Seven-Foot-1-Times-2

Interesting story today in the LA Times about two 7-foot-tall brothers from Fresno. They've both signed to play at Stanford, which means Stanford will have two 7-foot-tall players on the same team. That's gotta be some sort of record.

But what interested me most was how much these two kids - who are still growing! - eat. The article says:

Feeding her sons is a challenge on a teacher's salary. With stomachs like furnaces that constantly demand fuel, the twins are always eating. Many months, Ledford's food bill comes to $1,000.

On top of the refrigerator are a dozen boxes of sugary cereal such as Cocoa Puffs and Lucky Charms. The twins can each polish off an entire box and half a gallon of orange juice at one sitting. After dinner, they'll eat a half-gallon of ice cream.

Before away games, Ledford delivers boxes of Chinese takeout with three entrees each, which the boys devour on the team bus — their backs against the window, legs stretched across the aisle into the opposite seat.

Sometimes, coaches spring for pregame pizza. And the twins are still hungry. "The kids will say, 'Hurry, get some pizza, here come Brook and Robin,' " said Ciro Ortiz, a former assistant coach. "The twins can grab two slices each, fold them up, and they're gone in a second."

You can read the full story here.

Spring Break!

So this past week was my Spring Break, so of course Nicole and I packed our bathing suits and headed off to Wisconsin.

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Dave. Did you just say you went to Wisconsin? For Spring Break?"

Yes. Yes I did. Nicole and I had never been there in April, so...

Actually, the reason for us spending a week in sunny, tropical Wisconsin (official motto: Badgers? We don't need no stinking badgers) is not because it is a fantastic vacation getaway, but because it is close to our friends, the Zimans. My buddy Jonathan moved to Chicago last August to attend Trinity Theological Seminary. And if that wasn't bad enough, he took his wife and kids with him. Something about answering the call of God. Blah blah blah.

So, Nicole and I decided to fly into Chicago, have them pick us up in their mini-van. By the way, a note on minivans. The Zimans, with their large-ish family, drive The 2003 Honda Oddysey. Five-star safety rating, dual-side airbags, room for seven, powerful V6 engine, boomin' system, DVD players pumpin' out Veggie Tales. His ride is pimped. I was slightly jealous, which undoubtedly will cause people to make fun on me, but I don't care. The chassis of an SUV, the smooth handling of a car, coupled with Honda's reliability and affordability? Are you kidding me? Wipe the drool.

Anyway, back to Wisconsin. (As I write this, I realize that I'm sounding lamer and lamer.)

So, we hopped off the plane in Chicago, and drove with the Zimans up to Wisconsin. Needless to say, I guess you could say this whole trip was a scientific experiment, testing my hypothesis about friendship.

Tieche's Friendship Postulate 173.1: It doesn't matter where you are or what you are doing, if you're with really good friends, then it'll be fun.

As risky experiment, I know, but it all turned out well. One small example. Whilst we were driving up to the Great White North, we were passing some rural towns, and driving along the highway when we saw a truck with some advertisting painted on it. As we got closer, we saw what the advertising was for. The company's name was:

Doody Call
We do Doggy Doo Doo - So you don't have to

And this was on the side of the truck:



Look at that artistry. I can imagine the conversations that must have occurred.

BOB: Now, Jimbo, I like the dog.

JIMBO: I made him squatting.

BOB: Yes. I like the sense that this poo is happening right now. And I like the pile of accumulated poo underneath him.

JIMBO: Did you notice the stink fume lines?

BOB: Yes, that's good.

JIMBO: Do you think I need to add more?

BOB: No, I think six lines is enough. Too many more, people might think it's grass, or something. Might confuse people.

JIMBO: Good point.

BOB: So I think that. But...

JIMBO: But?

BOB: I think a logo for our company needs is a sense of...well...action. Our company is about action. Movement. Going, getting, scooping. So, maybe if we added something. You know, like we got the sense that this was something that was happening RIGHT NOW.

JIMBO: So, maybe like, add something

BOB: Yeah, maybe something...

JIMBO: Another turd?

BOB: Yeah, maybe, you know...one that hasn't been squeezed off yet.

JIMBO: So, like have the dog be in mid-pinch.

BOB: Yes! Yes, like that! That logo is now perfect.

Good night

Tieche Loves Penicillin

I praise God for Aelxander Fleming, Ernst Chain and Howard Florey who discovered penicillin and its curative effect on infectious diseases. Pencillin, though it makes your pee smell weird, kills Strep Throat very, very quickly. I am back at near 100%.

Tieche = Strep Throat

So I got the call from Kaiser today. The lab results came back. I have strep throat. I have taken the past two days off of school, and have had a fever of 102 for the past couple. I'm sick. Ick.

The worst part was that last night was First Wednesday, so I had to preach with Strep Throat (though I didn't know it). I had everyone I came into contact with pray for me, and took a few fast-acting Tylenol Gel-caps. That held me together for the hour on stage.

I hope at least a few people were able to make sense of my feverish ramblings.

BTW: I have a new favorite worship song. It's called "Irresistible" and it's by Darlene Zschech of Hillsong in Australia. Go buy it on iTunes.

Grease + Golden Retriever = Funny

If you've never seen a dog choreographer, look no further.

How Much Is Your Integrity Worth?

I remember watching a fairly bad movie my sophomore year of college with my best budies Jon and Neal. It was called "Blue Chips" and it starred Nick Nolte (who I've never liked) as a college basketball coach who is tired of losing and realizes that it's talent, not just coaching, that wins games. So he cheats to recruit Anfernee Hardaway, Shaq and Matt Nover (the former IU standout).

The message of the movie was rather depressing. It was basically "everyone else is going to cheat, so to compete, you have to."

The implication was that this is how college sports is really run. Of course, several schools have gotten in trouble of late for recruiting violations, including my own beloved Ohio State for both football and basketball. And according to a new book by Bill Walton, maybe even UCLA under John Wooden.

Consider the final quote of the article.

The truth of college athletics is that winning, let alone at the championship level, without rule breaking is nearly impossible. Fans and apologetic media don't want to admit this about the icons of the games, but nothing about this has changed for decades. And it probably never will.

There are no angels in this business, no white hats and black hats as the NCAA would like people to believe with its public relations campaign of a rule book. Everything is a shade of grey. Everything is situational ethics. Everything is pick your poison.

Even the great UCLA legacy. Even the great John Wooden.

Which if it's true - and it seems likely it is - is just depressing.