The CP Beatings, Data Collection, and an Open Letter to Peter Angelos

Okay so it’s blowing up the news casts about this kid in College Park that got beat by police officers after the Duke/Maryland game because he was “kicking the horses” and that’s why he was beaten senseless. Go here if you’re interested in seeing the story that was on the news today. While this happened over a month ago, this is making national news because of the release of the video.

Not that I advocate the riot police’s behavior, but Rt. 1 after a Duke game, especially after one where we (and I say we because I’m still a terp) won is crazy. Now, a brief explanation for those that aren’t familiar with the Maryland tradition of rioting. This guy got it right when he said that the riots of this year are close to the riots of 2002. But, let me express something for someone who went to Maryland in 2002. The police were unprepared for the true melee that occurred when we won the national championship. I would like to say I was part of it, but being laid up with a fractured elbow means that you’re lucky to be able to move much less jump on lamp posts. The true excitement that we finally finished first started a tradition of riots and crowds in the streets that leads me to one conclusion.

The University of Maryland was founded in 1856, and the city of College Park largely grew up as the campus grew and expanded. Riverdale, Greenbelt, even areas as far as Landover have benefited from the University being placed where it is. With that being said, Rt. 1 is a major highway from north to south that is still used today. It is a major shell shock (pun intended) when the riots occur…because of traffic.

The riot gear has remained a mainstay during basketball season in the College Park police station. This poor fellow McKenna got caught up in a mess that he couldn’t handle and ended up with a gash, contusions, and a concussion. My guess is that he was belligerent to the cops and they went after him. Make it right what the cops did? Nope. Just sayin’.

Meanwhile, on the data collection front, things are going swimmingly. Nuff said there.

Dear Mr. Angelos-
As a long standing Orioles fan I must say for shame. It’s been a long time Mr. Angelos, a long time. I’d like to be one of the few that actually welcome you into the 21st Century with a brief history. I’ve been an Orioles fan since the 1982 year shortly after Cal Ripken joined the team. I’m a loyal hometown fan, I’m sure you wouldn’t know being from Pittsburgh as the Pirates haven’t had a good season since…what did that T-shirt say? 1992? Oh yeah… a year before you bought the O’s. Now, don’t get me wrong, I recognize the many works you’ve done for your Alum as well as for the rest of the city. I get that.

I was all behind you when you refused to sell the naming right to Camden Yards, I said way to go Angelos.

Then you hit your lowest attendance record in the 15 years of Camden Yards. So, I looked up a bit of statistics. We’re 1-7 this year boss. 1-7 is the worst record we’ve started out with in the history that I’ve been watching the O’s, and that’s close to 30 years. We ended the year last year with an average batting average of .268 which even the beloved Cubs did better than that. We’re heading lower and lower every year, and with the Tejada factor…well, here’s what I propose.

Sell the team. Please. I beg you. Either sell the team or get the f*ck out of the ballpark and leave the real coaching, hiring and firing decisions to the people that know the game and aren’t litigators. Before you go rambling to me about how we’re outmatched in the AL East…I’ve got one example for you. Just one. And their name…I’ll even link the page for you because I’m so nice…

The Tampa Bay Rays. We can’t win for losing! This town is dying to remain a baseball town. We’ve fallen in love with our beloved Baltimore Ravens we wanna fall in love with the O’s again. We really do. The poster of Markakis is really inspirational.

It’s not putting people in the seats because we suck. If Cal Ripken offers you money for the team again…take it. Please. Give it to someone that can actually handle the team the way they should be.

XGames 3D: The Movie

Due to my ever increasing anxiety about my graduate career, I took sometime out last night to go see this movie. I have got to tell you, I watched XGames 14. The Summer Games, the Winter Games, it doesn’t matter when it comes to Action Sports, I’m stuck to the television. When I knew that this movie would only be in theatres for a week, I made it an imperative to go see it.

Shocked I was that I was the only one in the movie theater. Yes folks, I was it. I was also running about 10 minutes late, so missed the first part of the movie, which although I was slightly upset about, the rest of the movie did justice to me missing a small part of it. For the few steady readers I have of this blog, ya’ll know that I’ve been on crutches for a long time and the reason why I titled this blog what I did was largely because it’s the one place where I can sit down and be the skater, snowboarder, and surfer…even though I can’t do any of those things.

The clip expresses a good point that I think is imperative as to why the movie had such an impact on me despite seeing the footage already. These guys, from Travis Pastrana to Tony Hawk, Ryan Loza, Danny Way, Bob Bernquist, they all do the same thing, they say, “What if” the right way. What if you land it, do it, accomplish it. That failure isn’t a terrible thing. You get hurt, fine…get hurt. You get up, you brush yourself off, get the elbow, back, leg fixed and go back the next day and are ready for more.

I think in this graduate school journey, I’ve lost some of that. I have lost some of my don’t give a shit attitude. That failure is just an opportunity to learn more. I think what was so exciting about watching Ricky Carmichael in MotoX Step Up, was one thing that both him and Bob Bernquist said, “If you want something, and love it, there’s a push to go after it. Try it, practice it, there’s no can’t. Do it over and over and work damn hard at it. Don’t just expect it to come to you.”

I wonder so often if I am so used to having stuff just come to me. I did it through college, through high school. Now I’ve been presented with a challenge that I have never faced before, that no one I know in the true sense of knowing has ever experienced. I have allowed part of myself to be lost. I hate that. I get so frustrated that I have let one man control my entire existence. It’s annoying, not to mention stupid from someone who is far more hard headed than that.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to get back to where I was before I failed that test. Before I expected it to just “happen” and for the etherial “them” to just give me the PhD.

I want it back dammit.

Still having it, Michael Vick, and moving on…

So, I initially really got knee deep back into this blog because my now fiancee was moving and I needed something to essentially take my mind off of him being so far away. Now that I have friends that are finishing their PhD’s (and are no longer wannabe graduate students, but actual legit docs); I’m starting to realize that a lot of what this blog means to me, is that everything that has ever been stuck in my brain is allowed a place to release, take flight, and say screw it.

Like my soon to be father in law, he doesn’t get it, it doesn’t make sense to him why have a blog, why write it all down? To me, in my mind, that seems like a real simpleton type view. That you’re just not complex enough to do things.

So, alas…my girl Kristen is moving. She’s a local like me, has lived here her entire life like me, she finished her PhD and is moving to Richmond. As much as I’m sad for her to go, the night will be and always has been very interesting when she’s involved. Tonight was no different. We went out to Little Havana tonight for some goofing off, drinking, looking cute, and hanging out. Cute guy rolls in with his buds and some chickies and I gotta tell you, for someone that’s engaged, he was hot. Like wicked hot. I figured giving the Orioles jersey that he was local, and just was gazing, looking, enjoying the art of being female. So, it’s funny…I never EVER had this kind of nerve when I was single. But, given the fact that I had two single friends I was like screw it, if he comes over I’ll hide the ring and talk to him.

Then I thought…the guy would be kinda pist about this. So, I was straight up, he was of course disappointed, but he also gave the vibe of trying just a tad too hard. I’m sure that he was bummed that he got the nerve to talk to a chick and she’s engaged, but I gotta tell you that it felt good that I got a cute guy not only to compliment me (which he of course ruined later) but to hit on one of my friends till of course he screwed it up.

I was proud of myself, I couldn’t help but think, “I still got it.”

Meanwhile, Michael Vick was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. As much as I have grown up as one of the fans of the two best teams in football, the Washington Redskins and the

A lesson in good business practices…

I’ve got to come out and commend Sports Authority for stepping up to the challenge and helping those of us out here with mobility issues. For those of you that don’t know, my girl Marin defended her dissertation Monday. We went out and partied at the Metropolitan (Go Fed Hill go!) and my sole literally came up and off my tevas. Now, given my crutchiness, I basically need Teva’s or something with a rugged durability to prevent myself from shattering bones. I rarely wear flipflops places because I’m scared of hurting myself the way I did in the mall that year. That’s a story for another time though.

So, I was in the midst of replacing my Teva’s. I walked into the Dicks, they had nothing. I went to the Sports Authority as a last ditch effort, and low and behold…beautiful new Teva’s. I said…okay M….and I walked right up to the manager, explained how long I had been on crutches and could he help me out?

This is the 2nd time this same sports authority (For baltimore folks, it’s on Rt. 40, Catonsville) has helped me out by selling me two left shoes. I paid full price for them, and didn’t care…these shoes will last me lifetimes, and I don’t have recent additions to my right foot graveyard.

That being said: Shop early, shop often, shop online. They are a company to support and acknowledge for their help to the disabled. Thanks Sports Authority.

I could ramble on and on…

So, it’s been about two or some odd weeks before I had a chance to sit down and throw some info down here about what’s been going on. I’ve been super busy and it doesn’t look to finish anytime soon, but I figured that I would throw some information up and let the cards fall where they may.
Speaking of cards…X-Men Origins: Wolverine is due out May 1st, and although I have always been a fan of the X-Men series, I’m SUPER excited that my favorite mutant, Gambit is coming out to play for the 1st time in the X-Men movies. It actually is going to be good next couple weeks for movies. The original cast is back for Fast and Furious and from what I’ve heard of the soundtrack I’m blissfully happy about it. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, the cars…man the cars alone would have me waiting for tickets for this movie. State of Play also looks like it’s going to be a thrilling movie. Of course this summer we’re also waiting on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for which of course I’m grateful and can’t WAIT to see. I saw Watchmen when I was in Chicago for my conference and I’ve got to say that seeing things in the IMAX is the way to see a movie, ESPECIALLY a movie like that. It was good but if you’re anticipating a movie that is a normal super hero movie, you will be grossly disappointed.

Life as a graduate student will hopefully mellow out slightly in June. So, when I initially took my comprehensive exam in August last year, I didn’t pass all of the exam. I passed some but not all. So, I have taken WAY too long to deal with this, and now I have one more exam to take, as I took my 4th (out of 5) on Friday. So, if the exam I took on Friday comes out, I’ll take this last exam. To say I’m nervous is an understatement. I’m tired of doing these tests though. It will be nice one way to come out in the wash.

I have had a hard time with people as of recent. I think it’s hard for me to read people, and I try really hard not to let people hurt my feelings, and in the meantime, hurt others. I don’t like that. I don’t like thinking that about people. But, here’s the thing. If I’m calling you on something, one of two things is happening. Either 1. You did it, and you don’t like being called out. or 2. I genuinely hurt your feelings. But, I’ve got to ask the few readers I have out there…if I legit apologize, isn’t that enough? I figure that I’m not the type to hold grudges, I have a tendency to either forget about it, or just to write you off. I will admit it, it’s either one or the other for me. But, if you legit apologize, that I’ll take what you said, say okay we’re cool and move on.

Why is it that no one thinks the way I do? *sigh* Maybe it’s just me.

Oh, and a last bit news bit here. The Mt. Dew Action Sports Tour announced their new dates for the 2009 tour, and I just have to air my disappointment here. As a skateboarding fan, I was blissfully happy that the Dew Tour will make a stop in Grant Park in Chicago…conveniently to boyfriend’s house right? Too bad it’s not going to be the skateboarders!!! It’s not going to be any skateboarding in the 2nd city…no no…they’re going to Boston.

What’s going on people???? I recognize that the boarding community got screwed here in Baltimore for the beloved Orioles that haven’t gotten out of the basement of the AL east in a long time, but I mean hey…at least if you’re going to build a park, you’re going to build a half-pipe, throw the event all at the same time please????