Dear MLS Seattle ...
This is a follow up to my open letter to Adrian Hanauer from January ... so some of it will be a repeat ... and some of it has been in bits and pieces of other rants ...
MLS Seattle has a golden opportunity to become a model franchise. There is what appears to be quality ownership with a local track record. The public is clearly on board with season ticket deposits. The hiring of Chris Henderson brings in a guy who has dabbled overseas, been successful in MLS, had a nice run with the national team, and has local ties into mix. Getting the league to agree to allow the Seattle team to retain options on Sounders players from 08 allows for some continuity makes playing time meaningful for the 08 Sounders regardless of their place in the standings. I see no reason to nit pick on some issues, but there are significant issues that do need to be addressed. Here is my two cents worth ...
Qwest Field IS a "soccer specific stadium". It is not the model most MLS teams want and if we could take the top sections off for game day like they rinse away the football lines, that would be perfect. However, the political reality of the Puget Sound region is that getting another stadium built will happen only after Hell freezes over and multiple economic impact studies are done on it after three or four public votes that contradict themselves. You will be playing in Qwest Field 20 years from now. I accept that. Let's make the most of it. Opposing cities in the expansion search can complain, but they haven't heard how loud it can be with ten thousand fans in it ... which is less than the season ticket deposits. We'll be fine. There will be times where we will want it smaller, but during the playoffs if you open up an upper deck and we get forty thousand, it will rock.
The name and colors. This one is I have to admit is very, very touchy for a lot of people. I completely understand why. But, I was against bringing back the Sounders name in 1994 and have mixed emotions about it to this day. I went to my first Sounders game in 1976 at age 8 and have regularly gone to games and been a season ticket holder. I have had conversations with people who feel very strongly both ways. I rooted for the Stars, Storm, and Seadogs too ... so if you decide to keep the colors and name I will go with it ... and if you don't, well ... I will get over it. The notion of a fresh start is not an insult to the Sounders legacy or fans; it is a recognition that things change. That being said, there will be a fairly loud backlash by many fans over the retiring of the Sounders name if that is what happens. Good luck with that. I am glad it is not my decision.
Foreign players. Do not be fooled into believing that signing Luis Figo in 2011 would be a good thing. Not to besmirch Figo as a player and I am not trying to start a rumor or anything, but European players that want to wait until later in their careers to come over to MLS should immediately have MLS GM's hanging up on their agents when they do finally call to inquire. There are only a couple of examples that are easy to note and remember precisely because they are the exceptions that prove the rule. Let them go play in Bahrain. Most European players seem to consider MLS to be beneath them in their primes and still mostly act like it when they are here playing later in their careers. The NASL had a similar problem. Is MLS on par with Spain? No, not in 2008. But, you can't act like you know that as a matter of policy or it will never get to be a more legitimate question about quality in the future. Those older European players simply leach money away and actually reinforce the stereotype that MLS is a retirement league in Europe. Ignore them. MLS teams that have signed younger Latin American players like DC United or the Galaxy have done better and won trophies. I am hardly the first to comment on this or notice it, but if I hear about Seattle signing a 35 year old "former" Barcelona (or insert another former G14 team) here, I will know it is because he is out of gas. Gas costs enough around here. Bear in mind that an argument can be made that signing young Latin American players is pandering to the Hispanic community; a bribe to finally get them to come in big numbers to American soccer games. If there is a fringe benefit of Hispanic fans attending, that is great. But, pandering to fans of a specific ethnic group is not good policy for building a team. Basically, there is a fine line there.
Bring back American players from Europe. Being the focal point of a club in MLS in an era where the league is clearly improving and playing more internationals makes the notion of toiling for a 2nd tier English team or sitting on the bench at a bigger club a lot less appealing for many players. Put some money there and the benefits will follow. There are a number of quality American players overseas that could help build a solid club. Plus, who really develops by sitting on a bench? The national team needs guys playing, not guys practicing. The majority of the starters for the USA against Mexico this month were from MLS and they played Mexico straight up even though they were not in mid-season form. Unless a guy is going to actually play for a good club, MLS needs to try to keep these guys as much as possible.
Slogans. "The World's Game is coming to Seattle" slogan is a loser. Soccer fans already know soccer is the world's game and those that are not soccer fans consider the fact that it is the world’s game to be part of why they don't like it. Come up with something new, not something that failed for the NASL. Frankly, I am not certain that marketing is really going to be the issue for this franchise. Seattle fans go to winners and bail on losers just as fast as any city. Good seats eventually will be available if the team is bad, just ask the M's or Sonics.
Drew Carey is a great face for the franchise. He is genuinely enthusiastic about the game and this opportunity. Seeing him leading cheers in the stands or with the marching band would be cool to see. Let's hope he is able to be a regular face for the fans. The media loves him and he is a great voice for the converted fan. I can just picture him making a point of wearing MLS Seattle ties or something every day on "The Price Is Right".
Membership. Giving the fans a voice is a cool idea. I understand that there are some limits to what can be expected from a fan membership vote, but it cannot just be a PR gimmick or there will be a backlash, of the newspaper investigation kind most likely. There just won't be any middle ground on this one. People can't be led to believe one thing and then have it not be true. A lot of people nationwide will be watching this one, and not just soccer fans. The membership idea is newsworthy.
"Non-traditional US Soccer fans". To be politically incorrect, the Hispanic community has never really embraced pro soccer in this country in many areas. I went to a game in LA in 2001 and I found the Galaxy did a good job of making them welcome. Short of pandering to them with a specific signing, I have no idea how to get that demographic to go to MLS games. It's sort of like the Eurosnobs in their preference for anything other than what is here, only somewhat understandable in that they are somewhat homesick.
This time next year we will have a lot of questions regarding the above issues already answered. We will know the name, colors, coach, roster, schedule, and so much more. MLS Seattle has such a great potential upside.
"This time next year" sounds pretty cool ... except that it is a year away ...
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Why are kids movies ...?
Why are kids movies ... ?
Okay ... I love popcorn movies ... you know what I mean ... the big blockbuster type superhero type of films that film critics pan without even watching just on general principle. Sometimes those movies suck ... often in fact ... but I love them nonetheless ...
Over the past few years though the popcorn movies for kids have collectively kicked the arses of the popcorn movies I have looked forward to. The 2006 summer blockbuster season was awful, for instance. However, this year I have gone to both "Jumper" and "Cloverfield" and liked them both and "Iron Man" and others beckon for the summer.
Anyways ... this past weekend I go with the kids to "The Spiderwick Chronicles". A few years back a movie like this would have been cute, had a few nice moments, and that would have been that. Nope. Now, we get very good actors with Oscar pedigrees surrounding the kids, along with special effects that are very, very cool. The kids are better actors even, possibly as a result of working with the above mentioned older actors. I enjoyed the movie very, very much and so did the kids.
"Wanted" had better not suck.
Okay ... I love popcorn movies ... you know what I mean ... the big blockbuster type superhero type of films that film critics pan without even watching just on general principle. Sometimes those movies suck ... often in fact ... but I love them nonetheless ...
Over the past few years though the popcorn movies for kids have collectively kicked the arses of the popcorn movies I have looked forward to. The 2006 summer blockbuster season was awful, for instance. However, this year I have gone to both "Jumper" and "Cloverfield" and liked them both and "Iron Man" and others beckon for the summer.
Anyways ... this past weekend I go with the kids to "The Spiderwick Chronicles". A few years back a movie like this would have been cute, had a few nice moments, and that would have been that. Nope. Now, we get very good actors with Oscar pedigrees surrounding the kids, along with special effects that are very, very cool. The kids are better actors even, possibly as a result of working with the above mentioned older actors. I enjoyed the movie very, very much and so did the kids.
"Wanted" had better not suck.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
glamourpuss preview ...
"glamourpuss" (by Dave Sim) preview ...
Some things don't fit in the post office box I rent ... so, on occasion I get a little yellow card with the box number on it so that a postal employee can simply hand me the item. Sometimes they leave a key to one of the inside boxes, which is actually better. Since I do not always check the mail during postal service hours, the key is far more convenient. Plus, sometimes there is a line ... and there is no line slower than a postal service line. In a postal line nobody is ever ready when they get to the counter. On the rare occasion they have all the registers working the line still never moves. So, on days when I get the little yellow card it is best to be there in the AM when you can ring the bell and they will handle it at a side door. Today there was a little yellow card in the mail and I was there between the hours of 830AM and 1030AM; the hours in which ringing the bell should bring someone to the door. However, this is the postal service we are talking about. Even though I could hear people moving around, no one answered the door when I rang the bell at 1003AM. Nothing happened. I went inside until 1006, since the line had not moved and one of the ladies was just starting to write her check. I rang the bell again and waited until 1009 ... still nothing ... I rang it twice more and still nothing ... I finally went back inside ... and was only one extra person behind where I was the first time I had gone in since the line still had not moved ... answer the damn door between the hours of 830 and 1030 or take down the sign ... anyways ... there was an issue of "glamourpuss" ... the older gentleman looked at the word "glamourpuss" and hesitated handing it to my daughter, "It's from Canada," he said. I saw what it was and immediately went to work opening it, "It's a promo comic," I said...
About the issue ... it is clear that Dave has spent a considerable amount of time working on the craft of comic storytelling as this issue is primarily concerned with the photorealism technique he is using more than about the "glamourpuss" concept itself ... and I did find the combined history of photorealism and how he is incorporating it into his own artistic style to be more interesting than describing it here would seem. As such I can say that the visual element should be quite cool, but that it will be some time until we really see what "glamourpuss" really is about as a story, which is fine. I don't need to be spoon fed everything in the first taste. It is enough to have my curiosity peaked for the series to unfold ...
Thanks for the promo copy Dave ...
I went to their funeral ...
I went to their funeral...
In 1994 I had serious reservations about resurrecting the name Seattle Sounders. Unless the team in question was going to really live up to a pretty rich legacy for Seattle soccer fans I really felt that the name should remain retired. If MLS Seattle chooses to retire the name again, so be it ...
I feel the same way about the resurrection of the name Tacoma Stars. But, I guess, who am I to say? I went to the Tacoma Stars funeral in 1992. There was a big room where all of the Stars remaining merchandise and equipment could be purchased to raise money to pay off bills as the team folded. It sucked. I stood face to face with the Gm and said, "This sucks." I did not mean to berate him as I understood what was going on, but his response told me he felt I was accusing him of something. I was not...
... so if I make it up to visit Tim in Bellingham next weekend and catch a PASL game between the PSSA Rapids and the Tacoma Stars, it will be the first time I have seen the stars play in the 16 years since their funeral ...
In 1994 I had serious reservations about resurrecting the name Seattle Sounders. Unless the team in question was going to really live up to a pretty rich legacy for Seattle soccer fans I really felt that the name should remain retired. If MLS Seattle chooses to retire the name again, so be it ...
I feel the same way about the resurrection of the name Tacoma Stars. But, I guess, who am I to say? I went to the Tacoma Stars funeral in 1992. There was a big room where all of the Stars remaining merchandise and equipment could be purchased to raise money to pay off bills as the team folded. It sucked. I stood face to face with the Gm and said, "This sucks." I did not mean to berate him as I understood what was going on, but his response told me he felt I was accusing him of something. I was not...
... so if I make it up to visit Tim in Bellingham next weekend and catch a PASL game between the PSSA Rapids and the Tacoma Stars, it will be the first time I have seen the stars play in the 16 years since their funeral ...
The Great Kilt Experiment
The Great Kilt Experiment
I am supposed to be wearing my newly made Irish Kilt on St. Patrick's Day ...
The first week of August I decided I wanted a kilt ... the idea was to get a traditional Irish tartan kilt ... yes, there are such things ... I looked into the costs and wow! they were kind of pricey ... so I looked into kilt making kits and making one and was marginally encouraged ... utilizing the Google and the internets I did some research on kilt making and became mildly discouraged as the making of a traditional kilt would likely be beyond me and my sewing skills and mildly functioning opposable thumbs ... Still, I decide to trudge on...
I did my research ... on 8-9-07 I went to Joanne Fabrics ... I admit I was lost in there and the few other guys looked lost too ... one guy looked scared and alone ... another was there, looking kind of ticked, but his gf was smoking hot so I could understand why he was there ... the next guy I saw was with his wife, (gf?) but was dragging at least a step behind ... After about five (it felt like longer) minutes I finally asked about fabrics and tartan. At first the lady waiting on me was not sure what I was about, but after several minutes of obviously researched questions and having made it clear that I had done some snooping around prior to asking, she was really helpful .... But they did not have exactly what I wanted and this project needs to be exact or nothing.
On 8-14-07 there was a set back as the person who I thought would help me with it turns out to be opposed to the concept of it ... I bring it up to her with an amusing anecdote about going to Joannes... "I don't know how to pleat." She confesses ... She also finds them to be silly and weird...
On 8-24-07 I stop by the Utilikilt shop after work and discuss kilts with employee ... I decide I want their Coug kilt, but am still hoping that I can make one. My progress is not actually forward at this point.
On 8-25-07 I have a conversation with a kilt owner regarding my trip to Utilikilt and my plans ... he approves of the idea and wishes me luck ... my first success...
Since then I have studied a kilt making book from the library and done follow up research on the internets ... still nothing ... I am discouraged ... The few friends I have discussed this with actually are in favor of it, but it appears that the kilt making project will be a failure and if I get one it will be custom ordered online ... someday ...
... just not this year on St. Patrick's Day ...
I am supposed to be wearing my newly made Irish Kilt on St. Patrick's Day ...
The first week of August I decided I wanted a kilt ... the idea was to get a traditional Irish tartan kilt ... yes, there are such things ... I looked into the costs and wow! they were kind of pricey ... so I looked into kilt making kits and making one and was marginally encouraged ... utilizing the Google and the internets I did some research on kilt making and became mildly discouraged as the making of a traditional kilt would likely be beyond me and my sewing skills and mildly functioning opposable thumbs ... Still, I decide to trudge on...
I did my research ... on 8-9-07 I went to Joanne Fabrics ... I admit I was lost in there and the few other guys looked lost too ... one guy looked scared and alone ... another was there, looking kind of ticked, but his gf was smoking hot so I could understand why he was there ... the next guy I saw was with his wife, (gf?) but was dragging at least a step behind ... After about five (it felt like longer) minutes I finally asked about fabrics and tartan. At first the lady waiting on me was not sure what I was about, but after several minutes of obviously researched questions and having made it clear that I had done some snooping around prior to asking, she was really helpful .... But they did not have exactly what I wanted and this project needs to be exact or nothing.
On 8-14-07 there was a set back as the person who I thought would help me with it turns out to be opposed to the concept of it ... I bring it up to her with an amusing anecdote about going to Joannes... "I don't know how to pleat." She confesses ... She also finds them to be silly and weird...
On 8-24-07 I stop by the Utilikilt shop after work and discuss kilts with employee ... I decide I want their Coug kilt, but am still hoping that I can make one. My progress is not actually forward at this point.
On 8-25-07 I have a conversation with a kilt owner regarding my trip to Utilikilt and my plans ... he approves of the idea and wishes me luck ... my first success...
Since then I have studied a kilt making book from the library and done follow up research on the internets ... still nothing ... I am discouraged ... The few friends I have discussed this with actually are in favor of it, but it appears that the kilt making project will be a failure and if I get one it will be custom ordered online ... someday ...
... just not this year on St. Patrick's Day ...
The Big Climb ...
The Big Climb ...
I enjoy a lot of races and have pretty much migrated to only doing the more extreme ones (marathons and triathons and stair climbs) over time ... it has been some time now since I have done a fun run. However, I really enjoy the other ones. I have previously done six stair climb events, five of which were the Big Climb events at the Columbia Center in Seattle.
I was hoping to do this year's Big Climb in March, but that seems unlikely at this point ... an update would follow should that change ...
(Ephemera Project notes and results of stair climbs)
92 Big Climb 13:33 #510 (First Stair Climb)
92 CF Stair Climb 10:10 (My brother Ron also climbed) WaMu Tower
93 Big Climb 14:30 #569 (I think Ron did this one too)
94 Big Climb 15:18 #623
04 Big Climb ????? ????
05 Big Climb 15:11 #476
---
Some tips about stair climbing :
- do not stop or pause at all, re-starting is too hard
- watch your footing
- let people pass
- be polite when passing others
- try to only look at the floor numbers every once in a while
Photos from the top and bottom of the Columbia Center taken the day of the 2004 climb. I cannot find the results of the 2004 race (it's kind of frustrating).
From 2004: The worst pictures of me perhaps ever taken ...
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Wrestlemania XIX (2003)
Wrestlemania XIX (2003)
With Wrestlemania fast approaching, here is a photo review from the cheap seats at Safeco Field from Wrestlemania XIX in 2003. I had the cheap seats. My bro bought the "good" seats on the floor. People stood and blocked his view. I saw everything clearly and had good views of the multiple video screens, even if I was sitting by the right filed flag pole. The ring was in shallow center. That worked out nicely. The best matches of the night were HBK versus Y2J and Rey versus Matt. Overall it was a good card though ...
With Wrestlemania fast approaching, here is a photo review from the cheap seats at Safeco Field from Wrestlemania XIX in 2003. I had the cheap seats. My bro bought the "good" seats on the floor. People stood and blocked his view. I saw everything clearly and had good views of the multiple video screens, even if I was sitting by the right filed flag pole. The ring was in shallow center. That worked out nicely. The best matches of the night were HBK versus Y2J and Rey versus Matt. Overall it was a good card though ...
Stories we tell our bosses that are true ...
Stories we tell our bosses that are true...
One evening in April 2002 I was jogging to the post office after work. There is a nice long sidewalk along 52nd Avenue West that is generally nice to jog on. It was a pleasant evening and I was not going at a really brisk pace. As I neared my turn approaching 208th I passed a small apartment complex on my left. There was a large black dog barking at me. It ran up to the fence barking and angry. The fence was very short, as far as most chain link fences go, and the dog went up on its hind legs. Even on a short fence this should have been enough to keep a dog from the people walking by. Not so. No, the dog came up and over the fence somehow and charged me. I was startled and stopped in my tracks. It kept coming. I took a step back and hit the edge of the sidewalk, losing my balance as the dog lunged at me. I kicked at the dog as it was actually trying to bite me. I fell backward into the street onto my left hand, feeling a heck of a pop in my wrist. The dog ran off. A guy in the yard looked at me and asked me if I was okay, but I just got up and headed out as I was unsure where the dog was. When I got home the wrist was throbbing. I should have called the police.
I decided to call work that evening just in case I needed to go to the doctor's office in the morning. I reached Mike. "I was just attacked by a dog while jogging." I tell him. He leaves a note for our manager Dave stating exactly that.
In the morning it still hurts and I cannot move my thumb or feel my pinky on my left hand. This is bad. So, I head to the doctor's office. I tell the doctor the story and that I think that the wrist might be sprained. He looks at my hand and pokes my fingers, shakes his head, and suggests I go and get an x-ray. The x-ray tech looks at the film, shakes his head, and says, "The doc will talk to you about this." Okay. I hand the film to the doc. He sets it up on the lighted x-ray display thingy and another doctor looks at it with him. The other doc takes a look at me, shakes his head, and walks away. This is getting worse. The doc calls me over. He tells me that I need a cast and that he is referring me to a surgeon. Wow. I leave with a wrist from the tip of my thumb up to my armpit.
I was driving a stick at the time so this is now really complicated. Also, I have to run by work. I go to work to go see Dave, who up until that moment had apparently been convinced that Mike was telling a story and not the truth in the note that said that I was not in that morning because of a dog attack. "Only you," he says, and I head home. I do try and work a number of days, but the day I ended up in the men's room for twenty minutes unable to button up my pants finally drives me onto short-term disability. Ever try and ask a guy to help you button your pants in a men's room? I distinctly remember considering asking Chad to help me out of frustration and the look on his face when he realized I was about to have to ask him to help.
Turns out the wrist and thumb were just plain thrashed. The thumb was shattered and needed to be screwed back together and multiple fractures throughout the wrist meant a long healing period was needed.
In and of itself it was not that big a deal, I figured. I am not left handed. But see, in 5th grade I broke and shattered my right thumb taking a big swing at my older brother and hitting the hallway instead, and then going ice skating that night, and then having the bone set wrong...
So, when I drive to the mail I think of that dog, hoping I can run it over. I think of the lawyer that still sends me Christmas cards, despite being unable to collect since landlords are not responsible for pets and the guy was so broke that I would never collect. I think of the ache I get in the thumb some days when I am feeling accident prone. And, I think of the doc that gave me cortisone shot in it and told me, "Don't move, this is going to hurt and you don't want me to have to do it again." I mean, how bad does it have to be for a doc to admit that? Finally, I think of the boss that had figured out how accident prone I was and said, "Only you."
One evening in April 2002 I was jogging to the post office after work. There is a nice long sidewalk along 52nd Avenue West that is generally nice to jog on. It was a pleasant evening and I was not going at a really brisk pace. As I neared my turn approaching 208th I passed a small apartment complex on my left. There was a large black dog barking at me. It ran up to the fence barking and angry. The fence was very short, as far as most chain link fences go, and the dog went up on its hind legs. Even on a short fence this should have been enough to keep a dog from the people walking by. Not so. No, the dog came up and over the fence somehow and charged me. I was startled and stopped in my tracks. It kept coming. I took a step back and hit the edge of the sidewalk, losing my balance as the dog lunged at me. I kicked at the dog as it was actually trying to bite me. I fell backward into the street onto my left hand, feeling a heck of a pop in my wrist. The dog ran off. A guy in the yard looked at me and asked me if I was okay, but I just got up and headed out as I was unsure where the dog was. When I got home the wrist was throbbing. I should have called the police.
I decided to call work that evening just in case I needed to go to the doctor's office in the morning. I reached Mike. "I was just attacked by a dog while jogging." I tell him. He leaves a note for our manager Dave stating exactly that.
In the morning it still hurts and I cannot move my thumb or feel my pinky on my left hand. This is bad. So, I head to the doctor's office. I tell the doctor the story and that I think that the wrist might be sprained. He looks at my hand and pokes my fingers, shakes his head, and suggests I go and get an x-ray. The x-ray tech looks at the film, shakes his head, and says, "The doc will talk to you about this." Okay. I hand the film to the doc. He sets it up on the lighted x-ray display thingy and another doctor looks at it with him. The other doc takes a look at me, shakes his head, and walks away. This is getting worse. The doc calls me over. He tells me that I need a cast and that he is referring me to a surgeon. Wow. I leave with a wrist from the tip of my thumb up to my armpit.
I was driving a stick at the time so this is now really complicated. Also, I have to run by work. I go to work to go see Dave, who up until that moment had apparently been convinced that Mike was telling a story and not the truth in the note that said that I was not in that morning because of a dog attack. "Only you," he says, and I head home. I do try and work a number of days, but the day I ended up in the men's room for twenty minutes unable to button up my pants finally drives me onto short-term disability. Ever try and ask a guy to help you button your pants in a men's room? I distinctly remember considering asking Chad to help me out of frustration and the look on his face when he realized I was about to have to ask him to help.
Turns out the wrist and thumb were just plain thrashed. The thumb was shattered and needed to be screwed back together and multiple fractures throughout the wrist meant a long healing period was needed.
In and of itself it was not that big a deal, I figured. I am not left handed. But see, in 5th grade I broke and shattered my right thumb taking a big swing at my older brother and hitting the hallway instead, and then going ice skating that night, and then having the bone set wrong...
So, when I drive to the mail I think of that dog, hoping I can run it over. I think of the lawyer that still sends me Christmas cards, despite being unable to collect since landlords are not responsible for pets and the guy was so broke that I would never collect. I think of the ache I get in the thumb some days when I am feeling accident prone. And, I think of the doc that gave me cortisone shot in it and told me, "Don't move, this is going to hurt and you don't want me to have to do it again." I mean, how bad does it have to be for a doc to admit that? Finally, I think of the boss that had figured out how accident prone I was and said, "Only you."
Standing there knowing the score ...
Standing there knowing the score ...
So this past Sunday I went to the George and Dragon Pub to hang out with a bud, get some grub, and watch some EPL matches. There were back to back matches featuring Manchester United playing Manchester City and Liverpool playing Chelsea. Both matches had significant consequences for all the teams involved; that is worth the drive into Seattle.
On the way in I drop my doggie off with family; it's nice to let her run around outdoors sometimes. While there, I decide to check my messages and the sports news. It turns out the United versus City game was already over and I note that City won 2-1. I also see that the Liverpool game was in progress in the second half and is tied.
I am not one of those fans that needs to pretend that a taped game is live. Even when teams I have a vested rooting interest are playing I just don't see the point. But ... and this is one big butt ... that places me in a distinct minority while at the George and Dragon Pub.
Fine. If it enhances the experience for people watching a game that is already over to try and keep some suspense, who am I to ruin their fun? I can keep a secret. And, it is apparently good for business.
So, I am standing there wearing my international soccer stuff and David Beckham Instinct cologne (it was a Christmas gift from my brother) watching the first game from Old Trafford, already knowing that all the fans in red scarves are going to be brutally disappointed by the result. I make fun of Eurosnob fans a lot, but just because one is there and rooting for a team it does not make them one of those beasts. No, a Eurosnob is about much more than simply that. A number of the people there are expatriot Brits who just prefer the games from home. And, many of the people there watching also are into US National Team games. Since I cannot simply tell the difference at a glance, I decide to keep my secret.
Plus, there's a big rule in place that says, THOU SHALT NOT RUIN THE GAME FOR OTHERS BY REVEALING THE SCORE ... which is a good rule ... I can play along ...
I know that City will score around the 25th minute and near halftime and that United will get a late goal to make it interesting ... as the build up to the first goal comes I watch the United fans sitting glumly and I almost feel sorry for them for a moment, but it passes ... I decide to order breakfast ...
Here's the other thing ... a lot of people hate United ... just because they are United ... the pub erupts when City scores ... the United fans sit there looking even more glum ... people who really couldn't care less about City cheer for them, apparently on principle, which I can respect. My breakfast arrives early in the second half and I chow down, chatting with Jorge, knowing that it won't get interesting again until second half stoppage...
Okay, I don't hate United. I do cheer mostly for Liverpool in England, but even then my rooting interest is not that of the expatriot Brits from London that support Spurs or whoever. I like good games. Frankly, the United versus City match was a good game. Since it would have gotten me kicked out and likely 86'd from the G & D I resisted the urge for 90 minutes to just tell them, "Go home, it really doesn't matter." I was good.
Now, given that I do support Liverpool the second game was far more interesting for me ... and I did not know what the final twelve minutes of the match would bring. So, Jorge and I continue our ongoing dialogue. I realize I am wearing a blue Adidas jacket and not red. The tee underneath is green, which is no help. See, I was standing next to mostly Chelski supporters in blue, so I looked like one of them. IT WAS MY OWN DAMN FAULT.
As the 79th minute passed, I too did not really want to know the end result, so I was glad that I had chosen good karma over bad karma and had not spoiled the United versus City match for the suffering United fans near me. Of course, since the match ended in a goalless draw, maybe that would not have been so bad...
So this past Sunday I went to the George and Dragon Pub to hang out with a bud, get some grub, and watch some EPL matches. There were back to back matches featuring Manchester United playing Manchester City and Liverpool playing Chelsea. Both matches had significant consequences for all the teams involved; that is worth the drive into Seattle.
On the way in I drop my doggie off with family; it's nice to let her run around outdoors sometimes. While there, I decide to check my messages and the sports news. It turns out the United versus City game was already over and I note that City won 2-1. I also see that the Liverpool game was in progress in the second half and is tied.
I am not one of those fans that needs to pretend that a taped game is live. Even when teams I have a vested rooting interest are playing I just don't see the point. But ... and this is one big butt ... that places me in a distinct minority while at the George and Dragon Pub.
Fine. If it enhances the experience for people watching a game that is already over to try and keep some suspense, who am I to ruin their fun? I can keep a secret. And, it is apparently good for business.
So, I am standing there wearing my international soccer stuff and David Beckham Instinct cologne (it was a Christmas gift from my brother) watching the first game from Old Trafford, already knowing that all the fans in red scarves are going to be brutally disappointed by the result. I make fun of Eurosnob fans a lot, but just because one is there and rooting for a team it does not make them one of those beasts. No, a Eurosnob is about much more than simply that. A number of the people there are expatriot Brits who just prefer the games from home. And, many of the people there watching also are into US National Team games. Since I cannot simply tell the difference at a glance, I decide to keep my secret.
Plus, there's a big rule in place that says, THOU SHALT NOT RUIN THE GAME FOR OTHERS BY REVEALING THE SCORE ... which is a good rule ... I can play along ...
I know that City will score around the 25th minute and near halftime and that United will get a late goal to make it interesting ... as the build up to the first goal comes I watch the United fans sitting glumly and I almost feel sorry for them for a moment, but it passes ... I decide to order breakfast ...
Here's the other thing ... a lot of people hate United ... just because they are United ... the pub erupts when City scores ... the United fans sit there looking even more glum ... people who really couldn't care less about City cheer for them, apparently on principle, which I can respect. My breakfast arrives early in the second half and I chow down, chatting with Jorge, knowing that it won't get interesting again until second half stoppage...
Okay, I don't hate United. I do cheer mostly for Liverpool in England, but even then my rooting interest is not that of the expatriot Brits from London that support Spurs or whoever. I like good games. Frankly, the United versus City match was a good game. Since it would have gotten me kicked out and likely 86'd from the G & D I resisted the urge for 90 minutes to just tell them, "Go home, it really doesn't matter." I was good.
Now, given that I do support Liverpool the second game was far more interesting for me ... and I did not know what the final twelve minutes of the match would bring. So, Jorge and I continue our ongoing dialogue. I realize I am wearing a blue Adidas jacket and not red. The tee underneath is green, which is no help. See, I was standing next to mostly Chelski supporters in blue, so I looked like one of them. IT WAS MY OWN DAMN FAULT.
As the 79th minute passed, I too did not really want to know the end result, so I was glad that I had chosen good karma over bad karma and had not spoiled the United versus City match for the suffering United fans near me. Of course, since the match ended in a goalless draw, maybe that would not have been so bad...
A Composite Bus Story from one day last summer ...
It is sometimes easier to just take the transfer ticket from the bus driver.
It was 840am. I was late for work. Again. It was my own damn fault. All this, in spite of significant efforts on my part to preclude it happening. Basically, as a morning person, I suck. There were three alarms set in my bedroom set in different spots; one of which actually required me to get out of bed. Yet, I still ended up back in bed hitting two snooze alarms until I had inadvertently turned them all off and overslept. Again. I suck. I wish I would have been drinking or partying last night, I would actually feel better about being so stupid - pronounced stoo-pid - this morning.
It was like one of those dystopian future science fiction movie scenes; people looked dull and grey, lifeless. They all lived a long way from where they worked, since few of them were paid enough to live near their place of employment. The collective depression was clear and it was transferring to me. I tried not to make eye contact with anyone.
There was one guy though; late 20s, smug looking, married, reading about Winston Churchill and occasionally glancing at me and others with clear disdain. He hated the bus, not just due to the long ride, but because of the riders he clearly did not think himself the same as. He strikes me as a follower, told what he believes. Is that too harsh of me? I care not at this point since I find myself studying him. He looks neutered. I simply don't like him based on appearances. This is unlike me.
And then there was the other guy. He was huge; tall and wide, an imposing but gentle enough looking giant of a man. The bus was full enough that he did not get a seat, but he would have needed at least two more then the one most people take up just for all the stuff he was carrying. He was juggling his bags and his big coat in order to get his phone and headset on to make a call. He's loud. He's a hazard. The call reception is crap. Finally sort of settled on the rear door step he keeps trying to make the call yet they simply cannot hear him on the other end so they apparently tell him to call later, which he should have just done in the first place. Unless it was truly life and death the call could have been placed in just a few minutes off the bus at the station. Life before faxes and cell phones was and emails was slower, in part because it had to be. As we can get stuff quicker, we seem to think it needs to be immediate. Most things can wait.
And then it was my stop and I had to try and get past the big guy in the aisle and excuse myself as my ass nearly goes in the face of the smug guy as I go by.
I still had not concocted my excuse for being late.
One of the funny things about working nights for the large faceless insurance corporation I used to work for was that when people would call in sick they would call the general 800 number and then ask to be transferred to a manager's voice mail. It was amazing how many people could sound fine one minute and near death when the voice mail kicked on. I am not one of those people. Instead, I just tell the truth, sorry, and then shorten my lunch and stay an extra fifteen minutes at the end of the day.
It was my own damn fault.
It was 840am. I was late for work. Again. It was my own damn fault. All this, in spite of significant efforts on my part to preclude it happening. Basically, as a morning person, I suck. There were three alarms set in my bedroom set in different spots; one of which actually required me to get out of bed. Yet, I still ended up back in bed hitting two snooze alarms until I had inadvertently turned them all off and overslept. Again. I suck. I wish I would have been drinking or partying last night, I would actually feel better about being so stupid - pronounced stoo-pid - this morning.
It was like one of those dystopian future science fiction movie scenes; people looked dull and grey, lifeless. They all lived a long way from where they worked, since few of them were paid enough to live near their place of employment. The collective depression was clear and it was transferring to me. I tried not to make eye contact with anyone.
There was one guy though; late 20s, smug looking, married, reading about Winston Churchill and occasionally glancing at me and others with clear disdain. He hated the bus, not just due to the long ride, but because of the riders he clearly did not think himself the same as. He strikes me as a follower, told what he believes. Is that too harsh of me? I care not at this point since I find myself studying him. He looks neutered. I simply don't like him based on appearances. This is unlike me.
And then there was the other guy. He was huge; tall and wide, an imposing but gentle enough looking giant of a man. The bus was full enough that he did not get a seat, but he would have needed at least two more then the one most people take up just for all the stuff he was carrying. He was juggling his bags and his big coat in order to get his phone and headset on to make a call. He's loud. He's a hazard. The call reception is crap. Finally sort of settled on the rear door step he keeps trying to make the call yet they simply cannot hear him on the other end so they apparently tell him to call later, which he should have just done in the first place. Unless it was truly life and death the call could have been placed in just a few minutes off the bus at the station. Life before faxes and cell phones was and emails was slower, in part because it had to be. As we can get stuff quicker, we seem to think it needs to be immediate. Most things can wait.
And then it was my stop and I had to try and get past the big guy in the aisle and excuse myself as my ass nearly goes in the face of the smug guy as I go by.
I still had not concocted my excuse for being late.
One of the funny things about working nights for the large faceless insurance corporation I used to work for was that when people would call in sick they would call the general 800 number and then ask to be transferred to a manager's voice mail. It was amazing how many people could sound fine one minute and near death when the voice mail kicked on. I am not one of those people. Instead, I just tell the truth, sorry, and then shorten my lunch and stay an extra fifteen minutes at the end of the day.
It was my own damn fault.
One for him, one for him ...
One for him, one for him ...
How is it possibly complicated to count votes?
There are a couple candidates ... a number of people vote ... make a couple piles ... one for him, one for him ... and yet it is too complicated a task for a state like Florida or Ohio to handle in recent elections ... and now also apparently Washington's Republicans can't quite figure that out ...
I have strived and strived for a news blackout on the entire campaign thing lately ... and then I see the news broadcast where Mike Huckabee is upset that the Republicans stopped counting the ballots with 87 percent of the count complete ... and the newscast shows a party leader talking about sign in lists ... and I just get a headache ...
Major League Baseball has a ballot with candidates in each position in two leagues that get millions of votes from ballparks around the country and it goes off without a hitch ... the Republican Party has a ballot with a couple names on it and only several thousand votes and can't seem to handle it ... there was only one thing to count ...
One for him, one for him ... anyone who cannot handle something as absolutely simple as counting votes between candidates should not be in anything resembling a position of authority ...
How is it possibly complicated to count votes?
There are a couple candidates ... a number of people vote ... make a couple piles ... one for him, one for him ... and yet it is too complicated a task for a state like Florida or Ohio to handle in recent elections ... and now also apparently Washington's Republicans can't quite figure that out ...
I have strived and strived for a news blackout on the entire campaign thing lately ... and then I see the news broadcast where Mike Huckabee is upset that the Republicans stopped counting the ballots with 87 percent of the count complete ... and the newscast shows a party leader talking about sign in lists ... and I just get a headache ...
Major League Baseball has a ballot with candidates in each position in two leagues that get millions of votes from ballparks around the country and it goes off without a hitch ... the Republican Party has a ballot with a couple names on it and only several thousand votes and can't seem to handle it ... there was only one thing to count ...
One for him, one for him ... anyone who cannot handle something as absolutely simple as counting votes between candidates should not be in anything resembling a position of authority ...
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Concacaf Champions League ...
*** This post is a duplicate. I wrote it for goalseattle.blogspot.com and am also posting it here on shotgunprose ...
Concacaf Champions League...
Seattle soccer fans ... picture this...
Qwest Field.
The opposing team has a large section of supporters in yellow.
The opponent is Club America.
But, this is not a mid-season friendly in the summer of 2006; a game with no meaning and higher than regular season ticket prices.
No, it is the fall of 2013 and our hometown team is playing a Group Phase match in the CONCACAF Champions League. It could be something like Matchday 4 with a Quarterfinal berth on the line.
It paints a pretty cool picture.
But, and this is one huge but ... in order for the above to happen two things must first take place...
1) MLS Seattle must become a good team in a 3-4 year window...
2) CONCACAF has to make the Champions League actually work...
Let's see ... the first one I can buy since the organization in Seattle looks very good and the track record is there to trust ... the second one looks like a much harder sell and the track record is there not to trust...
CONCACAF has a really good opportunity right now. It appears that the FIFA Club World Cup is going to continue to place a CONCACAF team in tournament with the winners of the Copa Libertadores and European Cup every year. Whatever one thinks about the world club tournament, the reality is that it would be a real opportunity for an MLS side to play a Barcelona or a Chelsea and have it NOT be a friendly ... an actual game with value...
So, I am of the belief that MLS needs the new Champions League to thrive and for MLS clubs to do well in it. International competition is good for the league, players, and national team development. The toughness developed from the games one must play in Central America can only come from going there and grinding out games. The credibility of teams doing well or winning will be good for the league and the perception of American teams and players in the eyes of Eurosnobs that still think England plays good soccer - I mean English teams don't even have the English running things or in key field positions very much any more ...
The difficulties are many. However, the scheduling will not be nearly as difficult as teams continue to build, own, and manage their own stadiums. It could be a grind on teams with some fixture congestion, but that is hardly a unique situation. The nature of top flight soccer worldwide is that top players and teams play more games and get correspondingly rewarded for it.
But, it needs television, support, and marketing; the financial incentive must be there. The potential bonus money players could earn from this tournament could help offset some of the financial shortfalls the players at the lower end of the MLS pay scale face. The bonus money must be there.
Why the big change? The current Champions Cup format is too brief; the Mexican teams are almost angry to have to play in it and the MLS clubs don't go out of their way to promote the idea too much. And, let's face it, Mexico HATES being in CONCACAF and it regularly shows. Everything about Mexican participation in Concacaf events seems begrudging at best. But, Mexican teams also thrive on US publicity and the revenue opportunities from these matches could be quite good. Maybe they won't view this one as being beneath them. Right.
The current allotment of teams give the MLS potentially 5 of the 24 spots with the inclusion of the Canadian slot of one team. That is a bit much, but as things develop over time those sorts of iniquities can be adjusted. If MLS adds a second or third Canadian team or if the two USL1 teams knock off Toronto we could also have some fun matches to road trip to in Vancouver. I might consider a drive to see the Whitecaps play Saprissa ...
For the US allocation, my thought is that the MLS Cup champion, Open Cup Champion(enhance the value of winning it and give USL1 teams a shot at something bigger), and both division winners (the Supporters Shield by default and the other regular season title would have more value this way) should be the base for deciding who plays. This could also kill off the strictly commercial SuperLiga thing since it would make it redundant...
I actually hope that some of these things line up and the Concacaf Champions League works. But, that's just me.
---
it got response elsewhere on the internets ....
Concacaf Champions League...
Seattle soccer fans ... picture this...
Qwest Field.
The opposing team has a large section of supporters in yellow.
The opponent is Club America.
But, this is not a mid-season friendly in the summer of 2006; a game with no meaning and higher than regular season ticket prices.
No, it is the fall of 2013 and our hometown team is playing a Group Phase match in the CONCACAF Champions League. It could be something like Matchday 4 with a Quarterfinal berth on the line.
It paints a pretty cool picture.
But, and this is one huge but ... in order for the above to happen two things must first take place...
1) MLS Seattle must become a good team in a 3-4 year window...
2) CONCACAF has to make the Champions League actually work...
Let's see ... the first one I can buy since the organization in Seattle looks very good and the track record is there to trust ... the second one looks like a much harder sell and the track record is there not to trust...
CONCACAF has a really good opportunity right now. It appears that the FIFA Club World Cup is going to continue to place a CONCACAF team in tournament with the winners of the Copa Libertadores and European Cup every year. Whatever one thinks about the world club tournament, the reality is that it would be a real opportunity for an MLS side to play a Barcelona or a Chelsea and have it NOT be a friendly ... an actual game with value...
So, I am of the belief that MLS needs the new Champions League to thrive and for MLS clubs to do well in it. International competition is good for the league, players, and national team development. The toughness developed from the games one must play in Central America can only come from going there and grinding out games. The credibility of teams doing well or winning will be good for the league and the perception of American teams and players in the eyes of Eurosnobs that still think England plays good soccer - I mean English teams don't even have the English running things or in key field positions very much any more ...
The difficulties are many. However, the scheduling will not be nearly as difficult as teams continue to build, own, and manage their own stadiums. It could be a grind on teams with some fixture congestion, but that is hardly a unique situation. The nature of top flight soccer worldwide is that top players and teams play more games and get correspondingly rewarded for it.
But, it needs television, support, and marketing; the financial incentive must be there. The potential bonus money players could earn from this tournament could help offset some of the financial shortfalls the players at the lower end of the MLS pay scale face. The bonus money must be there.
Why the big change? The current Champions Cup format is too brief; the Mexican teams are almost angry to have to play in it and the MLS clubs don't go out of their way to promote the idea too much. And, let's face it, Mexico HATES being in CONCACAF and it regularly shows. Everything about Mexican participation in Concacaf events seems begrudging at best. But, Mexican teams also thrive on US publicity and the revenue opportunities from these matches could be quite good. Maybe they won't view this one as being beneath them. Right.
The current allotment of teams give the MLS potentially 5 of the 24 spots with the inclusion of the Canadian slot of one team. That is a bit much, but as things develop over time those sorts of iniquities can be adjusted. If MLS adds a second or third Canadian team or if the two USL1 teams knock off Toronto we could also have some fun matches to road trip to in Vancouver. I might consider a drive to see the Whitecaps play Saprissa ...
For the US allocation, my thought is that the MLS Cup champion, Open Cup Champion(enhance the value of winning it and give USL1 teams a shot at something bigger), and both division winners (the Supporters Shield by default and the other regular season title would have more value this way) should be the base for deciding who plays. This could also kill off the strictly commercial SuperLiga thing since it would make it redundant...
I actually hope that some of these things line up and the Concacaf Champions League works. But, that's just me.
---
it got response elsewhere on the internets ....
Saturday, February 02, 2008
The Fugitive ...
The Fugitive ...
"Sanctuary"
CBS filmed the series "The Fugitive" in the Seattle and Everett area for one season in 2000-01. I had the opportunity to be in two episodes as an extra.
In the episode "Sanctuary" I was a photographer at a funeral. During the course of about a half day's worth of being really cold I had the opportunity to shoot with Connie Britton (currently on Friday Night Lights) and Mykelti Williamson (Bubba from Forrest Gump). Connie had to get out of a limo door that I was blocking. That does not sound too crazy, but it was very slick and muddy and it took us some coordinating to get it right.
In the episode "Jenny" I was part of a couple dancing in a bar. There were two couples on the floor and then Tim Daly and his costar get up and join us. It was like 17 takes from different angles. So, for about 8 hours I slow danced in my socks to an imagined James Taylor song with my now ex-wife. I believe they did not use a James Taylor song in the actual episode though ...
There was an opportunity to be Tim Daly's stand in for an episode that shot at Pike Place Market that I had to decline due to work.
"Jenny"
"Sanctuary"
CBS filmed the series "The Fugitive" in the Seattle and Everett area for one season in 2000-01. I had the opportunity to be in two episodes as an extra.
In the episode "Sanctuary" I was a photographer at a funeral. During the course of about a half day's worth of being really cold I had the opportunity to shoot with Connie Britton (currently on Friday Night Lights) and Mykelti Williamson (Bubba from Forrest Gump). Connie had to get out of a limo door that I was blocking. That does not sound too crazy, but it was very slick and muddy and it took us some coordinating to get it right.
In the episode "Jenny" I was part of a couple dancing in a bar. There were two couples on the floor and then Tim Daly and his costar get up and join us. It was like 17 takes from different angles. So, for about 8 hours I slow danced in my socks to an imagined James Taylor song with my now ex-wife. I believe they did not use a James Taylor song in the actual episode though ...
There was an opportunity to be Tim Daly's stand in for an episode that shot at Pike Place Market that I had to decline due to work.
"Jenny"
Signs, signs, signs ...
Signs, signs, signs ...
"Hey, I know ... let's go find childcare or a plumber ... get in a the car ... bring a notepad for numbers ... this is a great way to make certain we are getting a reliable and legit business to work with ..."
In my general driving area there are roadside signs for everything from house painting to childcare ... even handwritten childcare advertisements ...
Does this actually work?
Friday, February 01, 2008
Impression of a couple ...
Impression of a couple ... I saw as I walked past last Summer in a park ...
Their body language told me many things.
They like each other.
This is new.
They are getting used to each other's presense.
They are not quite ready for "public" appearances.
They have not slept together yet.
There was a good chance they would be sleeping together soon.
He wanted to make a move, but was settling for holding her hand.
She wanted to kiss him, but was not going to make the first move.
If he didn't make the first move soon she was going to have to.
She didn't want to have to.
His leg was falling asleep from sitting the way he was in order to face her on the bench.
She was a lot more comfortable than he was.
He was going to need to take a leak soon.
She was impressed enough; he needed to stop trying so hard or it was going to lose its appeal.
They were fairly oblivious to the others in the park around them.
What happened next?
I don't know.
We kept walking.
Their body language told me many things.
They like each other.
This is new.
They are getting used to each other's presense.
They are not quite ready for "public" appearances.
They have not slept together yet.
There was a good chance they would be sleeping together soon.
He wanted to make a move, but was settling for holding her hand.
She wanted to kiss him, but was not going to make the first move.
If he didn't make the first move soon she was going to have to.
She didn't want to have to.
His leg was falling asleep from sitting the way he was in order to face her on the bench.
She was a lot more comfortable than he was.
He was going to need to take a leak soon.
She was impressed enough; he needed to stop trying so hard or it was going to lose its appeal.
They were fairly oblivious to the others in the park around them.
What happened next?
I don't know.
We kept walking.
Bad Poetry
Bad Poetry
For many years I have written for a magazine named "The Voice" ... although for a good portion of that it was "The Silver Valley Voice" ... and one of the sections I wrote in very, very often was the "Bad Poetry" section ...
In order for poetry to be in the "Bad Poetry" section the poetry in question had to be labeled as such by the writer ...
Over the years I have had 97 poems in that section ...
"The Voice" only comes out sporadically these days for a variety of reasons ... and I have three more poems just waiting to put me over the top to 100 Bad Poems ... Given the possibility that this will not happen I present to you the three poems that will one day make me proud to reach the "Bad Poetry" century mark ...
Dancing Boots
years of walking
years of strolling
years of TLC
and then holes in the heel
in a matter of weeks
just from two stepping and cha-cha-ing
there's something beautiful about that
A Chardonnay Actually
I've read a book about
green eggs and ham
but have you every heard about
white wine and SPAM?
The Uniform
Boys or Girls
Black tee
Blue jeans
Boots
Perhaps a hat ... or not
Masculine or Feminine
It's all the same
For many years I have written for a magazine named "The Voice" ... although for a good portion of that it was "The Silver Valley Voice" ... and one of the sections I wrote in very, very often was the "Bad Poetry" section ...
In order for poetry to be in the "Bad Poetry" section the poetry in question had to be labeled as such by the writer ...
Over the years I have had 97 poems in that section ...
"The Voice" only comes out sporadically these days for a variety of reasons ... and I have three more poems just waiting to put me over the top to 100 Bad Poems ... Given the possibility that this will not happen I present to you the three poems that will one day make me proud to reach the "Bad Poetry" century mark ...
Dancing Boots
years of walking
years of strolling
years of TLC
and then holes in the heel
in a matter of weeks
just from two stepping and cha-cha-ing
there's something beautiful about that
A Chardonnay Actually
I've read a book about
green eggs and ham
but have you every heard about
white wine and SPAM?
The Uniform
Boys or Girls
Black tee
Blue jeans
Boots
Perhaps a hat ... or not
Masculine or Feminine
It's all the same
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