OrangeWhoopass.com Forums
General Discussion => Talk Zone => Topic started by: Mike S. on January 22, 2018, 07:16:45 pm
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Today marked the tenth anniversary of his passing. Dad was the reason why I'm an Astros fan. Growing up in Tucson, probably nothing was more sacred in our house than the University of Texas, the Houston Oilers, and the Houston Astros. The former was his alma mater (class of 1960), and he taught both my brother and me "Hook 'em, Horns" before either of us could walk. The latter two are because my father went to UH in the late 60's for a degree in Journalism. He once told me that some of the happiest times of his life were abusing his press credentials so he could get into the Astrodome to watch the Oilers and Astros play while drinking a cold beer with his colleagues.
Although I only post on social media infrequently, every year I write something in memory of my father on this anniversary. If you'll forgive the intrusion, I wanted to post those thoughts here as well. It's as much due to the content of what I wrote as it is to my feelings for the people here. I've been coming to OWA since the days of Kevin and Scott and the (in)famous Astros Connection. Despite not knowing any of you personally, I've also come to think of all of you as some sort of oddly extended family. You're the folks who know what it is to love the Astros the way I do and I can honestly say that my life is far better because of the tenor of this place.
"The Astros won the World Series, Dad. Wish to hell you were there to see it with me. One of my earliest memories is you and I in the kitchen of the old house watching the Phillies win the 1980 World Series on that portable black & white television set with the crap 6” screen. You were standing next to me, furiously chomping one of your cigars Mom would soon make you give up. Only later did I understand your anger. The Phillies miraculously came back to beat Nolan Ryan and the Astros in Game 5 of the NLCS, thereby preventing the team you loved from going to its first World Series. Six years later, watching on an only slightly better color television set we had to endure the exquisite hell of the 1986 NLCS against the goddamn New York Mets. There’s a special circle of hell for Fred Brocklander, a lifelong Mets’ fan whose ridiculously dodgy calls in Game 5 (Craig Reynolds is still safe at first base) and Game 6 (Ray Knight is still out on strikes) gave New York the pennant. I’ll never forget, though, how calmly you assured me that the Astros would be back to finish what they started. You believed it would happen. Therefore, I believed it too. Neither of us could know it would take thirty years and a seemingly never-ending litany of postseason losses. We at least finally made it to a game in the Astrodome. Sadly, the Astros no longer wore their rainbow uniforms. However, Brian Williams took the mound that day, and the boys had the decency to beat the Reds 6-5. A few years later, you would casually let slip that you readily abused your press pass to the Dome while you finished your Journalism degree in the late 60’s. Maybe that’s when I finally understood what the Astros meant. They were more than a team you taught me to love. They were a connection to a part of your life when I wasn’t yet a possibility, a time made real for me by something we shared. Maybe that’s when I finally began to appreciate you for the man you were. The Astros won the World Series, Dad. Wish to hell you were there to see it with me.
Richard Allen Schieffer: January 23, 1938 – January 22, 2007"
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Thanks. Great post.
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Thanks for posting that.
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Wonderful
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What a nice post, Mike. Thank you.
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Bravo!
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Good post. Post more often.
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Great post. Looks like you got some of your dad's story telling skills.
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I share your sentiment Mike S. Well done. Since I only have a daughter who does not care about anything sports except UT football I will not leave behind a legacy following the Astros that my dad and I shared. Well, I do have a 2 year-old grandson in Austin and another coming in the next couple of weeks so maybe there will be time to work on them. I will give it my best.
Post more often.
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thank you ( and I know I am lucky to have another Astros fan in my youngest daughter)
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Terrific post.
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What a great post. Thank you, Mike.
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Thank you, everyone!! Sincerely appreciate the kind words. This place truly does mean a hell of a lot to me.
And, Julio - congratulations on the new grandson!! That is fantastic news. Looking forward to you teaching both of your grandchildren how effing great the Astros are.
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Thank you, everyone!! Sincerely appreciate the kind words. This place truly does mean a hell of a lot to me.
And, Julio - congratulations on the new grandson!! That is fantastic news. Looking forward to you teaching both of your grandchildren how effing great the Astros are.
I will have to overcome what will be their huge exposure to Basketball as their paternal in-laws, and dad, are huge NBA (Spurs) fans. And college football which we all enjoy in the family. But I know my daughter and son-in-law won't let the boys play football so maybe that is the window of opportunity.
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I will have to overcome what will be their huge exposure to Basketball as their paternal in-laws, and dad, are huge NBA (Spurs) fans. And college football which we all enjoy in the family. But I know my daughter and son-in-law won't let the boys play football so maybe that is the window of opportunity.
I really dislike parents not allowing kids to play what they want to play or encouraging them to specialize in only one. Good friends would not allow their twins to play football and got them into soccer instead. They spent their adolescence in the emergency room with soccer injuries, a couple of them serious. They would have been safer in football.
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Thank goodness my son chose the far safer sport of rugby over football.
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I think you should let your kids play what they want, but football at a certain age is a bit of a different story...
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I coached kids soccer for very small ones, and though I knew nothing no one else did either. I had moms tell me they didn't want their children doing headers because it could cause permanent damage. I never coached a kid who could actually do a header.
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Thank goodness my son chose the far safer sport of rugby over football.
I had a college roommate that played rugby and I went to see him play twice....ended up taking him to ER both times. Once knee, second time cut to the head. I did not go again.
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I think you should let your kids play what they want, but football at a certain age is a bit of a different story...
Did not say peewee football
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I had a college roommate that played rugby and I went to see him play twice....ended up taking him to ER both times. Once knee, second time cut to the head. I did not go again.
season ending broken hand. I think they should just be given 2x4s and let them whack each other.
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I played rugby until my early 30's. Certainly accrued my fair share of injuries during my playing career (concussion, fractured wrist, torn ACL). However, the game has had a profound impact on my life giving me many of my closest friends, taking me around the world, and even giving me my start in the wine industry. For me, there's no question I would do it all over again.
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I played rugby until my early 30's. Certainly accrued my fair share of injuries during my playing career (concussion, fractured wrist, torn ACL). However, the game has had a profound impact on my life giving me many of my closest friends, taking me around the world, and even giving me my start in the wine industry. For me, there's no question I would do it all over again.
Which reminds me, I've got an order email I need to answer.
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Which reminds me, I've got an order email I need to answer.
You and me both.
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I coached kids soccer for very small ones, and though I knew nothing no one else did either. I had moms tell me they didn't want their children doing headers because it could cause permanent damage. I never coached a kid who could actually do a header.
The moms were ahead of the curve. Under the current youth soccer rules, "players 10 and younger will be banned from heading the ball, and 11- to 13-year-olds will be limited to only heading in games, not practices." (https://www.pri.org/stories/2015-11-29/youth-soccer-players-wont-be-allowed-headers-prevent-concussions)
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The moms were ahead of the curve. Under the current youth soccer rules, "players 10 and younger will be banned from heading the ball, and 11- to 13-year-olds will be limited to only heading in games, not practices." (https://www.pri.org/stories/2015-11-29/youth-soccer-players-wont-be-allowed-headers-prevent-concussions)
This is terrible. Kids should be allowed to play the way they want to play without adult guidance.
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This is terrible. Kids should be allowed to play the way they want to play without adult guidance.
In my experience with U4 soccer, the sidelines unreasonably interfered with the kids' play.
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The moms were ahead of the curve. Under the current youth soccer rules, "players 10 and younger will be banned from heading the ball, and 11- to 13-year-olds will be limited to only heading in games, not practices." (https://www.pri.org/stories/2015-11-29/youth-soccer-players-wont-be-allowed-headers-prevent-concussions)
The injuries to my friends’ kids were not from heading.
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In my experience with U4 soccer, the sidelines unreasonably interfered with the kids' play.
In youth sports? Inconceivable.