Dome Pondering

441. If you could pick one famous person to be your neighbor, who would you have next door to you? Harold Reynolds. He's not super famous, but the guy is well-known enough to be pretty awesome to live next to. Being able to talk baseball with Reynolds would be a pretty sweet deal.  442. If you could change one thing about your home, what would you make different? Well, since I live in an apartment in New York City, I guess my answer would be to live in a home...with space, a backyard, a garage, and a basketball hoop in the driveway. Yes, sometimes I jones for that life - sue me.  443. If you had to choose the most important single event of this current century, what would win the honor? September 11th, 2001. I truly believe our world change in many ways following those horrible tragedies.

3 Up  1. Derek Jeter - What a great week for one of the most amazing and transcending athletes of this generation. Jeter's walk-off hit was epic and storybook. His last game today at Fenway was heartfelt. It's going to be weird with out Jetes, but at least we got to witness it.  2. President Obama Admission - Put your political feelings away, it was honest of the President and his administration to admit that U.S. intelligence underestimated the power and threat of ISIS. Okay, so we underestimated it, now it's time to fix it, right?  3. Steven Souza - What a crazy catch to secure a no-hitter for Jordan Zimmerman. And to do it in dramatic fashion, nonetheless! Tip of the hat to you, sir, Mr. Souza! 3 Down 1. City of Ferguson - If you thought the unrest in Ferguson ceased over time, think again. This week a police officer was shot as issues are now flaring up again in the controversial town.  2. Hong Kong Protests - As the people of Hong Ko...

"Jeter is one of kind, and his retirement will officially end an era for the New York Yankees, and close the book officially on my childhood." ( Jeter's Retirement Officially Ends My Childhood ) I wrote those words back on February 18th, 2014 when Derek Jeter released a statement telling the world that he was retiring after the 2014 season. As a twenty-nine year old man today, those immediate thoughts rang very true. For the last twenty years of my life - since I was nine! - Derek Jeter has been synonymous with my summers, with many memorable moments, and in many ways, a reflection of my own life in seeing him grow old.  To be honest, I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that he is 40 years old. Heck, I still can't believe my guy, Mariano Rivera, is also retired. But such is life. And that is exactly where we are. At the end of a chapter - more so a journey. After all, among the many beautiful things about baseball is fact that we...

9.24. Quick, do you know what that means? Certainly, the die hards and DP devotees will (or I hope you do) especially if you went through the Unity Road Writings which documented my thoughts and feelings leading up to marrying my wife.  Nonetheless, those writings were roughly three years ago, because three years ago, I married the greatest tag team partner one could possibly have. While three years really has flown by since I traveled to Syracuse, New York to say "I do", what truly is flabbergasting (don't you just love that word?) is that I have been with my wife in some capacity for nine years now. Nine!  Even scarier? Next year, when I turn thirty and we celebrate four years of marriage, that would make an even ten years. One third of my life. Jees.  Anyway, in celebration for you cyber friends and followers to these very words I place on a screen so often and whom never made it to Syracuse three years ago, I figured I would post our song - you know, our...

3 Up 1. Ron Washington - I completely respect Ron Washington. Despite his demons, the man is a man's man that is brutally honest and holds himself accountable. I can see why so many players he's coached respects him highly. From taking a step away a few years ago for admitting to issues with cocaine to stepping away from the Rangers managing gig for personal issues - which he openly admits is him being unfaithful to his wife - Washington never runs from his wrong doings. Something rarely seen in the world today.  2. Rachel Nichols - Rachel Nichols was tough as nails in her questions towards NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell this week. So many TV outlets asked interesting questions, and there were a few softballs thrown in, but it was Nichols who truly brought the hammer during the press conference.  3. "May It's Not For You?" - I'm so sick of the Derek Jeter bashing. Of course, Chris Carlin tried to make a name for himself by calling Jeter a "fr...

When I punched the keys last week on the National Football League's arrogance in handling the Ray Rice situation ( When You're King Like The NFL, You Rule and Are Pardoned ), little did I think their overall lack of discipline would ever get this bad. After all, like I stated in that post, the NFL is king, and quite frankly, one of the biggest corporations in the nation.  However, after the Ray Rice bubble burst, other bubbles began to surface and are now front and center. With the spotlight on the NFL now with multiple domestic abuse cases, including the hot topic of Adrian Peterson and his child abuse indictment, I don't remember the NFL ever taking such a public relations hit in my lifetime. Seriously, ever. For as long as I can remember, the NFL was considered the "model" league. Now, there is no reason for me to defend or to even support the ethics push against Adrian Peterson. Truthfully speaking, spanking is one thing, whipping and harming is...

3 Up 1. Grace Callwood - This little girl has not only beaten cancer at the age of nine, but is now using her faith to take on Homelessness. A great story, and one that makes you realize there is so much more to life.  2. Hannah Storm - Bravo to Hannah Storm for taking on the mighty NFL in her monologue. Especially as an ESPN employee (as we know the company not only adores, but is contracted to the league), Storm said exactly what NEEDED to be said. Again, bravo to her.  3. "Beauty" in 18 Countries Experiment - After Esther Honig pulled off the original concept, Priscilla Yuki Wilson, a bi-racial woman did the same in sending her photos to eighteen different countries asking them to make her beautiful. Wilson received some interesting results that truly makes you ponder about each of our perceptions of "beautiful".  3 Down 1. (Another) ISIS Beheading - Unfortunately, the evil that is ISIS released another video of a beheading, this time of ...

I've had the WWE Network since it's inception, and not to schill or hock the already annoying "$9.99" tagline currently being repeated ad nauseum by the WWE, but I do think it is indeed a good deal. Despite its benefits, I've never had the opportunity to take advantage of it's enormous library, or the airing of WWE's development organization, NXT.  However, on a rainy Saturday morning here in Brooklyn, NY, I fired up Vince's latest project and tuned in to the latest NXT special which aired this past Thursday. NXT has received mixed reviews from a few writers and fans evidenced by my Twitter feed, but I wanted to check it out for myself. As we know, interest in wrestling products are very subjective (and very bias), and the only way to draw an opinion is to check it out for one's self.  In doing so, I have to be honest, I'm so down on the WWE product right now, I felt NXT could either be more of the same of what we get on Mondays an...

I always love to say, there are two types of music - good and bad. In my opinion, it is as simple as that. Music in general can make anyone move a hip, tap a shoe, or bob their heads, but only truly good music can make you feel a certain way. Whether it is excitement, hype, mellow, reflection, spiritual, or even anger, good music sways you. As a Christian, naturally I enjoy Christian music. Sure, it gets it's fair share of insults and is the crux of jokes by most on the outside, but I do enjoy it, well some of it. I'll always love the classical hymns that date back to the beginning of time, and there are some contemporary stuff that is great. But just like any other "genre", there is a lot of fluff. A lot of, well mediocre-ness.  There is a part of me that can relate to why some faith-based music gets a bad wrap. Honestly, it often sounds, feels, and seems cheesy. Some faith artists often feel as if they are writing from a book of cliches and typical churc...

Wait a minute. Just hold on a second. Am I, like every other person, supposed to believe that the NFL just discovered this video of Ray Rice knocking the hell outta assaulting his wife? I'm supposed walk along the same train of thought that the NFL just saw or was aware of this video along with everyone else today when it was leaked by TMZ? Really? Really?!   We hear it all the time, "The NFL is King", and you know what, the league thoroughly proved it today when this video was released and logical thinking set it. After all, the league suspended Rice for two games (a complete joke), then created a new initiative to govern players and domestic violence mandating a six game suspension, and now that this video was released, they are indefinitely suspending Rice, totally ignoring the new initiative. Again, come on!  I'm sorry, but if any other sport acted this way, with a lack of proper and thorough investigation, action, discipline, and ethical sustenance...

3 Up   Derek Jeter Celebration - "Derek Jeter Day" was awesome, bias feelings aside, the Yankees are always terrific in these ceremonies and events. Even better was Jeter's speech which was brief, right to the point, and of course, well done. Very surprising to see the Yankees not retire #2 the way they retired Mariano Rivera's #42 on his day, but I'm guessing another ceremony is in the works for next year.  Sarena Williams - The 2013 Dome Pondering Athlete of the Year continued her dominance by winning another grand slam tournament. For the third straight US Open, Williams took home the title.  5th Grade Planking Record - This is just tremendous. A 5th grade girl planked for one hour and twenty minutes to set a new world record. She watched Scooby Doo episodes while doing it. Amazing. Kudos to the little girl for her determination and accomplishment.  3 Down Facebook Accident - When will we learn as a society the dangers of using our smar...

You ever just feel lost? Seriously, like, the motivation to take the next step in life just isn't quite there. Because everything, while very much the same - professionally, personally, spiritually - just feels like it is preparing you for something more, but you haven't the foggiest idea what it is.  Confusing, I know. But if you understand the complex feeling, you really understand where these words of ponder are coming from. A strange and confusing corner in life where you feel as if you are in a rut, possibly even mentally burned out, but you know, you're not.  After all, as a collegiate athletics professional, or as anyone else that works in some form of education understands and can testify to, we're coming off of summer, which means a supreme amount of downtime. There is no way I can be mentally burned out after bike rides, road trips, playing PS4, playing baseball/softball, and enjoying the warm weather. And I've been mentally burned out in my profe...

Remember Jock Jams? Oh, come on! I know you do! Regardless, all sports fans enjoy the feel of a live sporting event, especially that of the tunes that fills the void that drives, directs, and synchronizes our mood with the feeling on the playing field at the moment. We all have our favorites. Whether it gets you pumped, focused, energized, psyched, or however else you feel when your adrenaline kicks in, these songs are the life blood of sporting events. The following Pondering 10 is a list of my favorite stadium jams.

431. If you had to spend one weekend alone in a single store but could remove or add nothing, which store would you pick? The easy answer would be Walmart, right? But I'm sure everyone has been to Walmart at least once, and it isn't exactly a place you would want to stay at. I'll go with Target. Everything I need is there. I'll throw together a few futons, play some video games, and enjoy the snacks/food/produce there is.  432. If you could referee or judge one sport as a permanent job, which would you choose? Refereeing is not an easy gig. Not at all. But I wouldn't mind being an umpire in baseball.