I have some thoughts on some random things:
-There's been some concern recently with the new Big Ten expansion. The issue that conference officials are dealing with right now is upholding football rivalries. The fear is that when the conference divides into two divisions, the importance and integrity of rivalries will go by the wayside.To me, you can't have your cake and eat it, too. If the conference wants to have a title game, there needs to be some flexibility. For example, when the Big 8 expanded to become the Big XII, The Nebraska-Oklahoma Rivalry, once a heated and storied one, was modified due to both schools being put in different divisions. Instead of playing yearly, the game was played every other year. I think the Big Ten should look at this circumstance as model to establish some sort of compromise. The conference has 14 rivalry games. While I think there is a unanimous sentiment that Michigan-Ohio State should be kept in tact, conference officials shouldn't treat this like rocket science. It would be impossible to play each game every year when the conference gets split.
-BYU is considering leaving the Mountain West Conference to join the Western Athletic Conference as an associate member. The school would be a member in all sports but football, with the goal of being an independent in that sport. Essentially, BYU would try to be the Notre Dame of the west, hoping to eventually get easier access to the BCS.I think this idea is hair-brained. Look, BYU is a solid program. They play quality BCS teams, they are good for a bowl game each year, and they may be one of the only non-AQ schools that gets top-flight talent. Additionally, BYU has great tradition, with a national championship, a Heisman Trophy winner, and great rivalries. They are also on their own network, too (BYUtv). According to Trevor Matich of ESPN, BYUtv is in 50 million homes, and is now available in HD.
There is only one Notre Dame. Notre Dame is to college football what The New York Yankees are to baseball. They may be down, but the program represents everything important about college football. Plus, Notre Dame is a much bigger cash cow. Their fan base is enormous and travels well for bowl games and neutral-site games. They have a TV contract with NBC, a national network. While I'm not a fan of Notre Dame, facts are facts. Notre Dame is a draw.
With the BCS, BYU shouldn't hold their breath. Notre Dame needs to be ranked in the top 8 to be considered for a BCS bid. The other independents, Army and Navy, need to finish in the top 2 to be considered for a BCS bid. For a school in a non-BCS conference to get a bid, they need to either finish in the top 12, or finish in the top 16 and ahead of a BCS conference champion. If this is about the BCS, they would have been better off staying in the MWC.
-The Fall Season seems to be bringing some good new music from some metal bands.Zakk Wylde amicably parted ways with Ozzy, and his band, Black Label Society, released, in my opinion, one of their best records, "Order of the Black." The album showcases great riffs, great solos and Wylde's songwriting talent (a big reason why he had a job working for Ozzy for over 2o years). There are one too many ballads, and they hurt the flow of the record a little, but as a whole, good work here.
The Sword put out "Warp Riders,"a concept album about a tidal-locked planet in which one side has constant darkness and the other has constant sunlight. This record is a little different from their first two. The band seemed to take a chance and expand their sound a little, giving some of the songs more of a hard rock/groove feel, a little less darkness. The record is very atmospheric. Overall, I enjoyed it a lot. In general, fans get upset if a band tinkers with their sound at all, but the band did it well here by keeping everything good (The Sabbath-y riffs, the retro sound) and adding some new things that give their sound a newer, fresher color.
If this was 10 years ago, and Iron Maiden put out a record, you could bet money I'd have it the same day it was released. Times have changed. In the past decade, the band has changed their sound and style quite a bit, going in a more progressive direction. Their latest album "The Final Frontier," is more of that. I did not buy the album, but, with an open mind, I did hear all the songs online. I'll give credit where it's due; the record is more in line with "Brave New World" than it is with their last two records. The album has some solid moments. Overall, this record was so laborious to get through. While Iron Maiden records have always been complex and intricate, the songs were still fun to listen to. Almost all the songs were pretty long, a sign of production issues. Maybe I'll buy it, but it's not a priority. It's sad to say that about a Maiden record.
-PWinsider.com reported this week that Jake "The Snake" Roberts has retired from the wrestling business after 35 years. The video can be seen here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye3ImhrcaY0&feature=player_embedded
In the video, Roberts (whose real name is Aurelean Smith), after a match in Watertown, NY, thanked the fans, talked about his father's recent death, and then cited health as reasons for hanging it up.
Roberts is probably best known for his two stints in WWE (1986-1992,1996-97), when he wrestled some of the biggest names in the business. Never known to have a great body or great athleticism, Roberts had a high aptitude for the performance part of the show, giving eerie promos and excelling in ring psychology.
After he fell out of the spotlight, Roberts fell on hard times, which was documented in the film Beyond the Mat. Throughout his career, he has battled alcohol, drug, and sexual addictions. He has spent the latter part of his career kicking around the independent circuit.
My hope is that Roberts is considered for the WWE Hall of Fame. I would consider him to be one of the best wrestlers ever in the business, and if Pete Rose and "Sensational" Sherri can be inducted into the Hall, surely they need to include Roberts.
Bon Voyage, Jake.
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