Do you have 17 friends?

Wednesday night the Penguins came to town and we introduced our girls to hockey for the first time. Who knew that someone would forget to tell the Pens that they had a game. They managed to make a team who is only recognized by their immediate family members look like the ‘97/’98 Wings.

Oh well, the game did give me a chance to make use of the 300 zoom with vibration reduction. One of my favorite pictures is of Malkin during the warm up. I like it since it shows the stress on the hockey stick during a slap shot. Unfortunately, this warmup shot was the closest he would come to scoring.

Here is the game summary from the eyes of a 9 year old.

19:43 of the first period: Dad, why does the ref let them fight? That doesn’t make any sense.

14:42 of the second period: Dad, how many people can they fit in the penalty box? What happens if everyone goes in the box? Can they play one against one?

Sydney and friends serving 5 for fighting

15:00 of the second period: Is that Mr Dave’s 3rd beer?

17:30 of the second period: Dad, the guy behind us sure knows a lot of swear words.

4:40 of the third period: Dad, if the Pens score a goal every four minutes the game will be tied.

9:15 of the third period: Is that Mr. Dave’s 4th or 5th beer?

12:00 of the third period: Dad, they have to score a goal every two minutes to tie the game.

My next favorite picture came from the second Pen’s goal. I love the goalie sneaking a peek behind knowing the shot had gotten by him. Look close, you can see the puck just before it went into the net. A very lucky picture capturing that split second in time.

14:54 of the third period: Boy, Mr Dave sure likes beer.

16:00 of the third period: Dad, if the Pens score a goal a min they could tie it.

17:30 of the third period: Dad, the Pens should just hit and pound someone in a fight! (A hockey fan was born)

19:34 of the third period: Dad, they don’t stand a chance, do they?
It was a great day for Hockey - just someone forgot to tell the Pens that.

Andy Van Slyke Where Are You?

"Every season has its peaks and valleys. What you have to try to do is eliminate the Grand Canyon." -Andy Van Slyke

Pirates have been in the Canyon: 17 years and counting ...

For the most part I have lost quite a bit of my childhood fondness for baseball as the Pirates have failed to tread water for the better part of the past two decades. I still check the box score now and then, and generally know who the players are, at least until the trading deadline each year. But the summer pastime just hasn’t been the same. The t-shirt slogan, Pirates Baseball – trading veterans for prospects since 1992, has been a sad Groundhog Day like occurrence each July 31st. Even in this fungo abyss, I’m reminded that some good things in baseball still occur. Such is the case with the near perfect game pitched a couple of weeks ago and the storm stirred up by a very human mistake.

The following is a letter drafted by my friend George who knows a little something about playing ball. He wrote this in reply to the Wall Street Journal article written in the wake of the perfect game and the blown call tempest. I liked his letter so much I asked his permission to include it in this Friday’s Note. Enjoy.

Background Article the spurred the letter: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704025304575284512831530640.html

I honestly and thoroughly enjoyed both of Jason Gay’s article’s regarding the “Detroit Disaster”; funny, entertaining, and well stated. But in regards to reviewing umpire’s calls – Baseball should develop some sort of technology solution for umpire review…..just as soon as the PGA allows mulligans. I did like the challenge flag idea included by Mr. Gay; however I would propose a slightly different implementation. Rather than a red flag to throw I would provide the managers (or their designatee) with a red baseball. Then, if an umpire missed a call, if the manager could bean the umpire from the dugout they could challenge the call. It would be much more entertaining, provide a further deterrent to the umpires, and have the added benefit of incenting the managers to keep their arms in shape. How much more satisfying to nail the ump right between the shoulder blades than to have some pansy flag toss…even if they didn’t miss the call.

And I have to agree with Mr. Gay shortstops shouldn’t make $20 million and Grandma would have liked a Viking oven. Technology definitely has it’s place; hockey is so much better in HD. But I find the mental picture of Grandma talking on her Jawbone, setting her Red Bull on the counter, peach cobbler in hand, opening the oven just a bit disturbing.

It’s really not about nostalgia or tradition (though those things are precious in baseball and life) it’s about how you play the game. And let’s remember we’re talking about a game, not brain surgery, not life or death outcomes. Winning is important, however, true champions are those that overcome odds, competitors, disadvantages, distractions, to press on to victory. And, though great physical feats are impressive, great moral feats excel. Isn’t that what we love about sports? Mr. Gay observes that’s’ why Armando Galarraga has received more attention than Dallas Braden and Roy Halladay. His physical feat was appropriately dwarfed by the triumph of his character. In Baseball there have been many great talents and great performances, fewer accomplished by men you would want your daughter to marry (But Dad…Ty is really a nice guy), or have mentor your young son (Ted Williams could have taught him something about vocabulary!).

So what does this have to do with replay in baseball? Only this, technology will not solve all our problems or relieve all our pain. In life, as in Baseball you get bad hops, balls in the sun, and yes, even bad calls. Going to great lengths to eliminate those (as if you could) doesn’t lead to happiness, or winning, or making the game better. I wish Mr. Joyce would have got it right, I wish Galarraga could have claimed that perfect game, but we all were treated to something even more wonderful. True greatness isn’t only about the outcome, it’s about how you deal with the bad calls and overcome with character and grace both within the game and without. It is, after all, how you play the game.

G. Bjorkman



I can think of one other reason to keep instant replay out of baseball. To reduce the documented footage of Pirates baseball.

So Let's Dance!

Being a teenager of the 80’s the kickoff to summer always included the tradition of catching these movies on late night TV. It didn’t matter that I’d seen each movie dozens times. It didn’t matter that I could quote each movie endlessly. Like my dad passing up a chance to watch a John Wayne western, I never missed the chance to catch the early summer screening of Meatballs and Caddy Shack.

There was always something about the screech of the bag pipes on the 45 to start the whole show and set the stage for what was to come at camp North Star, the best summer camp in that price range.

Are you ready for the summer? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPEfxNbvcjo

And any self respecting teenage guy from the 80’s knows why it ‘just doesn’t matter’ who wins or loses.

I saw an interview with the director of Caddy Shack who said after the first day of shooting Rodney Dangerfield came up to him all concerned and apologized for bombing. The director said “what? you are killing it, it’s fantastic!”. See this was Dangerfield’s first movie, his whole career to that point had been stand up comedy. So when he was giving his lines on the set and no one laughed, he thought it was just a real bad day, instead of the crew being quiet like they had to be during filming.

I love the following scene in the movie because my dad had a golf bag the same size as Rodney’s, if not larger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKcY75LIkRw&feature=related

I remember my friend Chris coming over to the house and stepping around the bag, asking ‘why would he need one that huge?”. My reply was, “I’m not sure, but I bet he got a heck of a deal on it.” Sure enough, when Chris complimented and questioned my dad about his new yacht like golfbag, my dad’s snappy reply was, “you should have scene the deal I got on it!”

I’ve tried to start passing on the love of the start of summer to my daughters through the creation of the Hillcrest Kick Ball Club. A big name for what couldn’t be a more informal get together. A funny thing happens when you have your daughter invite her friends to play kickball. You end up with 22 girls, 0 boys for the inaugural get together. All was going well during the 2010 KBC kickoff event when the ball started heading towards the pond. I started a full out sprint and just as I reach maximum velocity, at least the maximum for me, I felt the sharp twinge in my right hamstring. Actually it was more of a pop then a twinge. With my right leg unable to get back in front of me, I knew it was bad before I hit the ground doing a summer-salt ending flat on my back, holding the hamstring in question. As my dad would say, "getting old isn't for sissies."

It wasn’t until I couldn’t put weight on the leg and went back down to the ground when a good Samaritan called 911. I kid you not. Yes, the paramedics followed closely by the fire truck marked the end of this years first kick ball club event. And in a ‘say it ain’t so’ moment – a tiny little girl approached me and said, “But who is going to be our coach now?”

I’ve been placed on the 15 day disabled list in hopes to make the Father’s Day kickball game.

Peep Show

The correct age of a marshmallow peep is somewhere between 3 days old and finding last years lost peep deep in the Easter basket with the crinkled cellophane grass stuck to the peeps side where the peeps’ Siamese brother had been separated the previous Easter.

JustBorn Inc of Bethlehem PA cranks out nearly 700 million of the pastel treats on a yearly basis. Each peep requiring a 6 minute gestation period.

The following link provides a view into a combination of sweet extruded creativity and people who have considerably too much time on their hands.

The Washington Post Peep Diorama Contest 2010

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2009/04/10/GA2009041001969.html

Do yourself a favor and flip through the 40 finalist of the diorama contest.

A special note to my friends in the north east. New this year – JustBorn and Rita’s ICE are combining for Peep flavored Rita’s. I'm serious, I never kid about Rita's. Hurry – the special flavor ends at Easter. Personally I’m holding out for the black cherry and gelato mix this summer. Ohhhhhh, so good!

Where's Waldo

I hope you find the following photos as interesting as I do. I can’t recall where I first came across these photos of Chinese artist Liu Bolin, but as the days of winter, where things seem to blend together, pass I thought it be a good time to present them.

He spends up to 10 hours or more blending himself into the environment. These sets of photos are sometimes referred to as ‘Hiding in the City’ or ‘Camouflage’ depending on which site you elect to believe what you see. Either way I hope you enjoy the pics.

I was going to try and do the same by painting my daughters into their favorite scene, but Sponge Bob Squarepants moves around to much for them to blend in very well.

And one of my personal favorite of Liu Bolin.

Don't know about you, but I can't wait for spring where blending in seems a whole lot harder to do. You can easily find additional pictures through a quick google.

The Darkest Evening of the Year

It was just about this time of year five years ago when our youngest was a year and a half old. We were driving home one night in early December when for the first time Sarah witnessed Christmas lights. Each time we came across another house decked out for the season she drew the same quick gasp of utter amazement. White lights, blue lights, snowflakes, icicles, giant inflatable, it didn’t matter, the surprise was audible and visible for a little girl taking it all in for the first time. She loved it all and still does. Both of our girls love the lights, especially the ‘dancing house’ near us. This is the Griswald-like house that coordinates 60,000 lights to music. Our girls to this day can’t wait to see the ‘dancing house’ each Christmas and hear the newest song on the play list. The dancing lights make the darkest nights of the year a little brighter, both literally and in the hearts of our girls.

For the winter solstice Friday’s Note presents a little Frost followed by a little light.

Enjoy

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village, though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there's some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

R Frost

On the darkest evening of the year we could all use a little extra light. Though it's a few days early, here ya go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2TPMoP01Sc

America's Best Idea

They contain the highest point and lowest point in the country. They also contain the worlds largest living organisms. They are our National Parks. An originally American idea, the National Parks set aside special lands for the enjoyment of everyone.
The parks are said to have the ‘Wow’ factor and I’ve certainly found that to be true again and again. It is just as much fun to be around wihen another person is hit with the stunning awe of the sites to be absorbed. I was sitting on the rim of the Grand Canyon with my sister waiting for the sunset to turn the red and orange hughes even deeper in tone when a little boy and his older sister ran out from the parking lot path to get their first site of the canyon. That is when the little brother said ‘Wwwooooooowwwwww!’, upon taking in the view. To which his wiser sister replied, “See, and you said it was just a hole in the ground” with all of the, I told you so she could muster.

Other wow factors have include hiking through a calf deep stream in the Narrows of Zion NP with the towering walls so high that you hurt your neck cranking your head back to see the where the top of the rock walls touch the sky. Then there was the time standing at the pay phone in the Tetons calling my folks running through the litany of animals we had scene. Keep in mind, I was a 30 year old with the excitement of 7 year old rambling on the phone.

One of my favorite places is the front porch of Roosevelt Lodge in Northern Yellowstone. It’s a long wooden planked porch running the entire front of the one story log building built in 1920. There is a big pine log rail that is perfect for propping your feet up on while rocking the evening away sipping on Moose Drool ale. If you are fortunate enough to be at the lodge the last week of August the place is decorated for Christmas. The trophy antlers are strung with white lights and there is Christmas tree by the river rock fireplace with home made paper ornaments. Roosevelt Lodge, like most of Yellowstone, shuts down Labor Day preparing for the long winter, so the summer staff celebrates Christmas together before returning to their regular lives.

If you have had the pleasure of visiting one of the parks or have only dreamed of making such a trip, do yourself a favor and watch the new Ken Burns documentary on the National Parks. The program airs for the first time starting Sunday evening, September 27th, on PBS. From the first morning rays of light hitting America in Acadia National Park to first national park, Yellowstone, it is a visual treasure trove. Take the phone off the hook, let the dog out, don't answer the door and set aside all other distractions, then Enjoy.

http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/

Pre view clips of the documentary: http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/watch-video/

Photos: Hiking the South Kaibab trail Grand Canyon NP, Moulton Barn Grand Teton NP, Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir in Yosemite (since I don't have Mr Peabody's wayback machine I didn't take this picture), Early Morning Mist Yellowstone NP.