Catching Up + Football Thoughts

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

Yesterday work got pretty busy so I didn't get around to writing a post. There's a lot to cover what with the 4 day weekend, 2 days of football, new book, another birthday party etc. Plus sick kids, and future plans, yep lots to cover so here goes.

Family

The boys had 2 days off from school, ostensibly for parent-teacher conferences, so I had taken those days off, then Kim did so as well so we ended up with a 4 day family vacation of sorts. Due to the weather and other factors we went ahead and put Emily in Day Care like normal on Thursday & Friday. Thursday we took the boys to the Mall, for some wandering around, play time, lunch and a movie (AstroBoy, which was a fun kids movie). Friday we went down to the Mall for some racquetball followed by some swimming with the boys and a lunch at the Depot. So the boys got 2 fun days with Mom & Dad, with no kid sister to bother them.

Saturday of course was Halloween, we had a relaxing morning. Then walked down to Old Colorado City for their Trick or Treat deal, then walked back. Which was nice, the weather made that very bearable. Then we had a little time at home before we went over to Connie's to do the Trick or Treat in her neighborhood and finally got home. It was a fun day, albeit a little long, the kids all had a good time trick or treating and we ended up with 3 large bowls of candy, 1 for each kid. It is funny I just don't have much recollection of doing much trick or treating growing up, for a variety of reasons I guess we just didn't do it that much. While Kim apparently was trick or treating up until her late teens.

Sunday was Emily's birthday party, which we prepared for by cleaning house, and then gathering leaves in the yard (taking advantage of the time change and the extra hour). Leaving us ready by 11 when the Bronco game started, which unfortunately soured my mood for a couple of hours (more on the game later). The party went well over all I think Emily enjoyed herself and the presents. Plus we were able to get in some real low key family football, which was fun.

Sunday night after we had been asleep for a couple of hours were awoken by Daniel throwing up, which meant cleanup etc. and he stayed home with Kim, and rode with her and Emily to Emily's 2 year checkup, where Emily got 2 shots. Leaving Kim home with 2 sick/grouchy kids the rest of the day. Daniel stayed with Grandpa Pete today, more a precaution than anything else (thanks for the Super Grandpa duty Dad!), but Emily returned to Day Care today, making the transition to the next age group as she just passed her 2nd birthday.

So it was an eventful and busy long weekend, but fun for everyone. We host Kim's birthday party this coming weekend and slowly get back to normal, just in time for Thanksgiving...

Football

CU Buffs

Well I tried to watch the game on Saturday, but every time I turned the channel over Missouri was scoring so I decided to avoid the game in the interests of sanity. It's just real depressing at this point. It is just a general failure all the way through the program: talent level (poor recruiting), inept play (bad coaching), mistakes (poor execution). I am pretty discouraged, I just hope that all of the rah rah, life lesson high education standards are taking hold because it isn't a lot of fun to root for a crappy team.

Ole Miss Rebels

Talk about a fall from grace. A preseason Top 10 to wondering if they can even make a bowl game. This is part of the overall trend this year on how crucial chemistry and coaching are in college football. Because there are a lot of top teams that have not been able to recover from losses to graduation, and the whole complexion of the season has changed as a result of that. And Ole Miss is a prime example as the few players they lost have just blown the whole season.

Denver Broncos

Well I kind of thought they might lose this game. But that didn't make it any easier to watch. It was just a painful game to watch, because it felt like we were in it until all of a sudden I realized we were not in it any more, just a strange game to watch. I just hope this doesn't result in a losing streak. This is where the new coach will really make his bones, how does he and the staff handle this? I just don't know if this loss exposed a major flaw in the team or if it was just a one time thing. We'll know better this coming week.

St. Louis Rams

If you had told me the Rams and Broncos could not win in the same weekend for the entire season I would have not been happy but accepted it. And to be honest if you had then told me that meant the Broncos would be 6-1 and the Rams 1-7 I guess that would have been easier to swallow than 4-3 and 3-5 for example. So the Rams finally got that win, there is hope for the future. Which is what this season is all about: setting up for the future.

The Sports Guy

So I used a birthday gift to buy The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons. Simmons is one of my favorite sports writers, and the reason I didn't buy his first book is I really don't like baseball enough to buy a baseball book. But I like basketball and the NBA so I was looking forward to this one. And so far it has not disappointed. It is a really good book, very informative and definitely well researched.

I only have 2 problems with it so far, one is easier to overcome than the other. I have gotten used to the unabashed Boston Sports Rule! bias of his columns, and to be honest you can't write the 'definitive' book on the NBA without dealing with the Celtics (like it or not, it would be like writing a book about college basketball and leaving out UCLA and John Wooden). Since I am still just starting it I still have not uncovered the reason for his antipathy towards one of my heroes though, I just don't get the Kareem bashing. I never have gotten why some people dislike Kareem, it's like Simmons is that little kid in Airplane.

But those problems aside I heartily endorse this book to anyone who has ever followed the NBA. It is definitely a work of love by someone who genuinely loves basketball and the NBA specifically.