A soccer club team I can get behind...maybe

I want to follow soccer, I really do.  It was my favorite sport playing as a kid and its global presence appeals to my cosmopolitan leanings.  The problem is that we are saddled in Country that really doesn't care and surrounded by a culture that sees the sport as effeminate and soft.

I don't love the sport enough to make the effort to try to navigate the arcane European soccer sites and I'm not a poser so I'm not going to conveniently jump on the current hot club club out of England or Spain.  Also, did I mention that the MLS still is pretty much little league and I'm just not charitable enough to put my precious sports viewing hours into a product that isn't that great and rarely compelling.

I was a man lost at sea until I stumbled across this article on Grantland.  It opened my eyes to a new club that has the potential to appeal to me on so many levels.  First of all, who doesn't love a good underdog.  The dirty grit of these guys would make the Bad News Bears proud.  Second of all, it appeals to my love of Italy.  Specifically the disregarded and chaotic southern part of the peninsula.  These guys don't have the snobbery and money of AC Milan or the folks up north.  They have a Rocky-like everyman appeal.

Those two reasons should be enough for me to care.  I've tried over and over to care about soccer, and outside of a few US team moments, I haven't become a fan.  We'll see if this works.   Check in with me in a few months.  If I am wearing one of those silly soccer scarves with the Napoli colors then you know it took.

All in for Austin

Using the BYU-Texas game as the excuse we spent another memorable weekend deep in the heart of the Country of Texas.  While the team wound up folding we managed to invent a new sport (Two ball), bust an Achilles (Garrett), gorge on meat (Rudy's and Salt Lick), have a love affair with the taco (Torchy's) discover Rone's Corner at the UT Campus, get healed at the waters of Barton Springs, awkwardly walk down 6th Street on a Friday night, and chuckle at the whole 'Texas Pride' thing.

A great time and here's to another Skutch trip.

Remembering John Wooden

I wasn't around to experience any of those great UCLA teams. Up until the last few years my only exposure to John Wooden came through second hand lessons taught by coaches and teachers. Up until a couple of years ago, I only knew that he was the most decorated coach of all time and that he had inspired legions of followers and practitioners of his teachings.

And than the news of his sickness and death came....the depth of my understanding of this man changed profoundly.

As I read the papers and heard the news I was inundated with stories and praise. This man was truly loved. He truly left his mark. And as more and more stories and anecdotes emerged, I realized one thing. They all dealt with his character. Sure there were references to his great success in winning games. But the majority of the time was spent on how he selflessly taught those around them how to work harder and become better people.

The athletes and coaches of our era are probably the best we've ever seen. Science and money have insured that by making athletics a very lucrative business. But behind all of the muscle and ego, there isn't much depth of character. The principles that we know are appropriate- team work, cooperation, effort- have been replaced with actions that are convenient such as greed, selfishness, and cheating. I can only imagine how Mr. Wooden felt during these last years as he watched this unfold in his beloved arena of sport. He proved that you can win the right way....only it was much harder then winning the convenient way. That is why he is so unique and singular.

Mr. Wooden, you thrived before my time. But your life and legacy is so very important to the people of my time. He was a throw back to the core principles that made us great. Maybe your passing will remind us that we've gone astray and that, to become great again, we need to look beyond ourselves.

Bringing the Winter Olympics to the rest of us

Every four years we are instructed by whichever network owns its broadcast rights to pay attention to the Winter Olympics. We try and pronounce the Nordic sounding names of the blond haired Europeans as they do some pretty strange stuff in the snow. (Or in the case of the Vancouver games this year, slush) Eventually we sort of pay attention to Hockey and Ice Skating and then we turn back to our regular sports that ....well, more closely resemble sports.

I am at a complete loss when it comes to some of these events. How did they evolve? Guns and cross country skiing as a competitive sport? Seriously? They are more an awkward patchwork of European elitist tradition and American styled daredevilry then anything that could really be considered a true test of athleticism. But I digress...

So instead of trying to figure out the Winter Olympics I have decided to slip into my wool turtleneck and jump right in. In fact I am going to take it a step further and actually recommend a few more events to help the Winter Olympics expand into the 9/10th of the rest of the world that doesn't experience winter or turtlenecks.

Here is my preliminary list.

1. World-Class Snowball Fight Extravaganza: There could be team or individual categories and rules could follow those outlined in Paintball. You want drama, stamina, and precision? This is a sure winner. And it can bring in the coveted 18-34 straight male demographic in the same way that figure skating owns the smaller yet incredibly influential 18-34 gay male demo.
   
2. Ice Sculpture: Grace and creativity combined. Plus it gives us a chance to bring chainsaws into the games. And because these events are almost exclusively attended by the white upper-class jet-set, the events provide a valuable sales opportunity for the competitors to present their art in hopes of making it into next years exclusive parties in the Hamptons and Monaco.
3. Stone rock/broom concept: This one came to me as I was coming down from a Lortab induced hallucination during my last toothache. But hear me out. It's weird and it defies description but I think its got potential. Teams take turns sliding polished granite stones down the ice towards a target. Two sweepers with brooms or brushes accompany each stone and use timing equipment and their best judgment, along with direction from their teammates, to help direct the stones to their resting place. Oh wait....
4. Ultimate Winter Endurance: Back to the need to cater to the young and lucrative demographic that drives ratings and ad revenues. Participants will strip down into their underwear and see how long they can brave a glacier fed lake. The event could even by emceed by Bear Grylls.
5. Soccer: I told you I would engage the interest of the rest of the world.
   

These events can really help to expand the appeal of the Winter Games. It also gives us a chance to put up with 10-15 more hours of Bob Costas waxing poetic about the majesty and purity of international competition.

And remember it is not silly or stupid if there is a gold medal at the end.

Men Win Football Games

We are just over halfway through the College Football season and I've already decided to check out on BYU football. Once again sky high promises were not kept and unreal expectations hit the cold icy reality of what this team is....a decent, but not great, football team. No rose colored articles from the ever delusional Dick Harmon, no reality averting always positive remarks from Bronco Mendenhall, and no stupid slogans can give this team the needed grit to actually win a game that matters.

Here's my big beef with BYU football. They show up small in big games. By big games I mean games in which both teams have something to play for. Sure we can sneak up on Oklahoma but they obviously underestimated us. Our victories over TCU and Utah have come when they (Utah and TCU) both had nothing to play for. Our humiliating defeats have come when they both (Utah and TCU) had something to play for.

Here are my armchair observations of why we won't be a top flight team. These aren't small deficiencies and require much more then some fine tuning. We will be destined for mediocrity until we can solve these problems.

• Speed: Let's face it white kids from Pleasant Grove aren't running 4.3 40's. They might be smart, team players but that doesn't cover up their obvious skill deficiencies. Our Honor Code prevents us from recruiting these speed guys.
• Offensive Play calling: I'm sure that Robert Anae is a great guy and makes a wonderful home teacher but our play calling is predictable and doesn't adjust to our circumstances. Just look at how dynamic TCU was when they dismantled our defense seven different ways. We didn't have an offensive gameplan that effectively countered their pass rush. The only thing offensive about our play calling was how "offensive" it was.
• Mentality: Maybe the Mormon culture just doesn't allow for a killer instinct that separates the winners from the pretenders. I think too many players and staff use this as an excuse. They can justify losing by saying that football is just not a priority compared to God, Family, and Education. I don't argue with the priorities but I also don't feel that they are mutually exclusive. Nobody on this team has attitude, leadership, or the drive to demand that others step up. This "we've got more important matters in our lives" also permeates the fan base to help justify the BYU losses to "Ute" Fan. I declare that you can have a "Killer Instinct" and still be a worthy member of the Church.
  
• Legacy Players: The bottom half of the BYU roster is filled with Covey's, Mendenhall's, Edward's, and Lamb's....all products of past BYU players, coaches, and benefactors. The problem is that none of them are real contributors. Why don't we free up their roster spots for more worthy players. We know that we could use the depth.

I could continue but the bottom line is that we are pansies and don't show up for big games. We haven't shown any real heart. We are incredibly outcoached. We complain about a lack of respect and then we get the some media light on our program we let TCU and old man Bowden take us to task in our own stadium. The whole program should be embarrassed. No amount of excuses or silver linings or learning experiences are allowed. We've used them for far too long. It is now time to actually back up your stupid slogans.

Doing Dallas in Style

I have a great group of friends but we all would be the first to admit that we come up far short when it comes to guy trips. Well we've made an effort to remedy this problem and our recent Dallas trip was the latest try.

The BYU - Oklahoma game was the impetus for the trip. While it was the reason for mobilizing us it wasn't the "reason" if you know what I mean. In all honesty, outside of Cody, we weren't expecting much of a game. If we made a priority list of the weekend it would have went something like this:

1. Be with friends
2. Paintball
3. Eat much meat
4. Visit Cowboys Stadium
5. Six Flags
6. Dealey Plaza and the Grassy Knoll to postulate alternative JFK assassination theories
   
7. Massages
8. BYU-Oklahoma Game
9. Put up with flights that connect in multiple cities

The weekend leading up to Saturday Night was excellent. The agenda was full. Thursday was movie (GI Joe to boot), BBQ, massage, steakhouse, and Ryan B losing the game he proposed (credit card roulette) and footing a $200 bill for 4 people. Friday the rest of the group arrived and we passed time with paintball, basketball, pool, JFK, and more BBQ. Saturday leading up to the game was spent at Six Flags. Mormons don't know how to tailgate but we sure know how to amuse our selves. I'm willing to bet that half of the BYU contingency spent their morning there. We lasted a couple of hours before nausea forced us back to the hotel.

And then the game....

The stadium absolutely lives up to the hype. Other then a few quibbles the place is an absolute shrine to the football gods. Everything is bigger, better, and shinier then any other stadium you've visited. That awe is soon replaced with fear as you are engulfed in a sea of Sooner red. Dallas is just down the road from Norman and we were introduced to "big boy" college football. We were still dumbfounded by the atmosphere when the kick off came. The atmosphere was electric....it was College Football energy in a luxurious NFL setting.

And then we showed up to play. Going into the game we were expecting 44-24 Sooners. By the end of the 1st Quarter it was confidence in covering the spread. By the end of the half we started to think upset. By the end of the third quarter those feelings started to form into a solid confidence. The Sooner fan base is amongst the most rabid in all of college sports and we heard them at their most loud and their most subdued. We executed the "right" game plan to near perfection. I will be the first to admit that the Sooners are probably the better and more talented team. They failed in exploiting some mistakes and some holes in our defense. But the courageous efforts of an underdog is what makes College Football what it is. BYU has tightened the noose around the neck of the status quo fools running the BCS.

After the game all we wanted to do was revel in the moment and run to the nearest sports bar to watch endless highlights of the game. We all wanted to hear if this win validated the program in the minds of the national press. En route to the sports bar we were congratulated by throngs of Sooner fans. They were absolutely classy given the circumstances. I have a new found respect for their fan base and hope they recover and run the table in the Big 12.

So in short, the game that got us together exceeded our expectations to the wildest degree. We came to catch up with friends with little realistic expectations for a victory. The game itself was the most exquisite cherry on top of an absolutely tasty weekend. My heart goes out to the true blue Cougar fans that didn't make the trip. You will be very, very hard pressed to find a BYU moment that surpasses what we experienced down at the Palace that Jerry built.

US Soccer: Still not ready for primetime?

Coming off the heels of the stunning win over Spain and the Confederations Cup, US Soccer looked poise to grab the attention of the average American fan. You see our sports hours are already spread pretty thin between the major sports such as Football, Basketball, Baseball, and even Hockey. The victory marked one of the rare occasions that Soccer trumped these sports in the headlines.

Granted the tournament was played when basketball and football are on break and baseball is in the middle of the summer swoon but irregardless it was the number one news story. The average Joe was captivated by the play and his allegiance was ready for the taking. His attention was ripe for US Soccer to pick and to add to their small but growing fan base. The Gold Cup was the next event but that would feature the B Team as little was at stake. All eyes were drawn to the big match up with hated rival Mexico down in Mexico City on August 12th. Sports radio and even ESPN took notice of the import of this game and we prepared to do battle with an increased and attentive audience.

And then the predictable happened....

Just when it seemed that US Soccer was poised to turn the corner it was discovered that the game would not be televised on any of the major television stations. The new and growing audience will have no where decent to turn to watch this game. The US Soccer team could win the game but it will do so without the support of the millions of tepid fans that were beginning to warm up to the program. We will have the option of watching it online or on one of the Spanish language stations but how many casual fans will go to the effort?

So instead of gathering the friends together for pizza and intense soccer we will probably watch preseason football or catch up on a pennant race. The game might be great but it will probably only be watched by the same meager crowd that has staunchly supported this team despite of general apathy nationwide. A huge opportunity squandered by whoever is supposed to be bring US Soccer to the mainstream.

Maybe we still aren't ready for the nationwide debut. The performance today against Mexico might prove so. We are in the final in New York and our bleached blond squad got manhandled by the Tri. Our stadium was dominated by Red, White, and Green not Red, White, and Blue. Just further evidence that soccer has a long ways to go before we can really capture the imagination and attention of the US.

Change isn't going to happen over night. Eventually we will warm up to this sport. But US Soccer squandered a big opportunity to turn up the heat by not insuring that the big US-Mexico match was in easy reach of a huge audience that was prepared to give it a closer look. Until they get more assertive with their promotion of the sport it will continue to languish along the fringes with the likes of bowling, curling, and fencing. Badminton, anyone?

My beef with US Soccer

It's becoming a ritual that takes place every 3-4 years. They tempt us. They show brief moments of brilliance. They show just enough skin to grab our attention. And then once they have it, like the elusive belly dancer, they wriggle away leaving us unfulfilled. That's how I feel about US Soccer.

Here is what I am sick of when it comes to our relationship with our soccer team.

• Moral Victories
• Inconsistent Play
• Talking about being on the cusp of legitimacy and then getting spanked by Trinidad and Tobago.

I like soccer. I root for the US. But I've rooted for the US long enough not to be fooled by brief moments of greatness like the victory over Spain last week. In 1994 we grabbed the attention of the world by beating Colombia in our World Cup. That was followed up by in fighting and a horrible 98' showing. We then beat Brazil and start to make a major push for the 2002 cup. We beat Portugal and slap around our Mexican neighbors. We announce that we are now fixtures on the world scene. And then we disappear again. In 2006 we get manhandled in Europe. Up through last week we struggle through lesser competition and get shellacked by Italy and Brazil. And then comes Spain and our heroic first half in the finals in the Brazilian rematch. The interest from the casual fan has been rekindled again leading into the 2010 World Cup. Will we be burned again?

This is my beef with US Soccer. It is a roller coaster that goes up and down. Every sporadic and great outing is followed up by mediocrity and under performance. We will never be taken seriously until we can consistently show up against the big boys. That doesn't mean well orchestrated first halves in which we surprise a sleepy Brazilian squad. It means going toe to toe with the world class squads on their fields, on their terms, and on a consistent basis. We can't rely on surprising teams because they are now aware that we can be dangerous. We are now being called out into the open.

Like me, there are legions of potential fans who are waiting for a consistent showing. Our time is limited and in order for you to convince us to turn attention away from Football, BBQ's and Golf to soccer you need to prove to us that you are more then an occasional mirage. We've been burned too many times but we are willing to support a team that has guts, heart, effort, and talent. You proved that you have it against Spain. You demonstrated those same qualities for a half against Brazil. Now go out there and harness this momentum into South Africa next year. Get us past the first round next year and you should be able to win us over and keep us on your side.

We have talent. We have a pretty good coach. We are have a budding reputation. We have some young building blocks. It's time to take these pieces and build something that this great nation can be proud of. We will be there for you...but only when you can consistently prove that you will be there for us.

If Cowboys are America's team, what does that say about America?

The 2008 Dallas Cowboys were loaded with as much talent and superstars as any Yankees team that Steinbrenner has cobbled together. But as the Yankees have proven, talent and hype wins nothing but airtime on daytime sports talk shows.

I've been with the Cowboys ever since Danny White was handing the ball to Tony Dorsett under the silent but stern eye of the great Tom Landry. I can't explain my allegiance other then the fact that my older brother got me into them and I have never wavered since. Until now.

I am having an increasingly difficult time handling the cognitive dissonance that resides within my sports affiliation decision making process. I can no longer justify the awkward juxtaposition that exists between what I ideally want in a sports franchise and my love for the Cowboys.

You want a team that wins, right? Yes, that is the bottom line for most fans. But, just as important, you want a team that wins the right way. You want a team that embodies the values that you embrace. (i.e. Pittsburgh Steelers mirroring the gritty, blue collar mentality of its city) You want a team that has leadership, drive, and mutual respect. You work hard to succeed in your job and you expect the players on your team to putting forth the same effort to hone their craft within the team. You want a team that believes that whole is truly bigger then the sum of its parts.

Does that describe the Dallas Cowboys? I only wish it did. We've got a crisis of leadership and accountability and it starts at the top. Teams mirror their ownership and leadership. Do you wonder why the 2008 Dallas Cowboys turned into a circus? Look no further then Jerry Jones.

Redemption at 3am

Like many Olympic enthusiasts I have been annoyed at the NBC coverage of the games. Instead of treating us like the ‘net’ savvy, real time, smart people that we are they continue to suspend the time difference between here and Beijing and attempt to convince us that everything is taking place live during our prime time. Since we are not stupid we catch the stuff online as it happens and usually pass on the event when it is played six hours later.

I understand the logistical issues. But I have a couple of recommendations for the next go round. 1) If it is 8am in the US and a game is being played live in China, play it live here. Don’t wait for two hours and play it on tape delay when we already know the outcome. This happened with the US-Argentina game. I followed it live online at 8am. It then came on at 10am….what the point? 2) Don’t try and fool us with your faux “live coverage” angle. We know it’s not live. We will choose to watch the event if it is still compelling.

Anyways….this post was to be about the big US-Spain gold medal game. I needed to blow off some steam first.

Wanting to watch the game live- thanks to NBC for finally broadcasting something meaningful live- I opted to stay up for the 12:30am start time. I was expecting to watch a few minutes and retire once the US pulled away with the game, most likely during the 2nd Quarter. The US blew those racist and hairy Spaniards out by 37 points the previous week so I was expecting them to pull a French rollover and be content with the silver.

Surprise….surprise…

My late night lethargy was soon jolted to a full and alert semi-panic with Spain pulling up by 5 in the early going. The US couldn’t stop the precision offense of the lanky representatives of the Iberian Peninsula. They were shooting very well but I was concerned that their fortunes would quickly change once things cooled off. The game was physical and intense and I was greatly rewarded for catching this.

As the game progressed the US would lull me to a false sense of security by building up a 9 or 11 point lead. But every time that it appeared that they would break the game open the Spanish would quash the run with a well timed three pointer. They kept the game in reach prevented the US from getting easy transition points.

The game came down to the wire. It wasn’t until the last couple of minutes and a clutch Kobe four point play that I could finally sit back and relish in the reclamation of our rightful place on top of the awards podium. It was great to see these padded NBA players express the same unbridled and exuberant joy and passion that their almost anonymous counterparts and showed throughout the game. During these games the players weren’t the NBA brats that we’ve grown accustomed to. During these games the players were a cohesive team, determined to fit in, respect the Olympics, and claim gold.

It was now 3am. I made it this far and I was determined to see it through. Upon ending the awards ceremony I was almost immediately greeted with a feeling of exhaustion. There would be no rest for this tired kid as church was scheduled to begin at 8am. I had the gnarliest migraine and could barely make it through the services. But I was filled with a feeling of solidarity and patriotism as I scanned the foyer to find other husbands slumped over in similar exhaustion. We did our small part to support our nation and our nation rewarded us in kind.

How China Shanghaied the Olympics and other 5 ringed thoughts

I’ve been mildly interested in the Olympics this year. I’ll be the first to admit that they don’t quite have the cachet that they did during my “cold war” youth. Even though the Medal Tracker is still closely followed as a proxy war between fiercely nationalistic countries it still isn’t as compelling as when we actually had miles of missiles pointed at each other. Some thoughts….

• As expected China’s efforts to anoint itself as the world’s leader have been met with justified skepticism. Despite a security force the size of Bangladesh there are still stories of protests being quashed and insanely basic liberties being curtailed. China wants to appear open only as long as it doesn’t interfere with its government’s carefully crafted agenda.


• Evidently China has sort of cheated in making its Olympic presentation. The stories of lip synching and fake fireworks during the opening ceremonies are already old news. China has also done a number of other things to gloss its issues. This hilarious take from Rick Reilly dives deeper into this matter. Don’t get me wrong, China has done a great job of effectively hosting the Olympics. Just a word of advice, however. Don’t try too hard to be something that you're not (A country with acceptable human rights) and don’t overly embellish an already impressive city. (Creating fake facades to cover up blighted parts of town or displacing citizens.


• The fact that baseball and softball are being dropped from the Olympics leaves one with a puzzled stare. It’s darn right baffling when you consider all of the other stupid events that they are feverishly adding such as trampoline jumping, badminton, or competitive walking. The games are already full of enough stupid events, why pull out a couple of legitimate ones? The response for their departure was that they were too U.S. dominated. What the….? Baseball has a very global following and if they were following that same stupid logic then why not get rid of table tennis or badminton. Those are both sports that no one other then China gives a damn about.


• Here’s an interesting observation. If you subtract all of the events that are dependent on subjective judging then the medal count gap between the U.S. and China becomes three times wider then it currently is. Does anyone smell any hometown cooking? Keep in mind that it is the year of the rat.


• I sure hope that there is a team of scientists down in Jamaica trying to figure out what they are putting in their Kool-Aid. This is insane. How can one small nation full of ganja and dreadlocks be this fast? Is it the training program? I don’t know. I heard something about Jamaican people having extra fast twitch muscles or something. I don’t know what that means and I don’t know how that could be isolated to just that little island. Regardless I’ll be the first to admit that they’ve got the best celebrations of any victors. It’s good to see them so happy. They haven’t had much to cheer about ever since they lost Bob Marley.


• The whole Spanish/Argentina team photos smacks of hypocrisy. They received virtually no condemnation for their racist poses. The hyper sensitive U.S. press would have demanded that the U.S. team withdraw from the tournament should they have done anything remotely similar. It’s weird how quick our media is to condemn actions within our own country and how easy they justify the boneheaded decisions of people in other places.


• So how long does Michaels Phelps mania last? A year? A month? I give him a Wheaties Box cover, a visit to the White House, and two months before the nation moves on and he is forgotten only to be remembered again years from now when his name pops up as a Trivia Pursuit question. Don't get me wrong. What he accomplished was down right incredible. Its just that our collective attention span is measured in miliseconds and swimming is a sport that will only draw our attention once every four years.
  
  

Golfing Amongst Legends

You ever want to spend an afternoon with John Elway? Discuss approach shots with Mike Schmidt? Stand in awe of Michael Jordan?

Well my bro-in-law has been spending the last couple of years putting together the Legends Cup Challenge. Check out the link and peruse the people who have committed to partcipate. You see these world class atheletes have a competitive drive that needs an outlet. Evidently golf is one of the few activities that can satiate this demand. Perhaps they haven't heard of backgammon. This isn't your average celebrity event. These guys have signed on to win. There are 4 teams, each comprised of retired atheletes from the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL.

It should be quite an experience and hopefullly it will become an annual event. The vision is for this to be something that is covered by ESPN. I'll plan on being there....will MJ?

Wasatch Back captured in photos

Here are some photos from Wasatch Back, a little commentary is forthcoming.

The Wasatch has my back

About six months ago Garrett invited the group to join him on the 200 mile Wasatch Back Relay race. Essentially we form a team of 12 and run the 200 miles between Logan and Park City. It was far off so a bunch of us naively accepted the challenge. Our ignorant pride blindsided us.

Now we are three days away from this. Up until last week I was feeling very confident. That all changed in Sun Valley. I was out to do a quick three mile run when it happened. The elevation turned my muscles into a heaping mass of goo. I had no push. I had no idea that running from 1,100 ft (Phoenix) to 6,000ft (Sun Valley) would make that much of a difference. I was defeated. I nearly sat on the side of the road and cried.

But a few days have passed and my desire to blood dope have subsided somewhat. Yesterday a few of us went a running store and bought some gear and magical medicinals that should help us out. Right now we will take what ever will help. We grossly underestimated this grisly task before us.

Pray for us all! I will post some updates and pictures as they become available.

Running off the rough edges

I came to a certain understanding the other morning while I was slogging away on the treadmill. I was somewhere between miles 4 and 5 and I was desperately trying to keep my mind occupied and away from the fact that I was jogging for that long. The mental exercise involved me replaying some of my finest athletic achievements from my youth, keep in mind that they are few and far between, and then determining whether or not I could replay those feats in my current physical condition. The conclusion?

NO.

I no longer have that burst or ability to cut quickly. I guess that happens with age. I even observe it while watching the older players in the NBA or NFL. The player no longer has the ability to dart or weave so his actions become more measured, more controlled, more economical. It’s just a fact of life. As we get older our flashes of brilliance get replaced with more level play. I suppose that this analogy can carry over to a wider range of relevance.

When we are young we want the music loud, the movie big, and the extra value meal. We think in terms of big returns, massive ratings, and big curves. As we get older our experience and wisdom kick in. We start to balance our checkbook, watch our diet, and think in more tempered moderation. A large part of that may be due to the fact that we have more at stake- family, career, etc…- and that we are responsible for more things then just ourselves.

So we evolve. I look at myself and see that the rough edges and spiky hair have been replaced with softer features and a more corporate look. I work within my limitations but I also still see possibility. Aging isn’t all that bad once you get used to it. Instead of preparing for a sprint I am trying for a long distance race. There is still much that can be attained and accomplished. I don’t mind the process so long as you don’t fill up my closet with a bunch of chinos and polo shirts.

I've been drafted

Fact: Men devote too much time to sports.

That fact applies to me as well. But I try to do my part by limiting my sports watching hours to Football, basketball, and a little soccer. There is one event, however, that has held a spell over me since I was a wee tot. The NFL Draft. It my siren song and I am its captive sailor.

Why is the draft so cool? Why do I watch hours of TV in early April of the same stupid talking heads debating picks into oblivion? I think I heard 25 hours worth of opinion regarding who the Rams should take with the 2nd pick. Why do I care about what kind of draft grade the Cowboys got with their picks even though none of the players have even played a game?

The draft is somewhat special because it is an event that includes everyone. It is the rare day that the Lions could come out a winner. It allows the average fan the chance to step into the role of the GM and try to pick the right player for their club. There is a definite fantasy football type of aspect to the draft. And I guess that is why it is so wildly popular.

Well the draft has come and gone and I am mildly satisfied with how the Cowboys picked. I am eternally grateful for Jodi for putting up with me this past weekend and even feigning interest in the process. Now this is over and I have to what a while before I get some more football news. Until then I have the Jazz to satisfy my sports fix.

How 'bout dem Cowboys?

Well the bottom quickly fell off the good ship Cowboys this past week. I'm still coming to grips with the fact that the season is over and all I have to look forward to now is asking "what if" and analyzing stats of obscure players for the upcoming draft.

For some reason the Cowboys have been plagued with a couple of criticle weaknesses these past few years. These weaknesses have not been covered up by the superior atheletes on the team. They were present under the highly controlled and strict Parcells regime and they were also evident under the laid back leadership of Wade Phillips. In my humble opinion, the Cowboys won't be able to step into the football Pantheon that the Patriots are currently hanging out in until these are corrected.

1) Penalties- In the two biggest loses of the year (Patriots and Giants) the Boys had multiple drives killed by penalities, particularly holding or offsides. This forced the Cowboys into 3rd and long situations that limited play calling. We have a very powerful line but we need to play as a complete unit. Hats off to the Patriots because they do.

2) Discipline- This one stems from the coach I believe. This is the other sucky edge of the sword that gave Phillips and the Boys their early success. They were loose and won during the early going. But come December and playoff time they didn't have the discipline to ratchet up the intensity. As a result we had costly penalties (think Davis mauling Ominura during Giants game) There aren't enough strong personalities in the locker room to keep players in check and keep them from being complacent. Once again the Patriots are successful largely because they are the most disciplined bunch of the lot.

3) Distraction- Holywood starlets, stupid comments by players, etc....These things distract players and create posterboard materials for the opposition. Take a lot at the damn Patriots. Their benign and politically correct statements give nothing to their opponents to use. Everything is kept in house and you never hear discussion about the Brazilian bombshells that Brady is dating.

4) Defensive Secondary- This one is more on the schemes employed. The Cowboys high pressure pass rush dictates that CB's play in tight man to man or bump coverage. This prevents the QB from dropping the ball off to his hot receiver. But for some reason the Cowboys played with a big enough cushion that would make the princess and the pea jealous. We were too worried about giving up the deep ball that we let teams nickel and dime us with the short pass. This is a huge concern and it needs to be addressed in the draft.

All in all we are so close. It will be difficult to replicate a 13-3 season but we have the talent to pull it off. We need to take care of the intangibles. These are the things that seperate the champions from the chumps. These are the reasons why the Patriots are what they are.

One more mystery. Why didn't the Cowboys get TO involved in the 2nd Half? The Giants secondary was completely depleted and ripe for the picking.

How 'bout those Jazz

I have watched more basketball this past month then I have for the last 5 years. I guess my viewing habits can be directly correlated to the success or failure of the Jazz. Since I haven’t had cable for the past year, (It’s incredible what one is able to accomplish without such distractions. Take my word.) I never was exceptionally motivated to watch anything…until now.
Both the Jazz and the Suns are doing very well and my interest is piqued. I am especially pleased with the Jazz. Their grit and teamwork can make even the bluest collar NBA purist giddy with excitement. You add that with the fact that their expectations were so low and you’ve got something special. Every win past the 1st round has been like an extra scoop of gravy upon my dinner plate of sports interest.
There’s something about this team. Maybe it is how well they play together as a unit. Maybe it is because they anonymously go about their business without striving for accolades and Gatorade commercials. Maybe, it’s because they look like a bunch of misfits who somehow found a home in Utah, a bad news bear sort of thing. It doesn’t matter to me because they’ve got my full support, not withstanding the heavy powder blue uniforms.

Of muscle shirts and protein shakes

One of my new routines involves me spending a few hours a week in the gym. It is in this fortress of vanity…er, self improvement… that I work to get my body back into a suitable “dating” condition. I’m determined- well, let’s be honest…somewhat determined- to get in excellent shape. So far I have lost 25lbs and am at 11% body fat. The next goal is to add a little muscle and get myself prepared to either do a marathon or triathlon.
Anyways, while the whole thrill of feeling and looking better has been great the real treat is observing how extreme the “gym” culture can be taken. This is a complete way of life for some of these meatheads. I am all for working hard but most certainly not at the expense of living a normal and well rounded life. Some of these people live and die by the gym.
There’s a group of people that I regularly observe. Their routines, while probably pleasing to steroid dealers, can be rather comical. They literally observe every action they make in the mirror. There’s a reason why every club has more mirrors in it than a fun house. Things here aren’t measured in how much faster one can run or how much farther they can hit the ball but rather how well their pectorals look in relation to their biceps. These people, it seems, tie their self image directly in how they look in that mirror. They’ll hour after hour obsessing over the slightest detail in their physique.
I suppose that this gym might just be a microcosm of society in general. Good lucks and muscle are the desired “veneer” that we value. So much so that things like communication, education, religion, work, and even normal physical activity are forgotten. This somewhat superficial fix is easy and will go a long way in covering up inadequacies in other areas. We value some of the strangest things. Sometimes we don’t spend enough time on the things that really bring the most value. You can’t have a meaningful conversation with a deltoid after all, can you?

One last change

It appears that there has been a definite theme to my recent posts. Changes are a natural and necessary function to life, I'm glad that I have been able to recognize and learn from them. The following is just a trite observation that has made me painfuly aware of the fact that I am aging.

Two of my favorite sports icons have recently retired. In January Emmitt Smith joined the Cowboys for a day so that he could retire with a star on his helmet. I have carefully followed his amazing career ever since I was in Jr. High. The monumental 49ers-Cowboys games of the mid 90's were amazing events and strained some of my early friendships. Later, in February, Karl Malone announced that he was leaving basketball. My recollections of the Mailman go back even further to my days as a 4th grader. I remember, as a small lad, briefly meeting him at an appliance store. All of my friends embraced Karl and the Jazz, they were our only team in the world of professional sports.

I guess I took the careers of these two giants for granted. I just assumed that they would always be there, that was atleast the case for most of my life. Their retirements signaled the end of my real involvement and interest in sports and helped me realize that maybe I should devote my recreational efforts to tasks more befitting with my age such as gardening and the symphony. I will still follow sports, but the loss of my intimate connections with these games might lesson my allegiance to some degree. And that just might make my wife a little happier.