What's New With Mick

Tag: Sports

  • Vital Statistics

    Got the verdict from my mechanic last night: 400 dollars if he only has to replace one valve. Add another hundred if I want to get my heater fixed. Tina and I already decided that we wouldn’t put more than 400 into it, so it’s sayonara to my old truck. I tried to give it to my mechanic, but he said he’s already got too many “projects” sitting around at his house. I’ll probably try Craigslist or I may donate it. I’ve considered taking the sucker apart and trying to fix it myself, but I’d probably have to pay to have it towed then.

    Yesterday I spotted a replacement candidate on my ride to work. It’s a four-wheel drive, late 70’s/early 80’s old Ford. The sign in the window says $1800, I think. I wrote down the phone number this morning and will have more info about it soon. A sign in the passenger window claimed it had a recently rebuilt engine and a new clutch and something else I don’t remember. I think older cars are simpler to maintain but I could be wrong. Let me know what you think.

    For the second day in a row, there was a FedEx truck blocking the bike lane outside my office. This time the guy was inside, so I stopped and politely asked him to please park closer to the curb so as not to block the bike lane. He said he would try but it’s hard when it’s a tight squeeze. I thanked him and left.

    Bike odometer: 5983 miles
    Current reading: Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing, 9-11 by Noam Chomsky
    McCartney Trivia: “I like writing sad songs, it’s a good bag to get into because you can actually acknowledge some deeper feelings of your own and put them in it. It’s a good vehicle, it saves having to go to a psychiatrist.” – Paul
    Recent listening: Lifted or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground, De-Loused in the Comatorium, Throw Down Your Arms, Has Been, Science Friday, KBOO Bike Show
    Recent viewing: Countdown, Sportscenter, CSI: Miami
    Recent playing: Poker Room
    Recently Accomplished: Got most of the tax materials together, dropped van off for repair
    Imperative To Do: Taxes, lube bike, fix bike fender, fix bike pedal, buy a truck
    Cool link: Rate My Professors: Every school in America is listed. Find your favorite prof and rate them.

  • Vital Statistics

    Bike odometer: 5953 miles
    Current reading: Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles, 9-11 by Noam Chomsky
    McCartney Trivia: Ringo “quit” the Beatles for two weeks during the making of the White Album. While Ringo mulled his future on Peter Sellers’ yacht, the other Beatles continued recording “Back in the USSR” and “Dear Prudence” with Paul on drums. When Ringo returned, he found his drum kit wreathed in flowers with a large “Welcome Back” sign.
    Recent listening: Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, Science Friday, NPR Story of the Day
    Recent viewing: Suns vs. Clippers, Mean Girls, Saw, Final Four
    Recent playing: Poker Room
    Recently Accomplished: cleaned and lubed bike, vacuumed house, entertained the Bartons, started taxes
    Imperative To Do: Buy lug nut wrench and jack for van, finish taxes, figure out what to do about the truck
    Cool link: Boot Camp: Apple released beta software to let you boot Windows on your Intel Mac. It will be included in their next OS version which is code-named “Leopard”.

  • Vital Statistics

    Did you catch the latest episode of South Park? Hilarious, symbolic and powerful. Sophomoric humor with an intelligent message buried underneath. The perfect smackdown to both Isaac Hayes and Scientology. South Park-2, Scientology-0.

    Bike odometer: 5869 miles
    Current reading: Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles, 9-11 by Noam Chomsky
    McCartney Trivia: “We were fed up with being the Beatles. We really hated that fucking four little mop-tops boys approach. We were not boys, we were men. It was all gone, all that boy shit, all that screaming, we didn’t want any more, plus, we’d now got turned on to pot and thought of ourselves as artists rather than just performers.” – Paul on the Beatles’ state of mind in 1966
    Recent listening: Lifted or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground, DrugMusic,
    Strange Little Girls, Mexican Standoff, KBOO Bike Show, Somebody’s Miracle
    Recent viewing: NCAA regional semi-finals and finals, Brainiac, South Park
    Recently Accomplished: Grocery shopping, paid bills, Metroid Prime: Level 1
    Recent playing: Poker Room, Halo, Metroid Prime, Grand Turismo
    Imperative To Do: Get motor mounts fixed on truck, buy lug nut wrench and jack for van, start taxes
    Cool link: Lake Peigneur: The Swirling Vortex of Doom

  • Vital Statistics

    Despite the moderate headwind that I rode into this morning, I had an absolutely great ride to work. The sun was shining and the roads were not wet. We had a downpour a little while ago, but the sun is out again. I hope it lasts.

    Bike odometer: 5862 miles
    Current reading: Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles, 9-11 by Noam Chomsky
    McCartney Trivia: Although “Norwegian Wood” was mostly John’s idea, Paul contributed the ending to the story of infidelity. Although you might read “So, I lit a fire, isn’t it good, Norwegian Wood” as the teller just making himself at home, Paul intended it to mean that he burned the girl’s place down and left.
    Recent listening: Lifted or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground, De-Loused in the Comatorium, Frances the Mute, Crooked Fingers
    Recent viewing: Sportscenter, Gonzaga vs. UCLA, LSU vs. Duke, The Office, My Name Is Earl
    Recent playing: Poker Room
    Imperative To Do: Get motor mounts fixed on truck, buy lug nut wrench and jack for van, start taxes
    Cool link: Not Ready To Make Nice: The Dixie Chicks kick off their new album release with a song about all the attention they got for declaring the President to be shameful. Check out the press release – Rick Rubin produced!

  • Vital Statistics

    I loaded all of my Beatles onto my iPod last week so I could refer directly to any song when I was reading about it in the McCartney book. Last night I was reading about “Penny Lane” and I whipped out the iPod because I couldn’t remember the first verse. How shocked I was to find that I don’t have “Penny Lane”! I ordered Magical Mystery Tour as soon as I got home. That’s a hole that has been in my CD collection much too long.

    Bike odometer: 5851 miles
    Current reading: Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles, 9-11 by Noam Chomsky
    McCartney Trivia: “Penny Lane” was written mostly by McCartney about the same time that John was writing “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Both are nostalgic reminiscences of their time together 10 years before in Liverpool. Penny Lane was the name of a bus stop where they would often wait. There was a bank and a barber shop close by. The barber shop had pictures of the different cuts they offered (not “of every head he’s had the pleasure to know”). The fire station is down the road from the Penny Lane Roundabout.
    Recent listening: Revolver, Back Track, Rubber Soul
    Recent viewing: CSI: Miami, Monk, Sportscenter, Brainiac
    Recently Accomplished: work
    Imperative To Do: Get motor mounts fixed on truck, buy lug nut wrench and jack for van, start taxes
    Cool link: Apocalypse Pooh: Make sure you watch at least half of it before deciding it’s boring. It’s a little slow to start but is hilarious later. If you haven’t seen Apocalypse Now, don’t bother with this link until you have. Say by tomorrow.

  • Vital Statistics

    Woke up this morning to a flat tire on the van. Tina drove Thomas to school in the truck (otherwise known as “Old Shakey”) while I attempted to change the tire. After searching inside and outside the van for several minutes, I concluded that we had neither a jack nor a lug wrench. Evidently they had been burgled during one of the break-ins we’ve had. So when Tina got back with the truck, I used the jack and wrench from it. Unfortunately, the wrench was the wrong size and Tina had to call a neighbor to borrow one from them. Ten minutes later the spare is on and I’m waiting for everyone to open so I can get the tire fixed and buy a jack and lug nut wrench. While I’m at it, I suppose I’ll get an estimate on the motor mounts for the truck.
    Update: Had to wait over an hour to get the tire fixed but they did it for free. No time for motor mounts or purchasing.

    Bike odometer: 5818 miles
    Current reading: Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles, 9-11 by Noam Chomsky
    Recent viewing: March Madness (all caught up)
    Recent playing: Poker Room
    Recently Accomplished: changed a flat
    Imperative To Do: Get tire fixed on van, get motor mounts fixed on truck, buy lug nut wrench and jack for van
    Cool link: Bizarre Optical Illusion

  • Vital Statistics

    As I mentioned earlier, I had some problems with some popcorn stuck in my gums. Despite (or because of) my poking and flossing, it became very sore. I was resolved to have my Kakar Dental Group dentist take care of it, but thought I should leave it alone for a few days. Tina suggested swishing it a couple of times a day with Listerine which I did for about three days. Lo and behold, all is well again!

    I watched my beloved Hawkeyes fall to Northwestern State last night. I think they drew the highest seed I have ever seen them get and they lose in the first round on a last second three pointer. I feel like Charlie Brown after Lucy pulls the football away. And if it wasn’t bad enough watching them lose it once, it must have been the upset of the day because they showed it about 20 times during the ensuing NCAA coverage on CBS. My bracket is completely blown.

    Current reading: Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles, 9-11 by Noam Chomsky
    McCartney Trivia: A friend of Paul’s was in the “College of ‘Pataphysics”, which was a sort of joke organization for intellectuals, mostly concerned about drinking. Paul is proud that his mention of ‘pataphysics in “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is the only one of it’s kind.
    Recent listening: My I’m Large, Somebody’s Miracle, Da Vinci’s Notebook
    Recent viewing: March Madness, Suns vs. Clippers, Heat vs. Celtics, Conviction, Medium
    Recent playing: Poker Room
    Recently Accomplished: Truck maintenance (motor mount may be broken), called Kent and my mom, paid bills
    Imperative To Do: Start taxes, retrieve Ryno mail, get truck fixed
    Cool link: Battlestar Galactica Blog




    Rob’s CD Collection – I will never catch up.

    I found the White Album and several others without much effort. See any you recognize? (Hint: Click for a larger version.)

  • Vital Statistics

    This article caught my eye on CNN the other day. The father and daughter in the article are “early risers”, which is now described as ASPS (Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome). I looked it up on Wikipedia and soon found myself checking out other sleep disorders. I have had problems with sleep all my life and suspect that I have Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS). I also believe that my father had it and probably several of my siblings. DSPS sufferers are often called “night owls.” Sound familiar?

    Before we had kids, I entertained the notion that it was Non-24 Hour Sleep Phase Syndrome and actually tried a sleep schedule that wasn’t based on a 24 hour clock. Unfortunately, that and my adverse job circumstances eventually led to clinical depression.

    Bike odometer: 5818 miles
    Current reading: Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles, 9-11 by Noam Chomsky
    McCartney Trivia: Paul wrote the melody for “Yesterday” after he awoke from a dream in which he heard it. The original lyrics were “Scrambled eggs, baby I really love your legs.”
    Recent listening: De-Loused in the Comatorium, Coverville, Da Vinci’s Notebook
    Recent viewing: Sportscenter, Suns vs. Clippers, The Late Show with David Letterman, Countdown with Keith Olbermann
    Recent playing: Poker Room
    Recently Accomplished: Cleaned and lubed my rusty bike chain while waiting for the Max
    Imperative To Do: Start taxes, retrieve Ryno mail, truck maintenance
    Cool link: Death By Caffeine: How much of your favorite caffeine drink does it take to kill you?

  • Vital Statistics

      Remember me? Dynamite Magazine

    Bike odometer: 5805 miles
    Current reading: Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles, 9-11 by Noam Chomsky
    McCartney Trivia: Nearly all Lennon/McCartney compositions can be described as verse/chorus/verse/chorus/”middle eight”/verse/chorus. John and Paul could not read music so they called all middle passages the “middle eight” regardless of the number of measures. The last verse was frequently just the first verse repeated to really drive it home and make it memorable.
    Recent listening: Extraordinary Machine, Rid of Me, Avalon, De-Loused in the Comatorium, Frances the Mute
    Recent viewing: Medium, Crime Scene Investigation, Sportscenter
    Recently Accomplished: Sent in rebates, paid bills, mowed lawn, purchased new Quicken
    Imperative To Do: Start taxes, retrieve Ryno mail, truck maintenance, bike maintenance
    Cool link: The Covers Project

  • Miami Heat vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

    Thoughts I had during the game:

    • Dwayne Wade is the fastest half-court player in the NBA. Some players have great fast break speed, but Wade has great baseline and in-the-paint speed. He takes tremendously long strides when he wants to blow by someone and seems to just tilt from one side to the other as he weaves his way to the basket. I really love his game.
    • During the Laker’s first championship run, the thing that really surprised me about Shaq was what great, soft hands he has. He gathers in nearly every rebound or pass that is near him and it’s nearly impossible to dislodge the ball once he has two hands on it.
    • I used to really dislike Alonzo Mourning, both as a Hornet and later when Riley traded to get him on the Heat. He always seemed to whine about foul calls more than anybody else. I also never accepted him as a true center – he’s not even a 7-footer. However, since his return to the Heat, the guy has been the definion of a sports “warrior.” He does what he’s asked to do and never complains about his minutes. He even waived off the postgame interview after his fourth quarter heroics.
    • I can’t think of a better center tandem to have on a team than Alonzo Mourning and Shaquille O’Neal. Even at this late stage of their careers, both are able to put in a great 15-25 minutes per game. I expect that if they stay together that they will be able to buoy each other’s careers tremendously over the years.
    • Speaking of great tandems, Jason Williams and Gary Payton both seem to have adjusted to the Heat game. I didn’t see either of them shooting shots that were out of the flow of the offense. You definitely could not say that earlier in the season.
    • I’m especially happy that Payton has worked out. I was really disappointed in his showing for the Lakers two years ago, but perhaps I was expecting too much from the old guy. He’s definitely playing fewer minutes now and is a long way from being the star he was in Seattle. I’m continually surprised at how few players that were great when they were young are able to mold themselves into great role players late in their careers. Ron Harper is an excellent example of that. Magic Johnson is not.
    • I hear Antoine Walker is also getting better as the season progresses, but I have seen no evidence of that yet. He still shoots more three pointers than he should, he still mishandles rebounds and he still blows layups. He needs to sacrifice a little of his alleged finesse game and add a little power. At least Riley hasn’t replaced Haslon with Walker. That would be a travesty.
    • I really doubted that the Heat would be able to mesh given all the changes that they made during the off-season, but it really seems like they are getting there. Posey was very sharp and even Shandon Anderson made a contribution in the game.
    • When I first saw Wade playing in the playoffs 3 years ago, he reminded me very much of Michael Jordan – mostly because he’s a high flyer and clearly imposes his will on the game. Since then I’ve seen a certain grittiness that even MJ never displayed. He may soon replace Allen Iverson as the toughest player in the league. If he can add a credible three point shot to his game, he could be better than Mike.
    • Check that – he would also need a good low-post game, too. No two or three has ever had the game that Michael had on the block. In fact, does anybody that’s not a center or a four have a low-post game these days?

    Update: Shaq was not happy about sitting on the bench in the 4th quarter