Last night, Tonya and I decided to go play tennis at Robinson High School since it is up the street from our house. While we were hitting, the band was practicing around on the side of the school. We could hear them as we have before. The night before, we could hear them practicing late into the evening from our living room since we had the windows open. While at the courts, people starting coming from all over and walking towards the football field. Then the lights came on and we wondered what was going on. Tonya saw a cart go by with the pit instruments on it and wondered if maybe they were going to practice out on the field. We had had enough tennis for the evening and decided to go see what was going on. As we walked over to the football field, we saw the band marching from the parking lot. We knew they were going to run through their show.
This was the first time they had performed in front of an audience this year. I guess this was a chance for their family and friends to come see this year's show before the season started. It was interesting watching them go through segments of their show. The director would have them start in a certain place and run until they got to another point and then stop. Once they went through the different parts, he had them start from the top and perform the entire show.
I was amazed at how you can stop in the middle and tell them to go back to a certain point and they can know exactly where they were on the field at that exact point. I used to think that marching band was for geeks that couldn't play real sports. But now that I have seen practices and have gone to many Drum Corp International shows, my mind has changed. It is remarkable how they can remember where they are supposed to go and what formation to do and count how many steps left or right and stay synchronized with everyone else on which foot they should be stepping with. Oh and doing all of this while playing the music that they have memorized. It is just amazing.
I have been spoiled by going to see so many DCI competitions where they are some of the best drum corps in the world. My favorite corp is the Cavaliers. In my opinion, they are THE best corp in the world by far. But I have never seen high school marching band competitions and didn't know what to expect while watching Robinson play. You could tell that there were a lot of young freshman who had never marched before. Unfortunately for all of them, their first performance is during the football game tomorrow night and they will not be practicing between now and then. I am no expert, but they have a long way to go. They made a lot of mistakes last night and look like they need a lot more practice. But I know they will get better as the season rolls on.
I'm glad that we happened to be in the right place at the right time to check out their show. It was entertaining and I can't wait to see more of the competitions.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Buying a Championship
I think the Dodgers are trying to use a page from the Yankees book and buy a championship. They have been busy at the deadline for trades via waivers in order to have players be eligible for the playoffs. The only problem is that they really aren't that good. They might have the best record, but they play mostly west coast teams. They all suck. So that is why the Dodgers are now trying to bring in all the help they can get. That is fine, but I still don't think they are going to past the first round of the playoffs if they have to play an east coast team. I really doubt they make the World Series. I think, and it pains me to say this, but the Phillies are the team to beat right now in the National League. The NLCS goes through Philly.
On the other hand, I don't really care anymore since football is starting up and there is a buzz in Minnesota. My two favorite teams (Vikings and Ravens) will probably win their divisions and maybe even play each other in the Super Bowl. That is if the Ravens can beat the Patriots in the AFC Championship. With Brett Favre at QB, there is no stopping the Vikings. They have too many weapons and know how to use them. I was actually excited to watch the preseason game last night against the Texans. This team reminds me a lot of 1998 Purple Reign team. And the good thing is that Longwell won't miss the chip shot field goal in the league championship game this year. (Damn you, Gary Anderson!)
That's all for now. What do you think?
On the other hand, I don't really care anymore since football is starting up and there is a buzz in Minnesota. My two favorite teams (Vikings and Ravens) will probably win their divisions and maybe even play each other in the Super Bowl. That is if the Ravens can beat the Patriots in the AFC Championship. With Brett Favre at QB, there is no stopping the Vikings. They have too many weapons and know how to use them. I was actually excited to watch the preseason game last night against the Texans. This team reminds me a lot of 1998 Purple Reign team. And the good thing is that Longwell won't miss the chip shot field goal in the league championship game this year. (Damn you, Gary Anderson!)
That's all for now. What do you think?
My Week
So, it has been a little bit since I wrote last. I have been pretty busy at work and haven't had much to write about. So I figured I would just tell about my week.
Last week, we started to pick up at work some. We do jobs for many of the schools in the area (MD, DC, & VA). With school starting up again, we are starting to get more work in. That is good news since it was a difficult time leading up to the summer and I didn't know if the company would make it through. I guess I can credit management with that. But it was at the expense of some of my friends who are no longer working here.
This past Saturday (8/29), we celebrated my sister's 50th birthday. I know what you're thinking, she's old. Well, my brother will be just as old in two years from this Thursday (the 3rd of September). Then there is a long gap before I even get close to that mile stone. Her birthday is actually on the 17th, but she and most of her family were in Florida with my parents that week and so we couldn't all celebrate together. So, come to find out, my sister had pretty much been told about this party on Saturday even though it was supposed to be a surprise. There were a few things that happened leading up to that day that tipped her off. It is a shame since my two nieces and nephew worked so hard setting this all up. Oh well.
We bought a new computer and so I set it up. It has been somewhat of a hastle, but it is all set up now and everything seems to work. When the installer came for COX to set up my phone, internet and television, he put a splitter on the cable going to my modem. This worked out great for me. I hooked it up to my SlingBox and now can watch my cable TV anywhere I want over the internet. The only problem (and I haven't figured out why just yet) is that I can't pick up many of the channels. Especially the local channels. It doesn't make sense, but I can't get 4, 5, 7 or 9. I can get ESPN, ESPN2 and MASN which are the channels that I watch the most other than the local channels. I think I have a plan that I am hoping will work to make things even better. I will hook the SlingBox up to one of my Directv boxes and then I will be able to watch all of those channels. (HBOs, Sports Package, Sunday Ticket, etc) The only thing I have to do is find my cable that has ethernet on one end and USB on the other. The main problem is that the SlingBox is the first version and there is no USB port in the back. That is why having the splitter at the modem was so great. I could just plug the unused cable into the SlingBox and the ethernet cable into the router and I am done. But in order to use my Directv box, I need to go wireless. Or use the proline boxes I have which will send the signal through the electrical current in the walls. I couldn't get that to work before, but I think I can now with the new router. But I can only find one box right now. The other thing I can do is use the wireless adapter that I have, but it uses a USB port. That is why I need to find the cable that I have somewhere that will work with that.
I know this is a lot of info that most people would probably think is either boring or just don't understand. But it helps me think things through and get stuff off my mind. I doubt anyone will actually read this anyway. But if you do, comment.
Until next time. . . .
Last week, we started to pick up at work some. We do jobs for many of the schools in the area (MD, DC, & VA). With school starting up again, we are starting to get more work in. That is good news since it was a difficult time leading up to the summer and I didn't know if the company would make it through. I guess I can credit management with that. But it was at the expense of some of my friends who are no longer working here.
This past Saturday (8/29), we celebrated my sister's 50th birthday. I know what you're thinking, she's old. Well, my brother will be just as old in two years from this Thursday (the 3rd of September). Then there is a long gap before I even get close to that mile stone. Her birthday is actually on the 17th, but she and most of her family were in Florida with my parents that week and so we couldn't all celebrate together. So, come to find out, my sister had pretty much been told about this party on Saturday even though it was supposed to be a surprise. There were a few things that happened leading up to that day that tipped her off. It is a shame since my two nieces and nephew worked so hard setting this all up. Oh well.
We bought a new computer and so I set it up. It has been somewhat of a hastle, but it is all set up now and everything seems to work. When the installer came for COX to set up my phone, internet and television, he put a splitter on the cable going to my modem. This worked out great for me. I hooked it up to my SlingBox and now can watch my cable TV anywhere I want over the internet. The only problem (and I haven't figured out why just yet) is that I can't pick up many of the channels. Especially the local channels. It doesn't make sense, but I can't get 4, 5, 7 or 9. I can get ESPN, ESPN2 and MASN which are the channels that I watch the most other than the local channels. I think I have a plan that I am hoping will work to make things even better. I will hook the SlingBox up to one of my Directv boxes and then I will be able to watch all of those channels. (HBOs, Sports Package, Sunday Ticket, etc) The only thing I have to do is find my cable that has ethernet on one end and USB on the other. The main problem is that the SlingBox is the first version and there is no USB port in the back. That is why having the splitter at the modem was so great. I could just plug the unused cable into the SlingBox and the ethernet cable into the router and I am done. But in order to use my Directv box, I need to go wireless. Or use the proline boxes I have which will send the signal through the electrical current in the walls. I couldn't get that to work before, but I think I can now with the new router. But I can only find one box right now. The other thing I can do is use the wireless adapter that I have, but it uses a USB port. That is why I need to find the cable that I have somewhere that will work with that.
I know this is a lot of info that most people would probably think is either boring or just don't understand. But it helps me think things through and get stuff off my mind. I doubt anyone will actually read this anyway. But if you do, comment.
Until next time. . . .
Thursday, August 20, 2009
After Death
I was thinking about how I wish there was a way for someone to be able to come back for one last good bye after they die. They could be seen by their loved ones and let them know that everything was ok and be able to have closure. (And they could say whether there is baseball in heaven.)
They would also be able to tell everyone what happened when they died. If someone was murdered, they would be able to say who did it and how. This would cut down drastically on the murder rate. You wouldn't be able to get away with murder as easily.
Not really sure why this popped in my head, but I figured I would write it down.
Now back to trying to make a draft list for this Saturday.
They would also be able to tell everyone what happened when they died. If someone was murdered, they would be able to say who did it and how. This would cut down drastically on the murder rate. You wouldn't be able to get away with murder as easily.
Not really sure why this popped in my head, but I figured I would write it down.
Now back to trying to make a draft list for this Saturday.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Welcome to the Purple Nation Mr. Favre
So, as I knew would happen, Brett Favre signed with the Vikings. I told people all along that he was just waiting for training camp to end and the preseason games to start like he did last year with the Jets and then he would sign. People sent me messages when he said that he was going to stay retired, but I responded to wait and see. Last year, when he came out of retirement and told the Packers that if they didn't want him to trade him or release him so he could play with the Vikings. They set up a clause in the trade with the Jets that prevented them from turning around and trading him to anyone in the Packers division. So, they kept him for a 1 year deal in which he said he was done after that. But I knew that he really wanted to play with the Vikings all along just to get back at the Pack for not wanting him anymore. So he played the year with the Jets with the thought that next year, he would play with the Vikings and get the play against his old team two times.
I have never really cared for Brett Favre since I always thought he was a punk and a sore loser. Besides, he played for the Packers which is a hated rival of my Vikings. One game, a number of years ago, in Minnesota, the Vikes were won. With running down to less than 30 seconds left in the game, he went walking off to the locker room by himself because he was a sore loser and didn't want to shake hands after the game. Randy Moss did this a couple years later in Washington and it made big news. I think Favre can be a jerk, but he can also be a good person. He has had a lot of trails in his life that he has had to deal with. I have a lot of respect for him now when I had none for him then.
Am I glad that he is a Viking now? YES!
Do I think this will make the Vikings a Superbowl contender? YES!
Will he be my first pick in the fantasy draft this Saturday? Maybe.
And finally,
Will I rub it in Julie's face both times this year when the Vikings KILL the Packers? YES!!!! (sorry Julie in advance)
I have never really cared for Brett Favre since I always thought he was a punk and a sore loser. Besides, he played for the Packers which is a hated rival of my Vikings. One game, a number of years ago, in Minnesota, the Vikes were won. With running down to less than 30 seconds left in the game, he went walking off to the locker room by himself because he was a sore loser and didn't want to shake hands after the game. Randy Moss did this a couple years later in Washington and it made big news. I think Favre can be a jerk, but he can also be a good person. He has had a lot of trails in his life that he has had to deal with. I have a lot of respect for him now when I had none for him then.
Am I glad that he is a Viking now? YES!
Do I think this will make the Vikings a Superbowl contender? YES!
Will he be my first pick in the fantasy draft this Saturday? Maybe.
And finally,
Will I rub it in Julie's face both times this year when the Vikings KILL the Packers? YES!!!! (sorry Julie in advance)
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Welcome to the Nationals, Mr. Strasburg!
Well, I am glad that Stephen Strasburg finally decided to accept the deal that the Washington Nationals offered him. I just don't understand what was going through his mind for the last few days leading up to the deadline. If it were me, I would be ecstatic just to be drafted and offered a contract to play the game that I love. I don't blame him for waiting for the last second and trying to drive the price up. All the blame should go to his agent, Scott Boras. That is why I think teams should just stop dealing with agents like him and Drew Rosenhaus. They aren't in it for their client, just for the money. They care nothing about what they are doing to the sport or to their client's reputation.
To solve this problem, Major League Baseball needs to adopt some sort of salary scale for draft picks and then set a cap. I believe MLB should have some sort of salary cap across the board.
I think that the league should make players liable for being hurt all the time or not producing like they should. If they get hurt and spend most of the year on the DL, they should have to give some of their salary back. Or take a pay cut for the next year if they come back.
One example that drove me crazy and shows how the current system is screwed up is Shawn Hill. Shawn Hill was a promising pitcher that was drafted by the Expos in 2000 and had great stuff. He made it to the big leagues with the Expos in 2004 and then missed all of the 2005 season with an elbow injury (Tommy John). He comes back mid way through the 2006 season and then gets hurt again. In 2007, while making $380,000, Hill starts out with a bang. Then gets hurt again and spends half of the season on the shelf. In 2008, the Nationals pay him $402,000. Does he earn this? No, he was put on the DL twice before finally being shut down in June for the rest of the season. Before the 2009 season, Hill goes through arbitration where, for some reason, he wins and is awarded $775,000 instead of the $500,000 the Nationals offered him. That right there shows how screwed up the system is when a player who, from 2005 to 2008, had totaled barely one year of playing time due to injury and gets rewarded by a $373,000 raise from the year before. And then what does he do next? He gets hurt. He was FINALLY released by the Nationals in March 2009. I read that the Padres picked him up for a minor league deal and after making a few starts was put on the DL in June for the rest of the year with Tommy John surgery. (AGAIN!)
This is why I think that draft picks should be capped on how much they can make. They do it in basketball and football, why not baseball. Strasburg could turn out like Mark Prior or Kerry Wood or even Shawn Hill (God forbid) and be injury prone. He will still make all that money even though he is sitting at home watching the games on TV.
To solve this problem, Major League Baseball needs to adopt some sort of salary scale for draft picks and then set a cap. I believe MLB should have some sort of salary cap across the board.
I think that the league should make players liable for being hurt all the time or not producing like they should. If they get hurt and spend most of the year on the DL, they should have to give some of their salary back. Or take a pay cut for the next year if they come back.
One example that drove me crazy and shows how the current system is screwed up is Shawn Hill. Shawn Hill was a promising pitcher that was drafted by the Expos in 2000 and had great stuff. He made it to the big leagues with the Expos in 2004 and then missed all of the 2005 season with an elbow injury (Tommy John). He comes back mid way through the 2006 season and then gets hurt again. In 2007, while making $380,000, Hill starts out with a bang. Then gets hurt again and spends half of the season on the shelf. In 2008, the Nationals pay him $402,000. Does he earn this? No, he was put on the DL twice before finally being shut down in June for the rest of the season. Before the 2009 season, Hill goes through arbitration where, for some reason, he wins and is awarded $775,000 instead of the $500,000 the Nationals offered him. That right there shows how screwed up the system is when a player who, from 2005 to 2008, had totaled barely one year of playing time due to injury and gets rewarded by a $373,000 raise from the year before. And then what does he do next? He gets hurt. He was FINALLY released by the Nationals in March 2009. I read that the Padres picked him up for a minor league deal and after making a few starts was put on the DL in June for the rest of the year with Tommy John surgery. (AGAIN!)
This is why I think that draft picks should be capped on how much they can make. They do it in basketball and football, why not baseball. Strasburg could turn out like Mark Prior or Kerry Wood or even Shawn Hill (God forbid) and be injury prone. He will still make all that money even though he is sitting at home watching the games on TV.
Monday, August 17, 2009
1st time blogger
For the longest time, I never understood the fascination of blogging. How much can one person have to say? But then over time, I have come to realize that this could be a way to get things off your chest and if others want to read about it, great. And if they don't, then who cares. So I thought I would give it a shot.
I only know a few people that have blogs and I never read them. Maybe I should. Maybe my blog will be in reply to other peoples' blogs. Or. . . maybe not. I'm not going to have my blog be about anything in particular. I'm sure sometimes it will be about the Nationals and others about work. Or just my daily routine called life. So, if anyone actually reads this, that's awesome. Either way, I amuse myself.
If any of you have suggestions on what to blog about or my opinions on something, just let me know. And if I use it in a future blog, you will receive a free. . .who am I kidding? We both know you won't get anything.
Thanks for reading and until next time. . ."What it is, what is shall be, what it was."
I only know a few people that have blogs and I never read them. Maybe I should. Maybe my blog will be in reply to other peoples' blogs. Or. . . maybe not. I'm not going to have my blog be about anything in particular. I'm sure sometimes it will be about the Nationals and others about work. Or just my daily routine called life. So, if anyone actually reads this, that's awesome. Either way, I amuse myself.
If any of you have suggestions on what to blog about or my opinions on something, just let me know. And if I use it in a future blog, you will receive a free. . .who am I kidding? We both know you won't get anything.
Thanks for reading and until next time. . ."What it is, what is shall be, what it was."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
