CHICKEN SALAD, ON RYE, UNTOASTED

The Cast 061219

FILLERBUSTER’S ELEVEN

BACKGROUND:  This started as a long-winded numbered blog years ago.  It transformed into an organized long-winded category blog more recently.  Now, as of next time and kind of today, it is a quick-hitter to ease your pain.  I lack time basically.  So, the preparation of the blog actually made me procrastinate from writing the thing, even though the time I spent writing it was joyful.  Let’s streamline moving forward.  Let’s see which stories make the cut each time.  Barely edited as usual unfortunately, so please excuse any mistakes during my stream of consciousness.  I feel the need…the need for speed.  Let’s turn and burn.

(I allowed myself a little more flexibility on length since it has been a week and a half.  Some items are “multi-tiered” for this round.  It will be more quick-hitter for future ones.)

SETTING:  Written during first period and first break of Game 7.  Released before second period.

1. EVERGREEN:
   1. Do not discount the most recent, straight-set outcome of Federer-Nadal.  I hope you were able to enjoy it live or on replay.  Know this.  This doesn’t indicate that Federer is done, although it is quite a chore for someone his age to hold off all of the fantastic youthful up-and-coming groundstroke geniuses from across the pond or south of us.  This is simply not Federer’s territory.  Actually, the fact he made it there for the demolition was impressive enough.  But, that tournament, which I call The Nadal Open, is Nadal’s until he tells us otherwise.  It is a very rare upset or unfortunate injury that can beat Nadal on clay historically, so do not forget the brilliance of this rivalry for a second before it vanishes.  For you non-tennis fans, watch the next one, where we will marvel not at Federer’s mastery, but at Nadal’s ability to transform his game to grass, the quicker surface.
   1. There are so many levels to the Kevin Durant story.  One, the series has not gone how anyone envisioned it, even if you bet on the Raptors (the Warriors should have won Game 4).  Two, if they lose, KD’s importance will be even greater than we knew it was when he joined the Warriors as the #1 or #2 ranked player in the league.  Three, the ruptured Achilles sends shockwaves through the league.  Some teams might even back off now, wondering if he will be his old self.  But, with technology, science, and hard work, he will rebound.  Wherever he lands, he will change the dynamics of the NBA playoffs next year, and it is hard to find players who can do it.  Four, if they lose, will he stay with the Warriors?  Probably not, but their future is in his hands too, as teams have figured out the Warriors without KD (slightly).  Five, this changes what the Warriors are in history if they lose.  They suddenly go from one of the most dominant teams ever, to a team that won a bunch in the 2000-teens.  Six, HOW can a group of people, outside of Philly, all think an injury is GOOD and cheer???  It blows my mind that the masses’ immediate reaction is not “man, we wanted to beat you all full-strength.”  Toronto’s reaction was scary. 
   1. Game 7’s are great in every sport, but they are extra special in hockey to me.  One, the history is greater in the NHL.  You have different formats, different eras, and different rules in other sports, but it is really just hockey in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  Two, the announcers are the best of any sport, and I will argue until my death on this note.  Three, it is the hardest team sport title to win.  Hockey is the toughest sport of the big four, and winning the best of seven FOUR times in that sport has to be respected.  Four, the refs LET them play the game.  Penalties are called, but only really bad ones have to occur late to get the whistle.  They respect that, at a certain point in the game, they have to WIN the game.  Five, Game 7’s are cool, but when the CUP is in the house for the winning team, that is ridiculously pressure laden and reward driven.  Six, the handshakes are immaculate and almost religious.  College basketball is my favorite sport, but I will take the genuineness and history of the final handshake line over One Shining Moment any day of the week.  It is special.  I hope you tuned in.
   1. Love the Game 7, but remember that tomorrow is the US Open in golf.  Of the four Majors, it demands the straightest drives, and the best short game.  The rough is the longest, the exactness is the most needed, and mistakes are not as loosely paid for as places like Augusta.  The golf is not full of birdies, which won’t excite a non-golf fan base, and sometimes just being below par is a victory.  You won’t see many hole-in-ones, you won’t see eagles, and it is merely which player struggles the least, because they all will struggle.  It is like a late 80’s Pistons title game.  It won’t be pretty or flashy, but it is the greatest test to every player on the course.  Make a paradigm shift and enjoy the beauty of the ugliness.
   1. Father’s Day is Sunday.  I love how my Dad brought me up.  I listened early on enough to become a good kid with morals.  I then didn’t listen to him so much as my mid-part of life sort of went off the tracks a bit.  Now, I listen to him, and enjoy and follow all (most) of the lessons he taught me.  He sacrificed SO much of his time for all of my various activities and sports loves that seemed to change like a pinball.  He recognized when I did something good.  He blocked my basketball shot until I could shoot over him, making me better.  He used his teacher career to assist in my school learnings.  He used fool’s mate on me at chess to teach me a harsh lesson, and beat me until I could beat him.  He would invite me to play horseshoes with him, but then threw ringers over and over until I became a player myself who could do the same to my friends.  And, he took me fishing ALL THE TIME and I loved those days.  Whether watching the line at 5am when they dumped the trout in a lake, or on the bay or ocean water catching weakfish or flounder (once a baby shark and a sea turtle when I thought it was a big one), I loved those days.  He is not a fisherman, he is an angler.  And he was not a good dad, but the best dad.  Thanks, Dad.  Happy Father’s Day.
2. NFL:  How did Le’Veon Bell’s story not get more pub with the stolen jewelry?  $520k was stolen, and the robbery happened because his “girlfriends” took the stuff.  In his own house.  I will try not to write about my wishes for AB and LB to fail TOO much, and I know Big Ben had a hand in this whole thing, but it still won’t stop the smirk I get when reading stories like this.
3. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Kevin Warren is the COO of the Minnesota Vikings right now.  He just got named Big Ten Conference Commissioner as of January, 2020.  He will be the FIRST black Big 5 commissioner ever.  HOW have we let this happen in today’s society?  How has someone else of color not been given the chance to lead a conference?  I feel like we just time warped back 20 years, but SO happy he is getting a shot that blacks have deserved forever.  He will be great at his new job.
4. COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The NCAA will move back the three-point line to the international line next year.  This has taken too long.  The fact that there are three different distances in a game where the rim is always 10 feet high is ridiculous.  Glad they are finally doing it, and making it closer to the NBA range, but why can’t we unite the three distances?  I get everyone has their opinions and rules and beliefs, but the fact that the three parties can’t agree that shooting from deep anywhere should be the same anywhere is beyond me.
5. NBA: 
   1. TonyParker is retiring at age 37.  Four titles, six ASG appearances, two-time FIBA player of the year, one NBA Finals MVP, and a class act to boot.  Think the 27 teams who drafted ahead of him in 2001 kick themselves every once in a while?  28.  Wow.  Swing and a miss.
   1. The Raptors are showing that a position-less defense CAN guard a position-less offense, and that defense wins championships.  They might not have the flash of other types of teams, but they have locked down the Splash Brothers about as well as you can.  What a script Kawhi can write if they can pull this off.  Also, you play the season to get this home court advantage that has been so important for the Raptors.
6. NHL:
   1. I am releasing this after the first period.  I have the Blues winning this game 3-2.  Can’t stop a team of destiny, and Boston has had enough title happiness in the last few years.  Gloria!
7. MLB:
   1. Really, really sad that David Ortiz got shot IN HIS OWN COUNTRY.  Glad he will be OK, and that was one of the more surreal stories I could imagine, considering his legendary status in that country.  I guess some people really want $7.8k that badly.
   1. Get mad and throw stuff, but don’t let it hit the wall, come back and hit you in the face, and need stitches, Mr. Brett Gardner.
8. MISCELLANEOUS: Sir Winston won the Belmont Stakes, proving again that I can’t pick horses to save my life.  My dark horses were in the bottom 3.  One thing I will say about the last race of the Triple Crown.  I LOVE the longer length, and I really think it makes the back stretch that much more exciting.  I don’t know the horse world enough to know if it is feasible, but I really wish they could lengthen the season we watch racing.  Maybe put another week in between each race to get full fields.  But, I don’t have a farm, and have no idea if that idea works.
9. THIS AND THAT (with liberties):
   1. Billions swayed this way and that way throughout the season, but ended on a drop-the-mic episode only rivaled by a Season 2 episode in twists.  I had the same feeling I did after Usual Suspects, the ultimate compliment.
   1. The Jeopardy guy lost, and we will never know how much he gambled on him to lose in that exact episode, but, like any good gambler, I assume he hedged somehow.
   1. If you like Game Of Thrones, the documentary on the making of it is quite solid.  Instead of only following the main characters, it made an art of following the not-so-big people.
   1. My wife got stuck in Saving Private Ryan over the weekend.  That movie is not only a well-written, GREAT movie.  That movie is a walk down memory lane as far as now big-time or semi-big time actors.
   1. Radiohead got hacked and the hackers wanted $150k to not release the hidden material.  Showing again how cool that band is, the band just released it for everyone, with a special of $23 for the next “eighteen” days.
   1. The Family Guy where he is stuck in the elevator with God was hilarious and was one I hadn’t caught yet.
10. THE FILLERBUSTER (with slight liberties):
    1. I caught myself watching MacGyver this weekend.  Cheesy show, but man it teaches you to think outside of the box and be mad you didn’t pay more attention in science class.
    1. For Denver peeps, if you are feeding three or more people and don’t mind picking it up, Parisi at 44^th and Tennyson has a family dinner with the most magical salad and pasta for $36.  Value, value, value, taste.
    1. Little things make me happy.  After my colleague and I made an obscure reference in a casual conversation to The Rye episode, a client actually used “hot and heavy” on a work call.
11. TWEET OF THE WEEK

The theme?  Seinfeld reference to George doing the opposite of everything for an episode.  I want to write a lot.  I don’t have time and you probably want it shorter.   Let’s do the opposite.

That’s it for today.  Writing time in new format was about 30 minutes end to end, as opposed to a couple of hours.  Hope you enjoyed or are at least more informed.  Remember two things.  First, feed yourself, feed your family, but always, always remember to…feed the wolf.  Second,  if you can’t spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker.  Will I blog again?  That is a CLOWN question, bro.  As one shepherd said to the other shepherd, let’s get the flock out of here.

ALTERNATE CATEGORIES NOT MAKING TODAY’S CUT

1. THE BEST WORKOUT SONG EVER FOR THIS WEEK (because the best song this week IS the best song ever…for now):
2. QUOTE OF THE WEEK
3. LINKS TO SAVE YOU TIME IN LIFE
4. TRAVEL
5. THIS WEEK’S LIST
6. MY NUMBERS
7. GONE FISHING (the riddle for money):
8. PICS BY MY PIXEL (pictures from my phone):

duke msu headline big ten acc challenge

Biden’s son secretly married

Cavs hire gottlieb from cal as asst

JuJu no hard feelings towards AB

Nunez sad about DR shooting, talks with Ortiz

Celts-Lakers each talk to Pels about AD

Cousins says .500 QB-needs to do better

Pats tampering charges against Texans

Bieber challenges tom cruise

Balia Principe killing people

Press your luck reboot will suck-wasn’t good back then