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As my plane teetered into Salt Lake City's airport, I was greeted with a blanket of snow and an icy wind.  I naviagated my way through the airport even though the signs were a bit confusing and headed to pick up my rental car.  The lady from National was really sweet and we had a nice little conversation as she got me my car.  The conversation was mostly centered around how apprehensive I was to drive in the snow again. I mentioned that I was really glad that this time I at least had a Chevy Malibu and it was a gentle snowfall as opposed to the last time I had to drive in the snow, when it was a blizzard and I was armed only with a KIA Rio...much better.

As I approached the car, I saw an object that once again made me glad that I have lived my life in warm climates.  Never will I ever want to have an ice scraper be a necessary piece of equipment in my car.

I threw my bags in the car and headed off to my hotel.

Pulling out of the parking garage, I quickly learned that the defrost needs to be on when the snow is actually falling.  I learned this lesson as I noticed the lines in the road gradually disappear and I no longer knew if I was still in the right lane, or a lane at all.  So as quickly as possible I cranked up the heated defrost.

I actually began to be able to see the road again so the next obstacle was getting over my fear of driving in the snow.  I would be lying if I said that for the first few miles I wasn't driving like a 80 year old in Boca, but hey, don't judge, I almost died twice in an hour last January in Minnesota.

It took a little while but finally I was able to drive at a normal speed and arrived at my hotel safe and sound.  I picked up the stuff that had been shipped to the hotel for me, ordered some pizza and settled in for the night.

Adam 1, snow 0.

The Monterey Pennisula is one of the places in California that I have most certainly looked forward to visiting.  Especially since I missed a great opportunity to see it with my sister a few years back and she has never let me live it down (and rightfully so).  So I was really excited when I learned that I would be flying in there and would get to spend some time in this lovely Utopian place, as it had seemingly been described to me.

However, what was going to be a two day stay in the Monterey/Salinas area wound up being a divided trip between Monterey/Salinas and Fresno.  Now for those of you not incredibly familiar with California's geography, these two places are over three hours apart.  So my trip to Monterey would again be altered.  I didn't mind too much though, since it meant more work and that's always a good thing.

Always trying to be the optimist, I made it a point to make the most of my time there no matter how short it may be. So I enlisted the help of some friends that are familiar with the area to at least get a recommendation for lunch.

It seemed that Cannery Row was the place that I should head.  It is a quaint little area right by the water with a number of shops and restaurants lining either side of the street until it ends at the Monterey Aquarium.

So after I picked up my Ford Fusion from Enterprise, I was off toward Cannery Row.

It took me a couple tries to find the part of Cannery Row that I was looking for, since apparently the street divides off at some point, but my destination wasn't too far down the road.  Once parked I could immediately see why I was told to come here.  It had a really chill, laid back feel about it and people were just strolling up and down the street checking out the shops.  It was exactly the way a place by the water should be.

I figured I should wander up and down the street a little ways to decide where exactly to strap on the old feed bag, when shortly into my walk I was greeted by a nice man with a hell of a deal. 

See one of the few good things about the current economic climate is that businesses are having crazy deals and specials in order to attract customers.  So as I walked past Paradiso Trattoria, the man offered me a free calamari appetizer if I would come in and have lunch.  I looked over the menu, peeked in through the door to see what the decor was like, and decided this was a pretty good place to stop and grab lunch.

They showed me to my table which had a great view overlooking the water.  I mean an absolute great place to have a relaxing lunch before going to speak to a gynasium full of Juniors during the last period of the day (there are two things it's hard for in school speakers to compete with, the end of the day and lunch).  I knew it'd go well, but it'd take a little more effort so I was looking forward to a calm lunch.

And with a view like this to look at.  I figured that was well on its way to happening.

I, of course, took that good man up on his offer for the Calamari appetizer and then decided that for lunch it was going to be some Prawn Scampi.

As they prepared my food, I just sat there and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the nice breeze.  A few minutes later, they brought out the appetizer.

Now I would be lying if I said that I was absolutely amazed by the Calamari, it wasn't bad, but wasn't anything to write home about.  Even though I am a bigger fan of grilled calamari, I still do enjoy me some fried calamari and this wasn't the best I'd ever had.  I was wondering if I was going to have a similiar experience with the Scampi.

It didn't take to long for me to find out.  Just as I was finishing up the last bite of the calamari, the waitress brought out my Scampi, a Scampi that looked like it was going to completely make up for the so so calamari. A dish that was about to give my lunch the redemption it needed.

Oh and it did. After she put my desired amount of parmesan cheese on that bad boy, I dove right in.  It was delicious.  A tasty sauce with nice flavor throughout every bite.  Nice big shrimp and plenty of them.  This definitely completed my lunch experience. I was satisfied with my lunch choice.

Well time had ticked away quicker than I wanted and it was time to hit the road.  I had to make the twenty-five minute drive up to Salinas and had to be at the school at least a half hour before the presentation. So I got my check, enjoyed one more glance at the view and I headed back to the car.

It was time to deliver a great presentation up the road, hop in the car drive three hours across the state, stay the night in Fresno, deliver a great presentation there, just to come back to the same school in Salinas to do it all again before flying back home to Los Angeles.  But hey, it was damn good Scampi.

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I sign into my email and the email is from my Regional Manager at Monster and it's my flight information for my upcoming trip to a small, little town in the great state of Washington called Clarkston.  Now I have no idea where Clarkston is, so naturally I have no idea what flight path I'm going to take to get there.  The only airport I'm actually aware of in Washington is Seattle (I know, my knowledge of the geography of the American Northwest is lacking to say the least).

Now, I am fully aware that to anyone else, there would probably be no reason for elation or even slight excitement over this particular flight itinerary.  I know that most people when they have there eyes scan this particular airports name from left to right would not feel the sudden joy that I did.  However, this slightly dorky, big kid in an adult body was really happy to see it.  The Looney Toons and Bugs Bunny fan deep inside of me erupted with utter jubilation at the reading of the destination city of Walla Walla, Washington.

There have been two cities that I have been excited to visit for Looney Toon related reasons.  The first of course is Albuquerque, since we all know Bugs Bunny always says he should have made a left turn at Albuquerque.  The second city is Walla Walla.  For those who don't recall, it is because toward the end of a great Looney Tunes episode called Translyvania 6-5000 Bugs Bunny says it amidst a number of magical words.  It is awesome.

So like very few other people, I was excited to head off to Walla Walla.

The dense clusters of trees and expanses of water; it is truly a great sight to see.  Especially because I apparently have the best luck ever when it comes to visiting Seattle.  I know it is supposed to be really foggy, rainy, and overcast, but it has always been sunny when I have been there.

I had a 2 hour layover in Seattle's airport and I am so glad they built that airport with huge windows.  As you look out past the tarmac, you get to see beautiful snow-capped mountains adorned with huge pine trees.  It was an absolutely great time to be there.

After getting some work done, it was time to hop onto the crop dusting regional aircraft that was going to take me the last leg of my trip to Walla Walla.

Now before I bash the little plane that carried me to my Looney Tunes paradise, I have to give some mad props to this particular Horizon Airlines flight.  See they did not only offer complimentary Coke products, oh no, they also offered complimentary wines and microbrews that are locally brewed in Walla Walla.  Apparently there are a number of wineries and breweries there.  It was really nice to enjoy a nice glass of wine after and before the turbulence bounced us around a bit.

The plane touched down, I'd like to say smoothly in Walla Walla, but that was really not the case and it was off to grab my rental car.

Maybe I should have checked my itinerary a bit closer before I landed, but apparently after 5 plus hours of air travel, I was about to embark on 2 more hours of driving.

Clarkston was 2 hours away from Walla Walla and it was a drive through land as undeveloped as when the pioneers first pushed west.

It was a beautiful drive though.  It had just rained the few days before I got there so everything was lush and green.  Beautiful rolling hills lined my drive through much of my journey only to give way to huge evergreen covered mountains.

I had two presentations to deliver in Clarkston.  One to the parents and one to the Juniors and Seniors.  Clarkston was a little city that was as warm and quaint as the people who inhabit it.  The people there were such open and friendly people.  It was truly a great place to speak and I was welcomed there so fondly.

I got a chance to speak to a number of the parents and students and hear their stories and their plans.  I heard the stories and hardships some of them faced trying to move refinery pieces through the harsh northwest climates, accidents that made them have to leave the paper mill, stories of perseverance and reinvention.  It was the type of trip that makes what I do so enjoyable.

Then it was back to the rental car to drive back to the hotel and catch an early 6:50am flight back to LA. Thanks Washington for a great trip.

However, then I went into Starbucks the other day and I didn't even have to order.  The girl just holds up a venti cup with my order already on it.  It was very Cheers like, it was cool for them to remember, but also tells me maybe it's time for an intervention.  Perhaps coffee anonymous meetings should be in my future.

Image via Wikipedia

Here is the video that explains why I am so excited to go to a random place that I have only heard of one another time and that was when Willard Scott wished some lady her 104th birthday and it was brought to me by Smuckers. Do enjoy it, because it really will remind you why Looney Toons are so damn awesome!

via www.adammichaelwalsh.com

As a college football fan, I am so sick of seeing an unranked Big East team or a 4 loss ACC team going to a BCS Bowl Game because of their conferences automatic qualifying bid. All the while solid undefeated teams from non-BCS conferences like TCU and Boise State are wondering if they'll even make it to a BCS game if they win out, let alone get the rightful shot to play in the National Title game.

The National Title debate I'll leave as a dog for another fight. This fight is about the unfair prejudice and bias given to certain teams because they happen to be in a "superior" conference therefore they have more rights and privileges than those of the "lesser" conferences.

Image by Hawk Eyes via Flickr

Image via Wikipedia

Ironically, even though I am currently bashing the BCS system, I do not advocate a switch to a playoff. To me that would be throwing the baby out with the bath water.

I firmly believe that the BCS is not the problem. Rather the true problem is the built in inequalities that were put into it by the people who devised it. It's the bias and prejudice of some who feel that some teams and conferences are innately and perpetually better than others, therefore deserve a easier way to a major game with a huge monetary pay off that is truly hurting college football.

This is something I think all college football fans would be ok with because those conferences don't have a team deserving of playing in a BCS game. The highest ranked team in the ACC is Virginia Tech and they are ranked 16^th and may sneak into the top 10 if they keep winning. The Big East's best team already has 4 losses and isn't even ranked.  Nobody argues they deserve a place in those games.

The other conferences are not only represented but some are represented more than once.  Oklahoma State is from the Big 12, there are two PAC-10 teams with Oregon and Stanford, two SEC teams with LSU and Auburn, and three Big Ten teams with Ohio State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin.  I don't think there need to be special rules in place to make sure you get to play in these games, it looks like you all are doing fine on your own.

 I’m sick of this idea that the teams in these conferences are better just because they are in these conferences.  Yes, these are strong conferences that have some of the best teams in the nation.  However, they are not all good teams.  These conferences also have the Vanderbilts, the Iowa States, the Dukes, the Indianas, and the Washington States.  Just because you are in these conferences doesn’t mean you are automatically better.

 Nonetheless when you hear the “experts” talk about the BCS and the non-automatic qualifiers, the exclusionary rhetoric that is used is almost reminiscent of racism.  That these teams should be lucky to even be as highly ranked as they are and that the BCS teams are just far superior teams.  Some of the teams from the other conferences are good enough to play against and should have the same shot as the teams in the BCS conferences.  Just like many teams in the BCS conferences are just as bad as the worst teams in the non-BCS conferences.

If your conference and your team is that much better, then why do you need the special consideration? The answer is you don't. This system would create true equality among teams and the best teams will play in the best games. We'll have amazing match ups to watch and won't have to watch 4 loss teams get pounded by a far better team because their conference guaranteed someone from there was going, no matter how bad that team may be.

By: Adam Michael Walsh

Image via Wikipedia

 Kobe Bryant appeared in a commercial endorsing a war video game.  They are claiming that he is promoting violence.  No, I'm pretty sure he is just promoting a video game.

They are comparing it to some crappy album Allen Iverson put out back in 2000 and claim that he is promoting inner city violence.  If Kobe Bryant and Jimmy Kimmel were promoting Grand Theft Auto 4 then maybe there would be some validity in these arguments.  But they are not.  They are in a commercial for Call of Duty, a video game about our military. 

Cover of Jimmy Kimmel

Get over yourselves people.  It's a video game.  Get off of Kobe's back and get off of Jimmy Kimmel's back.  We are taking this way too seriously.  There are actual problems in the world to deal with.  In fact, some of them you have brought up, although irrelevantly, in this particular discussion.  It's not an issue of race or suburbs versus inner city.  It's an issue of PS 3 vs XBox 260.  This is serioulsy ridiculous (you're welcome for the oxymoron).

By the way, the American public also doesn't think it is an issue.  The poll results they just shared showed that 77% of people don't think it's a problem that he appeared in the commercial.  Thank you America for being reasonable human beings.

Here's the commercial for those who have not seen it.

 
For a school that is so prestigious academically, it is a real shame that they would implement a strategy so dishonest, misleading, and certainly not fitting of the reputation of Berkeley.

Faking injuries is a cowardly way to try and win. It is a total admission of the other team’s superiority. It says, we cannot win the game by establishing a solid run game of short passing game to control the clock. We most certainly can't stop Oregon by throwing them off their normal game using any mean between the whistles, so WWE style football it is. We will slow down their tempo by pretending to be hurt. Bad MTV Reality shows don’t have acting this bad. 

I personally feel this makes light of those players who actually suffer injuries during play. This sleazy crying wolf exploits the rightful attention and careful treatment of injuries in college sports.

Sadly, I've reluctantly come to expect this crap from the NBA or ,worse yet, professional soccer. However, I thought at the college level we taught our student athletes to play with honor, sportsmanship and integrity. I thought collegiate head football coaches’ jobs, in addition to winning football games, were to make these boys men.

I know they didn't technically break any rules, but there shouldn't have to be rules against faking and injury. That's the football cop out equivalent of kicking a guy in the balls to win a fight.

Sure it’s technically not wrong, it just takes all the skill out of the contest.  Plus, it’s just messed up.

Oregon fans not pleased about faking injuries

By: Adam Michael Walsh

Staunch College Football fan and opponent of the groin kick