The Theodore Newsletter

Sorry, but it’s time for another “random ramblings.” Here are two dozen one-liners to celebrate the silver anniversary of the “random ramblings.”

• Just finished reading Chernow’s  Alexander Hamilton.   I recommend it.
• Prior to “Hamilton,” I read The Last Chicago Cubs Dynasty by Hal Bock. This 2017 book is a must if you are a baseball fan. Incidentally, Hal is an East Williston resident.
• I really miss Bill O’Reilly. His show was fair, impartial, interesting, informative and entertaining.
• Defense plays second fiddle to offense in nearly every sport, particularly basketball.
• I’ve become a fan of TCM (Turner Classic Movies). Can I attribute this to old age?
• Traveling is no longer fun. Florida is the only place I look forward to going to.
• Terry Collins (Mets) is unquestionably the worst manager in baseball. Maybe the Mets can lose the rest of their games and management will get wise and fire Collins.
• The USEPA has thankfully come to its senses about global warming…or is it climate change?
• A second edition of Basketball Coaching 101 is in the works and it will unveil my umbrella offense.
• Just returned from our annual Easter visit to Sarasota, Florida. It was our 40^th straight year of vacationing at the fabulous Sandcastle Resort. Unfortunately, I fractured a vertebrae slipping in the bathroom.
• Planned on attending the Annual International Air & Waste Management Association (AWMA) Conference in Pittsburgh in June. It would have been my 50^th consecutive year in a row of either presenting a technical paper or giving a seminar, or both. Unfortunately, the fractured vertebrae eliminated my travel plans.
• Just celebrated Mary’s 50^th wedding anniversary. Planned on visiting Ireland again to also celebrate Mary’s family reunion. Unfortunately, Mary fractured her femur which eliminated all travel plans. Not the best of summers for the Theodore clan.
• Noted sports historian Arthur Lovely celebrated his 89^th birthday this past April 23^rd at the 4½ star restaurant L’Econtra in Astoria. The party of 8 included handsome (that’s yours truly), the irrepressible Danny Doyle, Ed “The Glider” Charles of the fabulous 1972 Mets, and TV fight analyst/former boxer Tommy Gallagher.
• The indifference and incompetence of government officials continues to amaze me – particularly here in Nassau County.
• The indifference and incompetence of government employees also never cease to amaze me; I could write an article on my experience with the USEPA and the Albertson Post Office.
• I keep preaching that defense is as important as offense in basketball, and all my “expert” friends keep agreeing with me. But do they really? Other than Bill Russell (and possibly Dennis Rodman), name one Hall of Famer in Springfield who was selected for his defensive play.
• Capitalism (along with democracy) is what has made our nation great. But there are times when capitalism has to be harnessed for the common good.
• Liberty and freedom? Somehow, there is need to balance these against anarchy and disorder.
• Manufacturing runs has become a lost art in baseball. Everyone is trying to hit a home run.
• Every batter who regularly faces the infield “shift” should be required to learn how to hit to the opposite field.
• Lost another of our gang – Zack Mehale. He was one of the good guys who made us laugh and who everybody loved. We’ve become depleted; there’s only a handful of us left.
• Visited Saratoga in late August (my 61^st straight summer visit) – NYRA’s THE place to be if you want to get ripped off. And what does that say about me?
• A couple of people complained about my June 1 article titled “On Great Eats.”
• I hope most of you read Ron Roel’s ACT 2 Page three page feature article about me in Newsday on June 25^th. It modestly describes my successes during my illustrious career, more in next month’s posting.

Once again, this is the silver anniversary edition of the “random ramblings.” Thanks are due to friends, relatives, colleagues, etc., for their interest and support for this unique category of article; my indebtedness is also extended to those individuals in this group who are currently incarcerated or institutionalized.

Visit the author on his Facebook page Basketball Coaching 101

NEXT POSTINGS:

OCTOBER:                 On Newsday’s June 25 Act 2 Article

NOVEMBER:             On Barack Hussein Obama (Revisited) VI

DECEMBER:             On 2017-2018 Hofstra Men’s Basketball