What really is important?

It happened. Antonio Puerta died in the hospital today. I haven't even been able to read the story. The headline alone is all I really need to see right now. Not trying to be overly dramatic but, dammit, the man was only 22 years old.

I loved the city of Sevilla, which I visited a few years ago, this is how I became a huge fan of their soccer team. Over the few years that I've kept track of them, a handful of players really stood out as either strong and skillful or as personable and/or interesting. Puerta seemed to be both. He was passionate about the game, seemed to really love his team and was very important in Sevilla's strong season last year.

I could go on and on about how this whole thing makes me feel and how it puts life in perspective, but I think right now I just want to say I wish his family, his friends and his teammates well, and my condolences go out to all of them. He will be missed, even by a fan as far away as Tallahassee, Florida.


Here's a little YouTube tribute video someone put together.

Then you remember what's important.

So, I'm watching the Sevilla FC match in replay right now. Their season opener was with Getafe CF. It's a pretty important match for a team once again making a go at winning La Liga (the Spanish first division of pro-soccer for you US/non-fans). They did really well last year, got a little unlucky during season play, but still managed to not only win Copa del Rey, against Getafe actually, but were also UEFA Cup Champions and won the Supercopa de España (which is a match between the winner of La Liga vs. the winner of Copa del Rey, a bit of revenge against Real Madrid).

This season starts a little difficult as one of their greatest players, Dani Alves, is looking to make a move to the English Premier League. But they picked up a few good players and still have a lot of strength from last season.

Why all the build-up? Well, this opener was a bit difficult because Getafe was able to score rather quickly to begin the match and then were able to hang on to this 1-0 lead through the entire first half even though they had one player removed early on (22 minute) and then a second player was red carded in the last couple minutes of the half. They were still able to pull it out in the second half, finally picking up four goals with some rather impressive play, even if it was a couple extra players. But this is not the reason for this post...

The real reason is ... I ... watched a man have a heart attack. Near the end of the second half Antonio Puerta crouched down after a play and then collapsed onto the pitch. Players ran to his aid, some signaled for managers to come over, a close up on the player showed one of his teammates prying open his mouth to pull out his tongue so he wouldn't choke on it. Within a minute or two he was up and even walked off the pitch by himself. But according to at least one story he then collapsed again and was rushed to the hospital after being given cardiac resuscitation.

I had read a little about this prior to watching the match but it really was hard to actually see it happen. Even knowing prior, the build up and anticipation were not too bad, but when he actually went down I found myself screaming at the tv, "there he is, get him." Not sure where that came from but, man, he could have died right there. Evidently he still is having trouble, I've checked his wikipedia page and a few other stories that have him still in intensive care and in a "very serious" condition. Sevilla FC player or not, I wish him the best and I have to say I really appreciate the way the coach responded to questions after the match.

From the BBC story:

Sevilla coach Juande Ramos was in no mood to talk about his side's victory after the match.

"I don't have the mind to speak now. The reason I am here is because we are all professionals, but I have no desire to talk of the game or anything," Ramos said.

"I would like to see the player. The game does not have any importance compared with the health of a player."

Just a little reminder the game can be great, but there is always something much more important.

Edit: As a small addition to the Alves story... The small Brazilian international with a huge amount of talent and drive is up to no good. I always love watching him on the pitch. Unfortunately he's decided he really wants to leave the team and move "up" to the English Premier League. I'm not a fan of that for many reasons. Anyway, there was an offer on the table from a large team but it never came to fruition. Now he seems pissed and well...has decided to play hookie from the team, which makes nobody happy.

I don't know the full story, and he seems like a really nice and cool kinda guy from what little I've read about him, but this just makes me unhappy with whiny pro-athletes who get grumpy even though they are paid MILLIONS to play a sport I've enjoyed playing for free...or having to pay to be able to play it.

Again, I don't know the full story, but I'm slowly losing respect for him and hope this gets worked out quickly. He still wants to be traded this season, but I'm still hoping he'll stick around, help Sevilla win La Liga this season and then he can go to the EPL for even more money.

Queen's May is a doctor of the stars...

So I mentioned this would be a good spot for music stuff...and here's my first mini-post with a tidbit of information for ya. Looks like Brian May has been quite busy...for more than 30 years actually. But he's finally finished his doctorate in astrophysics. Just check out this little story about the endeavor.

Evidently he's already co-authored a book about the history of the universe, it's called "Bang" so i'm guessing he's not siding with any creationists. And his thesis was rather weighty as well, "a 48,000 word study which seeks to prove planets and dust clouds in our solar system orbit in the same direction."

Somewhat entertaining news, but it just makes me wish I had A Night at the Opera with me at work today.

on the air...

So, yeah, as mentioned earlier, I do a little radio show. It's on a college station (WVFS, the "Voice" of Florida State) and airs from 10p - 2a (EST) every Thursday evening...which is tonight...now. It's called Club Convergence and it's all electronic music...of many different genres.

Tonight I was reminded once again of how long i've been doing this. I started at the station almost right out of high school...and early on I knew I wanted to do this little show. Watched two other "elder" djs host the show during my first years at the station and was finally given control around 1992...yes, that's what I said, 1992. Which means i've basically been the show's host for the better part of 15 years (minus a short break I took in the late 90s...but we don't have to discuss that do we? Even though I just did...) Well after a short break from the show the station manager asked me to come back, without my prompting even, after two other replacements didn't work out so well).

Anyway...that was a long ramble for me to basically just put in a short plug for my little radio show. Check out the site I posted for it on Multiply.com. I've recorded shows, posted playlists and eventually i'll post a few more album and/or show reviews...seein' as the one's i posted are from last year. Stay tuned and enjoy.

Intro to make ya head grow...

So, I'm at it again. My friend Zil has re-introduced me to blogger.com and i've decided to try and take full advantage of this thing. I started off with a livejournal and either got bored with it, fell into what seems to be rather common pitfalls or just gave up due to everything else in life distracting me.
Now I've got a few deadlines breathing down my neck, a renewed interest in my radio show and several reasons to try and conquer, get past or just learn from these other "life distractions" and maybe this little thingamabob can help me out. (I can't believe "thingamabob" didn't trip the "auto spell check.")
The deadline is for an interview and hopefully a couple album reviews for a new music/"culture" website and print magazine I just started working for (well, these will be my first contributions, I don't even feel comfortable saying I work for them just yet, but let's move on). Actually, though I haven't submitted anything yet, I have done a fair amount of work for SideLine magazine and was given a fine letter of recommendation from Caustic Mattie, I think I'll be ok, but I'm not going to promote it completely until I get something published.
So...I guess this will become my new (and probably alter ego) music blog...that or I'll just end up posting a lot of the same stuff on both...until I get comfortable with blogger.com. Do you subscribe to blogs on here? How do I browse my "friends' blogs?" How do I find my friends' blogs? or anyone I know is on here but that I don't know their email or their blog title (I'm pretty sure Justin K Broadrick is on here...or he was)?