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May 10, 2004
Spirit of America in Action
A look at how some of the Spirit of America funds are being spent in Iraq:
You’ll see that the Marines say, “None of them wanted frisbees at first” but that it turns out to work.When the Marines asked us for Frisbees in January it was specifically because they would foster interaction between the Marines and the local children. The Marines knew there was not much they could teach Iraqi children about soccer but Frisbees offered a teaching and laughing opportunity. The real point is the interaction – that’s where relationships are built and true perceptions formed. The gift itself in these circumstances is more of a side note.
Thanks to spd rdr for the link
- Cassandra
May 10, 2004 at 10:07 AM | Permalink
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Comments
My daughter (3 this month) has been trying to toss a frisbee with Dad in the back yard. Priceless.
Soon, we can teach them Ultimate Frisbee. Kind of college aged pick up sport, but still much better than soccer.
Posted by: KJ at May 10, 2004 2:20:14 PM
Both of my daughters could play frisbee at 3 months, at 3 years they were experts.
Humans.
Posted by: Armontone En® at May 10, 2004 3:01:25 PM
"Nabu thinks they is so smarty."
Posted by: Queen Amidala at May 10, 2004 3:05:21 PM
It isn't important whose kid could play with a frisbee before whose kid. The important thing is that we focus our rage on our common enemies. And that we remember that playing with a lousy frisbee tosser it is still better than soccer.
Posted by: KJ at May 10, 2004 3:10:19 PM
How about we teach 'em baseball? "Hi kids. We are Americans. Americans love baseball. We love playing baseball, watching baseball, teaching baseball, reading about baseball, and talking about baseball. Here you go, little guys, why don't you learn how to throw the knuckleball and then come to America and help the Red Sox defeat the Evil Empire?"
If there are any baseball fans around here, there's a great new (long) New Yorker article about knuckle ballers linked to my name. Even if you don't like baseball, you should read it because the writing is terrific and you don't want people to think that you are a Commie who doesn't like baseball.
Props to the Brothers Judd.
Posted by: spd rdr at May 10, 2004 3:17:23 PM
Amen to that KJ.
And I apologize, but you know how it is when you are a proud parent, sometimes you get carried away. Not that it is important, but I am guessing my girls can devour a large rawhide much faster than you daughter too.
Posted by: Pile On® at May 10, 2004 3:17:44 PM
I know what you mean Pile On. Just the other day, I was playing catch with my 3 year old daughter, and she kept complaining about the fact that we were playing catch with an American League ball, which had the designated hitter, which was an abomonation to the game as it was meant to be played. I grabbed another ball, and then she noted that we were playing catch with a synthetic cover ball, and it wasn't even a damp day. Finally, I found a leather ball without any reference to the American League, though I still had to tell her to quit reading the writing on the baseball and play catch with it. Kids.
Posted by: KJ at May 10, 2004 4:52:09 PM
"They think their heads ssssoooooo big."
Posted by: Queen Amidala at May 10, 2004 5:46:23 PM
You people are so messed up.
Posted by: Cassandra at May 10, 2004 5:49:02 PM
The smiles on those kids faces is priceless.
Spd Rdr (who can`t spell), I have a link somewhere to an article about the Special Forces teaching the kids in Afghanistan how to play baseball. The kids loved it so much that all they wanted to do was play baseball all the time.
The link is about 6 months old and I remember it because they were looking for people to donate new or old baseball gear.
I`ll do a JOATMOAF™ search soon and see what the status is.
Posted by: joatmoaf at May 10, 2004 6:07:55 PM
FYI:
A JOATMOAF™ search is far more thorough than a Lexis-Nexis or even a Google search.
Posted by: joatmoaf at May 10, 2004 6:10:27 PM
spd rdr: You'll still have to wait until next year to defeat the EVIL EMPIRE. Sorry, that's the way it goes.
My son does know how to throw the frisbee, but he needs work on his aim. Same with the baseball. We go to the park to play catch, far away from any windows.
Looks like these kids are having fun. Another mission accomplished for the Marines.
Posted by: purple raider at May 10, 2004 6:56:48 PM
Thats a good kid KJ, you should be very proud.
Sorry about beating your team in their own park over the weekend, the Braves had their chance to win the series Friday with Redding pitching and didn't get it done. Pretty good games though.
Can someone tell me what Nabu means?
Posted by: Pile On® at May 10, 2004 7:01:30 PM
I kan two spell.
The kid's faces are worth a million gazzillion dollars. It's my take-away.
Peace to them. Enjoy.
Posted by: spd rdr at May 10, 2004 8:47:38 PM
A long, long time ago
In a galaxy far away
Nabu was under an attack...
(Thanks to Weird Al)
Does that help, Pile Juan?
Posted by: MathMom at May 10, 2004 9:57:47 PM
Uhhh....yeah....I guess.
Posted by: Pile On® at May 10, 2004 10:30:40 PM
I thought it was Naboo? How much of a geek am I for knowing that?
Posted by: Cassandra at May 10, 2004 10:32:25 PM
Try this.
Posted by: MathMom at May 10, 2004 10:34:20 PM
HMMMMM! Y'all are talking about Marines and trashing soccer? Oh yee-haw!
FYI, Da Grunt made All-Tournament team in the Commander's Cup in Okinawa. Uh, that's a Marine base.
One of my best friends is a retired USMC Major, was a really fine Keeper and is a National Ref currently reffing matches for the troops in Kuwait in his spare time. Just finished reffing a multi-Service tourney in which a bunch of young Doggies from Special Forces won out over a Marine Corps team of Infantry Grunts.
My daughter has seventeen college offers to play in college. Can you say no tuition? I thought you could!
I played on the U-17 and U-20 National team plus college. Also for the Miami Gatos before they became the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the old NASL. Coached the game off and on for the past 30 years also.
Baseball players are pansies! They wouldn't last ten minutes in a soccer match! :-o
Before you go trashing me about soccer, my oldest son was one of the best second basemen in our state. Until he totally destroyed his elbow getting hit by a pitch. Fractured it so badly he could not play again. The youngest son was a big-time football hewo in hi skool. Gave that up to get his BA in two and 1/2 years to go into the medical profession. All three boys were also Region level soccer players when they were young. The game made them the athletes they became.
Posted by: JarheadDad at May 10, 2004 11:19:09 PM
...and a soccer player wouldn't last 2 seconds with a Billy Wagner fastball coming at his head.
I have said this before and I'll say it again, soccer is a durn fine 3rd world recreation where they can't afford the equipment for real sports.
Posted by: Pile On® at May 10, 2004 11:28:12 PM
MathMom
You ARE psychic and psychotic (I read that somewhere recently, but can't quite remember where....?)
My son has been playing AND singing that song daily for weeks. HELP!
Posted by: Don Brouhaha at May 10, 2004 11:36:07 PM
Well I'll just say one thing. The Unit played football, rugby, and soccer and thought soccer was just as challenging. He also rowed crew and did track and played basketball. I can't believe I married a (*&*( jock for Pete's sake. Thank God I didn't start dating him until the end of Senior year and sports season was over. Yes I cleaned that up considerably.
And he was all city, state, whatever, this- that- and the other thing in football. It was the sport he really excelled at. I really didn't pay attention, but he's got a boatload of trophies packed away somewhere.
Don't get me mad on this subject. It's not a bad sport. I grew up playing tackle football with the neighborhood kids and its a lot of fun, but I'm glad my boys played soccer instead. Pppppth.
Baseball is for weenies.
Posted by: Chinese Jewish Mexican-American Lawn Chica at May 10, 2004 11:38:01 PM
Arrrghhh!
Posted by: Cassandra at May 10, 2004 11:39:20 PM
He-He-He Pile On! I'd like to see Billy Wagner step in front of my knuckleball! Of course my knuckle is a soccer ball driven at around 80 mph.
3rd world huh? I guess you didn't know that soccer has been in this country longer than baseball? We won't get into the aspects of conditioning, anaerobic or aerobic, or anything else. Not even close.
And yeah, I lettered in baseball in HS. Even have a state champ ring to go with it. It's boring as hell unless you like all those anal rententive stats. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz! Like watching paint dry!
Until you've played the game and understand the beauty behind it I doubt very seriously if you'll like soccer. There're more tactics and strategy in a soccer match being played out on the ragged edge of exhaustion then you can shake a stick at. Ball skills take years to master. Field awareness even longer. I can't even remember one time ever getting tired playing baseball. Not once!
Each game has it's place. Baseball isn't even exclusively American any longer. I believe we've been getting pretty well thumped internationally lately. All you need to play baseball is a bat, a glove, and a ball. Sounds pretty damn cheap to me!
Soccer is one hellova game! Takes a real athlete to play it too!
Posted by: JarheadDad at May 10, 2004 11:46:51 PM
I agree. You don't know tired until you've played an all-out game of soccer, especially midfield. I used to run 6 miles a day and lift weights, and I couldn't always keep up with my kids on the soccer field. I got winded all the time.
Posted by: Cassandra at May 10, 2004 11:54:21 PM