Tread Lightly Young Raider

I hate to dwell too much on the men's basketball team, especially when there are so many other great student athletes on campus, not to mention so many other great students who don't even play a sport.

However, this time of year, it's inevitable...especially given the success of our team and the fact that their games are a big part of my life.

Well, the Butler men's squad took one on the chin against the Drake University Bulldogs on Saturday evening. It was Bulldogs versus Bulldogs in a dog fight that would make even the likes of Michael Vick blush. It was indeed a hard fought game and while Drake gave us all we wanted, perhaps it was our own mistakes that cost us the victory. Or maybe we had some help too. (Yeah, I said it.) You decide...

More game pictures by Brad Ward at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradjward/sets/72157603974817341/

Oh well, if we had to lose, I suppose there's no shame in losing to our own kind. I'd rather go down to a fellow Bulldog than some joke of a mascot.

Speaking of mascots, I almost had the last laugh against "Spike," the Drake Bulldog, on Saturday night. This embarrasing representation of the breed nearly left part of his leg in Hinkle Fieldhouse courtesy of my teeth! Hey what would you do if that deranged looking Eastern Grey squirrel came charging you and your mom in the stands?

Turns out he was just rallying his fellow Drake fans, but I thought he meant blood. Luckily my mom pulled me off just in time. Sorry Spike!

Congrats to Drake and good luck in the NCAA tournament.

Left dispirited from the loss, I can't help but consume myself with the thought of cleansing my palate from defeat's bitter taste. What's the best way to overcome defeat? Through victory, of course!

Next victim: The Wright State Raiders. Remember, they took us down by one point earlier in the season at their place. Combine our angst from Saturday with our loss to them earlier in the season and this could get ugly.

I even saw a Raider lurking around my den earlier this morning. I will share his fate with you later in the week.


The game is scheduled for this Thursday at 9 p.m. (EST) and will be aired on ESPNU. It's also Young Alumni Night at Hinkle Fieldhouse. I will be there and I hope you will be too!

After all, you just might end up on camera! That's right, Kelly of The Indianapolis Star will be following me around to shoot more video for my profile. She hung out with me around the office and at home on Friday afternoon and is coming back for some game footage on Thursday. The profile should be featured online sometime during the NCAA tournament, next month.

Well, as The Bangles once said, "it's just another manic monday," and I've got work to do...and so do you!

So have a great week and I'll report back soon.

Blue II

P.S. If you are a runner and are in the Indianapolis area, then you need to get yourself signed up for BUSF's 16th annual Bulldog Jog! Originally held during Homecoming weekend, will take place on Saturday, March 1 on the Butler campus. Proceeds from the 5K run/walk will benefit the Butler University Student Foundation Book Scholarship. Visit here for details to sign up: http://www.butler.edu/alumni/index.aspx?pg=4393

Cardboard Box Destruction

An Anonymous reader recently asked, "Blue II--Why do you hate/destroy cardboard boxes?"

First of all, I don't hate cardboard boxes, however, I have been known to destroy a few in my day.

I'm not really a destructive dog. I know what's mine and what isn't. I'm not one to chew up shoes or things around the house. I stick to my own toys and leave much of everything else alone.

Except for the cardboard box. When I see one, I can't help myself. It's just so much fun to just let my canine instincts run free for a bit and sink my teeth into that corrugated fiberboard.


I don't remember how that actually got started. I think just working in an office environment kind of led me to that routine. There's always plenty of boxes around and sometimes I feel the need to let out some aggression or draw some attention to myself, so it works.

Enough talk about it already...it's better if you can behold the wrath of destruction on video, so I've posted one below. I went ahead and used a "Drake University" box and pathetic stand-in of "Spike," the Drake Bulldog, for this rendention of box obliteration.

I used Drake in honor of Butler's game against them on Saturday, Feb. 23 at Hinkle Fieldhouse, as a part of ESPN's Bracketbuster Saturday. You could easily insert any other rival or opponent.

Also, no Drake Bulldogs were harmed in the making of this video, but a cardboard box most definitely was.

I hope you enjoyed the video. It was my pleasure to make for you, trust me!

Speaking of videos, my dad says I'm going to be the subject of an Indianapolis Star video profile very soon. Stay tuned for details on that!

Blue II