Happy 51st Birthday to Mr. David Righetti formerly a pitcher for the New York Yankees, among other teams. A solid pitcher, Righetti was part of the Yankees during their lackluster years (1979-1990).
Trivia of the Week
For which team is Righetti presently the pitching coach? Extra Credit: For which other 4 teams did Righetti play between 1991-1995?
Answers to November 21's Trivia of the Week
Musial and Griffey are 2 of 10 outfielders named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. How many of the remaining 8 can you name?
Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Joe Dimaggio, Mickey Mantle, Ty Cobb, Pete Rose
Answers to November 21's Trivia of the Week 2
Strahan sacked Aikman for the first time on 12/24/1994. How many more times did Strahan sack Aikman in his career?
1 (Strahan sacked Aikman only twice)
Headlines in a Hurry
Where were you going at 2:25 a.m. Tiger?
I see on Yahoo the headline, Weis facing possible finale with Irish. I say, possible?
The NFL is finally taking concussions more seriously. There is a new requirement to seek a second opinion - not the team doctor - from a specialist. The player with the concussion can only return to the field once cleared by both doctors.
Today marks the 102nd Apple Cup. After last year's ridiculously good game between 2 ridiculously bad teams, we'll see if the other Huskies can do something against the cats across the mountains.
TD's NFL Picks - Week 12
Whatever the Giants were expected to have, well, they don't. That loss was embarrassing. So, let's see who wants it in the other games this weekend.
Tampa @ Atlanta
Division rivalry makes this interesting. And a Bucs offense that seems to be scoring a few more points. But, I think Atlanta's better. TD chooses: Atlanta Falcons
Miami @ Buffalo
This is the time of year that I wouldn't want to play in Buffalo. A weather check indicates it isn't that bad up there... yet. T.O. had quite the game last week, but the Jags still won. I predict that this next Florida team will do the same. TD chooses: Miami Dolphins
Cincinnati @ Cleveland
I'd say this could be a good game. The Battle of Ohio. But Cleveland is that bad. And Mangini is utterly terrible. TD chooses: Cincinnati Bengals
Indianapolis @ Houston
Indy barely won in the first meeting between these teams. And this is no gimme, especially now that Indy has the 'undefeated' target on them. I have faith, though. TD chooses: Indianapolis Colts
Chicago @ Minnesota
I don't think anyone's impressed with Cutler and the Bears. A 4-6 record is very disappointing for this team. As for Minnesota, their 9-1 record speaks for itself. TD chooses: Minnesota Vikings
Carolina @ New York Jets
At 4-6 these teams need to figure out what they want this year. From the looks of it, Carolina wants the Wild Card spot, but injuries and poor play are limiting them. Meanwhile, the Jets just want Sanchez to get better. Better than 6 TDs and 14 INTs. TD chooses: Carolina Panthers
Washington @ Philadelphia
I have no idea which Iggles team will show up. But I do know that the Redskins have little offense of which to speak. I think this will be a relatively low scoring affair. TD chooses: Philadelphia Eagles
Seattle @ St. Louis
Here's a game that doesn't interest me at all. Both suck. TD chooses: Seattle Seahawks
Arizona @ Tennessee
A tricky one. Kurt Warner may not play. If he doesn't, I say Tennessee. If he does, then the Cardinals have a much better chance. But don't underestimate a Titan team that's on a 4-game winning streak and that has its defensive secondary back. Still, I'll bet that Warner plays... and wins. TD chooses: Arizona Cardinals
Kansas City @ San Diego
Kansas City is playing better than they were earlier in the season. The problem for them: so is San Diego. TD chooses: San Diego Chargers
Jacksonville @ San Francisco
An interesting game. The Jags are presently 6-4 and on the cusp of the Wild Card. San Fran, meanwhile, needs to catch up to have a chance. I personally think the 49ers just aren't ready yet. TD chooses: Jacksonville Jaguars
Pittsburgh @ Baltimore
No one knows what will happen in this game. After last year, I know they'll need an ambulance or two. Baltimore has the bigger problems; their defense just isn't what it used to be. Not to say the Steelers don't have their own problems with Roethlisberger a game time decision. TD chooses: Pittsburgh Steelers
New England @ New Orleans
In the battle of the News, England brings their A-game to the undefeated doorstep of Orleans. It promises to be a great game. And I know I'm not rooting for England in this matchup. TD chooses: New Orleans Saints
Another week. Only 5 more to go after this. Almost doesn't seem possible. Until next I write, happy sporting...
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
TD's Thursday NFL Picks - Week 12
Happy Thanksgiving to all!!! I hope the turkey is particularly tasty for all of you...
Of course, Thanksgiving also means football. It means Lyman Hall v. Sheehan (which is probably just about over now). It means East Haven v. Branford. It used to mean Hamden v. Notre Dame.
And it means Detroit, Dallas, and another pair of teams that rotates each year. And so, on to the picks...
Green Bay @ Detroit
I could editorialize about how Detroit shouldn't have this Thanksgiving game anymore. Tradition be damned. It certainly hasn't led them to become any better. But, I shan't. Instead, I'll just say that Green Bay got a wake up call from the creamsicled Bucs three weeks ago, and it seems to have made a difference. All you Lie Down fans can say that Stafford threw five touchdowns last week... against the Browns. TD chooses: Green Bay Packers
Oakland @ Dallas
Really? They couldn't come up with the Washington/Dallas game today. Or even Philly. Maybe the Jints. Or even Green Bay (though I can't complain about the Detroit/Green Bay game). Oh well. I don't anticipate a particularly good game. Perhaps only if Dallas plays down to the Raidahs. TD chooses: Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants @ Denver
Here's the game. Two teams that looked unbeatable at least through week 5. And then, they both vomited all over the place. The Jints lost four straight before barely beating Atlanta last week. And the Broncs haven't won since 10/19. It may come down to who wants to give the game away more... TD chooses: New York Football Giants
Again, Happy Gobble Gobble! And go Giants!
Of course, Thanksgiving also means football. It means Lyman Hall v. Sheehan (which is probably just about over now). It means East Haven v. Branford. It used to mean Hamden v. Notre Dame.
And it means Detroit, Dallas, and another pair of teams that rotates each year. And so, on to the picks...
Green Bay @ Detroit
I could editorialize about how Detroit shouldn't have this Thanksgiving game anymore. Tradition be damned. It certainly hasn't led them to become any better. But, I shan't. Instead, I'll just say that Green Bay got a wake up call from the creamsicled Bucs three weeks ago, and it seems to have made a difference. All you Lie Down fans can say that Stafford threw five touchdowns last week... against the Browns. TD chooses: Green Bay Packers
Oakland @ Dallas
Really? They couldn't come up with the Washington/Dallas game today. Or even Philly. Maybe the Jints. Or even Green Bay (though I can't complain about the Detroit/Green Bay game). Oh well. I don't anticipate a particularly good game. Perhaps only if Dallas plays down to the Raidahs. TD chooses: Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants @ Denver
Here's the game. Two teams that looked unbeatable at least through week 5. And then, they both vomited all over the place. The Jints lost four straight before barely beating Atlanta last week. And the Broncs haven't won since 10/19. It may come down to who wants to give the game away more... TD chooses: New York Football Giants
Again, Happy Gobble Gobble! And go Giants!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Sporting Rants & Raves: November 21, 2009
Happy 89th birthday to Mr. Stan Musial.
Happy 43rd birthday to Mr. Troy Aikman.
Happy 40th birthday to Mr. Ken Griffey, Jr.
Happy 38th birthday to Mr. Michael Strahan.
A plethora of talent born on this day, it seems...
Trivia of the Week
Musial and Griffey are 2 of 10 outfielders named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. How many of the remaining 8 can you name?
Trivia of the Week 2
Strahan sacked Aikman for the first time on 12/24/1994. How many more times did Strahan sack Aikman in his career?
Answers to November 14's Trivia of the Week
Kyle Orton is one of only three Purdue quarterbacks to start at least three consecutive bowl games. Name the well known present NFL starter - and Purdue alum - who accomplished this feat. Drew Brees
Extra Credit: Name the other lesser known QB to do so. (Hint: He played in only 40 games in an NFL career that spanned 11 years between 1981-1992.) Mark Herrmann
Dixon’s 4-yard TD gives UConn 33-30 win over ND
Other than the NFL Picks, this is the only headline I will include. The UCONN Huskies finally won one of those close games. And some of you might say that it just signals how bad Weis and the Irish are. But I think some credit must be given to this Huskies team. Remarkable. And imagine where they could be...
TD's NFL Picks - Week 11
Quick hits in this rather important week...
Pittsburgh @ Kansas City
Unless the Steelers don't show up - even with Polamalu out - Kansas City will have a long day. TD chooses: Pittsburgh Steelers
Seattle @ Minnesota
Looking at team stat leaders, I see Favre has 600+ more yards than Hasselbeck, Rice has 200+ more yards than Housh, and Peterson has 500+ more yards than Jones (who isn't playing). Umm yeah. TD chooses: Minnesota Vikings
Washington @ Dallas
Honestly, I can't help but choose Dallas with it being at home and with them being in first place. But apart from those rather useless indicators, I got nothing for you. It's a rivalry, and it often lives up to the billing. TD chooses: Dallas Cowboys
San Francisco @ Green Bay
I was watching the 1/3/1999 Wild Card game between the 49ers and Packers on the NFL Network earlier. Young v. Favre. Garrison Hearst and Dorsey Levens. Well, tomorrow, we'll see Smith v. Rodgers. Gore and Grant. Both teams are underachieving this year. Only one game separates them. TD chooses: Green Bay Packers
Buffalo @ Jacksonville
Jacksonville is showing life. And grit. But I wouldn't want to be the head coach this week trying to plan for Buffalo. Why? Because I always have concerns when there's as significant a change on an opposing team as there was in Buffalo this past week, i.e. a new head coach. Still, TD chooses: Jacksonville Jaguars
Cleveland @ Detroit
TD chooses to ignore this ridiculous semi-professional game. Okay, fine, TD chooses: Detroit Lions
Indianapolis @ Baltimore
Short weeks for Indy and Baltimore. Not as short for Indy as for Baltimore, but given the game they had to play, I'd say they needed that extra day. This game? Well, the Ravens D has to show up or else no dice. I'm thinking no dice. TD chooses: Indianapolis Colts
Atlanta @ New York Giants
At 5-4 each team needs a win. Atlanta can only hope to stay afloat for the Wild Card. But the Jints still have that chance to win the division. God, I hope they figured something out on their bye. Problem is, they don't generally play well coming out of their bye. Nevertheless, TD chooses: New York Football Giants
New Orleans @ Tampa Bay
Division rivals? Yep. The Saints are missing Bush? Yep. New QB in Tampa not looking bad? Yep. You still think the Saints will win? Yep. TD chooses: New Orleans Saints
Arizona @ St. Louis
The Rams have shown some life recently. They could pull off the upset. And any team can win on any day given the right conditions. TD chooses: Arizona Cardinals
New York Jets @ New England
After last week, the Pats want a win. And Belichick will be forcing the issue. The Jets, meanwhile, can't seem to right the ship. Rex Ryan's asking everyone from his mother to Bill Parcells for some help. TD chooses: New England Patriots
Cincinnati @ Oakland
Before the season, I chose Oakland to win this one. Nope, I didn't have any confidence in the Bagels either. And there's still something about them that just doesn't feel quite right. Still, I can't find anything about Oakland that doesn't feel quite wrong at the moment, so TD chooses: Cincinnati Bengals
Philadelphia @ Chicago
I had Philly at 13-3 for this season. And Chicago at 14-2. If that were true up to this point, this could be a blockbuster game. Instead, it's an important game to see who can be in the Wild Card hunt. TD chooses: Philadelphia Eagles
Tennessee @ Houston
Tennessee now has 3 wins in their last 3 games. Houston is 3-1 in their last 4 games with their only loss coming to the Colts before the bye. Division rivals. Oilers and Texans duking it out. Vince Young against Matt Schaub. Now, I'm just stalling to try to make up my mind. I did pick Houston prior to the season. It must be a sign. TD chooses: Houston Texans
Game of the Week
San Diego @ Denver
I don't know if this will actually be a good game. In fact, it has all the makings of a bad one. But it has to be the game of the week given what's on the line for each team. Denver's on the way down at 6-3. San Diego's on the way up with the same record. And I just don't see that changing. TD chooses: San Diego Chargers
There you have it sports fans. An abbreviated version for you. Until next I write, happy sporting...
Happy 43rd birthday to Mr. Troy Aikman.
Happy 40th birthday to Mr. Ken Griffey, Jr.
Happy 38th birthday to Mr. Michael Strahan.
A plethora of talent born on this day, it seems...
Trivia of the Week
Musial and Griffey are 2 of 10 outfielders named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. How many of the remaining 8 can you name?
Trivia of the Week 2
Strahan sacked Aikman for the first time on 12/24/1994. How many more times did Strahan sack Aikman in his career?
Answers to November 14's Trivia of the Week
Kyle Orton is one of only three Purdue quarterbacks to start at least three consecutive bowl games. Name the well known present NFL starter - and Purdue alum - who accomplished this feat. Drew Brees
Extra Credit: Name the other lesser known QB to do so. (Hint: He played in only 40 games in an NFL career that spanned 11 years between 1981-1992.) Mark Herrmann
Dixon’s 4-yard TD gives UConn 33-30 win over ND
Other than the NFL Picks, this is the only headline I will include. The UCONN Huskies finally won one of those close games. And some of you might say that it just signals how bad Weis and the Irish are. But I think some credit must be given to this Huskies team. Remarkable. And imagine where they could be...
TD's NFL Picks - Week 11
Quick hits in this rather important week...
Pittsburgh @ Kansas City
Unless the Steelers don't show up - even with Polamalu out - Kansas City will have a long day. TD chooses: Pittsburgh Steelers
Seattle @ Minnesota
Looking at team stat leaders, I see Favre has 600+ more yards than Hasselbeck, Rice has 200+ more yards than Housh, and Peterson has 500+ more yards than Jones (who isn't playing). Umm yeah. TD chooses: Minnesota Vikings
Washington @ Dallas
Honestly, I can't help but choose Dallas with it being at home and with them being in first place. But apart from those rather useless indicators, I got nothing for you. It's a rivalry, and it often lives up to the billing. TD chooses: Dallas Cowboys
San Francisco @ Green Bay
I was watching the 1/3/1999 Wild Card game between the 49ers and Packers on the NFL Network earlier. Young v. Favre. Garrison Hearst and Dorsey Levens. Well, tomorrow, we'll see Smith v. Rodgers. Gore and Grant. Both teams are underachieving this year. Only one game separates them. TD chooses: Green Bay Packers
Buffalo @ Jacksonville
Jacksonville is showing life. And grit. But I wouldn't want to be the head coach this week trying to plan for Buffalo. Why? Because I always have concerns when there's as significant a change on an opposing team as there was in Buffalo this past week, i.e. a new head coach. Still, TD chooses: Jacksonville Jaguars
Cleveland @ Detroit
TD chooses to ignore this ridiculous semi-professional game. Okay, fine, TD chooses: Detroit Lions
Indianapolis @ Baltimore
Short weeks for Indy and Baltimore. Not as short for Indy as for Baltimore, but given the game they had to play, I'd say they needed that extra day. This game? Well, the Ravens D has to show up or else no dice. I'm thinking no dice. TD chooses: Indianapolis Colts
Atlanta @ New York Giants
At 5-4 each team needs a win. Atlanta can only hope to stay afloat for the Wild Card. But the Jints still have that chance to win the division. God, I hope they figured something out on their bye. Problem is, they don't generally play well coming out of their bye. Nevertheless, TD chooses: New York Football Giants
New Orleans @ Tampa Bay
Division rivals? Yep. The Saints are missing Bush? Yep. New QB in Tampa not looking bad? Yep. You still think the Saints will win? Yep. TD chooses: New Orleans Saints
Arizona @ St. Louis
The Rams have shown some life recently. They could pull off the upset. And any team can win on any day given the right conditions. TD chooses: Arizona Cardinals
New York Jets @ New England
After last week, the Pats want a win. And Belichick will be forcing the issue. The Jets, meanwhile, can't seem to right the ship. Rex Ryan's asking everyone from his mother to Bill Parcells for some help. TD chooses: New England Patriots
Cincinnati @ Oakland
Before the season, I chose Oakland to win this one. Nope, I didn't have any confidence in the Bagels either. And there's still something about them that just doesn't feel quite right. Still, I can't find anything about Oakland that doesn't feel quite wrong at the moment, so TD chooses: Cincinnati Bengals
Philadelphia @ Chicago
I had Philly at 13-3 for this season. And Chicago at 14-2. If that were true up to this point, this could be a blockbuster game. Instead, it's an important game to see who can be in the Wild Card hunt. TD chooses: Philadelphia Eagles
Tennessee @ Houston
Tennessee now has 3 wins in their last 3 games. Houston is 3-1 in their last 4 games with their only loss coming to the Colts before the bye. Division rivals. Oilers and Texans duking it out. Vince Young against Matt Schaub. Now, I'm just stalling to try to make up my mind. I did pick Houston prior to the season. It must be a sign. TD chooses: Houston Texans
Game of the Week
San Diego @ Denver
I don't know if this will actually be a good game. In fact, it has all the makings of a bad one. But it has to be the game of the week given what's on the line for each team. Denver's on the way down at 6-3. San Diego's on the way up with the same record. And I just don't see that changing. TD chooses: San Diego Chargers
There you have it sports fans. An abbreviated version for you. Until next I write, happy sporting...
Thursday, November 19, 2009
A Little Break
It is Thursday, November 19, 2009. What does that mean, exactly?
It's my friend's - Matt - birthday. Happy Birthday Matt!
Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address 146 years ago.
The Edsel was discontinued 50 years ago.
And in my lifetime, on this date 19 years ago Milli Vanilli was stripped of their Grammies.
Finally, this day begins my two-week vacation. That means I'll be taking a hiatus from posting. Except, I will post my weekly NFL picks in an abbreviated Sporting Rants and Raves on each Saturday during my vacation. Not to mention each Thursday. I almost missed last Thursday. Forgot all about the game between the 49ers and Bears. And somewhat glad I didn't watch it as it was a lemon.
Speaking of which, it's Thursday today, isn't it? With that said, let's see who's playing tonight...
Miami @ Carolina
John Fox's life became a little easier earlier this week when Ronnie Brown was put on the Injured Reserve List. Not a lot, mind you, but certainly somewhat. Because that may limit the Wildcat. And it means that the Panthers' D can concentrate on Ricky Williams. But, not so fast... The Dolphins might have a few different looks that no one has seen before. And that Carolina can't imagine. In the end, I predict a close game. But after seeing both teams last week, I think this one goes to a rising Panthers team. TD chooses: Carolina Panthers
Let's hope I do better this week than last...
It's my friend's - Matt - birthday. Happy Birthday Matt!
Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address 146 years ago.
The Edsel was discontinued 50 years ago.
And in my lifetime, on this date 19 years ago Milli Vanilli was stripped of their Grammies.
Finally, this day begins my two-week vacation. That means I'll be taking a hiatus from posting. Except, I will post my weekly NFL picks in an abbreviated Sporting Rants and Raves on each Saturday during my vacation. Not to mention each Thursday. I almost missed last Thursday. Forgot all about the game between the 49ers and Bears. And somewhat glad I didn't watch it as it was a lemon.
Speaking of which, it's Thursday today, isn't it? With that said, let's see who's playing tonight...
Miami @ Carolina
John Fox's life became a little easier earlier this week when Ronnie Brown was put on the Injured Reserve List. Not a lot, mind you, but certainly somewhat. Because that may limit the Wildcat. And it means that the Panthers' D can concentrate on Ricky Williams. But, not so fast... The Dolphins might have a few different looks that no one has seen before. And that Carolina can't imagine. In the end, I predict a close game. But after seeing both teams last week, I think this one goes to a rising Panthers team. TD chooses: Carolina Panthers
Let's hope I do better this week than last...
Monday, November 16, 2009
It's Personal: Bolero
We had just returned from brunch at Geraldine's. (If ever you have the chance to go to Geraldine's in Columbia City, order the French Toast or the Casserole. Awesome.) We futzed around a bit, and Joseph got comfortable. The kiss of death for Joseph on a cool, dreary day. The key for me? I didn't change out of the clothes I'd worn to church that morning. And when 2 p.m. came, I was out the door.
I arrived at Meany Hall looking forward to the performance of Boléro. But I was pleasantly surprised by a slew of other performances from Ravel and Debussy. Apart from the Asian woman with the perma-fro behind me - rustling some plastic bag filled with goodies and chomping them much like a cow might in the middle of Iowa - the overall performance was impressive.
I do enjoy music, but I can't say that I enjoy music enough to know how to be critical. I do not frequent the symphony after all - the tickets were a gift from my mother - and go primarily to close my eyes and meditate to the sounds of harps and violas complementing each other.
Still, I knew Boléro and wondered how I would like a live performance. As the drummer began her tapping, the composer kept his hand by his side and directed as if a restraint was tied around his chest and arms. It is a piece that requires patience, a gradually blossoming work that both relaxes and inspires. Woodwinds give way to strings whilst the drummers keep a very difficult consistent beat. Perhaps a more critical ear could find a few missed notes from time to time, but I heard only the near perfect coalescence.
Apart from Ravel's most famous work, I learned something I'd never known, even after having studied music theory - a very beginner course - in college. Most - if not all of you - have witnessed The Sound of Music I'd imagine. And within that musical, you will recall the song, Do, Re, Mi. As most of you probably know as well, do, re, mi, etc. refer to notes on a scale in music. Well, every letter of the English alphabet can be assigned to these notes. Most people who know music understand that there are notes A-G. But it doesn't stop there...
The last word... If ever you have the chance to attend the symphony I suggest you go. Even if it isn't your 'cup of tea' I think you'll be entertained. If not by the music, at least by some of the stuffy people in their odd garb...
I arrived at Meany Hall looking forward to the performance of Boléro. But I was pleasantly surprised by a slew of other performances from Ravel and Debussy. Apart from the Asian woman with the perma-fro behind me - rustling some plastic bag filled with goodies and chomping them much like a cow might in the middle of Iowa - the overall performance was impressive.
I do enjoy music, but I can't say that I enjoy music enough to know how to be critical. I do not frequent the symphony after all - the tickets were a gift from my mother - and go primarily to close my eyes and meditate to the sounds of harps and violas complementing each other.
Still, I knew Boléro and wondered how I would like a live performance. As the drummer began her tapping, the composer kept his hand by his side and directed as if a restraint was tied around his chest and arms. It is a piece that requires patience, a gradually blossoming work that both relaxes and inspires. Woodwinds give way to strings whilst the drummers keep a very difficult consistent beat. Perhaps a more critical ear could find a few missed notes from time to time, but I heard only the near perfect coalescence.
Apart from Ravel's most famous work, I learned something I'd never known, even after having studied music theory - a very beginner course - in college. Most - if not all of you - have witnessed The Sound of Music I'd imagine. And within that musical, you will recall the song, Do, Re, Mi. As most of you probably know as well, do, re, mi, etc. refer to notes on a scale in music. Well, every letter of the English alphabet can be assigned to these notes. Most people who know music understand that there are notes A-G. But it doesn't stop there...
- Do - A, H, O, V
- Re - B, I, P, W
- Mi - C, J, Q, X
- Fa - D, K, R, Y
- So - E, L, S, Z
- La - F, M, T
- Ti - G, N, U
The last word... If ever you have the chance to attend the symphony I suggest you go. Even if it isn't your 'cup of tea' I think you'll be entertained. If not by the music, at least by some of the stuffy people in their odd garb...
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Sporting Rants & Raves: November 14, 2009
Happy 27th birthday to Mr. Kyle Orton, the Quarterback of the Denver Broncos. With 2009 - thus far - being the best of his NFL career, it seems Orton may have the last laugh. It is too soon to tell, however, as it is altogether possible that Orton and the Broncs are on their way back to earth just in time for San Diego to come back and take the lead in the division yet again.
And I'd like to send an additional birthday wish. Happy 50th birthday to your friend and mine, Uncle Mark. I'll say this about his favorite team this weekend... The New York Football Giants can't lose.
Trivia of the Week
Kyle Orton is one of only three Purdue quarterbacks to start at least three consecutive bowl games. Name the well known present NFL starter - and Purdue alum - who accomplished this feat. Extra Credit: Name the other lesser known QB to do so. (Hint: He played in only 40 games in an NFL career that spanned 11 years between 1981-1992.)
Answers to November 7's Trivia of the Week
Jim Kaat played for 25 seasons in the Majors. Who are the only 2 pitchers that had longer tenures? Nolan Ryan and Tommy John
Extra Credit: What were their respective tenures in MLB? 27 and 26 years respectively
Gonna make it brief this evening after a long day of work...
Upset Alert - NCAA Football
Rutgers put quite the beat-down on South Florida, wouldn't you say... The first time South Florida has been shut out in the regular season in its 13-year history. Yipes. So much for revenge. Rutgers 31 - South Florida 0.
The University of Central Florida denied Houston's attempt at a comeback earlier today. Say goodbye to #13. UCF 37 - Houston 32.
I was a Trojan in high school. But I never liked USC with their maroon and gold. For many reasons. Well, today marks the end of their Pac-10 dominance for good as Stanford blew them out. And good riddance. Stanford 55 - USC 21.
It seems Butch Davis has the Canes' number. He hasn't lost yet against his former team. And UNC takes its 5th straight victory against a ranked opponent dating to last season. UNC 33 - Miami 24.
A quarterback throws a ball. It ricochets off a defensive player. The quarterback catches the ball. The quarterback attempts to throw it again. Do you know what that is? An illegal forward pass. And a reason Arizona came up short today against California. Cal 24 - Arizona 16.
TD's NFL Picks - Week 10
One line apiece...
Atlanta @ Carolina
Conference rivals vying for that second position in the South and, more importantly, the chance at the Wild Card. Ryan over Delhomme. TD chooses: Atlanta Falcons
Tampa Bay @ Miami
In this battle for Fla, the Dolphins and their Wildcats win by a whiskered nose. TD chooses: Miami Dolphins
Detroit @ Minnesota
The Lie Downs were actually up (good movie) 17-0 against the make believe ospreys. And then, they reverted to lying down. TD chooses: Minnesota Vikings
Denver @ Washington
This trip should help the Broncs halt that losing streak. TD chooses: Denver Broncos
Buffalo @ Tennessee
So T.O. might return tomorrow. And I care about this why? Owens and Evans have done squat for me in fantasy this year. And Young seems to have charged the Titans. TD chooses: Tennessee Titans
New Orleans @ St. Louis
Cough, cough, cough. Ahem. Cough. Uh. Yeah. Umm. TD chooses: New Orleans Saints
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
The Bagels got away with one earlier in the year. But have you seen Pittsburgh playing recently? They look like they did at the end of last year. When Pittsburgh's hitting on all cylinders, I don't think many can beat them. TD chooses: Pittsburgh Steelers
Jacksonville @ New York Jets
Yeah, I don't know. Will this be Sanchez the INT thrower? And will it be the Jax I saw in Seattle? If both are the case, this could be a trainwreck. But I think Ryan has spoken to his rookie QB. TD chooses: New York Jets
Kansas City @ Oakland
Could we sub in a good college game for this one and just let them watch? I'll go with the Chiefs since they've just extracted some cancer; it might be a breath of fresh air to their lockerroom. TD chooses: Kansas City Chiefs
Seattle @ Arizona
Arizona destroyed Seattle in Seattle. So why would I think the Seachickens have any chance in the desert? Oddly, I don't think they'll be destroyed. But I don't think they'll win either. TD chooses: Arizona Cardinals
Dallas @ Green Bay
A battle between long-time NFC rivals. Romo and Rodgers. Philips and McCarthy. They're no Aikman v. Favre. And Johnson v. Holmgren. Ah well. I'll be rooting for GB but I think I used up a lot of my luck back in that Super Bowl against the undefeated Pats. TD chooses: Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia @ San Diego
A Green Bay fan AND a Charger fan. I have a whole slew of teams for whom to root. And I think SD can do it at home even with Westbrook returning for the Iggles. TD chooses: San Diego Chargers
Baltimore @ Cleveland
Okay, really, it was 1995. That's when Cleveland left and went to Baltimore. And then Cleveland came back. And there was this rivalry. And Baltimore got good. And Cleveland never did. Then the Browns hired Mangini. And they're worse than ever. TD chooses: Baltimore Ravens
Game of the Week
New England @ Indianapolis
Here we go again. We had a year off from the hype. Now it's back and well deserved. Brady and the Pats at 6-2. Manning and the Colts at 8-0. The Pats are gritty, and they win. The Colts are smooth as silk. And they win. Methinks the Pats D is the question mark here. And Manning's looking forward to that. TD chooses: Indianapolis Colts
Another day. Another dollar. And Notre Dame loses again. Until next I write, happy sporting...
And I'd like to send an additional birthday wish. Happy 50th birthday to your friend and mine, Uncle Mark. I'll say this about his favorite team this weekend... The New York Football Giants can't lose.
Trivia of the Week
Kyle Orton is one of only three Purdue quarterbacks to start at least three consecutive bowl games. Name the well known present NFL starter - and Purdue alum - who accomplished this feat. Extra Credit: Name the other lesser known QB to do so. (Hint: He played in only 40 games in an NFL career that spanned 11 years between 1981-1992.)
Answers to November 7's Trivia of the Week
Jim Kaat played for 25 seasons in the Majors. Who are the only 2 pitchers that had longer tenures? Nolan Ryan and Tommy John
Extra Credit: What were their respective tenures in MLB? 27 and 26 years respectively
Gonna make it brief this evening after a long day of work...
Upset Alert - NCAA Football
Rutgers put quite the beat-down on South Florida, wouldn't you say... The first time South Florida has been shut out in the regular season in its 13-year history. Yipes. So much for revenge. Rutgers 31 - South Florida 0.
The University of Central Florida denied Houston's attempt at a comeback earlier today. Say goodbye to #13. UCF 37 - Houston 32.
I was a Trojan in high school. But I never liked USC with their maroon and gold. For many reasons. Well, today marks the end of their Pac-10 dominance for good as Stanford blew them out. And good riddance. Stanford 55 - USC 21.
It seems Butch Davis has the Canes' number. He hasn't lost yet against his former team. And UNC takes its 5th straight victory against a ranked opponent dating to last season. UNC 33 - Miami 24.
A quarterback throws a ball. It ricochets off a defensive player. The quarterback catches the ball. The quarterback attempts to throw it again. Do you know what that is? An illegal forward pass. And a reason Arizona came up short today against California. Cal 24 - Arizona 16.
TD's NFL Picks - Week 10
One line apiece...
Atlanta @ Carolina
Conference rivals vying for that second position in the South and, more importantly, the chance at the Wild Card. Ryan over Delhomme. TD chooses: Atlanta Falcons
Tampa Bay @ Miami
In this battle for Fla, the Dolphins and their Wildcats win by a whiskered nose. TD chooses: Miami Dolphins
Detroit @ Minnesota
The Lie Downs were actually up (good movie) 17-0 against the make believe ospreys. And then, they reverted to lying down. TD chooses: Minnesota Vikings
Denver @ Washington
This trip should help the Broncs halt that losing streak. TD chooses: Denver Broncos
Buffalo @ Tennessee
So T.O. might return tomorrow. And I care about this why? Owens and Evans have done squat for me in fantasy this year. And Young seems to have charged the Titans. TD chooses: Tennessee Titans
New Orleans @ St. Louis
Cough, cough, cough. Ahem. Cough. Uh. Yeah. Umm. TD chooses: New Orleans Saints
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
The Bagels got away with one earlier in the year. But have you seen Pittsburgh playing recently? They look like they did at the end of last year. When Pittsburgh's hitting on all cylinders, I don't think many can beat them. TD chooses: Pittsburgh Steelers
Jacksonville @ New York Jets
Yeah, I don't know. Will this be Sanchez the INT thrower? And will it be the Jax I saw in Seattle? If both are the case, this could be a trainwreck. But I think Ryan has spoken to his rookie QB. TD chooses: New York Jets
Kansas City @ Oakland
Could we sub in a good college game for this one and just let them watch? I'll go with the Chiefs since they've just extracted some cancer; it might be a breath of fresh air to their lockerroom. TD chooses: Kansas City Chiefs
Seattle @ Arizona
Arizona destroyed Seattle in Seattle. So why would I think the Seachickens have any chance in the desert? Oddly, I don't think they'll be destroyed. But I don't think they'll win either. TD chooses: Arizona Cardinals
Dallas @ Green Bay
A battle between long-time NFC rivals. Romo and Rodgers. Philips and McCarthy. They're no Aikman v. Favre. And Johnson v. Holmgren. Ah well. I'll be rooting for GB but I think I used up a lot of my luck back in that Super Bowl against the undefeated Pats. TD chooses: Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia @ San Diego
A Green Bay fan AND a Charger fan. I have a whole slew of teams for whom to root. And I think SD can do it at home even with Westbrook returning for the Iggles. TD chooses: San Diego Chargers
Baltimore @ Cleveland
Okay, really, it was 1995. That's when Cleveland left and went to Baltimore. And then Cleveland came back. And there was this rivalry. And Baltimore got good. And Cleveland never did. Then the Browns hired Mangini. And they're worse than ever. TD chooses: Baltimore Ravens
Game of the Week
New England @ Indianapolis
Here we go again. We had a year off from the hype. Now it's back and well deserved. Brady and the Pats at 6-2. Manning and the Colts at 8-0. The Pats are gritty, and they win. The Colts are smooth as silk. And they win. Methinks the Pats D is the question mark here. And Manning's looking forward to that. TD chooses: Indianapolis Colts
Another day. Another dollar. And Notre Dame loses again. Until next I write, happy sporting...
Thursday, November 12, 2009
TD's Thursday Night Pick: November 12, 2009
Even after setting myself a reminder, I forgot. But I just checked the score and it's still 0-0 in the first. Check the time.
Chicago @ San Francisco
I suppose the story line is Singletary against da Bears. Yeah, I guess. The real story line? San Francisco's bad again. And the Bears have the opportunity to fall even further behind the Vikings. So? TD chooses: Chicago Bears
Chicago @ San Francisco
I suppose the story line is Singletary against da Bears. Yeah, I guess. The real story line? San Francisco's bad again. And the Bears have the opportunity to fall even further behind the Vikings. So? TD chooses: Chicago Bears
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
3WW (Errant, Hanker, Murky): Whose Watch Is It?
A murky Saturday morning in Seattle. One of those days on the cusp of winter when darkness looms at dawns and dusks thanks to lingering grey pillow clouds. I walk from my parked Camry along deserted leafy sidewalks. I see only blanketed lumps in doorways, homeless people holding onto the belief that there might be another warm and sunny day in the Emerald City. Perhaps they'll get their wish but not on this day.
I walk into the building where I work every business day. And some weekends. I badge into the lobby and wave to the security guard. A deaf over-the-hill white-haired gentleman who grunts his greetings without making eye contact. I proceed to the elevators and find a young man waiting. He looks up briefly with his bright blue eyes and grins awkwardly. I take no notice and pull out my Blackberry hoping to avoid conversation. No email. So I proceed to the New York Times business news.
The elevator arrives with a ding; the young gentleman and I enter. The doors close. I press 17. The gentleman presses 23. The elevator begins to ascend. I am on Sports Illustrated by then reading about AI's potential retirement. We begin to slow. Then a few errant noises a person never wants to hear in an elevator. Best described in old Batman terms as BANG! CLANK! CRUNCH! The elevator stops. The number 17 is lit. The doors open. Nothing but sheer wall. The doors close. We don't move. Not good.
'Figures,' I hear from behind me. The young man seems as frustrated as I.
'Yep, I should have just stayed home,' I say as I look back at him.
'Yep.'
I ring the emergency bell hoping against hope that the deaf old weekend security guard might hear. Doubtful, I think to myself.
After I try that for a little while, I turn around and see that the gentleman - all of about 25 years of age - is sitting with his legs crossed.
'Where do you work?' I ask him.
'Oh, I don't work here,' he says.
'That makes it worse,' I note with a sarcastic grin.
'Not really,' he says in all seriousness. 'It gives me time to reflect on what I'm about to do.' I don't particularly like the way he speaks those words.
'What are you about to do?' I inquire.
'You promise not to tell?' he asks.
What am I supposed to say to that? If I don't promise, then it's awkward in an elevator where it's awkward anyway. If I do promise, we keep a conversation going and it's less awkward, though still in an elevator.
'Sure,' I say.
'I'm on my way up to kill my girlfriend,' he admits matter-of-factly.
Yeah, I didn't want to know. 'Umm, huh?' I stammer, trying to formulate what I should say to a person that says something like that. And in such close quarters.
'I found a guy's watch in the bedroom this morning. I know it's not my watch. And her family lives in Florida. So, I don't think it belongs to anyone from her family. She doesn't have any male friends about whom I know. I can therefore only deduce that it belongs to a guy with whom she's having an affair.'
I listen to him use 'whom' and 'deduce', and I wonder if I've entered some kind of Twilight Zone. Why didn't I just keep looking at random sites on the Blackberry? I should have checked Don Banks' NFL Power Rankings. Instead, here I am with a lunatic in a small space.
'Umm, well, umm, yeah...'
'Oh, I see.' He says to me. 'You don't have to worry. You seem like a good guy. You remind me of a guy with whom I served in the marines in Iraq. Quality guy. Always kept his word. Very honest. As opposed to that lying bitch on the 23rd floor.' He zones out for a moment staring at the wall.
Cuckoo, I think to myself.
'Sorry, guy. I'll bet your name is Sam. Right, Sam is it?'
I don't know what to say. My name isn't Sam, but I'm dealing with a guy who seems to be missing the entire suit of clubs from his deck. 'Yeah, Sam.'
'Right. See, I knew I'd run into a Sam today. Just had a feeling. Hey, maybe you can help me out and distract her while I sneak into the office to kill her. You want to do that for me?'
I feel like we're talking about playing a prank on someone. 'Sorry. Umm, I have to get to some things. And I'm already late as it is.'
'Yeah, I understand. I didn't mean to inconvenience you. I have a plan anyway. Well, I had a plan. I'm starting to wonder if it's such a good idea at this point. I mean, obviously someone up there doesn't think I should go through with it.' He points up to the ceiling. 'Or else I wouldn't be stuck in here with you, Sam. You know, Sam saved my life in Iraq. He tackled me as some insurgents opened fire. Took a bullet in the fleshy part of his leg. Good guy, that Sam.' He zoned out again.
'I think I'm going to try the bell again,' I tell him.
'Yeah, please. Go ahead. I think I'd like to get out of here anyway. Now that I think of it, the watch might belong to her brother who stayed with us last weekend. As a matter of fact, I saw him wearing it.' He chuckles to himself. 'That's right. It's her brother's. And to think I was going to kill her.'
The elevator comes back to life and descends slowly but consistently until it reaches the bottom floor. The doors open to the security guard surrounded by a few cops and firemen.
'Are you okay?' one of the cops asks.
'Yeah, I'm fine,' I reply.
'Yes, sir. But I have a hankering for a good breakfast. Can you make any recommendations?'
After a brief chat with the cops, the gentleman begins to walk away. But he turns and calls, 'Sam, you want to join me?'
'No thanks,' I reply.
'Okay, well good getting to know you. And remember,' he said in a mock whisper, 'what happens in the elevator stays in the elevator.' He lets out an odd chuckle and exits.
I wait a few moments and walk out the front doors back into the murky morning wondering what to do next. After coming up with nothing, I sit on a wet bench and stare at the barren trees.
I walk into the building where I work every business day. And some weekends. I badge into the lobby and wave to the security guard. A deaf over-the-hill white-haired gentleman who grunts his greetings without making eye contact. I proceed to the elevators and find a young man waiting. He looks up briefly with his bright blue eyes and grins awkwardly. I take no notice and pull out my Blackberry hoping to avoid conversation. No email. So I proceed to the New York Times business news.
The elevator arrives with a ding; the young gentleman and I enter. The doors close. I press 17. The gentleman presses 23. The elevator begins to ascend. I am on Sports Illustrated by then reading about AI's potential retirement. We begin to slow. Then a few errant noises a person never wants to hear in an elevator. Best described in old Batman terms as BANG! CLANK! CRUNCH! The elevator stops. The number 17 is lit. The doors open. Nothing but sheer wall. The doors close. We don't move. Not good.
'Figures,' I hear from behind me. The young man seems as frustrated as I.
'Yep, I should have just stayed home,' I say as I look back at him.
'Yep.'
I ring the emergency bell hoping against hope that the deaf old weekend security guard might hear. Doubtful, I think to myself.
After I try that for a little while, I turn around and see that the gentleman - all of about 25 years of age - is sitting with his legs crossed.
'Where do you work?' I ask him.
'Oh, I don't work here,' he says.
'That makes it worse,' I note with a sarcastic grin.
'Not really,' he says in all seriousness. 'It gives me time to reflect on what I'm about to do.' I don't particularly like the way he speaks those words.
'What are you about to do?' I inquire.
'You promise not to tell?' he asks.
What am I supposed to say to that? If I don't promise, then it's awkward in an elevator where it's awkward anyway. If I do promise, we keep a conversation going and it's less awkward, though still in an elevator.
'Sure,' I say.
'I'm on my way up to kill my girlfriend,' he admits matter-of-factly.
Yeah, I didn't want to know. 'Umm, huh?' I stammer, trying to formulate what I should say to a person that says something like that. And in such close quarters.
'I found a guy's watch in the bedroom this morning. I know it's not my watch. And her family lives in Florida. So, I don't think it belongs to anyone from her family. She doesn't have any male friends about whom I know. I can therefore only deduce that it belongs to a guy with whom she's having an affair.'
I listen to him use 'whom' and 'deduce', and I wonder if I've entered some kind of Twilight Zone. Why didn't I just keep looking at random sites on the Blackberry? I should have checked Don Banks' NFL Power Rankings. Instead, here I am with a lunatic in a small space.
'Umm, well, umm, yeah...'
'Oh, I see.' He says to me. 'You don't have to worry. You seem like a good guy. You remind me of a guy with whom I served in the marines in Iraq. Quality guy. Always kept his word. Very honest. As opposed to that lying bitch on the 23rd floor.' He zones out for a moment staring at the wall.
Cuckoo, I think to myself.
'Sorry, guy. I'll bet your name is Sam. Right, Sam is it?'
I don't know what to say. My name isn't Sam, but I'm dealing with a guy who seems to be missing the entire suit of clubs from his deck. 'Yeah, Sam.'
'Right. See, I knew I'd run into a Sam today. Just had a feeling. Hey, maybe you can help me out and distract her while I sneak into the office to kill her. You want to do that for me?'
I feel like we're talking about playing a prank on someone. 'Sorry. Umm, I have to get to some things. And I'm already late as it is.'
'Yeah, I understand. I didn't mean to inconvenience you. I have a plan anyway. Well, I had a plan. I'm starting to wonder if it's such a good idea at this point. I mean, obviously someone up there doesn't think I should go through with it.' He points up to the ceiling. 'Or else I wouldn't be stuck in here with you, Sam. You know, Sam saved my life in Iraq. He tackled me as some insurgents opened fire. Took a bullet in the fleshy part of his leg. Good guy, that Sam.' He zoned out again.
'I think I'm going to try the bell again,' I tell him.
'Yeah, please. Go ahead. I think I'd like to get out of here anyway. Now that I think of it, the watch might belong to her brother who stayed with us last weekend. As a matter of fact, I saw him wearing it.' He chuckles to himself. 'That's right. It's her brother's. And to think I was going to kill her.'
The elevator comes back to life and descends slowly but consistently until it reaches the bottom floor. The doors open to the security guard surrounded by a few cops and firemen.
'Are you okay?' one of the cops asks.
'Yeah, I'm fine,' I reply.
'Yes, sir. But I have a hankering for a good breakfast. Can you make any recommendations?'
After a brief chat with the cops, the gentleman begins to walk away. But he turns and calls, 'Sam, you want to join me?'
'No thanks,' I reply.
'Okay, well good getting to know you. And remember,' he said in a mock whisper, 'what happens in the elevator stays in the elevator.' He lets out an odd chuckle and exits.
I wait a few moments and walk out the front doors back into the murky morning wondering what to do next. After coming up with nothing, I sit on a wet bench and stare at the barren trees.
Monday, November 9, 2009
It's Personal: A Letter...
I had no ideas for the evening. Nothing particularly interesting happened today. The dogs haven't done anything noteworthy. Nor have the cats. I finally submitted my application to Seattle University for the MBA program, but that doesn't take much space to say. Pittsburgh beat Denver. I don't care overly much. And I don't have any idea what's wrong with the Jints. I wish I knew. Yeah, really nothing.
And then I decided to look back through my journals. I began in 1998. But for the first year, I didn't keep good track of dates. I found nothing of note in November of 1999, a time that I'd rather forget in any case. But then I looked through the white binder that held my thoughts from the year 2000. I came across a letter I had written. But to give you some flavor, I will first sample from a paper I wrote for Fr. Connor's Introduction to the Spiritual Life in May 2001.
'During February of 2000, the seminarians from Hartford discovered that they were going to Rome for the Jubilee year. All of us were ecstatic.. We could not believe the Archdiocese would pay for such an expense. In any case, we began to prepare for the trip. We looked through some Italian phrase books; we analyzed maps so that we would know our way through the city.
'I was more than excited because this would mean my first trip overseas. In addition, the vocation director hinted at the fact that we might be able to have a private audience with the Pope. Generally, I do not become excited at the mention of celebrities. But the Pope is so much more than a celebrity. And this Pope, specifically, has become a personal hero for me. I began to listen to the Pope's rendition of the Pater Noster each morning as I readied myself for work and school. In addition, I began to read books written by and about him. I wanted to know as much as I could about the man whom I was going to meet.
'The date of our pilgrimage came, and we traveled to the Eternal City on November 6th. We attended the papal audience the next day, but no one had mentioned the private audience. I became worried and started talking to my brother seminarians. We finally asked the priests, and they responded with blank stares. No one had arranged for a meeting with His Holiness. I did not give up - nor did my brothers. We had heard that we could deliver a hand-written note to the Swiss Guard at 6 a.m. in which we could request a private audience.'
And so I personally wrote the following letter on November 7, 2000:
'Dear Father Dziwisz, (Pope John Paul's secretary)
The seminarians of the Archdiocese of Hartford request a private audience with His Holiness Pope John Paul II as part of our pilgrimage during this, the Holy Jubilee Year of 2000. We shall be in the Eternal City until Friday evening, and we feel that this private audience would enrich our respective vocations. In our ranks, we have two men who will be ordained to the priesthood in May as well as another who is preparing for his ordination to the diaconate in January. In addition, 15 others are in theology, pre-theology, and college. Please contact Robert _____ in Rm 367 of the Quality Hotel Regent on the Via Filippo Civinni, 46 (Pavioli) 00197 Roma.
We thank you for your time and we pray that we may have the opportunity to meet the Beloved Vicar of Christ.'
We gave it to one of the Swiss Guard at 6 a.m. on the morning of 11/8. I give to you the remainder of the paper written in May 2001.
'Alas, we never received the call. Fate had dashed my dreams. I knew that I should have been happy about seeing him at all. I knew that this pilgrimage was itself a gift from God. I knew that I was celebrating the Jubilee Year of 2000 in the birthplace of Roman Catholicism. But none of these reasonable truths kept me from the disappointment that I felt. I wanted so badly to meet the Pope.'
Yes, I was disappointed. But the final paragraph of that paper revealed that there are always silver linings.
'Meanwhile, I struggle onward. As I reach the end of my first year in the seminary I know that I have a long way to go in my formation. I still need to be less prideful. I still need to listen better. I still need to pray more fervently. I still need to control my appetites. While I progress, however, I can take comfort in at least one thing. A good source has informed me that the Pope reads all letters that people write requesting private audiences. If this is true, the Pope has read a letter written by my hand. And, because our names were on that sheet, the Pope is praying for us. I can imagine no better person... except perhaps my grandmother.'
Nine years ago. And I still consider Pope John Paul II a hero. And I can still imagine no better person praying for me than my grandmother...
And then I decided to look back through my journals. I began in 1998. But for the first year, I didn't keep good track of dates. I found nothing of note in November of 1999, a time that I'd rather forget in any case. But then I looked through the white binder that held my thoughts from the year 2000. I came across a letter I had written. But to give you some flavor, I will first sample from a paper I wrote for Fr. Connor's Introduction to the Spiritual Life in May 2001.
'During February of 2000, the seminarians from Hartford discovered that they were going to Rome for the Jubilee year. All of us were ecstatic.. We could not believe the Archdiocese would pay for such an expense. In any case, we began to prepare for the trip. We looked through some Italian phrase books; we analyzed maps so that we would know our way through the city.
'I was more than excited because this would mean my first trip overseas. In addition, the vocation director hinted at the fact that we might be able to have a private audience with the Pope. Generally, I do not become excited at the mention of celebrities. But the Pope is so much more than a celebrity. And this Pope, specifically, has become a personal hero for me. I began to listen to the Pope's rendition of the Pater Noster each morning as I readied myself for work and school. In addition, I began to read books written by and about him. I wanted to know as much as I could about the man whom I was going to meet.
'The date of our pilgrimage came, and we traveled to the Eternal City on November 6th. We attended the papal audience the next day, but no one had mentioned the private audience. I became worried and started talking to my brother seminarians. We finally asked the priests, and they responded with blank stares. No one had arranged for a meeting with His Holiness. I did not give up - nor did my brothers. We had heard that we could deliver a hand-written note to the Swiss Guard at 6 a.m. in which we could request a private audience.'
And so I personally wrote the following letter on November 7, 2000:
'Dear Father Dziwisz, (Pope John Paul's secretary)
The seminarians of the Archdiocese of Hartford request a private audience with His Holiness Pope John Paul II as part of our pilgrimage during this, the Holy Jubilee Year of 2000. We shall be in the Eternal City until Friday evening, and we feel that this private audience would enrich our respective vocations. In our ranks, we have two men who will be ordained to the priesthood in May as well as another who is preparing for his ordination to the diaconate in January. In addition, 15 others are in theology, pre-theology, and college. Please contact Robert _____ in Rm 367 of the Quality Hotel Regent on the Via Filippo Civinni, 46 (Pavioli) 00197 Roma.
We thank you for your time and we pray that we may have the opportunity to meet the Beloved Vicar of Christ.'
We gave it to one of the Swiss Guard at 6 a.m. on the morning of 11/8. I give to you the remainder of the paper written in May 2001.
'Alas, we never received the call. Fate had dashed my dreams. I knew that I should have been happy about seeing him at all. I knew that this pilgrimage was itself a gift from God. I knew that I was celebrating the Jubilee Year of 2000 in the birthplace of Roman Catholicism. But none of these reasonable truths kept me from the disappointment that I felt. I wanted so badly to meet the Pope.'
Yes, I was disappointed. But the final paragraph of that paper revealed that there are always silver linings.
'Meanwhile, I struggle onward. As I reach the end of my first year in the seminary I know that I have a long way to go in my formation. I still need to be less prideful. I still need to listen better. I still need to pray more fervently. I still need to control my appetites. While I progress, however, I can take comfort in at least one thing. A good source has informed me that the Pope reads all letters that people write requesting private audiences. If this is true, the Pope has read a letter written by my hand. And, because our names were on that sheet, the Pope is praying for us. I can imagine no better person... except perhaps my grandmother.'
Nine years ago. And I still consider Pope John Paul II a hero. And I can still imagine no better person praying for me than my grandmother...
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Sporting Rants & Raves: November 7, 2009
Happy Birthday
Happy 71st birthday to Mr. Jim Kaat, a former baseball player and 7-time Emmy winning broadcaster. Kaat boasts the third longest pitching career in Major League History having pitched from 1959-1983. During that span, he played for the Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals.
Trivia of the Week
Jim Kaat played for 25 seasons in the Majors. Who are the only 2 pitchers that had longer tenures? Extra Credit: What were their respective tenures in MLB?
Answers to October 31's Trivia of the Week
Saban is considered part of this man's coaching tree. Bill Belichick
Extra Credit: For which two NFL teams did Saban act as Defensive Back coach and Defensive Coordinator respectively? Houston Oilers and Cleveland Browns
The Best Team Wins
For anyone who doesn't already know - which excludes everyone who reads this blog - the New York Yankees have officially won their 27th World Series. Their first in the New Yankee Stadium - rather appropriate - and my guess is the last for the foursome of Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte, and Posada as team members. An odd stat... Every time the Yankees have won since 1961 (9 of 27 times), a Democrat has been in the White House. A little more analysis shows that 20 of their 27 WS wins come in years when a Democrat was in the White House, leaving just 7 of those with Republicans. Interesting...
The Best Team Wins II
Did something today I haven't done in a while. I went to see a Pee Wee football game to watch a kid I've tutored. It was the championship game between the Bulldogs of Richmond (though not exactly sure where 'Richmond' is in these parts) and the Knights of Ballard. The 2 teams had battled earlier in the year to a 7-7 tie, making them undefeated coming into the game. The Knights scored first on a long run from their tailback. But they could not convert on the extra point. 6-0. The Bulldogs roared back with a drive of their own before the half making it 6-6. It seemed the Dogs would score before the half, but they were stopped on 4 straight downs inside the 5. Come the second half, it was all Bulldogs. Their offense scored again. And the defense kept the Knight off the field. Final score: Bulldogs 13 - Knights 7. The right team won...
Upset Alert - NCAA Football
Northwestern takes down Iowa. Yeah, I know, Iowa lost its QB. But don't tell me that a team gets to #8 based on its QB alone. And if that's true, well, see ya later Hawkeyes. Northwestern 17 - Iowa 10.
Stanford beats Oregon. No defense in this one as they scored 93 points between them. Stanford 51 - Oregon 42.
I suppose it's worth mentioning that Ohio State beat Penn State today, though at 15 and 11 respectively, I can't consider this as much an upset as some of the others. Then again, given the 17 point difference, perhaps it is. Ohio St 24 - Penn St 7.
And the biggest travesty of the day? Navy sinks Notre Dame. Again. I don't mean to jump on any bandwagons, but see ya later, Charlie. Navy 23 - Notre Dame 21.
TD's NFL Picks - Week 9
Keeping it short and sweet this week. Gotta clean house.
Washington @ Atlanta
The Redskins are terrible. Zorn should not even be in the vicinity not to call plays. And then there are the Falcons who are still annoyed that they lost to a beatable Saints team. TD chooses: Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay @ Tampa Bay
Have you heard? In the battle of the Bays, Tampa has decided to don their throwbacks. My first thought was, 'Oh God, really?' My second thought was, 'It makes sense this year at 0-7'. TD chooses: Green Bay Packers
Miami @ New England
Miami blew out the Patriots in their last game last year. But last year is not a good indication of this year's reality. Methinks Brady, Moss, and Welker will tame the WildKat. TD chooses: New England Patriots
Kansas City @ Jacksonville
In this battle of the bad, you have in one corner a Jags team that I saw mutilated by the Seattle Seahawks who were themselves mutilated by the Arizona Cardinals. Yeah, not so good. And in the other corner you have a once proud franchise that has dwindled to the point of obsolescence and ridiculousness (see Larry Johnson). Who wins? I'll put my money on Maurice. TD chooses: Jacksonville Jaguars
Houston @ Indianapolis
Could be a shootout, but whenever I say something like that, it never seems to come to fruition. So I won't say it. Instead, I'll say that Peyton's having a great year and generally does well against division foes. TD chooses: Indianapolis Colts
Baltimore @ Cincinnati
Close to a game of the week. It's a must win for the Ravens. It's a more than nice-to-have for the Bagels. Cincy comes off a bye. Baltimore comes off a good win against the Broncos. I think the Ravens have the momentum. But I'm concerned about choosing against the Bagels. Eh, well, I'll make this about my alma mater. Go Blue Hens. TD chooses: Baltimore Ravens
Arizona @ Chicago
It's about that time of year when Chicago starts to get a tad bit nippy. And Arizona ain't about nippy. Generally. But Arizona has actually been better away from home this year. The better team? TD chooses: Arizona Cardinals
Carolina @ New Orleans
Don't underestimate John Fox. Sean Payton won't. TD chooses: New Orleans Saints
Detroit @ Seattle
Everyone around here has this expectation that the Seachickens will destroy the Lions. I personally don't think so, especially if Calvin Johnson is in the lineup. Still, Qwest Field can be intimidating with the 12th man. TD chooses: Seattle Seahawks
San Diego @ New York Giants
You know what I think happened to the New York Giant Defense these past three weeks? Good teams and no Spags. Well, they better get their heads out of their hind parts and start playing like they've been there. Will they in this game? Something tells me they will. TD chooses: New York Football Giants
Tennessee @ San Francisco
Two weeks ago and this is San Fran by far. Now, I'm not so sure. Can Vince Young make that much of a difference? Yes, but not because of his talent. Rather it's because teams haven't seen him recently - he's somewhat of an unknown - and he gives the offense - an offense I don't think is bad - a spark. Still, San Fran has done well under Singletary and can win this game. In fact I think they will win this game. TD chooses: San Francisco 49ers
Dallas @ Philadelphia
Great Sunday Night Game. I wish it weren't for the lead in the NFC East, but I can't complain overly much given the Jints rancid play. Romo does well in the regular season. But it seems Philly will have all of its offensive weapons for the game. I don't put it past them to pull it out against the Cowboys at home. TD chooses: Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh @ Denver
And a great Monday Night Game. Go figure. Denver's licking its wounds; and it better figure out how to reduce the exposure many thought were coming in the Baltimore game. I think Pittsburgh will find a way to disrupt the O-line and Orton as the Ravens did. I know, Denver deserves respect. But watch out for the Steelers. TD chooses: Pittsburgh Steelers
And there you have it. Another week of rants and raves. Until next I write, happy sporting...
Happy 71st birthday to Mr. Jim Kaat, a former baseball player and 7-time Emmy winning broadcaster. Kaat boasts the third longest pitching career in Major League History having pitched from 1959-1983. During that span, he played for the Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals.
Trivia of the Week
Jim Kaat played for 25 seasons in the Majors. Who are the only 2 pitchers that had longer tenures? Extra Credit: What were their respective tenures in MLB?
Answers to October 31's Trivia of the Week
Saban is considered part of this man's coaching tree. Bill Belichick
Extra Credit: For which two NFL teams did Saban act as Defensive Back coach and Defensive Coordinator respectively? Houston Oilers and Cleveland Browns
The Best Team Wins
For anyone who doesn't already know - which excludes everyone who reads this blog - the New York Yankees have officially won their 27th World Series. Their first in the New Yankee Stadium - rather appropriate - and my guess is the last for the foursome of Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte, and Posada as team members. An odd stat... Every time the Yankees have won since 1961 (9 of 27 times), a Democrat has been in the White House. A little more analysis shows that 20 of their 27 WS wins come in years when a Democrat was in the White House, leaving just 7 of those with Republicans. Interesting...
The Best Team Wins II
Did something today I haven't done in a while. I went to see a Pee Wee football game to watch a kid I've tutored. It was the championship game between the Bulldogs of Richmond (though not exactly sure where 'Richmond' is in these parts) and the Knights of Ballard. The 2 teams had battled earlier in the year to a 7-7 tie, making them undefeated coming into the game. The Knights scored first on a long run from their tailback. But they could not convert on the extra point. 6-0. The Bulldogs roared back with a drive of their own before the half making it 6-6. It seemed the Dogs would score before the half, but they were stopped on 4 straight downs inside the 5. Come the second half, it was all Bulldogs. Their offense scored again. And the defense kept the Knight off the field. Final score: Bulldogs 13 - Knights 7. The right team won...
Upset Alert - NCAA Football
Northwestern takes down Iowa. Yeah, I know, Iowa lost its QB. But don't tell me that a team gets to #8 based on its QB alone. And if that's true, well, see ya later Hawkeyes. Northwestern 17 - Iowa 10.
Stanford beats Oregon. No defense in this one as they scored 93 points between them. Stanford 51 - Oregon 42.
I suppose it's worth mentioning that Ohio State beat Penn State today, though at 15 and 11 respectively, I can't consider this as much an upset as some of the others. Then again, given the 17 point difference, perhaps it is. Ohio St 24 - Penn St 7.
And the biggest travesty of the day? Navy sinks Notre Dame. Again. I don't mean to jump on any bandwagons, but see ya later, Charlie. Navy 23 - Notre Dame 21.
TD's NFL Picks - Week 9
Keeping it short and sweet this week. Gotta clean house.
Washington @ Atlanta
The Redskins are terrible. Zorn should not even be in the vicinity not to call plays. And then there are the Falcons who are still annoyed that they lost to a beatable Saints team. TD chooses: Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay @ Tampa Bay
Have you heard? In the battle of the Bays, Tampa has decided to don their throwbacks. My first thought was, 'Oh God, really?' My second thought was, 'It makes sense this year at 0-7'. TD chooses: Green Bay Packers
Miami @ New England
Miami blew out the Patriots in their last game last year. But last year is not a good indication of this year's reality. Methinks Brady, Moss, and Welker will tame the WildKat. TD chooses: New England Patriots
Kansas City @ Jacksonville
In this battle of the bad, you have in one corner a Jags team that I saw mutilated by the Seattle Seahawks who were themselves mutilated by the Arizona Cardinals. Yeah, not so good. And in the other corner you have a once proud franchise that has dwindled to the point of obsolescence and ridiculousness (see Larry Johnson). Who wins? I'll put my money on Maurice. TD chooses: Jacksonville Jaguars
Houston @ Indianapolis
Could be a shootout, but whenever I say something like that, it never seems to come to fruition. So I won't say it. Instead, I'll say that Peyton's having a great year and generally does well against division foes. TD chooses: Indianapolis Colts
Baltimore @ Cincinnati
Close to a game of the week. It's a must win for the Ravens. It's a more than nice-to-have for the Bagels. Cincy comes off a bye. Baltimore comes off a good win against the Broncos. I think the Ravens have the momentum. But I'm concerned about choosing against the Bagels. Eh, well, I'll make this about my alma mater. Go Blue Hens. TD chooses: Baltimore Ravens
Arizona @ Chicago
It's about that time of year when Chicago starts to get a tad bit nippy. And Arizona ain't about nippy. Generally. But Arizona has actually been better away from home this year. The better team? TD chooses: Arizona Cardinals
Carolina @ New Orleans
Don't underestimate John Fox. Sean Payton won't. TD chooses: New Orleans Saints
Detroit @ Seattle
Everyone around here has this expectation that the Seachickens will destroy the Lions. I personally don't think so, especially if Calvin Johnson is in the lineup. Still, Qwest Field can be intimidating with the 12th man. TD chooses: Seattle Seahawks
San Diego @ New York Giants
You know what I think happened to the New York Giant Defense these past three weeks? Good teams and no Spags. Well, they better get their heads out of their hind parts and start playing like they've been there. Will they in this game? Something tells me they will. TD chooses: New York Football Giants
Tennessee @ San Francisco
Two weeks ago and this is San Fran by far. Now, I'm not so sure. Can Vince Young make that much of a difference? Yes, but not because of his talent. Rather it's because teams haven't seen him recently - he's somewhat of an unknown - and he gives the offense - an offense I don't think is bad - a spark. Still, San Fran has done well under Singletary and can win this game. In fact I think they will win this game. TD chooses: San Francisco 49ers
Dallas @ Philadelphia
Great Sunday Night Game. I wish it weren't for the lead in the NFC East, but I can't complain overly much given the Jints rancid play. Romo does well in the regular season. But it seems Philly will have all of its offensive weapons for the game. I don't put it past them to pull it out against the Cowboys at home. TD chooses: Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh @ Denver
And a great Monday Night Game. Go figure. Denver's licking its wounds; and it better figure out how to reduce the exposure many thought were coming in the Baltimore game. I think Pittsburgh will find a way to disrupt the O-line and Orton as the Ravens did. I know, Denver deserves respect. But watch out for the Steelers. TD chooses: Pittsburgh Steelers
And there you have it. Another week of rants and raves. Until next I write, happy sporting...
Thursday, November 5, 2009
3WW (Karma, Obey, Wither): Haiku
Haven't written haiku in some time. Taking a break from the story at least for a week...
The green grapes wither;
They obey the sun’s red heat.
Raisins as karma.
They obey the sun’s red heat.
Raisins as karma.
They wish they'd wither,
fall to karma's losing curse.
Yankees don't obey.
fall to karma's losing curse.
Yankees don't obey.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Twenty-Seven
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
YANKEES WIN!!!
Thank you and good night...
Monday, November 2, 2009
It's Personal: A Different Kind of Adventure
I'm not particularly adventurous. In fact, I'm rather risk averse. Yes, I took off across the country in a half-packed Mitsubishi Galant unsure where I might land. But I still haven't been out of the state in which I now live - apart from flying home - more than thrice. Okay, I once purchased part of a horse named White Tex in an internet venture when I was in college; the horse broke its leg. But I've never played the lottery. And I've been to the casino twice in my life and have spent maybe about $20.
And when I tell you what I think my greatest adventure thus far has been, you might think me a bit of a square. But I challenge you to attempt this adventure...
It was just after the winter vacation of my second year in the seminary. The pre-Theologians (those who have not yet attained a philosophy degree and can therefore not attend theology classes or wear a collar) were at what I seem to remember was St. Williams Hall just up the road from the main seminary building. We were there for a retreat.
Tangent: I loved retreats when I was in the seminary. A time to reflect and read. A time to sleep and relax. A time to center one's self. We had retreats immediately before every winter/spring semester in the seminary. And during the summer with the Archdiocese.
It was an Ignatian Retreat.
Tangent: Ignatius of Loyola was founder of the Society of Jesus otherwise known as the Jesuits. His Spiritual Exercises (composed 1522-1524) are well known throughout the Church.
We followed the prayers, meditations, and mental exercises of the Exercises. Though meant for approximately 1 month, the priest in charge of the retreat condensed them into 2 weeks.
Where's the adventure, you might ask?
The priest suggested that we seminarians might try a silent retreat.
And I took him up on the offer.
For 2 weeks, I spoke only at mass and with my spiritual advisor. I slept some. I read a lot. I prayed even more. What was most interesting? I still communicated with everyone in the building. Not with my voice but with my hands. And my eyes. With my actions and facial expressions.
Those 2 weeks stick in my memory as the most profound in my life. And in some ways, the most adventurous. Because I journeyed not across a nation or even into the unknown but rather into the depths of myself.
And when I tell you what I think my greatest adventure thus far has been, you might think me a bit of a square. But I challenge you to attempt this adventure...
It was just after the winter vacation of my second year in the seminary. The pre-Theologians (those who have not yet attained a philosophy degree and can therefore not attend theology classes or wear a collar) were at what I seem to remember was St. Williams Hall just up the road from the main seminary building. We were there for a retreat.
Tangent: I loved retreats when I was in the seminary. A time to reflect and read. A time to sleep and relax. A time to center one's self. We had retreats immediately before every winter/spring semester in the seminary. And during the summer with the Archdiocese.
It was an Ignatian Retreat.
Tangent: Ignatius of Loyola was founder of the Society of Jesus otherwise known as the Jesuits. His Spiritual Exercises (composed 1522-1524) are well known throughout the Church.
We followed the prayers, meditations, and mental exercises of the Exercises. Though meant for approximately 1 month, the priest in charge of the retreat condensed them into 2 weeks.
Where's the adventure, you might ask?
The priest suggested that we seminarians might try a silent retreat.
And I took him up on the offer.
For 2 weeks, I spoke only at mass and with my spiritual advisor. I slept some. I read a lot. I prayed even more. What was most interesting? I still communicated with everyone in the building. Not with my voice but with my hands. And my eyes. With my actions and facial expressions.
Those 2 weeks stick in my memory as the most profound in my life. And in some ways, the most adventurous. Because I journeyed not across a nation or even into the unknown but rather into the depths of myself.
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