Detroit Red Wings Lose 2009 Stanely Cup Finals in Game 7

What the heck happened? I actually just moved to Detroit August of 2008, so I am totally new to hockey. So of course living here - I wanted to engulf myself into the culture of Detroit. And one of the requirements of doing that is to go buy my first octopus, boil it and go down to the Joe and throw it down on the ice and watch it bounce (I have yet to earn my Detroit Red Wing merit badge). And I also decided to invest quite a bit of my time and ultimately a lot of emotion into watching the Red Wings pursue their quest of winning the Stanley Cup back to back.

So first off - hockey is pretty entertaining it has been a fun ride and I have learned a lot. Second, why did we even let the Penguins back into the series in the first place? And third, was this whole series just an NHL conspiracy?

Detroit as a city really needed this win. There are plenty of us out there that just need to see and feel some personal victories right now to lift us up. We all need to be prescribed just a spoonful of hope and we were really counting on Wings to dish that out last night.

The question remains...what the heck happened last night?

This next line will sum it right up: "It wasn't about the Red Wings losing the finals; it was about the Penguins winning it"

And poor Marian Hossa chasing his dream for the last two years of winning the Stanley Cup.

What can we all learn from this? We should never be cocky. I feel the Red Wings and the city of Detroit (myself included) got just way too cocky. We felt this was in the bag - no big deal. Being cocky will always set you up for failure. We always need to respect our opponents. It's just the mindset of being cocky that makes you think that you are just going to show up and be handed the championship. But here's the problem - the Red Wings didn't show up last night and that's what was the most frustrating for me. Dang, I was so upset last night - that was not how the story was suppose to end.

All I can say is that these experiences just allow us to build character. Learn from it and we will be back next year. Until then - Go Tigers!

Roger Federer Wins The French Open

First off it has been months since I last posted here on my blog unfortunately. I really enjoy blogging and have missed it. It has been a rough few months and unfortunately it's not over yet. But a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I am able to blog again...

I feel one of the most beautiful experiences an individual can experience is triumph and victory over the greatest challenge ever before them. For some that is winning the French Open, for others it's surviving in Survivor and for most it is the ability to be successful in your endeavors. Every one of us is paving our own road to success. I see it as a journey. Some take detours, others are in holding patterns or downward spirals. But it is the very few who are able to conquer and accomplish what they have set out to do.

I have dreams and I have set out to accomplish those dreams but right now I am stuck between a boulder and a hard place.

Roger Federer is not only an incredible athlete but it seems he is an incredible person as well. I think after Federers loss to Rafael Nadal last year he felt he had a monkey on his back. Nadal has won the French Open for the last 4 years straight: 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008. What an incredible accomplishment. I was absolutely blown away when Nadal lost in the 4th round of the French Open 2009 to Robin Soderling. But it appears Nadal has been having pain in his knees. That makes total sense because when I was watching him play against Soderling - it didn't seem like Nadal at all.

So now Federer is tied with Pete Sampras at 14 Grand Slam Titles. Federer definitely beat that monkey off of his back - well deserved. Federer is on his way to making history. I think the greatest obstacle we will ever face is ourselves. Why is that? Why do you get in your own way? Why do I get in my way?

Federer is living proof that you can defeat whatever obstacle lies before you. I love to witness people reap victories - I look forward to having my own one day.