If you've not seen Islander Forward Chris Simon's hit on the Ranger's Ryan Hollweg from their game Thursday night, you need to. It is worse than the Todd Bertuzzi hit on Steve Moore [who's been out of the league since the hit 3 years ago which almost killed him. He wants to come back and play, he's only 28, and STILL isn't medically clear to play] even worse the INFAMOUS Marty McSorley hit on Donald Brashear.
I can't describe Simon's hit accurately enough to even come near my disgust for the man. Suffice it to say: Hollweg did a perfectly, and safely, executed legal check on Simon, and Simon turns around, lifts his stick, and slashes Hollweg accross the neck and face. Simon was suspended for the duration of the season AND the playoffs.
Chris Simon got LUCKY! The fact that that punk is even allowed to return is a joke! He's an insult and a disgrace not only to Hockey as a whole and his team, but to the fans, such as myself, who love the sport. When fans go to a game, we expect some form of extreme physical play, it's part of the game, but when you intentionally use your stick to cause life threatening harm, you are no longer an athlete, you're a criminal and had the hit been even the littlest bit harder, you're a murderer. This sport, and this country has no place for people who: know the rules of their sport, have been in the league long enough to make it evident that they know the rules, and have broken them enough times to learn that their suspensions are NOT suggestions. They're lessons to be taken seriously and to heart.
I LOVE the sport of Hockey, and to have someone like Chris Simon in it, is an embarassment and a humiliation. I am ashamed to know that this man is what people will think of, even for a little while, when they hear the word Hockey. Maybe he needs to sit down with Marty McSorley, and learn what it's like to be banned from your dream and your livelihood. Or maybe, he needs to understand the pain that Donald Brashear felt, and what he inflicted upon Ryan Hollweg. He's been suspended before, and hasn't learned. He keeps making mistakes, and that indicates little, if any, remorse. He didn't learn before, he's not gonna learn now. Get him out! He's disgracing my: sport, fans, and my state.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The Big Guy & The Angel
I don't know much about parenting, in fact, I know next to nothing, but that doesn't stop me from learning as much as I can, as fast as I can. Unfortunately, my perceptions of how everything supposedly goes, doesn't always jive with how it actually goes.
I always knew there would come a point when I'd have to change a diaper, and I planned on that being a LONG time before I have kids [there's an image for those who know me really well...little pun riddled Dans running around], but I didn't know it'd be quite this hard. It's one thing to see some one else changing their kid on a table in a restroom, it's something entirely different when that kid is yours. Now I say "yours" in a secondary sense, because Jamie and Jason are my niece and nephew. It's not easy to do, and A LOT worse to smell, when the kid getting changed, is your flesh and blood.
Everything has a stronger...impact. Everything means more. And since I have no idea what I'm doing, I'm constantly afraid of hurting them in any way. When you have kids, or in my case, my brother and sister(in-law) have kids, EVERYTHING changes. And I don't just mean your entire world...I mean EVERYTHING! Everything within you, and every part of who you thought you'd be around kids, changes.
You notice things that have been dead to your mind for your entire life. You see things your eyes have never crossed, you feel things your hands have never touched, and you cetainly smell things your nose never fathomed. You can see all this happening to thousands of people many times over, but none of it truly hits you until the kids become yours [again, I refer to my brother and sister(in-law)].
I have always understood a parent's love for their children, but I never felt it like I do with Jamie and Jason. I may not be their parent, but I sure feel that close. I love them like their parents do and I will protect and guard them as their parents do. One of the first things I told my brother and sister(in-law) was: that if it were up to me, which in some cases it's a good thing it's not, I'd find the tallest place I could, and do the "Lion King" thing [hold them up to the heavens, as an angelic beam of light graces them].
Jamie and Jason fill my life and my heart with a joy and love, I never knew. They give me a pride and everlasting smile in my spirit that makes me glow every day I wake, and every night I go to sleep. There is nothing this world that makes you happier than kids. Everything Jamie and Jason do is cute. They are my pride and joy. Jamie is "My Angel", Jason is "My Guy."
To be their Uncle is an blessing nothing will ever match, or touch. They are my heroes. It's amazing to be an Uncle, but it's beyond words to be their "Unc-D."
Thank you Lar & Lor, for my heroes.
I always knew there would come a point when I'd have to change a diaper, and I planned on that being a LONG time before I have kids [there's an image for those who know me really well...little pun riddled Dans running around], but I didn't know it'd be quite this hard. It's one thing to see some one else changing their kid on a table in a restroom, it's something entirely different when that kid is yours. Now I say "yours" in a secondary sense, because Jamie and Jason are my niece and nephew. It's not easy to do, and A LOT worse to smell, when the kid getting changed, is your flesh and blood.
Everything has a stronger...impact. Everything means more. And since I have no idea what I'm doing, I'm constantly afraid of hurting them in any way. When you have kids, or in my case, my brother and sister(in-law) have kids, EVERYTHING changes. And I don't just mean your entire world...I mean EVERYTHING! Everything within you, and every part of who you thought you'd be around kids, changes.
You notice things that have been dead to your mind for your entire life. You see things your eyes have never crossed, you feel things your hands have never touched, and you cetainly smell things your nose never fathomed. You can see all this happening to thousands of people many times over, but none of it truly hits you until the kids become yours [again, I refer to my brother and sister(in-law)].
I have always understood a parent's love for their children, but I never felt it like I do with Jamie and Jason. I may not be their parent, but I sure feel that close. I love them like their parents do and I will protect and guard them as their parents do. One of the first things I told my brother and sister(in-law) was: that if it were up to me, which in some cases it's a good thing it's not, I'd find the tallest place I could, and do the "Lion King" thing [hold them up to the heavens, as an angelic beam of light graces them].
Jamie and Jason fill my life and my heart with a joy and love, I never knew. They give me a pride and everlasting smile in my spirit that makes me glow every day I wake, and every night I go to sleep. There is nothing this world that makes you happier than kids. Everything Jamie and Jason do is cute. They are my pride and joy. Jamie is "My Angel", Jason is "My Guy."
To be their Uncle is an blessing nothing will ever match, or touch. They are my heroes. It's amazing to be an Uncle, but it's beyond words to be their "Unc-D."
Thank you Lar & Lor, for my heroes.
The Big Cry
There are few things an life greater than having kids, and [much like my previous "blog"] I say "having kids" in a secondary sense, because Jason is my nephew, they change your life in profound ways. They make EVERYTHING mean more, and every feeling hold more weight. In some cases, they make things hurt more.
Now I mean this is no offense to anyone, particularly "my guy," Jason, but while kids do bring you to unbelievable highs of joy, they also can bring you to unimaginable heart crushing lows. You can feel so much joy one moment, and feel utterly useless, and hopeless the next.
You can be the greatest person on the planet, but when a child is crying and there's nothing you can do to help, you're meaningless. You can't do a damn thing to help, everything that occurs to you is immediately written off as the wrong thing, and you run circles in your head trying to think of anything to make you feel more than a waste of space.
It is indescribably paralyzing to sit and watch a child cry, and want with every fiber inside you to help...to want to do ANYTHING! Any damn thing to help, and not have the foggiest clue how to. The child can't tell you what's wrong, so you have to guess. GREAT! Now someone I love's become a game show! "Let's see Chuck, he's crying and spitting up a little, sooooo...either he's hungry or his tummy hurts. Ooooo! That's a tough one. What door's the million bucks behind?"
It is so frustrating, you just wanna: ball your fists, grit your teeth, and find a wall [preferably non load bearing] and put your fist through it. You want to help, but you have no idea what the problem is, no concept of any way to help, and that knowledge doesn't help at all! You can't say, "well I don't know what I can do," and throw your hands up. It's not an "ehh, what can you do?" situation.
It's an anger and frustration, that will not go away, and will not be quieted. You can't stop the frustration because the feeling to help and ease the child's pain [other wise known as love], is MUCH stronger. So the frustration just snowballs, and eventually becomes an avalanche. While this is going on the one nagging thought in your mind is: "I have never felt so pointless and inadiquate in my life."
Of course, in all honesty, I'd much rather go through this, than not have Jason at all. There comes a time in your life, when you realize, any pain is worth the love you feel for them.
I Love you Jason!
Now I mean this is no offense to anyone, particularly "my guy," Jason, but while kids do bring you to unbelievable highs of joy, they also can bring you to unimaginable heart crushing lows. You can feel so much joy one moment, and feel utterly useless, and hopeless the next.
You can be the greatest person on the planet, but when a child is crying and there's nothing you can do to help, you're meaningless. You can't do a damn thing to help, everything that occurs to you is immediately written off as the wrong thing, and you run circles in your head trying to think of anything to make you feel more than a waste of space.
It is indescribably paralyzing to sit and watch a child cry, and want with every fiber inside you to help...to want to do ANYTHING! Any damn thing to help, and not have the foggiest clue how to. The child can't tell you what's wrong, so you have to guess. GREAT! Now someone I love's become a game show! "Let's see Chuck, he's crying and spitting up a little, sooooo...either he's hungry or his tummy hurts. Ooooo! That's a tough one. What door's the million bucks behind?"
It is so frustrating, you just wanna: ball your fists, grit your teeth, and find a wall [preferably non load bearing] and put your fist through it. You want to help, but you have no idea what the problem is, no concept of any way to help, and that knowledge doesn't help at all! You can't say, "well I don't know what I can do," and throw your hands up. It's not an "ehh, what can you do?" situation.
It's an anger and frustration, that will not go away, and will not be quieted. You can't stop the frustration because the feeling to help and ease the child's pain [other wise known as love], is MUCH stronger. So the frustration just snowballs, and eventually becomes an avalanche. While this is going on the one nagging thought in your mind is: "I have never felt so pointless and inadiquate in my life."
Of course, in all honesty, I'd much rather go through this, than not have Jason at all. There comes a time in your life, when you realize, any pain is worth the love you feel for them.
I Love you Jason!
Imus
There are things in life that go deeper than just one issue. Take Imus, or Chris Simon, for example. Sure they have a history of, well, shooting their mouths off when they're not supposed to. I'm not defending, and I'm sure as hell not supporting, their actions in any way. But you have to wonder if they really learned anything at all.
I'm not talking just about what Imus called the Rutger's women's basketball team [who, by the way, are immensely talented athletes], or what Chris Simon did to Ryan Hollweg, I'm talking about rules and respect. Every place has them, and every place has a reason for them.
They're not novelty acts or moves of contrition from some earlier sin, they're to be taken seriously and obeyed. The government doesn't say "maybe you shouldn't have shot that guy, it seems to have hurt," and you shouldn't need to be told: not to racially slur ANYONE, or damn near behead them on the ice.
The other big issue in both these cases, is a complete disregard of common sense. How many years do you have to be "in the business," to learn what the rules are, not to break them, and what precisely will happen if you do?!
It seems to me that both Imus, and Simon: damn well knew the rules, knew what would happen if they either broke them or challenged them, and simply decided not to give a damn. This is evident because both men have broken the rules before, and showed little, if any, remorse.
Hey, guys! You got what's comming to ya. Don't be surprised, don't bull shit me like you didn't see it, and don't pretend like any of this is really sinking in. You haven't learned your lessons before, however many hundred times it was, you haven't learned it now. And not a single person believes you have. If you're willing to throw away a career you obviously worship, how can anyone believe you ever truly cared in the first place?
Imus: you were in radio for God's sake! Didn't it ever occur to you, that the reason you're on the air is because people listen?! You're there to entertain THEM! Not yourself. If you want to do that, sit at home with the shades drawn.
Further more, you had to believe in this great country of ours, that not everyone thinks like you. Not everyone's gonna like you, some people might not even be able to stand you, and above all else, EVERYONE is equal!
Don't think, for a second, that MSNBC and CBS did the wrong thing. They are the smart ones in this case. I applaud both networks for their decision, but I give a rousing ovation to CBS. Not only did your comments regarding MSNBC's firing, show an abscence of morals, but it showed that you weren't affraid. You continued not to take anything seriously, and failed to notice the value of what was about to happen.
Everyone knows your sphere of influence exists because CBS controls it. CBS, took down the giant. They hit you where it mattered. I hope THAT truly makes you feel something.
As for Chris Simon: read my "Hockey Blog."
In summation: if you ever wonder why you're constantly in trouble....to quote Jim Carrey in "Liar Liar," "Stop breakin the law ass hole!"
I'm not talking just about what Imus called the Rutger's women's basketball team [who, by the way, are immensely talented athletes], or what Chris Simon did to Ryan Hollweg, I'm talking about rules and respect. Every place has them, and every place has a reason for them.
They're not novelty acts or moves of contrition from some earlier sin, they're to be taken seriously and obeyed. The government doesn't say "maybe you shouldn't have shot that guy, it seems to have hurt," and you shouldn't need to be told: not to racially slur ANYONE, or damn near behead them on the ice.
The other big issue in both these cases, is a complete disregard of common sense. How many years do you have to be "in the business," to learn what the rules are, not to break them, and what precisely will happen if you do?!
It seems to me that both Imus, and Simon: damn well knew the rules, knew what would happen if they either broke them or challenged them, and simply decided not to give a damn. This is evident because both men have broken the rules before, and showed little, if any, remorse.
Hey, guys! You got what's comming to ya. Don't be surprised, don't bull shit me like you didn't see it, and don't pretend like any of this is really sinking in. You haven't learned your lessons before, however many hundred times it was, you haven't learned it now. And not a single person believes you have. If you're willing to throw away a career you obviously worship, how can anyone believe you ever truly cared in the first place?
Imus: you were in radio for God's sake! Didn't it ever occur to you, that the reason you're on the air is because people listen?! You're there to entertain THEM! Not yourself. If you want to do that, sit at home with the shades drawn.
Further more, you had to believe in this great country of ours, that not everyone thinks like you. Not everyone's gonna like you, some people might not even be able to stand you, and above all else, EVERYONE is equal!
Don't think, for a second, that MSNBC and CBS did the wrong thing. They are the smart ones in this case. I applaud both networks for their decision, but I give a rousing ovation to CBS. Not only did your comments regarding MSNBC's firing, show an abscence of morals, but it showed that you weren't affraid. You continued not to take anything seriously, and failed to notice the value of what was about to happen.
Everyone knows your sphere of influence exists because CBS controls it. CBS, took down the giant. They hit you where it mattered. I hope THAT truly makes you feel something.
As for Chris Simon: read my "Hockey Blog."
In summation: if you ever wonder why you're constantly in trouble....to quote Jim Carrey in "Liar Liar," "Stop breakin the law ass hole!"
Phoning It In
I wrote this over the summer, in response to a letter my brother in law, Patrick, sent to me from his iPhone. At the end of the letter, the "Sincerely" part, he (I didn't know, when this was originally written, that the iPhone adds "from my iPhone" on its own.) made special humorous note that he sent it from his iPhone. You see, he's quite proud of the thing, and to be honest, it's pretty damn cool. So I thought it'd be pretty damn funny to write a letter to the iPhone itself. Here's the result:
Mr....uh...Patrick's iPhone-
I'm sorry to great you with such muted geniality, but it is tough for me to know how to great a phone. I could have started with the ol' "good to see you once again good buddy," but seeing as we have not really ever formed a formal friendship I thought that might be a bit presumptious of me. I immediately through out the classic and street wise "what up, my man? How goes it?" In light of the fact that, well, let's be honest here, it makes me sound quite pathetic and I'm not that cool. To that effect, the phraze "I hope this day finds you in high spirits, good sir," also makes me sound quite pathetic and...British. In the abscence of a formal greeting I felt would do the trick, I begrudgingly decided to air on the side of muted geniality. I hope I have not let you down with the soft opening to my letter, but I do intend to get to know you as friends rightly should. I know it is tough in the retail world. Sitting in a store somewhere you do not know. Being looked after and cared for by people whose intentions you are never truly sure are really all that bittersweet. Hoping that one day some kind young lady will grace that which you've come to accept as home, and take you from the tensions of wondering "will this day finally be mine?" and bring you to proper place of residence. A place where all that worries you can be comforted in the calming and relaxing hands of your owner. I hope Patrick has been: comforting in your times of need, soothing when anger rages inside of you, and has always lent a willing and open ear to your concerns and joys. I know Patrick to be a VERY kind, caring, and extremely humorous man. I have spent many a time enjoying his company, and laughing along with him, and I can assure you, you will do the same. As for now, I will sign off and leave you with this: you are in VERY kind and decent hands, and your life will be filled with many joys, but should anything in any way negative happen, Patrick will take you the world's foremost specialists who will deduce and correct anything that ails you as fast as possible. You are one lucky phone, and I hope to see you soon to further our friendship. Good luck and god bless.
Sincerely,
Patrick's brother-in-law,
Dan
Mr....uh...Patrick's iPhone-
I'm sorry to great you with such muted geniality, but it is tough for me to know how to great a phone. I could have started with the ol' "good to see you once again good buddy," but seeing as we have not really ever formed a formal friendship I thought that might be a bit presumptious of me. I immediately through out the classic and street wise "what up, my man? How goes it?" In light of the fact that, well, let's be honest here, it makes me sound quite pathetic and I'm not that cool. To that effect, the phraze "I hope this day finds you in high spirits, good sir," also makes me sound quite pathetic and...British. In the abscence of a formal greeting I felt would do the trick, I begrudgingly decided to air on the side of muted geniality. I hope I have not let you down with the soft opening to my letter, but I do intend to get to know you as friends rightly should. I know it is tough in the retail world. Sitting in a store somewhere you do not know. Being looked after and cared for by people whose intentions you are never truly sure are really all that bittersweet. Hoping that one day some kind young lady will grace that which you've come to accept as home, and take you from the tensions of wondering "will this day finally be mine?" and bring you to proper place of residence. A place where all that worries you can be comforted in the calming and relaxing hands of your owner. I hope Patrick has been: comforting in your times of need, soothing when anger rages inside of you, and has always lent a willing and open ear to your concerns and joys. I know Patrick to be a VERY kind, caring, and extremely humorous man. I have spent many a time enjoying his company, and laughing along with him, and I can assure you, you will do the same. As for now, I will sign off and leave you with this: you are in VERY kind and decent hands, and your life will be filled with many joys, but should anything in any way negative happen, Patrick will take you the world's foremost specialists who will deduce and correct anything that ails you as fast as possible. You are one lucky phone, and I hope to see you soon to further our friendship. Good luck and god bless.
Sincerely,
Patrick's brother-in-law,
Dan
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