Weekend Update 29 MAR 2015

Work

Work is about the same. As just about always. Since I do long range planning and budgeting, by nature it's low key and routine. If it got exciting, then something would be wrong.

We hold an annual conference for people and companies involved in construction and work on State buildings and facilities. This year's was last Thursday.

We try and have worthwhile and interesting presentations and educational sessions. The SCO Construction Conference isn't just a networking and bs meeting (although there's a lot of that too). From my geek point of view, this year's was one of the best ones and had presentations that focused on 'how to' do various things.

There is a followup event (the after-party) that is held specifically for networking. That's the HUB (Historically Underutilized Businesses) Social Meet and Greet that is held in immediately after the Conference. It's basically a cocktail social where minority and women's businesses can mingle with other contractors, State agencies and Universities to make contacts and get their names out there.

I haven't gone to the HUB event in several years. I already pretty much know everybody and I'm just not the type that enjoys small talk and bs gossip. There's a lot of lobbying going on - companies angling for work; Agencies and Universities wanting funding support; and so on. I really don't like lobbying and small talk. Actually, i pretty much hate it (I'd make a terrible politician). But, I think I'll start attending again. It's good to represent the State Construction Office and to give our implicit support by attending.

Home

I put a small pork loin in the slow cooker this morning. Along with small new potatoes and carrots. It's the same thing I did a few weeks ago. It's actually the same pork loin. I had cut it in half and this is the half that's been in the freezer.

This time I'm going with the tried and true eastern NC bbq sauce of vinegar, a little water and hot pepper flakes in the bottom of the cooker. Keeping it simple and cooking it on low setting.

Should be ready to eat when the basketball games start.

Basketball

Well, State's unexpected run to the Sweet 16 ended Friday night. It was a good game but Louisville looked just a little bit better than State - and won accordingly.

We never actually brought our full A game in the tournament. We should have lost the very first game. But, LSU did everything they could to help us make a comeback and win that game. Our best game was against Villinova. We played pretty well against Louisville, and it actually felt like we were the better team. We just couldn't put together sustained good play. It's hard to beat a ranked team twice in one season.

State surprised us fans this year. One of the most fun years I've ever had watching NC State basketball.

Notre Dame actually gave Kentucky a serious game and darn near pulled off the upset.

I'm looking forward to the Dook - Gonzaga game later today. That has the potential to be the best game of the NCAAT so far. Hoping Dook will make it to the Championship Game vs. Kentucky. I would expect that to be the game of the Tournament.

Here's to the Great Satan. I wonder if Coach K sacrificed enough small children and puppies before the season began? Hope Dook wins it all (but if I were betting, my money would be on Kentucky).

Think of it like High School

For us NC State fans, making it to the Sweet 16 is kind of like being back in High School.

We're the geeky, dorky kids - well liked, but we're not the super cool clique by any means. And all of the sudden - we find ourselves invited to the really cool kids party.

Sometimes we don't get invited anywhere (no post season), sometimes we get together with our neighborhood friends we grew up with (NIT) and sometimes we get invited to other partys (getting the at-large NCAAT bid). But making it to the round of 16? Well, that's for the cool, rich kids. We don't usually get to hang out in that clique.

Until this year. We there! With all the really cool kids.

The rich Dooks are there, the popular Arizona, Louisville and Wisconsin are there, the 'peaked in high school' Michigan State and Oklahoma jocks, the preppy UNC and Notre Dame are there, some of the edgy types like Wichita State and Xavier are there, and the all jock, all State, President of the Senior Class Kentucky is there of course, and even the hipster Gonzaga is there.

And us! We're not popular, the expected jocks, the all this or that. Yet somehow, we got invited. We're clearly not the center of attention. We're kind of hanging out at the edge, enjoying ourselves, just happy to be here.

So that's what it's like this year for State fans. We're surprised and delighted to be in the Sweet 16. Any thing else good that happens - well, that will be icing on the cake.

Hey - Who invited UCLA?

Weekend Update 22 MAR 2015 +Addendum

Well, let's see . . . did some chores and light house keeping over the weekend.

Made a fire in the fireplace Friday night. Not that it was really cold enough, but I've still got some of last year's firewood left and it was kind of damp and chilly - so the fire was nice.

Just finished having some cheese stuffed pasta with a homemade sauce. In a little olive oil I sauteed up some mushrooms, onion and then added some chopped up spinach at the very end. Cooking everything took all of five minutes. Very fresh and good.

Got a load of laundry going right now. After that, it'll be a relaxing evening and ready for work next week.

What else . . . what else . . .?

Oh yeah - NC STATE knocked off number 1 seed Villanova to advance to the NCAAT Sweet 16!!!!!





What a great time I've had this year watching State basketball. Being a Wolfpack fan is a roller coaster ride for sure.

This season was supposed to be a rebuilding year - and maybe, just maybe, if we got lucky, an NIT post season.

And things looked a little bleak in January when we got into a slump.

Then we started getting more consistent and then started pulling off some upsets (Dook, UNCheats, Louisville) and almost upsetting Virginia and ND.

All the time we'd mix in an inexplicable awful game - I guess just to see if the fans were awake and paying attention. LOL

Making it to the second weekend is well beyond any body's expectation.

Anything more is icing on the cake.

Also - Go Dook, ND, Louisville and (gasp!) even UNCheats!

Addendum

Of the 16 teams left - 5 are ACC; 11 are everybody else.

Of the 5 ACC teams - Finally, as it is supposed to be - 3 are from the Triangle - each about 20 miles from the other 2.

The only other place that comes even close to being basketball nuts like the Triangle is Kentucky - Louisville.

Kansas - Wichita State have a good rivalry. But it's more like a JV rivalry. Good, but not great.

I expected Virginia to lose their second game. Slow down play is not defense. It's just slow down play.

The State - Louisville game is a tossup. Winner faces (most likely) Oklahoma. Who (whom?) should be considered the serious favorite vs. State or Louisville.

At this point - you just don't know for sure who is going to make it to the Final Four. Well, except for Kentucky. History tells us it will be the 1 through 3 seeds with an occasional Cinderella.

I'm still liking Dook - Kentucky for the Championship.

Survive and Advance

Last game of the day, middle seeds of no interest to anyone but the two school's fans.

The NCSU - LSU game was pretty much like NC State Basketball all Season. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - all held together with a never give up attitude.

Both teams played great through the first half of the first half. Then NC State had a little melt down and let LSU get up by 10 at half time. And it continued into the second half. We were awful and were down by 16 with only 12 minutes left. No way to get out of this one. I was only hoping to get the score a little more respectable.

But - true to form - those kids refused to give up. They've done this all year long. They don't seem to care how far behind they are - they keep playing hard.

Down 12 and not a lot of time left.

Then suddenly, were only down 7 with minutes to go.

And then - We shoot a terrible 37% from that point on!

Nothing is ever easy if you're a Wolfpack fan.

LSU plays even worse - missing 12 field goals in a row and their last 6 free throws.



Here's the reaction at the Student Center on Campus -



To the LSU fans - our condolences. NC State fans know how you feel. We've been there, done that.

Villanova

Number 1 seed up next.

So which State team will show up? Who knows. It's a mystery, wrapped in a riddle, inside an enigma - covered in secret sauce.

I don't care if we lose to Vanilla Nova on Saturday.

Just watching these kids play so hard and never giving up is great by me.

Georgia State University

Georgia State is my other favorite team this year.

Ryan Harrow played for NCSU for one season; then transferred to Kentucky; then transferred to GSU. There were rumors of immaturity and parental interference. But he played for State and we always support our kids.

Harrow is playing for GSU along with Andre Ware - the guy who broke his leg in the NCAAT two years ago playing for Louisville. Ware eventually transferred to GSU because he needed a start over situation.

Plus - the GS coach is one of the happiest campers you'll ever see.



PS



Go Dook!

I Hope The Good Pack Plays

I enjoy the NCAA Tournament. It really is the best time of the year for me. I watch the games, even if NC State isn't in it.

Fortunately, we seem to have turned the corner where being in the Tournament is becoming routine. Although, the previous 3 years, we've squeaked into the field. This year, we knew we were in, even though we're still a low seed.

The goal is for it to become routine, like Dook or UNCheats. Making the tournament every year with a decent seeding - say a 5 or 6 or higher - i.e. a Top 25 team. Realistically it's the 1 through 3 seeds that have a real chance to get to the Final Four.

If winning it all were based on what a team looks like 'on paper' - then Dook or Kentucky or Cheats would 'win' each year. That doesn't happen. It takes a lot of luck, timing, and all the stars have to line up just right to win a National Championship.

State has a tremendous match up in the first game with LSU. They are almost just like us. When LSU plays great - they are almost unstoppable. Then the next game - they can play awful. Just like State.

I hope both LSU and State bring their "A" game. It should be a good one. I'd sure like us to win one game at least and then bring the "A" game again against Villanova.

My pick for the National Championship game is Kentucky - Dook.

While Kentucky is my pick to win it all - they'll have to be lucky to not lose that "one game".

Frankly, if you take Kentucky out of it, this year's NCAAT field is wide open.

Dook 77 - State 53

Oh My God, They Killed Kitty . . .

You Bastards!!!

All Joking Aside . . .

It was a hard collision.  "Cat" Barber's head bounced when he hit the floor. Latest reports are that if he has a concussion, it's mild and he should be OK.

Weekend Update 8 MAR 2015

Saturday 4 PM

NC State Basketball



The Syracuse game was a great way to end the regular season. We played about as solid a game as we have all year and (mostly) dominated a top team. Every game we play - we can win. Not a lucky win - but a solid win. We can also play baffling (bafflingly? - is that a word?) awful too - like the BC game last week. In fact, I think I'll just pretend that BC game didn't happen.

I don't care about the ACC Tournament anymore. It used to be fun when there were 8 ACC teams - and only the winner (and for a few years the winner plus 1) went to the NCAA Tournament. Now, I just don't really care. I don't even watch it. I'd just soon lose early, go home, and rest up for the NCAAT.

This year we're solidly in the NCAAT. The last 3 years we've been one of the last teams in. And in Coach Gott's first year - THE VERY LAST. We are likely an 8 or 9 seed. Which, assuming we win our first game, will get us a match up with a number 1 seed. Gee - what a reward for playing well. LOL

The team is headed in the right direction. In true NC State fashion - wait till next year! If everything goes the way it should, we'll be a top 25 team and a 4, 5 or 6 seed. Or maybe even . . . . .

Next year, if the top ACC teams are Dook, UNCheats, Virginia and State - well, that's kind of like it was during the Valvano days - when Ralph Sampson was at UVA. And Maryland was coached by Lefty Driesell and also in the mix. I guess Louisville or ND will take UMD's place.

Later on tonight is Dook at UNCheats. I'm pulling for The Great Satan.

Picked up Chick-fil-A on the way home. I think I will have mine after I finish this Saturday part of the post.

Work

Work is about the same. Nothing new or really that interesting to write about.

Cooking

Have a roast beef to cook tomorrow. With red potatoes and carrots and onion. Got a real good cut so I'll roast it in the oven rather than using the crock pot. Hope it turns out good (and not dry). Darn thing cost $14 (1.6 pound) so I don't want to mess it up.

Sunday 4 PM

When I got up this morning I made a fire in the fireplace. It looks like the weather forecast is finally turning warm so this morning was possibly the last fire of the season. I read and did some office work and enjoyed the fire till about noon when I let it finally die out.

I had a load of wood delivered about 3 weeks ago - it's stacked and will be nicely seasoned by this fall.

Later I changed the water in the hot tub. I keep a close eye on water conditions and test it regularly. The water was fine but I typically change some of it every couple of weeks to keep it as fresh as possible. The afternoon was so nice, I decided to change it completely.

Cooking Part 2

Just put the roast in. I'm letting it brown under the broiler first, then I'll cover it and let it roast at a much lower temperature, probably around 300, for about an hour or until the thermometer / temperature says it's done medium well. The potatoes and carrots are in a separate dish and I'll add a complete stalk of sweet onion later.

I put a little bit of red wine in the bottom of the roasting dish to add a little flavor / moisture. Otherwise, it was just kosher salt and ground pepper. We'll see how it turns out.

Sunday 7 PM

The roast turned out OK. I overcooked it - so it was very well done. I checked it too late with the thermometer and it was already well past medium. I think I'll use the slow cooker in the future. It's hard to mess up pot roast in the slow cooker - it always comes out 'fall apart' tender.

If I want Prime Rib or similar - best to get it at a restaurant from someone who does it all the time and knows what they are doing.

The potatoes turned out great. The carrots - overcooked.

So - pretty much a typical weekend.