Friday, February 02, 2007

TAKING THE "BIG" STEP - GETTING ENGAGED

In recent months, I have not been posting and updating as much as I'd like to. I could provide a slew of excuses that include work, the holiday's, etc., but that still wouldn't change the fact that I'd prefer to write more frequently. Perhaps I should try to write shorter, more concise posts. Or is it quality over quantity?

Regardless, from a personal standpoint, my life has changed drastically over the past couple of months. After a great deal of thought, at some point in early November, it finally occurred to me that I had the greatest girlfriend a guy could ask for. Once I let this thought truly take hold in my brain, I knew exactly what I had to do. I was suddenly filled with an overwhelming sense of clarity on an issue I had been grappling with in the back of my mind for quite a while.

On a warm Saturday morning, I took my first steps towards the biggest decision in a man's life. I asked for permission from the special lady's father. That very same day, after I had been granted permission, my sister and future brother-in-law helped me pick out the perfect ring, and my master plan was set into motion.

In the two weeks leading up to the big day, I found myself filled with excitement and anxiety in anticipation of the decisive moment. How would I be able to get the words out without stumbling like a buffoon or passing out? What if the weather was foul? I almost couldn't believe I had reached this point in my life.

Finally, November 24th, 2006 arrived. It was the day after Thanksgiving, and Jess and I had planned to walk the dogs in the park, one our favorite activities. Luckily, the weather was unseasonably sunny and warm, and Jess had absolutely no idea what my intentions were. I was about to blindside her.

As we began our walk, my heart began to pound deep in my chest, as I could feel the moment of truth rapidly approaching. I picked out what I thought was the perfect spot at a bench by the lake. In my mind, I told myself that this is where I would do it. Then, just as we approached, Dylan (the puppy) decided it was time to poop. Scratch the bench and lake idea. It would have to wait until the end of the walk.


The little bastard pooped right before my big moment.

After what seemed like an endless half-hour walk, we finally reached the other side of the park. Together we sat on a bench to let the dogs have a drink of water. I knew the moment had arrived, but my legs had become heavy like cinder blocks. Suddenly, I was down on one knee, professing my love to Jess. She literally looked like the proverbial deer in headlights, as it finally occurred to her that I was proposing.

After I had slipped the ring on her tiny finger, and she had accepted my proposal, we finished our walk and opened a bottle of champagne that I had stashed in the car. My manly duties were complete, and I felt like a conquering hero returning in triumph. It truly ended up working to perfection, and the vivid memory of that day is a moment I will never forget.


In the car after the big proposal.

So to make a long story short, I'm now engaged, and we've since set our date at July 13, 2008. People have asked me if I know what I'm getting into, and how I could commit to one person for the rest of my life. My answer is always the same. She's my best friend in the world. Who wouldn't want to spend the rest of their life with their best friend?


The future Mr. & Mrs. Wozzy Bear.

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posted by Wozzy Bear @ 9:26 AM 6 comments

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

AFC Championship Thoughts

A friend of mine emailed me the following observations on Monday morning, in reference to the incredible AFC Championship game on Sunday evening:



I cannot believe that the following happened yesterday:

1. The Colts fumbled the ball on the goal line and actually recovered for a score.

2. Reche Caldwell got mugged in the back of the endzone and no penalty was called.

3. Reggie Wayne threw the ball in the air and caught it.

4. Reche Caldwell dropping two wide open passes....One for a TD.

5. Brady threw a pick on the last drive.

Personally, I had to agree on all accounts, and responded as follows:

1. Not only did the Colts fumble on the goal line and recover for a TD, but so did the Gaytriots. How does that happen twice in one game? Then, as if that's not bizarre enough, Dan Klecko caught a TD pass for the Colts as well. That has to be some sort of record for fat guys scoring TD's in one game.

2. The Colts defensive back (I believe Marlin Jackson) actually raped Reche Caldwell in the back of the endzone on a 3rd down play in the 4th quarter. Caldwell literally could have filed a police report and taken him to court for assault. The fact that no flag was thrown is poetic justice considering the Gaytriots have had every break of the game roll their way over the past five seasons.

3. When Reggie Wayne tossed the ball in the air with three Gaytriots surrounding him on the final Colts drive, I almost pooped in my pants. How he got the ball back, and why it ever popped out in the first place, I will never know. It was a pure heart attack moment.

4. There's no way Reche Caldwell dropped those two passes because he wasn't looking at the ball. The guy has the biggest eyeballs I've ever seen. It's really frightening.

5. Tom Brady throwing an interception to lose a game was incredibly satisfying to watch. Maybe he's human after all. What I loved even more was his face as he was walking off the field. He literally looked like he was going to cry. It was sort of a combination between almost crying and having to take a really big dump. Regardless, his facial expression was priceless, and I'm actually having a poster made of that exact face. It ranks right up there with Adam Morrison crying when Gonzaga lost in the NCAA tournament last year.

6. Bill Belichick is the biggest sore loser in the history of sports. Simply watch the moments following the final Colts kneel down to close the game for proof. You'll see Peyton Manning walk up to Belichick and extend his hand, only to have Belichick walk right by Manning without even acknowleding him. Then, to make matters worse, in the postgame press conference, he sounded like a five year old boy pouting after his mother took away his toy truck. The man has won three Super Bowls in five seasons, and has compiled a career playoff record of 12-2, yet you'd never know it by judging his demeanor. It's simply pathetic.

7. That was one of the most exciting playoff games I've ever watched, and the fact that the Gaytriots lost makes it even sweeter.

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posted by Wozzy Bear @ 9:22 AM 4 comments

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Here We Come Houston!

For the next four days, the RU Superfans will shift from NJ to Texas to watch the Scarlet Knights take on Kansas State in the innagural Texas Bowl. Houston, you have a problem. Go Knights! Go Knights! Go Knights!

posted by Wozzy Bear @ 11:28 PM 0 comments

Monday, November 13, 2006

"PANDEMONIUM IN PISCATAWAY!!!"

"Pandemonium in Piscataway," were the words of Rutgers Radio play-by-play man Chris Carlin just as the Scarlet Knight's defense sacked Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm for the fifth time, capping the most monumental win in Rutgers football history. Personally, I couldn't have said it any better myself, because pandemonium is exactly what ensued at Rutgers Stadium on Thursday night.


Rutgers Stadium literally had a pulse the entire evening.

Trailing 25-7 late in the second quarter, it seemed as if the pumpkin were about to grimly appear before the RU faithful. The typical Rutgers disaster, another blow-out at the hands of a top tier football program, seemed inevitable.

Suddenly, with just over four mintes remaining until halftime, Ray Rice took a misdirection pitch off the left side and darted eighteen yards to paydirt. In lightning-quick fashion, Rutgers Stadium was alive and kicking along with the Scarlet Knight's. Heading into halftime, the issue was still in doubt.

In my memory, the second half will always remain a hazy blur of excitement, nervousness and pure emotion, with drama and sport clashing to create a primal energy never experienced on the banks.

No one fed off this energy more than the Scarlet Knight's defense. Every time the explosive Lousiville offense touched the ball in the second half, the defense rose to the challenge with the help of a deafening Rutgers Stadium crowd.

In the meantime, the Rutgers offense chopped away. After a sixty-seven yard catch and run by freshmen wideout Kenny Britt set the Rutgers offense up at the Lousiville four yard line, Ray Rice finished the drive off with a TD charge that sent the Rutgers Stadium crowd into a frenzy. Was this actually happening? Were the Scarlet Knight's really pushing the mighty Louisville Cardinals around?

After Jeremy Ito's 46-yard field goal tied the game at twenty-five with just ten minutes to play, this game truly became a classic. The Rutgers defense would hold Lousiville after they moved the ball across midfield, the only drive in which they would gain a first down in the second half, setting up the historic conclusion.

Rutgers would take possession at their own nine yeard line, and for the first time in my life, I stood in Rutgers Stadium KNOWING that the Scarlet Knight's would march forward for the game winning drive. After a a first down and a couple of short Ray Rice runs, the Knight's faced a crucial third and six. The drive hung in the balance, and there was no question Schiano would put the ball in the hands of his selfless senior leader, Brian Leonard.

Twenty-six yards later, the entire stadium knew the tables had officially turned, as a game-winning field goal was within Ito's reach. After a few more crucial runs from Rice, Ito trotted out onto the field to drill the field goal that would send shock waves through the college football landscape.

Of course, in just a slight twist of RU irony, Ito pushed his first attempt wide left. But this is a different year for the Scarlet Knight's, and luckily, Louisville's Randall Gay jumped offsides. Ito would hammer the second attempt down the middle, and the dream was just thirteen seconds from fruition.

As Brohm tumbled down on the final play, I almost jumped over the row in front of me, as I landed on Sal's back. This improbable season would happily continue.

Before I rushed onto the field, as I stood there for just a few moments, soaking in the surge of humanity, my eyes began to well with tears as I recalled eight years worth of games.

Suddenly, the past no longer mattered. I was standing at the birthplace of college football, watching my alma mater beat the third ranked team in the nation. It was real. It had happened. And I'll never forget it for the rest of my life.


Jess and I soak in the moment before heading onto the field to join the celebration.

posted by Wozzy Bear @ 3:36 PM 3 comments

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Showdown at the Birthplace



The time for speculation has passed, as game-time has all but arrived. In just over twenty-eight hours, the incredible magic carpet will make its ninth stop of the season.

For most of the past eight year's, I've been the butt end of a family joke. While most of my family made Rutgers University their college choice, none of them believed Rutgers would ever make the quantum leap from a college football laughingstock to a legitimate player in the top twenty-five.

Year after year I was laughed at when I would make comments like "We're almost there," or "Seriously, the talent level is rising," even though the scorebaords rarely reflected it.

Now, the joke is on everyone else, my family included. Rutgers is one of five unbeaten teams left in the country, and tomorrow night, the #15 Scarlet Knights will square off with unbeaten and #3 ranked Louisville.

No longer an afterthought, RU has arrived. Tomorrow, they attempt to redraw the lines in the landscape of college football to include the birthplace of college football. Upstream Scarlet Knights - Upstream!

posted by Wozzy Bear @ 3:17 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

NEXT UP - HOWARD

QUICK OHIO RECAP - RU 24, OHIO 7


The Scarlet Knight's charge out of the tunnel for homecoming.

For the second week in a row the Scarlet Knights took care of an inferior opponent at home. Unlike in years oast, RU has taken care of the opponents they're supposed too, even when they haven't played their best football. Ohio was no exception over the weekend, and the record homecoming crowd left happy.

While the defense turned in another dominating performance, holding Ohio to just 119 yards of total offense (67 Rushing, -6 Net), the RU offense never clicked in the passing game. Mike Teel turned in a dreaful performance, throwing three picks and zero touchdowns (6-16 for 83 yds).

On the positive side, sophomore running sensation Ray Rice continued to dominate, running for a workman-like 196 yards and two touchdowns. In all, the formidable RU ground game rushed for 217 yards on 38 carries (5.7/carry).

Rice's 499 yards rushing this season rank fourth in the nation.

NEXT UP - HOWARD

On Saturday, the Knights will finish their three game homestand against division 1AA Howard. Howard enters the game at (0-2) and should pose no threat to the Knight's punishing ground game and suddenly overwhelming defense.

THE PREDICTION

Expect Mike Teel to improve vastly in his passing, while the Rice/Leonard combo should continue to run up and down the field. The Knights will continue to win the games they're supposed to, including this one easily.

Rutgers 42, Howard 7


RU fans and alumni packed Rutgers Stadium for homecoming. It was the 5th largest crowd in the stadiums brief history.


The Bopper (RU Superfan) enjoys some of CrazyLenard's BBQ Ribs @ Homecoming.

posted by Wozzy Bear @ 12:25 PM 3 comments

Friday, September 15, 2006

LET'S GO METS! PARTY LIKE IT'S 1988!

With a win tonight, the New York Mets can clinch their first National League East division title in eighteen years (1988). Having been a Mets fan my entire life, it's difficult to remember the last time this happened. 1988 is such a distant memory, as I was merely an eight year old boy in love with the game of baseball and my #1 Mookie Wilson jersey.

Here I am now, a grown man at twenty-five years old, having traded my Wilson jersey for some #5 David Wright threads, and I'm just as giddy as I was back in the late 1980's. Sure the Mets had a couple of solid seasons in 1999 and 2000 as the NL Wild Card winners (and eventual losers in the 2000 world Series to the hated cross-town rival Yankees), but winning the division just feels different. It feels as if this is the way a team should enter the playoffs.

Clinching the NL East at this point is a mere formality. If it doesn't happen tonight, it will likely become a mathematical certainty tomorrow. Yet, I hope to see the Mets celebrate a division title on the field, and party into the night as a team, like it's 1988. I know I will.

posted by Wozzy Bear @ 7:37 PM 2 comments

Destination Raritan


RU Superfan Kevdond demonstrates the type of attitude and game face necessary to achieve glory.

Tomorrow afternoon, Scarlet Knights alumni from all across the country will flock to the birthplace of college football in search of the school's first (3-0) start in almost thirty years. Surely this would be no large feat for the normal college football powerhouse, but at Rutgers, this would merely be another step in the metamorphosis from college football graveyard to a eutopia of gridirion promise.


The Scarlet Knights battle Illinois last wekeend (RU dominated 33-0).

All that stands between RU and a sprinter's start to this promising 2006 campaign is Ohio University.

No longer are the Scarlet Knights the butt end of a cheap college football joke. These low blows have been replaced by the dual punch-line of Ray Rice and Brian Leonard.

PREDICTION

Last week the Ohio defense yielded 196 rushing yards to Northern Illinois. With decades of Scarlet Knight alumni jammed into Rutgers Stadium for a jubilant homecoming, expect sophomore tailback Ray Rice and senior fullback Brian Leonard to run rampant through the Ohio secondary and straight into the Raritan.

These are not your father's Scarlet Knight's...Not in our house on homecoming.

Rutgers 41, Ohio 10

Check out more RU Superfan photo's from lat week's game at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozzybear/

posted by Wozzy Bear @ 2:58 PM 2 comments