It's always important to look back before moving forward.

So for me 2008 will be remebered for...

Watching a leader who inspired millions all over the globe to rethink the world as it is and reject anyone who tells them they can't do something.

Earning enough respect to call myself a full-time employee at a job that comes with 'benefits'.

Trying to figure out what exactly having a job with 'benefits' means.

Remebering that on this day last year I said "I'm not sure when, if ever, I will be ready to be employed at a 9-5 job".

Becoming comfortable enough with L.A. to consider it my 'home'.

Truly seeing why some people will live no place other than in Southern California.

Really seeing why some people want nothing to do with Southern California.

Seeing a close friend achieve athletic success reserved for only a select few.

Being able to witness those successes (and some trying times) from a unique vantage point.

Realizing (once again) how clear the stars look from a place where you don't need any of the things people 'can't live without' on a day-to-day basis.

Traveling to my favorite city in the world and remebering why I feel that way about it.

Seeing a baseball game in the world's most famous and historically significant sporting venue. A place that won't exist after this year.

Anticipating a horse race more than I ever will again in my life.

For me 2008 will be remembered for...

Being more unsure about my future plans than ever before...and learning to become more comfortable with that fact.

I'll remeber 2008 as the year I began...

Looking toward the future of my country and humanity with uncertainty and a hope that within my lifetime we can achieve a new way of living.

Trying to re-think my daily habits so that I can begin to do my part to help us achieve that way of living.

Realizing I'm in touch with fewer people than I thought I was.

Knowing one of my favorite live musical acts will never be the same.

Watching all of my favorite sports teams float around in the sea of mediocrity.

There are many memories and lessons I'm sure I've forgotten. As 2008 passed too quickly I'm sure 2009 will do the same. I can only hope I learned as much as in the new year as I did this year.

College Football

What a college football season it's been. My favorite sport has been taken to new levels this year. The talent and play of the players and teams is higher than it's ever been. With such a great season apparently so must come the controversy. A conversation on any sports topic almost anywhere with almost anyone is virtually guaranteed to somehow lead to a discussion on whether or not there should be a playoff in major college football.

Currently I stand somewhere in the middle. I love college football the way it is. Is it imperfect? Yes of course it is. Is the regular season the most fun three months in sports? By far. What makes the regular season that way? The BCS.

A mentor to me at the Daily Camera Neill Woelk spells out his argument against a playoff and has some pretty good points to back it up using this year's teams as examples. I listened to many discussions about the BCS when I was around college football just about every day while interning at the D.C. in Boulder. The one thing I learned from hearing these comments and discussions from people whose jobs were centered around college football: most people don't fully understand what a playoff would entail or even why they think it's such a good idea.

There are so many important questions to consider: how do you pick the teams who make the playoff? Do you lose conference title games? Do you keep the other bowls? The list of questions is virtually endless.

"It would be so entertaining...I would watch every single game. It would be just like the NCAA basketball tournament. Who wouldn't want to do this?!?" most casual fans say. This may be true but more goes into a playoff than what first meets the eye.

The most common argument is for an eight-team straight up playoff. Some things to think about if an eight-team system were put in place. The difference between the 6th-8th ranked teams who make the final bracket and the 9th-13th ranked teams who don't is basically nonexistent. How do you tell those 9th-12th place teams they don't get into the playoff? I know I would be pretty angry if CU was the 9th or 10th team, or if they missed out because of a loss in the Big 12 title game (if you chose to give automatic bids to the winners of the conference titles). Like Neill says, the more teams you let in, the more potential for controversy. Atleast with the current system there is usually only one team that has a legitimate complaint about not getting into the BCS National Title Game. That one team usually has one major reason they were left out of the title game which lessens the strength of the complaints and arguments. That team still makes boatloads of money and gets to play in a huge BCS bowl game.

If you decide to lose the conference title games to extend the "postseason" as could be needed in the case of a playoff, how do you decide who wins and who loses conferences? A playoff would be flawed from the beginning if spots were given without considering the champion in each confernce. These championship games need to be made the standard in every FBS conference, not done away. This is something the BCS and NCAA need to look at. The fact that conference title games are not uniform across the board (Pac 10 and Big 10) makes things confusing in the current system and would create even more confusion in a playoff system. If a team doesn't win its conference they should not be able to play for the National Championship. That is the way it should work, no questions asked.

For all it's proposed "flaws" the one thing you cannot knock the BCS for is the way it creates a regular season unlike anything else in sports. Compete in a BCS conference and win all of your games? You're basically guaranteed to play for the title. The one catch: that almost never happens. Lose one game and you're automatically thrown in a group of 'maybes' for the rest of the season. Compete in the Mountain West, WAC or Conference USA and go undefeated? You're not guaranteed a spot anywhere in BCS let alone the title game. The current BCS system does not allow for the 'mid-majors' of the world a shot. "Everyone should be allowed to play for a title!!"critics of the BCS complain. How is this unfair? . These mid-major teams don't deserve a shot at a title because they would never sniff any BCS game, let alone the Title Game if they had to compete in any BCS conference week in and week out (Utah). These cinderella stories don't happen like they do in March Madness. I feel it is enough to let these smaller schools play the big boys in a BCS game every year. Once in a while they'll pull off a huge upset and everyone will be happy (except the Oklahomas of the world). Coach Hawkins, the guy who put the king of these schools on with map (Boise St.), would agree. If he didn't why did he leave Boise for Boulder? He knows Boise can be a good team year in and year out, but they will NEVER have the resources, talent or exposure to compete with Texas, Oklahoma or even Nebraska on a yearly basis.

This problem is not going to be easily fixed. As a solution something along the lines of a plus-one system would probably work best and the most amount of fans while still keepeing athetic directors, school presidents and corporate sponsors happy.

How would the system work? Automatic bids for conferences would be lost, so the winners of the Rose, Fiesta, Sugar and Orange would be re-ranked by the BCS and the top two teams would play for everything roughly one week after the final game. Using this year's teams Florida and Oklahoma would have finished the regular season 1-2. Assuming USC would have won the Pac-10 championship game (which would be made standard) they would probably have finished 3. Texas would be at 4, Utah, Alabama and two other schools would have rounded out the final eight. The bowls would choose schools the same way they do now, but there would be one fewer game with a guaranteed spot (BCS title game would be undetermined). So say Oklahoma barely squeaks by Alabama in the Fiesta Bowl. USC dominates Penn St in the Rose. Florida beats Texas in the Sugar and Utah takes down either Ohio St, VT or Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl. After the final game the BCS computer, voter and coach rankings come out again. It might look something like this: #1 Florida, #2 USC, #3 Oklahoma, #4 Utah and on down the line. So you would end up with Florida and SC playing for all the marbles the next week. Don't get me wrong I don't think this system would solve every single situation. Wouldn't OU still have the right to be #1? Yes and no. This system would only work if a few things happened. You would have to place much more emphasis in the computer and in the voting criteria on winning the bowl game, points for, points aganist and overall quality of opponent for these BCS games than you would a regular season game. You could also heavily factor in how each team's fellow conference members did in their bowl games. As Coach Hawk once put it when explaining a plus-one system: "you would say to yourself after the bowls 'these two teams probably deserve it' and would then play for it all". I think that would prove true in my hypothetical bowl season here.

As far as I see it you can't do away with the bowls or the timing of the entire operation. Both of which would change in a playoff system. Like any potential change to the current system my suggestion could solve some of the scenarios but it could invite more controversy. In the end I think people need to enjoy the excitement that college football creates and think a little bit before they just blurt out "we need a playoff".

My bowl picks for the 2008-09 season:
The picks are in no particular order, high and low confidence in the picks is noted.

Winner Loser
Texas Tech vs Ole Miss
Louisiana Tech vs Northern Illinois
Boston College vs Vanderbilt
Troy vs Southern Miss -- Troy gave LSU a battle on the road during the reg. season.
Missouri vs Northwestern – My lock of the 2008-09 bowl season.
UCONN vs Bufffalo
USC vs Penn St – It would be a cool way to end Joe Pa's career...upset USC in the Rose Bowl, then gimp into the locker room and throw in the towel. Don't think it will happen here because USC will dominate on defense and score enough points to win in a low-scoring affair.
Rice vs Western Michigan
Oklahoma St vs Oregon – The Holiday Bowl is always a good matchup. I don't know that this game will be the shootout most people predict. Ok St. will hopefully show the Big 12's depth in this game.
TCU vs Boise St. – Low confidence on this game. Minus the Mormon schools (Utah and BYU) this is the game that doesn't have a school from a BCS conference. I went with TCU because they played stronger competition during the regular season.
E. Carolina vs Kentucky –I made the mistake of not going with ECU last bowl season.
Ball St. vs Tulsa –Low confidence on this one too. I didn't see Tulsa play but have heard good things. I did see Ball St. play and they are not bad. They'll win this one thanks to the motivation of blowing their conference title.
Air Force vs Houston
Miami (Fl) vs California
Georgia Tech vs LSU
Nebraska vs Clemson
Florida St.vs Wisconsin – High confidence in this one. The Big 10 was bad this year and Florida St. is a solid football team.
Oregon St. vs Pittsburgh – Jaquizz Rogers is the best frosh in the Pac-10 and Oregon St will have a strong showing after barely missing out on the Rose Bowl.
Kansas vs Minnesota – Fairly low confidence in this one. Have not seen Minnesota play, KU is pretty good. Just something about this game says "upset" to me.
Arizona vs BYU – An upset special here. Arizona is better than people think
Notre Dame vs Hawaii – I just don't think the Irish will lose this game, Charlie Weiss gets a win to make the Irish 7-6.
Wake Forest vs Navy
Maryland vs Nevada
Fresno St. vs Colorado St.
Virginia Tech vs Cincinnati –Low confidence in the Orange Bowl pick. Cincy is well-coached and may pull off the upset. I think VT's defense will be too fast.
WVU vs UNC – Low confidence in this game. I think WVU will get a win over a good UNC team to end a disappointing season for the Mountaineers.
NC State vs Rutgers
Iowa vs S. Carolina
Central Michigan vs Florida Atlantic
Georgia vs Michigan St. – High confidence in this game. Georgia looks to make up for a disappointing season with a blow-out win.
South Florida vs Memphis – High confidence in this pick.
Alabama vs Utah – Bama wins this game easily if they are focused and know Utah has the ability to beat them. If not Utah could pull of the shocker of the Bowl Season.
Oklahoma vs Florida – I will be behind the Sooners in this game in because I will always support the Big 12 in a National Title situation. I also don’t want to see the Gators win another title, their 2nd in 3 years. The Big 12 has gone 1-2 (OU 0-2) in the last two hugely hyped Natl’ Title games. OU was blown out by USC in 2005 and Texas took down the Trojans in the best football game I’ve ever seen in '06. The game this year has the makings of what could be a classic game.
If I had to bet, my bet would be on the Gators to win straight up. I think their speed, coaching and Tim Tebow’s ability to control the tempo of the game will prove to be the deciding factor. I have worries about OU missing it's best and most versitale athlete in DeMarco Murray. I'm also concerned about the 2005 blowout suffered by the Sooners as well as OU’s upset loss to W. Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl earlier in 2008. Is Stoops really a great at prepping a team for bowls, or were these two games just a fluke? We'll find out for sure on Jan. 8 2009.

The game may be a shootout like everyone hopes, but it also could be a game in the 20s where special teams, blocking and tackling and turnovers win the game. Personally I would prefer to see game that is lower scoring, and played at an incredibly high level. If it is a shootout, Oklahoma wins. But if it is more or a low-scoring game Florida will win a game with a score of someing like 31-23 or 30-17.

One final tangent for me...Notice one thing about the bowl teams from the state of Colorado. Air Force got into a bowl thanks to a strong season and Colorado St even finds themselves bowling this holiday season. No Buffaloes from Boulder included in the bowl party.

The 2008 campaign for CU started out incredibly promising. 3-0 with a win over W. Virginia (A win that proves now to be as big now as it was when it happened). At that point 7-5 or atleast 6-6 seemed easily possible. An incredibly tough schedule, bad luck with injuries and a team that was younger and much more inexperienced than most people realized created what I believe was the 'perfect storm' to end the season.

Most critics of the program put the blame solely on the coaches. They cite lack of improvement in players, play calling, and the inexplicable up-and-down ride in performance from week to week. I will be honest and say all of these criticisms are valid from a fan's perspective. But if you look at it from an outsider's perspective I think the story is a little more clear. I'm still very confident in the program coach Hawkins runs and the players he has brought in to this point. It just may take a little bit longer to accomplish the things he and CU fans know are possible. But if you really think about it, even my personal expectation that the Buffs can compete for a Big 12 North title next season seems a little rushed (although the Big 12 in incredibly wide open with the Mizzou losing lots of key players). Coach Hawkins is building the program player by player, workout by workout. This takes time. A solid (and not necessarily highly ranked) recruiting class this winter will hopefully add depth at a few key positions (D-Line, DB and WR) and hopefully a solid option at quarterback in Clark Evans.

A few things to point out with this all being said:
--The players that came to CU with coach Hawk in 2005-06 will be seniors next season. (This was, and is in almost every situation, a make-shift recruiting class due to the changes and transers). But this also means that all but a few players in the program will be Hawk recruits. Players (seniors or not) like Ryan Miller, Josh Smith, Scotty McKnight and, starting QB or not, Cody Hawkins will be the leaders of the program.
-- I'm a little concerned about the recent behavior and grades of a number of CU players under coach Hawk. I was honestly surprised to see the number of incidents during last offseason. I know Hawk treats these things very seriously, and will straighten them out for the future. Needless to say CU fans will keep a close watch on this sort of thing during the offseason. We simply cannot afford to lose kids that can contribute because they can't keep grades up or because they are arrested for a bad decision. I know these things happen to all programs, but these sort of things fall on deaf ears for those with eyes directed at Boulder.
-- Before the season I thought losing some of those key players for any number of reasons would prove to help the Buffs depth in the future. This will only be true if we can get the kids in question healthy, eligible and out of trouble in 2009 and beyond.
-- I would not want to be a CU player participating in offseason-workouts this winter. I heard they were brutal in 2006, but helped to spur the Buffs in the right direction in 2007. The fact that CU missed a bowl this year will hopefully prove to be a blessing in disguise for 2009.

A historic night.

Celebration. Vindication. Disbelief. Pride. Some of the many emotions I felt tonight. I am more proud today to call myself an American than any time in my life.

The only other time I've felt this proud to be a citizen of my counrty was after 9/11/2001. As Americans we supported each other and came together around a horrific event. We were incredibly patriotic, but we mourned and we questioned why such a thing could happen to our country. Then that pride and patriotism turned to fear and hatred. After 11/4/2008 (another date we will remeber forever) regardless of affiliation, Americans should feel the same sense of togetherness, the same sense of patriotism. Hopefully the two historic dates will mark the bookends in a troubled time. We were unsure about our future after 9/11, and we are probably more unsure about our future tonight.

As a person living in the U.S. under the age of 30 I naturally have a sense of optimism about the world. Until recent times all people in the U.S. from my generation ever really knew were times of peace and prosperity. Our generation sees the U.S. as a country that leads the world morally, economically, socially, in hope and in optimism. We've proved tonight that despite recent mis-steps our generation still sees the country this way. Even if we didn't get ourselves into this situation we believe that the solutions begin with us. We proved that we will not sit back and watch without taking action.

In his speech tonight the president-elect called it a rejection of "the myth of their generation's apathy."

Across the country voters of all ages didn't vote the way they did because of looks, race, personal agenda or failed policies in recent years. They did it because they saw a country they wanted to be a part of in a candidate who understands the problems of today.

Scanning the headlines tonight Americans have great cause to be optimistic, great cause to celebrate. We've taken a large step forward. Once again we've shown people everywhere what is possible. America has turned the page and taken on a new identity.

But before I am a citizen of the United States I am a citizen of the world. And as a citizen of both we have no choice but to come together. We have to take on the challenges of our time, and of our generation.

Tonight we haven't elected a president of our country, we've elected a world leader.

The next few years will tell us a lot about who we are as a country. If Americans fail to lead the way and address the problems facing us as a nation and a human race this election will only be a fleeting glimpse of what we're capable of. If we remain divided, fearful and negative we won't improve upon the world that was passed to us.

Despite our current problems and grim outlook I remain optimistic. As a member of my generation being optimistic is part of who we are and how we see ourselves in the world. I'm more proud than ever before because I expect more than the lowered expectations our country has come to stand for. I expect more from my generation. Like we did tonight as a country and a generation, we need to lead the world in taking steps forward to a more postive, peaceful and prosperous time.

My preview and thoughts for CU's game against WVU...

As far as I can come up with this game is the biggest CU game since Coach Hawkins' debut on 9/2/06. This prompted me to create a list of the biggest games in recent memory for CU football.

My thinking/reasoning/rationale are all based on the rankings, buildup, hype, TV audience, opponent, and implications for rest of season - heading into the game - not the results of the game. I therefore excluded the win last season against OU and a few others. I don't believe a 'big game' as I am defining it can exist when you don't have realistic expectations to win the game heading into it.

So here is my list based on this criteria of the biggest CU games since winning the Big 12 during the 2001-2002 season (I've excluded post-season games from my list):

1. Nov 25th 2005. Nebraska 30 - Colorado 3. A very painful day to be a CU fan, and especially a CU student. The Buffs played the day after Thanksgiving in front of the whole country for the Big 12 North title outright. Folsom field was packed to the brim on a cold autumn morning. The atmosphere was unlike any game I've ever seen at Folsom. Only true CU students (most from Colorado) stuck around for the holiday and were in attendence. The student section was condensed and we were practically sitting on top of each other. But there was a buzz throughout the stadium that day that I've never seen duplicated. To me these conditions/outcome led to the understandable (although completely unacceptable) student-seciton blowup at the end of the blowout. The outcome was as bad and as painful as any CU game in recent memory.There have been few CU games in the past decade with more on the line.

A few side-notes: 1. The fanfare, partying and celebrating were much crazier in Boulder and at Folsom for the two games vs CSU ('04 and '05), the 'Blackout' game vs FSU ('07), and the I'm sure the OU upset ('07) as well as a number of other games. The 'what's at stake factor' was never higher in my time at Folsom than the 11/25/05. 2. Even though CU would later win the Big 12 north thanks to an Iowa St loss the result against Nebraska was rock bottom for the CU program. There was literally no where else to go. If we had noticed this at the time it might have helped to explain the 70-3 loss to Texas a few weeks later and subsequently Gary Barnett's firing.

2. 10/25/03 (1) Oklahoma 34 - Colorado 20. It is not every day a #1 ranked team plays against your school while you're enrolled. It doesn't happy very often period. When your team was ranked in the top 10 to begin the previous season, and only 20 months removed from a Big 12 title the expecatations were high for this game to say the least. Despite a few unexpected losses earlier in the season CU fans thought the Buffs had a chance to upset OU and turn the season around. We hung with the Sooners for 3 1/2 quarters and exposed some weaknesses that would come back to haunt OU in the BCS Title game a few months later. In the end we were out-matched. The hype building up to that game was big. A night-time game on national TV only helped the experience before the game. CU may not play a #1 ranked team in the next 10 seasons, it was special for anyone who was there.

3. 9/2/2006 Montana St 19 - Colorado 10. The first game in the Coach Hawkins era. There wasn't a CU fan who wasn't excited for the 2006 season to begin. Casual college football fans across the country also wanted to check out Coach Hawk's debut. Needless to say the era and the season did not start the way the Buffs wanted it to.

4. 11/2/02 (2) Oklahoma 27 - (13) Colorado 11. I didn't go to Colorado when this game took place so I can't comment on the atmosphere or buildup. This was the last regular season game that Colorado played when both the Buffs and their opponent were ranked in the Top 15. Something Coach Hawk and co. hope are regularities in the coming years. A win against WVU would be a big step toward that goal.

5. 8/31/02 CSU 19- (7) Colorado 14. Again before my time at CU. Colorado was ranked in the top 10, and coming off a Big 12 title and a Fiesta Bowl appearance. The expectations haven't been higher for a CU team since the early 90s. Coach Barnett always had trouble playing against CSU even when his squads were supremely talented. Luckily Coach Hawk knows he is judged by 1. Big 12 North Titles 2. Wins against CSU/Nebraska 3. Big 12 titles 4. National Championships 5. Top 25 wins. 6. Big 12 wins. I don't know that Coach Barnett ever fully understood how important wins against CU's rivals are for fans, in-state recruiting and overall team morale.

Rounding out the Top 10:
6. 9/4/04 - Colorado 27 - CSU 24
Coming off a brutal offseason, CU was able to squeak out a win in the best game I've ever seen at Folsom.
7. 9/15/07 - FSU 16 - Colorado 6
The First 'blackout' really set the tone for the way coach Hawk and co. want to get students and fans involved at CU. A big game on ESPN against a supremely talent east-coast team, very similar to this WVU game.
8. 11/8/03 - Colorado 22 - (22) Mizzou 16
See below.
9. 9/3/05 - Colorado 31 - CSU 28
Another must-win that set the tone for a up-and-down seaosn.
10. 9/6/03 - (24) Colorado 16 - UCLA 14
A big win on national TV when expecatations were still very high for the Buffs.

Notice one thing about all of the games in my Top 5. They are all Colorado losses. I didn't do this on purpose, but noticed it after I had put the list together. The Buffs have had a very tough time winning big games over the past decade. Except for the upset of OU last season, CU has not beat a Top 25 team in Folsom since Nov. 8 2003. That day the Buffs beat 22nd ranked Mizzou 22-16. That game was was the last time CU fans were able to say "we should probably win this one" when heading into a game against a Top 25 team, and then go out and back it up with a win.

The win against OU was the biggest win for the program since the Big 12 title game win against Texas in 2002. But you can't honestly say CU fans, players and coaches expected to win or even have thought they had a realistic shot heading into the game aginst the Sooners.

I'm not totally sure why Colorado has struggled in big games. I've given one thought on Coach Barnett's teams above. You could never tell how Coach Barnett's squads were going to play, which team was going to show up. Some of the biggest wins and biggest upsets in CU history came during his tenure, but some of the worst losses also came in big games during Barnett's stay.

Coach Hawkins' teams have simply been over-match physically over the past two seasons. This trend of losing in big games is something Coach Hawkins is working to change. His teams will be more balanced when they start competing in big games on a regular basis. Coach Hawks' teams will 'bring it' in the games that matter. Atleast that's what he preacehs and what the fans are hoping, but have yet to be assured of. The West Virginia game is a great place to start. For the first time since in the Coach Hawkins era CU fans can honestly say 'we have a legitimate shot to beat a Top 25 team' as they enter Folsom on Thursday.

In all reality WVU is probably a Top 15 or Top 10 team in terms of experience and talent. So in order for the Buffs to avoid another dissappointment in a big game a few things have to happen.

1. The big-time recruits from the past few cycles need to have an impact on the game. This is why they came to CU. They wanted to play in big-time games. They wanted to play the best teams in the country. When the blue-chip recruits on WVU, Pat White and Noel Devine, played in their first games on ESPN I can remember them electrifying the crowd and they were immediatley thrown on Sportscenter's Top 10 on a permanent basis. I don't think Darrell Scott and co. need to have that kind of impact, but they need to affect the outcome of the game. I don't throw Josh Smith or Rodney Stewart into this category because they were not 'prized recruits' coming out of high school. In Josh's case, the CU coaches knew he could play, but the services and 'experts' looked past him. This might be a reason he is so motivated and has become the playmaker for CU this season and for the near future. As for the offense as a whole, this is the most 'skill' CU has had at the 'skill positions' since the 2003 season.

The young offensive line duo of Ryan Miller and Max Tuioti-Mariner need to handle WVU's funky defense and speed of the game, while giving the 'skill players' space to operate.

On defense Shaun Mohler and any other freshman/newcomers that see the field must adjust to the speed of the game quickly and contain Pat White and Noel Devine.

2. Leading to my next thought. The CU defense must contain the duo of Devine and White. this sounds pretty obvious to the casual fan, but these two will probably get their 20 and 30 yard runs. If a defense can keep the 30+ yard runs and long scoring runs below one or two for the game WVU can be beaten.

3. Along those same lines the CU defense as a whole must atleast allow the offense to keep pace with WVU's offense. Meaning if WVU jumps out to a 21-0 lead, the game is all but over. CU's offense is just not explosive enough to make up 21 points, especially if the defense has difficulty stopping WVU.

4. CU's offense must keep the mistakes to a minimum, but more importantly must have the ability to stay on the field for long stretches of time. If the offense can punish the WVU defense and keep the dynamic duo off the field it will pay dividends in the 3rd and 4th quarters.

5. Finally, this game is one that Coach Hawk and co. have been pointing to all offseason and probably back to sometime last season. This stretch of games against Top 25-quality teams may ultimately shape the way Coach Hawk is viewed over the next few years. If we compete in and win one or two games I think he will be graded as 'on track, but just wait until next year'. If we are simply over-matched, out-played and out-coached more often than not during the stretch, CU fans (including myself) will be more skeptical than anytime over the past two seasons. The WVU game is the beginning of this important stretch. It is tme for Coach Hawk to show his teams can and will compete on the national level. We can no longer just hope to win these games as upsets. If Hawk truly wants to put his stamp on this program he will win games like tonight's and will build a reputation as a coach that has his team ready to play in big-time games. Something that has been lacking in recent CU football.

My prediction and thoughts on CU's upcomnig 2008 season.

After an offseason that had a few high moments and a few regretable moments I'm sure Coach Hawk and co. are ready for the season to begin. The arrests of Riar Geer, Lynn Katoa, the academic ineligibility of a few others, the injury to top recruit Jon Major and the red-shirting of Ray Polk and Brian Lockridge will all prove to be blessings in disguise down the road. By all accounts the fall camp has been one of the best in recent memory and there is noticable improvement in the size, quickness, knowledge and overall confidence after Hawk's 3rd fall camp.

The Buffs should take down CSU in the opener without too much trouble, but the game is usually closer than the teams' talent levels would suggest. For this year's game the gap will be much more noticable than it has been over the past two years.

After the opener CU's schedule gets brutal. It is also the most 'glamorous' stretch in recent CU history. This gauntlet begins with West Virginia coming to Boulder for a Thursday night game on national TV. The Buffs then travel to Jacksonville to play Florida St. After the FSU game the Buffs begin Big 12 play. The strength of the Big 12 never allows 'gimmes' for a team of CU's ability, experience etc. but the early portion of this year's schedule is against the best of the Big 12. CU opens with Texas at home, then play in Lawrence against KU, followed by Kansas St in Boulder and then Missouri on the road. That is as tough a schedule (out of conference and in conference) as there is in the country before November 1st.

Realistically the Buffs will compete in - and have a chance to win - every game in that stretch except the game at Missouri. The Tigers are the best team in the Big 12 north and one of the best seven or eight teams in the country. Frankly CU is a much-improved team this year, but the Tigers are on a whole other level.

So my guess is that CU will get to Nov. 1 and have a respectable record of 4-4.

This would mean the Buffs would beat Eastern Washington on Sep. 6 (not as easy a task at is sounds) moving them to 2-0. I also think the Buffs will win the game against Kansas State at home on Oct. 18. making them three-for-three in games they 'should win'.

The four-game stretch against Top 25 teams (WVU, FSU, UT, KU) will set the tone for this season and maybe the next two.

I don't see CU winning the game in Jacksonville against FSU on Sep. 28th, or the game against Texas on Oct. 4th but both will hopefully be closer games than they would have been in the past two seasons.

I think CU will either beat West Virginia or KU in Lawrence. Both will be close games, but WVU has the talent to pull away from the Buffs, whereas KU has a ton of talent but the game will be similar to last year's which was low scoring and very physical.

If the Buffs get through that stretch at 4-4 according to my logic it will mean wins in the games the Buffs were 'supposed' to win (CSU, EWU and KSU) and upsets of either A: a Top 25 team on the road (FSU or KU) , or B: a preseason Top 10 team at Folsom (WVU) . If they could somehow squeak out another win and come through at 5-3, this would have the makings of a special season. CU fans could also rejoice at that point about the prospects of the 2009 season, a much more favorable schedule for the Buffs.

On November 1st the Buffs will play at Texas A&M in College Station. CU has played well against A&M recently, going 1-1 in 2004 and 2005 including a great OT game in College Station in '04 and a blow-out upset in Folsom in '05. That all being said, I think the Buffs will fall to the Aggies and drop to 4-5. This is a very winnable game for CU, but A&M is a one of the toughest places to play in the country. A tall task for a young CU squad to say the least.

After falling below .500 the I think the Buffs can rebound and finish the season with three wins against Iowa St, Oklahoma St and Nebraska. The young Buffs may slip in one or both of the games against Oklahoma St and/or Nebraska (both very good and very under-rated teams) but I will give them CU the benefit of the doubt. Coach Hawk heavily preaches the importance of what he calls 'finishing strong in life and on the field'. I think this philosophy will play out on the field this seaon.

So when the season is said and done I think the Buffs will finish at 7-5, a very respectable record given the strength of schedule and young roster. A 7-5 record would get the Buffs into a decent bowl game against a fellow powerhouse football school in a favorable destination. Hopefully a step up from last year's game against Alabama (although CU was happy to accept the invitation to that game last season). I also think the Buffs would also deserve a game that would be held in a little more glamorous location than Shreveport, LA. Say maybe Phoenix/Tempe (weather) or Dallas/San Antonio (weather/recruiting hotbed).

I have a few hours to waste on a Saturday afternoon at FOX Sports in the highlights room on floor 4 as I watch the defending NL champions blow another game.

I came across this story in my daily news browsing. It really amazes me that as a country we are so far behind when it comes to issues of climate change and global warming. It upsets me just as much when people say "things can still be done but we have to act now" but then continue to do nothing. I think civilization actually has taken the first steps toward a complete change in the way we live. I understand that these changes will take time, but how much time can we afford to sit back and do nothing. I also think that by the time my life is over these changes will make life dramatically different than it is today. We will look back at this time as the 'old days' and also as a time when things began to change, but hadn't yet turned the corner. In the 2008 election this is the most important issue to me because it is linked to so many other issues. The energy crisis links the economy, the war, oil prices, food prices, unemployment, our future as a country and a species. There are great minds out there, and there are people who want to alter the way things are done. We just need to give them more of shot to compete against the powerful hierarchy that already exists.

Enough for my rant on politics/current events.

This story about the 3-point line moving back one foot in college basketball. I found this interesting because I think it actually may hurt the quality of play. Mediocre college bball is pretty tough to watch. For the players that weren't all that good at basketball to begin with, this rule isn't going to help in any way.

Kyle Ringo's blog on the Buffs being one of the youngest teams in the country. I don't really think you can read too much into this because CU was a team with loads of seniors and juniors a few times in the past decade and underaccomplished. With CU this year they must simply win the games they are supposed to win and compete into the 4th quarter in the ones they aren't supposed to win. Easier said than done, but that is the next step for CU this season. If the Buffs(or any team) can follow the 'win the ones your supposed to' theory, and also have superior talent (see 2009 and 2010 seasons for CU) they will compete for a conference title and then ultimately a national title. For the 2008 season Coach Hawk will have more talent and more understanding with his players than most of the coaches in the Big 12 North.

Speaking of Coach Hawk...his blog is a must-read. Hawk is an old-school guy but his approach to life is amazing. He believes in doing things the way they should be done. He doesn't believe in taking shortcuts or only doing something half-way. He is an amazing speaker in person and if you ever have the chance to see him don't pass it up. I learned a ton about life from my season spent around coach Hawkins.

Dave Plati, the CU SID also keeps a blog and probably has been doing so since well before the word blog was even created. Dave might be the most connected person in Colorado sports media. A great guy with some great insight on things in general and especially CU sports/history.
My final thought is about the Superclasico 2008 Version #2. It was really cool to see Roberto Burling play on the same field as David Beckham and Landon Donovan. The only thing that I could come up with to compare Bob being on the same field as an icon he had followed through a career would be if I stepped onto the court at some NBA arena on national televison and tried to hoop with Lebron. Let's just say that probably wouldn't work out as well as Bob's experience did.

As for the game; the HDC was sold out and the game was as big as they get in the MLS. I thought Bob played really well. Although I don't know all that much about the technicalities of soccer, I can see that he is more comfortable with the speed of the game, his role on the team and his abilities each time he goes out there. There was one challenge just outside the 18 yard box during the first half that I don't see too many people make in the MLS. They just aren't physcial enough, quick enough or are just afraid to get a penalty. There was also a header off of a corner/set piece that I think Bob would like to have back. From my angle behind the goal he had a good look that could have been put on frame with some force. Overall probably up there with his best 1 or 2 performances so far. The best that I've seen were the Thursday night game against Chicago and maybe the game against New England and/or the game in New York (All ESPN televised games except New England).

"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self."
—Cyril Connolly

Fits well with my attempt at a "blog"...

A much delayed summary that I had started but never finished about my trip back east.

All of my pictures from the trip can be found at NYC Pictures

I read the following thought on my flight home from New York and thought about it for while. Nothing too extraordinary said, but I thought it fit what I was thinking at the moment.

"Early on I recognized that to truly learn about a town you need to get lost there. The first time I tourned in New York, I stayed in Times Square, and I decided to find the Apollo Theater. I got lost, twisting my way north. Eventually I landed at the theater, and it was a life-affirming moment. Since then, I've intentionally gotten lost all over the world, in six of seven different languages. There's a way to do this right. Eat a farmer's breakfast. Pack cash, and ID, and your hotel's phone number. Then walk. Do not continually stick your hand into your pocket - your cash is there. Rely on locals. Don't ask directions from a guy walking quickly. Couples will help you; when approaching them speak slowly and softly. Don't bring a map - you don't want to walk with the thing hanging off your nose. Be brave enough to be truly lost for a day, a half-day, or however long your schedule permits. I like museums but has any walk of any distance ever worn you out as much as four hours at a museum?"

Ben Harper -- Outside Magazine July, 2008

The constant attention it takes not to get lost in New York City, or any city for that matter, itches you until you scratch it. With the ease that things like GPS and the internet now guide us it is only a matter of time before it will be almost impossible to get lost in almost any city. There are obvious reasons that these advances are good things, but overall people are losing much of the responsibility to notice anything at all around them. Most are lost without these technologies. People don't know how to find their way if they are actually lost.

I spent my last day in Manhattan by myself, just riding the subway, meandering around the streets, Central Park and other areas. I had no idea where I was going, just a general direction and time I had to catch the bus to the airport. I will just say that it was a most enjoyable day. Something I wish could be done more often. Personally, I don't mind being lost in a city where I don't know the streets, sights, people or even the simple directions north, south, east and west. It actually might be my favorite thing to do when in a foreign city. We spent the majority of our hours literally wandering the streets of whatever town we were staying when in Europe. We had some of the best experiences during these times.

Let's face it, as humans in today's world we don't like to be lost, we like to be connected to things we are used to. We truely are creatures of habit. We like to know we are going in the right general direction and we don't like to be uncomfortable (in life and in this context). I am not entirely sure why this is but I think that those are the times you really learn things about yourself and the people around you. In either case, until you trust yourself enough to find a way through situations, it is tough to get unlost.

A few things that came to mind about New York during the trip or shortly thereafter.

-- Public transporation will get you where you need to go every single time. It may take you a little longer than you wanted it to take, but you don't ever have to worry about traffic, pedestrians or other drivers.
-- I also admire the way people are able to drift into their own thoughts while on the subway/bus/train etc. I think this might be the single biggest benefit of taking public transit (beside $4.85 a gallon gas of course). People don't spend enough time in their own thoughts.

-- Park Slope, Brooklyn (the neighborhood that our pension was located in for the first 3 nights and pictured below) exceeded all expectations. It is an area that put out a small-town vibe much more than I ever expected in a city/borough so large and densely populated. There were a number of these small neighborhoods in Brooklyn that I really had a great time visiting.















-- Taking the subway up to Yankee Stadium was something I've always wanted to do. There's just something great about taking mass transit to a game with other fans that just isn't present in L.A. or Denver.
--The stadium itself is an icon. Maybe the most famous stadium in the world given its history and location. Not the most graceful, nor does it give the old-timer feel that you get when you see Fenway and Wrigley. Everything from entrance to concessions and restrooms are very simple. Part out of necessity I guess, part out of a nod to a simpler time when the stadium was in its earlier days.
--It was impossible not to think about how many events have been seen from the seats; events big and small, important and insignificant, some historic. I never knew football and soccer were played there too.
--Someone asked me for directions on the way out of the game. "I'm not from around here," I answered. "Well do any New Yorkers go to !@#ing Yankees games anymore?" I expect this conversation is not unique during the 2008 season.

--If possible seek out people who are the best at their craft, have devoted their life to it and are therefore obviously passionate about it. I watched a 70+-year-old Italian man make every single pizza pie by hand for 30 minutes and it changed the way I look at the food and how it is made. Unfortunately craftsmen and artisans like this are a rarity today. They may be close to extinct when our oldest generation passes on.
--If possible seek out areas that are 'off the beaten path' especially if you've seen the major attractions in a city like New York. It always gives you a better picture of the 'real' city than the areas that are visited most often.

--I had to talk myself into setting my alarm for the butt-crack of dawn to drive up to Belmont, but once the horn sounded for the first race I knew I made the right decision.
--The anticipation for the 'big race' continued to build all day, by the time it finally went off people were almost insane from the heat and the waiting.
--Never did find out what happened down the final stretch of the race, but the first 90 seconds to two minutes were as intense as sports can get.

--I love to see the places my parents and grandparents grew up, and then listen to them tell me how they've changed.

--The Argentina v. U.S. game was the biggest soccer match I've ever been to. (2nd place goes to the Superclasico ver. 1 2008 haha) The U.S. looked as good as they have in 16-18 months, despite the fact that Argentina could have been up three or four goals at halftime. I think the Argentines might be on a short list for the final four of World Cup 2010.
-- Soccer might be the single best sport to watch in person when played at a world-class level. I need get my plans in order for S. Africa in two summers.

A column by Bill Simmons on the NBA All-Star weekend in New Orleans this year.

A few grafs in particular hit home about a year after we visited the city.

Simmons says, "You came (to NOLA) because of the festive, chaotic, electric, indescribable atmosphere that never quite spiraled out of control. You came because clocks and watches didn't matter, because there were no rules in New Orleans, even if you worried just a little that there were no rules. You came here because there are only a few cities that make you feel like you're in a movie, and New Orleans happened to be one of them.

"...That's the thing about life. You never know what's going to happen next. New Orleans was fine, and then it wasn't. Twenty-nine months after Katrina, the city remains in pain. You can feel that anguish everywhere you go, just like you can feel the love, the joy and the resiliency. The locals don't feel sorry for themselves anymore. Too much time has passed. They have to live their lives. They have to keep their heads up. They have to keep moving forward. And they're doing it without us.

"...See, here's the thing about downtown New Orleans: It's ready for us again. It has been ready for a while. For all intent and purpose, it looks the same. Bourbon Street looks the same. The Superdome looks the same. So does the Convention Center. So do Harrah's and Pat O'Brien's and Cafe du Monde. So do the waterfront and Canal Street and all the hotels. You could go back to New Orleans. You could have fun there. You could do all the same things you did before. Unfortunately, you don't want to go back.

"...And that's a problem. The city's economy and future hinge on outsiders accepting the fact something horrible happened here, then coming back anyway. The city needs our money to rebuild the surrounding areas that were destroyed by Katrina -- only the money isn't coming in because you won't come back. And why would you? Vacations are supposed to be fun. Nobody wants to drive by houses with giant X's on them on the way from the airport, or think about how the place was underwater with dead bodies and dead dogs and raw sewage drifting through the streets. Post-Katrina visitors can't help but think about those things, just like New York visitors can't help but think about the missing Twin Towers when they see Manhattan's post-9/11 skyline for the first time. Downtown New Orleans didn't change after Katrina; fundamentally and spiritually, it's still the same. Shaken and battered, but the same.

"...Unfortunately, we aren't the same. New Orleans has baggage now -- visible baggage -- and when people are on vacation, they want to deal only with baggage like suitcases. The good people of New Orleans know this, and they're worried about it."

All of these things are very true, almost beyond belief. Of all the places I visited last year, and have ever visited, New Orleans stuck with me. The people, culture, lifestyle, food and on a more negative note the images of the Katrina aftermath still resonate in my mind. I couldn't or haven't yet put my thoughts about the city into words mostly because I don't know how to describe them.

I had never been to New Orleans before Katrina, but had been to Baton Rouge on a family road trip from Houston to Florida. Some of my earliest memories of the deep South and road tripping were from that two-night stop in Baton Rouge. The food, the people and the simple way of life were all distinct to me even at a young age. I knew that if I enjoyed them as much as I did in Baton Rouge, New Orleans would be a place I would absolutley love. Well the city absolutely blew away all of my expectations.

To me New Orleans was desireable not for the infamous partying and debauchery, but for the lifestyle and the experience of the "Big Easy". After Katrina happened I knew I had to get down there to see the city not in its normal state as it existed before the hurricane, but in its weakest most vulnerable time. The great food, the friendly people and the laid-back attitude. I was afraid that after Katrina they wouldn't be quite the same. It was great to find out while we were down there that the city is basically the same as it was pre-Katrina. Bill Simmons' thoughts echo those that the city is the same, but could use the help of visitors more than ever.

There aren't many (if any) places I've ever been that equal the incredibly unique combination that New Orleasn offers. I want to get back as soon as I possibly can.

Along the same subject lines David Simon is negotiating a deal to create a show about New Orleans, similar to his other creation "The Wire" about the city government and infrastructure of Baltimore. I hope he can shed some light on the "Crescent City" much like he did for Baltimore. Although I have not seen more than a few episodes of The Wire I can tell it is much, much better and well thought out than just about any other program on television. I don't care how great everyone says "Lost" is the real-life subject matter of a struggling American city seem like a better way to spend you time than people marooned on an island.

My final thoughts are about the Roger Clemens/Baseball steriod hearings and the "Spygate" controversies which have become the banner headlines over the past six months in sports and even news media. I don't have a problem with the way the media cover these things, although it is obnoxious and over-hyped. I do however, have a problem with Congress spending time, money and energy trying to investigate these things. Come on. I'm sure someone can find a few things that our primary lawmakers on the state and federal level could spend their time on other than whether Roger Clemens was taking HGH a decade ago or whether the Patriots videotaped a walk-through. These are important stories in the sports world, but have absolutley NO impact on the way the average American lives their everyday life. Maybe we could focus on education reform, repairing streets, or beginning to fix our budget/economy. These seem like much more important and relevant things for our lawmakers to spend time on rather than these trivial sports mishaps.

A behind the scenes article about the final few hours of Darrell Scott's decision to play football at CU.

The article provides access like only the NYTimes can get. I found it interesting that Scott's decision also hinged greatly on UT hiring a new RB coach, and Darrell didn't want to go somewhere that he wasn't comfortable with the coach. The Times article and the announcement Wednesday were great publicity for the great things Hawk is doing in Boulder and the great things to come in the near future.

There were some rumors that Darrell's mom was offered a job in Boulder in order to persuade her son to attend CU. This article dispels any "illegal acts" that UT fans have said CU was a part of over the past 24 hours. They are just bitter that Scott announced he would become a member of the CU football program and not a Longhorn. I have absolutely NO doubt in my mind that Darrell chose to play in Boulder because he wanted to come here and because CU QB coach Darian Hagan worked to build a relationship with him. Coach Hawkins is working hard to make sure we don't veer down the same road as we did under Gary Barnett. Hawk recruits kids that want to be here and want to work hard to be part of something bigger. He would never offer a scholarship to someone who wanted something extra to attend CU.

Darrell seems like the type of kid you want to succeed in this world. I hope has great time in Boulder. I hope he leaves the program in a better place than he found it and I hope he leaves with a degree.

A few random thoughts on a Tuesday starting with Pete Caroll, recruting scandals and ending with politcal primaries and Senator Obama.

I read a profile of Pete Carroll by one of the best jounalists in America today J.R. Moehringer. I've never been a huge Carroll fan due to the over-the-top nature USC is usually presented by the sports media. It really has nothing to do with him as a person nor is it really SC's fault for that matter. From what I've heard Carroll is a good guy and lives life and subsequently his football program the right way. The article is really interesting because it shows how one of the biggest sports stars in L.A. isn't too big to spend time with people who don't have much going for them. Very refreshing in a city where the majority of the non-native Angelenos think only about themselves, their image and their financial standing.

Too bad for Carroll he couldn't keep Reggie Bush from doing some stupid things while he was at SC. HBO Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel did a story on Jan. 22 about Bush and the family friend who was giving money to Bush during his college years. Very convincing that Bush is guilty on all charges and should be punished accordingly. If this means losing the Heisman and/or SC forfeiting games then so be it. College athletes are not above the rules and neither are the universities they attend. While the NCAA may be wrong with the way they handle some things (such as the ability for athletes to use their non-NCAA talents to earn money and sponsorships ie. Jeremy Bloom) the NCAA should continue to police situations like Bush's.

I have no sympathy for football programs doing things illegally. CU accepted scrutiny and was short-sided by the media during my time there. We took punishment for things that did happen and moved on. I hope SC does the same and realizes that no matter how good the players it recruits are, the program is not above the rules.

The primary season is as interesting as any sports saga or celebrity gossip right now. A few thoughts on the things that have caught my eye.

I read a comment from Bill Simmons about how he doesn't think he could vote for Barack Obama because he is/was a smoker. First, Barack quit smoking before he decided to run for office. Second, I hope things like this as well as Barack's middle name (Hussein) do not hinder him from becoming president. I hope that if he loses it will be because he is not the best candidate or because the American public doesn't feel he is experienced enough, not for some other superficial reason. I think we have so many issues to deal with as the American public that we can't waste time worrying about material and petty things such as these.

Another thought on the 2008 primaries: I wish John Edwards was more of an "electable" candidate for the Democrats. It seems unless your are black or a woman there is no way you have a shot in this election. He has maybe the best mix of ideas, experience and desire for change by far of anybody in the race, Republican or Democrat. It is just a shame that more people don't believe in him. I think American would be very fortunate to have him as a VP to whomever wins the nomination in August.

I read an article on Al Gore possibly running for president. I don't think he will run nor do I even think he will endorse any of the major democratic candidates. Al is the one person that I have no doubt would handle to biggest issues in my mind: climate change and the way the U.S. is viewed worldwide. Although, he might not be able to turn things in the right direction with a uniting presence that is so necessary right now, he would set us in the right direction and he would do it without hesitation. Is there really any question our country and the entire world would be a better place had AG been elected in 2000? I think the answer is pretty clear.

This all being said, Barack is the best possible candidate and the person who can and will do the most good for our country in a time when we are in a desparate need of something new. When I say something new I don't mean that our counrty or our government are doing poorly. It takes a lot for a country as powerful as ours to do "poorly". Instead we need "change". As cliche and repetitve as the term has become, things need to be done different in a large number of subjects and fields. We don't need more of the same. New ideas and people need to be in power in Washington. I feel that Senator Obama has a genuine desire to run our government a different way. Different from the things we have grown so used to or have become so fed up with during the past two decades.

One main thing that makes Barack so important and relevant is his ability to bring people together. He has experience and history with this more than other candidate. The feeling of "you are either with us or against us" has become too strong in recent years and has created a division between too many people. In my opinion the polarization in politics and parties was actually created because Republicans didn't like Bill Clinton's personal behavior during his time in office. This divide between the way people think and feel about government actions was taken to a whole new level by the current administration. 9/11 was a devastating ocurrance (regardless of the administration's alleged knowledge of important facts leading up to the attacks) but GW used the attacks to create fear in all Americans in the days, months and years after. When we could have been united on the war on terror ie. Afghanistan, we became divided by entering a war that we should have never started ie. Iraq. My point being that Barack wants to work to create the best America, and has no desire to create enemies across the aisle in politcal affiliation. He doesn't care who you are or what you stand for. In his opinion our goverment and society are based on our ability to come together to make things happen.

Barack has the knowledge and experience that will help him reduce poverty. He is competent and concerned enough about the climate crisis that he will not sit back and watch, when our world and environment have no such luxury. He is a person that will make logical, well thought out and researched decisons on behalf of the American people. He has no intentions of pursuing personal agendas to please party, family or his own ego. A quote I heard from Barack the other day, "I want to surround myself with people who will not be afraid to say no to me. They will not be people who say yes to me no matter what." He is of course referencing those that surround the current president and think his decisions are correct no matter the consequence or the intention.

Barack is a symbol of our what our country is; a complex mix of race and cultural affiliations. He cares about America's standing in the eyes of the world. Electing someone from such a background would go vast distances in improving these relationships and begin to mend this facet of politics that has become the most damaged over the past eight years.

I've heard the comparisons between Barack and JFK from several news outlets. While I know these comparisons are doctored by Barack's campaign managers, it is difficult not to see him as a dynamic person that will do great things for our country (just as JFK was). I read this article on a possible Clinton Obama ticket for president and vice president. The author didn't think such a task was probable for a number of reasons. But his thoughts on Barack's momentum were well said. Roland Martin says, "when you have the children of elected officials putting pressure on their parents (Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill is one example.) to support this guy, you know he is touching people in a place others haven't in 40 years. The role of a VP is to be supportive of a presidential candidate, not someone who overshadows them." When I told my mom that she should vote for Barack the other day I also fell into this category. Senator Obama is gaining great momentum as we speak and is bringing something out in people that hasn't been present for many, many years. I hope he can maintain it.

There is one fact above others that makes Barack stand out and note should be taken. He is getting by far the most support from people who have never been engaged in politcs, or who have had no reason to care about politics for the past 20 years because of relative peace, prosperity and lack of new faces. He also gets great support from young people such as myself who have never felt the need for something new in politics. These new faces in support of Senator Obama believe that he will be the agent of something new and better for us as Americans, and for the world we live in.