Opening Day: A Worthy Tradition, An Important Day, A True Misnomer

I looked at my spirited co-worker, dressed in his orange button down shirt, black pants and San Francisco Giants tie on Monday, April 3 and smiled. Brian wanted his students to remember a day baseball fans relish. He wanted everyone to know it's Opening Day. Only it wasn't...or it was....kind of...not really...? 

On Sunday, April 2, I listened with delight as the Giants (Hall of Fame) announcer Jon Miller came back on the air once again. I found myself expending an undue amount of mental and emotional anguish as my team had the lead and then blew it—twice. The gap between the end of the 2016 and the beginning of 2017 suddenly felt very small. I could hardly believe that the new season was underway. 

And yet, I felt conflicted as other media outlets described Monday—not Sunday— as Opening Day.  Hadn't I just heard the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd the day before? CBS Sports said

Major League Baseball got underway for 2017 on Sunday with a trio of games, but Monday is still technically known as “Opening Day,” as the other 24 teams all played their first game of the season.

I am not sure how or why Monday is, or was "technically" known as Opening Day when the games played one day prior, count toward the regular season total. They were not marketed or promoted as "pre-season games." For all intensive purposes, they were the first game of the 2017 MLB season. Ergo, they were played on Opening Day—right?!. And what I find even more curious, is that the Giants and the Diamondbacks had Monday—again, technically known as Opening Day—off. What gives?

Today we have many iterations of Opening Day. We have the first games of the regular season, we have the official Opening Day, Opening Night and for those teams who begin the season on the road, we have the Home Opener. I suppose there's a Home Opener day game and one for a night game too. Sounds a bit like a circus...which might be an appropriate analogy, given that the Greatest Show on Earth convened for one final show in Washington DC earlier this month. 

This is a wonderful feeling. Owning the WS title ALL YEAR

Though dubbed "America's past time" there are many forces at work to suggest baseball may not always be. For example, the majority of fans who watch baseball regularly are men over the age of 55.  The game has made efforts to keep fans engaged; it has responded and evolved, with increased sensitivity to how long games often take. 

Hall of fame catcher, Yankee legend and true sage, Berra  Yogi Berra quipped "If people don't want to come out to the ballpark, nobody's going to stop them." But the truth of the matter is—they do come out, and they should! Today's fans are blessed with yards and athletes worth seeing. Teams that were once cursed are winning championships and Game 7s in the World Series have never been so epic. I sincerely believe that fans return to the ballpark, April through yes, late October because of the story that they tell about their experience. Baseball carries a narrative like no other sport. Indeed, that narrative has enabled fans to learn about baseball's rich history; it has endeared them to this game's wonderful traditions. Baseball, a truly American game offers a meaningful chapter, a poetic verse to this young country's own testimony.

History is passed down and through story telling, tradition, symbols and rituals. When we compromise an event like Opening Day, a day that is rife with traditions like the President throwing out the first pitch, bunting inside and outside the Yard, a special ceremony on the field, the raising of a World Series banner (thank you 2010, 2012, 2014 Giants!), we lose part of our history....part of our story...and part of ourselves. 

President Taft was the first US President to throw the high heat, before a Washington Senators game.

William O'Malley states "The first step toward wisdom is to call a thing by its right name. Then you'll handle it as it deserves.” This "thing" is a day, and there should be no confusion about it. It should take place like it used to in Cincinnati, OH. Why? Because the Reds—the Red Stockings—were the first team in professional baseball. It would be wise, dear MLB to let this ritual stand....not in Australia, not on an air-craft carrier, not on a Sunday, but on that first Monday in April. And when you do, please just say two words, "Play Ball!"

Photo Credits
W. H. Taft
Opening Day Logo

Opening Day 2019: Hope Springs Eternal for 150 Years

On Opening Day 2019, I can't help but think "hope springs eternal." What a fitting way to frame the journey that awaits all 30 major league baseball teams and their fans. In what is the earliest Opening Day on record (for some it's never early enough), clubs from 27 different cities throughout the United States will do what they can from the dugout to the diamond to gel, hit, catch, and string it all together for a chance to play ball in October. Here are but a few reasons to celebrate today.

150 Years of MLB

"Sesquicentennial" is the word for an anniversary of 150 years; it's worth knowing and celebrating. In the United States, not much reaches this milestone. I have to wonder, will the NFL have Super Bowl CL?  Football fans know we are only at LIII. However, today, every club will sport MLB 150 patches on their caps. This is the first time a league-wide anniversary will be commemorated on something other than a sleeve. In fact, all clubs will wear special "MLB 150" patches on their uniforms for the entire 2019 season. The Reds will wear their own as this anniversary commemorates the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings—the first openly all-salaried professional baseball team.

David Adler of MLB writes "In addition to the league-wide patches, the Reds will also wear a series of 15 throwback uniforms throughout the season and feature a special commemorative logo on their caps and jerseys. MLB also announced on Tuesday that Manfred will be the grand marshal of the 100th Findlay Market Opening Day Parade in Cincinnati." Play Ball!

Every team plays today

Every club in the National League: East, Central or West as well as the American League: East, Central and West will take the field today. Maybe you are thinking: there is snow on the ground—baseball is starting? Yes. MLB reports that "the 2019 season will mark the second season under the scheduling format agreed to as part of the 2017-2021 Basic Agreement between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). The format, which extends the length of the season by adding an additional weekend of play at the beginning of the season, gives each Club three to four additional off days throughout the season to provide added rest and opportunities for rescheduling." 

I have waxed poetic about what is or is not Opening Day, before. It can be confusing. For example, the Oakland A's and Seattle Mariners played a two-game series in Tokyo. Therefore, the Mariners enter into Opening Day 2019 with a record of 2-0. Regardless, of that "soft opening" the designation of an official day by MLB as Opening Day 2019 with worth celebrating....even if just for the opportunity to check in and wish my fellow baseball fans a happy Opening Day.

Bunting
I know that Opening Day has some outstanding and meaningful traditions. The ceremonial first pitch, the parents who take their kids out of school for an "unexcused absence," the parade of legends who return to the yard and are honored on the field. Indeed, this panoply of rituals characterize our collective memories of Opening Day past and present! 

However, I still get the greatest thrill from something so simple. It's red, it's white and it's blue. It's doesn't have a song written in its honor for it isn't Star Spangled and although it sometimes can look faded, this take on Old Glory is ever fresh and new on Opening Day. Bunting. 

Bunting adorns the outside and the inside of every Major League Ballpark for Opening Day. You will see it on display with a modern twist beneath the Opening Day 2019 logo. The tradition must go back to the earliest of Opening Days as it has the look of yesteryear, and I just love it. I can imagine Teddy Roosevelt cheering for his team, his monocle in place....the bunting in the background.

No Room for Pessimism

We say that "hope spring eternal," but the full quote ought to be shared. Alexander Pope said "hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest." The second half of this message is important to remember. Negativity, reality, and that writing on the wall make it hard to have and hold hope. But as Pope reminds us, we are blessed. We are blessed to have opportunities to start anew. We are blessed to have traditions to honor and reasons to celebrate. We are blessed to have sport—a chance for humanity to play and compete, to strive, learn, grow, and achieve our goals. 

San Francisco Giants fans struggled this morning to muster much excitement for the 2019 season. I wanted no part of that. We have A LOT of baseball—162 games to play! Trades to make. Balls to catch, hit, and land into the Bay. I know that tonight, I'll look for the box scores as well as the highlights with a keen eye on the MLB 150 patches and bunting in the background and raise a glass to this American past time, 150 years in the making.

Photo Credits
Bunting
MLB 150

Sports and Spirituality: Making Teaching Fun Again

I asked a few colleagues at lunch the other day, "When is teaching fun?" I heard answers like "when you are not grading." Someone else said, "when you are not giving detention for dress code." I didn't get the information I was seeking. And then I realized that no one should ask this question at the end of the third quarter. Timing is everything, right?

Here's the good news. In spite of the grind and the rampant senioritis, I have answers. Teaching is fun when I get to engage with my favorite topics, play with ideas, make connections, think creatively and invite young people to come along. For me, it fun to teach and talk about culture, language and of course sports and spirituality. 

Though I do teach Sports and Spirituality, a senior elective in the Religious Studies department, one need not have a class dedicated to the topic alone. I think there is a way for every teacher to incorporate what they love into their curriculum. There's a lot to be said for the teacher who is enthusiastic and passionate about the subject. #Differencemaker. 

So to keep some, if any, fun in teaching—give this a go. You can use this information at the beginning of class as students settle in or as a fun way to wrap up the period. Whether or not you are an educator, each one offers something to think about. Enjoy.

Opening Day, South Korea and Population Demography

March 20 marked Opening Day for Major League Baseball. If you feel the need to put an asterisk by that, I unerstand. For 28 of the 30 MLB teams, Opening Day is not until Thursday, March 28. To further complicate matters, MLB teams have the home opener (if their team starts on the road), Opening Night and Opening Day. I have written about this misnomer before. Regardless, the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers traveled to Seoul for a two game road stand in what is the first time an official MLB game has been played in South Korea.

A number of questions should follow:

1. Why South Korea?
2. Why those two teams?
3. Does having more than one Opening Day compromise the significance of the tradition?

A few answers: For one, baseball has exploded in popularity in South Korea. As noted by sportswriter Jee-ho Yoo, "People just love baseball here." Turns out the country has produced 28 MLB players and the first to be drafted in the United States. Chan-Ho Park, who pitched in MLB for nine years, threw out the first pitch—wearing a dual team jersey. Perhaps that is why those two particular teams made the cross-Pacific flight to what is the sixth largest metro area in the world.

Sixth largest!? Yes, Seoul is home to 24.3 million people. I think it's valuable to teach and share population demongraphy. Ask students if they have been to Seoul.  Invite students to guess the other answers.

Thank you to YahooSportsAM for the material...and the hint: The five largest metro areas are in Japan, India, Indonesia, China and the Philippines.

Answers:

• Tokyo, Japan (36.5 million); 
• Delhi, India (30.1 million); 
• Jakarta, Indonesia (29.8 million); 
• Shanghai, China (26.9 million); 
• Manila, Philippines (25 million)

Most students got two or three out of the five. And, I had but a handful of Opening Day purists. Students think it is good to grow the game and give international exposure.

Feel free to research the faith traditions of those countries named. I guessed higher, but Korea is 11.9% Catholic. 

A Different Kind of Holy Week
The 2024 Masters will take place April 11-14. The events that preceed the first major of the year are magnificent; each one steeped in tradition. It starts in Augusta’s clubhouse on the Tuesday night of tournament week with the Champions Dinner. The reigning champion sets the menu and gets to pay the bill for this elite dinner party. Past winners only.

The 2023 winner Jon Rahm who hails from Bairika Spain created a menu that reflects his Basque heritage. My mouth started watering and I recalled traveling to the Northeast part of Spain to walk the Camino Ignaciano. Each day concluded with a delicious meal featuring cured meats and flavors much like what you see here.

Ignatius of Loyola, the patron saint of the school where I teach and the founder of the Society of Jesus is also Basque. Having lived over 500 years ago, it can be challening to relate to his identity, personality and humanity, too. However, food is a fundamental for connection. It speaks to culture without words....all taste buds.

March Madness
I came to find out that "eight schools in this year's men's NCAA tournament have won multiple national championships." Thanks again to YahooSportsAM. This weekday resource asked me to name them (hint: three are in the same state), I started to wonder if any Catholic colleges made the cut. Negative.

I then considered what Catholic University has the most NCAA championships. I held on to hope that my alma mater has that locked in for the women's tourney. The Irish do, with two titles in 2001 and 2018. For the men, the answer is difiifferent. Want to guess? Villanoa has three. Impressive.

When speaking about Catholic schools in this context, I always find it worthwhile to teach about the religious communities that founded them— the Augustinians at Villanova and the Congregation of Holy Cross at Notre Dame. Invariably that information is news to people. So much so that Sister Jean Lenz, OSF included an anecdote about this perception in her book "Loyal Sons and DAUGHTERS: A Notre Dame Memoir." 

It's hard to imagine that I knew nothing about the Congregation of Holy Cross and its relationship to the University of Notre Dame during my adolescence on the South Side of Chicago. I suspect if anyone tested me along the way, I might have guessed Notre Dame was run by the Jesuits, a belief which fits into that somewhat legendary story about how the Jesuits took a poll to find out—among other things—which of their universities was considered the most well know, only to discover that Notre Dame had landed the top spot. 

Furthermore, it has always been surpring to me how many people thought I went to school "back East." South Bend, Indiana is as midwest as it gets. Why not get students to locate each school on a map? South Bend sits on the SOUTH bend of the St. Joseph River. Sometimes life makes sense....

I hear it often: I would love to teach Sports and Spirituality! Others tell me they wish they could take a class on Sports and Spirituality. Here! Here!  Wth this blog post, I hope I got your mind thinking of ways to get those synapses flying, your noggin moving and face smiling. There's always a lot to learn. Why not make it fun?!

Photo Credits
Chan Ho Park, Opening Day and MM Trophy
Menu

Opening Day: What it reveals about us

The late A. Bartlett Giamatti was the President of Yale University, a philosopher and the Commissioner of Major League Baseball for all but short five months. He was also an author. In Take Time for Paradise, he wrote

It has long been my conviction that we can learn far more about the conditions, and values, of a society by contemplating how it chooses to play, to use its free time, to take its leisure, than by examining how it goes about its work.

Fans are advised to arrive to Washington Nationals Park by 10:00 a.m. Upon hearing this, I knew a two hour window before game time indicated one thing: the President must be throwing the ceremonial first pitch. I love this 100 year old tradition, even if Obama wore bad jeans last year, or can’t throw strikes. I’m not convinced that baseball remains America’s official past time, but I do think the fact that every President since William Howard Taft has made a point to get out to the yard for its inaugural game, speaks to Giamatti's  claims. He adds:

If there is a truly religious quality to sport, then, it lies first in the intensity of devotion brought by the true believer, or fan. And it consists second, and much more so, in the widely shared, binding nature—the creed-like quality—of American sport.

Even in an increasingly secular place like San Francisco, the Giants hold a faithful following. So much so, that the home opener is played during the day. Ah! The sweet day game; what leisure. It is time away from work and even better—from school. For 42 years, Brother Draper, the iconic Dean of Students at SI posted a typed document daily, verified by his initials “dd, sj” (for Doug Draper, SJ) in the faculty room. It might strike some as odd or dated considering the multitude of other technological resources, but said list was helpful. If a student had a serious illness, Brother might include necessary information beside his name. If a student was with her traveling team in Chile for a soccer tournament, faculty was aware of the unexcused absence. And on one day of the year, I think it is fair to say at least 5% of the student body’s names appeared in that courier type: Opening Day. Brother Draper printed this list without guile. The following students are at Candlestick (or in recent years Pac Bell/AT&T) Park. It’s a shame no student had the acumen to call upon Giamatti’s words to earn an “excused” versus “unexcused absence.”

Standing in front of Nationals Park on Sunday night—the day prior to opening day for Major League Baseball and AT&T Park tonight—the day before the Giants' home opener, I couldn’t help but reflect upon the sport of baseball and what it reveals about America/Americans as one might do about a religious community while standing outside a church. Undoubtedly, AT&T is a cathedral; its field is hallowed ground. On the other coast, Nationals Park is bringing rebirth to a blighted area of our nation's capital; its locker room dubbed "the oval office" holds conversations about winning and losing, faith and hope. The red, white and blue bunting that adorns the interior and exterior of both venues indicates a feast day is upon us. There is something sacred about opening day and lucky for SI students, they won't have to miss class thanks to spring break this week. I just hope after President Obama threw that ceremonial first pitch, he yelled “Play Ball!” God Bless America. Play Ball!

Photo Credits

Opening Day: Paradox & Surprise

The Easter story is full of paradox and surprise. Unbeknownst to me, I discovered Opening Day 2012 for the San Francisco Giants was too.

America magazine states that Christians must consider Jesus’ wounds, even in His risen glory. Although Jesus carried with him the signs of his suffering, His woundedness did not prevent Him from commissioning His disciples to preach. He invited his beloved to see and to put their hands in his side. The locked room where they hid must have been filled with fear and yet excitement, sadness and joy, paradox and surprise.

I find it appropriate that baseball officially began in San Francisco in the Easter season. With the 40 Days of Lent now behind me and the Resurrection in our midst, I met my first Opening Day with Easter joy! Yes, Easter joy. This joy is bright and abundant, almost overflowing. It is greeted my anticipation and hope of what is to be. I arrived the ballpark with this joy in my heart.

I was greeted outside China Basin’s cathedral by the ceremonial bunting I love. I was anxious to “meet” the new Giants in their uniforms and curious to see the changes/improvements to AT&T. I know that Opening Day often draws its own crowd (who many consider lack loyalty), but regardless, the energy was palpable. The skies had finally cleared and we made way for those early steps toward another World Series trophy. Why not dream big? On Opening Day, hopes are high and all is possible.

Paradox
Seeing Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan meant that certain players were no longer on the roster. Some athletes come and go and others leave a mark on our hearts. For example, it was hard not to love Cody Ross, the 2010 NLCS MVP. At that time “Ross was Boss” but the former rodeo clown among others wasn’t someone the Giants committed to resigning. I was reminded that beginnings are often endings.

As we honored the 1962 Giants upon the 50th Anniversary of their National League pennant, I noticed Willie McCovey was on the field, sitting in a wheelchair for the first time. It was sad for me to see a man who was once called "the scariest hitter in baseball" by pitcher Bob Gibson so limited in his mobility.

The starter Matt Cain has a losing record in Major League baseball (70-73) Cain is a workhorse (KNBR’s Eric Byrnes plays a sound bite of a horse nay-ing every time he talks about him!) and has been the second man in the Giants outstanding pitching rotation for the last 7 years. Despite his impressive 2.88 ERA, he barely finished the 2011 season with a winning record 12-11. Yes, he signed a contract for a record $127.5 million dollars. Is that paradox? I think not. Matty delighted the crowd with a one-hitter and twelve strikeouts.

Surprise
I had no idea how good it would feel to see Buster Posey back in the line up. After last year’s team’s hitting woes, it was a relief to see this man not only behind the plate, but driving the offense to our first win at home. The standing ovation he got was especially loud. We cannot wait to see how much better the team is with the 2010 Rookie of the Year healthy and healed.But anyone who was at the game will share with you the greatest surprise of the day was one that was highly emotional. Bryan Stow, the Giants fan that was severely beaten on Opening Day last year in Los Angeles, and his mother Ann joined the festivities via a live satellite linkup from his rehab center. The hope was that he would be healthy enough to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Instead, his son Tyler was given the honor.

Fans cheered as Bryan held up a ball in a symbolic gesture for his son, saying, "Here's the ball - good luck, son." Tyler then fired a fastball to home plate, and the crowd again erupted in cheers.

I was trying to process all that I just witnessed. I was in no way prepared for the flood of emotions that overtook me at that moment. I looked at Bryan Stow and thought “this is a man still in great physical pain.” Jeremy Affeldt, who accompanied Tyler to the mound, said there wasn’t a dry eye among his teammates.

But then I remembered the look on the face of Affeldt when he hugged Tyler. They both wore a smile that reflected that Easter joy! I looked at the people around me cheering, crying, silenced and smiling and I was amazed at how what feels like a huge fan base and fairly loose community truly rallied behind Bryan Stow; his life, his cause and his story. This was not a moment to think of the pain and suffering that Stow and his family has endured. No, that pitch, that ceremony and that message was to “play ball!”

I hope during the 2012 baseball season you will look for signs and moments of paradox and surprise. When and if you do, I hope you are able to recognize joy—Easter joy—in them.

Photo Credits
All Images from

The 2017 US Open: A Few Riches Amidst An Embarrassment of Others in Sports

As a sports fan, I get asked quite often what is my favorite one to watch. I've got my answer down: I love Notre Dame football, Giants baseball, I enjoy a lot of high school basketball but really, my favorite is the PGA. This comes as a surprise to some people, but it's the truth. What is your answer?

My love of golf is palpable when it comes time for the four most prestigious tournaments in the sport—the majors. There's a spring to my step and joy to my world. For example, on Thursday June 15, I happened to be playing in a two-day golf tourney as the US Open commenced at Erin Hills. About three holes in, I turned to my caddie and said "I'm so fired up for the US Open right now." Maybe I should have been more excited about the round of competition I was in.....but on opening day, any one of the 156 golfers in the field has an equal shot at the championship. 

The 117th Open that took place for the first time in Wisconsin had its share of great golf and notable misses (from Phil Mickelson who sat out to attend his daughter's high school graduation to the top 3 players in the world who missed the cut). I would be lying if I told you I shed a tear when Brooks Koepka captured the win; I don't want to take away from his historic feat. Koepka shares the low scoring record with Rory McIlroy, finishing with 16 under par. The 27-year old golfer out of West Palm Beach completed his final round with an accuracy rating of 85% and hit 86% of all greens in regulation. No other golfer has ever been above 80% in both categories on the 55th-72nd holes. And yet, as I turned off the television and closed the chapter on the second major of the year, I was reminded that spectacular victories and memorable final rounds are never a given. 

As a sports fan I don't think I take great wins for granted, however there has been an embarrassment of riches in recent sports history. Although 2016 was a year that many people wanted to forget, last year was epic in terms of sports. And, from this year's Masters to the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, 2017 has not been devoid of them either. We have been spoiled, and we will be spoiled again. Until then, here are but a few ideas that this year's Open has has invited me to consider.

Rory with his father on Father's Day/US Open at Congressional 2013

A great Father's Day Tradition.
Is it just me or does Father's Day take a major back seat to Mother's Day? I am simply raising the question; please do not shoot the messenger.

That being said, I do love that the USGA honors golfers and their dad's on the day of the final round. Call is smart advertising, but I love the duo of this day for my dad and for golf. 

To this day, my favorite US Open was when Justin Rose beat Phil Mickelson at Merion (2014). I was a new member at the Olympic Club and took my dad and family out to brunch. We descended to the bar grill in the basement where we watched the final eight to ten holes. My dad who was allegedly stuffed from a fantastic meal, found room for two beers and the peanuts and pretzel snacks they offer. Why not, it was his day. Thanks Dad!

75% of the golfers on my team learned to play golf with or from their dad. On this day, I honor those men, for without them, I might not have the chance to coach their daughters. 

We need more great fathers in the world. I hope in some small way, that message is articulated even through the US Open.

Why is that okay?
About 10 years into teaching high school students, I struck gold. I found the perfect question for disciplinary purposes. 

A student was distracting me and his classmates once again. I had already confronted the behavior. I had given wait time for said student to stop talking and make amends. He didn't. Rather than lose it, yell or over react, I simply looked him in the eye as he was talking to yet another student and said "Why is that okay?" 
Silence.
I repeated the question, "I need to know, why is it okay that you are talking right now."
"It's not," he said.
"Thank you," I replied. Matter solved.

Holly Sonders has been a golf analyst on both the Golf Channel and on Fox Sports. While there were four male commentators sitting in the booth and analyzing the tourney, Ms Sonders was standing and interviewing a few players after their round. I looked at her dress, did a compare and contrast with the conservative shirts, suits and ties in the booth, and looked at her again. Why is that okay? was my only question...my sole reaction.

Her dress might not be appropriate for clubbing later in the evening, but I'm not convinced it was appropriate for golf either. 

I understand that Fox Sports was covering the men's US Open. I can comprehend why there are far more men narrating the tourney than there are women. But I cannot understand why Juli Inkster who played on the LPGA since 1983 was heard and never seen and why Holly Sonders, was seen and heard much less. 

The littlest of things can delight us
Rickie Fowler wears orange and white on Sundays to honor his alma mater, Oklahoma State. Perhaps you noticed what was not necessarily a clash of colors, but just a whole lot more of it on and around the 9th ranked golf player in the world during the Open. Fowler had his caddie Joe Kkovron carry a green and gold Cobra golf bag to honor the Green Bay Packers. Great call in the land of cheese heads Rickie.

Wisconsin's own native son, Steve Stricker had an outstanding performance at Erin Hills. Though 50 years old, he shot the same score in today's round, a 69 as the 23 year old Jordan Spieth. What I love about Stricker isn't just his surname (we've got to be related), but the fact that he has a female caddie. That's right. There's no need to discriminate on gender. A caddie must know the game, take good notes, make astute observations and be encouraging. That person for Stricker is his wife, Nicki.

Springsteen fans yell out BRUUUUUUCCCE! at every show. Matt Kuchar is developing fan calls that rival the Boss'. Have you noticed? KOOOOCH may also be giving Steve Kerr a run for the money as another man who has no enemies. Kuchar might be the most beloved player on the tour, which I can support. I swear it looks like he is smiling and enjoying every hole. How is that possible? Must be the fan support.

On Sunday, the final round, the absence of my favorite players forced me to reconsider who to cheer for. Always a fan of Rickie, I hoped he would win his first major. Second on my list was Justin Thomas, simply because he went to St. X in Cincinnati, a brother Jesuit high school My third and final hope was in Patrick Reed, and here's why. According to Golf Digest,

"Captain America," as he's known to fans, broke out the team trousers for Round 3 at Erin Hills, and they do seem to have brought him good fortune today. He shot a 7-under 65 for a share of the lead and a shot at U.S. Open glory. 

Unfortunately Reed did not post the memorable round that he did at Hazeltine, but I still treasure the riches from the US win (another great sports moment in 2016). 

For those who live in and around Erin, WI the 2017 US Open can't help but be memorable. Extending hospitality to the golfers and patrons from around the world is a privilege and a blessing. For those of us who watched on TV, through highlights or reviews in the paper, the 117th championship doesn't stand out as extraordinary on a grand scale. But to love a sport, and to see athletes strive to make themselves, their competitors and the game better as I did over the last four days...well, that's priceless.

Photo Credits
Patrick Reed
Brooks Wins
Rickie

What's good about "Good Friday?"

What’s good about “Good Friday?” It is my least favorite day of the liturgical year. I suppose it should be, considering the magnitude of what occurred over 2000 years ago. I struggle each year with how I should honor this holy yet somber day.

I know what I am called to do. This is one of the two high holy days of the year when Catholics fast—which permits two small meals and one full meal. We are to abstain from meat. I believe most Catholics, myself included, are total wimps when it comes to this traditional spiritual practice. Muslims fast for nearly a month during the high holy season of Ramadan. I will forever thank Hakeem Olajuwon for his strict observance of it, which occurred during virtually every season of his NBA career. It is a serious challenge for me, and I’m not even a professional athlete. His example inspires me.

Liturgically the Church offers no shortage of ways to celebrate the Lord’s Passion. My parish, St. Dominic’s began the day with Tenebrae. It also held Stations of the Cross, Seven Last Words, Confessions and concluded the day with the Liturgy of the Word, veneration of the Cross, and a Communion service. Each practice is colored by the burden of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. Each one evokes the reality of Christ’s suffering and death on the Cross. We leave in silence.

Whether or not I am at church mid-day, I try to be in silence from noon to three. I don’t spend the evening of Good Friday like other Fridays—no happy hour, no going out to dinner with friends. I hate to admit it, but it’s almost a relief when Good Friday has passed! So again, what’s good about Good Friday?

Lorne Hanley Duquin of Catholic San Francisco writes "In the English language the term “Good Friday” probably evolved from God’s Friday in the same way that “Good-bye” evolved from God be with you." I challenged myself to make this year’s Good Friday, God’s Friday.

I began the day working at Martin de Porres House of Hospitality. As I served hot steaming bowls of oatmeal I was delighted to hear “It’s Good Friday” more than I expected. To hear “Happy Good Friday” from our brothers and sisters on the street was a humbling experience. Many days are Good Fridays for them.

I went from Martin’s to Tenebrae, I fasted as best I could and concluded the day by joining a friend to see the documentary film, Bill Cunningham: New York. The New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham, a Catholic, has been obsessively and inventively chronicled fashion trends and high society charity soirées for the Times Style section in his columns “On the Street” and “Evening Hours.” The film was a portrait of "a dedicated artist whose only wealth is his own humanity and unassuming grace." And the irony is that it was a tremendously poignant way to conclude Good Friday.

What could the story of a man who has dedicated his life to fashion possibly have to do with the crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus? What could be more distant from our Lord's passion and death?

Cunningham’s success is largely because of what his eye can see. He sees clearly because he has eliminated most distractions from his life. He is not weighed down by cell phone, iPad or laptop. He navigates his bicycle through Manhattan as if it were a residential park. He is unaffected by wealth, class or privilege. His body of work bears witness to his belief "He who seeks beauty will find it."

And in a small way, I think this mantra applies to Good Friday. I feel challenged to seek the truth this day reveals, but also the beauty in it.

Some beauty is overt and easy to capture. For example, I was enamored with the gold lettered jerseys the San Francisco Giants wore on Opening Day. These special uniforms were to honor the World Series Championship and the accolades that continued into the 2011 season—the ring ceremony, raising of the Championship pennant, even the presentation of the “Rookie of the Year” award. But beauty can also be found in unlikely people and places, as Cunningham proves.

Martin de Porres at 6:15 a.m. is one of those unlikely places. On Good Friday, I found it as an African American man in his mid 20s asked me for his second bowl of oatmeal. Here before me was a man who had spent the night either in a shelter or on a street. He arrived cold, tired and hungry and yet he came for breakfast wearing the most striking yellow headband. For some reason, I paused and looked twice at him. His handsome face, his beard, this canary yellow headband. It served as tremendous visual reminder that the dignity of the human person is truly inherent. Life events and people may compromise it, but as my faith professes, it cannot and should not ever be taken away.

And that subtle truth reminds me of Christ on the cross. Crucifixion was so horrific a punishment, that the Romans ordered it to non-Romans alone. It sought to the eliminate the dignity of God made man, but Jesus triumphed.

Jesus hung in agony and despair for three hours and yet, he had the strength to forgive the “good thief.” With his own mother at the foot of the cross, He was able to order her future care and well-being to His beloved disciple John. He even had the ability to utter seven final words not of hate, but of surrender and grace. He said “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

The beauty of the cross is in a great many things, but I came to realize this Good Friday, that it rests particularly in the revelation of Christ’s human dignity until the very end. This year, Easter will only be that much more beautiful.

Photo Credits: 
Bill C
The Wood of the Cross
Giants Gold
Hakeem
Martins

What the Stolen Christ Child & Bryan Stow Helped Me Realize

To the anger, dismay and shock of many parishioners at St. Dominic’s in San Francisco, the Christ child was stolen from the church’s beautiful crèche. Our pastor told us about the missing baby Jesus by way of his homily as he artfully connected this loss to the message of that’s Sunday’s Gospel reading. And I this past Sunday, four full months later, I was informed he had returned on Good Friday.  He was left in the bathroom.  He was clearly not misplaced or lost.  He was no longer in a manager, but in the toilet.  Fr. Xavier said “there’s a story here and we simply don’t know it."

He’s right, there is a story here and I can’t begin to understand it.  He held up the baby Jesus for everyone to see and I started to cry. A floodgate of tears was my response.  I was surprised by my reaction as I listened to his greater questions in light of what had happened.

That night during prayer, I revisited my emotion, my sadness. I asked myself Why I was feeling this way? It’s a 10-inch wooden doll. Why do I care? I came to understand, anyone can say it’s an image or a symbol, but to me it is more.  It represents that which I hold sacred: the Incarnation. God became flesh; God became one of us and did it from life’s beginning—as a vulnerable, dependent, helpless child.

My reaction reminded me of one I experienced on Opening Day 2012. When Bryan Stow appeared on the big screen with his mother to “virtually” hand the baseball to his son Tyler for the ceremonial “first pitch” I could not hold back the tears. I was not alone.

When Giants fans first learned of the Bryan Stow incident nearly one year prior our reactions were no different than my fellow parishioners—anger, dismay and shock.  There was a story there, but it did not amount to much. According to the Huffington Post, "the “Police said the two men began taunting three men in Giants gear with expletives as thousands of baseball fans left the stadium after Thursday night's 2-1 Dodger victory, Detective T.J. Moore said.

The Giants fans tried to distance themselves from their assailants, and two made it away from them, but one was struck with fists on the back of the head and as he fell, his head hit the ground in a parking lot on the third base side of the ballpark, Moore said.” 

I stood there on Opening Day and I asked myself the same questions—Why do I care?  Honestly, I don’t know Bryan Stow apart from the fact we both love the Giants. Why did so many people around me feel the way I did? Why has his story captured our hearts, prayers and hopes?

Perhaps on some level we know that what happened to Bryan Stow could have happened to any one of us. Stow et al didn’t bring on the violence, they didn’t ask for an altercation.  However, this is more than a sport rivalry turned bad.  It represents a lack of respect for human life or like the Christ child that which is sacred.

We carry a bit of the Incarnation in us, as we are made in God’s image and likeness. We respond with tears, sadness and anger because any violation of that dignity is an assault to the sacred. And when that which is sacred is compromised, our souls suffer. Truth and beauty, even humanity is compromised.  Our reaction should be tears or sadness, confusion or dismay.

Someone may have stolen the Christ child from the crèche and placed him in the toilet on humanity’s darkest day of the year, Good Friday, but once again, Jesus as Lord is risen.  He continues to teach me even from the lowliest of places.

Photo Credits
Bryan and Ann Stow
Empty Manger
Holy Family

3 Things You Might Not Know....

Hard to believe, but another school year is underway. The first day of class is a bit of a song-and-dance.  I assign seats, introduce the course, hand out the syllabus—in short, I do too much of the talking. To break the monotony, I ask students to write "three things you might not know about me." I read these out loud without revealing who the author is.  It's a fun task for the class to guess who wrote what.

With any activity, it's important that the teacher model it first.  For the purpose of the blog, here are my three as they relate to sports and three that relate to the spiritual life.  It might be fun for you to come up with your own.

Jennifer Brennan doesn't know what it means not to be in season...

Sports:

1.  I am quasi-obsessed with the multi-sport athlete.

This may come as a surprise to no one given the airtime the multi-sport athlete gets on this blog, but if you are looking to engage in a conversation I will never end, this is the topic. It's also a hot topic because the high school three-sport athlete is exceedingly rare. At St. Ignatius where I teach, last year just two seniors—one male and one female—played three varsity sports.

With that in mind, imagine my fascination with Sports Illustrated's collegiate athlete of the year finalist, Jennifer Brenner. Honestly, I don't know why she didn't win.  A four-sport athlete at the University of Oregon—I repeat 4-sports (in 3 seasons!) at a D-1 school—is more than an anomaly. it's incredible. I held court for five minutes asking my colleague to guess what those sports were.  

My vote for the 2013 NL MVP 

One of my favorite athletes right now is Andrew McCutchen.  I attended the Giants' 2012 Opening Day vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was hard not to notice the Buccs' center-fielder  "Cutch" looks like he could play any number of sports on demand.  He is fast, focused, competitive and understated.  Hard on offense and defense, I wasn't surprised to read he played football in high school and ran track on the championship 4x100 m relay team for the state of FLORIDA.  I could engage in you with a hypothetical conversation about what position he played in football for too long.  Cornerback is my guess. 

My niece a lefty with my cousin, another lefty

2. I wish I were left-handed.Lefties may be 11% of American society but their impact is big in sports.   They bring something different and valuable to the court, field, and diamond.  Lefties open it up.  

The list of southpaws is not short—give it a shot. Some of my favorites include David Lee and Chris Mullin (Warriors), James Harden (Rockets), Will Clark (Giants), Bubba Watson (golf), Steve Young and Tim Tebow (football), Yannick Noah (tennis) among others.  

And I find it even more fascinating that two athletes at the top of their gameplay it left-handed but are righties.  Can you guess? Phil Mickelson is the gimme. The other? Rafael Nadal.  

When it became apparent my niece and God-daughter Grace was a lefty, I found yet another reason to delight in God's creation.

3.  I wish I were more competitive.
I consider myself a fairly competitive person, but as an athlete, I wish I had that edge that I see in some of the greats.  To play at the highest levels, that wiring to win is necessary.  I am fascinated by the many faces of sheer drive in some athletes. 

Case in point.  Michelle Akers was named by FIFA as the female player of the century.  She is also one of two women named to FIFA's top 100 soccer players of all time.  My favorite vignette from ESPN's "9 for IX: The '99ers" is when her coach, Tony DiCicco talks about her as they flash images of the midfielder/forward in action.  He says "she was by far the most technically gifted player on the field. And she was a warrior. That warrior mentality is why we won."

One minute later, we see Akers talking about playing on that team. She said "I went into every game, ready to face my opponent with the attitude It’s going to be bad day for you guys.  We are stronger and fitter.  It’s going to be a hard day for you!:

She meant every word and she backed it up.  If I were to play Akers, it would be a bad day let alone week for me.  Awesome.

One of my all-time favorite quotes by an athlete: It's going to be a bad day for you. 

Spiritual
1.  Inclusive language is very important to me.
I don't consider myself to be a raging feminist; I've never wanted to change history to "herstory" but I do believe communal prayers should be as inclusive as possible.  When changes were made to the Mass, I wish this had been taken into consideration.  Yes, I find value in saying "humankind" over "mankind."  I don't identify God and "He" or as "She" but as God.  Perhaps God-self would agree.  I take no issue in referring to God as "Father" because that indicates a relationship, but in other examples, I wish the Church was more sensitive and thoughtful to word choice.

2. I like a short mass: But then again, who doesn't—right? 

I should thank the Mormons for setting the bar high. Their four-hour services put Catholics to shame. I make it to mass every Sunday, religiously (pun intended) and know what I am in for. The hour-long obligation isn't asking too much. 

I've read that a good pastor is like a barometer—they read the energy and sentiment of their community.  I guarantee it's a rare group that is hoping for a 20-minute plus homily (sorry Father).  

A wise person once said, "leave 'em laughing."  Not bad advice....and leave them wanting more. The mass already has its ritual and order; its grace and the power of our presence should not be underestimated.  But to do that in under an hour is just so sweet...

3. I think Confession is underrated.
Most Catholics have a hard time with this sacrament. It's not easy to take an inventory of our sins and articulate them to another person.  It can be humiliating and uncomfortable, but I also opens us up to God's grace like nothing else.

In the confessional, I have been told I am being too hard on myself.  I have been challenged to work harder and to love more. I have been advised in ways I would have never imagined on my own.  I have felt God's mercy and I have come to know my own ability to forgive others and myself in a profound way.

I return to Confession because my need for God's grace and mercy never ends.  Loving in the way Christ does is not easy; He never said it would be.  I'm grateful I have the support of the sacrament to continue on that journey.

Have fun with your three (or six) items!  Here's to a great (school) year!

Photo Credits
Michelle Akers