I took Friday night off in order to finish (OK start and finish) my Christmas shopping. I'm pleased to say I survived the experience (and so did the crabby store manager who crossed my path late in my sojourn - another story for another blog posting).
At any rate, the only thing I'm covering this weekend in the final game of the Doc Tulip Tournament in St. Albans this afternoon.
I'll have a blog post following the game, I'm sure and will try to get the photos up either tonight or tomorrow.
I know, he's a heel - and a dumbass, if you'll pardon my French - for what he did to his poor wife and kids.
But you know what? I don't care.
Or as 80s blues rocker George Thorogood once sang 'That don't confront me none.'
What do I care if he's so shallow and so twisted that he feels compelled to sleep with anything with humps? As long as he stays away from my wife and my daughter, he's good by me.
I don't need him to be a role model. I don't need him to be perfect. I don't need him to be anything other than what seems to be in his for-public-consumption personae - a great golfer and an oftimes charming chap.
What he does when the cameras are off and the golf clubs are in the trunk is none of my concern and should be none of our business.
But some folks - especially the media - can't get enough of it.
I understand the compulsion - I like car crashes with the best of y'all. But after 5 seconds I look away. I don't need pull the car over and grill the cops, the drivers and the witnesses for every detail. Other people's suffering simply isn't that 'amusing' - and I mean that in the strictest meaning of the word. Look it up.
I'm not judging, I'm just saying.
If you are entertained and amused by watching Tiger twist in the wind, have at it. It's open season. Drink your fill.
But I'm going to take a pass.
Not because I'm offended, per se. I just think it's a non story.
Some married guys - present company excluded, thank you very much - sleep around. So do some married women. It's a fact. But it's not news.
Don't misunderstand, it was news when Tiger crashed his SUV. Big news.
But after the cops failed to do anything about it, the rest of the story became a freakshow. And, to me, a bore.
Now if it turns out that Tiger did HGH, broke some law (and breaking a vow is not breaking the law) or if he goes postal due to the stress, then it's time to report on him again.
Until then, I think Tiger should be given the same treatment that people like A-Rod (an admitted cheater, vow-breaker and all-around shmuck) get - in other words, a free pass.
But that won't happen until Tiger speaks to the media.
The media will poke, probe, castigate and humiliate Tiger until he deigns to speak with them. Then, and only then, can his inevitable redemption begin.
Until then, here's a couple of videos that should remind you of why we liked the guy in the first place and why - once the media lets us - we'll embrace him again.
A couple of unrelated thoughts on the MVU boys hockey game with Milton on Wednesday night.
(To read the game story I wrote, you'll need to buy the St. Albans Messenger.)
First of all, how about Milton goalie Nikki-Lyn Lauziere (below)?
The junior - who I think its the only girl playing on a boys hockey team this winter - was nothing short of incredible, stopping 46 shots against a high-flying T-Bird offense.
Sure, MVU lit the lamp five times, but it could have been 15 with as many quality scoring bids as they put forth.
Milton only has 14 players on its roster, but they all contribute and their conditioning is impressive as they seemed to keep pace with the deep and talented T-Birds for all 45 minutes.
The game was the second for the T-Birds without their charasmatic coach Jason Brace, a former BFA-St. Albans stud who took over last winter for long-time coach Kevin Spears (who was at the game in a Yankee hat - booo! - last night).
Brace will not coach the T-Birds the rest of the season and for good reason: he's being deployed to Afghanistan along with his mates in the Army National Guard.
Brace is a communications specialist and will be gone - but not forgotten - for about a year.
In his abscence, assistants Luc Choquette (himself a fine player for Spears back in the day) and John McDonald.
Choquette said he'll be in contact with his head coach - and good friend - throughout his deployment and that Brace is very proud to serve.
Choquette said the MVU players are also very proud of their coach and hope to see him off when he deploys in early January.
He's wishing Jason and the rest of those deploying in the weeks to come the best of luck in Afghanistan. I'm extremely proud of your service and sacrifice and I appreciate you doing more than your fair share to protect the liberties we all so often take for granted.
My thoughts go out, too, to the families they are leaving behind. You are unsung heroes in your own right. Stay strong and know that there are tons of people who are ready to help and support you in any way we can.
Just got back from Enosburg shooting basketball team photos and saw this little gem in my email inbox.
Before you read it, bear in mind I don't know this person and have never communicated with them.
That said, he's obviously thinks I'm a bad person for selling photos.
Oh well ... can't please 'em all I guess.
Here's the email -- hope it makes you laugh as much as it made me laugh!
On Dec 16, 2009, at 3:07 PM, (someone I don't know) wrote: Right clicking on a photo is not the only way to save them. Why the hell would anyone buy pictures of family with the technology we have today? I'm sure everyone that wants pictures brings their own camera and takes them for free. I know I did, and the pictures have a quality that is equal to the pictures you took. Also, the most i have ever paid to print a digital photo (4 x 6) is $0.26, and thats for a single photo, if I were to print more than one, it would be even cheaper than that! I think it's cool that you take the pictures and post them for family and friends to look at, but selling them is simply taking advantage.
Wowsers! He busted me!
Yep, I'm a millionaire and I made it all taking sports photos and selling them for $2.99 each!
Oh well, nothing left to do but keep perpetuating the myth and therefore I'm off to go rip off the fine MVU and Milton hockey parents by taking photos of their kids with the knowledge they all will soon be overpaying for them, adding to my huge stack.
For my next poll I need a little help in selecting the choices.
The topic is top local sports team of 2009.
The only criteria is the team must be based in northwestern Vermont (no team further south than Milton or further east than Fairfax).
Here's are the teams I can come up with right off the top of my bald little head - in no particular order.
Milton girls soccer - Division II champs
Missisquoi boys soccer - Division II runners-up
BFA-Fairfax girls soccer - Division III runners-up
Milton Broncos 7/8 Youth Football - NVYFL runners-up
BFA-Fairfax boys basketball - Division III runners-up
BFA-St. Albans girls basketball - Division I runners-up
Missisquoi girls hockey - Division II runners-up
BFA-Fairfax softball - Division III runners-up
The plan is to post the poll on Monday, so if I have missed your favorite team or if you have another suggestion, please add your comments below and give me a good reason or two to put that team in the poll.
Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 9:03AM 
