Playoff bound boyeee!

With the unlikliest of finishes, Real Salt Lake slipped into the playoff bracket by the skin of its teeth. After falling short in so many of its final games, RSL got a bit of luck on the final matchday of the regular season. Not only did it have to win its final game against archrival Colorado, but the squad depended on favorable results from 4 other matches this past weekend. One by one, each game seemed to go as hoped for, including RSL's 3-0 blank on the Colorado Rapids. Though the win would only tie the claret-and-cobalt with 2 other teams on points, sitting on 40 points each, Real would move into the playoffs thanks to a goal differential of 8. The 2008-2009 season marked the first playoff berth in the club's existance. This season will go down as a monumental back-to-back playoff appearance. It will be tough to follow up last year's showing, in which RSL made it to the western conference final. But head coach Jason Kreis is more optimistic and recently commented that he feels more confident in this year's team
and its ability to come out on top. If you've never been to a game, now's the chance! This Saturday our boys will take on the defending champion Columbus Crew. The atmosphere is incomparable and unlike any other sporting event. I can guarantee it'll be worth the $15!
Gooooo Real Salt Lake!!!!

Andy Goldsworthy... definitely cool

Andy Goldsworthy is a British artist that creates artwork in nature without using anything artificial. This is a piece he did entirely out of fall leaves. I don't know how he has managed to create some of the things he has, but definitely take a second to check out some of his stuff.

Here's a website that shows some of his greatest stuff - http://www.morning-earth.org/ARTISTNATURALISTS/AN_Goldsworthy.html#top

¡Ahora sí!

I've been staring at this picture for 20 minutes trying to figure out what I want to say about these babies... maybe I should go eat something first.
Problem solved.
Since the time of the Aztecs, mankind has enjoyed the taco. The primitive taco was a flatbread made from corn called a tlaxcalli, wrapped around locusts, snails or small fish. It's origins trace back to the region of Southern Mexico.
The tlazcalli has evolved into the tortilla and is traditionally filled with meat, topped with onion, cilantro and salsa to make up the modern taco.
Tacos are eaten throughout Mexico and their popularity has grown around the world, especially in the inner-cities of the U.S. I'm currently making a website on taco eating in downtown Salt Lake, with a directory and ratings of various taco shops and taco stands in SLC. Authentic tacos can include virtually any meat, so it's somewhat important to know what type of taco you're eating... unless you don't mind eating cow tongue or brains :)
I'll update the blog with my taco findings as they come.

Rip it up!

Dogs and skateboarding -- both cool. A dog that can skateboard??? Over the top!

How can I teach my dog to do that? I have a beagle and all he does is sleep and sniff stuff. There's one thing that motivates him: food. He'll eat anything and if there's ever a chance for him to do a trick or be obedient, he needs a bribe. Hold a piece of pretty much any food and he's got the focus of a biochemist on the brink of discovery.

Everybody has heard of the old adage that dogs are man's best friend, but there's a lot of truth to that. For the most part, dogs crave attention and positive reactions from their masters. Aside from wanting to be wild and free, dogs love to serve and be included. When my wife and I got our dog Bud, we decided to have him be an indoor dog so that he would feel part of the family. He never helps around the house and pretty much loafs around all day, but we've enjoyed just having his presence when we're going about our daily lives. We've taught him to sit, shake, lay down, and play dead. I don't think I'll ever get him to ride a skateboard, but I would like to teach him to howl on command since he's got a great hound dog howl. I just have no idea how to go about teaching him that. Any ideas?

Bundle of Joy

I know that the purpose of this blog is not to be a personal log, but I DID just become a dad last Friday... and that's pretty cool! What is cooler than being a kid??? Riding bikes, building forts, swimming, going on vacations... everything's so great as a kid. As I think of having kids of my own, I'm able to relive the joys of life through a child's eyes! I've been thinking of all the great and the good in the world. We live in such an amazing world and I get so excited to be able to show that world to a new little stranger!

If you love West Ham stand up!

I happen to be somewhat of a soccer fanatic. I've enjoyed the game all my life as a player and a fan. While the sport has come a long way in the U.S., it still doesn't hold a candle to the popularity and fanaticism the sport draws from the rest of the world's billions of inhabitants. The English Premier League is regarded as one of the top leagues in the world, and football, as it is in Europe, is an absolute religion.

In April of this year, my wife and I had the chance to make voyage across the Atlantic Ocean and witness firsthand, the passion of the British for their football. Upton Park, in East London, is the home of the legendary club West Ham United. While the club isn't yet considered a European football giant like such English teams as Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea, its history goes back over a century long. And while each club has faithful supporters in England, West Ham supporters hang thier hats on a reputation of passion.

In 2005, a movie called Green Street Hooligans was produced to depict the passion of such football fans... more specifically, West Ham fans. For the majority of football clubs in England, gangs have been formed to ensure die-hard support for the club. These rival gangs (called firms) riot and fight in the stands and the streets for thier clubs, sometimes to the death. In the movie, a college student from the U.S. (Elijah Wood) moves to England for a summer and gets involved with the notorious West Ham firm. The movie demonstrates the violence and passion of these fans, and bitter hatred for rival clubs. The firms don't use guns as gangs here in America typically use, their violence is demonstrated through street fighting with bottles, fists, and knives. Hooliganism is illegal and banned, so many times rival firms will arrange ahead of time of a meeting point for their showdown. The movie captures the hatred between West Ham and its greatest rival Millwall. The two teams don't face each other often as they are typically in different divisions, but when they do, rioting and violence is sure to break out.

I decided to make a post on West Ham United for a few reasons, but one of the most pertinent was that about 2 weeks or so ago, the club WAS paired up with Millwall in a rare matchup in the Carling Cup. And sure enough, chaos between the two club's supporters. Fans running on to the field, riots in the streets, and even a few stabbings. For better or for worse, hooliganism is alive and well at Upton Park, and it almost came straight from the movie. I would like to note that I do not intend to glamorize violence or hooliganism in any way, shape, or form, but the intensity and passion for the game does intrigue me.

The atmostphere at these games is unbelievable. The WHOLE crowd sings and chants together, and each game draws a sellout crowd. I went to a West Ham game while in England and was in awe. It was incredible.

Soccer is cool. West Ham is cool

It should also be noted that I am an avid fan of soccer in the U.S. and support our local boys of Real Salt Lake (more to come on that)

What's cool...

Tha Mass Media is always telling people what's "cool", why can't I? I had a hard time narrowing my blog topic down, so I thought it might be interesting to switch it up a bit from week to week. I'll share some of my interests with a little background and history, not to moralize my readers, but only to shine some light on some topics that I find cool. I look forward to feedback and hope to have a horizon-broadening experience all around!