TracyPlaces@wordpress

Yankee Stadium, in its final year of existence before it brings the memories of 26 World Series championships, numerous Hall of Famers and too many magical moments to remember across the street, was the ideal venue for the 79th Mid- Summer Classic. Despite the game being the longest in All-Star history, nothing was going to overshadow the majesty and memories that were all brought back to the forefront these past few days inside the House That Ruth Built.

The Sports Network - Major League Baseball

Numen. You know numen. No. Not THIS Newman. And for us NASCAR fans, not even THIS Newman.

I’m talking about numen.

Numen is the concept that a place or object has a power beyond its intrinsic value.

A presiding divinity or spirit of a place

For me, divinity is probably too strong a word. I believe in One God. But I do believe some places evoke powerful emotions because of events — large or small — that have happened there.

Gettysburg.

Independence Hall.

Yankee Stadium.

Insert a place that is important to you and your family’s past.

I’m not much of a baseball fan. I DO enjoy the rhythm of the game as background noise on a Saturday afternoon. And I enjoy the idea of baseball. In fact, I typically read some sort of baseball-related book every summer. One of my favorites is Halberstam’s October 1964.

Even this somewhat casual fan in Arkansas who’s only been to ONE major league game just HATES the idea of the Yankees moving.

I just shudder at the thought. And the idea that the Cubs could play anywhere than Wrigley Field or that it should be named after a corporation really hurts my soul. As an American. Ya know???

So I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for families who, for generations, have spent a summer afternoon or evening together at Yankee Stadium, watching the Babe or Mantle or Billy Martin…and all the stuff that makes baseball baseball and makes baseball uniquely American.

It is fitting and proper to celebrate this historic venue’s place in American history. It’s also fitting and proper to mourn its loss.

Hot dogs won’t smell the same at the new place. The crack of the bat won’t sound the same. Peanuts won’t taste the same.

Because it’ll take numen a long, long, long, LONG time to take up residence.

Um, I’ll stick with coffee on my front porch, thankyouverymuch…

Couch took off Saturday morning, riding a green lawn chair supported by a rainbow array of more than 150 helium-filled party balloons. He kissed his wife and kids goodbye, and patted their shivering Chihuahua, Isabella, before his ground crew gave him a push so he could clear surrounding light poles and a coffee cart. Then, clutching a big mug of coffee, Couch rose out of the parking lot of his gas station into the bright blue morning sky, cheered by a crowd of spectators.

Lawn-chair balloonist drifts from Oregon to Idaho - CNN.com

Mark Martin thought he was in the twilight of his career. He raced two partial seasons and came within a hair’s width of winning the Daytona 500; came within a teaspoon of fuel from winning at Phoenix this year.

He can still compete, and he still wants to win.

Next year, he’ll wheel the famed 5 Hendrick Motorsports car in the camp of Roush Fenway arch-rivals. Mark spent 19 years with Roush Racing and at today’s news conference acknowledged Jack Roush’s positive impact on Martin’s career.

Mark also talked about the day he and his new Batesville bride came to Daytona — just to watch the race. Mark didn’t have a ride. Later in the news conference Mark explained why he wasn’t ready to step away from the sport. “I don’t want to be at the track unless I’m racing.” But he still loves the camaraderie and values the friendships at the track.

Mark’s finished second in the Cup championship four times. Third, another four times. His career has been beset with heart break — in business, by bad luck, questionable NASCAR sanctions, by alcoholism, and by the airplane crash that killed Mark’s beloved father, step-mother, and step-sister.

He still keeps fighting.

By now, he thought he’d be hanging up his racing suit. Instead, he finds himself climbing into a championship caliber car with the most successful organization in NASCAR history.

If he wins one or two races, I’ll be thrilled. If he contends for the championship, I’ll be outta my mind crazy.

Mark Martin keeps re-inventing the rules.

autosport.com - NASCAR News: Gordon: I will learn from Martin

This from Poynter Online - E-Media Tidbits:

Today, Mary Ann Akers reports in her Sleuth blog on WashingtonPost.com that OneNewsNow, a site run by the conservative Christian American Family Association, has been having some issues with its filter. Specifically, when it published a June 29 Associated Press article about sprinter Tyson Gay, the site’s automated filter substituted “homosexual” for almost every occurrence of “Gay.” …Which led to hilarious absurdities, such as:

[click this link to the Washington Post piece referenced in to see how outrageous this story is with the athlete's name substituted for, well, that "other" word...]

Poynter Online - E-Media Tidbits

Reflected by my sunflower. It’s day three of the watch.

and a clean kitty make a better tracyplace.

Frankly, it’s easier to give Moose’s kitty a bath than trying to clean the Moose…

Poor Principi…

Humiliated after her bath.