Wed.-Sun., Jan. 31 - Feb. 4, 2024
On Saturday many of us gathered at the Boys and Girls Club gymnasium in Simi Valley to bid farewell to legendary Ventura County sportswriter Loren Ledin.
He battled multiple forms of cancer for many years before finally succumbing to that insidious disease.
In attendance were dozens of Loren's friends and fellow journalists as well as many, many of the coaches, athletes and referees that he covered over the past four decades.
Any and everyone who ever met
Loren knew him to be a gentle soul
Holding Loren's memorial in a gym seemed fitting.
I always remembered him
writing on these old yellow
pads and spiral ring notebooks
His finished articles were known for his wonderful lead ins and fair, unbiased reporting
We said a fond farewell to
a true professional on this day
The Ventura County sports community never had a better friend than Loren Ledin.
Wednesday night in the Las Colinas
Middle School gym for another
Orange basketball practice
Jacob finishing his drive
down the baseline
Friday was Ground Hog Day
While Laurie and I were dating during our University of Washington days in the late 1960s we came to a mutual decision regarding February's Valentine's Day celebration.
On February 14th the cost of flowers rises sharply for a day, restaurant reservations are hard to get and if you do get one, the special Valentine's Day menu often features limited choices at inflated prices.
Now, we still wanted to celebrate our love for each other during the shortest month of the year but on our own terms.
Thus, for the past 57 years we have instead exchanged gifts and dined out on February 2nd, Ground Hog Day.
This Ground Hod Day we headed to
Brophy Brothers in the Ventura Harbor
for a wonderful seafood lunch
Interesting colored swan styled
water craft in the harbor
I like large mosaics in public places
A good stroll along the harbor front surely was good for our digestion.
We've had a few Ground Hog Days
in Italy and we found this to be true
Another reason to celebrate
Ground Hog Day!
Saturday afternoon we headed to
Camarillo H.S. for the 50th Annual
East vs. West Ventura County
High School All-Star Football Game
I was an Assistant Coach in the inaugural game for the East team in 1974 and that side's Head Coach in 1980.
On two other occasions, 1990 and 1994, I served as a West team assistant coach as well.
A raw, overcast day with predictions
for rain did not help bring out the crowd
Additionally several of the star Seniors
opted not to play
Some because they are still playing high school basketball, soccer or wrestling. A few have already enrolled in college and many have their football scholarships in hand and do not want to risk injury.
Still, their were many to whom
playing in this game was still a priority
Newbury Park's RB #8 in black Noah McArthur, seen here running the ball for the East, had a good game.
With Jacob and Michael
for Game #1 of 2024
As usual, I spoiled Jacob by
buying him a commemorative t-shirt
The rain stayed away which
was good for all of us
Jacob and East Team
RB Noah McArthur
The West team, in white,
running a Counter play . . .
. . . with solid blocking and a
big hole to scamper through
We had a good time but had to leave
early in the Third Quarter . . .
As it turned out, the East won 23-20 on a last minute Field Goal.
. . . because Jacob had a basketball
game to play!
His Orange team plays in the CYBA's Boys Grade 6 League.
The last two Orange games have been tough one point losses to the 2-2 Wildcats, 26-25, and to the 4-0 Tar Heels, 24-23.
Today the Orange (1-3) would face the Bruins (1-3).
Rebound that basketball
Jacob guarding well but
watch out for that pick!
Jacob defended the Bruins
best player much of the game
It was fun to watch as that Bruins star was Drew, one of Jacob's teammates with the football Stingers.
Another rebound for Jacob
Late challenging a long Bruins shot
Jacob defending Drew on
a fast break
Swinging the ball back to the point
End of the First Quarter
Orange - 13
Bruins - 7
Jacob sat out the Second Quarter
Waving to the Paparazzi
The Orange continued their roll.
Halftime Score
Orange - 26
Bruins - 10
Jacob setting a solid pick
Driving into the key
Chasing down Drew on another
Bruins fast break
Jacob disrupted this Bruins
drive to the rim just enough
to force a miss
The Orange on a fast break of their own
LOOSE BALL!
GET IT!
ORANGE BALL!
Jacob thinking about shooting
Yet another Bruins fast break
that Jacob was able to slow down
End of the Third Quarter
Orange - 30
Bruins - 16
Bruin Free Throw,
"Jacob, you have the shooter!"
Yes he did
Lots of running today which
is a good thing for an 11 year old
Final Score
Orange (2-3) - 42
Bruins (1-4) - 30
It was a solid, wire-to-wire victory for the Orange on this day.
On to EuroBall . . .
Our old club from the 2012 season
is getting their 2024 campaign
underway in Switzerland
The town of Thun, that sits securely in the Alps, is easily the most naturally beautiful spot in which we have ever resided.
Stockholm, Sweden's A.I.K. team's
uniforms make me want to watch
"The Bee Movie" one more time
Speaking of movies . . .
A documentary movie about the
30 years history of Sardinia's DIII
Cagliari Crusaders will be released
on February 8th
Our 2015 Spanish squad, the Murcia Cobras,
had a game against the Alicante Thunder
Week #2 of Spain's Serie B season
saw two of our former clubs victorious
The Murcia Cobras (1-1) outlasted the Alicante Thunder (0-2), 35-27.
Our friends from 2016, the Guadalajara Stings (1-0), edged the Tres Cantos Jabatos (0-2), 12-7.
And Tuesday is just around the corner
Reading Is FUNdamental!
I had been stalled out from my usual one
or two books a week habits for a long time
This 600+ page tome finally got me back on track.
It was recommended on a podcast by former Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame player Pao Gasol who is from the Catalonia region of Spain.
A historical novel is set in Barcelona, Gasol's birthpace, in the 1300s and revolves around the building of the interesting Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar which Laurie and I have visited on trips to our favorite city in the known universe.
"Cathedral of the Sea" reminded be quite a bit of Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth."
Both are good reads during the cooler Winter months full of intricate details about life in the Middle Ages.
Fans of the Catholic Church's Spanish Inquisition will probably not be fans of author Ildefonso Falcones' not so light read.
I, for one, liked it.
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