Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Before I go on vacation, I leave you with a story of freedom
Red and Andy Dufresne would be proud of these gents. A group of prisoners didn't look to become fugitives from justice and go on some sort of Thelma and Louise chase to the death. All they wanted was a cold beer. And they simply wanted to enjoy it within the confines of their own cell block. Kinda like Andy and Red on that hot prison roof in Maine in August.
Stupid bastards. These dudes shoulda run like hell. I'm guessing that the warden threw them in with Boggs and his crew to teach'em a lesson. But wow, a cold beer really hits the spot in the summer.
Now its time to vacation. "Get busy living or get busy dying." Thanks, Andy. Talk to you next week, folks.
Red and Andy Dufresne would be proud of these gents. A group of prisoners didn't look to become fugitives from justice and go on some sort of Thelma and Louise chase to the death. All they wanted was a cold beer. And they simply wanted to enjoy it within the confines of their own cell block. Kinda like Andy and Red on that hot prison roof in Maine in August.
Stupid bastards. These dudes shoulda run like hell. I'm guessing that the warden threw them in with Boggs and his crew to teach'em a lesson. But wow, a cold beer really hits the spot in the summer.
Now its time to vacation. "Get busy living or get busy dying." Thanks, Andy. Talk to you next week, folks.
Sunday, July 18, 2004
MU rah-rah
OK, last week was intense and I rarely had a chance to catch my breath. Now we're back in action for a couple of days before heading off on a quick vacation.
MU hoops rocks. Head coach Tom Crean secured the verbal commitment of Wesley Matthews, Jr. this evening. Matthews, a shooting guard from Madison, chose MU over Wisconsin and Georgia Tech. Congrats to Wesley. Matthews is the third recruit to commit to MU for the incoming class of 2005 -- each of them among the nations' top 100 high school players.
Crean has one more scholarship to offer, and it appears he's going after a power forward. Let's see what happens.
Regardless, this is the first time in 15 years that Marquette can boast of a class with this much highly ranked talent & it could not have come at a better time. MU moves into the Big East next year, the nation's best basketball conference, and this influx of athletic talent at 'need' positions will ensure that Crean's crew will remain better than competitive for the foreseeable future.
Now, from a more wholesome MU perspective....Earlier today my wife and I hosted a gathering of incoming Marquette freshman from the tri-state area. We enjoyed the company of five soon-to-be freshmen and their families (30 kids from this area will head to MU in the fall. 30!).
The students we met today were such an impressive, diverse bunch -- many of whom selected MU over key rival schools like Providence, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, and even Duke (take that, sanctimonious Coach K). I am consistently amazed at the enthusiasm and promise of life at the age of 18. These kids were downright giddy about going off to college away from home, even if their parents were understandably nervous. None of them were overly concerned about their coarse of study or what they 'wanted to be when they grow up'. Perhaps most encouraging, the five quickly assimilated and found a way to steal away from the boring adult crowd and talk about the adventure they were about undertake. These are well-grounded young adults.
Whether its Wesley Matthews or the five fine folks I met earlier today - - here's hoping the values of a Jesuit education make a positive difference in each of their lives. MU is lucky to have them.
OK, last week was intense and I rarely had a chance to catch my breath. Now we're back in action for a couple of days before heading off on a quick vacation.
MU hoops rocks. Head coach Tom Crean secured the verbal commitment of Wesley Matthews, Jr. this evening. Matthews, a shooting guard from Madison, chose MU over Wisconsin and Georgia Tech. Congrats to Wesley. Matthews is the third recruit to commit to MU for the incoming class of 2005 -- each of them among the nations' top 100 high school players.
Crean has one more scholarship to offer, and it appears he's going after a power forward. Let's see what happens.
Regardless, this is the first time in 15 years that Marquette can boast of a class with this much highly ranked talent & it could not have come at a better time. MU moves into the Big East next year, the nation's best basketball conference, and this influx of athletic talent at 'need' positions will ensure that Crean's crew will remain better than competitive for the foreseeable future.
Now, from a more wholesome MU perspective....Earlier today my wife and I hosted a gathering of incoming Marquette freshman from the tri-state area. We enjoyed the company of five soon-to-be freshmen and their families (30 kids from this area will head to MU in the fall. 30!).
The students we met today were such an impressive, diverse bunch -- many of whom selected MU over key rival schools like Providence, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, and even Duke (take that, sanctimonious Coach K). I am consistently amazed at the enthusiasm and promise of life at the age of 18. These kids were downright giddy about going off to college away from home, even if their parents were understandably nervous. None of them were overly concerned about their coarse of study or what they 'wanted to be when they grow up'. Perhaps most encouraging, the five quickly assimilated and found a way to steal away from the boring adult crowd and talk about the adventure they were about undertake. These are well-grounded young adults.
Whether its Wesley Matthews or the five fine folks I met earlier today - - here's hoping the values of a Jesuit education make a positive difference in each of their lives. MU is lucky to have them.
Monday, July 12, 2004
Driving in cars with boys
Or should I say, Rednecks acting like boys driving in circles. NASCAR is becoming more like hockey with each passing weekend's left turn, left turn, left turn festival of banality. Now the fighting is coming along. Once in a while it's kinda funny to see one of these driver dudes pop outta their car and take a few swings at the SOB that pounded him into a wall on a previous turn. But most of the time, we never hear the dialogue between these literary sorts.
Yesterday's thriller in Joliet changed all that because the pit crews rumbled just like the Scorpions and T-Birds did on the big screen. Apparently one of the left turn experts bumped another during the race, causing the bumpee to forget his left turn roots and hit the wall. Then, the unintentional comedy program kicked into gear as the Hafields and McCoys crossed the county lines to brawl right there in the pits!
A few seconds after the wreck, Kahne's crew chief Tommy Baldwin charged into Stewart's pit. Baldwin and Greg Zipadelli, Stewart's crew chief, shouted at each other, and then members of the crews began fighting. "I was just talking to Zippy and telling him his driver is a moron,'' Baldwin said. "They started pushing me and then the official grabbed me. I don't know what happened after that.''
The pit crews mixed it up for a few minutes before order was restored....Evernham (owner of the car that hit the wall)...was livid.
"You got a guy that does this week in and week out, and nobody's doing anything about it,'' Evernham said. "... We're not going to play that game. If nothing's done, we'll just figure out some other way to handle it....Nobody has ever really grabbed him and given him a good beating. "If he doesn't get suspended, maybe I'll do that.''
Attaboy, Evie! More proof that the American gene pool is stuck in neutral
Or should I say, Rednecks acting like boys driving in circles. NASCAR is becoming more like hockey with each passing weekend's left turn, left turn, left turn festival of banality. Now the fighting is coming along. Once in a while it's kinda funny to see one of these driver dudes pop outta their car and take a few swings at the SOB that pounded him into a wall on a previous turn. But most of the time, we never hear the dialogue between these literary sorts.
Yesterday's thriller in Joliet changed all that because the pit crews rumbled just like the Scorpions and T-Birds did on the big screen. Apparently one of the left turn experts bumped another during the race, causing the bumpee to forget his left turn roots and hit the wall. Then, the unintentional comedy program kicked into gear as the Hafields and McCoys crossed the county lines to brawl right there in the pits!
A few seconds after the wreck, Kahne's crew chief Tommy Baldwin charged into Stewart's pit. Baldwin and Greg Zipadelli, Stewart's crew chief, shouted at each other, and then members of the crews began fighting. "I was just talking to Zippy and telling him his driver is a moron,'' Baldwin said. "They started pushing me and then the official grabbed me. I don't know what happened after that.''
The pit crews mixed it up for a few minutes before order was restored....Evernham (owner of the car that hit the wall)...was livid.
"You got a guy that does this week in and week out, and nobody's doing anything about it,'' Evernham said. "... We're not going to play that game. If nothing's done, we'll just figure out some other way to handle it....Nobody has ever really grabbed him and given him a good beating. "If he doesn't get suspended, maybe I'll do that.''
Attaboy, Evie! More proof that the American gene pool is stuck in neutral
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Get in the ring
Its nice to see that Axl Rose is still struggling. I don't usually revel in other folks' misery, but the news keeps getting worse for the guy who single-handedly killed one of rock's most exciting and promising bands a decade too soon. Since the demise of GNR, Rose has fought incessantly to retain the naming rights to his former band as well as any other related enterprise.
Well, his grip is loosening even as he slips further into the abyss of obscurity. So far this year, Axl failed to keep two GNR releases off of the shelves, Buckethead left the 'new' GNR, and a new album and tour are stuck in quicksand. All of that and he had some shitty plastic surgery (props to Pete).
Meanwhile, Slash and crew have reassembled as Velvet Revolver (with help from world-class heroin freak Scott Weiland) and delivered a terrific debut album. Slash's stylish guitar work carries this release. Bravo, Slash.
Its nice to see that Axl Rose is still struggling. I don't usually revel in other folks' misery, but the news keeps getting worse for the guy who single-handedly killed one of rock's most exciting and promising bands a decade too soon. Since the demise of GNR, Rose has fought incessantly to retain the naming rights to his former band as well as any other related enterprise.
Well, his grip is loosening even as he slips further into the abyss of obscurity. So far this year, Axl failed to keep two GNR releases off of the shelves, Buckethead left the 'new' GNR, and a new album and tour are stuck in quicksand. All of that and he had some shitty plastic surgery (props to Pete).
Meanwhile, Slash and crew have reassembled as Velvet Revolver (with help from world-class heroin freak Scott Weiland) and delivered a terrific debut album. Slash's stylish guitar work carries this release. Bravo, Slash.
Monday, July 05, 2004
Props to a great film
"People say, 'When you make it to the NBA, don't forget about me.' I feel like telling them, 'Well, if I don't make it, make sure you don't forget about me.' "
-- William Gates, in the final scene of "Hoop Dreams"
A decade after its initial release, I was once again captivated by ‘Hoop Dreams’ this weekend - - The Washington Post took a worthwhile look at the film and its subjects ten years after its initial release. What. A. Movie.
Hoop Dreams is a documentary about two kids from Chicago’s inner city. Like so many urban kids, William Gates and Arthur Agee saw basketball as their way out of the ‘hood. And like so many kids who demonstrate any semblance of talent, those closest to them applied pressure that’d make most folks implode (did they care about the kid or the playa?)
Thankfully, both Gates and Agee played college ball despite the inordinate pressures created by the nature of their craft in the city, not to mention the dysfunctional nature of their own families (and the choices each of them made).
I’m oversimplifying the film here – which is at times gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, headscratching, uplifting, and downright sad. The film provided a rare first-hand glimpse into the lives of black teenagers, demonstrating the immense hurdles that so many have to overcome just to get to school in the morning (and why coming home at night is not always a great thing).
In this film, basketball is both a blessing and a curse. Sure both guys went to college on scholarships, but Agee was marginalized at his first high school after his performance on the court made him expendable. His father battled drug addiction, yet his mother had moments of triumph. Gates was saddled with a family at a young age, a brother who had a chance to escape Cabrini-Green via hoops but failed, and a horrific knee injury that changed his perspective on life forever. For my money, the scenes of Gates talking to his doctors during rehab were the most poignant – his body language and commentary are incredibly revealing: he knew the game would thrive without him, he knew he could get left behind, he knew his dreams were somewhat dashed - - all while he was just a junior in high school. Gates’ spirit seemed to deflate in that doctor’s office.
Thankfully Gates has settled into a nice rhythm in life with his wife, four children, and a career as a pastor. Agee is still searching, it seems.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Marquette grad and had a chance to see parts of the movie as it was filmed.
"People say, 'When you make it to the NBA, don't forget about me.' I feel like telling them, 'Well, if I don't make it, make sure you don't forget about me.' "
-- William Gates, in the final scene of "Hoop Dreams"
A decade after its initial release, I was once again captivated by ‘Hoop Dreams’ this weekend - - The Washington Post took a worthwhile look at the film and its subjects ten years after its initial release. What. A. Movie.
Hoop Dreams is a documentary about two kids from Chicago’s inner city. Like so many urban kids, William Gates and Arthur Agee saw basketball as their way out of the ‘hood. And like so many kids who demonstrate any semblance of talent, those closest to them applied pressure that’d make most folks implode (did they care about the kid or the playa?)
Thankfully, both Gates and Agee played college ball despite the inordinate pressures created by the nature of their craft in the city, not to mention the dysfunctional nature of their own families (and the choices each of them made).
I’m oversimplifying the film here – which is at times gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, headscratching, uplifting, and downright sad. The film provided a rare first-hand glimpse into the lives of black teenagers, demonstrating the immense hurdles that so many have to overcome just to get to school in the morning (and why coming home at night is not always a great thing).
In this film, basketball is both a blessing and a curse. Sure both guys went to college on scholarships, but Agee was marginalized at his first high school after his performance on the court made him expendable. His father battled drug addiction, yet his mother had moments of triumph. Gates was saddled with a family at a young age, a brother who had a chance to escape Cabrini-Green via hoops but failed, and a horrific knee injury that changed his perspective on life forever. For my money, the scenes of Gates talking to his doctors during rehab were the most poignant – his body language and commentary are incredibly revealing: he knew the game would thrive without him, he knew he could get left behind, he knew his dreams were somewhat dashed - - all while he was just a junior in high school. Gates’ spirit seemed to deflate in that doctor’s office.
Thankfully Gates has settled into a nice rhythm in life with his wife, four children, and a career as a pastor. Agee is still searching, it seems.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Marquette grad and had a chance to see parts of the movie as it was filmed.
Saturday, July 03, 2004
Marquette Basketball makes a statement
What a week for Tom Crean and the Marquette University basketball program. Earlier in the week, Crean pulled back from any potential interest in another job and reaffirmed his long-term commitment to MU. Two days later, he earned the verbal commitment of rising sophomore Anthony Green, a 6-4 shooting guard. Crean's enthusiasm for MU and the early word from Green set up a watershed day for the program: on Friday, MU secured commitments from two of the nation's top 50 basketball players, Dominic James and Jerel McNeal.
These kids will be freshman as MU moves into the Big East in 2005, and clearly come at 'need' positions for MU. James selected MU over Purdue, and has a shot to be Travis Diener's replacement at PG almost immediately. McNeal is a gritty 2G/WF who will offer MU increased athleticism and defense in the backcourt.
Tom Crean delivers. Again. MU should be in good shape going into the Big East.
What a week for Tom Crean and the Marquette University basketball program. Earlier in the week, Crean pulled back from any potential interest in another job and reaffirmed his long-term commitment to MU. Two days later, he earned the verbal commitment of rising sophomore Anthony Green, a 6-4 shooting guard. Crean's enthusiasm for MU and the early word from Green set up a watershed day for the program: on Friday, MU secured commitments from two of the nation's top 50 basketball players, Dominic James and Jerel McNeal.
These kids will be freshman as MU moves into the Big East in 2005, and clearly come at 'need' positions for MU. James selected MU over Purdue, and has a shot to be Travis Diener's replacement at PG almost immediately. McNeal is a gritty 2G/WF who will offer MU increased athleticism and defense in the backcourt.
Tom Crean delivers. Again. MU should be in good shape going into the Big East.
Friday, July 02, 2004
Love/Hate Relationship
I love baseball because: The Milwaukee Brewers are seven games over .500 on July 1 with a fun bunch of players who've managed to stay healthy and overachieve to date.
I hate baseball because: The Red Sox insist on playing out the same script with the New York Yankees in 2004. After this week's sweep at the hands of the Evil Empire, the Sawx are the 8.5 games out of first place and basically DOA.
I love baseball because: The Milwaukee Brewers are seven games over .500 on July 1 with a fun bunch of players who've managed to stay healthy and overachieve to date.
I hate baseball because: The Red Sox insist on playing out the same script with the New York Yankees in 2004. After this week's sweep at the hands of the Evil Empire, the Sawx are the 8.5 games out of first place and basically DOA.
