Hornet Ball '14: West Coast Hornets do it Better

If you like the FA-18 E/F Super Hornet and FA-18C Hornet you must spend 10 minutes watching this production from "Wingnut" a Hornet jockey himself. Just amazing.

My Favorite Sports Movie

I've long thought about writing/posting a list of my favorite films, but frankly it would take forever to compile that list and nobody would care anyways. Films are very personal to many people. I'll admit I like some films that can't even be given a single star or thumbs up, but if I like it then to me thats all that matters. This blog post is about.... I'll just state it that Hoosiers is my favorite film. Not just sports movie, but movie. I still remember taking my little brother to the theater to see Back to the Future and I had my choice of a few other films to see so I chose.... Pale Rider. Dear God what was I thinking? Clint Eastwood in ANOTHER western over what is possibly the greatest sports film ever made. Yes I'm that idiot. I thought why would I want to support Bobby Knight when he left Ohio State for Indiana all those years ago. If I could just go back in time. I enjoyed Pale Rider but once I saw Hoosiers on a VHS tape I was floored. Now I did get to see Hoosiers on a big screen of sorts years later so that was great but still Pale Rider????

So if you ever want to relive the film you've got several ways. First I'd suggest a trip to the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown Indiana. Hit that link and check out their web site. Its an amazing place for fans of the film or Indiana basketball in general.

Next Watch the movie in high definition Blu Ray on as large of a screen as you can. This movie just becomes marvelous on the larger screens. I saw it once that way. In 1995 on Christmas eve being projected in the theater of Riverside Hospital for the resident physicians stuck working that night. My wife was called away on a code 5 minutes into the movie and I stayed and watched the film alone in a theater more suited for projecting images of patients in the midst of treatment. The screen was about 20 feet across. It was magical.

Next get the book The Making of Hoosiers and read it cover to cover. Enough said!

Ok if you're still with me i'll leave you with one last thing. A youtube video that is pretty awesome. While enjoying he wonderful Jerry Goldsmith score look back at how things are in the land of Hoosiers. Thanks for checking in.

Lets get ready for some Air Shows and dump this cold weather 2014

Keep on Rolling Girls

It has been a successful season to date for the 14U Ohio AAA Blue Jackets girls hockey team. We'll just forget that Bauer Invitational tournament....

Moving along...

Well my planned summer 'airshow' series ran out of steam after the unfortunate events at dayton this year. I just didn't have the desire to continue. Maybe i'll pick it up again. I had hope that we might get some relief from the sequestration and see our military back for shows, but that does not look quite as positive now. Never mind the government shutdown and its effects... So this post is just a Hi! I'm still around and swamped with hockey. Things have changed a bit there as we move to Midget and Bantam for the kids. One is playing AAA and the other is playing AA. Maybe i'll have time to post, but at the moment we're deep into the travel and i'm tired. Stay tuned.

RIP Jane Wicker and Charlie Schwenker

Today we lost 2 GREAT people in a horrible crash at the Vectren Dayton Air Show. The scene is one that will be hard to forget. I was unable to go on Friday and watch practice and had prior engagements for today, but planned to go on Sunday. I will be staying home now. Its not just because they died. Today was a horrible day before they climbed into the Stearman Bi-Plane. On lap 3 of the 24 Hours of Lemans there was a terrible crash which claimed the life of Allan Simonsen. Later I learned of 2 more racing drivers that passed on tracks as well. Wolf Silvester at the Nuerbergring in Germany and Jeffrey Bower in an SCCA race at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut. I didn't know any of the drivers, but we all shared a love of racing. I did have some contact with Jane Wicker and as the air show community is fairly small it hurt badly. Just one of those days where you need to just put things in perspective. Thats what I'll do Sunday.

I took this photo last September at the Cleveland Air Show. RIP.....

We Interrupt our Airshow Series for the Great Story of Spitfire 944

I could type a bunch on this but I think its better to just let you watch. Fantastic!

Our Airshow Part 10: Low Flying High Speed RNZAF Boeing 757

Who says the airshow needs to be all overpowered jets?

I do!

Presenting the Boeing 757 which has AMPLE power to put on a show. Just look at the climb after the high speed pass and listen to those engines wail. The RNZAF has 2 of these which were purchased in 2003 after being retired by Transavia. Yes this jet was sent to an airplane graveyard to die. Thanks to the RNZAF to bringing this back to life so we can watch her.

As an aside I spent 10 glorious days in New Zealand back in 1987 and was present to see the Concorde make its first appearance to that country. While completely exhausted I went on the roof of our "hotel" with everyone else in the building to watch the Concorde arrive with an escort of A-4's. It was one of the coolest things I saw while staying in the outskirts Auckland for several days.

So if you happened upon this post I hope you take a few minutes to check out the previous 9 "acts" in our airshow. Don't worry I have many more to come!