18 DEC 2015

Basketball team is still struggling.

As usual, in the game vs. High Point, man for man, we were taller, stronger, more athletic and talented. As a team, High Point out played us. It took a last second shot from Cat Barber to win the game. With our talented players vs. theirs - we should have won by 10 or more.

High Point shows the difference between a talented young team and a smaller but experienced veteran team. I think High Point has 5 seniors. When you play together that long - you really learn how to play as a team.

BTW - High Point is a 'for real' team. They are the best bet to win the Big South Conference and go to the NCAAT.

Nowadays, kids are one-and-done or maybe they'll stay for a couple of years. Transfers are now a normal part of the college game. Too many kids leave early to go 'pro' only to end up playing in Europe (if they're lucky) or even Asian or other leagues below the European leagues.

State takes advantage of the transfers. Each year we seem to have a transfer who fills a big gap in the team. This year it's Terry Henderson - recovering from an injury. Unfortunately he won't get the benefit of playing the early season games and will likely come back just as the ACC season is starting. That's going to be tough trying to come back from injury and learning how to play with the team while facing Dook, UNCheats, Notre Dame, Miami, Virginia and so on.

I wish there were some better way to encourage kids to stay in the schools they initially start with, and then stay in school all four years and earn a degree. Skip the transferring. And have some way to protect legitimate potential NBA players in case of injury.

We play at Missouri Saturday. We could really use the road "W".

Cody Martin was injured in the last minute of the High Point Game. Not super-serious. But he's limping. We have a thin bench to put it mildly. With Henderson and Martin out - we now have SIX athletic scholarship players. That's five starters and one on the bench. Any more injuries and, well, maybe Mr. Wuff could suit up. He's looks kind of tall.

I'm becoming more and more resigned to the probability we're an NIT team this year.

Panthers

Not a pro sports fan. But the Panthers are undefeated so far and I'm starting to watch the games.

Our football group used to go to the Panthers games. I took care of the NC State tickets. DB bought the Panthers tickets. It was an all day ordeal to go to Charlotte, see the game, and come back. We'd have to leave at 8 in the morning and sometimes didn't get back till Midnight Sunday night. And then go to work the next day. It was even worse for DB, he lives in Wilmington.

We got tired of it and pretty much quit going.

DB gave up the Panthers tickets years ago - rightly so. Even if he still had them, I doubt I'd go - even with the undefeated season.

Now that the Panthers have home field advantage and first round bye locked up - I bet they'll start using preseason playing strategy. Play the starters the first half - then the two and three deep the second half. No reason to get the starters injured before the playoffs.

With that - the Panthers will probably lose a game or two or more.

That will make my friend Chip happy. He's been on his soap box about the Panthers being over-rated all year.

Chip also pulls for Notre Dame football. They're always over-rated. Every year.

Home and Work

Not a thing new. Routine. Which is good.

Oh wait - I did get new glasses.

Zenni Optical

I have severe astigmatism. Really, seriously severe. If lenses are just the slightest bit off - it affects my distance focus tremendously.

The last two or three pairs of glasses purchased through my eye doctor's office were in the $600 range. Then I bought the next couple of pairs through LensCrafters. Less expensive but sill in the three - four hundred dollar range. And I had to wait for them - you just can't fabricate astigmatic lenses in the mall.

About four years ago my friend Chip (see above) turned me on to Zenni Optical. I was skeptical but gave it a try. The glasses were great - and the cost was $110. Hard to beat. My eye doctor was somewhat dismayed.

In the last four years my prescription has changed just slightly. My last exam was in November and I got my latest prescription.

Zenni sent me an email - buy 2 get 1 free. Okay - why not. Two frames are the same - one with black stainless steel - the other with dark grey stainless steel. The third frame is a traditional resin black frame.

Less than a week after ordering - they arrived.

There's a little bit of luck involved in getting glasses with my progressive prescription. Just a tiny deviation between lenses and I notice it. I've always gotten good glasses. Just some lenses are better than others.

The black frame steel glasses are the best pair I've ever had in my life. The 'sweet spot' distance view is perfect. The grey pair - same except the distance view is just a teeny tiny bit smaller. If it weren't for the black pair - the grey ones would be the best glasses I've ever had in my life.

Haven't tried the resin frame glasses yet. Probably this weekend.

The cost? $197 for all three - that includes tax and shipping. Three pairs from my eye doctor? At $600 each - $1,800! Sorry doc - I'm never buying glasses from you again. You're still a fantastic, caring, tremendously smart Doctor and I recommend you to anyone.

(To be fair - Ira's practice is in the high $ Cary foo foo market. The frames he offers tend to be the latest and most fashionable. So - a higher price is expected.)

Check 'em out - zinnioptical.com

Holidays

Going to Winter Park for Christmas with the sister and brother-in-law. It will be an 'adults only' holiday. Which I'm looking forward too.

Don't get me wrong, I like being around kids at Christmas. It's just that I like peaceful and quiet visits a whole lot as well.



For not much going on - this turned out to be a rather lengthy entry.