TigerBlog stopped at the bank machine this past Saturday morning.
When he got there, a man about 10 years or so older than TB was just finishing his transaction and getting back into his car. As it was a nice day, he had the top down on his convertible.
TigerBlog has never owned a convertible. In fact, he can't remember ever being in one, other than when he was really, really little and FatherBlog had one.
As the man got back into his car to drive away, he cranked his music to a very high level. TB found this odd, as the man was probably in his 60s, as opposed to his teens or 20s.
And then there was the song itself. It took TB a second to get it, but then he figured it out. It was "Silhouettes On The Shade," a song TB recognized from Saturday night oldies of long ago. He couldn't remember who sang it and never would have come up with The Rays.
"Silhouettes On The Shade" is a doo-wop song from 1957. It was redone many times, including by the Four Seasons, Frankie Lymon, Herman's Hermits and the Crests.
At least that's what it says on Wikipedia.
Anyway, the man from the bank machine was dressed for golf, and TB assumed that's where he was going next. Was this the music he listened to to get him pumped to play? Maybe.
Perhaps that was his standard Saturday morning pre-tee psych music.
One of the most common sites before any athletic event is that of the competitors with headphones on, listening to whatever it is that gets them ready to go. TigerBlog, were he about to play in the Super Bowl or - even bigger - the Major League Lacrosse championship game - would listen to "Born To Run," of course.
Anytime television cameras go into the locker room or shows an athlete not yet in uniform out on the field or court or walking off a bus, there they are, the headphone. Hey, you can go into a Princeton locker room before a game and see the same thing.
Oh, and this is completely unrelated to anything, but TigerBlog has been in the writing business for more than 30 years and has never gotten a definitive answer to the question of whether or not it should be "lockerroom" or "locker room."
There are other avenues for inspiration.
Mollie Marcoux turned to one such avenue yesterday as she led her first department-wide staff meeting.
Before she ever spoke, there was Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks in "Miracle." It was the scene in the lockerroom (or is it locker room?) before the U.S. played the Soviet Union.
Go ahead. Watch it. Click right HERE and do it. And try not to get moved by it.
Watch whatever you need. Listen to whatever gets you going.
Tonight is opening night, for Princeton Athletics 2014-15.
It's actually late for opening night. Pretty much every school everywhere has already played.
Princeton has one home game today. The women's soccer team opens Julie Shackford's final season as head coach with a game against Rutgers at 7.
Admission is free. As in no charge. So be there.
Rutgers comes into the game having already played three times - and won all three. It's a tough task for a team in its opener to play a team playing its fourth game.
The field hockey team is at Duke, who is 2-0. The men's soccer team is at FDU, who is 0-2.
The women's volleyball team is actually the first team to play, as it goes at 12:30 today against Charlotte at Temple's tournament.
There is a difference between being in shape and being in game shape. The challenge for tonight isn't just the opponents themselves but the transition to competing in games that matter.
However it goes, tonight is the start of a new year. By the time June rolls around, Princeton will have had more than 600 other athletic contests. Will there be a national champion for the 44th straight year?
What teams will surprise? Which teams will win as they are expected to do? What will be the biggest story of the year?
It starts tonight.
Opening day.
Tramps like us? Baby, we were born to run.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Thursday, September 4, 2014
In A Hurry
A little more than a year ago, TigerBlog asked the question of which Princeton athletes have had the best post-Princeton careers.
He came up with basketball player Bill Bradley on the men's side and rower Caroline Lind on the women's side.
He's pretty sure, by the way, that he could simply have copied and pasted what he said a year ago and left it that. And maybe he should, because he's in a bit of a hurry this morning.
He'll get back to that shortly.
First, there's the original thesis. Who is the most successful post-Princeton athlete?
Princeton has had professional athletes, Olympic medalists and world champions across many sports. To make a determination on who was the most successful after leaving Princeton requires treating the pinnacle of each sport as equal; each athlete is judged solely on the post-Princeton success in his or her sport, rather than weighting it for, say, the NBA or Major League Baseball or the Olympics.
That got TigerBlog to wondering if perhaps Ryan Boyle and not Bill Bradley might be the most successful male.
Boyle is the all-time leader in assists (by a lot - he has 271; Casey Powell is second with 222) and second-leading scorer in Major League Lacrosse history. Boyle has won three MLL championships and won two World Championships with team USA.
There's a case that can be made for him.
Then there's Caroline Lind. A year ago, Lind was already TB's choice - and that's before she added another world championship last weekend in Amsterdam. Lind is the only Princeton rower ever to win two Olympic gold medals, and the world championship she won this weekend was her sixth.
She is also currently ranked among the top 10 rowers in the world.
TigerBlog would get more into this, and get into the story about Kate Bertko, a 2006 Princeton grad like Lind, who went from emergency abdominal surgery in July to winning a bronze medal eight weeks later.
Check out the story about her on row2K, paying particular attention to the scar in the photo, to get a better sense of what she went through.
As TB said, though, he's in a bit of hurry this morning.
Why?
Well, tomorrow might be opening day for Princeton Athletics 2014-15, but today is sort of the kickoff.
Today is Princeton's first department-wide meeting of the academic year. It's something that TB has attended for a long time, and yet today will be radically different.
Today, for the first time, Mollie Marcoux will be the one leading the meeting. It's her first department-wide meeting since becoming Ford Family Director of Athletics.
It's a big occasion. Marcoux is starting down the path of putting her stamp on the athletic department, setting its agendas, establishing her priorities. It's not something that happens overnight, but the first staff meeting is a big milestone in terms of getting her message out.
The Department of Athletics isn't huge in numbers, but it is spread out across the campus, with offices in Jadwin, Dillon, Baker, the boat house, the tennis center - and others who aren't technically part of the athletic department who work closely with athletics. It's not often that they all get together, so the meetings always have a social component to them.
Today's goes a little beyond the usual "hey, how are you." After the meeting there will be the annual staff photo.
It's amazing to look back at the photos year-by-year to see the turnover, which is always a little more than TB thinks.
It's a cohesive group, though. The staff picture will feature all of the members of the department, in orange and black Nike gear. It's a group that works hard and covers for each other as necessary. It's one that roots hard for each other and takes pride in each other's successes. It's a group that has largely checked its ego at the door.
And today, it's a group that will gather to hear from its new leader. And then get its picture taken. And then have lunch together.
So you'll forgive TB for cutting it short today, but he's in a little hurry.
Gotta run. He'll be back tomorrow.
For opening day.
He came up with basketball player Bill Bradley on the men's side and rower Caroline Lind on the women's side.
He's pretty sure, by the way, that he could simply have copied and pasted what he said a year ago and left it that. And maybe he should, because he's in a bit of a hurry this morning.
He'll get back to that shortly.
First, there's the original thesis. Who is the most successful post-Princeton athlete?
Princeton has had professional athletes, Olympic medalists and world champions across many sports. To make a determination on who was the most successful after leaving Princeton requires treating the pinnacle of each sport as equal; each athlete is judged solely on the post-Princeton success in his or her sport, rather than weighting it for, say, the NBA or Major League Baseball or the Olympics.
That got TigerBlog to wondering if perhaps Ryan Boyle and not Bill Bradley might be the most successful male.
Boyle is the all-time leader in assists (by a lot - he has 271; Casey Powell is second with 222) and second-leading scorer in Major League Lacrosse history. Boyle has won three MLL championships and won two World Championships with team USA.
There's a case that can be made for him.
Then there's Caroline Lind. A year ago, Lind was already TB's choice - and that's before she added another world championship last weekend in Amsterdam. Lind is the only Princeton rower ever to win two Olympic gold medals, and the world championship she won this weekend was her sixth.
She is also currently ranked among the top 10 rowers in the world.
TigerBlog would get more into this, and get into the story about Kate Bertko, a 2006 Princeton grad like Lind, who went from emergency abdominal surgery in July to winning a bronze medal eight weeks later.
Check out the story about her on row2K, paying particular attention to the scar in the photo, to get a better sense of what she went through.
As TB said, though, he's in a bit of hurry this morning.
Why?
Well, tomorrow might be opening day for Princeton Athletics 2014-15, but today is sort of the kickoff.
Today is Princeton's first department-wide meeting of the academic year. It's something that TB has attended for a long time, and yet today will be radically different.
Today, for the first time, Mollie Marcoux will be the one leading the meeting. It's her first department-wide meeting since becoming Ford Family Director of Athletics.
It's a big occasion. Marcoux is starting down the path of putting her stamp on the athletic department, setting its agendas, establishing her priorities. It's not something that happens overnight, but the first staff meeting is a big milestone in terms of getting her message out.
The Department of Athletics isn't huge in numbers, but it is spread out across the campus, with offices in Jadwin, Dillon, Baker, the boat house, the tennis center - and others who aren't technically part of the athletic department who work closely with athletics. It's not often that they all get together, so the meetings always have a social component to them.
Today's goes a little beyond the usual "hey, how are you." After the meeting there will be the annual staff photo.
It's amazing to look back at the photos year-by-year to see the turnover, which is always a little more than TB thinks.
It's a cohesive group, though. The staff picture will feature all of the members of the department, in orange and black Nike gear. It's a group that works hard and covers for each other as necessary. It's one that roots hard for each other and takes pride in each other's successes. It's a group that has largely checked its ego at the door.
And today, it's a group that will gather to hear from its new leader. And then get its picture taken. And then have lunch together.
So you'll forgive TB for cutting it short today, but he's in a little hurry.
Gotta run. He'll be back tomorrow.
For opening day.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Now That's Offensive
Have you seen "The Book of Mormon?"
It's funny. That's for sure. It's also offensive. That's also for sure.
If you don't know what it's about, well, basically it's about insulting Mormons. And Africa. And people with AIDS. And the Chinese. And gays. And Jesus. And the Lion King.
But mostly Mormons.
TigerBlog is sure he's leaving some groups out. But mostly Mormons.
It's an interesting cultural phenomenon that something so completely offensive - from the guys who brought you "South Park," though it's more like a musical "Family Guy" - can be hailed as a work of genius. It's not that TigerBlog doesn't get the sarcasm or the message. It's not that he can't appreciate it for what it is.
And it's not that parts of it aren't downright hilarious. It's just that it crosses the line into being something personal - and does so unabashedly so.
Contemporary society finds offense in almost everything, whether it is offensive or not. Political correctness, for lack of a better term, rules.
So how did "The Book of Mormon" slip through the cracks to win nine Tony Awards, rather than be booed off the stage on opening night? TigerBlog has no idea.
He does have a question though: How many people who are howling about the fact that the Washington football team should change its name from "Redskins" laughed all the way through "The Book of Mormon?"
There are roughly 5.4 million Native Americans and 6.6 million Mormons in this country. If it can assumed that every single one of them is insulted either by the name "Redskins" or the show that mocks every tenet of their religion (albeit in a very entertaining way with some catchy, pithy songs), then there are a lot more pissed off Mormons than Native Americans.
Why doesn't anyone care about that, while the name of the football team that has been unchanged for 80 years or so is the cause of national debate and outrage.
As for the controversy itself, TigerBlog read a story yesterday on ESPN.com that began by pointing out which tribes had the land that professional teams with Native American nicknames now plan on seized by the U.S. government. Interesting angle.
Look, this country has an awful history of dealing with the indigenous people. It's actually an under-taught part of U.S. history, probably because of how the U.S. was on the wrong moral side in this one.
Most people get their information about that time from Cowboy and Indian movies or TV shows, which made the, you'll pardon the expression, Indians look like either savages or clowns.
And TigerBlog, as do all his people, understands the value of not forgetting historical events, even many decades later. But the Redskins have been the Redskins for nearly a century, and it never seemed like that big of a deal until a few years ago, long into the political correctness era.
MotherBlog was a huge Redskins fans. In addition, she was the single greatest advocate of fairness, tolerance and respect that TigerBlog ever met. In all the time she rooted for the 'Skins (her favorite player by far was John Riggins; he was to sports what Steve McQueen was to acting for MotherBlog), she never once mentioned that the nickname might be offensive.
And so here is the part of today's story where it now evokes something related to Princeton. Since TB is talking about things that are offensive, he thought he could talk about the Princeton football offense, which is in its own way highly offensive, as in large numbers of points and yards, more so than any other team in Ivy history a year ago.
But no, TigerBlog won't go Trey Parker/Matt Stone here. Today is for a serious topic.
The question is, what is the responsibility of an organization such as Princeton Athletics to deal with its fans - customers, if you will - who are offended by something here?
Fortunately, Princeton is the Tigers, so who is going to be offended by that? Of course, Rodney Dangerfield did say in "Caddyshack" that, after meeting the grandson of Judge Smails, that now "I understand why Tigers eat their young." But that's about it.
But there are other things around here that could become offensive.
Music at events. Chants by students - even those that don't include any words that could be on their face offensive. The demeanor of a coach or athlete.
Costs shouldn't be one them, not with no admission charge for 33 of 38 varsity sports and about the lower ticket prices you'll ever find anywhere for the five that do charge admission. Hey, you can almost never find a movie ticket for less than it costs to come to games here.
But there are plenty of others, TB is sure. After all, this is the age of being offended.
So what should Princeton do in those situations? Let's face it, for every one email that Princeton will get saying what a great event someone attended, it'll get 10, 20, 100 times more complaining about something.
The last thing a school can do is get reactive. What you have to do is be proactive.
Take a good look at the events themselves. Make sure that the department has done everything it can to put on an event that is classy, that most spectators would find to be welcoming.
And then wait for the emails to come in complaining about something or another. There will always be those who aren't happy. It takes something of a thick skin.
The task for Princeton Athletics is even tougher than it is at most places, since the competition for the entertainment dollar is substantial, the department puts a real effort into attracting families with children, many of its most diehard fans are older alums, the students want to be a little rowdy and the coaches and athletes want to make the venue tough on the visitors. These are not always common denominators.
Oh, and as far as "Redskins" goes?
TigerBlog sees both sides of the story. And to be honest, he thinks that some of the anti-nickname venom is driven by the fact that nobody likes Daniel Snyder, the team owner, who 1) has been a failure as a football person and 2) seems like a bit of a bad guy.
But it is a nearly-80-year-old institution.
What's the answer? If it were up to TigerBlog, he'd probably change it. There are all kinds of great nicknames that the team could go with - and then exploit its fan for new merchandising.
It's funny. That's for sure. It's also offensive. That's also for sure.
If you don't know what it's about, well, basically it's about insulting Mormons. And Africa. And people with AIDS. And the Chinese. And gays. And Jesus. And the Lion King.
But mostly Mormons.
TigerBlog is sure he's leaving some groups out. But mostly Mormons.
It's an interesting cultural phenomenon that something so completely offensive - from the guys who brought you "South Park," though it's more like a musical "Family Guy" - can be hailed as a work of genius. It's not that TigerBlog doesn't get the sarcasm or the message. It's not that he can't appreciate it for what it is.
And it's not that parts of it aren't downright hilarious. It's just that it crosses the line into being something personal - and does so unabashedly so.
Contemporary society finds offense in almost everything, whether it is offensive or not. Political correctness, for lack of a better term, rules.
So how did "The Book of Mormon" slip through the cracks to win nine Tony Awards, rather than be booed off the stage on opening night? TigerBlog has no idea.
He does have a question though: How many people who are howling about the fact that the Washington football team should change its name from "Redskins" laughed all the way through "The Book of Mormon?"
There are roughly 5.4 million Native Americans and 6.6 million Mormons in this country. If it can assumed that every single one of them is insulted either by the name "Redskins" or the show that mocks every tenet of their religion (albeit in a very entertaining way with some catchy, pithy songs), then there are a lot more pissed off Mormons than Native Americans.
Why doesn't anyone care about that, while the name of the football team that has been unchanged for 80 years or so is the cause of national debate and outrage.
As for the controversy itself, TigerBlog read a story yesterday on ESPN.com that began by pointing out which tribes had the land that professional teams with Native American nicknames now plan on seized by the U.S. government. Interesting angle.
Look, this country has an awful history of dealing with the indigenous people. It's actually an under-taught part of U.S. history, probably because of how the U.S. was on the wrong moral side in this one.
Most people get their information about that time from Cowboy and Indian movies or TV shows, which made the, you'll pardon the expression, Indians look like either savages or clowns.
And TigerBlog, as do all his people, understands the value of not forgetting historical events, even many decades later. But the Redskins have been the Redskins for nearly a century, and it never seemed like that big of a deal until a few years ago, long into the political correctness era.
MotherBlog was a huge Redskins fans. In addition, she was the single greatest advocate of fairness, tolerance and respect that TigerBlog ever met. In all the time she rooted for the 'Skins (her favorite player by far was John Riggins; he was to sports what Steve McQueen was to acting for MotherBlog), she never once mentioned that the nickname might be offensive.
And so here is the part of today's story where it now evokes something related to Princeton. Since TB is talking about things that are offensive, he thought he could talk about the Princeton football offense, which is in its own way highly offensive, as in large numbers of points and yards, more so than any other team in Ivy history a year ago.
But no, TigerBlog won't go Trey Parker/Matt Stone here. Today is for a serious topic.
The question is, what is the responsibility of an organization such as Princeton Athletics to deal with its fans - customers, if you will - who are offended by something here?
Fortunately, Princeton is the Tigers, so who is going to be offended by that? Of course, Rodney Dangerfield did say in "Caddyshack" that, after meeting the grandson of Judge Smails, that now "I understand why Tigers eat their young." But that's about it.
But there are other things around here that could become offensive.
Music at events. Chants by students - even those that don't include any words that could be on their face offensive. The demeanor of a coach or athlete.
Costs shouldn't be one them, not with no admission charge for 33 of 38 varsity sports and about the lower ticket prices you'll ever find anywhere for the five that do charge admission. Hey, you can almost never find a movie ticket for less than it costs to come to games here.
But there are plenty of others, TB is sure. After all, this is the age of being offended.
So what should Princeton do in those situations? Let's face it, for every one email that Princeton will get saying what a great event someone attended, it'll get 10, 20, 100 times more complaining about something.
The last thing a school can do is get reactive. What you have to do is be proactive.
Take a good look at the events themselves. Make sure that the department has done everything it can to put on an event that is classy, that most spectators would find to be welcoming.
And then wait for the emails to come in complaining about something or another. There will always be those who aren't happy. It takes something of a thick skin.
The task for Princeton Athletics is even tougher than it is at most places, since the competition for the entertainment dollar is substantial, the department puts a real effort into attracting families with children, many of its most diehard fans are older alums, the students want to be a little rowdy and the coaches and athletes want to make the venue tough on the visitors. These are not always common denominators.
Oh, and as far as "Redskins" goes?
TigerBlog sees both sides of the story. And to be honest, he thinks that some of the anti-nickname venom is driven by the fact that nobody likes Daniel Snyder, the team owner, who 1) has been a failure as a football person and 2) seems like a bit of a bad guy.
But it is a nearly-80-year-old institution.
What's the answer? If it were up to TigerBlog, he'd probably change it. There are all kinds of great nicknames that the team could go with - and then exploit its fan for new merchandising.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Happy New Year
Happy New Year.
Okay, it's not quite New Year's Day. Hey, it's not even Rosh Hashanah, the new year of TigerBlog's people.
New Year's Day is Jan. 1, of course. Why? TigerBlog tried to figure that out once, and all he got was scolded in the comments section by someone who didn't turn to Wikipedia for answers.
Anyway, whatever the reason, the New Year officially starts on Jan. 1.
It's a weird time to have a new year begin. To TigerBlog, a new year should be the start of something, not the middle of something, or even the early part of something.
Jan. 1 is winter. It's been cold for awhile; it'll be cold for awhile. Christmas precedes it by a week and the official start of winter is only 11 days before it, but it's still just more of the same cold, gray, possibly snowy/icy weather that's been around for weeks.
To TigerBlog, there are only two obvious times to have new year's day. First would be at the end of winter, when the weather finally starts to get better. The problem with that is that it's impossible to tell when that would be in any given year.
This year, for instance, the weather didn't really get good until around May 1. No, that won't work for TigerBlog's new and improved calendar. The TigerBlogian calendar, as it were.
The only day that makes sense, really, is the day after Labor Day.
The summer is winding down. August has come and gone. The weather, presumably, starts to get like it was the last three weeks - though ironically the last three days have finally been a Central New Jersey summer, with high humidity and temps that touched 90 on Sunday and came close yesterday.
The new school year is beginning. There is a real change of seasons coming. The end of summer is the end of the most laid-back part of the year, and there is a sense of renewed commitment to work, school and everything else.
And football season. That too.
In the TigerBlogian calendar, the official start of autumn would be today as well, since everyone talks about how summer has ended. Governor Christie even tweeted it yesterday.
The first day of summer would be the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The first day of winter would be the Monday after Thanksgiving. The first day of spring would be the second day of consecutive days where the temperature reaches 60.
Perfect.
This week is the start of a new athletic year at Princeton University, with men's soccer, women's soccer, field hockey, women's volleyball and men's water polo all ready to get going this weekend.
With the start of any new year here comes issuing of the Department of Athletics' newest Nike gear.
TigerBlog loves the new sneakers, which are about 75% bright orange with some white areas and then some black trim, including a black swoosh. They certainly stand out. TB had several people comment on them the first day he wore them.
In fact, he wore them to Miss TigerBlog's field hockey game Friday. MTB's school's colors are also orange and black, and the school itself starts with a "P."
TigerBlog Jr. went to a private school, whose colors are red and blue. Who could possibly imagine such a color scheme?
Anyway, now that MTB is at her high school, TB can break out basically anything orange and black that he wants for the games. And the sneakers are perfect.
The Nike contract that Princeton has has done wonders to make the athletes, coaches and staff here look like members of one big team. Before Nike, each team was basically on its own. Colors didn't match. Logos didn't match. There was little uniformity from team to team.
Now? There is a common look among all of Princeton's athletes, a classy look at that.
This is about more than just a free pair of sneakers or a free shirt.
This is about a shared spirit, a shared message, a shared sense of values of Princeton Athletics. It's about the pride that those who wear the orange and black can rightfully feel, in themselves, in their team and in the larger mix of 38 teams and 1,000 athletes.
It's about being part of something bigger than any individual, and that's what college athletics are supposed to be about anyway. And here, it's about the combination of education and athletics, both being done at the highest possible level.
TigerBlog has said this many times before. The Nike contract has been one of the best things that has happened for the Department of Athletics in his time here. It has done so much for the student-athlete experience.
The micro view is cool orange sneakers.
The macro view is much bigger than that.
Okay, it's not quite New Year's Day. Hey, it's not even Rosh Hashanah, the new year of TigerBlog's people.
New Year's Day is Jan. 1, of course. Why? TigerBlog tried to figure that out once, and all he got was scolded in the comments section by someone who didn't turn to Wikipedia for answers.
Anyway, whatever the reason, the New Year officially starts on Jan. 1.
It's a weird time to have a new year begin. To TigerBlog, a new year should be the start of something, not the middle of something, or even the early part of something.
Jan. 1 is winter. It's been cold for awhile; it'll be cold for awhile. Christmas precedes it by a week and the official start of winter is only 11 days before it, but it's still just more of the same cold, gray, possibly snowy/icy weather that's been around for weeks.
To TigerBlog, there are only two obvious times to have new year's day. First would be at the end of winter, when the weather finally starts to get better. The problem with that is that it's impossible to tell when that would be in any given year.
This year, for instance, the weather didn't really get good until around May 1. No, that won't work for TigerBlog's new and improved calendar. The TigerBlogian calendar, as it were.
The only day that makes sense, really, is the day after Labor Day.
The summer is winding down. August has come and gone. The weather, presumably, starts to get like it was the last three weeks - though ironically the last three days have finally been a Central New Jersey summer, with high humidity and temps that touched 90 on Sunday and came close yesterday.
The new school year is beginning. There is a real change of seasons coming. The end of summer is the end of the most laid-back part of the year, and there is a sense of renewed commitment to work, school and everything else.
And football season. That too.
In the TigerBlogian calendar, the official start of autumn would be today as well, since everyone talks about how summer has ended. Governor Christie even tweeted it yesterday.
The first day of summer would be the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The first day of winter would be the Monday after Thanksgiving. The first day of spring would be the second day of consecutive days where the temperature reaches 60.
Perfect.
This week is the start of a new athletic year at Princeton University, with men's soccer, women's soccer, field hockey, women's volleyball and men's water polo all ready to get going this weekend.
With the start of any new year here comes issuing of the Department of Athletics' newest Nike gear.
TigerBlog loves the new sneakers, which are about 75% bright orange with some white areas and then some black trim, including a black swoosh. They certainly stand out. TB had several people comment on them the first day he wore them.
In fact, he wore them to Miss TigerBlog's field hockey game Friday. MTB's school's colors are also orange and black, and the school itself starts with a "P."
TigerBlog Jr. went to a private school, whose colors are red and blue. Who could possibly imagine such a color scheme?
Anyway, now that MTB is at her high school, TB can break out basically anything orange and black that he wants for the games. And the sneakers are perfect.
The Nike contract that Princeton has has done wonders to make the athletes, coaches and staff here look like members of one big team. Before Nike, each team was basically on its own. Colors didn't match. Logos didn't match. There was little uniformity from team to team.
Now? There is a common look among all of Princeton's athletes, a classy look at that.
This is about more than just a free pair of sneakers or a free shirt.
This is about a shared spirit, a shared message, a shared sense of values of Princeton Athletics. It's about the pride that those who wear the orange and black can rightfully feel, in themselves, in their team and in the larger mix of 38 teams and 1,000 athletes.
It's about being part of something bigger than any individual, and that's what college athletics are supposed to be about anyway. And here, it's about the combination of education and athletics, both being done at the highest possible level.
TigerBlog has said this many times before. The Nike contract has been one of the best things that has happened for the Department of Athletics in his time here. It has done so much for the student-athlete experience.
The micro view is cool orange sneakers.
The macro view is much bigger than that.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Goodbye To August
So far in the summer of 2014, the temperature in Princeton has reached 90 degrees just three times. Not once has it been above 91.
The forecast is for the weather to get warmer in the next few days, with a chance to reach 90 twice over the weekend and the predicted high to reach 89 two other days.
It makes TigerBlog wonder if the human mind can actually distinguish between 89 and 90. Whenever TB hears of these things these days, he always goes back to what John Nolan, the radio voice of the Fort Wayne Tin Caps, said so profoundly at Jadwin Gym one night last winter about America's obsession with round numbers.
Anyway, TigerBlog will take the under for 90 degrees this weekend. He'll say it'll get no higher than 89 around here.
Certainly this morning there was no reason to suspect that a heat wave was looming. It was another in a series of beautiful, clear, no-humidity, high 50s/low 60s mornings, leading to another beautiful, clear, no-humidity, high 70s/low 80s afternoons. In other words, perfectly perfect, weather-wise at least.
John Bullis is completing his first summer here as Princeton's athletic videographer. He came here in the middle of the last athletic year, from Minneapolis. TB had to explain last winter that it's not usually that cold and snowy here, and now he's had to explain that New Jersey summers have always been famous for their heat and humidity.
As an aside, TigerBlog got an email recently from someone he doesn't know who said that TB seems to be obsessed with TV and the weather. He's not, though he is observant of both.
Anyway, here's another question - would you take a frozen, icy, snowy winter and chilly spring in exchange for an unbelievable summer and fall? That's basically what the last 12 months here have been.
Or would you prefer one of those never-snows, never-gets-too-cold winters if you also had to take a brutally hot and humid summer along with it? TigerBlog isn't sure, but he'd probably deal with the stiffling heat instead of the brutal cold.
Even if the weather looks like it has a chance to heat up a bit, the reality is that the summer is drawing to a close.
In some years, August crawls along. This year, nope. It flew by. TigerBlog can't remember a month that has ever gone as quickly, it would appear.
In fact, shockingly, this is it for August, at least as far as this blog goes. The next time we all get together again, it'll be September.
It'll be Tuesday, Sept. 2, to be exact. Labor Day is Monday, which makes this a long weekend.
Around here, it's the last gameless weekend for awhile.
Next week is game week, the first of the year. Not football game week quite yet, even as the rest of the high school and college football worlds have already kicked it off.
The first Princeton games for 2014-15 are one week from today, when the women's soccer team hosts Rutgers, the men's soccer team is at FDU, the field hockey team is at Duke and the women's volleyball team is at Temple's tournament. The men's water polo team opens its season by hosting the Princeton Invitational a week from tomorrow.
The football season will begin three weeks in the future and 3,000 miles to the west, where the Tigers will play San Diego. The home opener will be Sept. 27 against Davidson.
Kickoff for that game will be at 6, with fireworks to follow after the game. Everyone loves fireworks. Make sure you get there to see them.
TigerBlog would be in favor of an 11th football game and in favor of the Ivy League champion in the FCS playoffs, though not having those doesn't torture him as much as the addition of a basketball tournament would.
What he'd really see like to see is a league-wide off-week halfway through the season, after each team has played five games. It would space out the season a little more, enable it to start a week earlier, give teams a chance to get healthier in midweek.
It would also mean starting camps a week earlier or so, which would increase costs, so he's not 100% sure how it would fly. He just thinks it's a good idea.
In the meantime, it's not really time to focus on all that yet. It's not even Labor Day.
It's still August - though not for long.
It's one last summer Friday. Week after week this summer, it's gotten to be Friday, and TigerBlog has been stunned that another week has come and gone. Is that what happens when you get older?
That's too philosophical for right now. For now, TigerBlog wishes everyone a great, safe, fun holiday weekend.
And then next week, Princeton Athletics gets going.
The forecast is for the weather to get warmer in the next few days, with a chance to reach 90 twice over the weekend and the predicted high to reach 89 two other days.
It makes TigerBlog wonder if the human mind can actually distinguish between 89 and 90. Whenever TB hears of these things these days, he always goes back to what John Nolan, the radio voice of the Fort Wayne Tin Caps, said so profoundly at Jadwin Gym one night last winter about America's obsession with round numbers.
Anyway, TigerBlog will take the under for 90 degrees this weekend. He'll say it'll get no higher than 89 around here.
Certainly this morning there was no reason to suspect that a heat wave was looming. It was another in a series of beautiful, clear, no-humidity, high 50s/low 60s mornings, leading to another beautiful, clear, no-humidity, high 70s/low 80s afternoons. In other words, perfectly perfect, weather-wise at least.
John Bullis is completing his first summer here as Princeton's athletic videographer. He came here in the middle of the last athletic year, from Minneapolis. TB had to explain last winter that it's not usually that cold and snowy here, and now he's had to explain that New Jersey summers have always been famous for their heat and humidity.
As an aside, TigerBlog got an email recently from someone he doesn't know who said that TB seems to be obsessed with TV and the weather. He's not, though he is observant of both.
Anyway, here's another question - would you take a frozen, icy, snowy winter and chilly spring in exchange for an unbelievable summer and fall? That's basically what the last 12 months here have been.
Or would you prefer one of those never-snows, never-gets-too-cold winters if you also had to take a brutally hot and humid summer along with it? TigerBlog isn't sure, but he'd probably deal with the stiffling heat instead of the brutal cold.
Even if the weather looks like it has a chance to heat up a bit, the reality is that the summer is drawing to a close.
In some years, August crawls along. This year, nope. It flew by. TigerBlog can't remember a month that has ever gone as quickly, it would appear.
In fact, shockingly, this is it for August, at least as far as this blog goes. The next time we all get together again, it'll be September.
It'll be Tuesday, Sept. 2, to be exact. Labor Day is Monday, which makes this a long weekend.
Around here, it's the last gameless weekend for awhile.
Next week is game week, the first of the year. Not football game week quite yet, even as the rest of the high school and college football worlds have already kicked it off.
The first Princeton games for 2014-15 are one week from today, when the women's soccer team hosts Rutgers, the men's soccer team is at FDU, the field hockey team is at Duke and the women's volleyball team is at Temple's tournament. The men's water polo team opens its season by hosting the Princeton Invitational a week from tomorrow.
The football season will begin three weeks in the future and 3,000 miles to the west, where the Tigers will play San Diego. The home opener will be Sept. 27 against Davidson.
Kickoff for that game will be at 6, with fireworks to follow after the game. Everyone loves fireworks. Make sure you get there to see them.
TigerBlog would be in favor of an 11th football game and in favor of the Ivy League champion in the FCS playoffs, though not having those doesn't torture him as much as the addition of a basketball tournament would.
What he'd really see like to see is a league-wide off-week halfway through the season, after each team has played five games. It would space out the season a little more, enable it to start a week earlier, give teams a chance to get healthier in midweek.
It would also mean starting camps a week earlier or so, which would increase costs, so he's not 100% sure how it would fly. He just thinks it's a good idea.
In the meantime, it's not really time to focus on all that yet. It's not even Labor Day.
It's still August - though not for long.
It's one last summer Friday. Week after week this summer, it's gotten to be Friday, and TigerBlog has been stunned that another week has come and gone. Is that what happens when you get older?
That's too philosophical for right now. For now, TigerBlog wishes everyone a great, safe, fun holiday weekend.
And then next week, Princeton Athletics gets going.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Father's Day
TigerBlog likes to drive up Route 206 rather than Route 1 to get from 95 to Princeton, even if it takes slightly longer.
It's not as busy. It's way more scenic. And he likes to drive on Nassau Street, to see the people.
He was most of the way to Nassau Street this morning when he saw two men on bicycles go across 206 and then disappear down a path. One of them was John McPhee, the Pultizer Prize-winning writer and Academic Athletic Fellow for the men's lacrosse team. Mr. McPhee has his 17-mile loop around Princeton; TigerBlog isn't sure what part of the trip he was on at that moment, though he was pedaling pretty well as he zipped away.
Once he got to Nassau Street, he saw two thing that were a bit out of the ordinary.
First, a woman walked across the street - not at one of the crosswalks - and almost walked right into a New Jersey Transit bus. She came from behind a truck that was in line waiting to make a right onto Witherspoon Street and didn't look left or right before simply walking across the busy road.
The bus driver did a nice job of seeing her and braking, probably harder than he would have wanted to. When TB drove past the bus, he could see the driver with a smile on his face, looking back at the passengers, with his arms outstretched, as if to say "what in the world was she doing?"
Had the bus hit the woman, TigerBlog would have stayed there and told the police that it was 100% the fault of the woman. Luckily for everyone, that turned out not to be necessary.
Then, a little further up Nassau, TB found himself behind a Princeton police car at a red light, while in the opposite lane, one car cut another car off as the light turned green. The second car had been in the left turn-only lane and wanted to go straight, so it sped up and cut in front of the other car - right in front of the police car.
TB wasn't sure if the cop was going to get involved or not, and he ended up not. For TB, that one could have gone either way.
It was all part of a typical peaceful Princeton morning. TigerBlog then turned off Nassau and went to the parking lot at Jadwin.
It got him to thinking about the contrast between his office and FatherBlog's. On the one hand, they're separated by about 50 miles or so. On the other, they are different universes.
TigerBlog figures that the distance from where he is sitting to Nassau Street is probably what, a half mile or so? Maybe a little longer?
If he went in a radius of a half-mile from his office, how many people would he run into? A few thousand at most?
FatherBlog's office is in the garment district in New York City. How many people would he run into if he went in a half-mile radius? A quarter of a million maybe?
TigerBlog can only handle New York in small doses. FatherBlog is a New York guy and has been his whole life.
FatherBlog ventured out of his comfort zone yesterday to come down for dinner. This time, he parked in Lot 21 and let TB drive him to the restaurant.
In doing so, he did something that he hasn't done much of in all the years his son has worked at Princeton, and that is come to the campus. TigerBlog can't remember if his father has ever attended a Princeton game here in all that time (he did go to a men's basketball game at Manhattan and a men's lacrosse game at Hofstra).
There is very little overlap between father and son in terms of their worlds. As TB said, his father is a city guy, with interest in city things. The calm and serenity of this campus are a little too slow-paced for him.
It's not a bad thing. It's okay not to have much in common with one's father, and certainly TB isn't going to change him, not as FatherBlog is closing in on 80.
And speaking of closing in on 80, FB still heads to work every day. It's one of three things he loves to do, along with eating and traveling. Still, a year out from 80 and with no signs of ever wanting to stop working, even as he's been doing it about 60 years? That's pretty impressive.
FatherBlog never went to college. He grew up on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. Maybe he thought he would never get out of Brooklyn. In fact, it took the U.S. Army to make it happen, and FatherBlog took advantage of being stationed in Europe during the peaceful days between Korea and Vietnam to have his introduction to seeing the world. Since then, there's almost no place he hasn't been: China, Australia, Japan, South America, everywhere in Europe. Maybe next time TB sees his father, he'll ask him to total up the number of countries.
If you're looking for a contrast between father and son, look no further than this: FatherBlog's favorite place is the South of France; TigerBlog loves the Jersey Shore.
FatherBlog called to say he was close to the parking lot, so TB went to keep a eye out for him. By the time he looked out the window, FatherBlog had already stopped three people on his way into Jadwin, two of whom turned out to be head football coach Bob Surace and University Vice President for Campus Life Cynthia Cherrey.
FatherBlog said that he saw that they were wearing Princeton stuff and asked if they knew his son. Of course, he had no idea who they were and what their roles on this campus are.
Surace's dad was his high school football coach, as well as the high school baseball coach. It's the family business.
TigerBlog has no idea when Bob Surace first watched film of a football game with his dad, but his sense is that it was pretty early. TB also suspects that this is more of a rarity than the norm.
Most people probably went in their own directions from their fathers long ago, like TB did.
For one night, though, Princeton University was the common ground between TB and FB, a city guy visiting his decidedly suburban son.
It was pretty nice.
It's not as busy. It's way more scenic. And he likes to drive on Nassau Street, to see the people.
He was most of the way to Nassau Street this morning when he saw two men on bicycles go across 206 and then disappear down a path. One of them was John McPhee, the Pultizer Prize-winning writer and Academic Athletic Fellow for the men's lacrosse team. Mr. McPhee has his 17-mile loop around Princeton; TigerBlog isn't sure what part of the trip he was on at that moment, though he was pedaling pretty well as he zipped away.
Once he got to Nassau Street, he saw two thing that were a bit out of the ordinary.
First, a woman walked across the street - not at one of the crosswalks - and almost walked right into a New Jersey Transit bus. She came from behind a truck that was in line waiting to make a right onto Witherspoon Street and didn't look left or right before simply walking across the busy road.
The bus driver did a nice job of seeing her and braking, probably harder than he would have wanted to. When TB drove past the bus, he could see the driver with a smile on his face, looking back at the passengers, with his arms outstretched, as if to say "what in the world was she doing?"
Had the bus hit the woman, TigerBlog would have stayed there and told the police that it was 100% the fault of the woman. Luckily for everyone, that turned out not to be necessary.
Then, a little further up Nassau, TB found himself behind a Princeton police car at a red light, while in the opposite lane, one car cut another car off as the light turned green. The second car had been in the left turn-only lane and wanted to go straight, so it sped up and cut in front of the other car - right in front of the police car.
TB wasn't sure if the cop was going to get involved or not, and he ended up not. For TB, that one could have gone either way.
It was all part of a typical peaceful Princeton morning. TigerBlog then turned off Nassau and went to the parking lot at Jadwin.
It got him to thinking about the contrast between his office and FatherBlog's. On the one hand, they're separated by about 50 miles or so. On the other, they are different universes.
TigerBlog figures that the distance from where he is sitting to Nassau Street is probably what, a half mile or so? Maybe a little longer?
If he went in a radius of a half-mile from his office, how many people would he run into? A few thousand at most?
FatherBlog's office is in the garment district in New York City. How many people would he run into if he went in a half-mile radius? A quarter of a million maybe?
TigerBlog can only handle New York in small doses. FatherBlog is a New York guy and has been his whole life.
FatherBlog ventured out of his comfort zone yesterday to come down for dinner. This time, he parked in Lot 21 and let TB drive him to the restaurant.
In doing so, he did something that he hasn't done much of in all the years his son has worked at Princeton, and that is come to the campus. TigerBlog can't remember if his father has ever attended a Princeton game here in all that time (he did go to a men's basketball game at Manhattan and a men's lacrosse game at Hofstra).
There is very little overlap between father and son in terms of their worlds. As TB said, his father is a city guy, with interest in city things. The calm and serenity of this campus are a little too slow-paced for him.
It's not a bad thing. It's okay not to have much in common with one's father, and certainly TB isn't going to change him, not as FatherBlog is closing in on 80.
And speaking of closing in on 80, FB still heads to work every day. It's one of three things he loves to do, along with eating and traveling. Still, a year out from 80 and with no signs of ever wanting to stop working, even as he's been doing it about 60 years? That's pretty impressive.
FatherBlog never went to college. He grew up on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. Maybe he thought he would never get out of Brooklyn. In fact, it took the U.S. Army to make it happen, and FatherBlog took advantage of being stationed in Europe during the peaceful days between Korea and Vietnam to have his introduction to seeing the world. Since then, there's almost no place he hasn't been: China, Australia, Japan, South America, everywhere in Europe. Maybe next time TB sees his father, he'll ask him to total up the number of countries.
If you're looking for a contrast between father and son, look no further than this: FatherBlog's favorite place is the South of France; TigerBlog loves the Jersey Shore.
FatherBlog called to say he was close to the parking lot, so TB went to keep a eye out for him. By the time he looked out the window, FatherBlog had already stopped three people on his way into Jadwin, two of whom turned out to be head football coach Bob Surace and University Vice President for Campus Life Cynthia Cherrey.
FatherBlog said that he saw that they were wearing Princeton stuff and asked if they knew his son. Of course, he had no idea who they were and what their roles on this campus are.
Surace's dad was his high school football coach, as well as the high school baseball coach. It's the family business.
TigerBlog has no idea when Bob Surace first watched film of a football game with his dad, but his sense is that it was pretty early. TB also suspects that this is more of a rarity than the norm.
Most people probably went in their own directions from their fathers long ago, like TB did.
For one night, though, Princeton University was the common ground between TB and FB, a city guy visiting his decidedly suburban son.
It was pretty nice.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
The Cynic Vs. The Optimist
Though TigerBlog has been known to be a tad cynical at times, he's trying to embrace a more optimistic side these days.
It's not always easy.
Today he offers a mix of the cynical and the optimistic, courtesy of the world of sports.
Let's start out with the cynical side.
There was this little tidbit, about the thoughts of some of the current players on a team that is considering signing Richie Incognito, the former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman who was at the center of the Jonathan Martin bullying situation a year ago:
Both quarterback Josh McCown and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said Monday that there wouldn't be a problem in the locker room if Incognito is signed.
"I don't care. As long as he can help us win, that's all I'm concerned about. If there's a problem, then we'll deal with it accordingly," McCoy said. "But as long as he's doing what he's supposed to be doing in the building, then I'm not concerned about anything else."
So what does that mean? That they could care less about the bullying, only about the blocking. Cynical.
Then there was Jerry Jones, one of the big egomaniacs on this planet. The owner of the Cowboys was talking about Josh Brent and how he hoped how Brent spent some of the off-season helped him in terms of discipline.
And what did Brent do this off-season? He went to jail.
Perhaps you remember Brent from the story in 2012 when he was driving drunk and killed teammate and friend Jerry Brown. And what did Jones say about the matter?
As only outspoken owner Jerry Jones could put it, he hopes Josh Brent can be a better football player when he returns to the Dallas Cowboys because of the time spent in jail for the drunken-driving death of teammate Jerry Brown.
"When you on Monday are given a roll of toilet paper and it's got to last you until next Monday, that's a lesson of discipline," Jones said Tuesday in an interview with 105.3 The Fan. "That's a lesson of life. That's what happened to Josh. "When you have someone next door to you that grabs your plate of food and you weigh 340 pounds but you don't mess with him -- he just looks at you, because you know that guy doesn't care if you live or die -- that's a life experience. I think there's a chance that Josh Brent may come out here and have a perspective that none of us have seen before, especially from Josh."
Was that not enough? It gets way, way worse:
"He's had that [life-changing] experience," Jones said. "He deserved that, and some people think he deserved more, but the point is he has been through some eye-opening days. We could really benefit from that as a football team.
"In a totally and completely different way -- and I'm going to make sure everybody understands it is a completely different way, if you understand what I'm saying, Chad Hennings joined the Dallas Cowboys and he had actually flown in Desert Storm single-pilot jets. Had actually had a crash in single-pilot jets. Chad Hennings had developed a discipline and developed a work ethic that made him a man among boys, and he was a major contributor technically [and] physically but, boy, was he a contributor being an example of work ethic and an appreciation for the job you've got.
"It's a shame that all athletes to some degree can't have some of these life experiences and really have an appreciation for what a great opportunity it is to play in the National Football League. But Josh has had that, I think."
What the? So he compares killing someone in a drunk-driving accident with flying jets in combat for the military, essentially saying that the two provide the same kind of "life experiences." And it's a shame that all athletes can't have these "life experiences?"
Is he insane? Seriously? Is there something actually wrong with him?
Cynical.
Then there is the case of USC defensive back Josh Shaw, who suffered two serious ankle injuries from jumping from a second-story hotel balcony to save his seven-year-old nephew from drowning in a pool. For one day, he was hailed as a great hero, and a great USC hero at that, after he acted in the "Trojan Way."
And now? Well, it turns out that it might not exactly be true.
In fairness to Shaw, nothing has been established yet. But hey, why would it turn out to be true? Why wouldn't it be just another charade, designed to make someone feel good about people, only to have it yanked away at the end?
TigerBlog hopes that it turns out that the first story is true. It's just that he'll believe it when he sees it.
Cynical. Very cynical.
And then there was the report about Michael Sam, the first openly-gay player in the NFL, and his shower habits in the lockerroom. Great. Just what this story needed.
Cynical.
On the other hand ...
There is the story of Louis Marx Jr. from the Princeton Class of 1953, who has endowed foreign travel for the men's and women's tennis teams. Every four years (it's an NCAA rule that these trips can be no more frequent than every fourth year), Princeton's men's and women's teams can make a foreign trip courtesy of Marx.
The men's team went to South Africa in June. The women's team is currently finishing its trip to Sweden, Denmark and Spain.
The gift from Marx has enabled nearly a quarter-century's worth of Princeton tennis players to make an international trip. TigerBlog has been on two - both with men's lacrosse - and he can attest first-hand what a great experience it is for the athletes. It's something they will never forget, and it's a huge part of their Princeton athletic careers.
Optimistic. Very much so.
Then there is the preseason national field hockey poll. Princeton is ranked seventh.
A year ago, Princeton reached the NCAA quarterfinals. Two years ago, Princeton won it all, for the first NCAA field hockey title in program history.
This year, Princeton finds itself seventh - as it chases its 20th Ivy League title in 21 years. The Tigers trail Maryland, North Carolina, UConn, Duke, Syracuse and Virginia. That's five ACC teams and the defending champ (UConn).
It's easy to take for granted the overwhelming success of Princeton field hockey, or any Princeton team for that matter. Every now and then it's worth taking a step back and seeing the schools that Princeton competes against year after year, and with such stunning results.
Optimistic.
Then there's Corey Okubo. He'll be a freshman at Princeton this year - just as soon as he returns from the Junior Pan-Pacific Games in Hawaii.
Okubo most recently finished 10th in the 400 IM and 12th in the 200 fly at the U.S. Senior National Championships and from winning 200 fly at the Junior National Championships. Again, it's easy to take for granted that national-caliber athletes like Okubo choose Princeton to compete in college, knowing full well that they do so with an eye on a top education and a top athletic experience.
And they've been doing this for decades and decades.
Optimistic.
Lastly, there is Cosmo Iacavazzi, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and one of the great football players Princeton has ever had. It's been 50 years since he led the Tigers to a perfect season in 1964.
There he was yesterday, talking to this Princeton team after one of its first practices before a season in which the team is the preseason favorite to win the Ivy League title, which it did a year ago as well.
It's about more than wins at Princeton, though. It's about the loyalty and lifelong relationships that are formed as Princeton athletes, and that is on display clearly when someone like Iacavazzi comes back to talk to the current players.
Optimistic.
And the moral of all of this?
You're better off reading goprincetontigers.com than espn.com.
It's not always easy.
Today he offers a mix of the cynical and the optimistic, courtesy of the world of sports.
Let's start out with the cynical side.
There was this little tidbit, about the thoughts of some of the current players on a team that is considering signing Richie Incognito, the former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman who was at the center of the Jonathan Martin bullying situation a year ago:
Both quarterback Josh McCown and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said Monday that there wouldn't be a problem in the locker room if Incognito is signed.
"I don't care. As long as he can help us win, that's all I'm concerned about. If there's a problem, then we'll deal with it accordingly," McCoy said. "But as long as he's doing what he's supposed to be doing in the building, then I'm not concerned about anything else."
So what does that mean? That they could care less about the bullying, only about the blocking. Cynical.
Then there was Jerry Jones, one of the big egomaniacs on this planet. The owner of the Cowboys was talking about Josh Brent and how he hoped how Brent spent some of the off-season helped him in terms of discipline.
And what did Brent do this off-season? He went to jail.
Perhaps you remember Brent from the story in 2012 when he was driving drunk and killed teammate and friend Jerry Brown. And what did Jones say about the matter?
As only outspoken owner Jerry Jones could put it, he hopes Josh Brent can be a better football player when he returns to the Dallas Cowboys because of the time spent in jail for the drunken-driving death of teammate Jerry Brown.
"When you on Monday are given a roll of toilet paper and it's got to last you until next Monday, that's a lesson of discipline," Jones said Tuesday in an interview with 105.3 The Fan. "That's a lesson of life. That's what happened to Josh. "When you have someone next door to you that grabs your plate of food and you weigh 340 pounds but you don't mess with him -- he just looks at you, because you know that guy doesn't care if you live or die -- that's a life experience. I think there's a chance that Josh Brent may come out here and have a perspective that none of us have seen before, especially from Josh."
Was that not enough? It gets way, way worse:
"He's had that [life-changing] experience," Jones said. "He deserved that, and some people think he deserved more, but the point is he has been through some eye-opening days. We could really benefit from that as a football team.
"In a totally and completely different way -- and I'm going to make sure everybody understands it is a completely different way, if you understand what I'm saying, Chad Hennings joined the Dallas Cowboys and he had actually flown in Desert Storm single-pilot jets. Had actually had a crash in single-pilot jets. Chad Hennings had developed a discipline and developed a work ethic that made him a man among boys, and he was a major contributor technically [and] physically but, boy, was he a contributor being an example of work ethic and an appreciation for the job you've got.
"It's a shame that all athletes to some degree can't have some of these life experiences and really have an appreciation for what a great opportunity it is to play in the National Football League. But Josh has had that, I think."
What the? So he compares killing someone in a drunk-driving accident with flying jets in combat for the military, essentially saying that the two provide the same kind of "life experiences." And it's a shame that all athletes can't have these "life experiences?"
Is he insane? Seriously? Is there something actually wrong with him?
Cynical.
Then there is the case of USC defensive back Josh Shaw, who suffered two serious ankle injuries from jumping from a second-story hotel balcony to save his seven-year-old nephew from drowning in a pool. For one day, he was hailed as a great hero, and a great USC hero at that, after he acted in the "Trojan Way."
And now? Well, it turns out that it might not exactly be true.
In fairness to Shaw, nothing has been established yet. But hey, why would it turn out to be true? Why wouldn't it be just another charade, designed to make someone feel good about people, only to have it yanked away at the end?
TigerBlog hopes that it turns out that the first story is true. It's just that he'll believe it when he sees it.
Cynical. Very cynical.
And then there was the report about Michael Sam, the first openly-gay player in the NFL, and his shower habits in the lockerroom. Great. Just what this story needed.
Cynical.
On the other hand ...
There is the story of Louis Marx Jr. from the Princeton Class of 1953, who has endowed foreign travel for the men's and women's tennis teams. Every four years (it's an NCAA rule that these trips can be no more frequent than every fourth year), Princeton's men's and women's teams can make a foreign trip courtesy of Marx.
The men's team went to South Africa in June. The women's team is currently finishing its trip to Sweden, Denmark and Spain.
The gift from Marx has enabled nearly a quarter-century's worth of Princeton tennis players to make an international trip. TigerBlog has been on two - both with men's lacrosse - and he can attest first-hand what a great experience it is for the athletes. It's something they will never forget, and it's a huge part of their Princeton athletic careers.
Optimistic. Very much so.
Then there is the preseason national field hockey poll. Princeton is ranked seventh.
A year ago, Princeton reached the NCAA quarterfinals. Two years ago, Princeton won it all, for the first NCAA field hockey title in program history.
This year, Princeton finds itself seventh - as it chases its 20th Ivy League title in 21 years. The Tigers trail Maryland, North Carolina, UConn, Duke, Syracuse and Virginia. That's five ACC teams and the defending champ (UConn).
It's easy to take for granted the overwhelming success of Princeton field hockey, or any Princeton team for that matter. Every now and then it's worth taking a step back and seeing the schools that Princeton competes against year after year, and with such stunning results.
Optimistic.
Then there's Corey Okubo. He'll be a freshman at Princeton this year - just as soon as he returns from the Junior Pan-Pacific Games in Hawaii.
Okubo most recently finished 10th in the 400 IM and 12th in the 200 fly at the U.S. Senior National Championships and from winning 200 fly at the Junior National Championships. Again, it's easy to take for granted that national-caliber athletes like Okubo choose Princeton to compete in college, knowing full well that they do so with an eye on a top education and a top athletic experience.
And they've been doing this for decades and decades.
Optimistic.
Lastly, there is Cosmo Iacavazzi, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and one of the great football players Princeton has ever had. It's been 50 years since he led the Tigers to a perfect season in 1964.
There he was yesterday, talking to this Princeton team after one of its first practices before a season in which the team is the preseason favorite to win the Ivy League title, which it did a year ago as well.
It's about more than wins at Princeton, though. It's about the loyalty and lifelong relationships that are formed as Princeton athletes, and that is on display clearly when someone like Iacavazzi comes back to talk to the current players.
Optimistic.
And the moral of all of this?
You're better off reading goprincetontigers.com than espn.com.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Party At The Surace's
TigerBlog has finished "Lilyhammer" and is halfway through "Happy Valley" as his Summer of Netflix winds down.
Oh, and one thing about the Emmy Awards: Is that really the best they can do? It's just not funny. And does everyone who won have to act like it's the most shocking thing that's ever happened, something so beyond the pale of their deepest innermost thoughts that they are so absolutely completely stunned speechless that that they won?
Okay, back to Netflix. "Lilyhammer" turned out to be really good, with Season 2 much better than Season 1. "Happy Valley" is only one season of six episodes, of which TB has watched three to date.
It's not about Penn State. It's a British police show, and a really good one. The main character is a policewoman whose daughter committed suicide, and she's on the trail of the man who drove her to do so, unaware that he has conspired with four others in a kidnapping plot. It's a really good show.
So if you're keeping score, TigerBlog has watched 26 episodes of "Orange Is The New Black," 26 episodes of "House Of Cards," 16 episodes of "Lilyhammer" and three of "Happy Valley." That adds up to 71 episodes, which, granted, would put him most of the way through "Breaking Bad," something he hasn't started yet.
One more Emmy note. TigerBlog was rooting against Robin Wright in the Best Actress in a Drama category because her character on "House Of Cards" is such a bitch that TB figured she didn't deserve to win. Now that's a good acting job. It made her worthy of winning, which unfortunately she didn't.
Of course, there's more to life than Netflx. There's football, for instance.
TigerBlog was taking a Netflix respite Saturday when he stumbled upon high school football. He wouldn't have stayed with it long, except that the play-by-play man was Eamon McAnaney, who does a ton of lacrosse. Plus, it was the first "real" football game - as opposed to NFL exhibition games - that he'd seen this year.
Eamon actually said something really funny early on. The color commentator mentioned that the coach of one of the teams gets up at 4 am to go running every day, and Eamon mentioned that the last time he'd been up at 4 am was to catch a plane.
TigerBlog didn't watch much of the high school game. He also didn't watch much of the first "real" college game of the year, Eastern Washington vs. Sam Houston State on Eastern Washington's distinctive red turf.
This game was played Saturday. Eastern Washington won 56-35.
The game was played one day before Princeton's team met for the first time. In fact, it was two days after head coach Bob Surace had his preseason picnic for the football coaches and others, TigerBlog included.
TigerBlog doesn't go to too many events that make him feel better about Princeton Athletics and Princeton University than the picnic that Coach Surace has.
It would be easy for the head football coach to want to be above everyone and everything at a university, let alone an athletic department. After all, isn't that how it works in that profession?
Look around the country at the Power Five conferences and elsewhere. The head coach is a step below God, which still makes him a few steps above anyone else on the campus. The head coach makes millions. The head coach is revered. The head coach in many cases feels he's above the law.
Bob Surace? Hah. Hardly.
He's about as down-to-earth as you can be and still be a college football coach. He doesn't think of himself as above it all. He thinks of himself as a member of a team.
He's completely engaged in Princeton's other teams, in much the same way that John Thompson used to be when he was the men's basketball coach. He stops in daily just to say hello and see what's up. He proves that someone doesn't have to be a jerk to be a football coach, that you don't have to look down on everyone else to be a football coach, that you don't have to be a phony tough guy to be a football coach.
His picnic this year was like his other ones, except that it didn't rain, which TB thinks is a first for the event. Mostly it's just a preseason gathering, the calm before the storm, in his nice - but not ridiculously over the top - backyard, with a bunch of people who all contribute to Princeton football in some way, some big, others small.
It's like going to a block party or a Christmas party at a neighbor's house, the nice neighbor who says "hi, how are you doing, what's new?" and really wants to hear the answer.
If TB had to sum it up in one word, he'd use "warm."
Meanwhile, while the NFL is less than two weeks away from the regular season and the rest of the football world is in game week (college, high school, youth), the Ivy League is just getting going for practice.
This year is a bit different for Princeton, the preseason favorite in the Ivy League. The Tigers come off an 8-2 year that saw them set Ivy records for points and yards in a season.
The lineup has some holes to fill, for sure, but that's the nature of college athletics. Mostly, Princeton has experience and depth, especially on offense. It has the leader of last year's onslaught, quarterback Quinn Epperly.
It has a lot to be excited about as practice gets started. The season is still three weeks away, with the opener in San Diego Sept. 20 and then the home opener against Davidson Sept. 27.
The season will fly by. It always does. In a blink, it'll be mid-October, and the defining moments of the season will be here.
For now, it's the first practices.
And the memory of another picnic at the head coach's house, a head coach who has done more than turn around the fortunes of the football program.
He's proven that you can do that and be a good guy all at the same time.
In this day and age, sadly, he's a rarity.
Oh, and one thing about the Emmy Awards: Is that really the best they can do? It's just not funny. And does everyone who won have to act like it's the most shocking thing that's ever happened, something so beyond the pale of their deepest innermost thoughts that they are so absolutely completely stunned speechless that that they won?
Okay, back to Netflix. "Lilyhammer" turned out to be really good, with Season 2 much better than Season 1. "Happy Valley" is only one season of six episodes, of which TB has watched three to date.
It's not about Penn State. It's a British police show, and a really good one. The main character is a policewoman whose daughter committed suicide, and she's on the trail of the man who drove her to do so, unaware that he has conspired with four others in a kidnapping plot. It's a really good show.
So if you're keeping score, TigerBlog has watched 26 episodes of "Orange Is The New Black," 26 episodes of "House Of Cards," 16 episodes of "Lilyhammer" and three of "Happy Valley." That adds up to 71 episodes, which, granted, would put him most of the way through "Breaking Bad," something he hasn't started yet.
One more Emmy note. TigerBlog was rooting against Robin Wright in the Best Actress in a Drama category because her character on "House Of Cards" is such a bitch that TB figured she didn't deserve to win. Now that's a good acting job. It made her worthy of winning, which unfortunately she didn't.
Of course, there's more to life than Netflx. There's football, for instance.
TigerBlog was taking a Netflix respite Saturday when he stumbled upon high school football. He wouldn't have stayed with it long, except that the play-by-play man was Eamon McAnaney, who does a ton of lacrosse. Plus, it was the first "real" football game - as opposed to NFL exhibition games - that he'd seen this year.
Eamon actually said something really funny early on. The color commentator mentioned that the coach of one of the teams gets up at 4 am to go running every day, and Eamon mentioned that the last time he'd been up at 4 am was to catch a plane.
TigerBlog didn't watch much of the high school game. He also didn't watch much of the first "real" college game of the year, Eastern Washington vs. Sam Houston State on Eastern Washington's distinctive red turf.
This game was played Saturday. Eastern Washington won 56-35.
The game was played one day before Princeton's team met for the first time. In fact, it was two days after head coach Bob Surace had his preseason picnic for the football coaches and others, TigerBlog included.
TigerBlog doesn't go to too many events that make him feel better about Princeton Athletics and Princeton University than the picnic that Coach Surace has.
It would be easy for the head football coach to want to be above everyone and everything at a university, let alone an athletic department. After all, isn't that how it works in that profession?
Look around the country at the Power Five conferences and elsewhere. The head coach is a step below God, which still makes him a few steps above anyone else on the campus. The head coach makes millions. The head coach is revered. The head coach in many cases feels he's above the law.
Bob Surace? Hah. Hardly.
He's about as down-to-earth as you can be and still be a college football coach. He doesn't think of himself as above it all. He thinks of himself as a member of a team.
He's completely engaged in Princeton's other teams, in much the same way that John Thompson used to be when he was the men's basketball coach. He stops in daily just to say hello and see what's up. He proves that someone doesn't have to be a jerk to be a football coach, that you don't have to look down on everyone else to be a football coach, that you don't have to be a phony tough guy to be a football coach.
His picnic this year was like his other ones, except that it didn't rain, which TB thinks is a first for the event. Mostly it's just a preseason gathering, the calm before the storm, in his nice - but not ridiculously over the top - backyard, with a bunch of people who all contribute to Princeton football in some way, some big, others small.
It's like going to a block party or a Christmas party at a neighbor's house, the nice neighbor who says "hi, how are you doing, what's new?" and really wants to hear the answer.
If TB had to sum it up in one word, he'd use "warm."
Meanwhile, while the NFL is less than two weeks away from the regular season and the rest of the football world is in game week (college, high school, youth), the Ivy League is just getting going for practice.
This year is a bit different for Princeton, the preseason favorite in the Ivy League. The Tigers come off an 8-2 year that saw them set Ivy records for points and yards in a season.
The lineup has some holes to fill, for sure, but that's the nature of college athletics. Mostly, Princeton has experience and depth, especially on offense. It has the leader of last year's onslaught, quarterback Quinn Epperly.
It has a lot to be excited about as practice gets started. The season is still three weeks away, with the opener in San Diego Sept. 20 and then the home opener against Davidson Sept. 27.
The season will fly by. It always does. In a blink, it'll be mid-October, and the defining moments of the season will be here.
For now, it's the first practices.
And the memory of another picnic at the head coach's house, a head coach who has done more than turn around the fortunes of the football program.
He's proven that you can do that and be a good guy all at the same time.
In this day and age, sadly, he's a rarity.
Monday, August 25, 2014
What Does Mo'ne Davis Say About Women's Athletics?
TigerBlog ate at the Olive Garden Saturday night.
It's not his usual first choice of a place to eat. He's not a big fan of chain restaurants.
Still, in fairness, it was better than he thought it would be. The salad and breadsticks are the draw, of course, and his meal was pretty good too - a grilled chicken with vegetables and cannellini beans.
Miss TigerBlog wanted to go there to celebrate her recent birthday, and she brought six of her friends with her. TigerBlog was not invited to eat with them, though he was invited to pay the bill.
About the only permissible conversation that TB was allowed to have involved television. One of the girls - Nell - is binge-watching "Grey's Anatomy."
Oh, and the coming of the school year. All seven girls are a few days away from the start of their freshman years of high school, and they have the usual anxiety that would be expected from 14 year old girls who are about to go to high school. You know, what to wear, where to sit for lunch, that sort of stuff.
Nell, a bit more low-key than the average ninth-grade girl, said it's just the next year of education, in an effort to downplay things. Amy, speaking for the rest of the group, said that she was okay with the education but would prefer that it started two hours later each day.
Five of the seven girls are already fall sport athletes, even before their first class. Nell and Amy are field hockey teammates of MTB's, and oh, by the way, in the interest of being factually correct, MTB has scored all three of her team's goals in its two scrimmages.
One subject TB tried to engage them in was the recent success of Mo'ne Davis at the Little League World Series and what if anything they as young female athletes took from it. TB got nothing back from them.
Maybe it's because it's not something they were focused on. Maybe it's because they didn't watch or really care. Maybe they did have strong opinions but didn't really feel like sharing them with TB. Who knows.
TigerBlog is fascinated by the whole Mo'Ne Davis story. First of all, she was a dominant pitcher, that's for sure. Whether she can or wants to continue in baseball is not the point. As a 13-year-old on the Little League level, she was at times untouchable.
And she has great poise. Think about what she became in a short time. She went from just wanting to play baseball to being the biggest story in the country, with her every move chronicled by ESPN and her picture on the cover of "Sports Illustrated."
TigerBlog hates the Little League World Series, precisely because of where all those kids are right now. It's possible that the highlight of all of their lives is already behind them, and it shouldn't be that way when you're 12 or 13.
And TB hates what television does to the event. Year after year, kids who are not ready to handle that kind of spotlight are thrown into and then discarded when their team loses or when it ends, thrown back into the word of middle school, some having to face their classmates after last being seen crying and breaking down on national television after an error or strikeout or a loss.
This year was different though, and it was because of Davis. When TB was in Conte's last week, the game that Davis pitched and lost to Nevada was on the television. The group of late teenagers - mostly males - was watching intently.
So was TB. Maybe not intently, but it was the only part of the LLWS he watched. And it was because of Davis. And he wasn't alone: Davis drew record ratings to ESPN.
And it begged the question - was it because she was a girl?
TB isn't sure.
He's read a lot about the gender issue and Davis, including a column from Sally Jenkins in the Washington Post that seemed to TB to miss the point of everything and have an incredibly silly thesis. Her point seemed to be "neanderthal men continue to keep women's sports from being relevant," which TB can't disagree with more.
She also wrote about a marathon in Minneapolis in which the top woman finished 45th overall and therefore beat thousands of men, but the men of the world deemed it unworthy to mention that fact, only that she was first among women. Is she trying to say that women should compete directly against men, without any separation by sex? In that case, who would ever care who finished 45th in a marathon?
If anything, it's the separation by sex that makes women athletes relevant, not the other way around. Yes, maybe there are a handful of Mo'nes out there who can compete with their male counterparts head-to-head, but there aren't many.
Niveen Rasheed is one of the most exciting athletes TigerBlog has seen at Princeton. Had there just been one basketball team here, instead of a men's and women's teams, she never would have had the chance to show how exciting she could be.
TigerBlog has never understood the logic that says that women's sports won't be truly accepted until the male audience agrees that the women's athletes are as good as the men's athletes or that women can compete head-to-head with men. Why would that matter in the least?
A column like the one that Jenkins wrote downplays how far women's athletics have come in the last 40 years or so. Go to a Princeton women's basketball game this fall and see for yourself. Count the number of men and boys in the stands.
For that matter, women's basketball here outdraws 16 of Princeton's 20 male sports (football, hockey, basketball and lacrosse all outdraw women's basketball). What does that tell you?
It tells you how far women's athletics have come in the consciousness of the sporting public. That they're not 100 percent equal with men's sports in terms of national interest? Feminists can drive themselves nuts bemoaning that aspect of it, in much the same way that TigerBlog can tell Major League Baseball fans that lacrosse is a much better sport to watch and not have it matter to them.
If anything, Mo'ne Davis shows how rare it is that a female athlete can compete head-to-head and beat her male counterparts, and that's a big part of why it became such an event. But so what.
It's not about that. It's about opportunity.
There are so many women athletes who didn't have the opportunities that MTB and her friends take for granted, and the ones who competed here decades ago who paved the way for the girls who play today are real heroes.
TigerBlog was at MTB's scrimmage the other day. The game was scoreless in the second half, and the play was down in front of her team's goal. Someone whacked in down the field, and MTB outran two defenders on the other team to get to the ball first. She pushed it ahead a few times and got it into the circle. Then she drove it past the goalie, with the resulting crack of the field hockey ball against the back of the cage.
It required speed, coordination, strength and determination to pull it off. Does it matter that boys her age are faster and stronger? Not in the least.
TB has watched way more girls' and women's sports than most people - probably, he'd guess, than Sally Jenkins even. You know what's missing from them?
Nothing.
If Mo'ne Davis is better than most boys her age, that's great. If a small percentage of women's athletes are the same, great.
It doesn't take anything away from the rest of them that they're not, anymore than it takes away from the fact that more people watch baseball than men's lacrosse.
So stop whining about it. Go play.
It's not his usual first choice of a place to eat. He's not a big fan of chain restaurants.
Still, in fairness, it was better than he thought it would be. The salad and breadsticks are the draw, of course, and his meal was pretty good too - a grilled chicken with vegetables and cannellini beans.
Miss TigerBlog wanted to go there to celebrate her recent birthday, and she brought six of her friends with her. TigerBlog was not invited to eat with them, though he was invited to pay the bill.
About the only permissible conversation that TB was allowed to have involved television. One of the girls - Nell - is binge-watching "Grey's Anatomy."
Oh, and the coming of the school year. All seven girls are a few days away from the start of their freshman years of high school, and they have the usual anxiety that would be expected from 14 year old girls who are about to go to high school. You know, what to wear, where to sit for lunch, that sort of stuff.
Nell, a bit more low-key than the average ninth-grade girl, said it's just the next year of education, in an effort to downplay things. Amy, speaking for the rest of the group, said that she was okay with the education but would prefer that it started two hours later each day.
Five of the seven girls are already fall sport athletes, even before their first class. Nell and Amy are field hockey teammates of MTB's, and oh, by the way, in the interest of being factually correct, MTB has scored all three of her team's goals in its two scrimmages.
One subject TB tried to engage them in was the recent success of Mo'ne Davis at the Little League World Series and what if anything they as young female athletes took from it. TB got nothing back from them.
Maybe it's because it's not something they were focused on. Maybe it's because they didn't watch or really care. Maybe they did have strong opinions but didn't really feel like sharing them with TB. Who knows.
TigerBlog is fascinated by the whole Mo'Ne Davis story. First of all, she was a dominant pitcher, that's for sure. Whether she can or wants to continue in baseball is not the point. As a 13-year-old on the Little League level, she was at times untouchable.
And she has great poise. Think about what she became in a short time. She went from just wanting to play baseball to being the biggest story in the country, with her every move chronicled by ESPN and her picture on the cover of "Sports Illustrated."
TigerBlog hates the Little League World Series, precisely because of where all those kids are right now. It's possible that the highlight of all of their lives is already behind them, and it shouldn't be that way when you're 12 or 13.
And TB hates what television does to the event. Year after year, kids who are not ready to handle that kind of spotlight are thrown into and then discarded when their team loses or when it ends, thrown back into the word of middle school, some having to face their classmates after last being seen crying and breaking down on national television after an error or strikeout or a loss.
This year was different though, and it was because of Davis. When TB was in Conte's last week, the game that Davis pitched and lost to Nevada was on the television. The group of late teenagers - mostly males - was watching intently.
So was TB. Maybe not intently, but it was the only part of the LLWS he watched. And it was because of Davis. And he wasn't alone: Davis drew record ratings to ESPN.
And it begged the question - was it because she was a girl?
TB isn't sure.
He's read a lot about the gender issue and Davis, including a column from Sally Jenkins in the Washington Post that seemed to TB to miss the point of everything and have an incredibly silly thesis. Her point seemed to be "neanderthal men continue to keep women's sports from being relevant," which TB can't disagree with more.
She also wrote about a marathon in Minneapolis in which the top woman finished 45th overall and therefore beat thousands of men, but the men of the world deemed it unworthy to mention that fact, only that she was first among women. Is she trying to say that women should compete directly against men, without any separation by sex? In that case, who would ever care who finished 45th in a marathon?
If anything, it's the separation by sex that makes women athletes relevant, not the other way around. Yes, maybe there are a handful of Mo'nes out there who can compete with their male counterparts head-to-head, but there aren't many.
Niveen Rasheed is one of the most exciting athletes TigerBlog has seen at Princeton. Had there just been one basketball team here, instead of a men's and women's teams, she never would have had the chance to show how exciting she could be.
TigerBlog has never understood the logic that says that women's sports won't be truly accepted until the male audience agrees that the women's athletes are as good as the men's athletes or that women can compete head-to-head with men. Why would that matter in the least?
A column like the one that Jenkins wrote downplays how far women's athletics have come in the last 40 years or so. Go to a Princeton women's basketball game this fall and see for yourself. Count the number of men and boys in the stands.
For that matter, women's basketball here outdraws 16 of Princeton's 20 male sports (football, hockey, basketball and lacrosse all outdraw women's basketball). What does that tell you?
It tells you how far women's athletics have come in the consciousness of the sporting public. That they're not 100 percent equal with men's sports in terms of national interest? Feminists can drive themselves nuts bemoaning that aspect of it, in much the same way that TigerBlog can tell Major League Baseball fans that lacrosse is a much better sport to watch and not have it matter to them.
If anything, Mo'ne Davis shows how rare it is that a female athlete can compete head-to-head and beat her male counterparts, and that's a big part of why it became such an event. But so what.
It's not about that. It's about opportunity.
There are so many women athletes who didn't have the opportunities that MTB and her friends take for granted, and the ones who competed here decades ago who paved the way for the girls who play today are real heroes.
TigerBlog was at MTB's scrimmage the other day. The game was scoreless in the second half, and the play was down in front of her team's goal. Someone whacked in down the field, and MTB outran two defenders on the other team to get to the ball first. She pushed it ahead a few times and got it into the circle. Then she drove it past the goalie, with the resulting crack of the field hockey ball against the back of the cage.
It required speed, coordination, strength and determination to pull it off. Does it matter that boys her age are faster and stronger? Not in the least.
TB has watched way more girls' and women's sports than most people - probably, he'd guess, than Sally Jenkins even. You know what's missing from them?
Nothing.
If Mo'ne Davis is better than most boys her age, that's great. If a small percentage of women's athletes are the same, great.
It doesn't take anything away from the rest of them that they're not, anymore than it takes away from the fact that more people watch baseball than men's lacrosse.
So stop whining about it. Go play.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Guest TigerBlog - Emily Benhcke's Thoughts On Shacks
In the entire history of Princeton Athletics, how many people have been a head coach for at least 20 seasons? What would you guess?
It turns out the answer is 24, including two – Richard Vaughan and Jimmy Reed – who coached at least 20 seasons with two different teams. Or so TigerBlog thinks, assuming that the same Richard Vaughan coached hockey and sprint football and the same Jimmy Reed coached soccer and wrestling.
Some of the names on the list are obvious. Pete Carril. Cappy Cappon. Larry Ellis. Betty Constable. Eddie Donovan. Louise Gengler. Glenn Nelson.
Princeton has six active coaches who have coached here for at least 20 seasons: men’s track and field coach Fred Samara, women’s track and field coach Peter Farrell, women’s swimming coach Susan Teeter, men’s swimming coach Rob Orr, women’s squash coach Gail Ramsay and women’s lacrosse coach Chris Sailer.
Princeton will have a 25th coach and seventh active coach join that list, but she will go no further than 20 seasons here. Julie Shackford, the women’s soccer coach, announced today that the 2014 season at Princeton will be her 20th and final one.
Shackford is 196-106-26 in her first 19 seasons at Princeton, so she obviously needs four wins to reach 200. The next-best total by a Princeton soccer coach is 136, by Reed, who spent 29 seasons coaching the men’s team. Shackford is 238-130-30 overall with her four years as the head coach at Carnegie Mellon added in.
Her resume also includes six Ivy League titles and eight NCAA tournament appearances, the most by an Ivy women’s soccer coach. She is one of two Ivy coaches to go 7-0-0 in women’s soccer twice, something she did in 2004 and 2012.
Speaking of 2004, she did something that year that no other Ivy women’s soccer coach has ever matched, taking Princeton all the way to the NCAA Final Four. In fact, it’s the only time an Ivy League team has reached the Final Four of a 64-team NCAA tournament.
On the day that she announces her retirement, TigerBlog turned to Emily Behncke, a two-time first-team All-Ivy League selection, the 2005 Ivy Player of the Year and one of the stars of the 2004 Final Four team, to talk about her head coach, whom her players almost exclusively call "Shacks":
It's impossible to express in just a few words the profound impact Shacks has made on the Princeton soccer program.
It’s easy to start with the six Ivy League championships, eight NCAA appearances, and magical Final Four run of 2004, but her impact goes far beyond the soccer field.
My memories of Shacks go back nearly 20 years, from those first games I watched as a middle schooler when my brothers were on the men’s soccer team, to my own years playing at Princeton, to her continued success with the program that I’ve witnessed as an alum.
What stands out most for me – and what I believe will be her lasting legacy for the hundreds of players who played for her during her 20 years as head of the Princeton women’s soccer program – is her passion for her players' success. Shacks cares deeply for each of her players, and more than anything, is driven to help them realize and achieve their full potential.
She doesn’t back away from some tough love to help her players achieve that goal. For me personally, that led to some seriously sore biceps as a freshman.
“Behncke, you’re positioning is off… push ups! Behncke, no square balls… push ups! Behncke, you just need to get stronger… push ups!”
But it’s because of Shacks and what she grew that I was able to compete in a Final Four, play professionally in Sweden, and, most importantly, be a part of program that remains almost as much a part of my life now as it was during my four years on campus.
When her players walk off Myslik Field for the last time as graduating seniors, chances are they will have experienced many memorable nights, captured an Ivy League title, and played in the NCAA tournament. But what is most important to Shacks is the progress each player has made throughout her career and the fact that her players can graduate proud of their contributions to the program, without any regrets.
And although she demands a lot from her players, Shacks constantly finds creative ways to keep things fun.
Our beloved “PGGs” (Pre-Game-Games) got so competitive she frequently had to cut them off so we wouldn’t wipe ourselves out before the actual league game. Blue/White challenges during practice drew some of the fiercest one-on-one battles I’ve seen in college soccer. “Phantom Menace” pranks amongst the team were encouraged, even though they were largely aimed at the coaching staff.
And we all still talk about who’s earned the “yellow jersey” – an initiative she implemented after getting swept up in the Tour de France excitement one year. She really lives her mantra, “it doesn’t get any better than this” and she made us all believe it. Even after long bus rides home from away games or cold November practices in the rain, we all still felt fortunate to be there, to be part of something that special.
I now spend more time behind a desk than running around a field, but the lessons I learned from her during my four years at Princeton remain surprisingly relevant.
Whether you’re nervous about a pre-season run test or your first client presentation, it’s important to remember, "You'll pass out before you die." If you find yourself in a tough game against Harvard with an unforgiving referee or you’re negotiating a new deal, “expect the unexpected.” Have patience – it will all come "in due time."
And most importantly, whatever stage of life you’re in, "it doesn't get any better than this."
Shacks has amassed many accolades during her coaching career, most notably as 2004 Division I Coach of the Year. And although she rarely spoke of her own glory days, she has just as many success stories from her playing days at William & Mary, where she was a three-time All America.
As impressive as those stats are they don’t show the impact she’s had on the hundreds of players she’s coached over the past 19 seasons at Princeton. Despite all of the games her team won, the individual rewards she received, and the six Ivy League championships she won, her lasting legacy to the program and the community will always be that she helped every one of the young women who played for her identify their full potential and continue to strive to realize that potential long after they left the comfort, friendship, and family that she created at Princeton.
It turns out the answer is 24, including two – Richard Vaughan and Jimmy Reed – who coached at least 20 seasons with two different teams. Or so TigerBlog thinks, assuming that the same Richard Vaughan coached hockey and sprint football and the same Jimmy Reed coached soccer and wrestling.
Some of the names on the list are obvious. Pete Carril. Cappy Cappon. Larry Ellis. Betty Constable. Eddie Donovan. Louise Gengler. Glenn Nelson.
Princeton has six active coaches who have coached here for at least 20 seasons: men’s track and field coach Fred Samara, women’s track and field coach Peter Farrell, women’s swimming coach Susan Teeter, men’s swimming coach Rob Orr, women’s squash coach Gail Ramsay and women’s lacrosse coach Chris Sailer.
Princeton will have a 25th coach and seventh active coach join that list, but she will go no further than 20 seasons here. Julie Shackford, the women’s soccer coach, announced today that the 2014 season at Princeton will be her 20th and final one.
Shackford is 196-106-26 in her first 19 seasons at Princeton, so she obviously needs four wins to reach 200. The next-best total by a Princeton soccer coach is 136, by Reed, who spent 29 seasons coaching the men’s team. Shackford is 238-130-30 overall with her four years as the head coach at Carnegie Mellon added in.
Her resume also includes six Ivy League titles and eight NCAA tournament appearances, the most by an Ivy women’s soccer coach. She is one of two Ivy coaches to go 7-0-0 in women’s soccer twice, something she did in 2004 and 2012.
Speaking of 2004, she did something that year that no other Ivy women’s soccer coach has ever matched, taking Princeton all the way to the NCAA Final Four. In fact, it’s the only time an Ivy League team has reached the Final Four of a 64-team NCAA tournament.
On the day that she announces her retirement, TigerBlog turned to Emily Behncke, a two-time first-team All-Ivy League selection, the 2005 Ivy Player of the Year and one of the stars of the 2004 Final Four team, to talk about her head coach, whom her players almost exclusively call "Shacks":
It's impossible to express in just a few words the profound impact Shacks has made on the Princeton soccer program.
It’s easy to start with the six Ivy League championships, eight NCAA appearances, and magical Final Four run of 2004, but her impact goes far beyond the soccer field.
My memories of Shacks go back nearly 20 years, from those first games I watched as a middle schooler when my brothers were on the men’s soccer team, to my own years playing at Princeton, to her continued success with the program that I’ve witnessed as an alum.
What stands out most for me – and what I believe will be her lasting legacy for the hundreds of players who played for her during her 20 years as head of the Princeton women’s soccer program – is her passion for her players' success. Shacks cares deeply for each of her players, and more than anything, is driven to help them realize and achieve their full potential.
She doesn’t back away from some tough love to help her players achieve that goal. For me personally, that led to some seriously sore biceps as a freshman.
“Behncke, you’re positioning is off… push ups! Behncke, no square balls… push ups! Behncke, you just need to get stronger… push ups!”
But it’s because of Shacks and what she grew that I was able to compete in a Final Four, play professionally in Sweden, and, most importantly, be a part of program that remains almost as much a part of my life now as it was during my four years on campus.
When her players walk off Myslik Field for the last time as graduating seniors, chances are they will have experienced many memorable nights, captured an Ivy League title, and played in the NCAA tournament. But what is most important to Shacks is the progress each player has made throughout her career and the fact that her players can graduate proud of their contributions to the program, without any regrets.
And although she demands a lot from her players, Shacks constantly finds creative ways to keep things fun.
Our beloved “PGGs” (Pre-Game-Games) got so competitive she frequently had to cut them off so we wouldn’t wipe ourselves out before the actual league game. Blue/White challenges during practice drew some of the fiercest one-on-one battles I’ve seen in college soccer. “Phantom Menace” pranks amongst the team were encouraged, even though they were largely aimed at the coaching staff.
And we all still talk about who’s earned the “yellow jersey” – an initiative she implemented after getting swept up in the Tour de France excitement one year. She really lives her mantra, “it doesn’t get any better than this” and she made us all believe it. Even after long bus rides home from away games or cold November practices in the rain, we all still felt fortunate to be there, to be part of something that special.
I now spend more time behind a desk than running around a field, but the lessons I learned from her during my four years at Princeton remain surprisingly relevant.
Whether you’re nervous about a pre-season run test or your first client presentation, it’s important to remember, "You'll pass out before you die." If you find yourself in a tough game against Harvard with an unforgiving referee or you’re negotiating a new deal, “expect the unexpected.” Have patience – it will all come "in due time."
And most importantly, whatever stage of life you’re in, "it doesn't get any better than this."
Shacks has amassed many accolades during her coaching career, most notably as 2004 Division I Coach of the Year. And although she rarely spoke of her own glory days, she has just as many success stories from her playing days at William & Mary, where she was a three-time All America.
As impressive as those stats are they don’t show the impact she’s had on the hundreds of players she’s coached over the past 19 seasons at Princeton. Despite all of the games her team won, the individual rewards she received, and the six Ivy League championships she won, her lasting legacy to the program and the community will always be that she helped every one of the young women who played for her identify their full potential and continue to strive to realize that potential long after they left the comfort, friendship, and family that she created at Princeton.
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