the Upside

Um…CUTE!!!!!!!

thedailywhat:

Morning Links:

• Google airs Super Bowl ad, despite longstanding anti-TV ad philosophy. CEO Eric Schmidt excuses cop out on Google blog.

• YouTube Ad Blitz: Every SB44 ad in one place.

• “If this was the future of the Internet, then the future of the Internet obviously didn’t include me”: NYMag’s Sam Anderson on Chatroulette. Also: Kottke’s two cents.

• Keyboard Cat nominated for Nobel Peace Prize. Suck it, philanthropists!

• Who Googles The Googlers?: F.A.Tties surreptitiously slap a GPS device onto a Google Street View van.

• The Future!: Google hard at work on auto-translating phone.

• Verizon “explicitly” blocks 4chan, must not be familiar with its work.

• It’s official: A common household onion ring is now more popular than Justin Bieber. (via.)

• Getting rid of zits? There’s an app for that! …Wait, really?

• Single Serving Tumblr of the Day: Hipster Puppies. (thanks demi!)

• Morning Distraction: Starfeld. (via.)

• Morning Wood: Ashlee Jae is Registrar of the Department of Looking Hot.

• Morning List: 10 Amazing Free Fall Survivors.

[photo: randompictures.]

Who doesn’t love potato skins? Seriously, I love them.

Food Network, geniuses that they are, have designed potato skins for every NFL team. I am not so partial to the one they did for the Falcons (with peach compote or something or other), but some of the others sound delightful!

Recipes here

Image via The Party Dress

Gearing up for the Superbowl? Check out this site for some awesome links and pictures!

Everyone knows Superbowl parties are about the finger food and commercials, anyway!

Image via The Party Dress

Being a good southern girl, my favorite sport ever is college football. I LOVE LOVE LOVE COLLEGE FOOTBALL!

And, of course, being down here in the heartland of football world, I obviously think the SEC is the greatest conference EVAH!

Not the ACC, bless it’s heart, but the SEC. Now, there is a very big game tomorrow, which I like to call the de facto National Championship. For several of the past few years, the BCS ranked #1 and 2 teams have been SEC teams. But since we have a championship game, and some conferences don’t, that means that one of these great teams has to beat the other to go to the “real” championship game. Take my word for it, if you are in college football, the best position to be in, if not #1, is #3. It would be hard to be #3 in the SEC and still make it to the big game, but not impossible. But that is a convoluted math problem I don’t want to solve here (you’d have to be second in either the SEC east or west, to sit out of the SEC Championship game, but third in the overall BCS standings to be able to get into the BCS Championship game. I’m actually not sure it’s possible).

Anyway, for the second year in a row BCS #1 Florida is playing against BCS#2 Alabama. It’s gonna be a freaking great game and I am pulling for Alabama. It’s so strange to root for them, since my college is their Arch Rival, but I like them better than Florida.

But if Florida wins, you better believe I will root for them to kick the snot out of Texas! No offense to Texas and I rooted for them the last time they made it to the BCS Championship (I’ll root for anyone who is playing against USC), but my allegiance will always be to the SEC!

Fun Facts: 5 of the last 10 BCS winners have been SEC teams.

4 of the last six winners winners were SEC teams.

USC hasn’t been in a Championship game since 2005 (and they lost) so I never understand why they are constantly rated in the top 3 every year (can you tell I don’t like USC). And to clarify, this years preseason ranking was #4. But still, c’mon they had several huge losses this year and I’ll bet anyone money they are still ranked in the top 5 next year. It just toasts my cookies. They are starting to become like Notre Dame, getting by for years of reputation alone. Look what Notre Dame is like now!

Pic via

It’s so amazing to see people like Melanie Oudin at the U.S. Open! And it makes it that much sweeter that she’s a hometown girl. I love stories like this. I love that I take pride when other people do well. Marietta, our shared home town, might not be where my heart is at right now, but I still think of it as kind of a small town. I root for people to do well and I am proud that she is!

Such an exciting time in a young girl’s life. I love tennis! I’m officially a giant nerd. 

Oh Andy! I’m so glad I found this picture I took of you at Wimbledon all those years ago. You know I’m rooting for you now. You didn’t think I forgot that the U.S. Open in happening, did you? For shame! Just because I have been obsessed with going to the beach, doesn’t mean I haven’t kept up. 

Great first round win, btw. I can tell you are hungry for the win after the disappointment at this years Wimbledon. Anyway, wishing you the best and I know you will do great today! Please tell James Blake that he too, can meet me after his match in the showers. In fact, why don’t you just get all your tennis buddies together, and we can all have some fun, Mmkay? Sounds like a plan to me.

Andy didn’t win Wimbledon, but from what I’ve read it was an awesome match. A real nail biter and a long match to boot. I don’t think people will be asking for their money back.

Andy may have been a wunderkind 7 years ago, but I think this match has proved how much he’s matured. Sure he would probably have a lot more Grand Slam titles if Roger Federer didn’t exist, but there’s no use in wishing you were in a different time or place. Just make the best of what you have in the here and now. Easier said than done, I realize.

Brilliant game, Gents. Thanks for the memories and see you next year!

Image via wimbledon.org via Getty

C’mon Andy!

Tennis fetish overload here as it’s Roddick v. Federer in men’s final over at Wimbledon. 

This is super exciting. Sure, most believe that Andy doesn’t stand a chance, considering that Federer has beaten him 18 out of 20 times, but Andy is focused this year. Seriously, focused!  

I think an upset is possible. I really do. And if not, good for Federer who will surpass Pete Sampras and amass the most Grand Slam titles of any single man in tennis history. I like Roger Federer. I do, but it’s starting to get boring watching him win. I know that’s what people say (unfairly) about the Williams sisters (who won the doubles title, with Serena beating Venus for the ladies singles’ title), but I never said I was going to be fair.

And if Andy does lose, at least we’ll get to stare at this picture of him. Man candy, anyone?

You Go Glen Coco!

Ha! Obviously this girl’s name isn’t Glen Coco, but when you can quote Mean Girls, you go for it! 

Just wanted to give some hometown love to a fellow chica from MARIETTA GEORGIA (!!!!!!!!) who just pulled an exciting upset over at my version of sports mecca, Wimbledon!

I’m so glad to see a young American (she’s 17) doing well! Welcome to the spotlight, my dear. Get your smile ready because those endorsements are about to roll in! And I’m glad to see Andy Roddick doing well, too. I’m bummed about James Blake losing in the first round, though. What’s up with that, dude?

I’m in a good mood right now! I’m sitting at my internet-restaurant place, with the sunset before me, and Michael Jackson tunes in the background.

Billie Jean is not my lover….Ha! Another tennis reference!  

Want To Go

My preppy side is about to come out. Just letting you know. 

I love tennis. And there is nothing better than Wimbledon. I was lucky enough to attend once back in 2003 when I was studying in London. I rode the train up (call me a dork, but taking the train at King’s Cross-like Harry Potter!-excites me), queued in line, collected every piece of free literature/programs I could and was in tennis heaven!

It’s such an exciting place. Strawberries and cream and pimms. I want to put on a tennis skirt right now, but it’s too hot to even think about it. Anyhoo, ever since then I’ve been getting e-mails, “buy you 200X Wimbledon tickets, now!” And every year I think to myself, “maybe next year I can go! Yay, I’ll start saving up.” Then a dress goes on sale online and my plan to save goes right out the window. 

I’ll go back again one day. I’d also like to go to the U.S. and French Open, but those are secondary to going back to Wimbledon. Seeing Andy Roddick up close and personal does that to a girl! It was also the first year, I believe, that Roger Federer won Wimbledon. So I guess I was there for history. His coming out, if you will.  

Tennis Crush List: James Blake, Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras, Marat Safin and, I admit it, I got it a little bit for John McEnroe, his angry, tennis demeanor is sort of sexy. And I like watching his commentary on TV, too. 

I’ve jumped on the bandwagon. I’m going to a playoff party today to watch the Falcons kick ass!!!!

Out of all pro sports, football is my least favorite. In order of preference, I like college football best, then MLB, then cheerleading on ESPN 2, then pro football, but I must admit, I’ve been happy to hear about how well the falcons have done with  my new pro sports crush, and rookie QB Matt Ryan!

Go Falcons!