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| NBA Lockout is over! | Credit: Getty Images |
In my experience, it would have to be iPod’s earphones. Make no mistake about it – iPod’s earphones sound well and look great. My biggest qualm about it is its durability. When I had my first set of those white earphones, I noticed its rubber wearing off after three months. By the fifth month, the earphones were totally useless. Thus, I became extra careful when I had my second set of earphones last July. I always put them in a relatively safer place after using. I was very glad that there was no trace of the rubber wearing off. I was thinking to myself, “Apple has finally fixed the earphone concern. Yay! But still, I hope this set can outlive my first set.”
November 27, 2011. I was hurrying to park my car because I was late for the evening Mass. I usually do not bring my iPhone and earphones with me when attending the Holy Mass because I won’t be using my phone during the event and I do not want to risk damaging my beloved earphones – I am not using it anyway so it will just be stuck in my pocket should I bring it. Thus, I hurriedly put it in the glove compartment and shut it close... it opened… I closed it again… it opened… bloody hell! Close, you annoying thing. I’m late!
Of all the places where my earphones can be placed, it fell in the tiny hole of the dashboard compartment (I say there is a 2% chance this happens). My earphones prevented me from closing the compartment. Since I rammed the compartment, my beloved iPod earphones got destroyed in the process. Good job, Jeff. I was cussing in frustration because of my clumsiness. I have terrible luck when it comes to these. I accidentally dropped my iPod Touch in a pool of water two years back. My earphones usually get entangled at the most annoying places. I clumsily hit objects even if I am practically avoiding ‘getting hit.’ I am the Unlucky Physics Guy.
When I was in the Mass, I heard the choir sing Christmas songs. Time flies. It is Christmas again. Then, a thought hit me. Back when I was in elementary, my religion teacher always challenges us to open ourselves to Jesus Christ during the holiday season. It was always the same thing year after year, but I noticed that it was not easy to do. I was always in a state of “Have I done good enough? Is my spiritual door open for Jesus Christ to enter?” I tried to do some positive things in years past to help myself answer that yearly – daily – question better. I do not recall doing anything special in the past few years, but a realization hit me on what I could do for this year. Rather than have my destroyed earphones ruin my evening, I would focus on avoiding further negativity. I thought of taking it one step further by avoiding negativity in my blog posts. If you have been following me, you would have noticed that I put some negativity in my write-ups to add some spice to them. I will try to avoid sarcasm for the time being as well. I do not know if this would lead to less entertaining write-ups, but I am giving it a shot to make these journals more pleasant to read.
And in a 180-degree turn, I will be discussing how I am optimistic for my four favorite sports teams that would be closing out this year (hopefully with a bang).
Utah Jazz
NBA Lockout is over, folks! I never wrote an article about the lockout but I have been openly discussing it on my Twitter page. I was usually against the players, but make no mistake about it – I did not think that the owners were totally right as well. I won’t be expounding about greed and stupidity so I will just focus on what I think about the latest CBA.
The tentative CBA has been great so far. It aimed to fix the loopholes from the past system and it showed an effort to provide competitive balance in the league. The 50-50 / 49-51 split seems fair. The salaries are aimed to make a player stay with his current team. Big market teams will find it difficult to overspend now with a steeper luxury tax. This makes teams strategize better rather than overspend to win. I believe the mid-level exception has been tempered a lot as well. The amnesty thing is also good because it 1) makes the players work harder, and 2) still puts the owners in check in case they just want to dump a huge contract of a worthy player.
With that said, here are my thoughts on my favorite NBA team…
Utah is in a rebuilding process. We have the frontcourt depth and I am psyched to see Enes Kanter play. There is a chance that he may be a bust, but I am clinging with the hope that he could turn out as the best player in this year’s draft. As for the backcourt, I think the Jazz is still in good shape. Devin Harris is still decent. And if things do not work out, tanking won’t be a bad thing either as I would love to see Austin Rivers don the Jazz uniform.
Ateneo Lady Eagles
Yes, I do watch women’s volleyball. Yes, I admit I am shallow when I watch these games sometimes. Hey, it’s not my fault my team fields cuties. However, I do appreciate the intense action in volleyball games. It is one of the sports where watching women play is better than watching men play.
I think the Lady Eagles have a good shot of reaching the Finals this year. I know that it is just the start of the UAAP season, but this team has already achieved a lot in the offseason were they won the Shakey’s V-League. They also seemed more confident when they torched the UST Tigresses yesterday. In the past years, I always observe the Lady Eagles to be more of a happy-go-lucky squad. They seemed more content of entering the playoffs than winning the tourney. This year, I sense more urgency. After all, most of them are in their fourth or fifth year.
The most important thing though is, I see a more complete team this year. In past years, I always had the feeling that the team is composed mostly of spikers except for the setter and the libero. This year, Ateneo has the blocking. We may not have the best blocking team but at least we could defend well on that part now. And as for the rest of the team, here are things to be optimistic for: Fille Cainglet – the team’s best spiker – continues to improve (most notably on the mental department); Jem Ferrer is arguably the best setter in the league; Denden Lazaro is an elite libero (I would rank her #1 but I am biased on this part); and Ateneo’s bench is strong (Ella De Jesus is still in the bench? I thought she is a very good player). Andohbytheway, did I forget to mention that the rookies were exceptional?
New England Patriots
All’s well, that ends well. After New England disposed their division rivals – the New York Jets – the Pats are poised to win the AFC East again. New England has the easiest schedule left and it would be the best time for their weak-on-paper secondary to improve on. All in all, I do not have much to say about New England other than “Gronkowski is a beast” and “continue to stay underrated – we do not want the bull’s eye at our backs because it’s tough to have a weak secondary.”
And yes, go Patriots!
Green Bay Packers
Wow! Just, wow. Green Bay is oozing with talent and confidence. Aaron Rodgers is as good as ever. I just hope he stays healthy as their bull’s eye grows larger. Jordy Nelson is now an excellent wide receiver. Greg Jennings may have had weaker recent outings but he is still Greg Jennings. If he is hurt, I just hope that he heals properly in time for the playoffs. The rest of the receiving corps (Donald Driver, Jermichael Finley and James Jones) is great as ever. In fact, Green Bay has arguably the best combination of wide receivers and tight ends.
Pundits may have ranked Green Bay’s defense low (and with legit reasons) early on, but I have a feeling that the Pack D has improved a lot the past few games. After all, we still have Charles Woodson, Clay Matthews and BJ Raji. Minnesota and Detroit struggled to score last week.
And for the Pack’s special team, we have a superb kicker and punter. And now, we have an excellent returner (Randall Cobb). That rookie is blazingly fast and elusive. And yes, he is also part of our receiving corps.
Go Pack go!
NFL Week 12 Picks
Green Bay Packers over DETROIT LIONS
DALLAS COWBOYS over Miami Dolphins
BALTIMORE RAVENS over San Francisco 49ers. Sweep, baby! I love it. Just as I thought, Baltimore won the Harbowl. The Ravens are sneaky good against great teams. However, I am going to expect them to lose next week. That has been their trend (this no negativity/sarcasm thing is tough to pull off)
ATLANTA FALCONS over Minnesota Vikings. Matty Ice at home. Julio Jones is playing. Adrian Peterson is out. That’s too much advantage for the home team.
NEW YORK JETS over Buffalo Bills. Jets had the much-needed rest. And of course, Buffalo did not beat them the first time around at home. How can they beat the greenies this time?
CINCINNATI BENGALS over Cleveland Browns. Cincinnati may have lost their last two but we should note that they are great against the weak teams.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers over TENNESSEE TITANS. I do not know why this counts as an upset. Tampa Bay played a lot of tough teams that is why their record (4-6) is not that good. Blount is now playing so I do not think they are going to lose this.
Carolina Panthers over INDIANAPOLIS COLTS. Even if this could be the game the Colts finally win (they have a two game lead in the Suck for Luck sweepstakes), I still do not want to pick them.
Arizona Cardinals over ST. LOUIS RAMS.
Houston Texans over JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS. This is a tough call. I have a feeling that the Jags can pull off an upset here as Matt Schaub is out. The Jags defense is good. However, I am going with Arian Foster and Houston’s defense.
Chicago Bears over OAKLAND RAIDERS. I trust the Bears to win this. Wait, they are the Packers’ rivals. Whatevs. If they lose this, at least it would just be fine for me.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS over Washington Redskins. Slumping ‘Skins going to the noisiest stadium.
Denver Broncos over SAN DIEGO CHARGERS. I apologize for not trusting Tebow enough to win the past two games. I initially picked them to beat KC only for me to wuss out in the end. This time, I am going to trust Team Tebow. It seems that the Chargers are quitting in the past few games.
New England Patriots over PHILADELPHIA EAGLES. No Vick and a hurt Asomugha. I know I am bad at picking Eagles’ games this year (only got it right once) but I am a Pats homer and there is no chance I am picking against them in a game against a 4-6 team.
Pittsburgh Steelers over KANSAS CITY CHIEFS. Arrowhead magic at Sunday Night Football? I am not banking on it. Pittsburgh is so strong to lose to Kansas City.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS over New York Giants. What an awesome Monday Night Football game! This is tough to call, but I am going with the home team
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