Category: OLD SPORT SHORTS (Page 20 of 68)
An old guy’s perspective on all sports
Another decade has passed in “Blog World” as I move into the “Roaring Twenties.” In the real world I’m also in the Twenties – year 2022. “The Roaring Twenties, sometimes stylized as the Roarin’ 20s, refers to the decade of the 1920s in Western society and Western culture. This period saw the large-scale development and use of automobiles, telephones, films, radio, and electrical appliances in the lives of millions in the Western world.”
I live in many worlds, including those revolving around writing this blog, the Ban(n)ister family, my running streak, sports, reading, and watching TV. However, in reality, it’s all about my marriage, my son and his family, as well as getting settled in a new home. Tonight will be “Date Night,” but I will not be my wife’s date and we missed “Sunset Tuesday” and “Tourist Thursday” due to other obligations. The upcoming weekend is completely free for once.
I gave blood yesterday, while my wife added another bridge class as she continues to learn the game. She’s out the door again for an Aqua Fit class after her morning routine with Tally at the dog park. This afternoon she has a tap class and in the evening an event at the Venice Art Museum with girlfriends. She’s incredibly active in retirement, while I limit my exercise to an early morning run and swim. Interaction for me is limited, while she drives our social engagements. We’ll soon be having another “Meet The Neighbors” gathering in early February. I’m in mourning after last night’s IU basketball loss at Iowa, something I’m getting used to, although it’s unsettling to be frequently on the losing side.
USC and Baylor, the only undefeated teams of the early 2021-22 basketball season, both fell this week. This preserves the multi-decade streak of the 1975-76 Indiana University Hoosiers, the last college basketball team to finish the regular season and tournament unblemished at 32-0. It’s now been 46 years since this unbeatable perfection has been tied. “Five teams have finished the regular season undefeated since 1976 — with the most recent being Wichita State in 2014, Kentucky in 2015 and Gonzaga in 2021. Two of those teams — 1991 UNLV and 2015 Kentucky lost in the Final Four.” UCLA is the only other university to have achieved this level of NCAA greatness – 1967 (30-0), 1972 (30-0) and 1973 (30-0). The record lives on, at least another year.
After two straight BIG home victories, the Hoosiers seem to be back in winning form this season and competitive in the conference at 2-2. After their recent performances, many expect them to finish in the Top 5, while the top half would get them in the Big Dance for the first time since 2016. They still have to prove they can win on the road to earn an evasive NCAA tourney bid (their 40th in history), and they have to break Purdue’s recent domination that now stands at an embarrassing 9-straight dating back to 2016. That sole Hoosier victory was in Bloomington, stopping another 3-game Boiler winning streak. It’s hardly the perfection that I once experienced watching them lose only one game in two full years just after I graduated.
Coach Mike Woodson, not to be confused with fellow Hoosier (Martinsville and Purdue) John Wooden, has produced a remarkable start in restoring the “Glory of Old IU.” Woodson has legendary status as a player, but far from achieving that level as a coach, and probably never to be associated in the same sentence with names like Knight and Wooden. Right now, all we can say is that he’s a few letters from being Wooden. Also, as we all know, it was Coach Wooden that directed those great UCLA undefeated teams.
“1914 saw the beginning of what became known as World War I, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrillo Princip. It also saw the first airline to provide scheduled regular commercial passenger services with heavier-than-air aircraft, with the St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line.”
As Wikipedia went on to point out: “The St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line (SPT Airboat Line) was the first scheduled airline using a fixed wing aircraft. The airline provided service between St. Petersburg, Florida and neighboring Tampa across Tampa Bay a distance of about 23 miles. It was in service from January to May 1914.”
The route that this flight covered is now drivable over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the modern link between Tampa and St. Petersburg. We drove it last weekend to get to Comic Com. It goes right past Tropicana Field where the Tampa Bay Rays beat the White Sox last season. “On May 9, 1980, Harbor Pilot John Lerro was guiding the ship MV Summit Venture under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge when storm winds pushed the vessel into the southern span. A chunk of the span came down. Vehicles fell into the water- a truck, five cars and a Greyhound bus. Thirty-five people died,“ once again according to Wikipedia. I can’t help think about it every time I cross.
As the war raged on in 1915, “the second year of the First World War, included the first German Zeppelin raid on England, the Gallipoli Campaign and the Battle of Loos. The first German Zeppelin raid on the east coast of England; Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn are both bombed.”
Speaking of a different kind of war, I watched the Paramount Plus adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand, reminiscent of our current battle with Covid. King happens to live in this part of Florida, at least part of the time and is just as vulnerable as the rest of us. Fortunately, Coronavirus isn’t as deadly as Captain Trips, the fictional illness that he created.
We had lunch at Brown’s Food Factory, another mobile restaurant that visits our resort community on occasion. Today, it was a spicy breaded tenderloin that pleasantly didn’t include a long wait in line. We’re still looking for something to match the Indiana tenderloins that we enjoyed at places like the State Fair, Murphy’s Steakhouse, and The Mug & Bun. The closest we’ve found so far is nearby Darrell’s Restaurant.
Georgia is the new NCAA National Champion in football, a status that had eluded them since 1960, sixty-two-years ago. They gained revenge over an Alabama team that had beaten them for the SEC crown a month or so ago. Maybe 2022 will also be the year of the White Sox, as we once again cross the Skyline Bridge to watch them play?
Ten straight days without alcohol is an impressive start to the New Year, although I can’t say the same about sugary sweets. Any consumption restraint on my part is a sobering thought. I am expecting a Flaviar whiskey delivery today, but it will stay in the box for at least a few more weeks until this streak is broken. My running streak now stands at 4,761 days and counting.
As far as the year 1913: “February 1 – New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, having been rebuilt, reopens as the world’s largest train station. February 3 – The 16th Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, authorizing the Federal government to impose and collect income taxes. February 4 – Rosa Parks is born.”
Today is “Matinee Monday” with plans to see the The King’s Man. It will remind me of a tough day in my marriage many years ago when I was banned from the house. I spent two nights sleeping in the Starbuck’s parking lot near our neighborhood, not knowing where to go, and two more in the car in the underground lot of my office building, thinking my sentence would surely soon end. I showered at the office, after completing my run each morning, and went to my desk like nothing was different from any other day even though I was embarrassed. I retreated to the movie theatre on Saturday for a nap and watched three movies in a row, including the first King’s Man: The Secret Service and Fifty Shades of Grey. I must have slept through the third because I can’t remember what it was. After that, I went to a downtown Marriott hotel to complete my full week of homelessness. Thankfully, there have been no other marital issues since that time nearly 7 years ago.
My wife and I finished episode four of 1883 last night and another couple Peaky Blinders’ shows before realizing there was no water. It turned out to be a city issue that affected several neighborhoods and was restored an hour later. IU won its second straight BIG match-up against Minnesota yesterday, in the midst of the NFL final games that determined the Playoff picture. The Colts were eliminated and the Bears lost again, but this did not detract from the euphoria of watching winning basketball. Now, if the Hoosiers could just pick up a road victory, my overall perspective on life would be glowing. My mood tends to still be strangely dictated by what happens on the basketball court – so I’m feeling good today.
In 1910 war was declared on Germany and the U.S. entered World War 1. Both my grandfathers, William J. Johnston (1918 at age 22) and Ross A. Hancher (1917 at age 22), fought for our country. Thank you both for your service and for being great role models for me in life. We would come together as a family when Ross’ daughter, Catherine, married William’s son, Burton in 1946. I was then adopted five years later, along with my younger sister, added in 1955. I thankfully avoided military service.
I have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon for my annual wellness exam. I’ve not been having any major health issues other than the self-imposed stiffness and soreness associated with running every day. My first acupuncture session earlier this week proved relatively ineffective. I have another attempt scheduled for next week, along with a chiropractor appointment. An eye exam is also planned for later this month. With all this attention to my health this month, I’m sure they will find something wrong. I give blood next week and have passed two Covid tests already, so I’ll certainly have my share of New Year poking and prodding. I’ve managed to stay away from alcohol as part of my January resolution, but sweets consumption has actually gotten worse.
We continue to watch Peaky Blinders on Netflix about British spies and gangs. As far as TV sports, IU won a big basketball game over Ohio State last night, bolstering my fading hopes for an elusive tournament bid come March. Football also signed a promising QB prospect, a transfer from Missouri, so things are looking up in Bloomington. Culturally, we spent yesterday afternoon, Tourist Thursday, at the Venice Art Center following lunch in their café. We also signed up for an Eagles cover band concert here in the community center – After Eagles. Florida is known to be the cover band capital of the world, probably since a majority of the aging population can’t see or hear clearly, so these copycat groups sound better to them than they actually are. We were not pleased with the Journey/Styx act that we saw here a few months ago, so maybe we aren’t as far “over the hill” as some of our Florida peers.
I woke up again this morning with a sore throat, probably an indication that my Covid test results will come back positive. However, my run this morning was the best my body has felt in some time, so maybe I’m already on the path to recovery. There was little back pain and no trouble breathing. It was day #4,752 of “The Streak” to kick-off the New Year. I’ll continue to take it easy the rest of the day – more Bowl games to watch, as the National Championship has come down to a SEC showdown. IU also has a basketball game against Penn State tomorrow afternoon if it isn’t cancelled. It’s hard to anticipate and get excited about anything these days with the dreaded virus looming. Purdue ended their football season on a positive “note” in the Music City Bowl against Tennessee.
A college fraternity buddy sent me a New Years greeting this morning, reminding me of a hometown party I supposedly took him to when we were Freshmen. At least I think it was New Years Eve 1969 but could have been 1970, more than 50-years ago. It was before drugs were ever a factor in my life, and a friend of mine’s Italian mom would let us drink alcohol if we were confined to her home. There were no girls at any of these basement parties that I can ever remember, except Eleanor. We were still of course underage but with her supervision things never got out of hand. Probably the most exciting part of the evening was a game of RISK, seeking World domination. Either year, Notre Dame would have played Texas in the Cotton Bowl, so we probably stayed the next day to watch it. I hated ND back then, but any good Catholic family like this one would have supported the Irish. It was in a time when a Bowl invitation actually meant something.
IU did not earn a bowl invitation this year after a disastrous season that had high expectations. Purdue certainly added a exclamation mark by reclaiming the Bucket. I haven’t been to a Bowl game since New Year’s Eve of 1993, 28-years ago. The Hoosiers lost to the Hokies in Shreveport, but we salvaged the occasion by making it to the streets of New Orleans for a midnight kiss from strangers plus a reward of beads, a memorable New Years Eve. Last night was not so memorable with both of us a bit under the weather. A bottle of bubbly and a tasty pasta put us both to sleep early. I woke up near midnight but just before the ball completed dropping the TV timer shut off automatically. Welcome 2022!
The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in 1886, while 20 African Americans were massacred in Carrolton, Mississippi and riots broke out in Seattle over anti-Chinese sentiments. Nothing seems to have changed since the Civil War, extending into the present day. Statues are being torn down – it’s a good thing that Lady Liberty is on an island. Deadly tornados ripped through the Midwest yesterday with little bias over who was affected. I was home most of the day, feeling a bit under the weather, but this morning’s run and the accompanying sweat seems to have flushed the troublesome bug out. I wish it was that easy with racial bias!
We salvaged a couple of pool lounge chairs from a distant neighbor, saving the expense planned for next year. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure. We simply now need to buy some new cushions and our outdoor furniture needs will be mostly complete. It’s difficult to get new stuff anyway with shipping backed up for months. This will serve our needs until something better comes along, a practical find for my wife. With a sunny forecast, I intend to watch today’s IU game on the lanai and perhaps take another dip in the pool.
I suffered another heartbreaking loss yesterday, to add to my sports frustration. The Portland Timbers lost the MLS Championship to NYC in a shootout, after a dramatic come from behind tying goal in regulation. IU, Timbers, Bears, White Sox, Cubs, Colts, Pacers, Trailblazers, Ducks, Illini, Beavers, and Longhorns – my long list of losers that I’ve adopted in our many moves from state to state. Little luck in recent years cheering for these favorites. Maybe Next Year?
In the year 1885, American inventor LaMarcus Adna Thompson patents a roller coaster. Life has been one ever since. My son-in-law has never been on one or to an amusement park for that matter. That’s why we’re taking him to Disneyworld for Christmas. It will be worth the price of admission to watch him relive a childhood that apparently he never had. Granted, there are few such parks in the Northwest where he grew up, His thrills have been found on mountaintops – climbing, skiing, and hiking. My amusement park adventures date back to local carnivals in my hometown and a “daring” mini-coaster ride on what I think they called the Mad Mouse? Mostly, it was a merry-go-round, a bunch of carnie games, Tilt-A-Wheel, House of Mirrors maze, and a Haunted House, as I recall. I first went to Disneyworld as a young adult just after it opened 50 years ago.
I started today feeling a bit puny and only ran the minimum mile. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, including my sluggish pace. We went out to dinner last night at Luna, a local restaurant owned in part by Alabama football Hall-of-Famer Marty Lyons, who went on to play for the New York Jets. Afterwards, we sat under the stars on a park bench and listened to a group play a set of one-hit wonders. It was a great “Date Night.” I only had a couple glasses of wine, so I don’t think that it had an influence on my condition this morning. Without much energy, I’m sitting here watching the Netflix series, Outer Banks, thinking that it’s really nothing more than a childhood flashback of The Hardy Boys.
This afternoon the Portland Timbers meet New York for the MLS soccer crown. It will be played on the Portland pitch, a first time advantage for the home team. I still have the scarf from the 2015 Championship, six-years ago, framed in my office. It could happen again today, a bright spot in what has been a tough few years for all my teams, as I vented about in yesterday’s post. (See Post #1884). My Portland friends are getting together for a special “Leadership Luncheon” to enjoy the game, reminiscent of the watch party in the Skype Studio where I saw victory all those years ago. Go Timbers!
I try to start each day with a little history lesson in conjunction with the number of my blog post. In this case, I take you back to the year 1884: “May 17 – Alaska becomes a United States territory. June 13 – LaMarcus Adna Thompson opens “Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway”, one of the earliest roller coasters, at Coney Island, New York City. August 5 – The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty is laid on Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor.” I also forgot to mention in yesterday’s ramblings that the Brooklyn Bridge was built in 1883.
I hope to get to Alaska in 2022, leaving only Maine on my 50-state bucket list of visitation. The cruise we are taking will make four stops in the vast territory that has now been part of the United States for 137-years and officially became the 49th state in January of 1959, 62-years ago. We then cross just south of the Bering Strait at Dutch Harbor into Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, ending in Toyko, Japan. According to the Viking Cruise site, only 284-days to go until launch in Vancouver, B.C. It will be a memorable way to see the high seas.
Continuing with yesterday’s rant, I am a bitter man about sports. This is nothing new, stemming from years of envy of other fans while my teams always seemed to fall short. I’m tired of losing to Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, and Wisconsin – not to mention every other BIG program. Purdue finally achieved #1 status for the first time in history, but I felt resentful. After IU basketball lost at Wisconsin for the 19th straight time, I also felt hopeless. There should be little satisfaction in knowing the the Boilers lost last night on a last second shot by Rutgers – their claim to #1 short lived. Yet, it brought a certain sense of relief, but only because I don’t know any obnoxious Rutgers’ fans. It puts Baylor in the driver’s seat with a chance for back-to-back titles.
In recent years, I’ve seen IU lose to Maryland for the NCAA soccer crown. I’ve watched the endless streak of victories by Purdue over IU in basketball. I’ve been through a winless conference season by IU in football, after silly expectations of a potential championship. Even the bucket went back to West Lafayette. I’ve witnessed the string of coaches that have come and gone at my Alma Mater after failing to be competitive. In the process, other schools have surpassed us in prominence and this has led to great anguish and disappointment.