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Old Sport Shorts: Drubbing #251

September 10, 2017 / / 0 Comments

What rhymes with Cub?   Drub.  That’s exactly what the Brewers did to the Cubs yesterday – a 15-2 drubbing.  The Cubs had not lost a series since the All-Star break, and needed to continue this streak to maintain their once growing edge in the Central.  Instead, the Cubs went sixteen straight innings before scoring against Brew Crew pitching, and can only salvage a game today to keep from being swept.  Both the Cardinals and the Brewers are now within three games, a lead that was five just two days ago.  Friday Night lights did not work out for the Cubbies who suffered a 2-0 loss, followed by Saturday embarrassment.   The defending World Series champions have not shown the killer instinct necessary to put the Brewers away, and they have four more games later this month in Milwaukee.

The Cubs finish up with the Brewers today and then host the Mets and the Cardinals.  The Cardinals are easily within striking range, and so far the “Friendly Confines” haven’t been friendly to the home team.  Twenty games remain in the regular season, with half of those on the road, including four at Busch Stadium.  Hopefully, the Cubs won’t get trampled by the Clydesdales, mugged by the Mets, and routed by the Rays or Reds, as we head into the home stretch.  It’s time for a streak of “W’s” to secure a shot at the playoffs.

The Indians, who nearly stole the crown from the Cubs last year, have won 17 straight going into today, assuring their return to the post season.  The White Sox are a whopping 30.5 games behind them in the standings despite a victory yesterday over the Giants who are a league-leading 37 games out .  Houston has all but wrapped up the A.L. West, while the Nats seem to have secured the N.L. East.  The Dodgers, who were once world beaters, have now lost 9 in a row, including eight straight at Chavez Ravine for the first time in 30 years, but still maintain command of the N.L. West.  The Red Sox currently have a 4.5 game lead over the Yankees in the A.L. East, the only other division other than N.L. Central to not have a runaway leader.

Fatigue is a factor at this point of the year, so the Cubs will need to find a second wind.  The Yankees, Twins, D-Backs, and Rockies have the edge in the Wild Card standings.  The Brewers, Cardinals, and Cubs might have a role in that wild scramble, depending on who wins the Division.  Chances are good that they will beat each other up, and only one team from the Central will make the playoff field.  The Brewers have lost starter Jimmy Nelson for the season, with a rotator injury during his Friday Night lights gem at Wrigley.  Jake Arrieta remains day-to-day for the Cubs with a hamstring strain.  Maybe the rest will be good for him.

So much for baseball, as football season starts to take shape.  I knew that Ohio State was probably not worthy of a vaulted position in the standings after their performance against my Indiana Hoosiers.  The Hoosiers are improved from years past, as evidenced by their domination of Virginia yesterday, and showed that they could hold their own against the Buckeyes. However, the Ohio State loss to Oklahoma coupled with the mediocre performance against the Hoosiers should push them out of the Top 10 and threaten their chances for a playoff slot. Indiana, on the other hand, has an opportunity to win 6 games and claim a bowl bid thanks to games against Illinois, Rutgers, and Purdue to end the season.

The N.F.L. season is officially underway, after the huge victory by the Chiefs over the Patriots.  Apparently the Pats are suffering from the same hangover as the Cubs.  I’m currently watching the battle of the Hurricane victims, as Jacksonville and Houston square off.  J.J. Watt who championed the Texan’s city relief fund has apparently dislocated a finger, and the Jags have taken the half-time lead.  They will undoubtedly not return to Jacksonville tonight, as storms will ravage that city this evening.  Both of these cities will need a victory to help ease their painful losses.   Houston has been forgotten these last few days, as the media focus has shifted to Florida.

A drubbing is defined as a resounding defeat in a match of contest.  Synonyms like beating, thrashing, pounding, walloping, thumping, battering. pummeling, slapping, punching, and pelting will also describe the approaching storm.  Hopefully, the Cubs can turn the tide today against the surging Brewers.  Maybe the Pirates can salvage a game against the Cardinals and help the Cubs cause?  Three games is too close for comfort, especially considering there was the potential for an 8-game lead before the Friday Night lights set-back.  How about a drubbing the other way around today?

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Sax Story #176

July 17, 2017 / / 0 Comments

I spent several days with “old,” dear friends.  By old, I mean retired like myself, and dating back to high school and beyond.  One of the biggest challenges of our time together was trying to remember details of events in the past.  When was it?  What happened?  Who was there?  Where were we?  Why did we do it?   Each one of us seems to have a different memory of the same occasion.  For example, it took us three days to figure out the name of an artist that we saw together in Portland back in 1980.  We searched our memories, googled, and discussed this particular event every day, but just couldn’t put it together.  As old retired guys, our memories are admittedly shaky and we have too many to possibly remember.

I recalled it was 1980 only because Mount St. Helen’s had just blown her stack in the weeks prior to my first visit here.  The city was covered in ash and a smoky haze filled the air, so the true beauty of the city of Portland was hidden.  I never once saw even Mount Hood, or any of the vistas that my friends had boasted about in tempting me to visit.  Two others remembered that the concert was at the Paramount Theater, and in driving by I had recognized the name on the marque and offered to buy tickets.  One of them remembered that Robben Ford played as part of the group, but none of us could remember the headliner.  Names like David Sanborn,  Bob James, Tom Scott, Branford Marsalis, Grover Washington, Jr.,  and Jean- Luc Ponty were suggested, but none of us could agree.

I was the only non-musician of the five of us, but had at least tried on several occasions to learn.  There was a song flute competition in my grade school music class that determined the draft selection order on a limited supply of band instruments.  I wanted to play the drums, but apparently so did everyone else, so there were no drums available when it came my turn to pick.  I then reluctantly selected the saxophone as a disappointing second choice.  Learning to play a reed instrument was even more disappointing!  It didn’t occur to me that I would have to stick a dry, wooden object in my mouth.  I’m having trouble even writing about it, as thoughts of the vibration against my tongue and teeth, are causing a gag reaction.  I can’t imagine what I was thinking when I selected the saxophone?  I think my older cousin played the saxophone in the Purdue marching band, so he might have been an influence.   All that effort to make even a squawk of a noise, especially on a winters day after it sat in a cold car, makes my mouth pucker with disgust.  Not to mention, all the saliva that it took to soften the reed so it was bearable, and having to drain the spit valve after playing a few sour notes is not exactly appetizing.  The experience did however make me appreciate a good saxophone player, but I still cringe when I hear a bitter chord.

I also tried my hand at the piano, but never got beyond the Marine’s Hymn (post #104).  Just like the saxophone, I had private lessons, but never found the time to practice and always regretted going to appointments and recitals.  I wasted a lot of my mom’s money on trying to learn, but apparently didn’t have the talent or interest.   I’ve even bought a ukulele to try to learn to play in retirement, but haven’t really touched it.  I must say that I am envious when these friends of mine sit down and play together.  A lot of our time these past few days were spent talking about, listening to, or playing music, and I’m always the outsider.  We were also all in the choir together back in high school, but after six procedures on my vocal chords, I also don’t have much of a voice.  My friends collect guitars, make guitars, travel to guitar stores, read about guitars, and talk guitars.  All I can say is that I once took a tour of the Gibson guitar factory in Memphis.

I knew we were close with the names we came up with, as the topic resurfaced over and over again.  It was most likely a sax player that caught my eye.  Sanborn, Washington, James, and Scott were all part of my album collection in the late 70’s.  I loved the sound of a saxophone, as long as I didn’t have to play it!  I was also enamored with the artist’s ability to play a soothing melody that had a smooth, jazzy sound.  I was the only family man of the group at that time, so my taste in music had changed from rock-and-roll to jazz fusion.  When the name John Klemmer finally surfaced, I knew immediately that he was the missing artist.  He had Chicago roots, so his name was big in the Midwest, where we were all from originally.  The mystery was finally solved, but it took a lot of wine and beer to get there!

After our four days together – “Big Chill” style – there were still a number of unsolved mysteries, so maybe time apart will allow us to put together the puzzle pieces.   I personally will be searching for the date of this particular concert.  Although we all grew up in the same town and went to the same high school, it was not until college that we really got to know each other.  I’m a year older and our high school was huge, so it is not at all unusual that we weren’t friends earlier in life.  I also did not realize that my one friend and I attended the same grade school and went to the same basketball camp, so we might have played together during recess, or competed on the round-ball court.  The school we attended was Rice Elementary and our team nickname was the “Rice Krispies” – snap, crackle, pop!  I then transferred to become a Beardsley “Bomber,” before we all got to high school and became “Blazers.”  (Post #37)   All in all, it was great to get together with some fellow “Hoosiers,” and share a few “sax stories” here in Portland.

 

 

 

Old Sport Shorts: March “Bad”ness #23

March 10, 2017 / / 0 Comments

Typically this is my favorite time of the year.  After all, it’s “March Madness!”  The sun should be shining, the NCAA basketball tourney is about to begin, and Spring Training is in full swing.  On Sunday, the basketball brackets will be announced, and since I’m now retired, I can watch all the games I want without feeling guilty about skipping work.  I also have the freedom to travel and see my team play once the pairings are set in place this weekend.  Unfortunately my team, Indiana , has played “badly” this year and unless a minor miracle occurs and they can win three more games in the Big Ten Tournament, I will not have a team to follow throughout March Madness.  I could be stuck with “March Badness,” and a spot in the N.I.T. (Not in Tournament).  Should I also mention that the sun is not shining, as the Portland monsoon continues?  No sun and no team equals a BAD March and a reason to be MAD.

I am excited today, as the Indiana team seems to have come together, so I’m meeting some fellow alumni at Buffalo Wild Wings for the televised game this afternoon against Wisconsin.   Indiana cannot seem to beat Wisconsin so I have reduced expectations.  However, yesterday’s get together for the game against Iowa created some guarded optimism. As a friend pointed out, all Indiana has to do is win 10 straight games to win the National Championship, something I haven’t witnessed since 1986 – over 30 years ago.  It’s a great memory – taking time off work to drive to New Orleans and win it all on a last second shot.  I’d like to have just one more of those memories before I die.  I won’t have to take off work to do it – if the team is willing and able.

I have another reason to be upset.  Having grown up in Indiana, the rival school Purdue has already won the regular season Big Ten Championship and I’m jealous.  I’ve lost most of my hatred for Purdue, since a “cruel” twist of fate took my career to Lafayette and the Boilermaker community.  I used to always say:  “Spring arrives when Indiana is still playing basketball and Purdue is not.”   Since Spring in Portland is all about rain – it’s no longer one of my favorite seasons, and Purdue is no longer my enemy.  I also have to contend with the Butler Bulldogs, since my wife is a graduate. Both Purdue and Butler are on firmly on track this year to be part of the Big Dance.  I hate to say it but Indiana just may be the first sign of Spring this year!

My friends and I are making plans to go to San Jose for the Sweet 16, with expectations of Gonzaga or Oregon playing there.  These are two teams that I’ve adopted since moving to Portland, but I can’t seem to find the same passion that I feel for Indiana.  Maybe Purdue or Butler will be there – who knows?  I do enjoy the excitement of high school and college basketball, so regardless of who makes the Sweet 16 it will be a fun weekend and a reunion with other college buddies that I haven’t seen since that last Indiana National Championship.

It’s been a good sports year for me so far!  The Cubs are World Champions and I was there.  Plus, I’ve already been to one Spring Training game with plans to attend regular season games in LA, Chicago, and Seattle.  I also plan to attend All Star Weekend in Miami with my son.  Baseball seems to have surpassed Basketball as my favorite sport for the first time in my life – and they say you’re too old to change.

I like this retirement stage in life, and hope that it doesn’t get “old.”  I know that I will – but I don’t have to play – just watch!  Go Hoosiers!

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