A word from "The Rocket" commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Blood Mountain Appalachian Trail Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Alone again, hiking on the Appalachian Trail (AT), adhering to my inner Thoreau, thinking thoroughly about what I was doing and whether I would summit the 4400 ft. Blood Mountain, I charged forward. Each step filled with the ambivalence of excitement and the trepidation of wandering into the unknown. Yet now, looking back to that Sunday in August, the reasons are pretty clear why I was on that mountain.  I know the secrets that cause me to saunter about consumed by the scent of nature. I've seen the treasures a day on the trails can offer, typically much more than any one day could provide in a city park.  Still, however, I wonder of this innate sense of discovery we humans have.

What compels those that hike or wander about in nature?  What drives those that seek to discover the lesser taken paths littered all around often not far from the secure confines of our households?  I often ask. But, I know the answer to my questions because I have tasted the gifts that Mother Nature has shared with me.

So that day, I set off from the suburban confines of John's Creek, Georgia,where I happen to be working as a volunteer at the 93rd PGA Championship and with only a limited amount of time; not an anomaly when it comes to time and my unplanned excursions.  Determined, I dashed off to this hiker's paradise, a trail junkie's dream--the Appalachian Trail!

Though the hike that day started fairly benignly, through canopy covered and root strewn trail, it would change to rocky outcropping and barely discernible trail markers.  It was a warm day. Other hikers could be heard occasionally, which I would take as a good sign that I was correctly navigating the trail and also giving me a sense of safety as I stepped through toward a summit called Blood. 

Signs warned hikers of Bears and other wildlife in the area, a lone whistle my only protection, a whistle (?); what was I thinking? But the urge had struck to get out into nature, and I often don't know when the urge will strike and I trample into an unknown passage, a place my eye has never seen.  Risk teasing me to discover and try its beckoning. And, usually I am unequipped to handle any adversity but today I would find no adverse conditions.

As sweat consumed my stripped golf shirt, my heart pumping at an elevated pace, I was at peace with only a thought of what would happen if I encountered something on the trail. Despite the thought, I kept going, quiet as a cat crossing a wooden floor, it was the trail and me!  It was the appreciation of the moment.  One of many moments that I've been fortunate enough to receive.  Gifts, blessings, opportunities, call them what you will but this was one of those and it was memorable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few hours later, I reached the summit of Blood Mountain.  Someone had built a shelter there for hikers that needed to catch a break or seek an evening's rest.  After inspecting the shelter, I caught a whisper of a few voices around a bend near a large boulder.  I rounded the corner to find a couple sitting admiring the panoramic view of the Appalachian Mountains.  I introduced myself and we proceeded to chat about the strange crossing of our paths.  They filled me on a little history of the trail and showed me where they lived, near the beginning of AT at Springer Mountain (a long distance from our position).  It was a chance encounter, but for those ten or so minutes, our paths crossed.  In all the paths and trails of life, I walked into their path.  We shared some experiences about how a lone hiker from California would come to cross their path....and I was off again.  Before I left, I asked them to take this picture.  I am glad I did and I am glad I met them.

Once I came down the mountain, pleased to have made it back unscathed, I drove back down to the Atlanta Athletic Club, host course of 93rd PGA Championship, and I enjoyed a relaxing day of watching golf.  I was richer for what the day had given me.  It was a day well spent...and a day my friend Thoreau would have greatly appreciated.

Rick Rodriguez is a writer and is frequently published in opinion/editorial sections in local and national newspapers. Rick, a San Francisco Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College lives in Danville, California with his two children.  Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.

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Hiking Mexico's Highest Peaks Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

My grandfather, Manuel Prado Rodriguez, routinely led expeditions hiking Mexico's highest peaks: Pico de Orizaba, Mt. Iztaccihuatl and Mt. Popocatepetl!   All these peaks are in excess of 17,000 feet with Orizaba the tallest at 18,490 feet.  He climbed Pico de Orizaba near Vera Cruz, Mexico three times; and Mt. Iztaccihuatl and Mt. Popocatepetl, 65 and 85 times, respectively.  He once slept inside the Volcanic Mount Popocatepetl in sub-zero temperatures!   

Pico de Orizaba: "A regionally dominant peak, and in fact the highest peak between Columbia and the Yukon, the Pico de Orizaba is ranked 7th in the world in topographic prominence. It is the second most prominent volcanic peak in the world after Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro. Although it is about 110 km (75 miles) inland, to the west of the port of Veracruz, its peak is visible to ships approaching the port in the Gulf of Mexico, and at dawn rays of sunlight strike the Pico while Veracruz still lies in shadow. The Pico is ranked 16th in the world for topographic isolation.  The peak is one of three volcanoes that contain permanent snow and glaciers in Mexico. The others are Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl."  Learn more about mountaineering in Mexico.

So, to me, it's was fascinating to learn of my Grandfather's alpinist adventures through the memorabilia he saved over the years.  Unfortunately, I was never able to ask him personally about his exploits (he is deceased) so I often wonder about his motivation and his physical attributes. How could he pull off that many climbs unless it was over a twenty year period or longer and extremely consistent?

I can only imagine what it would be like to strike the same footsteps as my Grandfather.  Gazing before me the prodigious Pico de Orizaba, imagining for a moment what route and how he climbed and with whom and why he did it?  Or even the chance to observe "La Mujer Dormida," the sleeping lady (Mt. Iztaccihuatl) so named for it's likeness to a sleeping woman. Trekking through the unknown, and the challenge of finding myself on a trail somewhere on that peak knowing my predecessor had been here before.  Wondering where he might have set camp; his conversations, and his trail companions.  

And finally arriving at Mt. Popocatepetl (Mt. Popo), perhaps his most familiar trek and the one nearest his home in Mexico City. And, the one I would most likely visit first. 'Popocatepetl also known as "Popochowa" by the local population is an active volcano and, at 5,426 m (17,802 ft), the second highest peak in Mexico.  Popocatepetl is linked to the Iztaccihatl volcano to the north by the high saddle known as the Paso de Cortes, and lies in the eastern half of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt.

Popocatepetl is 70 km (43 mi) southeast of Mexico City from where it can be seen regularly, depending on atmospheric conditions. The residents of Puebla, a mere 40 km (25 mi) east of the volcano, enjoy the views of the snowy and glacier-clad mountain almost all year long."

Perhaps, someday I will have the opportunity to gaze the same sight of these peaks that my grandfather once did.  It's another one for the bucket list!

Rick Rodriguez is a Real Estate Broker & Property Manager with 27+ years of experience in the real estate business. Rick, a Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College, services the San Francisco East Bay Area including the communities in the 680/580 freeway corridors, and Southern Alameda & Southern Contra Costa County. Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.

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"Baseball Purity" Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

I originally wrote "Baseball Purity" in 2006.  Today (1/14/10), I received a call from the San Ramon Valley Times requesting my permission to publish a follow up piece to the ongoing drama that I recently wrote.  While my recent commentary is quite harsh, and I wrote it while I listened to the recent revelations of Mark McGwire, it concurs with most of what I read, heard, and seen written in various mediums about the ongoing steroid mess.  While my castigation is not personal, it represents my sentiment about what I feel has destroyed the integrity of the game of baseball!

By Rick Rodriguez

I often express myself in words to the Opinion pages section of the San Ramon Valley Times (SRV Times).  I sent this letter to the SRV Times shortly after the 2006 World Series concluded.  My attacks aren't personal.  What I am opposed to is how the world of baseball has changed so much since the time I collected baseball cards as a kid.  I yearn for the days when I could admire athletes for their on field accomplishments earned through hard work, dedication, and the unaltered limits of their ability. However, I am sadly afraid those days are gone!

" Baseball Purity" San Ramon Valley Times Published November 10, 2006 by Rick Rodriguez

"It's difficult to be happy for local resident and baseball manager of the world champion St. Louis Cardinals, Tony La Russa.  Yes, La Russa has just guided the St. Louis Cardinals to a world championship, and for that, he will receive appropriate accolades. 

However, for baseball purists and those who care about the integrity of the game, La Russa also will be recalled as the manager of the two leading protagonists of the baseball steroid scandal: Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco.  Regrettably, these two players were at the vanguard of the insidious disease that is now ubiquitous in professional sports.

Moreover, the deleterious effects of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs continue to influence the results and performances we witness on the playing fields.

Of course, it would be inappropriate to cast La Russa as responsible for his player's actions; however, I often wonder how a stand up guy like La Russa, as the leader of his ball club, couldn't have discovered the behavior of the players he was responsible to manage.  Let us remember that La Russa didn't manage these players for a year or two, but in McGwire's case more than a decade.

So, as I see it, La Russa has some culpability for looking the other way while his players were obliterating sacred home-run records with Arnold Scharzenegger-like forearms.

As a baseball purist, it's the actions of some and the inaction of others that have destroyed my passion for the game."

And here is another attachment to this story and an end to my argument on this subject:

San Ramon Valley Times "McGwire's lies" January 18, 2010 by Rick Rodriguez

"So now we know Mark McGwire was lying all along.  He was lying to his friends, his kids, and his buddy Tony La Russa.  It seems these days all liars are getting caught, doesn't it? 

How I remember McGwire embracing his son (batboy) after he broke Roger Maris' home run record and shaking hands with Maris' family representatives on hand for a historic event (?)

Good, now we know that Jose Canseco was telling the truth, an ostracized Canseco, ousted from baseball for ratting out his buddies.  Canseco, embarrassed by La Russa, who announced his trade by pulling him from the on-deck circle!  A class guy the La Russa--I know nothing, I see nothing!"

In this final closing statement to the steroid era and three leading protagonists, I submitted the above to the SRV Times and was published a 2nd time on this story.  I am certainly not proud of my castigations or opinions.  But, certainly I said what is being said by many including many nationally circulated papers; on sports blogs, commentary's; and by such broadcasting luminaries like--Bob Costas! 

I can't find the capacity to accept McGwire's pre-scripted apology!  He doesn't owe me anything personally.  I am nothing more than a fan of baseball and of a game I grew up with and appreciated for its team concept and sense of historical value.  What he and others have done is shattered that sense of history and placed his entire career and created a parenthesis or asterisk on it forever!

Rick Rodriguez is a writer and is frequently published in opinion/editorial sections in local and national newspapers. Rick, a San Francisco Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College lives in Danville, California with his two children.  Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.

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Barry Bonds "Cheating the Norm" Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

April 8, 2011

Time for me to apologize to Barry Bonds!  In August of 2007, I mistakenly assumed that Barry had taken steroids to enhance his on field performance and break the all-time home run record held by Hammerin Hank Aaron!  Now, it appears that Barry Bonds will be exonerated and will walk against THE United States government's charges of obstruction and perjury!  So, as perhaps the final chapter (Roger Clemins/Afterword) of this dreary and disturbing tale about steroids and baseball, Barry Bonds has proved he never knowingly took performance enhancing drugs!  All hail to the home run king--Barry Bonds!

The following article was published by the San Ramon Valley Times. I wrote it to express my dismay with the deterioration of integrity when it comes to baseball players using performance enhancing drugs, and the general pervasiveness of cheating in society.  I have examined several sources in order to come to my opinion, and though neither Barry Bonds or an unnamed kid have been convicted of any illegal activity, the court of public opinion is weighing heavily against Bonds, and the kid is serious trouble.

"Cheating the Norm" published by The San Ramon Valley Times August 22, 2007 by Rick Rodriguez

"Now that Bonds has passed the Real Home Run King--Hank Aaron--on the all-time home run list perhaps we can begin to see less coverage of the farce we are witnessing, and the unbelievable fans that adore Bonds and his tainted record.  How is it that people can watch this guy and cheer for a record he achieved under the influence of something banned by the major leagues?  Why has cheating become so rampant in our society that it’s accepted as the norm?  Bonds is the classic case of innocence?  But, there are others, too. 

Take for instance the case of the kid accused of falsifying grades at Diablo Valley College: He’s innocent, too?  Or, so he says, at least that is what I read in my local paper. I can only imagine when he glanced at his report card and saw he had straight A’s that certainly didn’t register that perhaps there was a problem—or an oversight!  The problem no longer is whether we cheated or not—but whether we, the public, will buy it until the next cheater comes along."

Looking back, I was railing against the rampant cheating ubiquitous in all walks of life!  Four years later, cheaters in every profession have become widely known with the most famous being a golfer I once admired and a rogue trader that bilked millionaires and billionaires around the world!  In a very real sense, observing very public mistakes makes me observe my own behavior; where my shortcomings are and how to improve them!

Rick Rodriguez is a writer and is frequently published in opinion/editorial sections in local and national newspapers. Rick, a San Francisco Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College lives in Danville, California with his two children.  Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.

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Tiger Woods wins another tournament Commentary by Rick Rodriguez August 5, 2007

Commentary By Rick Rodriguez

In light of the recent events concerning Eldrick "Tiger" Woods, mainly he has decided to move away from the public eye and its scrutiny by not playing professional golf; I revisited the original post of "A word from the Rocket," about Tiger Woods.  In the original post below, you'll note my admiration of Woods, my reasons are pretty clear; moreover, I make a case against Barry Bonds, and his alleged transgressions.

I guess I shouldn't be disappointed in Woods, nor should I make a judgment of any of the the protagonists of my posts; however,  I offer the following reasons:  Mainly, "I am a golfer" and with that statement comes a responsibility to play the game with honor, integrity, and those values represent character.  Undoubtedly, Tiger Woods, has never been accused of "transgressions" on the golf course, but the recent revelations of character flaws attributed to Woods saddens me. It crushes my hope of a Superstar Athlete also being a man of character; a Father with integrity; a true humanitarian; a husband of commitment, and an honorable golfer.  Make no mistake Tiger Woods has reversed the heights that he had attained in each of these categories. 

The photographs featured in this post were taken by me at the JBWere Masters in Melbourne, Australia in November 2009.  Incidentally, this was Tiger's last competitive tournament and two weeks before Tiger's world began to unravel.  I was extremely privileged to be at the tournament and proud that Tiger represented America with class, style, integrity, excitement, and a great win!  Yes, I was there and now I move away from that position, from Tiger, as a fan, and admirer, and this as a GOLFER saddens me.

ANOTHER WIN FOR TIGER AUGUST 5, 2007

BY Rick Rodriguez

So, what's the big deal: Tiger wins another tournament.  Many people out there aren't so happy when Tiger wins, but I am.  Perhaps, it's because the rich just get richer, or he wins all the time argument, but I love to see any athlete dominate his craft, and Tiger does.  As a golf enthusiast, player, competitor, and a sport fan in general; I'm thrilled when Tiger wins!  There is a reason for this and it is because Tiger brings respectability to the sport world.  Not only does he win, but he's a class act and demonstrates that to fans and competitors alike. 

Contrast that with the other big sport story, Barry Bonds.  How it sickens me to see a player tie the all-time home record under the alleged (past or present) influence of performance enhancing drugs: oh yeah Barry, flaxseed oil.  His and others continued denial of alleged drug induced performances are what has drawn many people away from the three major sports: baseball, football, and to a lesser extent basketball.  Now, a revelation that an NBA ref may have had an influence on NBA games: this makes a fan (like me) wonder whether what we are witnessing is actual or influenced by outside events.  Aren't you sick of all the cheating?

Rick Rodriguez is a writer and is frequently published in opinion/editorial sections in local and national newspapers. Rick, a San Francisco Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College lives in Danville, California with his two children.  Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.

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A lesson from the game Saint Mary's College Men's Basketball Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Through the mayhem that was the last 4:17 of the 2011 & 2012 NCAA Basketball Tournament and  Saint Mary's Men's College Basketball season, the Gaels gave us one last thrill, one last hope, that this amazing season might be extended!  The late fury resulted in the Gaels achieving their only lead of the game vs the Purdue Boilermakers 69-68 with 0:31 left in the game.  The Gaels had erased an 11-point deficit in that remaining four minutes of time.  But, alas, a win was not to be and thus the team's remarkable season came to end.

As I embraced my daughter, tears streaming down her face and mine, she said "it's okay, Dad.  We had a great season.  We win as a team and we lose as a team!"  Ah, the wisdom of an 11-year old and the lesson of the game!  We embraced another few seconds knowing that this season is gone.  We felt the loss, of our team, your team, finishing after fighting so hard.  So many moments.  So much joy.  And, finally so much pain.  Our season is over! But, we will be back and we will work to find the components needed to replace the loss of our graduating seniors. And, not soon to be forgotten, the contributions of Rob Jones, Kenton Walker III, and Clint Steindl will fortify the foundation that Randy Bennett has established here at St. Mary's!

The road to success is often paved with obstacles.  It is never easy!  And, with each success we take one step higher and our expectations do, too.  Often we take success for granted and expect more.  We recognize the end product, the winner, but often forget what it took to get there.  

This team and this program has merely arrived. For a decade plus, Randy Bennett has built an organization and program that we that call ourselves Gaels can be proud of!

It was a long hard fought season and it resulted in many accolades including a league and tournament championships for the team and our school---Saint Mary's College!  The season was filled with the thrill of victory and the pain of defeat.  But, once again, we were reminded that a small and mighty school can compete with the bigs anytime and any day!  Congratulations to this group of Gaels!  We will not forget the heart & soul you gave us this season.  We will not forget that tonight and every night of the season you left it all on the floor!

There are lessons in there somewhere even from and for an 11-year old!  GO GAELS!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rick Rodriguez is a writer and is frequently published in opinion/editorial sections in local and national newspapers. Rick, a San Francisco Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College lives in Danville, California with his two children.  Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.

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Experiencing "Tigermania in Australia" Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

As I sat among the gallery at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia taking photos of then world No. 1 Tiger Woods and witnessing Tigermania and his win at the JB Were Masters, little did I know that this event would be Tiger's last official win!  And now looking back, two plus years later I wonder when the next win will come. Sure, Tiger captured his own tournament, the Chevron World Challenge, against an impressive field of 20 players in late 2011 but the tournament is not a PGA sanctioned event.  Thus, Tiger still seeks his first official PGA win since Melbourne!  

Watching Tiger Woods play golf in Australia was big for Australians and me!  It was his 1st tournament in Australia and the experience was akin to Beatlemania on the golf course!  For me, the experience gave me the very proud feeling of being American and playing golf; my affiliations with Tiger! As I watched the crowds part for Tiger; throngs of security and PGA officials following closely, little did I know life would change for Tiger in just a few short weeks!

I was welcomed to Melbourne by my friend Dr. David Moffet and his trusty associate Stephen Pan; avid golfers; Australians (Sydney-siders), and gracious hosts.  I was invited by the good Doctor to join a golf tour coinciding with the aforementioned JB WERE Masters golf tournament.  As part of the tour and the golf group, I had the privilege of playing renowned golf venues: Royal Melbourne, Metropolitan, and Huntingdale golf club(s). 

Akin to playing  Pebble Beach Golf Links, Royal Melbourne (site of 2011 President's Cup) is an Australian masterpiece, a shotmaker's paradise, and a top 100 golf course in the world.   It is an extreme privilege to play there! As a golfer, I knew right away I was in a special place, partly because of the classic clubhouse adorned with memorabilia of the great champions that have come this way and won here; and also the evident pride of the hosts.  While I can't say the course gave me a lot of personal golf memories (as in a great score)  it did give up an occasional par (s) or birdie that I will remember well into the future.  Pictured above is the No.11 Par 3 hole.  

Metropolitan, ranked in the top 100 outside of the US, is one of the best courses I've ever played. It gave me two birdies including a 40 foot snake on a Par 3. Only my 2nd hole of the day but a putt because of the profound luck that I will never forget!  Framed by towering trees and plenty of Australian bush land, each step felt like paradise, even as I searched endlessly for an errant tee shot or missed iron.  Nevertheless, the course and especially the post round beverage enjoyed adjacent to the day's final hole, and made sweeter by a miraculous save to end play, are still fresh in my mind.  Sitting watching the sun rays trickle behind the trees, secured with a nice position; the golf course slowly descending into the evening after a days work; my feet resting on the plush grass seven thousand eight hundred sixty miles away from my home course, and the setting sun still warming my bones, indeed, I felt really lucky to be there!

Huntingdale as well as the Kingston Heath Golf  Club were certainly as excellent in some respects.  But, neither would supersede my impression of Royal Melbourne or Metropolitan on this trip!   For now, I'll store the memories of Tigermania in my mind and on these photographs and think about how I have been severely fortunate to have been given these gifts by the travel gods.  And maybe in the course of events, Tiger will pullout his next win!

Rick Rodriguez is a writer and is frequently published in opinion/editorial sections in local and national newspapers. Rick, a San Francisco Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College lives in Danville, California with his two children.  Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.

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Are you an Outlier Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Are you an Outlier?  What is an Outlier?  And, what does it have to do with success? I had never heard the term until a friend recommended I read  Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. The book is a must read for anyone interested in success and what differentiates those that many consider successful. It really might not be what you think.....so maybe you should look again.  It was an eye opener for me! It aroused my interest to whether being an Outlier is applicable to those I know and me. The book, Outliers, teaches something about success that is not anecdotal.

I will say that it was somewhat relieving in the sense that my own climb up the ladder is greater appreciated from the OUTLIER perspective rather than all the accoutrements of success that most would say are a requirement for success. It isn't a story about if you do this and that this will be the result. Though those lessons are interwoven in some parts of the book, they are not the main premise. Gladwell.com "Outlier" is a scientific term to describe things or phenomena that lie outside normal experience. In the summer, in Paris, we expect most days to be somewhere between warm and very hot. But imagine if you had a day in the middle of August where the temperature fell below freezing. That day would be outlier. And while we have a very good understanding of why summer days in Paris are warm or hot, we know a good deal less about why a summer day in Paris might be freezing cold. In this book I'm interested in people who are outliers—in men and women who, for one reason or another, are so accomplished and so extraordinary and so outside of ordinary experience that they are as puzzling to the rest of us as a cold day in August"  

Here's what others say " A must-read for educators, recruiters, and parents......Outliers is evidence of Mr. Gladwell's 10,000 hours."------- Joanne McNeil, Sunday Times

"Outliers is a compelling read with an important message: by understanding better what makes people successful we should be able to produce more successful (and happy) people."---- Economist

"Insightful.....If enough people read and ponder the implications of Outliers, perhaps that can help begin the much needed process of turning around current counter-productive attitudes toward education and toward life."--------Thomas Sowell, Washington Times

"The thrust of Mr. Gladwell's argument is right on target.....He passionately emphasizes the need to cultivate great minds that might be limited by their circumstances or environment."--------David A. Shaywitz, Wall Street Journal

I won't go into the story but I will say that it may cause you to wonder about your own success; what factors attributed to your success, and whether intersections in your life directly attributed to your success. These are the lessons that I found here! I didn't look at this book as a how to and admittedly the book focuses on the big successes as examples (i.e. Bill Gates, Beatles, et al).

More importantly, where you start matters perhaps a lot less than you think! Or, it may have been your biggest advantage!

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell is 270 pages. I read it September 2011.

Rick Rodriguez is a Entrepreneur, Avid learner, and writer and is frequently published in opinion/editorial sections in local and national newspapers. Rick, a San Francisco Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College lives in Danville, California with his two children.  Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.

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On the road with Saint Mary's College Men's Basketball Team Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Commentary By Rick Rodriguez

I am back on the road this week headed to Murray, Kentucky to watch the Saint Mary's College Men's Basketball team take on Murray State and this occasion has brought back memories of the last time I was in the region in Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville, is a short distance from Murray, Kentucky.

Nashville, is a great small town with a big city feel and definitely a festive atmosphere. Moreover, it is the home of one of my high school friends, Jim Marshall, and he knows the town well.  Additionally, as the head honcho at Coyote Ugly Saloon, he takes great care of his guests when we come for a visit. 

Wikipedia "Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home to a large number of colleges and universities. It is most notably known as a center of the music industry, earning it the nickname "Music City".  

Aside from checking in at some local sites including Titan Stadium and  BB King's Blues Club on my last visit, my travel companion, Vince Howell and I treated ourselves to a meal at Prime 108.  Here's a very accurate description: "First of all I love the location. You feel like you are walking into a train station. There is a big clock on the wall and a train schedule just like you would find at a real train station. This place is a good alternative for chains like Morton's or Ruth Chris."  I couldn't agree more!  It was an impressive venue and the food worthy of a return trip.

The big highlight of the trip was watching the Saint Mary's Men's College Basketball team take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. While the result didn't turn out in the Gaels favor, the experience was a memorable one.  Vanderbilt, a South Eastern Conference team, plays in a historic venue.  

"Memorial Gymnasium was built in the early 1950s. It was dedicated as the campus memorial to students and alumni killed in World War II; a plaque commemorating these people is displayed in the lobby. At the time of its construction, there was a serious discussion within the Vanderbilt community about whether the school should de-emphasize intercollegiate athletics. As a compromise, the gymnasium was built to hold only about 8,000 seats, and it would be readily adaptable to other uses.

The gymnasium floor was built up above its surroundings, more in the nature of a stage.   Memorial Gym is well known for its unusual design. The end-of-the-floor bench location is now unique in major college basketball, and said to give Vanderbilt a home court advantage, since no other facility in which opponents play is arranged in such a way. The interior walls were unpainted cinder blocks prior to a major renovation in the early 2000s. The middle of the three decks has a low ceiling and when the house lights are turned off during game play gives the distinct impression of watching a Cinemascope movie of basketball."

Unfortunately, the Gaels were defeated in the match up with the Commodores on that day (89-70) though it was close at halftime.  Saint Mary's (17-3), at the time, hadn't lost since Dec. 1 to San Diego State, and this loss was a tough end to a week when the Gaels moved into the rankings for the first time since Jan. 26, 2010. This game was the second part of a home-and-home, and coach Randy Bennett said "the scheduling was a payback to Vandy visiting last season and would have preferred to play this game earlier to give his Gaels more time to learn some painful lessons." 

Hopefully, Saint Mary's will pull out a big victory this time around in the ESPN Bracketbuster game vs Murray State!  And, with Dick Vitale broadcasting for ESPN it will be the marquee match up of the weekend.  That alone will make it another great Nashville experience!  Whatever happens, I'll be there taking in the experience of pre-March Madness basketball among a partisan crowd with but a few Gaels taking and a whole bunch of Racers!  That's part of the experience of being on the road with the Saint Mary's College Men's Basketball team!

 

Rick Rodriguez is a writer and is frequently published in opinion/editorial sections in local and national newspapers. Rick, a San Francisco Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College lives in Danville, California with his two children.  Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.

Follow Rick at:

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Elevated Expectations on The Great Ocean Road Victoria, Australia Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

 Commentary by By Rick Rodriguez

  
Cruising along the southern coastline in Victoria, Australia on The Great Ocean Road, after a week of playing some of Australia's finest golf courses, I began to think about how similar coastlines can be throughout the world: prodigious cliffs, coarse rocks, beautiful beaches, thick brush, seaside coves, and at times tumbling rocks.  However, in visiting the Great Ocean Road, a few hour drive from Melbourne, Australia; I was promised more: a spectacular tour, quaint towns, wildlife, and a marvel of the world—The Twelve Apostles National Park—thus with elevated expectations, I grabbed the coach that would deliver me to this promised land and headed off to the southern part of Victoria! After securing a window seat in the air-conditioned coach, I nestled in and got comfortable, a young man sat next to me (Italian), and in a short while we would engage in a lengthy conversation on our respective trips; however, for now, we would sit silently next to each other not unlike standing elevator companions!    
 

The tour’s 1^ststop was an oceanside pit stop for a Kodak moment and shortly thereafter the small town of Torquoy, Victoria.  The town, a small surf village on Victoria’s southern coast, is very typical of most seaside venues littered with small shops and convenience stores.  After the brief interlude in Torquoy, we continued along the spectacular and rugged shoreline; our driver skillfully adhering to the pavement despite at times hairpin turns adjacent to prodigious cliffs.  In little time we came about the small town of Apollo Bay, and I scampered off to find some postcards to send home.  After surveying the beach, I adhered to the Driver’s warning to return on time for the scheduled departure and we left en route to the Twelve Apostles National Park.

Upon seeing the Twelve Apostles National Park, nature’s gift to the world and the Southern Coast of Australia, I was breathless and inspired!  This is nature at its finest and all one can do is stare and admire the beautifully carved Apostles.  Millions of years of the Ocean’s work stood before me and I could only envision what those of yore might have thought when they came along these testaments to time!  Moving quickly to see as much as possible, I traversed three main trails before heading to a small cove I reached by negotiating a cliff down to the beach.     It is one of those places you often see in a postcard and it was quite dramatic!  The water ebbed and flowed somewhat briskly; however, I could envision sitting here an entire day.   I scaled to each end of the cove despite my attire, jeans and a tee shirt, and in a short while I was back up in the comfort of the coach.  The tour continued on stopping at other segments of the Twelve Apostles National Park before arriving at our last stop.

At our last stop, Port Campbell,  our Driver, once again admonished us about the time schedule. The Italian guy, remember him, saved me from figuring out how to find a way back to Melbourne (3 hours), as in my carelessness, I let the coach leave without me, and really there is never a moment quite like seeing your one and only ride home careening onto the Highway.  Slightly daunted, I asked a local about the possibilities of catching another coach or a cab back to Melbourne; he replied in the negative!  I suspected as much given the remoteness of this town and the paucity of inhabitants.  Slightly perplexed, I began the scanning process of surveying my options, and none looked too good.  As I sat slightly alarmed, 15 & 20 minutes having passed since the coach had departed, I caught eye of another coach coming into town which turned out to be mine.  The Italian guy, thinking it odd I was not on the bus, had finally convinced himself that I hadn’t suddenly decided to leave the tour and informed the Driver that I was not present.  Thank God! 

Alas, after a spectacular day touring the Great Ocean Road, I nearly found myself a temporary inhabitant of a remote seaside village called Port Campbell.  Ah, there is nothing like a little temporary overnighter in sleepy village somewhere on the other side of home, but fortunately I dodged that little event.  Nonetheless, the little episode was certainly adaptable after all I was in Australia, capturing the Great Ocean Road, perhaps for the only time!

 

In three hours, we were back home, and I checked in for the last time at the Crowne Plaza Melbourne.  In the morning, I had a quick breakfast, and grabbed a cab to the Airport.  14 hours later I landed in SFO safe & sound.  The tour of THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD turned out as promised!  It promised elevated expectations and it delivered that and more!  It was another amazing trip to the land down under!

 

Rick Rodriguez is a writer and is frequently published in opinion/editorial sections in local and national newspapers. Rick, a San Francisco Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College lives in Danville, California with his two children.  Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.

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Collecting Baseball Cards as a hobby Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Commentary by Rick Rodriguez

Of the many constants of my life, few span my entire existence on planet Earth as my collection of Baseball Cards--my lifetime hobby.  I started collecting Baseball Cards in 1969!  And, I remember the experience of opening a pack of cards in front of my godparents home on Redding Avenue Oakland, California.  I was with my older brother, Jaime, that day, and as kids we collected hundreds of cards.  In that pack of cards that day, I only remember one player from that pack, a Detroit Tiger, pitcher Daryl Patterson .  That's the card pictured here!  Of course, I don't know why as a 6 year old I could have such fine recollection of Mr. Patterson, but I do!  Perhaps, it was the distinct black and yellow colors of the card that caught my eye, or his position in a follow thru mode; or the hazy color of the grass. I don't know what it was but here we are both today sharing a paragraph together--nearly 40 years later!  Yikes--I've been collecting for 40 years!

In 1970, collecting cards was a banner year for us (my brother & me) as we bought loads and loads of baseball cards.  Back then, we collected bottles and turned them in for cash, and yep, bought baseball cards.  Our cause was also aided by our older cousins from San Francisco, Michael & Jesse, that heaped dozens of cards at us when we visited their home on Paris Street.  We'd walk away with football cards from the mid 1960's; as well as, many late sixties Topps baseball cards. 

Right about that time (early seventies) , the Oakland A's, Oakland Raiders, and Golden State Warriors (yes, Golden State) were about to embark on a unique time in the San Francisco Bay Area--winning championships!  The A's won three straight world titles; the Raiders had many memorable playoff moments before winning the Super Bowl in 1977, and the Rick Barry led Golden State Warriors won the NBA Championship in the 1974-75 season!  The San Francisco 49ers joined the party in 1981 and 1985 and twice more in the 1980's on their way to the team of the decade!  It was a great run for the Bay Area.  Of course, those years further enhanced my collecting of cards of all three sports, and to this day memories of those years have remained a constant in my life.  I collected other things,too!  The infamous seat cushions (A's), wristbands (Warriors), bats, autographs, and pennants (A's).    Many of the items I collected stood the test of time and are still with me.  Others, befallen to  calamities such as mom's cleaning day, never made it.  While my cards have survived over the years stored in everything from cigar boxes to an army green metal toolbox; my other collectibles haven't been as fortunate.  In my many moves, I've lost track of many precious possessions, but alas, these items exist somewhere even if for now they remain out of my possession.

The explosion of Free Agency in the 1976 ended the reign of the Oakland A's.  I never got used to Catfish as a New York Yankee, or Reggie as an Baltimore Oriole, or Captain Sal Bando as a Milwaukee Brewer thus toward the end of the 1970's my collecting came to an end.  The Warriors lost in the NBA Western conference finals in 1975-76 Season, and never regained the status that saw them sweep the Washington Bullets (4-0) in the finals.  The Raiders went on to two more Super Bowl wins in 1980 and 1983.  But, when the Raiders went south to Los Angeles, my heart stayed here with memories of my beloved Oakland Raiders of the 1970's.

Due mainly to the explosion of baseball cards as an investment, and the introduction of a plethora of new card companies (Donruss & Fleer); and the idea that players were no longer part of team for more than a few seasons--my interest waned!  It was a sad end to the boyhood I had as a kid growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, collecting wax packs of Baseball Cards for the pure joy of it, and actually caring about the players as if they were somehow part of the family.    

Today, I'm a proud owner of many baseball, football, and basketball cards.  I am still a fan of the A's, Warriors, and in a nostalgic sense of the Raiders.  My heart never went back to the Raiders once they left town!   And, while today's athletes have in many ways contributed to my enjoyment of the sports and teams; many have helped to further deteriorate my interest in the games.  I still collect cards, but only those of my boyhood days.  Over the years, I've added to my collection, and perhaps some day I'll get all the cards I'm missing or wanting.  I'm sure when that day comes, I'll sit back and recall that day back in 1969 when I first encountered Mr. Daryl Patterson...

Rick Rodriguez is a writer and is frequently published in opinion/editorial sections in local and national newspapers. Rick, a San Francisco Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College lives in Danville, California with his two children.  Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.

Follow Rick at:

http://www.rickrodriguez.net/

www.RickRodriguez.typepad.com/The_Rocket

www.RickRodriguez.typepad.com/The_Rodriguez_Report