Do you know anything about double gates that lead to a backyard?  You know, the kind that will fit an automobile, RV or at least a riding mower through.  If you know what I’m talking about, you know that there is a hole, normally a PVC pipe, in the ground that helps to hold one side of the gate in place.  That hole (PVC pipe) is normally held into the ground by a little cement.  All of this is probably about a foot or more buried so the hole is visible and grass can grow around it – at least that is how I’ve seen them.

I went through all of that to describe to you our only damage from Hurricane Gustav.

I guess the wind blew the gate hard enough to lift this thing – I don’t really know what the official name for it is – right out of the ground.  You can’t really tell from the pictures, but this thing left a hole in the ground.  Shoot, this “damage” is something I’m thankful for because it could have been much worse.  all I have to do is get some Quikcrete, a little PVC and fix this.  I don’t have a bag of money in my backyard so it really isn’t a big deal.  If someone really wants to go back there with a lawnmower, be my guest.

All the excitement has caused us to lay off blogging for a week or so, but we are back and should be ready to go again.

I know that it sounds like a broken record, but the ACC has been a disappointment since they expanded and that continued during the first weekend of the season.  Until the ACC can get some decent quarterback play, they will continue to struggle over and over.  Last weekend was really bad and to say that they totally embarrassed themselves on the opening weekend would be a severe understatement.  The ACC went 2-4 against FBS opponents (Division I-A); the best two teams in the conference, Clemson and Virginia Tech, both lost.  They went 5-0 against FCS (Division I-AA), but when you look closer, it just shows how bad they were last weekend.

There were so many embarrassing performances by the ACC last weekend.  Clemson still has the best quarterback in the conference, but the Alabama defense killed Clemson all night and beat down the Tigers 34-10 while they pounded Cullen Harper. Tommy Bowden has two very good running backs in James Davis and C.J. Spiller, but because of a recruiting promise, he handed the ball to true frosh Jamie Harper first and of course, he fumbled.  DUH!  Of course, Clemson had zero rushing yards as well.    Sean Glennon was just horrible for Virginia Tech – he threw 2 interceptions – and East Carolina surprised the Hokies 27-22.  Virginia Tech got beat by, of all things, a blocked punt for a touchdown.  N.C. State got beat by South Carolina 34-0, but most of that was late in the game.  Virginia got humiliated by USC, 52-7, at home in Charlottesville.  Mark Sanchez looked ready and healthy while Virginia looked overmatched.

Of the ACC quarterbacks last weekend, the best one I saw was Jacory Harris from Miami and that dude is a true frosh!  Then again, Miami only played Charleston Southern.  All of Maryland’s quarterbacks stunk – they barely beat Delaware 14-7?  Well, North Carolina barely got by McNeese State 35-27?  Was the ACC under some mandate to make every other conference look good?  If so, they did a great job.

One has to wonder now if the ACC teams are even worthy of competing for the BCS with their play last weekend.  Even still, the one thing that the ACC has needed since Chris Weinke won his Heisman in 2001 is good quarterback play and they just have not found much.  Matt Ryan played well last year and of course, Boston College almost won the ACC title as well.  Yes, Miami and Florida State need to re-emerge as powerhouses in college football, but so does the quarterback position within the conference.

We will see how they do today.

Written Sunday, 31 August 2008, 8:45 AM

If Gustav hasn’t done anything else, it has brought me some perspective.  I was not here during Katrina so all my information has been second-hand, but now I see what this is all about.

I didn’t sleep too well last night (Saturday), but I did sleep better than I may have otherwise.  My family (Kim and K) are safely at my sister’s house in Georgia so as a husband and father I feel as though priority number one are taken care of.  I will head off to work so I can take care of the young men and women I’m in charge of – priority number two.  I have spent the better part of the morning taking care of things here in the house – a low priority.

My wife will be the first to tell you I love my gadgets, but preparing for this hurricane has caused me to put some things into perspective.  Yes, I have gone to some lengths to reasonably protect my personal property from the storm, but I didn’t go too far.  These things can be replaced, my stuff isn’t the most pressing matter at this time.

***Note – I did NOT do anything that would cause damage to any of my things.  That may sound crass at this time, but you would be surprised what some people will do to get over.

The bottom line is simple.  We don’t know how much damage this hurricane will do to the Gulf Coast and the state of Louisiana, but it seems like the emphasis has been placed on the most important thing: getting people to safety.  We can rebuild and replace everything else.