Category: OLD SPORT SHORTS (Page 24 of 68)
An old guy’s perspective on all sports
After the run and swim this morning, I got back under the covers, taking advantage of my blog-cation. It was dark and quiet, with hours to go before our time with relatives. I thought of how the world of baseball had changed so quickly yesterday. (See Post #1759). Rizzo was now a Yankee as I watched him slug his first homer in pinstripes. Kimbrel got his first save in a White Sox uniform, although his fellow Cub transfer, Ryan Tepera, did not fare as well, giving up a game tying home run. Javy Baez was on his way to New York to join his new Met teammates while Kris Bryant was taking a Giant step to San Francisco. Manager David Ross patched together a new Cubs lineup that fell short of our the Nats. It was supposed to be a D.C. reunion with Kyle Schwarber but he was now in Boston, with the 2016 World Series Champs now scattered all over the country.
The weekend is once again upon us. Here we are at the beach, at the most northern point of Florida. Tally dipped her paw in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, having already done the same thing on both sides of the Gulf and in the Pacific. She’s a well traveled schnauzer, living her life from coast-to-coast and even seeing the fringes of Canada. We dined on the beach, The Sandbar & Kitchen, and stayed at the Springhill Suites/Courtyard by Marriott, once again paying more for Tally than ourselves. We’ll now venture into Jacksonville and spend some time with the twins, the main purpose of this adventure. Tomorrow, my wife will reunite with long lost Rochester, Indiana neighbors.
I was thinking about some of the travel opportunities that we’ve missed over the last year-and-a-half due to the pandemic. We may now never get to the Prince of Wales Hotel, the Bali or Kauai beaches, Finland, Norway, or the Russian rivers. Egypt can be made good in 2023, but these other destinations may have to be reserved for another lifetime. At least the virus did not take our health or our lives, as has been unfortunately the case for too many others. We live to travel, but the clock is working against us! Tick, Tick, Tick!
It’s time for a short blog-cation, a short break from writing because I don’t want to take my laptop with us to Amelia Island. I’ll either be driving, running, eating, sunning, or sleeping so no time for writing. Before I leave, I just want to say good-bye to Anthony Rizzo. I should have known last night when my wife made risotto that a trade was in the works. I did not expect the Yankees but the short right field porch is ideal for a lefty slugger. He’ll join their Italian-American All Star team that also includes the likes of Lazzeri, Crosetti, DiMaggio, Berra, Pepitone, Giambi, Torrre, Girardi, Rizzuto, Pettitte, Martin, etc. It’s been a great ten years in the Windy City, making me a bigger fan of the Cubs.
I feel especially sorry for my wife’s niece and her husband who named their dog Rizzo. It will be tough to have a Yankee in the house! I’m left with my baseball cards and wine corks from the Rizzo winery that also sadly went out of business. He had a very distinctive swing, but in baseball as in life the rich get richer and the Yankees are in the Wild Card chase despite trailing the Red Sox by 8.5 games while 7 behind the Rays. Tomorrow, I would probably have been writing about Kris Bryant or closer Craig Kimbrel as the dismantlement of the out-of-contention Cubs continues. Last night I watched them fall to the Reds again.
All these trades will make it easier for me to throw all my allegiance to the White Sox, who also benefited from the Cubs yard sale, adding Ryan Tepera to their relief corps. It will be interesting to follow the rebuilding process of a team that last time took over 100 years to achieve success. Another reliever, Andrew Chafin recently went to the A’s, so Wrigley Field will soon never be the same. Hot-headed, defensive magician, Javy Baez could be next. My favorite, Kyle Schwarber was traded to the Nats before the season started and will now be a Red Sox. You need a scorecard to keep track!
Another sore spot of mine in this whirlwind of player trades is that one of my favorites for the White Sox, Nick Madrigal, is out for the season with an injury. Sadly, he may never now find a place back in the lineup since The White Sox acquired Cesar Hernandez from the Indians (Guardians) to take his place. The game is changing quicker than a Max Scherzer fast ball, who was also sent from the Nats to the Dodgers yesterday. The Yanks and the Dodgers are always in the big trade picture at this point of the season. The Rich get Richer and the Cubs get poorer. Farewell Rizzo!
I got caught in a light sprinkle this morning – the first time it’s rained on my morning running parade. I was beginning to think there were only afternoon showers in our area of Florida. We had a great birthday dinner for my son at the Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse. I felt like I was carrying a few extra pounds this morning during a particularly sluggish first mile. My wife particularly appreciated the “blond sirloin,” where they sliced pineapple rather than meat. I had a couple of margaritas to celebrate National Tequila Day, that happens to coincide with his birthday, and were treated to a Brazilian version of the Happy
Birthday song.
I’m trying to watch the Olympic telecast but it was just interrupted by a power outage. This is one of the consequences of living in a construction zone. Noise, dust, and concrete trucks are the other associated disruptions. I missed the end of women’s three-on-three basketball, an event that I never knew existed. Is H-O-R-S-E also a medal sport? They are now moving quickly from scull racing to men’s volleyball between opening ceremonies highlights, as all these competitions kick off this morning in Tokyo. One common factor in this year’s games are a plethora of tattoos.
My son and I went to rookie ball yesterday and enjoyed watching the future Atlanta Braves stars vs. the Tampa Bay Rays up and comers. With the announcement of the new name of the Cleveland Indians – The Guardians, we wondered how long ATL will stay with their current identity along with the NBA Warriors? The Washington Football Team, formerly the Redskins, will also soon reveal their new logo. It’s odd growing up with the familiarity of these teams along with their mascots and now suddenly seeing all these changes. The Houston Colt 45’s and Washington Bullets were also renamed in the interest of not promoting violence. Hopefully, the bears, cubs, lions, panthers, and tigers will not find their association with teams to be offensive. Also, what’s a Kraken? Are the sea monsters comfortable with this?
I finished my run this morning all wobbly-legged like those competitors you see at the end of the Boston Marathon just before they collapse. It was eighty degrees and 100% humidity with a light mist. I thought to myself: it’s just a leisurely 5k not a frickin’ marathon. What are you …seventy years old? Just yesterday, I still had a lot in the tank for the last mile, but today was a different story. I thought a lot about a friend of mine anticipating prostate surgery, and how lucky I should feel to just have to worry about another day of running.
There are many familiar markers along the route I take, including a pot hole at the half-mile mark, a Dodge Charger that sits in someone’s driveway, the utility box that sits at one mile, two benches that I think of as benchmarks, and the Venetian bridge at the half-way point. When I pass them all the second time I know “I’m getting closer to my home.” Sometimes, even Grand Funk comes up in the music rotation to perform that very song as I make my way back. I’m a sweaty mess when I finally make my way to the pool – this morning in a light rain. Schnauzer Tally sat under cover rather than perform her normal lifeguard duties.
Tally had a big day at the beach yesterday. We even shared a Chicago dog even though today is technically National Hot Dog Day. The entry to Broward Beach is a dog park with secure fences to protect us all from the alligators that lurk in the surrounding swamp. The exit leads to a wooden walkway and access to the sand. It’s one of two dog-friendly beaches in our area. Tally can sit in the shade of our umbrella or romp with the other dogs, even though many of them actually get in the water. She stays on the fringe area, avoiding the water at all costs, just as she jokingly performs her lifeguard responsibilities with me while swimming in our pool. There was a brief moment where she tried to follow me into warm Gulf, but a wave soon sent her scurrying back to safety.
We were all tired from a day in the sun, even more reason to get in under the covers at the standard 10 p.m. self-imposed curfew. It’s well past the time when most of our neighbors roll up their sidewalks. There isn’t a bedroom light to be seen when I take Tally for her final outing. Back in Portland, I didn’t have to stay up late to watch sports, but here most games don’t even start until 8 or 9p. I usually check the scores before bed time but typically have to wait until morning for the final results. I uncharacteristically took my phone to bed and happened to check it after doing some reading. The Milwaukee Bucks were about to claim their first NBA title in 50 years, so I stayed up for the celebration, monitoring it on the small screen. At the same time, both the Sox and Cubs were pulling off miracle comebacks. It was the most remarkable half-hour of TV sports I’ve witnessed in a long time. The Cubs scored 6 runs in the ninth to stun the rival Cards, the Sox came back to beat the Twins, and Giannis scored 50 to claim the crown. It made for sweet dreams – Grand Funk!
A new Flaviar whisky shipment and the Home Run Derby kept me content last night. I also flipped over to watch the U.S. Men’s Olympic basketball team lose an unprecedented two straight exhibition games. We’re obviously no longer the world basketball power of years past. In fact, my whole perspective of the game has changed in the last twenty years with the demise of I.U. basketball and the rise of the rest of the globe. In some ways, the two are related with the failure to compete on the world stage of recruiting. For example, a team like Nigeria even a few short years ago was a non-factor on the court.
Pete Alonso of the Mets won his second straight Home Run Derby crown last night, after the cancellation of the 2020 All Star Game competition. The #1 seed, Shohei Ohtani, was defeated in the first round. The tournament play-by-play with all the buzzers and whistles is a far cry from my memories the original 1959 duals on television. Hank Aaron made seven appearances, while Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays each competed five times. Wrigley Field in Los Angeles was the site of the broadcast. $2000 was the prize back then compared to the one-million dollars that Alonso raked in last night. As a kid, we’d get out our whiffle balls and bats to belt our own moon shots.
Tonight’s All Star Game will feature Shohei Ohtani in the dual role of starting pitcher and lead-off hitter for the American League. It signals the half-way point of the season with my White Sox leading the AL Central by eight games over the Indians. Other division leaders include the Red Sox, Astros, Mets, Brewers, and Giants. The Cubs were 2-8 down the stretch to fall to third in the NL Central. The Giants also have 57 wins to lead the pack but only a two-game lead over the Dodgers. Games will resume after the four-day break.
The White Sox have prevailed despite a plethora of serious injuries, including Nick Madrigal out for the season. Sluggers Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert have yet to return. The early sparkplug of the season was Yermin Mercedes whose star has tarnished and was recently sent down to the minors. Andrew Vaughn and Adam Engel have recovered from injuries to recently pick up the slack. Billy Hamilton and Seby Zavala have also filled in admirably. I’m off to see the Sox at Tropicana in August and then to Pittsburgh to cheer on the Cubs. I’m expecting to see the Pale Hose in the post-season mix but have lost some hope for the Cubbies. Trades in the next few months will determine the fate of this year’s World Series Champion.
I had a discussion with a friend yesterday about organizing a reunion trip to Bloomington, Indiana and the hallowed halls of I.U. The last time I was there was five years ago to watch the Hoosiers lose to Nebraska on the court. We did not have time to see anything on campus other than Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, newly named and remodeled at the time. What we thought might be the beginning of great things turned into a nightmare of coaching changes and embarrassing losses. The last I.U. football game that I went to was 17-years ago, an upset win over Minnesota. Back then every gridiron win was an upset!
The last few years Indiana has put together a solid football program under Coach Tom Allen. There are great expectations these next few years, leading to this plan to visit Bloomington on September 3, 2022 for a game against Northwestern. I began to make a list for the Bloomington reunion, including a friend that lives in nearby Tampa. We shared season tickets for many years but have since failed to get together. I began to consider roommates and fellow students that I also haven’t seen since graduation.
I met my first wife in Bloomington, a marriage that lasted for 27-years. I should probably include my son on the ticket list. We could drive together and pick up my Tampa buddy for the excursion. It would be a convergence of friends from all over the country, including those that I left behind in Oregon and pals in California that I just visited. As the list expanded, I began to look up the whereabouts of those left behind in life. J. B. is still an Evansville attorney, while Buzz lives in the same city. Murph built a political career in Bloomington. My cousins are in that area and normally tailgate for football games, so we could all rendezvous before the kick-off. I’m excited for the opportunity to get together with everyone, see the campus, and maybe venture down to Brown County State Park.
I was hit with another wave of nostalgia yesterday with thoughts of a Bloomington get together, and began to reminisce about life on campus. It’s where great friendships were built, but also the sight of some of my worst memories. The scars still haunt me, despite taking the time to write the story of getting busted. With this in mind, there are those that I never want to see again – or maybe I do? Going back to Bloomington might help with the healing – so let the game begin. Go Hoosiers!
Today I will pick up my fully repaired car from the body shop. It’s been in there twice now since I moved to Florida. This latest incident, when I was sideswiped, happened on a Date Night. It will be good to have two cars in the garage once again, although we could easily operate with just one. This is why there is still some consideration about trading in my car in for a golf cart. However, I’m not quite ready for the neighborhood parade.
Yesterday was far from routine, although it started as always with a run and a swim. We had visitors once again from Decatur, Illinois who were down visiting parents. They almost became our first overnight guests, but decided on just a day trip to see our new digs. It was a rainy day so we just sat on the lanai and did some catching up. I was last with them at the Final Four in Indianapolis and the MLB All-Star Game in Miami. My wife, however, hadn’t seen them in years. They are sadly Cardinals fans but despite this flaw continue to be good friends.
As is typical for us sports nuts, we went to the ballpark where the Rookie leagues will start next week. It’s great to have the Atlanta Braves complex in our neighborhood but there’s not been much to see since we moved in. They hosted the Venice Symphony and fireworks for Memorial Day and have the Tomahawk Tiki Bar where you can watch games on the massive stadium scoreboard. Spring Training has of course been a bust the past two seasons, but eventually there will be plenty of activities to watch. I’m even thinking about running their 5k race in December just for a little variety in my daily jogging habit.
Their visit concluded with dinner at The Grill at 1951. It caught my eye because it’s my birth year, although really just their address, with another anniversary next month. It turned out to be a unique evening with an Italian baritone cranking out the hits of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Dean Martin. The backdrop was a gaudy Vegas-like stage with dueling pianos and mood lighting. I may be back there again in a few weeks, as the celebrations heat up for my seventieth birthday. It’s also know as JD’s Bistro & Grille, but I’ve yet to figure out why it has two names?
There was no birthday singing yesterday or even “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” There was not a game – just an empty stadium. It was still fun to be there with a guy that I’ve been to many baseball games with through the years. We’ve seen the Longhorns play in Austin, and the Cardinals in St. Louis, Miami, and New York. We missed our chance to see them at the new Globe Life Park in Arlington because of the Pan-Damn-ic! We were back at the ballpark yesterday but there was nothing to sing about.
Blogging has taken a back seat to planes, trains, automobiles, and Ubers these past few days. (I even apparently skipped a day). However, the running streak continues with a couple of early morning minimum mile jaunts. I left an overly disturbed group yesterday after an up-and-down bathroom night that caused the dogs to bark, waking everyone in the house on multiple occasions. They were all glad to see me leave for the Coburg, Oregon RV camp last night, although Falco continues to struggle with an upset stomach that hopefully had nothing to do with my Portland visit.
What was thought to be a train turned out to be a bus to Eugene and the University of Oregon for the US Track and Field trials in Eugene yesterday. In the process, I earned both my trying to pee while riding a bus and sleeping in a camper badges. I think that it was also my first time in a sleeping bag in 40 years. Along with the communal showering at the campsite, I was a good little Boy Scout!
The friends that I met for the Trials were all “under the weather” when I arrived, after their night of heavy partying. The conversation was a bit sluggish when they met me at the bus stop and during our Leadership breakfast of scrambled brains at Studio One. I could feel their pain and wished I had been with them. It was hard to fit- in with those sharing this hangover bond. I had my chance to party last night but no one else was in the mood. The Tracktown experience, however, made the trip back to Oregon well worth it.
I’m writing this at the Eugene Amtrak station waiting for my bus back to Portland. An Uber got me here from the trailer park. Although once again reunited with family for a few hours, the alarm will ring at 2 a.m. for another short run and a flight to Seattle that will eventually get us back to Florida. Five flights, four busses, including shuttles, three Ubers, a short airport train ride, a taxi, and multiple car rides will combine for a week of hectic travel. It will be great to get back to Florida where there’s no place like home sweet home.
Last night I stayed up “late” to watch the Oregon State Beavers win their second straight elimination game in the ninth inning to continue their run for another College World Series (CWS) title. They did not have a great 2021 season with 23 losses but managed to eliminate #6 ranked TCU and forced a second game with Dallas Baptist last night in Fort Worth, a team that had put them in the loser’s bracket two days earlier. These two meet again this afternoon to determine who goes to the Super Regionals. Meanwhile, the #10 ranked Oregon Ducks dropped only 15 games this season and face LSU for a second straight day in hometown Eugene, hoping to punch their Super ticket. The Ducks were an unprecedented 5-1 against the Beavers this season and haven’t gone this far in the postseason since 2014, losing then to Vanderbilt. Two years prior they made it to the Super Regionals but no further. 1954 was their only trip to Omaha, while 1957 was their last conference crown.
Watching the CWS brings back great memories of traveling to Omaha in 2018. (See Post #573). My good friend and I were going regardless of the fact that Oregon State might not even be there. Instead, they not only made the field but won the whole enchilada. Since then, I’ve religiously followed the college baseball seasons of both the Beavers and Hoosiers. This year, the Ducks have really stood out, while Indiana baseball faded down the stretch and failed to make the first round of the tournament. The Beavers were fortunate to get the nod, going 6-8 in May to finish the regular season and finishing a disappointing 6th in the conference behind Arizona, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, and Arizona State. Indiana finished 4th in the BIG at 26-18, while Nebraska, Maryland, and Michigan got into the dance. Last year Covid canceled the event.
Nebraska, the BIG champion knocked off #1 Arkansas (Pig Sooie!) last night. They will play again tonight for the chance to move on. Michigan and Maryland both failed to advance to the Sweet 16. 8 teams will ultimately travel to Omaha and Ameritrade Field. It would be exciting to see both Oregon and Oregon State in the mix. Step one is tonight for both teams with the season on the line, along with the precious opportunity to continue playing in the CWS.