My Small Business Ideas

All,

I know it's been a very, very long time since I've last posted, but I got busy and blah blah blah (insert generic excuses here).  Anyway, I thought I'd come back strong and make a commitment to post at least once a week.  Twice a week or more when I get ambitious and channel that ambition towards something productive.

Today as I was having my morning cup of coffee I started thinking about disc golf.  Don't ask me why, but that's what I started thinking about.  For those of you not familiar with the sport, it entails throwing a frisbee (disc) towards baskets with chains above them (the "holes"), like golf.  To learn more about disc golf, check out this link.  I love disc golf.  It's a great way to spend time outdoors with your friends and it's as competitive as you want to make it.

So where am I going with this you ask?  Well, I was also thinking about hookah, because it's another social activity that I enjoy (click for more).  And then I had an epiphany: why not combine the two?  I think having a disc golf course with hookah every couple of holes would be awesome.  It would offer pit stops for casual players and competitors alike to enjoy each others company with another social activity (no one I know smokes hookah alone).  I realize the profit margin on such a venture is low to moderate, at best and it would only appeal to a niche market.  Having said that, it would still be pretty damn cool.

My other possible business venture would again cater to a niche market, but is just as awesome (in my opinion, anyway).  I've always liked to cook, and I think that it would be cool to open up a restaurant.  But here's the kicker: the restaurant would be just off the Appalachian Trail.  I would cater to through-hikers and locals alike, and have the most diverse menu ever (home cooking to Asian to Mexican to whatever else catches my fancy).  I don't know, I just think it would be awesome to have a restaurant/bar for through-hikers and locals to come and swap stories and have a few drinks.

So those are my awesome small business ideas.  Steal them if you must, but please let me know where they are so I can at least come visit.

-Jason

The state of State Athletics: It's been on my mind for a while now

All,

I don't want to turn this into a sports blog. That being said, I'm going to take a short break from talking about harder issues to tackle and talk about the state of State athletics. As I said in my first post, I'm a student at NC State University. Don't get me wrong, I think our two marquee sports teams (football and men's basketball) are making strides in the right direction (football more than basketball, but again, just my opinion). Yes Sidney Lowe is still green as far as NCAA coaches go, and maybe firing him and getting someone else would turn the program around, or at least get it back to where Sendek had it. BUT...I honestly don't think that the coaches are even the heart of the problem.

Honestly, I think the heart of the problem lies with our Athletic Director, Lee Fowler. I could break out the stats and records, but some guy on StateFans Nation already did that in the comments section of this article. It's the sixth comment down (the long one), and you can read it here. This guy's/gal's homework looks good and having lived with a State alum from the 1970's, I can tell you that there is an ever-growing sense of disgust with the state of all State athletics.

My biggest problem with Lee is that he does nothing to garner student support or enthusiasm. Sure, we have the campout for Carolina basketball tickets, which always has a good turnout, but other than that, where is the buzz about basketball and football season? Maybe I hang out with the wrong crowd on campus, but I get the sense that football attendance among students is only as high as it is because of the opportunity for public drunkenness. And, after going to the basketball game on Sunday against Florida, the energy from students (including myself) is lacking. I can guarantee that most students at State want us to compete for ACC and National Championships in our major sports, and we should be acting like it at all the games, yes...even the ones where we're getting blown out or have a horrible showing. Don't let it seem like I'm bashing on students. I'm guilty of the aforementioned transgressions too. Let's focus on Lee. He's shown that State can run a clean program, court the big donors, build facilities, and have good standing with the media (him personally, that is). Instead of talking to the News & Observer as much as he does, why doesn't Lee talk to us lowly students? We constantly fill our sections in Carter-Finley and the RBC Center and contribute part of our tuition to your program and salary. Sure, we may not give as much as your big donors, but our lack of interest in sports is not giving our players any warm and fuzzies after games. Bring back the buzz, Lee. Or maybe we'll just start some buzz that it's time for you, not Sidney Lowe or Tom O'Brien to go.

Take it for what it is...just some frustration from an avid student and supporter of Wolfpack sports. And, while I can't say I agree with all the coaching decisions made by our coaches or am overly impressed every game by our players' effort, I don't think it's the heart of our mediocrity. It's at the top. It's Lee Fowler.