Hipster, Latte = One Cool Dude!

A couple of years ago, a guy came wandering into the office where I worked and said he was interested in getting into the athletic communications profession.  As I usually do when people say they want to be a "SID," I chuckled at his choice of career goals.  I mean, jeepers, did he really understand what he was saying?  Not to mention, he was clearly beyond the normal 18-22 college student age.

But, as the conversation progressed, it was clear he was actually very interested.  In fact, he knew a lot more about the profession that most.  He previously served as a journalist and, in that role, was heavily reliant on the communications (or media relations as it is frequently called) staffs around the country to help him do his job.

He offered to volunteer his time in the office (he was still being paid by his former employer as part of a downsizing buyout - too common these days in the newspaper industry) and was eager to get started.  So, we talked and he started work.  Oh, he didn't just start working...  he was in the office more than some of the full-time staffers.  He clearly had a vision and was a man of his word.

We found a few bucks to be able to pay him on a part-time basis (shhh, don't tell the state of Washington - he was working more hours than he was paid for!).  When a position came open a few months later, it was a no-brainer.  He was quickly hired and away he went.

Well, Jeremy (that's the guy's name, in case you hadn't figured it out) is a truly cosmopolitan dude.  He has traveled the world, served as a beat writer covering the New York Mets for the Newark Star-Ledger and has a cool significant other (Lisa).  And, he writes a pretty interesting blog that mostly focuses on food and travel.  There's also some pretty creative photography on the site.

Because of his frequent mention of foods and ingredients most of us have never heard of, Jeremy rightfully catches a little heck from a few of his co-workers and good-natured ribbing from some of the local media.  Tim Booth from the Associated Press frequently writes of some random "Duckfat Latte" reference on his twitter feed.  Jeremy is also quite the connoisseur of various malt-based beverages and uses his team travels to find some of the most obscure eateries throughout the country.

So, if you get a chance, check out Jeremy and Lisa's blog at http://www.hipsterinmylatte.com/ and follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jeremycothran.

Want to be a journalist?

Tiger Pride!

Good luck to the Daingerfield Tigers in their quest to win the school's third-straight Class 2A Texas state football title this weekend.  DHS (Class of '83 rules, by the way!) will face-off against Cameron Yoe at 6 p.m. PT Saturday night at Newsom Stadium in Mansfield. 

Daingerfield is 13-1 on the season and had three players on the AP all-state first team, including Texas-bound LB Steve Edmond who was named the state's defensive player of the year.  The Tigers survived a scare from Littlefield in last weekend's semifinals, scratching out an 18-9 win in Brownfield.  Second-team all-state QB Tyler Boyd led a 15-play, 86-yard drive to keep the clock moving and secure the win.

Seeing the Tigers having such great success is a reminder of the great Daingerfield teams of the early 1980's.  The dominant 1983 team scored 631 points, allowed just 8 points (a safety & an interception return) and posted 14 shutouts.  Here is an interesting YouTube video about the '83 team.

Us Versus Them Makes Sports Fun!

Jim Campbell from The Football Ramble had this accurate observation on how supporting a favorite team or player has a huge impact on a person's enjoyment of sporting events.  He attended the recent Arsenal at Manchester City soccer match (a glorious 3-0 Gunners victory, thankfully!) and shared his thoughts on the experience.

_____________________________________________________

"This enraged bias when supporting your own team can actually add to the enjoyment of it. When there’s an us against them mentality the energy spent on feeling aggrieved at the perceived injustice of the referee’s display or the opposition’s cheating is transferred into an outpouring of joy if your team scores, a vindication that you’ve defied the odds, even if you’ve exaggerated those odds yourself. Celebrating a goal when you’re at a game is one of the best feelings there is..."

_____________________________________________________

Well said.

It's A Small World

Whenever I watch Texas Tech football games on television (a rare treat considering we live in Seattle and Saturdays are generally booked), it is hard not to harken back to the good 'ol undergrad days in the Hub City.

Those were the days!  Live music and cold beverages at Fat Dawgs.  College Night at New West.  Playin' hoops for hours on end at the Rec Center (yes, Weymouth Basketball ruled the courts in those days - killed Zamboni, for sure).

Ahhh, what great memories... Oh yeah, the point of this entry. 

I was watching the Texas at Texas Tech game the other day and, to my surprise, the Horns feature four players from Kilgore, one from Gilmer and another from my hometown of Daingerfield.  A HUGE representation from the Piney Woods of Northeast Texas.

Seeing those towns displayed on the screen reminded me of my freshman year and one of my first basketball games as a Red Raider student.  I can't remember the game or the opponent, but I do remember sitting in the upper section looking down at the courtside floor seating (reserved for the students who arrived early) and, to my surprise, there was a guy in a red Kilgore sweatshirt that stood out from the rest. 

You have to understand, Kilgore is about 40 minutes from my hometown, a sports rival and located about an eight hour drive from Lubbock.  So, to see someone from my neck of the woods was really cool.

I didn't think a whole lot about it for years - that is, until I met the guy in my final year of college in a public relations class.  His name was Trey Hattaway and, come to find out, we had several common acquaintances at Tech.

Ultimately, Trey and I became friends and, later, co-workers in the Tech athletic department.  He is now working at Tyler Junior College back in Northeast Texas and is one of the nicest, most compassionate human beings I think I've ever met.

So, Trey makes the list... one of the cool people, for sure!

Making The Most Of Opportunity

It wasn't that long ago that Matt Gaschk was catching pretty constant grief as the producer for the "Mitch In The Morning" radio show that airs on 950 KJR-AM.

Matt, who had been working for KJR and host Mitch Levy for quite some time, was the early morning guy. He was up by at least 4 a.m. every weekday, lining-up guests, formatting the show, cutting-up highlights and comments from around the country, etc. In other words, he was the "behind the scenes" glue that made the show one of the best-rated AM morning drive programs in Seattle. A thankless job, considering Levy is well-known as a pretty demanding boss.

I met Matt during my first year in Seattle in 2006. He would come out to the Monday football press conferences at the UW and setup the equipment so KJR could carry the coaches' comments live. Most of the time everything worked fine. But, occassionally it didn't. On those rare occasions, Matt was never flustered, had a great attitude and was always a treat to work with.

Inevitably, as it usually does with me these days, the topic of conversation would turn to soccer. Regretfully, he is a Newcastle fan (apparently he picked them because he enjoys a Newcastle beer on occasion - good enough reason I suppose) in the English Premier League. But, I'd generally direct the discussion to how things are going at Arsenal (my favorite). Usually Matt was smart enough to agree with me and to ask about how my son's youth club was doing - that earned a few brownie points for sure!

When Sounders FC got off the ground two seasons ago, the club's management - led by fantastic Senior VP Gary Wright - contacted Matt to work for its website. Such a stroke of genius for the club and a great opportunity for the soccer-lover and longtime USL Sounders supporter.

Prost Amerika Soccer conducted a cool Q & A with Matt in March, 2009 that is worth checking out.

Over the last two years, Matt has added some great content to the site and has been fortunate to be able to travel across the world with the team. The Sounders have the strongest following in MLS and have quickly created an emerging worldwide brand. A little slice of that is due to the efforts of Matt.

A great story of a good guy who took advantage of a tremendous opportunity to do what he loves. Kudos Gaschk!

Read Matt's entries on the Rave Green Blog on SoundersFC.com

Funniest YouTube Video!

I know there are a million (or more) hilarious videos on YouTube. But, I have only been able to find one that makes me laugh every single time I think about it. So funny!!!

Tragedy In San Bruno

Thoughts and prayers go out to the community of San Bruno, Calif., which has been devastated by a natural gas line blast that leveled a neighborhood.   According to the San Francisco Chronicle early today, the San Mateo County coroner's office said there were now four fatalities. The blast has injured more than 20 others, destroyed 53 homes and damaged 120 more, authorities said. The fire has been 75 percent contained.

Read more about the disaster in the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury-News or the San Mateo Daily Journal. 

Here's some information on how you can help and well as a link to the Bay Area Red Cross.

Senior Golfers Provide Great Memory

Thanks to the generosity of USGA PR man extraordinaire Pete Kowalski, I was able to spend some time this morning at the U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee Country Club in Samammish.  Man, what a neat event.

After picking up Preston's buddy, Mitch, the three of us joined more than 2,000 volunteers (myself included - I'm planning to help out in the media/player mixed zone on Saturday and Sunday), several thousand spectators and around 156 of the world's best golfers over 50 at a beautiful Pacific Northwest golf course.

Of all the sporting events I've attended over the years, golf is probably the most under-represented.  I attended a Senior Tour event in Charlotte back in the mid-1990's.  And, I was local media coordinator for a LPGA event when I worked at Raycom Sports around that same time.  That's about it, other than a number of college golf tournaments over the years (which brings back memories of typing results, scorecards and pairing sheets on an IBM Selectric as an intern at Houston about 20-something years ago - ugh).

This morning, though, as soon as I made my way to the course I was impressed.  The course was beautiful.  The crowd was respectful (and large, I might add).  And the golfers were entertaining.  They engaged with the crowd, made a few jokes and surely made a few new fans along the way.

I spent some time following two specific and popular threesomes:  1) Tom Watson, Eduardo Romero and Fred Couples; and 2) Tom Kite, Loren Roberts and Ben Crenshaw.  How about that for some of the greatest names in golf history?  What a fun time watching those guys play.

I also got a kick out of seeing Hal Sutton, Joey Sindelar, Mark Calcavecchia, Corey Pavin, Bernhard Langer and several other greats.  I also enjoyed exposing Preston and Mitch to some of the great golfers in the game's long history.  Hopefully the experience will be memorable for them.

It was for me.

Another couple of lookalikes

Uruguay's Diego Forlán, the winner of the Golden Ball as the top player at the recent FIFA World Cup, seems to me to bear a striking resemblance to the cartoon movie character Tarzan. 

South American media, though, appear to have given him the nickname "Cachavacha" after a famous Argentine cartoon character.  Cachavacha is a witch dedicated to do evil with his/her magic against the inhabitants of Trulalá.

Draw your own conclusions:

I thought this photo of Italian superstar Alessandro Del Piero and Bruce Springsteen was also pretty good.

Perhaps A Nice Pulpo Gallego?

So, Paul the psychic octopus is considering retirement.  The most accurate mystic since Mona Mondieu, Paul is apparently considering a number of job prospects.

With the entire world watching, Paul correctly selected eight FIFA World Cup winners - all seven of Germany's games and the Spain victory over Holland in the final.  Interestingly, one of Australia's top cephalopod researchers says it may very well have psychic powers and an ability to predict the future.

Much to the dismay of German supporters, the mollusk correctly chose Spain over "Die Mannschaft" in the tournament semifinals - which prompted an array of octopus recipes posted on the Internet.

Here's a nice recipe for a Spanish dish - pulpo gallego (Maybe Jeremy Cothran can whip this up for us?).

Speaking of Hamburger (Helper)

Was ambling through Grocery Outlet a little while ago, hungrily dreaming of having a great hamburger (see previous blog post - apparently, I'm jonesing for a burger), when I was in the aisle with the various boxed, pre-mixed, dried meals - such as mac-'n-cheese, Tuna Helper, etc. - and the memorable quote from the 1983 comedy Vacation popped into my head.  Check out this classic and see if you don't chuckle!!!

Cousin Eddie: "I don't know why they call this stuff Hamburger Helper. It does just fine by itself, huh? I like it better than Tuna Helper myself, don't you, Clark?"

Clark: "You're the gourmet around here, Ed."
 
 

Best Hamburger In Seattle

Every city in United States makes a claim as having a place that serves the "Best Hamburger in America," right? 

Simply turn on the Food Network, Travel Channel or any one of a myriad of cable channels dedicated to the topic of "Best of.." and you'll find thousands of excellent eateries (and, obviously, plenty of critics willing to sample them all!)

Seattle, clearly, is known more for its seafood than anything else.  Anthony's, Waterfront Seafood Grill, Ivar's and The Crab Pot are among my favorites.  But, for some strange reason, it seems burgers in Seattle are a pretty talked-about item.

Ask anyone who knows the city where to find the best burger and you'll get a variety of answers.  Inevitably, though, most people will point straight to one of two places:  Red Mill Burgers or Dick's Drive-In. 

I'd agree that Red Mill is excellent.  Dick's, in my opinion, not so much.  If forced to choose a local burger joint, I'm more of a fan of Mr. Lu's Seafood and Burgers and Blue Moon Burgers.  Both are excellent, not that well-known and rarely seem to have big crowds - thus quick and friendly service.

Outside of Seattle?  In Texas, I like the old standby Whataburger.  In California, no question it's In-N-Out Burger.  In Atlanta, I enjoyed a chiliburger at The Varsity recently (What'll Ya Have?).  In Phoenix, Preston and I tackled the "The Shaq Stack" burger at Cooperstown - a sports bar owned by Alice Cooper and Randy Johnson.

What's your favorite and why?

Words To Live By

"The j's for just, the k's for keep, and there ain't no g on livin, cuz life's a verb." - Matthew McConaughey, one of the original cool people.

A few Matthew McConaughey-related Internet links:

• Official Facebook Fan Page
• j.k livin.com
• Wikipedia
• Official Site

Toughest Teacher Ever

This morning, for some unknown reason, I was thinking back to my college days (no, not the fun stuff.  Actually going to class... ugh).  I was reflecting on how in the world I became interested in the profession I've chosen.

Like a lot of people, I entered college with absolutely zero idea of what I wanted to do for a living.  I started out as a fashion merchandising major (insert deep belly laugh here) in the college of business.  After I realized math wasn't my thing (nor fashion, for that matter!), I changed my major to landscape architecture.  Well, I figured out pretty quickly that I couldn't draw.  So, I switched again - this time to physical education.  I was going to be a coach.

Heck, why not?  I liked football, basketball, golf, etc. And, other than playing, I thought coaching was the only way to work in sports.

However, one day a casual conversation took place that would change my life.  A buddy of mine, John Rafferty, and I were talking.  He told me about a speaker at one of his classes who was the Texas Tech sports information director.  He described what the guy did for a living and, I thought it sounded pretty cool.

Come to find out, my journalism TA was working as a grad assistant in that very same office.  So, he suggested I contact the SID and volunteer my time.  To make a long story short, I volunteered, got hired as a student assistant, was selected for an internship at Houston and away we go...  ending up loving it and have been working in the industry for the last 23 or so years.

There were so many people who had a big influence on my early decision to get (and stay) in athletic communications as a student.  A few who come to mind are:  The Johns (Rafferty & Walls - mentioned earlier), co-student assistant Russell Warren (who is now a big-wig in marketing with the San Antonio Spurs/Silver Stars), Joe Hornaday (the aforementioned SID, who I eventually replaced at Texas Tech and I should have maintained a better relationship with).  There are clearly many, many more...

But, for some reason, I frequently think back to the toughest, meanest, most demanding teacher I ever had.

Long-time Texas Tech professor of journalism Harmon Morgan, who died in 2003 at age 79, was a huge influence.  With Dr. Morgan, it was darn near impossible to ever be right.  It didn't matter how perfect you thought you could write, he'd find errors.

But, he was consistent, fair and, above all, logical.  I hated him then.  But, I appreciated him afterward.

When I was surfing the Internet for information on Dr. Morgan, I came across a letter he wrote to the editor of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.  I thought I'd share a really interesting part of his letter here:

"What we have today is millions of words, spoken and written, which are not clear and are not understood by readers and viewers.  What is needed is not more academic superstructure, more deans, more vice presidents, etc.  What is needed on the part of all teachers is a drive to improve the correct use of words, to improve the clarity of writing and speaking, to improve the ability of students to read and understand what has been read, and the application of logic to the task of understanding the world in which we live."

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day to Americans throughout the world!

In case you completely forgot your elementary school history lesson on the United States' successful battle for independence from Great Britain, there are some great web resources to refresh your memory!

According to history.com, "Independence Day, commonly known as July 4th or the Fourth of July, commemorates the Continental Congress' adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The document, primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, served as a formal announcement that the 13 American colonies were no longer part of the British Empire and would henceforth be free and independent states. Regarded as the birthday of the United States of America, the day is typically celebrated with parades, fireworks, ceremonies, barbecues and family gatherings."

If you are interested in similar national holidays from around the world, here's a great list.  Note the U.S. is the only country to celebrate its independence on July 4.  Belarus (home of Olympic gymnast Svetlana Leonidovna Boginskaya - sister-in-law to the one and only Karen Yee Kilwien!) claims July 3 and Venezuela has July 5.

Bundesliga All-Star Team?

As the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ starts to wind down, there have been so many interesting stories emerge from one of the great months in sports.  Even though the final script has yet to be written, here are a few observations (since I know everyone is on the edge of their chair wondering what I'm thinking) from South Africa.

»  Who would have thought that Uruguay would be carrying the torch for South America as the only team left among the final four?  Much to our family's dismay, the Uruguayans defeated Costa Rica 2-1 in a two-leg aggregate playoff just to reach the World Cup finals.  Listed by many sources as historically one of the most successful national soccer teams in the world, Uruguay is easily the smallest country left in the competition (3.4 million inhabitants).  Germany is the most populated country remaining (81.8 million), while Spain is second (47.0 million) and Netherlands is third (16.6 million).  For the record, the United States has more than 309.6 million inhabitants - the most among all the countries to qualify for the World Cup finals.

»  Until Jérôme Boateng officially signed transfer papers recently to move from Hamburg SV to the English Premier League's money-laden Manchester City, every member of the German national team plied their trade in that country's professional league - the highly-respected Bundesliga.  Boateng, who was born in Germany to a German mother and a Ghanaian father, is the half-brother of fiery Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng (a central midfielder for Portsmouth in the EPL).  Hmmm, maybe an All-USA Major League Soccer all-star team should serve as the U.S. national team?   Oh my gosh, did I really write that?  (For the record, just four Americans play professionally full-time in MLS).

» Martin Tyler and Ian Darke have so awesome as analysts for ESPN's coverage of the World Cup!  They do an incredible job of describing the play on the field without overdoing it.  Not sure the same can be said of one of the color analysts (cough, cough... name rhymes with marks).  I was caught a little off-guard today when the color analyst pronounced the spanish names of the players involved in their native language.  Perhaps he should take a caue from Tyler and Darke, who simply pronounce the names in ENGLISH!

»  Speaking of ESPN.  How thrilled must they have been that their studio analysts the last two days were from winning countries.  Ruud Gullit was in the chair as Holland defeated Brazil and was g-i-d-d-y with excitement!  Jürgen Klinsmann was in the studio for pregame and halftime of Germany's victory over Argentina, but had to leave for another television commitment in the second half.

» Even though I'm not happy with the lack of playing time for Spain's Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler (i.e. Cesc Fabregas, the star Arsenal midfielder), it does give him a little less wear-and-tear heading into the new English Premier League season.  Perhaps he'll be fully fit as the Gunners prepare to win the EPL title this fall!

» A quick update to my list from yesterday.  There are only eight EPL players left in the World Cup!  Neither Germany (unless you include Boateng) or Uruguay have any players currently playing in England.  All eight are from Holland or Spain!

» Not World Cup related, but I really enjoyed this great story on Arsenal.com on former England and Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman.  Nice mustache.

So, Where Are The Red Devils?

After watching Holland send vaunted Brazil back to Rio in shame in today's FIFA World Cup™ quarterfinals, I got to thinking it didn't seem there were many Premier League players left in the competition.

So, a little Google searching provided a couple of interesting facts I thought I'd share:

1)  There are more players from newly-promoted Newcastle United left in the World Cup than there are from Manchester United (awww, poor United - at least Nicky Butt should be thrilled!).

2)  There are a total of 17 Premier League players left in the World Cup (prior to the Uruguay vs. Ghana game today).

3)  Liverpool leads the way with six players left in the WC.  Manchester City is second with three.  Arsenal and Sunderland have two apiece.  (Doesn't it seem The Reds should have finished higher than seventh last season?).

Here is a list of Premier League players remaining in the World Cup (thanks digitalsportsdaily.com):

NED	F	Robin VAN PERSIE	Arsenal
ESP	M	Cesc FABREGAS	Arsenal
NED	D	John HEITINGA	Everton
GHA	D	John PANTSIL	Fulham
ARG	M	Javier MASCHERANO	Liverpool
ARG	M	Maxi RODRIGUEZ	Liverpool
NED	F	Dirk KUYT	Liverpool
NED	F	Ryan BABEL	Liverpool
ESP	F	Fernando TORRES	Liverpool
ESP	GK	Pepe REINA	Liverpool
ARG	F	Carlos TEVEZ	Manchester City
NED	M	Nigel DE JONG	Manchester City
PAR	F	Roque SANTA CRUZ	Manchester City
ARG	M	Jonas GUTIERREZ	Newcastle Utd.
GHA	D	John MENSAH	Sunderland
PAR	D	Paulo DA SILVA	Sunderland
GHA	GK	Richard KINGSON	Wigan

Overuse Injuries - Preventable?

There was a great story on overuse injuries caused by kids' excessive participation in sports in the June 7, 2010 issue of Sports Illustrated.

Here's an excerpt:

One recent morning two patients of Dr. James R. Andrews sat side by side in a rehab center in Birmingham. Both were shirtless. Both had fresh surgical holes in their right shoulders. And both were attentive as physical therapists hovered, advising them on how to put on a T-shirt a day after an operation (injured arm first).

On the left was Angel Guzman, whom the Cubs pay $825,000 to blow his 95-mph fastball by National League hitters. Three years ago Andrews also did Guzman's Tommy John surgery. The patient on the right was Tommy Ventura. Tommy is 17 years old, a righthander who this week is finishing his junior year at Archbishop Spalding High in Severn, Md.


...Andrews estimates that 60% of the athletes he operates on these days are high school athletes or younger. Sixty percent. "I don't think epidemic is too strong a word," the surgeon says. "We're seeing kids hurt before they even have a chance to become athletes."

Messi & Dustin Hoffman?

ESPN's Bill Simmons made this lookalike observation today:  Argentina & Barcelona FC star Lionel Messi and Dustin Hoffman from "All The President's Men."  Draw your own conclusion:

Here's my favorite Messi picture of all-time!

It's OK To Be a Cheapskate?

There was an interesting segment on The Today Show this morning.  Host Matt Lauer interviewed Jeff Yeager, the author of a book titled "The Cheapskate Next Door."

Yeager talked about a novel concept for Americans these days - GASP... actually living BELOW your means!   His book suggests that it is, indeed, possible to conduct your life happy, comfortable and debt-free.

He includes a great quote from Will Rogers:  "Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like."

The book includes a number of tips that Yeager alleges could save approximately $25,000 per year.

Sounds like a good idea to me (particular these days!).  The book is available on Amazon.com for $9.35.

Separated At Birth

Who doesn't get a kick out of "Separated At Birth" comparisons?  There are so many great ones, it's hard to keep up.

There are a ton of great websites, such as this one, that show celebrities who look have similar looks.

One of my favorite sports comparisons ever is one that features former Everton FC and current Manchester Untied star Wayne Rooney and the cartoon character Shrek!

What are some of your favorites?

Small Town Tragedy - 30 Years Later

It seems that way too frequently the news features stories of tragedy that affect a family or small town in some significant way.  Just this morning, I was reading a story today about a British Columbia man who killed his five-year-old daughter and is claiming a bipolar disorder.

Many of us have been affected by tragedy - some directly and others not as much.  Got me to thinking about such an occurence in my hometown when I was a teenager.

Just more than 30 years ago - June 22, 1980, to be exact -  a high school buddy (John Lass) and I were playing tennis on a Sunday morning.  It was just another average day in the sleepy little town of Daingerfield, Texas (pop. around 2,000).

Sometime during the morning, we noticed an ambulance rushing through town.  Not a normal sight in such a small place.  Then, we saw another.  Then another and a fire truck...  Something really big was happening.

We finished up quickly and headed home to see what we could find out.  Back then, obviously, we didn't have cell phones, PDAs, the Internet, etc...  So, we called around to see what we could find out.

Well, the news wasn't good.  Alvin Lee King III, the husband of my eighth-grade history teacher, Gretchen King, burst into the First Baptist Church in Daingerfield (the most popular church in town) and opened fire.  Afterward he ran out of the church and, unsuccessfully, attempted suicide.  He was captured and hung himself in the Morris County Jail not long afterward.

Five people were killed and several others wounded that day in a tragedy that many people in that town still remember vividly.

The local newspaper, the Daingerfield Bee, recently published this story on the 30-year anniversary of this terrible event.

There is also a book published by Larry Linham  (The Day the Angels Cried) that described the events from a first-hand point of view.

Here are a few other accounts of the event, in case you are interested

• Time Magazine
• Texarkana Gazette
• New Boston News

1000 Awesome Things. It's... Awesome!

Thanks to our good friend Tina Saunders for pointing out this "Awesome" website!  Check it out.  You'll be glad you did.  Or, better yet, buy the book.

“Unrelentingly optimistic without being sappy. It’s less about awesome things than it is about seeing the awesomeness of the everyday.” – The Toronto Star

Today's A Good Day For Reading!

Did you know today is officially known as "Library Advocacy Day" in the United States?

Apparently, it is normally known as National Library Legislative Day - which is held May 10-12 of each year.  But, this year the American Library Association decided to conduct a special day in Washington, D.C. to recognize reading programs across the country.

This year only, today's Library Advocacy Day replaced National Library Legislative Day (NLLD). Library advocates from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. met at Upper Senate Park on the U.S. Capitol grounds. The event featured Lauren Myracle, photo ops, and a chance to cheer on libraries! After the rally, participants met with their elected officials and their staffs.

The Huffington Post ran a feature recently called "Libraries and Librarians Are Endangered Species: What You Can Do to Help."  It has some good comments on the tough road our nation's librarys are faced with as budget cuts continue to degrade our educational system.

Oh, here are a few other holidays being celebrated today:  Feast of Tammuz (Jewish);  Peter & Paul Day (Christian);  Saint Peter's Day (Christian);  Independence Day (Seychelles).

Alright, Alright, Alright....

Hard not to laugh out loud when thinking about one of the greatest movie characters of all time - Matthew McConaughey's David Wooderson, of Dazed and Confused (1993).  Check out some of these all-time classic quotes! (Thanks IMDb.com)

"Let me tell you what Melba Toast is packin' right here, all right. We got 4:11 Positrac outback, 750 double pumper, Edelbrock intake, bored over 30, 11 to 1 pop-up pistons, turbo-jet 390 horsepower. We're talkin' some (f'ing) muscle."

"Man, it's the same bullshit they tried to pull in my day. If it ain't that piece of paper, there's some other choice they're gonna try and make for you. You gotta do what Randall Pink Floyd wants to do man. Let me tell you this, the older you do get the more rules they're gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin' man, L-I-V-I-N."

Wooderson: "Say, man, you got a joint?"

Mitch Kramer (played by Wiley Wiggins) : "No, not on me, man."

Wooderson: "It'd be a lot cooler if you did.:

And, here's the best of them all...

"That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age."

Sportsmanship - A Novel Concept!?!?!?

As our son, Preston, continues to get older and seems to be maintaining a pretty high level of interest in sports (mostly soccer and basketball, but American football appears to be looming in the future), Karen and I talk often about some of the things that SHOULD actually be important in a kid's athletics experience.

I say SHOULD because winning, competing and reaching for that next goal (no pun intended... well, maybe a little) all seem to be at the top of the reasons parents want their kids to participate in sports.

In reality, there's clearly a much bigger picture to keep in mind.  How about life's lessons related to sportsmanship, goal-setting, trust, team-building and self-esteem?  Shouldn't things like this be at the top of the list?

As we all make frequent jokes about orange slices, juice boxes and a trophy for every child, some of these things really do make the experience fun and memorable for the kids, the coaches and the parents involved.

It's hard not to laugh when I think back about Preston's first soccer experience with the U-6 Hurricanes (coached by one of the nicer people on this earth - Rob Hodges) in the Santa Clara (Calif.) PAL program.  I reflect back on those days and remember how supportive all the parents were on the sidelines!  The constant cheering and support for the kids was really cool.  A kid would score and we'd cheer.  The kids would make a mistake and we'd still cheer, laugh and try to be supportive.

Don't misunderstand.  The Hurricanes dominated!  Didn't lose a game (not that we kept score - cough, cough!).  Why?  Solid, positive coaching.  Kids who were having a fun time and enjoying the experience.  And, supportive parents who were concerned about very little other than making sure their kids had a good time and maintained an enjoyment for the sport.

The photo above (by the way) is from the DeAnza Force U8 or U9 boys at a tournament someplace - probably at Sonoma State.  From left:  Logan, Preston, Andrew and Nick B.

"You'll be dedicated and that's what you should want to be in anything in life - whether it's sports or academics or your relationship. It all stems from finding that fun, that thrill, that excitement." - former U.S. National Team soccer player Brandi Chastain.

There are some really good web resources out there that address how sports should be viewed these days.  They all do really good work and deserve a little attention for their efforts.  Check them out when you get a chance!

• Positive Coaching Alliance
• Responsible Sports
• Values.com
• The Citizenship Through Sports Alliance

If you have any other great resources on this topic, please feel free to pass them along in the comments box on this page!

Trying Something New Actually Works Out!!!

OK, maybe not the greatest topic for the first "Cool People" blog entry.  But, I gotta share something. 

After seeing the commercial on television for new M&M's flavors, I mentioned to my wife that the pretzel M&M's sounded pretty good.

Of course, Karen (being the considerate, sweet and giving person she is) bought me a package at the store yesterday.

All I can say is WOW!  They are money!  So money they don't even know it!  Best M&M ever, without question.

So, show your coolness and go out and buy a pack today!

• Official M&M Pretzel Website
• M&M's Pretzel Finds Social Twist
• A Short Break From The Healthy
• Pretzel M&M's Facebook Page

Welcome All Cool People!

Hey everyone! Welcome to OUR new blog - The Coolest People On Earth!

The intent of this new site is to create a community of (somewhat) like-minded people who have some sort of tie to yours truly.  There are really no ground rules.  Just write what you'd like - keep it as clean as you can and don't be offended by the opinions of others!

Here's how I see this working...  I'll invite specific people (authors) to participate.  Invitees are friends, former co-workers, etc. that have interesting things to say.  Once invited, authors can participate as frequently (or not) as they like.  This blog tool allows for up to 100 people to serve as authors.

I've always thought people generally enjoy sharing their opinions on things, but probably don't have the drive or interest in running their own blog.  That's the cool part, this is a blog of the people, by the people and for the people - with ABSOLUTELY no responsibilities!

A few sample topics you might see from folks could be:

• If Jeff Bechthold wasn't an SID, he'd be an excellent BBQ chef; 
• Tim Booth complains about being at Pebble Beach for a week covering the U.S. Open, which clearly wore him out so much he had to go to Hawai'i for a week just to unwind;
• Mike Zapolski might just be the nicest, most compassionate athletic director in the NCAA.
• Robin Reynolds has the keenest eye for grammar of anyone I've ever met;
• Dave Lewis is about as loyal as anyone you'll come across.  Heck, it even gets in him in trouble from time-to-time;
• Jeremy Cothran is well traveled and has an unbelievable knack for finding and sharing the most out-of-the-way food places.

Anyhow, share your experiences.  Write a stream of consciousness.  Vent about the government... Who cares!  It is all interesting stuff!

I'll be tweaking the layout over time - this is just version 1.0.  If you have any suggestions, just share away..

So, if you've been invited - pick a topic, a writing style and share away!

Oh, and feel free to post pictures, graphics and such.  Just keep them legal and non-offensive!