19 posts tagged “life”

Destined For Anything At All

6 days ago
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I can't believe it's been a year since I moved to Miami. Well, a year yesterday. It's not that it hasn't felt like a year, it's just been one crazy amount of emotion in 366 days. I'm endlessly happy to be back home in New Jersey after six months in south Florida. It just wasn't for me. I missed my friends, my beautiful and amazing girlfriend (she's one person), my home, my feeling like I was home. Those six months were tough, insanely tough on me. I definitely experienced palpable growing pains in the last twelve months. Emotional swings, tough, really tough decisions, issues bearing with the past, the future, present, nano-crossroads, accepting wins and losses. A wise man once said it's not the amount of years in your life but the amount of life in your years. I'm stoked (stoked being something I don't feel too often anymore) to say I've lived like that for the first 23 years and 11 months. I have no shortage of dreams and emotions (sometimes the latter is not apparent) but this past year has left me feeling dry inside, searching for anything inspiring, finding fewer reasons to do things because I want to but more often because I don't want to do/suffer the alternative. I never wanted to be that person that's bummed by having to grow up. I've never wanted to be like so many of the adults I was surrounded with as a child, scattered, stressed, graying and fraying at the ends. I never ever ever wanted that. It's fair to say I reached out to role models who barely knew me, or I only knew one side of their lives. And even the people I most admire, I wonder and often doubt my ability to uniquely replicate what they've done. In fact, if I could sum up the past 12 months in just one sentence, which is tough, it'd be that I've never felt less special, less unique or less important. I am young, and I know that, yet I don't feel like I am. I feel absolutely beat up. When you're down is when you really realize how many people lean on you, which sucks because I feel like that is ONE huge thing that I lack. I feel less like the downtown and more of the neglected bridge and I can't put my finger on it. I guess it's because I've had a lot of idealogies turn into actual experiences and haven't been happy of the outcomes. I've moved way too often, made way too many transitions and squeezed myself too tight too often. In a way it's all I know how to be: crazy. I guess the overall tone or still-hidden rationale to this is it's the only way I know how to live. And the thought of the future scares me when I know I shouldn't fear it but shape it. You can only live in so many moments. Dreams, the things that hopefully push us all, can be altered or tarnished so quickly with such little effort. I guess I have a lot of those patches on my sleeve and I'm not sure what's going to take their places. I don't mean to sound so downtrodden, so oppressed, but time is short and something nobody should be so blase about. I'm not so sure that old me would like the older me. I need to take some advice from a younger version of myself and stay stoked, about anything. About something coming. I want to be stoked for the future and for new experiences..

Patterns vs. Phases Vs. Symbolism

Jun 8, 2009
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Life is happening! I don't know it kinda freaks me out, but three of my ex's are engaged, and that's crazy to me. Not crazy in the "what the fuck are YOU doing" crazy, just the kind of crazy like hitting a bump while driving 180 mph is crazy. It just shakes you a little more than monotonous I'm going on vacation here or they hooked up here stories do (obviously). Marriage to me is that ultimate piece of growing up that while you know is what you want, you realize in a sense that it's hopefully terminal...think the almighty Michael Jordan getting inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame last year when he said this:

"I don't like being up here for the Hall of Fame because at that time your basketball career is completely over, I was hoping this day would be 20 more years, or actually go in when I'm dead and gone."

"I always want to be able to have you thinking I can always go back and play the game of basketball and put your shorts on," Jordan said. "Hall of Fame to me is like, OK, it's over and done with."

I don't share that exact sentiment when it comes to tying the knot, but I feel him on what he's saying. Except here that IS growing up in its essence. Maybe making your decisions, and really making your decisions fully, 100% considering that person in your life is maturation personified in all of our own individual situations.

2:15 a.m.? Fuck!

I cut all my hair off tonight with the help of my friends Joe (2) and Sean. I had a lot!

I'm playing a show with my friends in Hudson on Friday night at the Bayonne Relay For Life event at Veterans' Stadium at around 8 p.m. If you're in the mood for good music/nostalgia/hanging for a great cause than come by! It's my first full show with any band since 2005, so I'm pretty excited!

I have a ton of pictures on my camera from Miami, Key West, random Route 95, CitiField, Princeton, exploring New Jersey's Great Swamp, pulling pranks in Morristown and more. When I find my stupid little Kodak-only USB cable I'll put them up, some of them came out pretty sweet.

We'll All Be Memories, One Day

Apr 16, 2009
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There is something immensely powerful when you're able to be yourself when the spotlight's on. Certainly nobody wants to be repugnant or burn bridges with their loved ones but I think there comes a time and a place where you really start to take on your own life. It's like a ship leaving port and the ropes come off one by one. I mean, that's an idealistic scenario because often I bet it's more like one or two strands remain stubborn against all efforts, the weather is gray, the waves are rougher than usual and the engine room wonders if it really has the steam to reach that next port. Whatever the ailments may be, all fleets deemed seaworthy must lift anchor. At some point take the wheel and point towards whatever it is that makes you shake inside. Whether it's adventure, gold or discovery, seizing the wheel and setting sail is the hardest part. While they'll surely be dark skies and rough seas along the way, take comfort in the fact that even catastrophic shipwrecks make it on the map.

In This Lifetime, Vol I

Apr 4, 2009
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It's been a long week, I'll tell ya all about it hopefully sooner than later.

In the meantime, here are some things that I'd like to do with my time. They're not in any particular order and the following is a hybrid product of both intensive brainstorming and complete spontaneity.

1) Drive across the United States of America and down the 101 into southern California.
2) Watch one of my favorite sports teams win a championship. This means Red Sox, Jets, Nets or Devils. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon also qualify.
3) Be a father.
4) Go home, and feel home not longing for something new. Think John Cusack's character making mix tapes at the end of "High Fidelity".
5) Write a record that I am really proud of.
6) Go on tour, playing, merch, managing, tech, it doesn't matter, if I had to pick a number one, it'd be tour.
7) Watch fireworks from a plane.
8) Watch a a space shuttle liftoff.
9) Diversify my seafood taste past salmon and New England Clam Chowder.
10) Live in Boston.
11) Build an amazing snowman.
12) Be a family man. Think Chris Rock in "I Think I Love My Wife"
13) See a manatee.
14) Go on an African safari.
15) Walk along the Great Wall of China.
16) Australia. Enough said.
17) Go surfing in Hawaii.
18) Live in New York City. Manhattan or Brooklyn preferably.
19) Get a sailor tattoo.
20) Visit family in Ireland.
21) Have that bachelor pad apartment with my friends. Am I too old for that yet?
22) Meet a serving American president.

Surely to be updated in the future.

My Ties That Bind

Oct 19, 2008
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"I met some people along the way

On Stage

,

some of them split some of them stay,

some of them walk some walk on by,

got a few friends I'll love 'til I die,

from all these people I try to learn

some of them shine some of them burn

some of them rise some of them fall

for good or bad I've known them all"

There have never been words written, spoken or sang that have had more of an impact on me. "True Believers" is a song so full of life and so full of energy that it reaches down into my soul and pulls all the best matter out in the form of a smile and a sing along at the top of my lungs. That said, it's time for a Vox that's long overdue.

So I started to do freelance writing when I lived in North Carolina to help pay the bills. I was working at a t-shirt screen printing factory in Mooresville for a company called LogoNation and to put it simply; it was hell. I did mindless, monotonous work from 7 a.m. until 12 in the afternoon and made $8. That's besides the point I guess, at the end of every day I was exhausted (I was in NASCAR school from 2 'til 8 p.m. as well) and at the end of every week I was broke. So I started doing content writing for a website called SportsMemorabilia.com and was bringing in an extra $175-$225 a week which was nice. After moving back to Bayonne and eventually down to Asbury, I still brought in a nice amount of money on the side writing about sports each and every day for these guys. So long story short, three weeks ago I get an e-mail from the owner of the company and after a 20-minute conversation, he invited me to fly down to Miami and spend three days working in the office and if things went well, that there might be a full-time position that'd be available. So I boarded an airplane for the first time since I was in fourth grade and flew down to Miami with a brief layover in Charlotte (of all places). I touched down in Miami, made some calls and immediately felt a little thing called "humidity" as I stepped outside and waited for a cab to South Beach. On my cab ride over, I noticed that even walking or driving through the city is an R-rated adventure: women are wearing practically nothing practically everywhere. I arrive at my office on Lincoln Road in South Beach at about 4 in the afternoon and upon finding my way up to the 11th floor clad in my Kenneth Cole dress shirt and nice new Dockers, I realize I'm in a casual office surrounded by t-shirts and khaki shorts. Sweet. I talk for a bit with the owner and the CEO about what we're all looking for out of these three days and in no-time I get to work. I stayed at the office cranking out some newsletters and ideas for new projects before finally getting a chance to relax around 7:30. I'd been up since 5 a.m. and hadn't eaten anything since being at the airport in Newark so Stefan, Mike and I went to a sports bar in South Beach and watched the Rays slay the White Sox over dinner. I wound up crashing at their condo and woke up Tuesday morning to multiple text messages saying the Red Sox had polished off the Angels and moved on to the ALCS, I'd passed up from absolute exhaustion at about 11:20 the night before. The next two days were both very similar: I woke up, went to work and spent a few hours both nights walking about South Beach. It was alright but not really my thing, I pretty much just wanted to get out and take some pictures.

Lincoln Road Beach Walk

Looong Exposure

My hotel had a pool on the roof which was really sweet to watch the sunset Wednesday night.

Miami

100_0212

Now Miami has a lot of really great looking people and what's funny is while I was thinking about what true beauty really is, Lisa Loeb came on the radio of the restaurant and for everyone's information, she was my first celebrity crush. I thought that was a funny occurrence.

So getting back to the job, come Thursday morning I was offered a job as the marketing director for our website complete with great pay, full benefits and a great work place. So this left me with some pretty obvious decisions to make and a myriad of things to consider. First off, for the first time in a while I'm really happy with a lot of things in my life. I have an amazing girlfriend, closer ties to my family than ever and some amazing friends both old and new. While my days working in the hotel have in my mind always been numbered, some great things have blossomed for me in Asbury in the past three months. For starters, I've started to book shows at Asbury Lanes, a place I love and care about very much. Putting on shows (really great shows) is something I've had a vested interest in for a while and at the Lanes, I knew I had a really badass opportunity to make some really great things happen. On top of it all, the people that work at and run the Lanes are fucking great people, and I'm beyond stoked to be friends with them. Between staying up talking 'til 5 a.m. or drinking whiskey on Kate's porch in the middle of the night, I love you guys and the passion you all display when it comes to what you do, it's inspiring.

The thing is, and there's a few reasons why I'm going to leave this place I love so much, is that I'm going to get my life on a more stable course. When I was 18 years old I started college at William Paterson and after a few weeks, I had control of my time, a good job and new friends. I threw that away for a number of reasons, but for better or worse I always wondered what would be different if I had stayed in school and rocked my way through it. Even though my great times outweigh my regrets ten-fold, this career opportunity puts me on a more stable and foreseeable course for right now and for the future. After years of half-assing things, delivering for pizzerias and never attaching myself to anything, professional stability is something worth striving for. Even though this means relocating and diving into something different, I have to do it and I know I will succeed. So there, I'm moving to Miami and I'm leaving on either Halloween or November 1st.

By the way, the Bouncing Souls are playing in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida the evening of November 1st, that could possibly impact my decision.

My Swiss Army Romance

Feb 25, 2008
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There's a knot in my stomach! I hope not, but my stomach has felt all types of off all day today. I woke up this morning and went to work but by 7:30 I had to leave because I felt like I was gonna throw up. My stomach is definitely my Achilles' heal.

This weekend flew by which made no sense because I had very little fun. I did spend a ton of time on the phone catching up with people. I spent some 800+ minutes talking on the phone this weekend (I just paid my bill). It was good to talk to Ashley, Alissa, Sarah, Sal, my mom and my uncle. Alissa and I talked for a long time Saturday night which was good, it felt like so long since we actually spoke as opposed to texting and im'ing...we're so technologically inclined.

So I recently wrapped up my first month away from home last week and it's been a long, very weird month. I moved down to Mooresville to take a huge step forward and yet I kind of feel like I'm walking through a museum by myself looking through the glass at my friends living their lives. I guess I'm used to being the one telling all the stories and showing off my new pictures of all the places I've been and now I'm pretty much listening. If I can sum up this month in one word, it would be: transitions. Notice I made that plural. I've been going through really turbulent changes in emotions about my life as of late. My feelings and thoughts about this move and everything that comes with it evolve seemingly every day. I went from being insanely stoked to race just yesterday to being pretty miserable here today...

For my own entertainment, here's a list of adjectives/emotions that have flown through me these last five weeks: excited, bored, contemplative, lame, lazy, energetic, lonely - or better yet: alone in a crowd, longing, doubtful, hopeful, homesick (x3,274), thoughtful(ness)...could I be wrong?

Two weeks ago I felt like I was putting down roots here but yet last night I find myself looking at apartment listings in Asbury Park. I've learned with love that you never know what you have until it's gone, and I'm learning that lesson now with friendships...times a million. I left everything behind to chase my dreams, question is; what's more important? I've heard from many people twice and thrice my age along with countless Ikea billboards on the Turnpike that home is the most important place in the world. I want to wake up somewhere and feel like I'm where I should be. I've never put anything in front of my friends, my experiences...until now, what will be the end result?

Moving out has made me increase my quantity (proof) and quality (up for debate) of my creative products. I've been writing here on Vox more than I ever have, and I feel like I've always got something somewhat interesting to say. Sarah Royal and I are currently working on a zine tentatively titled "The Kids From Jersey" which is going to be all about growing up in New Jersey, eventually leaving to move somewhere completely new and how being all about your home state impacts your transitions. Sarah, who I often refer to as my cousin even though we have no blood relation, has done some really amazing things creatively and I'm really stoked to work with her on a project I feel defines me with every breath I take: being so Jersey. (As I write this blog, I'm rocking an Asbury Lanes t-shirt)

Lanesshirt

Besides doing a good amount of composition on here, I've started a job writing short articles for www.sportsmemorabilia.com about certain things they're selling on their website. I don't think any of my stuff is up there yet but it will be over time. I found the job on Craigslist, and I found that the world really might be as small as we often joke that it is. I say this because the person I responded to for this job turned out to be my friend Maggie who I met in New Jersey but now lives in Miami while I'm here, and I responded to her ad that was on the central NJ page. Weird/crazy/awesome. On top of that I've been playing my guitars a lot down here and I've started to write new songs for the first time in many years. If the opportunity were to present itself, especially if involving certain friends back in Jersey named Dan Boyce, I'd have to think about music long and hard (that's what she said). Nontheless, that's far off and I've still got nails to pound here in North Carolina.

My friend Ashley and I were talking back in January about ranking people we're attracted to...sounds like my next Vox project...

Dreams/Guts/Destiny

Feb 12, 2008
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The TV writers' strike is finally over! Thank God. This is the first time in my life where I'm genuinely interested in television. I never really watched TV shows growing up, not ones with story lines, anyway. For me it was always about sports, news and the weather (in that order). Growing up (gulp) and the schedule (sigh) that comes with it really makes you appreciate being entertained every night by the warm glow of TV. I've been an avid Scrubs fan for about three years now and with this season, scratch that; series winding down, I'm very glad that the finale of the show will actually be shot and not be a memory left in Bill Lawrence (he's the creator) 's head. My friend Sal and I always have went back in forth with our favorite shows. His favorite shows, The Office, has (thanks to Sal) taken almost a 1b spot right behind Scrubs. I'm in an extra good mood tonight because I can catch two syndicated episodes of The Office tonight at 10. So that's definitely the most I've ever written about television, let's move on.

So Mitt Romney dropped out of the Presidential race this past week. To be honest I'm not that familar with Romney so I could really have cared less, it's been apparent for months that McCain would be the candidate for the Doucheb...I mean 'Republicans'. I've swayed back and forth between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. I'm 55% sure I'd vote for Obama should the election be today. Neither one of the two of them have really excited me. I lean towards Barack because I think he'd be more of a catalyst in changing the American involvment in Iraq as well as hopefully turn the nation's economy away from a recession. I really wish Al Gore would have run, this wouldn't even be a contest.

It still takes me aback a little bit when I hear a radio station or see a newspaper reinforce the fact that I'm in North Carolina. It's a situation that came about pretty quick and it's just a huge adaptation. I'm not sure if adaptation is the right way to define it because I'm still being an arrogant, I'm smarter/better/cooler/quicker than you kid from Jersey who loves to jab at kids from the south. I'm currently enrolled at Nascar Technical Institute down here in Mooresville. The school has a really bad reputation in the community because probably 30% of the students are jackass kids who tune their cars up and think every street is a race track. This somewhat brings me to my next point, the work I'm doing now is for guys who want to set up cars, be it for the street or for the track, or for dudes wanting to get into dealerships to do 'tech' on cars. I'm realizing with every day that I don't want to do that, I want to race...race as in drive. I hate making big changes when it comes to anything with schooling but I know this time I'm really close to what I want to do. I just need to straighten things out with school, work some more hours and get out to the tracks and try and find a ride. I don't think about failing but I feel that thought passing by my house every once in a while, waiting to try and break inside. I just never can think of my life as anything but a product of what I've wanted to do. I'm glad for that. One thing that really sucks is that as I'm getting used to the mindless monotony that is my job at the t-shirt factory, my asthma is kicking up and I know it's not from this pristine air outside. My symptoms of wheezing and having a slightly-tight chest have only arisen in the past three or four days which leads me to believe it has to be something I'm inhaling at work that's causing it. Shit. The irony of moving out of a city with horrible air quality to a place with amazing, crisp, cool air, only to wind up getting a job in a factory. How?

The other night I sat on the floor of my bedroom listening to an original version of Bruce Springsteen's "Greetings From Asbury Park" and I was so at peace with the world. This whole "top 4 places I might move" thing might just be a one-horse race.

Tough decision are best made under the influences of twelve fluid ounces of domestic beer.

QotD: My Wikipedia Entry

Dec 6, 2007
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Write your own Wikipedia entry for yourself (or share the link if you already have one).

General & Family Friends

Sean Joseph O'Rourke, born December 10th, 1985 in New Jersey is an amatuer race-car driver who often points to his Irish heritage and previous, vast life experiences as a catalyst for as he describes it 'living a full life'. Sean grew up in and currently resides in Bayonne, New Jersey. He shares a house with his mother Denise and stepfather Charlie. Sean has many actual and not-actually-related-to-him family members including actual cousins Andrew, Peter, Ahmed and Kim. He is closest to no-family-ties-whatsoever cousin Sarah Royal, originally of Bayonne, NJ. Sean often refers to best friends Dan Boyce and Sal Pellitteri as his brothers. Sean is currently engaged to Alissa Stampoulos of Monroe Township, NJ. Sean's list of past best friends is extensive and is listed here chronilogically; Joseph Delesky Jr, Jeffrey Brown, Ashley Malok, Sal Pellitteri & Daniel 'Nancy' Boyce.

Heritage

Sean is Irish and Native American of Navajo descent.

School

Sean attended school at Lincoln Community School and Bayonne High School in Bayonne, NJ. He graduated in the top 20% in 2004 despite majoring in slacking and general mischief. After graduating high school he attended William Paterson University of New Jersey where he studied music and english. He then took a hiatus to play music, travel and be further involved in general mischief. He studied blues during the summer of 2005 at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachussetts. He returned to school full-time in Spring 2007 at New Jersey City University to study english and biology. He withdrew from classes in September of 2007 because his NASCAR dreams came knocking earlier than he'd previously envisioned. Sean plans on finishing college after doing the thing his soul tells him to do to earn a degree in english.

Music

Sean served as guitarist and song-writer for New Jersey rock band Hudson for close to four years. He penned all of the songs on their debut EP, most notably "Not Giving Up" which was featured in 20th Century Fox's major motion picture "John Tucker Must Die". With O'Rourke, Hudson was noted for their catchy, high-energy songs played often at venues in New Jersey and New York City. During O'Rourke's tenure, the band performed at such notable venues as Krome, Networking Cafe and Maxwell's, among other in New Jersey as well as the Continental and Knitting Factory in New York City. Hudson played shows along bands such as Cartel, The Youth Ahead, Postmark September, Audio Karate and Punchline. There have been numerous rumors and signs pointing to a reuniting with Hudson however both sides have denied those reports.

After departing Hudson in March of 2005, Sean was a pioneering member of now-New Jersey rock staples Racing Kites. Through seeing the dedication of other members Dan Boyce, Alex Ziabko and Rick Szpakowski he decided that he could never give himself up to the band the way they did, and the two sides split.

Interactions

Along with having a self-described "great" set of friends, Sean has also been fortunate to meet some of his heroes along with people he has much admiration for such as the following: Bruce Springsteen, John Mayer, Jason Kidd, Jimmie Johnson, Rusty Wallace, Stephen Van Zant, Max Weinberg, Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, Travis Barker, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tre Cool, Greg Attonito, Pete Steinkopt, Bryan Kienlan, Michael McDermott, Mikki Moore, Alex Cora, along with members of bands such as Less Than Jake, New Found Glory, among others.

That was narcissistic.

QotD: As If I Need To Explain...

Dec 5, 2007
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List five reasons (at least) why you are awesome.
Submitted by goobers18.

1) I always drive and am always down for trips and spontaneous insanity.

2) I'm Irish.

3) I will eat almost anything not originating from China/Japan/Thailand/the sea.

4) For someone completely narcicistic I'm actually pretty humble and unassuming.

5) I will let you play with my iPhone in return for a favor of equal value; (coffee/flashing).

My Growing Pains

Dec 4, 2007
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So for the first time I actually am feeling a little aged. Albeit, it's 22...and I'm not even there yet. Next Monday is my 22nd birthday and I have no idea what I'm doing. I do know that this might be the first time I've flipped a calendar to December and not gotten really stoked about my birthday. Maybe I'm getting old and maturing (yea ok) but I think it's because January 15th is the date I'm really focusing on. I'm moving and I'm pretty anxious. Calling for apartments for some reason makes me nervous, I don't know.

The past few days have been good for me. I know I've been slacking on my Voxing but I've been keeping busy. It's been absolutely freezing here which I guess is a given but it somehow caught me off guard. Despite the freezing cold Dan and I are still pulling off all-night basketball games like we did Saturday and again last night. It's a good time, especially when we involve current kite racers Rick and Alex. It's good to hang around those two guys again lately. And as for Dan, the only time he ever agitates me (very slightly even) is playing basketball which I find to be actually fun anyway so it works out. I went through a long stretch of time thinking "if for some odd reason I were to find myself getting married this weekend, who'd be my best man?", and it's good to know I've got someone solid now.

Speaking of marriage I got to hang with a slightly under the weather yet still lovely Alissa Stampoulos last night at the Americana. She's one of the people I will really miss so much it'll hurt. Before I drove to the Americana I also got to hang out with Emma in Long Branch where we practiced our fatness eating twice in the course of less than an hour. Regardless, she's 'babely' and it's ok. Yesterday was a good day.

The world of sports for me has been hanging on one word that Curt Schilling titled a blog after perfectly: Santana? That's right, I am insanely intrigued by what the Red Sox do in this situation. I absolutely love Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Bucholz and Jon Lester as a fan and can't imagine what it's like to be shopped around as players are. This is how I think about this trade; there is one starter in the American League who I could see going pitch for pitch with Josh Beckett and it's Johan Santana. If you have the chance to assemble possibly the best five-man pitching rotation in the history of baseball (Beckett, Santana, Matsuzaka, Schilling, Bucholz/Lester) than I think you have to do it. I won't lose sleep with Coco Crisp as the Red Sox CF next season because he is my #1 defensive CF in all of baseball. When it comes to being a rabid baseball fan, I don't lose sleep anymore because Theo Epstein is the best GM in baseball and I know if this trade leaves a minute hole somewhere in the Sox organization, he has a plan to effectively fill it.

Nora and I are going to see the Nets play the Knicks tomorrow in what be my first trip to the 'new' Izod Center. I haven't been to a Nets game this year so I'm pretty excited. It's a big game for both teams, maybe the Knicks beating us in our house will get that taste of 45-point-ass-whooping-at-the-hands-of-Boston taste out of their mouths. I hope not. Richard Jefferson of the Nets is having a career year which is important because if we find ourselves completely out of the playoffs in the East come the deadline, we'll get a lot in return for any of the Big 3.

I currently rank the teams in the East like this:

1) Boston (Garnett may be MVP, they're in their own world right now)
2) Orlando (Dwight Howard, Stan Van Gundy is laughing at Pat Riley)
3) Detroit (see Perrenial)
4) Toronto (if Ford, Bargnani and Bosh can heal up they can play with anyone except Boston)
5) Cleveland (getting back LeBron and Varajeo is key)
6) New Jersey (Richard Jefferson career year, Sean Williams making impacts, VC and Kidd need to stay healthy)
7) Chicago (Hinrich what is happening?)
8) New York (better than Indiana, Atlanta, a Gilbert-less Washington, Wade-less Miami. Randolph and Curry; strong)

Is anyone else day-dreaming of a Boston/San Antonio series?

Is anyone else day-dreaming of a Beckett/Santana-led rotation?

Will the Steelers beat the Pats?

As a Jets fan I'm happy we escaped the possibility of being the only team Miami beats this year.

I couldn't tell you a thing about the NHL this season.

Is it Speedweeks yet?