It's been a while...

Just making sure the water is still wet.

Maybe Next Year? Not Likely...

With teams led by African-American head coaches battling for the NFL title, this historic Superbowl match-up made it hard for me to root against either team. It was a rare case where I wanted to see both coaches on the podium to receive the Lombardi trophy.

The Colts are normally a team I dislike to the point where I actively root against them. Yesterday, I just could not because my admiration for Tony Dungy goes back 30 years. I remember him as a rookie in 1977 accomplishing a most unusual statistical oddity. In a game in Houston, both Pittsburgh Steeler QBs (Bradshaw & Kruczek) were knocked out and he had to play QB for the Steelers. He came in and promptly threw an interception. Earlier, he had intercepted a pass, so he is the last player to intercept a pass and throw an interception in the same game.

As a young Black child growing up in an era where QBs of colour could all be counted on one hand, seeing Dungy taking a snap for the mighty Steelers was special... and a reminder of the discrimation against Black QBs. Honestly, during the years Dungy played in Pittsburgh, I wanted the Pittsburgh QBs injured just so I could see Dungy play QB again. Yeah, I was a sick little puppy. :-)

Three decades later, I am now hoping to see the man Dungy's team defeated get another chance to win the Superbowl.

Despite the domination of the Colts, Lovie Smith's Bears were still in the game until a 4th quarter interception returned for a touchdown sealed their fate. Considering the erratic play of QB Rex Grossman and the lack of star power (besides Brian Urlacher) on defense, the Bears still found ways to not only win, but often overpower other teams all season long. Unfortunately, the Colts were just too strong and too good.

The scary thing about the Bears is that they can get a lot better. To reach a championship game with a team with such obvious flaws is a testament to Smith and the job he is doing in Chicago. Like every one of the 40 previous teams to lose in the Superbowl, the Bears (and their fans) believe they will be back next year to claim the title.

Unfortunately, history is against them. The 1972 Miami Dolphins were one of the greatest teams of all-time and their legacy as league's only undefeated team is celebrated every year. What is lost when people remember all of their accomplishments is the fact that they are also the last team to lose the Superbowl, then come back the following year to win it. Since then, 34 teams have failed to fulfill their promise to return the next year.

Smith's Bears are now the 35th team on that list.

Yikes!

Above is a photo of Nat Moore catching a 47-yard touchdown from Bob Griese in an early season game in 1976 against the Rams. He beat Pro Bowl corner Rod Perry on a perfect post pattern. Griese's pass was textbook: accurate, strong, spiraling bomb that hit Moore in stride at the goal line. It might concern some folks that I still remember that play in detail, but forget birthdays and anniversaries and even some I might have been intimate with. The Dolphins blew a 21-7 lead and eventually lost the game on a last second Tom Dempsey field goal, 31-28. For a 12-year old, watching my favourite team lose a 2nd half lead was traumatic. The impact of that game and a 17-16 Monday night loss to Colts later that season stayed with me for quite a while.

30 years later, trauma is defined in much different terms and Dolphin losses rarely hurt anymore. Not that one does not care, but one learns about proportions and priorities.

Today, I remember that game differently. James "Shack" Harris passed for over 400 yards and led an impressive comeback and game-winning drive. Harris, now virtually forgotten, outdueled an all-pro QB (Bob Griese) on his home turf, and went on to lead the NFC in passing. The next season, he was traded to San Diego (and, ironically led the Chargers to a 14-13 victory in Miami by rolling to the right, then running over a Dolphin defender on a 4th down play as time expired - yes, as a 13-year old, I was traumatized again by Harris' 4th quarter heroics, but I digress). As for the Rams, they chose to go with some guy named Namath who could barely walk anymore and eventually benched him permanently for Pat Haden.

Harris' fate in San Diego? Played most of the season while Dan Fouts held out. When Fouts returned, Harris went to the bench and his career was pretty much finished.

Now, Griese, Namath, and Fouts are all proud members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Yet, I can't help wondering where James Harris would be if he had been afforded the same opportunites as they were given. I watched enough games he played to remember that he was rarely the lesser of the two starting QBs.

Trinity

Inspired by a meme found on EJ's site.

Three names you go by:
1. shim
2. John
3. smart-ass

Three screennames you have:
1. dralion64(yahoo)
2. perrygrin(aol)
3. jsterling64(yahoo)

Three things you like about yourself:
1. enigmatic nature
2. insatiable curiosity
3. ability to listen

Three things you hate/dislike about yourself:
1. constant sense of restlessness
2. never satisfied with my work (both professional and creative)
3. lack of singular focus

Three parts of your heritage:
1. African-American
2. Korean
3. Trill

Three things that scare you:
1. prolonged silence
2. caves
3. extremists

Three of your everyday essentials:
1. The Golden Girls
2. caffeine
3. dirty thoughts

Three things you are wearing right now:
1. sweatshirt
2. pajama bottoms
3. silly grin

Three of your favorite bands/artists (at the moment):
1. Nile Rodgers & Chic (the current incarnation, not the classic lineup)
2. Lizz Wright
3. Joni Mitchell (I finally feel grown up enough to dip into her formidable repertoire... she is amazing)

Three of your favorite songs at present:
1. "I Want a Love I Can See" - The Temptations
2. "Fastlove" - George Michael
3. "Everybody Dance" - Chic

Three new things you want to try in the next 12 months:
1. learn Italian
2. podcasting
3. explore cities where I don't know anyone (Albuquerque, Dallas, Seattle top the list)

Three things you want in a relationship (love is a given):
1. humour
2. one who listens without prejudice
3. crazy sex

Two truths and a lie:
1. I am fascinated by Condolezza Rice
2. I voted for Ronald Reagan
3. I was once a Republican

Three physical things about the opposite sex (or same) that appeal to you:
1. ass
2. lips
3. eyes

Three things you just can't do:
1. sing
2. listen to Ashanti without cringing
3. turn off my mind

Three of your favorite hobbies:
1. reading weblogs
2. listening to music
3. drawing

Three things you want to do really badly right now:
1. get through a day without physical pain
2. sleep
3. clean my apartment

Three careers you're considering:
1. Project Manager (so I can get paid just for not knowing shit)
2. Record Industry Historian
3. Christian History Scholar

Three places you want to go on vacation:
1. Italy
2. Scandinavia
3. Maui

Three kids names:
1. Koren
2. Michelle
3. Lamar

Three things you want to do before you die:
1. Finish something I've started
2. Live outside the US
3. Watch my siblings grow old

Hines Ward

The sudden fame and celebrity Hines Ward is now finding in South Korea intrigues and encourages me.

All my life I have heard of the horror stories of children who are born of American and Korean blood. Particularly those (like myself) who have Black fathers. One of the few things I remember about my parents splitting up was that both felt my life would be better if I stayed with my African-American father. For a 7-year old who would never see his mother again, that provided little comfort. As an adult, I am thankful for what came out of my parents' decision: A new family with a new mother who loves me and gave me six amazing siblings.

Seeing Ward embraced as a national hero is actually consistent with my limited interactions with Korean people. I did not know any other Korean people growing up, but met some as an adult. Their reactions to me have been positive. I worked with a couple Korean women who consistently encouraged me to not lose connection with that side of my ancestry. One even taught me how to write my name in Korean, which is now tattooed on my left arm.

Ward, a player whose background I knew nothing about until recently, has suddenly become someone of intense interest for me. As small details of his life and the struggles of his mom are reported, it is quite inspiring to watch Korea react and embrace him. For a country that has suffered immensely (including a very bloody war), it is good to see Ward as a symbol who is bringing people together. Hopefully, his fame will shower down on those who are still there and have suffered the fate that I was (thankfully) spared.

Post Superbowl Blues

Like the empty stadium above, that is how I always feel after the Superbowl. Every year since the mid-70s, I go into a post Superbowl funk that hits the hardest on the following Sunday when I awake, then realize that there is no football game that week to schedule my Sunday around (I lost interest in the Pro Bowl decades ago, so it holds no relevance).

Thankfully, spring is only a few weeks away and the warming weather combined with the amorous vibe of that particular season always lifts the spirits. In the meantime, I think I'll delve into a good book or two (anyone have any recommendations?) to fill the football void.

First Lady (1927-2006)

The title of "First Lady" may officially belong to the wife of the President, but this morning's announcement of the passing of Coretta Scott King makes me feel like that title was misplaced.

Among public figures, Mrs. King's grace was unmatched. Her courage and compassion never wavered. Tragedy did not destroy her. Her heart was big enough to support having a trial for James Earl Ray after he took back his confession of killing her husband. The potential ordeal of a trial and re-living one of the most tragic incidents in our country's history, let alone in her own life, in order to remove any doubt whether justice was served in the case of Ray speaks volumes about her character (Ray's death prevented the trial from happening) .

Coretta Scott King was a living reminder of the better parts of our humanity. She lived her life as one who fought for justice for all people. She recognized the God-given diginity that we all deserve. If any single woman could best represent what our country hopes to become, Mrs. King would have been our best ambassador.

Courage, compassion, beauty, and grace. A First Lady of the highest order.

My Babies

Tomorrow marks the 25th and 23rd birthdays for my youngest brother (top photo) and my second youngest sister! They are two of the reasons why I even bother to get up every day. Both are among the greatest blessings and the greatest loves in life.

I wanted to be the first to say Happy Birthday to Cameron and Sanci!

I love you both more than you'll ever know.

I Get Lifted

In a period of two weeks, I've had two painful root canals (90 minutes each), a broken tooth, and a filling fall out. I've been to the dentist more times in two weeks than I have in 20 years. So, I had to endure a few days of little or no solid foods, then soft foods that are carefully chewed. Mush, basically.

Needless to say, my teeth had justifiable cause to turn against me. Sugar for me has always been like crack to Whitney. Now, my teeth are about as frail as Mrs. Brown. Both are a ways from full healing and health. My dentist ordered an extension to his house when he saw my most recent X-rays (actually, it was a lecture, a strict prohibition of sweets, and an ominous prediction of many more visits to come).

Because of all the oral issues, I was on painkillers with wonderful side effects. Mainly, drowsiness and dizziness. Walking down the street and swaying like a drunk was a fascinating feeling. Clutching a street sign to steady oneself wasn't.

Thankfully, I've been pain free for about five days now and off the painkillers for four days. The constant foggy feeling is finally lifting. And as I'm feeling more like myself again, I wanted to share what I learned while I was in the fog:

-Noah's Arc is so much funnier when vicodin kicks in. Same for Gilligan's Island.

-The texture of silken tofu really does get on your nerves after a couple days. Especially when you're craving something, anything, you can chew.

-Venus and Serena both suffering embarrassing early losses at the Australian open doesn't hurt at all.

-My Dolphins made the playoffs, right?

-Those 6 boxes of Girl Scout cookies I ordered were only to support the kids. Really, I'm not gonna eat them. Really.

-Forgetting that you were drinking Diet Coke with Lime when you decide to fill your half empty glass with Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi is a cruel trick to play on your taste buds.

-Your friends and family really do love hearing for the 8th time that day you had another root canal. Their offering cheese to you is a sign of their willingness to hear it for the 9th time.

-The maid will wash the dishes. Thank God for paper plates... ain't seen her in a while... must be her month off.

-Bea Arthur is one sexy broad! And so is Dick Cheney.

Hmmm... I'm feeling a little tingle in my mouth. Maybe one more dip in the fog for old times sake.

-shim (looking longingly at the almost empty bottle of vicodin)

The Softest Note

Did you hear the softest note?
The undertone singing its heart out beneath the cacophony?

Like a speck of glitter falling off a child’s face
Or the last light of a dying star
It is there for a moment … but only if you are looking for it.
A blink will obscure it,
A sigh will mute it.

When I’m gone, will I be remembered like that softest note?
Or will people wonder if they just imagined me…

Like a whisper in a crowd.

© shim 2006

Self Portrait

Dolphin Dreams

Since I've re-christened this space "Dolphin Dreams," it makes sense the first post is dedicated to the inspiration for the name, the Miami Dolphins.

It is no secret that I am a rabid Dolphins fan. For over 30 years, my autumns have been dominated by the on field exploits of this team. In some ways, they have been the most consistent source of enjoyment for me.

However, this space is not a fan site devoted to them. They may appear on occasion, but the focus is on the second half of the name. The dreams.

This is a place I want to explore some of my thoughts, both random and calculated. I often feel like a being that should be in a different world. Making sense of that feeling is what inspired me to open this space. I relate to dolphins because they are mammals that live in a world designed for fish. However, taking a closer look at the dolphin, it is obvious they are in the right world. Their body shape, their breathing apparatus, and their sonar (echo location) are perfectly suited for aquatic life. They are where they belong.

Despite my past resistance and objections, it became increasingly clear that a blog space is something I should have. I am a Leo and as much as it pains me to admit this, I need my own private stage... spotlight and all! Just as a dolphin belongs in the water, a part of me needs to be here. So thus this little dream begins....

Testing the waters!