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St. Louis vs. Boston: By the Numbers
With the Blues making their first legitimate trip to the Finals, let's break down how Boston and St. Louis have fared in the championship picture.
1970 - Bruins win 4-0
Blues - 4 Finals Appearances (1968, 1969, 1970, 2019), No Championships, 0-12 in Finals games
Bruins - 20 Finals Appearances (1927, 1929, 1930, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1988, 1990, 2011, 2013, 2019), 6 Championships (1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972, 2011), 33-44-2 in Finals games
1957 - Celtics win 4-3, 1958 - Hawks win 4-2, 1960 - Celtics win 4-3, 1961 - Celtics win 4-1
Hawks (in St. Louis) - 4 Finals Appearances (1957, 1958, 1960, 1961), 1 Championship (1958), 11-14 in Finals Games
Celtics - 21 Finals Appearances (1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 2008, 2010), 17 Championships (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008), 73-52 in Finals Games
2001 - Super Bowl XXXVI - Patriots 20-17 Rams
Rams (in St. Louis) - 2 Super Bowl Appearances (1999, 2001), 1 Championship (1999), 1-1 in Super Bowls.
Patriots - 12 Championship Appearances (1963*, 1985, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), 6 Championships (2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016, 2018), 6-6 Championship Record
*AFL Championship Game
1946 - Cardinals win 4-3, 1967 - Cardinals win 4-3, 2004 - Red Sox win 4-0, 2013 - Red Sox win 4-2
Cardinals - 19 World Series appearances (1926, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1982, 1985, 1987, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2013), 11 World Championships (1926, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1982, 2006, 2011), 58-60 in World Series games
Browns (in St. Louis) - 1 World Series appearance (1944), No Championships, 2-4 in World Series Games
St. Louis Total: 20 World Series Appearances, 11 World Championships, 60-64 in World Series games
Red Sox - 13 World Series appearances (1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1918, 1946, 1967, 1975, 1986, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018), 9 World Championships (1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1918, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018), 49-29 in World Series games
Braves (in Boston) - 2 World Series Appearances (1914, 1948), 1 World Championship (1914), 6-4 in World Series games
Boston Total: 15 World Series Appearances, 10 World Championships, 55-33 in World Series games
*Counting championships from formation of modern World Series in 1903
Generally speaking, Boston has had the better record, but they've also had teams much longer. St. Louis only had the Hawks for 13 years. The Blues didn't become a thing until 1967, giving the Bruins time to play for the Cup ten times before they were even born. St. Louis actually has the longer history in the NFL, having nearly 50 seasons between the Cardinals and the Rams, but very little to show for it. Especially the Cardinal years. The best and most direct competition between the two cities is right where you would expect it to be, in baseball. And, you can see, that comparison is eerily similar. After the last two Red Sox wins over the Cardinals, though, I'm sure St. Louis is very eager to strike back against the Bruins.
The Old Ballgame
This past Sunday, the Indianapolis Indians hosted Peppa Pig, which I was pretty sure meant we were legally required to bring Beth to the game. Not wanting to be accused to child abuse, I dutifully bought tickets for ourselves, along with my brother's crew and my dad.
The day before, the weather reports looked pretty ominous. Warnings of heavy rain and thunderstorms right as the game was supposed to be happening. Still, even as of a few hours before the game was about to go and things were looking pretty wet, the Indians posted everything was still on track. And, as noted on the Indians' website, it isn't unusual for it to be raining in other areas of Indianapolis but be perfectly sunny downtown. Indy is a pretty big place. So, we dutifully drove from Lafayette to downtown Indy to meet up with everyone else.
It rained off and on the whole drive down, but it was a downpour when we got to Indy. As luck would have it, we all unknowingly arrived at the parking garage at the same time and all pulled into spots right by each other. Somewhere on the drive down, I realized I had lost my new paper plate, so that was great.* The garage we parked in is catty-corner to the ballpark. From inside the garage, we thought, sure, we'll just run over, pick up tickets from Will Call, then wait things out from the covered concourse. It took maybe a minute of being out in the driving rain for us to decide, "Nevermind, we're crossing the street once to get to the JW and we'll go from there."
*I don't know how it works in other states. In Indiana, it used to be that you got a paper plate at the dealer, and then the license branch handed you a new license plate once all the paperwork got through their system. That was probably almost twenty years ago now, though. Now, the dealer still prints off a paper plate, but once you're told to go to the BMV, the BMV prints off yet another paper plate and says you'll get a real plate in the mail sometime in the next two weeks. I'm sure there is a reason for this, but that's asking paper to stay stuck to a vehicle for a long time.
It only took that long for us to be absolutely soaked and Beth to start shivering. It took a while for us to come up with a plan, but Indianapolis has done a great job with being an all-weather downtown. So we decided we'd take the skywalks back across to the garage, then over to the convention center (where the Junior Olympic National Gymnastics Champioinships were going on, apparently), and then over to Circle Center Mall to grab something from the food court while we waited out the rain.
We did that, and by the time we were done eating, the Indians answered me on Twitter they expected the rain to move out in a half hour or so, and they'd have an updated start time soon after that. Which was just about the right amount of time for us to walk (with two toddlers in tow) back over to the stadium. So we did that, picked up the tickets, and walked around the concourse to find the relocated Peppa booth, which you can see above.
Now, let me explain a bit here. This was a big gamble on our part. Beth has not reacted well with any sort of costumed mascot or anything like that in her entire life. She gets really excited to see them from afar, but to start to interact with them? That's always been a really hard NO, complete with hard clinging to us and screaming. So, as Beth was the only kid there to meet Peppa at the start, that was fully the reaction I was expecting as we walked up, especially when she wouldn't get close to Peppa without me holding her. After just a few seconds of wariness, though, Beth thankfully warmed up and got super excited for Peppa and was completely into it. By the time my brother caught up with Quinn, we had reached the point where it was going to be hard to drag Beth away from Peppa. The talked for a while, Beth showed off her Peppa shirt, talked about how she would be watching Peppa later, gave lots of hugs and high-fives. It really ended up being a huge win, and hopefully a turning point for all costumed characters.
For the record, Quinn was considerably less excited about Peppa. Apparently she'll have to try again in a couple years.
The rest of the game was just a blast. The crowd was awfully sparse, clearly the weather had scared off most of the fans. Even so, the atmosphere was great, and the sparse crowd actually made it easier with Beth, as she could explore the stadium much easier and got to go watch a good chunk of the game right at the wall next to the Norfolk bullpen. The weather actually turned out to be perfect. Just the slightest bit of that post-storm chill on the breezy air and nothing but clear skies while we were actually in the stadium. The game itself went along pretty quick and offered some drama. Norfolk pulled ahead with a three run homer, which Indy countered to tie with their own three-run blast, before Norfolk finally put things away with a big inning late.
All of this is a very long-winded way to say that baseball, current warts and all, is still just the perfect summer sport. If baseball is too slow for you to watch on TV, that's a fair enough argument to make. Not one I would defend, but everybody has their tastes. To not enjoy the game in the stadium, though? That is absolutely nuts.
Even if you aren't a baseball fan, I don't see how you can't enjoy the stadium. Baseball gives enough breathing room there is time to catch up with those around you while you take in the sun and the scenery. I don't believe it is an accident that baseball stadiums tend to not only have the most scenic views as the outfield opens into whatever city they happen to be located in, but also some of the most interesting architecture as well. I also feel like baseball as a whole puts much more thought and effort into the stadium food and drink than all the other sports. When Chopped had their sports episode, I don't think it was an accident they picked the head chefs at four different baseball stadiums.*
*For the record, in order of placing, the chefs came from the Reds (James Major), Rangers (Chris Vazquez), Orioles (Josh Distenfeld), and Cardinals (Jessica Helms). In a bit of added drama, the Cardinals' chef used to work for the Reds' chef, if memory serves. She didn't come particularly close to knocking off her mentor, though.
So, I know I've made this plea, but let me make it again. You don't have to break the bank buying tickets to a big league game, although MLB does a good job at keeping tickets relatively affordable. But, for even less, there is very likely to be a minor league park near you for even less money and an even more family-friendly atmosphere. You really can't go wrong, and your soul will thank you, too.
Mother's Day
I'd been meaning to write this post for a while,* but I feel like I got a bit of a sign this morning that it was time for me to get serious about it. Kristine is already gone for work by the time my alarm goes off, which means I'm the one to get Beth up and ready to go in the morning. This morning, just as soon as she woke up, she asked me if I wanted to know what she dreamed about. When I said yes, she told me "How much I love Mommy."
*You can take a wild guess since when.
It wasn't any big secret, of course. It's obvious Beth loves her mom. About as obvious as it is to see where she gets her looks from. I don't really know how Kristine would rate herself as a mother, but as somebody with a front row ticket to watch it, she does a very good job of it. Beth is very lucky to have Kristine as her mother. Beth is only three right now, of course. We haven't gotten to those years when children and parents just naturally butt heads and say regrettable things yet. Something to look forward to, I guess. But, at least so far, Beth has gotten a pretty good draw in the motherhood department.
I've come to realize, as I've gotten older and become more familiar with different families, that not everybody gets so lucky when it comes to moms. I did pretty well, though. I think she raised a pair of pretty good boys, and I think most of the kids she took a maternal role for would have nice things to say about her, too.
If I were going to have anything negative to say here, it would be at myself. I've never been very good at understanding how to value myself and seeing myself through another pair of eyes. By the time we were in high school, my brother and I were pretty well left to our own devices. We were given quite a bit of freedom, and we were responsible enough not to screw it up. That meant a lot of time out of the house, which I'm sure was rough on my mom, especially given our changing family dynamics at the time. Her time was already prematurely limited with us during a time when she was just starting to have to grapple with the idea of letting us go anyway. I didn't really understand that at the time. I was just me, nothing all that special to get excited about, you know? Since Beth was born, though, I've come to a better understanding. I assume I'll come to an even deeper understanding once she gets a little older.
There's something else I've come to understand about moms as I've gotten older and gotten to peek behind the curtain a bit. There is an awful lot of doubt and regret there. I can't speak for every situation of course, but I feel pretty confident in saying, for the vast majority of it, there is no reason for it. Are there things that could have been said, or left unsaid? Things that could have been marginally better or differently? Oh, probably. Nobody's perfect. But, would it really change that much? I doubt it.
I've heard a lot of these sorts of laments over the last several years, and at the end of day, all I can say is it's okay. As a kid, we aren't analyzing things that deeply. Kids are pretty good at taking things as they come. Most of what I can tell you from being a kid is that I had the things I needed and a big chunk of the things I wanted. I had support to attempt the things I wanted to do and the space to see those things succeed or fail on my own, so I would learn the lessons I needed to learn. And when it did come time for me to go out and start really living on my own, I was prepared* for what was ahead and had the tools to deal with what life threw at me. At the end of the day, what more could I have asked for?
*As much as anybody really could be, anyway.
One of these days there will come a time when all I'll left of my mom are memories and maybe some glass paperweights. I am sure I will not be prepared for that day, and I'll be the one left with regrets. Too much time being preoccupied with other things in life, too much time trying to establish my own independence, whether it was ever questioned or not. The same sort of regrets I'm sure most people have upon losing a parent, I'd imagine. I've been lucky enough not to know it first-hand. And those regrets will have various amounts of grounding to them, just as the motherly regrets I've heard. I'm going to try not to dwell on those now, and I'll try not to dwell on them then, either. Instead, I'll try my best to remember what was and appreciate what I had. There is more than enough there to be happy about.
So, belated, perhaps, but a happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. I'm sure most all of you would say that you love your children more than they know. What you might not realize, though, is most of your children would say the same thing about you.
Graduation Day
This past Friday, my sister-in-law, Katelyn, finished her Purdue career. She's officially an alumna of the Polytechnic Institute with a degree in Organizational Leadership. And she's available for hire, so if you've got an opening, give her a shout!
I say she's my sister-in-law, and legally speaking, that's true. But, that hardly feels like the right term. If I'm doing my math right, she was five years old when I met her, just getting ready to start school. So it isn't a stretch to say I've watched her grow up, and I've literally watched her entire academic career. I didn't have any sisters growing up, so Katelyn is probably the closest thing I have to that. It's a bit of an odd mix, at least from my side. She's almost exactly ten years younger than me, so while I definitely consider her more of a friend and peer now, it wasn't always the case. Not that it was ever bad, but of course our relationship has grown and matured as she has. She has grown into a very fine woman who I have no doubt will find success in whatever she is called to do.
I assume it's a natural reaction, but it got me thinking about my own graduation and those first years out of school. I graduated from Wabash on Mother's Day in 2008. It was a wet, dreary day, and it matched my mood a bit. I loved Wabash, I loved my time there, and I wasn't really ready to say goodbye to all the guys I had spent the last four years with. Still, it was an accomplishment.
Normally, Wabash has their commencement outdoors on the mall, but the weather wasn't going to permit that for me, so I had to finish my career as a Wabash student and become an alumnus in Chadwick Court.* Which was fine, if a bit warm. But not quite the same dignified setting, you know? I mostly held it together that day right up until they had us turn around and find our moms in the crowd to honor them for Mother's Day and thank them for their support and love through our journeys. That one got me.
Crawfordsville lost power later that evening, and we ended up eating at Arni's because they were one of the few places with gas ovens and still cooking. Power turned back on right after somebody made a joke and (if memory serves) Andrew clapped as he laughed it, which led to a new round of laughter as we said if we'd known Crawfordsville was just a big Clapper, we'd done that a lot sooner.
*As it happened, Andrew also graduated in Chadwick. Everything was set up for an outdoor ceremony until about fifteen minutes before it was supposed to start when they told everyone to head to Chadwick, preferably quickly if they could. It was a bit of a madhouse of people. My dad and grandma ended up getting separated from the rest of us, but we all made it.
Katelyn didn't have to worry about that, as Purdue has all their graduation ceremonies in Elliott Hall regardless. For what it's worth, the day started off a bit chilly and grey, but it bloomed into a beautiful spring day by the time we were all eating before the proceedings. Their ceremony is also ticketed. I attended illegally on Friday evening. We had six tickets and seven people. I was told there were theoretically extra tickets available at Will Call if I got there early enough, so I stood in the line and when I got to the door and had no ticket to scan, I just told the ladies that I was headed to the Will Call window, and they motioned me along and kept scanning tickets. At that point, I decided I was in and they were going to have to throw me out if they didn't want me there, so I hooked up with the rest of group and didn't hear a peep about it.
Sorry if I disappointed you, Purdue.
Another thing Katelyn won't have to worry about is entering the workforce in 2008. You might remember that was right at the start of the worst American economy in recent memory. You don't have to look very far to find lots of stories about wages that will never be recovered by 2007-2009 graduates, and I can personally attest those early years out were a struggle. Go back and look at the early years of this blog. I was still in the heart of that struggle when I launched this space. I don't know that I really got out of it until I started working at Purdue.
While we can definitely have some pretty lengthy discussion over just how good and healthy the economy is today, I think everyone would agree that it is significantly better than it was back in 2008. So I'm hopeful that Katelyn will have a much smoother transition out of student life than I had. There are very few people I would wish that on, and Katelyn is most definitely not one of those people. I can honestly say she is one of my favorite people in the whole world. Whatever job she's looking to do, I hope she lands it and nails it.
Or, you know, there's always marrying rich and popping out babies. I hear she's open to that, too.
So, congrats again, Katelyn. I am glad your dream came true, even after having to take an initial redirect through Ivy Tech. I'm so happy to see the person you have grown into and the aunt you have been to Beth. Here in about twenty years, I'll be just as happy to see you standing with Beth when she is in her own robes about to walk across the stage to get her degree.
St. Louis
This isn't exactly news to me, but it has certainly come to my attention lately that I am not a very good Chicago fan. Maybe some of that is to be expected, as I don't actually live in Chicago. It's always been my personal policy to support Indiana teams first, and then branch out to Chicago when Indianapolis can't provide it. I don't know that Indianapolis, in my lifetime, has ever been a serious contender for an NHL team,* and that certainly won't change any time soon now that the NHL has expanded to 32 teams. There is more of a chance with MLB, but I would imagine there are other, more westward markets baseball would explore before giving Victory Field an upgrade to the bigs.
*That was not always the case.
It's something I've thought about, though. If Indianapolis did get the other Big 4 sports, would I change my allegiance? I think it would be relatively easy for me in hockey. Like a huge chunk of Chicago and the surrounding area, I discovered/rediscovered the Blackhawks during the flurry of Cups at the start of the decade. I've kept up on the Blackhawks and I watch all the games. But if Indianapolis had an NHL team? I don't think it would be all that hard for me to switch it up. In baseball, the Cubs would be a more difficult habit for me to drop, but even then, I think I could do it. My Indiana roots just run too deep not to. I'd hope it was a National League team, but I think I would make due with an American League team if I had to.
I think part of the reason my Chicago-fanness is not quite so deeply ingrained in me is my family ties to Missouri. I think most of my dad's side considers Dexter, MO, to still be Home Base, so to speak. If you aren't familiar with Dexter (which I wouldn't expect most of America to be), it is way down, almost in the bootheel of Missouri. Which means it is a whole lot closer to St. Louis than it is to Chicago.
That means my dad, as I'm sure I've mentioned before, is a Cardinals fan, and my brother followed in his footsteps. When hockey came to our generation's attention, my brother gravitated towards Pittsburgh as his team, which remains the case to this day. I assume it was just the players they had at the time and all those Cups in the '90's. He's stuck with them, though, through thick and thin. For his second team, though, it has steadfastly been the St. Louis Blues, I am pretty sure because of the family connection there.
I'll be honest. When I became a free agent hockey fan, I tried to become a Blues fan. I really did. I wanted to like a St. Louis team because of the family connection there. But the Blackhawks won out. Their playoff games felt bigger, the crowd more raucous, and the roster was just unbelievably likable. Some of that core is still there, like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith. It just couldn't fight it, and I just accepted that I was going to be a Blackhawks fan, which also made it easy with my Cubs fandom.
Because of my history, though, I'm not so tough on St. Louis teams as a lot of Chicago fans. Generally speaking, the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry is pretty easy going. I've been in both Wrigley and Busch for those games, and the crowd was jovial enough. It's definitely still a rivalry, and those are games you absolutely want to win. But it isn't nearly as nasty as most rivalries. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with the historic achievements of the Cubs against the Cardinals. When each team won their first World Series of my lifetime, the Cardinals broke a 24-year drought. The Cubs broke a 108-year drought. That, I think, speaks for itself.
The Blues and Blackhawks rivalry is more nasty. Check out the team's respective Reddit groups and even just listen to the crowds in these games. It might not be as well known as Cubs-Cards, but just Chicago vs. St. Louis in generates quite a bit of heat. And I just can't get behind it.
The Blue Jackets bandwagon took me as far as it could go this year, and that was a fun ride. St. Louis, thanks to local kid Patrick Maroon, is four wins away from its first serious berth in the Finals.* There's a lot of bitterness with Blackhawks fans, but not me. I'm all for it. I would love to see the Blues go get a Cup.
*The Blues were in the finals the first three years of their existence, but that was just a fluke of scheduling. The East was all the Original Six teams, and the West was all the expansion teams. The Blues were treated like you would expect a new expansion franchise to be treated in the Finals each year. (Las Vegas excepted, because they did not really get treated like an expansion team to begin with.)
I also can't stress to you just how mind-blowing that would be. When Andrew and I were in St. Louis in January, that Blues team might have been the worst NHL team I had ever watched. The Penguins treated them like a high school team. It was a bit cringey to see, and the Blues were, I think, in last place in the entire NHL. Now, not only are they in the Conference Finals, there is a pretty good chance they'll have home ice.* Worst-to-first is a really good storyline going from one season to the next, but to do it all in half a season? That's got to be a historic achievement, especially in the age of 30-some teams.
*Not that the Blues have been very good at home in these playoffs, but still. Vegas has San Jose as the favorite, but it is not at all overwhelming. As of this writing, it looks like San Jose is just -140.
So, yes. I definitely still claim the Blackhawks has my team, but consider me pro-Blues all way. If that makes me a fan, so be it. I was always happy to see the Cardinals win the World Series, too, and the Cubs still seem happy enough to have me around.
For the record, this is the first post written in the new format. I thought it would be tough for me to get used to this look after so long with the old green template, but I guess I've taken a long enough hiatus. I'm pretty happy with how this turned out. This is a much more breathable format, much cleaner looking. I think we can all be pretty happy with it. On a related note, I also learned the custom search had broken sometime during the hiatus. That has been fixed now as well.
Now, onto today's business. You have likely heard about what happened at the Kentucky Derby this year. During the actual race, Maximum Security led the race wire-to-wire, and NBC did their customary immediate ride-up interview with the jockey, everybody connected to the horse was ecstatic, and everything just seemed to be pretty routine. Luis Saez, Maximum Security's jockey, did drop a hint right away without any prompting that his horse did not exactly stay on line, mentioning the crowd spooked his "baby" of a horse at one point. And it was right about this time NBC informed us of the objection.
Now, I'm not a horse racing expert by any means. I haven't actually been to the horsetrack in several years at this point. But I have spent a decent number of nights at the track. I can confirm that objections happen all the time. After giving it some thought, it really is pretty shocking this doesn't happen pretty routinely in the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown races in general. Typically, the loudspeaker just tells everyone to hold their tickets, and after a few minutes, maybe ten at most, the results go official, almost always unchanged and everybody can cash their tickets or groan, whichever is more appropriate.* Every now and then, though, a horse does get DQ'd. It's certainly not often, but rules and rules and everybody understands that.
*I'm definitely normally on the "groan" side of this. As much as I like betting on the horses, I'm not much good at it.
Now, in this particular instance, we have all seen the replays a hundred times by now, I'm sure. During the race and even on the first few replays, I saw maybe a little bit of bumping, but that's just going to happen when you've got almost 20 horses fighting for the same spot. On such a sloppy track, it was going to be unlikely one horse was going to really pull hard away from the pack until the very end. Maximum Security came closest to it. You can see the picture above which horse is noticeably cleaner than the rest.
But then the replays didn't stop. We kept seeing it over and over, and we got a better sense of what we were seeing. The more it went on, and the more we kept seeing that "over the shoulder" angle, we could start to see just how close everyone was to, and I think this the scientific term, a total fucking disaster. When Maximum Security came out of his line, you can really start to see War of Will's chest pressing right up agains Maximum Security's rear. This causes War of Will to throw on the breaks, causing other horses around him to break like a wave over a particularly stubborn rock. Did it bother Country House all that much? No, but nobody was claiming that. He was just in the right position at the right time. It absolutely affected the rest of the field, and if War of Will and Maximum Security had gotten their legs tangled,* we might have been looking at a bloodbath on national network TV.
*And, again, I can't impress this enough. It only seems to be through an act of God that didn't happen.
If either horse falls there, on that position on the track in crowded a turn, who knows what other horses and jockeys end up going down with them or trampled or God knows what else. It was horrifying enough to see what happened to Barbaro. This could have been just so much worse.
I don't even the race steward there. She had such impossible pressure on her shoulders, pressure I'm sure she never thought would be on her, because when was the last time you remember an objection at the Derby? But here we were. Not only would millions and millions of dollars shift hands based on her decision, which seems like pressure enough. But remember, too, Maximum Security was the favorite. Preserving his win likely preserves a chance at a Triple Crown this year. Handing the win to Country House, quite the longshot at 65-1 at post, most likely dooms that effort and turns the whole conversation about the Triple Crown this year into the sort of controversy no sport really wants to deal with.
But God bless Barbara Borden and her people. They went with the what rule says, not with what would be easy or popular. Gary West, Maximum Security's owner, might be understandably upset and looking for an appeal,* but they got this one right. It's nice to see some good, tough, even-handed leadership nowadays. It's just a shame we have to look to the horsetrack to get it.
*Which does not look likely.
Speaking of, nobody asked Donald Trump to weigh in, but of course he did. And he didn't like it. Somehow, this is PC culture run amok and robbed the best horse of the win. Maybe somebody should explain to him that, when you break the rules to win, even unintentionally, it means you don't get to call yourself the best horse. I wonder why he might have taken that DQ personally?
Anyway, Gary West says he's taking his ball and going home. Maximum Security won't run again in the Preakness, and that's a shame. The best way for him to prove he really is the class of these horses is to get back out there and win clean. But I guess you don't get to be a billionaire and get into high profile horse racing without and ego. Egos of that size, though, tend to bruise easily, and West took quite the hit. Maybe he'll get over this in a week and do the right thing and let the horse run for redemption, but I'm not counting on it.
I don't know if any major league commissioner is exactly popular, but Gary Bettman might be the most hated. And that's definitely saying something. He was recently back in the news again, as the Canadian government has apparently taken it upon itself to start looking at head injuries in hockey.
I haven't listened to the hearing myself,* but I feel like I have read enough summaries to get a good feel for how things went down. First of all, let me say there is at least one thing Bettman got absolutely right: it's going to be absolutely impossible to take all hits ot head out of the game. There is too much incidental contact to make such a rule enforceable, and it would change hockey into a completely different game. That part is absolutely correct, and it is just as true that there is no completely safe way to tackle in football. Essentially, in the real world, sometimes shit's just gonna happen. Sorry.
*Admittedly, I haven't really even looked. It might be easily found, I legitimately don't know.
And here's where things start to go sideways. Instead of stating that these are just the risks of the game, the same way you accept the risk of a car accident if you choose to drive or something similar, Bettman instead launches into how nobody has proven a link to hockey and CTE and how much safer hockey is than football. This was just an absolutely terrible path to take.
Let's the take the second argument first. For one, I don't even know that I buy that argument on the surface. Football probably has more routine contact, and certainly more head-to-head type contact than hockey. That much is plain to see just from watching the games. But hockey players still get hit and jostled with some authority very routinely, and these guys are playing an 82 game season at minimum. There could be up to an additional 28 games if all four playoff rounds went the distance. That's unlikely, of course, but it is most definitely a reasonable outcome. By my history-major math, that's potentially asking hockey players to play 110 games of a pretty rough and tumble sport. By contrast, the NFL plays 16 games, with maybe four playoff games, bringing the maximum total to 20. We know that CTE and other similar head injuries build with repetitive trauma. Which schedule do you think might build trauma faster? 110 games or 20 games?
Frankly, I think the whole point is pretty moot anyway. That whole argument isn't really a meaningful distinction. Whether hockey or football is more "dangerous" is not ultimately very important. Each sport needs to stand on its own terms. And, yes, to very bluntly answer the first argument, of course there is evidence to suggest hockey players struggle with CTE. Just as the NFL's case, the evidence is there and the logic is just obvious.
Instead of instinctively denying those allegations and trying to set up a fight, it would be so much better for the league to just come right out and say it. If you are going to play hockey, especially at a high level, there is just going to be a chance for all sorts of injuries, including head injuries. The league can get better about diagnosing them, I'm sure, and better about treating and resting players who might experience it. I don't have those policies off the top of my head. My guess is they're probably decent, but there is still work to be done. Like I recently said (or at least seriously inferred), the vast majority of people (and certainly of fans) can accept that there are risks to these games. When you're doing things as physically demanding as playing professional sports at the highest levels and asking human bodies to repeatedly perform tasks the body wasn't necessarily built to do over and over, things are going to break. You see it even in non-contact sports. Baseball pitchers are going to tear the tendons in their arms. Hitters are going to tear obliques as they twist. Ankles and knees of basketball players are going to break in all sorts of ways. It happens. Head injuries are just going to happen. I'm really only speaking for myself here, but I think if you asked around, you would find this is a pretty widespread opinion. Nobody is really asking for football or hockey to change the games themselves all that much. All anybody is really asking is for the leagues to acknowledge the issue and just do better about taking care of the aftermath. Anything that can be done to prevent it is good, of course, but just simply giving ex-players more resources to manage and current players more time to recover would go a lot longer in most minds than tinkering with the nuts and bolts of the rules.
All of this to say, given what we know of Gary Bettman and powerful people in general, there is no way in hell any of this is going to be that easy.
Addison Russell
If you are not a Cubs fan, or maybe even if you are, you might be forgiven if you have forgotten about Addison Russell. He has not played for the Cubs since September 20, 2018, and has (quite intentionally, I'm sure) not exactly been a focal point for the Cubs leading up to that point.
If you have forgotten, Addison Russell was accused of abusing his then-wife and having an affair by a third party by "a friend." At first, his wife would not cooperate or legitimize any of these accusations to anybody official, which left Russell, the Cubs, and MLB in a really awkward spot. It looked bad to have Russell playing, but on the other hand, they couldn't just suspend him on some third-party accusation, especially when the alleged abused spouse was not even backing up the claims. Eventually, though, she did start cooperating with MLB and their investigation and backed up those claims, leading to the separation and divorce between her and Russell.
Addy has just gotten back to being able to play baseball, getting back to Major League shape in Iowa (AAA). Apparently, even after his suspension is officially over, he is going to stay in Iowa for the time being. His Wikipedia page is pretty constantly vandalized to reference these abuse allegations. It really makes me think about how we deal with these sorts of actions and letting these people ply their (very lucrative, admittedly) trade.
The Cubs might be a bit lucky here. There are baseball reasons not to worry about rushing Russell back to the bigs. Javy Baez has become a mainstay in the "best defensive player in the league" conversation while also learning to hit more consistently (and do it with power). I don't think you can move him off shortstop again. The Cubs already went out and paid Daniel Descalso to fill the hole at second base, and he's been fine. Not spectacular by any means, but fine. David Bote's bat has been hot enough that I wouldn't be shocked to see him show up at second base, or if Kris Bryant logged some time there to get Bote in the lineup. And, of course, Ben Zobrist can fill any hole you can find on the diamond. So, just in baseball terms, Russell might be superfluous anyway.
But, this isn't really a baseball story, is it? Should we allow somebody with this sort of record to even be in the position to be a professional athlete? I was not shy about saying Ray Rice shouldn't in the NFL after what he did, and what Kareem Hunt did seems to be on par with that. I wonder, though, if we would judge them as harshly if there were no video. Like, say, in this case. As far as I'm aware, there's no visceral documentation of what Addison Russell did. If we saw him knocking a woman out, we might all feel differently. Should that make a difference? I think we can all say no, it shouldn't make a difference. I think I'm forced to admit, practically speaking, for most of us, it does.
But then there's the other side of this. What sort of space do we give people to grow and change? Some of the videos we've seen are really awful. No argument here. But, on the other hand, how many of us would look irredeemable if our worst, darkest moments happened to be caught on film? How many of us would suddenly be monsters based on one bad moment, or something taken too far without context? Think about your worst moment. Really put it in context in your life. You can probably start explaining some of it away, can't you? It doesn't excuse it, and I'm sure you're not asking anybody to excuse you. But maybe you were a product of how you were raised, so you didn't know a better way to act or didn't have the emotional tools to deal with the situation in front of you until later in life. Maybe there was some circumstance that made your action or decision feel necessary in the moment but turned out not to be true later. Nobody else can answer the exact details for your specific moment other than you, but I think that's a very common thing. We all have things we are not proud of, but I think nearly all of us can attach a "but. . ." to it.
We have a lot of access to athletes and celebrities these days, but even now, we still don't know these people as, well, people. We might have heard stories of their upbringings and seen their antics on the field or PR stunts. But we weren't there. We haven't really been in their shoes, to see what they have really been exposed to and how they have been shaped and molded over the years. And really, at the end of the day, most of these people aren't in a position to affect our day-to-day lives. I'm talking about ballplayers here.*
*The standard feels a bit different for politicians. When you get to be the one writing or enforcing the laws we live by, it's much more important to be beyond reproach.
So, as I've given this some more thought, I guess I lean towards forgiveness. Some of these actions are, again, heinous. The ones we have seen on video are just breathtakingly evil. I'm not at all trying to excuse it. But, I was always taught that God's grace is infinite, and everyone is redeemable if they still draw breath. Now, it isn't automatic. This kind of forgiveness needs to be sought after and backed up by changed action. But if God is able to forgive anyone, then it isn't our place to decide who might be irredeemable.
That's a position I try to take on the death penalty as well, for whatever that's worth. And I will tell you that is not always an easy place to maintain. I don't generally mix religion and law, because the United States is explicitly not a Christian nation, but when it comes to deciding life and death, it's the only real guiding principle I can come up with. We're forced to use the tools we have, I guess.
Anyway. We may never see Addison Russell in a Cubs jersey again. He may not see an MLB stadium again. I don't know. Even if he does make it back, it's going to be uncomfortable rooting for him. And I get it. I'll be uncomfortable, too. But I'll give him a shot to show us that he's grown and that he's learned. The same with Kareem Hunt, when (and it does look like a "when") he comes back. I'm not going to excuse what happened, I'm not going to forget what happened. But we all deserve at least one shot at redemption.
Sorry for the lull. I had a bigger project of sorts to finish at work the last couple days and just couldn't find time to get a post in. Believe it or not, this is not a full time job. Or really even a part time job. I've yet to see a dollar from this site. What can you do?
Anyway, as I let you all know last week, I spent last Friday and Saturday in Toronto with my brother. The first thing we learned is there is just nothing between Windsor and Toronto. As soon as we get on whatever you call a Canadian interstate, we really didn't see any evidence of a city until just before we exited near YYZ. We stayed at the Hilton Garden near the airport, if anybody was curious. The staff there wasn't overly friendly, especially by Canadian standards, but what can you do? The room was nice enough and there was a free shuttle to the airport.* That part was actually pretty nice, because it turns out there is a super convenient train that runs between the airport and Toronto's Union Station,** which was an excellent jumping off point for everything.
*We had some trouble catching the shuttle back to the airport Friday night, which was frustrating, but at least the cab was only like $8 Canadian, which Google tells me converts to $5.96 USD.
**I wondered while we were there if Amtrak would run to Toronto, or if that were truly an American train service. Turns out you absolutely can take the train to Toronto. The station code is TWO, if anybody happens to be interested. If you're American, anyway. It was expected to be a major stop on Canadian rail systems.
The first night, after getting downtown, we made our first stop at the Loose Moose. Andrew found the place on his phone before we left, and we decided with a name like that, we couldn't go wrong. It also happened to be almost directly across the street from where you exit Union Station from the UP Express. Really, all the signs were there for a great time, and it did not disappoint. The atmosphere was lively, the Blue Jays were on with Vlad Jr.'s debut and ended with a walk-off homer for the Jays, and the Hurricanes and Islanders were playing an awfully tight playoff game. We probably couldn't have asked for much better timing, other than maybe a Maple Leafs playoff game. The food was also very good, starting off with maybe the best poutine I've ever had in my life. I still don't understand how poutine has not become a bigger thing in the US. Just one of those enduring mysteries, I guess.
From there, Andrew said he wanted to check out Yonge-Dundas Square and see all the lights and signs there. And we were only going to be there for one night, so that seemed like the time to do it. It was a little bit of a walk, and it was a bit cold and windy. Neither of us was probably really dressed for it, but we weren't going to let that stop us. We made the hike and saw the sights. I really had no preconceived notions about it going in. I wasn't really even aware of it before Andrew brought it up. He mentioned that he thought it was all a bit smaller than he expected, maybe a bit less grand (to put some words into his mouth). Of course, it was also a cold a slightly wet night, so maybe the lack of a crowd played into that perception. Who knows?
It was also on this walk where we more than a handful homeless people sleeping under a heap of blankets and sleeping bags on the sidewalk. It really broke my heart and made me a bit angry. Now, I didn't have a conversation with any of these people. I don't know their stories and I don't know their circumstances. I honestly don't really know what sort of infrastructure is in place for the homeless in Toronto, either. But, I think most of this is pretty general to any location.
It seems to be an inevitability of capitalism that there will always be an excess of humans. Under capitalism, people are only worth what they can produce for their employers and society. This is the whole idea of how the working class (or, you know, the proletariat) are only ever going to get ahead if they can seize the means of production. As surprising as this may be, though, I'm not actually here to start spouting leftist socioeconomic stuff. More a plea for some humanity. In the industrialized world, at least, there is absolutely no reason for anybody to be sleeping on the street in literally freezing weather. That's probably true year round, but especially at those temperatures. If we have the means to build these huge stadiums and monuments and shopping centers, we ought to be able to build some shelter for these unfortunate people. If the government is unable or unwilling to provide it,* then there should be a number of religious entities that would seem to be charged with taking it upon themselves. Everybody is falling short here, and we as a society need to do better.
*Which does seem like a job for the government, but I digress.
Anyway, on the way back, we still weren't quite experts navigating Union Station, so we accidentally figured out you can get to Scotiabank Arena (nee Air Canada Centre) completely indoors from Union Station, which seems like a sensible thing being in a cold country in a building hosting winter sports. You can also very nearly get to Rogers Centre and the CN Tower totally indoors from Union Station. I did appreciate the thought on a bit-chillier-than-expected trip.
Anyway, the next morning, we took the train back downtown and first checked out the Hockey Hall of Fame. It was just a door or two down from the Loose Moose, so it seemed like we pretty well had to check it out. Admission was $20 (again, Canadian money), and it was a bit odd. It was perfectly good time, lots of neat things to see, including an Indianapolis Racers program featuring Wayne Gretzky. The room with all the trophies (including one of the three Stanley Cups) had a very pretty stained glass dome to it. But the atmosphere was definitely different.
I have been to Cooperstown for the baseball hall of fame, and I've been to Canton for the football hall of fame. Both of those towns really made a feature of the hall of fame, they each have very impressive buildings, and the lines were awfully thick to get in. For hockey, there was a nice building, but it was kinda modest. To actually go into that hall, you went into what looked more like a shopping mall, went down an escalator, and then the entrance was kinda tucked behind a Starbucks. It also wasn't super crowded, which seemed odd for a late Saturday morning with a Hall of Fame sponsored youth hockey tournament in town.*
*We met a single mom from Wisconsin (which she volunteered to us completely without prompting) in the hotel lobby waiting for a shuttle. Her kid, Carson, was apparently the only kid from Wisconsin invited to this tournament, and he was a bit obsessively stick-handling in the lobby. Looked like the kid had potential, and I would think an invite like that only proves it. She said the local teams around Wisconsin love to take him, because he's the best player in the area. Could it be just those parental eyes? Very possibly, but hey, the kid was in Toronto learning from NHL players how to play the game. I wish now we'd gotten his last name to see if he makes it. If anybody that happens to know the kid sees this, let them know the two guys from Indiana are pulling for you!
After all that, we decided to go eat. We found a place across from Rogers Centre that promised "Entertainment and Eats." I thought that would mean some live music, but it turned out to be slightly upscale Canadian Dave & Busters. Which was perfectly fine, and the food was better than either of us expected. I think the coolest thing there was a 3D Pong machine, which I regrettably did not get a picture of. From there, it was off to the game.
Rogers Centre wasn't too much to look at from the outside, which maybe makes sense because you don't really get to see a lot of it walking there from Union Station, which seemed to be where 90% of the foot traffic was going. It was my first indoor baseball game, which was already a little different, but I was thankful for with the chill on the wind that day. It didn't throw me off too much, that part wasn't much different from watching the Colts indoors. The hotel out in centerfield, though, did kinda throw me off. It was just an odd setting. And the crowd was rather light for a Saturday afternoon game when your "Next Big Thing" just joined the team. If they announced the attendance at the game, I missed it, but I'd guess it was at about 40% capacity. Wikipedia tells me the place holds 53,506, so around 30,000 is probably about right. The crowd, though, was just generally dead. It was a really weird atmosphere all around. The only time the crowd really got up was very early in the game was Vlad Jr. was set up for a grand slam. He ended up striking out looking, and the crowd was just deflated from there.* It was just such a different crowd and atmosphere from any other major league game I've been to. Even on the trip to Cincinnati with Wabash, the Reds crowd was far more into the game, and that was the Reds and Pirates when they were both basement dwellers on the last game of the season. So, I'm glad to be able to check the Blue Jays off my list, but I don't think I'll be going out of my way to make it back.
*He did later get a bit of a fluky hit on a ball that wasn't handled cleanly up the middle. It was a long run for the shortstop, though, so I was okay with giving him a hit for it.
All in all, Toronto was a lot of fun. It was a quick trip and a long drive, but I'm glad to say we did it. Now we just have to figure out when we're going to make our Milwaukee trip this summer. I've driven by Miller Park quite a few times, but never been in. It's long past time I change that.
Late breaking edit: Turns out, Andrew got a picture of the Pong table. Long story short, I'm interested in owning one.
May 2019


text:
Tea For Two, Or Three, Or Not.
Come on, Elf. You are too slow. Ela pulled at Elrohirs hand. We will miss tea.
You dragged me down here for tea? Elrohir laughed. We could have had that at home.
Not this kind of tea. Lord Erestor says it is not fit for a lady. Even he does not like it.
He glanced back at Caldelen, sulking behind them. He had not been happy that Ela had invited the boy, but there was nothing to be done now.
She had been up at dawn and in the library before breakfast finishing her lessons. She was taking no chances that she would not be allowed to go to Dorgas. She had put on trousers and a tunic. So, this was an informal visit.
She continued to pull on his hand until they had reached the center of the village.
Wait, Ela. I need to go in here for a moment. Elrohir pleaded, stopping outside a small shop.
I will meet you at Dorgas. Do not tarry. We will not wait for you. She laughed as he motioned her on.
She waited for Caldelen to catch up to her. They walked in silence for two or three blocks.
Why are you so quiet? she asked.
You make enough noise for the both of us.
That is not very kind. If you did not want to come, why did you?
I had something to do. Do you want to help me?
Help you what? she asked, suspiciously. He never wanted her help, unless it might get her into trouble. She understood their relationship better than he did and avoided most of the punishment that was meted out when he was caught, an avoidance he did not thank her for.
I am meeting some friends and they said they would like to meet you.
I do not know. I told Elrohir I would go straight to Dorgas. I will just meet you there.
Do humans have no sense of adventure? Why do you always do the safe thing?
Because that way I do not get punished by Lord Erestor or Lord Elrond. I do not enjoy their methods.
They have never laid a hand on you!
They do not need to. Their displeasure is enough. There is nothing in this world worse than a displeased Elf. They will not speak to me. That is enough to keep me in line.
Soon they will send you out into the world of men and you can do as you please.
Why do you say such mean things? They will not send me away. This is my home. They are as close to a family as my own parents were.
Never the less, when you are of age, you will have to go to an Edain village to find a husband. There is no one here for you.
Maybe I will go and maybe I will not. However, if you are the only offering the elves have, I would be better off with the Orcs. So I will take my chances on not finding a husband.
He scowled at the back of her head as she started towards Dorgas. He ran after her.
Wait! he said, forcing himself to smile. I am sorry. I should not have said those things. Will you forgive me?
There is nothing to forgive. Do your friends really want to meet me? Why?
Because they have never seen a human raised by elves.
What does that matter? I would look the same if I have been raised by men. That makes no sense.
I think they may know who you are. They said something about an uncle.
You are making that up.
I am not. They have been looking for a girl that fits your description. They said she was taken from her home by bandits.
Oh. And why would bandits take a child? There is not much of a market for a small child. And besides, I was not taken from my home. At least not by myself. Nana was with me.
I am just telling you what they said.
Well, I guess it would not hurt to meet them. But only for a moment. Dorga is expecting us, and I told Elrohir that that was where I would be.
It will only take a minute.
He lead her down an alley between two shops. It was dark and cool between the buildings. She slowed half way down the alley.
Caldelen, this does not feel right. I am going back.
She turned to see a man had entered the alley behind her.
Caldelen! she turned back to find him gone. Caldelen! The panic in her voice was unmistakable. She faced the man behind her and backed away from him, right into another man. Spinning, she looked frantically for an escape. By now there were three of them. One of them reached out and fingered her hair. She jerked from his touch. He laughed and said something she did not understand.
Leave me alone! she said, her voice barely audible.
Do you not remember the language of your mother? The man spoke in Westron.
She searched desperately for an escape.
Caldelen! she called again.
You mean the Elf imp? He is gone.
You would do well to shut up, girl. I have orders to bring you back, or make sure you never come back.
Her eyes widened as she realized what the man meant.
Why, she asked.
Your uncle needs to either have you in hand, or be assured you are out of the way.
Ela! One of the men started at the sound of Elrohirs voice coming from out on the street.
Elf! she called, as loud as her voice would sound.
I did not want it to end this way, girl, but you leave me no choice. It would have been better if you had come willingly.
He reached for her, but suddenly found himself holding his stomach. He had not seen the knife she held in her hand. He looked down to see a gash from one side of his abdomen to the other. He knew he had only minutes left to contemplate his life.
Bitch!* he said. He grabbed her face and slammed her head into the stone wall behind her. Had he the strength, it would have killed her, but his body would not respond to his will. He managed one more blow before he fell to the ground, Ela tumbling on top of him. One of the other men reached to finish the job. Before he could lay a hand on her, he was flung into the wall. The remaining man could hear his companions neck snap. He turned and ran. Elrohir was torn between chasing the man and seeing to Ela. He went to her and picked her up. She was covered in blood.
What is going on?
Dorga, get me a horse! Quickly!
The Dwarf asked no more questions. He went to the stable behind his house and got the horse that belonged to his neighbor. He put a bridle on her and brought her around front. Elrohir carried Ela out of the alley and handed her to Dorga. Jumping up on the horse, he asked a passing man to hand the girl up to him. He then started for home as quickly as he could through the village. Dorga followed as fast as his legs would carry him.
Clearing the edge of the small town, Elrohir kicked the horse into a gallop. He rode the animal up into the garden behind his fathers house. Calling for help, he slid off the horse, Ela still in his arms.
What happened? Erestor was the first to come out of the house.
I am not sure. I am not even sure how much of this blood is hers. She was attacked in an alley. I think it a good idea someone find Caldelen. He was nowhere to be seen.
Elrohir carried Ela to the small infirmary Elrond kept in his house. He had laid her on the bed and started checking for wounds when his father came in.
I do not know! he answered the unasked question. I found her this way. What is wrong?
Leave me to look at her. Go, get cleaned up. Send Elendil back with warm water and clean towels.
Elrohir went quickly to get his fathers steward. Going to his room, he went over what had happened. The boy was not with her. Something was not right. She would not have gone down that alley on her own. Something, or someone, had convinced her to go. He should never have let her go alone. He should never have let Caldelen go with them.
He returned to the infirmary as soon as he was cleaned up. He found Seldala with Elrond and Erestor. They had gotten Ela cleaned up and changed into a clean nightgown. She was lying on her side and his father was examining her head.
None of the blood was hers. Except a small amount on her skull. She will have a headache when she wakes up, and her nose is broken, but I think that is the extent of the damage. We will know in a few hours. Meanwhile, has anyone found Caldelen?
He showed up with Dorga. The Dwarf says he met him on his way here. Caldelen told him Ela had been attacked. He asked for help, Erestor said, from where he was standing by the window. There was an odd note to his voice.
I want to speak to him.
He has returned home.
Elrond turned back to the bed.
I have done all I can for now. She will sleep for awhile. Seldala, will you stay with her?
Certainly, Lord Elrond. I will send for you when she awakes.
He left the room, followed by Erestor and Elrohir. They went to the library.
Something does not fit, Elrohir stated. She would not have gone off by herself like that. She told me she was going to Dorgas.
No, she would not have tarried. She was going for tea, was she not? asked Erestor.
That is what she said. Elrohir grinned. She said something about you did not think it fit for a lady.
It is not. It is foul. He mixes it with a bit of that drink he is so fond of. It tastes like swamp water. There is nothing refined about it.
Elendil came to the library door with Dorga.
Master Dorga! It is good to see you. Lord Elrond rose and greeted the Dwarf.
Lord Elrond. How is she?
Sleeping, for now. It will be hours yet until she wakes. Would you like some wine?
Yes, thank you. This is most upsetting. I was surprised when Elrohir showed up at my door without Ela. When I told him she had not shown up, he went to find her. I ran here as quickly as I could. Does anyone know what happened?
Not yet. The guards say there are two dead men. One, apparently, she killed. Elrohir took care of the other one. I want to know how they gained access to Imladris. The wards should have prevented their entrance to the valley.
They were interrupted by Seldala.
She is awake, Lord Elrond.
Already? She should have slept for several hours. Who is with her?
Haldir wanted to stay. I saw no harm.
No harm leaving her with one she considers the angry one? Elrond asked lightly, a small smile tugging at his lips.
He did not seem angry to me. I left him singing a lullaby.
Then I will go see to her. Please, everyone, go to the dining room and get something to eat. It is getting late.
He went up the stairs that led to the bedrooms. He stopped in the doorway when Haldir put his finger to his lips. He could hear the ellon speaking, but no response. Softly crossing the room, he sat down next to the March Warden.
Can you tell me what happened, sell? Elrond had never heard him speak so softly.
She started to shake her head and almost gave into the nausea that threatened every time she moved.
Licking her lips, she whispered, No.
Do not worry. You can tell us later. Lord Elrond needs to see your head now.
No! she said, fearfully. Do not touch me.
He only wants to examine your wounds.
NO! She tried to move away. Something in her face must have told him what was coming. He grabbed the wastebasket sitting beside her bed. She managed to get her head over the basket before the nausea finally erupted. Lying back, her skin was white as chalk. Elrond got a damp cloth and tried to wipe her forehead and mouth. She turned her head and was rewarded with another bout of dizziness and near vomiting.
I am here, sell. She came into the room. Taking the cloth from Elrond, she wiped Elas face. The girl calmed down. There was sweat glistening on her forehead and upper lip from fighting the nausea. Elrond handed Seldala a glass of water. Ela managed a few swallows before sinking back onto the pillow. Within minutes she was asleep.
What was that about? asked Haldir.
She was alone in that alley for several minutes before Elrohir found her. We do not know the intent of those men. If it was kidnapping, that would be one thing. Seldala paused. If they meant something else, that could explain her fear. It would be better to check her when she is asleep. Go, I will sit with her.
Thank you. I will come back in two hours and check her.
Elrond left the room, Haldir behind him.
What do you intend? Haldir asked.
First, I intend to make sure she is alright. Then I want to know how those men got past the wards. They had to have come in with someone.
I would like to stay a few more days, but then I must be getting back. You have my aid, if needed.
It is appreciated. You have my leave to remain as long as you can. Go and eat. I am sure they are still in the dining room. I will be down shortly.
He went back to the doorway to Elas room. Standing there watching her sleep, he thought back on the last five years. No, he thought back ever further, before she came. How could one small child have made such a difference? It had always been that way. He loved children. Maybe that was part of the reason he had welcomed every child of the Dunedain he had taken in. Distant kin or not. He would continue the practice until there was no longer a need.
But there was something different about this child. He was not sure yet what it was, but he felt it. The riddle of her past held the key to her future. If only he could solve it.
Smiling at Seldala, he turned and walked down the stairs. Going into the dining room, he found the men still sitting at the table, even though the hour was late.
There was a trader came in a week ago, Dorga was saying. I wondered at the time why he needed three assistants for a negotiation. But I figured it was not my business.
Did you know the trader? asked Elrohir.
I did not. He was a man, that much I can tell you. Closemouthed.
Erestor rose and walked over to the window bench where Elrond had sat down.
How is she?
Still sleeping. She would not let me touch her. Only Seldala. I think the pain may go deeper than just her head.
She will bear watching. Head injuries are unpredictable. I have seen men walk away from a battle, only to drop dead days later.
As have I. The knot on her head would indicate the probability that the blow did no more harm than the apparent surface damage, but I will pay close attention to it.
Have you spoken to Caldelen?
Not yet. What do you think his role in this?
I believe he had something to do with it. I only hope it was through ignorance. I would not like to think he would deliberately put her in harms way. However, I know that he is jealous of her. I am not sure why. Lately he has had a cruel bent in his comments to her. Not when he thinks anyone is listening, but it is there.
I will speak with him tomorrow. There is nothing else to be done tonight. I will send Elrohir and Haldir to the village tomorrow to ask concerning our trader friend. No matter the initial intent, in the end, he tried to kill her. I would know the reason.
I will see you in the morning then. Erestor nodded to Elrond and left, pausing to say goodnight to the others. Elrond turned and looked out the window. His peaceful valley was not the safe haven it was yesterday.
It took Elrohir and Haldir two days to ferret out the information they were looking for. But it was long enough for the trader in question to remove himself from their reach. He and his remaining assistant had been seen leaving the valley the same day as the attack, before the guards had been alerted. The search gained them only a name. Indrel. They had no idea who or what the name meant, but they would not forget.
Hearts, Pride And Legs Heal, And Life Goes On.
Within a week, Ela had ventured out of her room. She would not leave during the day, but early evening would find her in the library. She told Seldala the light hurt her eyes. She would not speak to any of the other elves. Erestor shifted his hours so that he could continue her lessons at night. She would not answer any of his questions or comments, but did the work assigned to her. The one time Caldelen came to the house, she disappeared. No one saw her leave, she was just gone. It did not escape Elrond nor Erestors notice. Elronds talk with the boy had gotten nowhere. He claimed the men knew Ela and wanted to talk to her. He got scared when things turned rough and ran to get help. He did not find it odd that the one person he ran to was beneath his contempt.
A month after the incident, Glorfindel entered the library, looking for Elrond. He had been out of Imladris at the time of the attack. He found Ela sitting in the corner of the window seat, crying. Unsure of whether or not he should approach her, he paused in the doorway.
Can I help? he asked softly.
She shook her head, slowly. The nausea had disappeared for the most part, but the dizzy spells still caught her by surprise.
He turned to go.
Wait. He just caught the whisper.
Crossing the room, he sat down as far from her as the bench would allow.
You went to the Halls of Namo. He knew she was aware of how much he disliked the subject of his death and return. If she was asking, she had a reason.
Why did He let you come back?
I cannot answer that question. Why do you ask?
If he let you come back, maybe he will let Ada come back. I need him.
I do not think that is a hope to cling to, sell. I am only one of two who have ever returned. It is not reasonable to believe your adar will be allowed to come back.
Who speaks of reason? It is not reasonable to murder a man because you do not like his race. It is not reasonable to leave a deranged woman and small child in a boat guaranteed to sink. It is not reasonable for my uncle to want me dead. If I was reasonable, I would not have thoughts of walking off the terrace, without the benefit of the stairs. What is reason? I only know what I want. What I need. My adar. She paused. He looked like you. I remember. But his hair was more silver. Yours is gold. More like the March Wardens. If you asked Namo, do you think he would release him?
I do not think that it is possible. Only the Valar know why they make the decisions they do. We can only accept.
It is not fair. We were happy. There was no reason to do what Da did. Do men go to the Halls of mandos? I often wonder where my nana is. She was not Elven. It is sad to think they are not together.
Glorfindel sat back. He had gotten more information from her than all the searching done by his friends. He was anxious to get it to Elrond. Another piece to the puzzle.
He looked back at Ela. Her head was leaning against the window frame and she had fallen asleep. He rose and lifted a throw from a chair and covered her with it. He closed the door when he left. He did not waste any time finding Elrond.
Ela made her way down the back hall leading from the kitchen. She was carrying a pot of tea and two cups. Elrond had invited Dorga since it was evident that Ela would not leave the grounds. She had ventured only as far as the gardens behind the house. Even then, she would go only so far into the gardens. She was always within reach of a door.
Erestor happened to come up behind her. He was about to speak to her when she seemed to lose her balance and fell against the wall. The dropped teapot and cups shattered on the tile floor. Ela crumpled down on the floor, her back to the wall. She was holding her head and silently crying. He reached down to comfort her, but she flinched. Without saying a word, he bent down and started to pick up the broken pieces. When she was sure she would not pass out, Ela helped him. When they had the mess cleaned up, she followed him back to the kitchen. He helped her prepare another pot of tea. She got down two more cups and placed them on a tray. She allowed him to carry the tray to the small table in the garden. Setting the tray down, Erestor turned to leave. He smiled as his hearing picked up the almost inaudible voice saying only two words, Thank you.
You are welcome, was his soft reply.
Elrond went to the library window. He had been startled by a noise from the garden. The only thing he saw when he looked out was Dorga and Ela, having tea. The weekly visits had been going on for a month now. She was smiling more and Erestor informed him that she was speaking to him again. This was the first time he had heard her laugh in almost three months. She still would not leave the grounds. He was concerned that she refused to see Caldelen. He had been there four or five times to see her, but she informed Erentil to tell the boy she was indisposed. If anyone she did not know came, she disappeared. If they did not belong to the small group that inhabited her world, she had nothing to do with them.
Her lessons progressed at a much quicker pace, now that she did not have to wait for Caldelen to grasp what she picked up the first time. She was already past the level of education a human child would have received. If she had gone to Misty Haven, she would probably have settled down with some farmer and had children by now. She showed no interest in settling down with anyone. She did not seem inclined to ask the normal questions for one of her age.
As preparations began for the arrival of Arwen and her grandparents, Ela was released from most of her lessons. She still spent far too much time in the library, but Elrond had found her in the kitchen and shadowing Erentil. She did anything anyone asked of her. Except leave the house and surrounding gardens.
Would you like to go to the village? Erestor ventured one day. She had worked hard the day before and he had found her in the library, sleeping over her lessons.
I do not think so. I have enough to do here.
You have done enough. You should come and get out.
Are you asking me to, or telling me to?
Asking, as always.
Then no. I cannot.
Very well, then. Tell Lord Elrond I will return this afternoon. What will you do today?
I have that new book Elrohir sent me. And a letter from Rosa. That will keep me busy.
Read in the garden. You need some sun.
What, my pale skin is not attractive enough, you want it pink? she laughed. Besides, it will bring out even more of the cursed spots.
Learn to live with them, sell. They are a part of you. And they are not so bad.
That is because you do not have any. I am sure my father would have thought them cute. Ugh. Such an odious word. Cute. That is what people say to be kind. Well, she is not beautiful, but she is cute. Is that puppy not cute? What a cute Orc.
I have never heard anyone say an Orc is cute.
I am sure there is a mother Orc somewhere saying it. Surely they think a baby Orc is cute.
I do not believe that Orcs are born. Where do you get these notions?
I am cursed with an inquisitive mind. I heard someone say that. She looked at him, slyly.
You lurk in far too many corners for your own good. Are you ready for Arwens visit?
For the most part. There is nothing much left to do until the last week before they arrive. Who is coming with her?
Her grandparents, Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. More than likely Haldir will come. Maybe his brother Rúmil. Several others you do not know.
May I have a lock for my door?
Whatever for? Her change in directions took him off guard.
To lock it. Why else would one need a lock?
Why do you feel the need for a lock?
I just do. Do I need a reason?
You should have a reason for all you do.
Well, then, I would like one to keep my cat in.
Your cat uses the window. Do you need a lock for that as well?
Now that you mention it, yes. I thought the door would be more reasonable. Then I could get the window lock.
Your mind runs in circles, sell.
That would explain the dizzy spells. I am sure they have nothing to do with a hard blow to the head.
She watched the reason for her request finally dawn in his eyes.
Can you never just say what is on your mind?
What, and deprive you of the joy of the riddle? You think too much like a man and an adult and an elf. It is really simple. I am afraid. The locks would make me not so afraid.
They cannot get here, Ela.
They could not get into Imladris, either. I never said it was a rational fear. Does the fear need to be valid to be felt?
Of course not. If it will make you feel safer, I will speak to Lord Elrond. I see no reason why he would refuse you.
Thank you.
Meanwhile, get some rest. And go out to the garden.
Yes, Lord Erestor. I will, as always, comply.
Haldir is correct. That attitude will not serve you well.
As it is the one thing that is totally mine, I think I will hold onto it a little longer. And he should talk.
Go. Read your book.
Have a pleasant day.
He turned and left the library.
Ela went to her room and got the small box she kept her writing things in. Grabbing her new book, she went out into the garden. Trying to decide where best to sit, she happened to glance up at the old tree house. Slinging the box over her shoulder and stuffing the book in the front of her shirt, she climbed up the tree. Settling down, she read the letter from Rosa first. Leaning back against the trunk, she wrote out an answer to the letter. She then picked up the book Elrohir had sent her. She had just gotten started when she heard someone in the garden. Peeking over the edge, she saw it was Caldelen. Careful to make no noise, she sat and watched him through a crack in the planking.
Ela, I know you are up there. I want to talk to you.
She said nothing. He circled the tree house and tried to see her.
Why are you so mad at me? I used poor judgment. I did not know those men would hurt you.
Still nothing from above.
You are being childish. Come down so we can talk. If you do not, I will come up there.
Go away. You are not welcome here. You did not just use poor judgment. You were stupid. What did you think three grown men would want with a girl? To say hello, we are your kin and we want you to come home?
That is what they said.
And you were just angry enough with me to not think any further than what you wanted. I do not need friends like you. I want you to leave. Now.
I am coming up. I cannot talk to you this way.
She started to panic.
You cannot. It is not safe. You are too heavy.
I am not.
There is not enough room. I am warning you, Caldelen. Stay down. If you do not leave me alone, your arrows will not be the only things broken.
He began to climb the tree.
Stop, Caldelen! It will not hold us both!
You are just a girl, and human at that. What do you know?
I know enough to have you banned from here. I did not tell anyone what really happened in that alley. I saw you. You did not use poor judgment. You set me up. Was it all your idea, or were you just handy?
He stuck his head over the edge of the platform.
Who would believe you? That blow to your head so scrambled your memories, who can say what happened?
I have never lied. They would believe me. You, however, are a poor excuse for an Elf. I wish I had never met you.
He climbed up and sat down on the floor of the tree house.
See. I told you it would hold both of us. Now, I want to talk to you. I am sorry you were hurt. I did not want that to happen.
You are only sorry they failed. I will not accept your apology. Get down, before I push you down.
I am not leaving until we settle this.
You can leave the way you came up, or the fast way. I am done speaking to you.
She turned and tossed her box to the ground. Before she could pick up her book, he had grabbed it.
Give me that, she spat at him.
Another priceless treasure from that meddlesome Elrohir? Why does he waste his time on you?
Because he is a real friend. Now give it to me.
She reached for her book, but instead met with his elbow. He had not meant to hit her, but he did not really feel sorry about it. She jerked back and grabbed her face. Realizing she was in danger of falling off of the platform, he tried to hold onto her arm. She lashed out and left four long, bloody furrows on his cheek. He howled and let go of her. He noticed the tree house had started to sway.
Jump, Ela. The cry came from the ground. She recognized the voice, but could not place it. Her eyes were tearing so badly she could not see, but jumped instinctively. No matter how graceful she could be, she had never jumped from eight feet before. She could not see and set her bearings, and so landed hard on her right leg. She heard a bone break and felt the hot white agony that shot through her body. The hand that managed to catch her arm probably saved her from more injuries. Looking up, she still could not see well enough to see who it was.
I tried to grab her! That voice she recognized. She tried to get up.
Lie still. You have a broken leg.
Haldir? What are you doing here? You should not be here for another two weeks.
Do not worry about that. What happened up there?
I would ask a favor.
What is it, sell?
Tell that
Elf that the next time I speak to him, it will not be you, but my father standing between us.
Are you injured, Caldelen?
No, March Warden. It was not a difficult jump. His voice carried just a trace of a sneer.
Then I suggest you hightail it for home, before I let her up to finish whatever was going on up there.
Caldelen looked dumbfounded.
We were just talking and I was teasing her about her book. There was an accident.
Leaving Ela lying on the ground, Haldir walked over to the boy.
I heard what went on up there, he said in a voice so soft Caldelen struggled to hear it. For all of its softness, it carried a menacing tone that few had ever disregarded, and they were all dead. You would do well to go and not return. If I hear that you bothered her again, I will be sure that Elrohir and Lord Elrond know what really happened in that alley. Is your life worth that little to you that you would risk their wrath?
The boys mouth dropped open, then closed. A look came over his eyes that Haldir had seen before. Hatred was such an ugly emotion. Caldelen turned and walked away. Haldir could hear him muttering about humans and Dwarves and the lowlife of the earth.
Hearing a gasp, Haldir turned back to the fallen girl. She had tried to get up again. He went and picked her up.
You will not tell anyone how this happened, will you?
I am sorry, sell, but Lord Elrond is not going to let either of us off that easily. I will not tell what I overheard, but you must tell him how you fell out of the tree. I think you will find him understanding.
He will not be if he finds out what I omitted telling them. Why, again, are you here?
We left earlier than planned and made good time.
Then there are others here, as well? He was startled at the panic in her voice.
Yes. We came with a group. Why?
Will you take me to my room the back way? Then ask Him to come up?
What is the problem? Lord Elrond will want to see you right away.
I know, but I need to go to my room. He could sense her groping for an excuse. I forgot to let the cat out. She will be anxious.
The cat.
Yes, the cat. Are you deaf? She does not like being cooped up. Please, can we hurry?
Very well. But I want to meet this cat.
You will, just get me to my room.
He carried her in through the kitchen and up the back stairs. Once in her room, he looked for the cat.
I see no cat.
She must have gotten out on her own. Good. Now you may go get Him.
Ela, is this a game?
Oh, yes. The worse one I have ever played in my life. When Lord Erestor returns, would you ask him to see me?
He sighed and turned to leave.
The door, please, she called.
He shut the door. Shaking his head, he descended the stairs to find Lord Elrond.
He found him on the terrace with Lord Celeborn.
Did you find her? Elrond asked.
Oh, yes, I did. She would beg your indulgence. She is in her room and would like to speak to you. Haldirs tone let Elrond know that something was amiss.
If you will excuse me, Celeborn. I will return shortly.
Haldir followed him into the house.
What happened? Elrond asked.
She fell out of the tree house. Her leg is broken and her pride shattered. Other than that, I think there is something else going on with her. She would not let me bring her through the house. She insisted I use the back stairs. Used her cat as an excuse.
I have not had time to prepare her for visitors. We have only gotten her to leave the house in the last two months. She will not leave the grounds. She refuses to see Caldelen and will disappear if strangers are here.
That would explain the fight in the tree house.
Fight? What fight?
She and Caldelen were in the tree house arguing when I found them. It was not meant for such activity and started to collapse. I told her to jump, but she could not see and missed me. I sent the boy home.
Elrond reached for the doorknob to Elas room. Before he could turn it he heard her call out.
Who is it?
Haldir said you wanted to talk to me.
I just bet he did. he heard her mutter. Then louder, Please, come in. But no one else.
They entered her room. She was sitting up on the bed her leg stretched out in front of her. Elrond could see the bruising and swelling from the break.
What happened? he asked, looking over her leg.
What did he tell you? she countered, looking at the March Warden.
That you fell from the tree. Should he have said more?
No. That is what happened. I fell.
You have never fallen before. How is it you fell this time? Elrond turned the leg and straightened it out more.
A dizzy spell? Maybe I blacked out.
And the black eye that you are going to have tomorrow?
Maybe Haldir is not as quick as I thought.
Why is there blood under your fingernails? He went to the end of the bed and picked up her foot.
She looked down at her fingers. Well, that defies explanation. Did I accidentally scratch you, March Warden? He winced at her sharp gasp when Elrond jerked her foot and the bone slid back into place.
No, you did not. Maybe another reason is in the offing.
No, I have no other. She winced as Elrond ran his hands up her leg.
Hold still, Iell. This may hurt.
And you could not have warned me about the other? That did not hurt?
You would have tensed up. I needed you relaxed.
Thank you for that. Who is downstairs?
Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.
How long are they staying?
I told you, several months. Hold still. He laid his hands on her leg and held them there for several minutes.
Can I stay with Dorga?
No. It would not be seemly.
Lord Erestor said he would return this afternoon. Did he know they would come early?
I believe so.
He did not mention it. Why is it unseemly? We are friends.
Yes, you are. I thought you did not want to go to the village.
I do not, but I do not want to stay here, either. Did Lord Erestor speak with you about the locks?
What locks?
Nevermind. Dorga.
Young girls do not just stay with older men.
What are we doing?
That is different.
Do we really need this conversation now? Erestor will be back and then you may ask him.
Is the Elf coming?
Next week. He and Elladan both. Why?
I just thought they might help me build the tree house back up.
Why do you not ask Caldelen?
She glanced over at Haldir.
He is too busy. I do not wish to disturb him. He is disturbed enough already.
Haldir coughed to hide a small laugh. It earned him a look from Elrond and a glare from Ela.
Is there something you need to tell me, Ela?
No, Lord Elrond. There is much I want to tell you and more I probably should, but not today.
You may come down in a couple of hours. Let the leg rest until then.
May I eat here? I do not feel like company right now.
You will have to come out of this room, sooner or later.
Later would be better. Can I stay in here for a couple of months?
Now you are being silly.
I know. Go down to your guests. I am sure they are much more interesting than my broken leg.
I am going. And the leg is no longer broken. Just rest it.
May I have a drink of water?
You may. Elrond went over to the wash stand and poured a cup of water. Haldir saw him slip something into the cup before he turned around.
Here, Iell. Drink this.
She drained the cup.
I would have slept with out the herbs, you know.
He smiled at her and watched her eyes slowly close.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Amy Zaruba of Albion will be receiving the Excellence in Volunteer Preparedness Education & Outreach Award during the Lieutenant Governor's Be Prepared Awards reception on Friday, Sept. 23, at 10 a.m. in the Nebraska State Capitol building.
Zaruba will be honored for her commitment to educating and promoting community preparedness. She is a paramedic with Albion Fire & Rescue, where she has served for 29 years. She is also chairperson of the Boone County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), and is involved in Region 44 CERT, RROMRS and Red Cross.
She was notified of the award by Ryan Lowry, state coordinator of the Citizen Corps/Medical Reserve Corps, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.


text:
Donald Trump is a complainer, but he really only has himself to blame.
Long before Election Day in 2016, a lot of books and articles had already been written about Trump, but since taking office, news about Trump has skyrocketed.
For some reason, Trump has a problem with it.
Fascinating to watch people writing books and major articles about me and yet they know nothing about me & have zero access. #FAKE NEWS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 12, 2017
I myself have written about Trump so many times that I have to take mental health breaks from time to time.
Trump has apparently forgotten that everybody has access to him. Not only that, the man is constantly talking about himself — he can't keep his mouth shut. Over the years he has appeared on radio and television, and has even repeatedly phoned into Fox News.
Trump's Twitter feed alone is a rich source that has spawned thousands of articles and, yes, it could fill a book or two.
It's never-ending for him. He is obsessed with being the center of attention and if he's not he will do or say something to become the center attention.
Trump is such a public person that it makes sense that there's enough material out there to fill up books and give journalists and bloggers things to write about on a daily basis.
Trump's other problem is that people who have personal access to him, such as aides and White House staffers, are leaking information. That's how the media has a good idea of what is going on inside the White House.
It's how we know Trump's White House is chaotic.
Make no mistake, Trump is whining because he thinks every book and article written about him should be nothing more than propaganda that makes him look good.
But as long as he keeps acting like a buffoon on Twitter (and during public appearances), he can expect the truth to continue to be written whether he likes it or not.
Featured Image: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images


text:
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The Dickies
Originally from Los Angeles, The Dickies were first formed in San Fernando Valley back in 1977. Known for their amusing style, the group is often classified as a pop-punk band. Inspired by other acts like The Damned and The Ramones, the group is comprised of Leonard Graves Phillips, Stan Lee, Greg Hanna, Dave Teague, Travis Johnson, Dylan Thomas and Anthony "Tiny Bubz" Biuso. With edgy styles and cool printed designs, there's plenty of tshirts from The Dickies that are perfect for any fan. For a classic look, choose one of our printed logo tshirts from The Dickies. A black and white tshirt is the perfect addition to practically any wardrobe. Style with a pair of denim jeans or khakis for a laidback look. If you're looking for an easy way to pack a punch with your next look, opt for The Dickies Killer Klown tshirt. There are also additional picks that are bound to make any fan smile, from The Dawn of the Dickies tshirt to our You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla) tshirt. For a throwback look, opt for one of our tshirts that features the album artwork from the debut album of The Dickies. The Incredible Shrinking Dickies was first released in 1978, and the punk band featured a cover of Black Sabbath's "Paranoid".


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If you are buying a piece of real estate with a mortgage, then the lender will require you to have a lender's policy and Title Insurance. Make sure that you all add owner's coverage to protect your personal interest as well. However, if you are purchasing a home or land with cash, purchasing a Title Insurance Policy is optional. This is one option that I strongly recommend you do not exercise! I believe everyone should buy Title Insurance for any real estate transaction! Why?
Did you know that according to ALTA, the American Land Title Association, approximately 25% of all residential real estate transactions will have some type of issue with the title? While it is relieving to know that most of these items are successfully resolved before closing, it also makes
you realize how critical it is that you purchase title insurance. Liens, claims, easements, or other challenges placed on your title, that arise after closing, or were overlooked in the title search prior to closing, will be covered by the Title Insurance company. The Title Company will be responsible for any monetary damages that the owner incurs due to a defective title.
When you purchase a new home, or piece of real estate, you receive a copy of the deed at closing. But exactly how was this deed transferred from the previous owner to you and how can you be sure that the deed is free and clear of any unsatisfied liens or judgments? Well, prior to closing, the closing attorney will conduct a thorough title search. They will research official public records for mortgages, judgments, easements, street and sewer assessments, taxes, levies, and other matters that may have an impact on the property. The title must be clear of any problems, or the seller must resolve any problems, before title can be transferred and the closing can take place.
However, information about a piece of property and any liens against it may be filed in different ways. They can be filed under the seller's name, the owner's name, by lot number or street address. Although title companies are very thorough, mistakes can happen and occasionally a problem may be overlooked. Owning a title insurance policy protects you from unexpected financial expenses, or even disaster in rare cases!
For instance, let's say you purchased a piece of property to build your dream house on. But, after closing on the land, it was discovered that there were some old liens still in place against the property from years ago when the property was part of a larger farm. These liens were recorded under the original piece of property and were not discovered in the title search. You would not want to build a home on a piece of property that had existing liens in place. If you had purchased Title Insurance at closing, then the title company would be required to assist you in obtaining releases from the appropriate parties to have the liens removed. They would work to resolve the problem so that you would be allowed to build your home on your land, with a clear title.
I once had a homeowner who had paid cash for an investment property but had wisely purchased Title Insurance at closing. Although the closing attorney had done a title search, somehow they missed an IRS Tax Lien that had been recorded on the property against the previous owner. The home closed and the deed was transferred to the new owner ~ along with the existing IRS tax lien! When this was discovered, the Title Company was responsible for taking care of this lien and providing clear title to the current owner. Had this investor not purchased a title insurance policy, they would have been responsible for paying off this tax lien in order to gain clear title to their own property!
The risk of having a claim for a defective title is rare. In fact, ALTA states that the expense ratio for title insurers averages about 90% compared to the 30% ratio for property and casualty companies. But, purchasing a home is the largest single investment that most people make in their lifetime. Due to the size of this investment, it is prudent to purchase Title Insurance, despite the odds of ever needing it.
If you are purchasing a piece of real estate in Tennessee, you can rest assured that the deed will not transfer, and closing will not occur, unless a complete and thorough title search has been conducted. But please, make sure you purchase an owner's Title Insurance Policy…even if the odds of needing it are very low. Just remember, not all stories about title problems end happily!
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