Sic gloria hoc transit mundi

....and there they are. I've written about the various teams that I root for, and if you'd asked me which one I'd never see hoist the championship hardware I'd have told you the Boston Bruins. Lousy ownership. Bad luck. Horrible injuries to star players.

And now this. Wow.

I was born in Washington DC and have lived in this area nearly all of my life. I never knew much at all about hockey until around the fall of 1985 when I'd stay over at my grandfather's house between attending high school in the city and driving home to the country (it was a long drive and I could take the subway from the sticks to school and then back to his house until my dad was finished work so I could get home). In the time I spent with him I acquired a love of nearly all things athletic, and eventually that included ice hockey.

He'd played, apparently, for Pittsburgh's Central Catholic in the 1930's while attending high school there. Said it was his favorite sport. Back then, the NHL had only 6 teams, and for whatever reason he pulled for the Bruins. Maybe it was Eddie Shore, I don't recall. He eventually married a gal from Worcester, Massachusetts - I guess that sealed the deal.

Anyway, during the period of time from 1985 to 1987 I watched Bruins hockey with him and enjoyed the hell out of it. He appreciated what I guess you'd call "smashmouth" hockey, they call it old school hockey: guys that work hard, finish their checks, and don't turtle up when it's time to drop the gloves. I guess I soaked this up like a little sponge.

But it was the end of his life. We never got to watch the 1988 or 1990 Finals together, both disappointing washouts to the Edmonton Oilers. His favorite skater was Cam Neely, thus my favorite player was Cam Neely, too.

Obviously, he missed last night's rousing (if somewhat dull) Game 7 win over the Vancouver Biting Flopping Divers. Lord, I lost all respect for them. You don't win hockey games by diving to incite penalty calls. That's bitch hockey, not a game played by warriors.

Oh, I'll finish my little bio here. I got "back into" hockey when my little brother and I bought NHL Hockey for the Sega Genesis. The Bruins were pretty good, but Cam Neely was injured in 1991 and was never quite the same - those are the breaks, and Vancouver knows it (Lord, I hope that Mason Raymond recovers fully; crushed vertebrae sounded scary). After college I learned to skate and to play. I'm still learning - as anyone who plays with me could attest to. But I like to believe that I play the way my grandfather would've wanted me to: with heart, with courage, and not afraid to pound the boards.

I think this is how it is with older franchises, the fan base has an emotional connection to a sports team that's not really as much about the team itself as it is with those parts of your family who shared their love of the sport with you. I think this is true for New York's teams, and Chicago's, where certain of their fans have been long-suffering and faithful (I'm thinking of you, Rangers fans; and Cubs fans). There's something about the oldest NHL team from the United States winning it all that transcends generational gaps and brings a fan base together that does not exist for - let's say - the Dallas Mavericks or Tampa Lightning.

And that's how I'm feeling today, "Papa, you'd have been proud." I know it's fleeting and that in the larger scheme of things I'll forget all about this as time trundles onward and more important matters of living come up. I also know that it's not likely that I'll see the boys wearing spoked B's on their chests hoist the Cup again anytime soon - it's a championship grind that is less about a war of skill than it is a war of attrition. This year, my boys won. Next year, they'll be older and one year closer to the end of their pro careers. This is OK, no one can take Spring of 2011 away.

Enjoy now.

Yup.

Enjoy now.

Here we go!

Wow. Just wow.

When one finds himself with nothing particularly profound to talk about he will generally move to the topics of weather or sports. A few of y'all can tell from the above picture what this will be about, the unwashed and uninitiated won't. Well, try to keep up. I promise it won't be hard.

Pretty great NBA Final this year. Was the word schadenfreude? Nah. I think there was some of that going on, and it certainly goosed the numbers of people watching on TV, but it was more about three guys versus one team. Some years, the 3 guys win. I think it's inevitable. This year, much like the NFL's 2001-2 New England Patriots, (or, yuck, the 2007-8 New Y0rk Giants) the team won.

But let's give Mount James (so named for his rather zaftig ego)and compadres a break: they aren't mass-murderers or wife-beaters here. They're just ballplayers. Not particularly sympathetic ones, but -- y'know - - keep some perspective here in this universe of hyperbole.

Hey, here's a fun note....remember Jason Kidd's wife-beating when he was with the NJ Nets? No? Sports Illustrated apparently gave him a pass because he was 38 years old and fighting for his first-ever championship.

So...while the masses were pulling for an egotistical turncoat to lose, an actual wife-beater won his championship. Sick friggin' world.

I'm a fan of two hockey teams, and I've said this ad nauseam: the Washington Caps and the Boston Bruins. I'd waste time explaining yet again why a central Maryland boy likes a hockey team from Beantown - but instead I've decided that's boring. I've decided instead to embrace Republican-speak, and by that I mean conclusory statements that have absolutely no exposition. In other words, I like the Bruins because I do.

And my Bruins have given hockey fans a Game 7 for the Stanley Cup. Wow.

I saw the Capitals play the Red Wings for the Cup in 1998 and get swept. The Big Bad B's won the Cup in 1970 and 1972, but I was only 1. The B's played for the Cup in 1988 and 1990 and lost to Edmonton both times in 4 and 5 games- and I was a kid without cable so I saw none of those games and had to rely on the morning newspaper to see if they'd won or not.

Well, this is like Nirvana for me, I've waited and hoped to see my team play for all the marbles and 2011 is their year. Should I say "our" year? No, I'm not under contract - just a fan.

This Cup series has been great, in terms of the intensity and the animosity between the 2 teams. I really thought Vancouver was a professional group of hockey players who'd simply skate around the slower Bruins en route to a quick Series. Boy, was I wrong. The Canucks have shown themselves to be a bunch of cheap-shot bitches who take dives to get calls, and whose best players have wilted under pressure.

That said, they're still winning their home games (even if the scores have been tight) and tomorrow night's Game 7 is in Vancouver. The Bruins have played nowhere near as well in Vancouver as they have in Boston.

Tomorrow it's for the whole enchilada. Even if you hate hockey, Game 7 for the Cup -the last hockey game of the 2010-11 season, will be an amazing thing to watch. I'll be the severely balding guy in a Bruins shirt with droplets of sweat on my brow till the clock runs out.

Let's go Bru-ins!

Weiners, Vieras, and whatever else enters my consciousness

Hi! Long time, huh?

Meredith Viera left the Today show yesterday. Boy did that suck or what? Replaced with the simpering Ann Currie. Eh, no thanks, I don't like her "sad voice." I enjoyed NBC's 10-minute "news item" describing how it will be bringing us the Olympics. Boy, that was suuure interesting. I liked Madam Viera, she seemed fun and spunky. "Today" is now a 100% suck-fest. Watch at your own peril.

So like everyone else I get to read about Congressman Anthony Weiner's exploits. And my first thought is "what an unfortunate last name." Very late to the joke party, but there's my joke. I've been very vocal criticizing conservatives for their foibles, and here's a chance to show I'm not totally biased.

Well, first an aside. I can't pass judgment on this guy, or Arnold, or anyone else. I'm not a perfect human being and have made many errant decisions. I lack the standing to judge anyone.

But, on the other hand, what a bunch o' ninnies!

Seriously? Who splatters the Internet with photographs of their........lesser selves? Who thinks they can knock up the maid and walk tall? Or wander out of their hotel's shower and accost the woman making up the room?

Well.....powerful men, apparently. I'm not one of them, therefore I have no true understanding of the burdens these absolute ass-hats carry.

Our public figures are caricatures of the people who vote or buy tickets to the movies or watch their TV shows......we're the ship's fools being captained by jackasses ands navigated by weasels. Bring a life vest.

Last Sunday was the Ascension. As I listened to the readings I wondered if Jesus, having seen people for the lying, stealing, cheating, murderous creeps they are simply told us he'd be back just to be nice. "Uh, well, I really gotta go. There's this card game we're having up in Paradise.......Zeus is coming over with the kids.....see ya soon!"

It's not as dumb as sending photographs to youngsters (who may or may not have wanted to see them), but Mrs. Palin's comments on Paul Revere's ride were funny. Duh. I think schools in Idaho must be a little bit more forgiving. What sucks about HER is that she cannot simply come out and say "oops! I got this wrong and I'm sorry." No.....her response was simply to insist that it was right. Double-duh. This sort of person is fine, a harmless type who likes the sound of her own voice (and there are LOTS of guys like this....I might be one of 'em). But in neither case (me, and her) should this type of person become President of the United States.

So, back to the Weiner. Snicker all you want. What a dumbass. So a 47-year old newly-married soon-to-be-father-for-the-first-time is having "contact over the Internet" with a group of young women who all seem to range in age from 20-25. No, I'm not wasting my efforts fact-checking. I'm only spitballing here but I've gotta figure that some of this mess was caused by the age gap. He was in high school back in....1980? Things have changed a little since then, pal, and so have the ladies.

Can you imagine the texts? Cindy-Lou's cell phone lights up and she gathers her friends around to show them all what the creepy Congressman sent? OR....much more likely...she simply hits her "send to all Contacts" link on her smartphone and broadcasts it.

And he - the 47-yr old Congressman - has no clue that this could ever happen??

A lot has been written and said about men in power lately. In most cases, these guys are getting older and looking for younger women - which perhaps says something disparaging about older women OR something disparaging about the men themselves. I presume that these men aren't seeking out nubile ladies for extensive discussions on nuclear proliferation policy, or the like.

The universal thread that seems to run through all of the "bad behavior" stories that we've heard is that these guys thought they'd get away with it. Why? Because they're accustomed to it.

Oops. another paradigm shift. Sorry fellas.

Then there's former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, a guy who apparently "reads the Bible with his coaches in the morning" and then "cheats kids who'd saved up money from mowing lawns" (this over a raffle ticket sale at OSU kids summer camps). His crime? Turning a blind eye toward alleged NCAA violations, college kids getting money, cars, and deals from university boosters.

I'm torn. These kids usually have little more than their own God-given talent. In one sense, they seem to live like thoroughbred race-horses their entire lives, pampered and prodded and exercised to the fullest extent of human endurance. They're praised if things go well and they're radioactive when things don't go well. So Tressel let them have some money, some cars, and some fun. Yes, it's preferential and unfair to the student body as a whole.

Here's my problem with it....I think Tressel's simply the public fall guy. Am I to believe that the Dean and Presidents and Board of OSU is too stupid and ignorant to notice what is occurring on their own campus? That no one noticed that only the OSU football players were so well-cared-for? Nah. He's the fall guy in an unfair system. The kids play, the coach coaches (and gets paid an ample salary), and the university makes money hand-over-fist in tuition and OSU gear.

Enough. I've abused the dash (-) in this blog and must do my penance by re-reading 9th grade grammar texts. Enjoy Menudo.

Confirming the confirmable comfortably

Hi.

Well, by my watch and warrant I see that I've not posted anything on this here E-Lec-tronic thingie since May 16th. It's old news (and stupid news) to mention that the world didn't end on May 21st. The End was revised, again. Ok, have fun guessing the next time Mr. Jesus will return. He said He would. But He ascended, and we're all still here....so behave yourselves just in case.

Since living in constant fear is about as fun as chewing thumbtacks, I'll sleep through your static.

Anyway, in 1995 my wife and I became the proud parents of a little girl we named Sarah Giacinta, after two of our grandmothers (it was gonna be Giacinta Sarah, but my wife balked). My other choice was "Velouria," the title of a Pixies song....this was a non-starter.

......and life as we'd known it changed wholly, completely, and I'm out of poorly-used adverbs here. We were drawn inexorably (more adverbs!) into parenthood without a clue as to what we were supposed to do. Our friends were useless, they were all single and had no experience. Our parents told us to settle down and roll up our sleeves, and that's about as good advice as anyone can give you.

Lots of trial and error with Child #1. Hits and misses. Starts and stops. Insert more cliches here ____________. As a baby, she was fiercely independent. As a toddler, she was hell on wheels (at least, until the boys came along).

On this Saturday past Sarah was confirmed, and will be 16 in a few mere days. Oh, and she's driving now, Saints preserve us! She often complains that I don't pay enough attention to her nor do I give her credit for the positive things she does because (for example) I like my son's ice hockey practices more than her marching band events. While it's true that I love ice hockey and am lost at a marching band competition, I go see her play anyway. She's grown into a lovely young woman (though she doesn't seem to think so and doesn't seem to care when I say it) who's pretty, smart, fairly articulate, and is by far the best musician my side of the family ever produced.

But, all of that conditional gushing aside, she's a teenager - so she's still a pain in the butt.

For my part, I spent most of the Spring saving money for an AWESOMELY EPIC gift that would suit both the Confirmation and the 16th birthday, plus I was landscaping our back yard for the party we had. I planted many plants, slung much mulch, and worked pretty much up until about 3:30 pm last Saturday afternoon.

Amazingly, it all looked pretty good. Even better, the party went off without a hitch...sort of.

It wasn't supposed to rain, therefore it ended up raining --- if only a little. One can lament life's curveballs ad infinitum or one can learn how to make contact with those curveballs and just f'in deal with them; maybe you won't hit a home run but at least you'll put the ball in play.

Me? I mostly lament, then when I'm done I feel stupid and start learning.

And it didn't rain for long.

Love ya, kiddo. Enjoy your epic laptop,

Dad