Saturday, April 18, 2009

Catching up

It's been awhile...so I thought I should jump out here and punch out some updates on the world of sports - as seen through the eyes of yours truly.

Full Disclosure - I'm writing this while listening to UFO's Strangers in The Night. Playing via Rhapsody's Music site. A great chance for the
Pesch Family to preview tunes before purchasing. Relatively inexpensive and quite the handy application for a guy who's brain is creating "Mix Tapes" in his head as he types.

Or, as is the case today, it provides the chance to listen to stuff in the
Pesch collection when I'm too lazy to stroll across the room and dig out the CD. In some cases, I have the exact disc in my collection. In others, as is the case with this UFO disc, I own the original release on vinyl.

Anyway - What a great album. This Caroline Records version includes two extra tracks not found on the vinyl. (Check out the Rock of Ages Blog for some interesting reviews on classic and current releases from the genre.)

I'm not one to download much music. I love liner notes and album artwork, and I'm really not too keen on the idea that my music collection could be wiped out by a lost MP3 player or a hard disk crash. I haven't added that terabyte network backup unit to the household yet, although I'm sure it's coming. Things are getting better now that things are moving toward DRM-free, but right now, those
CDs stored in their jewel cases are wonderful backups in my book.

Like newspapers, I'll miss them when they're gone.

Anyway. Now that the mood is set, on to sports.

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I've got to say I never thought I'd see Antoine "The Judge"
Joubert's finals record of 47 points in a state final game topped. Or, as Steve Finamore wrote on his blog, "overruled". Also, never though that I'd see his nickname changed to "Antoine Who".

Congratulations to Keith Appling on one fantastic game. And to Joubert, who's coaching Oakland Community College's basketball team. Izzo lands another one...

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Track 3 - Let It Roll - I love this band!

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Wishing for speedy recoveries to two of my favorite people. First - my heartfelt condolences go out to Walter Michael who not only broke his hip, but who also saw his incredible streak of trips to the basketball state finals come to an end. A member of The Greatest Generation, Walter has been going to the the finals since 1946. Thank heavens he's alright, and that FSNDetroit carried the games - allowing him to watch. Walter vows to be back in Breslin in 2010. Let's raise a glass to toast him!

Second - I see heart surgery has put Homer's Scott Salow on the sidelines for the season. I had the chance to "chat" with Scott (via e-mail) in the aftermath of Homer national record 75 consecutive baseball wins streak. A great individual . Testing revealed the need for bypass surgery at age 39.

"I blame it on my genes," said
Salow in the Jackson Citizen Patriot earlier this week.

I wish him the best and look forward to seeing him again in the dugout.
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Track 10 - Doctor Doctor...
Michael Schenker is "Something Else"!
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It's baseball season, and that means I get to watch my oldest son battle it out on the baseball diamond for my alma mater this year. Jamie's playing for Muskegon High School's JV squad and having a grand time. Win or lose, I love interscholastic athletics! Gives the "old man" the chance to dig through the archives and visit some long-buried documents unearthed in the early days of my research career. Did you know Muskegon established the original longest win streak in baseball? Or that it was topped by the team that ended Muskegon's run of 55 straight?
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Caught the West Michigan Whitecaps' home opener this year. My kids learned that baseball in April can be a cold affair.

And no, we didn't attempt to devour a 5/3 burger.

I'm awfully glad that the 16-year-old that claimed the honor of eating the first one doesn't live at my place. I couldn't afford to feed him.

One cast-iron stomach stood out among the rest. Steve Landis, 16, of Walker, refused to break concentration amid his pursuit of glory. He continued to cram a fistful into his face during the singing of the national anthem.

As the Kenowa Hills High School student neared the end, he ferociously forked up toppings to become the first Fifth Third Burger challenge winner.

"I wasn't quite sure. Should I be proud of him or not?" said his mom, 43-year-old Barb Landis.

His father, 45-year-old Dick Landis, insisted an empty stomach wasn't the key to his success. He said his son warmed up by eating a hearty breakfast and following that up with a trip to a Chinese buffet for lunch.

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What a crime that Melvindale ABT was stripped of the Class C title. First time in MHSAA history that a title has been taken away - although some claim there should have been others. I feel bad for Michael Talley - both of them - and I wonder why the issue of eligibility wasn't uncovered sooner.

Did Lofton Greene have to deal with such challenges during the heyday of River Rouge? The controversy then was related to student counts and Rouge's constant presence in Class B.

I guess it's the price of today's world of charter schools and the school of choice option.

It's said that the logic behind this premise is that competition between schools for a student's dollars would enhance/improve the level of education being provided. Looking at the devastation that it's had on some districts, I question that. In many cases, it has created an opportunity for segregation to thrive. I thought that's what the aftermath of 1954's Brown vs. the Board of Education was supposed to fix.
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Track 14 - Too Hot to Handle...appropriate...

That's all I've got for the moment. Time for some breakfast!

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