Looking For New "Skins"

I think it's time that the old format of TonyTimes is getting old. I need something to make it more visually appealing.

I'm currently searching for a new blog skin for this site. I've been to a couple of sites already that offer skins, but the ones I've seen (and that is MANY), nothing has really caught my eye. I could create my own, since I'm back in the game with my Web page coding but it's the design that's going to kill me. I'm not sure if I'll have the time or not to make it.

Plus, transferring all of my previous stuff over to another template is pretty tricky -- I just have to be careful not to lose anything.

We'll see, check back later.

More Worries, Part II -- Nothing Yet

I still haven't heard anything new regarding the big budget cuts that the school district is going through.

Right now, my state of mind is pretty stable, meaning that I'm not really all worried about it. I've settled down through talks with other teachers and they've all said that they cannot imagine getting rid of the only guy in school that knows something about computers.

But what gets me is that I'm on the bottom end of the totem pole. Seniority rules in times of budget cuts.

I've read the school board minutes from the month of January and nothing has really come to light. There is a budget committee consisting of a few members of the school board and they decided to do away with over $900,000 in cuts -- which means "What of the other half a million?" I don't know. The superintendent will have free reign in where the cuts will happen. Although I consider my relationship with the superintendent a pretty good one, I cannot rely on that -- it's all business.

My options are still the same: keeping my ear to the ground while I'm sort-of testing the waters and seeing what other school districts are offering. Jobs offers usually get crazy around the end of March and through April, so it's pretty slow right now.

On the upside, it seems like I will be coaching 9th grade baseball. Although I haven't signed a contract yet, I've already been fitted for hats and shirts -- a pretty good indicator that it's going to fall through.

I'm just going to keep crackin', doing my thing, and wait and see.

Stir The Storm

Man, I'm giddy.

Everything came to a head yesterday afternoon after school. I couldn't take it anymore -- there was just too much competition between myself as a teacher against my students and the ever-popular Internet.

I decided to have the Interent absolutely cut from my room. No more games, no more music. Although I had tolerated it for most of the year, it was time for it to end.

Our "TechGuy" wrote up a script for the computers in my room to disable Internet Explorer (but there are a few sneaky computers with Mozilla). I just couldn't wait to gauge my students' reactions this morning.

At first, they decided to log off and re-log back on to the network -- didn't work. Next, let's shut down the computer completely, then reboot -- didn't work. Finally, let's all complain to the teacher.

*grin*

I heard it all. "It's not fair!" "What are we supposed to do now?" "I hate my life."

My rebuttal: of all the classes that I teach, none of them require the Internet. It was about time that I thought it to be very disrespectful that while I'm up doing my presentation or trying to get some material pushed across, the students would rather have their noses planted firmly on their screens looking to find that new exiciting Flash game.

If they truly wanted to use the Internet, the school has four other computer labs. Use the Internet on their own time, not mine -- but oh, no -- that cannot happen. They just cannot imagine staying after school for a few minutes to do their thing.

In the end, my attitude is: whatever. Bitch all you want. They brought it on upon themselves. I finally knew it was a problem when my students just wanted me to present my material as quickly as possible so they could do their thing. Discussion was out of the question. Yeah -- BIG PROBLEM.

But I've got the Internet on my laptop, hooked through the wireless network. The students fired back saying that if they cannot have the Internet, I shouldn't. Tough. Life's not fair; besides, I need it for my attendance taking.

If only they could realize...but again, whatever.

Auto Club 500 -- California

Race #2 at California Speedway (2-mile, 14 degree banking) in Fontana.

Watching the Busch Series race last night (Ryan was running his #39 Mobil1 Dodge), it was, in other words, boring. Roush Racing and the Ford Fusions dominated once again, with Greg Biffle taking the checkered (Ryan did finish second).

The track itself seems like it has no character whatsoever. It's long, it's wide, and if the cars are properly setup, we're going to see a lot of strung out cars.

Duing practice sessions, drivers have been complaining about "loose" conditions, or over-steer, it which the rear wheels want to kick out to the outside, usually resulting in a spin-out. There have been already NASCAR's share of spin-outs during the practice sessions, but I'm afraid it's only going to get worse when cars are racing in packs, 2-by-2, and the wind resistance is whipping around. Cars right off the start better be tight and grippy just to avoid a huge crash to start off the race.

Ryan Newman's Penske Racing South teammate Kurt Busch, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, is starting on the pole position, while Newman will start 11th. Another interesting note: the Penske boys are not running the Dodge Charger, but the '04 model of the Dodge Intrepid. This is already causing controversy in the Dodge camps -- since Dodge no longer makes the Intrepid for consumer use and all factory support is for the Charger.

As for a prediction, watch the Roush camp to dominate again, especially with a stout car in the new Ford Fusion and besides, Roush is fielding 5 cars. A Dodge will not win this race.

Watching the pre-race, it looks like the FOX boys are taking a cue from the NBC boys as Darrell Waltrip has his own "racecar" and is taking a lap around the track, a la Wally Dallenbach. Not really original.

250 laps: 500 miles. Pre-race is about over -- the Penske boys along with owner Roger Penske are going over the radio checks.

All times are Central Standard Time.

3:06 p.m. -- Penske: "Good luck, Ryan. Let's do our best."

3:07 p.m. -- The call goes out, "Gentlemen, start your engines."

3:08 p.m. -- Crew chief Matt Borland: "Do the gauges look good?" Newman: "Yep."

3:10 p.m. -- Reports of rain, maybe just a sprinkle.

3:12 p.m. -- Pit road speed, 55 mph. Tach: 4500 rpm, 2nd gear.

3:15 p.m. -- New spotter Danny Culler: "One to go, Ryan. Make sure those belts are tight."

3:17 p.m. -- Green flag waves. Busch leads them to the line.

3:18 p.m. -- Busch leads Lap 1.

3:20 p.m. -- Busch still leads, Newman drops back to 13th (Lap 5).

3:21 p.m. -- Newman: "Aero-tight."

3:22 p.m. -- #16 Greg Biffle passes Busch for the lead (Lap 7).

3:23 p.m. -- Newman: "218, still tight" (Lap 9). Newman also reports that his car is good on entry, but no bite coming off turns.

3:25 p.m. -- Biffle still leads, Newman in 13th: "215."

3:28 p.m. -- Newman: "Really right in the center of 1 and 2, can't keep it down like I want it to be" (Lap 17).

3:29 p.m. -- Newman: "Pretty tight in both ends, but really tight in 1 and 2" (Lap 18).

3:30 p.m. -- Newman: "Can't carry any mid-corner speed."

3:32 p.m. -- Biffle still leads, Busch in 3rd, Newman in 19th (Lap 23).

3:38 p.m. -- Yellow flag: debris in Turn 3 (Lap 31). Newman: "Just need to free it up."

3:40 p.m. -- Pit road is open (Lap 32).

3:42 p.m. -- Borland: "Tires look good but the fronts are definitely worn."

3:43 p.m. -- After pit stops, Biffle still leads, Newman in 16th.

3:45 p.m. -- Green flag (Lap 36).

3:50 p.m. -- Newman: "217, not too bad but it feels like it's going to get tighter" (Lap 41).

3:53 p.m. -- Newman: "Definitely too tight right now" (Lap 45).

3:54 p.m. -- Newman: "One round to the rear." Borland: "10-4" (Lap 46).

3:55 p.m. -- Newman: "Way too tight, almost as bad as it was last time" (Lap 48).

3:59 p.m. -- Biffle still leads, Newman in 20th (Lap 55).

4:03 p.m. -- Newman: "Really tight all the way around" (Lap 60).

4:04 p.m. -- #20 Tony Stewart passes Biffle for the lead (Lap 61).

4:07 p.m. -- Borland: "30 laps on tires, Ryan" (Lap 66).

4:10 p.m. -- Borland: "Pitting in 11 laps, Ryan" (Lap 70).

4:13 p.m. -- Stewart still leads, Newman in 25th (Lap 74).

4:14 p.m. -- Newman: "Tight and loose."

4:15 p.m. -- Borland: "Pitting in 4 laps" (Lap 77).

4:17 p.m. -- Green flag pit stops commence. #17 Matt Kenseth leads.

4:19 p.m. -- #25 Brian Vickers penalized for speeding exiting pit road (pass-through).

4:20 p.m. -- Pit stops cycle though -- Stewart back in lead, Newman 21st (Lap 83).

4:23 p.m. -- Yellow flag (Lap 87). Newman: "Loose, feels like I'm three-wheelin'."

4:25 p.m. -- Leaders pit.

4:26 p.m. -- Borland: "Two tires and fuel."

4:28 p.m. -- Kenseth in the lead, Newman in 5th (Stewart took four tires).

4:30 p.m. -- Green flag (Lap 92).

4:33 p.m. -- Biffle re-takes the lead (Lap 97).

4:34 p.m. -- Newman: "Too tight" (Lap 98).

4:38 p.m. -- Newman: "Still too tight" (Lap 104).

4:40 p.m. -- Newman: "Can't roll in the middle, still cannot get it down in the middle" (Lap 106).

4:45 p.m. -- Biffle still in lead, Newman in 12th (Lap 114).

4:49 p.m. -- Newman: "You need to put a bunch of pressure in the left rear and to free it up a bit more..."

4:51 p.m. -- Stewart in the pits, tire trouble (Lap 122).

4:52 p.m. -- Newman: "I haven't been this tight getting in (the corners) in four years..."

4:54 p.m. -- Half-way point, Lap 125.

4:55 p.m. -- Borland: "Pitting in 11 laps" (Lap 127).

4:58 p.m. -- Newman: "I cannot turn it in the corners ... it's pointed right towards the wall."

5:00 p.m. -- Green flag pit stops starting (Lap 134). Newman: "Tightest it's ever been, I mean tightest tight..."

5:03 p.m. -- Borland: "8 seconds ahead the leader, Ryan."

5:04 p.m. -- Newman: "Loose right now, 217" (Lap 139).

5:07 p.m. -- Newman: "Car feels like it's 3-wheelin', left front's up and right rear's down..."

5:08 p.m. -- Biffle still leads, Newman in 22nd.

5:10 p.m. -- Borland: "Leaders' 5 and a half seconds back" (Lap 149).

5:12 p.m. -- Newman: "Tight getting in, loose off..." (Lap 152).

5:16 p.m. -- Newman: "It was neutral going through 3 and 4 but it's awful for speed, I don't know what to tell you." Newman goes a lap down (Lap 157).

5:20 p.m. -- Newman: "Tight now, can't do anything" (Lap 162).

5:23 p.m. -- Newman: "Tight, tight, tight!" (Lap 167).

5:28 p.m. -- Biffle still leads, Newman in 21st -- 1 lap down (Lap 174).

5:31 p.m. -- Newman: "..Pushin' like a dump truck..."

5:33 p.m. -- Green flag pit stops start (Lap 180).

5:34 p.m. -- Newman: "I can't even slow down getting into 1, it just washes up" (Lap 182).

5:35 p.m. -- #11 Denny Hamlin spins in the grass and misses pit road -- no caution (Lap 183).

5:37 p.m. -- Newman: "A little bit loose" (Lap 185).

5:43 p.m. -- Newman: "Loose through 3 andf 4, tight in 1 and 2 -- hurting me through the backstretch" (Lap 194).

5:44 p.m. -- Yellow flag, debris (Lap 195).

5:50 p.m. -- Newman: "Are we good on fuel?" Borland: "We're probably going to be 7 or 8 laps short."

5:51 p.m. -- Green flag waves (Lap 200).

5:53 p.m. -- Newman: "Loose" (Lap 203).

5:54 p.m. -- Newman: "Wicked loose and dirty air..." (Lap 204).

5:58 p.m. -- Biffle still leads, Newman in 26th (Lap 210).

6:00 p.m. -- Stewart with engine problems, down on the apron on his way to pit road -- yellow flag (Lap 214).

6:01 p.m. -- Newman: "Probably the best I've been, but it's still loose."

6:05 p.m. -- Splash-and-go for Newman (Lap 216), still yellow flag.

6:07 p.m. -- #24 Jeff Gordon leads. Green flag (Lap 218).

6:08 p.m. -- Kenseth takes lead (Lap 219), #95 Stanton Barrett spins in Turn 4 -- yellow flag.

6:15 p.m. -- Green flag (Lap 223).

6:16 p.m. -- Kurt Busch spins -- yellow flag (Lap 225). Biffle lets go some fluids (lost a cylinder).

6:22 p.m. -- Green flag (Lap 228), Biffle falls back.

6:29 p.m. -- Newman: "Definitely on the loose side, especially with somebody behind you" (Lap 240).

6:33 p.m. -- #4 Scott Wimmer's car is smoking -- yellow flag (Lap 246).

6:34 p.m. -- Green-white-checker to finish the race -- Newman currently in 21st.

6:39 p.m. -- Green flag (Lap 250). Kenseth in the lead, with #48 Jimmie Johnson in 2nd.

6:40 p.m. -- White flag -- Kenseth leads.

6:41 p.m. -- Matt Kenseth wins the Auto Club 500 at California. Newman finishes 20th.

Notes:

• Ugh. What a boring race. It could be because Ryan had a such a difficult-handling car, but it was just your California-type race, lots of green-flag racing.
• Roush Racing still dominates at the 1 1/2 - 2 mile tracks.
• No race next week -- Las Vegas in two weeks.
• I haven't seen the updated points -- but Newman will take a hit.

Almost Too Deep For Me

Time to get a little philosophical.

Mike has just awakened some thoughts that I had put to rest for some time. Through an e-mail, he described to me a Web site that he'd come across to talk about "out-of-place artifacts" or OOPARTS, which mainly seems to discuss ancient artifacts dating back to Biblical times -- especially The Great Flood, in which according to the Bible, Noah built his Ark and loaded it with his family and all the animals of the world.

It basically looks for physical evidence that such things have happened. Supposedly, The "Pre-Flood" age has been cataloged in ancient Egypt, where supposedly researchers have uncovered evidence of a possible "lost race" of humans, in which they developed "high techonolgies" -- technologies that we use on a day-to-day basis, like computers, airplanes, and nuclear weapons -- which maybe even go beyond that. Everything was wiped out due to The Deluge, or The Great Flood.

This Web site takes a look at that all of that, and more. This is something that I never could have possibly comprehended. It just boggles the mind.

Some of the stuff is so far-fetched that it's almost hard to believe. Although I have not read much of the site (and mind you, lots of stuff on the Internet is also "tough to prove"), it just seems to me that there are these researchers out there that'll find something, carbon date it, then will come up with some wacky theory to tie it all in. It's like creating a whole civilization from scatch ... that never really existed! It's got such a great backstory so these researchers have a lot riding on it, almost to the point that they'll believe their own stories so much, that subconsciously they'll become true. But in the end, you need the proof, the physical evidence that certain things existed.

It's just too much to comprehend. I appreciate Mike in giving me the heads up to this site. The site itself is very persuasive -- but there's just something about it that just bugs the heck out of me. What -- I don't know. I just cannot get my finger on it.

Back in the day, when Mike and myself were just out of high school, reckless beyond reason, we'd sit back, drink a few beers (maybe smoke a few cigarettes) and talk all philosophical. I remember one particular night during the summer, we were at my cousin Eric's house and we were hitting it up pretty good. I had just started college and in the meantime, I had taken an anthropology course. You can probably see where this was headed -- your classic Evolution vs. God argument. It got so heated to a point that I stormed out of the house with Mike begging me to come back to settle down. I declined. I had defended Evolution -- where as homo sapiens we had evolved from primates -- all because of that stupid anthropology class. Deep down, I really didn't know what I was thinking.

I'm a Christian, indoctrinated by the teachings of the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ from Martin Luther's point-of-view (Lutheran). After all those years of Sunday School and Confirmation, it's tough to shake your fist at the church and say that you don't believe in God. Basically, I was taught to have faith in Jesus, believe in God (The Apostle's Creed) and I'll have everlasting life in Heaven.

Is there proof that there is a Heaven? Or a God? Depends who you talk to, maybe a dead philosopher or an atheist -- but I believe that God existed through Jesus and that there is an afterlife -- without having any proof. It's tough, although contradictory towards that Web site that Mike sent to me, but you just got to have Faith.

Here's just something to throw back -- how about the book, The DaVinci Code? There's even a movie coming out this spring. Although I own the book, I haven't read it. From what I have heard, it's all about the church's cover-up, "conspiracy-theory"-like scandal that covers up over 2000 years of dogma (a belief or an idea). Has the Church been fooling us all of these years? Now, that's far-fetched -- but a person has to realize, that is fiction.

How about the Left Behind series? It is our belief that the Anti-Christ will rise, only for Jesus to come back in the nick of times to save the world (or basically, the Book of Revelation in a fictional series). It's just interesting reading.

People bring forth many ideas concerning religion and historical fact through science. Sometimes it just gets too much and it seems for me, I just want to shy away from it all. What happens, happens. Maybe we are on our way to Armageddon. The atheists are coming forward in packs (like the story of an elderly Italian man suing a Roman Catholic priest for preaching lies) and now people are taking down The Ten Commandments from courthouses or labeling them as a "historical monument." I think the only possible way to know EVERYTHING is to die (if that's possible -- but that's a different argument in itself, but I believe it!).

My last stance: As a man who loves ancient history up to the point of yesterday, I still believe in an omnipresent being that we know as God. I believe in what I want to believe -- nobody else can control that. Although I have my faith, I still take in consideration of actual physical evidence that has been uncovered to relate to Biblical history, contradictory or not. Otherwise, Web sites and books, although very persuasive, just make out for some interesting reading.

Just be cautious!

Unexpected Phone Calls

Again, it's been one of those up-and-down "roller-coaster"-like weekends.

Coming off a long weekend with Monday off from school, there was a lot to think about. Besides being wore out and tired from the same ol' thing, I didn't know what to expect today.

On Saturday, slightly tired from the night before, I had to supervise some basketball games that had started in the afternoon -- boys and girls games -- that were against my old high school. I knew their B-squad head coach pretty well -- he's only a couple of years younger than I am -- but we used to hoop it up big time at "The Owl Garden" at Robb's old place years back.

During the afternoon, I received a phone call from a past classmate of mine. At first, I didn't recognize who it was. Then, after she told me her maiden name -- ding! She was a really good friend of mine back in high school: she ended up hosting the senior party at her house after we graduated. Then she announced what I had been expecting -- the 10-year class reunion.

I still haven't come to grips about this whole reunion thing quite yet. Ten fucking years. It still seems like yesterday that we were pulling the imaginable back in the day. It's sometimes sad to think about, still wishing to pull off the stunts that we used to pull. But now, we're all married, kids are on the way (hopefully) and things slow down quite a bit. I'm just glad now that my friends and myself still have some videotapes that are quite incriminating...

For years, I really had a beef with the whole reunion thing. I really didn't see a point to it, especially the failed attempt to get a 5-year going. I heard that only 5 people showed up to that! It may seem selfish, but some of the people who I graduated with I couldn't care less about. It's not that I liked them, it was just the time where we went our separate ways, knowing that we'd probably never see each other again. I had my core group of friends and we've remained great friends even after all of these years. That group has since then expanded which makes it even more special -- basically, that's who I truly care about, who I give a call whenever I'm back "home."

But ... we'll see. A part of me aches ever so slightly, just curious to see how people have changed and how they've turned out -- hopefully for the better. It'd be pretty cool to show up, have a few drinks and be amazed about how much you can find out what happened in the past ten years.

Then, on Monday morning, I was hit up with tragic news. I received a phone call regarding the loss of a fellow teacher who suddenly passed away. He was the agricultural teacher here in the district, a popular one at that, who was currently in his 22nd year of teaching. From what I heard, he was only 44 years old.

This morning, it was going to be tough since most of the students didn't hear the news. We met early and discussed the plans for what was going to happen. But the whole time, it was complete silence. Thoughts of grief lingered with a few sobs here and there. Even though I'm a first-year teacher at this district and I really didn't know the person very well, it was just the atmosphere that really got to me. Add that to the fact that today is the one-year anniversary of receiving the news of Jason's death. It just hit home -- hard.

I have a prep period during the 1st hour of the day and I was glad that it was so. Thoughts just kept running through my head, thinking of Jason, dealing with grief, how to console the students who are having a tough time to cope. Also, it was quite ironic that it is currently FFA Week here at school and the teacher who passed away, was the FFA advisor.

After I sorted things out towards the end of the 1st period, I was back to normal. Things went on as normal through the rest of the day. A few of my students were gone to talk and share thoughts with others, completely understanable.

If things were relatively OK today, what would the situation be like if a student passed away? Last year before I had arrived, a student committed suicide. From what I had heard, that was a situation in which nobody felt anything. I just cannot imagine being a teacher and having to go through that, especially if it was a student who I have interacted with on a day-to-day basis.

Death is just one of those strange things that happen. It's a selfish emotion -- wishing that the person who passed away could come back and make things better, wondering if other people feel your pain and suffering. It's okay to talk to others about it and I'm thankful to work at a school in which teachers and counselors care about their students and have that open door to anyone who needs to talk.

The 2006 Daytona 500

With over a week of practices, qualifying, Truck and Busch Series races, the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup is finally getting off to a start with the 48th running of the Daytona 500.

I'm making the most of my Internet connection this afternoon, listening in on TrackPass -- currently listening to MRN Radio -- just passing the time prior to all of the pre-race activites to get over and done with (note: TrackPass has about a 30-second delay, compared to the television signal).

Yesterday during the Busch Series race, Tony Stewart won his 2nd Daytona Busch race. The temps in Daytona were in the low 80's, but now, the weather looks like it's overcast and cooler, with temps dropping to the low 60's. This will give the track more grip, making a speeder racetrack.

Now, let's just hope that "Rocket Man" Ryan Newman can avoid "The Big One," a multi-car pile-up that is quite common during restrictor place races.

I also signed up for Fantasy Racing from Yahoo! Fantasy Sports, joining a group of folks from the Ryan Newman Fan Club, which I am a member of. This will be my first year of doing something like this (since I've been strictly a fantasy football player), so learning the rules and the points system was a little bit of a chore.

Anyways -- here we go. The Star Spangled Banner just was sung. Updates, including the time and lap number, will be posted as the race progresses. All times will be Central Standard Time.

1:30 p.m. -- Actor James Caan gives the signal "Gentleman, start your engines." Was it just me, or did he look drunk?

1:30 p.m. -- #12 car owner Roger Penske gives Newman the good luck, telling him it's windy across the track.

1:31 p.m. -- Newman tell his crew and crew chief Matt Borland that the gauges are normal, everything is fine with the car.

1:34 p.m. -- Jay Leno is driving the pace car, a Chevy Corvette Z06. He currently leads them down pit lane to the track.

• Daytona -- 2.5 mile tri-oval, 31 degree banking in the turns

1:38 p.m. -- Newman informs Borland that there is lots of trash on the track (this can be a problem, as trash can attach itself to the grills in front of the cars, causing them to overheat. Lucky for Newman, he drives a Dodge Charger, which picks up more trash than most).

1:41 p.m. -- Spotter Aron Oakley changes radios due to heavy static. Newman will let him know if anything goes bad (due to Daytona being so big, Newman will have two spotters. NASCAR legend Buddy Baker will most likely to the other one on the backstretch). Don Miller gives Newman the good luck.

1:42 p.m. -- Green-flag is waved off due to trash stuck on #29 Kevin Harvick's roof camera.

1:45 p.m. -- Pace car is off, green-flag waves. Pole-sitter Jeff Burton leads them to Turn 1.

1:46 p.m. -- Burton leads the first lap, #66 Jeff Green loses tire, no caution.

1:49 p.m. -- Newman reaches the bottom lane, next to the yellow line. Burton still in the lead (Lap 6 of 200).

1:50 p.m. -- Extreme nervousness, lots of 3-wide racing. If there was a wreck now, Newman would definitely be caught up in it.

1:53 p.m. -- Crazy UPS commercial. 'Bout time they raced the truck. It's been about a 7-year deal...

1:54 p.m. -- Burton still leads, Newman in 20th (Lap 11 of 200). Newman's water temp: 220 degrees (still ok).

1:58 p.m. -- Newman's water temp: 210 degrees (Lap 15 of 200). Newman's teammate, #2 Kurt Busch, sits in the 6th position.

1:59 p.m. -- Newman reports that his car is starting to tighten up -- yellow flag.

2:00 p.m. -- #1 Martin Truex, Jr. scrapes the wall, bringing out the flag. Pit stops ensue.

2:04 p.m. -- Borland reports that the tires looked good after 17 laps, Newman replies that the track is "definitely grippy."

2:05 p.m. -- Green flag, Lap 20. #88 Dale Jarrett penalized for entering pit road too fast.

2:06 p.m. -- #38 Elliot Sadler in the lead, with #8 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the 2nd spot. Newman in 16th.

2:08 p.m. -- #24 Jeff Gordon takes lead, with teammate #48 Jimmie Johnson pushing behind. Newman listed in 14th (Lap 24).

2:09 p.m. -- #17 Matt Kenseth takes lead (Lap 25).

2:10 p.m. -- #26 Jamie McMurray into the back of the #20 Tony Stewart coming off Turn 2, but Stewart saves it (Lap 26).

2:11 p.m. -- Stewart in the lead (Lap 28), Newman in 11th.

2:12 p.m. -- Newman's water temp: 215 degrees. "A tick too tight."

2:14 p.m. -- Spotter Buddy Baker: "Good job, good job ... you're working with your teammate..."

2:15 p.m. -- Stewart still in the lead (Lap 33), Newman in 9th.

2:16 p.m. -- Newman: "Definitely too tight." #19 Jeremy Mayfield makes slight contact with another car, left-front tire rub.

2:18 p.m. -- Newman reports that other drivers are tightening up, lifting the throttle in the turns.

2:19 p.m. -- Single file racing, Stewart still in lead (Lap 38), Newman in 8th.

2:21 p.m. -- Newman: "Car getting tighter." Borland: "10-4, 20 laps on tires."

2:23 p.m. -- Newman in 6th, teammate Kurt Busch pushing behind, in 7th.

2:25 p.m. -- Simply beautiful: #12 and #2 working together (Lap 45). Green-flag pit stops approaching.

2:27 p.m. -- Borland: "27 laps on tires, 4 laps 'til pit. 2 car is coming with you."

2:28 p.m. -- Yellow flag. Newman: "Turns 1 and 2 too tight, Turns 3 and 4 pretty good." #24 Jeff Gordon and Stewart make contact with Turn 2 wall.

2:30 p.m. -- Pit stops. Newman: 15.2 seconds -- leads field off pit road! He should get his 5 bonus points for leading a lap (Lap 49). Kenseth 2nd, Kurt Busch 3rd.

2:33 p.m. -- Borland: "27 laps on tires, look really good."

2:34 p.m. -- Green flag, Lap 51. Newman in the lead. Stewart restarted 38th, Gordon 41st.

2:36 p.m. -- Lots of moisture in the air. Spotters commented on it earlier.

2:40 p.m. -- Kenseth passes Newman on outside lane for lead (Lap 58).

2:41 p.m. -- Newman: "I tick on the free side, especially getting in (the turns)."

2:42 p.m. -- Borland: "The 17 (Kenseth) is complaining about being too tight." Newman: "10-4, we're not."

2:45 p.m. -- Turns 1 and 2 cameras loaded with moisture.

2:46 p.m. -- Newman: "A little too tight into 1 and 2."

2:47 p.m. -- Oakley: "Stick with the 2 (Busch) bud, he helps you out." Newman: "I am!"

2:48 p.m. -- Kenseth 1st, Busch 2nd, Newman 3rd (Lap 68).

2:51 p.m. -- A little trash on the grill, Newman's water temp: 205 degrees (Lap 73).

2:53 p.m. -- Borland: "We got to go in on (Lap) 82, Roger (Penske)."

2:54 p.m. -- Crew reports that Kurt Busch will pit also on Lap 82.

2:56 p.m. -- Kenseth may pit on Lap 81. If Kenseth dives in on 81 and Busch follows, Newman is to follow Busch. Borland: "Stick with the 2."

2:57 p.m. -- Yellow flag, crash in Turn 3. #45 Kyle Petty, #66 Jeff Green, #18 J.J. Yeley, #99 Carl Edwards involved (Lap 79).

3:00 p.m. -- Pit road open. Newman will get a four-tire change.

3:03 p.m. -- Borland: "Ryan, tires still look good."

3:05 p.m. -- Newman in 7th after pit stops.

3:07 p.m. -- Green flag waves (Lap 84).

3:08 p.m. -- #29 Kevin Harvick in the lead. Newman says that he has a slight vibration through his car.

3:09 p.m. -- Earnhardt, Jr. in the lead (Lap 86).

3:11 p.m. -- 2-by-2, Newman running the outside lane (Lap 89).

3:12 p.m. -- Yellow flag (Lap 90). Debris on the backstretch. Newman: "Definitely too tight."

3:14 p.m. -- Vibration stays "the same" throughout the run. Pit road is open.

3:15 p.m. -- Busch changes two tires, while Newman will change four.

3:17 p.m. -- Newman listed in 14th, Busch in 4th. Lots of drivers just took 2 tires and/or gas.

3:18 p.m. -- That new Gillette Young Guns commercial will never get old.

3:19 p.m. -- Debris in the backstretch, green flag called off.

3:21 p.m. -- Green flag, with Earnhardt, Jr. in the lead (Lap 95).

3:25 p.m. -- Half-way mark of the Daytona 500 (Lap 101).

3:28 p.m. -- #6 Mark Martin to the lead (on one helluva run through the tri-oval, Lap 105).

3:30 p.m. -- Newman: "200 (temp), they're going to crash."

3:31 p.m. -- Kenseth in the wall, Newman escapes. Yellow flag. Newman: "Check the valence."

3:32 p.m. -- Tony Stewart? Just a little aggressive? Pit road is open.

3:36 p.m. -- NASCAR penalizing Stewart for aggressive driving. Newman will restart 18th.

3:37 p.m. -- Green flag waved off.

3:39 p.m. -- Kenseth gives Stewart a shot as the cars come off pit road ... Kenseth receives the Black Flag (pit stop). Green flag waves.

3:40 p.m. -- Earnhardt, Jr. in the lead (Lap 111).

3:41 p.m. -- Frustration from Kenseth continues as he questions NASCAR why he's getting the Black Flag.

3:42 p.m. -- Kenseth serves his pass-through penalty (55 mph).

3:43 p.m. -- #5 Kyle Busch in the lead (Lap 116).

3:46 p.m. -- Newman: "Aero-tight, 210." (Lap 119)

3:49 p.m. -- #48 Jimmie Johnson in the lead (Lap 123).

3:50 p.m. -- Yellow flag (Lap 124). #7 Robby Gordon hits wall and loses tire. Newman: "Got really tight..."

3:51 p.m. -- Pit road open. Newman will again change four tires.

3:53 p.m. -- Borland: "I'm sorry, Ryan, I thought the #66 was going to pit but he just drove through pit road." Newman: "That's why his rear bumper says, 'Best Buy.'"

3:56 p.m -- Newman listed in 11th. Stewart penalized again for running over equipment in pit road.

3:58 p.m. -- Green flag. Martin in the lead (Lap 128).

4:03 p.m. -- 2-by-2 racing, Martin still in the lead. Newman in 11th (Lap 134). Newman: "Aero-tight in 1 and 2."

4:09 p.m. -- Earnhardt, Jr. regains the lead. Newman still in 11th (Lap 141).

4:11 p.m. -- #25 Brian Vickers in the lead. Newman is 7th (Lap 144).

4:12 p.m. -- Newman: "Tight, 205."

4:14 p.m. -- Buddy Baker: "Thatta boy!" Newman: "195, too tight." Newman's in 4th. (Lap 148)

4:16 p.m. -- Newman: "200, a tick on the tight side."

4:17 p.m. -- Borland: "Ryan, we're in our pit window, and we'll pit in about 9 laps." (Lap 152) Penske: "160, Matt. 160."

4:18 p.m. -- Busch makes contact with Johnson, falls below yellow line. No penalty as Busch regains his old position.

4:19 p.m. -- Yellow flag for debris.

4:20 p.m. -- Newman: "NASCAR should get the 48 (Johnson) on aggressive driving but it sucks: they won't do anything about it because his crew chief isn't here."

4:21 p.m. -- Buddy Baker expresses his frustration towards Jimmie Johnson due to his driving and cutting drivers off, as Johnson did some damage to Kurt Busch's car.

4:22 p.m. -- Pit road is open.

4:23 p.m. -- A clogged pit exit ... Johnson and Vickers seem to pin Newman in a sandwich, but Newman sends Johnson out in the grass. Contact between Newman and Vickers? Apparently not... Newman: "The 48 needed some of his own medicine."

4:24 p.m. -- Borland: "Tires look real good, Ryan."

4:26 p.m. -- Newman: "Take a look at the right-rear tire." Spotters say that it's good, maybe just Newman's imagination. Oakley: "I'll ask the 48 to check it out."

4:27 p.m. -- Reply back from the 48 is that the tire looks alright.

4:28 p.m. -- Green flag, Newman's in 3rd (Lap 160).

4:30 p.m. -- Earnhardt, Jr. in the lead, Newman in 2nd (Lap 161).

4:31 p.m. -- GOOOOOOOOO NEWMANNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!

4:32 p.m. -- Newman leads Lap 163.

4:33 p.m. -- My hands are sweatin' ... heart's a beatin' ... good Lord!

4:35 p.m. -- Penske teammates 1 and 2, baby! (Lap 167)

4:38 p.m. -- Tensions are rising ... Busch doing an excellent job of blocking (Lap 171).

4:40 p.m. -- Baker: "Everybody's happy -- all in line, all in line..."

4:42 p.m. -- #32 Travis Kvapil scrapes wall and almost wrecks, yellow flag waves.

4:43 p.m. -- LaFonda? Pit call move...

4:44 p.m. -- Pit road open. Newman will take a four-tire change. Contact with #21 Ken Schrader?! Newman: "No, didn't touch him."

4:46 p.m. -- Heart attack on my part. Borland: "Tires look great, Ryan."

4:47 p.m. -- Good on fuel until the end of the race.

4:48 p.m. -- Newman listed in 3rd after pit stops. Vickers and #14 Sterling Marlin listed 1st and 2nd, respectfully.

4:50 p.m. -- Green flag (Lap 180).

4:51 p.m. -- No help for Newman, as he is shuffled back to 7th.

4:52 p.m. -- Penalty for Earnhardt, Jr.? NASCAR says he's clean.

4:55 p.m. -- Newman! Hell of a run through Turns 1 and 2, moves up in position (Lap 185).

4:56 p.m. -- Newman to 4th. Busch in the wall! Almost a multi-car wreck, McMurray gets into Busch and sends him into wall. The rear of the #2 car is totalled.

4:57 p.m. -- Newman listed as 3rd during the yellow flag.

4:58 p.m. -- Busch in the pits. Why isn't the #26 posted, the Miller Lite team asks. Other teams continue to pit due to damage. Newman making friends with other teams.

5:00 p.m. -- Current running: #48 Johnson 1st, #25 Vickers 2nd, #12 Newman 3rd.

5:02 p.m. -- Word from the #2 car is that they are done for the day.

5:03 p.m. -- Green flag (Lap 190, 10 to go).

5:04 p.m. -- I can hardly stand it... No change of position.

5:05 p.m. -- Harvick gets into Stewart, but Stewart safe.

5:06 p.m. -- Newman asks for lap count (Lap 194). Black Flag for #5 Kyle Busch.

5:07 p.m. -- Newman to 2nd. Johnson still leads.

5:08 p.m. -- WRECK -- McMurray spins with heavy damage. We may have a green-white-checkered finish. #43 Bobby Labonte, #31 Jeff Burton, #11 Denny Hamlin involved.

5:09 p.m. -- Newman: "Tires are good." Borland: "Ryan, this will probably be a green-white-checkered." Newman: "Yep."

5:10 p.m. -- Spotters have been talking to other teams. #38 Elliot Sadler likes the top, #42 Casey Mears likes the bottom. Oakley: "The 38 will not follow the 48 for whatever reason."

5:13 p.m. -- Reports from the #8 and the #38 is that they are both tight. Watch them to run high on the track.

5:15 p.m. -- Currently praying.

5:17 p.m. -- Green flag. Johnson in the lead.

5:18 p.m. -- Damn you, Mears! Yellow flag waves due to crash. Jimmie Johnson wins the Daytona 500.

5:23 p.m. -- NBC interviews Newman, unofficially listed as 2nd, best finish at Daytona.

Notes:

• NBC interviews Casey Mears and he says that he had to stay his position to prevent from getting "freight trained" from Elliot Sadler. Okay...
• With Newman, the restrictor plate tracks have been his nemesis for year, now finished 2nd and will be 2nd in points when the cars roll into Fontana for the next race.
• I'm happy for the finish, but in selfish fashion, I wish Ryan would have gotten the win. I just hoped that Casey Mears would have followed Ryan -- that would have sealed up the win.
  

The Only Thing I Want To Do

February. What a dreary month.

Stupid weather -- they're already telling us we're going to get hit up with a negative-20 degree wind chill tomorrow.

I want summer. I want softball. I want the bean-bag game and I want beer.

I want to make the 65-mile drive back to Centennial Park. I want to sit along the right-field base line, under the shade of the trees and kick back in our fold-out chairs.

I want to take the walk to the pine trees to take a piss.

I want to see little Zach and Seth fight it out while we laugh about it.

I want to hear the banter: "Hey, you need another one?"

I want to hear the rest of us complain that we're too old and sore to be playing this game.

I want to hear that we're too drunk to play the next game.

I want to sit down, relax, and take the spikes off.

I want to crash at my parent's house if I'm too tired to take the 65-mile trip back home.

I want summer. I want softball. I want the bean-bag game and I want beer.

Ahhh....

The Past Comes Back

Events 10 years ago flood my memory. I didn't even trigger them, my students in class did.

I guess I asked for it. I'm a high school teacher, for God's sakes. It's beginning to be that time of year in schools where the girls are looking for Prom dresses. Geez...

4th Period -- I teach a Web Page Design class. After the lesson was done and the students completed the assignment, the majority of the females in the room turned their attention to the Internet to scope out the latest fashions in dresses for the occasion that is Prom.

"What do you think of this one? How 'bout this one? Does this look too slutty?"

I'm bombarded by questions regarding my taste in these dresses. How should I know? For dresses starting at the minimum price of $210 to nearly $500 -- they better damn well be nice. Luckily for us guys, all we had to do was rent our tuxes.

Then the question of all questions from the ladies: "Did you go to Prom?"

Don't remind me. The memory still cuts like a knive, even after all of these years.

Junior year, no. Didn't bother, although I should have asked someone out. Instead, I videotaped the occasion and had some fun at a lake in west central Minnesota later that night.

Senior year, yes. It's a situation that soap operas are made from. I couldn't even dream up that story from 10 years ago even if I had tried. But it happened and I did make the most of it.

My cop-out is that I told these girls that I did have fun. Why not -- since I considered to go to Prom by myself, technically.

So, the girls again ask another question: "So, you were a loser?"

Nice ... but I didn't consider myself a "loser" at that point in time. It was just the situation I was stuck in. I proceeded to tell my sad, sad story: starting the build-up weeks before the Prom had actually started, ending 'til 6 in the morning after the Prom had ended.

I didn't mind the laughs that I received from the girls ... then I noticed the audience had improved to include the boys in the class. Looking back, it's a ridulous situation and poking fun at the fact that I was in that position -- I didn't care!

After the telling the tale, several of the boys expressed that they didn't want to go to Prom. I immediately disagreed with them, telling them to go and live up the experience. Although my personal experience was considered to be a disaster -- they got to go through the full experience of high school, whether it is good or bad. Otherwise, they won't have the excellent stories to tell later on in life.

A Possible Resurrection?

Looking at my extensive collection of DVD's, I noticed on the on the top of my shelves was a few misplaced GameCube games. One of them is the old EA Sports classic, NHL 2003.

In the gaming world, hockey is highly regarded, especially when it comes to created players -- an homage to the ex-roommates from South Dakota.

I played one full season of NHL 2003, with my created character playing for the Detroit Red Wings. I ended up winning it all, scoring in games left and right -- with the ultimate showdown between the Red Wings and the Philadelphia Flyers, with my old roommate Josh as goalie, plus the monster and old college buddy Ben playing a defensiveman.

Check out the old stats page here.

Now I'm thinking: what would happen to our created players if I had no control over my own created character, where we were created equal?

I could fire up the old GameCube and see, but I just might take it one step further with NHL 2004 on the PS2 and see what happens. Be prepared for this, we may have some virtual rivalies going down!

My Life in a Comic Strip

This Dilbert comic strip from today's papers really seems to parallel my life as a teacher. I'm not saying that I actually assign "bad projects," but with today's struggles with students who seem so lethargic and simply don't want to do anything ... maybe this is the best way to get my students to do something! Smoke them with a book upside the head (again, I do not endorse this behavior)!

It has been strange throughout the course of my life, especially the past couple of years, to see and read a comic strip such as Dilbert and see the similarities between the goings-on inside the panes of the strip and in my life. Of course, reading Dilbert is hilarious, usually in dealing with humourous situation with lazy people -- especially those at the top -- and showing the struggles of the common man in dealing with those lazy folks.

You get older, you start to see what people are really like. I guess that is why I can relate to Scott Adams' strip so much.

The Winter Olympics

I really haven't decided which Olympics I like the most: the summer or the winter. But just by watching the Winter Olympic coverage that NBC is providing the country, I'm leaning towards the Winter side.

Why? Well, for one, there aren't as many events to follow. Also, I think the events during the Winter are more exciting -- luge, bobsled, skiing, speed skating, and most of all: ice hockey.

The men's ice hockey team will not play for another week, but I'm looking forward to another rematch of Team USA and Team Canada for the gold medal final. Watch out for Russia and the Czech Republic also.

On the downside, I'm not really a fan of figure skating. With the whole Michelle Kwan annoucement of her pulling out of the Olympics due to an injury -- eh, who cares?

And who can forget about curling? Woo-hoo!

Finally, NASCAR -- Bud Shootout '06

After football, there's NASCAR. Who cares about the Pro Bowl? Now it's time to see stock cars go 'round in circles. Some people may not understand the concept, but I've been diggin' it since '01.

Daytona 500 qualifying just got over with, with Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS for Richard Childress Racing, grabbing the Pole Position.

But now, it's the Bud Shootout, a 70-lap event at the Daytona International Speedway which showcases all of the Bud Pole winners from last year, plus all of the previous Bud Shootout champions.

The driver who I follow, Ryan Newman, is starting 7th (they chose their spots by picking Bud bottle caps with a number stamped underneath them) -- Inside 4th row.

The Shootout was supposed to be run last night, but due to heavy rains in Florida, it was pushed back to this afternoon.

I've got my TrackPass, listening into Newman's communication in the car -- good to go.

All times listing is Central Standard Time (CST).

Pre-Race: My TrackPass is messing up. Although I click on Newman's communication link, I'm getting Jeff Gordon's instead. What a crock.

• TrackPass finally got it fixed (3:41 p.m.)

3:42 p.m.: Green flag drops.

3:45 p.m.: Looks like Ryan's just plowing. He's runing the low-line, not really making any progress towards the front (16 laps to go -- 1st segment). Kenny Schrader still leads.

3:47 p.m.: Matt Kenseth, right in front of Newman, seems to be shooting water from underneath his hood. Overheating? Nothing to worry about -- for now (14 laps to go).

3:48 p.m.: Kenseth slows to the back of the pack to cool down.

3:49 p.m.: Newman in 8th (12 laps to go).

3:50 p.m.: The pack is speading out, Newman in 7th. Schrader still leads (10 laps to go).

3:52 p.m.: The cars are starting to dice it up, with Tony Stewart looking to the inside. Schrader cuts Stewart off going into Turn 3 (8 laps to go).

3:52 p.m.: Penalty? Carl Edwards on apron going into Turn 3, messing things up. Newman loses many spots to avoid trouble. Jimmie Johnson in lead with teammate Jeff Gordon pushing (6 laps to go).

3:54 p.m.: Somebody smokes Newman from the outside, sending him towards the inside wall -- BULLSHIT. Replays shows that Jamie McMurray got into Newman, maybe Brian Vickers got into McMurray a little bit.

3:55 p.m.: Newman over the communication: "Flat tire, a little rear quarterpanel damage." It sounds like nothing major, but Newman will pit. The alltel crew and Newman says that they can continue.

3:56 p.m.: Brian Vickers with considerable damage. Newman pits, changes tires. Rear bumper damage. Scott Riggs stalled.

3:57 p.m.: Newman to pit again to fix damage to the rear of the car.

3:58 p.m.: Commuications tell that they need to get out before pace car to avoid going a lap down. Damage more serious? Spotters are looking at damage, including crew members.

4:00 p.m.: Rear deck-lid (trunk) pushed up a little bit, crew members pushing it back down. Newman still on lead lap.

4:02 p.m.: Newman in 17th place due to multiple pit stops, the last person on the lead lap. Caution flag (yellow) is still out.

4:04 p.m.: 1st segment will finish under the yellow flag. 20 laps complete. Kenny Schrader in the lead.

4:15 p.m.: NASCAR is sending Carl Edwards to the back of the lead lap due to going below yellow line as he was going into Turn 3 (he passed Kasey Kahne while under the yellow line, thus the penalty).

4:18 p.m.: Newman tells his crew that he'll pit in 30 laps (considering that all of the laps are run under green flag conditions). Crew Chief Matt Borland is giving Newman a run-down of the damage on the car.

4:20 p.m.: Pace car is leading the cars around the track prior to the 50-lap segment. TrackPass is listing Newman in 16th place.

4:25 p.m.: Green flag -- 2nd segment begins.

4:25 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson takes lead, with Tony Stewart and Mark Martin close behind.

4:26 p.m.: Cars get "squirrely" in Turns 3 and 4, nearly an accident. Mark Martin nearly gets into Jamie McMurray -- soon afterwards, Jeff Gordon seems to blow an engine.

4:27 p.m.: Caution flag. Newman coming in to get tires and fuel.

4:30 p.m.: Gordon exits car -- done for the day. During the scary moments, cars get up and Gordon get left front bumper into the rear of Matt Kenseth's car, sending debris through Gordon's car.

4:32 p.m.: NASCAR announces that the driver of the #5 car, Kyle Busch, to "settle down."

4:36 p.m.: Still, yellow-flag conditions. TrackPass lists Newman in 12th place (43 laps to go).

4:38 p.m.: Green flag drops, 42 laps to go. Jimmie Johnson is the lead, with Tony Stewart in second.

4:40 p.m.: Mark Martin loses positions, with Newman barely missing him (39 laps to go).

4:41 p.m.: Kyle Busch, Elliot Sadler, Dale Earnhardt Jr., 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place respectively (38 laps to go).

4:42 p.m: Newman in 5th (36 laps to go).

4:44 p.m.: Cars blocking, making moves left-and-right. Michael Waltrip in the lead (33 laps to go).

4:46 p.m.: Pit windows are open (meaning that they can pit for gas now and go the rest of the way 'til the end of the race). 31 laps to go.

4:47 p.m.: Kasey Kahne to the garage (fender rub).

4:47 p.m.: Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart make contact. Busch wants to pit. (30 laps to go)

4:51 p.m.: Newman in 4th. He still hasn't pitted yet.

4:52 p.m.: Carl Edwards serves another penalty for passing below the line (in my opinion, it's a crappy penalty -- Edwards was avoiding a crash!).

4:54 p.m.: Newman pits, following a smokin' Tony Stewart in (22 laps to go).

4:55 p.m.: Pit stops cycle -- all green flag.

4:57 p.m.: Scott Riggs in the lead, but he hasn't pitted yet (20 laps to go).

4:58 p.m.: Newman in 3rd (18 laps to go). Rookie Denny Hamlin in the lead.

5:00 p.m.: Straight-line racing. Hamlin, Stewart, Newman and Martin hold the top spots (15 laps to go).

5:04 p.m.: Newman -- helluva move -- gets around Stewart and Earnhardt Jr. follows (11 to go).

5:05 p.m.: Now, I'm getting nervous! Newman in second (9 laps to go).

5:06 p.m.: Earnhardt Jr. gets into the back of Newman, shoves him into Turn 1. Newman hung out to dry, losing spots (7 laps to go).

5:10 p.m.: Newman into wall off Turn 2. Caution flag flies (3 laps to go). Possible right-front tire down.

5:11 p.m.: Crew chief Borland tells Newman that there is going to be a green-white-checkered situation.

5:12 p.m.: Pit stops under caution.

5:15 p.m.: Newman takes car to the garage, ending his day (Shit.). Newman will probably finish 21st (out of 21).

5:16 p.m.: Green flag. Stewart in the lead (2 laps to go).

5:18 p.m: Rookie Denny Hamlin wins the 2006 Budweiser Shootout. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishes 2nd, and Hamlin's teammate, Tony Stewart gets 3rd.

5:20 p.m.: Hamlin does his first burnout in the NEXTEL Cup series, blowing out his right-rear tire.

Overall:

• I almost have to agree with Tony Stewart's post-race comments about somebody is going to get killed at Daytona (or Talladega for that matter) about all the beating and banging that's going on the track. Now days, it seems like drivers are more aggressive as ever -- not really learning any of the key lessons from the fall Talladega race last year.
• Ryan Newman still looks good on the restrictor plate tracks, continuing off last year's improvments. As long as he stays in the right place at the same time, Newman should wrap up a Top-10 in next Sunday's Daytona 500.

Tony's 2nd Half Super Bowl Updates

7:30 p.m.: The second half starts with a bang on Willie Parkers' 75-yard TD run, the longest in NFL history.

7:38 p.m.: About bloody time that Shawn Alexander makes a big run. So far, the NFL MVP really hasn't made an impact at all.

7:41 p.m.: Kicker Josh Brown of the Seahawks misses his second field goal of the game.

7:50 p.m.: What the fuck? That Hummer commercial? Two monsters having a Hummer for a baby?

7:52 p.m.: A turn in momentum? Seattle picks off a pass and Big Ben gets decked!

7:54 p.m.: Seattle scores on a TD pass from Hasselbeck to the Mr. Guarantee-A-Win Stevens. 14 to 10, Pittsburgh still leads.

8:03 p.m.: I was reading the StarTribune and checking out Sid Hartman's article about how Gov. Pawlenty and the MN legislature should look at Michigan's example of funding stadiums with the hope of brining another Super Bowl to Minnesota. Now, Minnesota cannot have another Super Bowl due to low capacity at the Metrodome (although they did have it for Super Bowl XXVI, before the rule) -- but still, I agree with Hartman -- the Vikings do need a new stadium and hopefully have the chance for another Super Bowl.

8:09 p.m.: Zzzzzz..... Another punt. So far the skeptics are right -- this is going to be one, boring game.

8:14 p.m.: End of the 3rd Quarter. Close score, but man -- let's get some offense!

8:18 p.m.: Lots of jawing going on for the start of the 4th. Seattle's moving the ball, at least.

8:21 p.m.: Holding on Seattle? A pass from Hasselbeck gets the Seahawks on the Pittsburgh 1-yard line, but the holding call nullifies the play. For once in my life, I agree with John Madden -- I didn't see holding on that play.

8:22 p.m.: Pittsburgh intercepts pass!

8:27 p.m.: DAMN! Antwan Randle-El hooks up with Heinz Ward for a Pittsburgh touchdown. It's not too surprising as they've run this play before -- and Randle-El was a QB at Indiana University. This score just might sew it up: Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10.

8:35 p.m.: Seattle gets a break when the fumble is overturned in the Seahawks behavior. They'd better move it if they want a shot to win this game.

8:47 p.m.: Time outs. As far as I'm concerned, Seattle is doomed. In my opinion, what a bust of a Super Bowl. Nothing too exciting ... so far.

8:52 p.m.: I'm thinking (as Pittsburgh wears down the clock) that Jerome Bettis should retire. Willie Parker will be the man as far as the rushing game goes, but it looks like Bettis will not better his 3.9 yards/carry rushing average soon. He's been in the league long enough and it'll be good to see him play his last game in his home town.

8:59 p.m.: Where is Hasselbeck throwing the ball?! 47 seconds left.

9:02 p.m.: Bill Cowher crying? Watch out, girls -- he might be spitting on all of you!

9:03 p.m.: Super Bowl XL is in the books. Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10. I would hate to be the poor saps to clean Ford Field after this one.

Prediction -- Super Bowl XL

It's an hour before the big game and I'm sticking with my pick -- the Steelers will win over the Seahawks, 31 to 17.

Even EA Sports held a simulation of the upcoming Super Bowl and according to Madden '06, the Steelers will win 24 to 19.

I still remember the first Super Bowl that I had watched -- Super Bowl XX -- 20 years ago. The Chicago Bears went head-to-head against the upstart New England Patriots at the Superdome in New Orleans. I was a big Bears fan that year (even more so than the Vikings), sporting a Walter Payton jersey and even had a William "The Refridgerator" Perry poster on my wall. The Bears went on to win, 46 to 10.

Now only IF the Vikings could make it ... hopefully before I die!

An Easing Up

I can finally start to fall asleep at night.

No, it's still not guaranteed that I'm not going to get cut from my job due to budget cuts, but small events have transpired over the week that have settled my fears.

After the early-week meetings shook me up, I just decided to tell myself to calm down a bit. If it happens, it happens. I'll live. Financially, it'll be tough, but I usually do manage myself pretty well.

Even now, Friday night, I can really feel the effects of the stress upon myself -- tired as all-get-out, short tempered, loss of appetite.

Yesterday, my day brightened. The head varsity baseball coach talked to me a little bit after the school day ended. There is the possibility of a baseball coaching offer. At first, it seemed like I would be taking over the 7th grade team, but now, I've been upgraded to 9th grade -- which means more dinero.

The varsity coach and myself have got along quite well over the course of the school year. Even though he's an elementary teacher, he's sort of like a mentor to me.

During our little baseball talks, I slipped in the fact that I'm pretty worried that there was the possibility of losing my job. Being the guy he is, he's pretty knowledgable in the goings-on in the district. Like he says, it's a bummer that a person cannot get a straight answer regarding what exactly is going on -- but according to him -- there is a slight possibility that they are going to keep me on.

Shocking, yes. He tells me that the school district is pro-technology (although I think they still love their paper-based reports and such) and getting rid of my position would be disastrous. Then there are my frustrations once again -- why does this school district only require 1 semester for the students to take a computer class? Word processing/spreadsheet is "recommended," but the students could easily bypass this, taking another elective like database, web page design, or programming. I'm just afraid that students are going to graduate from this school to go to college and get a huge wake-up call. It just seems like the only knowledge these kids are instant messaging and e-mail.

If I had it my way, I'd require one full year of computers -- the computer applications, like the regular Microsoft Office suite. Then the elective would include web page design, programming, and I'd add a hardware/networking class. But, of course, due to budget cuts, it's all a dream world. With the cuts, there go certain programs. Students don't have the opportunity to expand their knowledge, especially in a "pro-technology environment."

In the Business Education department at our school, it's just two of us. With myself being the rookie, the other teacher has been at the district since '89. She bascially teaches the accounting classes, a "before-on-the-job training" class, and social studies. Except for the social studies classes, the other classes (like mine), are electives -- easily chopping block material.

That's why I said in the previous post that there is that possibility of getting rid of the whole Business Education department all together!

Overall, the coach gave me a glitter of hope. Not much, but there's something to cling to and something that'll help me sleep at night. No matter what, the coach says, they're going to have to raise taxes. Also, he agrees with me -- how can a district with a surplus at the beginning of the year and then all of a sudden, be $1.4 million in the hole? Hmmm....

The district can operate in debt -- but for some reason, the school board wants a huge surplus in the bank, like something close to $800,000. With the low tax base and the loss of enrollment, there is no way that can happen. Eventually, the state will probably step in and help out -- but that could also be a bad thing...

Hopefully we'll know sooner than later. Hopefully people on the board can see the importance of education and the positions that we hold.

To Lighten Things Up A Bit...

Katie and I had a funny little exchange during the middle of one of my sleepless nights.

I woke up around 3:30 early Tuesday morning to get something to drink. When I returned, Katie spoke up.

Katie: You stink.

Tony: WHAT?!

Katie: You stink. (she said it in a tone like she was playing around)

Tony: Like what?

Katie: Like fart.

She then rolled over and went to sleep.

After school yesterday, we were talking and I brought up the fact that she told me that I stunk like fart.

Katie: What?

I proceeded to tell her the whole story. The best thing was that she had no memory whatsoever of our little exchange the night before. She laughed so hard after that, she literally started to cry and leaked Mascara all over the place.

Pretty funny stuff. Ah, marriage. It's a wonderful thing.

More Worries

I'm literally losing sleep over the fact that my future at this school district is pretty cloudy.

Currently, our school district is looking at a $1.4 million budget deficit for the upcoming 2006-2007 school year.

"Significant" cuts are going to have to be made. Not only teachers will be affected, but the administration as well. Athletics? Sure ... why not while we're cutting, but nobody's ever thought of bringing that up.

I'm frustrated, to say the least. I'm already considering this to be my dream job. I'm happy as ever, Katie's settled and going to school, everything is right with the world.

Then, I think back to my interview last summer. I remember specifically asking the high school and middle school principals about that budget outlook. "Oh, we've got a surplus..."

That was the talk all fall, about the surplus we had. Then, an auditor comes in and says that we're looking at our present deficit. Seriously, what in the fuck is going on?

I thought we had people in our business office, including people on the school board, that looks at these facts and figures. I'm not an expert on the budget and the politics of the everyday-goings-on in this school district, but somewhere in there -- things are drastically going wrong.

There are some factors that I do understand. The loss of enrollment -- the district figures we lost nearly 60 students in the last year -- and that's huge when it comes to money from the state. Transportation costs have gone up due to the rise in fuel (for example: we're taking a trip to a place 60 miles away and it's going to cost us nearly $240).

As an educator who teaches both in the middle and high schools, we have had the task set forth from our superintendent to figure out ways to save money. We came up with a boat-load of ideas -- but first and foremost, attempt to keep all teachers and paraprofessionals who effect and interact with students on a day-to-day basis.

But, I don't see that happening. I foresee some forced early-retirements (we've got a few teachers who have been here for around 35+ years) and the axe is going to fall on certain special education and newbie teachers, like myself.

It's a shame, really. Unfair? Depends on how you look at it. In a selfish sort of way, sure, it's unfair. Lied to, maybe? Those prinipals who interviewed me probably had no idea what the budget was going to be like in the next couple of years -- but I'm sure they had figures on what enrollment should have been like. There are many questions that will go unanswered.

Ultimately, the only victims in this situation will be the students. With cuts, there go extra programs, thereby stunting the students' educational growth. The only way out of this is that I see the school board raise a levy, increase the tax base within the district -- but from what I heard, a few on the school board strongly oppose a levy.

It's not even a school anymore. It's a business. If the school board and the community will not stand behind it and care about these students ... I don't know.

State law says that teachers affected by the cuts need to know by the latest June 1st. A little late, if you ask me. I was already looking last night.

The World of Suck. Spring '06.

MUCH more on this as it develops.

Crazy...

I got this e-mail from a fellow teacher this morning. It just blows my mind.

• After her 11-year-old son was suspended for twice bringing a loaded handgun to school, Linnea C. Holdren, 43, said the matter was pretty much beyond her control. "I can't lock up his guns," she told police. "They belong to him, and he has a right to use them whenever he wants to use them." (The boy was expelled in January, and Holdren, who is a teacher at her son's Shickshinny, Pa., elementary school, has been charged with felony endangerment.)

Speechless.