sorryless

Heroes Of The Week!

Sorryless41 Comments

Swamp Thing

Poll Dancing- A lot of news outlets have the democrats winning the White House in 2020, while Trump rails against the fake results. But my question is this? Why in the blessed fuck are we already in training camp for an election that is sixteen months out? Don’t a lot of these candidates have the people’s work to be doing?

Twist of fate- Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson took the moment over money and in so doing, gave their team everything they had. Thompson kept his team in Game 6 with 30 points, before going out with an ACL tear. And Durant came back when he could have gone the business route. He scored 11 points in twelve minutes in Game 5 before injuring his Achilles, but his efforts got the Warriors one more game.

The North!- But the one more game went to the Raptors, who bring the Stanley Cup . . I mean NBA trophy home to Canada for the first time. Few gave them a chance to win before the playoffs began, and yet here they are. Dino-might!

The lovely Dale over at A Dalectable Life hit me with a triple shot of feel good this past week. While I lord over the darkness, good thing I got peeps like her to help me see the light once in a while.

Book It- William Kamkwamba grew up in the impoverished East African country of Malawi with the destiny of his ancestors staring him straight in the face. A teenage farmer, his family lacked the funds to send him to high school so he dropped out in his freshman year. Kamkwamba never accepted his fate. At 14 he was borrowing books from a lending library and he learned how to construct windmills in order to provide power and irrigation to his village. He graduated from Dartmouth in 2014 and now develops technology curriculum that will provide the continent with a better future.

Born Winner- Simon Cheprot of Kenya was in a fight to the finish line of a 10 K race in Nigeria when he spotted a fellow runner down mere feet from the end of the race. Rather than take advantage of Kenneth Kipkemoi’s unlucky turn, Cheprot helped him across the finish line. He lost the race as a result, but none of that mattered as much as helping a fellow runner, and human being. The race organizers were so inspired by Cheprot’s sportsmanship that they awarded him $15,000 for his efforts.

For Cheprot, it wasn’t about the money though. “Running is not war; running brings peace, unity, and friendship.” The dude is tops in the most important race of all; the human race.

Green thumbs up- When someone stole cauliflower from his garden one day, Johan Scott didn’t get mad . . he got proactive. The retired police officer from Heidelburg, South Africa didn’t take the theft as a personal affront; he saw it as evidence that his neighbors were going hungry. So he expanded his garden onto his pavement in order to help provide for those in need. He planted beans, tomatoes, eggplant and beetroot and he offers it up free of charge to those in need. When he might have given up, he gave back instead.

He shows up, daily- Big thanks to Susannah at athingirldotcom for chiming in on Jon Stewart’s impassioned speech before Congress this week. The former talk show host was in Washington to speak on behalf of the 9/11 first responders who are ailing or have passed as a result of their exposure to toxins at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the terror attacks. Stewart is a a 9/11 Memorial & Museum board member. He has been a tireless advocate and much needed voice for those who need it most. His testimony was in support of the “Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act, which was advanced unanimously by the House Judiciary Committee.

“(These heroes) brought our country back, … (and) gave a reeling nation a solid foundation to stand back upon.” Amen to that.

Hating on excellence- The U.S. women’s soccer team is coming under fire for running up the score against Thailand? Having played organized sports, albeit at a much lower level than the ladies, I will say this. While it’s humbling to get your ass kicked, it’s humiliating when the opposing team takes mercy on you. Leave the ladies alone.

Singing the Blues- The St. Louis Blues franchise is a year younger than I am, having started its business back in 1967. And from the get, they were making history. They reached the Stanley Cup finals in each of their first three seasons, a feat unmatched in any sport. And so what if they got blanked to the tune (pun intended) of 12-0? They had Scotty Bowman on the bench, and so there was gonna be plenty ‘mo where that came from.

And then Bowman became a legend, somewhere else. He forged a dynasty in Montreal before winning more hardware in stops that included Pittsburgh and Detroit. Meanwhile, the Blues stopped making it a habit of reaching the finals. This year, for the first time in half a century, the Blues finally made it back. And they were rewarded with a match-up against the heavily favored Bruins. And Blues fans had to be thinking, “Here we go again . .”. Especially after a lackluster Game 6 loss in St Louis that seemed to let the Bruins off the hook.

So the Blues shipped off to Boston to accept the silver medal, again. And then a funny thing happened, and the boys played the game of their lives when it mattered most. And then all those ghosts of lost seasons past didn’t matter at all as the buzzer sounded and it was certain that the Cup would be living in St Louis proper for the summer. The band Phish (from New England, oh by the way) was playing a gig when they got word the Blues had won. So they covered the Blues anthem song, Gloria by Laura Branigan. It’s a hockey thing, you have to understand.

The Blues always had the cool sweaters, and one of the best sports towns in the country. Now they have the Cup as well.

Sing us home, Laura.

 

41 thoughts on “Heroes Of The Week!”

  2. We have friends in Australia. I have a regular conversation with him via the wonders of modern technology. He laughs at the idea that the next Presidential election is still 18 months away and the campaign has already started. Why can’t we be one of those countries where elections and campaigns are measured in weeks instead of years. Just like there are now 8th graders who are recruited to play basketball or football by some colleges, I think we’ll soon enter an era where a politician will announce his or her candidacy for a Presidential election 10 years into the future. Here in California, almost the day after the Governor’s race in 2014, Gavin Newsom announced his candidacy for 2018.

    And the polls are just ridiculous. Any poll that has to include the 873 people running in the Dem primary is pretty much meaningless. It’s why #PaxsonDawn2020 is a thing. 😉

    Regarding the Warriors-Raptors … I just wrote a short post about the series. I’d like to see those two teams with the same group of players play each other every two or three days for the rest of forever. I seriously don’t think I’ve seen a better playoff series than this one.

    Liked by 1 person

    • It’s not right. But with all the money involved in these elections anymore, the lead up is integral to success. Which begs the question. If all these politicians rail on about the evils of special interest money, then why not make a rule as to when a candidate can start campaigning? One year out, tops. Condense the primaries.

      Of course, they’ll argue the logistics are too problematic for such a scenario as they continue to rake in more and more and more money while using their time as public servants to campaign.

      I said that if the Dems were able to stand behind a single candidate once it comes time, they would win the election all by themselves! #itstimeforachange

      So close. And what a gutty performance by Klay last night. In defeat, the Warriors garnered so much respect. They were seen as a Lamborghini by many fans, but they have toughness of a Mack truck

      Like

  3. One more thing … I agree that high level sports teams should keep playing, and that it’s worse to feel like the other team is going easy on you. This problem is particularly bad in soccer because of the limits on substitutions. My original thought was why are those players still playing in a wipeout. Well, duh, because they can’t all be subbed out. And maybe that’s a place where soccer’s rules could be changed a bit.

    But what bothered me is the extent of the celebrations as they kept piling on. Yes, keep playing the game, but stop with the insane celebrations. Celebrating the ninth goal of the game like it’s the go ahead goal in the 89th minute of the World Cup final is silly, taunting, and inappropriate. That’s where they lost their dignity and class. It’s as bad as a wide receiver celebrating a TD and taunting the other team when his team is still down by 25 points with two minutes to play.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I agree. This isn’t the same situation where the UConn women are wiping the floor with East Tennessee Tech and Auriemma sticks with his five.

      And again, I didn’t watch it so I didn’t see the celebrations. But . . . there is always a leveling of the field, and the women will have to play tougher competition soon. So we’re gonna see.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Thanks for including him. And it passed because of him. I can’t say how much that moves me. Words: his words humbled the powers that be that forget what those men and women did. Whenever I’m down there and of course now, it’s as if nothing ever that devastating could have happened, I see flashes of the debris, and those who went day after day looking for survivors, then just bodies that would show up in pieces inhaling all that carnage. Brings you to your knees. Of course the bulk of Congress doesn’t hail from New York. Watching film doesn’t compare with seeing it. It’s why they’re so incredibly removed. I’m happy for those men who are so sick, and now will continue to have help. Thanks.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Stewart has given so much of himself to this effort. He helped with the Glade project and he is always telling stories about the first responders, making sure to let people know their names. Because society is really good at forgetting unless you hold them to a name and a life.

      I remember going up a month after the attacks. We took a police van down to Ground Zero. Some people in our group were taking pictures and I just could not imagine taking a picture of that hell. I remember that scene as if it was right now. The hole, the devastation and the fires still burning, a month later.

      I couldn’t give a flip where Congress is from. They have to, as smart and accomplished people, see such events as global, not local. This could have been Chicago, LA or countless other places as well.

      Thank you for reminding me, city girl. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  6. B,

    You never fail to deliver and you are most welcome for the African Heroes this week. Kinda ironic they all were African, doncha think? Just one of those happenings.

    I think it’s fantastic that Jon Stewart is a voice for 9/11. A voice that is being heard.

    WE THE NORTH! Woot! That was a nailbiter of a finish, wadn’t it? I have to agree with Mark. It was a great series of good, hard play. None of (not much anyway) that whining and bitching.

    Ya for The Blues as well! Besides the fact they haven’t won in even longer than the Habs (sans comment) must of us are just happy it wasn’t the Bruins!

    As for the women soccer team, I didn’t see it either. But if they were cheering and overplaying their success with each goal waaay over the other team, that is just poor sportsmanship. Yes, don’t insult them by playing badly, but don’t be patronising either.

    Excellent, as per, Sir!

    Q

    Liked by 1 person

    • Q,

      Gracias for the triple shot. They were all great stories. Personally, I am always touched by the sportsmanship stories, where competition takes second place to doing the right thing and being a human being. That runner deserved recognition.

      Jon Stewart has done so much for the first responders. He reminds me of what JFK Jr would have done if he had lived to see that horrible day. Because I think the kid would have been spurred to run as a result. Oh . . don’t get me started on that one. I get all teary eyed.

      Those games, especially last night when both teams were throwing windmill punches and both teams kept getting up off the canvas. If they would have played another forty eight minutes it would have been every bit the same. Wow.

      I actually had to give some props to the Boston peeps. Phish the band for one. They are from New England and were playing in Vermont, and yet . . when they found out the Blues had won, they played Gloria in honor of them. And get this . . I have to give the Red Sox credit too! They moved their night game to a day game so that Bruins fans could watch their team that night. THAT is a hell of a gesture, much respect to them for doing it.

      The women will have tougher competition ahead. It ain’t all gonna be rainbows and cupcakes.

      Thank you!

      B

      Liked by 1 person

      • So am I. Every time I see a runner stop to help, I get a huge lump in my throat. I think it’s just a beautiful thing that he was recognized for it. I am positive he was beyond surprised at that gesture.

        I can’t help but think you are absolutely right on the JFK Jr reaction (woulda been) I have no doubt he would have been front and centre (uhhh center) on this issue.

        It was very much a WOW game.

        You know I jest when it comes to the whole Boston thing. That was cool of Phish! And kudos to the Red Sox (was that hard for you?) to move their game. That is respect at its best.

        I’m sure they’ll be brought back to reality soon enough.

        Always welcome!

        Liked by 1 person

        • I mean, the dude was FEET from the finish line! He could have finished the race, gone back and helped his fellow runner and nobody would have flinched. It was the immediacy of his response. To have your focus on winning for all that time and then to turn if off as soon as he saw someone in need? That is humbling.

          JFK was the Prince of his city. He would have been one of the people at the forefront in leading it back, I believe.

          As Mark said, can they just fast forward to next June and have these two playing again?

          Oh, I don’t jest in hating Boston teams. On the field. But I have to hand it to them just the same.

          Yeah, you can’t be celebrating when you’re not scoring every thirty seconds LOL

          MUAH!

          Liked by 1 person

          • Exactly! He is the epitome of not only fantastic sportsmanship but showed us what humanity in its basest form looks like (This phrase will not come out like I want it to, but you get my drift.)

            He was. I believe it too.

            Yeah! Then maybe I would watch the whole series! Not just snippets.

            I was trying to be gracious – on paper, so to speak. Just like someone wrote on FB today, is it too early to go back to hating Toronto? 😉

            True dat!!

            MWAH!

            Liked by 1 person

          • There is round the clock sports, but the stories as per humanity? They can be hard to find indeed.

            All that matters now is that you saw the best part of the story, as far as the North is concerned. And those uniforms “North” . .that is some cool shit.

            Yes, too soon. Let ’em have the weekend at least.

            Liked by 1 person

  8. While I’m sorry both Durant and Thompson suffered such severe injuries, I was not the slightest bit unhappy with the outcome of the NBA finals. And while we’re on the topic of sports, congrats to the Blues. Despite being division rivals to the Avalanche, they proved they were able to overcome the worst record in the league at one point during the season to ultimately drink from the coveted Cup. Well done.

    Kudos to Johann Scott. It’s heartwarming to know there are generous souls out there, both in spirit and through his giving to those less fortunate. Bravo.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I was simply a bystander in these NBA Finals. I found it fascinating how the Raptors took it to the Warriors.

      And the Blues, I had no idea they had the worst record in the league at one point. What a run they went on!

      Bravo indeed, thanks Monica.

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Hats off to Dale and Suzannah for their contributions. Scotty Bowman is a hockey legend! As a Blues fan from the first year, I’m thrilled … and can still list many player names and their number.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Here hear!

      Bowman did it in four different cities! And he won a Cup in three of them. A dynasty in Montreal, the last team to win five straight titles and probably the last time we will see such a thing in any of the major sports.

      It was one HELL of a run from last place to the Cup. It must be exciting!

      Liked by 1 person

          • The top seed is a dreaded spot when it comes to the NHL for some reason. It’s a rhythm sport for sure, in that you usually find the teams that go on a deep run are the ones who get hot at the right time and just let it ride.

            It’s been a cool couple years for the league. The Capitals finally break their title schneid and now the Blues do the same.

            Liked by 1 person

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