"The Art of San Antonio"

Out on the plains, the wind flows effortlessly through the tall wild grass…  One by one,  majestic gazelles appear to graze upon the luscious and tasty tundra… Gazelles are beautiful tall and fast creatures with amazing reaction and senses. Although they have incredible leaping  ability, agility, and strength, they are no match for a dark sleek cat that preys upon them for a carnal meal, the panther.  Downwind, slowly creeping up on the flowing field with stealth precision and patience, panthers strategically slither through the tall grass without a peep… Within a blink of an eye, before any gazelle can alarm the group and scatter,  the panther jumps up and claws it’s meal sinking its fangs into the gazelle’s jugular. Within a matter of moments the struggle is over and the panther prevails…

The gazelles by all means are quite majestic and absolutely breathtaking to watch prancing at highway speed limits across an open range, like an elite NBA athlete defying Newton’s law of gravity on a nightly basis flying in the air above a netted rim slamming a ball down with authority.  Many gazelles prance and shine every day on the NBA hard courts… They draw numerous fans and followings across the plains that blanket our land.  Within the same playing field lurks their nemesis, the sleek wild cats, like panthers, whom seem unamused or phased by any gazelles’ feat; for he knows all their moves… He knows all their habits… He’s observed all their escapes… The panther will sit back, watch, and wait for the perfect moment to execute denial of living to play another day. The large cats preserve their energy, strategize their attack, and cautiously move in to position to pounce on their prey… At the end of play time, it's no surprise when a panther prevails.

In professional sports as well as business arena, “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu has become the philosophy inherited of the truly dominant and successful teams and corporations. Think of some of the premier programs and persons… I have no doubt not only would they possess a copy of the incredible manuscript, they can quote the lessons. San Antonio Spurs are no exception. The players and coaches without hesitation execute various attributes and teachings divulged in the brief (yet eloquent) manuscript each time their sneakers touch the hardwood for 48 minutes of battle and war on the boards. “You do not have to win every ‘battle’ to win the war”… “Know your enemy, adapt to their way, then take their weaknesses and expose them…”  “It’s not always the greatest and mightiest of armies whom win, yet those with best position, defense, and work together whom will triumph…” “Do not lose focus on the ultimate goal, win the war”

San Antonio Spurs epitomize and lift the philosophy of Sun Tzu’s prose from the pages in to the arena.  Watching the Spurs play every game in the 2012 Western Conference playoffs has been nothing short (never boring) of an amazing orchestration of dominance and cruelty, as displayed by a panther encircling their prey.  There will be no surprise in my eyes if San Antonio once again stands atop a pile of Gazelles who've enjoyed immense time leaping and prancing upon the golden parkay floors...

I Can't is a Copout!

Tell me if this conversation sounds familiar, “I want that life.. I want that job, or I want to look like that… (and then the proverbial…) But I can’t… it will never happen… Not in this life time” Truth is, its not that you "can't", rather you won't or choose not to incorporate the time or dedication in to your schedule... The Life you create is based on decision and choices delegated by you… If you’re sitting on a couch wondering what happened, or staring at a reflection you don’t recognize, either enjoy the subpar situation, or DO something about it!

Think about the elite athletes who’ve achieved pinnacle success. There was a time in an athlete’s development where they had decisions and choices to make. Of course, many may have an entourage of influences pointing them in certain directions. What about that athlete that has been surrounded by poverty and crime? That individual that has nothing with only dirt, determination, and an internal voice whispering to them, “It’s gotta get better, it has to get better”? These athletes, like Patrick Willis had choices… Even with parents going to jail, displaying all the attributes we warn our children about… Even being raised out of a shanty shack-of-a-home and handed to foster parents, Patrick never lost touch with responsibility and an internal fortitude of becoming a giving, nurturing, and productive human being. Tim Robbins has an incredible piece highlighting a diversity of individuals experiencing the same spiraling circumstances, yet some of them overcame hardship, tackled challenging obstacles and prevailed. What was the difference between them? Some examples of such individuals are Michael Ohr, Jason Pierre-Paul, Johnny Unitas, and recent sensation Jeremy Lin. The likes of Johnny Unitas or Babe Didrikson did not possess the concept of “I can’t” in their vocabulary, regardless of circumstances. Each one of the pinnacle performers I’ve mentioned did not allow temporary situations dissuade their ambitions. Some of the iconic figures where statues were built in their honor began with humble humility of getting cut more than once on their way to greatness. Instead of throwing in the towel, quitting, or giving up, each one reflected on what steps they had to make in order to reach their goals, to succeed!

I’ve been ignoring my dream of writing and sports analysis for years… I’ve allowed fear suffocate my confidence, placing my mind in a black and white world. Eeyor and Negative Nellie have dogpiled on my optimism feeding me crazy ideas that I had to choose one path, and begrudgingly give up others. The passion I have in eloquently depicting near perfection in motion have been trapped in my cerebellum collecting cobwebs far too long! I’m selling myself short; I am underachieving… Luckily, the great success stories of Willis and Unitas are just a few mouse-clicks away, feeding me reminders of tenacity and determination. I choose “I can”… I will sweep off those dust bunnies dulling my ambition and refuse to give in to limitations. So what if I’m decades older than the average intern? I am not finished… I am not giving up!

If you have doubts or hesitations, and allowing them to change your path… Here’s a couple inspiring reminders:

http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Unitas_Johnny.html

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-august-16-2011/matt-long

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7132639

Opening Day Good Friday! Errr.... or is it?

Happy Good Friday!

Or... is it? One side, Freddie Couples tied for lead at The Mater's!!! I learned to golf where he learned, at Jackson Municipal Golf Course, off of Beacon Hill just South of Downtown Seattle. Who doesn't LOVE Freddie!

On the other hand... I did NOT plan seeing my boy Timmie (Lincecum) get rocked twice! Scooby Doo has the perfect line in moments like these, "Ruhhh Rohhh..." We are right where we left off in 2011.... Ian Kennedy and Arizona D'backs have SF Giants number! Doh! Nice to see new bats in line up even game up in 6th 3-3! Yet... Timmie right back in trouble in the stretch bottom of 6th... Jesus! And what genius hatched the idea of Aubrey Huff play outfield? Really? Here we go! (in comes cute long-haired chihuahua dragging a bottle of wine in its mouth with two glasses.... Whimpering... )          

Yup! Torture is SF Giants motto period!

I know... I know... This is only game 1 of 162 game Season... I just thought it would begin a little bit better with a little less drama... I must be going insane! These are the SF Giants, right?! Why do I deceive myself year-in-year-out expecting something different than torture?

Snap out of it!!!

If you haven't seen George Carlin's perfect description between baseball and football... It's WORTH another chuckle and 5 minutes of your time! Hmmm.... I think Carlin knew 20 years ago that "Bounty Gate" definitely a high probability... Doh!

http://youtu.be/IhN1ExFCXNA

Tara! Tara!! Tara!!!

Tara.... Tara.... Tara....

Far far away inset on a Golden Coast in the land of California lies a quaint town of Palo Alto with a mighty University where Nobel Laureates and genius roam. Nestled in the brain trust of Silicon Valley lies Stanford. Thousands of miles removed from Sports Mecca East of the Mississippi, Stanford has been quietly building a legacy on academics as well as athletics.

Unlike power houses of Baylor, Notre Dame, Tennessee and UConn, an athlete invited to play at Stanford MUST meet the academic standards for admission to the University. Not only do you need to perform genius on the turf, academic excellence is expected in the classroom.

Since 1985, Tara Vanderveer has created a dynasty of excellence on the hardwood floors at Maples Pavilion. She is on the heels of reaching Pat Summit numbers at this point of her career. Coach V is 4th on the list of winningest coaches in NCAA Division I at 891 wins , only behind Pat Summit, Mike Krzyzewski, and Bob Knight.

It's quite the accomplishment to reach the success and consistency displayed year after year at Stanford Women's Basketball. She is going for her 4th title and being the only NCAA Div I coach to reach Final Four an impressive 9th time in 11 years. That's right! Not, Summit, Not Geno, it's Tara!

Pac-12 may not receive National accolades as such programs closer to the East Coast, Stanford has a swarming forest including top player in NCAA Women's Division I, Chiney Ogwumike.

Hats off to Coach Tara Vanderveer and Stanford University bringing notoriety out WEST!

Enjoy highlights of Stanford's bid to 2014 NCAA Basketball Division I Women's Championship

In My Humble Opinion...

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/7725082/new-york-jets-start-formulating-blueprint-tim-tebow-mark-sanchez-offense

Yeah... yeah... yeah... Yes... Everyone has sounded off about the phenomenon of "Tim Tebow"; and now this will include me!

Okay.. Okay... Okay... Now Tebow is an incredible athlete! An incredible football player and has that ingredient that many other athletes... actually, practically anyone whom  participates in  life: Substance, and perseverance to reach the top.... There is no quit in "Tebow Time"!

He was successful at Florida and reached the pinnacle in bringing a National Championship to The Swamp, as well as personal achievement in being awarded "The" Heisman Trophy (or was it two? Gosh, I'm going off the cuff here...). I am certain Mr. Tebow carries the same passion and goals to acquire pinnacle success as an athlete in NFL. In my humble opinion, I know he can reach the Summit and acquire that coveted piece of hardware required entry to the most selective club in NFL, a Super Championship ring. I just don't believe it will be as a quarterback.

I wish someone would influence, mentor, and guide Tebow in the best direction for him to experience ultimate success in a NFL uniform: convert him to TE!

Okay... this windbag full of ridiculous knowledge best used in blogs and bars is signing off in this subject! Peace out! And may God Bless us All!

Wheel of Fortune

The Calendar has rolled over… Equinox approached and blew through California with the stillness of our last breathtaking heat wave… Crazed football fans have abandoned knee-buckling flag football dates on Sundays for bloody mary’s and multi-flat screen paradises at the local Sports pub. Ahhhhh… Fall! Truly my favorite Season of the year! The men of October reach postseason diamonds. Select and persevering gladiators of baseball we’ve admired through 162 courting games of Spring and Summer, gave us a day of competition unforeseen like none other. A day of baseball like last Wednesday night affirms my point of view that baseball continues to be one of the best games ever created by man. Even sharing the limelight side-by-side with the men of grid-iron in NFL and college stadiums across the land, never have I enjoyed an end of regular season MLB, anticipating magic in the post season as now, Fall 2011.

Major League Baseball had the most climatic 162^nd day of games. Nowhere in MLB history were fans privileged to unyielding torture and inexplicable elation when a melt down transpired of two teams in the National and American League Wild Card play off run. Four games took 5 hours to unfold (weather delays experienced, placing drama factor over the top). All Atlanta and Boston had to do to keep their hopes alive was win their last game. One of the greatest attributes about baseball, is a game is not measured in time, but outs. Each team has 27 outs. Atlanta and Boston were 6 outs away from securing a win (and an opportunity to play another day). Tampa Bay and St Louis Cardinals were 6 outs away from losing, extinguishing any hopes to move on in to October. How quickly fate changes hand in between so few outs. An out left on one side can be opportunity for one team, and dismal frustration for the other (unable to reach that last out).

Somewhere in between those 6 outs, bedlam ensued; a 7 run deficit which seemed out of reach was gobbled up in 2 late inning rallies; a stopper, and closer coughed up runs opening the door to a nightmare scene. As Boston walked back with their heads low just beaten by a walk off single in extra innings, they arrived in their visiting locker room in Baltimore only to view Tampa Bay driving the last nail in their coffins- Season over. In one month, Boston managed to implode, killing a 9 game lead over Tampa Bay, and an expectation (by fans and critics) of landing in the Fall Classic. A Walk off home run stole Boston’s place and sealed the other team’s fate in to the playoffs. In the last game, in the last inning, with that last out left, Evan Longoria’s line drive over the fence in Tampa Bay was the second home run in history heard around the World (Bobby Thompson of then New York Giants in 1951 was the first).  Not even Hollywood could come up with a script as dramatic and emotional of what transpired on September 28, 2011 between 4 storied franchises in America’s past time. A natural, a field of dreams, the rookie, and a nightmare on Ostend Street keep me coming back for “The Love of the Game”. 

I cannot WAIT to see who survives 216 outs to make it in to ‘The Fall Classic”.

Of course…. Would I forget to put in a clip?

“Major League” Highlights that will have you in stitches:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHi1c6m8tBA&NR=1

“Lolligaggers” from Bulldurham:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLMl0CLIDLg

Meat Nuke Lalush and Crash Davis in one of many favorite scenes in Bull Durham:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBUS3vQtDCA&NR=1

September 11

The 9/11 Memorial opens today to families and friends of those lost on 9/11, 2001:

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/09/140293993/slain-priest-bury-his-heart-but-not-his-love

http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMailToID=181769183

Prominent in many pictures in the aftermath and cleanup after World Trade towers fell, was this Globe of the world (pictured above), damaged, yet in tact... It now sits in Battery Park as a memorial of 9/11. The Globe was left, as it survived, a symbol of the will of the American Spirit... I'm watching 9/11 10 year Anniversary and opening of the memorial in NYC... Memories of that somber morning flooding back as I pay tribute to our beloved Americans whose lives were severed with no warning or choice... Your memories continue to burn bright in loved one's hearts.

I personally did not lose a family member or friend. I am, as well as three-hundred-plus million Americans mourn the loss of or fellow brethren. The world as we knew it, changed. The one person I did worry about was my brother. In 2001, he was recently hired by United Airlines. He recently finished his training on the 777.  That was one of my first thoughts that raced through my mind, as I was standing in pajamas in front of the TV at 6:15 am “Oh my gosh… my brother  flies trans-continental… is he flying right now?”.  Irony upon ironies, shortly after 9/11, he was furloughed by United Airlines and now flies for Etihad (meaning, “united” in Arabic), an airline of the United Arab Emirates, and lives in Dhubai.

Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, my alarm goes off at 6am… The Sacramento sports radio station blares from the minute muffled speakers of my clock radio the news at the top of the morning; I faintly hear as I reach for the snooze bar that there were reports that a plane has hit one of the world trade center towers… I thought some beginner pilot in a Cessna got lost over the Hudson and ran in to the behemoth skyscraper. 10 minutes later, the alarm goes off again, and the next statement that came out of the radio was not muffled and jolted me from the comfy covers of my bed to run to the living room and turn the TV on. The words were, “ I think we need to find a TV, a second plane has hit the second tower in New York… there is no word if this is an attack or tragic accident, but ladies and gentlemen, in the last 15 minutes, two planes have crashed in to the World Trade Center buildings”. As the television picture appeared of the billowing black smoke from two of the most famous buildings in the Word, I was stunned… shocked… I felt so helpless and asked internally, “Oh my God… Oh my God… What is happening? We are being attacked!”. I went over to my roommate’s door and knocked loudly.  She was in school full time as well as working at the same place as I after school. I told her through the door, “Momo… I don’t think you’re going to have school today. I think we are being attacked”… A usual quiet and peaceful person who enjoys her beauty sleep was quickly up standing beside me in our Lodi apartment living room staring as well in disbelief of what she was witnessing.  That was the longest day… quietest day I’d experienced in my life. I was a person 3000 miles away in the Central Valley of California overwhelmed with sadness and grief. Imagine… I was one person, an American, walking around shocked, no way directly linked to any of the victims in NYC, Washington DC, or on Flight 93, I can’t come close to grasping or ever truly relate to the shock and despair being experienced by those living and surviving surrounding the sites of destruction.

Yet… In essence, I too mourn the loss of my fellow Americans. We all carry an unwavering outlook and perseverance.  We became US citizens because our ancestors immigrated to the land of opportunity, a country built upon the principles of building upon a legacy of giving the future a better life.  Even with our flaws, our growing pains (we aren’t even 300 years old, as a country), there is no place on earth like United States of America.  Not to be cliché, it’s just a matter of fact, no act or person will snuff our human spirit, or destroy our democracy.  You can destroy our buidings, you can burn our symbols of freedom, you can try and sabotage us with suicide and cowardly roadside bombs. We will get up; we will dust the debris off, clean up the mess, and go forward.  Although we debate or may have different avenues of reaching the same result, our core remains in tact and we share the same pursuits- protect and provide for our loved ones… help those less fortunate… strive for happiness… live in peace…

As our nation mourned in the days ensuing September 11, there was a question raised amongst the rescue workers, the NYPD and the FDNY among others on what would make them feel better, and the one reply echoed thousands of times over, “I can’t wait for Sunday, so I can just watch a football game”, “I look forward to watching some baseball, to help get my mind off the grief I see everyday”… Sports. Seeing athletes perform feats and play a game we all dreamed about playing ourselves was an escape and visual treat lifting our spirits when needed most.  It was truly fitting that New York Yankees made it to the World Series. I’ve heard my share about the frivolity of sports; with that, like our American spirit, I smile, shrug off the crass comments, and reply, “Well, if you understood what it means to be a professional athlete, you too would marvel”…

With that said, I bring a few of the touching stories of those lost on 9/11… many of them, were athletes or linked to sports in some way (You may want to grab some kleenex):

MLB’s tribute:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/tribute_911/index.jsp?partnerId=aw-8251906157979320886-997

Len Berman “Mr. New York” on Sports- His memory:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpuBw4h-bBA&feature=email

Rick Reilly and tribute remembering Flight 93:

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/6935757/remembering-flight-93

A young avid cyclist honoring her dad whom died on 9/11:

http://espn.go.com/espnw/journeys-victories/6944280/cecelia-kauth-marking-memories-mile

The man with the Red Bandana:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6929979

Finally, a Christina Taylor Green, born on 9/11/2001 who died last year during an attack of her Congresswoman, whom she went to meet and speak with in Arizona:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1gYsjZ8fqo