Lay Me Down Easy - For My Brother

This song, which reminds me of my older brother Will, I dedicate to him here today. He, who's courageously unique and unscripted way of grasping life, has influenced me in ways only I could ever understand. To have a living example of a sinner and savior, wrapped up in one loving brother, has been a blessing. For a brother's love can be distilled and reflected in so many ways. 

I was that younger brother disregarding the faults of an elder brother, while only wanting to embrace and challenge life as much as he did. As I grew I realized I could never be him and he could never be me. But as I found my own path I held strongly to lessons learned from him. Most of all I learned through loving others I could love myself, and through loving myself I could love others; reciprocal love.

Now, as older men, we find ourselves still ourselves, arriving by different paths to a destination as worldly and wonderful as life itself. I love life because I Am.

Life Just Is!

While in my city apartment one night quietly reading an inspirational book, I couldn't help but overhear a small sample size of a familiar song being played down below on the city street by a passerby. The music was as rhythmic and soulful as I remembered from the days of hanging out with my brother; and so were the memories, rhythmic and soulful. It took some time, but after frantic online searches and erratic memory lapses I was successful in identifying song and artists. I have heard it said that songs associated with memories of good times can assist in comforting and healing sickly and/or aged individuals. Maybe this is so; for I am neither sickly or aged and yet I feel uplifted and "healed" after listening to this song.

Song: Let Me Down Easy   (an old favorite of my Brother Will's)

Album: Harvest For The World

Artists: The Isley Brothers

Phoenix Suns eClipse Clippers

Its a play that will go down as one of the all-time miracle baskets in NBA history. Its also a loss that might be added to an all-time chokes list in NBA playoff history. However the history books remember Game 2 of the Clippers vs Suns competitive conference finals game, they cannot document the triumph without the tragedy. 

The game will be remembered as much for Suns Deandre Ayton's final dunk as it will for Clippers Paul George's two missed free throws with less than ten seconds left in the game. It was a back and forth scoring extravaganza down the stretch between Paul George and Devin Booker, broken nose and all. It came down to precise execution and gutsy effort from a blossoming Suns team, with 0.09 seconds left on the game clock. Incredibly, they beat the clock and won a game where 99.9% of the time teams lose to the clock. Props to Jae Crowder for a perfect alley-oop pass.

And who the heck is Cameron Payne? No Chris Paul for the Suns, no problem. Payne is a quick, sharpshooting veteran guard who scored 29pts and dished out 9 assists. He made incredible shots all night for the Suns, leading all scorers. 

The Los Angeles Clippers once again find themselves down 0-2 in a seven game series this playoff season. They somehow found a way to comeback and win those series against the Mavericks and Jazz. Can they do it again against the Phoenix Suns, after such a devastating loss like last night? That's why they play the games; and that's why we watch. Time and Pressure folks, Time and Pressure will tell.

Final Score

Clippers 103  (0-2)

Suns 104  (2-0)

Gays In Sports

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

As one of my best friends, who is gay, confessed after being asked when he first realized he was ..... gay? 

"I knew, as soon as I came out of my mother's birth canal, batting eyelashes and screaming for a pink blankie to replace that horrid, powder blue one."

He has had the rare pleasure of coming out and embracing his homosexuality at a very young age, giving him full clarity on the beautiful soul dwelling within him. He was raised in a loving, churchgoing community who recognized him as a child of God, with God-given dance and musical talents. 

Ask him about the latest America's Got Talent or Dancing With the Stars competitions and he's more than qualified to analyze and forecast final outcomes, better than weathermen the weather or betting odds-makers the spread. But ask about a player, team or game in sports and his eyes go cloudy and wide, mouth dry, memory vacant and he develops an uncharacteristic stutter. As blind staggers overtake his body, he seems fit to be strapped into a straight jacket and shipped off to Nurse Ratched at the nearest mental ward.

It's as if you have given him a fast acting poison, causing spots to appear before the eyes as all other senses start shutting down. What you are left with is a babbling, confused, sissy who doesn't know a Dodger from a Laker nor a Warrior from a 49er. 

Sports are his kryptonite, he and all his friends know it. We sports fans have teased while attempting to teach him the intricacies of the games, with little success. He always gets that 'deer in the headlights' / 'spots in front of the eyes' look, whenever anyone tries to explain a play, a strategy, a rule or penalty call. Whether it be on the basketball court, baseball field, or as he's so proud of learning, the gridiron, my friend is lost at sea in the waters of sports. If you have never heard a person call a touchdown a home run, then you just haven't lived as a sports fan.

This, a man who worked for an investment firm, plays classical piano and can read music, has taught ballet and toured the countryside with dance companies. A man intrigued by computers, who after retiring went back to school, earning an AA degree in Information Technology. A man who designed and maintained multiple websites along with helping friends with theirs. 

A fearless man, who after proudly sporting a 'fab-u-lous' mane of reddish-brown dreadlocks for twenty-plus years, chopped off his cultural crown as a process of revitalization and renewal. 

Today, he is a man who is as busy and active in retirement, as he was while employed in the workforce. A renaissance man, full of art, music, faith, love, wisdom and freedom. A joyous, happy man, who lives life on his own terms and need only a friend, a pack of menthol cigarettes, access to media entertainment and a clean, humble abode to call home. 

A man I am so proud and honored to call my close friend and a fellow child of God. Everyone should have a close friend like Donald, aka Chocolate Grey. You can learn so much from a friend like him. Oh, and did I mention he's gay???

Raiders News: Carl Nassib Comes Out

Blind Staggers reference: Johnny Pye and the Fool-Killer by Stephen Vincent Benet

A Tree Topples In Brooklyn

The Milwaukee Bucks, featuring the “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo, outlasted and overcame a Kevin Durant led Nets squad to advance to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. The Game 7 semifinal showdown lived up to its hype as the two teams battled through regulation and into overtime, where Brooklyn ran out of gas and the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis made believers out of a nation.

We saw the dagger plunging Kevin Durant get shot blocked and shoot an air-ball in the closing seconds. In a losing effort, KD had a phenomenal game for the Nets. Meanwhile, the 6’11 “Greek Freak” rose to the occasion, with antlers bucking everything out the way of Milwaukee’s path toward a championship. 

Brooklyn Nets just got bucked off their stinkin’ basketball bridge. Who’s Next?

“Fear The Deer” has just become the latest sports rallying cry, shaking fans into a frenzy as they board the Bucks Bandwagon with championship aspirations.

Congrats Bucks; And May The Odds Be Ever in your Favor!

Final Score
Bucks 115
Nets 111

Truthful Man vs Liar's Dis-ease

"On The Threshold," by Theo T. Munger

Chapter III (Manners)

Truth. One who well knew described a perfect man as one who " speaks the truth in his heart," - inward truthfulness, outward veracity; this goes before all else in making up the gentleman. 

Calvert says: "A gentleman may brush his own shoes or clothes, or mend or make them, or roughen his hands with the helve, or foul them with dye-work or iron-work; but he must not foul his mouth with a lie."

A lie makes relations impossible. When two persons meet, there can be no true conversations unless it is thoroughly understood that each is himself: I am I, and you are you; I say what is true, and I believe that you say what is true. This is the foundation of all human intercourse. 

Nor can a man long be himself who does not speak the truth. He duplicates and reduplicates himself, loses all sense of personality, and becomes a mere phenomenon, flickering amongst men with a false light, trusted by none, and at last is lost even to himself; for a liar finally ceases to believe himself; his memory, judgment, and even senses fail to bring him true reports. 

There is no girdle that will hold a man together and make him a person but the truth.

Qualities of a Gentlman

Truth

Kindness

Honor

Delicacy

Respect

If one is centrally true, kind, honorable, delicate, and considerate, he will almost without fail have manners that will take him into any circle where culture and taste  prevail over folly.

Tauchman Blasts Grand Slam in Giants Comeback

While shortstop Brandon Crawford was having a historic night for the SF Giants, outfielder Mike Tauchman hit a career first grand slam, catapulting the NL West Division leading Giants to a stunning 9-4 win over the Texas Rangers.

We know its only early June. We know, like many teams, the Giants are not immune to the 2021 injury bug. And we know, like other teams, the Giants have weaknesses that will need to be addressed if they wanna make a serious run. But as Giants fans we can't help but trust our disbelieving eyes every time the "Resilient" Giants pull out a win late with plays like tonight's Tauchman grand slam in the 8th. 

Then, piling on with a three run Brandon Crawford homer in the 9th, our fandom was sent on a cruise to fantasy island. As of right now, Giants fans believe anything is possible this season. Call it gutsy, Call it a return to torture, call it an alignment of the stars. Whatever we fans are seeing and believing from our San Francisco Giants, we have, one and all, courageously signed on for a date with destiny. 

Let's Go Giants!!! 

Final Score
Giants 9

Rangers 4

The story of another Giants Win!

by Brady Klopfer of the McCovey Chronicles