If You Have 10 Minutes To Kill, Watch This…..

New Addition

I just wanted to quickly point out a new edition on the blog that can be found in the column to the left. As those who followed my old blog know, I have a passion for quotes. I think they are humbling in the sense that any “original” thought or epiphany we may articulate, there is a good bet that someone far wiser than us has already said it. So to the left you can find the “Because Someone Already Said It” box that I will update with no particular pattern. I will also keep an archive here (which can also be found with my links) in case you are looking for inspiration. It goes without saying that I will be taking suggestions from my fans so please feel free to post any ideas.

Stubborn Ass Spaniards

I am going to try and devote a blog each month to telling stories from my various travels because as we all know foreigners, and their odd behavior, are always good for a laugh. Some of you may have heard this story but I think it is an important one as it was an indelible part of my first abroad experience.

Most of you know I lived in Spain for about 7 months in 2003. While those 7 months were some of the best of my entire life, they also forced me to learn a good deal about patience and allowing “nature to run its course.” I had always considered myself a hard-headed guy, stubborn to a fault I guess.  But upon arriving in Spain I soon found out that I was but an amatuer when it came to obstinance. Let’s just start with this concept: Despite all of the pressures of globalization and the market economy, these people still insist on shutting their business down everyday from about noon to 2:30 so they can get a nice lunch and nap in. Just think about the balls of a practice like that.

Although it took a few weeks to really settle in to this, once I did the stories kept piling up. First it was the rental car company that literally shut the store down in the middle of our transaction. We were trying to rent a nice little Fiat, when the manager advised us we would need to come back in an hour as the parade was coming by and he did not want to miss it. Enterprise this was not. Later it was arguing with a police officer that the man running around masturbating in front of women was a problem even though as he said, “he was not hurting anyone.” I even spent a good deal of time attempting unsuccessfully to convince Spanish friends that George W. Bush did not in fact win 99.8% of the vote to become President. Good times.

As the end of the trip neared these types of run-in’s were happening daily. At the grocery store for instance I was not allowed to touch the produce. They had women who stood at each display and I pointed to the one I wanted. Great service you’d think. The problem was once I chose it I could not put it back so often I would be given the apple to find a massive bruise on the other side. The wierder part was that once in the checkout lane the clerks sat in chairs scanning your stuff but refusing to bag it. The first time I learned this it was awkward. I just kept standing there wondering why the hell this lazy Spanish chick wouldn’t put my avocados in a bag. She just gloured at me, the stupid American. It was quite a stand-off until I finally caved in and began bagging.

But it was in last few days that I was told a story that I think summed up this trait quite well and in a way exemplified my experience in Spain.

I was in Madrid eating lunch with a former boss of mine who happened to now work in the American Embassy. My boss, who was a good guy, was not the type of American you would picture living abroad. This is a nice way of saying he was kind of a control freak. Anyway, his wife and he had just given birth to their first baby and because they knew they were leaving Spain very shortly, they wanted to commerate their stay and their baby’s birth there. They decided to name the child Kyleigh and give her Madrid as a middle name. Cute idea right? So they go to file the birth certificate with the correct government agency and are quickly questioned by the city worker.

“Wait, this is not correct. Madrid is not a name,” he quickly declared. They went on to explain that they knew but they were trying to pay homage to her birthplace and have something to remember their experience by. How naive they were to think this would work. So the argument goes back and forth with the city official declaring that this was not right, that Madrid was not a name, and that he cannot put it on a birth certificate. Finally, after about 20 minutes he seems to give up and my boss and his wife think they have won the argument. They underestimated Spain though, because one thing about Spaniards is they always get the last word.

Two weeks later the birth certificate arrive in the mail and said: “Kyleigh Madrid (I advised them this is not a name and they ignored me. I do not agree with or endorse this)”. As my dad would say, they got Spained.

Blogging Dreams Do Come True!!!!!

I had been meaning to share this for a while but kept forgetting to do so. On my ”blogroll” to the left I have included a link to a creative and funny blog called Stuff White People Like. I found it a few months ago and have followed it since then, enjoying many a laugh. I encourage everyone to check out the “list of stuff white people like”  and enjoy the creativity behind his stereotyping. I know I am guilty of most.

Anyway, one of the recent posts on his growing list was book deals. This was his way of sharing that Random House had in fact awarded him with a book deal and that we should expect a hard cover textbook on white people sometime in August. So let this be a lesson to the Lazlos and Sladeds out there that these kinds of things do happen! In case you are not inclined I will end on a quote from the author of this blog, which I think people of any background can agree with:

“Also worth noting: white people like having their dreams come true when they least expected it.”

The Battle for the Soul of Basketball

Last night a good portion of our country caught the NCAA Men’s National Basketball Championship game between the University of Kansas and the University of Memphis. Those who caught the game were treated to a dramatic ending that included an overtime-inducing three pointer and an emotional come from behind victory by Kansas. Despite the eventual result I think most people would agree that from a pure athletic and skill standpoint, Memphis was the better team. But in the end Kansas wanted it more, and they played with a passion of a group of guys who knew they would never have a chance like this again.

That Memphis did not is really not a surprise. This was a team assembled by shoe companies, agents, hustlers, and boosters to put their program, coach, and players in the spotlight that is needed to make it to the NBA. In short, Memphis stands for everything that is wrong with basketball today and I suppose it is fitting that in the end it was Kansas, where basketball’s creator Dr. James Naismith once coached, that took them down.

Watching Memphis’ four starters address the media after the loss, I was amazed to see such little emotion. Annoyance? Sure. Frustration? Some. Despair? None that I could see. Each seemed to be gazing past the assemble sports writers, all wearing inappropriate smirks that suggested their elation that they are now eligible to cash in on NBA riches and fame. There was a coldness about them that made me interested in how they would have celebrated had they won. If you know the history of this team none of this should surprise you.

The problem here starts with the relationship between William Wesley and Memphis’ coach, John Calipari. Wesley (his wikipedia profile which links to articles about him) is one of those 21st century influence peddlers who has used his relationships with various NBA players, shoe companies, and agents to create a powerful hand in professional basketball today. Assuming he only involved himself in the NBA this would be tough to complain about, it is a business after all. But Wesley has extended his influence to high schools and AAU programs and has the ability to push kids towards certain programs, Memphis being his favorite. The formula is simple. Wesley pushes basketball prodigies to college coaches. Colleges push kids toward shoe companies. Kids become pros and their coaches (at Wesley’s urging) push their kids toward certain NBA agents and coaches win championships, make money, and maybe even get a shot at the NBA. I am not naive enought to think that this kind of thing would not always happen, or that it is not occuring in other sports, but few other sports have an image problem as bad as basketball so I think it is of note when this model fails, as it did last night.

The truth is I understand to a certain extent why America does not embrace the NBA. As much as I loved Michael Jordan, his success created the formula of the “star” athlete that overshadowed the team. This has created a new NBA, one rife with stories of contract disputes, forced trades, entourages, and other assorted ugliness. What got lost in Madison Avenue’s crowning of Michael Jordan was that his true success only came when he accepted Phil Jackson’s triangle offense and became part of a team. That this point was lost is one of the great tragedies of basketball because in its’ core no other sport is as conducive to team effort as basketball.

But in the face of this ugliness there has long been signs of a fight against this new way of thinking. The San Antonio Spurs and their professional, team oriented approach has flown far too low on the radar the past seven years. The rise of international stars who bring a passion that cannot be matched by many of our own players. The emergence of Steve Nash, the epitome of a team player, as one of the faces of the NBA. But it has been the past season that has really been the most promising development of basketball in a while. It started off with Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce each giving up a portion of their spotlight for a chance at glory. The rise of three quality and professional players who each make their teammates better in Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Brandon Roy. It is culminating right now in one of the finest basketball seasons in NBA history where teams who emphasize the individual (Denver Nuggets) are being replaced by teams who emphasize the team. This was the context with which I watched the game last night and it is why I couldn’t help but root for Kansas, and why in my mind the stakes were even higher than usual.

UPDATE: Check out these two articles (especially the second) for further evidence of ugliness in the NBA.

 

My Birthday.

It’s my birthday today which makes me another year older. All of the people in my life, family, my lovely fiance (had to write that because my birthday and her status as my fiance will only intersect once), and friends have gone out of their way to make me feel special. I am not a huge birthday person but I do appreciate the opportunity to share time with the many people I care about and to reflect on the many blessings I have.

I frequently look back at my birthdays in the past and notice that every year there seems to be a theme that sort of defines that year of my life. This years theme is unsurprisingly surfing which I think sums up my preoccupations this coming year quite well. Yet another thanks to all those who have supported this habit, I will do my best to make you proud.

I also like to take notice each year of the different people who come in and out of my life. Every year I seem to have new faces wishing me happy birthday and do not hear from a few that have been there in the past. I think this is an excellent reflection of one of life’s great joys, and while I do feel nostalgic about those who I have celebrated with in the past, I am so thankful and excited for the new friends and faces that have wished me well today.

A quick special thanks to my parents, not just for the thoughtful and generous gift, but for bringing me in to this world and giving me so many wonderful opportunities! Also a quick thanks to the lovely Amber (who hates when I say her name but has not settled one way or the other on written form) for putting up with me as I get older and older. Soon it will be nothing but ear hair and Preparation H! Much love to you all and thank you once again for making this day special.

Following Up

I wanted to follow up regarding my previous post on the looming deposit deadline at University of San Diego. I appreciated the feedback I received and was set to spend the $150 to “buy a little piece of mind” and go from there. Yesterday I attended an admitted students day at the law school with my checkbook in my pocket ready to get my money in at the eleventh hour. The event proved to be useful however as not 2 hours in I was able to say with confidence that paying the deposit would be akin to lighting $150 dollars on fire, something I try to only do when impressing the ladies.

I arrived at USD and experienced the same reaction I seem to have anytime I set foot on a campus of higher learning. There is an excitement in the air, a palpable buzz of people learning and growing. It reminds me of a simpler time in my life where the beauty of theoretical and liberal concepts had not been shattered by the cruel, and decisively real world. So needless to say those first few minutes flustered me. I began to think that this was something I wanted to get back to and dammit if law school wasn’t starting to look good once again. We were whisked away to an enchanting breakfast where we listened to speeches about public interest law and all of the good the USD Law alumni do in the world. The person in the back of the room who asked how public interest lawyers pay off their 120K in student loans may or may not have been clubbed and dragged out of the room, although I did not see them again.

Next it was a brief 35 minute class session where we discussed the origins of self-defense homicide and how the element of necessity factors in. (Tangent: We discussed the case of Regina v. Dudley and Stephens, two men marooned on a boat who chose to kill a third man, Richard Parker, in order to survive. They were later tried and convicted of murder despite their plea that the killing was done to prevent their own demise. From this I discovered that the novel Life of Pi, the wildly overrated best seller, was based  on this court case which explains why a tiger trapped on a boat was named “Richard Parker”.) Now I was feeling in my element. I could sit around for days discussing concepts like these, or anything else completely theoretical and philosophical. Hey, I lived in Europe once, you know what I mean? So at this point I was feeling pretty confused. But then, as I have learned over the past few years tends to happen, reality set in.

We were taken to a lunch where we were given the privilege(?) of meeting current professors and students. Students regaled me of their hardship in finding a job and joked about their first heart attack which would come at age 40 after spending 10 years reading contracts for 80 hours a week. Nothing too philosophical about that I imagine.  The professors who were not too senile to hold a conversation (ask me about the bus schedule story) came off as aloof and elitist, that quintessential nerd who has spent the last 30 years proving everyone of their fellow high school alumni are unintelligent cretins. Immediately my feelings began to change. We were inundated by a career services presentation that had an eerie “George Bush” quality to it. Every question that challenged her notion of the golden land of opportunity that awaited USD grads was met with reciting “the best law firms in the country want you guys, and they will pay to get you, oh will they pay to get you.” This elicited excited response as people convinced themselves it was worth it. I felt like I was at an Amway presentation.

All of these developments forced me to think about this in a new light and I must say I am glad I went. I left the campus quickly with an unused checkbook in my pocket and a feeling like I didn’t belong. As soon as I made that release and acknowledged it wasn’t for me, it felt good. So here I am today no closer than I was six years ago to knowing the career path I want to pursue. But it feels right and to stir up response, I await your suggestions…..

Mr. Destiny

Most of the people in my life have always had some form of experience or passion for a sport of some kind. Many have maintained it as a hobby while a select few have gone on to the higher levels of inter-collegiate and professional athletics. Within this group we have all had those moments where we feel good about our place in the world of sports. I have played in pick-up basketball games where for whatever reason I was just feeling good, had a great game, and started thinking that if I had just put the time in maybe I could have made it in the NBA. I am sure that a lot of people out there have had similar experiences. But then I come across things like this video and I am reminded that when the framers of our Constitution proclaimed we are all made equal, that was strictly in terms of governance and not the world of sports.

In case it is not clear,  the video is a young Allen Iverson playing football in high school. Most people know Allen Iverson as a former MVP and probably one of the fifty greatest basketball players in the history of the world. I watch video like this and it just amazes me the difference between today’s athletes and average people like me. The truth of the matter is that I could have been pulled out of kindegarten (in the form of the old USSR) and placed in an elite training center where I focused only on basketball, and I still could never have made the NBA. But here is a guy who if he had been so inclined could probably have been the MVP of the NFL as well. It is not just Iverson either. Deion Sanders, Bo Jackson, Dave Winfield, Randy Moss, Tony Gonzalez are just a few more prominent examples of multi-sport stars, and when I say multi-sport, I mean people athletic enough to literally play at the highest level imaginable in more than one sport. And for those Ferraro supporters out there, it is not just people of African heritage. Danny Ainge, the old Boston Celtic, was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays. Kelly Slater, the winningest surfer of all time (yes it is a sport) is a scratch golfer who thought about pursuing a career on the PGA. Jason Williams, he of White Chocolate fame, spent his fall high school sports season quarterbacking passes to Randy Moss as the two of them won the state championship.

My sophomore year of high school, Sac-town was pretty excited abou the prospects of Matt Barnes, who was starring in both football and basketball at a local school. I remember being pretty excited to go watch him play and being amazed at his athleticism. He was destined for stardom I thought. Well today, as some of you know, he plays limited minutes in the NBA and minus a few instances of success, has led a fairly non-descript career. Which puts the athletic abilities of people like Allen Iverson into more perspective. What would it have been like to see him play in high school? Or to see a young Ken Griffey Jr.? I thought I had seen the real deal with Matt Barnes, and he has had no where near the success that he hoped he would (and is pretty much thought to be a sub-par athlete in the NBA).

So you see videos and hear some stories and you get reminded that not all of us are meant to be professional athletes. For me it brings out deeper thoughts regarding destiny and fate. I mean, Shaquille O’Neal, the 7′0″ 350 pound basketball player who is likely far quicker and agile than myself sure seems like he was clearly built to play basketball. But can we really say this was his destiny? Are we really going to believe that our Creator (whomever it is) really takes sports into consideration when ascribing our life paths? I really don’t know if I believe in destiny or the concept that all of us have a calling that we were put on this earth to do. But I do feel secure about some things. A guy like Allen Iverson was not put on this earth to work in an office. A guy like me probably was. But hey, there are always weekends I guess…..