Kickball

Since I was laid-off last year at the end of February, I have found the bulk of my work as contract work. This is employment that is either not steady, based on events in the area, or climate dictated. No complaints but can create some lulls between jobs or keep you extremely busy other times.

About a month ago an opportunity was advertised looking for kickball umpires for the Jordan Gross' Celebrity Kickball Tournament so I replied yes. Didn’t hear anything for almost two weeks, so I was under the impression I didn’t receive the slot. Then, the week of the tournament I received an email that I had been chosen to umpire the tournament.

As the days got closer to the kickball tournament, I received two other work possibilities. One was to umpire a flag football shift at MLK Park while the second was to umpire my first NSA tournament in Rock Hill. I knew I would receive more compensation in Rock Hill, but I was raised to always honor your first commitment. Ends up the best decision I made was sticking with the kickball.

Jordan Gross' Celebrity Kickball Tournament was a fund-raiser function hosted by Jordan Gross of the Carolina Panthers. Gross has played tackle his entire nine year career in Carolina. There are not many sexy stats for offensive lineman.

So on April 30^th the fourth annual Jordan Gross' Celebrity Kickball Tournament was held at Providence High School at 1800 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270. Mr. Gross started this tournament four years ago to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation which affects his own niece.

The tournament began with eight companies entered in a double elimination kickball with the winning team playing the Carolina Panthers. There were teams who wanted to play for fun then they were teams who thought they receive an NFL contract. The intensity varied from field to field to team to team. In the end Duke Energy stood strong to play the Panthers in the Pros vs. Joes match-up.

My role in the tournament was that I umpired double-elimination games, co-umpired for the semi-final and final game and then for the prime game I was the third base umpire. Very little real action happens at third base, but I am in the background of a photo of the Carolina Panther number one overall draft selection quarterback Cam Newton from the Auburn Tigers. (I’m still working on receiving a copy of the photo for my scrapbook.)

During the prime game the Panthers hosted contests where Joes would either catch passes from quarterbacks Jimmy Clausen and Matt Moore or toss passes to Steve Smith and Armanti Edwards. They were other cute contest such as when a child out-ran Sir Purr around the bases with the help of some key blocks by the players.

Some of the Pros present were Jimmy Clausen, Matt Moore, Steve Smith, Armanti Edwards, DeAngelo Williams, Cam Newton, Jordan Gross, Ryan Kalil, Geoff Schwartz, Travelle Wharton, Kenny Moore and Chris Harris.

In the end the final score was 9-2 behind several homeruns kicked by the Pros, but after all the games and contests with the Panthers players the real winner was Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Glad I made the right decision.

Major League Baseball Dream Job

Last month I applied for the Major League Baseball Dream Job. One essay was about why I enjoy baseball while the other essay is about what i believe will be the biggest 2011 baseball story. Below are copies of the essays I submitted. Please read when you can. Thanks.

Hello my name is Mike Uncapher, and since April of 2008 I have resided in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before then, I lived in Marion, Ohio where my passion and love for America’s pastime was birthed and molded with the assistance of my maternal grandparents.

I can remember spending evenings at their house in Fremont Ohio splitting our time between watching the Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves on their television. Grandpa and I would always joke with Grandma that the Indians did well when she would leave the room. The odd thing was that this was usually the case, and we would hear Grandma yelling from the kitchen asking us what just happened on the television. Our usual joking response was for grandma to stay in the kitchen until the inning was complete because the Indians were in the middle of a scoring rally. Although writing this article I never recall her jinxing the Braves.

At their house I would sit on the floor with my baseball card collection scattered all over the living room searching for the player being announced in the game to see if I owned his current bubble gum card just to read his professional stats on the back. If I didn’t own the card the next day grandma and I would purse the baseball card shops in Fremont Ohio to find his card. The card that I remember us searching the most for in my youth with no avail was Joe Carter’s 1984 Donruss Rookie Card. We never found this card together but one birthday I received his card as a gift. Carter eventually became my favorite all-time baseball player, and I recall crying the day the Cleveland Indians traded him to the San Diego Padres. I believe that is the day when I learned that baseball was also a business.

The other fond memories that I have from visiting grandma and grandpa’s house was hearing their baseball tales and learning about the all-time greats. I recall hearing stories about Herb Score when he pitched and not announced games, Rocket Bob Feller, and the great Hank Aaron. These were just a few of the tales that I will cherish like a pirate lusts the gold in their treasure chest.

At home growing up as soon as school was over, I would rush home to watch the end of the Chicago Cubs game to hear Harry Caray’s baseball tales. After finishing my homework and divulging dinner if I was permitted by my parents I would watch the Indians game. If the Tribe were not on television, there were always the Braves who seem to be on television every night on TBS. Although a passionate Indians fan, this is where I believe my love for baseball blossomed because I was able to watch any team and respect the Game completely.

Today, I watch any game I can which is typically the National games, or I listen to the Indians’ broadcast streamed on the Internet.

As spring training opens for Major League Baseball there are two prime stories that will linger all season and even into the offseason. The easy big story is: “How will the St. Louis Cardinals react to Albert Pujols entering free agency at the conclusion of the baseball year?” Pujas holds all the cards because he is even able to reject any trade offers. He has also informed the Cardinals that he will not negotiate a contract extension once he arrives to Spring Training. A date that was missed by the Cardinals.

The other current big story which I’ll expand upon is: “Will the Philadelphia Phillies starting pitching staff lead their team to a World Series title and if not what went wrong?” As a reminder barring injury the Phillies are expected to unroll Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Roy Aswalt, and Joe Blanton as their starting five.

Many bloggers and analysis have compared the expectations of the 2011 Phillies staff to the accomplishments of the 1993 Atlanta Braves staff that were lead by Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Steve Avery. Some rank the 1993 Atlanta Braves staff as one of the all-time greatest starting pitching staffs. The ionic item about the 1993 Atlanta Braves was that they were defeated by the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series. I’m sure the Phillies do not want a repeat in history.

In the past couple seasons the Phillies have acquired in trades Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays and Roy Aswalt from the Houston Astros respectively. Then last winter they surprisingly won the bidding war for the services of Cliff Lee defeating the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers. By signing Lee as stated earlier on paper the Phillies could have one of the most dominant starting pitching staffs in 2011.

On offense the Phillies made no huge additions, but they did lose outfielder Jayson Werth to free agency to the Washington Nationals. Hopefully for the Phillies with a healthy season from shortstop Jimmy Rollins and second baseman Chad Utley, their offensive output can compensate for the loss of Werth. There also may be belief within the Phillies management that rookie outfielder Domonic Brown is ready for the big leagues. So by letting Werth leave, the Phillies used the philosophy of addition by subtraction by opening the clog that could have prevented Brown from receiving consistent playing time.

With all this said, I have the greatest sympathy for the Philadelphia Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel. He is handed the keys to a potential great pitching staff, a reliable bullpen, and the past history of a great offence featuring first baseman Ryan Howard, Rollins, and Utley. All three of these gentlemen are past MVP winners. If the Phillies falter this year Manuel could quickly become the fall guy.

I’m confident that I’ll be hearing about the highs and lows of the Phillies all season including the offseason if there is not a World Series title in Philadelphia.

From a Pup to a Senior Citizen.

(written by Oliver Austin Simpson Uncapher)

First let me introduced myself. My name in Ollie and I have lived with Mike Uncapher for the past eleven years. We stared in Toledo, went to Marion and are now residing in Charlotte. Over the time I have spent many nights in Marysville and Fremont. Not sure where any of these cities are located. Do you?

Also, I am a yellow lab or that’s what I’m told after visiting the mean lady who likes to stick a needle in my nose. Ouch!!

Over the course of my life I have watched my ‘pets’ evolve and I have aged as well. Here are 25 things that have changed throughout my life.

1. As a puppy if I pooped in the house, I would be disciplined, but as a Senior Citizen my mess would be cleaned up and my ‘pets’ would feel guilty about leaving me home alone so long.

2. As a puppy, I could chase the ball for hours, but as a Senior Citizen after 3 tosses I take my ball to my bed to hide the ball and take a four nap.

3. As a puppy if could walk for hours, but as a Senior Citizen I can sleep for hours.

4. As a puppy I think I was awake for 16 hours. Now I think I sleep at least 16 hours.

5. As a puppy I played on the steps. Now I hate steps.

6. As a puppy I barked at everyone I would see riding in the car. Now, I still bark at everyone I see riding in the car. Guess some things don’t change.

7. As a puppy if I fell asleep in their bed, my pets would kick me out of the bed. Now, my pets will sleep in another bed.

8. As a puppy when my ‘pets’ came home I could hold my bladder for some time. Today, I have to go as soon as they get home.

9. As a puppy I was never allowed to clean the dirty dishes. Now, I lick the dishes spotless.

10. As a puppy I had to do stupid tricks to receive a treat. Now I just look pitiful at Teri, and I can have a treat.

11. As a puppy I could outrun my master forever. Now, I’m tired after 30 minutes.

12. As a puppy if I ate chocolate, I received a free ride to the vet. Today, nothing happens because every time I hate chocolate before I was fine.

13. As a puppy I would be so excited to greet guest at the front door I may pee on them. Currently, I wait for them to come saw ‘Hi” to me as I rest in my bed.

14. As a puppy I hated the doorbell. Now I don’t hear the doorbell.

15. As a puppy I obeyed obedience commands, but as a Senior Citizen I pretend I don’t hear my ‘pets’ talking.

16. As a puppy if everyone got excited I got excited too. Now, I continue to sleep.

17. As a puppy I spent a lot of time in the crate. Now, I can escape from the crate.

18. As a puppy I ate many unorthodox things (like a golf cart seat, garden hose, cordless phone, and pillows among a few). Currently, I have few teeth.

19. As a puppy I hated the vacuum sucker. In my life I have forced my ‘pets’ to purchase 4 new vacuum cleaners.

20. As a puppy I was a chick magnet. Now I’m adorable.

21. As a puppy I hated cats. Still do.

22. As a puppy I flunk obedience school. Now I don’t remember a thing.

23. As a puppy if I wanted up in the middle of the night I would jump on my ‘pets’, but as a Senior Citizen I stick my tongue in their mouth.

24.

25. As a puppy I loved my ‘pets’ and today I still do.