RIP Mr. Hockey Gordie Howe

Gordie Howe, a.k.a. Mr. Hockey, died at the age of 88. He had been in failing health for years, struggling with Alzheimer's and was debilitated after a massive stroke in October 2014.  But at Gordie Howe's passing, it is worthwhile to remember his remarkable achievements and motivation to play the sport which he loved.

Howe played 32 seasons in professional hockey-- 26 seasons for the NHL and six seasons for the WHA.  Howe played for the Detroit Red Wings from 1946 to 1971. As a Red Wing, Howe led the team to four Stanley Cup championships, was the NHL's MVP six times and was the league's leading scorer six times. In fact, Howe was in top ten scorers for 21 seasons.  Howe retired in 1971 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of fame.

However, two years after retiring from the NHL, Howe came back in his mid 40s to join sons Mark and Marty Howe to play for the Houston Aeros in the upstart World Hockey Association.  This stint was not just a marquee trick as Gordie Howe managed to rack up 100 points during his six seasons with the Aeros.  

Howe briefly made a comeback in the NHL during the 1979-80 season at age 52 with the Hartford Whalers.  In 1980, Howe make the starting team for his 23rd NHL All Star Game.  The welcome which greeted Gordie at the All Star Game in Detroit that year was astounding.





The new International Bridge over the Detroit River between Ontario and Michigan will be named for Gordie Howe.

Vince Lombardi on Success

Hillary Can't Heisman?

Typically, the Heisman refers to an award given to the outstanding college football player in the United States since 1935.  The Heisman Memorial Award trophy is distinct as it is a  lost wax process bronze casting design by well known sculptor Frank Eliscu that depicts a skilled and powerful football player, sidestepping and straight-arming his way to a touchdown.

Sculptor Frank Eliscu and the Heisman Trophy

Recently, when former Governor Jeb Bush (R-FL) was interviewed by Hugh Hewitt, the undeclared Republican Presidential hopeful invoked the Heisman when surveying the 2016 political playing field. Jeb Bush was asked about all of  chaos in the Middle East which the Obama Administration's foreign policy precipitated (namely Libya, ISIS and an inchoate Arab nuclear arms race).  Governor Bush responded that:

 "I think she can’t do the Heisman on the first four years of the Obama foreign policy. She’ll try. I mean, she’s going to, look, this is very Clintonian, I think, to figure out a way to get out of a mess."

Bush invoked the image of the Heisman stiff arming opposition before striding into the end zone for a score. Certainly, the big bench of talented GOP Presidential candidates will seek to stop Hillary from side stepping opposition blocking her way to the South Lawn of the White House despite screens from the Lamestream Media.

It should be remembered, however,  that the Heisman Award is an honor given by sportwriters (journalists) through a beauty contest vote.  There is concern about the Heisman curse that designated winners often do not perform well the big game or during their careers  in pro football despite the honor and the hype of the Heisman. Certainly, parallels can be made to Hillary's proto Presidential campaign and presumed coronation at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

San Fran Radio Bans Lorde "Royals" During World Series

After the San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals to clinch their right to represent the National League in the 2014 Major League Baseball World Series, two Bay area radio stations made waves.  Both KFOG-FM and KOIT-FM announced bans on playing the minimal art pop song "Royals" by New Zealand chanteuse Lorde.  This ersatz outrage is a silly attempt to generate civic pride for the a World Championship Series with two wildcard teams.

During interviews last year, Lorde became inspired to compose "Royals" in a half-hour writing session after seeing a photo of George Brett signing baseballs.

The song is about aspirationalism and uses pop artists' luxurious lifestyles as a counterpoint.

One would think that there would be more tolerance in the City by the Bay.  Then again, the  message might be challenging to those actually listening to the lyrics of the Lorde's song. 

The radio silence on "Royals" seems like a cheap publicity stunt which jumps on the civic bandwagon while getting earned publicity.  But this may be a desperate ploy to generate enthusiasm in San Francisco for the World Series.  

This is the third time in five years in which the San Francisco Giants have made it to the World Series, whereas it has been a 29 year drought for the Royals.  

This is reflected in World Series ticket prices on the secondary market.  It would not be cheap to see the San Francisco Giants play their World Series home games, averaging around $700 a seat. But in Kansas City, expect to pay between $1,000 to $1250 a ticket to see "Royals" in the World Series up close and personally. 

Adham Talaat on Being a Deaf Football Player

Adham Talaat,  a 23 year old six foot six inch 275 pound Senior Defensive Lineman from Springfield, Virginia, may be the first Gallaudet University player chosen in the NFL draft.  Gallaudet is a unique institution of higher learning, founded in 1864 by President Abraham Lincoln, as it is the only university which serves the deaf and hard of hearing.

Although Talaant is considered severely to profoundly deaf, he can hear when he has his hearing aids on.  However, Talaat usually plays without the hearing aids.  If Talaat is drafted, he will  be one of the few deaf players play in the NFL. 

The road for Talaat being an NFL draft prospect was long and winding. Talaat had been playing youth sports since age six, but he did not start playing football until high school as that is when Riddell released the Revolution helmet which gave space for hearing aids. 

Due to Talaat's secondary school playing prowess, Talaat was encouraged to go to the University of Massachusetts in 2008, as it had a Division I football program, but he was "gray-shirted"(delayed enrollment) awaiting a scholarship.  Talaat withdrew before completing his spring semester as the coaching changed and Talaat felt isolated on campus.  

Talaat was warned that his withdrawal might have been the end of his football career.  Talaat worked at a Warehouse Club yet he continued with his football oriented conditioning.  Janitors at West Springfield High let Talaat in their gym to continue his training.  What inspired Talaat during this tough time was an internet poem--"I can, I will, I did".

In deep sleep, I'm dreaming

I know exactly where to go.

I see the quarterback stumble,

I deal that crushing blow.

I wake myself at daybreak.

My rival's still asleep.

It gives me the advantage

when both of us compete

My hands are shaking crazy.

I long to get it done.

My mind's already focused.

The fight has now begun.

Six months after leaving Amherst, Talaat was encouraged to talk to Gallaudet Bison head coach Chuck Goldstein.  Talaat felt that Gallaudet was comfortable but the Division III school had less resources and football culture, but Gallaudet was also the first school which introduced the huddle in the 1890s (using hand signals).  But after prayerful consideration, Talaat enrolled in Gallaudett in 2010. By his Junior year, Talaat was a national standout defenseman, while also being an outstanding student athlete.  Talaat graduated in December 2013 with a 3.93 GPA and was a first team academic All American.

Since the start of the year, Talaat has been enrolled in the TEST Parsi Football Academy to prepare for the NFL combine and the draft. Scouts considered Talaat to be a raw talent, as there were many drills for which Talaat had not previously trained. 

While it remains to be where Talaat will be drafted, his drive and attitude ought to be commended.  Talaat does not let his handicap define him. And Talaat's positive attitude is inspiring. 

h/t: Washington Post
     CBS Sports

UPDATE 5/10/2014   Talaat was not among the players chosen in the seven rounds of the 2014 NFL draft.  Then again, controversial standout Michael Sam was chosen 248th.  

Now Uecker Is Always Charitably in the Last Row

The last row of Section 422 in the upper deck at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin are under the pivot of the retractable roof.  These nosebleed seats which are obstructed by the support girder which sell for $1 on game days have long been referred to as "Uecker Seats", referencing a funny Miller Lite ad in which Uecker thinks that he "must be in the front row."




Now there is a good reason aside from fanatical frugality for fans to choose to sit in the Uecker Seats.  Brian Maughan, a sculptor who has created four bronzes for the Brewers (including a "Mr. Baseball" statue of Bob Uecker) outside of the park created another bronze for the last row of Section 422 with Uecker.

The artwork depicts a smiling Uecker sitting down wearing a blue shirt and tan pants.  The unique aspect of Maughan's sculpture is that it includes an extra seat so that fans can donate to the Brewers Community Foundation and the Make a Wish Foundation and take a photo next to the bronze of the Hall of Fame Brewers announcer.

When the Brewers first thought about having another statue to Uecker in the ballpark, the legendary 81 year old announcer rejected it as he jocularly claimed "I thought that they wanted me to work up there." But it was a project championed by local media movie critic Gino Salomone, who prepared a tribute video for the event. 



Uecker quipped about the Terrace Level spot for the statue: "They had to make sure it was the worst seat."  But Uecker warmed up to the statue by intimating that when he shakes his mortal coils that he might come to rest "up right and above ground."

It is remarkable that a player who played only two of six seasons in Milwaukee (for the Braves before they moved down the Atlanta highway) and left the majors with a .200 batting average merits two statues at Miller Park.  That shows the esteem which Wisconsinites hold for Mr. Baseball.  His honest, happy-go-lucky, jocular personality serves as a great icon for the land of Cheeseheads, brats and brewskies for 43 seasons.

The wisecracking Uecker was one upped by one of his guests at the "Last Row" statue unveiling.  The ceremony included Brewer Hall of Famers Robin Yount, Rollie Fingers, current Brewers skipper Ron Roenicke, several current Brew Crew players, family, friends  et ali.

Bob Uecker [third from R] at the "Last Row" Statue unveiling ceremony April 25, 2014

The statue was unveiled at the top of Miller Park but the ceremony took place on the field.  This allowed Yount  to observe: "God, this is unbelievable. Fifty thousand empty seats. What a ceremony."

Despite the friendly ribbing, the Last Row statue is so popular that the Brewers organization limits access to the "Uecker Seats" statue during the game, so the obstructed view fan can enjoy the ballgame.  The statue is even covered late in the game and afterwards so that fans will egress from Miller Park. For now, pictures are only permitted in the pre-game.

Well, how about that. 

Tom Weiskopf on the 1986 Masters

Despite reports that Jack Nicklaus career was dead in 1986, "the Bear" came out of hibernation and won the Masters. 

US Mint Strikes Curved Coin Celebrating Cooperstown

The US Mint will be striking its first curved coin in order to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Following the mandate of PL 112-152 passed by Congress in 2012, this limited edition legal tender is supposed to be produced like the French Mint's 2009 coins commemorating the Year of Astronomy.

David Everhart

The shape of the coin has the convex side depicting a raised Major League baseball which was designed by US Mint Engraver David Everhart and the concave obverse side will display the winner of a design competition judged by Baseball Hall of Famers Joe Morgan, Brooks Robinson, Ozzie Smith, Don Sutton and Dave Winfield.

Cassie McFarland

Cassie McFarland, a 28 year old artist from San Luis Obispo, California, entered the baseball coin design competition because: "she was fascinated by the notion that America's coins could reflect the personality and history of its people".  McFarland's  "Hand Full of Gold" design beat 177 other contestants by depicting a stylized baseball glove.  McFarland's glove design complimented the concave shape of the cupped glove.  Two shafts of wheat on the side of the glove unite with the glove stitching to form a circle, depicting national unity and perhaps the importance of our national pastime to American culture.

The San Francisco Mint will produce up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins and 750,000 half-dollar coins. These commemorative coins will be sold at a premium of $35, $10 and $5 respectively, with the proceeds going to benefit the Cooperstown based National Baseball Hall of Fame's non-profit operations.  

Numismatics can catch their curve-ball coins starting March 27th. However, due to the baseball theme and the convex curvature of the commemorative coin, it still would have been a bad bet for Broadway Joe to use for the Super Bowl XLVIII ceremonial coin toss. 

The Disintegration of the Persistence of Three-Peat

Shaun White, an American superstar snowboarder, was seeking his third straight Olympic Gold Medal in the Half-Pipe.  White chose not to participate in the 2014 Winter X-Games, and White bowed out of the Sochi Olympic Slopestyle all supposedly to concentrate on his signature event, the Half-Pipe.

After the qualification round in Sochi, Shaun White was in the lead.  However, White crashed during his first Half-Pipe run in the finals  When social media reported that White bent a board, I attributed it to snowboarder lingo.  As it turns out, this was no figure of speech.

One wag on Twitter suggested that the snowboard judges at Sochi were not impressed by Shaun White's Salvador Dali inspired run.

Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dali (1953)

 The bent board certainly seemed surreal.   But delving into Dali's deeper meaning of melted watches is that time is fluid and you can not hold onto it.  So it goes with White's dreams of an Olympic  Half-Pipe three-peat.

While White scored a 90.25 on his final run, White placed fourth in the Half Pipe,  finishing behind Swiss Gold Medalist Ioiri Podladtchikov (a.k.a. "IPod") and Japanese Snowboarders Ayuma Hirano and Taku Hiraokahirano who took the Silver and the Bronze Medals respectively.

Half Pipe Medalists at 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics

h/t: George Nimeh

Jessie Vetter on Victory

While it is wonderful that Vetter is so dedicated to teamwork to achieve victory on the ice at the Sochi Winter Olympics, she should also be commended for the patriotism painted on her banned equipment. 

Vetter had sought to wear a goalie mask with "We the People" from the Preamble of the US Constitution as part of the artwork, but IOC rules prohibited extra writing aside from "USA".  

Sochi Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies Errata

The Opening Ceremonies of the XXII Winter Olympiad in Sochi, Russian Federation flakes which were supposed to transform into interlocking Olympic Rings did not completely work. Russian television cut away to show rehearsal footage "in order to preserve the Olympic imagery". More likely to keep Russian self imagery preserved.    But to be fair,  the spectacular torch lighting for the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 was marred by a technical mishap. 

As NBC Sports Commentator Meredith Viera repeated reminded viewers that the imagery that was part of the pageantry was immediately familiar to Russians.  However, some of the extravaganza was not only unfamiliar but confusing to non-Russophone Olympic fans. 

The show started with  a digital video "Luba's Alphabet Dream", which paired her "ABC"s with words of significance to Russians. 

But the Cyrillic alphabet is not ordered by the Latin ABCs. Hence viewers were confused by the ordering of teams in the Parade of Nations.   Little did people realize that Luba's Dream would be followed by a real world test. 

Zimbabwe's team was called early.  And Venezuela was called before  Canada.

With this unorthodox alphabetic ordering for most Westerners, it would be easy to have missed the explanation about why there were Independent Athletes marching in the Parade of Nations. 

The Independent Athletes are actually Indian.  The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) ran afoul of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after the IOA elected a member who had pending corruption charges against him.  So the IOC suspended the IOA in December 2012.   For the IOA to regain good graces with the IOC, it needed to redraft its constitution and hold elections before the Olympics.  The IOA chose to hold elections on February 9th, two days after the opening of the Sochi Games.

Caught in the middle of this bureaucratic international politics are three Indian athletes:  Luger Shiva Keshavan, Cross Country Skier Nadeem Iqbal, and Alpine Skier Himanshu Thakur.  They were allowed to march but only with a generic Olympic flag.  In the unlikely event that these Independent Athletes make it to the top of the medal platform, the Indian anthem would not be played.  

Inquiring minds might also like to know about the unusual headdresses which placard bearers wore.  Once again, it was iconic for those raised in Russia but inexplicable for the uninitiated.  They are dressed as Snegurochka, or Snow Maidens.  There is a Russian folk tale which an old childless couple crafted a little girl out of snow, who comes to life but perishes as the Snow Maiden played flame jumping with other village children. 

While technically many of these elements were not wrong, that's a lot of errata for the casual Olympic fan. 

Too Sooner to Steal ND Lucky Charms (sic)?

Today, the University of Oklahoma Sooners (3-0) go up against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-1).  Effectively, the Sooners will try to steal ND's Lucky Charms.

Being based in the District of Calamity (sic), my school of choice is the Electoral College, which cheers more for politics as a contact sport than football so it is easy to watch the Sooner/Fighting Irish match-up dispassionately.


Statistically, Notre Dame has won 9 of 10 football games against the Sooners.  But it should also be noted that the game is going to be played in South Bend, Indiana. The home field advantage may have some artistic and superficial spiritual advantages.

The Hesburgh Library, which is adjacent to the Notre Dame football stadium, has two iconic art pieces which seem to reflect football prowess. 

The large "Word of Life mural" (1964) by Millard Sheets is colloquially called "Touchdown Jesus".   Next to the library, there is a bronze by Joseph Turkalj (1962) which is often referred to as "First Down Moses" for the way the Jewish Prophet has his hand positioned. 

Post Scriptus - The Sooners managed to defy the odds and defeated the Fighting Irish 35-21.  

Baseball Ballet Between The Beltways

For the third year in a row, the Geico Racing Presidents crashed a performance of the Septime Weber's  and the Washington Ballet's performance of  Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" (1892) at the Warner Theater.




As it was at the end of the Washington National's 2012 season, Teddy was a winning standout.

 At a time when the District of Calamity is divided on how to avoid the Fiscal Cliff, it is nice to see how baseball fans, Christmas sentimentalists and lovers of the arts can briefly be brought together in a season of hope and anticipation.

 [This article was originally published on DistrictofCalamity.com]