“I’m so proud of you” – This is especially a favorite when she wakes up, although I have no idea why. She’ll just roll over and say she’s so proud of us. She also says it a lot when I come home from work. I’m betting she thinks this is another way of saying she loves us – at least that’s what I hope.

“I love it” – There’s a lot of love to go around in my daughter’s world. She says she loves things she really does love, but she also tells you she loves things she doesn’t like at all.  Such as certain kinds of food. I’ve told my wife she likes those foods from a distance – looking at them is fine, tasting not so much. I’m also an Iowa Hawkeye fan, and have taught her how to recognize a Tigerhawk, so now whenever she sees one she says “Hawkeye, I love Hawkeye!” I’m a very proud father.

“Deeeelicious!”  - She used to say this quite a bit, but not as much anymore. Every once in a while, however, if she’s really enjoying her food, it’ll come out and it sounds so cute.

“Fanks” – Otherwise known as “Thanks”, but it usually comes out with an f or ph sound. Right now just a cute mistake, as she’s started saying it more with a th, but one we think is adorable.

“It’s not a toy” – The best part of this is that it almost always is a toy. Of course, we’ve said this to her when she’s messing with things she shouldn’t be getting into.  But now she says it to us when we’re down on the floor with her playing with her toys.

“You do?” – This is something she’s started saying recently. If we tell her something she says this with a big uplift in tone on the “do” – like she’s really surprised that you’re telling her that. And it doesn’t really matter if you’re telling her that you have to do something. I could tell her Mommy’s at work and she’ll say it. In context or out, it’s pretty cute.

“So cute” – As with love, there’s a lot of cuteness in my daughter’s world as well. This is almost always in the proper context, but the way she says it is what makes it “so cute”.

“I was really crying!” – This is said as a general update for us after a temper tantrum. Just in case we missed all the screaming and tears that happened 20 seconds ago.

“What are you doing, Honey?” – This is another new one that has recently come out of the blue. Actually she’s started calling my wife and I honey in other contexts as well, but it’s usually when she’s trying to find out what we’re doing. Nothing like having a two year old call you honey. Actually it’s wonderful.

“Maybe later, Not really, Not today, Never Never” – Oh, the many different ways to say no. It’s especially humorous when we say “Let’s change your diaper”, and she says “Not today”. Or “Do you want some orange juice?”, and she says “Never, never”.

What fun things has your baby or toddler said or done? Whatever they are, be sure you keep a record of them, whether through pictures, videos, journaling, scrapbooking, etc. Here are some books in our collection that might give you some ideas on how to keep track.

Scrapbooking Baby’s Cherished Moments: 200 Page Designs by Rebecca Carter

Scrapbook Storytelling: Save Family Stories and Memories with Photos, Journaling, and Your Own Creativity by Joanna Slan

Nate:  And honestly, his story leading up to the war was interesting. He started out as a wild young boy, eventually managing to harness that energy into long distance running. And he became so good that he became one of the best in the world. He actually made the 1936 Olympic team, and had big plans for the 1940 Olympics until the war broke out.

Dave:  The running kept him out of trouble, and actually probably kept him out of jail, because like you said, he was an ornery kid. It gave him goals, and something to really focus on. But overall, the book is about Zamperini’s will to survive, which was just remarkable.

Nate:  There were really two stories of survival. There was the story of survival on the raft, and then there was the story of surviving the Japanese prisoner of war camps. To survive just one of those would’ve been amazing, but he managed to make it through both.

Dave:  It’s remarkable. Their ordeal on the Pacific Ocean set the record for most days survived on a raft at sea. They drifted forty seven days until they finally approached the Marshall Islands and were captured by a Japanese ship.

Nate:  And they had virtually nothing to eat when they began their ordeal – a few candy bars, and rainwater they caught to drink. They managed to catch some fish and birds which they ate; otherwise there was no way they would have survived.

Dave:  All of this while baking in the Pacific sun day after day and fending off sharks in a raft that was falling apart after being punctured by bullets from a Japanese plane that strafed them. It was truly amazing that they survived.

Nate:  And then, once captured, he was beaten incessantly in the Japanese camps; with most of those beatings coming at the hands of the prison guard known to the prisoners as “The Bird”.

Dave:  I keep thinking about how Zamperini had such an amazing will to live and survive, because no matter what The Bird did to him, he was determined he wasn’t going to give up. It was probably some of that orneriness he had as a kid, but no matter how much he was humiliated, he wasn’t going to give in. I really grew to admire him as I was reading the book.

Nate:  I can never get over, when I’m reading something like this, or when I’m learning about the Nazi Concentration Camps, how utterly inhumane and sadistic people can be. And what’s really disturbing is that nothing in The Bird’s past pointed to him becoming a sociopath who loved to kill and torture people. It seemed like it was the power that was handed to him that made him into who he was.

Dave:  Absolutely. You know, we’ve talked about two stories of survival, aboard the raft, and at the Japanese camps, but there really is a third, and that’s the story of him surviving the scars of the war once he got home.

Nate:  It’s a side of war people often don’t think about, but that many soldiers experience, although most don’t experience the kind of things Zamperini did.

Dave:  How could anyone possibly deal with the experiences he had?  Who could you talk to about it? No one would have any understanding of what you’d been through, and how you feel now because of it. So how his life turned once he got home was sort of predictable, as he became an alcoholic in an attempt to cope and forget.

Nate:  And just when things were at their worst, his wife took him to see Billy Graham and it completely changed his life.

Dave:  He’d managed to physically stay alive on the Pacific and in the camps, but what happened to him during the war could have also killed him in a whole different way; once again he found a way to survive, and has lived quite a life ever since. In many ways it’s really a life affirming book.

Nate:  I agree. There are a lot of things you have to get through when you’re reading it, in terms of torture, and graphic descriptions of violence. It certainly isn’t sugar coated.

Dave:  And to truly appreciate his story it can’t be.

Nate:  Right. And you get an understanding of how long his torture went on, because it goes on for quite awhile in the book. But if you can get through that and you see what he went through, and where he is now, it’s definitely a life affirming story.

Dave:  Absolutely. If you can handle the violence, I think it would appeal to just about anyone.

Come to the library Wednesday April 24, from 7-8:30 and spend an evening with the inventor of basketball, James Naismith, as he is brought to life in a one-man play  by Dr. Bill Worley, instructor of history, from the Metropolitan Community Colleges of Kansas City Blue River campus.

Dr. James Naismith was born near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada during the American Civil War. After completing a ministerial graduate program at McGill University in Montreal, he became one of the earliest enrollees at the YMCA International Institute in Springfield, MA in 1890. The following year he devised a new indoor game that another student dubbed “basketball.” After completing a medical degree in 1898, he became the chaplain & physical education instructor at the University of Kansas. There he organized the first male basketball teams, and the rest is history. There are myths that he was the only losing coach in KU history, but as he will explain, he really wasn’t a coach, and they really didn’t keep track. One of his players in the early years was Forrest Allen, later known as “Phog,” whom he acknowledged as the “father of basketball coaching” even though Naismith still didn’t really believe a coach was necessary in a game simply meant to be “played.”

Dr. Bill Worley will bring Dr. Naismith to life with stories about all aspects of his life and experiences [Naismith later completed his ministerial path by becoming an ordained Presbyterian minister on top of his other qualifications]. Worley has been portraying Naismith for the last half dozen years with the Kansas Humanities Council and in other venues.

Whether you’re a sports fan, someone who’s interested in history, or Kansas history, or simply want to know more about a fascinating man whose influence is still being felt today, we encourage you to come to the library on April 24 from 7-8:30 in Marvin Auditorium 101BC and learn more about the inventor of basketball, Dr. James Naismith.

For more information, contact Nate at 580-4545 or nhohl@tscpl.org.

Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd celebrate their destruction of Nate’s bracket in 1999.

All of this got me to thinking – when was the last time someone told you their bracket was doing well? I don’t think I’ve heard it once this year. Yet someone has to be winning their pools, right? It seems like we all have a negative view of our brackets because we expect to get everything right, and when we get a few games wrong, we become overly pessemistic. After the first weekend of games I thought I was in terrible shape. Then I looked at the pool I’m in and realized I was in seventh place out of almost 100. What I didn’t take into account is that everyone else was doing poorly as well – as is the case most years.

I’ve also been thinking about brackets, and how we feel the need to torture ourselves by filling one out each year, only to have our hopes dashed and be shown how little we really know about college basketball. I’ve been filling one out since 1989, and have saved them all. In the 1990s I started filling one out with my own predictions, and then another to show what actually happened in the tournament. The other day I looked back through some of those and was hit with a wave of nostalgia. I saw, in 1999, when I got seven of the Elite Eight teams correct, and still had all of my Final Four teams left, only to have three of those four lose in the quarterfinals. I also saw (and KU fans will have to forgive me here) in 2003 when I picked Syracuse to win it all as a three seed, and was correct. In fact, I was so sure they were going to win that year that I put their name all the way through my bracket before I filled anything else out. Of course, I didn’t get any of the other Final Four teams correct that year, so I can’t brag too much.

Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara actually made Nate look halfway intelligent in 2003.

I was also hit with a wave of nausea when I saw how utterly wrong I was most of those years. There haven’t been many years where I completely misfired on the Final Four as I did this year, but there were several times when I only got one right. Two was not entirely uncommon. And I guess I’ve gotten three right a couple times. I’ve never predicted all four, and if my past picks are any indication, I won’t be winning the grand prize on the ESPN bracket challenge anytime soon.

When I was looking at those old brackets I started thinking. I was thinking about what it was like to fill out my bracket this year – what it’s been like to fill out my bracket for the past twenty four years. And I realized that every year when I fill it out I feel good about my picks.  I look it over and think I’ve done a good job. It all makes perfect sense. It’s hard to imagine it going another way.

And then the games are played and I feel like a complete idiot.

What was I thinking? Why didn’t I have more guts to pick that team? How could I have possibly thought they were going to get to the Championship Game?

I realized the unpredictability of March Madness – what we love so much about the NCAA Tournament – is exactly what destroys our brackets each year. So we root for the 15 seed to beat the two seed – as long as we haven’t selected that particular two seed to make it to the Final Four. But you know what –  even if that does happen, like it did to me this year when Florida Gulf Coast beat Georgetown, we still enjoy it because it’s what makes March mad.

And continuing to fill out our brackets thinking this will be the year we get it right is what makes us mad.

And that’s what makes this the best time of the year.

So, in the spirit of the season, let me ask: how is your bracket doing? Let me know if yours looks better than mine, and tell me who you think will be cutting down the nets on Monday. Also, check out these books we have in our collection about the Final Four:

Fifty Years of the Final Four: Golden Moments of the NCAA Basketball Tournament by Billy Packer

Last Dance: Behind the Scenes at the Final Four by John Fenstein

And just for fun, if you can’t get enough of brackets, check out these two books by Mark Reiter and Richard Sandomir:

The Enlightened Bracketologist: The Final Four of Everything

The Final Four of Everything: A Celebration of all That’s Great, Surprising, or Silly in America Using the Foolproof Method of Bracketology to Determine What We Love or Hate and Why

Only the Jayhawks never seem to take a step back.

And lately they haven’t been maintaining their consistency with the kind of recruiting classes Kentucky is becoming known for. Perusing the men’s basketball roster for the Jayhawks probably isn’t going to give anyone chills, or leave you with a sense of awe. Oh, there are some good players – Elijah Johnson, Ben McLemore, and Jeff Withey come to mind – but at the same time they aren’t bringing in multiple five star recruits each year either. Yet somehow they always seem to be right in the thick of things at the end of the year. How does this continually happen?

The answer would seem to be Bill Self.

Self’s coaching acumen has never really been doubted, but in my opinion it’s a step above many of his peers. Certainly he won a national championship with a collection of great players, but how can we explain the past couple of years when he directed the Jayhawks to the Elite Eight and Championship Game with rosters no one was talking about at the beginning of those seasons? Those were also the years they were supposed to be dethroned as the Big 12 champs, which never happened. Sure there have been some stinkers in the NCAA Tournament – Northern Iowa, Bucknell, and Bradley come to mind – but the past couple of years have shown us how Bill Self can take a group of players, get every ounce of talent out of them, and mold them into a team.

Although there was no NCAA hardware to hoist the past couple of seasons, I think those were likely the two best seasons of coaching we’ve seen from Bill Self. I’m thinking we’ll see more of the same from Self and KU this year, and hopefully, for Jayhawk fans, for years to come.

If you haven’t had a chance to read it, check out Bill Self’s book, “At Home in the Phog”, available here at TSCPL.

On the prep scene, there are several teams making their presence known early on in the season. On the boys’ side, Highland Park and Washburn Rural have played well, and will look to continue their winning ways as they enter league play. For the girls, Seaman at 5-0 has been impressive so far as they look to build on a 17-8 2011-12 record.

But if you want to see possibly the most special girls prep player in the state of Kansas, you’ll have to travel north and west on Highway 24 to Wamego where you’ll find Kaylee Page. The 6-2 junior, who is averaging almost 20 points, 9 rebounds, 6 blocks, and 3 assists per game has college scouts licking their chops, including those from KU, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri and Oklahoma State, as well as undefeated and number 1 ranked Stanford. And Kaylee’s younger sister, Lanie, has been almost as impressive. As a sophomore she is averaging 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 assists. Wamego is looking to defend their league crown from a year ago, and with the Page sisters leading the way, that looks like a very good possibility.

If you get a chance to see Wamego and the Page sisters play, I would highly recommend you do so. It’s always fun to see younger players with a bright athletic future ahead of them play in their prep years.

Glenn Robinson

I’ll never forget having the opportunity to see future NBA player “Big Dog” Glenn Robinson play my high school alma mater in South Bend, IN back in the early 90s. I was only in 8^th grade, so I wasn’t actually a student at that point in time, but I still made it to the game when he and the future state champion Gary Roosevelt Panthers came to town. We had a really good player on our team as well – not Glenn Robinson good, but still pretty good – and he had the assignment to guard Robinson on that night. Robinson must have dunked on our guy about 8 times, but I’ll never forget the one time our guy got his revenge and stuffed it in Robinson’s face. It was a play and a game that have stuck with me through the years. So get out there and enjoy the hoops season, as you never know what performances you might see that will stick with you.

Check out Coach Snyder’s book here at the library

Under Coach Bill Snyder, the Kansas State Wildcats’ football team has worked themselves back into the national championship picture in 2012. And as anyone who follows college football knows, this is no accident. Snyder performed the greatest turnaround in college football history a couple decades ago when he took the KSU football program from the doldrums to national prominence.

So why is this resurrection of the Wildcats so surprising?

I have to admit I never thought he’d get K-State football back to where it was in the late 90s. I guess it was because the program was beginning to look mortal toward the end of his first tenure as coach. I wasn’t sure he still had the fire in him to get KSU football back to the level he had previously taken it. Certainly he came back to lift the program from where it had fallen to under Ron Price – and I had little doubt he would achieve that. But to get it to this level once again – I would have never believed it.

But as it turns out, Bill Snyder is Bill Snyder – regardless of what year it is, what age he is, or how the chips seem to be stacked against him. He’s an incredible football coach who can coach up players and get them to excel in his system, regardless of how many stars were attached to their names coming out of high school.

So although K-State football was floundering when Snyder came back out of retirement a couple of years ago, it should be no surprise that he has brought the program back to within a couple games of playing for a national championship. There are still games left to be played, but whether Kansas State wins them all, or comes up a little bit short, the man who looks more like a retired English Professor than a football coach has made his point. You never forget how to be a great coach, and what it takes to win.

Bill Snyder has proven that.

If you haven’t had a chance to read his book about the building of the Kansas State football program, come in and check it out at the library:

Bill Snyder: They Said it Couldn’t be Done: An Inside Look at the Man, the Coach, and the Greatest Turnaround in College Football History by Mark Janssen with Bill Snyder

And if you’re a K-State fan, you’d probably enjoy these other books we have as well:

• The Story: Kansas State Football: The Greatest Turnaround in College Football History by David Smale
• Stan Weber’s Tales From the Kansas State Sideline by Stan Weber
• Wildcats to Powercats: K-State Football Facts and Trivia by Mark Stallard

Here are a couple of items from the Freak’s Mailbag…here we go…

Jim wants to know:

“Terry:

Need input on the following:

RB: Ridley or Leshoure

WR: Boldin, Wayne or Torrey Smith

WR: A.J. Green or Gronkowski

QB: Brady, P. Manning or Ryan

Thanks!

Jim”

MY REPLY

“Ridley has the best possible matchup against Buffalo’s 32nd ranked defense.  I know Leshoure scored three TDs last week, but go with Ridley; it’s a much better matchup.

Reggie Wayne: He’s had no fewer than six receptions in game and no fewer than 71 receiving yards in a game. He’s playing excellent football right now and has a solid matchup against Jacksonville’s 25th ranked pass defense allowing 256 yards per game.

Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith:  Baltimore faces an Oakland defense ranked 21st against the pass (245 yards per game) and has allowed 14 receiving TDs (tied for eighth most in the NFL).  Both players have played as WR3-capability, but Smith has two TDs in his last three games while Boldin hasn’t seen an end zone since Week 1.

I’ll call it:

1. Wayne
2. Smith
3. Boldin

I’d also say Green over Gronk.   Green’s matchup is better and he has far less competition for touches than Gronk.”

JL asks:

“ WR2 Hilton or Steve Smith. Flex Reece or Chris Johnson for Week 10”

I replied:

“Even though I like Reece as a sleeper this week, even with a poorer match-up you gotta play CJ over Reece.  More experience and likely more touches.

I’d go with Hilton over Steve Smith.  Carolina’s offense is unpredictable and usually lethargic this year, while Hilton is the starting back on an up-and-coming offense facing Jacksonville’s 27th ranked run defense allowing 137 yards per game.”

HE SAID IT

After a Week 9 embarrassment at the hands (or paws) of the Bears, Titans owner Bud Adams vented just a bit. “In my 50 years of owning an NFL franchise, I am at a loss to recall a regular-season home game that was such a disappointment for myself and fans of the Titans. We were grossly out-coached and outplayed from start to finish today. At this time, all aspects of the organization will be closely evaluated, including front office, coaches, and players over the next seven games. If performance and competitiveness does not improve, I will look at all alternatives to get back to having the Titans become a playoff and championship football team.” Hmm, don’t you wish the Chiefs had such an impassioned owner? Hey Clark, if YOU don’t feel this way about the Chiefs, then SELL THEM to Adams ASAP.

Another fascinating quote from Week 10: “Now you’re playing to see who, obviously, is going to be on your football team for years to come,” stated Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan following the team’s 21-13 loss to the lowly Carolina Panthers. “Now we get a chance to evaluate players and see where we’re at” added Shanny, sounding forever like a man that needs to be talked off of a ledge. Redskins fans: white flag anyone? Yes, the ‘skins are 3-6 now, but I almost preferred the unrealistic coach-speak that would normally be spouted off in a post-game presser. This was disturbing. Hey Mike, I have one word for you: Prozac.

NBC’s Bob Costas asked Cowboy’s owner/GM/Head Janitor Jerry Jones if Jones (the GM) should be fired. Jones relied yes, he probably should be dismissed. Again, CLARK, are you paying attention? If Jerry would fire himself, then kicking Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli to the curb should be easy…and the story gets better: someone actually locked the door on the Cowboys locker room, keeping Jerry Jones from getting in…”

WE GET LETTERS

Here are a few emails I received this week. Jim checks in:

“Had a good week, finished in 2nd this week in my 32 team league.

Do you think Doug Martin would be a good play going against Oakland?

WR/TE-  Owen Daniels  (HOU) or Randall Cobb (GB)

DEF  – Chicago or San Diego

What do you know about Shorts from (Jacksonville?)

Thanks”

“Martin’s been a great rookie back, knocking down 110 combined yards per game and has scored three touchdowns in his last two games. He’ll face Oakland’s 11^th ranked run defense allowing 102 yards per game, but has allowed 18.4 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. I figure Freeman and the Tampa passing game should have success early with the Raiders, which should equate to Martin getting his points along the way and perhaps some mop-up yardage late to run out the clock. I think Martin should be a solid start versus the Raiders.

Daniels has scored four touchdowns in his last five games. Although this week’s opponent (Buffalo) has been surprisingly solid versus the tight end position, I still like Daniels right now.

Although Randall Cobb has performed well of late, he’ll have a tough matchup against the Cardinals. I think Cobb is still a decent start this week, I think Owens will out-perform him.

I’d take the Chargers defense over the Chiefs offense any day of the week.

I just acquired Shorts this week myself. Though his next three games are against tough passing defenses (Detroit, Indianapolis and Houston) Weeks 12,13,15 and 16 are against very poor pass defenses with only tough start (from a statistical standpoint) will be with the Jets in Week 15. I consider him a grab-and-stash guy. If you’ve got room on your roster, grab him for your bench and keep an eye on him.

GOOD LUCK THIS WEEK!”

JL wants to know:

QB- Freeman or Newton. I’m thinking Freeman. He’s been HOT the last 3
weeks. Flex and WR2. Pick 2 out of these 3. James Jones, Steve
Smith(Car) and Broyles (Det.). I’m Thinking Jones and Smith. Give me
your thinking. Thanks. I’ve won the last 2 weeks.

I’d have to prefer Freeman over Newton. You said it, Freeman’s been hot, while Newton: not so much.

I’d have to recommend Jones and Smith over Broyles. I think one has to take a wait and see approach with Broyles. Still, one might consider investing in Broyles for future games.

GOOD LUCK THIS WEEK!

FANTASY LUCK

I must share a quick story. Here in our library league, I did something incredibly stupid a few weeks ago. Now, anyone who knows me would not be surprised by that. Anyway, I have both Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger on my team, and Brees was headed into his bye. Well, I spaced it completely, and didn’t notice that Brees was still in my lineup until I started watching the Steelers on the Thursday night game. By then it was too late, as Big Ben was already in the game, so I couldn’t substitute Brees. Needless to say, I was pretty upset. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the following week that I had not only won my game, but lead the league in scoring that week…ALL without a quarterback! Hey, sometimes I’d rather be lucky than good…

1. Warriors – 6-1

2. Mark’s Maulers – 5-2

3. BDA’s Posse – 4-3

4. Amish Fight Club – 4-3

5. The Pigskinners – 3-4

6. Zit City Manglers – 3-4

7. Orlando Breakers – 2-5

8. Gangsters – 1-6

The Warriors have been solid this season, aided by a breakout season from Percy Harvin and a dominant Bears defense. They have also gotten solid contributions from Trent Richardson, Julio Jones, rookie quarterback Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning. Mark’s Maulers have looked good as well, benefitting from great quarterback play via Matt Ryan and Robert Griffin III. Also contributing have been Brandon Marshall, Alfred Morris, C.J. Spiller, and a solid Houston defense.

BDA’s Posse started out 4-0, but have dropped their last three. Running back has been pretty solid with Ray Rice and Matt Forte, and Vincent Jackson has been solid at the Wide Receiver position. Cam Newton has been a disappointment, and Larry Fitzgerald has been up and down, which has led to some of the recent struggles for the Posse. Aaron Rodgers continues to tear up the NFL, and Amish Fight Club has been the beneficiary in the TSCPL League. Rodgers, along with Victor Cruz and Roddy White have kept the Club in the top 4 all season.

While these four teams are in position for the playoffs right now, The Pigskinners with Drew Brees, Marques Colston, and Adrian Peterson can’t be counted out. And the Zit City Manglers have looked good of late with strong performances from Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. The final few weeks will go a long way in determining who makes the playoffs.

Remember, if you’re interested in joining the TSCPL Fantasy Football League next year, watch this blog for information next summer, or contact Nate at nhohl@tscpl.org to get on the email reminder list.