Ted's Polish-Mexican Page

I recieved a text message on my phone yesterday...all in capital letters:



Todd Lawson sent me this article. It turns out that Thomas Beya, a high school student in Maryland, is not being allowed to graduate because he wants to wear a bolo tie rather than a standard tie under his robes. Total crap. It's a tie. Uptight easterners are going to have to learn to deal with it. A television personality named Bill Close founded the Bolo Tie Society of Arizona back in the late 1960's. Thanks to them and Barry Goldwater, the bolo was declared the official state neckwear here in 1971. If that isn't precedent enough, Goldwater and Mo Udall fought to allow bolo ties in congress. Later, Ben Nighthorse Campbell got the rules expanded to include his favorite southwestern neckware, which is a sort of jewelled clip that holds a kerchief. I don't know what they are called. If this is good enough for the United States Congress, it's good enough for high school. Tell that to your principal, Thomas.


I watched Columbus versus Colorado today. Columbus won, so Greg Andrulis will remain employed for a few more weeks. As is usual, Brandi Chastain does the sideline commentary. When I heard that they were going to bring her on-board, I was excited, and not just for the obvious reasons. Lorrie Fair, who I know is probably smart and understands the game, was unfortunately colorless. Chastain has an incredible love of the game, and knows how to communicate her knowledge. Last year, she got interviewed on MLS Wrap by Sean Wheelock and Christopher Sullivan. The interview was probably the best I have ever seen of a soccer player on a US program. Sullivan used to play for the San Jose Clash, and he spoke to her as a fellow player. I think the assumption is that "jocks" don't have any respect for female players. This man genuinely admired her, and they had a wide ranging discussion of tactics used in MLS. This is a far cry from the usual media interviews with members of the Women's team, which don't seem to go past either shallow "you go girl" style feminism or "who does your hair?" sort of questions.

Chastain suprised me today though. She criticized the ball kids. Eh? In some countries, the ball kids are savvy enough to know to delay giving the ball back to a player when the team needs some extra time. Many of these kids come from local youth teams, and I don't think the culture of youth soccer in this country would put up with a coach trying to tell an eight-year old that he should essentially cheat to help his team. Brandi, they are kids...be nice...


Two seasons ago, the sideline reporter was Veronica Pacey. Pacey was a former Miss Florida runner-up and was a co-host on Telemundo's Republica Deportiva. Women, were, for the most part, ornaments on Republica Deportiva. Pacey, however, was an equal to the men on the show. She was not above making sexual jokes, which it seems men on that network can do, but women are just to be oggled at. She was sent to do a report from Cruz Azul's locker room and interviewed a towel clad player. Another player came and stole the towel. I think it was expected that Pacey would be an embarassed shrinking violet. Instead, she looked and gave her evaluation. When Brandi Chastain did her bra-baring celebration after defeating China in the 1999 World Cup, one of the hosts showed a nude picture of Chastain from a Life magazine photo spread. Pacey said, wow, if she looks that good she should have taken off more. The men on the show looked stunned. Pacey got a lot of grief from fans who thought she was eye-candy of the MLS broadcasts, but I think she did a decent job.

(Note: I have a JPEG of that Chastain nude...you don't see any "goodies", but it's Brandi! I don't want to post such things on this site, but enough of you demand it, I may have to...)


I have a political blog called Rum, Romanism and Rebellion. It's not great, but it's getting better, and it's still better than your weak-ass blog. I'm not sure how many of y'all have checked it out, but go over there and leave some comments. That way, I won't feel so alone.

Do zobaczenia. Hasta la proxima.