NHL

Hockey season is here again, and better than ever. Team’s who didn’t have as much spark in their game last year are now off to a dominating pace. Teams like San Jose Sharks, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, and the Carolina Hurricanes all have been very successful altering their game from the mistakes they made last year should make for an interesting very competitive year. Other big names teams like the Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple leafs, Calgary Flames, and the Philadelphia Flyers are all struggling to get some kind of chemistry going. So far, all the games I watched this season have been thrilling, fast pace, good smart hockey. The Detroit Red Wings are off to a phenomenal start with a record of (4-1-1). Power two-way-player Pavel Datsyuk currently tied in points with star Defenseman Brian Rifalski at seven points each so far. Our goal tending this year has been wonderful, Rookie Ty Conklin had a great game last night against the St. Louis Blues, and Osgood just needs time to adapt seeing as it’s still very early in the season. Watching an interview with Wings head Coach Mike Babcock this morning on the NHL network, Babcock made the good point that the wings need to stop giving other teams chances.

Too much PDA everyday

I hate to sound like all I do is complain a lot, but it makes it easier to write about stuff for these blogs. My issue now is PDA (Public Display of Affection) from one class to another every day I see it. The PDA supporters range from all kinds of students we have at groves, we have the overactive sexual band geeks, the couple who never stops holding/hugging/ almost making out in the hallways, and then the couples who think they’re going to spend the rest of their lives with each other, haha what a joke. People need to put a halt to this inappropriate display of behavior. That or Mayfield, and Lonze just need to start walking around with beating sticks and just give a small wack to the kid’s that we see doing this every day. Kids here at Groves need to get the fact that, that’s disgusting, and no one wants to see that at all. I feel any kind of PDA should result in some kind of public humiliation on the spot, and a call home to the parents for sure. Let these kids go home and tell their parents they can’t control their sexual edges in the hallway, that should make for a good conversation at the dinner table.

Foreign Cars

This morning on my way to school I was listening to 89x, and they were talking to a man asking his opinion on Chrysler, and Ford merged? I didn’t really get to hear much about his opinion because I was almost at school. One thing I did hear and took from the interview was the mans’ opinion on Foreign cars. I know at least ¾ people in our group drive foreign cars; we have Wehbe in a Lexus, Hurrite in an Acura, and myself driving a Toyota. The man from the radio said he hates foreign cars, and the people that drive/buy them. While hearing this I looked to see what kind of cars I saw that morning on my street, two BWM’S and a Volvo. More upsetting though, while I was trying to make the pain of a left hand turn from my street trying to go south on Southfield road, this man then said quote “I don’t let foreign cars in, in traffic”. Then I just made up my mind alright this guys’ an a-hole. I understand how buying American cars will help our economy, and all but, then again look at our line up here in the states. We have GM now only working their employees four days a week because they can’t afford more than that. Ford is always talking about going under, and Chrysler having problems left, and right. This man on the radio is making our roads more unsafe. It’s not a big deal, just let people in, I always do when I’m driving because I feel it’s no big deal, and it’s just another way to be safe. Don’t make people have to force their way in your lane. That’s doing nothing but making the roads/situation more dangerous. I also know for a fact the three guys I mentioned in our group have had no auto problems so far this year. Yeah, foreign cars must really suck then?

Political Signs

How do you feel about people expressing their political views out in public? I myself have the biggest democratic liberal for a mother, some times it makes me sick, and definatly get’s annoying. I can see politics from both sides, which is what makes our country a whole lot different, and stronger. You have a right to vote for different things that you believe in, and are not forced to support any specific form of government. However, During these passed few months seeing more and more presidential candidate bumper stickers, signs, pins, adds, you name it were seeing politics all over now. I often wonder to myself am I going to be that person with a sign in my front yard. Do I really need to let people know who im voting for? I feel it’s just a way of classifying yourself and making it totally public, and I don’t think I would want to do that. Does it make a difference to anything if I have a bumper sticker, or a sign in my front yard who im voting for? Are you changing someone else’s thoughts, or opinion, or even vote because you feel a need to let people surrounding you who you’re voting for?

It's up to you to make the right decisoin... (Detroit)

Super size me was a good film. But the one thing that I didn’t like was that I already knew most of that stuff. I know that fast food contains a lot of bad things for you and that eating it every day is very unhealthy. Most Americans do know this fact but still find themselves in these restaurants very frequently. Obesity is a very prevalent disease in our society. It is in part caused by the amount of fast food restaurants we have but it also caused by the lack of self control that Americans have. We just shovel this crap into our mouths while have a conversation about how bad it is for you. I understand that these places are not helping us but if you eat their food in moderation, then it’s okay. The other thing that angers me is these dumb girls who sued McDonalds for making them fat. That’s like suing a bar for getting you to drunk. You knew what you were doing and what you were getting yourself into. That is your choice, not the restaurants. They didn’t grab you and throw you into the establishment, you choose to walk in under your own power.

P.S. - Congrats to the D for becoming the fattest city in America. Just keep doin what ur doin Detroit.

Reality T.V. is junk

It seems like every time I turn on the television I see more crap. Just last week I saw three new reality TV shows coming that just made me think, you gotta be kidding me? I got sick of this kind of stuff once real world vs. Road rules was on. Now they have Paris Hiltons search for my new BFF, Celebrity Fit Club, From G’s to gents, I love money, I love new York, the Real world, Road rules, the one with Real and Chance from I love new York, and 50 cents new show, and “P. Diddy” will have some random one in there somewhere every few years too. Those are just a few I though of off the top of my head. The bottom line is it’s all such junk, the producers tell the cast their every move to keep ratings, and people interested. Now when Im flipping through the channels and see shows like these I laugh at how stupid they are, and it’s a joke that we as Americans are so into it. Everything is staged; through a bunch of people who don’t know each other in a house, is the one main ingredient. Add some drama, or maybe a fight. Then show people making alliances and talking behind peoples back, so there is a problem and people just have to see what happens after the commercial break. The other point I want to make is it just an ongoing pattern. The cast from all these shows all go on to have their own shows for the future. For examples both “White Boy”, Real and Chance, and Mr. Boston all from I love New York. It’s all just one cycle that won’t end until we start showing interests in other things on TV.

People need to Move in the Hallways..

Spending my last four years as a student here at Groves ever since my first day of freshman year one thing will always be for sure, the hall ways are ridiculous. There are so many things that occur in the halls that get under my skin. People who don’t move while walking towards you, and will not move over at all. Im 6’1 close to 200 pounds yet I’ve had people run into me before they consider moving over. I'm sick of always being the one who has to move, I’m a taller person, who doesn’t always see people around me in the halls due to the growing shrinking problem commonly found in our freshman, and sophomores at Groves. It’s seems if I don’t move for that person then were just going to bump into each other. I makes me so mad because when it happens I just want stop, and ask the person why didn’t you just move a little? There are worse things though. Another bad one is, when you walk by either someone, or a small group of kids being way too loud, yelling in the halls, or just making stupid comments that just make you so pissed off you almost say something but figure whatever, go on as if it never happened. Well now Im sick of it. We as the seniors now have more power and sonority over any other class here at school, yet we still move for underclassmen, or some kid half your size. Why is that?

Where are you going for lunch?

As seniors we have a school year’s worth of experience going out to lunch under our belt. It was exciting as a junior to go out in the real world and get lunch at a real restaurant instead of the cafeteria food which most people I’ve talked to hate it. The only good food options they have in my opinion are the cookies and the chicken fingers. As a junior I usually went to the same places such as Potbelly, Chipotle, Arby’s, Rio Wraps, Buddy’s, and Plum Market. As a senior I have tried to explore more options such as Quizno’s, White Castle, Honeybaked, and Qdoba. It allows you to take some responsibility upon yourself because if you are late to coming back into the building they will take away your lunch pass. If you are speeding in the parking lot they will take away your parking pass. Putting these responsibilities on yourself is a priceless test because the lessons you learn, apply in the real world and school is supposed to prepare you for the real world.

The Bucket

My fellow seniors and I feel we were cheated out of the bucket not once but twice in our high school careers which is unprecedented because the field day games are usually rigged so that the seniors win. Even if they don’t win with points from the events the judges just give them enough spirit points so that they finish first. On one hand, I don’t really care because the bucket isn’t really an honor to have in your possession. All winning gives you is bragging rights. One the other hand, I am mad that we lost because the judges didn’t give us enough spirit points to overcome the juniors. But the judges did give the seniors enough spirit points to win when we were sophomores and at the end of the events we were up by around 100 points. This year we only lost by 5 points which begs the question “They couldn’t give us 10 more points?” In conclusion, I know some people are heartbroken over this but I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.

The First BCS Rankings

The first BCS ranking came out today trying to put the 25 best college football teams in the nation in order to determine which bowl games each team should go to at the end of the season. The 20th ranked Michigan State Spartans dropped out of the top 25 after they got blown out by Ohio State on Saturday 45-7. That was the Spartans’ first Big Ten loss this season coupled with an out of conference loss to the University of California in their first game of the year. I feel the Spartans should still be ranked because Northwestern is ranked 22nd and Michigan State beat them by 17 last week. The wildcats were undefeated until Michigan State beat them at Northwestern. The Michigan Wolverines on the other hand followed up their loss to Toledo by getting blown out by 3rd ranked Penn State. The Wolverines are headed in the wrong direction and the season is nearing its end. Hopefully, first year Coach Rich Rodriguez will be able to recruit players that fit his system this offseason and try to get Michigan back on track next season.

Can The BoSox do it again?

The Boston Red Sox were down 7-0 in the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game 5 of the of American League Championship Series. Which in baseball means that if you have something to do the next day like school or work you should go to sleep because their not going to come back. But they did. The Sox beat the rays 8-7 in an epic comeback win. They also won game 6 versus the rays last night 4-2 putting the series at 3 games each with game 7 tonight. This is not out of the norm for the sox who always seem to be down and out in the ALCS but they get a signature comeback win and it starts a comeback for them in the series. In 2004 they were down 3 games to none to the New York Yankees in the ALCS and had a similar comeback win in game 4 which spurred them on to become the first team to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a series. Last season they were down 3-1 against the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS and they pulled out another comeback win in game 5 which once again led them to another comeback series win. In 2004 they broke an 86 year curse on the franchise by going on to win the pennant and then won it again last season. I think with the inexperience of the Rays the Sox will win game 7 and go on to win the pennant versus the Philadelphia Phillies next week.

Homecoming 08

This year’s homecoming was the best Groves dance I have ever been too. It was too crowded to enforce the “Face to face, leave some space” rule so everybody got to dance however they wanted. Mrs. Hurley on the other hand was not so fond of this year’s dance calling it the “Worst dance to supervise ever.” When I heard that the dance was going to be in the hallway by the pool I thought this was going to be the worst dance because it was going to be so crowded but it ended up being the tightly packed crowd that made it the best. There were only two negative aspects for us were that it got so hot out on the dance floor and that if you went too far down the hall you couldn’t hear the music anymore. I am sure that they will be able to fix these two problems if they choose to have future dances in that hallway.

What is Mad?

There are people like the Chief who go crazy for any number of reasons, but one thing that remains true for all of these people is that they don't just sporadically go crazy for no reason.

Some experience trauma, some divorce, moving away, maybe their ability to be social has been crushed. But even more intriguing is the idea that they were right about something, and no one seemed to acknowledge, or even notice.

Nothing is harder than trying to stand up for what's right when there's nobody to back you up, or even tell you that you're right. Think of 1984; the main character, Winston saw that there was something wrong with the totalitarian society he lives in. The only problem was that he was the only one who noticed the flaw (even to the extent of having proof), yet there was no one to support him. The kind of loneliness induced by such circumstances makes people start to think irrationally: Who's right here? Is it me? Is it the rest of society? Is it just a different perspective, therefore making me wrong? Despite that the proof is right before your eyes, a time comes when you refuse to believe it.

Thoughts like these have led to insanity for countless people throughout history, and the Chief is no exception. After all, he was able not only to see that there was something wrong, but he was also in such a schizophrenic state of mind, that he was able to even "pretend" that he was deaf and a mute.

So there are varying levels of insanity, but they all seem to have something in common: the victim feels all alone, and you can believe me when I say that that is certainly NOT a walk in the park.

-Will Duffield

Adam "Not Pacman" Jones

When football player Adam Jones was reinstated to the NFL before this season everyone figured he had turned over a new leaf, apparently not. It is reported that he got into a fight with his own bodyguard. Before last season he was suspended for the whole season for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Since being drafted three years ago Jones has been entangled with law enforcement 10 times. I don't think he understands how lucky he is to be making that much money by playing football. He is living the life that kids all over the country can only dream about. He has been arrested for numerous fights usually in or around a nightclub. Last season, while in New York to appeal his season suspension by meeting with league commissioner Roger Goodell, he went to a he violated his suspension criteria by going to a nightclub. It just shows what a joke he thinks this whole thing is. Before being reinstated this season he was traded from the Tennessee Titans to the Dallas Cowboys. He then held a press conference to tell the media that from now on he would like to be called Adam or Mr. Jones instead of his nickname “Pacman.” He said that when people called him “Pacman” he felt disrespected which is to be expected because of all the boneheaded mistakes he has made and this latest fight is just another example. I think he should be kicked out of the league for good.

College Shirts

My question to the seniors is an you wear a t-shirt/ any piece of clothing with a college logo or name on it and not be asked at least three times “Are you going to (insert college) next year?” I wore a Western Michigan University shirt on Monday and I had almost 10 people ask me if I was going there next year. As a senior you no longer can wear college logos without the question coming up. As juniors and every other grade no one asked you. They just assumed that you liked that college or you parents went there. It got really annoying by the end of the day. I was thinking to myself is it “wear your college shirt to school day” and no one told me about it? It just seemed like that considering the number of comments I got.

Just a thought….