Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Thursday Thirteen III

This edition of the TT13 is a barely sports related topic. Thirteen good reasons it must be good to be Jimmy Johnson (former NCAA and NFL coach). In no particular order.

1. Being Rich - yes state the obvious huh.
2. Won 2 NFL Superbowls
3. Won a NCAA Championship
4. Lives in the Florida Keys - that has to be pretty darn not too bad.
5. Owns a Yacht - who wouldn't want one, even Elmer J. Fudd had one.
6. Pulled off the Herschel Walker trade - most one-sided trade ever.
7. Is a football analyst on FOX - and can say just about anything and who cares if he is wrong.
8. Football genius credibilty - Three championships will give that to you.
9. Man Law commercials - who wouldn't want to say Duh Umb to Burt Reynolds.
10. Went to high school with Janis Joplin - there has to be a good story or two there.
11. Gets free burgers at Bob's Big Boy - yum.
12. Motivational Speaker - has to be an easy high paying gig.
13. IQ of 162 - well sure.

So there it is, maybe not the best of lists but a list nonetheless. Enjoy!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



Thursday, November 09, 2006

Thursday Thirteen II

In this second TT13 I got the idea from a couple of coworkers of mine who were discussing their favorite NFL quarterbacks they have seen play. My list is not based on what kind of men they were or are or even how good of quarterbacks they might have been but just who I have enjoyed watching play the most.

1. John Elway - Broncos - just the way he would pull out come from behind wins and seemed to always have that smile on his face reminding us all it was truly a game.

2. Jim Kelly - Buffalo Bills - yes the qb of my favorite team during their hayday but such a competitor and threw a great long ball.

3. Joe Montana - San Francisco 49ers - the best surgical quarterback ever, the precision in which he would execute that offense was almost artistic.

4. Dan Mario - Miami Dolphins - threw it all the time even when defenses knew he had to and such a quick release.

5. Brett Favre - Green Bay Packers - yes you just gotta love the gunslinger mentality and had that just awesome Monday Night game versus the Raiders.

6. Randall Cunningham - Philadelphia Eagles - the first real scrambling qb in the league, makes the list alone on that move against the Giants.

7. Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts - the closest thing to Montana since Montana in my opinion.

8. Donovan McNabb - Philadelphia Eagles - makes the list almost just with the smile and how it reminds you how this really is a game.

9. Steve Young - San Francisco 49ers - ran that true West Coast offense but threw in those runs as well, seemed to just be so grateful to have is shot after all those years as a backup.

10. Tom Brady - New England Patriots - just simply seems like your average guy or the soft spoken western hero.

11. Dave Krieg - Seattle Seahawks - strangest qb on my list I know especially with all those fumbles but he just seemed to have to out work and hustle everyone, I admired that.

12. Joe Theismann - Washington Redskins - hard not to like his moxie even though I was never a fan of his team.

13. Jake Delhomme - Carolina Panthers - enjoy is his fire and like how he has made the most out of his opportunity and seems like you could just walk up and talk to him.


So there is my list which I am sure any sports fan will have some agreement and some beef with. Feel free to let me know about either and share with us who was your favorite QB to watch ever.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Thursday Thirteen I

This inaugural TT13 will be about 13 things that bug me about the fight that happened between the Miami Hurricanes and the Florida International Golden Panthers, and the subsequent media coverage about said fight.

1. The fight itself. Yes football is a violent sport and even the best of men can allow their emotions to get out of control but it is regrettable when it escalates to the level it did.

2. Players kicking other players who were on the ground. This is not defending your teammates, this is assault. Pull someone off your teammate, restrain them but don't kick a player when he is down even if he has on a helmet and pads. Two FIU players were kicked off the team for contribution to this.

3. Swinging a helmet at another player. Same as above. Anthony Reddick was suspended indefinitely by Larry Coker for this.

4. Don't act all shocked all you media types out there. Many of the analysts are former players and they know how emotional players can get. Acting shocked that a fight happened in football is just ridiculous pandering to those viewers you feel want you to be shocked.

5. Dogpiling on Miami. All of a sudden said analysts are all in full Hurricane bashing mode. Like I said you all come across as acting like you deplore Miami because you are supposed to. What happened to looking at the situation even handedly?

6. Where is the talk or outrage about FIU? I know the University of Miami is the more well known program but isn't there anyone out there that wants to talk about the other combatants in this fight. It all seems more rating driven than objectively looking at the story driven.

7. Bringing up the stomping on the logo at Louisville as a relation to this fight. I have seen other teams meet in the center of the field in warmups several other times, why some Louisville players took offense to this is beyond me. I guess they just needed more of a reason to be mad at Miami. ( Can't fault them though cause they did beat Miami )

8. Craig James saying all of America is rooting for Duke. Seriously that just plain stupid. Most of America knows absolutely nothing about Duke's football program. Many might only think they compete in Basketball. That is taking the severely easy "root for the underdog" approach. Where is the analysis there? Also if you were really wanting to root against those suspended Miami players then root for them this week when they are back actually playing for Miami.

9. Saying the suspensions are conveniently placed against lowly Duke. Suspensions always happen right after the fact. It is common discipline practice. You don't ground your child a month after they do something wrong do you? It wasn't like those players thought let's fight FIU so we will only miss the Duke game. They lost their cool and deserved to miss the next game or more no matter who they were up against.

10. Saying Miami should forfeit a bowl game. Many fights have happened over the years in football some I sure more severe than this one. Forfeiting a bowl game I feel is too harsh a punishment and just an easy knee jerk reaction. What about FIU? Should they have to forfeit the first bowl game they might make even if it is years from now? I don't think so. Bowl games should only be forfeit for serious, premeditated rules violations knowingly broken by the current coaching staff.

11. All the talk about U of Miami president Donna Shalala. This is an athletic happening. How come we are not hearing about athletic director Paul Dee? Shouldn't things follow that chain of command? I understand everything falls under the president's eye but I feel Donna Shalala is being brought up more because she is a known name having served in Clinton's cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Services more than for her true role in this story. Once again no talk about her FIU counterpart Mitch Maidique.

12. The unprofessional comments of commentator Lamar Thomas. I know he is a Hurricane alum and all but talking about wanting to go down the elevator and join the fray is just plain unprofessional. He was fired for this and I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing if I was his boss. It may seem knee jerk yes but commentators just have to hold themselves to a higher standard.

13. Looking a gift horse in the mouth. All this media coverage is so slanted at bashing Miami, yet the talk goes on and on (yes I am guilty too). However I say all of this to point out how you have to know that they all love having this topic to discuss. I feel if you are going to discuss something like this and benefit from it you should have at least some part of your on air staff looking at things objectively in a real journalistic manner than just playing the role of trying act shocked and disgusted at Miami. Remember it took two teams to fight and the first blow was thrown by FIU. Also lost in all this is the suspensions that FIU did hand down. They kicked two players off the team and suspended 16 others indefinitely. Where is the coverage on this even if it slants it to praise them for handing out harsher punishments than Miami?

While it may seem I might be pro-Miami I am not. I have no allegiance or rooting interest in them other than I have one good friend who is a big fan. I just dislike seeing more and more one-sided looks at the situations that happen in sports. Since when did sports become politics? Just my two cents.


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



Sunday, October 08, 2006

something cool


I just happened to catch the celebration as the Detroit Tigers baseball club closed out the New York Yankees in the ALDS here in 2006. To see the players come back out of the clubhouse, champagne bottles in hand, and share the celebration with the fans, to spray them with that cherished of things as series winning alcohol was if I may say bluntly pretty damn cool.

It was so refreshing to see the players just be human. The connected with their fellow humans who all had come together in one common cause. Sure it is just sports but in those moments all those people in that stadium were a part of something greater than just themeselves. How many times in our lives to we really get to feel part of something like that? I know we all yearn for that. It is a universal human truth.

I am sure religous fellows might point to their beliefs and practices. I understand that when done from a unjudgemental place this is indeed greater than any celebration a sport can give us. However with as cluttered as most of us are, as burdened and biased our lives become sometimes sport is how we can get that feeling if only in a very small portion.

In Detroit they got even more than they bargained for, more than they hoped because a group of men paid so much to play just a game decided in a moment to not be anything more than happy human beings wanting to share their happiness with as many other humans as they could.

Just simply something cool.





PS... I have neglected this area of writing to long, I will endevor to not do so again.

Sunday, October 23, 2005

Crazy times

I would like to have written all my thoughts now about the Houston Astros winning the NLCS and making it to their first World Series ever and also about games one and two and how good they were even if now they are down 0-2 and headed back to Houston.

However life comes first sometimes. Promises have to be kept. Not only to others but to myself. These are all good responsibilites. A job I enjoy and am thankful that I do so. Family that I love. Friends that I care about deeply. Teamates of my own that thankfully I did not let down this weekend as they did not let down me. Yeah its Kickball and you might scoff but it is still a team. It is still a group of people striving towards a common goal. We strove and we succeeded and I am so very thankful for that, just as I know all those in the Astros' clubhouse feel the same way about all their wins and losses. From 15-30 to the World Series and even possibly a championship. It isn't over till its over. I say that if its up 3-1 with two out in the NLCS and even if its down 0-2 in the World Series.

More details to follow just about everything cause now I have to prepare for my promise to friends and especially to myself, a much needed first trip ever to Las Vegas. 34 years is much too long to have waited I think and thankfully to three good friends of mine I won't make it to 35 years of waiting.

Life happens quickly.. so keep your eyes open.

We all enjoy being a part of something greater than ourselves. That's powerful I think.

Go ASTROS! Get'em in Houston boys!

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

a moment please

too hard to write about game five right after it happened
too blubbery to write about game six right after it happened

almost never thought I would see the Astros in the World Series
now I do

much more tomorrow
when I can collect all my thoughts and emotions

Congrats Guys!

Enjoy the moment completely

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Games Three and Four

A two for one here as I finally sit down to let my thoughts land upon the page.


Game of inches is the running theme here. So cliche but so true. Two Astro wins in Houston. Same as last year. The difference is that they took game two in St. Louis where they lost last year. So now it comes down to can they sweep the three games in Houston just as last year or do they once again go back to St. Louis just needing one of two. A daunting task no matter how the injuries are plaguing this Cardinal team.

Game Three I sat down and watched every pitch. Made the time for it. The moment that sticks out to me of it all was the ball hit to Lamb that he had to dive for and guess on where the hop would be since the runner on first was sheilding him from a clear view. That ball bounced off his glove into shallow center field where Biggio chased it down. I thought there could be today's inch. I really did. I went back to my thinking that the Astros need 5 runs to win. Five runs a game. Not sure why I am stuck on that number but I am. I guess subconciously its one run more than a grand slam. Would seem fitting for someone like Pujols to hit one in this series. He is just that good.

Speaking of Albert Pujols the stat where he has come to bat more than half of the time to lead off the inning is huge. The Cardinals are missing having their biggest RBI guy batting more than half of the time with any chance of driving in more than himself. I think this has given the Astro pitchers that slight bit of confidence in pitching to him. Just slightly cause who would have much confidence pitching to Pujols.

You have to be confident when Lidge comes up against the Cardinals these days, don't you? I mean look how the announcers keep talking about his scoreless innings pitched streak. Every time they do I cringe like they are just about to jinx the kicker like they always seem to do in football. Being up 4-2 in the ninth of game three I kept thinking I would have liked to have that fifth run. When the Cardinals put their third run I was indeed nervous. I am from the camp that firmly believes its not over till its over. Luckily Lidge did what he does so well and saved the game and the Astros now were up 2-1 in the series.

Now to game four. The first game of this NLCS that I did not permit myself to watch. I had to get some work done. Sometimes life does take priority over sport. So as I worked I had the game up on MLB.com. Checking back to it periodically. 0-0 through 3. 1-1 after 4. Both teams pitching out of some jams. Now the 7th and LaRussa gets ejected and the Astros plate a second run. I am happy for the run but nervous cause it is so close. Gallo, Qualls and Wheeler pitch the Astros into the 9th and the score is still 2-1. Lidge time again. I kept thinking one run maybe not enough cause the Cardinals know they got to him for one run last night. He has to be just that little bit better. Just a little.

Suddenly its first and third with no outs and I am trying to work as if I keep doing so I will earn some little bit of karma or something. Eyes to matching up orders, back to the computer screen, back to orders, back to computer. My leg even starts a nervous shaking. Ahh the joys of being a fan. Then on the screen with Sanders hitting it says ball in play, out(s) recorded. It seemed like it stayed that way for so long. Did Pujols get home? Did they possibly get him out or keep him held at third? Oh I can't take it!!

Finally it says Pujols out at home, by inches and its still first and third but now one out. Larry Walker on third, Reggie Sanders on first and John Mabry up to bat. I kept thinking double play, double play, double play. I probably was chanting it. Luckily I was the only one at work. Again the ball in play, out(s) recorded shows up on the screen after a called strike and a swinging strike. No more looking at work. Eyes fixed upon the screen and hands clinched.

DOUBLE PLAY!

Game over. WOW!

Yes I must admit I did a happy dance. Once again no one around to see luckily. Something about not actually watching the game had me even more keyed up. I am not sure why. I guess watching my beloved Buffalo Bills loose 4 Superbowls gives me more pause when I watch my teams. However get me just checking the scores online or via radio and I am much more a wreck. Odd indeed.

I calmed down after a short bit. I did not want to over celebrate. After all its just a 3-1 series lead. Its not over till its over. The Astros have won three straight, so who is to say the Cardinals cannot repeat the favor. Also the Astros were just one win away last season being up 3-2. Something about having that one more game, that one more chance makes me feel more hopefull and gets me excited. We'll see won't we.

And we will see if Mama Clemens talk about the White Sox on her last day on earth will be prophetic or not. Just don't tell me who she saw winning.. I don't want to know. It would take all the craziness of being a fan and right now I am quite enjoying it.

See you boys Monday. Good Luck and Go ASTROS!!!!!