the top spot all to myself

okay, so I'm knocking your blog from the top, Eric. sorry. But I just listened to Derrick's graduation CD on the day after the last game of the season, and I felt a need to blog.

But to add to your New Orleans postscript, I totally agree. That was the end of a bunch of things for us personally, but it's unbelievable to think that all those places we saw that weekend in the Big Easy are underwater now. I'm glad I can say I spent a great Saturday night on Bourboun Street, even if I was sober. Think about this ... I leave the New York metropolitan area and 9/11 happens ... I leave the south-central U.S. and Hurrican Katrina happens. What's next, Mt. St. Helens exploding while I'm in Europe? But seriously, I'm glad I got to go to/through New Orleans three times in the last year. Also, the Thresher did a really good job with its coverage, I think. You'll all like this article because it includes a ton of people we know.
http://the.ricethresher.org/news/2005/09/02/ricealumnievacuate

with that in mind, the Thresher. man has it been hard to see the newspaper come out and not know a word of it ahead of time. I'm getting used to it, and it's really easy to play Friday morning quarterback and critique the paper - an ego boost, even if we all know I don't need it.

So yeah, my season ended last night. We sucked (30-46) but knocked Tri-City out of the playoffs with a win in our last game. It was kinda sad saying goodbye to everybody but not as sad as the goodbye to the Rice baseball team in the lobby in New Orleans ... Eric, you remember that. This was just handshakes and fist pounds, only one man-hug.

Oh and thanks to everybody who told me happy birthday. I had to deal with a six-hour bus ride to Boise, a blown 2-1 lead in the 9th inning, and a really drunken roommate that night who half threatened me from 4 to 6 am. But the U.S. beat Mexico 2-0 the next night to make up for it. And I heard from so many people, that was really cool.

Now that the season's over, I'm going to go all-star Ryan, and maybe Aubrey, in Seattle for a few days. Then I've decided, after much agony, not to stick around here for the Idaho State-Rice soccer game on Sept. 25. Instead I will start the cross-country drive on I-80 somewhere around Sept. 19. If you know of Rice people who might know me along that path, you might let me know, because gas money is going to be expensive enough.

Then, when I get home, I'm going to Europe. From October 6 to November 10. With my best friend from high school. Rest assured there will be some sort of mass email plan.

As soon as I get back, I'm going to Texas. I'll be flying through Houston on Homecoming to get to Dallas Nov. 12. Although I could just stop in Houston and drive back to Dallas with Eric or something, we'll see. MLS Cup is November 13. Then I'm going to go down to Rice Nov. 16-20, so I'll see a bunch of people then.

Finally, I'll be in Dallas December 5-9 for the baseball winter meetings. And probably stay the weekend to go to a Cowboys game with Eric. I need a broadcasting job, so I need to get a CD together and start calling teams. I'm pretty nervous about it, because I have high expectations - I already turned down a possible job in Georgia because I don't want to live there and it wasn't that good a job. I want to be in Jersey or Texas, but there aren't a lot of jobs at my level there. I'll keep you updated.

Hope everybody's good, sorry I wrote so much and didn't really have any funny anecdotes.

Jon