News or Nosiness?

article by:stacia_doss.
Sometimes...I get writer's block. Something usually comes to mind, but I just get stumped. Ever had a lot to say but didn't really know how to say it? Well that's how I often am when it comes to choosing the right kind of news to discuss.

What I would really like to see is how many people actually keep up with the news and where they get it. Many adults I know within my age group frequent gossip and celebrity sites for what they call "news." I've met a lot of young adults (and I'm only 22), who have been ignorant about real life issues.

If you're like me, I mainly read the news online. On one hand, these experts agree with me in the fact that a lot of people obtain the news online. On the other hand, according to these folks, many young people don't care about the news at all because it's not appealing.

I would like to know what other people think, young and old. A little over a year ago, I did a research project to find out where and how most students get their news. It mainly focused on whether or not the ability to pick and choose what type of news one wants was a good or bad thing. Check it out and see my findings:

Stacia D-I.J. Final Project

I hope to live this long one day...

Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam...

article by: stacia_doss.
I was in Oklahoma this past week.  My alma mater Memphis Tigers were playing in that very state on Friday while I was there, but I unfortunately wasn't in Tulsa. I was in Oklahoma City.

I couldn't be more proud of the Tigers, though, and their phenomenal performance against the Arizona Wildcats. On my ride back to "Native America" from Dallas, I listened to every play of the tournament game. It's just too bad when calls can't seem to go your way. Still, great job for making it so far, Memphis Tigers! They were underestimated, at first, and superseded the expectations of most. :)

What I thoroughly enjoyed about my weekend, however, was the Oklahoma City Thunder (vs. the Charlotte Bobcats) game my sister gave me the pleasure of attending. It was my first NBA game outside of Memphis' FedEx Forum, and I couldn't help but compare my experience to those I had last season working with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The venue: No doubt, the Thunderdome brings in a heck of a lot more fans than Memphis typically does. The sad thing is that Memphis is a good team, too. But the Tigers bring in more home fans on average than the Grizzlies do. The only time I witnessed sell-out games were if the Grizz were playing big-named teams like the Lakers or Heat. It pretty much hurt my heart to even think about it.

The Atmosphere: The fans were so amped and pumped. Even motivating music was playing during the game (and not just during time-outs). I could feel the real love from the fans and how it is truly shown to both them and the players during the entire game. I honestly cannot say I've felt the same during the Grizzlies games. In fact, I remember a time where free t-shirts had been given out to fans, and the players had made a couple of bad plays, so the "fans" started throwing them on the ground. At the Thunder game? Whether the team was doing great or a little shaky, it had full fan support during the game's entirety.

After experiencing my first NBA game outside of Tennessee, I just want the fans to do better. If a team that has shown significant improvement and a major increase in wins over the past few years still can't get much support, there's not a lot of hope for it's survival.

If not, I fear the team won't be in Memphis for too much longer.

What makes a good weekend? Great games.

written by:stacia_doss.
This weekend I ventured to a little place called Sikeston, Missouri. The nearest Target was about 30 miles away, along with any sign of a Wal-Mart (Supercenter), or any other "large store" many of us have grown accustomed to. My destination was Lambert's, "Home of the throwed rolls."



(Above) Memphis guard, Joe Jackson

After I met my Memphis pals there after the two hour drive and about an hour wait, I cuffed my hands like a football player to catch a couple of good, hot rolls...and I wasn't half bad! But enough about the arrival...what excited me was the drive and what happened before and during it.

MEMPHIS TIGERS BASKETBALL! I watched the Tigers defeat East Carolina in the C-USA tournament Friday night with a trampling score of 76-56. But Saturday's duel against UTEP in the deep southern city of  El Paso, Texas, was what made my drive to Sikeston most memorable.

I could not pull myself from the television at the beginning of the game, but I had to hit the road. It was no big surprise that after scanning my radio mulitiple times, I could not find one single station broadcasting the Memphis v. UTEP game, but I didn't give up. Thanks to CBS Interactive Sports, I downloaded a free application to my Blackberry that constantly updated the score for me! The Miners seemed to have kept cool and confident the whole game. The Tigers were somewhat underdogs because of their number of young players against UTEP's experienced seniors. However, my hope (and theirs) never faltered.

The Miners led the Tigers practically the entire game, and at one point, Memphis was down by 13 points. But with just about 15 seconds or less left on the clock, the Tigers closed the gap and broke a 66-65 deficit with a great play from Joe Jackson with game-winning free throws with  only 7.8 seconds left on the clock. I screamed and shouted with excitement in my car.

Now that is what you call a good weekend!

Memphis will open the NCAA tournament to face Arizona on Friday in Tulsa, Okla. Good luck to my Alma Mater!

I'm going back...to Chicago.

A little late...but I love Liz.

MTV's series "My Life as Liz" is my new favorite show. The show is only a few episodes into its second season and I absolutely love the storyline.

Photo: Liz Lee

Elizabeth ("Liz') Lee, the main character, is an 18 year old girl from Texas. She just graduated from high school, and this season, she's in New York at an art school. Although it sounds like a dream to most, Liz misses her friends back in Texas, and particularly misses a boy named Bryson who she has a major crush on. The show creatively emphasizes her ups and downs in New York, the people she encounters, and the stresses she experiences with finding a place to stay and meeting project deadlines.

Her life is definitely one I can relate to, and I invite you to check it out. Watch "My Life as Liz" on MTV Tuesday nights at 10 central.

Long time, no blog.

written by:stacia_doss.
So much has been going on lately. I've been writing so many articles and essays outside of Blogger that I almost neglected my own blog! I know, shame on me!

Don't think I haven't missed out on all the unnecessary celebrity drama, the Wisconsin protesters, the shocking NBA trades, or the results of the NFL Combine..Oh no, believe that I have been paying attention even if I haven't blogged about it.

The New York Knicks recently acquired Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony, who (and correct me if I'm wrong) is currently averaging the most points per game in the NBA. So far, Amare Stoudamire and the rest of the Knickerbockers are doing great and contributing significantly to wins with their fresh-faced team. Good for them!

I really cannot comment much on some of the other issues. They are interesting, and one is very important. I just can't find the words or energy to express how I feel about them right now.

I am sitting back to see where 2010 Heisman winner, Cam Newton, will end up when he enters the NFL draft. Could it be the Tennessee Titans? I'm kicking my feet up on the table and just waiting to see what his verdict will be.