Dave's Thoughts of the Day: June 7th

It's a rarity when you see an NBA Finals shot as amazing as last night.

Over the years, we had Magic's Baby Hook, Jordan switching hands down the lane, Dr. J whipping a layup around the backboard, and last night, Tony Parker falling to one knee with time running out on the shot clock, only to recover and get off a jumper that bounced around the rim and *then* fell in.  What a shot that was!

The whole night, the people where I was at, Tony P's Dockside Bar and Grill, with *Coach*, were rooting hard for the Spurs.  The Blackhawks and Kings game was on at the same time, on screens next to the ones showing the NBA game.   The audio of the hockey game was in effect, even, but tonight's crowd was all in with the NBA, the Spurs, and the Heat.

It was with good reason.  This was a really intriguing matchup, and both teams were well coached, prepared, and motivated.   The game moved along pretty nicely and both teams had their spurts.   With every minute you could sense the excitement in the crowd as the Spurs inched closer.  What took me by surprise was how *much* everyone wanted San Antonio to win!  I was shocked... the fervor and vigor in their voices when the Spurs got a basket.  It was a scene!

Finally the Spurs got the lead and the crowd yelled for joy.  Boy was that fun!   It would get confusing sometimes because I would be focused on the hockey when everyone would scream at something, only to look over and see that it was a play in the NBA Finals Game.

After a while, I gave up and just divided the attention in half.   Both games started and ended around the same time.   Then, the Spurs were nursing that four point lead.  It was up to Parker to ice the game.   Once the shot went in, the bar EXPLODED!  Over 150 people erupting with joy at the shot!  I was stunned at how much everyone got into it!!

Boy, people here in California really hate the Heat, don't they?  Nonetheless, it was all in good fun.   That was just an incredible game to watch.   Through it all, the Spurs never gave up.  Incredible coaching job by Greg Popavich tonight.

So before all that hubub, it was Coach, myself, and our friend who joined in for the game.   I tell you nobody creates buzz like the NBA around this time of year.   It was a good matchup and everyone in the room had a beat on the two teams.  It was pretty interesting.  Some folks said "Oh the Spurs are boring I won't be interested."  Folks like that have the Spurs all wrong.   They've been an interesting offense for quite some time, and Parker is known for spectacular moments.   What none of us saw coming was how big he'd step up in a Finals game like this on the road.   What a moment.

My only regret on the evening was ordering the Blue Cheese and Bacon stuffed burger.  If I had even ordered the burger with just the bacon, I'd be all right.  I was on a Blue Cheese hot streak after my love of it as a wings dipping sauce.   So, naturally, I thought I'd have no issue eating a Blue Cheese Stuffed Burger.  AU CONTRAIRE, my friends.  After a few bites I felt a little gross.   Eating blue cheese straight up is like ingesting toe jam from a foot.  Oiiii...

It's a shame too, because the meat in that burger was spectacular!  I could taste it!  and I could taste the embedded bacon within it.  Then I got a good bite of the melted blue cheese.. it was downhill from there.  It's just too sour.   I wouldn't like Brie either.  It's a great name for a girl, but not a great cheese to me.

I saved half of the burger and took it home, but it's a judgement call as to whether I'll eat the other half.  Stay tuned.

Time for some additional quickes to finish the week:

It's for the best the Kings are a single game from elimination.  I saw a pretty hobbled, tired, worn down team on the ice last night.  Even Jonathan Quick was starting to wear down after a while.  It happens in sports.  It'd be impossible for anyone not to be banged up the year following a deep playoff run.  I don't really think it was so bad last night.   The Kings may have lost, but there's still at least one game left to play in Chicago.

Yasiel Puig keeps finding ways to top himself.   Last night: a late inning grand slam, opposite field.  This kid can play!   So far, anyway.

I'd like to take exception to Jerry Seinfeld's claim that canned fruit is useless.  You really can't find a better method of pie filling than canned fruit.  Surely you could go get the fruit fresh and then set up a glaze for them, but why waste all that time when it's basically glazed *for you* in the can.   Know what I mean?

Sometimes you don't want to fuss with refrigerating, or even freezing, fruit to keep it going.  Canned fruit takes out a lot of the guess work.

What is your favorite canned fruit?  I would go with peaches, but oranges is a close second.   I like the "fruit cocktail" canned fruit as well.   I've not seen anyone attempt fresh "fruit cocktail."   How do they make the cherry so bright red?

I've been in an ice cream mood all week.  No dice so far.   I haven't figured out the place to go get it yet... meaning, a restaurant or form of ice cream.  Do I want soft serve?  A bowl?  A cup?  A cone?   I have yet to sort out the semantics.

I'm glad Friday is here.  This week at work has been brutal.  I spent most of it trying to locate a copy of old software to reinstall.  I went clear down from North Campus, all the way down to the southern part of Campus to find a colleague in a tall building with a spare copy of the software.  I got it.. then I went way up to the northern end again to meet the person at a basement office (not at our usual bulding but one well to the west of it).   I started to install the CD, only to see it ask for a license key I didn't have!  Oiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii... then I ran back to my office about half a mile East and worked the phones.   Eventually, after telling the colleague about my problem in email he sent me the volume license he had (the license is campus wide so the key would work both ways).  What a major relief!!!  The license worked (which we had already paid for so no issue with legal tender).   The program installed and all is well... but that was a week long unintended project.

I went to three of the four corners of campus within a 2 hour period.  I was spent.  A lil edgy as well, but not edgy to the point where I snapped at anyone.

Friday I will dedicate to keeping a simple schedule.  I look forward to it.   Have a great weekend, everyone!