All-Time Batting Line-Up

                                                          Nate’s 9: All-Time Baseball Line-Up

Without a DH of course, because that wouldn't be fair.  I've always been intrigued by baseball numbers and statistics. Even more than that, I love the history and personalities of baseball and its players.  This blog post appeared easy at first sit-down; the final result was a different story.  (I've been sitting here for about two hours now).  Anyway, the players will have had to play the positions; otherwise the rules are pretty relaxed.  Baseball fans enjoy!

Note:  Usually I count down from 9 as it makes more sense for suspense and things of that nature.  This time it makes more sense to start from the top of the line-up.  You, the reader can feel free to make the 9th batter (the pitcher) choice as suspenseful as you’d like.

Leading off...

1. OF Rickey Henderson.  This was easy.  He’s one of my favorite players of all-time and was tailor made to lead off for any great baseball team. (This is assuming my team would be great.)  He does all of the little things at bat, and isn't a slouch in the outfield.  A hot dog, maybe, but there’s no one else I’d rather have in this spot.

2. OF Darin Erstad. I’m just kidding, but did you know that he is really ranked in the top 500 baseball players of all-time?  (In WAR) Interesting, but true.  In any case...

2. 3B Jackie Robinson.  Well this is how I see it... for as much as I need the Henderson personality type on my team; I also need the low-key, humble athlete that isn't afraid to steal home.  There’s probably only one.  Jackie would be great for the locker room, and man, would he help this team win.  Can’t think of a better one-two then this pair. Beyond that, I really can’t think of any third baseman I liked, second base was rather crowded, and he did it (3B) for five seasons...

3. OF Barry Bonds.  He might clash with Rickey Henderson a little bit, but as long as I have someone in between them in CF, I might get away with it.  Besides, with those two table setters above him, there is no way Barry is going to be intentionally walked, which means I get to see him hit.  I know all about the ‘roids and anger issues, but come on!  If this man wasn’t walked 2,558 times in his career; the numbers we could’ve seen! We have a bit of a short memory, but he only hit 50 homeruns once. (73). Even if he didn’t use, it’s probably still about 650-700 homeruns in his career.  I’ll take it.

4. 1B Lou Gehrig.  Even if I don’t need a little luck, I may as well take the guy who considers himself the luckiest ever.  A pro’s pro, and I feel like I could use a few guys whose egos weren’t as high as their slugging percentage.  The perfect clean-up hitter in any case, because he was familiar with hitting behind the best player of his day, so why not keep him comfortable.

5. OF Stan Musial.  I debated over this spot more than any of the other ones.  Not only the position in the line-up, but also who I would put here.  It could’ve come down to DiMaggio, Mantle, Mays, Ruth (Henderson moves to CF), Clemente, Puckett, and many others.  But looking back on Stan’s career, the dude could just hit.  He hit, and he knocked in runs.  I’m not sure that I can really ask for more than that from the #5 spot.  Plus, he was above average on defense, and could handle the beasts that are Bonds and Henderson.

6. C Joe Mauer.  Probably what many may consider to be the most ridiculous of all my picks, especially when I had many other catchers to choose from.  But he is a quality pick for 2 reasons.  First, he isn’t awful in 2 strike counts.  Assuming that great line-ups would play other people’s great line-ups, he would probably be facing a lot of your pitchers that could get the ball over the plate.  Second, he is probably the best contact hitter at catcher of all-time.  The guy hits around .340 when fully healthy and motivated.  No other catcher has ever done that.  I’m fine with this pick.

7. SS Barry Larkin.  For years, I had preferred Ozzie Smith and Cal Ripken Jr. to Barry.  He was so quiet, and the media never really gave us anything on him.  Yet, take a look back to his game and he truly is one of the greats.  He did everything well.  Played the field, ran the bases, hit for average, won a championship.  I think that he would quietly be the leader of this team, and would have no problem hitting 7th.  Ozzie’s bat wouldn’t allow for it, and although Cal would play every day, the leadership is what gets me.  Barry wins.

8. 2B Bill Mazeroski.  I went in thinking it would be either Rogers Hornsby or Chuck Knoblauch.  Knoblauch, because for as much as his... douchyness, he was a great player, and stepped up in the big moments.  Except for when getting hit by batteries.  Hornsby was the best in his day, but Mazeroski was better in the field and would make a great double play pairing with Larkin.  Plus, I can probably get away with hitting him 8th.  He never topped 20 home runs, and his career batting average was .260.  But if it was the bottom of the 9th in a World Series game and I needed a home run?  It’s nice when you know that they’ve been there before.

9. P Mariano Rivera.  I know he can’t hit, and I know he won’t give me 9 innings, but if this was just a 3 inning game, no team would be able to bat around.  Once he figured out his pitch, he was probably the most difficult pitcher to hit off of in the history of modern baseball (1950 and up I’d say). I never saw Sandy Koufax or Tom Seaver, and I know Doc Gooden and Roger Clemens were filthy, but that fastball was so dirty, I needed a bath after watching it.  He could definitely compete against anyone’s order, and with options like above, all I need is someone that would give me a chance.

Favorite Actresses

Nate’s Nine: Top Actresses

            This will probably come out a little different than many may think, myself included.  When I actually sat down to outline the women I thought would make my 9, a many of them came from the last ten to fifteen years.  Then I realized I've only been watching movies for the last ten to fifteen years on a consistent basis.  I have nothing against the actresses from the early days; only that I wish I could have seen more of their movies.  This blog was just a tiny bit easier than the top actors blog, instead of 70 to begin with, I only had about 50.

#9 – Helen Mirren. She only gets in here because of two performances, but I hear that she is an outstanding voice character in the movie, “Monsters University”.  I have seen and own “The Queen”, it’s one of my favorite films of all-time.  She was also sneaky good in the movie, “Excalibur” playing Arthur’s half-sister and getting into all sorts of trouble.  I also enjoyed her in the TV mini-series, “Elizabeth”, but I’m not sure that propels her any higher on the list.  Definitely tailor-made to play the Queen though.

#8 – Scarlett Johansson. Besides the fact that I am completely drawn to her beauty, I also think she has really come into her own as a good actress.  To be quite honest, I didn't think she was pretty at all in the movie “Lost in Translation” and couldn't understand what the hype was about.  I did think the film was clever, if not magnificent like the rest of the reviewing public.  Then in my eyes, she hit a hot streak.  “The Island”, “Match Point”, “In Good Company”, and “The Black Dahlia” were all enjoyable, and she played her parts well.  Then an absolute masterpiece of a film with “The Prestige”, put her clearly in my sights, and she’s been banging out good performances since then.  Rumor has it that I will be very excited to see her in the new Captain America movie.  Ignoring the obvious acting flaws that will come from a movie like this, I’m guessing that’s close to the truth.

#7 -  Michelle Pfeiffer. For as well as Al Pacino played the Tony Montana role, I thought Michelle was right next to him with her portrayal of Elvira Hancock.  She was stunning, and probably would've owned the film if Pacino wasn’t so invigorating.  She is also the only reason (ONLY) that I actually enjoyed Grease 2. Beyond that though, she really has had a solid career even if she hasn't pulled any Academy Award wins.  She was amusing in “New Year’s Eve” playing a lady who’s life didn’t have much direction in present day New York City.  “I am Sam” is of course one of my favorite films, and she was fantastic as Luanne Johnson in “Dangerous Minds”. Maybe I do need to step up my game a little bit though and finally watch “What Lies Beneath”.

#6 – Diane Keaton. I kind of feel the same way about her in “The Godfather” as I do about Pfeiffer in “Scarface”.  She wasn’t supposed to own the film in any way, but that scene where she isn’t supposed to ask him about his business... man.  Then she goes to pour Michael a drink, but she knew.  And you can feel the emotions she’s having during that scene.  Not many like it...  “Annie Hall”, gets her on this list as well, and even the Rom-Com 2000 films like “Something’s Gotta Give” and “Because I Said So” were good enough to watch.  “The Family Stone” is one of the more underrated films of the last ten years.  A quality package, indeed.

#5 – Annette Benning. Never really noticed her until I saw the film “American Beauty” which was haunting and beautiful to say the least.  It certainly made me change my thoughts about happy suburban life anyway.  She made her character interesting, if not charming, and kind of offered a sympathetic view for being married to Kevin Spacey’s character.  “The Kids are All Right”, and “Open Range”, were both solid films, but what really sold it for me was her performance as Virginia Hill in the movie “Bugsy”.  She was superb, and opened up a new type of curiosity for me as far as those old-style actresses carried on back in the 40’s.  I still want to see that killer moment though before I can put her higher on this list.

#4 – Jodie Foster.  Once again, two films give her a Nate’s Nine appearance.  Of course we all know about her quality work in “Taxi”, when she plays the young prostitute that Travis Bickle attempts to save. And second, one of the most memorable moments of my life, when I finally saw “Silence of the Lambs”, for the first and only time.  It’s an incredible film, given by some fantastic performances, but it was such a mind bleep, that I don’t think I can see it again.  I had nightmares for weeks, and still get them periodically to this day.  But Jodie kills it as Clarice.  In fact, when I hear the name Clarice, it takes me back to the insane asylum with Hannibal...  I’m sure she’s had other great performances, but those two are all I need to see her greatness in film.

#3 – Halle Berry.  Now don’t get me wrong, she plays a nice Storm and all, and she was a gift to the movie “Swordfish”, but everything in between has really given Berry a nice distinguished career as an actress.  “Things we Lost in the Fire”, “Monsters Ball”, “Losing Isaiah”, “Cloud Atlas”, were all just really stellar performances, and now I’d put her close to the top of any actress list, not just my own.  She’s also easy on the eyes, and doesn’t blow her own horn, which is refreshing.  I didn’t even mind her as a Bond girl in “Die Another Day”.  Even her role as Cappy in “Robots”, made for easy listening.

#2 – Keira Knightley.  Well of course!  But not for all the usual reasons this time.  For as much as I enjoy the Pirates of the Caribbean films, her accent,  the soccer passion, vocal talents and all the other lovely treats, her ascension to the top has been very impressive too.  “Love Actually”, kicked it off for me, as I wanted more!  She really hasn’t gone back to that role of the girl next door, but she has picked many winners from, “Pride and Prejudice”, “Atonement”, “The Edge of Love”, “The Duchess”, and “Anna Karenina”. I also really enjoyed “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World”, which was far better than I had imagined.  “Last Night”, was something that I only decided to watch because she was in it, and although it wasn’t a great performance, she was still part of a rather good film.  Lest not we forget her greatest work and one of the greatest films of the 20^th century, “Bend it Like Beckham”. 

#1 – Meryl Streep.  Like the Yankees.  3 Oscars and 18 nominations.  That is absurd.  Most Hollywood talents’ careers don’t last 18 movies.  I must say though, that it took something as ridiculous as “The Devil Wears Prada” to see just how talented she really is.  I missed all of the great classics, of course, and had no real recollection of her work in the movies I had seen like, “The Manchurian Candidate”, “The River Wild”, and “The Hours”.  But when I decided to take a trip back to the great films of the 1970’s and 1980’s... wow.  Simply wow.  I wanted to punch her in the face for her role in “Kramer vs Kramer”.  “The Deer Hunter” instantly made it into my top 10 at first viewing, and how she portrayed someone that had to deal with the struggles and decisions that she did was some of the best acting I’ve ever seen.  “Julia” was mesmerizing and also caused many types of emotions in me as well.  This is how great her dominance has become, as even though she is already at the top, I have yet to see “The Iron Lady”, “Out of Africa”, and “Doubt”.  Even the Rom-Com’s are enjoyable.  I must say my all-time favorite Rom-Com is probably “It’s Complicated”, especially the scenes she has with Alec Baldwin.  In any case, probably the easiest #1 I have given since I started the nine lists.  Well deserved.  

Family Traditions

Nate’s Nine: Traditions

          Sorry I disappeared for awhile; the laptop has gone berserk, and I have no idea how to fix the problem.  I have a few blogs complete, so I’ll try and post a few just to show that I still care.  This particular post is more in accordance to what traditions I would like to introduce to my children, and not with what traditions I enjoyed growing up.  What are some of your favorites?

#9 – Bike Rides.  This is the one tradition I wish I had growing up.  Although, if it interfered with any of my sports playing and watching, probably not.  I do think with three boys that it’s something that is cheap and easy and also a nice way for our family to bond and stay in shape.

#8 – Pizza Night.  We have already started this tradition of ordering pizza about once a week, and I enjoy it because it doesn’t require any of us to be in the kitchen for a night. Plus, when the boys become teenagers we can order about 5 pizzas and everyone will be full and not have to clean up.  I’m guessing they’ll appreciate that.

#7 – Summer Camp.  Growing up, I was really bipolar about summer camp. I loved all the sports, meeting new people, and learning about independence and other such criteria.  But I got really homesick some years, and missed just the neighborhood camaraderie that the Red Fox provided my brother and I.  Still at the end of the day, I’m glad for the experience and I hope that if I can send them, my boys will too.

#6 – Game Nights.  I can’t wait any longer for the first time my family goes to war.  And by war, I mean the board game “Risk”.  It was my favorite board game growing up, but I haven’t played more than a half dozen games in the last ten years.  As soon as they can comprehend the details and fundamentals of such a complex game, game night will be an exciting time at the Confer house.

#5 – Family Trips. Two of my favorite memories growing up was my trip to Disneyworld with my brother and mother (It was really the first time that my brother and I really, truly bonded) and when my mother and I did a short Germany-Netherlands tour during my exchange in 2000.  Beyond that, taking Aiden to Disneyworld was nothing short of magnificent, with him being able to interact with his favorite Disney characters even though he was just a year old.  I need to have a few more of these memories with Sara and the boys.

#4 – 3 Questions. Aiden and I have already started this, but for obvious reasons it’s a little more difficult with the twins.  But every day, either at the dinner table or right before bedtime, we get the opportunity to ask each other a couple of questions relating to anything that we choose.  Aiden and I usually ask each other about favorites, and it’s funny listening to Aiden change his favorite thing on a daily basis.  His favorite colors have been pink, blue, red, white, green, orange and black.  I just think that this is a simple way of getting to know your children a little better, and it only takes a minute out of your day.

#3 – Sporting Events.  I love each and every one of these.  I’ve been to baseball, football, basketball, hockey, tennis, soccer, track and field, lacrosse, wrestling… events, and they are all so unique and fun.  I hope that all 3 of my boys will cherish these experiences with Sara and I, and we can cultivate their interest in sports and maybe even nudge them to a certain career path.  One can only hope.

#2 – 1 on 1 Time. This is such an underrated occasion that one can have with their child.  Just undivided 1-1 time.  I think at the end of the day it really is the best way to nurture your child and develop a relationship with them.  I know it’s going to probably be few and far between with sports and school and all the other things that happen in our lives, but I would like to at least once a month have a day to spend with each one of my three kids, and to also have a day with my wife as well. 

#1 – Valleyfair.  This is the one tradition that I wish to carry on from my own family upbringing.  Every year we got a season’s pass, and I used to look forward to going and riding rides just about every weekend during the summer.  Although we are going to have an odd number of people for the rides, I really think this is where my family can have a chance to shine.  We can invite friends and family to join us as the sixth wheel, and show them just how awesome my family is, and will be.  I can’t wait to see these boys grow up and start some family traditions of their own!!!

Favorite Actors

Nate’s 9: Favorite Actors

                I suppose this is fitting, considering the Oscars and all.  I thought the music band/artist top 9 was difficult.  I literally went into this with about 75 potential actors that could make this list.  I have even separated out the actresses into another list and still can’t put it together.  This is probably a list that could change every time a new film came out, but these are the 9 that I couldn’t do without.

* I would first like to give a shout out to two actors that didn’t make the list, but could’ve.  Christopher Walken was absolutely brilliant in “Deer Hunter”, but I just haven’t seen enough of his films to get him past the early rounds.  John Turturro is mesmerizing while also being amusing in just about everything that he does (Mr. Deeds, Secret Window, Lebowski), but the total work and the depth of his characters leave me thinking that there are others more deserving, even if I do enjoy his work just a tiny bit more. 

** Joseph Gordon-Levitt is very close to this list.  What he has done at his age is incredible, and I look forward to more of his work. 

#9. Dustin Hoffman – I first saw “The Graduate” as a sophomore in high school, and could not have guessed how brilliant that film really was.  I figured that any film shown in the high school classroom was just a study of the arts and language, and couldn’t be one of the greatest.  In his case I was wrong, and everything that I have seen him in since has left me with a  sense of respect for him.  “Kramer vs Kramer” is one of my favorite films of all-time, “Stranger than Fiction” and “Meet the Fockers” show off his versatility and sense of humor. “Wag the Dog” and “Dick Tracy” allows for his creativity colors to shine through, and I feel like once I’ve seen “Rain Man” (I know), he may have a shot at moving higher up this list.

#8. Heath Ledger – Now before you judge, you have to know 2 things.  First, I was rather bored with “Brokeback Mountain” and still haven’t any urge to re-view the film with hopes of enjoying it more. Second, his role as the Joker is one of my on-screen favorite film moments in my entire life.  He owned that movie.  For as good as Christian Bale, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart were, he ran away with this film. It’s not very often that an actor can fully embrace the role he is in and go to the necessary place to bring that character out.  He did it, and artistically, it was beautiful.  You felt like the Joker was a real person who had a real past with real problems.  Beyond that, “Lords of Dogtown”, “Monster’s Ball” and “A Knight’s Tale” all really got my attention.  He could do a little bit of everything, and I thought he’d be on track to become one of Hollywood’s greats.

#7. Denzel Washington – He was out (Edward Norton).  He was in.  Then I took him out (Matt Damon). Now he’s back in again.  The only reason he was even on the fence in the first place is because I forgot about five of the films that he acted in including: “American Gangster”, “John Q”, and “The Hurricane”.  Add those to the list of movies, and he’s packed a pretty big punch.  I first saw his brilliance as “Malcolm X”, but only as X. I was more engrossed with Malcolm X as a character, and not the fact that Denzel was playing him, but that’s a testament to how good he was.  He was good in both “Philadelphia” and “The Pelican Brief” but then he hit a ridiculously first-class hot streak with “The Preacher’s Wife”, “The Bone Collector”, “He Got Game”, “Remember the Titans”, and of course “Training Day”.  He won his first Best Actor for Training Day, which I personally think was long overdue.  My favorite of his is still “Man on Fire”, but he has definitely become one of the greats, and still has plenty of time.

#6. F. Murray Abraham – This is without seeing Amadeus.  I know it’s probably sacrilege, considering my interest in the musical arts, and my obsession with seeing the great films of my childhood.  In any case, Abraham has always done a great job with what he’s had, and I love him most for his roles in “Scarface”, “The Name of the Rose”, and “Finding Forrester”.  Over the last few years I’ve seen more of him on television, but I still enjoy his work best on the big screen.  Now I better go and put Amadeus into my Netflix queue. 

#5. Tom Hanks – I used to think he was annoying and kind of overrated; wasn’t he a comedian?  I waited years before I saw “Philadelphia” and “Forrest Gump” although I’m not quite sure why.  Talk about back-to-back success. Many would consider those to be Hanks’ greatest work.  What I’ve really enjoyed though is the films he’s done more recently.  Even though it was difficult to follow, “Cloud Atlas” really showed how much talent Hanks has.  “Catch me if you Can” was entertaining for me from start to finish, and “Road to Perdition” displayed Hanks’ dark side.  For all those great films though, I would have to say that “The Green Mile” and “Cast Away” are my top two though.  A true testament of his greatness was his relationship with a dangerous prisoner and the complexity of learning his story while also still running a prison floor with a strict hand, and then followed that up with a two hour movie about a relationship with a volleyball.  Two winners among many.

#4. Marlon Brando – If I knew more about the world of film, and the development and improvements that have been made between the eras, I think that Brando would be my #1 actor of all-time.  Everyone in the industry talks about how he was able to change every single time Hollywood required their actors to be different and new and interesting, and they also talk about how he was a big reason for all those changes.  I only know Brando from the Godfather film of course, and I’ve now recently seen “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Apocalypse Now” after years of being berated for not having seen either film.  I know he’s brilliant, but he could’ve made this list just for the few movies that I did see him in. He’s that good.  With the exception of “The Score” which could’ve been so much better, he dwarfs all newcomers that want to challenge for the Greatest of All-Time.

#3. Robert De Niro – Dustin calls him Bobby.  That’s probably one of my favorite things about him.  Because De Niro is such a hard ass, that I can’t imagine him allowing anyone to call him anything other than Robert De Niro.  His list of films that I’ve enjoyed is so preposterously long that I’m not going to mention all of them.  I just hope that you (the reader) have seen those movies in the same way you probably wish that I finally see “The Karate Kid”, “Legends of the Fall”, and “Casablanca”.  His most memorable for me are the young Vito Corleone, the CIA agent Jack Byrnes, Rothstein, LaMotta, Travis Bickle and of course Jimmy Conway from the classic “Goodfellas”.  And there’s so many more to mention.  I would say the only reason that I don’t have Bobby any higher on my list is because he hasn’t had his Donnie Brasco moment (hint, hint) and he has had a couple of “oh boy” films that I wonder if he ever regrets getting involved in.  But he’s as good as anyone that has graced the big screen.

#2. Al Pacino – Lefty was my first real introduction into getting lost into a character.  I have seen many Pacino films sense then, a very high number in fact, but as luck should have it, the first time I remember seeing Pacino on the big screen was as Lefty Ruggiero in the film Donnie Brasco.  All the credit in the world goes to him, because I didn’t see the movie as Johnny Depp and Al Pacino, but as Lefty and Donnie.  He has done that numerous times for me since then, if not the most.  I just finally watched Serpico; that was a character study at its finest.  He was dazzling in that movie.  Beyond that he has been: Tony Montana, Michael Corelone, Carlito, Frank Slade, Vincent Hanna, and John Milton a.k.a. the Devil.  Not unlike De Niro, he has dominated scenes in those films, and I’d be careless if I didn’t say that he completely made the Scarface film.  I’m not sure Tony Montana could have been played by anyone else, and with has much vigor and charisma as Al Pacino did it.  Another living legend, no doubt.

#1.  DDL (Daniel Day Lewis) - And by #1, I mean #1 with a bullet. I have yet to see “Lincoln” as well as “My Left Foot”.  Some might say those are his two best films.  I can’t say I disagree, only that I haven’t seen them.  I have only seen five Daniel Day-Lewis films.  “There Will Be Blood”, “The Crucible”, “Nine”, “In the Name of the Father” and “Gangs of New York”.  He captured my attention in all five.  His skill set is simply astounding.  Without giving anything away, his role as Daniel Plainview in “There Will Be Blood” is probably my single favorite acting performance of all-time.  He doesn’t need to use lines; he just owns the screen.  Bill the Butcher is one of the great villains of all-time, and was far more interesting than Amsterdam Vallon (Leo DiCaprio) and William Tweed (Jim Broadbent). Between those two, it’s enough without seeing Daniel Day achievements as Abe or Hawkeye or Christy Brown.

 

A nod also to Spacey, Freeman, Bridges, Rush, Leo, Damon, JRM, Duvall, Brody, Fiennes, Hopkins, Depp, Norton, Beatty, Dern, Wilkinson, Dinklage, Malkovich, Pollack and all the others who give great performances on the big screen.  I wish there was room for you.

Moyes' Replacements

Nate’s 9: Moyes’ Replacements

            I only do this in jest; honestly I was actually preparing up a different topic for “Nate’s 9”, when I couldn’t get United’s season out of my head.  It’s been frustrating to say the least, and I’m not quite mentally prepared for this being my last season as a passionate fan.  So why not dream?  Before the season began, I did have David Moyes high on my own personal list.  He had a solid run with Everton for 11 seasons, built the club from within, and always seemed to do well blending purchases with the players that had come up through the club.  It was very similar to the United project, albeit on a smaller scale.  Outside of maybe Jose Mourinho and one or two other guys, he was definitely qualified enough to handle a club like United.  Or so we thought.  I’m not sure what the deal is with the experienced players of the club, but in most any football fan’s eyes, there is something not right between the players and manager of the club.  I am not going to do any speculating, but I feel like I know which side of the line players are on.  That being said, I’m going to have a little fun and select the managers I wish would take the sideline if the Glazers did decide to pull the trigger early, and give David Moyes the papers. 

#9. Jurgen Klopp.  I love the guy.  Not just for what he has done for Borussia Dortmund, but just his demeanor in general.  His players love playing for him, and I think he’s the only reason why Robert Lewandowski stayed as long as he did.  He could’ve pushed for Bayern last year if he had so chosen. I think Jurgen is ready for the big time job, but I’m not sure he wants to leave Borussia just yet.  I’m okay with that.

#8. Guus Hiddink.  This guy is probably one of the few managers in the world that can just walk into a job and succeed.  He’d probably have United 4^th by the end of the year.  Doesn’t really have any Premier League loyalties either, which would be nice. I assume he’s the kind of guy that follows the money though.

#7. Fabio Capello. Very smart, and I don’t think you would see this lack of motivation if Capello was running United.  It appeared that he was running a tight camp when he was with England, even if he occasionally got the tactics wrong. (Parker instead of Milner?). Might offend some players by not selecting them, but how is that any different now?

#6. Harry Redknapp.  I always thought of him as interesting guy.  Never seemed to do the greatest, but his players sure enjoyed playing for him.  A lot of players (Defoe, Crouch, Lennon) were at their best when he was pulling the strings.  And he’d make for a great press conference too.

#5. Marcello Lippi.  I know that he’s kind of at his end as a manager in the game, but I think he’s about as close to Alex Ferguson as we’ll ever see.  He always had tricks up his sleeve, whether it be with a soundbite through the media or with motivating an uninspired player (see 2006 Italian national team, any). I know that he’s in China right now, but I think if United came calling he’d give them a year or 3.  For as “boring” as his tactics may be, he sure does win a lot. 

#4. Michael Laudrup.  When he first signed for Swansea City, I thought they got a steal. He was one of the first players that really grew on me; his playing style is attractive and fluid.  I thought if he got Swansea to play similar to how he and the Danish sides grew up playing, they could contend for trophies.  Which they did.  I’m not sure why he got fired, but I think in the right situation he could be one of the great managers of our day. 

#3 Laurent Blanc.  He was one of my favorite players to ever play for United, and he had that inquisitive style to his game that I thought would translate well in management.  In a way, I’ve been right as his career has blossomed at Bordeaux, followed by a stint with the French National Team, and now with PSG.  He has them firing on all cylinders, and he was one of the 2 that I really thought United should have taken a look at along with David Moyes.

#2. Jose Mourinho.  The other manager I thought United might want to have a chat with.  For all his imperfections, he wins wherever he goes, and the team enjoys playing for him. (And the guys who don’t are gone in months). I think that he would have used United like a puppet, but I would’ve been okay with that (the press wars, managerial battles, etc). The guy just contends for titles, and you can’t deny his results.  Plus we could’ve gotten the “Special One” skits back.

#1. Roberto Mancini. He was nowhere near my radar as recent as 6 months ago.  I thought he was arrogant, manipulative, and headstrong.  Now I wish we had a manager that had those traits.  For as much as I might have been annoyed with his managerial maneuvers at City, and all his flapping about United, the job that he did there with those personalities and the pressure from the top was absolutely incredible.  The year they won the title they were 8 points down with a month to go, and he got a team with Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli, Samir Nasri etc to buckle down and produce results until they were on top.  Over Ferguson’s powerful engine no less.  That year has stayed with me, and now I would be remiss, if I didn’t see how excellent Mancini was in being able to win that title. Runner up in domestic league and cup wasn't a bad way to go out last season either. He might go far with Galatasaray this year as well, stay tuned…

Bucket List

Nate’s 9: Shortlist for a Bucket List

                I always thought these things were kind of lame, at least until I saw the movie with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.  It was a nice concept, and it looked like the two of them had a lot of fun, but I don’t have that kind of money or desire to do something so grand.  But I do think it is a good idea to kind of motivate myself to do something special or save up for something special.  Here are the 9 that I would like to give a go for…

#9. Visit all 30 MLB stadiums – I’m off to quite the slow start; I think I’ve only been to four of the thirty current baseball stadiums (Kaufmann, Target Field, PNC Park and Miller). I wasn’t even able to see a game at either Miller Park or PNC; I just got to see the stadiums up close.  So as far as this being realistic goes… I don’t think I have much of a shot.  It’s not my favorite sport, and I much prefer my summers spent in the privacy of my own community (Twin Cities).  But I really appreciate the beauty of baseball stadiums and the fact that each is unique and recognizable in their own way makes these trips worth attempting.

#8. Visit all 12/14 Big Ten Universities – This just got a little more difficult with the additions of Maryland and Rutgers Universities, but it’s something I still think would be interesting and fun.  I’ve got 3 of them knocked down if you include the University of Minnesota (Penn State, Northwestern) and most of these universities are close enough together where we can visit a couple of schools at a time.  I would like to do this one with each one of my kids, and show them how beautiful and remarkable these Big Ten Universities can be.

#7 Finally admit that my wife really does love me more. While it’s not something that I like to admit if I truly reflect back on the past 13 years, it does seem to be that she has gone the extra mile, where it just might be true. Not once in the past 13 years has she ever stopped to question her love or all that she does for me. (lol, Nope. This is someone else’s work. My real #7 is)…

#7. Visit all 32 NFL stadiums – By this point, I will probably be sick of all the travel I’m attempting to do, and my children will have both OD’d on architecture and sports, but this is the one I’d really like to try.  NFL fans are probably the best in America, and it will be fun to aim and experience the different game days and tailgating that each NFL team is familiar with. 

#6. Pay it Forward once a year – It’s just something I’ve always been impressed with when others do it, and I feel like I should.  I have a blessed life between my marriage, children, childhood and life experiences.  Why not give someone else a little bit of that joy?

#5. Do Something Big for Someone – Kind of like a Pay it Forward X20.  I’ve already done a few pay it forwards this year between randomly buying favorite customers a drink or dessert, or paying an unexpected compliment.  But I would really like to do a memorable version of this, and something that they remember for the rest of their life.  It’s going to be tricky with financial limitations and my busy dad schedule, but I still want to get this one done.  Like set some mutual friends up for endless love or something like that.  It would be something cool.

#4.  Visit New York City – I am obsessed with getting there. I had always had an interest in what many believe to be the greatest city in the world, but nothing out of the ordinary. After visiting a ridiculous amount of European metropolises during my exchange year, my travel desire grew a little warmer.  Then after reading the book “New York” by Rutherford and the many visits to the websites www.NYC.gov & www.wikipedia.org/newyorkcity my desire really turned into something incredible, and a bit ridiculous.  It’s all fascinating stuff, and really the only place in the world that I feel like I must see before my time runs out.

#3. European Tour – I’ve already done something that relates to this, but I would really like to do it again for two reasons.  #1, I would like my wife to go with me and see what I keep on blubbering about when I reminisce about the great continent and #2, I was an eighteen year old with no real interest in any of the historic value of the mainland.  I went to the cities and enjoyed them, but really I just wanted to party and shop and see the sports venues.  Now I would like to see the Eiffel Tower, the Brandenburg gates, the Mont-St-Michel in Normandy, and the Coliseum in Rome.  Plus everything else that I can squeeze into a couple of weeks.

#2. Get my Masters – My effort in school never really went anywhere until I started my Bachelor’s degree at Concordia.  I really enjoyed the work that I did and I think it showed in my GPA.  I would love to go back to either Concordia or attend St. Thomas/University of Minnesota and achieve my goal of getting a masters in sports management.  I know that with the kids and the lack of funds it isn’t something I will be able to do immediately, but I still would like to get it done before 40.

#1. The Gift of Love – I really want to step it up in my marriage.  Like be her #1 with a bullet. 

My Super Bowl Recap

Nate’s Nine: Reasons I wasn’t disappointed with the Super Bowl

                Now I know it wasn’t what anyone imagined last night, myself included.  I assumed the blackout would happen during Percy Harvin’s kickoff return in order to bring Denver back into the game.  I’m not mad though.  Pete Carroll did a well enough job to deserve two Gatorade splashings, and it makes for an intriguing storyline heading into next season.  Here’s why I’m perfectly content with what happened during Super Bowl XLVIII.

#9. Peyton still set a record.  Granted throwing for the most completions in a blowout loss isn’t the most impressive of all records, but it is another thing he can take with him to the Hall of Fame when he gets to that point.  Which is obviously inevitable.

#8. Denver got crushed, but still had class.  Of course it would be Peyton that would seek out Richard Sherman to check out the ankle, but even beyond that there were no frustrated personal foul penalties, no game misconducts, and no unnecessary roughness flags.  I’d be curious to see what would have happened if the Broncos won 43-8.

#7. The Super Bowl needs a blowout every now and again.  I’m a big believer in the cause/effect theory and I can appreciate a win like this.  As a result, teams with plenty of cap space are going to come sniffing hard when a number of these Seattle Seahawks hit free agency soon.  This is no longer the 1990’s when the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers and even to some extent the Buffalo Bills could resign every single significant player with the hopes of creating a mini-dynasty.  This Seahawks team could be dismantled within two seasons if they aren’t able to extend Richard Sherman, Cliff Avril, Golden Tate and company.  What I’m really excited for is to see how much they offer to Russell Wilson and if the money given doesn’t cramp their style.  For all that he is, I’m not sure I could put him in the 100 million range.  But then again, Tony Romo makes 100.

#6. The assurance that Peyton Manning plays another season.  No way he retires after 8 points.  No way.

#5. We get to hear about the great Bears defense of 1985 again.  If any teams in history recognized each other through a mirror, you would almost say the Seahawks of today vs the Bears of 1985 is the closest thing to a match.  For all that the 2000 Ravens were, I’m taking Jim McMahon and Russell Wilson ahead of Trent Dilfer. Every. Single. Time.  But both teams ran conservative offenses with great running games and quarterbacks that could make plays with their feet, legs or intelligence.  They also had receivers that didn’t stand out, but could stretch the field when needed too (Willie Gault, Golden Tate).  They had great offensive lines.  Their return teams were top notch (Dennis Gentry, Doug Baldwin/Percy Harvin). Yet, it was the defenses that won both teams their first super bowl titles.  Seattle wouldn’t let anyone throw; Chicago wouldn’t let anyone run.  Both teams had a ridiculous amount of confidence, on the borderline of cockiness.  I’m not much for arguments, but if I needed to take a defense, I would find it hard not to pick Seattle’s to win me the biggest game.

#4. I’m tired of the wildcard teams making the Super Bowl.  On most days it still would have been a great matchup.  These were undoubtedly the two best teams in their respective conferences.  I think it may have been worse for New England.  Because they wouldn’t have gotten a yard off these defensive backs.  And I still believe that the 49ers would have been exposed by the Broncos.  But this wild-card free Super Bowl was rather refreshing. 

#3. The Push for 50.  The Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos that ended 55-10 was one of my all-time favorites.  It’s when Joe Montana became an all-time great. Not only is this the stage when stars are born (Kam Chancellor/Jermaine Kearse), but it’s a true measurement about how great we believe a team can be.  Everyone talks about how conservative and average Seattle’s offense is, but they still got in the end zone 3 times against an above average defense.  We may forget down the road how good this team was, but the record book will always remain 43-8.

#2. Seattle will have a target on their back next season.  Not to say they wouldn’t have had one by winning a close game, but teams heading into the off-season are going to try and improve with the mindset to beating these types of teams (Seahawks, 49ers). The same thing happened in the 90’s when the Cowboys were winning everything and the 4-3 defense became vogue so the defense could cover everyone.  Same thing in this last decade with the wide open, hurry-up offense.  Now that Seattle has offset that with a quick inside pass rush and the biggest defensive backfield we’ve ever seen, we might see the NFL shift toward the big 300+ offensive line and powerful running games we all remember so fondly from the 1980’s.  Seattle – Challenge accepted.

#1. The result of a perfect executed game.  We should all be happy for this Seattle football team, because the score reflected exactly how the game went.  The Seahawks wanted long, time-consuming drives on offense with getting the occasional home run play through a run or a pass.  They got them through the air.  Defensively, they were always going to play aggressive man-to-man coverage and rush maybe 4 or 5 on every play.  Everything worked at the highest level.  Their return game while only getting limited opportunities was very effective.  I have watched way too many games where a team executes their game plans to perfection only for a bad call, an unlucky turnover, or an untimely injury derail the chance for a simple victory.  Enjoy the times when a team gets their chance.