So awhile ago (last fall) I was thinking about writing for a local sports newspaper here in Baltimore. I was in contact with the editor and she wanted me to write a few samples about lesser-covered sports- like tennis. So I did a little research and found out about some of the prominent tennis peoples in the Baltimore area, and planned to do a small article on the popularity of tennis in Baltimore compared to other areas of Maryland. Well one thing led to another (aka teaching) and I never got around to writing the piece.
Before I got busy, however, I did spend a lot of time contacting people to gather information. There was one person I contacted and was very interested in speaking with because she did a lot of work setting up youth tennis programs in the area. She never did return my emails or calls though. I tried multiple times to get in contact with her, but it was to no avail. I was disappointed because I felt she could contribute a lot to my potential article.
Can you guess who just emailed me today? Yup, the lady I tried so futilely to get in contact with nine months ago. Here is her email:
Hi Mike,
We spoke awhile ago on the phone. I recall you're a tennis enthusiast. I am hoping you may have an interest in covering/writing about this story. It has heart! Attached is the press release.
Nice email.
Except I never told you I was a tennis enthusiast.
I never told you that because we never spoke.
Basically she wants to use me to write her piece about some local tennis bullshit charity thing, and I will have none of it. First, she didn't say please. Second, she was an asshole and never responded to my requests to speak. Third, you lied to me in the email saying "we spoke". Shut up crazy bitch.
I'm sure in the world of journalism you can't take stuff like this to heart and should appreciate the "lead", so it's a good thing I'm not a journalist. And since I'm not, I will not be used to promote you and your event. Show a little decency and at least respond to an email or phone call next time. Even if it's just to say your too busy at the current time.
Like me. Right now I am responding and saying I am wayyyyy too busy at the current time with important things, like not her.
~Mikey D
Kiper? McShay? Rivals? Scouts Inc?
All got nothing on me!
Here's how it's going down in the first round. That rhymed. At least the first ten picks. I think after the first ten picks there's too much trading, reaching, etc., that it's basically pure guesswork and luck to pick those right.
1) Miami Dolphins- Jake Long, OT
2) St. Louis Rams- Chris Long, DE
3) Atlanta Falcons- Glenn Dorsey, DT
4) Oakland Raiders- Darren McFadden, RB
5) New Orleans Saints (from Kansas City)- Sedrick Ellis, DT
6) New York Jets- Vernon Gholston, DE
7) New England Patriots- Keith Rivers, LB
8) Baltimore Ravens- Matt Ryan, QB
9) Cincinnati Bengals- Leodis McKelvin, CB
10) Kansas City Chiefs (from New Orleans)- Brandon Albert, OG
We'll see how that shakes out. Yeah, I'm calling that NO/KC trade. Makes sense.
I need my White Castle while I watch this draft though...
~Mikey D
No offense to Nashville, but this is the series that gets my playoff juices flowing. McCarty and Osgood are back, as is Forsberg...I know it won't ever be the same (at least not without Roy and Lemieux), but I still hate those mother fuckers just because they wear that Avalanche jersey.
I'm actually more excited about this Wings team than the ones the past few years. I feel like we haven't been overhyped, but mostly it's a gut feeling that we might be able to make a run at this year. 4-3 over Colorado is a good way to start a series.
Rivalry:
The Fight:
~Mikey D
Grace and I saw "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" this past weekend. I really liked it. It has Jason Segel (Marhall from "How I Met Your Mother"...by the way, Barney and Robin together!?!? Nawwwwwww...) and other than the four shots of his cock and balls that I didn't appreciate seeing, it is definitely worth a go. It's made by the same people who did "Knocked Up", "40 Year Old Virgin", and "Superbad", so if you enjoyed those movies, you'll probably like this one. For me, I thought it was funnier than those movies with a nice romantic twist at the end (you know I liked that).
I won't say much more because I don't want to ruin it if you go see it, but it's been awhile since I've said this, but thumbs up. A movie worth seeing.
~Mike D
Cheese.
Good, now that that's out of the way, let's blog!
This quote (below this paragraph) was from my first ever blog post. June 2nd, 2005...Almost three years ago. It seems like ages. It just made me smile and laugh a lot.
"Final side story: Kevin and I found trash on the side of the road and searched it. We were hoping for a cool chair or table, but we found nothing of the sort (at least worthwhile to take home). We did, however, find a cool Ben Wallace mini-basketball. We both decided it was full of diseases. Kevin then wiped the ball all over me. I now carry diseases. Stay away from me. Oh, and the ball is in our living room now, and it is fun to kick."
In twenty years (or in another 3) when I reread this, I will remember five things:
1) We went through trash.
2) We thought there were "cool" things to be found.
3) We kept trash.
4) Ben Wallace was a Piston...and a traitor. Whomever threw out the ball was a visionary and had great foresight.
5) That Knob Hill apartment had a lot of balls in it, and they were all fun to kick, throw, shoot, knock down blinds, break lights, and hurt each other with.
Moving on. Stephen A. Smith has left radio to do more NBA shit. My ears are thanking god. I know, I know, I didn't have to listen to him, but I love sports, and some sports talk is better than none in my opinion. Anywho, good riddance to him, I'm sure whoever replaces him will be infinitely better. But there was one thing that I liked on his show this week (besides him saying goodbye). I guess technically it wasn't even on his show, but rather a promo before his show for the Mike Tirico Show. It was a snippet of an interview with Bo Ryan, and Tirico was asking Ryan about critics that knock his program for not landing the big time recruits. Ryan responded by saying that Wisconsin recruits "its kind" of players, which is basically players that want to be there. He said, "the only players that have turned down scholarships offered by us were lactose intolerant." That made me laugh. I like Bo Ryan, even though I hate him. Definitely a love/hate relationship.
My brother and sister came down from Michigan to Maryland for their spring break. It was nice to see them. My brother has grown to Godzilla proportions. He's approaching six feet now (that's how tall Godzilla is, right?), which makes me feel really old because I can still remember taking him to his t-ball games back when I was in high school. Him and Lesley both seem to be doing well, which I'm happy to see. I always thought that after I left Michigan Andy would really flourish and feel like he was out of his older brother's shadow. I really think it's been tough for him being the youngest, and even though I wouldn't say I've done anything special or remarkable with my life, I think all younger brothers have to, at some point, find their own identity, separate from their older siblings. He's got all the attention now, and he's become a fine drummer, an all-state bowler, and apparently he's quite good with the ladies. I'm happy for him, I really am.
We went to Dave and Busters this past weekend, too. Supershot is the most addicting mechanical gaming device that requires me to make baskets repeatedly that was ever invented. Grace and I literally dropped twenty bucks playing just that game. The "jackpot" score for 500 tickets was 78, and I got to 69. Ugggh. The only thing I can hang my hat on was that I smoked everyone else that stepped up to play, but I wanted that jackpot badly. I think I will now make it my life's mission. Supershot, your ass is mine. I will reach that 78 point plateua- nay- dare I say I will reach the 80 point plateau? Oh, I dare. To infinity and beyond! Well, maybe not infinity, but pretty damn close, I'm sure. I wonder how much money it will cost me? I'll keep a running tab. Day 1: $20.
Speaking of fun games, I am in a poker phase again. I've started a new account on pokerroom.com and try to play a small tournament when I have time after school or at night. I'm consistently a top-3 finisher now, and have turned my $1,000 in play money into close to $14,000. Too bad I can't play for real money anymore (or perhaps that's a good thing...jury is out on that one), because I've been really happy with the way I've played. I haven't been chasing cards or playing too many weak hands, hoping to hit a good flop. I wait for my hand, and then I cash in. There are sometimes when my opponent will get lucky on the river, but I don't get mad anymore, because 4 out of 5 times I'll end up on the winning end...and cashing out with his money in my pockets. Like they say in Rounders, "It's a shame to let a sucker keep his money." Even if it's play money.
I have a new favorite band. Yes, another one. This one is called "The Early Hours". I can't stop listening to them. Unfortunately they don't have an album out and there music is not available for illegal downloading yet, so if you want to hear them you have to go to their MySpace site: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=23969880. I really like the songs "Sunday" and "Friday". All of the songs on their upcoming EP have the title of a day of the week. According the group, "These songs are not recorded, mixed or mastered properly. But, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Each song was written on the day its title bears. Each was crafted to reflect the joys, sorrows, triumphs and defeats that we all experience. The order is not linear, because… it’s just not."
"The order is not linear, because...it's just not." I really like that. People, myself included, look at life in a linear fashion. First this, then this, then that, etc., etc.- on down the line. We all know life doesn't work out that way though, no matter how hard we try to make it. Even the straightest line we can walk will have some curve to it. "The best laid plans, of mice and men, often go astray," if you will. Being the pessimist and perpetual "downer" that I am, I often look at the glass as half empty. Why? Because when things don't go as I planned, when my line starts to curve, I get upset. I try so hard to make my life go down this linear path, but what's the point in getting so upset when it doesn't happen? There is none...because there's just not one.
Grace's mom gave us an old baseball that was signed by the entire 1950 Philadelphia Phillies team. Now I know I'm a sports buff in every sense of the word, but that is a little bit before my time, so I had no idea the value of the ball. The ball was not in very good shape, as it wasn't stored in a protective case for years. A lot of the signatures had faded badly, to the point that it took Grace and I awhile to decipher them. Apparently though, the 1950 Phillies were a special group. They were known as the "Whiz Kids" and featured to prominent hall of famers: Robin Roberts and Richie Ashburn. Team autographed balls by Phillies teams from around that time period were fetching between 300-500 dollars, but the 1950 Phillies "Whiz Kids" autographed ball was a special one. Multiple estimates put the ball's worth around $2,000. Of course, with the condition of the ball, it probably would sell in the 300-500 dollar range, but still, what a great get! I am happy to add that to our collection. And yes, we plan on getting a protective case for that bad boy.
Alright, that's enough for now.
~Mikey D
