I am writing this shortly after the expected finish of the gold medal men's curling match between the US and Sweden (which I did not realize at the time was going to be held 15 hours later). I do not know the result and am hoping to not know it when I watch the broadcast after I get home from work today.
Yesterday, I knew the result of the semi-final match against Canada right as it ended since due to multiple circumstances, I was in the car listening to sports radio at the time. During the day at work, someone who knows I have been following the sport since it became an Olympic event 16 years ago mentioned it to me (and was informed that it was NOT a good thing to do) and during the day I saw three FB posts about the match.
I still watched the match when I was home but much of the thrill was gone since I knew how it was going to end. The last shot of the match that decided who wins (a shot every Olympic curler would be expected to make every time but is not made 100% of the time) had no drama for me since I knew that the US had won.
Watching that semi-final match reminds me of the 1980 US/USSR Olympic men's hockey championship pool game. Though it was played at 1:30 PM local time and not in the evening as the movie Miracle portrayed, it was not broadcast in the US until that evening and since there was no internet, most people had no idea what happened until that evening.
I was a freshman at St. Rita H.S. at the time and the boys' varsity basketball team was playing De La Salle which was a big deal for me since the starting center for St. Rita was a sophomore who was a teammate of mine in grammar school and De La Salle finished 4th in the state in 1979.
As I was getting ready to go, my mom mentioned the hockey game that was going to air and I stated that I don't want to see the USSR blow out the US again like they did 3 weeks before in an exhibition. I had no idea at the time that the Soviet players partied hard (what I now refer to as Hope Solo style) with the pairs gold medal winners the night before and were so hung over that they lost to the US. During the 4th quarter of the basketball game, the announcer mentioned the result and there was a standing ovation from the overflow crowd.
I have seen the "miracle on ice" game played multiple times since then but always with the knowledge that Mike Eruzione scored a late third period goal to lead a bunch of college amateurs to victory against one of the best teams in the world missing out on the real experience of the event. If there was one thing I would want to change in my life that would not have future consequences, me staying home to watch that game would be it.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Monday, February 12, 2018
Ten percent
As many of the best winter athletes in the world compete in South Korea, it is time to revisit complaints about the 2016 games in Rio. I do agree the stories that were presented (which I purposely pause then fast forward through) had a male bias and am hoping that those which I will ignore this year won't.
However, I have to disagree on two other points many have made. One is the talk about what the athletes are wearing. Many who only follow major sports events don't realize that team uniform designs are often discussed in the world of North American professional sports. In 2016, the person who started the MLB All Star game was suspended by his team after he took a scissors to a bunch of jerseys that he did not want to wear since he claimed that the style of them was distracting to his pitching. In Facebook, I have in the 18 months since the games made 6 posts about jersey colors or designs teams wore in certain situations including the NFL color rush jerseys for Thursday night games and the pink/blue uniforms baseball teams wore on mothers/fathers day.
What surprised me the most was reaction to my comment stating that men perform in sports 10% better than women on an elite level. I am not saying that I can beat my younger sister who is a triathlon racer in any footrace nor even come close to beating #1 women Paige Pierce in disc golf or even a local area female pro. I am referring to world record times in events where men and women compete under equal conditions. (In the 2017 US disc golf championship Paige Pierce finished 87th out of 99 players 54 shots out of first.)
Here is a chart of some summer and winter sports world records by men and women:
The one big surprise was the shot put which the female record was established by a Soviet athlete in the 80s. 6 of the other 9 were within 1.5 percentage points of 10%.
Another issue with sports that I have arguments over is the definition of a female athlete. I grew up seeing East German and Soviet female athletes that look more like men than women as well as Renee Richards who could not compete on the men's tennis circuit and tried to join the ladies' one after a sex change. Unlike in all other parts of life, I don't consider identifying oneself as female good enough to compete as a female in sport. I know there are people who have far more medical insight than me on the subject and have either established a guideline or a test or will do so.
All members of the Professional Disc Golf Association have a player rating based on how they performed at tournaments over the past year. Out of all the 50-59 year old male amateurs, my rating is tied for 1,219th best. It is also better than all 105 female 50-59 year old amateurs. No, I don't think Candace Sherlock would work.
However, I have to disagree on two other points many have made. One is the talk about what the athletes are wearing. Many who only follow major sports events don't realize that team uniform designs are often discussed in the world of North American professional sports. In 2016, the person who started the MLB All Star game was suspended by his team after he took a scissors to a bunch of jerseys that he did not want to wear since he claimed that the style of them was distracting to his pitching. In Facebook, I have in the 18 months since the games made 6 posts about jersey colors or designs teams wore in certain situations including the NFL color rush jerseys for Thursday night games and the pink/blue uniforms baseball teams wore on mothers/fathers day.
What surprised me the most was reaction to my comment stating that men perform in sports 10% better than women on an elite level. I am not saying that I can beat my younger sister who is a triathlon racer in any footrace nor even come close to beating #1 women Paige Pierce in disc golf or even a local area female pro. I am referring to world record times in events where men and women compete under equal conditions. (In the 2017 US disc golf championship Paige Pierce finished 87th out of 99 players 54 shots out of first.)
Here is a chart of some summer and winter sports world records by men and women:
The one big surprise was the shot put which the female record was established by a Soviet athlete in the 80s. 6 of the other 9 were within 1.5 percentage points of 10%.
Another issue with sports that I have arguments over is the definition of a female athlete. I grew up seeing East German and Soviet female athletes that look more like men than women as well as Renee Richards who could not compete on the men's tennis circuit and tried to join the ladies' one after a sex change. Unlike in all other parts of life, I don't consider identifying oneself as female good enough to compete as a female in sport. I know there are people who have far more medical insight than me on the subject and have either established a guideline or a test or will do so.
All members of the Professional Disc Golf Association have a player rating based on how they performed at tournaments over the past year. Out of all the 50-59 year old male amateurs, my rating is tied for 1,219th best. It is also better than all 105 female 50-59 year old amateurs. No, I don't think Candace Sherlock would work.
Friday, February 2, 2018
prop time 2018
What I would bet for the NFL Championship game on Feb 4, 2018:
NE -4.5 (-115) 460 X
NE -7.5 (+155) 100 X
Under 48.5 (-115) 345 X
First half Phi +3 (-125) 125 W 225
MVP Brady (-130) 260 X
Under 44.5 (+140) 100 X
NE wins 7-12 (+400) 100 X
NE wins by 10 (+1,400) 100 X
First TD Agholor (+1,600) 100 X Jeffrey
First score is PHI TD (+230) 100 X PHI FG
Phi scores first (+110) 100 W 210
First TD jersey under 32.5 (-110) 110 W 210
Team that scores first does not win game (+140) 100
NE scores last (-135) 135 X
Less than 5.5 TD in game (-115) 115 X
Less than 2.5 PHI TD in game (-115) 115 X
PHI less than 21.5 pt (even) 100 X
Less than 3.5 FG (-115) 115 X
More than 1.5 INT (+120) 100 X
Brady throws INT (+115) 100 X
Brady more than 26.5 com (-110) 110 W 210
Brady more than 294.5 yd pass (-110) 110 W 210
Gronk first rec less than 13.5 yd (even) 100 X 17
Hogan first rec more than 8.5 yd (-110) 110 W 210
White scores TD (+260) 100 W 360
Amendola scores TD (+190) 100 X
Hogan scores TD (+220) 100 W 320
Gostowski more than 1.5 FG (-130) 130 W 230
Harmon INT (+400) 100 W 500
Foles over 22 com (-110) 110 W 210
Agholor first rec over 9.5 yd (-110) 110 X 5
Agholor over 43.5 yd rec (-110) 110 W 210
Agholor has over 16.5 catch (-110) 110 W 210
Agholor over 3.5 rec (-110) 110 W 210
Agholor scores TD (+190) 100 X
PHI no rushing TD (+110) 100 X
Mills INT (+500) 100 X
Total wagered: $4,690
Winnings: $3,525
Loss: $1,165
NE -4.5 (-115) 460 X
NE -7.5 (+155) 100 X
Under 48.5 (-115) 345 X
First half Phi +3 (-125) 125 W 225
MVP Brady (-130) 260 X
Under 44.5 (+140) 100 X
NE wins 7-12 (+400) 100 X
NE wins by 10 (+1,400) 100 X
First TD Agholor (+1,600) 100 X Jeffrey
First score is PHI TD (+230) 100 X PHI FG
Phi scores first (+110) 100 W 210
First TD jersey under 32.5 (-110) 110 W 210
Team that scores first does not win game (+140) 100
NE scores last (-135) 135 X
Less than 5.5 TD in game (-115) 115 X
Less than 2.5 PHI TD in game (-115) 115 X
PHI less than 21.5 pt (even) 100 X
Less than 3.5 FG (-115) 115 X
More than 1.5 INT (+120) 100 X
Brady throws INT (+115) 100 X
Brady more than 26.5 com (-110) 110 W 210
Brady more than 294.5 yd pass (-110) 110 W 210
Gronk first rec less than 13.5 yd (even) 100 X 17
Hogan first rec more than 8.5 yd (-110) 110 W 210
White scores TD (+260) 100 W 360
Amendola scores TD (+190) 100 X
Hogan scores TD (+220) 100 W 320
Gostowski more than 1.5 FG (-130) 130 W 230
Harmon INT (+400) 100 W 500
Foles over 22 com (-110) 110 W 210
Agholor first rec over 9.5 yd (-110) 110 X 5
Agholor over 43.5 yd rec (-110) 110 W 210
Agholor has over 16.5 catch (-110) 110 W 210
Agholor over 3.5 rec (-110) 110 W 210
Agholor scores TD (+190) 100 X
PHI no rushing TD (+110) 100 X
Mills INT (+500) 100 X
Total wagered: $4,690
Winnings: $3,525
Loss: $1,165
Monday, January 8, 2018
Squaring the Super Bowl
Some people are already collecting dollars to get a Super Bowl square and some already have their numbers.
For the few that don't understand, There is a 10 x 10 grid where people pay money to sign their name on one of the squares on it. Once all money is collected, numbers from 0-9 are randomly assigned one to each column and row and one team is assigned to the column and the other to the row. Winners are determined by the last digit of the teams' scores during certain points of the game and always based on the final score.
Generally, the draw of the numbers always produces bickering among those who have numbers that are less likely to appear in football than others since teams generally score 3 or 7 points at a time.
In the 51 previous games, there are 102 finishing numbers. Here is the layout:
I was surprised by how few final scores were a 3 and double checked to confirm that is the case.
There have only been three times when the margin of victory was 10 points yielding a 6-6 in SB8 and a 7-7 in SB17 and SB30.
One thing the person who runs the pool usually tells people who draw a 2, 5, or 8 is that there can be a 2 point safety which can produce weird numbers. That is WRONG. There have been 9 safeties in Super Bowl history. Here is a list of the final scores by the teams that scored one.
How have the unusual numbers happened?
The games ending in 2 were twice caused by scoring more 6 TD than FG, once due to a kicker missing 2 PAT, and once because of a 2 point conversion.
The games ending in 5 were caused 4 times by a team scoring 5 more TD than FG and once due to a 2pt conversion.
The games ending in 8 were caused 5 times by a team scoring 4 more TD than FG and once due to a 2pt conversion.
The games ending in 9 were caused 3 times by missing PAT, twice by a safety, once by a made 2pt conversion, once by failing two 2pt conversions, and once by a team scoring 7 TD.
For the few that don't understand, There is a 10 x 10 grid where people pay money to sign their name on one of the squares on it. Once all money is collected, numbers from 0-9 are randomly assigned one to each column and row and one team is assigned to the column and the other to the row. Winners are determined by the last digit of the teams' scores during certain points of the game and always based on the final score.
Generally, the draw of the numbers always produces bickering among those who have numbers that are less likely to appear in football than others since teams generally score 3 or 7 points at a time.
In the 51 previous games, there are 102 finishing numbers. Here is the layout:
I was surprised by how few final scores were a 3 and double checked to confirm that is the case.
There have only been three times when the margin of victory was 10 points yielding a 6-6 in SB8 and a 7-7 in SB17 and SB30.
One thing the person who runs the pool usually tells people who draw a 2, 5, or 8 is that there can be a 2 point safety which can produce weird numbers. That is WRONG. There have been 9 safeties in Super Bowl history. Here is a list of the final scores by the teams that scored one.
The games ending in 2 were twice caused by scoring more 6 TD than FG, once due to a kicker missing 2 PAT, and once because of a 2 point conversion.
The games ending in 5 were caused 4 times by a team scoring 5 more TD than FG and once due to a 2pt conversion.
The games ending in 8 were caused 5 times by a team scoring 4 more TD than FG and once due to a 2pt conversion.
The games ending in 9 were caused 3 times by missing PAT, twice by a safety, once by a made 2pt conversion, once by failing two 2pt conversions, and once by a team scoring 7 TD.
Thursday, January 4, 2018
The scribbles of life
Being mechanically inept shows in ways others don't even think about. No matter how many times I tried over the decades, I can't "loop the loop" in tying shoelaces. It also shows when I write or print. I am fortunate that in the 21st century that I can express myself from a keyboard or a tablet since using a typewriter on this paragraph would have taken 45 minutes due to corrections in thought and typing.
Over the past three decades, I have worked in a place where I often have to sign my name multiple times during a day. I state that if I ever became infamous that my autograph would not be worth much due to this. In the early 90s, I once received a phone call at work from a lawyer since I signed for three cartons of bowling balls four years earlier from a company that was suing the Professional Bowlers Association.
Signing my name has become less a hassle than it used to be. In the past, I would often hear a comment about my last name from someone who seemed to think that they were being funny. One time while making an appointment to get medical clearance for life insurance, the person on the other end said "You will get a call from a nurse Mr. Holmes" and then laughed before hanging up. (15 minutes later, I had a new company for insurance. I do make references about others last names but if I was dealing with that person as an employee of my company, I would not do that.)
I figure that being older has caused others to realize that I have heard it before and it is not worth the hassle.
Last week, I had to sign for a delivery that was late went to their website to screen shot to show others what time it was delivered. The driver entered the name Ken Shamrock. *sigh*
Last January, I got on a roll at the Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield on a old video game called Gorf. When I was done, I realized that I finished with a score that was the third highest ever achieved in that place. Excitedly, I scribbled my name and gave them my phone number just in case they had an issue.
When my daughter visited the place a few months later, she asked me if I was making a joke since the only thing that matched my last name was the "S" and told the person about it. When I visited it last Saturday after hearing others were there, I noticed the name was corrected thanks to Carrie who mentioned it and then I beat the score making the sign incorrect again.
The 50 minutes on Gorf was not all I played that Saturday:
Over the past three decades, I have worked in a place where I often have to sign my name multiple times during a day. I state that if I ever became infamous that my autograph would not be worth much due to this. In the early 90s, I once received a phone call at work from a lawyer since I signed for three cartons of bowling balls four years earlier from a company that was suing the Professional Bowlers Association.
Signing my name has become less a hassle than it used to be. In the past, I would often hear a comment about my last name from someone who seemed to think that they were being funny. One time while making an appointment to get medical clearance for life insurance, the person on the other end said "You will get a call from a nurse Mr. Holmes" and then laughed before hanging up. (15 minutes later, I had a new company for insurance. I do make references about others last names but if I was dealing with that person as an employee of my company, I would not do that.)
I figure that being older has caused others to realize that I have heard it before and it is not worth the hassle.
Last week, I had to sign for a delivery that was late went to their website to screen shot to show others what time it was delivered. The driver entered the name Ken Shamrock. *sigh*
Last January, I got on a roll at the Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield on a old video game called Gorf. When I was done, I realized that I finished with a score that was the third highest ever achieved in that place. Excitedly, I scribbled my name and gave them my phone number just in case they had an issue.
When my daughter visited the place a few months later, she asked me if I was making a joke since the only thing that matched my last name was the "S" and told the person about it. When I visited it last Saturday after hearing others were there, I noticed the name was corrected thanks to Carrie who mentioned it and then I beat the score making the sign incorrect again.
The 50 minutes on Gorf was not all I played that Saturday:
Monday, January 1, 2018
Pandemic Legacy Season 2 part 1
January log:
Life on the three havens Hyperion, Salvation, and Orion has become a struggle. Forecasts state we will run out of supplies before the year is over due to raids by the Hollow Men. Our leaders have become missing during their annual meeting so it is up to us now.
With a farmer named Slim and a designer named Lena, we are heading out to the land to re-establish supply lines. Fortunately we got information about North America and after giving Lena information, we established a supply center in NYC and then connected to Chicago.
While supplies were being used, we got a center set up in Lagos and then we're setting things up in Tripoli when the plague hit there. Fortunately we had a med kit or else Slim and I could have been infected.
Though the centers were eventually destroyed by the Hollow Men, the population increased in the cities and London stayed the same even though the plague hit there. Lena also figured out a way to build a supply center easier.
Instructor Bill "Coop" Cooper
Life on the three havens Hyperion, Salvation, and Orion has become a struggle. Forecasts state we will run out of supplies before the year is over due to raids by the Hollow Men. Our leaders have become missing during their annual meeting so it is up to us now.
With a farmer named Slim and a designer named Lena, we are heading out to the land to re-establish supply lines. Fortunately we got information about North America and after giving Lena information, we established a supply center in NYC and then connected to Chicago.
While supplies were being used, we got a center set up in Lagos and then we're setting things up in Tripoli when the plague hit there. Fortunately we had a med kit or else Slim and I could have been infected.
Though the centers were eventually destroyed by the Hollow Men, the population increased in the cities and London stayed the same even though the plague hit there. Lena also figured out a way to build a supply center easier.
Instructor Bill "Coop" Cooper
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Singing in a deep and dark December
This time of year inspires me to sing mainly to avoid hearing all the happy and merry music that is played over loudspeakers at the places I visit.
I decided to keep track of what songs I sang this year and give credit to the artist who created the lyrics as well. If there is a question of the song that was playing, I will include it as well.
To my surprise I have not heard the Little Drummer Boy but was disqualified from the contest by Insane Ian's awesome parody of that song about the movie Die Hard.
It is December 21st when I first created this list and I will update this when applicable.
Bob Rivers
Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire
Walking "Round in Women's Underwear (x2)
Luke Ski
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies
Must Be Pac-Man
Art Paul Schlosser
X-Mas Morgue (x2)
I decided to keep track of what songs I sang this year and give credit to the artist who created the lyrics as well. If there is a question of the song that was playing, I will include it as well.
To my surprise I have not heard the Little Drummer Boy but was disqualified from the contest by Insane Ian's awesome parody of that song about the movie Die Hard.
It is December 21st when I first created this list and I will update this when applicable.
Bob Rivers
Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire
Walking "Round in Women's Underwear (x2)
Luke Ski
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies
Must Be Pac-Man
Art Paul Schlosser
X-Mas Morgue (x2)
Tommy Safespace
Reichspogromnacht
Police Shot My Dad (x2)
I'm Dreaming of Alt-Right Christmas (x3)
Bad Teenage Mustache
Glory Hole
Unknown
Ding! Fries are Done
MMOTL (me)
Simply Having a Miserable Christmas Time (x2)
There's No Thing Like Blow for the Holidays
There's No Holidays
Jingle My Cock (x2)
I'll Get Blown For Christmas
Rudolph the Brown Nose Reindeer
All I Want For Christmas is Booze
I Hear a Crack Whore Bitch (I don't think that is what she heard)
Frosty the Ho Man
I Just Want a Piece of Ass on Christmas (Have yourself a ...)
I Want to Get a Piece of Ass on Christmas (Not a hippo)
Suck My Balls (I will have to create a version based on the Imagination trilogy of South Park)
The Mall Santa (The song Carrie Dahlby with the help of Luke Ski created that Dr. Demento played on his show last weekend. Eventually I am hoping it can be redone with her son as the kid, my daughter as an angry parent and an edit of one line which has become dated.)
Reverse parody
Meet the Flintstones (Brian Setzer parodied that song about December)
I am disappointed that I have not been able to sing Terror on Santa Claus lane but the original has yet to play around me.
Reichspogromnacht
Police Shot My Dad (x2)
I'm Dreaming of Alt-Right Christmas (x3)
Bad Teenage Mustache
Glory Hole
Unknown
Ding! Fries are Done
MMOTL (me)
Simply Having a Miserable Christmas Time (x2)
There's No Thing Like Blow for the Holidays
There's No Holidays
Jingle My Cock (x2)
I'll Get Blown For Christmas
Rudolph the Brown Nose Reindeer
All I Want For Christmas is Booze
I Hear a Crack Whore Bitch (I don't think that is what she heard)
Frosty the Ho Man
I Just Want a Piece of Ass on Christmas (Have yourself a ...)
I Want to Get a Piece of Ass on Christmas (Not a hippo)
Suck My Balls (I will have to create a version based on the Imagination trilogy of South Park)
The Mall Santa (The song Carrie Dahlby with the help of Luke Ski created that Dr. Demento played on his show last weekend. Eventually I am hoping it can be redone with her son as the kid, my daughter as an angry parent and an edit of one line which has become dated.)
Reverse parody
Meet the Flintstones (Brian Setzer parodied that song about December)
I am disappointed that I have not been able to sing Terror on Santa Claus lane but the original has yet to play around me.
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