Two Questions of Deeper Meaning

There have been many questions posed throughout history about what different things mean to different people. What does it mean to an atheist to be alive ? What does it mean to a biologist if we aren't alone in the universe? What does it mean to a middle schooler when the lunch bell sounds? What does it mean to a blogger when the Bible says "Adam and Eve"? What does it mean to a college student when x is multiplied by q and added to b? You get the gist, there are a lot of questions out there.
Two of the most important questions to this generation are also two of the questions that everyone seems to have some sort of answer for, but no one actually agrees with each other. I may seem to be simplifying the world when I say that these two questions, above all others, are the pinnacle question marks of an entire generation, but I firmly believe that from these questions, discussion concerning many other issues can be started. These are questions that have divided friends and caused strife throughout schools and families. They are in no way questions with easy answers and are not questions I ask myself or anyone lightly, even if you could answer these in a simple sentence. To a conservative, media and sports enthusiast, both of these questions are perplexing. They do not offer a simple answer but they do come with answers, even if those answers complicate and yet simplify life at the same time.
So, having said that, I present you the two questions.

What does it mean to be a man?

I could string together a long list of adjectives to describe what it means to be a man in 2013/14, but what good would that do when you can go to the thesaurus for that? As society has eroded the title of "man" and worked to wash out any mention of the mere word throughout the last few decades, there are less and less men out there willing and able to defend the honor that comes with being a man. To be a man is not something to be shameful of nor is it something to be a raving meathead about.
It means responsibility. Not the responsibility of doing your own dishes or making sure your shirt is pressed on Sunday morning. The responsibility of a man is to women. It is the duty of each man to look to protect women just as chivalrously and valiantly as the knights of Camelot. It is not our duty because women cannot, should not or do not care for themselves. It is our responsibility because women are precious to us. Not in the creepy "My preciousssss" way of Gollum but in the way that paint is precious to a canvas. Without the paint, the canvas is blank and creates nothing. When paint is applied, a new image is visible that neither paint nor canvas could have created alone. So too are women precious to men. Without women, life would be more likely than not boring as all hell and not life at all. When women and men come together, it not only creates something unique for them but also has the possibility of bringing a new "image" into this world. Therefor, protect, serve and lead the women in your life.
It means strength. According to the Village People, every man wants to be a macho macho man. Here, strength doesn't, necessarily, mean physical strength. It means the strength to succeed in life and overcome difficulties. It means the strength to know when you are wrong and admit it. To have the strength of a man is to be willing and able to defend those that cannot defend themselves. You have to have the strength that comes from failure. You have to know what it means to taste fear. It is necessary to be courageous when everyone else falters. To stand when others cower. To speak your mind knowing full well you'll piss off someone out there. You have to be willing to lose friends because you stood by your convictions. As Churchill said, "You have enemies? Good. That means you stood up for something, sometime in your life." Life's a bitch, being a man means taking a punch from it and then responding with one or two of your own.
It means being honest. Honesty is not always easy. It's not always popular. It's not always the most logical course of action. But, and I say this as someone who has dealt with liars and being a liar, honesty is the best policy. All lies will either corrupt you or they will come back to bite you in the ass when they are found out, neither of which are good options when honesty is on the table. Honesty is also a simple, yet compulsory part of responsibility and takes more strength than fighting a bear.
I could go on and attempt to describe each and every category of manhood and I could probably write a book on it but I think it's time to share the most important and least discussed part of being a man. It means being imperfect. This is not an excuse for you to go screw up your life and it's not an invitation for you to blame your manhood for your troubles. This is simply a statement of fact that all men know, no matter how much we try to deny it to our family, friends, significant others or even ourselves. We make mistakes and we lose track of what it means to be a man. It's part of life. We may be imperfect beings but, just as Coach Boone called his players, we are called to be perfect in every aspect of our life. We are called to be perfect brothers, sons, husbands, fathers, uncles, teachers, grandfathers, friends and men.
It's an impossible code to follow completely but that's our challenge every moment of every day. As men, we love being faced with the impossible and laughing at it as we conquer it. So there it is, manliness, the biggest impossibility of them all, conquer it.

What does it mean to be against abortion?

If you look at a media portrayal, it means you hate women. If you look at a political viewpoint, it means you are conservative and controversial (but starting to 'win'). If you look at a radical feminist, you'll probably be scorned and told to shut up (and, if you're a guy like me, might even get a gif of Jennifer Aniston saying "No uterus, no opinion" thrown in your face). If you march in a parade, you'll probably be cold but surrounded by thousands of others who support you.
It's a controversial topic today and yet one of the easiest questions to answer. There are basically three "common" answers to this. First, "I'm against abortion completely, for myself and for all others." Second, "I'm completely supportive of abortion and the woman's 'right' to choose." Third- and most confusing- "I'm personally against abortion and would never have one, but that doesn't mean everyone else should have to abide by my ideas." (I'm letting this one die right here because it's an entirely different discussion) If asked this question, I'd take a bet that your answer would conform to one of the previous three.
Anyway, what does it really mean to be against abortion?
Well, to be against abortion is to be for an unborn baby. The rationale is fairly simple: abortion is a medical procedure used to end the life of a human in utero, therefore it's, at the very least, manslaughter. I look at laws and cases that have gone through the justice system and see that men and women will be charged with two counts of manslaughter for killing a pregnant woman in a car crash. I look at the fact that mere moments after being removed from the birth canal, the baby cannot be legally killed. I support the belief that all life is sacred and it is not ours to take nor is it ours to give. I am an emotional being who plays on your human instincts and wants you to be swayed to save a life in any way possible.
This is where a lot of people get lost in the beliefs of the "pro-life" movement, to be against abortion is to be for the mother. It doesn't matter if you are keeping the baby or if you plan on putting the baby up for adoption, I support you as a mother. I want you to be careful, responsible and cared for. As much of a woman as you are, you are, at the moment that life enters you, also a mother and you have to act, live and make decisions differently. I support the fact that you deserve time to become acquainted with this new life inside you. I fully support you being able to bond with your child after the birth or, in the case of adoption, have a smooth transition from pregnancy to being the mother of a baby that you aren't raising.
To be against abortion is to be in support of fatherhood. It's to be willing to stand up to the unfair laws that are in effect that make fatherhood a scary thought on top of normal new parent anxieties. It is to be supportive of new fathers as much as you support the mothers. It's to be willing to "man up" and take on the fatherhood that is thrust upon you in the case of an unplanned pregnancy. It's also, in the case of an absent father, the chance and call to step up and become a father figure for the child.
To be against abortion is to be for the family that is formed therein. As a society, we have developed a culture that disdains young families and single fathers or mothers. This has to stop if we are to remove the "choice" from our society. Yes, young people make mistakes and yes, some of those mistakes involve sex and unplanned pregnancies. This does not mean we, as a society, have to pile on the hardships and consequences of such actions. I will never support teenagers (or anyone for that matter) running around having sex with whomever they want in the name of "freedom" or "sexual liberation." However, when the sex leads to a new life it is crucial that we do not point fingers and start blaming the young parents and saying they "ruined" their life by making one mistake. Your life is ruined if you murder someone at 15. Your life is ruined if you plot an act of terrorism. Your life is ruined if you refuse an offer from the Godfather. Your life is not ruined when you make a new life. We are called to bring the family together, support them and encourage them to take up responsibility without making the already difficult situation seemingly hopeless.
If you want to say that you are against abortion, you also have to be willing to take on certain responsibilities that you would not normally encounter.

Strike A Pose

The stage is set, the finalists are in New York and it's time for the Heisman to be unveiled. Before this prestigious award goes to the newest member of the club, there are still arguments to be made and settled as to who got to New York and who will be giving their speech tonight.

The Freshman Repeat
Jameis Winston QB, Florida State University
I don't think there are many analysts out there who would argue that the performance that Winston showed this year was astounding. A freshman who completes 68% of his passes, throws for 38 touchdowns and just misses 4,000 yards passing (3,820) is extremely rare. To have Winston do this among the pressure of allegations of rape? Unbelievable. He eclipsed 400 yards passing at Clemson and 300 yards passing against Duke in the ACC Championship throwing for 6 touchdowns between the two games. His Heisman, though, moment came in the win over Boston College. Winston evaded two would be sacks and, as he was getting pummeled, delivered a beauty to Kenny Shaw for a 55 yard touchdown at the end of the half.

Senior Showoff
Jordan Lynch QB, Northern Illinois University
I hesitated to put down that Lynch is a quarterback because, well, his film is half quarterback and half running back. At 6 foot, 216 pounds, he makes for a strong, crafty back that can weasel and muscle his way to the endzone garnering him 22 touchdowns this season. He also has a strong arm with a 63.1% completion rate and 2,676 yards and 23 touchdowns through the air. He broke his own NCAA record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game when he ran for 321 yards against Western Michigan. The Heisman moment? His fourth quarter against Ball State which saw the Huskies rattle off 21 unanswered points to end the game in a rout. He started the rout, which only took 5:48, with a 36 yard strike to Da'Ron Brown.

SEC Rusher of the Year
Tre Mason RB, Auburn University
Mason came on the scene about the same time Auburn did, after the dethroning of then #1 Alabama. Although he should have been on the radar before that impressive show with his games against LSU and Texas A&M earlier in the season. He rushed for 132 and 178 respectively in those two games with three touchdowns. He also rushed for over 100 yards in 5 straight including a 164 yard performance in the Iron Bowl and a staggering 304 yards against Mizzou as the Tigers claimed the SEC Championship. He is unique in the fact that he didn't have one moment or quarter that defined his season although his entire game against Mizzou was awe-inspiring. His sheer numbers and his SEC lead in rushing yards have propelled him to NYC.

5 Things Every Girl Needs to Know About What Guys Think About Them, From Another Guy's Perspective

Well this isn't sports and it isn't politics and it probably isn't even something that I'd touch with a 10 foot pole if it weren't finals week, but that's what happens when you take a break from studying about Critical Theories and Charlemagne's empire. 

So anyway, I was given this article by my sister and immediately knew that I couldn't let my study break find its way to Netflix without writing my own take. If you don't want to click on the link to stop giving this egotistical guy views I'll copy what was said, word for word:

5 THINGS EVERY GIRL SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WHAT GUYS THINK ABOUT THEM

1)    Watch your weight and appearance very carefully because we have a very simple and uncontrollably powerful algorithm in our brains that renders us less likely to commit to you with each additional pound of weight you gain. Once you’re over a BMI of about 22, the vast majority of guys who act interested just want to sleep with you and leave. Beyond about 24, most of them want nothing to do with you. It isn’t fair, but knowing this could save you a ton of heartache.

 2)      Yes, we secretly think we’re better, smarter, more creative, and more noble-minded than you, regardless of what TV, movies and magazines portray these days. It’s this inborn egotism that’s compelled us to build cities, invent electricity and send satellites to the edges of the solar system. We just never talk about it because we need you and don’t want to piss you off.

 3)      The number of men you’ve slept with tremendously influences our perception of your quality and potential as a long term partner. Be aware that the average guy will use this fact as a barometer for whether you are commitment material or short-term material. An ugly truth it is, but a double standard it’s not for the simple fact that it takes skill for us to get you, but not the other way around. Therefore it comes off as gluttonous behavior in a girl and furthermore, puts us in danger of raising kids that aren’t our own.

 4)      We don’t really care about your degrees or career ambitions, so save your breath. We’ll only acknowledge those things if we like the way you look, and even then, the most attention our brains will devote to them is an “Oh, you went to Yale? That’s nice.” We just care that you have a baseline level of common sense so that you don’t make our lives miserable and our kids dumb.

 5)      For the most part, we find you boring. You’ll never be able to discuss sports, politics, science, technology, or current affairs the way our male friends do and you’ll never be as funny as them. The only reason we talk to you is because we like the way you look and we can’t live without you.

Here's a different take for every single woman, man, dog, lizard or laptop that was offended or guffawed at the previous list. I'm not prepared nor do I intend to speak for every man out there even if I use the collective "we;" this is just my take.

The Truth Behind Appearance

I won't lie and say that guys don't care what you look like. Just like girls, we have personal preferences. But guess what. We are so absorbed wondering if you think we are attractive and worrying if we are screwing up to really give your outfit or BMI a check. So, honestly, go back to that first outfit and stop with all the makeup, we're just glad you want to hang out with us.

We Are Better

We do think we're innately better. It's a fact. We have our moments that we think we are better athletes than any member of the Alabama Crimson Tide. We think we are smarter than the government almost 24/7. We think we are more noble-minded than the knights around Arthur's table. We think we are better for you than any other guy could possibly be. In short, we think we are a better man than any other man. However, we rarely feel we are better than you. That's why you get the title of our "better half."

Where Is This Ship Sailing Now?

How many guys you've been with matters. What matters more is what you appear to want out of a relationship with us. Yes, I did say "appear" because y'all play us like violins just as often as we seem to play you up and down the court. Is this a long-term possible "go the distance" commitment or is it a summer fling that ends when I go back to school as a greaser? We like to know that, even if its not the same as what we want. And if it is a serious relationship we want to know all about your ideas for kids, houses, places to live, careers, etc.

Still Figuring It All Out

Guys will say they don't care what you study or where you want to be in 5/10 years but that's only because we don't know what we want to do and the fact that you planned that out is kinda intimidating. But we get over it. As was hinted in #3, we like to know where things are going but we are really bad at doing this for ourselves. And (Pro-Tip) if you are genuinely interested in what you are studying, and you don't make it seem like rocket science, talk about it with us. We like knowing where your head is whether its in the stars, in the books or in the woods.

You Are the Most Interesting Woman In the World, So Drink Dos Equis

You are the most interesting creatures most of us will ever come in contact with and what you don't know is as important and interesting as what you do know. So if you are a Star Wars-quoting, '69 Chevy Impala-driving, Reds-cheering, Beatles-singing, cake-cooking, God-fearing, woman- call me- that's awesome. We can trade tidbits about politics, history, technology, writing and fandoms. If you don't understand any of those references but instead know science, law, math, speech pathology, occupational therapy, psychology or anything else, we'd be happy to trade our secrets about galaxies far far away and cars and songs and God for your unique take on anything at all.

Now, he did get one thing right: We can't live without y'all. No matter how hard it is and how much pain you put us through, we still want and need you in our life to keep us guessing and make life worth living. So, to every woman out there: thanks for making the highway of life that much more interesting even if it means a few dents in the car.

Get to Know the Different Scenarios

Top 5 things that have happened since I last published anything on here:

1. The Boston Red Sox won the World Series

2. Houston is the worst team in the NFL and Jacksonville has beaten their last 3 road opponents (seriously, what's up with that?)

3. Duke produced its first 10 win season. Ever. 

4. Obama and company kicked off ObamaCare worse than Wainwright and Molina catch fly balls (Less people signed up for that than signed a, nevertheless badass, petition to build a Death Star)
5. The "40-oh-0 Wildcats" were beaten by the Spartans to get that chip off their shoulder and UConn has stayed perfect through eight.

So, anyway, it's been too long and I apologize. Now I should be back fairly regularly and attempting to catch y'all up on what this country has come to (both politically and in the sports world).

Anyway, to recap this weekend: Bama doesn't want to review time left on the clock anymore, Florida State made Florida look like Georgia Southern (except the Gators lost), THE Ohio State University remained perfect in the ugliest win they have had under Urban Meyer, Auburn knows what it means to play to the final whistle, Missouri took the legs out of Johnny Football's Heisman candidacy and Northern Illinois kept its resume strong for a BCS bowl berth.

The BCS still has an entire Saturday filled to the brim with football to figure out the deuce sitting at the top.

Luckily for us we are allowed to do the unthinkable and imagine all the possibilities before anyone is crowned ACC, Big 10 or SEC Champion. So, let's get creative and look at the Top 10 Likeliest Scenarios.

The Battle of Undefeateds
1. #1 Florida State v #2 Ohio State
This one requires the least explanation. Florida State takes down the Blue Devils in a non-shocker of an ACC championship. Ohio State handles Michigan State to go to 25-0. The Seminoles and Buckeyes are headed to the Rose Bowl on January 6, 2014. Good old fashioned 12-0 v 12-0 so there will be only one undefeated. (Excuse me Jordan Lynch and Co., good luck maintaining your streak)

ACC v SEC I
2. #1 Florida State v #3 Auburn
If we get this one, we might never hear the end of the SOS argument from SEC faithful. According to the strength of schedule, Auburn battled the fourth hardest schedule of the year and came out with one loss. Florida State, on the other hand, had the 42nd toughest road to perfection. On the third hand, Ohio State had the 52nd hardest test. There's little argument that the Big 10 had a down year but is perfection worth so little to the voters now? If it is or if the Bucks stumble against the Spartans, Auburn has its ticket punched for California. (Assuming a victory in the SEC Championship) The Seminoles will need to buckle their seatbelts and get ready for by far the toughest test of their season if they have to battle the Tigers (War Eagles) on Jan. 6.

ACC v SEC II
3. #1 Florida State v #5 Missouri 
Ohio State would have to lose, no question. (A 23rd ranking in SOS and a 5th seed in the BCS will hinder any team's efforts at displacing perfection) In only the second year as an SEC East member (still trying to figure out the geography here), Mizzou went through a gauntlet that contained marquee games against Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Ole Miss and Texas A&M and lost once. In double overtime. On a missed field goal. To the Gamecocks. If they can take down the Tigers on Saturday, these bad boys just earned themselves a trip to the BCS Championship at the Rose Bowl.

The One that Got Away
4. #1 Florida State v #4 Alabama 
The title says it all. At week 9, the BCS already had this one plotted out. Alabama and Florida State entered the initial standings #1 and 2 respectively. Then, the King got dethroned and the Seminoles took up the mantle. However, with the right combination of wins and losses, we could still see this one play out. That combo? An Ohio State faceplant against the Spartans and a last second field goal by Mizzou to misplace the rowdy War Eagles. No other combination would justify the non-SEC winner jumping to #2.

You Like to Run?
5. #2 Ohio State v #3 Auburn 
There is the possibility, as slim as it may be, that Florida State underestimates the Blue Devils, a team that is setting records for their school, and falls on Saturday. If that happens and Ohio State beats Michigan State, the Buckeyes will take over first place in the BCS. As long as Auburn handles business against the Tigers, they'll be a sure shot into the second spot. And if we do see these two teams in Cali, it'll be one of the most down and dirty, grit and grime games played out west. Ohio State is the second leading rushing team in the nation while Auburn is fifth. Be prepared for a long game in the trenches.

Big 10 Offense v SEC Defense
6. #2 Ohio State v #5 Missouri 
Having beaten the stingiest defense in college football, the Spartans let up 11.3 ppg, the Bucks would have a very good idea of how to get points on the board even when the defense hates giving them up. And that sort of defense is exactly who they'd meet if Missouri pulled off the win against the War Eagles. The Tigers were the second stingiest defense in the SEC letting up just 19.4 points per game and they never allowed an opponent (including Johnny Football) to put more than 28 points on them. Ohio State enjoys putting up big numbers averaging 48.2 points a game. So, even if the tagline might be the Bucks offense versus Tigers defense, it may just be the other way around for a championship in the Rose Bowl.

One for the Ages
7. #2 Ohio State v #4 Alabama
Urban Meyer v Nick Saban. Undefeated v Champions. Big 10 v SEC. Winning v Winner. 3 Undefeated Campaigns v 3 of the last 4. Okay, enough, you get the picture. This would be a groundbreaking championship that would easily pave the way for the new 2014 playoff system. Just to paint the picture a bit more, between the two coaches six of the last 10 championships have been won, between the two teams there are 18 National Titles, including a split between the two in 1961. Now, if only the Blue Devils can dismantle the Seminoles and Mizzou can win a close one against Auburn! If this one happens, I'm declaring a national holiday.

The Iron Bowl Classic
8. #3 Auburn v #4 Alabama
If there aren't any undefeateds after this weekend of championships, Auburn and Alabama will almost certainly meet in the Rose Bowl. The entire state of Alabama might be on lockdown and curfew if this one is announced on Sunday. Don't think Saban will be looking for any 57 yard field goal nor will the War Eagles allow it to come down to the final second and another miracle play. The Miracle Eagles v the Stunned Kings, another one for the ages.

You Remember Us?
9. #5 Missouri v #4 Alabama
Last year these two met. Missouri still feels the sting from that 42-10 whooping at home. This year, the Tigers are a different team and know how to handle size, speed, depth and strength. They know what it's like to fight in the trenches and keep a feisty offense on its heels and a wear away a stubborn defense. A rematch from the Tigers' SEC debut year would result in a close, nail-biter with pretty much everyone in the country glued to their seat until the final whistle.

What?
10. #3 Auburn v # 6 Oklahoma State
The least likely option to EVER happen, but that's what we look for, right? So how exactly do I explain even thinking this could happen? Well first off, Florida State would have to lose a decent game to the Blue Devils. Then the Buckeyes would have to be destroyed by the Spartans (considering the rankings of the teams, a close loss would most likely leave Ohio in the Top 5 and ahead of the Cowboys). Then Auburn would need a win in the SEC Championship game, really doesn't matter if its by 1 or 100. Finally, the Cowboys HAVE to destroy the Sooners and Baylor must lose to Texas. The then Big 12 Champions MIGHT have the edge on the non-conference champion Alabama. So, if all of this falls into place, is this even a game we want to see on January 6? It would be yet another high powered offense v shutdown defense game. Of all the options, this one is the least likely but it could be an interesting second tier "Oregon v Alabama BCS Championship" (Which will never happen).