I'm baaack. I haven't been away from blogging for this long in the seven-plus years I've been at this, but a combination of allergies and depressing news that I'd rather not think about have kept me from the keyboard. Also, a rather engaging Monday night investments class has given me an outlet to talk shop of economic issues along with whatever I'm supposed to be lecturing on that night.
_______________
When age-peers die, it spooks me a little, so this story of Wayman Tisdale passing was sad. Sports fans remember his as a power forward at Oklahoma and three NBA clubs, but for folks who hang out on the smooth jazz channel, he was an is rather than a was, having a solid second career as a jazz bassist. Unlike a lot of basketball players who will dabble with music as a hobby, Tisdale became a legit jazz star.
His album titles often borrowed from his basketball career; his debut album, Power Forward both described his basketball position and his crisp, energetic bass style. What proved to be his final release (barring any posthumous records of stuff that was "in the can"), Rebound, marked one of his major stat columns in basketball and his now-failed attempt to recover from cancer.
________________
Lexington is horse country, so we get wall-to-wall coverage of the Triple Crown events. One of the more interesting Preakneses in a while will go down this afternoon, where Calvin Borel has an interesting spot of being in line to win a personal Triple Crown. He rode Mine That Bird to a upset win in the Kentucky Derby and rode superfilly Rachel Alexandra to victory in the Kentucky Oaks the day before.
Bo-rail has opted to go with Rachel Alexandra, who has dominated the fillies and needs competition. It's scary in that it reminds me of an equally dominant Ruffian, where her primary jockey, Jacinto Vasquez, was riding both her and top colt of the year Foolish Pleasure; when the two met in that fateful match race at Belmont where Ruffian broke down, Vasquez opted to ride Ruffian.
RA is the early favorite, with Mine That Bird relegated to a 6-1 co-third choice.
____________
More blogging later. I have to go help with a clothing give-away at church.
Recent Comments