So long, Sweet Lou

Currently watching: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim v. New York Yankees

As a college graduate, you're programmed to want a job after college. Your parents have programmed it into your head, your professors, heck, even your friends are wondering why you haven't gotten a job yet. The feedback I've gotten from my friends about my need to get a real job have been mixed. Some friends are sympathetic and understand the situation, mainly because they graduated with the same major and are having the same difficulty trying find a job. Some friends have been not-so-sympathetic. Suggesting jobs in a different job sector that I don't want to be in.

Sorry, but just because a bank teller earns about $10/hr and you work about 20 hours/week doesn't mean I want to make a career out of it.

Sometimes, I wish I was an athlete - if you're talented and skilled enough to make it to the professional sports world, then you have no problem making a career out of it. Of course, there's the media attention, trying to stay healthy, making sure you (or your team) wins, etc. And then if you retire, whether health or experience is a factor, you have an opportunity to work in the business side of the sport. From what I've learned and read and watched, many former players do this.

Recently, Anaheim Ducks Captain Scott Niedermayer held a press conference at the Honda Center to announce his retirement from NHL. It's sad for fans, but come on, he played for 18 years. I think he deserves a break (purely my opinion, of course). But like I've mentioned previously, he will stay on as a consultant for the team.

One of the big headlines in the sports world is Lou Piniella announcing his retirement as Chicago Cubs Manager at the end of this season.

Here's the headline: Lou Piniella to retire as Cubs Manager

After 18 years in the major leagues and 22 years as a manager, Lou Pinella has made his presence in Major League Baseball a very colorful one. I remember his meltdowns when I first started watching baseball in 2002 (yeah, I know. I'll explain later), and how agressive he appeared. But you had to respect a manager whose only goal was to win, in particular, the World Series.

This is no word on whether he will stay with the Cubs to be a consultant, but until then we'll just have to wait and see.

 So long, Sweet Lou. Your antics will be missed (sorta).

Photo found here

Late Night Advice

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

It’s not who you know, but who knows you.

It’s not who knows you, but whom who you know knows,

And what who knows you knows about you!”

Waiting for the call

Like a Triple-A Minor Leaguer waiting for his chance to be called up to the big leagues, I'm (patiently) waiting for a response back to my e-mail I sent on Friday to a well-known sports team in the Southern California area.

Five minutes later ....


I don't know if I should have a sigh of relief, but I did receive a response back to my e-mail. Instead of the director e-mailing me back, the manager of the same department sent me an e-mail.

The e-mail went along like this... "(director of department) sent me your resume for consideration on the (soon-to-be-stated) position. I wanted to make sure that you applied for the position on Team Works. Our HR department will go through all of the resumes and choose a hand full they believe are good fits for the position, and then we will take it from there."

Okay, so that is a somewhat (okay, DIRECT) quote from the e-mail I received. Just in case, I took out the director's name and the name of the position. I didn't want to create any problems.

A friend of mine is also applying for a position at his dream sports team as well, and let's just say we're both crossing our fingers (and toes!) that we at least get an interview. I was always told by my Interviewing Theory and Techniques Professor that the goal is to get an interview. If your cover letter is well-written and states what YOU will do for the company, and your resume is beyond phenomenal, then you're pretty much a shoe-in for at least an interview.

Let's hope so.

Until then, I'm going to sitting here on my bed, reading the job description over and over again. Or, I might just go on the team's website and study the department again.

Cheers!

Changing faces

Tah-dah! Like the new background? I sure do. Blogger has a new function, where it has default background photos for your blog. Since I'm still working my way around this site, I decided I wanted to change it up and maintain my "sports theme."

Yes, I know I've mentioned previously that I wanted to go beyond baseball in my blog, but COME ON. It's baseball season, and besides ... I like it. Once baseball season is over (BOOHOO), I'll try to find a different background combining different sports. Or, maybe I'll just keep this .... blah, blah, blah.

Hope you enjoy!

A new beginning (sorta)

As usual, I've decided I wanted to "write" more in my blog. And as usual, this comes when I see other people posting links to their blogs on Facebook and/or Twitter.

So, here it goes...

As I was getting ready for church this morning, I got to thinking, "I should re-do my blog and have a sports theme." I really did think that statement. If you have previously read my blog, I changed the name from "Just call me Mika" to "For The Love Of The Game." Originally, I wanted to name it "Stealing Home," dedicated to my love for baseball and the fact that it was the current season, I wanted to go beyond just baseball. I mean, what if it was January and hockey season? Simply, baseball analogies aren't enough. So, that's when "For The Love Of The Game: My Life in Sports Terms" was born. I figured, what the hell? Why not just dedicate my (new-and-improved) blog and dedicate it to something I really love, SPORTS.

I feel like I'm repeating myself here. Bare with me, as I try to "blog" better.

I'm determine to start each blog entry with some sort of sports-related story, or a term, that will transition into my topic of that day. Let's hope.

So, just a quick rundown of what kind of sports fan I am. I'm a casual sports fan. I'm not hardcore; I don't know every players' name, I don't know their statistics, or where they use to play, or when they were drafted. Sometimes I don't know certain terms of a sport I love (baseball), but what I do know is sports give you a sense of appreciation. As a fan, you appreciate the hard work these players do to win and to keep healthy. Sometimes, players will do anything to win (in a good or bad way), and sometimes players do this because they love this game and they ENJOY it. My top sports are baseball and hockey. I am an Oakland A's and Anaheim Ducks fan. I live in Orange County, where you're either an Angels fan, or the next best thing, a Dodgers fan. I, on the other hand, have always been and proud to be an A's fan. NO, I'M NOT FROM THE BAY AREA. Sorry to disappoint you. But if there's one Orange County team I'm proud if, its the Ducks. Hockey is misunderstood and I must admit, its difficult at times to defend a sport that is widely popular in areas where it snows (my opinion, of course).

I hope this blog will be read, but in reality I just want something to write my thoughts and if I stray from a sports theme, or the subject is getting a little too personal, then WHATEVER.

As a sidenote: my previous entries are a little ambiguous, and readers are welcome to reading them and commenting on how lame I am. But, this is a new beginning, like I've stated. Here's to starting over again.

Cheers!