6Â years ago on the day after Valentine's Day 2002 I proposed to Shannon Varden. Leading up to the day, I had left little clues here and there about the announcement. For example, I put a note under her desk and had her friend call her and say she had a feeling there was something important under her desk. The note said something about seeing you at the Macaroni Grill on Friday, the 15th. I chose Macaroni Grill because this is where we had our first date. The note was a little cryptic but had a hint that something was coming. We "knew" we were going to get engaged, and I wanted her friends and family to be a part of it as well.
While my romantic skills were good, I still had much to learn about women and marriage. Since I knew I would propose on the 15th, I thought I would down play Valentine's Day to somehow make it more of a surprise so no flowers or anything on her first Valentine's Day with her future husband. Needless to say, it did not go over as I planned. I have since learned all "big" days need to be celebrated.
I love you Shannon Varden, now and forever.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
More College Basketball
My trip to GSA was successful and quite productive. However, the weather in DC caused my flight to be delayed and thus I missed my connecting flight in Detroit. I spent Tuesday night in a Super 8 in Detroit and caught a morning flight to Nashville on Wednesday morning. Glad to be home.
My favorite college basketball writer is Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated. Every Wednesday he does a college basketball mail bag and answers reader's questions. Last week he made a little comment at the end of "The Bag" about sending in good questions which I could tell he was saying "the last few weeks I have had slim pickin's and need some better material." So I thought of a good question and sent it to him.
As you can see here, he answered it. His response is probably the same answer I would have given, but I didn't ask it so much to seek insight as much as to support my favorite college basketball writer and gain a little notoriety out of it. This is the second question I have sent Wahl and got answered in his mailbag, the other question was back in 2006.
My favorite college basketball writer is Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated. Every Wednesday he does a college basketball mail bag and answers reader's questions. Last week he made a little comment at the end of "The Bag" about sending in good questions which I could tell he was saying "the last few weeks I have had slim pickin's and need some better material." So I thought of a good question and sent it to him.
As you can see here, he answered it. His response is probably the same answer I would have given, but I didn't ask it so much to seek insight as much as to support my favorite college basketball writer and gain a little notoriety out of it. This is the second question I have sent Wahl and got answered in his mailbag, the other question was back in 2006.
Monday, February 11, 2008
2 good basketball observations-Part 1
My favorite spectator sport is college basketball. I recently read two articles which I thought made good observations about the sport I closely follow.
The first was about Bob Knight's retiring. Ken Pomeroy has made a name for himself in the last few years through astute and insightful analysis of college basketball statistics. His ratings site has all the numbers you can imagine presented in a "pace-free" way. (Basically, most stats you see on ESPN and CBS are "pace" influenced". For example, Team A plays very fast, generally shooting early in the shot clock. As a result, they and their opponent have more possessions per game and generally score lots of points. ESPN/CBS show how "good" offensively they are by using points per game. But because they are taking many more shots, Team A may not necessarily be a good offensive team. It is a better means to evaluate a team's offensive and defensive skill by factoring all stats by possessions used to achieve them, as Pomeroy does, rather than per game, as ESPN/CBS/MSM does.)
Pomeroy made a good point about Knight that I have not heard before. He spoke of how Knight's teams in 70s and first part of the 80s, the ones that gained him influence and praise for his basketball acumen as well as his 3 national championships, were about getting the ball to the basket for close shots or getting fouled and shooting at the line. This was sound strategy but the game changed with the introduction of the 3-pointer. Now, you could step out just a few feet from a typical mid-range jumper and make a shot which gave you 50% more points (3 vs 2).
As quickly became apparent, teams had to incorporate 3-point shooting into their offense. The average team 3-point shooting percentages, typically 35%-38%, were too good to only settle for 2-point shots which teams rarely exceeded 50% per team. You do the math and see how effective 3-point shooting is for modern teams.
However, Knight never adjusted. He stayed with the same system and ignored the 3-pointer. Pomeroy uses one game as an illustration. In 2005, Knight's Texas Tech team advanced to the Sweet 16. It would be his last real shot at making the Final Four, but they ran into a team, West Virginia, who heavily used the 3-pointer. Look at this chart from 2005. It shows the percentage of 3-pointers a team takes compared to their overall shots. West Virginia was 9th in the nation with nearly half their shots 3-pointers, and Texas Tech next to last in the nation. Texas Tech lost.
More than any article I have seen, this shows from strictly a basketball coaching point of view that Knight was a little overvalued as a coach. He was obviously great in one era, but it diminishes his coaching legacy that he never adjusted to the new rules. The temptation is to tie this stubbornness in basketball strategy in with his off the court actions , but ultimately we can't say that with 100% certainly what goes on inside him or any of us. However, he deserves some criticism of his basketball coaching for not adjusting to a new world (3-pointer was introduced in 1987) that he spent almost half of his coaching career in.
My comments on Knight when far longer than I thought so I will talk about the other article I found interesting in a second part later this week. Tomorrow, I am off to Washington DC to talk about SAML with GSA. Maybe we can find some more acronyms to use as well.
The first was about Bob Knight's retiring. Ken Pomeroy has made a name for himself in the last few years through astute and insightful analysis of college basketball statistics. His ratings site has all the numbers you can imagine presented in a "pace-free" way. (Basically, most stats you see on ESPN and CBS are "pace" influenced". For example, Team A plays very fast, generally shooting early in the shot clock. As a result, they and their opponent have more possessions per game and generally score lots of points. ESPN/CBS show how "good" offensively they are by using points per game. But because they are taking many more shots, Team A may not necessarily be a good offensive team. It is a better means to evaluate a team's offensive and defensive skill by factoring all stats by possessions used to achieve them, as Pomeroy does, rather than per game, as ESPN/CBS/MSM does.)
Pomeroy made a good point about Knight that I have not heard before. He spoke of how Knight's teams in 70s and first part of the 80s, the ones that gained him influence and praise for his basketball acumen as well as his 3 national championships, were about getting the ball to the basket for close shots or getting fouled and shooting at the line. This was sound strategy but the game changed with the introduction of the 3-pointer. Now, you could step out just a few feet from a typical mid-range jumper and make a shot which gave you 50% more points (3 vs 2).
As quickly became apparent, teams had to incorporate 3-point shooting into their offense. The average team 3-point shooting percentages, typically 35%-38%, were too good to only settle for 2-point shots which teams rarely exceeded 50% per team. You do the math and see how effective 3-point shooting is for modern teams.
However, Knight never adjusted. He stayed with the same system and ignored the 3-pointer. Pomeroy uses one game as an illustration. In 2005, Knight's Texas Tech team advanced to the Sweet 16. It would be his last real shot at making the Final Four, but they ran into a team, West Virginia, who heavily used the 3-pointer. Look at this chart from 2005. It shows the percentage of 3-pointers a team takes compared to their overall shots. West Virginia was 9th in the nation with nearly half their shots 3-pointers, and Texas Tech next to last in the nation. Texas Tech lost.
More than any article I have seen, this shows from strictly a basketball coaching point of view that Knight was a little overvalued as a coach. He was obviously great in one era, but it diminishes his coaching legacy that he never adjusted to the new rules. The temptation is to tie this stubbornness in basketball strategy in with his off the court actions , but ultimately we can't say that with 100% certainly what goes on inside him or any of us. However, he deserves some criticism of his basketball coaching for not adjusting to a new world (3-pointer was introduced in 1987) that he spent almost half of his coaching career in.
My comments on Knight when far longer than I thought so I will talk about the other article I found interesting in a second part later this week. Tomorrow, I am off to Washington DC to talk about SAML with GSA. Maybe we can find some more acronyms to use as well.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Personal Challenges #2: Focus on Quality Time with Jacob
Another one of my personal challenges this year is to be deliberate and consistent in spending quality time with Jacob. Through these first couple of years, you spend so much time on the care part of rearing your child. You do interact and play with him but the "play" is very light. It is all important, from the day he his born, but it is not what I consider quality time.
I consider quality time to be what shapes his character and spirit. Time that begins to mold him in the man I hope him to be. In early times, his attention span and memory is so small that you mostly entertain and provide mental stimulation through games and interaction. But he is not, I believe, learning and observing deeper truths about your deep love for him and character traits like selflessness and patience.
As we are into the 3s, I notice much change in my son. I see his mimicing of Shannon and me in what he says and what he does, both good and bad things. I see his character and the innate sinfulness he inherited from his spiritual father Adam. I know this is a time to be conscious that Jacob is forming his values and beliefs, and thus, I want to make sure he learns the right values and beliefs from Shannon and me.
He is too young to give too many talks concerning these truths so instead they need to be modeled. I believe the best way to do that is with quality time where he gets the best of Dad as Dr. Robert Lewis spoke of his best memories of his father. Time where he can see my love him and then associated the values I am demonstrating as those which he should embody as well.
For the last month on Thursday nights, I have been taking Jacob to the YMCA to swim in their indoor pool and then go to McDonald's later to play. He loves the pool and the games we will play. It is both funny and a little scary to be with him in the men's room changing. Jacob is at the age where is 1.) very observant, 2.) very loud and 3.) completely tactless. He will see the other men changing and blurt out "Daddy, that man is naked. Look, he does not have any clothes on" or "I see that man's butt" or "He has a big belly." I don't know what he is going to say next.
This is a challenge because it is easy for me to go into provider mode with Jacob and just focus my energies on providing his needs such as getting him to bed and fixing breakfast. Those are very important of course, but he also needs time just with me where I give him my complete attention. It is a challenge because I get tired from my other responsibilities, especially work, and want to zone out. I need this personal time, but I also have to have the discipline to push everything else aside and get Jacob the best of me.
I consider quality time to be what shapes his character and spirit. Time that begins to mold him in the man I hope him to be. In early times, his attention span and memory is so small that you mostly entertain and provide mental stimulation through games and interaction. But he is not, I believe, learning and observing deeper truths about your deep love for him and character traits like selflessness and patience.
As we are into the 3s, I notice much change in my son. I see his mimicing of Shannon and me in what he says and what he does, both good and bad things. I see his character and the innate sinfulness he inherited from his spiritual father Adam. I know this is a time to be conscious that Jacob is forming his values and beliefs, and thus, I want to make sure he learns the right values and beliefs from Shannon and me.
He is too young to give too many talks concerning these truths so instead they need to be modeled. I believe the best way to do that is with quality time where he gets the best of Dad as Dr. Robert Lewis spoke of his best memories of his father. Time where he can see my love him and then associated the values I am demonstrating as those which he should embody as well.
For the last month on Thursday nights, I have been taking Jacob to the YMCA to swim in their indoor pool and then go to McDonald's later to play. He loves the pool and the games we will play. It is both funny and a little scary to be with him in the men's room changing. Jacob is at the age where is 1.) very observant, 2.) very loud and 3.) completely tactless. He will see the other men changing and blurt out "Daddy, that man is naked. Look, he does not have any clothes on" or "I see that man's butt" or "He has a big belly." I don't know what he is going to say next.
This is a challenge because it is easy for me to go into provider mode with Jacob and just focus my energies on providing his needs such as getting him to bed and fixing breakfast. Those are very important of course, but he also needs time just with me where I give him my complete attention. It is a challenge because I get tired from my other responsibilities, especially work, and want to zone out. I need this personal time, but I also have to have the discipline to push everything else aside and get Jacob the best of me.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
New Poll - Most miles put on a car
Sometime on Monday, my car will pass the 100,000 mile mark. This 2000 Corolla is only the 4th car I have ever own. I started driving with a 86 Mecury Capri that I drove through my freshman year of college. Then I had a 94 Corolla through college and when I moved to Dallas. In November 2000, I bought my current Corolla. After Jacob was born, we bought a 2005 Highlander which already has nearly 70,000 miles on it.
My 2000 Corolla was a program car with about 10,000 miles on it when I bought it. Technically, I personally have not put 100,000 miles on this car, but still passing the 100,000 mark is significant. The 94 Corolla was also a program car but I only got to 80,000 with it. In celebration of my little Corolla's special mileage birthday, I have a new poll to the right. How many miles have you ever put on a single car?
My 2000 Corolla was a program car with about 10,000 miles on it when I bought it. Technically, I personally have not put 100,000 miles on this car, but still passing the 100,000 mark is significant. The 94 Corolla was also a program car but I only got to 80,000 with it. In celebration of my little Corolla's special mileage birthday, I have a new poll to the right. How many miles have you ever put on a single car?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Personal Challenges #1: Detox myself from Cokes
I don't really do New Year's resolutions. I feel if you want to make some changes, you start that process then rather than waiting for a new calendar year. However, in the spirit of New Year's resolutions, I am sharing some challenges I have recently made for myself. Some go back well into last year, and others I have yet to embark on but hope to soon. This is a good space to state them and provide some accountability for me on the follow through of them.
My first personal challenge is something IÂ actually did start at the beginning of this year. More to the point, I wanted to start it after I got back from my Culebra vacation which happened to be on New Year's Eve. I want to detox myself from sugary, caffeinated beverages or just "Cokes" as we say in the South.
IÂ purposely use the word detox as I am not necessarily trying to remove Cokes from my diet permanently but to break the habit I have of all drinking Cokes from my lunches, dinners and snacks. I would sit down, especially at a restaurant, and it begin salivating at the idea of a sweet soft drink. I loved them, and darn it, they loved me.
However, my body was changing and I could not afford to keep pumping in the 180 calorie per 16oz can into my body which was seeing its metabolism slow down each year. I figured I was consuming between 750-1000 calories a day from them. I also knew my weight had slowly been creeping up over the last few years. I thought running 3-times/week would get me to drop the weight but it really just slowed the weight gain down. If I rid myself of those Coke calories or at least significantly reduced them, it would been a significant impact to my health.
So starting on January 1st, I decided to stop drinking Cokes cold turkey. Once I felt I broke my habit and physiological craving for them, I could let me begin drinking them again albeit in moderation. I told my 2 weeks and reevaluate. I went 16 days without a Coke. I then let me myself have a can of Sprite with a pizza but finished the meal with water. Now on January 22nd, that is the only Coke I have had. It actually has been a little easier than I thought it would be. A couple of times I really had a craving when I sat down to eat, but it was able to pass fairly quickly. Now, I like drinking water, and it is not too hard to turn up a Coke.
So far I have lost approximately 9 pounds. If a pound of fat was 3500 calories, and say I removed 1000 calories from my daily diet, that is "only" a little over 6 pounds you would expect to loose by just removing Cokes from my diet. A side benefit is that by switching to water I snack far less than before and my snacks were generally sweet, high calorie content as well.
I of course am very pleased, and my wife has been incredibly encouraging and proud of me through this process. You can always relapse into old habits, but I feel good about my Coke detox. I am confident I won't fall back into drinking them at every meal, and I don't worry about drinking a few soft drinks with the right meal. It has been a very health lifestyle change and one that will continue to provide benefits long into my future.
My first personal challenge is something IÂ actually did start at the beginning of this year. More to the point, I wanted to start it after I got back from my Culebra vacation which happened to be on New Year's Eve. I want to detox myself from sugary, caffeinated beverages or just "Cokes" as we say in the South.
IÂ purposely use the word detox as I am not necessarily trying to remove Cokes from my diet permanently but to break the habit I have of all drinking Cokes from my lunches, dinners and snacks. I would sit down, especially at a restaurant, and it begin salivating at the idea of a sweet soft drink. I loved them, and darn it, they loved me.
However, my body was changing and I could not afford to keep pumping in the 180 calorie per 16oz can into my body which was seeing its metabolism slow down each year. I figured I was consuming between 750-1000 calories a day from them. I also knew my weight had slowly been creeping up over the last few years. I thought running 3-times/week would get me to drop the weight but it really just slowed the weight gain down. If I rid myself of those Coke calories or at least significantly reduced them, it would been a significant impact to my health.
So starting on January 1st, I decided to stop drinking Cokes cold turkey. Once I felt I broke my habit and physiological craving for them, I could let me begin drinking them again albeit in moderation. I told my 2 weeks and reevaluate. I went 16 days without a Coke. I then let me myself have a can of Sprite with a pizza but finished the meal with water. Now on January 22nd, that is the only Coke I have had. It actually has been a little easier than I thought it would be. A couple of times I really had a craving when I sat down to eat, but it was able to pass fairly quickly. Now, I like drinking water, and it is not too hard to turn up a Coke.
So far I have lost approximately 9 pounds. If a pound of fat was 3500 calories, and say I removed 1000 calories from my daily diet, that is "only" a little over 6 pounds you would expect to loose by just removing Cokes from my diet. A side benefit is that by switching to water I snack far less than before and my snacks were generally sweet, high calorie content as well.
I of course am very pleased, and my wife has been incredibly encouraging and proud of me through this process. You can always relapse into old habits, but I feel good about my Coke detox. I am confident I won't fall back into drinking them at every meal, and I don't worry about drinking a few soft drinks with the right meal. It has been a very health lifestyle change and one that will continue to provide benefits long into my future.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Happy Anniversary to My Parents and Happy Birthday to Wes
Today is my parent's 34th wedding anniversary. Also, my brother-in-law Wes is having his birthday today. I "think" he is 27 today, but I may be off a year high or low.
Happy birthday Wes and happy anniversary Mom and Dad. I love you all.
Happy birthday Wes and happy anniversary Mom and Dad. I love you all.
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