Unabashed

In the world of women’s sports, for me, softball is the best to watch. I do like soccer (football to you Euros), but I’m not into women’s basketball at all, nor golf. The thing that makes it fun for me is primarily that it’s just a little bit different from baseball. And if you’ve ever seen one of those girls pitch and you weren’t impressed, you and I clearly are of different minds. They don’t wear hats, like the men do, they usually have long hair pulled back in a pony tail, often with little ribbons or bows (cute). And the fact is that these girls have skill.

In soccer, the game is just a carbon copy of the men’s, ditto for basketball (Okay, in basketball the 3-point line is closer to the goal. But that’s about it). But softball is just different from baseball. The pitcher is closer to the batter (43′ compared to 60′6″ in baseball) and the outfield fence is a lot closer in, the ball is bigger, the pitchers pitch differently (and it is frickin cool the way they pitch), and I don’t care how big the ball is, when it’s coming from just 43′ away at 67 MPH, it’s dang hard to turn on it… it’s just a different kind of game, and it seems like a game tailored better to fit the athleticism of ladies.

I would support a professional softball league before any other women’s sport. Soccer, maybe, but I just can’t get into the WNBA. I’ve tried. I hate it. It just doesn’t seem like a sport that’s made for women. But give me a local pro softball team and I’ll buy a hat (so long as it isn’t pink, aye?) and maybe a jersey as well. And with athletes like Taryne Mowatt (pictured) who’s a phenomenal, record-setting pitcher, it seems a shame they have no opportunity to become professional players.

I want a pro girls softball league.

Give it.

I also like to watch women’s tennis. More than the men’s. There aren’t many sports like that; the athleticism of the men is just too phenomenal not to watch. But men can be gross, too, I agree, so… at least girls aren’t gross, eh? :-)

Um, just a final note that Alabama just knocked off Taryne and the Wildcats to advance in the CSWS. Roll Tide!

written by Matt Mitchell \\ tags: Alabama, Arizona, crimson, football, girls, ladies, league, mowatt, pro, roll tide, soccer, softball, sport, taryne, tide, wildcats, women

I’ve spent time in a lot of different places. I lived in Jacksonville, Florida for a few years and enjoyed my time there. I liked Pensacola, too. I’ve lived in or near Birmingham most of my life, though, and though it’s got some good points it’s not what I would call a “Great Place to Live.” According to CNNMoney.com, Trussville, which is a suburb of B’ham, is one of the top 100 (no. 56). My boss lives in Trussville. I’m very familiar with the area, though, and I wouldn’t rank it as high as Helena, which is near where I live (picture is of a small dam in the town of Helena).

There are a few places that I’ve never visited that have always seemed like they would be great places to live: Asheville, NC and Austin, TX. I don’t know why they seem so appealing to me, but whenever I read or hear anything about them it only intensifies my belief. I’ve seen Austin City Limits on PBS, which is a great show, and Asheville has the Biltmore Mansion. I read an article about Asheville in Adventure Magazine that called Asheville the “Boulder of the East,” I suppose in reference to Boulder’s rep as an adventure/outdoors-enthusiast destination. The article made Asheville’s cred rise significantly for me.

Other places that I’ve heard are good places to live: Chattanooga (actually, I wouldn’t have believed this, having been there a few times, but apparently Chattanooga has gone through a revitalization over the past ten years), Boulder, Scottsdale, Boise… To me, the qualifications for a Great Place to Live include plenty of restaurants, theaters, and bars. There’s got to be some outdoors activities–hiking, biking, climbing, camping, fishing, etc. There’s got to be some scenery of some kind: a rolling river, a beach, mountains, something. Smaller is better, but it’s got to be near somewhere big.

Where do you live? Do you know of any Great Places to Live? What makes them great?

Sometimes I drive this route to work instead of taking the interstate, just for the view. This area is called Bluff Park on Shades Crest.

written by Matt Mitchell \\ tags: Alabama, Arizona, Asheville, Austin, Boise, Chattanooga, Helena, Idaho, Scottsdale, Texas, Trussville