Big Ben - me stupid, that unpossible

For those who have been living in a cave, Big Ben was in a motorcycle accident a few weeks ago and he wasn't wearing a helmet. There is no law in PA requiring riders to wear a helmet but being QB of an NFL team who just won the Superbowl, perhaps Ben should have put one on before jumping on his crotch rocket. At first, I simply prayed that he was okay and not dead. Once Ben came out of surgery, the news was too good to be true. Aside from some new hardware, titanium plates in his face, he would make a full recovery and experienced no brain damage. I was happy that a) he was alive and well, b) he could continue to lead my beloved Steelers this season, and c) everyone was able to walk away from the accident. The problem I have is that someone who is paid an unbelievable amount of money to play a kid's game, is the face of an NFL franchise, is responsible to his employers, his team, and his fans would be so reckless in his off the field behavior. I'm not trying to say that NFL players should live in a bubble, but reasonable precautions can be taken while still under contract. Terry Bradshaw said it best, "Ride those things when you retire."

AVP in Sacramento

Went to the AVP event in Sacramento on Friday. What a great event. One of the things I love the most about the AVP is how accessible the players are to the fans. Not only do you run into the players in between matches, but a good deal of games are on the outer courts where you can stand within a few feet of the action. Too cool. I went on one of the two qualifiying days and it was probably better than coming on one of the big days on the weekend becuase the crowd wasn't bad at all. It felt like old homecoming week as I was reunited with a ton of folks I've played volleyball with in the past. I even ran into some friends who had come all the way from San Diego for the event. I was also able to watch most of the action from the MVP section after a friend had worked his way onto the stage. The best part of the day was getting to talk to some of the players in person. It was surreal watching Karch play against Fonoi while Misty May was standing right next to our group. Great day.

Talking while doing business

Ladies...you may want to skip this post. What is it with guys wanting to talk while using the urinal? Maybe it's me, but I can't think of a time when I feel less like talking than while going to the bathroom. I often use the stall if I see some jackal who I know will say something brilliant if I saddle up next to them at an adjacent urinal. The unfortunate encounter happened today when in mid-stream, this hammerhead who works near me starts chatting me up and all I can think of is hurry up and finish to get the hell out of there.

Great endings...

I just finished the latest Harry Potter novel, The Half-Blood Prince, and man did it have a great ending. Never saw it coming and it floored me completely. I love when a book or movie or story has a good ending. All too often writes take the easy way out and wrap everything up nice and tight for that good feeling at the end. I'm not saying that every story should end with some twist or question, but it's nice to see it done if it's done right. What's even better is when the great ending is done so skillfully by a deft writer and JK is that for sure.