Dome Pondering

Hey, 2020. Where are you? As we look to slam the door shut on 2019 - and believe me, I'm ready to do so - I hope I can help you  take a look back on the year that was. Reflection is always necessary in life, and 2019 has given us all quite a bit to review, dissect, and of course, to digest. So, before we turn the page to focus in on new goals and resolutions, and to look ahead to the year to come, let's do what we've done for the past fourteen years - hand out a few awards on the year's events, and of course, share some quick thoughts before moving forward, for good. Dome Pondering Year in Review History Quick Note: As always, I would like to THANK YOU for continuing to read (and now listen !) to this tiny space on the internet called Dome Pondering. It's hard to imagine I started this way back when I was a teenager, and here it is, still archiving the thoughts of mine in this race called life. I've slowed down just a bit - you can thank fatherhoo

What is it about? A woman decides to make changes in her life, starting with training for the New York City marathon. Who is in it? Jillian Bell - Brittany Michaela Watkins - Catherine Utkarsh Ambudkar - Jern

The days are dwindling on the calendar that is 2019, and as is tradition, we're closing out the year with the typical signature posts of the year. Before the big post that is the Year in Review with awards, reflections and all of that good stuff, let's dive into the things I've found to be the most fascinating in 2019.

--- 18 Months Old --- Dear Son, Today, you are now officially a year and a half, and quite honestly, the growth you've made over the past six months since my latest letter ( on your 1st Birthday ) has been tremendous. As I sit here and punch the keys, you are a little guy full of energy, and super smiles that accompanies your joy and intrigue for everything around you, including your budding verbal communication that is absolutely adorable. In fact, it was just two years ago around this time when we began to share with everyone about your existence, and impending arrival. That Christmas was special. I'll never forget it. Especially for me, in watching my father go from semi-understanding his surroundings, then hearing the news of you arriving in six months, and suddenly being locked in and overjoyed as if the hold of dementia - or at the very least, in that moment - no long had a hold on him.

What is it about? Jodi, considered the "tall girl" in her high school, deals with the confidence in being uncomfortable in who she is, and has always been. Who is in it? Ava Michelle - Jody Kreyman Griffin Gluck - Jack Dunkleman Sabrina Carpenter - Harper Kreyman

Well this is going to be extremely difficult. How does one come up with an All-Decade team for a franchise that has been dreadful for the past twenty years? You've all seen the rants and raves on my beloved New York Knicks right here on this tiny slice of the internet. And I'm sure it's easy to sympathize for those who are stuck with this vicious commitment they just can't shake. Nonetheless, we're going to do it. Just like I did for my New York Yankees ( which was vastly easier to do ), I will do as well for the Knicks. So here goes. See below for my All-Decade Team for the New York Knicks, with the added twist of ranking each of them by importance and contribution. This is going to hurt...

I thought I would stay away from the "all-decade" shenanigans, but I got suckered in after all. Around here, end of year rankings, reviews, and reflections rule, so why not compose a list that embodies it all? And why not put together a list around my beloved Yankees? Especially in a decade in which they DID NOT win the World Series. Gasp! With all of that said, please see below not only my list of the Yankees All-Decade Team (because everyone can filter by position), but also by importance and contribution throughout the decade.

3 Up 1. Greta Thunberg - Kudos to Greta on earning the TIME Person of the Year. Not only is she the youngest person to earn the award, but let's be honest, Greta is a bad ass. And you have to respect her activism within the climate change discussion. 2. Scott Boras - Say what you want about Scott Boras, but he just negotiated upwards of $1B in MLB contract this week. The dude has built a serious empire in the agency game, and it's flexing it's muscles right now. 3. The Simpsons - The Simpsons hits 30 - 30! - this week. It's a run that is unheralded, and quite frankly, just impressive. 3 Down 1. Barnard Student Stabbing - What a sad story. It's heartbreaking on so many levels. A talented young adult gone for a senseless crime. And a fourteen year old, the murder suspect. Where are we now in society? 2. Minor League Baseball - What an unfortunate situation happening with Minor League Baseball. Unfortunately (and as always), it's such a complex sit

End of the Year Feels. It's Been a Tough One.

3 Up 1. Kindergarten Invite to Court - This is probably one of the most adorable things that I've ever seen. A little boy, in court to be adopted by his new parents, brought his Kindergarten classmates to testify on his behalf. He also had them there for support. Just another reminder of how pure and awesome the human heart an be. 2. Acts of Kindness - A school in Ireland has decided to skip homework for the month of December, instead replacing the assignments with daily acts of kindness for each student. What a fantastic gesture for the Christmas season. 3. Winter Meetings - With the Knicks season in the toilet (more on that in a bit), it is nice to have baseball discussions back to the forefront of the sports world. 3 Down 1. Pensacola Shooting - It's become very tiring discussing all of these mass shootings, especially one that now strikes a different scene in a Naval Air Station. At what point do we make a serious change around this topic? Until then, we'l

3 Up 1. Thanksgiving Weekend - Nothing like an awesome four days to get away from work, spend time with family, and really, slow down and give thanks for everything in your life. If you didn't have a moment to do so - like really think, write, or pray on this gratitude - there is still time. 2. Waitress Walked 14 Miles - This story blew my mind. I can't even imagine walking 14 miles to and from work - let alone finding the courage to do so every day to make ends meet. That in itself speaks volumes. However, the fact that a couple donated a car to this young lady after hearing her story is the kind of human-spirit story we all need coming out of Thanksgiving and heading into the holiday season. We need more of this, and less of the black Friday nonsense. 3. Sia Paying for Groceries - I'm a fan of Sia and her overwhelming song writing ability. She's pretty dope too when she decides to record a track or two as well. But her going to a Walmart and then a TJ Maxx

It's been an extremely rough year for this professional wrestling fan. To say that I've closely followed this medium of entertainment that I've loved since childhood would be an outright lie. In fact, it's a stretch to even say I've at times religiously watched weekly monthly. For some reason, in 2019, for me, wrestling just hasn't been a "go-to" like it always has been. Now, much of that is due to the WWE's terribleness (more on that in another post, for another time), and of course, the moving of many wrestling options away from my cable provider or from the capturing capability of my DVR. Hello, wrestling in 2019 - live streaming rules the day! Nonetheless, an interesting shift in pro wrestling has taken place this year with the start of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), and the entire pro wrestling scene feels like it has been dumped on it's head...no, more like thrown off the top rope to the outside, and through a table - leaving fans to

The Knicks stink. Take it from a life-long suffering Knicks fan, this fandom is torture. But I can't change what is already in my soul. This poorly ran, pathetic, unlucky, illogical, dumpster fire that I root for is with me through and through. And while I understand that the Knicks as a franchise have had years of tradition and winning, the my lifetime has produced 20 years of leanness that would make even Cubs fans think about how lucky they've been. With all of that negativity out, I figured that I would try to encapsulate some good by doing a Pondering 10 on my favorite Knicks moments - of course, that I've lived through.

3 Up 1. Colorblind Kid Gets Glasses - Twitter can often be a cruel, dark, and some times, annoying place. But if you can sift through all of the garbage, there are a few things its awesome for, and it's the positive content that often gets suppressed. Seeing this 12-year old boy try on glasses that gives him the ability to see color for the first time in his life is amazing. By the way, much love to that Principal who shared his disability - and his glasses, as well as a hug - with this kid. Great stuff. 2. Kristen Bell - I really enjoy when celebrities use their platform for the greater good. Especially when it is the kind of good that is so simple. Kristen Bell, one of the most followed celebrities on Instagram, uses her account to highlight and feature a teacher in order to get them the supplies they need. It's an awesome gesture, and one that is needed to help our educators nationwide, who we all know, are greatly underfunded. 3. Jeopardy Showdown - I loved Jeopar

3  Up 1. Child Genius - Laurent Simons, from Belgium, is set to graduate at the age of nine with a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering. There isn't much more I can say to this other than state the fact of the situation. So damn impressive. 2. Luka Doncic - I had the privilege of watching Doncic lately face my New York Knicks. The kid is phenomenal, and quite frankly, is one of my favorite players to watch right now in the NBA. And of course, he torched my dudes in orange and blue. But, who doesn't. 3. Qantas Test Flight - Qantas Flight 7879 made the long voyage from London to Perth, Australia in 19 hours and 19 minutes, a new world record. However, most importantly, is the assessments and analytics collected from those on the quick flight. It's kind of cool to see the world of air travel attempt to make long haul flights a bit more bearable. 3 Down 1. Saugus High School Shooting - More shootings in schools. - 3o for the year. THIRTY!! More heartbre

3 Up 1. Padres New Uniforms - Finding colors that are exclusive to your club is extremely difficult in sports. The Padres mustard yellow and brown is just that, and the return back to those awesome colors in the mold of some sweet new uniforms from their generic blue and white uniforms, is going to be terrific. 2. Instagram "Like" Removal - The project testing the removal of "likes" from public display should be VERY interesting. Of course, what will "influencers" do now? 3. MLS Cup Attendance - 69,274 people set a new attendance record for largest crowd in Seattle soccer history, largest crowd at Quest field, and largest crowd in Washington soccer history. I've actually attended a Seattle Sounders home game, and it's like no other. Great sports city. Even better soccer town. Kudos to the Sounders on winning MLS Cup. 3 Down 1. Atatiana Jefferson's Father - This is so incredibly sad. It is consistently a statistic of black men and

I was really hoping a sequel to my original post ( A Few Hours to Live ) would have an uncondtional happy ending. I really did. Unfortunately, I'm punching the keys with watery eyes and a broken heart. On November 7th, 2019 - a day I now will never forget - I walked into a hospital awaiting the fate of my father through multiple meetings with his doctors. And after various hours of zoning in and out, being in states of disbelief, and hearing all sorts medical phrases and big words. the common thread statement that was being said was this: "you need to prepare yourself". I remember holding my mother in my right arm as she wept uncontrollably while I tried to drum up questions and coherently articulate them. I sat there stunned and dazed facing doctors who I'm sure did this everyday -  as cold, calculated, rehearsed, and common as they came across on their side of the conference room table - I struggled to process the sudden sequence of events. It all certainly

3 Up 1. Washington Nationals - Despite my humble bragging about correctly predicting the Nationals winning the World Series, I'm still genuinely shocked that there the team left standing at the end of the baseball season. Regardless, congrats to the Nationals who finally pulled through and destroyed many bumps, curses, and whatevers to win the World Series. 2. NYC Marathon - I know a few people who ran this year's NYC Marathon and I'm impressed by everyone who did so. Running 26.2 miles anywhere, nonetheless on the pavement and inclines that is the NYC course - I don't even know where to begin... 3. NCAA Payments - The NCAA finally caved and will allow student-athletes the ability earn revenue from their own likeness. While the rules aren't clear as of yet how this will work, and that it is obvious the NCAA is doing this for various reason to keep their product competitive in the market, I'm happy to see justice prevail here. Far too many kids are taken

Sooooooooo, after the World Series, I'm feeling pretty good. Sure, I'm sad that baseball is over, but you know what, my baseball season prediction back in March - Nationals defeating the Astros - has me feeling like some type of sports savant. So I'm riding the wave here and giving a quick prediction of the NBA Season. Oddly enough, I've never actually done this before, but here goes...

3 Up  1. Meghan Markle - The former "Rachel Zane" of Suits fandom gets the nod here at the top spot for her extremely transparent interview regarding her mental health since marrying into the Royal family. Her response of "Not OK" was honest, and in many ways refreshing in regards to the toll the media, negativity, and the struggle that overwhelming fame can bring upon an individual. Kudos to Markle, and here is to hoping it gets better for her. 2. Chilean Protests - Protests for oppressive governments are happening all over the world. The Chilean protests this past week have been impressive and an eye-opener on what can happen when a government does not work for the people it should serve. 3. NBA Returns - As baseball comes to a close (so sad), it's refreshing to see the NBA return this week. Once college basketball returns, I think I'll be okay until pitchers and catchers. That is, until the Knicks drive me crazy. 3 Down 1. California Wildfire

3 Up 1. Marathon Under 2 Hours - Eluid Kipchoge stunned the world this week with a sub-two hour marathon. While some of question the "legitimacy" of the accomplishment within the running world, the feat is still rather amazing. A 4:34 min/mile for 26 miles is rather ridiculous to wrap the mind around. Congrats to Kipchoge on probably one of the greatest athletic accomplishments in our lifetime. 2. Black Girls Rock - Black women athletes ruled the weekend. Simone Biles solidified herself as the greatest gymnast ever (as if there was any doubt) by earning the most gold medals ever. Coco Gauff won her first Tennis Title (becoming the youngest champion - ever). And, Brigid Kosgei shattered a world record at the Chicago Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 14 minutes, and 4 seconds. Such impressive stuff. 3. Tyler Perry Studios (and Shelter?) - If you, like me, saw the images and videos from Ava DuVernay's instagram of Tyler Perry's new studios, you were also in awe.

"He only has a few hours to live..." Those were the words uttered to me by my mother in regard to my father's status. And for the first time in my life, I didn't know what to say...I knew even less on what to do. After all, I'm the person everyone relies on in times of stress - in times of need. I'm the one that somehow is born with this innate ability to stay the course and exude poise when the cooker begins to shake around us all. I'm always that guy - strong for my parents, for my wife, for my son, for my students. For some reason God blessed me with this strong burden for others. But over the last seven days, I've been a mess. Unable to dip into what makes me, well, me. My role of "Rock" and being able to take care of everyone around me came crashing down rapidly in a fashion that I felt like I lost myself. And in many ways, I feel like I've let everyone down. Actually, I know I did.

3 Up 1. Forgiveness of Murder - Look, I know this was controversial. I read so many opinion pieces and tweets from many on what happened in a Dallas court room. The optics, the compassion, and of course, the proverbial "letting off the hook". For me, I will say this - forgiveness often does more for the forgiver than the forgivee. And justice - especially of the social kind - is not directly tied or weakened through forgiveness. In many ways, it emboldens it. Honestly, it takes a really frickin' strong person to offer forgiveness to the murderer of one's brother. I know I couldn't do it. More props to that young man. 2. Pay to Play Bill - I work in College Athletics, and I'm a firm believer in the DIII model of amateur sports. Everything about the NCAA's operation, especially on the DI level for basketball and football is corrupt, greedy, and takes advantage of kids. Good for California Governor Gavin Newsome, who may just get the ball rolling in

3 Up 1. Greta Thunberg - Other than being blind by party politics, how can you not be impressed by this young girl who made a plea for responsibility towards our climate from the world's leaders? So much props to this girl. 2. Pete Alonso and Justin Verlander - Pete Alonso smashed the rookie Home Run record and Justin Verlander continues to make me feel terrible about the Yankees not pursuing him when the Tigers made him available a couple of years ago. Hats off to both on breaking records and achieving milestones in their respective careers. 3. MLB Farewells - There is just something about baseball that makes send-offs and the end of the season emotional. The farewells for several managers and a few players this week was touching stuff. Only in baseball. 3 Down 1. Sikh Police Officer Killed - It's amazing that even when you're doing amazing things legally, the evil that is racism and discrimination can still dip into such goodness. My heart goes out to this of

3 Up 1. Jharrel Jerome - Jerome winning an Emmy for his role in Ava DuVernay's "When They See Us" is not a shock to anyone who watched the 5-Part Netflix piece. Jerome was absolutely fantastic. He played a younger and older Korey Wise, with Part 4 just being absolutely everything. Like, everything. Please go and watch. Congrats to Jerome on a well-deserved win. 2. Chanel Miller on 60 Minutes - Everything about the Brock Turner case makes me sick. However, watching the 60-minutes special in which Chanel Miller comes out from anonymity and tells the world about what happened to her further makes me furious on our country's rape culture. Especially so, for white men. 3. Sandy Hook Promise Commercial - If you haven't seen the commercial created for back-to-school by the Sandy Hook Promise group, then you should. No words can describe it, or do it justice. 3 Down 1. Bahamas Aftermath - Unfortunately, we often move on to the NEXT tragedy that sensationaliz

3 Up 1. September 11th Remembrance - So many years later, 9/11 still feels eerie and the day has an aura that resonates the tragic events from 2001. #NeverForget 2. David Ortiz Appearance - The appearance of Big Papi at Fenway was an inspirational one for the Boston mega star. On the heels of the senseless attack on him which in his native of the Dominican Republic, Ortiz's honest comments about the attack were a reminder of how precious life is - "I thought I was going to die." 3. Pro Wrestling Industry - This is a rare "up" from me for 2019. I haven't really be invlovled in pro wrestling this year, but you have to give major props to an industry that is announcing major television deals for multiple organizations and companies. Wrestling is VERY healthy, and starting in October, things should really get interesting. 3 Down 1. Oman 9/11 Comments - "Some people did something". I don't care what her reasoning for the comments are, t

3 Up 1. Man Buys 100 Generators for Bahamas - It's been an extremely rough week for the Bahamas. The buefutiful country was ravaged this week from the strengths of Hurricane Dorian. In a reminder that there is no more powerful spirit than that of the human kind, this man - who wishes to remain unidentified - walked into a Costco and spent nearly $50,000 on generators with the intent to send them to the Bahamas to aid with recovery. 2. 7 Year-Old Helps Evacuees - Staying with the theme, a 7-yeard old boy from South Carolina decided to use his allowance money to help provide food and water for evacuees coming in from off the shores where Dorian was expected to hit. 3. U.S. Open Finals - The U.S. Open was an absolutely fantastic event this year, highlighted by two epic finals. Congrats to Bianca Andreescu and the usual, Rafael Nadal, on their Open Championships. 3 Down 1. Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian - So incredibly sad to see such a beautiful country destroyed. Hurri

3 Up 1. Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka - The exchange between these two young talents and future of tennis was refreshing and touching. Osaka's gesture to the parents and family of Gauff was especially so. The thought that both have made it at such a young age - yes, Naomi, it is incredible. 2. Boy Consoles Autistic Classmate - Every so often there are stories like this that just renews your faith in humanity. Yes, like the one mom said, "just open your heart." 3. Verlander No-Hitter - This dude is absolutely incredible. To think that at one point we thought Verlander's best days was behind him. What hurts this Yankees fan even more is that we could have taken the chance on him. 2017 might have been different. The present could have been very different. But oh well... 3 Down 1. Odessa/Midland Mass Shooting - Is there anything I can say. But of course, Texas just eased laws on gun carry recently. Aren't the good guys with guns supposed to prevent this f

3 Up 1. Andrew Luck - I was going to shame the crowd in Indy for booing Luck after walking off the field, but I'm going with a positive route here. Much props to Luck who did was best for HIM. Mental health and happiness is super important, and it is evident that many only cared about Luck for his athletic abilities. Good for him in doing what is best for him. 2. Jogging Man Good Samaritan - Not only is the story of a jogging man giving a homeless man his shoes a tremendous one, but now, that homeless man has a job offer. Lesson learned: a simple act of kindness can be life changing to another person. 3. Louisiana LLWS Team - I barely caught any of the Little League World Series this year, but from the highlights, it looked like yet another great tournament. And of course, much props to the team from River Ridge, New Orleans who won it all! 3 Down 1. Florida Stand Your Ground Law - The controversial law made it's way back into the news after a white man killed a bl

3 Up 1. Green Polo Guy - The video of "green polo guy", the man who hilariously responded to a few Trump supporters protesting in Tucson City was everything this week. It truly is the way I at times want to react to some of the happenings we see in politics today. 2. Simone Biles - This blog's reigning athlete of the year, Simone Biles once again continues to dominate as she nabs her 6th U.S. Title win, and did so with a triple-double maneuver, the ONLY female to ever pull off the stunt. 3. Beto O'Rourke - I knew NOTHING about O'Rourke. But following his authentic reaction to the El Paso and Dayton (not Toledo) mass shootings that included calling the President out for his racist and dividng narrative, I also got to know the Texas politician a bit more through some interviews and podcasts. O'Rourke is a good dude - unfortunately, he has no shot at winning the Presidency. That's politics. 3 Down 1. Mass Shooting Response - Nothing was more disa

3 Up 1. DJ Lemaheiu - In what has been an extremely rough weekend (more on that below), I'm giving the top spot this week to the guy I believe as of right now is the American League MVP - DJ Lemaheiu. Where would the Yankees be without this guy? 2. Democratic Candidates - I really wanted to give this a thumbs down, but the events this weekend as well as a weird thought, pushed it into the positive section. So yeah, I have very little faith in the candidates from afar, and even less belief that one of them could defeat Donald Trump in an election, but I'm giving the "up" to the lesser known candidates who really gained some footing tackling issues during the Dem Debates in Flint. While the main guys are attacking one another, we're hearing some quality stuff from out of nowhere - some of it which is very refreshing. 3. Saudi Women - While there is no cause for over celebration (mainly because of the prior suppression involved), the idea that Saudi Women ca

3 Up 1. Nampa High School Football Team - This is the kind of stories I wish we heard of more in the mainstream news. An Autistic kid, Christian, only had one RSVP to his birthday party. After a bit of communication, the Nampa High School Football team arrived to make it a memorable one. Awesome, awesome stuff. 2. Puerto Rico Democracy - Democracy was at work in Puerto Rico over the past few days as natives of the country rallied and protested until Governor Ricardo Rossello resigned. Government should work for the people. This was a great example of that happening. 3. Erica Wheeler - In a truly inspirational story, Wheeler won the WNBA All-Star Game MVP. After going undrafted, bouncing around the league, and experiencing the death of her mother via cancer, Wheeler had her moment on of the game's biggest stages. Sports can often be draining because of where narratives have gone, but it's these type of stories that will always make it worth it. 3 Down 1. Garlic Fes

3 Up 1. Mariano Rivera HOF - So yeah, this is completely biased. I'm still doing it because Mo's my guy. It was great seeing my favorite athlete of all-time give his induction speech, and of course, reminisce on an amazing career. I do miss Mo. 2. Dan LeBetard - I'm not a huge fan of the guy, but what he said about the President's words and actions were dead on. Especially, in how it plays out to ESPN. I'm not so sure if it was worth the risk for him in doing so, but he's dead on that the actions of the President were based on race, not politics, and there needs to be a stand taken. 3. Zlatan Ibrahimovic Goal vs. LAFC - If you missed this rivalry match in the MLS, you missed quite a bit. But THIS goal from Zlatan was everything you need to know about this rivalry - physical, yet, amazing. 3 Down 1. "Send Her Back" - Utter shameful. Completely disgusting. I held Charlottesville and his refusal to denounce white nationalism in an unfortunat

3 Up 1. Angels Combined No-Hitter - This was absolutely awesome, and really, one of the greatest games and moments to occur in sports for 2019. The tribute to Tyler Skaggs, all of the little quirky results from the game, and of course, the touching moment in the end of all the players laying out their Tyler Skaggs' jerseys on the mound - all of it just came together so divine. #RIP45 2. New Zealand Gun Buy-Back - New Zealand continues the clean up following the horrific Christchurch terrorist shootings. The Buy-Back looks to help eliminate most of the guns that were recently banned by the country - a ban that was swift and significant. 3. Pizzeria All-Deaf Employee - I came across this story and it's definitely a feel good story, especially considering the inclusiveness involved. She turned a disability - one in which she was not given a job for - into an opportunity to prove many wrong. Great stuff. 3 Down 1. Trump Tweet - Do we really need a tweet from Trump to

In 2018, my son was born. And as any first-time parent with a newborn quickly learns, there are a lot of sleepless nights, and plenty of hours of stationary, sedentary-ness, living as you await the next move in the weird chess game that is newborn vs. new parent. For my wife and myself, we split the duties into shifts in order to get sleep as well as to keep our sanity, and with that, I earned the graveyard shift. After all, she did deliver a baby. I'm not much of a TV watcher, and there are very few shows I can honestly say that I've been into, or even, watch consistently. However, life's rules were thrown out the window, and personal traits were torn to shreads during these initial weeks. Netflix quickly became my best friend.

You knew this was coming. You had to, no? If you've been a reader of this blog, or you know me personally, you are well aware that I am (read: unfortunately) a fan of the New York Knicks. And with that fandom comes misery, disappointment, and of course, the proverbial false hope that is wrapped up in yes, free agent cap space. Sure, there was that one summer back in 1996 (see how far back we have to go?) where the Knicks acquired Allan Houston and Chris Childs via free agency, then traded for Larry Johnson. What a summer...I'll hold it collectively in my heart.  Since then it's been two years of tanking and clearing cap space for LeBron James who decided to take his talents elsewhere. We got Amare Stoudemire, and unlike the narrative most media outlets portray, as a Knicks fan, I have nothing but love for STAT.

It's been awhile since I've thrown myself into something fun like doing a Pondering 10 post. And after tonight's Home Run Derby, why not continue the fun? While watching Vladmir Guerrero Jr. smash ball after ball with that violent hack of his, it took me back to Josh Hamilton's performance at Yankee Stadium. I also thought about Giancarlo Stanton's performance in Miami. And then the wheels started going: what would be my dream Home Run Derby - you know, if all guys were in their prime? So with that said, here is my latest Pondering 10, my dream home run derby.

3 Up 1. USWNT World Cup Champions - What can I say? This team was absolutely dominant in it's run to a historic victory. Even better, was the flair, swag, and stance the members on the team took in regards to the White House, Equal Pay, double standard in sports, and so many other issues that carried alongside their place in time and the moment. Just a remarkable game played today, and such a beautiful transition of United States Women's soccer from the current roster to the next generation. Just like 2015. Oh an BTW, can we pay these ladies equally to men? You know, the same squad that lost the Gold Cup final to Mexico (again!). US Soccer, we need to do better. 2. Coco Gauff - Women in sports ruled the week and I loved it! Everything that is Coco Gauff has been absolutely mind boggling. A 15 year old has won two Wimbledon matches. And speaking of the transitions in the US Soccer, how cool is it to see Venus and Serena Williams inspiring a whole new generation of tenni

3 Up 1. Brooklyn Nets - It's safe to say the Nets had a tremendous week. They landed pretty much a great haul to put them in position to make a deep playoff run next season, but they managed to do something they've been trying to do since arriving in Brooklyn, put the Knicks on the ropes, and the City on notice. 2. Adrian Wojnarowski - I honestly don't trust anything else from any other basketball "reporter". Everything leading up to NBA free agency was simply rumors and random dribble that began with "Sources tell me" from everyone else. Woj stayed quiet and then dropped countless Woj Bombs on us on Sunday evening. Kudos to him who works tirelessly. 3. Meghan Rapinoe - Rapinoe is so bad ass. Not only did she defy the White House with a pretty cool fashion, she dropped two big goals on France to get the United States into the World Cup semi-finals. 3 Down 1. Dems 2020 - What a disaster these debates were. Absolute disaster. Why are some of t

Well, here we are... It's been quite the long time since I've jabbed the keyboard regarding the New York Knicks. Maybe I've become absolutely numb to the pain they cause. But tonight feels just right to jump back into this old-favorite of ranting about my beloved New York Knicks. Quite frankly, a wound has been ripped back open. So let's just jump back into it.

3 Up 1. NBA Draft and Black Fathers - I love the NBA Draft. I do. Of all the "extra-ness" in sports, this is my guilty pleasure. And this year's was special. Not only was it great to see a group of newly drafted young men accomplish their dream (as always), but we saw a change from the typical ego or attempted cover-up of insecurity as players broke down crying upon hearing their name called by the commissioner. Also, it definitely was awesome to see the amount of fathers (especially that of black fathers) who were present at the draft for their son's big day. That made it that much special this year. 2. Albert Pujols - Sure, Pujols' return to St. Louis was awesome (kudos to Yadi Molina for allowing the moment to breathe and offering that hug!). But truly, it was THIS moment in Toronto that made you realize how great a person Pujols is. 3. Toddler Dap - My son's birthday is today.  THIS short, but absolutely tremendous, video that went viral is the

-- 1 Year Old --- Dear Son,  Happy Birthday! Your first!  It's quite crazy to think that you're now a one year old - a FULL year!  That's a FULL year of growing, adjusting, developing, and offering up love right before your mother and I. And honestly, it's a FULL year of having you change our lives for the utmost best since that very moment nearing midnight in a Brooklyn hospital, just a mere 365 days ago.  While we're completely in awe of the journey that is your life - sidebar: we're anxiously awaiting your first steps! Seriously, can you walk already? - I find your presence already to be dynamic and omnipresent of everyone who is aware of you. It's been quite interesting to truly grasp.