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Kangaroo Express Donates $110,000 To Florida Hospital's Breast Cancer Pink Army
FlaglerLive | December 7, 2012
On Friday (Dec. 7) Kangaroo Express, a convenience store operator, donated $110,000 to support the Florida Hospital Pink Army campaign, which provides women in need with mammograms, ultrasounds and other lifesaving services.
The funds were raised entirely by customers' donations at the Kangaroo Express registers throughout October. During the month, 85 Kangaroo Express stores within Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Putnam, Seminole and Volusia counties hosted collections at the registers for the community members to donate to the Florida Hospital Pink Army.
The funds were divvied up between the Florida Hospital campuses in the participating counties in an effort to keep the funds raised in each community local.
"This donation was made possible by the kind and generous donations from community residents," said Ossie Curington, Regional Sales Director for Kangaroo Express. "We wanted every dollar raised to stay as close as possible to the community. This way, the dollars raised by residents help benefit other residents in need."
With this in mind, Florida Hospital DeLand received approximately $14,000; Florida Hospital Fish Memorial received approximately $11,000; Florida Hospital Flagler received approximately $37,000; and Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center received approximately $24,000. The remaining funds went to Florida Hospitals in the Orange and Seminole counties.
"We are so grateful for the outpouring of support from Kangaroo Express and their customers," said Daryl Tol, Florida Hospital Volusia/Flagler CEO. "With these funds women in our communities who are in-need will get access to lifesaving breast cancer services."
Launched in the fall of 2010, Florida Hospital's Pink Army campaign is aimed at enlisting individuals to help create greater awareness about the life-saving benefits of annual mammograms and early detection, all while having fun with friends and family.
In its first year alone, the Pink Army enlisted more than 6,000 "soldiers" to battle breast cancer in Volusia and Flagler counties. Now, armed with more than 22,000 soldiers, the Pink Army movement has swept across the state, encouraging Central Floridians to join this important cause. Florida Hospital Pink Army is on active duty in the following counties: Flagler, Hardee, Highlands, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia. To learn more, visit www.JoinThePinkArmy.com.


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Can't use gcc on x64 debian:
$ gcc a.cpp
Assembler messages:
Fatal error: No compiled in support for x86_64
what should I do? Some people propose installing binutils, but they are already there.
(Adding -m64 doesn't change anything). Where does this message come from?
a.cpp is just an empty file.
--help=target gives
The following options are target specific:
-m128bit-long-double sizeof(long double) is 16
-m32 Generate 32bit i386 code
-m3dnow Support 3DNow! built-in functions
-m3dnowa Support Athlon 3Dnow! built-in functions
-m64 Generate 64bit x86-64 code
-m80387 Use hardware fp
-m8bit-idiv Expand 32bit/64bit integer divide into 8bit
unsigned integer divide with run-time check
-m96bit-long-double sizeof(long double) is 12
-mabi= Generate code that conforms to the given ABI
-mabm Support code generation of Advanced Bit
Manipulation (ABM) instructions.
-maccumulate-outgoing-args Reserve space for outgoing arguments in the
function prologue
-maes Support AES built-in functions and code generation
-malign-double Align some doubles on dword boundary
-malign-functions= Function starts are aligned to this power of 2
-malign-jumps= Jump targets are aligned to this power of 2
-malign-loops= Loop code aligned to this power of 2
-malign-stringops Align destination of the string operations
-mandroid Generate code for the Android platform.
-march= Generate code for given CPU
-masm= Use given assembler dialect
-mavx Support MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1,
SSE4.2 and AVX built-in functions and code
-mavx2 Support MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1,
SSE4.2, AVX and AVX2 built-in functions and code
-mavx256-split-unaligned-load Split 32-byte AVX unaligned load
-mavx256-split-unaligned-store Split 32-byte AVX unaligned store
-mbionic Use Bionic C library
-mbmi Support BMI built-in functions and code generation
-mbmi2 Support BMI2 built-in functions and code
-mbranch-cost= Branches are this expensive (1-5, arbitrary units)
-mcld Generate cld instruction in the function prologue.
-mcmodel= Use given x86-64 code model
-mcpu= This switch lacks documentation
-mcrc32 Support code generation of crc32 instruction.
-mcx16 Support code generation of cmpxchg16b instruction.
-mdispatch-scheduler Do dispatch scheduling if processor is bdver1 or
bdver2 and Haifa scheduling is selected.
-mf16c Support F16C built-in functions and code
-mfancy-math-387 Generate sin, cos, sqrt for FPU
-mfentry Emit profiling counter call at function entry
before prologue.
-mfma Support MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1,
SSE4.2, AVX and FMA built-in functions and code
-mfma4 Support FMA4 built-in functions and code
-mforce-drap Always use Dynamic Realigned Argument Pointer
(DRAP) to realign stack
-mfp-ret-in-387 Return values of functions in FPU registers
-mfpmath= Generate floating point mathematics using given
instruction set
-mfsgsbase Support FSGSBASE built-in functions and code
-mfused-madd This switch lacks documentation
-mglibc Use GNU C library
-mhard-float Use hardware fp
-mieee-fp Use IEEE math for fp comparisons
-mincoming-stack-boundary= Assume incoming stack aligned to this power of 2
-minline-all-stringops Inline all known string operations
-minline-stringops-dynamically Inline memset/memcpy string operations, but
perform inline version only for small blocks
-mintel-syntax This switch lacks documentation
-mlarge-data-threshold= Data greater than given threshold will go into
.ldata section in x86-64 medium model
-mlwp Support LWP built-in functions and code
-mlzcnt Support LZCNT built-in function and code
-mmmx Support MMX built-in functions
-mmovbe Support code generation of movbe instruction.
-mms-bitfields Use native (MS) bitfield layout
-mno-align-stringops This switch lacks documentation
-mno-fancy-math-387 This switch lacks documentation
-mno-push-args This switch lacks documentation
-mno-red-zone This switch lacks documentation
-mno-sse4 Do not support SSE4.1 and SSE4.2 built-in
functions and code generation
-momit-leaf-frame-pointer Omit the frame pointer in leaf functions
-mpc32 Set 80387 floating-point precision to 32-bit
-mpc64 Set 80387 floating-point precision to 64-bit
-mpc80 Set 80387 floating-point precision to 80-bit
-mpclmul Support PCLMUL built-in functions and code
-mpopcnt Support code generation of popcnt instruction.
-mprefer-avx128 Use 128-bit AVX instructions instead of 256-bit
AVX instructions in the auto-vectorizer.
-mpreferred-stack-boundary= Attempt to keep stack aligned to this power of 2
-mpush-args Use push instructions to save outgoing arguments
-mrdrnd Support RDRND built-in functions and code
-mrecip Generate reciprocals instead of divss and sqrtss.
-mrecip= Control generation of reciprocal estimates.
-mred-zone Use red-zone in the x86-64 code
-mregparm= Number of registers used to pass integer arguments
-mrtd Alternate calling convention
-msahf Support code generation of sahf instruction in
64bit x86-64 code.
-msoft-float Do not use hardware fp
-msse Support MMX and SSE built-in functions and code
-msse2 Support MMX, SSE and SSE2 built-in functions and
code generation
-msse2avx Encode SSE instructions with VEX prefix
-msse3 Support MMX, SSE, SSE2 and SSE3 built-in
functions and code generation
-msse4 Support MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1 and
SSE4.2 built-in functions and code generation
-msse4.1 Support MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3 and SSE4.1
built-in functions and code generation
-msse4.2 Support MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1 and
SSE4.2 built-in functions and code generation
-msse4a Support MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3 and SSE4A built-in
functions and code generation
-msse5 This switch lacks documentation
-msseregparm Use SSE register passing conventions for SF and
DF mode
-mssse3 Support MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3 and SSSE3 built-in
functions and code generation
-mstack-arg-probe Enable stack probing
-mstackrealign Realign stack in prologue
-mstringop-strategy= Chose strategy to generate stringop using
-mtbm Support TBM built-in functions and code generation
-mtls-dialect= Use given thread-local storage dialect
-mtls-direct-seg-refs Use direct references against %gs when accessing
tls data
-mtune= Schedule code for given CPU
-muclibc Use uClibc C library
-mveclibabi= Vector library ABI to use
-mvect8-ret-in-mem Return 8-byte vectors in memory
-mvzeroupper Generate vzeroupper instruction before a transfer
of control flow out of the function.
-mx32 Generate 32bit x86-64 code
-mxop Support XOP built-in functions and code
Known assembler dialects (for use with the -masm-dialect= option):
att intel
Known ABIs (for use with the -mabi= option):
ms sysv
Known code models (for use with the -mcmodel= option):
32 kernel large medium small
Valid arguments to -mfpmath=:
387 387+sse 387,sse both sse sse+387 sse,387
Known vectorization library ABIs (for use with the -mveclibabi= option):
acml svml
Valid arguments to -mstringop-strategy=:
byte_loop libcall loop rep_4byte rep_8byte rep_byte unrolled_loop
Known TLS dialects (for use with the -mtls-dialect= option):
gnu gnu2

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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It is always a pleasure to talk with Jack and he is always great to add some insight and opinion on all things basketball. He may never end up on Twitter, but some how I don't think it matters much. I am grateful to have got to know Jack through the Dino Nation Blog and he has always been supportive to me and helpful. What lies ahead for this season still remains to be seen. The one constant we have with the Raptors is great people covering the team like Jack. We are very fortunate in that regard as fans. You only need to listen to broadcasts from other NBA markets to know that. If you are missing Jack you can catch him covering Canada's final 2 games at the worlds on TSN 2 if you are able to get that network. He does just as great a job breaking down Canada B-Ball as he does with the Raps. Hope you enjoyed his latest visit to the DNB and look forward to him being back in the future as I do.
Jack is Back in The Starting 5
"Jiggly Bits"
Paying to Play
Hmmmm. Use my allowance or part-time job earnings to have fun this summer and enjoy my youth or save it to play basketball? What to do, what to do. This is what gradeschoolers and high schoolers in Charlotte, North Carolina are being forced to think about right now. Charlotte schools cut $125 million from athletic programs this year. So now school officials have announced a plan to actually charge elementary school students $50 to play basketball while their friends in high school may have to pay $100. This is crazy. One of the attractions of playing for your school is not having a fee to pay like in Rep or House League outside of school. This is supposed to be a chance for students to be active and participate in sports without the monetary obstacle. Getting an education doesn't only mean going to school, listening to your teacher and coming home to tackle homework. It means broadening your horizons and getting involved in your school. The option to play basketball or any other sport for that matter should be there without question. Putting a fee on it may mean the difference of a student becoming active or involved. Lucky for Charlotte area students, Michael Jordan and the Bobcats are in town. According to the Charlotte Observer, Michael Jordan and the Bobcats organization will donate $250, 000 to Charlotte area schools to help boost their athletic programs. This is a part of the commitment MJ made when he took over the Bobcats earlier this year - to be involved in the Charlotte community. Wonder how MJ would look in a Santa suit? What a gift to give.
Talk about Pressure
Forget about the big three in Miami trying to win a championship this year or the Lakers and a three-peat. This is nothing compared to the pressure Patrick Ewing Jr. will be playing under this season. This is because he will be playing for the New York Knicks as a free agent - the same team his father played 15 seasons for and 11 All-star games with. Talk about playing under someone's shadow. Patrick Ewing Jr. was the 43rd pick of the 2008 NBA Draft by Sacramento and ended up with the Knicks after some shuffling. In 2008-2009, he spent some time honing his skills in the NBA Development League and missed last season because of a series of injuries. My goodness. I hope for his son's sake, Patrick Ewing Sr. stays away from Madison Square Garden for the first few games - Junior will have enough on his plate.
This is going to be an interesting year. Not just for the Knicks, but for the entire league. It seems like the NBA is getting nipped and tucked across the board. There are new coaches in Cleveland, Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta, New Jersey and with the L.A. Clippers. New General Managers are in the mix as well and we don't need to discuss the amount of player movement (or the drama involved) to prove change is on the horizon. All in all, I am really looking forward to this season and I hope you are, too. The DNB will be the place to be to get your Raptors-and-everything-basketball fix.
Basketball Beyond the Floor
Remember to join me here on the DNB this Thursday when we will be discussing Can I Keep My Jersey? Until then, happy reading.
Myck Kabongo in The Starting 5
Hope you enjoyed that and I look forward to having him back in the future. While Canada is not having success at the moment know the future is bright still, with a lot of young talented kids coming up. Who knows maybe some day Canadian kids will be growing up saying I want to be like Mike...make that Myck. The Raptors being part of the landscape has had an impact on a generation of kids in this country. Myck, Corey and Tristan are some of the products of that. It is no longer unrealistic to think of Canadians playing in top level U.S programs. While they are excited about 3 guys down in Miami, Canada should be excited about 3 guys in Texas and what they can become in a few years. Here is hoping Myck and others in this country can help make us proud to be fans of basketball and have some pride in the players we produce for the sport we invented.
Doh!! Canada
I will start on the positive in that it sure was nice to see on Twitter that a lot of people were watching Canada playing in their first 2 games at the worlds. It did not turn into lots of people in the stands in exhibition games at the ACC which Canada won over France. But when the lights came on for the Worlds it was Canada losing to Lebanon 81-71. The next day against a much more talented team from Lituania who won 70-68. For Raptor fans Linas Keliza had 18 points and 10 rebounds in that game by the way.
Now granted this is a banged up group for Canada. That is what we are going to hear and it is fact. That being said Canada was life and death to make this tournament in the first place. While the program as a whole is having success, the senior Men's team has had limited success. Both Jr. programs won bronze medals earlier this summer. In terms of the men's team if they make it out of group play some would call that a success.
Canada has some real talent coming in the next few years and it is important that this team has a solid foundation to be ready for that. Andy Rautins no question belongs on team Canada. In fact you can say that he is the best offensive player they have and it would be hard to argue that point. That being said I am pretty sure he plays even if his dad is not the coach. Leo Rautins is just not the guy to lead this program to the next level. I give him a ton of credit for his efforts and his passion for the program. However his lack of ability to get top players into the fold is a concern. Why has he not been able to convince Canada's greatest basketball player to suit up for Canada? Why was he not able to come to a better conclusion with Sam Dalembert? Why did he even bother trying to recruit Jamal Maglorie?
Leo's lack of coaching experience is a concern and it shows in the lack of execution on both ends of the floor. Canada seems doomed to not make it out of group play now with the 2 losses on the weekend. It is time for a change, and a new coach to take this team to the next level and to try to floor a team in the Olympics in England.
Canada needs to get this right and start to produce in basketball. If you want to have the money to succeed you need to win. But the talent is there to produce and it is time to have the coaching match this level of talent.
So, I am back after a mini-break and back with Jack tomorrow or Wednesday.
"Basketball Beyond the Floor"
We're going to shove it down their throats
The book starts off by explaining the NBA was formed for three reasons: (1) Young men were making money from hockey and owning arenas. But hockey couldn't fill every gap in the schedule, so they needed something else; (2) College ball was super popular at the time and (3) World War Two was over, the men were home and had money to spend on sports. They weren't exactly demonstrating in the streets to bring in a pro basketball league "but they were going to give it to them whether they liked it or not". So really, it was all about making some more money from the owner's standpoint. And since some of these players were former soldiers or rough-housers, fighting was huge for the game in the late 40s, early fifties until they created the 'fouling out' rules, according to the book. In 1953-1954, players were allowed only two fouls in a quarter. Anymore and they were turfed from the game. I think it was funny because of all the fighting, the league actually considered creating a penalty box like in hockey and make them play 4 on 5 or whatever the situation called for. This never happened. After reading this book, I really wish I had a basketball time machine so I could go back and see players like Jerry West, George Mikan and especially Bill Russell because before he came into the game, nobody was really blocking shots. And it's interesting to watch some of the old tape because you wouldn't see a Steve Nash bringing the ball down court and conducting the play by going in 1-on-1, trying to drive it up the middle to one of your teammates. They spread out all over the place and ran.
Canadian Roots but an Italian Influence
This part I loved. Before the invention of the 24 second clock, if a team was up, they would just hang onto the ball until their opponent fouled them in an attempt to gain possession. They actually played for 9 whole seasons without a shot clock until Danny Biasone's idea changed the game. I think this is the most important rule considering where the game started and how it changed the game: "The amazing thing about the 24 second clock is that it started at 24 seconds and is still 24 seconds today. No one has seriously considered changing it" (Play-by-Play guy Chick Hearn). It was all so simple, too. Danny Biasone had owned a semi-pro football team before World War Two and since there were not enough players after the war, he decided to get into pro basketball. He owned a pro basketball team from 1946-1947 and according to the book, became frustrated with the game and the number of fouls. So get this. Danny Biasone figured out each team took 60 shots, totalling 120 over the course of the game. He divided the length of the game which was 48 minutes at the time (2, 880 seconds) by 120 shots to get 24 seconds per shot. Before this rule was created, there was actually a score of 19-18 between Fort Wayne and the Minneapolis Lakers. Unbelievable.
Trading for draft rights..what?
"Before the start of the [1965-1966] season, I said I was quitting. I told the Lakers, The Sixers and anyone else that this was their last shot at me. I didn't want to be accused of going out while I was still ahead. They had one more chance to knock me off" (Red Auerbach in his last year of coaching the Celtics). Red Auerbach wanted to win and so did everyone else. Trades were made all over the map but the one that changed how things were done in the NBA, according to the book, was when St. Louis agreed to trade the draft rights of Bill Russell to Boston for Cliff Hagan and Ed McCauley. No one had a clue the impact Bill Russell would have on the Celtics but they took a chance. Some people in NHL circles think the Toronto Maple Leafs don't have a clue for this reason because of making trades and taking a chance on the wrong people. (Let's hope that this year is different because Toronto sports fans need to get excited about something). But the Boston Celtics had a history of making good decisions. I still can't even imagine one single team winning 8 consecutive championships - the longest championship streak in North American sports. But that is was the Celtics did under Auerbach as their coach. My god, that guy was brilliant both on and off the court. Breaking down colour barriers and the opposition with defence and fast breaks - this book made me really appreciate Red Auerbach and Bill Russell a little more and what they did for the game.
Flick Pick of the Week
I know you are going to think I am outside my mind with this pick because I know some of you have told me this before with previous picks. I guess I should be used to it. I love Whoopi Goldberg so I want you to watch 'EDDIE' starring Miss Whoopi. This flick also includes other appearances by Rick Fox, Greg Ostertag, John Salley, Mark Jackson and Marv Albert as himself. Whoopi plays the newest coach of the New York Knicks. I think it's funny and entertaining. Apparently, home games were actually filmed at the Charlotte Coliseum, home to the Charlotte Hornets at the time the movie was made.
For next week, I picked up an interesting read from my local library: Can I Keep My Jersey? 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond by Paul Shirley. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a friend who played in the NBA? This book attempts to answer this question. Unbelievable really, how he did it. I will see you on Tuesday for another serving of Jiggly Bits. So until then, happy reading.
"Jiggly Bits"
The Worlds - An Uphill Battle
From August 28th to September 12th in Turkey, national basketball teams from around the world will be competing in the World Championships. Most see Spain as favoured to win and Team U.S.A doesn't seem to mind the focus is put on Spain to repeat so as to take the pressure off the Americans to produce something. Team U.S.A hasn't won at the Worlds in 16 years. Plus, no one from the gold medal team will be returning for the Americans. Pau Gasol will not playing for Spain because he thought after helping the Lakers win an NBA Championship, he needed a break. And rightfully so. The same argument James made in his comments about the Curse of Calderon could be made in any professional sport, including the NHL. Gary Bettman and other NHL officials have contemplated not allowing NHL players to compete in the Olympics. Sidney Crosby was criticized for not playing in an event right after the season ended and after winning gold for Canada in the 2010 Olympics. He was just thinking like Gasol: not wanting to injure himself and rest up for the coming season. Something I bet Brian Colangelo wishes Jose Calderon should have done.
With all he is doing to promote the NBA, even as far as India, I highly doubt NBA Commissioner David Stern would prevent the league's players from participating in the World Championships. It's not like in the NHL where they have to shut down the league for two weeks to accommodate its players competing in the Olympics. As long as the World Basketball Championships continue to be held in the summer, in the off season, it really should be the up to the player to compete in the Worlds as long as it doesn't interfere with training camp with the NBA team which employs him. Now, let's insert Jose Calderon. He was supposed to play for Spain but now out with a leg injury and expected to take 4 weeks to recover. Not a good situation for Brian Colangelo who was looking to unload Jose Calderon before training camp. I can see the attraction to compete in the Worlds, especially for players like Calderon who have not garnered the attention of other NBA stars either in the league or this tournament. The Worlds are a chance for these players to shine and get some exposure or media attention they normally wouldn't because of the A-players so-to-speak stealing the limelight. However, I would have to side with James and the Calderon Curse argument if this continues to happen. At least in Calderon's case, it proves participation in the tournament affects the team he is employed by.
Incidentally, Canada will play Lebanon to open the tournament on August 28th. Lebanon is ranked 24th and has most of its players actually playing with clubs in Lebanon. They actually have a Canadian-born player on the roster in Ali Mahmoud. Canada is ranked 19th and has players in clubs spread out over the world. This is the same thing that has plagued the Canadian National Soccer Team because when you have players in all parts of the world, it makes it harder to gel as a team and have access to practice. Plus, the Canadians have been battling injuries and a stomach bug that has gone through the entire team. Head Coach Leo Rautins has his work cut out for him when two NBA players on his squad Joel Anthony (Miami Heat) and Andy Rautins (New York Knicks) are not 100% yet due to injury or illness but he has until Friday to figure it out - that's when rosters are due. I'd like to say Canada is a sure thing but with Lebanon as a wild card they are hungry to win, too. They had a chance to qualify for the Worlds against China in the Semi's of the 2009 FIBA Asia Championship but fell to Jordan. I hope the Canadians don't go into this Saturday's contest overly confident or things might not end in their favour. Spain (ranked #3), Lithuania (6th), New Zealand (13th) and France (15th) are also in this pool (Group D).
Jordan and Kwame Together Again
I know most people are shaking their heads at this move but think about the man behind the decision. Michael Jordan the player was an intense guy who would rather have a million root canals without anesthetic than loose a basketball game. So nine years after he picked Kwame Brown number one in the NBA draft when he was with the Washington Wizards, he picks him again. Kwame Brown has been bounced around the league with little success in any particular club. He was drafted right out of high school when most thought he wasn't ready for the NBA. So when Jordan picked him then he was labelled as another superstar who can make a Head Office type of decision. So I think the decision to bring Kwame Brown into the Charlotte Bobcats family was more of a righting past wrongs kind of thing. Brown was only offered a one year contract worth $1.3 million, the minimum given to NBA veterans. So while Jordan seems to be at least attempting to redeem himself with Kwame, he also knows Kwame needs to prove himself. If he doesn't, Jordan will not be able to come out from under that cloud.
A Summer of Love and Hate
I know his jersey was burned by Cleveland fans in protest of his departure and I know he was labelled the ultimate 'douche' for the TV special 'The Decision-2010'. I still believe those who believe in these two scenarios are not seeing the big picture. In a recent interview with GQ magazine, LeBron James said he isn't sure Cleveland Cavs owner Dan Gilbert ever cared about him: "My mother always told me: you will see the light of people when they hit adversity. You'll get a good sense of their character". Considering the nastiness of his reaction to LeBron leaving to Miami, some might agree with LeBron's statement. In the same GQ article, he responded to comments made about 'The Decision-2010" which questioned his motivations. When LeBron James found out the $2.5 million dollars made from the tv special would be given to Boys and Girls Clubs, he felt it was a "no brainer". If you really, truly support someone without the facade of a happy face, you will have the ability to take a step back and see a particular decision was made from a good place and not meant to offend. Sure be upset, but don't lie and say you supported someone from the beginning because really, you only supported them when they fit into your ideal. I really hope when the season starts, we can all move on from this.
"Basketball Beyond the Floor"
Remember to join me here on the DNB this Thursday when we will be discussing Tall Tales by Terry Pluto. Until then, happy reading.
The Calderon Curse Continues
I will not give my whole speech on how international play is having a negative impact on the NBA for the 100th time. Clearly this is just another example that people can use as evidence to support that case. This is now the 2nd time Calderon has been injured representing Spain and not the Raptors. It just never ends and as much as the World Championships benefit from the NBA being a part of them it doesn't help the Raptors any right now. The World Championships actually could have served as a good way to showcase Calderon for trades. But forget about that now as Calderon may not even be in camp for the Raptors.
This injury to Jose's leg is also not going to help his now infamous terrible defense any. An overpaid and injured back up point guard just what ever team wants. Calderon at full health has questionable speed to begin with. Each time that leg gets injured the questions just become bigger and bigger. After all you don't get quicker by injuring your leg consistently. It is safe to call Jose injury prone now. I got slammed by some the last time I did so in the blog. I will let this latest injury be my version of I told you so.
The larger picture of this Raptor off-season just gets worse. It is becoming increasingly more likely this may actually be it. The Raptors you see now likely are the Raptors you will see open camp. If that is the case this team has some serious issues. I love the Young Guns but even if they all played out their minds, it still would not be enough. Andrea Bargnani in playing for Italy this summer is not exactly showing much improvement on the defensive end. Not that playing internationally is the same type of defense we play here anyway. A move to the 4 spot for Bargnani seems highly unlikely given the Raptors current roster. That was about the only good thing about Bosh leaving was that Bargnani could move to his natural 4 spot. But so much for that.
I hate to think a team is dead and buried before they ever play a game. That being said, if I started working on my eulogy on the Raptors season would anyone blame me? I had been working on my Jose Calderon is no longer a Raptor eulogy and sadly it has been put away once again.
Jose Calderon honestly is at the root of a lot of the problems this team has faced. Things starting falling a part, when the point guard controversy with him and T.J Ford started and from that point on the Raptors have been a mess. It was the spark that led to a long list of bad moves that have left this franchise without much hope and without a true star player. It makes you wonder if Calderon actually makes that pass to Bosh vs the Nets would the would the Raptors situation be entirely different?
We will never know but that pass getting picked off was just the start of the Curse that Calderon has become. I was talking on Friday about the lack of a rival and that is in part a lack of tradition. Well how about a curse....The Curse of Calderon.
Raptors Need A Rival
When they started in 1995 they had a rival in another conference with the Grizzlies. However, that ever really turned into much as the franchises went in different directions fast. The Raptors were always the better of the 2 teams, for basically the entire run of Grizzlies in Vancouver. There was a brief time, when the Raptors first made the playoffs, and the Knicks were actually in them, where they faced each other in back to back seasons. The Pistons seem like a logical rival but have always owned the Raptors until recently with the Pistons collapsed.
Once T-Mac left, Orlando became a rival. The two teams also met in the playoffs once and now Vince Carter is there. In fact where Vince goes has turned into the Raptors rival by default. I don't think the Miami Heat are going to be the Raptors rival in any sense. You need to have it be competitive to be a rivalry right?
It is the one thing that has never really developed for the Raptors. Some would say Boston is a rival but again over the history that has been far to one sided to be considered one. I guess part of having rivalries, if not done based on geography, you need a playoff history, or play in same division and battle for first on yearly basis. As much as the Raptors franchise is heading into it's 16th season their are still some things that you would have expected to happen by now. Having a constant rival would be one of those.
Why don't we make the Cavs are rival now. The two teams are in same situation having their stars bolt to South Beach. Both are expected to struggle and be in a rebuilding process. Cleveland kills us in the bitter department about James leaving them. The attitude here has been kind of like we have seen this movie before. I have yet to see a Bosh jersey in flames. Not that I am endorsing that you go out and be the first to do that.
So as I sit down tonight and root against Toronto in the CFL it just got me thinking, the Raptors are the only team I support that really has no rival. After all rivalries are part of what makes sports fun. Be it Ti-Cats/Argos, Leafs/Habs, Michigan/Ohio State or a hundred others you could mention. When those rivalries happen it means something beyond the records of the teams and it really doesn't matter what season it is. If you mention those two teams together their is a built in reason to watch. The closest thing you get to a playoff atmosphere in the regular season.
Sure everyone will watch when Bosh and Raps hook up, but that isn't really a rivalry it is more of a side show. We need someone to hate beyond just players that have left us. That kind of feeling that the idea of being a friend of someone that likes that other team turns your stomach a little. Sports is about passion after all and rivalries are a huge part of that.
So....Go Cats Go and enjoy your weekend....unless your an Argo Fan....just kidding.....kinda.
"Basketball Beyond the Floor"
There's no one like me
"...you have to understand that when I played basketball, I was in my opinion, one of the best players in the game...one of the best players who ever lived" (Wilt Chamberlain). Yes, when Wilt the Stilt took to the floor, everyone noticed. But he hasn't played a professional basketball game since 1974, so to argue he was one of the best players who ever lived, some might challenge this argument. He was talented and confident in his abilities but if we are going to make a list of the greatest basketball players of all time, there's needs to be a definitive list of attributes. One of them has to be overall skills set and not just the player's proficiency at one particular skill. I will give him one thing, though. Wilt admits in the book to his one downfall: being a lousy foul shooter. He talks about how he used to have a deep knee bend but after his knee injury, he had to change his shooting style a few times.
We all have opinions on what makes a great basketball player but is there a way we can spell out when said player should retire? Wilt Chamberlain makes a valid point in the book: "...many ex-players are simply not ready to deal with the world as civilians, without the pomp and pageantry they experienced most of their adult life as stars in college and in professional sports". Is this why Brett Favre keeps changing his mind about retiring from the NFL? Why other players like him crave the locker room camaraderie and find it hard to leave their respective games? This is why it is so important for today's players to plan for life beyond the NBA and how to handle their money properly. Sure, as fans it is hard to relate to the amount of money an NBA rookie might make in a year, but believe it or not poor investing and spending habits have put many an athlete in the red, not just in basketball.
Wimps and Jerks
"In my opinion, most of the coaches in the NBA are wimps. They let superstars get away with murder, too terrified to take things into their own hands because their job is at stake" (Wilt Chamberlain). Some might argue this is true. Is this why majority Cavs owner Dan Gilbert threw a fit when LeBron James left for Miami? They spent seven years catering to LeBron's needs, not planning for the future and when LeBron finally left, Gilbert is left with the guilt of not standing up to him? Who knows. But I agree with Wilt in that it is much harder to be a hero today with the lack of imagination left up to the fan to be able to even choose their own hero. Right out of college, players are being marketed as a package and sometimes, their life off the court is not taken into consideration. There's nothing wrong with admiring someone for their basketball skills but you learn more about their character from what they do off the court and realize what kind of a person they really are. That's why we shouldn't be so quick to choose our heroes based on their stats.
In their defense though, the athletes are taken advantage of because of their "hero-like status". In the book, Wilt describes how a woman claiming to be a movie star wanted to meet with him about the possibility of collaborating on a project. One thing leads to another and Wilt engages in a sexual encounter with this woman. In the throws of passion, she talks about how easy it is for her to get pregnant and he bolts. He later finds out she and her boyfriend were targeting players in the hopes of catching them in a paternity suit and then cashing in on it. This doesn't mean I feel sorry for Tiger Woods, not in the least. But at least Wilt wasn't married with children.
Yes, I slept with THAT many women
"...don't be shocked to hear that if I had to count my sexual encounters, I would be closing in on twenty thousand" (Wilt Chamberlain). He even refers to this number as a drop in the bucket. Really? I know some people like to brag about the number of notches on their bedpost so-to-speak but this is a little much. I will give him credit, though. He loves women and will defend them. He lists Jackie Joyner Kerse as one of his top five athletes and argues women are more logical when it comes to choosing something of real value. I agree with the example he gives on how women are talked down to at car dealerships and I agree with him that showing emotion is not necessarily a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. But part of me questions his loyalty to the opposite sex when he starts chapter one of this book with "Recently, I was out with a young lady...". It makes you wonder if this supposed loyalty is misplaced.
Flick Pick of the Week
This weekend I want you to watch 'Conan the Destroyer'. Guess who plays Bombaata, a character in the movie? Yes, it was Wilt Chamberlain in his first major role. Don't get too excited at the level of acting since his real skills are definitely on the basketball court.
So for next next week we will be reading Tall Tales: The Glory Years in the NBA by Terry Pluto. Remember to join me on Tuesday for another serving of "Jiggly Bits". Until then, happy reading.
Mello? Heck No
In reality, there is no good way for this situation to work for a team losing a franchise player. It is just different levels of pain. If the Nuggets do decide to trade Carmelo does anyone think they can be better for it? Taking players back in a trade is not always the answer. Every team in the NBA is well aware that you are in a desperate situation. Has there every really been a good trade in which a superstar wanted out? I can't think of one of the top of my head.
The larger issue in all of this is that players are starting to control the game at levels we have never seen before. In the end players are individual contractors that happen to play a team game. They have only their interests at heart not the interests of franchises or the league as a whole. The whole concept of loyalty on all sides of sports is getting to the point or being rare to nonexistent.
I love the CFL and my hometown Ti-Cats. When I was a kid, it was easy for me to tell you almost every starter on the Ti-Cats Roster. Now more and more that becomes a difficult task in all sports leagues. The Raptors are a great example over the last few years with a constant turnover of the roster. It makes you go back to the whole Jerry Seinfeld comedy bit of people are actually cheering laundry. It becomes all about the logo on the jerseys and not the name on the back.
It is kind of like, the whole college sports fan experience being brought to pro sports. In the NCAA, you go into with the expectation that players will come and go. Which has only increased over the years with players leaving for the draft after even just one year in basketball. College Football is the same type of assembly line make-up. You cheer for the school be it Michigan, Florida, Texas or any other school you care to name. Sure great players roll through the program but they are only there for a short time. The pressure to win now is great in college sports in the U.S. Every season is do or die and recruiting each off-season is about getting guys to win now for that next season.
We live in a world, that is total based on instant results and instant gratification. It is said, that sports often acts as a reflection of society as a whole. Well maybe that is what is happening. No longer to many players want to stick it out and win with a team. No longer do franchises have patience with coaches if they don't win. It is always about winning now. The process of team building has been lost in terms of this instant win now mentality. The days of watching a team grow and build seem almost gone. I always use to hate people that said things were better when they were younger, but maybe it was. I remember watching the Pistons build and the Bad Boys eventually topped the Lakers. The Bulls having to get through the Knicks and Pistons, prior to their 6 championships. There was a natural progression. The Miami Heat, if they in did are successful it will not have been done that way. I don't want the NBA to have a lockout next season, that being said I don't want to watch this league be run by players, that only care about their own interests. That is only good for the them and, not necessarily for the league and definitely not for the majority of NBA fans. Will it pull in a ton of fringe fans? Yes it will, but for the hardcore fans of many franchises this has been a dark summer.
"Jiggly Bits"
The Shaq attack in Boston
I love Shaquille O'Neil. I have enjoyed following and covering his career since his days in Orlando. I remember when someone gave me a free poster illustrating his "you can't fake the funk on a nasty dunk" move and not thinking I'd ever see him in a Celtics uniform. But stranger things have happened in the NBA and while this move did not garner as much attention as the three kings in Miami, I think the Celtics are going to be the team to watch this season. Remember, no one expected them to go as far as they did in the post season against the Lakers and with Shaq's size and presence, the Celtics could have another stellar season. What I think is kind of funny in all of this is his desire to win one more championship before he retires. Really? Who would have thought that a talented player with a lot to offer would want to leave one team for another, to be in a better situation in which to win a championship? And why should he or any other player be prevented from doing so? If you have always wanted to work with certain people or a certain organization and you can see the end is coming, why not switch gears? Remember, he's been in the league so long he played against Hall of Famer Kevin McHale so he gets where the Celtics came from. So since he's asking for help from the fans for a new nick-name, what should the Shaq vs. star be referred to? Not sure but I know the rumours surrounding Steve Nash and Shaq on the idea for the show still mount. I have watched the show many times - not anything to really write home about but Shaq makes the show (not sure if Nash would make it any different or better).
The Pistons welcome Tracy McGrady
It's official - Tracey McGrady signed a one-year, $1.3 million dollar contract Monday with the Detroit Pistons. At 31 years old, he's played 65 games over 2 years battling knee and back injuries. My opinion? He should be glad he's got a job. I am sure the Pistons will enjoy having him in Detroit but signing him to a one-year contract and expecting him to lead a bunch of young players? Let's just say it seems their confidence in him and his health are not 100% full proof. Even in the interviews he's done after the announcement was made, HE doesn't even sound 100% full proof about himself. More of a cautiously optimistic attitude and glad someone took a chance on him. He's admitting he can't dunk like he used to and discussing other faults before the things he knows he's capable of. This tells us he is still plagued by injuries which way heavily on his mind and for us not to expect too much from him. Just be happy he's still here.
Please say it isn't so
I really hope this isn't true. Indiana Pacers draft pick Lance Stephenson allegedly pushed his girlfriend down a flight of stairs, then grabbed her head and hit it on the bottom step. He was charged with assault and released without bail late Sunday night. According to witnesses at the scene, Stephenson's girlfriend Jasmine Williams was coming home with two friends to find Stephenson waiting for her at 5am. He allegedly said, "Are you kidding me?" and proceeded to push her down the stairs in a jealous fit of rage. When police arrived, he claims she fell all on her own. When asked for comment, Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird said it was disappointing to the franchise and to him personally but is still waiting to hear all the facts. Although part of me wishes this weren't true, experience and evidence say otherwise. What worries me the most is not so much that he was released without bail (the prosecution was asking for $7, 500) but the safety of the victim and those witnesses. I'm glad Larry Bird took it personal because in my mind, if Stephenson is found guilty and this is all true, he should not be allowed to play. And if he is allowed to play? A REAL reason to burn someone's jersey.
Basketball Beyond the Floor
Remember to join me here on the DNB this Thursday when we will be discussing A View from Above by and about Wilt Chamberlain. Still working on a flick pick for you as well. Until then, happy reading and see you on Thursday.
Couple Minor Raps Moves
The other news of the day is the Raptors have added to the coaching staff. Adding Scott Roth to the staff. He is familiar to Triano as the two actually playing ball at the same time in Turkey. Roth has stops with Mavs, Grizzlies as an assistant and most recently with the Bucks as a scout and advisor. He also has international head coaching experience as the head coach of Turkey in 2000-01 and the Dominican Republic in 2007-08. Shame we have no Hedo or Charlie V anymore who played for those countries.
Triano has this to say on Roth in the press release from the Raptors:
Jay Triano "Scott and I have a long history dating back to playing professionally at the same time in Turkey," said Triano. "He is a coach who brings to us experience from many different levels of basketball – International, D-League and the NBA."
Mark Iavaroni had left to join the staff with Vinny Del Negro in L.A with the Clippers. While earlier in the off-season the Raptors added P.J Carleimo. Another person familiar with Triano. It was said at the time that P.J was not being brought in to replace anyone. So it would appear by this move the Raptors wanted to add some depth to the coaching staff and with Ivaroni leaving they were left with the same number they had in the past. It isn't to the Mavericks level of coaching depth. I think Mark Cuban built a staff large enough the water boy in Dallas as a coach. So will see what becomes of this and what Roth's role will be.
Took me a few minutes to realize this, but Roth was actually a guest with us when he was coaching the Jam in the D-League. He came on to talk with me about recently (at the time) acquired Patrick O'Bryant. It is a small world. Here is a link to that interview.
All Bow Down To Heir Canada?
The Raptors have yet to have a superstar buy into being the man in Canada in terms of basketball. Well maybe the man, after that guy Steve Nash, to be honest about it. But Might Mouse saw a brighter future going home to Portland. Which never actually happened. Vince Carter wanted out of Toronto and has never really turned that into the success he desired. T-Mac has never won a playoff series ever, that he was dressed in an NBA uniform for. Chris Bosh will likely break that curse of failure with Miami. But the futures of Toronto stars leaving in terms of winning has not exactly worked out as they expected.
So why would we believe that a kid from Compton California won't one day want to return to the bright lights of L.A or some other U.S Destination eventually. The simple fact is that you shouldn't believe it. That is the challenge for Demar DeRozan to convince you of it. He is also has to convince people that he can be a superstar in this league as well. That being said DeRozan, Weems and Johnson really have embraced this fan base and the city. The Raptors are hitting the road for Montreal and Vancouver this pre-season and the hope would be that they embrace the country as well. The Raptors have a lot of growing to do and make no mistake about the fact this team on paper is not better off without Bosh. But his departure has left the door wide open for someone to walk through it and take hold of this franchise. Demar DeRozan without saying it directly seems to want to be that guy.
He is a hard working young man and many times I have written how much I respect his level of work ethic. He is a nice kid as well and really seems to be genuine in what he says and does. I am not going to lie in the fact I privately root for him to walk through that door. This from a guy that wanted Jonny Flynn to be a Raptor in his draft year. But in meeting DeMar and prior to that talking with people that knew him I started to like this young man. His desire to provide something better for his mother touches me personally. So to say I have some personal bias in this is totally fair and accurate. However, I am not blinded completely by that. There is a long road to climb if DeRozan is ever going to become Heir Canada or the Raptors next one.
Raptor fans have every right to feel jaded and disappointed at all the events of this summer. If you have been reading this blog over summer, I may class as both of those. That being said do you let yourself invest and believe in Demar DeRozan or the Young Guns(z)? It is kind of like asking someone after they have been through a lousy relationship if they will date again. Sure at first they will say no. But eventually the majority of people allow themselves to move on and love again. Demar, Sonny and Amir have recognized that they have an opportunity here. That is step 1 of making it happen. There are a lot more steps to take and not all of them will be successful.
In having spoke with all 3 guys at various points, they seem like genuine people and have a real love and respect for all of you. It grows harder and harder to buy into believing in athletes, and the lack of loyalty on all sides of sports is disturbing. However, that being said, I perhaps stupidly want to believe that Demar can take this chance and run with it. I want to believe that these 3 guys will get it and make it work here in Toronto. But to just believe in something isn't enough. It takes time and work which seems to be part of what this group is all about.
For those who say what about Andrea Bargnani? I remain unconvinced. While DeRozan still has a huge amount of potential, the story of Bargnani has been failure to achieve potential. I just see more desire and hunger in DeMar DeRozan to be successful. There is confidence mixed with a humility in this kid that makes me think he can do it. The trick is when the success comes will he remain that same person. After all, Chris Bosh started off as a hard working and some what shy guy. He evolved into a person that craved bright lights and stardom as much as he does an NBA Championship. I mean who thought Chris Bosh would ever be on Entourage? Just the latest in the never ending Bosh media circus.
I will say this to Demar DeRozan, you have a chance to be a hero, and for the sake of all Raptor fans I hope you are able to be one. After all, from Mighty Mouse to CB4 our heroes have not exactly been able to last. Here is hoping that Heir Canada becomes more then just a cool nickname and more a case of reality for all Raptor fans across this country.
The Long Wait To The Season Is Underway
The other major issue on this roster is the center position. It was always believed by many, that if Bosh left prior to Bargnani, that he would shift over to Bosh's power forward spot. However, it sure seems given the lack of depth at center right now, that is unlikely to happen. Solomon Alabi the Raptors second round pick and David Andersen acquired from Houston, are no where close to being starters, and might even be suspects as back-ups. Bargnani and his lack of rebounding at the 5 spot is a major concern. Amir Johnson at the four spot can rebound, but can he and the people behind him make up for the loss of Bosh's 10-12 rebounds a game? Meaning that above and beyond what we expect from individuals, is there 10 more rebounds in this team? Bargnani also seems over matched at times playing against his fellow 5's on the defensive end.
Clearly Colangelo has more work to do if he is going to turn this thing around. Since the ill fated Charlotte trade, the Raptors have not been able to do much. They tried signing Matt Barnes and that failed. They traded a 2nd round pick for the aforementioned Andersen. Then this week, the Belinelli for Wright deal which did at least adds some depth small forward spot. Questionable depth for sure, but depth none the less.
Even if the Young Guns all play beyond expectations and Bargnani does actually take the ball and run with it. Is that honestly enough to make this team a playoff team? I am not convinced it is. The one addition I do like a lot is that of Barbosa. He is not going to improve the defense though. Klezia for me is not exactly my dream small forward. Some peg him to be the starter. If it were me... I say we see DeRozan at the 2 and Weems at the 3. If this is going to be the Young Guns team why not have them play together in the starting 5. For anyone that watched summer league both Weems and DeRozan played like starters. Which the next line is true, in that "It is only Summer League".
I think the one thing we do know, regardless of who remains and goes prior to October 27th, is that this team is going to run. The Raptors are looking more like the Suns East, in terms of philosophy, than they ever have under Bryan Colangelo. While the Raptors talk about improving defense, it seems in reality that the want to run and outscore people. Which would require creating more turnovers to get out and run in transition. However, the question for the Raptors becomes how will they react to how people react to them. No longer do you have a player like Bosh that automatically demands a double team. So, if teams shift those double teams to a guy like Bargnani, can he still score at same level? That is a question to be answered. Can Demar DeRozan turn into a guy that could be worthy of teams considering double teaming him? I think for me he is the key part to this puzzle. If he can grow into a viable second option to Bargnani that would be huge for the Raptors. That is expecting a lot from a kid that had a decent first year. A year that for many despite being good fell short of expectations.
Lots of questions and few answers, and all we can do at this point is wait. But unlike in past years, for many it is like a kid worrying about what punishment his parents are going give him for smashing the car. It is not like in years past where people expect much from the Raptors. In fact, in the U.S there is no expectations for the Raptors. ESPN ranks them dead last in the East with just 27 wins. Nice stuff for Jay Triano to stick on a bulletin board, but can this team take that motivation and do anything with it? Again, only time will tell.
Enjoy the weekend and see you all Monday as we continue the wait.
Raps Pre-Season Schedule Released
Time (Eastern)
October 6
Rogers Arena
10 p.m.
October 10
TD Banknorth Garden
6 p.m.
October 12
United Center
8 p.m.
October 13
Air Canada Centre
7 p.m.
October 15
Air Canada Centre
7 p.m.
October 17
Air Canada Centre
1 p.m.
October 20
Air Canada Centre
7 p.m.
October 22
New York
Bell Centre
7 p.m.
"Basketball Beyond the Floor"
"I don't like that word, 'girl'" - Pat Summit
When most books are written about great teams and great coaches, the focus is on the control the coach has over his or her players. In Raise the Roof, Pat Summit describes how she lost control, how the team changed her and not the other way around. She describes the word 'girl' as something someone calls you when they really mean 'nice little girl' or how nice you are supposed to be. It's funny there was actual debate surrounding the referral to her team as the 'Lady' Vols. To Pat, it at least showed these young athletes were adults. I've said this before in "Jiggly Bits" before the NBA trade deadline, in that when you evaluate how a traded player will fair on a new team, you must look at the system the coach runs on that new team before anything. For athletes even at the collegiate level, its all about buying into the system and even when you think your coach is full of it, make it work. "I was learning that a coach is far more than a strategist or a disciplinarian. You are a peculiar form of crisis counselor and interim substitute parent...The more trusting my relationship with the players, the better teacher and coach I could be with them". Do you believe this woman started at Tennessee in 1975 as Head Coach when she was 22 years old? To make matters more challenging (and also proving her determination) 4 players on that team were twenty-one and it would be 14 years before Tennessee won it's first championship. She has been compared to the late great coach, John Wooden. I think this is not so much for her success and longevity in the game, but for her ability to see and treat her players as people, tap into their backgrounds and personalities to help her players gel as a team. Sure, she yelled just like many coaches, but her heart and soul was in that team and developed a team mantra all players had to buy into:
1. Respect yourself and others.
2. Take full responsibility.
3. Develop and demonstrate loyalty.
4. Learn to be a great communicator.
5. Discipline yourself so no one else has to.
6. Make hard work your passion.
7. Don't just work hard, work smart.
8. Put the team before yourself.
9. Make winning an attitude.
10. Be a competitor.
11. Change is a must.
12. Handle success like you handle failure.
Words to live by. She would do anything for her team. (This next part is not for the squeamish). She describes in the book how she found a lucky penny in the lady's bathroom. In the toilet. When she couldn't fish it out with a plunger, she rolled up her sleeves and dove in with her bare hand to get it. Turning to the Lady Vols' ticket manager who was right with her, Dara Worrell, she says, "This is it. We're going to win a championship. You remember this". Oh, did they ever.
"Does the drive on this team come from so many players raised in single parent homes? 'Yes' - Kyra Elzy, sophomore guard, Tennessee Lady Vols.
This is the part which struck me most about the book. Nine of the twelve players on the '97-'98 Tennessee Lady Vols were raised in single-parent homes at some point, including all 4 freshman and half the coaching staff. This is a huge deal since they all left these families, came to Tennessee to play basketball under the guise that no one has had it like them. It wasn't until Coach Pat Summit held what she called 'family night' where each player came to the gathering with pictures or stories about where they came from and who their families were, even the coaching staff. This is when they really started coming together as a team: "...basketball was no game to us. It wasn't just a way to earn a varsity letter or eventually a better living, although that was important motivation for us. [For Kyra it was] a form of requital. 'I'll show him what he walked out on." Basketball was a chance to really prove themselves and perhaps, give new definition to the word family. I think it was important for Pat Summit to describe Kyra Elzy's story and Kyra's stalker since it showed how even at the collegiate level, high profile athletes are vulnerable. This man would send her letters that were passed off as jokes but then he started showing up at games and harassing her. She couldn't go anywhere on her own, campus police got involved and eventually he stopped bothering her. Campus life is unique. For any college or university student, the focus should be on getting an education and not worrying about a stalker or your safety to this extent. Kudos to campus police departments of college and universities everywhere for creating an environment for students to study and play basketball (or any other sport) with peace of mind.
"This was the team I worked twenty-four years for" - Pat Summit.
The women's basketball program at the time was growing and still continues to grow. It was finally being written about in newspapers and given air time on live television. In 1996, two new pro leagues launched: the WNBA and the ABL. The ABL didn't last very long and merged with the WNBA which meant fewer spots for lesser known college players. This certainly did not refer to Tameka Catchings or Chamique Holdsclaw who currently play in the WNBA for the Indiana Fever and San Antonio Silver Stars, respectively. They got their start with Tennesse, though and went on to great things after that. Pat Summit describes this process in the book: "They are with you for four long years. You teach them, you shout at them, urge them on, hear their deepest confidences, feed them from your own kitchen...and then you let them go. How?". I remember broadcasting the PWHL Final Four and describing the emotion felt from the Stoney Creek Sabres coaching staff, especially Head Coach Stacey Monarch. She's as tough as nails on the outside but really has a heart of gold when it comes to her team. I chatted with her just before her team took to the ice for a pre-game skate and she talked about how the bulk of her team were graduating and how tough the tournament was for her emotionally, going through the same things Pat Summitt describes in letting go. It is a powerful and wonderful thing to experience the support of teammates and the love of a coach. I only wish more could be so lucky. I have and it really changed my life. (Thanks to my ladies (and coaches) - you know who you are).
Flick Pick of the Week
Ok. I know some of the regular followers of this feature and those who know me well are going to laugh at the movie I want you to watch this weekend. Ready for it? Blue Chips. Not just for Nick Nolte and Ed O'Neil starring in it but for Shaquile O'Neil, Bob Cousy, Penny Hardaway just to name a few. Definitely not a movie with academy awards won for its stellar acting but a fun movie nonetheless.
Tune in next week to "Basketball Beyond the Floor" when we will be discussing A View From Above by Wilt Chamberlain. Some people say he made up all those stories about sleeping with a gazillion different women but lets hope there's more basketball than his personal exploits. I bought this book a while ago and haven't got around to reading it yet - a case of 'too many books, so little time'. Believe it or not, I found it in a discount bin for a couple of bucks. Yes, I know - very "16th Round" of me (a reference for those of you who have watched The Hurricane, a movie based on the life of Rubin Hurricane Carter). Until we meet again, happy reading and see you on Tuesday for another serving of "Jiggly Bits".
Calderon Still A Raptor.... Again
Things have gone just as bad for Ford since he was voted off the island here in Toronto. He once again will be relegated to a back up roll if he is lucky in Indiana. You can't help but wonder, if Al Horford doesn't send him crashing to the ground what might have been. Not just for T.J but the Raptors. It is safe to say Jose Calderon doesn't have his over priced contract for a start.
I had joked about Ford coming back in a straight up trade for Calderon. This wasn't that, but we almost saw Bryan Colangelo reverse his decision on the point guard spot. Well not exactly, because the one thing that Ford and Calderon share other than being on same team in Toronto, is that Jarrett Jack beat out both for their starting jobs. When you consider part of that Ford trade also gave up Roy Hibbert for Nathan Jawai it looks even worse. When you add in the fact, J.O and his expiring contract contribute to the cap space in Miami you just want to scream. Some how acquiring Julian Wright doesn't make me forget all about that.
In fact for everyday Calderon remains a Raptor, it only reminds people more of the deal that Colangelo was not able to close with the Bobcats. In fact everything Colangelo does from now until that starting of the season is going to be overshadowed by that. It was really such a fantastic trade and in the end it was to good to be true. That now becomes the bar that Colangelo has set for himself thanks to some help from M.J and or Larry Brown. It is a bar that at least for me is going to be hard to top.
It also doesn't help that everywhere I turn I see Chris Bosh. He was on Regis and Kelly this morning and he is going to be on one of my favourite shows Entourage this Sunday. If leaving Toronto was about getting attention Bosh is getting it ten fold. Bosh having his effort called into question by Colangelo was not a wise move on B.C's part as well. It really served no purpose other than to attempt to deflect attention and blame away from himself.
I thought the summer T.J Ford was traded would be the worse off-season that I would personally have to endure. I was wrong about that, as this summer has been far worse for a variety of reasons. Even if T.J Ford was coming back to Toronto, I am not even sure if that would bring a smile to my face at this point.
Closing things out today, if you are in the Toronto area and have 20 bucks you can afford to spend, go tonight or tomorrow night to support the Canadian Men's National Team taking on France at the ACC. A couple years ago I went to games in Hamilton and the crowd that turned out for those games was pretty depressing. Especially when a good third of the crowd was cheering for the other country they were playing against on that occasion. Canada Basketball is developing some talent and on the youth levels has enjoyed some success. Support them and support the sport. If you need motivation beyond that, the Raptors Dance Pak is going to be in the house I am told. Whatever it takes to get people to go support Canada Basketball, I am down for doing it. To bad the people in our government are not the same. Matt Bonner is still not a Canadian Citizen as he remains tied up in red tape. He should have lied on his application and said he played hockey.
Raptors Shuffle Deck- Trade Marco For Wright
This is a minor move and nothing really to start jumping up and down about. But it does at least give the indication that the Raptors are still searching to make moves and improve the roster for next season. It does not address the issue at Center. Wright at 6 foot 8 can play at the small forward and add some depth that is lacking at that position though.
The Raptors announced that they indeed will be holding training camp at campus of UBC in British Columbia from October 1-6. This is the first time the Raptors have ventured west for camp after 2 years of holding training camp in Ottawa. Raptors will also be taking on the Suns in an exhibition game during their stay out west. Raps will officially start camp in Toronto at ACC from September 28-30th.
So a little news for you to chew on during these dog days of August.
Breaking It Down
The Raptors open up their 16th season at home vs the New York Knicks on October 27th. It is part of a quick 2 game home stand to kick off the season then a challenging to 4 game west coast swing. Sacramento, Utah, L.A Lakers and Portland does not look promising.
The games that you are likely to want to know the most about are the returns of both Hedo Turkoglu and Chris Bosh. February is your chance to get your BOO on if you choose. On the 16th the Miami Heat hit Toronto with Lebron, D-Wade and the former CB4. Then a couple weeks later Hedo Turkoglu will visit with Steve Nash and the Suns on 25th. The Heat will return for the final game of the regular season which is kind of a gut shot to the Raptors as the Heat should be preparing for the playoffs and likely the Raptors to pack up for another season.
As for the nuts and bolts of the schedule of schedule it features 18 back to backs. It also features an unusual 9 Saturday dates for the Raptors. Basketball Night in Canada is never usually a great thing in this country. All are road dates, and likely when T.V schedule comes out are destined to be on TSN 2 or Sportsnet 1. If you are looking for a day to live your life. Thursday is that day as the Raptors will not be playing on Thursday night. Charles Barkley and his theory of TNT being bias against Canada lives.
The Raptors could fall behind the 8 ball early given this schedule and may be challenged to ever see .500 in 2011. This looks to be a challenging year for the Raptors and the schedule maker has not exactly been all that helpful to them. Even if more changes happen it seems at this time hard to imagine that Raptors can be a playoff team.


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When hand stitching I hear people doing 8-10 or 10-12 stitches per inch, does that stitch count include the back AND front stitches? I get confused on that.
Also, can you do the rocking motion with a frame? I was told NO but a person at a quilt shop. Just wondering if I need to set up a frame.


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We are saddened to report that Hope College student Riley Gortsema of Grandville, Mich. was killed in a vehicle-pedestrian accident in Holland, Mich. early Saturday, May 25.
The Ottawa County Sheriff Department is investigating the accident which occurred on US 31 and Chicago Drive in Holland Township at approximately 2 a.m. Deputies report a bus struck a pedestrian who was in the roadway.
Riley had been living on-campus while taking a May Term class.
Staff from Residential Life, Counseling and Psychological Services and Campus Ministries continue to offer their support to students.
Please offer a prayer for Riley's family, her fellow students and many other friends as they deal with this tragedy.
Funeral arrangements have been announced. A memorial service will be held Wednesday (May 29) at 1 p.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel on the Hope campus with Chaplain Paul Boersma officiating. Visitation will be held Tuesday (May 28) at the Matthyswse-Kuiper-DeGraaf Funeral Home, 4145 Chicago Dr. SW, Grandville, from 5-9 p.m.
Obituary in Grand Rapids Press
Friends Reflect on Life of Riley Gortsema
Band members on bus react to tragic accident
Read 2011 Grand Rapids Press/Mlive Article About Riley Gortsema
Read 2012 Grand Rapids Press/MLive Article About Riley Gortsema


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Forget blowing the images up to IMAX size and converting the lunging velociraptors and T. Rexes into 3-D. The best reason to revive "Jurassic Park" for its 20th anniversary is Jeff Goldblum. (The film opens Friday in area theaters.)
Yes, children, there was a time when Goldblum was sci-fi's "ultimate explainer," as producer Dean Devlin labeled him in "Independence Day." Goldblum's bug-eyes said "scientist-smart," and his mannered, considered and hesitating line-readings reinforce that. His very presence in movies from "The Fly" onward screamed "complicated science, made understandable and plausible."
As "chaos theory" expert Dr. Ian Malcolm, Goldblum is the "Jurassic Park" skeptic in a cluster of greedy entrepreneurs and spellbound paleontologists (played by Laura Dern and Sam Neill).
Goldblum, as Malcolm, has all the "What if things go wrong?" questions. And when they do, he utters this line, in that distinct, silky Goldblum purr:
"Boy, do I hate being right all the time!"
"Jurassic Park," adapted from Michael Critchton's conceptually brilliant novel, is a horror movie wrapped in the trappings of early '90s speculative science. Back then, kids were dino mad, the magical letters "DNA" were on every research grant, and the wonders of genetic code were just beginning to unravel.
What a great time for a scary movie about a tycoon (Richard Attenborough) whose efforts have led to the breakthroughs that enable him and his backers to open an island theme park where dinosaurs have been back-engineered back to life.
Not that they should have been.
Things, as Dr. Malcolm predicts, will go wrong. Storms happen, cages fail, "sterile" dinosaurs turn out not to be. And people, who never walked the Earth at the same time as these beasties, are now the main item on the menu. Chaos theory incarnate.
Steven Spielberg's film captures the terror in thunderous approaching footsteps that could only belong to something bigger than King Kong, in breathy sniffs from a nose as powerful as an air compressor. The dinosaurs, impressive in their animated actions and leathery digital texture in '93, haven't lost much of their moist, tactile menace over the decades. When they start messing with the theme park's SUVs, we still shudder in the knowledge that those on screen "are going to need a bigger truck."
The script (by Crichton and David Koepp) is still burdened with vintage Spielberg kids in peril and melodramatic flourishes. Having Wayne Knight of TV's "Seinfeld" as the greedy programmer who sets the chaos in motion is comically too "on the nose."
But casting Bob Peck as the gamekeeper and "Great White Hunter" because of his shared silhouette with the velociraptors he so admires was inspired. The frights still work, super sized and turned into 3-D for your viewing and recoiling-from-the-screen pleasure. It's not nearly as scary on TV as it is in theaters.
If anything, science has closed the gap from the impossible to the merely improbable in the 20 years since this movie reminded us of "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth." Australians are close to bringing back a recently extinct species of frog, and others are working to bring back the day when dodos ruled the earth.
Good idea? Maybe to some. But that's where Goldblum comes in handy. Nobody explained the improbable, and the risks involved in it, like Goldblum's Dr. Malcolm. "Oh, yeah. 'Oooh, ahhh,' that's how it always starts. Then later there's running and screaming."
jurassic park 3D
Three stars
Starring: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough
Director: Steven Spielberg
Running time: 127 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense science-fiction terror.
The Lowdown: Things go horribly wrong when dinosaurs are brought back to life in this 3-D version of the 1993 film.


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Find Your Perfect Home.
Walhalla Real Estate
Walhalla is located in Michigan. Walhalla, Michigan has a population of 58. Walhalla is less family-centric than the surrounding county with 0% of the households containing married families with children. The county average for households married with children is 22.38%.
The median household income in Walhalla, Michigan is $53,750. The median household income for the surrounding county is $42,156 compared to the national median of $53,482. The median age of people living in Walhalla is 60.5 years.
Walhalla Weather
The average high temperature in July is 79.4 degrees, with an average low temperature in January of 18.1 degrees. The average rainfall is approximately 35.4 inches per year, with inches of snow per year.
View Homes for Sale in Walhalla
Walhalla Map
Real Estate Near Walhalla
Nearby Cities
Nearby Cities Homes for Sale
Walhalla Zip Codes


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PHOTOS: CLIFF WATTS for SPASHION
Togolese-French model of the moment David Agbodji fulfills all of your football and track themed fantasies as he covers the gorgeous second volume of SPASHION, the high end new cocktail table book-sized magazine that merges sports, fashion and lifestyle.
The editorial is lensed by fashion and celebrity photographer Cliff Watts.
Agbodji was last seen in a solo, closing Dolce & Gabbana and stopping traffic in his nude billboards and bulging short-shorts for Calvin Klein. The gorgeous cover and anoher image AFTER THE JUMP ...
Continue reading "SPORNO: Model Hotness David Agbodji Covers "SPASHION" " »


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Media Paying Attention to CUA Law Professor's Teaching Trip to Auschwitz
The unusual visit to the Dachau and Auschwitz concentration camps by a delegation of eight American Muslim leaders at the behest of Catholic University law school professor Marshall Breger (left) has gathered a great deal of media interest so far.
The excursion, which ran from Aug. 8–Aug. 10, was intended to teach the group more about the Holocaust and by extension, to confront what Breger calls "growing Holocaust denial in the Muslim world."
The Jewish Daily Forward accompanied the visitors. Its subsequent story and photographs stirred up interest up by other leading media outlets and blogs, including:
The Washington Post, Aug. 22
Fox News, Aug. 16
Jerusalem Post, Aug. 20
Israel Matzav, Aug. 18
Israelnationalnews, Aug. 12
Watchingamerica.com, Aug. 14
Littlegreenfootballs.com, Aug. 11.
The Jewish Daily Forward, Aug. 11
Democraticunderground.com, Aug. 15
Progressive Alaska, Aug. 15
JBlog Central, Aug. 18
The trip was co-sponsored by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a German think tank, and the Center for Interreligious Understanding, a New Jersey-based interfaith dialogue group.
Former Holocaust denier Yasir Qadhi, the dean of academics at Al Maghrib Institute in New Haven, Conn., said the trip was eye-opening.
"Anybody who is a Holocaust denier should deserve a free ticket to see Auschwitz and Birkenau," he told the Jewish Daily Forward, "because seeing is just not the same as reading about it."


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Tuesday, March 27, 2012
close but no rain...
Some guzzlers dumped around me but nothing at TFL. Got my order of new swamp cooler pads - soon it will be time to put the Pepino II back into operation. Working up some movable shade for the courtyard (and its not even hot yet) and looking into some 12V misting systems like this one to help control temperature and humidity... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbScr3EKWjo 70,89,53,0,B
17 comments:
- Pablo said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- March 27, 2012 at 9:16 PM
- Pablo said...
like this Floopy/burro pic there in yur porch....and the magnificent background distance N0-rain pic, typical of the Big Bend..WONDERFUL
- March 27, 2012 at 9:25 PM
- Rita B. said...
so THAT's what was in the BIG box. you and CARL will need that pretty soon. is Floppy photo-ready or what? that little burro is too cute! hope Beatrice hangs around.
- March 27, 2012 at 9:28 PM
- Unknown said...
Hate to sound like a nay-sayer but I worry that only those plants that are very heat-tolerant will survive over the summer. Also, my two-cents on your Pepino padding--I've tried other kinds but nothing ever worked quite as well as good old aspen. I think the looseness of the weave may have had something to do with it and also its absorbency and inclination to hold water longer. That little Pepino is your life line!
- March 27, 2012 at 11:00 PM
- Miss America said...
Since I've been away for a while, could you please recap your projects and progress over the past year? It would help to envision the big picture. Last I heard you were working on your house. Is much more now. Thanks.
Miss America
please remember Benita Prayer Circle
- March 27, 2012 at 11:37 PM
- Indyanny said...
love your happenstance animals...such a miracle.
- March 28, 2012 at 12:04 AM
- Off Grid R and D said...
Looks like Mr Floppy has taken over your porch and anything else around.
I went to canopycool.com and it was a site linking to other sites? You got a better link?
- March 28, 2012 at 8:26 AM
- John Wells said...
hmmm...the link to Canopy Cool worked yesterday but now it doesnt...so I posted a link to a youtube video.
- March 28, 2012 at 8:49 AM
- Quixote Kid said...
I made a portable misting system for our Terlingua patio last summer. It was disappointing.
Basic plan: I picked up the misting tube/misters from a kit at Lowes or Home Depot. Connected it to a 2 gallon sprayer. Added water and pumped the sprayer = portable misting system.
the problem that I found was that the misters dump too much mist, if you sit under them you get drenched. It did cool the patio, but so would dumping a bucket of water over your head.
I hope you have better luck than I did.
- March 28, 2012 at 8:54 AM
- Bob from Athens said...
Used some of those misters a couple years ago Problems were that they used a lot of water and like the kid said if you sit under them you get drenched while someone a few feet away didn't get very cool. Another big problem is that they tend to plug up a lot and that was on city water. Don't even think about using pond or run off water.
- March 28, 2012 at 9:03 AM
- D. B. Day IV said...
nMister + fan = cool in Texas
The fan, of course = electricity.
The industrious Field Lab Chief Engineer, Mr. Wells, will have to solve that equation.
- March 28, 2012 at 9:26 AM
- rj said...
High pressure plus small orifice equals good mister
- March 28, 2012 at 11:40 AM
- Just Me said...
Part of the mister equation is getting the right combination of mister and pressure with filters for the water. Rainwater from a roof (as opposed to pumped off the ground) should create little to no salt buildup to clog the mister nozzles. Check dripworks.com for a variety of system parts.
- March 28, 2012 at 12:37 PM
- Gene Adcock said...
John, Am curious as to how you manage the swamp cooler. Does the blower fan use a lot of your elect.?
And are u using dc voltage for that?
G.A. in Springfield MO.
- March 28, 2012 at 8:38 PM
- The Flying Fig said...
John has good info on the swamp cooler here: http://www.thefieldlab.org/fun.html
But when you get time, you should start reading his blog from the beginning. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You' be inspired.
- March 28, 2012 at 8:50 PM
- Gene Adcock said...
@The Flying Fig - Yeah, I found John about the time he was putting siding on the house. Inspirational sure enough. Think I learned about him from a feature writing on Komando.com, but his blog is right up on top in my "Bookmarks Toolbar"
Judging from the fun I get from following TLF, hope John gets much blessings too. "to be younger!"
- March 28, 2012 at 10:42 PM
- Allen Hare said...
Evaporative and mist coolers work out your way because of the very low humidity. They don't work so well up here in Big D. I know you'll get the right combination of parts and ingenuity to get a system up and running in the greenhouse.
Yes, I do believe Mr. Floppy has Occupied The Porch. You may have an insurrection on your hands there, John.
For newcomers, it is time consuming, but helpful and informative, to go back to the beginning of this blog, and read it straight through. You will learn so much!
- April 1, 2012 at 2:36 PM


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Last night I asked the children in my class to list words describing how they should feel about their parents. Some of the words included: respect, appreciation, nice, obedience, learn, and helpful.
These are certainly good words. A child should respect his parents. A child should appreciate the things that his parents do for him. A child should be nice to his parents. A child should obey his parents. A child should learn from his parents. A child should help his parents.
My class consists of children and adults. Our oldest student is 66 ( a grandfather).
So on the other hand, I mentioned that parents should act in a way that is respectful, so that their children can respect them. Parents should act in a way that their children will appreciate them. Parents should also be nice to their children. Parents should not abuse their authority. They should act reasonably and wisely so that their children will willingly obey them. Parents should appreciate the help that their children give them, and should also help their children. Parents should teach their children the important lessons of life.
Everything goes both ways. Respect is a mutual thing. Appreciation is a mutual thing. Learning and teaching are mutual things.
I mentioned to the class that I am 49 and my mother is 73. I still respect her as my mother and will do so as long as I live. Being older does not change the fact that I am her son and she is my mother. The relationships will last for both of our lives.
In Karate, we treat our Sensei almost like parents. We show them great respect. But we must remember that this relationship is also mutual. Just as our parents should live in a way deserving of our respect, appreciation, and obedience, so too should our Sensei and seniors be as demanding of themselves as they are of their students.
As Sensei, we have to always remember that we have to earn respect by the way we live -- by the way we conduct ourselves in daily life.
Charles C. Goodin
Parents & Children -- Sensei & Students
Last night I asked the children in my class to list words describing how they should feel about their parents. Some of the words included: respect, appreciation, nice, obedience, learn, and helpful.
Posted by Charles C. Goodin on Thursday, June 14, 2007
Hikari Dojo Flyer
With school out, many children and young adults are looking for summer activities. I have uploaded a flyer for classes at our Hikari Dojo. We meet at the Halawa District Park gym on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Please feel free to give or send the flyer to anyone you think might be interested in learning the Shorin-Ryu form of Karate. The flyer is in pdf format.
Our minium age is usually 11.
Thank you very much.
Charles C. Goodin
Posted by Charles C. Goodin on Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Biological Clocks and the Bathroom
I have two students whose biological clocks are set to Karate training. As soon as we start class, they have to go use the bathroom. This has not only happened a few times, it basically happens all the time. Their clocks are set.
My mother grew up in Kitakyushu. She was born in 1933 and thus went through the war. Kitakyushu is a town in Fukuoka on the northern tip of the island of Kyushu. It was the target of many bombing raids and there was a bomb shelter near my mother's home. As soon as the bomb alarms would ring, the people in the neighborhood would rush to the bomb shelter.
It was hot and crowded in the shelter. My mother told me that without fail, as soon as she found herself in the bomb shelter, she would have to use the bathroom. There was not one in the shelter, so she would have to hold it.
But to this day, when she hears an alarm ring, she has to use the bathroom.
I understand that Kokura was the primary target for the second atomic bomb. This was fairly close to my mother's home (Kokura has since merged into Kitakyushu City). Because of cloud cover that day, the secondary target of Nagasaki was bombed. Had there not been clouds, my mother likely would have died that day.
When my students have to use the bathroom, I try to be understanding. When you have to go, you have to go.
Charles C. Goodin
Posted by Charles C. Goodin on Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Hawaii's Most Senior Sensei
Sometimes I am asked who is the most senior Karate Sensei in Hawaii.
I always answer that this distinction goes to Shihan Bobby Lowe, the senior student of Sensei Mas Oyama. Lowe Sensei has studied Karate since the 1940s, and became a student of Oyama Sensei in 1952. He continues to teach the Kyokushin form of Karate near the University of Hawaii. He was a founding member and is the chairman of the Hawaii Karate Kodanshakai.
Before World War II, the most senior Karate Sensei in Hawaii, in my opinion, was Sensei Seio Morikone. He was a student of Anko Itosu. When visitors such as Mizuho Mutsu and Kamesuke Higashionna came to Hawaii, they would stop in to pay their respects to him. He also instructed local instructors such as Seishin Uehara and Thomas Shigeru Miyashiro.
Tomorrow's most senior Sensei may be the child in your dojo!
Charles C. Goodin
Karate Books
I have access to a very large collection of Karate books. At one time, I was even paid to read and review them for a local newspaper.
You can learn a lot about Karate from books, but in my opinion, you cannot learn Karate. You can learn about the history and traditions of the art, dates and places, names and events, stories and biographies, but you cannot learn the basics, mechanics, kata, and techniques of the art. You can learn about these things, but not how to properly do them.
I have met people who had learned kata from books. Their movements were terrible. How could they be otherwise? A series of photographs can only show you pieces of a kata. No matter how many photographs are shown, there are many more pieces to the sequences.
Learning Karate requires the guidance of a qualified Sensei. Learning is a hands on thing. It actually requires two things: a qualified Sensei and a dedicated student. It takes both. A student cannot learn without a qualified Sensei and a Sensei cannot really teach without a dedicated student.
If you are learning Karate from a qualified Sensei, books could be helpful. Without a Sensei, books can be interesting at best. At worst, they can lead a student to learn many mistakes and form many bad habits.
I have mentioned before that I have met students who performed kata with a count corresponding the the photographs of a book. And a certain points, they would shout out "kiai" just like the photographs instructed. Did I mention that one of these students was a yudansha?
I really enjoy books. I have spent a considerable sum acquiring them for the Hawaii Karate Museum. But I always keep in mind that the best Karate book in the world cannot replace a good Sensei. To me, a good Sensei is worth more than all the books in the world!
Still... I certainly would like to acquire originals of Motobu Sensei's two books for the Hawaii Karate Museum during this life. (Smile) We actually have nice reprints, but I am determined to locate originals.
Charles C. Goodin
2007 Okinawan Festival
The Hawaii Karate Museum will present a historic Karate photograph exhibit at this year's Okinawan Festival to be held at Kapiolani Park in Honolulu on August 31st through September 2nd. We will be in Hui O Laulima's Cultural Tent. This will be our third appearance at the Okinawan Festival.
You can find more information at okinawanfestival.com and at huoa.org.
Please contact me if you have any historic Karate photos with a Hawaii connection that you might want us to display. You can contact me at email@example.com or at 808-488-5773.
We are especially seeking photos of Karate in Hawaii before World War II.
Thank you very much.
Charles C. Goodin
High School Graduates -- Continue Your Education
This year, three of my students have graduated from high school. One is my third son, Cael. I am very proud of all the graduates and have high hopes that they will all go on to great success in life. Last night at class, I said "Ganbatte" to two of the graduates. Not only do we wish them the best, we urge them to try their very best.
Most students graduate from high school at the age of 17 or 18. They are still very young. At that age, it is very important for students to try their very best to continue their education.
In my family, my wife and expect all of our children to go to college and we also urge them to obtain at least one graduate degree. Our eldest son graduated from college and went on to earn a law degree. Our second son will graduate from college in the fall and we have hopes that he will also pursue a graduate degree. He plans to start work on his CPA designation as soon as he graduates. Cael will enter college in the fall, and he is aware that we hope the he too will go on to graduate school.
Our children are very fortunate that we have saved for their college.
I would urge all high school graduates to pursue a college education or vocational training. Get your education while you are young and have the time to do so. It is much more difficult to pursue an education when you have children or have already settled down and have fixed monthly expenses (for a home, care, health insurance, etc.).
In five years, you will be five years older. Wouldn't it be nice to have a college degree or vocational skills at that time?
If you are looking for yourself, you are just as likely to find yourself in college as in any other activity. Four or five years from now, you still might be searching for yourself. Honestly, most of us continue to search for ourselves throughout our lives. I still am! Each day is one of seeking and discovery.
When my first son entered college, he told me that he wanted to pursue an art degree. I told him that I would want him to pursue a double major then -- art and business. The reason was that in order to be successful in art, he would also have to understand business. Otherwise, he would have to always work for other people. Art is a skill, but it is a skill that must be practiced in a business world.
As it turned out, my son studied business and during a business law course, decided that he really wanted to study law, which he did.
I was a premed student for two years in college. I did terrible! I switched to Political Science and did much better. I really enjoyed religion classes, and even psychology. My point is that you study other subjects than those in your major. College helps to broaden your knowledge. And it is possible that while studying a subject outside of your major, you might find your true calling -- a field you really like.
Even if your true calling is teaching Karate, I would think that there are good majors in college that would help you to be a better Karate teacher -- certainly a more well-rounded one.
Some high school gradutes students might think that college is a waste of time. That would be hard to know until you have been there. With all the possible courses of study, I am sure that there is something of value for every student.
I earned three college degrees and supported myself. I was fortunate to earn some scholarships and grants, but also had to work and take out educational loans. During my second year of business school and throughout law school, my wife worked. We both had to struggle, and it took many years to pay off my educational loans. But we did it. If we could do it again, we would. I think it made us appreciate things (and each other) more.
Karate teaches students self-discipline and enables them to work very hard at anything they set their mind to. Karate should enable students to succeed in college or vacational school -- to study harder, to do their very best.
My congratulations to all the high school graduates in my dojo, and in dojo all across the country! When I was writing a card to my son Cael, I wrote a line about how there will be many obstacles in life. I edited the line and changed the word obstacles to challenges.
Life is very challenging. It is very expensive to live today. The house my wife and I purchased in 1983 now costs about 4 times as much as it did -- the same house! The same house we bought in 1983 now costs 4 times as much and it is now 24 years older.
Health care is expensive. Housing is expensive. Everything is expensive.
But if students will get the best education possible, it will be much easier to cope with the challenges of life. We cannot plan for everything. There are natural disasters. People get sick. But somehow most people keep going. Life goes on. The human spirit is a very powerful thing.
Life is challenging. By rising to meet the challenges of life, we become better people and find our true selves.
Ganbatte to all the high school graduates!
Finally, please continue your Karate training during college. Most people who quit do not come back. Even if you have to miss class from time to time, do not quit. The next four or five years are also very important for your Karate training. There is a great deal of difference between the skill of a shodan and the skill of a nidan.
And Karate practice will help to keep your mind sharp and your body strong while you attend college.
Charles C. Goodin
Posted by Charles C. Goodin on Monday, June 04, 2007