OT: The OT Thread: Maybe spring has sprung... (Warning in post 368)

[Jim Bob]

Well, Nate's junior college lacrosse season is in the books. And it was not the ideal season for Nate or the team. But, I am really proud of the teammate that he was this year.

There were a ton of things that were outside of the control of Nate and the coaches that made things tough.

Being in the third conference in three years led to the coach, who was in his second season as the permanent head coach, to be really challenged in filling out all the "competition days" slots that they have as a DIII program.

They only ended up with 12 games this spring when 15-16 and then 2 or 3 scrimmages between the fall and spring filling things out is the norm. Then they had bad weather push back the start of their season and compress the games into less than 8 weeks (March 15 was their first game and April 26 was their last game) with most weeks being Wednesday and Saturday gamedays.

Nate got the start in the opener and then sprained his ankle before halftime. He missed the next couple of games and the ankle didn't feel right until the 10th game of the year. And while he was coming back from the ankle, he got a bad case of the flu. It went through the team and Nate probably got the second worse case of it.

He was also dealing with only having two goalies on the roster and a lot of pressure that extra workload put on both of them was a challenge.

On the field, Nate didn't play anywhere near as much as last year, but he had a better Save% than last year when he did get on the field.

But, being a captain and a good teammate was where he shined. The last game of the year was a great example of it. His goalie partner had lost his mom to cancer in the fall. And the last game of the year was a "Lacrosse Out Cancer" fundraiser game and a game to honor Blake's mom.

Blake got the start like he had since game one. The previous few games, Blake would start and Nate would play the second half. At halftime, Blake and Nate both warmed up before the head coach came out of the locker room. I saw the coach talk to the two goalies and then Blake played the second half.

I found out after the game what the conversation was when the coach came over and told us what happened. The coach asked them was they were thinking. Nate's answer was, "I'm ready if you want me to go in coach. But, it's Blake's day." Telling us this story, the coach got a little choked up and gave Nate a hug and told him that he loved him.

Blake also tied the school record for saves in a game, with 24. It was a record that Nate tied last year.

I always talk to the coaches about how I care more about how coachable Nate it and what kind of teammate he is than how he plays in the games. This season was just a great example of how great Nate is doing when it comes to those things and I am so proud of him for that.

 

[brian_griffin]

I must be thinking about this too much, because I had a dream a grizzly bear attacked me and some people I was fighting (I can't remember what we were fighting over). I know it's a bit different than the scenario, but I swear- I was fighting with two people to escape some room (like an office or something), then out of nowhere a grizzly appears. There was no logical reason for a grizzly to appear, and I remember dream me and the two guys that were whoopin' my ass were like 'a f****ing grizzly? In this environment? How?!'

Let me tell you- those dudes that were whoopin' my ass- got taken care of pretty quickly by the bear. I just remember playing dead. Not sure what happened with the bear after that- but I woke up pretty soon after that like 'damn, I need to stop thinking about bears'. I would've rather taken that ass whoopin' than deal with the shock of a freakin' grizzly appearing in an office building to lay the smack down on whoever was closest.

Baffling dream on multiple levels. The grizzlies in my office are some of the most helpful, cordial, bears you'll ever have a chance to work with.

 

[sabremike]

Relatively easy to tell a Masai giraffe from a reticulated giraffe. Some of the other subspecies, however? Not so easy to visually differentiate...

 

[Dubi Doo]

Baffling dream on multiple levels. The grizzlies in my office are some of the most helpful, cordial, bears you'll ever have a chance to work with.

Thanks for the chuckle first thing in the morning!

 

[Chainshot]

This made me smile as a palate cleanser today -

 

[MarkusKetterer]

I hate that this is true.

 

[Jim Bob]

So, Nate had his end of year exit interview with his head coach on Friday.

Two things Nate shared with me were that were awesome.

They had one senior (he was the only real senior on the team) and four junior captains. The coach said that Curtis (the senior) and Nate were the two captains that did things the way they want captains to do them. So, it sounds like he might change up the captains next year. But, Nate is feeling confident that he will be a captain again.

And then they went over Nate's "lacrosse report card."

There are different things they grade the players on, including the team's core values.

The grades are 1-5 and the coach rarely gives out 5s.

He told Nate that he is the first player he's ever given a 5 for "We over me."

It made me so proud to hear that.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

That means you've done your job in raising a good human, JB.

 

[Chainshot]

WTF is this world...

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

In happy old man news- I moved into my lil apartment about 6 months ago, and it’s perfect for me, but I’ve needed one more piece of storage in a corner under the TV. Had a coffee table I’d yoinked from a street corner there, but I really needed somethin for shoes and knick knacks, with a top more at counter level. I refuse to buy furniture until I’m settled and until I stop seeing good shit on street corners, but it’s just about right place right time.

I walk around a city for 8 hours a day for work, nothing. I walk 5 houses down to go get my mum a Mother’s Day gift today- boom, the perfect lil cabinet unit is sitting right there, just waiting for me to struggle it back to my place.

Such a small thing, but it’s gonna make life so much easier. Waiting on it and getting it for free just makes the reward better. My positive spin on the fact that prices are already bullshit and only getting worse, I guess- be cheap on most things and you’ll enjoy splurges/rewards more. Anyway- it’s old Sabres red, too, hell of an add.

 

[Dubi Doo]

WTF is this world...

Wow. Freaky.

Extremism is growing everywhere it seems. Here in America, it seems to be growing pretty quickly as well, and these news outlets + the internet that produce enough propaganda to make a Nazi blush ain't helping. We all know the Tops shooter was eating up a ton of propaganda online and in the media. I do worry about what the future holds 'round these parts.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Anyone else raise (or raising) a son, and tried (trying) their best not to pass your flaws onto them. My dad had a tough time regulating his anger. He wasn't abusive or anything, but boy howdy- he could flip on a switch, and some of the arguments he and my (ex)step-mom had were crazy. Tbf, she's pretty nutty herself.

As I've grown up, I've noticed I had those same ticks, though not to the same extreme, and I have grown a lot in this regard. So now, raising a little guy, I try to catch myself before getting mad, and when I catch him throwing a fit- I don't yell at him. I calmly try to walk him through his emotions and how to react to them. My new saying is- try to control our anger, don't let our anger control us. I feel like Obi Wan mentoring Anakin, haha.

 

[Beerz]

Wow. Freaky.

Extremism is growing everywhere it seems. Here in America, it seems to be growing pretty quickly as well, and these news outlets + the internet that produce enough propaganda to make a Nazi blush ain't helping. We all know the Tops shooter was eating up a ton of propaganda online and in the media. I do worry about what the future holds 'round these parts.

Don't forget the Tesla Bombers!

 

[Jim Bob]

That means you've done your job in raising a good human, JB.

I know I'm biased, but I think Nate is a good dude.

From the refs, including one that remembered reffing him in HS, checking in on him after he sprained his ankle to all the interactions we've had with his coaches and teammates over the years, it reinforces that the lessons I tried to teach about sportsmanship, coachability, and being a good teammate sunk in.

The on the field stuff is nice, but it has a short shelf life. Being a good person who works hard, is loyal, and people like to work with is what lasts a lifetime.

 

[TehDoak]

Wow. Freaky.

Extremism is growing everywhere it seems. Here in America, it seems to be growing pretty quickly as well, and these news outlets + the internet that produce enough propaganda to make a Nazi blush ain't helping. We all know the Tops shooter was eating up a ton of propaganda online and in the media. I do worry about what the future holds 'round these parts.

Its been very interesting to watch the evolution of the internet, especially since the birth of social media. While TV/Print propaganda were powerful....you would think with how easy it is to check the validity of spurious claims, the instant access to information would be useful in having less propaganda. It seems the opposite has happened. People don't care to check things or use bad sources to find what they want instead of what is valid and true. The internet has become a propaganda firehouse allowing those with power (or just know how) to craft their own reality. And people will believe what they read on the internet over their own family and friends. It really doesn't help if there is a television station reinforcing misinformation online. It becomes an echo chamber feedback look that even the brightest people cannot escape.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Don't forget the Tesla Bombers!

Musk is a good example of why a billionaire should refrain from posting on social media like my crazy aunt, and getting majorly involved in government functions. Tesla stocks seem to be doing better last I checked, but man- they were bleeding sales the past few months.

Target has been bleeding sales, too, because they somehow pissed off both sides of the politcal spectrum.

Truth is, most of these billionaires dont give a shit about the causes they claim to. If you look at some of Musk's social media postings from 5+ years ago- you would've thought he was a purple haired, non-binary, asexual college student with a BLM mask on, haha. The 180 he's done is quite crazy, but we probably can't get too deep into it here due to the rules.

The Tops shooting really grinds my gear bc it was our community (well, im in Rochester, but close enough), and the sheer brutality of it all. His journal was crazy insightful to what happens to people that go down the wormhole of the dark web (is it even dark anymore?!) + eating up a lot of propaganda in the media.

 

[Beerz]

Musk is a good example of why a billionaire should refrain from posting on social media like my crazy aunt, and getting majorly involved in government functions. Tesla stocks seem to be doing better last I checked, but man- they were bleeding sales the past few months.

Target has been bleeding sales, too, because they somehow pissed off both sides of the politcal spectrum.

Truth is, most of these billionaires dont give a shit about the causes they claim to. If you look at some of Musk's social media postings from 5+ years ago- you would've thought he was a purple haired, non-binary, asexual college student with a BLM mask on, haha. The 180 he's done is quite crazy, but we probably can't get too deep into it here due to the rules.

The Tops shooting really grinds my gear bc it was our community (well, im in Rochester, but close enough), and the sheer brutality of it all. His journal was crazy insightful to what happens to people that go down the wormhole of the dark web (is it even dark anymore?!) + eating up a lot of propaganda in the media.

People hate the idea but we drove these people into the "dark web" .. banished them from social media ect ect.... they are free there to preach their hate/extremism with no pushback..just an empty echo chamber.

Speech is the best counter measure to any extremist ideas or hate.

Let people show you who they really are.

Being covert only makes it harder for Law Enforcement to keep an eye on and track.

 

[Jim Bob]

People hate the idea but we drove these people into the "dark web" .. banished them from social media ect ect.... they are free there to preach their hate/extremism with no pushback..just an empty echo chamber.

Speech is the best counter measure to any extremist ideas or hate.

Let people show you who they really are.

Being covert only makes it harder for Law Enforcement to keep an eye on and track.

Social media algorithms make so many "un-dark web" places empty echo chambers. And the same goes for the various "news entertainment" channels that have moved away from being a place where people with different points of view have intelligent debates about topics to places that just push extreme views and fear.

 

[Dubi Doo]

People hate the idea but we drove these people into the "dark web" .. banished them from social media ect ect.... they are free there to preach their hate/extremism with no pushback..just an empty echo chamber.

Speech is the best counter measure to any extremist ideas or hate.

Let people show you who they really are.

Being covert only makes it harder for Law Enforcement to keep an eye on and track.

There's definitely a pendulum effect involed.

The dark web has been around for so long, though. Back when social media was more for college kids and high schoolers. I remember being a kid in 2005, and we would viewed those on the dark web as tinfoil hat wearing weirdos. In hindsight, those kids probably just needed friends.

I believe a lot of those roaming the dark web are just lonely people looking for a cause bigger than them. Reminds me of Fight Club when Brad Pitt gives the epic speech of 'what's our war?!'