One of spring's must have staples is a blazer, preferably in a bright color. These statement pieces are both practical (wacky weather, anyone?) and easily wearable for all occasions!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Colored Blazer
One of spring's must have staples is a blazer, preferably in a bright color. These statement pieces are both practical (wacky weather, anyone?) and easily wearable for all occasions!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
O's....really?
With the MLB opening weekend solidly in the books, it's safe to say that things are looking verrrrryyyy interesting.
You know, if the season ended like.....tomorrow.
There are some surprise basement dwellers: 2010 World Series Champs SF Giants are sitting at 0-3, while perennial powerhouses NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox were both swept by Tampa Bay and Detroit, respectively.
And at, or near, the top? The Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and yes, Baltimore Orioles....all of whom took their opening series.
Hard to believe, right?
Ah yes, the Orioles. I don't know what to make of the Birds, because this seems to be their M.O. year after year. Remember one of my first blog posts? The Os started hot and heavy last season only to have officially crashed and burned before the month of April was even over.
So, it's not surprising that a day after losing to Triple A club Norfolk Tides and two days after losing to the State College of Florida, Baltimore convincingly beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2, 8-2, and 3-1.
Cause that's just how they roll.
Granted, the Twins haven't been doing very well against the Os as of late, losing their last seven against the Birds. Still, Baltimore can point to a few key gems that may FINALLY make the difference for 2012.
One, all three starting pitchers went 7+ innings in their outings. The last time that happened? 2001, with Pat Hentgen, Sidney Ponson, and Jason Johnson all doing so.
Two, the 2011 roster addition J.J. Hardy looks to be a solid hitter for the line-up, complementing OFs Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. Hardy's solo homer in the first inning Sunday helped establish the early lead, allowing the defense to rally around pitcher Jason Hammels near no-hit effort.
And three, the Os have gone to the old "bird" logo, harkening back to the days when Baltimore was...you know...good. The logo, which combines elements of the two used from 1966-1988, gives an almost Woody Woodpecker feel-good look.
Image provided by washingtonpost and the washingtonpost.
You know, if the season ended like.....tomorrow.
There are some surprise basement dwellers: 2010 World Series Champs SF Giants are sitting at 0-3, while perennial powerhouses NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox were both swept by Tampa Bay and Detroit, respectively.
And at, or near, the top? The Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and yes, Baltimore Orioles....all of whom took their opening series.
Hard to believe, right?
Ah yes, the Orioles. I don't know what to make of the Birds, because this seems to be their M.O. year after year. Remember one of my first blog posts? The Os started hot and heavy last season only to have officially crashed and burned before the month of April was even over.
So, it's not surprising that a day after losing to Triple A club Norfolk Tides and two days after losing to the State College of Florida, Baltimore convincingly beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2, 8-2, and 3-1.
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| Catcher Matt Weiters and OF Adam Jones celebrating a run. |
Granted, the Twins haven't been doing very well against the Os as of late, losing their last seven against the Birds. Still, Baltimore can point to a few key gems that may FINALLY make the difference for 2012.
One, all three starting pitchers went 7+ innings in their outings. The last time that happened? 2001, with Pat Hentgen, Sidney Ponson, and Jason Johnson all doing so.
Two, the 2011 roster addition J.J. Hardy looks to be a solid hitter for the line-up, complementing OFs Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. Hardy's solo homer in the first inning Sunday helped establish the early lead, allowing the defense to rally around pitcher Jason Hammels near no-hit effort.
And three, the Os have gone to the old "bird" logo, harkening back to the days when Baltimore was...you know...good. The logo, which combines elements of the two used from 1966-1988, gives an almost Woody Woodpecker feel-good look.
In all seriousness, while the new "old" logo may not be a turning point, outstanding pitching and consistent hitting are what's going to propel the Os from their consistently sub .500 mire.
And who knows...maybe they'll make it to the All-Star break this year before being mathematically eliminated. At least, a girl can always dream.
Image provided by washingtonpost and the washingtonpost.
Friday, April 6, 2012
The Odds Probably Aren't In Your Favor: Part 1
The following blog post does not reflect the (serious) views of the blogger. No athletes were harmed, maimed, or killed during its inception, nor does the blogger wish to do anything of those things for realz.
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Welcome to the 2 millionth Games of Hunger. In an effort to shake things up a bit, we've gathered the best andbrightest most talented most popular athletes from six different districts to compete. Let's meet them, shall we?
Usain Bolt is the world's fastest man. Skills include: talking in a Jamaican accent and running really, really fast.
Allyson Felix is one of the world's fastest women. Skills include: posing for endorsements and beating everyone handily in a foot race.
Alex Honnold is big wall free solo climber who dropped out of UC Berkeley to pursue climbing up walls and mountains. Skills include: being able to scale really rocky terrain and being Mark Zuckerberg's body double.
Nastia Liukin is a world-class gymnast with an Olympic All-Around Gold and a kick-ass name. Skills include: flipping over multiple times, speaking Russian, and possibly dating other Olympic Gold Medalists.
***************************************************************
Welcome to the 2 millionth Games of Hunger. In an effort to shake things up a bit, we've gathered the best and
Tom Brady is a superstar football player who is leaving behind a supermodel wife and two young children. Skills include: wearing Uggs, throwing a great pass down field, posing for photographs, and winning Super Bowls.
Diana Taurasi is a professional women's basketball player who has an NCAA title, a WNBA title, and an Olympic Gold Medal. Skills include: throwing balls into a hoop and overcoming DUIs.
Allyson Felix is one of the world's fastest women. Skills include: posing for endorsements and beating everyone handily in a foot race.
Nastia Liukin is a world-class gymnast with an Olympic All-Around Gold and a kick-ass name. Skills include: flipping over multiple times, speaking Russian, and possibly dating other Olympic Gold Medalists.
Michael Phelps is the most gold-medal winning Olympian with a bad boy reputation. Skills include: being photographed in awkward situations, swimming, and self-medicating through "natural" substances.
Lindsey Vonn is a female alpine skier with a winning smile. Skills include: racing down mountains, making friends with competitors, and being pretty.
District 5's Mike Tyson is a former heavyweight boxer with a penchant for flesh. Skills include: biting off people's ears, wearing prison stripes, beating the crap out someone, and making movie cameos.
Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos is mixed martial artist and former Strikeforce Featherweight champion. Skills include: choking reporters, beating up American Gladiators, and looking scary.
and finally, our contestants from District 6....
Kobe Bryant is a professional basketball player who isn't exactly known for his camaraderie. Skills include: paying alimony, scoring a lot of points, and pissing people off.
Serena Williams is a professional tennis player with a clothing line and multi-endorsement deals. Skills include: hanging out with her sister, hitting small objects with a racquet, and making oreo commercials.
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These tributes are all talented and each have their own strengths, but who will come out on top? Tune in next week....same bat time, same bat channel.
Images provided by usmagazine, gs1905, topnews, pponline.co.uk, sportiva, stud-center, i2.cdn.turner, csindy, 3.bp.blogspot.com, cdn.bleacherreport, biography, and askmen.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
And Then There Was One.....
After three long weeks (four if you count conference tournaments), the NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball finally crowned itself a champion.
First of all, kudos to me for correctly picking the Kansas/Kentucky Final despite having a bracket that sucked like nothing has ever sucked before.
But second, kudos to the University of Kentucky for achieving what 67 other teams couldn't: a National Championship Title.
Last night, the Wildcats and the Jayhawks met for a re-match of their scuffle in Madison Square Garden to begin the season. Though Kentucky had pulled away for a ten point victory then, both squads were a little more seasoned and a lot more motivated.
I mean, these are the two most winning programs in collegiate basketball history, complete with two consensus first-team All-Americans in Kansas's Thomas Robinson and UK's Anthony Davis. Any way you sliced it, it was sure to be a good show.
Except....Kentucky came out like gangbusters and jumped to an early first half lead behind their talented young squad. The Jayhawks had played from behind all tournament, relying on strong second half showings. However, a 16 point deficit with 9 minutes remaining seemed too much to overcome, even for them.
Except....that's exactly what they did. With the Wildcats shooting a dismal 21%, Kansas cut the lead to five with a minute and a half remaining, and with 23.5 seconds left was poised to cut the deficit to a one possession shot.
Then....Kentucky did what it had done all evening: played lights out defense. Kansas guard Elijah Johnson was forced to pull his shot down, consequently travelling with the ball. The Wildcats never looked back after that.
Thus ended another exciting year of college basketball. Sure, there were no Butlers, no VCUs, no George Masons in the hunt. Sometimes though....just sometimes....it's nice to watch a Goliath vs. Goliath match.
Don't you think?
Image provided by miamiherald.
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| Cue some Queen, cause they're the Champions of the World. |
First of all, kudos to me for correctly picking the Kansas/Kentucky Final despite having a bracket that sucked like nothing has ever sucked before.
But second, kudos to the University of Kentucky for achieving what 67 other teams couldn't: a National Championship Title.
Last night, the Wildcats and the Jayhawks met for a re-match of their scuffle in Madison Square Garden to begin the season. Though Kentucky had pulled away for a ten point victory then, both squads were a little more seasoned and a lot more motivated.
I mean, these are the two most winning programs in collegiate basketball history, complete with two consensus first-team All-Americans in Kansas's Thomas Robinson and UK's Anthony Davis. Any way you sliced it, it was sure to be a good show.
Except....Kentucky came out like gangbusters and jumped to an early first half lead behind their talented young squad. The Jayhawks had played from behind all tournament, relying on strong second half showings. However, a 16 point deficit with 9 minutes remaining seemed too much to overcome, even for them.
Except....that's exactly what they did. With the Wildcats shooting a dismal 21%, Kansas cut the lead to five with a minute and a half remaining, and with 23.5 seconds left was poised to cut the deficit to a one possession shot.
Then....Kentucky did what it had done all evening: played lights out defense. Kansas guard Elijah Johnson was forced to pull his shot down, consequently travelling with the ball. The Wildcats never looked back after that.
Thus ended another exciting year of college basketball. Sure, there were no Butlers, no VCUs, no George Masons in the hunt. Sometimes though....just sometimes....it's nice to watch a Goliath vs. Goliath match.
Don't you think?
Image provided by miamiherald.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Go West, Young Man, Go West
I have really, really been slacking on the Friday Fun posts lately. Last week I plain forgot. This week, a combination of a busy schedule, an upset tummy, and a lack of imagination prevented me from crafting anything spectacularly worthy of a Friday Fun title.
But I knew I needed to bring you something. Because where would you be without me in your life? TGIF would just become "IF", and none of us want that.
So, in a stroke of (lazy) genius, I thought I'd pay tribute to Peyton Manning's departure to Denver by sharing a video that is HIGH-larious.
Yes, I know I'm a little late to the party. Sue me.
Without further ado, here is what would happen if the NFL suddenly went all Oregon Trail (or at least what would have happened a few years ago, but funny never goes out of style). Brills!
Hope this brought a little laughter to your day. As a side note, I am currently crafting a fabulous post for next week's Friday Fun ( I swears!), but I need your help. I'm looking for the names of six men and six women professional athletes. Please submit...you won't be sorry!!!
But I knew I needed to bring you something. Because where would you be without me in your life? TGIF would just become "IF", and none of us want that.
So, in a stroke of (lazy) genius, I thought I'd pay tribute to Peyton Manning's departure to Denver by sharing a video that is HIGH-larious.
Yes, I know I'm a little late to the party. Sue me.
Without further ado, here is what would happen if the NFL suddenly went all Oregon Trail (or at least what would have happened a few years ago, but funny never goes out of style). Brills!
Hope this brought a little laughter to your day. As a side note, I am currently crafting a fabulous post for next week's Friday Fun ( I swears!), but I need your help. I'm looking for the names of six men and six women professional athletes. Please submit...you won't be sorry!!!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Trip the Lights Neon
I'm all about some neon and bright colors this spring. After a winter of blah neutral shades of black, brown and gray, a splash of electric hues is what the doctor ordered.  |
| Green Summer Dress and Cap Toe Flats- Old Navy |
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| Neon Pink Hunter Wellies |
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| Oscar De La Renta Earrings |
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| Neon Red Piped Python Booties |
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| Gap Yellow 1969 Skinny Jeans |
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| La Mer Neon Orange Leather Wrap Watch |
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Final Four Countdown
Every year my stepdad and I fill out our NCAA Tournament brackets for a mano y mano competition. The stakes are high: if I win, I get five bucks; if he wins, he gets a roll of toilet paper.*
The bet used to be that I would put five dollars into the church giving box....then Steve found out I buy way better toilet paper than my mom.
Anyway, this year saw me throwing away my bracket on day two....after losing two Final Four teams (Mizzou and WVU). Needless to say, I've not really been paying that close of attention since then.
However, now we're down to the Final Four. As it turns out, my bracket, though long ago trashed, had some saving graces. One, I predicted correctly that Louisville was a dangerous sleeper pick. Two, and perhaps more importantly, I still have my two championship teams in the running (Kentucky and Kansas).
But enough about me...let's get to what really matters: the teams who have come out victorious in their respective regions. And this year, there are no Cinderella mid-majors. It's a battle of the heavy weights, ya'll, and it's gonna be interesting.
EAST REGION- OHIO STATE
Ah, the Ohio State. Despite their number two and number one rankings in the 2010 and 2011 tournaments, respectively, the Buckeyes haven't been in a Final Four since they lost to Florida in the 2007 tourney. The Big 10 runner-up has one of the nation's best point guards in Austin Craft, a factor which is key in championship play. However, forward William Buford hasn't been stellar since the regular season ended, and his lack of productivity might be what keeps the Buckeyes out of the championship.
MID-WEST REGION- KANSAS
Head Coach Bill Self knows what it's like to be in this position. After all, his team won the whole enchilada just four years ago. Of course, this is the same Kansas who has underachieved in tournament play the last few years. Several number one seedings have fizzled into early round exits. The Jayhawks have a player of the year candidate in big man Thomas Robinson, but they'll need the rest of the team to step up if they expect to have a chance.
WEST REGION- LOUISVILLE
The Cards have been overachieving as of late, starting with a remarkable run to win the Big East Tournament. A major part of that success is the 'Ville's stifling defense. Come Saturday, Bluegrass State bragging rights will be on the line when the Cardinals take on in-state foes Kentucky. When you're going to-to-toe with a rival, anything is possible.
SOUTH REGION- KENTUCKY
The Wildcats are the only remaining number one seed in the tourney, making them the easy odds-on favorite to win. The Cats bring with them a 14 year championship drought that I'm sure head coach John Calipari wouldn't mind seeing go by the wayside. Kentucky has their own Player of the Year contender in Anthony Davis. With Davis and lottery pick Doron Lamb leading the way, it's hard to make an argument against UK.
I think barring any major "cat"astrophes, Kentucky should be able to claim its eighth NCAA Basketball Title. But heck...what do I know? I have a busted bracket and owe a man a roll of toilet paper.
Image provided by media.timesfreepress.
The bet used to be that I would put five dollars into the church giving box....then Steve found out I buy way better toilet paper than my mom.
Anyway, this year saw me throwing away my bracket on day two....after losing two Final Four teams (Mizzou and WVU). Needless to say, I've not really been paying that close of attention since then.
However, now we're down to the Final Four. As it turns out, my bracket, though long ago trashed, had some saving graces. One, I predicted correctly that Louisville was a dangerous sleeper pick. Two, and perhaps more importantly, I still have my two championship teams in the running (Kentucky and Kansas).
But enough about me...let's get to what really matters: the teams who have come out victorious in their respective regions. And this year, there are no Cinderella mid-majors. It's a battle of the heavy weights, ya'll, and it's gonna be interesting.
EAST REGION- OHIO STATE
Ah, the Ohio State. Despite their number two and number one rankings in the 2010 and 2011 tournaments, respectively, the Buckeyes haven't been in a Final Four since they lost to Florida in the 2007 tourney. The Big 10 runner-up has one of the nation's best point guards in Austin Craft, a factor which is key in championship play. However, forward William Buford hasn't been stellar since the regular season ended, and his lack of productivity might be what keeps the Buckeyes out of the championship.
MID-WEST REGION- KANSAS
Head Coach Bill Self knows what it's like to be in this position. After all, his team won the whole enchilada just four years ago. Of course, this is the same Kansas who has underachieved in tournament play the last few years. Several number one seedings have fizzled into early round exits. The Jayhawks have a player of the year candidate in big man Thomas Robinson, but they'll need the rest of the team to step up if they expect to have a chance.
WEST REGION- LOUISVILLE
The Cards have been overachieving as of late, starting with a remarkable run to win the Big East Tournament. A major part of that success is the 'Ville's stifling defense. Come Saturday, Bluegrass State bragging rights will be on the line when the Cardinals take on in-state foes Kentucky. When you're going to-to-toe with a rival, anything is possible.
SOUTH REGION- KENTUCKY
The Wildcats are the only remaining number one seed in the tourney, making them the easy odds-on favorite to win. The Cats bring with them a 14 year championship drought that I'm sure head coach John Calipari wouldn't mind seeing go by the wayside. Kentucky has their own Player of the Year contender in Anthony Davis. With Davis and lottery pick Doron Lamb leading the way, it's hard to make an argument against UK.
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| The faces of the 2012 Champs??? |
I think barring any major "cat"astrophes, Kentucky should be able to claim its eighth NCAA Basketball Title. But heck...what do I know? I have a busted bracket and owe a man a roll of toilet paper.
Image provided by media.timesfreepress.
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