Third time is a charm.....right????

 Well, back on Thursday I was thinking I was going to be doing three games in three days.  What was I thinking this is 2021 and we are still dealing with Covid-19.  Fool!

So just as you can guess, I didn't have three games in three days.  Not even close.

The game that I thought was going to be on Friday is actually today (Sunday).  I was leaving the house I called my contact at the game.  He answered and let me know that the game was actually going to be on Sunday.  So, I got off at the next off ramp and came back home.  Watched TV and enjoyed the fact that I didn't have to drive 45 miles in the rain!  I live in San Diego, just by living here you can guess if I like rain or not...spoiler alert, I hate rain!

So on Saturday (yesterday), USD was scheduled to play Loyola Marymount University or as we call it here in Southern California LMU.  I woke up to an email from my new boss saying that LMU had a positive test and the game would be called off for today.  I emailed him back saying OK.  Now, because I'm kind-of superstitious I have to wear the same thing if one of my teams is on a winning streak.  Well, that is where we are with the Colorado Avalanche.  The Avs played a game last Tuesday (beat San Jose 7-3) the same day that USD women's team lost to Saint Mary's.  So, the Avs played again on Thursday also against San Jose.  The same day Gonzaga and USD were on the court (check out that blog here to see how that went).  Well, Colorado was nice enough to wait until I got into the truck before they scored and they did so three times on the way home for a 3-0 win.  With all of that said, I couldn't screw up a winning streak by changing something up (See even Kevin Costner in Bull Durham knows).  So, I wore the same outfit that I wore on Tuesday and Thursday; blue jeans, sleeveless undershirt, light blue USD polo shirt, my light blue sweater and my Nike shoes.  I wore this as Mom, Dad and myself went to Point Loma Sea Foods (if you live in or near San Diego, you really should go and have some great Sea Food there is you already haven't) and then watched airplanes (can say multiple cause we saw three) takeoff from Lindbergh Field.  We came home and I watched the Avs take down the Minnesota Wild (or as I refer to them, Mild) 5-1.

Looking ahead to today, I have an issue.  The Avs are playing Minnesota again tonight, but the game that was supposed to be played on Friday is being played today at 2p in East Carlsbad/West San Marcos.  I really wouldn't mind wearing a hoodie with USD on it....but I don't want to mess with Colorado's winning streak. Dilemas Dilemas.

So, I think I will wear the hoodie and not the polo shirt and sweater and just hope that the Avs can take care of business like they should be able to.  If I screw up the streak, I'll take responsibility before the game even faces off.

Until next time.

Oh, and tell me in the comments if you would be interested in seeing me go around San Diego and asking random people their thoughts on different questions on YouTube.  I'm thinking of calling it Street Talk.  Let me know.

The top team in NCAA Men's Basketball and the plan that wasn't to be...

Well as the Scottish proverb says "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry."

This happened twice on Thursday.

I started out Thursday by playing a little NASCAR Heat 3.  Finished a couple of races and then it was time for me to leave the house for the day.

First stop was the chiropractor.  Been going to him since May of last year when I tweaked my back.  Things were aligned and so it was a quick visit.  Then I made my way over to Jenny Craig Pavilion to work the men's basketball game against Gonzaga.

Tip for the game was 6:00, but I got to my parking space for the night before 4:00.  So, instead of going in very very early, I sat in the car.  I'm glad I did as my sister (who is going after her bachelor's degree at UNLV) called me for some computer help.  We talked about her classes for a little bit and then got to her problem.  No biggie, just needed some help uploading a file to share with one of her classmates.  Got that all knocked out and then she had to go to get ready for her next class.

I went in around 4:45'ish, just as Gonzaga was arriving to the arena.

The plan was for me to go in and do a video for my YouTube channel on how I run the scoreboard as that was the position that I was working.  But by the time I got in, I didn't think the sound would be good as the music was already playing.  So, when I work the game on Saturday, I'll take my lapel microphones and hook them up and knock it out that way.  Look for that video and the one I'm going to do at the game tonight (Friday, Jan. 29) next week on the above mentioned YT channel.

As for the game....

The Toreros came out of the gate HOT!  But all streaks come to an end.  Just 2:30 into the game, USD was up five points.  The Blue and White held the lead throughout the game for a total of 7:28.  The top team went on a 15 point scoring run in the first half over a course of 5:46 seconds.  At the break they were up 40-29.  The second half was more of the same as the Bulldogs would win 90-62.  For those "Guys in the Desert" the Zags did not cover by just two points. 

Once the game was over, I checked my phone to see what messages I missed (unlike others that I know, I don't look at my phone during the game).  It was at this point that I found out an acquaintance of mine had passed away on Tuesday.  He couldn't have been more than 30 years old #RIPSeth

I don't really like to end things on a downer like that, so I'll leave you with this joke.  Where do cows go on Friday nights?  They go to the moo-vies!

Be safe everyone and remember to love each other!

Let's relaunch this Huh?

 So what's gong on Blogger?  Been awhile hasn't it?

Let's say we relaunch this blog huh?  Maybe even combine it with a YouTube channel and really have some fun.

So Tuesday, I did a Day in the Life video of running the scoreboard for a USD women's basketball game (oh yeah, since I last blogged, I've been picked up to help on the Toreros game day management crew).

Started the day by running some numbers to see who had a good chance of winning the NHL games (kinda got into some sports wagering on a website that you don't use real money).  Turned out that there were a few games that really had some advantages, so I placed some wagers.

Around 11, I left the house and went to USD.  Stopped off at 7-Eleven to get a Pepsi and a Kit Kat (since I didn't have anything before leaving the house).  Got to USD about 11:45, needed to start the pregame clock at Noon.

Had to park in the lower parking garage and walked up.  Didn't have my mask on as there was no one within six feet of me so I was all clear.  Once I walked in, I put on my mask and got my temp taken.  Walked onto "The Slim Gym" Jenny Craig Pavilion's floor.  With the Covid-19 setup, you have the Shot Clock, Game Clock/Scoreboard, Official book and the Instant Replay system on the table right at courtside.  On the riser that is located roughly where the expandable "lower" bowl would be is Stats, Photographer, Announcer and music.  On the other side of the court is the play-by-play spot.  Everyone that is working the spots I just mentioned is "Tier 2".  Coaches, players and the Sports Information Directors are all in "Tier 1".  Tier 1 can go pretty much anywhere they want.  Tier 2 can only go to Tiers 2 & 3.  "Tier 3" is the camera operators and anyone up in the control room.

So, I get inside and see the head of marketing for USD, the one and only Robbie Hill.  Robbie is really cool and has a bunch of passion for USD since he went there (and his Dad is the head baseball coach).  Side note on Robbie, he is a professional trumpet player and does a great National Anthem.

Went over to the scores table and double checked some of the settings (minor things that the shot clock guy likes to have checked like making sure that the shot clock doesn't show tenths of a second).  I started the pregame 60 minute clock about 45 seconds late, but since the game was starting at 1p and wasn't on National TV, it didn't really matter.

About five minutes into the pregame, I found out that the guy that was scheduled to work the scorebook was going to be running late as he was getting his first Covid shot.  I was asked, and was going to do it anyway, to get the scratches from both teams and get the names into the book.  Simple enough, got it taken care of in about 10 minutes, but was interrupted by the referee coming over to the table and having the pregame talk with everyone at the table.  We go over the simple things and ask some questions on things that are odd and don't happen very often.

About 15 minutes before tip, the scorebook got to the table and I let him know that the book was all filled out and starters were about to be inputted by the coaches.  The coaches (usually the second assistant coach) have until 10 minutes before the game to get their starters in the book and initial that everyone in the book is correct.  This way, should it happen that a team puts a player into the game that wasn't listed in the book, the referees can say "Hey, you initialed" before assigning a technical foul.  In addition to that, for some reason the play-by-play guy hadn't shown up yet.  So, the PA Announcer was flipped over to the p-b-p seat and the SID filled in on PA Announcing.  If I was in a different seat (shot clock) I probably could've done it, but not when I was on the big clock.

The Toreros had a really good start as they led at one point 16-4.  They ended up finishing the quarter up 22-13.  They also closed out the game with a good fourth quarter with 19 points.  In the bookend quarters they scored 41 points....the problem was they only scored 15 in the second and third quarters combined.  They ended up losing to St. Mary's College 63-56.  SMC coming into the game was 4-10!

After the game, my friend Callan (originally scheduled to do PA, ended up on p-b-p) and I went down the hill to Round Table for some pizza and a beer (after that game, we needed one!).  We caught up with each other as we hadn't hung out (gee thanks Covid) since early December.  I took him back to his house and went down to PB.

On the way down to PB I got a sudden need to go to the bathroom.  I ended up going in a porta potty at the foot of Fiesta Island.  Then made my way over to PB to get gas.  After that I came home.  On the way home my beloved Colorado Avalanche were playing San Chokse in Denver.  I turned into the game on XM and listened to the Great Conor McGahey.  Once there was a commercial break after I pulled into the driveway, I came inside and watched the rest of the game on NHL.TV.  Avs would win 7-3!

After the game, I started editing the video and posted it overnight as I slept.

So I'll come back tonight after the Toreros and the #1 Gonzaga Bulldogs are on the court tonight.  It isn't on National TV (shocking!) so if you watch on WCC Network (Look on Facebook) you'll see me at center court again running the big clock and scoreboard again.  Tip is at 6p.

Long time no talk

So it has been a "couple of days" since I've dropped a blog post.

Well, this blog finds me in a mental situation that I'm not exactly happy I am in.  To put everyone's minds at ease, no I'm not thinking of hurting myself or anything along those lines.

I have been the president of a square dance club for five of the past seven years.  To say that I'm getting burned out would be an understatement.  The problem is that when I ask everyone in the club if they would like to run for vice president, every single one of them say one of two things.  Either a) "But you are doing such a fine job, I wouldn't want to ruin your track run."  or b) "I'm much more of a follower than I am a leader."

I'm about to say screw it and walk away from the whole mess.  But then, I feel guilty about not fulfilling my duties so I go back and try and figure out who I could ask to run for VP or president.

In other news, since my last post I have been hired as the PA Announcer (for 3 sports) and Play-by-Play Announcer (for 3 other sports, including baseball!) for the Point Loma Nazarene University Sea Lions.  While I love these jobs, they don't pay worth shit.  I also am a reporter for a website that specializes in high school sports.  I have also offered to do Play-by-Play for the high schools, but no one has been willing to pay the $50 to bring me out to do that.  It is really bugging me since I laid out $800 for the equipment this past summer.

I think I'm done venting and stuff.

Talk to you in a few weeks.

Avalanche season opening notes

These are just going to be short posts about how the Avs season goes in the 48-game sprint...

Fine job tonight (alright last night by now) by Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov against the Wild.  Got tagged with the L, only cause the skaters couldn't stay out of the box in the second period.  Not really sure who played worse, the Aztecs or the Avs in the 2nd period...

AVALANCHE - 1  0  1 = 2
WILD - 0 3 1 = 4
PIM's: COL - 19 (12 in the 2nd period alone), MIN - 11
SOG's: COL - 27, MIN - 35 (18 in the 2nd period)

Elections

OK, first off I would like to state my opinion on elections.  I DON'T CARE WHO OR HOW YOU VOTE, AS LONG AS YOU TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY AND ACTUALLY VOTE.

Now that I have that out of the way...

I would encourage a Yes vote on Prop 30, for multiple reasons.  But I will simply state this, if you vote yes and it passes, I get my job back at one of my jobs.

The one proposition that I would really like to talk about here is Prop 35.  I would first state that I am totally against Human Trafficking.  However, this prop in my opinion is not written correctly.  According to this proposition 

"290.024. For purposes of this chapter, the following terms apply:(a) “Internet service provider” means a business, organization, or other entity providing a computer and communications facility directly to consumers through which a person may obtain access to the Internet. An Internet service provider does not include a business, organization, or other entity that provides only telecommunications services, cable services, or video services, or any system operated or services offered by a library or educational institution.(b) “Internet identifier” means an electronic mail address, user name, screen name, or similar identifier used for the purpose of Internet forum discussions, Internet chat room discussions, instant messaging, social networking, or similar Internet communication."Page 104 of California State voter information guide

Now that everyone knows where I'm going on this.  I am all for strengthening the law, but hold on here.  First, if a person is convicted of being a sexual predator their lives are over.  No smart business will hire that person for fear of it coming out in the press and the public backlash.  Second, is it really necessary to follow what the convicted person does on say a family website?  Yeah, chat rooms that they could possibly find a new victim, I have no problem with it.  But with the way this law is written, you could have people talking to family members that have no intent on doing anything wrong and still be investigated.

I was going to say that there is the other side of the issue of "Commercial sex acts" which I believe would cover prostitutes.  I don't know, but I'm sure that many of the "pros" that are out there are there on their own volition.  Thankfully, that portion of the act has been stricken from the California voter guide, so I would assume (and when dealing with government it truly is make an ass out of u and me) it is no longer part of the law.

I have now stated my peace, thanks for reading.  I would like to close by restating my overall theory, if you are registered and can vote, DO IT.  If you don't vote you can't complain about the country and where the elected officials are taking us, because you fucked up and didn't vote!

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