"You're Killing Me, Smalls"

A familiar line from the film "The Sandlot", probably my favorite film about baseball and growing up. I was simply 10 years later or so. At 9 years old, I lived in Richmond, Virginia, getting ready to move to South Texas. I became a fan of the local Richmond Braves team. Not sure if the Braves were AAA, AA or whatever they call it (sounds like a type of battery), I just knew it was not the major leagues.

In my church congregation, I vaguely remember a man named Jack who told me about a hot new baseball player named Dale Murphy. He was a handsome tall fellow, just became a new member of our church.

In the spotty remembrance of that time, I remember going to the stands of the games and pointing him out. Then, we met him after the game outside of the locker room. Seems like he might of stayed at our house, not sure the relationship. I just remember I wanted to play baseball and when I moved to Texas, I was going to be on a team.

Jack sat with us in the stands during the games. At the time, Dale was being considered to play for the Atlanta Braves. Sitting in the stands was a man who was there representing the Braves, names Henry Aaron. I sat next to him and he talked to me, but to this day, I can't remember what he said.

I was finished and I went to sit back with my parents, I was thinking to myself "I wonder if he's related to Hank Aaron". It was one of my many "Sandlot" moments, me fitting into the Smalls character very nicely.

I remember when moving to Texas, I was going to play baseball (I was 10). I decided to tryout for the little league. First, I think I was the absolute next to the last player to be picked. I too remember I couldn't throw the ball. I couldn't hit either. In fact, once when I did hit the ball in the middle of the game, I threw the bat (just like on TV) and accidentally hit my coach. I knew there were so many other boys who were better than me.

The end came when I got a black eye during practice and used the pain as the excuse on quitting the team.

Dale Murphy sent me a ball with all of the Braves autographs on it, including Hank Aaron. What did I do with that ball? Well, what did Smalls do with the Great Bambino ball? Yup.

I managed to still keep my hat he gave me, so a few days ago, I got to see Dale again, for the first time in 35 years. I do the video work for the Orem Owlz team and Dale came to speak at the opening season dinner. I went up to him and, not surprised, he didn't remember me. But he remembered the location, the atmosphere, Jack. I related my story and he kindly autographed my hat, noticing it was old and realized what I gem I kept.

I'm not one to run up to someone for an autograph and chat with a celebrity. But this one I couldn't pass up.

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Apology Campaign

No, I'm not talking about the apology tour President Obama gave when he was first in office. I'm talking about the commercials I hear every day on the radio here in Utah.

Let me back up. I know a little something about advertising. Usually you buy airtime on radio, TV or the internet to get people to buy something. You might use airtime to get people to vote for someone or even say thank you for a special event or an award.

In the case of Energy Solutions, I don't really understand what they are advertising to us for. Is there anyone in the listening audience with some left-over nuclear waste that needs to hire Energy Solutions to take it away? Is there a need to tell us that Energy Solutions is the best at taking away nuclear waste just in case sometime down the road someone might have some in their back yard?

Or are they helping ensure the public that the many tons of nuclear waste brought here from Italy is safe? OR, are they making radio spots to get environmentalists off their backs? To show the world that they are "sooo green" that they are the best at taking away the waste.

I'm sorry, but I have to shake my head at the advertisements that talk about how green they are, how their product helps lower carbon emissions or less destruction of the planet. Terms like "smarter planet" and "better for the environment" coming from companies that in my opinion could care less about their carbon emissions, and probably are big wasters of mountains of paper, water, electricity and fuel in traveling around the world.

Truth really is, when a company is promoting how "green" or "friendly" they are, it's really a form of HUSH MONEY. That's right. Companies are just operating in CYA mode when they do that. They are worried some environmental group is going to start camping outside the front door with picket signs that will evolve the discussion from "this company is deadly to the environment" to "this company kills the elderly" to "this company needs to share the wealth". Then "this company" will get a visit from the EPA. Then "this company" will cave and make themselves "green", and more then likely, pay money to some cause in the case of not being sued or look bad in public.

That is why I cringe when I hear the Energy Solutions commercials on the radio, spending thousands of useless dollars to tell the world that the canisters they use are safe.


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