Today's thoughts

Category: OLD SPORT SHORTS (Page 57 of 68)

An old guy’s perspective on all sports

Old Sport Sports: Final Four Memories #400

I continue to ease my frustrations with Indiana University basketball by dwelling on the past. I was at an antique show yesterday with a friend and bought a NCAA Final Four lapel pin collection for $20. There were ten pins from the cities that hosted the event between the years1977 and 1986. I recall being at three of these championships, and had I bought a pin at each site I would have spent at least $50, so ownership seemed worth it. There was only one Indiana championship in that 10 year period, and that took place  in Philadelphia in 1981, with Isiah Thomas, Randy Wittman, Ted Kitchel, Landon Turner, Steve Risley, Ray Tolbert, Glen Grunwald, and of course Coach Bobby Knight. They lost 9 games that year, but the team seemed to come together late in the season. Thomas and Tolbert were both first round NBA draft choices, while Grunwald and Risley were drafted in later rounds, Wittman, Steve Bouchie, Tony Brown, Jim Thomas, and Landon Turner were drafted in subsequent years, but Turner was permanently paralyzed in an automobile accident that left him confined to a wheelchair, suddenly ending any hopes for an NBA future.  The disappointing thing about my pin set is that Indiana won the National Championship the year before and the year after this collection was issued, so I will need to find pins for at least those two years, and some of the other years that I attended.

I went to my first Final Four in nearby Indianapolis back in 1980 at Market Square Arena when Purdue finished third and Louisville cut down the nets. The next year in Philadelphia was IU’s championship, and then the following year I traveled to New Orleans to watch North Carolina and freshman Michael Jordan beat Georgetown and Patrick Ewing.  It was the only NCAA championship game to feature three of  the NBA 50 Greatest Players (Jordan, Ewing, and James Worthy). The silly third place game had finally ended the year before, otherwise I would have seen Houston’s “Phi Slamma Jamma” play defending champion Louisville. It was indeed a Final Four for the ages! I returned to New Orleans in 1987 to watch IU’s Keith Smart hit “The Shot.” It unfortunately was the fifth and final championship for my Hoosiers in now over 30 years. I then had to watch Duke win it in Indianapolis at the Hoosier Dome in 1991 and again in 1992 in Minneapolis. That frustrating game was IU’s only loss in the opener of a Final Four, as they had won the tournament every time in their five previous appearances. In all honesty, we gave away our prime CBS tickets to the finale and got out of Dodge. It was Blue Devil and Coach K history that I didn’t want to see!

Indianapolis hosted in 2000, as Michigan State won over Florida, after North Carolina and Wisconsin were ousted. A good friend was a Spartan grad and hosted a celebration party where I overdid it on tequila shots. The TV station I worked for had a suite, so I was also involved in entertaining clients. The most memorable thing was that the hypochondriac wife of my boss was desperately trying to get a hold of him, and actually had them contact him through the scoreboard. I remember his name was flashed on the screen along with a message to call home.

Indiana then lost to Maryland in the championship game of 2002 in Atlanta. I was unable to go for some reason, probably because they had lost their tournament vulnerability ten years before. Mike Davis had replaced Bobby Knight that year, and somehow got that team to the championship despite 10 regular season losses and an additional loss in the Big Ten Tournament. They got some revenge on top-ranked Duke that year by upsetting them with in the Sweet Sixteen. They then went on to beat Oklahoma and Coach Kelvin Sampson, who would replace Davis and lead the team into NCAA probation hell. Jared Jeffries, Dane Fife, and Tom Coverdale starred for the Hoosier team that earned the dubious honor of losing the school’s very first NCAA Championship game. IU had won in their previous five appearances, and have not made it back since. Kelvin Sampson was the beginning of the program’s downfall, that experienced a brief surge under Tom Crean, and is now in the hands of Archie Miller. Maybe sometime in the future it will be “Miller Time!” (See Post #35)

In 2006, Indy once again hosted the event, so I was able to attend my 8th Final Four (and 7th Championship game). Florida won the title over UCLA, and we were able to attend all the CBS celebrity events that year. I remember spending a lot of time talking with an  up-and-coming unknown named Ray Romano, so the parties were much more memorable than the games. In 2010 it was wife’s Alma mater, Butler, that beat Michigan State but fell short against evil Duke. We then followed Butler to Houston, Texas in 2011, or they followed us. My wife had been transferred to Austin, so coincidentally another Final Four with Butler was within easy driving distance. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs lost again.

I’m now stuck on 10 Final Four appearances in my lifetime, and will be out of the country for this year’s games in San Antonio. Although, it might have been a good excuse to revisit some friends in Austin. As much as I hate to admit it, I hope that Purdue makes the field. After coming home from the antique show and showing off my new pin collection, I watched my inconsistent Hoosiers stumble mightily to the Michigan State Spartans, another team that has the potential to make it to San Antonio. I’m tired of losing, and miss those aspirations of making it to the Final Four, so I’m beginning to lose my hatred of the Boilermakers, and falling back on memories of working with Coach Gene Keady on his weekly televised basketball show. The TV station that I managed for several years in Lafayette, Indiana was the home of the Black & Gold, so I slowly learned to shed some of my bias towards IU’s biggest in-state rival. It’s time to decidedly leap on their bandwagon!

Purdue won the Old Oaken Bucket, what I sometimes call the Toilet Bowl, from IU in football his past season, and went on to win, in dramatic fashion, the lowly Foster Farms clash against Arizona. Back in 2001, while running WLFI-TV, I spared no expense to send a broadcast crew to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, to cover the Boilers and future Hall-of-Fame Quarterback Drew Brees. They lost to Washington, but gave me reason to include a few Boilermaker souvenirs in my sports collection. Since IU hasn’t even come close to being in a Rose Bowl since 1968, it’s been very easy to stray from any IU football allegiance. I’m growing tired of supporting losers like IU, The Colts, and Da’ Bears. I often wish I had gone to grad school, so I’d have other collegiate teams to support. I enjoy watching Butler win, except against IU, and have tried hard to root for the Oregon teams, but haven’t made that passionate connection, as yet. I felt sorry for Drew Brees this past weekend, losing a chance for his Saints to advance, due to a rookie teammate blunder. Instead it was the Minnesota Vikings who will play against the Eagles for a home Super Bowl appearance. They were once a favorite of mine because of the color purple. I once painted my Electric Football team as the Vikings, choosing them for some unknown reason over the Chicago Bears and the Baltimore (now Indianapolis) Colts. I’m jumping on their bandwagon, too. Boiler Up and Go Vikes – I’ll wear your pin!

 

 

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: My Ten CommandMEnts #387

As I continue to learn more about the Knights Templar quest for the Holy Grail through the History Channel’s Knightfall series, and follow the modern day hunt by brothers Rick and Marty Lagina  on The Curse of Oak Island, I find myself curious about other biblical stories. In the process, I thought I might put my own personal twist on the original Ten Commandments.  As a courtesy reminder here they are:              
  1.           You shall have no other Gods before ME.
  2.          You shall not make idols.
  3.          You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
  4.          Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
  5.          Honor your father and your mother.
  6.          You shall not murder.
  7.          You shall not commit adultery.
  8.          You shall not steal.
  9.          You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
  10.          You shall not covet.
Now, here is my silly take on the Ten Commandments. What I call the CommandMEnts – because they’re all about ME:
  1.          I shall live like GOD is looking over ME to keep ME honest.
  2.           I shall have IDOLS like my dad, catcher Sherm Lollar, and Billy.
  3.           I will not use offensive language, except with I.U. basketball
  4.           I will RUN on the Sabbath and every other day of the week.
  5.          I shall honor adopted father & mother and find my birth parents.
  6.          I shall not murder, with the exception of mosquitoes.
  7.         I shall not commit adultery – it’s childish to fool around.
  8.         I shall not steal, unless it’s second base. 
  9.         I shall not be a nosy neighbor, and to pay the HOA fees on time. 
  10.         I shall always COVET Diet Coke and an Arby’s Jamocha Shake.
I hope I’m not struck by lightening for being so sacrilegious, but I tend to make fun of things I don’t understand. I do feel somewhat safer since I did go to church and leave an offering on one occasion last year – a big improvement over the year before. Furthermore, as I’m already on very thin ice, let me continue with Ten Final Thoughts on Religion:
  1.         Never criticize another’s beliefs of any kind.
  2.         Study the Bible as an important historical document.
  3.         Never waste prayers on your team to win because one team always loses.
  4.         Keep an open mind and forgiving heart for those whose beliefs are different.
  5.         Hope there is no Hell and never wish that someone goes there.
  6.         Be thankful that you don’t work on Sundays, and for heathens that do.
  7.         Enjoy any religious holiday, especially if you get gifts. 
  8.         What would travel be without Churches and religious artifacts to see?
  9.         What would comedians joke about without religion and politics?
  10.         Religion is the greatest mystery of all. What would we do without it?

 

 

 

 

 

Old Sport Shorts: “O” for Wisconsin #383

I’ve moved to Oregon, so when I see an “O,” I now naturally think of the Ducks. Joey Harrington, former star quarterback, claims to have originated the two-handed signal, where the thumbs and forefingers come together to make the 15th letter of the alphabet.  If you use only one thumb and forefinger, it’s just OK! Also, if I had lived in O-H-I-O, the “O” might have had some significance, but I was born and grew up in the state of Indiana, where my sole association was maybe the O-R-E-O cookie. At any rate, it’s hard to tell an “O” from a “0,” which means “nothing,” and I’ve had a lot more experiences with zeroes. There are good 0’s and bad 0’s!

With Indiana University Basketball, I’ve lived through two undefeated regular seasons, and the last undefeated National Championship team in 1976. “32-0” stands as the greatest college basketball season ever, memorialized with a framed Kent Benson #54 uniform in my office. Granted, the accomplishment has spoiled me as a basketball fan, and no I.U. team has come close to matching that in over 40 years. That is definitely a good “0.”

When you score zero, you usually lose. Fortunately, overtimes have been established to give competitors extra time to score. There is zero chance of winning when you score “0′” but in soccer you can at least earn a tie. In tennis, it’s all about love, but you have to have more than love to win. Baseball pitchers are awarded “shut outs” when they give up no runs. and further honored if they give up no hits. Zero errors can earn you a Golden Glove if you’re a baseball player. Defense in any sport is ultimately defined by holding an opponent scoreless.

Beyond the undefeated Indiana season, there have also been a couple of disappointing streaks that I’ve had to stomach. For example, I remember making the long drive to East Lansing over a period of a decade and never coming home with a victory. I refer to that period of both basketball and football games as “0 for East Lansing.” One of most memorable football games that I attended was on October 10, 1998.  It was the annual battle for the Old Brass Spittoon and Hoosier Quarterback Antwaan Randel El had the Hoosiers ahead most of the game, as I recall. They eventually lost in overtime 38-31 and the East Lansing curse continued.  This was following a memorable 94-79 basketball loss on March 10, 1994. Television cameras caught Coach Bob Knight bumping foreheads with Sherron Wilkerson after the Hoosier freshman was benched for complaining to the referee about a non-call. After that game, I flew to the East coast for a convention and by the time I got there the accidental bump had turned into an intentional head butt. At that stage of my life, I spent a lot of time defending the antics of Knight, and this was a clear instance where ESPN had done him no favors. My colleagues were convinced that he had head-butted his player over and over again, since the one-time collision was comically repeated like a woodpecker attacking the tree bark, making it appear that he was abusing and bullying the kid. In the long run, it was certainly not worth fighting for the controversial coach even though he was a consistent winner.

The most embarrassing “0-For” continued following last night’s basketball loss to Wisconsin. It’s been since 1998 that an Indiana basketball team has won in Madison, Wisconsin. Sixteen straight losses to the Badgers in that time span! It’s hard to have been so spoiled at one time, and now face the agony of constant defeat. The last time an Indiana team won at Wisconsin was when Bob Knight was coaching. In those 20 years since, four different coaches have failed to win on that court, including Archie Miller, who just took over the reigns this year. It probably would have been more losses, but as the BIG conference grew beyond 10 teams, schedules could no longer accommodate the traditional home and away match-ups that once took place each year. To make matters worse, the Badgers have won 19 out of the last 21 games in basketball, including the last 5, plus Indiana has lost 15 of the last 20 football games against them.  It continues to be “O” for Wisconsin, and certainly justification to rip my diploma off the wall!

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Welcome New Year #380

With hours of down time, sitting in my mother-in-law’s hospital room, I’ve had plenty of time to think about the coming year. Here is my list of resolutions for the upcoming year:

Build A More positive attitude – rainbows
Get Tooth fixed/New Dentist
Physical/Hearing checked/new glasses
Less Drinking 1 instead of 2
Weekly Friday Leadership Meeting lunch
Compliment my wife more
See the “Beauty in Life” – patience
Get To Run Everyday for 10th straight year
Daily pushups, crunches, and stretching
Be a better dog owner
Drink More water and less Diet Coke
Lose 10 pounds
More connections with old friends and family
Indy Car Portland weekend
No Debt Continues
Enter writing contest
Chew slowly/soft foods – protect teeth
Celebrate each day with my wife
Be a good Grandad and father starting with Disney world weekend and the birth of a third grandchild in May
Continue to Contribute to kids education fund
Limoges Box gift with poem each month
Daily blog post with monthly poem
Weekly Date Night
Weekly Movie Night
Sunrise game-Oregon State/Cubs/IU Game/Bowl and NCAA Tourney Game
Call my sister on Mondays
No car payments this year
Find volunteer work/contributions/give back
Continue Cooking on Tuesdays
Cut down on expenses
Continue laundry/vacuum/dust/mop
Expand Sports collection
Amsterdam and Venice Viking Cruise to Athens
St. Louis baseball weekend, Disney World, French Laundry dinner, Hawaii, Tucson, Indiana, NYC Broadway, Mexico, Vancouver Gardens, (90 days max away from home)
Plan Thailand trip for next year
Plan China Trip  in two years
Read a book a week
Finish Ken Burns documentaries
Finish novel about Tinker
Do some drawing, sketching, painting
Learn to play the uke
Continue to learn about history
Find out more about my birth mother

Retirement is not without Hassles: Sanitizer #378

I thought the rental car debacle would be our biggest hassle of the holidays, but things managed to get worse. Snow and ice made driving difficult, and below-zero temperatures blasted Indianapolis. It made me wish I was back in Portland, whose weather apparently didn’t fare much better. My wife’s daughter stayed with our dogs and experienced a lengthy ice-related power outage. She usually agrees to stay at our house for two reasons: to watch premium tv channels and to do laundry. She was not able to do either.

Christmas Day was quick to pass following a delicious turkey dinner for seventeen and six excruciating hours of gift opening. This seems to get a bit more excessive every year, as Santa’s Semi pulls up to the door, since the reindeer can’t carry everything that goes under the tree. I got a new Columbia Cubs long-sleeved running shirt that will fit in nicely with my retirement wardrobe, a wine aerator, and a stack of Fandango cards. I’d say they know me pretty well, but unwrapping my take only took about 5 minutes.

I picked up my wife’s gift to me the next day from my sports collector friend. It was the mystery gift that had mounted in anticipation over the last six months. Mostly, it was disbelief that we had spent so much on something unknown, and then waited that long to finally learn what it was. The surprise turned out to be a 1955 Chicago White Sox game-worn, wool jersey with #10 on the back. (See Post#5). I then spent the rest of the afternoon with my cousins and dinner with a good friend. This fabulous day was then rudely interrupted by a call from my wife, whose mother was unexpectedly being admitted to the hospital with what they initially thought was pneumonia. It was reminiscent of Thanksgiving many years ago when her father suddenly passed out in the kitchen and needed an ambulance.

Over the past few days, my poor wife has spent the night in a bed-side chair, after her sister also got sick. While she’s proved to be a loving daughter, I’ve been trying to finish the “jigsaw puzzle from hell” that was started over a year ago. No one seems to work on it unless I’m not in town, so the pressure was on to get it done and off the family-room table. In the meantime, the diagnosis was changed to the very contagious influenza B, and we’ve since worn surgical masks in her presence. It makes me feel like I’m living out a Stephen King novel. On the lighter side, it also reminds me of the letter I wrote to the Baseball Hall of Fame titled, “Who was that Masked Man?” and the reason for my unique Christmas gift.

I’m trying to avoid any hypochondriac tendencies, as I sit across from my masked wife, reeking of hand sanitizer. The only one not wearing a mask in the room is my mother-in-law, who has a nasty cough that neither of us wants to catch. What’s wrong with this picture? Well, it’s her room and she’s having trouble breathing, so they don’t want anything restricting that process, while I’m thinking a gag! When she coughs and wheezes, it makes us both want to hack out a response. The patient also can’t hear and with everyone in masks she can’t even read lips. We write on an erasable board for her, talk in whispers to each other, and try to pass the time in silence. We were so bored at one point that we started to clip and file our nails. Plus, the TV is stuck on one channel, and my wife is exhausted following back-to-back-sleep-deprived nights. Could it possibly be less “Merry” or “Happy” at the end of the year? At least, the masks keep us from continuing to stuff sweets in our mouths.

Our dog has diarrhea back at home (See Post #371), but my wife’s daughter has gracefully agreed to continue watching them while we’re stuck back in Indiana. We had to cancel our return flights, and extend the rental car agreement. Also, we couldn’t make the drive up to see my sister and her kids. They’re sick too! I had the flu a few months ago, so I’m hoping to avoid a repeat, although I don’t have to worry about missing work. All of us have cancelled any New Year’s Eve plans.

We’ll probably end up returning the rental car to Hertz in Indianapolis, rather than Chicago, certainly adding to our growing “Christmas Vacation” expenses, but there’s little chance we’ll encounter “Counter Lady” and her fondness of Cadillacs (See Post #376). I can’t help but think of another holiday movie favorite “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” and comedian Steve Martin’s f***ed interaction with the “Gobble, Gobble, Gobble” rental car counter lady, a comparable experience to ours, come to think of it.

The puzzle was finally finished last night, so it can be put back in the box, and I’ll have little to do but blog and patiently sit in the hospital room wearing a surgical mask. I won’t be able to attend Friday’s leadership meeting, so I’ve set one up here in Indy. I will also miss the Les Schwab Invitational High School Basketball Tournament and left the comp tickets for my buddies locked in the car at the Portland International Airport, adding further to the holiday follies. Finally, the repair of our broken washer has been rescheduled to just after the first of the year, so I’ll try to pack clean laundry for our return home- whenever that might be? Could you please pass the hand sanitizer?

Retirement is not without Hassles: Unbelievable #373

Normally tonight would be “Date Night,” but with family in town we will dine together at Noble Rot, even though the name itself is not very appetizing. Speaking of tasty, I successfully prepared the pan-roasted brined pork chop recipe last night for dinner and got rave reviews. However, it’s still very stressful and feels unnatural for me to be in the kitchen, so I’m glad to be going out tonight. We’ll also go see the new movie musical, “The Greatest Showman.” Hugh Jackman stars as P.T. Barnum.

In the next few days we’ll be traveling back to Indiana for the holidays. I’m excited this year because I finally get to see the piece of sports history that has remained a mystery to me now for several months. My collector friend strongly suggested that my wife buy it for me for Christmas, claiming that it’s “unbelievable.” That’s a strong word from a guy who owns one of the largest collections of authentic sports memorabilia, baseball cards, and autographed merchandise in the world. It will be interesting to see what he has for me. I will also visit with my cousins that I haven’t seen in over twenty years, and have dinner with my sister and her family. We’ll circle the Hoosier state, starting from O’Hare in Chicago through Rochester, down Highway 31 to Indianapolis, continue north up State Road 19 to South Bend/Mishawaka, and return to the airport five days later. It will be a whirlwind of feasts, family, and friends.

My wife’s daughters will not be making the trip back home with us. They were just there for Thanksgiving, so our dogs will get the pleasure of spending some time with her oldest. This will save us a lot of money on hiring a pet sitter, and make the pups much happier in our absence. I will have to sneak our suitcases into the closet tomorrow so as to not raise any suspicion of abandonment with our wise, old schnauzer named Tinker. If I get caught, she’ll start to worry before we even get out the door. We have another dinner at the Westgate Bourbon Bar planned with the girls, before the youngest heads back to D.C. and we get on the plane to Chicago.

I am so relieved to have finally finished the Walter Isaacson book, Leonardo Da Vinci. It was an interesting but tough read, filled with almost too much detail. It took me several weeks to get through it, but not nearly the time it took Leonardo to finish a painting, which he apparently rarely did. He led a comfortable life thanks to the patrons that supported his work, but never had a family or even a last name. He also failed to collect commissions on several projects as a result of procrastination, severe attention deficit issues and distractions due to unsatisfied curiosity; plus an incessant drive to pursue science, mathematics, engineering, and invention. He actually “lost interest” in painting, even though it was that particular skill that would become his greatest legacy. Since there are now fewer than 20 known works by Leonardo, his “laziness” and lack of production with the brush has actually made his paintings even more valuable today. In fact, just last month, his “Salvator Mundi” portrait sold at auction for a record-shattering 450.3 million dollars. Leonardo died 498 years ago at age 67 and left behind a notebook of sketches, drawings, and explanations of some of life’s greatest mysteries, not to mention the “Mona Lisa.”

Speaking of “unbelievable,” even though I’ve been to the Louvre several times, I would like to see the “Mona Lisa” again, after reading this book. There is always a huge crowd of people around the famous painting, so it’s impossible to get close enough to see any details. Also, there is much controversy about its potential restoration, especially since we’ve never seen the vivid layers of colors that Leonardo carefully applied in the seventeen years that he spent perfecting it. We only know the painting after five centuries of cracking, fading, and darkening deterioration. The fear of restoration is that it would no longer be recognizable. I guess I’m already fortunate to have seen the masterpiece in my lifetime, that will hopefully extend much longer than Leonardo’s 67 years.

I will never own a “Leonardo,” but hope to come home from Indiana with an “unbelievable” sporting masterpiece for my office. Several of my friends are just as curious as to what it is, as I am. They’ve heard me talk about it for months now, since my collector friend refused to take the risk of shipping it to me. He wanted me to pick it up, and the only hint that I have is that it is smaller than a breadbox, so I should have little trouble carrying it back on the plane with me. I’m guessing that it’s related to Indiana Hoosiers basketball or Chicago White Sox baseball history, since he also is a fan of both of those teams. He’s already given me several jerseys and other momentos through the years of our friendship from these favorites of mine.  His valuable collection definitely does not include anything from Leonardo da Vinci, but it does include authentic Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner “artwork.”

Creature Features: Bone Wars (Part 1) #370

My wife’s youngest daughter came to visit last night for the week. The dogs got to meet her at the airport after a long flight from her home in Washington D.C. She once lived with us in Decatur, Illinois, finishing up some undergraduate courses to enroll in Medical school. It was there that she met Tinker, our rescue schnauzer, and a connection was instantly sparked. Tinker had been abandoned as a pup and survived on her own until we found her at the Macon County Animal Shelter. At that time, she was in a cage still caked with mud, and my wife thought she was brown in color. However, once she had a bath, we were both surprised that she was a lighter shade of gray, but it was the eyes that caused my wife to fall in love. That was nearly twelve years ago.

We named her Tinker because we already had a Chow-pherd named Belle, and together they were Disneyesque. Belle was the mature, good dog, while Tinker ruined most of the carpeting in our home and was untrustworthy off the leash. We lived on a lake and she would frequently escape, frantically chase the ducks, and return covered in the same coat of mud that we first saw her wear. As a schnauzer mixed with what we believe is poodle (schnoodle), she was not fond of water, high strung, and barked at everything, yet was very intelligent. She had a big vocabulary and even learned to spell, after we refrained from using words that she recognized and spelled them out instead. Tinker was always full of energy and kept Belle young at heart. It was about ten years ago that Belle passed away, leaving my wife and her two daughters without their best friend.

While the older daughter was getting her Masters, the younger one was befriending Tinker in Decatur. We also had two cats at that time, so I ranked at least sixth on my wife’s list of favorites. With the loss of Belle, I had temporarily moved up on her “living list,” and was still trying to gain favoritism by pretending to love animals. Belle had grown to tolerate me, but was still reluctant to go on walks without the company of her owner. My wife and I had also jointly purchased a Burmese cat named Frankie, so I was slowly involved in building a personal family of pets, and would eventually over time grow to love them all. In fact, as a recent retiree, I’ve taken on most of the pet responsibilities, and will even cook some rice later today to help feed our four-legged family. I do much of the walking, feeding, and litter-box duties, but still leave the nurturing to my wife.

While we lived in Decatur, my wife’s youngest took on most of the pet responsibilities. I rarely saw Tinker, who had gladly moved into “Her Girl’s” room, along with Frankie the cat. When Tinker’s girl was at work, I would occasionally have to take her out to do her business, if she didn’t just do it on the carpet. I remember what I called “Tinkerrhea” that left a permanent brown reminder on our white dining room carpet, and a similar incident in the car that left me covered in doggie doo-doo. I was driving and she suddenly leaped off my wife’s lap to sit on mine, so there was little I could do to protect myself. Fortunately, we were traveling, so I had a change of clothes handy. I’m sure you’re all familiar with Montezuma’s revenge – this was Tinker’s! I also fondly recall a window I had to replace at our lake home, as Tinker and her girl were playing fetch. I still don’t exactly know how the window got broken, but the two of them spent many hours playing ball in the hallway. They were inseparable for that special year. It was also good for my wife, who never liked living there, to have the two of them in the house together. I was there, too, I need to mention.

Tinker is getting old and has grown to be the mature leader to her younger sister Tally, that Belle once was to her. Tally is now the high strung schnauzer of the family that likes to chew the limbs off stuffed animals. At least, she’s learned to confine her biting to these disposable creatures rather than the shoes, clothing, and furniture that she used to destroy with her teeth. Tinker still has an incessant, annoying bark that she uses to greet us, or as a mournful reminder that we are leaving her behind. I refer to Tinker and Tally as T-N-T because they can get into explosive arguments over toys and bones. “Bone Wars” happen often, as each becomes extremely possessive about their treats, toys, ball, rawhide chews, and pork chomps. Tally also likes to growl at passers-by, while Tinker is currently barking because “Her Girl” who came to visit is suddenly missing again. Apparently, she missed the fact that my wife’s daughter left to go for a run and couldn’t be found anywhere in the house. Tinker spent last night cuddling with her in bed, but often has to be assisted in making the jump up and down. As she sadly discovered, the bed was now empty, but she had somehow gotten up to double-check and couldn’t get back down, frantically barking for help. Tinker will be so sad when her best buddy goes back home later this week, even though the older sister will replace her in that bed, while my wife and I head back to Indiana for Christmas.

We all saw Star Wars this past week, but ‘Bone Wars” is by far my favorite. Each pet fights for our attention and fights with each other, as siblings often do. We try to share our affection and food equally, but violent wars break out, even when we’re gone. The other night we came home to an expensive broken vase in pieces on the floor, assuming that Tally had chased Frankie, as often happens, and in an effort to avoid confrontation the vase got in the way. Tally just wants to play, but Frankie sees it as a threat, just as older sister’s kitties reacted to her aggressive presence. Tally is a playful seven year old that has taken on the energy that Tinker once had. She leads the way on our weekend walks, tugging on her leash to go faster, while Tinker often lags behind. The “Tally Monster” is always the first one in the door after an outing, hoping to take possession of both chewy bones. Tinker will “bark-bark-bark” in retaliation until we intercede to return her stolen property. If Tinker happens to get hold of Tally’s bone, she will quickly gobble it down so there’s no chance for recovery. Tinker will also shamelessly eat out of her sister’s bowl, who often waits to see if we’re cooking something better. Hesitation loses wars, and when it comes to food Tinker always gets her way.

I’m sure it’s very complicated for Tinker and Tally, and even Frankie, as people come and go from their lives. The older daughter moved in with us in Austin, Texas, where we adopted Tally. She was working on her doctorate and needed to save some money. Tally naturally has bonded more with her, while Tinker had already found her favorite sister. The older sister moved with us to Portland, but now lives in a separate apartment with her two kitties. Tally always seemed to frighten the kitties, while they lived with us, so her bond with the older sister is somewhat restrained by the meanness to her furry babies. However, she comes over often to visit and will stay here whenever possible as we travel. All the pets are excited to see her, but Tinker gets especially excited when the younger sister, her best pal, comes to town. That day is here!

Montezuma (Tinkerrhea)

 .

We were in the car,

On the road.

Far away,

From our abode.

.

Our little dog,

On my wife’s lap.

Calmly taking,

A little nap.

.

All of a sudden,

“Tinker” had to go.

Signs of panic,

Began to show.

.

She jumped over,

On top of me.

I’m driving the car,

My hands weren’t free.

.

Before there was time,

To safely stop.

I quickly realized,

She was ready to pop.

.

It was Tinkerreah,

That came gushing out.

The smell soon left,

Little doubt.

.

Accidental?

Or revenge?

Like Montezuma,

I had to cringe.

.

She had the runs,

And ran to me.

Just how lucky,

Can a dog owner be?

.

 Copyright 2017 johnstonwrites.com

Old Sport Shorts: Rather be Lucky Than Good #369

It’s been a frustrating year for Indiana University Basketball, trying to appease spoiled fans like myself. When victories were once the norm, they are now hard to come by. An Assembly Hall opening loss to Indiana State set the stage for mediocrity, yet competitive losses against #15 Seton Hall and #1 Duke showed a glimmer of hope. The BIG season, with an early start this year, began with a predictable loss in Ann Arbor and a much-needed roller coaster home victory over Iowa. Disappointment then reared its ugly head again against then ranked Louisville, with18th ranked Notre Dame up next. It was time for Coach Archie Miller’s first Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis, where I.U. faces N.D. or Butler on an every other year basis, and Purdue plays either Butler or N.D. in  the other in-state rivalry game of the annual holiday double header. Was it “Miller Time” yet? (See Post #35)

Two years ago, I.U. Coach Tom Crean was badly wavering in terms of fan favoritism,  There were great expectations for that Hoosier team entering the Maui Classic, but the wheels quickly fell off with losses to Wake Forest, U.N.L.V., and Duke. It was a comeback victory against Notre Dame in the Crossroads Classic that got the team back on track, and enabled them to win the BIG regular season title and beat Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. It also saved Tom Crean’s job for another year. I was at that game in 2015 and watched Troy Williams rally the Hoosiers from 15 down to beat the Irish 80-73. Yesterday’s Crossroads Classic game against the Fighting Irish had a similar outcome, but this year’s Hoosier team does not have BIG title talent, and Coach Miller will hopefully be given a few years to restore a perennial winner.

The timing of this year’s event did not work out with our holiday travel plans back to Indiana. In fact, the I.U. schedule does not even allow me to see a game in Bloomington, as is traditional with my longtime college buddy. He was at the game yesterday and also attended last night’s high school battle between New Albany and Carmel. Romeo Langford plays for New Albany and is a top national recruit that could greatly enhance the “Miller Time” era. Indiana, Vanderbilt, and Kansas are in the final running for the services of the five-star, 6″5″ shooting guard, although he’ll probably be a one-and-done player. The biggest criticism of former Coach Tom Crean was his inability to recruit from within the state of Indiana. Coach Miller already has two home-state bread stars on next year’s squad, Damezi Anderson, a 6’6″ small forward from South Bend Riley and Rob Phinisee from Lafayette McCutcheon. Wherefore art thou Romeo?

I’ll be attending the Les Schwab high school basketball Invitational later this month, and although there will probably be no potential Hoosiers playing, it is a premier showcase of high school talent. I hope to see Oregon’s top recurit, Bol Bol, 7’3″ son of the late Manute Bol, and Arizona’s commit Brandon Williams, as well as other potential college stars like Spencer Freedman and Keldon Johnson. The slam dunk contest is always a crowd favorite. Quite frankly, I had lost some interest in my favorite sport, following Indiana’s dwindling presence in the national college picture, but the Notre Dame victory yesterday makes me a little more excited to watch some good high school basketball. Admittedly, I was very jealous of being in the company of Duke, Michigan State, Florida, and Gonzaga fans at the recent PK80 event. They were into the games like I used to be, especially after three National Championships from Coach Bob Knight. I fear that I may never get to be that obnoxious again!

I probably will not get to another college basketball game this season, and I.U. games and even March Madness have temporarily lost their “appointment television” status. I reluctantly watched the Crossroads Classic on T.V. yesterday, fearing about another second half collapse. Instead, they did that in the first half with poor shooting and multiple turnovers but rallied to make it close at halftime. Early in the second half I was ready to turn it off, but then Juwan Morgan caught fire. He ended with a career high 34 points, including the final eight points in regulation and eight more in overtime.  The biggest play however was from Zach McRoberts, who somehow grabbed Morgan’s missed free throw and while stumbling to the floor made a remarkable pass back to Morgan for the winning dunk. Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame’s star, missed a three quarter court shot as time expired, as the “luck of the Irish” turned into “Hoosier Hysteria.” It was a signature win  for Archie Miller, but beware that a Ft. Wayne club that put one of the final nails in the coffin of Tom Crean, with a major upset last year is next on the schedule. Hopefully, there won’t be a let down from a team that has already let me down many times this year already!

Indiana did not play very good basketball against Notre Dame. They had 16 turnovers, including six from senior guard Robert Johnson. They shot less than 50% from the field and went 18-25 from the free throw line. Three-point shooting was at 38%, while Notre Dame was even worse. The Fighting Irish could have won in regulation, if Austin Torres hadn’t missed two free throws with less than a second on the clock. Even the most experienced, five-year Hoosier players did not show good leadership when critical, questionable fouls against Collin Hartman seemed to favor the Irish, and Josh Newkirk fouled out with no points and two turnovers. Indiana never led once until overtime, squandered several opportunities to put the game away, and ultimately had to come from behind again to get the victory. It was an ugly win, but a win nonetheless. As is often said, “it’s sometimes better to be lucky than good!”

 

 

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Mementos #367

Years ago, my dad must have gotten a couple of gold watches for his retirement, the standard farewell gift of twentieth century corporate America. He gave one to me, since he didn’t need two, and what I’ve found in my first year of retirement is that you don’t even need one. Plus, in the last decade, smart phones have become the primary timepiece, and gone are the days when someone works for the same company for 30 or 40 years and is honored with a gold watch and a handshake. As a result, watches have become less functional and more decorative, worn as status symbols, with pricey brands like Rolex leading the way as trophies of accomplishment. For people like me with smaller budgets, I bought my son a TAG Heuer timepiece for his birthday commemorating the Indianapolis 500, a common bond with us. I also bought my wife a Movado for our wedding anniversary and she reciprocated with an Apple Watch for me. We both follow the modernized list of appropriate gift ideas, and the 15th is the watch anniversary.

The watch my dad passed along to me is a Bulova, commemorating the 150th anniversary of Indiana University, where both of us and my mom received degrees. It was the first nice watch that I ever owned, and I keep it safe in an I.U. treasure chest along with other family heirlooms. Like a music box, when you lift the lid it plays the I.U. fight song. You can also change the recording, with a flick of a switch inside, to the Don Fisher play-by-play of the final seconds of the 1987 NCAA National Championship where Keith Smart hits the winning shot. It was also a gift, along with the hundreds of other I.U. momentos that I’ve received or purchased through the years. These include beer covers, bottle openers, jerseys, t-shirts, sweat shirts, knit shirts, stadium replicas, photos, stickers, pens, pencils, stationary, book covers, dog collars, note books, gloves, buttons, badges, blazers, striped pajama bottoms, brackets, programs, flasks, yearbooks, plates, barbecue spatulas, tickets, name tags, jackets, balls, luggage tags, glassware, framed prints, cuff links, ties, tins, plaques, socks, cards, books, checks, credit cards, press passes, shorts, caps, posters, schedules, magazines, leather goods, headbands, hats, mugs, cups, coolers, etc. You name it – I’ve probably got it, but with the lack of recent success, Cubs merchandise has become the favored gift the past few years.

I did not get a gold watch or even a retirement party when I left the workforce a year ago. I did not expect a special send-off, since the last ten years of my career were at three or four different companies. I do however appreciate the generous pension that I receive from a previous employer and will take that over a gold watch anytime. I was writing this post today in anticipation of a phone call from Apple customer relations regarding replacement of the defective watch that my wife bought me on our anniversary. My gift to her is still ticking! The call from Apple came in late and the service agent apologized for her untimeliness. I joked that “I wasn’t paying attention to the time because I don’t have a watch.” I feel that it’s ironic that in my first year of retirement, instead of receiving a watch; I’ve actually had one taken away!  I hope that Apple will arrange some sort of compensation in exchange for the unacceptable short life of their product. As it turns out, a decision has yet to be made and they will call again on Sunday. I’ll keep you posted.

Retirement is not without Hassles: My Oregon #357

I seem to have rediscovered my poetic skills, having finished a second work in progress from my notes. We’ve now lived in Oregon for three and a half years, and have seen our share of the state. If you’re not familiar, these words reflecting our travel experiences will probably not make much sense. If you’re lucky enough to live here, you’ll understand my enthusiasm. Today also happened to be a partially sunny day, somewhat unusual for this time of year, so it put me in a favorable Oregon mood. Enjoy!

 

My Oregon

.

Climbed up Mt. Hood,
Had a stroll Seaside.
Took the Goonies tour.
And a Pink Trolley ride.

.

Went to Multnomah Falls,
And Washington Park.
Been all over the state,
Like Lewis and Clark.

.

Seen Punch Bowl Falls,
And Crater Lake.
Volcanic Saint Helen’s,
When’s the next Quake?

.

The Civil War battle,
Which team will lose?
So many food trucks,
Which one to choose?

.

Baseball Beavers memories,
Trailblazer Red and Black.
Winterhawks for hockey,
Indy Car back on track.

.

O.S.U. in Corvallis,
“O” in Eugene.
P.S.U. and U.P. in Portland,
“The” college student scene.

.

Timberline Lodge,
For Casual Dining.
And Jack Nicholson,
In The Shining.

.

Armisen’s Portlandia,
Plus, Grimm filmed here.
And the movie Animal House,
Bolstered Belushi’s career.

.

Smelled the roses,
Tasted the wine.
Sampled Craft Beer,
Paley’s to dine.

.

Powell’s for a book,
Forest Park trail.
Tillamook Cheese,
Deschutes for an ale.

.

Did the Four T’s,
From Zoo to Pill Hill.
The Timbers and Thorns,
Show their soccer skill.

.

Voodoo Donut,
Or Blue Star?
Huber’s Café?
Or the Burnside Bar?

.

The White Stag sign,
Nike for shoes.
A Tri-Met transfer,
Pittock Mansion views.

.

Fort Clatsop,
Haystack Rock.
The Spruce Goose,
Union Station’s clock.

.

Fished the Columbia,
Cruised the Willamette.
How’s that pronounced?
It rhymes, dammit!

.

Did Hood to Coast,
And Pints to Pasta.
The Helvetica Half,
Ran Shamrock Fasta.

.

Jurassic Park lush,
The trees touch the sky.
The Gorge is gorgeous,
And Seattle nearby.

.

Many bike about Sun River,
In a Duck or Beavers hat.
Or Ski Mount Bachelor,
Bend there, Done that.

.

And if the sun is shining,
You can have a five-peak day.
But in the winter months,
The sky is mostly gray.

.

Oregon has it all,
I’ve tried to explain.
What more could I want?
A little less Rain!

.

Copyright 2017

johnstonwrites.com

 

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