First Weekend Postmortem

My 35 correct picks out of 48 is nothing to write home about, but it is four better than where I was last year this time and leaves 7 of 8 of my Elite Eight picks intact and all of my Final Fours. I’ve learned to respect USC basketball a little more this weekend, was thrilled with my signature pick (Winthrop over Notre Dame) and delighted in watching the ‘Dores (gotta love that Lionel Ritchie!) play through to the Sweet Sixteen as I boldly predicted. As much as I hate to admit it, UNC’s depth and talent are going to be tough to overcome.… Read the rest

Appetizers

A few pre-tourney appetizers to get things going:

  • If you still haven’t filled out your bracket and need some expert advice on possible upsets, Pat Forde dishes on the possibilities.
  • If dark humor and bile are more your cup of tea, then this Slate article should be just the ticket
  • If you want to relive some “shining moments” from last year, click here
  • I’m not sure if my bracket will show up if you’re not logged into Yahoo, but hopefully it will. In case it doesn’t, my first round upset specials are Arkansas over USC (the Razorbacks should be hopping mad and have something to prove after receiving so much contempt last Sunday) and Winthrop over Notre Dame (the Eagles are due)
  • I’m picking Florida, UCLA, Georgetown and Ohio State in my Final Four.
… Read the rest

What’s In Your Wallet?

Yesterday evening, Number Two Son was working out with the Rocket City Rowing Club (look for a future post about that little experiment) when he had his cell phone and wallet stolen.

They were in a friend’s car (in plain sight–lesson learned), and although the parking lot was only located a short distance away, the thieves waited until the team was rowing on the Tennessee River before quickly picking out the only vehicle without an alarm system and smashing the window. The driver also lost his phone, wallet and an iPod (Number Two had left his at home fortunately).

Number Two’s wallet contained his learner’s permit, a small amount of cash and his debit card.… Read the rest

Play On!

“I can keep myself involved in a good activity instead of keeping quiet, because if I sit alone and be quiet, I will think about my problem.”

— Victor Musa, captain of the Sierra Leone amputee soccer team.

One of my favorite moments in a soccer match occurs when a hard challenge is issued, followed by the resounding thud of a defender colliding with an attacker. In those milliseconds following, all eyes focus on the center ref who must decide in an instant if the tackle was fair or foul. My heart usually races a little when I hear the cry issuing forth above the fray–“Play on!”… Read the rest

March Madness Memories

I have my share of March Madness Memories, both good and bad.

Among the bad–last year, when I finished dead last in my own pool and looked on in agony as the fabulous Blue Devil duo of Redick and Williams ended their otherwise stellar careers on a down note to LSU.

But anytime your favorite team plays deep into the tourney or wins it all, it’s a good year; and needless to say, as someone who bleeds Blue Devil Blue, my good years far outweigh the bad. Of course, barring divine intervention, Duke will not go far this year (I have them making the Sweet 16 after eliminating perennial tournament underachiever Pitt, then falling to UCLA), and considering my poor track record in prognostication, I turn my attention this morning to some good March Madness memories from the past.… Read the rest

This is Neutrality?

swiss-guards.jpgSwitzerland, who has always fed us the line about how “oh, we don’t actually take sides,” finally showed their true colors (and they weren’t red and white) and stepped over the line, so to speak.

This is neutrality? Note to Swiss soldiers: Stand down; we’re on to you now. Just take off those ridiculous, multicolored baggy britches you guys call camo, toss us those Swiss Army knives and stack up your pikes in a big pile right over there.

When I heard the news, I immediately thought about my Swiss-based blogger friend Brady and hoped that he was keeping his head down and was okay.… Read the rest

Same Gospel? Part II

Whatever did we do prior to YouTube?

Here are some clips of Micah Armstrong during his recent mission trip to the University of Alabama as he riffs on the topics of:

By way of contrast, here’s a clip of N.T. Wright at Seattle Pacific University as he weaves a very different-sounding Christian narrative.

Like I said, two different men, two different tactics. It seems to me, though, that there’s a difference between being a “fool for Christ” and being a clown. No wonder everyone’s so confused these days.

… Read the rest

The Highway of Life

speeding.jpgFor the most part, I drive the speed limit. Okay, okay within 5 mph of the speed limit anyway. I was thrilled when the speed limit on Alabama interstate highways was raised to 70 mph a few years back because I had always found that pace to be a comfortable cruising speed. Add to that the 5 mph cushion that most cops will allow as a margin of error, and I never really felt the need to go much faster, especially with young drivers and drivers-to-be scrutinizing my every move from the backseat.

But yesterday while driving back from Orange Beach, it was brought home to me anew just how slowly I drive compared to my peers.… Read the rest

One Tulsa Too Many

Tulsa Union High School proved to be one Tulsa too many for the Grissom Tigers. We lost a body-bruising 2-1 tussle in the final of the Island Cup Invitational tonight. Union, ranked #1 in the state of Oklahoma, was by far the best squad that we’ve played this year. It took us a while to adjust to a team that was just as quick or even quicker to the ball than we were, and in the beginning they were winning most of the 50-50 balls and pinning our defense on their heels with their aggressive, pressing attack.

But by midway through the first half, we had found our legs and launched a few dangerous forays of our own.… Read the rest

One Tulsa Team Down, One to Go

We came away with a hard fought 2-1 victory over Tulsa Memorial High School today in the semifinals of the Island Cup. Like the quarterfinal, we struck early with two quick goals, one of them a work of art–a header off a 40-yard feed from our defensive midfielder. We had several other close chances, and Memorial caught our defense napping with a second half goal which gave them their second wind. But we held fast, and now we face our second Oklahoma team of the day, Tulsa Union, in the final in a couple of hours.

One Tulsa team down, one to go.… Read the rest