"Tails" from the dark side......

Chiefs/Patriots.  Our beloved phenom Quarterback had led us down the field... scored to tie the game... Overtime.  The right to go to the Super Bowl was on the line. Our defense had been kinda-sorta 'leaky' all day.  OK, scratch that, they'd really sucked all day.  When the heads/tails coin was tossed in Overtime and the Pats won the right to receive the ball first, i think everyone and their brother knew it was our demise.

For the better part of 2,489 days, Kyle Zimmer has had his tail tucked between his legs.  June 6, 2012, he was bestowed with boo-koo dollars, and exceedingly high expectations as the Kansas City Royal's #1 draft choice.  If it weren't for bad luck, he'd have no luck at all.

To wit, interspersed in those 2,489 days, elbow surgery...bicep tendinitis..shoulder surgery...shoulder soreness... thoracic outlet syndrome surgery...debilitating shoulder soreness.. and last year shoulder fatigue after pitching to one batter in Spring Training that sidelined him for the entire year.  Holy guacamole can you imagine how that played on his mind?

Good then happened.  Rehabilitation worked.  He'd worked his tail off, and Ned Yost presented him with a funny ha-ha for this year's season.  The Royals played an exhibition game in Omaha (Minor League AAA affiliate) right after Spring Training before they came to KC to begin 'real play'.  Ned told Zimmer "Well... you're going to start in Omaha (severe mental deflation for Kyle) and then you're going to come with us to Kansas City to play in the Big Leagues (severe "YES! YES! YES!")

He phoned his father with the news... his dad was unable to speak for 15 minutes he was so choked up. Family flew to KC..  With the Royals trailing 6-0 yesterday, the call to the bullpen came  Zimmer warmed up (yes, nervous), ran thru the bullpen gate, pounded his chest, pointed to the sky...took the mound.  Drum roll......he struck out the first major league batter he faced.  Heck to the yes.  Scratch that, hell to the yes.

It's been a week for a certain blogger I know.  Pontiac, transmission out, junked it.  Bought PT Cruiser.  Four days later, engine computer kapooey.  This morning, video out on big screen TV. "Ya have to laugh" 'he' told me.. "if you don't, you'll simply go bonkers."

We all know there is always someone worse off than us,  One in two hundred High School baseball players will ever play in the Minor Leagues.  Of that, less than one in ten will ever play in the bigs.

Dealing with how to turn bad luck into good luck in life in general (Victor, don't preach... not, just Googling) it says "Fail more... examine your choices.,, expect good.. be generous.. make a plan... take a chance.. work hard.. listen up."

We all know Steve Jobs.  He started Apple.. I wasn't aware he later hired a CEO.. who later fired Steven Jobs (Ha!)..  Jobs started two new IT companies... Apple bought them.. meaning Jobs was back.. ultimately he then invented the Iphone, Ipad, yada.. again became CEO... worked his tail off and left the dark side.

Anudder lady... penniless and going thru a string of bad luck, one, right after the other.. was sitting on a train from Manchester to London that was delayed for four hours (of course, 'luck' followed her.) It was during that delay JK Rowling conceived the idea of Harry Potter.  Her first manuscript was turned down 12 times, but i think we all know the Paul Harvey rest of the story.

So?  Will Kyle Zimmer win the Cy Young award in baseball this year?  Probably not, but he should be damn proud for his perseverance.

Will above said blogger ever find (again, ha) the love of his life?  A car that will actually make it from KC to St. Louie?  A TV with video?  The main thing is, he smiles and very much enjoys life.

And if life REALLY gets bad.. remember a couple of guys from TV (I can hear 'em, but I can't see 'em!) named Roy and Buck.  They made it 23 consecutive years by singing:

Gloom, despair, and agony on me,
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery,
IF IT WEREN'T FOR BAD LUCK, I'D HAVE NO LUCK AT ALL,
Gloom, despair, and agony on me.

OK, heads/tails.  Heads, I'm going to the Ameristar today. Tails, I stay home and 'listen' to TV.

Damnit, tails.

Oh well, enjoy your day, I planta.

Love, Victurd