Streams of Consciousness

Finally, for the first time since October 12, 2006, I was able to row over 7500 meters in 30 minutes. 7502, to be precise. The last time that I rowed over 7500 meters: Bill Cowher was still the head coach of the Steelers Republicans still controlled Congress I had not yet had the life-altering experience of spending a week in the hospital with Benny This was a specific goal of mine at the beginning of the year. Actually, I had hoped to accomplish it by Dominic's birthday on February 17, but it was a long, hard uphill battle. Even though I did not meet my deadline, I was happy with my progress, as I added a few meters here and there. Trust me, if you have never used a rowing machine, those extra meters are hard to come by! I pushed my date goal to Easter, and I did not think I would be able to come close until at least a few more weeks. However, tonight I did it! I started off pretty strong, staying under a 2:00 per 500-meter pace for the first 2200 meters, and then staying ...

I learned this evening that Myron Cope had passed away earlier today at the age of 79. It is possible that Myron was as responsible as anyone for the creation of the post-1970 Pittsburgh Steelers identity. His unique voice and mannerisms are embedded within Steelers lore. He was as recognized, if not more so, than any player in Pittsburgh. And, he was responsible for the genesis of a little yellow cloth that you might have seen. Growing up in Iowa, I never had the opportunity to listen to Myron call Steelers games. However, as a Steelers fan, I was acutely familiar with his persona and his legendary nicknames. He seemed like a representation of an earlier, more innocent, time. A sportswriter who stumbled upon broadcasting. His was true color commentary. It's hard to imagine the Steelers without phrases such as "The Immaculate Reception" or "The Bus." Many outside of the Pittsburgh area found him quirky, even annoying. However, his dedication was to enter...

Between watching Barney A-B-C and playing PS2's Total Rampage with the boys, I only caught about 15 minutes of the Democratic debate earlier tonight. However, I managed to tune in during one of the questions that has gotten most of the post-debate blog attention that I've read. Namely, the question regarding Farrakhan's support for Obama . Look, I'll be the first to admit that I don't know much about Farrakhan, other than the fact that some people denounce him as a lunatic and that he spoke at the Million Man March. From secondary sources that I've read, his rhetoric seems to be extremely divisive and, I gather from tonight, anti- Semitic . If so, he should be denounced, as he was by Obama . However, I thought Russert was really baiting him on the issue, and I believed the premise of the question to be weak. Then, incredibly, after Obama had said that he deplores Farrakhan's hateful rhetoric, Russert asks him if he rejects his support, and begins t...

Just some random thinking; a nostalgiac observation. Remember when we used to have to go to certain places in our houses to connect to the Internet at such blazing speeds of 64 kbps, or some such statistic? I was simply thinking this evening of how much I take for granted being able to sit on my couch with a laptop and surf the web while watching TV--made possible with more powerful laptops and wireless routers. I've only had both of these things for a few years, but it feels like I've had them forever. It's getting kind of hard to remember what life was like before these conveniences. Not that I want to go back.

First, the hard fall of the Patriots from the pinnacle of perfection. Then, both Massachusetts senators are defied and Hillary wins the primary. Now, Mitt Romney drops out of the presidential race.

It's been nearly three weeks since the New York Giants saved NFL football by beating the 18-0 New England Patriots in a game for the ages. I've been trying to get my thoughts typed out and posted for the record, but just haven't been able to get around to it. The lustre seems to have worn off a little bit, but this was perhaps the most exciting superbowl I've ever watched! How many superbowls include 4 lead changes, 21 4 th quarter points, an excellent defensive battle, and relatively few penalties or mistakes? It was simply a classic game, played well by both teams. I think I have to admit that it would have been a great game even had the despised Patriots won (especially since I've never seen so many grass stains on pretty-boy Brady.) But, they didn't! Therefore, I enjoyed this game nearly as much as I did the Steelers superbowl victory from a few years ago. Alas, here are my final thoughts on the 2008 superbowl , and then I'm on to hoping that the...

A collection of links to chronicle the downfall of the New England Patriots: Yahoo!News: Giants Stun Pats in Super Bowl Yahoo!News: Brady and Moss Pull Out of Pro-Bowl a Day After Loss to Giants in Superbowl Yahoo!News: Giants Parade Through Manhattan (almost looks like a Steelers parade :)) AP: Tyree Makes Catch of a Lifetime in Superbowl Michael Silver's Morning Rush: Giants Stand Up To Bullies Charles Robinson: Pats Dream Season Ends With Nightmare Mike Florio: Spygate Could Spark Espionage Investigation Dan Wetzel: Super Winners and Losers ESPN: Brady: Plax Prediction on Pats Points Puzzling ESPN.COM: Belichick Has Left the Building...A Second Early MSNBC: NFL Wants to Meet with Ex-Pats Video Man Tom Curran: Belichick Storms Off; Moss Questions Pats' Gameplan AP: Authorities Prepare for Disappointed Pats Fans Tim Dahlberg: Perfect Quarterback is no Longer so Perfect Bill Simmons (Patriot hack): Free fallin' Out Into Nothing ESPN.COM: Giants Leave Brady Dazed and Confus...

All is right with the world! Thanks to Eli Manning, and the NY Giants for saving football last evening with their thrilling upset of the despised cry-babies from New England. A great game in its own right, especially as far as superbowls go, but an unbelievably outstanding finish to a team that was on the cusp of history, only to see it slip through their fingers into the dustbin of history. I'm sure Patriots fans will disagree, but most of the rest of the world just witnessed a team go from immortal greatness to infamous chokers. I had never been a huge Giants fan, mostly because I never liked Parcells, and I was rooting for the Bills in 1991. However, the G-men have now carved out a small place in my heart forever. Neeless to say, I would have been rooting even for the Cowboys to beat the Patriots, but thanks to the Giants, I didn't have to worry about that sad possibility. It's hard to explain, but I feel nearly as gleeful as if the Steelers had won the superbowl-...

Tom Brady