I've been watching the EUR0 soccer tournament, and even though I've coached H.S. soccer for over 25 years and won over 100 games on the Varsity level, averaging 10 wins a year for 10 years, I still marvel at the beauty of the game as played by these national teams. Yesterday the Netherlands played Russia and even though the Dutch were favored, Russia won the game 3-1 when they scored two goals in the second 15-minute overtime. That put them in the semi-finals when they will play the winner of today's game between Spain and Italy. Spain has never beaten Italy in a big tournament, so perhaps there will be the makings of another upset. The Holland-Russia game was frantic from beginning to end. One needn't worry about the low scoring in soccer, if you just concentrate on the skills displayed. The way goals are scored is incredible quite often. They just come so suddenly. And you have to be amazed at how fit these players are to run their hearts out for 90 minutes. There are no time outs in this game! Hurray for Pele and Beckenbauer and even Chinaglia!
I'm feeling a lot better in the past couple of days, but I still have to see the internist tomorrow at 2pm. I'm getting really tired of going to doctors and doctors and doctors of all sizes, shapes, and forms. And besides that, I'm just damned tired. It's just very confusing...every test I've taken to find out why I'm having pain in various parts of my body has come back negative. By that I mean that the tests don't show anything wrong; which I suppose is a good thing. But the bad part is that I still don't have a clue as to what put me in the hospital for four miserable days. And the pills are multiplying exponentially. Also, I'd rather not fly anywhere again--and if I could, I'd get on my scooter instead and drive it across country to establish a World Record for my age group in scooter driving. At least it's a goal. But where would I put Rhoda? The basket is not comfortable, I understand.
By the way, Spain won.
4 comments:
"Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,...."
Robert Browning is not to be trusted, except by The Portugese. You and I have already spent more years on this Earth than either Browning or Rabbi Ben Ezra, and our heads remain bloody but unbowed.
Nevertheless, age brings difficult challenges and we must meet them. Tennyson had it right--(We must continue) "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."
You are facing your greatest challenge. Father Time is a deadlier enemy than a Messerschmidt, but you must fight the good fight, and you CAN regain some of your lost youth and strength.
I do not mean to be critical, but you MUST lose AT LEAST 20 pounds, and 40 would be better, at the rate of a pound or so a week.
You CAN do this because you are not an ordinary man. You are NORMAN ROSS, scholar, athlete, warrior, Renaissance man, capable of turning the tide of age and anything else.
And you must regain as much of your ambulatory powers as possible. You may not be able to walk on dry land but you can navigate in the water and that may be even better for you.
Walk for 20 minutes in the water every day, set up a sane diet that does not deprive you of all the foods you love, and within weeks, you THE ROSS, will be most pleased with the results.
This is your greatest battle, and victory will inspire the hordes who love you, including, but not limited to your dear wife, your progeny and their progeny.
It is time to act!!! You have many good years ahead of you if you do the right thang.
We, who care about you, look forward to your success at this most difficult task. You must never forget who you are!!!!!
Thank you phil b. I have been trying to get him to do this for a long time. Maybe he will listen to your wise words. He is such a stubborn man.
The Baron is overwhelmed by Phil B's comment. It's a new record for length, but it's wise and caring, and I love the man. I don't know if I can meet the standard P.B is trying to set up for me. I'm just plain tired and I want to go to sleep.
Barbara and I are in full agreement with Phil. If anyone were to carry a 30-lb backpack day after day, that person's legs and knees and joints would surely begin to strain under the burden, bringing pain to the point of needing a scooter to relieve it. We know you have other ills that affect your mobility, but all that additional weight is something you can do something about. We are all proud of you for helping to defeat the Nazis; we are all proud of you for defeating nicotine -- please make us proud of you at least one more time by defeating gravity itself! Your two sons want to play a round of golf with you. Will you deny us that?
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