Saturday, February 15, 2014

When in Doubt--Chicken Out

    This has been a good week to stay home and watch the Olympics.  New England is in the midst of our second huge storm this week.  Thursday was an all day snow event, and we were clobbered with another foot of heavy wet snow.  It's been snowing lightly since noon today, just enough to make it treacherous.             Cape Cod area is getting the jackpot, which means they will get the most snow.  There is another snow and rain mix scheduled to hit on Tuesday, then in typical New England form, we may see fifty degrees on Friday.  It will be nice to see a lot of the snow piles melt.  It will begin to feel like the end of winter.
   The snowstorms gave us a good excuse to stay home and watch the Olympics on TV.  I watched most of the US vs Russian hockey game early this morning.  The game was very exciting, and the US won in a shoot-out.  This was not a medal game, and it is quite possible that these two teams may meet again with the gold medal on the line.  Some very familiar NHL superstars are playing for their home countries, and teammates may face off during the games.  Several Boston Bruins are playing for Canada, Sweden, Russia, and other countries.  It must be a thrill to represent their home countries, although I will always root for the United States.
     My favorite events are the ice dancers, and I also saw the luge and skeleton races, as well as the snowboard and some of the skiing events.  The US has not done very well in the speed skating events, and I'm not sure if we have any more chances to compete in that venue.  Win or lose, I'm proud to be an American.  I love hearing the background stories on the athletes.  It is such a huge commitment to prepare to be an Olympian, and they all deserve a fantastic experience.
     Tonight, the Russians have won 15 medals, and the US is in second place with 14 total medals.  There is still another week of competition, and I wish all the Athletes good luck....and the beat goes on....the beat goes on.......
     
     

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Super Bowl XLVIII

   Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks, 2014's Super Bowl Champions!  It was billed as an epic match-up between Denver's  number one offense,  competing against Seattle's number one defense.   On paper, it looked like it would be a very close game.  In the end, the Seahawks won by 35 points.  The final score was 43 to 8.  It was the young gun against the seasoned veteran, and tonight the kid played great.
    Russell Wilson has just played two seasons, but he shows a lot of poise and class.  I like him, and he played a flawless game.  I hope he is the face of the new young quarterbacks in the NFL.
     Pete Carroll coached in New England, and so we are pretty familiar with his coaching style.  The defense was excellent, and scored on an interception.  They call themselves the "Legion of Boom", and they lived up to their name tonight.  Special teams also scored on a kick return.  It is nearly impossible to beat a team when all three phases of the game are solid.
   Denver did not look good on their very first play, when a bad snap caused a safety, and gave Seattle two points without even touching the ball.  The Broncos offense never looked sharp in this game, which is the job of an outstanding defense.
   Peyton Manning had set records this season for the most touchdowns in a season, and the most points in any season.  Both of those records had been held by Tom Brady and the Patriots.  A part of me wanted to see Manning finish the season with the Championship, because it is not sure how much longer he will play.  He deserves all the respect and praise that he receives.  He has been a great player and fantastic ambassador for the sport of football.
   Besides the game, the extravaganza includes the commercials, and half-time show.  This year, many ads
featured huge stars like Ellen, Arnold and Bruce Willis.  My favorite ad was from Budweiser with the puppy and the horse.  It was excellent, and I know we will see it many times in the next few weeks....and the beat goes on....the beat goes on.....