Go State! Go State!

(I took this title from the "Pride of the Dakotas" marching band, who used to chant "Go State! Go State!" before their performances)

(although I know this doesn't make alot of sense, because this week the Jackrabbits take on the North Dakota State Bison... they are also State, but I digress)

Did you hear that there's a football game this weekend?

Well, that's my weekend update.  Jackrabbits.  Bison.  I'm watching.  

That's it.  

NDSU Round 2 Preview from South Dakota State Football on Vimeo.

Really looking forward to the game tomorrow.  Two very good, solid football teams, with a rivalry built on mutual respect, facing off in the playoffs.

The only thing wrong with it, is why are these two teams playing each other in round 2?  The selection committee really kind of shot themselves in the foot.  Particularly if this game is another knockdown, drag em out, hit you in the face, one possession game... and then the Bison (or Jacks, but more realistically, the Bison...they are #1 for a reason)... run through the rest of the playoff field without being challenged.

No matter the result, I'm very proud to call myself a fan of this particular Jackrabbits team.  They have been very fun to watch, and really epitomize the "team" aspect of football, especially on the defensive side.  No real stars on this defense, and yet they are a top ten unit in the nation.

I hope Brock Jensen looks like this Tomorrow!

Reminder: America's Game is Dec. 8th!

That's right, the 113th ARMY-NAVY game!

If you have a chance... you should check it out.

You'll never forget it.  It's just an amazing game to watch.

Ain't it the truth!

Just a funny example of the times that we live in.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Playoffs?

We're talking about Playoffs!

Go Big.

Go Blue.

Go Jacks!

Halftime Highlight from South Dakota State Football on Vimeo.

Tablets and Chromebooks

Interested in doing a little Christmas shopping?  For others in your house, or perhaps yourself?

Getting around to Robbins question... concerning tablets.

I'll come right out and say it, I don't own a tablet, so I'm not an expert on them by any means whatsoever.

However, here is a review from Cnet, which was updated last week, with their "Top 5" Tablets.  iPad is at the top of the list, of course.  But, I don't think Microsoft's surface was considered in this ranking.

Personally, it really comes down to personal preference.  Do you have an iPod?  Do like games, and free Apps?  Do you have a vast and expansive library of things on your iTunes account?  Does using an Apple make you feel superior?  Then you should get an iPad.

Do you want to use it to watch movies on long car rides, and listen to music to?  You should look into the Kindle Fire HD.

It really does depend on what you want it for?  If you are someone like me who is going to use it to check their e-mail and browse the web, the Google Nexus 7 is a fantastic product, at less than half the price of an iPad.

I really like what I've seen and read about the Microsoft surface... looks like a quality competitor to an iPad, but they need to come down in price.

My advice is to Read this article, and make your selection from there.  Lots to consider.


Another thought while you are out there shopping.... ever think of a Chromebook?

Chromebooks are Google's version of the laptop.  And basically, all they are is the chrome browser.  Everything you do in the computer (in theory) is done on the web.  Want to write a paper... do it in google docs.  Want to work with pictures.... Picasa is Google's picture hosting and picture editing software.  Basically everything you would do on a normal computer, you do on a chromebook, but it's done online.

They use a solid state drive, so there is no "hard drive".  No moving parts!  Because of this, it runs cooler, faster, and uses much less battery.  Google claims it will run for 8 hours on one charge.

Did I mention it was fast?  Google claims that you can boot it up the first time, and be online in less than five minutes.... and once the computer is set up... you can go from powered down and off, to working online in less than 30 seconds.

Google also makes many other numerous claims regarding their chromebooks... such as there is no need to run updates at any time... because it does it automatically.  The Chromebook automatically downloads and implements all updates every single time it shuts down.

I actually think they would be a phenomenal classroom tool for the classroom.  Having our students use the Chromebooks instead of the netbooks we use now.  Here is an article on chromebooks being used successfully in education.

With the price of the "High End" chromebook at $250, and the "lower end" chromebook at $200, this type of computing needs to not only be considered, but looked at and researched closely.

Run Rabbits!

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to be able attend South Dakota State University's first ever home playoff Football game.

The Jackrabbits hosted the Eastern Illinois Panthers in first round FCS football action at Coughlin Alumni Stadium in Brookings, SD.

Despite reading comments from the Panthers that the Jackrabbits, "Didn't do anything special".  And that, "We've faced good running backs before."  And how they had heard that SDSU "keeps the grass a foot long, to slow down the game".

The Jackrabbits had little trouble with the Ohio Valley Conference Champions, winning 58-10.  Sophomore running back Zach Zenner, broke the school's single game rushing record with 295 total yards and 3 touchdowns, and basically took the 4th quarter off.  In fact, his backup, redshirt Freshman Reggie Gandy, also ran for 150 yards and had two touchdowns of his own.

Run, Zach! Run!

While it was fun watching the Rabbits dispatch a clearly outmatched foe, it only sets the table for this weekend's coming Rivalry Rematch!

SDSU will travel up to Fargo, ND to face the NDSU Bison for the second time this season.  Last time, the Bison were able to win the game 20-17 to capture the Missouri Valley Conference football championship.

This time?  Who knows?  The Bison are certainly a solid team, and play the same type of smart, hard nose football as the Jackrabbits.  While it's strange to comprehend how the selection committee could set up the top two teams in the top conference in the nation to meet in a second round matchup... I'm pretty sure that the Jackrabbits were not the team the Bison wanted to see right away, either.

Go Big. Go Blue. Go Jacks!

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

Hope everyone has a Great Thanksgiving Week!

Technology Office is busy as ever... working on some of the following problems:
1.  Re-imaging all the computers on the laptop cart.
2.  Getting Mr. Farnham's Mac onto the domain server.
3.  Helping Mrs. Blake get her iPads to connect to iCloud.
4.  Install Type to Learn software at Roland Colony, (hopefully do that today).

In addition, I'm very excited to start Girls Basketball Practice today.  It will be a very interesting season for me.  I have not been an assistant basketball coach since 2001.  Also, starting out at a new school and getting to know new players and what they can do.  And, on top of all that... the Varsity girls team graduated 6 players from last year's team, so this year will be a whole different crew out there, from the past few years.

I actually think the team will surprise some people.  My daughter and I were able to join them for a couple team camps in Madison this past summer, and I didn't think they looked too bad at all.  Just a bit inexperienced.... people will need to grow into their roles, and become their own team.