9-11, Ten Years Gone
I am reading a good book on 9-11 called the Eleventh Day. The authors did an incredible job researching the details of that terrible day. Although ten years have already passed I am surprised to find it difficult to get through the pages. It has been emotionally exhausting but something I know I finally want to do for myself. The time has come for me to look back on that awful day even though the wound is still raw.
One really strange happening that I have never shared with anyone and that I will never forget was walking in New York City the night of 9-10-01. I was right near Rockefeller Center and it started to pour. It was raining so hard that I had to duck into the nearest place that I could find. It just so happened that place was a museum like learning center called the FDNY Fire Zone. “At the Fire Zone, visitors are led into a Simulated Fire scene. Through real life testimonies, they learn how easily fires can start, and how quickly they can spread, and most importantly, how an escape plan could get them to safety.” I spent a good half hour walking through the Fire Zone waiting out the rain and learning about the horrors of a fire with no idea that in a little over twelve hours I would personally witness the most devastating effects of a fire in American history.
I happened to work in Midtown Manhattan at the time and I remember coming into my office at 225 West 34th street on the morning of 9-11. Freddy the building Super told me that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. In my mind it was some tiny twin engine plane. I then took the elevator up to my office and I remember walking in the door and a colleague telling me that a another plane had hit the other tower. I turned on the radio and a disc jockey was talking about America being under attack. A few people in my office gathered around the radio to listen to details on the developing story. I felt completely helpless and frightened as to what was going to happen next. I was in total shock. The DJ talked about more planes still in the air targeting other sites. It was a harrowing experience. Growing up in this country and up until that exact moment it never even crossed my mind to worry about being attacked in such a manner. This was the United States for God’s sake. 9-11 marked the end of the innocence for me and so many others. The unbelievable had happened and I witnessed it first hand. No longer could I ever think or believe that something could not happen. Now anything was possible.
A group of us went up to the roof of our building which provides a clear view of downtown Manhattan. The sky was a perfect shade of blue that day. A beautiful Indian Summer day. It was easy to see the smoke coming out of both Towers. As we stood aghast I didn’t even realize we were standing in the shadow of the Empire State Building another potential target. I was too enthralled by the spectacle I was witnessing to even make the connection. I watched as each tower crumbled to the ground. It was totally surreal. Still to this day when I find myself in lower Manhattan it is hard to comprehend that the towers are simply no longer there.
Ten years later when I think about that day the first image that comes to my mind is of the people caught above the impact of where the planes hit the building. The ones who had no where to go because they were cut off from being able to walk down the stairs. These are the people who were forced to decide to either jump or become engulfed in flames. There are photo’s I have seen over the years of people standing in the broken out windows of the top floors peering down hundreds of floors above the ground knowing that they had to choose how they would die. It is so difficult to look at these photo’s and think about those people as to what was going on in their minds at that very moment.
At my local gym which I have been a member of since 1999 there are pictures of two guys tacked to the bulletin board near the basketball court. The two guys were regulars in our pick up basketball games. The photo’s were cut out from the New York Times which ran stories on every person who died in the towers shortly after 9-11. The photo’s have been pinned up on the wall for ten years. I often look at the pictures of the two guys. As each year passes I often think to myself what these two people missed and all the wonderful things in life that they never got to experience. They were my age at the time of their deaths. I think about all I have experienced since that day like marriage, children, new friendships, and so much more.
They probably died never having heard the words Osama Bin Laden and certainly not capable of knowing the meaning 9-11. I often wondered if they were to walk back into the gym today ten years gone all of the things I could fill them in on. It’s incredible to think how much has changed in our world in just ten short years. I don’t even think they could comprehend technology and the changes that have happened since 2001. Iphone, Ipads, Social Networks, and so on. Its incredible what has changed. How about the first African American President? Or the Boston Red Sox actually winning the World Series. Even more incredible is the New Orleans Saints are Super Bowl champs and New Orleans itself was almost wiped off the map. What would they think if I told them Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns no longer exist. Gone. How about taking a trip to see a game at the new Yankee Stadium, new Shea Stadium, new Giants Stadium, new Devils Arena, and the new Red Bulls stadium. What would they think looking at these amazing structures. So much has changed and so much has been missed by all those who perished. Thinking about 9-11 always reminds me to enjoy all the blessings I have been able to experience in my life. As I quickly found out on 9-11, anything can happen in this world of ours and nothing is guaranteed so make sure to be thankful for all the good we are able to experience.
No Comments »Here is how to do the US Open Tennis Tournament right!
Here we are in August once again and that means a heavy dose of baseball and bbq’s. It also means the US Open Tennis Tournament is coming up in Flushing,Queens. I love this event because it’s the only tennis tournament where I can yell and scream like I am in the crowd at an NFL game. Actually quite honestly the crowd at the Open is louder than my sorry section (214) at Jets games. You have to love tennis in Queens as the energy is unmatched anywhere else on the tour.
Now here is my best tip at this event. The good news is that what I am going to tell you is also cheap. So don’t worry about shelling out $3,000 for court side tickets at the Semi’s or buying into a luxury suite for the finals because the best part of the Open happens in week one. This is when you can purchase a basic grounds admission ticket which will run you less then lunch at the food court. During week one there a tons of matches taking place on the outer courts each session. Park yourself at one of these outer courts and take in some of the best tennis in the world from literally ten feet away from the players. There are usually only a handful of people sitting on the metal benches watching any given match so you can literally hear the players talking to one another and the chair judge. It’s really incredible that most people rush right to Arthur Ashe Stadium to watch the featured match when the Open gives you the opportunity to roam all the outer courts and watch as you please. The beauty is it’s first come first serve but that rarely ever matters because most folks just head into the main stadiums leaving you plenty of space to spread out and enjoy the fun.
No Comments »My top (5) Cities to host the Super Bowl!
If you are a city that wants to host a major sporting event like the Super Bowl it is necessary to have several things going for you such as lots of hotel space, restaurants, a central heartbeat for fan gatherings, weather, and much more. Here are my all time top 5 for the big game.
1. Miami
2. New Orleans
3. Phoenix
4. San Diego
5. NYC
The road trips that lead to sports nirvana and a really fun time
“I took the road less travelled upon and that made all the difference,” was once famously said by American poet Robert Frost and was referring to seeking your own path in life; which is a great lesson for living your life but not ideal for following your sports dreams. The uniqueness of the sports arena is that it is one of the few places where an individual fan can gather with his fellow fanatics and feel like one collective unit, like the team behind the athletes. Being a diehard fan of a baseball team or a NASCAR driver doesn’t really make pure logical sense, but we’re humans, not Vulcans and there’s a reason nobody takes a road trip to attend an algebra tournament.
The two experiences that can make a sporting event great are attending a championship or playoff game between two rivals whose fans love to hate each other and going to an event that is so unique and fun that it can be a lifelong memory, even if you weren’t a fan of the sport.
NASCAR’s popularity is at an all-time high and the Daytona 500 is its Super Bowl, except instead of coming at the end of a long season, it kicks off the NASCAR season in February and is possibly one of the country’s biggest parties. Plus, a road trip to Daytona Beach, Florida in the heart of wintertime is always a good time. Whether you get to spend time relaxing on the beach or not, you’re going to want to check out the Daytona 500 Experience a few days before the race. The Daytona 500 experience is a fan friendly attraction located next to the racetrack. At Acceleration Alley, you can get a simulated feel for what it’s like for Jimmy Johnson to blow by Kurt Busch along the wall and get a glimpse of the highly tuned skills and coordination it takes to drive a NASCAR car. The ride provides you with a rush of adrenaline and an IMAX theatre 3D movie provides you with a glimpse of the fun you’ll have when you attend the race.
Get ready for over three hours of fun and exhilaration as you join about 170,000 race fans at the speedway to cheer on their favorite drivers. The power of the cars whirling at 200 mph is palpable and if you’re not a fan of the sport you will be when you leave. If you are able to get into the Sprint Fan Zone you will feel closer to the action and at the Budweiser Party Porch, you’ll enjoy be bonding with strangers more at Florida’s loudest party.
Ever since Babe Ruth made his road trip from Boston to New York in 1920 the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry has transcended sports. From Bucky Dent’s homerun in 1978 to decide a one-game playoff for the Yankees to Aaron Boone (Red Sox fans say his name a bit more colorfully) winning the 2003 A.L. pennant with a homerun in extra innings of Game seven, the Yankees have long pushed die-hard Red Sox fans to drink. But, after the miraculous 2004 season when the Sox came back from 3 games down to break “the curse” and win the World Series, the two teams have been battling it out for baseball supremacy.
Whether you go to the new, palatial Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, or the old, legendary Fenway Park in Boston, a chance to attend a Red Sox-Yankee playoff game can be bigger than the World Series. A road trip to either one of these cities during the playoffs will remind you of the passion that sports can bring out in the true fan. The electricity in the air at both parks will move you to your feet at the big moments and you’ll either leave heartbroken or enthralled, but either way, you’ll never forget you were there.
When planning the ultimate sports road trip, use a site like RentACarNow.com to get the lowest options on car rental prices.
No Comments »The British Open, another top 100 Sporting Event is taking place today!
The British Open is the next top 100 sporting event to take place. This year it is being held at Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, Kent. The British Open is one of my favorite golf tournaments only because it includes a trip to Europe. When the British Open was last at Royal St. George’s in 2003 the fairly unknown Ben Curtis won it. It would be great to see another American win against a tough European field this year. I doubt it will happen since the only American with a chance is basically a 28-1 long shot. What ever happened to American golf? I never thought I would be saying that.
Britain is a great place to visit especially if you love golf. Here is my shameless plug for Golftours.com. Golftours.com can help you re-enact your favorite British Open moments whether it’s in England at courses such as Royal St. George’s or in Scotland at the world famous St. Andrews Golf Club. Another good reason to visit Royal St. George’s is you can play other great links courses such as Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club or Princess Golf Club which are both former British Open Courses. You can actually play every course the British Open has ever taken place on if you wanted to. This is something you could never do in the states with playing all the US Open courses and the Masters course. Try booking a tee time at Augusta!
Special thanks to my man, Nic Makepeace, interning for me this summer all the way from London helping me out with these international event posts.
No Comments »Baseball All-Star Game, Phoneix Arizona!
I am heading out to the Baseball All-star game in Phoenix tomorrow for another top 100 sporting event taking place on Tuesday night. I love Phoenix for sporting events as the city caters to the hospitality industry and it’s definitely set up to accommodate a large number of fans in town for all the festivities. In fact it wasn’t too long ago that Phoenix hosted the Super Bowl (Giants over the Patriots). My only knock on the city for sporting events is it is spread out which makes hitting multiple events difficult. Some of my favorite activities to take in are the Workout day (Sunday), Home Run Contest (Monday), and of course the game (Tuesday). Tickets are really cheap this year. I saw some on www.trustedseats.com for literally under face value. Usually the cheapest seat you can buy will run you $400 dollars so take advantage of some of the $150 bargains this year in a weak secondary market. Ill also be in town for the Maxim party to take place at the W Hotel in Scottsdale on Sunday night at 10 PM. It should be a sick event if the Maxim Masters Party and the Maxim Kentucky Derby party are indicators. The top 100 sporting events keep coming, next up British Open!
No Comments »Are these the five worst things you can see at a sporting event?
I’m not sure about you but I found Casey Anthony being found not guilty yesterday extremely offensive.
It got me thinking what I find really offensive at a sporting event.
Here are my top five most offensive sites at a sporting event.
5. Those empty seats up close while people are packed in the bleachers
4. Die hard fans in the upper deck and the empty suit on his cell phone in the front row
3. The $10 Beer, you just feel like you got ripped off unless you are a New Yorker then its normal
2. Guy who wears the jersey of the wrong player (Jets fans if you own a Mark Gastineau or Keyshawn Johnson jersey get rid of it)
1. Even worse the guy who wears his own jersey, Jets #99 “Goldberg”
No Comments »Wimbledon, the top tennis event on the top 100 sporting event list
One event that I would love to attend but have not had the chance to yet is Wimbledon. It made the top 20 of the 100 sporting events list with good reason. Every tennis fan dreams of going to this one. As much as I love the US Open I would have to say this is the best all around tennis event in the world.
No Comments »US Open Golf, Another Top 100 Sporting Event
The US Open Golf Tournament is drawing some huge interest this year. The tournament being played at Congressional in Maryland even sparked President Obama and Speaker Boehner to hit the links. Next thing you know Anthony Weiner will be tweeting pictures of his “club” to woman all over the world. What else would you expect from a Top 100 Sporting Event taking place near the Nations capital. While the US Open Golf Tournament is certainly not the Master’s it definitely is one of the worlds biggest golf tournaments each year. When it takes place at Congressional it tends to draw even more interest from fans. The great thing to see is that there are some great young golfers who will make it interesting for years to come regardless if Tiger ever regains his form.
No Comments »GOLFTOURS.COM NAMES THE (5) HOTTEST DOMESTIC GOLF TRAVEL DESTINATIONS FOR 2011
GOLFTOURS.COM NAMES THE (5) HOTTEST DOMESTIC GOLF TRAVEL DESTINATIONS FOR 2011
1. Greenbrier Sporting Club, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
2. TPC Sawgrass, Jacksonville, Florida
3. Bali Hai Golf Club, Las Vegas, Nevada
4. The American Club, Kohler Wisconsin
5. Innisbrook Golf Resort, Tampa Florida
Golftours.com the leading company for golf travel and golf packages to destinations such as Scotland, Ireland, Spain, and the United States announced its 2011 (Spring) list of the most requested domestic golf trips on its site.
“There are so many great luxury golf travel destinations here in the United States but a handful seem to usually stick out as the most preferred golf vacation spots. The golf destinations that made our list are all incredible sites for golf trips and golf travel. It was really encouraging to see that these golf travel locations are spread out all over the country and that folks are leaving home again to take golf vacations.” said Robert Tuchman a partner at Skylight Group which owns golftours.com.
Golftours.com releases its most requested destinations each quarter for both domestic golf travel as well as international golf travel.
“Were excited to see how much passion people have for the places that they like to go to for their golf vacation. There are so many great golf travel spots in the world and although we only name the top five each season we do receive thousands of requests for golf trips for so many golfing locations.” said Brett Sklar a partner at Skylight Group which owns golftours.com.
Golftours.com will release its top (5) hottest international golf travel destination list later this month.
About Golftours.com
Golftours.com is the world leader in golf travel vacations and golf packages to international destinations including Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain. Goltours.com is part of the Skylight Group holding company.
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