Who would ever have thought that the Bengals would actually have a shot at a winning record, let alone a playoff spot this season.
Most everyone - certainly me - thought they'd be competing for the number one pick in the 2012 NFL draft rather than competing for a division title.
Maybe this sorry, sorry franchise has finally turned it around.
What a difference a year, a draft, and some trades can make.
First, the year. In 2010 the Bengals signed T.O. to help spruce up their passing game. They added Jermane Gresham in the first round at tight end. They added Jordan Shipley in the third round to play the slot WR. All of this was to already go with Ochocinco and Cedric Benson and Carson Palmer, who helped the team go 10-6 and win the division in 2009.
Well, things didn't really turn out that way. T.O and Ochocinco were toxic for team chemistry. The Bengals stumbled out of the gate, getting blown out by New England in the first game of the year, and limping to a woeful 4-12 record.
They reached their fourth win two months ago this year. How nice it is.
Second, the 2011 draft. The first round brought arguably the Bengals best first round pick ever (besides Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz) A.J. Green. He has dominated from day one. Certainly Randy Moss had a more dominating rookie year, but other than that, AJ Green is the most dominant rookie receiver since. Every game he plays, he makes a big play (just youtube his 51 yard catch and run from last week's win over the Browns to see what I mean). On top of that, the Bengals were lucky enough to have the "Red Rifle," Andy Dalton, slip to them in the second round. The quarterback out of TCU has simply been phenomenal. His 16 touch down passes are a franchise record. And we still have five games left. Dalton has thrown some picks (three against Baltimore and two against San Fran and Pittsburgh, but he rallied the team in all three of those games, losing to SF by five and then losing to Baltimore and Pitt by a touchdown each).
Finally, the trades. Who would have ever thought that jettisoning Ocho would make a world of difference for Cincy. And how much fun it is to watch him toil in obscurity in NE. Who knows how miserable Dalton would be dealing with Ocho's undisciplined play and his massive ego in the lockerroom. I doubt that the sixth or seventh round pick we got for him will amount to anything, but trading Palmer to Oakland is grand theft. Sure, Palmer is doing well for the Raiders (and I hope he gets the to the AFC Championship in the next two years, then the second pick they gave us for him will turn to a first rounder), but the extra picks we got for him (especially the number one this year) will really strengthen the roster.
Now if we can just steal a win at Pittsburgh this weekend . . .
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thanksgiving 2011
It's really amazing to think of all the changes that have occurred in only a few years. I remember the 'first' Thanksgiving Kristie and I had. She actually had to work so I went to my sister's house to have dinner. Mom and Dad were both alive then. Mom made sure that I took a plate of food for Kristie.
Now as we gather at Barb and Arnie's today, it will be a small affair. I was telling Kristie that it is shocking when I think of all the people that were regulars for Thanksgiving and Christmas get togethers who are no longer with us: Mom and Dad; Jake (Arnie's brother); Bernard (Arnie's father); Eunice (Arnie's grandmother). In additon, we have also lost Kristie's uncle Allen and now her aunt Cheryl.
While there have been incredible losses, there have been incredible additions too: Kenzie and Cash. Also, Evan (Sean and Amanda's son). They are spending Thanksgiving at Sean's parents' house - and that is one reason this Thanksgiving will be smaller than usual. We hope to bring Kristie's mother, Gail, to Barb and Arnie's today too.
So I am thankful that despite the losses, there are additions that enrich our lives more than ever.
What am I thankful for?
Above all, my family -
Kristie - who is beautiful, intelligent, and caring. She is my best friend, and she inspires me every day. It's a cliche, I know, but she makes this house a home and my existence a life. I couldn't make it a moment without her. Nor would I ever want to.
Casey - who is home from the cities for a stint. His humor and good nature have added much to our home as of late.
KoKo - who is more like my real daughter than Kenzie may ever be. For her free spirit and her very innocent nature. She lights up this house.
Kenzie - who is every bit her mother's daughter. Her big heart and her pizzazz never fail to amaze.
Cash - who, with his two bottom teeth, thinks he is just too cute. And he is. When he snuggles into my shoulder, it is one of the best feelings in the world.
Gail - who gives and gives and gives. She is selfless and only thinks of others, especially her grand kids. May we all be as thoughtful as she is.
Ed and Lori - who will be up and who will see Cash for the first time. For their support and love. The kids treasure Lori's crafts, and we all treasure Ed's smart remarks and humor. If they only lived closer!
And I am thankful for all the past Thanksgivings I had with Mom and Dad. And for finding this photo. Every time I look at it, I see a hint of my mother in Kenzie. I can't tell you how thankful I am for that.
Now as we gather at Barb and Arnie's today, it will be a small affair. I was telling Kristie that it is shocking when I think of all the people that were regulars for Thanksgiving and Christmas get togethers who are no longer with us: Mom and Dad; Jake (Arnie's brother); Bernard (Arnie's father); Eunice (Arnie's grandmother). In additon, we have also lost Kristie's uncle Allen and now her aunt Cheryl.
While there have been incredible losses, there have been incredible additions too: Kenzie and Cash. Also, Evan (Sean and Amanda's son). They are spending Thanksgiving at Sean's parents' house - and that is one reason this Thanksgiving will be smaller than usual. We hope to bring Kristie's mother, Gail, to Barb and Arnie's today too.
So I am thankful that despite the losses, there are additions that enrich our lives more than ever.
What am I thankful for?
Above all, my family -
Kristie - who is beautiful, intelligent, and caring. She is my best friend, and she inspires me every day. It's a cliche, I know, but she makes this house a home and my existence a life. I couldn't make it a moment without her. Nor would I ever want to.
Casey - who is home from the cities for a stint. His humor and good nature have added much to our home as of late.
KoKo - who is more like my real daughter than Kenzie may ever be. For her free spirit and her very innocent nature. She lights up this house.
Kenzie - who is every bit her mother's daughter. Her big heart and her pizzazz never fail to amaze.
Cash - who, with his two bottom teeth, thinks he is just too cute. And he is. When he snuggles into my shoulder, it is one of the best feelings in the world.
Gail - who gives and gives and gives. She is selfless and only thinks of others, especially her grand kids. May we all be as thoughtful as she is.
Ed and Lori - who will be up and who will see Cash for the first time. For their support and love. The kids treasure Lori's crafts, and we all treasure Ed's smart remarks and humor. If they only lived closer!
And I am thankful for all the past Thanksgivings I had with Mom and Dad. And for finding this photo. Every time I look at it, I see a hint of my mother in Kenzie. I can't tell you how thankful I am for that.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
PicLit
Here is my initial attempt at a piclit. I found a great article on how to use technology to reinvent old, boring homework assignments.
One link led me to Piclit, which offers an assortment of photos and then allows you to either drag and drop words (provided at the bottom of the screen) on to the photo of your choice to create a poem or you can choose the freestyle option, which is what I did.
See the full PicLit at PicLits.com
Click on the pic above and you'll be redirected to the complete "poem."
I'd love to do this for a poetry unit.
One link led me to Piclit, which offers an assortment of photos and then allows you to either drag and drop words (provided at the bottom of the screen) on to the photo of your choice to create a poem or you can choose the freestyle option, which is what I did.
See the full PicLit at PicLits.com
Click on the pic above and you'll be redirected to the complete "poem."
I'd love to do this for a poetry unit.
Popplet
Here is my sample popplet. I was looking for an alternative to wallwisher and came across this site. While I don't think it lets you interact and leave feedback like wallwisher, it is superior in that it allows you to set up a nice variety of content for others to view. I could see us using this in class quite a bit.
Friday, November 18, 2011
That's a Flat World for you
Right before the bell sounded, I saw an interesting story on yahoo news about a guy who traded his engagement ring for a video game.
I couldn't help but think of a student of mine. So I quickly Tweeted this -
I figured Blake would see it at work and Tweet or text me back.
But no. Two seconds after the bell sounded, in walked Blake with his phone in hand asking, "do what?"
Talk about real time!
Here's the actual story.
Gamification
Is this the future of education in the flat world?
No doubt Alfie Kohn would drop dead with all these students competing against each other, but how engaging and how effective.
No doubt Alfie Kohn would drop dead with all these students competing against each other, but how engaging and how effective.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Appalling
Don't mess with the millennials. I suppose 40 years ago when teachers used to grab kids by the hair and toss them into the hallway, this teacher would have been admired for his actions.
Hopefully, today the son of a bitch is being fired.
This student might have been troubled and disrespectful and maybe even a jerk in the past in the class - the embedded video only shows a few minutes from this teacher's class - but I don't care. No one deserved to be treated this way by a teacher.
"What are you going to do about it?" The teacher taunts the student.
Well, dumbass, all the kid did was secretly tape you being a total jerk to him and then showed it to his parents and I imagine an attorney (he should have posted it on youtube and then sent links to the principal, super, and school board too).
Way to use the power of the flat world to stick up for yourself kid.
Hopefully, today the son of a bitch is being fired.
View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.
This student might have been troubled and disrespectful and maybe even a jerk in the past in the class - the embedded video only shows a few minutes from this teacher's class - but I don't care. No one deserved to be treated this way by a teacher.
"What are you going to do about it?" The teacher taunts the student.
Well, dumbass, all the kid did was secretly tape you being a total jerk to him and then showed it to his parents and I imagine an attorney (he should have posted it on youtube and then sent links to the principal, super, and school board too).
Way to use the power of the flat world to stick up for yourself kid.
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
The Cell Phone Hiatus
The first two readings in my College Comp II class are Mark Bauerlein's The Dumbest Generation and Steven Johnson's Everything Bad is Good for You. The final product for Bauerlein's book is a multi-media project that strives to take some of the things that he derides are making these millennials the dumbest generation (Facebook, Twitter, cell phones, social media, e-books, video games, popular culture . . .) and prove him wrong. That is where I got this wonderful product --
The final product for Johnson's book (which argues that all of the social media the millennials are ensconced in as well as the pop culture they are saturated in are making them more intelligent) is actually an option: surrender their cell phones to me for 48 hours and keep a journal of what their life is like without their phones OR write a tradition 6-8 page research paper on one of Johnson's theories.
Needless to say, everyone in the class opted for the former option.
I was interested to see if they might realize that without their phones, maybe Bauerlein has some points. Maybe they can't function in a world where they are unplugged.
Today I finally got around to grading their journals. Here are some of the things that struck me as I read through them.
Safety - these millennials seem to think that we live in inner-city Los Angeles or in a war-torn third world country. I can't tell you how many times students wrote about not having their security blanket of a cell phone or that they were worried that their car would break down and they'd be stranded. Now how often do any of those things really happen? Especially when students drive far nicer vehicles than ever before. Cell phones, though, make us think that we have to have this illusion of safety when really we don't. I mean our car could break down and we could be in an area with no reception or the batter could be dead or our parents could be gone. Then what would we do?
Are cell phones taking away our power to adapt and deal with real life?
Multi-Task - Every student wrote about this in some form. I think what this really means is multi-entertain. Students rely on their phones to stay entertained to game and text and surf the net. Are those tasks really vital? What will they do in class when they're bored? It used to be called daydreaming or doodling. Now it's called AngryBirds or surfing Wikipedia.
How much parents really rely on them - We like being able to contact our kids at any moment. I'm amazed at how often I hear adults complain about kids today and their damn cell phones, yet time and again students wrote about how their parents grew angry when they couldn't get ahold of them via their cell phones (even though the students had to inform their parents that they would be surrendering their phones for two days).
This reminds me of another of my pet peeves - adults and their phones! It's so hypocritical when baby boomers criticize the young for their dependence upon technology. Yet, I've been to two funerals and witnessed adults who had their cell phones go off. In one case, the embarrassed adult quickly put it on mute. The other case, the phone actually went off twice, with the adult unaware.
That never happens with millennials. They will actually ask me if they may go outside because they are expecting a call from their parents. Imagine that Gen Xers! Manners from the young. Who would have thought it?
Alarm clocks - apparently watch makers aren't the only companies to be reeling from the millennials disuse of their products, for every single journal noted how they were afraid they'd be late for school because they didn't own an alarm clock.
And, best of all, one student had a wonderful epiphany - they wrote about telling a story to a friend at lunch. Just when the student was getting to the good part in the story, their friend whipped out their cell phone and commenced texting right in the middle of the story. They didn't even hear a word the person said! How rude. Yet, the student had to wonder, how many times had they been guilty of the same thing?
That lone epiphany might have been worth all the misery I bestowed upon my class for 48 hours.
The final product for Johnson's book (which argues that all of the social media the millennials are ensconced in as well as the pop culture they are saturated in are making them more intelligent) is actually an option: surrender their cell phones to me for 48 hours and keep a journal of what their life is like without their phones OR write a tradition 6-8 page research paper on one of Johnson's theories.
Needless to say, everyone in the class opted for the former option.
I was interested to see if they might realize that without their phones, maybe Bauerlein has some points. Maybe they can't function in a world where they are unplugged.
Today I finally got around to grading their journals. Here are some of the things that struck me as I read through them.
Safety - these millennials seem to think that we live in inner-city Los Angeles or in a war-torn third world country. I can't tell you how many times students wrote about not having their security blanket of a cell phone or that they were worried that their car would break down and they'd be stranded. Now how often do any of those things really happen? Especially when students drive far nicer vehicles than ever before. Cell phones, though, make us think that we have to have this illusion of safety when really we don't. I mean our car could break down and we could be in an area with no reception or the batter could be dead or our parents could be gone. Then what would we do?
Are cell phones taking away our power to adapt and deal with real life?
Multi-Task - Every student wrote about this in some form. I think what this really means is multi-entertain. Students rely on their phones to stay entertained to game and text and surf the net. Are those tasks really vital? What will they do in class when they're bored? It used to be called daydreaming or doodling. Now it's called AngryBirds or surfing Wikipedia.
How much parents really rely on them - We like being able to contact our kids at any moment. I'm amazed at how often I hear adults complain about kids today and their damn cell phones, yet time and again students wrote about how their parents grew angry when they couldn't get ahold of them via their cell phones (even though the students had to inform their parents that they would be surrendering their phones for two days).
This reminds me of another of my pet peeves - adults and their phones! It's so hypocritical when baby boomers criticize the young for their dependence upon technology. Yet, I've been to two funerals and witnessed adults who had their cell phones go off. In one case, the embarrassed adult quickly put it on mute. The other case, the phone actually went off twice, with the adult unaware.
That never happens with millennials. They will actually ask me if they may go outside because they are expecting a call from their parents. Imagine that Gen Xers! Manners from the young. Who would have thought it?
Alarm clocks - apparently watch makers aren't the only companies to be reeling from the millennials disuse of their products, for every single journal noted how they were afraid they'd be late for school because they didn't own an alarm clock.
And, best of all, one student had a wonderful epiphany - they wrote about telling a story to a friend at lunch. Just when the student was getting to the good part in the story, their friend whipped out their cell phone and commenced texting right in the middle of the story. They didn't even hear a word the person said! How rude. Yet, the student had to wonder, how many times had they been guilty of the same thing?
That lone epiphany might have been worth all the misery I bestowed upon my class for 48 hours.
Sunday, November 06, 2011
5-2
Who would have ver thought or believed that at the mid point of the season, the Bengals would have five wins (and four of those have come in a row)?
Most people, me included, were putting them in the Andrew Luck race with sound odds of going 0-16.
What accounts for the amazing turn around?
Well, it starts with their top two drafts picks: WR AJ Green and QB Andy Dalton. While Dalton has had some bad moments (the two key picks in the loss to the 49ers comes to mind), he has had more great moments (his third down scramble to get a key first down in their last second victory over the unbeaten Bills and his gutsy fourth down passes in Jacksonville). AJ Green has proven to be worth the fourth pick in the draft. He catches nearly everything thrown his way and has more than replaced both TO and Ocho.
Besides the play of our rookies, credit has to go to the defense, which is currently ranked #4 overall. They have one or two 'big' names on defense (Mauluga and Domonato Peko - both of which are probably misspelled). Besides that, there are really no stars. Thanks to their phenomenal defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer, they are always in the right spot at the right time.
And credit also has to go to two guys who are usually vilified: Marvin Lewis and Mike Brown. Lewis was finally able to jettison Ocho Cinco and not having his cancerous "me, me, me" attitude in the locker room has made a profound impact. This is a group of guys who don't care about reality TV shows, Twitter, or any other self congratulatory behaviors. They just want to play football and win games. How refreshing (especially after last year when TO was brought it and everything absolutely fell apart)!
Brown deserves credit for trading Carson Palmer for what amounts to a king's ransom. At the start of the season everyone thought if the Bengals could get a second or third round pick for Palmer, they should jump at it. Yet, Brown held out and landed a first round pick and either a first or second round pick in the 2013 draft. Brilliant.
Of course, the Bengals haven't really beaten anybody (other than the Bills), but the barely lost to the 49ers and have been in every game this year. Time will tell though, for they face off against the favorites in the division, the Steelers and Ravens, after this week. If they could manage to split the series against those teams and win a couple more against a very favorable schedule (Arizona at home in late December, the struggling Rams on the road, and the Browns at home), the Bengals could nab a wild card spot. I'm not nuts enough to predict that they'll take the AFC North as they did in 2009, though. Maybe next year when Dalton has another season under his belt and they can capitalize on their two first round picks next spring. Maybe then.
And maybe, just maybe, things are looking up for the Bengals - who seem to be doing things very unlike the usual Bengals.
Most people, me included, were putting them in the Andrew Luck race with sound odds of going 0-16.
What accounts for the amazing turn around?
Well, it starts with their top two drafts picks: WR AJ Green and QB Andy Dalton. While Dalton has had some bad moments (the two key picks in the loss to the 49ers comes to mind), he has had more great moments (his third down scramble to get a key first down in their last second victory over the unbeaten Bills and his gutsy fourth down passes in Jacksonville). AJ Green has proven to be worth the fourth pick in the draft. He catches nearly everything thrown his way and has more than replaced both TO and Ocho.
Besides the play of our rookies, credit has to go to the defense, which is currently ranked #4 overall. They have one or two 'big' names on defense (Mauluga and Domonato Peko - both of which are probably misspelled). Besides that, there are really no stars. Thanks to their phenomenal defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer, they are always in the right spot at the right time.
And credit also has to go to two guys who are usually vilified: Marvin Lewis and Mike Brown. Lewis was finally able to jettison Ocho Cinco and not having his cancerous "me, me, me" attitude in the locker room has made a profound impact. This is a group of guys who don't care about reality TV shows, Twitter, or any other self congratulatory behaviors. They just want to play football and win games. How refreshing (especially after last year when TO was brought it and everything absolutely fell apart)!
Brown deserves credit for trading Carson Palmer for what amounts to a king's ransom. At the start of the season everyone thought if the Bengals could get a second or third round pick for Palmer, they should jump at it. Yet, Brown held out and landed a first round pick and either a first or second round pick in the 2013 draft. Brilliant.
Of course, the Bengals haven't really beaten anybody (other than the Bills), but the barely lost to the 49ers and have been in every game this year. Time will tell though, for they face off against the favorites in the division, the Steelers and Ravens, after this week. If they could manage to split the series against those teams and win a couple more against a very favorable schedule (Arizona at home in late December, the struggling Rams on the road, and the Browns at home), the Bengals could nab a wild card spot. I'm not nuts enough to predict that they'll take the AFC North as they did in 2009, though. Maybe next year when Dalton has another season under his belt and they can capitalize on their two first round picks next spring. Maybe then.
And maybe, just maybe, things are looking up for the Bengals - who seem to be doing things very unlike the usual Bengals.
Thursday, November 03, 2011
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
App Assignment
A few weeks ago, I was looking at on-line articles to share with my College Comp II class. I found the one I was searching for and wanted to share it with them. I usually will link it to our class blog, Tweet it, and, once in awhile, I'll Facebook it too.
Then I noticed a huge variety of ways to share the story. I have often seen these before located in a sidebar to the story or at the bottom of the article, but I had no clue what most of those tiny little symbols meant. However, I wanted to know.
So I decided to print them out, divvy them up among my College Comp II students and have have them figure it out for me. Many of them had no idea what these odd little symbols meant either, but that was part of the fun.
I said it was just like working at job. Your boss walks in and hands you an assignment and gives you a dead line and you figure it out.
They wanted to know what the final form for presenting their findings would be.
I said, "Well, I'll ask the CEO." Then I sent Mr. Zutz a text asking him what he thought the final format should be.
As we discussed this, I kept checking my phone for a message. Every time I got a text the kids were on the edge of their seats. After a few minutes I got a text from Mr. Zutz with the final format: a speech.
I gave my class four questions to answer in their search:
1. What is it?
2. What function does it serve?
3. How can it be used in class?
4. What is one interesting thing about it?
What I found remarkable about what the students discovered was that all of these apps, whether they be Digg, Reddit, Slashdot, Edmodo, Newsvine, Stumble Upon . . ., was that I kept hearing these same terms in each presentation: "sharing," "instant feedback," "rating," "social," "ask questions,""contribute,"and "distributing."
As I listened to the presentations, I couldn't help but envy the digital world these kids are growing up in.
I know they are lambasted all the time by my generation that laments all the things we miss about the past . . . libraries, books, family dinners, long drives in the country, watching a TV show as a family . . . and then we realize, hey, we didn't really do those things either! Even if they did happen, they are never really the way we remembered them.
It's simply easier to pick on the up and coming generation for how they are different from us than to admire the new world they are growing up in (and we are growing old in).
I'm all for this new digital world. I don't miss the days of three TV channels (I like being able to record and pause live digital cable), being limited in my reading to what our rural library could import via the inter-library loan system (I thought amazon.com was the greatest thing until now that I have a kindle app on my iPad), having my news limited to the monthly heavy metal magazines I bought or the weekly subscription to Sporting News (I'd much rather surf their websites now and get my news updated minute by minute or - better yet - I can follow many of them on Twitter and get the news before the websites even get their information).
As I kept hearing those same words, "sharing," "instant feedback," "rating," "social," "ask questions,""contribute,"and "distributing,"it hit me just how much this generation needs to be connected to everything all at once, which is basically what these apps allow them to do.
I truly envy that.
App Prezis
Then I noticed a huge variety of ways to share the story. I have often seen these before located in a sidebar to the story or at the bottom of the article, but I had no clue what most of those tiny little symbols meant. However, I wanted to know.
So I decided to print them out, divvy them up among my College Comp II students and have have them figure it out for me. Many of them had no idea what these odd little symbols meant either, but that was part of the fun.
I said it was just like working at job. Your boss walks in and hands you an assignment and gives you a dead line and you figure it out.
They wanted to know what the final form for presenting their findings would be.
I said, "Well, I'll ask the CEO." Then I sent Mr. Zutz a text asking him what he thought the final format should be.
As we discussed this, I kept checking my phone for a message. Every time I got a text the kids were on the edge of their seats. After a few minutes I got a text from Mr. Zutz with the final format: a speech.
I gave my class four questions to answer in their search:
1. What is it?
2. What function does it serve?
3. How can it be used in class?
4. What is one interesting thing about it?
What I found remarkable about what the students discovered was that all of these apps, whether they be Digg, Reddit, Slashdot, Edmodo, Newsvine, Stumble Upon . . ., was that I kept hearing these same terms in each presentation: "sharing," "instant feedback," "rating," "social," "ask questions,""contribute,"and "distributing."
As I listened to the presentations, I couldn't help but envy the digital world these kids are growing up in.
I know they are lambasted all the time by my generation that laments all the things we miss about the past . . . libraries, books, family dinners, long drives in the country, watching a TV show as a family . . . and then we realize, hey, we didn't really do those things either! Even if they did happen, they are never really the way we remembered them.
It's simply easier to pick on the up and coming generation for how they are different from us than to admire the new world they are growing up in (and we are growing old in).
I'm all for this new digital world. I don't miss the days of three TV channels (I like being able to record and pause live digital cable), being limited in my reading to what our rural library could import via the inter-library loan system (I thought amazon.com was the greatest thing until now that I have a kindle app on my iPad), having my news limited to the monthly heavy metal magazines I bought or the weekly subscription to Sporting News (I'd much rather surf their websites now and get my news updated minute by minute or - better yet - I can follow many of them on Twitter and get the news before the websites even get their information).
As I kept hearing those same words, "sharing," "instant feedback," "rating," "social," "ask questions,""contribute,"and "distributing,"it hit me just how much this generation needs to be connected to everything all at once, which is basically what these apps allow them to do.
I truly envy that.
App Prezis
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