by John Walters
*MH staff is back today, but tomorrow never knows.
To Boldly Go*
*The judges, back from their Tongan sabbatical, will also accept “2021: A Space Odyssey”
William Shatner, a.k.a. Captain James T. Kirk of the U.S.S. Enterprise, becomes, at the age of 90, the oldest human ever to travel to outer space. Oldest living human, that is. Upon his return Shatner sounded like a trippy-dippy lyric from a late Sixties Crosby, Stills & Nash or Joni Mitchell song.
Shatner likened the atmosphere to a “comforter of blue” wrapped around the planet. Launching through it, it’s suddenly ripped off, “and you’re looking into blackness,” he recalled, “and you look down ― and there’s blue down there, and the black up there, and it’s just … it’s just … there is mother and Earth and comfort, and there … is there death?”
“I’m so filled with emotion about what just happened. It’s extraordinary,” Shatner said. “I hope I never recover from this. I hope I can maintain what I feel now.”
“It has to do with the enormity and the quickness and the suddenness of life and death and the … oh, my God,” he continued, burying his face in his hands.
“The moment you see the vulnerability of everything. It’s so small. This air which is keeping us alive is thinner than your skin. It’s a sliver, it’s immeasurably small when you think in terms of the universe.”
“Is that death? Is that the way death is?” he pondered. “WHAP and it’s gone. Jesus.”
You have to respect the humility and sincerity behind those words. Well, you don’t have to, but we do.
Vocal Hero
This is Los Angeles Charger coach Brandon Staley, whom we knew nothing about before yesterday. Now we are fans:
Robin, The Joker
We don’t know how this made the internet, if it’s a trailer for a biopic on Robin Williams or what, but wow, the impersonation here by Jamie Costa is pure genius. Which it absolutely had to be, since he is portraying a pure genius. Notice how the littlest mannerisms, even the smirk after he makes the fart joke, or perfectly tailored to the lat Robin Williams.
The Cain Mutiny
We remember covering Mary Cain when she was a 4.0 high school student in Bronxville (a very tony area above the Bronx), N.Y., and setting national prep records in middle-distance racing. Then, inexplicably to us, this incredible scholar-athlete chose not to compete collegiately but rather to turn pro, put herself in the hands of Alberto Salazar and the Oregon Project, and move to Portland. The cross-country prodigy moved cross-country but without the support system that a college atmosphere would provide.
At the age of 18, Mary Cain basically had a full-time job as a runner and was going to college on the side. While being 3,000 miles from home. It was a really dumb choice (and you have to imagine her parents were on-board with this), and not surprisingly, it all flamed out. And quickly.
Cain never made it past Olympic Trials and never, of course, ran an NCAA race (as she was a pro). Now she’s suing Salazar for $20 million.
Cain is 25 now and the former pre-med, at least from what we can see, has not attended medical school. It’s a sad story.
What Ever Happened To ‘Shut Up And Dribble’?
Some interesting allies have put themselves in Kyrie Irving’s camp…
…. while Rich Eisen injects some common sense into the story:
Medium Happy is BACK! (Until it’s not, probably tomorrow?)
Caught this gem (there were a few others, but this is my favorite):
“Then, inexplicably to us, this incredible scholar-athlete chose not to compete collegiately but rather to turn pro, put herself in the hands of Alberto Salazar and the Oregon Project, and move Portland.”
Which begs the question: Where is she going to move Portland? Seems like a tall task.
Also – Thoughts on if Drew Pyne will hit the transfer portal (and not the one in Fansville)?
JW and MH just can’t win. You provide a blog post after much clamoring for one and then you’re called for a typo.
Called *out* for a typo. Edited myself!