Upon Days Gone By

I suppose my blog is becoming more of a personal reflection than a traditional blog that links to news stories, or articles. However, this being my blog, I can do what I damn-well please.

I went to the beach this past Saturday, for one of the only times this summer. I realized that I had not spent any time on the beach during the daytime, and that, with the exception of a few night walks, I had rarely visited the beach at all. I found this to be inexcuseable, as I live merely a block and a half from the ocean. Sure I would more often than not be going alone, but I realized that time spent in the fresh air and ocean water was probably better than parking my butt on the couch. When I saw how little of the summer was left, I resolved to make Saturday my day to go to the beach.

I awoke at around 6 AM, following a night of imbibing. I decided that, since my mind had decided to emerge from somnolence, I should encourage my body to follow suit. Three hours of television and many glasses of water later, I resolved to strike out for the beach. I was soon reminded that I was devoid of all but the most basic elements required for a beach visit, my swimsuit. I made my way to my parents' house to borrow a beach towel, beach chair, and sunblock. I navigated my way through the throngs of DFDs (Down For the Days, a local acronym used to describe non-residents who come to take advantage of Rockaway's beach), to purchase some Woodpecker Cider. I sought a beverage which would take the edge off the previous night, while simultaneously not being so harsh as to upset my stomach again. Provisions in hand, I made my way back to my apartment to put the cider on ice, grab a book, and finally walk down to the beach.

I arrived at the beach wall, and immediately was reminded that this was not the beach I had been to growing up. My house is thirteen blocks from my apartment, and the beach terrain is somewhat different. Firstly, whereas 128th Street provides a clear view to the water from the wall, 141st Street has sand dunes topped by grass and reeds. I had been to this beach previously as a surfer, but the perspective becomes different when one intends to sit on the shore for an extended period of time. I approached the sand dune closest to me, and decided to go around it on the left side, as is my habit. I am not sure as to when I picked this tendency, but my supersticious nature leads me to habitual actions which I can not seem to shake. I trudged through the losely packed sand of the upper beach, and discovered that some things had not changed. I still based my choice of seating location based upon sightlines to the nearest attractive female in a bikini. Finding only one sleek and finely tanned teenaged girl, and her equally bronzed mother who's body had not yet succumbed to the rigors of age, I determined an angle which would allow me to keep an eye on them while not appearing to stare. I settled down in my chair, cracked my book and my first beer, and then I was gone.

I went racing backwards in time, and was bombarded by the collective memory of countless days spent at the beach. I was 9 years old, riding my first ever boogie-board (an Orange Aussie) learning how to catch a wave, and somehow believing that I had acquired magical powers through the board. My father was in the water with me, my sister, and my cousins. We all took turns using the boards, and cheering each other on as we caught a wave.

I was 11 years old, conceiving of "The Summer of 1000 waves", wherein I planned to catch and count the waves I caught and body-surfed or boogie-boarded. I made 1000 faster than I could imagine, and didnt' stop there.

I was 15 years old, and standing up for my first prolonged ride on a surfboard. I caught the wave, stood up, turned left, and felt a ruch of exhiliration like none that I had known.

I went running through tide pools with my friends, wrestling and skimboarding and jumping. I drifted along in those same tide pools, hopelessly caught in the pull of the current, and saved from being sucked into a violent sea by a faceless stranger who had just happened to see me struggling. It was late at night, and I don't doubt that I would have died in the broiling surf, with little to no chance of being found in the black and churning waters.

I sat on the shoreline and made drip-castles, dreaming of what would go on inside. I played chicken of the sea, racing from the shore break as it rolled in, and boldly chasing the water as it receeded. Iced tea pumped out from the blue thermos never tasted sweeter than when it was chasing the salt out of your mouth. Sand fights ran the gammut from innocent fun, to severely serious. Games of punchball, and Over-under-Through lasted for hours. Baloney sandwiches derived an extra crunch from grains of sand. Sunburns and jellyfish stings, near-drownings and crab bites; none of these could send us home. Mom and dad would pack up and go, and responsibility for the kids on the block would pass from parent to parent. These same parents would rise as one when it appeared a child was struggling in the water, more often than not beating the lifeguards into the water.

I think I may have just decided to write a book about this. Stay tuned...

Upon Jason Whitlocks Article

I like this article. Provides a new look on USA basketball.

Upon things I have neglected this week

So this has been a week where allergies have knocked me on my ass, and I have not done a daily update as I should.

So much for Spain's undefeated run in Olympic basketball. Apparently, after an extensive mix-up at the airport, Team USA's jumpers finally arrived. Stephon Marbury's had been lost since the exhibition games prior to the Greece games. Starbury was 10-15 from the field, 6-9 from 3-point land, and overshadowed a huge 29 and 6 from Spanish stand-out Pau Gasol. Steph has been much maligned throughout the tournament, and at times rightfully so. His shot has been off, he has not been dishing as he has during his entire NBA career (leading the league with 8.9 assists-per-game last year). Today he showed that, while perhaps not the ideal point guard for this team(more a problem of team construction than Steph's fault), he is still an explosive talent who can hang a 30-spot on any competition. In fact, his 31 points today was the highest point total by a US men's player, eclipsing the 30 points of Charles Barkley('92) and Adrian Dantley ('78?). The Big Fundamental was saddled with foul-troubles, and sat for much of the first half, but still managed to contribute on the defensive end. However, I am mostly speaking on Marbury from today's game. I personally feel some of the Brooklyn came out in him today. "I can't shoot?" "Im garbage at the point?" "Here's 31, raining threes all over this undefeated squad, can't none of y'all check me!" Watch the sports writers change their tune, the same guys who have been dogging Marbury all week.

Up next is the winner of Greece- Argentina. Unless home cooking prevails, look for Ginobli and the Argentines to advance through. We'll see if the US can continue to hit from the outside, and defend the crisp passing of Argentina. Also, can someone tell Larry Brown that Lebron and Carmello are pretty good ball players?


The Yankees hit the skids a bit, and it happened to coincide with the Red Sox playing some of their best ball of the season. A series win in Cleveland was a nice turn around from losing 2 of 3 in Minnesota, and getting lumped on by the smoking hot Angels (throwing up 21 runs on KC last night). The once hefty 10.5 game lead in the AL east has dwindled to 5.5 after last night's loss to Minnesota (on a goddamned drag bunt single by Coco Crisp!), and Curt Schilling's 16th win of the season. However, I liked Torre's comment this week about "fouls to give". As I like to say, this is why you build a lead. All it takes is a one game advantage to win your division, the rest of the games simply determine how much you can rest down the stretch. The Yankees have the easiest schedule of any playoff team coming down the stretch, playing only two teams who are above .500 at this point. If things stay to form between Yanks and Sox, we should have good success the next series we play against them, as we usually play pretty even in the season series. Duque still pitched pretty well, and only a weary Tom Gordon kept him from being undefeated in his starts since returning. Look for Mussina to continue to improve, Brown lost a close game against Anaheim and pitched well, and Vasquez should be fine.

The Loaiza trade still annoys me, as we now are looking at him for the bullpen. Giambi may not be back this season, which is a disappointment as well. A-rod is still a waste with RISP, and this is not a healthy trend come playoff time. However, I get the feeling a nice 4-game set with our neighbors to the North should right the ship even further. The Red Sox essentially have to remain as hot as they are to entertain the hope of playoffs, and the team who still holds the second best record in baseball only needs to play as they are capable.


I am going to see "HERO" this weekend, it is a Jet-Li movie, and its going to be awesome.


Flonase is an awesome allergy reliever, and has abated one of the worst attacks I can remember this week.

The summer is vanishing, I am about to be 23, and I cant believe how time flies. If anyone out there happens to browse this page, give me a comment and let me know you are out there.

Upon the Difficulty of Consistently Updating

I have trouble finding time to always post something new. Enjoy some sports, or some games. I'll be back with more rambling later.

Upon the Yankees

People can speak about the payroll all they want. I love watching this team, and it has the feeling that Yankee teams haven't had in a few years. This pendulum that had swung too far to the side or "recruited superstar with gaudy power numbers", is on its way back toward the "gritty, plate-disciplined batter who will grind for a key base hit". This may sound odd to say when this off-season the Yankees acquired Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield, who currently lead the AL in Home-runs. However, the fact that more than half of the Yankees wins this year have been of the come-from-behind variety shows that the offense has become an odd amalgam of big and small ball.

On the one-hand, then Yankees have been out-hit by their opponents this year. The modern-day Murderer's Row has fewer hits than its opponents who are largely inferior hitters (if you believe the stats). This team has barely one everyday player batting over .300. Combine these facts with the shaky starting rotation, and it wouldn't seem to equal a team with an 8.5 game lead in its division, the best record in the AL, and second-best record in all of baseball. How then is this happening? To borrow from Greg Maddux "Chicks dig the longball".

Once again, the Yankees have sprinted out to the ML home run lead. The number is somewhere in the 180's at this point in the season. There are 9 players on the roster with double-digit home runs. Sheffield, Rodriguez and Giambi (when healthy) can take any pitcher, in any park, in any situation, deep for a homer. Posada, Bernie and Matsui(much more on him in a future post) are disciplined hitters who crush mistakes. Jeter can get hot, as he did in May/June, and he has always been clutch. Reuben Sierra is all over the ball as a pinch-hitter, and Tony Clark has huge power on pitches down in the zone. Even Cairo and Lofton will take a junk-ball out. Team always need to worry about making a 1,2, or 3 run lead stand up. The threat of power leads to careful pitching, and careful pitching leads to walks. The pitcher doesn't get a break from the heart of the order, and men on base can always be driven in with a long-ball. However, there are times this season where it seems that the Home-run is the only way the Yankees are able to score runs. Referring back to the batting averages, you wonder how a team like this can win as often as it does. Aren't they just a new version of the late 90's Indians and Rangers?

I believe the difference this year is the return of the grinder. Gone from the top of the line-up is swing-happy Soriano. This kid is a stud no doubt, but his strikeouts at the top of the line-up were BRUTAL in the playoffs last year. With an ailing Giambi, a Bernie Williams who was pressing, Aaron Boone who hit 3 big homers (including one HUGE one) and not much else, the Yankee line-up was shut-down by the Marlins pitchers who came together and dealt masterfully. Anaheim beat ut the year before by doing the small things for runs that the Yankees were incapable of. Even the Diamondbacks bloop singles won-out over some of the greatest homeruns in World Series history. Pitching and defense are huge in all these series, but you have to expect that in the playoffs. So what is it that can inspire confidence in me that this year will be different?

Jorge Posada is having a down offensive year as far as HR and RBI. He is battling several points lower as well. However, he is a switch-hitter who has a keen catcher's eye at the plate. He leads the AL in walks, and his on-base percentage is in the 4's. The Yankees have excellent speed with Cairo, Jeter, Bernie and Lofton. Derek, Matsui, and A-Rod are excellent and instinctual base-runners, and A-Rod is on his way to at least 30-30. Cairo and Lofton will bunt their way on, and Jeter will bunt them across. Sheffield hates to swing and miss, and fights like a madman in every at-bat. Cairo is another guy who will foul off numerous pitches and run the pitch-count up on an ace. This is critical even if he does not reach base. Olerud was picked up as an excellent defensive first baseman, but has some how rediscovered the hole between second and first, and seems to exclusively hit singles to right field. I am reserving my Matsui comments as I said before, but suffice it to say the Yanks are not close to where they are without him.

This team seems to be on its way back to the glory days of post-season offensive efficiency, with an interesting twist. If all the things I just mentioned aren't happening, all they need is to breakout that long-ball, because a team always has a weak pitching link, starter, middle reliever or closer. add a patient walk or two and 2 run deficits become one run leads.

Upon Sleeping and Awakening

Is there a more uncertain moment than the first few seconds after waking up. When you slide out of a dream, and cant be precisely sure what is real and what is fantasy. When you have no idea what day/week/month...etc it is, no earthly notion of what time it is, and sometimes even no idea where you are. You may have eaten something before bed whose digestion caused some strange dreams. You may have celebrated a bit too much the night before, and if you go to bed unsure of whats going on, there is a good chance you'll wake up that way too.

I love it when you wake up at 6:30, head pounding, more exhausted than a prize fighter who just went 12 rounds, in utter disbelief that you have to drag yourself to work. Then a glimmer creeps into your head..."What's today?". The feeling builds and grows "Come on. Come onnnn!" Guarding against the potential whiplash of No/yes/No, you allow your memory to cast about, and recap the week to this point. Then, it hits you. "Yeeesssssss! Saturday!" This feeling is the best on Saturday, in my opinion. Sunday is cool, but you still have that last day of the weekend thing. Days off and holidays provide an interesting version of this if they fall on a weekday. You almost feel like you are getting away with something. But when you find out that you dont have to get up if you don't want to, that is just bliss. And the best part of all this is that the whole internal dialogue occurs in about 3 seconds. Afterwards, you fall back on your bed, but usually don't fall asleep right away. You can lay/lie (I always get the word wrong) there and just soak up the freedom you have. Then you can find the still-warm spot in your bed, hop back in your sleep crease, and get some more precious shut-eye.

The entire process described above, with the reverse outcome (I think I have off, but in reality its Monday) sucks more than words can do justice to.

I think I have more to say on this, but that will do for now.

Upon Basketball

Puerto Rico?!?! The United States Men's Basketball Team Just lost the first game ever since NBA athletes were allowed to play... to Puerto Rico! I thought I was mad/disillusioned/embarassed after the loss to Italy in the warm-up games, but this is beyond belief. Not only did we lose to PR, we got blown by 19!! Third-tier NBA guard Carlos Arroyo drops 25. US goes 3-24 from 3-point range. This is just sad. and dont think this isn't largely Larry Brown's fault.

I understand the flaws with this team; No pure jumpshooter, noone who can hit consistently from 3, absence of a point guard who fits with the style we are going to have to play. We threw a hodge-podge of NBA players together and "practiced" for about a month, when international teams play together year round (with an opening that their NBA stars can slide right into). With all this being said, I think Larry Brown is not running this ship correctly. The style that the Pistons won a championship with this season does not work with the group he has here. Dumping the ball to Tim Duncan is not good enough as option A, B, C and D. He may be close to the world's best player, but even a 6th grade intramural coach is going to see that this is our primary attack, and adjust accordingly. The playbook for the Spurs features a good deal of pick and pop and open J's. (Coincidentally these jumpers often go to Argentina's Giniboli, France's Parker and Turkey's Turkoglu) There is no reason why this team cant run wild on the internationals, with a change in playbook, and a change in rotation. Wouldnt a lineup of Duncan Okafor, Odom, Lebron and Marbury be able to do work? Cant we run Boozer, Okafor, and Stoudamire out there to rebound for AI and 'Melo? Shouldnt Shawn Marion only be a change of pace guy, not someone getting big minutes? Aren't he and Richard Jefferson 6 of one, a half-dozen of the other?( and RJ may be 7 or 8, to Matrix' 5 or 4)

Its pointless, though entirely correct, to point out that the US could use some jumpshooters. Was Michael Redd busy? Did Allan Houston have plans? ?Screw it, Wesley Person or Jon Barry could be out here thriving in the international game. However, we have who we have, and thnat still should be enough to win every game handily. In my opinion, you dont even need to shoot the three brilliantly to beat the zone that teams seem to be packing into. How about the pick-and-roll? Carmello and Lebron could run this all day, even against a zone. Set Marbury up with the ball out top. Kick the ball to Lebron on the elbow. He draws at least one defender. Let Carmello come over from the wing, and set a screen on Lebron's man to the outside. 'Bron rolls out to the wing and three things happen A) the defender gets hung up in the screen and James decides between a 12 footer and a drive to the rack B) the defender slips the screen and James kicks back to Carmelo for a drive, or a dish to the post for Duncan C) the confusion lets Marbury shoot a wide-open 3, and since he's been handling the rock hes got a decent chance of stringing it.

The way I see it, we are giving the other team only 2 looks on offense, and we cant rely on our jump shooters. If we can successfully beat the zone, we either win with jumpers and D, or make the team go back to man, and then the Wade-Jefferson-Marion dunk fest can begin. We need to let Boozer and Okafor and Stoudamire get in there and bully people for rebounds. Duncan can be a beast, but him getting beaten under the rim before the eyes of the bush-league refs is not his game (and you know Pop cant be loving it too much either).

Larry Brown needs to realize that Big Ben and 'Sheed are not there to clean everything up. He needs to know that no matter how many screens he calls, Eric Snow and Richard Hamilton are not going to be there to hit those J's. He needs to change up his bench and he needs to recognize who he has on offense.

Most importantly, we need to give a 1992 team 124-68 beating to the next team we play. Enough of this nonsense.

One positive, Jefferson caught a nasty facial on Ruiz from PR yesterday, few more of those wouldnt hurt either.

Upon Red Bull

"Improves performance, especially during times of increased stress or strain. Increases concentration and improves reaction speed. Stimulates the metabolism"....

thus advertises Red Bull , perhaps the greatest contributing factor to my productivity at work, outside of fear. I've never enjoyed the taste of coffee, which my co-workers consume by the potful. This stuff was first introduced to me in college as a mixer for vodka, and has now become a nearly indispensible part of my day. The boost of energy it provides allows me to overcome the continual lack of sleep i subject myself to. I love and rely on this product, willingly shelling out the $2.00 and up that stores charge for an 8.3 ounce can. It does mix quite well with booze, and also can bring you back up if you have been out partying, and feel like you are done. im not in the habit of schilling for products, but Red Bull gets a nod here. "It gives you wiiiiiiiiiings"

First Time for Everything

Yeah, so I am essentially robbing this idea from my roommate, down to the blog-hosting site. Anyway, I'm gonna post this thing up here, see how long my interest in it holds, and express my opinions on some things. Maybe some like-minded individuals might stumble across it and find what I have to say valuable. Then again, I may do this for a week and get too lazy to continue. we shall see.

As for the topics you may find here, I cant say with certainty yet. I'll most assuredly speak on local sports (the Yankees, the Knicks, the Giants and Jets), and sports in general. TV will find its way in here as well. Ill probably find time for rants, and I will def be posting on here in all sorts of states, mental and otherwise.

You may laugh(with or at me), you may be bored, you may be intrigued. Only one way to find out.

Very well...let's begin.

Upon Baseball

So the Yankees have taken yet another series (2 0f 3 against Texas), and head now to woeful Seattle to start with the M's. Another strong outing by Duque, showing the escapability that will make him invaluable in any playoff run. I'm all for the overpowering starts that we saw last week, when the Yanks had a run of 4 straight 8 inning starts. I'd love to see the team run guys out there for20-24 batters, then treat them to a dose of Q-G-R (Quantrill/Gordon/Rivera). However, as we have seen throughout the season, this will not often be the case. You are typically not gonna see 3-up, 3-down, inning after inning. What I was pleased to see was Duque's response to jams. Key strike-outs with men on. Pitching strong and confident from behind in the count. This is exactly what you need from a playoff starter, and that is exactly what the rest of the regular season figures to be, auditions for which slot you will fill in the playoff rotation.

I need to see something from Mussina this weekend. I am willing to write off much of his season thus far as an aberration. Take away Japan and his struggles to find the plate, and you can have his string of wins with it. Lets take it back to page one. This team will struggle to go deep in the playoffs without Moose near or at the top of the rotation. He has an array of pitches to keep any lineup guessing, and if his location is there he can be unhittable. Mike has rarely looked like himself this year, and I think he needs to show and prove in this cupcake game that he can be back and dealing come October.

Look for John Olerud to receive a warm reception from the Seattle fans. Class act that guy. I am very happy with the pickup. Something about the way he presents that target at first base just inspires confidence in me.

I'll stop before this becomes an epic. I could write about this team all day and not get tired.