New Blog

Finally switched over.

Here is the new and improved version:

http://abouton.wordpress.com/

Hope it makes me want to write more often. I guess we'll find out.

Check it out! Have a good X-mas everyone!

Switching Sites

It's time.

Blogger.com has been great, but I think I'm ready to switch blogging homes. I know I have some followers of this site and I'll hopefully make sure to notify all of you when I do indeed start blogging somewhere else.

Now that I have a good internet connection and I'm writing for a living, I'm in the groove much more often these days. Hence why I'm trying to find a new, upgraded site.

I'll let everyone know when I get the new one up and running.

5-7

It's been a horrible decade against Ohio State for Michigan. They've not lost eight out of the last nine against the Buckeyes.

Today, turnovers at key moments killed the Wolverines and the squad will finish another season under .500 and without a bowl bid.

I believe Rich Rodriguez's job is safe, but he needs to start winning in the conference if he's going to be in Ann Arbor much longer. He's gone 8-18 in his first two seasons.

Let's hope that some of the recruiting classes shine in the years to come, especially incoming Inkster quarterback Devin Gardner. They have another top class coming in next year, so as long as players stay and believe that things will be better in the future, Michigan should again resemble the program that has the most wins in NCAA football history.

Year three is in 2010 for Rodriguez and his different brand of football.

Hopefully it'll be better than the previous two.

Thoughts on my new job

Well, here we are.

Months of waiting and I finally found a job in Michigan in the field I want to be in.

Moving to Saginaw was a little weird because I've never really visited the place. I go by it all the time on I-75 but I've never even saw the city until my interview. I haven't explored too much, but the area that I live in doesn't appear to be too bad and the complex I live in seems to be safe.

So far, so good.

The job has gone well thus far even though I really haven't been asked to do too much and I walked into the job during the slow period for Saginaw sports. Everyone that I've worked with has been pretty cool and has helped me out a lot. Once high school basketball (boys and girls) swings into full gear, I'll find out really what it's all about to work the sports desk on a week night.

We cover 45 high schools in the Saginaw area and also cover Central Michigan, the Saginaw Spirit, the Great Lake Loons, Alma college and Saginaw Valley State University, along with some other smaller local colleges.

Again, everything is pretty good so far.

I'm trying to find another job in the area as well. It would be something for during the day. I work a lot of nights and weekends now and have uber amounts of time to spare. Not sure what the job market is like in this area, but if it's like the rest of Michigan, it probably isn't very good. Maybe I'll find something in this busy holiday season.

I'm hopefully heading back to Harbor Springs for Thanksgiving next week. My sister and Steve are having a family dinner at her new house. It'll be the first time we won't be heading down to Tennessee in a long time. Going to miss it.

Have a safe holidays everyone. Cheers!

Officially Fa... err... Winter

Looks like Fall was bypassed this year.

Snowflakes made a cameo appearance just yesterday and it looks like the white stuff could beat the colorful leaves to the ground in 2009. It has been dipping well below 30 most nights and I could see my breath while sitting in my sister's house today -- not fun.

Speaking of which, my kid sister just closed on a new house. She and Steve bought a house in Harbor Springs, outside of the city and it's a nice starter home. They officially move all their stuff in tomorrow with painting not far behind. For those of you that know that Harbor area, she lives at the end of Five Mile Creek, right where the road T's with the adjoining road. The house is built into a hill with the basement flowing out in the front and a big deck overhanging from the front of the one story house. There is also a two-car garage in front of the house.

It seems everyone is buying a house these days. Two of my friends, Matt and Drew, have also purchased homes recently and are fine tuning their establishments. It's a good time to buy, especially if you live in the Detroit area or Michigan in general.

I'm heading back to Kalamazoo next weekend for a long overdue return to the city I called home for seven years. Homecoming is next Saturday and this will be the first time I've been back in quite some time. I've missed Kalamazoo a lot, and some of the people there, so I'm looking forward to visiting.

I've got a couple of prospective jobs on the horizon.

Hopefully one of them pans out pretty soon. I'm getting a little anxious sitting here at home and I'm ready to get back to writing. One might be a bridge to the other and that is always a good opportunity.

Hopefully I'll be on here blogging a little more. I'd like to blog more than give monthly updates, but that's all it seems to be these days.

Michigan Football

Hey everyone.

Sorry I haven't really posted anything in awhile, but my internet is spotty at best because I'm living at home with not much more than a dial-up connection. Plus, most of my time I spend writing has been exhausted over here: http://bleacherreport.com/users/111435-adam-bouton

Check it out.

I've been mostly on Michigan and Western Michigan football recently with the new college football season on the horizon, but I've wrote some other articles as well.

I hope to be living somewhere else pretty soon. Living at home is great and the rent is ridiculously cheap, but being out on my own is something I feel pretty strongly about. Hopefully some kind of job falls into place pretty soon.

I'll try to get on here more often, but it could be September before you hear from me again.

Wedding Pictures

Here are some photos from Drew and Emily's wedding on July 12.

The wedding was in Chicago and it was a very successful and excellent weekend. It's a bummer that it went by so fast.

Goodbye Kalamazoo

Goodbye Kalamazoo. Goodbye my home.

Well, my time living here has come to a close. I'm deeply saddened because this has grown to be my home and one of the best places to live. Harbor Springs will always be the place where I grew up, but Kalamazoo is the place where I became independent and an adult.

I'm pretty lucky to have called this home for the past seven years. I remember coming here a tentative college student, not certain whether I would survive my first year. I leave ready to tackle the world and ready for whatever life has to throw at me. I realize this could be the last time I live here, but it certainly won't be the last time I go to Kalamazoo—that is for sure.

I loved Kalamazoo so much I went back to get a second major at WMU. I could have easily left and gone somewhere else, but WMU was going to be my only college and it was. I loved it so much that even when most of my friends left, I stayed behind and searched for more...

I lived in several different places in the city and loved them all for several different reasons. There isn't much I have bad to say about Kalamazoo and for that reason, I'm going to miss it all.

Not many people realize the uniqueness this city has to offer and even though the winters can absolutely be brutal, I wouldn't mind staying here forever.

My first go-around in college was amazing and the second wasn't far behind. I met some of the best friends I will ever know during my six and half years in college and while I might never use the first degree, the second major will be used and I was lucky enough to work at WMU's newspaper during my latter stages in college. I met some good folk there as well and I know that all the relationships I made during my stay in Kalamazoo is part of the reason that makes my time here special.

It's safe to say that all seven years were great, even the up-and-down freshman year.

I won't list all the things I love about Kalamazoo because frankly, there are just too many. I will miss just about all of it though. I'll miss the different parts of Kalamazoo, the way it's exactly between Chicago and Detroit and all of the little quirks and excellent attributes that make it Kalamazoo. I'll even miss writing Kalamazoo down as my address.

Something about the name always seemed cool to me.

I'll miss Maggies, Burdicks, East Hall, WMU's campus, Waldo Stadium, Tiffanys, the Den and several other places that are absent from my memory at this moment.

I'll even miss the insanely loud train that runs through the heart of the city. I'm probably the only one.

Hopefully I can relocate somewhere in Michigan so that trips to Kalamazoo aren't completely foreign. I'd love to make it back here often—especially this fall when school is in session and sporting events are once again in full swing.

We'll just have to wait and see what happens, I guess.

It won't be long before I'm down here once again—actually it's just next weekend for a reunion party.

I guess it's not really goodbye at all. It's more like see you later.

Ohh maybe I should tell you where I'm headed. I'm actually heading home to where it all started. I vowed strongly several times that I would never move home again, but that's where I'm ending up, haha. It's short-term and until I find a job in Michigan or elsewhere.

New Computer

Hooray, I got a new computer! I'm typing this from my new laptop. My parents are inheriting my old Dell laptop (they seem to like collecting my old computers...). My old desktop is way past it's prime and my huge laptop is still in good shape, so that's the reason they are taking that one. Plus, I get a smaller laptop that should be easier with the occupation I'm in -- journalism.

I've got some new updates and possibly a couple new jobs, so everything is going well right now. I had a job interview in Saginaw yesterday and I think it's a good possibility that I'm going to be moving there at the end of July/beginning of August.

I'm heading to Detroit this weekend for Drew's bachelor party. It's going to most likely be a crazy day on Saturday. Golfing, Tigers game, limo and I'm sure a lot of madness (knowing my group of friends).

I'll hopefully have some "decent" photos to get online here at the beginning of next week.

Until then, cheers!

End of June Update

Man is this summer flying by.

I can't believe that it's almost July already.

I'm heading home to Harbor Springs for the first time this summer for the fourth of July. I haven't been back up north in a long time, so I'm looking forward to it. It'll definitely be good to see the family once again.

I was just in Detroit for almost a week and was able to take in four straight Tigers games. They won all four, including a sweep of the Chicago Cubs. It was fun to be there for all of those games.

The job hunt is still just that. I haven't really heard much from anybody, so it's not looking too great right now. I might have to start searching for other jobs, so that I have some sort of cash flow while I try and find a job in journalism.

Hopefully something pops up before my lease ends in July.

Hope everyone is doing good. I'm trying to have as much fun as I can this summer because I know that this could be my last in terms of having a generally open schedule.

If you're in HS this weekend, give me a shout, otherwise I hope everyone else has a good holiday. Cheers!

10K Run

Well everyone, I made it.

I've never ran close to six miles, except for maybe a few training runs when I was on the Harbor Springs Middle School track team, and it wasn't as bad as I feared.

The first three miles weren't bad, but right at that point, there was a monster hill to run up.

It was steep.

If it were a ski hill, it'd be double black diamonds.

I made it all the way up without stopping, even though my brain was telling me numerous times, "just stop!"

After that, I slowed considerably, but it was all downhill and I didn't make any stops en route to finishing the 6.2 mile run in around 54 minutes.

My time is hardly flashy, but my goal was to just simply finish and not make any stops.

I did that.

Just about died afterwords, but hey, I finished.

Hopefully, the next 10K I run won't have a massive, ridiculously long and steep hill in the middle of it.

Headed to Detroit for the next few days. Catch everyone soon.

Formula One Fallout

Today could prove to be the beginning of the end for Formula One.

It was announced today that several teams -- including Ferrari, McLaren, Sauber, Toyota and others -- are expected to pull out of the series next year if Formula One doesn't lift the $60 million spending cap, among other reasons.

Here are my thoughts on the situation.

Hopefully they will resolve the issues so that all of this is avoided. Formula One has a long, historic tradition and it would be a shame if they had to begin a whole new series.

It'll be weird watching F1 next year, especially if many of the current drivers and current teams are not apart of it.

As of right now, there will be no Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen if the proposed teams were to leave.

It's a black eye today in the world of racing.

Job Interview

I have one on Wednesday in Saginaw. Hoping it goes rather well. I would love to take a job anywhere in Michigan and the Saginaw/Bay City area wouldn't be too shabby at all. Anything sports reporting and somewhere in the lower half of the state would be simply amazing.

Wish me luck!

Coldplay Concert

My birthday was on June 2. Coldplay was in Detroit on June 2.

It was meant to be.

I went to the concert with the one person who appreciates Coldplay probably just as much as I do: Drew.

Good performance put on by the British group. They played hard and often and it was a good show. Hope they make it back to Michigan in the near future.

I'm going to try and upload a video I took of "Clocks," however it might take forever because it's over 3 minutes long.

(Sorry the pictures are semi-blurry; we were way in the back and my camera doesn't take the clearest pictures when I zoom in)

Bottlecap Table

So a few years ago, I told my parents that I wanted to put together a bottle cap table. I had been collecting various caps throughout the years for some reason and had put together quite a collection.

I told them just before Christmas.

Whalah!

Come Christmas, my parents found a perfect table for me to put hundreds of little caps in. I could have easily had it done by now, but I want a bunch of different caps inside instead of the table being littered with hundreds of Oberon and Bud Light caps.

It's really coming along though, as you can see from the pictures above.

I just recently glued more caps and I think it's finally nearing the end. I hope it's done by the end of the year.

Part of the fun of the table is searching for new and unique caps. I've bought beer that I probably would have shrugged off in most instances. Most of it has been good too. I think I have effectively shredded the label of only being able to drink light beer. Still, you won't find many Guinness caps on my table.

The Bell's circular logo in the middle of the table is from the half-barrel Oberon keg I just purchased for my graduation party.

I recently tried counting, got to 160 and gave up, but I think that there should be close to 400 caps on the table as of right now. There's probably room for 100-120 more.

Not bad. I'll get there eventually.

So, for now, if anyone has any opinions on caps that should go on the table that they don't see in the top picture, let me know! I'm sure that I'm missing dozens.

---

I also signed up for a 10K run today. Yikes! Not sure why I did it, but I've been running a lot recently and feel that it will give me a good challenge for the summer (if finding a job isn't a big enough challenge). I ran four miles yesterday, but still have to get a couple more out of my legs. Plus, I'm pretty sure there is a killer hill that I have to run up twice during the race (called the Kalamazoo Klassic). Hope I can get through it. It will be a truly tough test.

Ohh Sweet Summer...

Above: Most of the group fills the steps of our "old camping grounds," otherwise referred to as East Hall.

Summer is officially here.

That much was evident after the graduation party I had at my apartment last weekend. Warm weather is here to stay and the joy that is summer is in full swing.

I had one of the best weekends in awhile last weekend and I'm sure it won't be the last one this summer. Just next week, I am headed to Detroit on my birthday to see one of my favorite bands perform live: Coldplay.

Later in June, I'm going to about three Tigers' games (two against the Cubs) in the matter of just five days.

Not too far beyond that a certain bachelor party will occur and the weekend after that craziness, Drew is ending his bachelorhood and getting married. Towards the end of the summer, my buddy Don is also waiving his bachelor status and tying the knot.

Another stellar summer line-up.

I'm doing all of this while trying to line up a job for the fall/next year and interning at B/R. I've applied for a few more jobs and have an interview coming up, so I'm still hoping something comes through for me.

Until then, enjoying the summer is my No. 1 goal.

So far it has proved to be a good one and we're just getting started.

Memorial Day Weekend

Above: Me at a recent West Michigan Whitecaps game with a cold one. Whitecaps lost, but, hey, it's minor league baseball, so who cares? We had fun either way.

Traveled to Tennessee last week for my grandparents' funeral. All and all, it went well. I'm thankful for the people who were there to support my family and thankful for all of the well-wishes as well. I'm back now in Kalamazoo and ready for the summer to begin!

This coming weekend could prove to be one for the ages.

We've got some pretty cool people coming in for some pretty cool times. I haven't seen a few of the friends that are migrating to Kalamazoo this weekend in quite some time, so it's safe to say I'm pretty excited. It'll be good to get everyone back together and have some fun. Glad that it could be done in the familiar stomping grounds of Kalamazoo as well. Who knows what kind of shenanigans we might get into.

Still trying to rake in a few interviews as far as sports writing goes. I've got a pretty good internship right now, but that's not deterring me from not trying to get something else too. The internship is just that and it'll be over before I know it. Plus, it's the kind that doesn't dish out any money in return for my services, so I need to find some source of income this summer. I've got a couple leads, so we'll see where that takes me.

Good time to be a Detroit sports fan. The first-place Tigers swept the A's and the Red Wings are already up a game in the Western Conference Finals. Hope both teams keep it going.

Bleacher Report

Well, I was offered the internship with BleacherReport.com. I will be editing for the Web site 15 hours every week for the next three months. I get to choose the hours, which is the best part. I wrote an article for the site and created a profile, so now the next step is to be trained by the managing editor and, I believe, some of their other staff members.

If anyone wants to check out the profile I created on the site click here: profile.

My first article was about a pair of rookie Tigers pitchers: Ryan Perry and Rick Porcello.

You can check that out here if you feel so inclined.

I'm going to try and keep writing for the site while I edit. It'll be good to stay in the sports writing groove until I get another job somewhere. I'll try and remember to post the articles I write over here.

Heading to Tennessee on Monday for about five days for the funeral. Not sure how much I'll be blogging, but I know that I might need to use the internet often for the new internship.

Things are looking up

I was rightfully worried heading into this summer about job prospects, but things seem to be starting to pick up a tad bit. I've applied for a few jobs and have already heard back from a couple of them.

I've got a couple interviews within the next few weeks for internships and potential jobs. One is with www.bleacherreport.com which is a sports-based Web site where fans can log on and write their own articles. I would most likely be doing editing for them (about 15 hours every week) and would create my own hours from home, which would be nice. The company is based out of San Francisco, Calif.

I also received a call this morning from the sports editor at the Saginaw News, Paul Neumeyer, who wants me to drive up there for an interview some time this month. He wanted me there next week, but I'll be down in Tennessee for my grandparents' funeral. He said that the job would be part-time, but I could work up to 29 hours a week.

Hopefully one of these two fall into place because it would really give me a jump start at life in the post-college world. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens within the next couple of weeks. It's definitely positive and I'm actually a little surprised that I'm getting responses so quickly.

I'll take it though.

In the meantime, I'm going to crack a few golf balls in hopes of finally finding a consistent swing this summer. My first outing was promising (I was hitting it straight), so we'll see if I can keep it going...

Behold the power of summer

Above: Harry, Drew and Robbie pose uniquely for a picture (as they often do) while huddling around a table in the restaurant that sits perched down the right field line at Comerica Park. We were on hand to watch the Tigers lose to the New York Yankees on a cold Tuesday evening.

I went into this late spring/summer a little down after watching college suddenly disappear right before my eyes. College truly was the best time of my life and I was fearful to watch it go.

However, this past week really offered a different perspective on how this summer is going to roll along. I was fortunately able to attend all three games of the Tigers-Yankees series at Comerica and that really helped to lift my spirits. I found myself in a much better mood when I headed back to Kalamazoo on Thursday then when I bolted for Detroit on Monday.

I'm planning on making the most of this summer, even if it takes me awhile to find a job. I have a lot to look forward to (Drew's wedding, bachelor party, Don's wedding, Tigers' games, trips up north and who knows what else). If this is indeed my last hoorah in Kalamazoo, I want to make the best of it.

The weather has been generous the past few days which doesn't hurt the self esteem by any means.

I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to have one last summer here in the zoo and to spend it with my friends. Hopefully what I foresee as a being a great summer really happens and I look back in August and note that it was a much more successful summer than I predicted.

I'm going to leave you one more little snippet from the Western Herald. This link takes you to my final article that I ever wrote for the WMU student-run newspaper, but it certainly won't be the last article I ever write. I've been on the job hunt and I've sent my resume and clips out to a few different newspapers, so we'll see how that turns out. Just looking for anything at this point.

Hopefully with some more time, I'll get on here and blog a little more often.

School's Out Forever

Well, I'm finally finished.

It only took seven years, but I finally have concluded my college career. I ended it with a degree in education and an added major in journalism. Whew.

The last few days have been pretty eerie. I haven't ever been completely done with school until now and it's really kind of depressing. Going to school at WMU was easily the best time of my life and I'm going to miss it. I think working at the Herald and making a lot of friends added to the depression of it all because now that is over too.

I'm eager to see where my life goes now, however. It'll be very interesting to see where I end up at the end of this fall. Scary, but exciting at the same time. We'll see what happens!

Hopefully, with my family here this weekend, that will help lift my spirits. But for now, I'll keep twisting my mind around the thought that this is all over with...

Off to drink a few beverages and watch the Red Wings.

Western Herald Banquet

2008-09 Western Herald editorial staff: (From left to right) Managing Editor Zach Reichard, Arts Editor Chris Kato, Photo Editor Karie Kuiper, Editor in Chief Sara Waisanen, News Editor Ashley Wioskowski, Sports Editor Mike Feld, Web Manager Kris Hitchcock.

Above: Zach giving me the thumbs up before everyone handed out their awards for the year.


Most of us are nearing the end of working at the Western Herald. We had our banquet last Friday and it was a lot of fun. We inhaled some food, took lots of pictures, bought each other drinks and danced like crazy (even I made it out there -- shocking!). We then followed that up by continuing the party at Chris' apartment. Twas a lot of fun. Just four more papers due out before I'm done and moving on to something new! We'll see what this summer holds.

We are in-season (sports, that is)

We are officially now in-season for sports, according to me. Baseball season has started, basketball and hockey playoffs are about to begin and racing and golf season is in full swing. I am a follower of Formula One racing as well and that has been of interest to me as of late. A brand new team -- Brawn (with veteran driver Jenson Button at the helm) -- has won the first two races nearly from start to finish. The picture above is Button driving through the rain-shortened race (just 31 laps) in Malaysia last weekend. He cruised to the victory for his second straight win. It's nice to see him have some success after years stuck with mediocre teams.

The Tigers had a rough go at it in their opener today. They lost 12-5 to the Blue Jays and Verlander gave up eight runs in the loss. It's only one game, but it's not the start the Tigers obviously wanted. Tomorrow is a new day however. Brand new Tiger, Edwin Jackson takes the mound to hopefully flash his repetoire. There is no doubt in my mind that the offense will get things going soon to help out the questionable pitching.

I'll have more of sports-related randomness and other doings later this week or this weekend.

Bracket Busted

Well, like every year, my NCAA Tournament bracket was utterly destroyed by the end of the first round and second round. Wake Forest let me down big time, as they lost their second game. I had them going all the way to the finals. My champion, North Carolina, did, however, make it to the Final Four, so I reserve hope that they'll still win the whole thing -- I've got a few bets riding on it.

There has been a lot of complaining this year about how the tournament hasn't lived up to all the hype as in years past. I can partially agree, but I still think it's been a great tournament to take in. I wrote an editorial this week on why it's still been a good tournament. There have been some blowouts and their haven't been any great Cinderella stories, but most of the games have been contested and well worth watching. I know that I've been glued to my TV set for most of the games -- especially because Michigan States is once again, alive and well in the tourney.

This weekend should be fun. Pagel is coming into town to hang with Corey and I. Should be just like the old days -- kicking back, playing videogames, shooting the breeze.

Baseball season is upon us again. The Tigers first game is Monday at 7:05 p.m. against the Blue Jays in Toronto. The team just released Gary Sheffield and has made a couple other moves, but a lot of uncertainty still surrounds the team. It'll be interesting to see how the season goes in the first couple of weeks for the Tigers.

I'm sure I'll be blogging a lot more once Tigers games begin. I also have some neat story assignments, so I'll post those up once I finish doing them.

With every loss, there is a gain

I just recently lost both of my grandparents (my last two) in a span of three days. It really blindsided me. My grandpa was expected to go and I'm glad he did (he was in so much pain), but my grandma passing was a hard pill to swallow. I can still feel the emotion waiting to burst like a balloon behind my eyelids. What kills me is that I didn't get to say goodbye to her and I talked to her just one day before her passing. I'm going to miss her egging me on ("beetle-bom!") while playing cards and our chats during the summer about the Braves and baseball. I'll definitely miss those long trips to Tennessee and seeing her waiting in the doorway as we pull in the driveway.

My mother has been down there for awhile and was there for both the passing's. She was holding my grandma's hand as she took her last breath and I really think that helped give her some closure. Those were her parents and she got to see them both go. Everyone down there has been pretty supportive for my mom and that always helps.

Although it's hard to see them gone, what is comforting is that I know they are together once again. They knew each other for practically their whole lives and they can continue that on in a better place. My grandpa was so sick for the past few years that I'm glad his ailments are over with. I wouldn't want to live like he did in the final years of his life.

I do feel fortunate that they were around for so long. My other grandma died when I was just one and my dad's father died when I was a teenager. To have them all the way through college and through my sister getting married is a blessing.

Now that my family is smaller, it makes me appreciate the family members that are left. Our family has always been tight knit, but I can see it being ever more so from now on.

Ten years ago, even five, this would have been something that would have torn me apart completely. I am dealing with it pretty well considering, I think, and know that both my grandma and grandpa are in a better place, with each other and that I'll see them again someday.

As my grandma was a big Atlanta Braves fan and baseball season is just over the horizon, it's going to be weird watching this season and thinking that she isn't watching the games. Check that. She will be watching, just not in her robe and slippers and from the recliner. Personally, I hope they do well this year in honor of her - I know I'll be rooting for them (as well as the Tigers, of course).

Thanks everyone for the support that you have provided during the past couple of weeks.

Optimism for Bronco hockey squad

I wrote a column yesterday about what direction I think the hockey team is headed. You can check it out here.

Weather's mind-boggling today. I wore shorts and sandals to class and I think we're firing up the grill tonight. Woohoo!

Above is a picture for the Tiger's winter caravan when they were in Kalamazoo.

Broncos' season ends at Yost

It's been a whirlwind couple of days this past weekend. I finally made it out of Kalamazoo for a couple days (I've been there for at least a couple months straight) and headed over to Ann Arbor/Detroit to cover the WMU-Michigan hockey series. The Wolverines were ranked No. 3 in the nation before the game and it looked as if the Broncos had their hands full against a well-rested team.

Well, they did. The Broncos dropped two straight to the Wolverines, 5-2 and 6-1 on Friday and Saturday night, respectively. The U-M sweep abruptly ended WMU's season. The Broncos fought valiantly, but Michigan just overwhelmed them. The Broncos were in the game Friday night up until the last few minutes, but Michigan pulled away at the end. Big starts killed the Brown and Gold both nights. U-M jumped out to 3-0 leads after the first period each night.

While in Detroit, I went with Drew to Joe Louis Arena Saturday morning. They ran a blood drive and people wishing to donate their blood received free tickets to a future Red Wings' game this season. It was the first time that I've ever been to the Joe and hopefully it won't be the last. It's a shame that I still have never witnessed a game in person. I certainly have seen many college hockey games, but still no NHL games.

We also took the chance to travel past what's left of Tiger Stadium. As you can see from the picture above, most of the stadium is completely gone. What remains is a small portion of the stadium behind home plate and the lonely foul poll, still standing upright in it's spot in center field. It had been a long time since I had seen the stadium and first since they started tearing it down, so it was very eerie to see the stadium in that state. Hopefully, the city of Detroit will make all the right decisions in deciding what to do when it comes to the property.

Today was freakishly warm. Corey and I even went outside today and tossed the frisbee around for a few minutes. Tomorrow's weather is even supposed to be better -- 72 degrees! I didn't wear a jacket today and it doesn't sound like I'll need one tomorrow too. I know it'll probably get chilly again, but spring seems to be fighting it's way into our lives. Hooray!

The Tigers are on TV Monday (today). They play the Cardinals at 1 p.m., so be sure to check it out. This is one of three (I think) games that are being televised during spring training. It'll be good to hear the voices of Rod Allen and Mario Impemba once again.

Two Overtimes, Two Wins

Well, it was another weekend of hockey for me. After a 6-3 loss Friday night, the Broncos won a thriller of a game Saturday in double overtime and came out Sunday and finished off the Lakers 3-1. It was exciting to watch the comeback even though I was probably one of the only ones. The stands were pretty empty all three games of the weekend for some reason. It's too bad because it's the first time in 15 years that WMU has won a home playoff series. But, who cares that nobody showed up? They won and they're heading to Yost Ice Arena next weekend to face the Michigan Wolverines. WMU actually won there this season (I think it was 2-1) and Riley Gill has played very well there in his career, so they aren't exactly the underdogs. Michigan did have a powerful win over the Broncos here in Kalamazoo though this season.

I'll be at the Friday and Saturday games next weekend at Yost. Does anyone want to go?

Embarrassing

Not what I expected last night. Lake Superior State scored five goals to open the game and scored six overall to cruise to a 6-3 victory. What made it worse was that hardly anyone was there to see it. The crowd was announced at a little over 600... To my knowledge, we haven't had a crowd under 1,000 all season and we've been closer to 2,000 most games. Pathetic. Spring break is still in full swing, however you would think that the students and fans in the area would come out in support for this one. It was like a crowd for a high school hockey game last night. Sadly too, the LSSU fans seemed louder and more represented than the Bronco fans. Just all and all, a bad night.

We lost badly to the Lakers too weeks ago in the first game and came back the next night and nearly shut them out. So maybe tonight will be similar and Gill and the Broncos can tussle away a victory away at home. Not holding my breath though...

More interestingly, I doubt any fuss will be made if the Broncos get swept or lose this series. Culhane probably has a safe job just because of the end stretch run to get into home ice position. I saw Athletic Director Kathy Beauregard walking down the stands after the game and she was all smiles. It's like she didn't even notice they lost. She fires the women's basketball coach after a superb season last year and Culhane's team finishes the season dead last and he gets a pat on the back and a, "You'll do better next year."

I have nothing against Culhane. He's been great to deal with all season and had been very gracious to deal with in my tenure at the Herald. Just a little more mystified as to Beauregard's position and why Culhane's job seems so safe. Should be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of seasons, especially as the super freshman the hockey team possesses continue to grow.

Drew and Emily are coming in town for the game tonight. Making a pit stop on their way to Chicago. Hope they don't have to witness the brutal mess of last night. It'll be good to see some familiar faces from the east side of the state. Haven't seen many of those folks in a good long time.

Playoff Hockey in Kalamazoo

First photo: The puck drops to begin the decisive third period. WMU tallied two goals in the third to win 5-3 and clinch a home ice spot for the first round of the CCHA playoffs.

Second photo: Bronco senior captain Chris Frank and a Bowling Green player discuss a penalty with a referee during Saturday's contest.

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When I first took on the Bronco hockey beat after football season, the hockey team seemed headed to another long season and perhaps a slot at the bottom of the standings. However, after a superb second half of the season highlighted by CCHA scoring champion and senior Patrick Galivan, WMU captured the seventh spot (out of 12) in the standings to finish the season. The first four seeds get byes in the playoffs and the Broncos (seven seed) are hosting the 10 seed (Lake Superior State) in the first round this weekend. The series is best out of three with games coming Friday, Saturday and, in necessary, Sunday night. All games are set to begin at 7:35 p.m. and tonight's game is on Fox Sports Net Detroit Plus.

It was exciting to watch the scene unfold last weekend here in Kalamazoo. The Broncos needed to win both games to get home ice and the playoffs and that's exactly what they did. They scored ten goals in two games to overwhelm Bowling Green and sweep the Falcons and earn a spot hosting the first round of the playoffs.

Behing goaltender Riley Gill, Galivan and several young freshman, the Broncos have made quite an improvement in the second half this year. Hopefully that trend will continue this weekend as they try and make strides as they head into next season. While getting to the CCHA Championship isn't likely, if there is one thing I learned from this season it's that anything is possible in college hockey.

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On a more somber note, both of my grandparents are very sick. My grandpa is nearing the end and according to his doctor should pass within the next couple of weeks. He's been sick for years now and I'm just hoping that he drifts into another world one of these nights in his sleep. Nobody wants to go out experiencing the kind of pain I'm sure he is dealing with.

My grandma is also sick and has a kidney and head infection (scary). She was fine until just a couple days ago when she started feeling weak and sick. We thought it was the flu but, when checked out at the hospital, it was found to be more serious. My sister and mom are down there right now and hopefully their presence will help ease the stress in my grandma. Praying hard for her recovery right now.

Just waiting for the call that puts me on a plane down to Tennessee...

Don't think too many people that live in Kalamazoo are reading this, but if there are, come out to the games at Lawson this weekend. It would be excellent to have some support as the Broncos try to win a home playoff series for the first time in several years.

Taking a Look Back

I've been blessed throughout my life. My parents put me through college once and are again helping me for the second time. I've had amazing support from so many angles -- family, friends, teachers and strangers -- that it's almost surreal.

The opportunities extended to this past year when I started working for the Western Herald. I was hired on towards the beginning of March 2008, right before the spring semester ended. I had no experience writing for newspapers and writing sports. It was almost like landing in a foreign country where I don't speak the language. I was definitely excited, but nervous at the same time.

I wrote just one article before the end of the Spring 2008 school year, but I was patient and knew that if I stuck around, I would be able to wrote more frequently during the summer and possible thereafter (most of the staff last year graduated).

I contacted the new sports editor as the summer semester started at WMU and because I was the only returning member of the staff -- even though I had produced just one article -- I was one of main writers. We had few writers during last summer -- I think three, but it was a blessing in disguise. I was given opportunities to write early and often and wrote stories on a variety of topics all summer-long.

Towards the end of the summer, I was offered by Mike to tackle the football beat in the fall. It wasn't really what I expected, but I was excited to be given such a great opportunity once again. WMU football, like at so many other schools, is kind of a big deal and 2008 was no exception. The Broncos had one of their best seasons ever in school history capped off with a trip to the Texas Bowl in Houston, Texas.

My fingers were punching buttons often during the fall and my head was a constant encyclopedia for WMU football. It was a lot of fun and again, the opportunity was amazing. I'm thankful for being able to write about the football team and even to travel to Texas Bowl and get some great experience covering a "big-time" game.

After football season was sadly over, I started covering the WMU hockey beat for the Herald. Another great opportunity. Even though the hockey team has had "one of those seasons," I've been able to greet head-on the challenge of writing stories about a struggling team. It was a complete 180 from football and I'm kind of thankful for that. Nothing should be easy and covering hockey certainly has been anything but that. They've recently turned around their fortune, but remain mired at the bottom of the CCHA standings.

I'm thankful to Mike to putting so much faith behind me this year. The Herald has been a great place to work and even though I don't realize it, I've probably grown ten-fold in the last year. I know that I have much to improve on and that includes making the giant leap from writing for a college newspaper to one that isn't.

I'm hopeful that the experiences I have learned will guide me in my transition to the real world. Copy editing has been a blessing as well as I've really learned a lot about how a paper is put together and I've been through the journalism bible (AP Style book) many times. I'm still fairly new at my position there, but each day seems to be better.

Another great experience was being able to talk with some of the Detroit Tigers - my idols. There I was, up close and personal, with players I usually root for, ask autographs for. This time I was standing there with a recorder in my hand and questions rattling in my head. I wasn't as nervous as I thought I'd be, although having Mike there next to me asking questions as well was very helpful. Interviewing Brandon Inge, Fernando Rodney (among others) will certainly be something that helps me down the road. Interviewing college athletes (most of them younger than me) is one thing, but interviewing professionals who get paid millions of dollars and hold a certain swagger to them is another.

I've only got a few months left at the Herald and it's been a thrilling ride. Met some cool people and earned some necessary experience in the process. Hope what I've learned, wrote and breathed in in the past year will all help me find the job I'm looking for next year.

Another opportunity. I'm excited.

Conan's Big Night

Sad night tonight. It's pretty safe to say that I'm an avid Late Night with Conan O'Brien fan. Tonight is his last episode until he takes over Jay's slot this summer. I'm looking forward to seeing him in that spot, but I know many of the crazy, hilarious things he does on his current show he won't be able to do in prime time. Oh well. This week has been a great week of highlights and clips from shows past. Tonight, he should go out with a bang.

That is pretty much the highlight of the weekend for me. The Oscars are Sunday night which I'm looking forward to. I've got a meeting at the Herald Sunday, but nothing out of the ordinary.

The hockey team traveled north this weekend to battle Lake Superior State - where I used to go to so many games as a kid. They have just two weekends left before playoffs and are fighting for one of the last home playoff spots so this weekend is very significant for them. Two victories would be ideal. The Broncos had a semi-successful weekend against a tough Alaska team, so hopefully that will help them against a poor LSSU squad.

My Grandpa is still very sick. Doesn't look like he's going to be improving much and the doctors have told my Grandma and parents that "they'll do everything to make him comfortable." Yikes. I know he's in a lot of pain and he's also been very angry at the nurses and staff at the hospital. Hopefully all his pain ends one of these nights as he sleeps. I know it's ultimately what he wants. I hate seeing him in such pain.

Looking forward to spring break, which begins for me next Thursday. Hopefully going to get some time to head up to Harbor Springs and then I'm definitely heading to Detroit the second weekend for a Pistons game and other craziness. It's always nice to cut the semester in half and give the mind a break. I've got some pretty large midterms after spring break, so hopefully I won't completely slow down my brain.

Two months to graduation and the scariness that is finding a real job! Part of this weekend is dedicated to officially finding myself a job or internship.

Hockey Cares Weekend

Bronco hockey is involved in its second annual "Hockey Cares" weekend this coming weekend. This weekend is designed to help celebrate cancer awareness with the American Cancer Society. The WMU players will be wearing pink jerseys and using pink tape this weekend. They are also going to have pink laces on the skates and pink stickers on their helmets. It should be interesting to say the least. They are handing out pink shirts for the students, so the whole place should be pretty festive for Valentine's Day on Saturday. I wrote an article this week about some of our hockey players who are from different parts of the country. It's cool that Culhane has brought in people from all over the place to play hockey here in Kalamazoo.

I'm finally starting to feel better. Still have a semi-serious cough, but with some sleep this weekend, I think I'll be able to kick it out of me. I'm looking forward to finally getting rid of this two-week sickness.

Valentine's Day this weekend. Big deal. I've never been one to celebrate it and am not starting this year! One of these years I'm sure I'll start when I'm given an opportunity to celebrate it. But at the moment, I'm content saving money and not buying flowers and chocolates. I remember back in the college hey-day when we used to revolt against V-Day and we would party and forget there was even a holiday that day. Good times.

Hope everyone is staying away from sickness. This round certainly did me in. Looking forward to being healthy for a very long time now. I'm off to take a nap. Hopefully I'll be doing a lot of that this weekend and I have no reason not to. See everyone later.

By the way, spring training begins in less than one day! Pitchers and catchers report tomorrow! Hooray!

Trying to Survive

Somehow, I'm still sick. Whenever I get the flu, I get really sick. This was the case again this time. I slept just about all weekend and drank a lot of liquids and somehow I'm still sick. I feel better though and think that I'm finally coming out of the woods. Hopefully by tomorrow or the next day I'll be fine, but if not I'm taking my business to the doctor's. This is getting a little ridiculous.

The hockey team played brilliantly this weekend in Nebraska, beating a pretty good Omaha team that is above WMU in the CCHA standings. They didn't move up in the standings, but they're going to most likely have to go on the road and defeat a pretty good team in the playoffs and they did that this weekend - twice.

I have a test tomorrow and a big article due Thursday in one of my classes, so the semester is starting to heat up a little bit. No complaints since I only have three classes, but the classes I do have are tough. Western is not letting me go without a fight.

Here's my take on the whole A-Rod steroid situation: Thank God it's over. I'm sooooo tired of all the steroid stuff and I'm glad that he came out and admitted to using them. Hopefully everyone can just move on and let him play baseball. It's just cool that he was honest about it and he didn't have to live a life of lies for the rest of his playing days. Yes, what he did was wrong. I'm not saying that it wasn't. But he is a great player regardless and what he's done with the Yankees when he has been clean proves that. He's still a Hall-of-Famer in my book.

Three days until spring training begins! Someone's excited - this guy. I just read today that all 162 Tiger games will be on TV again this season. Hopefully the Tigers will give fans a reason to watch all 162 games this year, unlike last season... if not, it could be a long summer...

Super Bowl Weekend!

It's Super Bowl weekend and I'm sick... It sucks.

I felt this one coming yesterday when I was at the Herald and I think my stupid eating habits finally caught up with me. Nobody's invincible and I'm definitely not.

Even though I'm sick, I'm going to attend both hockey games this weekend. The Broncos are playing Northern Michigan and both teams are riding some solid play into the series. WMU earned three points against Ohio State last weekend and NMU has won five out of its last six. Hopefully the Broncos can finally win a conference game on home ice this weekend.

I wrote an editorial on the Super Bowl for our paper. It was fun and different to write. I struggled a little bit with it, but feel like it came out pretty good. Tell me what you think below in the comments box. I can't believe that in our harsh economic times, we can still dish out as much money as we do for advertisements. Kind of ridiculous.

We also did some Super Bowl predictions for the game and they came out pretty even: three for the Cards and three for the Steelers. I'm also rooting for the Cards. I just feel they have the confidence needed to win and won't be distracted by all the hype. Many probably feel like it should be the other way around, but I just have a hunch.

Hope everyone enjoys the Super Bowl parties. Hopefully I will be able to as well and that's why I'm currently chugging the OJ. Have a good weekend everyone.

Interviewing Brandon Inge

This past weekend I had the unbelievable opportunity to interview some of the Detroit Tigers as they were in Kalamazoo for the 2009 Winter Caravan. We were able to meet with the Tigers before they took the stage when they were interviewed by the local media. Mike and I interviewed Brent Clevlen, bullpen coach Jeff Jones, Fernando Rodney and the man himself, Brandon Inge. It wasn't as intimidating as I thought it was going to be. They were very cool with us and it probably helped that there were two of us throwing questions at the players and coach instead of one. Pretty cool experience though. There were a bunch of people at the Miller Auditorium and even though they weren't on stage that long, it was pretty neat.

The hockey team also had a pretty neat weekend. They earned three out of a possible four points against Ohio State and shocked the No. 11 team in the country. The team is picking up steam for the rest of the schedule, which could prove to be vital as they head down the stretch. Hopefully they can turn in another good performance this weekend against Northern Michigan. Riley Gill played solid this weekend and I'm sure coach Culhane will be looking to him quite often in these last 10 regular season games.

Harry came in this past weekend and it was pretty fun. Smoked some cigars, demolished some Maggies and played way to many videogames. Need a few lazy weekends like this past one once and awhile. Next weekend I'm heading to Detroit for the Super Bowl. Just going to be in town for that one evening unfortunately because I have two home hockey games next weekend as well.

Tigers in Kalamazoo

Tonight I'm going to try and shake Brandon Inge's hand. Won't be easy, but I have full faith that I can accomplish the task. The Tigers are in town as apart of the Winter Caravan 2009. Two squads are traveling around lower Michigan and one group will be at the Miller Auditorium tonight in Kalamazoo.

We have the "B" group coming into town. The players coming include Inge, Armando Galarraga, Brent Clevlen, Eddie Bonine, Gerald Laird, Jeff Larish and Bobby Seay. Coaches Andy Van Slyke and Rafael Belliard will be in attendance, as well assistant general manager Al Avila. Radio broadcaster Dan Dickerson will be the emcee for the event.

Supposedly there is a special media-only press conference beforehand, which I am going to try and get into. Also, I wrote an article last night about a "Detroit City of Champions" book and the author will be on hand to try and generate some interest for the book and the 1935 Detroit sports season. Hopefully, with the Tigers in town, the author has some success selling a few copies and hopefully he picks up steam for his book and the 1935 season. Everyone should check out the book - it's fairly interesting.

The hockey team is away this weekend, playing against No. 14 Ohio State in Columbus. The Buckeyes haven't dropped a contest in 12 games, so the Broncos have a seemingly impossible task this weekend. They looked good last weekend, however and they have done well against ranked teams on the road this season (they beat Michigan, Alaska and went to a shootout with No. 1 Notre Dame). Any points this weekend will be a success.

Harry is coming into town this weekend, hooray! Some fun times will be had. See you next week.

Inauguration Day

Today was a historical day. I haven't witnessed too many in my still-young life. But today was definitely one of those days. I don't care if you voted for McCain or just don't care at all about politics and current events. This was big. This is something that will be talked about for years and I was able to participate in it.

My 11:00 class ended about 45 minutes early today and I went to WMU's Miller Auditorium to watch the inauguration and all the other happenings. There were about 2,500 students, teachers, children, adults and just about everyone else you can think of. Black, white, old, young, rich, poor. It didn't matter. Everyone was there to witness the breathtaking event.

They hadn't even planned to open the balcony at the Miller, but that is where I sat. I even had to sit towards the back because the rows near the front were just about full. They had a big screen on the stage pulled down and that is where PBS' broadcast was playing for everyone to see. People stood, people cheered, people cried, people rejoiced. It was one of those moments where everyone was involved and it didn't matter if you were there by yourself, you were not alone.

I was there as a bystander watching a piece of history unfold, but I was also there as a journalist. My 4100 class blogged today's happenings. It was truly a unique opportunity that I got to take apart in. This could to be one of the most historical moments our generation ever sees. I hope that everyone was able to catch some of the broadcast today, even if just to see the speech and oath taken by President Obama. If not, check out CNN.com. They have some pretty good recaps on what happened.

I know that one day, I'll be able to tell my kids about today and that I'll remember it as clearly as I do right now. It isn't something that I'm likely to forget and even if I do, that's what youtube is for!

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The hockey team earned the sweep over the weekend which was cool. Haven't had too much fun covering Bronco hockey games this winter, but this weekend was a rare treat. They have a brutal schedule the rest of the way, playing some ranked teams, but maybe they can scrape together a few wins and make a run at the tournament at the end of the season. The team is tied for last right now, but they seem to be improving. This is an all-important weekend for them.

More coming this weekend. Until then, adios!

My hands are shaking as I type this...

This is getting a little ridiculous. I love living in Michigan, but I would happily give up this place for just about anywhere else at the moment. I think I'm physically tired from all the shivering I've been doing.

Not much to update on this end, other than the fact that I'm currently expending most of my energy trying to stay warm. I'm covering two hockey games this weekend (both in Kalamazoo) for the Herald and I'm finally getting my left front tire checked out. Other than that, I think I might head to the rec center one of these days and that's most likely it. Oh, and football will also be watched (Go Eagles, Go Steelers!).

Harry's coming into town next weekend to hang out. He hasn't been here in awhile and I think we'll probably demolish some Maggie's stew and smoke a cigar or two (among other things of course). Should be some good times. I'm starting to think that I'll probably just stay in Kalamazoo for the Super Bowl. Save the gas money and just kick it.

Classes are pretty easy so far. Can't believe that we are already two weeks in. I only have three classes and all of them are from 11-3:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A couple of the classes won't be a worry at all and my journalism class will be some work, but nothing that I shouldn't be able to handle.

Hope everyone is staying warm. Everyone should check out the Kalamazoo Gazette Web site next Tuesday and Wednesday after the inauguration. Our journalism class is blogging all semester for the Gazette and our posts should be on the Web site by Tuesday evening (I think). Have a good weekend everyone!

2009: Year I Grow Up

So, I decided that I haven't really truly been blogging so much as I have been just posting articles and rambling on about the weather and sports-related things. I've decided to write a entry on what my 2009 holds and what a monumental year it could be for me. The new year is traditionally filled with broken resolutions and dreams, but I simply made just one resolution this 2009: start my life.

2009 is... the year that I finally graduate from college. Yes, I've graduated before, but this graduation will promptly end my reign at WMU. I'll finally have a degree that I value and will put to good use in the future. I've spent most of my life going to classes, cramming for tests and worrying about grades and come April, all of that will be an afterthought. Even more exciting than all of that, I'll be looking near and far for journalism jobs, internships, whatever this spring and summer. I'm excited and unsure heading into the real world, but it is definitely time (right Dad?).

2009 is... my departure from Kalamazoo. This place really has become my home. Harbor Springs will always be referred to as my hometown, but I don't doubt that I'll miss the Zoo when I pack my bags and hit the road this August. I wasn't so sure about this place when I arrived in 2002, but I now know why people love living here. Halfway between Detroit and Chicago. 30 minutes from Lake Michigan. College Atmosphere. Cool hangouts and unique restaurants/bars/breweries (Bell's, Maggie's, Shakespeare's). There is just a certain electricity about the city that I don't feel other places. Wouldn't mind coming back to live here at some point in my life. This is the place where I schooled, partied, prepared and matured. It's where I met and lived with some of my best amigos. I'm sure I'll have a much more detailed goodbye to the city when that time comes. Who knows? Maybe I'll find a job close enough that I won't have to leave the area.

2009 is... my time to enter the adult world. I'm ready. Gosh... I would hope so. It only took me seven bloody years. In all seriousness though, I am ready. I'm also ready to move for a job. Nothing ties me down except moving away from the only state I've ever called home. It would be extremely tough to move away from my friends and family. That much is certain. I'm ready to move though, if it means a job in journalism and more importantly, sports. I have no girlfriend, no obligations, just the thought that I would be leaving my comfort zone. Chances will be made and hopefully for the better. I'd really like to try the east coast if I'm given the opportunity. That or out west. But, above all, if I'm able to stay in Michigan and still pursue my dreams, than I hope that happens. It's exciting to see where I am residing in eight or nine months. I'm the last remaining non-real world guy left and I'm ready.

2009 is... probably going to hold another exciting summer. My best friend is getting married. I foresee a lot of craziness in terms of bachelor parties, Tiger's games, the time leading up the wedding, etc. I see a lot of trips back up north for time in Harbor Springs - summers are always good up there. I see trips to Detroit, trips to the beach, trips to wherever... just to have fun. Got to enjoy the time while you can. Last summer was a blast. Why can't this one be?

2009... the year the Tigers make a serious run at the playoffs. Sorry... I couldn't hold off on sports-related topics. I truly believe that the Jim Leyland-led team has a shot at pursuing the postseason this year. They will find some more pieces before the season starts (hopefully in the bullpen) and the offense will easily have enough firepower to take care of that side of the ball. Cabrera will put together a monster year (as will Granderson and Maggs) and the Tigers will find some unity and chemistry and put together a season that will make fans forget about 2008 and reminisce about the 2007 year. Hopefully, this season upcoming year will be the kind where I can throw back a beer during the game in enjoyment instead of downing a beer in disgust during Tiger's games.

2009... it's so many more things that escape my mind right now. I hope that this year is all that it could be. I'm eagerly awaiting the next few months and hope that this is one year where my life changes forever. Because, it's finally time.

I'm back and so is the snow...

Hey everyone. Sorry about the long delay between my last post and this one. I've been busy with the holiday season and the new semester already starting. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is already ready for the spring season and green grass. I love living in Michigan.... until December.

I was fortunate enough over the winter break to travel down to Houston, Texas to cover the Texas Bowl. Western Michigan lost miserably to Rice University, but it was a fun experience. I've never been to Texas before and we really got to see a lot of the city. I'd rather forget staying up all night because of our very early flight the morning after the game, but to get out of the cold and snow for a couple days was absolutely priceless. The Herald footed the bill for the trip as well, which made it even better.

Hope everyone had a good holiday season. I'm already getting used to the new semester and I know that this one will fly by. It's my last semester ever at college, hooray!

I will post some stories below from the most recent Herald's. Looking back on my last entry (before the Ball State game), it looks like it's been awhile for articles too. I'll post all the ones that I can find.

Football Stuff:
Blog from WMU vs. Ball State
Blog from Texas Bowl
Recap Article on Texas Bowl
Staff BCS Bowl Predictions

Hockey Stuff:
Preview for WMU vs. Miami
Recap Article on WMU vs. Miami
Recap Article on WMU at Dodge Holiday Classic
Recap Article on WMU vs. Ferris State

Stay off the roads these next couple of days. I hear that we're supposed to get an insane amount of snow. Does that mean I can skip my classes? ;) Just kidding.