Zooker Fired!

This news is now - old news. But it is still sad news. Ron Zook the head coach of the Florida Gator's football program has been fired effective at the end of the season.

No, this isn't sad news because Zooker was a great football coach. It is sad because Ron Zook is a great man. He is not just "a class act", but "THE class act" from the University of Florida. He came in at a time when other coaches abandoned us (Mike Shanahan, Bob Stoops, Steve Spurrier) and rallied the Gators with hard work and determination second to none. He accepted a challenge that no coach ever wants to accept. Zooker followed the legend that is Steve Spurrier. Even a great college coach would have a tough time being successful with this task. However, Zook accepted that challenge gladly. He is the model of everything a Gator should strive to be. He knew what he was getting into, having coached at Florida before in the early 90's with Spurrier. He knew that it was both the best job in the country and probably career suicide all rolled together.

No one has put in more tireless hours for the Gators than Ron Zook. No one. We are talking about a man who told the Florida athletic director that the first thing he needed was a cell phone - a waterproof cell phone - so that he could always be in touch with the players. Zook's tireless recruiting was noticed by all the coaches in the NCAA - in fact rumor was that the NCAA was considering a new rule called "The Zook Rule" to slow down some of his recruiting because it was making the other coaches have to work harder to keep up. Ron Zook defined the term "work ethic" No one ever worked harder. No one.

The reason that this is sad, is not because it was the wrong move, or because it was a bad decision. No, it is because we all want to see good people who work hard be rewarded for their efforts. People with character like Ron Zook, are the people you pull for. They are the reason that you pull for the underdog. If you respect character, then you respect Ron Zook. I watched him give his speech at the press conference where they were announcing his firing and he showed more class than any coach I can remember. The man walked in with his head held high, and went out the same way, as he should. Knowing that he gave us his best as our coach, he left us the same way. We can always be proud of Coach Zook.

Thank You Coach. Thank you for the thrilling victories and the heartbreaking losses that make us appreciate the victories that much more. Thank you for accepting the challenge against all odds, and for recruiting your heart out. Thank you for being a loyal and true Gator.

Thank You, Zooker. Thank You.

Go Gators

More Stuffs

I didn't quite make my 10 day time frame for a new post. I may set myself a new goal to post everyday. It's just so hard to create something profound (which is the only kind of writing I really want to do) on a daily basis. Creativity isn't like a job. It requires thought and freedom, not a time frame. Art created in a time frame is usually somehow related to an attempt to get out or free of the frame. So is the nature of art.

Of all the things I miss, I miss my guitar. There are songs just waiting to be written that keep rattlin' around in my brain. Some have titles and that's all, and some have been fleshed out a bit more with the verses started. I wanted to make sure that I didn't forget to write them, as I have so many times before, so I thought I would post the ideas on the blog so that I can come back later and finish them.

So here are the titles:

Her Smile - A tune about lost love that never began

9pm - In Virginia they execute people at 9pm

Is Jesus a conservative? - Does this need explanation, really?

I'm sure there were a few others but these are the ones that I keep thinking about that I really don't want to forget.

Well, I guess that's it for now.

Remember, be good
And if you can't...
At least be good at it ;)

E

That Time Again

Well, it's been about 10 days so it must be time to update my blog :)

This really is NOT a political blog, but these days my life is so interwound with politics and because this election is so important (they are all important, but this one especially so - until the next one) it becomes hard to ignore. And let's face it, I don't really have anything else to talk about. Except maybe poker. And who really wants a discussion of how to play J - 10 suited pre flop anyway.

Things in DC have been rather busy until just recently. It's the calm before the storm, I believe. Only 22 days left to election day. I hope you exercise your right to vote. I hope that you spend the time and energy necessary to find out which of the candidates is the best person for the position. It's tough to do the work necessary to find someone that you feel comfortable enough with to cast a vote in their favor. I know, I am constantly conflicted about and frequently turned off by the political leaders. But we have to push through this hard work and vote for the right person. Not just for ourselves. Not just for "Our children and future generations". But for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. For those who gave their lives and limbs and souls for that right. For the right to have a choice. We must chose so that their sacrifice was not in vain. Please vote.

As most of you (or in the case of my limited readership on this blog - both of you) know, I work for the Kerry Edwards 2004 campaign, and I feel that they are the best choice in this presidential campaign. I don't always agree with them on the issues, but I can't see how I can vote the other ticket. I've been an independent voter for as long as I can remember (even though I've voted Republican each election, until now). You just can't vote a party, or hold to a party line. Well, I guess you can - but not very easily if you think for yourself.

I usually have 3 main issues that make up my thought process as to who to vote for (in no particular order):
1. Capital Punishment (I'm against it)
2. Landmines (I'm against them too)
3. Abortion (the taking of life is wrong and innocent life that much more so)

Then after those issues the rest - the economy, the environment, the war in Iraq, the war on terror, etc - all fall together to make up the color of the big picture. I believe that if you look at the issues you will also see that John Kerry is the better of the two candidates. On every issue - except for the Right to Life - President Bush comes out the loser. Go ahead, pick a topic, any topic.

I've met John Kerry. I've worked with his policy people, and with his family. I've gotten to know his advisors. These are good people, who really care about you and me - the 90 + % of Americans who live paycheck to paycheck. The Americans who can't afford health care or child care or clothing without putting it on a credit card and making a Fortune 500 company richer at 18% a month. The Americans who can't afford to pay $2.00 a gallon for gas just to drive to work for a minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. I don't work for President Bush's campaign so I can't talk to you about their people and who they are trying to help, but I can tell you that the main principle that guides the people at the Kerry campaign is "How can we help the American people who need it most?"

Please vote. Please vote for John Kerry. Please vote for a better stronger America.

Worn

I'm forcing myself to write an update because I feel that I'm shirking my blog responsibility by not posting more often. This is really a funny idea, considering that there are probably a sum total of one person who reads this blog - me. But on the outside chance that someone other than myself and a few stragglers (family, previous girlfriends, co-workers - totaling probably 2) will actually read this, I'm gonna go ahead and blog away.

Today's theme is tired. I'm tired. I fell asleep in my boss' office earlier while we were watching Crossfire on CNN. Worn out. I'm hoping to head home and crash early tonight, although I'm not sure I really have that in me. I have to be up and awake until I just can't stand it anymore. Call it a flaw. Much like rambling - which it what I'm doing now. I'll spare us the rest and just say good evening for now. But I will be back tomorrow :)