Sunday AM

53rd Street SB's. Quiet. Big difference from the gathering yesterday morning at the Duck Creek store where my pal Roy hosted his now, designated-by-me, coffee entourage. The entourage has taken on a life of it's own.

I started to watch the pro football game last night in which the Patriots were attempting to complete an undefeated season. This was the game that the NFL Network had originally been scheduled to broadcast only on it's limited cable feed, and that had then been opened-up to the regular networks due to it's "historic" (to whom?) importance. I fell asleep before halftime.

Football may be the only major pro sport where an undefeated season is truly possible. There are just too many games in baseball, basketball, and hockey for a team to not to lose. Anything over 100 (out of 162) wins in baseball, 60 (out of 82) wins in basketball, and who knows (?) in hockey, are considered great seasons.

Individual pro sports also have few undefeated examples. Rocky Marciano in boxing. Others? Maybe some bowlers, archers (Robin Hood comes to mind), or runners? Seems like everyone loses. Tiger. Michael. Federer. That must be why culture gets so fascinated with the undefeated season, whatever the endeavor.

College, high school, and other amateur teams go undefeated fairly often in various sports. Talent allocations can be more easily skewed at these lower levels of sport, and competition is often un-even. Not all sports have true elimination tournaments (NCAA D-I football, i.e.), and not all teams or players may necessarily appear in all events. None the less, any undefeated season in any sport at any level is an accomplishment that will stay with the competitor for his/her lifetime.

Switching gears.

I feel somewhat vindicated from one of the Q & A's in this morning's Parade magazine. The question was as to why the female characters on the various CSI shows consistently wear such low-cut tops. Not that I have in anyway found the the fashion offensive, but it has often occurred to me that the revealing attire wouldn't normally be considered work-appropriate. The response in Parade made sense: wardrobe is decided by the shows' producers who follow the Hollywood mantra, "the deeper the cleavage, the higher the ratings." Another mystery solved.

Lots of local and national stories this weekend on the "Best" and "Worst" of 2007. Movies, music, sports, entertainment and the like. Here's my shot at the fam's Best of 2007:

1. 1 and 1.1's wedding weekend.
2. 3's college graduation.
3. 3's starting her career in C-town.
4. 4's Summer in Spain.
5. 2's half's in St. Louis and QC.
6. My successful Turkey Trot with 2.
7. 4's 21st B-day.
8. 1's first sub-4, and 1.1's first.
9. 2, 3,and 4's FFF in Europe.
10. Tuscan red with all.

Here are some "Best's"that are a bit more personal:

1. Augie b-ball games.
2. The re-model of my bathroom.
3. The Saturday TOMRV ride to Galena.
4. The laptop and a mobile 4000 Days.
5. Friday nights at Biaggi's.
6. Crow Valley golf tournament with Roy.
7. SB's coffee at multiple local sites.
8. QC Criterium sponsored by my company.
9. Successful, safe trips to KC, TC's, PHX, C-town, and others.
10. Contact from old ND friends Mary and Bill.

Those contacts from Mary and Bill came separately, and totally out of the blue. I think I wrote here about them at the times that they appeared. Good friends can last a lifetime.

Ok. I've just set a personal record of time in a SB's at a single sitting. They haven't asked me to leave, but they are looking at me funny.

Have a great day.

BCOT