Thoughts on a Joe Torre Hiring

Since the Joe Torre rumors have begun, I have been asked by several friends about my opinions of the Dodgers hiring the former Yankee manager to run the Boys in Blue. My initial thought is whether Joe Torre is really as great a coach as the world makes him out to be. Yes, he did win 4 World Series in 5 years, but he did so with future Hall of Famers Roger Clemens (once), Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera on the roster. They also had a bunch of steady veterans including Paul O’Neill, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, and Tino Martinez. In other words, it was virtually a perfect storm with the right mix of pitching and clutch hitting and its unclear how large Joe Torre was in making them successful.

After that run, they made the playoffs each year but underachieved with the highest payroll in baseball. Again, its unclear whether Joe Torre had any input in compiling the rosters that included disastrous contracts to Jason Giambi, Carl Pavano, Johnny Damon, Jaret Wright, and Kei Igawa. All in all, I have no idea whether he’s a great manager or not.

Living in New York for three years during his stint as Yankee skipper, I can say that Joe Torre is masterful when it comes to handling the media. In a place where the local tabloid newspapers consider Alex Rodriguez’s nightlife headline news, Torre always handled the obnoxious NY sports beat with class and often accepted blame for sub-par performances on the field. There is no denying this is one of Joe Torre’s greatest gifts.

Since I have never been in the Yankee clubhouse to see how he interacts with the players, I can only give my impression of Torre’s baseball savvy based on what I’ve seen watching a bunch of Yankee games in recent years— Joe Torre’s in-game demeanor resembles that of Bernie in Weekend at Bernie’s. There were times when I was sure he was asleep and other times I was unsure if he even said a word to any of his players. I may be all wrong on this and his stature in the dugout as the stoic leader may in fact be what his players feel, but for me…I have no idea.

I also heard ESPN’s Bill Simmons discussing the Joe Torre hire. He had a valid point in asking, “what does Joe Torre know about the National League?” Even if we assume that Joe Torre is a great manager, it is clear that managing in the American League is totally different that the NL, and its hard to gauge whether the transition will be a smooth one. Incorporating double switches, and sacrifice bunts are integral aspects of the NL game that Torre never had to deal with for the past 12 years in the AL.

Ultimately, I think the Dodgers have way more questions than who the manager is that I felt should have been the #1 off-season concern (3B, a power hitter, starting pitching, lefty bullpen specialist, and getting rid of Juan Pierre somehow all come to mind.). Then again, if getting Joe Torre is part of the package in obtaining Alex Rodriguez, then I have no problem with it. Until then, I’m on the fence on this one.

Guitar Hero

This weekend in LA was great despite sitting in traffic for an hour outside of the Rose Bowl parking lot only to watch a crappy football game v. Notre Dame. Besides that it was a great time hanging with the UCLA lads, cocktailing, and living like a 21 year old. Unfortunately, these old bones can't handle it and I'm sick as a dog.

I'm probably sick due to lack of sleep last weekend and the Playstation Game Guitar Hero is to blame. Never being one for video games, this game may be the best pre-party device since Jenga and King's Cup. I think I'm the last person on Earth to play it so rather than explaining it, I advise you check out this link. Or this. Or this. Its basically guitar karaoke, but maybe 100 times better than that.

Not only is it super fun to play, its great fun to watch and sing along to the great songs that the game has. Francis has three different versions so we had over 60 songs to play. (My fave was Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water...pretty simple on the easy level.)We meant to go out on Friday night, but ended up getting a single drink at a Hollywood bar and returning to the crib to play for another 3 hours.

I highly recommend it.

Lately

The blog has been on a bit of a hiatus lately. This has not really been a conscious decision, just the way things go, I guess. I have also received a number of emails commenting on my lack of posts, which at least made me feel appreciated. It also wasn’t for a lack of material. September was a pretty busy month for me, filled with highs and lows. Among the highs:

• My first ever trip to Washington DC. I was there for four days for work and thought it to be a great city. Beautiful, colonial architecture (I think that characterizes it), a lot of bars, full of young people, and great energy. The monuments were surprisingly moving, particularly the FDR monument. Unlike the other more famous monuments, this is more of a sculpture garden where you walk through a series of sculptures that show images of American life during FDR’s tenure accompanied by one of his quotes. His famous quotes showed an absolute mastery of the English language and I could only think how far this country has fallen, as I tried to think of one single noteworthy quote from our current knucklehead president.
• After DC I headed to NYC for a long weekend and had a great sighting. While hanging with a group of friends at our old local haunt in the East Village, Natalia told me to look across the room and who did I see? The great Jemaine Clement (the bespectacled one above) of Flight of the Conchords. Quite the sighting. I wanted to join him in a rendition of “Hiphopopotamus”, but thought better of it.
• Soccer season has started and I'm playing in a 30 and over league for my second year. Great fun, although I've probably lost about 8 steps since my heyday.
  

Among the lows:

• My Ipod is dead after I dropped it.

• My car is starting to have mechanical problems.

• The Dodgers ruined my chances to enjoy postseason baseball.

• UCLA got hammered to a pathetic Utah team, ruining their chance at relevance…again.

Aside from these highs and lows, I haven’t blogged much because during any free moment I have, I am watching TV, DVDs actually. One of my favorite things about traveling to China is the opportunity to purchase DVDs for a low low low price. This most recent trip I picked up Season One-Three of the HBO series, The Wire. I have been addicted to the show ever since. I just finished Season Two last night, and without hyperbole, this is the best drama I have ever seen on television. Even better than the Sopranos.

The writing is superb. The characters are realistic and interesting, and the show is directed with a gritty presentation of the urban decay in Baltimore, Maryland. Its basically a cop show that goes into wiretapping and other facets of undercover cop work in great detail, but also does a great job of presenting the criminals (drug dealers and traffickers so far) as not just bad guys, but more as well-thought out business people working in a black market sub-economy of their own. My friends on the SFPD have also told me that it is the most realistic cop show of all time. I absolutely endorse it!

This weekend I am taking a break from The Wire and heading down to LA for the long weekend (Christopher Columbus- blah, Columbus Day off- sweet). I can only assume that there will be some blog-worthy events taking place, and am committed to updating here as soon as possible. Unless I get discovered while in Hollywood and end up as a comedy writer, which would probably mean no more blog. I’m not above selling out at this point.

2007 MLB Playoff Prognostications

I wanted to quickly post my picks for the 2007 MLB playoffs. I did this once before in 2004 with shockingly poor results, but here goes nothing:

Colorado v. Philadelphia

The two hottest teams in baseball face off here and it’s a tough choice. I’m going with the Phillies in 4 mostly because they have 3 legitimate superstars in their lineup (Howard, Utley (UCLA), and Rollins). The Rockies have a damn good hitting order as well, but they may be too excited to just be in the playoffs. Also, I watched the play-in game v. San Diego the other night and I realized that the Rockies looked like a college baseball team— all young, white dudes. I almost took them on that premise alone, but since I’ve never been the biggest fan of fraternities, I’ll go with the phighting phillies.

Chicago v. Arizona

I’m still shocked that Arizona is even in the playoffs and even sports the best record in the NL. So weird. I’m taking the Cubbies in five. This time I think the team with the bigger payroll wins. I’m going against my usual approach which would be to take the team with the better bullpen if there’s no other differentiating factor, but I hate the DBacks, so I went that way. Also, Soriano, Ramirez, Lee, Zambrano are used to the big stage. Only Eric Byrnes (Bay Area guy and UCLA) has some prime time experience, and that’s as a studio host.

New York v. Cleveland

I think all things are coming up ARod this season, so I expect him to have a monster postseason resulting in the Yanks paying him $35 million a year for the next ten years, giving him a seat at the United Nations, and ownership rights to all of Staten Island. Jeter is money, their pitchers are rounding into form, and this x-factor pitcher, Joba Chamberlain, may make a big difference. Yankees in 4.

Anaheim v. Boston

These are my two least favorite teams in baseball. I hate Boston fans and I hate that the Angels are taking over as THE SoCal baseball team over my beloved Dodgers. That said, I’m going with the Angels here. I remember talking to a co-worker earlier in the year and looking up and down the Red Sox lineup and thinking, “this ain’t that great.” I trust Manny and Papi in big spots, but guys like Drew, Lugo, Crisp, Varitek, Lowell (despite his great year), Pedroia could be handled. Plus, everyone is expecting Yanks-Red Sox part XVI, so I’ll play the contrarian. Also, the Patriots are looking like the best NFL team of all-time, why should Boston get all the sports mojo in 2007.

I’ll go with Phillies over the Cubs. I went back and forth on this one, but then realized it’s the Cubs, so they’ll lose. Phils in 6.

Yankees over the Angels in 5.

World Series- Yankees over the Phillies in six games.

The End of an Era

August 24, 2007…approximately 9:05am…riding on the “5 Fulton” MUNI bus on my way to work somewhere between Van Ness and Market Street.

These are the approximate coordinates of where I was when I finally completed the seven year epic journey of the Harry Potter series. I find this a noteworthy accomplishment in my life as I don’t think there are many other things that I have been dedicated to for as long as I was to Harry and his fellow wizards and witches.

Without giving anything away, I am satisfied with the ending of the series and continue to be amazed at the creativity and consistency that J.K. Rowling displayed throughout the entirety of the seven book series. I remain most impressed by the fact that not only did the series trace the teenage years of Harry Potter growing up as a wizard, her writing style seemed to get more complex and intricate as Harry got older and faced more adult problems including girl drama, abandonment issues, betrayal, and responsibility. I always thought that the books were targeted at an audience that was the same age as Harry in each respective book. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was definitely written for younger readers, while the later books used a much more lavish vocabulary and even non-linear dialogues that even I felt lost in the language at times. All of the praise, awards, and financial benefits that Rowling has received over the life of the series are all well deserved in my opinion.

I have been dedicated to the books throughout. After getting into the series late in the game (my brother introduced me to the first three), I have read each subsequent book almost immediately upon release. I have also become a bit of a collector as well and I have used the books as mementos of my travels. I own Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean versions of some of the titles. I even have the UK version of the first book, just because the title is Philosopher’s Stone instead of Sorcerer’s Stone. Although my efforts in acquiring collectibles has waned over the years, I will always hold these books in great esteem (interestingly enough, I have never really been a fan of the movies). Hopefully, I will one day revisit the world of Harry Potter as I pass the stories on to my own little wizards. Until then, perhaps the final words of the series can best sum up my feelings towards the Harry Potter collection…All was well.

She Said...Yes, Yes, Yes

I just learned that Amy Winehouse just checked herself into rehab...um, too easy.

http://www.nme.com/news/amy-winehouse/30350

Another article I read mentioned that headline writers are having a field day with this one. I would agree.

Other than, "She Said..Yes Yes Yes", I came up with "Wino Winehouse Set to Go Go Go to Rehab".

Feel free to drop a quirky headline into the comments should you feel so compelled.

(Incidentally, I meant to write a post about how much I dig her sound. I guess there will be no no show in SF in September now. Ok, I'll stop.)

The Simpsons Movie: The long-awaited film review

(Warning: slight spoilers forthcoming. Do not read if you have yet to see the flick. Read on though if you don’t care.)

The Simpsons have played a significant part of my television watching for a majority of the 19 years it has been on the air. I am known amongst my friends as an expert on the subject and for a period of my life, I received something Simpsons-related every year for Christmas from my friends including a Simpsons chess set, Simpsons dominos, and Simpsons legos.

As with many other things in life, my passion for the program waned and Sunday nights at 8pm are no longer earmarked for watching FOX. Maybe the writing has fallen off, or every plot angle has been retread, or Homer is way too dumb now, or maybe I just simply outgrew it (doubtful), but when I heard that a Simpsons movie was coming out, I was less than enthused.

As many of you know, aside from being a super fan of the show, I am often privy to inside information of the inner workings of the program thanks to one of my closest associates who happens to be a character/layout artist on the program. (The description of my pal is a bit cryptic as he told me that drawing himself or friends into a scene is potential grounds for dismissal, but if you watch Season 13, the “Weekend at Burnsie's” episode closely, you may see your favorite blogger make a cameo or two, so there’s that. I also own a valuable piece of Simpsons artwork, which is only for insiders and is by far the most valuable piece of art I own. Although admittedly the most treasured item on my wall is still my mini-UCLA banner commemorating the 1995 basketball championship. But I digress. )

Thanks to this confidante, I have been able to discuss the process leading up to film release, hear some plot points, and understand better the inner bureaucracy of a show that still is under Rupert Murdoch’s evil clutches. Based on this information, I still felt that a movie based on life in Springfield would be less than enjoyable. I thought that the only way the movie would work would be if the film was simply four episodes, maybe intertwining stories ala Babel or Crash or something, but when I learned of the actual plot, all I could think was that this was going to be a disaster.

Then the hype machine began. Everywhere you looked there were Simpsons movie posters, commercials, magazine articles, internet buzz, and of course the 7-11 stores converted into Kwik-E-Marts. Rather than turning me off, all of this hype increased my excitement for the film and I dropped any sort of weird moral opposition to the movie and embraced it fully. As mentioned earlier, the Simpsons have played a significant part in my pop culture life and I think the show can also be credited with developing whatever comedic spirit I currently have (or don’t have, you be the judge I suppose). In fact, more than anything I slowly began to realize that one of my closest friends is working on a highly anticipated summer blockbuster, and I needed and wanted to support it on opening weekend. We actually had a phone conversation the day before the opening Friday as we tried to predict box office numbers, we both agreed that it would not eclipse Aquaman, but should land ahead of Medellin. (Entourage reference for those not in the know.) $80 million was my prediction.

Making things even more interesting was the fact that I was going to be in Kauai during opening weekend with Natalia and my family, making it difficult to know whether the movie would even be playing anywhere on the island. Fortunately it was and my two cousins, cousin-in-law, the chica, and I were able to catch an opening night showing. One last thing before I give my actual thoughts of the flick. I’m glad we went to an 8:30 Friday night showing. This gave us a chance to see what being a teenager living on Kauai was all about since every kid on the island seemed to be in the theater. I guess they’re just like any other American teenage group, but more mellow. It must be the absolute gorgeous vistas that they deal with every day. Also, we realized that taking a date to a movie in Kauai is still completely affordable. The tickets were $8. Popcorn was $2.50, and candy was $1. You can actually bring a date to a movie and get all the fixin’s for less than $20. That alone gives me reason to move there. Well, that and the aforementioned vistas.

So the movie. I left the theater thinking that the Simpsons movie was probably as good as it possibly could have been. The overall story was kind of lame (but they usually are), but the interactions and side vignettes were very strong (which they usually are as well). I also thought that it looked amazing. There was way more attention to shadows and depth and even more unique camera perspectives than is usually incorporated on the t.v. side, which gave it a strong cinematic feel, unlike say the South Park movie which was visually, just like watching the show on a super large television screen.

There were a handful of laugh out-loud moments including the Bart nude scene, Homer flipping off all of Springfield, and Moe yelling at Green Day. All memorable and hilarious. I thought they did a good job of incorporating a number of the plethora of side characters into the movie as possible, although I did wake up the next morning and came with a list of significant characters that surprisingly did not get enough air time or any at all. The list includes: Principal Skinner, Superintendent Chalmers, Patty and Selma, and Disco Stu. A quick shout out somehow to Troy McClure would have been nice as well. (DVD extras, perhaps?) But again, I do like that a majority of the film was dedicated to the five Simpsons that we have all grown to know and love. I have yet to gauge the pulse of other folks who have seen it, but our party of five seemed to enjoy it thoroughly.

Also, I was glad to learn that it landed atop the box office, proving its relevance with the American public and making the whole endeavor worthwhile in my opinion. The final numbers were in the $72 million ballpark, which is great. Until this week, when Bratz makes $73 million and I will again be forced to think that our world is crumbling at an alarming rate.

Island Hopping

I just got back from Beijing this past Saturday and today I'm headed off to Kauai for a week's vacation with family and Natalia. Super stoked about it.

I've been dealing with major league jet lag since I've returned, so hopefully I can catch some zz's on the flight over. It will be much easier to sleep if they are showing the flicks, Music and Lyrics and Catch and Release. They showed these movies on both legs of the China journey and nothing cures insomnia like Drew Barrymore's tired act of playing the ditsy but "charming" urban dweller, who struggles to fall in love, but eventually finds it where she least expects it. The peak of her career was as a drunk 5 year old in E.T.

The blog will not be updated while I'm in Hawaii. I decided to leave the laptop at home. Until then, enjoy this great series of webisodes that I enjoy. http://www.clarkandmichael.com/

Its stars Michael Cera aka George Michael Bluth from Arrested Development. I enjoy it thoroughly.

Aloha!

More than A Game

Fortunately for me, my last few international trips have coincided with international soccer tournaments. Currently, the Asian Cup is in full swing and the games have helped me get through some jet-lagged evenings. What is interesting about these games is that the countries featured are definitely not your traditional soccer powerhouses. Korea and Japan are among the better squads, but its great to watch games featuring Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, or Qatar. (Alas, the Philippines is not represented. I guess if its not boxing or billiards, there is no chance for them to compete. If there were a text messaging competition, the Filipinos would dominate.)

The other night I watch Australia play Iraq while I was at the hotel gym. I was surprised that Iraq was even able to field a squad considering the obvious turmoil happening in their country. Even more surprising was that Iraq defeated Australia 3-1. This was the same Australian team that brought Italy to the brink of defeat in last summer’s World Cup.

I found myself rooting pretty hard for Iraq. For a nation in absolute disarray, I imagine that this game and tournament is one of the only galvanizing events for the country to rally around. I’m not sure how many folks are even able to watch the match, but I’m sure they knew about the result somehow and a tremendous sense of pride that has been stifled for so long came out.

This is definitely one of my favorite things about soccer and these international tournaments. Whatever political, economic, or social disruptions are occurring in their home nation, all is equal on the field. If only for a couple of hours, or even just a few minutes, Iraqis had visible proof that their country had the ability to come together as a single unit and emerge victorious. I’m sure they were quickly returned to reality and the dangers of their daily life, but its gratifying to know that Iraq coverage on the international news included this victory and not simply a death toll or other negative story about the war.

Getting Artsy in Beijing

Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day in Beijing’s 798 art district. If anyone’s been to Paris, it was reminiscent of St. Germain, with streets full of art galleries and artist workspaces. Guide books and local magazines call it the SoHo of Beijing and there is definitely a unique artist vibe happening there that is palpable. What was interesting about 798 is that it utilizes the space left in this area from old factories that once flourished there. It is a great concept and I feel a hidden gem for someone like me who has seen the more traditional sites that Beijing has to offer (Forbidden City, Great Wall, Tiananmen Square).

I am having problems uploading my pics to Flickr, so here is a brief sampling of a couple favorites.

(Update: 8/4/07- More pics can be seen here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/youngkye/sets/72157600833917951/)

Lingo

So, it appears that accessing this blog while I'm here in Beijing has proven to be difficult. On the surface, it is almost impossible to recognize any differences between life here and in the West, but things often sneak up on you that quickly make your realize things don't quite work the same here as they do in the US (e.g. with regards to open accessibility of the web).

Anyways, wanted to give a brief update. I haven't done or seen much thus far, mostly due to jet lag, work, and the stifling heat. I have gone out to get my meals and was amazed by the proficiency of English in many of the places. For example, I picked up a Subway sandwich last night and was fortunate that the staff there spoke English. I can't imagine that making sandwiches at Subway in China holds any more esteen than it would at home, but it would appear that the job requirements for working here are much more rigorous with regards to language proficiency. Subway workers at home often barely speak English let alone two languages coherently. Maybe they fund language courses here in lieu of Jared advertisements.

Also, SpiderMan3 DVDs here are only in Chinese. bummer.

From the Bay to Beijing

I arrived here in Beijing on Monday night at about 7pm. Since then I've just checked into the hotel, caught up on email, and chilled.

I did go on a short walk though. The hotel, St. Regis, is located near the embassies so there is a ton of shopping and Western chains nearby including Sizzler and TGI Friday's. Nothing says Chinese food better than curly fries and mudslides. I doubt I'll try it.

The bright side of being close to the embassies is that the street vendors are nearby and dudes selling DVD's are always easily found. I picked up Spider-Man 3, Ratatouile, Shrek the Third, Letters of Iwo Jima, and Fantastic Four. All movies I would see for about $1, which is what they cost.

This is my third time here in the last 22 months, so I feel pretty comfortable rolling around, but the one thing I can never get used to is the absence of the term "personal space" or cordially waiting in line. This time the first intrusion began before I even got off the plane. I had a aisle seat, but somehow the 60-something couple sitting in the middle and window seats were able to get past me and off the plane before I did. It was like some shaolin magic trick or something. I gotta learn that one.

The Blog World Tour Continues

I'm packing my bags and hitting the road as the next blog chapters will be written from the city of Beijing, China. I will leave SF this Sunday and will be there for two weeks. Per usual, I will post my observations, stories, thoughts, etc. similarly to what I did during my last trip to Kabul.

This week is extremely busy as I'm in a wedding on 7/7/7 (no, not Eva Longoria and Tony Parker's) and have related festivities surrounding the event for most of the week. Therefore, I doubt I will post much if anything this week.

I'm bummed I'll be missing the All-Star game next Tuesday which will be played right here at AT&T Park. I don't have tickets, but I had a couple of strategies that would have gotten me into the ballpark for sure. Oh well. Maybe next time in 2030.

TB or Not TB

Last Friday afternoon, our office received an email that all staff is required to attend a meeting this Wednesday hosted by the Department of Public Health. More information about the meeting was to be placed on our desks.

No big deal. A lot of folks here travel to Asia and most of us thought it was just another training about personal safety when traveling. Then we received the more information from the City and County of San Francisco on official letterhead.

“Dear Sir/Madam:

The San Francisco Department of Public Health has confirmed the diagnoses of active pulmonary tuberculosis in a coworker. Our investigation indicated that anyone working in [office address] was significantly exposed to the disease.

For you own health you will be required to be screened for tuberculosis.”

The letter goes on, but other than asking the entire staff to work on Saturday ala Lumberg in Office Space, there may not be a worse way to start the weekend. Everyone was mostly joking about who Patient X was, but it was hard to make jokes because: a) the dire language used in the letter made everyone slightly concerned, and b) not many folks knew of the symptoms of tuberculosis to even make a joke about it.

Our Human Resources department must have received a number of concerned emails and calls because on Saturday morning, we received a follow up email stating, “No one is contagious at this time from this incident and there are no changes you need to make in your life.”

While it’s nice to know that folks were getting worked up over nothing, I’m still expecting Dustin Hoffman to walk into the office at any moment wearing a germ-free space suit and yanking a co-worker from their office, Outbreak style.

We’ll see.

(Update 6/29/07: My blood test came up negative. Others in the office were not so lucky and had to get chest x-rays now. Apparently if you grew up in Asia, its fairly common to have TB in your system.)

Hollywood Stars??

For as long as I could remember, my squad--The Los Angeles Dodgers--, hold an annual Hollywood Stars Night where before a Dodgers game, some exhibition game featuring a bunch of actors is played and has become a staple of the Dodgers home schedule. Makes sense, right? They play in Los Angeles. Most actors and actresses live in L.A. Its an easy match.

I just took a look at this year's list of potential participants for this Saturday's 49th annual game. Based on the released list, the game should be changed to "C-List" Stars Night or "Have you ever heard of these?" Stars night. From the Dodgers website:

The roster of stars scheduled to appear in the game includes Antonio Villaraigosa (Mayor of Los Angeles), Luc Robitaille (LA King legend), James Denton ("Desperate Housewives"), Dave Annable ("Brothers and Sisters"), Gary Valentine ("King of Queens"), Oscar Nunez ("The Office"), Michael Clarke Duncan ("Talladega Nights"), Adrian Pasdar ("Heroes"), James Van Der Beek ("Dawson's Creek"), Neal McDonough ("Flags of Our Fathers"), Corbin Bernsen ("PSYCH," "Major League"), Shemar Moore ("Criminal Minds"), Larry Joe Campbell ("According to Jim"), Wallace Langham ("CSI"), Robert Gossett ("The Closer"), David Berman ("CSI"), Danny Strong ("Gilmore Girls"), Michael Rosenbaum ("Smallville"), Joel McHale ("The Soup"), Sam Page ("Shark"), Kenny Johnson ("Grace," "The Shield"), George Stults ("7th Heaven"), Jon Wellner ("Evan Almighty," "CSI"), Joe Mantegna ("Starter Wife"), Aylin Mujica ("Marina"), Mauricio Islas ("Prisionera") and more.

Of this illustrious list, I have picked out seven names that I actually recognize, four programs that I never heard of (PSYCH, Grace, Marina, Prisionera) and zero people that I would care to see in person, let alone play slow pitch baseball. I really only have an opinion about Joel McHale. He's hilarious on The Soup and was even funny on the Burger King commercials he used to do, but do I care whether he can hit a breaking ball or field a grounder moving to right?? negative. I guess this clearly illustrates my point. The only guy playing in the "Hollywood Stars" game that I have an opinion on is famous for being on a mock cable news show and fast food commercials.

In defense of the Dodgers organization, the game isn't called "Famous Hollywood Stars" night. They don't give fans any illusions that the participants will be recognizable, only that they hold a SAG card and presumably live in Los Angeles County.

Then again, maybe I'm the one whose out of touch. Perhaps Wallace Langham is the next Leonardo DiCaprio and I'm just late to the party or George Stults will turn his fame from 7th Heaven into an Oscar for lead actor in a movie directed by Martin Scorcese. You never know I suppose.

GO DODGERS!!

Slices From the Apple

I have just returned from a great five-day weekend in New York City. The weather was great, the streets were bustling, the BBQs were aflame, and cocktails were flowing. Other notable happenings from a Memorial Day weekend in New York include:

• For the first time ever, more New Yorkers were sporting Mets caps than Yankees hats this weekend. This obviously speaks to the recent performance of the two teams, but also affirms a more important point: EVERY city is full of front-runners. Of course, there are exceptions, but most casual fans love a winner, even in New York where everyone has you believe that they are more die-hard than anybody else. Not quite.

• While having breakfast at one of our favorite dives, The Waverly Diner, in the village, I saw Philip Seymour Hoffman walking down the street with his family. This is actually the second or third time I’ve seen him. He looked tired or hungover each time.

• We had an impromptu dinner at the Spotted Pig on Sunday night. This place is sometimes written up in Page Six or other celeb magazines as a dining haunt for folks like Owen and Luke Wilson, and Jay-Z and Beyonce, so we wanted to see what the fuss was about. The menu is actually not too expensive and super casual. On the menu though were pig’s ears, and marinated faggots. Suffice it to say, I had a burger and Natalia had some gnocchi-type thing. Also, if you’ve never heard of Roquefort cheese, you may want it on the side and not smothered on the burger.

• Sunday night we had a great time partying with friends and actually went to this party (see link), but got there too late to hang with this fuzzy mascot.
  http://deadspin.com/sports/mr%27-met-will-steal-your-drink-and-take-your-girl/when-its-time-for-mr-met-to-party-its-time-to-party-hard-264416.php

• Like most couples, going to the movies is a favorite pastime. This weekend, we did not see a flick simply because there was not a movie that appealed to the two of us. Spiderman 3- I was kinda into checking it, but not the lady really. Pirates- No. The Namesake- Natalia already saw it. The Ex-not even in theaters anymore.

• A passed-out Lindsay Lohan made the cover of both New York rag newspapers on Monday. I mentioned to Natalia that I don't think even 9/11 made the cover of both papers, but a hammered Lohan is splashed on both tabloids. What a country.

Also, I wanted to add a quick story that happened to me two weeks ago. My buddy Chris was in town from LA for the weekend and we decided to hit the A’s-Giants game in Oakland. We get to the Coliseum and quickly learned that the game was sold out. Like any good baseball fans we began to look for scalper seats. After trying to talk down some scalpers to no avail, we wandered around the stadium asking if anybody has two extras. After a while, a middle-aged guy comes up to us and says, “Yeah, I got two extras. You look like a couple of nice guys. Here you go.”

Us: Sweet! How much do we owe you?

Guy: Don’t worry about it.

Us: Are you sure? Thanks. We’ll buy you a beer.

Chris: By the way, what’s your name?

Guy: Call me Homey.

Chris: That’s easy to remember.

Homey: Have fun.

(walking away)

Chris: (to me) I wonder how you spell that.

Me: No idea.

Chris: Well, Homey DO play that.

Nice! Free tickets! We proceed into the stadium and quickly learn that the seats he gave us are in his luxury box. Super Sweet! So we enjoyed a great game with Homey and his friends and family, had a couple beers and wings, and peanuts all for the bargain low price of ZERO. Good times.

Howland Really is My Homeboy

Here's me and UCLA basketball coach, Ben Howland--the best UCLA basketball coach since the legendary John Wooden.

I gave him some tips that should help the Bruins win NCAA Title #12.

Whales in Peril

A recent story making headlines (no just locally, but nationally I believe) has involved two humpback whales that have made their way up the Sacramento River after taking a wrong turn somewhere in the San Francisco Bay.

For the Bay Area natives reading this, a whale accidentally swimming into the shallow waters of Northern California waterways is not completely unheard of. Twenty-two years ago, a lone humpback whale took a similar misdirected turn and was swimming in the San Joaquin Delta for almost a month. I vividly remember this story as the Coast Guard and other aquatic organizations worked diligently to help Humphrey (the local newspaper named the large mammal) get going in the right direction. T-shirts, newspaper headlines, and television broadcasts made Humphrey a household name and a local celebrity of sorts.

I appreciate stories like this, mostly because there is no inherent political bias in wanting to save a couple of whales, particularly these two whales who happen to be a mother and cub duo further enhancing the drama. Everyone hopes that these two humungous mammals eventually find their way and there are no ominous sound bites being spewed on local newscasts. “Whales are taking over the Sacramento waterways! Are your children safe? Stay tuned to the 11 o’clock news to find out.”

Rather, it’s a pretty interesting story about trying to figure out ways to get the world’s largest animals (I think) back onto the open water. Recently, the coast guard has used whale songs to try to lure the whales to follow the familiar sounds to freedom, but this has failed thus far.

(As an aside, I remember my high school trigonometry teacher used to play whale music while we were taking exams. He claimed research said that such sounds soothed one’s nerves that may become agitated under the stress of taking tests. This being San Francisco we didn’t really bat an eye, and by the end of the semester we found ourselves requesting the melodic tones of the Humpback whale orchestra should our teacher forget to play the tape. I should also mention that he was a football coach…only in SF.)

I hope the story of these two whales ends happily. What with the Iraq War continuing to be a mess, the Warriors losing in the playoffs, and Christopher getting wacked by Tony on The Sopranos, we could all use a little good news.

Like Losing a Friend

In my last post, I mentioned that I attended Game 3 of the Utah Jazz- Golden State Warriors series last Friday. It was an absolute blast! I have been to hundreds of sporting events in my day and this one definitely ranks in the top ten (I’ll write a post that breaks down the actual list. Off the top of my head, 1995 Final Four Championship, 2002 World Cup- US v. Mexico, 2006 NCAA Sweet 16- UCLA v. Gonzaga, the list goes on and on).

This post though is not about the game, but the effect that the game had on one of my dear traveling companions, my Tamron 28mm-200mm camera lens. I had been having troubles with the lens in recent months, but the lens finally went into “completely screwed mode” midway through the first quarter. Here is a picture of one of my last good photos.

Here is my camera's last picture:

Tragic. The zoom action on the lens was having problems moving in and out and I may have forced it a bit in my exuberance, but the result is what you see above. The horror!

I brought it into to a camera store to see if there was any way to resuscitate the Tamron, but the guy suggested that I’m better off getting a new lens. He also mentioned that it looked like it was dropped. This lens has traveled with me all over the world and I do not recall dropping it. The only difference is that I now attach the lens to a digital camera body that I received for Christmas. I feel like the problems began with this switch but I cannot be sure.

Like any good father or friend, I decided to get a second opinion and took the lens to Adolph Gasser Inc, widely known as the premier camera store in all of San Francisco. Now the lens remains at the store awaiting the results of a $15 estimate. I may have just dropped $15 to hear them tell me that the lens is screwed, but a new lens of this magnitude costs around $300, so I figure the $15 is worth finding out a proper diagnosis.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Observations from a Painful Game 2

Last night’s Warriors loss to the Utah Jazz in Game 2 of the 2007 Western Conference Semifinals was as tough to swallow as any playoff loss in recent Bay Area sports history.

Others that immediately come to mind include: Game 6 of the 2002 World Series (Giants v. Angels)—Giants were leading 5-0 in the top of the seventh inning with a chance to wrap up their first world championship since moving to San Francisco. Then their bullpen gives up 3 runs in the seventh, 3 runs in the eighth and go on to lose the game 6-5 and eventually the series.

1991 NFC Championship Game- (SF v. NY) 49ers were a game away from heading to (and likely winning) their third straight Super Bowl. With the ball and a one point lead with less than three minutes to go, Roger Craig fumbles, Lawrence Taylor recovers it and the Giants Matt Bahr goes on to kick the winning field goal and the New York Giants go on to win the Super Bowl.

Last night, the Warriors were up by five points with 30 seconds remaining, and thanks to missing three out of four free throws, the Jazz tie the game at the end of regulation and eventually run away with the game in overtime. Absolutely shocking and brutal.

Ahhh, sports. Based on the first two games, I would argue that the Warriors could be up 2-0 and 1-1 at the very least. Unfortunately, luck, fate, or inability to close on the road reared its ugly head and the Warriors are facing an absolutely must-win on Friday in Oakland.

Fear not, True Believers! The Warriors have been amazing at home thus far and should prevail Friday with the help of a raucous home crowd. Returning to Utah for Game 5 tied up at 2-2 is not out of the question, and I think the Warriors should still feel confident enough to beat the Jazz despite two excruciatingly close losses. I BELIEVE!!

One last observation: I watched the game at my brother’s place last night for the mojo and also because of his epic HD quality screen. It’s a unsettling sight to see an NBA arena completely full of white people. Thanks to HD technology, detailed shots of fans come in clearly throughout the game and there was not a single Asian, African-American, or Latino person to be seen. Interestingly, there were also a lot more women in the crowd than normal as well. I guess it makes sense considering a majority of Jazz fans have three wives.

(Update: I just scored a ticket for tomorrow night's Game 3 in Oakland. Will have photos and an entry detailing the excitement.)

Wagers Aplenty

Although some would argue that I believe there are important sporting events happening every day of the year, May 5, 2007 has a great trifecta of events making today a rare day in the sports calendar.

These events will not only be great to watch for its intensity, grandeur, and competition, but also because I plan to place a few small wagers on these events. Truth be told, one of the three events would not even be interesting unless I bet on it.

Just like every year, all eyes turn to Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday of May for the Kentucky Derby. Dubbed "the most exciting two minutes in sports", I have bet (very modest amounts- $20 max) on the Derby for the last few years and have to admit that the race is always fun to watch and much more exciting with a chance to win a few bucks.

When I was living in New York, a co-worker buddy of mine, got me intrigued into the hype surrounding Triple Crown horse racing and for three years we went to the Off-Track Betting places to make our wagers and watch the race at a local bar. Nothing is more interesting than observing the types of folks that spend time in Manhattan OTB's. I think every unsolved crime in New York could be easily remedied with a quick sweep of these joints.

Upon my departure back to CA, I have kept the tradition alive, and while I know nothing about the intricacies of the sport, I utilize my fool-proof method of selecting horses with the coolest or funniest name. I usually rely on Natalia and her lady luck to help with the selections as well.

This year I went with: Great Hunter to win (15/1 odds). I also selected a trifecta box (choosing top three finishers in any order) with Hard Spun, No Biz Like ShoBiz, and Scat Daddy. Wish me luck.

(Update: Street Sense wins the Kentucky Derby followed by Hard Spun, then Curlin. My picks Great Hunter finished 12th, No Biz like ShoBiz 10th, and Scat Daddy 18th. Zero winnings thus far.)

Following the pony show, Game 7 of the NBA Playoffs featuring the Utah Jazz at the Houston Rockets comes on the air. Obviously, the only REAL interesting outcome of this game is that the winner gets to play against the most exciting story in the NBA since the Kobe and Shaq days in LA (in my opinion), which is the Golden State Warriors. The story of the Warriors has been unbelievable and I, along with everyone else in the Bay Area, is absolutely swept up in excitement of Nellie Ball. I've meant to write a whole entry on my feelings towards this, but have yet to find the words to capture it. In brief: this is the first time in my life that I have genuinely rooted for the same team as my brother and all my closest friends (see my first blog entry ever) and I'm loving every minute of it!

Back to game 7...I honestly could care less about who wins this game since the Warriors are the road team either way, but I put a couple of bucks on the Utah Jazz (+5 1/2) simply because I think the game will be close and Utah is physically stronger than Houston from what I've seen. Rockets behind Yao and McGrady in a squeaker or an outright upset for Utah which means Derek Fisher will probably win it for them. At least, that's my prediction. Either way, the winner hosts the Warriors on Monday and the party can start up for another week.

(Update II: Don't call it a comeback! Terrible play by the Rockets at the end leads to victory for Utah and my measly wager. Warriors v. Jazz Monday night. Woo Hoo!)

Finally, tonight I'm going to a party surrounding the third sporting event of the day, Oscar De La Hoya v. Floyd Mayweather Jr.. This is truly the main event of the day. Some have said this is the biggest boxing match in years, with others saying that this maybe the last important boxing event ever due to the lack of boxing's popularity and the rise in the other mixed martial arts stuff. Personally, I'm not that big of a boxing fan at all (unless the Italian Stallion is in the ring). I do love huge events though and after watching the HBO documentary hyping up this event, I'll admit that I'm interested in watching this. Plus, I'll be at a party and get to pretend that I know something about boxing with a room full of strangers. Who am I picking? Based on the documentary, I think De La Hoya might be stronger, but Mayweather is the fastest boxer I have ever seen. His training footage is unbelievable.

I think I'm picking Mayweather to win in a decision. Without a knockout, this would leave the door open for a rematch and another $20 million for each side, which is what seems to always happen in this shady sport.

(Update III: As predicted, Pretty Boy Floyd emerges victorious by judges' decision...pretty successful day of prognostications overall.)

So there you have it, my Saturday in a nutshell. Gotta run, there may be a high school track meet I could bet on this morning.

Alas, No Triumph

I was fortunate enough to obtain tickets to watch a Conan O’Brien taping yesterday as part of his week of shows here in San Francisco.

All in all, it was a very good time and only added to the absolutely euphoric mood hanging over the city (thanks to nice weather and the palpable excitement surrounding the Golden State Warriors). The show was being taped at 4pm, but I got in line at about 1pm to pick-up my tickets and join the throngs of mostly twenty-somethings already in line.

My buddy Brian joined me at about 2:30 and we both admitted that the waiting in line portion of the day was pretty amusing. The show was being taped at the Orpheum Theater. A classic SF stage venue located in the heart of the Tenderloin. As Dave Chapelle once said, “ain’t nothing tender about it.” Even Conan had a riff about the ‘Loin during the show as he commented, “The Orpheum Theatre. San Francisco’s very best venue located in San Francisco’s 25th-best neighborhood.” Brian even commented that one day we should pull up a couple of folding chairs, a 12-pack, and just observe the crazies that traverse this section of Market Street every day. It would definitely be amusing and worth about five blog entries on its own.

Upon finally entering the Orpheum (no cameras allowed unfortunately), we found seats at the orchestra level about 15 rows from the stage on the left side or as Brian said, “bulls-eye with Max Weinberg’s gut.” While the show itself (Robin Williams and the Glide Ensemble-a local choir) was a solid B with regards to hilarity, actually observing the inner workings of Late Night and unbelievable crowd reactions made the event worthwhile. First of all, its amazing how much activity there is during the commercial breaks. About five different folks are giving Conan water, flashing him cue cards, helping him edit stuff, and moving things around the stage. Its pretty amazing and surprisingly seamless. I give Conan much-respect for being able to juggle all of these things and make it look so smooth merely 30 seconds later.

Secondly, it is amazing how people react when they know they have the potential to be on TV. People were dressed in funny wigs, holding up crazy signs (one said “I Like Conan (as a friend)”), and bizarre outfits (one older woman that we dubbed HR Puffenstuff wore a scarf and headdress that looked like marijuana plants). Whenever a camera is present, folks would wave their arms in excitement. I guess its natural for anybody, but when you see it non-stop for a hour it gets to be pretty annoying.

His two skits, one on Sam Wo Chinese Restaurant, the other a trip to Napa, were well-executed and left the house in stitches. Then almost as quickly as it started, it was over. Less than an hour later, we were out of there.

While it was super fun to be part of the magic, I was hoping for Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog, but no such luck.

Spiked

I recently joined a co-ed volleyball team marking the first time in my athletic life that I am playing a competitive league sport in a mixed gender environment.

Last night was our first game and we got rocked 15-7, 15-6. Oh well. I did learn that the idea of co-ed sports and competition can only be used in the same sentence very loosely. I became aware of this during warm-ups. Our team happened to be one of the first teams to arrive at the Marina Green, a great locale just off the St. Francis Yacht Club overlooking the Palace of Fine Arts, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. I’ll definitely bring a camera next time to capture the insane vista.

As we were warming up, and teams began sauntering onto the fields, I noticed each team was equipped with men, women, and coolers. The coolers caught my eye as I looked around and saw that every team was sipping on beers before the game. I swear one team even had jello shots! Not just some teams…but EVERY TEAM...except one.

Where were our beers you ask? Nowhere to be seen, so not only did we get throttled in our debuts, we also performed poorly while sober. Somebody did bring pretzels (which is better than nothing I suppose), but when I offered to bring a 12-pack next week so we at least look like we’re cool like the other squads, I was greeted with little enthusiasm.

Our attitude towards liquor is going to have to change drastically if we expect to win a single match, and I am taking it upon myself to serve the role as team motivator.

We’ll see what happens.

Warriors-Blazers: 4th Quarter Notes

11:10

Travis Outlaw has 30 points. Blazers only down 12 points now. Yeesh.

8:23

Warriors 98, Blazers 84. Portland had a chance to really trim into the lead but they threw an alle-oop attempt out of bounds, turned the ball over and missed two open threes. I see Joakim Noah in their future.

5:43

Warriors on a 9-0 run. Portland hasn’t scored since the 8:23 mark. Matt Barnes was in the post and made a sweet move that froze the defender and as he turned for a jump hook you can clearly hear Baron Davis shout, “don’t do it, Matthew!” in the please Hammer, Don’t Hurt Em mold. Nice.

Baron has a triple double despite shooting horribly tonight (3-16 I believe). Love it.

4:11

With a 20 point lead, the Warriors are walking the ball upcourt for the first time all game. They also flashed the Lakers victory, which means the Lakes play Phoenix and Warriors will play the Mavericks. Two very fun series to watch.

GAME OVER- GSW 120 Blazer 98

The Warriors have done it! Travis Outlaw did have two sweet dunks in the last two minutes. They just flashed Adonal Foyle on the bench who seems like a good guy so good for him on finally getting to the playoffs. He’ll have the best seats in the house.

Warriors-Blazers:Third Quarter Notes

9:14

They just mentioned that the Warriors are 9-1 in the last 10 games. Getting hot at the right time indeed. The Rose Garden in Portland looks to be full on this final regular season game of the year, but its absolutely silent. Its like the fans are watching a play or something.

Warriors up by 25 points.

Did you know that the Warriors haven’t made the playoffs in 12 years? If not, the announcers are mentioning it every five minutes. They mentioned the starting five of their last playoff team. Avery Johnson, Sprewell, Webber, Mullin, and a fifth that I missed. Pretty sweet.

5:31

The Blazers aren’t even pretending to be interested in playing defense. When Baron is driving and kicking out, not a single Blazer is extending out to challenge the jumpshot, its pretty pathetic.

The highlight thus far has been the music the stadium plays when certain Blazers score. When Travis Outlaw scores, the sound system plays the famous whistle from the Clint Eastwood westerns. I believe its from “The Outlaw Josie Wales” or “the Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. Even better, when Martell Webster scores, they play a few notes from the “Webster” theme song. Hilarious.

2:34

They just flashed as stat that the Warriors lead the NBA in steals, scoring, 3 pointers made in April. Is it possible they could pull the upset in the first round? (They’re up by 24 so no jinx can ruin this victory.)

End of the Third Quarter

Travis Outlaw is on fire. The Clint Eastwood music is going off every thirty seconds now. Blazers cut it to 17 (94-77). Damn, I hope I didn’t screw them.

The announcer just said, “12 minutes to go to end 12 years of waiting!”

Sweet.

Warriors-Blazers: Halftime

9:06

Both teams have most of their second unit in. Warriors still up 13 but not opening it up any. Also, its tough to blog while eating kung pao beef. FYI.

I forgot that Nate McMillan coaches the Blazers. It reminds me that his name was used as a colloquialism (“McChillin”) by my college roommate Chris and I.

Chris: What are you up to tonight?

Me: Nothing. I’m Nate McChillin. I got a midterm tomorrow.

Chris: Word.

6:18

Blazers are a joke. Warriors forward Mikael Pietrus makes a steal leading to a Matt Barnes (another UCLA fellow. He actually graduated I believe) dunk. Warriors lead by 18. Pietrus’ nickname is “Air France” as he’s originally from France. Lame nickname. I also believe Tim Hardaway hates this nickname as well.

4:23

First potential jinx moment of the game: Warrior commentator, Jim Barnett, just said, “Nice jumper from Monta Ellis. Nice to see him getting hot for the playoffs.” Blazers immediately get a dunk and the Warriors miss their next three shots. Uh, you can’t talk about the playoff until you make it, Barnett. Warriors still up 17 though so I think I’m just making mountains out of molehills here.

Halftime: Warriors 64
Blazers 44

Warriors absolutely gelling (or is it jelling?). Everybody contributing and playing well for the W’s. Nobody for the Blazers. Admittedly, I will now switch to American Idol. I don’t watch the show, but I absolutely love that Howard Stern and others are promoting Sanjaya to win the whole thing. He’s horrible. Wait, I guess its not on til 9pm. Whatever.

Warriors-Blazers: First Quarter Notes

Tipoff

They just showed Baron Davis giving a hug to Blazer center Jamaal Magloire around the center circle before tip-off. A few years back when they both played for the Charlotte Hornets, I saw them outside of a club in LA. They got in, we didn’t. Go figure.

8:08

Warriors are blazing hot. Two dunks and a three give them an early 15-4 lead. Blazers are playing without their two best players, Zach Randolph and Brandon Roy. Hopefully Warriors can get to a big lead early.

6:01

Fred Jones of Portland may wind up with 25 points tonight. He’s the only guy shooting and driving at all. He’s got 6 already and cut the Warrior lead to 4, 19-15.

4:09

Warriors are shooting 71% right and opened up to a 12 point lead. Most of their buckets are coming on easy layups as they are running as much as possible. Their only misses are bad 3’s, which I think is separating the Warriors from a very good team to a great team. Too many poorly timed 3’s. Its great when they’re hot, but brutal when they’re off.

Baron Davis is looking fantastic right now. Must be the UCLA genes coursing through his veins. 5 pts, 6 asts already.

2:03

Warriors are tooling Portland right now. Its controlled chaos right now, which is exactly how Don Nelson draws it up. They are pushing the ball on misses (Portland is laying bricks) and are getting layups or open 3’s (they are starting to fall now).

End o First Quarter

Baron Davis is sporting a pretty burly looking beard. I can’t think of another dude that rocks this look. 41-26 Warriors.

Magic Number 1

Tonight the Golden State Warriors find themsleves with a chance to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1995. I remember watching the last playoff series v. Phoenix when I was in college. Its hard to believe its been that long since Oakland has hosted an NBA playoff game. Tonight this could all change.

To commemorate this exciting occasion, I will be live-blogging during the game to record the details of tonight's game in Portland. Since I've never done this, I think I will make my comments and post them at the end of each quarter. Should you feel so compelled, please chime in with comments as the game goes on. Since predictions are not my forte, I will refrain from hexing the team I want to win.

Shock

The tail-end of the trip to Mexico City was spent watching CNN and hearing about the Virginia Tech tragedy. Like viewers all of over the world, we knew very little about the details and we were unfortunately left with media commentary spin to provide reasons that would warrant such abhorrent behavior. The first article we read was quick to mention that local officials did not think this was terrorist-related. My initial thought was, “why would anybody think this is terrorist-related?” but Natalia accurately pointed out that this reveals the times in which we are currently living.

With only my mind’s eye to paint the picture of how the scene went down, the two images my mind created was that of the assailant as a white guy, probably with longish hair and an Adam Morrison straggly moustache. Past tragedies including Columbine, the Oklahoma City bombing and numerous fictional movies and television shows have created this depiction over and over again and must have steeped into my subconscious. (Note: As I type this, I realize that I am guilty of profiling in this regard as any other irrational American. For some reason, profiling a Caucasian person is seen as less reprehensible within the mainstream or at least in my circles.)

Thinking about it more on the flight back to SFO, I was sure of two things about the VA Tech killer. A) the killer was NOT a woman and b) the killer was NOT Asian. I was shocked to later learn that the prime suspect was indeed an Asian man of South Korean descent thus turning all of my aforementioned preconceptions on its head.

I wonder how much attention will be made to this fact over the next days or weeks. The myth or opinions generated about Asians as the “model minority” would seemingly be under some scrutiny based on yesterday's events. This morning, a radio jock (Adam Carolla) mentioned that all of the Anna-Nicole news and the Don Imus controversy recently were indicators that the recent months have lacked any “real” news, as these two subjects took over all of the headlines. While this is perhaps debatable, I do agree with his point that the events of yesterday mark far more significant news and I find it interesting to see how the events of this story will play out, particularly the racial element if at all. Stay tuned.

The World Tour Continues

On a last minute whim, I am heading to Mexico City for the weekend. Natalia has business down there (all legal I presume) and I will join her on the trek. I have never been to Mexico City and its definitely been on the top tier of places I wanted to check out next.

Of course I will be providing updates and pictures and that jazz, but they will likely come next week upon my return as my computadora will be staying home.


I don't really have any expectations, but I do know that I am going to eat a ton and perhaps sample the local spirits.

Viva Mexico!

Frozen Apple

I just got back from a weekend in New York. Spring definitely has not sprung on the east coast as it has here in sunny California. (It was friggin snowing at some points!) What I did notice was that a majority of New York women look like they are equestrian specialists. I feel like 80% of the women cruising around Manhattan were sporting the skinny jeans tucked into knee-high boots look. Why did I even notice you ask? Because they were everywhere. It was unavoidable. Also we went to MOMA, where the fashionista quotient was through the roof.

It has been a couple of months since my last visit and another keen observation I made was that about half of the people in Greenwich Village speak English. The other half of the population speaks either French, Spanish, Italian or Portuguese. When Natalia and I went to brunch in the Meatpacking District last Saturday, I had to hit the ATM and made it a point listen to what language that passing pedestrians were speaking. Of the six or seven couples I passed, only one of them spoke English. I don't really have any thoughts about what this means, in fact I think its pretty cool, but I have to think that this neighborhood must have the most diverse set of hipsters on the planet.

Feeling the Force

Last night, I attended a Members preview for the upcoming San Francisco International Film Festival. Based on the presentation, there are many films worth seeing. If you are in the Bay Area at the end of April into early May, I recommend taking a look at the film listing and getting out and checking out a film or two.

Perhaps, the most memorable aspect of this event was that it took place in the Screening Room at the new LucasFilms/Industrial Light and Magic studio in the Presidio here in SF. For those non-SF natives, the Presidio is the former military base that sits on perhaps the most prime real estate in the City. It is located on the coast directly across from Alcatraz and just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. A few years back, the base at the Presidio shut down and opened up its doors to private industry. Currently, a number of non-profits are housed on the beautiful grounds and George Lucas purchased an enormous parcel of land near the Lombard Gate to set up his new studio space.

Entering the main building that contains the screening room, you are forced to walk past a sweet Yoda fountain sculpture just outside the main entrance. Once inside, the lobby has a life-size three dimensional representation of Boba Fett and Darth Vader and a number of other Star Wars memorabilia along the east wall. Unfortunately, I did not bring my camera, but now that I know where it is, I hope to take some pics someday soon. The hosts of the event ushered us into the screening room, which was a fully modern theater that sits about 100 people. In the entry hallway there, a number of classic movie posters lined the pathway further enhancing the sense that I was in some movie lovers mecca.

After the presentation, all of the attendees were again ushered out, but I was able to see what looked to be a preschool or daycare facility set up in an inner courtyard. (I wonder if they conduct Jedi training there.) This center suggests that Lucas has a place for parents to drop off their kids while they are creating the latest and greatest in CGI technology down a corridor. Impressive.

I was downright giddy as I walked through the grounds and reminisced about how much of an impact the first three Star Wars flicks had on my life. I am glad I got to see this new LucasFilms campus which re-affirmed how epic George Luca could be. Especially since the most recent three Star Wars flicks were so lame.

Who Knew?

Upon picking up a turkey and avocado sandwich for lunch and returing to my desk to eat it, I ran into a group of co-workers in the elevator bank. This woman who handles the Foundation's Accounts Payable was wearing a UCLA sweatshirt. Nice!

The following dialogue transpired:

Me: Hey! Nice sweatshirt. Go Bruins!

Her: Thanks! I'm going.

Me: (thinking she meant going to lunch, then quickly realized differently) wait! you're going to the game??

Her: Yeah, I'm leaving right now (I notice her luggage).

Me: (speechless then dumbfounded) to Atlanta?

Her: Yup. Go Bruins!

(elevator door closes.)

Office mate: I have no idea what you guys are talking about.

Me: She's going to the UCLA game in Atlanta!!

Office mate: (stares at me blankly)

End scene.

I stood there looking at the closed elevator doors realizing that some office accountant whose name I didn't even remember, is going to arguably one on the best Final Four's in the last 20 years. Even more shocking is that this office is about as sports savvy as a kindergarten class. Not only did I think I was the only alum here, but I also thought I was the only one who cared about these things. Everyone else is worried about more important issues like tsunami recovery in Thailand or expanding women's rights in Afghanistan. What a surprise!

Additional mojo?? I hope so.

The Rematch

Thanks to a quiet work week, I have had the chance to read everything's that's been written in anticipation of tomorrow's Final Four rematch with the Florida Gators. They are the defending champs, have zero weaknesses, and are more experienced and pretty much everybody predicts victory.

Admittedly, I am not qualified to speak objectively on this subject, but there is something in the air that makes me feel like we have a chance to pull off the upset. I think it has to do with the heart that the team plays with, their own experience in these big moments, and a little bit of magic and mystique that goes along with UCLA's basketball program.

Also, my car broke down this morning, I've had a number of bills pile up this week, and other miscellaneous personal items have made this a forgettable week. As a firm believer in karma, cosmic balance, etc., it is only right that the Bruins win tomorrow. I just hope that Championship #12 will not result in a $1,500 car repair bill.

Planet Earth

Last Sunday, the Discovery Channel began its first of an 11-part series called, Planet Earth. Each week, the show will feature a different aspect of life on earth. Last week featured the mountains and underwater. This series is AWESOME!

I think this program has been fairly hyped, but I happened to stumble across it last Sunday and was excited to learn that this was the first day of the series.

It airs at 8pm PST/EST on the Discovery Channel, or for the majority of those readers out there, set your TiVo's accordingly.

My biggest takeaways from last week were the snow leopards (first time ever filmed in the wild) and the vampire squid (almost futuristic).

Enjoy!

Victory

What a great day in San Jose yesterday. The Bruins return to the Final Four for the second year in a row marking only the second time this has happened in UCLA’s illustrious basketball history. The last time it happened, John Wooden was patrolling the sidelines and I was merely a glimmer in my parents’ eye.

I first must point out the scene in San Jose yesterday. While I have been known to be quite the San Jose basher over my lifetime, I have to admit that San Jose might be the PERFECT place to host such an event. The HP Pavilion, home of the San Jose Sharks, is a great modern facility with super spacious concourses, great viewing angles throughout the arena, and huge bathrooms with no lines. In addition, the arena is about two blocks from “downtown” San Jose, which is home to tons of restaurants and bars, perfect for pre/post-game celebrations.

Another thing that has made me want to apply for a job with the San Jose Chamber of Commerce is that I left SF which was blanketed in fog and emerged in San Jose an hour later to a gorgeous 80 degree, blue-sky day. Perfect California weather coupled with outdoor drinking bars filled to the brim with UCLA fans made me almost feel like victory over Kansas would make the day too good to be true.

The one downside is that San Jose is a bit too far from SF. After the victory, I definitely wanted to celebrate, but the older, wiser me thought better of driving the hour up the 101 after having a few brews and decided to just head back to the fog-belt basking in the glory of another hard-nosed UCLA win.

I would approximate that the ratio of fans at the Shark Tank yesterday to have been about 12,000 UCLA fans to about 3,000 Kansas fans. It was truly like a home game and the place exploded after every Collison steal, Afflalo jumper, and Mbah a Moute rebound. Truly one of the best crowd experiences I have ever been a part of.

I scored seats thru my buddy Derek’s hook-ups through the UCLA Athletic Department. Although we were in the upper bowl, the seats were great. (Unfortunately, this is the one game I did not bring my camera. I didn’t want to get sweated by security in case they don’t allow my size camera in the house and have to trek all the way back to the car. An un-wise choice upon further reflection.)

Our seats seemed to be in the section of some of the biggest UCLA basketball boosters. It was primarily old-timers who probably know John Wooden first-hand and likely give piles of cash to the program. The older woman behind me was super-excited, mentioned that she goes to every game with her husband and you could just tell she probably lived in Beverly Hills or Brentwood or something. The only bummer was when she tapped me on the shoulder to talk a bit of strategy in the first half with the game very much in doubt. “They should go to the middle more, why aren’t they going to the middle and why are they taking such bad shots? We usually do much better,” she exclaimed. She was a nice lady though and I tried to listen without cringing or talking to many x’s and o’s with her, so all I could say was “you know this team Kansas? They’re actually pretty good too.” Alls well that ends well as we exchanged high fives after Luc Richard Mbah a Moute’s dunk to finish off the victory.

Great times! I feel like a proud father over the effort the fellas showed yesterday. I remember driving home and thinking how satisfied and content I was over this victory. For some reason, my mind jumped back to having the same feeling when I was in the 4th grade and we won the Catholic school city championship over the Salesian Boys Club from North Beach. (I had 4 big points that day including a driving layup through traffic ala Afflalo. I have the photo evidence to prove it.) Crazy how memories like this come up. I hadn’t thought about that day in years. I guess it takes the glow of the return of the UCLA basketball dynasty to recall the glory days of my own.

Twice in a Month?

Yesterday on my daily MUNI ride back to the Richmond after work, I heard a nearby car blaring Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body.” I happened to look over to see who would be pumping the melodic pop tunes of a former Mouseketeer, when I saw a crazy sight for the second time this month.

JT’s club classic banger was emanating from a red convertible Corvette. Behind the wheel was an overweight, balding, 40-something dude smoking a cigar and nodding his head back and forth to the beat like he was a bobblehead. The image made me chuckle to myself. Then the guy reaches over and starts caressing the neck of the woman sitting shotgun. Obviously, I had to get a glimpse of the co-pilot and noticed that the lass sitting there was a young, attractive woman likely in her 20’s wearing a fancy dress; she gave the driver a bit of a smile when the neck massage began.

Craziness! This was like Staples Center all over again--an old fat dude rolling with a hottie that is way out his league. The only difference was that the guy in the Corvette was more like a Tony Soprano-type, which I guess some women find attractive. I’m sure this phenomenon is not unique, Kanye West even has a song about it, but for some reason its always jarring to see. Kind of like when you see a three-legged dog or pictures of Britney Spears circa 2007.

Side Order of Mojo

I have received a few emails asking why there was no pre-game entry in advance of tonight’s UCLA Sweet Sixteen match-up v. Pitt.

I think I’m consciously trying to curb my enthusiasm this year. Last year, I felt the mojo strong. I remember that I just “had a feeling” that we would make a strong run through the tourney. This year, our play has up-and-down lately and its hard for anybody to really get a sense of how we will show up tonight. I feel strongly that we will emerge victorious tonight but, unlike last year, their recent play leaves a tiny thread of doubt.

As the game gets closer (5 hour countdown), I am getting more and more stoked for the game. This is fairly typical for me.

On deadspin.com, they gave a breakdown for tonight’s game, but looked at atypical factors that may sway the game one way or another. For this game, the writer mentions that having Jessica Alba (boyfriend’s Dad is former Bruin hoopster) and Brooke Burke (former student) as supporters may be just enough to push the Bruins a step closer to Atlanta and the Final Four. I believe! Go Bruins!!

(Note: Although I am known to wear UCLA blue t-shirts over white long sleeve shirts, any suggestions that I am the owner of the arm cropped out of the Alba pics is purely speculative.)

Lemons Into Lemonade

After a very disappointing Thursday and Friday that prevented me from heading to New York, I tried my best to make the best of the weekend. (Sidenote: I also learned that I missed a great sighting in NYC this weekend. While in a cheese shop, Natalia stood in line behind Tom Brady and Brazilian model, Gisele Bundchen. Great sighting. Apparently, both are very good-looking in person. Who knew?)

Derek, Eric and Ross joined me on my mission to have a banner Saturday afternoon. On a whim, we decided to make the 90 minute drive to Sacramento to catch Round Two of the West Regional in the NCAA basketball tournament. Who was playing there you ask? Game One featured Vanderbilt versus Washington State and Game Two was a battle between Indiana University and my alma mater, UCLA.

Ross and I scored scalper seats and wound up approximately 10 rows off the floor. Great seats! And although many casual viewers will tell you that the Indiana-UCLA game was poorly played, the end was pretty dramatic and the Bruins gutted out a victory. Good times!

Check the link for pics from Arco Arena in Sacramento.

Brutal

That is the only way to categorize the last 24 hours. Brutal. As mentioned in my previous post, this week can usually be described as anything but brutal. Yet as I write this post, no other superlatives can describe the difficulty of the past day.

It all started innocently enough. In fact, it started better than that. Wednesday night (March Madness Eve) I got out of my work clothes and into my chill-out sweatpants mode and found $40 in the pocket of my Black Fila sweats. Who finds $40 in their pocket? I’ve heard of a single $1, or even a $20 spot, but two $20’s!? I took this as a good omen for the rest of the month and a long UCLA run. Unfortunately, things quickly turned for the worse.

Along with hoops hysteria, I had plans to head to NYC to visit and to celebrate Natalia’s 25th birthday (maybe its 27…not sure. I just know that she’s still super young, and looks much younger than her actual age…whatever that # may be) this weekend. I rushed home from work to catch the 2nd half of the UCLA game before heading to the airport to catch the red-eye to JFK. By the time I got home, CBS stopped showing the UCLA game since they were crushing Weber St by halftime and I wound up seeing zero live action of the Bruin victory. Bummer. After finishing up some last minute packing and knowing that the security lines are nearly non-existent during red-eye time, I was able to watch Duke get beat (I loathe those pricks), and arrive at the airport just about 40 minutes before take-off.

I stroll up to an empty security line and the old chap manning the entry asked for boarding pass and ID. I showed him the required documents and the old fella announces, “your flight is canceled.” The guy was jovial enough and I thought he might be pulling my chain, but when he reiterated that AA Flight 18 was indeed cancelled, I knew I had a long night ahead of me. Apparently, a late season, yet powerful snow storm was hitting the Eastern seaboard causing cancellations to all flights to the NY area. After waiting about 45 minutes to try to get myself on the next flight the next morning, I learned that I would be taking a connector thru Chicago leaving SFO at 6am and finally landing at LaGuardia at 5pm Friday night. Crappy, but still doable to make dinner reservations and still have a night of good times with Natty and the NYC crew.

Fortunately, one of my closest buddies lives really close to the airport and I was able to take a cab there and lay my head to rest on his couch for a 3 hour nap before returning to the airport to start the trek. I woke up at 4am to call American Airlines to check if all legs of the flight were on time. When I received word that all things were a go, I called a cab and was back at the airport at 5am in time to catch the initial leg of the delayed trip. I was all set to board this flight when I realized that I should double-check whether the Chicago-NY portion of the trip was still o.k. This was now 8am EST and Natalia was kind enough to wake up on her big day and check the flight status. I’m sure all you fine readers can guess what happens next. Indeed this leg was also canceled and I needed to figure out another re-routing.

After about 25 minutes of the AA desk clerk clacking away on her keyboard, I was now booked on a 1pm flight to LA with a connector to Newark, NJ that gets me into the land of Bon Jovi at 11:30pm EST. I'm missing happy hour and dinner now, but will still be salvaging a night out in the city that never sleeps.

I returned via cab (3 airport cab rides in 12 hours!!) back to my buddy’s pad to crash until I could catch a ride from him BACK to the airport on his way to work at noon. This was about 6:30 am. Did I mention he has two kids? They were up and about at around 8am and I was neck deep in Dora the Explorer computer games, Disney memory games and playing rescue mission with Captain America, Cyclops, Lizard Man, and Spider-Man for the next four hours. This part was actually a highlight at this point. I love hanging with the 3-year-old, unfortunately this means that I was working on about 3 hours of sleep over the past 24 hours.

My flight time again came around and I checked the American Air website to ensure that the flight to Jersey was still on. Of course it was. That is until I got back to the airport. My boy Ross re-checked the website after I could not get help from a single airport employee anywhere and now it was canceled. (STEE-RIKKKKEE THREE!!!!)

The weekend was now shot. What came next typifies the phrase, "adding insult to injury." I knew heading east this weekend was impossible, so I sought to re-book for the following weekend. After a bit of haggling, I was told that I couldn't do this, and I needed to pay the fare difference or another $250. Absolute BS. Now I have no booked flights to NY at this time and all I could do was get credited for this brutal experience.

So here I am writing this post from my living room floor, missing Natalia’s birthday, and feeling exhausted.

I am still trying to make lemonade after this incredible batch of lemons that I have been dealt, and have made plans for Saturday to somehow salvage the weekend. More details to come on these plans later….