Dome Pondering

The Sunday Sundown Rundown (formerly in the format of "3 Up and 3 Down") is where I share thoughts on three topics that piqued my interest, along with my favorite photo from the week. Aj'a Wilson & Angel Reese Aj'a Wilson picked up her fifth - FIFTH! - Most Valuable Player award this week. Five times is so incredibly special, and difficult to wrap the mind around.  And then there is Angel Reese. Reese has received so much backlash, tons of criticism, and lots of unfair coverage. We won't even mention what Caitlin Clark fans have brought her way. After all of that, she now finds herself in the WNBA Finals as the lead catalyst on the Atlanta Dream.  Both instances force you to think about how narratives and "talk" have cheapened the journey. The constant legacy discussions and the quick reactions to topics. One athlete is in rarified air as an athelte with five MVPs, and another perservered, and is not in the WNBA Finals...ahead of other athletes as f...

This is easily the most anticipated series (and most expected?) for the New York Yankees. The two best teams during the regular season were expected to clash to determine American League prominence.  And yes, I agree that this upcoming series says a lot about the broken playoff structure in MLB. Allow me to step onto my soapbox for a mere moment... Up we go... I've never been a fan of the expansion to six teams per league. I understand that it keeps more markets in the playoff picture come September, and it is more revenue for all (likely, the biggest reason for the expansion). Still, all it did was create a scenario where division winners were at a disadvantage, and what we're getting here is the two best teams in the league facing off in a five-game series.  Ultimately, the Tampa Bay Rays, the top seed in the American League, are given the second-best record in their first-round, in a best-of-five?  None of this makes sense.  Stepping off now... Nonetheless, fellow...

The Sunday Sundown Rundown (formerly in the format of "3 Up and 3 Down") is where I share thoughts on three topics that piqued my interest, along with my favorite photo from the week. The Cornell 7...and More There is quite a bit to unpack in this entire Cornell 7 ordeal.  The situation stayed on my mind all week, most notably watching and absorbing how many react or express their reactions to the situation. Needless to say, part of that unpacking has been the social reaction, the political interference around it (because, isn't there always?), and overall, how someone like myself who works in higher education and has had my fair share of experiences with students and these kinds of reports is dealing with it.  So yeah, there is lots to unpack.  Ultimately, in reducing it all to succinct thoughts for this Rundown post, it's this: collectively, we're all raising terrible men, and higher education institutions need to be better. And so does society at large. Special...

And we're back with another one of these read-along series. It wasn't too long ago that I found myself writing every other night as my Knicks marched their way to an NBA Championship.  Man, that still feels so good to indulge in.  But here we are on a similar journey for the Yankees.  Call me crazy, but I'm just not buying that the World Series is confirmed for anyone. Baseball has been weird all year, and part of said weirdness has been the parity, or dreadfulness - however you want to look at it - around MLB. In my opinion, the Yankees' pitching depth gives them a legit chance.  And with a lockout looming, 2027 might not present another chance. Why you gotta go there, man? I'm just saying... --- Game 1 Yankees d. Red Sox, 9-0 (Yankees lead Series, 1-0) Cam Schlittler is amazing. I sat on my sofa last year in Game 3 of the Wild Card between these two very rivaled teams and it felt like that dude was the best pitcher in the world. For the moment and game, it just fe...

I sat with this one for the full 7 minutes until the R train arrived. 

The Sunday Sundown Rundown (formerly in the format of "3 Up and 3 Down") is where I share thoughts on three topics that piqued my interest, along with my favorite photo from the week. Verlander's Finale There's something beautiful about baseball retirements. The curtain call, the last game scenario, and even the final walk off the mound. The game is beautiful like that in many ways.  Justin Verlander finally decided to call it a career in 2026. This weekend he made his final start in a Detroit Tigers uniform that defined his career. A sure first-ballot Hall of Famer, Verlander stood atop a mound and broke down into tears as his daughter ran out of the dugout toward her dad with a huge hug.  In that moment, his career, while amazing, felt like the background to this amazing moment, which felt bigger than just a celebration of Justin Verlander, the Hall of Fame pitcher.  In that moment, I think every dad identified not so much with throwing 100mph and having electric st...

Today, September 24, 2026, marks the 15th wedding anniversary for my wife and I. Damn, son! 15 years!  Yeah, 15 years. [enter subtle disbelief reaction] It's actually been 21 years if we're counting the dating years. (Yes, we got married the same day we started dating, all aligned!) On this 15th anniversary - and even more so as I creep along into my 40s - I find myself appreciating the journey of life thus far. More specifically, I'm enthralled with the collection of individual seasons that brought my wife and me to this point - 21 years together.  The overwhelming thought that threads through all of those different seasons for me is that I've been so incredibly lucky and fortunate to have had someone to share this life on earth with. At this stage in life, we've each been together for more than half of our existence which is another odd understanding to come to grips with. Over that time, we've each been different versions of ourselves, and have lived through ...

Who is in your room?

The Sunday Sundown Rundown (formerly in the format of "3 Up and 3 Down") is where I share thoughts on three topics that piqued my interest, along with my favorite photo from the week. Gas Prices Up and Up and Up.  It feels like these prices just continue to make life expensive and worrisome in so many ways. If it's not the price of our usual weekly trip, it's the sky-high cost of diesel that is affecting the cost of goods.  Yeah, I'm complaining. Aren't you as well? White House Press Ban Is it me, or is this as random as it comes from this administration?  Look, there are not a lot of things going well, especially as midterms approach. Maybe you might differ. I really value the insight and opinions of those enjoying the current landscape shaped by our political leaders.  But suddenly banning networks feels not only unconstitutional; it just feels like a misdirection.  Hey, look over here at this...not this, and this, and maybe that!  Also, it feels tiring. ...