Weather or Not, We Ski

Twelve inches of snow a couple weeks ago, then a week of temperatures in the teens with an additional inch or so each day.  Follow that with rain and you have difficult conditions cross country skiing.  But we did that Thursday trying out our new skis.  Those  poor conditions gave way to above-freezing temperatures through today when 30 mph winds with gusts to 50 mph kept us watching the sky for falling tree limbs and branches and the melting snow.

O and ___

Almost any NFL fan will be able to tell that 16 goes in the ___.

The Matt Millen era is complete.  He singlehandedly took a respected franchise and drove it into the ground while collecting his $5 million  yearly salary.  And William Clay Ford let him do it!   Hired someone with absolutely NO experience running any organization.  "We've been pretty much stuck on dead center for quite a few years,"  WCF said when he hired MM after a 9-7 season in which the team missed the playoffs on a late field goal in Chicago in the season finale.  " Matt offers us an opportunity to move ahead."    In that time the Lions won 31 and lost an incredible 97 games.  Dead center is 8-8 and the Lions have come close to that only in 2007 when they went 7-9 (after a 6-2 start).  They are averaging fewer than 4 wins per Millen season and they would need to double that to be "dead center."  My guess is five years before they get above 8-8 again.

When he arrived Millen took verbal shots at Lions fans saying they did not understand the game of football.   Dare I say it?  Let's take three of his draft picks (there are others).  Joey Harrington--seems like a great person, but not an NFL starting quarterback.  Charles Rogers--reports of his physical fragility held no sway and he was injured and drug-prone.  Mike Williams--sat out a season fighting NFL draft rules(he could have continued playing for USC) and never got himself in football shape.

Too bad the NFL does not have two leagues so that those who are at the bottom of the top league are relegated to the lower league and the best of the lower get promoted to the top league as they do in English soccer.  Let the Lions work their  way back to the top league if they can.  That might mean a smaller share of TV revenue, less national exposure, etc.  A real penalty for poor performance.

This year the Lions home games were blacked out for the last five games.  Maybe next year viewers can vote to have road games blacked out also.

'etroit Lions

That's right--no D, no defense, Sunday against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints who shredded the Lions for touchdowns on six consecutive possessions.  Not only was this game a terrible defensive performance, so is the entire season.  And remember, the defensive coordinator is Marinelli's son-in-law.  Lions fans were rather docile, saving their energy for the few good plays the Lions made.  Even Saints fans gave up cheering because it became too easy--no real competition.  We talked with some Saints fans and they empathize with us; they remember when their team was called the Aints.  Next Sunday the Lions can seal the deal by losing to the Packers in Green Bay.

The rest of the weekend was wonderful.  Saturday afternoon we visited Pewabic Pottery Museum and Store in Detroit.  Kathy and my second visit, Brenda's first.  Some items were the same, but for the most part the pottery was different.  Brenda thought it might be fun to see where it's made.  No tours of the "shop" but just a peek into the working areas just off the store.  Fortunately Kathy found a piece she liked this trip whereas last time she could not (or maybe there were just too many then).

Checked in at hotel and got ready for dinner and concert at Orchestra Hall--the holiday concert of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Pops Series.  Great holiday music with some pieces we had not heard before--certainly not what one thinks of as traditional Christmas music.  Afterward a drive down Woodward to see the lights and the Christmas tree at Campus Martius Park with skaters on the nearby ice rink on our way back to the hotel.

It was so cold and windy that we decided Sunday morning after breakfast at the hotel to move the car from the hotel to our regular spot a couple blocks north of the stadium to cut our exposure to the elements cutting our walk from 20 minutes to 5.  Normally we would leave the car, walk to Ford Field, then return to pick up the car after the game. Kathy and Brenda found it painful to have skin exposed.  We've had only a few games where the elements have been that severe--thankful Ford Field is enclosed!

Sunday Choices

I decided to go to an Oakland University men's basketball game with Ken and Jim instead of watching the Lions Sunday.  OU beat Rochester College quite handily and Blake Cushingberry from Romeo did quite well for the Golden Grizzlies.

A hush and some muttering came over the crowd when the announcer told us the Lions were tied with Indianapolis early in the fourth quarter.  When I got home Kathy told me the outcome, another loss keeping their streak alive at 14 losses without a win.  I watched most of the game that we had taped and the Lions looked OK.  Then their defense went to work and permitted two late scores.

I am looking forward to Sunday when the Lions play New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees, the quarterback who has thrown for over 4300 yards so far this season.  He'll have a chance to add significantly to that total--unless they are so far ahead they decide to run the ball.

Brenda Impressive at Ford Field

Brenda was chosen for a chance to win a Ford truck.

We walked into the stadium shortly after the gates opened and a man walked up to Brenda and asked her if she would be interested in trying to win the truck.  All she had to do  is throw a football through a target about 24 inches in diameter from a distance of 17 yards(we have seen this during halftimes of games).  (To convince me it is somewhat probable show a video of a Lions quarterback doing it.  Or some other quarterback even.)

"Sure, what do I have to lose."  She then answered Mark's qualifying questions, signed the release forms, etc.  One restriction is she could not have played collegiately or professionally, or coached football, baseball, softball within the last 5 years.  Other questions made it evident they want a lay person participating.

We watched the first quarter from our regular seats, then met Mark at the beginning of the second quarter.  He got us field passes and escorted us down to the field where we stood in the end zone to watch the second quarter.  Exciting except play was at the opposite end of the field from us including two Lions fourth-and-ones and no first down, a Lions interception and fumble recovery.

At the end of the half players from both teams walked by us up the tunnel looking  impressively fit, large, and serious.  They looked the same when they passed us going the other way in the tunnel after halftime.  But I digress.

During halftime the truck with the target was driven onto the field and Brenda was taken to her position.  Her name was announced and her picture shown on the big screen.  She was ready -- pumped up!  She took the ball, her arm went back, she strode forward, and let it fly.  The throw was in line with the target but did not travel far enough and wound up short.  (Lions fans understand that--they've seen it all year!)  We've seen attempts all season and hers was as good as any, better than most.  She commented that the ball was hard as a rock and heavier than she thought it would be.    

Quite a thrill for all of us.  A different view of the game.  We saw parts of the stadium we had not seen before and it's impressive.  And all the staff were very nice to us--warm, funny, but also professional.

Oh, yeah.  The Lions lost again preserving their perfect record.  They seemed to have a chance against the Vikings, but gave up a late score, got closer with a field goal, but could not stop Minnesota from running out the clock, giving up several first downs on third-and-long.  

Keeping Perspective

Ted Kennedy got an honorary doctorate from Harvard recently for his decades of public service.

No doubt public service is important.  And I respect those who perform it.  And lets also recognize those outside federal, state, and local politics.  Those volunteering to coach, officiate, administer sports for young people.  Attendees at local governmental meetings.  People watching school board meetings on a local access cable channel.  Supporters of charities with their time, money, and fund-raising walks and activities.

Politicians pale in comparison to T. C. Pits (the common person in the street) when it comes to public service.  Politicians have benefits from their service--money, prestige, power, influence, notoriety, and even graft.  Many in politics have substantial personal wealth and should find it easy to perform without a need to work to support a family.  Most would find it difficult to quit a job and uproot their family to go into politics.

Let's not make a big deal out of something that may not be.

Signs The Christmas Season Is Here

Unquestionable evidence is the commercials we saw yesterday for

THE CLAPPER

CHIA (gourmet herbs this year).

I can now relax and know all is well.  

I am ready to see How The Grinch Stole Christmas from all the Whos in Whoville and A Charlie Brown Christmas and his wonderful Christmas tree.