I hate the Big Ten Network

Those that are not Big Ten football fans are probably oblivious to this whole thing, but there has been a battle raging between the Big Ten and cable companies. There are faults on both sides, but as is typical in these types of things, it is the consumer that suffers. The Big Ten claims it is doing all of these things FOR the fans, and that is just completely false. The fact is that I was able to watch every single Buckeyes game last year on TV from home, with the lone exception being the ESPNU game, which is just a whole other issue. Basically, the situation now is that I will have to go to a bar somewhere to watch up to 4 games this year that will be on the Big Ten Network. Last year I subscribed to gameplan at a significant cost to myself to make that happen. The fact is that I didn't care because I wanted to watch those games. People who want to watch them will pay for them.. what is happening though is that the Big Ten wants EVERYONE to pay for it, whether they want it or not. The reason is because it would pay out a LOT of money... The O-Zone has a great article about the whole situation and I can't really do it to justice.. but if you are interested, check it out. Either way, I have a definite feeling that I am getting screwed out of being able to watch several games that I otherwise would have been able to see this year. I am not cool with this. It isn't enough for me to get Direct TV, the thing is that I honestly agree more with the cable operators argument over this one. People shouldn't have to pay for a channel they don't want.. and this really would include having to pay for the OTHER things that exist in the sports tier that the cable companies want me to pay for. I would only get it for football games and immediately cancel it the rest of the year. I don't want to watch women's or Olympic sports, or any of the other shit the big ten network is trying to force on me. I just want to watch the freaking buckeyes game.. that's is..

Fall Practice is FINALLY here

After one of the longest and slowest summers of my entire life.. The darkest days in American professional sports history (The Mike Vick stuff, Bonds, an NBA ref on the take and the biggest positive story of the summer is an Englishman coming to play soccer in LA) are hopefully ending and it is finally football season again. Time to start anew, and well... people in buckeyeland are once again pumped. Losing pretty much every skill position from the offense is pretty rough, but people are still optimistic. The reason for that is most definitely the fact that they have Chris Wells... Looking at the picture you can see why... He is reportedly up to 240... which makes him a fast 6'1 240 pound ball of devastation... He is being touted as a possible Heisman candidate... I think he is still a year away from that, but the fact is that this is easily the most anticipated season for a running back since Eddie's senior year. (Ignoring the non season that was Clarett's sophomore year of course) People are all set for him to EXPLODE this year.. provided he can hang onto the ball and not get hurt, I don't see why he won't either.. sweet...

Taking Care of Business....

IN A FLASH!!! more on that later... but last night I happened to be running the scoreboard at a 40 and over league. Usually pretty boring stuff, but last night was much much different. for one thing, one of the teams broke 100.. final score 102-52... just silly.. must have made about 20-25 threes. But the real story was one of the refs. Dude comes in giddy.. and I mean nearly coming out of his skin... He could barely get his name down on the sign in sheet. We're like what the hell is with you man? and he says, "Man, Kenny Chesney's comin', I'm ready to rock! I'm so excited... This generations Elvis!!! WOOOO!!" I lost it. And I do mean I lost it. This guy was serious though, but once that wore off and things calmed down, he says, "Man, I'm just kiddin'. Ain't nobody ever gonna replace Elvis." and he rolls up his sleeve to reveal the TCB symbol.. for those that don't know what this is, I have an example picture above... This is the slogan and logo that Elvis invented way back when meaning taking care of business in a flash... yeah, lame I know, but Elvis fans LOVE it. anyway... showing me that tattoo.. I lost it AGAIN!! I can't believe someone would EVER get that permanently stuck to their body. Are you freaking kidding me??

It's Over

Well, we had to do it. We put Luna down Monday. I will spare any further details, but it is just terrible. I hated having to do it, but it was just a nowin situation. It is hard at home right now without her there. I know things will get better, we will eventually also get another dog, but it might be a while before that happens. It just wouldn't be good yet. We will probably wait until we have moved to a new house, but we will see what happens. I am just really glad it is al over with and we don't have to think about it anymore. We just have to deal with the repercussions at this point, and that can only really get better from this point on.

More updates

Well, it is looking more and more like we are not going to be able to find a suitable home for Luna. There is just nobody out there willing to take in a potentially dangerous dog. Everyone is more than happy to refer a dog trainer or a behaviorist. Each person or place has given us a different one however.. This just isn't going to work. People are more than happy to refer a behaviorist, but none of them would ever take on the responsibility that going through that would require.... both monetarily and just in sheer time spent. They will happily look down their noses at someone that will put their dog down in a desperate situation, but they would never actually put themselves in those people's shoes and completely alter their life for a misbehaving dog. It is looking more and more like our only option is the one I have been dreading most. I know she can't live with us anymore. The risk isn't worth it. I made the decision that I don't want to live with an animal that would just as soon bite me if the mood strikes than kiss me. There is something really wrong here that I am pretty sure a trainer would not be able to cure. It would be us having to adjust and change so that we would limit the opportunities for her to strike and well, we have been living like that these last few days and that just isn't a long term option. and there is no way in hell that dog will be present when we have children. It just is not an option, she has to move out.... and truly, with all the bleeding hearts and all the PETA folks out there.. I am positive not one of them would take her in at this point, but they would be glad to scream at me for what I am planning to do. I can't stand that, and I don't care. No amount of behaviorists or trainers professional opinions are going to change the fact that we can no longer have her in our house and we are completely unable to find anyone else willing to take her in. At the end of the day it is us that have to live with her, and live with the consequences of both decisions. I am not happy about it in any way, but we may be forced into the circumstance where we have to bring about the premature end of an animals life that we love dearly. I can honestly think of no alternative.

we still have her

So Luna is still with us. The SPCA basically said that they would take her, but they would immediately euthanize her. There would be no chance for adoption because of the incredible amounts of dogs they already have that HAVEN'T ever bitten someone. So we took her back. Anna is still very set that she will not be staying with us permanently. Which I understand... There is just too much of a chance she will do that again. Yesterday Anna took her to the vet just to see if there was something physically wrong.. Nothing. The vet says it isn't a physical thing and her basic recommendation in this circumstance is to put her down. I am really against this, but it is looking more and more like there will be no choice. We are now looking for someone, anyone really that will take her in and save her life. I know now that we can't keep her, I just can't believe that our only option would be to kill her. I love that dog, even if she has bitten me. Anna will flat not allow that to ever happen again, and I understand. Someone could really get hurt, well really I am the only one that would probably get hurt. I want to be able to just accept the fact that she will maybe hurt me. I could live with that, but Anna can't. It is looking more and more like we have no choice at all and that really really sucks.

what a weekend

I know it's been a while for this from me but, how's this for a weekend? Aside from the Harry Potter book, which I am about 3/4 of the way through at this point. I went and conversed with a buy at the Apple store about computers for the business. Went really well, and I am starting to genuinely get excited about this. Still a long way to go, but it is moving well so far.

Later on I get a call from my mom saying that they are considering a move to Birmingham.. Alabama. My only thought really on that was that it would be a pretty extreme culture shock for them.. This will be MUCH different from anywhere else they have ever lived. Pretty interesting option though... but my question is.. who moves to Birmingham? It might be really nice though.. who knows, I've never been there.

The last thing was easily the most scarring. Yesterday afternoon there was a major meltdown by Luna. She had been acting really weird all weekend, but yesterday we were all sitting on the couch and I went to move a little and apparently it rubbed her the wrong way because she immediately went into insane growling mode. Well, I pushed her out of there to get her away and let her chill out, but she just came back. This time ready for battle. When she came at me I just grabbed her neck and tried to get her to stay still and calm down. She was NOT backing down. She has done this many times for really no reason and usually will calm down and snap out of it after a few seconds, but this time she wasn't settling down. She was just sitting there growling at me like a a freaking wounded wolf. Well, I just kept holding her there, and she kept growling. Eventually I pulled her towards me a little so I could hold her a little tighter and keep her from biting and she just snapped. Just absolutely flipped out. She has bitten me before, but she usually just mouths me a little to tell me she isn't happy. This was different, she bit me as hard as she could and just was fighting for her life. I had to basically take her by the neck and pin her to the wall to keep her ripping my hands off. It was a scary situation. She bit me pretty bad this time. I have a couple puncture holes on my hand, scratches up and down my arm and some great teeth marks and divots running across my wrist. A good bit of swelling to go along with it as well just from the impact of it. well.. this was all Anna could take. The dog is gone. We are giving her away today. This really is heartbreaking to me. I just want my dog, but I understand if she is going to bite me for no real reason, I can't really have her. I can only hope that she will find a home where someone who knows how to handle her anxiety issues can take care of her and get her to calm down. I just don't know what else to say about it. This hurts... Both my hands from the bite and my heart. I really love animals. and I really love that dog, even if she did bite me and annoy the hell out of my 90% of the time. I'm having a lot of trouble seeing her go. I can't do it, Anna has to take her away by herself today because I just can't face it. I just hope Luna will be ok. I'll really miss her

Best movie of the summer

Transformers is easily the best movie of this summer. Just totally blew all the sequels out of the water.. Just great stuff. Funny, entertaining, silly, great effects, great storyline (in my opinion at least).. a little too long.. but great all the same. This is a must see movie. I am tempted to go again.. which is really crazy... I never do that. The last movie I saw more than once in the theater was the phantom menace... yeah.. episode one.. 8 years ago. The only reason for that really was that I was in Peoria with nothing to do but go see a movie...

Anyway, I will spare you spoilers. Good stuff all around.. I will say this though... when there is a sequel (which there will most definately be) if they kill optimus prime... I'm done.. I can't take him dieing again.. It's just too much...

Today is the day

So it is finally here. Transformers is out wide today and I am all set to go tonight. I went from excitement to dread, to acceptance... it really has been a roller coaster ride. Right now I would best be described as giddy... I can't sit still. I am VERY excited about this thing. I can't help it. I have been hearing a real buzz around this thing in the last couple days. The critics are lukewarm on it, which is to be expected... but the fans are absolutely nuts so far. That's huge. It definitely seems to be a real pleasant surprise. This thing could be absolutely huge. lets hope... full report coming soon.

transformers

So I have been eagerly awaiting the release of the Transformers movie next week for well over a year now. I am still very excited about it, but I have basically resigned myself to the fact that it will suck. Odds are I will go, be somewhat entertained by it.. but ultimately disappointed with no real interest in ever watching it again. Pretty much the reaction that everyone had to Spiderman 3.

I guess that's ok... but not really what I wanted. This had the possibility of being the next huge franchise.. multiple movies, all summer blockbusters... but they picked michael bay as director, and that immediately turned it into something else.. huge blockbuster yes.. but not for the right reasons. It will be all based on hype, but it will have no staying power. That's sad to me. We are talking about a franchise that I LOVED as a kid. So much so that I still watch the old movie from time to time. Now I will have this, with the weird designs for the transformers, and the human oriented plot, and probably REALLY lame lines delivered by Tyrese and Josh Duhamel.... can't wait.

I'll still be there the day it comes out, but I'm expecting the worst with this one. If they work it out, great.. but it may just be that this director can't actually make a good movie.. it is very possible.. I might be overwhelmingly satisfied, it does happen.. but usually movies that fly under the radar a bit and make it big based on merit.. Think the 300 here... that movie was advertised a bit, it looked pretty awesome with the visuals.. then the movie was EPIC.. just awesome... Too many summer movies go on all hype like the transformers movie is.. I tend to find that the more hype a movie gets, the worst it will be. They are hyping it to try and cover other shortcomings. The big shortcomings for this one appear to be the overuse of CG robots that become muddled and confused, especially when you blend that with the impression I get of this is that you will only really get glancing views of these things.. almost as if they are a teaser for a majority of the movie.. I could definitely be wrong on that, but still... unidentifiable CG is always bad.. never a good thing that's for sure.... then there is the complete lack of attention to the fact that robots are the stars and not the humans.. the really awesome part about the cartoons is that it was the robot characters that lead the way.. they were given real human emotions, but in the form of this huge hulking cold metal machine.. it was interesting and fun.. but too much of this looks like it will make the robots too much like in the terminator, where they have a complete lack of emotion and act well... robotic.. that's what made the transformers different, and it looks like the director and producers really missed the boat here... ah well.. I'm still going on the first day.

found a name

I think we may have found a name... Now for the even harder part.. Forming our LLC, getting registered, getting trademarked and getting started....

Blocked

So the last several days there has been some hardcore brainstorming to think of a name for our new business. This is hard stuff, whatever it is we choose is something we have to live with for a long time. It has to be catchy, but informative, and all at the same time not sound stupid, or too funny, or anything that could in any way be a turnoff to anyone that may want to shop there. This is not an easy task, and one that we definately are taking seriously. It feels like we will never figure it out though, and in that case nothing will ever happen. We'll see though.. We are creative enough people, it shouldn't be THAT hard. I think what it will come down to is just finally settling on something and rolling the dice. Hopefully it will grow on us with time. If not we're fucked.

Finally some encouragement

Something very cool just happened. As you may know I am getting pretty serious into this whole business venture idea, well I had sent out an e-mail or two to some people around the country who had started similar businesses, looking for advice, encouragement... whatever. Well, one of them sent me an e-mail back just now... basically, just saying to stick with it. It is worth it, and they are happy to have more and more people to get the word out so to speak about this stuff. Well, they even included some vendors/manufacturers for me to check out that would be great for inventory once I get started. REALLY AWESOME stuff here.. I mean, I knew pretty much all the names already, but this is a for real recommendation from someone that is already actively selling the stuff. Needless to say I am now VERY charged up. This is seeming more and more feasible every day. I can't wait to do more.

Anyway, if anyone is interested, this is one of the companies that I plan to almost definitely carry. Looks pretty easy to become a dealer, and their products look amazing.

I've been looking into becoming a dealer for biodiesel production equipment as well. If anyone out there knows of any good ones you know where to go. I've found some, but most of them just look a little too amateur... People are only going to buy them if they look sleek and professional.

Hitting the wall

Things here recently have started getting pretty serious around the household over this possible business venture. For those that do not know I have been tossing around the idea of starting my own business for a while now. I finally came up with what I felt was a feasible idea, and I decided to do some more looking into it. I am really early on in this... but I have started attending a class to help me through a draft of my business plan, and to help me secure funding to get this off the ground. It is just going to be an extremely hard and long process. Pretty scary as well.. just no way to know how things will pan out. I could very easily end up in a real financial mess over it, but the general feeling is that I just can't keep doing what I am doing now. The pay and responsibility are progressively getting better, but I just don't think I can stay in this industry. I'm not happy with it and that will never really change.

Right now though, after the initial excitement of trying this new thing has worn off, I am sitting here contemplating what the hell I am doing.. The feelings of, how the hell is this going to work out? and why am I even wasting my time on this? keep cropping up. It is at this point that most people walk away from an idea and the main reason why most ideas are never brought through to anything useful. I realize that, but it is tough.. It's just a lot easier to just walk away from it and keep pulling in OK paychecks every couple weeks. Mentally I just can't do that though. I think I'll probably totally lose it if I don't walk away from it sometime in the pretty near future. still though... that wall is a tough barrier to keep moving through/over.. I have another class thursday, perhaps that will re-energize me. The fear of course is that it just digs me farther into this hole I'm in now, but I've decided that I have to give it a shot. If it doesn't work out at all, oh well..

Hybrids are NOT the answer

I've discussed the use of hybrid cars with friends, etc. quite often. Recently more and more often. The general idea is that by getting A hybrid you are somehow helping the environment. I disagree with this 100%. You may indeed be buying slightly less gas, but you are still buying it. The oil companies KNOW that something has to be done, and Hybrids allow them to continue to make money. There is also a distinct reason why the car companies are pushing the idea as well.. They get a bigger cut. Instead of that money going to the oil companies, it will now go to the automakers for their more expensive hybrid models.

I put this spreadsheet together a couple years ago where I compare the total cost of several cars... this would the car payment and the average amount spent on gas in a month. Unfortunately I cannot attach files to this page. If you want to see it, feel free to e-mail me. I will gladly share it.

Anyway, let me just share some numbers with you that came from this sheet. I calculated the average car payment from the general rule of thumb of $200 for every $10k of total price. I estimated the price of the car based on the MSRP (Going about $1000 below MSRP for your standard cars, and right about at MSRP for Hybrids, which is what you would see in a real world situation) the rest is based on about 15000 miles driven per year and gas prices at $3 a gallon.

Based upon those assumptions you will be paying an average of $2000 more a year to own an Accord Hybrid than you would just an Accord EX 4 Cylinder. Getting a Civic EX Rather than a Hybrid will save you $575 a year and $500 a year will be saved if you bought it instead of a Prius. True.. at $3 a gallon you will be spending about $30-50 less a month on gas, but you will be more than making up for that in what you will be giving to the car companies.

So, basically with a Hybrid you are STILL forking money over to oil companies. It may be less, but they are still getting your money. Meanwhile you are shoveling so much more money to the car makers that you are actually spending MORE per year total. So... you are telling me I should feel great about hybrids because I am replacing one evil with another.. not just replacing, but ADDING MORE COST. Oil companies are still getting your cash, and car companies are getting even MORE of it. Is there any mystery why both of them are pushing us into the idea that these things are the answer??

Environmentalists will tell you that buying a Hybrid will help. The better gas mileage, the less fuel is burned, etc. While this may indeed be true, how much of an impact is buying an Accord Hybrid (with the same EPG MPG as the 4 cylinder) really making.. uh none at all would be the right answer to that question. A Prius, though one of the ugliest and possibly most uncomfortable cars ever made might be consuming gas at an outstanding 55 MPG, it is still running on gas. The umbilical cord to oil has to be cut totally for any real impact on the environment to truly be felt. We have had electric cars on the market.. where'd they go.. oh yeah, the car makers replaced them with hybrids. (there are many reasons why. Who Killed the Electric Car? is a GREAT movie about this). Please be smart people. The Hybrid cars are not the answer, an alternate fuel is the answer. Amazingly we already have 2 perfectly good alternatives that are ready to go RIGHT NOW... no waiting until 2030 for Hydrogen.. I am talking about Biodiesel and Electric. We have the technology and infrastructure to move forward RIGHT NOW with both of these. What we do not have is support from automakers and the government. We the people are the only ones that can make it happen... sadly every time someone buys a hybrid automobile we are just prolonging our attachment to oil.

nice...

check this out, just passing it along to folks.. this is funny funny stuff...

My question is how they figured out it had this effect... I mean.. really.. Did the patients instructions for the clinical trial include inhaling this no more than 15 minutes before sex and then running it on a stopwatch?? This is just too damned funny to me, but aren't there other factors in this that they just can't account for... such as how long has it been for the guy.. 2 weeks?? or 2 years?? How hot is the girl?? is the girl his wife or a hooker?? Did she suck his dick first?? I mean... this is hardly a black and white scenario...

I couldn't imagine ever paying money for something like this.. but, I guess some guys are really desperate..

Draft Lottery

So am I the only one that has been laughing HYSTERICALLY ever since the draft lottery last night??? After reading Bill Simmons constantly writing about Oden and Durant and how the Celtics MUST get one of those guys somehow some way.. They just gotta have them.. They got the lottery odds on their side.. yadda yadda.. So how's that Joakim Noah parting gift treating you right about now... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA thats a nice shit burger to wake up to this morning. After months of telling yourself that these 2 guys are must haves and after them there is a huge dropoff.. you now have to settle for just one of the rest. It isn't like they have anything to trade to move up.. As if either the Sonics or the Blazers would trade those picks for ANYTHING.. oh man I am giddy.. This is just too damned funny.

This is literally the deepest and best draft I can ever remember.. Must be what it was like nearly every year in the 80's.. but still.. one lucky bounce of the ping pong ball means the difference between Oden and Durant... or like.. Spencer Hawes.. awesome.

Slater vs. Morris

I came across this linked from another blog earlier. It's the Slater Vs. Zack fight from Saved by the bell.. A REALLY well done fake fight. It really is about how a good school fight goes down.. starts with pushing.. maybe one guy throws a punch, then it is just rolling around on the ground trying to get the upper hand.. One thing.. There is absolutely no way Slater doesn't just absolutely mop the floor with Zack.. I'm sorry. It's true.. I can buy that Zack could get in the first punch.. but from then on it would have been absolute domination. Allowed to continue there is truly no doubt that Zack would have been crushed. His only hope was that the weird haircut guy was actually able to break it up in time.

Another interesting Saved By the Bell reference happened yesterday.. Flipping though channels I came to TBS.. next scheduled was the Braves at the Red Sox, but that's not what was on. I got some studio guy giving me highlights from around MLB, so I stopped for a minute to check it out. Turns out the Braves game was in a rain delay, and this is what the guy said at the end, word for word. "Right now the Braves are on delay. They hope to get the game started here at 2:35. We will provide updates as they come, but for now we will be bringing you an exciting episode of Saved by the Bell." Then he IMMEDIATELY cuts out and the multi colored opening credits begin to run. I loved that. I absolutely love what you get out of WGN or TBS or whatever when you are in a rain delay. It is normally stuff that is so damned bad that they only have it in case there is a rain delay. It is pretty much the only time you can ever find Alf, or Mr Belvedere on TV anymore. I wish it happened on ESPN more.. they of course just show you the feed of ESPNews.. but I would prefer it if they had to just go to old episodes of Playmakers.. or Worlds strongest man... They already show poker constantly on the other stations... so that wouldn't really fit into this category.. but it really should.. They have to fill programming space I guess.. and it really isn't any worse than bowling or golf.. still though... There really is nothing quite like a good rain delay. Just one more thing to add to the list of things that make baseball great.

Is it august yet???

For the love of god can fall football practice start already?? PLEASE!!! The Reds are ALREADY in last place and I just don't know if I can sit through an entire Summer like this. At least Junior is tearing it up.. not that that helps.. They actually have decent pitching this year, and guys are hitting really well.. so what the hell is going on.. how is the bullpen THAT bad?? how is that possible. No lead is safe.. they better have about 4-5 runs minimum going into the 8th or it's a loss. That is absurd.. absolutely unreal to me. The best Reds teams in my memory have always had shut down relief for basically the 7th inning on. The 90's team with Dibble, Myers and Charleton was the best.. they were deadly... which is why they went on to a world series. Nobody could claim a comeback against them. All 3 of those guys (the Nasty Boys as they were called) were legit closers, and they all did close for other teams once they left the reds. the 99 team that missed the playoffs by a game had about 4 young prospects in the bullpen that would clamp a game down from the 7th on.. this team.. no such luck.. decent starters, decent run production.. a bunch of pansies in the bullpen.. I can't take it anymore.. They are dead to me until they figure out how to fix this problem (my suggestion is to trade Dunn, or Encarnacion.. or Hatteburg for a for real live young arm.) it may be too late anyway... they have lost something like 7 in a row... ah well.. August can't get here soon enough..

I am craving football big time right now... There is NOTHING to talk about, but I can't help myself. I need it, I want it.. All that is really going on right now is that they are installing field turf at the Horseshoe... Looks pretty damned nice to me.. The big stress this year among fans is the red endzones.. I kinda like it.. Keep checking that link periodically to see any updates (just find the most recent photo timestamped on the list).. they just got all the numbers on in the last couple days. anyway, it has to be an improvement from the slop they were playing in last season. I just wish we had been able to see Ginn play a year or 2 on it. He had a kickoff return in Minnesota a couple years ago on field turf.. and it was completely unfair.. He was mindbogglingly fast on that stuff. ah well.. maybe another speedster will show up to wow us all... Not really holding my breathe on ever seeing someone as fast as Ginn though.. I said the same thing about Robert Smith though.. so who knows.. They have this kid Saine coming in to play RB that ran the 100 in like 10.3, so who knows.

Youth Baseball

Last night I did a little work with the town's youth baseball league.. specifically the 9 and 10 year olds. Now, I'm not one to boast, but I remember clearly when I was that age (4th grade) that I was making plays at shortstop (diving catches, rifleing balls across the infield) ALL the time. It was pretty damn common as a matter of fact. I was good for a diving catch about once a game. but these kids... my god. They could barely throw the ball back to the pitcher. For one they don't even HAVE a pitcher.. They are using a pitching machine set at freaking 38 miles an hour.. and they could still barely hit it. For one... they are up there swinging at everything with absolutely no reguard for balls and strikes. For the other, they still can't hit it a lot of the time.. I had to send several kids to the bench after their allotted 5 pitches.. often times giving them extras because they swung at bad ones when they should have let them go. I was even dropping the speed from time to time a mile an hour or so to help some of them out. The coach saw me do this and berated me for "confusing them.. they can't make the adjustment." I was like.. I am dropping it a mile an hour, this will make no difference in adjustment, just make them able to get around on it slightly better, they should be facing real pitchers anyway... you don't think a pitcher will vary a mile an hour or 2 on any given pitch?? It wasn't liek I was dropping it 5-10 miles and hour... throwing them sliders and brushing them back... . whatever... anyway, how much do we really need to baby kids these days?? I know for a fact that the little kids in venezuela and puerto rico aren't having perfect balls thrown to them out of a pitching machine. These kids reminded me more of what a 5 year old playing t-ball should look like, not a 10 year old. It was bad.. there were a couple injuries as well.. One kid took one HARD off the nose. They play on these damned sand fields that are hard as a rock and the balls FLY off these things, so it took a high hop and got him.. He was out of commission the rest of the game with an ice pack on his nose... Another kid took one off the chest just because he hadn't been taught how to catch.. He had his glove turned the wrong way and it hit him right in the middle of the chest. He had no business out there, he will hurt himself unless he learns how to actually catch a ball. I was ashamed of the state of youth baseball. I used to get popped with balls all the time.. usually because I was trying to make a hard play and sticking my face in there.. these kids both were afraid of the ball and were turning their heads.. thats why they got hurt.. There is no reason why they shouldn't have kids pitching at that age either. And they should DEFINITELY have balls and strikes.. and strikeouts.. They can go to the batting cages and hit all day long if they want something from a machine.. but once you are out on the field.. it isn't practice time anymore.. either you can hit, catch, throw, slide, etc. or you can't. We need to stop babying kids and shielding them from defeat. It is no wonder so many people grow up feeling entitled to get what they want.