The Los Angeles Lakers are running a promotion at each home game where coupons for free tacos are given away to every fan if the Lakers score more than 100 points and simultaneously hold the opponent under 100 points. This has led to cheers at the end of Lakers games of "We Want Tacos".
So this has me wondering; does anyone think Jack Nicholson is swinging his limo through the drive through at Jack in the Box on the way home from a Lakers game to claim his free tacos?
Monday, May 05, 2008
Friday, April 04, 2008
April Fool's!!!
Life played an April Fool's joke on me this week. As I recently mentioned, I had to replace the garbage disposal at the house. Well, that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Due to the impending birth of our son, Julie thought our lives might be a little less hectic if we used paper plates and cups so we wouldn't have to mess with dirty dishes. Because of this, we accumulated dirty dishes very slowly so that the dishwasher did not run until a few days after replacing the disposal. I came home that night and found towels on the floor all around the dishwasher. I asked Julie about the towels and she said the dishwasher had leaked. I opened it up and the bottom was filled with water. I pulled the dishwasher out from the counter and found the hose leading from the dishwasher. I disconnected it and water immediately began flowing from the machine. I knew the problem was not in the dishwasher itself.
I followed the hose and discovered that it leads into the garbage disposal. Julie called Roto Rooter and had the guy that installed the disposal come check it out. He realized there was a seal that he forgot to remove which prevented the water from flowing into the disposal and out of the house. After getting the dishwasher back into the counter, it worked perfectly.
A few days later, the next problem popped up. This past Monday, I was in the shower and noticed some orange foam in the floor of the shower. I figured it was from one of Julie's products though I thought it was odd that it was at the end of the shower opposite the shower head. When I bent down to inspect the foam, I notice a tile tat was not flush with the wall. I was surprised that I had not noticed that in six months of living in the house. I rinsed the foam down the drain and went on about my day.
The next day (April Fool's Day), I was in the shower and noticed even more of the same foam. This was not a good development becuase Julie was still in bed and had not been in the shower yet, so I knew it was not left behind by her. When I inspected the foam, I could tell it was "flowing" from behind the tile which I had noticed was crooked the day before. There was an even greater amount of foam and some of it had dried on the floor of the shower and would not rinse away. I figured the foam was either the glue or the grout. Somehow, the the tile must have come loose and my best guess is that the water from the shower was causing it to expand and run. I smashed the tile back against the wall and rinsed away the foam. I went to work figuring I was going to have to learn how to do a tile repair job and wondering what problem was going to crop up next in my newly acquired, fifteen year old house.
I had hardly been at work about an hour when my phone rang. I saw that it was Julie and I knew immediately why she was calling. I said hello and she asked me what I thought of an April Fool's birthday. I asked if she was serious and she said her water might have broken and that her doctor told her to get to the hospital. When we arrived at triage, Julie was already dilated four centimeters!
They quickly got us back to a labor and delivery room. 10 hours later at 7:21 P.M., my son Caleb came into this world weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce. He was 19 inches long.
I began the day grumbling and grousing about the sudden rash of issues with the house. I ended the day overcome with emotion and joy. I was emotional about Julie and the wonderful job she did delivering our son and I was so overwhelmed with love and appreciation for the new little creature that is going to be living with me. I still have to fix that tile, but thanks to the curveballs of life, I'm not quite so worried about it anymore.
I have previously mentioned a special project that I was working on. The time has come to reveal that project. I have created a special blog that I am calling Year of Wonder which will chronicle my son's first year. You can find the blog at: http://www.myyearofwonder.blogspot.com/. Please check it out. I will post pictures of Caleb here from time to time, but Year of Wonder will be the most consistent place to catch pictures of him.
I want to thank everyone who has supported Julie and I throught this process and have been so generous with their time, money and counsel. We love you all. In the meantime, check out some pictures of Caleb after you have had the chance to go over to Year of Wonder:
Due to the impending birth of our son, Julie thought our lives might be a little less hectic if we used paper plates and cups so we wouldn't have to mess with dirty dishes. Because of this, we accumulated dirty dishes very slowly so that the dishwasher did not run until a few days after replacing the disposal. I came home that night and found towels on the floor all around the dishwasher. I asked Julie about the towels and she said the dishwasher had leaked. I opened it up and the bottom was filled with water. I pulled the dishwasher out from the counter and found the hose leading from the dishwasher. I disconnected it and water immediately began flowing from the machine. I knew the problem was not in the dishwasher itself.
I followed the hose and discovered that it leads into the garbage disposal. Julie called Roto Rooter and had the guy that installed the disposal come check it out. He realized there was a seal that he forgot to remove which prevented the water from flowing into the disposal and out of the house. After getting the dishwasher back into the counter, it worked perfectly.
A few days later, the next problem popped up. This past Monday, I was in the shower and noticed some orange foam in the floor of the shower. I figured it was from one of Julie's products though I thought it was odd that it was at the end of the shower opposite the shower head. When I bent down to inspect the foam, I notice a tile tat was not flush with the wall. I was surprised that I had not noticed that in six months of living in the house. I rinsed the foam down the drain and went on about my day.
The next day (April Fool's Day), I was in the shower and noticed even more of the same foam. This was not a good development becuase Julie was still in bed and had not been in the shower yet, so I knew it was not left behind by her. When I inspected the foam, I could tell it was "flowing" from behind the tile which I had noticed was crooked the day before. There was an even greater amount of foam and some of it had dried on the floor of the shower and would not rinse away. I figured the foam was either the glue or the grout. Somehow, the the tile must have come loose and my best guess is that the water from the shower was causing it to expand and run. I smashed the tile back against the wall and rinsed away the foam. I went to work figuring I was going to have to learn how to do a tile repair job and wondering what problem was going to crop up next in my newly acquired, fifteen year old house.
I had hardly been at work about an hour when my phone rang. I saw that it was Julie and I knew immediately why she was calling. I said hello and she asked me what I thought of an April Fool's birthday. I asked if she was serious and she said her water might have broken and that her doctor told her to get to the hospital. When we arrived at triage, Julie was already dilated four centimeters!
They quickly got us back to a labor and delivery room. 10 hours later at 7:21 P.M., my son Caleb came into this world weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce. He was 19 inches long.
I began the day grumbling and grousing about the sudden rash of issues with the house. I ended the day overcome with emotion and joy. I was emotional about Julie and the wonderful job she did delivering our son and I was so overwhelmed with love and appreciation for the new little creature that is going to be living with me. I still have to fix that tile, but thanks to the curveballs of life, I'm not quite so worried about it anymore.
I have previously mentioned a special project that I was working on. The time has come to reveal that project. I have created a special blog that I am calling Year of Wonder which will chronicle my son's first year. You can find the blog at: http://www.myyearofwonder.blogspot.com/. Please check it out. I will post pictures of Caleb here from time to time, but Year of Wonder will be the most consistent place to catch pictures of him.
I want to thank everyone who has supported Julie and I throught this process and have been so generous with their time, money and counsel. We love you all. In the meantime, check out some pictures of Caleb after you have had the chance to go over to Year of Wonder:
Thursday, March 27, 2008
My Bladder Made Me Do It
I have recently been reminded of a story from early in my marriage.
There were four couples at our church in Nashville that were all married within about a 7 month period. We spent a lot of time together in those early days of our marriages. We always went to dinner together after Wendnesday night classes.
It just so happened that the first Valentine's Day for all of us fell on a Wednesday night. We all got together and thought it would be fun to go to a fairly nice restaurant together after class. So we made reservations, we arranged to have the restaurant leave flowers at the place settings for the ladies. Us guys were really proud of ourselves.
So we get to the restaurant and had to wait a little longer than we had planned. When we got to our table, the restaurant had forgotten to put the flowers out. We should have know then what lay in store. Let's just say that the quality of service that night went down hill from there. Service was really slow. Orders came out wrong...multiple times. If I remember correctly, one person had to send her food back to the kitchen not once, but twice. The service really was deplorable.
We finally complained to a manager about how awful the service had been. The manager promptly fixed the problems and gave each of us a $25 gift certificate ($50 per couple)! Not long after we complained our server came to the table and apologized. Now, normally, that would be a very nice gesture. However, the words that came out of the server's mouth blew us all away and just topped our night. Our server said "I'm sorry, it's been a busy night and I've had to pee for the last three hours." We were floored. We still chuckle today about that night and about our waiter's excuse for the poor service.
I am reminded of this incident because of this week's revelation that Hillary Clinton flat out lied about the circumstances surrounding her visit to Bosnia in 1996. I don't relate the two stories because our server was dishonest or anything, but because of his lame excuse. I first came across the story on Tuesday and I was shocked at the lack of discipline Hillary showed in making her statements. It's not like the Clintons to be that undisciplined. Of, course, the Clinton campaign is trying to call it a "misstatement" as if Hillary made a slight error.
But what really gets me is that Hillary is blaming the misstatement on sleep deprivation. The absurdity of both excuses is frightening. While both the waiter and Hillary may have been telling the truth, the absurdity comes from the lack of a logical connection to the behavior that is blamed on the physical condition. A strong desire to pee does not excuse a waiter from making sure an order is right before taking it to the table and the lack of sleep does not excuse one from making up an experience out of whole cloth.
Now, I could understand the situation if Hillary had stuck to simply saying there was a lot of security because of snipers in the area. Many news reports this week have confirmed that snipers had previously been active in the area around the airport. I could see trying to pass that off as "innocent" embellishment of a 12 year old memory. But what I can't see is stretching the truth beyond any resemblance to the facts. You can't completely contradict the facts and then pass it off as faulty memory.
How could you not remember the difference between running to a car to take cover and a nice leisurely stroll down the tarmac with some locals? The explanation in my mind is not a misstatement, but a flat out lie. What's more, she was the FIRST LADY. Did she really think there was no documentation of the trip? Did she think the press was not with her on that journey?
I don't know what makes Hillary tick, but I do know she has lost all credibility because of this. I was never a supporter in the first place, but I don't see how anyone but the most intentionally blind can vote for her now.
There were four couples at our church in Nashville that were all married within about a 7 month period. We spent a lot of time together in those early days of our marriages. We always went to dinner together after Wendnesday night classes.
It just so happened that the first Valentine's Day for all of us fell on a Wednesday night. We all got together and thought it would be fun to go to a fairly nice restaurant together after class. So we made reservations, we arranged to have the restaurant leave flowers at the place settings for the ladies. Us guys were really proud of ourselves.
So we get to the restaurant and had to wait a little longer than we had planned. When we got to our table, the restaurant had forgotten to put the flowers out. We should have know then what lay in store. Let's just say that the quality of service that night went down hill from there. Service was really slow. Orders came out wrong...multiple times. If I remember correctly, one person had to send her food back to the kitchen not once, but twice. The service really was deplorable.
We finally complained to a manager about how awful the service had been. The manager promptly fixed the problems and gave each of us a $25 gift certificate ($50 per couple)! Not long after we complained our server came to the table and apologized. Now, normally, that would be a very nice gesture. However, the words that came out of the server's mouth blew us all away and just topped our night. Our server said "I'm sorry, it's been a busy night and I've had to pee for the last three hours." We were floored. We still chuckle today about that night and about our waiter's excuse for the poor service.
I am reminded of this incident because of this week's revelation that Hillary Clinton flat out lied about the circumstances surrounding her visit to Bosnia in 1996. I don't relate the two stories because our server was dishonest or anything, but because of his lame excuse. I first came across the story on Tuesday and I was shocked at the lack of discipline Hillary showed in making her statements. It's not like the Clintons to be that undisciplined. Of, course, the Clinton campaign is trying to call it a "misstatement" as if Hillary made a slight error.
But what really gets me is that Hillary is blaming the misstatement on sleep deprivation. The absurdity of both excuses is frightening. While both the waiter and Hillary may have been telling the truth, the absurdity comes from the lack of a logical connection to the behavior that is blamed on the physical condition. A strong desire to pee does not excuse a waiter from making sure an order is right before taking it to the table and the lack of sleep does not excuse one from making up an experience out of whole cloth.
Now, I could understand the situation if Hillary had stuck to simply saying there was a lot of security because of snipers in the area. Many news reports this week have confirmed that snipers had previously been active in the area around the airport. I could see trying to pass that off as "innocent" embellishment of a 12 year old memory. But what I can't see is stretching the truth beyond any resemblance to the facts. You can't completely contradict the facts and then pass it off as faulty memory.
How could you not remember the difference between running to a car to take cover and a nice leisurely stroll down the tarmac with some locals? The explanation in my mind is not a misstatement, but a flat out lie. What's more, she was the FIRST LADY. Did she really think there was no documentation of the trip? Did she think the press was not with her on that journey?
I don't know what makes Hillary tick, but I do know she has lost all credibility because of this. I was never a supporter in the first place, but I don't see how anyone but the most intentionally blind can vote for her now.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Weekend Update
Had a pretty busy weekend.
On Friday night, we had a nice discussion with two other couples over dinner in our Young Marrieds ministry. We wrapped up our discussion of Love Life for Every Married Couple. The book was good and I think the group got a lot of good things out of the book, I am ready to move on. We will be studying Dr. Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages next. I think this is going to be a good study. I have flipped through the book and feel like it will be an easy read with lots of practical information. I hope it will help us grow this ministry.
On Saturday night, I went with a good friend to a Florida Panther hockey game. The Panthers won an entertaining game which was made more so by our seats. My friend used his firm's tickets which were four rows behind the visitor's bench. It was cool watching the shift changes and action closely. However, it was also frustrating to watch Tomas Vokoun have such a good game. I have a feeling Nashville would be in a much better position for the playoffs had they not traded Vokoun.
On Sunday afternoon, I watched Miami lose a heartbreaker to Texas. On the one hand, it was great for them to get that far since they were predicted to finish last in the ACC this year. On the other hand, it was frustrating to watch them come so close to winning and blowing it because they did not play well in the first half of the game. Hopefully, they will build some momentum going into next year. I just hope Frank Haith sticks around to keep building this program.
Another highlight of the weekend was getting to experience the joys of homeownership. Right before I left the house on Saturday, I was cleaning some dishes and put some food down the garbage disposal. I tried to turn the disposal on and it made a humming noise, but the blades were not spinning. After a couple of tries, nothing happened and I had a sink full of nasty water with food floating in it. Julie called Roto Rooter and they came out Saturday afternoon. After taking it apart, the plumber pronounced the disposal dead. While he went to the truck, Julie looked up disposals on her iPhone...turns out they have a life expenctancy of about 15 years. Our house was built in 1994. My guess is the disposal was original and it's time came. The only problem was we had no indication before Saturday night. Anyway, we now have an InSinkErator. Hopefully it will last longer than we are in the house.
This was our first real issue as homeowners. Prior to buying the new house, Julie was lamenting that we would not have a maintenance staff anymore. And while it sucked waiting for Roto Rooter to show up and I didn't like writing that check, I think the house is still is still worth it...and we have crossed our first homeownership speedbump. I guess we feel just a little more grown up today.
On Friday night, we had a nice discussion with two other couples over dinner in our Young Marrieds ministry. We wrapped up our discussion of Love Life for Every Married Couple. The book was good and I think the group got a lot of good things out of the book, I am ready to move on. We will be studying Dr. Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages next. I think this is going to be a good study. I have flipped through the book and feel like it will be an easy read with lots of practical information. I hope it will help us grow this ministry.
On Saturday night, I went with a good friend to a Florida Panther hockey game. The Panthers won an entertaining game which was made more so by our seats. My friend used his firm's tickets which were four rows behind the visitor's bench. It was cool watching the shift changes and action closely. However, it was also frustrating to watch Tomas Vokoun have such a good game. I have a feeling Nashville would be in a much better position for the playoffs had they not traded Vokoun.
On Sunday afternoon, I watched Miami lose a heartbreaker to Texas. On the one hand, it was great for them to get that far since they were predicted to finish last in the ACC this year. On the other hand, it was frustrating to watch them come so close to winning and blowing it because they did not play well in the first half of the game. Hopefully, they will build some momentum going into next year. I just hope Frank Haith sticks around to keep building this program.
Another highlight of the weekend was getting to experience the joys of homeownership. Right before I left the house on Saturday, I was cleaning some dishes and put some food down the garbage disposal. I tried to turn the disposal on and it made a humming noise, but the blades were not spinning. After a couple of tries, nothing happened and I had a sink full of nasty water with food floating in it. Julie called Roto Rooter and they came out Saturday afternoon. After taking it apart, the plumber pronounced the disposal dead. While he went to the truck, Julie looked up disposals on her iPhone...turns out they have a life expenctancy of about 15 years. Our house was built in 1994. My guess is the disposal was original and it's time came. The only problem was we had no indication before Saturday night. Anyway, we now have an InSinkErator. Hopefully it will last longer than we are in the house.
This was our first real issue as homeowners. Prior to buying the new house, Julie was lamenting that we would not have a maintenance staff anymore. And while it sucked waiting for Roto Rooter to show up and I didn't like writing that check, I think the house is still is still worth it...and we have crossed our first homeownership speedbump. I guess we feel just a little more grown up today.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Biding Time
We had a baby shower this past weekend and I am just overwhelmed by the generosity people at church and families at school showed toward us. We now have many clothes, blankets, toys and miscellaneous other stuff for this baby. It's a good thing he won't have to go around naked. He also has a car seat now, so I guess we'll actually get to bring him home from the hospital. And once we buy a mattress, the kid will have a place to sleep.
As far as I'm concerned, we're ready to have the baby. Sure, there are plenty of things to be done around the house, but there is really nothing that HAS to be done before he arrives.
Prior to the shower on Saturday, we went to a newborn parenting class which wrapped up the series of classes we've been taking to try and calm our nerves before the bundle of joy arrives. We practiced diapering and swaddling a doll which strikes me as pointless because the doll was silent and was not wiggling. We watched videos. We talked about babies. It was realy informational.
After we got home Saturday night and surveyed all the wonderful gifts, a feeling of calm and serenity came over me. It occurred to me that we are ready. There are no more classes to attend. The baby shower is now behind us. Julie's mom was here for the shower and went home Sunday night. We won't see any of our family again until the baby is here. There is nothing left between us and the arrival of this child. All that is left is for us to hunker down and wait. It could be a few days, it could be a few weeks. Only God knows.
Wait and enjoy these last few days of pregnancy. Of course, I use the term enjoy loosely. I think Julie has enjoyed being pregnant to the extent that anyone can enjoy it, but she probably wouldn't tell you that right now. But after the baby is here, I think it is something she will look back upon and and cherish.
I know I am going to try to soak it up before it's over. We'll probably have another child, but I'm sure it's nothing like the first time you experience it. I will never forget the first time Julie pulled my hand over to her stomach and I could feel my son moving. I will never forget the first time we sat in that Doctor's office and I heard his little heartbeat. I only have a short time before I can actually hold my little boy in my arms and that is going to be a wonderful day. But I want to savor these remaining moments where he is moving around inside of Julie. I am going to savor her joy as she watches him move. The process of bringing a new life into this world is so amazing and so special. This is a time I will never forget.
As far as I'm concerned, we're ready to have the baby. Sure, there are plenty of things to be done around the house, but there is really nothing that HAS to be done before he arrives.
Prior to the shower on Saturday, we went to a newborn parenting class which wrapped up the series of classes we've been taking to try and calm our nerves before the bundle of joy arrives. We practiced diapering and swaddling a doll which strikes me as pointless because the doll was silent and was not wiggling. We watched videos. We talked about babies. It was realy informational.
After we got home Saturday night and surveyed all the wonderful gifts, a feeling of calm and serenity came over me. It occurred to me that we are ready. There are no more classes to attend. The baby shower is now behind us. Julie's mom was here for the shower and went home Sunday night. We won't see any of our family again until the baby is here. There is nothing left between us and the arrival of this child. All that is left is for us to hunker down and wait. It could be a few days, it could be a few weeks. Only God knows.
Wait and enjoy these last few days of pregnancy. Of course, I use the term enjoy loosely. I think Julie has enjoyed being pregnant to the extent that anyone can enjoy it, but she probably wouldn't tell you that right now. But after the baby is here, I think it is something she will look back upon and and cherish.
I know I am going to try to soak it up before it's over. We'll probably have another child, but I'm sure it's nothing like the first time you experience it. I will never forget the first time Julie pulled my hand over to her stomach and I could feel my son moving. I will never forget the first time we sat in that Doctor's office and I heard his little heartbeat. I only have a short time before I can actually hold my little boy in my arms and that is going to be a wonderful day. But I want to savor these remaining moments where he is moving around inside of Julie. I am going to savor her joy as she watches him move. The process of bringing a new life into this world is so amazing and so special. This is a time I will never forget.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Countdown
It appears that I have taken a bit of an unintended hiatus from posting. It's been so busy around here. But I just had to take a moment to mark the significance of today's date.
Today is March 13, 2008. As of today, the due date for my child is exactly one month away. Now, to anybody who has asked about the due date, after saying April 13th, I also add that it means my son will be born any day but the 13th. From everything I've ever heard, I don't know of anyone whose child was born on the actual due date (other than planned c-sections and inductions, neither of which we are planning right now). So, I have no expectation that baby boy Bergman's birthday will be April 13th.
Despite my assurance that he will not be born on the 13th, today's date still sticks out in my mind. As of today, I can no longer mark the time remaining in terms of months. It is a matter of weeks or even days until my son is born. This fact both thrills me and frightens me.
I look around the world today and I sometimes wonder what I was thinking to have made the decision to bring a child into the midst of all that is wrong with the world. Yet, I imagine myself sitting with my son in my arms and I have indescribable feelings of joy. I can't even begin to imagine how it is actually going to feel to hold my son, my child, my offspring in my own arms for the very first time. But I am fearful of my ability, or extreme lack thereof, to guide this child through life. How do I teach this little person to love God, to care for his family and to be kind to all the people he meets? How do I teach him to respect his mother and to honor all women? How do I teach him to be ambitious and achieve many wonderful things without becoming arrogant or jaded? How do I teach him to live a happy life with the ability to enjoy all the wonder of creation when so many around him will try to drag him down and tell him that the only way to accomplish anything is to seek his own interests at the expense of others?
There is so much I think about now that I am about to be a father. I am scared. I am excited. I'm a mess.
Fortunately, I don't have to have the answer to these questions today. In fact, I many never have the answer. Right now, the only thing I HAVE to know is how to change a diaper.
Fortunately, I've still got a month to figure that out.
Today is March 13, 2008. As of today, the due date for my child is exactly one month away. Now, to anybody who has asked about the due date, after saying April 13th, I also add that it means my son will be born any day but the 13th. From everything I've ever heard, I don't know of anyone whose child was born on the actual due date (other than planned c-sections and inductions, neither of which we are planning right now). So, I have no expectation that baby boy Bergman's birthday will be April 13th.
Despite my assurance that he will not be born on the 13th, today's date still sticks out in my mind. As of today, I can no longer mark the time remaining in terms of months. It is a matter of weeks or even days until my son is born. This fact both thrills me and frightens me.
I look around the world today and I sometimes wonder what I was thinking to have made the decision to bring a child into the midst of all that is wrong with the world. Yet, I imagine myself sitting with my son in my arms and I have indescribable feelings of joy. I can't even begin to imagine how it is actually going to feel to hold my son, my child, my offspring in my own arms for the very first time. But I am fearful of my ability, or extreme lack thereof, to guide this child through life. How do I teach this little person to love God, to care for his family and to be kind to all the people he meets? How do I teach him to respect his mother and to honor all women? How do I teach him to be ambitious and achieve many wonderful things without becoming arrogant or jaded? How do I teach him to live a happy life with the ability to enjoy all the wonder of creation when so many around him will try to drag him down and tell him that the only way to accomplish anything is to seek his own interests at the expense of others?
There is so much I think about now that I am about to be a father. I am scared. I am excited. I'm a mess.
Fortunately, I don't have to have the answer to these questions today. In fact, I many never have the answer. Right now, the only thing I HAVE to know is how to change a diaper.
Fortunately, I've still got a month to figure that out.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Rising Tide
It's been a few days, but I wanted to write about the Lakers/Suns game last week. I know they've played (and won!) a couple of games since then, but I just have to comment.
I LOVE the fact that the Lakers beat the Suns in Shaq's first game with the Suns. I think it is pretty unique that the new Heat players played their first game with the Heat against the Lakers and Shaq played his first game with the Suns against the Lakers. Pretty fluky scheduling quirk.
Anyway, the Lakers won a pretty trhilling game and Kobe scored 41 points. Spoiling Shaq's big night was just the cherry on top. All that remains is for the Lakers to knock the Suns out of the playoffs and win a championship.
Surprisingly, the Lakers now have the best record in the NBA Western Conference and have only lost one game since the Pau Gasol trade. That trade is looking more and more brilliant every night. And now, the commentariat is taking notice and some are calling the Lakers a legitimate title contender. It's hard not to get excited when so much seems possible. But after the way the Cowboys flamed out this year, I am certianly holding things in check and waiting for the Lakers to actually accomplish something.
Speaking of good basketball, the Miami Hurricanes have won four in a row and are now at .500 in the ACC and one win away from a 20-win season. Barring a complete collapse, there is no reason UM should not make the NCAA tournament which is a huge turnaround from last year. And who knows, maybe they'll even make a nice little run in the tournament and get to the Sweet 16.
Who knew a few weeks ago at the end of what turned out to be a pretty miserable football season that basketball would come along and brighten my sports world?
I LOVE the fact that the Lakers beat the Suns in Shaq's first game with the Suns. I think it is pretty unique that the new Heat players played their first game with the Heat against the Lakers and Shaq played his first game with the Suns against the Lakers. Pretty fluky scheduling quirk.
Anyway, the Lakers won a pretty trhilling game and Kobe scored 41 points. Spoiling Shaq's big night was just the cherry on top. All that remains is for the Lakers to knock the Suns out of the playoffs and win a championship.
Surprisingly, the Lakers now have the best record in the NBA Western Conference and have only lost one game since the Pau Gasol trade. That trade is looking more and more brilliant every night. And now, the commentariat is taking notice and some are calling the Lakers a legitimate title contender. It's hard not to get excited when so much seems possible. But after the way the Cowboys flamed out this year, I am certianly holding things in check and waiting for the Lakers to actually accomplish something.
Speaking of good basketball, the Miami Hurricanes have won four in a row and are now at .500 in the ACC and one win away from a 20-win season. Barring a complete collapse, there is no reason UM should not make the NCAA tournament which is a huge turnaround from last year. And who knows, maybe they'll even make a nice little run in the tournament and get to the Sweet 16.
Who knew a few weeks ago at the end of what turned out to be a pretty miserable football season that basketball would come along and brighten my sports world?
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
41 and Counting
Last night, the Miami Heat lost a close game to the Denver Nuggets. One might wonder why that is fodder for a post on this blog. It is significant because it was the Heat's 41st loss. In an 82 game season, the Heat have guaranteed that they won't finish with a winning record before the All-Star Break.
I saw this coming a while back and had been looking forward to making fun of this accomplishment. But now that it has actually happened, I feel kind of ambivalent about it. It's not as much fun to make fun of the Heat now that Shaquille O'Neal has been traded to Phoenix.
I'm not a Shaq fan. I am a Lakers fan and a Kobe Bryant fan. When Shaq got traded to the Lakers four years ago, I thought Kobe was treated unfairly in the media as everyone thought he should bear the sole blame for the breakup of the dynasty. I was convinced then, and am even more so now, that Shaq was every bit as selfish and self-conscious as Kobe is/was. He just did a better job of hiding it.
Shaq is not a true team player. He has consistently shown up out of shape and does not do the offseason work necessary to try and prevent the "injuries" he has suffered every year going back to his days in L.A. His flat out refusal to work on his free throw shooting should be an embarrassment to the NBA. He had an attitude that he could just turn it on for the playoffs and everything would be OK. Well, that did not work so well last year when the Heat were swept out of the playoffs in the first round after Shaq had started out the season out of shape and missed some games due to injury. And then he shows up out of shape again this season. Shaq may be a pro athlete, but he is not a professional.
Then, two years ago, Shaq and the Heat won a championship thanks to some pretty awful officiating and Dwayne Wade playing out of his mind. Seeing Shaq win another championship really annoyed me.
So I enjoyed seeing the Heat get knocked out of the playoffs uncerimoniously last year and have been ecstatic as the losses piled up this year. The Heat ar 9-41. That number is just astounding. It is the worst record in the NBA by a game. I have cheered every loss and jeered Shaq in the process. As this season has progressed, discontentment with Shaq was increasing and there were rumors that Shaq and Heat management were not on good terms. That fact more than any other validates what I think was the reality with the Lakers situation. So I had been planning to gleefully point out this little fact about the Heat's season for a while now. And the Heat went and ruined it.
Now that Shaq is gone, it's not fun anymore...it's just kind of sad. Aside from D-Wade, this team hardly resembles an NBA team. But they have signs of life. They played the Lakers well in the first game with the new teammates. And then last night they took another strong Western Coferenced team to overtime and had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but it was not to be. They look good right now and maybe they will make a turnaround.
But this season is a loss and will be a really bad memory for fans of the franchise. As for me, it's just not as satisfying that Shaq was able to escape.
I saw this coming a while back and had been looking forward to making fun of this accomplishment. But now that it has actually happened, I feel kind of ambivalent about it. It's not as much fun to make fun of the Heat now that Shaquille O'Neal has been traded to Phoenix.
I'm not a Shaq fan. I am a Lakers fan and a Kobe Bryant fan. When Shaq got traded to the Lakers four years ago, I thought Kobe was treated unfairly in the media as everyone thought he should bear the sole blame for the breakup of the dynasty. I was convinced then, and am even more so now, that Shaq was every bit as selfish and self-conscious as Kobe is/was. He just did a better job of hiding it.
Shaq is not a true team player. He has consistently shown up out of shape and does not do the offseason work necessary to try and prevent the "injuries" he has suffered every year going back to his days in L.A. His flat out refusal to work on his free throw shooting should be an embarrassment to the NBA. He had an attitude that he could just turn it on for the playoffs and everything would be OK. Well, that did not work so well last year when the Heat were swept out of the playoffs in the first round after Shaq had started out the season out of shape and missed some games due to injury. And then he shows up out of shape again this season. Shaq may be a pro athlete, but he is not a professional.
Then, two years ago, Shaq and the Heat won a championship thanks to some pretty awful officiating and Dwayne Wade playing out of his mind. Seeing Shaq win another championship really annoyed me.
So I enjoyed seeing the Heat get knocked out of the playoffs uncerimoniously last year and have been ecstatic as the losses piled up this year. The Heat ar 9-41. That number is just astounding. It is the worst record in the NBA by a game. I have cheered every loss and jeered Shaq in the process. As this season has progressed, discontentment with Shaq was increasing and there were rumors that Shaq and Heat management were not on good terms. That fact more than any other validates what I think was the reality with the Lakers situation. So I had been planning to gleefully point out this little fact about the Heat's season for a while now. And the Heat went and ruined it.
Now that Shaq is gone, it's not fun anymore...it's just kind of sad. Aside from D-Wade, this team hardly resembles an NBA team. But they have signs of life. They played the Lakers well in the first game with the new teammates. And then last night they took another strong Western Coferenced team to overtime and had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but it was not to be. They look good right now and maybe they will make a turnaround.
But this season is a loss and will be a really bad memory for fans of the franchise. As for me, it's just not as satisfying that Shaq was able to escape.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Basketball Fun
I got to experience another "First" yesterday as I attended my first Los Angeles Lakers game. I had taken a friend from church to see the UM/FSU basketball game last week (not worth talking about). This friend then invited me to go to the Miami Heat/Lakers game with him after the person he originally invited backed out.
He had pretty good seats in the lower bowl and we had a good time, especially since the Lakers won 104-94. In addition to seeing the Lakers, this was a good game because it was the Heat's first post-Shaq game, so I got to see Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. The Heat played well considering it was the first time they played as a group. But the Lakers played better and I was glad not to have my first Lakers game spoiled by a loss.
I also really enjoyed seeing Kobe Bryant play yesterday. In my opinion, he's gotten a bad rap, but he is still one of the best, if not the best, players in the NBA today and I like watching him play. Seeing it in person only made me appreciate his abilitieseven more.
His abilities became even more apparent at a crucial point late in the game. Kobe was out on a fast break and was going up for a dunk. Before I finish decribing the play, you have to understand how Heat fans feel about Kobe. They don't like him. Immensely. First, you have had Shaq here for the last four years taking shots at Kobe and stoking the fires. Second, this is Dwayne Wade's town. He has elevated himself into the upper echelon of the NBA. Heat fans have a dislike of Kobe because they want to belive D-Wade is the best player in the NBA (which is amusing to me becuase he may not even be the best player in his draft class; see LeBron James and Carmello Anthony). So they don't like Kobe.
So anyway, Kobe's about to dunk the ball and a Heat player comes flying into the play and takes Kobe out. It was a foul. Suddenly, the arena erupted in cheers. I know the fans here dislike him, but to cheer a near flagrant foul when the guy hits the floor hard shows a lack of class in my opinion. The arena is rocking at this point and Kobe steps up to the free throw line and calmy sinks both free throws and shuts the crowd up. You could kind of fell the arena deflate a that point.
The Heat tried to stage a comeback, and got close, but Kobe slammed the door shut with a clutch shot and some clutch free throws. Kobe went to the line with a few seconds left and as he was shooting his free throws, the scattered Lakers fans (quite a few actually) started chanting MVP. The Heat fans tried to drown it out by booing, but so many of them had abandoned the team and left the arena that the booing did not overcome the MVP chant.
It was a fun game and a neat experience.
He had pretty good seats in the lower bowl and we had a good time, especially since the Lakers won 104-94. In addition to seeing the Lakers, this was a good game because it was the Heat's first post-Shaq game, so I got to see Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. The Heat played well considering it was the first time they played as a group. But the Lakers played better and I was glad not to have my first Lakers game spoiled by a loss.
I also really enjoyed seeing Kobe Bryant play yesterday. In my opinion, he's gotten a bad rap, but he is still one of the best, if not the best, players in the NBA today and I like watching him play. Seeing it in person only made me appreciate his abilitieseven more.
His abilities became even more apparent at a crucial point late in the game. Kobe was out on a fast break and was going up for a dunk. Before I finish decribing the play, you have to understand how Heat fans feel about Kobe. They don't like him. Immensely. First, you have had Shaq here for the last four years taking shots at Kobe and stoking the fires. Second, this is Dwayne Wade's town. He has elevated himself into the upper echelon of the NBA. Heat fans have a dislike of Kobe because they want to belive D-Wade is the best player in the NBA (which is amusing to me becuase he may not even be the best player in his draft class; see LeBron James and Carmello Anthony). So they don't like Kobe.
So anyway, Kobe's about to dunk the ball and a Heat player comes flying into the play and takes Kobe out. It was a foul. Suddenly, the arena erupted in cheers. I know the fans here dislike him, but to cheer a near flagrant foul when the guy hits the floor hard shows a lack of class in my opinion. The arena is rocking at this point and Kobe steps up to the free throw line and calmy sinks both free throws and shuts the crowd up. You could kind of fell the arena deflate a that point.
The Heat tried to stage a comeback, and got close, but Kobe slammed the door shut with a clutch shot and some clutch free throws. Kobe went to the line with a few seconds left and as he was shooting his free throws, the scattered Lakers fans (quite a few actually) started chanting MVP. The Heat fans tried to drown it out by booing, but so many of them had abandoned the team and left the arena that the booing did not overcome the MVP chant.
It was a fun game and a neat experience.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Big News
Contrary to the fecetious comment attached to this old post, plenty has happened to me since September. However, one event has dominated my time since and will continue to dominate my time, so I guess and official announcement is in order and better late than never.
When I first decided to have my own blog, I noted that my friends Mark and Adam started their blogs when they were about to have kids. Back then, I specifically pointed out that the beginning of my blog had nothing to do with a child and would not have anything to do with a child for quite some time. However,I did post a comment to Mark's first post in which I noted that Julie and I were looking forward to "starting our own blog."
Well, not that anyone who actually reads this doesn't know, but Julie and I are expecting our first child in April. We are very excited and apprehensive. I guess this means we'll have to finally get a digital camera (go back and read my first post regarding my delayed use of technology...my brother can't get over the fact that I don't have internet access at home right now) because it is obviously obligatory to post various pictures of the mini-me on the blog. So, I can promise there will be pictures. I also have a special project in mind that I will reveal at a later date. Until, then, I'll write about the impending birth from time to time as it gets closer.
Speaking of closer, I can't believe how close it is already. When Julie told me on our anniversary that we were going to have a baby, 9 months seemed like such a long time. Well, it has been almost seven, Julie is getting big, and the day fast approaches. And we still have much to do to get the house ready and I don't know how we are ever going to have the time since we don't have many Saturdays available.
Three of the four Saturdays in February, plus one in March, we are spending a big chunk of the day at the hospital where the baby is going to be born for various classes. This past Saturday, we went to our first childbirth preparation class. We learned some breathing exercises and relaxation techniques and watched a few videos. I came away realizing how unprepared I am for the delivery. I'm not saying I'm completely ignorant of the difficulty of childbirth and I'm not comparing what I have to do to Julie's struggles, but I did not realize how much work its going to be. Just like many other subjects, TV births paint a different picture from reality. On TV, it's chaotic and it does not last that long and the pushing is the hard part. Well, it was obvious that it is a long, drawn out process and not that chaotic. Other than the occasional check up by the nurse, it's really just going to be me trying to help Julie get through each contraction and help her in any way I can.
The class was really eye opening. I think it is going to be a miraculous event, I just hope I can hold up my end of the bargain and be a good supporter during the process.
When I first decided to have my own blog, I noted that my friends Mark and Adam started their blogs when they were about to have kids. Back then, I specifically pointed out that the beginning of my blog had nothing to do with a child and would not have anything to do with a child for quite some time. However,I did post a comment to Mark's first post in which I noted that Julie and I were looking forward to "starting our own blog."
Well, not that anyone who actually reads this doesn't know, but Julie and I are expecting our first child in April. We are very excited and apprehensive. I guess this means we'll have to finally get a digital camera (go back and read my first post regarding my delayed use of technology...my brother can't get over the fact that I don't have internet access at home right now) because it is obviously obligatory to post various pictures of the mini-me on the blog. So, I can promise there will be pictures. I also have a special project in mind that I will reveal at a later date. Until, then, I'll write about the impending birth from time to time as it gets closer.
Speaking of closer, I can't believe how close it is already. When Julie told me on our anniversary that we were going to have a baby, 9 months seemed like such a long time. Well, it has been almost seven, Julie is getting big, and the day fast approaches. And we still have much to do to get the house ready and I don't know how we are ever going to have the time since we don't have many Saturdays available.
Three of the four Saturdays in February, plus one in March, we are spending a big chunk of the day at the hospital where the baby is going to be born for various classes. This past Saturday, we went to our first childbirth preparation class. We learned some breathing exercises and relaxation techniques and watched a few videos. I came away realizing how unprepared I am for the delivery. I'm not saying I'm completely ignorant of the difficulty of childbirth and I'm not comparing what I have to do to Julie's struggles, but I did not realize how much work its going to be. Just like many other subjects, TV births paint a different picture from reality. On TV, it's chaotic and it does not last that long and the pushing is the hard part. Well, it was obvious that it is a long, drawn out process and not that chaotic. Other than the occasional check up by the nurse, it's really just going to be me trying to help Julie get through each contraction and help her in any way I can.
The class was really eye opening. I think it is going to be a miraculous event, I just hope I can hold up my end of the bargain and be a good supporter during the process.
Monday, February 04, 2008
What If...
As I sit and ponder last night's Super Bowl, I can't help but wonder:
- What if Eli Manning gets sacked?
- What if Asante Samuel makes the interception?
- What if New England had not tried to milk the clock on their touchdown drive?
- What if Belichick kicks the field goal instead of going for it on fourth and 13?
- What if the New England player had not had the ball ripped out of his hands after recovering the fumble in the first half?
- What if Brett Favre does not throw a stupid interception?
- What if Patrick Crayton ran a full route?
- What if Patrick Crayton did not have hands of steel?
- What if Jeremy Shockey had not gotten hurt?
- What if the Redskins had held on to win in week 3?
- What if Tiki Barber didn't retire.
That's the thing about winning a championship in any sport. From breaks in the game, to breaks in the playoffs, to breaks early in the season to breaks last year. If Washington holds on to win in week three, would the Giants have recovered from 0-3to even make the playoffs? If Tiki had not retired last year, what would the offense have been like this year? So many factors went into the Giants winning yesterday.
That is not to say they were lucky...and even if they were, what's wrong with that? Luck is a part of sports and a big part of championships. Ask LSU about luck. I'm simply pointing out how "fragile" a championsihp is.
I enjoyed the game. The Giants played really well, as much as it pains me to say that. As a Cowboy fan, there is very little I can like about the Giants winning a Super Bowl. I was pretty much the lone dissenter in a house full of transplanted New Yorkers, Dolphins fans and Patriots haters who all had their own reasons for supporting the Giants. I just couldn't bring myself to cheer for the Giants, so I was outnumbered. In the end, I wasn't really going to be happy with either team being champion.
However, I am extremely disappointed that the Patriots did not jump on the perfect pedestal with the '72 Dolphins. The outcome of last night's game does not change my conclusion that the '72 Dolphins are a bunch of grumpy old men and that their fans need to stop living in the past. If anything, my feelings have been reinforced this week and in the aftermath of the Patriots' loss.
Aside from the game, I can't complain about the overall Super Bowl very much. The commercials were very strong this year...it was the first year in quite a while that I remember liking so many of the commercials. Some of my standouts were the Bridgestone screaming squirrel, the Fed Ex carrier Pigeons, the E-Trade baby (both spots), and most of the beer commercials. Out of those, I liked the Bud-Light fire breather, the cheese party and the Rocky clydesdale.
I also liked the halftime show. Petty put on an excellent show. I don't normally pay attention to the entertainment, but enjoyed this year a lot.
My biggest complaint: Fox. I generally like Fox. I like how they cover football. I like Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Usually can't complain about their coverage. I got tired of hearing about all of the Fox shows. But the most annoying part of the Fox coverage was during the pre-game show when they had Ryan Secrest doing red carpet interviews with various stars. That was just too much and I found it very annoying to be reminded that common people don't get to go to the Super Bowl anymore.
So there you have it. Another year of football is over. Wednesday is national signing day for college football. Miami is supposed to have a really good recruiting class and signing day means spring football is not far around the corner. Soon, summer will be here, the preseason mags will start to hit the stores in July and another season will be here before you know it.
I can't wait.
- What if Eli Manning gets sacked?
- What if Asante Samuel makes the interception?
- What if New England had not tried to milk the clock on their touchdown drive?
- What if Belichick kicks the field goal instead of going for it on fourth and 13?
- What if the New England player had not had the ball ripped out of his hands after recovering the fumble in the first half?
- What if Brett Favre does not throw a stupid interception?
- What if Patrick Crayton ran a full route?
- What if Patrick Crayton did not have hands of steel?
- What if Jeremy Shockey had not gotten hurt?
- What if the Redskins had held on to win in week 3?
- What if Tiki Barber didn't retire.
That's the thing about winning a championship in any sport. From breaks in the game, to breaks in the playoffs, to breaks early in the season to breaks last year. If Washington holds on to win in week three, would the Giants have recovered from 0-3to even make the playoffs? If Tiki had not retired last year, what would the offense have been like this year? So many factors went into the Giants winning yesterday.
That is not to say they were lucky...and even if they were, what's wrong with that? Luck is a part of sports and a big part of championships. Ask LSU about luck. I'm simply pointing out how "fragile" a championsihp is.
I enjoyed the game. The Giants played really well, as much as it pains me to say that. As a Cowboy fan, there is very little I can like about the Giants winning a Super Bowl. I was pretty much the lone dissenter in a house full of transplanted New Yorkers, Dolphins fans and Patriots haters who all had their own reasons for supporting the Giants. I just couldn't bring myself to cheer for the Giants, so I was outnumbered. In the end, I wasn't really going to be happy with either team being champion.
However, I am extremely disappointed that the Patriots did not jump on the perfect pedestal with the '72 Dolphins. The outcome of last night's game does not change my conclusion that the '72 Dolphins are a bunch of grumpy old men and that their fans need to stop living in the past. If anything, my feelings have been reinforced this week and in the aftermath of the Patriots' loss.
Aside from the game, I can't complain about the overall Super Bowl very much. The commercials were very strong this year...it was the first year in quite a while that I remember liking so many of the commercials. Some of my standouts were the Bridgestone screaming squirrel, the Fed Ex carrier Pigeons, the E-Trade baby (both spots), and most of the beer commercials. Out of those, I liked the Bud-Light fire breather, the cheese party and the Rocky clydesdale.
I also liked the halftime show. Petty put on an excellent show. I don't normally pay attention to the entertainment, but enjoyed this year a lot.
My biggest complaint: Fox. I generally like Fox. I like how they cover football. I like Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Usually can't complain about their coverage. I got tired of hearing about all of the Fox shows. But the most annoying part of the Fox coverage was during the pre-game show when they had Ryan Secrest doing red carpet interviews with various stars. That was just too much and I found it very annoying to be reminded that common people don't get to go to the Super Bowl anymore.
So there you have it. Another year of football is over. Wednesday is national signing day for college football. Miami is supposed to have a really good recruiting class and signing day means spring football is not far around the corner. Soon, summer will be here, the preseason mags will start to hit the stores in July and another season will be here before you know it.
I can't wait.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Time Flies
I just read this and was reminded that today is the 5th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. First, let me say, may God bless the families of those brave astronauts who continue to grieve over the loss of loved ones. I know all too well that you never get over losing someone, you only learn to accept it and move on, always holding on to the memories.
As I read the article, I couldn't help but think, "Has it really been five years?" That tragedy occured during the second semester of my first year of law school. That means we are coming up on our sixth anniversary here in Miami. It is hard to believe that much time has gone by. I can still vividly remember waking up early on that Saturday morning and turning on the TV only to be stunned by the news of the loss of Columbia as if it were yesterday. Later that day, I drove to campus for a little while and listened to the coverage all the way to and from school. Needless to say, I think most of America was captivated and frozen by the images on TV of the debris streaking the sky.
Time does move past you pretty quickly if you don't pay attention. So I hope everyone will take a minute to appreciate this day and this moment for the precious gift they are.
As I read the article, I couldn't help but think, "Has it really been five years?" That tragedy occured during the second semester of my first year of law school. That means we are coming up on our sixth anniversary here in Miami. It is hard to believe that much time has gone by. I can still vividly remember waking up early on that Saturday morning and turning on the TV only to be stunned by the news of the loss of Columbia as if it were yesterday. Later that day, I drove to campus for a little while and listened to the coverage all the way to and from school. Needless to say, I think most of America was captivated and frozen by the images on TV of the debris streaking the sky.
Time does move past you pretty quickly if you don't pay attention. So I hope everyone will take a minute to appreciate this day and this moment for the precious gift they are.
Objects In The Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear
This Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday. As a football fan, I'm glad it's here, though I feel a little subdued about it because I'm still not quite over the fact that the Cowboys are not playing this Sunday. But it's still the championship game and it's the last football game of the year (Pro Bowl and college all star games don't really count), so there's plenty to be excited about.
This year, it's the Patriots vs. the Giants. It's hard to have a rooting interest in this game other than hoping it's a good game with good commercials. On the one hand, I'm a Cowboys fan, so I usually pull for the NFC team, but it's hard to root for the Giants to win it all as the Giants are one of the Cowboys' biggest rivals. My dad is a Giants fan, but that is not enough to sway me. On the other hand, I'm not that fond of the Patriots. I was glad to see them beat the Rams a few years ago when they were heavy underdogs, but it is getting old seeing them in the Super Bowl. They are getting arrogant and I'm tired of them. I also don't want to see them win their fourth Super Bowl because then they will be within one championship from tying the Cowboys.
But one of the biggest factors is the fact that the Patriots have a chance to complete an undefeated season by going 19-0 making them only the second team to do it since the 17-0 '72 Dolphins. And therein lies the reason I won't have any problem if the Patriots win this game.
Purely from a fan's perspective, I think the chance that an NFL team could go undefeated is pretty amazing. It's been 35 years since the only team to do it did (longer than I have been alive, by the way). As I was growing up, it was just accepted wisdom that it would never be done again. The season was too long, the pressure too great, the parity too equalizing, etc. There were numerous reasons it could not be done. Yet, here we are on the cusp of seeing it happen again. Who knows when it will happen again. Yes, there have been teams that came close, but they crashed and burned in the regular season (see the 1985 Bears whose one loss came late in the regular season, to the Dolphins, no less). But obviously, though there have been good teams with great years, only two have made it through the regular season without so much as a loss.
And that is why I am ready for a team to join the Dolphins. The Dolphins should certainly be proud of the fact that they were the first team to go undefeated and they should be proud of the fact that they stayed the only team to do it for so long. But that record has created an arrogant franchise and an arrogant fan base whose combined arrogance far exceeds their recent accomplishments. This franchise and city live on past glory so much it is sickening.
I was always of aware of the 1972 Dolphins and their little reunion with Champagne each year when the last undefeated team lost. But I have become more acutely aware of it since living here in Miami and it has become quite nauseating. I think a lot of fans are tired of it and it has been amusing to hear the members of that team try to pass it off as some quaint reunion when it reality it reeks of smugness.
I have enjoyed watching the '72 Dolphins up close this year as they have become increasingly nervous. It's bad enough that another team is about to go undefeated, but the fact that it is a rival from within their division just makes it worse for them. It was painfully obvious early in the year that the Patriots were going to challenge for an undefeated season, so the Dolphins have been stewing about it all year. Add on top of that the fact that this year's Dolphins were by far the worst team in football and came awfully close to not winning a game (stupid Ravens...you blew it), and it was an all out bad year for the Dolphins and their "Dolfans" (I hate that term!!!).
The Dolphins have embarrased themselves constantly as they get increasingly defensive about the record. The best example was Don Shula's assertion that there should be an asterisk place by the record because of the incident the first game of the year involving illegal cameras. The funny thing about is I think comments like Shula's have helped fuel the Patriots and give them motivation to finish the year undefeated.
But to me, the most humorous and desperate '72 Dolphin is Mercury Morris. He has been noted in the past, when asked about the prospects of some team going undefeated, as saying "Don't talk to me when they are in my town or my neighborhood, talk to me when they are on my block." Well, Mercury, not only have the Patriots been on your block for a few weeks now, they kicked down your door two weeks ago and they are about to steal your trophy from your fireplace mantle. How do you feel about that?
The '72 Dolphins are a bunch of grumpy old men who need to get over themselves and move on with their lives. So I won't have any problem with the Patriots nudging the '72 Dolphins out of the spotlight on Sunday with a victory. It's true, as some people have said, that the '72 Dolphins will still be one of only two teams to have gone undefeated. But I think the uniqueness will have worn off and the media won't care as much anymore and I, hopefully, won't have to hear about it every year any more.
So, here's to a good game America. Enjoy!
UPDATE: 2/1/08, 1:51 P.M.
This article proves my point.
This year, it's the Patriots vs. the Giants. It's hard to have a rooting interest in this game other than hoping it's a good game with good commercials. On the one hand, I'm a Cowboys fan, so I usually pull for the NFC team, but it's hard to root for the Giants to win it all as the Giants are one of the Cowboys' biggest rivals. My dad is a Giants fan, but that is not enough to sway me. On the other hand, I'm not that fond of the Patriots. I was glad to see them beat the Rams a few years ago when they were heavy underdogs, but it is getting old seeing them in the Super Bowl. They are getting arrogant and I'm tired of them. I also don't want to see them win their fourth Super Bowl because then they will be within one championship from tying the Cowboys.
But one of the biggest factors is the fact that the Patriots have a chance to complete an undefeated season by going 19-0 making them only the second team to do it since the 17-0 '72 Dolphins. And therein lies the reason I won't have any problem if the Patriots win this game.
Purely from a fan's perspective, I think the chance that an NFL team could go undefeated is pretty amazing. It's been 35 years since the only team to do it did (longer than I have been alive, by the way). As I was growing up, it was just accepted wisdom that it would never be done again. The season was too long, the pressure too great, the parity too equalizing, etc. There were numerous reasons it could not be done. Yet, here we are on the cusp of seeing it happen again. Who knows when it will happen again. Yes, there have been teams that came close, but they crashed and burned in the regular season (see the 1985 Bears whose one loss came late in the regular season, to the Dolphins, no less). But obviously, though there have been good teams with great years, only two have made it through the regular season without so much as a loss.
And that is why I am ready for a team to join the Dolphins. The Dolphins should certainly be proud of the fact that they were the first team to go undefeated and they should be proud of the fact that they stayed the only team to do it for so long. But that record has created an arrogant franchise and an arrogant fan base whose combined arrogance far exceeds their recent accomplishments. This franchise and city live on past glory so much it is sickening.
I was always of aware of the 1972 Dolphins and their little reunion with Champagne each year when the last undefeated team lost. But I have become more acutely aware of it since living here in Miami and it has become quite nauseating. I think a lot of fans are tired of it and it has been amusing to hear the members of that team try to pass it off as some quaint reunion when it reality it reeks of smugness.
I have enjoyed watching the '72 Dolphins up close this year as they have become increasingly nervous. It's bad enough that another team is about to go undefeated, but the fact that it is a rival from within their division just makes it worse for them. It was painfully obvious early in the year that the Patriots were going to challenge for an undefeated season, so the Dolphins have been stewing about it all year. Add on top of that the fact that this year's Dolphins were by far the worst team in football and came awfully close to not winning a game (stupid Ravens...you blew it), and it was an all out bad year for the Dolphins and their "Dolfans" (I hate that term!!!).
The Dolphins have embarrased themselves constantly as they get increasingly defensive about the record. The best example was Don Shula's assertion that there should be an asterisk place by the record because of the incident the first game of the year involving illegal cameras. The funny thing about is I think comments like Shula's have helped fuel the Patriots and give them motivation to finish the year undefeated.
But to me, the most humorous and desperate '72 Dolphin is Mercury Morris. He has been noted in the past, when asked about the prospects of some team going undefeated, as saying "Don't talk to me when they are in my town or my neighborhood, talk to me when they are on my block." Well, Mercury, not only have the Patriots been on your block for a few weeks now, they kicked down your door two weeks ago and they are about to steal your trophy from your fireplace mantle. How do you feel about that?
The '72 Dolphins are a bunch of grumpy old men who need to get over themselves and move on with their lives. So I won't have any problem with the Patriots nudging the '72 Dolphins out of the spotlight on Sunday with a victory. It's true, as some people have said, that the '72 Dolphins will still be one of only two teams to have gone undefeated. But I think the uniqueness will have worn off and the media won't care as much anymore and I, hopefully, won't have to hear about it every year any more.
So, here's to a good game America. Enjoy!
UPDATE: 2/1/08, 1:51 P.M.
This article proves my point.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Reasons to Love Miami
The Metzes are in Key West this morning and will be coming back through Miami to catch a plane home this evening. Hopefully I'll get to see them before dinner on their way through.
We have had slightly cooler than normal temperatures this past week and they have been quite amused to hear us call lows in the 50's "cool." Adam has also remarked numerous times how confused Clark is because it is winter, yet he is wearing shorts and sandals. He expects Clark to really be thrown for a loop when they get back to Ohio.
So, I thought I'd check out the forecasts for today:
Key West: High of 76 and low of 67.
Miami: High of 78 and low of 64.
Westerville, OH: High of 24, low of 13.
'Nuff said.
We have had slightly cooler than normal temperatures this past week and they have been quite amused to hear us call lows in the 50's "cool." Adam has also remarked numerous times how confused Clark is because it is winter, yet he is wearing shorts and sandals. He expects Clark to really be thrown for a loop when they get back to Ohio.
So, I thought I'd check out the forecasts for today:
Key West: High of 76 and low of 67.
Miami: High of 78 and low of 64.
Westerville, OH: High of 24, low of 13.
'Nuff said.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Important Day
Today is a very important day. It is a day that has been anticipated for months. Throngs of media follow the participants' every move and report on every detail. The winner of the contest will long be remembered in History...until the next time one of these rolls around.
Yes, Super Bowl Media Day is upon us.
What?!?! You thought I was talking about the Florida elections? Well, yeah, that's taking place today, too.
Today is the presidential primary in Florida. Florida is expected to have a record turnout to vote in today's election, however, I won't be part of it. Democrats and Republicans are supposedly choosing their candidates for the general election later this year. The problem is, it does not really matter because the outcome of today's vote is nothing more than window dressing. Florida moved it's primary up to today, the last Tuesday in January. This angered people in Iowa and New Hampshire becaue they are insanely protective of their status as being the first states to hold primaries. So, the Democratic party decided to punish the good people of Florida and take away all of Florida's delegates to the convention this summer. Soon after, the Republicans stripped the state of half its delegates (Ah Florida...always an electoral drama queen. It has been amusing watching people whine about having their votes taken away which is really stupid since the right to vote in a primary and nominate a candidate to represent a party is not guaranteed by the Constitution. Primaries are just something the parties came up with the make the people believe they actually participate in the process.).
So, the primary here is essentially meaningless. Of course, there is talk that both parties will have their delegats reinstated prior to the conventions and the Democrats are discussing having some sort of caucus or other event in the Spring to select delegates to the convention. It all seems pretty absurd to me.
As a Republican, I'm pretty uninspired. We moved and I still have not changed my address on my voter registration and I have no idea where my voting precinct is. And the polls will probably be closed before I get home. Had Fred Thompson run a halfway decent campaign, I might have actually made the effort to go vote. I'm also missing out on the opporunity to vote on some county question regarding Vegas style slots at dog tracks (whoopee) and some changes to the property tax. I like the idea of increasing the homestead exemption, but I think the overall proposal stinks.
So, call me apathetic if you like, but I'm sitting this one out at least until November. Maybe by then, I'll have gotten my address changed.
No, the big news of the day is Media Day. I'd be willing to bet that more people across this vast land are paying attention to the Super Bowl than the primaries. This is the day that a bunch of nut jobs who don't have anything to do with football the other 50 weeks of the year get to do silly things like wear a wedding dress or wear a sock on your hand and interview professional atheletes about to play in the biggest game of their career. (Both of those things happened today.) There is definitely some goofiness that goes on during media day and some people do some really strange things. But I enjoy it. I look forward to Jay Leno's annual correspondent report from Media Day.
What I don't enjoy is the regular sports columnists who whine about all the non-football stuff that goes on during media day and the general excess. I say, get over. The Super Bowl is not just a sporting event. It's a pop culture event and it is a worldwide event. People from other cultures may not truly understand the game of football or its significance in American culture, but they watch it. The Super Bowl touches so many people who are not normal football fans, whether it is the celebrity parties, charity events, etc. So I completely understand the increase in the number of media covering the game. And frankly, some of the more weird stuff that goes on during media day is entertaining. So, to all of you grumpy, old sportswriters, get over yourselves. You're not as important as you think and this event is more than a game.
Yes, Super Bowl Media Day is upon us.
What?!?! You thought I was talking about the Florida elections? Well, yeah, that's taking place today, too.
Today is the presidential primary in Florida. Florida is expected to have a record turnout to vote in today's election, however, I won't be part of it. Democrats and Republicans are supposedly choosing their candidates for the general election later this year. The problem is, it does not really matter because the outcome of today's vote is nothing more than window dressing. Florida moved it's primary up to today, the last Tuesday in January. This angered people in Iowa and New Hampshire becaue they are insanely protective of their status as being the first states to hold primaries. So, the Democratic party decided to punish the good people of Florida and take away all of Florida's delegates to the convention this summer. Soon after, the Republicans stripped the state of half its delegates (Ah Florida...always an electoral drama queen. It has been amusing watching people whine about having their votes taken away which is really stupid since the right to vote in a primary and nominate a candidate to represent a party is not guaranteed by the Constitution. Primaries are just something the parties came up with the make the people believe they actually participate in the process.).
So, the primary here is essentially meaningless. Of course, there is talk that both parties will have their delegats reinstated prior to the conventions and the Democrats are discussing having some sort of caucus or other event in the Spring to select delegates to the convention. It all seems pretty absurd to me.
As a Republican, I'm pretty uninspired. We moved and I still have not changed my address on my voter registration and I have no idea where my voting precinct is. And the polls will probably be closed before I get home. Had Fred Thompson run a halfway decent campaign, I might have actually made the effort to go vote. I'm also missing out on the opporunity to vote on some county question regarding Vegas style slots at dog tracks (whoopee) and some changes to the property tax. I like the idea of increasing the homestead exemption, but I think the overall proposal stinks.
So, call me apathetic if you like, but I'm sitting this one out at least until November. Maybe by then, I'll have gotten my address changed.
No, the big news of the day is Media Day. I'd be willing to bet that more people across this vast land are paying attention to the Super Bowl than the primaries. This is the day that a bunch of nut jobs who don't have anything to do with football the other 50 weeks of the year get to do silly things like wear a wedding dress or wear a sock on your hand and interview professional atheletes about to play in the biggest game of their career. (Both of those things happened today.) There is definitely some goofiness that goes on during media day and some people do some really strange things. But I enjoy it. I look forward to Jay Leno's annual correspondent report from Media Day.
What I don't enjoy is the regular sports columnists who whine about all the non-football stuff that goes on during media day and the general excess. I say, get over. The Super Bowl is not just a sporting event. It's a pop culture event and it is a worldwide event. People from other cultures may not truly understand the game of football or its significance in American culture, but they watch it. The Super Bowl touches so many people who are not normal football fans, whether it is the celebrity parties, charity events, etc. So I completely understand the increase in the number of media covering the game. And frankly, some of the more weird stuff that goes on during media day is entertaining. So, to all of you grumpy, old sportswriters, get over yourselves. You're not as important as you think and this event is more than a game.
Monday, January 28, 2008
You can come out now, Emma.
We just concluded a woderful visit with our good friends, the Metzes. Adam, Mary Beth, Clark and Clementine decided to spend their vacation with us and spent the last week at our house. Clark just turned three and Clementine is 8 months old. Needless to say, it turned our world upside down for a few days. But we loved it.
Unfortunately, our cat Emma was not so thrilled with the situation. She's not used to having a giggling blur whiz by her reaching out to pet her as he goes by. She's also not used to having another creature about the same size as her stalking her across the floor. In the past, she has done very well with our guests and generally ignores them. So I came home last Tuesday night and found her curled up in one of her normal spots. I assumed that she had already adjusted to our guests.
After dinner, I walked over to her to scratch her head a little. Clark walked up behind me to say that he wanted to pet her. I thought it would be OK. Boy, was I wrong. He touched her near her tail a couple of times and suddenly her tail puffed up and she was hissing at him. Later on, I held her while I showed Clark how to let her smell him before he pet her. She reluctantly allowed him to pet her, but it did not last long. She eventually hissed at him again and I have the scratch marks on my hand to show how eager she was to remove herself from the situation.
Finally, one evening, as Clark was running around having a good time, he gave Emma a drive by love tap as he went by. This sent her over the edge as she hissed, faced him and arched her back. I knew that was it and after I corraled her, I locked her up in our bedroom. So the poor thing spent most of the week cooped up when the kids were around.
She was also confused by how often her food moved around. Since there was an 8-month old crusing around, we did not think it was a good idea to have her water and food on the floor, so those things also spent their time up on a counter while the kids were out and about.
As Clark said about Emma this week "She not very nice." But the kid is so sweet, he never really got scared of her. He was always asking "Where Emma?" or "Where dat".
Well, the crew left this morning for a few days down in the Keys before heading back to the frigid North. I'm sure Emma is glad to have her house and her routine back. But Julie and I are a little sad today. We enjoyed our time with our friends and the opportunity to show them around our hometown. They've only been gone a few hours, but we miss them already and can't wait for their next visit.
Unfortunately, our cat Emma was not so thrilled with the situation. She's not used to having a giggling blur whiz by her reaching out to pet her as he goes by. She's also not used to having another creature about the same size as her stalking her across the floor. In the past, she has done very well with our guests and generally ignores them. So I came home last Tuesday night and found her curled up in one of her normal spots. I assumed that she had already adjusted to our guests.
After dinner, I walked over to her to scratch her head a little. Clark walked up behind me to say that he wanted to pet her. I thought it would be OK. Boy, was I wrong. He touched her near her tail a couple of times and suddenly her tail puffed up and she was hissing at him. Later on, I held her while I showed Clark how to let her smell him before he pet her. She reluctantly allowed him to pet her, but it did not last long. She eventually hissed at him again and I have the scratch marks on my hand to show how eager she was to remove herself from the situation.
Finally, one evening, as Clark was running around having a good time, he gave Emma a drive by love tap as he went by. This sent her over the edge as she hissed, faced him and arched her back. I knew that was it and after I corraled her, I locked her up in our bedroom. So the poor thing spent most of the week cooped up when the kids were around.
She was also confused by how often her food moved around. Since there was an 8-month old crusing around, we did not think it was a good idea to have her water and food on the floor, so those things also spent their time up on a counter while the kids were out and about.
As Clark said about Emma this week "She not very nice." But the kid is so sweet, he never really got scared of her. He was always asking "Where Emma?" or "Where dat".
Well, the crew left this morning for a few days down in the Keys before heading back to the frigid North. I'm sure Emma is glad to have her house and her routine back. But Julie and I are a little sad today. We enjoyed our time with our friends and the opportunity to show them around our hometown. They've only been gone a few hours, but we miss them already and can't wait for their next visit.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Sports Cheesieness
I have long been aware of one of the great icons of NFL football: the Cheesehead. Green Bay Packer fans are easily recognizable due to this large piece of cheddar. I have no problem with anyone who thinks they look Gouda (sorry, had to do it) wearing one of these. However, I think this is a bit extreme.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Congratulations!
Judging by the snarky comment posted annonymously to the previous post, it has been a while since I last posted. I could reply with an equally snarky comment about how not a single thing has happened to me, but I guess that would not be true.
I have been very busy wrapping up my first full year of being a law associate among other things, and sometimes I figure my life is just too boring for people to read about. I guess I need to learn that life exists not in the grand moments, but in the small moments that happen every day.
So I'd like to (hopefully) kick off a new year with a new habit of regular posts with one of those small events that make up life.
I'd like to give a shout out to my mom. My mom recently celebrated another year in which she was one of the top selling realtors in Roswell, NM. Mom jumped into real estate a few years back in her "old age" and learned some new tricks. She has done well as a realtor and I am proud of her.
Congratulations mom! Keep up the good work.
I have been very busy wrapping up my first full year of being a law associate among other things, and sometimes I figure my life is just too boring for people to read about. I guess I need to learn that life exists not in the grand moments, but in the small moments that happen every day.
So I'd like to (hopefully) kick off a new year with a new habit of regular posts with one of those small events that make up life.
I'd like to give a shout out to my mom. My mom recently celebrated another year in which she was one of the top selling realtors in Roswell, NM. Mom jumped into real estate a few years back in her "old age" and learned some new tricks. She has done well as a realtor and I am proud of her.
Congratulations mom! Keep up the good work.
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