f/k/a archives . . . real opinions & real haiku

It’s “March Madness” time. That means I have to feign much more

interest in collegiate basketball than I’ve ever actually had. (Even when

my alma mater Georgetown was big-time, I never really watched until

the second half.) So, I’ll go along with some of the hoopla, but I’ve

got to say this: “I am already totally sick of the phrase “‘The Big Dance‘.”

It’s over-used every year by our small-city, cliche-mongering tv sports-

casters, but — to my dismay — the Big-Dancers are in hyperdrive this

week in the NY Capital Region, which is not a mecca for big-college

basketball teams.

However, for the first time ever, the University of Albany has received an

invitation to the NCAA men’s basketball, Division I, tournament — and, it

is playing the University of Connecticut tomorrow in the first round. Nat-

urally, since the 16th seed is playing the #1 seed, we are also being

pounded with David vs. Goliath metaphors. (Lord, help me!) See Capital

New 9, “Great Danes make history,” March 11, 2006; Danbury Times,

“Great Danes Set for the Big Dance, March 14, 2006; WNYT.com-13,

“Great Danes depart for Big Dance, March 15, 2006.

Things have gotten so bad, that I’d even rather see this Big Dance. [update: The OnSports weblog echoes our sentiments in the posting “Journalists are ready for the Big Cliche,” March 20, 2008]

update-too-late (March 17, 2006): Sports Economist Skip

Sauer offered “Economic Angles to the NCAA Bracket Pool“

yesterday. It may be too late to use the angles for your own

picks, but you might want to compare your techniques with

some of the suggested ones.

Danes at The Dance update (March 17, 2006, 11 PM): Ahead

by 12 points with eleven minutes remaining, the UAlbany Great

Danes found out why UConn was the #1 seed, losing 72 – 59.

(No, I’m not going to make believe my heart is broken or I’m

waiting until next year to get back to da Dance.)

Manhattan
the shadow of a skyscraper falls across
the basketball court

calligraphy class
the point guard
pens a nike swoosh

ed markowski

One of the things I like the best about our local altnerative

weekly newspaper, Metroland, is the custom of planting authentic-looking

ads of the humorous variety. (remember MuzzleMate?) Well, today’s new

edition included a special treat for St. Patrick’s Day. .

Irish Setter Stew

– made from tender young Irish Setter puppies!

– Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!

– see the ad enlarged here –

The more intellectual or law-oriented reader might want to

check out the column on The Broadcast Flag by entertain-

ment and I/P lawyer-lecturer (and drummer) Paul Rapp. He

says the Republicans are carrying the industry’s water up

the Hill on this one. (“Metroland, “Flag Burning,” March 16,

2006)

The f/k/a Came From & Keyword statistics pages also made

me smile today. It seems that someone was interested in the Early

Bather lawsuit and Googled Sheldon Smith, esq>. Wouldn’t you

know it, our post on the topic was the #1 result out of 212,000 hits.

The query “Sheldon Smith” lawyer> also brought up our post first.

So, is “Mommy made me do it?” a good defense for a frivolous lawsuit?

“tinyredcheck” Enough of lawyers and basketball and sick puppies.

Today, I came into possession of a copy of the very

first edition (1974) of The Haiku Anthology, edited by

cor van den heuvel. As I had hoped, the poems selec-

ted are different than those in the 3rd edition.

Here are a few poems by gary hotham from the original

Haiku Anthology:

stalled car,

foot tracks being filled

with snow.

crows gather

on a distant grove

of bare cherry trees

Deserted tennis court

wind through the net

sunset dying

on the end of a rusty

beer can

gary hotham

The Haiku Anthology (C. Van den Heuvel, ed,

1st ed. 1974)