The Tragedy of Washington Sports Teams

Ninety-two years.  That's a long time to wait.  1924 was the last time that a Washington baseball team won a post season series.  And it just grew by one more.  Despite winning the National League East and having one of the most formidable starting rotations in baseball, the Washington Nationals lost last night in game 5 to the Los Angeles Dodgers.  The season is over.

As most you all know, dear readers, I grew up in New York, rooting for the team that plays baseball in the Bronx.  I was never a big fan of the guys that played in that "purple stadium" in Queens.  When I came to DC, I signed on with the Nationals as soon as they arrived.  I went to Opening Day for the first several seasons and made it to at least half a dozen games each season.  At some point I will have season tickets for the team.  I would tell my New York friends that I was fine rooting for the Nats - it was only if they made it to the World Series against the Yankees that I would find myself in a dilemma.  With the way that both teams have been playing the last few seasons, I'm OK for now.

I stayed up to watch the entire game and sat on the edge of my seat as the Nationals put the tying and go ahead runs on base in the bottom of the night.  Then I held the remote in my hand for the final at-bat, with my finger on the power button, and turned it off seconds after the last swing.  Mrs. BA and I had allowed LBA and SoBA to watch the beginning of the game - sending them to bed when the Nationals were up 1-0.  I didn't have the heart to tell either of them this morning - though LBA had learned the outcome from his device.  We didn't discuss it.

I don't really have a solution for the team - I guess if I did, I'd be in the dugout with Dusty.  But I do think there is something to be said for the curse that afflicts the sports teams in the Capital City.  The Nationals will get there at some point, hopefully before they hit the century mark of a postseason win drought.

In related news, the National Hockey League started its season and the Washington Capitals had their first game last night, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins.  I am not in a position to comment on that team's successes and failures, my friend ADR has lived with them much longer than I.  Again, as noted, I am a New Yorker by birth and grew up with my allegiance pledged to the New York Rangers.  It has made for some tense conversations with ADR, especially at playoff time.  I can root for the Caps, and do so, except when the Rangers face off against them, which happens a fair number of times during the season and often during the Stanley Cup playoffs.  The Rangers know of Cup droughts, going more that 40 years between Cup wins.  The Caps haven't hoisted the Cup yet and continue to perform above expectations each season.  With the dawn of each season, there is hope.  But here in Washington, sadness and anger smack us again at the end of a season, with goals unfulfilled.  Here's to another great season and that maybe, this is the year.

I won't comment on the basketball team - I'm not a big fan of the bouncy ball and the sport doesn't really do it for me.  I do like college basketball and will watch March Madness.  But other than that, I can't get excited about it.  As to the Washington football team, I don't particularly care about that sport either, I was never a big football fan growing up, but as I will say, if you pin me down, I was a fan of the Giants over the Jets.  Now, while the team that currently plays football here has won the Super Bowl, I really believe that they won't (or can't) win again until the weasel owner of the team is gone.  I don't really care about the name controversy, I suppose it should change, but he's not in favor of that, so that sort of puts me on the other side of that issue, if only to be in opposition to him.

Finally, as a parent of two boys engaged in soccer for their fall sport, this is one that I really don't get.  Maybe I just don't understand it well enough - but there is nothing more mind numbing that watching players run up and down a field, with the occasional (and infrequent) goal here and there.  But I'll root for the Cheverly teams any day of the week and twice on Sundays (which is usually the case with both of them playing games on Saturdays and Sundays for the next few weeks.

On Hockey and New York Sports Teams

It's Sunday October 14 and normally hockey season would be underway.  However, for the third time in about 20 years, the NHL owners and players are at odds - the owners have locked out the players - and there is no NHL.  The NHL has already canceled games through the end of this month.

I have at least one friend who, after the last strike (which canceled the entire season), stayed away from hockey for about five years.  She has said she might be done altogether this time.

Today I fully expected to tune in to watch the first game of the NLCS with the Washington Nationals taking on the San Francisco Giants.  Unfortunately, Friday night was a soul-crushing, mind-boggling defeat of the Nationals by the St. Louis Cardinals.  I still can't go into it without getting depressed, angry, upset.  But I still have my Natitude and we'll be back next year.

There is baseball still to watch, I suppose, although the Orioles were also defeated by the New York Yankees, though I was more prepared for that outcome.  The Yankees are now facing the Detroit Tigers and lost game 1 AND their captain, Derek Jeter, who broke his ankle in the 12th inning last night.

This leads me to a commentary on New York sports teams.

As most everyone knows, I was born and raised in New York.  I am a fan of the New York Rangers in hockey and the New York Yankees in baseball.  I have never been a huge football fan and I would usually tell people when asked to pick a team - it would be the Giants.

Since moving to Washington, I have been more involved with the teams that live and play here, obviously.  I fell hard for the Nationals and root for them religiously and will continue to do so.  My New York friends questioned how I could do that as a Yankees fan - I quickly responded that I could have a National League affiliation and an American League affiliation.  I presumed the two teams wouldn't meet in a World Series for a few more years (despite the possibility that existed this year, which vanished on Friday night).

I have been moving in the direction of rooting for the Washington Capitals more than the Rangers in recent years - as I explained to a friend, who is a lifelong Caps fan - I knew more about that team than the current Rangers.  The Rangers I knew and loved were the ones of my youth.  But of course, now with hockey iced for the foreseeable future - I am not sure what to do. 


I have been teased about my allegiance to the Yankees - the devil incarnate to some, well, many.  But I really believe in team loyalty, which is why I may be a half-hearted Yankee fan - I am an ardent fan of Derek Jeter, who has only ever worn pinstripes and will always wear pinstripes.  That other guy, who they paid all that money to and plays third base?  Not a Yankee (and probably won't be next year).  Players that have come to the Yankees for money (and sometimes fame) are not truly loyal to the team, like Jeter, DiMaggio, Maris, Gehrig.

I will continue to follow the Yankees and cheer their successes (which I don't think they will have this season, BTW).  But I will be a bigger fan of the Nationals going forward.  I may start to root for the Orioles a little more passionately - but that may take a change in ownership before that can really happen.

As to hockey - it appears I don't have a decision to make right now.  But if and when the season comes back - I will figure it out.  I will root for the Caps, because they're here and I will cheer their successes as well.  They're due for something great and it will be a fun ride to be a part of.  Those Rangers of my younger days have been at the top - and they may get there again someday.  My mother will haunt me if I turn my back on them altogether - so I'll keep an eye on the sports pages to see how they're doing.

MARAC - Thursday morning

I've written this post while I await a friend to pick me up to drive to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) Spring 2010 meeting, to take place in Wilmington, Delaware. There will be lots to do and good sessions to attend, including one in which I will chair and offer comment on several oral history projects going on in the MARAC region.

Upon arriving today, I will attend a meeting of the Finance Committee (which I will rotate off of after this meeting) and assist in conducting the audit of MARAC's books. There will be no Steering Committee meeting for me tonight as I did not win my election in March to be the next Maryland Caucus Representative. Oh well, there is still another job in MARAC that I would like and hope to have the opportunity to seek that position again next year.

There will be more later, perhaps infused with alcohol related prose as there is sure to be drinking tonight. There is a collective hush over the DC area today as the Washington Capitals failed in their attempt to make it to the next round of the playoffs, falling in Game 7 to the Montreal Canadiens. I am sure that we will drink tonight to try and forget that stinging loss among other reasons - well, not that we really ever need a reason . . .

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

April is a grand month.

On Monday afternoon, I kept the streak alive by attending the Washington Nationals home opener. So far, I have not missed one. I also attended the first game for the Nationals ever, when they debuted on the road in 2005 (against Philadelphia). For those keeping track (it was a topic of discussion on Monday):

• April 14, 2005 - RFK Stadium - vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks (W, 5-3) - George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• April 11, 2006 - RFK Stadium - vs. the New York Mets (L, 7-1)
  
• April 2, 2007 - RFK Stadium - vs. the Florida Marlins (L, 9-2) - Dick Cheney threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• March 30, 2008 - Nationals Park - vs. the Atlanta Braves (W, 3-2) - George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• April 13, 2009 - Nationals Park - vs. the Philadelphia Phillies (L, 9-8) - DC Mayor Adrian Fenty threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• April 5, 2010 - Nationals Park - vs. the Philadelphia Phillies (L, 11-1) - President Barack Obama threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

There is nothing quite like Opening Day. A sort of hope springs eternal moment, which for the Nationals lasted all of about one inning. But they did manage their first win this evening. My American League team, the World Champion New York Yankees, took two out of three from the Red Sox, so it's been a good week there. Tomorrow night, I will sit down with my fellow "owners" in my fantasy baseball league to fill out our rosters for our teams. I have a list and hope to get some players that might just get me to finish in the money this year.

April is also the month when the first major of the year is played in golf. The Cathedral of Golf, also known as Augusta National, hosts The Masters. This year has particular significance of a particular golfer you know as Tiger, but lets just call "Cheetah." The Masters is the one tournament I try to see as much of as I can - the scenery, the course, the players - it is the very best. Tonight, the clubhouse leader is Fred "Boom-Boom" Couples, followed by 60 year-old Tom Watson and Phil "Lefty" Mickelson, along with a few others. And that "Cheetah" guy? He's tied for 7th and, you heard it here first, he will not win this tournament. I mean I would like it if he never won a major again, but unfortunately that's not likely to happen - but I don't think he should be out there yet.

Finally, April is the month when hockey season comes to a close. As a resident of Washington DC, I am very impressed with the play and performance of the Washington Capitals and I root for them, provided they are not playing against my team of choice, the New York Rangers. Now this presents a difficult situation, for if (and at this point it's not a done deal by any sorts) the Rangers make the playoffs, they will likely face the Capitals in the first round. The Rangers will play a home-and-home series with the Flyers, who are immediately above them in the standings. If the Rangers can win both those games, they likely make it. It must be noted that ADR will likely implement his policy of not speaking to me for the duration of the series, which was a little unnerving last year, but this year I'm ready for it. For the record, I am rooting for the Rangers until the season ends. When and if the playoffs arrive for them, I will see what happens. Last year my position was that I wouldn't root actively for the Rangers. I will probably do the same this year, because the disappointment the Rangers hand out is not worth it.

On Monday, I have a dentist appointment. After it, I will squeeze in my first nine holes of the season. And who knows, it could be a "Cinderella story, outta nowhere, a former greenskeeper, now about to become the Masters champion."

It's the Spring MARAC Meeting - It Must Be Time for Playoff Hockey

The Brave Astronaut family is off to Charleston, WV for the Spring 2009 MARAC meeting. Tomorrow night is also the first night of playoff hockey. Here are my predictions and comments for the first round of the playoffs.

In the East:

• Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens: The Bruins were the best team in the East all season. The Canadiens were touted at the beginning of the season as being the team to beat, yet they limped into the playoffs. I don't expect it to be close. Bruins in 5.
• Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers: This series has resulted in some tension at the lunchtable. I take a fair amount of heat for my allegiance to my New York teams, although I am not very happy with the pinstriped baseball boys. But I am a devout Ranger fan. Which makes this prediction all that harder. I don't think the Rangers can do it again this year. Caps in 6.
• New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes: I really don't like the Devils. Really. And I think the Canes can knock them down a few notches. Canes in 6.
• Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Can I just root for injuries in this series? I don't care who wins this series, but I think the edge goes to the Pengoons. Penguins in 7.

And on to the West:

• San Jose Sharks vs. Anaheim Ducks: Despite a Stanley Cup win, I still can't acknowledge the existence of a team named for a Disney movie. And the Sharks have played really good hockey all season. Sharks in 4.
• Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: The defending Stanley Cup champion Wings have their work cut out for them with the Blue Jackets, who have finished the season very strong. But experience should win out over the upstarts. Red Wings in 7.
• Vancouver Canucks vs. St. Louis Blues: The Canucks sit in the Brave Astronaut memory banks as the team the Rangers beat to win their last Stanley Cup in 1994. I prefer the Blues, returning to the playoffs after a long drought. Blues in 6.
• Chicago Blackhawks vs. Calgary Flames: Chicago, one of the original six hockey teams has a long history. The Flames have been around for a while however, but the Blackhawks are the better team. Blackhawks in 4.

MARAC - Thursday

Today is the first day of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) Fall 2008 Meeting, being held here in Silver Spring, MD. It is the first meeting in several years that I am not attending the Steering Committee Meeting, which is held on Thursday evenings. To celebrate my freedom, I am taking a small group to the Washington Capitals hockey game at the Verizon Center. It is sure to be a good time.

Tomorrow the meeting will start up with session, several of which I helped to organize. I also don't have to be at lunch, so I will be able to partake of the great restaurants in the Silver Spring area. I will be sure to post some more about the meeting tomorrow.

Here are a few things that have been sitting in my Google Reader for some time and this is as good a time as any to share - they are somewhat archivally related. The first comes from our brethren at the American Library Association, a virtual slide-rule to help figure out whether an item is still protected by copyright. As my friend ADR pointed out when he posted about it, it's a very nifty Web 2.0 application.

The second item also comes from a fellow archives blogger. Spellbound posted about Dipity Timelines, which I now seem to see everywhere. Spellbound also posted about the slide-rule, but I saw it from ADR first.

The last item comes from Buzz Feed and it is about Wordle. Wordle creates word clouds from the content of a webpage and then shows you the words based on the frequency. Another great Web 2.0 toy. So enjoy the links and hey, Lets Go Caps!

It's the Baseball All-Star Break - Let's Talk About Hockey!

Tonight I am off to the movies (Get Smart), taking full advantage of the MIL Babysitting Service (as are the OSGs) but I thought I would make a few comments about a sport that will bring to mind cooler weather as DC heads into some more hot weather.

The Mid-Summer classic was played last night and as is right and fitting, the American League emerged victorious, although I never saw it as I fell asleep in the 13th inning. At least it didn't end in a tie as they did in 2002. Because, remember this time it counts! So the AL will have home field advantage in the World Series this year. I have been to a few games this season so far (all Nationals games, including Opening Night). I was even at the Nationals game and was transported to the game on a bus that was later involved in this gruesome accident.

So hockey. My good friend, ADR, addressed the subject of hockey during the off season by discussing the moves made by the Washington Capitals in the NHL draft and the free agent moves. The team that I prefer did not do a great deal in either the draft or free agent signing period. They were making headlines in other areas.

First and foremost, the owners of the New York Rangers, Madison Square Garden are facing the possibility of having their team taken away from them. It would seem that the Rangers owners are in violation of their franchise rights, prompting the NHL to sue the team. MSG has countersued the NHL. I don't profess to understand all of the ins and outs of this case, suffice to say that it is but one reason that New York sports teams get a bad rap. If you would like to read more about it (I think I will) you can click here for a good synopsis, including links to the case files.

Secondly, the Rangers have parted ways with the Czech dreck, Jaromir Jagr. Jagr, who came to the Rangers from the Washington Capitals (who paid his salary all the time he was a Ranger), never belonged in a blue shirt. It pained me to see him wear the "C" on his jersey, But there is hope. On July 3, Rangers GM Glenn Sather announced that the Rangers were moving on without Jagr. Jagr, in typical pretty-boy, whiner fashion, took his marbles and left for Russia, signing a contract with a Russian team that he had played with during the NHL Lockout. Good riddance to bad rubbish is my take.

How long until training camp?

Baseball Been Berry, Berry Good to Me

Tonight, I went out to Nationals Park for the first time since Opening Night (and again I went with OSG). This was the first outing on tickets I scored at an auction that I attended last week. OSG and I have now attended two games in the new ballpark, seeing the Nationals win both games with walk off home runs in the bottom of the ninth.

With all the brouhaha that swirled about that other team in Washington, which is now playing golf, after finally removing their ice skates after an amazing series (and for the record I am very disappointed - it was very exciting to watch), I am prompted to answer the question (from no one in particular), what is my favorite sport? I will not (for now) pick a particular allegiance to any one team, although that is fairly evident to those who know me.

It's a valid question. Of the sports that are on my radar screen here they are (ranked according to height and popularity - and what's that from? - my favorite TV show) and please note this is but a very short list. There are certainly more sports out there and even some that I will watch. This just happens to be the list today and it conveniently gets me to the link I wanted to share with you (see the bottom of the post):

1. Baseball
2. Golf
3. Hockey
4. College Basketball (hey don't I get lunch because I won the pool?)
   
5. Football

So there you have it. I am not a big pro football fan of either New York team, which don't even play in New York anymore and I am too far removed from C in DCs beloved NY Team. I will usually watch the Super Bowl, but that is more about the food and the commercials than the game. But the Giants beating the Patriots last year was sweet. I will watch the occasional college game (I might tune into the bowl games around New Years and I'll always look at how Brown is doing for my mother).

When I lived in the Hudson Valley, I held season tickets for the Marist College Red Foxes. I liked the smaller intimate settings and you could really get involved in the games. I will watch (and did watch) most of the March Madness tournament and will usually root for the underdogs, because those are the teams I know. But I'm not stupid and usually do well in the pool, which is why my lunch table group is going out to lunch and I get to eat free!

I am a hockey fan by genetics. My mother was an only child and learned her love of the game from behind the chicken wire at Rhode Island Reds games. I won't even get into how my father nearly got killed when he came home one night and told my mother that someone had offered him New York Rangers tickets and he turned them down, not knowing the level of craziness exhibited by hockey fans (if you haven't seen the linked commercial, click it - it's worth it). When my mother died, my brother-in-law arranged for a floral display of carnations made into the New York Rangers logo. It was quite something.

The reason that golf sits atop hockey is that I can actually play golf (shut up, Ed). I can't skate worth a lick and I love watching hockey and will root for my Rangers until my last breath. But I can pick up a golf club and (occasionally) get a good ball down the fairway. Next weekend I will travel to a conference where a foursome of archival golfers will beat up on the little white ball. And of course we have just seen the Masters, which is the one golf tournament that I try to not miss on TV. Now if I can just get adopted by Archivalist's father and go with him on his tickets one year, I'll be all set.

So that leaves baseball. I grew up in New York, where that purple stadium was closer than the hallowed grounds of the House that Ruth Built. I went to my fair share of both Mets and Yankee games, but my heart went to the pinstripes. It's been said that's why the Yankees always win, "the other teams can't stop looking at those pinstripes." (Look a quiz question right here at the end - name that movie!). I played little league as a youngster, but didn't have what it took. Perhaps Little Brave Astronaut can do what his old dad could not - support his father in the lifestyle he would like to be accustomed to.

But I agree with the article posted here. Baseball is the best of all games. And here, from a 1961 conversation recounted in a letter (a letter, not an email, not on the phone, an actual letter) twenty years later, the American Philosopher, John Rawls, explains why he offers the six reasons why baseball is the greatest of all games.

NHL Playoffs - Second Round

I will not speak of last night other than to say, I am saddened by what I saw. Do not count out that team, they will be back and hoisting that cup in the Verizon Center before long. Lets Go Habs.

If you're wondering how I did with my predictions from the first round:

• Canadiens in 7 - it was a hard series against the Bruins, but I was on the money here.
• Ottawa in 6 - one presumes you will see a brand new Ottawa team next year. If only they could have beaten on the Pens a little more, instead of being swept by the Pengoons.
  
• Caps in 5 - well, I'm sorry. I really thought they would do it.
• Rangers in 6 - they pulled it out in 5 and looked impressive punishing the Devils.
• Red Wings in 4 - the President's Cup trophy winners stumbled, needing six games to dispatch the Predators. But hey, it was Nashville, which is in violation of a team that plays hockey where ice does not exist naturally.
  
• Flames in 6 - Lets all remember that Sharks swim underwater - they do not skate on top of it. The Sharks were favored, but I still liked the experience of the Flames, who did take the Sharks to seven games.
• Avalanche in 5 - the Avalanche took an extra game to tame the Wild.
• Ducks in 5 - the defending Stanley Cup Champions ran into the Stars machine and got fricasseed. It was one of the better series in the first round and the Stars needed all seven games to get out of it.
  

And while Archival Trash already got his predictions out there, let's just remember his team are already playing golf and have been for two weeks. Here are my predictions for the next round of NHL playoffs.

In the East:

• Montreal Canadiens vs. the Philadelphia Flyers: Both of these teams took seven games to advance to this round. The Canadiens, who topped the conference are the top seed and survived a scare from the Boston Bruins. The Broad Street Bullies, of course, crushed the hopes and dreams of DC fans last night. I cannot bring myself to pick a team from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, especially this one. But it won't be easy, Canadiens in 6.
• Pittsburgh Penguins vs. the New York Rangers: My son's teacher is from Pittsburgh. I have friends who live there (that Ed guy). And the Rangers have that guy who used to play there (who I don't really like wearing a Rangers sweater). But my earlier comment stands, no teams from PA get out of this round. Rangers in 6.

For the West:

• Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche: Both of these teams took six games to make it to the Conference Semifinals, but I am still going with the tradition of the Red Wings over the Avalanche in another good six game series.
• San Jose Sharks vs. Dallas Stars: Just as I couldn't pick a duck in the first round, I still can't pick a fish over the Stars. Dallas in 5.

Of Baseballs and Hockey Pucks

Because I can't help myself. I can't stay away from all you fine people. As Mrs. Brave Astronaut would say, "I am my own worst enemy."

On April 10, 1961, President John F. Kennedy threw out the first pitch at Griffith Stadium as Vice President Lyndon Johnson and others looked on.

This was the last opening game ever played at Griffith Stadium. Kennedy recorded the longest and hardest-thrown ceremonial first pitch in history (made from the stands), which sailed over the heads of the reporters (seen in the foreground) and the players waiting for the pitch beyond that.

As many know, I was fortunate enough to have attended opening night for the Washington Nationals on March 30. While I was using a very poor performing digital camera (which has since been replaced), here are a couple of shots from that outstanding evening.

The new scoreboard that you can actually read.

The first President's Race at Nationals Park concludes - and Teddy didn't win . . .

The Center field gate at the end of Half Street. It's a new way in and it's nice.

While the Washington Nationals have hit the skids and are settling in for a likely long season, the Orioles were predicted to be historically bad. Go ahead, check the standings, they're 6 and 1, tops in the AL East. Who would have thought that?

And of course, the hockey playoffs have begun. While Archival Trash has done a nice job in making some predictions, here are mine. ADR, feel free to step up, although you did say you were refraining while your team is still in it. And I'll even give you that for this round - Lets Go Caps!

In the East:

• Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins. The dance of the dynasties. I have to go with the formidable Canadiens, who backed into winning the Conference, when the Pengoons rolled over in their final game. Habs in 7. Sorry NJM. (In an interesting parallel, today marks the 61st anniversary of Branch Rickey buying the contract of Jackie Robinson from the Montreal Royals.)
• Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators. I like the Sens in this one. Possibly because I have no use for the Penguins. But after last night, I'm a little worried. Nonetheless, Sens in 6.
• Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers. In NHL history, no team has come from the bottom of the conference to win their division, as the Caps did. This is a good team and they are a force to be reckoned with. You can get all of your Caps propaganda over on ADR's blog, but I will say that I see the Caps in 5.

And the West:

• Detroit Red Wings vs. Nashville Predators. The Red Wings were the best team (points wise) in the NHL this year. The have tradition, history, a couple of cups in their pockets and they should easily put away the Predators in 4.
• San Jose Sharks vs. Calgary Flames. Again the Flames have a bit of a better pedigree than a fish that should be below the ice and not skating on it. AT believes this will be one of the better series to watch. After last night the Flames are up and I see Flames in 6.
• Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche. Who cares? The Avs have players out there on walkers. But experience should count for something. Avalanche in 5.
• Anaheim Ducks vs. Dallas Stars. I still cannot comprehend that the Ducks are the defending Stanley Cup Champions. I'd like to pick Dallas here, but Anaheim should be able to dispatch the Stars in 5 games.

To Blog or Not to Blog

I currently have 48 blog posts in draft form. Granted that most of them (more than half) are future presidential posts. I even have a fair number of recipes stashed away for future weeks. Here and there I have the nugget that I am hoping to get around to (I have a pretty good list on works of art ready to roll on Friday) and then there is the extensive list of items in my Google reader account.

So what to post and when to post it?

I hate that life interferes with my blogging and I don't want to give it up. I will give you that my political blog has been pushed aside (it has been more than a month since it was updated). In just this past week, my wife has gone back to work, my mother-in-law is living with us part-time to help out with child care of our newborn son, we had said son's baptism with a party/luncheon here, and then a guest in from out of town for a few days.

And of course, tonight the hockey playoffs started (with the Rangers sending the Devils down to defeat, 4-1) and then its also Masters weekend (if you have to ask, you don't get it).

I need a vacation from my non-work life. But I'm afraid my leave balance is just as bad in that column as it is at work.

So, I'll muddle through, but I might not be here as much. But I'll keep an eye on all of you. Here's a oldie but a goodie blog post (from one year ago today) to remind you of a "space" related anniversary. In other historical news for today, from which I will not draw any parallels to surrender, obstruction, or marching toward one's own end:

• On this day in 1865, Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia. The Confederate general surrendered his 28,000 troops to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the American Civil War.
• On this day in 1939, singer Marian Anderson performed at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, after she was denied the use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
• On this day in 1942, American and Philippine defenders on Bataan capitulated to Japanese forces during World War II; the surrender was followed by the notorious Bataan Death March, which claimed nearly 10,000 lives.

Weekend Wrap and Miscellaneous Musings

I'm back "on the grid" after about 20 hours in the dark. We had some heavy duty wind and rain on Friday night and Saturday that led to this event, which put us in the dark. The aggravating thing was, we have a pole in front of our house, which I was informed was a junction pole, so there was "juice" coming in, but it couldn't come to our house, because of the break up the line. Oh, well. Everything is back now.

We still have not had our car stereo returned to us, but the window in the car was replaced on Friday. You can read about the explosion of crime in my lovely little town here and here. We may be resorting to leaving our cars open.

If you click on the links above, it will take you to ChvBlog, which is run by my neighbor and the man known as Breadman. I had not yet met him face to face until last evening, when I crashed a party he was having. A very public thank you to him for a great party. I was glad to be included. In my defense, I had received an invitation and had not gotten around to RSVPing, when my neighbor exerted the peer pressure on me and took me along. Little Brave Astronaut had a great time (concluding with a viewing of "The Wizard of Oz)."

On Friday night, the Brave Astronaut family played host to fellow blogger, Special K and HAH (J in PA), who are also frequent commentators on Order from Chaos. We had Taco Night here at Chez Cheverly, where the OSG family, C in DC and her husband, and NJM, all partook in a lovely evening. We agreed that we might have to make it a regular happening.

I watched a fair amount of the Washington Capitals game yesterday, which they shouldn't have lost. But I thank them for tiring out the Bruins, which allowed the Rangers to beat them today. I am not sure if they will make the playoffs this year, but I will go on the record (having been the one to push him to make the prediction) as agreeing with ADR on his belief that a Stanley Cup will come to the Verizon Center within the next four years. Oh, then again, they lost again today. For a different point of view, Sports Frog believes that last year's champion (I can't even say the team, it's so silly) is in a very good spot to repeat.

In other sports news, I can feel it. Baseball is coming. When my first son was born, I used to read to him from the newspaper. Shortly after he came home, a baseball player of questionable talent got into a scuffle with a judge in his native Aruba. He wound up in jail. My nickname for this waste of a ball player was (and still is, although I may have to change it) the "Fat Puke." It seems as if the Fat Puke has been working on his form. Again, from Sports Frog, Sidney Ponson has . . .

Finally, next weekend I will travel to New York to look after my father, who is recuperating from open heart surgery. Many thanks to all of you for your good wishes as well. I will be flying the official airline of the Brave Astronaut, Southwest, despite this news. Here is Southwest's response, posted on their website as well as emailed to its many Rapid Rewards customers.

Nuts About Jerico, Nuts About Hockey

I grew up near a Jericho. But not the one in Kansas that is the focus of the series returns Tuesday night. I got hooked on the series last season. What can I say, I am a sucker for the disaster genre. I was one of those who was disappointed when the show was abruptly canceled. I was not one of the crazed fans who sent nuts to CBS to get them to reverse the decision to cancel.

It all stemmed from one of the later shows from last season. Skeet Ulrich, who plays Jake on the show, having heard the famous story from his father and grandfather about General Anthony McAuliffe's response to the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Faced with uncertain odds, McAuliffe's one word reply to the Germans was, "NUTS!" In other words, forget it we're not leaving.

Jake utters the same to the town of New Bern, setting the stage for another battle between the two towns. Which will now be fought in a new season, starting on Tuesday. For the loyal viewers of "Jericho" bombarded the CBS studios with thousands of pounds of nuts of all varieties to save the show. And it worked.

Finally, today, because I didn't have anything else to do, the whole family went to the New York Rangers - Washington Capitals game. It was the first game for both of my sons. LBA's response when the Caps scored? "It's too loud" and he would cover his ears. But I did have him chanting, "Let's Go Rangers." It was decided that he may still be too young to learn, "Potvin Sucks." LBA 2.0's impression? He slept through most of it. Even the scoring. Here's a recap. Yeah, and the Caps won. They're doing well and it was a really good game.

I am a hockey fan but . . .

Thank goodness the nursery where the new member of the space crew arrived was just a "holding nursery" and the baby stayed with us in the room all the time. This is very funny and I saw this first here.

Rangers vs. Capitals and a Brave Astronaut Christmas Tree

I thought you might like to see what has become the Brave Astronaut Christmas Tree (living room edition). You have heard the saga, here is the result.

So tonight, ADR and the Brave Astronaut headed to the Verizon Center tonight to watch the New York Rangers take on the Washington Capitals. We started our evening here, where ADR jumped out to an early lead on the beer race. After some good pizza (and a salad, too), we headed over to the arena for the game.

It started out good, with the Rangers jumping out to a quick two goal lead in the first period. But the Capitals came back, tying the game at two. It was a good game with a lot of back and forth action. The Capitals played better than the Rangers and wound up winning in overtime 5-4. You can read a complete recap of the game here. I know that some people who come here, don't understand hockey (yes, Kim, I mean you) but please know that it was a great game and I am very grateful to Mrs. Brave Astronaut for getting me the tickets.

It was 80s night at the game, so there was really good music and lots of nostalgia to fuel the crowd. There was a Rangers fan three seats away from me, who was getting his fuel from the Budweiser tap but was having a great time. Some of you may recall I took some flak from Mrs. Brave Astronaut for feeding cotton candy to our two and a half year old at a baseball game this summer, but tonight our drunk Rangers fan bought cotton candy for the nearly two-year old behind him. Then as the game drew to a close, the language became a little more colorful. It brought back memories of Ranger games at Madison Square Garden with whiskey and Italian pastries in the "blue seats," AKA the "family section" of the Garden. And people wonder why New York sports fans get a bad rap.

ADR and I were one of the first 5000 fans into the building, we both got bright red mullet wigs. I was prepared to post a picture of me all decked out with the "business in the front, party in the rear" headgear, but I was asked nicely by Mrs. BA to refrain. So you will have to be satisfied with these. Trust me. It's better this way.

A Tale of Two Teams

So it's fairly clear that Glen Hanlon had a crappy Thanksgiving and Bruce Boudreau had much to be thankful for. On Thanksgiving Day, George McPhee, the Washington Capitals GM relieved Hanlon of his coaching duties and named Boudreau as the interim coach. Boudreau comes from behind the bench of the Hershey Bears, where he steered the club to the Calder Cup last year and nearly won it back to back this year.

It was clear to me when ADR and I went to the Caps game on Wednesday night that change was surely coming. ADR had consulted his crystal ball (and the Caps schedule) and believed the coaching change would not come for another week or so. But someone important must have finally heard the "Fire Hanlon" calls echoing around the Verizon Center.

Boudreau brings an impressive record to the Caps bench. And from the Washington Post article announcing the change,

"Though Boudreau has been with the Capitals for only one practice, the contrast between his style and Hanlon's was obvious. The most noticeable difference was Boudreau's constant barking during drills. Known as a players' coach, Hanlon was more reserved.

"Boudreau also demanded that everyone race over to him when he blew his whistle. The last one to the huddle had to skate a lap.

"More importantly, he places a greater emphasis on generating offense, one of the Capitals' biggest problems. As of last night, they ranked 28th in the league in goals per game (2.24)."

Boudreau is currently 2-0 as the new Caps coach. Yesterday afternoon they beat back the inconsistent Philadelphia Flyers and tonight put on an impressive performance against the Carolina Hurricanes. It is only the second time this season they have back to back wins, after winning their first three games of the season.

I will again visit the Verizon Center on December 12, when my team of choice, the New York Rangers will come to the nation's capital. Let's see how that game goes. But for now, the Caps have figured something out.

Let us Give Thanks, Part I

Because I didn't have enough to do, I went to the Washington Capitals game tonight with ADR. It was a good time, but bad hockey. The chants of "Fire Hanlon" (the coach) began when the Atlanta Thrashers went ahead. They won the game 5-1. Mrs. BA and I will attend a second Caps game on Saturday night, when they will face off against the Carolina Hurricanes. On December 12, ADR will accompany me to the Capitals-Rangers game, after I received an early birthday gift from Mrs. BA.

Because God has a great sense of humor, I arrived home to find a clogged sink and water in the basement. Much work was done to try and rectify the situation, but I have to admit, Thanksgiving Dinner at the Brave Astronaut home is in danger of cancellation.

While I have several posts that I need to get to, I have lifted the meme below from Anna Van Schurman from her stitching blog. Enjoy your holiday.

Which do you like better: Cooking at your house, or going elsewhere? I would like to say that cooking at home is nice, but this year might not have been that year. But Thanksgiving to me has always been about family and I am glad to have as many of them around for the day (somewhere, my mother is happy with me).

1. Do you buy a fresh or frozen bird? Butterball, baby, is what I am used to as that was what was on the table growing up. This year, we are having a 19 lb. bird purchased from the organic market. Should be delicious.


2. What kind of stuffing? My father is always a meat stuffing kind of guy, but I am a plain old Pepperidge Farm or Arnold bread stuffing kind of guy, with the onions and the celery mixed in. And I prefer it in the bird, but that's evidently not allowed anymore.


3. Sweet potato or pumpkin pie? Um, ick. Desserts are always big, but pumpkin pie usually came out of the freezer and then out of a box at my house growing up. And there was usually another dessert option available. Tomorrow there will be four of them.


4. Do you believe that turkey leftovers are a curse, or the point of the whole thing? Duh, whole thing. C in DC and I are currently in negotiations about whether she should bring her stockpot so she can take the carcass home to make stock for soup.


5. Which side dish would provoke a riot if you left it off the menu? I have to lobby for vegetables, so tomorrow we are having three different ones. My mother always said you had to have pearled onions because her grandmother did, and she hated them. They are one of the three tomorrow. I have no problem with more sides than people, but I am not sure which one I would agree to throw under the bus, except maybe for sweet potatoes, because they are icky, but I won't take away someone else's desire to eat them.


6. Do you save the carcass to make soup or stock? Stock then soup, see number 5.


7. What do you wish you had that would make preparing Thanksgiving dinner easier? I'm actually looking forward to the prep this year, as I have a real kitchen and an opportunity to use the good china. But it would be nice to not have to crush the final prep moments into a blur of time. So the ability to slow down time would be nice.


8. Do you get up at the crack of dawn to have dinner ready in the early afternoon, or do you eat at your normal dinner hour? We are aiming for 3:00pm tomorrow, which means 4:00. You have to eat in the middle of the day so the 9:00pm turkey sandwich tastes that much better. And don't even get me started on my brother-in-law who plans dinner around the Cowboys game each year.


9. If you go to somebody else's house, what's your favorite dish to bring? I like to cook, so I don't know. But I would usually bring wine, too. Then there was the year that friends were invited to another friends for the family Thanksgiving and when asked what the friend could bring, the hostess (the friend's mother) said, "Oh yes, could you bring this? And here's the recipe I'd like you to use . . . "


10. What do you wish one of your guests wouldn't bring to your house? I'm on the fence with this one. I like when people bring things along to contribute, but when it's something I don't like, I feel some sort of obligation to try it. Yes, I know, I'm weird, but we've already established that.


11. Does your usual mix of guests result in drama, or is it a group you're happy to see? Hi, I'm Brave Astronaut, have we met? Drama in families? Never happens [snicker].


12. What's your absolute favorite thing on the menu? Tomorrow? I think it's my mom's cheesecake, followed by the mashed potatoes.

Countdown to 40

Tomorrow is October 20. While Mrs. Brave Astronaut and I will be heading into the wilds of Pennsylvania for the wedding of two good friends, the date also marks two months to my 40th birthday. A major milestone to be sure. Shortly after I turn 40, my son will turn 3 and my second child will arrive. I have purchased a home and am learning how to be handy. These efforts are going to require the application of some spackle and paint. I am not handy. I don't know why I agreed to this.

But anyway. Turning 40. Here's my wish list.

• A flat screen HDTV. Hey, the prices are coming down. I don't deserve it, but it would be nice to have.
• Tickets to the Washington Capitals - New York Rangers game. The Broadway Blueshirts will visit the Verizon Center (wait, maybe Nancy at Verizon could get me the company seats?) on December 12.
• A nice dinner out. This will likely be accomplished with the American Express gift cards that Verizon is already sending. Where to go? I have a few ideas. Please feel free to comment on the choices. (Especially you, Restaurant Gal. I know you don't like to recommend places, but your description of the Palm when you were here last week has only served to remind me that I have wanted to go there since I moved here). Here are the places I am contemplating (in alphabetical order, so as to not influence your decision).

Blacksalt. Absolutely nothing wrong with good seafood.

Citronelle. One of those places everybody should go once? Should it wait until the big 5-0?

Fogo de Chao. Nothing says "Happy Birthday" like the "meat sweats"

The Palm. The leading contender. It has been on my radar, as I said, since I moved here. Newly renovated and really good steaks.

Proof. New, and a really good sommelier.

Would any of my friends like to come along? Let me know and I will make the reservations. The more the merrier.

Small Town America

Today is Memorial Day in the USA. It is a day that we have set aside to remember our veterans and honor their sacrifice. My family and I went off to the local parade to take in the sights of small town America's take on the Memorial Day parade. This is a parade that I marched in as a little league player, a cub scout, and a boy scout. I didn't play an instrument, so I never got to march in the band.Here is a picture of the Syosset High School Marching Band. The team name for SHS? The Braves. The first of three marching bands in the parade, they get to lead as they are the high school band.

In addition to the little league teams and the aforementioned cub and boy scouts, the parade led off with the veterans (an unfortunately small number), the Knights of Columbus, the local churches, and the Girl Scouts. My mother was a long time girl scout and marched for several years.


This is the third marching band, the Astronauts of Harry B. Thompson Middle School. I was a little disappointed to see the school has done away with the old orange and white uniforms in favor of matching the high school's red and white colors.


When you see the fire trucks you know the parade is over. There were a few parades, where the trucks had to leave early to go fight a fire somewhere.

Astute readers will see in these pictures and descriptions how I came up with my "blog" name.

No recipe this Monday, go barbecue some hamburgers and hot dogs and have some corn on the cob. It's the unofficial start of summer!

For those keeping track, my family's drive north on Friday night was uneventful. We made our layover stop, my sister-in-law's, in Wilmington, DE in just about 2 hours. On Saturday morning, we continued on for NY and made the trip in about 3 and 1/2 hours. Coming home tonight, our trip ranked in our top five for travel time between New York and DC, completing the trip in just about 5 hours.

It's back to work tomorrow, until I head back to NY for the big Yard Sale in Syosset and the closing of the chapter on my family home. Soon, I will share with you some pictures I took of my dad's new digs. It is very . . . interesting.

For those who still care, the Stanley Cup finals start tonight. The Anaheim Ducks face off against the Ottawa Senators. One of the two teams will hoist Lord Stanley's trophy for the first time. I have had guest bloggers offer their takes on the previous series. I tried to persuade one friend, with whom I talk hockey with about a fair deal, despite the fact she is a Boston Bruins fan, to offer her prediction. She is still angry about the recent labor difficulties and firmly believes that hockey should not exist where ice does not "grow" naturally. You would not be surprised with her one word prediction . . . Ottawa.

Weekend Wrapup

A couple of random observations from the weekend.

On Saturday, I had the opportunity to usher at Ford's Theatre again. Devoted readers will recall that I volunteer there during the year. Saturday was a special treat in that while the play season is coming to a close, Ford's has, for the second year, presented a 40-minute play dramatizing the events of April 14, 1865, called "One Destiny." Two actors take to the stage, one playing John Ford, owner of the theater, and the second playing Harry Hawk, an actor who was on stage when John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln. The two interact with one another taking on the personalities of individuals who were at the theater that fateful day. It was very well done.

Two sporting events went late into the Sunday morning, both after beginning on Saturday night. On the ice, the Buffalo Sabres fell again to the Ottawa Senators in game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, in double overtime. While I will point out for C in DC's benefit that the Sabres were up two games to none over the Rangers in the last series, she shouldn't get her hopes up. As I write this, the Ducks and the Red Wings are skating in the third period tied at 3. Another overtime game, anyone?

The Washington Nationals are having a tough season. There are few that will debate that. However, if the Nats could manage to play the Florida Marlins for the rest of the season, things might turn around for them. The Nats concluded a weekend series with the Marlins, taking all three games. Saturday night's game was delayed for several hours as thunderstorms crossed the DC area, concluding the game around 2:00am Sunday morning. The Nationals are now 12 and 25 with the Atlanta Braves coming to town this week. The Orioles will come to DC for interleague play next weekend also. One assumes that reality will return to RFK. On a related note about losing, the Washington Post reported about the President's race that is featured at every home game. Basically, the four presidents featured on Mount Rushmore (Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt), have a race in RFK. Teddy Roosevelt has never won. Will he ever?

I got to watch some Tiger-free golf this weekend. The Players Championship, played at the TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedre Beach, Florida, was won by one of my favorites, Phil Mickelson. Tiger finished tied for 37th place. I don't feel bad for him. I don't like him. Sawgrass contains what most agree is the most terrifying shot in golf, the 17th. Kids, don't try this at home. I have had the opportunity to "play" this hole twice before, once at the World Golf Village and then at Renditions Golf Course, where the hole is replicated. If the pros put it in the water with great regularity, do you really need to ask what I did?

I also broke out the sticks today and got to hit my first golf balls of the season. Yes, I know it's Mother's Day, but my wife is wonderful and she allowed me the opportunity to play nine holes today. It is but one of the countless reasons I love her.

Which, brings me to today, Mother's Day. My mother passed away last year, this is my second mother's day without her. I miss her a lot. Wherever you are, Mom, Happy Mother's Day. I am very happy to be able to celebrate Mother's Day with my wife, who is the best mother around. My son and I are very lucky to have her and for everything she does I say thank you on his behalf. We love you very much.