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SCOTTY'S
DEN ARCHIVE #2 THE SCOTTY'S DEN ARCHIVE OF PAST COLUMNS SCOTTY'S DEN ARCHIVE #1 CURRENT SCOTTY'S DEN |
APRIL
17th, 2006 |
AHH,
SPRING Ahh, Spring has arrived. Time for the onslaught of the Hollywood Blockbusters to be unleashed. I for one always look forward to the big Summer flick. The trailers make everyone look like a must see. I’ve believe that there are some real talented people that make the trailers in Hollywood. These people are so talented that they can make a two minute film about my home video of my daughters Trick-or-Treating and make it seem like a $200 million dollar movie. Of course the actual “movie” may leave something to be desired. I’ve been thinking about the movies that I’ve been most disappointed by. Movies that promised much but delivered like the United States Postal Service on a Sunday. First, let’s go back to 1992 and the release of Batman Returns. Advertising that rivaled the original Batman went on months before the June release. I guess it had a lot of to live up to. Batman offered a version of the superhero that hadn’t been seen before. How do you top that? I guess they thought that if they threw a lot of explosions, bat gizmos, and, to top it off, a villain that you felt sorry for at us we’d never notice. The next movie came out in 1993. In my teen years every summer had a Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. This year we were offered The Last Action Hero. Usually his movies were not a bad way to spend a couple of hours, not this stinker. It was supposed to make fun of his own hero-action movies. But his movies were already bigger than life and in truth made fun of themselves. This attempt to lighten up the mood failed. It’s goofy premise left me with very few positive memories of this movie. As a matter of fact this movie may had been the turning point in Schwarzenegger’s career. I hope he’s found something to fill his time. The next movie is Star Wars Episode I-The Phantom Menace. Now talk about having something to live up to. The first Star Wars movies (SW, ESB, and RotJ) were the movies that defined good movies in my youth. As a matter of fact Star Wars was the first movie that I saw in a theater. So who could blame me for looking forward to this one? In Star Wars, we had a classic battle between good and evil, white versus black. What do I get here to set the stage? Let me see, a meaty little trade disagreement. I guess that would appeal to the accountants in the audience. I didn’t get it. I have to say that this movie was the only one of the last three that I actually saw in a theater. Twenty years of franchise loyalty shot. Bummer. In 2002 we were offered Minority Report. The first collaboration, between Spielberg and Tom Cruise (before he went nuts). This movie was hyped as the movie to see that year. I really wish I hadn’t. The plot was so confusing (to me anyway) that even if I had thought about it in the last 4 years, I still wouldn’t have figured it out. I had a choice to see either this or The Bourne Identity. I chose Minority Report. I should have chosen what was behind the other door. Of course this is all my opinion. You may love these movies. If you do, then I’m happy for you. That’s what makes the movies so great. We have likes and dislikes and we can make choices based on those. I myself have not made some of the best choices. As a matter of fact, when I was a lad I had a choice between Raiders of the Lost Ark and Clash of the Titans. Yep, you guessed it. I chose poorly. So when this year’s crop of movies comes out I’m gonna be there when I can to take it all in. I guess I could read reviews and stuff like that to make a informed choice. But why spoil the surprise? |
JANUARY
9th, 2006 |
A
NEW LOW FOR UK BASKETBALL That’s it! I’m through. I’ve pulled my Support from this Year’s “Wildcats”. 46 points! (Kansas - 73, UK - 46 [01/07/06]) Heck I’d take Mike, Craig, Greg, myself, and any other person from the group and score 46 points. I couldn’t in good conscience include the younger folk such as John Robertson because that would be too one sided. It’s just not working. I say let’s start over Next Year. Let them finish out this Year and what ever happens happens. I’ll take No more Pain or Pleasure from this team. Even if they pull off a 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team sized Miracle in March, it’ll mean nothing to me. I’m on the Bandwagon Injured Reserve until Next Year. If this makes me seem like Fair Weathered Fan, so be it. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Fair Weather and I don’t like the Forecast. Just when you think this team has turned a corner … BANG … They hit a Wall. I’m serious when I play Sports. I watch them for fun. Let’s face it; this team is defiantly No Fun. It’s like some sort of torture watching them shoot so poorly, make bad decisions, and so on and so on. Are they not familiar with the game of basketball? I know they’ve seen how it should be played. But I’m not here to say I know how to fix it. I don’t know nor is it my job to know. I was just a fan. I am a fan that wanted to be entertained. I’m forsaking College Basketball this year. That’s three months taken away from my Sporting Year. I’m not putting my support behind another team. I’m just withholding my support from this one. If you see me and want to start a conversation pick something else because I’ll be ignorant on College Basketball. So now I say Good-Bye to the 2005-06 version of the Kentucky Wildcats. I would say it’s been a pleasure knowing you. But it really hasn’t. I will say that you bring back Memories of Eddie Sutton's last team at UK. That’s one team I’ve really tried to forget. |
AUGUST
8th, 2005 |
RRS
SOFTBALL A SUCCESS I would like to give my 'Whole Hearted Thanks' to everyone who made Opening Day of our Softball a success. I can't tell you how much fun I had and how much I am looking forward to next week. The Red
Team (we need a nickname!) gave it a mighty effort which resulted
in a tie with the Blue Team. Although we didn't Also I'd
like to give 'Special Thanks' to Andrew Lundsford who pitched
6 plus innings for both teams with a severely Now we
will take a few days to let the wounds heal for the ones who overexerted
ourselves because we're not as young as |
MAY
23rd, 2005 |
OMEGA
OVERNIGHT (A Narrative Description of the May 14th - 15th, 2005 Trip. Embedded Links lead to Photographs-All Photos here) We leave Wooton Saturday morning around 11:00 a.m. and head out. After checking the weather all week long I pretty much expect rain. Wunderground is giving 80% chance for Saturday and Saturday night. We arrive in the Gorge around 12:30 and head to Tunnel Ridge Road. Of course the first site at Unofficial Ridge is occupied. After a brief look around P4 we discovered a site or two out to the left of the parking lot (here and here). But we decide to look at some of the other parking lots for better ones. We arrive at Parking lot 5, Tar Kiln. (here, here, here, & here) We walk about the same distance that we would have on Unofficial Ridge and find a pretty nice spot. Several trips back and forth to the Trailblazer and we now have our camp set up. Next the girls have fishing on the agenda. We head out to the Shell to pick up a Parking Pass and then through the tunnel. We next go to Road 9 to check on the damage. It appears much the way it did last year on the Spring Venture. Danika spots a flower that we haven't taken the time to identify (here). The girls walk down the first road on the left at the end of the farmer's field and head to the creek to "drown some worms" (here). This is where the first of the rain hits. It only lasts a few minutes and then the sun shines again. After the trip back out through the now wet field, we are a mess. Danika cleans dirty feet before we are allowed back in her new truck (here). After a quick stop at Gladie, to let the girls get to check out the new facility, we head on to the Suspension Bridge parking lot. We walk the trail up to the next camping area, which by the way is packed. We see some young fellows on top of the big rock contemplating jumping into the river which is at least 25 feet below. It must have taken some work for them to just to get up to the top judging from the amount of canned beverages they were consuming. They finally take the plunge. I just wish I had my old camera handy. On the walk back out it begins to rain again. Next we decide to return to camp and get a fire started before we lose daylight. It is getting close to 7:00 p.m. After arriving back at Tar Kiln we start making preparations. A fire is started, dinner is prepared and Mother Nature let's us have it for a good 45 minutes (here & here). This is where I sign Danika up for the "Mother Nature Hater's Club". Kelsey is just having a good time playing in the tent. Because I had worked Friday night and had only a couple hours of sleep, I head to bed around 9:00. Being wet and Mother Nature letting us have a really cool temps, the night isn't pleasant. But you wouldn’t know it from Kelsey who has slept all night long and wakes up with a smile on her face and laughing. We wake Sunday morning to cool but clear weather. The tough job of packing everything up begins. Next we head back down to the river to some more fishing (here & here). Danika actually has some luck before Kelsey and I get a bored. One more stop at Gladie where the girls get to check out the cabin and the barn (here, here & here). It has been years since I was actually at the cabin so it was nice to check it out again. Next we head back to the Daniel Boone trading post to pick some souvenirs and then the trip is over. We have had fun but we head home very tired. |
MARCH
28th, 2005 |
HONOR
IN SPORT, REALLY? (Be Sure to check out more "Sports" Related Subject matter in THE WAR ROOM) I consider myself somewhat of a Sports Guy. I keep up with most of the major sports everyday. Either on Television or in Print. Here lately Sports Figures have fallen out of my favor. When I was younger, some athletes were my heroes, people to look up to. I remember my sister Jo Ann having poster of the Big Red Machine and Johnny Bench on her wall. I credit my sister Pam with introducing me to the Wildcats in ‘78. I still think of the #4 as being Kyle Macy’s number. I remember Charles Barkley’s commercial where he said it was not his job to be a Role Model. That being a Role Model was solely the parents job or something to that effect. To that I say Horse Hockey! It goes without saying that a child’s greatest influence should be their parents. But who says that a child can’t look to others for inspiration. For example, I am not a Great Soccer Player. What would be wrong with my daughter Kelsey watching Mia Hamm or Landon Donavan and saying, “I think I can do that too.” Those are things that I could never teach her. Personally, I think that it is a horrible time for an impressionable youth to be looking to athletes for Role Models. Everyday the news of Sports Personalities gets more depressing. The most hallowed of all baseball record, the career home runs, is now tainted with steroids. A promising Running Back quits the game saying marijuana is more important to him. Basketball Players asking for time less than one week into the season because they are tired. Why should these people, who are paid obscene amounts of money, be deserving of our respect? They should be thankful that they get to play a game for a living. I am beginning to loose faith. So here is the challenge for all the Sports Guys and Gals: "Name for me 10 current Sports Personalities that are deserving of the respect that we used to bestow on athletes when we were kids and Why?" Post your 10 Sports Personalities List, if you can here |
FEBRUARY
14th, 2005 |
MUSIC
ME! My thoughts on the music situation. The Saga Staff asked a question that really had me thinking a bit this week. What to do about this year’s CD? I for one enjoy the yearly production. I agree that it is something that sets us apart from other groups. I also know the work that goes into making the disk. I for one would miss it. For ten years now we have been given an excellent musical production for no cost to us and for that we should be grateful. But then you have to ask yourself, what hasn’t been covered in those ten years? How can it be improved upon? For the most part then CDs have been compilations of music that is readily heard on the radio that year. This “dates” them. This is both good and bad. When we receive them, the music isn’t new to us and quit frankly we may be tired of some of the songs. Things may change in a few years. You might pick up one of the older CDs and see a song that you haven’t heard in a while. We’ve also been given CD’s that have “Classic Rock" content, as with last year's production. While undoubtedly some already have these songs in your library, it is nice to have the particular play-list that is on this CD. So in considering the future of this effort, the content has to considered. This is a major undertaking for those involved in production. Even Major Studios, whose budget (money and time) is many times greater than what the Saga Staff has to work with, do no put out what is in effect a Greatest Hits CD every year. So I do think the content will become an issue. If anyone still has the earlier cassettes they may remember that there were actual conversations from the trips on them. This is something that I miss in the later CDs. Cindi has already posted that she thinks there is enough talent around the campfire to make our own music for a CD. To me this sounds like great idea. Add to that some of the conversations that had also been recorded and now you’re talking about one memorable CD. Of course, this does not solve this issue for this year as a CD cannot be produced from music not recorded yet. Maybe the CD could be moved until after the trip? Instead of trying to set the tone for the trip it could kind of summarize it. I have to admit that I do not pay as much attention to the disks as soon as I get them as I do a few years later. But I would defiantly not want to lose them all together. Post your own thoughts here |
