Okay, I'm cheating. I'm re-posting something I wrote in 2006. Why? Because the 2011 Mets are going to be so depressing, I'd rather just think of the '06 season. Why 2006? Well, for starters, I didn't blog in 1986, and '06 was filled with such promise. We were the best team that year, I don't care who won the World Series. Fact is, the best teams don't always win the championships. You know this, man. Without further adu: (what the hell is ado?)
So it's Opening Day 2006. A day that should be a National Holiday. Yet, I came to work anyway. Surprisingly I'm not all that excited about it this year. Mainly cause I have some other things on my head. But I'm still pretty pumped. Got a good feeling about my Mets. Although, to be a Met fan is to always have a good feeling on Opening Day with another feeling deeper in the gut you don't want to face. That, crap it could all fall apart in 30 seconds feeling. And with Pedro, that feeling is always there.
But let me explain why Opening Day, or the first day of any sport season is exciting. In life, we get New Years Day. And everyone makes resolutions for this "new year" when in fact the only change is in the calendar, and taxes. You don't get a fresh start. Work doesn't start over. It just keeps moving along. But in sports, every team has a chance. Every bad year is erased, and everyone starts off with the same stats. The same hopes and goals. Even the Royals are taking the field today with the same goal as the Yankees. And with every new season you know there's gonna be some memorable games, personal seasons, great stories, horrible tragedies and big surprises. And even if your team sucks something awful, or you live 1500 miles away from your team. You go to a ballpark, eat a dog, talk to some friends and have a good time. Argue meaningless stats, compare the new breed to the guys you loved as a kid. And sometimes for a few minutes you actually go back to being a kid.
So there it is. Why I love Opening Day. Some other time I'll let bitter Hirp out to talk about how I'm not the baseball, or sport fan I used to be. As well as my opinion of the proposed roof for the stadiums in KC. But for today, Lets Go Mets!
ps- 20 years since 86?! God damn I'm feeling old.
March 31, 2011
March 28, 2011
Hate Me Now
I’m a diehard New York Met fan. I hate the Yankees and over the last few years I’ve grown to hate the Phillies as much as I hate the Braves. I don’t want to see any of them win games, championships or even have more fans on Facebook. I don’t, however, take any pride in seeing them fail. I cheer for my Mets. Just as I cheer for my Jayhawks. I’ve never celebrating a rival’s failure as if it were my team’s success. That kind of thinking just does not compute for me.
Yesterday our Jayhawks lost a tough game to VCU, a real stomach punch loss. A game we should have won, ending a season that seemed to be laid out perfectly for Kansas to win the National Championship. But Kansas fans aren’t able to morn properly, because before the buzzer even sounded, we were under siege from haters. I’ve always hated the term “hater,” but sometimes it’s just accurate.
Kansas State, University of Missouri and even Wichita State fans took our loss as an opportunity to pile on. They had to remind us of Bucknell, Bradley and Northern Iowa, as if we forgot. It’s different than just rooting against us; they actually celebrate it as a victory for their side. It isn’t.
I understand that they may view Kansas fans as arrogant, winning teams get that a lot. It’s probably even true, and totally acceptable that they wouldn’t want to see Kansas win, it’s just sad that they don’t understand the difference in being fans and being haters. Would they express so much joy if their teams had won? I honestly don’t know. They can’t say either, because the truth is, that scenario is such a long shot that it can’t even be seriously considered.
Kansas has the longest active streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with 22. Kansas State has made two in a row and Missouri has made three in a row. They’ve combined for 17 trips to the Elite 8, while Kansas has made the Final Four 13 times. We have three titles, and they’ve combined to make the Final Four just twice, and the last one came 47 years ago.
I root against teams I don’t like, but when they fail, it’s not my success. It’s a relief, sure, but the only fans that should celebrate are of those of the winning team. These fans just reek of jealousy, and their actions distract us from feeling sorry for ourselves and focus our attention on defending Kansas’ record of excellence against their track record rich in meritocracy. Butler and VCU have one less Final Four trip between them than KSU and MU have, yet we’re the punch line?
Losing sucks, and losing the way we just did hurts quite a lot. But all those piling on right now, remember, you’d trade spots with us every single year. Our loss isn’t your win, your win would come from being better, and only then. Until that day, your reaction to our loss says more about you than it does us. Rock Chalk, you can’t beat KU.
Yesterday our Jayhawks lost a tough game to VCU, a real stomach punch loss. A game we should have won, ending a season that seemed to be laid out perfectly for Kansas to win the National Championship. But Kansas fans aren’t able to morn properly, because before the buzzer even sounded, we were under siege from haters. I’ve always hated the term “hater,” but sometimes it’s just accurate.
Kansas State, University of Missouri and even Wichita State fans took our loss as an opportunity to pile on. They had to remind us of Bucknell, Bradley and Northern Iowa, as if we forgot. It’s different than just rooting against us; they actually celebrate it as a victory for their side. It isn’t.
I understand that they may view Kansas fans as arrogant, winning teams get that a lot. It’s probably even true, and totally acceptable that they wouldn’t want to see Kansas win, it’s just sad that they don’t understand the difference in being fans and being haters. Would they express so much joy if their teams had won? I honestly don’t know. They can’t say either, because the truth is, that scenario is such a long shot that it can’t even be seriously considered.
Kansas has the longest active streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with 22. Kansas State has made two in a row and Missouri has made three in a row. They’ve combined for 17 trips to the Elite 8, while Kansas has made the Final Four 13 times. We have three titles, and they’ve combined to make the Final Four just twice, and the last one came 47 years ago.
I root against teams I don’t like, but when they fail, it’s not my success. It’s a relief, sure, but the only fans that should celebrate are of those of the winning team. These fans just reek of jealousy, and their actions distract us from feeling sorry for ourselves and focus our attention on defending Kansas’ record of excellence against their track record rich in meritocracy. Butler and VCU have one less Final Four trip between them than KSU and MU have, yet we’re the punch line?
Losing sucks, and losing the way we just did hurts quite a lot. But all those piling on right now, remember, you’d trade spots with us every single year. Our loss isn’t your win, your win would come from being better, and only then. Until that day, your reaction to our loss says more about you than it does us. Rock Chalk, you can’t beat KU.
March 25, 2011
What If...
This is right in my wheel house, the kind of thing I could spend hours obsessing over. Kentucky coach, John Calipari, was once a head coach in the NBA. This was in 1996, and he recently was quoted as saying he was very impressed with a high school kid he worked out before the draft. A kid named Kobe Bryant. So I get to play one of my favorite games, the “what if” game.
Bryant was picked by the Charolette Hornets in the 1996 draft, and refused to sign with the team, forcing a trade to the Lakers for center Vlade Divac. Vlade da di, we like to party. So there’s no guarantee that he would have agreed to playing in New Jersey, since Newark is about as appealing as back hair. Then again, maybe he would have loved it. Newark is just 90 miles away from Philadelphia, Bryant’s home town.
The 96-97 Nets were a pretty promising squad. Lead by shooting guard, Kendall Gill. They also had the now insane, Jayson Williams, who was a rebounding machine at the time. The Nets also had a solid point guard in Robert Pack, and giant Shawn Bradley. Bryant would have come off the bench, just like he did in LA. At 17, he would have been brought along slowly by any team. So his first year would have probably been limited to 15 minutes a game, just like it was in LA.
It was Bryant’s second season where his future greatness started to appear on a semi-regular basis. The ’97 Nets brought in point guard Sam Cassell and a draft deal landed them great white hope, Keith Van Horn. All of this could have easily happened with Bryant on board. Van Horn was a star in college, and was the obvious #2 pick in the 1997 draft. He also ended up leading the Nets in scoring his rookie year. The Nets used Kerry Kittles, who was taken in the spot they could have drafted Bryant, as their 6th man. The same role Kobe played for the Lakers that year, so slot him in as the Nets 6th man.
That brings us to 1998, which ended up being a shortened season, and the first season after Michael Jordan’s second retirement. The Lakers went through three coaches, and in the real world, ’98 ended up being Calipari’s last season as an NBA head coach, fired 20 games in after a 3-17 start. 20 year old Kobe Bryant entered the Lakers starting line up, and averaged 20 points a game.
Four games into the season, the Nets traded for 21 year old point guard, Stephon Marbury. So in the What If universe, the Nets would have a starting lineup of Marbury, Gill, Bryant, Van Horn and Williams. Their three leading scorers would have been 20, 21 and 23 years old, respectively. Now, of course, it’s hard to determine how the three would play together. Marbury and Bryant dominate the ball, and Van Horn was never your typical post player, preferring to shoot from the outside.
The situation wouldn’t have compared to what he went to, the Lakers had just brought in Shaq and they would have been a contender with or without him at that point. The Lakers would have been trading Divac no matter what; there was no room for him with Shaq in the middle. So the Lakers trade Divac to a struggling team with no big man, obviously they want to trade him to a team in the Eastern Conference, and they want a high draft pick in return. Perfect fit: Toronto Raptors. That pick, ends up being Tracy McGrady. A year later, but the Lakers end up with a similar player to Bryant. A high school phenom who can score at will. From 2000 till 2004, Bryant and McGrady put up similar numbers. Bryant’s scoring goes up in 2005, but that’s a result of Shaq leaving LA while McGrady is now in Houston after leaving Toronto for Orlando in 2000.
Which raises an interesting question: how would have McGrady and Shaq gotten along? Assuming they still win 2 of the 3 titles Shaq and Kobe won (giving up on the first, as McGrady was a year behind Kobe at that point)
Back tracking for a second here, with McGrady in LA, he never leaves for Orlando. The Magic need a shooting guard, so they trade Ben Wallace to the Nets for Kendall Gill. Wallace’s career plays out the same, a great rebounder and NBA Defensive Player of the Year. The Nets now have Marbury, Bryant, Van Horn, Aaron Williams and Wallace. The Lakers have Harper, McGrady, Fox, Grant and Shaq. The two teams meet in the Finals.
Oh, John Calipari still coaches the Nets instead of taking a job coaching the University of Memphis. Sot hey never get Derrick Rose. They never lose to Kansas in that National Title game. Calipari doesn’t end up coaching at Kentucky in 2010.
Back to the 1996 draft for a second, now who would the Hornets have taken, instead of Bryant? In looking over the players who were taken after Bryant and one name pops out: Steve Nash. So the ripple effect continues, as the Suns are changed as well.
Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin and Vince Carter never play for the Nets. Steve Nash never wins two MVP’s. The Hornets have a point guard, in Nash, and don’t pick Chris Paul. Paul ends up on the Bobcats, who are now in Charlotte after the Hornets moved to New Orleans with Nash.
Kobe Bryant wins titles in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006, along with MVP’s in all four seasons. His career numbers are closer to 27 points per game than 25. With Bryant, the YankeeNets never sell off the Nets, and the team moves to Brooklyn in 2004. Shaq wins titles in 2001, 2003. The Pistons and Heat never win titles. Since the Heat don’t have a title under Riley, he isn’t around long enough to bring in Lebron James. James stays in Cleveland and Dwayne Wade ends up going to Chicago to play with Rose, who was the #1 pick from Illinois and not Memphis.
The careers of Marbury and Van Horn are forever changed for the better. Marbury loves being the point guard in Brooklyn, and Van Horn gets to sit around and shoot 3’s when teams clog the lane to keep Marbury and Bryant out.
Good, now that I cleared that up, I won’t have to worry about this “what if” any longer.
Bryant was picked by the Charolette Hornets in the 1996 draft, and refused to sign with the team, forcing a trade to the Lakers for center Vlade Divac. Vlade da di, we like to party. So there’s no guarantee that he would have agreed to playing in New Jersey, since Newark is about as appealing as back hair. Then again, maybe he would have loved it. Newark is just 90 miles away from Philadelphia, Bryant’s home town.
The 96-97 Nets were a pretty promising squad. Lead by shooting guard, Kendall Gill. They also had the now insane, Jayson Williams, who was a rebounding machine at the time. The Nets also had a solid point guard in Robert Pack, and giant Shawn Bradley. Bryant would have come off the bench, just like he did in LA. At 17, he would have been brought along slowly by any team. So his first year would have probably been limited to 15 minutes a game, just like it was in LA.
It was Bryant’s second season where his future greatness started to appear on a semi-regular basis. The ’97 Nets brought in point guard Sam Cassell and a draft deal landed them great white hope, Keith Van Horn. All of this could have easily happened with Bryant on board. Van Horn was a star in college, and was the obvious #2 pick in the 1997 draft. He also ended up leading the Nets in scoring his rookie year. The Nets used Kerry Kittles, who was taken in the spot they could have drafted Bryant, as their 6th man. The same role Kobe played for the Lakers that year, so slot him in as the Nets 6th man.
That brings us to 1998, which ended up being a shortened season, and the first season after Michael Jordan’s second retirement. The Lakers went through three coaches, and in the real world, ’98 ended up being Calipari’s last season as an NBA head coach, fired 20 games in after a 3-17 start. 20 year old Kobe Bryant entered the Lakers starting line up, and averaged 20 points a game.
Four games into the season, the Nets traded for 21 year old point guard, Stephon Marbury. So in the What If universe, the Nets would have a starting lineup of Marbury, Gill, Bryant, Van Horn and Williams. Their three leading scorers would have been 20, 21 and 23 years old, respectively. Now, of course, it’s hard to determine how the three would play together. Marbury and Bryant dominate the ball, and Van Horn was never your typical post player, preferring to shoot from the outside.
The situation wouldn’t have compared to what he went to, the Lakers had just brought in Shaq and they would have been a contender with or without him at that point. The Lakers would have been trading Divac no matter what; there was no room for him with Shaq in the middle. So the Lakers trade Divac to a struggling team with no big man, obviously they want to trade him to a team in the Eastern Conference, and they want a high draft pick in return. Perfect fit: Toronto Raptors. That pick, ends up being Tracy McGrady. A year later, but the Lakers end up with a similar player to Bryant. A high school phenom who can score at will. From 2000 till 2004, Bryant and McGrady put up similar numbers. Bryant’s scoring goes up in 2005, but that’s a result of Shaq leaving LA while McGrady is now in Houston after leaving Toronto for Orlando in 2000.
Which raises an interesting question: how would have McGrady and Shaq gotten along? Assuming they still win 2 of the 3 titles Shaq and Kobe won (giving up on the first, as McGrady was a year behind Kobe at that point)
Back tracking for a second here, with McGrady in LA, he never leaves for Orlando. The Magic need a shooting guard, so they trade Ben Wallace to the Nets for Kendall Gill. Wallace’s career plays out the same, a great rebounder and NBA Defensive Player of the Year. The Nets now have Marbury, Bryant, Van Horn, Aaron Williams and Wallace. The Lakers have Harper, McGrady, Fox, Grant and Shaq. The two teams meet in the Finals.
Oh, John Calipari still coaches the Nets instead of taking a job coaching the University of Memphis. Sot hey never get Derrick Rose. They never lose to Kansas in that National Title game. Calipari doesn’t end up coaching at Kentucky in 2010.
Back to the 1996 draft for a second, now who would the Hornets have taken, instead of Bryant? In looking over the players who were taken after Bryant and one name pops out: Steve Nash. So the ripple effect continues, as the Suns are changed as well.
Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin and Vince Carter never play for the Nets. Steve Nash never wins two MVP’s. The Hornets have a point guard, in Nash, and don’t pick Chris Paul. Paul ends up on the Bobcats, who are now in Charlotte after the Hornets moved to New Orleans with Nash.
Kobe Bryant wins titles in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006, along with MVP’s in all four seasons. His career numbers are closer to 27 points per game than 25. With Bryant, the YankeeNets never sell off the Nets, and the team moves to Brooklyn in 2004. Shaq wins titles in 2001, 2003. The Pistons and Heat never win titles. Since the Heat don’t have a title under Riley, he isn’t around long enough to bring in Lebron James. James stays in Cleveland and Dwayne Wade ends up going to Chicago to play with Rose, who was the #1 pick from Illinois and not Memphis.
The careers of Marbury and Van Horn are forever changed for the better. Marbury loves being the point guard in Brooklyn, and Van Horn gets to sit around and shoot 3’s when teams clog the lane to keep Marbury and Bryant out.
Good, now that I cleared that up, I won’t have to worry about this “what if” any longer.
March 22, 2011
Hirp vs Nugent
The Washington Times gave Ted Nugent some space to write an op-ed. Below is his text, followed by my own:
Africa isn't called the Dark Continent for no reason. Africa has forever been a politi- cal nightmare full of overt corruption, tribal warfare, genocide, murderous regimes and brutal dictators.
There is no country in Africa that truly respects freedom or the rule of law. The majority of countries in Africa are in economic ruin because of political corruption and a history ugly with cruel despotism. That's why starvation and disease are rampant. AIDS is projected to kill as much as half the populations of some countries. Genocide is a way of life. There is little light in Africa.
Africa is an international scab. Bono of the band U2 advocates that if we forgive debt African nations owe, peace and tranquillity will sprout up mystically. The real problem is murdering, corrupt thugs and punks like Col. Gadhafi. Once we swat one of these African cockroaches or intervene in their civil war, where do we stop?
America can't solve all the world's problems, nor should it try. We have enough of our own problems to address without getting involved in a Libyan civil war.
Spending national treasure by bombing Libya is not wise when we have no strategic interest in Libya and we are bankrupt. It would have been much cheaper for the CIA to arrange for the cockroach colonel's demise than to spend billions and billions of dollars that we don't have in hopes he is toppled. Whatever happened to that wonderful American ingenuity of improvise, adapt and overcome?
Ted Nugent isn't called the “Motor City Madman” for no reason. Nugent has forever been a complete nightmare full of overt racism, class warfare, wearing camouflage and shitty music.
There is no sane person in America that truly respects Nugent or crap he spews. The majority of Nugent’s stances are in-defensible because he’s completely out of touch with reality, and is hell bent on serving himself and not helping society. That’s why greed and anger are rampant. Bullets are projected to kill more than half of the populations in some countries. Ignorance is a way of life. There is little good in Nugent.
Nugent is a pop culture scab. Ted of the Nugent advocates that if we forgive all have guns, peace and tranquility will sprout up mystically. The real problem is selfish, murdering, corporate thugs and punks like Col. Nugent. Once we swat one of these American cockroaches or intervene in his personal war, where do we stop?
I can't solve all the Nugent’s problems, nor should I try. I have enough of my own problems to address without getting involved in a Nugent’s war on decency.
Spending my time by verbally bombing Nugent is not wise when I have no strategic interest in Nugent. It would have been much cheaper for his father wear a condom or to arrange for the cockroach Nugent’s demise than to spend minutes and minutes that we don't have in hopes he is toppled. Whatever happened to that wonderful American ingenuity of improvise, adapt and overcome? Oh, it’s still here, it just shines through when we’re not busy hating everyone who isn’t like us.
Africa isn't called the Dark Continent for no reason. Africa has forever been a politi- cal nightmare full of overt corruption, tribal warfare, genocide, murderous regimes and brutal dictators.
There is no country in Africa that truly respects freedom or the rule of law. The majority of countries in Africa are in economic ruin because of political corruption and a history ugly with cruel despotism. That's why starvation and disease are rampant. AIDS is projected to kill as much as half the populations of some countries. Genocide is a way of life. There is little light in Africa.
Africa is an international scab. Bono of the band U2 advocates that if we forgive debt African nations owe, peace and tranquillity will sprout up mystically. The real problem is murdering, corrupt thugs and punks like Col. Gadhafi. Once we swat one of these African cockroaches or intervene in their civil war, where do we stop?
America can't solve all the world's problems, nor should it try. We have enough of our own problems to address without getting involved in a Libyan civil war.
Spending national treasure by bombing Libya is not wise when we have no strategic interest in Libya and we are bankrupt. It would have been much cheaper for the CIA to arrange for the cockroach colonel's demise than to spend billions and billions of dollars that we don't have in hopes he is toppled. Whatever happened to that wonderful American ingenuity of improvise, adapt and overcome?
Ted Nugent isn't called the “Motor City Madman” for no reason. Nugent has forever been a complete nightmare full of overt racism, class warfare, wearing camouflage and shitty music.
There is no sane person in America that truly respects Nugent or crap he spews. The majority of Nugent’s stances are in-defensible because he’s completely out of touch with reality, and is hell bent on serving himself and not helping society. That’s why greed and anger are rampant. Bullets are projected to kill more than half of the populations in some countries. Ignorance is a way of life. There is little good in Nugent.
Nugent is a pop culture scab. Ted of the Nugent advocates that if we forgive all have guns, peace and tranquility will sprout up mystically. The real problem is selfish, murdering, corporate thugs and punks like Col. Nugent. Once we swat one of these American cockroaches or intervene in his personal war, where do we stop?
I can't solve all the Nugent’s problems, nor should I try. I have enough of my own problems to address without getting involved in a Nugent’s war on decency.
Spending my time by verbally bombing Nugent is not wise when I have no strategic interest in Nugent. It would have been much cheaper for his father wear a condom or to arrange for the cockroach Nugent’s demise than to spend minutes and minutes that we don't have in hopes he is toppled. Whatever happened to that wonderful American ingenuity of improvise, adapt and overcome? Oh, it’s still here, it just shines through when we’re not busy hating everyone who isn’t like us.
March 14, 2011
Earth Shaking
I’ll always remember the day that the Challenger exploded as it sped to space, and as President Regan famously said, “Slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God.” My personal beliefs aside that is one of the most beautiful lines I’ve ever heard. I’ll always remember when I first heard about the Oklahoma City bombing, the first attack on the World Trade Center, Columbine and of course, 9/11. The images of Katrina and the tsunami that tore apart Southeast Asia are burned into my head right next to the images from Haiti. Sadly, like pretty much everyone else, there are new images in that mental photo album; those of the complete destruction that took place in Japan this past weekend.
For the Challenger, I remember I was sitting in Mr. Durgy’s class, it was third grade. The Principal came by, had Mr. Durgy step outside for a moment, and then a few moments later made an announcement over the intercom. I remember coming home from school in’93, and seeing the images of smoke coming from the bottom of The World Trade Center. I heard about Oklahoma City when I went into work at Original Pizza. My parents were in Oklahoma City, they were there for a while training to open their own franchise in Kansas City. I didn’t believe it when I was told; no way there’d be a bombing in Oklahoma City. They’re just messing with me because my parents are there. That’s what I thought then, that’s what I wish was the case now.
Columbine hit me hard, as that school looked so much like the high school I attended and I was just four years removed from school. I was glued to the television. That led to my first blog post, before they called it blogging. AOL has since taken down that website, jerks. 9/11 took place as some friends had traveled home to New York for the wedding of his sister, my first babysitter. I was at work when someone came in and told me, I didn’t believe that either. Flipped on the radio and listened in horror, then quickly called my friend and got through. Everyone I knew was okay. The groom to be was actually in one of the towers. To this day, if I see a show about 9/11, I have to watch it. No matter how many times I’ve seen that very show.
Last Friday I came in to work, just happy it was Friday. Then I saw a post on Facebook about an earthquake that hit Japan. It took a moment, and then I realized that earlier in the week my uncle and I had swapped some emails. He casually mentioned, “I’m emailing you from Japan.” At the time I thought that was cool, he traveled there often for business, and still consults even though he retired ten years ago. He doesn’t understand what retire really means.
I panicked, I wasn’t sure when he was coming home, but my gut told me he was there. I tried his cell, no answer. I didn’t want to call my aunt, if she hadn’t heard, I really didn’t want to be the one breaking this news to her. So I called my cousin, even though it was just 6:30 where he was. I hoped I wouldn’t wake him, but that wasn’t my biggest concern. I informed him of the earthquake and tsunami and he didn’t realize his father was in Tokyo. I heard the panic in his voice as he checked with his wife. He called hid mother, who had already spoken with my uncle. He was at the airport when it happened, and he was okay. Between hearing of the earthquake and that he was okay, I had sent Mrs. Hirp a text, informing her of what happened and that my uncle was there. When she told the Kyd, she started to cry, “I don’t want Uncle Jerry to die!”
“Neither do I,” I said to myself, “neither do I.” She was on her way to the bus stop when Mrs. Hirp called out to her and let her know he was ok. She responded with a “Yes!” and a fist pump. Perfect response every time.
I also informed my father that his brother was in Japan, but when I followed that up with letting him know his brother was okay, there was a mix up and he took that to mean he was out of harms way when the earth moved. It wasn’t till later that he realized his older brother was in the scariest place on earth. But the whole thing had just started. This was hours before anyone even mentioned “nuclear” anything. Knowing he was okay was a huge relief, obviously, but I’m a worrier by nature. Until I knew he was in the states, my imagination was going to fuck with me like reality messes with Charlie Sheen. I watched video after video Friday, my heart firmly planted in my throat.
Early Saturday afternoon I received a call from my aunt, that he had boarded a flight a few hours earlier and should be landing in Los Angeles in a little bit. That sound, that was the sound of a giant sigh of relief. Later on he called me and told me about his ordeal. The lack of food, the fear, the cold, the shaking, glass shattering, sleeping on the floor head to foot with strangers in a foreign land and the exhaustion.
He’s home, he’s safe and I’m glad. But so many others aren’t. The first estimate I heard was of 1,000 deaths. There’s simply no way that could be true, I watched cars trying to speed away from the rushing water. Some made it, some didn’t. I firmly believe there will be over 25,000 lives lost. With hundreds of thousand more completely ruined. I find myself stuck obessing over the cleanup process, as if that could even take place. What do you do with all that mud? How do you get clothes? When do you go back to work, when your work was swept out to sea? Will the kids ever get back to school? What about the pets, how many were lost? And how do you tell your child everything will be alright, when things are so far from ever being alright again?
I hate the news. I hate how it sucks me in, and hate how it makes me feel. I fear the next disaster, and they seem to happen more often now. Tell me everything will be alright.
For the Challenger, I remember I was sitting in Mr. Durgy’s class, it was third grade. The Principal came by, had Mr. Durgy step outside for a moment, and then a few moments later made an announcement over the intercom. I remember coming home from school in’93, and seeing the images of smoke coming from the bottom of The World Trade Center. I heard about Oklahoma City when I went into work at Original Pizza. My parents were in Oklahoma City, they were there for a while training to open their own franchise in Kansas City. I didn’t believe it when I was told; no way there’d be a bombing in Oklahoma City. They’re just messing with me because my parents are there. That’s what I thought then, that’s what I wish was the case now.
Columbine hit me hard, as that school looked so much like the high school I attended and I was just four years removed from school. I was glued to the television. That led to my first blog post, before they called it blogging. AOL has since taken down that website, jerks. 9/11 took place as some friends had traveled home to New York for the wedding of his sister, my first babysitter. I was at work when someone came in and told me, I didn’t believe that either. Flipped on the radio and listened in horror, then quickly called my friend and got through. Everyone I knew was okay. The groom to be was actually in one of the towers. To this day, if I see a show about 9/11, I have to watch it. No matter how many times I’ve seen that very show.
Last Friday I came in to work, just happy it was Friday. Then I saw a post on Facebook about an earthquake that hit Japan. It took a moment, and then I realized that earlier in the week my uncle and I had swapped some emails. He casually mentioned, “I’m emailing you from Japan.” At the time I thought that was cool, he traveled there often for business, and still consults even though he retired ten years ago. He doesn’t understand what retire really means.
I panicked, I wasn’t sure when he was coming home, but my gut told me he was there. I tried his cell, no answer. I didn’t want to call my aunt, if she hadn’t heard, I really didn’t want to be the one breaking this news to her. So I called my cousin, even though it was just 6:30 where he was. I hoped I wouldn’t wake him, but that wasn’t my biggest concern. I informed him of the earthquake and tsunami and he didn’t realize his father was in Tokyo. I heard the panic in his voice as he checked with his wife. He called hid mother, who had already spoken with my uncle. He was at the airport when it happened, and he was okay. Between hearing of the earthquake and that he was okay, I had sent Mrs. Hirp a text, informing her of what happened and that my uncle was there. When she told the Kyd, she started to cry, “I don’t want Uncle Jerry to die!”
“Neither do I,” I said to myself, “neither do I.” She was on her way to the bus stop when Mrs. Hirp called out to her and let her know he was ok. She responded with a “Yes!” and a fist pump. Perfect response every time.
I also informed my father that his brother was in Japan, but when I followed that up with letting him know his brother was okay, there was a mix up and he took that to mean he was out of harms way when the earth moved. It wasn’t till later that he realized his older brother was in the scariest place on earth. But the whole thing had just started. This was hours before anyone even mentioned “nuclear” anything. Knowing he was okay was a huge relief, obviously, but I’m a worrier by nature. Until I knew he was in the states, my imagination was going to fuck with me like reality messes with Charlie Sheen. I watched video after video Friday, my heart firmly planted in my throat.
Early Saturday afternoon I received a call from my aunt, that he had boarded a flight a few hours earlier and should be landing in Los Angeles in a little bit. That sound, that was the sound of a giant sigh of relief. Later on he called me and told me about his ordeal. The lack of food, the fear, the cold, the shaking, glass shattering, sleeping on the floor head to foot with strangers in a foreign land and the exhaustion.
He’s home, he’s safe and I’m glad. But so many others aren’t. The first estimate I heard was of 1,000 deaths. There’s simply no way that could be true, I watched cars trying to speed away from the rushing water. Some made it, some didn’t. I firmly believe there will be over 25,000 lives lost. With hundreds of thousand more completely ruined. I find myself stuck obessing over the cleanup process, as if that could even take place. What do you do with all that mud? How do you get clothes? When do you go back to work, when your work was swept out to sea? Will the kids ever get back to school? What about the pets, how many were lost? And how do you tell your child everything will be alright, when things are so far from ever being alright again?
I hate the news. I hate how it sucks me in, and hate how it makes me feel. I fear the next disaster, and they seem to happen more often now. Tell me everything will be alright.
March 03, 2011
Honor
The big talk of the sports world today is what’s going on at BYU. If you haven’t heard, the school suspended one of it’s best basketball players for violating the school honor code. BYU, currently ranked third in the country, suspended 20 year old Brandon Davies for having pre-marital sex. Most, if not all, schools have an honor code. You’d be hard pressed to find a school with a stricter set of rules and stronger punishment for violating those rules.
The honor code at BYU includes a ban on caffeine, tea, alcohol, foul language, students have to be honest, observe the dress and grooming standards of the school and participate regularly in church services. This isn’t your typical college, and I’d be happy to disagree with pretty much every item on their list. Except that everyone who enrolls at BYU, does so voluntarily. Okay, I’m not sure if that’s completely true, those Mormons are a tad bit different.
This suspension has crippled the basketball team, a team that had a real shot at a #1 seed in the tournament as well as a better chance than most schools at making a run to the Final Four. An accomplishment the school has never reached in its 104 year history. The pay off is huge, tons of publicity not to mention money. Undoubtedly, amazing experiences for all those kids and now they pretty much have no chance of realizing that dream.
The chatter I’ve heard has focused on how unrealistic it is to ask college kids to abstain from everything BYU asks, as well as the apparent lack of forgiveness and a second chance. A local sports radio show host stated that he believes a one or two game suspension, with the threat of being kicked off the team for a second violation. Maybe that’s fair and makes more sense. I’m all about second chances and forgiveness, I think that’s what’s required for people to be part of a civilized society.
I just don’t think that this is a debate about forgiveness, or silly rules, or proper punishment. To me this is about honor. I never imagined I’d say this, but I agree with BYU. To bend the rules now, no matter how silly they are, would show a lack of honor. It would be the complete opposite of honor. We’re a society now that not only gives second chances, we celebrate those who crap all over honor. Politicians, who preach to us about family values, yet sleep around as if they’re the 20 year old college sophomores on a top four team. Crack head actors get paid upwards of $40 million for a season, for portraying drunken womanizing idiots.
This is about standing up for something you believe in. Davies knew the punishment for violating the Honor Code, and maybe he thought it was silly. Yet, he violated it, and when asked about his actions, he was honest with the school. Is he being rewarded? No, but he shouldn’t be. He should, however, absolutely be commended and respected, because the kid has shown courage and honor. It sucks for the rest of the team and its fans, and it sucks even more for Davies. Then again, if it were easy, they wouldn’t call it honor.
The honor code at BYU includes a ban on caffeine, tea, alcohol, foul language, students have to be honest, observe the dress and grooming standards of the school and participate regularly in church services. This isn’t your typical college, and I’d be happy to disagree with pretty much every item on their list. Except that everyone who enrolls at BYU, does so voluntarily. Okay, I’m not sure if that’s completely true, those Mormons are a tad bit different.
This suspension has crippled the basketball team, a team that had a real shot at a #1 seed in the tournament as well as a better chance than most schools at making a run to the Final Four. An accomplishment the school has never reached in its 104 year history. The pay off is huge, tons of publicity not to mention money. Undoubtedly, amazing experiences for all those kids and now they pretty much have no chance of realizing that dream.
The chatter I’ve heard has focused on how unrealistic it is to ask college kids to abstain from everything BYU asks, as well as the apparent lack of forgiveness and a second chance. A local sports radio show host stated that he believes a one or two game suspension, with the threat of being kicked off the team for a second violation. Maybe that’s fair and makes more sense. I’m all about second chances and forgiveness, I think that’s what’s required for people to be part of a civilized society.
I just don’t think that this is a debate about forgiveness, or silly rules, or proper punishment. To me this is about honor. I never imagined I’d say this, but I agree with BYU. To bend the rules now, no matter how silly they are, would show a lack of honor. It would be the complete opposite of honor. We’re a society now that not only gives second chances, we celebrate those who crap all over honor. Politicians, who preach to us about family values, yet sleep around as if they’re the 20 year old college sophomores on a top four team. Crack head actors get paid upwards of $40 million for a season, for portraying drunken womanizing idiots.
This is about standing up for something you believe in. Davies knew the punishment for violating the Honor Code, and maybe he thought it was silly. Yet, he violated it, and when asked about his actions, he was honest with the school. Is he being rewarded? No, but he shouldn’t be. He should, however, absolutely be commended and respected, because the kid has shown courage and honor. It sucks for the rest of the team and its fans, and it sucks even more for Davies. Then again, if it were easy, they wouldn’t call it honor.
March 02, 2011
March 01, 2011
JstHelping
I was watching “The Daily Show” and Jon Stewart was showing clips of various Congressmen and political analysts pissing and moaning about how teachers are paid so well, and receive such great benefits for doing such little work. They especially like to compare teachers to “the private sector.” So over my lunch break I did a little research.
Turns out that on average, members of Congress are paid $174,000 a year. Also, on average over the last nine years, Congress meets 140 days a year. While, typically, school is in session 180 days a year. Then teachers also have an absolute ton of “in-service days.” (at least it feels that way)
So in Wisconsin, teachers are paid an average of $51,000 and an additional $25,000 in benefits for a grand total of $76,000. Meanwhile Congress receives over $230,000 when benefits are taken into consideration, for working less than teachers. Too bad they aren’t a part of a Union.
Let’s cut some spending, and pay Congress that inflated salary that we pay teachers.
Turns out that on average, members of Congress are paid $174,000 a year. Also, on average over the last nine years, Congress meets 140 days a year. While, typically, school is in session 180 days a year. Then teachers also have an absolute ton of “in-service days.” (at least it feels that way)
So in Wisconsin, teachers are paid an average of $51,000 and an additional $25,000 in benefits for a grand total of $76,000. Meanwhile Congress receives over $230,000 when benefits are taken into consideration, for working less than teachers. Too bad they aren’t a part of a Union.
Let’s cut some spending, and pay Congress that inflated salary that we pay teachers.
JstWinning
Would you cast Charlie Sheen to play Gaddafi, or Gaddafi to play Sheen?
Is there any chance, any chance at all, that Sheen is pulling off some Jaquin Phoenix type gag? Only we’ve all fallen for it? This is either the most grandiose breakdown or brilliant prank. Vegas can’t take odds, because they’re so obviously in bed with Sheen. Also, that’s why we won’t see his death date in the sports book.
Charlie Sheen is so crazy (how crazy is he?) Joe Jackson is claiming to be his father. He’s so crazy, that Glenn Beck…nah, he’s not that crazy.
Charlie Sheen has put a good spin on being bi-polar, the condition will be renamed “bi-winning.” Or “Sheen” for short.
My advice to CBS, forget “Two and a Half Men” and give Sheen a talk show.
The good news, I’m pretty sure no one will be naming their son “Charlie” for the next three to five years.
List of things Charlie Sheen has done: Shot Kelly Preston, ordered a suitcase full of coke (one that we know of, likely more), purchased 2,615 seats at an Angels game for himself and three friends so he could increase their odds of catching a home run, received an offer for a baseball scholarship to the University of Kansas, admittedly spent $53,000 on prostitutes from Heidi Fleiss, been arrested three times and he once owned the ball Mookie Wilson hit that went under Bill Buckner’s legs. That’s “winning.”
Is there any chance, any chance at all, that Sheen is pulling off some Jaquin Phoenix type gag? Only we’ve all fallen for it? This is either the most grandiose breakdown or brilliant prank. Vegas can’t take odds, because they’re so obviously in bed with Sheen. Also, that’s why we won’t see his death date in the sports book.
Charlie Sheen is so crazy (how crazy is he?) Joe Jackson is claiming to be his father. He’s so crazy, that Glenn Beck…nah, he’s not that crazy.
Charlie Sheen has put a good spin on being bi-polar, the condition will be renamed “bi-winning.” Or “Sheen” for short.
My advice to CBS, forget “Two and a Half Men” and give Sheen a talk show.
The good news, I’m pretty sure no one will be naming their son “Charlie” for the next three to five years.
List of things Charlie Sheen has done: Shot Kelly Preston, ordered a suitcase full of coke (one that we know of, likely more), purchased 2,615 seats at an Angels game for himself and three friends so he could increase their odds of catching a home run, received an offer for a baseball scholarship to the University of Kansas, admittedly spent $53,000 on prostitutes from Heidi Fleiss, been arrested three times and he once owned the ball Mookie Wilson hit that went under Bill Buckner’s legs. That’s “winning.”
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