Soccer From The Terraces

Just a short update. My depression has raised it ugly head. I haven’t felt like writing or much else outside of work for months. Living in the state with the most cloudy days hasn’t helped. The season of forced happy thoughts has always been a problem. New year. New day. Finally feel I’m ready for that to happen. Happy holidays.

Soccer in Detroit: Deep roots vs deep pockets.

Sounds like a law firm doesn’t it. It does involve legal business motives and dealings. These first two gentlemen are the two billionaires that want to buy the franchise from the MLS, that’s where Garber comes in, for Detroit. Found in the trash of the Pontiac Superdome was a listing of all future Major League Soccer cities. We’ve been that list since the founding. About every three years or so…

It’s always the little things isn’t it. I’ve written openly about my mental health issues. Getting out of my apartment is a big one. A destination is critical for that first step. One of those go to places for the past 12 years has been a coffee house. Not a Starbucks or a fast food drive thru but a real European vibe, slightly funky public living room. A place where casual encounters could…

I’m a Soccer Ultra suffering withdrawal

First you have to understand supporting a soccer club is a active form of fandom bordering on obsession. My Club. First and forever. Tattoos. Has one famous English manager once said. “You don’t choose your club. It chooses you.” It’s a mystic moment when the stars align. Down from the sky an invisible bolt of true blinding passion and devotion strikes. One where all the artificial mental…

Russian Democracy American Style

America has had two great exports. Democracy and our Culture. That’s why our history is filled with supporting dictators, warlords and rebels against democratically elected governments we didn’t like. The American Empire. For all that the US still had an apparently viable two party system. A counter balance to the totalitarian Communist Soviet Union. The driving  policy of post war lost it way…

My daughter was in a play this weekend. Everything I needed to know I learned in kindergarten. A series of stories wrapped in life lessons. Got me thinking about the current discord in the nation. I guess it matters which school you went to that allowed the environment for the innocence of the lessons to take root. The book was written by an older gentleman of a different generation. His voice…

Watching Stephen Frye on the Rubin Report focus many random thoughts bouncing around my head this past few days. The printing press spread the ideas of the Rennaiise. with was fueled by the Reconquest of Spain. the Muslims valued knowledge. Their libraries and street of book sellers thrive while Europe slept through the nightmare of the Dark Ages. The wisdom of the Greek and Romans was protected.…

The President elect communicates in 140 characters. His childish feuds and 3 am tweets capture the headlines. Daily. Russian hacking. Conflicts of interest in his world wide business brand driven empire. Recently admitted during his victory lap tour that “Drain the Swamp” was a good phrase. One he didn’t like until he saw the rection. Then he threw his slick carny sideshow barker soul into it.…

One person who has haunted me. A man waiting for  another bus. Someone that could have been me in another universe. Someone we’ve all seen. The guy on the side of the road holding the sign asking for help. I’ve given money to them. Believing in the power of the 90% rather than the fear of the 10% who abuse the trust. Intent matters. The wind chill was a painful -6. This long gray breaded…

Observations from a Bus.

The great equalizer in our society is public transportation. Modern technology has replaced the folding newspaper or a book has the barrier to looking around at the others. Forget the windows on a cold Michigan day wrapped in endless clouds diffusing a weak winter sun. There is no cycling gear that protects you in single digit air temps and negative wind chills. I’ll leave that for the young and…

A Look back while Looking Forward.

Standing on the plateau after the long climb of 2016 gives me a chance to reflect. The dense fog that dogged my existence the past three years was a one way mirror. From here it’s so very clear. The decades long descent into chaos laid out. While another fog shrouds future lies ahead. This is the first flat spot in my journey. One my new reality allowed me to found. Funny what you can see when…

I’m a Romantic

This is about a world sport growing in America, Soccer. There is a philosophical divide driven by a passion unique to the sport’s culture. Intensely local to a club’s history. It’s working class beginnings. A trophy case of the stadium located in the heart of a neighborhood. Streets filled with supporters and fans walking there on match days. Local businesses where a fathers, sons and friends…

Trump’s choice for his cabinet are all Millionaires and Billionaires. A Rogues Gallery of merge and acquisition specialist whose slash and burn tactics please wealthy shareholders. The President elect bragged about not paying taxes. Warren Buffett paid less in taxes than his Assistant. He thought that was wrong. What I think a dollar is worth is vastly different from the Wealthy Class. You and I…

Seems I’m writing long comments in response to other blogs than writing mine. Mostly due to time constraints and laziness. Damn you YouTube and Facebook. Depending on the public WiFi at my coffee house living room has a great deal to do with this. A 2 gig phone plan is all I can afford. Good thing my life doesn’t demand instant connectivity. Winter weather plays a huge factor in my mental ability…

My life could be one of the great Russian novels without the brutal violence. Not ever having read one I have to depend on other’s impressions. Self knowledge prevents me from reading 18th and 19th literature about the Human Condition. It became a real problem in two of the three college English classes required for my degree. My 102 professor assigned the Heart of Darkness has a class project.…