Week 1 HustleBag

It’s Friday, boys and girls. Which means three things.

1. A Saturday of football is back in front of your eyeballs in less than 24 hours
2. The work week is almost over
3. You are closer now to a plate full of wings and some cold beers at happy hour than you have been so far this week.

Those are things to celebrate. And celebration in life is important. Too often we go about our daily existence and don’t take time to marvel in wonderment and awe about the things that happen around us either through our own action or the happenstance and serendipity that we find ourselves in. If you’ve ever talked to a science nerd long enough they’ll share all sorts of theories about alternate universes and divergent timelines and the like. In basic terms, it’s like there are an infinite number of realities that are happening concurrently across the space time continuum. In one of them, you’re reading this article exactly as you are now and that’s the timeline you’re on. In another, you’re reading this column and a swamp monster shows up and stabs you with a pencil. In another, Olivia Wilde walks in and furiously makes out with you because you like the MAC. I’m not sure how it works, I was a business grad. But that last one seems pretty cool.

Celebrate your week and choose happiness kids.

On to your questions...

From @JohnyAction on Twitter:

EMU lost a lot of close games last year: 3 in OT, 3 by less than 7 points. With tougher non-conference schedule can they get to a bowl without returning QB and 4 new WR’s?

Can they? Sure. Will they? Who knows. You and I both know that even in a year where a team is head and shoulders above the conference weird things happen. Those weekday gams in October and November create chaos and offense, my two middle names. The thing I think is most impressive and falls in EMU’s favor is the culture that’s been created there. It wasn’t that long ago when you were looking for a challenge in NCAA football dynasty mode that EMU was THE choice. The logic being if you could win there you’ve truly done something. Definitely makes the job Creighton is doing all that more impressive. I’ve been a big believer in luck evening out over the course of time. Lose a bunch of close games one year, win a bunch the next. I think EMU goes bowling and Creighton goes job hunting.

From reader JackGray64:

Will Ball State play defense this year? Asking for my friend Mike N

Based on what we saw on Thursday night they will. The switch from the 4-3 to the 3-4 allows for more pressure and more speed, two things that were sorely lacking in Muncie and two things that tend to disrupt the MAC. Sure, it was an FCS opponent. I’m aware. But the defense looked sharp and disciplined and able to make plays. It was also week 1 and that’s when the defense should look the worst. Your friend may just get to keep his job.

From Jack

There’s fantasy football for college now. Is this too much? Do we need to just be happy with the fan level that we have now?

Are you kidding me? Of course not. There’s a large bit of the population that watches the NFL and plays Fantasy Football because there is no alternative. Some of us know more about college ball than pros and it’s only fitting that we have a place to congregate and celebrate the amateurs in our lives. And not the ones with leather couches, small offices, and a camera on a tripod.

From Andrew

My girlfriend and I are going to different places for grad school. Should we just break up or do the whole long distance thing?

I’m probably not the best person to ask about long distance relationships seeing as I’ve been in one for a couple years and it just ended. So take this advice with a giant grain of salt. Any relationship requires trust and communication. Without those two things you are doomed. I don’t care if she is a work from home kind of gal or an astronaut on a lunar mission. The thing to remember is long distance makes everything tougher. When you get in your little snips or snaps after a bad day there’s no way to hug it out or joke and laugh. It’s easy to just hang the phone up and move on. So is it worth it? Depends on the people involved. I’ve seen it work well, but I’ve lived it when it didn’t. Everything is more complicated from moving to moving on. Be warned.

HustleBag runs Friday afternoons here at Hustle Belt. You can submit questions via Twitter (@HustleBelt) or via email at HustleBeltBlog (at) gmail.com.