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.