FEDERAL NEWS COUNTDOWN
As many of you know (assuming that there is in fact a ‘you’, that is people who read this), I am fortunate to be asked back by the evidently non-discerning, but always interesting and entertaining, Francis Rose to be on his show the Federal News Countdown, http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?nid=155.
I will be on tomorrow, Friday, August 16 at 3pm, on AM 1500 on your radio dial.
The way the show works is Francis invites two ‘experts’ (his words) who ‘discuss the three news stories they think are most important in the world of government’. I learn a lot from the experience.
First, I am forced to think about what I actually think are news stories that have some importance, at least for the week I participate. I even have to rank them from third most important to the very most important article.
Second, I always learn from the interaction with the other guest. Francis is great at getting together two people who bring different perspectives; it is always great fun for me.
THE NATIONALS
Well, I went to the Nationals games the last two nights. The two games encapsulated how difficult a season this has been for fans like me.
Last year was a very special experience. We knew the Nationals would be improved but who had any serious idea that they would end up with the best regular season record in the Major Leagues. In addition, the clubhouse seemed like such a relaxed, fun group of people.
The last two games of last year were among the two best and worst sporting events I ever attended. When Jason Werth hit the winning homerun in game four of the playoffs, it was truly remarkable. No one at the stadium wanted to leave; the ride home on the subway was very special. When the Nationals finished blowing a 6-0 lead in game five, it felt like we were at a funeral. Many of us felt such pain for Drew Storen, who clearly has great talent but just could not handle the situation that night after doing so well leading up to the final playoff game.
Last night the Nationals won their fifth straight game, the game ending with a truly spectacular catch by Denard Span who the Nationals traded for in the off-season. While Span has been a disappointment at the plate, his play in the field has often been remarkable. He is one of the smoothest outfielders I have ever seen live on a regular basis.
However, the reason why it took a spectacular catch to save the game last night was that the relief staff fell apart letting a 6-1 lead become just a 6-5 lead in the 9th inning (sound familiar?). Tonight the Nationals took a 3-1 lead into the 9th inning and Rafael Soriano, the closer the Nationals signed in the off-season blew the lead giving up a three run homerun with two outs.
Not only do the Nationals have very little chance of making the playoffs this year but the clubhouse seems out of sorts, at least it seems that way from reading the newspapers. The Nationals remain a team with a lot of raw talent; it will be interesting to see how they do next year.
MARYLAND RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
So my older daughter is moving to a new apartment in Brooklyn, which for is a ‘good thing’. Ellen, being the wonderful mother she is, will be going to go up to help a bit with the move, leaving a week from Saturday in the morning and returning Sunday evening.
So what is a lonely husband to do when his wife goes to Brooklyn for the weekend? He could catch up on household chores. He could work on business obligations. He could continue his setup for the upcoming semester for classes he is teaching.
However, he will not, or at least Ellen’s husband will not. He will go to the Maryland Renaissance Festival and do food tasting for the upcoming visit by said older daughter for Yom Kippur. AFTER Yom Kippur, we will be going to the Renaissance Festival and I want to make sure it is up to snuff for the visit.
The things I do to support my family are endless (Ellen might add the phrase “and pointless”, but she is used to it).