The 2022 Cream & Crimson were off to a undefeated (4-0) campaign start going into the game against Little Rock. The real early season tests, however, for the Hoosiers loomed ahead, between the holidays, with #1 North Carolina coming to Bloomington for the ACC-BIG Ten Challenge, #11 Arizona meeting them in Las Vegas, and #3 Kansas hosting at Allen Fieldhouse. Any sane fan would be satisfied with one victory in those three pre-conference match-ups. Then, it was on to the BIG, with the first game at Iowa after the New Year. WOW!
Little Rock exposed our shooting problems. The Hoosiers were 1-8 from beyond the arc in the first half. Trey Galloway, Anthony Leal, and Trayce Jackson-Davis did not dress, while Malik Reneau and Race Thompson spent time in the locker room for injury treatment. Race played the second half in a headband to cover the bandage near his temple. Miller Kopp hit three straight threes after the break, Race Thompson had two athletic dunks coupled with four free-throws, and Xavier Johnson hit another two freebies at 12:09 to reach the magic sixty goal with a 15-point bulge. Little Rock responded to cut the margin to seven, but Jordan Geronimo’s three stopped their momentum and Xavier Johnson soon added another. At that point, the Hoosiers were 6-17 from deep, showing improvement for a 17-point lead. The “X-Man” with ten assists and Geronimo’s fifth block pushed the lead to 21.
It was the 5th consecutive game over eighty, but I.U. had twelve sloppy turnovers in the 87-68 victory.
As an encore, I.U. finished off the Hoosier Tip-Off Classic with its sixth consecutive 80-point-plus outpouring to start the season, topping Jackson State 90-51 in Bloomington. It was another tune-up performance in preparation for #1 North Carolina to end the month of November. With a few nagging injuries hampering our big men, Sophomore guard Tamar Bates led all scorers with 22-points including four 3-pointers. The defense held the Tigers to well under the magic number of 60, while the offense got there with 12:40 remaining on a Trayce Jackson-Davis dunk. The Hoosiers shot 57.6% from the floor, 45.5% from three-point range, and 75% from the free throw line, with ten turnovers. Bring on the Tarheels!
I received my Fall edition of the USRSA Registry newsletter, dedicated to streak runners like myself around the world. My streak now stands at 5,079 consecutive days. There are now 4,125 runners who have completed at least a full year of running every day, as more and more enthusiasts join the organization. I can remember when there were less than a thousand of us. I also used to be ranked #203 on the overall list but now have dropped to #230. Apparently, others have been doing this for years without awareness of the website www.runeveryday.com, otherwise I would only be moving up not down. I shouldn’t be passed unless I stop, but the whole process is self-monitoring. I once had aspirations of getting into the Top 200 but now it means that more than 10% of the top “streakers” would have to quit running. More likely, it would be death or injury that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
I’m content to be in the top 5.5% of this growing group. It’s better than my normal race performance that is typically in the top 20%. For me, it’s not a race anymore but a matter of perseverance. At the age of 71, my pace continues to slow, but nearly 50% of those listed in the Top 100 are also over 70. Their streaks extend to over 50-years, having started in their 20’s. I did not begin until a few years before my sixtieth birthday, being unaware of the challenge. My goal was to get to 1,000 by the time I reached sixty, but have obviously continued the quest to this day.
There are many days that I wish that I was not committed to this challenge. There is no finish line and it can be inconvenient when traveling. It’s often hard to believe that I’ve stuck with it for nearly 14-years, and can only imagine the pressure to perform by those in the Top 10. No one will probably notice when I eventually fall off the list, especially knowing that there are undoubtedly others out there that have yet to reveal themselves or never will.
I sputter along day after day, taking it one day at a time like any other addiction. I try to get in about 90 miles a week but it takes longer and longer to get in my 5k a day goal. Occasionally, I’ll drop back to the minimum mile when time is particularly tight. I’m glad I’m not alone out there, even though it seems lonely and even painful at times. Streakers Unite!
Ever since I can remember, Thanksgiving always starts with a run. There were even a few “Turkey Trots” through the years, but the most memorable run was on Isla Mujeres where I actually saw a live turkey chained to a grill, awaiting his fate. This Mexican destination was my only international Thanksgiving Day run, but I’ve also done pre-turkey jogs in many states including Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Texas, Oregon, Florida, Louisiana, Hawaii, and South Carolina.
I’ve celebrated Thanksgiving in many unique ways including a Florida beach-nic, gourmet dinner at Urban Farmer in Portland, a Green Pastures brunch in Austin with the peacocks, Autumn in New Orleans after the French Quarter parade, and Turkey & Tequila with good friends. Then, there was that scary Thanksgiving afternoon we had to call an ambulance and spent the evening at the Hospital.
On the lighter side, I’ve spent tropical “Turkey Days” in Maui twice for the basketball Classic, while we once enjoyed an icy one in Bend, Oregon near Mount Bachelor with the dogs stuck in the car. My wife’s brother took us on a boat ride in South Carolina before serving us fresh fish that he prepared for their celebration. His wife, who prefers being called an “out-law” rather than “in-law,” always bakes the best snickerdoodle cookies.
I’ve sampled a fried turkey in Indiana, helped prepare a bird on our Austin rotisserie for my grandkids, and once grilled one on a Weber while digging a septic tank in Michigan on a muddy, rainy holiday. This year we bought a Heavenly Ham to feed the grandkids, at their request, rather than use our new outdoor kitchen.
Sports have always been a part of Thanksgiving. I remember going to Frankfort, Indiana as a kid to eat with my cousins. The conversation centered around the upcoming Old Oaken Bucket rivalry since there were both Purdue and I.U. grads around the table. The women cooked and the men watched NFL football on TV. In Austin, we attended a Longhorn vs. Aggies game on Thanksgiving night, in Indianapolis we went to several Pacers games, and in Portland it was tickets to the Phil Knight PK Classic.
I’ve kept a diary over the past 20-plus years, so I know exactly what we’ve done or where we’ve gone every November. Details are sketchy before that time. The home of my wife’s sister in Indianapolis was typically our Thanksgiving Day destination, after often driving their mother from Rochester to join us all. It became more complicated once we moved away from the state. My first Thanksgiving with them, I happened to notice that my place at the table was identified with a hand-made name tag that had been previously used by my wife’s ex-husband. My name was loosely glued over his. I thought it was funny but they were a bit embarrassed. Probably, the saddest Thanksgiving of all was done by Zoom in 2020 when we couldn’t get together due to Covid. As I watch the Macy’s parade, a Turkey Day tradition along with the Alice’s Restaurant music track, the Planes, Trains, and Automobiles movie, and WKRP’s famous Turkey drop promotion, I reflect on and am thankful for all of my Thanksgiving memories!
I was feeling excessive stiffness and soreness on this morning’s run despite my visit to the chiropractor earlier this week. This challenge never gets easier, particularly after 5,078 consecutive days and a recent 71st birthday. I did get out the morning of Hurricane Nicole for a rainy mile or so, but fortunately we were in Alaska when damaging Ian arrived. There are no excuses, including recent eye lid surgery, in order to keep “The Streak” alive. I’m still somewhere in the low 200s on the USRSA active list, far behind those that continue their incredible routines after more than fifty-years.
We did see the movie, The Menu, on Monday and picked up our Honey Baked Ham for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving meal. We’re now expecting seven, including my son’s estranged wife and their three kids. The grandkids were also treated to pizza last night. I was glad to hear that my son got some initial compensation for his Ian damage from his employer and insurance company. It will help him fix some roof damage that we were able to fortunately avoid. Additional checks should be forthcoming, along with an appeal decision from FEMA. I’m sure the whole family was also disappointed when I announced that our trip to Spring Training in Phoenix has been cancelled. They were hoping to visit the Grand Canyon and Albuquerque on the drive there.
I’ll, of course, try to make it up to them, as we decided to meet our Arizona friends in Las Vegas instead. Originally, I had secured a three-bedroom condo in Phoenix for a week, preceded by a side trip to Mexico, and followed by some time at their home in Marana. All of those plans were derailed, so we settled for three-days together in Vegas. I reserved a two-bedroom, two-bath condo at the Marriott Vacation Club, a property that we toured on our last visit a few years ago. Sorry, kids, but you got left out this time.
My son likes to take his kids to a Cubs game in a new stadium every year. Last year, it was PNC Park in Pittsburgh, where we joined them all. Spring Training in Arizona was his goal this year, but it seemed silly to go cross-country for the Arizona Cactus League when the Florida Grapefruit version is just a mile away in our neighborhood. It’s just that the Cubs don’t play here, but they’re expected to have another disappointing season with a bunch of players we’re not familiar with any more. No more Haywood, Schwarber, Rizzo, Bryant, Contreras, or Baez, who have all been traded. This on top of the fact that my son’s marriage is unofficially over, the kids are split between two homes depending on the week, his home needs repair, and he really can’t afford to take a vacation. His stubborn self would claim that he needs a break from all this chaos but I think his money is better spent elsewhere and the kids need to be in school. Their lives are disrupted enough, just like the Cubs! Staycation!
I tossed and turned last night, with budgets on my mind. Cost of living continues to escalate and there seems no end to our home projects and appetite for travel. It may be time to find another source of income other than Social Security, pension payments, and our quickly diminishing retirement savings. I’m also getting a bit restless when it comes to constructive projects. With all this in mind, I decided to take a look at the Jobs2Careers website and update my resume. Making a few bucks on writing might be a more fulfilling way to spend my time, although I’m limited on what I can earn. Let’s see what develops over the next few months?
Dear Recruiter:
I have the urge and passion to write after six full years of retirement. It’s time to get off the couch and get back to business, tired of reading books and watching T.V. shows that I could probably better script.
I’m seeking a part-time position, working from home, crafting e-mail marketing, advertising copy, annual reports, or other forms of creative communication. My resume is attached that involves 40-years of television, radio, and newspaper experience. My wife and I travel extensively, so I’m looking for flexibility with any employment opportunities.
Since leaving the business world for the beach, I’ve been writing a blog with over two thousand posts to keep myself sharp, blog.johnstonwrites.com. It’s a daily morning discipline that also involves an exercise regimen and running streak of well over 5,000 consecutive days. My background is sales and marketing, but a vocal cord strain prevents me from doing public speaking, despite a Distinguished Toastmaster achievement, or extensive phone work.
My blog focuses on retirement hassles, adoption, sports, pets, travel and humorous poetry. I’ve also written several unpublished novels. This all demonstrates my love of writing that should be beneficial to any employer. Please consider my skills for upcoming openings. Thank you for any consiration.
Best Regards,
Mike Johnston
A friend was over last night and I showed him my prized Sherm Lollar #10 1955 game-worn jersey. It’s in a glass case along with his worn, signature Rawling’s glove that pales in comparison to the 45” mitt worn by Baltimore Oriole’s catcher Clint Courtney in 1960 to better handler the knuckler of future Hall-of-Famer Hoyt Wilhelm. Courtney was back-up to Lollar for half the 1955 season before going to the Orioles while Wilhelm came to the White Sox in 1963, the year Lollar retired. I could find no evidence that they ever formed the same battery because Lollar only played in 35 games that final year of his career due to injury.
I also came across some interesting stats that prove how much the catcher matters to a pitching staff. A good example is that of future Hall of Famer, Yadier Molina, who while on the disabled list, St. Louis Cardinals starting pitchers had a combined 3-10 with an ERA above 5. The same is true as to why World Series Champion catcher Martin Maldonado remains in the Astros starting lineup despite a batting average of .151. Catchers should not necessarily be judged on their hitting.
Defensive skills, the ability to call a game and work with pitchers are incredibly important to a team’s success. It supports my argument as to why more catchers like Sherm Lollar, should be inducted into the Hall of Fame. His outstanding .992 fielding percentage, using the cumbersome gear of the era, supports the argument. Could a bigger glove have enhanced his chances or at least earned him more attention?
Clinton Dawson Courtney, nicknamed Scrap Iron, was an American professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, St. Louis Browns, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators and Kansas City Athletics. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. His oversized glove earned him notoriety. However, eventually MLB adopted a rule that restricted the size of a “Big Bertha” mitt like Courtney’s:
Rule 1.12: “The catcher may wear a leather mitt not more than thirty-eight inches in circumference, nor more than fifteen and one-half inches from top to bottom. Such limits shall include all lacing and any leather band or facing attached to the outer edge of the mitt. The space between the thumb section and the finger section of the mitt shall not exceed six inches at the top of the mitt and four inches at the base of the thumb crotch. The web shall measure not more than seven inches across the top or more than six inches from its top to the base of the thumb crotch. The web may be either a lacing or lacing through leather tunnels, or a center piece of leather which may be an extension of the palm, connected to the mitt with lacing and constructed so that it will not exceed any of the above mentioned measurements.”
The Sherm Lollar mitt in my collection measures less than 35” in circumference and is less than 11” from top to bottom. It’s well within the guidelines of this rule and ten inches smaller than Courtney’s. Meanwhile, “Old Sarge” Wilhelm, used primarily as a reliever, only had 52 career starts. Gus Triandos handled the catching duties in 32 of those games. Courtney got the assignment only 5-times, but “Big Bertha” also played a role in relief work during their two years together with the Orioles. Hail to the catchers!
Only 12 days until we land in Kauai, our next retirement adventure. It hardly seems possible that the holidays are upon us with the new year just ahead. We will get there first to set up the menu, while the other two couples arrive two days later with our rental car. It will be a fun family week of drinking, eating, sunning, playing games, hiking, running, and swimming, including lunch on an ocean catamaran. We also hope to go to Michelle & Todd Rundgren’s island restaurant, Tiki Aniki. It will be a ten-day holiday family celebration, followed by a few extra days with just the two of us. Two nights at the Seattle Airport Aloft will also help break-up the long flights to and from Fort Myers, Florida.
This will be my 10th visit to Hawaii, beginning with a 25th wedding anniversary trip in 1998 with my ex-wife. I.U., where both of us attended, was the runner-up to Syracuse in the Maui Invitational. It was the first time that we met Coach Bob Knight. Five years later, I was in Honolulu with a new wife, our first of nine times together. One was for the 2008 Maui Classic with a group of Indiana friends where we shared a Thanksgiving dinner. It was the start of a miserable basketball season for the Hoosiers. Four of my travels to Hawaii were to accompany my wife for the Auto Dealers Association annual meetings. She may have gone once by herself.
Outside of Honolulu and The Big Island our lodging was primarily at Marriott Vacation Clubs, frequently in Wailea. For fun, we tried various “Rock Star” restaurants like Gannon’s and Fleetwood’s. We’ll soon add Todd Rundgren’s place to this distinguished list of musicians. Other restaurants favorites include Longhi’s, Hali’imaile General Store, Mama’s Fish House, Monkeypod, and Lahaina Grill. It will be a whole new experience on the island of Kauai, since we were only there for one day on our recent cruise. We’ll also take turns preparing meals in the condo because there are few restaurants in our secluded area
The Hurryin’ Hoosiers made their national debut in the Gavett Games at Xavier and barely escaped with a 81-79 victory. I bring the nickname “Hurryin'” out of moth balls from the Branch McCracken coaching era because I got the sense that they were playing somewhat out of control. Although they had only 11 turnovers, four were by Senior Xavier Johnson to go with his 23-points. All-American candidate Trayce Jackson-Davis led all scorers with 30, while Freshman Malik Reneau added 12 and a key deflection on the last Musketeer lay-up attempt. This was after he missed two free throws that could have iced the game. It was a great physical test that will pay dividends during the upcoming rugged BIG conference battles.
Indiana led 78-70 with 2:25 left but Xavier rallied to within a point in the final minute. I.U put magic on their side when they reached the 60-point mark first with 10:08 remaining. A Musketeer three then tied it up 27-seconds later, one of seven from long distance. I.U. only managed 4-triples but shot an outstanding 51.7% overall from the field. Free-throw shooting was the biggest concern at only 65.4% and kept Xavier in the game. Defense was suspect, giving up 79 points. Last year’s Woodson squad beat Minnesota 84-79, but lost all six games where they allowed 80 or more points.
It was Indiana’s first non-conference road victory in eleven seasons, dating back to North Carolina State in November of 2011. A road victory like this is a monumental step forward for this veteran Hoosier team that has amassed a pitiful14-40 record away from home in the last 5-years. Coach Mike Woodson, who replaced Archie Miller two seasons ago got his first victory over Archie’s brother, Sean, who was rehired by Xavier, where he was A-10 Coach of the Year in 2008, then spent 12-years at Arizona where he earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year three times. Hopefully, this season will be the start of Woodson’s coaching honors. Defense and 3-point shot efficiency will be the measures of success.
I.U. football plays at Michigan State this afternoon, after being pounded by Michigan last Saturday. Let’s hope for a less embarrassing effort today. Big Red soccer meets storied St. Louis tomorrow, after being named the 13-seed in this year’s NCAA tourney. It is a record 9th straight seed selection for the 8-time national champions. St. Louis University has ten to their credit but the last was in 1973. All of IU’s titles have been since 1982. Mike Woodson’s squad also is back in action tomorrow against Miami of Ohio. Go Hoosiers!
I can’t explain why I enjoy tuning into shows like Gold Rush and Curse of Oak Island, yet season after season I find myself captivated. Obviously, there’s the intrigue of finding buried treasures and the risk of spending money to make money. These ventures also involve the need for heavy equipment to bulldoze, dig, and move soil and rock. Most importantly, it’s the patience of treasure hunters like this that I admire. Nothing seems to deter them from their quest. I would be frustrated and would have given up long ago. I do, however, have the ability to frequently cuss like they too have mastered, and the producers are forced to bleep out.
Every week on Curse of Oak Island, the Lagina brothers believe that they’re about to hit the mother load. Instead, it’s another dead end, equipment malfunction, legal jurisdiction hassle, or mother nature getting in the way. Occasionally, they find a tid-bit after spending millions on just research, scientific support, lab work, carbon dating, and consultants. This doesn’t include the labor or mining equipment required to reach the depths where the treasure is supposedly buried. The appeal of the show is the history that’s slowly uncovered and the speculation that ancient organizations like the Knights Templar are involved. Fortunately, no one has died lately of anything but natural causes, but the “curse” claims that more lives will be lost before the treasure is found.
When it comes to hard work, nothing compares to searching for gold. Teams travel to remote areas to deal with rusty equipment and muddy conditions. They’ve often crafted crude contraptions to extract the precious metal from underground, forging icy creeks and surviving on little sleep. It’s a mechanical nightmare keeping the massive equipment running while they move and sift through tons of dirt and boulders. It’s probably the last thing you would ever find me doing to make a living, but I enjoy watching their struggles. At the end of each show, each group weighs their gold take that on occasion is little nothing. Some of the prospecting teams are heavily financed while others are simply rag-tag hopefuls. I find myself rooting for the underdog, while enjoying the comforts of the couch.
I’ve learned how to change an 8-foot tire on a dump truck and what to look for when searching for gold. None of these skills will personally ever be used, as will the survival techniques that I’ve acquired by watching Alone. I don’t enjoy the rigors of the outdoors but somehow I am fascinated by seeing others suffer or succeed on TV. Oh, the retirement life of a couch potato.
I secured my final reservation for the trip to Kauai this morning, after earning enough Marriott Reward Points to cover the cost. This will be my first stay in an Aloft property located near the Seattle airport, where we make an overnight stay on our way to and from the island. It helps break up the long flight from Ft. Myers, although substantially out of the way. Getting to Hawaii was easy on the West Coast, but here in Florida much more of a challenge. We typically either fly through L.A. or Seattle to get there.
It was supposed to be my first time on the island of Kauai, but with the itinerary change on the recent Alaska cruise we ended up there for a day. We were able to check out the Marriott Vacation Club site where we’ll be staying with my wife’s two daughters and their spouses. There should be plenty of room with three bedrooms and three baths. The “kids” will be much more active and adventurous than me, but we did schedule a joint catamaran tour for all of us. It’s a very remote location, so we also needed a rental car, but the airport is nearby. My wife and I are there for two full weeks, but the girls are staying ten days. Each of us will plan a group dinner in the condo, and we’ll go out to eat on a couple of occasions.
Kauai is known for its natural beauty, as we discovered on our boat excursion on the Kalapaki and Hule’ia Rivers during our whirlwind stay there a month ago. Many movies were filmed there, as documented in a article by Margy Parker:
“It all started in 1933, with the filming of White Heat, directed by Hollywood’s influential female director, Lois Weber. Originally titled Cane Fire, the feminist Weber worked with a diverse cast to show the angst of mixed ethnic love relationships. White Heat was released in June 1934. From there, Kauai has served over the decades as a movie location for more than sixty feature-length films shot by a host of national and international film-makers.”
Sixteen years after the release of White Heat, Olympic swimmer, Esther Williams came to Kauai to film Pagan Love Song (1950). Rita Hayworth showed up in 1954 to star in Miss Sadie Thompson. Tony Curtis followed two years later to star in Beach Head. The international hit, South Pacific, was filmed entirely on Kauai’s north shore in 1958, starring Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi. Jack Lemon and Ricky Nelson hung out on Kauai in 1960 to star in The Wackiest Ship in the Army.
The 1960 film first connecting Elvis Presley with Hawaii, Blue Hawaii, also made Kauai’s former Coco Palms Hotel famous. Presley starred in three movies filmed in Hawaii. Following Presley to Kauai in 1963 were Hollywood’s macho men, John Wayne and Charlton Heston. They starred in Donovan’s Reef and Diamond Head.”
“Frank Sinatra starred in None but the Brave, filmed on Kauai in 1965. Julie Andrews was seen on both Oahu and Kauai during the filming of James Michener’s Hawaii in 1966. Charlton Heston returned to Kauai in 1970 to star in The Hawaiians. Four years later James Garner showed up for Castaway Cowboy, the first of Disney’s five movies featuring Kauai.”
“The second production of King Kong was shot on Kauai’s Na Pali Coast in 1976 with Jessica Lange and Jeff Bridges. Two years later, George C. Scott showed up on Kauai for the film, Islands in the Stream.”
“Disney came back to Kauai in 1979 to film Last Flight of Noah’s Ark with Elliot Gould. Steven Spielberg chose Kauai as a location to film parts of Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 starring Harrison Ford. Kathleen Turner and William Hurt turned Kauai “steamy” during that same year for the filming of Body Heat.”
“In 1987, Danny DeVito brought comedy noir to Kauai with the film Throw Mama from the Train. Nicolas Cage was spotted around Kauai’s east and north shores in 1991 during the filming of Honeymoon in Vegas. Steven Spielberg returned to Kauai in 1992 to shoot Jurassic Park starring Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum. Its sequel, The Lost World, was shot on Kauai four years later. Castle Rock Pictures brought Bruce Willis to Kauai to film North in 1993, directed by Rob Reiner.”
“The filming of Outbreak followed in 1994 starring Dustin Hoffman and Morgan Freeman. Disney showed up on Kauai three times over the next five years to film George of the Jungle (1996), Dinosaurs (1997), and Lilo and Stitch (2001).”
“In 1997, Harrison Ford came back to Kauai bringing his co-star, Anne Heche for the filming of Six Days Seven Nights. Four years later Kevin Costner was seen on Kauai locations to star in the movie, Dragonfly.”
“Kauai was featured as a film location for two action movies released in 2006 and 2007. The first, Tears of the Sun, starred Bruce Willis. The second, Tropic Thunder, included the masculine trio, Tom Cruise, Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr.”
“From 2008 through mid-2010, four more movies were filmed on Kauai; The Descendants, staring George Clooney, Just Go With It, starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides with Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz. These three will be released in 2011. The fourth, Soul Surfer, with Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt is the story of Kauai’s, Bethany Hamilton, made famous by her comeback from a shark attack. This movie was released in 2009.”
“Undoubtedly, more movies, TV series and commercials will be filmed on Kauai in the years to come taking advantage of its extraordinary scenery, rural charm, and outstanding climate.”
Although this article was at least ten years old, we’ll be making our own memorable film in a few weeks and sharing some more movies captured in Paradise.
