I am not really a sports fanatatic, but it is a very important part of popular culture, around the world, and I am a fan of popular culture. So I note, with some regret the loss that the Clevleand Indians had at Fenway Park last night. On the other hand, the Boston Red Sox played a great game and deserve to go to the World Series and I will watch and hope that the bring home the chanmpionship this year.
By the way... the first Offical World Series winners were the from Boston, (the Patriots later to be known as the Red Sox) in 1903 when the beat the Pittsburg Pirates. A series of exhibiton games were played in 1882 and 1883 between the winners of the American Association and the National Leagues. Championship games were offically played after that until a World Series was offically recognized in 1903. (The Yankees have the most World Series wins though the Pirates have beat them more often when they have played in the World Series together).
Now the important thing in all of this is that Americans are a very competitive people, and we seem to have a need to have a champion of something. There are many important spins offs of this which I won't go into here, you can bet on that! Baseball's champion for 2007 hasn't been recognized yet but we are torn up over something called the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) for college football. Started in 1998 to determine who the National Champion in College Football would be, (we seemed to exist well enought for 100 years without knowing). Well now we can know except that there seems to have been some controversy about how the ratings are determined and who should play in what bowl ever since the computer based system was set up by six major college conferences, leaving out some good non-conference teams.
...and the bottom line to all this rambling, Americans are a very competitive people who like games and try to live by the rules!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Autumn muesings?
It is fall, the darkness lingers later in the mornings, and descends more quickly at night. Even on a warm day, the evenings are cool. The air has a fresh dampness that is refreshing. One can smell the sweetness of victory all around us as play off games are approaching... yes the end of another sports season.
That wonderful convergence of times when we are more then halfway through football season and baseball is finally getting it's World Series contendors lined up. In the midwest, by now we usually sit back and watch those great coastal powerhouse teams in the runup to the Series and are content to count on College Football victories to feel satisfaction, this year the heart of Cleveland beats strong as the warm flush of success cuts through the cool autumn air. Could this be the year that the Tribe really makes us proud. The Buckeyes are No. #1 in the polls but there is the usual chatter about how they don't deserve it, but all who are true to the cause hope that this is the year that they can be vindicated, though respect of the sports writers will still be long in coming.
...and as fierce is our pride here, our fan loyality is not as overwhelming as can be found in countries around the world. The Cold War has ended but the fight for national honor is still strong in distant shores. England is going to Russian for a play off game in soccer. The fan competition now is about which country has the most vicious hooligans!
English fans were famous for the drunkin brawls before during and after the games. Now the Russians are claiming that the Brits have become lazy, that they are content with sitting in front of the the 'teley', drinking beer, and watching the game, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT! I thought that was a ritual the Americans have perfected years ago. So while fewer and fewer Brits are taking to the streets the Russians are gushing with pride about beating the "Sh...t" out of each other, as a show of strength for their football club. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7048137.stm
...and I thought those Europeans were so cultured, shut up, pass the chips and another brewsky, the commercal is over it's time to get back to the game!
That wonderful convergence of times when we are more then halfway through football season and baseball is finally getting it's World Series contendors lined up. In the midwest, by now we usually sit back and watch those great coastal powerhouse teams in the runup to the Series and are content to count on College Football victories to feel satisfaction, this year the heart of Cleveland beats strong as the warm flush of success cuts through the cool autumn air. Could this be the year that the Tribe really makes us proud. The Buckeyes are No. #1 in the polls but there is the usual chatter about how they don't deserve it, but all who are true to the cause hope that this is the year that they can be vindicated, though respect of the sports writers will still be long in coming.
...and as fierce is our pride here, our fan loyality is not as overwhelming as can be found in countries around the world. The Cold War has ended but the fight for national honor is still strong in distant shores. England is going to Russian for a play off game in soccer. The fan competition now is about which country has the most vicious hooligans!
English fans were famous for the drunkin brawls before during and after the games. Now the Russians are claiming that the Brits have become lazy, that they are content with sitting in front of the the 'teley', drinking beer, and watching the game, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT! I thought that was a ritual the Americans have perfected years ago. So while fewer and fewer Brits are taking to the streets the Russians are gushing with pride about beating the "Sh...t" out of each other, as a show of strength for their football club. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7048137.stm
...and I thought those Europeans were so cultured, shut up, pass the chips and another brewsky, the commercal is over it's time to get back to the game!
Monday, October 15, 2007
My Brother from THE FORCE...
You may think that you recognize the individual to the right, but you might be surprised to find out that you are probably wrong. Celebrities life cycles come and go, and 
would a good hero be without a good villian to "go up against". We
almost know more about our friend Vader then we know about Luke
Skywalker by now, or even care to know. Luke has become passe and
yet we are still intrigued by his foe and father Darth Vader.
And as I started out, you think that you know all about Darth Vader,
but there are still things that you may not know. He had a younger
brother, Chad Vader! As in all things in popular culture, things are
repeated and copied and morphed, success begets series, and over time new frontiers are forged. Stories about Chad Vader are now appearing on YOUTUBE, "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wGR4-SeuJ0" There you may follow the adventures of Chad Vader, Day Shift Manager. He speaks to us, and we identify with him. He is in our lifes everyday, he is much more powerful then his older brother who lives in a Galaxy Far Away, because Chad is here among us. Fear him, because he is near.
would a good hero be without a good villian to "go up against". We
almost know more about our friend Vader then we know about Luke
Skywalker by now, or even care to know. Luke has become passe and
yet we are still intrigued by his foe and father Darth Vader.
And as I started out, you think that you know all about Darth Vader,
but there are still things that you may not know. He had a younger
brother, Chad Vader! As in all things in popular culture, things are
repeated and copied and morphed, success begets series, and over time new frontiers are forged. Stories about Chad Vader are now appearing on YOUTUBE, "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wGR4-SeuJ0" There you may follow the adventures of Chad Vader, Day Shift Manager. He speaks to us, and we identify with him. He is in our lifes everyday, he is much more powerful then his older brother who lives in a Galaxy Far Away, because Chad is here among us. Fear him, because he is near.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
You are out of the this world!!
October 4. 50 years ago the Soviet Union launched the first object into space orbit. No man made article orbited our planet before then. Since that time it has become more and more crowded in space, now there are people living full time in space, all the time! It is second nature to us, people on Earth don't seem to think anyting about it, that there are always people living out beyond our comfortable cozy little blue planet.
Was this just the beginning of the space race or something more, I think it is something much more. Of course, the development of space has changed our world here in innumerable ways, but among them is a growing dependence and fascination with technology generally.
Icons, enduring symbols for things that a culture values. Sputnik, an icon for technology and the inpact that it has had on our lives?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
