Tuesday Night Lights

I had a rare opportunity to enjoy youth football under the lights last evening as the GORC Wildcats played a make-up night game. 

GORC Wildcats
80 lb Central Team
October 13, 2015

The 80-pound Central team, with Jackson playing both ways, offense, defense, and on the kick-off team made their under the lights debut at 7:45 PM on a beautiful October evening in front of tens of adoring fans, mostly parents hoping to get them home to bed before it got too late. 

That, sadly, was not to be the case as the game which started early went into double overtime before the conclusion. Who even know that there was overtime in youth football? What happened to the days of ending in a tie and having to live with the realization that the other team was just as good, on this night! I remember my high school football days and the only non-win during my entire high school career, was a 6-6 tie (my high school football team went 36-0-1 for my four years). Of all of our high school games, that is the one game I definitely remember.

But, the game did not play out that way. GORC took a 12-6 lead at the half after falling behind 0-6, and then played a sloppy second half where the offense was totally inept and the defense, although giving up a lone score, saved the day by stopping the other team twice inside of the red zone. 

Their red zone defensive prowess would serve the team well as the game went into overtime. Overtime is a college-like possession affair. Each team gets alternating possession of the ball from the 10 yard-line. The defense shone for the Wildcats. They stopped the visitors on the first possession, but they, likewise were stymied on their attempt to get into the end zone. Alternating for the second possession, the Wildcats scored on their second play and turned the game over to the defense to preserve. The visitors came up inches (and I mean inches) short on 4th down and GORC won 18-12.

And the time was 9:15 PM, well after most of the players' bedtime. At least the coach gave them today off from practice to recover.

But it was a badly needed and hard fought win! 

Tuesday night under the lights.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

When the Majority thinks they are the Minority

Last week, I read an article about human networking, people and voting. The article titled, A quick puzzle to tell whether you know what people are thinking, was published in the Washington Post on October 9, 2015.

The puzzle that introduces the article is interesting and innocuously complex. The details behind the analysis are even more complex, but they apparently show how a minority can affect the voting of a majority because the majority thinks they are in the minority. It phenomenon even has a name, the "majority illusion," as it is called by network researcher Kristina Lerman. 

One paragraph from the article I thought summarized the underlying science behind majority illusions. "A person with a large audience spreads his or her opinions much more widely than the average person does. By definition, he or she has many more connections, which means more people are on the receiving end of the opinion. This gives a celebrity’s opinion outsize influence, affecting the local perspectives of many."

A very interesting concept which I believe we have seen occur during elections in this country. I think it also explains why so many organizations intent on changing public opinion use well known celebrities as spokespersons.

The article suggests that understanding the majority illusion has implications understanding important social issues like fighting HIV in Africa, understanding the role of the mass media, and fighting alcohol abuse on college campuses. 

Food for though on a Tuesday morning.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - October 12, 2015

1. Happy Columbus Day! Really?

Renditions Golf Course
Davidsonville, MD

2. I have played two rounds (36 holes) of golf during the past two days, instead of getting better, I got worse! Golf can be frustrating.

3. Sundays during this time of year are reserved for birthdays! We celebrated two more yesterday.

Jeremy Finishing a Drive in the Morning Light
Renditions Golf Course
Davidsonville, MD

4. Watching the day dawn from a golf course is an incredible experience. 

5. I realized the other day that the idea of a republican party is just that, in reality the republican party if many smaller factions who are trying to think big.

A Near Perfect Cheesecake

6. I made a cheesecake for Chris' birthday celebration! No cracks! Yay!

7. Did you ever wonder--when someone says they will pray for you if they really do?

8. Football season is off to a rather poor start. The Ravens are 1-4.

9. Federal holidays are great because there is no mail delivery.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Football from the Sidelines

Jax Taking a Knee at Halftime

Being a typical October Saturday, I spend part of my day on the sidelines at the GORC Wildcats football game. 

Sadly the homecoming game turned into a 13-6 loss with some critical late penalties and confusion in the lines, but the game was fun not watch and Jax made some great plays and moves. 

What I noticed, however, was that the hardest working people on the team sideline was not the players or the coaches. It was the team Moms. The Moms are responsible for almost everything, except play calling. They soothe hurts and injuries, they ensure the players remain well hydrated. They are the busiest people on the sidelines. 

Nicole Racing to the Sidelines

Nicole is one of the team moms paired with Shannon. I thought the image I took of her racing back to the sidelines after a timeout on the field late during the game says it all. She is running and the players are, well, standing around!

Ethan with a Snow cone Tongue

Way to go team mom!

And very color coordinated, too!

And why is she running? She gets to get back to the sidelines to face Ethan who was busy sampling every kind of snow cone available!

It was a beautiful autumn day for a game and some memories.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Autumn Color

Autumn Arriving in
Ellicott City, MD

I noticed it for the first time last evening. A storm was brewing behind the trees and I noticed that they were beginning to show golden color rather than the cool green of summer.

The growing storm behind the trees was especially dark and helped to highlight the autumn colors.

Today is going to a classic autumn day with temperatures in the low 60's and sunshine to help highlight the changing leaves across the countryside. 

I would be happy to have them stay green, but I see the color beginning to arrive in the trees surrounding my yard. I know that the dark season is rapidly approaching and with it the cold, rain, snow, and generally foul weather.

But first, at least, I will enjoy the changing leaves as I bid good-bye to the last vestiges of the summer past.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Unplanned Day Off

I had an unplanned day off yesterday!

Wow! What a gift! I was able to catch up on a multitude of small projects around the house, including having the driveway people return to examine the situation.

It is really incredible how many small things need to be accomplished.

Decorated Fireplace

It was a beautiful day and I was thankfully able to enjoy that as well instead of being stuck in the closet which is my office--truly a small room without windows.

One of the different things I accomplished was to measure the fireplace so that it can be converted to propane. That was more difficult that i thought and I wound up with quite a drawing and a series of measurements. I only hope I got the right ones!

I was even able to play a round of golf! And I was part of the last group off the course as night fell. I could almost see my ball to make the putt on the 18th hole--but I got it in. That was the exclamation point on a nearly perfect day.

Back to life today, but the memory of yesterday lingers.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Driveway Woes

Good Looking Driveway

The process of rehabilitating my driveway has taken a detour.

You may remember that we had the potholes fixed a few weeks ago, and that process came out great. It is really nice not to have our drive look like a beat-up back road in some rural county.

Rough Area
Still Wet

But then we went one step further--we decided to have the driveway sealed to help stem the deterioration and restore it.

Cue the rains!

Another Rough Area

The sealing was supposed to happen last week, but a week of rains intervened and delayed the process. The rains, it seemed, soaked into the ground and have delayed the sealant from properly drying in some places. This means--no driving on the driveway, going on to four days now.

For the three homes that share the drive, this means that 7 vehicles are displaced! Aside from having to walk the length of the drive, the cul de sac is jam packed with vehicles.

Hopefully the drive will be functioning soon--before the rains tomorrow night. 

I hope we didn't break something that didn't need to be fixed.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Reviewing the 2015 Orioles Season

Autumn has definitely arrived. The leaves are beginning to change and fall from the trees. Various animals have been seen in the yard stocking up on the acorns falling from the oak trees. 

It is also the time of year when the 20 MLB teams that did not make the post-season do a self-assessment and try to make sense of their finish.

Buck Showalter and Dan Duquette

I reviewed the commends of Dan Duquette, the General Manager, from yesterday's news conference on the 2015 season and the future. He was fairly uninspiring and continues to tote the organizational line regarding players, salaries, and finances. I was not encouraged by his comments. 

Here is my view:

Last off season, coming off a 2014 campaign that saw the Orioles win the American League East division and narrowly miss playing in the World Series, the job was to keep the team together for a successful 2015 run. In the end, three key players were in play: Andrew Miller, a lefty relief pitcher; Nelson Cruz the long-ball hitter, and Nick Markakis the long-time right fielder for the Orioles. Duquette lost all three!

Nick Markakis

I believe that the Orioles overcame the loss of Miller and Cruz, but the loss of Markakis and failing to acquire a right fielder with an arm and a bat is directly responsible for the team not making the playoffs. In Markakis the team lost a lead-off hitter who made good contact and got on base as well as one of the most feared right fielder arms in all of baseball--especially in playing the difficult corners on Orioles Park at Camden Yards (OPACY). OPACY is tough on right fielders and I watched many of the replacements misplay balls and then fail to have enough arm strength to keep runners from advancing home when rounding third base.

The task for this off season is even greater and more important to the Orioles. The Orioles have more free-agents and less depth. Here is my three-step recipe for 2016 Orioles success:

1. Retain Chris Davis, Wei-Yin Chen, and Darren O'Day. Catcher Matt Wieters is also a free agent and it would be nice but not critical to retain him, too. 

2016 Goal!

2. Here is the harder part, in addition to keeping the big three (Davis, Chen, and O'Day) the Orioles need an ace pitcher--it would be great to have someone on the staff who can win 16 or more games a season.

3.  AND the Orioles still need a real right fielder and lead-off batter.

I'm not going to postulate who the Orioles should be going after, I looked at the free agents lists and there is no clear pitcher out there. The right fielder could be someone like Colby Rasmus, but he's only batting .238.

It is a tall order for the Orioles--but their 2016 success depends upon it.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Awash in Pumpkin Pie Spice

What is it about this time of year? Pumpkin Pie spice flavor is everywhere. Retailers and shops promote the "return of pumpkin pie spice!" Really? It sounds like some kind of horror movie!

Why are people so infatuated with the flavor, which by the way I do not fully appreciate?

What is pumpkin pie spice? It is a combination of common spices: cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and ginger! Some of the most common cooking spices to be found in the most basic kitchen. 

Here is the really funny part: there is no pumpkin in pumpkin pie spice! It is the collection of spices which go into pumpkin pie to give it that down home, Thanksgiving-memory-smell that just screams: "eat me!" And don't forget the ice cream and whipped cream!

Well, for some people. 

I think America has gone overboard with the seasonal spice. I think there are even beers which advertise a pumpkin pie spice variety. 



I searched on pumpkin pie spice and  found some amazing products that are laced with the seasonal concoction. Among them marshmallows, cough medicine, and cookies. There are also liqueurs, ice creams, and yogurts! I saw an advertisement for pumpkin pie wine--seriously, made in Texas, of all places (get a grip!).

I believe that the love for this spice is out of control. The marketing machines have created a monster!

Yes, it is likely a comfort concoction to help sooth the transition from the warmth and excitement of summer to the day and dreary days of winter, but I thought that's what falling leaves were created to help us with.

All things in moderation, I seem to remember the old colloquialism. Back off on the pumpkin pie spice and enjoy the season.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - October 5, 2015

 

1. I watched the last Orioles baseball game of the 2015 campaign yesterday. I was saddened that season had ended and the Orioles were not going to be participating in post-season baseball. At least they managed to salvage a non losing record of 81-81 and swept the Yankees to close out a season of unmet high expectations.

Eisenhower Golf Course
October 4, 2015

2. Even though the weather was cool (low 50's) and overcast yesterday, I managed a round of golf at Eisenhower Golf course in Crownsville, MD. Even thought at one point it was raining, because so many other golfers had canceled it was a pleasant round and a great start to the week.

3. Watching some of the NFL games yesterday, I was amazed at how inconsistent the officiating can be especially when penalties are called during critical situations. Even the video review does not get the call right many times.

4. I am already beginning to plan my Sarasota, Florida, Spring Training get away. Sunshine, warmth, baseball and golf what could be better?

Deer in the Driveway
October 4, 2015

5. The deer are getting ready for winter. Yesterday there was one in my driveway nibbling on the acorns which had fallen from the oak trees. 

6. Interesting read: participation in children's organized sports is falling. 

7. Does anyone else think that the infatuation with pumpkin pie spice has gone a bit too far? Interesting piece, Enough with the Pumpkin Pie Spice Americas. It's Getting Embarrassing. I agree.

Arc de'Triomphe
Paris with no cars

8. On Sunday, September 27th, Paris, France, banned all automobile traffic within the city. The resulting almost 40 percent drop in pollution and noise was so astounding that more auto-less days are considered.

9. Does anyone else feel that big business is really out to get us? And it isn't just American companies as we saw with the Volkswagen diesel car scandal! 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD