A sad state of affairs in high school sports

Not too long ago, I wrote a post about playing sports for the love of the participation and passion for the games. When I wrote that I was unaware of something that happened in my home state of Maine that really has me sad.
Granted, rules are important in sports. When you break the rules, you get punished, but at the same time, rules are established for a reason. Some are based on situational factors while others are set up to stop something from possibly happening. We have increasing seen different sport almost re-write their rule books to allow for interpretation of rules that have particular areas of grey. This is one of those rules that certainly should have been better evaluated prior to acting upon…
In late October, the Massabesic Mustangs’ Girls Cross Country team was competing in the Maine State Championships when they encountered “Rule 4, Section 5, Article 8-c of the National Federation rulebook prohibits: Competitors joining or grasping hands with each other during a race.”
At the end of the 23-minute race two of Massabesic’s runners were about to finish 5th and 6th in the race. While the team already had two top-ten finishers, a Class A State Championship was all theirs; and then freshman Nicole Smith took the hand of teammate and senior, Kendra Johnson. After crossing the finish line, both competitors were disqualified and Massabesic High School fell from 1st to 4th overall.
When asked about the disqualification, Massabesic Coach Mark Crepeau said, “There was no intent to help. Their intent was to congratulate each other because the race was over." And the coach has a point. The rule in question was established so runners couldn’t band together and block other runners from passing. There were no runners approaching Smith and Johnson.
Sadly, the Massabesic team lost what should have been a title for them and a shot at the New England Championships being held this weekend. Even sadder is that none of the other teams had a problem with the disqualification even though the situation was clear.
Nicole Smith and Kendra Johnson are competitors who celebrated the spirit of competition on that day and they were penalized for their love of both the sport and the concept of being a teammate.

About 5 Advil and I'll be ready to go!

Somewhat in tune with the 33 aspect of my life, it seems my knees just don't like to be pounded on at the gym like perhaps they would have when I was 23. Don't get me wrong, I can do everything a 23-year-old can do and then some, but it seems that there's a lesson I really need to learn - you can't go from working out a couple times a week on a stationary bike to a full-speed workout on a higher impact machine without some pain. Perhaps building up to the level I was try to attain this evening would have been more wise, but if there's one thing I really don't like, it's when folks talk about building up and then a couple months down the road they're still in first gear. I think that's the obsessive compulsive in me. Julie says I'm all or nothing. Perhaps that is true about some things, but certainly not all. And while I'm not being critical of such an analysis, I would rather have the will and ability to switch from nothing (we'll say moderate, it's never nothing) to all than just keep my life at nothing. How sad would that be? Who am I kidding? I'm just a wimp so give me some Advil!

When it was a game...

The title reminds me of a two-part HBO special from the 80's or 90's about the days of baseball's past. Mostly shot in black and white with real interviews and candid moments with some of the games greats, the special showed something that is seemingly gone from professional sports - the love and passion for playing the game.
Yes, I'm well-aware that there are plenty of professional athletes out there with all the drive in the world, but they are totally overshadowed by the self-absorbed and larger-than-life characters that we as a society have created. These people get paid millions of dollars to play and we treat them as gods. Curious. Perhaps that's why they are self-absorbed.
In the 1980s athletes began to get very large contracts and once it started, it just got worse and worse and team owners and sponsors competed with each other. In the past few years, some professional sports leagues have put salary caps on teams, but players still make absurd amounts of money while rarely showing the class that the ballplayers from days gone by, showed.
I'm not going to call any of these athletes out by name. We all know who thought he was bigger than the World Series. We all know current players who think they are bigger than basketball. Hell, we even know golfers that make so much money from sponsorship - due to demand from fans who watch and create ratings - that you'd think he'd appreciate his fans, but the reality is that sports in our country have been declining for decades and it's a sad commentary.
I could make more of an argument, or rant, if you will and delve into the world of "college athletics," but I don't think there is enough room on the page; however, on the note of "amateur" sports, it isn't too long ago that we watched the Olympics and saw a unique spectacle that only allowed amateur athletes. While that is mostly not the case by-in-large, there are still many events in the Olympics (winter and summer) where money is NOT an issue whatsoever and it is great to see the twinkle in the eyes of these athletes as they enter the stadium for the opening ceremonies. Their payday isn't a bid check, but rather a small flag embroidered on their uniform, a camera full of priceless pictures, and memories to last a lifetime. Some of the events may be obscure, but perhaps it is those sports where we find those athletes who truly embrace and remember, when it was a game!

Sports Talk Radio

Admittedly, I am somewhat fascinated by sports talk radio. Why, you ask? Well, that's a good question and as a sports fan, I'd never thought about it prior to this afternoon as I was driving home from work. And then after about five calls in a row - all about the exact same topic, I got to wondering why some people can't just leave well enough alone. Seriously, it's like a for or against debate that goes on for hours at a time and I'm totally captivated by it. I guess it's sort of like a daytime television talk show without actually seeing the people who have garnered your attention. How into it am I? Alas, I'm just a listener when I'm in the car or shaving et cetera, but don't be fooled; many of the listeners are a religious about their favorite sports talk shows as anything else in their lives. Some call daily and are known by name by the host or hosts. Others even have on-air names like "Carolina Guy" or "Boston Lou." and yet while I sit here and contemplate how odd the whole concept seems to me - because I truly do listen for scores and news more than anything - there are thousands of people who listen to these shows who think exactly the same about people who express themselves or connect with others through blogs. Go figure...

Hey! Put me down before you jump through that!

Saturday brought the annual North American Wife Carrying Championships to Sunday River Ski Resort in western Maine as part of the Fall Festival. The event had a large turnout to witness 40 couples race around the obstacle course for the ultimate prize - 5 times the weight of the woman in cash and 3 times her weight in beer!

Congrats to the 2007 AL EAST CHAMPS!

Only one player remains from the last Red Sox team to win the AL East outright. (Boston and New York ties in 2005 with the tiebreaker going to the Yankees) While some of the current players were still teenagers and others playing for their former teams, Tim Wakefield was throwing knuckle balls in Boston.

Up by three runs going into the bottom of the 9th inning, Mariano Rivara gave up three runs and Baltimore ties the game as 33,000 Red Sox fans remained at Fenway Park after defeating the Twins an hour earlier.

In the bottom of the tenth inning with the bases loaded, Baltimore scored on a squeeze play - both the Fenway Faithful and the Sox players waiting patiently in the clubhouse began the celebration that goes on right over my should, as we speak, on NESN.

On to the ALDS!

Now how do you hold the tennis racket?

The rain held off just long enough for Jules and me to hit the tennis courts at Deering Oaks for the third time in the past couple of weeks. Perhaps this doesn’t seem significant to anyone reading this, but tennis is a game of pride. It’s also a game that can really only be played well with lots of practice. I know some may disagree, but tennis is not like riding a bike. You can’t just get back on the court and start hitting inside-out forehands and the like. Hell, if it there that east, we’d have played everyday.
As I sit here in front of the computer screen, I have to chuckle a little as I picture one of my forehands sailing into the fence about 10 feet behind the baseline on the other side of the court. Meanwhile, Jules takes winds up for a forehand, steps into the ball, swings, and then looks around everywhere… moments later she notices that the ball is stuck in the V of her racket. Why, because that’s what happens when you haven’t play in years. Quite frankly, it’s ugly, especially when we each talk about how we were successful (minimally in my case) tennis players at earlier ages.
And yet the lack of consistency or grace on the court has been enough to detract either of us. Now and again Jules would crush a cross-court forehand winner that caught me in stride. Likewise, I too, had a few well-placed backhands, which eluded her reach. I think that now we’ve gotten over the fact we aren’t going to win anymore tournaments (at least not for a while…) or get lots of free gear and the like, we can play for the enjoyment and have found a common exercise that for so long was so much a part of our lives.
Of course there is that competitive spirit that burns inside each of us. And although we’ve yet to record a point, I find it hard to believe that will last too long.

Sugarloaf's got fans, literally

Not to be outdone by virtually anyone in the east this year, newcomers Boyne USA made one of their biggest announcements to date when they held a press release stating that Sugarloaf/USA will get more than $4 million in capital investments for the upcoming season.

While Boyne work with strategic developers to determine the future of Sunday River, also in Maine, they knew that before such action could happen with Sugarloaf, there was work to be done to the crumbling infrastructure, which hadn't seen so much money infused into it since the Wiffletree SuperQuad was installed and the fixed-grip quad it replaced was moved to it's current location as the Timberline Quad.

Aside from some much needed brick and mortar upgrades around the base area and in the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel turned Grand Summit Hotel turned back to Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel, Sugarloaf is slated to increase it's snow making output by 20% this year alone. Boyne will add no less than 70 traditional snow guns to the arsenal, but the real fire power will come from the installation of mounted low-energy, high output fan guns.

To show the east they mean business at Sugarloaf and at all their resorts, Boyne has announced that if weather cooperates, they will shoot for an October 26th opening.

Boyne Set To Make An Impression On Eastern Skiing

Just a couple months after the announcement came that Boyne USA had outbid Les Otten to become the new owner/operators of Sunday River and Sugarloaf/USA ski resorts in Maine, the rumors started to fly about the future of said ski resorts. The resorts, the last remaining eastern holdings of the now de-listed American Skiing Company, are two of the largest and most popular resorts in the east and draw skiers from as far away as Britain. Both resorts are sorely in need of upgrades in almost all areas, but with the closing of the sale not coming until July, things such as new lifts, lodges, and trails are just not feasible. It's a good thing Boyne and it's President have a handy drawing board.

At an August town council meeting in Bethel, just to the west of Sunday River, Boyne announced their desire to light three trails for night skiing. Locals, second home owners, and long time patrons were taken aback. Such an idea had been thought of before, but the capital wasn't there. Instead, Sunday River hosts two lists for lit snowtubing, which let's just say, hasn't been a big draw, but there in lies the problem with these two resorts. After the lifts close, the options are limited, especially for people staying there with kids. While there has been some dispute over how much light would be seen from various parts of the region, the vibe at this resort is good. Not just because Boyne has taken a step in the right direction, but mostly because they have solicited the thoughts of the people who live in the area.

While night skiing may not come to fruition for the 2007-08 season at Sunday River, Boyne has already begun work at Sugarloaf, increasing snow making capacity and beginning to address long term needs. The big news came this week when it was learned that Boyne has gathered a group of 21+ people from various industries to form a committee to set forth the direction for the two resorts. The marketing and development company said to be chosen to lead this endeavor, created the long term plans for resorts such as Whisler/Blackcomb, Statton, and Mont Tremblant. Said to be done in a matter of months instead of years, this is an exciting time for eastern skiers and the future with Boyne (and financial backers CNL) looks very bright!

Not The Best Bandwagon

I remember walking into Filene's with my mom when I was 11-years-old and seeing shirts for the New England Patriots first Super Bowl game against the Bears. Even at such a young age, my pride as a New England fan ran deep. I recall basically throwing a fit during the game as things quickly turned south under the direction of Tony Eason and his ever-present feet-first slides to avoid tackles. An despite being destroyed on the pitch, I never gave up on the Pats. I remember being excited about Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells and I even can stomach a little 1996 nostalgia when we got clobbered by the Packers for Super Bowl loss number two, but then things changed. Bledsoe got injured, Brady emerged out of nowhere, and three Super Bowl rings later, a dynasty had been built under a great owner, a great general manager and who many of us fans believed to be one of the games greats coaches.
Now don't get me wrong, Bill Belichick is still, at least in my opinion, one of the gamers best coaches, ever, but why would he cheat? I don't buy into the whole, "everyone does it, but he got caught thing." Nope. You can't justify what the Patriots coaching staff did in breaking the league rules for videotaping the game from the sidelines during the first quarter of Sunday's victory over the Jets. Yes, the camera was taken away early and the actual effect of having the camera was most certainly minimal to the outcome to the game, but just the thought of our guys now being the bad guys makes me sick.
I doubt Bob Kraft knew about it. It's doubtful the player knew about it, but a few days certainly did and they have tainted this proud franchise and quite frankly have harmed they're own players in the process. No, "Cameragate" is not really that big a deal in terms of how badly someone can cheat. There just isn't very much benefit to what they did, but therein lies the big question: Why do it? Why cheat against the Jets. Why Bill? It's time for answers.
As for the penalties imposed by the league; they are mild in my opinion. I would have made the team forfeit the game and have suspended Belichick in addition to the fines and loss of draft picks, but what do I know? I'm just a fan of the game and yes, I'm still very much a fan of the Patriots.

Return To The Blue World

Less than six months after leaving, Jules and I have booked almost all aspects of the 2008 trip to South Lake Tahoe. From the picture to the right of this post, it's clear to see the absolute beauty of what is fondly known as "The Blue World."

Sitting at the southern end of Lake Tahoe, the towns of Stateline, Nevada and South Lake Tahoe, California provide a perfect setting for this premier vacation destination. Right from the center of town, and just a couple of blocks from the famed casinos, you can board the Heavenly Gondola and be lifted to pure serenity.

Rising 10,067 feet, Monument Peak is Heavenly Mountain Resort and Lake Tahoe's highest peak. A fairly short, albeit steep hike from the Skyline Trail and you can take in 360-degree views of Nevada and California from high alpine vistas to miles of desert to the south.

I urge anyone with a passion for the outdoors, skiing, snowboarding, or life in general, to think hard about where you go next for your winter vacation.

Check it out! The Blue World

"Once In A Lifetime: The New York Cosmos"

There are times in life when we see something that just blows us away and we feel the need to share. Having just watched the 2006 documentary titled, "Once In A Lifetime: The New York Cosmos," I felt so compelled.

I have to preface by saying that as a 33-year-old soccer fan, who has had the opportunity to live in a land where football (soccer) is the number one sport, and then returning here to the US where it is still trying to establish itself; I was blown away by this movie. Like most soccer fans, I likened the now defunct North American Soccer League with the New York Cosmos and the Cosmos with Pele. Aside from knowing that in the late-70's they sold out games at Giant's Stadium, my knowledge of the team was so limited. I knew that Franz Beckenbauer played for the team and that it was founded prior to his arrival, the teams and indeed the leagues success began with the most lucrative financial sports signing of the time in that of Pele.

Prior to seeing this, I was of the idea that the Cosmos were a team of has-beens who played against the never-weres, and whereas the latter is by-in-large true, The New York Cosmos team from 1975-1981 - particularly 76-79, was probably one of the best line-ups of playing talent ever - in any league. Yet with such an abundance of talent come the inevitable clashes of egos, which we in the US see all too often in our sports.

I choose not to write a lot about the content of this movie because I think it's important for any fan of soccer to rent and watch it for yourselves. I guarantee that your outlook on the development of soccer in the US will be seen in a different light. This movie changed my opinion and outlook on the long term prospect of the sport in our country and the reasons are many.

One thing is clear, the Cosmos and NASL grew too big and too fast. They were marketed poorly to Americans and without long term planning and player development, they were destined to fail, but for those great few years, I think there were wheels put in motion, which while not tangible, are evident today. I think that the folks who are so desperately trying to make the MLS work, understand what happened with the Cosmos and the NASL and thus are taking a different approach and letting the league grow a slow rate. I think the addition of a star like David Beckham is more than a shot in the arm. I think it's a first piece of a larger puzzle. Having learned more and more about soccer's successes and woes in the US I find people like Jim Rome to be absolutely wrong when saying that soccer has no future in the US. I just think that there are still so many people that don't get it, but if you look at the numbers, the MLS is growing in attendance and youth soccer is still the faster growing sport in the US.

Will the MLS ever be on par with the Premier League? Perhaps not, but I will not say no. I think that the sky truly is the limit for this sport and that without the lessons of the Cosmos as well as the huge, albeit short burst of enthusiasm of the sport over two decades ago, we wouldn't be where we are now.

This movie needs to be seen if you love soccer, history, and want to take a nostalgic look back American sports. Decide for yourself if Steve Ross was a visionary or threw around money in the wrong places. You, like me, will understand that the first team to sell out Giant's Stadium was not the Giants and the first million dollar players were not from our "big 4" leagues. While these two things have little to do with the huge impact this team had, they are interesting fact that when a few men have a dream, that dream can carry on, even after the initial impact is seemingly gone.

Beer League

Spring in Maine means many things to many people. As snow-covered hills turn to mud and later to lush green grass, people search for what it is about the season that makes them happy. Thousands of people take late afternoon walks, some take trips, many get out the golf clubs and hit the links, others find ample time to plant flowers, and then there are those that take part in a true rite of spring – corporate softball leagues. Let’s not confuse the corporate part of the name; these leagues are the great American past time known fondly as “beer leagues.”

For me, it had been more than seven years since I had taken part in such a program, but when called upon several weeks ago, I couldn’t resist. The beer, not so much, but beer league softball is something everyone should try. Last night, my team, Know Skils, took on the aptly named Team 7. While my teammates and I had yet to taste victory this season, the variety of beers, burgers, and laughs have been innumerable.

True, there are some who really take this league seriously and scoff at those of us who get excited by scoring a couple runs or perhaps laugh when we fall on out butts, but by-in-large, everyone is out for fun. It’s a nice Monday evening reprieve from the confines of the office place and an opportunity to bond with co-workers while forgetting all about the work that will always be there on our desks the next day.

In the bottom of the 7th inning, Know Skils took the field with a 1-run lead. Sure, we laughed as loudly as ever before, but in truth, we were 3 short outs from win number one. Despite a commensurate number of beer cans in out players’ hands as softball gloves, we staved off our newfound foes and lamented our place in the standings – just one game out of the cellar. So if you get the chance, grab a bat and head out with your friends after work. Get the grill going and start telling lies. It’s beer league season when good times are had by all, even if you don’t drink beer.