Sunday, September 30, 2012

To the Cal versus Arizona State Game

One of the huge advantages of Jack playing freshman football was that it gave him a chance to meet a lot of new classmates. Almost three weeks before school started, more than 80 boys started working out twice a day. Consequently, Jack knew a big group the first day of school.

One of the boys that he got to know (Theo) invited him, Jacob and Matt to go to the Cal/Arizona State in Berkeley on Saturday. They took Amtrak from Sacramento to Berkeley and back. The dad is a Cal alumni with connections in the athletic department. He got the boys into the locker to hear the pre-game pep talk. Arizona State won the game by the score of 27 to 17.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Virtually Biking Across America - Day 30

Riding up Emigration Canyon Road, I passed several cyclists on Google Streetview!


On day 30, I traveled 24.8 miles across Northeastern Utah. Starting from the Pony Express Trader's Rest Station [N40 37 59.9 W111 53 21.8] in Midvale, I rode to the Pony Express Salt Lake City Division Headquarters [N40 45 58.4 W111 53 27.9]. From downtown Salt Lake City, I rode up Emigration Canyon Road. Eventually connecting up with Highway 65, I finished the ride near the Pony Express Mountain Dale Station [N40 46 52.8 W111 40 58.8].

The second half of the ride was a steady 12 mile climb. The grade reached 7.5%.

The trip log for Virtually Biking Across America is here.



ESPN 30 for 30 Trailer: Broke

The first film--Broke--in ESPN's 30 for 30 Volume II premieres Tuesday, October 2 at 8 pm ET.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

2012 Jesuit Frosh Football versus Vintage


Playing their fifth game of the season, the Jesuit Marauders faced the Vintage Crushers at Memorial Stadium in Napa. The Crushers came into the game with a record of 3 wins and 2 losses.

The Marauders took the opening kick-off and drove the length of the field to score, but missed the extra point. The Crushers came right back and scored to make the score 7 to 6 at the end of the first quarter. The Marauders scored again in the second quarter and led 12 to 7 at half-time.

The two teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter. The Marauders led by the score of 20 to 13 at the end of the third quarter.

With about four minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Marauders drove to the Crushers' five yard line. After a series of penalties including a holding and a delay of game, the Marauders turned the ball over on an interception. The Crushers drove back the other way. Helped by a fifteen yard penalty for too many players on the field, the Crushers got to the Marauder's 15 yard line. The defense held as the clock ran out.

The Marauders won the game by the score of 20 to 13. They now have a record of 3 wins and 2 losses. The game log is here.

Jack started the game at free safety, but only played the first defense series. With the Vintage backs breaking through the line and getting into the defensive backfield, Jack was actually credited with at least one tackle. He also played on the PAT team.

After five straight away games, the Marauders will play the next five games at home. They will face Ponderosa next Thursday night.



Wednesday, September 26, 2012

2012 Jesuit High School President's Club Dinner

Sharon and I went to the 2012 Jesuit High School President's Club Dinner. We ran into the Laskins and the DeAndas.

ESPN Films 30 for 30 Shorts: Arnold's Blueprint

Grantland and ESPN Films have released the first film in their 30 for 30 documentary short series.

30 for 30 Shorts: Arnold's Blueprint

Welcome to the new 30 for 30 documentary short series. The first film out of the gate is Arnold's Blueprint, from acclaimed directors Michael and Jeff Zimbalist (The Two Escobars). This 10-minute movie focuses on the years before Arnold Schwarzenegger was the "Universe's Perfect Specimen," when the young Austrian seized upon an opportunity to use the sport of bodybuilding to catapult himself to international stardom. Barrack escapes, tanks, and borrowed underwear all play key roles.


You can find Arnold's Blueprint at http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:8420216.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wilt Chamberlain, and Andre the Giant Have Dinner

From the Grantland YouTube Channel, here is Arnold Schwarzenegger's tale of an evening out with Wilt Chamberlain and Andre the Giant in 1983 and what happened to him when he paid the bill against Andre's wishes.


Arnold's Blueprint, a collaboration between ESPN Films and Grantland, premieres tomorrow as the first 30 for 30 Short.

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - The Avett Brothers - Live and Die

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!
Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - The Avett Brothers - Live and Die

Code Expiration: December 18, 2012

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Youngblood Hawke - Forever

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!
Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Youngblood Hawke - Forever

Los Angeles quintet named after an old Herman Wouk novel deliver surging, hooky rock.

Code Expiration: December 18, 2012

Monday, September 24, 2012

The Watchmen and Milo Greene

Milo Greene finished up a swing through the South opening for The Watchmen. They ended the tour playing at Tipatinas in New Orleans. Tomasin, Nooter, Wallen and I have spent more than a couple of evenings in Tipatinas...


Sunday, September 23, 2012

2012 Outlaws Baseball Tournament #12 Day #2

The Outlaws played in the second day of the NCTB Harvest Classic on the grass field at Mather. They played Hard 90 Pastime Premier in the first elimination game. The Outlaws have faced Hard 90 a number of times in the last four plus years. In the last year, Hard 90 has lost a number of players and is a shell of the team that it was several years ago.


At the plate, Jack was 2 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI. In his first at-bat, Jack chopped a 1 and 0 pitch to the right side between the first baseman, the second baseman and the pitcher. He outraced everyone to the base and was safe at first. He went to second on an error by the first baseman. In one of the more bizarre plays that I have seen, Jack scored from second on a passed ball. There was a lot of room behind home plate and the catcher was taking his time getting the ball. I looked up to see Jack running full speed taking the turn around third. With the pitcher reacting late, the ball, the pitcher and Jack all got to the plate at the same time. Jack was safe at home as the ball rolled away.

Jack drove an 0 and 2 pitch for sinking line drive into right center in his second plate appearance. The right fielder made a great sliding attempt to get to ball, but couldn't hold on. Trevor scored from second for an RBI. In his third at-bat, Jack struck out looking on a 3 and 2 pitch. With the count 3 and 2, Trevor tried to come home on a passed ball, but slammed into the pitcher and was out at home. The pitcher had to leave the game. Jack faced the new pitcher and was called out looking on a low inside pitch.

In the field, Jack played five innings at shortstop. He had one put-out and one assist. Jack handled one grounder to the left side and threw to first for the assist in the first inning. He made a nice running catch on a pop-up behind second base for the last out of the game.

In a morning that I titled adventures in pitching, the Outlaws outlasted Hard 90 by the score of 15 to 11 and advanced to the semi-final game of the tournament. The box score is here.

After a couple of hour break, the Outlaws faced the Central Valley Athletics in the second game of the elimination round. They had lost to this team by the score of 5 to 4 on Saturday.


At the plate, Jack was 2 for 3 with a run scored. He also reached base on an error. In his first at-bat, Jack hit a 1 and 2 pitch into the hole. The shortstop waited on it rather than charging it and Jack beat the throw to first. He went to third on Bailey's double and scored on Jeremy's single to right. Jack lined a 1 and 0 pitch into left center for a single in his second plate appearance. He ended the inning there when Breyton struck out. In his third at-bat, Jack hit a ground ball to the left side. The shortstop airmailed the throw over the first baseman. Jack was safe at first and went to second on the overthrow. He ended the inning there when Breyton grounded out to the pitcher and Bailey flied out to right field.

In the field, Jack played seven innings at shortstop. He had two put-outs on pop-ups to the left side. Oddly, he never fielded a grounder.

Josh gave up 6 runs in the first three innings and the Outlaws could never get back into the game. They ended up losing by the score of 8 to 3. The box score is here.

Jack had a very productive weekend. He was 4 for 9 (.444 BA) with an on base percentage (OBP) of .545. Given that Jack also reached base twice on errors, he was on base 8 of the 11 times that he came to bat! Jack also had three runs scored and one RBI.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

2012 Outlaws Baseball Tournament #12 Day #1


The Outlaws played in the Northern California Travel Ball Harvest Classic at Mather on the grass field. Although we had originally envisioned shutting him down for baseball until November, Jack wants to play. The Outlaws played the Lincoln Brown Sox in the first game of the day. Although they have been in a couple of tournaments together, the Outlaws have never faced the Brown Sox before.

At the plate, Jack was 0 for 2, but reached on an error. In his first at-bat with Trevor on first, Jack grounded the first pitch to the left side. The third baseman's throw was high. Trevor kept running and scored, while Jack ended up on second. Jack ended the inning there when Breyton struck out swinging. Jack hit a 1 and 2 pitch for a line drive up the middle in his second plate appearance. When it left his bat, I was sure it was a hit. The shortstop made a nice catch for the out.

In the field, Jack played first, third, shortstop and pitched!?! He pitched 1/3 of an inning. With the Outlaws trailing by the score of 5 to 1, Jack came in to pitch in the fourth inning. He could not find the strike zone and threw 14 balls and 5 strikes. After getting the first batter to ground out to short, Jack hit a batter and then walked two more. The fifth batter hit a double to drive in two runs. Jack pulled himself out complaining of pain in his arm. Jack gave up four earned runs on one hit. He had one put-out playing first base in the fourth inning.

The Outlaws pitching continues to be an adventure. They gave up 10 hits and 15 runs. Unfortunately, the Outlaws also had two errors and three unearned runs in the top of the first and wasted any momentum that they might have gained from Breyton being the starting pitcher. The Outlaws lost the game by the score of 15 to 3. The box score is here.

The Outlaws turned around and played the Central Valley Athletic's from Fresno. They have never faced this team before.

At the plate, Jack was 0 for 1 with a run scored. He reached base on a walk and hit by pitch. Given that he is not swinging a bat other than during tournaments during the last two months, I actually feel pretty good about the contact that he is making. In his first at-bat, Jack got hit by a pitch on a 1 and 0 count to load the bases. He was out at second on Breyton's fielder's choice. Jack grounded an 0 and 1 pitch to the third baseman in his second plate appearance and was thrown out at first. In his third at-bat, Jack walked on four pitches. He stole second and then scored on Johann's infield single. Jack came home after the throw had gone to first and made a very athletic acrobatic move to avoid the tag by the catcher.

In the field, Jack played shortstop and first base. He had three assists, one put-out and an error. Charging a grounder hit back up through the middle, Jack sailed a throw over Josh's head at first for an error; he didn't realize how much momentum he had behind the throw. Jack fielded three other grounders at shortstop and made the throw to first and second for the outs. At first base, Jack took one throw from Jordan at third for the out.

Leading 4 to 1 in the bottom of the seventh, the Outlaws gave up four runs to lose the game by the score of 5 to 4. This was one of the most gut-wretching loss that I watched in a couple of years. The box score is here.

I continue to worry about Josh. Since June, he has had a number (4?) of rocky outings with the Outlaws where he has gotten hit very hard. His seven inning ERA for the two 14u tournaments that the Outlaws have played is 13.3.

The Outlaws ended the day seeded fourth out of the five teams in the tournament. They will play Hard 90 Pastime Premier at 8 am on Sunday morning.

Friday, September 21, 2012

2012 Jesuit Frosh Football versus Napa Slideshow

Sharon was the team photographer for the Jesuit frosh football against Napa. Here is the slide show of the 215 pictures that she took!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

2012 Jesuit Frosh Football versus Napa


Playing their fourth game of the season, the Jesuit Marauders faced the Napa Indians at Memorial Stadium in Napa. The Indians came into the game with 4 wins and 0 losses.

Napa opened the game with two long scoring drives. Jesuit was unable to stop their running game. Napa led by the score of 16 to 0 at the end of the first quarter.

Jesuit scored early in the second quarter to make the score 16 to 8, but Napa turned around and drove the length of the field to score again. Just before half-time, Jesuit's starting free safety intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. The score at half-time was Napa 24, Jesuit 16.

Jesuit scored about halfway through the third quarter to tie the score at 24, but Napa drove the length of the field to score and lead 32 to 24 at the end of the third quarter. Neither team was able to score in the fourth quarter.

Napa won the game by the score of 32 to 24. The Marauders now have a record of 2 wins and 2 losses. The game log is here.

For the first time in three weeks, Jack actually played at free safety. He played one defensive series in the second quarter and a couple of plays at the end of the game. Hopefully, he will get a few more opportunities in the next six weeks. The coaches continue to have a fairly tight rotation. Of the almost 60 kids dressed for the game, it looks like only 27 or 28 played.

The Marauders play the Vintage Crushers next Thursday at Memorial Stadium in Napa. The Crushers have a record of 3 wins and 2 losses. Their wins include a 50 to 0 victory over American Canyon and a 36 to 0 win over Woodland. Their losses include a 7 to 26 loss to Clayton Valley and a 7 to 38 loss to Whitney.


Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Alexander the Great by Philip Freeman

I finished reading Alexander the Great by Philip Freeman in early September. Reading Cleopatra in June, I was surprised to learn that Egypt was ruled by a Greek upper class that was descended from one of Alexander the Great's general. Combined with several other references to Alexander the Great in the story of Cleopatra, I was intrigued and wanted to learn more.

I have four general observations. First, I didn't realize that Alexander the Great was Macedonian. I tend to associate Greeks with Athens and Sparta. Macedonia is in northern Greece. In the twentieth century, some of ancient Macedonia was part of Yugoslavia. With the break-up of Yugoslavia, there is actually a separate country of Macedonia.

Second, while I knew that he covered a lot of ground, it is amazing to follow his travels on map. He traversed a wide swath of land from Greece to Egypt to the Republic of Tajikistan to India.

Third, Alexander was smart. Tutored as a boy by Aristotle, Alexander had an inquisitive mind and was extremely well read. This served him well when he faced formidable obstacles during his military campaigns.

Lastly, the wanton disregard for life is unnerving. Alexander and his army would burn towns to the ground and kill every man, woman and child. It is hard to imagine the life of a soldier that spent almost 13 years fighting his way across Asia.

I enjoyed the book a great deal and would recommend it. Written by a professor, it has a much different voice than the Cleopatra book.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Milo Greene playing in Starbucks!

Janie told Sharon that she heard a Milo Greene song in the Vacaville Starbucks. It looks like it is on the Starbucks playlist nationwide!

Starbucks iTunes Pick of Week - SpellTower

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!
Starbucks iTunes

Taking wordplay to the summit.

Code Expiration: December 11, 2012

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Black Prairie - How Do You Ruin Me?

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!
Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Black Prairie - How Do You Ruin Me?

The Decemberists spinoff project delivers a slice of moody Americana.

Code Expiration: December 11, 2012

Monday, September 17, 2012

Virtually Biking Across America - Day 29


On day 29, I traveled 26.7 miles across Utah. Starting from the Pony Express Joe’s Dugout Station [N40 21 19.0 W111 59 34.0] in Eagle Mountain, I headed east on Pony Express Parkway to Road 68. Turning north, I took Road 68 (Redwood Road) to Road 140. Crossing under Interstate 15, I wound around and eventually got on Highway 89 going north. I finished the ride at the Pony Express Trader's Rest Station [N40 37 59.9 W111 53 21.8] in Midvale. Along the way, I passed the site of Rockwell Pony Express Station [N40 29 07.0 W111 54 14.0].

The trip log for Virtually Biking Across America is here.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Worst Owners in Professional Sports

Looking at the MLB, NHL, NFL and NBA teams, EPSN ranked all 122 franchises on a number of factors. They graded the Maloofs as the worst ownership and Power Balance Pavilion as the second to worst stadium. Combining all of the factors, ESPN ranked the Sacramento Kings franchise as 121 out of 122, better only than the New York Islanders.
Ultimate Standings 2012 - No. 121 - Sacramento Kings - ESPN

How does a franchise come to feature the worst-ranked ownership in the Big Four? By following the Maloof family blueprint. In a nutshell, it all revolves around a lack of commitment. Financially, the Maloofs have ponied up one of the NBA's lowest payrolls for three consecutive seasons, which has resulted in few solid complementary players for the franchise's young faces, who have been disappointing themselves. We're looking at you Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins and Jimmer Fredette.

The Maloofs have also devoted little money to the upkeep of Power Balance Pavilion, a structure best put out to pasture.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

2012 Holy Bowl - Jesuit versus Christian Brothers

Jesuit 14, Christian Brothers 7 in the freshman game of the Holy Bowl

Sharon, Jack and I spent a long day at Hughes Stadium for the 2012 Holy Bowl. Sharon got there at 11 am to help set-up the Jesuit Booster's tailgate. Jack and I rolled up about 1 pm. We found a spot in the northeast corner of the parking garage out of the sun. The Renterias joined us there.

The Freshman game kicked off at 3:00 pm. We sat with the Chappelles; they had a great pop-up shade set up high on the 50 yard line and some refreshments. The Marauders looked flat and trailed at half-time by the score of 7 to 0. Based partially on CB's 46 to 12 loss to El Camino, I think that everyone, myself included, thought that the Marauders would roll over the Falcons. On the strength of two very long runs by Dalvin Jamal-Milton [#27], the Marauders scored two second half touchdowns and held on to win by the score of 14 to 7.

Unfortunately, Jack did not get to play. He was extremely frustrated when he got back to the car after the game. It is going to be a long seven weeks...

The Freshman Jesuit Marauders now have 2 wins and 1 loss. The game log is here. The Marauders play Napa in Napa on Thursday. Napa appears to have a very good freshman team.

After the freshman game, we headed back to the car with the Renterias and got some food at the Jesuit Booster's tailgate. We had to get back into the stadium before 6:30 pm. We watched the second half of the Jr. Varsity game; Jesuit won by the score of 50 to 0.

With Jesuit ranked #16 and CB ranked #17 in the Sacramento area, the game was close. Jesuit led most of the game and won by the score of 28 to 23. I was not impressed by the Marauders offense. By the time we found Jack and got out of the parking garage and drove home, it was almost 11:30 pm. A long day...

Friday, September 14, 2012

Nevada Historical Marker #191

On the way to the first day of the Petersen Shoot-out golf tournament in Reno in April, I stopped at two Nevada historical markers: The Great Train Robbery [#128] and Verdi [#191].

Verdi
Nevada Historical Marker #191

See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps

This marker is located Along 3rd Street/Old US 40 (SR 425) near Crystal Peak Park, Verdi, Nevada. There are 41 other historical markers in Washoe County. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 39° 30.953 W 119° 59.634.

You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.

Nevada Historical Marker #191

Modern Verdi came into being with the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad through Nevada in 1867-69. It became a major mill town and terminal for the shipment of ties and construction timbers, with a network of logging railways reaching into the timber north and west of here.

In 1860, a log bridge was built across the Truckee River near where Verdi is now located. Known as O'Neil's Crossing, the site served as a stage stop during the 1860's on the heavily traveled Henness Pass turnpike and Toll Road and the Dutch flat and Donner Lake Road.

In 1864, the Crystal Peak Company laid out a town on the site some two milesfrom Verdi's present location. The company owned mining and lumbering interests near the settlement which was then called Crystal Peak.

Verdi remained an active lumbering center into the twentieth century due to the exertions of men like Oliver Lonkey of the Verdi Lumber Company. A disastrous fire in 1926, plus depletion of timber reserves, resulted in Verdi's decline.


Nevada Historical Marker #191

Thursday, September 13, 2012

2012 Jesuit Back to School Night

Sharon and I went to Back to School Night at Jesuit High School. The program started with a 20 minute general session in the gym. This was followed by a shortened six-period schedule where we had the opportunity to meet each of the teachers in their classrooms. Jack's schedule for the first semester includes: Pre-AP Biology; French 1; Geometry XL; Global Studies; English 1 XL and Theology 1.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

ESPN Films: Right To Play

I watched Right to Play by Frank Marshall on ESPN Classic in late August. The documentary was originally announced as part of the first ESPN 30 for 30 series in 2009. It did not air as part of the series, but premiered on Saturday, June 2, 2012 on ABC.

The film looks at the life of Johann Olav Koss, an Olympic gold medal-winning speed skater and founder of the international youth sports organization Right To Play. Koss is a former speed skater from Norway who is considered to be one of the best in history.

Koss made his Olympic debut at the 1992 Winter Olympics winning gold in the 1,500 m and silver in the 10,000 m. He finished seventh in the 5,000 m.

In 1994, Koss gained fame outside the speed skating world by winning three gold medals at the 1994 Winter Olympics in his native Norway. Spectacularly, he won all three races in new world record times. For his performance, he was named Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year in 1994.

While Koss was an Olympian, he participated in the Olympic Aid program. Olympic Aid was conceived in 1992 by the Lillehammer Olympic Organizing Committee (LOOC) in preparation for the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway. The program raised funds for children in disadvantaged situations by building on the momentum of Olympic Games.

After spending some time studying medicine, Koss decided to dedicate himself to the cause. Within a decade, Koss had grown Olympic Aid into Right to Play, an international humanitarian agency that uses games and sports as a tool to teach, inspire and empower children in war-ravaged and distressed countries. The documentary includes a number of segments showing Right to Play staff on the ground in a number of countries.

Although it seems a little light on content compared to some of the other 30 for 30 documentaries, I enjoyed the film. Given that it ran outside of the 30 for 30 or ESPN Films promotion cycle, I don't think that it got the attention that it deserved. Right to Play is worth looking for. Unfortunately, it is not available on iTunes or Amazon.

Right To Play - Trailer from The Kennedy/Marshall Company on Vimeo.


Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Six Good Innings by Mark Kriedler

In early August, I finished reading Six Good Innings: How One Small Town Became a Little League Giant by Mark Kreidler. Kreidler was a sports writer for the Sacramento Bee for a number of years and appeared on the radio on Sports1140 with the Rise Guys. I stumbled across this book while browsing on Amazon.

The backdrop for the book is Toms River, New Jersey. Toms River became a little league powerhouse. In the 1990s, its team made it to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, three times in five years, finally bringing home a historic world championship victory in 1998. This success created expectations that they could get back again. As a side note, I saw some of the 1998 game between Toms River and Japan on the ESPN Classic channel by accident as I was flipping channels.

In 2006, the Toms River Little League team advanced farther in the competition than any team had in recent years. With most of the key players returning, expectations for 2007 were very high. The book tells the story of the 2007 team as it fights it way towards Williamsport.

Jack had the opportunity to play in the Northern California Cal Ripken Tournament in 2009 and 2010. The book accurately portrays the pressure that the kids are under in these tournaments. The expectations of everyone involved can be unreasonably high. The story also highlights the role of chance; a lot of things have to right to win it all.

I enjoyed the book and give a sold B grade. I enjoyed it a lot more than the book about kids baseball that I read last summer.

The short story that I want Kreidler to write is the tale of his son's Davis California tournament baseball team getting caught using an illegal overage player in a major youth tournament in Southern California. They won the tournament, but got caught. Given the reverence with which he writes about baseball in this book, it would be interesting to understand the group psychology that took place. What were the coaches and parents thinking? It appears that it was common knowledge that the kid was overage. It would be interesting to explore the consequences on coaches, players, parents and the team.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Virtually Biking Across America - Day 28

It is frankly amazing how much empty country there is in the Western United: miles and hundreds of miles of desolate terrain. While I know this intellectually, riding virtually on a bike for days and days through empty country reenforces the point.


On day 28, I traveled 28 miles across central Utah. Starting from the Pony Express Faust’s Station [N40 10 27.0 W112 25 38.8], I rode along the Pony Express Trail Road. Connecting with Highway 73, I turned on to Lehi-Fairfield Road just past Camp Floyd State Park. I finished the ride at the Pony Express Joe’s Dugout Station [N40 21 19.0 W111 59 34.0] in Eagle Mountain. Along the way, I passed the sites of the East Rush Valley Station [N40 12 23.1 W112 17 35.6] and Camp Floyd [N40 15 37.9 W112 05 34.4] Pony Express Stations.

The trip log for Virtually Biking Across America is here.

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Dave Matthews Band - If Only

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!
Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week

The DMB returns after a three-year studio break with a reflective selection from their new Away from the World album.

Code Expiration: December 4, 2012

Pick of the Week Song in the Starbucks App

The Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week digital download song is now pushed to the Starbucks App. A link is sent to the application as a message. Opening the message, there is a link that you can use to download the song even if you are not in a Starbucks.

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!

During weeks when the Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week is a physical card for something other than a song [app, book, tv episode, etc], a song is also available as a digital download. During weeks when the Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week physical card is a song, the digital download usually matches the physical card.

Here are a couple of screen prints from the Starbucks App:

Sunday, September 09, 2012

24th Annual Jesuit Freshman Overnight Retreat Day 2

Sunday morning, Sharon and I headed back to Jesuit High School. We went to a Mass that closed the freshman overnight retreat. I am more and more pleased about our choice to send Jack to Jesuit.

Have I said recently how giddy I am about how close the new house is to the school?

Saturday, September 08, 2012

24th Annual Jesuit Freshman Overnight Retreat Day 1

Sharon, Jack and I went to the start of the 24th Annual Freshman Overnight Retreat. Starting at 9 am on Saturday, it ends 11:30 am on Sunday. The freshman will be spending the night in the Jesuit Gym. The theme of the retreat is "friendship is being able to be yourself," and the motto of the weekend is that "my life is a gift from my family, my friends, and my God; upon this I shall build."

The retreat is led by a group of 160+ seniors who have been trained as retreat leaders. This retreat occurs in the first quarter of the school year because it is a significant opportunity for freshman to develop as a community of friends, to understand the traditions of Jesuit education, and to believe themselves a vital part of the Jesuit High Family.

After the opening assembly, Sharon and I went to the Parent/Son Exchange activities. The exchange activities incorporate parents, freshman students and senior leaders into a discussion of family relationships, the retreat, and student life. The groups were mixed so that parents and their sons were not in the same room.

Following the Parent/Son Exchange activities, Sharon and I went to a parent luncheon hosted by the Jesuit Booster Club in the Harris Center. We had lunch with the Renterias and the DeAndas.

Jack spent the afternoon working a food drive as part of his community service. There were twenty-five group dinners in the evening at homes of various parents before the boys headed back to the gym for a movie.

Friday, September 07, 2012

2012 Jesuit Frosh Football versus El Camino


Playing their second football game of the season on Thursday night, the Jesuit Frosh Marauders faced El Camino at El Camino Stadium. Jesuit blocked a punt and carried it into the end zone to lead the game by the score of 6 to 0 at the end of the first quarter.

Over the course of the game, Jesuit wasted a couple of good scoring opportunities. Jesuit fumbled the ball away twice when they driving were deep in El Camino territory. At half-time, the score was tied 6 to 6.

El Camino returned the second half kick-off for a touchdown and a 14 to 6 lead. The teams swapped touchdowns in the second half. The final score was El Camino 20, Jesuit 12.

The Marauders now have 1 win and 1 loss. The game log is here.

Jack was very frustrated after the game. He played one play on the PAT team. This was true only due to the fact that someone who was supposed to be on the team didn't show up. I am not sure where he falls on the depth chart, but the Marauders only played four wide receivers (three in the second half) and one free safety. I encouraged him to soldier on and draw on some of his experiences with the Gunners. It could be a long two months...

I was surprised by the fact that the starting quarterback played all but about 4 of the 100 plus plays in the game. I don't think that he played on the kick return or PAT teams, but played quarterback on offense and free safety on defense on every play. I was expecting that they would rest him occasionally and that Jack might have a chance to play some free safety.


Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Milo Greene on Conan O'Brien

Update 1/29/2015: Video of the 2015 Milo Greene performance of Lonely Eyes on Conan is here.

Updated 9/8/2012: Video of the Milo Greene performance on Conan is here.

Milo Greene will be the muscial guest on the Conan O'Brien Show on TBS at 11 p.m. on Thursday, September 6, 2012!

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

2012 Jesuit Frosh/Transfer Parent Orientation Dinner

Sharon and I went to a mandatory for dinner for all frosh/transfer parents at Jesuit High School.

Given the number of times that we have been running back and forth, I am giddy about how close the new house is to the school!

Monday, September 03, 2012

American River Trail Bike Ride

Monday afternoon, after we got back from Reno, Sharon and I rode our bikes 20 miles along the American River Trail. I rode my mountain bike, while Sharon rode her road bike.


View Larger Map

2012 Outlaws Baseball Tournament #11 Day #3

With 11 teams playing in the 14U division of the All World Sports Labor Day Tournament in Sparks, only four of the teams advanced to Monday. With a record of 1 win and 3 losses in pool play, the Outlaws were not one of the teams that advanced. Three of the teams that the Outlaws played on Saturday and Sunday did advance, including the Jr. Cardinals, Quakes and Toros. The Quakes beat the Toros in the championship game by the score of 5 to 2.

We got up early, had breakfast in the hotel and headed back to Carmichael. The traffic was extremely slow from Donner Summit to Kingvale. At one point, we traveled about 4 miles in 45 minutes. There is a very odd configuration for west bound traffic on I-80 while Caltrans does some construction; they split the two lanes with one lane traveling on the east bound section. I can't imagine how bad the traffic might have been later in the day. Leaving the hotel about 9:05am, we were home about 12:15pm.

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Scribblenauts Remix

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!
Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Scribblenauts Remix

a puzzle game to stimulate the imagination.

Code Expiration: November 27, 2012

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Sera Cahoone - Deer Creek Canyon

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!
Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Sera Cahoone - Deer Creek Canyon

Singer-songwriter presents an indie-folk gem from Deer Creek Canyon, a collection named for her Colorado childhood home.

Code Expiration: November 27, 2012

Sunday, September 02, 2012

2012 Outlaws Baseball Tournament #11 Day #2


Back at Sparks for the second day of the All World Sports Labor Day tournament, the Outlaws played the San Jose Toros in the first game of the day. The Toros were 2 and 0 on Saturday.

At the plate, Jack was 1 for 2 with a triple, a walk and a RBI. In his first at-bat, Jack hit a 0 and 1 pitch hard down the first base line for a triple to lead off the top of the second inning. Unfortunately, the Outlaws couldn't get him home. Breyton grounded out to short, Josh struck out and Patrick grounded out to second. Jack was remarking at lunch about how Dan Boyle is always pounding on him that you have to find a way to get that runner home from third.

Jack walked on six pitches in his second plate appearance. He went to second on Breyton's walk and to third on Josh's single. Jack ended the inning there when Alex and Patrick struck out. In his third plate appearance, Jack grounded the first pitch to the left side to score Greysen, but he was out at first.

In the field, Jack pitched 1/3 of an inning. It was a f@#$*&^ train wreck. He threw 26 pitches: 14 balls and 12 strikes. Jack hit one batter, walked two and gave up 6 runs. Given that he has not touched a baseball in five weeks and has not thrown any bullpens, I was not happy that coaches ran him out to pitch against a stacked team. Talking to everyone later in the day, it seems that a number of the other kids were suffering from various injuries and they probably didn't have too many other choices. I find it ironic that Jack has been playing football for the last month, but it was all of the other kids that were dinged up.

Jack played third for 3 2/3 innings and then caught the fifth inning. The last time I can remember him catching a game was a scrimmage against the Bullets three plus years ago. Apparently, all of the Outlaws regular catchers (Jordan, JJ and Trevor) were hurting...

The Outlaws gave up 6 runs in the first inning and never got back into the game. They lost by the score of 10 to 5. The box score is here.

After a break for lunch, the Outlaws faced the San Jose Quakes. The Quakes had 3 wins and no losses in their first three games of the tournament.

At the plate, Jack was 0 for 1 with a walk. In his first at-bat, he walked on five pitches. Jack went to second on Breyton's single, but ended the inning there when Josh hit into a double play. Jack grounded a 3 and 1 pitch to the shortstop for an out in his second plate appearance. Frankly, I was surprised that the Outlaws didn't crush either of the pitchers that the Quakes threw. Jack noted later that he got too anxious in second at-bat against the slower throwing pitcher...

In the field, Jack played three innings at catcher and one inning at third. I was surprised at how well he did at catcher. He is catching Josh in the picture at the top of this post. Jack had one put-out [the catcher get credit the put-out on a strike-out...].

Josh got hit hard and gave up 8 earned runs in the first 2 innings. The Outlaws lost the game by the score of 12 to 1. The box score is here.

It was an ugly weekend. Rod made the point during dinner that Jack got what he needed out of the weekend. He is probably right; it was just an opportunity for Jack to get some reps.

We finished the day with a huge group dinner for both the 13u and 14u Outlaws teams at Bertha Miranda's. Afterwards we spent some time wandering through Circus Circus hotel with the boys playing games in the extensive arcade. It was after midnight by the time we walked back to Harrahs.

Saturday, September 01, 2012

2012 Outlaws Baseball Tournament #11 Day #1

Against my better judgement, we committed Jack to play baseball with the Outlaws in Sparks, Nevada over the Labor Day Weekend. Originally, the team said that they only had 8 players for Saturday and needed Jack. When we got there, they had eleven players...

I was hesitant to commit because Jack really needed the downtime. Between football and the start of school, he has been running very hard. It would have been nice for him to have a lazy weekend. I was also concerned about putting him into a position where he had not swung a bat for five weeks.

I have to admit that at the end of the day, Jack was very excited about playing baseball again. This was true in spite of the fact that he struggled at the plate. Jack talked for half an hour about the adjustments that he needed to make. He also played very well in the field.

The Outlaws played the Norcal Hitmen in the first game. The Outlaws have played a couple of different Hitmen teams in the past, but the roster of this team does not seem to match any of those.

At the plate, Jack was 0 for 3 with a RBI and a run scored. In his first at-bat with Leland on third and Trevor on second, he grounded a 2 and 1 pitch to right side. Leland scored and Jack was out at first. He struck out swinging on a 3 and 2 count in his second plate appearance. In his third at-bat, Jack grounded a 2 and 2 pitch back to the pitcher. The pitcher tried to get Trevor between second and third, but both he and Jack were safe on the fielder's choice. Jack went to second and Trevor to third when the pitcher threw the ball into centerfield on a pick off attempt. They both scored on Josh's line drive up the middle.

In the field, Jack played five innings at third base. He had one assist and one put out. Jack handled a slow roller down the third base line and threw the runner out at first in the first inning. In the fourth inning with the bases loaded and one out, Jack handled a high pop-up on the left side for the out. He fought the sun and made a basket catch which freaked everyone out...

The Outlaws scored three runs in the fourth and two runs in the fifth to win the game by the score of 7 to 4. The box score is here.

The Outlaws turned right around and played the Jr. Cardinals. This is a team from Palo Alto that practices on the Stanford campus.

Continuing to struggle at the plate after a five week layoff, Jack was 0 for 2 with a walk. In his first at-bat, Jack grounded a 1 and 1 pitch down the first base line and was out at first. Jack had an ugly plate appearance the second time up; he struck out swinging. Jack took two straight called strikes and then swung weakly at a pitch off the plate outside. In his third at-bat, Jack walked on seven pitches. This was an odd at-bat. They changed the pitcher when the count was 2 and 2.

In the field, Jack played three innings at first and one inning at third. He had five put-outs. Jack took a throw from the second baseman for an out at first. In the third inning, Josh threw wildly to second to get a runner stealing second. Jack ended up with the ball. When the runner took a big turn, Jack ran right at him. In the ensuing rundown (3-4-5-3), Jack tagged the runner out. He also had three put outs on 3dks; the Cardinals were swinging wildly at Breyton's pitches.

In an odd twilight game, the Outlaws ended up losing by the score of 10 to 5. The Outlaws outhit the Cardinals by 7 to 6. The box score is here.

The Outlaws will play the San Jose Toros and Central Coast Quakes on Sunday. Both of these teams had 2 wins and no losses in the first day of the tournament.

We finished the day with a late dinner at Fuddruckers. From there, we headed to Harrahs in downtown Reno. We will be staying there the next two nights.