Wednesday, February 6, 2013
So, the last time I blogged, the Ravens had just had their hearts ripped out by the New England Patriots (and Billy Cundiff).
Fast forward one year to now. The Ravens take care of business in Boston and beat the Patriots pretty soundly, and then they face the San Francisco 49ers: the team I grew up rooting for. Well my loyalty to the Ravens wins out obviously.
The game appeared to be a blowout. I can't believe I missed the Jacoby Jones kickoff return for a touchdown because we were watching the Puppy Bowl. But then the lights go out, delay the game for over 30 minutes and then the 49ers come back. With under two minutes to go, the 49ers have 1st and goal at the 7 and fail to punch it in. Sure there was a controversial no call, but I'll take it. I was so nervous during the 4th quarter that I chewed right thru the plastic cup I was holding.
RAVENS ARE SUPER BOWL CHAMPS!
And to make the feeling sweeter, guess who put $20 on the Ravens to win the Super Bowl back in August. THIS GUY! Icing on the cake, baby.
As far as what's going on in my life, I am not longer working at Z bank. I now work at the local credit union doing personal loans for people. I enjoy the interaction with people on an everyday basis. Camille and her sister are still running a successful doggy day care business. I am in my third semester of my master's program at the University of Utah.
In October I had the chance to go to Brazil and visit the Amazon Rain forest. I did one of those jungle tours where you go stay in the rain forest right out on the river. We fished for piranhas, swam with freshwater pink dolphins and even spotted a three toed sloth. Then I went to the northern beaches of Brazil and spent a few days just relaxing on the beach. It was my longest vacation in 10 years and I can say it was much needed.
Camille had an extraordinary opportunity to visit a country that has been on her bucket list for years. She went to India in November and spent 17 days visiting the Taj Mahal, Nepal, and Jaipur.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
It's been awhile...
First off, I'm still married, in case you were wondering.
Second, we've increased the number of animals we have... and sorry, no baby announcements...
Camille and I now have two cats, four dogs, and an African Grey parrot.
Third, we've moved. Around Labor Day, Camille and her sister purchased a doggie day care business just out side of Park City, Utah near the small town of Kamas. We live on 42 acres at our dog ranch where Camille and her sister walk, board, and take care of dozens of dogs per day.
I guess you could say that the movie "We Bought a Zoo" is based on our marriage, but the difference is that Camille is alive for this movie.
If you'd like to see the website, please visit: parkcitydog.com
I'm still working at Z bank, and I've recently been admitted to the Masters of Real Estate Development program at the University of Utah. It still doesn't feel real that I'm going back to school, but I'm sure one day it'll hit me. That day will probably be when it's time to pay back some student loans.
Since this is a sports blog, I guess the main updates on my sports teams are this:
Baltimore Ravens: They came within one play of making it to the Super Bowl against, and the team I rooted for as a child, the San Francisco 49ers, also came within one play of making the Super Bowl. I'm still bummed out about this, and I'm still recovering. Hopefully I'll be ready for another season come September.
Utah Jazz: I have no idea what this team is doing. I'm still mad at the Deron Williams trade, even though I understand the "why" they did it. I haven't really watched the team since the trade, but we have a bunch of average players on an average team. And now that AK47 is gone, all my hatred goes to Devin Harris. HE SUCKS. And Greg Miller is an immature tool.
BYU Cougars: Zo, Scott, and I did a man trip out to Austin, TX back in September to see the Cougars lose by one point to the University of Texas Longhorns. The following week, the Cougs lost 54-10 to the Utes in Provo. After that, I checked out for the season. Call me fairweather, sure. I'm ok with that. The University has zero direction by going Independent. Yes, I get it, the Mountain West is going away now, but do whatever it takes to join the Big 12 you knuckleheads.
You could say I'm a disgruntled fan lately, which is why I'm glad that I have other distractions in my life with my wife's business and going back to school.
Hope all is well with everyone. Does anyone even blog anymore? I know I don't.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Dunkball 2: Teaser
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Married Life
Saturday, March 20, 2010
THE AVERAGE JOE BACHELOR PARTY
The windows below should provide you access. If not, just go to the actual link at:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thejonblogcam
Live TV : Ustream
Thursday, March 18, 2010
8 Steps to Protect Your Engagement
Step One: Make sure that she moves in with her married sister/brother (especially if the sister has young children around). You'll never lack privacy, and it's hard to fine any alone time or alone place.
Step Two: Move in with a roommate who owns his own house, is pretty straight-laced and that you'd be embarrassed to get caught making out around (thanks, Pete!)
Step Three: Buy a house or at least pretend like your gonna buy a house. I've found the house buying process kills a woman's libido because she'll act like she likes the house more than her own fiance.
Step Four: Keep the engagement short. 8-12 weeks is plenty of time to plan a wedding. I don't understand these people that can wait 6-12 months. That's how you ruin a wedding, silly!
Step Five: Get a puppy. A puppy needs constant attention and will pee if you turn your head away for one second. The frustration of training it washes away any raging hormones.
Step Six: If you're still feeling randy, get ANOTHER puppy! We did it (and yes, we are insane)
Step Seven: When you buy the house (see Step 3), make sure it's a fixer upper. The chance for any temptations is low when the carpet smells like a mixture of cat pee, old lady, and cigarette smoke :)
Step Eight: The only serious note of this article, make sure to start praying together the closer you get to the wedding. My friend suggested it and it really works.
In fact, all these steps work so well, that sometimes you wonder if you're libido will magically kick back in the first night of marriage and honeymoon. Don't worry, I'm not worried. I know I'll be fine. I'm Average Joe.
See you all at the wedding!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Two weeks to go
But I am getting married in two weeks to the beautiful Camille Porter. We are also closing on our home in the next 24 hours. It's all crazy and happening so fast.
If you would have asked me six months ago if I was getting married, buying a house, AND having two cats and two dogs, I would not have believed it.
Well, be-lee dat!
Hope to see you all at the wedding in two weeks!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Super "Awesome" Bowl
Monday, January 4, 2010
2009: Year in Review
2009 has come and gone faster than I can rememeber! The year and decade are now over. What a weird decade and I will post a 2000's recap a little later.
Last year, I wrote a funny 2008 Christmas Card entry at http://averagejoesports.blogspot.com/2008/12/2008-christmas-card.html to catch up on what happened last year in my life. This year, I'll just recap.
January: I ventured out on my first-ever single’s cruise to Mexico . I enjoyed non-stop gorging on cruise food , seeing the location where the 1984 movie “Predator” in Puerto Vallarta was filmed, and paying off some dirty cops in Matzatlan after my friend injured herself on a 4-wheeler.
February: I welcomed two new nephews into my family, baby Seth and baby Jonah.
March: My sister Beka was married in Logan and we introduced a really cool brother-in-law to the family, Nathan.
April: We’ll call this chick concert month because I went to see Lily Allen, the Ting Tings, and Britney Spears. I must have been feeling a lot of estrogen that month. Full story at: http://averagejoesports.blogspot.com/2009/04/lily-allen-ting-tings-britney-jocelyn.html
May: I enjoyed a trip to Zions National Park , and also finished editing a movie that I filmed all the way back in 2006.
June: This was a fun month because our softball team (which is usually terrible) named “Jim’s Orphans” finally started winning and we were on our way to becoming softball champions. To read more: http://averagejoesports.blogspot.com/2009/07/jims-orphans-2009-softball-champs.html Oh, I got an iPhone and joined Twitter. http://www.twitter.com/averagejoseph
July: My 30th birthday! What an event filled weekend. First my, grandpa died, then I had a film festival for my movie http://www.dunkballmovie.com On the way down to the film festival, our car broke down, so I spent a good part of my 30th birthday stuck in Barstow, CA with a crook who disguised himself as an owner of an auto repair shop. “Dunkball” won the film festival for "Best Micro Short", and when I got back, I found out that I had been laid off from my job at z-bank.
August: This was quite an eventful month because two things happened simultaneously. I found a new job and a new girlfriend in the same week. Just when I thought I was going to become an unemployed bum with thoughts of relocating anywhere I could, I found peace a solace in a new and exciting position with an amazing girlfriend named Camille.
September: I went to California w/ Camille for the SoCal Film Festival where “Dunkball” was screened.
October: Rocked the best Halloween costume ever as David Bowie from the movie “The Labrynth” and I hit my first ever home runs of my life in a softball game.
November: Enjoyed the best Thanksgiving in years with most of my family up in Kennewick , WA .
December: Welcomed Camille back from her month-long trip to southeast Asia. And spend Christmas with her family and New Years in a hot tub on the 26th floor of American Towers watching the fireworks.
Hopefully, 2010 can be the best year and decade ever!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Intoducing my Podcast

Check out Average Joe's Sports Podcast:
Monday, November 16, 2009
Dear Peter King,
Monday, October 26, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Softball Runner-Ups
Earlier in the year, our softball team "Jim's Orphans" went from last-to-first to win our summer softball league.Monday, October 12, 2009
Pearl Jam: They Still Got It!
Freshman year in high school in 1993, I was a 14-year old in
Kennewick, WA just 200 miles away from the center of all music at the
time: the Seattle grunge scene. Nirvana was changing everything on
MTV. Pearl Jam's "Ten" was kicking trash all over. In fact, people
were anxiously awaiting their sophomore album "Vs." more than
Nirvana's album "In Utero."
"Vs." was very well received by the critics, but since it was
following up arguably the greatest rock album of my lifetime, the fans
were expecting so much more. Plus, Pearl Jam decided to stop making
music videos. Basically, Pearl Jam decided to do their own thing and
go against the social norm and Ticketmaster very early on in their
career. They started hanging out with Neil Young, and he pretty much
ruined them in the prime of their rock careers.
Granted, going with the entire mantra of rock n roll, they fought "the
man" and did what they wanted to do: perform awesome live concerts.
They have become a band for the fans, and alienated all the
fair-weather fans (like myself).
They became this generation's Led Zeppelin and will go down as one of
the greatest quintessential rock bands of our time, but with all the
secrecy and doing things their own way, they pretty much lost me by
the wayside.
I respect Pearl Jam as being the best of my time -- with "Ten" being
the best rock album I can think of, but unfortunately I didn't become
one of their hardcore fans that did whatever they could to follow them
through their own methods of communication with the fans.
Eddie, you still rock....HARD. To rock arenas the way you always wanted
to in your 40s is quite the success story. May rock and everything it
stands for still live on through you and your bandmates. Your vocals
were incredible last night!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
My First Home Runs!
Let me start this out by saying: I am a terrible baseball/softball player. I never played little league as a child (not even tee-ball). When I was in 7th grade, I decided to try out for the baseball team. I was the first one cut. Saturday, September 26, 2009
BYU vs. Colorado State
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
BYU: The Fallout
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
BYU vs. Tulane Recap
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Dunkball Trailer
And of course, here is the movie after the trailer got you ninja pumped so hard you slapped your friend across the jaw! (hope it's not too much of a let down)
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
NFL 2009 Sleeper Picks
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Average Joe is back after a hectic summer of uncertainty and what not. I am back working for the Z bank, and I have had the time to really think about some sleepers for the upcoming NFL season.
Once again, all the “experts” picked the same division winners as last year in all their season predictions. It drives me crazy that nobody has the guts to take a chance on their picks. In the NFL, there are 32 teams and only 12 make the playoffs. Of those 12 playoff teams, every season an average of 6 new teams make the playoffs while 6 drop out, only about 6 return to the playoffs from the following season.
I like to think of the sleeper teams that will shock people that will make the playoffs or win the division.
Last season, my team, the Baltimore Ravens plus the Atlanta Falcons were the two sleepers from the previous year. In 2008, both teams were picked to finish last in their divisions because they had finished last in 2007. Both teams made the playoffs. It has been a pretty wild offseason, and I think I am ready to make the picks of the surprise teams for this year. Last year I picked the Lions. They became the only defeated team in NFL history at 0-16. But you know what, I took a risk, and my other sleeper prediction “the Baltimore Ravens” were one quarter away from making the Super Bowl.
Here is my sleeper picks for this season:
AFC: Kansas City Chiefs: They could easily win the West now that Herm Edwards is gone. Plus they have a real QB now, and a quality RB.
NFC: St. Louis Rams: They have a quality QB, a quality RB, and a new coach which could translate into a lot of wins in their weak division.
My fantasy football team is going to rock as well. I had the second pick in the draft and here is my lineup.
QB Carson Palmer
QB Matt Schaub
WR Randy Moss
WR Greg Jennings
WR Torry Holt
WR Bernard Berrian
RB Adrian Peterson
RB Reggie Bush
RB Ray Rice
RB Jonathan Stewart
TE Jason Whitten
TE Todd Heap
K Steve Haushka (Baltimore)
Def Baltimore
I could be celebrating come January!