Main Line Sportsman

By the Way

2012-02-14T13:56:00.002-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day....Advice to men for this manufactured Holiday often entails complicated schemes to profess love and create a romantic atmosphere through dinner reservations, flowers,poems,candy,lingerie and all manner of contrivances.

Advice to women is far more remedial and straight forward: Show up naked and bring beer.(Courtesy of Blue Collar Comedy)
Now that is the way to a Sportsman's heart!

"Rural" Olympics in India

2012-02-14T11:10:00.002-05:00

Evidently, hopping on a scooter and pulling on a rope lashed around the upper extremities of some poor disabled Punjabi is a sporting event in the hinterlands of the Indian Sub-Continent. Are we wagering on this or is it strictly amateur so some trinket is awarded as a prize in recognition of victory? Incidentally, how is victory measured...the longest time until your humerus bone gives up its cartilaginous hold on the radius and ulna? I will spectate and wager on almost anything...this contest...not so much.

Another Sport of Kings

2012-02-13T18:13:00.004-05:00

Here is a crew that practices an esoteric form of hunting. This is a sporting hobby I find fascinating, but certainly do not have the time or resources to explore. I have my hands full right now training my new Lab so she will be ready for duck hunting next season. This sport got a bit of recognition and new participants for a brief time after "The Falcon and the Snowman" was released. However, I doubt you will see a local falconry club practicing in your neighborhood park anytime soon.

Here is an excerpt from a scholarly article on Medieval falconry:

"The second form of Medieval hunting, hawking or falconry, became the delight of the nobles. It was so much appreciated that a nobleman or his lady never appeared in public without a hawk on the wrist as a mark of dignity. It was also a mark of the rank, not everyone could afford the high cost of falcons, which were mostly imported from Sweden or Iceland. Even bishops and abbots entered the churches with their hunting birds, which they placed on the steps of the altar itself during the service."

Diner Football Quiz

2012-02-13T12:48:00.002-05:00

There is a great piece in Vanity Fair this month about the making of one of my favorite movies: "Diner." In late Fall 1982,my wife(then girlfriend) and I saw it at the Sam Eric theatre on Chestnut street when it was released for a "sneak preview." The characters and dialogue really resonated with me. I was talking about the film for weeks. No one had heard of it and looked at me like I was nuts."Diner" then received a wider release and all my buddies saw it and held a similar high opinion.
Since then, it has become a well known film and was a launching pad for the careers of some fine actors...Stern,Rourke,Barkin, Reiser. Kevin Bacon had already had roles such as Chip in "Animal House" and Rourke was being noticed after his role in "Body Heat." The other central cast was relatively unknown and all went on to T.V. and big-screen success. Levinson went on to direct "Avalon" and "Tin Men" and "Liberty Heights" to complete his Baltimore tour de force.
The scene here is Eddie giving his fiance' a "football quiz." If Alyse does not pass....the marriage is OFF.

Safety is Essential.

2012-02-09T17:40:00.004-05:00

I write often about shooting and the various hunting outings which take up a goodly amount of my liesure time. One of the crucial facets of any Sporting pursuit in the field is gun safety. As my buddy Charlie used to say: "The best safety feature on any gun is a careful shooter."

To wit, I offer some photos of the pre-shoot safety meeting before our Club Tower Shoot last Saturday. These shoots involve 25 guns and some fast and challenging wing shooting. It is absolutely necessary that each gun know what is expected regarding field etiquette and safety. Since I have been pressed into service as the President of the Club, I organize a mandatory pre-shoot safety meeting before every shoot. This entails reading from a pre-printed card of regulations and a short speech about safe gunning and looking out for the dogs. For instance, "low bird is NO bird" since it could endager one of our fine retrievers.

I have told guests bluntly that if they screw up and shoot my dog, the next shot they hear will be from my gun putting a barrel of # 6 high brass pellets in their ass. This drives the point home farily well. Even the most experienced guns can benefit from taking the minutes required to go over the rules and the requirements to shoot safely in this format. I am proud to say we had a safe and enjoyable shoot.

The other shot is of some of the young Sportsmen availing themselves of the post Shoot buffet which included pulled pork, ribs, red beans and rice, collared greens, kielbasa,cole slaw and cornbread. This delicious spread was demolished in short order by a crew of hungry shooters.

For the most part, the guns are put away awaiting next season....I will try and shoot some trap and skeet thru March and April but once it gets hot that's it. Bring on Steeplechase Season!

Camraderie

2012-02-09T12:14:00.003-05:00

It is pretty cold here in Philadelphia. We had a dusting of snow last night and it reminded me Winter is still here and Dove season does not start until September.

The Dove hunt at our Club kicks off the Season and is a great way to say farewell to Summer and look forward to Hunting and Fall. One of the features of our Club Dove hunt is the pre-hunt lunch. We light the grill and prepare burgers and dogs and sit around eating and catching up. Many of the guys have neither seen each other nor spoken since we hung up the waders in January. The sons have grown an inch or two and a new gun is perhaps displayed or a new hunting dog introduced. The meal is pedestrian but the time spent with fellow Sportsmen is not. We do not admit it but we missed each other.

I have shown recent pre-Dove lunches where we have roasted a pig and that meal is far from average. But the focus remains seeing the guys and picking up the friendships where they were left at the end of last Season. The members are CEOs and retired cops, Doctors and Restaurant owners, Middle Management guys,lawyers and everything in between. When we put on the camo clothing and take to the field none of that matters...we are friends, hunting buddys and Sportsmen.

Genna

2012-02-08T16:30:00.004-05:00

The new dog has been with us since Sunday night. I have begun reinforcing her training in earnest since she has had some time to wind-down and acclimate.This morning before heading to Court I had Genna in the back yard working on retrieves and on "heel" and "stay." She loves the duck and quail dummies and speeds across the yard picking them up and bringing them "to hand."
Since Genna was a wash-out from a Field Trial/Hunt Test trainer, she already has some basic knowledge. The key is to keep her engaged. In my dog training with Archie my other hunting dog, I have found it works well if you spend only 15 or 20 minutes on actual work...then have some play time. Dogs are after all just loveable knuckleheads...so after they have been taxed physically and mentally with commands and required performance...they really love to just play. Throw a ball...chase them around...just goof it up.They see that as a the reward for good behaviour. Then back inside for some treats and a slobbery trip to the water bowl.
Genna is doing well with "heel" and "stay" and she is a retrieving machine. I will take her down to the hunting Club later in March to work on water retrieves and introduce more gun-fire to the regimen.
Around the house she is very sweet and the Family is really happy about her arrival. She is crate trained so for the time being she spends the night in a nice crate on a comfy dog bed...she seems very happy in her new home. Stay tuned....next duck season I hope to be posting pix of Genna like the one above.

Balls and Crampons

2012-02-07T13:53:00.002-05:00

This is a picture of my buddy Bill ice climbing. He took a trip to Ouray,Colorado a few weeks ago to strap on various pointy pieces of gear and grab an ice ax and scramble up a sheer ice face. If the difficulty of the climb is not enough for an adrneline junkie....there is also the long cold Winter hike just to get to these ice falls. Clearly, this is not a gig for the disorganized or the trepidatious. If you screw up on one of these climbs...you are toast and you get to experience first-hand what 9.8 Meters-per-second squared feels like....
I like Winter and all...and enjoy ice skating and skiing...but hugging my Rum & Tonic is as close as I need to get to ice this close to my chest. But I tip my hat to Bill and his crew.

She is Here

2012-02-06T12:19:00.003-05:00

The new dog, Genna, joined our Clan last evening. I missed most of the Second Half of the Super Bowl because we were in the yard helping her acclimate, meet my dog Archie, burn off some energy and throwing duck dummies for her.
I despise the Giants so missing all but the last 5 minutes was unfortunate.....to see Brady fail to score on the last drive. But I love the new pup so all is well here.

The Cornerman

2012-02-02T14:28:00.004-05:00

Boxing Hall of Famer and Trainer of Champs, Angelo Dundee has passed away. The cornerman for Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard and George Foreman, was credited with persuading Ali to get back in the fight and continue during the late rounds of "The Thrilla in Manila" and some say without Dundee's chiding, Ali may have thrown the towel.
I had a chance to meet Dundee and speak with him in the Summer of 1987. I was a lowly Summer Law Clerk at a big firm in Philly. My boss was involved in litigation stemming from the death of an up-and-coming boxer. The kid had basically run his motorcycle under a truck and Dundee's expertise was used to evaluate the kid's potential and future earnings in the ring. Dundee was gracious, polite, knowledgeable and self deprecating.
Dundee's training and counsel from the Corner was legendary and he will be missed by many.

More Fans Behaving Badly

2012-02-01T17:47:00.006-05:00

Here in Philadelphia we have had some recent bad press when Flyers fans beat up a Rangers fan outside Geno's Steaks after the Winter Classic. There was also the drunken animal who intentionally vomited on a young girl at a Phillies Game...and of course the now famous throwing of snowballs at Santa during an Eagle's game a while back. Philly fans have a pretty nasty rep.Hell, Eagle's games used to need a game time Court and on-site jail for the white trash hooligans who drank and fought and acted like animals at every home game.
Well, the new award for horrible fan behavior can be presented to the Egyptian maniacs who started a riot at a soccer game today...killing around 70 people and injuring thousands. Seems groups of rival fans felt it necessaryto storm the field, fight, throw rocks and fireworks and bottles at each other and at Players, start fires and generally foment a deadly melee.
When you see this stuff...it makes staying at home watching the events on excellent big screen HD...with the excellent coverage.... even more attractive. Here in the States, we blame this stuff on the beer...I thought those Muslim fans did not drink alcohol??

Ithaca For Your 15th.

2012-01-30T14:28:00.004-05:00

Saturday was my son's 15th birthday.On Friday evening we went out for dinner and enjoyed dry aged prime bone-in Ribeyes at Fleming's in Radnor then proceeded to the Waterfowl Club for the last day of the Duck/Goose season. When we awoke early Saturday morning, it was warm and there was no cloud cover so we did not anticipate any action in the blinds...and we got none....a pretty weak season overall.
The action came when I presented this birthday present to my son:

Ithaca SKB 200E 12 Ga S X S, 28" barrel, chokes are full & mod, raised rib, nice scrolling on orignal coin finish, single selective trigger, auto safety, orignal recoil pad, 14" LOP, stocks are very nice, excellent condition.

After we put away the decoys and took off our waders,I went to the truck and pulled out an Orvis "leg-o-mutton" break down case, handed it to the boy and said "Happy Birthday." When he opened the case and I showed him how to put this fine double barrel side by side shotgun together, his face nearly cracked in half from the giant smile. He mounted the gun a few times to get the feel against his shoulder and cheek and said something to the effect of "this is awesome."
We then went behind the decoy shed where we placed a clay pigeon launcher on the back of one of our ATVs. He proceeded to go 4 for 5 on his first set and it was obvious the gun was a decent fit and he could handle it well. We shot about half a box of clays then cleaned her up and put her away. The kid is thrilled! This Saturday he is coming with me to a Tower Shoot...so he will get a chance to try out his new gun in some real wingshooting.
He had previously been shooting a youth model Browning Gold semi-auto. I told him since he was 15 it was time for him to have a gentleman's gun...a double gun...a 12 ga. so he can really reach out for the birds.I suspect it was a good birthday for the lad....

Art in Boxing

2012-01-26T14:17:00.003-05:00

We attended the boxing matches in South Philly on Saturday. Sadly, my welterweigth had to scratch due a hand injury from sparring.Nevertheless,it was a great card and we saw some excellent bouts.
The lady shutterbug of Keyartphoto shared this photograph with me from her friend Chris Toney. This is a very artistic snap from the Rosado v. Sotto-Karas bout. Something about this photo really captures the energy and struggle of the fight.

Semi-Sleeper Sports Movie

2012-01-26T11:31:00.001-05:00

Dennis Quaid,Jessica Lange, Tim Hutton and John Goodman take us back to a slightly different era of College Football. Quaid is the hot shot QB who rules LSU but struggles with life after College and after the NFL. Lange is the Magnolia Queen-College Sweetheart who blossoms into a strong woman in her 40's. Now that "Rudy" is tainted by his recent swindling....this film should be next to "Remember the Titans" on your football movie watch list.
This is an entertaining film with some good acting and an engaging story. Plus...Hutton's character ends up teaching History at Lehigh.

The Planter's Punch Brand

2012-01-25T15:59:00.004-05:00

Mixing Gin and Dark Rum to form a bastardized Daquiri is somewhat suspect. However, the result is pretty damn good. I would suggest sticking to Planter's Punch...the recipe is on the bottle. Or a Sharkbite: Myers's dark..Orange juice, Pineapple juice and a splash of Grenadine...I consumed countless Sharkbites at "The Bluffs" in Bayhead.
I really like Myers's with tonic and a large wedge of lime...that is my "go-to" drink all Summer. It is also delicious in hot cider after skiing or in hot tea after an afternoon in a cold,damp goose pit.
According to this old advertisement...one drinks the cocktail described while watching polo in Jamaica.

Jenna is Coming

2012-01-23T17:46:00.005-05:00

In a few days I will have a new addition to my hunting dog line-up. A wash-out from a Field Test and Hunt Test breeder/trainer....she should be fine for my waterfowling pursuits. Her disposition commends her to the dual role as a house-dog and companion for my other dog and the Family.
While combing the various Lab-rescues and shelters since the passing of our sweet Dixie...I came across this girl.We are all excited and this Spring will afford plenty of time to train her to my purposes.

Pinaud

2012-01-20T17:08:00.003-05:00

For that classic and old-school, just-left-the-barbershop scent...check out these products. Bowman has them all....Clubman after-shave...Bay Rum...surgical grade styptic pencils...talc as fine and pink as Bermuda sand(the pink is great for dabbing under the collar when wearing a tie....keeps the neck from getting beat up on sweaty Summer days...and blends in...not visible like white talc...but they have both....shave talc and regular. The Osage rub is an ethereal experience. After showering and shaving. ..douse on scalp and face...the eucalyptol and menthol combine for a freight train rush of cool refreshing bracer. The Clubman shampoo is great...and to keep the fragrance consistent they have a non-aerosol deoderant as well.They have mustache wax and quinine hair tonic...these are the products on the counter at your Grandfather's favorite barbershop..the one with deer heads on the wall and Playboy on the table and where they talked about Willie Mays or Stan Musial or even Ty Cobb...Jack Dempsey and the Army/Navy game...coffe always hot and scissors and clippers always sharp as Hell...like the jokes and ribbing between the Barbers. By the way....this stuff ain't expensive at all...very reasonable.

Tragic

2012-01-20T10:56:00.002-05:00

Back in 2010 during the Winter Olympics I posted about Lindsay Vonn: Gorgeous and a beast on the downhill run. She is still winning World Cup Races.
Today we have the sad news that Sarah Burke has died from the injuries she sustained on 1/10/2012 while training in Park City,Utah. Burke was talented as Hell...beautiful and successful in her field of competition...a dream girl on many levels. Now she is gone...her organs have been harvested and the World has lost something special.

Squash Streak

2012-01-19T12:32:00.005-05:00

The longest winning streak in the history of intercollegiate varsity sports is over. Trinity College, 13-time defending national champions, lost to Yale 5-4 on Wednesday. Yale’s win snapped a 252-match winning streak that dated back 14 years to the 1997-98 season. Trinity’s squash dynasty might be coming to an end given the parity today, but the Bantams can still wear their historic record and those “Fear the Chicken” t-shirts proudly. Congratulations to the players and coaches on a truly miraculous run.

Indianapolis 500-1994

2012-01-18T19:52:00.004-05:00

Before we all got caught up with kids and all that they entail...we used to go to the Indy 500 every year. I have mentioned that my Lehigh crew has been going since 1989. This disheveled crew of Indy race fans posed for this photo after the Race on Memorial Weekend 1994. This cohort is comprised of Lehigh boys, friends and brothers of Lehigh boys and some high school buddies and random aquaintances thrown in. What made this year particularly special was that my 2 Freshman year room-mates were in attendance. Every year it was a beer-soaked weekend of fun and Indy Car spectation, beer pong and strip clubs, poker, Wiffle ball and cheeseburgers, fireworks and hard core boys weekend buffoonery. In 1996, after my second kid arrived, we 86'd the trip...but we all talk of doing it again with sons.

Imitation is Flattery

2012-01-17T16:39:00.003-05:00

Like many of you, I enjoy reading posts on The Trad. Today he featured a photo of himself on a boat in 1985 sporting a beard and a nice duffel coat. The photo for some reason reminded me of one from 1993 when I was motoring around Lake Mead outside Las Vegas.
Similarities in the photos: White boy...check. Body of water...check. All American background...check. Boat....check. Ray Bans....check.

Hunting Upland Game

2012-01-17T13:32:00.003-05:00

As reported in the last Post...waterfowling has been fairly miserable this year.So in an effort to assuage my solemn mood...I dredged up some photos of hunting pheasant and quail with my faithful bird dog Archie. Oh yeah...the other guy in the picture is my faithful college buddy Glenn.
When Archie takes a point and holds over a bird, it never fails to send a chill tickling down the vertebrae. The flush and a clean shot is rewarding, but I think I enjoy watching my dog, that I trained, more than anything. Archie is getting a bit old now but he is still game. In fact, he spent the better part of the weekend in a duck blind and goose pit with me. We are both happiest when we are together.

A Bust So Far

2012-01-15T10:49:00.002-05:00

These images are decidedly absent from our Waterfowl Club so far this season. The lack of snow covering northern field and warm tempatures keeping northern ponds and lakes from freezing...all contribute to a sparse migration of ducks and geese.When the birds have open water to rest in and open fields in which to feed they just do not have to fly south.
By this time in the season I have usually killed and cooked about 10 or 12 geese and had some decent shots at Mallards or Black ducks. The birds are just not here. We are hoping that the recent snow and cold in New England and upstate New York will improve the hunting for these last 2 weeks of the season. My son has off from school tomorrow so we are going down tonite to meet some of the guys for dinner, football,poker and a Monday A.M. hunt.We are hopeful....and as my Grandfather used to say: " You can't shoot 'em from your living room."

Spit and Punch

2012-01-13T13:18:00.002-05:00

Oldest club in the United States( 1732). I am not a member...likely never will be as I do not really have the pedigree. However, a bunch of the guys I shoot with are members so I am familiar with the drill and I commend them for their history and their activities. It is mostly a dining club but it started as a fishing club...hence the "Fish-House Punch." Tasty stuff from a guarded secret recipe that can get you buzzing right quick.The bowl holding the sacred punch is like a bazillion years old. The cooking is taken seriously as you can see by the spit roasted lamb...not many guys can say they know how to spit-roast meat...or even have the facilities to get it done....but the result is a succulent cut of delicious lamb redolent of garlic and rosemary and smoke. After dining there are cigars and port and jokes and singing...these guys know what they have and keep it to themselves...living history.

John West Red Salmon Pub

2012-01-12T11:20:00.000-05:00

More extreme fishing. This literally made me laugh out loud.

A River Runs Through It - best moment

2012-01-12T10:56:00.001-05:00

Some extreme fly fishing. This movie is a well done adaptation of a fairly good short story. The cinematography is excellent and Redford's voice overs are perfect. I love how he puts his smokes under his hat...A worthwhile Sportsmen's movie.

Poor Sportsmanship in the Ancient World

2012-01-10T13:19:00.003-05:00

Evidently John McEnroe did not invent the childish tirade during a sporting contest...and Mike Tyson's ear nibbling seems tame considering this Classical era jerk seemingly killed a bunch of innocent kids because he lost a boxing match:

Cleomedes of Astypalaea, 492 BC. A strange story about this athlete who went crazy after a decision by the chief judges of the Games. At the Festival previous to this it is said that Cleomedes of Astypalaea killed Iccus of Epidaurus during a boxing-match. On being convicted by the umpires of foul play and being deprived of the prize he became incensed and returned to Astypalaea. He attacked a school there pulling down the pillars which held up the roof. This fell upon the 60 children in attendance.
Cleomedes,was pelted with stones by the citizens and took refuge in the sanctuary of Athena. He hid in a chest in the sanctuary. The Astypalaeans toiled in vain to open the chest. At last, however, they broke open the hiding place, but found no Cleomedes. So townspeople sent envoys to Delphi to ask what had happened to Cleomedes. The response given by the Pythian priestess was reportedly as follows: "Last of heroes is Cleomedes of Astypalaea; Honour him with sacrifices as being no longer a mortal."
Some hero...this is what you get when you take advice from a supposed fortune teller who pokes around in the entrails of dead birds with a pointed stick to make her predictions.

A bizaare incident in Ancient Sports...a boxer kills his opponent,is disqualified, and his response is to cause a cave-in on some school kids in his home town...nice work you Greek wanker.

Snap of Synapse

2012-01-06T11:53:00.008-05:00

When I was a kid, my maternal grandfather usually spent about 6 months of the year at our house. I have posted about him before with some old photos of his sporting pursuits....and the passing of sportsman's wisdom from him to me.
What brings him to mind today is a recent mental flash I had just before Christmas. I recently purchased a pair of Bean Boots as pictured above...the zip front model with a wool liner. They are "vintage" but in excellent shape. After cleaning the liner, I went to wear them and the zipper on both boots was a bit sluggish and stuck.
I went to the dining room and grabbed a candle nub from one of the candlesticks...then proceeded to rub the candle-bottom on both zippers. The zippers now operate as if brand new and whiz up and down with a effortless pull.
I then stopped and reflected...where the Hell did this trick come from...and immediately had an image of Granddad showing me to use a candle nub to make the zipper on some snow boots work properly one morning as I dressed to go sledding. That shred of information was lurking deep in the cranial archives and just surfaced when the time was appropriate.
I had a similar synaptic surfacing several years ago when fly-fishing in the Adirondacks. My buddy Glenn and I were in a Guideboat on Lake Colby at the evening rise. I was just out of Law-School and had not had time to fly-fish in several years.When I took the rod from it's case....I rubbed the metal tipped bottom of the top half of the rod in my scalp before connecting the two pieces. Glenn asked what the Hell that manoeuvre was all about and I really was not conscious of having done it. Then I remembered fishing with my Grandfather in Pacanac lake and his instruction that each time you put your rod together you first rub the one end in your scalp so a bit of oil will lube the piece and prevent the rod sticking together when you break down for casing.
Grandad taught me many things about hunting and fishing...obviously some that I remember clearly and some,like candle-nubs and scalp oil, that only percolate to cognition when the circumstances dictate.

Ritz Carlton-Cancun,Mexico

2012-01-05T14:30:00.004-05:00

When you have a 20th Anniversary you owe it to each other to celebrate it correctly. For the Wife and I, this meant a trip to the Ritz in Cancun. This was an ideal destination as the plane ride is not too long and in early September it is off-season so there are no hordes of idiot college kids puking Cuervo in the street.
Furthermore, I have a client who used to manage 3 Ritz properties in Florida...he owed me a favor and was thrilled about a result I got for him at trial...so a few phone calls from him garnered my wife and I a luxurious suite on the ocean with 3 balconies at a rate cheaper than a Holiday Inn at the Philly Airport. Plus, the juice from this guy got us the "Sinatra treatment" the entire time we were there.
The trip was fantastic...but the coup de grace was the anniversary dinner. My wife did not know that I had planned and schemed to have our dear friends come and meet us 3 days into the trip. They arrived and brought my evening clothes with them. I left my wife in the room and went to the hotel gym...telling her to meet me at the bar for drinks before dinner. I suited up in my off white dinner jacket in the locker room after a nice work-out, steam,sauna and shave. Bonnie and Glenn met me at the bar so we were waiting in black tie for my wife. I had told her the place we were dining was extremely fancy so she should dress accordingly...thus she was not left feeling under-dressed.
Bonnie and Glenn were both in our wedding and are our closest friends...we Summer in the Adirondacks together and in fact they spent some time in Stowe with us this Christmas and last. They have been featured in many pictures posts over the past year or so.
I had also arranged a private dining room in the Hotel restaurant:Fantino. Imagine my Wife's astonishment when she walked into the hotel bar to see the 3 of us in black tie ready to celebrate the 20th anniversary. She was almost literally floored. The evening that ensued was simply beyond description with the food and service and setting.
Last, for you menswear blogger types...here is the rig:
Joseph Banks Shawl Collar off-white dinner jacket
Brooks Brothers flat front formal trousers.
Brooks Brothers unpleated formal shirt w/ gold knot studs.Shotgun shell cufflinks
Ferragamo patent leather formal slippers.

It was a memorable evening and truly enhanced by the evening wear. Other hotel guests thought we had just gotten married. When I stated we were celebrating an anniversary...you could see the jealousy in the wive's eyes and the frustration in the men's...that suddenly the bar had been set so high.

That Was Then...This Is Now

2012-01-03T17:56:00.002-05:00

More beer adds wherein the purveyors use hunting ladies to try and expand their market:"Honey, we know you like to kill stuff with the boys...so here is the beer to guzzle after you are finished."
What I appreciate is the setting and the tone of the old beer photo advertisments. Then we see what technique they are currently employing vis-a-vis women and beer and sporting pursuits:"OK boys...drink our beer and you may just run into this scantily clad vixen out in the field..." One approach has discretion and class...the other just a bludgeon hammering at the purient interest.

HD Woodland String Band Winners Philadelphia Mumers Parade Sugar House C...

2012-01-02T23:29:00.001-05:00

The Mummer's Parade on New Year's Day is not unlike Jazz....you either get it or you don't.
Here is the 2012 String Band winning performance by Woodland. My kids and I,along with some friends...watched on Broad street and saw 13 of the 17 Bands. A few beers and cocktails and the unique sound of Mummers String Bands. These things really make a New Year's day...better than slugging on the sofa nursing a hang-over and watching some 3rd rate Football.
One of our guests was my daughter's friend from College. She is from Amherst,Mass. She got it...really loved it. Happy New Year everyone.

Gutes Neu Jahre

2011-12-30T12:29:00.002-05:00

The Eve of the Eve....after I break camp here in the Quaker City I will grab my son and head to Kent County for a goose hunt tomorrow morning. Carl from Ohio is coming in so there will be poker and pool,and a few nips of Bourbon tonite. Likely, my son will again clean my clock at poker...14 years old and he has good card skills!
Tomorrow night will find the wife and I in Society Hill for a Black-Tie New Year's Eve party at a gorgeous restored Colonial era townhouse owned by my buddy Gain and his wife...Elegant party and we watch the fireworks at Penn's Landing at Midnight from his roof-deck.I have posted about Gavin before...a fine host!
Then the Mummer's parade on Sunday with all the kids and some friends....cold beers,Bloodys, a flask of Brandy and seats in front of the Union League to watch the String Bands. Then it is home for the traditional German New Year's Day dinner of sauerkraut,potatos and various wursts.
My boy Calvin(above) states an interesting case...what are your resolutions and plans for the Eve?

Vermont Yuletide

2011-12-29T13:05:00.004-05:00

We are back from Vermont and not all that happy about it. Christmas was wonderful. We attended Stowe's local church for Christmas Eve services at 11 P.M. and it was magical. We ice skated on Christmas day and enjoyed Christmas dinner at The Green Mountain Inn. We got plenty of snow and got in some skiing with excellent conditions. Indeed, it snowed nearly the entire time we were there.
Suffice it to say that this trip was about as "Christmasy" as it can get...Now...on to New Year's Eve...Black Tie party in Society Hill and New Year's day at the Mummer's Parade.

Frohliche Weinachten

2011-12-22T23:42:00.004-05:00

Departing 12/23/2011 for Stowe,Vermont. As last year, the Wife and I are taking the kids North for a White Christmas,Christmas Eve at Stowe Community Church,Christmas dinner at The Green Mountain Inn, some skiing,ice-skating,Winter hikes and Yuletide relaxation.Hot tub and cocktails, Christmas movies(Barbara Stanwyck in "Xmas in Connecticut" and 'Joyeux Noel" are featured)Bourbon by the fire and attempting to forget about the practice of Law for a few days. No cooking dinner for 20 on Christmas night, no shuttling from party to party and relative's homes....less hustle and angst...more time with my kids and my wife. No Blog-posts...so I leave you with some Christmas images and my thanks for reading the nonsense I scribble here....and even more thanks for those of you who continue to Post your fine prose and pictures. I truly enjoy reading your posts and appreciate the time invested. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Labels for the Sportsman

2011-12-22T12:51:00.004-05:00

Most of my beer swilling takes place at a local tap room or a tailgate or the hunting club and focuses on cheap watery beer that is ice cold and refreshing. I take deserved heat from the beer snobs and I do indulge in a fine Pilsner Urquel or a Stella now and then...but Yuengling Lager is about as exotic as I go on most rounds.
My beer taste was forged in the Fraternity party rooms of Lehigh where cold kegs of Hamms or Old Mil were the standard flow from multiple taps manned by abused pledges.
My taste in Bourbon and Rum may be high-brow. But when it comes to beer I am just a pedestrian and hoist a pint or a bottle of what I like.
The labels on the bottles of suds these days, that are gripped in a raised fist, are pasty foiled nonsense that you idly scrape with a fingernail while chatting with the boys or watching the game. Coors has developed a label that lets the drinker know when it is cold...but what half-wit cannot perform this thermodynamic analysis on his own...what a gimmick.
There was a time when beer lables were an art form. I have a friend who collects labels and these are some examples of sporting related beer bottle adornments. There is an odd Whiskey label that I could not resist including. I love these old lables and the feeling they convey for the drink and the drinker.

Eat What You Kill Son

2011-12-21T12:15:00.004-05:00

Here is a news story that highlights a questionable performance by an athlete and Sportsman. If you are going to hunt animals...do so with integrity and follow the hunter's ethics...if you are not going to eat it....do not shoot it. This activity is not about trophy mounts.

I understand the argument about the Outfitter's responsibility...nevertheless...sounds like this ex NCAA wrestler was out for something to hang on his wall.

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. - Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has admitted to a hunting infraction in southern Alberta.

A lawyer for the mixed martial arts star appeared in a Medicine Hat court and pleaded guilty on his client's behalf to improper tagging of an animal during a hunting trip in November 2010.

Lesnar was fined $1,725 and given a six-month hunting suspension.

Two other charges of leaving meat to rot and illegal possession of wildlife were dropped.

Lesnar, 34, was accused by fish and wildlife officials of shooting a mule deer buck but only packing the trophy head out.

The director of the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society said it is considered unethical to leave edible meat in the field.

The former NCAA wrestling champion and pro wrestling star was charged along with a hunting guide.

A native of South Dakota who now makes his home in Minnesota, the six-foot-three 265-pound Lesnar regularly hunts in Canada.

Lesnar said in a statement released Tuesday that he was on a filmed hunt sponsored by Fusion Ammunition and guided by Trophy Hunters Alberta.

"In Alberta, Americans can't hunt without a licensed outfitter. The outfitter is there to make sure you follow the rules," he said.

"I had two deer tags for the trip which meant I could legally shoot two deer. On the first day of the trip, I shot a mule deer. On the second day, I shot a white tail. Video from the hunt has been on the Internet for over a year. After I shot the mule deer, I failed to immediately tag it. As far as I was involved, that's all there is to it."

Lesnar said he has paid his fine and the matter is closed.

"It's the kind of thing that happens to hunters all the time. I want to thank the Canadian authorities for their co-operation in resolving this misunderstanding. I love Canada and I can't wait to go back to Alberta for a hunt."

As far as the spoilage charge that was withdrawn, Lesnar said he couldn't bring deer meat back across the border.

"I trusted the outfitter to properly handle it. They are professionals and I understand it was handled appropriately."

His fighting career has twice been interrupted by diverticulitis, an intestinal disease. Lesnar returns to the cage Dec. 30 when he takes on Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 in Las Vegas.

Joyeux Noel (2005) - Official Movie Trailer HQ

2011-12-19T14:50:00.001-05:00

If you want to see a very different kind of Christmas film...something deeper than "It's a Wonderful Life" and more moving than "Miracle on 34th Street" or "White Christmas"...watch this film. Based on the true story of Christmas Eve 1914 in the trenches of World War I,this film is fascinating and offers a very relevant Christmas message.
I posted on this movie last year...but it bears mentioning again this Season. Merry Christmas!

Say It Ain't So Rudy

2011-12-19T10:53:00.003-05:00

A wonderful movie in the inspirational underdog sports genre, "Rudy" has been a favorite around my house for years. Sadly, when perusing the Wall Street Journal last week I saw that the real life "Rudy" was pinched by the SEC for a sleazy pump-and-dump stock scheme. It looks like Rudy traded on his fame and feel good story to bilk investors out of a bunch of cash...he and his partners illegally inflated the stock price of his company "Rudy Beverage,Inc." and their swindle was exposed.Most of the money Rudy made is being returned to the SEC in the form of stiff fines.
Well,I suppose it is not unlike the sad post-baseball tribulations and sleazy deals of former Phillie, Lenny Dykstra....you feel sad that guys like this go bad on some level. I do not think I can again watch "Rudy" with the same admiration for the protagonist and enjoyment of the story.

Sporting Suds

2011-12-15T17:19:00.004-05:00

Forget the fact that many of these fine small breweries are long gone. Sportsmen and women have been a focus of beer advertising for decades. Certainly the brewers are not advocating that you suck down a six pack while pheasant hunting....but who has not enjoyed an icy can of beer when fishing on a hot day. I enjoy liberal amounts of malt beverages while watching boxing and eagerly await a cold beer after an early September dove hunt.
In the late 19th Century, Philadelphia had nearly 100 small breweries offering their pilsners and ales at local tap rooms and by the case.Indeed, there is a section of the City known as "Brewerytown." These small guys have vanished and while the craft and boutique beer trend is thriving, it is not quite the same as it caters to beer snobs and pseudo-afficiandos who scoff at the pedestrian beers I will happily swill all evening.
The big "Walmarts" of beer have gobbled up most of the trade...even Rolling Rock was bought out and packed up and away from Latrobe,PA. We still have America's oldest brewery: Yuengling, here in the Keystone state but Ortliebs and Schmidt's are just hop-flovered memories and old coasters and neon at the Antique store. Old Milwaukee and others still launch campaigns aimed at hunters and fisherman but generally not with the same grace and warmth of these old ads.
As Christmas approaches, I will offer a bit of a suggestion for the Season...crack open a Yuenling Porter if you can find it...and enjoy it by the fire after a long cold afternoon in the goose pit or after trimming the tree.

Please Mr. Lauren

2011-12-14T11:47:00.006-05:00

I stumbled upon this hideous imposter while browsing E-Bay for a shooting vest for my son. I had taken him to a Tower Shoot on Sunday and the vest he used was adequate but he handled himself so well with the Browning Gold .20 Ga. that I decided he needed a better shooting rig.
So, back to this Ralph Lauren abomination...first, it sports a price tag north of $1900.00. Absurdly over-priced. One could fully outfit 2 hunters for a pheasant trip to North Dakota for that amount. Second,it displays erroneous Texas Rifle Association patches; patches that would lead one to conclude that the wearer won some sort of shooting competition. Third, in terms of functionality, the patches are on the right side, so if a shooter was right handed , the patch at the top could easily interfere with a smooth mount...and the shooting pad on the shoulder is too small to facilitate smooth mount as well. The large contrast material flap pockets are idiotic as they hinder easy access to fresh shells. The collar is too big as it would get in the way of one's cheek seating flush on the stock of the raised gun...I could go on...but you get the idea.
One can only imagine this garment draped over some Greenwich hedge fund wanker as he gets out of his Range Rover...a vehicle that has never had tires touch mud...and grass only once at a tailgate at Deerfield when Junior was 2nd string on the Football team. Said wanker would mince about posing as a shooter...when he does not know the difference between high brass No. 6's and a target load or a Purdey from a Ruger. A poser that grew up in New Rochelle and never discharged anything other than a BB gun or an employee from whom he was going to steal credit for a deal. The patches claiming success in some faux competition on some fictional range are a tantamount to a green Private wearing a Combat Infantry Badge when he never left Fort Dix. Well, maybe not that extreme( Tin Tin might think so?)...but lame nonetheless.
But that is Ralph's thing...faux crests from Clubs that do not exist glued on Blazers worn by some putz that fancies himself sporting the badge of the Cold Stream Guards or the First City Troop....or perhaps some Yacht Club...fake Polo Jerseys and spurious rugby team wear and other forms of costumery for the striving and the climbers and the posers.
So, Ralph, please stick to your Khakis and Oxfords and sweaters and pimping school boy blazers to WASP 101 and his lot. Leave the field wear to L.L. Bean and Cabela's and Filson and Beretta. They know what they are doing and when it comes to this genre...you clearly do not.

Fight News

2011-12-12T14:10:00.002-05:00

It is official, the Welterweight that I manage is due to fight on 1/21/2012 at The Arena in South Philly. he is on the under-card in a 6 rounder against a tough Dominican kid who is 6-1. The Butler team is confident.
The evening features a great slate: Philly's own Heavyweight World title contender,Fast Eddie Chambers, is fighting 10 round main event and Gabriel Rosado, from Bethlehem PA is fighting a world class bout against Jesus Soto-Karass ( who recently lost to Mike Jones.)
The Sportsmen will be enjoying the fights from our usual Private Box seats above the Ring. If you are in the area and want to see a great night of "The Sweet Science"...shoot me an e-mail.

A Sunday Shoot

2011-12-10T10:13:00.002-05:00

Just over the Pennsylvania border in Delaware, in what some call "Chateau Country," is a Gun Club on an old piece of DuPont property. Some of the guys I shoot with are members. On certain Sundays they compete against other Gun Clubs in a friendly Trap Shoot. The event includes lunch and drinks after the barrels are cool and the guns broken down and put away. This year the shooting was skillfull and the fare included deep fried turkey, oysters,home-made onion rings and chips. The grounds are stunning and the guys are gracious and know how to break their share of clay pigeons. What better way for a sportsman to spend a Sunday afternoon....particularly when the Eagles have soiled the linen and do not merit our time and attention.

Lehigh Football

2011-12-09T18:43:00.003-05:00

Lehigh beat Towson in a barn-burner of a game,40-38. The game was basically decided on a safety when Lehigh sacked the Tiger QB in the end zone.
Tomorrow Lehigh plays North Dakota in Fargo...and will be without All American receiver Spadola. Seems Spadola was "Tweeting" with a high school buddy and a racial slur was made by the other guy in reference to the Towson team....when Spadola forwarded the Tweet to another person the NCAA deemed that he made the words his own and suspended him from the game. Certainly there is no place for for such inappropriate language in correspondence from a Lehigh athlete....or anyone for that matter. Yet it seems a harsh penalty when the player did not use or endorse the language....and particularly when compared to some of the behavior that the NCAA does not sanction from other teams and players.
Nevertheless, I will shell out the dough for ESPN pay per view to watch my Alma Mater play in this late round of the I-AA/FCS playoffs.

Murray's Point

2011-12-05T12:07:00.003-05:00

Named after the N.J. Judge who founded our Waterfowl Club, Murray's Point Blind is an excellent spot to knock down a few Mallards in the later season. One reaches this blind using a long boardwalk across tidal mud and marsh. The brackish water and weather eventually just beats up everything. Here we see that the floor of this duck blind has caved in rendering it out of commission.It needs to be re-built. Since this is one of the Club's better blinds, this chore cannot wait. Duck season re-opens this Wednesday....so we need to get busy. It just goes to show you that a Waterfowl club ain't all wonderful passing shots on wood ducks,whiskey by the fire and geese dropping in the decoys.

And the Hits....

2011-12-02T15:37:00.003-05:00

I do not believe I have ever posted thrice in a day. Regardless, I would be negligent if I failed to highlight a huge boxing event taking place tomorrow on the under-card of the Cotto fight at The Garden. Philadelphia's own Mike Jones is facing Sebastian Lujan,an Argentinian welterweight. They battle for the IBF No. 1 spot.

Mike Jones is 25-0 with 19 KO's. I believe I have seen 17 of those wins live. I have met Mike. He is a great kid....good father....hard worker and very likable on all levels. I fervently hope Jones gets the "W" and is then positioned for a World Title shot shortly after that. It is great to see Philly fighters on the big stage. Go get 'em Mike.

By the Way

2011-12-02T15:23:00.003-05:00

I neglected to mention...or was trying to forget...that The Eagles are an embarasment to the great City of Philadelphia and it is clearly time for this man to explore other options. 31-14 loss to the damn Seahawks...who entered the game 4-7...sheesh...right after last week's blow-out by the Patriots. "Time's yours."

Stocking Stuffers

2011-12-02T12:31:00.005-05:00

It is December and I noticed on my drive to the office that XM radio has now switched one of the Classical Stations I like to Holiday Pops. For me,some calming Baroque favorites from Corelli or Teleman while fighting traffic in the morning is preferable to my usual diet of Stones,Allman Brothers or Elvis Costello.

Too early for me to start listening to Christmas music...but it casused me to think about gifts,gifting,and ammo. Now the Magi were not packing Benelli .12 Ga. Semi Auto's when they arrived...but pictured above is a fine shotgun shell for them if they were. If there is a Waterfowler in your life...these shells make a great stocking stuffers. I have stated in prior posts that regular steel shot hits "like a schoolgirl"...which at some North Phila. High Scools is actually damn hard. However, when you are hoping to drop a Mallard or Black-Duck at first light from your favorite blind...it helps to have better shells for your shooting. I have found this Hevi Shot to have great pattern and power....much better than regular steel shot.

The boxes may stretch out the hosery hung by the chimney with care...but the recipient will be thrilled.

Lehigh v. Towson

2011-12-01T16:53:00.003-05:00

Saturday rapidly approaches. My alma mater faces off against the Towson Tigers in I AA/FCS Football playoffs. With the talented Chris Lum taking the snaps,this Lehigh team has a solid chance of beating the ACC Champs....to show again that the Patriot League still has talent,balls and brains...I will not prattle on again about scholar-athletes...I did that in a prior post. But there is something refreshing about knowing the Linebacker who just administered a rib crunching tackle is also a 3.3 GPA Finance Major or a 2.9 GPA Chemical Engineering Major. In last year's Playoffs, Lehigh got smoked by a much larger Univ. of Delaware team and suffice it to say, many of their kids looked like they were struggling with their Wallet making curiculum. No hunting this weekend but geared up for this game! Go Engineers. GO LEHIGH.

Deer Camp

2011-11-29T16:44:00.015-05:00

Opening day has varied meanings in different regions. To baseball fans it is the first pitch. To fly fisherman it is a morning on the stream.To Keystone state deer hunters it is the Monday after Thanksgiving when deer are hunted with rifles.For me, for many years, it is a trip to Deer Camp in Pike County and a cabin on a ridge above the Delaware river in Pennsylvania's northeast hardwood deer country. Beeches,Oaks and Hemlocks are framed black against the failing sun as you turn off Route 209.

When you drive off the paved road, there is the weathered grey wood sign "Camp Reform" bearing a carved outline of a high-powered rifle shell. The trucks and jeeps are parked in the wet leaves around the cabin and a dull yellow light pierces the Pocono darkness from the front window. Mounting the porch you see the jugs of spring water and the stacked cases of beer. The door always sticks so you give it a hard yank and you are met with the smell of cigar,woolen clothes,gun oil and the earnest greetings of the boys...your bretheren,your hunting buddies. These are guys you went to college and law school with, as well as some local old timers who grew up in and around Stroudsburg.In this cabin there is no pretense or posturing; just hunters gathered for a yearly pursuit of bucks and camraderie.

At the table is Chick, 80 years old and still hunting. He cranks up the heater and puts a galvanized pail of water on top and gets the joint sweltering like a botanist's hot-house...even though some years it is 60 degrees and raining outside. If you screw up and miss a shot, Chick will call you a Dutchman...and he remembers guys who used to trap with your Grandfather. You covet his old deer rifle and feel lucky to talk to a sage old hunter of his caliber and years. He says little but when he does speak we listen and it is either sporting wisdom or some damn funny story from a hunt 40 years back.

Benzley is at the table, a face and carriage like John Wayne and a Lucky Strike perched in his mouth. He is the Captain and you pay deference to his experience and woodsman's knowledge. He was a Marshall and a Sheriff and even in hunting clothes and a wrinkled orange cap has a distinct aura of authority. He makes you feel welcome and will put you on a good deer stand the next morning because you are Jon's buddy from Lehigh. Benzley fries the eggs and scrapple in the morning and makes coffee that could erode a slab of Appalachin rock. He drops you off at a stand in his old Chevy truck and picks you up when the sun drops over the ridge. He tells you where to watch for does and following bucks near a certain tree or stand of Rhodedendron because he knows.

Roy stands up from the big table in the middle of the cabin and slaps your back. He asks how the goose hunting has been and wants to show you his new rifle...all the while hurling loving insults at Larry. Roy can drop a deer at 85 yards that is at a full run and put the lead projectile right in the "engine room" behind the front shoulder. Roy's wife has sent up 3 pans of lasagna for dinner. The sauce is from a jar and she uses too much ricotta...but it is filling and you eat 3 plates full out of respect. Roy can help you zero in your scope and knows the best loads for your .35 Remington for different stands where your shots are at varied distance and maybe thru thick brush.

Larry is the much loved and dumpy jester of the crew.His face is more Norman Rockwell hobo than anything else. He is in his early 70's and makes gag-inducing dandelion wine...but excellent syrup from a Maple sugarbush on his land.Larry's homemade scrapple is the best you'll ever get....made with buckwheat instead of cornmeal from a pig he kills every November. Larry has a bone saw in his garage and will butcher your deer for you.... a skill he learned in the woods but refined working at the A&P. He also dabbles in making "shine" and when you sit down, he hands you a "Veryfine" juice bottle of corn liquor that surprisingly has some color and age to it and hits the throat with less burn than you anticipate.The whiskey adds to the warmth of friendship you feel in the room. Larry is a guileless rural gentleman who asks questions about events in Philly and how the Eagles will make out. He is sure to remind you that Roy is a candy-ass and old Chick will out-hunt all of us and that John is getting uppity since being elected mayor and then Common Pleas Judge. Larry can shoot an acorn off an Oak at 100 yards and has great Navy stories. Larry used to be a bit wary because he figured you have money...but years of hunting together filed down that edge.

Jon is there at the table cleaning his .45 side arm. He carries this Colt revolver to his stand and swears one day he will drop a buck with it. A Lehigh and Law school classmate with a disarming smile,a wealth of charm and country wit and a surgical intellect and intelligence that he keeps well hidden at Camp...but unleashes on the County Bench in his role as Judge. He pitched for Lehigh,excelled in Law school and is engaged with passing to his sons the etiquette and ritual of Camp. Jon asks about the pheasant hunting, your wife and kids and makes his yearly excuse about missing the Lehigh v. Lafayette game. He spits his Skoal wad in a styrofoam cup and gets you up to date about his kids, his wife, County politics and where the deer are moving. Jon is the Co-Captain of the Camp and has killed his share of deer and knows these woods like a bookie knows the line on the Eagles/Cowboys game. Much of the ground we hunt on was taken from his grandfather by the Federal Government via eminent domain when they built the dam on the Delaware and created the Delaware Water-Gap National park. This affront still stings him and he is no fan of the Park Service or their intrusions. He knows I am from the Main Line but gives me a pass because I know what a "farmer's rain" is and because some of my people came to his County in the 1700's and because my Grandfather grew up in a house down the street from his and hunted and trapped these woods and rivers in the '20s, and because I know my way around a deer camp,and around these woods and around a duck blind and have a good bird dog of my own. You know Jon is one of the best guys you will ever know and you mentally kick yourself in the ass for not seeing him more often.

Bammer is another Lehigh crony who happens to live in New Jersey now and apologizes for it frequently. A broad shouldered ex-football player,he gives you a bear-hug and belts a shot of moonshine with you and makes sure you always have a fresh cold beer from the porch. Bammer makes the evening meal a sporting competition and can consume massive amounts of whatever is plated before him. He can drag a deer 2 miles through Pike County woods like a John Deere tractor and will always show up to help you gut and skin whatever deer you may shoot. He also expects and demands that I bring at least 2 of my Mom's Shoo-Fly pies. These are the wet-bottom variety that eclipse the cake-like junk fed to the tourists by the Amish down in Lancaster. These pies are from her great-grandmother's recipe and my Mom hits the ball over the fence every time she makes them. The pies are the first thing Bammer asks about after releasing the bear hug.Only after the pies have been produced from the truck does he ask about how things have been going since you last hunted together.

After dinner the Sunday night football game is flickering on a piece-of-shit 19 inch TV wedged in the corner. Smoke from the stove mixes with cigarettes and cigars and the stories and raunchy jokes pierce the humidity of Chick's water bucket heater contraption. Talk soon turns to where we will hunt the next morning and where the big bucks might be. A few hands of cards are played but the heat and the whiskey make you drowsy and you hit a bunk earlier than normal because you are getting up at 0-dark thirty. As you drift off and ignore the snoring and the creaking racks...you have a child's Christmas eve-like hope that you will clip the big buck the next morning. You inventory your hunting gear in your mind and the comfort and familiarity of deer camp is your last thought before sleep.

Stablemate

2011-11-28T16:14:00.002-05:00

I have not spent much time reporting on the status of boxing endeavors as there has not been much to report. Things have changed dramatically. Specifically, our team has now signed a very exciting and talented young heavyweight. His name is Joey Cusamano and he hails from Virginia Beach. We have brought him up to North Jersey to train with Nelson Fernandez in preparation for a slate of fights beginning in late January. This kid is big,strong and possessed of blistering hand speed and serious athletic ability. He was 20-0 with 18 KO's as an amateur and 2-0 with 2 KO's as a pro so far...we hope and believe this is the one...the kid who can bring a heavyweight title back to the U.S.A. It will not happen overnight....but each journey begins with the first step.

Post Thanksgiving Report

2011-11-25T23:59:00.005-05:00

After a wonderful feast at the Sportsman'a home, featuring 15 for dinner and an 18 lb. free range turkey, it was off to the Duck Hunting Club. Of course, I helped with the clean-up chores before departure so we got to the Club fairly late.My wife and I worked hard on preparation and I was not going to bug out on the aftermath.
My companion was a buddy who now lives in Ohio and comes East for Thanksgiving with family in New Jersey. Our post turkey waterfowling has become a tradition of sorts. Carl is a great friend with a biting sense of humour and a love for the outdoors. Since his move we do not see each other enough but when we do, the whiskey supply is in peril, the conversation is intense, and the clack of pool balls is a constant.
We sat at the Club bar and enjoyed the Bourbon and cold beer, caught up about our kids, and then hit the racks.... a little too late given the early pre-dawn report required of duck hunters.
Friday dawned sunny and warm,too warm...a "blue-bird day" as the hunters say....NOT optimal waterfowling weather. No action to speak of in the A.M. and we adjourned to Helen's Famous Sausage house for a post hunt repast and to re-fuel for the afternoon expedition. After breaking out the pistols and cracking away at some bottles and cans for a while, we headed to the goose pit at about 3 P.M. and saw plenty of geese...just none that were interested in our spread of decoys. I believe they were resident, non-migratory birds that are quite wily and not easily duped by plastic injection molded facsimiles of themselves. We had numerous groups fly over and around; alas none were in range and none would lock up and commit. So as darkness fell and we were treated to a tremendous sunset, we unloaded and headed in for clean up and the trip back. The "middle" season ends tomorrow so we put up the shotguns until the season re-opens on December 7th. Until then, I am looking forward to a trip to Towson next Saturday to see Lehigh hopefully smoke Towson in the FCS playoffs.

Amherst Bowl

2011-11-23T13:38:00.004-05:00

Many neighborhoods have their version of a "Turkey bowl"...which finds old friends and guys from the block getting muddy and slopping around in a Thanksgiving day game of touch football. As guys get older, there are a few kids involved....then a few more. Eventually,the game becomes more about the kids. I refer to this stage of the tradition as the "ACL-tear Bowl" as injuries can visit the creaky pins of mid-40's wanna be Desean Jacksons as easily as a rookie chef can dry out a turkey....nothing like a trip to the E.R. on Thanksgiving because you pivoted too hard trying to deke a 6th grader.
My friend and professional colleague Steve Schain has elevated one of the local "Turkey Bowls" here on the Main Line to a status so laudable, that even the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote a long piece about the game in today's paper. An excerpt of same will be recorded below.
In the meantime, I applaud Steve for his effort and for what he has created. I have known Steve since Junior High and was very pleased to get re-aquainted with him over the last several years. He is a funny, intelligent,friendly guy and a damn fine father, Lawyer and philanthropist. He gives his time to his kid's teams and to the local little league and to his friends. Every neighborhood needs more guys like him.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.The following is an excerpt from the column about the Amherst bowl:

"The tradition begins with Steve Schain, so it's his story. He's a 47-year-old lawyer reliving childhood as a suburban Superdad. Only instead of a cape, he flies around Bala Cynwyd wearing an American flag bandanna on his bald head.

Nine years ago, the Amherst Bowl was just Steve calling buddies to drag their boys out for touch football on Thanksgiving morning. If they were lucky, the kids worked up an appetite and the men scored points with their wives.

"I was there the first year. It was just a few of us and it was very casual," recalls Michael O'Hare, a lawyer for mutual funds and father of Connor, 13, and Tim, 10.

Now, 127 players make up 12 teams playing five 20-minute games for neighborhood glory. They wear color-coded T-shirts and pay a $25 entry fee that lets them carb up on doughnuts and pretzels.

Schain matches the money left over after the costs are paid and donates it to children's charities. This year's list includes a foundation memorializing Charlie Schwab, a beloved Lower Merion dad who died recently.Intense competitors crave a gilded Amherst Bowl Cup, but Schain eschews such pageantry.

"If there was a brass ring," he surmises, "people wouldn't play for the fun of it."

"I want every kid to have one great play they talk about with their kids at Thanksgiving in 30 years," he adds. "I'm just trying to give every father and son a memory."

Weekend Report

2011-11-22T01:34:00.005-05:00

The 147th Meeting of College Football's Most Played Rivalry was a tremendous day. The weather was crisp and clear, the Tailgate fare was delicious, the beer and drinks were liberally poured and my buddy Glenn and his son Gabe flew in from Calif. for the game. We had a great crew of Alumni from several classes and it was a blast having a few beers with the Lehigh crew and seeing all the wives and families. Perhaps the best part of the day was the sound ass-whooping the Lehigh boys put on the hapless Lafayette Leopards:37-14. This victory garnered Lehigh a bye in the FCS playoffs and we will now play Towson on December 3rd. This schedule has fomented a scramble for tickets and some hasty plans to get a crew together to go South and cheer for Lehigh...and since my daughter's school is right near Towson...an excuse to visit her and take her to the game...she has been at Lehigh v. Lafayette games since she was in diapers.....and indeed I shamefully admit I used to smuggle beers into the stadium in her snow suit back in the day...is that wrong?
After Sunday morning squash and brunch at Germantown Cricket, we dropped Glenn and Gabe at the Airport for the flight West.Then it was down to the duck hunting club for the Goose/Duck opener on Monday. We had an excellent dinner of Smoked ham, home made mac'n'cheese,greens and pickled beets,cornbread and lager as
we watched the Eagles beat that team from North Jersey....and things went downhill from there. There were few birds flying on Monday and it was a warm foggy day that featured misquitos in the blinds and a pitiful harvest of waterfowl. We are going back down to load up, put out the decoys and try again on Friday.....but because it has not been very cold up North, I fear the migratory birds have not really come down yet....so I do not expect too much. Nevertheless, it will be good to spend time with my son in the duck blind and goose pit....I only hope he does not clip me at the poker table like he did last January!

Amazing Max

2011-11-18T00:05:00.002-05:00

You have seen Max here before. You have seen him twixt two massive Stipers on the dock and you have seen him on the cover of a book he and his dad wrote about striper fishing. This young Sportsman has taken to the woods and we see the result. Max dropped this huge Buck in nearby Doylestown on a farm owned by one of his Dad's clients. This intrepid young hunter has not had his first girlfriend or even a driver's license...but he has had a once-in-a-lifetime Buck. Well done Max...we can't wait to get you in the duck blind or goose pit and see how you will impress us next.

What's a Nittany Lion anyway

2011-11-17T11:48:00.003-05:00

I have avoided this topic over the last week. Our papers and broadcast media are flooded...it is a tragic set of circumstances and events on many levels and in many lives here in the Keystone State. I was never a big fan of this school but have many friends who went there and who are huge fans. Ironically, I am technically some kind of half-assed alumni( a notion I resist and protest with great resolve) since my Law School was purchased lock,stock and barrel by this monster institution in center County. A colleague who hails from Eerie,Penna. sent this image this morning and I thought it was shameless but clever...to the point that I thought it worthy of sharing with my small and deeply troubled set of followers.

In the meantime...all is still well in the Pennsylvania Valley of college football that is still happy.....GO Lehigh!

PBS 39 - Lehigh-Lafayette Football

2011-11-15T17:09:00.000-05:00

This is a bit long for a Blog post video...but for those interested parties...worth it.
It is also notable for the fact that our dear Harry Kalas narrates.

Lehigh Lafayette Football 2009 Interception to End Game

2011-11-15T14:39:00.000-05:00

As a supplement to the last post about the Lehigh v. Lafayette Rivalry...here is how the Game ended in 2009...Lehigh wins in overtime on an interception.

Lehigh Lafayette Football 2009 Goal-Line Stop

2011-11-15T14:35:00.000-05:00

Love a goal line stand.
The Lehigh faithful are making ready for the 147th meeting of College Football's most played rivalry. Lehigh has already won the Patriot League Championship and is going to have a good playoff seed with a win over the hapless Leopards of Lafayette.Lafayeete has been fairly lame this Season....but as with any rivalry...they can look to salvage their season with a win over Lehigh and teams "play-up" under these type of intense circumstances...so despite the disparate records, Lehigh has to bear down to crsuh Lafayeete and finish strong.
The game is at Home this year at Lehigh....the valley in Pennsylvania that is still "Happy"...Saucon Valley... where our Stadium sits in a beautiful setting among acres of fields and groves of trees...a truly wonderful spot for Tailgating. Indeed,one of my best buddy from Lehigh is flying in from Santa Cruz, California with one of his sons for this game...big tailgate with all the guys and families. Go Lehigh....Go Engineeers!

As aside, James from "Man of the 50's" blog advises that his daughter went to the Lehigh v. Holy Cross game 2 weeks ago. As a result, James is now sporting a Lehigh cap around his neighborhood in the Mid-West...something about that image just makes me smile.

Turnabout

2011-11-14T18:38:00.004-05:00

I have taken some heat from blog passers by who have a problem with killing animals. I shall defer any protracted arguments about the issue. We can agree to disagree.
However, in deference to those anti-hunting types....I offer this photo of moose hunting.
I myself have never had the desire to hunt moose.I have had the chance. I have seen many in the days back when I canoe camped in Algonquin Provincial park and kicked around the woods in Maine. I saw several recently in Steamboat, Colorado.They always seemed such stately and docile creatures...staring at you while munching a big batch of duckweed or just walking by in the woods like they could not give a damn about your presence in their patch of forest.
More importantly, I hear they are not the best eating...and I strive to only hunt what I will eat(except snow geese...but that is another story altogether.)
So if your are hiking around Maine this season, be wary, some crew of Moose may be looking to lash your behind to the top of the truck.

Lax Coach

2011-11-11T15:05:00.007-05:00

The print jumps off the page and slams you in the chest like the crushing checks I distributed in the crease in front of my Goalie. The print is reporting the passing of one of your lacrosse coaches from High School in the obituary section of the Philadelphia Inquirer. I generally do not read the death notices,but they are on a facing page near the weekly weather which I always check. When you inadvertantly spy a familiar face it shocks you.
The face I saw is above: Coach Neely. He was an assistant coach for my High School Lacrosse team in the late 70's and early 80's. He taught us to protect our goalie,establish the sanctity of the area in front of the goal so the Attackmen knew they would be punished if they entered. He also taught us and drilled us in the fast break slide and man-down defense. More than than the technical, he taught us to play hard but clean and to be gentleman when the final whistle blew. Lacrosse has always had the tradition of a hand-shake line up at the end of each and every game. Coach Neely taught us to be gracious winners and losers in that line. He was a great guy...I liked and respected him and now I learn he his died. Like blocking a hard shot from a Midfielder....painful.

You will note the uniform cap worn by Coach Neely in the photo...He was also a dedicated volunteer firefighter and EMT...hence there is a whole seperate level of respect and appreciation his friends and family can express to honor his memory

God Speed Champ

2011-11-08T12:14:00.006-05:00

When you drive by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, you see tourists literally lined up to have their picture taken in front of the "Rocky" statue. In this great boxing city it is sad that visitors revere a fictional boxing legend rather than the real thing....it should be a statue of Smokin' Joe they pose before.
Last night the Philadelphia boxing community got the word that Joe Frazier has passed away. We are all saddened by this news.
Joe was born poor in rural South Carolina...one of 13 kids. His father was a sharecropper and sometime bootlegger who lost part of his left arm to a gunshot wound. Young Joe worked hard from a young age and became transfixed by the boxing matches he saw on T.V. He began to train. They say his devastating left hook was developed by using a cross cut saw with his Dad..who had to use his right hand due to his injury. He fashioned a heavy bag from stuff in the barn and it hung from a tree limb and Joe hammered it every day for an hour.
He dedicated himself to the "Sweet Science" and eventually won an Olympic Gold medal and then the World Heavyweight title...back when that title really meant something...not the alphabet soup of belts and titles we have today.
You know the rest...the legendary Madison Square Garden fight against Ali and the loss to Foreman.
When his gloves were hung up....Smokin' Joe stayed in Philly...his adopted hometown. He ran a gym, mentored fighters and trained quite a few. He was a gentleman to those he met and he was adored by the fight fans of this City. We will miss you Champ.

PA Junior Hunt Cup

2011-11-05T00:39:00.000-04:00

Here are some young jockeys learning the sport of Steeplechasing in the preliminary events of the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup Races. We are looking forward to Sunday!

77th Running of the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup Races

2011-11-03T14:57:00.006-04:00

This Sunday will find Steeplechase fans from The Main Line and Southern Chester County tailgating at the PA Hunt Cup Races in Unionville, PA. The farm where these races are held is simply beautiful and is a classic example of the rolling hills,fields and woods of Southeast PA horse country. This is a smaller Meet and the purses are not comprable to Radnor or Far Hills or the Grand National. Nevertheless, this slate of races finds top notch trainers,jockeys and horses on the entry card and is always exciting. The course is rigorous,challenging and sometimes dangerous.
The smaller format makes for a more intimate afternoon of tailgating with a knowledgale crowd of afficianados....people really there to watch and wager and not just see and be seen while sucking down Bloodys and eating pate'.
Many of the events in the Steeplechase season find crowds of pretenders who are there to party,gossip,pose and puke while dressed up in a manner they think an RL advt. of Steeplechase tailgating would look like. They have no idea that horses are running and no idea what he sport is all about. Instead, they stumble and flog about with the trappings but never really get the soul of the sport. It is sort of the contrast between the May Virginia Gold Cup versus the October International Gold cup....or the difference between Far Hill in NJ and My Lady's Manor in Maryland.
This year I think Bon Caddo has a chance to repeat as winner of the main race....followed closely by Prof. Maxwell or a late challange by Private Attack.
The weather forecast is favorable, the wagering will be spirited, the tailgate spread and cocktails inviting, and we are not even going to miss the Eagles as they are playing Monday night.

All Hallows Eve

2011-10-31T16:52:00.008-04:00

Back in the mid 80's when I was in college, Halloween revolved around huge costume parties on "The Hill." This was where numerous Frat Houses would mix up the grain punch, tap the kegs, hire the bands and it would get ugly. College kids from all over road-tripped to Bethlehem, PA for the Halloween festivities.Thousands of dressed up and intoxicated undergrads letting loose in the way only costumed anonymity allows. The parties were on the Saturday night closest to the actual Holiday. You would stumble around the Hill from party to party, swill beers, dance to cover bands,get knee-walkin' hammered and crack up at the various creative and not-so-creative costumes. You saw the requisite paper-mache genetalia, the transvestites and the ghouls,the superheroes and M&M's. One year the boys and I went as "The Wanderers." The next year we did the "Temptations" complete with matching shrimp-colored ruffle front tux shirts and tuxes from a thrift store.
Once the parties on the Hill were over, we basically forgot about the scheduled Halloween trick-or-treating facet of this gig. Junior year we were sitting around the living room of our of-campus house having a few beers and the door bell rang. It was about 7:30 and some neighborhood kids from South Bethlehem were trick or treating. As a house of college age knuckleheads, we neither anticpated kids nor had any candy. The poor souls who hit our house that evening were treated to slices of white bread and cigarettes in their treat bag. The next day a few parents stopped by to complain.We sheepishly explained it was the "trick" portion of the evening and apologized.

T-Shirts and Gaming

2011-10-26T01:32:00.003-04:00

Do you ever watch the World Series of Poker? If so, then you have noticed some of the lamentable get-ups these players wear to the table. T-Shirts and ball caps, hooded sweatshirts,head phones and gaudy necklaces....really these players are dressed like funnel cake jockeys at a Carnival....or like they are about to clean out the garage.A conglomeration of sartorial swill. The bets in these televised games reach 7 figures as a matter of course. Perhaps the players could come to the table in a collared shirt?
Cards and table games are often on the sportsmen's menu and the poker game at the hunting club can be just as lively and entertaining as trip to a casino. However, in Atlantic City the sketchy guy next to you at the Craps table will more likely be wearing a sleeveless Molly Hatchet Tour shirt than a blazer. Gamblers leave their kids napping on benches,grind their smokes out on the carpet and practically drool on themselves as they wager away the car payment.Dumpy broads in monochromatic warm-up gear with fanny packs and bad make-up are a stark contrast to the fairly hot waitress fetching your Bourbon. When Resorts first opened in Jersey in the late '70's....you had to at least wear a sport coat in the evening to be admitted.This rule has seemingly deteriorated to a policy that would allow entrance to a crack head in a soiled diaper and flip flops.
Juxtaposed to the current mut-o-rama in U.S. gambling halls is the image of Bond in evening wear at the Chemin de Fer table in Monte Carlo or the players in black tie in Havana in the 50's. My Dad told me of trips to Havana in the early 50's when you took an off-white dinner jacket along with your regular black tie rig so you could alternate on different nights at different casinos. Don't the TV producers get it...what a class image they would create if the televised Poker was dressed up a bit.Don't the struggling casinos get it...they may get a better class of players with more money if they employed a modest dress code so you did not have to worry about catching a dose of crabs at the black-jack table.

A New Outfitter for Sporting Set

2011-10-24T13:56:00.006-04:00

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Yesterday I was fortunate to meet and shoot with the proprieter of Artemis Outfitters. Located in Greenville,Delaware, this shop offers fine guns, field gear and related items for anyone taking to the field or gearing up for fishing.
The owner, Grier Wakefield, and I participated in a field shoot at a farm in Berks County PA Sunday morning. Based on Grier's shooting skills, which I witnessed first hand, he is perfectly suited to own and manage a store which caters to shooting and hunting enthusiasts. His store features Brownings,Benellis and Berettas as well as Filson and Remington gear. One can also find vintage decoys,ammo,pre-owned double guns and collectible artwork.The shop is on DE route 52. I take 52 as an alternate to get to my waterfowl club when traffic is ugly on I-95 and 476 so get a chance to go by on occassion. If you are in the area and need a good field piece or waxed canvas Filson, or just want to browse for hunting collectibles....stop in and tell Grier MLS sent you.

Not So Famous Sportsman

2011-10-20T11:23:00.003-04:00

Andrew "Sandy" Irvine was an Englishman who dedicated himself to sporting pursuits. Born in 1902 he rowed crew as a boy and ended up on the Oxford crew team and competed against Cambridge in 1922 and 1923. Shortly thereafter, he caught the mountaineering bug. He climbed Spitsbergen with his University expedition and was chose by Mallory for a try at Everest.
Irvine died in his attempt at Everest in June 1924. Recent expiditions unearthed Mallory's remains and traces of where Irvine likely met his death. There is specualtion that Mallory may have summited and many theories as to why Irvine was killed in a different location.The real story may never be known. What we do know is these men attempted a potentially fatal climb with crude equipment: old fashioned oxygen gear and little more than wool and leather clothes and boots. These men clearly were in peak condition and were intrepid and perhaps foolhardy....and Irvine is a Sportsman about whom few have heard.

Nice Rack

2011-10-18T16:48:00.003-04:00

One of my former clients forwarded this picture. This impressive buck was harvested on Gary's land in Kentucky. Gary is a Pipeline Welder and I represented him in some litigation a few years back. We were victorious and Gary used some of the proceeds of the suit to buy some top notch hunting land in the Appalachians. He routinely takes big bucks from these woods and has invited me out to hunt whenver I want. Unfortunately I have been unable to make the time for this excursion to date....but seeing a set of antlers like this gets me in the mood to make plans. Buck Season is just a tad over a month away here in PA and in the meantime duck season opens Friday. So there are plenty of chances to shoot over the next few weeks and I could not be more excited.

Indy Car Tragedy

2011-10-17T16:45:00.002-04:00

Certain sports we follow are extremely dangerous. Some sports we engage in,such as Alpine skiing, are dangerous. Nevertheless, the particpants engage in the pursuit because they love it and accept the risk. Indy Car Racing is one sport I follow that offers the risk of death each time the driver pulls on is helmet and ventures out on the track. Yesterday, the Auto racing world lost Dan Wheldon in an incendiary twist of metal and fiberglass during the early laps of a race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. You may recall I posted back in May about Dan's exciting Indy 500 victory. Sadly, this talented and handsome British native was killed while engaged in the sport he loved. He was only 33 and leaves a lovely wife and two young sons behind.Below is an excerpt from CBS News about Dan:

Dan Wheldon loved to drive fast, from the time he first took the wheel of a go-kart when he was 4 years old, but the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner had begun to have concerns about the speeds cars were reaching on the IndyCar circuit.

He and other drivers had also expressed concern about the conditions for Sunday's IndyCar series final at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

It was crowded -- 34 cars -- and drivers were speeding, even by Indy standards, getting up to 225 mph. As ABC News' Josh Elliott noted, "Even the tiniest mistake can touch off wrecks like we see today."

Wretching Phanatic

2011-10-12T16:01:00.002-04:00

A friend posted this photo yesterday on her Facebook page. Pretty much sums up the sentiment of the Philly faithful down here in the Delaware Valley.

Lehigh Quarterback

2011-10-10T16:40:00.002-04:00

As a Lehigh Football fan I was pleased to see that Chris Lum received the accolades below. He is the type of scholar athlete referred to in prior posting about college football players. Well done Chris! I look forward to seeing you play in person at the Lehigh v. Lafayette game.

From the Lehigh Football Nation Blog:

Offensive Player of the Week
Chris Lum, QB, Lehigh Sr., 6-2, 205 (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion)
The Walter Payton Award candidate carried his brilliant season into Patriot League play, as Lum completed 30-of-37 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns as No. 10 Lehigh defeated Bucknell 30-6 in its League opener on Saturday. Lum put the Mountain Hawks in cruise control in the second quarter with touchdown passes to Jimmy Jefferson, Jake Drwal and Ryan Spadola, then connected with Spadola again in the third to complete the scoring. Lum has thrown for over 300 yards in all six of Lehigh's games this season and leads the country in passing yards, total offense and touchdown passes. It was his fourth game with four touchdown passes or more this season. Lum wins the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honor for the fourth time this season, and sixth in his career all over the past 10 selections of the award.

Things That Make Me Happy and Things That Don't

2011-10-10T12:11:00.003-04:00

Some things create a feeling of happiness in an individual. For this writer, seeing my daughter hugging one of her favorite dogs on a dock in the Adirondacks on a beautiful sunny day makes me happy. The look on her face and the setting make it hard not to feel happy.
In stark contrast, the collapse of the Phillies in the NLDS makes me sad. The team had the best record in Baseball with 102 wins and a pitching staff calculated to dominate the Post-Season. The pitchers generally delivered but the batters in Philies red and white flogged about at the plate like hapless 2nd grade T-Ballers.
The Season is over and the Fans of the Quaker City are morose.

Sniper

2011-10-07T12:56:00.004-04:00

My buddy Sandy sent me these images. Sandy is a member of our duck hunting club and a great friend. He is a Marine who saw 2 tours in Vietnam. He was wounded and went back for more. He has encyclopedic knowledge about 'Nam era weaponry and has spent hours around the fire fascinating my son with information about M-60's, grenades,mortars,AK-47 and the like. Sandy was also a Sniper for law enforcment for many years.He is the type of guy who takes your .32 cal. revolver home from the club and gives it a complete re-hab because he is gunsmith and wanted your pistol to be just right. He harvests plenty of venison and marinates a delicious back-strap for grilled appetizers.He pitches in with dishes after club dinners and always lends a hand with work at the club.He enjoys a good cigar and a cold beer.In short, he is simply a top flight guy to know and to hunt with.
Now, I confess that these photos are just a click away from being as silly as the Kitty pix nonsense that float around the Net. However, this Sniper Pup just made me laugh.

Great List From A Fellow Sportsman

2011-10-06T16:32:00.003-04:00

Here is a link to a Blog with a list worth reading for any of you who chase game birds. This is a Blog worth checking frequently...great photos and well written.

http://theuplandequation.blogspot.com

One for the Ladies

2011-10-04T15:48:00.003-04:00

Pictured above is Brittany of BAM Boxing. Brittany is ringside watching an evening she willed into existence. She is a Temple student who is interning with Peltz Boxing. This Friday she planned, and Promoted a full boxing card at the National Guard Armory in N.E. Philadelphia.
I attended the fights to scout Decarlo Perez. Perez is slated to be the opponent in my Welterweight's next scheduled fight.In the process, I was very impressed by the organization and execution carried out by Brittany and her people. The night seemed to go smoothly and the slate of fights was entertaining from start to finish.
Obviously it is quite rare for a woman to be a professional Fight Promoter. It is even more exceptional that this woman is a college student. I wish her continued success and hope she makes it in the field she has chosen and clearly loves. Brittany stands as an example to young women that the Sporting world has opportunity for them.

Special thanks to Keyartphoto.com for the photograph she shared from Friday night.

Hunting on the Maurice River

2011-10-03T22:20:00.004-04:00

I received the call from Ranney last Wednesday. " Can you shake loose to make a Rail-bird hunt Friday at about 12:30?" When that call comes this Sportsman clears the desk and reschedules nearly anything to join in. Friday's high tide was at about 12:30 P.M. and this excursion requires launching at the high point in order to navigate over the rice "meadows."

I have posted on rail-bird hunting before. It is a challenging form of hunting which finds one precariously perched on the front of a 100 year old hand made cedar skiff. The man in back poles the skiff through the wild rice marshes that line the Maurice River near Port Elizabeth,New Jersey. As we slowly glide through the marsh, the Rails... migratory birds about the size of a large Starling....pop up and fly. The hunter on the bow hopes to shoot the bird and the Poler marks where it lands. Then the Poler reaches out with his long Cedar pole and retrieves the bird. Shooting from a boat is difficult and standing with your front foot wedged under the decking for stability takes practice. The movement of the boat on each push exerts a force that can easily topple the shooter into the water if care and balance are not exact.
The marshes in this region are quite beautiful and the weather was mild and agreeable with light winds to keep things cool and keep the bugs away. It really is a thrilling and timeless Sporting endeavor that is only available to select groups who have an "in" with the guides who pole the boats and run the hunts. To my good fortune, Ranney is one of those guys and he gets the reservation when time, tide and season intersect.

Blind Taj Mahal

2011-09-28T16:36:00.002-04:00

Duck season is opening in a few weeks. In that spirit I offer a picture of this multi-level,multi-hunter Duck Blind sent to me by one of the Duck Hunting websites I peruse on a frequent basis. Part of me laughs at this over-grown hunting tenement and thinks it is absurd. However, another part of me is envious and thinks this mallard hunting monstrosity is very cool. Either way, the boys at the Club are cleaning the Semi Auto 12's and stocking up on #4 hevi-Shot for opening day. They will probably start e-mailing me to ask about the opening Eve menu....

Skippers and Coaches

2011-09-27T12:33:00.005-04:00

As a Philly sports fan one admires Charlie Manuel for getting his team to 100 wins this season. Charlie and his boys have 2 NL Pennants and 1 World Series ring to offer to faithful baseball fans here in the Quaker City. When Charlie is interviewed fans enjoy a delightful mix of folksy baseball wisdom and self deprecating and humble gratitude for his players. Charlie is staight forward and forthcoming about injuries and a players status and does his best to answer post game questions and be a gentleman in the Press Conference. He is an intense Manager and has engineered the World Championship that wet the throat of the parched Philly fans....and at the same time he lacks a certain patina of arrogance that is distressingly prevalent in today's professional Sports world.....and we love hm for that.

On balance, Eagles faithful have to suffer through the wheezing, throat honking, canned nonsense that Andy Reid offers up after games. He routinely says the same obtuse and evasive" I gotta do a better job positioning my players to succeed" twaddle at every press conference. He goes through his little spiel and then blurts:" "Times yerz" before allowing only a few questions and not proffering anything substantive. The die hard Eagles faithful deserve something more on the line of what Manuel provides.
The Eagles have had some mimpressive success during Reid's tenure....NFC champs several times and an ill-fated trip to the Superbowl in 2004. Much of this winning way can be chalked up to a weak NFC East over the past several years. Now that there is more parity in the Division, the Eagles have looked hapless.....as they did Sunday in the embarrassing loss to the hated N.Y. Football Giants. This Sportsman fears it will be a long season. In the meantime....Let's Go Phils!! Go get 'em Charlie!

Back From Mexico

2011-09-21T23:50:00.003-04:00

The Anniversary trip to the Ritz Carlton in Cancun was wonderful. I will endeavor to report on same when the photos are e-mailed from my wife's computer. Suffice it to say, this particular Ritz property is an oasis of luxury and civility perched on the Mexican coast. Through a client we were comped a suite worthy of Kate & William for a ridiculous price per night and we received the full "Sinatra treatment" from the moment we arrived.

In the meantime, the early duck season is open and I am heading down to the Club tomorrow evening to hopefully shoot some Teal. These early season birds are fast and sometimes plentiful...they are also extremely tasty on the grill!

A Personal and Professional Loss

2011-09-05T11:52:00.007-04:00

When the phone rang this morning at 6 A.M., I knew it was going to be ill tidings. When I answered, a friend advised : "Shep passed away yesterday."
"Shep" was the Honorable Albert W. Sheppard,Jr. He was the Judge I clerked for when I graduated form Law School. He was a mentor,a teacher, a gentleman and a stellar jurist of integrity and scholarly legal wisdom. He helped me hone my legal writing skills, told me which lawyers to watch in the court room to learn the chops of a litigator....and he was a friend. Furthermore, he officiated at our wedding ceremony 20 years ago this Wednesday.His son went to Lehigh with me and the Sheppards treated me like a trusted family member. Shep imparted to me the tenets of what he called "intellectual honesty" in the practice of Law and of loyalty to the client, the litigants and the black letter of the law itself. He convinced me that there is no such thing as great legal writing....only great legal RE-writing. He will be missed on the bench and in the community. I am profoundly saddened by this news.

The following is an excerpt from the Penna. Bar Association text when Shep was given the prestigious William Brenna award:

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Senior Judge Albert W. Sheppard Jr. will receive the Association's Justice William J. Brennan Jr. Distinguished Jurist Award at the Association's Oct. 20 Quarterly Meeting and Luncheon.
The award recognizes a jurist who adheres to the highest ideals of judicial service. Any member of the state or federal bench, whether active or retired, who has made a significant, positive impact on the quality or administration of justice in Philadelphia is eligible for consideration. Examples of accomplishments worthy of nomination include innovations in court administration, implementation of pioneering case management techniques, assumption of a leadership role in areas affecting the administration of justice, publication of a significant opinion, article, or other scholarly work, or the like.

P.S. Apologies for the poor photo quality of the image of Shep and I shaking hands on my last day of work in his Chambers....the scan did not work to well....but blurring my countenance is probably a good thing....and the point gets across...

Sunday Random Shots

2011-09-04T12:29:00.003-04:00

The Dove hunting this week was miserable. The thought is that Irene and her fury drove all the migratory doves out of Kent County. My son did have a beautiful 35 yard left to right crossing shot and I popped a few. The sunflowers pictured are NOT what our field looked like this year....drought in May and June gave is a dessicated stalk of only waist height which did not help for hunter concealment. Well, the pig roast and camraderie was good anyway.
I went at it again with my buddy Wight yesterday A.M. and only shot one...but we had a great time catching up and a tremendous crab feast at Sambo's in Liepsic friday evening. Wight came down from Connecticut and I picked him up at the Wilmington Train station on Friday. We got a few hours in the dove field Friday evening before the crab dinner and had some icy cold beers and good conversation in the field while sitting on the back of my F-150 tailgate. Nothing like a post-hunt brew with one of your oldest friends to make things seem in equilibrium.
My daughter had her horse grazing in our back yard yesterday and this picture rounds out the random images....along with the spectacular view from the window of the master suite on Lower Saranac lake where we stayed during our recent trip...and a shot of my wife and I with our best friends Bonnie and Glenn at Glenn's parent's Camp on Lake Colby...around the corner from Lower Saranac.
So, last randomalia is a few pictures of the Ritz in Cancun. We cannot wait to head to the Ritz Carlton in Cancun on Tuesday morning to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. I have some special celbratory things planned for the trip....and to satisfy my inner Sportsman, I will get in a 4 hour Marlin deep sea fishing venture on Saturday morning while my lovely wife enjoys the hotel Spa.
Enjoy the waning of Summer and get ready for Waterfowl and small game seasons which will be here shortly!

Fraud and Corruption

2011-08-31T12:12:00.004-04:00

WASHINGTON (AP) —" As much as $60 billion in U.S. tax dollars has been lost to waste and fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade due to lax oversight of contractors, poor planning and corruption, according to an independent panel."

I refrain from political discourse in this forum. However, this kind of news makes me puke. We clearly all knew this was going on...but when it is confirmed and quantified it underscores the outrage we should all feel.

Adirondacks Fun

2011-08-30T17:35:00.003-04:00

This Summer we had a tremendous week of weather in the Adirondacks. There was wakeboarding and fine dining, cocktails,hiking,canoing and swimming and jumping off rocks.We had a wonderful time with our friends and with the kids. As soon as I download some more shots I will post some additional photos.
Right now I am trying to finish off this week and next week my wife and I travel to the Ritz Carlton in Cancun,Mexico to celebrate our 2oth wedding anniversary.

College

2011-08-25T14:54:00.002-04:00

This morning my Wife packed up the Suburban and headed South to drop my eldest daughter at College for the start of her Freshman year. I could not go for the trip due to work obligations. I am experiencing a swirl of emotions about this development that range from sad to proud and everything in between. This departure of my first child is no unique milestone and I have 2 more coming up in a few years.
Damn, it seems like only a few years ago she was climbing the steps of the school bus for 1st grade. The impact is hightened because she was away most of the Summer working as a Counselor and water skii instructor at a Y.M.C.A. camp on the Estern Shore of the Chesapeake.
On a lighter note, my 14 year old Son had sage and succinct advice for his Sister as she got in the car to leave: "Don't be dumb..."
That statement covers just about anything and it made me laugh hysterically.

Dove Season Approaches

2011-08-23T22:26:00.003-04:00

Attention Sportsmen and Sportswomen,Dove season opens next Thursday. That means it is time for our Club's pig roast lunch and our Season opening afternoon in the field. That also means you better have your fieled piece oiled up and clean and plenty of shells on hand. The dogs must be ready and the shooting stool dug out of the garage. This year our sunflower field is a bit scraggly due to the lack of rain at the Farm. Neverthless, we hope for the rapid beat of wings and diving doves and a full bag for all. After the shoot we report to the Clubhouse yard and a big galvinized tub of ice cold beers, a bushel of steamed crabs freshly harvested from a couple of miles down the road in the Delaware Bay, and some grilled dove breasts. We call it the "Wing and Claw Feast" and truly there is very little to equal such a culinary experience. My son will be in the Field with me again this year and I am as excited for him as he is himself. He has his lightweight camo shorts and shirt ready and is begging me to take him to Dick's Sporting Goods to purchase his own .20 Guage shells. "Mark!"....bang bang!..."fetch 'em up boy."

Back to the Grind

2011-08-22T14:17:00.003-04:00

I am back at my desk...messages,e-mails,faxes,pleadings...they suck.
On balance,here is the view from our picnic spot on Middle Saranac Lake last Wednesday afternoon.

Off Line

2011-08-12T18:15:00.002-04:00

Off to the Adirondacks tonite. The above images represent items to be consumed in tandem on the dock.
No posts for the duration.

Monmouth Park Race 10

2011-08-11T16:09:00.004-04:00

My good friend Peter has a horse running at Monmouth tomorrow. I met Peter in the late 80's when I was boozing and hanging around the Beach and Bars of Bay Head, New Jersey. Peter was a Wall st. guy who made it pretty big then got out.He had a house on the Scow Ditch for a few Summers then a permanent residence on the Bargnegat Bay. We hit the races at Monmouth many times and caught the Haskell whenever I was around.His wedding at the Bay Head Yacht Club is still the stuff of legends.Peter is an affable Gent and knows his horse racing!
Now he is married and he and his wife have a breeding farm in NJ where they are making a go of a Racing Stable. He keeps me up to date when his horses are running. One of his Mares...Punchin' Chudy, is racing tomorrow at Monmouth in the 10th Race. Elvis Trujillo is riding and I have a good feeling about this race. It is a $50,000 Allowance at 1 mile 70 yards and I'll wager this distance and this jockey are a good combination for this horse. So...if you happen to be at the Track somewhere...check the simulcast....but even better, if you are at Monmouth put some money on her nose.

ADK Bound

2011-08-08T23:50:00.004-04:00

I just need to finish out this week here in the Quaker City....running on the legal hampster wheel...arguing,writing,billing,fighting...and then it is off to the Adirondacks for 10 days of hiking,boating,dining,fishing,canoeing,cocktail cruising and hanging with our best friends in the World....actually at this point it is Family. This year is 30 since I started hanging out with Glenn at Lehigh...and here we are with our own kids and families....but we still hit "the Waterhole" in Saranac Lake after they all go to bed...and swill beers and shoot pool and play the Jukebox...like it is the Summer of '84.

Blues for the Blue

2011-08-05T10:57:00.006-04:00

As reported in yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer, "The Legendary Blue Horizon" is slated to be sold and converted to a hotel. To say this is a tragedy in the boxing world is an understatement. For 50 years the Blue Horizon has been showcasing great boxing matches. Indeed, Ring Magazine called the Blue the best place in the world to watch a boxing match.
Sure, it was a dump in later years due to the neglect of current owners.The HVAC was non-existent, you needed a surgical mask to go to the head for a leak, the concession stand was pathetic and the parking was a joke. But once the bell rang and the fisticuffs commenced, the atmosphere was magical. I have been going to fights at the Blue since the early 90's. My fighter has been in the ring and scored 2 victories there. My son met Eddie Chambers there one night and got his picture taken with the Heavyweight contender as reported here. I even saw a fighter die there on November 20 2009 when Francisco Rodriguez suffered life-ending head injury after an epic bout against Teon Kennedy. My son was with me that night as well....and he will never forget that night.
Now, some politically connected developers have wrangled a $6 million dollar State grant to gut the joint and make a hotel. I am saddened....so is fellow Blogger Brohamma who e-mailed me yesterday expressing his feelings about the loss of the Blue. The whole boxing community will mourn this loss. Berhard Hopkins fought here, so did Arturo Gatti. Countless up and coming Club fighters bled and sweated and strived for greatness in that ring.
I am personally angered because several months ago I was representing a group of Russiana investors who made a significant offer to by the facility and re-hab it and make it live up to it's potential. These Russians were involved in boxing and had several top flight fighters in their stable and wanted to renovate the Blue and showcase fights once again.
The place has been shuttered for months because the present owners got into tax problems and Liquor Control Board problems...they were selling beer without a license and one night in May 2009 the LCB raided the joint and confiscated all the beer....you can imagine how the crowd reacted to that scenario.The mismanagement of the facility is shocking in this writer's opinion. When a historic venue like this is gone....Philadlephia loses something that will never be replaced.

Fishing Manual for Young Sportsmen

2011-08-03T15:23:00.004-04:00

This is a book written by my hunting buddy Gavin. He has been mentioned and pictured here before.You may also recall Max was shown with two massive Stripers several weeks ago. As you can see from the below description, his son Max helped author this book and together they hope to get kids off the couch and away from X-Box and computer games and out to the surf to catch fish. The book can be found at LULU and you can find a link below.

"A portion of the sale proceeds will be donated by the authors to the “Save Our Seas Foundation.” Max was able to overcome a reading disability in order to help write this book. This would not have been possible without his wonderful teachers at the “Academy in Manayunk” who applied the Wilson method and other special reading techniques to make this possible."

https://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/master-catcher-of-long-beach-island/16433210

Friday Night's Fight

2011-08-01T15:18:00.003-04:00

Here is reporter John DiSanto's account of Butler's 6 round win on Friday published in Philly Boxing History site:

In the six-round semi-windup, Southwest Philly's Ardrick Butler posted one of his best career wins with a full route unanimous decision over William Wilson of Oxford, NC.

In round two, Butler lived up to his "Hitman" nickname, flooring Wilson and looking like a killer. But Wilson rebounded nicely in round three. The pair exchanged shots throughout the round and made it a great three minutes for fans. Butler won the round, but Wilson appeared to be back in it. However, by round four, Butler was back in control. He hurt Wilson with his sweeping punches.

In the sixth and final round, Wilson went for broke, knowing that he had yet to win a round. Butler looked tired and seemed to merely go through the motions until the final bell. Wilson's effort won him the round, but the overall decision was long lost. All three judges gave it to Butler by scores of 59-54 and 58-55 twice. I had it 59-54 for Butler, who improved to 7-4 with 3 KOs. With the loss, Wilson evened out at 8-8 with 4 KOs.

Butler Wins!!

2011-07-30T11:58:00.003-04:00

I am thrilled to report that my Welterweight Client Ardrick Butler scored a victory last evening at the Arena is South Philly. He prevailed in a unanimous decision over William Williams of North Carolina. Ardrick knocked Williams down hard in the 3rd round and it looked like a KO was imminent. However, Williams has a hard jaw and got up to continue. 5 of 6 rounds went to Butler on the score cards and he looked good throughout the match. his record now improves to 7-4 with 3 KO's and we are on to the next bout...

Vintage Lehigh Athletics

2011-07-26T11:22:00.003-04:00

One of the admirable things about Patriot League teams: Lehigh, Colgate, Bucknell et al...and to some extent Ivy League teams...and West Point and Annapolis for sure and certainly many others....is the play of "scholar athletes." These teams are made up of kids who actually go to class and have real majors. Not like some Florida Football factory where the running back majors in Wallet Making or Plant Watering and gets cash and cars on the down low from loaded Alums who show up in 200 K RV's on Wed. for Saturday's game.
"Scholar Athletes" at schools like the service acadamies have serious course loads and very rigorous academic standards to maintain....not to mention the Naval/Military sciences they study. If these kids flunk they have to pay back the Government.
I admire these athletes tremendously for their dedication and discipline.

Last Lacrosse Post of the Season

2011-07-25T17:43:00.007-04:00

This weekend my son played on the Philly Fever Tournament team at the Patriot Game Tournament in Pipersville, PA. This Tournament is huge and features teams from as far away as Colorado and Connecticut. Our kids finished 5th overall in the Tournament winning 3 out of 5 games. My son scored a "highlight reel" goal in the secind game yesterday for the first goal of the game. He was playing attack in the 1st Quarter and received a well placed pass during a fast break....he buried a blistering shot high to the upper right corner of the cage...over the Goalie's right shoulder. He was the recipient of the requisite chest bumps by his team mates and some praise fromn his otherwise laconic coach. I was practically delirious with pride and received some great comments from other team parents! I was really most happy for the sense of accomplishment this gave my boy as he was trepidatious about this team and in a moment of self deprecation confided to me that he thought all the other kids were better players than him. On the car ride home, I inquired if he still felt that way...he smiled and said he did not. I told him I was very proud of how he played in all 5 games and that the goal (and 2 assists) he had should convince him he is good enough to play at this level and indeed better than a few other attackmen on the squad. I also reinforced that regardless of how I felt...he should be proud of himself and be confident about his skills.Indeed, one of his assists was on a tie breaking goal that ended up winning the game for the team!
It was a blistering hot weekend here in Pennsylvania so we all made sure the kids "hydrated" before,during and after the games and the Coach made frequent substitutions to keep the boys from fatigue. It was sweltering for the spectators as well as the players and the fields were rock hard and dry. The Tournament organizers also shortened the games fro 2 24 minute halves to 2 18 minute halves due to the conditions. It was a well run and organized event and the kids jad a blast. This signals the end of organized lacrosse for the Summer until Fall Leagues and Tuournaments commence in October.

P.S. For those following along on the scorecard, my son is seated on the first row. far right....good looking kid if I do say so myself....takes after his Mom of course!

Aquatic Sportsman

2011-07-22T13:14:00.002-04:00

The Archer fish....found in brackish estuaries in Australia and Polynesia....these cool little hunters shoot water from their mouths and zap land based insects. When the prey is hit by the stream and falls into the water, the Archerfish has a meal.
An archerfish shoots water by squeezing its gill covers. That pushes water forward along the roof of its mouth.The roof of the mouth has a small channel or groove to concentrate the hydo-force. The stream of water can fly more than 3 feet (90 centimeters) in the air.
This fish fascinates me as an example of Darwinian adaptation. On a more remedial level, how cool is it that this fish hunts by spitting!

Helter Swelter

2011-07-21T16:26:00.003-04:00

It is hot in the Quaker City today....indeed all over the nation we are getting a simulated Equatorial ass whooping. As Eugene says in "Biloxi Blues"..."like Africa hot..."
I walked across the street to the bank for the morning deposit and the heat pressed up from the sidewalk like a blow torch. Yesterday walking fromn the garage to the office I sweated thru another suit. It really sucks. In an effort to change my perspective I fondly perused pictures from our Family trip last year to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. One of the things we really enjoy as a Family is skiing. I guess I spoiled my kids on the the Slopes of Utah when I took them to the 2002 Winter Olympics. They scoff the icy hard slopes of Vermont and New York where I skiied my entire youth. I cannot really blame them because Utah or Colorado just eclipses the East Coast for downhill pursuits.
It cools me off just to look at these pictures and remember the cold and biting dry Rocky Mountain air and the great Winter atmosphere of Steamboat. So when I am melting on the way back to get my car this evening, I can mentally travel back to a time when I needed Gortex and hollofil to be comfortable. Like my Grandfather used to say: "When it's cold you can always put something else on...but when it's too hot ...once your bare ass there is nowhere to go."

Friday Belt

2011-07-16T12:38:00.004-04:00

I am shamelessly stealing a Post Title from The Trad. Well, borrowing actually...and it certainly is not the type of belt Tin-Tin would describe. Here we see the USBA Championship belt carried by the Title holder/Champ last evening at Bally's in Atlantic City.
After a long week toiling in the trenches of the Law, the Sportsman decided it was time for a Sportsman's day. So, I bugged out of the office early yesterday and picked up my faithful buddy and fellow Sportsman, Linc. We headed to Germantown Cricket Club for lunch and an afternoon of tennis and some gym time. Then we lazed by the pool until 5 p.m. and hopped in Linc's limo at 6:30 for a rolling Happy Hour on the way to A.C. The comestibles featured Mount Gay Extra Old on the rocks with a squeeze of Lime, Corona's and a huge bag of cashews. The fights were presented by my good friend and famous Hall of Fame boxing promoter,Russell Peltz of Peltz Boxing. It was a good card and each fight was more exciting than the last. I was lucky enough to get a picture with garret "the ultimate warrier" Wilson the Cruiserweight Champ who was carrying his USBA belt in a special custom suitcase.
We then hit the Craps tables for a few rolls of the bones and headed back to the Main Line with White House Hoagies on board.

Sportsmen's Ethics

2011-07-14T16:10:00.005-04:00

The following was written by Joe Hackett and published in The Adirondack Daily Enterprise. I believe this is a quality piece and offers rules and lessons for those of us who take to the outdoors to hunt,fish,camp and explore.It is a bit long for the attention span of most of us Bloggers, but this Sportsman believes it to be worth the time.

ADIRONDACK DAILY ENTERPRISE COLUMN by Joe Hackett on May 28,2011:

There is always room for improvement in our personal outdoor behavior. Ethics are principles we apply to such behavior, even when we know nobody is watching. It is doing the right thing, simply because we know it is the right thing.

The effort may be as simple as picking up someone else's trash, releasing a foul hooked fish, or respecting a fellow hunter's territory. There's no award or pat on the back, just a personal sense of satisfaction.

We should conduct ourselves in a manner comparable to what we expect from others and extend a similar respect for fish, wildlife and the environment.

Many outdoor travelers like to believe they are the first to discover a special waterfall or visit a unique location, even when they know otherwise.

It may be an ancient compulsion retained in our genetic stew, a relic deeply recessed in our psyche that provides a dusty reminder of a time spent as hunter-gatherers.

This urge reveals an unwavering human curiosity to discover what lies beyond the far horizon. It is this inexplicable force that continues to draw climbers to Mount Everest, divers to the deep seas and astronauts into space.

Quite simply, it is our need for adventure and the unique sense of freedom that results from such experiences. However, we must realize that our sense of freedom and the adventures that accompany this travel are often limited by our own actions and the actions of others.

Royal Robbins, a well known climber and kayaker explained it when he wrote, "A simple equation exists between freedom and numbers: the more people, the less freedom."

Regardless of the remoteness or the wild character of the lands we travel, our personal sense of adventure can easily be diminished and even ruined due to the actions of others. If a cigarette butt is found discarded along a lonely trail, a worm container left floating on a remote pond or a banana peel left atop a soaring mountain, it is evidence of the hand of man and an intrusion on the natural landscape.

Whether on a trail, in the woods or on the water, all outdoor travelers should attempt to understand the needs and desires of fellow enthusiasts to encourage a spirit of goodwill and cooperation in the sharing and protection of our precious natural resources.

Passing on the tradition

The first book published on the principles of fishing with rod and reel was entitled "The Compleat Angler." Authored by Izaak Walton in 1653, it addressed the topic of sharing our outdoor experiences.

Walton understood the mentoring process, writing "As no man is born an artist, so no man is born an angler."

As far back as the 1650s, Walton knew the most effective method of instilling goodwill and cooperation among fellow outdoor travelers is best accomplished by example. This remains true in 2011.

Most outdoorsmen and women didn't just pop out of bed one morning to declare, "I'm going to become an outdoor enthusiast today."

It simply doesn't happen that way. We learn our outdoors skills somehow, somewhere, from someone largely by hands-on experience.

Surveys indicate the vast majority of outdoor travelers acquire original sporting knowledge from experiences with a mentor. Typically a father or a friendly uncle is the cited provider. Angling is the usual introductory activity.

As part of the process, most sportsmen report receiving instruction on the basics of outdoor travel and learning how to bait a hook, cast a line and catch a fish. Rarely is there mention of the ethical aspects of outdoor endeavors.

More often, we develop our personal outdoor and sporting ethics through observation. We are taught to respect our elders and we learn by mimicking their behavior.

Although outdoor travelers comprise a very diverse fraternity of men and women, it is quite surprising to consider our commonality. Most outdoor travelers we meet, whether afield or afloat, share similar interests and/or backgrounds.

We may not be mirror images, but the resemblance is often undeniable. The complete angler of today is an ethical angler, sporting a wide grin.

Etiquette matters

We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it. We get it rough enough at home, in towns and cities. -Nessmuk, 1863

I believe the most successful outdoor traveler is the one having the most fun, and the second most successful traveler is the person sharing that experience. Yet sharing often causes problems.

Unfortunately, the majority of outdoor travelers rarely distribute evenly throughout our wild lands. The most concentrated use is typically found within a few specific locations contained in a few specific wilderness areas, where the vast majority of people journey to seek solitude.

In fact, over half of all travelers utilize less than 10 percent of the total designated wilderness in the Adirondacks. Additionally, most backcountry travel occurs on less than 10 percent of the total trail miles.

Research indicates visitation patterns are unevenly distributed and certain seasons tend to be more popular. Weekend and holiday use is always high, with weekends attracting five times the traffic as weekdays. Travelers are likely to find the highest degree of solitude during midweek or off-season.

The ability to get along with fellow outdoor travelers is really a matter of treating others as you would expect to be treated. However, there are a few rules beyond simply extending common courtesy.

Respect privacy and peace of mind by maintaining a sensible distance at all times on the trail or the water and when making camp. Be as quiet as possible and speak in low tones, especially in the evening and near the water.

Travel light, travel right

There are a variety of concepts used to explain the idea of responsible recreation. However, the popular framework established by the Leave No Trace (LNT) program offers some of the finest and most widely accepted principles for enjoying the outdoors with minimal impact.

Originally, the LNT program was established for backpackers in order to provide a simple set of environmentally sensitive methods that, when properly applied, would insure a satisfying and sustainable outdoor experience for everyone involved.

The LNT ethic employs a common sense approach to outdoor travel and incorporates seven basic tenets:

Plan ahead and prepare

Travel and camp on durable surfaces

Dispose of waste properly

Leave what you find

Minimize campfire impacts

Respect wildlife

Be considerate of other visitors

All outdoor travelers, regardless of recreational pursuit, should make an effort to enjoy the outdoors without the risk of spoiling anyone else's experience, or the environment in the process.

Most outdoor enthusiasts understand this concept and they are willing to invest the time to restore, enhance and conserve the backcountry for the benefit of all.

Sighting In-Careful

2011-07-08T12:09:00.004-04:00

My fellow hunter and Club member Sandy sent me these photos. Sandy is a retired State Police Sniper and a Marine who saw significant active duty in Viet Nam. He was a door gunner on a chopper after recovering from taking bullets in the leg during a firefight on the ground. he spent many years with the N.J. State Police. The guy can drive nails with a .22 from 200 yards.
Sandy is a wizard with guns and ballistics and related topics...he is also a damn fine guy with whom to spend time in a duck blind or smoking a cigar with after dinner. These pictures show what happens if one is not methodical and careful. All of us hunters spend considerable time sighting in a deer rifle. This takes time, a good 100 yard firing range, a spotting scope and a steady hand. We also pattern our shotguns and practice as much as possible.
The poor schmuck who sat at the bench to sight in this rifle forgot to remove the bore sighting mechanism from the muzzle...and the result is quite horrible.