drawing the charge

I’m not in shape! I played in last night’s Flight father/son/alumni game with two college freshmen, a good adult, and 13-year old Charles Norman, for a quarter. Took one poor shot…my shoulder’s been hurting since the Christmas football game. But athletic Kevin, who’s great inside, got the ball outside and started to dribble in. I stepped up from near the basket to block his path. He kept coming, so I got set. He ran me over. I fell back, and looked at the ref…John Hoffer from Tech. Not many fouls had been called up to that point. John hesitated, then called the charge. The crowd went wild.

Will played more, and had several rebounds and a few baskets. He had one real nice twisting inside shot that just missed. There were plenty of players, of various skill levels…a few dads and more Flight alumni. The younger alumni later played competitively against the few varsity players there…Connor got to play with the varsity, and made a buzzer-beater three. Joel also made a rare three-pointer.

Normally subdued coach Hoffer made a funny statement. The score was kept from all night, a running score. The alumni went ahead in the last quarter of the JV game, making the confused varsity players think they were doing terrible…so they were frustrated. Coach Hoffer said loudly “Do you guys want to go home?” DJ had played 2 hours earlier, then played much of the middle school game, due to a lack of players available during the early hour. He and Willis, who also played the MS game, were quite tired. DJ and older brother Ben had some violent collisions.

The girl’s game was fun. Kara blocked 2 or 3 of her older sister’s shots. Kara got some baggy shorts and shiny black/teal personalized Nikes (UGLY!) for Christmas. She looks better in her uniform and white shoes. Once she was called for walking…I said it was because her ugly shoes attracted so much attention. Mostly the younger alumni girls played, but late in the quarter the older moms went in…including Becky Norman, in street clothes. The moms started a later quarter. When they were subbed out Becky didn’t understand, and stayed on the court as the ball was inbounded with six defenders…Becky bouncing around trying to guard the ball. She was finally hustled off the court to a bench full of laughter.

Josh’s big brother was reffing, and when a mom was fouled, there was no whistle. On the way back up court I called out “You wouldn’t call that if it had been your own mother, would you!” His mom was on the court at the time.

Tonight Coach Henry and his sons Willie and David are having a party…Matthew likes their little dog. Catcher Andrew is having a party in the same neighborhood…many of the same people will go to both parties. I just want to watch Tech, but may be forced to drive boys home from parties late. Usually Ceil won’t want to stay out late, but if she’s somewhere, she’s slow to leave, as you know. My parents may come back up…they have a funeral in Rome Saturday.

Still some work to do today, but we’ll be leaving early.

Weekend

Left SC about 3:30 on Friday…Will went to play paintball that morning for most of the day. Matthew was finally wearing down, so we timed it well. Saturday we cleaned house, and Sunday we hosted my family’s get-together. Anna is helping Ceil a lot more these days with the cooking, which Ceil enjoys. My family used to open presents one at a time, going around in a circle like that, and it was endless as well. my brother-in-law used to videotape the whole thing, but I doubt the videos were ever played. My sister and brother-in-law stuck around to work on our PC and play the Wii, then Will and I went to see Eagle Eye at the Picture Show…good movie.

Saw some of the Falcons game. It doesn’t seem like they’ve been as sharp these last few weeks…not just Ryan but also the defense. But if the offense isn’t playing well, it puts more pressure on the defense to hold out then entire game, which is almost impossible. Same if the defense isn’t playing good. But it good thing is the falcons aren’t playing well, but they win anyway…that’s great Hopefully they’ll keep it up on Saturday.

Monday I ran some errands at lunch, and ordered a funky pair of new glasses on the way home. Then we went back to the Picture Show to see High School Musical 3. Will went to play basketball, which I had forgotten about. They had a total of 16 last night, but players were coming and going…there was some full court and some half court games. It was the first time I had gone in the gym to pick him up…most of the guys seemed to be college age.

Will's Top Ten Amazing Baseball Plays

10. Only one Mt. Paran Pony batter had ever hit a home run over the outfield fence…14 year-old Luke McElwain, in his last Pony game before going over the age limit. With the bases loaded in a 2007 Titans game, 13 year-old Will hit the fence with a long drive to left-field…with another 12 months of Pony eligibility.

9. Will hasn’t gotten much outfield play, but this spring got to play a little centerfield for the Wildcats. In his first game in center, Will raced into the right-center gap, executing a perfect pop-up slide while scooping up the ball. He quickly turned around and fired to second. The throw beat the shocked runner by ten steps.

Later in the same game Will caught a fly ball to medium deep center, with a runner tagging at third. His throw home came in on a line, and from my angle in the stands it was quite evident the throw would arrive well before the runner. Inexplicably, the first-baseman cut off the throw, and the entire coaching staff groaned (as did I). The out wasn’t made, but the short relay home still made for a close play.

8. One of the biggest of Will’s hits was a bottom-of-the-last-inning, two-out, two-strike, base-loaded, game-winning double off hard throwing David Rajecki as an eleven year old at Mt. Paran.

7. This April the Wildcats won a Stockbridge tournament, and Will made two clutch plays in the extra-inning championship game while catching. The opponent’s leadoff hitter reached second late in the game, then took a huge lead, drawing attention to himself and distracting the pitcher by hopping up and down, clapping his hands. Little did he know Will and shortstop Audie had signaled each other, and Will fired a strike to second, nailing the humiliated runner by two steps. Later Will popped out from behind the plate to field a sacrifice bunt on the third-base side…and fired to third to force the lead runner.

6. Will made another play behind the plate this spring, one I had never seen pulled off ever in baseball. The right-handed batter tapped a ball straight down off the plate. The ball bounced straight up about six feet in the air, then Will stuck his mitt straight out, catching the ball as it fell. He then slapped a tag on the batter, still in the box. Then Will stepped in front of the batter, rolled the ball back to the mound, and hustled into the dugout. The batter was still standing in the box!

5. As a twelve year-old, Will joined a Cooperstown-bound Shaw Park team in late May. Playing centerfield in a Jasper tourney, Will went parallel in a backhanded dive going away from the plate, making a spectacular catch. Both umpires completely lost focus. Will immediately got to his feet and fired to second to double off the runner. The umpires couldn’t see there was no way the runner at second could’ve tagged up and scored on the play, so they counted the run.

4. I've often told the tale of arriving home from a 1981 Charlotte business trip just in time to see seven year-old Will catch a pop, step on second, and tag the runner for an unassisted triple play. Playing second base in the next inning, he caught a line drive and raced to first to double off the runner, for an unassisted double play. Then he threw across the diamond to third. His throw beat the runner back to the bag, but the third-baseman dropped the throw, and another triple play was missed.

3. In 2007 the 13 year-old Wildcats faced off against their highly touted Sandy Plains rivals, the Prowlers. Will came on to pitch in relief and shut down the Prowlers, striking out eleven in 4-2/3 innings.

2. This spring Will’s high school team played a tournament in Chattanooga’s historic Engle Stadium, a field where Ruth and Gehrig trod. The Lions were shorthanded in the Thursday game, fielding only nine. Half the team were eighth graders who’d never played all year. Only three starters were there. Without his best stuff, freshman Will pitched the game of his life, not allowing a hit for 4-2/3 innings of the five inning game.

1. Playing shortstop at a night Pony game in Powder Springs, the rival Yankees put their two best players on base, with another good player at the plate. Will speared a line drive moving to his left. The runners weren’t stealing on the pitch, but Will easily beat the runner back to second. Realizing what was happening, Will sped up and ran down the runner going back to first…for his second career unassisted triple play.

Will's Top Plays: Honorable Mentions

I’ve never recorded a listing of Will’s most spectacular baseball plays, and all I have to go by are memories. Fielding plays are more memorable to me, though Will has certainly had his share of big hits. First here's some honorable mentions…

Honorable Mention
15. His home runs…two each in Roswell and at Shaw Park, and one in Cooperstown, Huntsville, and Panama City.

14. In the Father’s Day 2008 tourney championship in Kennesaw, the other team dads were talking about Will’s clutch diving stop of a grounder up the middle. He got up and threw out the batter at first, to end a potential rally.

13. This past spring in the big rivalry game against Crown, freshman Will made a diving catch of a grounder up the middle, playing second base for his NCA Lions high school. He flipped to SS Josiah for the force at second, and they almost turned the double play.

12. Will has made many unassisted double-plays. One nice one was made this summer at Sandy Plains, against a John Smoltz-sponsored team from Michigan. He made a diving catch of a line drive on the edge of the outfield grass behind second-base, and then had plenty of time to peel his dirty body off the ground and tag the base, doubling off the runner to end the inning.

11. As an eight-year old on Donnie Eglehoff’s Shetland Cardinals team, Will fielded a one out bases-loaded grounder, and confusion ensued. Runners didn’t know what to do, so Will promptly took off with the ball, tagging out runners. He tagged out one runner between home and third, then circled the bases backwards, tagging out the next runner before he got back to second, to end the inning. In the confusion and screaming, play continued. By this time Will had a huge smile on his face, and he ran toward for first and tagged the remaining runner. It took a while for order to be restored, and for everyone to figure out what happened.

Juking Katherine

Despite my best crossover, Katherine moves in to make the tackle.

Touchdown Will

Will beats Ben, but Victoria is about to lower the boom.

Touchdown Hillary

That's not a dance...Hillary is in the process of scoring, outdistancing me, Anna, Grant, Ben, and Zane.

The Whole Gang

Of course, Ceil was taking the picture.

Nancy Drew

Anna's collection of Nancy Drew books is finally complete...now she has the entire set.

12.25.08 8:16 am...opening presents

Christmas Eve Eve

Left work yesterday at 3:40...all day long I was frantically busy...still have tons to do before year end. Ptree Indl was jammed going south, so I took Spaulding to Dunwoody, then south past Pill Hill to Windor Parkway, over to Roswell Road, to get Ceil's present. Got home close to six, as Johnson Ferry was bumper to bumper in Sandy Springs.

Ceil called when I was almost home...they were in line at our stinky Kroger behind bobby Cox. They didn't speak to him, but others did...he shook some hands. Later his old pickup truck turned in to the new subdivision just east of ours...the one with the monsterously big castle house stuck in the middle (that's still vacant).

Ate at home, and left at 7 pm, driving nonstop to Jefferson. Traffic wasn't too bad.

Arrived just in time to see my favorite Letterman of the year...the Jay Thomas QB challenge, where he and Dave throw footballs to knock off the huge meatball on top of the Christmas tree. Thomas told his annual Lone Ranger story, that gets longer and funnier every year. But Thomas also made some quip that was obviously cut out, perhaps having to do with Dave only thinking about Thomas just this once a year. Later Letterman quipped about the unheard remark, making me wonder if he would be invited back next year.

Haven't done much today except surf the web. Read Lang's column on Hawks.com, about the all you can eat seats. Hilarious.

A Clemson football player was pulled over at 2:30 am at the next town up the road, for failed to dim his lights. He was arrested for not having a valid license, and his passengers had open containers. The town is a trap...I've been pulled over there, but luckily the officer recognized Ceil. The player is still playing in the Gator Bowl. Ceil's brother and nephew are going down to Jacksonville for the game.

Not long ago I clicked on a picture on Facebook, of Will's teammate Isaac. Then I decided to look at the related photos. The next picture was a girl I didn't know...wearing a hoodie we bought Will in California! Makes you wonder what happens to the clothes we buy our children. He is always coming home wearing shorts and T's we've never seen before. Another group of photos emerged from a "team" party he attended. Guys and girls in a hot tub, girls jumping around in bikinis. Great.

I've never been to one of these father/son basketball games like they're having next week, but the math says the dads will need players. The JV game is at 7 pm at First Baptist Sandy Springs, on Mt. Vernon between Roswell Road and 400. The girls play at 7:45, then the varsity boys 45 minutes later.

Another bball opportunity...Monday nights (7:30?) at East Cobb Presbyterian, between us and the Avenue, a bunch of guys play pickup. Will, David Norman, and others. At least two grownups sometimes go that I know, Preston's dad Lee and baseballer phenom Willie's dad Coach Henry, both great guys. Lee lives around the corner from us, they have a pool and basketball half court in thier backyard...that gets used quite a bit. I need to go myself.

A Child Named...Dave

Took off Friday. Went to bed Thursday night and realized Friday AM would be a good day to take the van to the shop, so I got up early. They were able to get it fixed for not too much money. Later “the ogre” called, telling me about the EZGo “emergency” of the day. Had to spend a little time on the phone with co-workers, but it wasn’t too big of a deal.

Late Friday afternoon we went with our Johnson Ferry friends to help at the Cobb Civic Center, at the “birthday party for Jesus” …organized by some organization to give gifts to poor children. There were so many people they had to turn some away due to the fire codes. It was good for Matthew and Anna especially. There turned out to be plenty of juiceboxes, cupcakes, and cookies for everyone to have seconds.

Jim and I decided we could best help by being “gate-keepers”…keeping the flow of people orderly and organized. Will and Spencer were at another gate and didn’t understand…they started to let everyone go through their gate too early, and the organizers had to get on the PA to regain order. Each child had to have a nametag to get a gift, which they got when they came in. I’m sure there was some funny-stuff going on with the nametags, but there were plenty of presents. This teen volunteer had a good idea…she gave her nametag to a child who didn’t have one. Later I was able to do the same thing. Wonder if the person passing out presents thought it strange the two-year old Hispanic boy was named “Dave”?

Afterward Anna and her girlfriends went to the small used car lot on Upper Roswell, near the loop, between Pikes and CFA…to get their picture taken with the Santa there. Earlier we had met at the CFA near Johnson Ferry Baptist. The middle school down the road had just let out, and a huge crowd of middle-schoolers trooped in, sitting down without buying anything. Later the owner had to run off two troublemaking skateboarders.

Saturday Ceil shopped and baked cookies until after midnight, which is rare for her. NP was good yesterday, and the January financial series should be good (for Ceil to hear!). Every Sunday when I get to NP early I sit and watch people, like the group of singles that sit near the front. Before the service they also stand around and talk, and most weeks it’s the same cast of characters. Yesterday one of the came and sat next to us, because it was so crowded all his regular seats were taken. He saved a bunch of seats, but no one came, so he gave them up. Turned out to be a nice guy…we chatted for a while on different NP things.

Yesterday Matthew ate too many cookies and got a little crazy. We finally got going on cards. Ceil loves doing stuff like that the hard way, so I was up til midnight. We’ll see if we get any out in the mail today. Those Freund girls sure are big. We haven’t heard from the Coleys.

Today I’ve been making headway all morning.

George Ewing: Basketball Player

Will had practice last night…DJ’s older brother and some college guys scrimmaged the varsity, so it was entertaining. George Ewing played…I had never seen him play basketball, and he was pretty good…converted some fast-break alley-oops and almost dunked. I had no idea he was such an athlete. On the 30^th they’re having a father-son game.

Was hoping to get caught up in this slow period, but am making little progress.

Furcal…guess the agent just publicly played the Braves against LA?

The business of Christmas always bogs Ceil down as well. The Christmas Card task usually falls to me. We’ll see if we ever get a photo made. Would help if I got off Blogspot / Facebook / Rowland’s Office / Uniwatch / AJC.com, huh?

Mike

Liked the classic unis better.

Lum was never a great poser.

Lum

My childhood favorite Brave.

Nike Free Trainer 7.0

Dunno if I'm ready for these...the Nike Free shoes are so light. Gave the black pair to Will. Love them!

more

Hopefully we’ll finish decorating by Thursday…Anna and Matthew have school Wednesday. Seems like I worked on the house all weekend, but it was still a mess. M and W need haircuts…didn’t get that done either

Supposedly at NP they announced they finally have the technology to go live at all 3 campuses at the same time, so all three can hear Andy preach together. Next week they’re supposed to do something new and special. Yesterday they went live to Buckhead, showing Jeff Henderson…then live to Brown’s Bridge to Lane Jones.

Top Ten Signs Your Boss Is Spending Less on the Company Christmas Party

10. Invitation lists time of party as "7pm - 7:15pm"
9. Just eggs... no nog
8. This year's open bar is the water cooler
7. For snacks, he just breaks open the vending machines
6. Instead of a Christmas ham, it's Christmas bologna
5. The mistletoe was replaced with old tea bags
4. Decorations left over from Halloween; food left over from Thanksgiving
3. For party music everyone takes turns listening to his iPod
2. Entire party has been outsourced to India
1. He spent the money on that Senate seat in Illinois

busy weekend

Left work Friday after lunch. Matthew was still sick and needed to stay home. He hadn’t eaten much in several days, so I picked up some yogurt sticks and fruit popsicles at Kroger. Ceil got home from her doctor’s appointment just as I was leaving to take Will to his game. They outscored the opposition in all four quarters, about 14 – 9 in each one. Left the Sandy Springs gym at 6:05, making great time to get to Woodstock in 40 minutes for his school’s open house. My old friend David was there, so we got to hang out all evening…a rare treat.

Cleaned up most of Saturday, while Ceil shopped. Interesting features on Tebow and Richt on the 5 pm ESPN All-American Team Show, on ABC. Took Will and Connor to a team party, and Matthew to Moes. Ceil attended Anna’s ballet performance. Got home in time to see the Heisman presentation, then M watched Narnia.

Sunday AM I took Anna back to Eastside, while C, W, and M went to NP. Eastside’s choir rehearses in the sanctuary, right up to the start of the service, oblivious to the worshipers coming in. Doesn’t make for a very peaceful atmosphere. Anna and the other dancers performed during the Hallelujah Chorus. Of course, this meant all the worshipers stood during the anthem. Luckily Jim and I were sitting near the front on the side, so we could see our daughters. Ceil wasn’t so lucky on Saturday night, after waiting over two hours for the finale. After the long 9:15 am service finally ended, we waited around for the 11 am service to start, seeing a few people we knew. After the 11 am anthem we snuck out.

Ceil had a Sunday lunch at Ted’s. Will and I watched a decent amount of the Falcon game. At five we had our small group Christmas Party. There I must’ve pulled a muscle in my back…early this AM I woke up in pain. Going to the eyedoctor this afternoon.

JV beats Mt.Vernon

The Flight JV beat Mt. Vernon going away Friday by a 56 - 38 score, winning all four quarters. Conner and DJ led the way, scoring 24 and 16 points, respectively.

Flight scored the game’s first eight points, taking a lead they would never relinquish. Conner started things by putting back a rebound, and Kevin repeated the same feat moments later. Next DJ passed to Conner, who scored, then Kevin again scored off a rebound. Connor made a steal, drove, and was fouled...making one foul shot. Next DJ rebounded, and passed over to Kevin for two. After Will made a nice block, DJ drove in, went airborne, switched hands in midair, and banked the shot in for a basket. Connor’s three-pointer made the score 16 - 11 at the end of the first-quarter.

Jake opened the second period with an assist to DJ, who made another bank shot. Deej kept things going with two foul shots, then a steal and drive for another basket, and moments later another bucket...eight straight points to extent the lead to nine...the largest lead of the half. Josh and Connor both made two straight free throws, and Flight outscored the Mustangs 12 - 10 in the quarter, for a 28 - 21 halftime lead.

Kevin had seven rebounds in the first half. On defense, Will deflected a pass inside, but he sprained his finger in the process. It didn’t effect his play, but he did show rust from missing two games with the flu. Flight courted only eight players, missing Isaac, Joel, Joe, Chase, Paxton, and Jonathan B. Jake played quite well, mixing it up against the larger opponents.

Connor hit a three to open the second half, then added a free throw. Jonathan rebounded and passed to DJ for a basket. Connor was fouled after a steal, and made both foul shots. DJ sacrificed his body, standing his ground on defense, and drew a charge. Mt. Vernon tried a full-court press, but Flight was able to repeatedly break it. Once Will found a wide open Connor with a full-court pass for a basket, extending the lead to 14 points. Later Will inbounded inside to Kevin for a basket, and then recorded his third assist of the quarter, passing out to Jake, who promptly basketed a runner. The quarter ended 42 - 30...Flight had again won the quarter by a 14 - 9 score.

Flight began the final quarter with two DJ three-pointers, that were assisted by Ethan and Connor. Up by 17, Coach Hoffer took a call from Ben, who asked his dad what he was doing. Craig casually replied “We’re finishing up a basketball game.” Then Mt. Vernon scored six straight points of their own, and Craig hung up and called time. Josh got the momentum back, assisting on a Connor basket.

DJ had the ball in the corner, surrounded by three or four defenders. He leaded and made an amazing pass to Josh, wide open in the lane. The pass was so surprising that DJ didn’t know if Josh knew it was coming, so while the ball was in the air DJ hollered “Josh!” Josh did handle the pass easily. Later Josh was fouled, and he made a foul shot. Connor made a basket, then later passed to Josh and cut to the basket. Josh made a perfect pass back to the cutting Connor for the basket. Connor’s two free throws with five seconds left made the fourth quarter score 14-8.

Flight............16...28...42...56
Mt.Vernon...11...21...30...38

Connor: 24 pt, rebound, assist, 2 steals
DJ: 16 pt, 9 rb, 2 assists, 4 steals
Kevin: 8 pt, 7 rb, steal
Josh: 3 pt, 4 rb, 3 assists, steal, block
Jake: 2 pt, 2 rb, assist
Jonathan: 5 rb, assist, 2 steals
Will: 2 rb, 3 assists, 2 steals, block
Ethan: assist, 3 steals

We walked out of the Mt. Vernon gym at 6:05 pm, facing a daunting task: navigating Friday rush hour traffic, in the height of December Christmas shopping/party season, from the often gridlocked Perimeter Mall/Sandy Springs area up to Living Science in Woodstock. I knew several popular routes would be jammed, and I went into full back-routes mode....making the 21 mile commute in an amazing 40 minutes (sorry for the bragging!).