Dome Pondering

I thought I would try something different for the 2024 World Series, especially since my Yankees are in it, and offer some quick ponderings and share some stuff from my thought process. Why not?  I expect a tough and arduous series. In many ways in approaching it, I would be shocked if this goes five or fewer games to either side. Obviously, I wouldn't mind if it happened for the Yankees.  Whoever wins, maybe they should also get claim to the 2017 World Series title. I'm kidding. Sort of... Game 1 Dodgers d. Yankees, 6-3  (LAD Leads Series 1-0) This is one of those games where I love baseball, but I hate it. That was a tremendous game if I didn't have a rooting interest. However, I do. And baseball, by nature, has a flair for creating moments that can rip your heart out as a fan. This one did. It's up there, to be honest. In this time, it feels worse than Sandy Alomar's home run off of Mo in 1997. But likely to not leave me in my feelings like the 2001 World Series...

3 Up 1. Poll Workers Training - We're here. And it's almost time. God bless so many poll workers who do the job, and lately, under scrutiny and for some, under death threats. Let's be civilized, everyone. Go vote!  2. MLB World Series - MLB got exactly what it wanted. New York vs. Los Angeles. The series hasn't gone the way that I want it to, but from a greater baseball fan perspective, it's been amazing.  3. Biden Apology - Look, you can say a lot of things here. And most people, especially if you're not a fan of Biden, likely will. But for a President to apologize - APOLOGIZE! - to a group of people where policy marginalized or destroyed their community is rare. Think about our history and everything that includes. I'm just saying nothing else other than it's rare, and really, it's the right thing to do.  3 Down 1. Political Uprising - As the top "up" mentioned, we're here. And with that comes all of the heightened political garbage w...

It was challenging. It's been a long time coming for this franchise, especially for this group that had to endure some growing pains and adversity. Nonetheless, the New York Liberty are finally—FINALLY—WNBA Champions! I don't want this post to be about women's sports, where it's been, where it is gone, and what it needs to be. There are way too many outlets that have exhausted that conversation and have let it overshadow simply talkin' hoops. Caitlin Clark probably would agree with that statement as well.  This is about celebrating a franchise that hasn't gotten over that championship hurdle for the entirety of its existence (Hey, Red Bulls - you might be the only one left). This is about a city that lives basketball, and celebrating a professional championship for the first time in almost a half-century. This is about a group of women we got to know over the summers as this team assembled under Sandy Brondello.  From a miserable 2-20 record in 2020 to giving Sa...

My New York Knicks are the third favorite for the NBA Title.  That's wild! In some ways unfathomable. I'm excited. But it's also scary. A Knicks season with the ultimate expectation? What is this, the 90s?  I've said my piece on the Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo swap for Karl-Anthony Towns . I've accepted what is, and I appreciate Randle for everything he was during his time as a Knick.  But again, the Knicks are set up for the next four years to make a run at a championship.  We've got our captain. We've got our core. I anticipate a few additions this season, via trade, or buyout. We're going for it. I'm here for it. And come April, I'll be going through severe anxiety.  Here are my 2023-24 NBA Predictions, with some wild guesses as well.  --- EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF TEAMS 1. Boston Celtics (63-19) 2. New York Knicks (56-26) 3. Milwaukee Bucks (51-31) 4. Cleveland Cavaliers (49-33) 5. Orlando Magic (47-35) 6. Philadelphia 76ers (45-37) *...

The Yankees are headed to the 2024 World Series.  It's the eighth time in my lifetime that they will be playing baseball for the sport's biggest prize.  On this very night, I feel young again. After all, that's where so much of the Yankees' success in my lifetime was experienced. Yeah, cue the tiny violin. But, it's been fifteen years since the last Fall Classic visit. That's fifteen years of life, growth, and other stuff that has happened - nostalgia is easy to engage in with a gap and life parallel such as this.  Also, there is the obvious - I always watched baseball with my dad. This is the Yankees' first time in the World Series since he's left Earth, and of course, my experience during this run has carried that void. This upcoming World Series - win or lose - we won't be staying up late agonizing over games. Or as we did in 2003, my freshman year in college, connect briefly on the phone to say hi, talk Yankees, and hang up.  Nonetheless, this ru...

Just, pause.  Stop if you need to.  The moment is  so much better than you thought. 

I purposely took some time before posting on this recent trade. It came out of absolutely nowhere and left me in shock on that fateful Saturday night - even though, every Knick fan knew a Julius Randle trade was inevitable. Karl-Anthony Towns is an amazing talent. He’s All-NBA. He’s an All-Star. And in many ways, he’s a very, very, very unique and select talent. Also yes, he has flaws. Who doesn't in today's debate-anything landscape?  For pure basketball reasons, Towns as a Knick makes sense. The spacing is better. The options are better. The style of play is better defined. And the opportunity for the ultimate, an NBA championship, is increased. However, this trade gets all the feels when we focus on Julius Randle. If you follow this little slice of the internet, you probably have gathered that I’ve been a loyal Randle supporter since arriving in 2010. His potential was there. Yes, he’s been frustrating. There were moments of high-level frustration. But Randle has been our gu...

I’m not sure what I would’ve done.  Could I have done what AJ Griffin recently decided to do?  I believe that I could have (maybe?) made that decision to step away from a dream of playing professional basketball at the highest level and earning fame, fortune, and everything else. But really, could I have?!  I mean, what is a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?  Tricky, tricky, personal conviction! "I gave up basketball to follow Jesus, and I know that in many people's eyes, it seems like a loss in the world's eyes... I feel like letting go of basketball is allowing me to go into full-time ministry and truly serve the lord with all my heart... I thought that [basketball] was the reason why I was living, but when I came to God, he truly showed me that we're all made to glorify God. We're all made with a purpose, a God-given purpose." - AJ Griffin - via YouTube Whether you’re a believer or not in a spiritual higher power, we all believe our morals...

It sounds mean, but Pete Rose served his lifetime ban. After the recent passing of the all-time hits leader, the court of public opinion is now in session on one of the sport's biggest questions and most debated topics - should Pete Rose be in the Hall of Fame? We all know the stances and varied degrees of opinion on this by now. Rose committed the biggest and most unforgivable crime in the game (and in all sports) - gambling not just on the game, but on your own team. That’s sanctimonious to the integrity of everything that is MLB.  And there is the other side - watching baseball evolve into a product that pushes gambling on billboards, commercials, and a staple of the fan experience, yet, retrospectively keeping one of the sport's most salient record holders guilty for the same thing that is now exercised heavily. The Hall of Fame of Fame standards have been criticized as we deal with the aftermath of the steroid era and the other major elephant on the field - Barry Bonds bei...