Coulda Gone Either Way

Jayhawk fans - I'm officially putting all of you ON NOTICE.

First, my thoughts on the basketball game last night between the Fightin' Willies and the Kansas Jayhawks:

• People should be so lucky to be a part of that game.  Playing in the game, attending the game, watching it on TV - doesn't matter.  That ranks as one of the best collegiate basketball games - bar none - I've ever seen.  And I've watched a LOT of college basketball in my time.  A LOT.
• Both teams played to their strengths, the entire game, which made for an exciting 40 minutes.  KU got up the floor in a hurry, and pounded the ball inside with regularity.  K-State got the ball in the right players' hands, played in-your-shorts 'D', and pounded the offensive glass.
• Wait a minute - it went to overtime.  45 minutes, because 40 weren't enough to decide the game.
• BOTH teams made plays to cause their fans to jump off their seats and scream, either bad or good, at the TV.
• The game was ultimately decided by one play.  KU made one more play than we did, and the cost of that one play was the win.
• The players and coaches for both teams walked away from that game with a mutual respect for each other, and understood how superlative of a game that was.

OK - back to Jayhawk fans:

I've let the game settle overnight, and give everyone a chance to air it out.  After reviewing the responses from all the KU fans that are my friends on Facebook, in the forums and chats, I have the following request:

Shut the F*#K up.

You beat a very good team on the road in overtime...and should revel in the fact that you won, not that you beat K-State for the umpteen-thousandth time.

Every one of you needs some perspective.  The only KU fan that reacted to this game in the appropriate manner was the one I was watching the game with last night.  When asked before the game, I said I figured K-State had a 35% chance of winning.  Because face it - we were playing the new #1 team in the country, who had been there earlier in the year.  Even at halftime, I gave us a half-and-half chance.  It was a tie ballgame - literally and figuratively - at the end of regulation.  His reaction at the end of the game - "This game was too fun to not go to overtime.  Should have gone to a second."

Act like you've been there.  You're (supposedly) the #1 team in the nation - act like it.  Posting demeaning comments, or making comments like you dominated the game and beat us down is downright embarassing for your fans.  Like I said - that was the best game I've ever seen - not the best result for KSU, but still the best game.  Only one that comes close was the 6OT game between UConn and Syracuse.  I challenge you to find someone that was a bipartisan observer that didn't think that was an absolutely awesome competition between two top-tier teams.  Act like you beat a top-tier team, and not like you just took a red-headed stepchild out to the woodshed.  Because that's not at all what that game just was.

Win with some class and dignity.  A couple of posts from Facebook KU fans:

• Not this time little pussy cats.  Rock Chalk Jayhawk!!!
• "Octagon of Doom"?? HA!  Since KU has now won 26 of 27 games there, it's time for a name change...and by the way, its so windy in Kansas because Mizzou blows and K-State sucks!!!

C'mon, really?  Are you serious?  Because you won 81-79 in overtime on the road as the heir apparent to the #1 throne?  This was not the typical 25-point drubbing that has happened recently at Bramlage.  And yes - it's the Octagon of DOOM.  Ask Texas.  And you just found out why - scurrying out of there with a victory in a game that was thisclose the entire way.  If you're really the #1 team in the game - you were SUPPOSED TO WIN.

You are all in complete denial of how close this game was.  This was no domination.  14 ties.  20 lead changes.  20!  Yup, sure looks like we were dominated ;).  Jacob Pullen and Sherron Collins got it.  They understood.  The mutual respect that came from that game between the game's two best players - believe you me; they understood. The mutual respect that came from that game between the game's two big men - Cole Aldrich and Curtis Kelly - they understood.  You KU fans, though - you don't understand.

In fact, if someone that did not watch the game just took a brief look at the box score this morning, they would wonder how K-State lost.  Let me present:

• FGM:  KSU 29 - KU 27
• FGA:  KSU 67 - KU 54
• 3PM:  KSU 6 - KU 5
• 3PA:  KSU 18 - KU 10
• FTM:  KSU 15 - KU 22
• FTA:  KSU 22 - KU 33
• OFF REB:  KSU 21 - KU 16
• TOT REB:  KSU 38 - KU 37
• AST:  KSU 14 - KU 13
• TO:  KSU 13 - KU 17
• BLK:  KSU 4 - KU 4
• STL:  KSU 5 - KU 5
• PF:  KSU 25 - KU 24

KU won last night because they made it to the free throw line more.  Period.  K-State was either even or outplayed KU in EVERY OTHER STATISTICAL FACET OF THE GAME.  And the free throw disparity almost didn't matter, because it was really the defensive rebound we missed on the Sherron Collins free throw attempt at the end of the overtime period that sealed the deal for KU.  If we come up with that rebound - both teams might still be playing.

Finally, I want to tell all those convenience KU fans to kiss my ass.  There are a great number of you out there that root for KU because it's fashionable.  It's easy.  There are those of you that are KU fans because it's not cool to be a K-State fan.  Fuck you.  You don't get to talk shit.  You have no idea what it means to truly be a fan.

"Oh look at me, I'm a KU fan!  Ha ha ha - K-State got their ass kicked!  Ha ha ha!"...is the rhetoric that can be typically heard after a game like that from these people.  Do you understand what just happened?  Do you comprehend what I've said to this point?  Of course not...because you have no idea what it means to truly be a fan.

You're all a bunch of fucking lemmings...rooting on a team that wins all the time.  You have no idea what it means to be a true fan.  You have no idea what it's like to go to games and cheer on your team when the coaching staff is imploding your team from the inside out.  This is how easy it is to be a KU fan:  KU likely will never be mired in a losing season like K-State has in the past.  Your psyche will never be harmed.  Your heart will never be questioned.  Your soul will remain untried.  K-State went through multiple losing seasons during my 5 year tenure attending the university.  And we were still fans.  K-State had fallen from the best in college football to a sub-bowl-eligible team.  And we were still fans.  You have no idea what it means to put your heart and soul behind a team.  You have no idea what it means to live with them when they win, and die a little inside when they lose.  You have no idea what it means to truly be a fan.  Most of you don't even have a connection to KU.  At all.  The Jayhawk fans that truly are fans - that love the game of basketball - that have connections to the university - that truly get it...they all know what happened last night.  At the end of the day, KU has a W, and KSU has an L.  But if you read between the lines - paid attention to the game - understand what really happened last night:  K-State is no longer the red-headed stepchild - and KU has a knock-down, drag-out streetfight on their hands when the sea of purple shows up.

The Family Is Expanding

The Intense Spider29 is built.  28.0lbs.

Pics to come.

Girls Only Want Boyfriends Who Have Great Skills

...like nunchuk skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills...

Or bike handling skills.

Unlike this person.

FOR GOD'S SAKE...PULL UP ON THE DAMN HANDLEBAR!

Specs on Stumpy

2010 Specialized Stumpjumper Comp 29 - Size 23" (yup - big)

Frame/Body:

• Manipulated M5 aluminum alloy frame with wishbone rear triangle - White/Black
  
• RockShox Reba SL 90mm fork with rebound/compression dampening and lockout - Black
• Cane Creek integrated 1-1/8" headset with carbon fiber spacers
  
• Specialized 2014 butted aluminum handlebar - White
• Specialized 7050 CNC/3D-forged aluminum stem 100mm - Black
• Specialized 2014 aluminum seatpost - Black
• Specialized Phenom CrMo 143mm saddle - White

Drivetrain:

• SRAM X7 Trigger Shifters
• Shimano XT Crankset 175mm
• SRAM PG990 11-34 cassette
• SRAM X9 rear derailleur
• Shimano SLX front derailleur
  
• SRAM PC971 chain
• Avid Elixir CR disc brakes 160mm F/R

Wheels/Tires:

• Mavic C29ssmax wheelset
• Specialized S-Works Fast Trak LK tires 29x2.00
• 29er standard tubes

Desired Upgrades (yet):

• Ritchey WCS stem
• Easton MonkeyLite XC carbon fiber riser handlebar
• SRAM X9 or X0 shifters
• Thomson Elite seatpost
• Tubeless setup
  

Weight at purchase = 24.2 lbs
Current assumed weight = 23.8 lbs
Weight when converted tubeless = 22.8 lbs

A sub-23lb 29er race bike in my size?  Effin' stellar.

An Addition To The Family

If any of you were following my Facebook posts, you'd know that our family increased in size by one today.

"Stumpy" came into this world 23" long, weighing 24.2 lbs on the scale at Wheat Ridge Cyclery.  We're so excited that she's finally with us!  Even Erin likes her!

Stumpy has her own nametag, so I could pick her out at the nursery.

 

Isn't she adorable?

 

Stumpy's a simple girl...

 

...but likes her bling, too.  Carbon Elixir CR brakes mounted on a white flat bar.

 

Big shoes.  29er Mavic C29ssmax with S-Works Fast Trak LK tires.

Girls have curves.  Wishbone-shaped rear triangle with single seat stay.

This is the view of the bike you'll have if your racing me...

When It Rains, It Pours

I need to preface this post by saying I got my oil changed in my Audi yesterday; while driving it from Eagle to Glenwood Springs (for a funeral, no less), my "Check Engine Light" (CEL) comes on, and when idling, its bucking harder than those 2000lb bulls at the rodeo.

So I was pretty excited to go to Denver today to pick up my new bike.  Stopped by the bike shop to make sure that Charlie had my new wheels (Mavic C29ssmax) coming in; sho' nuff, he didn't order them yet.  The bummer is that he missed the deadline to get them for $450; rather, I'm going to end up spending the full $750 on them now.

Damn it...I'm reminded time and time again why you can't rely on other people.

Anyways, because of the CEL and the snow that was hitting the area this morning, I chose to drive Erin's 4Runner to Denver.  Made it from Eagle to Avon (20 miles) before I realized I was left with an empty tank.  Then all of a sudden, I started feeling sick and had a headache.  So I took those things as God telling me I had no business going down to the front range to pick up my bike...it can wait.  Not to mention I really can't stand driving the 4Runner - the accelerator is very stiff, the brakes are touchy, and it handles like a refrigerator (all comparatively speaking to my Audi...but still...).

Damn it...was really looking forward to the new Stumpy this evening.

But hey - maybe this was a good thing!  I could make it home to watch the K-State vs. Oklahoma State basketball game!  I sat down to watch the game...gawd the first half was one of the worst officiated portions of college basketball I've seen in a while.  Missed calls, inconsistent calls, ticky-tack fouls being called; it was difficult to watch.  K-State then proceeded to come out in the second half, miss what seemed like 90% of their field goal attempts, and cough up the game.  At home.

Damn it...was really looking forward to the possibility of next Saturday's game against KU being another battle of Top 10s.

Well, I could still get something done today, so I've been cleaning and doing a few chores around the house.  One of which was to refill the washer fluid in the Audi.  So I pop the hood to the car, and what do I see?

That's right.

THE DIPSTICK IS NOT IN THE F@#&!*G ENGINE.  IS THIS A PROBLEM?

Are you serious?  YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!  (Australian Open fever...)

So after snapping a few pictures (oh yeah - the mechanic is doin' some work for free for me now), I put the dipstick back in and start 'er up to get the oil warm and check the oil level.  Who knows if my car now has gunk in the oil, and needs to be changed again.  I did drive 70 miles with it like this.

Sho' nuff - running just fine.  Now I'm not a car genius, and honestly have no idea if the cause (no dipstick) could create the effect (rough idle), but hey - how else can I explain a car running just fine goes in for an oil change, and comes out worse than it started?

Anyways, tomorrow's another attempt at the trip to Denver for the new bike.

I'm going to go have Moe's BBQ for supper...that's the only thing that never disappoints.

Emergency Trip to Denver

In the voice of the ultra-recognizable Marv Albert -

YESSSSSSSSS!

The Stumpy has arrived!  Gotta go pick it up today!  Real pictures when I get home!

Snow? Really?

So apparently it's supposed to snow yet this week.  The liars we call weathermen are forecasting as much as a foot in Vail by Saturday.

Personally, after seeing all of 3 inches so far this year, I'll believe it when I see it.  But if it does, I'll probably work in some snow surfing this weekend.

Training is going well.  This week is Week 3 of Base 2...a couple of days of weight lifting, and a couple days of base interval training.  Hit 500 lbs on the leg press this week...major goal for me.  Yay.  One of these days I'll lay down what I do in a typical week for y'all.

Check out the iPhone Top 10 on the right sidebar.  I regularly refresh this with songs of note that get played during my workouts.  If you're looking for some good tunes to rock out to, or need the extra sonic motivation during those indoor trainer sessions, check these out.

I also heard a rumor that my new Specialized Stumpjumper Comp 29er may finally be in the good ol' US of A.  Bout frickin time...but hey, if it snows, I guess I'll have to wait to ride it anyway.

Family Guy = Best. Cartoon. Ever.

The Crazy Man Has A Sense Of Humor

When he's not screaming at the top of his lungs at someone, Kansas State Head Coach Frank Martin appears to have a sense of humor...

Seriously, who doesn't love this guy?

I know all you die-hards out there got to live through the Jack Hartman, Tex Winter, and Cotton Fitzsimmons days.  Lucky.  Maybe some of you are even young enough to have enjoyed the Lon Kruger era, or really followed during Dana Altman's tenure.  However, here are the coaches that I've been 'privileged' to see at Kansas State, prior to Frank the Tank:

• Tom Asbury (1994-2000; record 85-88)
• Jim Wooldridge (2000-2006; record 83-90)
• Bob Huggins (2006-2007; record 23-12; chronic backstabber)

NOW do you see why  it's exciting to have a coach that can put a team on the floor that can win games?

That's What I'M Talkin' Bout, Willis!

The saying goes - You Don't Mess With Texas.

Nope.  You don't.

You come right out, punch 'em in the mouth, then kick 'em in the nuts while they're down.

 KSU 71 - UT 62

And then, if you're Bob Knight, you chant "Good effort...good effort".

Or, if you bleed purple and Fear The Beard, you scream at the top of your lungs...

WE OWN TEXAS!  WE OWN TEXAS!

Thank God I Got Rid Of That

Since it's no longer Christmas, holiday music has been wiped from my iPhone.  There's only so many times you can listen to different renditions of the same song, especially songs you hear year after year after year after year after...you get the point.  It's like if I would have had to take 2nd Grade mathematics every year until high school.

On related musical notes (no pun intended):

• Rumor has it (well, it's on their website) that Soundgarden is getting back together.  Can I get an Amen?  Can I get a hallelujah?
• HALLELUJAH.  AMEN.  And as Forrest Gump so eloquently spoke - "That's all I have to say about that."
• Spending time on the trainer during the winter does two things:  It gives me ample time to take in some basketball, and it gives me ample time to take in some music.
• Take a look at Five Finger Death Punch.  The riffs, the attitude, the angst - this music punches you in the face, kicks you in the balls, then picks you up by the throat and punches you in the face again.
• Which is exactly what I'm usually looking for on a trainer session.
• I just got done watching the documentary "Metal:  A Headbanger's Journey" on VH1 Classic.  It never gets old.  To see someone with an anthropology degree delve into the roots of heavy metal music, and get the introspective insight from Dee Snider, Rob Zombie, Ronnie James Dio, Bruce Dickinson (and the list goes on), man.  Well done.
• I've watched it probably 15 times.
• When people get excited about a new Metallica album, or a band like Soundgarden getting back together, or anything to connect the present with the past - is it nostalgia?  Or is it a possible solution to a shitty present music scene?
• Regardless - it's friggin' sweet.
  

Back In The Saddle Again

With a little more than a week past since the beginning of 2010, and the holiday season behind me, I've been very happy to settle back in the routine of every day life.  Of course, I got right back to work by traveling to Albuquerque, NM to meet with a client this past week.

If there's one thing Albuquerque has going for it, it's the weather.  There's some nice looking spots in town, but not much.  To be honest with you - the weather may be the only thing it has going for it.  It was close to 50F when I left on Wednesday around lunch - and it was 8F and puking snow in Denver when I got back to Colorado.  Yay.  Here's a shot of Interstate 70 near Eisenhower Tunnel, where I was stopped in traffic for 30 minutes or so:

Maybe I can move to Albuquerque for December and January.

Fortunately, last Sunday I was able to get the Jake out and head up Highway 6 to Wolcott and back, for a nice easy 90min spin.  Weather was decent - 30F and sunny - and very little wind to boot.  Roads were primarily dry, except for the couple of spots near Wolcott that never get any sun.  Those particular areas, about a quarter-mile in all, still had a large amount of icy snowpack along the shoulder of the road.  Glad I had the 'cross bike, as there is lots o' gravel along the shoulder of the road.  Other than that - it was a great solo ride on a gorgeous January afternoon.

It should be noted that the areas that CDOT has re-paved along this stretch of Highway 6 are awesome.  Lots of shoulder, with fresh new asphalt.  Makes for great road riding.

The skies were blue, the air was crisp, sun was gleaning off the snow-covered barn roofs...before I recite a poem, just take a look at the couple of pictures I snapped during my ride.  Red Canyon at its finest.

Other than that day, though, it's been frigid.  We were definitely not spared from the recent arctic blast, as temperatures this morning at 10:30am still had not climbed above ZERO in the valley.  When your boogers freeze just walking the 15 yards across a parking lot at the gym - it's cold.  And the indoor trainer gets a lot of use...

New Sponsor!

Team DRV is now sponsored by Daddymart.com - an online bike parts retailer!

Another One In The Books

Back from a long hiatus at last.

I sincerely hope each and every one of you got to spend time with family/loved ones, enjoyed some good food, gave what you could, and participated in the general dysfunction and chaos that is Christmas.  I know I did.

Erin and I "made the rounds" this holiday season - that is, drove from Eagle to Fremont, NE (Erin's folks) for a couple days; then on to Alma, KS (my parental units) for a couple days, then returned to the infamous Rocky Outcroppings for some actual relaxation time before 2010 hit us like a Mack truck.

Not many great stories, so without boring you all in details, here's a rundown of the events that occurred:

• 10-hour drive through one of the most God-forsakenly boring places on the planet
• Made it out for a 2-hour road ride in freezing drizzle
• 11 Inches of snow with three-straight days of 40mph winds
• Basketball, basketball, basketball (I think Fremont over Christmas is officially my favorite place to play hoops)
• Dinner at El Bee's Mexican Restaurant (OMG the Macho Chicken Chimichanga is PHE-NOM-ENAL)
• Gifts and such at Erin's fam's house on Christmas Eve
  
• Christmas Eve church service amongst 3-foot deep snow drifts and howling winds
• Attempt at driving on to Alma on Christmas Day amongst 6-foot deep snow drifts and howling winds
• Got Audi stuck in 6-foot deep snow drift only 5 miles from Fremont, had to be pulled out by volunteer firefighter (no, that's not my car in the picture, but it might as well have been)
  
• Slept/PSP'd the rest of the day at Erin's fam's house
• Drove an hour out of the way to get to Alma the day after Christmas amongst 6-foot deep snow drifts that had been plowed and were reforming
• Whole family (my side) Christmas gifts / celebration on day after Christmas
• Lots more sleep/PSP
• Afternoon in Manhappiness (and got to take in a K-State Basketball game)
• 10-hour drive through another of the most God-forsakenly boring places on the planet
• Drove through dumping snow in the mountains
• Got home to Eagle - with less snow than we saw anywhere else on our trip

I tried to take my road bike to get in some good workouts - believe it or not, eastern Nebraska and Kansas are some pretty picturesque places if you get out on the smaller roads.  But with all the snow and wind, I got all of one ride in.  Complete waste of time, space, and gas (the bike on the roof cost me a solid 6mpg the entire trip).  But I did manage to get all my weight workouts in, as well as a bunch of basketball.

So, I'm back at home now.  New Year's Eve was a blast - I was in bed by 10pm.  Just not big on the NYE/partying/resolutions thing.  January 1 is no different than August 1 for me; well, except for the fact that I don't have to work, which is pretty cool.  Erin's painting the bedroom while I clean the rest of the house today.

Again - no big 'resolutions' for me.  I guess my goal for 2010 is to keep on keepin' on.  But now that I'm home, it's back on the training program again.  Jan 1 and Jan 2 were scheduled "off days" for me, so we'll start 'er up again on Sunday with an easy two-hour ride...I hope.  The forecast has lots of white stuff in the near future.

May you all have a fantastic rest of the weekend, and have a crusher of a 2010!