Jay Kersting's Blog

Erin Hamlin impacted by changes to the track

Erin Hamlin is the slider that I have been looking forward to seeing.  Unfortunately, the programming fools at NBC decided to tape delay her event until late night.  Why?  So they could showcase the Chi-Comms in figure skating, an event where they don’t even skate figures anymore.

They did show Luge in the late night programming, but I cannot stay up that late AND I was following the results on-line.

So, here is the deal.  When they shortened the luge track due to the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili, it impacted the event for everyone.  And it really ruined it for those who are known for cutting time by executing tighter turns near the end of the race.

Erin Hamlin is one of those sliders.  So is Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger, currently in third.  As for Erin Hamlin, she is in 15th, 0.813 behind leader Tatjana Huefner of Germany.

But as my friend Adrian Narvaez used to tell me, “Dem’s da berries”….meaning, everyone must adapt to the changes, so get used to it.  At least, I think that is what he meant.  Could have been talking about his breakfast toppings.

There are two more runs today for the Women’s luge.  Making up 0.813 is nearly impossible, but as I say about baseball, they play nine innings for a reason.  They make four runs down the ice for a reason. 

I hope Erin Hamlin can pull it out.  If not, she is still young and can do it again in Russia four years from now.

Something to think about while you may feel this complaint about the track is “sour grapes”….do you know who had the fastest SPEED on the track last night? 

Megan Sweeney of the United States…currently in 27th place.

Sticking with sports. What impressed me, what didn’t.

On Friday, most of you didn’t know the name Johnny Spillane.  I did, barely.  The only reason that I knew who he was is due to my interest in the real sports in the Winter Olympics and not the crap.

Like Duncan Kennedy in the luge back in Alberville in 1992, Spillane was the best hope for the first American medal in Nordic Combined.

Nordic Combined?  Don’t know it?

Two events.  First, Ski Jumping (off of the Normal hill) and then, cross country skiing (10km/6.1 miles).

Johnny Spillane took silver, the first American medal in Nordic Combined and the first medal in ALL Nordic events since Bill Koch won silver in cross country skiing back in 1976.

Spillane has the opportunity for another medal when the Nordic Combined moves the the larger hill (a K125) on the 25th.  Todd Lodwick and Bill Demong, who finished 4th and 6th respectively, are also looking to medal in this event and they may have a jumping advantage over Spillane.

So, while that impressed me.  Jamie McMurray winning the Daytona 500 didn’t.   NASCAR has this so backwards.  The biggest event kicks off the season…huh?

Oh, and the NBA had their All-Star Game on Sunday.  108,000+ people were silly enough to waste their money to watch this.  I think the East won, but I don’t care.  The NBA is probably the worst professional sports league in existance.

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I did enjoy the short-track speed skating that I watched.  South Korea should have swept the 1500m.  BUT, they screwed up and the guy in second took out the guy in third.  That opened the door for Apolo Ohno and J.R. Celski to collect the silver and bronze.

The spills and recoveries are part of what makes short track exciting the watch.

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Finally, I enjoyed the coverage of the Luge this year.  Duncan Kennedy makes this event for NBC.  And this year, I think they finally got him to really open up.  Unfortunately, I think this increased usage of the 1988, 1992 and 1994 American slider was due to tragedy.

Unless you are one of the slugs who prefers to watch NASCAR or a bad NBA exhibition over the games, you have heard about the death of Georgia slider Nodar Kumaritashvili on Friday during a training run.  Kumaritashvili’s death led many to conclude that the sport is out of control and hyper-dangerous.

Duncan Kennedy helped bring perspective on this.  And he helped explain the problems with this track and the alterations made to it in the aftermath.

Felix Loch of Germany won the singles luge….and he is rather impressive.  2006 Gold medalist Armin Zoeggeler took bronze.

American Tony Benshoof finished eighth.

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I will probably comment a bit on the games over the next two weeks.  I have loved the Winter Games since my parents went to Lake Placid back in 1980.  Be prepared for it.  Other things will be commented on, as I feel the need and interest in doing so.

Meanwhile, a word from my sponsors…..

Winter Olympic Games begin today….What is and what ISN’T a sport!

The Winter Olympics are a great exhibition of athletic competition in cold climates.  I love watching the Winter Olympics no matter how bad NBC and their networks cover it. 

Don’t get me wrong, to a sports junkie like me, I enjoy having several choices when it comes to watching the games.  But NBC reverts back to the 1970’s when it comes to prime time.  At least they have in the past, meaning that they only have programming on the Mothership during prime time.

And I HATE that because it means endless hours of that dreck known as Figure Skating or Ice Dancing.  More than 90 seconds of that crap and I start to heave.

The debacle of 2002 proved to me why those are not sports.  Nor is most of the “freestyle skiing” or “snowboarding” or any other sport, no matter the weather, where you have a human judge using some oddball scoring system.  That is what led to the problems in Salt Lake City eight years ago.

I am NOT saying that these are NOT athletes.  But SPORTS need to be determined by a scoring system that is obvious to a super-majority of the spectators.  Basketball, football, baseball all have this down.  Running nails it with timing, discus throwing with distance.  Figure skating USED to have it.  When skaters had to skate FIGURES.  Once that was dumped and the goofy outfits and odd makeup jobs took over, it ceased to be a sport.

My favorites during the Winter Olympic Games are the fastest events on ice.  Luge, skeleton and Bobsled!  The fastest time down the ice wins.  If in the luge, you flip over and get back on your sled and finish, it counts…unless a spectator or any other person assists.  Simple.  With bobsled, same thing except you cannot push the sled after the starting zone.

Hockey is solid.  Back during the Turin Games, I watched both Men’s and Women’s hockey during the day (I worked a split shift as a radio traffic reporter) on Universal Sports.  LOVED it.  I didn’t care if it was Canada taking on Poland or Russia playing Czech Republic.  I could follow the game, know who was good and who wasn’t.

Figure skating or ice dancing is nothing more than fools in idiotic looking outfits jumping and spinning to lame music.

Huh?

Then again, people watch “American IDULL” and “The Bachelor” so they will enjoy this landfill quality content.

Freestyle skiing is fun to watch because of the spills.  But the post event interviews are not.  I have been around inarticluate college athletes who look like Peyton Manning after watching these dim bulbs.  Talented, sure.

Snowboarding is pretty much on par with freestyle.  Shaun White is the only articulate one of that bunch, as far as I can recall.

The other event that I really enjoy is Ski Jumping.  It looks so crazy, yet so serene.  While I would get in a bobsled, on a luge or skeleton sled, and I have put on both downhill and cross country skis, I could never ski jump.  If I ever tried, I would make the “agony of defeat” guy look graceful.

Then you have the athletes that I have a TON of respect for in the Winter Olympic Games.  The biathlete.  Biathlon combines cross country skiing and target shooting.  They ski at high rates of speed and then have to slow their heart rates down to hit the targets over several stops.  And they have their rifle on their back as they are skiing.  Impressive.

All of that said, if figure skaters and ice dancers were to stop mid-routine and hit a few targets with the rifles that they carry, that might interest me.  Otherwise…no.

Not happening.

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It only SEEMS longer…. reflecting on Sarah Palin

Two years ago this morning, I brought up the subject on the ole radio show about who John McCain should select as his running mate.  He has virtually secured the nomination to be the Republican nominee for President by that point.

So, I suggested that he should have a female running mate.  I also said that Barack Obama, if he won the nomination, should have a female running mate as well. 

I threw out several names for Senator McCain as maybes.  Then I swung for the fences.

I mentioned that McCain’s weaknesses were his age, his perception that he was not conservative enough and he has never held an chief executive position before.  The weekend before, I did some researching and I found someone who I thought would be a great counter to his negatives.

On Saturday, 9 February 2008, I asked a question in the forums at www.bernardgoldberg.com if anyone knew any thing about Alaska’s Governor.

That Monday, 11 February 2008, I brought her name up on the show.  I think I prounced it both PAL-in and PAY-lin because I didn’t know.  And I didn’t want to assume the pronunciation was the same as the Monty Python member.

Anyhow, I said THEN that she appeared to be a great match for the weaknesses of the ticket.  And I believe that she really was.

I know that the McCain campaign messed up big time in how they utilized her.

So, here we are two years after I suggested her as the running mate.  What do I think now?

Well, I am mixed.  The resigning of the Governor’s office this past summer struck me as odd, but I sort of understood it.  Understood based on her explanations.  And with Sarah Palin, I think you need to take her at her word and NOT on what the media says about her.

There is where the problem with Sarah Palin lies.  The progressive and hypocritical media has turned her in to some sort of marginalized dolt, while at the same time they fear her.  So…what is she?  Who is she?

Sarah Palin is a lot like me, except pretty, successful and female.

Here is what I mean.  She bounced between several colleges before she got her degree.  I bounced through three colleges, and four different enrollments, before I finally graduated.  She worked in sports broadcasting, so did I.

That may be where the comparisons end.  I never took part in a beauty pageant, only one possibly ill-advised “talent” show as a senior in high school.  I never worked in the commercial fishing business, just a duck processing plant.

But some of the values that she holds are things that me, and many others, find to match with what we believe.

Then I look at some of the things that have been happening lately and I find that I am less than inspired.  She was the keynote speaker at the Tea Party convention in Nashville last week.  While I have never attended a Tea Party rally, I respect the grass-roots effort of that group.  I hope they KEEP it grass-roots and do not become a third party.  I say this as an independent who wants the pressure to be put on the two existing parties to straighten out.

I do not find anything at Governor Palin does to be fresh and and compelling enough, right now at least, to think that she is a viable answer to Barack Obama in 2012.  Then again, I do not find any Republican to be a viable answer to Barack Obama.  A true third party candidate cannot win in 2012…at least not at this point.  Maybe that gives her time to build up her base and show that she is viable. 

Remember Ronald Reagan was also marginalized by many, including the media, up to and even after being elected as President. 

That said, I go back to what I wrote a while back.  And I mean no disrespect to Governor Palin, the best answer for taking our country back in 2012……

If you read it before you know who I am going to say…….

If you didn’t see it….here it goes.

Peyton Manning!!!

Intelligent.  Articulate.  Effective. Strong name recognition.  High positives.  Few negatives.

And, he will be 35 years old on 24 March 2011, he is a natural born United States citizen (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA) and has been a resident of the United States for at least fourteen years (a home in Tennessee since 1998, a condo in Indianapolis since 1998 as well, in Knoxville as a student back to 1994…..and in New Orleans before that…got that covered.)  THAT makes him qualified.

But would he take the pay cut?

All that said, I like Sarah Palin.  I am just not as excited about her as I was two years ago when I mentioned her name to the people of Mid-Missouri.

We have a couple of years to see what happens.  Who would have thought, besides me, that we would be talking about the former Governor of Alaska still today?

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Life lessons from Driver’s Ed?

For those of you who took a Driver’s Education class, you probably remember a few things.  Lame highway safety movies, or the gross-out versions of those movies, depending on your teacher.

In my case, the teacher was an idiot.  May still be, I have no idea.  I do know he was a lousy football coach and, in my opinion, a lousy human being.  I really didn’t learn much from him, but I did from the materials in the class.

And two key phrases have resonated with me since the fall of 1985.

First, is “keep your eyes moving.”  That plays in to my Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder tendancies anyway.  But for those who are NOT ADHD, it is good advice to follow as it can keep you out of various levels of trouble. 

Simply put, but keeping your head up and eyes moving you have a greater understanding of your surroundings.  One of the problems that I had before grasping this concept was to hunch over and look down a lot.  I blamed it on being tall and somewhat shy.  Now, I credit it with giving me an acute sense of what is physically happening around me.  Others say it is what leads to my distractions.  Both have some validity.

The other lesson that you can pickup from a Driver’s Education book or defensive driving class is to “leave yourself an out.”  That ties into the keeping your eyes moving part of the physical world.  If you are not looking around, you cannot find your physical out.  That is why “tailgating” is so dangerous.  No matter how good your reactions may be, you are depending on others to match your physical attributes.  Often, they do not have your level and that is when a wreck that could have been avoided becomes a multi-vehicle mess.

But I am not necessarily referring to just the physical world. 

I had a conversation yesterday about a great practice for those in sales and customer service.  And that ties to the old adage of “under promise and over deliver” many have repeated.  That is another example of leaving yourself an out.  The out being time. 

You know that it normally takes two weeks for a product or project or whatever to be delivered or completed.  If you promise two weeks and you have ONE minor hiccup, you fail.  Double that time and come-in early, you become competent.  Maybe even a hero.

So, here is what I am doing today.  I have a 10:30 appointment in Columbia, Missouri, today.  It takes 45 minutes to get where I need to be.  I am giving myself an hour to make it there.  [Leaving myself an out....the padded time.]  As a Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, I have a personal goal of making 75 percent of the ribbon cuttings and other events.  Today, I knew that I could not make it back, so I let everyone know in advance.  So, if things change and I make it, I left myself the out but still delivered.

Keeping my eyes moving.  Besides watching things as I drive, I do have a dual monitor setup on my work computer.  I can have my e-mail up on one screen while I do other work on the second screen.  I also have a window from my office to the front room, so that I can see who walks in when they walk in.  When I meet someone in a public place, like a coffee shop or restaurant, I arrive early and select a seat that allows me to have a better view of the room.  That way I can stand up and greet the others before they walk up on me.  Some may think it is a power play, but is really establishing my own comfort.

So, what do YOU think?

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Gas prices falling, do you know why?

Have you noticed a slight drop in the price of gas at the pump lately?

It has been a fairly steady drop here in Missouri over the past two or three weeks, with a small jump Thursday. 

Ever wonder why?

Well, it is not a direct corrolation, but if you look at currency exchange rates you can get a bit of a hint.  The dollar has been decimated by the obscene level of government spending.  [Last week I posted a link on Facebook to a YouTube video that did a great job explaining this.] 

Look at what the US Dollar is doing in comparison to the Euro.  That impacts crude oil prices more directly, but it also has a big impact on refined petroleum as well. 

Lately, the US Dollar has gotten stronger….really, it is the Euro getting weaker, but the effect is the same.

As of this posting, the US Dollar vs. Euro is the strongest since 21 May 2009.

Direct corrolations don’t always work for direct numbers.  Here in Missouri, gas is averaging $2.43 9/10ths per gallon today.  On 21 May 2009, it was $2.21 9/10ths per gallon.

That 22 cents per gallon comes from other factors, such as delivery costs and more crude being produced into home heating fuels.

I used to say this on the radio, since I lost that medium I stick with this one.  Keep an eye on the Dollar.  The weaker our government makes it, the more it costs us at the pump.

And now you know.

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Rep. Jack Murtha, ABSCAM co-conspirator and “King of Pork” dead at 77

I know, his body isn’t cold yet.  I should be better than the deceased, right. 

To hell with that.  Jack Murtha was a self-serving crook that the people of Pennsylvania chose to elect again and again.  Shame on them too.

Anyhow, the entry from CNN.com:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/08/pennsylvania-congressman-dies/?fbid=g2K0UiwlgJP

More taxpayer money was funded to Murtha’s district without a real need, while other districts suffered under his greed.  I guess one could argue that their congressman wasn’t as effective.  I would say, their congressman might be more honest.

ABSCAM, for those who don’t recall, was a cash for favors, including political asylum for a sheik (ficticious, as it turns out).  Murtha did turn down $50,000 on video tape.  But he kept quiet.  My guess is that he was hoping for more $$$.  But I do not know.

From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABSCAM

But the worst thing Jack Murtha did was to disgrace his United States Marine Corps uniform.  How?  By presenting information AS FACT in some killings in Haditha, Iraq, accusing his fellow Marines as murderers. 

It turned out to be UNTRUE and Murtha NEVER apologized.

It is often said that we will be judged by our maker.  For John Murtha, the meeting has now been arranged.  Hope he enjoys his trip down.

Eh….Yawn…. that was OK…. Well, the game was decent at least.

Super Bowl XLIV is now in the books.  New Orleans Saints are the Super Bowl Champions.  Congratulations!

I admit that I was pulling for the Colts.  As the AFC reprensentatives in the big game, they got my support.  That usually happens.  If the AFC is someone besides the Raiders, Broncos or Patriots, I pick them.  There might be an exception some years, but that is my general rule.

Two years ago, I barely watched the game and three years ago I was driving back to Jefferson City from Knoxville, so I listened on the radio.

But the draw to the game for a lot of non-football fans has been the ads.

Eh.

My favorite was the Snickers ad with Betty White and Abe Vigoda. 

Bud Light has cute ads, but I wish they would dedicate that money to making beer.  Sorry, Dasani and Aquafina have more flavor than that stuff. 

The worst, the stupidest ads….those go to “Go Daddy”….Danica Patrick is over-exposed.  By the way, she took sixth in her stock car debut.  Yawn.  I find her as compelling as my dirty socks.  Unless they are my old socks, because those are more compelling due to the unique spots where I find holes.

Doritos, pretty good.

Denny’s, many liked them, but they did little for me.

The Budweiser Clydesdales?  Just plain dumb.  I guess you have to be from St. Louis or a fan of bad beer.

The Pam Tebow ad, with her son Tim, was tame.  But now the National Organization of Liberal & Progressive Hypocritical Women thinks that the ad glamorized violence on women.  Huh?  Reaching there girls?

So, there is my take.  What is your’s?  Comments are welcome and encouraged.

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Now, for something that could help bring the sexiness that Go Daddy failed to deliver….

HELP!! Ideas, suggestions wanted!! Read on….

So here is what I am looking for….your ideas and suggestions. What for? First, the background.

Last year, my good friend Ethan Mayers came for a visit and he arrived on my 39th birthday. Starting that weekend the discussion came up that I needed to do something special for my 40th birthday. Especially, as both Ethan and Kathleen pointed out, I am fortunate enough to have my 40th birthday fall on a Saturday.

My 21st was on a Wednesday, and it was memorable. My 25th was memorable because we moved, literally across the hall, that day….a very pregnant doing a lot of it because she could get off of work that day (Luke Heimer and I did the heavy lifting that evening).

Since then, none of been memorable. Nor should they, really. Kind of anti-climatic once you are past the age of a “Chuck-E-Cheese” or “upchuck to cap off the night” age.

Looking back, my 20th birthday sticks in my mind as being memorable. We spent that night at Milwaukee County Stadium to witness Nolan Ryan get his 300th career victory.

So, I feel a little pressure on me. [Thanks Ethan....mind you he has joked about me being in my MID-40's for a while....and I still call him a friend....hmmm....]

Mind you, I am on a tight budget. After the events of 364 days ago, followed by six months of unemployment, we still will be this summer. Unless we win the Powerball or Mega Millions, that is.

OK, the date that I need to be ready for is just under six months away. So, start with your ideas now. Post them in the comments area or e-mail me (jay@jaykersting.com).

I am curious to see what you are able to come up with.

For me….I got nothing.
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