Happy New Year!

I couldn't let an entire month go by without a post, even though I still don't have my own computer. (I think I'll get one within a couple weeks.) I've been home in Seattle for the past couple weeks, enjoying the holidays with family. I'll be heading back to Anchorage sometime in January to start a new job there -- more about that later.

Lots has happened since my last post, and I'll catch up with that when I can. You can expect me to get back to my usual level of blogging activity soon.

Until then, have a happy new year, and go Seahawks!

Computer down

My computer has died again, so things will be slow in this space until I get a replacement. I know you'll miss me.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Shoofly!

My friends Kimmy and Zak opened Shoofly Pie Company in West Seattle this summer, and today they got a raving review in the Seattle Times. How awesome is that? The place was also written about in Seattle's The Stranger this week too. Wow, media blitz!

So, needless to say, if you ever find yourself in Seattle needing pie, you know where to go. Having tasted the blackberry-raspberry, the strawberry-rhubarb, and the chicken potpie, I can tell you it's worth it.

By the way, what the hell is a shoofly pie? They (obviously) have those too. Well, apparently it's a molasses pie made famous by the Pennsylvania Dutch. So famous that the official bumper sticker of the state of Pennsylvania is "I Brake for Shoofly Pie." Now there's some good advice.


(Photo from Yelp.com)

No worries, Barry

Barry Bonds was indicted today on federal charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Sounds like trouble. But I wouldn't be too concerned; President Bush doesn't think perjury and obstruction are punishable crimes, so if Bonds is convicted, his sentence will undoubtedly be commuted.

"The score is quite in proportion to the general superiority of the Eastern men at the game of football."

"It does not, however, tell the story of Stanford's desperate but futile efforts against defeat."

As far as my research can tell, this was the result the first time Michigan played Stanford in football. I was wondering if they had ever played, and indeed, in 1902, Fielding Yost's Michigan team destroyed Stanford 49-0 in the Rose Bowl. (Yost had been Stanford's coach in 1900.)

The New York Times has the entertaining recap, in which we learn that Michigan had outscored its opponents 550-0 that year. I was happy to see that "[o]nce or twice again the Californians held the conquerors, but the arrested progress of the Ann Arbor men was extremely brief." If only today's sportswriters could write like that. (Oh, and Stanford got its revenge in the 1971 Rose Bowl, winning 13-12.)

Hopefully, with Ohio State this weekend, Michigan will remember a thing or two about the Yost days. Go Blue!

Band of Horses

Saw these guys at the Metro last night. They were awesome.

I'm not afraid of David Stern, either (yet)

David Stern says if the Sonics leave, Seattle won't ever get another NBA team. I call shenanigans. I take this to mean that Stern doesn't want the Sonics to leave at all, and he's simply stepping up the rhetoric because he wants a new arena. Why would he be so definitive about leaving the city? It makes no sense to permanently end relations with a big city that will only get bigger in the next decade. So he's trying to scare people into giving him his arena.

So, if anything, I think Stern's overly cantankerous statements have tipped his hand. He really doesn't want the team to move to OKC. He's scared to death of it. That's the only way to read this... unless you think Stern has decided to crush Seattle, simply because he wants to. Which is possible.

But hey, not all is lost. We got ourselves an MLS team! Go Sounders!

I'm not afraid of Clay Bennett

After a big news day concerning the Sonics' future in Seattle, I find myself optimistic that the team is staying. First, there was news of a local group of investors willing to buy the team from Bennett. Next was Bennett's official announcement that he had applied to relocate the team to Oklahoma City.

After reading Bennett's official news release and listening to his interview with The Oklahoman, I'm more convinced than ever that the city, state, and NBA will see that this guy never wanted the team to stay in Seattle. Before he bought the team, he knew the team had financial troubles, he knew the team had a bad lease, and he knew there was a small chance to get an arena deal done. So why did he buy the team? Hint: not to do Sonics fans any favors.

I'm most optimistic after reading this interview with the co-founder of Save Our Sonics. (This group has been amazing, by the way, at working with city and state officials and fighting this potential move through lobbying and litigation. I am really impressed with what they've done so far.)

The interview confirms that there is considerable political support to keep the team; a year ago, before the Aubrey McClendon comments, there was considerable malaise... now, things are better. This political and legal fight is costing Bennett millions. I love the idea of threatening the use of eminent domain -- I had never thought of this. But as the SOS guy says, even if it's unlikely that eminent domain would actually work, the threat is probably enough to get the owners in a room and talk about a deal.

Plus, there are also new efforts to build a new arena, and as I mentioned above, other interested parties who would want to buy the team to keep them in Seattle. Bennett's statement that he has "no choice" but to move the team, therefore, rings hollow; he can always sell. Because there is another option, I refuse to believe that David Stern and the other NBA owners would want the team to leave Seattle -- a big market only getting bigger -- for Oklahoma City. It would take some serious stones to take a team with 41 years of history from its home city just because a rich guy from Oklahoma wants to be a hero in his hometown. I don't think it'll happen. I think we'll have Kevin Durant playing in Seattle for many years to come.

Goodbye, Maggie

After months of debate, Maggie the elephant leaves Alaska today, heading to the Performing Animal Welfare Society in Northern California. The Air Force is flying her in a C-17 air cargo plane, and soon she'll be living with other elephants. Keepers wonder if she'll recognize an African elephant named "71." What kind of name is that?

Good luck, Maggie! Enjoy the warmth.

Halloween in Chicago

No place celebrates Halloween like the midwest, I think. People really go all out for it here. It makes the city look really nice, with pumpkins and small gourds everywhere.





And, of course, jack-o-lanterns. Here's ours.



Finally... costumes! I'm a bee. Actually, I like to think that I'm John Belushi, a nice Chicago boy, circa 1975. Note the scraggly beard.



Happy Halloween!

Weekend in Michigan

I spent a nice weekend in Michigan a little while ago. Here are some images from the weekend.

Go Blue:



High-powered offense:



St. Clair River, from Harsen's Island and the Casa del Beyer:

Funny and illegal

I am enjoying Stephen Colbert's satirical presidential campaign, but I've been wondering when anyone would take it seriously enough to ask whether his campaign abides by FEC rules. The two problems are that he's receiving free airtime from Viacom (his parent company), and that Viacom is not offering equal time to the other candidates. Finally, the Slate Explainer asked and answered. Yep, illegal. But I don't care; run, Stephen, run!

McGee of the Day

It's been a while since our last McGee of the Day, but today's is an obvious choice. Max McGee, the former Green Bay Packer who scored the first touchdown in Super Bowl history, died yesterday at the age of 75.

Here's Max: "When it's third-and-10, you can take the milk drinkers and I'll take the whiskey drinkers every time."

"Do you believe the citizens of this area paid $74 million to have no remedies (if the team leaves)?"

This was a question asked by U.S. District Judge Ricardo Martinez of a lawyer for the Sonics in today's hearing. I don't know how the answer to this question is relevant to the meaning of the KeyArena lease -- it's quite possible that we paid $74 million for a crappy lease -- but I like where his head's at.

The team says all lease disputes have to go to arbitration, which will surely lead to a compromise and not specific performance of the lease. The Sonics say certain lease disputes are exempt from arbitration. We'll see. Contract law favors arbitration, but hopefully the judge realizes this isn't your average contract.

Of Indians and Wahoo

As much as I'm delighting in the Cleveland Indians leading the Red Sox, I always hate to root for the Indians because they employ the most racist mascot in sports. Here's Chief Wahoo:



Huge nose, bucked teeth, stupid grin, red skin. Sounds like your typical Native American to me. But isn't it harmless? Well, as we saw last night, this logo does affect behavior: fans wearing redface. I know it's probably just a couple stupid fans, but, a) for crap like this, just a couple is enough to be insulting, and b) my first reaction to the photo was "hey, look at the crazy fans who dressed up for the game... they sure do support their team..." -- it took me a second look before I could put the photo in proper context and even register how insulting the image should be. Even a person like me, who is particularly sensitive to racially-charged mascots, has been numbed by the logo. It's sad that we can become so numbed to behavior that has been considered racist for many decades.

If the Indians want a new mascot, by the way, here's a list of possible alternatives (found by my mom). And if anyone wants to argue some more that there's nothing wrong with logos like Chief Wahoo, read this first.

ADDED: The issue is getting some more coverage now. That's good. Perhaps, if the Indians reach the World Series, even more attention will be paid to the subject.

Overkill?

I'm as fired up about the Stanford win over USC as anybody, but I'm not sure I like this t-shirt, an ad for which arrived in my email box from the Stanford Athletic Department:



Yeah, let's celebrate the win, but I'm not sure I want to celebrate that it was the biggest upset ever. It's basically saying: "No team this bad has ever beaten a team this good! Go Stanford!" It's also saying: "You thought Appalachian State was bad, but we're worse! We're a 1-A team by name only! Go Stanford!" Ack. We have a lot to learn about winning.

City life

The food in Chicago is amazing. Simply amazing. While there about three competent restaurants in Anchorage, there are probably 10 within a one-block radius of this apartment (including about four sushi restaurants).

I'm taking full advantage. So far, I've had sushi, Indian, Thai, Italian, Cajun, and pizza. And man, the pizza. First of all, it's really really good. Second, it's everywhere. There must be a city ordinance that demands that there be a pizza restaurant on every block. You walk down the street, and the ever-constant Chicago wind blows the smell of pizza toward you. Pretty much everybody smells like pizza. It's like a pleasant dream.

Into the Wild

The movie, based on the book, is out in many cities now. The ADN is all over it, including this article about how most Alaskans view Chris McCandless as an idiot who was unprepared for the wilderness, not as a mythic hero who rebelled against society. I guess people will see what they want to see in him: most Alaskans can't forgive a lack of proper appreciation for the dangers of the wild; everyone else is holding out for a hero.

Eat it, USC

We're back, baby.

Congrats to Beez

Ben Wang ran the Chicago Marathon today, in what might have been the worst conditions possible for a marathon: 88 degrees and muggy. 300 people were taken to hospitals, and one person even died... an awful story. The race was canceled before quite a lot of people were able to finish.

But Ben finished in just over 4 hours. Good job, Beez!

Day 1 in Chicago

So, I'm here, and the weather is warm. I'm not used to 80 degree temperatures, but that's what we've got. It's nice, though. Look at this nice neighborhood:



Trees. Sun. How lovely. And soon there will be falling leaves. Won't that be great?

And then around the corner there are big big buildings. And people fishing in the river. It's just like Anchorage, really.



So there you go. People here are excited about sports right now, with the Cubs in the postseason. I'm going to go ahead and throw my complete support behind the Cubs, and I don't even feel guilty about it. This team is already so cursed, my little sports curse should have no effect. And if the curses cancel each other out (and the Cubs win), then there might be rioting in the streets, and that'll be fun to watch.

And I saw a small boy wearing a Rex Grossman jersey today. I felt bad for him, and I was a little angry at his parents. How can you buy that for a poor, innocent child? That's child abuse.

Road trip pictures

The pictures from the road trip are up. Take a look. Here's a preview.

Alaskan fall colors:



Sunsets:



Waterfalls:



Buffalo:



Lakes:



Glaciers:



Bears:



And weird Canadian products:

Resurfacing

So, I'm back in the lower 48. The road trip from Anchorage was awesome, and pictures are forthcoming. The past week has been spent hanging out at my parents' new house in Woodinville, and seeing family and friends. Today I prepare for my flight tomorrow to Chicago, where this blog will take a more midwestern flavor. Fall in the midwest is great, and I'm looking forward to it. Plus, it's still 80 degrees there, so I may experience some summer weather this year after all.

Trippin'

I'm leaving tomorrow to drive from here to Seattle. Should take about 10 days, with lots of stops and hikes in between. I'll update from the road if possible... is there free Wi-Fi in the Yukon? I'm actually hoping not... it's the only place I can go to escape hearing about Michigan football.

Otherwise, see you in a couple weeks.

Two sets of photos

It's been slow in this space for a while -- sorry about that. All the packing and moving has been taking up all my time. But I have had a couple adventures lately, first to the Alaska State Fair and next on a hike to Crow Pass. Stories will come later -- and yes, I still plan on writing about Glacier Bay, Denali, and Halibut Cove.

But for now, here are the photos from the State Fair. Preview... crazy Alaska baby:



And here are the photos from the Crow Pass hike. Preview... inside a glacier (kids, never go inside a glacier):

The Michigan game

I didn't see it. I was moving that day. I haven't seen highlights. I have no idea what happened.

It's embarrassing, it's inexcusable. It's a little depressing that the team is out of contention for the championship after the first game. It's also a little funny.

I'll still watch as many of their games as I can, though. Let's see if they'll get some motivation out of this, and if Lloyd can save his job.

Yes, I saw it.

He shall not be named. But screw him, that's what.

Moved... and moving

So I'm partially settled into a new apartment, just a few miles from my last place. Until mid-month, you can reach me at 524 W 19th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503.

What comes next? I'm still working on 2008, but the rest of 2007 is set.

My last day at work is Friday. Next week I'm starting a roadtrip from here to Seattle, driving with a couple co-clerks. Then I'll spend a week or so with the family.

Then I'm heading to Chicago for a few months. As they say in Good Will Hunting, I gotta go see about a girl.

After that... still working on it. I'm interviewing with firms in Anchorage, so the plan would be to come back in January or February and start working at a firm. So there you have it. That's the plan.

Halibut Cove

The pictures are up from this weekend's trip to Halibut Cove, which is across Kachemak Bay from Homer. Awesome time. Someday I'll tell all the stories about these trips, but for now, enjoy the pics.

Three things before I go to bed tonight

1. I hate packing.

2. In Alaska, when we're too drunk to drive, we let or 11-year-old sons drive us home. We think it's a fine solution.

3. I've said it before, and they've proved me wrong. But after this 6-game losing streak, I think I can safely say: the Mariners' season is down the tubes. I wouldn't let John McLaren manage the Ninjustice softball team.

It begins

The changeover has started. Some of my co-clerks have left, new clerks are arriving. My clerkship ends next week, and I'm moving out of my apartment this weekend. It's all very weird... new people occupying offices and apartments that once belonged to my friends. Out with the old, in with the new.

Maggie update!

I know you're wondering about the future of Maggie the elephant, so here you go. Things have taken a rather strange turn, because now Bob Barker is involved. He was here recently, and he's going to contribute money to take care of her. He promises Maggie a mud hole.

Also... Alaska rules the dodgeball world. Yes, Team AK won the national dodgeball championships. Alaskans know how to throw stuff real hard.

Sonics fans study contract law

This is good stuff. We're talking about specific performance on the sports page. And it's a good topic: can the city's lawyers keep the Sonics in town by enforcing the specific performance clause?

Without having seen the contract language, I'm guessing no. Contract law generally allows parties to buy out of most contractual duties, and you need a pretty unique situation for a court to actually enforce performance of those duties. Like the article says, the language in this contract will probably succeed only in making the buyout cost more time and money to settle. But that's good enough... the longer we can delay this move, the more likely we can figure out a way to keep the team in Seattle (whether that comes by finding an arena deal, or by finding a new owner).

In any event, good job Seattle city lawyers! Save our Sonics!

$1,000 an hour

That's what some lawyers are charging now.

That's still less than most doctors, right?

I'm going to miss my job

Not many other jobs offer beluga whales out your window.

Signs of fall

Nights are dark again. I'm not sure when it happened, but suddenly I have to use headlights when I drive. The sun is setting around 9:30, and so there are no more midnight hikes to be taken (unless you're packing flashlights). I like having the darkness back, but it's also a little sad to see summer go.

The leaves are already starting to change color in certain spots. The fireweed has bloomed all the way to the top, so that means winter is six weeks away. I have a feeling that, wherever you are right now, you weren't thinking about how soon winter would arrive...

New pics

Finally uploaded the pictures from my trip home earlier this month. We got babies, babies, babies. And dogs and gnomes.

Salmon envy

I'm still waiting to catch my first Alaskan fish, but some of my co-clerks are quite prolific. Just yesterday one co-clerk found his way into the Anchorage Daily News sports section. Here he is.

What else is going on up here? Headless walruses.

I'm back, baby

Hello. Thanks for sticking around, during and after my little blog vacation. (Blogcation?) It's damn hard work keeping this blog so interesting, so I had to take a couple weeks off. Or not.

Actually, I was busy flying around the country and otherwise wrestling with decisions about what happens when my job is done at the beginning of next month. (Those decisions are... not ready for publication quite yet. Mostly because they aren't completely made yet.) But I missed you, so I'm back.

There's a lot that I've missed, and I'm sure I'll get around to it all eventually. I still intend to write up the details of the Gustavus, Denali, and Homer trips... they're just so packed full of fun that the task is a little daunting right now. I'm hoping the photos can speak for themselves for a while longer.

Don't think I didn't see the little dustup between Stanford and Michigan. It's a strange thing -- they're my two schools, my two favorite college sports programs. It's like watching your kids fight: you don't feel right rooting for either of them, and you'd rather they just behave themselves. But at the same time, Stanford is such a runt on the college football landscape, I'm happy to see it standing up to the bully in the playground -- even if the bully is its big brother. So, give 'em hell, Jim Harbaugh. Michigan is going to be fine -- Blue supporters will get over it. Stanford needs some attitude; we're all tired of the team acting like the kid in the playground afraid of breaking his nerd glasses. Get in there and mix it up.

And did I miss the raid on Ted Stevens' house in Girdwood? Big news up here. My sense of Alaska voters is that they're ready to be out from under this cloud of corruption, but they're afraid of what life will be like without Uncle Ted. He brings in so much money, it's scary to think about life without the big meal ticket. Here's an interesting column on Alaskan corruption.

Oh, and please don't get me started on the Sonics move to Oklahoma City or wherever. It's too depressing. The boneheaded comments by Sonics ownership -- "we didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come [to OKC]" -- at least gives the locals a reason to drum up some more Sonics support. According to Ted Miller, the "battle is on." Okay then.

That's it for now. Glad to be back.

Small hiatus

I'm out of town for about a week, but until then, here are the pics from this weekend's trip to sunny Homer. 80 degrees in Alaska? Yes.

Down the tubes

That's where the Mariners' season is going, with their seventh straight loss tonight. I'm not unhappy, though. This season has been a success by most standards: Ichiro re-signed, Hargrove resigned, and for the most part the team has been fun to watch. The only thing left they have to accomplish is to fire Bill Bavasi. Once he's gone, I'll consider this season an unmitigated success, no matter what their record is.

Though some people have given him credit for the team's surprising record this season, I've seen this year as the convincing evidence that he's a terrible general manager. The Ramirez/Soriano trade looks even worse today than it did over the winter, which is really saying something. The Reitsma signing was a failure. The Vidro trade was bad, but not nearly as bad as the fact that they keep putting Vidro in the lineup at DH. There are only four players in the major leagues who hit for less power than Jose Vidro, yet the M's keep running him out there to play a power position. The M's are still living in a world where batting average is deemed important, and ... just ... dude. That's wrong.

Bavasi's other big moves from years past aren't working either. Beltre is fine -- I have no problem with him. But Sexson is a drain on the whole lineup. Plays lousy defense, hits .200, gets all his hits in low-pressure situations. Just terrible. He'll probably start hitting once the M's fall out of contention, then he'll say at the end of the season that he's proud of how he stayed with it. Just like he did last year. Go away, Richie.

I wish the M's would win more ballgames, but if this is how we get rid of Bavasi, it's the road I'm willing to travel.

Oh... here are this week's mostly fabricated softball pitching stats: 7 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 4 BB, 1 K. Ninjustice wins, 5-4.

I'm off to Homer for the weekend. Have a good one!

The little things

This just made my day. It's another reason to be using Firefox. No more ads!

Randoms

I'm swept up in Pottermania so I haven't had time to blog as much as I should. Recaps of the Glacier Bay and Denali trips are still coming. Here are some tidbits:

• Last week's mostly-fabricated pitching stats: 7 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K in a 3-0 NinJustice victory over our biggest rivals, a team of former clerks. We're still undefeated, cruising toward a championship in Co-ed E League Softball. Catch the fever!
• My ultimate team advanced to the semifinals of the summer league after a 15-12 win last night. Next week is the last week, with semis and finals on Monday.
• Congrats to Joy and Carl, who have a new baby boy: Axel Noburu Eriksson. Sounds like a good Swedish/Japanese/Hawaiian name to me.
• Good luck to bar-exam-takers! (Has it really been a year since this?)
  

Michele

Here she is.

The Top 5: TV

I don't have time tonight for stories about Glacier Bay and Denali, but I feel like writing something. You know I watch more than my share of television, so here's my top 5 shows.

5. Friday Night Lights. If you didn't watch it last season, catch up! It's remarkable. It's not really a show about football as much as it's a show about families and small town life.

4. Battlestar Galactica. It's not just a geek show. I mean, it is a geek show, but it's not just for geeks.

3. The Sopranos. It ended with a stroke of genius, and it is maybe the best-written show on TV. But it had too many slow moments to crack my top 2.

2. Lost. I am continually amazed by the imagination that drives this show. Many people are frustrated by its glacial pace, but I love not knowing why things are happening on the island, because I know that everything will be revealed eventually. The third season finale was awesome. The show gets bonus points for being so re-watchable.

1. The Wire. The best show on TV, and I haven't even seen season 4 -- which I've heard is the best yet. It's so smart and so well-written, there are no wasted words. And because the substance of the show deals with such important social issues, you actually feel something when it's done. But don't be turned off by its "importance" -- it's not boring. It's utterly compelling.

There it is. That's the list.

Passport hell

This is a frightening article about how long it takes to get a new passport. I am among the many fighting through the red tape -- I applied for renewal by mail over five weeks ago. I selected the (more expensive) expedited service, but I have not received anything yet. My check hasn't been cashed, and I don't even show up in their system yet.

Until I get a passport, I can't drive to to the lower 48. I can fly, but my car isn't going anywhere. I'm not holding my breath, either.

The newest McGee

Just before 9pm PDT last night, Michele Renee McGee was born in Overlake Hospital in Bellevue! 7 pounds 15 ounces, according to one source. Everyone is happy and healthy. Congrats to LaVerne, Tim, Maddie, Quincy, and grandparents! Hopefully I'll get some pics to post soon.

No love for the Iditarod

I loved this article (hat tip to Katy). Lance Mackey, Alaskan hero and 2007 Iditarod winner, was invited to the ESPY Awards after he was nominated for Best Outdoor Athlete. Hobnobbing with athletes and celebrities in Los Angeles was an unusual experience for him:

he felt underdressed in a pair of new black slacks and a nice button-up white shirt while others wore “$15,000 custom-made suits and $50,000 snakeskin shoes.”

He shared a limousine with Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman, who apparently was fascinated by dog mushing. To be a fly on the wall for that conversation. Mackey didn't win; the guy who ran 50 marathons in 50 days in 50 states did. Okay, that's cool too.

Denali pics

Spent the weekend in Denali, and the pictures are up. Will have more stories and descriptions later (and for Glacier Bay as well... sorry, I'm lagging on the story-telling right now).

Bear in the kitchen

One of the staff attorneys on my court had a crazy bear encounter this week. She came home with her two dogs and found that a window screen had been shredded; she looked inside and saw that her things had been rummaged. She thought it was a burglar.

In case the burglar was still there, she armed herself with bear spray, and turned the corner to the kitchen. There, on top of her range, was a small, adult black bear. It was trying to get into her cabinets. It had already eaten some dog biscuits and had looked through her recycling.

(Just imagine finding a bear in your kitchen!)

The dogs started going crazy, barking and growling at the bear. The bear growled back. She screamed. The bear then jumped down from the range, towards them, and she sprayed it in the face with her bear spray. The bear then quickly ran out the window that it had clawed through.

This happened on Sunday, and her house still reeks of bear spray. She still has it on her hands, too. That's the worst part, she says. She lives in the Hillside area of town, where there is more wildlife -- bear and moose, especially -- than the other parts. I don't expect to find a bear near my apartment any time soon. But there have been a lot more bear sightings in Anchorage this summer than usual, it seems. It's normal for them to be in town, but they usually keep to themselves and try to avoid people. The ADN has had a few articles recently about some bears becoming more daring, and wandering to places they shouldn't go. Like someone's kitchen.

My judge's judicial assistant said today that she would feel safer from bears in Denali National Park than she does in Anchorage these days. And on that note, I'll be in Denali for a couple days, hopefully with more fun photos to share when I get back. Have a good weekend!

"As a lifelong Mariner fan, I’m used to finding a pot of crap at the end of the rainbow. I like this better."

That's what they're saying at USSMariner, and I have to agree. On this day:

• It is reported that Ichiro will re-sign with the M's. Woohoo!
  
• Ichiro hits first inside-the-park home run in All-Star Game history, and is named MVP.
• The Mariners (reportedly) finally decided to bench the lamentable Jose Vidro in favor of AAA star Adam Jones.

I'm too jaded by years of rooting for this team to count my chickens, but if those reports are true, ooooh. What a day.

Gustavus and Glacier Bay

Pictures from last week's trip to Gustavus and Glacier Bay are up; descriptions and accounts are coming soon.

Happy Fourth

There will be radio silence here until the weekend is over. With any luck I'll have some fantastic photos to share next week.

In the meantime, look, I've been sworn in to the Washington State Bar Association (by my judge here in Anchorage):



Yes, I wear jeans to work.

Happy Fourth, everyone!

Fresh Justice

I don't think it's unreasonable for President Bush to commute Scooter Libby's sentence. Perhaps he did carefully review all the facts and then determine that the sentence was excessive. Those federal sentencing guidelines -- which are designed to limit a sentencing judge's discretion, and which the Supreme Court has found to be "presumptively reasonable" -- probably make mistakes sometimes.

But I do now expect the White House to open a new office, wherein a team of lawyers and legal experts will independently review the sentences of every federal and -- sure, why not -- state criminal defendant. Yes, I know President Bush was never a big fan of commutations and pardons when he was governor of Texas, but he has clearly turned over a new leaf. He's all about judicial oversight now.

And he better get cracking, if he wants to provide meaningful review of these sentences before the defendant has a chance to appeal. Because why let the appeals process play out first? It clearly has a bias against appellants; it's too hard to win on appeal. That's not justice.

This new office is the only way to bring justice to criminal defendants. The legislative branch has already screwed up, with these sentencing guidelines that create such excessive sentences. The judicial branch has already screwed up, by following -- dare I say "strictly constructing" -- those guidelines.

Only the executive is left. Thankfully, they're up to the task: serving up hot, fresh justice, for each and every criminal defendant in the land.

EDIT: An enterprising reader points out that the Constitution limits the president's pardon/commutation power to federal crimes -- i.e., no state crimes. Another stinging rebuke to the President! Just as he was getting his new Office of Presidential Justice off the ground, that darned constitution is already in the way. A lesson to the kids out there: if you want a spoonful of presidential justice, commit a federal crime.

An NBA Draft Conversation, part II

Now, the second part of my NBA discussion with Foley. This part took place during and after the draft. It's about as long as the first part, so... good luck!

To: Foley, From: Gusta
Foley,

I'm a little saddened by the Ray Allen trade. He was the best. Very fun to root for. But people on TV say the Sonics snookered Boston on this, so I'll go along with it for now. Ray's getting older, and we got three young players and some contract flexibility out of this, so maybe it's a good thing. I'll miss Ray, though.

Sonics still have two more good picks -- #31 and 35. This is fun.

Joakim Noah haunts my dreams.

- Gusta

To: Gusta, From: Foley
Yeah,

I'm not sold on the Allen trade. I think you should have enacted your authority as Fantasy commissioner and stopped it.

Perhaps in the long term it will look good. But you don't just give away Jesus Shuttlesworth. And what else do you get with this? Wally Szcerbiak will spend his time as a Sonic on the bench, eating jerky and "messin' with the squatch". Jeff Green is a real nice player. I actually kind of envy you guys there. Delonte West ain't so shabby either, but ... Ray Allen? Really?

I think this also puts a twist on your agenda to allow the Sonics to drum up fan interest immediately in order to stay in Seattle. Trading away the generally loved Allen isn't going to fire up the local fan base. It also takes away veteran leadership, and I have to think takes their chances to win next season down a few notches. Perhaps this just works into some new plan to build around Durant long-term. But if I'm a fan that wants the team to stay in town, I'm gettin' pretty nervous with this deal ....

Random but important points--

The Blazers drafted a crazy Finn (Petteri Koponen) spending Paul Allen's money to get the 30th pick. The most outstanding thing about this? The team he plays for in Finland is called the "Hanko Playboys".

Early notice: you will see this appearing as my fantasy league team name next year, and in any other place I get a chance to put it to use! It is also now my officially adopted European team. Let's go Playboys.

I also really like Rudy Fernandez. He's the backcourt partner on Team Spain with notorious X-Factor Sergio Rodriquez! Eventually we will just try to add more players and create a bench unit that comprises putting all of Team Spain on the court en masse.

Other Blazer moves in what proved to be yet another never-dull Kevin Pritchard draft day include picking up Josh McRoberts. Whatever. This is actually the first pick of Greg Oden himself. Apparently they are good pals. Oden loves his mom's Teriyaki Chicken (thanks, blog!). McRoberts will fill the role on the team of playing playstation with Greg Oden. I will also variously spell his name as MacRoberts. Or McRobierts.

I feel like the Sonics losing Allen and the Blazers ditching Randolph was really big news for both teams today. Regardless of either team getting enough back, shipping out your trusted scoring presence on the same day you get your brand new rookie is gutsy. Definitely makes it even more of a shakeup.

My head probably has to stop spinning to make proper judgement. But for now, the fact that we made a deal with Isiah Thomas and may not have gotten the better of it just leaves me a little queasy.

Foley

To: Foley, From: Gusta
Foley-Wan Kenobi,

My head is still spinning after all the draft day happenings. It's one thing to actually know Durant will be a Sonic (I gave a definite fist pump when David Stern announced his name (I had fears that somehow they'd screw this up)). It's another to have to say goodbye to the most popular Sonics player. I have no idea what kind of team is left behind, or how Rashard figures into their future. Presti says Rashard is a bigger priority now; I don't know how that can be true, when he plays the same position as Durant and Jeff Green. I think we may put a lineup of all small forwards on the floor next year... recreating the famous Team of Muggsys vs. Team of Eatons battles of P-Dunk yore.

Then, the trades involving our second round picks. I guess we threw in the #35 pick along with Allen, and we get a future Boston second rounder in return. Then we traded #31 to Houston for a future Houston second rounder and cash. It must be a fair amount of cash, because it makes no sense to trade the top pick in the second round in a loaded draft for a future second rounder. Is the money for Rashard? Who knows. In Presti we trust, I guess.

You're right about how losing Allen will cost the team some buzz. Apparently Sonics fans booed and hissed the trade at the official draft party. It sure looks like the team is building for the future, not to ensure that the team stays in Seattle. Which is their job, I guess, but it's still worrisome. I think in the end, the trade makes sense: Allen is getting older, and they get some good young players and some cap flexibility.

Here's the thing that bothered me most: Clay Bennett's acknowledgement of all Ray Allen has meant to the Sonics: "We appreciate the career of Ray Allen in this market. And we wish him the very best.'' In this MARKET?? I hate Clay Bennett. He sees Ray Allen as a contributor to an enterprise, a business asset. In this market? Why not "for this team," "for the fans," or "in this city"? What a jackass.

As for the Blazers, I think you have to face facts that Isiah didn't completely screw this up, and I agree: that's troubling. Zach is a valuable player -- a great low post scorer in a league without many great low post scorers. Getting only Frye and the ghost of Steve Francis is... surprising. I thought they'd get a lot more. I guess the idea was really just to get Zach out of town ASAP, and they succeeded.

I saw your crazy Finn get drafted, and I watched his highlight package. I think he needs to stay with the Playboys for another season or two. He looks 12 years old. And Jay Bilas basically said, "He's never played against anyone good." Okay then. I do think Team Spain could be a great move. Sergio might have to be upgraded to the XX-Factor now. He's twice the X-Factor he was before. And McRoberts? Meh. He might turn out to be good -- he'll have the chip on his shoulder after missing the first round -- but he's still a doofus from Duke. Good luck with that, and enjoy the teriyaki.

- Great Game of the Gusta

To: Gusta, From: Foley
Dear Dave MacGee,

Yeah, it definitely proved to be a day of destiny for Seattle and Portland. I am holding out some hope that something good can emerge from the bloody mess of trading with the NY Knicks. While it's surprising that little they got back for Zach Randolph, I think they've done a pretty complete job of shopping him around and were probably just getting lots of low-ball offers. The smart thing would have been to wait, but I think there was pressure to do it on draft day so they could do a deal under the terms of last year's CBA. Also if any your loyal blog readers are still hanging on at this point, while we are discussing the minutia of the collective bargaining agreement, I hereby apologize.

Here's the bigger news. Pritchard mentioned post-draft to the local Portland radio that there is yet another trade waiting in the wings that will bring in a small forward. However, this can't be officially announced until the NY deal clears. I have to hope it involves one or both NY players not sticking with the team. Or that it will otherwise all work out in the end. Something's gotta happen, because we are overloaded with odd-fitting players. The deal with the devil, aka Isiah Thomas, has shaken me, but I have faith in our ability to come out of this ahead.

This summer the Blazers also hired Jerry West's salary cap expert from Memphis, Tom Penn. I smell his influence in all this. Something tells me this deal will include buying out, and then selling somebody the rights to Rudy Ferndandez from Spain, declaring Francis ineligible to play on a technicality and, offering up a free buffet coupon at the Rio in exchange for a quality player. Even if we hold tight, we're going to clear 30 million from the books in 2 years, at a time when we are only going to be paying all of our young franchise conerstones something like 15.

Oh, I almost forgot. Somehow the Blazers also got James Jones from Phoenix last night in exchange for a few kind words and a box of McNuggets. Oops, I mean MacNuggets. Can I keep ripping on myself about my MacSpelling? I will.

Either way it's delirious fun as a basketball fan to watch your team wheel and deal like this. It's definitely not boring.

You had some great things to say about your Sonics. Now that it's official aftermath day ....

I'm glad you mentioned Clay Bennett's comments. I read that same quote, and I TOTALLY had the same reaction at the time. In fact, I got so offended I even had to think in all caps. And it's not even my team. Unless he was delivering that quote from the Pike Place Market, and made a generous sweeping hand gesture when he said "market", it's safe to say he's pretty much an ass wipe.

More than that, it also fuels the conspiracy logic that Bennett just wants to move from Seattle. If he appreciates what Ray Allen means to your local "market", but doesn't even intend to stay in this city, some of that value gets lost anyway. So why not blow up and start a totally young team you can take with you anywhere? I hope this isn't true, because it's depressing.

On to better things, like what Sonics GM Sam Presti is thinking. I think he wants to clear room and keep Rashard. But I don't think Rashard is going to want to stay around. Ray Allen had some good quotes to that effect today. Plus, he's going to be getting good offers from around the league. If your owner is a jackass, you've got a totally new front office in rebuilding mode, you've just lost your old teammate, and you may not even stay in the same city, what reasons are there left for loyalty? He can go to a more legit, stable team, so why stick around? Maybe the magic of Kevin Durant. But that's a fan talking. I think he'll go.

This leaves you with Jeff Green, with Durant playing PF. Ridnour/Delonte West and Wally play in the backcourt. Presumably the Sasquatch mascot plays center. Along with every Seattle draft pick from the last six years. Okay, so there are other critical Sonics pieces I'm leaving out. But I'm pretending that's where Presti thinks it's going, with or without Lewis. What do you think of
this team?

Back to you, Yukon Sam,

Foley

To: Foley, From: Gusta
I think you're right that both teams aren't done yet. And so I'm going to withhold judgment until later. For the Sonics, the big key of the offseason is Rashard. I have no idea what they're going to do with him.

I also think it's hard to look at the team's roster in terms of how they fit into classic positions. No longer do you need to have a point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center. That framework is out the window. Kevin Durant can play all five positions. The Sonics could put a lineup of Durant, Green, Lewis, West, and Wilcox on the floor -- they're all between 6'4" and 6'10" -- and just let 'em play. That could be interesting. Then you can tinker by mixing in Wally, Ridnour, Collison, or Swift/Petro/Sene. A really weird team, but maybe it's the wave of the future.

They also need a coach, and this turns out to be a very important choice. They can't pick a slow-it-down grind-it-out defensive guy... that's not gonna fly with this team. It needs to be a guy who let's 'em run, but inspires at least some effort on D. My guess is P.J. Carlesimo, because of his connections with Presti (and Presti's desire to turn the Sonics into the Seattle Spurs). I'm okay with P.J.; he seems to have mellowed from the Sprewell days, and you know I love anyone who sounds like Leon Redbone.

The Blazers can't be done either. They have to be trying to give Darius Miles away at this point. And they need another swingman. But when you have Oden, you have flexibility -- he makes up for a lot of weaknesses. Frankly, I don't blame Portland fans for going crazy at the Oden rally yesterday. Things are looking very bright for Portland right now.

Which means, while we're at it, that the Western Conference just continues to get tougher. With Portland and Seattle on the rise, that leaves only a couple crappy teams in the conference. (I'm thinking the Kings, Grizz, and Wolves are pretty screwed right now.) How will there be room at the top for the Sonics and Blazers with Phoenix, San Antonio, Dallas, Utah, Houston, Denver, LA, and Golden State still playing well? How much would you pay to be in the East right now -- where all you have to do is learn how to double-team LeBron and you go to the Finals? Ugh.

- Gustavus

To: Gusta, From: Foley
A. Gustas Caesar

Good question about the Sonics coach. That is super crucial. P.J. Carlesimo isn't a bad bit of guesswork. But I gotta say, prior to being famous as a choke victim, he was coach of none other than the ... Portland Trailblazers. He wasn't a terrible coach. And I'm sure he's sharpened up since then. But he was pretty average. Not really much of a players' coach. A bit of an authoritarian who liked run lots of plays and try and run his 'system', but not really enough of a genius to make it interesting. But again, that was pretty much his first NBA coaching gig. Unless he's totally changed, I'm not sure that he's unconventional enough for a team made up entirely of superhero forwards. Good call on sounding like Leon Redbone, though. If we can get him to wear white suits and and sunglasses, it's a done deal. However, if I remember right from back in the day, he went through a bit of an arc over an NBA season. At first he would be Leon Redbone, but after several months of shouting at players and refs he would be more of a Tom Waits, losing Redbone's sleepy baritone for a hoarse, throat-shredded, laryngitic growl.

I don't know who the right call is for coach, though. I'm thinking a younger, ex-player or former assistant type. Or Dwayne Casey. I also feel obliged to want it to be Terry Porter. Of course I would say that. Still, make that hire and even I would be forced to become a Sonics supporter. Then again, Sam Presti is one of these new math whiz types. Perhaps he will just create a computer program that generates random lineups based on interchangeable Sonics forwards and the team will hit a giant red button on a machine by the bench to see who takes the court after each time out. Call it S.O.N.E.A.C.

As for the Blazers, yeah, time will tell. I'm getting more of a feel that there won't be a blockbuster move, and they are going to thin the roster as needed, let the core players develop for two years while they see which euro players pan out, then make a play for a veteran that makes sense when the cap clears in 09. They do have to dump Darius. But seriously, nobody is going to take him. He'll be the team equivalent of the drunk, loud party guest who is still there at 3am and refuses to leave. But yeah, otherwise it's just a matter of seeing what it takes to balance the team out a bit (watch for a bake sale on point guards later), so it will be interesting. I'm curious to see how it will work out with Cameron Fry. Er, Channing Frye. I haven't watched him much, but it seems like he may pair well with Oden since he's got some range. Still confused on the right thing to do with Steve Francis.

And dude, the Western Conference is now officially crazy. It's going to be kind of a golden era out here for a little bit. I mean, yeah ... giddy optimism aside the Blazers or Sonics aren't going to be serious contenders next year. Or even for a while after that. Hopefully some of the older teams will start to fade. I'm not sure how much to believe in the future of Golden State. Except that they are fun. Your breakdown otherwise looks good to me, although if Kobe leaves LA, naturally they join the ranks of the damned. And maybe shouldn't even be taken that seriously now. The other improved West teams will surpass them.

It does suck to be in the East. Although it does give rise to interesting "crapshoot" strategies by Eastern GM's, since it's so easy to punch through in the playoffs. Like that Zach Randolph will be unstoppable in a conference with few strong power forwards, or that Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson can take a team of table scraps and be a playoff team (AKA the three-star system favored by the New Jersey Nets). All of these are terrible plans for the future. But if all you have to do is win now, what the heck. Still, I wouldn't be totally opposed to the ideas that have been tossed around out there to ditch the Conference based bracket system and replace it with some other scheme. But that's another discussion.

Here's my main question, now that the draft frenzy is over. Are you excited enough, or at least intrigued enough by what's happening with the team to restore your faith in the Sonics? If things go in an upward direction, would you want to support the team even if they relocate do a different city? The more interesting question is perhaps if you are trying *not* to get enthused about Kevin Durant, etc, simply to avoid fan heartbreak later. What is in the mind of the tortured yet detached Seattle sports fan?

You know of course that your neighbors to the south always welcome new supporters. And if the Sonics continue their purges, soon we will have more connections to Seattle, short of being in the city, than the Sonics do. It's already not a bad list, with Paul Allen, Nate MacMillianus, and local boys like Martell Webster and Brandon Roy. Squint your eyes just right and it feels just like home. Just saying.

Foley

To: Foley, From: Gusta
Foley Roller,

Well, I think we've about covered it. You've left me with a final question -- whether my faith in the Sonics has been restored -- that I am still struggling with. I don't know yet. I haven't decided what I'll do if they leave town, whether I'll continue to root for them, whether I'll adopt the Blazers, or whether I'll leave the NBA for dead. Too soon to tell. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that somehow a local deal gets done. I know that if the team were staying in town, I would be very excited about the future. I would even consider buying a Kevin Durant jersey.

It's a difficult time. I think most Sonics fans are conflicted right now -- too weary from past heartbreaks to fully embrace the excitement Durant brings, yet hopeful that things will work out. I envy the stability of your situation, and the unabashed Oden lovefest happening in Rip City.

Victory for Sonics!
- Gusta

Editor's Note: Who read this whole thing? Nobody? Just Wally?

Grover out

I'm as confused as everyone else about Mike Hargrove's resignation as Mariners manager. It makes little sense that he can lose passion for the game as his team is in the middle of such a hot streak. (Elias Sports Bureau says he's the first manager since at least 1900 to quit during a winning streak of at least 8 games.)

But whatever. I've never liked Hargrove; I don't think he's a very good manager. He has done well with the team this year, especially the bullpen, but I won't miss him. I just hope that his abrupt departure doesn't derail the team.

While we're talking baseball, here's my mostly-fabricated pitching line from a 16-8 NinJustice victory:

5 IP, 8 ER, 13 H, 3 BB, 3 K

Fish stories

Last weekend I finally engaged in the most iconic of Alaskan activities: fishing. This is a fishing-crazy place; everyone does it, everyone loves it. And with good reason -- the fishing possibilities are endless.



There's a calendar of when certain fish will have their "runs" at certain locations. King salmon are just finishing a run in Ship Creek, which empties into Cook Inlet about 200 yards from my office. I can look out my window everyday and see hundreds of fishermen trying to reel in a 25-pound salmon. Here's what it looks like.

Anyway, last weekend I drove two hours south to the Russian River, where the sockeye salmon (or, as they're known here, red salmon) were running. We weren't alone.



As you can see, the shores of the river were lined with fishermen. You had to try to find a space about 1o yards wide before you could cast your first line. This is what's known as "combat fishing." It's generally good-natured, but you hear stories of people getting a bit testy in these close quarters. And beyond that, there's the very real risk of someone else's hook finding its way onto your face. Ouch.

Legend has it that Providence Hospital in Anchorage has a dummy in its offices, and they hang a hook on the dummy in every spot where they've had to remove a hook from an actual patient. Needless to say, this dummy is now completely covered in fish hooks.

We took to the Russian with high expectations, but long story short: we got nothing. Catching a red is a hard thing to do... they don't bite the fly you cast into the river; instead, the idea is to try to snag the fish in its mouth as it swims by your hook. Seems like a highly improbable thing to have happen. But other people around us were catching fish... just not us. Oh well.

We had fun, anyway. The pictures are here.

An NBA Draft Conversation, Part I

Portland at number 1, Seattle at number 2... the future of both franchises in flux... what to do? Find the biggest Blazer fan I know, and talk hoops. Here's what happened when Foley and I tackled the 2007 NBA Draft. Part 1 is pre-draft; Part 2 is post-draft, and will come later.

To: Foley, From: Gusta
So... Foley... now that you've studied the tapes, conducted the interviews, crunched the numbers... who's it going to be: Oden or Durant? (I'm asking what you'd do, and also what you think Portland will do.)

I must say that it's a stress-free position, the #2 spot. In retrospect, would you rather have gotten the #2 pick?

- Gusta

To: Gusta, From: Foley
Gusta Gossage,

I have indeed been spending unhealthy amounts of time obsessing about the Blazers' number 1 pick. Sometimes Kevin Pritchard will call me at 3:00am because he knows I'll be up pacing the floor. Heck, I even read Greg Oden's blog postings about trivial things like how great a time he has attending WNBA games, in the hopes of gleaning some essential bit of insight. That and I have too much free time.

All this is to say I'm really on the fence about Oden vs. Durant. Honestly I think the Blazers are too. A lot of people are crying smokescreen, but I don't buy it. It will come down to a group discussion between GM, coach and owner that is probably still raging right now. Here's what I think they are thinking. I think MacMillan is an Oden guy. As are a fair number of Blazers
players, although word has it that opinions differ on the team, for whatever that's worth. But who wouldn't want a team-oriented shot blocker covering your back? Pritchard is at heart a Durant guy, but is a new GM who wants to be very careful about making the wrong move. The all-important vote of Paul Allen has been harder to read, even though it feels like he's spoken to the press more in the last three weeks than the last three years. I feel like Allen is the Dick Cheney of this group. Except, you know, not evil. Still, from his secret compound, he will make the tie-breaking call that he has perhaps decided all along. In the end, all involved will have passionate opinions, but still be undecided and flexible enough to convince themselves that the best concensus decision has in fact been reached. I would love to have a hidden camera in that little jury room. It would be the sports movie equivalent of "12 Angry Men." In fact, I hope this becomes a badly lit ESPN movie a couple of decades from now. Overweight thespian Darius Miles can play MacMillan.

That said, there's a lot of popular sentiment, both locally and as we all know, nationally, to draft Oden. This would not be a mistake. He's going to be good, and his style would really fit the Blazers. I see him being a very, very good center. Even if he doesn't live up to the hype, the Blazers would be a very good team that will respond well to coach Nate. The defense would be great, and Aldridge/Oden make a pretty appealing front line. Both of those guys are pretty mobile, so they could be one of those "have it all" teams that can block shots, run the fast break, and play in multiple styles. And if Oden turns out to be the insanely dominant big man of his generation? Well, he's got a good, young team of team players and a supportive franchise that seems to make good moves. Winning could happen for a long time. But here's my fear about Oden ....

The Curse Of The Injured Center. I realize this isn't rational. He has passed his medical tests. I am talking about what might happen a few years down the road. If I were a Sonics fan I wouldn't worry about this. But the Blazers have a tragic, nearly Shakespearean history with ill-fated big men. Walton, Bowie, Sabonis. Think about it. When HAVE they had a great center who didn't end up eventually breaking Portland's collective heart? I confess that I am trained, as a life-long Blazer fan, to believe that highly mobile giant men simply take more risks with their oversized bodies. And while teasing you with their promise, some kind of bad back, crippled ankle, shattered wrist, or elephantitis will take them down, as a matter of fate.

Meanwhile, Durant goes on to become an astonishing player. I was watching some of the Texas vs. Texas Tech game last night, and even now he is pretty ridiculous. But I really do have to also buy in to the over-repeated cliche of calling his potential "limitless". Hooray for sports cliches! Give me a double helping of "upside!" But honestly, it's awfully hard to pass that up. He arguably fits Portland's present needs even better than Oden. They really do need a scorer. Especially if they move Randolph. The few games Zach was missing last season, the Blazers played bravely but were just missing that scoring threat that demands a double team. The small forward position is wide open for the taking. Adding in Durant's steely "I must break you" personality may make the critical difference between a solid but nice team that falls short, and one that punches through to championship contention. The overlooked X-factor? Don't laugh. Sergio Rodriquez. If he rounds out into a well-rounded enough player in a couple of years, his floor sense and passing ability is uncanny. Add in a dynamic player who scores from anywhere like Durant, a smart backup option in Roy, and LaMarcus "high release" Aldridge, and you've got some must-see TV. An offensive savant like Durant with a really creative point guard? Sign me up. Even if history later says they should have picked Oden and gone with the franchise center, I'd almost say damn the torpedoes, I'd rather get to see this team play.

So I suppose that makes it sound like I'm in the Durant camp. And part of me is definitely leaning that way. My evasive but honest answer, though, is that you can't go wrong. I'm pretty happy with either choice. If you put a gun to my head, though, my answer to your question is that my heart kind of goes for Durant, but I think the conservative and wise move is to take Oden. And this is also what I think the team will do. And then after he gets injured, Kevin Pritchard will commit suicide by trying to swallow fifty three ping pong balls.

As for your question about if I envy the stress-free position of having the second pick? Well, it is more stress-free? But who wants that? This kind of stress is the fun stuff you live for as a fan. It's way better this way. However, I can't really say it any better than Henry Abbott, who pretty much makes all the good points in this post.

So what will come of all this?

Here are my swami predictions for the Blazers and Sonics futures to come. Get ready for a magical glimpse into the future.

Pessimistic version:

Blazers: Draft Oden. Pritchard also makes several draft-day trades, attempting to break last year's record, and Portland ends up with a new small forward and point guard. Next season they are super young, inconsistent and mediocre. They are unable to trade Zach Randolph this year, but they do move him next year. Season two is a modest improvement, a couple of critical roster tweaks are made, and by season three they are really starting to win. Then the feared Oden Injury happens. Worn down by summer play for Team USA, he comes down with a back injury in a meaningless game against Puerto Rico. He misses over half of each season for the next several years. Blazers are still a winning team, but never make it over the hump. However, they remain a lovable, fun team to watch. Life is still good, if heartbreaking as a Blazer fan. Eventually they trade Oden for cap space. Oden wins a late-in-life championship with Houston. Brandon Roy becomes mayor of Portland and writes not-very-interesting memoir.

Sonics: Draft Durant. Are unable to re-sign Rashard Lewis. Are exciting next year, but are missing lots of pieces. Team is moved to Las Vegas. Clay Bennett manages to mess things up quite a bit. Durant is amazing, wins two consecutive scoring titles, but they can never quite get the right team around him. Vegas turns out to not be a great place for a team, and Bennett sells. Much of the team is blown up, but they keep Sam Presti. With excited new ownership, who may or may not have the last name Maloof, they bring in a few key free agents in their prime to make a surprising run around the now-dominant Durant. During their final season in Vegas, the Sin City Sonics bring in Larry Brown from multiple retirements to coach this team. He coaches from a wheelchair and screams a lot. It is worth going to games just to see this. The Sonics win one magical championship. They slump a bit the year after. Durant makes them perennial contenders under a few different rosters during a hall of fame career. But by then the league is ruled by an entirely unexpected Golden State Warriors team, headed by 4 Chinese 7-footers and a Russian point guard with the nickname "Yahtzee!"

Optimistic version:

As above, with no Oden injury. Blazers win 3 titles during a Spurs-like, on-and-off dynasty, marked by good basketball and team play. The NBA loves them at first, but then becomes bored when they're not young any more. Portland doesn't care because their team is just awesome. The Sonics are saved by Durant, a new arena gets funded in Kirkland, WA, and the team sets new league records for 3-point shooting in a Phoenix style offense where Durant plays four positions and Ray Allen loves life because he's always wide open. Former Sonic Drobnjak returns to the team as an assistant coach, and also appears in the world's funniest talk show with co-host Detlef Schrempf. They share recipes and discuss current events. Victory for Sonics! The Blazers-Sonics Western Conference Finals are a perennial highlight of the sports viewing year.

I hope you enjoyed this novel-length email. Which you certainly had to know you were going to get out of me, a day before draft day. Well done, sir.

Look forward to tomorrow,

Foley

To: Foley, From: Gusta
Speaker Foley,

Thank you for the epic response. I expected nothing less. I also expected that you would have been studying the tape and, yes, reading Greg Oden's blog. And finally, I expected that in your research you would find an X-factor, and his name would be Sergio. Well done, sir.

I enjoy the contrast between the Blazer fan and the Sonic fan right now. You have done the legwork, you have carefully considered the options. I've done nothing. I'm sitting back and enjoying whoever falls to #2. It's interesting that you're embracing the pressure that comes with the #1 pick, and even agreeing with the TrueHoops guy who says Sonics fans are LOSERS for enjoying the easiness of this draft. Because here's the thing: the stress won't end now. You'll be feeling this same stress over the summer, throughout training camp, and throughout next season. You'll feel it until you win a championship with Oden, or until Durant turns into Dajuan Wagner and starts working at Blockbuster. This decision will follow your team for the next 15 years, or more. Case in point: we still talk about Sam Bowie, and we only talk about him for one reason... because the Blazers screwed up that pick and skipped on Michael Jordan. If this pick is wrong, you're going to live with it for decades.

Being a Seattle sports fan, I'm glad not to pick up any new memories that will forever haunt my sports world. We have enough already. (1994 Sonics vs. Nuggets, Brian Bosworth, Jeff Smulyan, Super Bowl XL, 2001 M's vs. Yankees, to name a few.) We will never be judged poorly for taking whoever falls to #2. We will not lose sleep over it this summer. We won't feel as if any and all injuries are the result of a ghoolish curse. We will root like hell for our guy, but if he doesn't work out, we will be just as wrong as everyone else was. To borrow from George W., we're all using the same intelligence here, and we all agree what to do with the #2 pick. So sit back, relax, and hoist a frosty one to the newest Sonic.

That said, Sonics fans are not delusioned enough to think that we are under no stress. In fact, the stress we feel dwarfs your little Oden vs. Durant conundrum. As Little Carmine would say, the franchise is at "the crossroads of a precipice" here. We need to find a way to keep the team from moving to Oklahoma or Kansas City or Vegas. And in all reality, the best way to do that is to add some sizzle to the team, and get fans behind the team again. So I don't really care about how good the team will be in 10 years -- I only care if we can get enough hype going that people will support a new arena. I'm hoping that the prospect of watching our young Kevin Durant on TV, getting standing ovations from Oklahomans, is enough to get people excited about the team. And for that reason, I'm hoping the Blazers take Oden. Go ahead, build your little powerhouse... plan for the future. That is your luxury. The Sonics have to build for the now, and Durant is the best way to get the city buzzing. I want Durant.

I will not attempt to duplicate the length of your email, although I share your hope that we can get a Drobnjak-Schrempf talk show on the air. Oh, the recipes they'd share! Now that we see ESPN reporting that the Blazers will take Oden #1, I'll leave you with this: when will you stop analyzing this draft? Ever? Are you comfortable with that? How will you react when he has his first injury? How much do you think this pick is just playing it safe, trying to avoid criticism after the consensus has decided that the first pick should be Oden? How freaking old is Greg Oden, really? And what self-respecting Blazer fan misspells "McMillan"?

Yours,
Gusta

To: Gusta, From: Foley
Grey Gusta,

A few responses--

It's interesting that you're embracing the pressure that comes with the #1 pick, and even agreeing with the TrueHoops guy who says Sonics fans are LOSERS for enjoying the easiness of this draft.

Okay, so the TrueHoop guy was a little strong in besmirching the good name of Sonics fans. I do not mean to share in the mean-spirited name calling. I mostly mean to join him in enjoying the sweet, sweet torment and unfettered free will involved in selecting first. Even if there is a roller coaster ride that goes with it. A choice between two great options for your teams future seems unreal when you have been used to a decade of wondering who will get arrested over the summer, and which high school gangster the team will think has "potential" during draft time. We are not accustomed to such improved times and it makes us giddy.

As Little Carmine would say, the franchise is at "the crossroads of a precipice" here. We need to find a way to keep the team from moving to Oklahoma or Kansas City or Vegas.

Only a year ago, people were forming crappy investment group to buy the Blazers, Allen was screwed in his arena deal and was talking about calling it quits. The future was mighty cloudy. I do feel your pain. A really good draft and one year later it's a different world. Pritchard won a lot of fans locally by saying and doing the right things in a pretty short amount of time. Even though Cowboy Clay hasn't been doing you any favors, you do have a good similar rising star GM piece in Presti. If he wastes no time in making good moves and people warm to him, optimism may starting warming up in Seattle. And that may as important as anything else that happens this summer. So I gotta think there is some hope.

The Sonics have to build for the now, and Durant is the best way to get the city buzzing. I want Durant.

I agree. Although there is the previously described part of me that ALSO goes for Durant. If Seattle ends up with Oden, do you think that means the team is doomed to move? With Durant, will that be enough?

when will you stop analyzing this draft? Ever?

Probably never. Maybe when Bowie and Oden appear in a public service announcement together.

Are you comfortable with that?

Yes. Keeps it fun.

How will you react when he has his first injury?

It will involve reverse voodoo.

How much do you think this pick is just playing it safe, trying to avoid criticism after the consensus has decided that the first pick should be Oden?

The idea that there's even a shred of doubt, and the Blazers tease you with the notion that they may pick Durant is what makes any of this interesting anyway.

How freaking old is Greg Oden, really?

537. He, Mutombo and Kevin Willis belong to a race known as the "immortals". They can only be killed if you cut off their head. In the end, there can be only one.

And what self-respecting Blazer fan misspells "McMillan"?

Jesus H. Christ. I totally did that. What the hell. That is terrible. McShoot me in the McHead.

Foley

To: Foley, From: Gusta
Foley,

I think we've learned a lot from this discussion. We learned that Portland fans embrace uncertainty and risk, and may attach blame to unearthly curses. We learned that Sonics fans are worried about bigger things, and are happy that the outcome of this draft is assured of being a positive. We created two "Classic Pair" possibilities -- Schrempf and Drobnjak, and Oden and Bowie. We learned that Dikembe Mutombo might cut off Greg Oden's head. And we learned how to spell "McMillan." All in all, a productive chat. Good luck to the Blazers, and enjoy the draft!

- Mother Gusta

Happy Solstice!

Last Thursday was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. In years past, the solstice was merely a footnote -- the official start of summer, but not really a day of consequence. Up here, though, the solstice is an event. 19 hours and 22 minutes of daylight are cause for celebration.

Thursday was also my co-clerk Tara's birthday, so we combined celebrations and took a hike up Flattop, a peak just west of Anchorage, and the most hiked trail in Alaska. It's short -- 3 miles round trip -- but steep.

Here it is, shortly after 10pm:



As you climb you get amazing views of Anchorage and beyond, clouded somewhat on this day by the smoke from nearby wildfires (here viewed at 11:30pm):



You also get views of the neighboring valley, and Powerline Pass:


(Photo by t-dawg)

At midnight it was still quite bright. This photo of the group was taken without a flash:



Midnight! It's as weird as it seems. More photos available here.

As a post-script, I realized the other day that I had not experienced nighttime -- the real dark of night -- in months. Even in the middle of the night here, it's still dusky. And since I sleep through those hours anyway, I get no night.

Abundant daylight is great and everything, but wouldn't you miss the night? The night is mysterious. There isn't as much mystery when it's light all the time.

Anchorage loves Dairy Queen

Anchorage had been without a Dairy Queen for 17 years, until a DQ finally opened here 10 days ago. And for some bizarre reason, people are flipping out about Dairy Queen.

The ADN had an article about it last week. Apparently it got so bad that they needed an "emergency shipment of soft serve." (Wha?) The next closest DQ is in Soldotna, about two hours away down the Kenai Peninsula. People used to drive there from here to get a Blizzard. I know! Crazy.

I went to the DQ tonight, after a short after-work hike. The line was out the door, into the parking lot. We were there for over an hour before we received our orders. It was chaos inside. Absolutely insane. Have you ever seen that at a Dairy Queen?

The blizzard tasted even better than normal, knowing that I was enjoying a treasured local commodity. So strange, in a place where seeing moose and bears and eagles is commonplace and yawn-worthy... but freaking DQ gets the people in a tizzy. You explain it.

ADDED: I forgot this part:

According to franchise owner Greg Todd, the new Anchorage DQ broke the company's single day dollar sales record on opening day Friday. Then it topped that record the very next day, and went on to bust the record for the highest sales week in just four days. He estimates they're serving more than a thousand orders a day.

Whoa. That's just nuts.

Some Alaska links

Just a few items before bed tonight.

First, check out the trailer about the upcoming movie about vampires wreaking havoc in Barrow, AK: 30 Days of Night. What a concept. It's always dark, and vampires are everywhere. Awesome.

Next is the trailer for Into the Wild, written and directed by Sean Penn, based on the book by Jon Krakauer. Guy heads to Alaska for a big northern adventure, gets lost in the woods, finds himself, and so on. Scenery looks good.

Last... who wants bear videos? Okay... vs. musk ox; vs. caribou (with bad soundtrack); vs. wolves (with worse soundtrack). Enjoy!

Softball update

Mostly just to move the blister post down a notch, here's this week's mostly-fabricated pitching line:

6 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 4 K, 4 BB

... in a rousing 8-5 NinJustice victory! (They claimed it was 8-6, but I think they're liars.) We didn't like this team very much, and it took 4 runs in our final frame to win. This was a team that would rather work the count and try to draw a walk than lift the bat off their shoulders and actually play softball. I'm not sure why getting walked is fun for anybody, but damn did they try. In the end, ninjustice was served.

The grossest post. Look away.

I thought twice about writing this one. Some might find it disgusting, some might find it void of substance. In regards to the former, be forewarned -- maybe you don't want to look below. But you survived the Great Beard Debacle, so you're probably fine. As for the latter, what -- you expected substance?

Many of you know that I don't grow calluses. I have charmingly soft skin on my hands and feet, but when it comes time to work, my hands and feet blister immediately. No calluses, just blisters followed by another round of charmingly soft skin.

(If this is already too much information, leave now. It gets worse.)

So I have a history of huge blisters on my feet -- appearing after long runs or, more likely, a long day of ultimate. On Monday I had a summer league ultimate game, and at about halftime I could tell I was forming hot spots on my feet. But I thought it would only lead to minor blistering. Wrong.

It turned out to be one of my top-5 blisters of all time. (And yes, I have a top-5 list of blisters.) So big was this blister, I had to take pictures. Here's my foot now:



Yikes! Pretty amazing, eh? Don't worry, it doesn't hurt nearly as much as it looks. I walk fine. The little blister on the second toe is actually more annoying than the huge crater on the foot. And yeah, I found it like that -- skin off.

Just how big is the blister? Is it bigger than a cat's paw? Glad you asked!



That's the missing patch of skin, obviously. And the cat, Jack. We use him for experiments involving measurement all the time. ("How much butter do we have?" "About three Jack paws." "Oh.") So, yeah, my blister is about as big as a cat's paw. Impressive. And also, a little disgusting.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to Dad, Tim, and all you other dads out there!

I'm going to talk about The Sopranos...

... in the comments. If you haven't seen the finale yet, I recommend trying to avoid all Sopranos recaps until you get a chance to see it -- and don't click below.

Seasonal stuff

We're just a few days from the solstice, and yeah, we've got a ton of light right now. It never really gets dark at night, actually. The sun goes down around 11:45, but then travels just below the horizon for a few hours, then it comes back up around 4:15. It makes it hard to fall to sleep, which is what you'd expect. The light has also changed my eating patterns -- it turns out that I take cues from the light in deciding when to eat dinner. I like it to be getting a little dark when I eat, it turns out. So I end up eating much later than I'd like.

Summer in Alaska also means mosquitoes. They're out. So, as much as sunscreen is a necessary summer item in most locales, mosquito repellant is necessary here. Some people don't go anywhere without it. If you're going to be outdoors for any extended amount of time, you need it. I've got bites all over me from being caught at ultimate league without it. It's not really so bad around Anchorage, but the farther north you go towards the interior, the worse it gets. If you're visiting this summer, bring repellant!

Finally, here's my mostly-fabricated softball pitching line: 6 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 3 K, 1 BB in a dramatic come-from-behind 7-5 win. The undefeated NinJustice team trailed 5-4 heading into the bottom of the final inning, and we won on a 3-run home run. The march toward a championship continues.