tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70848127919572429772024-03-14T04:10:07.274-04:00Mike Sprayberry's BlogMike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-38604691054889334862012-02-24T03:41:00.005-05:002012-02-24T04:30:03.977-05:00My first last post on the GOP primaryWhy is Ron Paul still running? Don't get me wrong. I'm very thankful that he's there to be the voice of fiscal reason and keep the discussion focused, but I don't understand why HE is still in this. He has to know he has no chance. I'm mildly surprised they even put makeup and a camera on him. Maybe he's just in it to shape and focus the discussion. If so, good for him. If not, he's delusional.<div><br /></div><div>As for the other three, I almost don't care anymore. They all have their warts and they're all vastly better than Obama, but I have my doubts as to whether the mainstream media will let any of them beat him. Whoever the nominee is will be attacked relentlessly for their thoughts or record on contraception, health care, or personal relationships.</div><div><br /></div><div>Santorum seems to be the most solidly and (relatively) unblemished conservative (hence, the fabricated contraception issue), but he is often clumsy and awkward when challenged. Gingrich is clearly the most polished and skilled debater, but who knows how many votes that wins (especially in light of how many votes his marital blemishes lose)? Romney is supposedly the most electable, but count me among those that are hesitant to buy into and trust the unwitting author of Obamacare.</div><div><br /></div><div>At the end of the day, the field is far better than Obama and far better than the 2008 GOP field. Once Thompson dropped out and Huckabee's spending record came to my attention, I settled on Romney as the most conservative and semi-electable candidate available in the 2008 Georgia primary. Unfortunately, the old man so skilled at "crossing the aisle" was crammed down our throats. Though I'd still prefer someone with a more impeccably conservative record, the fact that someone I was prepared to accept in 2008 is perceived as the most moderate of the field is a promising shift indeed.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wish someone would step up with Newt's expertise, Santorum's record, and Romney's supposed electability (or that one of them would demonstrate some semblance of the finer points of the other two), but it doesn't look like it's going to happen. They're all human and each is engaged in his own dogfight to stay alive in this thing. I'm not one that thinks the process needs to end ASAP to have a chance of winning, but honestly, none of them is running away with the thing. </div><div><br /></div><div>Obama has done everything to get these guys elected but drop out of the race and yet none of them wants it badly enough to just step up and be a confident, unapologetic conservative. Quit worrying about every little soundbite and state your case. Win the battle of ideas instead of trying to be everything to everyone. That's how you lose elections. Ask Bob Dole and John McCain.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wish one of them would inspire me to do something more to get them elected than just showing up on Election Day. Sadly, I think I'm resigned to turning off my television, focusing on things more local and personal, and hoping for the best in November, whoever the guy with an "R" next to his name ends up being...</div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-59518308514364139382012-02-08T16:52:00.002-05:002012-02-08T17:00:25.448-05:00I'm Not Promising AnythingIt appears that I still have one person checking this blog that would like to see new content. I'm not going to make any wild promises to blog every day, week, or even month, but I have some interest in blogging again. <div><br /></div><div>I'd like to focus on something more specific than "Whatever Interests Mike Sprayberry" because I know few of you are interested in everything that interests me. I'm thinking I may still post here from time to time, but am kicking around ideas for another blog. Or two. Yeah, right. I can't even maintain one blog. <div><br /></div><div>Anyway, whether my blogging adventures continue here, elsewhere, or both here and elsewhere remains to be seen. Thanks for reading so far and please feel free to make suggestions for specific directions to take new blogs, this blog, or other people's blogs. Amusing blog title ideas would also be appreciated. Thanks for stopping by.</div></div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-68285766064676221662011-10-25T01:57:00.004-04:002011-10-25T02:52:18.761-04:00I Am Superman<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodG-kUcSIS_GmEBBmpNjidzuFtcs8wqYr_ZGujSQ_YDAcv74wf_RibpW4pQuVFH1hYaheM2lr3cpuYd9yLdwYa9Wr0wQhlcRFLhoWNDzikgmw6y328nPMUF7lDSDn7nKGXyvhnmbbqCw/s1600/tebow.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodG-kUcSIS_GmEBBmpNjidzuFtcs8wqYr_ZGujSQ_YDAcv74wf_RibpW4pQuVFH1hYaheM2lr3cpuYd9yLdwYa9Wr0wQhlcRFLhoWNDzikgmw6y328nPMUF7lDSDn7nKGXyvhnmbbqCw/s320/tebow.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667317680610176882" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >OMG...what a dork...who strikes this pose?</span></div><br />Let's get one thing straight. I have never liked Tim Tebow. I could not stand Tim Tebow when he was at Florida. It wasn't personal, but anyone that helps the Gators beat the Dawgs year after year is never getting a friend request from me. To this day, I'll never understand why A.J. Green gets a personal foul for a phantom gesture after a touchdown and Tim Tebow gets off scott-free after every post-play Gator chomp celebration.<div><br /></div><div>All that said, the media's determination to see him fail has absolutely mystified me. They all seem to preface their criticisms with "he's a great guy, but..." But that doesn't change the fact that most of them haven't played a down of football as an NFL quarterback. Nor does a "but" change the fact that countless players have revolutionized the position by defying conventional wisdom (see Fran Tarkenton, Joe Montana, Steve Young, Tom Brady, Michael Vick, etc.). I'm not a conspiracy theorist that thinks it's an anti-Christian movement in the media (though I don't think that scores him any points).</div><div><br /></div><div>Criticize his throwing motion or his decision-making. That's all fair game (though I trust NFL quarterbacks with this analysis more than Merrill Hodge, Colin Cowherd, or Scott Van Pelt). But when the media and various analysts say anyone "can't" do something, I have a problem as an American. I still believe this is a land of opportunity and anyone can work to better themselves and their standing in society. God forbid an NFL team give their first round draft pick a few years to develop.</div><div><br /></div><div>Don't get me wrong. I'm not pretending his performance against Miami was good in any way. Nor do I pretend that the "W" in the win column for the Broncos is evidence that he is the answer. All I am saying is that as someone that watched him defy the odds for several years in the SEC and as someone that has heard all the raves about him working his tail off at the pro level (as many of you have), I'm not counting this kid out until he's over 30 and unemployed (in the NFL...there's nothing wrong with being over 30 and unemployed in other careers, of course). If there is one annoying jerk-face that can overcome physical limitations (a la Tom Dempsey, Doug Flutie, Barry Sanders, etc....not that they're annoying jerk-faces), it is Tim Tebow. I don't say this with any pleasure, but rather begrudgingly. This kid is a freak of nature that works really, really, really hard. He cries like a baby when he loses, but he works really, really, really hard.</div><div><br /></div><div>As a Dawgs fan, I wanted nothing more than for the Dawgs to beat him and the Gators. When Matthew Stafford and (eventually) Tebow went pro, I wanted nothing more than to see Stafford have a better career. I still do. That being said, the fervor around the Tebow debate has become ludicrous. What other player has been told they could not succeed at this level by this many people, this often, for this long? What dog do any of these analysts have in this fight? They may be correct, but their pretentious and sanctimonious certainty reeks of elitism. I have no patience for that. Let him succeed or fail on the field. Then judge his career on its merits. Until then, shut up. You don't decide his fate. He does.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hate the media for countless reasons. Liberal bias, Big Ten bias, anti-SEC bias, and overly dramatic puff pieces during pregame shows...that's all annoying. The one thing for which I'll never forgive the media: making me pull for Tim Tebow. </div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-3215345438950526492011-07-27T15:18:00.005-04:002011-07-27T16:55:33.456-04:00Republicans Hate Puppies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1w38n5w3m6js1PaEtpLUsWejc0PpviLFB3ZWlp_m5CVHDqZ4ZuebLwv1nBx0NjhvqxcPLhl6IeDTkNSyvvWlq5cDDY0e86jCo1kw3wWncs-cdpcRJmWPDwBEST3PDzsA4LLk5dg59oyE/s1600/Republicans+Hate+Puppies+Obama+Says+2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1w38n5w3m6js1PaEtpLUsWejc0PpviLFB3ZWlp_m5CVHDqZ4ZuebLwv1nBx0NjhvqxcPLhl6IeDTkNSyvvWlq5cDDY0e86jCo1kw3wWncs-cdpcRJmWPDwBEST3PDzsA4LLk5dg59oyE/s320/Republicans+Hate+Puppies+Obama+Says+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634129963213796690" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">"I don't want to be jet fuel."</span></div><div><br /></div>I've been fighting the urge to post on the debt ceiling debate because it makes me so angry and I can't possibly do all the lies told by Democrats justice in a few hundred words. To do so would require a huge post or multiple posts and I honestly don't want to write about it that much. And I doubt many of you want to read about it that much. But it is an important issue in which everyone should be engaged (at least beyond the superficial "all-politicians-suck-so-I-don't-vote-why-can't-they-just-compromise-I-wish-they'd-just-get-SOMETHING-done" response from Joe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Schmoe</span> in Times Square). So, here's my best effort at summing up what outrages me about the situation.<div><br /></div><div>1. Obama and the Democrats are dishonest, lying, socialist tricksters that feast upon the stupidest people in our country. They COUNT on the uneducated and disengaged catching a soundbite here or a speech there and becoming incensed that this whole problem would just go away if the mean, nasty, rich Republicans would only think of the children that need scholarships instead of their fat cat corporate jet owner pals. His childish prime time speech the other night went something like this:</div><div><br /></div><div>Obama: "My loyal subjects, let me be clear: I am the good guy just trying to help all you little people. The Republicans just refuse to let me help you because they hate you. Never mind that the proposed tax increase on corporate jet owners would not put a dent in a single percentage point of our national debt. Never mind that there are literally millions of other things and people the federal government can cut. It all comes down to a handful of selfish rich guys fueling their golden jets with cute, newborn puppies versus all our sweet, innocent children. It really is that simple, America. I mean, you don't hate babies, do you? Well, the Republicans do. And I like babies. And puppies. Do you like puppies, stupid, little boys and girls? I like puppies too. Republicans don't. Republicans want to punt extra puppies off bridges when their diamond-encrusted airplanes don't burn them all on their way to their money bonfires. I want to pet them and feed them and make sure no puppies ever die. Ever. Repeat after me: 'Republicans bad. Democrats good.' Now go call your congressmen and demand that they compromise the values you elected them to uphold. Because I said so. Thank you, and Obama bless...er...um...God bless the United States of......hmm...wait just a second...teleprompter went out.........are we live?......oh shoot......well, I've got a round of golf in Martha's Vineyard tomorrow morning, so I better run. Hey, Joe! Can you wrap this thing up for me? And try not to screw it up like you do everything else!"</div><div><br /></div><div>(Vice President Joe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Biden</span> sprints to the podium and slicks back his thin, gray hair. He takes a deep breath, clears his throat, and belts out his best guess as to the ending of the President's speech).</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Biden</span>: "Sausage biscuit!...What?...What did I do?"</div><div><br /></div><div>The oversimplification and condescension from this President and his cohorts is painfully clear. Americans should be insulted and demanding the whiny baby behind the big boy's desk step down.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Oh forget it. I guess I'll just make this into several posts no one will read.</div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-84730694028389118742011-06-14T04:15:00.007-04:002011-06-14T05:00:19.672-04:00Coke or Pepsi?<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJM_fYF_1Rl5Ir69iC9XfusG34gobxw176_yCcdRf4I8-7vomnkDD2MKqoyD_tMSKel1WpNVyQT8PXHOypmadIEC3WQw6wsM0Phai9snQCM8_7HPnsJBhXtU8aHEJXLpgZ_UzG7y039g/s1600/barack-obama-coke-or-pepsi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJM_fYF_1Rl5Ir69iC9XfusG34gobxw176_yCcdRf4I8-7vomnkDD2MKqoyD_tMSKel1WpNVyQT8PXHOypmadIEC3WQw6wsM0Phai9snQCM8_7HPnsJBhXtU8aHEJXLpgZ_UzG7y039g/s320/barack-obama-coke-or-pepsi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617995264631913474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">"Mr. President, we have a situation. The terrorists have really painted us into a corner this time. They demand an answer and millions of lives are at stake. We have three minutes to answer and all your vast foreign policy expertise and economic prowess is required of you. Please handle this question with great care, Mr. President. The future of the entire free world could depend on your answer to what otherwise might seem a trivial question: Coke or Pepsi?"</span><br /></div><br />As a political junkie and staunch conservative, it would stand to reason that I would have marked the CNN Republican Presidential Primary Debate on my calendar and counted the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the glorious moment. I didn't.<br /><br />In all honesty, I was mildly interested and made a mental note of it last week, but for a number of reasons, it slipped my mind tonight. Maybe it was work, sorting out plans for the week and weekend, or maybe it was buying cat food and meeting up with a buddy to play guitar.<br /><br />Having witnessed the last 30 or 45 minutes of the debate, I'm now convinced that it was none of the above. The trivial nonsense I pried my eyes open to witness a few minutes ago only made me regret regretting that I forgot to set my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">DVR</span>. While I'm curious to see some highlights, I'm now thankful that I didn't subject myself to the full two-hour prank that was this CNN "debate."<br /><br />I can almost appreciate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">CNN's</span> efforts to keep the "action" moving, but question after question directed at one or two candidates, cutting each off almost immediately, and ultimately wasting valuable air time on questions like "Coke or Pepsi?" almost made me throw my friend's Fender Telecaster at my (thankfully) outdated TV.<br /><br />Seriously? Three wars and you ask Tim <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Pawlenty</span> "Coke or Pepsi?" Gas prices flirting with $4 a gallon and...Coke or Pepsi? Nine percent unemployment and...Coke...or...Pepsi? $14 TRILLION national debt and you think I give a crap what soft drink a candidate for PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA prefers?<br /><br />I should have known better. Apparently, deep down inside, I did (or else I'd have two hours of that crap wasting space on my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">DVR</span> instead of invaluable episodes of Cheers, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Smallville</span>, and Swamp People). CNN, you owe me 45 minutes of precious life that I'll never recover. I've seen all I need to see of the hilarious joke you call "political coverage." Thanks for nothing, CNN. Next...Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-10198327628737803052011-06-10T23:21:00.010-04:002011-06-11T15:56:04.719-04:00Trouble Sleeping? Read Sarah Palin's Email<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgve3H-0id75E2JUV5j0z6A4x5miZ-n0Dm4zJ-3D_TbngjojQF-s9WvaZ6iPHnQhhKE-RdswDrI7bvZfB74H_3OrNgQFVHf9ymiaV5ke5Bg4-nJb0_t3G8elgWsFVKwV9GYqLHZoqT02sM/s1600/palin+email.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgve3H-0id75E2JUV5j0z6A4x5miZ-n0Dm4zJ-3D_TbngjojQF-s9WvaZ6iPHnQhhKE-RdswDrI7bvZfB74H_3OrNgQFVHf9ymiaV5ke5Bg4-nJb0_t3G8elgWsFVKwV9GYqLHZoqT02sM/s320/palin+email.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617036676220192194" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Take 24,199 pages of these and call me in the morning.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Never mind for a moment that this suddenly eager media that is tripping and falling all over itself to investigate Sarah <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Palin's</span></span> email (without a single credible allegation of wrongdoing, filing 600+ open records requests to sift through it the moment they heard her name three years ago) is the same media that REFUSED to investigate Barack <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Obama's</span></span> relationship with admitted communist and domestic terrorist Bill Ayers. Never mind that this is the same media that ROLLED THEIR EYES at any questions raised about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Obama's</span> antisemitic, America-hating preacher of many years, Jeremiah Wright. Never mind even that this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Palin</span>-hunting media is the same one that just days ago INSISTED on shooting the messenger when someone else (Andrew <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Breitbart</span></span>) did their job and investigated Anthony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Weiner's</span></span> inappropriate PUBLIC tweet (and subsequent false claims of hacking).<br /><br />Never mind that the media's sudden interest in investigative journalism only applies to squeaky-clean, former conservative politicians that MIGHT run for office some day rather than those liberal ones that are obviously suspect and are actually in or seeking office. The only thing more unbelievable than the enthusiasm with which the liberal, mainstream media has dived into more than 13,000 of Sarah <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Palin's</span></span></span> emails (24,199 pages-worth) is the fact that they're actually writing stories about the incredibly boring and uneventful contents of the emails (click <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/washpost/20110610/pl_washpost/sarahpalinemailsreleasedtoday">here</a> for a painfully comical example). I've never read more about less contained in more boxes of paper in my life.</div><div><br /></div><div>Among the more riveting revelations: She did NOT pay for her daughters' tanning bed with state funds (shockingly to crooked liberals everywhere, she paid for it herself). She REMOVED alcohol from the governor's mansion at prom/graduation season rather than risk the temptation for the minors that may be in and out of her residence (rather than tweeting pictures of herself to them...cough cough). </div><div><br /></div><div>Basically, countless media outlets are scouring 24,199 pages of Sara <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Palin's</span></span></span> email, desperately seeking scandal, misappropriation of funds, and any remotely sharply-worded sentence in an effort to destroy her. Unfortunately for them, they have found absolutely nothing inappropriate to this point. Much to their frustration, they are only exposing that she consistently went an extra ten miles to be above reproach. Yet, they continue to write never-ending stories reporting non-scandals (though the length of the stories and coverage itself would seem to imply scandal, wouldn't it?). Oh yeah...and she appears to be a little suspicious of the media. Go figure.</div><div><br /></div><div>Make no mistake: the story here is NOT the contents of the emails themselves. The story here IS the media frenzy to devour any and every word ever sent or received by a FORMER governor of Alaska--all with zero hint or suggestion that she has done anything wrong. Hey...at least they're finally investigating someone, right?</div><div><br /></div><div>The media frenzy that took the nation by storm yesterday began with over 600 records requests from media outlets almost three years ago. Why? </div><div><br /></div><div>Were explicit pictures sent out publicly from her Twitter account? No. And if such a thing ever happened, we now know with absolute "certitude" that the media would positively crucify any thug that dared investigate such a potential story (see <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Breitbart</span></span></span>, Andrew). </div><div><br /></div><div>Did she associate with known terrorists, kicking off campaigns in their living rooms? No. But we also know that such behavior raises nary an eyebrow from The New York Times, The Washington Post, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">MSNBC</span></span></span>, CNN, or any of the major networks' news outfits. In fact, befriending violent socialists would apparently make her better suited for the office they are terrified she will pursue.</div><div><br /></div><div>Did Sarah <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Palin</span></span></span> spend two decades in a church with a racist, hate-mongering, socialist preacher? No. But if she did, there would certainly be no story there either. "Nothing to see here," they'd say. "And why are you being so nosey, Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Breitbart</span></span></span>?" </div><div><br /></div><div>No, Sarah <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Palin's</span></span></span> crime was far worse than any social media scandal or questionable associations. Her crime was that she was selected as the Republican Vice Presidential candidate. Worse, she is a smart, successful, CONSERVATIVE woman. In the liberal world view, women are not supposed to be conservative (so much for diversity). And if they are, they are dismissed as dumb (so much for tolerance). </div><div><br /></div><div>So, it stands to reason that a woman daring to be smart, conservative, AND a Vice Presidential candidate demands 24,199 times the scrutiny applied to the inappropriate relationships and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">lies</span> of a Democrat congressman or the racist, socialist, and violent terrorist associates of the Democrat candidate for President of the United States. </div><div><br /></div><div>The audacity of that woman...doesn't she know her place?</div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-6458648918337351692011-03-24T03:50:00.005-04:002011-03-24T04:58:21.709-04:00P90X Days 15-21: No, I Haven't Quit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXyYoCpvWlG9zTXOS-UGkE4s1cRbod_8RHqpf_bnUGbXwekOvRwxxhlJAuxskwQHswrlZlcBc0TISQzusvIWtL3yMYD1JKwBU8lN_hwfrzPe21YQxlq7rn_NkjtkugvJ2N_JGEdaPz7zY/s1600/Watkinsville-20110217-00724.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXyYoCpvWlG9zTXOS-UGkE4s1cRbod_8RHqpf_bnUGbXwekOvRwxxhlJAuxskwQHswrlZlcBc0TISQzusvIWtL3yMYD1JKwBU8lN_hwfrzPe21YQxlq7rn_NkjtkugvJ2N_JGEdaPz7zY/s320/Watkinsville-20110217-00724.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587554312806596258" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Fat boy still sweatin'...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Sorry I haven't updated in a few weeks, but as you'll hopefully see over the next few days, I most certainly haven't quit and I've stayed relatively on track. I'm about a week and a half behind schedule because believe it or not, even I have a busy day every once in a while. If the generous folks that have offered to motivate me with various rewards feel that this disqualifies me, I understand, but I still fully intend to finish. If I do all 90 workouts in 100, 110, or even 120 days, I'll still be in the best shape of my life and that's worth something, right?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Since I have to get you up to speed on three or four weeks worth of workouts and unflattering pictures, I'm going to break it into one-week segments and try to post one every day or two until I'm caught up. I'll also try to keep text to a minimum for any specific workout I've already covered (which will mostly be the week this post covers--Week 3--and the week I'm actually finishing up right now: Week 6).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Most important non-workout related information: I lost a net of about 10 pounds in the first month, hit a bit of a wall with the weight loss (probably because I really got off schedule during weeks 4 and 5, only getting three or four of the six workouts in per week for several weeks), and just recently lost another 2 pounds for a total net of 12 pounds lost. Assuming I've gained any small amount of muscle, I like to think I've lost something close to 15 pounds of fat. Still a long way to go, but I don't think it's a bad start for someone that's a little off schedule and has only monitored his calorie intake for three or four of the seven plus weeks since I started.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgch2c1zjo-Fp6RSNOrAEi7LRWupr0BLqLbR_r1erTNzvjNL_ScFo2sj3gKZFcNShbaEWGDtouUeXsir_OWiytwxzylzoojM3xPUjVGAHEOHvM0_WxLscWAQZ1HHWSvMItBIBbsSuhcq7M/s1600/Watkinsville-20110216-00710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgch2c1zjo-Fp6RSNOrAEi7LRWupr0BLqLbR_r1erTNzvjNL_ScFo2sj3gKZFcNShbaEWGDtouUeXsir_OWiytwxzylzoojM3xPUjVGAHEOHvM0_WxLscWAQZ1HHWSvMItBIBbsSuhcq7M/s320/Watkinsville-20110216-00710.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587554311537093506" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Yep...still Christmas around here on Day 15 (mid-February).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Day 15: Chest, Back, and Abs: Week 3 was the same schedule as Weeks 1 and 2, so if you want to know more about this workout (and any of the ones below), please check out my previous P90X posts.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-7hCM1kNXyx2MHSBBSLDLAmGN6aGUobTEbrIM5sYHpOIA4hs7pk9Nuy9NwollN78tp-k2dUgaxkWjPu053XTU1c2g9aXUiUCXr4cynOIZ5q_-NNyqDri6YdnQTdx3Hio5iUfHP_OIOA/s1600/Watkinsville-20110217-00731.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-7hCM1kNXyx2MHSBBSLDLAmGN6aGUobTEbrIM5sYHpOIA4hs7pk9Nuy9NwollN78tp-k2dUgaxkWjPu053XTU1c2g9aXUiUCXr4cynOIZ5q_-NNyqDri6YdnQTdx3Hio5iUfHP_OIOA/s320/Watkinsville-20110217-00731.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587553797261057458" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Still standing after my third round of Plyometrics on Day 16 (Plyo was the one that had me laying on the floor on Day 2).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Day 16: Plyometrics: Hated it the first two weeks, hated it here, and still hate it. But I hate it a little less every week.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglF6eHVwO0Pdyv8hV6XPQ_3GlUKnWzJFqtrFSTQOrSYKw1lclvwP3r9VH6DHgedEYPt1hAoqfTYgI0x2tHY0q_M3iENb_ocuA3Ev6__9As6LcoiKbW7XTtenJj2u0wcU1wISaBesKQHvI/s1600/Watkinsville-20110218-00737.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglF6eHVwO0Pdyv8hV6XPQ_3GlUKnWzJFqtrFSTQOrSYKw1lclvwP3r9VH6DHgedEYPt1hAoqfTYgI0x2tHY0q_M3iENb_ocuA3Ev6__9As6LcoiKbW7XTtenJj2u0wcU1wISaBesKQHvI/s320/Watkinsville-20110218-00737.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587553793471392818" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Man, I'm hungry...on Day 17 and every day.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Day 17: Shoulders, Arms, and Abs: Except for the abs workout, I kind of like this day. Isn't it obvious?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPq7jnMuaSxGixkQr0M3tORfjSs2ZnXkkppAbiyeaZErJP_qhv-7DtEc55Ogf9mXAZ3gtwoTCCxv_E3KVJ75aac23KW2fN6EwMGIHXg3l-VPDcVyd5lOZRkAGT_4HFrcWWBr8aW2PEf30/s1600/Watkinsville-20110221-00753.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPq7jnMuaSxGixkQr0M3tORfjSs2ZnXkkppAbiyeaZErJP_qhv-7DtEc55Ogf9mXAZ3gtwoTCCxv_E3KVJ75aac23KW2fN6EwMGIHXg3l-VPDcVyd5lOZRkAGT_4HFrcWWBr8aW2PEf30/s320/Watkinsville-20110221-00753.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587553792002299234" /></a><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small; ">Nothing like a fat, bearded guy dozing off while taking a picture of himself after celebrating Christmas in February with a little Yoga...Day 18 is in the books.</div><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Day 18: Yoga: Still can't do everything in this workout (some of these positions and postures are just not fair), but getting better. I just wish it wasn't 90 minutes long...no wonder I couldn't hold my eyes open afterwards.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqMcNevN-dDYSyIYFq62uoKtbLM0zgYk-l5zcUZ5DwttmErxe_4T6KsAIaqZpdV_22IgVjxYbIdrzlOf9N0FPK00QwIQIeyeZ1IlsyVRvQBEjJFie8J0nx7yvsmG9GRYv3dRBht8CNbg/s1600/Watkinsville-20110223-00770.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqMcNevN-dDYSyIYFq62uoKtbLM0zgYk-l5zcUZ5DwttmErxe_4T6KsAIaqZpdV_22IgVjxYbIdrzlOf9N0FPK00QwIQIeyeZ1IlsyVRvQBEjJFie8J0nx7yvsmG9GRYv3dRBht8CNbg/s320/Watkinsville-20110223-00770.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587553786005284754" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Day 19 might have produced the most sweat yet...I bet.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Day 19: Legs, Back, and Abs: Not a big fan of this one, but then again, I wouldn't call myself a big fan of any of them. Why am I doing this again?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8OzVlrGdrVXL_vY29fBAzBqJ5HTRqANlA1BMzujj1wVdmooE4Vd83rWscRAq4x9EZ2pR3sj-1kSWI_QCVkhbpif5W39D4iS9LV54Gb0s6oVXjir6Kj1tD84pP9KfjCroceb0yBLDrNs/s1600/Watkinsville-20110223-00789.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8OzVlrGdrVXL_vY29fBAzBqJ5HTRqANlA1BMzujj1wVdmooE4Vd83rWscRAq4x9EZ2pR3sj-1kSWI_QCVkhbpif5W39D4iS9LV54Gb0s6oVXjir6Kj1tD84pP9KfjCroceb0yBLDrNs/s320/Watkinsville-20110223-00789.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587553788118580210" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >No, I didn't just go swimming. I just finished Day 20. And yes, I keep clothes on my recliner nearly all the time. Clean or dirty? Your guess is as good as mine.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Day 20: Cardio (still subbing for Kenpo): Brian, the buddy that originated this fiasco and loaned me the DVDs and pull-up bar, was just here Tuesday night. Did he bring the Kenpo DVD? Of course not. At this point, I don't know if I want to do it anyway. If it ain't broke...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Day 21: Rest or X Stretch: Forgot to take a picture of myself on these rest days for the last few weeks (probably because I got a little too comfortable and took a few too many rest days lately...it made snapping a picture of myself sitting or lying down seem like a lot of work). Anyway, take my word for it. I rested.</span></div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-56336810283359729572011-02-22T09:58:00.011-05:002011-02-22T13:12:14.953-05:00Rain Man Goes Shopping Episode I: The Phantom Brake<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFzamDqfwIYg6PuO_uaEcHCR7pUcojKQExKIDvBiTXWSQx2X9gzP8nEnmcJ2QeHkuOXcDgfOc6xcxJ1OMKxbTWbYkXTItMeHtCdF00CZ0V4wqf3t7UCSqr6uPgLfH9kvDA9A5W47vStA/s1600/1997+honda+civic.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576569804266504098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFzamDqfwIYg6PuO_uaEcHCR7pUcojKQExKIDvBiTXWSQx2X9gzP8nEnmcJ2QeHkuOXcDgfOc6xcxJ1OMKxbTWbYkXTItMeHtCdF00CZ0V4wqf3t7UCSqr6uPgLfH9kvDA9A5W47vStA/s400/1997+honda+civic.jpg" /></a> <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:78%;">Every legend has a beginning...A 1997 Honda Civic much as mine appeared, pristine and unblemished, 13 and a half years ago.</span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><br /></div>With rumors that certain readers would quit reading if I didn't post about something besides P90X soon (I'm looking at you, Adrienne), I decided to write something else about my own stupidity. Unfortunately, I haven't done anything too stupid since the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Publix</span> automatic door fiasco, so I had to dig deep down into the archives to unearth this gem. Many of you are familiar with this story, but it's probably worth re-telling. So, without further delay, I present to you the prequel to my Rain Man Goes Shopping post. Like most prequels, it is probably too long and is almost certainly not as good as the original, but if you lower your expectations, it might just be worth a read... <div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span><div>The setting is about 11 years (and 20 or 30 pounds) prior to the events of Rain Man Goes Shopping. There's a shopping center on South <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Milledge</span> Avenue in Athens that used to include a Bi-Lo grocery store (I'm not sure what it is now, but I don't think it is even a grocery store). Apparently hungry one fateful afternoon of my junior year at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">UGA</span> (1999-2000), I parked my (then two-year-old and still relatively newish) car maybe a third of the way across the rather large and about half-full parking lot from the store. My carefree, college version of myself strolled across the bright, sunny parking lot, entered Bi-Lo (without any awkwardness letting girls in or out that I remember), picked up my Doritos and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ramen</span> Noodles or whatever, and headed back out the automatic door (again, without incident). As I got to my car, I realized that it wasn't there. Was I on the wrong row? Had I not gone far enough out into the parking lot yet? <div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div>I literally looked all around me in every direction, scratching my head and wondering if my car had been stolen or towed or what (my car was no stranger to parking violations even at such a young age). Eventually, all the way back at the back of the parking lot, I saw a car that looked a lot like mine facing me, but parked halfway over the curb. Still not convinced that this was my car (why would anyone move it back there?...and how?), I asked a guy in a cherry-picker near the back of the parking lot (working on a light post or something) if he had seen anyone move that car. This guy said it was there when he got there and probably proceeded to mock me under his breath.</div><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576560859444137714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEthDg_IR92FbhTQO0gVPafTFl1r63cj6hvGAY36-TC9nsBh4DgwghgaKs6DkVoOte0JWD7CEYZVry0SPgwYDI7hOmKczaq4_W46iZmqeqal771p7MuMOFYflonJ2-5J6LSC5Y5DqkJJ0/s400/Watkinsville-20110222-00756.jpg" /> <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Eleven years later, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ol</span>' Bessie still bears the scars of that fateful day (among others). The dark puncture wounds almost directly above the tailpipe are the ones she suffered at Bi-Lo so long ago.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>I walked cautiously up to the little red Civic as if I expected a friend or roommate to pop out with a paint ball gun or water balloons (and I'm still convinced a prank of this sort was more likely than the truth). This car had the exact same <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">UGA</span>, Dave Matthews, and Widespread Panic stickers as mine, all in the same locations. Okay, so now I was pretty sure it was mine (though I still didn't want to believe it). As I circled the car, I noticed it was parked inches short of one of the huge light posts (and its thick concrete base). Whoever did this obviously didn't want to hurt my car, but...why did they back it over...this curb...and...this...stop sign? What the? The back half of my car was resting on a bent-over stop sign!</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally beginning to piece it together, my fears were confirmed when I got in and realized the parking brake was, in fact, not engaged. My poor car has a manual transmission and to this day, I have a terrible habit of not putting it in gear when I park it and relying solely on the parking brake. As I surveyed the parking lot one last time, I was struck by just how many cars were between me and where I had parked. The lot was by no means full, but I'd say it was at least half full and my car was somewhere in the middle of the mass of cars when I left it.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can only imagine what other shoppers leaving Bi-Lo at this time (probably some <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">smokin</span>'-hot sorority girls) must have thought as they saw my completely aloof 20-year-old self get out of my car and casually and confidently walk towards the store as my car began its ever-so-slow creep towards destiny (and a dozen other cars, a light post or two, and a stop sign 50 yards away).</div><div><br /></div><div>In the words of Barack Obama, let me be clear: this is not the story of a car that drifted in a straight line through an empty parking lot and landed harmlessly on a stop sign 50 yards away. If you were at the store facing the parking lot, I left it facing to the left and found it facing the store and a little to the right (again, 50 yards away at the back of the parking lot). This car went on a magical journey in a path that could only have been a massive arc--a tour of a half-full parking lot, if you will. I believe it was nothing short of a miracle that my baby found its way through an obstacle course of cars, trucks, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">SUVs</span>, shopping carts, and huge light posts to its safe little perch atop the curb and stop sign at the back of the parking lot.</div><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 291px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576554522822341810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJ1jNE1DHk9HCGKNz4wCr0ISlExlcKlchZhLdhzx1RvEj_chIb0kIPIyWNk8zNLBE7Wn7CgXrQudSm19DFgmM5oq2SDrHbvth8Tncfkktk5cksp_GGqngHzq_I39zvFfXa-ZZlipQC_I/s400/Rain+Man+Goes+Shopping+Episode+I+The+Phantom+Brake.jpg" /> <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:78%;">An extremely accurate artist's rendering of the scene of the miracle. Okay, so the last six cars this shows it evading weren't there, but the rest is pretty accurate as I recall. Red rectangle = my car. White rectangles = other cars.</span> </span></div><div><br /></div><div>As far as I could tell, the Civic defied all odds and navigated the challenge with only a single scratch (from the stop sign). It was the first noticeable body damage she sustained that I remember and now it blends in nicely with the missing passenger side mirror, several layers of dirt, leaky trunk, and faded, peeling paint. You never like to see something like this happen to your fairly new vehicle, but honestly, the stop sign damage actually prevented something more severe (hitting the light post) and hitting another car would have been infinitely worse. I counted myself lucky and got the heck out of Dodge.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly, this would not be the last ridiculous adventure the '97 Honda Civic would have (and hopefully she continues to have them for a while longer), but I'll try to save some of the others for another post. Perhaps I'll dig up another when Adrienne threatens to quit reading again.</div></div></div></div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-81992537776305209682011-02-15T19:18:00.008-05:002011-02-16T04:00:14.355-05:00P90X Days 7-14: Man of Steel...and Chips and Syrup<div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574082032566700850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYp9t7_b8y4hgBWQJPi-RKR-1thmesy8B_OIrVWdS1B_4X-zzu5xZ-wV7-Tml7LkwrZxyI-ZL7uooPRyXqB-jDeauJoXHfV8KcSf0r10ujjOLQUSkUy7o_OVvKzvxmSrRIopbkmCYGFI/s320/Watkinsville-20110210-00643.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;">That's right. I have a Superman shirt. Several, in fact. What's cooler than a 31-year old fat guy working out in a Superman shirt? A 31-year-old fat guy posting pictures of himself after working out on the Internet, that's what.</span></div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><div align="left"><br />Sorry it has been so long since my last post. I still don't want this to become strictly P90X pictures of myself, but I almost feel guilty posting about much else when I'm several days behind posting on P90X and I'm getting texts and emails asking for updates. Not much new to report except that my battle with Tony Horton (the P90X guy) continues. He really seems like a nice guy until he taunts you that there's a guy with a prosthetic leg in one of the first DVDs that is kicking your butt throughout the entire workout. Stupid Tony Horton and his gang of super-powered friends.<br /><br />This post is mostly for the pictures to half-way prove that I haven't quit, but I confess that with company from out of town over the weekend, I got a little off schedule. For those of you that have a financial stake in this thing, I'll leave it up to you if you disqualify me for moving my second "rest day" up a couple days in the schedule and powering through 9 or 10 workouts before my next rest day. Sorry if I've let you down by not following the schedule exactly, but I felt the need to be honest and am pressing on in any case.<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574087039352759698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzTCW1NKI-cvVv1sM4530njh-K64JwLXEKYqjHb86dd7QEpjRFJtA-e75C8DWX5tVhpqYTIMKJ7VylEc62c09YhdOjEFU_X_EBEAV48SpLAiyn6-WI57m8UEP3xvAszsc2t0eIgkGhE04/s320/Watkinsville-20110208-00573.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;">After Day 7's rest, I rested a little more with my good friends TV and Tostitos. Mmm...they never fail me.</span></div><div align="left"><br />Day 7: Rest. Not much to say here except that this is my favorite workout so far. I had an option to do the "X Stretch" DVD, but I figured I should pace myself. I think I handled this one nicely.<br /></div><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574087036768115346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMYcge8awJOPCTSPsjHoil1rWuNyoVkmfuyxBI091deStexKdNt8fOF4Rbgk4k4VdUiG-UeiImFN-Yk0D4m8sUKDnieQnEEc1pp7wlA4e1Te1T0gIT9Hds986es-JiiFtpH-pdt3OMIc/s320/Watkinsville-20110208-00576.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;">After Day 8's Chest & Back and Ab workouts, I was so disappointed in myself, I couldn't even face the camera.</span></p><p align="left">Day 8: Chest & Back and Abs. Honestly, this was about a week ago and I don't remember much except the feeling of disappointment at the end. It's not that it was any harder than last time and it's not that I didn't make some small improvements. I guess I'm just not sure if I did my best that day. I could probably use more sleep and better nutrition. Though I'm closely monitoring caloric intake via Lance Armstrong's "Live Strong" Daily Plate website, I'm not really eating much better. Just less. More fruits and vegetables and less meat and cheese wouldn't hurt. But boy, do I love some meat and cheese...<br /></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574087032877811666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00rQjlcIYf-LmUc2bqMwiIdb9NeOOa4yjSWbtZfSEXVxWa4w4N21H8wB7OYzL2mNeQ3rlX0a86wh9D9Z3PsEFuTS4crjkA1-UDDSHFZvXSFri487Wl-blJEVFKJz_lwTjFq_ib-iWquc/s320/Watkinsville-20110209-00605.jpg" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is what a fake smile after Plyometrics on Day 9 looks like. Last time I did this workout, I almost died on my living room floor. This time, I just almost died face down on my coffee table after taking this picture.</span></div></span><p align="left">Day 9: Plyometrics. I really don't like Plyometrics. I think this is the DVD with the one-legged guy putting me to shame. I'd put the DVD in to double-check, but I'm afraid the one-legged wonder will come to life and beat me up. I'll let you know next time I do it.<br /></p><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574082039399547810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3cCBVTfzwF_FEzHZ703bvYWG0kQnj_u5bsz0ItWiK6v2BdJv-gfzxBKdrULfuNiQ_VVpOnxPPBvzic3RNJDSJBmxzGFreFqYzlULXXQuyiFRhcUsIdKgRJs4XTXx8WRW9BEBL51Phwg/s320/Watkinsville-20110210-00646.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;">Day 10 taught me that wearing a Superman shirt apparently doesn't make you any stronger.</span></p><p align="left">Day 10: Shoulders & Arms and Abs. Easily still my favorite workout. The Abs one is always tough, but Shoulders & Arms is refreshing because I can actually do a lot of it without crying.<br /></p><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574082031601423202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQ_I9fXx1ceLZw1zsaCiovJjS6mpdxKHkLpM_mEPsGP-AOnrtkk-Ayfa6ksnyiwQ88WM4otMF_bCaMeN1sTWUbkRgdkSgdecYYxp9sVt8QtSiBuA_p1CbxmQX9Am2lGH8oNKs7kJ63K8/s320/Athens-20110212-00650.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;">Day 11's late night Yoga apparently gave me a lazy eye.</span></p><p>Day 11: Yoga. P90X hits the road. Definitely the most difficult time I had getting started on a workout. As a busy weekend of work and out-of-town company began, I found myself doing Yoga at someone else's house well after midnight on Friday night. Under less than ideal conditions, I pried my eyes open with toothpicks, put the Yoga DVD into my laptop, and got to work. Still very challenging, but I was happy with some progress here and there.<br /></p><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574082025067284626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2-dzWkR3i_9nuDYkFTHG2FsV0lo9zNOdoFtxbqcGMdlWTA4vyBA7cNKFBSpNs_DMzXpuy2jJpUdiHVaKmek7a0xF5I83zCWCGBBx5VsMY9v3O4oKBkGHwrGpTK9E1uQU4KKylgXpqhA/s320/Watkinsville-20110214-00659.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;">Clearly, I did not enjoy my first workout after Saturday night's Bad Band session (if you don't know about Bad Band, count yourself lucky).</span></p><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><p>Day 12: Legs & Back and Abs. Not so terrible if I had been better rested. I do assure you that one-legged wall squats are more torturous than reading this or looking at picture after picture of me sweaty and miserable. I find myself getting better at the abs workout and enjoying a fair amount of it, but I HATE the very last exercise (Mason Twists I think they're called). It might not be so bad if it was the first one, but after 15 minutes of other ab stuff, it is KILLER. To make matters worse, I forgot about it this time and thought I was done after the leg climbs. I should have snapped a picture of my crushed spirit when stupid-face Tony Horton reminded me that not only was I not done, but that possibly my least favorite minute of the entire P90X experience (to date) was still ahead. Stupid Tony Horton. </p><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574082021761506850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdFE8TG-yfFxzuQMu2IN8kyYoFo3DH6-niTMQqp8FBRVtpJ_o6CjVoN4SU-ltRc3drqzRFFGN3DLcsnk0hb13ycfIxsDpJf0NVg4_y01mVwfI7qcc23GIS3-7ID3bBX-od-vEwSNTFgk/s320/Watkinsville-20110215-00664.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;">Not much to say here. Tired and sweaty, but glad Day 13 wasn't Plyometrics.</span></p><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><p>Day 13: Cardio. Still no Kenpo DVD, so I subbed in Cardio again. I found out another friend of mine has the Kenpo DVD, so hopefully I'll see one of the two again soon and give it a shot. In the meantime, cardio is a welcome "break" only because it's 10 or 15 minutes shorter than everything else (30 shorter than days that include abs). The variety of activity wasn't as novel this time, but I did get better at it and I was thrilled to not be doing abs afterwards. </p><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 238px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574164469361586802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFFM0NO_36ka_YdQmt_Bu3Jq1dTs9mvyY1GyhWpAsUJkPt5MIZsgnth2zlY1RG1ZoP_8h1ZE5W84RKMmt1fwYW7u61wSEYsPYZdFyyse5dVMrmMZ34nrs7LydSHzaitl1sWFCwkBb4Oc/s320/Watkinsville-20110215-00696.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;">Knockin' back a few Auntie Js and watchin' some "Glee" as I rested on Day 14...I mean 12...I mean 14.</span></div><p align="left">Day 14: Rest. I'm really getting the hang of this "rest" day. I could get used to this. Okay, so I really rested on Day 12, bumped everything up in the schedule, and took this picture today, but you get the idea.</p><p align="left">Two down, eleven to go. Week Three started today. Stay tuned for another update very soon. And hopefully some topics besides P90X will find their way between the pictures of me sweating in different shirts in different corners of my living room.</p>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-69655070197832740812011-02-09T13:48:00.006-05:002011-02-09T16:11:10.856-05:00P90X Days 4-6: Something Smells Like Updog<div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571771009095309122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySJw87cIIrkIuoqjhW21EmFCTLYzR98a4jsWfYOeHgd8_YElkc4Iz80jD1SzBMfDEdi5v9ev5zNvT7L12tlatx3g6nUmmqhW1SochtXZc515xMJOFhFKwArU2n1ubZgY_n33FwP8R7Zc/s320/Watkinsville-20110204-00495.jpg" /> <span style="font-size:78%;">After Day 4's Yoga, something smelled like Updog. "What's 'Updog'?" you ask? Oh, nothing much. How about you?</span><br /><br /><div align="left">So, I'm actually done with Day 8 and about to do Day 9 this afternoon, but I figured I'd go ahead and post on Days 4-6 now and 7-9 later tonight or tomorrow hopefully. I figured two shorter posts were better than one long one. So, on to the summaries.</div><div align="left"> </div><br /><div align="left"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571776316035297490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AIuTWVUe-Qs4NkEua9OX1-LPtMpRO8eSA42FO_oWYtDUlg-QtPaiJAK9Fn4gcR7bXsiSZ-JEu3T3O444gUhoDxaWzieTDGrFaVPsyQDlchAGEoxcshWqXacS_BELLDGo6dwwotvH2xk/s320/Watkinsville-20110204-00484.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;">Also after Day 4's Yoga, both this picture and the one above were unsuccessful attempts on my part to demonstrate my mastery of one of the easiest Yoga poses I learned: "Upward Dog"...or "Downward Dog"...or some kind of dog...I really don't remember, Dogg.<br /></span><br /><div align="left">Day 4: Yoga. It sounded easy enough. Sit around with your legs crossed and stretch a little to some soundtrack of nature sounds. Maybe light some patchouli incense and form a hippie drum circle afterwards with some of my less hygienic friends or acquaintances. No big deal. Suffice it to say that I did not have much knowledge of nor respect for Yoga. This is no longer the case.</div><br /><div align="left">The first few poses were not so bad and actually felt kind of nice, stretching muscles I rarely use. "Upward Dog" for example, is the pose I tried to take a picture of myself doing because it was fairly easy. Unfortunately, the pose is essentially the top of a push-up (arms straight) with terrible form (head and chest up, back curved downward, hips and knees almost touching the floor) and therefore, not easy to take a picture of myself while demonstrating. After the first few minutes, the poses got increasingly more difficult and holding them for any length of time was every bit as challenging as the other workouts. To say the least, I was stunned to be dripping sweat just a few minutes into this workout (as early or earlier than in other workouts so far).</div><br /><div align="left">Some of the pose names still strike me as a little silly (Warrior One, Warrior Two, Reverse Warrior, Child's Pose, Sun Salutation, etc.), but the physical challenge behind many of them (lifting this leg, leaning that way, bending at the knee, getting as low as you can, holding one arm over your head and another straight behind you, keeping your head up, all while keeping your balance and maintaining good form for a certain amount of time) is NO JOKE. You definitely feel strain and stress in muscles that need it and with any consistency, should develop some flexibility. </div><br /><div align="left">By the end of the workout, I felt that I had won a few small battles and look forward to seeing what I can do better next time. All in all, a very challenging and educational workout that may have eliminated yoga references from all the hippie jokes from my comedic repertoire. Oh well. There are always granola and Toyota Prius references.<br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhte1p3qh9PTPOkz_lYi1pxJXH9oyr0wFO3pQR_Ekc32K1AKNkL0B3ys4xmtmWpaNdil68824VbPvV0jKSP8YT4XAnKMKTkXxYjz6ANFdIEH5oz_e2omomXKphgHtuhTURvj1SQBnUquEo/s1600/Watkinsville-20110205-00503.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571766859219442162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhte1p3qh9PTPOkz_lYi1pxJXH9oyr0wFO3pQR_Ekc32K1AKNkL0B3ys4xmtmWpaNdil68824VbPvV0jKSP8YT4XAnKMKTkXxYjz6ANFdIEH5oz_e2omomXKphgHtuhTURvj1SQBnUquEo/s320/Watkinsville-20110205-00503.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">After Day 5, I felt like I had just run the Kentucky Derby.</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><br /><div align="left">Day 5: Legs and Back workout and Ab workout. Like everything so far, this workout tested me physically, but also mentally. I used to love doing leg workouts, but pretty much laid off most of them 8 or 10 years ago when my knees couldn't take the stress of some of them anymore. I don't recall my knees screaming out in pain at me during this workout, so either I didn't work hard enough or the workout itself is well-constructed to not cause permanent knee damage. In any case, there were a lot of moments (during wall squats in particular) that muscles were shaking and sweat was dripping and I could not think about anything in the world except how long another eight seconds sounded. Some of these exercises seemed like they would never end. To tell you the truth, I'm still not sure they've ended.</div><br /><div align="left">Ab workout, as usual, sucked. But I'm slowly getting better at it (I think).<br /></div><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWr0NEqK159TcZlkx8p7C2ZUHss0lA_Z9c-ps9fQxWn2XBgrFWjeSUfYkDA3pUzpjfOhC6HYy9q-Mxz6hLBoQvIDy3S5AUOxAIcPyNzrSRdIbVdMZVOalO-MS_CSjp6u8YOTWcUaOkUwo/s1600/Watkinsville-20110206-00532.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571765089822929698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWr0NEqK159TcZlkx8p7C2ZUHss0lA_Z9c-ps9fQxWn2XBgrFWjeSUfYkDA3pUzpjfOhC6HYy9q-Mxz6hLBoQvIDy3S5AUOxAIcPyNzrSRdIbVdMZVOalO-MS_CSjp6u8YOTWcUaOkUwo/s320/Watkinsville-20110206-00532.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">After Day 6, I was quite winded and had the bright idea to take a picture of myself in agony from a different angle. Weights in background are larger than they appear.</span><br /></div><br /><div align="left">Day 6: Kenpo--er--Cardio. Day 6 is supposed to be "Kenpo X" (some sort of martial-arts/self-defense/cardio-like workout), but Brian (the buddy that challenged me to do this in the first place and loaned me the DVDs and pull-up bar) forgot to include the Kenpo X DVD in the stuff he gave me. So, as a substitute, I did the Cardio workout (which is what he said he usually did anyway). I'm hoping to get the Kenpo DVD from him (or someone) at some point so that I have tried and done the whole program, but this will have to suffice for the first two or three weeks at least.</div><br /><div align="left">Cardio left me winded and drenched with sweat, but thankfully it was the shortest workout so far at about 43 minutes. It combined elements of some of the other workouts (some Yoga, some Kenpo, etc.), so it was actually kind of a fun mix and a nice change of pace. Definitely not as painful or mentally challenging as the others so far, but a good cardio workout nonetheless.<br /><br />Stay tuned for Days 7-9...Rest/Stretch (guess which I chose), Chest and Back/Abs (again), and the one I've really dreaded repeating (and still have to do today): Plyometrics. Uh oh...</div></div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-73334002492338945452011-02-03T18:15:00.014-05:002011-02-03T21:47:46.233-05:00P90X Days 1-3: I Give Up<div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569621465334306498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuc_qAK_jk8lf0_ZqDR36K584OemZAdOYEzDw9ndjfwgtaxFQGdY7qNWVIp7WW9Ind9nUMFBpNswf0BG0r8u1M_IS8KnFmZLcKi9vgC9fzAq3uiotVa3g0_4v8mOzCl-f-r2Rik-ZjQk/s320/Watkinsville-20110202-00453.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;">After Day 2, breathing what I was certain was my last breath.</span></div><br /><div align="left">Just kidding. I'm not giving up yet, but pretty much everything on me is sore. It hurts to straighten my arms. It hurts to bend my arms. It hurts to stand up. It hurts to sit down. It hurts to plop down into my little car. It hurts to gently roll myself out of it. It hurts to turn the (no power-steering) steering wheel in between. It hurts to squat down to pet a dog. It hurts to bend down to put the P90X DVD into the stupid DVD player that keeps working no matter how much I pray that it will not work one of these days. It hurts to pick up my laptop to tell all you fine people how much it hurts. In short, it hurts. </div><br /><div align="left">To be fair, I haven't really worked out in five or six months, so I'd probably be pretty sore three days into any workout routine worth a darn. Other people in decent shape would obviously not feel as bad as I do, but this is without a doubt the hardest I've ever worked out. And with the appropriate weights to challenge yourself on each exercise, it should prove painful to anyone trying to do this thing correctly. Most of the workouts are just under an hour long (50 to 60 minutes each) and for most of the 13 weeks, you add on the 16-minute ab workout three days a week.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">For anyone not interested in the specifics of each day, I want to re-emphasize that this is not becoming strictly a P90X blog for the next 87 days. In fact, I suspect that once I've suffered through each of the 12 DVDs at least once, the P90X content will be scaled back significantly to include mostly pictures and measurement progress reports. We'll see. In any case, I promise to continue to deliver the same variety of content (that most people don't care to read) that I have always provided. Now, for a summary of each of the last three days...</div><div align="left"><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569635715085018370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqyjtg75NqX72q3QjcS1gNJB_9OqA6WnpkOYoPtNDEXaMFhw75_mq2vqGevqgioz3-1RPVyA4mlqGA13syhosTbbfWCTpijv6_fqC5U85MCe4sSmjwUhiSuxFKqi-ELSlxOvMekwNO9M/s320/Watkinsville-20110201-00445.jpg" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Another Day 1 picture: My body was so angry at me after this workout that it was shaking. Holding the camera still was almost as tough as the workout. </span></p><p align="left">Day 1: I know I already posted on Day 1, but all I did was explain why I'm doing this stupid thing. I didn't really say anything about Day 1's workout. It was the chest and back workout and the abs workout. Chest and back exercises were mostly various push-ups and pull-ups (12 different exercises, 2 sets each). I'll admit that after the first couple of sets, I was having to do the "easier" version of just about everything. The abs workout is a separate, short DVD (16 minutes) of non-stop ab exercises, most of which made me want to throw up. Thankfully, my fairly large gut would not allow me to complete the full range of motion on a number of these exercises. Without my trusty belly in the way, I would have almost certainly died. I'm gonna miss that protective layer when it's gone. );<br /></p><div align="left"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569635721480485666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvsbp2FBo-tpVlO_CgJ2K1re5OPwYc80eLjDVnjd7P85S_XRZvLuXBKZCELeYcnVxox0zXA7EeVEhyphenhyphendjwk3LYQh4f7WBy14gszoYlN1xO7a4-nRdLVnkMP4X28yExwaN4Sl7RWFB5s5A/s320/Watkinsville-20110202-00455.jpg" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Another Day 2 picture: As Miracle Max might put it, "Mostly dead."<br /></span></p><div align="left">Day 2: While Day 1 wore me out pretty well, Day 2 was significantly tougher. Plyometrics is what they called it. I've never heard of such a thing, but surely it's not any worse than all the push-ups and pull-ups that I failed to complete the day before, right? Wrong. They suggested the cardio DVD as an alternative for people not ready for plyometrics (which was probably me), but I wanted to give the real deal a shot. It seemed to serve much the same purpose as cardio, but it was much more jump-intensive. Not only did it bring further into focus just how out of shape I was, but it also made very obvious just how uncoordinated I've become. Not that I was ever a super athlete or anything, but I had decent hand-eye coordination and balance once upon a time. I could dribble and shoot a basketball half-way accurately sometimes. I could hit a baseball 16 or 18 years ago (a couple of times a season) or a softball 10 years ago. If nothing else, I could at least sort of keep my balance while running, jumping, turning, and squatting. Apparently, not so much anymore. All of this resulted in me lying on the floor wheezing and gasping for air at the end of this 58 minutes and 36 seconds of punishment. Can't wait for next time this workout shows up on the schedule (next Wednesday).<br /></div><br /><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569623054931939474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUUS_DX0rK3iImJlIEKScdPAWEyRbGYEgPWcw9L64z2wwAxbF_SLtpWpM3DUbM3uxGO2MXPOaXHhEOHETzDie0Xltuhtj7hYFSlhjEKxucILmJTi2KU1q-H8cO_Tza-OR9XCJph4CRZk/s320/Watkinsville-20110203-00457.jpg" /> <span style="font-size:78%;">After Day 3: At least I could stand after this one.</span></div><br />Day 3: Shoulders and arms workout and the short little abs workout again. 15 different exercises, 2 sets each. Lots of curls, extensions, rows, dips, etc. While this definitely had its painful moments, I didn't hate it as much as the first two. It could be the fact that I need a wider selection of dumbbells (all of my sets seemed too heavy or too light after the first few sets) or it could be that this workout just isn't as bad as the first two. I'll definitely be buying another set or two of dumbbells in the next few days and I'll let you know if this one is as easy this time next week. I suspect it won't be. Abs was pretty miserable again, but the great thing is knowing that it doesn't last very long. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself getting the form down on some of these better. Like the plyometrics workout on Day 2, the abs workout requires some balance and coordination I haven't needed in a few years.<br /><br />Up next: Yoga (something I thought I was less likely to do than spin class...oh well).Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-75428327478614836082011-02-03T10:18:00.008-05:002011-02-03T11:33:42.520-05:00Dawgs Get Crowell...Dream Team Complete?<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHs68DChTK9jmOCwfYjp1mSB1cAcyt6OgZOltnYxBaz-15i5FvFAgaOSiixgVZ8Pn1EPH62NsFN5v0ZD5_FLOoTWfnfcMXGMBh6RsZg-ohivnz3JGH99DAY5mOCCSEat_jtG1CL66xHi4/s1600/Isaiah+Crowell+UGA+bulldog+puppy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 212px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569483778967726050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHs68DChTK9jmOCwfYjp1mSB1cAcyt6OgZOltnYxBaz-15i5FvFAgaOSiixgVZ8Pn1EPH62NsFN5v0ZD5_FLOoTWfnfcMXGMBh6RsZg-ohivnz3JGH99DAY5mOCCSEat_jtG1CL66xHi4/s320/Isaiah+Crowell+UGA+bulldog+puppy.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">Making a statement: "My heart was at Georgia," said Crowell.</span></div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="left">With the signing of Isaiah Crowell yesterday at 1:30 p.m., Georgia beat out Nick Saban and Alabama for the #1 (or 4 depending on what website you trust) running back in the country and may have completed their "Dream Team" recruiting class. However, one HUGE prize is still sitting out there waiting to sign. 340-pound, junior college defensive tackle John Jenkins will sign his letter of intent to play at Georgia, Florida, Miami, or Oklahoma State Saturday at 1:00 p.m.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Since Crowell capped off an already stellar group of players, most analysts and recruiting websites seem to have Georgia's 2011 recruiting class as a Top 5 class. Not only might Jenkins bump the Dawgs up a bit in the rankings (for whatever they're worth), but his mammoth size is something Georgia's defensive line could really use since transitioning to the 3-4 defense (sort of) under under Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham. </div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Richt, Bobo, Grantham, Garner, etc. all deserve a TON of credit for building (what on paper appears to be) Richt's best class and holding it together after such a disappointing season. Skimming the Georgia blogs yesterday, it appeared that Richt has either won over or silenced most of his critics...for now. No doubt, he's still got to win games next year (at the very least 8 and probably 9) to keep his job, but it's nice to see most of the Dawg Nation united behind such a good guy and (recently) under-appreciated coach. </div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Quick summary of what the few recruits Georgia was still targeting (that I listed over the weekend) decided to do yesterday. For perspective, remember that the Dawgs signed 25 recruits yesterday, 13 of which were 4 or 5-star guys according to Rivals and almost all the rest 3-star guys (and other sites listed some of those 3 star guys like Turene as 4-star). All that's to say that getting or missing on most of these six didn't make or break this class, although Crowell certainly made it A LOT more exciting:</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Crowell: signed with UGA. Hopefully he's a little more Knowshon than Jasper.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Jenkins: signing somewhere Saturday.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Pagan: signed with Bama. It sucks to lose one to Saban, but like I said the other day, we already had a couple of top notch DEs, so this doesn't surprise or sadden me too much.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Richardson: signed with Tennessee. It's where he was originally leaning and he flirted with the Dawgs at the last minute. I really would have liked to get him as the OL is one consistent weakness in recent years that our staff seems satisfied to primarily address with depth rather than 4 and 5-star guys. This was the only 4-star OL (according to Rivals) that we were pursuing. Other sites list some of our OL signees as 4-star guys though, so maybe he wasn't as crucial as I thought. Let's hope.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Turene: signed with UGA. He had been a USC commitment until just recently and the Dawgs' class got even better with him. A 3-star guy according to Rivals, other sites have him as a 4-star guy, so his signing might be a bigger deal than I thought it might be the other day. We needed linebackers and we got several that are projected to be very good.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Roberson: signed with Florida. I understood him to be the longest shot on the list, but he apparently gave Georgia a look. Already having the #1 and #3 cornerbacks in the country on our commitment list probably didn't help us land Roberson, the #2 cornerback in the country. It would have been a nice bonus to add him, but the Dawgs were not counting on him to address a need that the other two corners we signed shouldn't be able to handle (not to mention some of the "athletes" we signed will probably be defensive backs themselves).</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">So, of the six guys I mentioned the other day, the Dawgs have already landed two of the four most important with a chance to bring in one more (Jenkins) on Saturday. I never thought Pagan or Roberson were all that necessary given the similar players we'd already lined up, so the only miss on this list that I really wanted is Richardson. It will be interesting to see how Ray Drew and/or Sterling Bailey match up with Richardson when we face Tennessee over the next few years. Obviously, I hope they own him.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Again, like I said the other day, the Dawgs should be thankful to just land a couple of the six on this list. They've already done so in Crowell and Turene. Adding Jenkins is almost as important as getting Crowell since he should hopefully be able to make an impact pretty quickly (like Crowell hopefully will). All in all, this appears to have been a fantastic class that can still get even better. That it came after a 6-7 season makes it all the more remarkable. Go Dawgs. </div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-23531327935169272192011-02-02T08:42:00.006-05:002011-02-02T11:36:19.046-05:00OUCH!!! Fatso Starts P90X<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdu5ToCor9GZ9TJkoE6zfC_bMjDTH7h6GZGn1O8kZgCdMjKznT9QA26Tp-ad8eJU0X0XrHTKY4aBNdz1WnLWVKthWm5BwsYecfh6NFr2dozE5_8KrQmiZLnoGHy2Cmuq4wG-8ubdLpDc/s1600/Watkinsville-20110201-00450.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569102869932776914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdu5ToCor9GZ9TJkoE6zfC_bMjDTH7h6GZGn1O8kZgCdMjKznT9QA26Tp-ad8eJU0X0XrHTKY4aBNdz1WnLWVKthWm5BwsYecfh6NFr2dozE5_8KrQmiZLnoGHy2Cmuq4wG-8ubdLpDc/s320/Watkinsville-20110201-00450.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">Seconds after finishing P90X Day 1 yesterday: That's one tired <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">fat boy</span>. And yes, those are still Christmas decorations in the background.</span><br /></div><br />Okay. I'm finally doing it. Yesterday, I started the relatively insane workout program P90X, but not because I really wanted to do it all that badly (which may not bode well for my likelihood of success). I didn't do it because I've regained the 25 pounds (plus another 7) that I lost in 2009. I did it mainly because I'm an idiot with too much time on my hands that can't stand to be told he can't do something.<br /><br />If you know me, you know I'm not one to back down from a stupid challenge. If someone offers me $50 to drink a bowl of ranch dressing before a wedding, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCue1t3B0kk">I do it</a>. If I can get my picture on the wall of Miss Meg's Diner in Clayton, Georgia and go home with a t-shirt for eating a two-pound hamburger, I do it. If enough friends and co-workers insist that I can't eat more than a guy with zero percent body fat, I eat four pounds of lasagna to his three and a half, leave his kid crying because his daddy lost, and take a swig of ranch dressing in his face as he pukes in a trashcan in front of a bunch of our co-workers and students. That's just how I roll.<br /><br />So, when my friend Brian offered me $70 if I could complete all 90 days of P90X (yes, that's less than $1 a day, but how much do you get paid to work out?), I reluctantly, sort of, eventually accepted the challenge. You see, he actually issued the challenge in November and as you may have noticed, it's now February. Why did it take me so long to get started? I think it's a combination of the fact that it's a much longer commitment than most of my challenges and the fact that there was no way I was going to eat right and exercise consistently over the holidays. I have no excuse for not starting in January other than the fact that I've been dreading this whole thing.<br /><br />As a few other friends threw their hats into the "challenge Mike to do something really stupid that he probably won't really do" ring, one (Rob) even suggested I set it up like a jog-a-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">thon</span></span> where people make pledges of a dollar (or whatever) per day that I stick with it. I don't know that I'll go that far, but it is not a bad idea. Honestly, the straw that broke the camel's back might have been Mary Charles (my friend and business partner) cutting a deal with me that if I don't finish P90X, I have to go to spin class with her. Let me tell you, if there is one thing that sounds less fun to me than riding a bike for an hour at a time, it is PRETENDING to ride a bike for an hour at a time with booming techno music and a guy in spandex yelling at me. No thanks. I'll take the money and the 90 days of torture.<br /><br />In any case, I've run from it about as long as I can. Enough friends and family know about the challenge now that I have to at least try. And just for a little added motivation, I'm going to update my blog with my P90X progress so that everyone I know has an opportunity to mock me if I give up. Maybe a few of you will actually encourage me. The end results should be motivation enough, but that reward is so far away compared to my previous accomplishments and there's not much fun about the process to me.<br /><br />This is no ranch dressing or lasagna. At least those taste good at first.Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-35204424648344046862011-01-29T12:35:00.010-05:002011-01-29T16:36:04.425-05:00First Dawg to Make Me Smile In Months<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq4YCZnSJ2-jybEuMqp75lm1Oo28VK-YlrlQesOAg4gCzgIdYHqqByGMuYKEJIviqbGlQORzPWZcAzo9iyz_8DMGxcqqtGgQF_fZxKI4hiTgLZQVgYiY7hspwUPdcFTfYxeoDdCFC0Gw/s1600/Drew+Pollack.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 178px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567694199132549122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq4YCZnSJ2-jybEuMqp75lm1Oo28VK-YlrlQesOAg4gCzgIdYHqqByGMuYKEJIviqbGlQORzPWZcAzo9iyz_8DMGxcqqtGgQF_fZxKI4hiTgLZQVgYiY7hspwUPdcFTfYxeoDdCFC0Gw/s320/Drew+Pollack.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">With Pollack after the announcement, Drew will supposedly wear Pollack's legendary #47.</span><br /></span><br /><div align="left">More on Ray Drew, Georgia's HUGE 5-star defensive end commitment from yesterday...</div><br /><div align="left">I'll admit that I didn't know what to make of this kid when I first heard about all the fun he was having toying with all the media and recruiting nuts via <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Facebook</span> and Twitter. At one point a week or so ago, he supposedly posted that Auburn and Georgia were both out of the running (though during his announcement yesterday, he admitted he'd settled on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">UGA</span> two or three weeks ago) and that he'd "shock the world" with a completely unexpected decision (as I mentioned yesterday). He also posted something suggesting that he "hated red" and was coming after (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">UGA</span> 4-star quarterback commitment) Christian <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">LeMay</span>. Then, I heard that he had wanted his announcement to be at a school-wide assembly (the school let him have a pretty decent sized gathering in a conference room with the whole school watching via closed-circuit TV).</div><br /><div align="left">It almost rubbed me the wrong way. "Who does this kid think he is?" I wondered. As a former teacher often outraged by trivial, non-academic disruptions by the very administrators that insisted my job hinged on test scores and teaching "bell-to-bell," a school assembly (or TV broadcast) during the instructional day for one student to announce his college decision seems a little ridiculous. You can't do it for everyone and it seems unfair (and a little exploitative, honestly) to do it for a few athletes, but I know that's how these things go and I digress. More to the point, as a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dawg</span> fan, I began to wonder if this kid was just another arrogant, selfish diva that would soon begin a disappointing career with a DUI over the summer and a bar fight in the fall.</div><br /><div align="left">Of course, all of that is still a possibility, but I feel A LOT better about this kid's attitude after watching his announcement video (link below, but more of my thoughts first). I had hoped he was just being a kid and having some harmless fun and I think his comments and demeanor in the video suggest just that. I'm really glad I watched this and I recommend all Georgia fans watch this video for several reasons:</div><br /><div align="left">1. He is one of the highest ranked recruits at any position in the nation and he has committed to Georgia, instantly becoming the crown jewel of an already excellent recruiting class. If that doesn't make it worth watching to the average Georgia fan, you're not the average Georgia fan. But trust me, if you're as disgusted and sour as most of the Georgia fans I know, this video should lift your spirits a little and remind you of why it's still great to be a Georgia Bulldog.</div><br /><div align="left">2. More importantly, from a recruiting standpoint, you can see the immediate impact he is making and the tremendous potential for leadership he has. He's not wearing a Georgia hat more than a couple of minutes before he challenges Georgia's last few undecided targets. If you're a top recruit seriously considering Georgia, I don't see how you don't respond positively to this kid's challenge.</div><br /><div align="left">3. MOST importantly, it puts a human face on the recruiting process and the athletes we cheer and jeer every fall Saturday. If you're like me, you often forget that these are just kids. Really, really big, fast, and strong kids, but kids all the same. This monster of a physical specimen that has been the subject of endless <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">internet</span> speculation by middle-aged (and old) men around the country suddenly becomes a kid barely old enough to drive. I couldn't help but picture countless former students of mine. Imagining them in the same situation would be simultaneously exciting and gut-wrenching. Sure, I'd want my student that happened to be a superstar athlete to go to Georgia, but ultimately, I'd want the best for him. If Georgia wasn't the right fit, I'd respect that and be happy for him wherever he went (especially if my hypothetical student had the character the people in this video suggest that Drew does). Anyway, I can't begin to relate to the excitement and pressure these kids experience in the recruiting process, but you can certainly get a taste of both as you hear this kid's voice shake through much of his remarks, see him have just a little more fun with it, and feel the weight lifted as he finally lets it all out. </div><br /><div align="left">So, if you're in a hurry (why are you still reading?) and just want to see the actual announcement and him challenging undecided recruits to commit to Georgia, <a href="http://www.schooltube.com/video/1ce0c7d4cea654a91275/Ray-Drew-Announces">start watching </a>around the 3:40 mark and watch to about the 6-minute mark (just before Godfrey and Pollack speak). </div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">However, I HIGHLY recommend taking the time to watch from the beginning if you want to experience some of the suspense and have an even bigger grin on your face when he finally makes the announcement. The first six minutes will undoubtedly renew some pride for any <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dawgs</span> still disheartened by the 2010 season. I believe it also gives you a bit more perspective on just how difficult these decisions are for some of these kids as he describes a little of what he liked about each school and the very real relationships he built with the people at each. It's a good problem to have, to be sure, but it's never fun to disappoint people. Unless they're Gators. Or Nerds.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">The rest of the video (former <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dawgs</span> and NFL players Randall Godfrey and David Pollack quickly speaking about Drew's character, etc. and Drew fielding questions from the crowd) is worth watching if you have time and it gives the impression that he really is a good kid. Amid cries that the program is "out of control" or that we have "character problems," it is refreshing to see our biggest recruit appears to be a good kid and is saying the right things. Here's hoping he backs it up on the field and in the locker room and that he brings some of the character, work ethic, and leadership that this program needs.</div><br /><div align="left">If you missed the link to his announcement in the text above, here it is again:</div><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://www.schooltube.com/video/1ce0c7d4cea654a91275/Ray-Drew-Announces">http://www.schooltube.com/video/1ce0c7d4cea654a91275/Ray-Drew-Announces</a></div><br /><div align="left">Oh yeah...he's also pretty good at football:</div></div><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFpCeg2lnLc&feature=player_embedded#">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFpCeg2lnLc&feature=player_embedded#</a></div><br /><div align="left">I simply can't imagine being the high school kid tasked with blocking that #99 kid that's about to be a star at Georgia (hopefully). It just doesn't seem fair. Go <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dawgs</span>.</div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-80704574695998407412011-01-28T11:05:00.006-05:002011-01-28T12:47:55.523-05:00Dawgs Got Him...Who's Next, Coach?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkYQQdqwv_4I4Rls8p-G9bh9Aeg_LN9pz_90WmEOjUA-AG79P2iPyCmpZnaHVPtss4F0myyqhSoe5nlb_Va98NzWZIbXnNAj6anBgbKf1tXYa5A7Zm2t3hAREU-z4qCpLcILspdXrL7w/s1600/slideshow_1360197_uga.1108_bs3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 209px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567289227338953058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkYQQdqwv_4I4Rls8p-G9bh9Aeg_LN9pz_90WmEOjUA-AG79P2iPyCmpZnaHVPtss4F0myyqhSoe5nlb_Va98NzWZIbXnNAj6anBgbKf1tXYa5A7Zm2t3hAREU-z4qCpLcILspdXrL7w/s320/slideshow_1360197_uga.1108_bs3.jpg" /></a>For those that don't know, Drew committed to being a Dawg today (none of it is official until National Signing Day this coming Wednesday). Good for him and good for the Dawgs. Every bit of momentum helps as the Dawgs make their final push to reel in a Top 5 recruiting class.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Go to Rivals or Scout to check out the tremendous list of commitments already promised to the Dawgs. The list already includes the #1 weakside defensive end, the #1 and #3 cornerbacks, the #4 quarterback, the #4 tight end, the #5 safety, and the #8 strongside defensive end in the country, not to mention some seemingly solid four-star guys at other key spots like linebacker and wide receiver and nice depth provided by plenty of three-star guys. Most importantly, it looks like a lot of needs are being filled. Here's a quick summary of the last few big targets on the Dawgs' radar, roughly in order of likelihood (as I understand it from bloggers that follow recruiting much closer than me):</div><br /><div></div><div>Isaiah Crowell: Considered by many to be the #1 running back in the country this year. From Columbus, GA, he's down to Georgia and Alabama. Most of what I've read has him leaning toward the Dawgs, but then again, I'm mostly reading Georgia blogs. I'm sure there are as many Bama blogs insisting he's coming to them. Between the fact that Ealey and King have underwhelmed and the fact that Georgia doesn't have a commitment from a running back yet (though Ken Malcome, redshirted last year, is supposed to be talented), Crowell could supposedly contribute immediately. Obviously, nobody is a sure thing, but this is a guy everyone seems to really want. I'm sure there's a reason. He's expected to make his official announcement on National Signing Day at 1:30 on ESPNU.</div><br /><div></div><div>Johnathan Jenkins: Already playing at Gulf Coast Community College, this 340-pound monster of a defensive tackle would fit PERFECTLY into Grantham's 3-4 defense. Simply because there is no one close to his size on Georgia's roster at this time, he might be more important to Georgia's immediate future (and therefore Mark Richt's immediate future) than anyone in this class. He's choosing between Georgia, Florida, Miami, and Oklahoma State next Saturday (three days after National Signing Day) at 1:00.</div><br /><div></div><div>Jeoffrey Pagan: The #4 strongside defensive end in the country just de-committed from Clemson and supposedly Drew (today's commit, UGA's only 5-star commit so far, the #1 weakside defensive end in the country, and the #9 player overall in the country...according to Rivals anyway) was helping to "recruit" him to Georgia just before he backed out of his Clemson commitment recently. He'd be a great addition to the class and you can never have too much talent. That said, we already have Sterling Bailey (the #8 strongside defensive end in the country), so that may make Pagan less likely to sign and frankly, less crucial. As far as I can tell, he'd be a nice bonus at this point. His decision is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday.</div><br /><div></div><div>Antonio Richardson: The #7 tackle in the country and not one the Dawgs were thought to be seriously in the hunt for until recently. If I had one nit to pick with this year's "Dream Team" (as the coaches have taken to calling this year's UGA recruiting class), it is a lack of big-time offensive line prospects. To be fair, the Dawgs have commitments from six offensive lineman (a huge step in the right direction over some classes that even lacked quantity) and one of them is the #9 center in the country. That said, while the number of stars by a kid's name doesn't guarantee productivity, it is a solid predictor of the likelihood of success. Even when Georgia supposedly has an "experienced" offensive line like this past season, they more often than not underperform. Look where these guys were ranked coming out of high school and you find that most of them didn't even crack the top 25 at their position. If we can get top talent everywhere else, why not along the line? Obviously, there's a lot more to it than stars or career starts, but there is no doubt in my mind that we have not pulled in the talent (according to Scout, Rivals, etc....professionals in the area...goodness knows I'm not one) on the offensive line that we have at the skill positions and it shows. All this is to say that Richardson, the only four star offensive lineman we're pursuing that I know of, would be a very comforting addition to the class. Though he was thought to be a likely Tennessee recruit, he took a visit to Athens recently and the Dawgs are trying to land him pretty seriously. We still might not be the front runner, but his will be one of the more interesting decisions for me when he signs somewhere on Wednesday.</div><br /><div></div><div>Kent Turene: Three-star inside linebacker (#18 in the country) is already a "soft" commitment to USC (Trojans, not Chickens). Dawgs have apparently been recruiting him pretty intensely lately though. With only a couple of linebackers committed (though both are four-star guys), the depth added by Turene would be nice. Not holding my breath, but we'll see.</div><br /><div></div><div>Marcus Roberson: #2 cornerback in the country and already a "soft" commitment to Texas Tech. Even though we already have commitments from Mitchell and Swann (#1 and #3 cornerbacks in the country), the Dawgs can never have too much talent in the secondary. The thought of the Dawgs having too much talent in the secondary just made me laugh a little to myself. I just can't even fathom such a thing. In any case, he's probably the longest shot on this list for the Dawgs and for obvious reasons, not critical. But a Dawg can dream, can't he?</div><br /><div></div><div>Realistically, based on previous recruiting classes, the Dawgs should be thankful to land just a couple of these remaining six. Heck, this class already appears to be as good as or better than most in the Richt era (on paper at least). In a perfect world, we land all six (though I'm not sure we have enough scholarships for them all). Crowell and Jenkins are the most important and most likely in my mind, but I'd really like to get Richardson as well (I'm not getting my hopes up though). While he may be the least highly touted on the above list, we might need the depth added by Turene more than Pagan or Roberson. Pagan and Roberson would just be the icing on the cake. There is something to be said for momentum though and if the last couple of weeks are any indication, the Dawgs could close REALLY strong next week. </div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-33372045442198078212011-01-28T09:35:00.000-05:002011-01-28T09:52:06.983-05:00Shocking the WorldOver the next few days, Georgia should be putting the finishing touches on possibly their finest football recruiting class ever. Already a Top 10 class according to the most respected recruiting services, several huge fish are still out there and considering the Dawgs' bait. Because I haven't followed it as obssessively as many on the Internets, I couldn't begin to offer much new on the specifics of each kid.<br /><br />I do know that one of the biggest fish is about to commit somewhere. Ray Drew is a five-star defensive end that every coach in the country has been drooling over and he announces his commitment at 10 a.m. Friday. Like a lot of these kids, he has toyed with fans and the media through Twitter and Facebook posts about loving and hating nearly every school that has recruited him. He recently claimed that he would "shock the world" by choosing someone completely unexpected (as if anyone outside of college coaches and rabid, middle-aged SEC fans know who he is or care where he goes...but he's a kid and he's having fun...I get that).<br /><br />Most seem to consider the Dawgs the leaders to sign him next Wednesday and I hope they are. It sounds like he could make a sorely needed impact on the defensive line pretty early. He may even be a key to keeping the snowball rolling downhill and picking up the #1 runningback in the the country Isaiah Crowell and the other three to five big fish out there. But if he's not a Dawg (or the rest of them, for that matter), it's not the end of the world. I've said it a million times: if they don't want to be a Dawg, we're better off without them. But I really hope he wants to be a Dawg.Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-38178923526672359902011-01-25T17:03:00.000-05:002011-01-26T15:41:49.882-05:00Rain Man Goes ShoppingSo, I'm leaving the grocery store with my one bag of groceries and am approaching the exit just slightly ahead of a young lady. Gentleman that I am, I slow down to let her go through the door first. With her now just slightly out of my peripheral vision, I wonder why she hasn't gone around me yet. So, I stop dead in my tracks just before getting to the door to let her go around me, but for some reason, she's still not passing me. When I turn to see if she's on her way or being mugged or what, I see that she has stopped to look at something else.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Just as I start to go through the door again, I notice that another lady has almost run into me as I tried to be polite to someone else. I'm now blocking her path to the exit and should extend the same courtesy to her I just extended to the now distracted bystander. In another botched attempt to be a gentleman, I stop almost completely in the doorway to let lady number two go around and naturally, I proceed to clumsily drop my keys. With my keys now almost exactly in the middle of the open doorway and an angry mob forming behind me, I had no choice but to bend down for my keys and take up the entire exit for what felt like an eternity.</div><br /><div></div><div>As the episode spiraled out of control, it all seemed to slow down like a scene from The Matrix. As I bent down in slow motion, I couldn't help but wonder how this was about to get worse. Was one of my shoes about to come off? Were my pants about to split? Were the automatic doors about to close on my head repeatedly as hot girl after hot girl walked by, pointed, and laughed? Fortunately, I dodged all of the above and got out of there with what was left of my dignity. Even so, guess who's not going to the East Side <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Publix</span> for a while. This guy: </div><div><br /> </div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566595833363849778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJB17K_Gtz2kJYNgQNHMrzMwMt5nGrYBpMUlYhbeYJayJvxYBg6-L_XTuhHu2oHJ0ZtLpq2jTov-zMh_bGGK6FS4lEBj-wrGwSpfUhlAJoZJCzhAZO-xtKz7o8hZCaUhUJf0QbOaPE02A/s320/Spray+at+Caleb%2527s+Wedding.jpg" /></div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-49112864814507316692011-01-25T12:12:00.000-05:002011-01-25T12:57:43.118-05:00Back in the Saddle!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0w88jmi67ei3g6FyhewKNQnYvOJQ96NQ2gDKAgILQ4gLv8zCGuzk4V9g2pZ4gFcczOVoiHDTAqjJay7-fhcvMEm_La_82myNIxzbJItHXDBLusaGjWRp07-5YLa6YwxjgP4QYfAccAA/s1600/monkey+riding+a+dog.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 277px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566184037377628178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0w88jmi67ei3g6FyhewKNQnYvOJQ96NQ2gDKAgILQ4gLv8zCGuzk4V9g2pZ4gFcczOVoiHDTAqjJay7-fhcvMEm_La_82myNIxzbJItHXDBLusaGjWRp07-5YLa6YwxjgP4QYfAccAA/s320/monkey+riding+a+dog.jpg" /></a><br /><div>After a four-month hiatus, you will all be relieved to know that I am reviving your favorite blog. Why now? Maybe it's four months of outrage at Georgia football, government, and the media. Maybe it's because my interest in football for this season died with the Falcons' "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" playoff run. Maybe it's because I just got internet at my house for the first time in two years. Whatever the reason(s), I intend to inform and entertain you, my three loyal readers, more frequently. Look for my next post in no less than four months!</div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-55646321434100214412010-09-23T14:18:00.000-04:002010-09-23T14:48:48.084-04:00Five Points Four Paws<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_O7mN5uyzr3J3zxYhKgLEA5gwnRHl8p1rISdS_7FfB9BThdBAqrYS6YgM6u7ca_jO2cLYV6LQ_8wOr5c6iC3jC8fjQ0vhWevdziUdX6SRK4Qfajn7xpm9_Kjq0cZ4u2G3deAoYM8ADr4/s1600/fivepointsfourpaws+logo.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 290px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 290px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520180438207050066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_O7mN5uyzr3J3zxYhKgLEA5gwnRHl8p1rISdS_7FfB9BThdBAqrYS6YgM6u7ca_jO2cLYV6LQ_8wOr5c6iC3jC8fjQ0vhWevdziUdX6SRK4Qfajn7xpm9_Kjq0cZ4u2G3deAoYM8ADr4/s320/fivepointsfourpaws+logo.png" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">Neighborly pet sitting for the Athens, Georgia area.<br /></span></div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="left">For anyone that does not know, I just started a pet sitting business with my friend Mary Charles Howard. Five Points Four Paws offers a variety of services to Clarke and Oconee Counties including dog-walking, pet sitting, pet taxi service, house sitting, and dog park trips. We also have special discounted packages for weekend, weekly, monthly, and UGA Gameday services. Please visit our <a href="http://www.fivepointsfourpaws.com/">website</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Athens-GA/Five-Points-Four-Paws-Inc/112611938795473">Facebook page</a>, and <a href="http://twitter.com/5Points4Paws">Twitter page </a>and please be sure to tell all your friends about us.</div><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Phone: 706-410-1134<br /></div><p></p><p>Email: <a href="mailto:woof@fivepointsfourpaws.com">woof@fivepointsfourpaws.com</a></p><p></p><p></p><div align="left">Website: <a href="http://www.fivepointsfourpaws.com/">http://www.fivepointsfourpaws.com/</a></div><br /><div align="left">Facebook page: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Athens-GA/Five-Points-Four-Paws-Inc/112611938795473">www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Athens-GA/Five-Points-Four-Paws-Inc/112611938795473</a></div><br /><div align="left">Twitter page: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/5Points4Paws">www.twitter.com/5Points4Paws</a></div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-41981613228998177012010-09-17T02:48:00.000-04:002010-09-17T06:09:53.990-04:00Michael Adams: The Biggest Pile of Garbage Ever Dropped On North Campus<div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517788535652329682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggk_bCrM46pOuMgrP9TYFBaqY-ftlM7Uek6eJO9oRX-EOWx-n_wP7u-r_XA8XIFUubQkp4B7G2Vo8oQACUJHDmzBAsl9RgC4S4hpxo4J4GeqqyxhLptHGptRtFO8aai8u4VyczxDKPByc/s320/north+campus.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;">How did they ever get all the trash off of North Campus? I honestly didn't know if such hallowed ground could ever recover from such utter disrespect. Maybe Michael Adams' fat face ate it all.</span></div><br />Nothing fancy in this post. Just a few random thoughts about Georgia football.<br /><br />1. The NCAA is full of crap. I won't rehash everything here, but the inconsistency and disproportionate punishments dealt to various players and the endless delays in rulings and appeals make me wonder why major programs subject themselves to the NCAA's governance. What is to stop the BCS conferences from governing themselves and awarding their own championship? I'm not just whining about the A.J. Green situation. What the NCAA did to UNC, Ole Miss, and all the other SEC schools under investigation isn't right. What else do they really have to do that's more pressing than these investigations? Some swimming investigation in the WAC? Make a decision and quit leaving major programs hanging right before the season and into the season. Not that there's some vast anti-UGA conspiracy, but I'm just glad to know it's still safe for collegiate athletes to beat up cops and that the NCAA is keeping a tight lid on sales of collegiate athletes' personal property.<br /><br />2. The Dawgs are not as good as they looked in Week 1 and not as bad as they looked in Week 2. I'll admit I got my hopes up a little after beating down a nobody, but the South Carolina loss didn't sting as much as a number of losses in recent memory. Tackling was weak, the O-line appears to be overrated, and we had some bad breaks (late fumble). Still, returning less starters on defense than Carolina returned on offense and with the addition of a stud Carolina running back, the Dawgs only allowed 17 points compared to last year's 37. That is a considerable improvement that shouldn't be overlooked. Georgia should win any game that the defense allows under 20 points. Everyone could have played better, but the offense really crapped the bed and must step up. I said going into this year that the worst case was 8 wins and best case 11. I think we can now safely rule out 11 wins, but I think this team still has a legitimate shot at 9 or 10 wins. After Arkansas, no one else on our schedule has impressed me yet.<br /><br />3. I'm now convinced that UGA President Michael Adams and the UGA administration have manufactured a false tailgating controversy for the sole purpose of taking the privilege away only to sell it back to us without the backlash other schools have faced when charging for tailgate space. I'm not at all proud of the mess on campus after each game last year, but I did not see a single picture last year that differed much from anything I ever saw in my 13 years of attending nearly every UGA home game. Somehow, the mess was always cleaned up by Sunday night, some people were employed to clean it up, and life carried on without a single polar bear drowning.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517814744132110034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 204px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 307px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMB45o5F8TAzdiMxI1z0aTrDOhk7tbi69z9nhLEYL0x1Snpa_sKRwLvyiOgc1Q6UC4BBJnbkG0Ipjr-2ltqLVEmRzDbSg5fEsjYZRfkO32vHmDCtz0dP6nXVZ5s0wF8ui9d1ox1gdoJRM/s320/adams+2.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">"Hmm...How can I distract everyone from my plot to charge for on-campus tailgating? More importantly, how can I distract everyone from my ridiculous come-over?"</span> </p><p align="left"><br />Someone got outraged by the norm (perhaps honestly, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were encouraged to be outraged) and Adams and his administration played the UGA community like a fiddle. The feigned outrage on all the blogs just about made me sick. I seriously doubt anyone that devoted an entire blog to UGA football has never left a beer can on the ground before a game. The politically correct response was to hold UGA and its beautiful campus as some hallowed ground that should never be trod upon, much less desecrated with trash that would barely land before being picked up.<br /><br />The reality is that none of it was new. If anything, the perceived problem was only exacerbated by concentrating so many fans in one area, not allowing parking anywhere near it, and not providing enough trash cans. Ten years ago, when parking and tailgating was a free-for-all, everything could be much more easily packed up and thrown away by the fans before or right after the game. No one pitched a fit over trash that was ALWAYS picked up within 24 hours. </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517815995843883074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 271px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 295px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUSz11ouKoAa06SFrmrPc1p5JT9KjmLWTz_luu0gjqxuGM8ma15RjHmEZJgN3egg9l0iL04cPkpkeOyrgKvWwS2hAhc0mVpI25Cajba9YRn1Fl0rR3k1HvmE8cqr39jKCLT6su8qo7DE/s320/adams.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">"Whoops! Almost stepped on one of the little people. That might have been terribly inconvenient...FOR THEM! Mwah ha ha ha ha!!!"</span></p><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><p align="left"><br />What changed? The tailgate situation on campus has frustrated me a little more every year since my senior year in college (nine years ago). It's no secret that Michael Adams is a jerk. As a student at the outset of his tenure, I knew he was a colossal pig long before the Vince Dooley episode. He was constantly making life more difficult for students, especially when it came to all things parking, football, and revenue. When he started selling student parking lots (particularly the one at the corner of Baxter and Lumpkin) to alumni that rarely filled them (and announced the new policy booting legitimate student parking pass-holders from those lots AFTER they paid for them and school started that year), I thought it was an inconsiderate money grab. When he changed the rules for parking and tailgating a year or two later such that informal parking in grassy areas and on sidewalks all over campus was no longer allowed (as it had been for years prior), I thought he just hated football. That move in particular made it far more difficult for many people to tailgate in their traditional spots.<br /><br />Before these changes, I knew no one that tailgated regularly on North Campus. Only when all other options were taken from the average fan did almost everyone I know move their tailgates to North Campus. Fast forward eight years and suddenly we have a big mess on North Campus that none of the elitist geniuses in this town can solve without completely restricting nearly everything that made it remotely enjoyable. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517818245571353266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 223px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixIahRR_kBRS3QKNTlJ_SaUeD3Zrd3uAoutPWvHbpYNpyHjaDaGH339DC78tjCHCMGeUlIXwD0VXlvgP3C8KRM9M0QIACb6M425wjYvXDvwUnQk5c7hQaVxBtrVgv2zucufLwy2Czh8k/s320/adams+3.jpg" border="0" /> <div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">"What do you mean 'We're out of funnel cakes'?"</span></div><br />Now, tailgating is forced to even more inconvenient locations and I have almost no doubt it is only a matter of time before enough people play into Adams' hands, beg for the privilege again, offer to pay through the nose for it, and suddenly Adams and the University have a brand new stream of revenue. Well done, bloggers. Way to be better than everyone else and love UGA more than everyone else. You just gave Adams a blameless path to institute yet another price hike for the thing we all supposedly love. I suspect there will be plenty of trashcans when King Michael blesses us with the opportunity to pay to share in his pristine kingdom again.Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-87194110894102549432010-09-06T16:25:00.000-04:002010-09-09T03:27:05.057-04:00"It's Saturday In Athens!!!" Well...not anymore...but it WAS Saturday in Athens...finally.<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZ3g0zhBLswLfcB8mL_n_hKImaUeqWlZ14mAo9llEHCtdGPoJ8pURwIKnxEVbz2VlfDftZNI4cceS9lQMb2jONHKnMGdCifTJyicgJPfwdvpjE1wnHyc8M6fcWo2PB48HKPqSCZPtjZo/s1600/GeorgiaBulldogsHelmetsRaised.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZ3g0zhBLswLfcB8mL_n_hKImaUeqWlZ14mAo9llEHCtdGPoJ8pURwIKnxEVbz2VlfDftZNI4cceS9lQMb2jONHKnMGdCifTJyicgJPfwdvpjE1wnHyc8M6fcWo2PB48HKPqSCZPtjZo/s320/GeorgiaBulldogsHelmetsRaised.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514780985594701634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Words can't express...</span><br /></div><br />When I first stepped out my door Saturday morning, it was as if the weather knew it was the official start of fall: Saturday in Athens. After weeks of blazing heat, there was suddenly a cool breeze, red and black as far as the eye could see, and a clean slate for the Dawgs and their hopeful fans.<br /><br />As I made my way to campus, I could hardly believe it was here. It was like Christmas morning for this 31-year-old kid. I counted at least four different occasions that induced chill bumps that day:<br /><br />1. That first breeze I felt on my back patio around 9 a.m.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTY14zujellWXM152vVLwZSUeB8XOpa_C2Ywzx6GgIylmoLYl_dWOMbtYRJQJqH1uT2ws9bHSY1hktcf_psq0_05FSEaX1Rgb83KYIAqxJsGP80P0SI6TFxoXGJJgBp0HdIgWLFKAhF4/s1600/pinetrees+3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTY14zujellWXM152vVLwZSUeB8XOpa_C2Ywzx6GgIylmoLYl_dWOMbtYRJQJqH1uT2ws9bHSY1hktcf_psq0_05FSEaX1Rgb83KYIAqxJsGP80P0SI6TFxoXGJJgBp0HdIgWLFKAhF4/s320/pinetrees+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514784217414812290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">These aren't my trees, but they could be. They look a lot like the ones I saw on my back patio Saturday morning and I'm pretty sure I see a similar breeze blowing through these.<br /></span></div><br />2. Hearing the trumpet solo from the southwest corner of Sanford Stadium's upper deck as I crossed Sanford Bridge minutes from kickoff.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWcPHhjjiW4UqVgPhZYbtjohPbapz6F11L6MnnB4v6Onvs-uXyMtwULTkDUQreCGhteDbiBtqVTn2OHtrO2dWssFzascAWPBz2hZ8pAB8vNCbpBLLCdszUxO5Zi5LWoFC_3WFXgoAvGI/s1600/trumpet.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWcPHhjjiW4UqVgPhZYbtjohPbapz6F11L6MnnB4v6Onvs-uXyMtwULTkDUQreCGhteDbiBtqVTn2OHtrO2dWssFzascAWPBz2hZ8pAB8vNCbpBLLCdszUxO5Zi5LWoFC_3WFXgoAvGI/s320/trumpet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514786710548278962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Really would have preferred a picture from the angle from which I usually view this, but I couldn't find any pictures of the trumpet solo guy in the upper deck of the southwest stands from my tailgate spot. This works.<br /></span></div><br />3. This was kind of an extension of #2 since the trumpet solo led into it, but hearing Larry Munson's introduction (accompanied by the montage of Georgia highlights that I couldn't see from the bridge and the Red Coats joining the solo). This isn't official, nor is it terribly recent, but here is an excellent fan-made recreation of this moment from a few years ago: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EipPYh_JcmY&NR=1">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EipPYh_JcmY&NR=1</a><br />This one captures the atmosphere better: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QECWAoJzcrA&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QECWAoJzcrA&feature=related</a><br />But you can see and hear this one better: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSaXlmuN4SI&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSaXlmuN4SI&feature=related</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86VeZOJU0H-rImZf6yAA4xOuek_ELAxt5LNh9pqkNVDEJBI5_QXsoePrwawWAmt7Pqx_GW1oiBHe9_FFgwpgDgAiaMPpoI-JTkq2Y7cjOy3hMeYIbciirWNs7w7ef0QtyOaTiM-0Lokc/s1600/munson.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86VeZOJU0H-rImZf6yAA4xOuek_ELAxt5LNh9pqkNVDEJBI5_QXsoePrwawWAmt7Pqx_GW1oiBHe9_FFgwpgDgAiaMPpoI-JTkq2Y7cjOy3hMeYIbciirWNs7w7ef0QtyOaTiM-0Lokc/s320/munson.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514789335113868226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">"GLO-ry, GLO-ry to OLD GEOR-gia..."<br /></span></div><br />4. Hearing the roar of the crowd as the second and third montage flashed across the big screen accompanied by "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" and the The Who's "Baba O'Riley" ("Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals...") blaring throughout the stadium. The "Baba O'Riley" montage is second only to the Munson one in my book, but it's very, very close. Unfortunately, I was anxiously pushing my way through the gates at the time, but I got in just in time to catch the end of the "Baba O'Riley" montage/song and see the big screen message "It's Saturday In Athens!" This video shows last year's equivalent of these two montages (I promise I won't say montage again...in this post). If you can get past the drunk guy trying to sing along with The Who, it's as close to being there as you'll get on YouTube (and actually, the drunk guy singing along is pretty close to what it's like being there as well): <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VO0cHJQaEI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VO0cHJQaEI</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXgMYpJLnp8Uuu-GRblRBjWPGPj22BunG9XQWo20j_tjKCJarHx8F8tjWCFIhOw5zkqt2NidYV0Tyjs7iA5m-MNKHt6hShr5GC-zLlF5yOpPiXZ4-hAiX8ZdwSxWguMlQNZG3_L3Z1Mo/s1600/its+saturday+in+athens.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXgMYpJLnp8Uuu-GRblRBjWPGPj22BunG9XQWo20j_tjKCJarHx8F8tjWCFIhOw5zkqt2NidYV0Tyjs7iA5m-MNKHt6hShr5GC-zLlF5yOpPiXZ4-hAiX8ZdwSxWguMlQNZG3_L3Z1Mo/s320/its+saturday+in+athens.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514805796133079170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Nothing left to do but destroy an inferior opponent...as they all are.<br /></span></div><br />And whoever came up with that perfectly simple message that I see every home game Saturday (that I get to the stadium before kickoff) was absolutely correct. It actually was Saturday in Athens...finally.<br /><br />More on the game, the NCAA/A.J. Green, etc. later.Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-8787655306105116552010-08-31T04:34:00.000-04:002010-08-31T04:57:35.563-04:00It Might Get Loud: I'll Shut Up About It Now<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRtgku1RucsNWD_j74L1p34K_URzAIRkIyowBNliuSF6CLAGIrPz5Nj6PXFqMKH-ua5FkxF0MgILOl3caYCHr65kKcsQFdoAevZfWN7-A0tRiD0mLIo3GteKLHKFOoKnVnuZ0S_GqavA/s1600/it-might-get-loud1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511494352218008370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRtgku1RucsNWD_j74L1p34K_URzAIRkIyowBNliuSF6CLAGIrPz5Nj6PXFqMKH-ua5FkxF0MgILOl3caYCHr65kKcsQFdoAevZfWN7-A0tRiD0mLIo3GteKLHKFOoKnVnuZ0S_GqavA/s320/it-might-get-loud1.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Jack White, The Edge, and Jimmy Page undoubtedly waiting for their ears to quit ringing...</span> </div><br />So, what else to say about "It Might Get Loud"? Watch it. Rent it. Buy it. Three generations of electric guitar excellence converge on one artfully-made DVD. Even if you have limited interest in music or electric guitar, this film will expose you to aspects and angles of music you never imagined.<br /><br />Whether it is Jack White sharing his passion for blues pioneer Son House, The Edge explaining the complexity of his effects, or Jimmy Page explaining the early influences of "skiffle" on his music, this film is sure to introduce you to something new. If you remotely like even one of these artists, you are sure to enjoy their individual profiles and/or their jam session/discussion with with the other two.<br /><br />I can't say it enough. Anyone that likes rock or even any sort of popular music would enjoy most, if not all, of this movie. The wealth of musical innovation in this movie only reminds me of how much more there must be out there in artists I have yet to discover.Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-41402323647884676042010-07-23T04:24:00.000-04:002010-08-27T03:41:12.351-04:00Why It Got Loud...It Might Get Loud: Jimmy Page<div align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkLTrIfVoFu72u8oFt1KB-cWMaQvsQNukS3P4NHp32Kg61BpW15wyYBgD6jjSEKFJbM0szB0o0hoMcDWqu1m24NB5dukbBl9I0dS0ca_kKylIlv-qCqYfkj7siyqCiX1RVDltPNcrzmg/s1600/Page+Zeppelin.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504798335659219810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 248px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkLTrIfVoFu72u8oFt1KB-cWMaQvsQNukS3P4NHp32Kg61BpW15wyYBgD6jjSEKFJbM0szB0o0hoMcDWqu1m24NB5dukbBl9I0dS0ca_kKylIlv-qCqYfkj7siyqCiX1RVDltPNcrzmg/s320/Page+Zeppelin.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Jimmy Page: Led Zeppelin mastermind. </span><br /></div><br /><div align="left">While The White Stripes is my newest interest and U2 is my earliest memory, of the three bands represented in "It Might Get Loud," Led Zeppelin is my hands-down favorite. Like almost anyone else, I had heard of Led Zeppelin, but for much of my life, I had no idea what any of their songs were. I certainly had no concept of their influence on all rock and roll that has followed since their dominance of the 1970s.<br /></div><p align="left">In fact, my earliest pseudo-Zeppelin memory is of some goofy-looking guy named Robert Plant in a cheesey 80s music video. As far as I knew, he was just one of many terrible 80s artists. When I got into Zeppelin (12 to 15 years later) and realized the lead singer of this sonic beast was Plant, I was baffled. For me, that name had always been synonymous with Miami Vice, Max Headroom, and time-traveling DeLorians. It wasn't until Widespread Panic covered "Misty Mountain Hop" and "Over the Hills and Far Away" in the late 90s that I had any interest in Led Zeppelin.<br /></p><p align="center"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Wait...so the guy that did this... </span></p><p align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYP7s9tBi-F9AI24wHkTNcSwkaGIaeDKB0Y6GjlrH1-yoXaEUrRmPd4MOaHsedTZEztFjIAvgAbJJZmviuPtGx_572I3GYngs72lkET7IqW3Ei0swEN8YwN_rph-9DX-pZld7goW4coV8/s1600/Page+Plant.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504802699356291394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 298px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYP7s9tBi-F9AI24wHkTNcSwkaGIaeDKB0Y6GjlrH1-yoXaEUrRmPd4MOaHsedTZEztFjIAvgAbJJZmviuPtGx_572I3GYngs72lkET7IqW3Ei0swEN8YwN_rph-9DX-pZld7goW4coV8/s320/Page+Plant.png" border="0" /></a></p><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><br />Also did this? </span><br /></div><br /><div align="center"></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfqokNYvOiERPRd7XCZFtOf8dzG8_zOkht0aH35WLxXSamH5jwnB8M3vAoxOm5ZtiOXEDHDrlEDe1yl3HnS2cZH8ASwnfXOU5Xa3G8bBssGz3eb0Je3ZPcr33iAOYkM6k8cIBFMA8OWk/s1600/Plant+80s.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504800512131241346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfqokNYvOiERPRd7XCZFtOf8dzG8_zOkht0aH35WLxXSamH5jwnB8M3vAoxOm5ZtiOXEDHDrlEDe1yl3HnS2cZH8ASwnfXOU5Xa3G8bBssGz3eb0Je3ZPcr33iAOYkM6k8cIBFMA8OWk/s320/Plant+80s.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It was then that a friend loaned me Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album and I avoided returning it for as long as possible. To this day, this is one of two or three albums I'd consider taking with me in one of those deserted island hypothetical situations. From "Black Dog" to "Rock and Roll" (a.k.a. the Cadillac commercial song in recent years) to "The Battle of Evermore" to "Misty Mountain Hop" to "Going to California" to "When the Levee Breaks," this is quite possibly the single greatest recording in history. That's to say nothing of the ground-breaking drum antics of John Bonham on "Four Sticks" (easily my least favorite track on the album) or the most requested song of all-time, "Stairway to Heaven."<br /><br />This album opened up an entirely new world of music to me. Never before had I heard such power. The sound was and still is so heavy, that despite countless advancements in technology, I don't think anyone has ever been able to recapture anything like it. All other music paled in comparison to Led Zeppelin, specifically their fourth album. With 37 million copies sold, it ranks as the 12th highest selling album in the history of the world. I'm honestly shocked it isn't higher on the list. That said, it ranks as the third highest selling album in United States history. Not bad for a band that hasn't released a new track in three decades.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504806038507035282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwpc8EklSbKi73_9H_FGYDHZUKyXYR8PW_9waQ1GjTXbNAX03rECXDrTSd8xKt7E97-xwyhvRl-wNkp3BUP_IcMQDRrgMNNVJpeOuJIylNT0HOZinLtnWR4qBfXKhrOCraOGFtq1qltY/s320/Led+Zeppelin+-+IV+-+Cover+-+Large.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">If you don't already own it and you ever see this odd image at a record store, pay whatever it takes to take it home with you. I guarantee you won't be disappointed in this, the greatest album of all time.</span>..<span style="font-size:78%;">name or no name.</span> </p><p align="left">Statistics aside, this all leads into one of the Jimmy Page highlights of "It Might Get Loud" for me. The film takes us inside of Headley Grange, a three-story stone house in which Led Zeppelin recorded much of the fourth album. Most notably, I've read numerous articles that mentioned the cavernous hallway/staircase area in which the drum track to "When the Levee Breaks" was recorded. If you aren't familiar with this song, stop reading right now, find it on the internet, plug your computer into the loudest stereo you can find, and crank the volume as loud as you can. I have yet to hear a drum track as heavy and ominous as the drum track on "When the Levee Breaks."<br /><br />An ancient blues song, Zeppelin remade it into their own epic. Not to get too far off the subject of "It Might Get Loud" or Jimmy Page, but I promise this all ties back into the bigger picture. "Levee" might be my favorite song on my favorite album of all time. The nearly unbearable weight of this song, as best as I can tell, can be attributed to two things: the genius of recording the drum track in such a tremendous open space as the hallway/stairway of Headley Grange and the production genius of Jimmy Page slowing the track down (to the point that it was nearly impossible to replicate live). Other effects (backwards echo on the harmonica, placing the echo ahead of the initial sound) were also key.<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509956205645810786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_QiDv3D3aj1KMo5G7risAHoG0b8kmwj4gYcRN4AhwpFjNzdp7e6oenToWDQCR_5H8Gk7k7vyg8Vp_r1tBki3GgCVCgtoGo4dEPOhrGKpY48fK2laFzzwCKxrXE5vyH8t4dH2wb8GhZ0/s320/headley+grange+staircase.bmp" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">The only picture of the Headley Grange staircase I could find.</span><br /></p><p align="left">All that is to say that when "It Might Get Loud" took me inside Headley Grange with Jimmy Page and revealed the infamous hallway/staircase in which much of this took place, I literally got chills. I honestly can't think of a parallel for such footage. Maybe Elvis taking you on a tour of Sunset Studios? Paul McCartney giving you a tour of Abbey Road Studios? Neither of those scenarios really capture the significance of the footage for me, but that's the best I can do. This was where musical history was made and your tour guide was one of the guys that made it happen. Unbelievable.<br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509955269241928434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 278px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8uQXnmUov7QfU8vGwL4vRdF-752Q_-Wkuxfx_D8-yNTG1z8-PM73FDJk-325nqXHS6CsUYLJMLEzp15-Lw8Ek3JDyLAT3V59Xy3o_NdWZ8u_Y36EFdXHvFGHygKFuxx_sOnIOJAwXyg/s320/headley+grange+outside.bmp" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Headley Grange as it was.</span><br /></p><p align="left">As I told one of the friends that watched this with me, Jimmy Page was the brains behind Led Zeppelin. I'm a huge Robert Plant fan . His vocals were absolutely unrivaled by anyone I ever heard before or since. Many imitated it (Steven Tyler, Axle Rose, every hair band in the 80s, etc.), but no one ever compared. Even approaching his twilight years, as his vocal range seems to have faded a bit, the purity and smoothness of his voice remain unmatched. And he isn't a bad songwriter either.<br /><br />Even with the charisma of a frontman like Plant, Zeppelin would have never taken off without Page. An accomplished session musician on random tracks for various British artists (The Who, The Rolling Stones, etc.), Page landed a gig with The Yardbirds just as their time was coming to a close. When The Yardbirds came apart and their manager suggested he form a "New Yardbirds," Led Zeppelin was born (performing early shows as "The New Yardbirds").<br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509962155185537458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 198px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyEhNlB7zDe3nZuc4tquyZhPvE_JUAxWMxLIyVkowUlk3IIi-NdYw2ohyphenhyphenhDzx_fCJrwNJ3UE7QRfCvDGmjQ8c6kxKPfR3Ppox-J8dNJ92hHaALtF2ryptcCpqNb28QNz9oiEjhmbf7iA/s320/new+yardbirds.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">The New Yardbirds? Nothing against Beck or Clapton, but this doesn't look like their thing. Thank God for Keith Moon's (The Who's drummer) quip that this band would take off like a "Lead Zeppelin."<br /></span><br /></p><p align="left">Page and his new lead singer, Robert Plant, were fast friends and shared a lot of similar musical passions. Where Plant was a vocal prodigy and impressive songwriter, Page was a daring composer and producer. Not only did his guitar antics rival Hendrix and anyone in generations to come, but he would tinker with effects and technology in the studio to create sounds, depth, and breadth that no one had ever dreamed of. Layers upon layers of sound would give Led Zeppelin its unique place in music history, all at the direction of Jimmy Page. </p><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509965410636048162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 219px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRODfgfczXB6RKgMutgVkzms3njrlnxiVQ3dN2KOLHzSoDNfWS8RSPrGqD5ueTNBIzeUESde8YA1Ej7pxjw-Bagwkkvs7A92WInAZ6lDtghTJ3ukd8UeGkOAnn781GBrgWejK4GtilkYU/s320/jimmy-page.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;">This guy's name is Jimmy Page. He plays guitar well.</span></p><p>So, back to "It Might Get Loud." Aside from the Headley Grange footage, any shot containing Jimmy Page demanded my full attention. When The Edge's (and Jack White's) eyes lit up watching Page play "Whole Lotta Love," I felt like the lucky guy that introduced them to Led Zeppelin decades ago. Of course, they were well aware of Zeppelin 20 to 40 years prior, but to see the expressions on their faces, you would think it was their first time witnessing the genius of Jimmy Page. Remarkable.<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509971072988461794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMBeOTs8pxpyIYAwmLfwSH-5IBp91x4lraPYq0AiKPdcXAHHjX-GUyhRVgtEmHh_xn2lGaeBvDlbCQF470X-79pGwJnWn4yH2VvMSycDHHb_cTgfqVtnsT15oAJ0NaTF4N88Jfu5lgnc/s320/page+plant+old.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Wow, they got old. But the 2007 Led Zeppelin reunion suggests that neither Page (right) nor Plant (left) have lost a step...at least according to the caregivers at their respective nursing homes.</span><br /></p>Two final highlights for me: "In My Time of Dying" and "Kashmir." "In My Time of Dying" is (like many classic Zeppelin songs) an old blues song reworked into a hard rock epic. I could rattle off 10 or 20 Led Zeppelin songs that many moderately interested fans would recognize, but "In My Time of Dying" is one of the few (along with "Levee" and "Kashmir") that could stand alone as works of art to anyone that never heard Zeppelin play a note.<br /><br />In and of itself, "Dying" contains multiple movements and arrangements that should impress a classical music buff. The slide guitar and funky off-beat rhythm make it a mind-blowing track worthy of more praise than it has ever received. Now, take iconic guitar players from the last two generations, saddle them with the task of playing along with the genius that orchestrated it all 30+ years ago, and see what happens.<br /><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509973017529166786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1HLoW7hKlp-wuaWhb1seYxQvoNSW7JxhcEl5sbVKdp7qsfRVxKpzqyCa-ea1glX7FrPlEBrvWRgbE7gzHbrJvhcI-HV0ItkRBuC-nTEHBjK6YGUtXh1VH5bRfG00Mh9UDJZcALcbCbI/s320/it+might+get+loud+jimmy.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;">White and The Edge do their best to keep up with Jimmy.</span><br /></p>What happens is one of the most incredible couple of minutes in my musical memory. Say what you will about any one of these guitar players or their respective bands, but the three of them absolutely destroyed "In My Time of Dying" in a way that I never imagined. Page handled the best known licks, but both White and The Edge added nuances (both playing slide guitar) that took this song to an entirely new level. I literally scooted to the edge of my seat, hung on every note, and shook away the chill bumps as this song came to an end. I would have done terrible things for another few notes.<br /><br />I won't spend as much time on "Kashmir" since it is actually in the special features, but suffice it to say that many similar thoughts crossed my mind as a couple of guys that just gained enormous amounts of my respect watched in awe as one of my (and millions others') heroes taught them another lesson about one of his many iconic riffs. Absolutely surreal.<br /><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509965422623420498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 243px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsvM-6jmaD17Y-YjExPuAfl_fgzL3dmRkwnned9WIQipGNn0BsL7JbDYf9eld_QUn_jQPH-7oGefBDbAp5nNmvg4xmYVjqMERn5bUaDyK1lmmz0L9b9ug-49XVYKGw2F8W2aV9FBd9ys/s320/jimmy+page+double+neck.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;">You may be able to hear "Stairway" in any guitar shop, but it never sounds as sweet as when Jimmy plays it on his double-neck.</span><br /></p><p align="left">In short, Led Zeppelin is rock and roll, Jimmy Page is Led Zeppelin, and nothing would have ever been as loud without him. </p>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-78058404358931805662010-07-23T02:39:00.000-04:002010-07-27T02:18:40.966-04:00Special Effects...It Might Get Loud: The Edge<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNdhAb_KHDLz7d6ocIw-veN_jhn7b02SiIQ-fOmT82Okc_EFhKlVDxTNVJ5DM7xo3y-rGybdo6jCe-P86Wc7f9d_QyrI7NocEpkQQ1nKO40rd1D6jEqvSY78P2RBpvdU1ws25Zzz8DOk/s1600/edge.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNdhAb_KHDLz7d6ocIw-veN_jhn7b02SiIQ-fOmT82Okc_EFhKlVDxTNVJ5DM7xo3y-rGybdo6jCe-P86Wc7f9d_QyrI7NocEpkQQ1nKO40rd1D6jEqvSY78P2RBpvdU1ws25Zzz8DOk/s320/edge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498449326718579730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">The Edge</span><br /></div><br /><div>My exposure to U2 and The Edge was a bit more extensive than that of The White Stripes and Jack White. In fact, of the three guitar players featured in "It Might Get Loud," The Edge is almost certainly the first I ever heard (or at least remember hearing).</div><br /><div> </div>As a kid in the 80s, the music I heard was limited almost exclusively to whatever my brothers listened to. Even that was often filtered through my parents' watchful eyes (probably for the best). Much to many of my friends' amusement over the years, that limited most of my early popular music memory to Elvis Presley, Huey Lewis and the News, The Cars, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Richard Marx, Sir Mix-a-Lot, and D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince.<br /><div> </div><br /><div>Occasionally, other hits would seep into my consciousness. Mostly through radio, I was vaguely familiar with other popular artists of the day (Prince, Madonna, Billy Joel, etc.). Through a few friends, I was aware of some 80s heavy metal and hair bands (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Aerosmith</span>, AC/DC, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Metallica</span>, Poison, Def <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Leppard</span>, and eventually Guns N Roses). One-hit wonders and certain bands became synonymous with 80s music for me. In addition to whoever sang "867-5309" and "Jessie's Girl," <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">INXS</span>, U2, and The Talking Heads probably fit best into that category. Not one-hit wonders, but very 80s in my mind.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Rkp3QfWojJIdD-nPWmIM5-0VO9GnN6tSia1WYL6uDAhxKS-bbP0bdv0z4gJJBlRce43iLwK0pxhb-xhaskinyMuBuINWaWQk3O8e9nrplnQzY9XiuaVu8Oeycfbj4t54tpPoEpaMavg/s1600/edge+2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Rkp3QfWojJIdD-nPWmIM5-0VO9GnN6tSia1WYL6uDAhxKS-bbP0bdv0z4gJJBlRce43iLwK0pxhb-xhaskinyMuBuINWaWQk3O8e9nrplnQzY9XiuaVu8Oeycfbj4t54tpPoEpaMavg/s320/edge+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498451265715560834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">No amusing movie cameos that I'm aware of, but The Edge might have the coolest name in rock and roll. And he still dresses like he's 15.<br /></span></div><br /><div> </div>I didn't think much about any of this music in the 90s and only revisited it when I realized one of my new favorite bands, Widespread Panic, was big into The Talking Heads. Around this time, I realized that other people still liked U2. Somewhat surprised, I grabbed a greatest hits CD and an album or two that seemed to be pretty big during and shortly after my college years in the early to mid 2000s. I specifically remembered my oldest brother having a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">cassette</span> of "The Joshua Tree" when I was younger and I made it a point to buy that one as well.<br /><div> </div><br /><div>Listening through that U2 greatest hits CD and "The Joshua Tree" flooded my mind with all sorts of nostalgia for the 80s, but surprisingly, it all stood the test of time. Almost all of it sounded like it could have been recorded in the last few months (though "It Might Get Loud" reminds you how long ago they were recorded when you witness The Edge dust off some ancient cassette demos and relive them for the camera in his modest kitchen). The new U2 stuff I heard at this time managed to maintain the sound for which they were known, but remained fresh.</div><br /><div> </div>The full extent of U2's lasting impact didn't hit me until my oldest brother attended a U2 concert a few years ago, showed me a live DVD from that tour, and gave me a live CD from around that time. I had no idea that these guys still sold out stadiums, ran around a massive stage, and had 50,000+ people singing along every night at outrageous ticket prices. I had apparently been missing out on yet another legendary rock and roll band.<br /><div> </div><br /><div>I never gave much thought to the guitar work put forth by The Edge until I actually tried to play some of U2's songs myself. Make no mistake, I can't play much of anything accurately, but for such seemingly simple guitar licks, his stuff is nearly impossible to duplicate. This is where The Edge enters into completely uncharted waters for me. Jack White and Jimmy Page are firmly grounded in the blues and boast masterful technique in nimble, intricate solos. In contrast, The Edge is beautifully simplistic in his playing, but mind-boggling in the effects he employs through an entire network of peddles, wires, amps, knobs, buttons, and switches.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjIDSFLXxvJLOQGkz21jl_nDn2mp-1tENxiX6Wvva16covpA9lxAOWeld3PG7BgvsnWICWYAXLfXAzHL_HHFkh6YvM12SGtzcqDXtUqhQyt8bZ62XyO-SqyxAXeQnBxvdhhDVj02rWC0/s1600/u2+stage.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjIDSFLXxvJLOQGkz21jl_nDn2mp-1tENxiX6Wvva16covpA9lxAOWeld3PG7BgvsnWICWYAXLfXAzHL_HHFkh6YvM12SGtzcqDXtUqhQyt8bZ62XyO-SqyxAXeQnBxvdhhDVj02rWC0/s320/u2+stage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498458752980890530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Uh...is this a U2 concert or an enormous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Wal</span>-Mart claw game? I wonder how many hot 40 and 50-year-old groupies that thing can scoop up for a quarter. Nonetheless, anyone that gets to play on this stage is doing something right.</span><br /></div><br /><div> </div>The most telling portion of "It Might Get Loud" for me is when The Edge's guitar tech tries to explain the complexity of his equipment, peddles, amps, etc. Each song has very specific settings on various pieces of equipment, all of which are at least in part controlled by the peddles at The Edge's feet. For example, the intense, electronic guitar sound for much of "Elevation" is almost exclusively generated by the effects manipulated by his feet. At one point in the film, he reveals that all he is doing during this unique part is a single strum on two chords. Without the effects, its simplicity should make any guitar player kick himself.<br /><div> </div><br /><div>Not being as big of a U2 fan as many are, I could be completely wrong in my understanding of The Edge, but I gather that he is not the technical wizard that Jimmy Page (or even Jack White) is. At times during the film, he seemed to be a little slower to catch on to what the other two were doing. That said, I think it is almost undeniable that he is a master of technology and effects. I have never heard anyone that sounded like The Edge. He has one of the most distinctive sounds of any guitar player I've ever heard. Even when it is a song you have never heard, it rarely takes long to recognize U2, thanks primarily to The Edge. </div><br /><div> </div>The Edge's echoes and effects defined great rock and roll for a generation that by and large lacked even decent rock and roll. For that, he was easily the most appropriate guitar player to bridge the gap from Jack White to Jimmy Page. Never mind that he is a key ingredient in arguably the biggest active rock and roll band in the world. "It Might Get Loud" only solidified my determination to catch a U2 show very soon.Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084812791957242977.post-22278032264541069672010-07-22T17:57:00.000-04:002010-08-31T04:24:22.077-04:00"Look Out, Man!"...It Might Get Loud: Jack White<div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496880819896048674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOKeZwS_Cko51bi8i8S6tSsSomVi7MZZXGZgDSTq43o5OQIIpApub7hofS_Eyq06HiFhDhriX7DcrTlYreXQ8J6NSiaClxPJoCaG0_xR1SakbHSQhh3ULWL9Z0LixTEIDNxGlg-qZqV8/s320/jack-white-1-thumb.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;">Jack White of The White Stripes</span><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">When I first heard about "It Might Get Loud," a friend told me about it because he knew I was a huge Led Zeppelin fan. He might have also been aware that I liked U2 a pretty good bit as well. That's all just to say that I was very interested to see it, but Jack White was by far the least intriguing of the three stars for me personally.<br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Up to that point, my exposure to White was pretty limited. I remember seeing one of The White Stripes' earliest videos on MTV in the early 2000s ("Fell In Love With a Girl" I believe) and thinking that it was catchy, but obviously, I didn't rush out to buy their CD. Within a few years, I saw them perform on an awards show of some kind. I remember being a bit more impressed by his guitar-playing and recognized that they had charisma and stage presence. Still, I was a bit of a music snob when it came to bands that weren't known for 10 or 15-minute songs.<br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">In the last couple of years, I had two main exposures to Jack White. One was a pretty hilarious cameo as Elvis Presley in "Walk Hard," the John C. Reilly comedy spoofing musical biographies such as "Ray!" and "Walk the Line." His mumbling, mostly incoherent performance was a highlight of the film. Even so, a catchy song or two and a sense of humor were still not quite enough to get me into The White Stripes. But when a friend brought a copy of "Icky Thump" to my house a couple years ago, I was just about sold.<br /></div><div align="left"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496882616642182130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 182px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKy30YciC5tc2Y3xV2sUi7y3PsmsdtF-Vk-YpoyJwCKJHNsu-wLycG9hjb0ZYnVm8lt6pd-r-khP9GkrgLwyEAetIV4HzjyCh3kVrw3Y4Np3Trjhvc_7zCY9t3tXm1r5vuZ8YZhXp0vM/s320/jack+white+as+elvis.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;">Jack White as Elvis Presley. "It's called karate, man, and only two kinds of people know it: the Chinese and the King...and one of 'em is me."</span><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Fortunately for me, my friend accidentally left the latest White Stripes album at my house and I listened to it a good bit for a week or two. Unfortunately for me (and my friend), I lost it pretty quickly and more or less forgot to look into their music any further. Almost two years later, in cleaning out part of my house I rarely dare to enter, I stumbled across my buddy's CD. This was a couple of weeks ago and I have absolutely worn it out since rediscovering it.<br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Among several things that really drew me into this album are some unmistakably blues-oriented electric guitar licks, White's impressive vocal style and range (until now, unnoticed or underestimated by me), and a diversity of sound of which I was unaware they had.<br /></div><br /><div align="left">The bluesy guitar riffs were the first to draw me in. This is particularly funny in hindsight as White comments in the film that they intentionally chose to have a red, white, and black color scheme, peppermint swirl on Meg's bass drum, etc. for the specific purpose of distracting audiences from the fact that they were just trying to play the blues. Mission accomplished. They tricked me out of listening to them for almost a decade until I noticed the blues myself on this album. Anyway, in my limited exposure to The White Stripes, my impression was much more of a punk or indie band, but there was no mistaking the blues influence on a number of these songs. Much of it (especially the slide guitar stuff) reminded me of Zeppelin's reworking of old blues songs ("In My Time of Dying," "Dazed and Confused," "When the Levee Breaks," etc.). That's never a bad thing to remind me of.</div><div align="left"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496983246282528498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 302px; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7-NQlQhksM9o8tcPmyTamO8T8SYk9fcVZZLbr-jC7LT4WXW7d7Obqfy2uXveF0TP4P1rsxbbdW_OmM7T6nXSHLu5HlumHPOvK9MVit6Doox4DOiS7m17kZFRbMmHQBXGYeNXako_Qsw/s320/white+stripes.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;">The White Stripes</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">White's vocals were another major attraction from the opening note. Maybe I just want to hear Zeppelin in everything, and I wouldn't go as far as to say he has Robert Plant's range, but I swear there are several points at which he sounds like he's channeling Plant (especially on "I'm Slowly Turning Into You"). That also is not to say that I think he is cheaply imitating Robert Plant like most 80s hair bands did. He definitely has his own unique and unmistakable vocal style, something that most of my favorite artists have. I definitely underestimated him as a singer up to this point (and any ability to sound anything like Robert Plant scores points with me).<br /></div><br /><div align="left">Finally, the sonic diversity on this album was a pleasant surprise. I guess I expected every White Stripes song to be a really loud, fast, mindless two minutes of two chords and some screaming. I couldn't have been more wrong. These guys (he and his ex-wife, Meg White) throw in some acoustic guitar, organ, some electronic-sounding keyboards, bagpipes, and even a little mariachi trumpet. On a track called "Baby Brother," it sounds like Elvis Presley stumbled into the wrong studio and recorded with a punk band. It is rare that an album holds my attention from start to finish, especially if it is a band with which I'm not very familiar. I almost always listen to this one without skipping a track and I attribute that mostly to each song sounding so different.</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">All of this is to say that "It Might Get Loud" came along at just the right time (just as I got into the the youngest of the three featured guitarists) to completely blow my mind. I found myself on the edge of my seat through much of the movie because there would now be no "down time" between segments on the two guys I really liked. Even if I hadn't just gained a new appreciation for Jack White and The White Stripes, his segments in the film are among the most entertaining and I would have probably checked them out pretty quickly after seeing it.<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496889867582593410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 254px; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6KxIaFIvuWKsphTbu1HygM1FTKQe0uIvR9r1u-1E7k2qSeuqeh-GodeFuGrLvU5UyXrR3-tfKqK0DPM2W5To0PWtaEUYkA3fJ3B3hx1HvrWOjx1RjbvixNKt3ElE-YDv80OzH7vkhzs/s320/jack+white.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;">Apparently Jack White can play more than a whacked-out Elvis.<br /></span><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">More on The Edge and Jimmy Page in upcoming posts.</div></div>Mike Sprayberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003615570462430805noreply@blogger.com0