Vamos a Chile

Merry Christmas everyone. This will be my last post for a while as we are leaving tomorrow for the final road trip of 2010; 2-1/2 weeks in Chile including a week in Santiago with the rest of the time at the Pacific Ocean village of Cachagua. As I’m sure this highly sophisticated crowd knows it is summer down there now. My son is attending the University of Chile this year and my daughter is flying down too, so we will have a family Christmas at the beach.

Here is a list of my 2010 road trips in chronological order: Yonkers, New York to Arlington, Virginia. Arlington to Charlotte and Wilmington, NC and on to DeLand, Florida, my winter base. DeLand to Tampa. DeLand to Memphis and Clarksdale, Mississippi. DeLand to Myrtle Beach and Charleston, SC. DeLand to Yonkers for a month with a visit in Winston-Salem, NC along the way. Yonkers to Boston for daughter’s graduation. Numerous trips to NYC. Yonkers to Westhampton, MA, my summer base. Day trips to Pittsfield, MA (Melville’s home), Hartford (Twain’s home) and Boston. Westhampton to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. Westhampton to Erie, PA, Warren, Ohio and Detroit. Westhampton to Erie, Warren, Greenville, PA and Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio. Back to DeLand via Arlington. DeLand to San Francisco, Yosemite National Park, Sonoma and Napa Valleys. DeLand to Miami. And now to Chile. That was fun but I plan to dial it back a little in ’11.

Happy New Year!

What if?

What if in 2012 people look back at nearly four years of the Obama administration and think:

“Well, he didn’t get everything I’d hoped for but he got health care for 30 million people, he got unemployment benefits extended for the jobless, a substantial tax cut for middle class Americans and financial reform. He gave up huge tax cuts for wealthy people and the health care and financial reform bills weren’t perfect, but I blame the Republicans for that. And I blame the Republicans for road-blocking an agreement with Russia on nuclear arms and a bunch of other things too.”

What if all the TARP money is repaid with interest and GM is profitable and adding to their workforce? What if unemployment drops to under 7% and seems likely to continue a steady if slow recovery?

What if he and his team regain their communications mojo and tell their story with simplicity and passion?

What if people stop thinking Obama is afraid to fight for what is right, and begin to see him as the one sane person in national politics; the one person willing to step away from the partisan bickering that has accomplished nothing? What if people start accepting that politics is the art of the possible?

I don’t know if I even think this way and there are a lot of “ifs” in the above. I’m just wondering.

Daddy O, Cuban coffee and da Browns

I just returned from my penultimate road trip of 2010. Mrs. d’blank and I went down to Miami to watch the Browns play the Dolphins. I suspect that the Mrs. only came out of pity at my inability to find a friend or family member to attend with me. Despite the way they call themselves “life-long fans” none could find a way to spend a couple days in Miami (where it was 78 and sunny), and a few hours sitting on the fifty yard line courtesy of she-who-will-not-be-named, (so that she isn’t bombarded by other freeloaders) who works-for-the-Dolphin’s-owner. Anyway, my spouse attended her first (and probably last) NFL game out of pity, or maybe she was worried one of those South Beach hotties would get a hold of me if I went alone. (You may laugh here.)

We went straight to Calle Ocho when we got to town and walked around on a beautiful day, watching the old men play dominoes, window shopping the latest Little Havana fashions, and strolling through the Bay of Pigs Park where there were definite signs of recent Santeria activities. We finished up with a strong Cuban coffee and a roll at a small bakery – both delicious and a dollar for both.

We checked into the Daddy O Hotel near Surfside early Saturday evening and went looking for a Cuban restaurant. Found a great one, Sazon, at 73^rd and Collins; an old place that looked like the third generation might be running it. I’d say it was last redecorated sometime between 1956-76; hard to tell.

They served a good drink (hard to find in Florida) and flavorful traditional Cuban meals at a reasonable price. Your parents probably ate there when they visited Miami, but we liked it so much we went back for breakfast the next morning. The crowd had changed from Saturday night’s couples to whole families at push-together tables. Why do huevos revueltos taste so much better than scrambled eggs?

One last cup of Cuban coffee to go and we walked a block to the ocean and took a pre-game walk along Miami Beach in glorious sunshine and a soft ocean breeze.

We entered the stadium and went straight to the lower level where our field passes allowed us on the sidelines up close and personal with the players. That was after getting our photo taken with four Miami cheerleaders and a dufus dressed like a Dolphin. The cheerleaders were very pretty young ladies in very skimpy outfits; they also processed a pneumatic quality that made constant eye contact imperative.

On the sidelines we met a bunch of kids in Team Elam tee shirts, at the game courtesy of Browns d-back Abam Elam (above), a Kent State grad and native of South Florida. I know this is a cliché, but we always hear about the Shaun Rogers of the world. The Browns’ 350-lb defensive tackle was nearby trying to get his pants buckled with the assistance of an equipment man. Last April he was arrested trying to board a flight in Cleveland with a loaded gun in his carry-on. I never heard of Elam before, but there were at least 50 kids at the game Sunday getting the VIP treatment thanks to his generosity.

Then it was up to the Club level, 50-yard line seats bathed in the South Florida sun. When I was a kid I’d be watching late season Miami games on TV. The wind would be blowing snow or sleet that rattled the windows while the people on TV were wearing shades and shorts. It seemed impossibly exotic and I always wondered what it would be like. Now I know. It’s very good.

Neither the Browns or Dolphins are playoff bound and the game reflected that fact. I thought the Browns defense played well but the Dolphins offense may just have been inept. The same may be said of the Dolphins defense and the Browns offense. There was very little offense in the game. Miami was clearly ready for Peyton Hillis, the Browns new great white hope at running back; the holes were not there and he only managed 57 yards rushing. The Browns punter was their MVP in my view.

We did see a 60 yard Miami field goal to end the first half -- unusual if not exactly thrilling, but in general both teams seems to being playing not to lose. Miami finally did when the Browns got their third interception of the day deep in Miami territory with less than a minute to play. They kicked a field goal as time expired and won 13-10. It was not the best NFL game I've ever seen but it was an outstanding day and an excellent road trip. The blues discovery of the trip was The Reverend Raymond and the Chain Smoking Alter Boys. Check ‘em out.

I’ll post some photos on Facebook.

RIP Don Merideth

I've never liked the Cowboys but I always liked Dandy Don. "Turn out the lights, the party's over."

Me and LeBron

It was a chilly 52 this morning here in central Florida so I'm following LeBron to Miami, if only for a few days. Just in case you have nothing else to occupy you, here are a couple links sent to me this morning:

From Deuce Bruce, today's Paul Krugman column which highlights the evidence of President Obama's dwindling backbone. Isn't it a little early for osteoporosis? Why haven't more people compared him to Adlai
Stevenson, Illinois' last presidential pretender?

From Buzzard, Michael Rosenberg on SI.com. Don't let the title fool you; the article isn't really about LeBron, it's about the soul of Cleveland.

From me: David Brooks, to remind us that if just a little collective sanity emerged there is hope.

Sports Thursday. The return of LeBron

I had an email from Buzzard at the crack of dawn this morning bemoaning the hypocrisy of the NCAA letting Cam Newton off so easy. I’m not bothered so much by that. The big hypocrisy is the way the NCAA, the Division I schools and the bowls siphon off all the dough while the players get pay equal to below minimum wage, based on the free education they get in return. I’m not sure whether there should be quotation marks around the word “free” or “education” in the previous sentence. If I were King of All Sports the college players would be paid – above the table.

On a similar note, I loved what Hines Ward said about the NFL yesterday – and I don’t usually go out of my way to praise wearers of the black and gold. He lambasted the NFL for claiming that they are fining players for hitting too hard as a means of protecting them, while at the same time pushing the players’ union to accept an expansion of the schedule to 18 games next year.

Now I’m sure Hines’ words were motivated in part by how hard the Steelers have been hit with these fines, but it’s hard to argue with him. The NFL has been stiffing former players for years over health care benefits and fought reforms tooth and nail until the science related to head trauma became overwhelming. I’ll never forget the high school practice in 1965 when Charles White hit me with a forearm to the helmet that made me see stars. I can’t imagine what an accumulation of blows like that might do to someone. I may even have a little lasting trauma myself. Why, I’ll never forget the high school practice in 1965 when Charles White hit me with a forearm to the helmet that made me see stars. I can’t imagine what an accumulation of blows like that might do to someone. I may even have a little lasting trauma myself.

But the big sports news today is that it’s 29 degrees with snow showers in Cleveland this afternoon – although the wind makes it feel like it’s 19. Meanwhile, it’s 73 and sunny in Miami. I don’t know what my fellow Cavs fans have in store for LeBron’s return this evening but it better be good if it’s going to overcome the 44 degree swing between his former and current homes. Personally, I think the Heat’s record is justice enough. I swore off the NBA immediately after LBJ announced he was “taking his talent to Miami,” but I have to peak in this evening.

Finally, I’m heading to Miami myself for the weekend. I’ve got Browns v. Dolphins tickets on the 50 yard line and pre-game field passes so I can get right down there and feel completely inadequate.