Thou Shalt Not Steal

I was over at my buddy, Michael's, apartment Wednesday and saw an old cd laying out on his table. Actually, there were two. One was the acclaimed "Jesus Freak" album by the one and only DC Talk. The other was a Centrifuge praise and worship cd from 1996. I immediately grabbed that one and played it. The second it came on, Michael and I could not stop laughing. The first song went something like this: "God (God [echo]) Come (Come [echo]) Near (near [echo]) Now (now [echo]). And then it repeated the line over and over. After 45 seconds of that, I skipped to track four which offered these original lyrics: "You are my strength when I am weak, you are the treasure that I seek, you are my all in all." How long do you think it took for the writer of that chorus to come up with it? I'd say maybe 30 minutes...maybe. Eject. Place DC Talk in the player. Skip to Jesus Freak. This one opens with a guitar riff that was ripped straight off Kurt Cobain and jumps into a head banging fiasco that I actually thought was pretty cool when it first came out ten years ago. I could actually stomach the DC Talk cd...it wasn't completely awful, though it was completely unoriginal.

Christians have created a counter culture in our society and I had always been proud to be part of that, but the older I get the more I believe that the Christian right has created its own form of capitalism. They capitalize on pop culture, on politics, and anything else they can to "reach non-believers". What they're also doing is making a cheap buck. They market and sell millions of t-shirts, cd's, books, movies, and even candy. The Christian market has become an alter-ego of regular society and that does not make them appealing. You have your middle majority of Christians who don't want anything unless it makes them feel good or sounds nice or looks nice. Books like The Prayer of Jabez and The Left Behind Series fall into this category, along with 90% of all praise music that is usually backed by some soft piano and a simplified chorus repeated over and over. What about visual art? Well, my friend, Thomas Kinkade has cornered the Christian market on that one. Soft colors, majestic scenes, lamps lit that reflect the fallen snow. And, oh, look there's a baby fawn with his mother drinking out of the stream that runs right in front of the cottage at the base of the mountain. Aren't they worried about flooding or maybe an avalanche? Not at all, in Kinkade's world those things don't happen. These are the staples of pop-Christianity.

What's even worse than the previous paragraph is that there are a lot of these people and they have a great deal of influence. The Republican party saw that and completely duped these people into believing what they said. And here we are, six years later. Congressmen and Senators who reach out to the Christian Conservative Right on banning gay rights and gay marriage have homosexual people working for them and with them. And probably after they won their district or their senate seat, they sat with these people, had a glass of wine, celebrated their victory and laughed about how gullible the Christian right can be. Our conservative society, led by the CCR has all but removed grace from the discussion. "If you're foreign and illegal, pack your bag and get your ass back to Mexico." "If you have a different sexual preference, you do not deserve to have joint benefits...but don't tell anyone I'm sleeping with my secretary and am on marriage number three." "No to stem cell research, we can't harm innocent lives, but bomb the hell out of Iraq and everyone over there." What have we come to? Where is the logic? Where is the grace and compassion? I don't see it. And I don't know where I fit. I'm somewhere in the middle, I guess. Looking left and right and not liking either one, really.

When I was pulling into Michael's apartment on Wednesday night I was behind a car that had two stickers on it. One said "CSI": Christ Saved Individual. The other said, "Got Jesus?" It seems that there are no original thoughts left in Christian circles. Whatever happened to Thou shalt not steal? We seem to be a blinded a people, incapable of thinking on our own. We're all sheep following the wrong shephard. And the problem with that is that we're not sly as the wolves who are leading us.

"I'll always love you, though, New York..."

Without being sac-religous, my "holy trinity" of music consists of Counting Crows, Bruce Springsteen, and Ryan Adams. I won't ascribe any deity to any of these people or try and figure where each one fits in a "father, son, holy ghost" sort of way, but let's just say that they're all equal in my eyes and each one brings something different to the table. The title of this post comes straight from a Ryan Adams' song called "New York, New York" and I was constantly singing the first line of the song in my head over and over while I was in the city.

"Well I shuffled through the city on the fourth of July, like a firecracker waiting to blow."

And that's how Ryan's song begins. And that's how Davina and I were the five days we were there. Basically, trying to fit it all in, trying to see everything. It's very hard for me to take you through our trip because there was just so much that we did. We hit the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Ground Zero, 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Center, Empire State Building, Central Park, Soho, Grennwhich Village, the Upper West Side, Queens (on accident), Times Square, "Rent", St. Patrick's Cathedral, we even attended the Latin-American heritage festival (on accident).

Davina had never been to New York before and had always wanted to go. This trip had been in the works for over a year and we finally decided that we had to do it now because once the baby got here, travel would be limited for awhile. I had been twice before and I was anxious to show Davina what I loved about the city, but also make sure she saw the high points that everyone needs to see when they go to New York. We flew into JFK late on Thursday night and on Friday we spent the whole afternoon in Central Park. She kept saying that it was weird to be here because she had seen it movies so many times. I thought the same thing the first time I was there when I was sixteen. I felt like I was in a movie.

The next day we hit the Statue and Ellis Island. The one thing about New York that I had never noticed until this time was that we were the racial minority in the city. I think New York captures what our country is and what it was built on. We are a country of immigrants. That's how we were formed, that's where our strength is. That's our character. It's our diversity that seperates us from the radicals that have warred against us since we were first formed. We're quick to demand that the illegals be thrown out, but is this not what seperates us from the closed mindedness of fundamentalists; a chance at something better? I think it is and I think we have to think about people instead of policy when we make our judgements.

Over the next few days, we spent time in the Village, Little Italy, we walked on the Brooklyn Bridge at night and went to the observation deck of the Empire State Building at dusk. We saw "Rent" which summed up a fallen world without grace without even meaning to. And on Tuesday morning when it was time to go, we didn't want to leave.

I don't know if I can describe New York at all using words. It's sort of how I felt each time I've been there and stood in the canyons of buildings all around me. It overloads your senses and it brings back memories of people and characters that I've read about and listened to and I see New York how they see it. I see Joe Dimaggio in the golden age of baseball, being the face of America and the personification of New York. I see Willa Cather's character, Paul, from "Paul's Case" as he lives out his fantasy looking out over Central Park and the snow right before he steps in front of a train because that dream is disappearing. I see the family from John Irving's "The Hotel New Hampshire" finally settling in Manhattan after a time of sadness in Germany. I see Jay Gatsby coming into the city preparing for one of his parties on the East Egg. I hear Ryan Adams' singing that he'll always love New York and I understand why. And Sprinsteen, even though he's Jersey through and through, I know why he's "meeting across the river". Because that's where it is...that's where the opportunity is, the life is, that's the center of the world the moment you're there and it feels like you are in the middle of everything. "New York, New York".

Monday Night Football...running blog

I'm keeping a running blog of the Packers' game tonight. I'm basically ripping this idea off of Bill Simmons, better known as the "Sports Guy". He's a writer for Page 2 on espn.com. Anyway, I'm gonna give it a try tonight. We'll see how it goes...

7:02 - The ESPN pre-game show just showed a graphic that said 25 of Green Bay's 53 players are under the age of 25. That really makes me feel good about the game tonight.

7:13 - The last time Brett Favre didn't start a football game, gasoline was 1.12 a gallon, "Rosanne" was the number 1 tv show, and "Last of the Mohicans" was the number 1 movie...and I was 12 years old.

7:15 - I don't usually like red-headed women, but Rachel Nichols (the sideline reporter for the game) is actually very hot.

7:22 - The Packers haven't won at Philly since 1962. Their defense is still reeling from the 2004 play-off loss where they gave up a 4th and 26 with under a minute to go. They ended up losing the game and I ended up in a deep depression for the next two weeks.

7:23 - OK...here's what I think for tonight...Packers 27-Eagles 21. Defense will play well...Favre will play well. Upset win...I can feel it!!!

7:29 - Everyone on the pre-game show just picked Philly...all four of them!!!! And Mike Tirico just butchered the use of alliteration. And now there's a stupid silly samuri pregame opening that rivals anything completely crappy that I've ever seen...how's that for alliteration.

7:31 - The first Monday night game I watched Favre play was in 1993 against the KC Chiefs when Joe Montana was quaterbacking the Chiefs. The Packers lost.

7:40 - Packers to receive.

7:44 - 3 and out for Green Bay

7:47 - 3 and out for Philly...McNabb sacked!!!!!!

7:50 - 22 yard pass from Favre to Jennings...ball on the 33

7:52 - 1st and goal...incomplete pass...2nd and goal...we need to run it.

7:53 - Dropped pass by Driver in the end zone...he dropped two last week...catch the damn ball!!!

7:54 - field goal...3-0 Packers...not enough...needed a TD

8:00 - Donovan McNabb just had about four minutes to throw the ball...completion for 22 yards.

8:04 - FUMBLE!!!!! Packers recover inside their own 10 yard line...how about a 97 yard drive?!!!!

8:13 - 1:21 left in the 1st quarter and Favre has thrown 16 passes...the most first quarter passes in his career...by the way, McCarthy said he wanted to make it a priority to run the ball this season.

8:17 - The Packers are getting absolutely NO rush on the quaterback.

8:18 - End of the first quarter...3-0, Packers.

8:21 - Packers hold...Eagles punt. Green Bay has it at their own 10. I'm very concerned at the amount of pass plays the Packers have called. We have no running game right now...this doesn't look good. The more Favre throws, the more likely a pick is.

8:25 - 3 and out for the Pack

8:31 - NO PASS RUSH!!!! Eagles convert third and long.

8:33 - FUMBLE!!!! Again inside the Packers five...Packers ball...this is crazy!!!

8:35 - Packers fumble...Eagles recover inside the Packers' 10...I hate football!!!

8:38 - Touchdown Philly...7-3 Philly

8:46 - Dave Rayner field goal from 54 yards...7-6 Eagles.

9:04 - I hate referees...no pass interference call when the DB never let go of Jennings...settled for a field goal...9-7 Pack...1:42 left in the half.

9:13 - Third and long...SACKED!!!! How about that...a pass rush. 53 yard field goal attempt for Philly...kick is up and it's...a fake...ran out of bounds...Packers 9-7 at the half.

9:37 - Good opening drive for Philly...1st down on the Green Bay 32...they are running it all over Green Bay.

9:39 - Green Bay holds...Field goal Philly...10-9 Philly.

9:47 - Big catch from Jennings...Philly is challenging...

9:49 - Ruling on the field stands...30 yard pass play Favre to Jennings.

9:50 - Catch the *&^% ball, Driver!!!!! Right in the numbers.

9:51 - Eagles hold...Packers to attempt another 54 yard field goal...kick is up and it's...way off.

9:54 - Bad move to attempt the field goal...good field position for philly.

9:55 - Another huge pass play...TD Philly on Ahmad Carrol...he sucks!!!

10:00 - Another dropped pass...through the hands of Morency...intercepted by Philly. No help for Favre

10:03 - Pass interference on freakin' Ahmed Carrol...he sucks!!!!

10:04 - TD Philly...Green Bay looks completely lost...24-9 Philly. I hate football!!! I feel at least two more Favre int's...it all started with the Donald Driver dropped pass.

10:08 - Philly is pinning their ears back now...2nd and 20 on the Green Bay 10...intercpeted...flag down...penalty on Philly...1st down Green Bay.

10:12 - Philly is bringing the house every play...something bad is about to happen.

10:13 - 27 yard pass to Driver...1st down.

10:13 - interception...i'm shutting it down...had a guy open...underthrew him...I'm done...I can't take it...goodnight.

A Bar at 13, A Bar at 26

This week-end I was in St. Louis for a basketball coaches' convention. It was basketball non-stop, all day and all night. You could say that it was a basket full of basketball, but you probably wouldn't want to say that because you would sound like a complete tool. Anyway, at this conference there were several of the country's top coaches from top collegiate programs. We had Bruce Webber from Illinois, Lute Olsen from Arizona, Bob Huggins from Kansas State, Jim Boeheim from Syracuse just to name a few. These guys gave their philosophies on everything from the 2-3 zone to coaching how to defend the screen and roll. It was a lot to take in at once, but very worth the three and a half hour drive to St. Louis. The conference was held at the Adam's Mark hotel in downtown St. Louis, which is where we also stayed. A nice hotel with a bit of personal history.

As I documented before, I was a huge...actually, a HUGE Will Clark fan growing up and the closest place to see a ball game was St. Louis. He played for the Giants the first part of his career and when they would come to St. Louis, we would go to St. Louis and stay in the Adam's Mark hotel because that's where the players stayed. There was this bar in the Adam's Mark where all the players would go after the game. We would wait for them to step off the elevators on their way to the bar and ask them for an autograph. I actually just hoped to speak to one of them. I met several players, but never knew what to say or if I should say anything. These people were like gods to me and I was only a mortal. So, they would step off the elevators and I would fearfully hand a ball or a baseball card and a pen to one of them in hopes of an autograph. Some would sign, some wouldn't. Some (Barry Bonds) were complete jerks, for lack of a better word (or words), and would just tell you to "get the hell out of [their] way". I never did care for Barry Bonds, so that didn't bother me or hurt my feelings. Well, I would wait and wait for some of the players and they would exit the elevator, sign a few autographs and disappear into the smoke of the bar. All I could do as a thirteen year old, was watch as they were enveloped in the noise and atomsphere of the Players bar in the Adam's Mark. As a thirteen year old, I couldn't go in there. I would stand a couple of minutes, see who I could see and find something else to do. I can remember wondering what must be in there. I can remember thinking how mystical that place seemed because all these people who seemed to carry some worldly divinity about them all congregated and vanished into that place to rub shoulders with other people who I could not relate to in the least bit.

We checked in to the Adam's Mark on Friday night and headed out to find something to eat downtown. As we walked out the door, I saw some kids in Cardinals jerseys getting ready to go to the game and I wondered if they would mistake me for a player. It was weird to think that I was now the same age of some of those people I looked up to so much...that I seemed to think were untouchable. We walked past the Players bar and I glanced in there the same way I had thirteen years ago and it still had the same feeling. It seemed bigger than it should be.

We had a full day of basketball the next day and my friends, Jada and Chad, were picking me up at the hotel that night to go out. As a side note, there's not much I enjoy more than catching up with friends over a few beers and pizza. Well, that's what we did. Hung out for awhile, talked while we watched the USC-Iowa football game. Talked about the kids we have on the way, about moving, about adult stuff. I felt so far away from thirteen years old that it seemed like I was never there. They dropped me off at the hotel where my friend, Matt, was picking me up after the night session and then we would head back to Jackson. I got to the hotel a bit before Matt, and I had to kill some time. I went to the business center and checked my email which took about three minutes. I still had about thirty minutes to kill, so I had to find something to do. I walked back to the lobby and saw the Players bar sign and it clicked that I was actually old enough to go in there. So, I walked in like I belonged there...like one of those players from years ago. And when I walked in I saw people who had no divine attributes at all. There were two fat guys in Arkansas shirts drinking beer and who made fun of me for ordering a Long Island Tea. There was a group of guys in their fifties who was sexually harassing the bartender and drunk off their asses. There were a group of women and men a bit older who were louder than anyone else in the bar and had filthier language than anyone else as well. I asked the bartender if any of the baseball teams stayed here anymore and she said that that they all stayed at the Union Station hotel now. And I guess that's fitting in a way. I guess we all outgrow times in our lives and I guess these teams moved on to something bigger and better and nicer. And I guess, last night I outgrew the mysticism of the Players bar in the Adam's Mark hotel in downtwon St. Louis. Give me pizza and beer and some friends to catch up with...give me that anytime over the Players bar in the Adam's Mark hotel in downtwon St. Louis.