Archive for the 'Softball' Category

Aug

Follow Up On Newspapers

Oddly enough, as I was reading a blog that I frequent about the Cincinnati Reds, I came across the same conversation about newspapers that we are having. This is based more on the sports page, but it is basically the same idea.
Here is an excerpt:

Tim Kurkjian’s column posted above got me thinking about newspapers and how things have changed since I was a kid. I’m a big newspaper guy. When I was 8-years old I wrote my own neighborhood newspaper. I’d walk around asking neighbors for news like what they did on vacation? I’d put all their news on a sheet of paper and had my dad make copies at work. I then walked around handing out copies.
I wrote for the Carmel High School paper.
I even attended journalism camp one summer at Indiana University.
Now I drive my family crazy when we are on vacation. I find the nearest newsstand or machine and grab all the papers I can find. When we were in South Haven I bought the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, and Kalamazoo News every day.
I can’t imagine not having a newspaper on my doorstep each morning. I can’t imagine not being able to wake up Sunday morning, grab my coffee and sit and read the Sunday sports section.
I wonder what percentage of people actually get a newspaper delivered to their home these days?
I wonder if Casey and Peyton will have a newspaper home delivered when they are adults? Will there even be print editions of a newspaper by then?
As a kid there were few things better than flipping to the last page of the Sunday sports section and finding the batting averages and pitching stats of all players that had enough at-bats or innings to qualify for the list.
I’d cut out the list and take a yellow marker and highlight all the Reds players.
I remember the disappointment of waking up the day after a west coast game for the Reds and seeing a little note saying that when the Enquirer went to press the Reds lead the Padres 4-1 in the 5th inning.
Heck, before I got my first computer around 1998, I’d sit in the Covington library once a week and go through every sports section they carried. I would clip and save articles and show topics and put them in my folders that I carry in my briefcase.
Today there are simply so many outlets, offering instantly what I’m looking for…
I get my sports now…on demand. No waiting for the morning paper.
Great for a sports fan. But also sad to me.

With the advent of online newspapers and blogs I find that journalistic integrity has disappeared. No longer do “reporters” just report the facts. They report the facts as they see them with their own opinions sprinkled in. I prefer to make my own opinions on what is going on in the world without someone giving only the facts that support his or her point of view. With online newspapers it is difficult to figure out what is an opinion piece and what is a regular report.

I have the same problem with cable news stations like Fox News and MSNBC.
I’m not naive, I know that reporters have been biased forever and a day…it just seems that it has gotten much worse and it coincides with new technology.

Speaking of the News…
A few weeks ago I added in my remarks that I was tired of hearing about the wedding of Chelsea Clinton.
Add to that list the on again, off again, on again, off again, on again (you get the point) relationship between Sarah Palin’s daughter and the father of her child. I don’t care if they are getting married and I’m not interested in the ways that they work to possibly have a reality show.

Television
I’ve mentioned that I enjoy the television show Dating in the Dark. It actually is an interesting show.
However, I long for the days of the old-time sappy sitcoms. They seem to be making a slight comeback. A great show that I stumbled across this weekend is Hot In Cleveland starring, among others, Betty White and Valerie Bertinelli. One of the shows even had a guest role by TV legend Carl Reiner.
The show is on TV Land and is pretty entertaining. Tonight is the Season Finale but I’m sure all of the shows will be repeated again. I DVR’d a marathon this past weekend.

Reds
In first place by 2 games…so far the Reds’ west coast record=1-0. Hopefully they can keep it going. Mike Leake has been moved to the bullpen to make room for Travis Wood. The Reds have an unbelievable amount of great starting pitching. It will likely make this pennant race very dramatic. The Cardinals also have great starting pitching.

Bad News
My softball team didn’t make the playoffs. It seems my softball career is back on hold. I will still sign autographs for those of you who are interested!…and yes, I’m joking.

posted by Mr. Dowling in Softball,Television,The Reds,Uncategorized,baseball and have Comments (7)

Jul

Cleaning Out My “Thoughts Bag”

A few thoughts from over the past few weeks that never made it onto the blog:

Amazingly, reports have indicated that no Yankees players from the past or present attended the funeral of Bob Sheppard. His funeral took place on Long Island while the Yankees were playing home games. Doesn’t seem right. Sheppard was the public address announcer since the 1950s.

Last year I ended up hooked on reality TV shows during the summer. This year one of them returns: Dating in the Dark. It had 3 men and 3 women going on dates in completely dark rooms (they cannot see each other). After getting to know each other, each chooses one of the opposite sex to be revealed to them. They then have to make the decision on whether they want to continue dating now that they know what the person looks like. Goofy, but interesting.

My softball team finally swept our 2 games last night. I went 3 for 4 with some pretty big hits. We still have 4 games left before the playoffs. Unfortunately, I’ll be away for the playoffs if we make it.

I went bowling the other day for practice. I bowled 2 games: 129 and 197. Now bad for not bowling in 2 months.

Getting landscaping done today. Who knew plants and trees cost so much money!

Reds need a win in the worst way tonight.
Has anyone even had thoughts about school during the past month?
Have a great weekend.

posted by Mr. Dowling in Bowling,Softball,Television,The Reds,Uncategorized,baseball and have Comments (31)

Jul

Votto Voted In

From A Cincinnati Reds Email
You did it! Reds fans everywhere have voted Reds first baseman
Joey Votto into the final spot on the National League roster in
the 2010 All-Star Game Final Vote Sponsored by Sprint. Votto led
all vote-getters with 13.7 million votes en route to becoming
the first Reds player to win the All-Star Final Vote.

Softball
We lost 2 games to a team much older than we are. We didn’t play well at all. On the bright side, I was 2 for 3 with a single and homerun.

posted by Mr. Dowling in Softball,The Reds,Uncategorized,baseball and have Comments (17)

Jul

Independence Day Weekend

Softball This Week
We lost both games to the 1st place team. They were very good and we, to put it nicely, weren’t. I was 2 for 4 at the plate and also got a few more innings in at 1st base in the second game.

4th of July
Enjoy whatever it is that you will be doing this weekend. The weather has been beautiful lately but we’re about to get hit with a heat wave.
There are fireworks in various places over the weekend with the most famous being Eisenhower Park. I went last year and it was a good show.

I’m sure there will be good shows on the History Channel that are worth checking out this weekend. Spend a few minutes watching, I’m sure you’ll hear something we learned this year or build on something that we learned this year and learn even more. The American Revolution is a fascinating period in American History.

The Reds remain in first place. There aren’t many that would have expected that to happen. After they finish with the Cubs its on to New York.

posted by Mr. Dowling in Softball,The Reds,Uncategorized,baseball and have Comments (9)

Jun

Softball

My team split out two games last night (again). Every time we play we win one and lose one. I ventured out from behind home plate to play right field for a few innings. I’m not an outfielder and don’t feel comfortable out there. I finally got in a few innings at 1st base, my true position. Hopefully I can get a few more innings at first as the season winds down. At the plate I was 1 for 4 with a walk in the two games.

It seems that Strasburg didn’t pitch so well last night. Leake pitches tonight for the first time in awhile. I’m hoping he showcases himself as an All Star for this year. The Reds have a few legitimate candidates (Votto, Phillips, Rolen, Gomes, Arthur Rhodes, Leake). My prediction is Phillips, Rolen and Rhodes…with a slight chance for Leake.

posted by Mr. Dowling in Softball,The Reds,Uncategorized,baseball and have Comments (7)

Jun

I Play Softball With Nacho Libre

No…not the real Nacho Libre (if there is such a thing). If you recall, earlier in the year I was in a Halloween Costume contest. My costume (along with Mrs. Dowling’s costume) lost out to Nacho Libre. Personally, I think Mr. Redlegs and Rosie the Red was much better.
I’ve somehow managed to put aside my disdain for Nacho Libre and have welcomed him onto the team.

Speaking of softball, my team split the two games we played. I went 2 for 6. I even played an inning at 2nd base, unheard of for a lefty.

Summer is here. I’ll be starting my time off with a trip to Belmont today, a tradition for me. The blog will continue rolling during the summer. However, new posts will be a bit more infrequent. Stop by to share your thoughts on current events, whatever odd topics come up, your summer, etc.
It was a great year. I wish you all a fantastic summer. Come back to school in September recharged and ready to rock and roll. I’m looking forward to coming back and letting my new students know all about my obsession with the Reds. Hopefully, I won’t seem as odd as I did last September when they had no chance of winning. It is June 25 and they are hanging tough (perhaps the New Kids on the Block song should be the new official unofficial song of the Reds).

posted by Mr. Dowling in School,Softball,The Reds,Uncategorized,baseball and have Comments (11)

Jun

Social Studies Final

Good Luck today. I looked over the test last night. If you’ve studied/paid attention over the last few days (and the entire year), you should be ok.
Hopefully you do well on the English Final as well.

Time to Panic for the Reds?
They hold on to a first place tie. However, their winning ways are drying up and they’re on their way to the west coast for 6 games (3 in Seattle and 3 in Oakland). The west coast has been pretty unforgiving for the Reds in the past. I’d be happy with 3-3. Things don’t get much better when they return home. After playing Cleveland, they have the Phillies.

Softball
My team split our two games late last night. I hit 3 for 5, not a bad night at all. I’ll feel it tomorrow morning after a player on the other team slid into my ankle on a play at the plate. But I’m tough. I’ll be back out there again on Monday.

This Day In History
1775-The Battle of Bunker Hill took place
1972-The Beginning of the End of Nixon…5 burglars are arrested in the Watergate Building. They were breaking in to the Democratic national headquarters. Eventually all of this would lead to Nixon and force him to resign.
Birthdays today include Venus Williams and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

posted by Mr. Dowling in School,Softball,The Reds,Uncategorized,baseball and have Comments (18)

Jun

The Weekend of 6/5

Softball This Week: Thankfully my arm feels much better this week after the games than it did 2 weeks ago. I have to thank Andy V. and Elijah D. for throwing with me.
I went 2 for 6 in the two games. My team won one and lost one. I played some in the outfield which I’m not entirely comfortable with but I’ll do whatever it takes to help the team.

Rolen on the River

This Day In History (June 6)
1944-D-Day Invasion
1968-Robert F. Kennedy dies after being shot by Sirhan Sirhan.
Celebrating a birthday today is Paul Giamatti. Giamatti is the son of former baseball commissioner Bart Giamatti. Bart Giamatti is best known for being the man who banned Pete Rose from baseball. He died about 2 weeks later from a heart attack. Paul Giamatti played John Adams in the great John Adams series from HBO. It is worth checking out.
It also would have been the birthday of Nathan Hale. Hale, as you might recall, was caught by the British during the American Revolution and hanged for being a spy.
Reminder: Monday’s extra help will be about the American Revolution. It takes place after school. After Monday, there will still be 4 other review sessions this month.

posted by Mr. Dowling in School,Softball,The Reds,Uncategorized,baseball and have Comments (30)

May

Mr. McAllister

It took me all day, but finally I was able to remember the name of my 10th grade Science Teacher: Mr. McAllister. It came to me in the car on the way home.
This came up in BC. You can disregard this if you weren’t there.

Wyn, it turns out I had the button with me the entire time. Hopefully I’ll remember it tomorrow.

posted by Mr. Dowling in Softball,Uncategorized and have Comments (13)

May

Softball, Softball and More Softball

From around 4 pm until nearly 11:30 my day was consumed with softball. First, I attended the Weber Softball game. Unfortunately the team lost but Eliza, Michaela, Alyssa and Erin all played well. I’m looking forward to future games with better outcomes.

Then I had a double header of my own softball games. We won one and lost one. I can barely lift my arm after not playing any baseball or softball in years but it was a great experience. In the 2 games I went 2 for 5 with a couple of RBI. I didn’t get home until really late so I am exhausted today. I’m 100% sure I’ll end up going to bed extremely early today.

Congrats to Mr. Buchman for getting tenure. The Board of Ed will be voting tonight. It is well deserved.

posted by Mr. Dowling in School,Softball,Uncategorized and have Comments (26)

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