I heard this interesting tidbit of news on WBAL this morning. Apparently there is a computer programmer, Jerry Jalava of Finland, who lost part of his finger in a motorbike accident. When he went to the hospital for treatment, the doctors joked that they should replace his finger with a USB thumbdrive.
But the guy didn't take it as a joke.
Instead of just wearing the prosthetic finger, the computer programmer decided to embed a USB thumbdrive underneath the fingernail of the prothestic. The thumbdrive is 2Gigs, so whenever Jerry needs to transfer data, he just takes off his finger and plugs it into the USB port. When he's done, he simply pops out his finger-drive and continues on his merry way. Sounds more like a sick Halloween joke than a modern invention. But on the bright side, it brings a whole new meaning to the word "thumb drive".
If you don't believe me, you can check out Jerry's blog here.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The end of the game
I was standing by my seat, staring out at the 5,000 seat arena. I had that feeling between excitement and nervousness. This was one of the biggest basketball games of the season, and I was going to experience it. TV camera’s were being set up as we set up our instruments. This was going to be a good game.
Then the doors opened.
A sea of green flooded down through the arena gates and into the student section. Binghamton was making this a “white-out” game, and soon the sea of green turned white with “BU Zoo” t-shirts. The BU Pep Band was playing some tunes, and we were waiting our chance to flaunt our mad musical skills to the Bearcat audience.
And then finally a stream of fans decked in UMBC apparel trickled into enemy territory. Although not as numerous as the BU fans, we still had a lot of spirit and filled up the majority of the seats next to the Pep Band. It was nice to see students making the 4 hour bus ride to support the home team.
Words can’t do justice to the game. At times it was impossible to hear oneself think because the BU fans were cheering so loud. We tried to compete, but I’m sure our cheers and yells were hard to hear over the deafening sounds of the stadium.
We started off good, making the first basket, but then things went downhill from there. BU slowly crept ahead on the scoreboard and we tried to keep up. The refs made several bad calls on our team, leading to several free throws for Binghamton. That was all they needed to secure a lead in the game.
During the last ten minutes of the game, you could tell that UMBC was getting frustrated. Coach Monroe, who had already taken off his jacket during the first five minutes of the game, was yelling instructions to his players from the sidelines.
During the last 3 minutes of the game, BU had victory in their sights. We tried several times to make a basket, but all of our attempts ended in either a turn over or a foul. By the end of the game we were pretty upset at the refs, who had made some very bad calls, and I’m not just saying that because UMBC lost. I’m told that even the ESPN anchors were commenting on the lack of calls made by the refs.
And at the sound of the final buzzer, instead of a sea of black and gold, a mob of BU fans stormed the court. Confetti fell from the ceiling as fans hugged each other and rejoiced in their first ever championship win. I caught a glimpse of our team before they headed back to the locker room. Chauncy Gilliam looked like he had tears in his eyes. They were so close to winning their second chance to play in the NCAA tournament, and now it was all over.
After the game, the bus was real quiet. It had been a long weekend, but we were hoping to make it all the way to the NCAA tournament. As we sat on the bus waiting to begin the long trip back to Baltimore, we had a visit from two special guests: Jay Greene and Coach Randy Monroe.
As Jay walked up the steps, you could see the defeat in his eyes. It was his senior year, and it would have made his year to go to the NCAA tournament. He told us how much he appreciated our support. “You guys are the best band in the conference.”
When Coach Monroe boarded our bus, his tie was undone and he looked tired. It had been a great season for his team, and he was sorry to see it end in such an upset. He also thanked the band for their support and reminded us that the basketball team supports us in all that we do.
So now I sit in my seat next to Andrew Cleveland, who is playing Pokemon on his laptop while The Little Mermaid (don’t ask why) is playing on the overhead TV. It’s been a long weekend, but I’m glad that I got to experience this during my first year at UMBC. Two trips to two tournaments, and many memories that will not be forgotten. I’m ready to do it again next year. And who knows, maybe we’ll go all the way. GO BIG DAWGS!
Then the doors opened.
A sea of green flooded down through the arena gates and into the student section. Binghamton was making this a “white-out” game, and soon the sea of green turned white with “BU Zoo” t-shirts. The BU Pep Band was playing some tunes, and we were waiting our chance to flaunt our mad musical skills to the Bearcat audience.
And then finally a stream of fans decked in UMBC apparel trickled into enemy territory. Although not as numerous as the BU fans, we still had a lot of spirit and filled up the majority of the seats next to the Pep Band. It was nice to see students making the 4 hour bus ride to support the home team.
Words can’t do justice to the game. At times it was impossible to hear oneself think because the BU fans were cheering so loud. We tried to compete, but I’m sure our cheers and yells were hard to hear over the deafening sounds of the stadium.
We started off good, making the first basket, but then things went downhill from there. BU slowly crept ahead on the scoreboard and we tried to keep up. The refs made several bad calls on our team, leading to several free throws for Binghamton. That was all they needed to secure a lead in the game.
During the last ten minutes of the game, you could tell that UMBC was getting frustrated. Coach Monroe, who had already taken off his jacket during the first five minutes of the game, was yelling instructions to his players from the sidelines.
During the last 3 minutes of the game, BU had victory in their sights. We tried several times to make a basket, but all of our attempts ended in either a turn over or a foul. By the end of the game we were pretty upset at the refs, who had made some very bad calls, and I’m not just saying that because UMBC lost. I’m told that even the ESPN anchors were commenting on the lack of calls made by the refs.
And at the sound of the final buzzer, instead of a sea of black and gold, a mob of BU fans stormed the court. Confetti fell from the ceiling as fans hugged each other and rejoiced in their first ever championship win. I caught a glimpse of our team before they headed back to the locker room. Chauncy Gilliam looked like he had tears in his eyes. They were so close to winning their second chance to play in the NCAA tournament, and now it was all over.
After the game, the bus was real quiet. It had been a long weekend, but we were hoping to make it all the way to the NCAA tournament. As we sat on the bus waiting to begin the long trip back to Baltimore, we had a visit from two special guests: Jay Greene and Coach Randy Monroe.
As Jay walked up the steps, you could see the defeat in his eyes. It was his senior year, and it would have made his year to go to the NCAA tournament. He told us how much he appreciated our support. “You guys are the best band in the conference.”
When Coach Monroe boarded our bus, his tie was undone and he looked tired. It had been a great season for his team, and he was sorry to see it end in such an upset. He also thanked the band for their support and reminded us that the basketball team supports us in all that we do.
So now I sit in my seat next to Andrew Cleveland, who is playing Pokemon on his laptop while The Little Mermaid (don’t ask why) is playing on the overhead TV. It’s been a long weekend, but I’m glad that I got to experience this during my first year at UMBC. Two trips to two tournaments, and many memories that will not be forgotten. I’m ready to do it again next year. And who knows, maybe we’ll go all the way. GO BIG DAWGS!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Women's America East Basketball Championship
Today the UMBC Pep Band was on the road…again. I got up this morning around 1, after having about 3 hours of sleep. The band arrived at the RAC at 2:15 this morning and boarded a tour bus for our trip to the women’s America East Conference quarter finals. Our bus left around 3 AM, and with only one rest stop, we were able to make it to Hartford, CT in about 6 hours. The bus ride was pretty unexciting, and most people slept during the ride up. In fact, as I type this entry now we are on our way to Binghamton, NY. “Boondock Saints” is playing on the TV screens, and mostly everyone is asleep. I guess that’s what staying up all night will do to you. But now back to today’s events.
Once we arrived at Hartford University, we once again had to wait to set up our gear until the basketball teams had finished practicing in the arena. We played a few pregame songs, as always starting with “Land of a Thousand Dances”. Once the game started, the Pep Band did their best to root for the Big Dawgs and cheer the team on to another victory, but our efforts weren’t good enough. The women’s team played pretty well, but they just couldn’t make enough baskets to counter the 3 pointers that Binghamton kept sinking.
But there were several highlights of the game: 1) Freshman guard Michelle Kurowski lead the Retrievers with 23 points. She scored the majority of the team’s points during the first half and helped keep the Retrievers in the game. Look out Carlee, you’ve got competition. And 2) The Pep Band and the Boston University Pep Band (who had arrived early for their game @ 2) got the chance to play together. This 45+ piece combined ensemble and the great acoustics of the Chase arena made for a powerful sounding band that helped to rally the crowd and support our home team.
Looking back on today, it would have been cool if the women’s team won their game today, but on the flip side, at least the Pep Band only has to play at one game tomorrow and can then make the bus ride back to Baltimore. After spending 8 hours in a bus seat you long for your own cozy bed.
Although today ended in an upset, it was still a good game, and the trip was enjoyable. The Pep Band is looking forward to the men’s game tomorrow, and hopefully we’ll leave victorious. Time to catch some sleep now. That hotel bed looks really comfortable…
Once we arrived at Hartford University, we once again had to wait to set up our gear until the basketball teams had finished practicing in the arena. We played a few pregame songs, as always starting with “Land of a Thousand Dances”. Once the game started, the Pep Band did their best to root for the Big Dawgs and cheer the team on to another victory, but our efforts weren’t good enough. The women’s team played pretty well, but they just couldn’t make enough baskets to counter the 3 pointers that Binghamton kept sinking.
But there were several highlights of the game: 1) Freshman guard Michelle Kurowski lead the Retrievers with 23 points. She scored the majority of the team’s points during the first half and helped keep the Retrievers in the game. Look out Carlee, you’ve got competition. And 2) The Pep Band and the Boston University Pep Band (who had arrived early for their game @ 2) got the chance to play together. This 45+ piece combined ensemble and the great acoustics of the Chase arena made for a powerful sounding band that helped to rally the crowd and support our home team.
Looking back on today, it would have been cool if the women’s team won their game today, but on the flip side, at least the Pep Band only has to play at one game tomorrow and can then make the bus ride back to Baltimore. After spending 8 hours in a bus seat you long for your own cozy bed.
Although today ended in an upset, it was still a good game, and the trip was enjoyable. The Pep Band is looking forward to the men’s game tomorrow, and hopefully we’ll leave victorious. Time to catch some sleep now. That hotel bed looks really comfortable…
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
More Praise for the UMBC Pep Band
So ever since the Pep Band got a shout out on an Albany sports blog, I've been keeping an eye out for more mentioning of the band in the blog world. I've even set up Google alerts to email me whenever there is a story published that has the keywords 'UMBC Pep Band'. With any luck, I'll probably get an email once this entry is posted.
Because I set up this alert, I got an email the other day telling me about a post that was made on a blog praising the pep band. I'll post the link below so that you can check it out for yourself. The blog also mentions some things about the men's team, so be sure to check that out also. As I get more alerts I'll post links to the stories.
Here's the link to the most recent story about the UMBC Down and Dirty Dawg Band.
Because I set up this alert, I got an email the other day telling me about a post that was made on a blog praising the pep band. I'll post the link below so that you can check it out for yourself. The blog also mentions some things about the men's team, so be sure to check that out also. As I get more alerts I'll post links to the stories.
Here's the link to the most recent story about the UMBC Down and Dirty Dawg Band.
Monday, March 9, 2009
This is OUR house
We just got back from Albany an hour ago, and as I type this blog entry I am reminded that I have to attend class at 9am tomorrow (not looking forward to it). Today's game against U Albany was a pretty nice one, but once again UMBC held their ground. I'm too tired tonight to go into much detail, but suffice it to say that we left our impression on U Albany. By the end of the game several angry spectators were throwing trash at the trumpet section. We would like to think that it was because of their frustration at losing the game, but it was most likely due to the fact that we were chanting "This is our house!" during the last 11 seconds of the game. Whatever it was, we surely upset the U Albany fans and showed them who was boss.
Although some of the fans were upset, we did get a couple of positive remarks from some of the more "mature" Albany fans. All in all, I think the UMBC Down and Dirty Dawg Band made a good impression on the crowd at the SEFCU arena, and we're looking forward to the championship game against Binghamton. Next weekend will be very busy the band as we plan to travel between Hartford and Binghamton to support both the men's and women's teams as they compete for a spot at the Big Dance.
GO BIG DAWGS! THIS IS OUR HOUSE!
Although some of the fans were upset, we did get a couple of positive remarks from some of the more "mature" Albany fans. All in all, I think the UMBC Down and Dirty Dawg Band made a good impression on the crowd at the SEFCU arena, and we're looking forward to the championship game against Binghamton. Next weekend will be very busy the band as we plan to travel between Hartford and Binghamton to support both the men's and women's teams as they compete for a spot at the Big Dance.
GO BIG DAWGS! THIS IS OUR HOUSE!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
America East Quarter Finals
Today's game vs. Boston University was the most intense sports game I have ever watched. Now, I'm not a sports analyst or sports writer, but I'll try to recap some of the game and hopefully I can capture the enthusiasm and tension that was present during the game.
The game started off like any other basketball game. UMBC was leading by several points for the first few minutes. Then the tables turned. BU was shooting three pointers - and making every single one of them. UMBC kept trying to shoot for three, but we kept missing. We couldn't let this game slip away from us. If we lost today, then that would mean another 6 hour bus ride that evening back to Baltimore. We were going to win.
I don't really remember much of the scoring statistics from the game, but I do remember the enthusiasm and tension that was present at SEFCU arena. No more than 5 minutes into the first half, coach Randy Monroe had already torn off his suit jacket. The pressure was on. From my seat in the stands next to UMBC's bench I could see Coach Monroe yelling at the top of his lungs. He, along with the rest of the UMBC fans in the arena, didn't want to lose to BU.
The rest of the game was full of more emotions and tension. My voice is still recovering from the "DEFENSE", "HERE WE GO BIG DAWGS! HERE WE GO!", "U-M-B-C" and other cheers that filled the SEFCU arean yesterday. The stands were filled with a surprising number of UMBC fans, sporting their black and gold t-shirts and cheering their home team to victory. Surprisingly, there were several UAlbany fans that were rooting for us. To my right there were a few white and red BU shirts dotting the stands. But when you compared the number of fans rooting for UMBC to the number for BU, we clearly had the advantage.
As the final seconds of the game approached, it seemed as if we might lose. We were down by 2 points, that is until Proctor hit a ten foot jumper, tying the game and forcing us into overtime. Another 5 minutes of anxiety and tension.
Overtime started off shaky, but soon UMBC gained the advantage and it was clear that we had stolen this one from Boston University. For the first time in America East history, the number 6 seed team would be playing the number seven seed team (UAlbany) in the semifinals. Both high seeding teams had been knocked out of the conference - something that was not expected to happen. At the sound of the final buzzer, the UMBC fans erupted in cheers and shouts of joy. I could see Jay Greene and other members of the team high fiving each other and hugging their coaches down on the court. Clearly they were just as excited as we were.
The UMBC Down and Dirty Dawg Band got rave reviews from fans and event staff alike. From where I was sitting in the stands, people kept complimenting the band. We were definitely larger than the Boston University pep band, and we definitely had more spirit. Before the game everyone (including me) suited up in their UMBC gear and had their faces painted. During the game we kept the fans cheering, leading everyone in cheers and yells to root our home team to victory. All in all, it was one of the most exciting games sports games I have ever been to.
UMBC will take on University of Albany this afternoon at 2pm at SEFCU arena in Albany. Although we may not have the home court advantage, we definitely have the fans to cheer and support our team as they battle for a spot in the America East championships. You can watch the game live on MASN @ 2pm.
And for those who prefer a more "technical" review of the game, a complete recap can be found here.
The game started off like any other basketball game. UMBC was leading by several points for the first few minutes. Then the tables turned. BU was shooting three pointers - and making every single one of them. UMBC kept trying to shoot for three, but we kept missing. We couldn't let this game slip away from us. If we lost today, then that would mean another 6 hour bus ride that evening back to Baltimore. We were going to win.
I don't really remember much of the scoring statistics from the game, but I do remember the enthusiasm and tension that was present at SEFCU arena. No more than 5 minutes into the first half, coach Randy Monroe had already torn off his suit jacket. The pressure was on. From my seat in the stands next to UMBC's bench I could see Coach Monroe yelling at the top of his lungs. He, along with the rest of the UMBC fans in the arena, didn't want to lose to BU.
The rest of the game was full of more emotions and tension. My voice is still recovering from the "DEFENSE", "HERE WE GO BIG DAWGS! HERE WE GO!", "U-M-B-C" and other cheers that filled the SEFCU arean yesterday. The stands were filled with a surprising number of UMBC fans, sporting their black and gold t-shirts and cheering their home team to victory. Surprisingly, there were several UAlbany fans that were rooting for us. To my right there were a few white and red BU shirts dotting the stands. But when you compared the number of fans rooting for UMBC to the number for BU, we clearly had the advantage.
As the final seconds of the game approached, it seemed as if we might lose. We were down by 2 points, that is until Proctor hit a ten foot jumper, tying the game and forcing us into overtime. Another 5 minutes of anxiety and tension.
Overtime started off shaky, but soon UMBC gained the advantage and it was clear that we had stolen this one from Boston University. For the first time in America East history, the number 6 seed team would be playing the number seven seed team (UAlbany) in the semifinals. Both high seeding teams had been knocked out of the conference - something that was not expected to happen. At the sound of the final buzzer, the UMBC fans erupted in cheers and shouts of joy. I could see Jay Greene and other members of the team high fiving each other and hugging their coaches down on the court. Clearly they were just as excited as we were.
The UMBC Down and Dirty Dawg Band got rave reviews from fans and event staff alike. From where I was sitting in the stands, people kept complimenting the band. We were definitely larger than the Boston University pep band, and we definitely had more spirit. Before the game everyone (including me) suited up in their UMBC gear and had their faces painted. During the game we kept the fans cheering, leading everyone in cheers and yells to root our home team to victory. All in all, it was one of the most exciting games sports games I have ever been to.
UMBC will take on University of Albany this afternoon at 2pm at SEFCU arena in Albany. Although we may not have the home court advantage, we definitely have the fans to cheer and support our team as they battle for a spot in the America East championships. You can watch the game live on MASN @ 2pm.
And for those who prefer a more "technical" review of the game, a complete recap can be found here.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Praise for the UMBC Pep Band
As I was checking my inbox this morning (mostly looking for emails about school delays) I came across an email from one of the Pep Band student leaders. He had found an article on the internet praising the pep band for their wonderful performance at the Last Growl game on Sunday.
I had heard that the pep band had received rave reviews during some of the games that were televised on MASN, but this email came as a nice surprise in my inbox this morning. Check out the link below to the post and read for yourself about the Down and Dirty Dawg Band! Here's the post.
And for all the members of the D&D Dawg Band, good work and hopefully we get some more good reviews at this weekend's America East tournament in NY!
I had heard that the pep band had received rave reviews during some of the games that were televised on MASN, but this email came as a nice surprise in my inbox this morning. Check out the link below to the post and read for yourself about the Down and Dirty Dawg Band! Here's the post.
And for all the members of the D&D Dawg Band, good work and hopefully we get some more good reviews at this weekend's America East tournament in NY!
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