All Time High (April 1 2009): 192.2
Diet start (June 1): 189
Last Friday: 176.6
Today: 172.6
Goal: Sub 150
Now that's a little more like it. Being snowed in helped quite a bit (shoveling burns lots of calories, and the treadmill sits right here next to me in the mancave), as did the daily calorie tracking on the MyPlate feature of the Livestrong.com site.
So what's on your mind, America? Had enough of Old Man Winter? Had enough of Old Man Barack? Get it off your chest! Take a little time to tell us all about what's bothering you. Try it. You'll like it.
Two things conspired to form the following I'm about to bitch/moan/whine/complain about.
ReplyDeleteThe first was a TV commercial for the upcoming Winter Olympics, the second being Mudge's piece, "Men's Men, A Dying Breed". The commercial got me thinking about the subject, Mudge's piece was my call to action.
What I'd like to complain about for BFFFFA is the feminization of sport. Before anyone thinks otherwise, my personal thoughts are that all should be involved in sports starting at a young age (although this soccer crap with the challenge league, traveling teams, 3 games a weekend, every weekend is maddening and parents need their heads examined.)
The genesis for this is actually a couple of Olympiads ago with the "up close and personal". They were cute but most were best reserved for The Hallmark Channel - get out of here, you're taking valuable airtime away from someone flinging himself off a 90 meter ski jump!
This whole thing hit home - this thing about the feminization of sport - watching a commercial for the Vancouver Olympics. It starred three young ladies all in their late teens, very early twenties. They were snowboarders. So far so good. Then they opened their mouths, "Oh, we're all real good friends." "We cheer each other on" and assorted other blather along the same lines, and they weren’t teammates. I wanted to puke. Yes, I believe in good sportsmanship and being a good sport in both winning and losing, but Mein Gott where is the "killer" instinct? Yes it was a puff-piece commercial for the Olympics, yes, they were three young women and not young men. If three young men were used, the same blather would spring forth from their lips as well.
When I was in High School, I played some football, did a little wrestling and played a helluva lot of baseball. I hated my opponent. I figuratively wanted to kill him. I entered every wrestling match with the idea I wanted to destroy my opponent, especially if it was at his school. Football same thing. Baseball? Hated my opponent with a Ty Cobb-ian sense of hate (yes we wore metal cleats and no I never spiked anyone on purpose). Every time I hit a pitched ball I wanted it to go back through the pitcher's mound and take his head off - so I only get a single out of it, big deal!
In the business world, I had a Branch Office Manager at IBM who put such a hatred of DEC (Digital Equipment) and its CEO and Founder, Kenneth Olson into our little IBM Marketing Rep heads that at my 10-year HS reunion I walked away in mid-conversation from a young lady I was friends with in HS the second she told me she worked for DEC. I remember saying, "DEC as in Kenneth Olson? See ya." A little extreme and over-the-top? You betcha! But she worked for the enemy and every DEC PDP-something or other that went into my territory, was an IBM System/36, S/38 I didn't sell…and shame on me for letting the DEC box infiltrate my territory! Loss reviews were not fun.
These were all extreme examples of what we'll call "moments". Out on the football field, wrestling mat, or baseball diamond I was a gentleman, and exhibited good sportsmanship (99% of the time). But, it was always January 10, 49BC and we were about to cross the Rubicon with our general and go kick a little ass, and impose our will upon you. That is what's missing today.
Today, we'll amass on our side of the Rubicon and wonder if those on the other side had a good night's sleep, have as many spears and swords, shields, etc. The only place today that Jan 10, 49BC exists is in the defensive secondary of any NFL game. You come across the middle - I don't care if you're a 6'6", 250 lb tight-end - you're going to get your head taken off! At least the feminization of the defensive secondary hasn’t begun.
So Doc, I'm guessing you're not a fan of the participation trophy?
ReplyDelete186.6
ReplyDeleteWell said Doc. As Georgie Patton said, no such thing as a good loser, just a good actor.
ReplyDeleteI like what Dave Casper said back in, I think 1977, when the Bert Jones, Lydell Mitchell, Don McCauley Colts lost to the eventual champion Oakland Raiders. One of the best games ever, if it comes up on ESPN Classic TIVO the thing. Anyway, they asked Casper how he made such great catches under pressure with so much on the line and time running out. He said he never looks at the clock. He just plays his ass off on every play. That line helped me through college. I just played my ass off.
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