Just a Few Quick Announcements

The Barbeque has been postponed until during the preseason camp due to so many people being out of town

Second Captain’s elections will be held via email through Jay you will be receiving more information later

Third all paper work has been mailed and must be returned before the start of preseason: no papers no practice this it the direct orders from Dr. B Get all of your stuff in, you will not need a swim test if you have one on file already.

Finally there is practice tomorrow Monday August 1 at 3pm at the Millville boathouse every one should try to come.

Categories: FC, Rowing

It's About That Time

Well, after much anticipation it’s about time to have a barbeque. As the summer comes to a close and preseason is just around the corner I feel now is as good a time as any to have a get together. It will be a great chance to get every one together sit around eat a bunch of food talk about all the trouble that you have been causing over the summer and possibly meet some possible novices for the spring season.

The date: Monday August 8 4pm

Where: Squaw Valley Park

What to bring: Every one should bring a friend/ sibling that is at all interested in rowing. All last years novices drinks all varsity chips I will provide the cow.

Hopefully all can make it so RSVP in the comments section. We will be announcing captains and awards. So make the necessary plans to be there. This should give you enough time to arrange work schedules and such.

Categories: FC, Rowing

The Injured Coxswain (or, snakebit again!)

For those on the ends of the earth, a certain blond coxswain has re-injured himself. Thankfully this wasn't jumping off a shed, but really an accident.

Anytime anybody goes in for surgery, it's something to be concerned about. I'm hoping the little one is feeling better and on the road to recovery. However, for the second year in a row, he'll be coxing because of injury and not rowing, as he wished.

Tough luck. It seems to be spreading. Perhaps I need to start passing out 4 leaf clovers and rabbits' feet? This is getting out of control!

Categories: Coxswains, Rowing, Safety, FC

Poker

By this time, everybody knows I enjoy playing poker. Beyond the competitive aspect which appeals to any rower, this game is a great way to chaperone the kids on a trip. Plenty of kids gather around to watch the game, which usually takes everyone to "lights out" time. Great way to keep everyone where I can see them. Great way to spend some "non-rowing" time with the kids.

Bad idea if you don't like somebody in the game.

I made a basic poker mistake the other night in Indianapolis. I let my emotions get the better of my logic, and I lost. Such things happen. However, some of the rowers let the same thing happen to them. Let's just say the outcome wasn't what any of us wanted.

It's much better to play with people whose company you enjoy. That way, there's never any hard feelings when you win or lose.

Categories: Personal, Rowing, Regattas

Book Review

Emily has been a Harry Potter fan since the books first came out. Anyone wonder why one of our cats is named Harry? Perhaps because as a kitten, Harry got into as much trouble as his namesake.

Anyway, I like the new book. We didn't notice as many editing mistakes as the last one. Fewer misspelled words, fewer mistakes that didn't jive with the other books, fewer screw-ups. I thought Rowling's writing has improved; this installment didn't feel as forced as the previous. This book flowed, with everything having a purpose, rather than the "filler" feel of the previous book. Middle chapters in that book left the reader wondering why they were there, even after reading the entire book.

I won't give away the ending, for those readers still slogging along. (I know 700+ pages may seem like a lot. Just to make you all feel inadequate, Emily and I both had read our one copy by 3pm on Sunday, after getting the book in the mail at 11am on Saturday.) However, I applaud Rowling on the ending of this book. The feeling is similar to the end of Empire Strikes Back after the first time you see that movie. Other nerds here will understand what I mean.

Anyway, I'm off to pack for Indianapolis. This is just a post to kick-start a book discussion.

Categories: Media, Misc

Lament

Schedules change. Everybody knows this. Regattas put out a "possible" schedule so coaches can figure out their entries. In high school rowing, few people only row in one race anymore, except at the Junior Invitational.

Regatta directors take the entries after the deadline passes and create a heat schedule that makes the most sense. Everyone knows you don't put the 4s right next to the 8s, the 4xs next to the 2xs and so on. It's easy to assume that the athletes in those events will "double up."

Here's my problem: I don't always use those common "doubles." My teams always are in weird boats: the 8 and the 2x, the light 8 and heavy 8, the 2x and the 2-.

I suppose this gives an illumination on my methods? Yes, I'm a little nuts and unorthodox.

So the schedule comes out for the Nationals. I've got two guys entered in the 2x and 2-. "Possible" schedule has them on different days. After the entry deadline, the semis for the 2x and the heats for the 2- are ONE HOUR APART. One hour, in a 5 day regatta.

I mean, come on! Am I snake-bit or what? They're even rowing in the same boat, which will have to be re-rigged in a very short time.

I've already sent along an email explaining my predicament. Possibility of getting the schedule changed? Class?

Yes, that's right.

Zero.

Categories: Regattas, Rowing, Coaching

I can't make this stuff up

With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy and permission to use this if he wants to....

...If "sitting poolside" in your house means relaxing next to the inflatable above-ground pool while your two year old runs around with his diaper falling off, you just might be a redneck.

Will has a new pool and loves it. His daddy loves it as well. Because our camera was stolen, I can't add a picture. But I hope the above joke fills everyone in on the scene.

Categories: Will, Personal

Taste of Buffalo???

What food is Buffalo famous for? Anyone? Anyone?


Buffalo-style chicken wings, perhaps?

Anyone want to explain why the "Taste of Buffalo" food festival has not a single tent offering Buffalo wings?

We're up here for a race. Got here early because we thought the "Taste of Buffalo" would be a great little thing to do for the kids. We're staying at the Hyatt, just across the street from the festival.

And the food was TERRIBLE. I love "fair" food. It's usually great, but greasy. This was disgusting and greasy.

Add in the complete incompetance of the staff here at the Hyatt, and you've got the beginnings of another great summer program story. I'll fill everyone in on how this ends up.

Categories: Misc

If I didn't have bad luck, I wouldn't have any at all

We're in Columbus this weekend, after I got back from Philly. Long drive, but Columbus has some great stuff for the holiday. One of the more interesting is the "doo dah" parade.

Basically, all the lunatics and freaks and liberals in Columbus get out and behave like my guys do on a daily basis, only in a parade setting. Most of the groups included in this year's parade aren't for a "family" blog like this one. It's a great time.

I discovered the break-in into the van upon our return. Some **** broke the passenger window and stole Emily's purse. The lost items included our digital camera, several disks of pictures that aren't anywhere else, her cell phone and credit cards. Glass is everywhere.

What really bothers me is not only the loss of property, but also the stupidity of the person involved. Her purse HAD CAR KEYS IN IT. However, moron-boy didn't steal the entire car. He (presumed) also left my Sirius radio receiver, worth over $100.

I take such an invasion of my property rather personally. I sent the phone a text message: "Dear moron: nice going. The credit cards are already cancelled, and you left a $400 stereo in the car. Hope you like having your fingerprints in the database now."

I cancelled Emily's phone when we got back to my Aunt's house. That phone call produced several numbers that moron-boy called. Nice job, idiot, I passed those along to the cops as well. Dumb-dumb also tried to use her credit card, and it was declined.

I'm mad as hell, for several reasons. I've got to stay here in Columbus to get the car repair started. I know the cops aren't going to do anything about this, because the total value wasn't over $1500. And I know I can find this idiot without much trouble. The internet is a great thing, and dumb-dumb gave me several numbers of his friends to work with.

Categories: Personal

More than anything, I want those disks back. There are quite a few rowing shots that I really like on those, as well as some of Will that would be lost forever. Let's go, Columbus police!