Monday, March 06, 2006

The Wide World of Sports

For sports fans (such as myself), this is the week before the best three weeks in sports. March Madness officially kicks off with Selection Sunday on March 12. This weekend (beginning on Thursday), brings us several major conference men's tournaments. I have a personal interest in the ACC and Big 12 tournaments, but other conference tournaments will be just as entertaining as any. Like Osculator says, March Madness is one of the things that are not stupid (like Sprite and forest land).

In addition, I am intrigued by the World Baseball Classic, which got off to an international start this past weekend. The US team takes on South Africa (who knew they played baseball in South Africa?) Tuesday (that may not be a very competitive game). Some of the best ball players in the world get to face off for their home countries (well, except the several Italian team members who qualify to play for that team because they once ate shrimp fra diablo). As a baseball fan, I am pretty excited about it. I hope it lives up to its expectations.

In an unrelated note, I just want to let everyone know how much I missed the Monkey this past weekend, while she was in Atlanta. She says I never use any blog space to profess my undying love for her. Consider this a profession. (I somehow feel a bit like Tom Cruise, all of a sudden.)

Returning to sports, let me just end this entry with a sad note of disappointment in the Winter Olympics. I remember as a kid really looking forward to the Winter Olympics. Of course, the Miracle on Ice in 1980 was an amazing event. I remember watching Olympic hockey at my buddy Big Red Dog's house, while we drew pictures of battleships and fighter planes, and shot rubber bands at elaborate arrays of plastic toy soldiers (as many eleven-year-old boys do). I also, especially recall the finest Olympics broadcast I remember: the 1984 games in Sarajevo. Every time I think of the devastation that region endured in the 1990s, I think of the quaintly beautiful town that I remember, the snow falling in the night on the medieval Slavic streets. Ironically, much of that devastation was most likely perpetrated by men who, as young boys, drew pictures of battleships and fighter planes, and shot rubber bands at eleborate arrays of toy soldiers. Sure, I have romantic notions of what Sarajevo was. Notions that I am informed of only through twenty-year-old television images. However, my romantic notions are all I have. It's sad, really. At any rate, my point here is that overall, just about everything about the 2006 Turin games broadcast basically sucked. No details are necessary. If you disagree, let me know.

Tomorrow is, of course, Chicken Nugget Day. I couldn't be happier. They better not pull a fast one on me again this week. I just don't know what I'd do. I'd probably eat shitty pizza again, or a cardboard cheeseburger. But, I'd be pissed about it.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Reda, you sandwiched your Monkey love in between sports rants! Given your passion for sports, perhaps this is one of those highest of possible compliments type things. If not, what ails you?

Alas, as I have mostly stopped watching sports (for a variety of reasons) and have always found baseball to be the equivalent of watching paint dry and learning about the statistics of said paint drying, I can't comment too much on your WWS fervor. Other than: Have fun!

I liked reading, riding my bike, running around outside, and doing gymnastics when I was a kid. There was little playing with dolls (AKA plastic soldiers for boys) or accessories (rubber bands) for me. Though I did love Fashion Plates, perhaps an early influence on my development as a fashionista.

Apparently my car has a major leak somewhere in the cooling system, as it has overheated twice in as many days and I was unable to make it home from work last night without assistance. Now I have to find a mechanic - kind of a daunting task and one I will undertake with great love for my dear and wonderful car.

Wishing you chickn nuggets lovin today,

Anon AMVB

ATR said...

As far as your feelings about baseball, this proves to me that, though you seem to project the opposite, you truly have no appreciation for drama. Watching paint dry has no potential for entertainment; baseball, on the other hand, is a sport bursting with potential. One the next pitch, anything could happen. How dramatic is that? But, I'm not here to convert you.
In a related vein (not really), you really need to get your car looked at. Sounds like a) a radiator leak, b) a faulty water pump, or c) a poorly operating fan motor. I hope you can repair whatever it is with as little expense as possible.

Peace and "feeizh".

Anonymous said...

Perhaps we can agree to disagree about what is considered good drama then. I mean, anything could happen on American Idol too.

Thanks for the sympathy about my car. I neglected to mention that it is not operable and is parked at home while I'm here at work on a borrowed ride. I'm quite sure it's a leak somewhere in the cooling system, judging by what I saw under my car the other day. The Ac and I, we've been through it all together; I know we'll make it through it this time so we can celebrate her lucky birthday 13 in June.

But most importantly, did you hook up with some chickn nuggets lovin? How was it? Details, man, details!

Mxenyqoj!

Anon AMVB