This is now the most exciting thing I've heard all day....

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Dear ZogSports Kickball Captains,

Kickball season is quickly approaching, and we wanted to welcome you to our spring/summer kickball league and provide you with some key dates for information regarding the season.

o Wednesday, April 13^th

§ Regular Season schedule will be posted on www.zogsports.org

o Thursday, April 14^th

§ Email will be sent allowing captains to add to or adjust their roster as well as change name or charity

o Monday, April 25^th

§ Regular season begins

o Shirt pickup Monday, April 18^th – Thursday, April 21^st Times TBD

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Cheers,

Christie

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WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

So, last night, our ZogSports dodgeball team, Dodge This!, got swept in the playoffs, losing all four of its games.  We were disappointed that we didn't even pull a game out, but in the end, we were all really happy about the season and this wacky sport that brought us all together.  One of the teams we lost to is also playing kickball, so we'll have to exact our revenge on the turf. 

So far I've played dodgeball this year, and kickball last year, and I have to say, this league is really something special.  The quality of people that it brings together is amazing, but I guess "people who play charity dodgeball or kickball" is as good a social screen as you can get.  Plus, playing in the league gives you an automatic connection to all of the other Zoggers as well.  Anytime I see one of those colored t-shirts with the ZogSports logo, I always ask what sport the person played and how they got involved, and they're always very receptive. 

Another thing that was nice last night was an appearence by "the Zog Guy"--founder and new dad Robert Herzog.  I pointed out to some of the people on the team who he was and some of them were curious about what his story was.  I really didn't know too much about the guy, but when I Googled him and Zogsports, I learned just how special this whole thing was.  You see, Robert Herzog worked for Marsh McLennan on the 96th Floor of the World Trade Center's North Tower.  Two hundred and ninety seven people from Marsh died that morning, but Rob, miraculously, was later to work than usual.  His story was detailed in a great Tampa Tribune article a few years ago.

So now, ZogSports is up to 11,000 participants.  Zog encourages "New Yorkers to maintain perspective and a more balanced lifestyle by having fun while also giving something back to the community." Its really something amazing to be a part of and I really have to tip my hat (and no, I'm not suddenly wearing hats because I shaved my head) to Rob.

Former Mets GM Steve Phillips is speaking at the Buyouts Symposium.

WTF?

What does he have to do with buyouts?  He wasn't even a good GM...   the Mets fired him.  Plus... its the Mets.  I mean, I'm a Met fan, but its not like the team has done anything to warrent their fired GM speaking anywhere.  To be honest, I think I'd rather see Bobby Valentine speak.  Maybe he could wear a moustache, too.   That would be hilarious. 

There are speakers that, if you can get them, apply anywhere...   Rudy Guiliani, Bill Clinton.   Steve Phillips is not one of these people.   He wouldn't even be welcome at a Mets Fans Symposium.  I don't get it.

Last night, the team dropped three games and tied one as the snow fell outside PS 191.  They weren't blowouts, but now next week's game becomes even more important.  Dodge This! will be fighting for our lives (or running for them)!  And, if that doesn't work out... we always have kickball, which we just signed up for.

The team name?  "Kick this!" of course.   I took a few pictures at Lincoln Park, a proud sponsor of the Zog Sports league and on my way there, I snapped off this pic on Broadway looking down from 49th street.

_______________________________________________________________

Here's the mid-season update...   We're in 6th place out of 12 teams in our division.  Dodge This! is holding its own at .500.

Lazer/Blazer Division

Name                                                        W            L           T            Pts
Dodgy McShady KG                     10         1         1         21
Balls of Furry PR                            9         3         0         18
First Picks GO                               9         3         0         18
Moral Victory RB                            8         3         1         17
Get Outta Dodge IV                        5         4         3         13
Dodge This! HG                              6         6         0         12
Jajballers CH                                  5         7         0         10
Orange Crush OR                           5         7         0         10
Blue Evaders BL                             4         8         0          8
Special Olympics BK                      3         8         1          7
Snoop Dawgs From LIC OL              3         9         0          6
Team Voltron LG                             2        10        0          4

Link: ESPN.com - MLB - Seeking relief, Astros add 44-year-old Franco.

Thank God...   Its OVER.  I was going to write something about how many blown saves he had for the Mets, so I went to his page on Baseball-reference.com.  Someone had sponsored the page and summed up my feelings on John Franco perfectly...

__________________________________________________________

        Mr. Wilpon, I sponsored this page so you wouldn't waste another penny on this guy.

___________________________________________________________

Dave Alexandro...  You're hilarious.

For the record, with the Mets, Franco had 276 Saves and 64 Blown Saves... 81.1%.  So, one out of five times he went out there, he blew it.   In 1998, the Mets finished 2 games shy of the wild card and Franco went 0-8 with 8 blown saves.  Good riddence.

Dodge This! proved that last week wasn't a fluke when they split their 1st regular season matchup, 2-2.   They came out a little bit stiff, but 4 dodgeball games and a post game visit to Blondie's loosened up our heros in grey.

So we've been debating team gear for next game...  sweatbands?  Tube socks?  We're a wacky bunch.

Pics from Blondies:

Nice article in the Daily News about Fordham basketball.

The Rams scored a big win on the final play of the game yesterday up at Rose Hill, beating Xavier 76-74.  Yours truly was lucky enough to be up at the game, which Fordham nearly gave away in the last few minutes.  The win makes them 6-9 and 1-1 in the conference.   Not too shabby...  certainly a lot more than Bob Hill did with the team.  Where is old Bobby boy anyway?  I hope he's coaching an 11 year-old CYO team somewhere.

Last night was our first ZogSports Dodgeball Game.  Not only was it a blast, but it turns out we're not too shabby either.   In fact, we went undefeated in the four game round robin at PS 191's gym.  (Yes, we actaully play in elementery school gyms.) 

Here are the pics...    The gym was sort of dimly lit, but Sue Yoo did an admirable job with the photography work while she sat out this week on the DL nonetheless.

Pastore came up with a great team cheer:

  D! O! D! G-E! DODGE-THIS!  [Run around like idiots and bump chests]

We've yet to get the whole team on board with the cheer, but we're working on it.

I have to say, everyone up and down the lineup did a great job.  We worked together as a team and became a sweaty force to be reckoned with.  Extremely sweaty.  Ohhh...   memories of being nine.  One lesson we all learned well today...  Don't mess with Lindsey. 

Carlos Beltran is now a Met.

Beltran is simply the most exciting addition this franchise has made... EVER.  That includes the trade for Mike Piazza. When Piazza joined the Mets, don't get me wrong, it was exciting, but he wasn't coming off the kind of postseason performance Beltran had. Carlos Beltran nearly carried the Astros on his shoulders into the World Series. Plus, unlike Piazza, he can field and he's much younger than Piazza.

You know what's even more exciting? Carlos Beltran was a Jesuit--he was on my fantasy team for the last two years. I got him last year for a paltry $23 bucks, which meant I got to keep him this year for $28, because I'm in a franchise league. Clearly one of the best fantasy signings ever. So, I've rooted for this guy... waiting for him to come up on SportsCenter every time I was out at a bar, checking the box scores on the net. When I watched the playoffs this year, I had a special kind of pride in Carlos Beltran... the kind of special pride that can only come from watching one of your fantasy guys succeed in the real world. Geeky? Perhaps, but hey, its 2005, and this is the bizarre state of the game for the internet generation.  I'm a rotohead loser, so shoot me.

And yet, the press says that the Mets aren’t even done yet. There’s apparently an outstanding offer to Carlos Delgado on the table. Pedro, Beltran AND Delgado? That’s just nuts. Imagine this opening day lineup…

SS Reyes

3B Wright

CF Beltran

1B Delgado

C Piazza

LF Floyd

RF Cameron

2B Matsui

P Martinez

Now that’s potent with a capital M. :)

The carnage begins Thursday, January 13th, when my charity dodgeball team, Dodge This!, plays its first ZogSports dodgeball scrimmage. 

Come see us play!

Thursday, January 13, 2005    9:30PM
PS 191 (West 61st Street bet West End/Amsterdam)

Be there, or we'll throw a wrench at you.

Link: ESPN.com - MLB - Reports: Mets top Red Sox offer for Pedro.

Well, this makes total sense.  Here's a big name guy with a bad attitude, past his prime and on the decline, asking for too much money.  Oh, not to mention the fact that his health is suspect. 

He fits perfect with the Mets strategy.

I've heard some Sammy Sosa rumors as well.  Again, right in line, and it would be great to have both an overrated pitcher on the decline AND a slugger on the decline.

Is Jose Canseco available? 

After they lost their third game in the series against the Yanks, I sent this e-mail to Ryan Roy, who is as diehard a Red Sawks fan as they come...

"My condolences. Your boys let you, and everyone else down, big time.

And why the hell can't you get a manager who knows when to take
pictures out and put them in? Mendoza should have been in there for
three innings. It was obviously going to be one of those games, and
if he gives up a couple of runs, so what. He got yanked early, and
that's what opened up the floodgates."

I may have been a bit premature.

Its all over. The Red Sox have come back from the dead and have finally made it to the Series. As a Met fan, I was more than happy to watch Johnny Damon stick a fork in them with a slam in the second. It was a beautiful thing to watch. The best part about it was that it wasn't even close. It makes the book thing a little easier to swallow... at least my day ended on a high note.

In other news, I'm pretty excited about a meeting I have with someone from GM corporate this Monday. I think they're part of a research and development group, but GM is so large, its hard to get a handle on what anyone is doing. One of my goals over the next year is to streamline our process of leveraging our relationship with the IT guys in the company. Not only that, we should be better leveraging our relationship with the IT folks from other clients that we manage money for, like Delphi and Xerox, as well. Its the kind of think that just needs someone dedicated to it and willing to keep after these guys... the kind if relationship building we do with our own GPs. We have relationships and connections to such a huge group of IT consumers that its a waste of a resource not to know these guys better--especially since GM can be such a difficult organization to get inroads to. That's probably my number one goal over the next year.

That makes me think of a post that someone wrote about what to look for in a VC if you are an entreprenuer at a startup. In this case, I think connections to a large organization should be one of the things that VCs should look for in their LP base. That would make for an interesting post... what to look for in a good LP. I'm sure that VCs and GPs in private equity in general are looking for more than just dumb money. Over the weekend, I think I'm going to put some thoughts down about this, because its something we think about a lot here in terms of what makes us a more attractive LP.

Playoff quote...

Every time I see Jeff Bagwell, I want to get on my Total Gym. He looks like Chuck Norris."

Of course, I don't know who said the quote, because I'm watching the game on closed caption at DTUT while I write my Stanford Essays.

Yes, I'm alive. And now, because of my delay, I know have lots of stuff to post.

First off, some current notes:

1) The sneakers I bought in Tampa are amazingly comfortable. They're bouncy and nicely snug and very quiet, too. Its such a pleasure to walk in them. They're New Balance I think.

2) The GM finished its season with a win, finally. We won 16-6 tonight, making our final record 7-5. We could have done better, but obviously, this is a big improvement from 2-10.

3) I went to the Fordham Young Alumni Happy Hour tonight, which was highlighted by the exposure of huge fake boobs. Some trashy blonde chick just decided to kneel up on the bar and flash everyone, prompting chants of "one more time" from the whole bar when she left. She did not comply however. Do you think people like that realize how little they've made of themselves at some point, or do they just continue bottom dwelling?

Anyway, let's recap on what I need to post about. First off, last Thursday, Brian and I had dinner at Ben Benson's. The feeling about the food was that the appetizer and the desert were excellent, while the steak was above the bar, but not great. If we could have combined the tail ends of the meal with a Del Frisco's steak (and waitress), it would have been perfect. Peter Lugars is kind of a different animal, so that's not really comparable.

We've been making a semi-tradition out of these steak meals, and we agreed to make it more of a regular thing. We should probably make it quarterly or something. $400 of steak a year with Brian is definately worth it. One thing we talked about extensively was the sense that, at this point in our lives, things, specifically people, were coming up short in our view. Its kind of a difficult time, I think, to be 25. There's a book on the "Quarter Life Crisis" out there that focuses more on people who took directionless jobs or jobs for the wrong reasons and now they're realizing the life they created for themselves sucks. I don't think that's really the case with us... I think we're as close to the path we want to be on as we can, but to some extent, that's part of the problem. I think our good fortune to this point has, to some extent, let our expectations get ahead of us. Things that are probably non-issues to other people are now splinters in the back of our minds--other people that can't seem to figure themselves out or who get caught up in the small things become really frustrating, and no longer challenging. We also acknowledged that we need to be better at making time to see each other, too, because its too easy to get caught up in responsibilities. The one thing I do like, though, is that its never taken personally... that there's always this mutual underlying understanding that there's a continuing friendship there no matter what circumstances bring, which is probably why we've been friends for as long as we have. Its solid. The trick is maintaining this stability of quality in our own respective lives on a pace that maintains reasonable growth.

On Saturday, I kayaked down the Bronx River. That was quite an adventure. Victor invited me, and as soon as I figure out how to post pics up, I'll put some of them up. First of all, for 3/4 of the trip, you'd have no idea that you would even be in the Bronx in the first place. We put in at 215th Street, where the river is like 12 feet wide and 2 feet deep. It goes all the way through the Bronx, into the Botanical Gardens and the Bronx Zoo, and empties out later into Hunt's Point, which isn't so nice. In fact, its full of trash at that point, which is a real shame. However, the trip for the most part was beautiful. Trees form a canopy over the river in the early going, and its really kind of surreal. I'll bet you it would make a really spooky night trip.

The other thing I want to mention this week is that I learned something. Time spent does not mean emotional investment. That's one thing I've always done--easily confused the two. If I think back, there have been many times in my life where I've failed to really go out of my way to show someone an effort on my part, even though I may have been putting in time. Maybe its forgetting birthdays or seeing disinterested, or whatever... Its all a matter of focus. Admittedly, there are many things to be focused on during the day, but we should make it a point to focus, even if it might not mean commit time, on someoene else for a few moments a day.

I have been so overwhelmed at work, its ridiculous. When you work in an environment where things just need to get done, yet there isn't generally a lot of strict assignment as to who is supposed to get them done, you tend to get the short end of the stick if you are the type of person who won't let balls drop. Some people are fine to walk out before questions are answered, things are taken care of, etc. I'm not one of those people.

I'll tell you one thing, I'm glad to have Jeff the Intern around, that's for sure. Its like having a tree chipper in my office. Stuff comes in that I don't have time for and I just shove it to his side and listen to that immediate "neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrr" sound as he works. Good stuff.

Lately, I've been quite the flake when it comes to these sorts of things. Pursuing stuff, then pulling back. Being indecisive. Rethinking stuff from the past, and contradicting myself as well. One person I'll knock for being too aggressive and someone else I'll knock for their own passiveness. What's going on here? What am I even looking for?

It definitely reinforces the notion that the search for others is really a search for self, because the times in my life where I've been most clear about what I've wanted, are also the times in which I experienced the most personal clarity. In the last six months, personal clarity has been muddied by potential moves, a floundering book, new work responsibility, monitoring programs, family stuff, etc... and thus I've been rather flakey to people personally. Its not an excuse. I'm just pointing out the causal relationship, or what seems to be the cause.

At most issue is what level of commitment, and just really participation I want from someone else. First off, I'm generally not someone who has a lot of free time in general, so its easy to say I just want someone informal, casual, etc. But, to be honest, now I think that sometimes casual stuff takes more time than serious stuff, because casual stuff always seems to imply more than one person. Its a mirage that casual is easier, I think, because that never seems to be the case. Plus, you need to spend that much more time convincing someone you're not just using them, because they are not backstopped by some formal relationship.

Also at issue is how I want the other person reacting to me. On one hand, I think it would be hard for me to deal with the pressure of someone pursuing me hard, asking for all sorts of time. On the other hand, I do feel like I deserve someone who at least asks. Aren't I good enough to create a need in someone else to see me all the time? Who wants someone that acts as if they can take you or leave you? Sure, that's convenient from a life management perspective, because you know you can cancel on them, move them around, etc... but is love the kind of thing you want to be so convenient? I think its a lot like getting median venture capital GPs. If you're going to be in it, you want top quartile, otherwise its not worth it.

Part of it has to do with the idea of chemistry vs. criteria. I'd be interested if people had comments here. Think of it the spectrum as, on one end, you meet someone and before you know it, you're smooching away and lots of things are happening. You're laughing and being cute, and as far as you can tell, you've really hit it off with someone, without really knowing a lot of the details of someone's life. On the other hand, you meet someone and really invest the time to get to know them before anything happens. You learn to appreciate what kind of a person they are, if you share the same values, etc, before you discern whether or not you have a match. Which one is more true? Does chemistry exist, or is it just lust based on perception that may not actually be truth? Or, is getting the details of someone's life a cold, logical way to arrive at something that should be based on gut feeling and emotion? Do you fall for someone with your heart or with your head?

Oh, and I just learned there is a Blog spellcheck. Nice... now you'll all think I'm smaart.

Lastly... here's the last GM Softball news:

Miracle Motors Down, but Not Out, After Skid Reaches Three

After eight games, General Motors was sitting pretty at 6-2, only a game out of first place. After a 2-10 season, the team started looking at the standings, and counting down to the playoffs.
Three heartbreaking losses later, capped off by a 6-4 loss last night to Metro 53, GM should be completely out of the hunt. However, the Northern Division has completely collapsed over the past four weeks, and GM finds itself with a glimmer of hope. Four teams have clinched the six playoff spots, and another six teams are vying for the last two. For GM to get in, the Law Sox need to lose at least two of their last four games, which will be mostly rainout makeups. In addition, two of White Case, Oz Capital, and the Clinchers have to lose their final games.
Of course, for all this to work out GM needs to actually win its final game and stop the second half slump. After scoring a total of seven runs in its last two games, one thing that will have to happen is for the bats to wake up. Mike D'Annunzio scored the team's first run again early on, but the offense would slow to a crawl until late. Ted Feury kept GM in the game, holding Metro to four in five, and John Cross notched a scoreless sixth. Strong defense by third baseman Mark Attanasio and Gold Glove first baseman John Stevens also helped. GM got a step closer when Charlie O'Donnell scored in the fifth on an Alexis Kramer sac fly, making it 4-3. In the sixth, Sam Pollotta launched a huge RBI triple to tie the game up, but that would be the end of the GM scoring. Metro 53 pushed two runs across the board, one on a monster blast to left center, which was that Metro hitter's second time going yard.
In their last at bat, GM failed to replicate its early season last inning heroics, and failed to score. They will attempt to finish the season strong on 8/19, and all they can do in the meantime is hope for the misfortune of others.

OK... so PS, I just went to go post this and it had timed out, and I almost thought I lost the whole thing. I would have been REALLY pissed and probably never blogged again. You guys came really close to losing me.

Lots to post about...   Let's recap...

Well, the Mets have gone to shit, and actually, they've been shit all year.  Its just that the Braves have decided they don't want to be shit anymore and now the Muttsies find themselves an insurmountable 4 games back.  Insurmountable in July?  Have you seen them play lately?   

And.. can I spew on John Franco for a moment?   And no, I'm not going to say he's a nice guy.  Well, he's nicer than Carl Everett, but who cares?  I don't wanna see nice guys play--I want winners, and this guy has been the Number One Loser reliever for the last 20 years.  I can't even figure out why he was a closer for so long.  Its like when you play softball with people you don't know and one guy tells you he plays thirdbase.  Yet, when he goes out there, he can't even make the throw across the diamond.  Just because you say you're something doesn't make you squat.  I think over the years the Mets could have had anyone closing for them and they could have been better...   at least in the regular season anyway.  As for big games, who knows, but this guy blew saves left and right... and not tough saves.  He'd just come in with none on in the ninth and make his own mess.  In fact, at times it seemed the only guy he could get out was Barry Bonds.  And now, he makes over a million a year and he's taking up a spot that maybe could be filled by some up and comer in the minors. 

Frankly, I don't understand how he gets anyone out.  He throws two pitches.  A fastball over the plate, and a changeup in the dirt.  If I was facing him, and I saw an offspeed pitch, I just wouldn't swing at it.  He never throws it for a strike.  Wait on the fastball.. that's all you have to do.

When David Cone realized he couldn't pitch anymore, he quit.  Sure, he came back, but he came back when the Mets really didn't have a lot of other options, so realistically, he wasn't keeping anyone back...   oooh Mike Bascik.  Big deal.  John Franco is done and he's been done since... oooh...  1993.  They never should have traded Randy Myers, and the idea that some washed up third tier closer is their Captain is ridiculous.  I don't care if he wears a sewer worker T-shirt under his jersey and his dad got swollowed by an alligator.  You're a bum!   

Ok... best line of the day from Thursday's lunch with the team. 

Marcy was talking about being really sensitive to smell when she was pregnant...   Charles chimes in and says, "Oh yeah, pregnency hightens all of your senses."

Jeff the Intern quickly follows with, "Speaking from experience, Charles?" 

Without hesitation, Charles responds:

"People like you never read anything and the some total of your knowledge of Biology comes from your own experience in the bathroom."

Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Jeff the Intern.

In other news, I'll be implementing the following changes in my life:

1.  No more random first dates just for the heck of it.  I waste too much time going out with people on dates that go nowhere with people I'm not even that excited about.  I need to focus more on friends, and people who I actually like.

2.  Go to bed earlier.  11:30-midnight will be the new bedtime during the week.  I waste at least a good hour of sleep doing nothing but chatting online, watching TV, or just sitting around.  Its effected my time at the gym and my focus at work.

3.  A few more hours at work.  I have a lot of stuff on my plate and I haven't been executing lately.  More hours and a little more focus wouldn't hurt.

4.  More focused workout routine.  I've been going to the gym, but there hasn't been a theme around my workouts, as opposed to when I was training for baseball.  I need to create a schedule to follow of what I do when. 

5.  More time on the book.   I need to get this book done, and if Mary the Publisher doesn't pan out, I need to hit the ground running on self publishing.   

Alright.. that's all for now...   I have a funny story from going out the other night, but I need to work on #5 for now.

The phrase of the night:  The "Rack Pack".    That's what Samara and her friend Lisa call each other.   Gotta love it.

So tonight was the Fordham Young Alumni Softball Game...    It was a blast. We got great turnout, and a lot of people who don't normally show up to these sorts of things.  Even more importantly, Team GM maybe have signed two new females.  Who knew Alexis Kramer was a softball juggernaut?   The girl has a cannon and she can hit.  Nice late season acquisitions for the stretch playoff run.... very exciting.

I had the most amusing bus driver on the way home from the Gin Mill.  When we hit 2nd Ave, he announced, "Next stop, Atlantic City."    When we hit East End, he announced, "Manhattan Riviera."   Its the little things that keep us going, you know.

Anyway, there's a story about last weekend waiting to be told, but you know what, I'm over it.  Its not worth harping on... and the best part about it, I've had some really great times with fun people this week, so last weekend is a distant memory.... except of course for the time I spent with my family, which was great.  My mom and Nana went down to Tampa, and I came down for the second time this summer to see my brother and his family.  My nieces are wonderful... such smart kids, maybe a little silly, but they're 6 and 10, so who can blame 'em.  :)    Anyway...  I may have future stories for you...  we'll see how things go.