$20 More in My Joey Votto Jersey Fund!

I haven't posted for a few days, so catching up today. The Reds beat the Astros last Saturday 12-9, and Joey Votto was 4 for 4 with 2 RBI and 3 runs.

Last night the Reds beat the Detroit Tigers 6-5 on a bottom of the 10 inning safety squeeze perfectly executed by Wilson Valdez and Miguel Cairo. I was at the game with my wife Tammy, and sat in the Diamond seats at Great American Ball Park, 4th row behind home plate. What a great vantage point to have to witness a game-winning suicide squeeze!

Joey Votto hit a 3-run home run to dead center in the bottom of the 3rd, 1 run and 3 RBI in the game.

A Deeper Love for the Premier League!

My wife Tammy, son Michael and I visited Paris and London in early April.

We had a chance to see 2 Premier League Matches while we were there, and as it turns out, some teams and individuals who have had historic seasons.

We saw Arsenal beat Manchester City, the eventual Premier League Champions, 1-0 at Emirates Stadium. Classic match, with the hated Mario Balotelli getting sent off for Man City

We also saw Fulham draw Chelsea (playing for the UEFA Champions League title this Saturday) 1-1 at Craven Cottage, with American Clint Dempsey (having arguably the best season ever for an American playing in Europe) getting the goal for Fulham to even up the match.

I have been a fan of the Premier League. I enjoy being able to watch matches live on Winter weekend mornings here in Cincinnati. The battle for the league title, Champions League spots and of course the battle not to be relegated is intriguing.

But the experience of going to actual matches in England was the best!

This Sunday was the final day of the season, with all 10 matches kicking off at the same time, so no team had a tactical advantage.  Chris Ryan, writing on Grantland.com captured the essence of the day in this article posted today:

The Reducer, Week 37: Today Is Gonna Be the Day

Manchester City wins the Premier League title in the most dramatic fashion possible

So with the opportunity to experience matches live, and a great ending to the season this past Sunday, I now have a deeper love for the Premier League.

I just need to decide who to throw my support behind-thinking Fulham.

Can't wait for next season to get started!

The Emirates

Michael, Tammy and Me at The Emirates

Craven Cottage

Me, Tammy and Michael, Craven Cottage

Bad Decisions...Reds Win 9-6

Have I mentioned that Joey Votto is my favorite ball player?

Here's his line from today's ball game against the Washington Nationals:

5 AB's, 4 Runs, 4 Hits, 6 RBI, 3 Home Runs and 1 Double

And of course a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to win it!



I was there...kinda.

I bought Fox Sports Ohio Club Seats for Mother's Day and took my wife Tammy and son Michael to the game. Got a Jay Bruce cereal bowl at the gate!

But it rained, and rained-the game was supposed to start at 1:10, and by 4:00pm it still hadn't started so...(sigh) we decided to go home. The game started at 4:45...we just couldn't hold out any longer.

And I missed one of the best games of the year, and one of Joey Votto's greatest games ever.

At least I get to put $10 more dollars in my Joey Votto jersey fund.

I swear, I will never leave a Reds game early again...

The ACC Accepts Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the Conference...What Should the Big Ten Do?

The news broke over the weekend and became official this morning that Syracuse University and the University of Pittsburgh were leaving the Big East and joining the Atlantic Coast Conference:

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6988468/acc-accepts-pittsburgh-panthers-syracuse-orange-14-team-league

It's inevitable that more dominoes are going to fall. As an example (although it isn't official yet) Texas A&M looks to be joining the Southeast Conference.

As a Purdue graduate, and an Ohio resident with a wife (Tammy) and daughter (Mallory) who both graduated from Ohio State, I am a huge Big Ten fan. My allegiances are with Ohio State and Purdue football, Purdue basketball and I root against anyone playing a Big Ten school, with the exception of Michigan. (can't root for the school up North)

The Big Ten currently has twelve members with the recent addition of Nebraska. With today's news, what should the Big Ten do?

They can stand pat. Twelve schools, two six-team conferences in football.

I believe they should add two additional members. That would make two, seven-team conferences for football.

Of primary concern to the Big Ten would be additional markets for the Big Ten Network. As a fan, I have some opinions about schools who would make sense from a competition perspective. Note, I can't speak to women's sports or the collegiate "Olympic" sports teams, so my opinions are really related to 1) football and 2) basketball.

Viable Candidates? I would have loved to see Pittsburgh (natural rivalry with Penn State), and maybe Syracuse added, but with both out of the picture, here is a my list of candidates to join:

Cincinnati
Iowa State
Kansas

Kansas State

Louisville
Missouri
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Rutgers
Texas
West Virginia

Who would I like to see? With all due respect to the schools on this list, I would like to see Missouri added as my first choice. It brings big markets in St. Louis and Kansas City to the Big Ten Network, and adds a natural rivalry with Illinois.

My second choice? A close call between Notre Dame (adds another nationally followed school) and West Virginia (makes a lot of sense geographically).

Texas is intriguing, but too far away. If the Big Ten said "let's go with sixteen", I'd want Oklahoma to reinvigorate the legendary Oklahoma/Nebraska rivalry.

After a little thought, I would settle for this (if the Big Ten asked for my opinion); add Missouri and Notre Dame if they are happy with a fourteen-team conference. If they choose to go sixteen, bring West Virginia and Oklahoma into the fold.

What will they do? I would predict the addition of Missouri and Notre Dame.

What do you think? Pick the schools you would like to see join the Big Ten in the poll on the right side of my blog.

Lose Weight, Have Better Sex? My Weekly Weight Watchers Update, 9/14/11

I am psyched today.

Not so much because of my weigh-in. I currently weigh 244.8 pounds, an increase of .8 pounds from last week. I am down a total of 40.2 pounds. I seem to have plateaued a bit. But I'm sticking with the plan so I know it will work and am keeping the big picture in mind.

Here's why I'm psyched. Apparently as I lose weight I am going to have more and better sex!

There must be some science behind it. I really don't care if there is as I'm running with it! There are six reasons why this is true:

1) I'll be more sexually confident!

2) My wife might suddenly want more sex!

3) I'll keep blood flowing where it counts!

4) Sessions will last longer!

5) I'll have a higher sex drive!

6) I'll ensure future pleasure!

Here's the article that backs me up on this:

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=95241

So while you enjoy the article, I'm gonna go find my wife. TAMMY? WHERE ARE YOU?

New foursquare Badge, The ESPN Foam Finger Badge!

I'm on a bit of a hot streak. Yesterday I unlocked the Man v. Food Nation Badge, today I unlocked the ESPN Foam Finger Badge.

I have looked at several blogs to try to figure out how I actually earned the badge. I know when I earned it. My wife Tammy and I went to the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies Baseball game tonight at Great American Ball Park. When I checked in on fourquare, I got the badge.

To get the badge I know you have to be following ESPN on foursquare.

The game tonight was nationally televised on ESPN. As best as I can figure if you check-in to a venue that ESPN has left a tip for (and they have left a tip for Great American Ball Park) you earn the badge. I think...Or it may have something to do with the fact that an ESPN event (Monday Night Baseball) was going on there.

ESPN Foam Finger Badge

ESPN Foam Finger

Your voice is raspy. Your legs are sore. Your team couldn’t do it without you. High five, you’re a true sports fan.

Unlocked by jiresell on Mon Aug 29, 2011 at 6:49 PM at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH.

 Philadelphia Phillies vs. Cincinnati Reds

Dropped Below 250 Pounds This Week! Weight Watchers, Tracking My Progress Update 8/9/11

I reached a big milestone this week. I dropped below 250 pounds! Woot!

I weighed in today at 247.2 pounds. I lost 3.2 pounds this week and have now lost 37.8 pounds since I started the program 19 weeks ago. I also exercised 5 of 7 days this past week, walking a total of 12.1 miles.

I really thought it wouldn't happen this week. I have stayed committed to the program for the whole 19 weeks and can honestly say I have not cheated myself. I have counted all of the points for the food I have eaten and not gone above my daily or weekly allotment.

I have also been diligent about tracking my exercise points.

But this past Saturday, while I was in Pittsburgh visiting my Dad and helping my daughter Mallory move in to her new place I fell of the wagon. Not completely, but it was about 4:30pm and I was starving. I was staying at my brother Tim's house and we broke out Tostitos and salsa.

Veteran Weight Watcher's members know that salsa is free, but the Tostitos...well let's just say I over indulged. After that we went to a very cool restaurant called the Double Wide Grill. I didn't completely overdo it there, but I did have Reuben egg rolls and fritters, which aren't exactly Weight Watchers friendly (lots of points!).

Tim and I ended up going to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes after dinner. No snacks there, but after the movie I was in the mood for ice cream. I ended up getting a non-fat frozen vanilla yogurt at a place called Razzy Fresh, which would have been OK, except that I decided to throw some mix-ins in. Jimmy's, brownie bites, etc.

Bottom line is that I didn't count the points on any of the stuff I ate Saturday afternoon/evening. But I will give myself credit. On Sunday I got right back on the program. Temptation is a bitch sometimes.

So one day of cheating after 133 days on the program. Am I disappointed in myself? Yes. But it did motivate me to keep going.

Yesterday my wife Tammy decided I needed to get some new clothes-as I am swimming in my work pants and some of my shirts are looking really baggy. Since I'm still a long way from my goal, we decided to go to Kohl's. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on clothes that might not fit me in 6 weeks, but it was nice to go into the men's department and find pants and shirts that weren't the largest sizes Kohl's offers. More motivation. Bought two pairs of pants and two dress shirts.

I'm now back on the program and ready to keep going!

Brandon Phillips! Winner, Winner Cardinals Dinner! Reds Win! 7/15/11

What a way for the Reds to start their post All-Star break run to the National League Central Division Title! Brandon Phillips hits a two-run, walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the St. Louis Cardinals!

Brandon Phillips Greeted at Home! (Associated Press)

My wife Tammy and I went to the game at Great American Ball Park tonight. We were both there for the brawl between the Cardinals and Reds last year. Tonight's game was an emotional roller-coaster for me, but boy was it nice to see Brandon Phillips stick it to the Cardinals tonight!

One game at a time. Let's go Reds!

Remember Reds' fans, keep those (Pete) Rose-colored glasses on!

Best Kind of Lake House? A Friend's Lake House!

View of Beth and Jon's Lake House From Their Dock

 One of my wife Tammy and my motto's over the years has been:

"The best kind of lake house? A friend's lake house!"

You can insert boat, beach condo, time-share into the sentence above.

In all seriousness, we have been very fortunate to have some great friends, Beth and Jon McIntyre (see my post "A Great Weekend" from November 2010), who have invited us to their lake house every summer for the past 25 years plus.

My wife Tammy, daughter Mallory and her friend Katie just got back from spending the weekend with Beth, Jon, two of their kids, Duncan and Annie and Jon's Mother Nancy at their lake house on Crooked Lake in Angola, Indiana. Beth and Jon were great hosts, cooking dinner every night, providing the beer, Crown Royal and Maker's Mark and generally just showing us a wonderful time.

View From Back of Cottage to the Lake

We really don't get together enough anymore with the McIntyre's. We are all in our mid to late 40's now, with kids who have graduated college, or are in college, high school or living out their dreams in New York City. We live too far apart from one-another (The McIntyre's in Connecticut, us in Cincinnati, Ohio) so when we do get together it's fun to relive old stories, challenge each other with movie quotes, eat, drink and just talk about where we are in our lives.

This Fall, we are both celebrating our 25th wedding anniversaries, and while we were together we made plans to celebrate this October in Charleston, South Carolina.

So thank you Beth and Jon for a great weekend, and see you in Charleston this Fall!

Father's Day

At this time last Sunday I wondered if Father's Day today might not be a reason to celebrate.

My Dad (He has involuntarily contributed to my blog from time to time.) fell during my daughter's graduation from Ohio State last Sunday. As a result of the fall, he required surgery on his neck (Waiting...). The great news is that he is doing well and will fully recover.

I credit both my Dad's perserverance and the wonderful care he is getting from the Ohio State University Medical Center for my optimism and for his long term prognosis.

I knew Dad would be OK when at one point this week the nurses asked him if he knew where he was. His answer? Ann Arbor! (Dad is a Michigan grad.)

So I can celebrate Father's Day. Dad will be OK. My daughter Mallory is attending her first National Athletic Trainers' Association Meeting as a certified Athletic Trainer fresh out of Ohio State. My son Brian has moved to New York City, has a job and is close to finding a permanent place to reside there. And my youngest son Michael has just finished his junior year in high school.

Everyone is happy!

Oh, not to mention my wife Tammy and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in 3 1/2 months.

Get Well Fast Dad!

Book Review-A Confederacy of Dunces (1980) by John Kennedy Toole

I had not heard of the book A Confederacy of Dunces, written by John Kennedy Toole, until I visited New Orleans this past February. I was sitting in the lobby bar at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside with my wife Tammy and sister-in Cindy having a drink while we waited for my brother Tim to finish up with his business meeting at a convention he was attending. We had just finished exploring the French Quarter, and were talking about how great a place New Orleans was, with it's eclectic culture, and it's history, both glamorous and sordid. I mentioned that I would love to find the definitive book on New Orleans, when a gentleman sitting near us piped up that if I wanted to read a book that captured the essence of New Orleans, it was A Confederacy of Dunces.

My sister-in-law Cindy had also known of the book, so the next day when we visited Faulkner House Books in the French Quarter she purchased it for me.

This satirical novel is centered around the character Ignatius J. Reilly, an overweight, slovenly, well-educated 30 year old idealist who still lives with his mother in New Orleans. Ignatius believes that he can change society for the better, but his methods and beliefs just don't mesh with the times or the people he tries to influence.

The author, John Kennedy Toole does a brilliant job weaving multiple characters and subplots into the novel, all of which are funny and even border on the absurd. And that is the beauty of this book, as Mr. Toole is able to connect all of the subplots back to Ignatius as the book reaches it's climax.

To be clear, this book is not a lesson in New Orleans history, but rather a fictionalized look at a group of distinctly southern characters at a point in time in the early 1960's. John Kennedy Toole's ability to accurately capture the dialect of the region in the book's dialogs along with his ability to accurately describe the neighborhoods, bars and businesses in New Orleans (with emphasis on the French Quarter) as the backdrop is what makes this novel a success in capturing the essence of New Orleans.

Ultimately what makes this book so good is it is very, very funny!

Interesting side note. John Kennedy Toole committed suicide in 1969 at the age of 31. He had tried to get the novel published but was unsuccessful. Eleven years later, his Mother brought the unpublished manuscript to the attention of novelist Walker Percy who helped to get it published. The novel and Mr. Toole won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1981.


A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great book, here's my review: http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/05/boo...

View all my reviews

My Friend Tim

My friend Tim was married to my wife's sister, Amy.

My friend Tim loved his family.

My friend Tim would do anything for you, and help whenever you needed it. He would never ask for anything in return.

My friend Tim and his wife Amy were with us when my wife's water broke in a restaurant in Valparaiso, Indiana. We needed to take his brand new car to the hospital. Luckily he had towels in the trunk so we wouldn't ruin his new leather seats. Michael, our youngest was born the next day.

My friend Tim would miss a short putt, and mutter under his breath over and over "f**kin' idiot". You couldn't help but laugh. Think about the movie Boogie Nights when Philip Seymour Hoffman's character, Scotty J. tries to kiss Mark Wahlberg's character, Dirk Diggler in the driveway-and is rebuffed-you get the picture...

My friend Tim was very proud the day his son Andrew was born.

My friend Tim was so happy when his wife Amy announced she was pregnant with their second child, Emma.

My friend Tim gave me a Steelers cap when our family moved to Pittsburgh. My wife Tammy would tell you I don't have the best shaped head for caps, so I kept it in my office on a shelf. That summer Tim and his family came to visit, and when I saw the cap I thought "Tim would really like this!" When I gave it to him he thanked me, and then my wife Tammy piped up, "Geez Jim, you're an idiot, Tim gave that cap to you last Winter!" Typical of Tim, we had a great laugh over that re-gifting incident.

My friend Tim loved the Cincinnati Bengals.

My friend Tim worked his way from the age of 16 as a stock/warehouse man at Grainger to a Branch Manager. He had a great 27 year career there.

My friend Tim preferred "sprinkle cheese" on his hot dogs rather than liquid cheese.

My friend Tim and I vacationed together with our families several times in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We were fortunate that our wives would let us go golfing in the mornings, while they took care of the kids. After one of our rounds of golf we decided to stop by a nondescript hot dog stand at the side of the road for lunch. We each ordered a footlong chili cheese dog and a Diet Coke. (It was liquid cheese, by the way.) We decided that we would sit at the old picnic table outside of the stand, both of us facing the road. Not realizing the picnic table wasn't designed for two, 240 pound men to sit on one side of the table, we toppled over, but still had the foresight to grab our footlongs and drinks...and didn't spill a drop. But neither of us wanted to put our food on the ground, so we just layed there like turtles on our backs!

We buried my friend Tim this past Thursday after his untimely death on Sunday, May 15th, 2011.

I will miss my friend Tim.

Dedicated to the memory of Tim Quinlisk. With love to his wife Amy, his son Andrew and his daughter Emma.

Mother's Day 2011!

Mallory, Brian, Tammy, Michael and Me at Pho Lang Thang

I know Mother's Day was last Sunday, but thought I would post this picture from that day. My three kids (Mallory, Brian and Michael) and I took Tammy, my wife (and yes, their Mother), to lunch at Pho Lang Thang, a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant located at Findlay Market in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Happy Mother's Day Bunny!

I Hate The Cardinals

I can't stand the Cardinals. After the Reds 6-5, bottom of the 10th inning walk-off (thanks Joey Votto) victory over them last night, my hatred has become crystal clear in my mind.

Living in Cincinnati, we are groomed to hate the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns. But it's hard to hate the Cincinnati Bengals' main rivals, as the Bengals are never competitive, and the Browns are never a factor. My Dad is from Western Pennsylvania  and I lived in the Pittsburgh area for two years (not to mention my two brothers live there, and my daughter Mallory will be going to grad school at Pitt in the Fall), so I actually kind of like the Steelers. Plus the Steelers are the model NFL franchise and always seem to be in the playoffs.

On the other hand it's easy to find reasons to hate the Reds' rivals. In the 70's, the Reds competed in the National League West, and the Dodgers were their main competition. I hated those guys. Steve Garvey was pompous, Ron Cey ran like a penguin (duh) and Davey Lopes was a pain in the ass on the baselines. Their fans had no commitment to their team, arriving for the games late and leaving early.

Spin forward to now. I remember not liking the Dodgers back in the 70's, but I can honestly say I hate the Cardinals today. I get pissed when they beat the Reds. Last summer, when the Cardinal came to Cincinnati and swept three games in early August (including winning the infamous brawl game) I was sick to my stomach. But my beloved Reds used that sweep as a catalyst for the rest of the season and played well enough to win the Central Division by 5 games.

Why are the Cardinals the target of my wrath?

- They are successful, one of the model franchises in the National League, with fans who are loyal, passionate and with outstanding baseball intelligence. I hate hearing that (although it's probably true).

- Since the National League Central Division was formed in 1994, the Cardinals have won it seven times, more than any other team.

-Albert Pujols. I started out liking him. But my wife Tammy hates him. She thinks he cheats. I have to go with her, as life in my house would be miserable if I don't agree.

-The Brawl. OK, Brandon Phillips stoked the fire prior to the infamous brawl last summer when he fired off this ditty prior to the series:

"I'd play against these guys with one leg," Phillips told Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News. "I hate the Cardinals. All they do is bitch and moan about everything, all of them, they're little bitches, all of 'em."

And of course the over sensitive Cardinals decided to take it personally. So when Phillips led off in the second game of the series and customarily touched Yadier Molina's shinguard with his bat (as he has done for years) the fight was on. Oh, by the way-the Reds kicked the Cardinals asses in that fight! (coverage: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100810&content_id=13276098&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb)

- They are managed by the "Great" Tony LaRussa. I have already commented on his gamesmanship in a previous post. Is there any manager more overrated than LaRussa? He has been managing for over thirty years, yet only has two World Series victories. He only has two National League Pennants in 15 plus years with the Cardinals. Hell, if I managed that long I could have walked into two pennants with the talent the Cardinals have had over the years. His biggest accomplishment is that he has built up wins over a long period of time. Congratulations on your longevity, Tony.

Tony LaRussa has conveniently turned his back to the PED (performance enhancing drugs) abuse that took place on his teams over the years, and presided over two of the most infamous teams (The Oakland A's and the Cardinals) in the PED era.

Dusty Baker and Tony LaRussa don't like each other (it goes back to the 2002 National League Championship series between the Baker Managed Giants and the LaRussa Managed Cardinals). This article from September 2010 provides a good history of their rivalry: http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/inside_the_tony_la_russa_dusty_baker_rivalry/3161081

But it's LaRussa's arrogance that really grates on me. Red's Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman summarizes my feelings the best. On Feb 7th, 2011 he made this comment at an event at Marshall University in West Virgina:

“I'm not a big St. Louis fan, because I'm not a big Tony LaRussa fan. I refer to him as ‘Mr. Baseball' on the radio, because he acts like he invented the game.”

If it's good enough for Marty and Dusty not to like LaRussa, it's good enough for me.

This afternoon I'm going to the Cardinals, Reds game at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. I would like nothing more than another Reds victory over the hated Cardinals. Too bad Tony LaRussa won't be there (taking some days off due to shingles) to enjoy the drubbing.

Movie Review-Bridesmaids (2011)

Kristen Wiig is a Star!

My wife Tammy and I just came home from seeing Bridesmaids. I was expecting a girl's version of The Hangover, and what I got was a very funny movie with a little bit of a love story thrown in.

Kristen Wiig plays Annie, who is the Maid of Honor for her best friend Lillian's (played by Maya Rudolph) upcoming wedding. Annie is broke and "down in the dumps" and is dealing with her own foibles (jealousy, lack of a substantive relationship, a bankrupt business...) throughout the movie. Throw in an odd and very funny group of women who make up the bridal party and you have a very entertaining flick.

Kristen Wiig has been great for years on Saturday Night Live. Her characters have been very fresh and creative. Her skills as a comedic actress translate in a wonderful way to the big screen in this movie. I feel like Ms. Wiig will use this movie as a springboard to a very good career in movies, in the same manner in which fellow Saturday Night Live alumnus Will Ferrell following his first starring roles in movies like Old School, Elf and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

I have to give a special mention to Melissa McCarthy as Megan. She is over the top funny in this movie!

If you're looking to start the summer with a great comedy, Bridesmaids is the one to see!

A Rain Drenched Draw, Columbus Crew 1, Seattle Sounders FC 1, 5/8/11

When are the Columbus Crew and it's fans going to get a break from the weather? I walked into the match at about 7pm last night, went to the Upper 90 Club to have a beer, and then the torrential downpour began.

So my wife Tammy and I started the match on the Upper 90 Club porch, then move to the Southeast corner of the stadium and huddled under an umbrella for the balance of the first half.

We saw Fredy Montero of Sounders FC split Chad Marshall and Julius James with a very good run, and flick a header into the net from off a very good service from Erik Friberg. 1-0 Sounders.

And we left at halftime...stopping for pizza at one of our favorite spots, Rubino's in Bexley, before heading back to Cincinnati.

The Crew have had bad weather for 4 out of their 5 home matches this year. Both the Crew and it's fans deserve better.

The Crew earned a draw last night after Chad Marshall was pulled down in the box in the second half, earning a PK that was converted by Emilio Renteria. This match was the Crew's 7th straight without a defeat.

Emilio Renteria Scores the Equalizer! (Jamie Sabau-Getty Images)

But back to the weather. The Crew are a good team. They deserve our support. After yesterday's MLS fixtures they now stand in second place in the Eastern conference. It's admittedly tough to stand in a downpour to watch them play, but their style is very attractive, with a rock solid defense. They need to score more goals out of the run of play, (4 of their 8 goals this year have come from the spot) but they will come.

The Crew's next home match is Saturday, May 28th versus Chivas USA. The weather will be great! (I hope) And I will never again leave a match at halftime.

Note: My man of the match for last night's game is Rich Balchan. His offensive runs out of the back and crosses into the box were very threatening and kept the Sounders FC on their toes all night.

Why Women Like Big Guys!

I'm trying to lose some weight so I decided to enroll in Weight Watchers a few weeks ago. I used the program several years ago with good success. Thinking I will randomly toss in my progress on this blog, could help me hold myself more accountable.

But enough about that.

I found this article on weightwatchers.com interesting/weird/helpful kind of. At the least it is pretty humorous for me. Wonder if my wife Tammy (married 24 years and counting) feels this way about me.

Here's the article:

Why Women Like Big Guys

Now for my take:

- You Make Her Feel Safe: Big guys scare off threats. Me? Last time I was in a fight was 5th grade and I sprained my wrist on the first punch.

- You're the "better man" she swore she'd date next time: Translation? Big guys are desperate, and will do anything to get a hot girl, or any girl for that matter.

- She'll assume you'll go the extra mile: Yeah, if we don't get too tired.

- She's not scrutinizing your looks as closely as you're scrutinizing hers: Studies show that physical attractiveness is not number 1 on women's priority list of what they want in a partner. Whew! Glad that's been cleared up.

- She may view you as a good provider: Love this one! Your extra pounds may subconsciously hint to a women, "I can't get to the gym because I'm too busy making money." YES!

- She can relax, without worrying that her scheming friend will nab you: This one is a real ego inflater! Bah, bah, bahhhhhhh....

- You may remind her of her Dad: Now I'm going to have this stuck in my head the next time I try to get lucky.

- She sees your potential: Yep, I've got a lot of upside. No one has a higher ceiling than me!

- You make her feel petite: Time to go shopping in the misses and teens section!

- You know how to live: Being overweight can connote a man is "enjoying fine food because he is enjoying life". That's right. Next time I'm watching TV with my Ruffles and HeluvaGood I will remind my wife of that.

 

Columbus Crew 1, Sporting KC 0 (4/16/11)

My wife Tammy, my youngest son Michael and my daughter Mallory joined me and 7,695 of my closest friends who braved the horrible weather last night to watch our Columbus Crew get a very good victory over Sporting KC, 1-0.

Check that. My wife and daughter sat in the Upper 90 club (no longer the best kept secret at Crew Stadium) and watched the match on TV, while my son Michael and I braved the elements and stood on the Upper 90 club's porch and watched. I drive from Cincinnati for every match, so if I'm going to make the effort to drive up, I'm going to stand in the crappy weather.

OK, I was standing under a canopy.

Robbie Rogers and Eddie Gaven Celebrating Robbie's Goal (http://www.thecrew.com/ Josh Couper/Skyler Schmitt)

This was the 4th straight shutout for the Crew's defense. Sporting KC entered the match as one of the highest scoring teams in the MLS. Once again, the Crew's central defense of Julius James and Chad Marshall led the way with solid goalkeeping from William Hesmer.

Coach Robert Warzycha started Emilio Renteria up top, with Eddie Gaven right underneath him rather than at his traditional outside midfield position. Dilly Duka went the full 90 minutes and earned an assist on Robbie Rogers' second half goal. I give coach Warzycha a lot of credit for conjuring up this inspired line-up. It definitely worked.

Man of the Match? Robbie Rogers, both for his goal and his outstanding midfield play. He continues to play well following his benching in the Crew's first match of the year. Coach Warzycha obviously knew how to light a fire under Robbie.

Book Review-The Devil's Dictionary (Originally Published 1911) by Ambrose Bierce, Illustrated by Ralph Steadman

Ambrose Bierce

Ambrose Bierce was a very interesting guy. Born in Ohio in 1842, Mr. Bierce fought in the Civil War, was a writer, a journalist and a social critic.

On a recent visit to New Orleans with my wife Tammy, my Brother Tim and my Sister-in-Law Cindy I discovered a great little bookstore called Faulkner House Books in Pirates Alley in the French Quarter.

A book immediately caught my eye as I entered the bookstore. Probably because I immediately recognized the cover illustration as the work of Ralph Steadman (probably best known for his illustrations in Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"). The Devil's Dictionary (this version being published in 2003) is a compilation of Ambrose Bierce's own definitions of particular English words, meant to lampoon the social and political norms of his day. He had published these definitions in various newspaper columns he had written, and they proved to be very popular at the time

The original edition of the book was published in 1911, two years before Ambrose Bierce decided, at the age of 71, to go to Mexico to observe the revolutionary war going on there. He was never seen again. I am going to have to find a biography of Mr. Bierce, as his life is the stuff of legend. In addition, the stories of his involvement with the powerful newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst would also be an interesting read.

The Devil's Dictionary is a short and very funny book. Many of the definitions in the book are as effective in lampooning society today as they were over 100 years ago. Ralph Steadman's illustrations enhance the book even further, putting an creative exclamation point on many of the entries in the book.

Some of my favorite entries:

Influence, n. In politics, a visionary quo given in exchange for a substantial quid.


Piano, n. A parlor utensil for subduing the impenitent visitor. It is operated by depressing the keys of the machine and the spirits of the audience.

Faulkner House Books' Sign, French Quarter, New Orleans

Saint, n. A dead sinner revised and edited. 


The Devil's Dictionary is one of those wonderful "finds" that makes exploring bookstores so very worthwhile.

The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I reviewed this on my blog Jiresell Thoughts on April 5th, 2011 http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/04/boo...

View all my reviews

Movie Review-The King's Speech (2010)

I have a special affinity for movies that have an historical context.

My wife Tammy and I saw The King's Speech this past Saturday night (1/29/11).

A few things attracted me to this movie. First the reviews have been outstanding. Second was the fact it was based on historical events surrounding England's King George VI sudden ascension to the throne following his brother Edward's abdication in 1936. Third was that is stars Colin Firth, who was brilliant in 2009's A Single Man.

The movie did not disappoint. I was very impressed with Geoffrey Rush in the role of Lionel Logue, the speech therapist who helped King George VI overcome a debilitating stammer. The interaction between Mr. Rush and Mr. Firth in their scenes together were both funny and emotional. David Seidler, who wrote the screenplay, delivered a wonderful story by weaving the intimate relationship between King George VI and Lionel Logue with the events leading up to World War II.

As Tammy and I left the theater, I mentioned how beautiful Helena Bonham Carter looked in the movie playing King George VI's wife Queen Elizabeth. I am used to seeing her in roles such as Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter series and Marla Singer in The Fight Club. This role seemed like a departure from the typical roles I have seen Ms. Carter take on, and she was outstanding.

The King's Speech is a very good movie. I'm not sure it is the best of the 2011 Oscar nominees, but just like Chariots of Fire (another well-written and acted movie based in England) in 1982, it may just win Best Picture in 2011.