Afternoon Bottle

I need to get this out of the way right away, and I hate myself for it. I was in Miami Super Bowl weekend and I had a couple hours of free time on my hands. I happen to come across a "Jersey Shore" marathon on MTV and I also happen to catch the very first episode. The hook was set right away. I couldn't stop watching. My girlfriend rolls into the room and although she continuously rips on the show, she can't stop watching either. So, Juice, I apologize for ripping on you for watching that show. At first, none of the chicks are hot. After about 2 episodes two of them are getting really hot.

Juice, get your rips in now about my Tar Heels, because your enjoyment won't last long. Besides, this is what happens when you win a national title, which they did last year by the way. They lost 4 guys to the NBA, what would you expect? And now their best player is out for the year. Oh well.

Anyways, I did my best to end my sports gambling addiction, but to no avail. I left for Miami on February 6th. Just before I left I put the rest of my money on the line with some Super Bowl picks and a $25 NHL parlay. I won the bets and had $173 in my account when I got back. So the fun continues.

The reason for the Miami trip was because of a cruise we embarked on the day of the Super Bowl. All around a good time but I would much rather do the all-inclusive resort. I doubt I'll ever go on another cruise.

The trip could not have started off worse. Our flight out was at 5:45am. Our ride to the airport was picking us up at my place at 3:45am (I live about 20 minutes from the airport). At around 3 both my girlfriend and I were ready to leave so I tell her to give our ride (her brother) a call and tell him to pick us up now. She asks, "would you rather wait in your living room or wait at the airport?" I reply, "at the airport." She doesn't call him. To make a long story short, as we wait to board the lady at the counter announces the flight is overbooked and they need two people to give up their seats. Whoever volunteers will get compensation. If no one volunteers they will be forcing two people off the plane. No one volunteers. (You can see where this is heading). Anyways, we board the plane and take our seats. We're in one of the last rows and we see the ticket counter lady board the plane. She gives one more announcement. No one volunteers. She then begins walking towards the back of the plane. My girlfriend gets nervous. I'm thinking "no fucking way." She walks past our row (yes!), stops (oh crap), turns back towards us (motherfuck) and promptly boots us off the plane (fuck fuck FUCK). I felt like yelling "bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb b-bomb" like Stiller in Meet the Parents. That is a fucking walk of shame if I've ever seen one. I was beyond fucking irate. It all boiled down to us being the last people at the airport to check in. So, in hindsight, maybe we shouldn't have waited in my living room instead of the airport, but who's keeping track, right?

Money Well Spent

I'll be completely honest, the amount of "cash" I spent on Mike Sims-Walker was well worth it. The money I spent on Matt Hasselback was not well spent, but I don't give a shit, I knew I wouldn't be picking anyone else up for the rest of the year.

I'll admit I didn't watch as much of the Packer game as I would've liked. And I'll admit I found myself watching the Colts/Ravens game on CBS because I have Peyton Manning. But I've finally learned my lesson. I simply cannot watch my fantasy players. After approximately 15 years of fantasy football I've finally realized my fantasy players suck big floppy donkey dick when I watch. Manning threw a pick and couldn't get in the end zone from the 5 as I watched. This is an intense season of OJSFA. A TV deal is right around the corner. Maybe the Ocho?

The Packers did something all teams seem to do - after dominating the first half they changed their course of action in the 2nd half. Why the FUCK would any coach do that? Get up 40 before you lay down and take a shit.

The NFL is completely fucked up this year. How can the Raiders beat anyone? How does Pittsburgh lose to KC? Brady Quinn threw for 3 TDs in one quarter and he's worse than awful. That makes me feel pretty good going into the Thanksgiving game against the Lions. A Westwood One announcer on the radio last week stated, "I can't believe how bad Cleveland is." I love when the Packers play on Thanksgiving. But an 11:30 game is pretty early for me.

TV review - Dexter - absolutely fantastic show. I just finished season 3. The premise of the show is great and there are a million tiny dark humor moments. I believe there are probably many people who wouldn't see the humor. That's too bad for them.

New season of South Park is fantastic. Cartman singing "Poker Face" is classic.

Video game review - New Super Mario Brothers Wii - fucking awesome. It's the classic Mario game for the Wii, but much more difficult. The best part is that up to 4 players can play at the same time. I've actually got my girlfriend to play with me, bless her heart. She sucks, but she tries. Players have the option to allow another player to play a certain part solo, and she knows when to sit back and let the master (me) take over. Nothing gets a guy some ass more than his Mario skills. Jot that down.

Tar Heel update - a very good, yet young, team this year. I'll predict 8-10 losses this year and probably a 5 or 6 seed. There offense simply isn't good enough this year to allow as many points as they do. But it's anyone's guess how good they'll be by the end of the year and into the ACC Tourney. Y'all will need to get used to the fact that they will win the NCAA Tournament once every 4-5 years. Roy Williams is simply too good of a recruiter. They have a top 5 class this year and they already have three top 20 recruits next year, including #1 Harrison Barnes.

You Fucking Bet!!!!!!!!!!

I went to great lengths to avoid anything and anyone that could possibly reveal the outcome of this wonderful championship game due to the fact I was working and did not want to listen to this game on the radio. At tip off I shut off my phone. My DVR went to work. About 30 seconds before I'm going to leave for home a 3rd shifter walks in and says "NC whooped some ass tonight, huh?" FUCK HIM. FUCK HIM RIGHT IN THE BUTT.

Anyways, this is the 3rd greatest day in my sports life, behind the Tar Heel championship in '93 and the Tar Heel championship in '05. It's such a great feeling when you're favorite sports team wins a championship.

I strongly stand by my statement from early in the college basketball season where I said we may be looking at one of the greatest college basketball teams of all time. I'd like someone to argue against it. Simply by looking at the team it's a simple conclusion. They had the best starting five in the country. In that starting five are the reigning national player of the year (Psycho T) and the recently annointed ACC Player of the Year and Bob Cousy Award winner (Ty Lawson).

But the nail in the coffin of this argument is the dominance in the NCAA Tournament. Their average margin of victory was the most all time. All games won by at least 12 points. I thoroughly enjoyed it. And their defense was excellent, so go fuck yourselves all you homos who rag on the ACC defense.

The Heels could be the hands down favorites next year too, but unlikely due to departures to the NBA. They lose Tyler Hansbrough and Danny Green to graduation. Lawson and Ellington both tested the NBA waters last year and decided to come back. I'm guessing they're both gone this time. They have a very good soon to be sophomore class and (of course) a great recruiting class. Next year will be mildly successful. I would say maybe a 4 or 5 seed.

I would just like to point out that I bitch slapped Juice's #1 seeded team in our fantasy basketball league. Thanks for playing Juice.

ESPN's unfathomable love with the ACC

*Note* The opinion of ESPN is in no way, shape or form related to the opinion of Mr. Sports Bottle. I just read his post and it reminded me of what I heard a few days ago.

So I'm just casually watching ESPN while making some food the other day, when sports caster after sports caster starts babbling on about how they can make a really good case for UNC to still be number 1. What the fuck? Really? This is fucking basketball, if you lose, you drop, regardless of who you play, because there are 35 games to make it up later on. They lost to Boston College, who for all intents and purposes has no business being in a game with them. Look at that powder puff schedule that's gotten them to number 24 in the nation. They lost two early games to *cough cough* Saint Louis and an ok Purdue team. But what matters is they haven't lost lately, so they rise in the polls.

The Badgers on the other hand are outside of the top 25 right now with losses to the currently #5, #7 and #15 team in the nation. Other than the UConn game early on those were all really hard fought losses, however we've spread out losses out during the non-conference season and thusly we dropped later on and haven't climbed back into the top 25.

What about Pitt still being undefeated? Yea, they haven't lost and yet just because some dickwads at ESPN think UNC is better on paper, they are totally willing to throw them ahead of an undefeated team. Even though Pitt just clubbed a Georgetown team who had been playing really well lately. Have I ever mentioned that I love the Big East? I was always a huge fan of that conference and it topped my list when Marquette went there in the wake of the, the ACC is trying to make a football super conference(which failed) so we'll make a basketball super conference(which succeeded and left them with a still pretty good football conference), poaching of all the good C-USA teams at the time. The Big East is what the Big Ten wishes it could be.

But anyways, that's just the way the basketball polls work, there are so many more games than football that there is usually a lot of liberty taken with moving teams up and down. Of course what do the polls even really matter other than being a reference point for SoS computations to help determine what bubble teams get in to the PLAYOFFS at the end of the season. College basketball is so much better than college football.