source: cbc.ca
L to R: Rob Baker, Paul Langlois, Gord Downie, Johnny Fay, Gord Sinclair
As I updated on August 10 from my June 17, 2012 entry, Tragically Hip lead singer Gord Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer (glioblastoma) in May. Their 'Man Machine Poem' summer tour will be their last. The finale took place last night from their hometown in Kingston, Ontario. CBC aired the concert commercial free. Among those who attended was Downie's oncologist, Dr. James Perry, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
I'll close with a couple of fan favorites.
From "Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)", Courage, my word, it didn't come, it doesn't matter, Courage, your word, it didn't come, it doesn't matter Courage, my word, it didn't come, it doesn't matter Courage, it couldn't come at a worse time...
(Written by Gordon Downie, Johnny Fay, Joseph Paul Langlois, Robert Baker, Robert Gordon Sinclair)
And, their most popular song, "Ahead By A Century" and one of my all-time favorites: ...Or sit silently and listen to our thoughts With illusions of someday casting a golden light No dress rehearsal, this is our life...
Take a listen to this version from Newcastle Public School in Newcastle, Ontario:
Had me in tears.
source: Rebecca Blackwell, AP
L to R: Kathleen Baker, Lilly King, Dana Vollmer, Simone Manuel
source: USA Today
L to R: Ryan Murphy, Cody Miller, Michael Phelps, Nathan Adrian
A big congratulations to the US Men's and Women's Relay Teams for winning the 4 x 100 Medley Relay yesterday in Rio. My handsome fave, Nathan Adrian (see Aug 4, 2012 entry), got his second gold medal in relays (anchoring both teams), having won a gold medal a few days earlier in the 4 x 100 Freestyle.
What was most notable about both relay teams is that ALL of them had earned medals in their individual events.
Team rosters and order of swim:
Backstroke - Kathleen Baker, Ryan Murphy
Breaststroke - Lilly King, Cody Miller
Butterfly - Dana Vollmer, Michael Phelps
Freestyle - Simone Manuel, Nathan Adrian
For the Baltimore superhuman, Michael Phelps, there's nothing that'll compare to his 23 gold medals, 28 total. My only lame claim to his fame is we share the same birthday.
And, Mr. Phelps's heir apparent, Washington DC native Katie Ledecky. Her 4 gold medals were already impressive. What was so eye-popping was shattering 2 world records of humongous margins of 4.77 and 11.38 seconds. She's only 19.
source: PWBA
Liz Johnson, 2016 PWBA US Open Champion
source: Weber Cup
L to R: Jesper Svensson, captain Dom Barrett, Stu Williams, Martin Larsen
Big day of bowling in Addison (Chicago area), Illinois and Manchester, England.
CBS Sports broadcasted live this morning the PWBA US Open Championship Finals.
Kudos to CBS Sports Network for bringing in Dave Lamont for the play-by-play call. He's very articulate and has an encyclopedic knowledge of the game. Unfortunately, we didn't get to hear very much due to poor audio throughout the entire match.
Liz Johnson began as the #4 seed to step up the ladder to capture her 5th US Open title over longtime Team USA member Shannon Pluhowsky.
Special recognition to Singapore's Shayna Ng (2nd seed, 3rd place finish), New Hui Fen (3rd seed, 4th place finish) and Jazreel Tan (10th) for their strong Top 10 finish.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, Team Europe for the 4th consecutive year won Weber Cup 19-11 over Team USA. As it was last year, Team Europe was the much stronger, more experienced team.
In my humblest of opinions, if Team USA is going to remain competitive in Weber Cup, they need to reassess the team selection. Maybe even bold enough to include a woman. And for those of you who regularly read this blog, you know I'm talking about Marshall Kent's girlfriend, Danielle McEwan.
Why? She's 24, got tons of international experience and has shown she's bowled well with men in PBA League and tournaments outside the United States. Without pointing fingers, let's just say the frequent flier miles for Team Europe are a lot higher than Team USA's.
Below is one of many Weber Cup matches from this past weekend. Big thanks to The European Bowling Channel for getting the videos so quickly to YouTube.
I'll close with the PWBA US Open semi-final match between Liz Johnson and Shayna Ng. I show this match because it was her third match in the stepladder to get her to the finals. She overcame a foul in the 10th frame and still won.
Thanks again to bowlingvideos4all for your tireless work to get these matches to YouTube as fast as you do.
source: Twitter @WeberCup
L: Parker Bohn III, R: Dom Barrett
On Friday, August 5, Weber Cup 2016 begins a series of bowling matches between Team Europe (host team) versus Team USA. First match is Baker format (each team member bowls 2 or more frames).
For Team Europe, Dom Barrett (captain), Martin Larsen, and Stuart Williams return from 2015. Sweden's Jesper Svensson will be making his Weber Cup debut. Earlier this year, Jesper was the youngest player at age 20 to win the PBA Tournament of Champions (see February 6, 2016 blog entry)
Team USA will have 2 returning members, Parker Bohn III (captain) and Wes Malott. Making their Weber Cup debuts are Marshall Kent and Kyle Troup. NOTE: To the Weber Cup webmaster, the US states Marshall and Kyle are incorrectly listed. Marshall is from Washington, Kyle is from North Carolina.
I like that new blood has been brought in. Jesper is 21, Marshall is 23 and Kyle is 24. Last year, Team Europe pulverized (17-8, see October 21, 2015 entry) Team USA and I don't see that it'll be any different this year. Team Europe retained 3 of their 4 from 2015, which gives them a considerable advantage in depth and experience. However, I'd never count out Team USA as underdogs, especially with Marshall Kent.
The other notable change to Weber Cup this year is the World Bowling Tour point system. It was first shown on ESPN in February for the World Bowling Tour Championship (see February 21, 2016 entry).
As explained on Weber Cup's website: World Bowling Scoring maintains the traditional 10-frame scoring format but awards 30 pins for a strike, 10 pins for a spare plus the pin fall of the first shot in the frame, and actual pin fall after two shots in an open frame. The maximum score is still 300 and this figure is based on the player receiving 10 consecutive strikes with no bonus pins being awarded in the 10th frame.
Like the 2-handed delivery, the WBT point system has its detractors. In my opinion, the sport needs to evolve in order to survive. With the PWBA in its second season and the PBA League now considered a success, evolution of the sport is happening whether you like it or not.
source: PWBA
Clara Guerrero, 2016 PWBA Players Championship
source: PWBA
Rocio Restrepo, 2016 PWBA Greater Detroit Open
The international presence on this year's PWBA tour continues. Last month, it was Singapore's Cherie Tan and Bernice Lim (see July 3, 2016 blog entry). This month, Clara Guerrero and Rocio Restrepo.
From YouTube's HappyBowlers.com, PWBA Go Bowling Players Championship:
And from bowlingvideos4all, here's the PWBA Greater Detroit Open:
If you're a regular follower of this blog, it's obvious sports takes up a lot of my time.
An itinerary of my last 3 weekends:
Birthday night at the Giants - A's game at the Oakland Coliseum.
Drove 89 miles to Modesto in 100 degree heat for a 5-game bowling tournament.
Watched ESPN's 30 for 30's latest feature on "Doc and Darryl", a story about New York Mets teammates Dwight "Doc" Gooden and Darryl Strawberry.
After the Padres swept the Giants and no longer in the mood for a movie repeat, I switched to Amazon Prime video. Scrolled the not-so-great choices for over 15 minutes to look for something decent to watch. Finally, a sports documentary caught my eye: "The Identity Theft of Mitch Mustain".
Directed by Matthew Wolfe and narrated by former University of Arkansas men's basketball coach Nolan Richardson, the film examines the promising football career of quarterback Mitch Mustain. His career went completely bust after his first year with the Razorbacks.
For sports fans and Amazon Prime subscribers (statistically almost half of all US households), it's a fascinating look at how difficult it is to pursue a sports career at the elite level. Too many missteps from the "adults" he relied upon for guidance.
As of 2014, Mitch is no longer playing football at any competitive level.
source: PWBA
Cherie Tan, 2016 PWBA Storm Sacramento Open Champion
These women are at it again. For a country with a population of just under 5.5 million (San Francisco Bay Area is over 6 million), they are dominating women's bowling. Two more from the Singapore Women's National Bowling team took 2 PWBA titles this season.
Congratulations Bernice Lim and Cherie Tan.
Here's Bernice in action
Source: YouTube's bosares
And here's lefty Cherie Tan:
Source: YouTube's Mousa Abdullah
This weekend, I was in maximum overload with bowling. No tournaments, only practice. And lots of it.
Yesterday, I bowled 6 practice games.
Today, it was my usual morning practice of 8 games with Wednesday night friends. When I finished, I grabbed a granola bar from the vending machine and caught up on news on my phone. Then I left Classic Bowl and drove to Bel Mateo for fellow Monday night friend Will's 50th birthday.
Wish I'd done what Will and his wife Jules did. They reserved the entire center for 3 hours. If you didn't want to bowl, you could hang out in one of the party rooms, the bar, or like the fanatic I am, roll in my bag and bowl more games.
But first, some much needed food. Then bowled 6 more games with my Monday night teammate Ronnie. Fun, closely fought battles. Probably the most non-league fun I've had since the late Saturday nights at Classic Bowl with Jeff, Burton, and Lester.
In one of the games, it came down to the last frame. I had been ahead most of the way. Ronnie bowled strikes in the 9th frame and 2 in the 10th. In my last frame, I needed to pick up 2 pins (the 4-7) for the spare to win. I picked up only 1. I lost the game by 1 pin.
I finished the afternoon completing 20 games in 2 days. I bowl 3 more games tomorrow night. Can't wait.
As I lick my wounds from tonight's Game 7 Golden State Warriors devastating loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, I'll focus on another Bay Area positive - The San Francisco Giants. Currently in first place in the National League West, the Giants sweep the weekend series over the Tampa Rays (in Tampa) earlier today.
I have never been comfortable with my teams doing too well too early. Case in point: tonight's Warriors loss. Seasons are long and grinding. How a team plays during the regular season doesn't always extend to post-season. Just ask the Detroit Tigers in the 2012 World Series. Or the 2014 Washington Nationals.
I'll end with a personal, quiet campaign to permit Madison Bumgarner participate in this year's Home Run Derby at next month's MLB All-Star Game. Likely won't happen, but what the hell. Perhaps YouTube's MrHighlightVideos featuring Bum's career homers might help.
A few events over the weekend in my small part of the world:
Golden State Warriors won NBA Finals Game 4 over the Cleveland Cavaliers, 108-97. Today, the NBA suspend Warriors forward Draymond Green for his fourth flagrant foul. Golden State currently hold a 3-1 series lead over Cleveland.
San Francisco Giants take 2 of 3 games over arch rival Los Angeles Dodgers. Each of the 3 games were won by a 1 run margin.
Broadway smash "Hamilton" has won (not surprisingly) 11 Tony Awards. I don't follow musicals all that closely, but am among the many that have been taken in by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr. and Phillipa Soo.
In about an hour, I'll be off to shower and get ready for work tomorrow. There are 50 in Orlando that won't. It's times like these I'll pause to reflect. What we do and love shouldn't be taken for granted. Ever.
source: ESPN
Ryan Vogelsong, hit by pitch, 5-23-16
On May 23, 2016, former San Francisco Giants/current Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Ryan Vogelsong was at bat against the Colorado Rockies. Rockies pitcher Jordan Lyles had an 0-2 count on Vogelsong when a 92 MPH fast ball beaned Vogelsong in the face.
It has been almost 2 weeks since the accident. I refuse to look at the video. The still picture of his cheek from the ball's impact was more than enough for me to see. Doctors waited a few days for the swelling to go down so they could determine the extent of his facial factures before performing surgery on June 2.
To Nicole, Ryder and the rest of Vogey's family and friends, I wish Ryan a speedy recovery.
I'll close with Ryan's speech in the last home game of the 2015 season. Coincidentally (or eerily), against the Colorado Rockies. It was also his last game as a Giant.
For me, it was with the same feeling Vogey said about teammate Hunter Pence in the 2012 post-season. "It wasn't so much what he said, but how he said it."
Since the injury, I've seen Vogey's 2015 closing speech at least 5 times. And cry every time.
"...I don't know where I'm gonna be at next year. Or what the front of my jersey's gonna say. But I do know one thing. I will always - always - be a Giant."
source: Bleacher Report
The Unworthy One - Warriors owner Joe Lacob, Klay Thompson
Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference final takes place tomorrow, Memorial Day in Oakland, California.
Less than a week ago, the possibility to go to Game 7 seemed very unlikely. A scenario eerily similar to the 2012 San Francisco Giants in the National League Championship series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Like the Warriors, the Giants were down 3 games to 1.
Warriors-Thunder Game 5 took place in Oakland, and the Warriors won, 120-111.
Game 6 returned to Oklahoma City. An away game and having been blown out 2 previous times, the Warriors would have to win, or end a record-breaking 73-9 season and go home.
Go home, yes. Eliminated, no.
Oklahoma City held the lead for most of Game 6. The quieter Splash Brother sinks 11 3-point goals, his most important one, was to take the lead for good at 104 - 101 with 1:35 left in the game. He finished with 19 of his playoff high 41 in the 4th quarter.
This game is adding to the long library of unforgettable games in Warriors franchise history.
Here's a recap:
And, the link to view Bleacher Report columnist Kyle Newport's Joe Lacob video loop.
When I last wrote, the rent I pay for a shared 2-bedroom, 2-bath house was about equal to the median rate for a 1-bedroom in San Francisco.
On June 1, 2016, that will no longer be the case.
Because the house I rent isn't eligible for rent control, my part of the rent goes up $225. So that my housemate and I don't get blindsided with additional rental raises, we signed another 1-year lease to lock in the rate.
Despite the 15% increase (San Francisco rent control is currently 1.9%), this Lakeside district house's rent is still much lower than the median rate for a 2-bedroom.
source: sfgate.com
L: Steve Nash, R: Stephen Curry
It came as no surprise Stephen Curry was named for the second consecutive year as the National Basketball Association's Most Valuable Player. What was surprising was that Steph received all 131 first place votes. Unprecedented, as there is no other NBA MVP that won unanimously.
Timing of the MVP presentation couldn't have been better. Less than 24 hours earlier, Steph returned to action after missing 4 games due to a grade 1 MCL sprain during the first round playoff game versus the Houston Rockets. He would come off the bench for the first time in 4 years.
When Steph came into the game, his shooting was less than stellar, going for 0-for-9. He missed a driving layup to win the game at the end of regulation. It was in overtime that proved beyond doubt why he's the NBA MVP. Steph scored 17 points in overtime to lead the Warriors to a 132-125 win. It boggles the mind when you realize overtime is only 5 minutes.
Wanna see it again? With apologies to Paul Allen and Trail Blazer fans, here you go:
Wishing all Moms, including Fur Baby Moms a great Mother's Day.
With the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Proctor & Gamble released their latest video featuring Mom as the inspiration to those athletes competing. They're very moving, and best of all, they're without P&G product placement or promotion.
Thanks to all Moms, Mums, Mommies and Mamas for all that you do.
Led by Manager/Player/Anchor Bowler Norm Duke, the PBA League's Dallas Strikers bowl the first Baker System Format perfect game. Hover over "Recap on ESPN" and click the link to see all 12 strikes. The atmosphere at Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine where all league games were held is like nothing other. Everyone is standing and cheering for all the bowlers.
Due to my trip to Las Vegas last weekend for the USBC Women's Championships, I wasn't able to write a blog posting. Shown above are my scores from the Bowl.com site. As the tournament is ongoing until July, my rankings will lower once additional scores are posted.
Despite the wide range of scores (my highest and lowest games were the last 2 games I bowled), I was very pleased with my results. Total pins in 9 games was 1440, which put me at a 160 average per game. I finished 5 pins above my 2015-16 season average at 155.
Bowling at South Point was a phenomenal experience. They have 2 very large bowling venues: the center for open bowling, and the stadium, where I bowled. Up until South Point, my favorite place was the National Bowling Stadium in Reno. ESPN has televised many PBA tournaments from South Point's stadium, so knowing I've bowled where elite bowlers have is very cool.
It was also nice to see the same teams we paired with over the past 2 years in the hotel or on lanes not too far from where we bowled.
Because of distance, travel logistics and budget constraints, I will be skipping 2017 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I plan on returning in 2018, when the tournament comes back to Reno.
Last week both my 4+ year old laptops (Toshiba Portege and Sony Vaio) died. I spent hours deciding whether or not my replacement would be another laptop or get my first tablet. Must haves: portable, durable with a touchscreen and keyboard. Small and semi-indestructable for travel. Touchscreen keyboards are OK, but I much prefer real ones. I type so much faster and accurately on them. It's one of the features I missed when I switched to an iPhone from a BlackBerry. I like touchscreens because I can touch the link I want immediately without using the arrow keys and touchpad. I want all these features - at a price below $500. With those requirements, the sleek and very cool Apple iPad2 was immediately eliminated from consideration. Microsoft Surface was a strong contender, but the cost did not include a keyboard and was still way over my budget. To help me finalize my decision, I went to Best Buy after bowling practice for a test drive. For over an hour, I went back and forth between the tablet and laptop displays to determine what I liked best.
I decided to get the Lenovo Yoga 11e from Amazon. I upgraded to overnight shipping (thanks Amazon Prime) for only $4.99. Visually as a tablet, it's bland, thick and stodgy. Not exactly pretty in the laptop category either. However, total cost was $1200 less than the second Sony Vaio laptop I bought in 2006. After a few setting adjustments, I'm definitely using the touchscreen and keyboard in ways that work for me. It isn't perfect, but I can live with it.
Not more than 30 minutes ago, the Golden State Warriors won their 69th game of the season. With 4 games remaining in the 2015-16 season, the Warriors would have to win 3 games to match the 72-10 record the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls achieved. One of the players on that team was Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
On a road trip in the 2014-15 season in February, 2015, the Warriors took a break and headed to Memory Lanes in Minneapolis, Minnesota for some bowling (see below video). A brief shot of Steve Kerr, David Lee and Steph Curry with some decent mechanics.
