CHEERS
Leap Day – “Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November, all the rest have thirty-one except February has twenty-eight.” Notice that I didn’t entitle the cheer “Weather” even though it was a gorgeous (but windy) day this year. It’s most fitting that February should end this way, because as I said last year, it’s also the worst month of the year. Get ready to flip your calendars as we roll into every man’s favorite secular calendar month of March (madness).
Big East Champions – There’s nothing more annoying than “Hail to the Victors,” “Tribute to Troy,” and the Huskies fight song. Well this week, the Notre Dame women’s basketball team stormed the XL Center in Connecticut and re-established dominance in the Big East as well as shut up one of these three teams. (Men’s track and swimming also won Big East.) The ladies head back to the XL Center this weekend to finish off the regular season with the Big East tournament, and I expect nothing but the same from them, especially because I don’t care to hear, “U-C-O-N-N, UCONN, UCONN, UCONN,” ever again.
Fort Steuben Bridge – Okay so maybe it’s mostly a shout out to my hometown of Steubenville, Ohio, but the demolition of the 83 year-old Fort Steuben bridge was a sight to be seen. In fact, it even made the NBC nightly news. When tons of metal and explosive go flying it’s enough to make a grown man cry. Check out the video at http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46473211#46473211.
JEERS
Complaining fans – There’s nothing that grates me more than when fans complain about calls that the ref made that were 100 percent correct. People think because they’ve “played” a sport and “know all the rules” that when a ref makes a good call against them that they can do whatever they please. Next time Jim Burr or Tim Higgins, the elderly officials of the Big East, make a good call, calmly applaud their efforts. Let’s be honest, we’re just lucky they can still move up and down the floor without assistance.
Internet Meme Explosion – In a society already devoid of ordinary communication, we’ve now fallen even farther than rude habits like texting while walking with someone. I sure never thought we’d revert to 6 cave drawings with captions about what different people think. I know social media is the big thing these days and frequently used as a replacement for real human interaction, but I don’t really care how you think of it, what your friends think of it, or what it actually is. If you don’t understand this jeer you’re much better for it. I’m going to go write a few letters and save my soul from the internet (if I’m not watching videos on msnbc.com, that is).
