NOVEMBER 8 UPDATE
(extended to
November 9)
COMMITMENTS
Meagan
Shimkus, P 1B,
JERRICA
CASTAGNO / PITCHER.1ST /
Erin
Howe, C/SS/2B, Magic Gold, to Stanford University
Ragan Blake, P/1B, Magic Gold, to Mississippi State
Jamie Hinshaw, SS/3B, Magic Gold to Texas A&M
Natalie Hewitt, OF, Magic Gold, to Brown University
Taryn
Hanley, catcher/shortstop, Washington Sidewinders, to
Tricia Aggabao 2B, CA Cruiers, has committed to Stanford
Riannon
Thomas Inf/OF,
Genevieve Haney, SS/2nd, Blazing Angels, to Hofstra University
Chelsi Bush, IF/OF, Worth Firecrackers, committed to UC Santa Barbara
Erika
Racklin OF, San Jose Strikkers, committed
to Univ of California.
Kristen Carranza, OF/1B, West Bay Nuggets verbal to San
Diego St.
Allison Smith, SS, West Bay Nuggets verbal to San Diego St.
Katie Trott from San Diego
Thunder Gold committed to University at
AN
OFFER YOU MUST REFUSE
Nigerian
scams involving huge transfers of money into your checking account are
notorious. A South African lawyer,
who alleges ties to the country’s President, has upped the offer.
The email I received (I am sure it was random, because if they knew my
background, I would be among the last persons on earth whom they would contact)
not only offered me a commission of $2 million on a cash transfer of $20
million, the lawyer assured me the deal was guaranteed by gold bullion – and,
they offered to name a street in South Africa for me (wow) and to recommend to
President Bush that I be given an Ambassadorial appointment to an African
country. Gee, guys.
Fact is that most ambassadorial appointments to African countries go to
senior members of the Foreign Service. (Besides,
there are still questions I don’t want to answer in a hearing.)
BOBBY HATFIELD
When he trilled that second chorus “I need your love” with that unique gospel-tenor voice, Bobby wrung more emotion out of “Unchained Melody” than a passel of singersw before and after. Thankfully, when he passed away this week, Bobby and Bill Medley continue to be heard as the Righteous Brothers, thanks to a revival pushed by “Ghost” and “Top Gun.” A number of their renditions, featuring Bobby’s tenor and Bill’s down in the well bass, have been standards since the 1950s – including some of the most treasured romantic ballads. One of my favorites is sadly sentimental, “The White Cliffs of Dover.” Of course, “Ebb Tide” also had a strong following. They blended!
OUTSIDE THE RINGS
Even those who don’t follow baseball – beyond the
majors – have to feel for the guys who lost their chance to qualify for the
2004 Olympic Games. The USA may have
invented the game – like softball – but there’s a message here – which I
hope the IOC heeds when it decides whether softball will remain a competition
for the 2008 games in China – these are great team sports – with an
ever-expanding international audience – and the rest of the world is catching
up in terms of skills and competitiveness. We
learned at
COMPLIMENTS ARE
NICE, BUT
After eight months of struggling, mounting frustration with would-be service providers and software packages which just didn’t work, and, especially after the all-night effort it took to produce the heavily-illustrated “book” on the Junior World tournament, it is nice and very gratifying to receive so many compliments today on SPY’s magazine.
But, I have to acknowledge that Steve Robitaille urged me last January to reject efforts by the various web-hosting services whom I was consulting, and spend the $3-5,000 to buy Dreamweaver and have a competent web designer adapt it to SPY. Well, in the end, I spent the $5,000 – and only succeeded because Affordable Web Designs refused to jury-rig Front Page, and simply used a Dreamweaver subset in its design. I am still learning how to use its potential – uploading photographic images is a challenge – but it works. Thanks, Steve.
TOMORROW’S
After a week of negative articles, excoriating Danny Snyder and Steve Spurrier, including articles Saturday and Sunday which were tantamount to a demand that Snyder must go, I wonder what the Post will say on Monday after today’s victory over Seattle. The Redskins got at least two big breaks which cost the Seahawks TD’s, but, the Redskins played their best game of the season. I still don’t like Danny Snyder, but I do congratulate Spurrier, his coaches, and the players on getting it right – thanks to major changes in their offensive and defensive packages.