Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The fix is in

Let me get this straight: the Virginia Beach city council after having a closed session meeting just paid $300,000 for a 30 foot wide strip of land with a total area of 1.3 acres that had been assessed for only $148,000 and happened to be in the path of the potential light rail line?  This is the same city that didn't have enough money for their school budget but they are buying land that can allegedly be used for other things besides light rail?  Man, it sounds like Norfolk city council was running this meeting. 

I am having a hard time buying what these politicians are selling.

Um, let me spell it out for all Virginia Beach residents: you are getting light rail whether you want it or not.  It doesn't matter what the results are of the referendum are this fall.  As this back door deal illustrates, the deal is done.

This reminds me of the Dell commercial:




Except this time it is: Dude, you are totally getting a light rail.

Welcome to the wonderful world of tax supported light rail, Virginia Beach.  You will "love" it as much as Norfolk does.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

It's on!

ODU is joining Conference USA!  Great news.  While this certainly isn't the path the Monarchs had in mind to get to the FBS division, it gets them there.

Will there be growing pains?  Yes!
Will the first couple of years be difficult?  Yes!
Will they have some losing seasons?  Unfortunately, yes.  But they will grow and become competitive. 

The plan probably had the Monarchs going up to division one in 2018 but times they are a changing.  And sometimes you have to get on-board or get left behind. 

Per Ed Miller's article"  "Old Dominion will join Virginia and Virginia Tech as the only state schools to compete at the FBS level."


Awesome!

The best part: the chances of ODU playing Navy just got a lot better. 

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

CUSA is looking pretty good now!

OK.  It's official.  VCU is leaving the CAA to join the Atlantic10.  If that isn't a sign that ODU needs to leave and join the CUSA I don't know what is. 

So far it has been all quiet and no news is probably good news.  ODU has until June 30th to make a decision and if they wait until after June 1 to announce their departure they would still be eligible for the the play-offs.

This decision is rapidly becoming a no-brainer. 
Yes, I know it will be a big change.  Yes, I know it will cost more money for the school.  Yes, I know that Foreman Field is not nearly big enough to support division one ball.  However, these are all things that can be worked through. 

As I recall in Point Break, the great philosopher Bodhi told Johnny Utah: "If you want the ultimate, you've got to be willing to pay the ultimate price."

Well, ODU.  If you want to play with the big boys, you have to pay the price.  Working through the growing pains of an expanding football/athletic department is the first step.  


Accept the invitation and start paying the price. 

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mother's Day

To all mothers out there, thank you.  Hope you had a great day.  Without mothers, none of us would be here. 
I always like remember Mother's day with this special video:


Enjoy.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Finishing 90 out of 100? Really?

Potentially NSFW topic/post.  If this bothers you close the page now.  

Recently Men's Health listed the top one hundred porn capitals in America  based on google searches, DVD purchases, streaming and Cinemax subscriptions. (I know it is nicknamed Skinemax but that seems a stretch)

Anyhow, Norfolk finished 90 out of 100.

As a former sailor I am having a hard time believing that one.  If it's one thing a ship in the United States Navy is not ever lacking, it is pornographic material.  Sorry.  Maybe things have changed but I doubt it. 

I will say this unlike some geographic areas, the Hampton Roads area is fairly clean.  Yes, there are gentlemen clubs but there are no stripper joints.  Unlike some metropolitan areas, (I am looking at your Orlando) Norfolk can actually claim to be family friendly. 

It just hit me though why Norfolk finished so low.  Look at the metrics!  With the exception of DVD purchases, everything else is a digital measurement.  You can't watch Cinemax underway and you can't stream porn to the ship.  But what you can do is bring hardcopy i.e. magazines.  This survey does not account for that nor does it account for the really disturbing material that sailors tend to pick up overseas.

Men's Health needs to take those factors into account and it would see that Norfolk easily finishes in the top quartile. It's simple math.  The average aircraft carrier has more porn on board than all of Madison, WI. 



Friday, May 4, 2012

ODU is still mulling

Well, it looks like the door for ODU to join CUSA has started to close but is not all the way shut.

It appears that ODU has some time to decide.  With the five announced additions, CUSA is up to 13 and they want an even number.  The decision has to be made by June 30th so the Monarchs have time but not a lot.  Those eight weeks will fly by.

There are a lot of things to consider here but if VCU and Mason are leaving the CAA what is point of staying with a sinking ship?

I think Crosby, Stills and Nash said it best:




Well, guess what ODU?  You may not love the CUSA, but she is here.  You better start loving her because you have no idea if anyone is coming back.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Holy ODU Division 1 football, Batman!

Conference USA is extending an invitation to ODU?!?!?!?

Interesting, very interesting.  I have mixed feelings on this.  As I have already talked about Navy becoming the Vanderbilt of the Big East, you would think I am completely against this possibility.

Well you would be WRONG. This is a completely different situation. 

Positives:
1.  More money.
2.  Faster move to division 1. 
3.  Better/more TV exposure

Negatives:
1.  Let's be honest.  This is Conference USA which makes the Big East look respectable.
2.  Lot more travel and loss of some built in CAA rivalries. 
3.  I'm not sure Foreman Field can handle the number of people this will require.  However, I don't think they would offer the invitation if they had not been assured it could.

Interesting times.  Things are moving fast for ODU football.  Maybe even faster than they expected.  

I hate it when I am right

As I predicted in my earlier post this election was over before it started.  Looks like Norfolk gets 4 more years of Barclay Winn with him winning but not by a majority:

CandidatesVotesPercentage

Barclay C. Winn
Barclay C. Winn4,32449.40%

John N. Amiral
John N. Amiral2,34126.74%

Jesse Scaccia
Jesse Scaccia1,73419.81%

Marcus A. Calabrese
Marcus A. Calabrese3393.87%






The upside is the demonstration that if he had been challenged by one opponent not three then maybe we would have a had a Tommy Smigiel like upset.  As it stands anytime there a multiple challengers to the incumbent, it is almost a guarantee that the incumbent will win.