I need to find out how many times a team with an 11-5 record hasn't made the playoffs in the NFL. It can't possibly be that many though.
After what I thought would be a season to not even bother watching after Brady went down only 8 minutes into the first game, I could not be happier for Matt Cassel. The only reason I could be happier for him, of course, would be if the Patriots were in the playoffs this season, but with that aside, I am very pleased with the high school turned pro QB. He certainly had big shoes to fill, and what I respect about him the most is that he didn't try to mimic Brady; instead he took what knowledge he learned and became his own identity.
At least this playoff season will be relaxing for all New England fans, right? : /
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Down But Not Out
We all know that this city is a sucker for the underdog. We feed off of the drive that leads to the winning touchdown. We pride ourselves in being the comeback kid.
Colvin summed up the Patriots' fortune the best. “In the middle of the third quarter, I said ‘Junior, what were you doing a week ago?’ He said he was in Fiji, and I was in Missouri City. Now we’re out here playing professional football again. It’s crazy.” Of course it's crazy! These two weren't even playing the game a week ago and in Sunday's win, the two defe
nsemen were 49% of the defensive snaps against Seattle.
nsemen were 49% of the defensive snaps against Seattle.The truth that comes with the Pats' most recent victory, however, is that if they win their next 3 games, they still might not make the playoffs. Currently, the team is in a 3-way tie for first in the AFC East. Unfortunately, New England has no real control over their season's destiny. If the Dolphins or Jets both finish their seasons with records of 11-5, which is also the best the Patriots can do at this point, Miami or New York would still win the division over New England. In the last week of the regular season, the Jets will host the Dolphins. Now clearly both teams can't win, so here are the possibilities:
- If the Jets win, it would make them 5-1 in the division, which would still be better than the Patriots' division record of 4-2.
- If the Dolphins win, their record would be 4-2 in the division, same as New England's. Miami and New England would also be 10-2 against common opponents, but Miami would edge past the Patriots by being 8-4 in conference games. The Patriots won't finish better than 7-5.
- Their only hope is gaining possession of one of the two wild-card slots, which is still pretty complicated and relies on the Colts losing 2 of their remaining 3 games since Indianapolis beat New England during the regular season.
"All I know is that there are a lot of teams in contention," said Belichick yesterday. "So right now we're worried about Oakland. We'll win as many games as we can. I'm sure if we qualify somebody will let us know."
Photo courtesy: Matthew J. Lee, Boston GlobeWednesday, December 3, 2008
No Blood, No Foul
I'll never forget when my 7th grade science teacher, Ms. Busby, told me that she didn't understand why I always had random bruises on my body during basketball season. She said that basketball wasn't a contact sport, especially for young ladies.
This picture is for her.
Credit: AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac
Focus on the Positive
I don't want to talk about the terrible game the Patriots played this past Sunday. I don't want to listen to all the Cassel haters screaming "I told you so", and I certainly don't want to hear that we don't have a chance of making the playoffs with 4 games still left in the season.
Instead, I've chosen to only focus on the positive things happening in Beantown recently:
- The Patriots just signed Roosevelt Colvin for a one-year contract after he left New England at the end of the 2007 season for the Texans, who ended up cutting him at the end of training camp. It's the latest "prodigal son" story in Boston, but we'll take any help we can get. With Adalius Thomas absent and Pierre Woods getting knocked out this past Sunday against the Steelers, Colvin will hopefully smoothly fall back in line with Belichick's system and fill in the outside linebacker position.
- Dustin Pedroia, the 2008 AL MVP, has been signed for a 6-year $40.5 million contract with the Red Sox as of this morning. Securing the beloved second baseman's position is a very smart move considering in only his sophomore year as a major leaguer, Pedroia led the AL in hits (213), runs (118) and doubles (54), and also won the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards, becoming just the eighth player in league history to take all three honors in one season as reported in the Boston Globe.
- Tearing up the NBA, Paul Pierce and the defending World Champion Celtics have won 9 straight and seem to be in cruise control mode. Pierce is playing like he's a kid on the blacktop again. On Monday night, he scored 24 points in 33 minutes and 26 seconds!
- I have to admit that I've never followed the Bruins or been excited for their upcoming season the way I do with the Red Sox and Patriots. The only time we talk about the Bruins in my parent's house is when my Dad says, "When I was your age, Boston was a hockey town. Bobby Orr walked on water," etc, etc...I have to give the team props though for having such a stellar start to their season. The B's are in 1st place right now, tied with the Rangers with 36 points, and 3 games in hand. Even Tedy Bruschi came out and showed his support for the Bruins on November 6th! As Katherine Tappen said on her blog on NESN.com, "Isn't this fun?". I couldn't agree with her more.
Instead, I've chosen to only focus on the positive things happening in Beantown recently:
- The Patriots just signed Roosevelt Colvin for a one-year contract after he left New England at the end of the 2007 season for the Texans, who ended up cutting him at the end of training camp. It's the latest "prodigal son" story in Boston, but we'll take any help we can get. With Adalius Thomas absent and Pierre Woods getting knocked out this past Sunday against the Steelers, Colvin will hopefully smoothly fall back in line with Belichick's system and fill in the outside linebacker position.
- Dustin Pedroia, the 2008 AL MVP, has been signed for a 6-year $40.5 million contract with the Red Sox as of this morning. Securing the beloved second baseman's position is a very smart move considering in only his sophomore year as a major leaguer, Pedroia led the AL in hits (213), runs (118) and doubles (54), and also won the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards, becoming just the eighth player in league history to take all three honors in one season as reported in the Boston Globe.
- Tearing up the NBA, Paul Pierce and the defending World Champion Celtics have won 9 straight and seem to be in cruise control mode. Pierce is playing like he's a kid on the blacktop again. On Monday night, he scored 24 points in 33 minutes and 26 seconds!
- I have to admit that I've never followed the Bruins or been excited for their upcoming season the way I do with the Red Sox and Patriots. The only time we talk about the Bruins in my parent's house is when my Dad says, "When I was your age, Boston was a hockey town. Bobby Orr walked on water," etc, etc...I have to give the team props though for having such a stellar start to their season. The B's are in 1st place right now, tied with the Rangers with 36 points, and 3 games in hand. Even Tedy Bruschi came out and showed his support for the Bruins on November 6th! As Katherine Tappen said on her blog on NESN.com, "Isn't this fun?". I couldn't agree with her more.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Game Day
Today is a must win. Bottom line is that in order to remain a top contender for the playoffs, the Patriots cannot afford to drop to 2-3 in the division. This is definitely easier said than done, however, as the Dolphins are coming off of a 4-game winning streak and tied for 2nd with the Patriots.
November has always been a month of nothing but success for the Patriots. Their overall record, including playoff wins, dating from November 1, 2001 to today is 65-16. Coach Belichick has always wanted his team to be playing their best in the bitter cold November and December months in order to continue playing in January and February. This month hasn't been the picture of perfection that it has been in past seasons based on their 1-2 record so far, but the two heart-crushing losses were both games that came down to a mere field goal. While the Dolphins' are coming into this game with a high level of confidence, their last two wins have only been won by a combined 4 points, while the Patriots' last two losses were only lost by a combined 6 points, leaving these two teams very evenly matched for today's game in Miami.
As long as Cassel keeps playing like he has been, and the defense can play a full 60-minute game, I think the Pats have every chance of beating Miami. Already this season, Cassel has thrown for 2,200 yards compared to Tom Brady's 2,843 yards for the entire 2001 season.
November has always been a month of nothing but success for the Patriots. Their overall record, including playoff wins, dating from November 1, 2001 to today is 65-16. Coach Belichick has always wanted his team to be playing their best in the bitter cold November and December months in order to continue playing in January and February. This month hasn't been the picture of perfection that it has been in past seasons based on their 1-2 record so far, but the two heart-crushing losses were both games that came down to a mere field goal. While the Dolphins' are coming into this game with a high level of confidence, their last two wins have only been won by a combined 4 points, while the Patriots' last two losses were only lost by a combined 6 points, leaving these two teams very evenly matched for today's game in Miami.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Breaking Up is Hard to Do
Like all old crushes, it always hurts to see them so happy with someone else.
We all knew we had a good thing when we had Adam Vinatieri on our side. Vinatieri will go down in history as one of the greatest kickers, if not THE most clutch kicker of all time. Doesn't it BURN so bad to see him not only come in for victories in other games, but against his old teammates? As a 15-year-old Patriots fan, I was obsessed with Vinatieri more for his good looks than his game, but after playoff and Super Bowl victories thanks to his right foot, my crush for him grew even stronger.
Today, I'm still not over Vinatieri breaking up, I mean, leaving the Patriots. Sorry that I'm more of a sentimental sportsfan than I should be, but "breaking up is hard to do."
We all knew we had a good thing when we had Adam Vinatieri on our side. Vinatieri will go down in history as one of the greatest kickers, if not THE most clutch kicker of all time. Doesn't it BURN so bad to see him not only come in for victories in other games, but against his old teammates? As a 15-year-old Patriots fan, I was obsessed with Vinatieri more for his good looks than his game, but after playoff and Super Bowl victories thanks to his right foot, my crush for him grew even stronger.
Today, I'm still not over Vinatieri breaking up, I mean, leaving the Patriots. Sorry that I'm more of a sentimental sportsfan than I should be, but "breaking up is hard to do."
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Stayin' Alive
I'll admit. I'm one of those people who shut off the game and thought, "I guess it wasn't our year again after all." Wow do I feel like a moron.
It was the bottom of the 7th at 10:45. I was in a cab after a 13-hour day at work dealing with frustrated and agitated Red Sox fan drinking their sorrows away. It was 7-0 and I was exhausted. I was done with the day and done with the Sox season.
I woke up the next morning completely forgetting that it was Game 5 of the ALCS the previous night. After about a half hour of watching the Today Show, it dawned on me that I didn't know what the final score of the game was. It's true, I was thinking, "Did we lose by 13 or 15?".
Sox Rally and take Game 5?!? I couldn't have felt more like a loser when I read that. I'm sleeping less than 2 miles from Fenway Park, I've been a huge Sox fan my entire life, and the second I lose the faith, of COURSE they regain their comeback kid status and show America that despite not having the same roster, the boys still got it.
It was the bottom of the 7th at 10:45. I was in a cab after a 13-hour day at work dealing with frustrated and agitated Red Sox fan drinking their sorrows away. It was 7-0 and I was exhausted. I was done with the day and done with the Sox season.
I woke up the next morning completely forgetting that it was Game 5 of the ALCS the previous night. After about a half hour of watching the Today Show, it dawned on me that I didn't know what the final score of the game was. It's true, I was thinking, "Did we lose by 13 or 15?".
Sox Rally and take Game 5?!? I couldn't have felt more like a loser when I read that. I'm sleeping less than 2 miles from Fenway Park, I've been a huge Sox fan my entire life, and the second I lose the faith, of COURSE they regain their comeback kid status and show America that despite not having the same roster, the boys still got it.
Bill Simmons couldn't have explained the emotions of Boston sports fans better, so check out his most recent ESPN Page 2 article:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/081017
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/081017
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
What Goes Around Comes Around
Now please don't take this the wrong way when I say this.
Yes, the Red Sox have made it to the MLB playoffs in 5 of the last 6 seasons, have the opportunity to be World Series' Champions in back-to-back seasons, and have ZERO chance of running into the Yankees on the way. BUT....do we have to celebrate with champagne, goggles, and 50 Cent blaring from the clubhouse EVERY time we accomplish a significant milestone?
Trust me, I love the fact that Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia are both considered prime MVP candidates, and that after missing 55 games Big Papi is like a young pup with all his excitement for the playoffs. We need to stay focused on the big goal at hand! Call me an insecure Boston sports fan. Tell me I'm overreacting and too uptight. Maybe I am, but maybe I have good reason.
On the other hand, from 1918-2004 the Red Sox missed the playoffs 75 out of 85 seasons. Now, even though I wasn't alive for most of those years, family members who are diehard fans have told countless stories of how hard it was to be a Sox fan and how much heartache they have endured.
So forget about my initial judgment of the boys carrying on too much and acting like 10-year-old. Boston deserves every second of celebration. We have a lot of catching up to do after 86 years of torture.
As for our Patriots, a lot of people have tried to bum me out about the loss against the fish of Miami this past Sunday. Losing 38-13 is definitely not something Pats fans are used to, especially to a team that only won one game last season. Actually, the Patriots aren't even used to losing regular season games, neve
rmind losing in general. You would think that I would be a little more upset over witnessing the 21 regular season game winning streak snapped, but in fact, I already survived my first Boston sports fan heartbreak months ago.
Last season's Super Bowl gave me the right to be called a brokenhearted, diehard fan in Beantown. Even though I was alive during the '86 World Series, thankfully, I wasn't aware enough to suffer through Bill Buckner's lack of fielding skills. Instead, my first sport-related heartbreak happened in February at MY Super Bowl party where I hosted several New York fans. It was bad enough that I had to suffer from the one and only loss of the '07/'08 season, it had to be in front of Giants fans who I called my closest friends! I must have had a brief lapse of insanity during my cardiac arrest that occurred during the last minute of the game.
Since that game, my feeling is that the Patriots need to remain competitive among the AFC East teams by maintaining a decent record, but it's okay to lose a couple along the way. I would MUCH rather we lose a few now and learn from our mistakes, than attract all the publicity from last year and lose the big one in the end.
David Ortiz's photo: AP Photo from Boston.com
Matt Cassel's photo: Los Angeles Times Photo / San Fernando as shown on Boston.com
Yes, the Red Sox have made it to the MLB playoffs in 5 of the last 6 seasons, have the opportunity to be World Series' Champions in back-to-back seasons, and have ZERO chance of running into the Yankees on the way. BUT....do we have to celebrate with champagne, goggles, and 50 Cent blaring from the clubhouse EVERY time we accomplish a significant milestone?
Trust me, I love the fact that Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia are both considered prime MVP candidates, and that after missing 55 games Big Papi is like a young pup with all his excitement for the playoffs. We need to stay focused on the big goal at hand! Call me an insecure Boston sports fan. Tell me I'm overreacting and too uptight. Maybe I am, but maybe I have good reason.
On the other hand, from 1918-2004 the Red Sox missed the playoffs 75 out of 85 seasons. Now, even though I wasn't alive for most of those years, family members who are diehard fans have told countless stories of how hard it was to be a Sox fan and how much heartache they have endured.
So forget about my initial judgment of the boys carrying on too much and acting like 10-year-old. Boston deserves every second of celebration. We have a lot of catching up to do after 86 years of torture.
As for our Patriots, a lot of people have tried to bum me out about the loss against the fish of Miami this past Sunday. Losing 38-13 is definitely not something Pats fans are used to, especially to a team that only won one game last season. Actually, the Patriots aren't even used to losing regular season games, neve
rmind losing in general. You would think that I would be a little more upset over witnessing the 21 regular season game winning streak snapped, but in fact, I already survived my first Boston sports fan heartbreak months ago.Last season's Super Bowl gave me the right to be called a brokenhearted, diehard fan in Beantown. Even though I was alive during the '86 World Series, thankfully, I wasn't aware enough to suffer through Bill Buckner's lack of fielding skills. Instead, my first sport-related heartbreak happened in February at MY Super Bowl party where I hosted several New York fans. It was bad enough that I had to suffer from the one and only loss of the '07/'08 season, it had to be in front of Giants fans who I called my closest friends! I must have had a brief lapse of insanity during my cardiac arrest that occurred during the last minute of the game.
Since that game, my feeling is that the Patriots need to remain competitive among the AFC East teams by maintaining a decent record, but it's okay to lose a couple along the way. I would MUCH rather we lose a few now and learn from our mistakes, than attract all the publicity from last year and lose the big one in the end.
David Ortiz's photo: AP Photo from Boston.com
Matt Cassel's photo: Los Angeles Times Photo / San Fernando as shown on Boston.com
Friday, September 12, 2008
One Step Closer
My website is finally complete! After a long summer and a lot of fine tuning, my personal website which contains my reel, a letter of recommendation, references, and my resume is ready for viewing. Of course this site will always be a work in progress as I update my work, but here is what I've worked on so far.
http://web.me.com/jmward1/Site/Welcome.html
If there's any trouble seeing the video on my website, I uploaded my reel onto youtube as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNp9rRgTRuI
Enjoy!
A New Look for Patriots Nation
Week 1. At home against the Chiefs. Not too much to worry about, right? With a little over 7 minutes left to go in the 1st quarter, the Patriots game plan was flipped upside down.
As if last year's ending wasn't enough, we have now lost our QB hero for the season to a torn ACL. Brady has been quoted this week to "still like our (the Patriots') chances." How many times do we think Belichick had to recite that one-liner to Brady? So now the recent debate has been: who's more essential to the success of the Pats - Belichick or Brady?
I have to go with Brady on this one. Belichick has proven himself to be a master of football for the last 7 seasons with the Patriots, but he has been able to reach an elite level of success because of the tools he has had available to execute the plays. (Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker in the most recent season, Tedy Brushchi leading the defense, and in the past, Adam Vinatieri to tally up some W's in clutch situations, etc.) Belichick's record before the Patriots as Head Coach of the Cleveland Browns? 36-44.
Does Matt Cassel have what it takes to fill the shoes of future hall-of-famer, Tom Brady? In pre-season Cassel looked anything but sharp, but he was able to pull off the first victory of the season and keep the undefeated homeopener streak at Gillette alive. Yet again, we were playing the Kansas City Chiefs who went 4-12 last season. On Sunday, Cassel will really be put to the test when the Patriots hit the road for the first time this season and take on Brett Favre and the NY Jets at the Meadowlands. This will be Cassel's first start since high school...yikes. Almost 8 years ago to the day was the last time the Patriots lost to the Jets at Giants Stadium. It was also only Belichick's second game as the Patriots Head Coach.
“I’m just going to go out there and do what I have done in the past – prepare as hard as I can and put myself in a good position to be successful and have fun,” Cassel said. “We will see come Sunday.”
Fingers are crossed for this one.
As if last year's ending wasn't enough, we have now lost our QB hero for the season to a torn ACL. Brady has been quoted this week to "still like our (the Patriots') chances." How many times do we think Belichick had to recite that one-liner to Brady? So now the recent debate has been: who's more essential to the success of the Pats - Belichick or Brady?
I have to go with Brady on this one. Belichick has proven himself to be a master of football for the last 7 seasons with the Patriots, but he has been able to reach an elite level of success because of the tools he has had available to execute the plays. (Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker in the most recent season, Tedy Brushchi leading the defense, and in the past, Adam Vinatieri to tally up some W's in clutch situations, etc.) Belichick's record before the Patriots as Head Coach of the Cleveland Browns? 36-44.
Does Matt Cassel have what it takes to fill the shoes of future hall-of-famer, Tom Brady? In pre-season Cassel looked anything but sharp, but he was able to pull off the first victory of the season and keep the undefeated homeopener streak at Gillette alive. Yet again, we were playing the Kansas City Chiefs who went 4-12 last season. On Sunday, Cassel will really be put to the test when the Patriots hit the road for the first time this season and take on Brett Favre and the NY Jets at the Meadowlands. This will be Cassel's first start since high school...yikes. Almost 8 years ago to the day was the last time the Patriots lost to the Jets at Giants Stadium. It was also only Belichick's second game as the Patriots Head Coach.
“I’m just going to go out there and do what I have done in the past – prepare as hard as I can and put myself in a good position to be successful and have fun,” Cassel said. “We will see come Sunday.”
Fingers are crossed for this one.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Football Season is HERE!
Week 1: Patriots vs. Chiefs
Despite the final result of the 2007 season, many NFL experts are still predicting that the Patriots will remain on top this season. Knowing Tom Brady's past, his work ethic has been unbeatable and borderline insane. He doesn't like to lose. Even though the Pats only lost 1 game last season, it was the one that counted, so I can imagine that the loss will be a burr in Brady's saddle all season.
For the first week of the 2008 season, the Patriots are predicted to beat the Kansas City Chiefs with a spread of -16. With a 4-0 home opener record over the past 4 seasons, it's hard to pick the Chiefs on this one. If you need more convincing that odds alone are in the Patriots' favor, New England holds the record for the most consecutive regular season wins at 19.
To quote Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN.com, "...there's a reason why they've (the Patriots) won 14, 14, 10, 12 and 16 regular season games during the past five years: They adjust better than any other franchise."
Bring it on.
Despite the final result of the 2007 season, many NFL experts are still predicting that the Patriots will remain on top this season. Knowing Tom Brady's past, his work ethic has been unbeatable and borderline insane. He doesn't like to lose. Even though the Pats only lost 1 game last season, it was the one that counted, so I can imagine that the loss will be a burr in Brady's saddle all season.
For the first week of the 2008 season, the Patriots are predicted to beat the Kansas City Chiefs with a spread of -16. With a 4-0 home opener record over the past 4 seasons, it's hard to pick the Chiefs on this one. If you need more convincing that odds alone are in the Patriots' favor, New England holds the record for the most consecutive regular season wins at 19.
To quote Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN.com, "...there's a reason why they've (the Patriots) won 14, 14, 10, 12 and 16 regular season games during the past five years: They adjust better than any other franchise."
Bring it on.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Safely Home
Well, what a journey! After being away for 11 days, I'm finally safe and sound back in Boston. My trip was definitely once in a lifetime and I'm looking forward to sharing more stories about all my adventures. Now that I have my own computer I can also upload pictures and write more frequently.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Meinhardt Finishes 10th
How many 18-year-old freshmen entering Notre Dame in less than 2 weeks will be able to say that they not only went to Beijing this summer, but they competed amongst the most elite athletes of the world and were able to hold their own? Well, we know at least one.
Gerek fenced Egypt's Mostafa Nagaty in the Round of 32 at 10:30a.m. yesterday morning and had completely demolished Nagaty by 10:35a.m. Before facing each other on the Olympic platform, Meinhardt and Nagaty had faced each other twice and each claimed victory once. In this bout, however, there was never any doubt that Gerek was taking this one. Nagaty scored the first touch, but that was just enough to get Gerek fired up. Meinhardt went on to score the next 10 touches in a row and ended up winning the bout 15-3. And this was supposed to be hard? Gerek fenced with such confidence and intensity, he looked like anything but a teenager, and was able to move on to the Round of 16.
The second bout for Gerek was found to be a little bit more challenging, though, as he faced the hometown hero, China's Zuh Jun. As the crowd roared "Jai You," Gerek still remained strong and after the 1st round, the score was 6-5 with Zhu only ahead by one touch. In the 2nd round, the score was quickly tied 8-8, but then Zhu scored 4 quick touches in a row, and went on to win the bout 15-9.
Gerek accomplished all that he wanted to, and wasn't disheartened by the 2nd bout's results at all. He ended up 10th overall and has thoroughly enjoyed his visit to China. Just hours after his competition we went to the Super Store in the Olympic Green and wandered around other entertaining venues that displayed everything from Jesse Owens shoe to Australian swimmer, Ian Thorpe's full-body swimsuit that is now the norm in swimming competitions.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Jia You
Jia You! (pron Jyah yoh) is the Chinese cheer that can be heard everywhere and anywhere near an athletic competition. It seems to be the only cheer they know and the literal translation means to "add gas." It's hysterical. Literally, at every competetion I've been to or seen on TV so far, the crowd goes wild and chants Jia You so loudly! I interpret add gas to mean "let's go!" or "step it up!". Who knows.
The very first full day I was here we were able to get basketball tickets from the Hometown Hopefuls Bank of America Center. I have access to this venue because Gerek's dad, Kurt, signed us all up for it. He had the opportunity to get us in here because Olympians are able to invite 4 guests to be a member of the hospitality center, which provides free lunch and dinner every day, as well as internet access and other amenities (including tickets to events for that day). The game we saw was Women's Basketball, China vs. Spain. It was amazing to experience a game with the hometown team and crowd! The Chinese are very enthusiastic and proud of their country's accomplishments in providing such a memorable experience for the whole world to enjoy.
On Sunday, I went to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square and yesterday I visited the Summer Palace. We woke up early and made sure we were there as early as possible in order to avoid the massive crowds. Everywhere we go there are thousands of people. It's one thing to read about how many people there are in China, but it's another thing to be stuck in the middle of a crowd with only a very small fraction of the country's population. These 2 tourist destinations were incredible, and, something new and different for Beijing, HUGE.
Yesterday's trip was to the Summer Palace where the emperors and their families would vacation. The complex is centered around a gorgeous lake and in every direction you look there are intriguing temples with intricate designs. We climbed all the way to the top of the Tower of Buddhist Fragrance, which was quite a hike! The views from the top were breathtaking though because the smog and haze lifted for the first time since I've been here. I could actually see pretty far off into the distance, which is something that can't be taken for granted on the rare days it's not hazy. After our tour of the Summer Palace, Gerek's sister, Katie, and I went to Handball and saw 2 games: Norway vs. Angola and Korea vs. Germany. Handball looks like such a fun and intense game.
This morning we all visited Gerek in the Olympic Village because he got us special passes to enter the exclusive complex. I felt very much like a groupie because everyone in the Village is either an Olympic coach or athlete, and then there's me who is out of breath after walking around in the heat all day. Gerek let us into his room and showed us all of his Ralph Lauren gear that he got for free. We even made him model his $1200 summer weight blazer that he wore during the Opening Ceremony. http://www.ralphlauren.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=3168122&ab=global_TheOlympicGames He is in the 6th photo of the slideshow on the far right waving.
Later on today, we're going to Men's Basketball and then Gerek fences at 10:30 tomorrow morning. Stay tuned for details on the results of his bout (hopefully boutS)!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Ni Hao
Hello from Beijing!
Yesterday (Friday) I landed safely around 2:30 in the afternoon, which is very early in the morning back at home. I got to our hotel around 6pm, grabbed dinner in our lobby (for 16 yuan which equals only a little more than $2), and then headed to a local park where there were huge TV screens set up that were showing the Opening Ceremonies. It was incredible to watch such a wonderful event with the locals and see how proud they were of their country! They should be extremely proud of their city and country; everything looks gorgeous. No matter where you go colorful banners and flags line every street, sidewalk, and indoor facility.
The Chinese people are very different from Americans. A lot more aggressive! Just waiting in line to get to the park last night I was almost stampeded over and really had to hold my own. I thought New Yorkers were tough...they have nothing on the Chinese! The spitting in public thing has decreased a lot, from what I've heard, but it still surprises me to see it when it happens. Just this morning at breakfast a man was sitting waiting for his food and spit on the floor. I guess this is normal behavior, but I definitely need to be extra careful where I step.
Because the air is so thick and heavy, it's hard to stay outside for too long. It's like Boston on it's worst day, but instead it lasts for the entire day, even all through the evening, and breezes are rare. A lot of the places I've been to inside are AC, but even that is not something that can be taken for granted. The lobby of the airport as well as the hotel lobby aren't air conditioned. As far as pollution goes, I really haven't seen any of the brown skies that I have read about. Right now it's just hazy, but so are a lot of places in August.
Despite being 1 of 600 athletes from the US, Gerek still made his way onto the China TV broadcast of the Opening Ceremonies! As the cameras were quickly panning the American athletes, we all saw Gerek's profile for maybe 10 seconds, but it was enough for us all to get very excited!
This weekend will be mainly used to visit all the touristy destinations. I'm not sure of our exact itinerary, but I will keep you posted.
Yesterday (Friday) I landed safely around 2:30 in the afternoon, which is very early in the morning back at home. I got to our hotel around 6pm, grabbed dinner in our lobby (for 16 yuan which equals only a little more than $2), and then headed to a local park where there were huge TV screens set up that were showing the Opening Ceremonies. It was incredible to watch such a wonderful event with the locals and see how proud they were of their country! They should be extremely proud of their city and country; everything looks gorgeous. No matter where you go colorful banners and flags line every street, sidewalk, and indoor facility.
The Chinese people are very different from Americans. A lot more aggressive! Just waiting in line to get to the park last night I was almost stampeded over and really had to hold my own. I thought New Yorkers were tough...they have nothing on the Chinese! The spitting in public thing has decreased a lot, from what I've heard, but it still surprises me to see it when it happens. Just this morning at breakfast a man was sitting waiting for his food and spit on the floor. I guess this is normal behavior, but I definitely need to be extra careful where I step.
Because the air is so thick and heavy, it's hard to stay outside for too long. It's like Boston on it's worst day, but instead it lasts for the entire day, even all through the evening, and breezes are rare. A lot of the places I've been to inside are AC, but even that is not something that can be taken for granted. The lobby of the airport as well as the hotel lobby aren't air conditioned. As far as pollution goes, I really haven't seen any of the brown skies that I have read about. Right now it's just hazy, but so are a lot of places in August.
Despite being 1 of 600 athletes from the US, Gerek still made his way onto the China TV broadcast of the Opening Ceremonies! As the cameras were quickly panning the American athletes, we all saw Gerek's profile for maybe 10 seconds, but it was enough for us all to get very excited!
This weekend will be mainly used to visit all the touristy destinations. I'm not sure of our exact itinerary, but I will keep you posted.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Let the Games Begin!
The Olympic Games have always represented something more than a celebration of athletics to me. For 16 days, the entire world is placing their focus and energy on the same thing. Differences are set aside, and instead of war and hatred between opposing nations, there is camaraderie and friendship that emerge from the athletes from these disagreeing countries.
The Olympics are a showcase of the most elite athletes in the world who pride themselves in their sport and have dedicated their lives to it. I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to be a part of this event and witness these athletes firsthand! Gerek Meinhardt is who I owe my thanks to for making this once in a lifetime trek. Gerek is the #1 fencer for the United States and the youngest US male Olympian in Beijing. At only 18-years-old, his composure, agility, and skill are what have taken him to incredible athletic heights at such a young age. I am very excited to see him compete on this platform.
My flight takes off tonight and will head to DC. I'll spend less than 12 hours in DC and then head to Beijing tomorrow afternoon. Fingers crossed that there isn't a rain delay!
The Olympics are a showcase of the most elite athletes in the world who pride themselves in their sport and have dedicated their lives to it. I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to be a part of this event and witness these athletes firsthand! Gerek Meinhardt is who I owe my thanks to for making this once in a lifetime trek. Gerek is the #1 fencer for the United States and the youngest US male Olympian in Beijing. At only 18-years-old, his composure, agility, and skill are what have taken him to incredible athletic heights at such a young age. I am very excited to see him compete on this platform.
My flight takes off tonight and will head to DC. I'll spend less than 12 hours in DC and then head to Beijing tomorrow afternoon. Fingers crossed that there isn't a rain delay!
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