Bowling, Beauties & Broadcasters

On May 13th, I'm hosting a bowling party for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at Park Tavern.  While you can buy a lane for you and your friends, you can also bid on bowling parties with some pretty awesome people.  Check out the links below!

Bowling, Pizza & Beer with Brittany Thelemann, Miss Minnesota USA 2011, and Hannah Corbett, Miss Minnesota Teen USA 2011, for up to 8 people

Bowling, Pizza & Beer with Judd Zulgad and Chip Scoggins, the Vikings beat writers for the Star Tribune, for up to 8 people

Bowling, Pizza & Beer with Meatsauce, the deep-voiced beauty on KFAN AM 1130, for up to 5 people

Bowling, Pizza & Beer with Nadine Babu, also known as Gopher Lady on Gopher Hole and Ohhh-Babu on the Paul Allen Project, for up to 5 people

If you have any questions about the event, please email me at Lindsay.Guentzel@gmail.com!  Hope to see all of you out at Park Tavern on the 13th!

Less than TWO weeks away!

As many of you may know, I am candidate for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's 2011 Woman of the Year.  It is a 10-week fundraising campaign that allows members of the Minneapolis/St. Paul community to get involved with the organization while competing to see who can raise the most money for LLS.  I use the word competing extremely loosely because one thing I’ve learned since I signed on in January is that there are no losers in this competition.  I’ve already made incredible friends and connections and the official kick-off is still almost two weeks away.


But since the kick-off is right around the corner, I thought now would be a good time to update you on ways to get involved with my campaign.  Donations can be made to my website directly -- I will provide the link when the website becomes live -- or you can attend one of the very cool events I'm currently planning (with the help of the wonderful Reina Leigh and some of my wonderful friends and family).


Here is a list of events currently on the books.


Saturday, April 9th 8pm to 10pm
Come cheer on the Minnesota Twins at Bootlegger's in downtown Minneapolis as they host the Oakland A's down the street -- because let's be honest, you didn't get tickets during the Website Debacle of 2011.  KFAN AM 1130's Meatsauce agreed to host the event with me as long as I promised he could talk to babes IN REAL LIFE that night AND Bootlegger's has given us an awesome deal for the night -- $5 to get in on the beer bash with refills costing only $2.  


Tuesday, April 19th Time: TBD
Bring me out to Bayside! The Twins are out east taking on the Orioles and we'll be watching the game at the wonderful Bayside Grill on Lake Minnetonka.  Kitty, the manager out there, has set up some great drink specials for us and in true baseball fashion, we'll be having a gourmet hot dog bar to munch on!  Drawings, silent auction and live auction items being added daily!


Saturday, May 7th 4pm to 7pm
I will be hosting my first-ever Kentucky Derby Party at Stella's Fish Cafe in downtown Minneapolis.  Tickets and details are still being worked out but I suggest that everyone should start looking for a big hat now -- some of my friends already have theirs.  The afternoon will be centered around good food, good drinks and good friends with a viewing of the race and a live auction to top off the night!


Friday, May 13th 7pm
Join me at Park Tavern for a night of bowling and beer!


Saturday, June 10th 8pm to 10pm
One last night at Bootlegger's before the campaign comes to an end on June 17th!


More events are being worked on and will be added as soon as they are in the books.


If you or someone you know has auction or drawing items you'd like to donate, please contact me at Lindsay.Guentzel@gmail.com.  I've been overwhelmed by the support I've received so far and I can't wait to see what we can gain from here on out!

P.S. This is Ella, our 2011 Girl of the Year.  She is one of the reasons I'm so excited to be working with LLS -- not only to we both love basketball and dancing, she's a big Justin Bieber fan just like me.  Her family has welcomed me with open arms and I can't wait to start raising money for LLS in their honor.

A Quick Update on Life

It's been decided.  I'm awful at keeping up with this thing.

Not to lay out a list of excuses but March has been simply crazy for me.  I spent five days in Indianapolis covering the Big Ten basketball tournament, then drove 12 hours back to Minneapolis and hopped on a plane for Ft. Myers where I spent six days watching the Twins at spring training.  During that time, I celebrated my 25th birthday, mourned the loss of an old friend, interviewed for a new position and tried to smile at the little things whenever I could.  Yes, March has been busy and while some days haven't been easy, I'm so thankful for everything I have -- and get to experience -- in life.

Right now, I'm in Atlanta visiting old friends before heading over to Turner Field to cover the Twins vs. Braves exhibition games on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I've already fallen completely in love with this city, both because of the wonderful things I've seen and experienced but mostly because of the people I've been blessed to spend time with.

I'm so lucky to be able to do what I love and I honestly wouldn't be in the position I am in without the love and support from all of you.  Whether it's encouraging text messages, emails or Twitter posts, the support I've been given has meant so much to me and I am truly, truly blessed.

Stay tuned for a complete website overhaul in the very near future -- I will definitely want to know what everyone thinks as soon as I get it up and running.

Golden Gopher Spirit Squad at the 2011 Big Ten Tournament

My dad and me at Hammond Stadium for Mets vs. Twins.

Some of the minor league pitchers going through warm-ups at Hammond.

Sunset over Marcos Island.

My best friend (and partner-in-crime) and me after arriving in Atlanta.

Updates from Indianapolis

Day Three of the Big Ten Tournament is in the books and let me tell you -- If you like college basketball and you've never been to a tourney, you need to go.


Today I was lucky enough to see Talor Battle stomp all over Michigan State.  While the Penn State senior may have only gone 3 for 18 against Wisconsin, he did post 25 points to help send his team to Sunday's Championship Game.  The senior has never been to the NCAA Tourney and his chances have greatly improved after this weekend.  Excited to see what the Nittany Lions will do tomorrow against the Buckeyes.


I've been updating KFAN AM 1130 throughout the weekend so check out the site and stay up-to-date on everything Gopher -- and Big Ten -- related.


Here's a photo I grabbed of Minnesota sophomore Rodney Williams, who opened up the Gophers-Wildcats rubber match with a crazy dunk.  Unfortunately for the Gophers, it was probably the only highlight from the sloppy loss.

Hugh McCutcheon named Gophers Head Coach after Mike Hebert Retires

Just a few days before the nationally-ranked Gophers volleyball team headed out to Seattle for the Sweet 16, I sat down with then-head coach Mike Hebert to talk about their upcoming match-up with the Pac-10 champions California.

At some point during the interview, I felt the need to ask Hebert about his plans for retirement.  I'm not even thinking about that right now, he told me.  And I left it at that.  Hebert had been the leader behind the well-respected Minnesota program for 15 years, handling both the success of the team and his own battle with Parkinson's with the class and determination of a seasoned veteran.

And he was someone I had grown to respect.  So much so that when the email release announcing his retirement came just days after my sit-down with him, I wasn't even mad.  Being mad about missing a scoop was the farthest thing from my mind.  My first thought was, good for him.  My second thought was, what's going to happen to the program? 

After the botched handling of the last two football coaching searches by University athletic director Joel Maturi, I was nervous how the volleyball search would be handled and who would be brought in.  Leaving  behind a 381-125 record, Coach Hebert made Minnesota a nationally-recognized and respected program and with the amount of talent coming into the program, it would be a shame to let that go to waste.

Luckily for Gophers fan, they can breathe a sigh of relief.  The University of Minnesota just announced Hugh McCutcheon of Team USA will take over the reigns at the Sports Pavilion.  The 41-year old brings in a stellar resume, having just finished his 2nd year coaching the U.S Women's National Volleyball Team, posting a 28-13 record and medaling in 3 of their 4 tournaments.

McCutcheon, a native of New Zealand, also coached the U.S. Men's Olympic Team in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, bringing in a gold medal for Team USA--the program's first podium finish since 1992. Unfortunately for McCutcheon and his wife Elisabeth Bachman, the Olympic experience was plagued with tragedy.  McCutcheon's in-laws, Todd and Barbara Bachman (of Lakeville, MN) were attacked during the opening day events at Drum Tower. Todd died in the attack and Barbara sustained serious injuries, forcing McCutcheon to leave his team for three matches during the opening rounds of the games.  

McCutcheon boasted a 107-33 record during his four years leading the men's team.

McCutcheon comes to the Gophers at the right time. Coming off a 2nd place finish in the Big Ten and a powerful trip to the Sweet 16, the 9th-ranked Gophers only lost one player this season--senior Lauren Gibbemeyer--and are bringing in one of the strongest recruiting classes in the country.

Golden Gophers and Big Ten Basketball

Every Wednesday, Myron Medcalf from the Star Tribune releases Big Ten Power Rankings on his Gold in the Barn blog and I was lucky enough to be chosen as a contributor on his poll (which can be found here: http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/blogs/Gold_in_the_Barn.html).  One of the other contributors--Tom for The Daily Gopher--decided to take our involvement to the next level.  He sent out questions to all the contributors and is going to compile all of our answers in a sort of round-table conversation.  Here you can read my responses.  I will also be posting the link to Tom's final response so you can read what some other Gopher basketball fans are saying.

The Gophers endured probably the most difficult start to the Big Ten season that one could imagine.  On the road against three of the league's best all resulted in a loss, though two of those games were one possessions games with under a minute to go.  Now Purdue is the only road game left against an upper-tier Big Ten team, but what about the other road games?  What road game against a mid or lower tier team concerns you the most and why?

At this point, I wouldn't discount anyone in the Big Ten.  Home-court advantage is going to play a huge role in deciding who takes top honors in the conference and I'll be honest--I'm a little nervous about how the Gophers are going to do on the road against teams like Michigan and Penn State.  The Wolverines look awful playing against conference teams but were able to push Kansas to overtime at home.  The fact that they are coming off a five-game losing streak makes me extremely nervous, especially if the Gophers revert back to their slow starts like we had to watch against Eastern Kentucky and Akron.  Penn State fell to Purdue at home but was able to notch wins against Big Ten powerhouses Michigan State and Illinois at the Bryce Jordan Center.  They've proven that they have the talent to pull off wins against teams that count and since I haven't seen the Gophers play an entire game with cohesiveness, I'd put the Nittany Lions at the top of my 'oh man' list.

The Gophers haven’t won a Big Ten title, officially, since 1982. Even if you include the vacated Big Ten title in 1997, this program has finished top three in the Big Ten two times since the 1980-81 season.  “What will it take for this program to make the strides necessary to compete for Big Ten titles in basketball?”

I think it all goes back to recruiting.  With what has happened within the program in the last few years--basically, the drama--I think more emphasis needs to be placed on finding well-rounded recruits.  While I love Gopher athletics, there is nothing more annoying than athletes who are given an opportunity to play at a Big Ten school and throw it away by doing something stupid.  Granted, I understand stuff happens that isn't in the athlete's control.  But I think our recruiting needs to start focusing on finding players who are fully dedicated to playing out their eligibility at the U, players whose focus is more on basketball at a collegiate level and less on what might be waiting for them in the NBA.     

The Barn...stand up or sit down? Here is your opportunity to rant...

I took my dad, Jim, to the game on Sunday when the Gophers struggled passed the Hawkeyes.  You know it is a bad reflection on your fan base when my 71 year-old father wants to stand and cheer throughout the entire game but can't because the Debbie-Downer fans behind us think they're at a tennis match.  Nadine Babu brought up a great point in her blog--Is the Gopher Basketball fan base too old?--which looks at the fact that the barn is nearly silent during most games, sans the student section.  Since I usually sit in press row and am trying to get some game notes done, I rarely pay attention to what is happening in the stands.  But on Sunday--while in the stands--it was blatantly obvious that yes, our fans are too old.  The first ten rows of the lower bowl at Williams Arena look like they are at a poetry reading, barely moving in their chairs except for the occasional trip to the bathroom or to get chocolate ice cream (I see you Sid Hartman).  When I expressed my annoyance at the fact that no excitement or noise comes from those closest to the floor, someone pointed out that the University has no where to move those fans--the so-called big money contributors.  While that may be the case, especially for those fans who have been season ticket holders for 50+ years, it's still obnoxious when I turn on a Michigan State game and am nearly blown over by the noise radiating through the t.v.  They understand what their role as a fan at the game is supposed to be.  Gophers fans, take note.  

The Designated Hitter

I had to write an essay for an internship program and couldn't resist the opportunity to write about Jim Thome, who in one season with the Twins quickly became one of my all-time favorites for both his abilities at the plate and his demeanor in the clubhouse.  I didn't end up getting the internship but the essay still came in handy this morning when I found out Thome had been resigned with the Twins to a 1 year, $3 million deal (plus incentives, of course).  Couldn't be happier to see him back in a Twins jersey as he chases 600.

Leading off for the White Sox in the top of the ninth inning, Alexei Ramirez jumped on the second pitch from reliever Matt Capps and blasted a game-tying homerun over the flowerbeds lining the low left wall of Target Field.  With Minnesota leading the AL Central by only three games, Twins fan held their breath as the top of the line-up stepped to the plate and failed to score a game-ending run in the bottom of the ninth.  The top of the tenth didn’t play out any better for the Twins who gave up a run off a single from the game-changer Ramirez, leaving the Sox up 6-5 in the midst of a heated division race.  A quick visit from Gardy and in came lefty Ron Mahay, trotting up from the bullpen in center field to replace Jon Rauch and get Minnesota out of the inning, nearly unscathed.

            What happened next can simply be described as fitting.  After Delmon Young led off with a grounder up the middle to Alex Rios, all of Target Field climbed to its feet as the Twins’ designated hitter Jim Thome slowly approached home plate.  Becoming a free agent after four seasons with the White Sox, the Twins had been quick to rope in the veteran slugger, signing him to a one-year $1.5 million deal that would bring him to Minneapolis to help break in the new ballpark.  So far, the acquisition had worked in the Twins’ favor.  He had quickly become a favorite in his new clubhouse, boasting 16 homeruns and a .265 average leading into the three game series with Chicago and if there was any player the team and fans wanted at the plate in this situation, it was Thome.  With his teammates nearly spilling out of the dugout—readying for a possible celebration—Thome took a hard swing at the first pitch from reliever Matt Thornton.  The crowd lulled as he repositioned himself in the box, the quiet anticipation hanging in the thick mid-August air.

            The fans weren’t forced to wait long.  Thome connected on the next pitch, a fastball, sending it soaring towards the high right field wall.  Thornton didn’t even have to look.  It was gone.  As Thome touched first, his 17^th homerun of the season landed past the right field bleachers sending the stadium into an uproar.   He had just recorded his 581^st career homerun, giving the Twins an encouraging four game lead while notching the first-ever walk-off at Target Field.   Throwing his helmet into the air as he rounded third, he jogged slowly towards home plate where his teammates were waiting.  Those unfamiliar with the teams’ history would have thought the Twins had just won the World Series.  The rest of us knew differently, understood what had just happened in one single swing.

            The headline in Chicago would later read, The White Sox Stunned by Ex-Teammate.  That was true.  Thome had just led his former rival to a 7-6 victory with a 445-foot two-run homer in extra innings.  It was the way fans hoped all games would end, with pure exhilaration, the kind of buzz that turned wavering fans into lifelong baseball devotees.  But emotions aside, Thome had just done his job—coming through in a clutch situation when the team needed him.  That’s how I look at my role as a sportswriter, knowing that at any moment I could be called into the game and expected to deliver.  My first at-bat in the majors came on Sept. 21 when I found myself in the Herb Carneal Press Box high above Target Field, covering the game for KFAN Sports Radio AM 1130.  I had been an intern for less than three weeks and had been asked to get post-game sound the producers could use for the next day’s shows. 

It seemed simple enough.  The Twins were trailing the Indians 4 to 2 after the bottom of the sixth and even though their magic number to clinch the AL Central was only at one, no one was expecting a champagne celebration after the game.  But of course—in true rookie fashion—my first major league appearance couldn’t just be an easy single.  The Twins scored four runs in the eighth inning to grab a 6-4 victory and as the team waited for the Oakland-Chicago finish, I carefully wrapped myself in plastic garbage bags and waited patiently outside the clubhouse to do interviews.  Oakland ended up routing the Sox 7-2, leaving the Twins to douse their brand-new clubhouse with champagne as their grabbed their sixth American League Central division title.

And I was there, interviewing Michael Cuddyer, Joe Nathan, Gardy, Young, and my favorite designated hitter Jim.  Somehow my first call-up to the big leagues had become a grand slam situation, the start to career that I'm hopeful will continue to grow day-by-day.  Since then, I’ve covered the dismissals of two Minnesota head coaches, the arrival and departure of a very colorful wide receiver, and a nationally-ranked volleyball team that has overcome a season of adversity to grab a top-10 ranking in the NCAA tournament.  I’ve covered over ten different athletic organizations in the last three months, something that has forced me to be on my game at any given moment.  It’s this independence, this sense of responsibility that I hope will continue to push my career in the big leagues.  Because—like a veteran designated hitter—I know I can deliver every time I’m at the plate.  

A Chance to Give Back

2010 was a really good year.  Plain and simple.  So as the ball dropped and in came 2011, I set really high expectations for myself.  A new year, a new opportunity. 

Only a few days into the next decade, I was pleasantly surprised to find one of those new opportunities awkwardly thrust into my lap.  No, really.  It was pretty awkward.  My friend Nadine—who many of you know from her work with GopherHole and from just being an all-around sweet person—had invited me over for wine after the Gophers narrowly beat Indiana.  She was working on her computer when she quietly gasped, stopped typing, and peered over the screen at me.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe I didn’t think of this….. I have something to ask you.”

Whenever anyone starts off with—I have something to ask you—I always expect the worst.  But it was far from that.  Going off the suggestion from her friend Dana Litman, Nadine proceeded to ask me if I would be interested in working with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Minnesota during their annual charity.  As she explained more about the opportunity, I couldn’t help but get excited.  It was exactly what I needed to get me out of my mid-winter funk.

For the last nine years, the LLS has hosted a Man & Woman of the Year competition that is basically a ten-week fundraising competition between ‘professionals’ in the Twin Cities area.  I use professionals loosely, because I already have a hard time calling myself a woman, let alone a professional (it's the fear of getting older, I think).  The candidates must be nominated by someone involved in the organization and they basically spend the winter months planning events to raise money for LLS.

Dana, last year’s Man of the Year, raised nearly $30,000 and while I’m not competitive when it comes to playing sports, this fundraising opportunity has definitely ignited my competitive juices.  This year’s campaign will run from April 7^th until June 17^th and while you might think—it’s only January—I’m already on the move, getting events on the books and talking to people who are interested in helping. 

While it is a competition, it is very easy to remind myself why I wanted to do this in the first place.  I’m very lucky that I have never been personally affected by leukemia or lymphoma.  But, unfortunately, that isn’t the case for many families in Minnesota and around the country.  An estimated 912,938 Americans are living with a type of blood cancer, while a new case is diagnosed every five minutes.  Sadly, someone with a blood cancer also dies every 10 minutes.  But through organizations like The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and its fundraisers, that staggering statistic can be helped. 

I am very honored that Dana and Nadine thought of me as someone they would want to represent The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and I plan on doing everything in my power to kick some major butt during this competition.  The more money raised, the more the LLS can do to stop these diseases in their tracks.  As more of the details get worked out, I’ll update my blog with opportunities that you can get involved in as well.  Looking at hosting some pretty fun events in April, May, and June and I would love to have your support through the busy ten weeks.

-Intern Gal :)

(And unfortunately for those of you who already asked, I don't have access to a dunk tank.  Tough luck.)

Dear Lindsay, Anything is possible. Love, 2011

            Whether you believe in making New Year’s resolutions or not, it is impossible to not think about the year ahead after the big glittery ball drops.  I won’t lie, 2010 was an incredible year for me and I’m starting to feel the pressure when it comes to making 2011 an even bigger success.

            Don’t get me wrong, there are things in 2010 that I wish I could go back and change:  silly fights with friends, guy drama and a subsequent broken heart, sitting on opportunities instead of seizing the day.  But at the end of a very eventful year, I can honestly say that 2010 was when I realized the sky's the limit.             
            My year started off at WCCO-TV, where I interned in the sports department with some of the most dedicated and talented people I’ve ever met. I then went back to the Minnesota Daily and jumped in to cover the nationally-ranked Gophers volleyball team—including a tournament run and the retirement of one of the greatest volleyball coaches in the country.  And I was lucky enough to take on the role of ‘Intern Gal’ at KFAN, where I get to work with some of the greatest guys I’ve ever met. 

            If 2010 taught me anything, it’s that I’m in charge of my future and that’s a motto I’ll continue to repeat to myself as the new year jumps off.  

Hopes for 2011:

1. Go on vacation by myself. 

            Whether it’s a week at the cabin alone or a cross-country adventure to visit friends, 2011 is going to be all about rebuilding my independence.

2.  Spend less time on Facebook and more time working on things that will lead me somewhere.

           

3.  Listen to ‘happier’ music.

            As I was getting ready on New Year’s Eve, I realized my top-played music on my iTunes is insanely sad.  And as someone who is extremely connected to music, I figure it can’t be very good for me to listen to love songs on repeat.  So in 2011, my goal is to break out of my shell and explore more music—music that will hopefully help control my emotional mood swings (I kid, I kid).

 

4.  Take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way.

            I like to think I’m insanely independent, sometimes too independent for my own good.  And one of the things I find the hardest is asking for help or using a personal connection to help me out.  Basically, I’m used to doing everything on my own and if I want to make 2011 my most successful year to date, I need to become better at letting others help me out.

5.  Surround myself by people who love me and support me and do a better job of reciprocating those feelings.

            Like I said, I’m too independent for my own good.  But I’m very blessed to be surrounded by amazing friends and family, people who do nothing but push me to succeed.  Sometimes I don’t do a good enough of job of reciprocating those feelings and emotions and while I want to make 2011 all about my career, I’m going to make a genuine effort to improve my relationships.

6.  Run a marathon.

            It’s a little off subject when it comes to my other resolutions, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.  I’ve ran two half marathons and I’d love to find a marathon to run in a fun city that I could explore after the race.  Also, I need something to motivate me out of my warm house and into the cold winter air—I’m guilty of allowing winter to let me become a hermit.

            I’m very excited to see what 2011 has in store for me.  For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m finally on the right track and with my big 25^th birthday rapidly approaching, it’s nice to know that things can only get better from here.

To those of you who are reading this, thank you for your support this year.  Whether you are one of my oldest friends, someone I just met this year, or my incredible parents (yes, Karen I know you’ll read this), my success in 2010 is directly linked back to you.  I’m so lucky to have you in my life.  There is no better motivation than knowing you are behind me, pushing me along and while I might not express my gratitude enough, please know that I am truly grateful for everything you to do for me.

My Biggest Fan

          The holidays are always a time for me to stop and acknowledge how lucky I am and with 2010 coming to an end, I can't help but look back on the last 12 months a little out of breathe.  Every day has been one step closer to my dream, an aspiration that was passed along from my dad.  Meet Jim.

           Everything I know and love about baseball I learned from my dad.  A farm boy who grew up playing in the fields of southern Minnesota, my dad spent his adolescence hitting home runs and winning batting championships for the Waterville Buccaneers.  When I was a child he tried his hand at coaching, spending countless hours teaching me how to play the game in the shade of our backyard.  He showed me how to catch the ball, field a grounder, follow through on my swing, the same skills his father had taught to him years before on their family farm. 

            Baseball became our sport.  The youngest of four daughters, I was his last chance at having someone to share his passion with.  My older sisters had already turned him down and in a way I became the son he never had.  He truly loved everything about America’s pastime and he made sure that I loved it, too.  As I grew up, my Barbie dolls were slowly moved off their shelves in favor of Homer Hankies and autographed baseballs, my storybooks replaced by a baseball card collection.  Even through my teenage angst when my dad just seemed to be an embarrassment in my life, baseball was the one thing that kept us connected.

         This last year has been a crazy one for me -- internships at WCCO and KFAN and a sportswriting position at the Minnesota Daily have thrown me into crazy situations, opportunities that I dreamt about when I first considered pursuing a job in sports.  Through it all, though, one thing has been constant: my dad cheering me along from the sidelines.   His support has given me the confidence to pursue what can only be described as my dream job and if it were all taken away tomorrow, I would be satisfied simply because I know he is proud of me.  

          Jim and I will be busy in the next couple of weeks.  I'm taking him down to Madison for the Big Ten opener at the Kohl Center, followed by as many Gopher basketball games at Williams Arena before he and my mom jet off for Mexico for the winter.  Then in March we're heading down to Fort Myers for our first Twins' spring training, a fitting celebration of my 25th birthday.  I'm just waiting for news that Jim Thome has been resigned so I can start working on Jim's 72nd birthday present -- an autographed baseball from a player he admires.  A small request in exchange for all I've been given over the years.