football

Making it Known

mikemjensen Fishing, Football, Interesting Stuff (to me anyway), Internet, Life's Truths, Motorcycles, Sports, Useless Observations Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

It’s political times. 5508Everybody has an opinion and not always based on information, reason, or understanding. Here are some of my political beliefs:

For: American League, American Conference, and Western Conference.

Against: Fan voted All Stars.

For: Motorcycles. They don’t have to be Harleys either.

Against: Gold Wings. Just kidding, I’m for Gold Wings too.

For: Cheap gas and fast cars. Real ones. Classics.

Against: Smart Cars. Not kidding.

For: Buy low and sell high. I don’t do this much in practice, but I’m for it.

Against: Places that don’t have a Value Menu.

For: Lake Powell

Against: Anyone against Lake Powell

For: Fishing. Fly, bait, or lure. If there’s fish to catch, I’m in.

Against: People catching bigger or more fish than me.

For: Free speech.

Against: Long lists of “for and against”.

 

(Please note, I don’t always agree with everything that I say.)

 

Post 3-037

My Way of Thinking

mikemjensen Useless Observations Tags: , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

Watching football tonight, a scenario presented itself.

1:03 left in the game. Seattle, down 10 points to Arizona, drives deep into Arizona’s side of the field. It’s third down. The field goal unit trots out on the field and kicks a field goal.3stooges

What?

According to mathematics, they needed a touchdown and a field goal. In my thinking, you push until you get the 7 points from the Touchdown and then go for an on-sides kick and kick the field goal as time expires.

That was my thinking, my expectations; not that of the professionals.

In reality, it doesn’t matter what order you get the 10 points. To kick the field goal early, it gives you more time to work on the touchdown. Never thought of that.

How many times is my thinking just my thinking and not always the best thinking? Probably more than I would care to know.

That being said, Seattle made the field goal but failed to recover the kick off and lost the game.

Sometimes it doesn’t matter.

 

 

NaNoWriMo: 25,125/50,000 (Caught up!)

Day 256

A Little About Nothing

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Hey Kids,

I have erased this blog post three times now.

I wrote about NaNoWriMo. In short, it feels good to just let loose on a first draft. Editing is the hardest part of writing and first drafting in the most fun. A month long forced habit of free writing feels liberating. I love it.

I also tried to write about the reveled policy changes my church leadership made Friday. The wake of it has my Facebook feed lit up like a Christmas tree. Many of my Friends are very upset, and many others are towing the line and defending the leadership, willing to give the benefit of the doubt in terms of intentions. I don’t understand it but I don’t think it was done in hate. I do feel it came across as lacking the compassion and I don’t agree with the reasoning. I’m also not really willing to debate.utah-drum-lg

So in the end, I am left to what was left for the rest of the weekend: football.

My college team won and moved up in the polls. Go Utes.

My pro team lost in a close one. Raiders still on the rise.

For not much of a blog post, I seemed to have filled the page.

 

NaNoWriMo: 13,567/50,000

Day 258

Go Utes!

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Hey Kids,

My local university and employer of over 23 years, Utah, has a football team.utah-drum-lg

Going into this weekend they were nationally ranked #3 with a perfect 6-0 record.

They were to play a struggling USC team.

They lost, 42-24.

Some would see this as a tragedy. It is sad. I mostly feel bad for the players who put so much time and really parts of their souls into the training and practice that allows them to play at this level. But for the rest of us, it’s really just a game and it means very little.

Yes I want them to win every game. But they don’t and they won’t.

I still have to go to work on Monday. I would’ve had to go if they won too. My rent’s still due, my dinner still needs to be cooked, and my need to sleep remains.

It’s sad, but it doesn’t make any real difference in my life.

I hear there’s a game next week.

Go Utes!

 

Day 243

The Snake

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Hey Kids,

Today a childhood sports hero of mine passed away. I had no idea it was eminent and then the post appeared on my screen on Facebook.

Kenny Stabler was the first quarterback I ever knew. I knew very little about the actual game, but I knew Kenny Stabler. #12 he wore. Quarterback. Long haired renegade of the NFL’s renegade team. I remember drawing pictures of him and once asking my teacher how to spell Stabler. And always with the caption “Hut, hut, hike.”KennyStabler

The Raiders were IT in the East Bay in the 70’s and I grew up knowing it. Kenny Stabler was the main man.

Later I would become more familiar with Al Davis, and John Madden. I knew and liked many of the other players; Kenny, however was the quarterback. He was my favorite.

He was one of the few players I felt I would truly like to meet one day. Shake his hand, hear the voice for myself, and see that sly smile, like he knew what defense had been called.

I’ve bought other Raider jerseys but never felt worthy to own and wear #12. That would be reserved for a signed jersey on the wall.

I’m amazed how deeply the news has affected me. I didn’t know him or have any chance to meet him in the future. And if a chance meeting would’ve happened, it would have been just a friendly handshake, maybe an autograph. I know that.

But something that I can remember as far back as I can, is gone. Does it take something from my childhood or rather remind me that my own end is closer, I don’t know. Either way, a part is now somehow missing.

An interviewer once cited Jack London’s “Credo”. The connection being that Jack London was also from Oakland. The Interviewer read:

“I would rather be ashes than dust!

I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

The function of man is to live, not to exist.

I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.

I shall use my time.”t_39819

He then asked Kenny to comment on what that meant to him. His response after a moment of contemplation, “Throw deep.”

Mr. Stabler, you didn’t win every game you played. You didn’t complete every pass you threw. You didn’t score every touchdown with 50 yard bombs. You didn’t save every game in the last 2 minutes. You threw deep enough, however, that the little boy that still lives inside me, the one with the over-sized helmet and asking his dad if we won yet, misses you already.

Farewell.

 

Day 136

LDS vs. The World

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Hey Kids,

I heard today someone say “I don’t do LDS people.” Meaning, I don’t associate or attempt to communicate or be friendly with Mormons.

I’ve met people recently who are shocked I am Mormon, because “You don’t seem Mormon.”

How so?

I’m normal. I talk to non-Mormons as if they are human beings. Real people. I even like a bunch of them.

I don’t care if you drink beer, whiskey, coffee. Or if you smoke. Or if you swear. Or you don’t go to church every, or any, Sunday. I don’t care if you’re Christian or not, or if you even believe in God. As a person, these things are irrelevant to me as it pertains to whether you are interesting, a good neighbor, a fishing buddy, a friend, a boss, an employee, or deserving of common courtesy and friendliness. I also don’t assume that since you don’t believe the same as me, you must be lacking until I share with you what it is I believe and you agree.1016515_404587326321060_1411328951_n

Apparently, this is different from the majority of my doctrinal brothers and sisters. I apologize. Just know that there are plenty who don’t feel the need to judge and indoctrinate.

If you’re LDS and reading this, know that you’re also being judged. And the only reason you don’t know that is because your judges have stopped talking to you.

Be cool. Give the others the chance to be themselves. It’s OK to associate with people with different beliefs. In fact, hearing others opinions and beliefs might help you in understanding your own.

“Judge not, lest you be judged.” The saying is still as smart as advice as the day it was given.

I have found, however, that as much as I like someone, or dislike someone; it can all change on what football team they follow.

 

Day 104

When You’re Not Working

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Hey Kids,

I’m not one of those guys who have to watch the off-season like it matters. I can barely keep up with watching the actual games, let alone trying to find out who showed up when to training camp, who got traded, and who got cut. I have too many things going on.

I do get caught up in some of the news and occasionally I like to check in and see if anything exciting that might affect the season happened. This past week, I got hooked on NFL organized practices press conferences.hard-work

In one interview, a second year player spoke of the difference of the rookie year when compared to the second year. The press lobbed the question to him and he answered that it really didn’t matter what year it was, he just had to work hard and get better at the things he could get better at, which was everything.

He’s a sincere guy. Humble family upbringing, soft spoken, and complimentary to everyone around him. But in regards to working hard he drew on a statement his father had told him that he uses as his motivation.

He said his daddy told him “When you’re not working, someone else is.”

This world will pass you by if you let it. Your spot isn’t assured. Get out and out-work the rest of them and good things will happen. If nothing else happens, you’ won’t have to worry whether or not you tried hard enough. And that puts you in some elite company and leaves you with no regrets.

 

Day 49

Records are Meant to be Broken

mikemjensen Sports, Worthless Observations Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Last night Joe Montana’s record of Super Bowl TD passes was broken by Tom Brady.

It’s OK. It’s good to break the records. It shows the game progresses, the players get better, and new stars emerge.

It’s hard for kid’s to grow up without feeling they are watching the best players ever. My favorite players were from when I was a kid. They were the best then and I loved them. Why shouldn’t the kids today have the best and remember the best and watch them play. It’s what keeps the games alive, it keeps them worth watching, and it does nothing to eliminate the memories and achievements of the past.

Tell stories of yester year. It’s what us old people do. We secretly know our time was the best time. Let the babies have their bottles.imagesS29L5BFM