Quote of the Day

Noah,
As you know by now, I am a baseball fan and I am an avid listener of sports radio. Colin Cowherd has a segment on ESPN radio that I frequent and its called "The Herd". He was talking today about how owners can be such great businessmen but fail as owners of sports teams. Point in case- Ted Turner, The Steinbrenners, Jerry Jones of the Cowboys, Bob Johnson of the Charlotte Bobcats....the list goes on and on. In today's economy, fans want value. So, with that said people arent going to pay $50 for a ticket to watch a team tank every night. So, I thought that this quote from Colin Cowherd was very poignant, yet true. You cant mix these two evils.

"There are two things that will corrupt rich ingenious businessmen, sports and women."
-Colin Cowherd, on his take on why so many sports teams cant make money

Quote of the Day

"...I'd take one bad weekend...look what he did against the Yankees. He only went 4 for 6 with a HR and two RBIs and batted .340. Who wouldnt want that? Heck, I'd take eight players that gave up one weekend for that."

Colin Cowherd, on his opinion of Manny Ramirez on ESPNRadio

Noah,
I finally found Ric Flair's entrance music and added it to your collection. He is my favorite wrestler of all time. And on that note here is todays quote from the Nature Boy himself.

"Im a limousine ridin, jet flyin', kiss stealin', wheelin' dealin' son of a gun!WOOO!"

A-Rod, A-Fraud

Noah,
It is on a somewhat dejected note that I sit down to compose this posting for today. There was once a time when I was a little boy that I looked up to professional athletes, but more so professional baseball players. I grew up admiring Ozzie Smith, who is one of the reasons I pull for the red birds to this day. But I also grew up admiring the likes of Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Ricky Henderson, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and the like. Only in America can grown men make millions of dollars playing a game that third graders fantacize about all week in class, waiting on pins and needles for Saturdays and the summer to arrive.

Many people saw Alex Rodriguez as the savior for America's pasttime. I see him only as a fraud. His public apology for use of banned substances not only tarnishes his reputation, but that of the Texas Rangers and baseball as a whole. On some level, it makes you question your whole belief system. I am sure at some point your mom will tell you that I am somewhat pessimistic, the glass half-empty guy. But on some level, at some point, I wanted to believe that baseball was the one true American surviving entity. It makes you question every player, every owner, every franchise, heck every World Series. Perhaps the whole thing is fixed and we are so caught up in the drama that we cannot help but watch. I will continue to watch, but as a fan I guess I must. If baseball already had several black eyes, it just got kicked in the nads.

Dad
"...I was young, I was stupid, I was naive...I was under great pressure to be the greatest of all time...."
-Alex Rodriguez, on HGH and Anabolic Steroid Use from 2001-03

Quote of the Day

Noah,
I am going to try to attempt to furnish you with a quote each day so that when you look back on this you may look back with admiration that I actually was persistent in doing something admirably.
Quote for today:
"Patriotism is standing by your country. It is not standing by your President."
-Theodore Roosevelt

In Color

Noah,

I was out at papaw charlie's and he was going through some pictures and it gave me a thought. Since I have added the song "In Color", I thought I would add some pictures of my past. The first picture is of Papaw Charlie's house in Pumpkin Center where they lived most of my adolescent life. Your uncle Jeremy and I spent many Friday nights there to give Mimi and Pop some needed relaxation. There are many stories I will tell such as the bees, the great danes, uncle jeremy and the azaleas, George the ram, the peach orchard and the Sears riding mower.

This is a picture of RF Harkey, Papaw Charlie's brother. Black and white pictures leave something to the imagination. I imagine that even though he has somewhat of a smile for the photographer, I know that in the pit of his stomach he was scared to death. Its ok to be scared of something. I would imagine his biggest fear was the fear of the unknown entering World War II. But even bigger was the fear of his mother, Mamaw Betty. But she took strength and solace knowing he was doing what was right. The sheer determination to outlive three of her children is testimony enough. Truly Noah, a picture is worth a thousand words. Remember, its ok to be scared to death.

Dad