A game invented for the healthy exercise of young gentlemen

The other night I saw one of the most disgusting displays of behavior I think I may have ever witnessed. Players acting like street corner thugs. A coach swearing openly at an official.High school game, city park ...no not even the NBA. The women's NCAA. The female coach was swearing at a female ref. Poor sportsmanship does not begin to cover it. The night before in the men's tournament a player jumped on a table beating his chest at the end of the game. Before he had congratulated his teammates, let alone the opposing team.
Last fall at a family gathering we were watching a college football game. One of my nephews is a huge fan of one of the teams. You know the type, never went there, but has the vanity plates and all the rest of the crap.A celebration penalty brought him to his feet yelling"Bull s**t!".I pointed out the the rule had been broken, "Stupid rule" was his reply.
"But it's still the rule",
"And it's still stupid!".
"So following your logic, if you think the rule against killing someone is stupid, you may kill someone if you wish."
"That's different!"
"Is it?"
"Nobody's that stupid!"
"Stupid seems to be your answer to everything, I wonder why that is?"
Our respective wives told us each to knock it off. I maturely replied "He started it."I only see the guy once or twice a year and it is never the highlight of my day.If I have a point I guess that it's that sports were once supposed to teach many of life's good attributes,now not so much.And like so many things, you ain't gonna change it back. OK I feel better now.

Bliss

An early Spring walk on my baby daughter's farm yesterday. That's her in the red jacket. Gabe is pulling on Grandad, he wants to keep up with the dogs. Two old coonhounds my daughter rescued. Alas my days of keeping up with hounds have long since sailed. Way out front is #2 son-in-law.Home safe from Japan and walking his own land again. Aye, it's a well and contented man I am.

Yet Again

My any-mouse friend has told me my last post took my self serving to a new high. You missed the point junior.I only did what any cretin with an ounce of decency would have done. The young warrior, husband, and father is who needs your thoughts. And for the last time YES it is self serving, I admit it freely. To prove it I want to tell you all something. We all have too much drama in our lives. I try not to post about mine too much. My #2 son-in -law (the one who has not contributed to the Little Rat Pack yet) works as an engineer for a subsidiarity of Honda. When the quake hit he was in a meeting 20 miles from the reactor site. We just received word a little while ago his JAL plane has entered American airspace. God speed Jeff and God bless all the wonderful people who helped him, often when they had their own troubles. And to you my little any-mouse pal "Pog mo thoin"

Aftermath

(Image borrowed from "Bearded Roman" by Micheal Fay)



A severe storm came through the other night. One of my old cherry trees come down across my neighbor's driveway. It was 5 AM and he had to get to work. So out came the chain saw and I got him a path down the drive.He looked around at the mess and said "Leave it and I'll clean it up after work". With a thank you and a smile he headed out. Did I mention he was in camo fatigues? You see he is a Warrant Officer in the Guard, He goes to Afghanistan in three months. Leaving a young wife,two year old son, and a new baby boy, He's moving them in with relatives next month. I went back to my house and poured a cup of coffee. Turned on the news. Got so damn mad at the sniveling know-it-alls who pollute the morning air with their opinions that I almost threw the cup at the set. I didn't learn a lot from my career soldier Dad. Real men shave every day and "Duty, Honor, Country.". Sounds corny when you say it, but not when you see it in front of you wearing camo fatigues at 5 AM. I ain't bragging you would have done the same, but his yard was cleaned up long before he came home. It ain't like we don't owe him.