This has the potential to be a long story with a very small payoff. However, it was the funniest thing to happen to me this weekend, so I thought I would share.
On Saturday, the girl with the green eyes and I went to a baby shower for some friends of ours. It was as good as a baby shower can be I guess (the guys escaped upstairs to watch the game and play poker, so I still have absolutely no clue what happens at a baby shower).
There were several people there that we had never met before, so Candice did her job of working the room and I grabbed a sandwich and hit the corner of the couch giving off the ever so friendly "don't bother me" vibe. Which worked.
One couple had brought their 2 year old son and he quickly became the life of the party. Partly because he would jump of the couch onto the oversized ottoman, doing as many summersaults along the way as he could, and partly because the kid is a whiz kid.
I'm not kidding. He could name the states in alphabetical order. He knew the pre-amble to the constitution. He could name all of our presidents in order. It was amazing. Did I mention he was 2?
Later on, we had dinner at my inlaws house with my sister-in-law (Stefanie) and her soon-to-be-deployed marine boyfriend. We were discussing the wunderkid and this was the conversation.
Me:...yeah, this kid was amazing. He knew the presidents, the pre-amble....He even knew the Gettysburg Address!
Stefanie: That's not that impressive. Everyone knows that at some point. I know it.
Me: You know the Gettysburg Address?
Stef: Yeah, everybody does. It's like something something Pennsylvania Avenue.
Doyle Brunson, the famed poker player, is known to say the worst day of the year is the day you get knocked out of the main event at the World Series of Poker. I agree with the sentiment but disagree on the day. No, for me, the worst day of the year is when my beloved Colts are knocked out of title contention. All in all, I can't complain too much as they gave me a better year than I was expecting 7 weeks into the season. I was able to see them live twice and they won both times (though I would've traded the San Diego victory I witnessed for one yesterday!)
My biggest disappoinment isn't in our defense. It isn't even in the horrible, horrible, horrible (did I mention horrible?) penalty for defensive holding that gift wrapped the victory for the Chargers. No, my number 1 disappoinment is that we had a third and 2 with 2:00 left on the clock. Two yards and we seal a 14 - 17 victory. Two yards.
I understand our bread and butter. I get that we are a pass first, second and third and run fourth kind of team. I get it. But to clear the backfield when all you need is two measly yards. Six feet. No play action? No QB sneak? No "give it all you got for the playoffs" push from the front five?
Nope.
Well, that's what you get when you live by the pass. Sometimes you get sacked.
Thanks for the season, my little horses. I'll be there next year. Maybe this time we will beat those bolts when it counts.
So I was talking to my wife about all the great NFL matchups both this past weekend and it got me thinking, "Man, I am a really good looking guy." It also had me thinking, "Man, I can't believe what a REALLY good looking guy I am."
So after thinking that, I decided to post my top ten favorite sports moments of 2008. You'll find that most of these are American moments (i.e. No soccer events) but that's because that's what I watch. If you want objectivity, go somewhere else. This blog is all about me. But let's be honest, that's why you are reading it anyway.
So here we go:
#10 - Roger Clemen's Testifying in Washington
I know what you are thinking, and yes, I will be happy to let you name your first born son after me. But the other thing your thinking is, "Jake, your starting a top ten list about sports with something that happened in Congress?" Yes I do. This was a sad reminder of the state of our professional sports era. Our demand for "Higher, Stronger, Faster," turned into "How rediculous can we get these freaks to look?". I am not proud that this was a top ten moment, but I think it's sobering and is something we can learn from.
#9 - Game 5 of the Stanly Cup
I know the NHL is the red-headed step child of professional sports. And I'm certain that it barely beats the MLS on the "Professional sport I would most like to wipe my butt with" list. But the truth is, this was a great, great game. Pittsburg was down one goal with less than 45 seconds on the clock. They pull their golie and score to send the game into overtime. With no one scoring, the game went into TRIPLE OVERTIME until Petr Sykora scored on a slapshot 9:57 into the third extra session to give the Penguins a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. People who don't watch hockey were talking about that game the next day.
#8 - Game 4 of the NBA finals
At one point, the Celtics were down 24 points. It seemed all but certain Kobe was gaining the momentum to win the Laker's first championship since dealing off The Diesel. Winning this would put them up 3 games to 1 and send the series back to LA for at least two more times to try and finish off the Celtics. But a jumpshot by Eddie House with just over 4 minutes gave Boston it's first lead of the game. Ray Allen's reverse lay up seals the win and the Celtics go on to take the next two for their first title in 22 years. I say, they lose this game, they lose the title.
#7 - Big Brown Wins The Preakness
I know there are a lot of people who are vocal against horse racing, my wife included. But I love it. The beauty of these huge, powerful animals giving everything they've got captivates me. We haven't had a triple crown winner in 30 years, but lately we've had some good runs (the last being Smarty Jones in 2004). Big Brown laid a big brown at Belmont, but this race got people excited for a possible triple crown and made us all forget about the Kentucky Derby tragedy with Eight Belles.
#6 - Usain Bolt's 100 Meter Domination
(editor's note: NBC has made getting ANY media of this event impossible)
9.69 seconds. Enough said.
#5 - Tiger Woods Vs. Rocco Mediate in US Open.
Maybe it was the putt to send it to a playoff. Maybe it was the fact that after an 18 hole playoff, they were still tied. Maybe it was the fact that Tiger looked like an old war vet hobbeling up and down the fairways. Maybe it was the fact he was playing one of the most likeable players on the tour, who, two weeks earlier, had to win a playoff just to qualify for the US Open. Whatever it was, this year's US Open was one for the books. After it was all said and done, even Tiger said it was the best ever.
#4 - NCAA Championship Game
Anytime a championship goes into overtime, you can rest assured it's a good one. And when you have to sink a long jumper as time expires to get it there, you want to savor that flavor. The entire tournament was full of excitement, culminating with the top seeds in each bracket making it to the final four for the first time ever! It was certianly March Madness.
(P.S. Hey Memphis....Practice your free throws!)
#3 - Michael Phelps Out Touches Milorad Cavic
I love the Olympics. Two weeks dedicated to all sorts of competition. And while there were some other great stories (All the volleyball teams, the 'Redeem Team', that old gymnastics chick with the sick kid), Michael Phelps catapulted himself into the discussion of the greatest Olympian of all time. After the race, debates raged with "Did he really win?" or "Does it matter who touches first or who sets off the timer first" or "Is Chloe Keck the cutest baby ever?" and what was great is after the race, thanks to the underwater cameras it was clear, he really won. That extra stroke that he took and that Cavic didn't take cost Cavic everything and gave Phelps everything.
#2 - The Wimbledon Finale
You have to put the extra 'e' on it because it's in Englande. This was an epic for the ages. Two warriors refusing to give up. Two titans of the sport, dueling for supremacy. Whatever. I mean, it still is just tennis. But, the truth is, this was the best tennis match I've ever seen, even if I had to watch it on DVR (which, come to think of it, is probably why it was the best match ever...). These two guys will go down as two of the greatest ever and this will be their greatest match.
#1 - The Throw
I could just say this is number one because the Patriots laid an egg. But to do so would be to cut the Giants short on what they accomplished. Not even the Colts could do what little brother and the football giants were able to accomplish. They beat the Patriots. And this play will go down as one of the best ever in a Super Bowl, which, if you are going to have a play go down as the best ever, it'd be hard to find a better platform than the Super Bowl with something like 8 billion people and aliens watching.
There you go, the top ten sports moments from your's truly.
As many of you have probably heard, we had quite the snow storm on Wednesday night. So much so, that the girl with the green eyes had a snow day! First time in about 30 years that Las Vegas has had a snow day. Insane!
Seeing the snow made me all the more excited for my trip home in a couple of weeks. I'm really excited to see both sets of grandparents which means Chloe will see her greatgrandparents for the first time ever. As a side note, Chloe has a Greatgreatgrandma that is still alive. She is 108 years old.
Anywho, all this white stuff has me in the Christmas mood. Probably the thing I love most about Christmas time is the music. Some of my favorite memories are sitting in the pew at my church listening to the old ladies sing the wonderful christmas songs. So, in honor of my fellow blogger Dustin and his endless supply of top ten lists, I am listing my top ten favorite christmas songs of all time.
Now, I'm not saying that these are the top ten best christmas songs. I'm saying MY top ten favorite songs. Why? So that there is no debate. This is my blog and I make the rules.
#10 - Go, Tell It On The Mountain
When I was a kid, I loved this song, but we never sang it at church. I remember telling my mom that I loved this song but we never sing it. She said she would see what she could do about it. The next sunday we sang it. I guess that's the kinda pull you got when you're sleeping with the preacher...
#9 - White Christmas
I know this isn't a religious song, but this is one of those songs you like to sing in the shower like Elvis.
#8 - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
I know this is a very childish song, but remember when you were a kid and would sing it and add all those other parts ("like monopoly")? Good memories.
#7 - The Christmas Song
I mean, come on! It's The Christmas Song! Plus, whenever I hear it I think about...
"Chestnuts roasting... "COLLINS!" "I'm downstairs" "HEY" "Roger picked up the phone?" "No it's me!" "Throw down the key!" "A wild night is now pre-ordained..."
(If you don't follow, get a little more culture...)
#6 - All I Want For Christmas
This song always makes me think of the movie Love Actually. A lot of people don't like this movie, or don't consider it a christmas movie, but I do. And like I said, on this blog, I make the rules.
#5 - Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)
I especially like Jessica Simpson's version of this. A very dynamic and powerful song.
#4 - Mary, Did You Know?
There was a version of this song done by Micheal English that I try to impersonate everytime I sing it. My favorite line of this song is:
"Mary did you know that your baby boy has walked where angel's trod? And when you kissed your little baby, you kissed the face of God?"
#3 - I'll be Home For Christmas
Everyone wants to be home for christmas. Wherever home is.
#2 - Hark the Herold Angels Sing
My second favorite lyrics of the christmas season:
"Hail, the heav'n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Ris'n with healing in His wings. Mild he lays His glory by. Born that man no more may die. Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth."
#1 - O Holy Night.
By far my favorite christmas song. The vocal range necessary to sing this one correctly automatically eliminates 95% of people from singing this song. I have a favorite christmas memory that involves my grandma singing this song with her powerful voice in a tiny little church in Michigan. I will remember that for the rest of my life. My favorite line:
"Long lay the world, in sin and error pining, Till He appeared, and the soul felt its worth."
Do you have any favorites I've left off this list?
