Liverpool FC Season Recap and Future

Liverpool Football Club Logo

Liverpool Football (soccer) Club of the Barclays Premier League had an improved 2012-2013 campaign from their previous season finishing 7th in the league out of 20 teams. Last year was a big disappointment for many fans when we finished 8th and had our lowest goal tally in many years. With a new manager in Brendan Rodgers, a new breath of life was ignited in the team, and we saw improvements in a few players who struggled the previous year. Before the 2011-12 campaign Liverpool signed Andy Carroll from Newcastle for 35m pounds, Jordan Henderson from Sunderland for 20m pounds, and Stewart Downing from Aston Villa for 18m pounds. All these signings failed to have an impact in the previous season and did little to win over the hearts of the Liverpool faithful.

Brendan Rodgers

When Brendan Rodgers was hired, his first order of business was to loan Andy Carroll out to West Ham United, as he did not see the 35 million pound man in the future with Liverpool. Andy Carroll was supposed to be a future replacement for our top goal scorer a few seasons in a row Fernando Torres, who was sold to Chelsea FC, a London club, the January prior for 50 million pounds. Needless to say he also failed to live up to his high price tag, and left the fans scratching their heads as to how we would spend so much on him. Brendan Rodgers then decided to add some more depth in the midfield by signing Joe Allen for 15 million pounds from his previous club Swansea City. He also bought a Moroccan winger from Heerenven of the Dutch Football League to bring some flair into the club. These looked to be quality signings, but later in the season we can see that they may not have been such.

Joe Allen

Joe Allen made a huge impact in his first few games and had fans excited about the future of our midfield. He was very strong for his size, and was good with the ball at his feet. The 15 million that Rodgers paid for him seemed to be money well spent. It wasn't until later on in the season that we began to see a dip in Allen's form, and he was sidelined before too long. Many fans then began to turn on Allen and the money spent for him, which I don't understand because it was only a few games in which he did not play up to snuff. It was later found that Joe had been carrying an injury while he was off form, and many fans then realized exactly why he was playing as he was. I can say that I do like Joe Allen as a player and I hope he stays with Liverpool and shows us more of his midfield quality once he is healthy again next year.

Luis Suarez

In the beginning of the year it was clear that Luis Suarez was still the best player currently wearing a Liverpool jersey when he blazed to a huge start. He had led the league in goals throughout the whole year, and ended up with 23 goals in 33 games. He had 31 goals altogether in the season when you include other competitions that Liverpool were involved in, but like many years prior, Suarez was wrapped in controversy. The year prior, Suarez was accused of racial abuse against Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, who is black. Evra claimed that Suarez called him a racist name, and he was banned for 8 games because of it. This current season Suarez carried over his controversy, when experts and fans alike, labeled him a diver and a cheat. A diver is someone who goes down to the ground to easy to try and draw a foul from the referee. I cannot deny that Suarez is a diver, but yet so are most players in football. Yet another controversy struck Suarez when in a game against Chelsea FC, Suarez intentionally bit Branislav Ivanovic on the arm out of frustration. He received a 10 game ban, and will be out for the remainder of this season and some of next.

Philippe Coutinho

Brendan Rodgers made a huge splash in the January transfer window by acquiring a much needed scorer in Daniel Sturridge for 12m from Chelsea. He also signed a young Brazilian named Coutinho from a club in Italy called Inter for 8.5m which would prove to be one of the best signings this club has seen yet. Both these players made an immediate impact on the club, and brought new life to the attacking play that the fans have come to know and love from Liverpool FC. As you know, Brazilians are very talented footballers, and Coutinho is no exception to that. He absolutely mesmerizes fans and defenders alike when he dribbles past everyone and lays a beautiful pass in for one of our strikers. Just this past weekend against Newcastle, Coutinho had a part in all 6 goals that were scored for Liverpool that game, and he was an absolute menace to the defense. Sturridge also added two goals to his already stellar goal scoring record with Liverpool in the few months he had started playing for us.

I believe that the future is bright for LFC. We have loads of young talent, and Brendan Rodgers has gotten the best out of the team he was given. With a little time, and some more quality signings, I believe Liverpool will return to the glory days and compete hard for years to come.

Suns Fire General Manager Lance Blanks

Blanks

On April 22nd 2013 it was announced that Lance Blanks, the Phoenix Suns General Manager would part ways with the organization after a few rough years under his leadership. Lance Blanks, like his name he is blank of good ideas. The Suns are coming off a year that saw them have their worst record since they were an expansion team in 1968-69 where they went 16-66, which is expected from an expansion team. This year they finished with an appalling record of 25-57, and finished dead last in the Western Conference. Many Suns fans, including myself, are obviously up in arms about this situation and want to see a return to the glory days of Charles Barkley, or more recently, Steve Nash. The front office of the Phoenix Suns has come under fire the past few years for making horrible decisions regarding the building of the team, and the cheapskate attitude that they have presented. The owner Robert Sarver is public enemy number one in Suns fans eyes right now. He has single handed turned this once great basketball organization into a sham, and many Suns fans are pleading with him to sell the team, and most would like to see the return of long time owner Jerry Colangelo.  Some of the Suns greatest seasons saw Jerry as the owner, and his son Bryan as the General Manager. Bryan Colangelo was the man who brought Steve Nash back, and seamlessly built a team that could compete for championships every year. Although this team never did win, it wasn't always our fault. Through rotten luck, and crooked referees, the Suns were never quite able to get over the championship hump.

Sarver

In the 04-05 season, which was Nash's first as the Suns star point guard, we saw a resurgence of run and gun basketball that was exciting and put the fans in the stands. The 8 seasons that Steve Nash played with the Suns were some of the best seasons the Suns organization has ever seen, and to go from this sort of play to the boring, uncoordinated play of the past few seasons has been hard to watch. Lance Blanks is most definitely at the forefront of these problems as he was the one who signed players who had no potential, and drafted players who were busts. He even traded our draft picks a few times simply for money, which for any basketball organization to do is a complete embarrassment. The picks that we've traded in recent years have resulted in players such as Rajon Rondo, Luol Deng, and Rudy Fernandez. These three players would have been benchmarks to our franchise, and could have helped us get over the championship hump, but instead we traded them for cash, or less talented players. We also have a knack for drafting less talented siblings. In 2008 we drafted Robin Lopez, a 7 foot center out of Stanford, who was always known for being in the shadow of his much more talented brother Brook, who was taken by the Nets earlier in the draft. Another example of this is when we drafted Taylor Griffin, who is Blake Griffin's less athletic and more bench warming brother.

Charles Barkley (rumored to be possible GM candidiate)

As a Suns fan I have to say I was ecstatic that Lance Blanks was finally fired. He has done nothing but make bad decisions since he became GM in 2010, and the records show that he has brought this team down to a very sub par level. Just about the only thing he did that made Suns fans happy was to bring Goran Dragic back to Phoenix after trading him away stupidly a few years prior. I'm not sure who should be the next GM, but I know he will do a better job than Blanks ever did. I think even I could do a better job than he did. It's very difficult to be a Suns fan right now, but I think if we are patient and use our draft picks wisely, we can be on top again someday and hopefully win our first championship sometime soon. The Suns are the most winning franchise in the NBA that do not have a championship banner hanging in their rafters. I would like to see our new GM change this. He or she has to come in with a mind set that it's going to be hard work and will take a few years, but if we are patient and make the right moves we will get there someday.

Chase Field: A Great Place to Relax or Go Crazy

Ever since the Diamondbacks were founded in 1998, I have been a huge fan of not only the team, but the stadium itself. I remember the first game I went to so vividly. I had been to Suns games and I always thought, as a small child, that it was such a huge place. Compared to Chase Field, US Airways Center, where the Suns play, is a minuscule place. Chase Field dwarfs it in many ways, and the first time I laid eyes on it I was amazed. Of course back in 1998 it was called Bank One Ballpark, or just, "The BOB," for short, and was changed to Chase Field in 2006. Walking up to the ballpark I was so excited to watch my first professional baseball game, which was strange because I didn't particularly like baseball that much up until Arizona was given a franchise. It is known as a hitter's ballpark, and it is never short of home runs each season. This makes the games a lot more exciting, but can also be detrimental to our own pitchers who try their best to keep the ball in the park. The mood in the ballpark before the game is always so electric, the sound of the crack of the bat as the players take BP, and the cheers from the crowd as a fan makes a nice catch in the outfield bleachers. The smell of the food in the ballpark is mesmerizing to the nostrils. It makes you want to sample everything they've got. The humongous screen in center field shows you all the stats from around the league and when you see them you want to start talking baseball with another enthusiast.

Chase Field (BOB) In Construction

Gonzo Celebrating After Game Winning Hit

We played the San Fran Giants, and I remember sitting in the upper deck. We did win the game, and if my memory is as good as I think it is, Barry Bonds homered that game. Ever since that game I have been hooked on baseball. Nothing quite rivals going to the ballpark for me, and I cherish every opportunity I get to spectate. I can only think of two or three times when I've gone to a game and they have lost. I'm pretty sure I am good luck in some ways. I have had the pleasure of watching both Randy Johnson, and Curt Schilling pitch back in the glory days of Dback's baseball. I always say if there is one moment I could time travel back to, I would travel to Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, and I would take the best seat in the house. Right above the Yankees dugout to watch Luis Gonzalez celebrate down the first base line, and see Jay Bell run into Matt Williams arms at home plate as my favorite team hoisted there first trophy. I would also have the call from Greg Schulte, the Dbacks' radio broadcaster in my ear. "A little blooper!! BASE HIT!!! DIAMONDBACKS WIN!!! THEY"RE THE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!" I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

More Celebration

In more recent years, I still attend games in my free time to revisit the majesty of the mammoth ball park I know and love. In 2011, the Dbacks were National League West Champs, and Kyle Schuster and I went to games 3 and 4 of the series. We didn't get home field advantage over the Brewers, so we had to play two out of three in Milwaukee. Games 3 and 4 were by far the most exciting games I have ever attended. It's amazing how much more exciting playoff baseball can be. A highlight for me was when Paul Goldschmidt cranked a grand slam in Game 3 to give us a sizable lead to work with. Every fan in the park knew he was going to hit it, and when he did the roof nearly collapsed with all the cheers. I remember jumping up and down and high-fiving everyone around me. These are the good times that Chase Field and the Dbacks have given me and I will never forget them. Hopefully I can get to many more games in the future to support the team I have grown up with and loved.

Chase Field from Home Plate

Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive

The film Drive fits into the current discussion of secrets in class by displaying the duality of the driver character. In the beginning it seems as though he is just a normal guy who happens to be a very talented driver, and as such uses that ability to his advantage to make money through aiding criminals in their getaways. It isn't until towards the middle of the film that you begin to see his other side come out. This particularly happens because of his attachment to Irene and Benicio, and the fact that he's never felt that way about anybody before. The fact that it gets taken away from him slowly drives him to become more violent, even though most of the time the violence was warranted.

Coolest Movie Poster Ever

The one scene and line I love so much is when Driver is watching TV with Benicio, and he asks him if the shark on the show is a bad guy. Benicio of course responds with yes, and Driver then asks him if there are any good sharks. Benicio responds, "I mean just look at him; does he look like a good guy to you?" This line is so memorable for me because it creates innocence in Driver's situation, and the shark is a metaphor not only for Bernie and Nino, but for himself as well. He wants to believe that he can be a good shark, or even that Bernie and Nino could be good sharks even though they have the appearance of a villain. This dilemma is the underlying theme of the movie in that Driver is trying to be a good person, but in the end his evil side ruins the situation, and he must prevail over his Mr. Hyde side to become A Real Hero to Irene and Benicio, and a real human being.

Driver with Irene and Benicio

This is simply one of my favorite movies ever. I have been a fan of Nicolas Winding Refn's movies for a while and when I saw the trailer for this movie in the theater, I was pumped. His past movies include Valhalla Rising, Bronson, and the Pusher trilogy to name a few. I especially recommend Bronson to anyone who enjoyed Drive. It is the story of Charles Bronson: a maniacal prisoner in the UK who wreaked havoc in every prison he ever attended. It is a very interesting movie, and when Refn puts his own spin on it, it is very entertaining. Tom Hardy, who portrayed Bane in Batman, was given the role of Bronson, and he played it brilliantly.

Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Winding Refn

A new movie is coming out this July called Only God Forgives starred by Ryan Gosling and of course directed by Refn. Needless to say I can't wait to see it, and I hope this isn't there last project working together.

The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride

The Color of Water by James McBride is a book about overcoming struggle and breaking through societal expectations. In the novel, McBride describes his childhood growing up in New York with 12 brothers and sisters, and their single, white mother. Herein lies the issue, because the 12 children were all dark skinned, and all had African American fathers. Their mother's name was Ruth, and was not only white, but Jewish as well. There were so many factors going against this family since this book takes place mostly in the late 50's and early 60's, and during those times racially mixed marriages were frowned upon, much more so than present times. McBride also goes on to write about his process before actually writing this book, and through this journey describes how he came to realize just how much adversity he's had to face throughout his life. He even found out some things that he never knew about his mother. There is also a pattern in this book that jumps from stories of McBride's childhood, to the next chapter in which his mother Ruth tells a story from her own childhood.

9 of the 12 Children with Ruth (James bottom left)

Ruth Shilsky was her name as a child, and she grew up in a Jewish family of immigrants from Poland in Suffolk, Virginia. She describes how strict her father was, and how eventually she was drawn away from her immediate family because of this, and rebelled by eventually running away and marrying a non-Jew, black man against her father's wishes. Through all of this you begin to see how these events molded her into the tough woman she became that aided her in protecting her 12 children from people who were against what their family stood for.

James and Ruth

I definitely recommend this book to anyone, no matter race, gender, or social status because it is very inspirational. It shows that no matter what your background is in life, or how much some people would like to see you fail, you just have to keep pushing and do it for yourself. The fact that Ruth was strong enough to not only raise her 12 kids nearly alone, but also put them all through college, is a testament to hard work and how unnecessary it is to care what others may think of you. This sort of moral lesson could be useful to anyone in any situation of diversity they may be facing. If Ruth can successfully raise 12 mixed race children in a time when racism was still very much alive, than surely someone else can succeed in much smaller and manageable endeavors. I will forever look back on this book for inspiration and say to myself, if she can do that, than surely I can do anything I put my mind to.

Stafford Response

I think Stafford meant, “The Life of a Poem” to be the process it takes to come to a finalized product. He obviously has many thoughts and ideas in which he remembers and later puts down on paper. He takes his time to choose the best vocabulary and wording to make the most impact on the reader. I do agree that all writing, in some ways, have a life of their own. Even if it is an assigned essay that must be researched instead of just thought out, the process it takes to get from point A to point B in a paper can at times be lengthy and other times it can be short. It’s a lot like life in that it can sometimes be short, so you have to use the abilities and resources available to write the best you can with the experience you have.

William Stafford

The man himself, Stafford, is definitely a very serene character. It seems he uses his calm mood to write his poetry. I think many people can learn to be more calm people from reading his words, and even watching interviews with him about his writing style.

          

I believe that much can be learned from Stafford’s words. He obviously firmly believes that anyone can write, it’s just having the drive and state of mind to do so. In the video you can see him taking a nature walk of sorts to gain inspiration, which I believe is his way of researching. As a graduate student goes through experiences to research for a thesis to graduate, Stafford uses his walks to gain stimulation to write his poetry and share it with people.

My Favorite Quotation

“I could never understand ethnic or national pride. Because to me, pride should be reserved for something you achieve or attain on your own, not something that happens by accident of birth. Being Irish isn’t a skill, it’s a f***ing genetic accident. You wouldn’t say “I’m proud to be 5’11”. I’m proud to have a predisposition for colon cancer.” So why the f*** would you be proud to be Irish, or proud to be Italian, or American or anything?”

— George Carlin

Carlin in the 70's

This is one of my favorite quotes, and one of many that I enjoy from George Carlin. Carlin is definitely one of my heroes, and a person I've always looked up to and wanted to mold myself after. This quote exemplifies the exact reason I love him and his work so much. He has such a sarcastic and truthful humor, that almost everything he says has validity to me, and I have shaped my own identity around some of his ideas in many ways. He was a pioneer of his time, and to me his most admirable quality was the fact that he was so outspoken and didn't care what you thought of what he had to say. He simply stated what he believed, and if you didn't agree it was OK because he would just move on. 

This quote is so comical to me because you hear this sort of thing so much nowadays. You always see a bumper sticker, or shirts with these sayings on them. Although it is very patriotic and nice of you to represent your country, it is simply the wrong choice of word. The logic behind his words just makes too much sense to be ignored in my honest opinion, and it's quite comical that people say these things all the time without realizing that it doesn't make any sense. 

Carlin During His Last Special

I believe that it's good to be patriotic, but a better way of saying it would be, "Happy to be an American." Or even better, "Lucky to be an American." Because we all are very lucky to be living where we are living given all the famine and death in the world today. I think people look past this luck a lot, and focus on trivial problems that are not as important as others.  From now on, when I hear someone say this particular statement, I'm going to make sure I correct them, even if they don't like it. Like George says a few seconds after this quote, "Pride goeth before the fall. Know your proverbs." This was very amusing because Carlin is a very well known critic of religion, and the fact that he knew a bible line that correlated so well with his point just drives his logic home a little more.