tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379800784567506212024-03-09T18:46:24.602-08:00THE WESTERN FRONTMarchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.comBlogger739125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-61209561825974373402015-12-28T09:55:00.000-08:002015-12-28T09:59:18.378-08:00My Own 2015 "Best Of" With 2015 now coming to a close, I'm taking inventory of some of the best parts of the year for me. I think looking forward is more interesting, of course, but I also believe in not taking for granted the wonderful things - and recognizing the challenging things - that make up our lives every year.<br />
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At the highest and most important level, both Diane and I exit 2015 in good health, and having just celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary in October. Life is good when you have a loving partner who is also your best friend.<br />
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In terms of work, I continue to enjoy working as a contractor, focusing on marketing and communication work. It's not the expected path I thought I'd be on, but one that I am pleasantly surprised by.<br />
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With work, health and relationship all in great shape, below are some lesser-important but also entertaining "best of's" for 2015 for me...<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">New Rock and Roll Music</span></b><br />
2015 was a good year for rock. Not excellent, but good. Here are the best new rock albums for me this year. Some are from new bands, some from more established acts. All were new in 2015.<br />
<ul>
<li>Blur - The Magic Whip</li>
<li>Born Cages - I'm Glad I'm Not Me</li>
<li>Catfish & the Bottlemen - The Balcony</li>
<li>The Libertines - Anthems for Doomed Youth</li>
<li>The Montecristos - Born to Rock 'n' Roll</li>
<li>Peach Kelli Pop - Peach Kelli Pop III</li>
<li>The Sonics - This Is the Sonics</li>
</ul>
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Check 'em out.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Concerts</span></b><br />
Meanwhile, I went to a number of concerts this year - virtually all by bands who became famous in the 80s. To be fair to myself, there were several <i>new</i> bands I really wanted to see when they came to Seattle, but I was not here when they did. Oh well.<br />
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Here are the best three shows I did see this year:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Psychedelic Furs </b>- Yep, the Furs. They were AWESOME live at the Showbox at the Market in Seattle. You'd think maybe this 80s act would just trot out warmed over hits, but no...these guys were into it and on fire. Fire! Great, sold out show. Loved it.</li>
</ul>
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<li><b>Mark Knofler.</b> I like Knofler and all. Dire Straights were pretty good. And, he put on a nice show at the St. Michele winery. However, the reason I rate this one highly is the ambiance and warm summer night performance. It was fun to relax, have some wine and enjoy the show with my wife. </li>
</ul>
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<li><b>Violet Femmes</b> - OK, so the Femmes were not the featured band at this outdoor show at Marimore Park this summer. But, they were the best band of the triple bill that also included opener Colin Hay (singer from Men at Work) and headliner Bare Naked Ladies. Great energy, quirky sing-along classic songs and...as a major bonus...I went to the show with my high school buddy Lou Lucarelli. Great to catch up with him.</li>
</ul>
Honorable mention: Matt Pond PA, B-52s, Public Image Limited, Joe Jackson<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Photography</span></b><br />
2015 was not a prolific year for my photography. I will strive to re-engage more in 2016. With trips to Mexico and Portugal on the agenda, I think I'll be back in the swing.<br />
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At any rate, here are a few of the best shots I did take in 2015. You can see a larger selection of photos I took this year in my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/28342828@N07/albums/72157662111562532">2015: The Year in Pictures album</a>.<br />
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<b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Travel</span></b><br />
We took a few very fun, very pleasant domestic trips this year.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Palm Springs.</b> Along with some friends, we rented a house for a few days in February and had a blast sitting at the pool, going out to eat and relaxing. Highly recommended.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Hawaii</b>. In May we went to the Big Island. We'd never been their before. We saw the active volcano, explored some little hill towns, went to the beach, hung at the hotel and sampled some very good cuisine. Loved it!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Cannon Beach, Oregon. </b>One week this year, we hosted a French student at our house. She wasn't here to attended classes, but rather work on her English and see the sights. Among the things we did was shoot down to Cannon Beach for a great couple nights down there. Beautiful. </li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Sports</span></b><br />
It was a very good year in sports for me - both for activities I participated in, as well as the teams I follow.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>I completed the Seattle-to-Portland bike ride</b> for the second year in a row. 206 miles people.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>I also completed the 100 mile Tour de Cure</b> ride and the <b>80-mile Perimeter Ride of Seattle</b> (PROS) this year. Throw in a lot of training rides, and I estimate I rode more than 1,000 miles in 2015.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>My Oregon Ducks football team won the Rose Bowl</b> on Jan. 1 by defeating Florida State.</li>
</ul>
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<li><b>The UO football team then went on to post a 9-3 season</b> during ensuing 2015 in the fall that included wins against rivals UW (for the 12th year in a row), OS (for the 8th year in a row) and Stanford. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>My Seattle Seahawks won the NFC Championship</b> against the Green Bay Packers in a epic comeback for the ages. Seriously, if you've not seen how the Hawks won, check it out on YouTube. This put them into the Super Bowl for the second year in a row. Unfortunately, that game ended "oddly" to say the least.</li>
</ul>
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<li><b>The Oregon Men's Track Team</b> won the Pac-12 and National Championships, again.</li>
</ul>
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<li><b>The Oregon Men's Basketball </b>team made the NCAA tourney and got to the second round...a very good result considering expectations for the season.</li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Politics</span></b><br />
2015 was a whopper of a year in politics. I'm primarily talking about the U.S. presidential election cycle. And more specifically the array of Republican party candidates, the "debates" they participated in and the fact that Donald Trump is their front-runner.<br />
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<b>Most Over-Rated Presidential Candidate</b> - Ben Carson. Seriously, how did this guy even get in the mix? He's way off in Luny Toons land on many issues, incoherent and has no charisma.<br />
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<b>Most Under-Rated Presidential Candidate</b> - easy, Bernie Sanders. This guy believes in what most Americans want, regardless of labels or party affiliation.<br />
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<b>Most Irrelevant Presidential Candidate</b> - it's a tie between Jeb Bush and whomever that third Democrat is who is running. Bush has all the expectations, money and campaign infrastructure needed to win the Republican nomination. The one thing he doesn't have is a personality. Bye bye Jeb! Meanwhile, Martin O'Malley is, well, who?<br />
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<b>Scariest Presidential Candidate</b> - Trump. If he were to be our president our economy would begin to crash again as it did the last time the Rs ran all branches. Trump has no realistic ideas on the economy, and therefore a Republican-controlled Congress will will run the show by enacting the tax cuts and deregulation that led to our problems last time. If Trump followed through on his ideas around deporting millions of people out of the country, banning Muslims from entering and building a wall across our southern border...not only will that break the economy, it will institute a police state the likes of which we have not seen here before.<br />
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Meanwhile, and I truly believe this, we would be thrust into a major war somewhere and/or see a sharp increase in terror attacks here in the US. Trump is a bully, a chest thumper and not only would over-react to real or perceived threats, I think would actually go out looking for opportunities to bomb or invade countries.<br />
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<b>Most Likely to Win Presidential Candidate</b> - while it is NOT a slam dunk, I think Hillary Clinton has the best shot at winning the whole thing in 2016. She has broad appeal, stands for more common ground issues than certainly any of the Republicans, and has a lot of experience. Yes, she is polarizing to many, but not a majority of voters. And, by comparison to, say, a Donald Trump or Ted Cruz, she's relatively easy to like.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Movies</span></b><br />
2015 did not deliver many excellent movies in my opinion. I know Star Wars is out now, but I have not seen it yet. My strategy is to wait for a week or two and then go mid-week during the day when crowds are smaller. In the meantime, these three are the only ones I saw that I thought rose above the mediocrity.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Brooklyn</b> - the story of an immigrant Irish girl coming to the USA. Sounds boring. It is not. Great drama.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Ex Machina</b> - an interesting sci-fi flick about what technology could become...and what it could be capable of. Lots of interesting questions raised in this one.</li>
</ul>
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<li><b>No Escape</b> - a big wind up that has you on the edge of your seat the entire time.</li>
</ul>
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<li><b>Montage of Heck</b> - a documentary about Kurt Cobain. I thought it was very well done considering his story is so well known. </li>
</ul>
Star Wars, Bridge of Spies and Black Mass may make this list at some point, once I see them.Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-67610901709502799812015-12-16T09:00:00.000-08:002015-12-16T09:00:00.879-08:00Pac-12 Bowls So now we know: Stanford is the 2015 Pac-12 champion and 10 of the league's 12 teams will play in a bowl game. Only Oregon State and Colorado had losing seasons and did not make it to a post season game.<br />
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And, we know that no team from the Pac-12 will be in the four team playoff to determine the national champion - primarily due to Stanford losing twice during the regular season.<br />
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Here's who is playing who during bowl season and what I think will happen:</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">New Mexico Bowl - Dec. 19, 2015</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Albuquerque, NM</span></b></div>
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<b>Arizona (6-6) vs. New Mexico (7-5). </b>Yawn. This is squarely in the territory of "consolation game." It will come and go and nobody outside Albuquerque and Tucson will notice or care. Why? These are two 6-6 teams playing for the right to say they had a winning season. Ironically, it might be a fun game to watch. I'll take Arizona by a couple TDs.</div>
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<b><i>Prediction</i></b>: UA 31-UNM 17</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Las Vegas Bowl - Dec. 19, 2015</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Las Vegas, NV</span></b></div>
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<b>#22 Utah (9-3) vs. BYU (9-3). </b>An in-state rivalry played out during a bowl game. And for that, it'll be a good one to watch I think. Utah started the season hot, then cooled off as the injuries piled up at key positions. BYU beat the 9 teams on its schedule that are typically on par with them, but lost all three to "the big boys" - UCLA, Nebraska and Michigan. Their coach is also leaving after this game. I think this will be a close one. I'll take Utah as the slightly better squad. </div>
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<b><i>Prediction</i></b>: UU 27-BYU 24</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sun Bowl - Dec. 26, 2015</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">El Paso, TX</span></b></div>
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<b>WSU (8-4) vs. Miami (8-4). </b>Miami has pedigree and history of much bigger bowls than this - although not recently. They also have a new coach. WSU has the pluck and desire to use this Sun Bowl as a building block to future 8-plus win seasons. Who wants it most? That's what it'll come down to. I think that team will be WSU. If their star QB plays, they'll win. If he does not, it's a crap shoot. I'll take the Cougs.</div>
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<b><i>Prediction</i></b>: WSU 31-Miami 17</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Heart of Dallas Bowl - Dec. 26, 2015</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Dallas, TX</span></b></div>
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<b>Washington (6-6) vs. Southern Mississippi (9-4).</b> Yes, UW is 6-6, but they've steadily played better over the past several weeks - sporting a very good defense and a quickly improving QB. Southern Miss has 9 wins, but against what type of competition? This is a game UW should win - by a lot. I think that's what will happen.</div>
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<b><i>Prediction</i></b>: UW 49-Southern Miss 23</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Foster Farms Bow - Dec. 26, 2015</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Santa Clara, CA</span></b></div>
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<b>UCLA (8-4) vs. Nebraska (5-7). </b>Huh? How did a 5-7 team get into a bowl game? UCLA will dominate the Cornhuskers in this one. Too bad...the day after Christmas is usually a good day to hang out and watch football. But not this one.</div>
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<b><i>Prediction</i></b>: UCLA 44-Nebraska 20</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Armed Forces Bowl - Dec. 29, 2015</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Ft. Worth, TX</span></b></div>
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<b>Cal (7-5) vs. Air Force (8-5). </b>Yawn number two. Not much of a matchup here. Cal's QB is very good - and this is likely is last college game before going pro - but the rest of the team is underwhelming. Air Force? Not much to say either. Decent team as usual, but nothing special. I'll take Air Force in a close one because I think they'll be much more motivated to win against a Cal squad that faded big down the stretch.<br />
<b><i>Prediction</i></b>: Air Force 27-Cal 23</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Holiday Bowl - Dec. 30, 2015</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">San Diego, CA</span></b></div>
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<b>#25 USC (8-5) vs. Wisconsin (9-3). </b>Two middle of the pack teams who expected more out of their 2015 season meet in this one. That's the downside. The upside is that the talent on both squads is good to great and the game may turn out to be quite entertaining. Can USC exit its tumultuous season with a bowl win and a national ranking for its new coach? Can Wisconsin validate its status once again as a power with a 10 win season? USC has lost two in a row - badly. Wisconsin is coming off a stretch of games it went 6-1 in. I'll go with Wisconsin.<br />
<b><i>Prediction:</i></b> Wisconsin 31-USC 23</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Rose Bowl - Jan. 1, 2016</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Pasadena, CA</span></b></div>
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<b>#6 Stanford (11-2) vs. #5 Iowa (12-1).</b> Now <i>this</i> is an interesting one. Iowa is virtually a mirror image of Stanford. Big O and D lines, a commitment to running the ball and burning clock, a timely pass game by a smart QB and a stingy defense. Of all of those things, Iowa has the advantage on defense. They've got more depth and consistency across the board. Stanford's advantages are: 1) experience in big games, and 2) Heisman finalist RB McCaffery. If Iowa can stop the Stanford run game, I think they will win - probably a close one. If not, this game could get out of hand in favor of the Cardinal. I'm going to pick Iowa to win a close, hard fought and relatively low scoring game.<br />
<b><i>Prediction</i></b>: Iowa 20-Stanford 17 </div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Cactus Bowl - Jan. 2, 2016</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Phoenix, AZ</span></b></div>
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<b>Arizona State (6-6) vs. West Virginia (7-5). </b>The third "Yawn" bowl of the Pac-12 slate. In short, who cares? Sure, the faithful students and alumni of both schools will tune in for this Saturday game, played on the day after New Years day. But anyone else? Beyond gambling addicts, doubtful. ASU played very well in stretches, but ultimately proved to be flawed. That and one gets the impression the players do not like their coach. WV went 7-5 in the Big 12, so not great either. Based more on what I saw out of ASU in the games I watched this season, I'll take West Virginia.<br />
<b><i>Prediction</i>: </b>WV 33-ASU 28<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Alamo Bowl - Jan. 2, 2016</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">San Antonio, TX</span></b></div>
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<b>#15 Oregon (9-3) vs. #11 TCU (10-2).</b> This is easily the best non-New Year's Six bowl. Both Oregon and TCU were highly ranked early in the season, only to lose games when their starting QBs went out with injuries...and then returning to their winning ways when they came back. Each has a suspect defense capable of giving up loads of yards and tons of points, but who have also played well in stretches. So, this could be a barn burner shoot out with a 66-60 type score. Seriously, it could. Truly, either team could win this one. But I think the Ducks are the overall deeper, better team (O, D, Special Teams) and they are on a hotter win streak. Yes, they gave up 42 points to a poor Oregon State team in their last game, but they also beat Stanford and USC in the previous two. And Vernon Adams is playing QB as well as anyone in the country. I'll take the Ducks in a high scoring affair.<br />
<b><i>Prediction</i></b>: UO 56-TCU 42</div>
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If I am correct, the Pac-12 will go 6-3 in bowls with five teams likely in the final Top 25. We shall see.<br />
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Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-24045048547093732962015-07-23T16:31:00.002-07:002015-07-24T07:55:54.677-07:00"You Should Get To Know Your Town""You should get to know your town..." So goes on passage from a song by The Clash sung by the late great Joe Strummer.<br />
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And it's true.<br />
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Knowing your own city, where you live, its merits, its faults, its beauty and its underbelly, meeting the people who live where you do...all are well worth doing. Otherwise, you live an isolated bubble and are disconnected from your community.<br />
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One way you can connect (or re-connect) with "your town" is to be a tourist in your own city. How many times has someone come to visit you and they end up seeing more in your area that you have? Or, conversely, how many times to you go somewhere and someone there says "you've seen more of this area that I have...and I've lived here for years."<br />
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Well. Go out and see your city, your area and your state.<br />
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My wife and I recently had the pleasure of hosting a friend from France for about 10 days. To show her a good time, we took her out to a lot of the Seattle's and the Northwest's attractions.<br />
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So for those of you living around Seattle or who will visit soon, I'll make things easy for you. Here are the great things we did that you can do too:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Visited the Pike Place Market - shopped, gum wall, lunch, views</li>
<li>Had dinner at the Space Needle - expensive, but good food and you can't beat the view</li>
<li>Walked the campus of the University of Washington - beautiful</li>
<li>Went to the Golden Gardens beach park - sun, sand, dead on view of the Olympic mountains</li>
<li>Took a ferry to Bainbridge Island for the day - so nice. Water sports, great restaurants, great views of the city</li>
<li>Went to the Oregon coast - yeah, a bit if a drive, but still worth it if you can get there</li>
<li>Went on a day hike in the Cascade mountains</li>
<li>Went shopping downtown</li>
<li>Went out to dinner in Ballard - so many places to choose from in old Ballard</li>
<li>Took in a Broadway production at the 5th Ave Theater</li>
<li>Dinner downtown</li>
<li>Had brunch at the Snoqualmie Falls Lodge and hiked down to the falls</li>
<li>Went to a Seattle Sounders FC soccer match</li>
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We have done mostof these things before, but it had been while for many of them. Having the opportunity to re-engage with the greater area to show a guest the highlights of our city was a delight.<br />
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So yeah...we got to "know our town" even better.<br />
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Do the same wherever you are!<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-8970380880667930382015-06-01T19:43:00.001-07:002015-06-01T19:43:11.243-07:00Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2015<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I just watched the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction event. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Setting aside the weirdness of a "hall of fame" for something so subjective as rock, a few thoughts:</span><br />
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<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, lucida grande, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Joan Jett is THE REAL DEAL! Love her spirit and dedication to true rock and roll. I loved her acceptance speech and I think what she has to say about the power of music is missed by 99.9% of people today...or at least people in the USA. Rock can change the world. It can.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">While I do like Green Day and think we need more bands like them, when you 100% rip off the Clash, you need to at least name check them in your acceptance speech. Respect to GD for what they've done, but come on. No Joe Strummer, no Mick Jones, no Paul Simonon...no Green Day. It's that obvious. Show some respect.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Bill Withers people...check him out. You know more of his stuff than you think. He. Is. Good. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Ringo Starr...enough said. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Beatles and I think Ringo deserves his own place in the HOF just like John, Paul and George. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">It is a God damn shame Jimmie Ray Vaughn is no longer with us, but God bless him for what he did.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, lucida grande, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Lou Reed, Lou Reed, Lou Reed! You talk about authentic, influential, innovative and a real rock artist...he is it. 2015 USA has no idea. No, seriously. Despite technology and all, a guy like LR in 2015 would just be a homeless bum never to be heard. His genius (and THAT IS WHAT IT WAS) was only able to be heard because of who he was and when he was. That kind of artistic approach to rock today would be a niche deal most people would never, ever hear. In the 1970s though, there were just enough record labels and radio stations that would play it. LOU REED.</span></span></span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-3958629282182187572015-04-07T14:21:00.001-07:002015-04-07T14:21:35.699-07:00Giving Golf A Chance as a Spectator SportThose of you who know me understand that I have always contended that golf is not a sport. Yes, it is a very, very difficult <i>game</i> (and I am certainly horrible at it) and it does require you to swing a club precisely to get accurate shots. But that's it folks. It is not an <i>athletic</i> activity.<br />
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Indeed, golfers need very little athletic ability to play - even at a high level. I know some pros like Tiger Woods are very physically fit, but the point is they <i>don't have to be</i>. Other great, great golfers old and new are or were not athletic like those who play tradition sports like baseball, basketball, football, hockey, tennis, cycling, track, etc.<br />
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Hey...anything you can do (well) while smoking a cigar and wearing a pinky ring is not a sport.<br />
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But...<br />
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This past Thanksgiving a relative convinced me to give golf a chance. His reasoning was that I was able to get him into soccer enough to appreciate the game and even watch some World Cup and Sounders FC matches, so I should open my mind up to watch a big of golf and see if I liked it. It is competitive, can be dramatic and has a cast of characters. He had a point and I get ticked off when someone disparages a sport I like out of, what I consider to be, ignorance. So, at minimum I need to walk the talk.<br />
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His recommendations were: watch the Masters on TV in April and then if I liked it he would take me along to one of the days of the US Open which will be played in the Seattle area later in 2015.<br />
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Now, I <i>have</i> watched golf on TV in the past, and this is a primary reason why I don't like it. Boring.<br />
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None the less, I've taken up my relative's challenge and I WILL be tuning into The Masters this weekend. My goal will be to try and appreciate the strategy, competition and unpredictable nature of the event. I will not be watching the whole thing, but on Sunday I will make a point to watch all or most of the broadcast of the final round.<br />
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Live events are a whole different story. I completely believe a person could have a great time at, say, a major golf tournament in person...walking around, enjoying the views, eating, drinking, hanging out. So, that would not be a stretch for me.<br />
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We'll see.<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-75692629789727084862015-04-03T09:41:00.000-07:002015-04-03T12:45:14.471-07:00Macefield House in BallardOK. It has been a while since I posted anything. Work is work, right? Busy gets busy.<br />
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Over the past eight weeks since my series of sports-related posts, a lot has happened.<br />
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But sometimes life's pleasure is not big scope stuff...but rather the little moments we experience, string together and enjoy.<br />
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One such moment occurred the other day.<br />
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Indeed, the gym I go to in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle is known much more for what is outside of it than what is inside. What am I talking about?<br />
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The Edith Macefield House. You may recall seeing pictures of this home because the owner - Edith - refused to sell her life-long home to the big developers who came into her neighborhood, tore down all other previous structures and build a big shopping center. Nope. Edith decided NOT to sell.<br />
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So the developers built AROUND her house. This is inspirational. Her refusal exhibited - and continues to illustrate - true "values" in the face of easy money. The house is also said to be the inspiration for the story depicted in the animated movie "Up." Sadly, Edith died a few few years ago, and now the house is up for sale.<br />
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Because my gym is in that big building surrounding Edith's home, I go by her house daily on my way in and out of my workouts. I've always appreciated the symbolism of the house. But for whatever reason, yesterday I took my camera with me to get a few shots. Maybe because the house may not be there for much longer.<br />
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Anyway, below are some pictures I took of the site on April 2.<br />
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Oh, and one other thing about the property. Directly across the street currently sits a vacant lot, an area dozed down 10 years ago on which used to sit a large one story building called The Music Bank...essentially a warehouse, but in reality a place where many now famous Seattle-based rock bands practiced, hung out, took drugs...and whatever else. Below is how it looks today. Note the Macefield house in the upper left part of the photo...<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-23428337150991521642015-02-04T15:50:00.000-08:002015-02-04T15:50:21.672-08:00Peaks and Valleys: Jan. 1-Feb. 1 for a Seahawks and Oregon Duck Football FanOK. It's been a few days since the Seahawks shocking end-of-the-game loss in the Super Bowl.<br />
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As a Seahawks and Oregon Ducks fan, the Super Bowl caps what was, for me, a roller coaster football experience over the past few weeks filled with peaks and valleys.<br />
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<b>PEAK</b>: Jan. 1, my alma matter, the University of Oregon, wins the Rose Bowl in impressive fashion beating Florida State - last year's #1 team, at the time #3 team and a team that hadn't lost a game in two full seasons. Hey, winning the Rose Bowl is a BIG DEAL to any school and for Oregon, it's truly special. The team has only ever been in the game seven times and only won it three times...and one of those was nearly 100 years ago. So, this was the best peak for me in the Ducks season.<br />
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With the win, the UO advanced to the National Championship game as a favorite against #4 Ohio State.<br />
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<b>PEAK</b>: Jan. 10, my hometown Seattle Seahawks defeat the Carolina Panthers 31-17 in the NFL playoffs, sending the team to the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers.<br />
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<b>VALLEY</b>: Jan. 12, the Ducks lay an egg in the title game. A lot of it had to do with the fact that, as it turned out, the #4 Buckeyes were actually the best team in college football. They were physically dominating on the line - producing a 200+ yard running back and effective QB on offense and bottling up Oregon's run game on defense. The saving grace for me is, my Ducks just got beat by a better team. There was no heartbreak ending or controversy. They just got beat. No difficult to accept.<br />
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<b>PEAK</b>: Jan. 18, the Seahawks defeat the Green Bay Packers in overtime in a miracle comeback for the ages. The final score was 29-22. With the win, the Seahawks earned a trip to their second straight Super Bowl. I cannot underscore how euphoric this win was for Seahawks fans. Of all the peaks I've mentioned, this was the best.<br />
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<b>VALLEY</b>: Feb. 1 in the Super Bowl, the Seahawks - possessing the ball at the Patriots' one yard line with less than a minute to play and for all the world looking like they are going to win the game with a power run by all-everyting RB Marshawn Lynch - instead decide to pass the ball over the middle into traffic. The ball intercepted. Game over. BIG VALLEY. Not necessarily because they lost, but HOW they lost. They had them. They had the win. They blew it.<br />
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My reaction in the moment was similar to about 99% of people on the planet..."WHAT THE F! RUN THE F-ING BALL TO WIN THE GAME. YOU HAVE THE BEST RB IN THE NFL RIGHT HERE ON THE FIELD. YOU ONLY HAVE ONE YARD TO GAIN!" Then over the past few days, one of the people in that other 1%, the Seahawks coach, explained why they did what they did and why. I understand what he said about not wanting to give NE any time after a score and how NE had their goal line D in so were susceptible to a pass. OK. I get it, but to me...that's not good enough.<br />
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My perspective is, its the last minute of the Super Bowl. You are behind. You get the lead NOW and play to your strengths - running the ball and defense. That would mean a power running play by Lynch. Give him the ball a couple times, he scores. And then if you have to play D for a few plays against Tom Brady, OK...at least you have the lead.<br />
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And hey, if the Hawks don't sore, OK...they lose anyway, but you don't go down the way they did.<br />
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All that said, it's great to have my college and pro football teams at or very near the top of their respective games. If I'm lucky, I'll be rooting for one or both again come next January.<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-24633303039395747842015-02-01T21:40:00.000-08:002015-02-01T21:40:20.799-08:00My NW Sports...What Is Next?OK. Now that football season is over, as a long term Seattle resident and University of Oregon grad, where do I go now for my sports rooting interests?<div>
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First, the UO mens b-ball team is more than decent. They will not win the Pac-12 title, but they could make a run for the NCAA tourney.<br /><div>
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Next up is the Seattle Sounders MLS team. They finished last season with the best record in the league and should be a threat again this year.</div>
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And, come spring the Mariners baseball team. I'm not a huge baseball fan, but perhaps stye Ms are on an upswing?</div>
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And between all that there is the UO tack and field (won the NCAA title last year) and baseball team (ranked) to provide some entertainment. </div>
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So from a civic or alma matter standpoint, that is where I will be investing my interest. </div>
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Go Ducks! Go Seattle!</div>
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Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-6138165887010749682015-01-22T14:39:00.000-08:002015-01-22T14:39:08.327-08:00My Short Super Bowl PredictionI am going to make my Super Bowl XLIX prediction short and to the point...<br />
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New England will give the Seahawks more of a game than Denver did last year, but Seattle is the better, more aggressive and athletic team...and they will win by at least two scores.<br />
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Seattle 27-NE 17.Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-68567185072046313312015-01-12T21:58:00.001-08:002015-01-22T14:34:11.131-08:00Oregon Football Doesn't Lose Often, But When They Do...Over the past 5-6 seasons, the University of Oregon football team has not lost many games...very few. But, in those few games they have dropped there are some common things that either went wrong or became evident about the team. It's actually pretty eerie.<br />
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Indeed, what killed the Ducks in the recent national title game are the same fatal combination of things that contributed to those very few defeats over the past few seasons. Three things: 1) untimely and unfortunate mistakes on offense (think dropped passes and barely, barely missing a first down here and there, 2) a overwhelming propensity for multiple and untimely penalties (also usually accompanied by a lack of penalties on the other team), and 3) the <u>most</u> important...they could not stop the opposing team's big <i>and</i> athletic (and that's the magic combination) linemen on either side of the ball. Could. Not. Stop.<br />
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These three elements were all present in the losses Oregon suffered to Arizona this year, Arizona last year, Stanford the previous two years, LSU a few years ago and in the 2010 Rose Bowl against...Ohio State.<br />
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When it comes to dropped passes and penalties, well, that's on Oregon. They could and should not have those problems. But they did. And they matter. For example, what if Oregon's wide receiver catches that long bomb early in the game. It might be 14-0 Oregon early. What about a drop by a wide open Duck on a critical early third down? Terminal. These same thing happened against Stanford in 2013. And penalties. Wow. So many against the Ducks and so few against their opposition.<br />
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But, the king killer in Oregon's few defeats is their shortcomings against teams that have big, fast, athletic players across the board, particularly on the lines...plus a huge QB with the propensity to run and throw the long ball well. Cam Newtwon of Auburn, Tyrell Pryor and Cardele Jones of Ohio State are the prime examples. I that situation, they simply cannot stop the opposition. No way. Cannot stop. What did the OSU running back have? 250 rushing yards? Please. That's ridiculously good. Oregon's D was mostly getting pushed off the line and then their LBs were outsized by what was coming at them.<br />
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And guess what? I think Oregon forced Ohio State to punt maybe three times all night long, and two of those were late-half situation where it really didn't matter. When they get worked like that, it's going to be a long night.<br />
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Ironically, credit the Oregon D for causing and getting four - four! - turnovers. That's really the only way they could stop OSU's offense. But then, tragically for the Ducks, that just offered up the <i>other</i> way UO could not stop OSU...the Oregon O line was overwhelmed by the OSU defensive line. Not every play, but mostly. This limited Oregon's scoring - particularly in the fourth quarter. Then throw in the timely errors and penalties and, well, they ain't gonna win.<br />
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Oregon fans have seen this toxic combination before and, personally, I realized it was going to lead to defeat after the Ducks got to within one point (21-20) in the third and then immediately conceded a long drive to the Buckeyes in which they scored again.<br />
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For virtually any team Oregon plays during the regular season, or even in most bowls, this is not the case. Nope. Oregon is just fine...and wins. But there is probably a top 1 percent or less of teams (OSU, LSU, Alabama come to mind this season) that just will always have those big, fast and strong linemen. And against those teams their record is not good.<br />
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And hey, in the end, losing to a superior team is a bit liberating for the fan. You can clearly, clearly see which team is better and losing to them is not as painful as dropping one to a squad - like say Arizona for Oregon or Virginia Tech for OSU - that you know you're better than.<br />
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So for all that I say, contgrats to OSU. You are clearly the best team in college football this season.<br />
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As for my Ducks. Well, they won the Pac-12 title, they beat their rivals (badly), won the Rose Bowl against the defending nation champion and finished #2 in the nation. So, to too bad a season overall!<br />
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Now, for me, it's on to rooting for the Seahawks and a second Super Bowl win!!!<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-18358255728509598042015-01-06T09:00:00.000-08:002015-01-06T13:52:16.511-08:00College Football National Championship Game Prediction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">#2 Oregon vs. #4 Ohio State</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">January 12 at 5 p.m. Pacific</span></i><br />
<i>AT&T Stadium</i><br />
<i>Arlington, TX</i><br />
<i>TV: ESPN</i><br />
<i><br /></i><b>What's At Stake: </b><br />
Very simply and most importantly, the winner of the game is the 2014 college football champion. For Oregon, this would be their first national title in football - a huge deal! For Ohio State it would be their 8th, the most recent other one being in 2002. Also big, but 2002 was not that long ago.<br />
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Also to consider - particularly if Oregon wins - is that this game will signal a break from the real or perceive "SEC dominance" in college football. Why? A couple reasons:<br />
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<ul>
<li>First, look how poorly the SEC did in bowl games this season. SEC teams went 7-5 in bowls, and teams from the touted SEC West conference went 0-5 when up against quality non-conference foes. While 7-5 is a winning bowl record for the conference, it's also not great and all the "big time" teams lost. Over-rated. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Next, this will be the second year in a row that that the SEC will not have won the title. Yes, last year Auburn was in the game, but they did not win it. And why would the break be more pronounced if Oregon wins? Well, the Big 10 has a long tradition of OSU, Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin (and to a lesser degree Iowa) being perennial big time, big stage teams that can win it all. The Pac-12? No. Outside of USC, it's been 23 years since any other league team won the national title (Washington) and even then it was a co-title with Miami. So, showing that a non-USC team from the west can win the title will really will show how things have migrated away from the SEC.</li>
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<b><u>OREGON DUCKS</u></b><br />
<b><i>How they got here: </i></b>The Ducks defeated defending national title holder Florida State in the Rose Bowl on New Years Day by the dominating score of 50-20, securing their place in the title game. Prior to that, they reached the "final four" of college football after reeling off a 12-1 record and a Pac-12 title with the only loss coming early in the season to a ranked Arizona squad and with a lot of injuries that had decimated the Ducks' offensive line.<br />
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<i><b>Since the Rose Bowl:</b> </i>Starting WR Devon Allen injured his knee on the first play of the Rose Bowl and will not play against Ohio State. Also, Oregon announced <a href="https://twitter.com/WinTheDay/status/552132630918217728">the uniforms they will wear </a>for the big game and, much to the disappointment of many Oregon fans, there is no green or yellow in them...they're all white with grey/silver accents.<br />
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<i><b>Strengths</b></i>: A fast, talented, deep and dangerous offense that runs at a rapid tempo to rack up yards and exhaust the opposing defense. And, this offense is operated by Heisman Trophy winning QB Marcus Mariota - equally deadly with his arm and legs. Also, the UO defense has really come on over the past few games to play more physical football and ramped up their already impressive ability to cause and get turnovers.<br />
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<i><b>Weaknesses</b></i>: It's hard to point out weaknesses in a team that has made it this far, but if I had to say it would be the linebackers. They played well against FSU (Rose Bowl) and Arizona (Pac-12 title game), but there is the potential for them to get pushed around by a big physical offensive line Hell bent on blowing holes open up the middle. Also, the Ducks just don't have a reliable kicker. It's a crap shoot any time UO lines up for a FG or extra point.<br />
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<b><i>Opportunities:</i></b> Use superior speed and size at RB and WR to hit the Buckeyes on the edges, over the middle and then long. On Defense, get pressure on the young OSU QB with a rush off the edge and force him to make mistakes. You think that's not possible? Ask Jamis Winston how things went in the Rose Bowl.<br />
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<b>Players to Watch: </b>#8 QB Mariota, #24 RB Tyner, #9 DE Armstead and any Oregon LB.<br />
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<b><i>What Oregon Fans Say:</i></b> This ain't the same team OSU played in the Rose Bowl a few years back. We've got more talent, more size, more speed and a much better QB. OSU will not be able to match us for a full 60 minutes. Get ready Buckeyes, it's coming.<br />
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<b><i>Oregon Fans' Secret Fear: </i></b>A repeat of the 2010 Rose Bowl against OSU in which a) the Buckeyes did indeed "out-physical" Oregon, b) the Ducks made big mistakes (fumbled a sure-fire, take-the-lead TD away for example), c) the Buckeyes QB had the game of his career...all adding up to a 9 point loss for the Ducks. All that, or the game comes down to a field goal.<br />
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<b><u>OHIO STATE BUCKEYES</u></b><br />
<b><i>How they got here:</i></b> The Buckeyes upset #1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl by the score of 42-35 on New Years Day to secure their spot in the title game. They made it into the football playoff with a 12-1 record that was notable for the fact that they did a lot of it with their backup QB following their starter going down in pre-season with an injury...and now their third string QB at the helm following his predecessor also going down with an injury. Lets put it this way, the title game will be the Buckeye QB's third career college start.<br />
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<b><i>Since the Rose Bowl: </i></b>Nothing to report as far as I can tell. No big injuries.<br />
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<b><i>Strengths</i></b>: Big offensive and defensive lines, a 1,600 yard RB, great depth at WR and (obviously QB) and an opportunistic defense.<br />
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<i><b>Weaknesses</b></i>: Again, it's difficult to find a true weakness in a final-two team, but I'll go with they are perhaps not as fast and athletic as Oregon's squad and their QB - for all his impressive play in two games - is indeed making this third start and it's against the fastest and biggest turnover-making D he'll have seen.<br />
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<i><b>Opportunities for OSU:</b></i> Establish a running game up the gut and off tackle given the aggressive nature of the Oregon DEs and the relatively smaller size of Duck LBs. If they can do that, look out. Conversely, if the Ohio State defensive front can get a push up the middle against Oregon's offensive line, they can disrupt Oregon's offense...think about what Auburn did to the Ducks in the 2011 Title Game.<br />
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Players to Watch: </b>On offense, watch QB #12 Jones, RB #15 Elliot. On defense, watch the line play...are OSU players pushing the Oregon line backwards? Are they getting sacks?<br />
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<b><i>What Ohio State Fans Say: </i></b>We're bigger and stronger than Oregon and we will beat them just like we did in the 2010 Rose Bowl. Duck fans, get ready to be run over.<br />
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<b><i>Buckeye Fans' Secret Fear: </i></b>Oregon "does a Rose Bowl" on the Buckeyes, suddenly turning a close game into a blowout in the third or fourth quarter.<br />
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<b>HOW THIS GAME WILL UNFOLD</b><br />
I think this game is going to go just about like every other game Oregon has played this season. It will be close in the first half with one team ahead by a small amount (10 or less) at the break. OSU will have success on both sides of the ball and Oregon's offense will sputter a bit in the beginning. And then, in the second half, Oregon will assert itself with adjustments. Their offense will score fast and the defense will create a turnover or two. In the end, I think it'll be lower scoring than the Rose or Sugar Bowls, but I do think the Ducks will win pulling away.<br />
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<b>SCORE</b><br />
I say it'll be UO 37-OSU 24.<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-59775673109987781342015-01-03T14:48:00.000-08:002015-01-04T08:48:03.383-08:00Oregon Football: Best Season Ever...Even Before the Title Game?Wow! What a Rose Bowl...at least if you're an Oregon fan like me.<br />
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I did predict the Ducks would win and I predicted it'd be close for the first half and into the third quarter. And I did predict that the Seminoles would move the ball pretty well between the 20s.<br />
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But that's about where my powers of prediction stopped. I could not have seen Oregon's defense stopping FSU on a goal line stand, holding them to filed goal attempts a few times and forcing so may turnovers. And yes, they FORCED those turnovers rather than benefiting from Florida State players just making a mistake.<br />
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Throw in a great game played by Oregon QB Marcus Mariota, RBs Tyner and Freeman, WR Carrington and TE Baylis...and well, it turned into an epic butt whupping.<br />
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59-20 people. 59-20.<br />
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And with that, Oregon is the 2015 Rose Bowl champion. This is no small matter. Yes, they will now move onto the National Championship game against Ohio State. But, before getting into that, I don't think the Rose Bowl win should be overlooked. That by itself is a huge deal...and in particular it should be to Oregon fans. After all, we haven't been there too many times - six in total. And now they are 3-3 in the game all time. The Oregon Ducks, Rose Bowl Champion. I love it! And, it's the second Rose Bowl they've won in four seasons. In between they won the Fiesta Bowl and an Alamo Bowl, so the Ducks are 4-0 in bowls over the past four seasons.<br />
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I'll chime in with a prediction on the big game against the Buckeyes before the game. But before all that, lets do a re-cap of Oregon's season and contemplate that even if they lose the title game it could be their best season ever.<br />
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OK, lets start with the obvious. Oregon ran up a 12-1 record in the regular season. They've only ever had one undefeated regular season (2010), and only a few one-loss campaigns. So, yes, this year's record is great and up there with their best ever.<br />
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Next, who did Oregon beat in piling up those wins? Highly ranked Michigan State, ranked UCLA and Utah (both on the road), a top 10 ranked Arizona (Pac-12 title game), a ranked and difficult to beat Stanford squad who had UO's number over the past two seasons, hated rival Washington (for the 11th year in a row) and in-state rival Oregon State (for the seventh year in a row).<br />
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All great! In fact, I'd say that combination of satisfying victories in 2014 puts the season very high on the all-time great years for Oregon football...call it Top 3 at worst.<br />
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Addressing the one loss they had, it was against Arizona back in October and they avenged that quite nicely in the Pac-12 title game by wiping the Wildcats out. Again, quite satisfying.<br />
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OK, what else?<br />
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Oh, Oregon's QB won the Heisman Trophy as the best player in college football this season. No University of Oregon player had ever won it before.<br />
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In summary, I'd say that the combination of their overall record, who they beat, by how many points, the post-season awards picked up by various players and the Rose Bowl win makes 2014 the Ducks best football season ever right now...even before the National Title Game.<br />
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What will happen next? Come on back to this blog in a few days and see what I think. I've been pretty dang accurate predicting Oregon and Pac-12 games this season, so I may just know what I'm talking about.<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-28876798935332026222014-12-29T07:25:00.000-08:002014-12-29T07:25:00.643-08:002015 Rose Bowl Prediction<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">#2 Oregon vs. #3 Florida State</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">January 1 at 2 p.m. Pacific</span></i><br />
<i>Rose Bowl Stadium</i><br />
<i>Pasadena, CA</i><br />
<i>TV: ESPN</i><br />
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<b>What's At Stake: </b><br />
The winner: 1) is Rose Bowl champion, and 2) goes on to play in the national championship game against the winner of #1 Alabama vs. #4 Ohio State.<br />
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<em><strong>2014 season recap</strong></em>: The Ducks racked up a 12-1 record in 2014. Mostly, they rolled the teams they played. Save the one Oct. game against Arizona (a close loss) and the game right before that against WSU (a close win), the Ducks put the hurt on the teams they matched up against. Those earlier close ones can mostly be attributed to offensive line injuries. That, and the Duck D seemed to take the "bend but don't break/keep it all in front of you" strategy to an extreme. More positively, Oregon beat currently and at-the-time ranked teams, including: Michigan State, UCLA, Utah and Arizona in the league title game. They also beat Washington (a team with three All-Americans on their defense) soundly and for the 11tth year in a row. I would summarize the Ducks as such: wicked potent offense with the best QB in the nation + a ton of talent all over the field complemented by a fast but frustrating "don't give up the big play" defense that at times is super frustrating to watch. But, that combination delivered 12 wins. <br />
<em><strong>Since the end of the season</strong></em>: There have been two big developments for the Ducks since they won the Pac-12 title game - one good, one bad. On the upside, QB Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy as the best player in college football this season. The negative is that Oregon's All-American cornerback, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu injured his knee in practice and will not be able to play in the Rose Bowl. <br />
<em><strong>Strengths</strong></em>: The Ducks have all to the pieces in place on offense to move the ball on the ground and through the air...and put up points. Also, the Ducks seem to find turn overs. And, speed on special teams means they can break one any time. <br />
<strong><em>Weaknesses</em></strong>: Oregon does not field a defense that is just going to shut a team down. Yes, they did do that to Arizona in their last game and at key times against UCLA and Michigan State. But, that was not the norm across the entire season. All told, teams can work the ball down the field pretty easily on Oregon. Also, the Ducks do not have a field goal kicker that it can rely on outside of about 20 yards...and even then it's a nervous moment for Duck fans. <br />
<strong><em>Opportunities</em></strong>: Oregon's offense can exploit an FSU defense that has not seen thee speed, tempo and talent at QB and RB that the Ducks bring. Special teams - particularly punt returns - could be magic. <br />
<strong><em>Players to watch</em></strong>: On offense, #8 Mariota of course. Also keep an eye on the entire offensive line and how well #21 RB Freeman is running the ball. On defense, how much of a rush does the Oregon defensive line get? See how #9 Armistead does in getting to the QB and how does the now-depleted secondary fare against FSU's passing game? On special teams, watch speedy returner #6 Nelson. <br />
<em><strong>What Oregon fans say</strong></em>: FSU plays in a weak league and has barely escaped many times this season. In the Pac-12 they would have lost several games. FSU QB Winston is an interception throwing machine...and the Ducks feast on turnovers. Oh, and good luck stopping the Oregon offense for four quarters.<br />
<strong><em>Oregon fans' secret fear</em></strong>: FSU QB Winston picks apart the Oregon secondary on the way to multiple scores while their D line slows down the Mariota machine on offense. That, or the game comes down to a filed goal attempt by the Oregon kicker. <b><br /></b>
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<b>Florida State</b><br />
<strong><em>2014 season recap</em></strong>: The Seminoles' season was basically a series of "great escapes" in which they fell behind in the first half and then came back in the second half to win...usually by a narrow margins. Throw in some easy wins over weak ACC teams and they ended at 13-0. Their marquee wins were against ranked Clemson, Louisville and Georgia Tech squads. Their offense runs the ball decently, but earns its yards and points by QB Winston throwing the ball. He has a talent for firing the ball into narrow windows, but sometimes (all too often for FSU fans) those balls are picked off. But hey, they've won 29 games in a row. On defense, the Seminoles do let teams score. They gave up 31 to Oklahoma State, 41 to NC State, 27 to Notre Dame and 31 to Louisville. So, we're not talking about an SEC-style/shut-down D here. But again...two straight undefeated seasons. <br />
<em><strong>Since the end of the season</strong></em>: Not much news...which is good for a squad that has had some players get into trouble off the field. <br />
<strong><em>Strengths</em></strong>: On offense, clearly QB Winston is a leader and can throw the ball really well. On defense, their line is big and athletic. And, they have a very good place kicker. <br />
<strong><em>Weaknesses</em></strong>: FSU's defense is susceptible to the spread offense, a fast tempo and a mobile QB. Guess what Oregon does? Also, QB Winston does throw too many interceptions. <br />
<strong><em>Opportunities</em></strong>: Throwing the ball to move it down the field against Oregon's "keep it in front of us" defense (now also minus its best cover man due to injury), having their big defensive linemen disrupt running lanes and making Oregon's QB scramble. The ability to win the game with a long field goal. <br />
<strong><em>Players to watch</em></strong>: On offense, #5 QB Winston, tight end #85 O'Leary and #80 receiver Greene. On defense, I say watch the FSU line play. Are they getting into the Oregon backfield regularly? Are they making Oregon's QB to scramble and denying Duck RBs the ability to get to the corner? <br />
<strong><em>What FSU fans say</em></strong>: We're current national champs - you are not. We've won 29 in a row - you have not. Oregon plays in the weak Pac-12 and have never seen the size, speed and aggressiveness of this FSU team. <br />
<strong><em>FSU fans' secret fear</em></strong>: Oregon rips FSU for 50+ points aided by QB Winston throwing multiple interceptions...and no amount of second half heroics matter. <br />
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<b>How It Will Unfold</b><br />
Considering all of the above, here is how I think this game will go...<br />
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<strong><em>First Quarter</em></strong><br />
FSU has success stopping the rusty Oregon offense while the FSU O moves the ball through the air with short, efficient passes that reduce the chances of Winston throwing an interception - and they score a TD early. Oregon fans' worst fears are being realized. FSU's "ball control" keeps Oregon's offense off the field and the Ducks off the scoreboard...for the moment. However, Oregon's D stiffens and holds the Seminoles twice to field goals.<br />
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Score at the end of the first quarter: FSU 13-UO 0<br />
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<strong><em>Second Quarter</em></strong><br />
Oregon gets its running game going and makes FSU pay for over-aggressively rushing Mariota. The Ducks get a score. Winston throws a pick and the Ducks convert into a FG. Yes, a FG by Oregon. But, FSU strikes again for another TD by throwing long against the guy replacing Oregon's All-American CB Ekpre-Olomu. <br />
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Score at halftime: FSU 20-UO 10<br />
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<em><strong>Third Quarter</strong></em><br />
The Ducks get a great kick return the first time they touch the ball in the second half - setting up a TD pass from Mariota. Oregon's defense comes out with some adjustments that puts more pressure on Winston - making him throw poorer passes and getting sacked a few times. With this comes a couple more possessions for Oregon's offense - and a FG and TD. FSU eeks out a FG during the quarter.<br />
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Score at the end of the third quarter: UO 27-FSU 23<br />
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<strong><em>Fourth Quarter</em></strong><br />
Oregon fumbles the ball in their own end and FSU converts into a TD, taking the lead again. However, the Ducks come right back and score quickly. Now, it's down to who can stop who? I say three-plus quarters of Oregon's offensive attack starts to take its toll on FSU's defensive players and Oregon's offense hits the accelerator - scoring twice. Meanwhile, FSU becomes desperate as time is running out...they get a TD. It's UO 41-FSU 37 with a couple minutes left. <br />
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FSU makes a mistake...a fumble, a pick, failing to convert of fourth down. This seals the deal for them. Oregon takes advantage to win, and even scores one more before the clock runs out. <br />
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<strong>Final Score</strong><br />
UO 48-FSU 37<br />
<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-74224234343971448512014-12-22T09:07:00.001-08:002014-12-26T08:52:19.920-08:00My Own 2014 "Year in Review"Well, 2014 was quite a year. The world saw many wonderful and terrible things happen over the past 12 months. I have my opinions on those events of course, but - as with everyone - how a person experiences and feels about a year comes down to their own personal situation and experiences.<br />
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As I sat recently and thought about this past year, I initially felt that it was a tough stretch (as in, "wow, that was not a fun year"), but then I quickly realized that, you know, we did a LOT of great things during 2014 despite some challenges. And, if the hurdles we faced this year are the worst thing we ever have to go through, then we're doing just fine.<br />
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And that got me thinking that as 2014 comes to and end, I wanted to list out some of the highlights and most important things that occurred for us over the year. It's good to remember these things, and for me...writing about them further cements them in my mind and heart.<br />
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So, below is a personal "2014: A Year In Review." Before delving into it though, I need to say that none of what happened in 2014 - or any year - would mean damn thing without my beautiful, smart and wonderful wife - Diane. She means the world to me.<br />
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OK, here's the scoop on 2014...<br />
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<b>JOB</b><br />
My job situation was one of two developments that were central to our 2014. It's a long story, but I'll try to tell it in a shortened way...<br />
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The first thing to know is that the company for which I had worked at for nearly eight years decided to consolidate all its offices to Dayton, OH, Raleigh, NC and New York City. This meant closing the Bellevue office I worked in and "offering" employees either the "opportunity" to move or just letting them go. In what I took as a vote of confidence, I was offered the option of continuing to work for the company so long as we moved to the New York area. In one of the easiest decisions of my work life, I said "no thanks." For those of you who know me, we've discussed the many reasons for this. However, I can summarize it as such: Life is short, my wife and I are in our 40s, we love living in the Northwest, this is where our friends and family are, we want to control where we live and why, NYC - while awesome to visit - is not nearly as nice an area as Seattle and the pay/job security of the company I worked for was not worth risking a cross country move. I will say this though, this company did treat me well on the way out the door with severance and bonuses.<br />
<br />
The next thing to know is that as a result of all that, on the first week of January 2014 I no longer worked for that company as an employee. However, I'd made some great friends and allies there over the years and at least one came to me and wanted my services as a contractor. So guess what? I was quickly back in action working with this company - albeit in just a couple of their businesses rather than across most or all of them. Fine by me. And, hey, I was able to do business trips to NYC and SF early in the year. Both were productive and fun ventures.<br />
<br />
By the fall I learned that the company had enacted layoffs and big budget cuts...both of which hit the group I had been part of, including my former boss and one of my former employees. At this point I had my own private "I knew it...so glad we did not move" moment. While I cannot say for sure I would have been let go, I think it's likely. And even if I hadn't, what a mess to be stuck with.<br />
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One thing these reductions did affect was my clients there could no longer work with me...budget reductions.<br />
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The last thing to know is that about the time the above came to pass, I hooked up with a great consultancy called Prime8 and have been doing work for Microsoft through them since November. This is good, solid work for good people and I like it.<br />
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While I cannot say how 2015 will go, I can say 2014 proved to be quite the ride. It's frustrating to be thrust into that situation, but on the other hand I'm proud of myself for keeping employment up and running all year long at the levels I am accustomed to being paid.<br />
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<b>HEALTH</b><br />
This was the second big thing in our year. My health was fine. However, my wife had a ruptured disc in her neck in February that required surgery in April. This was a big deal - both in terms of the physical recovery and financial outlay. The surgery instantly fixed the immediate problem, but other pain emerged and to make a long story short...while slowly and steadily getting better, she is not pain free as of yet. Suffice it to say though, I am glad she had the surgery and that the immediate threat of long term nerve and muscle damage is gone. And of course I'm proud of her for toughing through it.<br />
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<b>VACATION</b><br />
Because of the old job situation and my wife's health issue, vacations to far-flung places around the world were not on the docket for 2014. However, did have some great times visiting some local and domestic locations.<br />
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<b>New Orleans in May </b>- we went there for a few days in May. We stayed in a boutique hotel just off the wonderful Frenchman Street. From there we were able to easily strike into the French Quarter or get a cab to anywhere we wanted to go.<br />
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Highlights included brunch at the Court of Two Sisters, a bayou tour, dinner and music on Frenchman Street, prowling the Quarter's streets to shop, eat and drink and seeing the historical sites. At left is a shot I took of St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. You can see some pictures I took on this trip <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/28342828@N07/sets/72157644465523110/">HERE</a>.<br />
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<b>Northern California</b> <b>in July</b> - for the Fourth of July weekend, we visited my uncle and his wife in Amador County, California. This is a rural area about 1.5 hour drive north and east of Sacramento. It's also an region with wonderful views, an exciting and developing wine culture (lots of wineries) and nice little towns...such as Sutter Creek. Oh, and it was HOT. I'm talking 100 degrees. Anyway, we had a wonderful time away for a few days visiting relatives, tasting wines (Amador is know for their Zins and Barbaras) and relaxing.<br />
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<b>Lummi Island in August</b> - this summer we had a one-night getaway to nearby Lummi Island. This is not technically one of the San Juan Islands, but it might as well be. It's right there with them and offers wonderful outdoor experiences and beautiful vistas. The island is quite rural with only one formal hotel and two restaurants...all owned by the same group. The place we stayed is known for their gourmet dinner, sourced from organic and local ingredients from the island and Sound. Apparently people fly in from around the country to go to <a href="http://www.willows-inn.com/">The Willows Inn</a>. Luckily, all we had<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hike Payoff: View of the San Juan Islands from Lummi, (C) Marc Osborn</td></tr>
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to do is drive a couple hours and we were there. Transported across the water by a small ferry, we landed and instantly felt disconnected from urban and suburban surroundings...a good thing! Our fist adventure was to take a hike to an overlook point to get a view. Next, on this warm summer day, we stopped at one of the two restaurants to have a chilly beer (or two) and take in more of the view. Finally, we went to the hotel, checked into our room...actually house...for the night, retiring for said gourmet dinner in the evening. The next morning we biked the circumference of the island and then headed home. What a great little, local escape!<br />
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<b>NEW MUSIC</b><br />
Music is important to me. I find that it provides a major release, an emotional outlet that helps me have fun, squeeze out frustrations, engage in conversations with friends and so much more. Mostly I'm interested in rock music - not heavy metal (although some of that is fine), but music that embodies the spirit of "Rock And Roll." 2014 ended up yielding some pretty dang good music on that score - some by acts already known and famous, some by up and coming bands doing interesting things.<br />
<br />
Here are the bands I thought put out quality new music over the past 12 months:<br />
<ul>
<li>Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways</li>
<li>Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots</li>
<li>The Horrors - Luminous</li>
<li>Courteeners - Concrete Love</li>
<li>Manic Street Preachers - Futurology</li>
<li>The Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt</li>
<li>The Strypes - Snapshot</li>
</ul>
<b>GIGS ATTENDED</b><br />
Speaking of music, live music - to me - takes everything I just said about why I like music to the next level. Sadly, I did not attend many gigs this year. This was, in part, due to the fact that...well...not that many "must see" bands I'm interested in came to Seattle. And, I can't be bothered to buy super expensive tickets for "big" shows like the Foo Fighters and still end up sitting a million miles away from the stage in a big venue.However, there were a few excellent exceptions in 2014...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glasvegas Live in Seattle, (C) Marc Osborn</td></tr>
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<ul>
<li><i><b>Glasvegas</b></i>. Over the past several years, <a href="http://glasvegas.net/">this compelling Scottish rock</a> band has become one of my favorites. Are they huge the world over? No. Do they play catchy, compelling and moving songs that are different than what you hear on the radio? Yes indeed. For the fourth time in five years they came to Seattle on tour. This time at the Columbia City Theater. You can read my review of the show <a href="http://wwwthewesternfront.blogspot.com/2014/03/glasgow-to-seatte-glasvegas-live-in.html">HERE</a>. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><i><b>The Strypes. </b></i>This is a <a href="http://thestrypes.com/">young band out of Ireland</a> who bring a fresh perspective on old time blues rock and roll. I'm not talking about "slow hand" style blues here. I'm talking about revved up, amped up, fast paced rockin' blues. Think a cross between the Rolling Stones and The Hives, think a marriage between The Yardbirds and the Ramones. That's what I'm talking about. Hitting the stage at the Crocodile in downtown Seattle, this was a hot, sweaty, great gig. A great time!</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brian Ferry Live in Seattle, (C) Marc Osborn</td></tr>
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<ul>
<li><b><i>Brian Ferry. </i></b>You may remember Brian from his solo work in the 1980s or, more famously, as the lead singer for Roxy Music. When we heard he was coming to play Benaroya Hall in Seattle, we jumped all over it. Scoring tickets right down front center, we really enjoyed hearing all his old hits and some new material too. You can read my short review of the show <a href="http://wwwthewesternfront.blogspot.com/2014/04/bryan-ferry-live-in-seattle-2014.html">HERE</a>.</li>
</ul>
<b>SPORTS</b><br />
It was a really good sports year for me. Hey, any time your hometown football team wins the Super Bowl...and in particular its first...it's automatically a banner year. But, there was much more. Here's how my personal "year in sports" went...<br />
<ul>
<li><b style="font-style: italic;">Seahawks 12K. </b>I ran it and clocked a 7 min, 24 second per mile pace. That's great for me!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><i>STP Bike Ride.</i></b> Another personal athletic accomplishment of 2014 was participating in and completing the annual Seattle to Portland (STP) bike ride. This is a 200+ mile ride starting at the UW campus in Seattle and finishing in downtown Portland. Some people rock it down to Portland in one day, but most do it in two. That's how my buddy Sean and I did it...two days. This was relatively easier (and I use that term loosely), but it also allowed us to take advantage of my in-laws living in Chehalis - a town exactly half way between Seattle and Portland. So, we had a nice place to eat and sleep for our one night on the road. I loved the entire experience. I expected I would be able to do it, and was not surprised that I completed the ride. However, I was sufficiently impressed with the endurance needed. I'll be doing this one again in 2015.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Seahawks</i></b>. What can I say that you don't already know? They won the Super Bowl in February by destroying the Denver Broncos to capture their first NFL title. Wow! I could go on and on, but I'll just leave it at...I never thought I'd see that happen and I could not be more pleased for my city and for the pro team I've followed since the 1970s.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Oregon Ducks. </i></b>My alma matter had an impressive year in sports I follow. First, its mens basketball team made the NCAA "Big Dance" and advanced to the second round. That's really good for UO and made watching basketball a priority for me in some time. Next, the Oregon's mens track and field team won the outdoor national title, and BOTH mens and women's teams won national titles for indoor track and field. Track Town USA! The women's softball team won the Pac-12 championship. And of course, the Oregon football team rolled up a 12-1 record, #2 ranking, beat Washington for the 11th year in a row and earned a berth in the Rose Bowl playoff game on Jan. 1, 2015. Oh, and the Oregon quarterback, Marcus Mariota, won the Heisman Award for the best player in the country.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Sounders</i></b>. My hometown squad had their best year ever. They racked up the best record in MLS for the season (which in virtually all leagues around the world would have made them champion...the end), they won the US Open Cup, had two players on the US World Cup team, beat rival Portland twice (and had one draw with them), reached the divisional finals of the MLS playoffs...all the while playing entertaining soccer. The only downer was that despite all of that, they could not make the final MLS Cup game. Their old nemesis LA Galaxy saw to that. Oh well...on to next season!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><i>World Cup.</i></b> Loved it. Great performances, first class soccer on display, a biting scandal, Team USA did well and the exotic locale of Brazil to see and learn about. For someone not into baseball, this was a great summertime sports focus.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Tour de France.</i></b> I watch this competition every year, and every year I like it more and more. This year saw many top contenders crash out of the race, inclement weather, new and interesting stages and French riders for the first in a long time challenging for top three finishes. Additionally, the 2014 edition of the tour served as a daily inspiration and excitement builder for my own bike riding - training up for and then riding the STP.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><i><b>Winter Olympics.</b></i> Held in Russia, a lot of the entertainment value of the Games was the scandal and background on how Russia put on the competition. Seriously, how did they do it? Read the Vanity Fair article about it. Pretty much all the perceptions you have about Russia being corrupt and producing shoddy infrastructure are true. On the fields of competition, there were engrossing match ups in hockey, downhill skiing, bobsled and cross-country that I enjoyed watching.</li>
</ul>
<b>PHOTOGRAPHY</b><br />
Candidly, this was not my most prolific or artistic year for taking pictures. I still enjoy it greatly, but so many things just took my attention away from doing it more frequently in 2014. None the less, I did get some good shots and you can see my "2014: The Year in Pictures" on my Photostream <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/28342828@N07/sets/72157649406661217/">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>OTHER</b><br />
Diane and I celebrated our <b>17th wedding anniversary</b> this year and I turned 45...I'm closer to 50 now than 40! <b>Our cat Josie</b> had a thyroid issue that would have killed her, but we spent the dough and cured her (for now)...and we have a healthy 14 year old cat again. We <b>enjoyed visiting with friends we had not seen</b> in a while - including Kurt and Heather from Vancouver, WA and Marcus from Portland. We took some nice <b>hikes</b> - Rainer National Park and Mount Pilchuck were memorable. We attended the <b>Greenwood Car Show</b>...always a big party and really near where we live. I went <b>skiing</b> with a buddy at Crystal on a beautiful day in the middle of the week - no crowds! I attended a few <b>Mariners</b> baseball games with some good buddies. I took countless <b>training rides </b>around King County on my new Cannondale road bike to get ready for the STP. I fellow Oregon alumni and I did a road trip to Eugene to see an <b>Oregon basketball game</b> in the brand new, state-of-the-art arena there. We enjoyed may a fun <b>dinner with friends</b> around Seattle and in our own, close-to-home Ballard neighborhood...not to mention enjoying our<b> fire pit </b>in the back yard. I celebrated <b>St. Patrick's Day</b> in SF with work friends by attending a big outdoor bash and then a nice dinner.<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-77106361193132871612014-12-18T11:02:00.000-08:002014-12-18T11:02:06.278-08:00Pac-12 Bowl PredictionsThe college football post season is upon us. In about 48 hours, the first bowl will be played. On Saturday, the Pac-12 gets into the action with the first of its eight teams playing a bowl game. <br />
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Below is the full roster of bowls that league teams will be playing in and what I think will happen...<br />
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<b>Las Vegas Bowl - Dec. 20</b></div>
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#22 Utah vs. Colorado State</div>
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<b>Comment:</b> Utah put together their first good season since joining the Pac-12. CSU seems to annually be decent but not great. But, I think this actually might be a very entertaining game. Utah has great D and dynamic special teams. Colorado State can move the ball. </div>
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<b>Prediction</b>: CSU 27-UU 24</div>
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<b>Holiday Bowl - Dec. 27</b></div>
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#24 USC vs. Nebraska</div>
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<b>Comment</b>: I like this one too. Nebraska is showing their coach out with one last game. USC trying to set up hopes for next season. I think this will make for a competitive game with some good talent on display.</div>
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<b>Prediction</b>: USC 28-Nebraska 17</div>
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<b>Sun Bowl - Dec. 27</b></div>
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#15 Arizona State vs. Duke</div>
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<b>Comment</b>: Meh, not much to root for or care about unless you support one of the two schools. I won't be watching this one. Also, for the two schools it's a no-win situation I think. You win, nobody notices or cares. You lose - particularly if you're ASU - and your season really ends on a down note. </div>
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<b>Prediction</b>: ASU 48-Duke 30</div>
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<b>Foster Farms Bowl - Dec. 30</b></div>
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Stanford vs. Maryland</div>
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<b>Comment</b>: Double meh. Same reasons as the Sun Bowl. Plus, it's the "Foster Farms Bowl." Not watching. </div>
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<b>Prediction</b>: Stanford 20-Maryland 14</div>
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<b>Fiesta Bowl - Dec. 31</b></div>
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#10 Arizona vs. #20 Boise State</div>
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<b>Comment</b>: After a couple snoozer games, the Pac-12 is back with an exciting one here...on New Years Eve to boot. While I'm no Arizona fan, I'll be rooting for them to represent the league against the likes of BSU. Meanwhile, BSU will be trying to return to relevance with an upset of a top 10 team. </div>
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<b>Prediction</b>: UA 35-BSU 23<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Rose Bowl</span><span style="color: #444444;"> - Jan. 1</span></b></div>
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#2 Oregon vs. #3 Florida State</div>
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<b>Comment</b>: This is the biggie for the league and it will be a <i>gooooood</i> game. Given my personal interest in this one and since it's the marquee Pac-12 bowl appearance this season, I'll write a separate prediction post closer to the game.<br />
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<b>Alamo Bowl - Jan. 2</b></div>
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#14 UCLA vs. #11 Kansas State</div>
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<b>Comment</b>: A battle of talented teams, but "also ran" status for both. UCLA was the toast of college football before the season started, then reality set in that they just were not as good as predicted...still good, but not THAT good. Meanwhile KSU put together a nice season, but dropped key games when it counted. I think UCLA will have the edge here, and last time the Wildcats played a Pac-12 team in a bowl (2013 Fiesta vs. Oregon) they were soundly beaten.</div>
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<b>Prediction</b>: UCLA 33-KSU 21</div>
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<b>Cactus Bowl - Jan. 2</b></div>
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Washington vs. Oklahoma State</div>
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<b>Comment</b>: This could go either way. UW beat teams that they were clearly supposed to and lost to every team with a better record. Plus, their QB is iffy at best. Ok State played a plucky season, giving a scare to some good teams and beating their in-state rival Oklahoma. </div>
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<b>Prediction</b>: Oklahoma State 30-UW 27</div>
Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-10116586318692749892014-12-08T13:03:00.000-08:002014-12-08T13:14:19.982-08:00Pac-12 Wraps Up, Bowl Games NextOK, so I predicted the Ducks would win the 2014 Pac-12 Title Game. I was right.<br />
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I predicted the score would be 45-28 - a difference of 17 points. Well, I was 20 points off on that as it ended up being UO by 37 with a final score of 51-13 - with six of UA's total of 13 coming on the last play of the game.<br />
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To summarize how the game went:<br />
<ul>
<li>Oregon stopped UA's offense cold - the exact opposite of when they met in Oct.</li>
<li>UA's defense played well in the first half, but conceded points...then fell apart.</li>
<li>Mariota and the Ducks O took a bit to get on track, but when they did...whoosh!</li>
<li>Blowout. </li>
</ul>
And with that, the Pac-12 season is over. Oregon is league champ - making it four titles over the past six seasons. Elsewhere, the league finished with six of its 12 teams ranked: Oregon #2, Arizona #10, UCLA #14, Arizona State #15, #22 Utah and USC #24. There were two other teams with winning records: UW (8-4) and Stanford (7-5).<br />
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<b><u>What's Next</u></b><br />
For the Pac-12 there are two big things left for this season:<br />
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<b>Will Oregon QB Marcus Mariota win the Heisman Trophy?</b> We'll only know the answer next weekend. Speculation is that he will, but there has not been a league player outside of USC who has won the award since 1970 (Jim Plunkett, Stanford) and nobody from a school outside of the state of California since 1962 (Terry Baker, Oregon State). So, one wonders.<br />
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<b>Bowl Games</b><br />
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Eight league teams are going bowling, some with very interesting match ups, others not so much. Below is who is playing in what games along with some quick thoughts. I'll likely post some predictions for these games at some point in December and FOR SURE on the Rose Bowl.</div>
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#22 Utah vs. Colorado State</div>
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Las Vegas Bowl - Dec. 20</div>
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Decent match up. Could be a good game. The Vegas bowl is a blast and one of the better small bowl games.</div>
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#24 USC vs. Nebraska</div>
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Holiday Bowl - Dec. 27</div>
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I like this one. Nebraska showing their coach out with one last game. USC trying to set up hopes for next season. </div>
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#15 Arizona State vs. Duke</div>
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Sun Bowl - Dec. 27</div>
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Meh, not much to root for or care about unless you support one of the two schools.</div>
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Stanford vs. Maryland</div>
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Foster Farms Bowl - Dec. 30</div>
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Double meh. Same reasons. Plus, it's the "Foster Farms Bowl."</div>
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#10 Arizona vs. #20 Boise State</div>
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Fiesta Bowl - Dec. 31</div>
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Another good one. New Years Eve day to boot. While I'm no Arizona fan, I'll be rooting for them to represent the league against the likes of BSU.<br />
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#2 Oregon vs. #3 Florida State</div>
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Rose Bowl - Jan. 1</div>
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This is the biggie! This will be a <i>gooooood</i> game I think. Close, hard fought with turnovers being a huge factor. I'll predict it soon.</div>
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#14 UCLA vs. #11 Kansas State</div>
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Alamo Bowl - Jan. 2</div>
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A battle of talented teams, but "also ran" status for both. </div>
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Washington vs. Oklahoma State</div>
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Cactus Bowl - Jan. 2</div>
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Which team is on the rise and which one still has big question marks going into the offseason. The winner of this one will feel pretty good and the loser awful.<br />
<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-25037499214353893682014-12-04T09:46:00.000-08:002014-12-04T09:46:00.326-08:00Pac-12 Football: 2014 Final Standings + League Title Prediction<div>
What a season! Great games, upsets, road teams winning, Hail Mary victories, a front-runner Heisman candidate, a player named Scooby and great performances from a lot of players.<br />
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In total I went 64-19 in predicting winners of Pac-12 games this season. That's a 70% rate of success. Pretty good.<br />
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Below is how I thought the standings would be at the end of the season and then how they actually turned out. And below <i>that</i> is how I think the Pac-12 Title Game will go.</div>
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<b><u>NORTH DIVISION</u></b></div>
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Here is how I <u>predicted</u> the teams in this division would finish...</div>
<ol>
<li>Oregon</li>
<li>Stanford </li>
<li>Oregon State </li>
<li>UW </li>
<li>WSU</li>
<li>Cal </li>
</ol>
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Here is how they <u>actually</u> finished...</div>
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<ol>
<li>Oregon (11-1, 8-1)</li>
<li>Stanford (7-5, 5-4)</li>
<li>UW (8-5, 4-5) </li>
<li>Cal (5-7, 3-6)</li>
<li>WSU (3-9, 2-7)</li>
<li>Oregon State (5-7, 2-7)</li>
</ol>
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I got the first two and fifth place correct, but otherwise it was a jumble with UW and Cal performing a bit better than I thought and Oregon State a lot worse. Overall, despite some good games, this division ended up being Oregon and then everyone else. The Ducks swept every school...and, other than WSU, by a lot of points.<br />
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<b>Game of the season:</b> Oregon beats Stanford, stopping a two season skid against the Cardinal and latching onto the North Division lead for good. </div>
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<b>Next</b>: All this puts Oregon into the Pac-12 title game Friday.</div>
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<b><u>SOUTH DIVISION</u></b><br />
Here is how I <u>predicted</u> the teams in this division would finish...<br />
<ol>
<li>UCLA</li>
<li>USC</li>
<li>ASU</li>
<li>UA</li>
<li>Utah</li>
<li>CU</li>
</ol>
Here is how they <u>actually</u> finished...<br />
<ol>
<li>UA (10-2, 7-2) </li>
<li>UCLA (9-3, 6-3) </li>
<li>ASU (9-3, 6-3)</li>
<li>USC (8-4, 6-3)</li>
<li>Utah (8-4, 5-4)</li>
<li>CU (2-10, 0-9) </li>
</ol>
I got spots 3, 5 and 6 correct. But, Arizona played much better than I thought they would with a new QB and replacing some key players on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, UCLA under-performed...I bought into the annual UCLA hype this year and should not have. And USC had an OK year, but not as good as their talent would suggest.<br />
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<b>Game of the season: </b>Way too many to pick just one. But, I'll try...ASU beats UCLA in the last game of the regular season. This eliminates the Bruins from winning the South Division and catapults UA into that position.<br />
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<b>Next</b>: These results put Arizona into the Pac-12 title game Friday.<br />
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<b><u>Pac-12 TITLE GAME - Dec. 5, 2014 </u></b><br />
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<b>Oregon Ducks vs. Arizona Wildcats in Santa Clara, CA at 6 p.m. Pacific </b><br />
By virtue of its better record, Oregon is the "home" team, but this is a neutral site match up.<br />
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<b>This is obviously a compelling game. Here are several reasons why...</b><br />
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<b>Oregon: </b>If they win, not only will they re-capture the league title for the first time in three seasons, but they will be a lock to get into the four-team national championship playoff. And that would likely be in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. Oh, and barring a bad game, QB Mariota is probably your 2014 Heisman Trophy winner. And if all that wasn't enough for the Ducks to be motivated, Arizona is the team that gave them their one loss earlier in the season...so revenge will be a factor. If Oregon loses, for the third season in a row they will be relegated to the odd situation of being second banana in a league they dominated. Sure, they'll still probably get a decent bowl, but no playoff and no Heisman.<br />
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<b>Arizona: </b>These are heady days for Arizona's football program. Sure, by all rights they should have lost to UW and were only saved by a super bone headed coaching decision by Washington to not "take a knee" at the end of that game. But, they now have a chance to win their first Pac title ever. That is their motivation. That and of course trying to show their earlier victory over UO was not a fluke. If they beat the favored Ducks, they'll have an outside shot at the playoff (depending on what else happens nationally) but more likely a sweet New Years Day bowl. If they lose, they drop to a being a three-loss team and while they will go bowling and probably still be ranked, it'll be quite a bit less of a season for them.<br />
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<b>Big Picture: </b>How Oregon does in this game will have a direct impact on which schools are in the four team national title playoff. If the Ducks win, they're in...locking up one of the four spots. If they lose, then another school will get in.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>What do I think will happen in this game?</b><br />
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I think Oregon will win this time against Arizona. It'll be a hard fought, tough game for a half...maybe even three quarters. Arizona will put points on the board, sure. But, this time around Oregon will pull away and win by a couple scores. Why do I think this? A few reasons:<br />
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1) Oregon has a healthy offensive line this time. Due to a wave of injuries, in October they were starting walk ons and Freshmen at most spots on the line against UA. It showed. The running game was extremely limited, Mariota was hurried and sacked a lot and the Ducks were unable to take advantage of the aggressive Arizona defense. Additionally, key defensive players left the game because of injury too. It was still a very close game, but the Ducks could not do enough to win. However, since getting many/most their starters back on the line...<br />
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2) Oregon's offense has ramped up considerably and they are hitting on all cylinders. Loads of talent and experience all over the field. This time, I expect the Ducks to make Arizona pay for their aggressive play on defense with more yards, more first downs and more points. <br />
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3) Oregon's defense has steadily improved. In the defeat to Arizona they looked lost and unprepared. Horrible to be honest. Since then they've gotten better and better each week - particularly at linebacker. Arizona feasted on the short pass over the middle or to the flat followed by long runs by the receiver. That was poor linebacker play...something that has greatly improved since. Also, the Ducks have gotten a much better pass rush since the loss. And I highly doubt there will be any stupid "unsportsmanlike conduct" penalties for celebration such as the one that created the Arizona drive that cost the Ducks the earlier game with Arizona.<br />
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My prediction is that these three factors will be clearly on display and will add up to an Oregon win:<br />
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Oregon 45-UA 28<br />
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<b><br /></b>Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-24422555239057955292014-12-01T08:03:00.001-08:002014-12-01T08:03:13.399-08:00Pac-12 Football Week 14 - Results vs. PredictionsI went 4-3 this week, bringing my season total to 64-19 in picking Pac-12 football game winners.<br />
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<b>#8 UCLA (9-2, 6-2) vs. Stanford (6-5, 4-4) in Los Angeles. </b>If UCLA prevails, they win the Pac-12 South Division and will face Oregon for the league championship next weekend. If Stanford wins, the winner of the Territorial Cup takes the South. So who's going to come out on top? I think UCLA is on a roll. They are playing much better and they're at home. Sure, Stanford will present some problems for Bruin QB Hundley, but I think UCLA will be able to score more than Stanford.<br />
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My Prediction: UCLA 24-Stanford 17<br />
Actual Score: <span style="color: red;">Stanford 31-UCLA 10.</span> What sound does a bruin make? CHOKE! Wow. They super-blew it at home. And I blew my prediction pretty bad.<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">TERRITORIAL CUP.</span> #11 Arizona (9-2, 6-2) vs. #13 Arizona State (9-2, 6-2) in Tucson.</b> The winner of this rivalry game will either win the South Division if UCLA stumbles or they will set themselves up for a very good non-playoff bowl game. The loser will still go bowling, but the luster will be a off a bit. My gut tells me ASU has more juice. Despite having a couple surprisingly bad losses (to UCLA and OS), they are one of the most constantly good teams in the league...if that makes sense. UA ain't chopped liver and could win. But, I say the Sun Devils in this one.<br />
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My Prediction: ASU 38-UA 28<br />
Actual Score: <span style="color: red;">UA 42-ASU 35.</span> Check out Arizona. I thought this would be close, and it was, but obviously I thought the Sun Devils would prevail. Oh well.<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">CIVIL</span><span style="color: #999999;"> </span><span style="color: #666666;">WAR</span><span style="color: #999999;">.</span> #2 Oregon (10-1, 7-1) vs. Oregon State (5-6, 2-6) in Corvallis.</b> From a distance, this game would appear to be a lock for Oregon. However, as an Oregon fan, I can tell you with 100 percent confidence that the Oregon State Beavers football team will play its best game of the season, by far, in the Civil War. Book it. Their defense will suddenly rise up and look like a brick wall. Book it. And, their QB will slice and dice the Oregon D. Book it.<br />
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But here's another thing you can book...Oregon has much better talent across the board and they have Marcus Mariota at QB. And that will make the difference. I only see Oregon losing if either: a) Mariota goes out injured, b) there is some time/space continuum vortex over Corvallis that unleashes a tsunami of Oregon turnovers that the Beavers benefit from directly in points or c) both.<br />
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Could the Beavers win? Yes, they "could." They'll score points, but they won't win.<br />
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My Prediction: UO 47-OS 31<br />
Actual Score: <span style="color: lime;">UO 47-OS 14.</span> Got the UO score right on the number...thought the Beaves would put much more of a fight.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">APPLE CUP</span>. Washington (7-5, 3-5) vs. Washington State (3-8, 2-6) in Pullman. </b>This is another "throw the records out" rivalry game. WSU has been plugging away, playing competitive football in most their games but not reaping results. Passing the ball is their forte and they are doing it right now (pretty well) with a new QB coming in mid-season for their injured starter. They want to sting the Huskies to make their season. UW has an up-and-down season - beating inferior teams and losing to same or better teams. And, they've shown a penchant for blowing it via poor coaching decisions when they could have/should have won (UA) or nearly doing so (Eastern Washington). So what does all that mean? I think it means that the Huskies will win a fairly close game.<br />
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My Prediction: UW 30-WSU 26<br />
Actual Score: <span style="color: lime;">UW 31-WSU 13</span>. Again, I was very accurate on what the winner would do...not so much on their competition.<br />
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<b>#25 Utah (7-4, 4-4) vs. Colorado (2-9, 0-8) in Boulder. </b>Utah is bowl eligible and they'll be fighting for that much better of a bowl game that would come with an eighth win. Meanwhile, CU is seeking to finally get a league win this season. They are at home and are not as bad as their record suggest. But Utah is better.<br />
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My Prediction: UU 27-CU 17<br />
Actual Score: <span style="color: lime;">UU 38-CU 34.</span> CU put up many more points against that Utah defense than I thought...or probably anybody in Salt Lake City did.<br />
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<b>USC (7-4, 4-1) vs. Notre Dame (7-4) in Los Angeles.</b> Notre Dame is coming off three losses in a row and USC enters the game losing a stinger to UCLA. Who gets back on the winning track? I say its the Trojans. More talent.<br />
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My Prediction: USC 24-ND 20<br />
Actual Score: <span style="color: lime;">USC 49-ND 14.</span> Is it that USC finally put it all together? Or, is it that ND is really over-rated? Probably some of both.<br />
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<b>Cal (5-6, 2-4) vs. BYU (7-4) in Berkley.</b> People in Berkley and Provo will care about this game. Nobody else will. I say Cal's offense wins the day for the Golden Bears to get them, barely, to bowl eligibility.<br />
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My Prediction: Cal 38-BYU 20<br />
Actual Score: <span style="color: red;">BYU 42-Cal 35</span>. Cal misses gaining bowl eligibility. BYU gets to eight wins. The world looks the other way.<br />
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Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-14286036422509708632014-11-27T08:41:00.000-08:002014-11-27T08:41:13.013-08:00Happy Thanksgiving 2014Happy Thanksgiving everyone!<br />
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For "turkey day" today, here's a picture of a beautiful bird I took in Peru a couple years ago...<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-55656428807213446482014-10-30T09:19:00.000-07:002014-10-30T09:19:15.574-07:00Songs For Your Halloween PartyHalloween falls on a Friday this year! So, many of you may be partying. And what does any good party need? Music.<br />
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While I am sure I'm missing some obvious ones, below is a list of "scary" songs culled from my iTunes library that I'll be putting on at our house this year...<br />
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<ul>
<li>Hells Bells - AC/DC</li>
<li>Psycho Killer - Talking Heads</li>
<li>Foul Owl - Quincy Jones</li>
<li>Archives of Pain - Manic Street Preachers</li>
<li>Enter Sandman - Metallica</li>
<li>Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult</li>
<li>Teenagers from Mars - Green Day</li>
<li>Graveyard - Public Image Limited</li>
<li>The Witch - The Sonics</li>
<li>Teenage Lobotomy - The Ramones</li>
<li>The Road To Hell - Chris Rea</li>
<li>The Devil in Ms. Jones - Mike Ness</li>
<li>Knives Out - Radiohead</li>
<li>Wave of Mutilation - Pixies</li>
<li>Frankenstein - New York Dolls</li>
<li>Ouija Board, Ouija Board - Morrissey</li>
<li>Right Next Door to Hell - Guns N' Roses</li>
<li>Heeby-Jeebies - Little Richard</li>
<li>Abra Cadaver - The Hives </li>
<li>Sympathy for the Devil - The Rolling Stones</li>
<li>Witchy Woman - Eagles</li>
<li>I'm Gonna Get Stabbed - Glasvegas</li>
<li>Thriller - Michael Jackson</li>
<li>Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo</li>
<li>Highway to Hell - AC/DC</li>
<li>Used to Love Her - Guns N' Roses</li>
</ul>
Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-7720831910468665662014-10-15T09:00:00.000-07:002014-10-16T07:32:43.961-07:00Ducks Go Full Retro for UW GameIf the annual rivalry between Oregon and Washington football has lacked a bit of spark over the past 10 years becasue the Ducks have doled out 10 beat downs in a row, well, the UO just provided it.<br />
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<div>
To mark the 20th anniversary of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqlcRAZfRHc">"The Pick"</a> by UO cornerback Kenny Wheaton, Oregon unveiled the throwback uniforms they'll wear this weekend against the Huskies.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOTEZh8ZvpzR5aBvX21mSufwVw-8OLobMMBk2OGcwj86vVcV4RW9nxyBJiTQEEtHU9kFe7FZLdcdO1aItSQ7_mUlDBCi_BU5y1cgDxJXI_Dh_bNgEvP8iff7JDv7ET-Z1zjIxcq2sx5E/s1600/Bz7DSdtCcAEIMhQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOTEZh8ZvpzR5aBvX21mSufwVw-8OLobMMBk2OGcwj86vVcV4RW9nxyBJiTQEEtHU9kFe7FZLdcdO1aItSQ7_mUlDBCi_BU5y1cgDxJXI_Dh_bNgEvP8iff7JDv7ET-Z1zjIxcq2sx5E/s1600/Bz7DSdtCcAEIMhQ.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oregon Retro Uniforms for Game Oct 18, 2014</td></tr>
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As a Duck fan, this is AWESOME! Those uniforms were great and the win against UW back in 1994 set in motion a run to a Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl appearance that year and a whole lot of change in Oregon football (and athletics generally) after that...giving rise to what we have now.</div>
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And of course, UO fans will revel in the uniforms and the exhilaration of "Wheaton is gonna score!" all while hoping to Hell the Ducks prevail once again. After all, if you lose wearing these uniforms and all they stand for - at minimum you look a bit foolish and at maximum you actual tarnish the history some. Not much, but some.</div>
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If I was a Husky fan, I'd be pissed off. This is a direct slap in the face...rubbing Dawg noses in not only the dramatic pick-six but also the 20 year dominance of UO over UW (15-4 since 1994). </div>
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And hence the spark the rivalry needs. You can be sure the Seattle media will cover this angle - reminding all Dawg fans of that fateful day 20 years ago and amping them up with a bloodthirsty desire for revenge. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNg7J56muy4DRoKsnyaz9BNArsTTZgmiCjkpx6fI1GjMiPQ5aAa9fbj2RBf7JabT4MmudjRI7Tbh_sposGJSbuIiu5cYTcxReaB5LF4xyPcH6nngJvE2f9HN5IO1T8HSJYwCeViP8RCO8/s1600/Bz7DSdJCYAActB_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNg7J56muy4DRoKsnyaz9BNArsTTZgmiCjkpx6fI1GjMiPQ5aAa9fbj2RBf7JabT4MmudjRI7Tbh_sposGJSbuIiu5cYTcxReaB5LF4xyPcH6nngJvE2f9HN5IO1T8HSJYwCeViP8RCO8/s1600/Bz7DSdJCYAActB_.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oregon Retro Uniforms for Game Oct 18, 2014</td></tr>
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<div>
Ironically, the players on both sides probably don't care too much one way or the other as they were either babies or not even born back in 1994.<br />
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Yes, both teams want to win the game bad, but for their own reasons this season and not because of what happened two decades ago...and they are certainly not motivated by what one team will wear.</div>
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No, this weekend UO players are more or less just indulging Oregon fans by donning the retro gear. </div>
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Meanwhile, UW players don't have any memory of those uniforms either. To them its just some new combo in the ever changing lineup of colors and designs trotted out by Oregon. </div>
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How will all this play out? Well, check back Thursday for my Pac-12 predictions post. </div>
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In the meantime, <a href="http://wwwthewesternfront.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-decade-of-duck-dominance-oregon.html">check out my personal UO vs. UW football history post</a> from this week.</div>
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Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-61083796070554768712014-10-14T10:02:00.000-07:002014-10-14T18:40:24.986-07:00A Decade of Duck Dominance - Oregon, Washington It's that week of the college football season. If you live in Washington or Oregon, you know what I mean. It's the week the University of Oregon and University of Washington football teams square off in a bitter, bitter boarder rivalry.<br />
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Hate and war...at least among the fan bases. <br />
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As a UO grad who grew up in Seattle and who lives there now, it's also a week that determines how much crap I'll get from UW fans for the following twelve months. This year, the plan is to gather with a mixed group of UO and UW friends to watch the game at a local pub. We'll see how that goes!<br />
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As we collectively prep for the big game, I thought I'd take a few minutes for a pre-emptive strike against my UW "friends" to remind them how lop-sided the "rivalry" has been recently.<br />
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First, historically Washington owns the advantage in the overall record of the rivalry. Give them their due. Stretching back over the past 114 years, UW has won 58 of the games to 43 for Oregon. There have been five ties over the years too. The long stretches of UW dominance over the decades is what built up the bitterness among Oregon fans for Washington football. Or, more accurately, hate for Washington football <i>fans</i>. Yep. The unmitigated arrogance and condescending attitude from many UW fans is why it was so sweet when the Ducks won in 1994 on the famous Kenny Wheaton interception and why regularly kicking Husky butt nowadays is such a pleasure.<br />
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Speaking of which, over the past 20 years Oregon has won 15 of the battles with Washington while UW has won four. The teams didn't play in 2001. And over the last 10 years it's been 100% all Oregon winning the games - all by substantial margins. Right now, the compelling nature of this game every year is if, when, where and how will Washington win again. My prediction is not this year. Their best shot is going to be in 2015.<br />
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Below is a re-cap of the "decade of Duck dominance" with games I personally attended marked with a *. I've added a few recollections too.<br />
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<b>2013 in Seattle*. UO 45-UW 24. </b>As a Seattle resident, I remember hearing many in the Seattle sports media saying that UW really had a great chance to win and probably would. So much so that I actually started believing them and was nervous about it. I need not have worried. Oregon QB Marcus Mariota had a huge day, throwing three TD passes and 366 yards through the air. He ran for 88 yards and a TD as well. This game was close through the first half, then snowballed in Oregon's favor in the second half. A friend and I sat in the Oregon section way, way, way up in the rafters of the renovated Husky Stadium. Oh, and the only crap I received from a UW fan was pretty weak...before the game in "The Zone" eating and drinking area a very inebriated UW student walked up to me and slurred out, "Your shirt fucking sucks." He stood there droopy eyed and repeated his statement, expecting me to react. I just ignored him. He eventually shambled away.<br />
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<b>2012 in Eugene. UO 52-UW 21.</b> This was the first boarder rivalry game played by UO QB Mariota. He did well, throwing for four TDs. The Oregon D also had a "pick six" off UW QB Keith Price.<br />
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<b>2011 in Seattle*. UO 34-UW 17.</b> This turned out to be the "closest" game across the ten year stretch of consecutive Duck wins. It was also a night game and the last to be played in the old Husky Stadium before the renovation project was to begin. Note, not the last Oregon vs. Washington game before the remodel...no, the last game <i>ever</i> in the old structure. What happened? Oregon won. That's what. UO RB LaMichael James had a big night running the ball. I sat in the old west end-zone section with Oregon fans. This was one of the worst places to watch a game at old Husky Stadium because of how far you are from the action. And, it's why UW allocated that section for visitors tickets.<br />
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I recall going out on the concourse at halftime and witnessing two incidence of abuse by UW fans. First, standing in line to get a hot dog...all of a sudden a body comes flying into my back, making me stumble forward. Turns out, a UW fan had shoved an Oregon fan and that fan fell into me. Wheeling around, I saw that the offending person was young and clearly drunk. He wanted to fight anyone not wearing purple. Some cooler-headed Husky fans somehow got him out of there before security showed up. The next thing that happened was standing in line to use the restroom. The way Husky Stadium was constructed at the time was that fans with seats at the very top of the U-shaped west end zone section could turn around and look directly down on the concourse. It happened that a drunk 50-something UW fan had done just that and was shouting abuse at Oregon fans as we waited in line to go to the restroom. Between his stream of profanity, he peppered in the line "win a Rose Bowl." (Oregon did that just a few weeks later by the way.) I fully expected this guy to throw something on us or spit at us because we were sitting "ducks" in line there. He didn't. But, all the guys in the line with me - UO and UW fans alike - agreed that you don't want to be that guy...middle age, drunk, swearing and spewing hate at people about college football.<br />
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<b>2010 in Eugene. UO 53-16. </b>After a 0-0 score at the end of the first quarter, UW fans had reason to be hopeful. With Jake Locker out, young backup Keith Price played QB for Washington...and looked pretty good all day long. But, reality hit in the second quarter and another wipe-out of Washington ensued. I watched this one at home in Seattle. I remember thinking I was glad not to have made the trip because it wasn't much of a game and the weather was bad down there in Eugene.<br />
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<b>2009 in Seattle*. UO 43-UW 19. </b>A game played on a wonderfully sunny fall afternoon. We took the party boat from Ballard to Husky Stadium wearing our Oregon gear. Dawg fans were good natured on the ride before the game, silent to us on the way back. I met KJR sports radio personality Mike Gastineau on the boat. Nice guy. Oh, and the game wasn't close...again. I recall Locker throwing an interception just as it looked like UW might get into the game with a score. All downhill for them after that.<br />
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<b>2008 in Eugene.* UO 44-UW 10. </b>This was a night game and an early outing for new UW QB Jake Locker. Meanwhile, it was also the debut at QB for Oregon's Jeremiah Masoli. Even the home PA announcer didn't know how to pronounce Masoli's last name (it's Mah-sOH-Lee). UW would go on to win exactly zero games the rest of the 2008 season. A friend and I went down for the game. We spent the sunny, hot afternoon perched outside on the patio at Taylor's near campus...which was a lot of fun. Eventually, some other UW fan friends from Seattle joined us for the walk over to the stadium. Which left me as a lone Oregon fan amongst 3-4 Husky buddies. This proved not to be great for us as we somehow fell in with some young, amped up and drunk Oregon fans who a) were eager to give maximum shit to any UW fan, and b) did not appreciated that I, as an Oregon fan, was walking with Washington fans to the game. You can read about that episode and my reaction to it in my post titled <a href="http://wwwthewesternfront.blogspot.com/2008/09/theres-a-hole-in-every-crowd-sometimes.html">"There's An A-Hole In Every Crowd (Sometimes Two)."</a><br />
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<b>2007 in Seattle.* Oregon 55-UW 34. </b>This was the game where UW fans cheered mightily on a play where they thought Washington's defense has stuffed a run up the middle only to realize to their horror that the Oregon QB, Denis Dixon, had actually pulled the ball out and was running unabated down the sideline for a score. UO running back, and Tacoma-area native, Jonathan Steward had a great day too...rushing for 251 yards.<br />
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<b>2006 in Eugene. UO 34-14. </b>Anyone remember who was the starting UW QB that day? Carl Bonnell. Me neither. This was the third year in a row the game was played in Eugene - an anomaly of scheduling and not some secret conspiracy to "screw" the UW. Washington fans like to forget there were stretches where the UO vs. UW game was played in connective years in Seattle - 1989-1991 for example. All Husky wins by the way.<br />
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<b>2005 in Eugene*. UO 45-UW 21.</b> A big day for Oregon QB Kellen Clemens and another big win for the Ducks. This was a game that a friend of mine and I did the whole trip from Seattle to Eugene and back in one day...a very LONG day. But, it was a longer day for my friend as he is a Husky fan. I also recall a funny episode at Taylor's bar before the game. We stopped in for some food and pre-game libations. My friend was wearing his UW shirt, bravely advertising he was a "enemy" fan. At one point a lovely young UO student (I am assuming she was a student) decked out in Oregon colors came up to us and fanned out a series of flyers - each with the headline "Famous Huskies" or something like that. On each was a different UW grad who, shall we say, aren't the best people - Ted Bundy, Jeremy Stevens and various other UW players who had been convicted of crimes. I think she gave my friend a choice of which one he could take. We all had a laugh.<br />
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<b>2004 in Eugene. UO 31-UW 6. </b>UO QB Clemens had a great day as the world was treated to the "all-neon-yellow" UO uniforms. If I recall, this game was actually NOT on TV in Seattle. A friend and I listed to it on the radio. Remember those days when games were not on TV?<br />
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And there we have it. The last 10 meetings. The two years prior, 2003 and 2002, Washington won impressively 44-14 and 42-10 respectively. Ah yes, the early 2000s. Before Facebook, iPods, Twitter, smart phones. Even the oldest players on UW were in middle school the last time the Huskies prevailed.<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-44220889166794318542014-09-29T10:23:00.002-07:002014-09-29T10:28:33.810-07:00Upset the Ms Missed the MLB Playoff? Here is Some AdviceLife is what happens while you wait for the Seattle Mariners to make the MLB playoffs.<br />
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Seriously, they've been in existence since 1977 - 37 seasons of baseball. So much can and does happen over a 37 year span - for individuals, society, in sports, entertainment and on and on - life in other words. And how many times have the Ms made the playoffs over that time frame? Four. That's right. Thirty-three seasons of no playoff and usually losing baseball. And, of course, no World Series appearances or titles.<br />
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Indeed, the intervals between playoff appearances for the Ms are long. It took 19 seasons for their first post-season appearance. Two years later, they were back in the playoffs and it looked like the entire franchise had turned things around. But, after two more appearances over a four year period, it's been another 13 seasons of not making the playoffs.<br />
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So, while I'm glad the Seattle Mariners had a winning season in 2014 and made it a more interesting fall than normal for baseball in the northwest, I am not surprised they failed to advance. History is clear.<br />
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That, and the team had far too many uninspired, uninterested losses to bottom feeder teams for me to feel sorry for or upset that the Ms failed to qualify on the last game of the season. Too much was left out on the diamond all season long. I personally attended two losses to a horrid Houston team - losses in which you could tell the guys just didn't give a crap about being out there. No hustle, no spark, no sense of urgency. Hell, win just ONE of those and, as it turns out, they would be in the playoffs.<br />
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So what does all that mean to Seattle sports fans feeling upset today that the Mariners are done? I have three pieces of advice that I think will help you feel better about your local sports scene:<br />
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<b>First, appreciate the Seahawks</b>. Those guys - regardless of talent - care. This current roster plays with passion and leaves all effort out on the field each game. Sure, they're good and that helps a lot. But what I'm saying is...appreciate the effort and the passion. And of course, they're the reigning Super Bowl champs. So, there's that for you too.<br />
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<b>Second, think about supporting a consistent local winner. </b>Who am I talking about? How about the <b>Seattle</b> <b>Sounders</b> soccer team. They've made the playoff each of their five years in the MLS, consistently have one of the best records in the league year-in and year-out, their home field/game day experience is wonderful, they have a GREAT rivalry with Portland and another with Vancouver, and they've won the annual US Open tournament four times in six years. That's a winner folks. Oh, you say you don't like soccer because it's "boring" or something? If you're a baseball fan...you have no leg to stand on there. Baseball is the most tedious pro sport in existence. Get over yourself and get on the Sounders bandwagon. If you can enjoy baseball, believe me you can get into soccer.<br />
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<b>Third, hey...if you like baseball and the Ms, fine. Be a great supporter. </b>But, also embrace the history and keep your expectations in check. After all, your team is almost never going to be in the post season. You could have a child today and that child could very well grow up, graduate high school and be of voting age before the Ms make the post season again. If you go into each season with that as your expectation, then perhaps you can enjoy it more when they don't make it. And then, on the super rare occasion they do...party time!<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-20351184219805770932014-09-22T10:41:00.001-07:002014-09-22T10:41:21.238-07:00Views of My Photos Hit 400,000Today I see that I have reached the 400,000 mark for views of <a href="http://bit.ly/1sUZwq4">my pictures on Flickr</a>.<br />
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Back in mid-March, I hit the 300,000 mark, so it's only taken six months for those additional 100,000 views to take place.<br />
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What are people looking at? Generally, everything - travel shots, historical places, cars, color themed pictures and on and on.<br />
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But in terms of the top 5 most viewed pictures of those 400,000, it gets a bit more condensed into a few subjects:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
#1 - A wood spiral staircase inside Peles Castle in Transylvania, Romania.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMalcbdiolXVGW0Nrjk9luH8WtHFvfjQ5_HE00RUWuD9fIPEGCEW90E4pEXTDc2cM_GPWxTky58HAiuDbjy89uIUzkQs3tT4cLRKOm8T-OxxvVC0rvVYabMkElHZFIyohMU7oxIZ4L7Tg/s1600/5962893752_3287d0bfbe_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMalcbdiolXVGW0Nrjk9luH8WtHFvfjQ5_HE00RUWuD9fIPEGCEW90E4pEXTDc2cM_GPWxTky58HAiuDbjy89uIUzkQs3tT4cLRKOm8T-OxxvVC0rvVYabMkElHZFIyohMU7oxIZ4L7Tg/s1600/5962893752_3287d0bfbe_z.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(C) Marc Osborn</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
#2 - Naked bicycle riders in the annual Ballard (Seattle) Solstice Parade.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bB3rOENRnOyJ2K1IV4OWqyD6SI76XIkDFH3Y8C8GEa6Hd0KIxQm2IvSS6cktlx-IRW6cTyUdxlcyBpc5Ce2szxUIFafXPdRWCYlkKdRioVz0B7o3pu4leq2RD0eptjvcLqeDdYZEPA4/s1600/4718922280_39e24a5aeb_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bB3rOENRnOyJ2K1IV4OWqyD6SI76XIkDFH3Y8C8GEa6Hd0KIxQm2IvSS6cktlx-IRW6cTyUdxlcyBpc5Ce2szxUIFafXPdRWCYlkKdRioVz0B7o3pu4leq2RD0eptjvcLqeDdYZEPA4/s1600/4718922280_39e24a5aeb_z.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(C) Marc Osborn</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
#3 - Another picture of the same spiral staircase at Peles Castle. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTt2aWbcHLBKJw2meZNFU1aaEHNcgk82uGsSvfvEoZayl9l8Shja2EWlLBVsMU8ixaUIJJExPe4uWoV_ehd6wuL4iu9zU-sm0cGUHTxsjdC2JZ8slJrS1MNtmlSbAaMFmCQTNCrW8NbY/s1600/5962339367_0692b3c773_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTt2aWbcHLBKJw2meZNFU1aaEHNcgk82uGsSvfvEoZayl9l8Shja2EWlLBVsMU8ixaUIJJExPe4uWoV_ehd6wuL4iu9zU-sm0cGUHTxsjdC2JZ8slJrS1MNtmlSbAaMFmCQTNCrW8NbY/s1600/5962339367_0692b3c773_z.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(C) Marc Osborn</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
#4 - A closeup of inlaid decoration on the Taj Mahal in India.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2XGUEnbzt6DiIPpBsFcYZjWlDQVdxqj6652RnZR4XyR1K97kkv-sgq0xjJRj2KuAuA3HYiZmaMGUfQgguvYsGzxDAdZF3hCahREM-ly1EidfdXspKS0qRpwmyN9hcyDtyHocI3CPmPc/s1600/3277785854_63df0983a1_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2XGUEnbzt6DiIPpBsFcYZjWlDQVdxqj6652RnZR4XyR1K97kkv-sgq0xjJRj2KuAuA3HYiZmaMGUfQgguvYsGzxDAdZF3hCahREM-ly1EidfdXspKS0qRpwmyN9hcyDtyHocI3CPmPc/s1600/3277785854_63df0983a1_z.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(C) Marc Osborn</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
#5 - Another shot of naked bike riders in the Solstice Parade. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMrn0E0vHgHeOD5HM9NgOp2t1rWcLLrazKT_Sdzni9kMVe-tu-9UW7AtKDmHwA8gurpo5-QDNmv_RdbnvSam1bYEgGqoJNba1NqDSmx4iclEMm3xotMR1O20DlrS0mkHShZK1h-eINTY/s1600/7387122166_5e24d09276_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMrn0E0vHgHeOD5HM9NgOp2t1rWcLLrazKT_Sdzni9kMVe-tu-9UW7AtKDmHwA8gurpo5-QDNmv_RdbnvSam1bYEgGqoJNba1NqDSmx4iclEMm3xotMR1O20DlrS0mkHShZK1h-eINTY/s1600/7387122166_5e24d09276_z.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(C) Marc Osborn</td></tr>
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Copyright of all pictures in this post own by Marc Osborn. No use of any image for any purpose is permitted without prior written permission from Marc Osborn.<br />
<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637980078456750621.post-84870555612676187972014-09-02T17:14:00.000-07:002014-09-05T09:43:44.819-07:00"Know Your Rights" - As Relevant A Song Today As EverThis is a public service announcement! With a bloooooggg...<br />
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Way back in 1982, rock band <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clash">The Clash</a> released a song called "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_Your_Rights">Know Your Rights</a>." It is the first song on their best-selling <i>Combat Rock</i> album. Many of you have probably heard it at one time or another, although it's not as popular a tune from the album as, say, "Rock the Casbah" or "Should I Stay Or Should I Go."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZa7oa7g9gfGb0flKd8Mn54OcEtBMgSb9Nq7f1y_p8pWikGFg7jXqtLWKPMJIWhmM-f7Tnde7w19V9yVzNdGYcfH8On_7n_Xmq4X7BkRzAIay6wa5ZYToA_cGIEdXkAYq0C4j9zaldUm8/s1600/7556760270_691d73e0d7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZa7oa7g9gfGb0flKd8Mn54OcEtBMgSb9Nq7f1y_p8pWikGFg7jXqtLWKPMJIWhmM-f7Tnde7w19V9yVzNdGYcfH8On_7n_Xmq4X7BkRzAIay6wa5ZYToA_cGIEdXkAYq0C4j9zaldUm8/s1600/7556760270_691d73e0d7.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork for the song on a t-shirt. (C) Marc Osborn</td></tr>
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None the less, it's an extraordinary song that absolutely scorches out an alternative view of the western world. You just don't hear songs this cutting, this brave and this - as it turns out - accurate. Not today or even back then. I guess that's why The Clash is often called "the only band that matters."<br />
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In any case, it's not a tune you hear unless you seek it out. No time for such serious business when the world can be distracted by fluffy, electronic confections of pitch-corrected nothingness.<br />
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But even more impressive is that - and this occurred to me while listing to the song on my iPod while running a treadmill as the news filled the nearby TV screen - that despite its age, "Know Your Rights" is still dead on relevant today as it ever was. It's a song that can still be turned up and blasted loudly and people will relate...or should.<br />
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You can see and hear a live performance of the song by The Clash <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlqSSWXbcOw">HERE</a>.<br />
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So that you get my point, however, lets revisit the lyrics as written by the late great Joe Strummer to see what I mean. Here is the first verse...<br />
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<i>Know your rights! All three of them.</i></div>
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<i>Number one, you have the right not to be killed</i></div>
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<i>Murder is a crime, unless it was done by a policeman or an aristocrat.</i></div>
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Hmm. Does that sound familiar in 2014? Ferguson, Missouri anyone? Or, how about the born-rich George W. Bush and the Haliburton-rich Dick Cheney leading the USA into a falsely-premised war in Iraq...killing thousands of Americans and Iraqis who otherwise would not have died?<br />
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Or how about verse two...<br />
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<i>And number two, you have the right to food money</i></div>
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<i>Providing of course you don't mind a little investigation, humiliation </i></div>
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<i>And if you cross your fingers, rehabilitation</i></div>
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Sounds like today's right wing and its ongoing, calculated ridicule, despise and marginalization of the poor and any program meant to help them help them out of poverty. As their propaganda goes, the poor are 100% percent to blame for their situation and why should anyone - particularly the rich or the government - pay one thin dime to help them? They are "takers" after all.<br />
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And finally, verse three...<br />
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<i>Number three, you have the right to free speech</i></div>
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<i>As long as you're not dumb enough to actually try it</i></div>
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The "Occupy" movement seems to be a good example of this. Sure, the initial protests happened, but the biggest one in NYC was shut down by the cops on a city ordinance technicality. I remember one protester sign said something like, "If authorities enforced Wall Street regulation like it does park ordinances, there would be no economic crisis." Touche. Also, this third verse evokes the more recent Ferguson, MO situation again where cops armed with military weapons swept up the street of protesters, arrested journalists and imposed a curfew on all citizens.<br />
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So there you go. Find this song. Give it a listen. Think about the words. Think about how this type of perspective on the world is so sorely missing in the "shout your opponent down" mentality of today's cable TV and non-political entertainment machine. <br />
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That is all.<br />
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<br />Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02594800236926113160noreply@blogger.com0