Thoughts of a Common Man

Doing my little training gigs all across New York State and as part of the safety training I have had to do sexual harassment training as dictated by the state. It’s always a rough sell to construction personnel and I get a lot of comments about ‘this sucks’. I know a lot of guys who roll their eyes when told they can’t make fun of someone who is changing their sex or want to be known by a different gender. The video is long. The test is cumbersome and the participants absolutely hate it. Then I am asked to sell it to them a little… …which is difficult because I have been in the business for a lot of years. I’ve heard it all. I’ve traded playful insults with a lot of guys and have never had my feelings hurt… …but as I told the class. “It’s a real issue, and many people have had their lives ruined by a boss or a coworker who didn’t stop.” “Don’t cross the line. Don’t be an asshole.” The class laughed. “You should write all the safety rules,” one of them said. And, in a world where it se...

So, America is now taking aim at boats with brown people on them. As a matter of fact, they struck one, saw that there were survivors and bombed it again. The idea being that perhaps it was a boat bringing drugs to our shores, but I’m just wondering here: Due process? Or is it straight up murder now? “We’re gonna’ start doing it on land,” the huge orange toad said.  Meanwhile, he pardoned a convicted drug dealer, in between drone strikes of small boats. Fighting crime? Law and order? Department of war? All of it stinks, and now, no one knows anything. The drunk, ex-Fox news reporter now knows nothing about the murder of those who survived the first attack. “I was hustling into my next meeting.” Didn’t stick around to watch the carnage. Now, I may be misinterpreting the constitution here, but is the penalty for a boat ride - with or without drugs - now murder - if you’re brown? Every damn day. A new horror. Had to laugh at the long nap during the cabinet meeting, though. Sleepy Joe?...

Uh, no. The latest distraction being bandied about is that people should put on a jacket and tie to take a flight. That would be comfortable, right? I’ll put on a jacket and tie when I get a seat big enough to be able to hold a book without making contact with the person who is also sharing my seat. People are so crammed in now. You want civility? Have the people carting us around maybe stop yelling at us the entire time. “Are your pockets empty?” The guy asks in a nasty voice. Then he asks it five more damn times before you can take 3 steps. God help you if you have a sip of water on you as you pass through the line. On the plane there’s a ten minute lecture on buckling your seat belt. Then are the wonderful moments when they hustle you onto the plane to hear: “We are seventh in line for take-off.” And you sit there for 40 minutes. In a suit and freaking tie? And then there is the deplaning issue. The plane lands and people in the 20th row immediately stand up… …if you’re seated next ...

December. Thanksgiving in the rear view. The break was certainly restful, but the howling winds and the cold temps had me feeling a little agitated as the long weekend wound down. But I was kind of looking forward to being back on a construction site. I have training coming up too, and it’ll be fun to dust off some of the old stories, and tell a few new ones. Three weeks until Christmas, which has started the: “What do you want for Christmas talk?” I gave my standard answer: “Peace on earth.” What else would I possibly want? My golf bag is updated. I have plenty of books in my ‘to read’ pile. Just sixty days away from my golf trip. Peace on Earth is the only other thing I can think of. Yet, that question is always followed up by what we are going to get the boys, and other family members. As far as my kids are concerned it’s less about a gift and more like a bank transaction. “They want money.” Time to get the tree out… …make sure the heater is charged up for my jacket. Time to head ba...

Saturday was the 4th consecutive day off. I woke up rested and relaxed. Ollie had a lot of trouble bringing the ball back during some of our rounds today because he got a lot of reps. The stuffing was great - I had it a few times as a snack - I nailed it this year. And then…. …a huge move! I put potatoes in the air fryer as everyone kept saying that it was the replacement for baking a potato. I was skeptical. I didn’t want my baked potato going wrong to ruin my porterhouse. Have you tried it? The process took about 45 minutes. Let’s just say, I will never bake a potato again. Was absolutely perfect. There certainly is something to be said for the more relaxed days. I have slept an hour later each day, have read a lot, and have written a bunch of pages (more to come soon). A lovely break all in all. Back at it tomorrow.

The post was sent on Thanksgiving night. The president of the United States called the governor of one of Minnesota, “Severely Retarded.” Seems like a low point, but obviously we can go lower. In just the last 2 weeks he’s called a reporter, ‘Piggy’. Told another to ‘Shut Up’ and also, on Thanksgiving night called a reporter a ‘Stupid Person’. Then there was a press conference to announce the death of a 20-year old National Guard soldier. He spent at least five minutes letting the world know that he is a great golfer who has won 38 club championships. He explained that he won ‘legitimately’ because people were watching. And Biden was basically removed from office because he stuttered during the debate. There are whispers… …that he is losing it and that MAGA is quitting on him. I don’t quite see it. One of the Republican congressmen put a triumphant post up: “He’s given us permission to say ‘retard’ again!” If you are nostalgic for the good old days when you could throw that word around...

I suppose that it was only a matter of time. National Guardsman patrolling city streets, and now we have a senseless tragedy. It’s bad enough that we have to battle daily lies. “There hasn’t been a murder in Washington DC in 6 months,” the liar in chief proclaimed the day before. Which wasn’t even remotely true. Then two National Guard soldiers were gunned down in the shadow of what’s left of the White House. “Did you hear about the shootings?” A work friend texted me. After I confirmed that I had his next text stopped me in my tracks. “The girl who died is my niece.” Good Lord. And now the blame game begins. Biden let him in, but the vetting process for asylum was granted in 2025. “Not the guns fault!” All the same stupid crap that we hear about with every slaughter in the streets of this soon to be 3rd world nation. I simply kept thinking: “She should not have been in harm’s way.” These kids are being used as political pawns in a game being played by people who don’t care, for even a...

I got a lot of the meal preparations done yesterday as I brined the turkey, and prepared the stuffing. All good so far, even though I can’t quite duplicate Mom’s stuffing - it’s close - and great - hers was better. As for the turkey - I have 20 pounds. For 5 people. That’s a lot of bird, and I will make sure it’s done well… …problem being, all but Kathy would rather have the dark meat. Which kind of works out because turkey is definitely Kathy’s favorite and I’ll field this question for days: “Can you make me a turkey sandwich?” Which I’ll do as I grab a bowl of stuffing with hot sauce. I’m telling you, Mom’s stuffing was so great that I’d eat it on a sandwich - which is essentially a bread sandwich! And my one constant Thanksgiving memory comes to me each year. 1986  We were living in Mountain View, California and it was 80 degrees. We played basketball all day - lifelong friend Scott was in the crew - and the Lions and Packers played an epic game that ended on a punt return for t...

I’ve been tired lately. I have always said that I get out of bed like I’m shot from a cannon. I chug my coffee and I’m traveling down the road before I even know where I’m headed. And I work from that moment straight to the end of the day. No breaks. I eat on the run to the next site. Usually. But I’ve been worn down, and last night I made an executive decision. No site visits. I’ll have the phone on, but my plan for tomorrow is to brine the turkey and make the stuffing, and hang with the Big O and Mr. Miller. Thanksgiving Break until Monday. And right on cue, there is talk of a winter weather advisory for Thursday and Friday. Let it snow. There aren’t any golf courses open now anyway. So, take some time to be thankful… …don’t take the social media bait to fight about politics… …and get rested up. The cannon can sit idle for a while.

She has always loved dogs. My love for my dogs has come directly from my Mom. She gave me the world’s greatest gift. Mom encouraged me to read. She was all for me writing, and through the years was my biggest fan as I chased the dream of writing something that makes people feel something. We have never had an argument. Growing up, I sat at Mom’s right hand at a dinner table that sometimes got a little crazy. I’d banter with my Dad about a whole lot of things (and I later learned that he took the opposite side of an argument with me - on purpose! Dad was teaching me to look at things from all angles). Yet, sometimes those arguments got rough, and Mom always had my blind side. I enjoy sitting with Mom, and I’m so grateful to my older sister, Corinne for making sure that Mom is happy every day. On Saturday, we watched a couple of episodes of Two and a Half Men - and shared some laughs. What else do we need to say on her birthday? No one - and I mean no one - ever made potato salad or brea...

Saw the story about a plumbing company that was using illegal immigrants as their main workforce and that the owners made a lot of money by paying low wages and jamming 20 workers into a hotel room. That’s the big secret, I guess. Business owners all across the country have taken advantage of cheap labor, on the backs of people who are willing to work. Then those same business owners complain about the influx of illegal people (which really irritates me as people aren’t illegal). I have a lot of experience working around men who struggle to speak English and struggle even more to understand the safety rules. The entire group of workers start to whistle when I show up on a site. Their little code to let one another know that the safety dude is lurking. The company’s that I work with have followed the proper channels to bring the workers in. They’ve paid money to bring translators in to train the employees. They like working with the employees because they show up every day and will work...

For some reason, I have a lot of guilt on Saturday mornings.  Here is the ritual. I try my best to sleep a little longer. I was awake at my usual rising time, but I successfully rolled over and got another hour.  I did Wordle, caught up on a little news. Sadly realized there was no overnight sudden death of a political leader, and then off we go. Ollie knows when I don’t have work.  He knows that he’s going to play a lot of ball.  Coffee for me, cat milk for Miller, and Ollie goes out to wait. I put on either Modern Family or Monk, and sip the first cup. We get the first game in, and return to the couch where, I start feeling the guilt. I know I need to rest my legs. I realize that doing absolutely nothing is doing something. And yet… …I feel unproductive. I’m at the stage of life where my body tells me to just stay down. Relax. You’ve done enough this week… …but those damn nuns did a number on me.  So did society. “Do some work!” I did the math as Jay and Glori...

My brother John is 62 years old today. Of course, it is also the 62nd anniversary of the day when JFK was killed in Dallas. I also heard about preparations for the 250 year anniversary of the country. I distinctly recall looking forward to the bicentennial celebration back in 1976. We had a parade in North Collins, flags waving high. It’s crazy how time flies on by. As far as John goes, I recall flying high on the swing set when we were about five years old. Life is short even in the longest days. As I get older, it gets harder to get to Friday each week. Sometimes it seems that time is moving slowly as we battle through the daily grind…. …but then it hits you that 50 years has suddenly got behind you. I love pointing out to kids at the construction sites that I’ve been in the business longer (and in some cases) a lot longer, than they’ve been alive. I’m also fond of letting them know that it’s the blink of an eye. And then they’d be in the boat I’m in now… …moving a little slower… …gr...

It’s weird to get that 28 degree blast in the face at the start of the day, but over the last few days it has warmed up nicely to nearly 50 degrees. More importantly, the sun has shined. Which is the important part. The grey is the enemy around here and the more days that are in color the better I feel. November 21st, and once again it dawned on me that I took precious few days off this year… …3 in February, 2 in August and 2 random days for golf. Definitely stupid, and probably the main reason why I feel absolutely burned out as I crawl to Thanksgiving week. Yet, it’s hard to overcome routine and obsessive thoughts. I have been saying, for about a month now, that I need a day. Just a quiet day.  Sit on the couch, play with Ollie, and do nothing else. But my eyes open at the same time, and I mindlessly go. Next thing I know, the day is coming to an end, and I’m beating myself up for not doing as much as I should have. And then, a stray thought creeps in… …my working career is neari...

You hear a lot about: “Why are we helping them (insert nation here) when we need help here?” I’ve heard that forever from Republicans… …wonder how they’re feeling about the $40 billion that was just ushered out the door. …concerned about how they feel with the love-fest with MBS and Saudi Arabia. (Thought they hated the rag heads). Wondering how they’re all reacting to the line: “There aren’t any talented people in America.” And don’t even get me started on the tariffs… …which were said to be “pouring in from other countries” but are now being lowered on beef, coffee and other items because… …Americans couldn’t afford the tax. The east wing of the White House was demolished… …the Supreme Court just let the world know that it was unlawful to do it and that there won’t be a ballroom built in its place. So, now they have to spend money trying to rebuild the east wing. Thankfully, the Epstein files made their way through the house and senate and only need to be signed by the president. The...

Two days ago, the president of the United States fielded a question from a reporter. Evidently, he didn’t care for the question because he said: “Quiet, Quiet, Piggy.” The day before his voice was hoarse because he supposedly went crazy shouting at the leader of another country. Yesterday, he sat next to MBS after doing a fly-over to welcome the Saudi Arabia leader and defended the guy for murdering and dismembering a Washington Post Journalist. He did this by saying that a lot of people didn’t like the reporter. All of the above is absolutely disgusting behavior by all accounts. “Quiet, piggy”???? Good Lord! When I saw it I wondered what my answer might have been had he said that to me. How did the reporter not answer that with a resounding: “Go fuck yourself!” I would have. I know it, and being kicked out would have been just fine with me. It calls to mind a work meeting I had once. The guy called the meeting for 5:30 in the morning and he did it to yell at the contractor I was worki...

There’s supposed to be a vote today, I think, on whether or not the Epstein files will be released. Doesn’t get any more corrupt or criminal than this. And it’s amazing to me how strong the red versus blue argument is in this country. Will people still wear a hat or fly a flag for a politician who is definitely in the files? There’s only one hat out there. I’ve never seen anyone wearing a hat for any other politician but the one who is most likely implicated. The ‘I hardly knew the guy’ argument doesn’t quite work when there are literally hundreds of photos of the two of them hanging around, ogling women. Birthday cards, emails, Miss Teen beauty pageants where the owner of the show broke into the locker room to inspect the contestants as they got dressed. The proof has been out there for all to see… …for decades. Photos of him holding his daughter by the hips and staring at her breasts and saying, “if she weren’t my daughter.” Paying off a porn star? The Access Hollywood tape? It’s bee...

Clare Danes is my favorite actress. Her facial expressions are amazing, and we went with her new series, “The Beast in Me” because she doesn’t appear in bad shows. It was great. “Landman” with Billy Bob is back - the first episode of season 2 debuted last night. “Mayor of Kingstown” is great. We also keep an eye on “Tulsa King” with Stallone. So, it’s less than 40 degrees out and the wind is blowing hard. We also watch a few network shows including “Tracker” and “Boston Blue”. We go with “Abbott Elementary” for comic relief. And I laugh at the people who mention that they “don’t watch a lot of television”. Why not??? It’s a golden age of television. The winter months are upon us. Keep making new shows… …beats the hell out of reality.

 That’s the hat that Buffalo Bills quarterback, Josh Allen will wear on the sideline before the Bills game against Tampa. It’s a hat that was designed by sick children from Oshei Children’s Hospital. Hopefully, they will sell a lot of those hats to benefit that hospital. Nearly 25 years ago, we spent a lot of time at that hospital. For a lot of years following, I participated in a program that helped define patient-hospital relations. Copies of my books, ‘Counting On A Miracle’ and ‘House of Miracles’ were handed out to new employees. I became friends with a lot of doctors and members of the public relations team. Yet, nothing captured the imagination of the kids at the hospital like visits from the Buffalo Bills. I did a signing at the hospital and attendance was good, but only one of three local television networks showed up. “If you were the long-snapper from the Bills you’d have all the media here,” the PR guy said, and we laughed. Josh Allen has a foundation that benefits the ...

Step back… …clear of the mess for a second… …and think about how insane this is. We are in the midst of an absolute madman raging that he isn’t a pedophile, despite all the evidence to the contrary. The madman is the president. And it’s not just the rage tweeting about how unfair the world is to the poor, suffering billionaire who plays golf every weekend. It’s also the: “What will he do to change the subject?”  That’s a fear. The Supreme Court ruled that he can’t be held responsible and that the president doesn’t have to answer to anyone… …so what’s next? A war? That’s most certainly a real possibility. Arresting Democrats? They’re certainly doing their best to do that. Give everyone a pay off so they continue to defend you even though you may have raped children? The $2,000 idea has already been floated. I’ll tell you one thing: I’m tired of it all. They’re now re-opening a case regarding Epstein go that the files can’t be released. Another little trick. I hope everyone is just l...

I heard a talking head speaking about how the administration is “laser focused” on doing the right thing. And this isn’t a political post, it’s a language post. They’re always ‘laser’ focused. When a character shouts: “Is that clear?” The other character ALWAYS responds with one word: “Crystal.” We have some lazy television writers! Every judge in every cop show says: “I’ll clear this courtroom!” Or more urgently: “In my chambers! Now!!” And I’ve always hated the cliche driven conversations. I worked with one guy who spoke in nothing but cliches. “I realize that you don’t have much bandwidth to work with, but I need you to think outside the box on this one.” I’d always answer him by asking: “What the f*** are you talking about?” And that’s why I don’t often participate in work or zoom meetings. It’s just a lot of people laser focused on making it crystal clear… …that they’re morons.

These next few weeks are going to be wild. Yesterday they released some of the Epstein emails and surprise, surprise, the guy that the pedophile Epstein hung around with, and called his best friend… …is all over the paperwork. To the uninitiated the guy in question is orange. He called an emergency meeting to try and squash it. Color me shocked. Anyone, at this point in time, that believes that he’s a good man, is absolutely delusional. It should have been over when he mocked the disabled guy, or spoke about grabbing women by the… …but it didn’t end there. When he was caught not paying taxes he said that it was cause he is smart. Making fun of veterans. Nothing moved the needle. So, finding out that he was sexually assaulting children probably won’t change the minds of the people who don’t have any morals. The rat is cornered. And that’s what makes this a truly dangerous moment in time. The world should be disgusted. A lot of people will let it slide. And that is disgusting.

Sounds like the government shutdown is coming to an end because Democrats caved. They gave in when the Republicans gave them their word that they’d listen to them. Color me skeptical. I’m not quite sure that a promise from those people will work out. But something had to give, right? Flights were canceled. People were left to starve. And there’s a lot to breakdown. 1). People aren’t staying home from work for the opportunity to get a maximum of $177 a month from SNAP. 2). Don’t start writing checks against the $2 grand that was promised because there’s so much tariff money coming in that they don’t know what to do with it. 3). Those on Affordable Care are about to have their premiums doubled. Not sure what might happen with the rest of our healthcare, but I doubt there will be rebates. 4). Don’t get a 50-year mortgage or a 15-year car loan. Imagine buying a home at 33 and trying to sell it at 65 after paying 32 years of interest. You’ll have about $8,000 in equity on a half a million d...

Two pitchers from the Cleveland Guardians were suspended in July for suspicion of betting on themselves. Clause and Ortiz would place bets, or have their friends place bets, on a single pitch! It seems (and I’m not a part of any of the betting groups) that one can place a bet on something as simple as a single pitch. It is alleged that this is what these guys were doing. They place a bet that the first pitch they’re going to throw is a ball, and then come into a game and bounce it. Easy $5 grand, right? Las Vegas has people watching! Why would there be huge bets placed on such a thing? Would you bet $5 grand that a pitch was going to be a ball? Me neither. Only way I’d do it is if I were the guy throwing said pitch! And that’s how easy and stupid as it was. It worked once, and they allegedly got addicted to winning their bet and kept doing it. It’s also a way to get fast cash for your friends. But here’s the thing: Clause was making more than $10 million a year. Ortiz’ salary was also ...

My nephew was heading to Miami to go to the Bills game with my cousin. His flight was canceled at the last minute because of staffing issues. My nephew has little political sense and doesn’t read into a lot of things. He argued with me about the last election, and then didn’t bother to vote. As he broke the news about his flight, he said, “The politicians are pissing me off!” I laughed. “They’re eating a seafood buffet and we can’t even get on a flight.” I laughed again. “We don’t have any help at work because all the Hispanic guys are getting deported, and they’re all legal.” “I told you,” I said. “I KNOW! I’m on my knees begging your forgiveness.” And I guess that will be how the tide finally turns. When all the gluttony and greed in one’s face, along with suffering, and hunger… …minds will change. Finally. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that he was sound asleep with an office filled with people holding a press conference. That’s funny. Sleepy Joe, indeed. (And I don...

Caught some footage of people standing in line for food. American soldiers are now visiting food banks and so are people who are employed by the government and haven’t received a paycheck since the shut down. Not to mention the air traffic controllers who are now quitting. But, it called to mind seeing food lines in 3rd World countries and thinking: “Glad that doesn’t happen in America.” I was a kid back then. As it turns out, I had a warped understanding of what being American meant. Yet, it called to mind the times when I didn’t have all the money I may have needed. I was never close to starving, but the college days were rough. We never had money! If we somehow scored a bag of Doritos and a tub of chip dip, we were thrilled. We ate a lot of boxed macaroni and cheese. It had to be check day if we could add a little hamburger. And we were never in danger of not eating because we had a meal plan, and we also grew fond of saying: “There’s a pork chop in every bottle!” As we held a beer ...

Americans typically travel to be with family for Thanksgiving. That will be very difficult this year as there will be a huge reduction in the number of flights because the government is shut down. Why is there no sense of urgency to solve this? SNAP has been halted. The information about who needs that help is easy to look up. Children, the elderly and the disabled. Even those who may be drawing it fraudulently aren’t getting rich off $100 a month. People will truly suffer, and the courts have stood up and said: “Fund it.” The administration is going to the Supreme Court to fight to make sure that no starving American gets fed. Why? Explain it to me like I’m five, because I can’t understand it. Grocery prices and inflation are up across the board. Tariffs are being paid by Americans. “People are going to suffer,” the dweeb who is the speaker of the house said. People are suffering! Isn’t the government there to help? Why are they going out of their way to make life more difficult. Peop...

I can look at that photo for a long time. Someone passed out during a meeting in the Oval Office. People are attending to the guy. The pathetic joke in the center of the photo has zero empathy. You can read his face: “Why isn’t everyone paying attention to me?” And I’ve heard from people who love that thing. “He donates his salary!” Welp. Turns out he doesn’t. His tax returns show that it was a lie. “He cares about the working man!” One phrase always comes to mind when I hear that: “He wouldn’t piss on you if you were on fire.” That’s the truth, and the food stamps drama shows that none of them give a damn. In other news, Musk now has a trillion dollar paycheck. Upside down. No empathy. That photo says so much.

Back in 1981 or 1982, I was seated at the kitchen table of my buddy Jeff’s childhood home.  We were in the middle of an eating binge after playing golf. We heard the door open and Jeff said: “Uh-oh, Mom’s home.” “Why is that a problem?” I asked. “We just ate all the cold cuts and drank a gallon of milk,” he said. Jeff’s Mom came in and looked at us. A huge smile lit up her face. “I have pickles,” she said. As we grew to adults both Jeff and I would greet one another’s Mom as though they were our Mom. I always looked forward to the huge hug that Jeff’s Mom always gave me. Jeff lost his Mom today. It’s one of those seismic losses that shakes a town, and brings tears of loss to a tremendous family, as well as the entire North Collins community. As the years passed, the smiles grew bigger, and the hugs were stronger. The Renaldo’s and the Fazzolari’s have been shaken by loss, and all sorts of things that life brings. And tackling those losses together, with an unbreakable bond, and wit...

I posted the following on Facebook: “Hello darkness, my old friend. Why you here? It’s 4 pm.” And of course, I haven’t felt right since we switched the clocks… …waking up an hour early… …the darkness making me wish that my bedtime was now 6:30 pm. And speaking of darkness, Dick Cheney passed away. How miserable a human do you have to be for Dick Cheney to say you’re garbage? Cheney was the mastermind behind the fake invasion of Iraq. He was one of the more hated men at the start of the century. He died having been outspoken about what a waste the huge orange dude is. So, I leave in darkness. Come home as darkness is dawning and read all about the darkest days that this country has ever faced. Is America great again? The government shutdown is now the longest ever and there’s no end in sight. There are food lines. Another plane crash. A 60 Minutes interview that was absolutely embarrassing. And it’s supposed to rain all day tomorrow. My next tee shot is about 80 days away. I might need ...

Today is Election Day, and while the political scene is an absolute mess… …we all have the right to and should vote. Recent polling shows that 63% of the country have an unfavorable opinion of the sitting president. How anyone can watch the 60 Minutes interview and think: “Wow, he’s great,” is beyond me, but I’ll never understand it anyway. Yet, on this Election Day think about the fact that the federal government has been shut down for more than a month. SNAP benefits are drastically cut, leaving the most vulnerable of all our citizens without food. $40 billion went to Argentina to help their beef farmers while we have people starving here. So, elections have consequences and we are truly learning that lesson right now. I’ll take the time to vote. Takes 5 minutes. Does my one vote count? A lot of people don’t vote because they don’t think it will make a difference… …and that’s why so many millions don’t vote. Get out there. Let your voice be heard.

My first instinct when the Yankees were eliminated was to give up baseball for the year. On Sunday morning, I drove up Langford Road in my hometown and glanced to the park where I got my first ever hit in a little league game. I saw it clearly.  A ground ball thru the right side - between first and second - and as I rounded first I heard a lot of voices. My Mom was definitely cheering. I rounded it too far and had to scramble back to first. Stood there, panting. Thought of watching those World Series wins in ‘77 and ‘78 with my Dad. And thought about the game I’d seen on Saturday night… …between two teams I don’t care for. I didn’t know what to root for, so I just sat there and watched. It was amazing. Toronto fans feeling it. Two outs away. A light hitting 2nd baseman up was to be the first of those two outs with Ohtani on deck. “I don’t know why they aren’t pinch hitting for this guy,” I told my wife. “That’s why,” she said, one second later as Rojas hit it over the wall for the ...

As a 61-year-old man there are plenty of things that get by me. I use it to poke fun at the younger guys on the work site, taking jabs at their music choices. “What’s this rap song called, ‘Go f**k yourself?’” Much of the rap music is angry and contains some explicit language. There is one kid who is fascinated by the fact that I’m older and I chide him about what he likes. I’ve told him stories of the 90’s, which he missed because he wasn’t here yet. “By the time you were born I needed rehab,” I said. Well, he took the OSHA 10-hour class for the first time. “How was it?” I asked. “6/7,” he said. “What?” I asked. “6/7.” I just looked at him. He laughed. “You know, you’re usually senseless, but ‘6/7’ doesn’t answer my question.” Another guy overhearing it, laughed. “They say 6/7 to everything,” he said. “It’s annoying as hell.” “What does it mean?” I asked. The young kid shrugged. The other guy said, “No one knows. It’s nonsensical.” I was fascinated. It reminded me of the time when my ...

23,500 National Guard troops are being trained to handle civil unrest in American cities. You know why???? Because they’re planning to starve people and take away any chance people have of getting healthcare. It’s already virtually impossible for a young couple to buy a home, or pay off college loans… …and because they needed a tax cut for the rich… …millions more will suffer. We’ve all seen the breakdown of the people who depend of SNAP to eat. The elderly. Children. Disabled. And the working poor. That’s the majority of people who will be suffering. The training of the National Guard to fight against civil unrest is because they are expecting people to stand up and fight to survive. It truly makes me wonder about the men and women who are going to accept the assignment. As American soldiers did they ever expect that their fight would be against the American citizens? Dangerous, dangerous times, and I’ve said it a lot over the last couple of years… …I never thought I’d see it here in ...

We watched the Ben Stiller documentary about his parents Stiller and Meara. It’s a great view. They were together in marriage for 62 years, and they worked together for a long time, and got pretty famous in their day. They were two distinct personalities, and he was a perfectionist while she would simply perform the act. They also documented all their lives with a tape recorder and a camera. One clip of a real discussion hit me as they spoke about his need to get the act perfect. “You only cared about how you were perceived,” Anne says. “Then when it’s over, you didn’t enjoy it. It’s joyless.” I’ve thought about that a lot throughout my life. Why do we put so much stock in what other people think about our work, how we live our lives, or just exist? And my breath kind of caught when she tells him: “It’s joyless!” I suppose that my breath caught because I have been guilty of living my life and doing my work… …worried about how I’m perceived. Whether it’s within the pages of a book, or o...

I kept an eye on the first two games of the World Series. When Toronto won game 1, I thought: “Good, the Dodgers lost.” When the Dodgers won game 2, I thought: “Good, Toronto lost.” You get the idea. I wish they could both lose. Yet, I turned on Game 3 for a little while. Caught an Ohtani homer. Flipped over in game 4. Saw Vlad homer. Of course, I did not watch all of the 18-inning game that ended a little after 3 in the morning, but my boy Sam did, and I woke to texts that read: “You might be right. Baseball is a better game than football.” I will say that with my dying breath. Baseball is the greatest game ever invented, and although I don’t want to see either of these teams crowned as champions… …come Sunday, the countdown begins. To April. The winter months are long because I’m going to be stuck watching football, or keeping an eye on the NBA or the NHL. There are always trade rumors and free agent signings to follow, but life isn’t the same when baseball is off-season. Go Jays… …b...

I’m kind of glad that we are falling back this weekend because the darkness makes me not want to get up when I usually get up. Of course, it’s going to be dark at five o’clock going forward. But the frost in the windshield and having to get dressed up to play catch is rough. Which reminds me! Yesterday I went to a demolition job at a big church/school in the city. It always amazes me that whoever vacates the buildings just leave everything behind. I counted two copy machines, about 8 computer monitors, and at least 50 Bibles. Just scattered about. And then I spotted a little football. “OLLIE!” I actually called out his name. Then I spotted a bigger football. When I returned home at the usual time, Ollie was waiting, of course. I showed him the little football. Then I showed him the bigger one. Pure joy. Normally he waits as I unpack my stuff and charge my Notebook. Yesterday I just set it all aside and we headed right to the backyard. He had a wonderful time. He headed for bed a little...

40 million Americans that depend on SNAP to eat are being told to pound salt. There appears to be zero movement in re-opening the government and the financial aid that keeps people’s head just above the water is being stripped. Evidently, we don’t have the money to help. Cause we’re in dire need of a ballroom, and a trillion dollars for the department of war so that we can bomb boats out of the water, killing all aboard, and then figuring out if they’re good or bad. The elderly, the disabled and children rely on SNAP to freaking EAT! “Sorry, we’re tapped out!” But $100 million on golf trips is necessary. Private planes for members of the cabinet. The military parade that no one went to. Billions are being wasted. 1.4 million government workers haven’t been paid in a month and may never be back to work. Air traffic controllers are calling in sick. ICE is raiding American work places… …looking for criminals, but instead deporting men and women who have been working here, and paying taxes...

I haven’t been to a theater in years. The last time was when Springsteen released “Western Stars” which is one of my favorite records of all time. We didn’t go this weekend to see, “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” with Jeremy Allen White playing Bruce, but we will see it soon. “Nebraska” is a record that drips with Bruce’s depression. Of course, way back in 1982, when the record was released, we didn’t know why a rock star, whose career was just taking off, would release such a stark record. I was a Springsteen fan way back then. I had loved ‘Darkness’ and ‘The River’ and I also owned his first 3 records. I was a freshman in college when Nebraska came out, and for the uninitiated, it was so insanely different. There weren’t any hits.  Bruce didn’t even appear on the cover, and they didn’t even tour to support it, or even make a freaking video! And the songs were so damn dark. Bruce’s chair was creaking on the recording. He taped it in his bedroom.  Songs of desperation, ...

We have a saying around here: Everyday is an Ollieday. Coming off a week when I couldn’t shake the doldrums I mentioned to Oliver that we were going to go hard on Saturday. “No work,” I told Ollie. “I grab my coffee and we’re playing football.” By 9:30 we had gone through 3 rounds of 25 throws. I wrote a little in between with ‘Modern Family’ on in the background. Hit the grocery store, and then took a ride to spend a little time with Mom.  Ollie was waiting at the door for more. By 7:00, we had played 7 times, and the last round had him walking the ball back to me. He had a few bones, and a little rotisserie chicken. I also made a huge rack of ribs, and packed some up for the boys. A good way to shake myself out of the funk. “No work tomorrow,” I mentioned to Ollie as he got ready for bed. “No golf either. Tomorrow is another Ollieday.” Didn’t look at the news. Didn’t dwell on the fact that the government is closed and there doesn’t seem much interest in re-opening it. Furloughed ...

I’m an optimistic, upbeat guy most of the time. I struggled this week, and I’m trying to figure it all out. First, my golf course closed for the year. That’s rough news, and not having a tee time scheduled really wore me down this week. Secondly, the image of the White House being demolished really upset me. Yeah, there have been changes made to the house throughout the century, but never in a whim. Protocol and policies be damned.  We don’t have a choice. Coming off the ‘No Kings’ march we saw a video of the fat orange guy as a fighter pilot. He dumped crap on the heads of Americans. Then they demolished the East Wing. For a ballroom? As working Americans struggle to make ends meet? That’s depressing. And then there is just plain work burnout. I’m tired. Things that normally have me fired up have been making me yawn. Which happens from time to time… …to all of us… …and I will snap out of it… …Ollie will make sure of that… …I guess that’s why they call it the blues.

There’s a group of safety guys who get together every now and again for lunch. We take turns buying, and have tried a lot of good spots in Buffalo throughout the years. We have a favorite Chinese place and a little hole in the wall Mexican place that serves the best shrimp tacos. We even tried an Indian place once. Once! Was horrible. Yesterday, we went to breakfast. The rain has been coming down hard, and the temperatures are dropping. Safety guys don’t care for lousy weather. One guy works for the government and even though he has to go in… ….he ain’t getting paid! So, he’s not overly enthusiastic about starting his day. We sat there for a little while and had a little more coffee. Told a few war stories. We’ve been getting together for more than 25 years… …this time I saw the future… …getting together for breakfast when we are all retired. Hope we get the chance.

In case anyone hasn’t noticed we don’t have a functioning government. The House is closed. They’ve worked just one week since July, and there are no negotiations scheduled. Yet, things are being decreed. The east wing of the White House is gone. Demolished. Without regard to a vote, or a process. The money is being raised through ‘donations’ from the wealthy, who now own a piece of the government. Exactly what the founding fathers were concerned about. Farmers are going under. And we are giving billions to Argentina cattle ranchers. The poor are losing food stamps, and before you yell, “Good!” Try and figure out where the poor are going to go to get money. Healthcare for a family runs $27,000 a year and there are reports that it will triple. Imagine paying $80 grand a year for lousy healthcare. The walls are closing in. The foundation is shaking. And Americans - a majority of them - haven’t even noticed. We never had troops in the streets detaining people without due process. We’ve nev...

Can’t imagine a less attractive World Series for a Yankees fan. I didn’t have a major problem with the Jays beating the Yankees in the divisional round because, frankly, they deserved to win. They had tough AB’s and they were on and well-rested because they didn’t have to play the first round because the division was decided by a tiebreaker. (Okay - had a problem with that). Yet, after the final game, the Jays, instead of being graceful, taunted the Yankees. Vlad leading the charge as he laughed it up with David Ortiz the steroid cheat. So, I was rooting for the Mariners, but George Springer (who was a central figure in the Astros garbage can cheating scandal) hit a huge homer to send the Jays to the series where they will play the Dodgers. Who I also hate. “The Dodgers built it the right way.” Is what all the announcers say. Yeah. Right. They bought: Freeman, Betts, Ohtani, Glasnow, Yamamoto, Snell, Scott, Conforto, Hernandez, Yates, Suzuki. Bought them. Which is rich coming from a Ya...

That’s the White House. Being demolished. Made me physically ill to see it. Taking the place apart. The AI video of him flying a plane and dumping shit on the heads of American citizens. Yeah. That’s the plan. How can these people be left alone to demolish the White House. Even those who voted for it. This is what you wanted? The constitution challenged? Defying the courts? No longer three equal branches? Pardoning criminals because they say they like him? And now demolishing the White House. We may have to march every day.

The White House response to millions of people marching in the streets to protest a completely criminal government was to put out an AI video that showed the fat, orange guy (who faked bone spurs to get out of serving), flying a war plane with his name on the side. He takes the plane over the heads of the protesters and dumps shit on them. Seriously. That’s the response. There were also a number of photos released that showed the pig with a crown on his head. “No kings?” Their response is telling us that he fully intends on being a king. The threat is by no means over. The Supreme Court and the DOJ are taking orders. The government is shuttered. We are a long way away from normality. And just to be sure that the shit dumping video hit home… …they held a $1 million a plate dinner at Mar-A-Lardo on Saturday… …as people struggle to heat their home… …something a king class might do.

The protests were absolutely massive across America. Gives me hope that maybe all is not lost. Make no mistake, rights have been trampled, and the government is shut down because they’re trying to hide the Epstein files. The crowds gathered in New York, Washington, Philly and Boston - to name just a few cities - were unbelievable. “We’re not gonna’ take it!” Should have been the theme song played at every single gathering. Now, I don’t know what the end result of this can be - we can’t seem to get the message across to the people who make decisions that could make our lives easier. But, I’m hoping again. It certainly appears that the message should get through, but deep down, I know they don’t care who is unhappy. Billionaire wealth has been doubled since the election. The office of the president is a grift. The current occupant’s personal wealth has doubled. They’re robbing the place blind… …and the crowds that gathered yesterday are letting the world know that we are still Americans ...

It’s always weird to think about the number assigned to your age. Sixty-one. And on my birthday, some wishes as I don’t blow out the candles this year. (We did away with blowing spit all over the cake). Wish #1 - The Yankees aren’t going to win the World Series this year. I wish that Toronto loses too. And the Dodgers - I don’t want them to win either. Wish #2 - Playing golf this morning - I’m wishing for an ace. Wish #3 - I’m really wishing that the ‘No Kings’ protest today has some sort of impact, and that it’s safe for all involved. I’m worried about National Guard troops or ICE or whoever else is on the streets terrorizing American citizens, hurting someone. Wish #4 - This might be too much of an ask, but I wish there would be civility. Social media is an absolute garbage dump. It kind of doesn’t matter what you say, there is likely a total stranger out there who will rage about how stupid you are. Go to the comments section on any damn subject and you’ll find that there is someone...

John Bolton was indicted today for how he handled classified information. I almost fell out of my chair when I read that. Do you recall the photo of the bathroom where boxes of classified information were stored at Mar-A-Lardo? James Comey was indicted, but the lawyer who signed the indictment isn’t qualified to do so. In NYC, Letitia James was indicted and accused of fraud because she purchased a home for a relative. She does not live in the home, but it is being alleged that she lied about her primary residence. Know what they all have it common? They all spoke out about the dumbest orange guy you know. Arresting opponents because they speak out against the crimes he’s committing? That’s banana republic leadership right there. And again, it’s something I never thought I’d see. We are supposed to have three distinct branches of government so that there are checks and balances. The DOJ is now working directly for the most vile human that’s ever stepped foot in this country, and no one ...

I’ve heard it said, by the fat orange clown, that America is great again. Fuel prices are soaring. Grocery prices are at an all-time high. Farmers are going to be bailed out by those who cried that socialism is unacceptable. Evidently, Portland is ravaged by war, and masked troops are yanking American citizens out of their cars and their homes. How great is that? Want more greatness? The government is shut down and won’t be opened up again because they don’t want the Epstein files out because King Pig is all over the paperwork. To make it all even greater, there’s a nationwide rally - and make no mistake, millions will show up and march, and the administration is going to attack those who protest. I have a really bad feeling about Saturday…. …and it’s my birthday, besides! Make America Great Again. Is this what they had in mind? I saw Eric Trump talk about how they were bringing Christ back, and he cited that there were no football players kneeling and no beer companies being ‘woke.’ T...

A funny thing happened as I was working on the next book. I started another one. It’s not unique.  I have always had a something going, and every once in a while I’ve decided that I had a second good idea. I wrote “Waldorf & Juli” (a funny story) and “Desperation” - a sad one - at the same time. Nothing new. Thing is, I started the new one with the date January 26, 1977 as the jumping off point. That was the day before the blizzard of ‘77. And so far, so good, as I’ve put down a lot of pages in the span of a week.  That’s the secret - just write - without regard to editing - let it flow - and then edit. Yet, I’ve felt the challenge. We have a lot of things now that we didn’t have then. I wanted to put the teenage kids in a room together doing something and my mind centered on video games. Didn’t have those. They wound up playing Monopoly. I needed to have one character get a message to another and I laughed when I saw that I had written: “He texted me.” Uh, no. He did not....

I was already scrambling with the idea that I had to go and get my driver’s license renewed - a nearly hundred dollar birthday gift from me to the state - and on top of that I also had my annual physical scheduled. So, two things truly screwing up the daily schedule. I was going to have to get after it early on. Headed out to the car, the cold biting at me a bit. I noticed that the seatbelt was stuck in the driver’s side door that wasn’t fully closed. Kathy had been the last one to drive the car. Turned the key and nothing happened. The battery was dead. Now, the old apple cart was really upside down. I headed back into the house and spent an hour doing paperwork, trying to figure out what the hell was my next move. Jake was in the neighborhood, and I called him to come by, and then I got the cables, hoping to jump the battery. Which is no easy feat because I’m mechanically disabled. I got it on the first try!! You’d think I’d be happy, but the schedule was all off. At the docs we talk...

JC snapped a photo of me on the 11th hole at Harvest Hill. That’s Chippy in my hands, and that was to be my 3rd shot on the par 4. Chippy did his thing. I hit that ball to less than 1 inch from the cup for a tap-in par. I parred exactly half the holes, and it was a grand time because we golfed with a couple of kids who were in their mid-20’s. “My birthday is next Saturday,” I told the two young guys we had just met. “How old will I be?” “42,” the first kid said. Made me laugh. “You guys hit the ball like you’re golf machines,” the other kid said. And we were certainly more consistent than the much stronger, way younger kids. And I look much older than 42 in that photo. “We’ve taken a lot more swings than you have,” I told the kid. “Experience helps you in this game.” The sun was shining by the end of the round, and I faded down the stretch and bogied three of the last four holes, otherwise it would have been a truly memorable round. Immediately following the round, JC texted the tee ti...

I heard that the Buffalo News building was to be sold. My heart sunk a little bit. I recall being enamored with someday working as a sports columnist at the Buffalo News. Got me thinking about the end days of the Courier Express, back in September of 1982. As I grew up we often had both newspapers delivered to our home. My Dad favored the Courier Express, but I thought that the Buffalo News sports section was better, mainly because I read Larry Felser’s column immediately upon opening the paper. And man, I got in trouble for not bringing the sports section back to the kitchen counter. I didn’t just read the paper, I devoured it. Every day. I recall that there was great anxiety about the Courier Express going out of business because the Buffalo News would be the only source we had for information. Sounds funny now, but given the false news we are now exposed to, perhaps we were better off back then. A few years ago, I did a construction project at the Buffalo News building. It was impos...

I would've completely given up had they awarded a peace prize to the guy who claimed to have stopped 8 wars.  Of course, I’m ready to give up anyway as the attacks on American cities continues.  It's been entertaining to see Portland people dressing up in superhero costumes to interact with ICE.  Watching humans getting pepper sprayed or ripped from their homes, cars and jobs without any knowledge of any crime is truly disturbing.  To some of us, anyway.   We certainly need to accept that a large number of Americans are heartless at best, truly racist at worse.   I know a lot of government employees too, and it's becoming obvious that their jobs - their careers and their pensions - are hanging by a thread.   Other Americans are staring into the healthcare abyss as the threat of triple the rates is a real possibility.   Peace prize?  How about awarding a prize to the number one domestic terrorist.  The DOJ is also indi...

Wrangler is back for a visit.  Matt is out of town for work so we did the dog switch. Ollie is visiting Jake and we get the 130 pound Wrangler. The dog is skittish! Every noise, big or small, makes him jump with fear. He was a rescue and was abused as a puppy. Matt has treated him like royalty, but he is still nervous. He’s afraid of everyone… …but not me. He loves me, because I’m the guy who spoils him rotten. On the way home I stopped at Dollar General and bought him about $30 worth of bones. He devoured a couple and then drank a gallon of water. There’s a couple of drawbacks though: 1). He doesn’t play catch. I threw a ball to him, and it hit him in his huge head. 2). Miller is deathly afraid of him. My poor cat heads up to the bedroom and keeps an eye on the stairs. He will also hide behind the couch, and stare. “He’s not going to hurt you,” I tried. If Miller could talk he might say: “If he falls on me, I’m dead.” Wrangler’s head is three times the size of Ollie… …and then the...

There was a play in the Yankees season-ending loss that struck me as a human moment. The pressure was on and a routine double play ground ball headed straight for Jazz’s glove. He booted it. Two fatal runs ended up scoring. Jazz spent a minute looking at his glove, his face was a mask of disbelief. Yankees fans everywhere saying, “***k Jazz!” The broadcast cameras kept showing his face, and replaying it all. After the game, Jazz stood there and took it, saying that he will see it in his head for months. And it’s big-time sports and he’s paid well to play on the biggest stage, but Toronto mocked the team by playing Sinatra in their clubhouse and yelling, “Da, Yankees lose!” with laughing steroid cheat, David Ortiz. Classy move. And I went to bed, disappointed, knowing that to win those games, you need to make those plays. Thought of falling on one’s face with the whole world looking on. Scott Norwood suffered years of depression, and disappeared after missing the field goal that would h...

It’s insane how much we all seem to care about sports. You drive around WNY and there are Bills signs on every street. Yankees hats are the most sold piece of gear of all sports hats. I tried to remain calm all day on Wednesday as I was tired from watching the Yankees game on Tuesday night. Did you see Judge’s home run on Tuesday night? It was obscene - a 100 mph pitch high and inside. Gave me hope… …but I knew there’d be great stress. All day long.  And as I watch the Wednesday night game I grew more frustrated by my favorite game because the Blow Jays used about 30 pitchers to get 27 outs. They walked Judge intentionally. Made sure that only left-handed pitchers pitched to left-handed batters and right-handed pitchers pitched to right handed batters. Garbage. Hopefully, there will be a change to how many pitchers a team can carry because it’s a damn gimmick. And I’m writing this before the game is over because I’m a little stressed right now. Just sharing thoughts. And the love w...

There was a huge rainbow in the early morning sky. Rainbows are cool. And then came the rain, hard and heavy for a while. It had been a minute since we had rain, and it called to mind the time I spent in San Jose. It didn’t rain at all in the 8 months I lived there, and I truly missed it. Ollie didn’t care about the rain, and so I got soaked as I threw the ball for him. I spent the day waiting for the Yankees game, knowing that it could be their last game until April… …which is a lousy realization. Because the winter is coming. The skies were grey all day. I don’t mind the rain, or even the cold, I hate the grey. The news is too much to take these days as the Democracy continues to slip away. Troops pointing guns at citizens in American cities. Talk of the insurrection act. The government shutdown. Talk of pardoning Maxwell and protecting someone as it relates to Epstein. I don’t mind the rain. I hate the grey.

Monday morning does hit different. Not sure what it was about this Monday, but I just didn’t have it. I tried to dig deep to get interested in my agenda, but there wasn’t anything there. My back was a little sore, and I was tired even though I didn’t get caught up in the Bills game. I was also a little cranky and that has to be traced to the current Yankees predicament. Now, normally, I’m able to push through and find some level of excitement about my work day. Nothing there! So, I shut it down. 82 degrees, not a cloud in the sky… …I knew someone who’d play with me. Ollie was ready! He doesn’t care if it’s Monday. He has no idea that there are American troops on the ground chasing American citizens around. Ollie doesn’t care about the Bills loss, or the call for rain tomorrow. He can always dig deep and find it… …even when there’s nothing there.

I was about five years old when I was helping Dad make the sauce, and I said, “Dad, I have an idea. We should have pasta every Sunday” He laughed, “That’s not your idea,” he said. “It’s what we do.” The Yankees laid an egg in game one of the division series on Saturday, but I had a grand plan for Sunday: A round of golf with my buddies at my favorite course! Pasta! Yankees tie it up! Family time! An eye on the Bills before bed. The round of golf was a smashing success in 80 degree weather.  Pops had 3 birdies in the round, which was fun to see. Yet I was steady all day and had a blast. The pasta was straight spaghetti and meatballs, which is one of the least exotic sauces I make, but still a great dinner. Sunday was going beautifully. And the Yankees shot it all to hell, but hey, it ain’t over ‘till it’s over’, and in the spirit of Yogi, they’ll try again back in the Bronx. They’ve been down 0-2 in this round before and came all the way back, so there’s still hope. Ollie was relent...

Karoline Leavitt goes to the podium every day wearing a crucifix. Then she spouts the most anti-Christian propaganda that I’ve ever heard. “When an illegal alien goes to the ER without insurance who pays for it?” She shouted with a disgusted countenance. Then she answered her own question with an even nastier scowl: “The American taxpayer!” And everyone sits there.  No follow-up questions.  Fox News and MAGA are horrified and enraged. They play the clip all day and clap for that empty-headed witch. Okay: I’ll do the follow-ups! First, which president enacted the law that requires treatment for those who can’t pay? Answer: Ronald Reagan. Why would he do that, you ask? Answer: Because they pay $12 billion is taxes and social security each year, and because if someone needs life-saving assistance, Reagan believed that Jesus Christ would demand that we treat a human being in need. (And I was no fan of Ronny, but he had SOME sense of right and wrong). And no one asked Leavitt this ...

I was absolutely horrified by a video of a Hispanic family being ravaged by ICE in Colorado. I’m not clever enough to find the link and include it, but it was evident that a man, a woman and a young child were pulled over by an SUV that held a half-dozen ICE officers, dressed in tactical gear, and with masks on their faces. “Why am I being stopped?” The man, who was clearly Hispanic asked. And then all hell broke loose as a big, burly man used a baton to strike the window. Mom was screaming from the passenger seat. “There’s a baby in here! Why are you doing this? Do you have a warrant?” The glass shattered and the man was yanked from the vehicle and tossed to the ground. The officers knelt on his back and handcuffed him, as the woman screamed: “He has a family! Where is the warrant? Where are you taking him?” “We left the warrant in the office,” one ICE agent said. “We are taking him wherever we want to,” another chimed in. And that was that. The video stopped. The circumstances aren’t...

I was nervous all day.  Yet I had some confidence in the kid the Yankees were throwing out there as Cam was throwing well all through September and I knew that he could get it up there at 100 mph. But I didn’t expect that! A rookie pitcher, on the biggest stage of all. After the 8th inning Cam walked off the mound - a 24-year old man - had to be on top of the world. “How does he feel right now?” I asked Kathy. “Pretty freaking good,” she said. And the thing was, he was throwing so well that I wasn’t anxious at all after the 5th inning or so. Which is what I was really hoping might happen. And now, a night off, before the series against the Blue Jays… …and my buddy Jeff reminded me that he once wore a Blue Jays hat to our house… …my Dad took it from his head and dunked it in a can of paint. As he should have. A good night’s sleep. Thanks to Cam.