Thom Yorke's solo album has leaked. I suppose if you're not a fan of Radiohead, that doesn't mean anything to you. If you were me, and if this were an actual Radiohead album (instead of a solo album) you'd go into a Radiohead related cloud of obliviousness for the next week. Luckily this album is a bit more low key, perhaps better for a bike ride.
I've already gotten tired of it looping (but it did play about 5 times first).
MY BOSS IS OUT OF TOWN ON JUNE 22ND. Why would that matter? Because that makes it pretty much impossible for me to not be at work. And why wouldn't I want to be at work?
Ghana vs. United States (in Nurnberg), 9:55 a.m. ESPN
So now I've got to figure out how I'm going to work that into the schedule. Unless I'm overlooking something, the games aren't available online. This seems impossible to believe, but I'm not finding anything...
Anyone know something I don't?
31 May 2006
29 May 2006
a few announcements
Jewel's career is just about over with. I shouldn't care, but for some reason I find pleasure in this fact. I only know this because CBS television is on just to my right.
My pal in Japan (Jon) is back at blogging. That may be of no interest to you, but it certainly is to me.
My garbage disposal is no longer stuck. Who knew all you needed was an allen wrench? To my surprise, there was a penny stuck in there. It's been making horrible noises for something like 8 months, and I was just pretending that it was supposed to make those noises. It's making new noises now (probably not good noises), but they're not nearly as unpleasant. Also, I have dishwashing detergent in my hair now, probably from laying my head under the sink.
I used this rub recipe on my catfish fillet dinner. It was okay. A little salty.
I also rode 50 miles today, 5 or so yesterday (just to keep loose), and 40 on Saturday. I need a lot of work before the RAIN ride or I will die somewhere on Indiana Route 40.
My pal in Japan (Jon) is back at blogging. That may be of no interest to you, but it certainly is to me.
My garbage disposal is no longer stuck. Who knew all you needed was an allen wrench? To my surprise, there was a penny stuck in there. It's been making horrible noises for something like 8 months, and I was just pretending that it was supposed to make those noises. It's making new noises now (probably not good noises), but they're not nearly as unpleasant. Also, I have dishwashing detergent in my hair now, probably from laying my head under the sink.
I used this rub recipe on my catfish fillet dinner. It was okay. A little salty.
I also rode 50 miles today, 5 or so yesterday (just to keep loose), and 40 on Saturday. I need a lot of work before the RAIN ride or I will die somewhere on Indiana Route 40.
25 May 2006
lost and found
Somehow I've been pulled into the vast web that is Lost viewing. And if you want to, you can get pulled in further and further thanks to a bunch of websites that only seek to confuse you further. I really don't have any interest in getting to involved in that, but somehow my follow-up Lost research (was the statue the foot of The Colossus of Rhodes? Probably not.) led me to Wikipedia again, where I started reading up about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The seven wonders (the Great Pyramid of Giza, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Temple of Artemis, Mausoleum of Maussollos, Colossus of Rhodes, and Lighthouse of Alexandria) are actually sort of boring. That's not to say they're not impressive, but none of them are as cool as the world's largest pendulum clock (inside a building in Tokyo), or even Indianapolis' largest Mr. Bendo (who knew there were so many?).
The 21 official candidates on the new Seven Modern Wonders of the World list are much cooler. Now I might just be saying that because I've been to Kiyomizu-dera, and it's on the list, or perhaps I just find the Great Wall a little more impressive than a status of Zeus.
No matter how you structure the argument, I think it's easy to see those olden-timers got nothing on us. In fact, I think it's entirely possible that we've got seven Indianapolis wonders as impressive as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (which don't even really hang). For example, who can deny the wonders of The Cancer Row Dumps That Smell Like Dog Food of the Near South Side*? Or the Neverending Construction of the Central Library?
Take that, Lighthouse of Alexandria.
Footnotes
*"An Indianapolis census tract southwest of Downtown that lies between White River and Belmont Avenue had a (cancer) risk of 274 in a million." This article (Indy Star), about half way down the page.
The seven wonders (the Great Pyramid of Giza, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Temple of Artemis, Mausoleum of Maussollos, Colossus of Rhodes, and Lighthouse of Alexandria) are actually sort of boring. That's not to say they're not impressive, but none of them are as cool as the world's largest pendulum clock (inside a building in Tokyo), or even Indianapolis' largest Mr. Bendo (who knew there were so many?). The 21 official candidates on the new Seven Modern Wonders of the World list are much cooler. Now I might just be saying that because I've been to Kiyomizu-dera, and it's on the list, or perhaps I just find the Great Wall a little more impressive than a status of Zeus.
No matter how you structure the argument, I think it's easy to see those olden-timers got nothing on us. In fact, I think it's entirely possible that we've got seven Indianapolis wonders as impressive as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (which don't even really hang). For example, who can deny the wonders of The Cancer Row Dumps That Smell Like Dog Food of the Near South Side*? Or the Neverending Construction of the Central Library?
Take that, Lighthouse of Alexandria.
Footnotes
*"An Indianapolis census tract southwest of Downtown that lies between White River and Belmont Avenue had a (cancer) risk of 274 in a million." This article (Indy Star), about half way down the page.
23 May 2006
22 May 2006
because bike posts generate a ton of comments
After deciding that I'm fed up with my general lack of fitness I made a commitment this weekend to ride in the annual Ride Across Indiana this year. The 160 mile ride takes place on July 15th and runs from Terre Haute all the way to Richmond.*
I'd like to say this is a huge test and act like it's a generally big deal, but almost 1000 people finished it in the allotted 16 hours last year, so I really have no excuse not to finish. And even though the route runs right behind my beautiful south-side subdivision (and along my daily commute route), I'll really have no excuse to quit at that point. Thought it'll probably be about mile 80, and my current long ride is 86.
In any case, it's going to require a little bit of training, and my weekend rides will slowly ramp up to the suggested 75% ride the week before. In case you're wondering what that schedule looks like:
5/27 - 50 miles
6/3 - 55 miles
6/10 - 60 miles
6/17 - 70 miles
6/24 - 80 miles
7/1 - 100 miles
7/8 - 120 miles
There are a few problems with the schedule, one being F1 weekend (perhaps the only weekend I'm glad I chose Indianapolis over anywhere else*), the other being that it seems like a lot more commitment than I'm used to. BUT...
We'll see how it goes. I suspect that I may actually ride a little ahead of schedule, because 50 miles doesn't seem like that much anymore, especially since I'm getting at least 25 in most days. The best part about the whole thing is that I'll be doing it with a couple of guys from work, and that makes the whole thing amazingly easier and better.
* * * * *
If you've never rode a bike around downtown on a busy weekend, you should try it some time. I suggest riding wherever you want in traffic. I just wish I could explain how sort of freeing it is....
Footnotes Section
*Which is where you'll find the pieces of my broken body afterwards.
*No offense meant to those happy Indianapolis residents.
Log
5/20 - 40.5 miles
5/21 - 23.5 miles
5/22 - 11.5 miles so far...
I'd like to say this is a huge test and act like it's a generally big deal, but almost 1000 people finished it in the allotted 16 hours last year, so I really have no excuse not to finish. And even though the route runs right behind my beautiful south-side subdivision (and along my daily commute route), I'll really have no excuse to quit at that point. Thought it'll probably be about mile 80, and my current long ride is 86.
In any case, it's going to require a little bit of training, and my weekend rides will slowly ramp up to the suggested 75% ride the week before. In case you're wondering what that schedule looks like:
5/27 - 50 miles
6/3 - 55 miles
6/10 - 60 miles
6/17 - 70 miles
6/24 - 80 miles
7/1 - 100 miles
7/8 - 120 miles
There are a few problems with the schedule, one being F1 weekend (perhaps the only weekend I'm glad I chose Indianapolis over anywhere else*), the other being that it seems like a lot more commitment than I'm used to. BUT...
We'll see how it goes. I suspect that I may actually ride a little ahead of schedule, because 50 miles doesn't seem like that much anymore, especially since I'm getting at least 25 in most days. The best part about the whole thing is that I'll be doing it with a couple of guys from work, and that makes the whole thing amazingly easier and better.
* * * * *
If you've never rode a bike around downtown on a busy weekend, you should try it some time. I suggest riding wherever you want in traffic. I just wish I could explain how sort of freeing it is....
Footnotes Section
*Which is where you'll find the pieces of my broken body afterwards.
*No offense meant to those happy Indianapolis residents.
Log
5/20 - 40.5 miles
5/21 - 23.5 miles
5/22 - 11.5 miles so far...
18 May 2006
tight pants and fruity little hats (i own both)
I just received a phone call from a coworker who wanted to know if "I wear those bike shorts with the pad in the butt."
"Yes."
"Do you wear something over them?"
"Yes, when I ride to work I do. Obviously."
* * * * *
Just not in time for bike week, the IMAX theater at the State Musuem will be showing Wired To Win, a film about the Tour De France and the human brain. I know next to nothing about this movie, but when my Indy Critical Mass* email hit my box with the details, I went ahead and ordered tickets* anyway. It's a "one time test screening", and will be showing next Thursday, the 25th, at 7:30 pm. I'd highly recommend it if I knew anything about it. The trailer looks cool, anyway, and I think those guys are riding Colnagos, which means absolutely nothing to anyone who wouldn't be caught dead in one of these hats*.
*I have never actually participated in this event
*Warning: Ordering page doesn't work with firefox
*That's could almost be considered pulling out a Breaking Away reference. And maybe one of those double negative things. All in one sentence.
"Yes."
"Do you wear something over them?"
"Yes, when I ride to work I do. Obviously."
* * * * *
Just not in time for bike week, the IMAX theater at the State Musuem will be showing Wired To Win, a film about the Tour De France and the human brain. I know next to nothing about this movie, but when my Indy Critical Mass* email hit my box with the details, I went ahead and ordered tickets* anyway. It's a "one time test screening", and will be showing next Thursday, the 25th, at 7:30 pm. I'd highly recommend it if I knew anything about it. The trailer looks cool, anyway, and I think those guys are riding Colnagos, which means absolutely nothing to anyone who wouldn't be caught dead in one of these hats*.
*I have never actually participated in this event
*Warning: Ordering page doesn't work with firefox
*That's could almost be considered pulling out a Breaking Away reference. And maybe one of those double negative things. All in one sentence.
17 May 2006
Philips is a sponser of your United States Men's National Soccer Team
Shaveeverywhere.com is Philips' new website for their Bodygroom line of razors. Why am I writing about a website for a razor? Well, this isn't a regular razor, it's one you can use to shave anywhere. Instead of beating around the bush* , Philips has decided to embrace what people are going to really use the product for.
You should really just see the website. I highly recommend the testimonials.
*pun alert
You should really just see the website. I highly recommend the testimonials.
*pun alert
birds are singing
The blogging has gotten a bit slower as of late, but I'd like to think that's because things are humming along in my personal life.
When I moved to Indy in back in 2000, I was a not-so-fresh from college graduate (it took me six months to find work) with few aspirations and a cigarette addiction. Gina (my girlfriend of four years at that point) was a high school graduate with a few college courses under her belt and no real future plans.
Since then: Gina found a job, my dad was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, I went to Japan, Gina's mother had a stroke, Gina lost her job when she went to care for her mother, Gina started at the University of Indianapolis, my dad died from multiple myeloma, I bought a house, Gina and I both quit smoking, I went back to Japan, the Cardinals lost a world series, and finally...
Gina finished school.
If you're counting, we've been dating 10 or 11 years. And while it hasn't always been perfect, I'm not going to pretend like it's been tough (like people like to say a long marriage is). We've always tried to keep in mind (even when we were bored with everything) that eventually we'd both be making money, and then, finally, we could do whatever we wanted.
Well, Gina is interning with a newspaper (one you've probably heard of) right now, and she's interviewing a bit, so I'd say we're 95% there. Things have been going so swimmingly lately that I'm starting to wonder if I deserve any of it, and I'm waiting for the roof to fall in.
But I feel like I've got most things figured out. I don't need to make a lot of money; it's not going to make me any happier. I know I want to move out of my boring CP Morgan neighborhood to somewhere a bit more diverse (and perhaps even more dilapidated). I want to have somewhere to walk to. I want to know my neighbors well. I want Gina to enjoy her job environment as much as I enjoy mine.
I want to sell my stupid truck.
I want someone to suggest a nice diverse neighborhood with small (no bigger than 1500 square feet) homes in the $100-150s.
It's all right over the next hill. Jinx.
When I moved to Indy in back in 2000, I was a not-so-fresh from college graduate (it took me six months to find work) with few aspirations and a cigarette addiction. Gina (my girlfriend of four years at that point) was a high school graduate with a few college courses under her belt and no real future plans.
Since then: Gina found a job, my dad was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, I went to Japan, Gina's mother had a stroke, Gina lost her job when she went to care for her mother, Gina started at the University of Indianapolis, my dad died from multiple myeloma, I bought a house, Gina and I both quit smoking, I went back to Japan, the Cardinals lost a world series, and finally...
Gina finished school.
If you're counting, we've been dating 10 or 11 years. And while it hasn't always been perfect, I'm not going to pretend like it's been tough (like people like to say a long marriage is). We've always tried to keep in mind (even when we were bored with everything) that eventually we'd both be making money, and then, finally, we could do whatever we wanted.
Well, Gina is interning with a newspaper (one you've probably heard of) right now, and she's interviewing a bit, so I'd say we're 95% there. Things have been going so swimmingly lately that I'm starting to wonder if I deserve any of it, and I'm waiting for the roof to fall in.
But I feel like I've got most things figured out. I don't need to make a lot of money; it's not going to make me any happier. I know I want to move out of my boring CP Morgan neighborhood to somewhere a bit more diverse (and perhaps even more dilapidated). I want to have somewhere to walk to. I want to know my neighbors well. I want Gina to enjoy her job environment as much as I enjoy mine.
I want to sell my stupid truck.
I want someone to suggest a nice diverse neighborhood with small (no bigger than 1500 square feet) homes in the $100-150s.
It's all right over the next hill. Jinx.
14 May 2006
08 May 2006
riding down a trail with a dog with no name
As I mentioned before, I spent this past weekend biking Missouri's Katy Trail. If you're wondering what that's like, take a trip to Indianapolis' own Central Canal Towpath, pretend that you're riding next to a river instead of a canal, and throw in some bluffs (obscured by trees). Ride for for 225 miles. Rinse and repeat.To be honest, it's sort of repetitive and perhaps even a little boring. But it is pretty, and since I'm the kind of person who finds boredom entertaining, I'll be back. My friends and I didn't make the full 60 or so mile trek we had originally planned, but that turned out for the best, I think. Instead, we twice ate at Augusta Missouri's Augusta Brewing Company, and got to enjoy some locally brewed Hyde Park Stout. After a lunch of beef brisket, the only logical choice for dinner was a steak. I normally don't eat much red meat, but Saturday's 60 or so mile trek brought the carnivore out in me.
Having finished dinner (and a few glasses of the stout), we jumped back on our bikes and headed to Klondike park, which is the former site of a rock quarry that overlooks the Missouri River (and a factory). After setting up our tents and showering we headed over to a pond area that had even more bluffs. But these bluffs were unlike any other we had seen in that they were covered with a fine, almost ash-like, white sand. I'm sure my engineer friend explained what the sand was, but I'm not a very good listener.Sunday we cleaned up our campsite and hit the trail again, and after a short distance we were accompanied by a very well behaved dog. The dog ended up running with us for an unbelievable 10 (or so) miles in total, and because her tags were worn completely unreadable (except for a rabies vaccination number), we really had no clear plan of action to rid ourselves of our her.
First we called the local police, and they informed us that unless the dog was aggressive there was nothing they would do. We then considered calling back and saying that the dog had attacked us, but obviously that wasn't a very good solution. As a pet owner myself, I was completely blown away with the fact that the police didn't want to bother; the dog could have easily been reunited with its owner if they'd just made the effort to match the rabies tag to an owner name.
In the end we ended up having a gentleman hold the dog until we rode out of sight. So we really don't know what happened to the dog, but I do know I didn't end up bringing it home, which looked like the only solution for a short while.
All in all, it was a very worthwhile trip, mainly due to the fact that we ate well. I've already started looking for a better suited bike for the trail, and I suspect I'll be back sooner than later.
07 May 2006
real salt lake vs columbus crew
Instead of writing match reports as I watch the game, I'll just be doing postgame notes from here on out.
I wish I could say this was a game that RSL deserved to win; but you've got to get shots on goal to deserve a win. The postgame stat sheet says the shots were RSL 11 to Columbus' 4, but watching the game it seemed more like RSL 0 to Columbus 0. The post game stat sheet also says that RSL had 6 shots on goal; I don't remember any of them.
It was that sort of effort. Once again RSL had a defensive breakdown that cost them a cheap goal. In fact, the goal was so cheap that Scott "No Go" Garlick decided to not make an effort to stop it. If you're keeping track, that's two times in two weeks that Go Go made no effort on an opponent goal. I know the guy has a pretty decent MLS career, but a complete lack of effort might mean it's time to hang it up. Even I'm capable of throwing a leg out.
Medhi Ballouchy had a fantastic game, and I found myself wishing he'd just try to run through the Columbus defense. He pulled some new footwork tricks out of his bag this week, and (probably because I haven't seen that AT ALL in MLS yet) I briefly thought of Christiano Ronaldo. Medhi did get pushed around a little bit in the second half, but he was easily RSL's best player. His passes were consistently on target, including a double step-over nutmeg ball to a teammate inside the Columbus 18 yard box that SHOULD have been a goal (instead, Atiba Harris stood and watched it roll not more that two yards in front of him... maybe they should try Atiba in goal). Medhi was all over the field, and he showed that he's perfectly capable of extended possession. The only thing he didn't do was put the ball on goal.
But you can't blame him for that, because he was just following the example of his forwards. Jeff Cunningham attempted a couple shots when he should have passed, and it was never more obvious that he didn't care for his strike partner than when they collided going after the same ball. Atiba Harris immediately fell to the ground in pain, and Cunningham walked off (without looking back) like he felt that Harris had gotten what he deserved for getting in the way.
I really don't have much to say about the efforts of Columbus; they were consistently lackluster and were outplayed by RSL. But they did finish when they needed to, and thus got the 1-0 win.
I can't help but think that Jason Kreis would have been a huge help in this game, but he was out because of last week's red card. I'd like to see someone other than Scott Garlick in net next week. And I wish Eddie Pope didn't make at least one play per week that made me nervous to have him playing on the National Team. I don't know what else to say other than I'm pretty glad I haven't been a RSL fan since last year; 6 straight games without a win is pretty rough, I can't imagine what it's like to watch 18 winless.
* * * * *
For those of you still reading, here's a link to all the MLS players' salaries. I was mildly surprised to find out that a lot of guys are making less money than I do, but completely amazed that some of the guys don't make a third of what I do.
But then again, a lot of these guys don't finish their runs (a definite difference between MLS and the Premier League) and some of them don't really seem interested at all. Maybe you get what you pay for?
I wish I could say this was a game that RSL deserved to win; but you've got to get shots on goal to deserve a win. The postgame stat sheet says the shots were RSL 11 to Columbus' 4, but watching the game it seemed more like RSL 0 to Columbus 0. The post game stat sheet also says that RSL had 6 shots on goal; I don't remember any of them.
It was that sort of effort. Once again RSL had a defensive breakdown that cost them a cheap goal. In fact, the goal was so cheap that Scott "No Go" Garlick decided to not make an effort to stop it. If you're keeping track, that's two times in two weeks that Go Go made no effort on an opponent goal. I know the guy has a pretty decent MLS career, but a complete lack of effort might mean it's time to hang it up. Even I'm capable of throwing a leg out.
Medhi Ballouchy had a fantastic game, and I found myself wishing he'd just try to run through the Columbus defense. He pulled some new footwork tricks out of his bag this week, and (probably because I haven't seen that AT ALL in MLS yet) I briefly thought of Christiano Ronaldo. Medhi did get pushed around a little bit in the second half, but he was easily RSL's best player. His passes were consistently on target, including a double step-over nutmeg ball to a teammate inside the Columbus 18 yard box that SHOULD have been a goal (instead, Atiba Harris stood and watched it roll not more that two yards in front of him... maybe they should try Atiba in goal). Medhi was all over the field, and he showed that he's perfectly capable of extended possession. The only thing he didn't do was put the ball on goal.
But you can't blame him for that, because he was just following the example of his forwards. Jeff Cunningham attempted a couple shots when he should have passed, and it was never more obvious that he didn't care for his strike partner than when they collided going after the same ball. Atiba Harris immediately fell to the ground in pain, and Cunningham walked off (without looking back) like he felt that Harris had gotten what he deserved for getting in the way.
I really don't have much to say about the efforts of Columbus; they were consistently lackluster and were outplayed by RSL. But they did finish when they needed to, and thus got the 1-0 win.
I can't help but think that Jason Kreis would have been a huge help in this game, but he was out because of last week's red card. I'd like to see someone other than Scott Garlick in net next week. And I wish Eddie Pope didn't make at least one play per week that made me nervous to have him playing on the National Team. I don't know what else to say other than I'm pretty glad I haven't been a RSL fan since last year; 6 straight games without a win is pretty rough, I can't imagine what it's like to watch 18 winless.
* * * * *
For those of you still reading, here's a link to all the MLS players' salaries. I was mildly surprised to find out that a lot of guys are making less money than I do, but completely amazed that some of the guys don't make a third of what I do.
But then again, a lot of these guys don't finish their runs (a definite difference between MLS and the Premier League) and some of them don't really seem interested at all. Maybe you get what you pay for?
03 May 2006
the trail to victory
Real Salt Lake will be getting their first win of the year Saturday, when they take on the Columbus Crew at Rice-Eccles Stadium. You can't help but feel a little sorry for the Crew this year. With just one win and one tie versus three loses and only four goals scored, it would be hard to call this team anything but horrible. But at least they have a nice GM. Look for a huge game from Mehdi Ballouchy, who did a nice job in the middle after coming on as a sub last week.
I won't be watching the game though, because I'll be spending Saturday and Sunday on a bicycle on Missouri's Katy Trail. Katy is not unlike the Monon trail in that it's a rails to trails project. But whereas the Monon trail only runs 20-some miles in total, Katy runs 225 miles across most of Missouri, from St. Charles (just northwest of St. Louis) to Clinton, which is 75 miles southeast of Kansas City.
I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone that didn't see the benefit of a bike trail like The Monon trail. Anyone who has ever used it could tell you how worthwhile it is to spend a couple hours walking, biking, or skating, and interacting with (or just looking at, really) other people from the city. Rail to trails projects do this for communities all over the country. These trails are also beneficial in that they bring a sort of eco-friendly positive tourism* and business to small communities that most people would never visit if it weren't for the trail.
I also think that communities with a wide network of trails are attractive to young people as places to live. In a city that reportedly has issues with brain drain, I think that might be worth noting.
*eco-friendly positive tourism? this whole post ended up reading like a bad high school research paper
Other important notes:
1) If it's Bike to Work Month and you actually bike to work, shouldn't there be some sort of prize? I'll take a tank of gas for the stupid truck I traded my VW golf for. Coming soon to a classified ad near you...
2) Among the higlights of Indiana Bikefest is the opportunity to "Ride by basketball legend Larry Bird’s summer home". Just in case you forgot what state you're in.
3) I don't know who designed the promo poster (or graphics or whatever) for Bike IN 2006 (the bike festival in White River State park on May 20th and 21st), but they did a fine job. I'd like a poster for my garage.
01 May 2006
pot smokers put to death
Ok, that's not the case at all, but it did get your attention, right?University of Colorado police are smarter than any old group of dumb kids. Especially if that group of kids are out to celebrate 4/20.
First, you post warning signs.
Then you start videotaping and wait for everyone to incriminate themselves (for trespassing, if nothing else).
And then you post all the pictures online and wait for people they know to rat them out for $50.
420 dudes! Enjoy your fine!
That's what you get for wearing a bandana in public.
audience participation time
So as you can see, I've (well, Gina actually) changed the background. The photo is from the top of Mount Misen, which is located at Miyajima, outside of Hiroshima, Japan. There are a group of rocks atop Mount Misen, and my friend Jason attempted to climb to the top of one of them. Much to my amusement, this proved to be impossible. I like the photo a lot... but perhaps it's a bit much for a background.
Do you find the transparency (if you're using Firefox, anyway) annoying? If you're using Internet Explorer it's probably not an issue, since you should just be seeing white boxes...
By the way, I just want to point out how cool my user pic is.
Do you find the transparency (if you're using Firefox, anyway) annoying? If you're using Internet Explorer it's probably not an issue, since you should just be seeing white boxes...
By the way, I just want to point out how cool my user pic is.
26 April 2006
i'm on call this weekend
I'm guessing (because I haven't checked) that we're in for fantastic weather again this weekend. I'll be on call so I can't go too far, and I'm broke. What that probably means is I'll ride my bike down to the canal and back home, and that will be the extent of my weekend activities - if I don't find something better to do. I should probably just volunteer for something. Anyone looking for a volunteer?
Anyway, the writing well is dry right now, so I'm going to repost something I wrote quite a while ago, before anyone was reading. I think it reads well. Enjoy.
* * * * *
In the early months of 2005, I acquired an Indianapolis Public Library card.
The library is quite possibly the greatest of human inventions. A man armed with only the ability to read could step inside its doors and learn almost anything he wanted.
With that thought in mind, my first visit to the library led me directly to the digital card catalog, where I quickly looked up The Best American series of books.
I became familiar with these books when on my quest to read all things David Eggers (not a particulary noble pursuit, I know... but what can I say? I enjoy reading him). He edited the last couple editions of The Best American Non-Required Reading, a series of books I find quite entertaining.
A look through the available titles showed a whole series travel books, so I made the trek upstairs and grabbed 3 at once. The library is quite nice in that you're allowed to take something like 12 books at once, which, while impossible to actually read, makes you feel quite accomplished when you're carrying them out the door.
Hop scotch forward 3 or so months, and I've devoured all three of the books, and the only thing that I've really accomplished is making myself more miserable. Suddenly I know more about Zanzibar, and it sounds like the kind of place I'd like to investigate further.
So I make plans in my head to buy maps, and place pins in them so I can mark all the places I want to see. And I plan to reread all the books, taking notes from each story that interests me, and further researching the locations, and writing page-long papers to file away, all in hopes of someday visiting everywhere.
But in the meantime I'm looking ahead 8 months, checking flights, and putting together my plans for another trip to Japan, a trip I may have to take out a loan to make (but I'm definitely making). And I'm looking ahead to when my car is paid off and I've got $369 in monthly disposible income. And I'm counting down the years until I've reached the milestone that grants me three weeks vacation at work. And I'm trying to figure out how many languages I'll need to learn, and I'm trying to figure out how I can do all this on a middle class salary.
And then I'm looking at the Peace Corps web site, wondering if I could just sell the house and start over. And I'm reading worldhum.com, learning more about even more places, and plotting them on the map in my head.
And I'm working out at the gym so I can look like those people in my travel/adventure magazines, and I'm looking at jeeps and land cruisers and four wheel drive vehicles (goodbye $369 in disposible income), and tents and shoes and walking sticks and camp stoves and....
All this does is make me feel more miserable in my current situation.
What good is the library anyway?
Anyway, the writing well is dry right now, so I'm going to repost something I wrote quite a while ago, before anyone was reading. I think it reads well. Enjoy.
* * * * *
In the early months of 2005, I acquired an Indianapolis Public Library card.
The library is quite possibly the greatest of human inventions. A man armed with only the ability to read could step inside its doors and learn almost anything he wanted.
With that thought in mind, my first visit to the library led me directly to the digital card catalog, where I quickly looked up The Best American series of books.
I became familiar with these books when on my quest to read all things David Eggers (not a particulary noble pursuit, I know... but what can I say? I enjoy reading him). He edited the last couple editions of The Best American Non-Required Reading, a series of books I find quite entertaining.
A look through the available titles showed a whole series travel books, so I made the trek upstairs and grabbed 3 at once. The library is quite nice in that you're allowed to take something like 12 books at once, which, while impossible to actually read, makes you feel quite accomplished when you're carrying them out the door.
Hop scotch forward 3 or so months, and I've devoured all three of the books, and the only thing that I've really accomplished is making myself more miserable. Suddenly I know more about Zanzibar, and it sounds like the kind of place I'd like to investigate further.
So I make plans in my head to buy maps, and place pins in them so I can mark all the places I want to see. And I plan to reread all the books, taking notes from each story that interests me, and further researching the locations, and writing page-long papers to file away, all in hopes of someday visiting everywhere.
But in the meantime I'm looking ahead 8 months, checking flights, and putting together my plans for another trip to Japan, a trip I may have to take out a loan to make (but I'm definitely making). And I'm looking ahead to when my car is paid off and I've got $369 in monthly disposible income. And I'm counting down the years until I've reached the milestone that grants me three weeks vacation at work. And I'm trying to figure out how many languages I'll need to learn, and I'm trying to figure out how I can do all this on a middle class salary.
And then I'm looking at the Peace Corps web site, wondering if I could just sell the house and start over. And I'm reading worldhum.com, learning more about even more places, and plotting them on the map in my head.
And I'm working out at the gym so I can look like those people in my travel/adventure magazines, and I'm looking at jeeps and land cruisers and four wheel drive vehicles (goodbye $369 in disposible income), and tents and shoes and walking sticks and camp stoves and....
All this does is make me feel more miserable in my current situation.
What good is the library anyway?
22 April 2006
real salt lake at houston 180
I've spent the day mountain biking in Indiana's fine Brown County, as well as Indianapolis' fine 96th street trails, and followed that up with bangers and mash at Broad Ripple Brew Pub, so there's a good chance I'll fall into a coma at any second... with that...
Go Go (if you don't know Go Go by now, you're dead to me) just fumbled the ball.. no harm done. Ladies and Gentlemen, YOUR REAL SALT LAKE Cavaliers? I'm not sure.
I know Brian Ching lit it up in week one. I'm still not impressed with him and I'm hoping Eddie Pope destroys him tonight. Jeff Cunningham is starting the game off well by fouling anyone in his area. I realize he's had a rough start to the year, but I don't think this is the sort of contribution we need out of him. See that? I used the word "we".
This is my first experience with RSL's white jerseys. They're pretty white. Eddie Robinson just showed Jeff Cunningham a does of real ultimate power. Have I mentioned the TV sponsorship on Houston's broadcast? They've running an add for a safety gate company. FabEnCo. Look it up. Your primary TV sponsor is a safety gate company? Maybe the league isn't doing as well as I had previously thought.
RSL's forwards are practicing a new type of offensive pressure; it's called "Don't". I know it's normal to just walk when the ball is on the other end of the field. I don't recall seeing someone walk when the ball was ten yards from them.
It's more longball crap this week. 18 minutes in and the offensive plan seems to be "throw it up there and hope we signed Thierry Henry when no one was paying attention." In case you haven't seen Theirry Henry lately, the guy is just a monster. . I expect better things from France this World Cup. And that's my "I watch alot of Arsenal games" aside for this RSL match report.
If your offensive is as loaded with "stars" as RSL's, and you still can't seem to string together two passes on the offensive end, who do you blame? It's not like they don't have anyone who knows how to score. But they can't seem to build anything. Everything seems like a desperate plea for a forced own-goal. They're certainly not interested building an attack themselves.
Ok. I'm done writing this. I'm just going to watch in hope that my luck changes.
* * * * *
Revisited: RSL ended up losing 2-1 after taking a 1-0 lead on a very pretty Jeff Cunningham goal. Three minutes later, Houston countered thanks to a bit of bad man marking on a corner kick. Houston scored again in around the 85th minute, and RSL had once again secured the road loss.
It appeared that RSL played the entire game trying not to lose. Even Cunningham's goal wasn't anything that was really a sustained build up on the offensive end, it was just a quick strike (and probably a bit of luck). With the amount of talent RSL has up top (Cunningham and Kreis), they really shouldn't be suffering from a lack of goals.
They seem to insist on getting Andy Williams playing time up top, but his career numbers don't really show that he deserves it. This moves Kreis back to attacking midfield, which he's probably capable of playing, but it's not where he's best suited.
Defensively they've gotten much better since the first game, and considering the lack of offense I think they do quite well. It's very difficult to spend an entire game defening.
Perhaps the thing that stuck out most was that once RSL were tied and halftime rolled around, they started to string things together on the offensive end and pressure Houston's defense. This lead to defensive mistakes and offensive opportunities. Prior to the tying goal the offensive pressure had been horrible, but I'm not sure the players can be put at fault. It seemed pretty obvious that forcing defensive mistakes wasn't a primary goal of the game plan.
All in all it was a pretty lackluster effort, despite the short window where a road victory seemed entirely possible. I think the blame lies more in the gameplanning than in the players on the field. A consistant effort to force errors could have lead to a different result.
Maybe next week.
Go Go (if you don't know Go Go by now, you're dead to me) just fumbled the ball.. no harm done. Ladies and Gentlemen, YOUR REAL SALT LAKE Cavaliers? I'm not sure.
I know Brian Ching lit it up in week one. I'm still not impressed with him and I'm hoping Eddie Pope destroys him tonight. Jeff Cunningham is starting the game off well by fouling anyone in his area. I realize he's had a rough start to the year, but I don't think this is the sort of contribution we need out of him. See that? I used the word "we".
This is my first experience with RSL's white jerseys. They're pretty white. Eddie Robinson just showed Jeff Cunningham a does of real ultimate power. Have I mentioned the TV sponsorship on Houston's broadcast? They've running an add for a safety gate company. FabEnCo. Look it up. Your primary TV sponsor is a safety gate company? Maybe the league isn't doing as well as I had previously thought.
RSL's forwards are practicing a new type of offensive pressure; it's called "Don't". I know it's normal to just walk when the ball is on the other end of the field. I don't recall seeing someone walk when the ball was ten yards from them.
It's more longball crap this week. 18 minutes in and the offensive plan seems to be "throw it up there and hope we signed Thierry Henry when no one was paying attention." In case you haven't seen Theirry Henry lately, the guy is just a monster. . I expect better things from France this World Cup. And that's my "I watch alot of Arsenal games" aside for this RSL match report.
If your offensive is as loaded with "stars" as RSL's, and you still can't seem to string together two passes on the offensive end, who do you blame? It's not like they don't have anyone who knows how to score. But they can't seem to build anything. Everything seems like a desperate plea for a forced own-goal. They're certainly not interested building an attack themselves.
Ok. I'm done writing this. I'm just going to watch in hope that my luck changes.
* * * * *
Revisited: RSL ended up losing 2-1 after taking a 1-0 lead on a very pretty Jeff Cunningham goal. Three minutes later, Houston countered thanks to a bit of bad man marking on a corner kick. Houston scored again in around the 85th minute, and RSL had once again secured the road loss.
It appeared that RSL played the entire game trying not to lose. Even Cunningham's goal wasn't anything that was really a sustained build up on the offensive end, it was just a quick strike (and probably a bit of luck). With the amount of talent RSL has up top (Cunningham and Kreis), they really shouldn't be suffering from a lack of goals.
They seem to insist on getting Andy Williams playing time up top, but his career numbers don't really show that he deserves it. This moves Kreis back to attacking midfield, which he's probably capable of playing, but it's not where he's best suited.
Defensively they've gotten much better since the first game, and considering the lack of offense I think they do quite well. It's very difficult to spend an entire game defening.
Perhaps the thing that stuck out most was that once RSL were tied and halftime rolled around, they started to string things together on the offensive end and pressure Houston's defense. This lead to defensive mistakes and offensive opportunities. Prior to the tying goal the offensive pressure had been horrible, but I'm not sure the players can be put at fault. It seemed pretty obvious that forcing defensive mistakes wasn't a primary goal of the game plan.
All in all it was a pretty lackluster effort, despite the short window where a road victory seemed entirely possible. I think the blame lies more in the gameplanning than in the players on the field. A consistant effort to force errors could have lead to a different result.
Maybe next week.
21 April 2006
i was not forgotten
Mr. Pastorino has gotten back to me:
Of course I'm sure everyone wants to know what he's sending me. I figure it's one of two things:
1) A reprint of Scott Garlick's saucy spread in Playgirl
2) A Mormon Tabernacle Choir
If it's neither of those things I don't think I could possibly feel anything but dissapointment.
Hi Mike,
I’ve been swamped all week, but I want to express my humble thanks that you have chosen us. Every fan counts! Send me your physical address and I’ll see what kind of a care package of RSL stuff I can send your way. I’ll try to respond more in-depth before the weekend. We’re working on some big things.
Thanks,
Steve
Of course I'm sure everyone wants to know what he's sending me. I figure it's one of two things:
1) A reprint of Scott Garlick's saucy spread in Playgirl
2) A Mormon Tabernacle Choir
If it's neither of those things I don't think I could possibly feel anything but dissapointment.
20 April 2006
help
I'm afraid I'm turning into a Bike Nazi.
It probably started when I decided that commuting by bike was a good idea. Suddenly I'm hypersensitive to the way people drive, I'm bitter that there are no southside bike trails, I have delusions that the people I pass sitting in traffic on Bluff Road witness my incredible speed (20 mph with a tailwind) and are jealous of me, and Tuesday, while sitting in traffic next to a Prius, I had the urge to ask the driver what kind of gas mileage she was getting.
Then I thought of making up shirts with a picture of a Prius that said "Poseur".
I still think that's kind of funny.
How did this happen? And what's the cure? Where does it end? What aren't bicycle shorts proper work attire? Nevermind, I know the answer to that one.
It probably started when I decided that commuting by bike was a good idea. Suddenly I'm hypersensitive to the way people drive, I'm bitter that there are no southside bike trails, I have delusions that the people I pass sitting in traffic on Bluff Road witness my incredible speed (20 mph with a tailwind) and are jealous of me, and Tuesday, while sitting in traffic next to a Prius, I had the urge to ask the driver what kind of gas mileage she was getting.
Then I thought of making up shirts with a picture of a Prius that said "Poseur".
I still think that's kind of funny.
How did this happen? And what's the cure? Where does it end? What aren't bicycle shorts proper work attire? Nevermind, I know the answer to that one.
18 April 2006
you're kidding, right?
So just as I've decided that I'll be pledging my allegiance to Real Salt Lake, I discover this news.
Honestly, I don't believe this is going to happen. While St. Louis is well know for producing soccer talent, I can't recall a huge demand for tickets back when the USMNT played Guatemala at the St. Louis Soccer Park. I guess we'll see how it plays out.
It's good news if it does happen, of course. I'll just be rooting for someone else.
*By "east side of St. Louis" I do not mean East St. Louis. I mean more east than East St. Louis. Like 25 miles more east.
A group of investors is looking at acquiring an expansion team that would begin play in 2008 in the St. Louis area, possibly in the Metro East. The main issue is securing a location and putting together financing to build a soccer-specific stadium. A final decision on a stadium site could come in the next few weeks.Metro East? That probably means the east side. I'm from the east side of St. Louis!*
Honestly, I don't believe this is going to happen. While St. Louis is well know for producing soccer talent, I can't recall a huge demand for tickets back when the USMNT played Guatemala at the St. Louis Soccer Park. I guess we'll see how it plays out.
It's good news if it does happen, of course. I'll just be rooting for someone else.
*By "east side of St. Louis" I do not mean East St. Louis. I mean more east than East St. Louis. Like 25 miles more east.
and the winner is...
I've made a decision.
Thanks go out to Kansas City Wizards' GM Curt Johnson:
So what did I get out of this? Well first, a $70 charge on my DirecTV bill. But more importantly, I learned that Major League Soccer is a successful, viable and accessible league, with teams that truly care about their fans. I'm still a bit amazed at the effort that these three gentlemen made, but more so by the effort made by Steve Pastorino.
It's refreshing to easily speak with someone so important to an organization that truly has great aspirations. And while the product on the field certainly played a part in my decision, Steve's work was definitely the strongest factor in winning my support. It's also been good to see the improvements RSL have made in the past three weeks, and I believe they're coming around. At least I hope so. They're my team now.
Hey Steve,And here's the consolation emails I sent to Curt Johnson and Mark McCullers. I'm sure they were heartbroken.
So I finally got around to watching the game last night. Much better effort all around, especially on the defensive end. NY's goal was pretty unfortunate, but I guess those things happen.
I'm sure you're busy but I've got a few questions if you get a bit of time.
I'm wondering how you're feeling about things so far this year? I get the feeling that the team hasn't really met your expectations. What were your expectations, and have you adjusted them?
What should I look for this weekend against Houston?
And I've got a question about the Alexi Lalas move or maybe a question about being a GM in general (if you can talk about it). Is a job for LA Galaxy necessarily a better than a job for Red Bull NY? I'd assume money comes into any decision, and maybe location as well, but is there a "marquis" GM job in the league? Are there owners that are more likely to spend money? And why has Lalas had three different GM jobs already? Does having a couple really horrible CDs out make you a lock for a job out in LA? I've got a few guitars if you want to borrow one.
You can probably tell by now that I've chosen RSL as my team. I like the idea that there isn't much history there to get caught up on. I like that you have a mazda miata in the corner of your stadium (that's what it looked like, anyway). I like the hippies with drums I saw on the tv broadcast (as long as they're mormon). I like the mountain west conference. I like Scott Garlick's mustache. I feel like I can teach your forwards to tuck in their shirts. I still don't know the names of any of your fullbacks except Eddie Pope. But it's all coming to me.
Congratulations, you've done a fine job of selling your team. Thanks for your hard work. You put a great face on the organization and I'm always happy to read what you have to say.
But most importantly, I feel like you've got the right ideas as far as where to go with the franchise, and I think the future is going to be very rewarding for Real Salt Lake and for me as a fan.
Thanks again,
Mike
Thanks go out to Kansas City Wizards' GM Curt Johnson:
Curt,And another round of thanks for Columbus Crew GM Mark McCullers:
I want to thank you once again for taking the time to respond to my original email. Your argument for Kansas City was very strong and based primarily in the product on the field, and your results so far this year certainly makes for a strong case.
But... I've decided to root for Real Salt Lake. Steve Pastorino has put forth an unbelievable effort in trying to gain my attention, and although you've also done a fine job, his work has been impossible to ignore. I truly believe that RSL are committed to a winning and world class organization, and I like the idea of getting in (as a fan) as close as possible to the beginning of what I believe is going to be fine tradition of excellence.
I want to congratulate you on your success so far this year, and I wish you luck going forward.
Thanks again,
Mike
Mark,
I just wanted to thank you again for the effort and time you put forth in trying to convince me to become a Crew fan. You're email was very impressive, and in most cases you would have been more than convincing enough to persuade me to root for the Crew.
But... I've decided to root for Real Salt Lake. Steve Pastorino has put out an unbelievable effort to convince me to root for RSL, and I like the idea of rooting for a team with as little history as possible - that way there's less to catch up on. I also like the direction that RSL's management hopes to go with the team, and I think there's a solid future coming for Real Salt Lake.
I hope (well, I know) that you won't take this news too hard, and I also hope that I can buy you a beer when I get out to Columbus for a game this year. Your efforts were commendable and I know that your time is valuable. The least I can do is offer you a frosty reward.
I wish you the best of luck this year and I hope to get back to you later to let you know when I'm coming out. Perhaps you could even recommend a specific game?
Thanks again.
Mike
So what did I get out of this? Well first, a $70 charge on my DirecTV bill. But more importantly, I learned that Major League Soccer is a successful, viable and accessible league, with teams that truly care about their fans. I'm still a bit amazed at the effort that these three gentlemen made, but more so by the effort made by Steve Pastorino.
It's refreshing to easily speak with someone so important to an organization that truly has great aspirations. And while the product on the field certainly played a part in my decision, Steve's work was definitely the strongest factor in winning my support. It's also been good to see the improvements RSL have made in the past three weeks, and I believe they're coming around. At least I hope so. They're my team now.
17 April 2006
red bull new york at real salt lake
Here it is two days after the fact, your RSL match report. This is going to be a little more difficult to do this time, because normally I jump around to the other teams' web sites to get players names right; I don't want to do that now for fear of discovering the score.
We're coming to you live from Utah Uters stadium (remember, I can't check my facts) in downtown Salt Lake. RSL have really done a great job with the field this year... the grass appears to be as full and smooth as any I've ever seen. Surely the groundskeepers at Chelsea have RSL's groundskeepers on call. In addition, they've painted a strange design on the field that teaches children to count by tens all the way up to 50. A very commendable effort.
To the game: Any game with Tony Meola is worth watching, that's what I always say. I really shouldn't give Tony a hard time; he did a commendable job for the national team back in the 60's. It's also good to see that Red Bull have come out wearing the best example of what a cool iron-on can do for a white t-shirt. I've had nicer jerseys in rec league indoor, and we weren't even there to play soccer... we were there to get into fistfights.
It's interesting to watch these guys on turf, I can't see Beckham playing in a league with fake grass. I'd imagine it's also difficult to convince foreign teams to come play on your turf field... Hey there's some people sitting in recliners... You don't see that at Old Trafford.
If RSL don't win this game I'm putting a curse on Scott Garlick's mustache... he'll wake up in the middle of the night choking, only to find out it's crawled down his face and around his neck.
Chris Klien just took a shot from the 10... I guess that's a 25 yard shot? Ballouchy looks good early in the game again. He's been a bright spot for the team so far this year.
Ooh, the broadcast team is promising US/Jamaica highlights at halftime. That should be good for negative 90 minutes of the halftime show.
RSL is already more aggressive this game than they've been in the past two games. I think this might be the first corner kick in team history. Andy Williams with the kick, if you're wanting to keep track for trivia later.
Alot alot alot more creativity out of RSL this game. I wonder if it's the turf field or the home crowd or the the hippies drumming. I saw you, hippies. I know what you're up to. RSL might consider changing their slogan to "REAL SALT LAKE: PUFF PUFF HEEL PASS." Well I thought it was clever.
Have I mentioned how svelte Scott Garlick is?
Is it "Darby" or "Derby"? They're talking about Chivas/Galaxy and I swear they're saying "Darby". Is it really darby?
I think if my name was Edsun Buddle I'd just drop the Buddle part. Then I'd tell everyone I was Brazilian. That's surely a solid strategy to pick up Brazilian women.
If you thought my notes were rough last week, tune in this week!
Watching these teams play on turf is sort of scary. I keep expecting guys' legs to explode. You can kind of see why RSL isn't normally that patient in midfield... the turf field doesn't really play that way. Everything is very quick and everything ends up being a long ball because the ball doesn't slow down.
Jeff Cunningham was just robbed by Tony Meola. Meola should have been carded, he blocked the shot with his walker.
HALFTIME! hmm.
Mo Johnston needs a drink. I don't know anything about Mo Johnston, but I'm pretty sure I'm right.
This half's notes are sparse. Meola just tackled Andy Williams, I think. That wasn't very nice. I bet Tony's got that pool from Cocoon at his house. After the game he's going breakdancing.
Now Jason Kreis is on. RSL has like 14 of Major League Soccer's top 20 all-time scorers, but none of them appear to be too interested in scoring this year. This is going to end up 0-0, isn't it? RSL has had 49 shots to Red Bulls' 3.
AND... Guevara just scored. Same defensive breakdown by the center of RSL's defense that they've been showcasing for the last two games... this was the first time it happened this game and it cost them. They don't deserve this. It isn't fair. I'm putting Go Go's curse on hold.
10 minutes left... let's see what they've got left.
Meola just broke his hip. It was a nice career, but that's what you get when you're using robot legs to support a 327 year old body. Nevermind, he's ok. Behold the power of Meatballs.
JASON KREIS! It's his 93918th career goal off a header from the free kick. Scott Garlick's mustache just ran down the field and punched Tony Meola in the balls.
And now it's end to end and Klien just missed a prime opportunity and now it's a 1-1 final and I'm ok with that because I am aware of the awesome powers of Tony Meola and a point is a point.
We're coming to you live from Utah Uters stadium (remember, I can't check my facts) in downtown Salt Lake. RSL have really done a great job with the field this year... the grass appears to be as full and smooth as any I've ever seen. Surely the groundskeepers at Chelsea have RSL's groundskeepers on call. In addition, they've painted a strange design on the field that teaches children to count by tens all the way up to 50. A very commendable effort.
To the game: Any game with Tony Meola is worth watching, that's what I always say. I really shouldn't give Tony a hard time; he did a commendable job for the national team back in the 60's. It's also good to see that Red Bull have come out wearing the best example of what a cool iron-on can do for a white t-shirt. I've had nicer jerseys in rec league indoor, and we weren't even there to play soccer... we were there to get into fistfights.
It's interesting to watch these guys on turf, I can't see Beckham playing in a league with fake grass. I'd imagine it's also difficult to convince foreign teams to come play on your turf field... Hey there's some people sitting in recliners... You don't see that at Old Trafford.
If RSL don't win this game I'm putting a curse on Scott Garlick's mustache... he'll wake up in the middle of the night choking, only to find out it's crawled down his face and around his neck.
Chris Klien just took a shot from the 10... I guess that's a 25 yard shot? Ballouchy looks good early in the game again. He's been a bright spot for the team so far this year.
Ooh, the broadcast team is promising US/Jamaica highlights at halftime. That should be good for negative 90 minutes of the halftime show.
RSL is already more aggressive this game than they've been in the past two games. I think this might be the first corner kick in team history. Andy Williams with the kick, if you're wanting to keep track for trivia later.
Alot alot alot more creativity out of RSL this game. I wonder if it's the turf field or the home crowd or the the hippies drumming. I saw you, hippies. I know what you're up to. RSL might consider changing their slogan to "REAL SALT LAKE: PUFF PUFF HEEL PASS." Well I thought it was clever.
Have I mentioned how svelte Scott Garlick is?
Is it "Darby" or "Derby"? They're talking about Chivas/Galaxy and I swear they're saying "Darby". Is it really darby?
I think if my name was Edsun Buddle I'd just drop the Buddle part. Then I'd tell everyone I was Brazilian. That's surely a solid strategy to pick up Brazilian women.
If you thought my notes were rough last week, tune in this week!
Watching these teams play on turf is sort of scary. I keep expecting guys' legs to explode. You can kind of see why RSL isn't normally that patient in midfield... the turf field doesn't really play that way. Everything is very quick and everything ends up being a long ball because the ball doesn't slow down.
Jeff Cunningham was just robbed by Tony Meola. Meola should have been carded, he blocked the shot with his walker.
HALFTIME! hmm.
Mo Johnston needs a drink. I don't know anything about Mo Johnston, but I'm pretty sure I'm right.
This half's notes are sparse. Meola just tackled Andy Williams, I think. That wasn't very nice. I bet Tony's got that pool from Cocoon at his house. After the game he's going breakdancing.
Now Jason Kreis is on. RSL has like 14 of Major League Soccer's top 20 all-time scorers, but none of them appear to be too interested in scoring this year. This is going to end up 0-0, isn't it? RSL has had 49 shots to Red Bulls' 3.
AND... Guevara just scored. Same defensive breakdown by the center of RSL's defense that they've been showcasing for the last two games... this was the first time it happened this game and it cost them. They don't deserve this. It isn't fair. I'm putting Go Go's curse on hold.
10 minutes left... let's see what they've got left.
Meola just broke his hip. It was a nice career, but that's what you get when you're using robot legs to support a 327 year old body. Nevermind, he's ok. Behold the power of Meatballs.
JASON KREIS! It's his 93918th career goal off a header from the free kick. Scott Garlick's mustache just ran down the field and punched Tony Meola in the balls.
And now it's end to end and Klien just missed a prime opportunity and now it's a 1-1 final and I'm ok with that because I am aware of the awesome powers of Tony Meola and a point is a point.
welcome to baseball purgatory
Yesterday I celebrated Easter by checking out the St. Louis Cardinals' new home, Busch Stadium 2. The stadium has been widely applauded, so I guess it should come as no surprise that I didn't really like it.
Don't get me wrong, it's a very nice facility. The access to amenities and bathrooms are all top notch. The seats are fairly comfortable. There are almost too many places to stand and watch the game. The building is very pretty and they've done a nice job of incorporating pieces of the old Busch stadium. And it's done wonders for the neighborhood already; there are condos for sale in every old dumpy (but now ready for redevelopment!) warehouse within the 3 block area.
The Cardinals organization has every reason to be proud. They got the stadium up in no time, may have helped save downtown St. Louis (it was already starting to come around from it's previous dangerous ghost town reputation), and gave fans a place they can be proud to call home.
But...
Most Cardinal fans are aware that the building isn't quite done yet. If you saw the highlights from yesterday's game, you probably noticed that Albert Pujhols' three home runs landed in empty seats; those seats aren't open yet.
That's not really a big deal. What is a big deal is that if you're sitting in the 430 section seats, you can't see a scoreboard. Well, you can see part of the big scoreboard; you can see the lineups and everyone's batting averages, as well as who's up. But that's it.
It appears that there will eventually be a scoreboard hanging on the third base side fourth balcony; there's an open section there that is obviously missing something. So that's a forgivable error. In St. Louis someone is always keeping a scorecard, so all you have to do is peek at the guy next to you.
While the scoreboard issue is forgivable, what isn't is the fact that you can't see the whole field from 430. You can see most of the field, but balls hit down the right field line get lost under the 300 sections. And I'm willing to be they couldn't see them either.
To be honest, I don't recall ever sitting so high in the old Busch, but I did walk around a bit up there, and I'm pretty sure you could always see the field. But even if you couldn't see the whole field in Busch I, I would have thought that clear sight lines would a an obvious priority in a new baseball stadium. Maybe not if you're not paying more than $20 for your ticket.
The fan bricks outside the stadium are a nice touch, but something about them seems shoddy... they're hard to read and look rushed, especially the bricks in the straight sections of the sidewalk. Luckily my brick is in a curved section (although my brick isn't placed yet; they haven't finished that corner of the stadium). I've seen the brick idea executed better in Pittsburgh at PNC, and I think it basically comes down to how well placement and mortar.
Of course the Arch in the view of center field is great, it's a strong reinforcement of the idea that you're in St. Louis. But I guess my biggest complaint is that the park doesn't feel like home, though I'm sure that'll come.
And then they'll tear it down and build a new one.
Don't get me wrong, it's a very nice facility. The access to amenities and bathrooms are all top notch. The seats are fairly comfortable. There are almost too many places to stand and watch the game. The building is very pretty and they've done a nice job of incorporating pieces of the old Busch stadium. And it's done wonders for the neighborhood already; there are condos for sale in every old dumpy (but now ready for redevelopment!) warehouse within the 3 block area.
The Cardinals organization has every reason to be proud. They got the stadium up in no time, may have helped save downtown St. Louis (it was already starting to come around from it's previous dangerous ghost town reputation), and gave fans a place they can be proud to call home.
But...
Most Cardinal fans are aware that the building isn't quite done yet. If you saw the highlights from yesterday's game, you probably noticed that Albert Pujhols' three home runs landed in empty seats; those seats aren't open yet.
That's not really a big deal. What is a big deal is that if you're sitting in the 430 section seats, you can't see a scoreboard. Well, you can see part of the big scoreboard; you can see the lineups and everyone's batting averages, as well as who's up. But that's it.
It appears that there will eventually be a scoreboard hanging on the third base side fourth balcony; there's an open section there that is obviously missing something. So that's a forgivable error. In St. Louis someone is always keeping a scorecard, so all you have to do is peek at the guy next to you.
While the scoreboard issue is forgivable, what isn't is the fact that you can't see the whole field from 430. You can see most of the field, but balls hit down the right field line get lost under the 300 sections. And I'm willing to be they couldn't see them either.
To be honest, I don't recall ever sitting so high in the old Busch, but I did walk around a bit up there, and I'm pretty sure you could always see the field. But even if you couldn't see the whole field in Busch I, I would have thought that clear sight lines would a an obvious priority in a new baseball stadium. Maybe not if you're not paying more than $20 for your ticket.
The fan bricks outside the stadium are a nice touch, but something about them seems shoddy... they're hard to read and look rushed, especially the bricks in the straight sections of the sidewalk. Luckily my brick is in a curved section (although my brick isn't placed yet; they haven't finished that corner of the stadium). I've seen the brick idea executed better in Pittsburgh at PNC, and I think it basically comes down to how well placement and mortar.
Of course the Arch in the view of center field is great, it's a strong reinforcement of the idea that you're in St. Louis. But I guess my biggest complaint is that the park doesn't feel like home, though I'm sure that'll come.
And then they'll tear it down and build a new one.
13 April 2006
sudden drastic measures
You might be wondering what just happened, so I'll quickly explain.
Today I opened up my email and found out that I'm at 95% of my traffic allowance for the month of April. I'm not sure how this happened; I've never been anywhere near my limit before, and we're only halfway through the month. I guess the MLS coverage is a traffic generator.
I looked over my options and decided that I just didn't want to have to pay any more in order to fuel what's pretty much a selfish pursuit, and moved the blog over to blogspot. I don't really think this is going to make much of a difference, but I'll just have to play it out.
If I end up hitting the limit for the month anyway, the site is going to dissapear until the month rolls over. There's not much I can do about that (short of paying for it).
In the meantime, it would be best if you could change your links or bookmarks to http://ridehorsey.blogspot.com, because then the ridehorsey.com domain won't get any traffic and we'll all live happily ever after.
Thanks.
Mike
Today I opened up my email and found out that I'm at 95% of my traffic allowance for the month of April. I'm not sure how this happened; I've never been anywhere near my limit before, and we're only halfway through the month. I guess the MLS coverage is a traffic generator.
I looked over my options and decided that I just didn't want to have to pay any more in order to fuel what's pretty much a selfish pursuit, and moved the blog over to blogspot. I don't really think this is going to make much of a difference, but I'll just have to play it out.
If I end up hitting the limit for the month anyway, the site is going to dissapear until the month rolls over. There's not much I can do about that (short of paying for it).
In the meantime, it would be best if you could change your links or bookmarks to http://ridehorsey.blogspot.com, because then the ridehorsey.com domain won't get any traffic and we'll all live happily ever after.
Thanks.
Mike
12 April 2006
slow news day
I guess I'm mildly excited because I've got St. Louis Cardinals' tickets for Easter. As you may be aware, the Cardinals are playing in a new stadium this year, a stadium that was built in what seems like 4 months. Actually, it was more like 6 months. That's a pretty impressive feat.
I've been a Cardinals fan for some time now, but I think I actually started paying more attention once I left the St. Louis area. Oddly enough, my love affair with the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club worked in the opposite way, and I hardly follow them at all now.
If you want to read about the beauty and timelessness of baseball, you can find that pretty much anywhere. Or you can watch Ken Burns' 4000 dvd set about baseball. Or you can watch Field of Dreams. Or you can have a conversation with Ted Williams' head.
I buy into all of it. There's something fantastic about warm summer days and baseball on the radio, cold beer and cookouts, lawn chairs and green grass. It's all meant to go together. And the Cubs suck.
* * * * *
I don't feel like writing about soccer right now, but the National Team is a whole lot better with our international players. At least that's what I keep telling myself.
* * * * *
Last but not least, the ATF doesn't like ninjas.
I've been a Cardinals fan for some time now, but I think I actually started paying more attention once I left the St. Louis area. Oddly enough, my love affair with the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club worked in the opposite way, and I hardly follow them at all now.
If you want to read about the beauty and timelessness of baseball, you can find that pretty much anywhere. Or you can watch Ken Burns' 4000 dvd set about baseball. Or you can watch Field of Dreams. Or you can have a conversation with Ted Williams' head.
I buy into all of it. There's something fantastic about warm summer days and baseball on the radio, cold beer and cookouts, lawn chairs and green grass. It's all meant to go together. And the Cubs suck.
* * * * *
I don't feel like writing about soccer right now, but the National Team is a whole lot better with our international players. At least that's what I keep telling myself.
* * * * *
Last but not least, the ATF doesn't like ninjas.
09 April 2006
steve stops by
This email came from Steve Pastorino (Real Salt Lake's GM) Friday night. I thought you might enjoy reading it.
Mike,
Have a good ride if you get out tomorrow. I just arrived in Dallas. I only travel to a few games a year as I have three kids under the age of four years old who I want to watch grow up. For the record, I'm 37 - and lucky enough to have worked 6 years in baseball and 8+ years in MLS (and therefore, never had to get a "real" job) - so maybe that keeps me young.
So, what's going to happen tomorrow? I think you'll see a drastically better effort from RSL. We know we will have our hands full with Ruiz, O'Brien (one of my favorites, by the way) and co. I'm hoping their defense is vulnerable, that Sala is still unproven - and we can strike early and change the momentum. I think Jeff Cunningham has a big game in him. We'll see.
We also play Sunday morning in a reserve game. Some call the Reserve League the best development of the 2005 season. It's a great chance to see our young guys play... so I'm looking forward to it. Then right back to SLC after the game for Monday's kickoff luncheon with Commissioner Don Garber, a party in our office to watch USA-Jamaica on Tuesday (hope our rookie Ryan Johnson gets his first cap for Jamaica), Wednesday's exclusive premiere of GOAL (new adidas/FIFA/Disney movie that opens worldwide next month), a Fan BBQ @ practice on Friday - and then the day we work all winter for... Opening Night.
Hope you're rooting for us...
Steve
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