Light Posting Lately

Posting does seem to go in fits and spurts - I don't know how the Big Bloggers do it on a regular basis. The pace of work and the holidays (not to mention the kids) seem to eat up a lot of time.

I have had a hankering to post on something more substantial then the sexapades of the NFL. Over at the Belmont Club, Wretchard's post commenting on Chester's views at the Adventures of Chester got me thinking about globalization, the Internet, higher consciousness and the implications for the future. I will be posting on that shortly.

To add to the perspective, I offer Nonzero by Robert Wright, which has greatly influenced my thinking on human interaction and God's Debris by Scott Adams, which offers an interesting take on human progress.

With that, back to work...

The NFL Can Do No Wrong

Jeez. The NFL seems to get everything right, even scandals.

Last year, we saw the hoodlums of the NBA jump into the stands and start a fight with fans. David Stern tries to implement a dress code and there are shrieks and howls from the "gangsta wannabes" - they have NO interest in cleaning up their act.

This past summer, we were treated to the spectacle of baseball and steroids. Now Ugueth Urbina charged with attempted murder in Venezuela.

The NFL? Sex cruises and lesbian cheerleaders. (Or, if you are typical male sports fan, "blah, blah, blah and LESBIAN CHEERLEADERS!) The lovely Renee and Angela claim it was a case of mistaken identity. (Maybe they thought the bathroom of Banana Joe's was a cruise ship on Lake Minnetonka.) But considering the line that usually forms at the ladies room, I doubt there are not a few witnesses. Police report is here.

Unfortunately, I was not among them...

I hope the intrepid reporters of SI & ESPN stay on top of this story.

UPDATE: Penthouse is making an offer to the girls. (Link requires free registration.)

UPDATE 2: Renee Thomas is denying there was any sexual misconduct. Arghhh! Don't ruin it for the 100 million men who soooo want it to be true.

Monday Morning Musings...

Hockey is still exciting (attendance is up 4%)...and my Carolina Hurricanes are taking advantage of the new rules. Go Canes! One caveat - attendance is up AT THE VENUES - need to have viewership up ON THE TV! That will ensure hockey's return to prominence.

Who says public inebriation, lewd behavior, beligerence with police, and fighting are the sole calling of professional football players - now we have cheerleaders (and bull dyke lesbians to boot) shouldering the load of stupidity and lecherous public behavior - check this article out.

So TO got into a fistfight (well, a skirmish) with TO. Nice to see that SOMEONE on the playing field has the balls to stand up to TO. Quite frankly, I think that Donovan McNabb NEEDS to stand up and call bullshit on that stupid ass. Forget a "team only" private meeting - since TO is taking it all public, I'm sorry, McNabb needs some sort of public show of strength and leadership. At least in my humble opinion.

It is truly to see that last gasp of Brett Favruh. The team around his isn't very good, he's pressing, and the Pack are looking horrible. The bad part of this is the fact that he'll hang on next to go out on a good note. And maybe duplicate the debacle that is this season. Phooey, a lousy end to a great quarterback.

On the MLB basepaths, here's a tid bit: Kim Ng, a vice president and assistant general manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers the past four years, became the first candidate to interview for the team's vacant GM job. Team spokesman Josh Rawitch said Ng was interviewed Saturday. If hired to succeed Paul DePodesta, she would become major league baseball's first female GM. Before joining the Dodgers, the 36-year-old Ng served as vice president and assistant general manager for the New York Yankees from 1998-2001. Trial by fire with the Yanks? Interesting to follow this story; going to be interesting to see how the "boys of the GM club" will accept a female compadre, no matter how qualified she might be.

In NBA news...ah, screw it, who cares? The only vaguely interesting story line is Ron Artest's return. Million dollar game, 5 cent head. Time to see if he's really over the incident in Detroit and has changed, or if he's still the same old thug...

Never thought I'd say this...

God Bless the Philadelphia Eagles...

Are you like me? Are you hoping that they NEVER let TO back in an Eagles' uniform? Are you hoping that maybe he breaks a bone or tears a ligament or injures himself such that he's out for the season? Are you hoping that NO OTHER NFL TEAM picks up his sorry ass? God, what a jerk...

Cancer. That's the only term for a self-centered arrogant asshole like TO. STFU and play. You're a cancer in the locker room, a cancer in the huddle, and regardless of your talent and ability to play, I would NEVER want you on my team. Jaromir Jagr in hockey. Manny Ramirez in baseball. Pretty much 1/2 the league in the NBA. People whose egos run out of check, who consider themselves better than the rest of the players; team killers, coach killers, championship killers...

Makes me happy to just be a regular joe in the world. Well, almost.

NHL 2006

Okay, I do have to admit it, I am really liking the "new" hockey. Yes, you heard it right.

The pace is faster, the goonage has decreased and the scoring is up. What is not to like? But make no bones about it, this step is much like the one Cadillac took with its edgy design: the attempt to appeal to a broader or new audience runs the risk of alienating the old. My straw poll suggests that many more people like the new format than not, but none of these folks would be considered "hard core" fans.

So later in winter when I am up and flipping channels and I see Ottawa v. Calgary on ESPN, I'll let you know if I tune in.

I am sincere...really, I am!

Let's expand upon the discussion of "truth in our daily lives" and "insincerity". Nah, let's not. Tilam has yet again shattered the stereotype and really hit the nail on the head. Despite the beliefs of many of the "beautiful" people, you never really "own" any material things this go 'round. What you DO own is your thoughts and feelings - your integrity, your honestly, your emotions and conduct. If you throw it away how is anyone supposed to rely on you, how is anyone supposed to trust you, how is anyone supposed to believe what you say and do? Too many times it gets thrown away because as a society we have become fairly selfish and self-centered, and we do things which benefit ourselves above all others in all situations, apparently with the feeling of impunity and lack of consideration for the effect on others. Yeah Yeah, there are exceptions, but...

Okay, let's get to the fun stuff:

Sox out via the broom, Yanks out in 4. (NOTE: 4? Thew, in my number system, it goes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5! In our world, 3 + 2 does not equal 4, but 5. Even more sloooooowly....fiiivvve. ) While I think it's good for baseball that Chicago and the Anaheim/California/LA Angels of Anahiem/whateverthefriktheirnameis battled it out, ultimately I find it somewhat unsatisfying that NY and Boston are not slugging it out again. The offseason is going to be VERY interesting - some key players from both teams are free agents (Matsui, Damon, etc), I don't envy Cashman and Epstein.

Hockey is back to a big splash. Arenas are full again, the game is more exciting, more offensively oriented, more high scoring. BUT, the big litmus test will be the ratings on TV. Because ultimately, hockey will NEVER become a draw until you can attract the fans who sit at home watching the tube. That was, is, and will be the challenge for the economic future of hockey.

Now, based on what I believe to be her selfish and self-centered reasons, her lack of loyalty to her professional sport LPGA, and the fact that she's a "phenom" who has won two events (Diddly and Squat - hehe), I root against Michelle Wie. BUT, I have to tell you that it's pathetic when a fan or reporter (in this case) can call tournament officials and get a player DQ'd. This isn't the first time this has happened, several times in the past fans have called in and questioned players on their conduct (Stadler kneeling on that towel, etc). This is bullshit. Do we allow fans with instant replay to call the crew chief of a baseball game and get a call changed? Basketball and Football have challenges and instant reply upon occasion, but fans sticking their noses into a golf tournament, not to mention doing it AFTER THE TOURNAMENT, thus costing the player her livelihood. Fans sticking their noses into ANY sporting event, affecting outcomes and being seen as watchdogs, is just bad precedent...

Yankees got permission to speak with wonder pitching coach, Leo Mazzone - who coulda predicted that?! :)

'Nuff for now...

Untruths

Professor David Gelernter has an article in the L.A. Times commenting on insincerity in politics. My two comments are 1) insincerity is too kind a word and 2) it is not limited to politics.

"Insincere" implies a sort of self-awareness that is lacking in the discourse Gelernter mentions as examples. Maybe self-awareness is wrong, but I am insincere when I apologize for something I really did not think was wrong. Lying for the purpose of personal destruction is something quite different.

In my position (I am an executive in a corporation), I am occasionally sued. The first time I read a complaint directed against me, my jaw dropped. The claims made were demonstrable lies. I called my attorney and was politely informed that there was no "perjury" in a complaint and their purpose was to get into court, not win the case. They lie, they get settlement money, end of story.

In one deposition, caught in one of these lies, the plaintiff assured everyone that the statement wasn't a lie, but an "untruth." An untruth, you see, is not a lie. I guess it is a strategy.

Truth is one of the basic fabrics of our civil life, not a weakness. The state of discourse, whether in politics or in life, does seem to have slid into "insincerity." That is unfortunate, as individuals, we have every few things that we can truly call our own, but one of them is our honesty. One should think hard before one throws it away.

Various Items

Around the horn on the goings on in various parts...

Young Athletes
I agree with Thew: what happen for pay for performance? Further, tell me what is appealing about Michele Wie? If you want pretty golfers there is Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis or Anna Rawson. Looking for better golfers there is...nearly everyone else. More power to her for snagging dollars for nothing, but it won't last if she does not win.

Harriet Miers
There is nothing "wrong" with Miers as a Justice. Quite frankly, the idea of an "outsider" (read not a professor or professional judge) on the court is appealing. People who have worked with her are very supportive, the rest of us just don't know...yet. The problem for the President is that conservatives are fed up with his approach to pretty much everything except the GWOT. In particular, the President has allowed Congress to spend like a drunken sailor. What happened to the party of small government? A huge drug entitlement, more bureaucracy, and $250 billion for Katrina (or $400K for every affected family!).

I don't disagree with Miers' profile, but I have no faith in the President's ability to do the right thing for conservative principles. Conservatives talk about Miers being a "stealth nominee," but George Bush is fast becoming (in retrospect) the the "stealth nominee" - talking a good game on the campaign trail, but acting very differently in office.

2008
All of the above bodes badly for a Guiliani or Powell or McCain or other moderate conservative candidate for the GOP in 2008. The Base has been betrayed and they are not likely to forget.

Interestingly, the person most likely to suffer is Jeb. Given the "conservative" track record of 41 & 43, why would the GOP nominate another Bush??

Baseball
I was hoping for a Yankees-Red Sox Championship. Not happening and that is Too Bad. The Sox look just beat up. And the White Sox seem to have awoken from their late year stupor.

As for the Yankees, the pitching continued its late season performance, but A-Rod Sheffield and Matsui really fell apart in the clutch. Ortiz for MVP.

And Giambi is definitely back on the juice.

Unlike last year, I am a St. Louis believer. Now true, it is only San Diego, but Edmonds, Pujols and Sanders are hitting well. With last year under its belt, the Red Birds should show up a different team.

And hats off to the Astros and Braves for what could have been the best playoff game ever.

College Terror
A fizzy soda can in Penn Station is front page news, but a Islamic convert who blew himself up after trying to enter the OU-KState football game last week is buried. Hinrichs tried to buy alot of ammonium nitrate a week earlier and blew himself up with TAPT, the same stuff that the Richard Reid, the Shoe Bomber used. Thankfully, it is highly volatile and he go *poof*.

And it seems Georgia Tech is the latest campus to have a possible terror threat or cell.

Of course, this makes perfect sense. Campuses are hotbeds of far left radicalism that embraces "any means necessary" to make their point. It is also fill with impressionable youth who have little or no understanding of the consequence of their actions. One can't help but imagine Ward Churchill is pleased with these developments (as ;ong as he isn't hurt, that is).

UPDATE (Sort of): UCLA also? Uh-oh. I really believe the next terrorist attack will be a small (15 - 25 dead) attack on a soft target. A college campus makes perfect "sense."

South Asia Earthquake
Obviously, George Bushes fault.

Seriously, it does put Katrina in perspective. While the overall numbers certainly do not matter to those who lost a loved one, the South Asia Earthquake certainly puts the Katrina rants in a different light. 30,000 vs. 3,000. 3 million homeless. These poor ARE really poor. (Not "poor" in the US version, but in the "real world" version. That is, dirt freakin' poor.)

Oh, well. Gotta jet.

Here's to cute young chick athletes

I discovered something the other day:

If you rearrange the letters in "Anna Kournikova" you get "Michelle Wie". Another cute young athlete who has major hype and who hasn't (and probably won't) win anything...but who needs to win with the kind of endorsement money they get?

And you laugh that *I* play "fantasy games"?!

Do not question my intentions, you should know better. You assume that *I* would behave in such a manner. I am talking in generalizations here - that society as a whole is becoming self centered and selfish, with little regard for anything and anyone outside their immediate influence.

I don't believe I have it wrong in my post, I think you are blinding yourself to the reality that exists in society today. When the shit hits the fan, we regress to our survival instinct - and the trade off between our own individual freedoms and others'? You seem to state that even given the repeal of our entire set of laws governing life we would still recognize the benefit of working together and society would not collapse, is that true? Dangerous drivers with little regard for things such as "traffic laws". Parents who sit there and let their children run wild, interfering with other people's fun. Babies and cell phones in movies despite repeated requests that we silence them. We fight each other for no reasons. People are shot over parking spaces. We are willing to put up with fatless potato chips even though it might cause abdominal cramping, diarhea, and bloody stools, because we are too lazy to exercise and show some dietary restraint? And you don't think society is degenerating? Dang, I want what you're smoking...the ONLY reason we behave in a lawful way is because we have laws. Take away those laws and we won't "work together", anarchy will take over. As for your assertion that "it is wrong but morally justifiable to commit a crime given an emergency" that's hogwash - what constitutes an emergency? "I'm sorry, but my kid pooped in his pants and I don't have any diapers, this is an EMERGENCY, I need to steal diapers and break the law". Have another beer dude...

Sure, and I cannot dispute, there are many instances of selfless people helping others. I in my heart that I would one of these people. That's the way I was raised. But I am becoming more and more convinced that I (should I say "WE"?) are the exception.

Society is getting better and better? Drugs. Crime. They have been holding steady, that is good. But I'm not talking about murders. I'm talking about people in general - their "I don't give a shit attitude" about anyone else but themselves. Why are we improving as a nation? Well, we are technologically WAY MORE advanced than in 1905...what an assinine assertion! Cars are better, the internet, Satellite TV, we have been to the moon, Voyager past Saturn (incredible pics), the Hubble Telescope, we can fly across the country and connect in less than a few hours, society is improving because we are inventing and discovering and making better things. But attitude wise, we are a bunch of idiots in general (present company excluded!). hehe

Good to Have You Back

Note to self: in a crisis, shoot Thew before he shoots you.

Seriously, I am sure the lovely Mrs. Thew is quite comforted by your words. At least she know why you would abandon her when the shit hits the fan.

Oh, maybe you were not talking about her. Surely, the precocious Thew children were covered by your "every man for himself" remark. Hmmmm. Maybe not?

In summary, you have got pretty much everything wrong in that post. Society, by definition cannot be base and selfish. Members of society certainly can, but we are all together because we, as individuals, recognize the benefit of working together. We recognize that there is a trade off between our own complete individual freedom (which would allow us to, say, kill the b*&%$ in the minivan/SUV talking on her cellphone and not paying attention) and others' complete individual freedom (which would allow them to toast me on those rare moments when I am driving and not paying attention).

Society can break down - it did in New Orleans (Firing guns at emergency personnel! For God's sake!) But even that was more than outweighed by the selflessness of hundred of individuals who helped directly and indirectly. Of course, if it bleeds - it leads. The MSM is not interested in showing the milk of human kindness, they are interested in blaming President Bush.

One fine point: it is wrong, but morally justifiable to steal necessities during an emergency. Food, water, diapers, batteries, even clothes, I understand. Big screen TVs? I don't think so.

Finally, I simply disagree with your fundamental assertion: society is getting worse. Society is getting better and better and better. We ARE improving as a nation. Sometimes we take a step back and, of course TV and the internet allows us to observe the seedier side, up close and personal. But I would take your average American today, then your average American from 1905 any day.

Time for a Reality Check

Time for the cynical Thew to rear his ugly head. Where have I been? Well, new job with long hours, no gems from Tilam to crush under the weight of my keen mind, etc. Bottom line, been busy.

"My brother's keeper". Hmm, interesting quote. And no matter how TRUE that might be, when the shit hits the fan, and there is no help in immediate sight, the sheer baseness of the human existence take control, then it becomes every man for himself. Why do people loot? Why do people steal and attack each other in the middle of the misery and devastation? Because deep down inside we are selfish animals. Our basic need for power, dominance, and survival produce actions that go against "normal human behavior". Of course, many of the people who looted where the poor and (possibly) homeless, determining that "if you are not going to help me, at least I'm going to get something for nothing out of this". The basic need for humans to be selfish also takes place during celebrations and public parties - smash, steal, loot, and get something for nothing. But it is real, and as we move forward in time, you can see too many instances of society lowering itself to the lowest common decency of behavior. We are getting more and more angry, more beligerent, and less concerned with anything outside our close circle.

Is this a socio-economic issue? Maybe. Because as I stated, the impression is that only the people of lesser income and means are the ones who do this - since they cannot afford it, the "mob mentality" is to get your hands on everything and claim it. But society is degenerating in too many places - we are becoming less than animals in many instances, not even enough of a "pride" to take care of our own.

Enough instances of people helping people prove me wrong enough in this, but still, I put forth society as base and selfish...

My Brother's Keeper

We were driving home after dinner last night, our kids started discussing a few passages from the Old Testament. (We are not religious fanatics - it started when one of my sons said it would be cool to have a flaming sword like the angel guarding the Garden of Eden, which he remembered....how?)

One story that does always draws their curiosity is the story of Cain and Abel. Why bring this up? Well in all the commentary and blame and defensiveness surrounding Hurricane Katrina, it struck me that the one pearl of wisdom you could pass along to everyone is that "we are all our brother's keepers."

Given a tragedy, be it natural or man-made, the government will help...eventually. But be it an hour, a day, week or month, there will be a time before that organized help arrives. In that time, the fact remains that we are all dependent on our families, neighbors and fellow citizens for help. Conversely, we all must heed the call to help others.

When that bond fails, you have lawlessness, grief and violence. When it holds, you have heroism, comfort and hope.

The Mayor, Governor or President, no matter how powerful or prescient, can not help any of us then. At that moment, we need each other.

Michael Yon

Michael Yon is a writer/reporter in Iraq. From his website: "Michael Yon is an independent, informed observer chronicling the monumentally important events in the efforts to stabilize Iraq. His dispatches have the benefit of his life experiences without drawbacks based on deadlines or demands of marketplace."

His dispatches are some of the most powerful, gripping reporting on the actual goings on in Iraq. Go visit.

Thoughts Online

After an Instapundit referral, I have added "Thoughts Online" to the blog roll. Steve Sturm puts together some well thought out pieces. I don't necessarily agree with everything, But Tilam abhors the echo chamber.

Check out the site.

It's Been Awhile

since Thew or I posted. We can't let August go by without something, can we? I have been absent because of vacations and a job related thing which I will recount at some point. And 'Tilam' blog is not popular enough to entice guest bloggers.

No links, just some passing thoughts.

So around the horn:

Able Danger: Is it me or is anyone else getting sick of "independent" inquiries and commissions that are suppose to get to the bottom of the matter, but only serve to whitewash the problem. CBS, Oil-for-Food, Idol (tee, hee) and now the 9/11 commission. It is not clear to me how important Able Danger is to the fighting the GWOT in the future, but I am concerned that a bi-partisan commission that was supposed to take a hard look at the intelligence failures prior to 9/11 has seemed to ignore important information rather than embarrass a commission member.

Can't we get this independent commission thing right?

UPDATE: Steve Sturm has articulated my feelings nicely.

Iraqi Constitution: I pray to God for its success. I am less concerned about what it looks like today: I believe that if the process is successful, as time goes on and participation in the political process becomes more wide spread a "true" constitution will emerge. (Remember it took the US a couple of tries to get it right.) So getting right, in the long run, means creating a system of government that allows the people to make choices as to the role or religion, women and federalist principles. While I think chartering a "less then equal" role for women would be a mistake, I also remember that women's suffrage was not a notion high on the Founders' mind in the late-18th century.

Give the Iraqis time, they will get it right.

Cindy Sheehan: Terri Schaivo, Elian Gonzales. All tragic personal stories that become pawns in partisan politics. Willing or unwillingly.

AL East: This might end up being a race. But the Indians and A's will have something to say about who gets the chance to face the White Sox in the ALCS and then the Cardinals in the WS.

Lefty: Good on you. He's got a few more in him. How about Tiger: two majors and loses the other two by a combined 4 strokes. That is still dominant in my books.

It's a mad mad mad mad world!

Al Quaeda strikes in London. Horrible. And I feel for the London people, just off the high of winning the olympic bid. But the world has changed completely now, and ultimately forever. Those terrorist pigs will never go away again, and the next big war of the world will be to wipe them out with strategic strikes, possibly even Nuclear (although I doubt we'll use nukes). The world landscape has been fundamentally altered; wonder if the Spanish and French and Germans are rethinking their positions? Yeah, I'll bet they are getting ready to grab their ankles and bend right over...

Michelle Wie - is anyone as sick of her circus sideshow as I am? Look, she played great at the LPGA, but she hasn't won ANYTHING! Nothing in the juniors, nothing in the amatuers, and expecially nothing at the pro level. She hasn't proven anything other than the fact that a nice young lady who can bomb the ball can bring in more gate dollars. She has proven nothing in her career, and I will predict a mediocre career for her in the long run. Getting beat down by professionals week in and week out because they are BETTER than her cannot be good for her confidence or psyche, but I guess we'll see. With all those sponsor exemptions (on both the PGA and LPGA tours) she has become a freak sideshow, which I think is bad for the game. And fosters resentment among the other, more seasoned tour players...

So the suspects in the Aruba case have been released...with no body, and all their time to fabricate stores and alibis, it's not a surprise they are let out. But I believe that the little shithead Van Der Snot is a guilty rich kid, and his father is assiting in covering this up cuz he's a diplomat. She's dead, they buried or sank her body, it's time to accept the inevitable.

Shasta Groene was molested...this is also not a surprise. What is INCREDIBLE is this man's ability to elude scrutiny, and not register, and register then jump ship to another state - our child molester laws either don't work, or are great but not diligently enforced. Face it USA, your federal law enforcement, as necessary as they are, have become for the most part lazy and ineffective. I'm just going to protect my house from intruders and danger using a new Smith & Wesson security system. Screw it. If the alarm goes off, I will put a hole in the chest of anything that walks through the door. I am losing confidence in our policing agencies.

So Kenny Rogers apologized for his tirade against a couple of cameramen which sent one to the hospital. Now there's a police investigation. What an asshole. He's suspended for 20 games, FORBID him to play in the All Star game. THAT is a punishment that to me, fits the crime. Too many times we forgive abhorrent behavior from our professional atheletes because they are "swell guys". F**K THAT! Being an asshole is based little on your social or professional status - if you're an asshole, you're an asshole.

Granted, that brings me to another rant. I DO think we need to give some of our "beautiful people" absolutely NO slack when they attack paparazzi and such for intruding into their lives. Hey, sorry, the price of fame and fortune. You want the quon, you gotta pay the price. Yes, there are some limits, like a cameraman following you into the john taking a picture while your dropping a load, but hey, it's all part and parcel of the famous person thing. Like the football players complaining that they are hurt and broken after they retire from the sport. SO WHAT? You wanted to make millions a year playing a professional sport, that's what you get! No one forced you to play football, tough shit! No sympathy here. Whiners...

On a final note, the annual "kick Tilam's ass on the golf course outing" is coming up in just over a month. Start the obituaries...

The difference between MEN and boys

The TPC at Sugarloaf, site of the BellSouth classic, was my last stomping grounds to test my golf game. Mind you, although we all struggle at times with golf (or tennis, whatever), on the whole, I am a solid 3 handicapper and have recorded 4 rounds underpar, my lowest being a 3 under (one 68 and one 69). I play top notch clubs, a nice little right to left draw off the tee, and average around 260 with the big dog.

But I got my ass handed to me...granted, I have been fighting my swing the last couple of months, with ascending scores of 73-73-76-78-80-81. Frustrating as all hell, but I saw the light yesterday at Sugarloaf. However, let me tell you the difference between public (even private) courses and professional venues. If you miss by a little (the amateur version of little), you take it on the chin. Hard. But the BIG/HUGE/MONUMENTOUS difference is the greens. Slicker than ice in Norway, hidden breaks, nasty pin positions, you find NONE of this sort of stuff on the cow pastures we call our local publinks. And while you're working at your 9-5 job, that course is out there practicing every day, waiting for you. I shot an 85. Two 3-jacks, a snowman, another triple, 5 lipped out par putts (the kind that drop on YOUR course), and the sort of humbling you only receive on fraternity initiation night. Granted, I almost drove the 295 yard 13th hole uphill, and I played the closing 18th hole perfectly, the first 13/14 holes were just ugly. It's a great course, one I'd like to take on with my normal/A game, but yesterday, I ripe for the pluckin...score one for the course. :(

I DOES get a little better than that, but it's all a matter of perspective - having a cold Coke (beer?) with my 11 year old son after 18 holes, overlooking the 18th green, is nirvana for me.

Bernie Ecclestone is yet another example of high powered owners leaders who have no frikkin common sense, and never keep their mouth shut. Jimmy the Greek? Al Campanis? Marge Schott? Welcome to the club asswipe. Yet another prejudiced, misogynistic, butthead in a position of high power. Will they never learn. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to dress Danica in something white, like a linen nightie, but I can't see myself playing "open the microwave and turn up the oven baby". Mind-boggling.

I LOVED the final round of the US Open. Despite my semi-prodigious golfing skill (when you compare me to the golfing public at large), I enjoy seeing the pro's really have to work hard to make par, to see them struggle like Joe Average. It helps us yell at the TV "you see, now you know what it feels like". To see the pros shoot high numbers and fight to make par binds us all by encouraging us to empathize with each others' struggle, and to show that they, like us, are human and can be pummelled by a course. I felt bad for Jason Gore, but he'll gain a few endorsements because of his showing, I think. Little extra lettuce in the salad bowl.

ON a final, and personal note, my beautiful wife is a great cook. It's a struggle to keep my waistline below 32, even at my advanced age. And she makes a mean bowl of chili. But this time, she added chipotle peppers to the mix. Oh man, those mofo's are HOT. This time, and she'll find out later in the evening, the term "mean chili" will take on a whole new definition...

Baseball Update

My Boys looked good over the weekend; winning 13-4 in 95 degree heat on Sunday. With the exception of one inning where they looked like the Keystone Cops (and gave up 2 runs), it was a solid outing. They quickly went up 2-0, but the other team battled back to go up 3-2 after 2 innings. My son pitched the 2 middle innings and gave up a run in each with 2 Ks, generally an excellent outing against another All-star team. Of course, he also notched the W. (He was also 1 for one, with a stolen base, 2 Ws and three runs scored. Papa was proud.) We scored 5 runs the next inning, 1 in the fourth and 5 in the fifth. As the home team, we did not need a sixth inning.

Our closer was money. This young man has got a great arm: he faced their 1 - 6 batters and K'd them all. Our defense record 3 DPs (doubling up runners on line drives) and the kids generally adapted to the new rules pretty well. We were shaky at points, but out of their 6 innings at the plate, we shut them out 3 times due to good pitching and heads-up fielding.

One cute story is that one of our lead-off batters walked and was given the steal sign. He broke down the base path and...nothing happened. Their 2nd baseman and shortstop did not move; their catcher did not hurry to throw and, more disconcerting to our runner, the was no shouting. (Normally on a play like that, everyone, coaches, players, fans, is shouting directions at the same time.) Assuming the play is dead, our runner stops. Finally, I yell to keep going and he gets to second base. He was just totally taken aback by the silence.

All-in-all, no complaints.

Around the Horn...

I am coaching an 8 year old All Star team which my youngest son plays on. We were able to get one practice in before the first Tournament starts tomorrow. It is a big deal for these guys because they are playing with rules from the next age group (so, for example, stealing is permitted). I bring this up because I get a tremendous satisfaction from coaching. More specifically, when a kid who has struggled with something all of the sudden "gets it," it is a great feeling. I am sure that teachers get this feeling, but as an amateur coach, it is very special to me.

In our last game of the regular season, we were down 9-5 going into the last inning to the first place team. This team was the "ringer" team - every league has one and these guys were it.

We then proceed to score 5 runs (the inning limit) to go ahead 10-9. I bring in my best pitcher (in two years, he has yet to let in a run) who promptly strikes out the first batter on three pitches, but yields a triple to the second batter. The next batter his a fly ball that my left fielder makes a GREAT running grab and promptly doubles up the runner on third.

A sunny evening coaching a great bunch of kids. Life does not get much better than that.

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I am ready to write Steinbrenner and offer him my 8 and 9 year olds. Unfortunately, they are 30 years too young and millions too cheap.

But they could not play much worse.

Danica Patrick is a domestic appliance? F1 president Bernie Ecclestone puts his foot in his mouth TWICE. Of course, I could be too harsh. After all, I have not seen Bernie's kitchen...

U.S. Open. Amazing. Three of the Top 4 golfers shoot 80 or above on Sunday to blow it. Even Tiger goes bogey-bogey on 1 and 2, which accounted for his deficit. But think about that: Retief Goosen 81; Olin Browne 80; and Jason Gore 84. Not to take anything away from Michael Campbell, but DAMN.

Connecticut is taking a closer look at coaches' deals outside of the university. The state has said that Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma are "no different" then other state employees. Are you friggin' kidding me? No different except that they put UConn on the map. Except that they and their teams bring in countless dollars in ticket sales, TV deals and booster/alumni cash. The fact is that allowing Calhoun to get a Nike deal allows UConn to pay him less then they would otherwise. So, I am all for this, but Jim and Geno deserve a considerable raise if you cut out their endorsement deals.

The Revolution and FC Dallas are the class of the MLS this year. (I love the trend in the MLS to use "international" names like CD Chivas USA and DC United, though Real Salt Lake does not quite do it for me.) The Revolution has lost only one game and FC has lost only two. At this point, it looks like these teams are a lock for the title game.

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One final kids baseball note. My team ended up 9-3 this year after starting the year off 2-3. While I would love to take some credit, the thing that was amazing was our pitching. As a team, we had a solid 7 or 8 kids who could pitch. Most of the other teams had 4 or 5 if they were lucky. As a result, we out scored our opponents a whopping 25-6 when kids pitched. (In our league, coaches pitch for the first three inning and kids for innings 4 through 6.) My boys were money on the mound.

Just goes to show, at any age, pitching wins games.