College Football's Most Played Rivalry

Played more times than Harvard v. Yale and more than Army v. Navy....this weekend features the longest uninterupted and most played rivalry in all of College Football: Lehigh v. Lafayette.
Saturday I will be attending the 146th meeting of these two teams in what is always a great game. Even when the teams are mis-matched or seasons are sunk or on the line...winning "The Rivalry" always salvages a season.
This year, Lehigh has already won the Patriot League Chanmpionship. Beating Lafayette would be the proverbial icing on the Cake.
When the Game is at Lehigh, it is like a reunion...we have a huge tailgate with tons of Alumni,friends and spouses and kids. When the Game is away it is generally just the boys. We meet for some tailgating and boozing and then invade the Lafayette home field to cheer for our Engineers. Yeah...I know,the school changed the Mascot to Mountain Hawks...do not get me started....I just sort of ignore that detail.

Sportsman's Evening Wear Accessories

The Christmas season is fast approaching. Hence, there are several events on the calendar which require Evening Wear. There may even be two occassions requiring White Tie,but that depends on whether my Wife and I elect to attend the Academy ball in late January. This event usually falls on the final day of Waterfowl Season so it is a bit of a struggle to get up at four A.M., hunt all day, hustle home and don White Tie and Tails for a Concert and Ball. I have done it in the recent past, but was dragging my ass toward the end of the night and after downing my share of bourbon.

Nevertheless, there are two upcoming parties which will find me climbing into my Brooks Brothers Shawl Collared Dinner Jacket.When so attired,a Gentleman Sportsman must select cufflinks and studs. So what better set to sport with your formal rig than those fashioned from shotgun shells and bullets. I know this post is sounding suspiciously like one of the many men's clothing Blogs at this juncture. Certainly one can get sufficient discourse on the sartorial topics from Max-man-imus, Commander Trad, and a host of others. I merely thought some of my bretheren who prefer Shotguns and bird dogs over 3/2 rolls, Belgians and the "hand" of a sport coat's fabric, would appreciate a post on a topic where these subjects arguably converge. So, feautured are pictures of my Shotgun Shell cufflinks and bullet studs. They are great conversation pieces and much more interesting than some of the metal knots and other boring junk holding together the shirts and cuffs of the other party guests. At the same time, they are somewhat understated and not "blingish."

I have also included a shot of myself and my lovely wife (and obvious better-half) taken before the Holly Ball at our Club. Notice my Bird-Dog demanded to be in the picture and with his coloring seems to be similarly attired in Black Tie. Ideed, when we first got Archie, we almost named him "D.J."...short for "Dinner jacket" because of the configuration of his. black and white markings.

Game Feast and the Passing of a Sportsman

One of the great things about hanging around with a bunch of guys who take to the woods,fields and marshes shooting at stuff, is the bounty which ends up on the table.
Recently, our Duck Hunting Club lost an older member. Steve passed away this August. The Club's tribute to our old friend was a Memorial Game Feast. Steve was an avid hunter and bagged game in many states and on many continents. Steve also loved to eat. His closest friends agreed the best way to honor Steve was a dinner attended by his cadre of hunting budies at which good liquor was consumed, well prepared game was eaten, and stories of hunting with Steve were shared.
Last Thursday we all met at a restaurant owned by a fellow member. The Chef prepared a delicious menu which I shall not describe...I will simply recount:

Arugala salad with goat cheese,pecans and aromatic Apple and red wine dressing


Assorted Wild Boar Sausages, cheese and olives.


Rosemary scented Rail Birds with Porcini Mushroom Polenta


Grilled Rabbit Sausage with German Style Braised Red Cabbage


Cassarecce pasta with Venison Spezzatino

Striped Bass Calabrese

Seared sage-scented Pheasant Breast with Vegetable/Chukkar risotto

Slow Roasted haunch of Venison served with black pepper spaetzel,grilled scallions and pine nuts

Numerous bottles of Pinot Noir,and Burgundy were consumed. I opted for several good German lagers.

The companions were agreeable and the stories of hunting with Steve were legion...and some were hilarious. The food was tremendous. Wherever Steve's soul resides...in the Fields or Duck Blinds of the hereafter, I believe he was smiling.

Sid Simmons-Rest in Peace

Late Saturday afternoon I received an e-mail from Bill Meeks. He conveyed the sad news that Jazz Piano player Sid Simmons had passed away a few hours before. Sid was a Philadelphia native and a very serious talent on piano. Of all the local and national players I heard when I owned the Jazz Club, Sid was my particular favorite. He had a light touch on the keys and a swinging Bop style that just hooked me from the first time I heard him play. He combined the class of Bill Evans with the soul and hard hitting style of Oscar Peterson. I knew Sid had been suffering from a variety of medical ailments. The last time I hung out with him in September he did not look well and his handshake seemed frail. If a guy who played thousands of hours of piano has a weak handshake...you know there is trouble.
In addition to the many hours I heard Sid play, I also spent quite a bit of time in conversation with him. After a gig, he would sit at the Bar with me and sip a Remy and talk about eveything from Jazz to Eagle's Football. He was a soft spoken and polite gentleman who enjoyed a cigar and the company of his friends.He was one of those African American cats who looked ageless. When I met him I thought he was in his early 40's when in fact he was in his late 50's. Sid always appreciated it when I would go see him play at a different venue. A few of us would cab it over to Ortlieb's Jazz Haus when Sid was playing there and it meant a lot to him that we would make the effort to see him at another joint. The Jazz world has lost a great talent and I am truly saddened. Enjoy the video of Sid playing jazz piano.

Today's Philadelphia Daily News

Fri, Nov. 5, 2010


Philly welterweight Butler ready to seize his chance vs. Zewski
By KERITH GABRIEL
Philadelphia Daily News

gabrielk@phillynews.com

Ardrick Butler focuses on the now.

He can ill afford to reflect on a past riddled with rejection, missed opportunities and mishaps that would find others looking at their life from a jail cell or beyond the grave.

The 26-year-old does not realize his life story could be turned into a best-seller.

For now, the up-and-coming Philadelphia welterweight listens to his iPod while he hits the heavy bag and works the speed bag, and watches the timer while he skips rope - all in preparation for the biggest fight of his career.

Butler (5-2-0, 2 KOs) will face Golden Boy Promotions newbie Mikael Zewski (4-0, 3 KOs) tomorrow in a four-round undercard bout on HBO's "Boxing after Dark." Top junior welterweight Zab Judah (39-6, 27KOs) is scheduled to face undefeated Argentine Lucas Matthysse (27-0, 25 KOs) for Judah's NABO title in the main event of the fight card, which will take place at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

"I sold drugs; I was in and out of [juvenile-placement centers] for, like, 4 years, man," Butler said before his final workout in Philadelphia before weigh-ins later today. "I was a victim in a hit-and-run that messed up my shoulders and forced me to cancel a [scheduled fight at the Blue Horizon in March].

"I overcame all that, and I am a better man for those experiences. Not to say I'd wish them on anyone, but I feel as though what doesn't kill you makes you a beast."

Of all the cons, the one constant pro is that Butler was gifted with raw athletic talent. He originally dreamed of a basketball career, and played at Glen Mills, a high school for court-adjudicated youths. Subsequently, his career peaked, according to Butler and current manager Andrew Touchstone, with a short stint as a professional in Australia. But after what Butler cited as "poor management" doomed that opportunity, boxing seemed the natural choice, given that he already was a fighter.

"I was always getting into fights. I was a straight-up problem child, man," Butler said. "Growing up, I used to pick fights, jump in fights. I was always getting myself in the middle of something. So when my basketball career didn't work out, I knew that would be the next step for me. It has humbled me, but at the same time, I love it so much, I feel as though this is something I should have been doing all along."

He proved that by going 10-2 overall as an amateur. A testament to Butler's resilience came in his first fight after a car struck him and left the scene during a prefight jog in February. After about 2 months of rigorous physical rehabilitation, Butler celebrated on April 30 with a technical knockout over Maryland's Norman Allen, only 26 seconds into the first round.

"He had to undergo a significant amount of rehab for the injuries he's sustained," Touchstone said. "But I think he actually benefited from that, because he learned so many additional training techniques. I think he got stronger, and it actually improved him. Plus, he's got a crazy work ethic, and that is to his advantage and to the detriment of whoever has to fight him."

Butler is reticent about where he will go in the fight game, because his immediate future lies in taking care of his family.

"Dreams are on the back burner when you have mouths to feed, man," Butler said. "My [5-year-old] son keeps me hungry in the fight game, plus I got one on the way. Listen, I hope one day I am one of the best to ever come out of Philly, but right now I take boxing one day at a time, because my life has shown me that I can't take anything for granted." *




Read more: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/combat_sports/20101105_Philly_welterweight_Butler_ready_to_seize_his_chance_vs__Zewski.html#ixzz14Qk33C4H
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Lessons for the Sportsman in training.

When I was a kid, my Grandfather used to spend several months at our home and in the Summer we would spend a few weeks at his place on the lake. We did a lot of fishing in those days and I learned much of what I know about the outdoors, hunting,fishing, and camping from this Old School gentleman Sportsman. My Grandfather spent the leisure time of his life chasing deep sea tuna, walking fields for pheasant and Hemlock groves for Grouse,training his dogs, fly-fishing, participating in the occassional Crap game and following Baseball and the horses.
When I was about 7 my Grandfather and I had a ritual. When he was putting me to bed, we would play a sort of game directed at preparing for a hunting or camping trip. He would ask: "What is the first thing we need to pack?" I would reply: "Our guns" or "A tent"...and the game would progress until we had each mentioned all the gear we needed to go fishing or hunting or camping...right down to the frying pan, matches, extra socks,tent stakes,shotgun shells and playing cards. He would always remark: "Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it." This was his philosphy for gearing up for an outing. I realize now he was preparing me for my own adventures in the Field.
My son is 13 and when he was about 8 this set of lessons came back to me in crystaline memory and I was aware I needed to teach him similar lessons in my own way. One afternoon we were getting ready to go to the Hunting Club for a Dove shoot in mid-September. My boy was ready to carry his own gun in the Field under my supervision.I had been teaching him gun handling and shooting with a youth model hammer action .410 single barrel. He was quite handy and safe with this gun and was breaking tons of clay pigeons whenever he got the chance to shoot with me.
As we were loading my Jeep I told Joey, who was bouncing around with anticipatory excitment, to make sure he got his gun from the cabinet, put it in it's case, and grab a box of shells. That was the only time I mentioned it and we went about our packing. I was certain he was going to forget his gun amidst all his 8 year old excitement, clowning and lack of focus. When he was back in the house I quickly grabbed his gun and hid it under the back seat.
The next morning after feeding the dogs and eating breakfast, we began to get our things ready to head to the Sunflower patch where we would wait for the morning flight of Doves. I carefully removed my .20 ga. Beretta from its case and put 2 boxes of shells on the table. I then asked Joey to get his gun so I could load it onto the ATV we were going to ride to the Field. His young face was immediately gripped by an expression of horror and doom as he realized he had not paid attention to my instructions and forgot his gun. I asked him if he remembered his gun as I had told him. He uttered a faint and choked "No" and looked as if he may loose a few tears. I told him about how my Grandfather and I went over the things we needed and always had the right gear when we took to the Field. I also told him that he was going to have to sit with me in the Field without a gun since he had failed to listen to me and forgotten his. He was crestfallen and sullenly went outside with the screen door banging behind him.
I took this opportunity to go to the Bunkroom and get his gun from under the bed where I had secreted it the night before when we arrived at the Cluhouse. When I came outside Joey was sitting on the ATV with a frown petting our dog Archie. I pulled his .410 from behind my back and said: "I guess your glad I remembered your gun?" His face changed from a frown to a smile in an instant. As I handed him his gun I said: "Always remember how terrible you felt today when you realized you were here to hunt and forgot your gun. Next time you will not forget the important things. Someday I may not be around to remember for you." Joey replied: "Thanks Dad, I won't forget again."
In the photos above Joey is piloting a boat on Upper Saranac Lake after fishing and displaying his catch. He carefully organized his tackle box before each fishing excursion with the precision of a professional. He is also pictured sitting in the Dove field with me this year when he made a nice crossing shot with his new .20 ga Browning...the water skiing shot is random but one of my favorites. The shot with me and my dog Archie is last New Year's eve day when we had a successful Goose hunt on a cold snowy morning in the corn fields at the Hunting Club.

Butler vs. Zewski-11/6/2010

"21-year old Quebec native Mikael Zewski (4-0, 3 KO’s) has drawn rave reviews for his amateur exploits and for his poise and power as a professional. He will make his Golden Boy Promotions debut at Prudential Center against Philly battler Ardrick “The Hitman” Butler (5-2, 2 KO’s), who has won five of his last six bouts and looks to continue that streak against Zewski."
From Fightnews.com


My fighter is on the under-card at the Prudential Center in Newark NJ this Saturday. It is a BIG night for Team Butler and we are all excited. His opponent carries an extensive Amateur record and will be tough....stay tuned and wish Ardrick luck!