RSL wins Semi-Finals against Columbus

Remember, remember the fifth of November... Hell ya! RSL kicked Columbus Crew's trash on the 5th of November. But speaking of trash, I also won the raffle for the RSL garbage can at the watch party. Leave it to me to win something silly when I never win anything via raffles or contests.

Nevermind the garbage can... RSL won!!!

RSL has had a rough season of soccer. They started off strong in the spring but the revolving door of players leaving and coming back from various national and all-star teams kept the players constantly having to work with new line ups. This seemed to be okay until August when all leading players like Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, and Will Johnson returned and again the players played a little switcher-roo. The last few games leading up to the playoffs seemed to be all going wrong for the RSL guys but they pulled it together for the last game scoring 3 (or was it 4) points. The remaining playoff slots ensued and the other teams in the running didn't seem up for playoff glory.

Winning their chance at the MLS cup, RSL has proven they know their game. They had a great first semi-final game at the Rio Tinto stadium with a 1-0 lead. And starting their match in Ohio, they seemed up for the challenge Columbus was providing. In the end, the yellow and black wearin' Crew didn't have a chance. The Columbus team took two early goals in the first half but RSL dominated the rest of the game with Morales tying the aggregate score before the end of the first 45 minutes.

Throughout the game, RSL midfielders were aggressive and didn't flinch while stealing the ball from Columbus. The defensive lineup was on - especially Olave and his almost American football-like tackling around the net.

In the second half RSL kept up with a strong defense and stellar shots-on-goal by forwards, Findley and Espindola. With 30 minutes left, Esindola was out and Denmark-bound, Movsisyan came on to the field. Findley and Williams pushed RSL ahead in the second half each scoring against the Crew leaving the aggregate score 4-2.

Now RSL will just have to keep up the momentum for their next challenger, New England or Chicago, to bring home the 2009 MLS Cup.

Boys and their bourbon

This is hilarious. The audio is a bit off but it's still funny.

A Park City Adventure

Park City's Star Bar hosted a great performance from Better Than Ezra. The band made their mark on the charts in the 90s but due to their dislike of the music video they have kept a little below the radar. Playing in bars and smaller venues (at least around the West), the New Orleans trio spend a lot of time touring and performing for their rabid fan base.

The weekend started by leaving work Thursday around 6 p.m., traveling to Park City with Jen, Cindi and Siobhan, and finding our hotel. The hotel was simple but nice and it had a bar & grill. Arriving at the semi-hopping hotel eatery around 7:30, it took forever to order and get our food. My below par fish 'n chips were no match for the yummy-ness found at the Scottish festival (you could say I'm now a fish 'n chips snob). Jen and Siobhan really liked their French dip and Cindi liked her stroganoff.

We departed to the Star Bar for the concert around 9:15. And this is were the mis-adventure began...

Cindi's iPhone took us a strange way to the historic main street in Park City (this time is wasn't Carmen the Garmen). We all wildly stared out the windows trying to find the Star Bar as we slowly moved down the street. Cindi spotted the venue nestled between a restaurant and some construction. Now the task was to find parking. We had passed a parking structure on our bizarre route to main street but we took a co-workers advice and drove up the hill and found a full parking lot. Jen slowly manuvered through the lot and we spotted (not an open space) but what looked like a tour bus. Buzzing with excitement we were more enthusiastic about the upcoming concert than before. And we decided to park in the large parking structure and walk to the bar.

As Jen drove down to the structure, we spotted four guys walking away from the bus and toward the bar's back door. We started to speculate... could this be the band? Even with BTE billed as a trio, they usually have a fourth member to act as backup singer/pianist/guitarist. We crept past the group - gawking at them - when Kevin (BTE's lead singer) turned and faced the car. Now... one would think that we would be cool, roll down the window to say something like "We love you guys!" but alas all four of us screamed loudly with excitement followed by Jen hitting the gas pedal and driving off.

Reaching the parking garage (now laughing at our ridiculousness), Jen parked and we walked to the Star Bar for one of the best concerts I've attended EVER. We were only 10 feet away from the small stage as BTE played an excellent show. We danced... mimicked some drunk dancing girls... laughed when guy a started to steal a base with Jen (she gets all the crazies)... stared at the REALLY drunk blonde with no depth perception... and had a yummy ginger ale.

Exhausted from dancing, standing, and the whole evening, we rolled back toward the hotel room (stopping for some munchies on the way). I tried out the hotel shower to find that it was made for people who liked a tropical feel to their bathing experience. The shower head didn't so much as spray but mist the water.

The next day we woke, got ready, and set out for a breakfast joint. This is where our second adventure came. We discovered several things about Park City:

1. Residents don't eat breakfast
2. Buildings are all an ugly uniform brown and green color (making it hard to find breakfast)
3. 7-11 has Honey Nut Cherios, milk, bowls, and spoons
4. Stacie and Jen get really annoyed when not fed
5. Park City is a ridiculous place
6. Stacie can spend $$$ like crazy in the outlet stores.

All in All the adventure was a memorable one with some great tunes, good friends, and a huge credit card bill.

Weekend Review

1. Waiting for Steve to mad-type his assignment so we could leave work
2. The three halves (I don't know why they do three) of a grilled cheese on sourdough at Training Table on 400 S. and 800 E.
3. Jim Gaffigan at the Kingsbury Hall (Hot Pocket!)
4. Saturday lunch of Chick-fil-a with Dani (Mmmm... Eat More Chiken)
5. "Pandorum" at the District. Ben Foster, Dennis Quaid, and Cam Gigandet - eye candy for all ages - in a well done sci-fi flick (I'd give it a B)
6. Creating a Facebook page for Dani
7. Following the bas-ackwards directions from Carmen the Garmen (Jen's GPS) to the Bombay House for yummy indian food and a sample of their strange onion salad.
8. Jen trying to find an AM station on the radio to hear the RSL game (while driving on I-80)
9. Telling Cindi to help Jen find the RSL game on the radio so we didn't perish
10. Four single girls listening to a sporting event on the radio
11. Jen angry from the announcement that her player Will Johnson was substituted out of the game
12. Jen and Cindi sitting in the car (at the E-Center) listening to the game while Dani and I walk to the venue entrance
13. Strange mariachi band opening for the Killers
14. The Killers (need I say more)
15. Brandon Flowers (again, need I say more)
16. Sean's comment about "The guitarist gets more metal with each song" and the commenting that he looked like Dave Mustaine toward the end of the show
17. "I got soul but I'm not a soldier" with the confetti
18. Crazy drunk woman dancing by Tarika
19. Tarika switching Sean so he was able to enjoy standing next to crazy drunk lady
20. Realizing that spilt beer on metal flooring creates human fly paper
21. Crazy drunk couple in row 2 (we were in row 3)
22. Arriving at Lisa's by 11:30
23. Police, keg, beer pong, acoustic guitar concert in the living room area...
24. home at 2:30, bed by 3:00

Dr. Horrible Returns

Hurry and watch Dr. Horrible at the Emmy's before they yank it off YouTube.

One, Gopher-Hunting, Chubby Dachshund for Rent

The dachshund "was developed to scent, chase, and flush badgers and other burrow-dwelling animals," according to Wikipedia. In the last few weeks, I have found that I agree with the popular wiki's definition due to the holes my very own pet has created in the backyard.

Ellie, the chubby family pet dachshund, has taken it upon herself a mission to rid our yard of gophers. During her mission, our family has become owners of the best backyard security known to man - tiny holes and trenches that cover the yard in anticipation of some unsuspecting burglar who would most likely break a leg or get a really nice sprain before they ever reached the house.

The determined chubby puppy would not stop digging - even when a ball was thrown in the hole to distract her.

Or when Zorro came in close to see what she was doing... he doesn't understand her craziness either.

In an effort to save the dead grass that lightly covers the backyard, my dad bravely walked up to Ellie. He lightly coaxed, then nudged, then finally picked her up (risking a finger or two) and removed her from the cavern she was digging.

And for a few minutes Ellie was too distracted by Zorro and a ball to notice my dad was filling in her entrance into the gopher's trail.

So if you want a cheap security system for your backyard or a dead gopher then Ellie is for rent... and all she requires is a fresh batch of popcorn.

Kayne Officially Announced He's a Douche Bag

MTV Shows

Usually I record (now DVR) the MTV award shows. Why? They usually are filled with incredible performances... and, of course, the scandal. But during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video Kanye West decided to run on stage and steal her spotlight. He grabbed the microphone and announced that Beyonce should've won the award because (according to him) Single Ladies was the best video. Shots of an embarrassed Beyonce in the audience showed that she was the unwilling participant in Kayne's childish antics. As the crowd cheered for Swift, the stunned and mortified teen country star didn't continue her thank yous and just walked off stage.

Beyonce - who I liked before but now consider incredibly humble and classy -later won the Video of the Year award. She thanked everyone and said that she remembered what it was like to be a 17-year-old winning her first award at the VMAs with Destiny's Child. She then called Taylor Swift on stage so that she could have her moment.

MTV Shows

If Kayne thinks that his "so-called" talent gives him the license to act like a complete prick then someone should take it away. My hope is that music fans around the world will rally against him. His utterly despicable behavior at the VMAs should be met with the same kind of contempt that the Dixie Chicks (undeserved) received after lead singer, Natalie Maines, said some choice words about President Bush. That prat should be sent into the "Where are they now?" file and hopefully that will teach him the humility and tact of which he is in desperate need.