PICKLEBALL THERAPY
This sport is raging, especially for us oldsters. My wife and I started earlier this year taking a few classes from the Poway Adult School. Now we’ve graduated to playing “pick up” Pickleball with new friends. Now it’s crossing over into family social hour. We enjoyed some family time with our daughter and boyfriend at the Rancho Arbolitos Swim and Tennis Club in Poway. I remember our kids used to go to swim camps here back in the day. Great to see the enthusiasm for the new sport at this facility. They can quickly convert one tennis court into 4 Pickleball courts. Love seeing our local businesses capitalizing on the latest trends.
AZTECS KNOCK DOWN HOUSTON
What a game yesterday as San Diego State defeats the #6 team in the nation. We weren’t sure what to expect this season, but the young guys have really stepped up. Miles Byrd is a dynamic player that shows his personality on the court. Love that kid. Magoon Gwath will settle down his shot and start hitting from 3. Love Gwath’s defense swatting balls. Imagine how good he will be when he puts on more muscle mass. BJ Davis has been a pleasant surprise. We knew BJ was good, but this good? Wow. Every player deserves commentary. Nick Boyd shows us flashes of Malachi Flynn with his outside shooting, interior creativity and slipperiness. Pharaoh Compton had a coming out party against Houston. Love having a big strong man in the post that can muscle up important shots. Jared Coleman-Jones really had his deep shot working against Houston. But I’m enjoying the kid’s interviews. Very humble, friendly and intellectual. I thought Miles Heidi did a solid job last year backing up Jaedon LeDee. Heidi seems a bit lost out there so far this year, but it seems more an issue of gaining comfortability with his role with these other players. Heidi remains a valuable big for the Aztecs. Taj DeGourville looks like a versatile swing man with a high basketball IQ. Good signs. Who am I missing? Oh my! Wayne McKinney is thriving on The Mesa. Love how being an Aztec was a dream for him. I see a very brave, High IQ player who can make a clutch mid-range shot. Plus there is perhaps the team’s best player, Reese Waters, who is hurt and won’t return until around the New Year. I have no idea what to expect when Waters returns, but it can only be good. Demarshay Johnson remains a mystery to me. He continues to be a scholarship player that rarely plays. I was really surprised by his demeanor in a recent interview. He said he knows he is good, but he didn’t say it convincingly. It was almost like he was trying to convince himself and it wasn’t working. I root for the young man. I want him to fulfill his potential. There is obviously something there that Coach Dutcher sees. I want to see it too. What a great start to the season for the San Diego State Aztecs!
WHO ARE OUR HEROES?
I was listening to a podcast analyzing the Presidential Elections and one of the guests brought up the issue of heroes. Many people consider Trump heroic considering he survived 2 assassination attempts as well as his comeback to the White House. Heck, there have been Trump memes in historic, fictional hero poses for a while now. I don’t consider Trump a hero at all. He’s a villain in my book. But I get that that some people see Trump as a hero and that’s why they support him. At the same time, Harris had very little hero vibe going in her campaign… perhaps except with her relationship with her nieces. The attempts by Dems to make Harris appear heroic just never sat well with me. They never seemed authentic.
But it does raise the question, who are our heroes? Who is my hero?
I often refer to Muhammad Ali as an American hero. I recently called Bill Walton a hero too. But in politics, it’s rare to find a real hero. Politics is a corrupting dynamic that ties politicians up in hypocrisy knots. Such is the nature of backroom deals with the devil. I remember Julie Mason on SIRIUS XM POTUS Channel 124 saying “Never all in love with a politician. They will always disappoint you.” Even in the business world, it’s hard to find heroes. Steve Jobs had many heroic qualities. Elon Musk displays both heroic and villainous values.
Maybe the key here is to find heroes in your own personal life, including identifying yourself as the hero in your own life story.
ESCONDIDO HOUSING
I noticed that the road finally opened up in Escondido at the site of the old Pomerado Hospital. Is that where 2nd Ave crosses Grand and merges into Valley Parkway? Well, they opened it up, but the road is narrower to include a wider sidewalk, sidewalk trees and a more residential vibe. I really like the look of this housing project too. Apparently one of the places there will be a roof top bar. That might be a good happy hour destination someday.
EAR WORM: HARVEST MOON
It’s weird how some songs can get stuck in your head. It might be from a TV commercial or an off-hand remark made by a friend or co-worker. Today’s featured song is Harvest Moon by Neil Young. Not sure how this worm got going, but I sure do dig this song. Really great vibe. The song came out in the 1990s, if I recall, when Young was getting a resurgence as the Godfather of Grunge. I don’t know what it is about this song. It’s the vibe that is really unique and relaxing that I enjoy. So of course, I dove into YouTube to watch the video where Young and his date (is that Darryl Hannah?) visit this local live music venue in a restaurant/bar in “Americana USA” for dancing and socializing. They also show Young from several eras in the video, sometimes playing music and sometimes dancing. It’s terrific. Now my YouTube feed is filled with Neil Young content. Oh, it’s going to be a good night with good music!