It's a Great Day to be Alive

[The Ancient Enemy]

Travis Tritt once sang this song, I don't know who did it originally:

I got rice cooking in the microwave
Got a three day beard I don't plan to shave
And it's a goofy thing but I just gotta say
Hey I'm doing alright

Yeah I think I'll make me some homemade soup
Feelin pretty good and that's the truth
It's neither drink nor drug induced
No I'm just doin alright

And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shinin' when I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neigborhood
But why can't every day be just this good?

It's been fifteen years since I left home
Said good luck to every seed I'd sown
Give it my best and then I left it alone
Oh...I hope they're doin' alright

Now I look in the mirror and what do I see?
A lone wolf there starin back at me
Long in the tooth but harmless as can be
Lord I guess he's doin' alright

And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shinin' when I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neigborhood
But why can't every day be just this good?

Sometimes it's lonely
Sometimes it's only me
And the shadows that fill this room
Sometimes I'm fallin'
Desperately callin'
Howlin' at the moon...
Ahwoo!
Ahwoo!

Well I might go get me a new tattoo
Or take my old Harley for a three day cruise
Might even grow me a Fu Man Chu...
Oh Aww!

And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shinin' when I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neigborhood
But why can't every day be just this good?

And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shinin' when I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neigborhood
But why can't every day be just this good?


I agree, Travis Tritt. Why CAN'T every day be this good? Folks, it gives me great pleasure to be able to present this good news to you. When John Thompson "resigned" at East Carolina University, DeBiceps and I threw a two keg party over the internet. Now, that is impossible and we didn't do it, but you can imagine what it would be like if we did. See... East Carolina has a special place in the hearts of myself and DeBiceps, and as Kip Winger would say, it's...

"IN THE HEART OF THE YOUNG!"

After a very impressive 2-9 season, the folks at East Carolina University all got together and said, "Ya know what? We need to get rid of John Thompson. It's time to turn this program around." And everyone in the college football world gave a sigh of relief. It made the Pirate alumni smile a little, and it made myself and DeBiceps smile as well, for a different reason: it all but guaranteed at least one more year of terrible football as they made a coaching transition, and we had 365 more days to talk trash on East Carolina, which we do often and often and often. With the sigh of relief though, in the college football world, little did we all know the Pirate High Command had a different way at looking at things.


Even St. Nick got in on the excitement of Thompson getting the boot.

Enter Ron Zook. Zook got the axe at Florida because he was very successful with the second best pool of talent in the United States. In Zooker's defense, he was heralded as the best recruiter in the entire filthy, dirty south. He also inherited players recruited by one of the greatest college football coaches of all time.


Dashingly incompetent.

Move northwest about a thousand miles: Ron Turner was finally given the heave-ho at Illinois, after the Illini faithful complained and whined for 3 seasons. Rumors immediately started buzzing around the internet and water-coolers all over ESPN head quarters, which may or may not be hidden in a secret mountain base, about what high profile coach (after all, they complained and complained and complained) would be hired to lead Illinois to the national title. So this was a brilliant move: With Turner's exit, who better to bring in than Ron Zook? I mean, when your team is in the toilet, why not hire a guy who is one of the biggest turds in college football? They fit together exceptionally! On a quick note, you have got to hand it to Illinois for being extremely dedicated to terrible football.


Rut-row.

Then the rumors started at Zook speaking with East Carolina, and a possible marriage. On a quick note, you have got to hand it to East Carolina for being extremely dedicated to terrible football. Instead of going out and hiring a high-caliber coach to turn things around, ECU (and Illinois) flirted with the Zooker. ECU had something to prove by this: they wanted to let everyone know that were not willing to sit back and watch John Thompson win two games a season. No, they wanted ZERO wins a season, and that was exactly what they would have gotten with Ron Zook, for at least 3 years. Illinois, also, loved that concept. LOVED IT! Let's keep in mind here that East Carolina is on the brink of getting accepted into the Big East, a conference with a guaranteed BCS bid. So... why hire a quality coach? Why would you EVER want to do something that would make sense, especially when you might have a ridiculous chance at winning a national championship! But let's not go too far, I understand. I mean... a BCS bid (not even a national title) is only worth 15 million dollars. That's clearly not enough money to want to pursue.


ECU to the BCS: "Come no closer!"

But, ECU shocked the world last night, and proved everyone wrong again. They did NOT hire Ron Zook. Instead, they decided to go a different route, and GUARANTEE a zero win season for not only 3 years, but possibly 600. Even with Ronnie's failures, the prestigious Zooker DID have a serious reputation for recruiting. But, why would you want that? Why get good recruits? It just didn't make any sense to East Carolina. So they hired Skip Holtz.

College Coaching Career: Assistant Head Coach, South Carolina (1999-present); Head Coach, University of Connecticut (1994-98 ); Assistant Coach, Notre Dame (1990-93); Assistant Coach, Colorado State (1989); Assistant Coach, Florida State (1987-88 )

Okay, not too bad! Looks okay, right?

Daddy Knows Best: Lou Holtz demotes his own son
Spurrned: Steve Spurrier gets hired at USC and tells Skippy "See ya around."

What an excellent candidate. Why would you ever want to win games this upcoming season, so that you could look more impressive to the Big East? Why help yourself?


Shown Above: a-bunch-a crap

Not only is ECU purple and yellow and called the Pirates, they are also on the verge of extinction, in a sense that they are once again in a position to better themselves, and refuse to once again do so. See, the English and French started showing up in the Caribbean. Let's say that's Miami and Virginia Tech, showing up in the 2-bid ACC paradise. So the Spanish got smart enough to start building forts in the area as well as implementing a flota system using caravans back to Spain. It was all in an effort to save money, let's say maybe 15 million, and remain the power they were. Let's say these guard ships are Louisville and a rumored Memphis Tigers, two tough up and comers.


"Me hate money! Arrgh!"

Pirating became virtually extinct when Spain did this. Some pirates made the crossover, and started chasing after their dastardly comrades. One such pirate was Henry Morgan. What better man to lead, on the verge of extinction or new prestige, than Skip Holtz?


"A chance to join the crowd? 15 million? Forget it! Arrgh!"

Big East bound or not, ECU will play this season in Conference USA. Conference USA is undergoing some changes next year, and the conference is kind of becoming weaker, giving lesser talented teams a chance to grab that golden ring. Even being as pathetic as ECU really is, they had a chance to get a quality coach and become competive enough in a NON-BCS Conference USA to get some more attention from the Big East, a BCS conference. But, like I said... why do that? Why make sense?


"Guys, welcome. I'm your new coach. I promise you'll lose 10 or 11 games a season."

With the changes in C-USA, it is impossible to say who ECU will play in the conference, and who they'll be able to dodge due to scheduling. Here is their non-conference opposition, so far:

9-10 Duke
TBA @ Wake Forest
TBA West Virginia

I will say right now that Skip Holtz has absolutely no chance to win any of those games, including Duke. When you have a terrible depth chart, combined with Skip Holtz, you might as well change your college anthem to that song the victors chant at sporting events: "It's All Over!"


The ECU Administration is very excited about Skip Holtz.

Without seeing the conference schedule for ECU, it is a little pre-mature to say this, especially when they are very capable of adding a non-conference NAIA school and pulling out a 10-9 victory. But, I will go out on a limb right now. Ready? I guarantee you... GUARANTEE... East Carolina will not win one game in the next two seasons. Guarantee you.


It's a hard-knock life.

[ham55]

LOL!!!