HAPPY NEW YEAR 2006

Auld Lang Syne means times gone by, so with apologies to Robert Burns, I'll duplicate some of the New Year's Song with the translation as you celebrate 2006.
Should times acquaintance(s) be forgot(ten)
And never brought to mind?
Should times acquaintance(s) be forgot(ten)
And times gone by?

For times gone by, my dear,
For times gone by,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet,
For times gone by.

We two have run about the breeze
And pulled the daisies fine;
But we've wandered many a weary foot
Since times gone by.

And there's a hand, my trusty comrad
And give a hand of yours;
And we'll take a hearty draft
For times gone by.

Ok, I guess it doesn't have quite the ring to it, and I omitted the third and fifth stanza, but you get the idea. Thanks for being a big part of my times gone by and hopefully of my times ahead. Have a great new year.

SPORTS FROM 2005 THAT I'LL REMEMBER

a neighbor, blonde and athletic, jogging

Mia Hamm running fast at 4:05 in the Summer heat of Scottsdale

Albert Pujol's shot in Houston

Brad Lidge's reaction to Albert Pujol's shot in Houston

Andy Pettite's reaction to Albert Pujol's shot in Houston

a deafening silence in Houston following Albert Pujol's shot

Derek and Terry (first year no less) winning in the MVRL

The Fighting Illini--basketball team, of course. They don't play football very well there

The Mt. Vernon Rams of Coach Dan Mings

The Phoenix Suns of Mike D'Antoni

Golfing with my buds and family

playing catch with my grandchildren, playing horse, running after my grandchildren

St. Louis Cardinals Division Championhip--clinched in June

my almost daily walks in the 'hood

the LPGA Tournament at Superstition Mountain in Mesa, AZ

I'd say the FBR nee Phoenix Open, but I get sick every year at that time and watch on tv

the comeback of the St. louis Rams vs. the mighty Texans

Derek's running and completing the chicago Marathon

the last game I saw at Busch with Scott

the last game I saw at Busch with Courtney

the St. Lou/Padre series in San Diego

the food at the Diamondbacks games

the Suns game Scott and I went to

the Suns game Caroline and I went to and the food at both

packing away baseball Christmas ornaments given to me by Grant

packing away a Santa sports statue given to me by Derek

opening a pocket in my spare golf bag and finding a golf glove used by Sam Hicks

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY SPORTS MEMORIES FOR 2006

GOOSE, LEE, AND SUTTER ALL BELONG (AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ROLLIE. IS HE ALREADY IN?)

I know I need all the readily available stats to make a substantial argument for three relief pitchers to be elected to the Hall of Fame this year, but I'll just leave it at they were the best ever and are worthy.

It's a injustice that the only relief pitcher in the Hall, the Eck, was also a starter for a big part of his career. Gossage, Smith and Bruce were exclusively (practically) closers. Maybe more than any other change in MLB over the years has been the rise of the relief corps, and their shining stars: the closers.

Imagine having to face a dominant Bob Gibson 3 or 4 times a game. If you're going to touch him, your best bet is the fourth at bat. I know, if you don't get to the great ones early, you won't get to them. Or in 1968, Gibby had a 1.12 ERA; do you think it mattered when you came to bat? Ok, forget Gibson. Who would ever want to face him anyway(s)?

Imagine facing Bob Buhl. Same argument. Buhl is taken out in the eighth and a fresh Sutter comes in to mow down the opposition. Value? In today's world, just try to go for very long without a dominant closer. It worked for a while with Whitey in the mid- eighties, but he found another in Todd Worrell. It didn't work at all for Tony in 2003.

The closers deserve to be included. This year.

MY MAN J. R. HOUSE

What does it take? I've had this conversation with many over the years. What does it take to make it as a professional athlete on the major league scene?

J. R. House, as many of you know is a friend of mine. Actually I haven't been around J. R. all that much. It seems like we're always missing each other. But he's a great person and much closer to two of my closest friends.

Like Kent Williams, J.R. is on the verge. Last season an injury kept him out of the majors. He has been to the show. In fact, he's batting 1.000. One for one, if I'm not mistaken, so he has advanced farther than Kent. And although a free agent, he is working out and drawing interest from at least 3 clubs that I know of. He's going to make it this season, I'm confident. Whoever gets him will not be sorry either.

But back to my original query: what does it take? I've heard extra hard work and dedication. Yet who could work harder than Kent? As far as ability goes, he was a two-time runner up to Kyle Korver as the MV MVP. As a Sixer, Korver gets a lot of playing time. Jamal Crawford never matched Kent at the Shootout at Saavis Center when he set the all-time record. And Crawford gets a lot of minutes in the NBA, too.

I've also heard that "somebody's got to like him." I think there's something to that, but how could you not like guys like J.R., Kent, or my golfing buddy Nelson Rood who made it to AAA with the Astros where he roomed with Biggio? I mean these are three of the finest Christian men I know.

The right place at the right time may make sense, too. But with some of the old retreads they're lining up at the catcher positon and the money they're dangling, I can't see how they could overlook J. R. much longer.

I know it works in other areas such as writing or movie-making, too. It's just one of those things that keeps you scratching your head.

A NEW LOGO FOR THE OWLS

The Burrowing Owl Organization announced a new logo for the team. Born the Camelotters, the Burrowing Owls morphed into a force in the MVRL this season with a divison title, falling to the runnerup Benchpressers in a high scoring affair.

The genesis of a new logo began with Asst. Coach Stevie Anderson. "We just needed a tougher looking Owl. I mean that other one would shake in its boots against Benchpressers, Rampagers, Maddogs who were also Kamikazes. Even the Hitters scared us in our first lost."

Stevie deferred other questions to GM Quinn when asked about other team names such as the Buffet Boys, Crapshoot, and Horned Puffins. "The new logo is a definite upgrade. As far as the other teams, we've always had a lot of respect for teams and team owners. Except for the MerryChrismatt's team when they traded their whole team for Cardinals, even though I got a heckuva deal." "Oh yeah, I hated the Jimmy Hats, too," TQ added.

For next season though it's a new logo and a new tougher team for the Burrowing Owls. And for the players for the Owls, "They'll be ready for some football."

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION

I hope all my readers and fellow bloggers had a great Christmas. We had a great one in San Diego highlighted by Christmas Eve at Saddleback Church with Rev Rick Warren.

If you're not familiar with him, he is the author of A Purpose Driven Life. Many churches studied his 40 Days of Purpose at their churches and in small groups. He's been called this generation's Billy Graham.

We attended his 5 PM service. He also had Christmas Eve services at 1, 3, 7, 9, and 11 PM. In addition, he had 3 services on Christmas Eve eve and one on Christmas morning. Ours and the 3 PM were full houses and I'm certain that all the rest were also. Saddleback is an amazing church with a huge campus and ministries. In 2005, they baptized 2,500 people.

But what I wanted to write about today was one of the most satisfying things I did in 2005. I read the Bible all the way through in chronological order. Actually, I have three days reading left, but I think I'll make it. Basically, it requires reading 15 minutes or so per day. I was never more than 5 or 6 days behind or that many ahead. With travel, sometimes that became difficult, but hey, most of you are gainfully employed with bigger families than mine. But it was so rewarding. Next year Caroline is going to read it, and the following year, Lord willing, I will re-read it.

It's definitely a New Year's resolution worth making and keeping. My bible was the NIV Chronological. A friend of mine read selections from the Daily Bread. I last talked to him on December 11, and he was going to make it, too. As we would see each other during the year, we would be encouraged knowing someone else who had taken on the task.

Go for it. You'll get so much from God's Word.