Crosstown Beatdown: How Sweep It Is (See What I Did Right There)

The Cubs took all three games of the Crosstown Rivalry this week from the White Sox. And it waaaas awwwwwweeeesssssome.

With the win, the Cubs clinched the season series victory over the South Siders for the first time since 2008. Hard to believe since the Sox haven't been that great, but obviously better than the Cubs.

When seven runs is your smallest offensive output in a three-game set, you like your chances. The Cubs' beat down of the Sox came at 24-6 clip with a 31-19 edge in hits.  

The bats finally came to life to help out what has actually been solid pitching for the Cubs throughout the first third of the season. Which was surprising because the White Sox entered the series with the lowest ERA in the American League. Where has this been all season?

Samardzjia threw the first complete-game shutout of his career and allowed only two hits on Labor Day at US Cellular during a 7-0 win. This win set the tone for the entire series. The Sox found themselves in quick sand and could not escape the whole week ...

Starting catcher Wellington Castillo clocked a homer and the Cubs led 2-0 before rain forced Tuesday's game into cancellation, while Edwin Jackson seemed to find a rhythm, which has been a rare occurrence this season. All statistics and even the highlight packages from the Cubs' web site have been pulled from the record so in essence, it never happened.

Backup catcher Dioner Navarro slammed three homers on Wednesday and the White Sox' adventure in the woodshed continued in a 9-3 fashion.

They were even able put Carlos Marmol in the last two games ... that's when you know you have things rolling. He didn't disappoint completely, managing to give up a run, but suppressed any real threat and hopefully made himself more attractive to anyone the Cubs are trying to coax into trading for him. So much for that 'Warm Weather Marmol' theory I've heard people talk about. That's garbage in my opinion and clearly the Cubs think so, too, because they only put him on the mound in 'garbage' time.

And today, the Cubs finished the job with an 8-3 victory to clinch the Crosstown Rivalry trophy and run their season-long four-game win streak to a whopping four games! (and coincidentally comes after a six-game losing streak).

 Travis Wood helped himself with a grand slam (the Cubs' first of the season) today and it seemed like the Sox didn't want any part of the action and were already packing for Oakland.

It was nice to be on the good end of a beat down ... for once. Go Cubs Go! Ya'll be easy ...

Summer. Summer. Summer time.

With the Cub game washed out on the south side (Too bad because Wellington Castillo got a hold of a two-run homer off Chris Sale and Edwin Jackson looked solid on the mound, but it's all for naught) and Game 7 of the NHL Western Conference Semifinals less than 24 hours away (Go Blackhawks!), I thought tonight would be as good of a night as any to look at some concerts coming to Salt Lake City this summer ...

#kickinupdust Summer Tour with Slightly Stoopid and Atmosphere on July 27 at Usana Ampitheather

I have been a fan of Atmosphere ever since my freshman year of college (10 years ago!), but have never seen Slug and Ant perform live so this will be cool!

And I saw Slightly Stoopid about three years ago (Usana, again). I had never heard of them before so I was pleasantly surprised by the mix of rock and reggae, which reminded me of Sublime.

Also, on the same day at the Gallivan Center is the Summer Jam with hip-hop acts like ASAP Rocky

Tyga

Then a mere three days later on July 30, the Unity Tour with 311, Cypress Hill and G Love and the Special Sauce take the stage at Usana.

I'm not the biggest 311 fan, but they have a few good songs and I'm sure will put on a good show.

My favorite act of the Unity Tour will be Cypress Hill. I knew the lyrics to 'Insane in the Membrane' in elementary school and haven't looked back since ...

And who could forget G. Love and the Special Sauce. I'll be waiting for them to play 'My Baby's Got Sauce.'

Oh, and don't forget the $5 Twilight Concert Series at Pioneer Park. (Although, it could be argued that the people watching is the best part!)

It may seem weird, but I always liked this song by Erykah Badu, who will be there on Aug. 8 ...

The Twilight concert I'm looking forward to the most is Kid Cudi on Aug. 22. One of my favorite songs of his just came up on Shuffle on iTunes ....

Then MGMT (who interestingly enough is featured on Pursuit of Happiness with Kid Cudi) wraps things up on Sept. 5. Can't go wrong with a little 'Electric Feel'!

I'm not sure who this band 'To Be Announced' is, but they must be good if they're playing seven shows! ... But seriously, it should be interesting to see if it is just a marketing ploy to build up excitement or if they truly don't have anyone lined up yet.

Feel free to chime in with whatever concerts you're pumped up. Should be a good summer in SLC! Ya'll be easy.

- Mike

Rivalry Day on Memorial Day

What makes a good rivalry? Down right 'hate.'

With a pinch of respect and admiration. (To keep things from getting too crazy.)

It just so happens that rivalry day for two of my favorite teams falls on Memorial Day. Good old fashioned American competition will be at full froth this afternoon, but still kept in the proper perspective framework that none of this would be possible without the ultimate sacrifice made by the men and women of the armed forces. 

WIthout them, frat boys could not stagger off the 'White Sox' stop of the Red Line on the South Side of Chicago. A father could not drive in to U.S. Cellular Field from the Dan Ryan Expressway to take his son to his first game ... AMURICA!

The Cubbies start thing against the homestanding Pale Hosers (a.k.a. Chicago White Sox) at 5 p.m. MT. Jeff Samardzjia hopes to finally get some much-needed run support in the series opener. It's been too long since the Cubs took a Cross Town series so I hope they set the tone right tonight.  

In the rink, Game 6 for the Hawks against those squid throwers (Detroit Red Wings) at 6 p.m. MT in a do-or-die scenario tonight. Chicago hasn't been able to steal one at Joe Louis Arena yet so they obviously need to break that trend to force Game 7 back on the friendly ice of the United Center.

As the guys from Workaholics would say, S'Go!

The Good Land

Back in my home state for Memorial Day weekend and it feels good ... as Alice Cooper would say.

Although Milwaukee is an hour and a half away from where I grew up, there is just something about getting back home.

Anxiety As Kryptonite

I went as saw Iron Man 3 last weekend and thought it was interesting how (other than Aldrich Killian's enhanced genetic engineering) anxiety was Tony Stark's biggest obstacle.

He went through some horrific events in New York and any mention of the city and the events that happen there leave him short of breath, falling to the ground and panting for relief.

Of course, Tony is too proud to go see a therapist or seek any counsel about his problem. And it almost costs him (and the rest of the free world) in the end.

Stark refused to face his fear and discuss what happened in his past so his post. It's a problem that many people face and I thought it was nice touch --- an innovative yet simple method to engage the audience and enhance the human element in the story.

Too Late for D-Rose

I know I'm late to the party, but since I won't be as busy with my job, I will now have time to follow my teams the way that I like and the way that they deserve to be followed.

Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals is coming up for the Bulls on Monday at the United Center, a.k.a. the "Madhouse on Madison" (inspired the re-naming of this here blog) and "The House that Michael Jordan Built."

I find it funny how the Bulls were like the Heat back in their second three-peat from 1995-96 through 1997-98. Growing up 60 miles from Chicago, I loved that version of the big three - Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman. Of course I am biased, but that trio seemed a lot more likeable. Rodman added a splash of color to an otherwise business-like team that I'm sure fans of opposing teams hated, but as time passes I hope people come to appreciate his tenacity, outstanding effort on the boards, and innate ability to get into the head of the opponent's best player.

Since we live in a "what have you done for me lately" world, the 2012-13 edition of the Chicago Bulls has put together a pretty solid playoff run - defeating the Brooklyn Nets in seven games and giving the Heat a dog fight - despite being marred by injuries and the media whirlwind around those afflictions.

Point guard Derrick Rose has had one heck of a time recovering from an ACL injury in Game 1 of the 2011-12 playoffs. He tried to rush back too early and re-aggravated the injury so that's why I have opted to join the minority of the opinion that he shouldn't come back this season.

Long-term productivity has to outweigh the prospect of short-term success in this situation. Would you rather have five or six more MVP seasons from Rose and many more playoff runs OR a chance to win two or three games against the Heat? The Bulls are under-manned regardless with Luol Deng begin racked up in the hospital with a nasty flu. How successful can you expect them to be?

Even when Rose comes back, it's not like it's going to be an instant championships. It will take Rose at least a few games to work off the rust of being laid up for so long - there's only so much you can do in practice to simulate NBA playoff action - and he'll also have to jive with his teammates. It's a lot more complicated than Rose is being soft. Maybe he is, but a lot of fans fail to acknowledge these variables and a lot of people are over-reacting. That is why they call them fans (fanatics), I guess.

Anyway, Go Bulls! #seered    

Just Start Writing

I've decided to make a concerted effort to write a lot more. My goal is to post a blog entry every from now on. The image that sticks out in my mind is that scene in 'Finding Forester' when Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown) visits William Forrester's (Sean Connery) office ... Four quotes in this scene struck a chord.

"The first key to writing ... is to write, not to think."

I feel that I get too wrapped up in what people will think of me after reading what I write. And I think that gets in the way of my creativity. Hell, I have not sat down to write for fun for a while ... and that's a shame because I know I'm good. 

"Why is it that the words we write for ourselves are always so much better than the words we write for others."

While I enjoy my job, most of the time I write what others want me to write, whether it be a game recap, media guide, feature stories. Don't get me wrong --- that's what I'm supposed to do. The main purpose of this blog has evolved into a personal outlet for myself. I can write about whatever I want here --- except collegiate sports because that would be a conflict of interest --- but other than that, it's on (as the kids say).

"No thinking ... that comes later."

This further elaborates the first point so I know I have to work on just 'letting go' and let my thoughts come out on paper. Easier said than done, but the only way to get better at it is to practice.

You write your first draft with your heart. Then you re-write with your heart." 

Now comes the more conventional part of the 'writing process.' I actually enjoy going through it. My work becomes a puzzle and it's up to me to make all of the pieces fit together. Shuffling paragraphs, deleting adverbs, dissecting run-on sentences (I write those frequently), etc., is a rewarding aspect of writing.

As Marshall Henderson would say, "Y'all be easy."

- Mike

Don’t Take ANYTHING Personally

At the urging of my sister, I’ve been reading The Four Agreements: A PracticalGuide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) by Don Miguel Ruiz. There are a few concepts that seemed a little ‘out there,’ to me, but for the most part, it is an interesting book that offers a unique perspective and served as a reminder about the importance of keeping an open mind.

As you can tell by the title, there are four fundamentals that the reading is centered around. I admit that I’m only about a third of the way through, but easily the most intriguing concept I’ve read about is: Don’t Take Anything Personally.

It all makes sense to me. When someone tries to belittle or disrespect you, it is more of a reflection on something going on in their world or something wrong with how they view the world.

That is easier said than done and sounds difficult to practice because I feel like my instinct is to listen to my ego and go on the attack when I feel threatened. I know it’s something I have to improve upon in social situations and in the work place.

Like most people, I have a lot of pride so in social situations when I get rejected by a girl or  feel like I got ‘punked by some dude,’ my impulse is to fire back with disparaging words or actions of my own. The book describes that negative energy as poison and you’re merely passing it from one person to another when you internalize the initial remarks --- take them personally.

This will be even more difficult for me in the work place as my job is an extremely significant part of my identity. When my work is criticized or something does not go as I would like, there are times when I feel like my actions, and thus me personally, is being scrutinized. This, in turn, makes me feel uncomfortable so I feel attacked.

The only way I can improve on this and not take as much personally (I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to eliminate everything!) is to be mindful of this agreement.

And on that note .. Party on.

- Mike D.       

Workout for May 9, 2013

Bench                   3x10 135

Shoulder Press  3x10 30

Curls                       3x10 60

Walk                        30 min. at 3.5 MPH

Weight: 310.1 ... Yikes.

Top 10 Games I've Seen At Utah

I'm one softball game away from completing my fifth go-around as a member of the University of Utah Athletic Communications office, so I thought I'd reel off and riff about what I consider my top 10 games that I have been fortunate enough to witness live and in living color ...

10. No. 14 Seed Harvard Defeating No. 3 Seed New Mexico in the 'Second Round' of the 2013 NCAA Tournament / Butler Beats Syracuse and Kansas State to Advance to 2010 Final Four One of the better perks of the job is hosting tournaments like this so 'Cinderella' going all the way to the Final Four in its home city and a No. 14 seed taking down a No. 3 makes it even that much more exciting.

9. Volleyball vs. Stanford in 2012: Probably the only Utah loss in the countdown, but it was a great atmosphere for the first match in the Jon M. Huntsman since 1993 and sparked the team's move into the JHC for the 2013.

8. Softball vs. Oregon State in 2012: After dropping their first 16 Pac-12 Conference games, the Utes picked up their first-ever Pac-12 win. It was awesome to see the progress they made in 2013, as they took two of three from No. 2 Arizona State and No. 15 UCLA.

7. Men's Basketball vs. BYU in 2009: Overtime game (of course) saw Luke Nevill score 32 to lead Utah to a 94-88 win over a young Jimmer Fredette and gave the Utes an early leg up in the Mountain West Conference title chase.

6. Football vs. BYU in 2010: Brandon Burton blocks Mitch's Payne field goal attempt as time expires.

5. Volleyball at BYU in 2009: Down 2-0, it was a foregone conclusion that the Cougars were going to win. It was just a matter of when and by how much. But someone forgot to tell the Utes and head coach Beth Launiere ...

4. Volleyball Makes Sweet 16 Run in 2008: After winning the Mountain West Conference title, I got a chance to travel with the team across the country to Clemson, S.C., and the team swept its first two matches, including a road match from Atlantic Coast Conference champion Clemson. Clemson had a particularly amusing fan, who would wear Tiger face paint and sit at mid-court and roar like a tiger as the opponent tried to make plays.

3. 'Championship Saturday' on Nov. 23, 2008: Volleyball clinched Mountain West Conference tittle with a 3-1 win over nationally-ranked Colorado State and then Football clinched the MWC with a 48-24 win over BYU, also my first taste of how intense this rivalry really is! Gotta love the 'BCS! BCS! BCS!' chants from the Rice-Eccles Stadium crowd!

2. Football at BYU in 2011: 54-10. Enough said.

1. 2009 Sugar Bowl: Tough to beat being along on this trip! From the get-go, Utah overwhelmed Alabama in the first three series with its no-huddle offense and the Crimson Tide seemed unprepared for the blitz packages called by then-defensive coordinator Gary Andersen. The whole week down in New Orleans and on Bourbon Street and the image of an Alabama fan giving our bus caravan the bird will be life-long images!

Go Utes!

Spring Movie Review

Now that every weekend is not owned by my job (the academic year is winding down a bit so home events are fewer and fewer between), I've been able to get to the movies a lot more so here my quick takes on the last four I've seen.

Disclaimer: By no means do I claim to be a movie expert, but these are just my own thoughts. I am easily amused and pleased with movies so it's not my intention to blast everything. I can only remember a few movies that I haven't liked, let alone hated (e.g. The Tree of Life, the most recent Karate Kid, Knight and Day). Feel free to call me out if you and disagree and let the debate commence ... :)

Oh, and I'm perfectly aware of my shallow tastes in movies. When I plunk down my $8, I want to enjoy myself and don't want to over think things.

So anyway, on with the reviews ....

42: This was a really a cool movie. Best I've seen this spring. I loved the attention to detail made in an effort to bring the viewer back to the '40's. It was an uncomfortable, yet powerful, scene when the manager from Philadelphia kept heckling Mr. Robinson. Although, it did seem like the 'time warp' effect by totally skipping over his time in Montreal. I understand that the main focus of the film should be on his first year in Brooklyn and Major League Baseball, but it just made me want to know more.

I keep telling people that it's difficult to tell the whole story of Jackie Robinson in two hours and eight minutes. I couldn't help, but do a quick Google search and found a lot of cool little factoids that were' left out, like the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers Branch Rickey making Mr. Robinson a deal to not retaliate for three years --- but after those three years up, Mr. Robinson began to retaliate, being taunted with a black cat   by two fans, etc.

And there was even a movie 'The Jackie Robinson Story' that was made in 1950 --- starring Jackie Robinson. Cannot even imagine how 'trippy' of an experience that would be --- MAKING A MOVIE ABOUT YOUR OWN LIFE! And I just saw a blog where they called Robinson a bad actor --- PAUSE.

Oblivion: One of the more original movies you'll see. I thought it was a cool story with a lot of action. I'm not the biggest sci-fi fan, but as long as you're willing to "just go with it," I think you'll enjoy it.

Quick side note: TC (I guess Kanye West calls him) is playing a character named 'Jack Harper', but in December he was just in a movie called 'Jack Reacher.' Wouldn't his people insist on changing the name a little? Just sayin' ...

Now we enter the 'meat head' portion of the reviews ...

Pain and Gain: Yes, it was as 'brotastic' as it appeared in the previews ... AND IT WAS AWESOME! There were some funny lines and some pretty cool action sequences. And even a few twists in the plot ... Still can't believe it was a true story!

G.I. Joe Retaliation: This brought me back to my childhood. I was a big fan of the action figures as a kid so it was cool to see those characters come to life --- even though they did not shoot lasers from their guns. But the cameo by Bruce Willis as the original Joe more than makes up for that.

Up next, I want to go see Iron Man 3 and Olympus Has Fallen ... Gimme a shout if there's anything else I'm missing.

- Mike