Oh Yeah!

I'm the puppy that ate your back seat

It's not time yet. Almost. About two weeks maybe. I'll let you know

And so the journey begins....

It's June and some things are happening in my life right now that make me a) want to laugh b) want to cry, and c) show someone their throat. Anyone. Not anyone in particular. Just the random idiot who somehow will manage to do something stupid in my presence. To me, or to someone where I view it as unjust.

I did get good news however. The man child (who turned 4 in April) will officially start his journey to the NFL hall of fame in July.

The organization has a 5-6 flag team. Several actually. The boy being only 4 was invited to camp based on film I took of him and his workouts since age 3. I didn't want to focus on any one position so I have had him training in core competencies. Run, pass, and catch.

I have good video of him and his results in combine like events as well. I thought it would be important to grab some baseline info to kind of set the expectations moving forward so I have his time in the 40, his vertical leap, and a time in the cones. All very good for a 4 year old. his 40 time was quite impressive at 5.7 secs and his vertical leap is an almost ridiculous 10 inches (for his age of course). Those results were pre-ankle injury (thank god), but the ankle is healing up nice. The doc thinks that with the extra rehab I have him doing, it should actually heal stronger.

Of course with my history and propensity for complete and utter focus and planning on the football field, I've been asked to coach. I agreed to coach but only if I could take over the whole league as director. I want all the kids running through the program to learn the same system from this age all the way through H.S. That was agreed to unanimously by the board so I will be now implementing a new charter as it relates to the organization, the coaches, the players, and the parents' expectations and responsibilities.

Alright, settle down. I didn't run him through any of that. Jeeeezus, whaddya think I am? He will be playing in the fall and I will be coaching and hopefully, we will both have a blast. That's about it. Unless of course he performs below my expectations. Then it will be camp after camp for him. That one I'm serious about. OK, maybe I'm kidding. We'll see.

Have a great weekend everyone.

LIVE GAMING IS RIGGED!

I wrote about this when it first happened.  I thought it was funny because this guy actually used to work with me when I was a golf pro way back in 1993.  He and I and a few others would trek down to AC.  The Taj had just opened their poker room and I would play stud and he would hit the roulette tables.  I saw him win like 20k one time. He truly thought that roulette was a skill game. 

Funny funny shit.   Right up until you read where he killed a day one employee who had ZERO implications in his losing a mint.  Stupid people.

Read today's story here.  He was arrested last year, (I wrote a post about it then), and today he plead guilty.   This is my 492nd post.  Just thought I would mention that because I'll forget when it gets to 500. 

Part II

I almost killed myself driving across the state line into NY.  Interstate 90 was nearly empty and I was being careless with the phone.  Every time I responded to the vibrations I could hear the voice of my 12 year old scolding me for not paying attention to the road.  An accident had occurred just over the horizon and caught me off guard.

I managed to avoid with a swerve but the Trooper on the scene didn't seem to appreciate it much as indicated by the "what an asshole" look on his face.

I continued on about another hour or so and stopped for a refill and some time.  I had calls to return and plans to firm up.  I was planning on stopping in Oak Orchard for some fly fishing but time was getting scarce.  I figured there would be plenty of streams along the journey so I decided to steam ahead and get to where I was going.

I reached Niagra Falls about 4 hours later.  It was a relaxing ride with only about a stretch of it through rain.  I kept the top down and enjoyed the cool damp mist blowing around the cab.

Crossing the border was uneventful.  40 year old white men never get hassled unless you tell them that you are going to see some people you know from the internet, have lots of cash on you, and can only name them by their blog handles.  If that happens you're usually asked to pull over to the side and have your car dismantled like a Lego Castle by a bunch of toddlers.  I just explained that I was going to the Casino.  The girl said good luck, handed me my credentials, and I was on my way.

Niagra was fun.  I stopped at the Casino for a meeting I had planned and played a little poker afterwords.  I was looking forward to a fine meal with some friends up north so I skipped the cafeteria at the Casino.

I was getting bored driving along the coast line of lake Ontario and couldn't find anything on the radio, or the Ipod.  Nothing sparked my interest.  I saw a man up ahead on the side of the road holding a sign that read Toronto.  I stopped and picked him up.  He looked to be mid thirtyish and was cleaned up. "What's up slick?", I asked.  "You heading to Toronto?"  "Sure, hop in."

We didn't speak for the first 3 minutes as he settled himself in the seat, carefully placing his only bag between his feet.  "You want a water?", I asked.  "Yeah, I'd appreciate it."  I reached back and grabbed a bottle out of the case and handed it to him.  He nodded with a slight smile and opened it.  "Your car break down?"  He looked at me as if to show some agreement but I knew he wasn't telling the truth, nor did he want to lie.

We continued on for another mile or so and he spoke. "So you're from the U.S.?"  "I am"  "What brings you up this way?"  "Have some business to attend to and seeing some friends while I'm here.  You from here yourself?"

He evaded my question, "What business are you in?".  "Little bit of this, little bit of that", I responded rather casually.  He nodded again and this time smirked.  "You know this is the most important ride of your life?"  I was caught off guard a little but didn't show it.  "Is that right?"

"I think you know already", he said as he pointed to the upcoming exit.  "You getting off here?"  "That's right."  I merged to the right and drove down the ramp to the light.  I swayed my index finger asking which way to go and he pointed to the right.

I made the turn and he said to stop right there.  I pulled over to the curb and he said "Thanks man".  He reached for the roll bar and pulled himself out of the cab, reached down and grabbed his bag and looked at me with a smile.  I was going to offer him money, not really knowing his predicament, but he offered it to me first for the ride.   "No man, keep your money."  He paused for a second and shook his head.  "Don't sweat it cuz. You're on the right path."  I stared at him trying to place the face.  For the first time during the ride it appeared to be familiar.  "I didn't catch your name."  He slapped the front of the head rest sending me off and said "drive safe", turned, and walked toward  a gas station.

I shook my head, smiling, as I put the Jeep in gear and made the u-turn back to the on ramp trying to figure out what the hell that was all about. 

So this is Riggs without a plan

That statement alone has given me new life.  I've been swinging harder than I can.  I've been swinging faster than I can.  I've been swinging at nothing.

I read that line...  that one line, and it was as if I was given new life.  Funny how the simplest things escape you when you're not looking.

Thanks you! 

Look for the continuation of yesterdays story tomorrow.

Tripstadomus part I

I pulled out of the lot in my 1979 CJ-7.  I guess you could say it was an impulse purchase.  Once everything started going down I knew it was a possibility.  After all, I had nowhere else to go.  I was stuck in a place I had never been before, unable to continue the way I knew how, the way I was accustomed to.  It was like that for a while and I had finally been awoken to the situation by force.

In the end, or more to the point, the beginning, I was drawn to this vehicle.  The choices were limited.  Not because of resources but for reasons driven more by circumstance.  Those circumstances revolved around nothing more than a three week journey to cleanse the mind, the spirit, and the soul.  The vehicle played a major role in that cleansing.  To be open, to be free along the roads of America traveling to find answers, or at least where I would get no more questions.  Answers were actually the least of my needs.  I would hope to find them but wouldn't consider it a failure if I didn't get them.

And so I headed out, north to be exact, on this journey.   Some would call it cop out as the first of my stops would have to do with business, but I consider myself in the very least efficient and would not allow business to go neglected.  After all it was all I was being left with.

I arrived at my second destination to see a friend I had spent more time online with than in person.  The first and only time we actually met was before we even knew each other.  It was in Vegas during a gathering.  I was there on business and about 2 weeks before my first post ever.  We played 1/2 no together and spoke of shared relationships with others.  He was cool, but I could never recall what he looked like.  At the time it didn't seem as important as stacking the two french boys who insisted on speaking french despite the several warnings from the dealer.

We agreed to meet at a place downtown, with the possibility of another showing up.  That never happened as insecurity got the better of them.  We shared a brew and conversation on what was what, who was who, and our visions of what was to come.  I spoke down to him about his situation.  I tried to counsel but found myself being more than direct and stern.  I wanted to convey to him what I saw for his future and was sure I was doing the right thing.   We spoke some more and shared a meal.  When it was time to go we embraced and he said I wasn't actually a frat boy as he patted me on the back, and it seemed that he held on a little longer and a little tighter than I expected.   I looked back as I was walking to the Jeep to give one final wave good bye and I noticed something that startled me.  His expression.  It was stoic, peaceful, and calm.  He started to well up, but with a huge smile.  He looked as if he would come running to me expecting me to feel the same way he did.  "Did you see that?"   "See what?", I asked.  He stopped and looked a bit confused without really losing the smile.  "Never mind.  Drive safe.  I'll see you there."

I stood there with chills and a certain feeling of unknowing and weirdness.  "What are you talking about, see me where?"  He waved, turned, and clapped his hands together hard as he walked away.  I stood there for a minute.  Got into the Jeep and started off west.  I thought about that little exchange for a moment for the next 5 miles thinking Bayne was probably right.