Big Snow, Big Blog

We’re kind of snowed in, though things are thawing a bit.  But it’s not just the weather that has me updating the blog.  From Copenhagen to Christmas to Carolina there is plenty to talk about.

Copenhagen

Like chicks, I guess reporters and many enviros dig the long ball. Expecting more than 190 countries – especially when one of them is China - to come together and formulate and sign a binding climate agreement was unrealistic from the start.  Yet, reporters and many activists expected world leaders to hit a home run in Copenhagen. That rarely ever happens in politics, and Obama and company did not hit one out of the (national) park. But the agreements and progress made in Copenhagen is clearly a hit, perhaps even extra bases.

To me, that was the goal of Copenhagen, to get a runner in scoring position. Now it’s up to citizens, enviros, and elected officials to drive that runner home and make progress on solving climate change. Or, more importantly, we need to string some hits together, have a big inning, and save the planet.   

Instead of sitting in the dugout content with a homer, it’s time for all of us to put on our rally caps! 

[Editors Note: I think the baseball thing held together until you closed with the rally cap paragraph.  Seems trite to me, especially the exclamation point.]

Selig Commission

Speaking of baseball, I was excited to hear the ‘used car salesman in charge of the national pastime,’ Bud Selig, announce the formation of a 14-person committee to make suggestions on ways to improve baseball games.

Credit to Selig for recognizing that though our best game, some things need to be improved about baseball.  My main concerns are umpiring and the strike zone, and pace of play. Tom Boswell suggested some good improvements in a column this week, and here is my semi-complete list of suggestions:

• Codify then call the strike zone.  There is some debate as to where the strike zone starts – letters, arm bits, etc. – and ends – knees, mid-thigh, etc. Have a conference with players, owners, umpires and their union, baseball historians, journalists, and figure out where the zone is supposed to be.  Then make sure all umps call the zone consistently;
• Only players already in the game can visit the mound, so no visits to the mound by managers or coaches unless they are changing pitchers.  Baseball stops every three outs; if a manager needs to strategize with a pitcher do it in the dug out between innings.
• Each pitcher has to face a minimum of 3 batters before he can be replaced; end the specialization and the endless trips to the mound;
• Two warm up throws per new pitcher. A reliever has already warmed up in the bull pen; why does he get to warm up again?;
• End the designated hitter. Again, less specialization and there is no need for extra offense – the original reason the American League adopted the rule - in today’s baseball.  Letting pitchers hit would also shorten/speed up the game a bit, too.

Meaning of Christmas

Last Sunday, Father Steve gave an excellent sermon on the meaning of Christmas and the cosmic Christ (church was canceled today due to the snow).  In short, he said that the birth of Christ – when God became flesh and blood - was God’s way of connecting humanity with God’s love and all living things. 

Father Steve went on to mention that many peoples, specifically mentioning Native Americans, honor the notion that God’s love infuses all living things – a Cosmic Christ - but that Christians and Orthodox Christians often overlook this connection.

That statement made me wonder if Greeks and Hellenism are to blame for that spiritual oversight (I know, shocking to think about; to be Greek is to believe that whatever misfortune occurs it’s someone else’s fault).  The Socratic belief that humans carry a divine spark, an attribute that make us superior to other living things, clearly infused early Christian thought.  Then again, I’m not a theologian (two shocks in ONE paragraph! And another exclamation point.).

One manifestation of that thought can be seen the Post’s list of the ‘10 worst ideas of the decade,’ which includes the prosperity gospel (taught by Oral Roberts among others).  Others items on that list include: compassionate conservatism, endless sports seasons, grassroots opposition to vaccines, and torture memos. Actually a lot of good stuff in today’s Outlook section of the Post; ditto the Week in Review of the Times.

Carolina

Finally, from the Cosmic Christ to Carolina basketball (the obviously link – Dean Smith).

The Heels were manhandled by Texas inside and on the glass yesterday, especially my man Deon Thompson.  As hoped, Ed Davis looked good and held his own down low, but Deon was a no-show for much of the game.   Ditto Larry Drew, who for a point guard was oddly AWOL.  I admire his guts for taking, but unfortunately missing, an open three pointer when the Heels were down by 4.  Actually, besides Davis, Dexter Stickland and Tyler Zeller, no one on the Heels played well.  Despite some plays late, Marcus Ginyard had a number of miscues and sloppy turnovers that hurt the Heels.

In general, the Heels did the opposite of what I predicted – we looked good early and bad late in the first half, just like the loss to Syracuse. Carolina lost its focus on the glass and let a shorter Texas team push them around. So it wasn’t expected rust that hurt North Carolina yesterday, it was a lack of toughness down low. 

That should give Roy plenty to talk about at practice, so this loss could turn into a springboard for improved play by our bigs for the rest of the season.

Finally, yesterday’s game concludes the brutal part of Carolina’s schedule, a stretch that saw them take on Texas and Kentucky on the road, Syracuse and Ohio State on a neutral floor, and Michigan State (5 teams ranked in the top 20) and an NCAA-worthy Nevada in Chapel Hill.