Disputing the Ref's Call for the Wrong Reasons?

The Internet is awash this morning with outrage that Mario Ballotelli stomped on the head of Scott Parker as the former was being brought down just inside the penalty area. The decision was to award a penalty kick to Manchester City which Mario converted into the game-winning goal in 81st minute.

I say, not so! I say that clearly Super Mario was just stumbling to recover/regain his footing.

I have to issue a disclaimer and disclose the Mario Ballotelli is on my rotisserie team, Vigilance F.C., and his goal saved the week for me.

But, in these replays, I see something else which troubles me about the Ref's call.

A Public Service Announcement

Mixed Emotions

Two years ago my main Mainsheet Trimmer deserted ranks and purchased his own boat in our club's new one-design fleet.

Last year, he won the new fleet's Fleet Championship. That made him eligible to race for the Club Championship's Centennial Cup event, which he did so today.

In five races, he took 3rd out of seven boats. I am proud of him. That's him, in the photo, #297.

How did my own fleet's Fleet Champion do? Last? I don't feel so good.

Winter Seascapes

Sounds of Winter

In the middle of the night last Monday, Ballou roused me out of bed. At midnight the two of us went out on the front porch and stared into the darkness. There was a nearly continuous roar coming up from the street(s) below. It sounded like some one was dragging chain on the asphalt. Or chains, something like they drag on a dirt infield before game. It dawned on me that this was the surf from an unusually robust residue from a storm off Baja or some place.

I called the harbor master's office to see if anything was breaking loose. I did not want to go down and check. The guy who answered the phone didn't want to be bothered any more than I wanted to go down. "High surf? I've seen worse," was all he said.



If I close my eyes as I play these clips, I hear chains growling as they are dragged across the streets in front of my house.

Trophy Night

Crew & Boat deserve the credit.

I Appreciate Tillerman, But .....

not without a little dose of envy!

As luck would have it, I was on a hopeless quest for finding a specific photographic source for an iconic (for me at least) print I've had hanging on my wall since time immemorial. (Yes, this is something I would only attempt on my first cup of coffee.)

So, I was Googling photographic art related to sailing. And, here's what I found:

Of course, I followed the link, imagining Time on the Water had hit prime time.

But, alas, the link led me to my esteemed Tillerman's Proper Course. This is where this master blogger gave these pages an unexpected honor of being mentioned among other more meritorious sites.

But I caught myself before I lapsed into blog-envy: I am of the shy and retiring type. I don't at all aspire to be among the first hits Google strikes on any subject. That's for much younger and much broader shoulders than mine.

This Would Never Be Tolerated On My Boat

From Sailing Anarchy