Blogging about Life, Love, Having Twins, Boise State Football and lots of other crap.
There really isn’t much to say about this game. We killed them. It wasn’t close. Although, when we knocked another quarterback out of the game, the defense had a bit of a problem adjusting. Especially since it was a running QB to passing QB transition. But no matter. We still won by 35.
I did, however, get some more great shots with the new camera. Enjoy! View all of the images here, or view a few select ones below. Click on each one to go to the flickr page.
Happy Halloween! Here is your illustrious host, rocking the hockey jersey and mullet for the office costume deal today. FYI, since I’m a hockey player, it is pronounced “moo-lay”… Although, I did have someone ask me if I was dressed up as Todd Palin… LOL. I actually think I look quite a lot like Jaromir Jagr. I was going to black out a few teeth and or give myself a black eye, but I just didn’t get there.
You also get to see the beard progress here. I worked that into the costume you see, since there is a tradition in hockey called the “playoff beard“. So, all in all, it was a fairly easy costume. Just a little something today. I will say, however, that this hair is getting stuck in my beard and is becoming quite annoying. But, it is the price you pay, right?
If you would like to see the rest of the costumes from our local Boise office, you can see them here: Wirestone Boise Costumes
Also, if you would like to partake in the costumes of our Chicago office, you can do that here: Wirestone Chicago Costumes
If any more links from any more of our offices pop up, I’ll be sure to post them.
Some Fort Collins office pics.
Halloween can sure be fun.
It was another game night Friday. The Hawaii Warriors were in town for a rematch of last season when they took the the WAC championship from us. Well, payback is a bitch, as they say.
We pretty much dominated them on the defense side of the ball. Our defense is scary good. In every game except one (Oregon) we have held the opposing offense to a single score. That’s it. Amazing. Last night, we pulled down 5 interceptions and got 7 sacks. That is a thorough ass whippin.
However, our offense still isn’t as good as it should be. Sure, we won and I won’t ever complain about a win, but we have one weak link on offense this year. Our offensive line just isn’t very good. I don’t know why, but they struggle every game. The running game has never got off the ground. Also, we have not had many deep passes this year. What do both of those things need? Good blocking. We just don’t have it. I am certainly not used to watching a Boise State team be more dominant on defense than offense. It is an interesting change of pace. Especially when you are used to seeing 45+ every game. This year, we have to be satisfied with 24+, but this time around we’re holding the opponents to 11 points a game. A “W” is a “W”, I suppose.
This also marked the first game I was able to bring our new camera to. Jess and I got a Canon XSi Digital SLR a couple weeks ago and I’m still figuring out how to use it. But, it came with a couple nice lenses and what follows are some of my favorite shots I got. Click on each one to go to the flickr page or view the whole gallery here.
And away we go!
The beard has thrown off the shackles of regular shavings and is progressing nicely. Read the good cause behind it here. As of yesterday (Monday the 13th) the captain has turned off the “please shave” light and I am now free to roam around the cabin of manliness.
If you would like to follow all 33 of my fellow Wirestoners who have embarked on the same endeavour, you can find us here, complete with photos: http://itchyface.blogspot.com/
I don’t have a “start” picture yet but there is one on the itchy face site. Generally, I don’t shave but every 2 or three days so most of you won’t notice any change for the next few days. Come next week, however, I could really be miserable. Let’s see how this rolls.
Grizzly Adams, here I come!
No sooner did I get done complaining about 5-blade razors and their advertising when I receive the following notice in my inbox at work.
Yes. That’s right. Finally, a reason to eschew shaving for a whole 2 months. It’s kismet, right? I have never actually attempted to grow a beard at any time in my life… mainly because I’m facial-folliclely challenged. I’ve always wanted to be able to have the whole Magnum PI ‘stache or maybe even the Sonny Crockett 5 o’clock shadow, but since each hair on my face has a mortal fear of all the other hairs, they only grow singularly. Thus, instead of looking tough and cool or even manly, I look patchy.
I did mention this was for a good cause. Well, a co-worker and buddy here in the office was in a car vs. motorcycle accident last week. Worse than that, while he was on his motorcycle, he was hit by a drunk driving ex-con who was running from the police (and also hit a pregnant woman’s car as well). News story here and here. The good news is he is going to be ok. The bad news is he is in bad shape and has a tough road ahead of him to get back. Here is a short list of what he’s fighting right now:
Broken Scapula (shoulder)
Broken Collar Bone
Broken Mandible (jaw)
Several teeth were damaged
10 Broken Ribs and punctured lung
3 broken vertebrae – but thank God – no spinal cord damage
Extensive abrasions and bruising
He has been in the ICU for the past 4 days and probably has a couple more. Then the long road to recovery begins.
So, we’re growing our facial hair company wide and the entry fee goes to help Jeff get back. How can I decline that? In case you’re interested, here are the contest rules. Also on the Jeff benefit front, there has been scuttlebutt around here about a benefit party with all proceeds going to his recovery. If there is one thing the Wirestone really knows how to do, it is good parties for even better causes. I will post the information on whatever we come up with here, so if any of you dear readers want to come out and have a drink for a good cause, you’ll know where to go.
Anyway, you’ll see some updates from this thing as we go along. And yes, I did get Jess’s OK to embark on this adventure before I agreed to do it.
From Monday on, just refer to me as Patchy McGee. Who knew facial hair could be so exciting? Well, except for the well coifed gentleman in the above picture, that is.
I have something I need to complain about so bear with me.
You have undoubtedly seen those commercials for that fancy new 5 bladed “Fusion” razor and how superior it is over the Mach3. (View One Here) More blades! Closer together! Less irritation! Shave in 1/8th the time! Get more sex! You can’t miss them… I think there is one played every single commercial break. If you were to judge by the shear volume of those commercials, you would assume that 5 blades are right next to the wheel and the electric light bulb in terms of importance to mankind, and in contrast, if you’re shaving with only 3 blades, you are an uneducated troglodyte who would be better off basically ripping the hair out of your face by the root.
The only problem? THEY ARE BOTH MADE BY GILLETTE!
It has taken me this long to put the pieces together and I own a Mach3. Essentially, they are spending millions of dollars, advertising against themselves! Anyone else find that supremely stupid? Anyone? I feel like I’m taking crazy pills!
Tiger Woods… I love ya buddy, but if I have to see another lame ass commercial of you, Federer the crier and that head-butting soccer schmuck I’m going to lose it.
I think my only recourse is to boycott all Gillette razors. Gillette, you have angered me. In result, you have lost me as a customer.
Whew… I feel better.
Normally I don’t do “Breaking News” sorts of things but I just wanted to point this out.
The Oakland Raiders… well, technically the corpse of Al Davis has fired their head coach of a year and a half. Why is this news? Well, because of who the scuttlebutt is over who will replace him. The rumor mill has thrown out a few names, and one of them stands out.
None other than U of I’s own Tom Cable!
Yes, the head coach that single-handedly started the Vandals slide into obscurity is now poised to take over the Raiders. Somehow I just know he will be hired. You watch.
For the record, Mr. Cable went 11-35 in 4 years (2000-2003)as the head man. He took over for the moderately successful Chris Tormey who left for Nevada (fresh off the bowl victory and the last time they beat Boise State). Idaho has since gone spiraling down the drain with 11 wins since. A drain that good old Tom “Dumpster Fire” Cable laid the groundwork for.
Do it Raiders. He’d be perfect for you.
They really really do.
I have had nothing but a stuffed up, runny, itchy nose with the frequent sneezing. Lemme tell you, I’m a real treat to be around. Hopped up on allergy meds all day that don’t seem to do all that much. Can’t sleep worth a damn at night.   Lather, rinse, repeat.
Weed pollen count in our area via The Weather Channel.
I think the only answer at this point is to seal my sinuses with rubber cement. I’m about another day or two away from actually trying this.
This past sporting weekend was a bit like two sides of the same coin.
My Saturday was excellent. First, you all know about the big Boise State upset of Oregon. That was by far the best thing. Speaking of which, I have finally gotten a bunch of photos from that weekend posted to flickr. But also, in my college football pick’em league, I ended up picking 14 of 18 correct against the spread. That is unreal. If I had been in Vegas, I would have been PAID. I mean, no one goes 14 of 18. What a great day!
Of course, then Sunday rolls around.
First, I thought I had picked Buffalo in my suicide league. (Suicide leagues are where you pick one team a week to win, the only rule is you can’t pick the same team twice). Well, Buffalo just barely beats Oaklakd… until I realized that I changed my pick at the last second to New England who got blown out by Miami, of all teams. Dammit. I’m a moron.
Then, my two fantasy football teams both got creamed. My league at work, I had exactly 0 points from my QB and RB. Needless to say, it is tough to win when that happens. Not to mention my injuries this season. Yes, I did have Tom Brady… yikes.
Oh well.
As an aside to fantasy football… last year I wrote a post about a particular bad ass kicking I took. The title of this post was “Fantasy Ass Kicking” and was about how I got blown out of the playoffs. Well, the funny thing is I check my tracking stats regularly and I often see hits to that post from web searches for simply “fantasy ass”, usually from overseas. It always cracks me up to think that some horny guy from Greece or Brazil thought they were getting something completely different. I love the web.
In other Boise State thoughts, I had this realization today. A buddy at work was trying to discuss scenarios in which BSU could get into the BCS this year, and it dawned on me, I’m still living off the Fiesta Bowl. I spent that entire 2006 season worrying about if it could happen, stressing about every game and what it might do to our chances. This time around, I’m just a lot more laid back about it. If it happens, terrific! If it doesn’t, I’m not going to lose sleep over it. I think I am in a 5 year grace period following what happened that night in the desert.
Or maybe it’s just old age.
Wow… what a weekend. (Pictures will be coming soon.) I’m not sure it has even fully sunk in yet exactly what happened. Boy, we looked good in that game. I never expected us to play as physically or as well as we did.
The defense played really well against that run game with two very solid backs and a good offensive line. I was impressed with how well they pursued the backs and had some solid tackling. Sure, Oregon had a lot of rushing yards, but with their players that had to be expected. But, we tightened up when we had to and made stops. More of that bend-but-not-break defense. Not to mention how physical our DB’s are. Yikes. (ejection of Jaron Johnson was a bit much, it was a shoulder hit, but whatever).
Kellen Moore. Where to start. That kid is awesome. Ice water in his veins. I love that Coach Pete had the confidence in him to let him air it out against Oregon’s vaunted pass defense. Almost as impressive was the pass blocking of the offensive line. Moore had all the time he needed to find the open receivers and he always seemed to make the right call. Unbelievable.