March Madness Thoughts
I haven't picked my bracket yet. But, I've identified about 25 teams who can make a run. The actual bracket is here
Final Four Possibilities:
Kansas, Syracuse, Duke, Kentucky, Ohio State, West Virginia, Georgetown, Kansas State, Villanova, Maryland
Elite Eight Possiblities:
Kansas, Syracuse, Duke, Kentucky, Ohio State, West Virginia, Georgetown, Kansas State, Villanova, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Marquette, Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas, New Mexico
Sweet Sixteen Possibilities:
Kansas, Syracuse, Duke, Kentucky, Ohio State, West Virginia, Georgetown, Kansas State, Villanova, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Marquette, Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas, New Mexico, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, Butler, Pittsburgh, Xavier, Cornell, Temple, BYU
What are your thoughts?
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The Madness Is Beginning
Every year, my dad and I fill out two brackets for March Madness. We enter some pool (I'm not even sure how we found it, and who the guy running it is. But, it's online, and that's good enough for us), and do two brackets.
Every year, we argue for hours about our brackets. We usually agree on the elite eight and final four, but the early round games are a nightmare. Will the 10 seed beat the 7 seed? What about that 5-12 game? The 8-9?
In our two brackets, we usually flip those games. In one bracket, we'll have the 7 seed beating the 10. In the other, the 10 is beating the 7. The problem with this, of course, is that they never match up. One bracket inevitably will have the wrong combination of upsets.
When one team that I or my father advocates for loses, the blame game is played heavily. Every time that team wins, we brag. It's a natural father son rivalry.
My father is an old-time basketball fan. He played in high school, and if not for an injury his senior year, could have played in college. He hates the new NBA, but still loves college. As a Syracuse grad, he's enjoying how good this team--and taking time to reminisce about the Cuse teams of old. Whenever he talks about old-time basketball, he gets a little glimmer in his eyes, and uses words of his youth--groovy, man. You don't expect your old man to use those words, but, I don't mind it. It's rare to get my dad to talk about basketball. He doesn't follow the NBA, and wishes Magic and Bird were going up against each other again. But, get him talking about the old days, about Keith Smart in '87, about the '74 'Cuse team, about the '70 Knicks team, about Walt "Clyde" Fraizer, and the glory days of Knicks basketball, and you can't get him to stop talking. And that's fine with me. Seeing that glimmer in his eyes, that look of admiration is more than worth it.
We're starting to think about this year's bracket. I'm not sure who we're picking to win. I'm leaning towards Kansas. He'll probably lean towards Syracuse. But, that part will be easy. We'll battle for hours over the 7-10 game, the 8-9 game, the 5-12, the 6-11.
We haven't won that pool yet. We've come close. But we've never won. I don't know if this is our year. We're usually in the running until very late, and then one thing will mess us up. Maybe this year will be different. Maybe we'll make all the right calls, and win it all. Or maybe we'll flame out early. I don't know. What I do know is that the madness is beginning. And that means we'll be discussing basketball for hours. In my mind, there's nothing better.
Chelios Back In NHL
Chris Chelios is 48. He's also an NHL player. Chelios was called up today by the Atlanta Thrashers. He had been playing in the AHL, where he posted a 5-17-22 line.
Chelios is probably a Hall of Famer. But, the Thrashers are in a fight to make the playoffs. This just seems like a sideshow. I don't know much Chelios will help. I feel like if the Thrashers were safely in the playoffs, or safely out of it, this would be a better move. I know Chelios wants to play until he's 50. But, this is a huge risk for the Thrashers. Huge risk. If they don't make the playoffs, if they fall flat on their face, then this will be looked upon like a PR stunt. Which it may be. But, if it costs them a playoff spot, it's not worth it.
It’s Baseball Season
I love baseball. I love the pace, the strategy. But, I don't get involved--fully--until hockey season is over. I've been spoiled the past couple of years, because the Rangers have been in the playoffs. They've had some intense series. Even when they've been eliminated, I'm still watching. Combine that with the NBA playoffs, and baseball takes a back seat.
This season feels different. The Rangers aren't that good. They may make the playoffs, but even if they do, they aren't going to go very far. I haven't been invested at all in the NBA this year. I'll watch the conference finals and league finals, but other than that, the NBA hasn't really been on my radar.
So, as I deal with the reality that is the Rangers, my mind wanders towards baseball. A couple months earlier. Which is great. In my spare time, I start thinking about Yankee lineups. Matchups. Yankee competitors. How will the bullpen be constructed? What should the lineup be?
Normally, this mental exercise happens this time of year, but it's never at this depth. I think about it, of course. I'm a Yankee fan. But, it's more casual. My mind is more focused on Ranger line combinations. And while I still think about that, my mind is shifting towards baseball. It's a nice change.
The weather here in New York is starting to get nicer, the snow is melting, the sun is shining. You turn on the TV and there's spring training baseball. You turn on the radio and there's baseball. It's here. In a few weeks, it will all start for real. Until then, we can enjoy thinking about baseball, dreaming about it. It's here.
My Friend Is Gonna Be A Star
My friend Max is an unbelievable musician. He's a star in his making. He had a show tonight, and he absolutely killed it. Absolutely killed it. His YouTube page is here. His MySpace page is here.
Here are some videos from tonight. Not the greatest quality, but you get the picture. Enjoy
Hey Democrats! Speak Up!
It's funny: Talk to an average voter, and they'd probably say the Democrats are incompetent. And they are, in one area: Getting their message out. Since Obama took office, here's what the Democrats have done:
-Saved The Economy
-Passed Hate Crimes Legislation
-Expanded children's health care programs
-Enacted the LARGEST middle class tax cut in history
-Set strict new emissions standards
-Are so close to passing health care reform
-Helped unemployed Americans retain COBRA insurance
-Protected nearly two million acres of national forests
And so much more. (Thanks to Bob Cesca for the list of what the Dems have done.)
Problem is, no one knows! Because, for whatever reason, the Democrats have decided to be modest. The Republicans, meanwhile, have taken up the silence. Yelling everything possible, the Republicans own the debate. No one knows what the Democrats have done, because the Democrats haven't said anything.
A huge part of politics is getting the message out. And nowadays, it's very simple. Mass emails. TV ads. Twitter. Facebook. It's not that hard. It's so important to not be modest in politics. It's so important to boast about what you've done. Because if you don't, the opposition fills the silence.
So, Democrats, don't be afraid to speak up! You've had some amazing accomplishments. It'd be nice if people knew about it.
NHL Should Keep Players In Olympics
As you all know, I'm pretty much addicted to the Olympics. It's bad. I'm even more addicted to Olympic hockey. Whether it's the USA, or just any game, I'm a devoted watched. (If you've noticed, most of my tweets are of the Olympic hockey variety.
But, sadly, there's been some talk of the NHL not allowing players to compete for their country in the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. This is a horrible decision, if it happens. First, the quality of hockey would suffer. NHL players are the best in the world, and having college players, junior players, and others play is just not the same product. The quality of hockey this Olympics has been awesome.
Second, this is the biggest stage for the NHL. The NHL is not that popular, compared to baseball and football. But, for two weeks, everyone is a hockey fan--especially when USA is doing well. To lose that exposure would be a mistake.
Third, no one would watch the NHL during that time. Everyone watches Olympics anyway. You're losing viewers.
Olympic hockey has been awesome, and it's due to all the NHL players. If the NHL does this, it will be making a huge mistake. Don't do it, NHL.
Framing The Debate
Changing over to politics, for a little bit. I've been struck about how Democrats are dealing with Republicans. Look, I'm all for bipartisanship. I think conservatives have some great ideas. Problem is, Republicans don't want to engage. Democrats call them hypocrites--rightly so--but then invite them to the table for discussions.
If Democrats want to do anything, the best thing to do is to ignore the Republicans. Liberal shows like Keith Olbermann's spent almost all of their time on Republicans. By doing this, the Republicans win.
Instead, ignore the Republicans. They aren't going to offer anything policy-wise, so go about it your own way. You're not losing anything. You're putting the focus on you, the Democrats, the solution party, the party that cares. You're the good guys.
And, about the filibuster, make the Republicans filibuster. Who cares if they "intend" to filibuster? Make them! Make Jim Demint read the phone book, the Bible whatever. You can only filibuster for so long. Civil rights legislation was filibustered. Make them stand up there. Make them make a fool out of themselves. It'll be worth it.
I know this rant is kind of unorganized, so forgive me. The central thesis is this: Spend less time pointing out the pitfalls of the Republicans, and more time pointing out the successes of the Democrats. Frame the debate in your favor. Frame it so Americans are focused on you, not the antics of the Republicans. The Republicans are winning because the focus is on them. Ignore them, and put the focus on you.
Cross Country Skiing
I went Cross Country Skiing today. For the first time in my life. Inspired by the Olympics, I thought I should try it. Let me tell you--it was much harder than it looks.
We went on the beginner track, which is pretty flat the whole way, except for one little gully. Without any instruction, I didn't have a grasp of the techniques. I just kind of went with what felt right.
Besides my harrowing experience going down that little gully--where I fell twice, and then just walked down it--I loved it. The views were tremendous (like this one below)
And it was peaceful. Barely any one was out there. It was pleasant. By the end, I started to get the hang out, and on the last hundred feet or so, I was really motoring. I'm going to do it again. But, maybe, with some instruction first.
Tiger Apologizes
In the litany of recent apologies, there is one that reigns supreme: Kobe Bryant. After he was accused of rape, he had his wife next to him, and apologized for cheating. In fact, after Kobe gave his wife a 4 million dollar ring, his wife stayed with him. Now, Kobe Bryant is one of the most popular athletes.
There's Alex Rodriguez, who, after his tearful apology, got back on track with Yankee fans and won a World Series. Now, A-Rod is back where he started--hated by baseball, loved by Yankee fans.
There's Roger Clemens, who, instead of apologizing for steroid use, became defiant, and sued his former trainer for defamation. Now, Roger Clemens is on the outside of the sports world looking in, an outcast, forgotten.
And, then there's Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods apologized today for his recent behavior that landed him in sex rehab. Reading Tiger Woods' apology, one would think that he nailed it. You'd think you could forgive him. After he says stuff like this, you want to forgive him:
I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have to go far to find them.
I was wrong. I was foolish. I don't get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me.
You read that and say, "Maybe Tiger gets it". You read that and think, "He'll get back on track". Alas, apologies are not read. They are spoken. His orchestrated setting looked orchestrated. The awkward camera angles. The long pauses. Tiger didn't look human. He looked like a robot.
On paper, it was an apology, and a good one. On screen, however, it looked like a White House briefing. All business. When someone apologizes, you want to see emotion. You want to know they did something wrong. You tend to forget about the words. You focus on facial expression. In this case, there was none. He looked like he was a 10 year old boy, too nervous to speak in front of a crowd. You focus on hand gestures. Maybe he's animated. He wasn't. His hands were silent.
Maybe we're being too critical of Tiger. Maybe he was nervous. Maybe he was terrified. Still, the public, the sponsors, they don't care if you're nervous. They want you to cry. They want you to look human. They want you to say, "World, I'm sorry," wipe a single tear off your face, and answer questions from the media. They don't want you to speak in front of friends and family. They want you to speak to the public. They want you to look human.
There was one human moment, one that got lost amidst the post-speech analysis. After the speech, Tiger went straight to his mother, like a little boy looking for comfort after admitting his wrong, and going to the one person that will always love him. Sadly, for Tiger, the cameras didn't focus on that for long. They went right to analysis.
You see, Tiger is human. We just didn't get to see it. In an orchestrated news conference, he looked orchestrated. We wanted to see him deviate off script. A direct appeal to Elin. A direct appeal to his kids. A direct appeal to his fans. Maybe he should have had his kids there. We wanted to see him use hand gestures. We wanted to see him on the golf course.
Maybe it was the blue background that caught us off guard. We're used to seeing him in a sea of green. Maybe it was the lack of drama. Tiger is always right behind the leader, striking late and winning. This time, there is no winner, only a loser, and we knew that.
There are apologies that work, and apologies that don't. Some apologies propel an athlete back to where he belonged. Some apologies do nothing. Some apologies hurt an athlete more than the original act. This apology, however fake it may have been, might have hurt Tiger. We don't know when he will golf again. All we know is the same as what we started: Tiger is a robot. Now, we know he's one off the course too.
