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How Important Is Your Golf Swing Release
An optimal golf swing release has a lot to do with the way the golfer controls their body and makes use of their muscles right from the back swing to the impact and follow through. And the muscles involved are not just those in the arm. The feet,...
Schilling to the bullpen; it's a "good thing"
Perhaps Johnny Damon�s in a panic (Why are you guys still petrified of the Yankees??) with the news of Curt Schilling�s return to the Red Sox in a bullpen role. But, this latest move by Boston, in the wake of Keith Foulke�s injury and...
The Most Popular Sports In The United States
All around the globe, on any given day, you will find some sort of sports event on your local television station or on cable. With networks dedicated solely to sports, you can find things like boxing, bowling, fishing, basketball, football, baseball...
Why Do You Run?
Copyright 2005 Mary Desaulniers
It is a simple question from a seven year old that starts me on
a life review. "Why do you run?" she asks when I stop for
lemonade at her make-shift stand, the one sporting a sign that
warms my heart: "...
Why I Would Rather Be A Slugger Than A Pitcher
During the last NLCS, I asked Brandon Backe of the Astros what the hardest thing was for him in making the conversion from outfielder to pitcher in the minors. He said it was "not playing every day." That is why I would rather be a slugger, to...
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World Series In Russia � Huh? What?
As we watch the Astros choke or White Sox perform valiantly depending on your point of view, I am reminded of my baseball experience in Russia.
World Series
I always find it interesting that most of our professional sports call the championship round the World Series or some similar variation. Clearly, there are games being played elsewhere, so how can it be the world championship? With baseball, the arrivals of Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners and Tadahito Iguchi of the White Sox certainly suggest baseball in Japan must be of a high quality. Perhaps more interesting is the fact that some sports aren�t even acknowledged in other countries as I found out in Russia.
Siberia does not have cable television nor can one pull up anything other than CNN. This made watching the World Series a bit difficult. Resorting to my usual tactic, I started hitting up my students for inside information on any parents that might own a satellite dish and could get the games. To my astonishment, not a single person knew the World Series was on or much of anything about baseball. Nobody had even heard of the Yankees! A few students had heard of the Los Angeles Dodgers, which was unbearable for a person from San Diego. It was time to set these innocents right!
The classrooms I taught in were pretty large. Everybody stand up! Desks were moved to the walls, books were placed in the appropriate places and the rules were written on the board. Forget constitutional law, we were going to play some baseball!
Institutions of higher learning are sacrosanct in Russia. It is serious business where deep thinking occurs, everyone studies like mad and the teacher is obeyed at all costs. For example, the students all stand
up from their desks when a teacher enters and leaves the room. Serious stuff.
The game was proceeding nicely. Everyone was getting the hang of it, the rolled up paper ball was surviving and the broken desk leg would�ve put any bat to shame. And then the Dean walked by the door. And stopped. And stared.
The University Dean, Tatyana, was a great person and I liked here a lot. In turn, I am pretty sure she thought I was a raving lunatic, but didn�t seem to mind since the students enjoyed my classes. Alas, I thought I had crossed a line with the baseball game.
The Dean opened the door and entered the room. Simultaneously, students looked for places to hide and I tried to come up with some reason why playing baseball was critical to the education of future judges. Tatyana took the bat from the hand of a student, looked at and stared at me. It was one of those stares where you could tell she was considering sending me back to San Diego. There would be no chance of explaining this one away.
After what seemed like minutes, but was probably five seconds, she did the last thing I expected. She took her stance.
The game was on!
About the Author: Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of writing journals. Travel journals are great travel accessories and travel gifts for student travel, family vacations and adventure travel. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com for more travel articles.
Source: www.isnare.com
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