The Spider and the Fly

I'm not sure about you, but I am a dreamer. I dream a lot (in my sleep), and I typically remember a lot of them. I used to keep a dream journal to keep track of my dreams, and over the years I've had some crazy dreams. Shrinking rooms ... gun fights ... a snake wearing a tie rolling a donut (Dude, wait ... what?). And this week has been no exception.

I went to sleep the other night and my back was just killing me. I guess a combination of that, and having a lot on my mind, resulted in this dream. I dreamt that I had been bitten by a spider, and that it had laid eggs inside my back (Eeeewwwww gross, right?!). Then, as the lump in my back got bigger, I had to have someone cut my back open, and all I can remember from the dream was hundreds of tiny spiders crawling out of my back and me screaming ... "Get them out, get them out."

Seriously. What the heck?

So I pulled up this dream dictionary and searched "spiders" and "dreams" ... and look at what I found!

(Dream Dictionary: http://www.unclesirbobby.org.uk/dreamessayspider.php)

SPIDERS: Spiders are a little like snakes in that they usually refer to something bad in your life. They will usually refer to some situation where you feel trapped or stuck. Perhaps you dislike your job and wish to move to something more interesting. Perhaps you feel stuck in a relationship. Just think of those emotions about being caught in a spiders web. Where do you feel that same sense in real life or been unable to move.

QUESTIONS: to help you make associations(pick the one that makes most sense to you)
- Do you feel stuck in some relationship?
- Are there some responsibilities that are holding you back?
- Do you feel unable to escape some situation or relationship?
- Are you wanting to make a decision but unable to right now?
- Do you feel trapped right now?

KEY WORDS: Stuck, trapping, depression, lack of freedom, responsibilities holding you back, unable to escape, wary(write down some quotes that capture your key feelings on issues that have been dominating your mind. Then see if any of these words could appear in those quotes)

KEY PHRASES:(Pick a quote which captures your feelings right now. Think especially of the day before the dream) :
- "I feel trapped in depression"
- "My family will just not let me have my freedom"
- "I don’t feel she can ever escape from this situation she has got herself in"
- "This problem is dominating all aspects of my life"
- "I feel trapped in my job"
- "I have not got the freedom to do that because of my responsibilities"
- "I am just stuck here"
- "I feel unable to make a decision"
- "I am trying to entice them"
- "I have finally got my man!"

Wow. This is all so very interesting to me, seeing as I just let go of something in my life, and am in the process of letting go of other things that are associated with it. It is just remarkable to me when you stop and think about how the brain works. That it could associate spiders being released from my body as letting go of something that is holding me back. The mind most certainly works in mysterious ways!

So ... have you had any interesting dreams lately? Do tell! And hopefully they are not as crazy and dramatic as mine seem to be lately!

Cheers!

The Ultimate Notre Dame Weekend

Volvo's Biggest Fan of the Big East Contest has presented us with our second challenge, and this one is truly a dream blog post for me. "Pick 5 or more things that you HAVE to do when you return to your Alma Mater ... places to see, best bars, best food, cool places on campus, etc." Yup, anyone who knows me, knows this is RIGHT up my alley.


Since I graduated from Notre Dame, there has not been a year when I have not made it back to campus at least once, if not more. We usually make it back for at least one or two sporting event weekends, and then often times head back for conferences or reunions. Being back on Notre Dame's campus reminds me that you really can go home, and so I cannot get back there often enough!

Here is my "Ultimate Notre Dame Weekend" list of places to go, things to do and people to see! Fasten your seat belt in that shiny Volvo S60 (see photo above!!) ... it's gonna be a wild ride!

Let's start out with food. A weekend at Notre Dame typically includes food at the following two establishments ... CJ's and Tippecanoe Place. CJ's is our Friday night dinner place. CJ's is known for their great pub burgers, and has been a student favorite since 1984. When I was in school, CJ's was just a hole in the wall. They recently had a fire and had to rebuild. The new CJ's is bigger and better than ever! Now we not only include CJ's in our Friday night dinner plans ... but also for a little dancing on Saturday night as well, as they now have a dance floor! Go figure!

The second "ultimate weekend" food stop is brunch at Tippecanoe Place. Tippecanoe Place is the former Studebaker mansion. It is one of the premiere landmarks in the heart of South Bend's historic district, and the mansion is teeming with the charm and grace of yesteryear. The gracious spirit of the past still thrives in the mansion's 40 rooms with their wealth of fine antiques, 20 gorgeous fireplaces, and hand-crafted woods. This is definitely a must see experience during a trip to Notre Dame!

Moving on to nightlife, there are two spots that just can't be missed on a weekend to Notre Dame ... The Linebacker Lounge and Corby's.

The Linebacker Lounge is a favorite of students and alumni alike! The Linebacker Lounge was founded in 1962 by former Notre Dame football player Myron Pontios, and local businessman Stan Pisek. They converted the building which had been an old drive inn into the now famous bar. The Linebacker has been featured on the Travel Channel, "College Towns", and in October 2006 was the remote location for the television broadcast of ESPN's "Mike and Mike in the morning" show. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be on a Notre Dame weekend than at the 'Backer singing "Oh What a Night!"

Corby's Irish Pub would be the next "ultimate weekend" nightlife stop on a weekend at Notre Dame. Corby's Irish Pub is a famous Notre Dame bar. The pub was established in 1990, and the movie "Rudy" was filmed at this location, which sealed the pub's popularity. Corby's is a very spirited Irish establishment and is the perfect place to be on football weekends when droves of alumni flock back to reconnect and relive their glory days!

As far as things that must be seen on campus, the list is long. For starters, no trip to Notre Dame would be complete without a "get your photo taken in front of the famous landmarks" on campus tour. Touchdown Jesus, Fair-Catch Corby, and First Down Moses are definitely must see campus landmarks.

The large mural on the wall of the Hesburgh Library which faces Notre Dame Stadium is lovingly nicknamed “Touchdown Jesus,” because it mirrors the raised arms of a referee signifying a touchdown. The mural is officially titled, “The World of Life,” and was created by Millard Sheets in 1964, and depicts the resurrected Jesus. It is absolutely a must see stop for any visit to campus, and can also be seen from inside the stadium! TOUCHDOWN!!

The next must see place on campus is the Grotto. From the day Rev. Edward F. Sorin, the founder of Notre Dame du Lac, embarked from Le Havre, France, bound for his mission in the New World, Mary, the Mother of God, was his guiding star. The culmination of this early Marian devotion can be seen today in Notre Dame's stone grotto, designed to closely replicate the grotto in Lourdes, France where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette. The Grotto has since become a favorite devotional spot on campus. People of all faiths have found rest and peace in this place of quiet reflection. The beauty of its natural setting, the soft candle glow, bestow a feeling of warmth and welcome upon it's visitors. No tour of Notre Dame would be complete without a visit to this peaceful shrine nestled among the trees in the shadow of the Golden Dome, to light a candle and say a prayer. (Spring at the grotto photo, courtesy of Kathleen Souder)

After your stop at the grotto, take a walk around one of the two lakes on campus, and then continue the spiritual part of your weekend by visiting Badin's Log Cabin Chapel and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Badin's Log Cabin Chapel is one of the oldest landmarks on campus, and it is a must see for any visitor to Notre Dame, new or old.

The one-and-one-half story log chapel-cabin was built by Badin in 1830 and when Sorin arrived a decade later it served as living quarters (ground floor) and a house of worship (attic space) for several months until a larger log house was constructed. With the completion of this second structure (located east of Badin's building), Badin's chapel assumed two secular functions. The first floor was a carpentry shop, while the second story became a crowded dormitory for the brothers who, by 1843, numbered 18 men. Religious services were then held in a chapel in the larger log structure. (Log cabin history taken from: A Spire of Faith: The University of Notre Dame's Sacred Heart Church, by Thomas J. Schlereth. Sunlight over the Badin Log Cabin photo, courtesy of Kathleen Souder)

Your next stop is the Sacred Heart Basilica, which stands in sharp contrast to the simplicity of the Log Cabin chapel. It's majestic blue and gold will literally take your breath away. Our favorite Mass at the Sacred Heart Basilica is the 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning Mass. We have affectionately nicknamed it "Smells and Bells" because you get a healthy dose of incense, and the Notre Dame Liturgical Choir provides the beautiful music.

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Notre Dame, Indiana, is the largest Catholic Church on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. It also serves as the mother church of the Congregation of Holy Cross in the United States. The neo-gothic church features 44 large stained glass windows and majestic murals which were completed over a 17 year period by Vatican painter Luigi Gregori. The basilica bell tower stands 218 feet (66 m) high. The current basilica was preceded by a smaller structure erected in 1848 by Father Edward Sorin, CSC. The current neo-gothic church was begun in 1870 and consecrated by Bishop Joseph Dwenger on August 15, 1888.

Situated right next to the Sacred Heart Basilica, one of the most well known campus sights is The University of Notre Dame's Main Administration Building (known as the Main Building or the "Golden Dome"). The Dome houses various administrative offices, including the Office of the President. Construction of the Main Building began in 1864 and was finished in 1865. The building stood for 14 years before being destroyed by fire in the spring of 1879.

Father Edward Sorin’s unbreakable will was best demonstrated in 1879 after the disastrous fire destroyed the Main Building, which housed virtually the entire University. Father Sorin willed Notre Dame to rebuild the Main Building and continue its growth. "I came here as a young man and dreamed of building a great university in honor of Our Lady," he said. "But I built it too small, and she had to burn it to the ground to make the point. So, tomorrow, as soon as the bricks cool, we will rebuild it, bigger and better than ever."

Immediately after the fire, the University took action, selecting a new design by Willoughby J. Edbrooke and began construction. The current Main Building was completed before the fall semester of 1879. The Golden Dome that caps the Main Building was a gift from the sisters of the adjacent Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame's sister school. The Golden Dome stands 206 feet above ground level, and 125 feet above the roof of the Administration Building. The Dome, gilded in gold leaf, is 139 feet in circumference at its base and is topped by a statue of the Blessed Virgin which is nineteen feet high.

One other tidbit about the Dome, if you happen to be on campus for a football weekend, a must see event at the Dome is "Trumpets Under the Dome." The trumpet section of the University of Notre Dame Marching Band Band gathers inside the Administration Building and plays the Fight Song and the Alma Mater under the Dome. It is definitely something not to be missed! Here is a video so that you can check it out!

Trumpets Under the Dome:



There are two more things that round out my "Ultimate Notre Dame Weekend" list. One is a trip to the bookstore. No matter how many times we head back to campus, a trip to the bookstore to buy more Notre Dame stuff is something that always happens. It's not as though I don't already have an entire closet full of Notre Dame t-shirts, hats, hoodies, and more ... but there is no way I can go home empty handed after a trip to Notre Dame.

And last but not least ,in the people to see category ... look for famous people! Both as a student and an alum, my friends and I have seen, run into, and met many famous people at Notre Dame. Some of the people we have crossed paths with along the way include: Regis Philbin, Dick Vitale (his two daughters lived in my dorm!), Digger Phelps, Lou Holtz, Rudy, Julia Roberts, Vince Vaughn, Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift. However, the most notorious sighting remains O.J. Simpson, sitting three rows in front of us at the 1993 Notre Dame/Florida State game, with Marcus Allen!

I think that list is about as comprehensive as any list you're going to find! My best friend from college and I took four newbies to Notre Dame this fall for a football game. After a jam-packed football weekend at Notre Dame, I was told that I am the "Mayor of Notre Dame" because apparently all I did all weekend, between running them from must-see-stop to must-see-stop, was shake hands and kiss babies!

So there it is ... my "Ultimate Notre Dame Weekend" list. The only thing that I can think of that would make a weekend at Notre Dame even better would be riding around in a new Volvo S60! Well, one can dream at least!!

Hey, if you haven't stopped by my Biggest Fan of the Big East profile page yet, please stop by and show your support and cast your vote for me. I would greatly appreciate it!

Cheers!

Let Me Tell You ...

My apologies in advance ... tonight's blog post is going to get a bit sappy!

I believe in the healing of story. I think it's good for people to talk it out. There is something clarifying, curative, restorative in the telling; some would call it "therapeutic." Ernest Hemmingway once said, "If he wrote it, he could get rid of it. He had gotten rid of many things by writing them."

The act of sharing is good for the recipient, too. The hand-off from story-teller to listener is an exchange of trust and understanding. And more is imparted in that transaction than the story itself. Storytelling is gift-giving.

One night when I was very little my father sensed my being heavy-hearted. I can't recall the reason for the gloom, but I remember standing in the kitchen while he asked me to tell him about it. "You can't help," I said. "Just tell me," he said. So I finally revealed my burden, and he responded with some inconsequential advice, like "That's too bad, but I'm sure it will all work out."

But what he said next I will never forget: "When you hold something in and carry it by yourself, it can feel really heavy. But when you share it with me, there's two of us carrying it and that makes it lighter." He was right; it was true. I felt lighter, uplifted, liberated even.

Telling stories is in our nature, it makes us human. We tell stories over dinner, with wine, in dorm rooms late at night. It's communal.

Storytelling -- whether in person, over the phone or in a theater, whether fable, parable or myth -- is a way of conveying truths much bigger than words alone can hold. And those stories help define us, remind us who we are -- whether family, culture or institution.

In a story the lost are retrieved, the fallen redeemed, the darkness lit and the tragic laced with humor. And the humanity we have in common can be at once offered up and blessed. (Excerpt from the Autumn 2011 Notre Dame Magazine, inside cover, from Kerry Temple '74)

I love the holidays. I love the holidays because they bring friends and family members together, and allow for many opportunities for all of us ... old and young alike ... to pass on stories. Stories of what is currently going on in our lives, of what our hopes and dreams are, and wonderful stories of moments past.

I love the stories of Christmas past. Or the stories from Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Mothers and Fathers ... of the things they did when they were young. It makes our lives somehow more connected. And it makes them a little bit more relatable to us when we see that they were not perfect either.

I can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon than sitting with my Grandmother, and listening to her tell stories. Stories of her and her siblings when they were kids. Stories of her first job. Stories of when she and my Grandfather were first married. I simply cannot get enough of them. I wish I had asked my Grandfather to tell us more stories before he passed, and so now I pry stories out of my Grandmother any chance I can get!

I just wanted to take a moment this evening, during this season of thanksgiving, to express how blessed I am to have the family and friends that I have. I hope the next few weeks, during the holiday season, give us all ample opportunities to express to our loved ones how much we care about and appreciate them, and to sit and story tell until our hearts are bursting with love.

"The very act of storytelling, of arranging memory and invention according to the structure of the narrative, is by definition holy. We tell stories because we can't help it. We tell stories because we love to entertain and hope to edify. We tell stories because they fill the silence death imposes. We tell stories because they save us." ~James Carroll

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and I wish you all the best as we head into this blessed holiday season.

Cheers & God Bless!

Send Me An Angel

This week's edition of Retro Friday features the band Real Life and the song "Send Me An Angel."

Real Life are a Melbourne-based Australian New Wave/Synthpop band that had hits in the early 1980's with "Send Me an Angel" (1983), which was their debut single, and "Catch Me I'm Falling" (1983). Both of these hits were featured on the band's debut album Heartland (1983).

In it's conception, the band consisted of David Sterry (lead vocals and guitar), Richard Zatorski (violin and keyboard), Alan Johnson (bass) and Danny Simcic (drums). Steve Williams (keyboard) replaced Zatorski in 1986, who was then replaced by George Pappas in 1996 after a long hiatus of band activity.

After very limited success with their second album titled Flame, which was released in 1985, they formed a new band called Zatorski, and recorded an updated version of "Send Me an Angel". In 1989 Real Life released a new version of "Send Me an Angel", titled "Send Me an Angel '89", which fared slightly better than the original in the United States, and reached a peak of #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the summer of 1989. The video for the 1989 version was identical to the original except Zatorski was edited out of all shots. The Australian video of "Send Me An Angel '89" was shot in Ormond College, The University of Melbourne, with Steve Williams on keyboard.

I love the song "Send Me An Angel." The song is about a man who asks himself whether or not he finds true love, and he asks the heavens to send him an answer! The keyboard sounds used in this song were very characteristic of the synthpop songs of the 1980's ... a classic retro song in my mind!

Okay ... here's a little "Send Me An Angel" circa 1983 for your listening pleasure!



Cheers!

Tainted Love

Today's edition of Retro Friday features Soft Cell and the song "Tainted Love."

Soft Cell are an English synthpop duo who emerged on the music scene in the early 1980s. They consist of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo is most widely known for their 1981 worldwide hit version of "Tainted Love" and the platinum debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret. In the United Kingdom, they had ten Top 40 hits, including "Bedsitter" which reached the number four spot, "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" which reached number three, "Torch" which reached number two, and "What!" which reached number three. They also had four Top 20 albums between 1981and 1984. The duo split in 1984, but reformed early in the 2000s to tour and released a new album in 2002. Their songs have been covered by various artists including Nine Inch Nails, David Gray, Nouvelle Vague, Marilyn Manson and A-ha.

Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" was released in 1981 and was a No. 1 hit in 17 countries, including the United Kingdom, as well as a No. 8 single in the United States in 1982. It also went on to set a Guinness World Record at the time for the longest consecutive stay (43 weeks) on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song's popularity developed slowly, needing 19 weeks to enter the U.S. Top 40. The A-side of the 12 inch single of "Tainted Love" actually featured a two-song medley, with "Tainted Love" blending into the Motown classic "Where Did Our Love Go" ( which was originally recorded by The Supremes).

According to Marc Almond's book Tainted Life, when Soft Cell had finished the recording of the "Tainted Love" they only had modest expectations that the track might break into the UK Top 50. Furthermore, Almond wrote that the only significant contribution that he made to the song's instrumentation (besides the vocals) was the suggestion that the song should begin with a characteristic "bink bink" sound which would repeat periodically throughout. Almond also wrote that he dedicated this song to his sometime partner Christian Andrews.

I love the song "Tainted Love" ... especially the mix with "Where Did Our Love Go." Shortly after college we got tickets to see the band Dishwalla play at this local club in St. Louis, and they played their version of "Tainted Love" ... which was amazing ... and made me love Dishwalla even more!

And now ... here's some Soft Cell and "Tainted Love" for your listening pleasure!



Cheers!

Biggest Fan of the Big East - Big East Media Day Video

Have you seen it yet!? The video they took of the Biggest Fan of the Big East contestants at Big East Media Day in New York City is up on YouTube! I thought I'd share it with you all for your viewing pleasure. Fortunately, there is only a tiny snippet of me in the vid ... I looked like a drowned rat that day! Ahhh, NYC in the rain!



Enjoy ... and don't forget to keep sharing my All-Time Big East Dream Team blog post on Twitter and Facebook ... so that I can fully rep Notre Dame as the Biggest Fan of the Big East!

Cheers! ... and GO IRISH!!

Big East Dream Team

As a newly elected contestant in the Biggest Fan of the Big East contest, I will be charged with eight challenges. This go round, my mission, should I choose to accept it, is to pick an All-Time Big East Dream team, consisting of current and/or former Big East players. After hours of pouring over the record books and hallowed records of the great scribes, I have my team!

1. Patrick Ewing, Center, Georgetown (1981-1985)

I can't think of a better person to start my list with other than Center, Patrick Ewing. His style of play became the standard for one of the great post traditions in college basketball, and he led his Georgetown Hoyas to three national championship games in his four seasons (winning the crown in 1984). His career numbers are simply mind boggling: 2,184 points (second in school history), 1,316 rebounds (first) and 493 blocks (first, though the stat wasn’t officially kept by the NCAA at the time).


2. David Wingate, Guard, Georgetown (1982-1986)

My starting list is heavy 1980's Georgetown players. They seem to epitomize what Big East Basketball is to me. Guard, David Wingate was not only an elite defensive player, leading his team in steals his sophomore year, but he was also a danger offensively, averaging 11 points per game overall, and a staggering 16 points per game his senior year. He was a key player on the 1984 national championship team, and is sixth in Hoya history with 1,781 points and fifth with 209 steals.


3. Reggie Williams, Forward, Georgetown (1983-1987)

Reggie Williams, a.k.a. "Silk", also had an outstanding collegiate career at Georgetown. In his four seasons, his numbers were amongst career leaders in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals in school history, finishing no lower than seventh in any category. During his freshman year, he scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds against the University of Houston in the 1984 national championship game which the Hoyas won 84–75. As a senior, Williams was the leader of a young team which became a national championship contender. During his senior season he led the Big East in scoring, and led the team in rebounding, steals and blocked shots, and was third in assists. As a result of Williams's success that year, Georgetown's coach John Thompson gave the team the name “Reggie and the Miracles”.


4. Allen Iverson, Guard, Georgetown (1994-1996)

Although he only spent two seasons at Georgetown, Allen Iverson was one of the most overpowering players the Hoyas have ever seen. Iverson holds the single-season records for points (25 per game) and steals (124), and in just two seasons he cracked the career Top 20 in points, steals and assists. He won the Big East Rookie of the year award and two Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards, and was named to the All Rookie Tournament First Team. His short time at Georgetown propelled him into a successful NBA career and eight trips to the playoffs!


5. Chris Mullin, Guard/Forward, St. Johns (1981-1985)

Chris Mullin played shooting guard and small forward at St. John's University from 1981-1985, during which he won Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year three times.

In his freshman year, Mullin averaged 16.6 points per game (also setting the school freshman record for points scored). In his subsequent three years at St. John's, he would be named Big East Player of the Year each year, AND named to the All-America team three times. He also lead the Redmen to the 1985 Final Four. Mullin finished his career as St. John's all-time leading scorer.


Bench

6. Alonzo Mourning, Center, Georgetown (1988-1992)

If Alonzo Mourning did not have to follow in the footsteps of Patrick Ewing, he would have had an excellent chance at being the best center in the history ... of almost any school. As it is, Mourning sits in fourth place in program history with 2,001 points, third with 1,032 rebounds and second with 453 blocks. He led the nation in blocked shots his freshman year and was an All American his last year there. He is definitely a Big East All-Star Dream Teamer!

I can't think of a better way to show you his blocking skills than by letting you watch them!




7. Rashad Anderson, Guard/Forward, Connecticut (2002-2006)

Anderson averaged 15 points per game during his career at Connecticut and scored in double figures in 50 games, including 11 games with 20 or more points. He scored a career-high 33 points against Morehead State in December of 2005, sinking seven of seven three-pointers. He had a knack for hitting shots at key moments of games, and is known as one of the best clutch three-point shooters in college basketball history. Anderson also finished his career with 276 three pointers, the most in Connecticut history.

Anderson left Connecticut with 1,432 points, ranking No. 18 all-time, an overall record of 109-28, a Big East tournament win and a national championship to his name.


8. Khalid El-Amin, Guard, Connecticut (1998-2000)

El-Amin is one of the most successful point guards in Connecticut history. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.9 rebounds per game for his career. He was a compact, tough guard, who could ignite at any moment. He scored 24 points in a half, two times. He was a fantastic shooter and hit 195 total three pointers. He was also clutch under pressure, hitting game winners when need be and more importantly, knocking down two free throws at the end of the 1999 national championship game against Duke to give Connecticut the 77-74 win.

El-Amin ranks eighth all-time at Connecticut for total assists with 479, sixth all-time in total steals with 186 and 10th all-time in total points with 1,650. He is Connecticut's fourth all-time leading scorer with 1,922 points, and a career average of 19 per game.


9. Kemba Walker, Guard, Connecticut (2008-2011)

Kemba Walker was Connecticut's savior. He rescued the Huskies, after going 18-16 in 2010, and took them on a continuous tear, through the Big East tournament, and all the way to the 2011 National Championship.

Walker had one of the best individual seasons in NCAA history, averaging 23.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. He was named a Consensus first team All-American and was also the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player.

He set the Connecticut record for most points in a single season with 965. He finishes his Connecticut collegiate career ranking seventh in scoring with 1,783 points, seventh in steals with 185 and 10th in assists with 460. He has career averages of 15.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game.


10. Carmelo Anthony, Forward, Syracuse(2002-2003)

Carmelo Anthony displayed the finest single freshman season in Syracuse basketball history, taking his Orangemen to their first NCAA tournament National Championship in 2003. 'Melo' as he is called, played with a constant smile and a low key personality that made him not only a fan favorite, but a teammate favorite, too. The consummate player, he could handle anything that the game threw at him, and handle it well. He was the ultimate team player, improving all those around him.

Anthony was solid that entire season, but in the Final Four, he took his game to a new level. Against Texas, Anthony led all scorers with a career high 33 points, giving the Orangemen a 95-84 victory. In the NCAA Finals, Anthony played a strong first half, both scoring and rebounding. When Kansas decided to focus on him in the second half, he redirected his contributions from scoring points to pulling down more rebounds and providing several key assists. Syracuse would go on to win the National Championship and Anthony would be the tournament's MVP. During his only year at Syracuse, Melo was tops for the Orangemen in scoring and rebounding, was on the Big East first team, Big East Rookie of the Year, and was a first team All-American.


11. John Morton, Guard, Seton Hall (1985-1989)

John Morton was a four-year starter for the Seton Hall Pirates from 1985-1989. Morton scored an outstanding 1,621 points in 131 career games. He averaged 12.8 points in 1987-88 while helping lead Seton Hall to its first NCAA Tournament berth. He led the team in scoring, averaging 17.3 points per game, in 1988-89 and was also named Third Team All-Big East during the Pirates' memorable run to the 1989 national championship game. In the overtime loss to Michigan (and the "Fab Five") in the title game, Morton put up a game-high 35 points, hitting eleven field goals, and four three-pointers. He currently is tied for the career games played record at Seton Hall with 131, ranks fourth in assists (452) and steals (207), seventh in career three-point field goal percentage (.391) and 11th with the 1,621 career points.


12. Chris Thomas, Guard, Notre Dame (2001-2005)

I had every intention of selecting Derrick Coleman from Syracuse for my last spot, but I had to go ahead and fit in my token Notre Dame player!

Chris Thomas was one of four captains of the 2003-04 Notre Dame squad, and currently holds the number eight spot on the Notre Dame career scoring list with 1,783 points. He owns the Irish career record for assists with 638, and his collegiate career scoring average of 18.0 points per game ranks 11th on Notre Dame's all-time list. He is also in second place over all in three-point field goals made (250) and three-point field goals attempted (682), third in steals (184), and 11th in three-point field goal percentage. In 2002, he was named the Big East Conference Rookie of the Year and All-Rookie Team selection, and was selected twice for the Big East All-Conference team. He was also the 2002 National Freshman of the Year, and recorded the only triple-double in Notre Dame history against New Hampshire on 11-16-01 (24 points, 11 assists, 11 steals).

Well, that's all folks. That's my All-Time Big East Dream Team. I'm sure there are some folks on here that you may or may not agree with, and I'd love to hear your two cents worth! Drop me a comment and let's debate!

Cheers! (and GO IRISH!)

You Shook Me All Night Long

This week's edition of Retro Friday features the band AC/DC and the song "You Shook Me All Night Long."

AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. They are most often classified as hard rock, and they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, even though they themselves have always classified their music as plain old "rock and roll". To date they are one of the highest grossing bands of all time. AC/DC underwent several line-up changes before the release of their first album, High Voltage, on 17 February 1975. Band membership remained stable until bassist Mark Evans was replaced by Cliff Williams in 1977 for the album Powerage. Within months of recording the album Highway to Hell, lead singer and co-songwriter Bon Scott died (February 19, 1980), after a night of heavy alcohol consumption. The group briefly considered disbanding, but Scott's parents urged them to continue and hire a new vocalist. Ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson was auditioned and was ultimately selected to replace Scott. Later that year, the band released their highest selling album, which was also the second highest-selling album by any artist, Back in Black.

"You Shook Me All Night Long" is one of AC/DC's signature songs from their above mentioned most successful album, Back in Black. The song also reappeared on their later album Who Made Who. It is one of the band's top 40 hit singles, reaching number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in 1980. The single was re-released internationally in 1986 following the release of the album Who Made Who.

The song's title quite possibly comes from the song "You Shook Me", a Muddy Waters blues song, in which he sings the line "you shook me all night long".

"You Shook Me All Night Long" placed at No. 10 on VH1's list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s". It was also No. 1 on VH1's "Top Ten AC/DC Songs". In the song, the lead singer Brian Johnson relates the story of a night with a beautiful woman.

The song "You Shook Me All Night Long" has also become a staple of AC/DC concerts, and is almost never excluded from the set list, and it is also widely known as their signature song, competing with "Back in Black" and "Highway to Hell" for the title.

For some reason, this song has Freshman year written all over it, which somehow I find quite amusing. I have this distinct memory of this song being played, at almost every dance Freshman year. Heck, at every dance in college. It, for whatever reason, was one of those anthems that just had to be played at dances!

Okay, and on that random note, here's a little AC/DC and "You Shook Me All Night Long" for your listening pleasure!


AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long by hushhush112

Cheers!