Sportsmanship Anyone?

Here's a screen capture after the final 4-person Bobsled run. Germany 1 was in the lead for a gold, the USA was on their final run.
The USA sled was spectacular and I think the Germans appreciated it.

Wouldn't the world be a better place if all athletes...strike that, EVERYONE...had the German's attitude?

Winter Sports - my way

Other than the combination of wet and windy I love running (or just being outside) in almost any weather. Sweaty, hot and nasty...I'm there. Rain? Bring it on. Sunshine and 20 degrees? My pleasure, I'm in shorts with my really cool Moeben bamboo sleeves (I might not even wear a shirt).

But running in fresh snow is not a common-goodness opportunity. I love the soft, wet powder and the dampening of the footlanding sound it brings. It's the anti-mp3 player.

Here's a shot from yesterday's run:

February 12 - a time to celebrate!

Why my party hat, you ask?






Maybe to celebrate Lincoln's birthday? Nope. Or the forth anniversary of former Vice President Cheney's shooting a lawyer? Nada. How about superstar talk show host Arsenio Hall's day of birth? Sorry.

Three strikes. You're out!

It's the Winter Olympics, baby!




They're back and this makes me happy. Admittedly, I'm not much of a winter sport participant (unless you include running in snow, which I love to do). But I find nothing more motivating on a cold night than a cup of hot tea and 3 or 4 hours of recorded Winter Olympics to replay.

I'll especially be watching the following favorite events (listed in order):

10. Snowboard Cross - like NASCAR on ice with no protection and not going 200mph
9. Ski Jumping - my first love of winter sports
8. Speed Skating - rock stars
7. Ice Hockey - I can still remember 1980. Greatest sporting event. Ever.
6. Bobsleigh - whatever happened to Bob-sled?
5. Luge - kinda crazy people involved
4. Skeleton - make those folks riding the luge look conservative
3. Cross-country skiing - I long for this skill
2. Biathlon - if I'd been born in Canada, I'd be a world champion at this.

And #1 is:

Curling - yeah, I said that. And before you ask me why, please have "why not" answered.

Random Winter Olympic question: Whatever happened to speed skiing?
Speculative answer: maybe it was the 150mph speeds and needing a quarter mile of the .6 mile course to stop.

Be assured I'll spend the next 16 days in Olympic bliss.

Walmart vs. Whole Foods? Locavore myth busted

The Atlantic does an interesting article in the March issue comparing, and taste-testing, local/organic products procured from Walmart and Whole Foods Market. Read it, it's an eye opener.

In slightly related news...this morning while walking through Walmart's produce section I overheard this remark from a mother to her 5-6 year old daughter: "No honey, mommy don't have enough money to get you no fruit." (the mother had a cart load of chips and cookies)

These two things make me sad.

5 Greatest Super Bowl Commercials - in my brain's memory

Although the past few years have yielded sub-par commercials I have high hopes for tomorrow's offerings.

I hope the game is good, too. (I digress)

Some sexy, some humorous and of course some controversial, but let's mainly wish for creative.

Last year the Super Bowl wouldn't air the very cool PETA commercial. This year it won't air Man Crunch.

But they will air the ultra conservative organization Focus on the Family's pro-life ad staring Tim Tebow and mother. (Notice on the FotF link I provided it's a .com not a .org. I'mJustSayin')

So here we go for the top 5, and if you'll read/watch to the finish you might just find a bonus...

#5 is from 1998 and had a insect as the star: The Tabasco Mosquito.


And at #4, starring a lady who reminds me of my grandmother: Wendy's "Where's the Beef" from 1984.


#3 was in 2005. We rode a wave a patriotism while Anheuser-Busch sprung for this commercial.


Larry Bird and Michael Jordan teamed with McDonalds in 1993 for what is nearly my all time favorite Super Bowl Commercial. #2 on the list is:


But the #1 Super Bowl commercial in the history of ever, natch, is the one from Coke in 1979 and started the whole "really cool Super Bowl commercials" thing. For this we owe many thanks. Starring the toughest, baddest NFL player ever, Mean Joe Green and a little kid. Hit it.


And you've read this far? Let me fulfill my promise with a bonus: