My first stab at predicting the 2009 baseball playoffs didn't go so well. I was wrong about three of the four first round series. (The one I got right was the Yankees beating the Twins, so I'm happy about that). Here are my revised predictions for the rest of the postseason:
ALCS: Yankees over Angels, 4-2
NLCS: Dodgers over Phillies, 4-3
World Series: Yankees over Dodgers, 4-2
World Series MVP: A-Rod
Number of articles about Joe Torre's return to the Bronx: about a million :-)
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Saving the Dumb Animals
The other day we had some soda cans in the house. Once most of them were gone, it was time to dispose of the plastic device that holds the six-pack together. Out of habit, I got the scissors and started to cut it up. I had been taught that you should do this so that fish don't get caught in it and ultimately die.
I got to thinking, if an animal is dumb enough to think that a plastic can holder is food, maybe said animal is not cut out for survival in the wild. Regardless of your thoughts about evolution, it's obvious that a certain amount of "survival of the fittest" occurs every day in nature. Those that are bigger/stronger/smarter live and reproduce - leading to an improved species in the next generation. So if you think about, by weeding out the dumb ones, we are really doing the animal kingdom a favor. Those of us at the top of the food chain should not have to inconvenience ourselves to enable the weakest. I'll bet that the dumbest animals don't taste as good either :-)
I got to thinking, if an animal is dumb enough to think that a plastic can holder is food, maybe said animal is not cut out for survival in the wild. Regardless of your thoughts about evolution, it's obvious that a certain amount of "survival of the fittest" occurs every day in nature. Those that are bigger/stronger/smarter live and reproduce - leading to an improved species in the next generation. So if you think about, by weeding out the dumb ones, we are really doing the animal kingdom a favor. Those of us at the top of the food chain should not have to inconvenience ourselves to enable the weakest. I'll bet that the dumbest animals don't taste as good either :-)
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Baseball Playoff Predictions
The Major League Baseball playoffs start today. Below are my predictions. These are based on absolutely no special knowledge or information. (So if you make any wagers based on these predictions, you deserve to lose your money).
First Round
Yankees over Twins, 3-1
Red Sox over Angels, 3-0
Rockies over Phillies, 3-1
Cardinals over Dodgers, 3-2
LCS
Yankees over Red Sox, 4-2
Rockies over Cardinals, 4-2
World Series
Yankees over Rockies, 4-1
World Series MVP: Alex Rodriguez
First Round
Yankees over Twins, 3-1
Red Sox over Angels, 3-0
Rockies over Phillies, 3-1
Cardinals over Dodgers, 3-2
LCS
Yankees over Red Sox, 4-2
Rockies over Cardinals, 4-2
World Series
Yankees over Rockies, 4-1
World Series MVP: Alex Rodriguez
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Top Nine: States
I have decided to add a new feature to this blog - top nine lists. Very similar to Top Ten lists, but only 90 percent of the work for me! Another difference is that I will start at number one, since I can't stand the suspense.
So without further delay, here are the top nine states in which I have spent time:
1. New Jersey My home. I know that Jersey suffers a bad reputation, but I think it's great. We have the best boardwalks in the world, good weather, and a wide variety of activities. It's also the home state of Bruce Springsteen, even though I'm not a big fan of him (don't tell anybody, I might get deported!)
2. Pennsylvania My parents have a vacation house in the Poconos, so I have spent a lot of time there through the years. Beautiful scenery, plus PA also has the Steelers.
3. Delaware I went to the University of Delaware, so it will always have a special place in my heart. Go Blue Hens!
4. New York There are a lot of great things to do in New York City, but don't forget upstate. I went to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown with my Dad; it was a trip I'll never forget.
5. Maine I've been up to Maine several times to visit my aunt and cousins. It is a beautiful state in both summer and winter, but I liked summer better.
6. Alaska I had the great opportunity to take a 2-week Alaska cruise several years ago. It was amazing; unlike any place else I've ever been. We got to pan for gold, take a helicopter ride to the top of a glacier, and witness sunshine at midnight. (I think winter might be another story).
7. Florida I first went to Disney World as a kid; I since have been back to Florida for a wedding and also to see a spring training game. They all were great trips.
8. California I spent two weeks here with my family as a teenager; we spent time in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as driving down the coast between the two cities. I especially enjoyed the tour of Alcatraz.
9. Vermont I have only been there once; it was a trip to see Calvin Coolidge's birth place. That site is also a farm and small town to tour. Coolidge's grave site is just down the road, I think I have a picture of my at the tombstone.
So without further delay, here are the top nine states in which I have spent time:
1. New Jersey My home. I know that Jersey suffers a bad reputation, but I think it's great. We have the best boardwalks in the world, good weather, and a wide variety of activities. It's also the home state of Bruce Springsteen, even though I'm not a big fan of him (don't tell anybody, I might get deported!)
2. Pennsylvania My parents have a vacation house in the Poconos, so I have spent a lot of time there through the years. Beautiful scenery, plus PA also has the Steelers.
3. Delaware I went to the University of Delaware, so it will always have a special place in my heart. Go Blue Hens!
4. New York There are a lot of great things to do in New York City, but don't forget upstate. I went to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown with my Dad; it was a trip I'll never forget.
5. Maine I've been up to Maine several times to visit my aunt and cousins. It is a beautiful state in both summer and winter, but I liked summer better.
6. Alaska I had the great opportunity to take a 2-week Alaska cruise several years ago. It was amazing; unlike any place else I've ever been. We got to pan for gold, take a helicopter ride to the top of a glacier, and witness sunshine at midnight. (I think winter might be another story).
7. Florida I first went to Disney World as a kid; I since have been back to Florida for a wedding and also to see a spring training game. They all were great trips.
8. California I spent two weeks here with my family as a teenager; we spent time in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as driving down the coast between the two cities. I especially enjoyed the tour of Alcatraz.
9. Vermont I have only been there once; it was a trip to see Calvin Coolidge's birth place. That site is also a farm and small town to tour. Coolidge's grave site is just down the road, I think I have a picture of my at the tombstone.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
A Bump in the Road
Recently, some towns in my area have installed speed bumps on certain roads in an attempt to curtail speeding. I think that this is an excellent idea. I live on a residential street; several times a day cars go by at speeds well in excess of 25 miles per hour. As a parent of young children, this definitely concerns me. I try to make a point of driving within the speed limit and carefully in other residential areas, and I would like to see others do the same.
About a year ago, my town's mayor and a councilwoman were walking through my neighborhood in advance of the '08 election. I had the chance to talk to them for a few minutes and I brought up this very point. I specifically said that my street was one that would benefit from a speed bump. So far, this has not been done, but a couple of speed bumps have been installed in other parts of town. I'm optimistic that some day this will change. In the mean time, I ask everyone to slow down and pay attention, especially in residential areas. I promise to do so as well.
About a year ago, my town's mayor and a councilwoman were walking through my neighborhood in advance of the '08 election. I had the chance to talk to them for a few minutes and I brought up this very point. I specifically said that my street was one that would benefit from a speed bump. So far, this has not been done, but a couple of speed bumps have been installed in other parts of town. I'm optimistic that some day this will change. In the mean time, I ask everyone to slow down and pay attention, especially in residential areas. I promise to do so as well.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sticking Up For An Old Man
I've never been a big fan of Brett Favre. He obviously is a gifted quarterback who has had a long and successful career; but I never thought very highly of him. In each of the last 3 or 4 offseasons, he has engaged in a protracted process of deciding whether or not to retire from the NFL. Each season, his team (the Packers, then the Jets), has put their plans on hold while waiting for Favre to make up his mind. At the last minute, he decides to come back, and all seems to be forgiven.
Although he certainly has the right to make careful decisions about his future, he also manages to create a media circus that dominates the sports news for weeks at a time each spring. Make no mistake about it, he is the one responsible for keeping himself in the headlines.
This year, after saying that he was retired for good, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings. At the time, I read an article (I can't remember where) that presented an interesting theory. It stated that after all his years in the league, Favre was merely tired of going to training camp each summer, so he orchestrates the charade of fake retirements in order to dealy his reporting to camp as long as possible. The more I thought about it, the more I think there might be something to this. (Not that Favre or anyone else cares what I think).
This afternoon, I turned on the TV at about 4:00 PM to check on the scores. The Giants game ended early, so the network was showing the end of the Vikings-49ers game. The Vikings were trailing by four with about two minutes left. Favre led the team down the field and threw the game-winning touchdown pass with two seconds remaining. It was a good throw, and the receiver made a great catch. But what really struck me was Favre's reaction. He seemed genuinely overjoyed at having helped the team win. This is a man who has won a Super Bowl, yet he was thrilled to win a regular season game with teammates whom he has only known for a couple of months. I thought "there's a player who really loves the game. He takes all the pain that comes with being an NFL player, and just wants to win."
Brett Favre will turn 40 soon. Since I just celebrated my 40th birthday, I find myself rooting more for the "old" guys, who are still out there, teaching those young punks in their 20s a lesson.
So a tip of the hat to you, Brett Favre, you have a new fan today.
Although he certainly has the right to make careful decisions about his future, he also manages to create a media circus that dominates the sports news for weeks at a time each spring. Make no mistake about it, he is the one responsible for keeping himself in the headlines.
This year, after saying that he was retired for good, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings. At the time, I read an article (I can't remember where) that presented an interesting theory. It stated that after all his years in the league, Favre was merely tired of going to training camp each summer, so he orchestrates the charade of fake retirements in order to dealy his reporting to camp as long as possible. The more I thought about it, the more I think there might be something to this. (Not that Favre or anyone else cares what I think).
This afternoon, I turned on the TV at about 4:00 PM to check on the scores. The Giants game ended early, so the network was showing the end of the Vikings-49ers game. The Vikings were trailing by four with about two minutes left. Favre led the team down the field and threw the game-winning touchdown pass with two seconds remaining. It was a good throw, and the receiver made a great catch. But what really struck me was Favre's reaction. He seemed genuinely overjoyed at having helped the team win. This is a man who has won a Super Bowl, yet he was thrilled to win a regular season game with teammates whom he has only known for a couple of months. I thought "there's a player who really loves the game. He takes all the pain that comes with being an NFL player, and just wants to win."
Brett Favre will turn 40 soon. Since I just celebrated my 40th birthday, I find myself rooting more for the "old" guys, who are still out there, teaching those young punks in their 20s a lesson.
So a tip of the hat to you, Brett Favre, you have a new fan today.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Four Seasons
Today is the first day of autumn. Since summer is my favorite season, this day brings a touch of sadness each year. However, with age I've hopefully gained a bit of wisdom and perspective. I can now more easily see the good in each season. For example:
Summer: Warm weather and daylight that lasts well into the evening makes for an ideal scenario to get outside and play! We often take the kids outside to either walk around the block or run around in the backyard. Summer also means shorts and Hawaiian shirts, fun times at the Shore, and swimming.
Autumn: I used to be one of those who rolled his eyes at the idea of observing the fall foliage. But it can truly be a breathtaking sight. Having the kids jump into the leaf piles can make leaf raking a much more enjoyable chore.
Winter: I'll confess: I don't like shoveling snow. Fortunately, here in New Jersey we usually only get a few signicant snowfalls each year. (Also, having a snow blower makes it considerably more tolerable). The sight of a freshly-fallen snow, especially on a day when we don't need to go anywhere, is incredibly serene.
Spring: What's not to love? Sunshine, warmer weather, flowers and baseball. And of course, more playing outside.
Maybe I'm just becoming a sentimental fool in middle age, but I really feel grateful and appreciative for everything that comes my way, all year long.
Summer: Warm weather and daylight that lasts well into the evening makes for an ideal scenario to get outside and play! We often take the kids outside to either walk around the block or run around in the backyard. Summer also means shorts and Hawaiian shirts, fun times at the Shore, and swimming.
Autumn: I used to be one of those who rolled his eyes at the idea of observing the fall foliage. But it can truly be a breathtaking sight. Having the kids jump into the leaf piles can make leaf raking a much more enjoyable chore.
Winter: I'll confess: I don't like shoveling snow. Fortunately, here in New Jersey we usually only get a few signicant snowfalls each year. (Also, having a snow blower makes it considerably more tolerable). The sight of a freshly-fallen snow, especially on a day when we don't need to go anywhere, is incredibly serene.
Spring: What's not to love? Sunshine, warmer weather, flowers and baseball. And of course, more playing outside.
Maybe I'm just becoming a sentimental fool in middle age, but I really feel grateful and appreciative for everything that comes my way, all year long.
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