Would the Real SEC Coach of the Year Please Stand Up!

Alabama's Nick Saban, along with Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson, and Ole Miss' Houston Nutt have all three been names as SEC coaches of the year. WOW! Lets help mediocrity achieve another level! Way to go SEC. You stink!

I am a huge fan of the SEC under normal circumstances. I normally pull for SEC teams when they play out of conference. I think that year in and year out the SEC is the best conference in the nation. No doubt. But lets face the facts. Houston Nutt came to Ole Miss and turned a program into winners. Not the regular-season-undefeated-winners you see at other teams in the SEC, but winners none the less. Bobby Johnson led Vandy to its first bowl appearance since the eighties. However, all that pales in comparison to what Nick Saban has done with the Tide. 6-7 two years ago, 7-6 last year, 12-1 this year and going to a BCS bowl. Alabama had the second most freshmen on the field (16) of all BCS teams. Alabama won a trip to the SEC Championship game for the first time since 1999. Alabama was ranked #1 in the nation for 5 weeks. Have I left anything out?

Why can't the SEC stop making everyone else feel good and just tell the truth. The best coaching performance this year has come from Tuscaloosa. Therefore, the FIRST ANNUAL COACH TAYLOR COACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD goes to......................drum roll please..................Nick Saban! Congratulations coach!

Automotive Bailout

In case you have not heard yet, Chrysler, Ford, and GM want the government to spend upwards of 15 BILLION dollars to bail out their companies (above: CEO's from each of the companies appear before congress to beg for funds). How are we letting this happen?

Now, as a fair pre-argument point, I know that many people (tens of thousands) could stand to lose their jobs if the bailout does not got through. But my questions is this: whose fault is that? I think the blame should lie at the feet of those running the car companies. These executives make millions a year and have nothing to show for their work. If I were to run a business in to the ground, and be forced to shut down, do you think the government would come to my aid. NOT A CHANCE! I would have to go find another line of work. End of story. However, these CEO's are asking to use my money (read tax dollars) to help their business. I have no stock in their companies. I drive a car made by one of them, but it is paid for. That's right. I don't have the money to buy something I don't buy it. What an odd idea.

I know credit is essential in the business world. I also know that sometimes things must work on a pay later basis. However, the fundamentals of economics do not change. If you spend more than you bring in you go broke. And while the guns are hot, lets fire a few shots at the unions that support these workers. They have over-inflated the worth of their workers to the point where many companies are unable to compete in a global market without government help. Thank you teamsters! Thanks for screwing up our whole automotive industry.

To close, I would like to make one final point. We have GOT to start taking responsibility. If we bail out these auto makers, we are setting a precedent for generations to come. We are essentially saying, "Screw your business up, and the government will bail you out too!" How does this teach responsible business? How does this show the rest of the world our system works? Answer: it doesn't. We have to be responsible, and it starts with me!

My Retraction

Alabama vs. Florida was all that it was supposed to be. The game was not decided until the fourth quarter. The lead changed 5 different times. In the end Florida came out the better team. I was devastated to say the least. I thought this was our year. Oh well. If we are going to lose to a team in the SEC (or in the nation for that matter), I would rather it be to Florida than anyone else. Tim Tebow is a professed Christian who takes yearly mission trips abroad and helped lead his coach to Christ! That is saying a lot more than how many touchdowns he threw (too many)!

However, my step-father, ever the Crimson Tide optimist, set me straight about a few things.

1. We are only a couple of years off of a scholarship reducing probation.

2. Everyone thought we would do good to win 8 games this year.

3. Alabama is back in the top of the college football world.

4. We beat LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, and Auburn all in one year.

12-1 is a great season. We need to add another win to the record. Sugar Bowl, here we come!

My New Toy!

I have acquired a brand new toy. I recently purchased a Nikon d60 camera. Thanks to some guidance from my good friend and neighbor Tim, I am now a fledgling photographer! However, as Tim once pointed out to me, "Everyone with a camera thinks they are photographer." His point was that there is a lot more to photography than point and shoot. He is slowly teaching me how to manipulate my camera to get the shots I want. I will be showing you guys some of my pictures and would love to get you comments on them. If you would like to see more of them, go to this address....

www.flickr.com/photos/firefocus/

Above this post is one of my first attempts at nighttime photography. Enjoy! I know I do!

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP

I am well aware that I may be writing a retraction of this on Monday....but here goes nothing!

I believe Alabama is going to beat Florida in the SEC championship game of Saturday. This season for Alabama has been nothing shy of amazing and unexpected. Even if Alabama happens to drop the game, we still go to the Sugar Bowl (most likely to destroy Utah). When Nick Saban was hired to be the head coach at Alabama, many thought that it would take him several years to even begin to right the wrong that had been going on down at the Capstone. I myself thought the best we could hope for this year was 7 or 8 wins. However, it seems the Tide is turning.

Saban and the Tide may very well lose these next two games. However, even if that occurs, this season was a huge step in returning Alabama to its deserved position in the football hierarchy.

gobamagobamagobamago!

12-0

Enough Said!

BREAKUP OF THE U.S.?

This is not the first time someone has said the U.S. will cease to exist, but it is certainly an important article to look at. Check it out!

http://www.drudgereport.com/flashrur.htm

What do you think? Where would you like to live if it did break up?

It's that time again!

This is the time of year that many people in the state of Alabama live for! Families have been known to split up over this. Friends may not speak for years. Brothers throw punches at one another. Sisters pull hair and slap.

And that is all before kickoff!

The Iron Bowl is one of, if not THE most intense sports rivalries in the country. Alabamians can live together side by side the entire year. However, when the day comes that these two teams take the field against one another, the gloves come off and the pain begins! I have been an Alabama fan my entire life. For a true fan, your loyalty begins in the womb. In the state of Alabama it is not unheard of for newborns to be brought into this world wrapped in an Alabama or Auburn receiving blanket. I have seen people with Alabama and Auburn tattoos. Houses painted in the schools colors. People named after coaches, mascots, stadiums, and star players. The extent to which many people love their schools can really only be measured on the weekend of the Alabama/Auburn game.

Who knows who will win (except me of course). But I do know this......you must pick a side. Not picking a side is worse than being an Auburn fan!

Well, maybe not THAT bad! GOBAMAGOBAMAGOBAMAGO

BABY GOT BACK!

Thank You All!

The last week has probably been the worst of my life. I have seen much in my short time on this earth, but the loss of my son pains me like nothing I could have imagined.

However......

This experience has/is teaching me some very important lessons. First and foremost about God; he loves me more than I can imagine. The Bible tells me that God gave His Son for MY sins. Voluntarily. No strings attached. Without my deserving it. How is that possible? The pain of my loss can not compare to the devotion God has shown in giving his son for me. Secondly, my family is incredible! My brothers and sister, parents, aunt and uncle, grandparents, and many more, have loved my wife and I throughout this entire process. It is not finished, and will not be finished for a long time. But they stay. Blood is thick, and my family is thicker than most. Last but not least come my friends, colleagues, and students. When I looked around the sanctuary on Friday and saw nothing but standing room, I was amazed! I am very blessed to have the friends that I have. This week has also shown me how devoted many of my friends are to me and my wife!

In short, thank you. My wife Marisa and I would like to thank everyone who has prayed for and supported us through this difficult time. Please keep us in your prayers as we will continue to heal. We could not have imagined how much love this world is capable of!

Like the picture above, we are surrounded by clouds right now. But the sun is peeking through, and the clouds are slowly leaving. God is good!

Wonderboy.

He really did not have a chance at life.......Half a heart, numerous G.I. issues, not to mention two open heart surgeries, and exploratory surgery, and another open heart on the way. But Gabe did not stop fighting! Every day he was here with us left us with more love in our hearts than the previous day. He walked around with a perpetual smile on his face. He grinned at the odds and chances and took them head on.

Who could have ever thought a two year old could have had so much impact on every ones life? I am a different person for being his father. I am a different husband because of what my wife and I went through with him. I am a different christian because of the depths of God's loved for my family and my son. I will no longer tell God he can not do something.

I have watched my son fight for two years. Tuesday, the fight ended. I held him in my arms as he left to be with his heavenly father. He went peacefully and painlessly. God wanted him back. Can you blame him?

The world got a little dimmer yesterday. I believe heaven is glowing with the laughter of a child who a has a whole heart, a head full of blond hair, and a mischievous grin on his face!

I miss you already...............

ALLIE-GATOR

I know that many of you have heard a lot about my son Gabe and his many and varying issues with his heart. However, I now have a new woman (o.k, munchkin woman) in my life. This is Allie. I posted some stuff about her when she was born (check the June, July, August 08 archives). Everyone keeps asking me about her. She is AWESOME. She is laid back, smart (she said Roll Tide the other day..my wife said she burped, but I think otherwise especially since it was right after Bama scored), curious, and cuddly. She seems to be polar opposite of her brother who is very high strung and opinionated. It also looks as if she is going to be roughly the size of an NFL linebacker if she continues to grow like she has been. She is in the 90th percentile for weight, and the 96th percentile for height. You would think she would be chubby, but she is a tall baby. She has long legs and arms and seems to be just generally healthy. I truly do not know where she gets he size! I know one thing though....she has her daddy wrapped around her finger already!

DARE WE DREAM AGAIN?

No comments, just memories! Are they returning? Roll Tide!

Blackout

You will not find me saying that Alabama is going to win the national championship. You will not even find me saying that we will go undefeated in the regular season. However, you will see a smile on my face when I talk about Alabama football. This smile comes from knowing we are on the right path. A path that I believe will eventually lead Alabama back to being a nationally renown team. A team that other teams only schedule if they have to. I also believe Nick Saban is an excellent coach.

My faith in Nick Saban is not so much dependent on his win/loss record, as it is on his demeanor. Example: Saturday night Alabama beat the #3 ranked team in the nation pretty handily. At the following press conference Saban was mad. I mean downright ill. He was mad that the team allowed Georgia to score at all. I love that about him. He demands the best.

So now Alabama is ranked #2 in the nation. Big whoop. Who cares? These people that have Alabama ranked so high are the same people that said that Clemson was #9, and that USC was #1. They can be wrong. I just hope they are wrong and Alabama is really #1 instead of #2!

Roll Tide!

Ashville vs. Leeds

Ashville lost to Leeds last Tuesday by two touchdowns. We have to play better as a team and everyone go full speed every play. We are still looking for leaders on the team. Leadership is something that has to come from within. Someone has it. They just have to step up and show it! We will play West End on the 7th.

Alabama vs. Georgia

Here is yet another reason the SEC is the best football conference in the nation. The SEC currently has four teams in the top 10 in the nation (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU). Auburn just recently dropped out of the top 10 after losing to LSU. That means that for a time we had 5 teams that were considered top in the nation.

I know, I know. You are saying so does the Big 12. They have a lot of good teams also. However we must look at the past. The SEC has consistently had more teams ranked than any other conference. I dare say that were USC or Ohio State in the SEC they would routinely be beaten by bigger and better squads.

In the SEC, we beat up on ourselves. Not only does an SEC team have to be flashy and win, they have to do it against some of the best defenses in the nation. And this week is no different. Alabama (ranked 8) goes to Athens to play Georgia (ranked 3). This will be a battle of the titans to say the least.

Just wait though. Whoever loses this game will be shunned by the rest of the country as unworthy of a top 10 position. WHY? If Alabama loses to Georgia shouldn't they stay in the top ten. After all, Georgia is supposed to be 5 spots better than Alabama according to the idiots who make up the polls. We'll see. Just ask Ohio State what happens when teams from other conferences have to play in the SEC!

Ashville vs. St.Clair County

This week we fell to 1-2. We lost to the St. Clair County Saints 14-6. They played a better game than we did from start to finish. While we are speaking about his I would like to make a point. When a star athlete goes down most people look at the situation as problematic. While I never look forward to loosing players that can contribute to the team, when we do loose one to injury, discipline, or grades, something unique happens. The players that are behind them on the depth chart are forced to make a decision. Do they step up and take over, or let the team slide even further because they are reluctant to be leaders?

We had some players step up and do great things against St.Clair. They filled empty spots on the depth chart with determination and hard work. However, we also had some who refused to step up. To win, we have to all play together and everyone step up and do their job well. Lets see if we can turn things around against Leeds next week!

Amazing How Soon We Forget

As most of you know, I ma 27 years old. By the time I was born in 1981, the Vietnam War had been over for several years. I have had the privilege of family members who made sure I was aware of the history of my country, both the good and the bad.

One of the stories I remember hearing my family speak of involved the now popular actress Jane Fonda. She has starred in numerous movies and T.V. shows, and once had a popular set of workout videos. However, she has a much different persona in many peoples minds. During the Vietnam War Jane Fonda visited Vietnam. Not the south where our soldiers were, but the north where our enemies were. She sat for pictures on a North Vietnamese anti aircraft gun, and when our soldiers who were prisoner tried to send messages home through her, she turned four of them in. Three of those soldiers were consequently beat to death, and the fourth was nearly killed.

The reason I am writing this article revolves around Fonda's recent nomination as one of this centuries "Greatest Women" by Barbara Walters. In my opinion, this is a slap in the face to all of the servicemen who served in Vietnam, and a stomp on the grave to all the Americans who died in that country. She is a traitor who should be put in jail, but she has a get out of jail free card. She is famous and a celebrity. It is sad that our memories are so short.

I guess history is important after all.

"The Curse"

Sports Illustrated, EA Sports, and ESPN Magazine all have a certain stigma attached to them. If you are unfortunate enough to be put on the cover, you normally have a difficult time living up to the standards that are set for you. That's right, EA Sports different football games choose one athlete per year to be on the cover of their NFL and NCAA video games. Frequently those players chosen have a disastrous year, or at least their team does. Sometimes a team can escape unscathed.

A number 23 ranked team recently defeated Clemson who was ranked 9. The next week they found themselves on the cover of Sports Illustrated. As an Alabama fan, I can not help but to be excited about the results of the Clemson game. However, we almost became victims of the curse the next week against Tulane. I guess the moral of the story would be..."be optimistic, but cautiously so!"

Ashville vs. Moody

Ashville Middle was competitive, but apparently not enough. We dropped our homecoming game to Moody 22-12 after some questionable calls and some unfortunate bounces of the ball. We would like to congratulate all of those who were in the homecoming court as well as all of the fans who came out to support the team. Ashville Middle will next play Odenville Middle School @ St. Clair County High School Field. Come and support the team!

Ashville Vs. Tarrant

Well folks, the season has begun and AMS is 1-0. Ashville Middle Bulldogs traveled to Tarrant last Tuesday night and came away with a 22-16 win. This is the first time the Bulldogs have started off the season with a win in at least five years. We are hoping to improve on our 2-4 season last year (which was an improvement on our 1-5 season the year before.) The Bulldogs will next face the Moody Blue Devils for homecoming @ 6:00 on Tuesday, September 9. Hope to see you there!

Beiling Olympics: Part 3

In 1950 the communist government of China sent troops into Tibet to "reclaim" land that they felt was theirs centuries ago. The world condemned this occupation, but little was done to stop it. Now Tibet has a government set up in exile in India. The spiritual leader of the Tibet people is the Dalai Lama. He is no longer welcome in his own country. China continues with the occupation to this day.

Some of the children of Tibetan background have decided to try and compete in the Olympics. They have petitioned the International Olympic Committee for a permit to compete. They claim that other non recognized states such as Palestine and Taiwan are allowed to compete, so why should they not be? Do a little research on the subject and let me know what you think.

Blue Angels 1

Blue Angels 2

New Music For The Summer

Believe it or not, I am a huge fan of music. Pretty much any kind you can think of. I draw the line death rock and some rap. On any given day you may find me listening to opera or classical while I grade papers and wind down, listening to Metallica or Rage Against the Machine when I work out, or listening to classic rock when I am in the best of moods (especially Lynard Skynard and "Sweet Home Alabama.") All that to say I have a new summer favorite. They are called "Snow Patrol". They have been around a while, but I just really started listening. Above is a video from my favorite song of theirs called "Run". They also have some other really good songs which include "Chasing Cars" and "Shut Your Eyes." Look at the video and tell me what you think.

Beijing Olympics: Part 2

A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT....

Beijing Olympics: Part 1

This summer will see the Olympic games come to China. However, before the games even begin, a cloud has overcome the expectation of the summer games. Literally. Pollution in China, among the worst in the world, has some athletes predicting poor performances from themselves and others. China is one of the top users of coal fired power in the world and their pollution standards are sorely lacking by the world's standards. Many tourist to China, upon returning to their respective countries, claim to have a hacking cough similar inn nature to a smokers cough. They also claim to cough up black phlegm and mucus simply from breathing the air in the polluted country. All this leads to the question "Why hold the Olympics in such a polluted country?" In a new series of blogs devoted to the Olympics and the country of China I will explore some of these issues more in depth. Check out this British news cast regarding Olympic athletes and their problems!

Another new Blog

This is getting out of hand. New blogs popping up everywhere. Never fear. I have all of the ones you need to know about categorized in a handy-dandy link list for your convenience at no extra charge. Check out my newest blog "Wide World of Politics". This one is for my civics class. I expect this one to have a fair amount of drama associated with it. Good! Nothing like a political discussion. See what you think and let me know!

New Blog

I have created a new blog dedicated to my geography class. Check it out. The pictures were taken by me and are located around the area where I live. I have linked it in the link list under "Geography and You". Let me know what you think about it.

Election: Who and Why

It took forever, but it looks as if we finally have two candidates running for Presidents of the U.S. (from the major parties at least). Which one do you support and why? Does one have certain talents or advantages that would make him a better president that the other? What about the women. It seems like the country decided they did not want a woman for president. What do you think of that? Let me know. I would love to have some different perspectives on the whole thing.

Good old days

I recently found some pictures I modified of Gabe when he was young. I thought some of you would get a kick out of these. He is between 3 and 6 months old when these were created. Man...have I got some imagination or what?

Chnages to the link list

I have decided to do away with my old homepage (taylor.teacher.googlepages.com) in favor of running everything through my blog. I think this will turn out to be better for everyone, especially the person doing the updating........me! You will still be able to get to your textbook online and have access to you notes, I will just use the blog as the home page. I have also changed my link list to reflect some of these changes. More to come later on all of this!

Ridiculous Summer Snow Storm

This is the result of a freak hail storm at our house on one Sunday afternoon. I was working on the laptop in my daughters room one afternoon, and all of the sudden it got extremely dark outside. Then the wind picked up tremendous speed. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something hit the ground. When I looked it was a ball of hail about the size of a golf ball. It was followed by about 2 billion more of its cousins. The storm got so bad that my wife and I took the children down stair to our "safe place". The noise was so intense that we had to yell at each other inside to hear hear ourselves talking. When it was done, I went out on the deck and scrapped up a handful of hail. The weirdest part was the steam. When it was over, the hail started to melt and all this steam covered the ground about three feet up. It was truly strange. Oh, by-the-way, it punched 30-40 holes in the side of my house and broke the side view mirror on my truck. All told, it caused about $8000 worth of damage on my house. My entire roof as well as one side of the siding and all the gutter have to be replaced. Thank heavens for homeowners insurance!

This is the new vehicle I am trying to get Marisa to let me buy now that we have two kids. Easy to transport everyone. VERY safe. Good looks and no one else has one. Plus you can destroy any terrorist who come across you path. Down side: 2 miles to the gallon and the 50 caliber rounds are more expensive than baby formula!

My new daughter!!!!

My daughter, Allie Michal Taylor, was born on Wednesday May 21st. She was 8lbs 4oz, with a head full of dark hair (I have no clue where that comes from?) She is perfectly healthy and my wife, Marisa, is doing great.

No, I did not spell her name wrong. My first child Gabriel Travis "earned" his name when we found out he had a huge heart defect. Gabriel mean "strong man of God" in Hebrew. He definitely has been strong through out his short life. Allie is named after Marisa's mom Allison. Her middle name "Michal", is the feminine of the name "Michael" which means "one who is like God" in Hebrew.

No. We are not Jewish. We are just very aware of the gifts God has given us. There are two angels mentioned by name in the Bible. Gabriel and Michael. Gabriel is usually the messenger angel, and Michael is in charge of the Lord's armies. Marisa and I thought it appropriate that we give honor to God for the wonderful children he has blessed us with. Thank for all of your prayers and support!

Bloggers world

That right students..now you can no longer claim that your teachers are "like completely out of touch with the world of technology, like." That's right. We can text, we can e-mail, and now we can blog. Check out the link list on my page for some new blogs from some of my fellow educators. They would love to have a comment or two from you guys, so let them know what you think!

New Address

Pretty soon you will be able to view my blog at its new domain address. The old one will still work for a while, but next school year the address will be www.coachtaylor.net Check it out and see how it works. If you have any problems please comment and let me know. Good luck.

New Addition to the Blog

Picture Guy

I don't know if you noticed or not, but we have recently acquired some incredible pictures of our paintball tournament. No. I did not take these with my camera phone.
I am fortunate enough to life next door to a very talented photographer. Tim Jones is a mild mannered graphic designer by day, and a photographer extraordinaire by night/weekend. When I first met Tim two years ago and asked what he did for a living he replied "I design toys!" How cool is that?
Tim claims that photographer is a quasi hobby of his, but from the look of these shots it could easily turn into a lucrative business for him. He was kind enough to come out an shoot some shots for our paintball team to use in our portfolio and web page. His shots are phenomenal.
If you would like to look at the paintball shots, as well as other photos Tim has shot, follow these directions:
PAINTBALL PICTURES:
go to http://www.hinterlandphoto.com/
click on "order prints"
click on "events"
click on "paintball"
There are around 300 pictures, so take your time.

Tim's Gallery
go to http://www.hinterlandphoto.com/
click on "gallery"
choose which one you want to look at (they are all good)

Those of you who participated in the tournament can purchase any of the photos you see on line. All of the purchases rune through Hinterland Photos. Take time and check his stuff out. He is extremely talented and I am sure everyone can find something in his gallery to enjoy!
Thanks again Tim!

BOA Tournament

The Brotherhood of Assassins (our completely harmless but mean sounding paintball club) hosted its first ever paintball tournament on April 26. It was a resounding success with 5 teams and over 40 people participating. We had players from all age group (6th graders through 40+ year old men) participating in the tournament.
Everyone was able to participate in at least 7 games, and a few teams played 9 or more. The prize money was split between Team Catastrophy and the team from Argo due to bad weather. We ended the day with a 40 person battle that got interesting to say the least.
Part of what made the tournament such a success was the sportsmanship displayed by the players. No one got in fights. No one cheated (that I know of). No one left with hurt feelings. In our book that makes everything worth it. Especially impressive to me was the sportsmanship displayed by the team from Argo. These guys have been in paintball for a while and obviously know what they are doing. They answered all of the questions the kids threw at them about equipment and guns, and helped the kids learn a lot about the sport of paintball. The brotherhood would like to say thanks for the great play and attitudes. We sincerely hope to play with these guys again soon.
If you are interested in getting involved in paintball, please contact me or Coach Howard and we will hook you up. If you can not get us, talk to one of the kids who play with us. We can direct you to the next play dates we are going to have and where you can sign up to play. Thanks again to everyone involved. I can't wait until the next time.
Coach Taylor

NEW LINK

The Brotherhood of Assassins (our mean sounding but completely harmless paintball team) has a new site. On this site you can find information about all upcoming events, members, and other information. It also has contact information for the team if you are interested in getting a tournament together or getting together to play with us. We usually play once a week on Thursday afternoon at a variety of fields. It is a blast. We have fun. Everyone will fit in from the lowliest newbie that has never fired a paintball gun, to the expert (or those who think they are)! The link is the first on my link list. Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom and check out team Catastrophy (our tournament team).

ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD

Only 2 months or so left of school and you think that you have all the time in the world to bring your grades up. WRONG. Do it now or do it again next year. Here are some tips for getting your grade where it needs to be.

1. Beg your teacher for forgiveness for being lazy and then ask for makeup work.


2. Actually attempt to stay awake during class.


3. Go to bed before the sun comes up and get up before the bus driver honks.


4. Write down what you are supposed to do for homework.


5. Use an agenda to keep track of your assignments.


6. Study for tests (yes you are allowed to do that).

If you do some of these things you will probably be surprised at the amount of success you have in school. If not, you can do it all over again next year. Don't let that happen.

Spring Break Paintball

For those of you who sat at home and did nothing during spring break......I feel sorry for you. The Brotherhood hosted a paintball tournament/ play day on Thursday and Friday. Friday we had about 25 people there. It was great. Will, Steven, Collin, Cody, Seale, Cameron, and Shawn all came out and represented the 7th grade. Will even captured the flag during one game.....although he got shot about 100 times in the process. If you are interested in playing or would like to know more about it let me know. You will have a great time and go home extremely tired. It beats XBOX 360 any day! Check out my homemade ghillie suit. My wife is still making fun of me. She says I look like a swamp monster.

Paintball for All

I have just recently been reintroduced to one of the most entertaining activities of all time. PAINTBALL. I played as a college student, but I have not played in almost 5 years. it is a great way to let off some steam, hang out with the dudes (and dudettes) and throw some paint. We play at least once a week and have a great time doing so. We have people of all ability levels out there from starters (like myself whose 6'5" frame makes a great target) to people who have played on semi-pro teams before (Derrel and Howard kill everyone...except me of course). If you are looking for a way to have a huge amount of fun and get exercise, come on out and play. You will get shot, you will probably shoot someone in the process. Fun and games!

SPEED IS LIFE!

This is a video of jets breaking the sound barrier. A friend of mine sent it to me and I thought that some of you would find it interesting. This is what you can do if you make the grade and get to fly fighters!

New Bonus Map

Here are the questions for the new bonus map!
1. The land that is tan, who does it belong to?
2. How many national parks are in AL?
3. Which state has no national forest according to the map?
4. Who does the pink land belong to?
5. How many military installations and reservations does AL have?
6. Approximately how many acres does the National Park Service manage?
7. What state is Mammoth National Park in?
8. What state is Grand Canyon National park in?
9. How much federal land is in Alaska?
10. Who was a strong supporter of the Conservation Movement in 1901?

NEW BONUS MAP

The new bonus map is not really a map at all, but rather a copy of the Constitution of the U.S. The following questions can be answered for 10 bonus points. Look at the first Bonus Map post for directions if you are confused. You can scroll down to find it. Good luck.

1. How many amendments are in the "Bill of Rights"?

2. How many articles are in the Constitution?

3. What are the first 15 words of the Constitution?

4. What amendment allows someone to have guns?

5. What amendment allows someone freedom of religion?