What Is Your Favorite Defender's Role on the Football Field?

I was listening to my favorite morning program, Mike and Mike, earlier this week and they were faced with a trivia question to answer. Golic (one of the Mikes) made a guess, and Greeny (the other Mike) told him, "Incorrect. It's the guy who stands to his left."
CB and I carpool together since my work is on the way to his, so I looked over to him and asked, "Would you really be able to name the guy to someone's left???" He of course looked at me like I had 12 heads and snorted, "Well, yeah. You can't?"
Honestly, not really. Offensive players are one thing, but the other side of the ball leaves me a little hazy. I figured if I felt this way, I wasn't the only one. So today I thought I'd do a breakdown of some of our favorite defenders in the NFL, and where they line up on the field. This is as much for me as it is for anyone else! 

Now keep in mind, there are variations based on formation, but for today I'm going to keep it very basic with one single formation. 

  ---- 
1. JJ Watt || Houston Texans || Defensive End

image via 
JJ has two main jobs....
|| On a pass play ||  Get to the QB and do any of the following:  block pass, sack, swat football out of hands, cause fumble
|| On a run play ||  Stop the running back ASAP for little to no yards gained

2. Von Miller || Denver Broncos || Outside Linebacker

image via   Von has a lot of responsibility...
|| On a run play ||  Stop any run that the defensive ends let through.
|| On a pass play ||  Cover any passes thrown in his area of coverage. 
The outside linebacker, Von's position, is the most important position for the linebackers. He is stationed where the most receivers will be. 
If the offense has a wide receiver and a tight end on Von's side of the field, he has the responsibility of stopping both the run and covering the pass for anyone on his side.

3. Richard Sherman || Seattle Seahawks || Cornerback

 image via
Sherman's main job is to defend against the pass
Sherman is expected to be one of the fastest players on the field, both mentally and physically. If the QB launches the ball into the air for a Wide Receiver, Sherman is expected to intercept the ball, or at the very least, break that pass up.
  4. Ndamukong Suh || Miami Dolphins || Defense Tackle

image via
Suh has two major jobs
|| On a run play ||  Suh has to clog up the middle so the running back can't break straight up the field. 
|| On a pass play ||  His job is to push the guys on offense (the center and the guards) backwards to give the Defensive Ends a clear line to the QB. 
:: For example ::  If Suh and JJ Watt were on the same team, Suh would be clearing way for JJ to get to the QB.  Make sense? 

5. Eric Berry || Kansas City Chiefs || Safety

image via

There is a chance you haven't heard of Eric Berry, but you need to know who he is. Eric Berry *ahem* a former Tennessee Volunteer, just beat cancer in about 7 months. He was diagnosed with cancer in December, and was cleared to return to play earlier this month. 
DAMN SON. 
Like I said, you should know him. 
Eric's job is simple, but difficult He is the absolute last line of defense on the field.   
|| On a run play ||  If the runner gets past everyone else, HE HAS TO TACKLE THE RUNNING BACK. If he doesn't, a touchdown will occur. 
|| On a pass play ||  Any pass launched downfield that gets past the cornerback/linebacker, Eric is expected to cover. Also, if a wide receiver catches a pass over the cornerback, Eric is expected to tackle him before he can get into the end zone.  His position is essentially damage control, making him very, very important. 



This post was as helpful for me to write as I hope it will be for you guys to read! Are there any players you love, but you're not sure what their role on the field is? Leave me a question and I'll do my best to get you an answer! 
P.S... Don't forget to use the hashtag #gamedayvibes to link up any and all sports related Instagrams!! 

Tailgate Cocktail Ideas for Each Different Kickoff Time

Next week y'all. Next freaking week football will grace us with its presence. I have no doubt in my mind that you guys are as excited as I am for this.  I have a few ideas for the next several Drink On Fleeks that will all center around tailgate cocktails. For today, I thought I'd do 3 different cocktail ideas for each different kickoff time: 12pm, 3pm and 7pm. They start out pretty light, and progress to a heavier cocktail as the day goes on. 
Tennessee kicks off the season at 7pm EST for those who may not have written it 15 times in their planner. 
These cocktails are all very quick and easy to make. I've included a list of ingredients and tools you'll need to remember to throw in your cooler before you leave, and you'll be all set for cocktails far more impressive than keg beer. For the record, I'm not knocking keg beer. I'll gladly consume your keg beer too. 
Before I jump in too deep, I want to let you in on my bartender secret. This is something I use to mix my cocktails, and is way more convenient than using a traditional bar shaker. A plastic protein shaker with measurements printed right on the bottle, like this one, is awesome. The small opening also acts as a built in strainer. Just get a cheap one from Walmart or Target, and thank me later. 
Pro Tip: Drink the very last drink listed below at every single event you ever have. It is the best thing you'll ever have in your mouth --- jokes jokes jokes. 

|| What to Bring to the Tailgate ||

Your Cheap Shaker with Printed Measurements 

Ice

1/2 cup Canned Grapefruit Juice 

(no need to mess with squeezing grapefruits at a tailgate)

1.5 oz Vodka

Salt for rim

Basil + Grapefruit for garnish if you want to get fancy

|| Instructions ||

Spread salt out evenly on a plate. To rim your glass with salt, dip your rim in the grapefruit juice, then into the salt. Add ice to your glass. 

Fill your shaker with ice, and combine grapefruit juice and vodka. Shake and strain into your glass.

Garnish with grapefruit slice and basil.

|| What to Bring to the Tailgate ||

Your Cheap Shaker with Printed Measurements 

Ice

4 oz Pineapple Juice

1.5 oz Tequila

0.5 oz Triple Sec

1 oz Lime Juice

Salt for rim

|| Instructions ||

Spread salt out evenly on a plate. To rim your glass with salt, run a lime wedge along the edge of your glass, then dip into the salt. Add ice to your glass. 
Fill your shaker with ice, pineapple juice, lime juice, triple sec and tequila. Shake and strain into your glass. Garnish with a lime wheel. 

|| What to Bring to the Tailgate ||

Your Cheap Shaker with Printed Measurements

Muddler

Ice

2 oz Jack Daniels

1 oz Simple Syrup

0.5 oz Lemon Juice

Blackberries

Rasberries

Bitters

Mint for Garnish

 || Instructions || Muddle 2 blackberries and 2 raspberries in the bottom of your shaker. Add simple syrup, lemon juice and bourbon to your shaker. Shake and strain over a glass filled with ice. Garnish with mint and 3 blackberries.  This drink is for the night game for a reason. Be ready to be hammered because you'll want to drink 45 of these they are so gosh darn delicious.

Insanely Genius Tutorials You Need to Pin Right Now

Now I don't want to go knocking the greatest university in the history of the world, The University of Tennessee, but I never enrolled in home economics 101 for some odd reason. Up until about a year and a half ago, I never cooked. Now here I am with a house with this guy who has spent roughly the past 10 years living in a bachelor pad. The two of us are quite the clueless homemaker duo.  
This past month, I've spent learning new skills at the other university I attend, The University of Google where I'm majoring in life hacks from the school of Pinterest. I have found some majorly good short cuts, and solutions to some of the worst first world problems -- i.e. putting on a duvet cover -- and I have those for you today!  
I also put check marks next to the ones that I've successfully tried and completed with ease. If I can do it, you can do it. 

1. The California Roll - How To Put On A Duvet Cover via Crane&Canopy Couldn't have been easier, I kid you not. 

Passed the Sarah Test: ✓ 


2. How to fold a fitted sheet via PureWow
Passed the Sarah Test: Not yet, I haven't tried. Looks easy enough and I certainly don't know a better idea on how to fold these. 


3. Lemon Twist Garnish Tutorial via Style Me Pretty Living I've only talked about this one about a billion times. It is a cocktail game changer. PIN NOW! 
Passed the Sarah Test: ✓

4. The better way to fold towels via PureWow It takes maybe 18 seconds longer than the way you currently fold towels, and looks 100% more organized. 
Passed the Sarah Test: ✓ 

5. How to Repot A Plant via PureWow I had to transfer my Trader Joe Cacti from the pots they came in, to my new yellow pots, and this made it super easy. 
Passed the Sarah Test: ✓ 

6. How to pick an Avacado via BuzzFeed All hail Buzzfeed for this one. I look like a freak squeezing 49 different avocados that all feel exactly the same to me. 
Passed the Sarah Test: ✓ 


7. The Best Frozen Fruits to Chill Your Wine via House Beautiful BRB. Going to Kroger right now and buying all the produce for my freezer. 
Passed the Sarah Test: stay tuned....

8. Use a heating pad for UTI relief via Venus Trapped in Mars I was unfortunately blessed with chronic UTIs, which one doctor told me essentially means I have holes in my bladder. Joy. I find myself fighting a UTI every 4-6  months, and while this won't cure a UTI, it certainly helps ease the pain. Crank that heating pad on high and stick it between your legs #REALTALK. 
Passed the Sarah Test: ✓ 

9. Never Get Lipstick on Your Teeth Again via my friend, Laura! Stick your finger in your mouth, and close your mouth around your finger. My friend taught me this trick and it works every time! 
Passed the Sarah Test: ✓ 

Hey Helene!!!  
10. Keep Your Ice Coffee From Getting Watered Down via BuzzFeed I love Iced Coffee, but every time I make it at home the coffee just gets so watered down from the ice cubes. Voila, make coffee ice cubes first. Genius. 
Passed the Sarah Test: ✓ 


11. 6 Fruits You're Eating Wrong via Buzzfeed What? Stop it. The Orange and Strawberry?!?! Get outta town. 
Passed the Sarah Test: ✓ 
 
12.  The easiest trick to cutting a bunch of tomatoes at once via Tasty Haven't tried this one yet, certainly looks simple enough! Report back if you've given it a go! 

One Easy Trick For Cutting Tomatoes
Posted by Tasty on Tuesday, August 11, 2015

13. Turn Cheap Vodka, Into Better Tasting Vodka via Wonder How To Mind blow. I haven't tried it yet, but I do have a bottle of Burnetts at home... 
 

How To Move On After Losing A Parent or Relative

My dad passed away when I was 19 years old. Although his heart wasn't the healthiest in the world, it was unexpected and happened quite quickly over a two week time period. Losing a parent is certainly a natural progression in life, but losing a parent in your teens or twenties will undoubtedly change the course of your life. At that age, it may feel like none of your friends can relate to what you're feeling. Although I had wonderful friends who were always there to lend a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen, I know I certainly felt that way.
Next June will mark 10 years since losing my dad. For a long time, it felt like life was getting harder, sadder and more lonely by the minute. I'm here to tell you that a turn will eventually come, but it won't be immediate. Until that turn, I have some advice from someone who has been through exactly what you're going through. 

1. You Have to Take The Time To Let Yourself Grieve. I would imagine that most of those who lose a parent at a young age, won't do this. You will spend a good chunk of your time trying to console your family, and it will give you a sense of purpose for a little while, which is good. Watch over them, but know that they'll be ok with time. Remember to do what you need to do as well. You don't have to be strong 24/7, that'll give you a panic attack holding that kind of emotion in. (True story, I had more of those than I care to admit!) 
2. Do whatever you need to do to feel normal again. I remember hearing about a high school classmate who lost his father about a month before I lost mine. His dad had passed away in a tragic accident while repairing homes after Katrina. I heard that my classmate was going back to college just a week after his dad had died. I couldn't imagine how he was able to do that so soon?
Wrong. Do absolutely whatever it is you need to do. If you need to stay on the couch for a month, stay on the couch for a month. If you want to get back to work and a routine, get back to work. If you want to travel the world, travel the world. Don't let anyone tell you how you should be grieving, as long as you're safe and not putting yourself in harms way.  
3. People aren't going to know what to say to you There is no right or wrong thing to say to someone who has just lost a major part of their life, but people simply just have no idea where to begin. I've been through it and I still don't know what to say to someone who has just had their life shattered. If someone is there, if someone is calling, if someone is messaging, it doesn't matter what their words are. Know they are trying and present, all in an effort to support YOU. Don't get jaded, it's very hard to know the proper words to say. Sometimes there are no proper words, there is only a hug and silence.
4. Know that you'll close some chapters, and that's ok Relationships, and I mean very important relationships in your life, will end because of this. Not because of them, but because of you. You're going to change, and you'll feel like you can't figure out how to communicate with certain people in your life any longer. You'll go through a period of anger that will blind you to the fact that people in your life are trying the best they can, but all you can see is the face of someone that can't relate the way that you need them to relate. I had a very serious boyfriend when I lost my dad, and although we stayed together for another year after, it was never the same. I wish nothing but happiness for him, and I hate that I had to end it, but I did. Please try and remember that with every chapter that closes, a new one begins. 

5. You're going to reach an angry stage, try and see it in a different light This may sound corny, but one of the biggest things that helped me was changing my mindset to realize I now have a very personal ally in heaven. Too many things have happened to me over the last 10 years that literally make my jaw drop. From my car accident, to the exact timing of meeting CB. It all blows my mind. 
6. You're going to reach an angry stage, try and see it in a different light (part 2) Friendships emerge that you didn't realize were as powerful as they are. This part is really cool. There will without a doubt be friends who step up when you most need them, without being asked. Friendships you never realized were as meaningful as they are. These friends will be in your life forever, treasure them. 
7. Try Reading Books My biggest question that was constantly on my mind was, "Where is dad now? Can he see me?" I'm of course well aware that this book is fiction, but reading, "The 5 People You Meet in Heaven" was a wonderful turning point for me. It simply supplied my overactive mind with an idea of life after death, and that was all I needed. 
8. Although it might feel this way at first, being sad isn't a tribute to your loved one. You'll be happy again. Here I am, 9 years later, and I'm happy every single day. A day will come where your sadness and anger changes, and is replaced by happy memories from the time you did have. You won't know it when that day happens, but you'll have an OMG moment, realizing that you haven't cried in weeks. 
Certain things will trigger tears for the rest of your life -- for me that's a father walking his daughter down the aisle, heck I just cried typing that -- but you'll be happy again. Honor them by living the best, happiest, most fulfilling life you can. You know darn well that is what they want.

Road Trip Essentials || Games, Music, Candy

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RoadTripHacks #CollectiveBias #TomThumb 

As someone who has lived 7+ hours from home for the past 10 years, I've had my fair share of road trips. When setting off on a long road trip, you need to be prepared with the following items: several road trip games to play along the way, a great playlist and candy galore. For those of you that didn't know, calories don't count on road trips.

1. Road Trip Games
I am the queen of the road trip games. I get bored very easily, and I'd for sure pull my hair out if I didn't bring these games with me. Some games don't require anything other than just a simple set of rules, others need some sheets printed ahead of time, which I have for you today!

Click here for the Free Printable Version!  

Click Here for the Free Printable Version!  

 Click Here for the Free Printable Version!

2. A Great Playlist The key to a great road tip playlist is to have many different genres that everyone in the car can enjoy. I personally like rap music, but I know that isn't everyone's cup of tea. This road trip mix will be the perfect balance for everyone in your car! 

  3. Candy Girl, You Are My World Stock up on all of the candy and snacks before you leave. I recommend hitting up your local Tom Thumb, it will be a huge money saver over buying snacks at a gas station. Use the candy as prizes for the winner of your road trip games, as a way to mark off states and items in the scavenger hunt or just dig in and enjoy during the whole trip, because life is too short for kale chips on a 9 hour drive. 

I picked up some of CB's and my favorite candy at the Tom Thumb down the street from our house! 

So now that you have everything you could possibly need for the most entertaining road trip ever, go tell your road trip story and enter to win big in the "The Best Road Trip Ever" sweepstakes from Tom Thumb. The sweepstakes run until September 8, 2015!