For A2... Cobblestone Farm, Botanical Gardens (but you already said that wasn't a good option), and some quick Google-fu for other options (not necessarily all outside):
I'm on Central Campus mostly (LSI to be exact), but I didn't know there was a statue of Claude Shannon. He is a founder in the field of information theory and has a form of entropy (information entropy, also known as Shannon entropy) named after him.
I had tickets for that miracle Wisconsin game in 2008(?) a section away from the students, around the 15-20 yard line, everyone was standing. People in front of me. People to the side of me. People in back of me. All standing. When people aren't standing, I'm one of those people that sits down too, to be respectful. But if people are standing, I stand.
Suddenly I feel something jab me in the back... really freaking hard. So I turn around and there's this guy, maybe 35-40 and he's yelling at me to "Sit down! I paid good money for my son and I to watch the game!" It took all I had to not just punch the guy in the face, and instead I give him my best "WTF" look. Then he starts to walk back up FIVE rows back to his seat and yells back at me "Be a leader, man!"
Now granted, I'm pretty tall (6'3") but he was FIVE rows behind us. And I can also understand his kid being small and not being able to see when people are standing. But let me state this again... he was FIVE rows behind us. And of the hundreds of people standing in front and to the side of him and his son, he chose to single me out. So I was even more "WTF?!"
F*** that guy, way to set an example for your son, dude. When you can't get your way, resort to physical violence. Nice work.
Top 8 teams begin their playoff early in December or late November, playing each week:
1 vs 8 plays at home stadium of #1
2 vs 7 plays at home stadium of #2, etc...
Keep in mind, there is no bracket here because of the following...
Final Four then plays, using the same format as above with the highest remaining seeded team playing the lowest, and the two middle teams playing each other.
Final two teams square if the national title game. All of the losers in the tournament are then shuffled off to the BCS bowl games with precedence given conference affiliations and then to teams who went the furthest in the tournament getting the more plum bowl spots.
Basically, you play the preliminary rounds before the final BCS bowl matchups are made (all of the lower tier bowls can pick as per normal) and voila! You preserve the bowl system AND get a playoff system in one.
In terms of stat and record hounds, none of the statistics from the preliminary playoff rounds count towards school or NCAA records. Only statistics compiled in the national title game and actual matchups count towards season stats.
Asterisk added for Bill Russell, because going by the championships metric, he wins hands down with eleven(!). Some even argue that number of championships being equal, Bill Russell still should be considered the GOAT.
I don't think you'll find an argument for saying however that Michael Jordan is the greatest player of the modern era of the NBA.
I think the major knock on Lebron moving to the Heat is that the Heat isn't his team... it's Dwyane Wade's team. I think some SI write made the comparison that if Wade is to the Yankee's Jeter, then Lebron is A-Rod. A-Rod, great as he was, couldn't win on his own and needed the supporting cast of the Yankees (and what a supporting cast... jeesh) to finally win a championship. But they never were and never will be A-Rod's Yankee teams, they were Jeter's.
In a similar regard, I think if James/Wade/Bosh go on to win a championship, or two, or three, etc. They will never be Lebron's teams... he may lead them in scoring, triple-doubles and be voted MVP, but those Heat championship teams will be Wade's teams, not Lebron's.
I think that fact will end up "tarnishiing" (it's not the exact word I want to use, but it's close) Lebron's legacy... the fact that he couldn't do it for his home state team, the fact that he chose the "easy" road as opposed to building a championship legacy in Cleveland... the fact that he jilted his home state team on an ESPN special (The Decision, jeeez... ego trip much?)... those facts will all keep him from surpassing Jordan in most people's eyes. You could even make the argument that even if he wins more championships than Magic or Kobe, that Lebron's rings with the Heat won't carry the same weight.
For Fallout and Dragon Age shout outs. Have you gotten the expansion yet? Mass Effect 2 was great, Mass Effect 1 was more impressive story-wise... but there were some annoying gameplay elements in ME1 that they fixed for ME2. You won't be disappointed with ME2.
I also just got done with Alpha Protocol... again, some gameplay mechanics that were a little puzzling (ie. enemy AI), but the 10 gajillion possible endings, pretty sweet. Think Choose Your Own Adventure but with boobies. I've re-played it like twice already and planning on more.
- it's small: has an enrollment of around 1400-1500 (at least when I was there)
- the social life is what you make of it... you will know pretty much on campus by sight, if not by name
- it's expensive, last I heard tuition had risen to Harvard like $30000 levels (but see below)
- class sizes can vary from large (~100+, which is large for K) to very small (5-10 kids)
+ it's close to Ann Arbor (about 90 minutes one-way)
+ there are lots of opportunities for scholarships, if he plays a sport, tuition/room board can be completely taken care of
+ has one of the best, if not the best, support for foreign study (it's almost a requirement actually)
+ K churns out a ton of kids to graduate schools, for its size, it's one of the best in the country
+ one of the premier D3 schools for men's tennis, the USTA holds an annual tournament there
+ if you visit, make sure you stop at a place called Chinn Chinn off of the Mattawan exit: hands down the best chinese/asian food in the entire state of Michigan... believe me I've about tried them all. Order the kung pao chicken and a bowl of the hot and sour soup... I'm drooling as I type this.
If he doesn't mind a smaller school, there are plenty of schools like K that he can consider... money at all of these places can be made equivalent to UM through relatively easy means. Some that come to mind in addition to K are Hope College (Holland, MI) and Albion (Albion, MI).
I think I'd have to pull the trigger on that one... losing the #7 hurts b/c we're in position to pick up a Udoh-type player, but Al Jefferson might be too much to pass up. Maybe Joe D can re-package the #16 and #23 somehow... then again, I'm not an NBA GM.
The homer in me says, "If they don't want us, I don't want them. I'll take the schools that want to be here and appreciate being in the Big Ten. **** ND."
The pragmatist in me says, "I don't care how they get into the Big Ten. We all win in the end; higher TV revenue, greater profile, etc. They belong in the Big Ten, and they'll join eventually."
Last December, Nixon suggested Missouri should consider joining the Big Ten because it had stronger academics than some Big 12 schools. That invitation never came.
I think Texas let their athletic department make too much of their decision for them. I think joining the B10 would have really catapulted UT's research and academics. Too bad for them. Good for Nebraska, and still good for us. I think the addition is really analogous to Penn State... storied football program, meh other athletics and middling academics/research. Look at them now. Well, their other non-football athletics is still meh, but they've really made strides in the research/academic circles since joining the B10/CIC.
Since we've established that ND wouldn't and will never join unless their independence becomes a liability:
- Nebraska is one of the most storied programs in football history, right up there with the Michigans, Ohio States, USC, and Notre Dames. Sure, we could let arrogrance rule our heads for a moment and even say that Nebraska could even be considered a notch below, but the fact remains: they are one of the winningest and most respected programs in football history. You add Nebraska to the Big Ten and you are increasing B10 alumni networks (and they travel really well too), ad sales and TV negotitating power... that all equals money.
- Adding a 12th team means the B10 can hold a championship game. This servers two purposes: it keeps the B10 relevant in pollers minds as the season draws to a close, which is all important for maintaining positioning for at-large BCS bids, etc. and money.
Keep in mind, Nebraska is no small fish here. They are a legitimate and storied program that fits into the culture of the B10, as well as fits geographically and athletically outside of football too (their women's volleyball team is one of the best in the country). I understand the frustration that Nebraska is not Texas or Notre Dame. But the fact is, Nebraska is still Nebraska... which is pretty damn good in its own right.
Fans, maybe. But Tom Osborne says no to rejoining the B12 (read all the sources out there regarding Nebraska's friction with the B12 South, Texas especially).
You couldn't get to 12 teams with just ND. ND wasn't and isn't going to budge unless its football independence becomes a liability (which it still could, if the B10 decides to continue with expansion). The fact is, ND was and never could have been the 12th team because it will take the addition of 2, maybe even 3 Big East schools to get them to join. The only other possible way is if the B10 takes a couple ACC schools, forces the ACC in turn to raid the Big East, and ND is forced to join the B10 for fear of being left out.
Aside from Texas, Nebraska is about as good as you could reasonably to expect to get to join alone as the 12th team in the conference (and as we've heard, even Texas wouldn't have come alone either). So in reality, Nebraska is actually the best possible team that could have been added as the 12th, and 12th only team in the conference.
Nebraska is to Texas as Jessie Spano was to Kelly Kapowski.
Overall hotness factor, yeah, I'd rather have Kelly Kapowski. But Jessie Spano as a consolation prize? Oh yeah.
Nebraska fits geographically, athletically, and once it gets a similar academic/research boost that Penn State got after they joined the Big Ten, they'll more than fit academically too.
Texas Tech and Oklahoma State to the PAC-10 is a non-starter, it's not happening.
Why? Stanford and Cal, that's why.
The academic profile of the PAC-10 is very important to those two schools, and is also why Texas isn't part of the PAC-10 already (they tried before, remember?). It's also why BYU and Utah will have difficulty joining the PAC-10. The PAC-10 might not have a conference-driven academic mission like the Big 10 has with the CIC and AAU membership, but those two schools are Ivy-leage caliber (some might even argue that they suprass the Ivy's), and take their acadmics seriously. Stanford and Cal are those kinds of schools that don't really place their football performance and money over their acadmics, like some schools do... they're simply not going to let Texas Tech or Oklahoma State (or for that matter Oklahoma) in the PAC-10.
This would be my ideal scenario:
To the B-10: Texas, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Missouri, Notre Dame (Big East implodes, leaving them nowhere else to join)
To the SEC: FSU, Miami, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State (Texas Tech begs to be let in, fails)
To the ACC: UConn, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, WVU, Lousiville
To the PAC-10: Colorado, BYU (and they hold a championship game and wait for Stanford/Cal to allow other schools to join in the coming years)
This would be my realistic scenario:
To the B-10: Nebraska, Missouri, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Syracuse (Pitt or UConn are wildcards)
To the SEC: Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State (Texas Tech is again left out in the cold... they're likely headed to the MWC or WAC)
To the ACC: Pitt, UConn, WVU, Lousville
To the PAC-10: Colorado, BYU (Stanford/Cal again vote conservatively)
Basically, because of Stanford/Cal, we are left just short of the 4 super, mega, uber-16 teams conferences. In both cases, the remnants of the Big East are left to join the remaining mid-major conferences like CUSA or even the MAC... or they decide to let their football schools go and maintain a 12-team or so basketball conference.
I gave up meat in college, because the cafeteria made it really easy not to crave meat. I could never give up meat though... bacon is what always gets me. Mmmmmm, bacon.
Keep it up, man... I quit over 10 years ago. I was probably at about a 1/2 pack a day. You're probably past the worst of it... the immediate quit cravings were the worst.
die a slow, gruesome death.
For recommendations, see if Uverse is available... and by god, if Verizon FiOS is available in your area, get it please.
For gaming, and sharing with roommates... make sure you get one of the higher bandwidth packages and just split the cost.
This is general information on preferred seating donations, but keep in mind that those are the minimums.
http://www.mgoblue.com/victorsclub/preferred-seat-donations.html
I remember getting something in the mail several months back, right before the deadline for the year-end preferred seating donations and it had projected donations amounts for the different seating areas. Don't quote me on this, and I'll try to find the mailing, but to get in to the 20-yard line area on the visitor's side, about halfway up (>row ~50), it would have required a donation of around $1000 per seat... also remember, that didn't include the actual prices of the tickets, so tack on another $400-500 for each ticket.
Remember too, a large portion of those preferred seating donations can be deducted on your next tax return.
Again, don't quote me on that... but use the link I gave as a reference, and basically double or triple what you see and you'll probably be in the ballpark of what you would need to donate.
You also have to remember that there is the point system too, which you'll benefit to some degree by being a grad (I think that's worth 5 points).
It was usually followed by a, "Crap."
Still really interested in seeing how his passing and understanding of the offense develops over the off-season... he just has more upside than Tate, and I have man-love for Tate.
You'll regret it forever if you don't try... you don't want to be sitting there 10-20-30 years from now say, "Damn, if I could have worked just a little bit harder, I might have made it." There will be other engineering jobs, and I'm sure being an Olympian or being able to put "U.S. National Champion" or "World Champion" will open a few doors down the line as well.
Recent Comments
For A2... Cobblestone Farm, Botanical Gardens (but you already said that wasn't a good option), and some quick Google-fu for other options (not necessarily all outside):
http://www.borrowedandblue.com/ann-arbor/wedding-venues
I'm on Central Campus mostly (LSI to be exact), but I didn't know there was a statue of Claude Shannon. He is a founder in the field of information theory and has a form of entropy (information entropy, also known as Shannon entropy) named after him.
Sorry for the nerdgasm.
I had tickets for that miracle Wisconsin game in 2008(?) a section away from the students, around the 15-20 yard line, everyone was standing. People in front of me. People to the side of me. People in back of me. All standing. When people aren't standing, I'm one of those people that sits down too, to be respectful. But if people are standing, I stand.
Suddenly I feel something jab me in the back... really freaking hard. So I turn around and there's this guy, maybe 35-40 and he's yelling at me to "Sit down! I paid good money for my son and I to watch the game!" It took all I had to not just punch the guy in the face, and instead I give him my best "WTF" look. Then he starts to walk back up FIVE rows back to his seat and yells back at me "Be a leader, man!"
Now granted, I'm pretty tall (6'3") but he was FIVE rows behind us. And I can also understand his kid being small and not being able to see when people are standing. But let me state this again... he was FIVE rows behind us. And of the hundreds of people standing in front and to the side of him and his son, he chose to single me out. So I was even more "WTF?!"
F*** that guy, way to set an example for your son, dude. When you can't get your way, resort to physical violence. Nice work.
I kept standing.
started cutting onions in here... donated.
Just pledged. GO BLUE!
You're going to need a dish, something to hold up the dish, and pray that Satellite-Dish-Reception-Hating-God doesn't decide to cloud up.
If it were on ABC, sure... you could get it to work with the antenna. But ESPN2, you're SOL without a dish.
Congratulations dude!
because he's dragging down our average star rating!
</sarcasm>
Wish the kid nothing but the best, hope to see him next year.
no. A thousand times, no.
Top 8 teams begin their playoff early in December or late November, playing each week:
1 vs 8 plays at home stadium of #1
2 vs 7 plays at home stadium of #2, etc...
Keep in mind, there is no bracket here because of the following...
Final Four then plays, using the same format as above with the highest remaining seeded team playing the lowest, and the two middle teams playing each other.
Final two teams square if the national title game. All of the losers in the tournament are then shuffled off to the BCS bowl games with precedence given conference affiliations and then to teams who went the furthest in the tournament getting the more plum bowl spots.
Basically, you play the preliminary rounds before the final BCS bowl matchups are made (all of the lower tier bowls can pick as per normal) and voila! You preserve the bowl system AND get a playoff system in one.
In terms of stat and record hounds, none of the statistics from the preliminary playoff rounds count towards school or NCAA records. Only statistics compiled in the national title game and actual matchups count towards season stats.
Asterisk added for Bill Russell, because going by the championships metric, he wins hands down with eleven(!). Some even argue that number of championships being equal, Bill Russell still should be considered the GOAT.
I don't think you'll find an argument for saying however that Michael Jordan is the greatest player of the modern era of the NBA.
I think the major knock on Lebron moving to the Heat is that the Heat isn't his team... it's Dwyane Wade's team. I think some SI write made the comparison that if Wade is to the Yankee's Jeter, then Lebron is A-Rod. A-Rod, great as he was, couldn't win on his own and needed the supporting cast of the Yankees (and what a supporting cast... jeesh) to finally win a championship. But they never were and never will be A-Rod's Yankee teams, they were Jeter's.
In a similar regard, I think if James/Wade/Bosh go on to win a championship, or two, or three, etc. They will never be Lebron's teams... he may lead them in scoring, triple-doubles and be voted MVP, but those Heat championship teams will be Wade's teams, not Lebron's.
I think that fact will end up "tarnishiing" (it's not the exact word I want to use, but it's close) Lebron's legacy... the fact that he couldn't do it for his home state team, the fact that he chose the "easy" road as opposed to building a championship legacy in Cleveland... the fact that he jilted his home state team on an ESPN special (The Decision, jeeez... ego trip much?)... those facts will all keep him from surpassing Jordan in most people's eyes. You could even make the argument that even if he wins more championships than Magic or Kobe, that Lebron's rings with the Heat won't carry the same weight.
For Fallout and Dragon Age shout outs. Have you gotten the expansion yet? Mass Effect 2 was great, Mass Effect 1 was more impressive story-wise... but there were some annoying gameplay elements in ME1 that they fixed for ME2. You won't be disappointed with ME2.
I also just got done with Alpha Protocol... again, some gameplay mechanics that were a little puzzling (ie. enemy AI), but the 10 gajillion possible endings, pretty sweet. Think Choose Your Own Adventure but with boobies. I've re-played it like twice already and planning on more.
- it's small: has an enrollment of around 1400-1500 (at least when I was there)
- the social life is what you make of it... you will know pretty much on campus by sight, if not by name
- it's expensive, last I heard tuition had risen to Harvard like $30000 levels (but see below)
- class sizes can vary from large (~100+, which is large for K) to very small (5-10 kids)
+ it's close to Ann Arbor (about 90 minutes one-way)
+ there are lots of opportunities for scholarships, if he plays a sport, tuition/room board can be completely taken care of
+ has one of the best, if not the best, support for foreign study (it's almost a requirement actually)
+ K churns out a ton of kids to graduate schools, for its size, it's one of the best in the country
+ one of the premier D3 schools for men's tennis, the USTA holds an annual tournament there
+ if you visit, make sure you stop at a place called Chinn Chinn off of the Mattawan exit: hands down the best chinese/asian food in the entire state of Michigan... believe me I've about tried them all. Order the kung pao chicken and a bowl of the hot and sour soup... I'm drooling as I type this.
If he doesn't mind a smaller school, there are plenty of schools like K that he can consider... money at all of these places can be made equivalent to UM through relatively easy means. Some that come to mind in addition to K are Hope College (Holland, MI) and Albion (Albion, MI).
Jefferson + #16 + #23 for Tay + Wilcox + #7
I think I'd have to pull the trigger on that one... losing the #7 hurts b/c we're in position to pick up a Udoh-type player, but Al Jefferson might be too much to pass up. Maybe Joe D can re-package the #16 and #23 somehow... then again, I'm not an NBA GM.
I think it's just a matter of time.
The homer in me says, "If they don't want us, I don't want them. I'll take the schools that want to be here and appreciate being in the Big Ten. **** ND."
The pragmatist in me says, "I don't care how they get into the Big Ten. We all win in the end; higher TV revenue, greater profile, etc. They belong in the Big Ten, and they'll join eventually."
Pragmatism usually wins for me.
Lol, deathstar.
Rofl.
Yes, exactly my thinking too.
I think Texas let their athletic department make too much of their decision for them. I think joining the B10 would have really catapulted UT's research and academics. Too bad for them. Good for Nebraska, and still good for us. I think the addition is really analogous to Penn State... storied football program, meh other athletics and middling academics/research. Look at them now. Well, their other non-football athletics is still meh, but they've really made strides in the research/academic circles since joining the B10/CIC.
I think it'll go to the #2 team in the PAC-10... well, at least that seems the most logical result.
Since we've established that ND wouldn't and will never join unless their independence becomes a liability:
- Nebraska is one of the most storied programs in football history, right up there with the Michigans, Ohio States, USC, and Notre Dames. Sure, we could let arrogrance rule our heads for a moment and even say that Nebraska could even be considered a notch below, but the fact remains: they are one of the winningest and most respected programs in football history. You add Nebraska to the Big Ten and you are increasing B10 alumni networks (and they travel really well too), ad sales and TV negotitating power... that all equals money.
- Adding a 12th team means the B10 can hold a championship game. This servers two purposes: it keeps the B10 relevant in pollers minds as the season draws to a close, which is all important for maintaining positioning for at-large BCS bids, etc. and money.
Keep in mind, Nebraska is no small fish here. They are a legitimate and storied program that fits into the culture of the B10, as well as fits geographically and athletically outside of football too (their women's volleyball team is one of the best in the country). I understand the frustration that Nebraska is not Texas or Notre Dame. But the fact is, Nebraska is still Nebraska... which is pretty damn good in its own right.
Fans, maybe. But Tom Osborne says no to rejoining the B12 (read all the sources out there regarding Nebraska's friction with the B12 South, Texas especially).
Yeah, and there's this too...
You couldn't get to 12 teams with just ND. ND wasn't and isn't going to budge unless its football independence becomes a liability (which it still could, if the B10 decides to continue with expansion). The fact is, ND was and never could have been the 12th team because it will take the addition of 2, maybe even 3 Big East schools to get them to join. The only other possible way is if the B10 takes a couple ACC schools, forces the ACC in turn to raid the Big East, and ND is forced to join the B10 for fear of being left out.
Aside from Texas, Nebraska is about as good as you could reasonably to expect to get to join alone as the 12th team in the conference (and as we've heard, even Texas wouldn't have come alone either). So in reality, Nebraska is actually the best possible team that could have been added as the 12th, and 12th only team in the conference.
Nebraska is to Texas as Jessie Spano was to Kelly Kapowski.
Overall hotness factor, yeah, I'd rather have Kelly Kapowski. But Jessie Spano as a consolation prize? Oh yeah.
Nebraska fits geographically, athletically, and once it gets a similar academic/research boost that Penn State got after they joined the Big Ten, they'll more than fit academically too.
Texas Tech and Oklahoma State to the PAC-10 is a non-starter, it's not happening.
Why? Stanford and Cal, that's why.
The academic profile of the PAC-10 is very important to those two schools, and is also why Texas isn't part of the PAC-10 already (they tried before, remember?). It's also why BYU and Utah will have difficulty joining the PAC-10. The PAC-10 might not have a conference-driven academic mission like the Big 10 has with the CIC and AAU membership, but those two schools are Ivy-leage caliber (some might even argue that they suprass the Ivy's), and take their acadmics seriously. Stanford and Cal are those kinds of schools that don't really place their football performance and money over their acadmics, like some schools do... they're simply not going to let Texas Tech or Oklahoma State (or for that matter Oklahoma) in the PAC-10.
This would be my ideal scenario:
To the B-10: Texas, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Missouri, Notre Dame (Big East implodes, leaving them nowhere else to join)
To the SEC: FSU, Miami, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State (Texas Tech begs to be let in, fails)
To the ACC: UConn, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, WVU, Lousiville
To the PAC-10: Colorado, BYU (and they hold a championship game and wait for Stanford/Cal to allow other schools to join in the coming years)
This would be my realistic scenario:
To the B-10: Nebraska, Missouri, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Syracuse (Pitt or UConn are wildcards)
To the SEC: Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State (Texas Tech is again left out in the cold... they're likely headed to the MWC or WAC)
To the ACC: Pitt, UConn, WVU, Lousville
To the PAC-10: Colorado, BYU (Stanford/Cal again vote conservatively)
Basically, because of Stanford/Cal, we are left just short of the 4 super, mega, uber-16 teams conferences. In both cases, the remnants of the Big East are left to join the remaining mid-major conferences like CUSA or even the MAC... or they decide to let their football schools go and maintain a 12-team or so basketball conference.
I gave up meat in college, because the cafeteria made it really easy not to crave meat. I could never give up meat though... bacon is what always gets me. Mmmmmm, bacon.
Keep it up, man... I quit over 10 years ago. I was probably at about a 1/2 pack a day. You're probably past the worst of it... the immediate quit cravings were the worst.
McLovin!