Every sports team that I root for is in a direct result from the teams my father has rooted for.  Our family can best be described as passionate.  We love things, we hate things.  My family is as polarizing as T.O.  As a result of these passions to certain teams, I though it would be good to list things/people in sports I really dislike...borderline hate.  Thoughts are encouraged:

1. New York City - It's tough enough to like a northern "big city" when you grow up in Birmingham and No-where Kentucky.  But the clincher has to be the Yankees.  Everything from The Mick to Jeter, Monument Park to pinstripes, George to Hank.  My hate has spread with the help of Eli, J-E-T-S, Mookie, Tiki, Howard Johnson, Mark Gastineau, and John Starks.  Despite the efforts of Charles Oakley and Justin Tuck, I'll probably always hate NYC.

2. Michigan - Pick a reason!  Those stupid helmets or the baggy shorts.  At Michigan they stage emotional uprisings just before big games to add the extra edge.  Proof - Steve Fisher in 1989 Tourney and Bo Schembechler dying just before the big OSU game in 2006.  My dad still swears he was dead in 2001 but they just released it on that Friday before 1 vs. 2.

3. Bill Belichek - The genius was a moron in Cleveland.  This is the guy that brought in the Vinny Testeverde Era.  That's no guru.

4. The Dodgers - I went through a phase as a kid where I was a fan.  How couldn't I be?!  Look at the photo of the 1988 team and tell me that doesn't look like a church-league softball team.  Then came the weird Strawberry - Davis signings.  There relationship made me uncomfortable at the age of 9.  It was then I truly understood the Reds rivalry.  Add in Manny's emergence this year and my once love for Orel Hersheiser is a distant memory.

5. Florida Gators/Auburn Tigers - TIE - Kentucky fans will list Florida as their key rivals on every list.  The evolution of this rivalry reminds me of what's happening with my Sox and Rays.  The little, entertaining brother has become better and is tired of being picked on.  Both are very annoying.

It's not that Auburn has ever done anything for me to hate them; it's just that they're Auburn.  They yell "War Eagle" but are the Tigers.  They have uglier women and dumber students then Alabama.  Every time I watch them now and see those Under-Armor logos, I think of them protecting their house.  Pretty stupid...

I believe my list of best burgers in Cincinnati is complete.  With the opening of Fatburger in Oakley, I feel like now is the perfect time to post a list.If you've eaten at all ten of these places, let me know why my list is wrong.

1. Terry's Turf Club
2. Oakley Pub and Grill/Zola in Covington
3. Zips
4. Quantman Café
5. Herb and Thelma's
6. Arthur's
7. Fatburger
8. Habits
9. Allyn's Café
10. City View Tavern

Its been a month since my last post and I've got tons of stuff I'm thinking about:

• Entourage has come back strong this year.  The key is that they've really stopped focusing on its supporting characters and gone back to having the group as a whole.  E is a great balance for the group and Ari may be the most entertaining character, but they aren't the show, just pieces.
• Speaking of Wahlberg news, if you didn't see SNL this week, I really enjoyed this.
• If Jim Tressel actually watched the LSU game last year, wouldn't he know that his team would be better with any other QB?
• In the last 15 years, it hasn't been very good to be a Notre Dame game fan.  But getting absolutely no attention after starting to play "respectable" football is chincy.  Critics often hate ND because how backers always bring up history from over 20 years ago.  Shouldn't they also negate to base their expectations on this years team over the past 15?  Probably not.
• Bama vs. LSU in Death Valley at night may be the most dangerous place in the nation...if your name is Nick Sabin.
• IMy fiance been given a budget of $500 to go to Tampa next weekend should the series reach 6 games to root on my Sox.  Got me thinking...How much would you pay for your dream mancation?
• Another poll:  Would you feel comfortable bringing a child under 14 to a Bengals game?  On the other side, would you feel comfortable dressing your child in a Bengals shirt?
• I hope Bob Castellini doesn't have ESPN.  I'm afraid that if he sees any of these pieces they're running about how the Rays have gone from worst to first by spending no money, he may get some ideas.  In reality, the Rays have a team loaded with top draft picks, leftovers (Pena), and desperate hopes rewards (Kazmir for Victor Zambrano?).  These guys are about to get paid and its their talent that should be celebrated, not payroll.

I'm off to Notre Dame tomorrow for the 8th time.  But something makes me think I'm missing something.  If you have something cool I should do/visit around campus or South Bend, send it over.  I'd love to know what others love about ND.