Winning and Rioting

Since I no longer work in the news world and UNC was in the national title game, guess what I decided to do, go to Chapel Hill and be involved in the idiocy. Six months ago I would have paid to get out of going to Chapel Hill, any time I went near that city, something would happen. I'd be forced to move the live truck 6 times after I had everything set up. Being kicked off a roof because the snipers "don't like TV people." Yet I wanted to see what it was like without being forced to confront the idiots.

First the Dean Dome had probably over 4,000 people there watching the game. I thought it was interesting how the entire crowd reacted like the game was happening in front of us. Anytime they cut to a Michigan State player they booed and of course a UNC player was cheered. This made it interesting during the fast edited pregame show. Many chants filled the arena and made it a very lively scene.

I like UNC, but do not love them as many of these people did. Unless BG makes it to a title, I'll probably stay at home and watch the game, the food is a little cheaper.

Once the Tarheels routed Sparty the "fun" began. 80% of the crowd at the Dean Dome started the mile trek up hill to Franklin St where 30,000 people were already starting chaos. To compare it to something people have seen or experienced, it's like Bourbon Street except on fire. For some reason a local paper thought it would be a good idea to hand out championship papers... WRONG! They were used to start the fires and I swear I saw Nero and a fiddle at Top of the Hill.

Smoke filled the air and pockets of small fires littered the streets. Most of these fires were very small and for some reason people thought it would be a great idea to jump over them. I, now part of the mob, jumped over a couple. Some where just to do it and others were the only way to cross the mob.

Then you just randomly saw people in places that were strange like trees, on top of crosswalk lights, poles and my favorite ripped off street signs. Of course what did people do, jump on top and surf through the crowd. The video below is one of the times I was a little too close to the group of sign surfers. The video below is that time, each time someone fell off it was like an ocean wave crashing into you. People were thrown back into you and you into those behind. Luckily I kept my balance, but some had to be helped up from the fall and their new injuries from people stepping on them.

It was around 1:45 by the time I finally made it back to my car over at the Dean Dome. Am I glad I finally got to be apart of the mob... yes. Will I ever do that again... no. I have experienced the crowds from both sides of the lens. Next time this happens I can watch WRAL and know what is going on and relive this experience, that's enough for me.

How Can an Entire County be on Fire?

Yesterday was one of the most windy days I have ever seen. I went and did a pintsize sports story and it was one of the hardest shoots I've done in a while. Our sports guy wanted a lot of natural sound, well, all he got was a lot of wind.

I didn't think much more about the wind till I realized that we had all of our crews chasing brush fires. I kind of forgot that since we are in a drought, that when it's that windy if can help cause fires. I didn't think too much about it till I kept hearing one word, Franklinton. Even though we are technically in Wake Forest I actually live in Franklin county and live eight miles from Franklinton. Then I found out that most of Franklin county is on fire, I called The Wife and asked if Fried Chicken Drive is well not fried. I love her response, "Is that why I keep hearing fire trucks?" She had no idea that everything around the county was on fire. Fortunately, we are fine, it did come that far south everything stayed about 3 miles north of us.

I was worried for most of the night I kept wondering what I should tell The Wife if she sees the fire, what should she grab? Wedding photos, the lock box, the external hard drive and some clothes? We do have renter's insurance, but still to lose would be awful, I hope this ever happens to us.

Fire made it better

The 4th of July is good for three things:

1. America's independence
2. Blowin' "stuff" up
3. cook outs

With that said I will attempt to blog today's wonderful events, So previously on the 4th

9:00Am Wake up and shower

10:00Am The Wife makes breakfast and we soon realize that the USA network is running a Law & Order marathon. Those bastards! How can we clean if they do this to us every holiday.

11:00AM-4:00Pm we finally start cleaning the house and it looks great!

4:00 PM I get to run chores including dropping off parking passes to family and friends. Final stop is Krogers, I needed to pick up marshmallows, chocolate, and gram crackers for Smores. Mind you we don't have an open flame, just a grill

5:00- 7:00PM Prep the food and get ready for family.

From this point on I will be trying to live blog the night.

7:00PM FIRE! I HAVE MADE FIRE!

7:10 Everyone shows up and I'm not ready to start the food... oops! Wait a second! Why is everyone on time... what about being fashionably late.

8:00PM Food is almost done!

OK I suck at this live blogging thing. What happened the rest of the night was fireworks that rocked! Westerville did a really good job with this years show.