Mr. T? Whatever happened to Mr. T?

Good Morning and welcome back to the 'Net!

Remember that old actor Mr. T? Yeah, the one who was in Rocky III and the only real reason to watch the A-Team every week.
His catch phrase was: "Pain."
Well, as I continue my foray into the running world (OK, it's more like the speed walking world. OK, you got me, walking world), I'm starting to feel that pain.
Woke up today with a dull throbbing in my thigh muscles after probably overdoing it a bit yesterday on the treadmill, elliptical, bike and track.
I want to prove those naysayers out there that his can be done. I want to prove to myself that I can stick with it all. I want a large pepperoni pizza with extra cheese.
As I pulled myself out of bed this morning I had a flashback to many a moon ago.
When I was in 8th grade, I decided to join the football team. While the hits took a bit out of me, it was all the other practice stuff that was tough, especially the running.
One night, I could fall asleep as my legs throbbed with pain. I lay there thinking, "What the heck am I doing? This is ridiculous!"
I wasn't going to give up then and I'm not now.
If I see Mr. T at the front door, though, all bets are off.
By the way, help me keep going to the Broad Street Run by 'liking' my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/helpvincerun). I need all the inspiration I can get.

Bouncing off the walls

Good Morning and it sure was nice to pull out the light jacket this weekend!

So, the warm weather over the past two days (yeah, it's changing back today) got me to thinking about a few things.
I remember my mom packing and unpacking different clothes throughout the year. We'd get the winter ones out around November and the spring/summer ones would come out sometime in March.
I used to look forward to the day my T-shirts would emerge from the box in the attic. I knew it was almost the end of another school year.
In my own home, we don't pack up clothes. In fact, we wear pretty much the same ones all year long (sure, the sweatshirts don't leave the drawer, but still).
I wonder if anybody still packs clothes away for the seasons?
Also, even though it was nice to turn off the heat in the house the last couple of days (yeah, it will go back on today), I still felt like the walls were closing in. It was nice out, but there was still too much snow (and now mud) to deal with.
Hey, at least we have the first Phillies game Wednesday. So, things must be changing.

Time to get it going

Good Morning and there's a reason I haven't looked out the window this morning!

I don't consider myself an athlete by any stretch of the limitations of the word. I played sports though high school, but, when I look back, it was for the social interaction. I was never going past the level of next-to-last guy on the bench. I enjoyed playing baseball, football, track, basketball, whatever.
I still enjoy it, although my competition is now 30-some years younger. Most of the time, I'm trying to lose (Shhh ... don't tell anybody).
Well, at the end of last summer, I was sitting on the couch competing in my favorite sport of late (opening a beer and watching the Phillies). All of a sudden, I started to feel dizzy. I stood up and had a hard time keeping my balance.
At that moment, I decided it was time for a change.
I started walking around the block instead of laying down on the couch. In October, the YMCA opened in Haverford.
I signed up and was there on the first day.
It was time to get serious about exercising. I had done a good job a few years ago, but, you know, things happened in life and I let it all go.
When I went the first day, I can admit now I was up near 300 pounds. It wasn't fun.
The first couple of weeks were painful, but I saw a goal.
There was a sign for the Broad Street Run and I thought, there you go, if it comes to signup time and I feel like I'm still going forward, I'm doing it.
Well, 50 pounds and four months later, I feel confident I can do it.
So, when the e-mail came through yesterday saying we were entered (I'm going to run with my 14-year old son and my younger brother), there was a mix of trepidation and elation.
Now to really get serious. I'm sure there are people out there who don't think I can do it, but it's time to prove them (and me) wrong.

The heavy stuff

Good Morning and, the temperature doesn't matter, it's nice to see the sun.

Way back in the day, I can remember my Dad telling me to take the shovel and help an older neighbor clear the driveway. Being young and stupid, I balked. I still did it, but grumbled all the way through it.
When it was done, I felt very good. When I saw how much he appreciated the help, I knew the complaining was wrong. Sometimes, you just have to do.
Well, anybody who was out there last Thursday and Friday knows that was some heavy snow Mother Nature dumped on us.
I barely got through it Thursday, wondering why I didn't get the snow blower at that yard sale last year.
After clearing off the driveway and sidewalk, I was ready for a nap. Two hours later, I was ready to drive to Arizona.
After shoveling again Friday, clearing my drive and helping the neighbors on either side, I was ready for another nap (maybe a hibernation?). I looked across the street and saw an older man and his wife getting ready to shovel.
So, I grabbed the boys off the computers and told them to go help.
Of course, they balked. We argued. They went over.
An hour later, after helping clear two cars and a that stuff the plow left blocking the street, they came back in dog tired.
"Thanks Dad," one said, "that felt great."

Shoot, what happened to the 76ers

Good Morning and I think I can smell spring!

I've always been a 76ers fan.
Growing up, I was lucky enough to see some of the greatest teams in the history of the franchise.
I remember exactly where I was when the 76ers blew the 1977 championship to Seattle. I remember the Doc telling everybody "We owe you one."
Of course, that "one" didn't come until 1983, but it was still glorious.
This year for Christmas, I purchased a four-game plan and have been taking the children down to watch.
The last game, the 9-year old girl said, "The 76ers have a neat opening, but they sure can't play basketball."
I laughed.
Last night, the 76ers lost by 43 points to the Golden State Warriors. The night before, they lost by 45 to Clippers.
Yes, we knew the team was going to be bad this year. Actually, most were hoping they would be bad. In the NBA these days, you can't win without being bad and drafting well.
Losing by a combined 88 points in back-to-back games, though?
I don't think anybody is laughing now.

That bad, really?

Good Morning and enough about the weather!

You can't turn on the TV or read your local news Web site without being hit over the head with the weather. So, instead, let's talk about something else.
How about those Phillies!!!
Right, how about them? ESPN has ranked the Phillies as the second worst team in baseball this year.
They are slightly ahead of the AA-talented Astros. They are behind teams like the Cubs (THE CUBS), Marlins and those stinckin' Mets.
If experts are to be believed, we are in for a long summer of losing baseball.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, the games still have to be played, but I get a bad feeling about this team.
It feels a whole lot like those teams in the late 1980s and 1990s.
You know, if Ryan Howard can figure out to hit, if Chase Utley stays healthy, if the outfield doesn't break down, if Carlos Ruiz can play like it's 2008, if the pitching holds up.
A whole lot of "ifs." A whole lot of losses.
Hey, at least there won't be any snow.

Little bit of this, a little bit of that

Good Morning and, yes, that was me who slipped outside the front door this morning (ouch)!

There was a time (I guess it was when I was in school), that snow days were fantastic. It snowed, we had off from school, what could be better?
Then I realized all these snow days made for a longer school year. Then I started to drive. Soon, I started to work.
Don't know exactly when that turnover happened, but, yeah, I hate snow. Unless I'm up the mountains and can ride a sled down a hill. Now, that's cool.
Speaking of being dumped on, how about those Denver Broncos!!
OK, somehow I get the feeling this Super Bowl just didn't get anybody excited. Yes, Seattle and Denver were the two best teams in the league this year. Yes, it was a classic matchup of Denver's No. 1 offense against Seattle's No. 1 defense. Yes, you had the whole Peyton Manning thing and the New York thing and the Seattle 12 thing.
Yeah, there was all that, but, come on, it was Denver against Seattle. Outside of Denver and Seattle, does anybody really care about these two?
It's like those years of classic wrestling when S.D. Jones would hit the ring.
The difference is the announcers were better back then and nobody cared about commercials.

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