So now I'm a sometime sports writer as well...

as the MLB correspondent for a little blog we like to call the Sports Cave live. (Too bad I can't just focus on the AL East, he hee.) Check out my inaugural post here, and make sure to check in with the Sports Cave often. I have a feeling it's going to be a terrific summer for sports.

There was a Jazz game

Last night, we were lucky enough to score some great tickets to the Jazz/Lakers game. Though it unfortunately wasn't much of a game, it was still really fun. Our thanks goes out to Jeff and Camille for such a delightful evening.

{And no, Kobe didn't play. I'm pretty sure it's because he knew I would throw something at him. Or lots of somethings. I can be pretty intimidating physically. Te hee.}

Who am I sir?

A Utah man (or woman, to be more correct) am I!!!!!

(courtesy of msn.foxsports.com)

(courtesy of espn.com)

A heartfelt congratulations to the Utah Utes, who just dominated Alabama in the Sugar Bowl 31-17. Though I have always been a U fan, I have never been happier to be so than tonight. 13-0 baby!! Good work team! YAYA!!!!!!!!!!

A. Flawless. Day.

Saturday was an amazing day in the life of husband and me. It was one of those rare days where everything worked out perfectly (yes, even with our colds) and we had copious amounts of fun together.

Up first was Twilight, and I'm happy to report that I didn't hate it. (I didn't love it either, which is just further substantiation of my belief that a movie adapted from a book is never as good as its inspiration.) That being said, I found the chemistry between the two leads to be enough to allow me to ignore (for the most part) that Robert Pattinson can't really act, and that most of the peeps didn't really get the essence of their characters. Nor were they in any way beautiful enough. (Some of it had to do with the creepy white makeup they used... low budget for sure.) But if you liked the book, you should probably go ahead and see the movie; it's a decent representation of the essence of the book. And then just read the book again, because it's better.

The Utah/BYU game was soooooo incredibly satisfying this year. We didn't go to the game this year, but got together with some of the fam and watched the Utes emphatically triumph over the Cougars. I wanted to kiss (or, at the very least, chest bump) Max Hall for choking so bad. And it is always lovely to see some of the more sanctimonious BYU players make dumb penalties when they get frustrated. Lovely, indeed. I'm proud to say that I bleed red, and thoroughly enjoyed the game.

Last, but certainly not least, we went to the Coldplay concert. And I have to say that this concert ties for first (with Radiohead, naturally) for being the best concert I have ever attended. Coldplay has a special meaning to me, for multiple reasons, one being that they reminded me of husband long before I ever thought it was possible for him to become husband. So it was rather enjoyable for me to be at this concert with my incredible husband, enjoying the flawlessness that is Chris Martin and company. The stage was really unique; the sides ran down into the floor seats, and the band utilized these bits a lot during the performance. One of the highlights for me was when the band performed IN the crowd about ten rows up and just kitty corner from where we were sitting. It was then that they performed an acoustic version of "The Scientist." (I will post a clip of that later, I just have to compress the size.) I about fainted from the sheer joy of it all. They played a perfect amalgamation of their body of work, including most songs from Viva la Vida. During "Lovers in Japan" a bunch of butterfly confetti (that glowed btw) fell from the rafters, creating this beautiful effect and feel. Their encore was a simple, but wonderful, performance of "Yellow." I know this sounds cheesy, but it felt like we were a part of something special. I always find it refreshing when a band interacts with the audience and makes them feel like they are a part of the show. Coldplay did just that. They were worth every penny.

Super sick but super excited for the show

Just performing in the crowd, nbd

They're a lot closer than they look in this pic

"Lovers in Japan" confetti extravaganza

Taking a bow

A lesson learned: the pivotal role of adolescence and who we become thereafter

Poet John Ciardi once said, "You don't have to suffer to be a poet; adolescence is enough suffering for everyone." My post today is going to focus on the latter part of that quote: "adolescence is enough suffering for everyone."

Lately I have been deeply thinking about this stage in life, about how many crucial decisions are made whilst delving through it. I think about the person I am now, and how my experiences in those formative years have shaped my entire life thereafter. It's a sobering thought sometimes, to think that if I had perhaps made different, less "prudent" decisions, that I could be somewhere markedly different than I am today. Thus I am grateful that I passed through some trials, or "suffering" as it were, in my adolescent years, because these experiences helped me gain a greater perspective, one that has become an integral part of the person I am today.

On to an embarrassing admission of such experiences...

When I was in the sixth grade, I thought that it would be a good idea to run for seventh grade officer (as a way to combat my shyness and to meet new people in the new amazing world of junior high school). I figured I might have a good chance because only my elementary school would be voting, and each elementary school would send a representative they'd elected to junior high. Needless to say, I lost. But I was not to be discouraged.

After taking a year off of running for student office, I ran again for ninth grade office, tenth grade office, eleventh grade office, student body office, and senior class office.

I never made it past the first round. (I know, pretty pathetic right? I mean I had some BRILLIANT campaign posters... the "Just for the 'L' of it" campaign probably being one of my favorites.)

As a last ditch effort, I applied for Student Body Historian (which I thought I'd have a good shot at since it was an appointed position and I was a total nerd.)

Didn't get that either. It was my last chance, and I was rejected.

Sometimes, much to my embarrassment, my mother uses this story as an illustration of a life lesson, that I didn't even realize I was learning at the time. She infuses in this story a conversation we had (which I vaguely remember) when I had lost, yet again, and was undoubtedly crying. She lovingly inquired why I kept running for office, when every loss hurt more than the last. And I replied, "Well, if I don't at least try, how will I ever know what the outcome would have been?"

This story doesn't have an entirely pathetic ending. I did end up getting appointed as Senate President my senior year, and was able to be in the student government class and fully function in that role. But it took me 6 years, 6 elections and 7 rejections to get there. I appreciated it so much more because of that. And, to this day, I think I had to suffer through all of that rejection and disappointment to help me become a better person. To help me gain a confidence in myself that was and is not dependent on the opinions of others. To help me become a better version of myself.

Today, I share this very personal and very embarrassing story because someone I love is also faced with disappointment this day. In spite of his talent, hard work and dedication, he is experiencing rejection due to a broken and political system that seems to worsen as the years roll on. I have previously shared my opinions about the flaws of a "hypothetical" high school's sports program and reiterate it this day. And while I fully concede that the favoritism and politics that exist therein are pretty much pervasive in modern society, I still think it's a shame. I think it's a shame the best players don't always play. That their coaches are too concerned with their own mediocre children and their "favorites" that good kids who work hard don't get to play.

It would be one thing if said "good kids" were not good enough to play, but that's just not the case. In some ways I hate that my loved one has to go through this. But, on the other hand, perhaps this will teach him something similar to what I learned: that life is so much more than high school and popularity and peer pressure. That being a good and conscientious person means more in the eternal scheme of things than if you were a star fill-in-the-blank in high school. I'm just sorry he doesn't get to play a game he loves and is so good at because of unqualified and narcissistic high school coaches. I think it's a shame that he has to learn this lesson in this way, rather than learn equally important lessons from the discipline and work ethic that sports require and provide. I think it's a shame that in such an affluent area, the structures within the public school system are beginning to settle for mediocrity and idiocy.

But, adolescence is tricky. Adolescence is tough.

Especially when your coaches and teachers have not progressed beyond that pivotal stage.

well it was a great weekend for sports...

though in the eternal scheme of things, such matters will most likely be low on the importance scale, i do have to say that this weekend was a great weekend for sports. byu lost (and dropped to 21), the u of u won (somewhere, steve-o is smiling), and most importantly, the red sox lost (to the rays, no less).

like i said, a great weekend for sports.

Shame on you, China

Ah, the summer Olympics. A time to celebrate the best of the best of the world's athletes. A time to appreciate another country's rich heritage and customs.

And, this year, a time to deny a talented little girl the opportunity to be seen by millions of people around the world, all because she wasn't deemed "cute" enough. Here is an excerpt from an article that further explains what I mean.

Courtesy of:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26153578/


BEIJING - One little girl had the looks. The other had the voice.

So in a last-minute move demanded by one of China’s highest officials, the two were put together for the Olympic opening ceremony, with one lip-syncing “Ode to the Motherland” over the other’s singing.

The real singer, 7-year-old Yang Peiyi, with her chubby face and crooked baby teeth, wasn’t good looking enough for the ceremony, its chief music director told state-owned Beijing Radio.

So the pigtailed Lin Miaoke, a veteran of television ads, mouthed the words with a pixie smile for a stadium of 91,000 and a worldwide TV audience. “I felt so beautiful in my red dress,” the tiny 9-year-old told the China Daily newspaper.

Peiyi later told China Central Television that just having her voice used was an honor.

It was the latest example of the lengths the image-obsessed China is taking to create a perfect Summer Games.

Then there is the controversy surrounding the Chinese women's gymnastic team. Yeah, the newly crowned gold medalists. Apparently, half the team is underage. Here's another excerpt.

Courtesy of:

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1832312,00.html?imw=Y

They twirled and tumbled and soared, their lean, lithe bodies slicing the air like tiny blades. In the end, China's women's gymnastics team prevailed in the team final, capturing the gold, with the Americans taking silver and the Romanians rounding it out with a bronze. But even as the Chinese team's doll-like faces broke out into giant smiles, a question mark hung over the mats at the National Indoor Stadium. Last month, when China finally named its Olympic squad, legendary gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi complained that some of China's gymnasts were "obviously kids... and you're telling the world they are 16? What arrogance!" Were three of the six Chinese women on the stand actually too young to be competing?

Under Olympic regulations, female gymnasts must turn 16 years old during the year of competition. According to their passports, which determine Olympic eligibility, He Kexin, Jiang Yuyuan and Yang Yilin are all 16. But Chinese online records and local newspaper articles have presented different information, raising questions about these three gymnasts' true ages. A 2006 biography from the local sports bureau where He was registered gave her date of birth as January 1, 1994, which would make her 14. A story earlier this year in the China Daily, the country's largest English-language newspaper, also reported that she is 14 years old. Another local-level competition roll had the date of birth of Jiang, who is only 32 kg (70.5 lbs.), as October 1, 1993, making her also 14. And from 2004-2006, the biographical data for Yang on the State General Administration of Sport's website listed her date of birth as August 26, 1993, one year later than what Beijing Olympic records show. Responding to a New York Times article that reported on questions about He and Jiang's ages, Zhang Hongliang, a Chinese gymnastics official, suggested that perhaps local sports authorities had listed their ages incorrectly, but insisted that their passports were fault-free. "I'm sure the information is correct," Zhang said. Officials from the International Gymnastics Federation said they would accept the passport information, until convincing evidence to the contrary is presented.

Age-fixing in Chinese sport has been in the news before. In sports where limber, prepubescent bodies can outmaneuver more mature athletes, kids can be designated as older than they are. Yang Yun, a Chinese gymnast who was listed as 16 when she won double bronzes at Sydney, later went on Chinese television and said she had been 14 when she competed.

So, even though there have been some amazing moments, I think it's a shame that the Olympics be marred by such controversy. Can't we all just get along? And not cheat? Perhaps not.

Nepotism in high school sports

In life, if often seems that success is not about what you know, but who you know. More than that, it's who your family is. I mean, how else did George W. get into Yale or Harvard? And that's just one example. I'm of the mindset that a person should earn the right to a good job or a good education, and not coast through existence on his/her family name. Though familial favoritism is rampant throughout society, a forum in which it is readily apparent is in the arena of sports-- namely high school sports-- which is why I'm writing this in the first place.

Let's speak in hypotheticals shall we? (And by hypotheticals I mean thinly-veiled literals, mmk pumpkins?) So I know this kid who happens to be a phenomenal baseball player. Let's call him "Stuart." He goes to "Plentiful" High. He is not only a natural talent, but a hard worker who truly loves the game. In fact, he was able to start varsity as a freshman last year, and he did a great job. Fast forward to this year: Stuart is relegated to JV, shagging balls for the team he used to start for. Seriously?

You may be thinking, hmm, I wonder why this kid's not playing varsity this year. Maybe they got a new transfer student with the skills of Robinson Cano. Maybe Stuart's just not that great of a player. Or maybe the new assistant coach wants his son to play. (Just so you know, it's the latter.) Yes, good old Plentiful hired a recently FIRED coach to continue the legacy of coaching-mediocrity that is rampant in its sports department. Said coach has a son who plays Stuart's position... so it looks like Stuart's out of luck.

Now it would be one thing if this kid were an all star athlete in his own right, with the build and the skill for the game. But the truth of the matter is this: he didn't even play last year (remember, daddy got fired) AT ALL. And to make matters worse, he's 5' 4" and maybe a buck twenty. Oh yeah, and ask me if he can turn a double play... nope. Ask me if he went 0-14 with ELEVEN strikeouts before he got his first little hit. And Stuart's the one riding pine. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?

Oh wait, it doesn't. Am I the only one going WTF right about now?

Sure, there are a lot of instances where fathers coach little league teams and the like so that their kids can play, and I don't have a problem with that. In some cases, this is the only time those kids will be able to play sports, and there's always the option of joining another team. So the problems of nepotism are then mostly alleviated. Let the kids play all they want with the teams they want and have a great time.

But what about in high school? A kid doesn't have the luxury of being able to choose which team he plays for. In fact, if the kid wanted to transfer schools, he loses an entire year of eligibility. So nepotism becomes a problem. I think it's pathetic and sad that high schools are so adversely effected by politics. Especially in Plentiful's case. I saw it when I went there, and it gets progressively worse. You get underpaid teachers in there that need an extra $1000 who know nothing about the sport and have a huge chip on their shoulder. And good kids don't get to play, merely because they don't have the right last name, or (sadly enough) the coach resents the fact they're good. It's very sad and very true.

I worry about the kids who are mistreated in such a way, who are denied their well deserved right to play. What about those who would be inclined to get into trouble if they didn't have a goal in place? What about those that can't afford to go to college unless a scholarship is provided? Instead of having coaches who are supportive and helpful, they have coaches who wish they were coaching football and put their awful sons into the game. It just doesn't seem right to me. And it definitely doesn't sit well with me.

I've thought about what I can do to bring this problem to light, but sadly, nobody at Plentiful really cares. So at least I can blog about it right? Sigh.

** For those of you who read this as of 4/9/2008, I am sorry to report that I had to further change names to protect the innocent. They were way more funny before. **