I have a few hours to waste on a Saturday afternoon at FOX Sports in the highlights room on floor 4 as I watch the defending NL champions blow another game.
I came across this story in my daily news browsing. It really amazes me that as a country we are so far behind when it comes to issues of climate change and global warming. It upsets me just as much when people say "things can still be done but we have to act now" but then continue to do nothing. I think civilization actually has taken the first steps toward a complete change in the way we live. I understand that these changes will take time, but how much time can we afford to sit back and do nothing. I also think that by the time my life is over these changes will make life dramatically different than it is today. We will look back at this time as the 'old days' and also as a time when things began to change, but hadn't yet turned the corner. In the 2008 election this is the most important issue to me because it is linked to so many other issues. The energy crisis links the economy, the war, oil prices, food prices, unemployment, our future as a country and a species. There are great minds out there, and there are people who want to alter the way things are done. We just need to give them more of shot to compete against the powerful hierarchy that already exists.
Enough for my rant on politics/current events.
This story about the 3-point line moving back one foot in college basketball. I found this interesting because I think it actually may hurt the quality of play. Mediocre college bball is pretty tough to watch. For the players that weren't all that good at basketball to begin with, this rule isn't going to help in any way.
Kyle Ringo's blog on the Buffs being one of the youngest teams in the country. I don't really think you can read too much into this because CU was a team with loads of seniors and juniors a few times in the past decade and underaccomplished. With CU this year they must simply win the games they are supposed to win and compete into the 4th quarter in the ones they aren't supposed to win. Easier said than done, but that is the next step for CU this season. If the Buffs(or any team) can follow the 'win the ones your supposed to' theory, and also have superior talent (see 2009 and 2010 seasons for CU) they will compete for a conference title and then ultimately a national title. For the 2008 season Coach Hawk will have more talent and more understanding with his players than most of the coaches in the Big 12 North.
Speaking of Coach Hawk...his blog is a must-read. Hawk is an old-school guy but his approach to life is amazing. He believes in doing things the way they should be done. He doesn't believe in taking shortcuts or only doing something half-way. He is an amazing speaker in person and if you ever have the chance to see him don't pass it up. I learned a ton about life from my season spent around coach Hawkins.
Dave Plati, the CU SID also keeps a blog and probably has been doing so since well before the word blog was even created. Dave might be the most connected person in Colorado sports media. A great guy with some great insight on things in general and especially CU sports/history.
My final thought is about the Superclasico 2008 Version #2. It was really cool to see Roberto Burling play on the same field as David Beckham and Landon Donovan. The only thing that I could come up with to compare Bob being on the same field as an icon he had followed through a career would be if I stepped onto the court at some NBA arena on national televison and tried to hoop with Lebron. Let's just say that probably wouldn't work out as well as Bob's experience did.
As for the game; the HDC was sold out and the game was as big as they get in the MLS. I thought Bob played really well. Although I don't know all that much about the technicalities of soccer, I can see that he is more comfortable with the speed of the game, his role on the team and his abilities each time he goes out there. There was one challenge just outside the 18 yard box during the first half that I don't see too many people make in the MLS. They just aren't physcial enough, quick enough or are just afraid to get a penalty. There was also a header off of a corner/set piece that I think Bob would like to have back. From my angle behind the goal he had a good look that could have been put on frame with some force. Overall probably up there with his best 1 or 2 performances so far. The best that I've seen were the Thursday night game against Chicago and maybe the game against New England and/or the game in New York (All ESPN televised games except New England).
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self."
—Cyril Connolly
Fits well with my attempt at a "blog"...
A much delayed summary that I had started but never finished about my trip back east.
All of my pictures from the trip can be found at NYC Pictures
I read the following thought on my flight home from New York and thought about it for while. Nothing too extraordinary said, but I thought it fit what I was thinking at the moment.
"Early on I recognized that to truly learn about a town you need to get lost there. The first time I tourned in New York, I stayed in Times Square, and I decided to find the Apollo Theater. I got lost, twisting my way north. Eventually I landed at the theater, and it was a life-affirming moment. Since then, I've intentionally gotten lost all over the world, in six of seven different languages. There's a way to do this right. Eat a farmer's breakfast. Pack cash, and ID, and your hotel's phone number. Then walk. Do not continually stick your hand into your pocket - your cash is there. Rely on locals. Don't ask directions from a guy walking quickly. Couples will help you; when approaching them speak slowly and softly. Don't bring a map - you don't want to walk with the thing hanging off your nose. Be brave enough to be truly lost for a day, a half-day, or however long your schedule permits. I like museums but has any walk of any distance ever worn you out as much as four hours at a museum?"
Ben Harper -- Outside Magazine July, 2008
The constant attention it takes not to get lost in New York City, or any city for that matter, itches you until you scratch it. With the ease that things like GPS and the internet now guide us it is only a matter of time before it will be almost impossible to get lost in almost any city. There are obvious reasons that these advances are good things, but overall people are losing much of the responsibility to notice anything at all around them. Most are lost without these technologies. People don't know how to find their way if they are actually lost.
I spent my last day in Manhattan by myself, just riding the subway, meandering around the streets, Central Park and other areas. I had no idea where I was going, just a general direction and time I had to catch the bus to the airport. I will just say that it was a most enjoyable day. Something I wish could be done more often. Personally, I don't mind being lost in a city where I don't know the streets, sights, people or even the simple directions north, south, east and west. It actually might be my favorite thing to do when in a foreign city. We spent the majority of our hours literally wandering the streets of whatever town we were staying when in Europe. We had some of the best experiences during these times.
Let's face it, as humans in today's world we don't like to be lost, we like to be connected to things we are used to. We truely are creatures of habit. We like to know we are going in the right general direction and we don't like to be uncomfortable (in life and in this context). I am not entirely sure why this is but I think that those are the times you really learn things about yourself and the people around you. In either case, until you trust yourself enough to find a way through situations, it is tough to get unlost.
A few things that came to mind about New York during the trip or shortly thereafter.
-- Public transporation will get you where you need to go every single time. It may take you a little longer than you wanted it to take, but you don't ever have to worry about traffic, pedestrians or other drivers.
-- I also admire the way people are able to drift into their own thoughts while on the subway/bus/train etc. I think this might be the single biggest benefit of taking public transit (beside $4.85 a gallon gas of course). People don't spend enough time in their own thoughts.
-- Park Slope, Brooklyn (the neighborhood that our pension was located in for the first 3 nights and pictured below) exceeded all expectations. It is an area that put out a small-town vibe much more than I ever expected in a city/borough so large and densely populated. There were a number of these small neighborhoods in Brooklyn that I really had a great time visiting.
-- Taking the subway up to Yankee Stadium was something I've always wanted to do. There's just something great about taking mass transit to a game with other fans that just isn't present in L.A. or Denver.
--The stadium itself is an icon. Maybe the most famous stadium in the world given its history and location. Not the most graceful, nor does it give the old-timer feel that you get when you see Fenway and Wrigley. Everything from entrance to concessions and restrooms are very simple. Part out of necessity I guess, part out of a nod to a simpler time when the stadium was in its earlier days.
--It was impossible not to think about how many events have been seen from the seats; events big and small, important and insignificant, some historic. I never knew football and soccer were played there too.
--Someone asked me for directions on the way out of the game. "I'm not from around here," I answered. "Well do any New Yorkers go to !@#ing Yankees games anymore?" I expect this conversation is not unique during the 2008 season.
--If possible seek out people who are the best at their craft, have devoted their life to it and are therefore obviously passionate about it. I watched a 70+-year-old Italian man make every single pizza pie by hand for 30 minutes and it changed the way I look at the food and how it is made. Unfortunately craftsmen and artisans like this are a rarity today. They may be close to extinct when our oldest generation passes on.
--If possible seek out areas that are 'off the beaten path' especially if you've seen the major attractions in a city like New York. It always gives you a better picture of the 'real' city than the areas that are visited most often.
--I had to talk myself into setting my alarm for the butt-crack of dawn to drive up to Belmont, but once the horn sounded for the first race I knew I made the right decision.
--The anticipation for the 'big race' continued to build all day, by the time it finally went off people were almost insane from the heat and the waiting.
--Never did find out what happened down the final stretch of the race, but the first 90 seconds to two minutes were as intense as sports can get.
--I love to see the places my parents and grandparents grew up, and then listen to them tell me how they've changed.
--The Argentina v. U.S. game was the biggest soccer match I've ever been to. (2nd place goes to the Superclasico ver. 1 2008 haha) The U.S. looked as good as they have in 16-18 months, despite the fact that Argentina could have been up three or four goals at halftime. I think the Argentines might be on a short list for the final four of World Cup 2010.
-- Soccer might be the single best sport to watch in person when played at a world-class level. I need get my plans in order for S. Africa in two summers.
—Cyril Connolly
Fits well with my attempt at a "blog"...
A much delayed summary that I had started but never finished about my trip back east.
All of my pictures from the trip can be found at NYC Pictures
I read the following thought on my flight home from New York and thought about it for while. Nothing too extraordinary said, but I thought it fit what I was thinking at the moment.
"Early on I recognized that to truly learn about a town you need to get lost there. The first time I tourned in New York, I stayed in Times Square, and I decided to find the Apollo Theater. I got lost, twisting my way north. Eventually I landed at the theater, and it was a life-affirming moment. Since then, I've intentionally gotten lost all over the world, in six of seven different languages. There's a way to do this right. Eat a farmer's breakfast. Pack cash, and ID, and your hotel's phone number. Then walk. Do not continually stick your hand into your pocket - your cash is there. Rely on locals. Don't ask directions from a guy walking quickly. Couples will help you; when approaching them speak slowly and softly. Don't bring a map - you don't want to walk with the thing hanging off your nose. Be brave enough to be truly lost for a day, a half-day, or however long your schedule permits. I like museums but has any walk of any distance ever worn you out as much as four hours at a museum?"
Ben Harper -- Outside Magazine July, 2008
The constant attention it takes not to get lost in New York City, or any city for that matter, itches you until you scratch it. With the ease that things like GPS and the internet now guide us it is only a matter of time before it will be almost impossible to get lost in almost any city. There are obvious reasons that these advances are good things, but overall people are losing much of the responsibility to notice anything at all around them. Most are lost without these technologies. People don't know how to find their way if they are actually lost.
I spent my last day in Manhattan by myself, just riding the subway, meandering around the streets, Central Park and other areas. I had no idea where I was going, just a general direction and time I had to catch the bus to the airport. I will just say that it was a most enjoyable day. Something I wish could be done more often. Personally, I don't mind being lost in a city where I don't know the streets, sights, people or even the simple directions north, south, east and west. It actually might be my favorite thing to do when in a foreign city. We spent the majority of our hours literally wandering the streets of whatever town we were staying when in Europe. We had some of the best experiences during these times.
Let's face it, as humans in today's world we don't like to be lost, we like to be connected to things we are used to. We truely are creatures of habit. We like to know we are going in the right general direction and we don't like to be uncomfortable (in life and in this context). I am not entirely sure why this is but I think that those are the times you really learn things about yourself and the people around you. In either case, until you trust yourself enough to find a way through situations, it is tough to get unlost.
A few things that came to mind about New York during the trip or shortly thereafter.
-- Public transporation will get you where you need to go every single time. It may take you a little longer than you wanted it to take, but you don't ever have to worry about traffic, pedestrians or other drivers.
-- I also admire the way people are able to drift into their own thoughts while on the subway/bus/train etc. I think this might be the single biggest benefit of taking public transit (beside $4.85 a gallon gas of course). People don't spend enough time in their own thoughts.
-- Park Slope, Brooklyn (the neighborhood that our pension was located in for the first 3 nights and pictured below) exceeded all expectations. It is an area that put out a small-town vibe much more than I ever expected in a city/borough so large and densely populated. There were a number of these small neighborhoods in Brooklyn that I really had a great time visiting.
-- Taking the subway up to Yankee Stadium was something I've always wanted to do. There's just something great about taking mass transit to a game with other fans that just isn't present in L.A. or Denver.
--The stadium itself is an icon. Maybe the most famous stadium in the world given its history and location. Not the most graceful, nor does it give the old-timer feel that you get when you see Fenway and Wrigley. Everything from entrance to concessions and restrooms are very simple. Part out of necessity I guess, part out of a nod to a simpler time when the stadium was in its earlier days.
--It was impossible not to think about how many events have been seen from the seats; events big and small, important and insignificant, some historic. I never knew football and soccer were played there too.
--Someone asked me for directions on the way out of the game. "I'm not from around here," I answered. "Well do any New Yorkers go to !@#ing Yankees games anymore?" I expect this conversation is not unique during the 2008 season.
--If possible seek out people who are the best at their craft, have devoted their life to it and are therefore obviously passionate about it. I watched a 70+-year-old Italian man make every single pizza pie by hand for 30 minutes and it changed the way I look at the food and how it is made. Unfortunately craftsmen and artisans like this are a rarity today. They may be close to extinct when our oldest generation passes on.
--If possible seek out areas that are 'off the beaten path' especially if you've seen the major attractions in a city like New York. It always gives you a better picture of the 'real' city than the areas that are visited most often.
--I had to talk myself into setting my alarm for the butt-crack of dawn to drive up to Belmont, but once the horn sounded for the first race I knew I made the right decision.
--The anticipation for the 'big race' continued to build all day, by the time it finally went off people were almost insane from the heat and the waiting.
--Never did find out what happened down the final stretch of the race, but the first 90 seconds to two minutes were as intense as sports can get.
--I love to see the places my parents and grandparents grew up, and then listen to them tell me how they've changed.
--The Argentina v. U.S. game was the biggest soccer match I've ever been to. (2nd place goes to the Superclasico ver. 1 2008 haha) The U.S. looked as good as they have in 16-18 months, despite the fact that Argentina could have been up three or four goals at halftime. I think the Argentines might be on a short list for the final four of World Cup 2010.
-- Soccer might be the single best sport to watch in person when played at a world-class level. I need get my plans in order for S. Africa in two summers.
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