A Short Rant

Ok so let me preface this post by saying that this is a rebuttal to the many comments I have heard about the performance of the NC State Wolfpack's great win against an overrated (as usual) Duke team. I will start off by saying that I am a fan of good basketball. Against Duke, NC State played great basketball. It all came together, great defense, clutch shooting, and mental toughness (they didn't fold even when Nolan Smith hit that rediculous shot at the end of the first half). For that I applaud them (clap clap). I actually enjoyed the game (yes I did watch it). I was impressed by the potential of some of their players namely Scott Wood and Tracy Smith. So keep this in mind as you read the rest of this post. I do give props where props are due.

I will NOT EVER be a fan of NC State EVER again. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of college basketball anyways (I know gasp...) I enjoy March Madness...and I pull for the ACC against the other conferences but I will not be called an NC State fan. This week's win simply reiterated a lot of the things I hate about NC State. Not all of them involve sports...in fact the main reason is that I am just frustrated with them in general right now. But here goes...

1. Let's get the stupid reason out of the way first. This is the reply to those people who have called me a "bandwagon" fan after the Duke game. Ummm....last time I checked "bandwagon" meant that you all of a sudden started pulling FOR a team after a win or a couple of wins. I actually DO NOT pull for NC State even after they beat Duke. (See the first paragraph). Have I pulled for UNC, yes. Does UNC stink this year...yes...like crap. Therefore am I a bandwagon fan...no. Stop being stupid.

2. I hate stupid fans. While every school has stupid fans I agree...some of the worst are found at NC State. When was the last time they won anything...like 1982-83 season? And yet State fans expect their name to be mentioned as on the same level as Duke or Carolina. Well hmmm...lets see...Duke and Carolina have actually won CHAMPIONSHIPS...OHHHHH! It makes sense for them to be mentioned in the national picture every year...they've earned the right. NC State have not been even relevant in ANYTHING for like the past 15+ years. So let's quit acting like we're a good team already and should be competing for the same recruits as Duke and Carolina. Maybe in time...but lets be realistic people! Also, no one talks junk like a State fan and with less reason. I mean, if you like talking smack and then getting your butt handed to you...keep going but like I said...I hate stupid fans. State may be 0 and 16 and Carolina maybe #1 in the country but to hear a State fan talk, Carolina has NO shot to beat them...just stop...you're embarrassing yourself.

3. The other type of State fans are the ones who come out of the woodwork when they get a big win (like against Duke). They're like..."yeah we TOLD you that was going to happen"...and then start talking even more junk (see above paragraph). To hear some of these people talk you would think they had just won the national championship. I mean...I guess when you haven't won anything since Ronald Reagan was president...it is kind of a big win...but let's look at the record 12-6, 2-3 in the ACC....hmmm...mediocre at best. (And yes I know that UNC is like dead last in the ACC...not even going to argue about that...State may even be better than UNC this year...)

4. Last two things about the NC State sports programs...first no one lives in the past quite like an NC State fan. They can completely suck it up for 10 consecutive seasons but a true State fan can never stop talking about the "glory days" "Remember that 1973 season!" Every game thats on TV the camera pans to the ceiling so we can see that 1982 championship banner. Way to go. Most of you weren't even born in 1973...so stop talking about something you didn't even get to witness. If you were born before 1982 I bet most of you were still to young to remember anything about it!

5. Last thing...whenever NC State sports DOES actually have something good going for them, they find a way to screw it up. I give you...Herb Sendek. The guy did nothing but win. He got them to the NCAA tournament like every year. But...they didn't win a championship so they fired him. Since then, they haven't made it ONCE to the tournament and I don't even think they have made the NIT (perhaps I'm wrong on that). Once again, unrealistic expectations halt progress. Herb Sendek then goes to Arizona State (a horrible basketball school in a horrible conference...the PAC 10) and...ohhhh....gets them to the NCAA tournament...twice. In your face State.

Ok that's all I'm going to say about NC State sports. I just felt the need to rant a little. Now I do attend NC State and so I think I have the right to say what I did about them. After all I have spent 7+ years there. There are many other reasons besides their sports programs for which I harbor some resentment towards my school but honestly it would take too long for me to write here. I also realize that I will probably get TONS of negative comments about this post. Go ahead...bring it. Remember I used to pull for State so I probably already know exactly what you are going to say...there are only like 3-4 rebuttals an NC State fan can use! Perhaps I have ruffled some feathers....well you don't have to keep reading my blog then. Bum. Haha ok well that is all I'm going to say. I actually had a lot of fun writing this post. Hope you have fun reading it!

'Till next time,

-D-Lev

Maccu Piccu

So...my last post I said that I wanted to go somewhere...that I was a little restless... Well it looks like I now have a chance to go hiking in Peru this spring which would be freakin AWESOME! A lot of things could prevent this from happening however, such as money, work, and unforseen circumstances...maybe...at least I will post some pictures of the trail I would be on.

The last couple of services at Journey have been very meaningful to me. It is a series called "Jump". Basically the gist of it is, when God calls you to do something for Him it is almost always out of your comfort zone. We don't know what the end result will be. We can't see ahead like God can. The only thing we can do is...jump. Too often I make the "logical" choice. The one where I can see the end result. The one where I am in control. I have to ask myself, where's the faith in that? I have a hard time finding anything that I have done to this point where I have actually had to exercise faith. Perhaps that's why I feel restless. Maybe that's why I feel like I have not accomplished anything? The problem is...what! What is the dream that God wants me to accomplish? I don't know...and that is my prayer. That God will give me a dream that I cannot accomplish on my own. One that will require me to "jump". Then I pray that I will have the courage to do so... Whew...it has been an interesting couple of weeks. I feel like changes are coming but I don't know what. I don't know what the next step is and that's a bit discouraging.

-Till next time

-D-Lev

P.S. Perhaps I will be more lighthearted next time...sorry haha

A Random Collection of Thoughts...

Random Thought #1: Everything about NC State sucks...maybe that's just because I had my first 8:30 a.m. class this morning or because it took me twice taking trips all the way down to the cashier's office to "pre-pay" for my class only to have them put a hold on my account so that I couldn't register which meant I got put on the waiting list...which meant that I had to contact the professor and try to get him to let me in which he finally did yesterday...or maybe its because the rules state that I have to be "registered for a class" in order to take my final oral exam...which means that even though I am completely finished with all my course requirements for my degree I STILL HAVE TO PAY $1366 JUST TO TAKE A FREAKIN EXAM!!! Maybe that's why...oh yeah and they don't accept Visa...and also their sports programs stink...Aggghhhh

Random Thought #2: When you're 28 and still in school and still don't know what to do with your life you feel a bit like a loser...

Random Thought #3: Green Bay vs Arizona was one of the best NFL playoff games I have ever seen! Kurt Warner is a machine...he threw more touchdown passes than incompletions (5-4). Also thought it was ironic that a game which set NFL postseason records for offense ended on a defensive touchdown.

Random Thought #4: The Storm are 9-0. I'm so proud of those girls...to see how far they have come from that group of tiny little freshmen 4 years ago to one of the best teams in the Raleigh area...thats a lot of hard work and dedication...lesser people would have quit. It has been so worth staying around here this year and being a part of this team...I don't regret my decision.

Random Thought #5: I want to go out west again...I've been really restless lately. I want to do something like climb the Tetons or hike accross Glacier or backpack into the Grand Canyon. Normally I hate staying in one spot for to long or doing the same thing for an extended period and I've been here for a looonnngg time...so I'm getting that "fenced in" feeling...maybe you don't know what I'm talking about but its hard to describe...hmmm....oh well....

Random Thought #6: I need to stop writing now and actually do some work...

Till next time!

-D-Lev