The 3rd annual “See ya Summer” blog post

My how time flies when you’re having fun, and even when you’re not. For the third time since I began this blog, it’s time to say goodbye to summer vacation and the fun that came with it.

And when spring quarter exams ended I found myself celebrating with Brad Keselowski. I mean, he’s not the best guy in the world to be hanging out with, but I could have said hanging with Kyle Busch, right?

Brad Keselowski answers questions from media members at Kentucky Speedway in June. Cehck out the guy in the aqua shirt on the right side. I get things done. (Getty Images)

I got to start the summer off with the Busch/Nationwide Series race at Kentucky Speedway. Of course it was a blast as always, and getting to see Joey Logano once again prove why he’s the Kentucky Speedway boss (three starts, three poles, three wins) was fun.

So when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits Kentucky Speedway in July 2010, I'm putting my money on Logano

Carl Edwards also had some great radio chatter. But that’s probably neither here nor there.

Moving on into July, it was a rough beginning to the month. If you weren’t around, you missed the sad news that my 87-year-old grandfather had passed away after a seven month battle with various illnesses and problems. (For more on that day, please check out one of the best, most heartfelt blogs I have ever produced http://adamniemeyer.blogspot.com/2010/07/in-memory.html)

Seriously, I don't self promote my stuff that often, but you need to read the above link. I've been told be too many people that it's just too good to not read. (Bring some tissues along)

But July wasn’t all sad. After all, NASCAR does make the trip to Speedway, Ind., at the end of the month, and I wasn’t about to let Mark Martin fans across the world down. They had to have their photos and stories about the man that they love to follow. And his Media Relations coordinator, and twitter extraordinaire Kendra Jacobs (For my story on Kendra, check here: http://adamniemeyer.blogspot.com/2010/07/kendra-jacobs-media-manager-and-top.html)

Check out the guy in the photo on the right side in the aqua shirt. I guess wearing that shirt to NASCAR events around drivers gets me in pictures (IMS.com photo)

And seeing that photo of me, Mark and Kendra was pretty awesome. I forwarded it to everyone I know. It just shows I actually do some work from time to time.

And it felt like all I did all summer was work…probably because that’s all I did do. But once August rolled around, we all knew it was time to get down to the nitty gritty of the football grind. And coming off a perfect regular season in 2009, it was easy to be fired up about the 2010 season.

Two weeks in West Harrison, Ind., one four hour flight to Fresno, Calif., and last week’s travels to Raleigh, N.C., have provided for some unbelievable and memorable moments. Almost too many to count, and definitely too many to type out here as I begin to think about classes tomorrow.

I promise to keep up on my blogging, and if you know anything about me, promises are oft kept ‘round here. If anything, I feel that sometimes that down time I have during school allows me to get my thoughts—random and related—out to you. You like college football, NASCAR, and random musings about life? I’m here, and I’m ready to dish them out.

Senior year is about to begin, and four years ago I was amidst a final run of football at Elder High School, doing stats and doing my best to have a great time. Something tells me that four years later at UC, it will be just as much fun…if not more.

See ya summer 2010, it was fun. Goodnight

Week 3 Big East Preview

The only Elder Panther to graduate with Jake and I in 2007 and gain a scholarship to play college football at the BCS level is Jeff Rieskamp (pronounced Rees-camp), who signed in February of 2007 to play his college ball at North Carolina State.

Jeff Rieskamp (Elder archive photo, Dave Sharp)

I asked him about his decision just after signing his National Letter of Intent in ’07 for an article in The Purple Quill—Elder’s student newspaper. I asked him if he considered choosing UC, and what it would mean playing them in 2010. Back then Jeff told me, “It wouldn’t make that much of a difference to me, because UC recruited me, but they weren’t high up on my list.” More on that a little further down.

Here’s the third week on the Big East schedule, and only five Big East teams are in action during the third week of September.

Week 3 Big East Schedule
Thurs., Sept 16- Cincinnati at North Carolina State
Sat., Sept 18-Louisville at Oregon State
Sept 18-Syracuse vs Maine
Sept 18-Connecticut at Temple
Sept 18-West Virginia vs Maryland

AN: Brian Kelly was a perfect 3-0 on Thursday nights on ESPN, and Butch Jones gets his first test with a road trip to Raleigh, N.C. This game worries me because of what happened to Pitt last season on their visit to NC State. Remember that one?

JM: Yeah, don’t bring that one up.

AN: N.C. State has quarterback Russell Wilson back, and the redshirt junior is a bit of a problem for defenses. He’s a dual threat, and I don’t mean in the typical football fashion. Wilson’s prowess on the baseball diamond may remind Bearcats fans of their own dual threat quarterback, Zach Collaros.

Collaros was a baseball star a few years ago, moonlighting on the UC baseball squad (Cincinnati Enquirer photo)

It will also be fun to see Jeff Rieskamp live in action for the first time since 2006. I have followed his career with a close eye, partially because we went to school together, and partially because we share a relative. However, we aren’t related. I love pointing that out, and there’s no doubt that I’ll be watching number 99 in red on that Thursday night.

I’ve also heard from my video counterparts at Pittsburgh that the atmosphere at N.C. State is interesting to say the least. I look forward to visiting, and while I believe it’s too early to predict, I don’t see how N.C. State won’t be favored going into this game. But the “homer” in me says that U.C. should be competitive in Raleigh. We’ll see.

Jake, a few interesting games on the docket this week, and with Pitt off, you’ll be sitting in front of a TV watching a lot of college football.

JM: I’m looking forward to West Virginia hosting Maryland. The Mountaineers play a pretty tough non-conference schedule and that continues in week three as the Terrapins come to Morgantown. Don’t let Maryland’s 2-10 record last year fool you, they’ve got some speed and talent on both sides of the ball. The Terps have gotten the ball rolling in 2010 with a nice week one win over Navy, despite being outplayed by the Midshipmen for most of the game.

Also, this is a make-or-break type year for Ralph Friedgen at Maryland as he’s feeling some definite heat after last season’s debacle. I still like WVU at home, but this should be a challenge for the Mountaneers.

AN: The most interesting game of this week, beyond the UC/NC State matchup and the West Virginia/Maryland game is Louisville and Oregon State. The Beavers have been beaten twice in three seasons by Cincinnati, including a 28-18 defeat last season in Corvallis.

UC defeated Oregon State 28-18 last season in Corvallis

While Charlie Strong and the Cardinals should be competitive in this game, I just don’t think they can come out on top, especially since this is their first road test of the season. The Rodgers brothers should be too much for the Cardinals to stop, and the Louisville offense can’t keep up with the Beavers, if you ask me.

That being said, I’d love to see Louisville beat Oregon State and the Beavers take out their frustration on Boise State next week. That would knock Boise out of the national title talk (thank God!) and make the Big East look a whole lot better—and we could use some positive PR about now.

In 24 or so hours the UC Bearcats board the buses to head to the airport and fly out to North Carolina. Thanks Jake for joining in, and to everyone else, enjoy week three of college football.