The 5-0

Last night, I was driving down US 68 when I noticed something that made me a little sick to my stomach to be completely honest. Heading down the highway, I saw a couple of yellow lights off in the distance. As I got closer, I saw that it was a German Twp. cop, hiding behind a bridge with nothing but his yellow lights on. For a driver in the other lane, there would be no way to see him. Obviously, he was trying to catch people speeding down the highway. I was disgusted by the sight to say the least. As a cop, you really have nothing better to do than to try to hide to catch people speeding down the highway? And even then, you don't have the balls to sit in the middle of the highway with your headlights on like any other state highway patrolman? Cops are supposed to be there for protection, but when I see sights like that, I lose faith in cops. When cops like these only care about catching someone speeding down a highway instead of real criminals, do you really feel safe?

Cop car at night (photo courtesy of huffingtonpost.com)

PSA for Thanksgiving

As we all know, Thanksgiving is vastly approaching. Before we know it, we'll all be sitting at home with our families (hopefully) doing nothing at all. To me, Thanksgiving is the best holiday next to Christmas. It's a day when you can eat delicious (free) food and watch football all day long and not feel bad about it. You can be lazy and no one will judge you for it. But some people are missing the point of Thanksgiving. Instead of spending time with their family, some people would rather spend time shopping for good deals on Christmas gifts or just items for themselves. To skip quality family time on a HOLIDAY no less in favor of saving a little money on a material gift is appalling and sad. As a result, store workers are forced to give up their family time in order to work for their employers. This doesn't seem right to me at all. There should be a law forbidding any shopping or stores being open on Thanksgiving. So, I urge all of you: spend your Thanksgiving with your family because in the end, they're the only ones that matter. Material items can be bought, quality family time cannot.

A Blog About Blogs

Writing blogs for journalism has certainly changed my outlook on writing. They allow you to make a voice for yourself and really express your feelings while having the chance to get your writing out there to the general public. So far, the blogging process has been good, but one can only blog about so many things. Although most of the time I can find something to write about, other times I just cannot find something worth writing about. I don't want to BS blogs; I want them to be meaningful and something to be proud of, and sometimes, I just don't have anything to write about. Ultimately, I like the idea of writing blogs for class. I think they're fun and allow students to learn more about their classmates. I think that they should be offered to students in journalism classes in the future.

All is Alive and Well in "The Land"

Sunday, I was able to finally make it to a Browns game. And let me tell you, it certainly was entertaining. From the moment I stepped onto that Cleveland asphalt to the time I got back in the car to go back to Springfield, I felt so much pride in the city. The atmosphere certainly has changed for the better. Although I may be a little biased, I believe there is no fan base in the world as loyal and as die-hard as Cleveland fans. The Browns are winning, the Cavs are predicted to bring the first championship to Cleveland in 50 years, who would've thought Cleveland would be the sports capital of the world right now?

My seat from the game this past Sunday at First Energy Field

Anyways, this was my first Browns game I had gone to since I was in 8th grade so needless to say, it's been awhile. My dad had scored us seats that were 12 rows up from the field, which was pretty cool. I had never had seats below the upper deck at a Browns game, so it was an amazing view. The players warmed up in the end zone we were sitting in, so it was unbelievable to see the size of these guys. They were absolutely humongous. It's crazy to think about how much these guys eat on a daily basis! Once the game kicked off, you could feel the energy of the fans and the pride the players showed to be playing in Cleveland, which was really nice to see, because I always thought players didn't genuinely like playing in Cleveland, they just did because they were paid to play there. Seeing guys that actually appreciate the city of Cleveland like the fans do is a breath of fresh air.

Throughout the game, the fans became one cohesive unit. It didn't matter if you didn't know the person next to you or anyone around you for that matter. If the Browns scored, you high-fived or even hugged everyone around you. If something bad happened, you would join in and talk s**t with your fellow fans to either the Browns for playing badly or to opposing fans that were yelling in the vicinity. Being around those people showed me how passionate the Browns fan base really is when the team can use their energy in order to play well. Ultimately, the Browns came through with a win, but it certainly wasn't pretty. A win is a win, however, so I'm happy about it. I even got strep throat because of the climate and wind, but it was worth every minute of it. The Brownies are 5-3!!

Heeeere's Johnny!

After a tough loss to the winless Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer finds himself on the hotseat. With his 16 completions on 41 attempts and an interception, it's easy to blame Hoyer for the loss to a winless team. However, Hoyer isn't all to blame for the game. Yes, he played poorly. Because of that, the pressure for Hoyer to perform well this Sunday against another winless team, the Oakland Raiders, is at an all-time high, because Johnny is lurking through the door and into the hearts of many Browns fans everywhere.

Brian Hoyer
(photo courtesy of sportsrants.com)

Johnny Manziel on Draft Day
(photo courtesy of cleveland.com)

 Manziel was the Browns' first round selection in this past year's NFL Draft, and a team that drafts a quarterback in the first round usually means that the quarterback will take over the starting role somewhere in the future. That plan has since been put on the back burner, since Hoyer has been playing so well by not turning the ball over, and putting his team in the best chance to win football games. But, since he played poorly against a winless team, he must win this weekend in order to secure his job as the starting quarterback as well as a contract with the team for next season. Manziel has been notorious for his gutsy plays and success in college, and many hope to see the Heisman trophy winner in an NFL game soon. That all depends on this weekend. If Hoyer plays well, then Johnny and his supporters will have to continue to play the waiting game. If Hoyer doesn't play well, then Manziel Mania will finally become a reality in Cleveland.

Why Do Bands Change Their Sound?

Over the course of many, many decades, bands and artists have paved the way to what music is today. No matter what artists tell you in today's times, they always have their inspirations from musicians from the past, and in the future, artists will look at musicians of our time for inspiration, too. But, to many bands, too much of the same thing can be boring. Many of them abandon their initial sound in exchange for a different, sometimes better or worse, sound, most notably in the Rock n' Roll genre.

Metallica in the late 1980's
(photo courtesy of loudwire.com)

In the early 1980's when glam metal was the scene of music, Metallica was formed. Their intentions were to play the fastest, hardest, and the most badass way possible to "stick it to glam metal." Their popularity grew as the 80's went on, and pretty soon, they found themselves playing at the Grammy Awards in 1989. Until then, Metallica had always been known for playing fast and loud, but after their Grammys appearance, they realized their true potential. They abandoned their seven-minute speed songs for slower, more groove-oriented five-minute songs that eventually made up the "Black Album," one of the best selling rock albums in the world. Although it sounded great, many Metallica fans claimed that the band had abandoned their roots for mainstream success.

Metallica in the 1990's, during their mainstream success
(photo courtesy of tetrades.com)

Many bands do change their sound for mainstream success. Avenged Sevenfold abandoned their screaming vocals from their first two albums in favor of singing and is one of the most popular rock bands in the world right now. Linkin Park abandoned its nu metal roots for a more electronic rock sound. These bands change because they don't want to put the same music out over and over. It gets too boring and people begin to lose interest. The bands that change dramatically, however, receive mixed reactions from their most loyal fans, while attempting to gain new fans. There is a certain line that bands should not cross when altering the sound of their music. Sure, a small change stylistically here and there never hurt anyone. It's the large changes that rub fans the wrong way, and is ultimately why they quit listening to the bands that they loved.

The Age of Smartphones and How We're Missing Out on Life

Attending concerts, watching a game on tv, or going to a party. Those three things all have one big thing in common: Almost everyone there is on his or her phone. Whether it's recording their favorite band playing a live show or taking selfies with friends, our phones have begun to take over our lives. We smartphone users are missing out on important things in life because we're too busy updating our Facebook statuses or posting a picture from the party we're at on instagram. While we're busy doing those things, life seems to be passing us by.

I'm gonna tell a little story about my own personal realization that my phone was taking over my life. About a year ago, I went to a concert to go see one of my favorite bands. I couldn't believe that after so long of a time, I would actually be seeing them play in person. When they first came out on to the stage, I was freaking out. These guys are in the same building as me. Seeing these guys on tv wasn't even close to being as cool as seeing them in person. I immediately grabbed my phone to take a video of the first song, like everyone else in the crowd did. I became so obsessed with recording this concert that I wanted to get every song on my phone. I worried about my phone more than I actually paid attention to the concert.

(photo courtesy of theorange.co)

This past summer, I saw the same band again. This time, however, I realized that I didn't feel the need to record the whole concert again because they had played many of the same songs as when I saw them a year ago, give or take a few songs. I didn't take my phone out one time during that concert, but this time, I had one of the best nights of my life. I got an experience that I can't view on my phone because it's just not the same. So, next time you're thinking about reaching for that phone when something good happens, don't. Enjoy that experience and store it in your memory. Life is too short; don't miss out on it.

Dumb and Dumber To!

Ever since I first heard the announcement that Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels would be reprising their iconic Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne roles after 20 long years for Dumb and Dumber To, I've been ecstatic to say the least. Days go by, inching closer and closer to November 14th, when I will finally get to see my favorite comedy duo on the big screen again. It's amazing that the sequel was able to keep the same directors and many of the actors from the first film 20 years later, ultimately giving a positive sign that the movie will be (hopefully) just as hilarious as its predecessor.

Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels as Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne

(photo courtesy of screencrave.com)

However, as we've seen before, sometimes sequels aren't nearly as good as their originals. One recent sequel that comes to mind is Anchorman 2. Now, many think that Anchorman 2 was just as funny as the first one, but I didn't see it. Anchorman is in a different stratosphere compared to its sequel. The sequel seemed like it was trying too hard to be funny, which didn't make it funny at all. That's one worry for Dumb To; they're going to try to be funny when they don't have to be.

Ever since the unsuccessful Dumb and Dumber prequel Dumb and Dumberer, I've been aching for a Dumb and Dumber sequel to redeem the prequel. Hopefully, the sequel will do justice to the original and will try not to do too much comedy-wise. But, then, all I can do is sit and wait until November 14th to see for myself how great the movie really is. Long live Lloyd and Harry!

What's the Fun in Baseball?

Having played the game of baseball for almost my entire life, I can advocate that yes, I enjoy playing the sport. Watching it on the other hand, not so much. Sure, if there is nothing else on tv, I'll flip the channel to the sunday night baseball game or some college baseball, but that's just about it. To me, the game is too boring to sit and watch for nine innings or more. That's the bad part about it- you never know how long the game is going to take. It could last two hours, or it could last six hours.

 The Minnesota Twins Celebrating a Jim Thome Walk Off Home Run

(photo courtesy of brucekphoto.com)

So, what is the fun in baseball? The fun is being at the games in person, cheering on your team right there in the stands with your friends and having a good time. Nothing compares to a walk-off hit or home run in which your team emerges victorious. The experience is truly amazing. Maybe, if you're lucky, you'll make it to a playoff game. Nothing compares to being at a winner-take-all game seven in which your team has a chance to advance further into the playoffs. So, I encourage you; go to a ball game with your friends or family, even if it is a college or minor league game. Every baseball game is fun to be at. The memories you make there might be memories that will last your lifetime.

Response to Ciara's "Is The HPER Doing Too Much?"

These new rule changes for the HPER Center are ridiculous. I am at the HPER Center frequently, and I understand the need for students to carry their ID's. That makes me feel safer when I am in there, especially when I turn on the tv and see yet another school shooting. However, keeping the student employees from doing their homework while they work long hours is a bit much. There is only so much a student employee can do at work. What are they supposed to do when there is no work to be done? Sit there and twiddle their thumbs? It's not like they can go home when the job is taken care of; the students must work their full shifts. It is completely understandable that so many workers at the HPER Center have quit their jobs, because I most definitely would.

They're Baaack

Last night, the Cleveland Cavaliers scrimmage was attended by 16,000 fans. 16,000 people to attend a scrimmage. That's the hype that's surrounding the NBA's new "Big Three," consisting of Kyrie Irving, newly acquired Kevin Love, and, of course, LeBron James. It's been a long time since Clevelanders had something to look forward to, and 16,000 people showing up to a scrimmage proves that the hype of the Cavs is real.

The Cavs' New "Big Three" (L to R: Love, James, and Irving)

(Photo courtesy of sircharlesincharge.com)

In just one year, the Cavs went from a mediocre pile of garbage- laughable almost, to championship contenders. After northern Ohio's golden boy LeBron James announced he would be returning home to Cleveland, All Star forward Kevin Love announced that he would be leaving Minnesota to join LeBron and Irving to form the newest "Big Three." Certainly a happy time for Cavs fans and Clevelanders in general where the mentality there is championship or bust. Wouldn't it be great if LeBron and company could finally bring a championship back to Cleveland after 66 long years? The thought is unfathomable and is enough to give me the goose bumps. For the first time since LeBron's infamous departure, I'm definitely excited to watch the Cavs play this year.

Paying to Play a College Sport?

Not many college student athletes have to worry about paying money to participate in their respective sport. Some, like us division 3 athletes might have to pay for a warm-up jacket or a pair of cleats but that's usually it. That's not necessarily the case for Wittenberg Baseball. Its players are being charged with the task of raising money for their own college baseball team in order to participate. That might happen in high school sports, but college athletes shouldn't have to raise money to support their sport no matter what division they play in. The baseball players are expected to pay $800 for the upcoming spring season, or use time that could be better used for studying, doing homework, or even practicing, to go out and get sponsors or donors for the team. That doesn't seem right to me. Last year was even worse when players were expected to pay $1200 dollars to play in the 2014 spring season. These players are paying 20,000+ dollars to go to school and another 1,000 to play baseball. Is the school that mismanaged that sports programs can't even afford to pay for some players to play for one season? It seems that way to me and something needs to be done about it.

Derek Jeter: Farewell to a Legend

As many have seen in recent sports headlines, Derek Jeter has played his last game in his prolific Major League career, concluding the end of an amazing era for the New York Yankees as well as Major League Baseball. As a Cleveland Indians fan, nothing got under my skin more than watching Jeter whoop up on my team and then giving that smirky smile while he was doing it. I hated Jeter for his outstanding play for so long, but as I grew older, I began to admire the guy. The way he carried himself on and off the field made Jeter the legend that he is, not to mention his near-flawless and God gifted baseball ability. Every baseball player wants to be like Derek Jeter. It doesn't matter what position you play, you're always trying to make that Jeter-esque play during batting practice. Watching Jeter's final game was a historical event in itself because I can say that I got to watch one of the best players in the history of baseball play. I spent my whole life watching him play, and it will honestly be a little weird not seeing him in a Yankee uniform next year. So thank you Derek Jeter, for all that you've given to baseball in your wonderful career.

"Heroes get remembered, but legends never die."

                                          -The Sandlot

(Photo courtesy of www.people.com)

Balancing Time With the Friends and the Significant Others for Athletes

Being in a long distance relationship in college is far from easy. Being apart from someone you love for days at a time can be rough for most people and can test the durability of the particular relationship. For some reasons or others, many long distance relationships in college don't work out. But, for the ones that do, many times the person in the relationship has to sacrifice his or her time with friends in favor of their significant other. If one is an athlete in a long distance relationship, how is sacrificing all of that time away from teammates helpful to the team?

Many claim that one gets his or her camaraderie from teammates from practices and games. That is true, but to an extent. Most of the bonding comes outside of practices and games, whether that means going to a movie, eating dinner, going to a party, or even just playing video games, teams are bonded through these activities. So how can one bond with his or her team when he or she spends all time away from the team? They can't. Spending time away from the team only hurts that team when the going gets tough. It is imperative to a teams' success to have those team bonding moments and memories, as these can only make a team stronger and a more cohesive unit. Without it, that team is doomed. Players in long distance relationships must balance their time with teammates and their significant other, whether that means spending one night with their teammates and one night with their significant other on the weekends, the equation must balance out in order to have success.

Response

In response to Justin's "Beer Pong with my Mom" blog, playing beer pong or any type of drinking game with your parent sounds like a blast. Unfortunately, my parents and I have a different kind of relationship. Although the thought of playing drinking games with parents sounds awesome to me, I choose not to do it with mine. Now, with other people's parents, it's fair game for me; I'm down to have a good time wherever and whenever, but it always seems so awkward the thought of drinking with my parents. When my dad asks me if I want a beer, and nine times out of ten, I'll decline his offer. But as soon as a friend's parent asks the same question, ten times out of ten my answer is yes. It's not that I'm not close with my parents, I guess I've always lived my life secretly during high school and college when dealing with that topic. My parents don't ask about it so therefore I don't say anything about it. They know I drink and are fine with it, they'd just rather me not do it around them, and I'm completely fine with that too.

NHL 15: Not Your Typical Hockey Game

A couple of weeks ago, EA Sports released its next installment into the NHL series: NHL 15. While many gaming companies rated the game as just average, they don't take into consideration the number one factor in a gamers' experience: entertainment. Entertainment should be the number one thing the critics should be highlighting, but many don't mention it when writing their review. As a college student or student in general, one needs time to take their mind off of schoolwork and extracurricular activities every once in a while. The best way for me? Playing video games with friends. Nothing is more satisfying than whooping up on a friend in a video game, and NHL 15 is the top dog right now in terms of entertainment.

NHL 15 (photo courtesy of operationsports.com)

Sure, many games satisfy my need for entertainment, but none come close to NHL. The hype of each game as you skate around and knock opponents to the ground while scoring goals, and sometimes getting into fist fights, is indescribable. I often find myself sweating after the first period because I'm on edge of my seat the whole time, demanding my players to perform at the highest standard, even when they are in a video game and can't hear me. The best part of the game, however, is the easiness of it. Someone who doesn't have the slightest clue of anything about hockey can pick up a controller and compete in games right off the bat. Not many sports games can make that claim. The ability to play the game and actually be good at it makes the game that much more fun and enjoyable. It you're a competitive gamer or just a student looking to relieve some stress, NHL 15 is definitely worth the time.

Is Rock Music Finally Dead?

As a big time rock fan, it's a shame to see such a prominent and popular genre of the past slowly start to lose its luster. Before the Justin Bieber's and the Taylor Swift's and the Katy Perry's of today, we had raw, emotional, and powerful music that held true meaning. Now that's not to say that today's mainstream music isn't creative or influential, but it shouldn't take 20 songwriters to write a decent song, not to mention the overplaying of the same seven songs on every radio station (If I hear "'cause I'm happyyyyy' one more time on the radio I might freak out).

Yes, it's true, rock music is not as popular as it used to be. Today's economy does nothing for the genre, as no record companies have money to sign new musicians to record deals, thus making it extremely hard to make it in the rock industry. Back in the day, bands relied on record sales. Today, everything is downloaded illegally in some way or another, so no band or artist has a way of bringing in revenue when their music isn't being played on the now scarce rock radio stations. Now, they must rely solely on their live shows to get any notoriety, which is a difficult task for many bands and musicians.

Not many artists have defined a music genre the way that Nirvana did.

(Photo courtesy of radiorock.com)

Where are the Beatles', Rolling Stones', KISS', Nirvana's, Aerosmith's, Black Sabbath's, AC/DC's, and Led Zeppelin's of today? Same thing we're doing. Sitting at home going about their daily lives, not knowing they could be the next big thing in music; not knowing that they could change the music industry altogether. We will probably never see another Beatles or Led Zeppelin again because we as consumers don't give those artists chances anymore. We as a society are satisfied with listening to the mainstream artists of today, who, arguably, will not have a lasting effect on music in the long run. They are popular now, but they will soon fade away. So next time you're listening to another TSwift break-up song, try checking out an artist that made a difference and defined a genre like many of the bands of the past did.

Discrimination on Campus

College campuses act as a blender for young adults, mixing many different types of people all within one location. As students, going from the comfortability of high school with people you've known your whole life to a culturally diverse college campus can be very frightening to some, while others make the transition effortlessly. However, not everyone can make that transition so quickly, and sometimes discrimination arises as a result. Whether it is religion, race, or sexual orientation, the unfortunate truth is that there will always be some sort of discrimination; there will always be that one person who has a problem with you.  

For the most part, Wittenberg has a very inclusive and accepting student body with rare occurrences of discrimination. That does not mean Wittenberg is perfect, either. One year, the n-word was spray painted on the school's fountain, sparking a huge outrage within the students and the faculty of Wittenberg. Some claim a student did it, while others blamed a "townie". No one knows for sure who spray painted the word on the fountain. As the school has moved on from this incident, many of the students are still left with a sour taste in their mouths. They want equality and cohesiveness within everyone on campus, and who could blame them? While there are some issues of discrimination here and there, it is not near as bad as it used to be. The school is trying its best to minimize all discrimination, which may be a tough feat to achieve, but Wittenberg is certainly headed in the right direction.

The NFL: What Is Going Wrong?

The National Football League is making headlines yet again for another accusation made by police officials regarding the Ray Rice case. TMZ finally released the highly anticipated elevator video showing Rice, now the former running back of the Baltimore Ravens and arguably a top 10 running back in the league, throwing a haymaker-type left hook that knocked his fiancé, Janay Palmer, unconscious and then proceeded to drag her out of the elevator immediately after.

Ray Rice formerly of the Baltimore Ravens

Image courtesy of usatoday.com

Prior to the public's access of the video, the NFL suspended Rice a mere two games, sparking some outrage among people across the nation, especially when it suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon for a full year for smoking marijuana and kicker Matt Prater for four games for alcoholism. As a result, many assumed that the NFL's main priority was smoking and drinking and that it is more severe offense than domestic violence, which is completely absurd. Since the announcement of Rice's two game suspension, however, commissioner Roger Goodell has admitted that he got the decision wrong and Rice should've received a bigger punishment. 


After the release of Rice's elevator video, fans were in even more of an outrage. Many wondered how the league could've given Rice such a minor penalty for such a gruesome blow to the head, to his fiancé nonetheless. Feeling the pressure from the public, the Baltimore Ravens immediately decided to release Rice and the NFL suspended him indefinitely, claiming that it was the first time they had seen that video. Today, the police claim that the NFL did see the tape as early as April, when the problem first arose. If that is the case, the NFL could be in some serious trouble. It seems like the NFL has been nothing but drama this year, and we're only in week two of the season.

Cats at Wittenberg: Not as Safe as You Might Think

Wittenberg is known for its many cats around campus, that's no secret. Nothing is more delightful after a stressful day of class than petting a nice fluffy cat and hearing it purr. Not many students can say that cats on campus have a negative connotation, until recently that is. This past year, a student came home to his dorm after a night of partying not with a girl, but with a cute fluffy cat. Too drunk to know what was going on, he proceeded to pet the cat and then itched his left eye immediately after, and finally passed out for the night.

Days and weeks went by. The student went on about his daily routine. Then, he started to notice a change. He began to develop a haze in his eye, but didn't think much of it. Eventually, the student noticed that he had developed a lazy eye as the haze grew more apparent in his vision. Panicked, the student decided to visit an optometrist to see what was going on in his eye.

After the doctor finished the student's eye exam, he determined that the student had cat scratch fever, even though the cat hadn't scratched him. The doctor then informed the student that he would be blind in that eye. The student, a baseball player for Wittenberg, could never play baseball again, as well as perform other tasks, all because he pet a cat one night. So, next time you think about touching a cat on campus, make sure there is nothing wrong with it because your life could be changed forever for the worse.

Response

In response to Brian Raymond's "Not So Failure to Launch," I find myself relating to him in almost every way. This year is a new school year, and many new students are living with and seeing unfamiliar faces for the first time in their lives, which can be very discouraging and uncomfortable. But, as time goes on, finding those people that share common interests and likenesses with you makes living at school much more refreshing. So, school evolves from foreign land to conquered land and that place that you were once uncomfortable with now becomes your home.

The Constant Battle Between Man and His Girlfriend

Labor Days are usually spent mingling with friends, laying around, and ultimately enjoying a much needed day off from the harsh realities of life; Not the case at 1121 N Lowry Ave., where yet another day is spent witnessing a friend argue with his girlfriend. The rosy red cheeks and the piercing eyes of the shouting individuals said it all: this was about to be a s**t show, so grab a seat, a bag of popcorn, and strap in, because it was about to get wild. As the fight progressed and countless pointless arguments were being made, one individual gave up altogether, and simply quit speaking. Instead of dropping the incident and moving on from the fight, the other individual only grew angrier and started arguing more. However, the first individual continued the silent treatment tactic, proving that she truly did not have a worthy rebuttal to the absurd arguments her boyfriend was making. Sensing defeat, the boyfriend did the only thing that he thought he could do at that point- he gave in, proving the true power of the silent treatment. The two then made amends and went about their day as if nothing had happened, but, tomorrow is another day, anything can happen.

Expectations for the Semester

As I begin my Junior year at Wittenberg, I have come to the depressing realization that my time here is slowly coming to an end. Where did the time go? Anyways, prior to coming to Wittenberg, it was always my plan to study journalism and make a career out of it. Now that I am halfway finished with college, I now know that maybe journalism isn't the right path for me. I have taken a journalism course every year that I've been here so far, and I've enjoyed every one of them. I just don't know if this line of work is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life. However, I haven't fully made that decision yet, because I do enjoy journalism. Hopefully, by the end of the semester, taking this class will have helped me decide if journalism is the right path for me or not. So, the expectation for myself in taking this class is to have gained closure from it and to decide what I want my career to be.

Football Season Is Among Us

The fall semester can be an exciting time for many students. Friends are reunited while new friendships and relationships are being formed. New classes start, and students move one step closer to graduation. But, perhaps the best thing about fall semester to me is the start of football season. I am, unfortunately, a Cleveland Browns fan, filled with anxiety and letdown year after year for as long as I can remember. However, every season, Browns fans, like myself, are always filled with optimism: "This year is gonna be our year!" they always say, but year after year, that is never the case. By midseason, Browns fans are rooting against their favorite team in hopes that they lose out for the rest of the season and they lock in that number one pick in next year's NFL draft. This year, I find myself having a slightly better hope in the Browns than I have had in previous years and I really think they could make a splash this season. But, of course I say this every year, so why should this year be any different? Well, the Browns have hired a solid General Manager in Ray Farmer as well as an impressive Head Coach in Mike Pettine. In addition, they signed big names in free agency such as Carlos Dansby and Ben Tate that give the Browns the explosiveness that it lacked a season ago. Finally, they drafted perhaps the most prolific player in this years' draft, quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel to give their offense a spark. As a result, given all of the playmakers the Browns already have, as well as the ones acquired this offseason, there is no excuse to not succeed this season. But, like I said, they are the Browns, and anything is possible. I just hope this year they can finally win some games.