are million of fans coming out of the woodwork. It happens every year when a team gets good. As a true fan, I hate when people's allegiances shift so easily. Pick it and stick with it.

So here a re a few guidelines for Football Fanhood.
1) Pick a team and support them at all times, no matter what. There are cases where you can revoke your support, but it must be an eternal revoking, such as I used to be a Cowboys fan, until they fired Jimmy Johnson, and I remain a stout hater of the Cowgirls.
2) You must know no less than 10 things about your team that might come up in trivia questions. Such as: Did you know that the Longhorns have the current longest streak in the NCAA for ten win seasons at 7?
3) You must know (at least) the starters for your team(s), and any major player who has been on your team. Example: Jamaal Charles is the starting running back for the Horns, and plays a position that was once home to Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams, and Cedric Benson, Cot McCoy plays quarterback, and succeeded Heisman runner-up and National Chamionship MVP VInce Young, who left a season early to play in the NFL (Tennessee Titans).
4) You must wear team colors on game day.
5) Whether by an inch or a mile, a win is a win, and it is totally fine to rub it in the faces of fans of the beaten team. In fact it is obiligatory.
6) It is ok to be a sore loser, because it shows true fanhood.
7) yell at the TV, radio, or at the game. It doesn't matter if they can hear you or not, it's the thought that counts.
8) Getting hammered after a win or a loss will happen. The outcome will determine the drink, pace, and depth of the hammering.
9) Blaming the refs for a bad call is ok. Blaming the refs every time your team loses is not. Sooners fans take note of this rule.
10) Lastly, in a life or death situation, it is NOT ok to claim another team or forsake yours. Just remember, you have to pay for your sins in the afterlife, and welching on your team at any time is a hellworthy trespass.

So now you know what it takes to be a true fan. Now you realize the depth of the National obsession. I as well as millions of others, love football. If you haven't had a chance to get in on the fun, I suggest you try. You'll find that it's one of the best ways to spend your time, and it doesn't require medication, rehab, exercise, or anything more than a passion for it.

So to the rest of the true fans out there, especially the Longhorns and Denver Broncos fans... HERES TO YOU!

I don't care, I really dont...

If you're expecting any humor, stop reading this post now. I'll write a funny one later.

Is it just me, or does it seem like the media is being more and more invasive on peoples lives these days? As a member of the media, I have to say it kind of sickens me. I am a private person, so I naturally believe that a persons privacy is sacred, even if they are ultra-mega-superstars. There a re a few things called respect and decency that are no longer required by society.

I don't care who has been sleeping with who, what they are or aren't wearing (In several cases, many popular females forget their undergarments), What they are eating, what they are shopping for, where they are spending vacation, and whether they are pregnant and who the baby daddy is.

So what if Jessica Simpson, in her true blonde idiot glory, is dating Tony Romo, and perhaps costing him the game against Philly? Does it affect MY life?

So what if the Spears family is the biggest group of famous trailer trash ever? Am I the father of Jamie Lynne's baby? Well... actually it might be possible...

Why is so much of our time and interest invested in people whose lives consist of shopping, eating, lounging on some beach, sleeping around, and occasionally acting or singing for MILLIONS of $$$? Wouldn't our time be better spent on our families and friends? Or maybe on more worthy causes such as the state of our world in general? Couldn't the money that we pay these spoiled brats go to better things such as the education of our youth? I would rather pay a teacher a million bucks a year to teach children how to read and write, than pay some bitch or asshole that money to entertain me. Does anyone else realize that the practice players (scout team for those sport inclined readers of my blog) of ANY sport get paid more than any teacher around? (Scout teamers in the NFL earn a base salary of $400,000, while a teacher of 25 years might get around $100,000 if they are VERY lucky.)

It really sickens me. So to all of those overpaid stars and starlets, FUCK YOU. To all of those people who waste their lives following these people around with cameras or spend too much time telling the world about them, FUCK YOU. To all of those people who waste their lives keeping up with the daily gossip and what stupid thing Britney Spears is up to today, FUCK YOU.

You are all perpetuating the cycle in this downward spiral called society. Get some damn decency. And I know, I will get the obligatory comment that says "If you don't care then why are you writing all of this? Obviously you DO care." so now that I have covered that, there is no need.

I'M DONE.

*gets down off soapbox*

Back by popular demand

So it has been a ong time since I posted anything with substance. The truth is, I haven't felt like writing. I suppose when you write for a living, all of your recreational writing tends to take a backseat.

BUT

I decided that writing for fun helps keep my skills sharpened, and also is exactly what it's meant for... FUN.

So here we go.

As a few of you have heard, I'm finished with school (for now). I finished all of my course work and will walk in May for my Associates in Journalism. An A.A degree is pretty much a joke for me, considering I spent 4 years in school for it. Yes, I changed my degree 3 or 4 times, but still... Anyways, I PLAN on pursuing a Bachelors at the very least, but I don't know when. I'm sure it will happen sometime, but unless one of my jobs wants/needs me to, then I won't be planning it for anytime soon, i.e. within the next 6 months.

I am enjoying my job as a sports agate clerk/sports copy editor at the Muskogee Phoenix. To check out some of my work, simply go to muskogeephoenix.com and search for me. You'll find my stuff. I'm hoping that my job will become a full-time one soon, but I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket. So keep your fingers and toes crossed for me, pray, or do whatever to send good vibes my way.

I am enjoying being home for an extended period of time. this is the first time since last Christmas that I have been home for more than 3 days. I got to see family and friends, and most importantly relax. I also hope to see my girlfriend, Renee when she comes down for New Years. Now if I can just talk Christel into coming up here, the New Years Bash will be complete...

Oh and yes, you read the above right... I am dating someone. Her name is Renee, she is 26 and lives in Shawnee, OK. Anyone who has ever heard Oklahoma Girl by the Eli Young Band would know that the song is TOTALLY fitting. If you haven't heard said song, do check it out.

ALSO, as plans stand, I will be seeing 2 concerts within 8 days of each other, On Feb. 29, I will be seeing a band I have managed to miss on numerous occasions, Linkin Park in OKC, then will be going to Austin to see the Dropkick Murpys on March 7 with the best sister in the whole world. So I'm excited.

Well that about wraps up the updates for me. It's been a crazy ride lately and I hope to keep everyone more updated and treat you to the best I can come up with to keep you entertained.

Stay tuned...

Oh and by the way, HOW BOUT THEM HORNS! They drubbed Arizona State tonight, and for all those jackasses out there... Texas STILL owns the streak for consecutive 10 win seasons (7), and Mack Brown is the winningest coach in the last 12 years with 122 victories. Eat that Sooner fans!

The transformation is complete...

I am now a Mac owner.

Yeah, that's right.



That my friends is a MacBook Pro. A fine piece of machinery if I may say so myself.

So needless to say, my Christmas went well.

How was yours?