Robert Rauschenberg Dead

Kansas City Art Institute’s finest. RIP.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/arts/design/14rauschenberg.html?hp

This Is Way Too Easy

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080509/ap_on_re_us/18_kids

It’s like a train wreck.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7390109.stm

I hope this is true.

Sports in Review

Wizards-Crew 6:30, FSC

I predict that the game will be ugly, unwatchable, and either a draw and a loss for us.

I Hate Mexico…Well, El Tri, Anyway

Reasonably good article about Mexico’s National Team problems as a the flip side of their club teams’ success in continental competition.  Pachuca are certainly the best and most likeable Mexican club team in memory. They’re fun to watch and irrepressible. And they’re all foreigners.

http://goal.com/en-us/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=679982

Euroleague Final Four

It is my new goal to attend a Euroleague Final Four in the next year or two. The semi-finals were yesterday, and tomorrow’s final will pit the team I root for, Maccabi Tel Aviv, against the overwhelming favorites, CSKA Moscow.

Maccabi have appeared in 12 of the 50 Euroleague/European Cup finals (winning 5 times), and CSKA have appeared in 9 of the finals (winning 5 times). This will be the second time in three years that they have met in the final — CSKA broke up Maccabi’s three-peat attempt in Prague two years ago.

They Don’t Make ‘Em Like Earl Weaver Anymore

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YKxf3OkpJc

NSFW. This actually aired on radio.

Entrepreneurship

A friend of mine and his girlfriend just launched a new sex toy website. Per his request, I am posting their launch discount code here. Most of you will find this humorous. Some may appreciate it more than others.

Friends & Family -
 
FINALLY!!!  We have launched http://www.sinlesstouch.com/ .  It has been in the works for a long while now but its open and ready for business.  As part of our launch I would like to extend a 20% Off discount code to all my friends & family.  Please use discount code: K20
 
Feedback during this initial phase of our launch is critical.  Please share your experience with us and let me know what you like or don’t like about the website.  Also, feel free to forward the discount code: K20 to your friends.
 
Let me know what you think.

Oh, so you want to know who it is?

First, “About Them”:

SinlessTouch was launched to ignite the passion within women and men alike. There wasn’t a company that offered the ability for people to live their sexuality as a lifestyle not just an act that occurs occasionally. In response to that, our driving principle is about more than just the toys and products that we offer, it’s about the emotions and experiences that they produce…be it your first foray, re-igniting your relationship or developing a special bond with your partner beyond the physical pleasures of sex. With that you will find at SinlessTouch a sophisticated, boutique style, shopping experience that offers:

• A unique combination of Adult Novelties and Romantic Vacations
• Discreet shopping
• Only the best quality products
• The best selection of carefully selected products
• And a host of Educational resources

..because a “fulfilling” sex life does not start when the lights go out!

Our Mission

Our mission will be to provide the customer with everything they need to lead a guiltless sex life. We will offer our customers adult toys of every kind, but we will continue to expand our business to provide them with a total solution to lead a fulfilling sex life. Our offering will encompass the highest quality adult toys, romantic getaways, lingerie, medicines, health supplements, cosmetic products, etc. Everything and anything that will leave you feeling good, looking good and sexually fulfilled. In addition, we will maintain a commitment to our charitable cause of Early Childhood Education in Developing Nations.

Our Vision

Immersed in an aura of delivering passion in all forms, we will become the one destination for naughty yet fulfilling sexual experiences. To ignite your passion with quivers of unending desire, there will be no alternative to SinlessTouch.

You’re dying to know. 

Okay, you asked for it. 

I Couldn’t Agree More

Dear Sir,

How do you do, I am a football fan from China, been paying close attention to the recent developments of your team all the time ! I think the official Web siteses of you, make is very well very detailed to substantiate content, Let me feel very glad , does not know how you see this question of the network ! I am your true football fan, hope that you can accept me ! Thanks!  Do not know what movements you have ? You that I felt should begin to catch sportsmen while as a child , one day in the future, the club could have large quantities of young new stars, The team when the time comes is the strongest, you do not have too large fund after all, But what I wanted to tell you is, your every act and every move, we all care about very much, Hope that you can be stronger and stronger!

I know that your time is limited, so write this, do you know? China is really a very beautiful country , I think if you come to China to take part in the match, We these football fans of yours will definitely be for what you cheered on at the scene, China does not lack beautiful scenery , it is us these true football fans that do not lack still more!
What I hope what you give me return a letter, in addition, can give me several photos of teams of yours , Because this has been my dream all the time , hope that you can agree to my small request !

Best wishes to you!

MY Address:
Sun Peng
532H Huang He 5 Road
256600 Bin Zhou
Shan Dong Province
CHINA

Yours
Sun Peng

Mental Health

So, since nothing has happened since the last blog post…

…other than the most exhilarating, stupefying, glorious, cathartic sports weekend ever.

I’ll never forget every minute detail of those two games, at least from my perspective.  The games themselves, I’m a bit lost on.

We had a game at 4:00 on Saturday; after stadium clean-up, the game was just getting ready to start, so I drove home with the game on the radio.  Katie drove up to Lawrence for the game, and was watching at the Jazzhaus, but for all the reasons enumerated in McGinty’s guest post, and more, I didn’t feel like I could watch the UNC game with other people. There was too much on the line, too much of my sports fandom wrapped up in one game. The highs were too high, the lows too low. I couldn’t even watch it. I literally went to our bedroom and remained face down on the bed, listening to the national radio broadcast…couldn’t even handle Bob and Pipe.

When we extended the lead to 12 for the final time, I started to get dressed, and gradually made my way downtown. I parked just after the whistle blew, and Downtown exploded into the streets.  That was truly a night for revelry. I found friends and family on the streets, and we all celebrated wildly.

I had moved well beyond hating Roy for the events of 2003, but at the same time, I don’t know how I would have handled losing to them in that situation.  More importantly, that win was needed for our whole fan base, to collectively get over it.  Of course winning a national championship is a bigger deal, but is it more important for the collective psyche of the fanbase? I don’t know.

We all love Bill Self. He’s genuine (well, all but the rug). He’s pleasant. He’s fatherly and brotherly and a guy you want to have a beer with. He clarifies so many of the things we always found vaguely annoying about Roy that were magnified when we saw them through the prism of an opposing fan. But until Saturday night, he never *really* had the fans. Roy’s UNC was the dragon that had to be slayed, the tumor that had to be excised.  Even had we lost Monday night, it would have been okay.

And so it was, free from dread, and free from fears over my emotions, that I watched the final at The Jazzhaus. Katie came up from Wichita, and we met Fizell and Sarah there, who had been holding a table for us since some ungodly hour.

You all saw the game, hopefully with other Jayhawks. Enough ink has been spilled over it, so I won’t bother. All I can say is that I’ve never been happier for a team to win than this one.

Of course, when the game ended, I laughed, I drank, I cried, we hugged, we danced (Danced, even). But after a few minutes, revelry didn’t seem appropriate.  I contacted Dan, Abby, Mike and a few others, and just told people to meet up by the door of The Jazzhaus.  We stayed there for a few hours, watching the action, hugging friends passing by. Other than the day Wiz Field opens, I’m pretty sure that sports are all downhill from here. “Downhill” isn’t right…it’s that it’s hard to imagine a high as high, or a low as low.

I’m off to the spring game.

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk.

Guest Post: MLS and the Big 12/Sam and Big Games

So, Sam and I were talking on AIM, and he invited me to be the first guest blogger on Intellectual Detritus. My response:

HOORAY, I’M USEFUL! I’M HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME!

Anyway, we were both watching the LA Galaxy/San Jose Earthquakes game on Thursday night. Sam marveled at the overall crappiness of the Galaxy even though they were winning, and then it hit me: the LA Galaxy are the Kansas State Wildcats of MLS. Like Michael Beasley of KSU, David Beckham is an amazing talent that could play anywhere he wanted (well, almost), but instead, Beckham decided to play for the Galaxy as  of playing for one of soccer’s major powers. Carlos Ruiz and Landon Donovan are the Galaxy equivalent of Bill Walker for KSU. Like Walker, Ruiz is a talented player that also happens to be a headcase that is vulnerable to start thugging it up when things don’t go his way, and like Walker, Donovan became famous for urinating incidents. At least when Donovan needed to relieve himself a Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara 4 years ago, he had the decency to do it behind some bushes before the game. Walker decided to wait until the final seconds of the game against Oregon displayed no modesty by just standing in front of everyone and let’er rip into towels stuffed in his shorts.

However once you get past Beasley and Walker or Beckham, Donovan, and Ruiz, all that is left on both of these teams is a collection of players that range from mediocre to just flat awful. Sometimes, these players are able to produce because of brilliant play from the superstars, but in most cases, they just leave the big guns frustrated. Beckham (and Donovan to a lesser extent) just has to be thrilled to be serving balls into that giant stiff Alan Gordon just like Beasley had to love the fact that the guys in charge of getting him the ball were Clent Stewart and Blake Young.

(I admit that Chris Klein throws off this analogy. I guess if Cartier Martin had another year of eligibility for K-State, Klein would be the Cartier Martin of the Galaxy)

So what lies ahead for the Galaxy? Probably a similar season that K-State had. They will embarrass themselves in several games (4-0 loss to Colorado, for example), but they will grab some attention with a couple of big wins when Becks, Donovan and Ruiz go nuts. They may even sneak into the post season, but they would only do so as one of the last teams to get in.

Now, Sam has already noted that he does not handle big games well. I can attest to this. Back during the 2002 World Cup, the United States only needed a draw against Poland, who lost both of their games, to advance to the second round of the tournament. For most of us, we were really excited about this prospect. For Sam, however, it was obvious to him that the other shoe was going to drop.

We went to the driving range the night before the game, and he confessed that he knew the United States was going to get hosed in a vast conspiracy. First, the Chinese referee would find a way to gift a few calls towards Poland, causing us to lose (the saber-rattling between the US and China in the early years of Dubya’s presidency was the cause of Sam’s paranoia). Then, in the other game in the group, South Korea and Portugal would sign a non-aggression pact (ie agreeing to play for a draw) that would allow the Koreans and Portuguese to advance while sending the United States back home. I tried to assure him that everything would be okay.

Unfortunately, Sam was (almost) clairvoyant. Poland scored in the first couple minutes for the United States, which no doubt caused Sam’s blood pressure to rise significantly. The United States immediately came back, and Donovan headed the ball into the Polish goal. I don’t think any of us watching the game in the “Soccer Den” will forget what happened next. The Chinese referee disallowed the goal, claiming that Donovan shoved the Polish defender. This call was marginal at best (the Pole looked like he dove when he realized he couldn’t win the ball), and seeing his prediction coming true, Sam erupted. “THEY’RE F*&#%ING US!!!!!!! I KNEW IT!!!!!!” Sam then grabbed a heavy wooden chair and was about to heave it as if he were competing in the hammer throw. Just as he was about to follow through, he realized that this was a horrible idea, and he tried to stop. The chair ended up tumbling onto Shawna’s head (my future wife) as he stormed out of the room.

The US did go on to lose that game 3-1, and in the other game, Portuguese star Luis Figo actually proposed to a Korean player that both teams play for the draw. Luckily, like Luke Skywalker ruining Palpatine’s prophecy by refusing to turn to the dark side, the Koreans took it as an insult and went on to win the game, allowing the US to back into the second round of the World Cup, where we pwned Mexico 2-0.

So if you are lucky enough to watch the KU/UNC game with Sam, I offer a word of warning. When/if Tyler Hansbrough gets the ball, takes five steps, barrels into Sasha Kaun, throws up a wild shot that goes in while flailing his arms about, and Kaun somehow gets called for the foul, I recommend you duck and cover.

80-Hour Week…but the best sports weekend in a while

No update for a while…worked a genuine 80-hour week.  I can’t recommend it, especially with KU playing twice and occupying the rest of my time.

The Wizards, as you may know, beat DC 2-0 to open the season. Both new strikers scored.  I spent much of the last two days moving season ticket holders from seats they didn’t like; in most cases, we were moving them from places that we told them they wouldn’t like.  No problem, though…it’s my job to help.

 Of course, Saturday’s win was sandwiched by two tournament wins for KU.  After Sunday’s heart-stopper, I have to admit that I was more stunned than jubilant.  Then I headed downtown to meet Keith and Abby for dinner.  As soon as I got out of my car, I heard the revelry, and I finally accepted that we were back in the Final Four. I didn’t walk from Round Corner to Free State; I paraded, taking my time along the way to soak it in.

 I don’t know what to do with myself this Saturday. Honestly. I don’t deal well with stressful games, and this is easily the most stressful game I’ll ever experience as a fan. One of our season ticket holders is an anaesthesiologist, and I asked him today if he could prescribe something that would just knock me out for two hours.

Me: “Mark, prescribe me something, please.”

Him: “A six-pack…better make it a twelve-pack.”

Topic for debate:

Which is the guiltier pleasure: farting in someone else’s cubicle, or scoping out slutty Facebook pictures?

You decide.

You are my magic dream!

The title of this post is the subject of another great visitor to the Kansas City Wizards inbox…from julia.lovelygirl2007@yahoo.com.cn

Dear sir:
 
       I am Jiang Haiyang,a Chinese girl student of Qiqihaer University,I have support you for so many years,I think this lyrics could represent my love to you.
     
      Only you can make this world seem right. Only you can make the darkness bright. Only you, and you alone, can thrill me like you do, and fill my heart with love for only you. Only you can make this change in me, for it’s true you are my destiny. When you hold my hand, I understand the magic that you do. You’re my dream come true, my one and only you.

      l am a student, and I like my job.One particularly good thing about being a student is that I am learning something new each day and thus making progress each day. This is wonderful. I keep growing all the time. I find great rewards  mentally.
    
       I have many hobbies: reading books, raising pets, etc. I like football very much, but I can’t play it very often, because it is a team sport. It is difficult to get enough people to play football with me. It’s a shame. I derive great pleasure out of my hobbies.
   
       That’s all,I haven’t written much,but I hope you can hear my wish from my heart and remember—I support you !My heart will be with you forever!!

        Finally,may I adventure to ask you to post me some autographcards of you?Thanks for the trouble!
                                                                                 Yours lovely
                                                                                          Jiang Haiyang