Ughhh Finals

Finals Week. The libraries are so crowded that it is impossible to find a seat to study unless you call a friend in advance to save a seat for you. Obviously there is no chance of this changing, but it really is depressing that the last week of the semester, and the last week that you will see your friends, for a long time, specifically for study abroad juniors being away 8 months, is spent holed up unhappy in a library studying things that you wont remember in two weeks.

Two more days left and it will all be over, a great feeling, but also one with sadness as yet another semester has come to a close. Only two more left in Madison. Finals have some importance though, I am not disregarding that. Off to my next final I go where I always will continue to try my hardest and get the best grade again, and then its right back to studying for yet another exam on Thursday that will challenge my patience, determination and will yet again.

Mitchell Report

A couple days ago the results of an 18 month investigation was released to the public after much speculation regarding the state of steroids in baseball and the players who had been taking them. George Mitchell, a former United States Senator was appointed by Commissioner Bud Selig to lead an investigation to dig up everything that he could about the history of steroids, its infiltration into baseball, and recommendations for the future. After the report was released, it was discovered that All Star and future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens had ties to steroids through the admissions of his former personal trainer.
The problem with that the Mitchell Report is that it does not include any hard evidence such as drug tests that unequivocally tie the players mentioned in the report to the steroids that they are accused of using. Furthermore, the people that Mitchell relied on for the bulk of the rep form the government to tell them what they wanted to know or else they were under severe pressure to go to jail. Relying on evidence from these type of people does not warrant the scrutiny that will follow these players for the rest of their careers and ultimately prohibit them from entering the hall of fame such as in the case of Roger Clemens, the greatest pitcher of this era.

Let It Snow....NOT!

Well its winter again. It seems like for 6 months of the year I completely block the cold, windy, snowy, ice, terrible winter out of my mind and focus on the good weather around me. However, every year after Thanksgiving all the memories of the previous winters come rushing back as I cover my body in layers of clothing and just try to get form Point A to B in the fastest time.
Madison is such a different place in the winter than every other season it is crazy. When it's warm out people are generally happy, playing or drinking outside and smiles on people's faces are very noticeable. However, when the snow is falling you can see the same look on everyone's face who is just walking as past as they can without being humiliated and slipping on the ice, falling on their faces.

Somebody's O Has Got To Go

Last night was one of the most anticipated boxing fights of the last five years, pitting two undefeated, highly regarded champions together in what promised to be an epic battle for the Welterweight championship of the world. Pretty Boy Floyd AKA Money Mayweather, hailing from none other than Las Vegas Nevada, sight of the fight itself, vs undefeated Ricky The Hitman Hatton from Manchester, England. Although the fight was in Nevada, nearly 20,000 Brits stormed Las Vegas and turned the crowd into a completely one sided affair.
There is nothing like a big prize fight. For the last four weeks, HBO has been promoting the fight through a miniseries entitled "24/7" where cameras follow the fighters in their every move while training for the biggest fight of their lives. This documentary style show allowed the viewers to get a rare glimpse into the personal lives of their favorite fighters. The promotion worked. Personally, I couldnt wait for this fight to happen, even though prior the this show I knew very little about Ricky Hatton. However, through watching the show, I became a huge admirer of his style both in and out of the ring.
When fight night arrived, it turned out to be a huge party because the fight was only being broadcast on Pay Per View. Although paying 55 dollars for a sporting event could seem absurd to a casual viewer, there is nothing like the anticipation and excitement in the time leading up to the fight. However, the fight rarely lives up to the promise. Splitting the cost of the fight between a group of friends makes watching the fight turn into a night's event. This fight proved to be very entertaining because of the constant singing of the British crowd, as well as the constant pressuring of Hatton. However, the champion, Money Mayweather, proved too quick, smart, and powerful as he knocked Hatton out in the 10th round, cementing a legacy as one of the greatest pound for pound champions of all time. Although I honestly was very disapointed in the outcome of the fight, it was still a great night and makes me cannot wait until the next big prize fight.