The Top ten sporting events you must see before you die

Recently, I read an article from Jim Caple on espn.com on the 101 things all sports fans must see before you die. Some I agreed, others I have done, and some I kind of wonder whether they were consider sports. Lets start with Caple's list of things I have done.

#100 Go see Harlem Globetrotters game

#62 Midnight madness at a KU basketball game

#22 Cubs game at wringley field

#35 Opening Day in Baseball



Now here are the ones that I kind of wonder are really sports

#98 Calveras county California Frog jumping jubilee....where wine tasting and 2,000 frogs are involved.

#94 the Hot dog eating championships at coney island on the fourth of July....can anybody say disgusting

#90 The show me state games in Columbia, Mo in July.......this is where 30,000 average joe missourians compete in summer games ages range from 3 to 83. I would like to participate in this, but I feel like I would get embarass by a guy in his 50's if I were running the 100m dash.

#65 The wife carrying championships in Sonka jarvi, Finland......I have seen this event on TV before and it's funny.

#47 Running of the bulls ......Pamplona, spain ........Now, my brother has done this and you have to be very careful on the cobble streets. At least he did this event before he got married.



Now Caple's 10

1. Summer Olympics

2.World Cup soccer

3.Winter Olympics

4.world series

5.NCAA subregional baskeball championships

6Spring training

7. NFL Conference championships

8. The Masters

9.Wimbledon

10. Tour de France during the mountain stage



Tim Dawg's top ten ...........the number in parethesis is where caple put it.

1.Hall of Fame Induction in Cooperstown (16)

2.World Series (4)

3.Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa (74)

4. SuperBowl (not even numbered, in fact caple put it at 10 things to avoid)

5Indy 500 (33)

6.Kentucky Derby (32)

7.The masters (8)

8. Visiting Fenway Park (not numbered but should be)

9.Wimbledon (9) If anything just for strawberries and cream

10.Big 12 tournament (only if it's K.C. and was not listed)

Honarable Mention

The Prefontaine Classic (70) Where some of best runners compete

Signed
Tim "that's my list and I'm sticking to it" Crippen

My Brother's Wedding and more fun stuff

Let me just say one thing before I get into my post, I must apologize to the State of Maryland. If you take out the city of Baltimore and Washington D.C. the area it is really beautiful and very woody. I never realize how great a state can be until you can go outside the city limits.

Okay, now onto the wedding. This was my first time ever to serve as best man as well as attending an outdoor wedding. The wedding was held at Crystal's parents backyard which was a perfect setting with the creek on the left hand side of the picture. God created a masterpiece when it came to the weather. The sun was out no humidity, no rain, and very little wind. But he really created a masterpiece when he brought my brother and crystal together as one.

However, there was one little hitch in the wedding. It will be remembered from both the Crippen family and Namie family who attended the wedding.

Crystal's jack russell terrier "Tess" decided to take a little stretch during the wedding cremony we all had a pretty good laugh at this moment. Ray and Brenda Namie (Crystal's parents) were just absoulutely great host to us. They went beyond expectations to cook for us, setting up the wedding and even giving me and my brother Donald Trump ties for the ceremony. To which I say thank you to both of you for your hospitality. This weekend couldn't have been any better and was very special moment in my brother's life. Crystal you married a great guy and you have brought joy into his life. I hope your marriage is as beutiful as this picture I took at the botanical gardens.

I did do some other things besides go to a wedding. I got to meet a lot of Crystal's brothers and sisters and their families. I really got to know Crystal's brother Paul the most. I never realized of just how much we really had in common. He did challenge me to a game of horseshoes in which case I accepted his challenge.

Although, I haven't played a game since I was 9-10 years old. I still had a good time even if I lost every single game. I did have few ringers, but I still need some work on my throwing technique. I told Paul, if you come to K.C. play my game the batting cages and see how many 80 mph baseballs you can hit. He had good laugh when I told him that. We even went to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. It once was the place where John Brown's famous raid took place in which he was trying to end slavery. Now, it is a National Historic Park where you can visit some the old town buildings as well as tubing down the Potomac River as these people in this picture

It reminded me like Hannibal, Mo, but only with a better scenery. If you come down this area, I would highly recommend it. In a way I almost wanted to grab a tube and join in there with them. Then before the wedding, I rode the metro with my brother before he went to work and stop at the Rossylyn station to go see the Iwo Jima memorial around sunrise. Wow, what an awesome time.

Signed

Tim " I think put more pictures and wrote my longest post ever" Crippen

PS: Okay, here's one more wedding photo

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Flappers, the Charleston, prohibition and our very own Jason Bridges who plays a dishwasher, newspaperman and Harpo Marx in this 2002 musical set in the 1920's called "Thoroughly Modern Millie." Now I have heard of the play, but have never seen the Broadway production. Which is good because the only thing I had to go with is just a synopsis of the play which is about a small town girl from Kansas name Millie who trys to make it big in New York City. She is scared and excited at the same time and along the way she goes through some trouble times. She meets Jimmy Smith who is this brash New yorker that changes her life forever, but not at first because Millie considers him a jerk. Millie's life does get better, but I don't want to spoil it for those who have not seen it. I went last night and it was great from the weather till the end of the show. There are a couple of funny moments in the play from the office window scene with Jimmy and Millie as well as the Chinese translator in the laundry room. I really have to give credit to all these actors and actresses who do this because they love community theater. To take time out of their busy schedule is really truly amazing. My favorite character in this play is Mrs Meers and the woman who plays her does a really great job. If you haven't seen this play, don't worry you still got this weekend to see Jason perform his high flying leap as Harpo marx. Out of four stars, I would give Thoroughly Modern Millie four out four and extra 1/2 star for Jason's performance as well as showing me the backstage area.

Signed
Tim "Raspberries" Crippen

A tribute to a TV legend

Unless you have been living in a cave you probably have known that Bob Barker was retiring after 35 years on The Price is Right and 50 years on TV. Yesterday, he taped his last show and there were long lines just to get into the studio. Why do people like this show? Is is because of the competiveness on getting the clossest price without going over? Is it because of Bob's midwest charm? The family atmosphere? Or maybe it's because when we were kids that during summer break from school we liked the show and there was nothing else going on during the daytime except going to the pool.

Now I'll admit that I don't like everything about Bob Barker from his animal rights stances to being a vegetarian. Yet, for all these years there are parts of him that remind me of my grandfather. Served in the millitary, loved baseball and most importantly loved being around young folks. He started on Truth or Consequences and then to the Price is right. There have been some funny moments on the show. From the tube top incident of woman coming on down and then they came out........to a contestant who would later be an assitant to another game show, who knew that Vanna White would get first TV appearance on the show.

To me the most memorable moment of Bob will be his small role in the Adam Sandler film "Happy Gilmore." Seing Bob Barker beat up Adam Sandler in the film still makes me laugh even today. Whoever decides to host the show we'll never have the same effect as Bob did....It's kind of like that same feeling when Johnny Carson left the tonight show and Jay Leno took over. Sure, the show was funny but it was never quite the same when he left. The last show will air on June 15th. Bob Barker enjoy retirement you deserve it.

Signed Tim "Come on down" Crippen

One step in the right direction

The famous phrase "Do you believe in miracles?" was said by Al Michaels during the 1980 Olympics when the U.S. Hockey Team defeated the dominant Russian Team in which in most cases was not even given a chance. Today, I stepped in the right direction.... After feeling nearly defeated for several months, I finally got a call this morning that made me feel a little upbeat. I received a call from Fox 4 News here in Kansas City for the job of Production Assistant. I interview this Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. I haven't gotten the job yet, but at least it's a step in the right direction. I really need all the prayers that I can get.

Signed
Tim "Thank You Jesus and Yippee" Crippen

An ode to the New York Yankees 2007 season

Let me just start by saying this "the yankees this year will not make the playoffs this year." With nearly a 1/3 of the season played the New York yankees are 13.5 games behind Boston and it doesn't look like they will even come close to catching up. Unless, some miracle happens this team will finally get a feeling of what feels like to be fan of a team who hasn't been there in over 20 years. So, since I despise the yankees, their owner and their payroll. I decided to write a poem about their team and their season. It's called "An ode to the New York Yankees."



The yankees, the yankees it must be true. Your 13.5 behind Boston and your feeling the blues. Even with a team payroll of 195 million all in your stock. Your still behind the Boston Red Sox. With batters like Jeter, A-Rod, and Giambi that were suppose to be big hits. This season it has been more like swing and a miss. George Steinbrenner is angry that his team isn't winning. So, he goes and spends more money to do some problem solving. Sure, he can fire Brian Cashman the GM and the manager Joe Torre if he wants too. But why do that when The Boss know that after the season's over he'll be seeing them at the McDonalds drive thru. The Yankees were happy when they signed Roger Clemens to be their savior. Even Jesus Christ laughs at this and says "I'm not doing your team any favors." The season is still young and this team can make up some ground, but their pitching staff is so bad their nowhere to be found. This team is too good to sit back and just be rolled over. Hey, Yankees don't worry here in Kansas City we know what it's like not to be playing in October.

Signed Tim "the yankees are dead" Crippen

Let the pictures do most of the talking

Who is that nighttime creature with the glow in the dark eyes?

Roscoe the neighborhood dog

Uh Oh Roscoe has our nighttime creature stuck in a tree.

Who wins this standoff?

The Raccoon....but only because Roscoe is scared of the rain

Advertising, promotional giveaways, and supporting charities (the funny side of baseball)

As a kid, going to the ballpark was a once a year privilege. Every year when they had Nazarene night at the royals our whole family would go and have a blast. The first time I went to a royals game the hot dogs I think were around $2.50, you could bring a small cooler, the turf was artificial and the cheap seats were orange. Yet every year the promotions staff always trys to find new and inventive ways to get you to come to the ballpark. When I was young you were lucky to eithier get a hat, bat or some stuffed animal to promote the team. Nowadays, we have bobbleheads, buck night on hot dogs for only a select few games and T-shirt tuesdays. (This coming tuesday they have T-shirts of the three condiments that are used in the hot dog race) Although, the promotions from the Royals are not too bad compared to like Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
This Friday the Devil Rays are promoting Legends of Wrestling Night where famous wrestlers from the WWF past will wrestle after the game. This probably would have been cool if I was back in the fifth grade. I'll take Fireworks Friday anytime thank you very much. The Milwaukee Brewers earlier this month had Free prostate cancer screenings.....if you get your screening you will receive two tickets for a future brewers game. Look, I'm all for screening cancer, but why not do it at a doctor's office instead of mobile unit outside of the stadium. You must desparately want tickets if you want to bend over for Dr. Jellyfinger.
Speaking of prostate cancer, MLB is celebrating prostate cancer awareness on Father Day's. Now last weekend, MLB did the same thing on Mother's Day for Breast Cancer awareness. Don't get me wrong....I'm all for supporting charities whether it be a ribbon, a patch or a pin. When MLB starts using pink bats it messes up the game. I can only imagine what they'll do on Father's Day eithier using blue bats or blue baseballs.
Finally my last gripe of the day is the advertising. I know teams need to sell advertising to make money and all, but when you read a story like I read today about how Fenway Park which is known for their left field wall "The green monster". Anyway, their thinking of selling advertisemnet on that wall. There are some things that are sacred in baseball .....the green monster and the ivy in wringley field is another. However, if they decided to have adverstisements on these spots..... I would suggest the following....For the ivy Ivy's Italian garden resteraunt and the green monster would only be fitting if they put a green monster energy drink can.

Signed
Tim "just keep baseball simple stupid" Crippen

Movie Fans will eithier love this website or hate it.

It's a good thing that I saw Spiderman 3 this past weekend before I had heard about this website. It's called themoviespoiler.com. In it you will see current or recent films probably within the last four years on how the storyline goes and how it ends. What a bummer!!! This particular website I happen to have mix reviews. On one hand this is great for all those stupid films that I thought about seeing, but I'm glad that I didn't see. Then there is the classic side of me who wants to go to the movies to be entertain and be surprised. It probably won't make a dent in the industry, but at the same time you know there be somebody who comes out of the theatre who saw the film before you did while your waiting in line to buy tickets and then the person coming out gives the spoiler away while your waiting in line. I just hope this doesn't happen when I try to buy tickets for the Pirates of the Carribean 3 movie.....cause I really want to see what happens to Captain Jack Sparrow.

Signed

Tim "don't spoil the movie for me" Crippen

A boy named Johnnie

There was boy name Johnnie who when you look at him he looks like any other normal 18 year old kid. He doesn't say much, but when you get to talking to him he's very open. At six years old, Johnnie's father left his family. Then at age twelve Johnnie's mom goes to prison for drugs. He moves into a foster home and his life doesn't seem to get better. He gets into trouble with the law as well as school for eithier fighting, stealing or causing disruptions in class. He transfers into another foster home and he wonders if his life is ever going to change. His new foster mother knew that Johnnie needed to change so when she said "Were going to church!"
Johnnie thought I have heard of church, but during his entire life with his family or his first foster parents never took him to church ever. It was this foster mother who had believed in Johnnie that he needed Christ in his life. Since that moment, Johnnie has been attending church on a regular basis, he got his G.E.D. last July, he will be going to community college this fall to study music and he hopes one day he will become a music teacher. Then this past month he has also reuntied with mother since she got out prison both of them realizing they made mistakes. How do I know this Johnnie? Well to protect the innocent I won't use his last name but Johnnie was working with me at concession stands at Kaufman Stadium yesterday and he wanted me to share this story with you about perservance and struggle.

Signed
Tim "way to go johnnie" Crippen

My Sonic moment and the RRFB concert

This past Sunday was only the second time I have ever complain at a fast food or sit down resteraunt. It's a good thing those purple bracelets haven't arrived yet. (I'm still waiting after six weeks) Otherwise, I would have been switching from wrist to wrist. The guilty party of this complaint is the Sonic Drive Thru at Johnson Drive and K-7. I go there just to get a large cranberry limeade....that's it no food. I waited 20 minutes and I'm getting frustrated. I go up to the front and ask politely "Hey, do you happen to have my cranberry limeade?" The carhop told me it should be there in about a couple of minutes. I said okay and went back to my truck. Fifthteen minutes later, no limeade...I thought this is ridiculous and I left without getting my drink. I file a complaint online....then two days later I get call from the manager of that particular sonic. He apologize and realize that there is no excuse for what had happen. On Friday, I received in the mail three coupons for three free medium cherry limeade's or any other medium soft drink along with a buy one get one free sonic burger. I'll use the coupons, but there is still no excuse for what happen.



Now, the Robert Randolph and the Family Band concert last night at the Crossroads in the Art district area was pretty awesome. No rain, cypress mulch was used for the ground instead of the hard pavement and the bbq pork pulled sandwiches were great. My cousin Jeffrey and I had a wonderful time being practically in the front row. Then afterwards we spotted Jason Crosby, the organist of the band and he signed my CD. I was about ready to leave when Robert Randolph came off his tour bus and he signed my CD as well and we even got to talk to him for about of couple of minutes. We both got to shake his hand and thought what great guy to talk too. I just like to say to say thanks to Robert Randolph and his band for putting on a really good show last night. It was worth the $26.00.



Signed

Tim "RRFB fan" Crippen


PS: Pray for the people of Greensburg, KS as that town is trying to recover after deadly F5 tornado destroying nearly the entire town.

My three new girlfriends...I wish

Danica Patrick

Sarah Fisher and Milka Dunno

Oh, I forget this isn't a dream ......it's race weekend. Some of the other Indy Drivers

Sam Hornish Jr. and Helio Castroneves

Dan Weldon (one of the coolest guys I ever met, love the British accent)

Signed Mr. Tim Patrick or Mr. Tim Dunno

Conversations at the Ballpark

After working a few ballgames this year, I've realized that people's conversations are really loud. I'm not sure why people do this, maybe it's the atmosphere or are people are just hard of hearing. Do they want you to listen to their conversation? Or is it because the conversations at ballpark are more exciting than your other workplace? (aka Post Office) So, what I have done is compile the best of the best conversations overheard at The K. Were not talking like ordering food were talking outside of the concession stands. They are some I will not used because of foul language.

Little Girl probably about 5-6 years old
"Daddy, why do they call it the 7th inning stretch?"

Guy on his cell phone
"Tina, why are you breaking up with me"?

Red Sox fan that probably had one too many and then falls over
"Hey, look everbody I can touch my nose and balance myself...whoa here I go"

Little Boy 7-8 years old
"Dad, can we go home? It's 8:30 and I'm cold and wet!

But my favorite of all was last night during T-shirt tuesday giveaway, when two teenage girls said this " With this t-shirt so big we can probably both fit in it." They tried it and they both got stuck for a brief moment. Oh, if only I had a camera.

I know this looks and sounds juvenile, but here's my advice keep your tone very low on your conversations. Advice to myself I really don't need to listen to it, but some of this stuff makes for great funny material.

Signed
Tim "new student of Financial Peace University" Crippen

God Bless VT

I woke up this morning not feeling very well. I wasn't physically sick but more emotionally sick. I hadn't felt this way since the attacks of 9/11. What happen on the campus of Virginia Tech yesterday is nothing more than senseless. I know that there are still a lot of questions to be answered, but at the same time a community as well as a nation grieve for the loss of students and faculty memebers. As christians we should take a moment of our own time to remember these people who loss their lives as well as the family members of those who lost loved ones.

God Bless
VT

Signed
Tim "Hoakie Pride" Crippen

This Tax would never work in Kansas City

Just when you think heard it all.....there's always someone or something that makes you say What????? You've all heard of a sales tax and income tax. Get ready for this one folks in Belgium they have a Barbecue Tax. The government of Belgium's French-speaking region of Wallonia, which has a population of about 4 million, has approved a tax on barbequing.
Experts said that between 50 and 100 grams of CO2, a so-called greenhouse gas, is emitted during barbequing. Beginning June 2007, residents of Wallonia will have to pay 20 euros for a grilling session.
The local authorities plan to monitor compliance with the new tax legislation from helicopters, whose thermal sensors will detect burning grills.
Scientists believe CO2 emissions are a major cause of global warming.
Look, people already know my stand on global warming, but to have big brother look after you in a helicopter is bit much. If they ever started this in K.C. with helicopters buzzing around, I would spell the "Leave me alone" with a bunch of K.C. Strips.

RRFB coming to K.C.

I knew it was just a matter of time before my one of favorite artist was going to show up in the Kansas City Area. Robert Randolph and Family Band is coming to K.C. and I already have purchased my ticket for this one (26.00) for GA not to shabby. He will be at The Crossroads in the Park along with Ziggy Marley on Friday May 4th.

Signed

Tim "Huge RRFB fan" Crippen

An Interesting Time Magazine Cover

With Easter just around the corner, I happen to be walking to the supermarket checkout line and saw and interesting cover on Time Magazine. Why we should teach the Bible in Public Schools but in parentheses it says, "But very,very carefully". I wasn't going to spend 3.99 for the magazine so I looked for the article on the internet and suprisingly the piece was a pretty fair article. In the article it talks about how public high schools are offering elective courses on teaching the Bible. One particular teacher was talking about Beattiudes, why did Jesus did his sermon on a mount and the Golden rule but using different religions like Buddhism that also talk about the Golden Rule only in a remix style.
The National Council on Bible Curriculum for Public Schools found a way to create the Bible Literacy Project to be able to teach the Bilbe that is not only constitutional abiding , but also it was supported by Evangelicals, the Jewish committee, the Islamic Education and this one surprise me the most a liberal watchdog group the people for the American Way. The Bible is used in lot of history from Licolon's second inagural address to Martin Luther King's "I have dream speech" too even some literature like "The old man and the Sea" (A very excellent book, I might add).
But as always the people for separation of church and state have said what about the negative uses for the Bible. Negative uses? Please give me five negative uses for the Bible. Anyway, the way I look at it is that some of our students are so Bible illiterate it's not even funny, but I'm glad to see that some courses are being taught and that there is starting to be a change in the public school system.

Signed
Tim "I wish I had this course when I was in high School" Crippen

Opening Day

A timeline of my day on Opening Day

At 6:49 am I got up, had my breakfast, watch a little morning news and shower.

9:02 Am I leave for the ballpark

9:54 Am I arrive with some enthusiam

10:40 Am get your assignment (Your assignment should you accept it is to feed humgry royals fans)

10:43 am I get a blue shirt and nice freaking apron

10:49 Am I arrive at field level 034 (near the section of 132)

10:52 Am I work on the nachos. (there is actually and art form to this)

Around 11:30 I start packing the hot dogs ( While doing this I said the phrase "Why aren't you going down in the other end" this phrase is referring to wrapping the hot dogs but still not as funny as Adam Sandler's phrase in Happy Gilmore "Why aren't you going in the Hole")

By 2:30 P.m. My feet are really starting to get sore

At 3:10 The first pitch begins

At 5:15 I see Tim James waiting in line for food.....It was great to see you Tim too bad I couldn't have talk to you longer

At 6:05 The Royals win 7-1 over Boston Red Sox yeah were 1-0 on the record

6:35 Pm. Call it day

Around 7:00 went back to my truck to get my baseball

At 7:15 Alex Gordon signed my baseball...that right there was cherry on top of a great day.

At 10:08 P.m I will finish up this blog

Signed
Tim "Extreme tired Royals fan" Crippen

Pictures from the zoo

A new J.R.R. tolkien book

After reading the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, then later seeing LOTR trilogy movies. I thought there wouldn't be any more books by Tolkien. Well, while I was doing some job searching on the internet .......I happpen to catch that there will be another book by J.R.R. Tolkien called "The Children of Hurin". The book was finished by his son Christopher and there is big hush hush as to what the details of the story is. Tolkien hasn't written a book since "The Silmarillion" in 1977 after his death which was also finished by his son. You can talk about the New Harry Potter book all you want, but for me when the new tolkien book comes out April 17, I will probably be in my own little geek world.

Signed
Tim "Gimley" Crippen