It's said, depending on the company, that I am a baseball/softball guy. That statement is only partially true. I love sports in all forms. While my knowledge of cricket is limited to pesticides, I've watched that when it's available to me. The story of competing compels and fascinates me. The phases of trial, decision, preparation, competition and repetition teach more than the game, it teaches life.
Forget all that! College football's first Saturday is here!
Gameday is special, no matter where you studied. Whether it's The Grove in Oxford, Bear Down in Tuscon, or whatever the name is on your team's walk into the stadium, tradition is everywhere. It's a fresh school year, the first hangovers of the semester still on the face of some of the student body entering the stadium. Everyone is brimming with optimism: "This is the year Washington State goes to the Rose Bowl!" "Watch out! Akron could bust the BCS!" "If it falls right, Kansas could go to the BCS Title Game!"
I did it myself during my college days. One of those years, Purdue was playing Michigan State, both teams sporting a 2-1 record in the opening Big Ten game. State lead most of the game, but Jim Everett lead a comeback, culminating in a 21 yard field goal, giving Purdue a 26-23 lead with 25 seconds remaining. The entire stadium as one started chanting, "ROSE BOWL! ROSE BOWL!" I admit, me too.
Kick off through the endzone, State ball at the 20. Two incompletions fueled by tight defense started the cheer again with 10 seconds. I stopped when I saw the Boilermakers in a prevent defense. The only thing prevent defense prevents is your team winning the game.
Andre Rison found an opening in the defense until he was dropped at the State 48 and two seconds on the clock. Ralf Mojsjienko, a German born kicker, came on to attempt a 59 yard field goal. Why not? His first made kick was a 61 yarder against Illinois in 1982. I knew the feeling of being a Boilermaker from our opening game the year before: a 52-6 loss to Notre Dame. It came back even before the kick.
The game ended a tie on their way to 3-7-1. That's a long way from the Rose Bowl.
The game inspires that kind of loyalty. People travel hundreds, even thousands of miles to follow the team of the school that changed their lives. They brim with optimism early, and end up talking about next year. It comes from the shared experience in a special place. The first taste of freedom originates here, and it stays with you for life.
Even when Ralf Mojsjienko breaks your heart.
So...am I off base?
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Really, NCAA?
Johnny Manziel has been suspended for one half of the opening game against Rice. I want to start by stating I am not a Johnny Manziel fan. He still strikes me like something unreal, something plastic. If you looked at the bottom of his left foot, you would find a sticker that says "Made in China".
However, his situation with the NCAA has rubbed me the wrong way. I was a student/athlete whose parents paid my way. Without athletic aid, I had to work to make ends meet on campus. I have long believed in the student/athlete and the idealism that the education received is remuneration for the time and effort of athletic competition. Those who know me may be surprised which way it rubs me.
In this case, I think the NCAA is totally plastic. They are more fake than alien autopsies, Milli Vanilli hits, and most Hollywood women from the waist up.
The NCAA and it's member institutions have made obscene amounts of money from their athletes. The jerseys sold in bookstores and online are the number of the current stars. Dating myself, I owned a Jim Everett and Steve Griffin while at Purdue. One name you might know, the other not so much. The potential Steve Griffin had sold jerseys regardless of where he finished his career, doing the same thing I did at Ross-Ade Stadium: watch games.
The potential should be worth something to a young man who never realized it, but made money for his school. He deserves something for the effort. His name pushed the product, the product fed the beast that is intercollegiate athletics.
Why does the school or the NCAA deserve the right to make money on a name that isn't even theirs?
Agreed, the schools are making a large monetary commitment with a full athletic scholarship, but it is worth far more money to the institution than to the individual. Especially in football, where you can only count on a shelf life of one play, sometimes less. Why don't they just put the money on the table instead of blinding themselves to the truth? Is it because they can't put the same amount on the table for all athletes? A cross country runner can't earn the incoming revenue a football player generates. Anyone bought Notre Dame Fencing uniforms lately?
Student/athletes still exist. Young men and women who never sniff the prospect of a huge professional sports contract, but have to get out of bed daily and earn every penny. The college degree can be a blessing. They paid for it with preparation, sacrificing their teen years for the chance to live a better life. But give the players that pay the bills (and more) something for what they generated, especially the college fan favorites who wash out in training camp. Artificial joints shouldn't be the only reward.
So...am I off base?
However, his situation with the NCAA has rubbed me the wrong way. I was a student/athlete whose parents paid my way. Without athletic aid, I had to work to make ends meet on campus. I have long believed in the student/athlete and the idealism that the education received is remuneration for the time and effort of athletic competition. Those who know me may be surprised which way it rubs me.
In this case, I think the NCAA is totally plastic. They are more fake than alien autopsies, Milli Vanilli hits, and most Hollywood women from the waist up.
The NCAA and it's member institutions have made obscene amounts of money from their athletes. The jerseys sold in bookstores and online are the number of the current stars. Dating myself, I owned a Jim Everett and Steve Griffin while at Purdue. One name you might know, the other not so much. The potential Steve Griffin had sold jerseys regardless of where he finished his career, doing the same thing I did at Ross-Ade Stadium: watch games.
The potential should be worth something to a young man who never realized it, but made money for his school. He deserves something for the effort. His name pushed the product, the product fed the beast that is intercollegiate athletics.
Why does the school or the NCAA deserve the right to make money on a name that isn't even theirs?
Agreed, the schools are making a large monetary commitment with a full athletic scholarship, but it is worth far more money to the institution than to the individual. Especially in football, where you can only count on a shelf life of one play, sometimes less. Why don't they just put the money on the table instead of blinding themselves to the truth? Is it because they can't put the same amount on the table for all athletes? A cross country runner can't earn the incoming revenue a football player generates. Anyone bought Notre Dame Fencing uniforms lately?
Student/athletes still exist. Young men and women who never sniff the prospect of a huge professional sports contract, but have to get out of bed daily and earn every penny. The college degree can be a blessing. They paid for it with preparation, sacrificing their teen years for the chance to live a better life. But give the players that pay the bills (and more) something for what they generated, especially the college fan favorites who wash out in training camp. Artificial joints shouldn't be the only reward.
So...am I off base?
Monday, August 26, 2013
Random Thought Monday
A few random thoughts while waiting for the coffee and chocolate to take effect...
-Half-hearted as it it was, at least Ryan Braun apologized. Braun has admitted he did wrong and at least took a manly approach. He let his teammates down and the Brewers fans have definitely paid the price for his decision. Alex Rodriguez hasn't used a rather male approach to the situation. It sure isn't what a man should do. A great talent, however tainted, deserves better character.
-The Angels announced that either Mike Scioscia or GM Jerry DiPoto will not survive the current season. Thirteen games under .500, payroll of $127 million, what should be the most potent offense in the Majors, it was inevitable. The team has not executed Scoscia's calls well and the bullpen has not been very good. The responsibility lies with the manager to make the talent work.
-Interesting point, the Dodgers have a payroll of $220 million, one of the hottest streaks in baseball history, and a top of the line record. Toronto, a sexy preseason pick, is 15 games under .500 for their $117 million dollar payroll. The perennially overspending Yankees are six games over .500 with a payroll of $203 million. Whatever happened to bang for the buck? Maybe that the fool's way to lose money in a monopoly.
-Japan won the Little League World Series with great execution and timely hitting. Maybe there is hope for the rest of us.
-I have talked about my daughter's softball teams, but at this time of year, she is pursuing her other passions: Cross Country and Theater. She ran over 150 miles during summer softball season preparing for Cross Country and has been performing well in her preseason practices. She finally gets to run for real on Thursday. During this past weekend, she received a chorus part of Socialite in Annie Get Your Gun at the Lerner Theater. Performing here really lights her up.
So...am I off base?
-Half-hearted as it it was, at least Ryan Braun apologized. Braun has admitted he did wrong and at least took a manly approach. He let his teammates down and the Brewers fans have definitely paid the price for his decision. Alex Rodriguez hasn't used a rather male approach to the situation. It sure isn't what a man should do. A great talent, however tainted, deserves better character.
-The Angels announced that either Mike Scioscia or GM Jerry DiPoto will not survive the current season. Thirteen games under .500, payroll of $127 million, what should be the most potent offense in the Majors, it was inevitable. The team has not executed Scoscia's calls well and the bullpen has not been very good. The responsibility lies with the manager to make the talent work.
-Interesting point, the Dodgers have a payroll of $220 million, one of the hottest streaks in baseball history, and a top of the line record. Toronto, a sexy preseason pick, is 15 games under .500 for their $117 million dollar payroll. The perennially overspending Yankees are six games over .500 with a payroll of $203 million. Whatever happened to bang for the buck? Maybe that the fool's way to lose money in a monopoly.
-Japan won the Little League World Series with great execution and timely hitting. Maybe there is hope for the rest of us.
-I have talked about my daughter's softball teams, but at this time of year, she is pursuing her other passions: Cross Country and Theater. She ran over 150 miles during summer softball season preparing for Cross Country and has been performing well in her preseason practices. She finally gets to run for real on Thursday. During this past weekend, she received a chorus part of Socialite in Annie Get Your Gun at the Lerner Theater. Performing here really lights her up.
So...am I off base?
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Football 2013
We are less than two weeks from the NFL season. College football tees it up next week. High Schools started in Indiana last night. The Boys of Fall are arriving.
What kind of year will it be?
I have a feeling read option quarterbacks could be in trouble. Defense is adjusting to the read option, assignment football could reduce the role. For the uninitated, assignment football means the defense holds it commitment to a single assignment per player, giving the quarterback less to read. It requires more discipline defensively and could be less effective against traditional style offense. Read option as a sole weapon could be less effective, bad news for my beloved Seahawks.
I believe there will be more up tempo offense played. The toll taken on defense is worth the time and effort to install the offense. The Patriots were ahead of the curve and ran plays the quickest last season. Chip Kelly joining the Eagles could make them an interesting team to watch.
Crown of the helmet rule will save a life.
College football still intrigues me more. I think Alabama is still the cream of the crop, tons of talent still returning. The rest of the college football world is still a wild world, anyone capable of beating anyone any given Saturday. Look for surprises in the Big Ten and ACC. Notre Dame will not be what they were a year ago, but give Tommy Rees credit: all he does is win.
I'll still be around baseball fields most autumn weekends. I want to be outside as long as the weather is good, and I'll watch football when the weather gets bad. Hopefully, it will still be worth watching.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
More = Better, Right?
My son returned to the baseball field this last weekend. He looked spectacularly average. Most of his teammates did, too. He played between 30 and 50 less games this year. His teammates started ahead of him. Which begs the question: Is more better?
The marked decline in solid, fundamental play is not just a baseball situation. The numbers bear out that fundamentals in basketball have declined. Shooting percentages across the board are lower, and more shots are being taken. Wish I had time to dig the numbers up, but I'll bet that points allowed are higher, too.
Some argue that better athletes make all games more difficult, but haven't the better athletes been playing in the past, too? In the past, we expected athletes to meet a higher standard morally and ethically, now they are held to a lower standard. It lets some better athletes that would have been washed out of the system play to the exclusion of good behavior. All in the pursuit of the Holy Grail of Winning.
A local legend of a nearby town bears the point. A kid with all sorts of talent, but no team attitude was cut from the high school basketball team as a junior. During his senior year, the same group won a State Championship, sparking outrage from the kid and very few others. The coaches chose team chemistry and attitude over ability and it worked. The star of the team went on to play ball in the NBA and has even been a head coach.
The kid walked out of school, and never went back. He blames the coaches for ruining his life, which has consisted of living in a storage facility with his dog. Odd jobs and begging are his income, a sign of God's Mercy.
Today, public outrage would follow the cut. Angry letters and threats would flow from all corners of the community. The team might have gone .500 that year.
We are all to blame when we cheer the incredible individual talent over the solid team play. We overcompete and underpractice. The level of play absolutely bears it out.
So...am I off base?
Monday, August 19, 2013
Come Inside My Mind
Really, it's okay! I'm harmless.
-Watched a little bit of the Yankees-Red Sox game after the conclusion of our first fall ball game. Lead to a couple of observations: First, Major League Baseball should either repeal the agreement that allows a player to play while appealing their suspension. I like the option of immediate hearings to determine the outcome.
If it is a complicated situation, like A-Rod says he has, the player and the league both know it's complicated and should be prepared to defend or prosecute. If it is an immediate situation, like a brawl, it is a heat of the moment battle, and should be defended or prosecuted as such.
I'd love to know what's so complicated A-Rod's situation: You were a patient at a clinic closed for illegal activity. The other patients at that clinic, who have distanced themselves from you, have been suspended and accepted said suspension. Seems pretty clear. While I know A-Rod has the most to lose or gain, he can be a significant part of a Yankee resurgence. A deserving team, with players who followed the rules, could get cheated out of a playoff appearance.
-USA Softball won the Pan Am games qualifier over the weekend. It's about the fifth or sixth in a row, and the championship game was no contest, and 8-1 blowout over Canada. As much as I would love to see softball and baseball restored to the Olympic Games, it could be a long time before it happens. One country shouldn't dominate an event this way.
-An honest fan of baseball would enjoy watching softball at the college level and above. The plays happen quickly, expected when adults play on the same size diamond my twelve year-old daughter uses. The absolute speed and power plays happen on a softball field are amazing. I suggest baseball fans watch the National Pro Fastpitch Championship, beginning this Thursday, August 22 through Saturday in Rosemont, IL. It's a good, clean game played very hard.
So...am I off base?
-Watched a little bit of the Yankees-Red Sox game after the conclusion of our first fall ball game. Lead to a couple of observations: First, Major League Baseball should either repeal the agreement that allows a player to play while appealing their suspension. I like the option of immediate hearings to determine the outcome.
If it is a complicated situation, like A-Rod says he has, the player and the league both know it's complicated and should be prepared to defend or prosecute. If it is an immediate situation, like a brawl, it is a heat of the moment battle, and should be defended or prosecuted as such.
I'd love to know what's so complicated A-Rod's situation: You were a patient at a clinic closed for illegal activity. The other patients at that clinic, who have distanced themselves from you, have been suspended and accepted said suspension. Seems pretty clear. While I know A-Rod has the most to lose or gain, he can be a significant part of a Yankee resurgence. A deserving team, with players who followed the rules, could get cheated out of a playoff appearance.
-USA Softball won the Pan Am games qualifier over the weekend. It's about the fifth or sixth in a row, and the championship game was no contest, and 8-1 blowout over Canada. As much as I would love to see softball and baseball restored to the Olympic Games, it could be a long time before it happens. One country shouldn't dominate an event this way.
-An honest fan of baseball would enjoy watching softball at the college level and above. The plays happen quickly, expected when adults play on the same size diamond my twelve year-old daughter uses. The absolute speed and power plays happen on a softball field are amazing. I suggest baseball fans watch the National Pro Fastpitch Championship, beginning this Thursday, August 22 through Saturday in Rosemont, IL. It's a good, clean game played very hard.
So...am I off base?
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Joy and Pain
One of the great things about baseball is happening right now. It should be on every baseball fan's bucket list. It celebrates the game and the pure joy of playing ball. More smiles happen on these fields than in an entire season of Major League Baseball.
I agree with them...to a point.
Little League Baseball/Softball has been a tremendous program, teaching the game to kids 75 years. Their showcase event at the program's birthplace, Williamsport, PA, is a celebration of most of the best things about baseball. No admission fees are charged, concession prices are reasonable, and the whole thing is run by volunteers. All centered around a love that has been baseball.
I am no different. I love the game. Each pitch changes the game completely. The ability or inability to execute should decide the outcome. Well trained and well coached players know the nuances that break down to a single play that makes or breaks a game. No other game gives the defense the ball, few other games of reason have no time limit. Even the field is infinite in an upward direction.
One thing that has changed are the kids. Most kids today, especially when they have won the lottery of playing time, have good attitudes, and respond to coaching even if they (or their parents) don't agree. I still smile a lot when I'm on the field.
A large number, however, have been jaded enough to where respect is a major issue. We should thank society in general for putting results ahead of doing things the right way. Within baseball, we should thank every player who picked up a needle instead of a weight and every Major League owner who looked at his balance sheet rather than enforcement. It gave us McGwire, Bonds, and A-Rod. Interesting how those names could be revered and are reviled like Cicotte, Risberg, and Gandil.
The money involved has parents spending thousands of dollars that they don't have chasing a dream reserved for freakish levels of talent. Or cheaters.
Play the game as long as you can, because once you quit, it is over. Keep the dream alive. Hard work pays off. Reward it when things are done the right way. Maybe you can beat the odds. I know you can do it.
The odds are stacked against you.
So...am I off base?
I agree with them...to a point.
Little League Baseball/Softball has been a tremendous program, teaching the game to kids 75 years. Their showcase event at the program's birthplace, Williamsport, PA, is a celebration of most of the best things about baseball. No admission fees are charged, concession prices are reasonable, and the whole thing is run by volunteers. All centered around a love that has been baseball.
I am no different. I love the game. Each pitch changes the game completely. The ability or inability to execute should decide the outcome. Well trained and well coached players know the nuances that break down to a single play that makes or breaks a game. No other game gives the defense the ball, few other games of reason have no time limit. Even the field is infinite in an upward direction.
One thing that has changed are the kids. Most kids today, especially when they have won the lottery of playing time, have good attitudes, and respond to coaching even if they (or their parents) don't agree. I still smile a lot when I'm on the field.
A large number, however, have been jaded enough to where respect is a major issue. We should thank society in general for putting results ahead of doing things the right way. Within baseball, we should thank every player who picked up a needle instead of a weight and every Major League owner who looked at his balance sheet rather than enforcement. It gave us McGwire, Bonds, and A-Rod. Interesting how those names could be revered and are reviled like Cicotte, Risberg, and Gandil.
The money involved has parents spending thousands of dollars that they don't have chasing a dream reserved for freakish levels of talent. Or cheaters.
Play the game as long as you can, because once you quit, it is over. Keep the dream alive. Hard work pays off. Reward it when things are done the right way. Maybe you can beat the odds. I know you can do it.
The odds are stacked against you.
So...am I off base?
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Two-A-Days Are Hard
Waxing poetic is nothing new for me. If you dislike sentimental, look away now.
Two-a days are hard. Even with a nap between practices, it is pushing self to the limit. How do I find the best when eyes won't even focus? I'm a little dizzy and want to throw up. Is this worth it? Is this doing any good?
You won't know until sometime during the season.
Fourth quarter, four point game, four minutes to play, ball on their 45. Doesn't matter which side of the ball you're on. Who has enough focus, even when their eyes can't, to make a play? Who finds the best inside to shed a tackler or put someone on the ground? Who sees just enough to recognize the formation? Who notices the corner, talking trash early in the game, now leaning on his thigh pads? He was all talk. I put in the work and he is about to become toast.
Fast forward fifteen years. At the end of a long shift at the hospital, a bad car accident victim arrives. Just want to go home, I'm a little dizzy and want to throw up. This person could die if I don't focus...now it is habit.
Last sales call of the day, and haven't sold a thing. The guy in front of me says he doesn't want anything, but will see me anyway. I'm a little dizzy and want to throw up. Make a good presentation...now it is habit.
Just sat down after a long day, I'm a little dizzy and want to throw up. Little man hops in the lap and knees my groin accidentally. "Need a book, daddy." Now it is habit.
And the circle of winning begins again.
So...am I off base?
Two-a days are hard. Even with a nap between practices, it is pushing self to the limit. How do I find the best when eyes won't even focus? I'm a little dizzy and want to throw up. Is this worth it? Is this doing any good?
You won't know until sometime during the season.
Fourth quarter, four point game, four minutes to play, ball on their 45. Doesn't matter which side of the ball you're on. Who has enough focus, even when their eyes can't, to make a play? Who finds the best inside to shed a tackler or put someone on the ground? Who sees just enough to recognize the formation? Who notices the corner, talking trash early in the game, now leaning on his thigh pads? He was all talk. I put in the work and he is about to become toast.
Fast forward fifteen years. At the end of a long shift at the hospital, a bad car accident victim arrives. Just want to go home, I'm a little dizzy and want to throw up. This person could die if I don't focus...now it is habit.
Last sales call of the day, and haven't sold a thing. The guy in front of me says he doesn't want anything, but will see me anyway. I'm a little dizzy and want to throw up. Make a good presentation...now it is habit.
Just sat down after a long day, I'm a little dizzy and want to throw up. Little man hops in the lap and knees my groin accidentally. "Need a book, daddy." Now it is habit.
And the circle of winning begins again.
So...am I off base?
Monday, August 12, 2013
Monday Morning Thoughts
Some random thoughts while waiting for the work fairy to come...
-Tiger Woods might have disappointed but the PGA Championship did not. Jason Dufner was so solid, and his approach to 16 one of the best. For a guy who got his general exposure for "Dufnering" while waiting, he showed mettle, nerve and what the British call "bottle" winning his first major championship. Reminded me a lot of Bubba Watson's Masters win last year, right down to the hair. It was a performance worthy of his idol, Ben Hogan.
-Jim Furyk's reputation was one of the good guys when I played college golf, even though our paths never crossed. The way he played Sunday was admirable, he just got beat. The way he handled himself afterward was honest, forthright, and, above all, gracious. Bobby Jones set the tone for this type of behavior many years ago. Jack Nicklaus showed it 19 time when he finished second in a major, taking it to the next level. Jim Furyk showed worthy succession of this behavior. A lot of other sports should take note.
-Alex Rodriguez take your suspension like a man. You're busted, do the time. I understand that you feel picked on and have been suspected even since high school. But the gun is smoking and you're trying to defend yourself for something inexcusable: cheating. Saw you play in the Midwest League years ago, and it looked great. Your numbers are impressive, but remember the game that made you, not the other way around.
-Hoping Miguel Cabrera did it the right way. Hoping Mike Trout is for real. Hoping Yasiel Puig defies the trend. Hoping Crush Davis suddenly found something. Hoping Justin Verlander has something others don't. Hoping Dustin Pedroia is just total effort. I respect what each of them has done to get to the majors and become stars. It is the outgrowth of what the generation of stars has done before them: disrespected the game and brought everyone into question.
-Hey, I get it. Major Leaguers have a job that pays them well for a short period of time. Providing for you and your family is the first priority and if it takes an injection and workouts to get to that final contract to set them up for life, you are doing what you need to do. However the game made you, not the other way around.
So...am I off base?
-Tiger Woods might have disappointed but the PGA Championship did not. Jason Dufner was so solid, and his approach to 16 one of the best. For a guy who got his general exposure for "Dufnering" while waiting, he showed mettle, nerve and what the British call "bottle" winning his first major championship. Reminded me a lot of Bubba Watson's Masters win last year, right down to the hair. It was a performance worthy of his idol, Ben Hogan.
-Jim Furyk's reputation was one of the good guys when I played college golf, even though our paths never crossed. The way he played Sunday was admirable, he just got beat. The way he handled himself afterward was honest, forthright, and, above all, gracious. Bobby Jones set the tone for this type of behavior many years ago. Jack Nicklaus showed it 19 time when he finished second in a major, taking it to the next level. Jim Furyk showed worthy succession of this behavior. A lot of other sports should take note.
-Alex Rodriguez take your suspension like a man. You're busted, do the time. I understand that you feel picked on and have been suspected even since high school. But the gun is smoking and you're trying to defend yourself for something inexcusable: cheating. Saw you play in the Midwest League years ago, and it looked great. Your numbers are impressive, but remember the game that made you, not the other way around.
-Hoping Miguel Cabrera did it the right way. Hoping Mike Trout is for real. Hoping Yasiel Puig defies the trend. Hoping Crush Davis suddenly found something. Hoping Justin Verlander has something others don't. Hoping Dustin Pedroia is just total effort. I respect what each of them has done to get to the majors and become stars. It is the outgrowth of what the generation of stars has done before them: disrespected the game and brought everyone into question.
-Hey, I get it. Major Leaguers have a job that pays them well for a short period of time. Providing for you and your family is the first priority and if it takes an injection and workouts to get to that final contract to set them up for life, you are doing what you need to do. However the game made you, not the other way around.
So...am I off base?
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Saturday on a Different Field
No games today. Should be a day to sleep in, right?
Why am I at a computer typing instead of watching the back of my eyelids?
We will spend the day on a field of a different kind: a field of service.
The girls I've been coaching in softball are gathering at Monroe Circle this morning to do some work in their food pantry. The afternoon will be spent working their community garden. It is a field of service to the community and something that everyone should do in some form. A reminder how blessed we are to play the games we love.
Hunger is still prevalent in our communities, no matter where we live. Tough economy of the last five years, spiraling costs for basic needs, and credit crunch have brought a lot of people to difficult means. Food pantry usage is still strong, and donations tight. People willing to work to serve the less fortunate in our communities are even harder to come by.
The St. Joseph County Surge, by program requirement, must serve at least twice a year in the community. It is a requirement and a reminder. We are all on a field everyday. While there may not be foul lines, games must be won against opponents no less relentless: hunger, disease, nakedness, homelessness.
Someone's life might be changed today. Someone may see these young ladies serving them and decide to change something. Someone might hear some positive talk and remember a day when they day had everything in front of them and still do. A player may decide they need to spend their lives serving in some form, somewhere. I love seeing a player get dirty, especially in a garden.
After all, we're all still on a field.
So...am I off base?
Why am I at a computer typing instead of watching the back of my eyelids?
We will spend the day on a field of a different kind: a field of service.
The girls I've been coaching in softball are gathering at Monroe Circle this morning to do some work in their food pantry. The afternoon will be spent working their community garden. It is a field of service to the community and something that everyone should do in some form. A reminder how blessed we are to play the games we love.
Hunger is still prevalent in our communities, no matter where we live. Tough economy of the last five years, spiraling costs for basic needs, and credit crunch have brought a lot of people to difficult means. Food pantry usage is still strong, and donations tight. People willing to work to serve the less fortunate in our communities are even harder to come by.
The St. Joseph County Surge, by program requirement, must serve at least twice a year in the community. It is a requirement and a reminder. We are all on a field everyday. While there may not be foul lines, games must be won against opponents no less relentless: hunger, disease, nakedness, homelessness.
Someone's life might be changed today. Someone may see these young ladies serving them and decide to change something. Someone might hear some positive talk and remember a day when they day had everything in front of them and still do. A player may decide they need to spend their lives serving in some form, somewhere. I love seeing a player get dirty, especially in a garden.
After all, we're all still on a field.
So...am I off base?
Thursday, August 8, 2013
PGA Championship 2013
The PGA Championship, once jokingly known as the Walter Hagen Invitational, begins in the next half hour. The real championship won't get revving until Sunday afternoon, but it can be lost this morning. Avoid the land mines boys!
Oak Hill provides the test, which has been hailed all week as a difficult, but fair golf course. A golf course where Claude Harmon provided the professional's services for decades would have no other reputation. Today's generation would know Butch Harmon, one of Claude's offspring, but Claude was a pro's pro.
I believe it is Tiger Woods' turn. We saw this pattern at the Open Championship, and Tiger doesn't want to let Phil Mickelson get away from him. Coming off a big win at Firestone last week, Tiger seems to have dialed something up in his game. Hard for me to tell because I don't get to watch much golf during the summer. Seems I have these coaching gigs.
I hope it is as good a tournament as could be imagined. We had a great finish when Shaun Micheel earned the Wanamaker Trophy. Tom Kite had one hand on the U.S. Open Trophy when the ghosts of Championships past haunted him and gave it to Curtis Strange. The Ryder Cup seemed to be Corey Pavin's coronation on Saturday night, but went to Europe on Sunday. I wonder who the unfortunate soul will be on this occasion.
Someone will have a stranglehold on the tournament, maybe even imagining the trophy on his mantelpiece, only to become another dust collector at Tiger's house. I think it might even be a short game specialist, or possibly a Champions Tour player. It's fun to see who the game will cruelly refine this time.
So...am I off base?
Monday, August 5, 2013
A Randomness of Thought
Thoughts while waiting for my daughter on day where it's just Dad and Daughter...
-Charlie Kimball has shown the strength of a champion even before he earned his first IndyCar victory yesterday. He is the only licensed driver with diabetes and has done everything he can to encourage kids to chase their dreams. He inspired my daughter,who is not diabetic, to take a chance and do her best during an appearance in Mishawaka last year. I'm waiting to hear it from a podium or press conference somewhere: "I want to thank Charlie Kimball for inspiring me to try." Even if it doesn't come up in a press conference, it's happening in little victories everywhere. Bless you, CK! You'll never know how many lives you've touched.
-Watched the Dodgers play the Cubs at Wrigley on Friday. Some things never cease to amaze me: the fundamental soundness of most major leaguers, the strength of arm with accuracy, and the level of effort the best play the game. Seeing Yasiel Puig in person, he is a treat to watch. He threw a ball one step from the warning track to home plate on the fly with strength and effort. I hate to think he might be juicing, but a friend with me at the game noted that Cuban eat little meat, and he is protein enriched. Would be extremely disappointed if he is on the syringe: he plays with a special passion.
-My daughter begins Cross Country practice today. She has trained a lot for this season, running over 150 miles in preparation. I hope she has done it with a great level of effort. It could be a great season.
-Fall baseball is just around the corner. My son has enjoyed a break from the game. I think he is ready to get back after it.
-Finishing a four day mini vacation today. 'Nuff said.
So...am I off base?
-Charlie Kimball has shown the strength of a champion even before he earned his first IndyCar victory yesterday. He is the only licensed driver with diabetes and has done everything he can to encourage kids to chase their dreams. He inspired my daughter,who is not diabetic, to take a chance and do her best during an appearance in Mishawaka last year. I'm waiting to hear it from a podium or press conference somewhere: "I want to thank Charlie Kimball for inspiring me to try." Even if it doesn't come up in a press conference, it's happening in little victories everywhere. Bless you, CK! You'll never know how many lives you've touched.
-Watched the Dodgers play the Cubs at Wrigley on Friday. Some things never cease to amaze me: the fundamental soundness of most major leaguers, the strength of arm with accuracy, and the level of effort the best play the game. Seeing Yasiel Puig in person, he is a treat to watch. He threw a ball one step from the warning track to home plate on the fly with strength and effort. I hate to think he might be juicing, but a friend with me at the game noted that Cuban eat little meat, and he is protein enriched. Would be extremely disappointed if he is on the syringe: he plays with a special passion.
-My daughter begins Cross Country practice today. She has trained a lot for this season, running over 150 miles in preparation. I hope she has done it with a great level of effort. It could be a great season.
-Fall baseball is just around the corner. My son has enjoyed a break from the game. I think he is ready to get back after it.
-Finishing a four day mini vacation today. 'Nuff said.
So...am I off base?
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Where Do You Find It?
Another Saturday on a ballfield, large and yellow this time. Our goal today: play our best. We have met the enemy, and they are us.
We need a boost of confidence. Maybe we need to relax and have fun. Maybe we need to focus at a higher level. Maybe we just need to believe. Playing scared doesn't get it done. We think we're good: everyone we are playing knows they are good. Huge difference.
I don't know what track to take.
I spent yesterday watching the highest level of baseball with my son and friends. I kept wondering how they overcame the self doubt. How did they decide they were going to become great ballplayers? Each and every one is a local legend who kids from their hometowns will whisper their name for generations. "My dad played Little League with A.J. Ellis. You know, played for the Dodgers."
I exempt the players from Dominican Republic and Cuba: they went through the adult wringer as kids, knowing it was baseball or poverty. That's no way to play a game.
Maybe we're too comfortable. It doesn't mean much to lose sometimes when there's another game tomorrow. I know we're not hungry enough. It becomes a matter of playing with enough fear to keep your edge, but not enough to paralyze. Playing with enough confidence to get the job done without misplacing it totally in yourself.
As a new team, we have girls all over the confidence scale. A couple have so much misplaced confidence they don't listen to anyone. A couple have so little confidence they are keeping themselves from succeeding. Our job as coaches is to build skills and teamwork to the level they can use it to advance as far as they want to go. Some will have the ability and not want to go all the way: all want to go all the way, but vast majority will not have the ability.
I played a game for a living before I realized you are supposed to learn the lessons to apply elsewhere. You can't do it forever.
So...am I off base?
We need a boost of confidence. Maybe we need to relax and have fun. Maybe we need to focus at a higher level. Maybe we just need to believe. Playing scared doesn't get it done. We think we're good: everyone we are playing knows they are good. Huge difference.
I don't know what track to take.
I spent yesterday watching the highest level of baseball with my son and friends. I kept wondering how they overcame the self doubt. How did they decide they were going to become great ballplayers? Each and every one is a local legend who kids from their hometowns will whisper their name for generations. "My dad played Little League with A.J. Ellis. You know, played for the Dodgers."
I exempt the players from Dominican Republic and Cuba: they went through the adult wringer as kids, knowing it was baseball or poverty. That's no way to play a game.
Maybe we're too comfortable. It doesn't mean much to lose sometimes when there's another game tomorrow. I know we're not hungry enough. It becomes a matter of playing with enough fear to keep your edge, but not enough to paralyze. Playing with enough confidence to get the job done without misplacing it totally in yourself.
As a new team, we have girls all over the confidence scale. A couple have so much misplaced confidence they don't listen to anyone. A couple have so little confidence they are keeping themselves from succeeding. Our job as coaches is to build skills and teamwork to the level they can use it to advance as far as they want to go. Some will have the ability and not want to go all the way: all want to go all the way, but vast majority will not have the ability.
I played a game for a living before I realized you are supposed to learn the lessons to apply elsewhere. You can't do it forever.
So...am I off base?
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Great Ballpark!
I am looking forward to Wrigley Field. Haven't been there in a couple of years. Original plan was to take just my son and have just the two of us. I had some additional tickets given to me, and I passed them on to some friends.
Robby and Lucas have become good friends in the last couple of years. Pete, Lucas' dad, is a big Red Sox fan and spent time at Fenway. I look forward to picking his brain about the differences between the two parks.
How would the two compare? Both are inner city parks and opened in the same year, 1914. Wrigley Field was originally known as Weeghman Park. Charles Weeghman owned a many lunch counters in Chicago, and parlayed that original business into an empire that turned into a Federal League franchise the only year it was in business. He eventually bought the Cubs, but lost his fortune due to a change in the lunch counter business. The Cubs were sold to the Wrigley family and the rest is history.
Fenway is the center of Red Sox nation. The Cubs have been wonderful losers for most of the last 100 years. The Red Sox have had special pain until 2004. World Series losses were exquisite, especially 1986 when a good player, Bill Buckner, was eaten up by a ground ball. 1975 belonged to the Big Red machine, and not even Bernie Carbo could change it. They even had Carl Yastrzemski win the Triple Crown and couldn't win a World Series.
How long until the Cubs get there? A long time. Tom Ricketts has a plan to generate the revenue to win a world championship. I have a hard time seeing the current farm system produce a winner. It could be a long, long time. It's closing in on sixty years since the last World Series appearance. I think it will be another 3 seasons before they are competitive.
So...am I off base?
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