Warning: This post is devoid of politics

Congratulations!

You've managed to find a post, published on November 4th, 2008 - Election Day - that contains no scent of politics, polls, or partisanship. In fact, the only spin here will be the one your head will dizzy itself into after reading this post.

Some bloggers are compelled to reference politics on such a day. A fashion blogger may endorse a candidate because said candidate prefers Armani suits over Jean-Paul Gaultier. Another candidate may get the thumbs up from a llama farmer's blog because of his pro-llama stance. Such is the vast blogger universe. It's all good.

In any event, I must say that I will not be publicly endorsing any canididate. I will say, however, that you should get out and vote. Trust me, you'll feel good about yourself afterward. And you're eligible for a free coffee at Starbucks.

Now that I've extracted thirty seconds of your life that you'll never get back...

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Shout out to RIC midfielder Christina Tavana, who was awarded Little East Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

Speaking of shout outs...I had to give radio props to a certain college soccer team during my recent appearance on Revolution Recap. Check the final minute of the podcast to discover which team it was, as if you didn't know already.

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I heart UEFA Champions League. There, I said it. Although it begins play in August, I always associate it with the holidays. I don't know why, exactly. The small, rational part of my brain thinks it's a rare opportunity for me to watch Man U, Chelsea, Real, Barca.* The other 95% thinks it's because of the large glowing soccer ball structure that floats onto an empty pitch. Whatever the exact reason, I love it, even after Christmas. **

(*Have I mentioned that I still haven't upgraded to digital cable? Granted, I can watch any of these football powerhouses on my laptop, but it just isn't the same as watching it on the telly. Just agree with me. Thank you.)

(**I was going through some of my recordings of last year's UCL matches, and there seems to be an abundance of clubs who wear red kits. Liverpool, ManU, Benfica, half-Barca, and Arsenal all come to mind. Perhaps my subconscious was picking up on a theme. Red kits, green pitch, silver bells, er, balls. Merry Christmas, anyone? Egh? Eghhhhhh...)

So you can imagine my excitement when I flipped through today's TV listings to read "(ESPN2) UEFA Champions League Groupstage - Matchday 4." It didn't mention which particular match*, but as long as Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth are behind the mikes, I'll surely enjoy it. Heck, have them call the local Bunnyhoppers-Squirrels U-8 match, and I'll plan my day around it.

(*Please, oh please, let it be Roma-Chelsea. EDIT: It's Liverpool-Atletico...still good!)

The match also affords me the opportunity to simultaneously continue crafting this 20-page paper I may have mentioned. Rae and Smyth breathe so many vivid details that much of their in-match analysis could be considered prose. In fact, I've already taken to reviewing my drafts while watching recorded UCL matches. Why? Because I hope to infuse the same descriptive lanaguage in my paper. If my paper contains 1/16th the vocabulary of Rae and Smyth, I will be a thrilled prospective grad student.

Plus, it'll keep me away from the army of talking heads tonight.