And then the New Orleans Saints managed to overcome their final obstacle. Drew Brees waved the trophy over head, and brought the first Superbowl trophy home to Louisiana. The end.

I just want to congratulate Mirandatx21 for getting a Job!!!! Yay workforce!

The sun came in through the blinds and cast long shadows on the old wooden desk chairs with tagging on them. I was nervous about our first Peer Assistant Leader (PAL) meeting when I walked into the classroom. I could feel my hands shaking and my stomach making bubble sounds. I wanted to turn around. I wanted to quit PAL, but I was already in the room, and Ms. Schaefer was already shaking my hand and telling me where to sit.

There were 20 of us each sitting in a desk in a circle pattern. Ms. Shaefer took the room and said I want you each to introduce yourselves by coming up with a word that describes yourself starting with the first letter of your name and then say your name. To this day I can’t remember if I decided between being Daring, Daper, or Delicious Daryle, but I do remember one thing. I remember the kid sitting next to me with short curled blondish,reddish brown hair. For some reason he reminded me of  a trucker, the type who could live his entire life exploring the road and being totally happy in that kind of simplicity. With a wry crooked grin I remember exactly what he said. “My name is crusty. Crusty Creston”

I’ve never understood how to have the ease that Creston took the crowd with, or being able to crack a joke so naturally. For the rest of my year in PAL I knew him as Crusty Creston. One time, he joked “By the way Daryle that is Crusty with a capital K.” I remember how we would have to visit elementary schools, and me, not having a car, road with him. He drove 90 miles per hour down a residential street, taught me that if you drive fast enough over a speed bump it doesn’t slow you down, and taught me how to pray the cops would pull him over so I’d never have to ride with him. His Bronco had no seatbelts, and I remember Cassie Eckerman being our seatbelt. I remember our driving disagreements. (Apparently, I drove to slow for him) He was there for my first of many fender benders. One thing I remember was he was always cracking jokes. Even though his driving scared the shit out of me, there was something about his personality. Something about Creston that made me feel like I’d known him forever.

We fell out of contact when I graduated from Lee. When you graduate from high school its easy to lose contact with a lot of people you know. After a while you just stop thinking about them. Then today hit, and for some reason I remembered “that is crusty with a capital K.” I was going to comment to see what he was up to.

One minute I knew in my heart he was alive. I was waiting for the page to load, and I knew he was breathing, and wondering about what he had been doing. I hadn’t talked to him in years, and was just so curious about what happened Creston. One moment he was physically around, he could have had children, been finishing college, getting married. Then the next moment he is gone. Creston has been dead since 2006. I don’t know how or why he died. I just know he is gone. The last person I’d ever expect to be dead, because I remember him so full of life. And I keep thinking how his life story seems to end before it should have and I don’t know why.

And now I keep thinking about my friends. My old friends and my new friends. And how you’ve got to be appreciative of all of the friends you’ve got because life can be short. It can end unexpectedly. One minute the whole world in front of you is a nervous day in the classroom, and then in time its history. The person you knew, the reality you once lived. Everyone and everything is history. So I want you guys to all know more than anything I love you and appreciate you.

With my two favorite teams the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots out of the running for the Super Bowl. I thought I’d bid them farewell and tell you my super bowl picks. Yes, as mirandatx21 mentioned, I was heartbroken when New England was knocked out, and even more heartbroken when I ran into Steeler’s fans after the Dallas loss. (“Not everyone can make it to the super bowl in this decade” “We’re routing for the Jets. J-E-T-S. Jets! Jets! Jets!”<–Its like shut the hell up your Steeler’s didn’t even make it to the playoffs this season.)

Here are some farewell photos:

See Ya next season Tom Brady!

Get better Wes Welker!!!

I’m gonna miss you Moss!

Tony Romo have a nice break!:

Still got your jersey on Marion!!! Byez!

Bye Jason!!! I’m gonna miss you to.And every other Dallas Cowboy and New England Patriot I’m gonna miss ya’ll until next season.

My superbowl picks?

I’d like a Saints vs. Colts Superbowl where the Saints Win!!! I know I talk a lot of shit about Drew Brees, but its only because I’ve been majorly afraid of his awesome skills.

Of course if the Colts won with Peyton Manning I wouldn’t be too upset. Love Ya Peyton! 

The Dallas Cowboys have finally done it!!! The proverbial monkey (or in this case, King Kong) is off their back!!! The drought is over!!! The Cowboys have won a playoff game, eliminating the Philadelphia Eagles in a 33-14 smackdown!!!

In my head I could only here one thing over and over again: HOW ‘BOUT DEM COWBOYS!!!

Due to this emotional and thrilling win, I have something to say to the Philadelphia Eagles Organization and its fans:

I forgive you! I forgive the humiliating loss last season that knocked us out of the playoffs and am willing to let bygones be bygones.

Much like the week before, the Cowboys outplayed Philly in all phases of the game; effectively beating the E-, A-, and G- out of EAGLES.

Despite winning the coin toss and driving all the way down to Eagle’s territory, the Cowboys were unable to capitalize due to several penalties that backed them all the way out of FG range, a first since the Chargers game.

But Dallas quickly got themselves into a rythm and walked away at halftime with a 27-7 lead; the first Philly TD thanks to Mr. Michael Vick. I can only guess that Dallas’ Doomsday Defense was not expecting any type of throw from the second-string quarterback who was listed as “probable” prior to the game. Vick has always been better known for his happy feet than cannon-like arm.

Donovan McNabb was a twitching and twittering mess, limited to 19 of 37 for 230 yards; favorable stats courtesy of a defense that already knew they had the game in the bag. McNabb was finally able to connect with Desean Jackson (the Twitter-obsessed brat who couldn’t follow through with the whole “sting they ass” threat after last weeks game) for a 4th quarter TD that was more for pride than cause.

The Cowboys finished with 228 yards passing (surprisingly enough Mr. Roy Once [this is the spanish translation of "eleven"  and Roy William's jersey number] contributed to these numbers) and 198 rushing, including 148 yards on 16 carries by Feliz Jones.

Now the ‘Boy have a date with the Minnesota Viking next Sunday at noon for the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs. Minnesota’s leaky offensive line, Brett’s forty old legs, and Adrian Peterson await the rendevous. The Girl is not too pretty, but she could be worse.

Around the League:

It was the end of an era when the New England Patriots got the stuffing beat out of them by the Baltimore Ravens. The Patriots, who had dominated the AFC for an entire decade and won 3 Superbowls in four years, were dominated and humiliated at their own home. It was so bad that the New England fans had to resort to booing the Patriots and not the Ravens. Their pass rush was nonexistant and Brady looked like a rookie, intercepted 3 times in the first half.

This was especially heartbreaking for our friend Daronline, who was a staunch supporter and sex-crazed fan of Tom Brady. Everyone please send their love and condolences to our friend in her time of need!

-The Jets upset the Bengals at home 24-14, giving the yummy Mark Sanchez a post-season win in his rookie year. Pete Carroll, you were wrong!!!

-The Cardinals and Packers provided the most thrilling game of the weekend with a good ‘ole fashion shootout; they also set a record for the most points scored in a playoff game. The Cardinals move on to New Orleans after beating the Packers 51-45 in OT with a thrilling interception. Kind of ironic that a game controlled by the offenses was won on a defensive play!

-Next week, Baltimore heads to Indy and the Jets take on the Chargers.

Can hardly wait! Ciao for now XOXO

Just in case you have been living in another planet or something, today was the last week in the NFL regular season. And just in case you’re not from Texas, today was the day when the fate of the NFC East was decided… and the champions are the DALLAS COWBOYS!!!!!!

Yes, you heard right! My Dallas Cowboys, who nobody gave a chance in week 5 or 6, have risen from the ashes to take the title for the second time in three years!!!!

The Cowboys were able to shut out the Eagles 24-0 (first back-to-back shutouts in franchise history) and clinch the NFC’s third overall seed. Which means that Dallas will once again host the Eagles next Saturday at 7 pm central for the first-round of the playoffs.

Romo passed for 311 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Jones and Barber combined for a season high 182 yards while the Eagles managed only 37 on ten carries! The offense outgained the Eagles 474 yards to 228, and dominated the time of possession 40:23 to 19:37. Dallas outplayed, outran, outscored, and outcoached Philly on all three areas: offense, defense, and special teams. Jason Witten, Patrick Crayton, and Felix Jones all scored TDs, with major contributions from Marion Barber, Anthony Spencer, Demacus Ware, and Doug Free (who has really proved himself with the absence of Marc Columbo).

The Cowboys finally have a winning record in Dec/Jan, but the real challenge will now come up in the post-season. Not having won a playoff game since 1996, we Dallas fans are hungry for a multiple wins in January. Now, its going to be hard to beat the same team three times in a single season, especially in back-to-back games, but I take comfort in the fact that Dallas has shown itself to be the better team and is going into the post-season with strong momentum. The time to exorcise the playoff demons has come. Hopefully this momentum will be enough to take them all the way to South Florida on February 07, 2010!!!!! Yay-ah!!!

Around the League:

AFC: 1. Colts (only shock here is that they aren’t 16-0… I’m still kind of pissed about this since they are my second favorite team), 2. Chargers (annoying, but effective nonetheless), 3. Patriots (sans Wes Welker… I know, I’m still reeling from the shock), 4. Bengals (they have Chad Ochocinco, nuff said), 5. Ravens, and 6. Jets (WTF????)

NFC: 1. Saints (I really hope they enjoyed this season since I think this is as good as its going to get), 2. Vikings (yeah, aint happening), 3. COWBOYS (Do I really need to say anything?), 4. Cardinals, 5. Packers, and 6. Eagles (damn straight they got the last spot)

Get your popcorn ready (heads up to my man T.O., who I really miss) and get ready for some crazy football next week! Ciao for now XOXO

Hey guys, I know it has been forever since I posted on my favorite team and the trials and tribulations of the NFL, but unfortunately I’ve been too busy graduating and trying to make sense of this new world known as adulthood. Oh well!!! Graduation is over and my team managed to give me the best graduation present in the world. They beat an undefeated team! The same team a well-respected coach said the Cowboys had no chance of beating (yeah Tony Dungy, I’m looking at you). 

Dallas was able to dominate early on in the game by scoring touchdowns on its first two possessions, and then going up 24-3 on a short touchdown run by Barber in the third quarter. However, it was not all was fun and games when the Saints were able to score two touchdown runs in the fourth quarter. Prior to the two minute warning Folk missed a 24-yard field goal that would have put the Saints two possessions behind the Cowboys… it looked like the high powered Saints were about to once again pull an improbable win. I have to say I was bleeding silver and blue at this point. I could not believe what I had seen… the same Folk that once kicked back-to-back 52 yard field goals in 2007 now leads the league with 10 misses, going 18-of-28 and missing 7 of his past 11 (Update: Folk is out and Suisham is in). I thought the game was over….

But Demarcus Ware apparently did not get the memo. With less than 20-something seconds on the clock and the Saints marching all the way to midfield, Ware was able to strip Brees for the second time in the game and lineman Jay Ratliff recovered. The Superdome was silenced and the dreams of a perfect season were over!!!!!

The Cowboys outgained the Saints 439 to 336 yards, holding them 90 yards and nearly 19 points below their averages in these categories. New Orleans, who came in coverting nearly 48% of third downs this season, converted only one of seven. The Saint were torn down and lost!!! Hehehe…

Playoff Picture: Unfortunately, the damn Eagles clinched a playoff spot with there win over the 49ers, but that does not mean the Cowboys are out of the running for the top spot. If Dallas wins one more of their next two games and the Giants lose just one, then Dallas clinches a wildcard spot. If Dallas and New York have tied records in the end, which would be 10-6, then Dallas would be out due to the sweep by the Giants during the regular season. If Dallas is able to win their next two, which are Washington and Philly, then they win the NFC East division.  It will literally come down to the final game.

But as my ‘Boys were able to prove on Saturday, anything can happen in the crazy world of football. So lets keep watching and have our fingers crossed that both Eli Manning and Donovan McNabb get hit by buses sometime before next week!

Ciao for now! XOXO

Drew Brees, I’m sure you want someone to make sense of why the sky last night suddenly turned green and some large defensive player was panting on top of you. In football, we call that a sack and you without a ball in your hands is called a fumble. Watching the cowboys celebrate their victory in front of you, that feeling like something bad happened in the pit of your stomach, and the 1 on the losses side of your record; I know it seems like you haven’t really experienced this before, so I’ll tell you what its called. Loosing your perfect record.  This is why I love football. An undefeatable team is on top of the world one moment, and the next crushed by some team everyone lost faith in. It’s the classic David and Goliath story. Someone finally manages to understand if you want to stop the damn giant you have to knock it out with a stone. In order to stop Drew, you have to break through the line and shake him up: have a massive defensive player so close he can give Drew a kiss, a slap on the butt, and shove Drew Brees’ helmet in the stadium’s grass. Then once you have the ball run like hell and earn your TDs. Sure its tricky, sure that little black and gold qb can run, but if your persistent, if you’re the cowboys; then you can do it. Finally, a game when the Cowboys defense and Offense seemed to work towards the same goal.

What is a football post without me mentioning that sexy hunk of man flesh, who was spotted on the cover of a GQ magazine in Target and his team (my other favorite team) the New England Patriots? (I unfortunately couldn’t find the game on television) A little birdie ::cough::NFL.COM::cough:: told me the Pats defeated the Bills, and I’m betting T.O. is wishing he hadn’t screwed up his chance with America’s Favorite Team.

I’d talk a little smack about next week’s adversaries, but Dallas is playing the Redskins and my Pats are playing the jags. Why would I waste my valuable shit-talking on ,of all the teams in the NFL, the Redskins and the Jags (who managed to be blown out in week 5 (0-41) by the Seattle Seahawks! The Seahawks!)? So instead, I’ll leave you guys with some tasty photos of Tom in that GQ magazine I saw.

Sure, the New Orleans Saints have been undefeated and exemplified fancy playing, Drew Brees’ cannon like balls being unstoppably catapulted down the field and then magically caught by one amazing receiver or another. I mean its amazing Drew…really it is. Although, if you’re going to obnoxiously beat my Patriots, make me watch New England’s defense collapse like the Berlin Wall, and make the my Pats seem like a marginal team then you might as well do me a favor, and not go into overtime with the redskins. WTF? I’m not saying I was routing for you to win. No…I’m not saying that at all. Really, Drew ,I was praying (legitimately praying) you loose to the redskins because thats how much I don’t like you. I kind of want you to become ill with the swine flu, or trip on a rock and break both of your arms (for good measure). I also wouldn’t mind (hot and sexy as he is) reggie bush accidentally tripping or not paying attention and running into a field goal post. Really, I wouldn’t mind. Not that I’m wishing ill-will on you guys. I’m a sweet soul. I’m just saying any accidents you may want to accrue between now and the playoffs would be fine with me.

I really digressed. Last week was a weird week for football. Miami dared to intercept Tom’s ball and win the game WTF? (As my friend Christina would say “Fuck Miami”) I witnessed on my laptop the saints and redskins tie and then win in overtime. In fact, last weeks football was so full of unexplainable oddity (By the way Steeler’s fans its Cool if you want to cry. I know how hard football can be sometimes. Trust me…I was routing for Dallas last week) one of my papers was definitely neglected to the point I only wrote one sentence of such horrible grammar usage it was deleted as soon as I got home. My whole point in all of this is I wish I could have been a neuron in Drew’s brain when he realized he was going into overtime with the redskins. So, I’ve decided to compile a list of things that Drew was thinking during this.

Aside from the list of a curse words so bad even the patriots coach, Bill Belichick, would be surprised to hear. I wonder if any of these thoughts were going on in Drew’s head.

• When did the redskins get good? (fuck I was thinking that too)
• When did we get so bad
• How am I in overtime with the skins.
• Skins really is an offensive name. Its like all kinds of offensive. Its like having a team called the blacks and a picture of reggie on the jersey.
• Focus Drew…I mean really…you’re getting distracted today.
• I should really get someone to cancel those dinner plans I made.
• My perfect season will be ruined.
• Maybe I should consider putting some redskins players on fantasy team.
• Can’t let those colts have the perfect season. Damnit.

After a few pointless posts about my excitedness of the opening of New Moon last night, I think you guys deserve some kind of review of the movie.

What did I think of New Moon?

AMAZING.

I wasn’t the world’s biggest fan of the last Twilight movie. Honestly, the crappy 90’s directing,levels of saturation, and propensity to be a collection of montages rather than a movie annoyed the crap out of me. I’m a fan of the Twilight books, and was surprised when I had no wanting to buy the DVD along with my friends (I redboxed it a few times).

Luckily, Twilight, although a crappily made movie (he first time around, grossed a ton of money because of its fanbase. With a few more million and better directing, New Moon managed to be everything I wanted to see in the first Twilight Movie, and a little bit more. I didn’t think New Moon was going to suck because of the amount of money being invested in it.

I am tempted to review the excessively long line I had to wait in to see the movie, and why moviefone can be misleading. I’ll save that for another review. I’m sure you want to know about the movie, and not my personal experience.

The Review:

The movie opens with a quick montage of the things you’ll see in the end and Bella’s narration about aging and death in a strange dream format. Bella is afraid of aging….but we all know that. Chances are if you’re reading my blog then you’ve read the book.

I wish there was a way I could explain the power and emotion attached to every scene, or the way Taylor Lautner looked the way no underage man should be allowed to look. If you’d seen it then you know I could never describe it in a way that makes you think gorgeous enough.

Technically, the movie improved in many ways. The scenes weren’t a dark over saturated blue. New Moon embraced warm colors and better effects. Edward’s glitter man effect wasn’t limited to bath and body works glitter lotion. The vampires were pale, but they weren’t laughably pale. The things I’d complained about were gone.

My favorite scenes were the many fight scenes. Mirandatx21 and I were joking that in the last movie the entire budget was spent on the one fight. In this movie, the fight scenes were amazing with each one better than the next. They contrasted the fast nature of the speeding vampire with extremely slowed down movements. The script took the humor of twilight, cut out a little bit of the cheesiness, and kept the same emotion we were used to in the Twilight books. Let’s face it Twilight isn’t the best written book in the world. Stylistically, the series resembles fanfiction, but you don’t read Twilight for the writing style. We read twilight for the tension and romance associated with two people who really shouldn’t be together.

Now, its time to give my awards:

The  BEST Improvement Award:

 No longer can we make fun of your disgustingly pale paleness. The directors have embraced the color in your face, and managed to keep the sexy regalness we fans looove you for. Go make-up people and directing. You’ve managed to not make me die of laughter at the screen this time around.

Best Scene Awards:  

The first action scene. Which in the scheme of the movie happened to be one of the many great action scenes, but because it was the coolest first explosion of great fighting I’d scene in relation to Twilight it gets an extremely high ranking.  

                                                         Bella Depressed:

This is a great scene if you’ve read the Twilight books. If you haven’t read New Moon then you don’t know the excitement of what I’m talking about. When reading New Moon, there is the moment when Bella first looses Edward and the book has no words just a series of months. You feel lost, helpless, and totally depressed. THEY KEPT THE MONTH THING! I was feeling possibly more depressed and hopeless during this section of the movie then I ever felt during the book.

The Totally Over-Done Scene Award:

 Alice is standing in front of the Volturri. She shows Aro her vision  Bella as a vampire. I know a movie is supposed to show not tell, but during that section of the movie Mirandatx21, Christina, and I were sitting in our seats thinking the movie is totally amazing, but this scene is over-kill. Kind of like in Singing in the Rain where Gene Kelley shows what his musical is going to be like “Gotta Dance”

Hottest Piece of Underage Man-Flesh Award. (The Hottest Actor Award is Back):

 I must admit I was totally saddened when James wouldn’t be in New Moon. I knew that from the beginning. James was super sexy and super hot. He had the whole bad thing going for him. But then, Jacob took his shirt off, and I forgot about James.

If you’ve ever been talking to your friend about Team Jacob, and someone says they are Team Jacob it used to be “WTF? Why would you be Team Jacob?” Now, every girl and woman understands why Team Jacob is definitely a viable option.

Edward…its called well muscular and defined abs. We females tend to like that in a guy.  

Its time for me to go to class now. If you’ve seen New Moon tell me what your personal and favorite scene awards are , and if you haven’t then go see it and stop reading blogs! Only you can judge if you like something or not.

Yours,

Dar.

Here are links to my other Twilight posts:

Why Any Self Respecting Firl Should be Team Jacob
Top Reasons New Moon Won’t suck as Bas as the First Twilight Movie
Did the Twilight Movie Suck?