There is no other place I could see to put this and it will be forgotten about soon anyway and bubble down the list. 


Over on the PB we post about family stuff all the time but not so much here.

My youngest grandson, he's 17, has played soccer for years now. He plays club level soccer in a regional league and for his three years in HS has played varsity soccer.  In his Freshman year his team advanced in the state playoffs for class 6A to the semifinal round before losing. In his Sophomore year they advanced to the final but lost 3-2 in OT.  In that game they had to play the last 16 minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of OT a man down.

Now as a Junior the team started off the year with a 16 game win streak. They were undefeated in region play (6-0) and lost their last game before the playoffs started 1-0 to a 7A team used as a tuneup to the playoffs. Once they were scored on the coach subbed in the second and third strings to get them playing time.

The playoffs consist of five games starting with a 32 team field, four team from each of eight regions, played over a three week period.  Last night was the championship game between my grandson's team and the HS that both of my sons attended. Out of the whole state, these two schools are less than nine miles apart.  As an aside the other finalist last year was only seven mile away. 


Due to their record and a GHSA coin toss the boys got home field advantage thru the first four games, the final being played a neutral field.  The boys were also considered the home team for the final game. The game got off to a rough start. In the early part of the game my grandson was issued a yellow card that resulted in the other team getting a penalty kick.  He also had to sit out two minutes before returning to play. He plays the center back position.  About halfway into the first half, 40 minute halves, our keeper was assessed a red card when he stopped a shot, had the ball in his possession and then fell on an opposing player. It was claimed that he kneed that player in the ribs or some such.  With him ejected, the backup keeper, a freshman, entered the game and we had to play the rest of the game a man down.


As horrible as that sounds, our boy played a whale of a game and shut them out 3-0 to become the 6A State Soccer Champions.  In the their five playoff games they only allowed three goals, shutting out their last two opponents. The most goals they gave up in their twenty-two games this season was two.  Final record for the year was 21-1, an impressive season for sure.


https://rrhs.cherokeek12.net/post-detail/~board/ccsd-comms/post/congratulations-to-rrhs-boys-soccer-state-champions

They also finished nationally as #1 for Spring soccer.

https://www.maxpreps.com/ga/woodstock/river-ridge-knights/soccer/spring/

That reminded me of my wife and I out to an early dinner on New Year's Eve.

There was an older black couple coming in, and the husband was struggling to make it from the car to the restaurant, so I went out and helped him up out of the car and thru the doors. He was wearing a Marine Corps hat.

The greeter saw us coming but lacked the brains to arrange a table near the door so he wouldn't have to struggle to the back of the dining room. I caught the eye of the owner and pitched my head at the closest table and helped into the booth.

The hostess wasn't having it and started to whine. Me being so shy, I looked over her shoulder and said to the owner, "You need to teach your host staff that their agenda is not always what is best for your customers and your restaurant."

He lit her up in front of everyone and she quit on the spot.

The precious old man thanked me for helping his wife get him out of the car and into the booth. The owner apologized and announced to the rest of his staff that they needed to learn to care more about the needs of the guest and less about their own sense of importance.

Once things quieted down I asked our waitress to add their dinners to our check an discovered the owner had comped us and the two of them.

There is hope. The younger generation just needs guidance and a good example.

If that doesn't do it, then they need fired.

I'm waiting for a Mr. Fusion powered VTOL.  If it can reach orbit that would be cool too.

They have been fighting over there for millennia.

I always say - if you want to go over there to fight personally because you think one side or the other is so righteous, go ahead. If you want to give money to one side or the other, go ahead.

But don’t forcibly take money from me to pay for it. And don’t enslave my children to fight for the side you favor.

The best thing we could do to limit the violence over there is to stop spending Trillions on  Middle East Oil.  If we have to continue using fossil fuels, then spend the money we give to Israel on exploiting our own resources while we build up our Nuclear, solar and wind resources.

“This man's name is Rick Rescorla. 22 years ago today, Rick disobeyed orders, and saved 2700 lives. Rick was the head of security for Morgan Stanley in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. He warned that the Towers' basements were vulnerable to attack. His warnings fell on deaf ears. Then the 1993 attack happened, and people started listening to him.

After that attack, Rick implemented regular evacuation drills, using his megaphone to direct the thousands of employees out of their offices, down the stairwells, and out of the building to safety. Born in Cornwall, Rick would sing Welsh and Cornish songs from his megaphone, as he directed the employees out of the building. He would routinely tell all of the employees: in an emergency, no matter what chaos is happening around you, no matter what anyone tells you, leave your offices, go down the stairwells, and leave the building.

Rick told his wife Susan that he suspected another attack on the World Trade Center would happen, this time by air. And 22 years ago today, on September 11, 2001, that attack happened. When the first plane hit the North Tower, the Port Authority announced over the South Tower's speaker system "Please do not leave the building. This area is secure."

Rick ignored them. "The dumb sons of b------s told me not to evacuate," he said to his best friend Dan. "They said it's just Building One. I told them I'm getting my people the f--k out of here." And so Rick picked up his megaphone as he had done so many times before, told his employees not to listen to the orders, and directed them out of the building. His Cornish songs helped keep their nerves calm as they evacuated, even after the second plane hit their Tower. Once he had successfully evacuated his employees, Rick went back to look for survivors. But first, he called his wife Susan. "Stop crying. I have to get these people out safely. If something should happen to me, I want you to know I've never been happier. You made my life."

Rick rushed back to the South Tower. That was the last time anyone saw him alive. All but 6 of the more than 2700 Morgan Stanley employees survived. Had they obeyed the Port Authority, they would all be dead. Thankfully, they listened to Rick instead. Rest in Peace, Rick. Thank you for your service.”

Driving to the show tomorrow.  First time driving ever.  I'll be in the craft tent teaching Origami all week.

We have a Mission BBQ nearby, and I always make sure to get there by 11:45 for the National Anthem at noon. What is impressive is the employees all stand with their hand over their hearts too.

I’ve only seen two people or tables who didn’t stand up at the Anthem. People may have briefly looked a little scornfully at them, but then everyone just sat down and enjoyed their meals afterwards.

Mission BBQ supports the military and first responders, and we had them cater meals for our CAF wing when I was wing leader. I think they are an outstanding organization and I enjoy supporting them. The BBQ is very good too.

If this was “dangerous” to some people, they need to get out into the real world once in a while.