If this is true, then serves him right [Dayton Flyers]

According to a post on UD Pride (it is on the internet, so it HAS to be true), Marcus Neal was talking trash and flipped the student section the bird, which is how he gained the wrath of Red Scare.

This is going to do wonders for my property value.

If you went to CNN.com at around 12:45 today (November 19), you would have seen the following article serving as their headline:

GM plant's closing like death knell in Dayton

Read it if you want, but the article basically is saying that we're losing the General Motors SUV assembly plant in Moraine, and that has caused a ripple effect with the local parts suppliers in the area, and a ton of people are losing their jobs.  See:

Jobs lost in Dayton
A look at how GM's woes have cost jobs in the Dayton, Ohio, area:
• GM Moraine Assembly: 5,000 jobs lost
• Supplier Jamestown Moraine: 200 jobs lost
• Supplier Moraine L.O.C., 170 jobs lost
• Supplier Delphi, 3,000 jobs lost
• Supplier CEVA, 170 jobs lost
-- Source: IUE Local 755

The article also includes this money quote:

"Flint was a thriving town before GM pulled out of there, and when GM pulled out, Flint died. Same thing is going to happen to Dayton," Murphy said. "It makes me feel kind of sad, because as I was growing up, Dayton and the surrounding communities were thriving. ... I've been here 53 years, and I never thought I would see this city completely die like it is now, but it's just about there."

And what the article doesn't mention is any automotive bailout would do diddly poo for us in Dayton.  According to GM, the decision to close the plant is non-revocable.

Now, I cannot deny that the DYT has lost a ton of jobs since I've been living here.  And, equally distressing, it feels like there is at least an article a day about how something in Dayton is closing down, be it a restaurant or a store, or some boutique.  However, the big difference between Flint, Michigan and Dayton, Ohio is that Flint didn't have an Air Force base that was a huge source of jobs. Plus, with the BRAC, the base is even gaining a number of good jobs.  In fact, the Dayton Daily News published an article this week about how eastern suburb Beavercreek was looking pretty good right now.

Does this all hurt? Hell yes.  But I can't imagine this is the final straw for a city that has been through so much.  Hopefully the City adapts, grows stronger, and maybe even prospers.

Flyer Post Game Thoughts [Dayton Flyers]

62-42

The first half looked a lot like the Wofford game.  The second half: much better.  The defense was relentless, The rebounding was better (although there is still much room for improvement), and the team athleticism was definitely on display.  The 15 steals playing man to man D, the fast breaks, the dunks, the hustle.  I liked what I saw.

-I hope one of the full time Flyer Blogs or UD Pride or Matthew "Chew" Schwade explains why the student section was all over Marcus Neal.  It was confusing, yet hilarious from the 400 level.  Best of all, Red Scare got totally in his head.  I haven't seen a psych out work that well in a long while. 

-I would love to see Red Scare pick a guy at random for the rest of the season and give him the Marcus Neal treatment.  Who knows, it might work.

-After witnessing a healthy Chris Wright throw down dunk after dunk, I've come to the conclusion that he might need one of thse witty And 1 type nicknames.  I know he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would embrace such a thing, but talent like that needs a memorable nickname.  Any suggestions? 

-Good to see the Freshmen start to contribute.  Chris Johnson was looking really good until he did something to his ankle towards the end of the game, but hopefully that was just a tweak, and not something major.  And watching Devin Searcy just puck him up and carry him off was one of those moments that make you believe that the chemistry on this Flyer team is well above average.  Paul Williams got into the game and looked like he belonged.  Plus, we had a Luke Fabrizius made bucket!  I like rooting for the Flyers from the midwest, so hopefully his (one) made basket is the start of a great career.  He doesn't need to be the next in the line of Dayton "shooters" (Jimmie Binnie, Mickey Perry) who can't shoot.

-From the 400 level, it is so easy to get London Warren and Rob Lowery confused.  The only way to tell is that London wears a headband and Lowery shoots the ball from outside.

-This was a definite step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go.

Have More Eloquent Words Ever Been Spoken?

By the way, from the looks of it, the one Division-I team you CAN "go to sleep on" in the early season is Kentucky.  As always, the exception proves the rule.

Flyers not looking past Delaware State | Flyer Connection: University of Dayton sports

As point guard Rob Lowery put it after that Wofford squeaker, “You can’t go to sleep on no Division-I team.”

I endorse this thought. [THE Ohio State University]

For the record, I am not sold on the idea that THE GAME this year will be a blow out.  Michigan is going to want it really badly to salvage their pathetic showing this season, and everyone on the OSU side seems to think the outcome is a foregone conclusion.  These conditions make me think the game is more likely to be close. 

However, if it does get out of hand, here is what I'd like to see happen:

1.  Ohio State scores late and goes for 2.  "Because I couldn't go for three."
2.  Let Boeckman play some extended minutes.
2a. Have the Buckeye fans show Todd a little appreciation for the sacrifices he's made for that program.

A potential College Football Power Rankings headache - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

Ohio St. Buckeyes (9-2)
Seeing as Saturday's Michigan game figures to be over by halftime, and seeing as this will be Senior Day for the Buckeyes -- it would be nice if Jim Tressel let displaced sixth-year senior QB Todd Boeckman play most of the day.

U-G-L-Y [UD Flyers]

The preseason means nothing to me, so I didn't attend either of the UD tune ups against Capital and the D-2 team that wasn't Capital.  So tonight was my first view of the 2008-2009 Dayton Flyers basketball team.  Here are my first impressions:

52-49?  Against Wofford?  Huh?

Thank goodness for Chris Wright.  17 points, great defense, and leadership.   And his 2 3 pointers show a welcome addition to his game.

Evidently Andres Sandoval is spanish for Rob Lowery.  I saw a lot of of the old #3's game in the new #3.  Wild shots and a willingness to bomb away no matter how many bricks he previously laid.  He even missed at least 3 layups.  Still, he made a clutch shot late, and hit 2 FT's to ice the game.

For all the talk about the awesome new Freshman.  None of them were to be seen in the crunch time lineup.  None of them I thought looked that great today.  But it is only game 1, and they're just going to get better.

I thought Wofford had way too many open 3 point shots tonight. 

Both the team and the crowd tonight were flat.

However, we're 1-0.  That is what matters.

Let 'em Lose

I've heard some people argue that a good Michigan team is good for college football.  Wrong.  A weak Nebraska didn't kill CFB.  A weak Notre Dame didn't kill CFB.  And a weak Michigan won't do it either.  As far as I'm concerned, let them spend a decade or 2 in mediocrity.  Where is the problem with that?

ESPN - Northwestern hands Michigan most single-season losses (eight) in history - NCAA College Football Recap

BTW, judging by the metrics, it is not like I have a multitude of readers.  But to those 2-4 people that read this (my Wife, Couvie's, Darren and Holly, Bucket) I'm sorry I haven't been more blog active.  This was supposed to be the downtime in life.  Instead, I'm hella busy.  I really don't have any interesting thought in my head right now that I could share with the world.  Of course, you could argue that I have never let that fact stop me before.

The Beginning of Autumn in Appalachia [Photo]

The beginning of Autumn in Appalachia
Originally uploaded by jobu415

I got home from my business trip this past Friday morning (EARLY!) and my trees had shed most of their leaves. Since I missed most of the tree color season in Ohio , here is what the beginning of it looked like in Maryland a few weeks ago.

Pumpkins! [Photos]

In honour of beggar's night here in scenic Kettering, Ohio, my wife and I decided to carve our own pumpkins for display. It is important to mention at this point that we are both 30 years old and do not yet have children, nor are we expecting.

Also, I should note that these pumpkins are 100% accurate depictions of the 2 of us.

Vineyard [Photos]

Vineyard
Originally uploaded by jobu415

I know, another picture of the vineyards. But, hey, this one isn't from Pearmund. I took this one at Unicorn Winery.

Berries in the Fall [Photos]

Berries in the Fall
Originally uploaded by jobu415

On the way home from THE District of Columbia, there is this place off of I-68 where you can pull off and see, well, this view. We were hoping the trees would have a bit more color, but we'll take what we can get.

Hey! I lived there before!

I spent one year of my life in Defiance, Ohio.  I know it really doesn't have anything to do with anything, but I still thought I'd put that little me fun fact out there.

With days to go, race picks up pace - Decision '08- msnbc.com

Obama was targeting Florida, Virginia and Missouri on Thursday while McCain was taking the fight to Defiance, Ohio, in a quest to tilt that swing state his way.