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
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16 comments:
I remember when my sisters went off to college... things got much quieter around the house.
I've been addicted to centsports.com. I sent you an invite for it. It's a free betting website where you start with a dime. If you make over $10, you can cash out and they send you $10. I stink though. I've made about 20 bets and have a 39% winning percentage.
Fun stuff! I didn't get an invite from you, but I signed up. I'll let you know how I do.
One man's trash is another man's treasure. I still have that basketball...
I don't hate Stephen A. as much as used to, probably because I don't listen to him as much as I used to, but he's still preferable to Bill Walton. My least favorite commentator is Skip Bayless.
In my head, my brother is about 14 years old and my sister is about 10. It was really weird seeing my 10 year old sister graduate high school...
I always liked Ski-ball more than Supershot, but Supershot is still fun. Good luck on your quest.
I haven't played poker in a while, but I just watched Rounders the other day.
I see life as circular. Does that still count as a type of linear? It's a regular shape, so I say yes...
I have a green soccer jacket that has most of the signatures of the early 90's Detroit Rockers. (an indoor soccer team that no longer exists) Without checking, I would estimate that it's worth less than the cost of the jacket.
I always thought of linear as straight lines (y=mx+b), thus ruling out circles. Some definitions are vague on dictionary.com (not definitive), but the ones that are more in-depth seem to support a straight-line theory. Whateva whateva.
I still call my brother "buddy"...and I think he's a little old to be a "buddy" now. Ah well.
I will give you .23 cents for your Rockers jacket...the exact change I have in my pocket right now. Send me your counter offer.
I didn't mean to imply that circles were linear in a mathematical sense, only in the metaphorical sense given in your example.
Circles seem closer to a "linear view of life" in the sense that things have a set definitions (although it's granted the definitions are not the same in a cicular view as they would be in a traditional linear view) and events are not random, rather than the "non-linear view of life" where things "just are."
My Rockers jacket is not for sale. And it wouldn't fit you anyway, I grew out of it in middle school.
Everybody has a price, Kevin. And who says I want to wear the jacket? I just want add it to my collection.
Fine, .23 cents and you can punch me once.
What collection is that?
My sports collection.
It consists of autographed balls by Jimmy Rollins, Ken Griffey Jr., and now the 1950 Phillies, old programs, autographed pictures (Nolan Ryan, Joe Namath, Brooks Robinson, Gayle Sayers, etc.), newspaper clippings, and many baseball cards (A-Rod rookie, my most prized). A modest collection for sure, but a collection nonetheless.
And soon to have a Detroit Rockers jacket once I figure out your price.
You can have the jacket for free on the following conditions:
-You give me valid reason why you would want soccer memorabilia for a team that you have never even heard of, let alone seen.
-You add at least 2 more soccer related items to your collection
-My jacket will be prominently displayed with your collection.
First, I have heard of the Rockers. Hey, I grew up on Washington Warthog indoor soccer (impressed?), so I know a little about the indoor soccer scene.
Second, it's classic. How many people do you think have the jacket?
Third, I have a sports memorabilia collection- which means I am willing to collect all types of sports collectables.
As far as promising to add more items to the collection, I can do that. I mean, I already have added the legendary Michigan State LEGO soccer ball, so all I really need is one more...
Prominently displayed with my collection? Well, my collection currently sits in a box underneath my bed, soooooo deal, it can be "prominently" displayed with the rest.
I'll await its arrival. Oh, and thanks for the jacket!
"Grew up on" Washington Warthog soccer seems a little strong to me. I have a hard time believing that you have ever been to a indoor soccer game, let alone grew up on it.
But if your collection ever moves out from under your bed, like say, a $300-500 baseball goes up on the mantle, then the jacket has to go up on a wall.
The LEGO ball is not sports memorabilia. Doesn't count. Plus you need to have added two, not promise to add two.
And you have to pick it up, I'm not shipping it.
While it is true I have never been to a Washington Warthog game, I did watch quite a few on television (I don't know what they did in Michigan, but they used to televise the games frequently on the Baltimore sports channel). Probably not as many as you saw live, but quite a few.
What do you mean the LEGO ball isn't sports memorabilia??? That ball should be right next to the 2005 Final Four banner! Without it, Michigan State would lose 100-0 in the first round every year. I'm convinced of that.
But if it doesn't count...I guess I will get two other pieces...like a ticket stub on the ground outside the arena and a VHS Pele highlight video from the 99 cent bin at Wal Mart. Done and done.
And if you wanted a jacket from me, I'd totally ship it to you because I'm a nice guy like that. Just saying.
I also find it hard to believe that Warthog games were broadcast on TV, and that you would watch them.
If you want to say that the LEGO ball is a MSU basketball lucky charm, then it doesn't count as soccer-related memorabilia.
The other two items you mentioned would count I guess, but they would drag down your collection. If an old 99 cent Pele video that means nothing to you meets the admission standards for your collection A) your collection should have hundreds of crappy videos by now, and B) your collection would suck. Same argument for random ticket stubs from games that you didn't attend.
And you still have to pick it up.
Well, I already have crappy videos in my collection (89' Orioles team video- I'm fairly sure you've made your feelings known on that), and if my collection sucks because of that, that is your opinion. Beauty, however, is in the eye of the beholder, my friend. And this beholder likes what he's lookin' at!
And memorabilia are just items of events/times that are to be remembered, right? If we go by that definition, that LEGO ball would fit perfectly in the memorabilia category, as it reminds me of all of MSU's tourny success...I'll display it! I'll show you!!!
Warthog games were on TV, on a channel called HTS. It was the first time I had ever scene/heard of indoor soccer. I'm sure you can buy old TV Guides somewhere on EBay or something to verify my claim, or you could just take my word for it.
It's difficult for me to pick it up being 500+ miles away...it'd be so much easier if you just shipped it to me.
I will grant that the LEGO ball can be considered memorablila in relation to MSU basketball. But it that case it would be basketball-related memorabilia, not soccer-related memorabilia.
I'll take your word for it that indoor scccer was shown on TV, but I'll need one of your family members to verify that you would regularly watch them.
Your '89 Orioles video doesn't drag down your collection because the video means something to you. It would only drag down the collection of a non-orioles fan.
Similarly, a Pele video wouldn't hurt the collection of a huge fan of the Brazil national soccer team.
The beauty IS in the eye of the beholder, but I don't believe for a second that you would see the Pele video or the random ticket stub as beautiful.
Well, picking up the jacket (once you have added the two other items to your collection) will just be extra motivation for you to come out and visit.
Oh man...I'd love to come visit...I just can't find a good, long weekend to do it. Stupid job.
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