Life's Little Pleasures

What describes a person best is perhaps finding out what things make them most happy. I'm not an expert on human emotion but I have taken several sociology classes in college and been around people for close to 26 years. Working in marketing, it's fun to see commercials and other advertisements that play on human emotion in a broader way than our audience likes basketball - let's have a famous basketball player demonstrate our product. Knowing your audience allows for ads that stick in the mind forever.

This post is not about advertising but of what I consider to be the greatest things in the world. Everyone has 10-20 things/events that make them the most happy. Knowing what these things have in common across a demographic can help us become better marketers, salespeople, leaders, etc.

Standing at the top of a mountain with a pair of skis and nobody else is in sight.
What really stands out is the summit at Blue Sky Basin in Vail, Colorado. The last time I was there, I split off from my ski partner for the weekend for a little while. That weekend at Vail was as cold as anything I've ever experienced in my life. To me, it's as far away from civilization I could have gotten without being lost. It's the most calming thing I've experienced.

Pulling an all-nighter with friends on a porch and watching the sunrise with a beer.
Late my Senior year at the University of Kansas, I was with a group of about eight people reveling in what was the final month of all of our time in school.

Tip off at Allen Fieldhouse for a big game.
There's not a time in our lives when we have more in common with so many other people than when we're at a home game for our team. Several places can evoke this same emotion but Allen Fieldhouse is one of a kind. I've been lucky enough to see dozens of these types of games there. For two hours, nothing else matters. Just be loud, yell things you wouldn't normally say in front of decent people, and hope for the best.

Jet flyover before a football game as the National Anthem is ending.
'Nuff said.

Golfing at the Ocean Course - Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
I could just say golf in general or "golfing on a nice day" but it wouldn't be true. The four hours on the Ocean Course, one of the most beautiful places in the country was a spiritual experience. It's as though God made that piece of land for people to put a golf course on.

The first beer on a Friday after a long week of work.
It's not the beer that's important, just the moment when we all can turn off the brain and spend time with our best friends. The beer is good to aid in keeping the conversations as random and inappropriate as possible.

The moment a goal is scored at LiveStrong Sporting Park.
Soccer, unlike most of the sports doesn't give the fan the immediate satisfaction of seeing your team "take the lead." Every game is pure suspense. A team may be "dominating" a game but not winning. The moment a goal is scored by your team is one of the most rewarding, relieving and exciting moments a fan can experience.

Landing at either coast after a long flight.
It's not that I'm afraid of flying or that it makes me feel uneasy. I can't imagine sitting on a floatation device in a cramped seat that smells funny for more than two hours is enjoyable for anyone. Landing means the plane is still in one piece and you can escape the crying baby, talkative old guy or space invading person who thinks you don't need the space because you're thin.

Opening credits for a movie I've been anticipating for months.
Movies are so hard to be patient for. You know what's coming well in advance. It's like looking forward to a major sporting event and seeing highlights before you're able to see the actual game and result.

A great bottle of wine.
I'm a habitual wine drinker. There's always an excuse to have a few glasses of red wine after a long day. The special occasions though with a wine you've never had before that costs more than $20 - those are the best. Each wine has its own taste and history. To an average wine drinker, it's always interesting to hear what your company has to say about the wine. "Oh, it has a hint of oak and berry flavor. It's very smooth and drinkable. Oh, and a hint of cinnamon! Yeah, it's good."

Christmas morning with the family.
I love the holidays and I love family. What makes this morning perfect is that it's the one day out of the year when you have absolutely no distractions. Turn off your phone and ignore social media. The only thing that's important is to enjoy your time with the family and eat fantastic food.

Snow days.
When I was young, snow days were a bit more simple. It'd snow more than a few inches, schools would deem it unsafe for kids to be outside and I'd end up spending the day with Mom watching movies. Nowadays, it takes a storm worthy of nicknames to have a real snow day (like Snowpocalypse). When the car's stuck in a snow bank, staying home from work is acceptable. This results in sparse amounts of real work completed, video games, wine and snowball fights. The best snowball fights last hours and result with someone wearing a flower pot as a helmet.

Autumn days tailgating before a football game at the alma mater.
Tailgating involves the three undeniably great things that are beer, food and cigars. The great weather in mid-October makes for the perfect setting for spending an afternoon enjoying these life pleasures. What can push this day to the next level is a good football game to conclude the day (see KU football, 2007). Sadly, football at the University of Kansas is a fickle beast so we have to settle for good tailgates more often than not.

A Wedding Weekend in Tennessee

Having written about my weekends in the past, the topic doesn't seem quite as interesting. Last weekend broke the norm. Yes, the norm being several bar visits and stimulating the local economy by attending sporting events, throwing back drinks and multiple restaurant visits. Last weekend was different and such a great change of pace.

The weekend began with a much needed off day (Yes, I took last Friday off but that half counts since I was with co-workers) so I could fly to Nashville, Tennessee. Having enjoyed the only time I've been to Tennessee, I was anxious for the visit. A great friend, Ryan Carrothers would be taking the vows to make official his status as the oldest 25 year-old I know. There was some resistance on my part to the idea that I'd spend my weekend in Tennessee during the 20th Anniversary Party for the company I work for, VML. If you have any idea what that company is and the type of people working for it, you know its parties are second to none.

Having not been to an airport for a while, I was off my game. First mistake, lining up behind a Mom with four teenage girls. The girls did not start "prepping" for the security walk through until the man in front of them had been cleared. Second mistake, not bagging up my toiletry items. I forgot one which resulted in a man who fancies himself a Secret Service agent searching my bag of meticulously packed clothes (suit and brand new button down shirt included). "Sir, you a free to proceed." Gee thanks, tool.

The flight went without a hitch with a fellow groomsmen (Bryan) and cute, non-space invading girl taking the two seats next to me. I was successful in keeping the seat open until my friend boarded by giving awkward stares at everyone who came on board that glanced at the seat next to me.

Flying into Nashville is much more scenic than flying into Kansas City. The anticipation began to grow as I'm reminded how beautiful the landscape is. Also of note, the Nashville Airport is very easy to get out of quickly. That was a good thing since Bryan and I were on the hook to make the wedding rehearsal in Franklin. The bride to be might be short in stature but I wasn't about to cross her the day before her wedding day.

The car ride was interesting. We unintentionally mixed up our destinations and spent some quality time at the house Ryan's parents were renting before we finally figured out we were at the wrong spot. After driving 15 miles down some country roads, we pass the place we're supposed to be (because Bryan recognized a very tall, pale person). We turnaround and like an idiot, I speed by the wedding locale for a second time. On the third try, we make the turn.

Bryan and I pull up to the farm the rehearsal is at pumping some tunes of the hip hop compilation CD kindly left in the rental car by the last customer. The last two groomsman have arrived so this thing can officially get underway. It's great to finally meet Ryan's parents (especially Kim since she knew me so well already from Facebook) and the other groomsmen. Ryan prides himself on surrounding himself with good people so I was honored to be a part of that company. Nothing out of the ordinary happens at the rehearsal except for the wedding planner making strong eye contact with each of the groomsman while explaining we cannot bring any of our own liquor on the premises. "I'm looking at you guys. You'll have to come ready (toasted) or wait until the reception." Thanks for that miss presumptuous. Besides, I forgot the flask at home.

After the rehearsal, we head back to the house to kill a little time before the rehearsal dinner. The house is amazing with a huge lot, a hammock, ample outdoor seating, a massive screened in porch and horses off in the lot next to it. It's a perfect escape from the routine back in KC. Strangely, I've never been able to enjoy a hammock so I spend 20 minutes on it staring at the sky while the rest of the guys have some brews.

The rehearsal dinner is at this southern style house converted restaurant. On the menu for me was prime rib, mashed potatoes and green beans. The food definitely lived up to the setting (even though I typically pass on mashed potatoes). Better than the food though was getting to know the rest of the family and groomsman. Soon after dinner, some words were said in honor of the bride and groom followed by a slide show put together by Kim. She had gathered photos from all Ryan's good friends and put them together for all to see his 25 years of life. My contribution, a picture of Ryan and I at work with Santa Clause. I think the only thing Santa brought us that day were reminders to do our timesheets. Later, Ryan gives us groomsman our gifts. Shockingly, they're some fantastic engraved pocket knives. I fully expected something slightly dangerous from Ryan and he didn't disappoint. A sword was the gift for the best man. The rest of the weekend, seven grown men roamed Franklin, Tennessee playing with pocket knives and a sword.

The evening continues back at the house with some good drinks. Well, actually the best of drinks. Dan (Ryan's dad) was kind enough to bring some Johnny Walker Blue Label for a toast. It's the best scotch I've ever had. After the scotch is finished, Kim let's me finish off a few already open bottles of wine. What would a wedding day be without a hangover?

Everyone takes off for the evening but lucky for me, there happens to be a spare room with its own bathroom open for me. It makes the decision to have one final glass before bed a bit easier.

Wedding day comes and the groom is more nervous than before his calls with his favorite Colgate client. Lucky for the rest of us, Dan re-stocked the fridge with beer but Ryan tells us not to get smashed before the wedding. I guess that's a worthy cause when you want your wedding day to be absolutely perfect.

The groomsman filter into the house throughout the afternoon. After football tossing and beer drinking, we're finally hailed to suit up (15 minutes before we leave). For any guy planning a wedding out there, I highly recommend having your groomsmen purchase suits instead of renting tuxes. The suits fit better and look much fresher all the while being only about a hundred more if you play your cards right.

We're due to be photographed at the barn soon so we head 20 minutes down the road to meet the photographer. It's always a good sign when the photographer at a wedding looks like he/she is having just as much fun as the attendees are. The guy was excellent and the results will surely be a great way to remember the weekend for anyone in attendance. Perhaps the best shot for us groomsmen will be that of us touching tips (sword and knives) right before the ceremony.

The walk up the hill with the bridesmaids is slightly more daunting than your average walk down a sanctuary aisle. It's a muddy, uphill, 100 yard stroll. Everybody makes it without so much as a trip! The ceremony is under way.

As I'm in front of 100 people doing my best to stand still (so difficult), I'm checking out every person in the audience. It's a mixture of smiles and tears as two people everyone there loved were having the most important moment of their young lives. I can't help but look into the crowd and imagine who I'd see at my own wedding. Who wouldn't I see? There are so many relationships we have in our lives but only a few of them have a lasting impact. There'd be a few friends from childhood, more from college with perhaps the most being from after graduation. Most my family would be there but the distinction between friends and family becomes more blurred as I get older. My best friends are my family and know me better than anyone. I can't wait to share a day like this (should it ever come!) with friends like Ryan and Katie.

The ceremony ends, food is served and drinks flow. Being in the middle of the Tennessee hill country was a fantastic setting for the wedding. It may have been rainy and chilly but I don't think anyone had less fun because of it. A few of the guys may have had their jackets swiped but that's a necessary loss. I can't think of anything more fun than dancing to Otis Day & The Knights with a bunch of people I had met only a day earlier.

As the night goes on and we retreat back to the house for more banter, it hits me that I'll be on an early flight back to Kansas City in the morning. I had met so many great people. It's so easy to simply Facebook everyone you meet so you can keep up with their life but it's so much less fulfilling  Hopefully last weekend was just the beginning of some great new relationships. Trips to Tennessee and Canada are already on my mind for the next few months. Even in Kansas City, I've been reunited with some great people who I hadn't seen since college or high school.

It's strange how this all happened because VML needed a new business intern to pick up the slack after I left the department. That intern, Ryan sent me a message on Facebook asking for the lowdown on VML. For the first time in more than five years, we saw each other while walking into the office. Two years later, I was a groomsmen in his wedding. My place of work is indirectly responsible for four of my best friends and countless other friends. I guess it was only fitting that I missed the anniversary party for VML so I could be with one of the great people I've gotten to know at the company.

The Weekend

One of the most underrated aspects of life growing up that's become more apparent as I've gotten older is the set routine. This past Friday I was wigging out at 6pm because of a bug that came up with a web project at work. People were frustrated. I was angry. That something so little could change my mood on Friday so easily in of itself bothered me.

There I was, sitting at Harry's Country Club downtown with a tasty Moscow Mule in an ice cold copper cup and a BLT in front of me. I couldn't stop looking at my phone. The fowl taste from the day's events at work made me think to myself, this is the worst damn BLT in the city. I'm sure it wasn't. Heck, the idea of the BLT makes it pretty hard to screw up unless they're using soggy strips of bacon like the ones Burger King slaps on their burgers.

Luckily, I have the best friends in the world who knew the best way to rescue the night for me was to send a long winded email directing traffic, explaining the occurrence and setting up the team for success the next day (Saturday) to take care of the bug. It's the longest email I've sent from the phone, ever. I deleted the "Sent from my iPhone" for good measure.

It's funny what little things can brighten your mood. We migrated away from the overpriced post-happy hour drinks and mediocre BLT's at Harry's to our favorite downtown bar, John's Big Deck. This night, we're preparing to see The Dark Knight Rises. It just wouldn't be right not to fit some cold brews on a deck before a Friday night movie. My mind still wondering while my phone buzzes five times a minute (No texts this time. Just email alerts.), I'm about to close out my tab and find out I was given four beers for the price of two. I get unreasonably excited about this sort of thing. Either the bartender liked me or is just bad at their job. The night's improved.

Another thing I'm unreasonably excited for, sitting in a dark theater for nearly three hours for the third Christopher Nolan Batman film. I just love it. A good movie is the perfect thing to suspend my thoughts on a less than stellar week.

When we sit down in the theatre, I can't help but lean over to David and observe how close we are to the exit. It's only 10 feet away. With the tragedy in Colorado the night before, the seemingly safe confines of a movie theatre are associated with mass loss of life and pointless violence. Here I am, worried about a bug in a application we're developing at work and the lack of a love life. It puts things in perspective.

The Dark Knight Rises is everything I could've hoped for to wrap up the Batman trilogy. The last 20 minutes is one of the best sequences and endings I've ever seen in a movie.

By the time the movie is done, it's 1:30. Though most bars downtown say they're open until 3am, it's more like 2am with a $10 cover. This frustrates us but it's probably for the better. Cab hailed, Jimmy John's ordered, movie turned on and the night's finally over.

Saturday morning (11am) I wake up and am greeted with a flurry of emails. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who bar hopped and saw a movie the night before. It takes a while, but the team manages to fix the bug in time for an evening in Westport.

On the agenda, McCoy's for the Sporting Kansas City match and Kelly's to watch our favorite cover band, "Sellout." It's an interesting and surreal thing to be in a bar that has five TV's tuned to an MLS soccer match and just one with the stumbling Royals.

After the match, we head over to Kelly's. It was a good evening filled with plenty of beer and some banter with the band member dressed as Slash. Marilyn Monroe was there too. Apparently both David and Bert had "moments" with her while she was wailing to some classic rock. Probably the only annoyance of the girl behind me urging me to dance. I'm sorry, but I'm not dancing to Alanis Morsette.

There's one thing left to do after the show. We head back to the apartment for some Rock Band so we can act like we actually know how to make good sounds. It's not working though. We can't beat Carry on my wayward son on easy. I could see a conversation with a police office going like this; "Sir, you been drinking tonight?" "Sort of." He then hands you a guitar video game controller and demands you play and beat Free Bird on medium.

On Sunday, I see Batman once more for good measure.

Weekend highlights....
- Three BLT's eaten (two triples from the Peanut)
- Two viewings of The Dark Knight Rises
- Six bars visited
- Figuring out Pizza Bar at P&L has a $10 cover.
- 10 billable hours for work

Allen Fieldhouse

I can’t remember the first time I visited the Fieldhouse for a game. I’m not even 100 percent sure what the first season was. What I can tell you is I’ve spent more time there than any building besides my grade schools, homes and current workplace. Yes, I’ve spent more time inside the limestone walls of Allen Fieldhouse than the church I grew up in. I’m not sure this makes my creator all that happy but at least there’s a sense of spirituality inside the Fieldhouse. Yes, it’s like church.

Church is a place for meditation, joy, fellowship, etc. When my time finally came to be a student at the University of Kansas, I experienced the Fieldhouse full circle. Sure, there were games I’ll always remember from before being a student. Sitting in the front row for KU’s historic comeback against defending champ UCLA comes to mind. I was there as a 9-year-old watching Jacque Vaughan take the ball the length of the court to spin through two defenders for a contested layup to take the lead after being 19 points down.

I was sort of taken aback when during the first semester of my freshman year there were students gathering a few days prior to the first exhibition game at the Fieldhouse. A few of my dorm mates from Lewis Hall and I made our way down from Daisy Hill only to find about 75 people already camping out at the Fieldhouse. We put our name on the camping group list so we’d be amongst the first few hundred people to kick off the season against Fort Hayes St. Announced attendance, 16,300. Mind you, this was the year after a crushing defeat to Bucknell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. There were mumblings amongst the student body and on message boards about whether or not Coach Self was the man for the job.

Camping at Allen Fieldhouse was surreal. Growing up, I was just a devoted fan going to every game he could with his father. College sport is beautiful. This freshman class I’d watch grow into a championship team was my peers. I had class with them, went to the same bars and restaurants and was there to say “what’s up” when I was camping by the Coke machine next to the locker room. I remember the story of Sherron Collins walking into a lecture hall late and being welcomed by the professor. The professor says “Welcome Sherron, glad you could join us. Have a seat.” Sherron takes a look up at the auditorium then turns to the professor and says, “Ain’t no seats” and walks out. A few games later, a camping group adopted the moniker “Ain’t no seats” and would chant it at Collins.

A few weeks before my sophomore year, I received a call from a relative with an interesting opportunity. After a brief interview’ish meeting, I agreed to work for Student Athlete Support Services at the University of Kansas Athletic Department. Looking back, it really was a ridiculous way to make money as a student. I’d follow athletes around and sign them into class and worked the desk evenings during their tutoring sessions. Sure, I was only making $7.25/hr, but who wouldn’t take a detour after a morning full of journalism classes to welcome a few 5-star recruits to their Econ 104 class? Sherron seemed surprised his first year on a day I checked him into class then later to see I was hanging outside the locker room as he made his way to the court for practice.

Mid-way through my time at the University of Kansas, I was completely immersed in the culture. I’d been a student for two years and was now working toward a degree in Journalism. As a fan, I was still waiting for a breakthrough. Early my junior year, it came from an unexpected place. The church was dormant at the time so I was spending my Saturdays in what looks sort of like a beautiful park with a football stadium in the middle. The football team was on a roll, winning its first 11 games. Its twelfth game against hated archrival Missouri would be arguably the biggest stage of any sporting event between the two schools. After losing, the campus was deflated. A day later, Allen Fieldhouse was open for business as yet another highly ranked Jayhawk basketball team was kicking off its season. Eerie would be a good way to describe the atmosphere. The Jayhawks limped along for an overtime victory against an unranked Arizona team.

Our collective thoughts as a University were still focused on the football team. Perhaps it would serve as inspiration for the basketball team as the calendars turned to 2008. Aqib Talib became the BMOC because of “The Pick 6,” a feat not easy for a football player at KU. With that new trophy full of oranges taking up space at the Fieldhouse’s Hall of Athletics, it was time for the basketball team to deliver some hardware of its own.

The season went on as many others have. There were incredible highs and incredible lows. There was of course the annual ‘players only’ meeting after a crushing loss to a mediocre Oklahoma State team. The Jayhawks would go on to win Big 12 outright as well as the post-season tournament. We don’t hang individual banners for conference championship though at Allen Fieldhouse and the 1988 banner was looking lonely.

After wrapping up another season of camping, studying, cheering and celebrating at the Fieldhouse, it was time for the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks were once again a 1-seed, their bracket seeming more open than the previous year when the Jayhawks played a road game against the 2-seed in the Elite 8. It’s easy to become a bit cynical after picking the Jayhawks to win it all in so many bracket challenge contests. Nevertheless, Dad planned ahead for a trip to San Antonio to watch the Jayhawks do what they haven’t done in 20 years.

I remember sitting down late in the Championship game against Memphis and watching Dad put away his binoculars. This was a sign, a sign that yet another year had come and gone with no Championship banner. I peeked through the UCLA fans in front of me and watched as Sherron Collins stole an inbounds pass to later receive the ball back for his biggest play as a Jayhawk. The same shy kid I welcomed to his first Econ 104 class had made the biggest play of the year to keep hopes alive on the biggest stage imaginable for a student athlete.

Derek Rose was perhaps the best college player I ever had the privilege of watching in person. He was going Carmelo Anthony on KU. The short stocky kid from Chicago knew him though. Sherron was equal to the challenge in a way Darren Collison of UCLA wasn’t just two days prior. I again took a seat as Rose made an impossible step back three pointer off the glass to dash any hope. Scratch that, it was only a two. After further chipping into the lead, the future NBA MVP was at the line with just a few seconds left to secure a Championship. Clank. The first free throw bounced off the iron. Sherron would take the inbounds pass, the shot clock turned off, down three. We all knew the play. There were plenty of opportunities to rehearse against the likes of Texas and USC the past few seasons. We knew the play and we knew it was going in. “Chalmers for the tie….. GOT IT!”

Again, it was Collins. My favorite player when I was a student and perhaps my choice for starting point guard on the all-time Jayhawk greats team had found a way to get by Derrick Rose for a hand off to Mario Chalmers. The game was over before overtime could get started. “We just say, ‘let your nuts hang.’ Just let’em hang,” said Darnell Jackson. Who knows that that really means but everyone knew who’d win the extra five minutes.

I finally had THE moment every true fan waits for. That moment when all the years of buying new apparel, driving to and from Lawrence, camping for four hours the evening before a mid-term and waking up at 5:45 a.m. for morning roll call proved to be worth it.

My celebratory drink on the River Walk at San Antonio was a Negro Modelo. I don’t know why I picked it but it’s something I’ll remember like I remember the first beer I ever ordered at a bar (Rolling Rock). Dad was sitting across the table, making the first phone call since the game had ended. I could hear him talking to my Grandpa (known as Popo in the Goff clan). Popo had seen the Jayhawks win in ’52 as well as a heartbreaking loss to North Carolina in ’58. Dad had seen Danny and the Miracles in ’88 and now I had witnessed Mario’s miracle shot.

One hundred thousand people lined Massachusetts Street in Lawrence to welcome back the National Champions. I lived about a mile away at the time and drove down to Mass St. to meet the family. At least, I attempted to meet them. I parked closer to my apartment than downtown because of the crowd already gathering for the parade. The power of sport and devotion to one’s alma mater is undeniable. In a town of 80 thousand people, 100 thousand gathered on a single street to express their gratitude and congratulate the victors.

It’s my senior year and I’m at church, at Allen Fieldhouse for the first time in my final year at the University of Kansas. There’s celebration, a sermon and ceremony. I’m in a rather lonely position above the other 16,299 people there and operating a spotlight. My job, make sure the 2008 National Championship banner is well lit as it ascends to its permanent position inside Allen Fieldhouse.

Why not a '03 Repeat?

By repeat, I mean a similar run deep into March and/or early April. I'm talking about the 2011-12 version of the Kansas Jayhawk basketball team. A team that's been brushed aside ironically by most the local pundits, the Jayhawks are atop the Big 12 once again with nearly a third of the conference season in the books. I call it ironic the local media has been the last to jump on the bandwagon because most the more experienced national experts consider the Jayhawks the best or second best team in the conference.

There are a lot of things to consider when dissecting the success Kansas has had during its current 7-game streak. With the toughest road test coming at Oklahoma during the stretch, Allen Fieldhouse has of course been a huge factor with two home games coming against top-20 teams. It is essential for KU to win its next four games before a huge matchup in Columbia which may be the first top-5 MU/KU matchup since the early 90s.

Back to the title of this post. What do I mean by a '03 repeat? There are several similarities in this blogger's mind between the Jayhawk team that marched through the West bracket of the NCAA Tournament and onto the National Championship game.

- Limited depth

- A national player of the year candidate and a sidekick worthy of all conference honors

- Three other starters who compliment in their own unique way

- A bench that's as reliable as a Ford Fiesta

- Tough schedule

In talking with the roommate, the topic of depth and its worth has come up quite a bit. With the Kentucky Wildcats making it to the Final Four in 2011, I was left scratching my head about how much having Josh Selby and Elijah Johnson play about 14 minutes a game off the bench was worth. Is it perhaps worth more for the same Elijah Johnson to be forced into played 35 minutes per game against top flight competition simply because Coach Self can't trust his backup after Johnson throws a pass into the stands?

The maturation of this team from when they played UK at Madison Square Garden to when it blasted Baylor can be attributed the starting five playing 30 plus minutes per game. They've been forced to work through their issues. Gone are the days when KU had a second five capable of beating Davidson on any given day. If Davidson's starters play better than KU's starters once out of ten games, it's enough to pull off the upset. Last year, that wouldn't have been enough. The second five Kansas could put on the floor would have bailed out the starters.

A team with a very limited rotation is better in March. That's just an opinion based on the success of Kentucky last year and the success of KU in '02, '03 and '08. In '03 especially, the weight placed on Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich prepared them for huge post season tests against Duke and Arizona. In '11, the Jayhawks were not prepared. Against USC, KU won because they had a freshman playing in his first game get hot and bail them out. That 5-star recruit is not sitting on the bench this year. It's on the starting five to get things done. They're the most important five guys on the team and when there's people on the bench to bail them out during the regular season, they might forget that when it matters most.

Now, I wasn't able to pay close attention to the '88 Championship but I'm assuming it was a similar situation. What would have happened in '97 if Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce were relied on to carry the team each and every game instead of having Billy Thomas there to relieve them? They would have been better prepared to beat Arizona in the Sweet 16.

For the sake of good argument, the '08 team used depth in the Final Four to push through to the Championship game. Cole Aldrich, a little used center came in and had his best game of the year against North Carolina. That of course won't happen this year for the Jayhawks. If Thomas Robinson gets three fouls against Tyler Zeller in the first half, Kevin Young is not coming off the bench take him to school as Aldrich did Tyler Hansbrough.

That's why this team is similar to '03. Bryant Nash was nowhere near a good enough player to bail KU out when Keith Langford picked up four fouls guarding Carmelo Anthony. That could have been the difference in the Championship. Likewise, the development of Jeff Graves because he was forced to log major minutes the entire conference season contributed to the wins against Duke and Arizona.

The X-Factor this year is Thomas Robinson. Nick Collison is an all time KU great. Robinson though could be on a different level in March. As the frontrunner for national player of the year, Robinson has been an absolute nightmare for the opposition. With a continued steady rate of development up to March, he could be set to "Carmelo'ize" the Jayhawks. He can be that dominant. If the supporting cast can divert some of the attention from Robinson, the "least talented" team in the Bill Self era of Kansas basketball could be hanging another banner next October.

Monday Eve

I'm tired... With at most four hours of sleep last night, there is no reason to still be awake listening to Kirk Herbstreit say the same thing about LSU-Alabama he was two weeks ago. Wait, never mind. The long snapper for Alabama pulled a muscle getting off the bus.

Monday eve really isn't as terrible as I make it out to be. I'm still up for the sole purpose of putting off Monday morning just a little longer. Do I dread going to work tomorrow? Of course not. It's going to be a busy week, probably more busy than any week since before Thanksgiving. For me, it'll be a good week for this reason and I'm eager to take it on.

Why the dread on a Sunday evening? It's just what we're programmed to do. Now, let's take a look back at the weekend and the week ahead (besides counting how many people sigh when you ask them how their weekend was and respond, "Not long enough.").

It was definitely a successful Friday/Saturday combo. With the expectation for a full Saturday, Friday night was spent in the company of family and a good friend. Chili, football and exorbitant amount of junk food was on the menu.

Here are a few highlights of a full day of bar hopping and basketball watching on Saturday.

- Arrive at Brooksider by 11:30. This in of itself is an accomplishment.

- The table orders enough beer and food that the waitress is clearly confused by the end of the KU-OU/KSU-MU games.

- Migrate to a friend's house for some old school Nintendo (Mario World 3). To keep the nostalgic vibe, we turn on a Disney movie power hour YouTube video.

- We travel towards Oak Park Mall to a bar we've never been to. Let's just say we traveled to the Land of Oz.

- The "Either/Or" game begins. Speed or comfort?

- We roll on back to Waldo.... did Chipotle come before or after the Land of Oz?

- With the day already a success, there was no need to make another stop but we did anyway.... Quinton's.

- The group's getting very stoic at this point. I'm leaving with a few friends close behind, battling through the crowd. All pro d-bag nudges my friend and I out of the way, I elbow him in the back, he gives me a good shove in the back. I turned around and returned the shove (He's a little stocky guy. I was about to start biting). His massive friend then gets between him and I telling me, "Trust me, you don't want to f*ck with us." Cue stare down. Now, I'm not sure who won the stare down but I departed with the urging of my two friends and the other dudes departed at the urging of the bouncers.

- We make it home in one piece. The customary "You alive?" Tweets and texts flow.

Sunday... Lazy Sunday.

Sunday starts well with a partner in crime from the night before at Jalepenos. This was a single mission with two objectives; morning fuel and recovering the ride (He spent the night behind the Brooksider).

What else? Nothing. There were apparently some NFL Playoff games on the TV when I was lounging on the couch. I take a road trip down to Leawood to find Mom and Sister going through old children's books from our childhood. So strange. "Erin, is that a baby seat in your CRV?!"

Mom and I then make Philly Cheese Steaks. Delicious. It's cheap, easy and yields plenty of leftovers for a few lunches at work.

Work tomorrow.... Yeah, this post is done.

2012: To do list (before December 21)

In no particular order, the following is everything I intend to do this calendar year. No, these are not resolutions and I'm not trying to justify being better at anything simply because the calendar reads 2012 versus 2011.

I'm fully expecting Yellowstone to erupt or The Walking Dead to become non-fiction late this year, hence the reason for such a busy year.

- Purchase season tickets

I've always bought single game tickets or mooched off well-connected family members for admission into the city's many events. Sporting Kansas City is the current leader. I'll hold off on the Royals or may purchase the sporting event equivalent of a snack pack.

- Drive obscenely fast on a winding two-lane road (freshly paved is a must)

Sure, the acceleration on my car is nice (Subaru WRX), but it's not a muscle car. It's an AWD rally car. If there's any likelihood that I might not be able to drive it in 2013, I need to get my money's worth in 2012. If there's time and significant funds, I'd like to take it off road too.

- Visit Vancouver (and acquire a passport)

A good friend lives in Seattle and another good friend is Canadian. The two don't ever shut up about how awesome Vancouver is, the Canadian constantly reminding co-workers and me that it's been named the greatest city in the world.

- Play soccer

I enjoy watching soccer and playing Fifa on the XBox but I haven't kicked (much less touched) a soccer ball since I was in middle school.

- Have a Bloody Mary at Louis's West

Way back when I lived down the street from my favorite bar, I hadn't yet developed a taste for the fantastic drink that is a Bloody Mary. I've been told Louis's West makes the best Bloody Mary in Lawrence.

- Have Wheel pizza

Yes, there are several pizza joints that are better than the basement at the Wheel in Lawrence (Waldo Pizza!). There is no late night pizza I've found in Kansas City that matches with Wheel pizza at 2 in the morning. Torres and Joes in Westport don't even come close.

- Wear suits more frequently

I wore a suit the other day to work and enjoyed it. I'm of the belief that dressing well effects the way I act as well as the way others view me.

- See a tornado

I've lived in Tornado Alley my entire life and have yet to see one. Perhaps this will happen when the world is ending.

- See a wolf, bear or cougar in the wild

Growing up, I was a total Discovery Channel and National Geographic junkie. I'd like nothing more than to actually see one of these beautiful animals I was so fascinated with during my childhood.

- Eat Chicago deep dish pizza (again)

I was fortunate enough to have Geno's when I was a sophomore in high school. It's unfortunate I haven't been back to Chicago since.

- Use my future niece to pick up women

"Is this your daughter?! She's so cute!"

"No, my niece. What's your name?"

- Run a 6-minute mile

I've always been somewhat fit but never in great shape. I hope to change this.

- Bet on sporting events at a Vegas sports book

There aren't many things that seem as fantastic to me as watching multiple sporting events at a time with the same interest as I do when the Jayhawks are playing. Of course, having pretty waitresses bring scotch and smoking a cigar is a bonus.

- Visit the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts

I'm not into the ballet or symphony, but it's undeniable how awesome this addition to Kansas City is.

- See a live performance by a rapper

Drake's coming to Sprint Center this year.

- Watch the Jayhawks in the Elite 8 in person (should they make it that far)

I've always thought the Elite 8 was the greatest round of the greatest postseason tournament in sports. I've seen the first and second rounds, Sweet 16 and National Championship in person, but not an Elite 8.

- Sit in the student section again

There's nothing better than the party near the front of the student section for a big basketball or football game.

- Get good at golf

When I was in my late teens, I regularly shot at or below 80 (including a personal best, 75). Now, I struggle to shoot 85. This needs to change in time for me to bring home a medal for VML in KC Corporate Challenge golf.

- Drink one less drink during each bar outing and give the money to charity

- Cook more

I'm a good cook and there are usually leftovers. It's also cheaper than eating crappy take-out.

- Attend multiple Oklahoma City Thunder games

For as big a basketball fan I am, it's crazy that I've only been to one NBA regular season game (Denver Nuggets).

- If possible, see Muse in concert again

Muse at Kanrocksas last year was one of the best live shows I've ever been to.

- Stop hitting the snooze button

- Read more

- Go to the Schlitterbon in Kansas City, Kansas

The roommate will attest to this, I won't shut up about going to this water park.

- See a college football game at one of the great mega stadiums

Bryant Denny, The Big House, The Shoe, Death Valley, Between the Hedges, Neyland are all options.

- Ride a train

I have never ridden on any train bigger than a New York City subway

- Blog

I'm very opinionated and enjoy writing.

If/when I come up with more, I will update this blog throughout the week with additional to-do's. Stay tuned for updates throughout the year on my progress.