College Stats 'n' Stuff for the Big XII (Week Six)
BIG XII CONFERENCE [Scores] [Standings]
Best Wins:
- Obviously, West Virginia's 48-45 win over previously undefeated Texas. There's your "statement game" for the Big XII newcomers.
- But Kansas State is not going to go lightly: the Wildcats smoked in-state rival Kansas, 56-16.
Stats Smorgasbord:
- Led, of course, by the amzaing Geno Smith of West Virginia, Big XII passers are Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 9 in the nation in passing efficiency. That's right, you can be No. 9 in the nation and still no better than sixth in your own conference (too bad for Kansas State's Collin Klein, though it hasn't kept him from getting Heisman notice.)
- They do run the ball sometimes in the Big XII, especially Oklahoma State's Joseph Randle, who is No. 6 in the nation with 135.5 yards per game.
- But, not surprisingly, the receivers are near the top as well, particularly Smith's favorite targes Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, who are No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in the nation in receptions per game.
Football Factoids:
- ESPN Heisman Watch: 1. Smith, in a landslide; 3. Klein; 9-T. Austin; 10-T Bailey, Randle.
- Big XII in the AP poll: 5. West Virginia; 6. Kansas State; 13. Oklahoma; 15. Texas. After losing to Iowa State, TCU dropped out of the rankings.
- The Horned Frogs didn't just lose a game, they lost QB Casey Pachall, who was arrested for DWI and will miss the rest of the year after committing to treatment. Pachall was No. 4 on that list of the top-rated passers. Fourth in the nation and in the conference.
- Has anyone's reputation diminished as quickly as Charlie Weis? From Super Bowl guru to watching hapless Kansas get trounced by in-state rival (and once a program in even worse shape than the Jayhawks) Kansas State.
- The Red River rivalry is down a bit this year, given that Texas already has that loss to West Virginia and Oklahoma has already fallen to Kansas State. The road to the title does appear to run through the traditional showdown this year.
- Instead, the epic matchup appears to be on Oct. 20 when the Wildcats travel to Morgantown ... already set as a Fox prime-time broadcast.
Forgiven
Remember how amazing Jana Oliver’s The Demon Trapper’s Daughter was? And then we had Soul Thief, which sounded great but was really like just holding your breath for 300 pages waiting for something to happen (while wanting to smack Riley in the face a la Bella Swan)? I mean, there’s tension, and then there’s just, “You’re losing me, Jana!” Know what I mean? (Spoilers ahead.)
Well, Forgiven, the third trappers book, almost takes us back to badass Riley and her ultimate awesomeness, and I am starting to see where Oliver is going with this shadow of Riley. After her father’s death, her near-death experiences (and nearly bagging a Three by herself only to have it stolen and she, herself, threatened), and Simon almost dying—not to mention the burden on her shoulders—she’s in an obviously vulnerable state.
No more of this “Trapper scores!” hot chocolate drinker; now she is just lonely and in need of some unconditional love. I only wish that had been made a little more evident in the previous book, as it just felt like her coasting along.
Book three details how Riley indeed prevents the Apocalypse, and we get to see her be strong and brave almost to the scale she once was. I think her losses have simply caught up with her, however, because in many instances she just doesn’t even want to fight. She is not the Blackthorne’s daughter we were initially introduced to. And by the end of the book, she faces one of the ultimate betrayals—not to mention Beck’s double standard disapproval.
In this third book, we still have some of that ghost-of-Riley-ness in book two. We have a Riley who is reluctant to even catch demons, a girl who asks for help and whose boldness seems lost. I am crossing my fingers so hard to hope that book four Riley isn’t the book two (and partly book three) whiny girl who just wants a boy to love her. (I fear that it will be Beck-fawning rather than Simon-fawning, unfortunately.) I understand it—I’ve felt it before and made mistakes like Riley, so I understand the theme—but I really miss our ultimate heroine demon trapper!
I think part of the reason I loved the first book so much was that the romance was completely secondary—even tertiary—to the story of an awesome teen demon trappin’ girl. I hope that book four brings that back full circle. I still love Riley—and I like Beck on his good days—and I want to see her become who she was meant to be.
College Stats 'n' Stuff for the Big Ten (Week Six)
BIG TEN CONFERENCE [Scores] [Standings]
Best Wins:
- Ohio State got a huge win at home by routing Nebraska, 63-38.
- And Penn State, also ineligible for the conference title due to sanctions, won its fourth straight with a 39-28 victory over previously unbeaten Northwestern.
Stats Smorgasbord:
- The Buckeyes' Braxton Miller is clearly moving ahead of Denard Robinson (Michigan) and Taylor Martinez (Nebraska) in the all-purpose quarterback sweepstakes.
- Miller is third in the conference in rushing and No. 11 in the nation with 127.2 yards per game.
- He's also third in the conference and No. 38 in the nation in passing efficiency. He has 9 TDs vs. 3 INT, and is averaging 7.9 yards per attempt.
- Martinez still leads the conference in passing efficiency despite the Huskers' debacle in Columbus. He only has four INT for the year, but three of them came against the Buckeyes.
- And Robinson holds the rusing lead with 135.2 yards per game, but neither is proving to be the two-way threat that Miller has been.
Football Factoids:
- ESPN Heisman Watch: 2. Miller. His Nebraska performance sent him flying up the chart (and losses by the teams of some other contenders helped, too).
- Big Ten in the AP poll: 8. Ohio State; 25. Michigan. Nebraska and Northwestern dropped out.
- It's hard enough to keep track of the "Legends" and "Leaders" but this year is an even bigger mess.
- With Ohio State and Penn State ineligible, 4-2 Wisconsin and 3-2 Purdue appear to have the best chance in the "Leaders," while a trio of teams with two losses (Michigan, Nebraska and Michigan State) look to be in a scrum for the "Legends."
- All in all, it doesn't make for a likely appealing matchup in the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis.
- This weekend's Iowa-Michigan State game will sort out a bit of the Legends Division picture.
College Stats 'n' Stuff for the ACC (Week Six)
ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE [Scores] [Standings]
Best Wins:
- It was the Wolfpack on the prowl, with the biggest upset of the year: N.C. State 17, Florida State 16.
- Nothing can top that, but Duke going to 5-1 with a convincing 42-17 win over Virginia certainly raises eyebrows.
Stats Smorgasbord:
- Duke's Connor Vernon set the ACC record for career receptions in the Blue Devils' big win. He now has 239 in his career.
- Vernon is still chasing Clemson's DeAndre Hopkins and Boston College's Alex Amidon in receiving yards per game.
- There is no 100-yard-per-game rusher in the ACC right now, but Clemson's Andre Ellington and Florida State's Chris Thompson are close.
- Despite his team's misstep, E.J. Manuel of the Seminoles still handily leads the conference in passing efficiency.
Football Factoids:
- ESPN Heisman Watch: 9. Clemson QB Tajh Boyd; 12-T. Manuel; 17-T. Hopkins. Manuel had been 2nd, but made a big drop after the loss to N.C. State.
- ACC in the AP poll: 12. Florida State; 16. Clemson. The Seminoles had been No. 2.
- Hopkins was supposed to be the secondary weapon for Clemson to receiver Sammy Watkins, but instead he leads the nation in receiving yards, and, as noted, gets a trickle of Heisman buzz as well.
- Duke starting QB Sean Renfree missed the game against Virginia, but backup Anthony Boone was just fine in the win over the Cavaliers.
- The Blue Devils now get the other team from the Old Dominion, 3-3 Virginia Tech, in the midst of an unusually mediocre season and coming off a 42-38 loss to North Carolina.
- The Tar Heels, meanwhile, face Miami, coming off an embarrassing 41-3 thrashing by Notre Dame.
Mulv's motorcycle journey
The road from the United Nations Hertiage city of Luang Prabang to the overly westernized, touristy city of Vang Vieng is around 230 km. It travels through small villages, has steep climbs and is full of hairpin turns. Cargo trucks scream around mountainous switchbacks without warning, children run in the street and animals of all shapes and sizes seem to try and sabotage your ride. With all this being said, the journey itself is quite amazing.
For the first half of my ride, I found myself ripping up a small mountain road. The street itself started out decently paved, but before I could get comfortable, patches of torn out cement littered the street. Trucks would fly around blind turns in both lanes, honking once they saw me, as if to say they weren’t slowing down.
Lush green overgrow blocked the view of the countryside, but every few meters a crack would appear that allowed me to catch a glimpse of the vast ocean of greenery, backed by infinite grey clouds of an overcast day. It looked as if I had found the end of the world.
After around three hours of hill climbs, it felt as if the creator flipped a switch, and greenery turned into staggering limestone peaks. Roadside villages were backed by beautiful rocky faces, and as the sun began to set, everywhere I looked seemed like it was a photo directly from the pages of National Geographic.
As I saw a sign stating 25 km to go, the road began to flatten out, and concrete became non-existent. My final stretch into town was marred by cow crossings and rocks on top of dirt. Like most experiences in Southeast Asia, though, I guess this was the stone I needed to break to get to the precious gems.
Is waiting until marriage still a relevant option?
It seems these days that it’s very rare to meet someone saving their virginity until marriage. Hell, it seems like it’s even hard to meet people saving their virginity until the meet someone special. The mentality is that all people “saving,” themselves are either insanely religious or else are weird and can’t get someone to touch their no nos without a fat paycheck.
While discussing the topic of marrying young with some new friends, a girl at the table talked about a couple she knew who tied the knot at 23. They had being dating for ten years (yes, since they were 13), and both had saved themselves for their wedding night. The typical comments, such as how awkward it would be, etc, etc, came up, but the conversation actually gained quite a positive light.
The mixed-sex dinner party was a tiny bit divided on down gender lines, but having sex with someone special seemed to be a desired option. The table was full of people who had been with multiple partners, but besides one Belgian dude who was quite vocal about the what ifs of saving yourself (what happens when I want to know what it feels like to be with someone else?), everyone seemed to agree that if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. Why would you throw away something special, possibly the closest option to perfection, for a taste of forbidden fruit?
Though the idea of modesty and chastity aren’t abundant in society, the notion of waiting or saving yourself still is alive. It may not be as valued in past generations, but the ideas and practices may be making a comeback.
Memorable NBA bench warmers with rings
I know that they have played their part preparing star players during practice. But in a league where highly touted franchise players such as Allen Iverson and Charles Barkley have not been able to win a ring, it is rather unfair to see these scrubs have a few of ‘em.
Brian Scalabrine
The White Mamba as he is known to some has become the poster child for the position of bench warmer in the NBA. But, hey how many of us would love to play in the NBA or even get seats that close. Not to mention the ring that he won with the Celtics in 2008 to boot.
Adam Morrison
Morrison had been a disappointment for the Lakers after being a top forward at Gonzaga and being a finalist for the Wooden and Naismith Award in college. Morrison is one of those duds that Jordan has picked. He can thank the Black Mamba for his two rings.
Luke Walton
Every time Luke Walton’s name is announced at the Staples Center, we hear a chorus of boos. It is hard for me to put his name here as his dad is Bill Walton, the former Lakers Hall of Fame center.
Will Perdue
Perdue managed to win a grand total of four rings. The first three came with the Chicago Bulls during their first three-peat from 1991 to 1993. Perdue was an SEC Male Athlete of the Year in 1988 and although he didn't feature in starting lineups during his time in the league, he managed to bag another ring with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999.
Dickey Simpkins
Simpkins won two championships with the Bulls without even being on the team's active roster during the playoffs. However, he did manage to see some action in the 1998 championship run by the Bulls.
Reading Pile: 10/12/12
Broxo GN- So as a general rule in good standing, pretty much anything First Second Press publishes will be on some level a very good book. There’s usually a range in there between ‘this is pretty dang good’ to ‘this had better win some awards’, and while I wouldn’t say this was especially groundbreaking in any way I will say it was very damn enjoyable. Considering this is Zack Giallongo’s first graphic novel, I’m incredibly impressed with the level of character complexity and the great visual narrative he delivers as an artist. This is sort of like the next step for a growing Bone reader as it delivers more in the way of serious themes and violent overtones, while still not overstepping and becoming too dark and gratuitous. The characters experience a very complex range of emotions and the moral ambiguity is a bit more palpable than I was expecting, making for a really strong story. I hope to see more work from Giallongo very soon, and I would recommend this to any fans of fantasy or just good storytelling. A
AVX Consequences #1- “Oh, and btw, Cable got all better and just left to start his own book, but we really didn’t feel like showing that.” And that right there is but one of my problems with poorly edited crossover events, because they require a book like this to exist so that they can explain away loose threads like that while guzzling more money out of your pocket. On the positive side, this is Kieron Gillen on damage control and if there is anyone I think I trust to get some enjoyment out of this mess it’s him. I’m going to be increasingly agitated if most of the post AVX Marvel Universe is about bad mouthing Cyclops and making Wolverine look like the best dude around, but at least we have the hope here that Gillen will do something with Summers’ arc and lead him somewhere more interesting than the retired character shelf. B
Ame-Comi Girls #1- I was going to say something snarky about a comic line based off of a toy line, but then I realized a good percentage of my comic reading stems from that origin so I’ll just shut up. I was actually very impressed with this issue and while Wonder Woman’s costume certainly looks more stripperific than usual, you really can’t argue too much with Amanda Conner’s art. It is a little vexing though that the art suddenly switches to Tony Atkins twenty-one pages in and there is a sharp decline in quality. It’s not the worst, but in comparison to the front of the book it is a harsh change to make and expect readers not to care. This definitely isn’t a good book to hand to a pre-teen reader though if you want a strong Wonder Woman book, mostly because she is straight up decapitating some fools and (jokingly?) flaunting her goods. Considering the Ame-Comi toyline is all about T&A it isn’t a surprise, just something you have to be aware of in advance. $3.99 is a bit harsh for the cover price, but it is thirty pages of story at least (with a crap-ton of distracting ads). B
Crooked teeth are the new cute in Japanese fashion
I’m not a big fan of fashion. Doubly not so if said fashion trends include surgical means. I mean, plastic surgery requires you to alter your body near permanently though artificial means based off of a pre-determined ideal look. Namely what the media/society/the world tells you is ‘appealing.’ People make their breasts bigger, their calves meatier, their butt bigger and their face more symmetrical. While some do so to fix a personal imperfection or a birth defect, most do so because it’s the fashionable thing to do.
Really crappy video game console knock-offs
I love video games. I love the consoles they are played on. I love the shapes and layouts. I like seeing how they evolved from these clunky brick like units to these sleek tiny things that can fit under a table. And then I find these things, these strange rips-offs that look sort of like a console but are definitely not the real thing.