Worth Witnessing

I’m not sure what it is about this video, but it just cracks me up every time I watch it. The Maverick might not win this upcoming election, but he sure can bang on the drums.


via videosift.com

The Cam Cameron Redemption Tour Continues…

After handing it to his old team (our team) last week, the dearly thankfully departed Cam Cameron continues to influence the play of the Dolphins this season in his absence ... though finally, in a good way. His big signing last off-season, Joey Porter, who was a no-show through his first 15 games, continued to be a beast on the playing field this year, and Ted Ginn actually had a game where he looked like a first round draft pick—his biggest game by far. Just look at what happens when you play to the strengths of your players! Why couldn't you ever figure that out Cam????

But enough about Cam—nice guy, good offensive coordinator, horrible head coach. We’re so much better off without him. While the Dolphins were in so many games late last year, they couldn’t pull out a win. Or beat any of the three arch rivals. This year’s been a different story. Especially today, with a come-from-behind win against Buffalo. In fact, two of our three wins have come against the Nasty Pats and those Sorry Bills, and had Brett Favre not sprinkled his fairy dust on the football, we would’ve beaten the New York JV team as well.

This was just a sweet win against a team that has caused so much frustration over the years (I still have nightmares of screen passes to Thurman Thomas going for forty-yard gains)--and no one expected it. I’d like to see the R&R express get back on track with the running game, but Ginn’s big day makes up for it, and Ricky had good stats catching the ball.

With Ronnie’s production slacking a bit these last couple of games, it’s a toss up between who the team MVP has been so far—Chad Pennington, who’s been more accurate than Tina Fey’s impersonation of Sarah Palin, or Joey Porter, who’s treated every quarterback he’s faced like they’re Levi Jones at the Texas Hold ‘Em table. Both guys, and Ginn, had huge days. Kudos also to rookie Dan Carpenter, who had another solid day and is making no one miss last year’s team MVP, the kicker.

I'm telling you, we've come a long way: tripling our win total from last year, MVPs who do more than kick the ball and a coach whose name avoids redundancy.

Boys in the Hood (my Fatherhood, that is)

SUPER SWIRL

As I was brushing teeth and hair after the boys’ evening tub, my five-year-old requested the hair-stylings of one of his favorite super-powered heroes. “Can I have a Superman swirl?”

“Sure,” I said, trying to fashion his bangs into the familiar “S” that hangs in the middle of the Man of Steel’s forehead. Of course, younger brother needed to have one too now.

But then, big brother asked me a very poignant question: “Daddy, how come Superman’s swirl never gets messed up?”

I’d never really considered it before. But it’s a really good question, because no matter if he’s battling bad guys, showcasing more power than a locomotive or leaping tall buildings in a single bound, the coif never gets messed up. I honestly didn’t have an answer. So I just suggested the obvious. “He probably uses a lot of hair gel.”

“What’s hair gel?”

“You put it in your hair and it makes it stay in place.” He has no idea since Dad’s never had a reason to use it before (at least not in this past decade).

“Even when you fly really, really super fast?”

Apparently so. Flying faster than a speeding bullet has no effect on it.

I'm guessing only kryptonite could straighten that thing out.

Way Back When: Tom & Jerry

We recently bought the boys a “Tom & Jerry” DVD—something we found at Target for $5. I guess as a concerned parent, you could argue it promotes violence, not playing together well or not being kind to your neighbor. And from the more prevalent smacking of things against other people's heads by B2 here lately, some of the arguments may have a very valid point. But it is funny. And slapstick. Plus you can always justify certain episodes as lessons in loving your enemies—especially the ones where Tom and Jerry team up, working together to overcome a shared nemesis, like Spike the bulldog…

OK, maybe not.

But anyway, I loved these cartoons growing up, watching them over and over each weekday after school. And much to my delight, the boys loved them too. The DVD had 15 episodes on it, and with each one, they cracked up—huge belly laughs. Sure, aside from the animated bedlam, they also have their share of other things that aren’t entirely appropriate for little ones (especially those occasional racial caricatures, and to a lesser degree all those loaded guns in the house—did they live in a militia’s compound, or what?), but overall I think it’s pretty harmless. And much better than the crazy crap you see on Cartoon Network.

I actually found myself still enjoying them too, as brought back a lot of memories, and any time a part of your past generation reconnects with a new one, it’s a very cool thing. Unless it’s my parachute pants. Or mullets. Or one of these (though I never had one. No really, I’m serious).

Worth Witnessing

English lessons that are 2 Legit 2 Quit…

The Japanese may have a leg up on us when it comes to automobiles, game shows, animation, and public education, but finally… we’ve got something on them: methodology for teaching a second language.

I can only imagine what the parents who probably paid a fat stack of yen for these English lessons might have been thinking. Of course, if I were the teacher, I can’t say I wouldn’t have used some Hammer Time, or even Vanilla Ice and Flava Flav myself to bridge the two languages… “Children, repeat after me: Rolling, in my five-point-oh…”

While their English skills are developing nicely, and it’s obvious they're having a lot of fun, unfortunately, they were not blessed with a mind to rhyme and two hyped feet like Hammer.

I Could Really Get Used to This...

Really, I could. When looking at the schedule at the beginning of the season, this upcoming week against Houston was where I really thought the 'Phins would have their best first shot to get win number one. And here we are sitting at 2-2. It's week five, and we've already got double the amount of wins as last year (OK, that's both pathetic and encouraging). But enough of last year--it's a whole new era. Proof:

1) The Dolphins actually found some toughness, and played some serious D. They kept the all-around offensive juggernaut LT to 35 yards, and the entire Chargers team to 200 total offense. AND a game-saving fourth-and-goal stuff (of LT no less)! Is this defense for real?

2) They only made one mistake. Granted it was a fumble on a kick-off and nearly cost them the game, but unlike last year, they didn't let that happen this time.

3) They've beaten the two teams (soundly against those Nasty Pats!) who were in the AFC Championship game last year. You could say one was a fluke, but two? Belief is sinking in.

4) We've had a couple of draft picks from years' past sightings again... Ted Ginn continues to have a handfull of catches per game, and Matt Roth is playing like... well, he's playing! And even had a sack and a few tackles for losses. And Vernon Carey's finally anchoring like the lineman he was in college.

5) The emergence of consistsency: Greg Camarillo (the hero of last year's only win) keeps reminding me of the dearly departed Chris Chambers (who had his own good game for San Diego), the balancing acts of Chad's arm and Ronnie's legs, and Joey Porter's play at linebacker--he's finally backing up his talk with his play and earning his big pay... it's actually bringing back mostly good memories of Bryan Cox with the loud mouth and sacks (minus the "salutes" of the Buffalo faithful).

So there you go... five 'Phin facts to say they're maybe not quite ready to sing this song, but hey, they're competing. And actually living up to this season's marketing slogan: A New Beginning.