After watching the movie "North Face," based on an actual mountain climb that took place in 1936, I wanted to learn more about the history of climbers challenging the "Eiger Wall of Death." The movie features an incredible look into early mountain climbers. It also includes an interesting view of post WWII politics between Germany/Austria.
My mountain climbing curiosity led to discovery of a man who revolutionized climbing and earned him the nickname "The Swiss Machine." His name is Ueli Steck and his drive, courage and talent for conquering mountains is a tribute to men of sport and exploration.
Ueli put mind, body and spirit into a climb, and revisited mountains in order to outdo past world record climbs of his. Watching footage of Ueli climb freestyle up the face of a mountain, as if its just a Sunday afternoon walk in the park, is simply fascinating.
In 2007, he nearly died climbing the Annapurna south face in Nepal after loose rock knocked him from the wall. He fell nearly 1,000 feet, reported the Alpinist. But Steck returned in 2013 and achieved the first solo climb of the Annapurna south face, receiving the “Piolet d’Or” — the Oscar of mountaineering — for his feat, reported the AP.
Tragically, Ueli fell 3,300 ft. to his death in 2017, during an acclimatizing (adaption to a new climate) climb in preparation for climbing the West Ridge of Mt. Everest.
Ueli Steck was a Raider, pillaging just for fun. And I'm sure that upon reaching whatever mountain summit taken on, he'd laugh as he'd conquered and won!
The Giants are the only MLB team since 1900 to hit pinch-hit home runs in the 8th inning or later to erase a deficit and take the lead in back-to-back games.
For Solano, who spent a few weeks on the IL earlier this season, it was the first pinch-hit home run of his career. For the Giants as a whole, it was the 14th pinch-hit homer of the season, which ties the franchise record first set in 1974, and later tied in 2001. Unsurprisingly, the team leads the league in that category as well.
The Giants were the first team in the league to win 50, 60 and 70 games this season, so getting their 80th win before anyone else isn't a surprise. What is a surprise, though, is how a team expected to not even sniff a playoff spot is leading the league in wins, and not showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon.
The cherry on top of all this? The Dodgers snapped their nine-game winning streak on Sunday with a 7-2 loss to the Mets.
We know that in 1800, Smith owned 199
slaves, although the only one we have the least bit
of information about is Bob, who was approved to
keep a gun on Orton to procure game and protect
stock (Watson 2011:102; Brunswick County Court
Minutes, July 1797).
In an 1812 letter, James Smith wrote John
J. Swann, another area planter, he offered several
slaves to Swann. Included were:
an elderly wench, a good field
hand & good plantation Nurse &
spinner. A young wench about 17
– her daughter. The two I would
sell together for a note of $550. . .
. a prime fellow, about 26 yrs. old
– stout & tall, an excellent field
hand & good plowman with
harness – a young wench about
the same age – a good field hand –
2 girls – one of 7, the other of 5 yrs
old – An old fellow – the father –
a half hand – I estimate these five
at $1100 Cash (Letter from James
Smith, July 22, 1812 to John J.
Swann, Swann Family Papers
#2827, Southern Historical
Collection, The Wilson Library,
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill).
Smith also asked Swann “to say nothing to the
bearer about my offer for sale of Negroes.” It is
possible that he was seeking to keep his financial
situation out of public discussion, although he may
also have been striving to prevent anger and
resentment among his “people.”
Today I was reminded of a Raider Nation commercial from 2003 titled "Rise Raider Nation." The commercial premiered before a Monday Night game between teams who competed in the previous Super bowl. Immediately, I experienced feelings of pride and power as a Raiders fan watching Rise Raider Nation. I was so pumped I almost cried with jubilation, ready to win with my team or go down with the ship. I was also convinced the Raiders would return to the Superbowl and win it all. Bottom line, I was all-in once again with supporting my Raiders after such a shocking and disappointing loss to end their miraculous 2002 season.
I write to the Raiders organization today to remind them of us fans who still get chills and shed tears when it comes to our team; win, lose or tie. I would like to suggest to the Raiders Organization marketing/media division to view the Rise Raider Nation Commercial from 2003, and put together a New 2021 commercial that will match its intensity and Raider Nation commitment.
Major league Baseball featured a regular season "Field of Dreams" game in Dyersville, IA, with cornfield and all, and it touched us baseball fans. I believe a Raider Nation commercial, filmed in Allegiant Stadium, showcasing the love of American Football, Raider Loyalty and New State-of-the-Art Allegiant Stadium, will ignite the fire that burns brightest in fans of all sports. Our common denominator being "the will to win."
I have my thoughts and ideas for a Rise Raider Nation Commercial 2021; just repeat what worked in 2003, only highlight Las Vegas/Allegiant Stadium in the background and ....... feature a Raider Nation Female as spokesperson to pump Raiders, and sports fans alike, up out of their seats to "Get Ready For Some Football."
I believe she's a Nurse during weekdays.
I know I'm just a former and potential future season ticket holder, who loves any and everything Raiders. I know this idea might scare the bejeebies out of Las Vegas civic leaders and casino big wigs who think Raider Nation consists of a criminal element. But, let me share a truth with you. As a Season Ticket Holder for over eight years and a fan who attended two-thirds of Raiders home games since 1997, I have met and befriended more blue-collar, professional and entrepreneurial working peoples at games and tailgates than any would-be gangstas, criminals or thugs. The love and loyalty of Raiders fans along with the Raiders Mystique is infectious, and works its harmonic magic while welcoming those visiting/looking for a sports home.
I have pictures of newborns wrapped in swaddling attending their first game, as well as centenarians jovially entering Coliseum gates on electric mobility scooters. I've met folks tailgating, good hard-working folks from all across the globe, on cloud-nine visiting the United States primarily to attend their first Raiders game; Australia, Norway, Guam, Spain, Nigeria, India, France, Belgium, Brazil, Japan, China. I've always said, world leaders should attend a Raiders game to discover the secret to world peace. I swear I once saw two fans, one wearing a Jewish yarmulke while the other wore a Palestinian keffiyeh, jubilantly hugging in the stands after a Raiders touchdown. They would become forever known at the Coliseum as Raider Sheik n Raider Shtisel.
What Las Vegas should know, if they haven't learned already, is that Raider Nation is made up predominantly of responsible, hard-working, law-abiding fans coming together to celebrate life, liberty and love for a football team. And that football team wears Silver & Black!
To whomever in the Raiders Organization might receive and/or read this die-hard fans plea, I thank you for the listening ear. And please, give Mark Davis my blessings full of respect and admiration for what he has done, and continues to do for our team. I know without a doubt, the owner of my favorite team loves them as much as I do.
I look forward to a new Raiders season and as always, I believe this is Our Year to Rise!
It was so uplifting to see Silver & Black uniforms in action on the gridiron for the first time in 2021, even if it was just an exhibition game. As much as I love baseball and enjoy basketball, there is just something special about witnessing the Raiders armored up and doing battle against any opponent.
American Football is more than just a game; it's a feeling and attitude that gets into your blood, underneath your skin, turning men into boys, boys into men, and women into .........
Reverence, not justice, is the virtue that separates leaders from tyrants, as the old Greek poets knew well. In episode after tragic episode, they show how failures of reverence destroy men who are trying to be leaders. Reverence is the capacity to feel respect in the right way toward the right people, and to feel awe towards an object that transcends particular human interests.
When leaders are reverent, they are reverent along with their followers, and their common reverence unites them in feelings that overcome personal interests, feelings such as mutual respect. These feelings take the sting from the tools of leadership - from persuasion, from threats of punishment, from manipulation by means of rewards. This is because there are no winners and losers where there is reverence. Success and failure are dwarfed by the magnitude of whatever it is that they hold in awe together. Wordsworth recognizes this in his tale of boyhood races over water in the magnificent Lake District:
In such a race,
So ended, disappointment could be none,
Uneasiness, or pain, or jealousy:
We rested in the shade, all pleased alike,
Conquered or conqueror. Thus our selfishness
Was mellowed down, and thus the pride of strength
And the vainglory of superior skill
Were interfused with objects which subdued
And tempered them, and gradually produced
A quiet independence of the heart.
"Two-Part Prelude," 2.63-72
A leader who uses persuasion, threats, and rewards reverently does so with respect for the followers. This usually requires two things: the leader does not deceive the followers, and the leader is open to persuasion in return. Leadership involves fairly open deliberation. Openness and honesty are defenses a good leader employs against the danger of bad judgment. Leaders are especially vulnerable to bad judgment when they allow themselves to become isolated. Unfortunately, it is easy to resist this conclusion, and would-be leaders are often given to deceit or other devices that prevent them from taking into account the opinions of their followers. Their excuse is that they know more than their followers. This is often true; they do know more than their followers, but that is no excuse for not listening.
This is odd; I call it the paradox of respect. Why should a leader listen to people who know less than he or she does about the matter at hand? The short answer is that reverent leaders do listen to their followers. The hardest case for the paradox is teaching: Good teachers know more than their pupils; even so, as we shall see in the next chapter, good teachers listen to their pupils, and in this they are reverent.
from pages 175-177 of the book "Reverence: Renewing a Forgotten Virtue"
Series Wins against LA, Houston and the Brewers, and people say we’re not for real, can’t beat good teams LOL. Here’s your proof. Best team in baseball keeps on grinding, team chemistry at its finest. The stress and anxiety in this series had playoff energy written all over it. - Devon Lee
Major League Baseball best come to grips with the San Francisco Giants playing the most amazing baseball in the league. They lead the league with 71 wins. They’ve been leading the league, my guess is, since May. They just won series over three of the league’s better teams (Dodgers, Astros, Brewers). And they are winning in ways that champions win; clutch comebacks and calm confidence.
Today’s come from behind win in Milwaukee saw, yet again, the Resilience of Giants clutch hitting, pitching and defense. They have been doing it all season. There is no doubt in their minds that they are the best team in MLB, and wanna prove their medal againt the best the league has to offer. So Bring’em On Baseball. We’ll put your best to the test!
The Diamondbacks of Arizona had the division leading Giants right where they wanted them; trailing 4-0 with three outs to seal the game, sending them back across the desert to San Francisco with a loss. The snakes were on the verge of avoiding a three game sweep by the team with the best record in baseball.
Then the D’Back’s closer started to fade early, and the next thing you know the Giants have evened the game 4-4. Heading into the top of the 10th tie, the snakes were looking gauntly green as the Giants put one run on the board. Then in the bottom of the inning Giants snake charmer Jake McGee made the 5-4 score stick, no more snakes in the field.
The magic and Resilience of Giants Baseball 2021 keeps producing memorable moments. Go Giants!
Ten years ago I read a book titled "Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston." What shook me in the book was not so much the history of racism in sports in Boston, but a chapter about a white man killing his wife and framing a black man. And only when the white man's brother came forward to confess his involvement in the murder plot, were the black man's pleas of innocence finally believed by police and most white Boston citizens.
The Boston media and white communities were shocked when they heard the brother's revelation, as well as, the reported suicide of his guilty white brother hours later.
Meanwhile, a black community, already struggling with a history of racism in Boston, were left with scary warnings and reminders of just how vulnerable their skin color and stereotyped neighborhood makes them in a racist society. Seems the more things change racially in America, the more they stay the same. White Privilege.
White Privilege allows for a white man to blame a black man for a crime he, the white man, planned, carried out, and almost made believable to a white justice system. As long as race and color are treated unequally in society, justice in the hands of the Privileged will be unbalanced and unjust toward the Underprivileged.
