1991: The year began with a bang, as Gulf War I started.  Many people remember the Super Bowl victory of the Giants over the Bills when Scott Norwood would miss what would have been a game-winning field goal as time ran out.  It is also remembered for the national anthem sang by Whitney Houston, still arguably the best rendition.

This was the year the Soviet Union officially ceased to exist, and Boris Yeltsin became the president of Russia.  In American politics, a little known governor from Arkansas by the name of William Jefferson Clinton announced his intention to run for president.

This was the year Dr. Jack Kevorkian earned the moniker “Dr. Death.” A grainy video was recorded and later released showing Los Angeles police beating Rodney King during a traffic stop.

In entertainment, Terminator 2, JFK, and The Silence of the Lambs were hits in the box office.  Michael Jackson released Dangerous, his most popular album since Thriller.  Metallica released “The Black Album,” as it has come to be known, which is still their best seller.  Also, two little known bands from Seattle made releases, and soon topped the charts.  They were Pearl Jam and Nirvana.

Deaths for the year included Dr. Seuss, Miles Davis, Redd Foxx, and Freddie Mercury.

In sports, Duke shocked an undefeated UNLV team in the Final Four, and later beat Kansas in the finals.  The Minnesota Twins defeated the Atlanta Braves in 7 games to win the World Series, with game 7 being arguably the greatest game in World Series history.  Magic Johnson announced he had HIV, and would be retiring from basketball.  In Ann Arbor, five freshmen came to Michigan to play basketball, and they would be labeled the Fab Five.

In college football there would be a split National Championship for the second year in a row, which led to the Bowl Coalition being formed (the precursor to the BCS) in 1992.  On November 16, Miami and Florida State played a #1 vs. #2 matchup, which Miami won in what is now known as “Wide Right I.”  This game would help propel Miami to a share of the National Championship with Washington.

As for “The Game,” this was the 88^th meeting between Michigan and Ohio State.  Michigan earlier in the year broke a 5 year losing streak to Notre Dame, only to be followed by a humiliating loss to FSU.  They won every other game after that, in pretty dominant fashion on both sides of the ball, and came into this contest ranked #4 in the country.  They had already clinched a berth in the Rose Bowl, but still had an outside shot of winning a National Championship.  A win over Ohio State, followed by a victory over undefeated Washington (and a loss by Miami) could give Michigan a claim at the National Title.  Also on the line for Michigan was a possible Heisman trophy for star receiver, Desmond Howard.  He needed to do something special to give himself the edge over Florida State quarterback Casey Weldon.

Ohio State was not having a great year, but they were still dangerous.  They came into the contest with 8 wins, a #18 ranking in the nation, but also with 2 losses, both within the conference.  They featured a power running game, and the usual tight defense.  This was not a Buckeye team with a lot of future NFL prospects, but they had a special player on each side of the ball – Defensive End Alonzo Spellman, and Wide Receiver Joey Galloway.  They could not keep Michigan from the Rose Bowl in this game, but bragging rights, and the ability to completely eliminate Michigan from the National Title picture, would have made for a sweet victory.

Game time temperatures were in the 40s, and there was a slight drizzle.  I remember it being “Michigan cold,” as I say now.  There was no hope of seeing the sun that day, which just meant it was a perfect day to watch these two schools beat each other up for the afternoon.

The cold didn’t stop us from tailgating at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School across the street from the stadium.  People are always amazed to hear the there is no parking lot or garage for the 100,000 plus fans that arrive every Saturday (Crisler Arena has parking, but those are reserved, and far too few to count).  You park at the golf course, on lawns, at businesses around town, or wherever you can find space.  Also, I don’t remember exactly what we had that day, but I loved it when my dad would pack a lunch for us, usually consisting of homemade subs or brats, or some combination of these.  Looking back now, these are some of my favorite memories as a kid.

Our seats were in the southeast portion of the stadium behind the south end zone (when you see replays of Kordell Stewart throwing his famous Hail Mary pass to Michael Westbrook, the ball was in a straight line right to my seat).  I noticed that right behind the goal posts in our end zone was a small section of Ohio State fans, conspicuous in their red outfits.  Naturally, I thought they were obnoxious.

The focus of a game like this always starts with the coaches.  Gary Moeller was in his 2^nd year as Michigan coach, after Bo Schembechler retired.  He won a share of the 1990 Big Ten Title, and now had an outright Big Ten Title under his belt, with his first invitation to the Rose Bowl.  He was 1-0 against OSU coming into the game.

On the other side of the field was John Cooper, who came in 0-3 against Michigan, and was in the process of resuscitating the Buckeyes.  A win for him in this game would endear him greatly to the Ohio State faithful.  He would finish his 13 year coaching career with OSU after compiling five top 10 finishes in the nation (including two #2 rankings) before he was fired after the 2000 season, mainly for going 2-10-1 against Michigan (despite going 111-43-4 overall).  Because of that record, Michigan students named February 10, 2001 “John Cooper Day” in Ann Arbor.  Things like these are what make this rivalry so great.

This particular meeting between these two rivals is not considered a classic, but it was definitely classic “Michigan vs. Ohio State” football.  At the end of the first half, the two teams combined for 9 pass completions, which meant there was a lot of “three yards and a cloud of dust.”

Michigan received the ball first to open the game, and Ohio State decided it would not kick it deep enough to allow either Desmond Howard or freshman Tyrone Wheatley a chance for a big runback.  They pooched it high around the 20 yard line, where it was caught by an upback, who was immediately hit.

Michigan did what you would expect – they ran the ball the first two plays of the game, gaining 21 yards.  Then they threw a pass for about 20 yards, and ran the ball the remaining 7 plays of the drive to score a touchdown.  Two interesting things happened on this opening drive.  First, Michigan tailback Jesse Johnson fumbled the ball inside the 10 yard line, and OSU recovered.  The problem for OSU was that the officials didn’t see the fumble, so Michigan retained possession.  There was no instant replay at this time, so there was nothing to challenge.

The second interesting thing that happened on the drive was that Michigan had a 4^th down and 3 at around the 4 yard line, and they went for it.  They faked a field goal, using a play Florida State ran on them earlier in the year, using a shuffle pass to the full back on a sweep to the left.  It gained a first down (just short of the goal line).  Ohio State thought they earned a stop because a touchdown wasn’t scored, but Michigan earned a new set of downs by inches.  The next play they scored.  This was interesting, because neither Bo Schembechler nor Lloyd Carr would have been this aggressive against their arch rival.  They would have kicked the field goal, taken the points, and put their defense on the field.  Gary Moeller was underrated as a coach in this regard, because he was not afraid to take a risk like this.

Ohio State followed on their opening drive by running the ball down Michigan’s throat, using their feature power back Carlos Snow.  They pushed it down to Michigan’s 30 yard line, where the drive stalled, mainly because a Buckeye receiver dropped a wide open pass at the 20, and Erick Anderson made two tackles at the line of scrimmage.  They attempted a field goal, which fell short.

Michigan ran a reverse with Desmond on their first play from scrimmage, for about 8 yards.  Then they ran the ball a handful of times before Ricky Powers fumbled the ball and OSU recovered.  They again went to their power running game, before again stalling at around the 30 yard line.  They kicked a 50 yard field goal to make the score 7-3.  After this, the wheels came off.

Michigan got the ball back at their own 40, and went three and out.  They punted, and had the Buckeyes inside their own 20.  OSU tried a pass on first down, and threw an interception, leading to Michigan’s 2^nd touchdown, after again going for it on 4^th down inside the 5 yard line.  The score: 14-3 Michigan.

On Ohio State’s first play from scrimmage on the next series, they fumbled, and Michigan recovered.  Again, without instant replay, there was no chance to try to overturn the play, which was difficult, at best, to tell.  This could have been a completely different game if instant replay could have been used at this time.  After a bunch of penalties and poorly executed plays, Michigan settled for a field goal, and made the score 17-3.

Ohio State received the ball back, and immediately threw a nice pass play to get the ball near mid-field.  After hitting the 50 yard line, they stalled, and were forced to punt.  The interesting thing is they had not given Desmond Howard a chance to beat them all game.  At this point he had 1 catch for 4 yards, and 1 run for 8 yards.  They could have kicked out of bounds, and pinned Michigan, or kick the ball into the end zone.  Instead, it appeared they tried to force a fair catch out of Howard, which didn’t happen.

Howard caught the ball at the 7 yard line, dodged a tackle immediately, ran forward, dodged another tackler, and then turned it into a foot race down the east side line of the stadium.  Just before Howard scores you could hear Keith Jackson say “Hello Heisman” if you were watching the broadcast.  In the stands, we saw Desmond sprinting toward us, then angling toward the section of Ohio State fans behind the end zone.  From where I stood, it appeared he was taunting the Ohio State fans, but we were all going too crazy to realize Desmond had just transcended history, and entered into the legendary.  Not only had he solidified the Heisman trophy on that play, but he also made the indelible pose which is still seen all over today, whether in advertisements or video game covers, or simply in replays of some of the great moments in college football history.

Looking back on it today, what strikes me is that Michigan did not get a 15 yard penalty for taunting.  This was a kid having fun, and enjoying his day in the sun against his arch rival.  That was how we all saw it, and that’s how it was.  If anybody tried that today, there would be penalties, repercussions, and controversy over somebody showing such a lack of sportsmanship.  I say that because when Michigan played Ohio State in 2010, an OSU player was flagged for making an “O” symbol with his hands after scoring a touchdown.  That sounds tame, but it received a penalty flag.

So, now the game stood at 24-3.  It was over.  OSU did not have the personnel to come back from that, because they were a power running team.  Because this was Michigan & Ohio State, no Michigan left for the duration of the game.

At halftime, I remember watching both bands, with Ohio State’s band performing first.  I have no way to prove this, but I remember that while they were performing their last song, in full formation, the Michigan band jumped in with “The Victors” and high-stepped their way right toward the Buckeyes.  Ohio State had nothing else to do but stop their song and get out of the way, defeated.  Again, these are the things that make rivalries great.  Even the bands hate each other.

The second half was nothing special.  Ohio State did bring in their backup quarterback, a kid by the name of Kirk Herbstreit.  It’s funny to think he and Desmond Howard were on the same field, and nobody had a clue they would later be colleagues.  Herbstreit actually played pretty well, driving OSU deep into Michigan territory on their first two possessions.  The only problems were 1) because of the nature of the OSU offense, each drive ate up huge chunks of time, and 2) OSU simply could not get the ball in the end zone against the Michigan defense.  They turned it over on downs twice in the 3^rd quarter, which used up all of the time they had.

Nothing which would be considered noteworthy happened for the remainder of the game, except for one thing.  At the time, it seemed innocuous, but now it is a rather cult clip.  Kirk Herbstreit was hit in the 4^th quarter as he was releasing a pass, and ended up with a concussion.  This clip has been viewed hundreds of thousands of time on You Tube, but again, at the time he was a kid trying to help his team gain some momentum against their arch rival.

The amazing thing to me as the game came to an end was that I didn’t notice any fans leaving the stands.  Michigan fans were all too aware that 1) beating Ohio State 31-3 was a rare occurrence which needed to be savored, and 2) the next time Michigan played was going to be in Pasadena.  We all had a big lovefest for the remainder of the game, chanting “Rose Bowl” and cheering our boys every chance we got.  This would only happen in a rivalry of the magnitude of Michigan and Ohio State.

What I would like to do instead is reflect on the September which occurred 20 years ago – 1991.  This was one of those rare moments in my life when I remember exactly where I was as a life-altering event took place.  I clearly recall the day the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, the day the Detroit Tigers clinched the East Division in 1987, the day Rich Mullins died (another September memory), attending the Rose Bowl with my grandfather on January 1, 1998, my wedding day, 9/11, the day the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated in 2003, and the day in September 1991 when I heard “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana for the first time. 

I was a sophomore in high school, and I heard several people talking about this new band out of Seattle.  I remember thinking around this time how tired I was of the 80s sound, and I was losing interest in music in general.  Radio stations I was listening to in Flint were playing MC Hammer, The Black Crowes, Damn Yankees, Bell Biv DeVoe, DePeche Mode, Salt-N-Pepa, Sinead O’Connor, Bryan Adams, En Vogue, Johnny Gill, REM, Sonic Youth, FireHouse, LL Cool J, Garth Brooks, Vanilla Ice, Warrant, Enigma, C+C Music Factory, Jesus Jones, The B-52s, Amy Grant, Rick Astley, Michael Bolton, Luther Vandross, Boyz II Men, EMF, Alice Cooper, Metallica, Cypress Hill, Spin Doctors, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and another new band called Pearl Jam. 

My musical tastes were varied.  I grew up mostly on Pop Rock music (I still sing songs I heard on Cars Love Songs to my wife in grocery stores and pharmacies when they come on over the speakers).  Still, this was high school, a time to explore new sounds and change my taste in music.  I found myself enjoying a lot more Hip Hop and R&B music, because the tired 80s Rock sound was just plain boring to me.  Nothing new seemed to have come from rock music since Led Zeppelin. 

I remember the day, although not the date.  It was a fairly normal, fall day at school, except I recall hearing snippets here and there about a band named Nirvana.  I particularly remember going to golf practice after school, and talking about music.  As far as rock music went, nothing at the time was better than Metallica’s Black Album.  To this day, that is one of my favorite heavy metal albums, but I was talking about how great it was to one of my teammates who told me I had to listen to Nirvana. 

I went home that night, and after dinner I was helping to clean the dishes.  Since I was the designated dryer, I remember the towel in my hand.  I also remember turning on the radio which was attached to the underside of one of our cabinets to listen to CK 105.5s Top 8 at 8.  I decided to dry slowly in order to listen to the whole program.  I don’t remember which spot the song had in the Top 8, and I don’t remember any of the other songs which placed in the Top 8.  What I do remember is when the DJ introduced the song I turned the volume up in full anticipation and excitement and listened to the first, deceptively tame licks of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”  Once the first riff was complete, and the song went from soft to loud, my jaw hit the floor.  I had never heard a band do that before (and I know they took the idea from the Pixies, but the Pixies weren’t playing on pop radio in Flint at that time).  Either bands started heavy and stayed that way, or made a softer song; never both.

Then I heard Kurt Cobain’s voice for the first time.  “Load up on guns…” is how the song starts, in full Washington accent.  The cool thing for me was he didn’t sound like another bad Robert Plant wanna be, like all of the hair band lead singers.  He sounded sarcastic, raspy, and like he was playing a joke on the rest of the world, while it was our job to figure out that we were the punch line.

Then came the bridge with Kurt repeating “hello” while the song built tension toward the chorus, until Kurt thrust himself into the most explosive single moment I have ever heard in any song.  When he jumped into the chorus, yelling “With the lights out…” I couldn’t believe a person could sound so angry.  I am convinced that the reason “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is one of the great songs of all time is due to Kurt’s ability to capture frustration at such a level, and pour it out, without having to say anything that made sense, in a way that the listener can’t help but connect to the raw power of the rage being expressed.  With a stomp petal and an unmatchable, enormous voice, Kurt changed the world.

 Here’s what I remember about that moment: by the time the first chorus of the song was complete, I was frozen in place, holding a towel in one hand and a dish in the other, with my mouth wide open, staring blankly at the radio.  The song hit a nerve in me, but one I couldn’t quite express with my 15 year old mind.  I heard pain and anger in his voice unlike any I had ever heard, and yet he made it sound melodic.  It was like watching a sniper who was really good at his craft.  You are amazed at his precision and ability, yet in order to fully grasp it, you have to watch something die.  Kurt was amazing in his gifts – songwriting, guitar playing, and vocals, but to appreciate his gift you had to hear a man tear open his soul and show you how much life had viciously hurt him.  In my opinion, this is what makes great art – the ability to express our deepest emotions and feelings despite there being no words to accomplish the task.  The simple thought that ran through my head as I listened to this song was “this guy is really mad.” 

After the song ended, I felt tired.  I actually felt like Kurt’s rage had drained me of energy.  It was sort of like the first time I drank a beer – the taste was really bitter, but later I went back to it until I began to appreciate what it was.  I didn’t think I liked the song, and wasn’t sure I wanted to hear it again.  I was wise enough to understand that a new era had come to music, however.  There was no way bands were going to continue to try to copy Robert Plant and Jimmy Page when there was a Kurt Cobain on the loose.

 Looking back as a historian on the event, what is shocking to me is the knowledge that Kurt Cobain was homeless the weak “Nevermind” was released.  This was a pattern in Kurt’s life going back to his teenage years, which helped shed light on his angst.  The songs are inspired by his own parents’ divorce, his feelings of abandonment, loneliness, homelessness, being an outsider, and a break-up with his girlfriend Tobi Vail.  As a 15 year old kid listening to the music for the first time, I had no clue of the source of Kurt’s pain.  Still, it is a rare person who can take the upbringing Cobain had and turn it into something so creative.

 The other thing that amazes me was Kurt’s penchant to be the “anti-rock star.”  Much is made of the fact that Kurt often spoke about how much he hated “Smells Like Teen Spirit” after it became the uber-popular song it is now known as.  There is certainly truth to Kurt not wanting to be known for only one song, but there is also evidence which states that he contacted MTV on a regular basis to ask why his videos were not being shown more frequently.

 Last, the reason I think Nirvana has stood the test of time, and will continue to outshine most bands since 1991, is that they were shocking without theatrics.  This was a 3 person band, with no make-up, no pyrotechnics, no gimmicks, or anything.  They wore second-hand clothes, and often played second-hand instruments.  Their concerts did not have huge, elaborate stage sets.  Also, without being graphic or using expletives, Nirvana managed to shock and scare people.  It is their music, and that alone which made them unique.  That’s what connected with me 20 years ago, and why Nirvana is still at the top of the heap of bands I listen to.

     Gorged, we decided to take a walk around Lawrence one last time to visit some of our favorite shops, like Brits and Au Marche – both of which are European markets.  We also dropped by the Phoenix gallery, which sells items created by local artisans.

     After our walk through Lawrence we decided it was too early to head back to Overland Park, so we decided to take a drive toward the Flint Hills.  We headed north of Lawrence and connected with US 24 heading west.  In minutes it seems all of civilization falls away, and you are surrounded by hills and trees.  On some days when I drove these same roads when I did marketing in the area I found this peaceful and relaxing.  On other days, I found it maddening because the communities seemed so few and far between.  On this day I enjoyed the natural panorama and the conversations with my wife.

     It was along this road that we began to see nature unfold and the critters come out to play.  You cannot drive 10 minutes in Kansas without seeing a hawk peering down from a tree limb or telephone pole looking for a meal.  That continued to be the case on this trip.  Along the leg of this trip was when I saw an eagle.  It was not a bald eagle, but rather a golden eagle, something quite a bit more common in this area than bald eagles.  I was glancing out the car window facing north when I noticed a large, dark bird sitting on the limb of a tree 8 or 10 feet off the ground.  It seemed content and relaxed.  It would have been very large for a hawk, and when it turned its head to the side I noticed the prodigious beak, which was what told me this was an eagle.  It had the same appearance as a bald eagle, but with different coloring.  Instead of the white head and tail, golden eagles have a dark brown color throughout their entire body.  Golden eagles should be easier to spot in Kansas than their bald cousins, but because they blend in so well, or can look like other Kansas raptors, they are often much more difficult to discern.

     The great thing about this trek is that it was only beginning.  We had not yet made it as far as Topeka, and already I had seen an eagle.  Once we moved past Topeka, the populations greatly decrease, the hills begin to roll more, and the topography changes.  This is where we enter the Flint Hills. 

     The Flint Hills are often described as subtle in their beauty, but really that is not the correct word.  I think their beauty is rugged and harsh, which matches the climate of this part of Kansas.  The Flint Hills are also home to the one of the last vestiges of tall grass prairie in the US.  The roots of this tall grass can go as far as 15 feet into the ground, which makes this plant extremely resilient.  The hills served as fantastic feeding ground for American bison before they were virtually wiped out.  Today, ranchers from Texas, Oklahoma, and other surrounding states bring their cattle to graze on the rich grass.

     The Flint Hills are also susceptible to wild fires which can spread as fast as a car can drive.  Because of this, people living in this part of Kansas go through the ritual of burning their fields each spring.  Again, because the roots are so deep, the grass is able to spring forth again within a matter of days.  The site of burning fields is awe inspiring.

     There is not a major differentiation in elevation from top to bottom of these hills – only a few hundred feet.  Still, on the occasion when you can crest a hill which offers a panoramic view, the site is arresting.  The first thing you notice is that there really aren’t any cities around.  You see variations of green and gold, depending on what part of the year you are in, but you can see for miles and miles all around.  You simply cannot help but imagine what the pioneers and settlers who traversed the land in the 1800s must have thought.  Other than barbed wire fence and roads, much of it is the same today as it was then.

     We drove along the Native Stone Scenic Byway, which is a section of the Flint Hills known for its limestone.  The little towns along this byway have made excellent use of the stone, but you can also see in the craggy hills all around examples of the rock breaking through the prairie grass to announce itself.  The stones give quite a contrast to the green of the grass.

     After passing several cattle and buffalo ranches (I could hear the Kansas state song, “Home on the Range” in my head), we decided we better start heading back towards Overland Park, which at this point was a full two hours away.  It was while driving down one of the back roads in search of a main thoroughfare that we came across a cattle ranch.  While we hit the south side of the ranch we noticed something that looked like a large husky trotting in the general direction of the cows.  As we passed the animal, it paused and turned its head in our direction.  That was the moment Lisa noticed that it wasn’t a dog, but a gray wolf.  Its coat was full and immaculate.  This was a beautiful creature, and something I had never seen before in the wild.  It acted as though it didn’t have a care in the world, and after seeing we were not a threat, it turned its head back and started toward the cows again.

     The sun was steadily declining in the west, so we were making our way home.  Before the sun went completely down we reached more populated areas, which vastly increased the number of power lines, and subsequently poles holding up the power lines.  As we were passing one, I noticed a large bird on it, so I focused more closely on it, and saw that it was a horned owl.  During the 2 years I lived in Kansas, I never so much as heard an owl, and now I was staring at a horned owl.  Not ½ mile later, I saw another one, also perched on a power pole, gazing down at the open fields all around.  Not long after this, we noticed this must really be the time when predators go our looking for their prey, because a red fox ran out in the road, acting as though it wanted to be run over.  Fortunately, it skittered out of the way before we made a mess of it.

     After the encounter with the fox, it quickly became too dark to see anything.  We were back in Overland Park within about 30 minutes.  We had driven a total of about 4 hours looking at the sites, but had seen numerous things I had not seen in a full 2 years of outdoor activity in Kansas.  The trip was well worth it.

FLORIDA LAWMAKERS TARGET SHARIA LAW – “Two Republican legislators want to make sure Florida courts aren’t tainted by what one of them calls foreign “shenanigans”: Muslim Sharia law or legal codes from other nations,” writes the Miami Herald’s Marc Caputo. “Neither Sen. Alan Hays nor Rep. Larry Metz, though, could name a Florida case where international law or Islamic law has caused a problem in a state court. They said they weren’t targeting Sharia, a body of law primarily based on the Koran and the Hadith, the sayings of Islam’s founder, Mohammed. But the legislation, which resembles efforts in a dozen other states where Islamic law is under scrutiny, was copied almost word-for-word from the ‘model legislation’ posted on the website of a group called the American Public Policy Alliance. …Lawyers also have concerns about the legislation, which first appeared last year in the Florida Senate and made it through a committee. An analysis by Senate staff last year expressed concern that the law could violate the U.S. Constitution’s separation-of-powers doctrine because it could lead state courts to ‘interfere with the federal government’s ability to “govern foreign policy with one voice and the judiciary’s constitutional role as the sole interpreter of laws.’ The head of the Florida Bar’s International Law Section, Ed Mullins of Miami, said he was concerned that the bill could interfere with federal rules governing arbitration. But he wasn’t sure. ‘The bill is badly written,’ he said.” http://bit.ly/eMnaWQ

Only a decade ago I remember placing on my own personal bucket list how I would love to see a bald eagle in the wild. I had seen them in captivity, but never in the wild. Over the last decade (since moving to Florida), I have had the opportunity to see more eagles than I could count. Each one is just as exciting as the first. Because of this, I decided that for 2011 I would count and document the number of times I see eagles. I will do this so I can look back on the year and be amazed at each opportunity I have had to behold this majestic creature.

January 22, 2011. Lisa and I visited the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge just south of Tallahassee. What an amazing place! Not only can you see the St. Marks lighthouse, and numerous alligators, but there is a whole assortment of birds to watch. Pelicans, grebes, hawks, egrets, herons, and on and on are all here. This NWR became one of my favorite places in all of Florida to visit, even though I have only been their twice (the others are the Everglades, St. Augustine, and the Space Coast).

Near the end of our visit, we decided to hike a pretty long trail. At the very beginning of the trail I saw something I have never seen before – an eagle hunting. We parked our car, and started down a series of trails when I saw an eagle dive into a pond. As we neared the pond, the eagle flew out with a fish in its talons. That was one of the most exciting moments I have had in nature.

Later, after we had walked about 5 miles of the trail, and were heading back to our vehicle, we saw a beautiful eagle perched in a tree. This eagle was totally at peace with the world, and watching it all go by. It was not as exciting as the first eagle, but we were able to photograph it.

That is 1 day, and 2 eagles. Not a bad haul.

February 20, 2011. I did not see any eagles on this day, but I did see two close cousins – Osprey. We were riding with Lisa’s family to Little Talbot Island near Jacksonville, and I saw two osprey on two separate light poles watching the traffic go by. Osprey are as exciting for me to see as eagles, which is why I mention it here.

February 21, 2011. We were riding in I-95 in Jacksonville. We were returning to Lisa’s brother Andrew’s house after visiting the Budweiser brewery in Jax. The brewery is a blast. You get a free tour, and at the end you get free beer.

After our tour and beer we were heading back to the house, and as often happens I saw two eagles at a moment I did not expect them. One was following the other in flight. They came from the tree tops which flank the highway, and were just coasting along. Neither was very high off the ground, only just above the trees, and since they were not in a hurry, we were able to get a nice glimpse of them in flight. That was the cherry on top of an already great day.

Eagle Count, 2011 – 4

March 11, 2011.  Lisa and I drove to St. Pete to be with her cousins who lost their grandmother this week.  You always hope for better circumstances to meet with family, but you also take the opportunities you have.  We drove through the Big Bend Region, Nature Coast, and Sun Coast of Florida; many parts I used to drive when I was in marketing out of Gainesville.  A lot of memories are attached to these areas, so I was a bit nostalgic.

The thing that always gets me about any kind of experiences in life is that we seem to be caught off guard by the best experiences.  Whenever I drive in Florida I keep one eye on the sky, and one on the road, just in case an eagle might appear somewhere.  This day was no different.  The surprise came in Dixie County, in a little town called Tennille, where we were just coasting down US 19, when an eagle jumped out from behind a bush right near our car, circled around us and the road, and landed back in the grass where it was probably feeding.  We were closer to an eagle in the wild than I have ever been.  The crazy thing was, we almost missed it, because we weren’t looking in the grass for a bird, and we almost hit it!  It was an unusual sighting, but very satisfying.

Later as we were driving, we decided to take a lunch break.  We saw a sign for a state park, and decided that would be a great place to eat our lunch, and appreciate the Florida country-side.  After taking a wrong turn, we decided to turn around at a Jewish community center.  As I turned into the parking lot, I thought I saw a white head on top of a bird off in the distance.  Sure enough, we saw an eagle perched on an old, dead tree.  It was perched on a branch, near a nest.  Two surprises for the price of one.  Two more encounters with eagles in one day, and neither one expected.  Life is good.

Eagle Count: 6 (and 1 nest).

I grew up a fan of baseball in the 1980s, the decade which most analysts would agree was the most balanced decade in baseball history. Because of this balance you did not see anybody hit 50 home runs in a single season, and you saw very few instances of pitchers dominating the game like Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax in the 1960s. Although it is very possible steroids were introduced before this decade, I think we can agree that steroids were at best on the periphery. There are exceptions to this rule – Jose Canseco (who became the first 40-40 player in major league history in 1988), and possibly Mark McGwire, with maybe a few other players thrown in.

This takes me to my two favorite players in the 1980s – Don Mattingly and Alan Trammell. Mattingly exploded into baseball in 1984 when he batted .343 and won the batting title. He followed that with 145 RBIs in 1985, the most for a single season throughout the 1980s. He went to 6 All-Star games, and won 9 Gold Gloves at first base. He finished his career with a .307 lifetime average and over 2,100 hits. These numbers would be considered marginal to get Mattingly into the Hall of Fame, based on him having 4 huge seasons in baseball, and several good seasons. The issue with Mattingly was a back injury he sustained in 1987 that plagued him for the rest of his career. From 1990-1995, Mattingly never hit higher than .304 and did not amass more than 17 home runs in a season. Mattingly has yet to get more than 30% of the votes needed to get into the Hall of Fame.

Next is Alan Trammell, who played from 1977-1996, as a slick fielding, quick short-stop who had great bat control. In 1980 he batted .300 for the first of seven times in his career (as a comparison, Cal Ripken accomplished this 4 times in his career, Ozzie Smith did it once, Pee Wee Reese hit .300 one time, Luis Aparicio hit .300 one time, and Phil Rizzuto hit .300 one time – all of these short-stops are in the Hall of Fame). Playing as a contemporary to Hall of Famers Robin Yount and Cal Ripken, Trammell still managed to earn 4 Gold Gloves and 6 All-Star appearances. In addition he won the MVP of the 1984 World Series, and was a career .333 hitter in the playoffs (it is also not fair to compare playoff experience of players before 1995 to current players, because under current MLB rules the Tigers would have made the playoffs 5 times during Trammell’s career instead of twice). Last, compare Trammell’s 1987 season to Derek Jeter’s 1999 season (easily considered Jeter’s best) – the stats are almost identical. Trammell ended his career with a .285 average, and over 2,300 hits from the short-stop position. Again, as with Mattingly, Trammell battled various injuries throughout his career, and has gotten little consideration for the Hall of Fame.

Where do I go with all of this? First, consider the timing when Mattingly and Trammell could be considered for the Hall of Fame. Mattingly was eligible for voting for the first time in 2001. This was 3 seasons after Mark McGwire hit 70 home runs, and 2 seasons after he hit 66 home runs. In addition, in 2000, Jason Giambi (who also used steroids) won the MVP award with a .333 average and 43 home runs. Several first basemen in that year alone had seasons that trumped Mattingly’s best, making Mattingly’s numbers (particularly his power numbers) seem average at best for his career. The question is how many of the players in 2000 were using steroids, and how did this effect the votes for the Hall of Fame?

Similarly, Alan Trammell was eligible for Hall of Fame voting in 2002. Looking at the short-stop position around that time we find Alex Rodriguez who hit 41 home runs in 2000 while batting .316, and 52 home runs with a .318 average in 2001. You also have Miguel Tejada hitting 30 home runs from the short-stop position in 2001 (another known steroid user). These along with Nomar Garciaparra and Derek Jeter (and I am not saying they juiced, but how do we know who did and didn’t?) were what voters saw as they were considering Trammell’s numbers, which now do not look as impressive despite the fact they compare very favorably to short-stops of prior eras of baseball.

Last, the production of Alan Trammell and Don Mattingly were both harmed by nagging injuries they dealt with throughout their careers. I question how effective they would have been if they had used a substance which helped them simply heal from injuries. This is the excuse often used by players who were caught using illegal substances. We already know that performance enhancing drugs prolonged the career of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. How fair is it that Mattingly, Trammell, and a whole host of other players now have to be compared to players who cheated to fight injuries and prolong their careers? This is a side effect of the steroid era I don’t think gets addressed properly, and the part that angers me the most. The integrity of the game, going all the way back to the beginning is now put into question, and the players who did not cheat are the ones who pay the price.

In years past we made sure our tree was up on the day after Thanksgiving, and we would go through the motions of church, and other decorations around the house, while figuring out who we would spend Christmas with, and where.

This year we were in Sydney, Australia on the day after Thanksgiving, and it was above 80 degrees, with plenty of sun. This did not create an atmosphere where we felt like we were getting ready for the holiday season. We returned on December 4, with the plan to leave Kansas again on December 18. With only 2 weeks, we asked why should we put up a tree at all. We didn’t, and also decided we would skip all of it – the cookies, food, snacks, decorations, etc. It was nice to take a year off, and to spend the holiday in a warmer climate where walks on the beach were the norm. Lisa and I slept in the Everglades on Christmas night, after having a picnic at a little outdoor table. Honestly, I couldn’t have imagined a more wonderful way to have spent the day.

Still, we both came to the conclusion that we need our Christmas tree each year. The reason for that is a tradition we started years ago – whenever we visit anything interesting or memorable, we buy an ornament to place on our tree, and thus talk about these great experiences we have had in years past. That is my favorite Christmas tradition, and honestly it is one of my favorite traditions, period. Even while we were tooling around Florida, we stopped and bought a Christmas ornament to place on our tree next year, and as I paid for it, we lamented not putting up the tree this year.

What did we learn? First, Christmas is what you make it. Be thankful for what God has given us, not only on Christmas, but every day. Also, don’t make Christmas about getting more, but about gratitude. Last, even though there are few traditions Lisa and I hold dear, we still have at least one that we want to honor each Christmas from now on, because it is our shared experiences that make our life so amazing.

My favorite bird by far is the owl. Part of that goes back to my 6th grade science class, where we dissected owl pellets. Mostly, I just think they are interesting, beautiful, and fascinating creatures. When we lived in Gainesville I was aware of at least two owls that would hunt around our neighborhood (I could tell because they had different calls). One of them liked to perch just outside my bedroom window and talk in the wee hours of the morning. It always woke me up, because I am a terribly light sleeper. One night, just after dinner, it made a rare appearance in our backyard, with just enough light to see it. We stared at it until it flew away – he was so majestic. When I think of what I miss about Gainesville, owls are one of the first things that come to mind. Another bird I thoroughly enjoyed in Florida was the kingfisher (the belted kingfisher to be exact). These birds conjure up memories of Lisa and I visiting the Everglades. They seemed to be everywhere, but never in one place for too long – they are a hyperactive little bird. They perch on tree branches or poles near bodies of water, because that is where their food supply comes from.

 This morning I was totally surprised to spot a kingfisher while driving Lisa to work. It was perched on a pole overlooking a retention pond. I slammed on the brakes to watch it (fortunately nobody was behind me), and soon enough it was flying laps around the pond before moving on to something that had a better chance of feeding it. I was in shock. I honestly had no clue kingfishers would travel this far north, and this far away from a major body of water. I hoped he wasn’t lost.

When I got home I decided to look up habitats for kingfishers, because I was worried. I noticed right away that they can be found as far north as Canada and Alaska. The little critter was flying south for the winter, because this has been a very cold fall, and it was time for him to warm up. I can imagine he reversed the route Lewis & Clark took, following the Missouri River down from North Dakota, and making a little stop in Overland Park, ensuring our community lived up to its name. Then I had to wonder if he would end up in the Florida Everglades. I wonder if he returned their every year around this time, just like the “snowbirds” we see driving to St. Petersburg and St. Augustine each year. Then my memories floated back to those places in Florida where I did see all of the wild, amazing birds who filled the sky with their flight and their calls. Who would have thought seeing a little bird perched on a post, looking for his breakfast in a retention pond could have such an affect on me?

The idea of the commissioner actually started in 1903. Back then the American League and National League were trying to reach a truce. They did so by creating this commission, which consisted of the presidents of each of the leagues, and a 3^rd party commission chairman. After the 1919 debacle, the owners decided that the commission needed to be independent, and it needed to be made of non-baseball people. When Landis was asked to be the chair of the commission, he said he would take the position only if he were the one and only person with power. He also wanted absolute power. The owners were desperate to get this embarrassment behind them, so they agreed to Landis’ terms.

The problem with this arrangement was that Landis now had the ability to operate as he saw fit, without much in the way of accountability. Prior to being commissioner, Landis got Jack Johnson banned from professional boxing for taking a white woman across state lines. This attitude continued, as Landis blocked all attempts to allow African-Americans to play baseball. Since he served until his death in 1944, he became the primary reason fans never saw Satchel Paige playing while at the peak of his career, and why fans were never able to find out if Josh Gibson could break Babe Ruth’s home-run records in the major leagues.

Still, Judge Landis’ job was to clean up baseball. He began by banning the 8 men who had knowledge of the 1919 World Series fix. What’s interesting about this is that players came to the defense of “Shoeless” Joe Jackson by stating he did not help throw the series (and his statistics from the series will corroborate that). Judge Landis banned him for having knowledge of the fix, and not telling anybody that a fix was on. In other words, Joe Jackson is banned from baseball for not being a rat.

It is also interesting to note that once this scandal had been dealt with, the owners fully expected Judge Landis to step down from the office, so baseball could resume as it had prior. The commissioners office was never intended to last longer than the emergency period that was in place. Somebody forgot to tell this to Judge Landis, who held on to the office for 24 years. The commissioner was smart to demand the powers he now had, because the owners could do nothing to him now that the scandal was over with.

The banning of the White Sox players did prevent this type of event from occurring again in the sport, as many of the players had no other means of income, and didn’t want to lose the ability to make money at the only they really knew how to do well. Still, it is interesting that Judge Landis did not ban Ty Cobb or Tris Speaker, who also in 1919 had bet on baseball. This ultimately is the flaw with the office of baseball commissioner – his whims become gospel.

Now let’s fast forward to today. Bud Selig, the current commissioner is a former owner of the Milwaukee Brewers. How is it that an office which was created to be independent of baseball men now has a former baseball owner running it? That goes back to a 3-year period from 1985-1987 when owners colluded against players, but agreeing (behind closed doors) to keep salaries down for free agents. In 1990, a settlement for this activity was reached, and the owners had to pay $280 million to the players who were free agents in those 3 years. Fay Vincent, then commissioner of baseball was very much on the side of the players, and railed against the owners for stealing from the players and getting caught. Bud Selig was one of the owners named by Vincent.

Because the commissioner is voted into office only by the baseball owners, soon the owners voted Vincent out of office, because owners felt he favored the players over them. While they searched for a new commissioner, Bud Selig filled the role as “Chairman of the Baseball Commission.” In 1998, he was given the title of commissioner.

I write all of that to ask what is the role of the baseball commissioner? The number one rule for the commissioner is to see to the “best interests of baseball.” Is the office of commissioner in the best interests of baseball? I am curious why after 90 years we still think a dictatorship is in the best interest of baseball. The original intent of the office of commission was to have a 3 person panel make decisions which would shape baseball. I say we take it further, and make a larger panel of the commission office – similar to what we have in the U.S. Supreme Court. Let’s have a player representative (active or retired) from each league, an owner representative from each league, the presidents of each league, and a non-baseball chairman who meet, discuss issues, vote, and act for the best interests of baseball. Maybe then we could at least give Joe Jackson and Pete Rose their “day in court.” Maybe then we could get this performance enhancing drug issue dealt with properly. Maybe then we could get a little more equality between the teams in the league, so the Yankees don’t make the playoffs every year based off the amount of money they spend alone. Let’s start making sense of the office of commissioner with a team of people who can constructively come up with solutions together, instead of relying on the opinions of 1 out of touch dictator to decide what is and is not right for baseball.