Buckeye basketball

So last night after our test (let's not talk about the test) a few of my classmates and I went to Chumley's (a bar on campus) to watch OSU vs Michigan basketball. I haven't really watched too much basketball this year but it was hands down the best game I've seen in a long time. Both teams went after it with tough defense and hard drives to the basket. OSU was definitely the better team on the night but Michigan made 14 three pointers completely shooting out of their mind and forced the game into overtime. The crowd in the bar was going pretty crazy it was a very fun atmosphere. OSU was the victim of a few questionable calls in OT and ultimately lost by 2 when one of the players was hacked on a drive to the basket but no foul was called. It was fun to get out and do something social the only fun things I've done since I've gotten back is have people over to my place for football. The waitress spilled salsa and guacamole on a few of my classmates and did not apologize or return to our table so that was definitely a dampener on the night but overall glad I got out to watch. Unfortunately I have another test on Monday and lot's of other things to do but I will take a break long enough to watch the US' first World Cup Qualifier in Honduras on my computer in an hour or so. Hopefully we can bring home a W but a draw would be a good result as Honduras is a good team and they will have 40,000 screaming fans there.

Superbowl Commericals

So this year I wasn't overly wowed by the commercials but there were a few solid ones in case you missed them. Numbers 4 and 3 of this top video were some of my favorites but the Jamaican VW accent guy was my favorite by far although I've unfortunately never met anyone like him in Minnesota. That video is posted below.

So the actual game this year was really good. It looked rough for awhile but the 49ers managed to come back and the goal line fourth down stand at the end of the game by the Ravens was pretty dramatic. Flaco had quite the game and but although I've been making the "Elite" joke (#Elite) a lot because that's what he's been calling himself I would personally have to see another run from him before I call him that. However last night certainly showed he had it. The the black out was pretty funny but after 40 minutes it got pretty old. I also thought the halftime show was the best I've seen in a long time, certainly post Janet Jackson fiasco.
Former Viking Matt Birk got a ring which is a cool story for me. He went to high school in the Twin Cities, went to Harvard, and then played a bunch of years for his hometown team the Vikings. He also serves on the NFL Players Union (or did, and I'm not 100% sure that is the name of it) so I think he was definitely deserving. Doesn't look like Moss will get his but that's the way it goes. And off course the battle between the two brothers was intriguing and obviously it was Ray Lewis' last game but I was pretty pleased that the commentators laid off those two stories once the game started and focused on the game. Now for sports I have the upcoming Champion's League games to look forward to as most of the leagues already seemed decided and maybe I'll start to follow basketball a bit more seriously.

Mike defeats MRSA!

So thankfully Mike (who is rotating in my lab) was able to get over his MRSA infection and as back in the swing of things. He spent the night in the ER and is on heavy antibiotics but his knee will be fine despite some nasty looking photos of the wound which I will not share here. The first years in the program were originally going to visit him but opted instead to make a card for him. I decided to buy flowers and a huge "Get Well Soon!" balloon to top it off. Here is Mike reading the card which had some rather quotable notes on it from other first years. We presented it to him watching the Superbowl at my apartment.

Here is everyone from the program there. Not the best turnout but we do have exams coming up.

And here is the balloon.

The best moment was probably when I went to Giant Eagle to buy flowers and ultimately spied the balloon and knew I had to have it. As I was checking out the clerk caught me smiling and asked "there's someone special in your life isn't there ;)". "Yes" I replied, "yes there is."

Big tennis day

 So today after studying all morning I drove out to the Buckeye tennis center to watch the #4 Buckeyes take on #6 Georgia. Just viewing the parking lot (I actually had to go move my car after doubles along with half of the crowd) told how big the crowd was going to be. I walked in to the building shaking because the team was playing some prematch dubstep similar to what my team would have done. I got a poor spot to view doubles but it was still great to watch. Watching the team warm up doing some volley drills was incredible. They had such fast hands and anything above their shoulders they smashed and rarely missed. They raced out to leads in two of the doubles matches and took the doubles point (doubles is 2/3 for one point in division 1) and were unlucky not to be leading on court two. They quickly won 4 singles matches to win the meet which was surprising to me. I ended up watching court 5 a lot due to the Buckeye player having similar characteristics to my game. Likewise his opponent spent the match talking to himself, arguing with the line judge, and at one point kicking over a chair. Oh the memories. The top court matches were pretty awesome to watch. The number one singles match came down to a super tiebreaker. The OSU player had a big lead in it but ultimately lost and the meet ended up 5-2 (#6 singles also lost in a super) but overall a lot of fun. Plus it didn't take very long the meet was mathematically over in 2:20 although I stayed for another twenty minutes to watch the end of the match. Now I'm having people over from my program to watch the Superbowl and were going to surprise my friend Mike who is now out of the hospital with presents. I will get a picture and post.

Doubles play

Warm up for doubles

The OSU player that looks like my friend James "Keith Stones" Hanson. He even kind of acts like him. I will get a better photo in the future. Also the number 1 player looks a lot like Daken Starkenburg and he even hits his forehand and serve very similarly. He does hit both of them significantly harder however, sorry Daken :)

No Superbowl prediction

Can't decide who I think is going to win so I am not making a prediction. I will predict that #4 OSU will beat #6 Georgia in tennis in Columbus as I am about to eat and go watch that match.

Grand theft poultry?

So I saw this story on the news about how on Superbowl Sunday the most chicken wings are consumed compared to any other day of the year. Then I saw this story from Yahoo news about how $65,000 of wings were stolen! Truly remarkable heist by these two men not that I condone it but apparently they used a fork lift and a truck in a warehouse and got out unnoticed. Now what exactly they plan to do with these wings remains a mystery but I can only assume they plan to throw the most glutinous Superbowl viewing party the earth has ever seen.

Kohawk tennis opening the season

Best of luck to everyone involved in Kohawk tennis this morning! Start the season off right. Wishing Ohio was a few hours closer

3000 views!

Just passed 3000 page views! And my own page views are turned off so don't even try to tell me I looked at my blog 3000 times (Adam Becker). Thanks for viewing! I will continue to try to post frequently about any and everything that comes to mind. Except my daily life that gets boring.

Dropping like flies at the Wu Lab

So my lab, the Wu lab is now down two members. One of the post Doc Corine is getting her wisdom teeth out due to a check infection caused by the wisdom teeth and one of the rotation students and one of my classmates got a painful knee infection and had to go to the ER. This turned out to be MRSA which is a nasty bacterial infection (don't google image if you don't know what it is, trust me) so hopefully he will be ok. Also our lab technician mysteriously took the day off.... In the meantime I am exercising utmost precaution staying away from the HIV room because I do not want to be the next one to fall!

Comparing Ohio winters to places I have previously lived

Not too shabby although the snow covered library does look nice.