because you asked for it....
Current mood: accomplished

some of you requested my college schedule, so here are my first few weeks worth

Sat Feb 3 Double Header 10:30am Monetery JC

Thurs Feb 8 2:00 West Valley

Sat Feb 10 2:30 Ohlone

comment or message me if you need directions.

If you do go don't call my name or expect me to wave.  At this level that kinda stuff could make my job alot harder because the coaches will notice. Thanks. Or if you must call make up a name, like Arnulfo or Esteban haha j/k

Woohoo!! I made it.  I'm gunna be calling games at local community colleges.  Its the first step toward bigger and better games.  And I'm young enough that now the only thing between me and D-1 is myself.  I'm really proud of myself.  I've had a terrible semester otherwise, so this felt so good, like proof and I'm worth something. I have to admit when I frist started calling the fall games at SJSU I was pretty bad and was convinced I should just quit.  But a great father-son talk with.... yup my dad convinced me to just keep going.  So I did and near the end I "got it" 

For those of us in band or who teach band quite often we are sucked into an "everyone's a winner" mentality. This was a breath of fresh air.  These guys don't tell you 'good job' unless you've done exactly that.  I'm convinced one of my bosses didn't even know my name until a month ago.  So when both my trainers told me things like 'nice hustle' or 'way to call strikes' and 'now we just need to polish you up' I got a sense of accomplishment I haven't had in some time.

I'll post my schedule when I get it.  But be carefull, unlike high school, I have the power toss fans and clear benches!! :)

Woohoo!!  I have some great sports news.  First, if anyone doesn't know we bear Stanfurd by one point.  I will remind everyone it was the missed P.A.T. I believe in the 2nd quarter that became the difference.  I believe its the first time we beat them since 2000.  I came here in 2001 and I don't ever remeber us beating them.  On another note it was strange being at the game, but not in the band.  I sat behind the tubas and yelled at the new people and Elliott to play louder, haha.  LOTS of new people.  So many poeple I've never seen before.  It was strange, but I"m happy.  The band is a good size and I think if most of these people come back the band will be just fine. 

Can't wait for alumni band.  Its Oct 14th.   Anyone else out there interested?

The other cool thing is I've been invited to go to an umpire clinic which is bascially a try out for the college ranks.  Not Pac- 10 or WAC.  I mean like foothill or san jose city, but its the first step. The other cool part is that all college programs play inter-squad games in the fall.  The college evaluators and instructors also use these real game situations as an evaluation tool.  So last weekend in October and first few weekends in November I will be at Blethen field calling the SJSU games.  I think I'm more nervous about this than I was  before my recital. Those guys move so much faster than the fastest high school kids and these guys can toss 85-90 mph fastballs and can throw real 12-6 curves and can really pull the string on a change up.  I never seen pitches with so much movement.  I hope I get the rotation quick enough out of the pitchers hand so I know what the pitch is.  There was an umpire in the 70s, Ron Luciano. When he was tired and really didn't feel like calling balls and strikes he would tell the catcher "if its a strike, hold the ball for a second and I'll call it, if its a ball, just throw is right back"  Maybe I'll do that my first game, haha.  This is such a huge opportunity for me.  I'm a little to old to start the road the bigs (most guys my age are already calling AA ball), but for me calling college ball would be an equally exciting opporunity.