Learning in the Dugout of Life

Little League World Series players should strike.
These media savvy boys, only a year into their teenage lives, deserve guaranteed Xbox games along with their choice of lifetime candy supplier for the pressure and scrutiny placed on the “game” they love so much.

Forget paying college athletes who already live independently from their parents, are VIP at the coolest bars, and have cheerleaders waiting in the wings.

The boys of summer that carry ESPN ratings in August and practice year round with select, all-star, fall ball, Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth, USSSA, and Joe’s Pizza Palace are the ones that should reap the benefits of the LLWS.

By my calculation, if each is given only a tenth of Alex Rodriguez’s per game salary they would make $13,736; enough to cover travel costs and start a college fund. Do parents actually believe it is fun sitting in the dugout with twelve of your closest friends while vehemently defending the fact that the foul stench coming from your spot on the bench was Bobby “Big Head” Smith and not you?

The fact is, little league ballplayers just want to play and their salary and benefits break down into the chance to spend time with peers and role models that shape the person they will become.

Sunflower seed spitting contests, rally caps, and the science of the jock strap are all part of the foundation of social growth and maturity that happens to players, win or lose, that spend time together on the field.

While successful seasons are always fun, whether they conclude as world champions or Puyallup area winners, they are never the only topic at future barbeque discussions.

Remembering crazy coach Larry who kept stats like a pro scout or the time Timmy fell asleep in left field are laughed about and argued over for years to come.

Anytime my friends and I get together the reminiscing begins with the single loss that kept us from going to the LLWS and ends with the time I spit out the front window of the mini-van on the way to a game and hit Seth through the back window.

Learning and living in the dugout may not sound glamorous but the accomplishments, failures, and experiences that happen within those walls are unique and wonderful.

Two teams will be left in the dugouts of this year’s LLWS on Aug 27th and only one will carry the trophy back to their hometown.

A-Rod money may be a stretch, but I can only hope all the kids in this year’s tournament at least get a camera to capture the stories that will be told to generations of ballplayers to come.

Jagermeister: "Magic in a Bottle"

Sauerkraut, Heidi Klum, and BMW are just some of the incredible exports brought to us by way of great German engineering. Recently though, one Deutschland discovery in particular has captured America’s heart. 56 herbs, a few secret ingredients, and the ability to turn a church group into girls gone wild are facts that continue to add to the lore that is Jagermeister liqueur.

The history and creation of this “liquid crack” is as interesting and unique as the acts performed by those under its influence. According to Jagermeister’s official website, “Curt Mast developed the herb liqueur Jägermeister in 1934. The unique recipe remains secret to this day.”

This secret sparks many a debate between drunken college students across the world. Opiates were believed to have been used to give Jager it’s so called “different kind of drunk”. The mother of all internet legends though, involves the belief that the color of the liquor is derived from the secret ingredient of stag blood. The syrupy color, along with the picture of the deer on the bottle, make some weary of the possibilities.

The list of ingredients available to the public is available on Jagermeister.com. Included among the herbs is “cinnamon from Sri Lanka, bitter oranges from Australia, ginger root from southern Asia, red sandalwood from East India, and blueberries from Europe” Steps of proper weighing, maceration, storing, and bottling must be taken to insure the delivery of 750ml, 70 proof liquor worldwide.

Influence of this brand stretches from local dive bars to trendy Hollywood parties. It has even been added to the list of Googlism’s that allow individuals a chance to best define this enigmatic product. Jager-bomb’s, a mixture of red-bull and a shot of Jager, are top choices of bar patrons across the country. Aficionados of the drink though can list hundreds of different ways one can enjoy the flavor of the Jagermeister.

The brand is even breaking through to the millions of health conscious Americans who prefer Michelob Ultra to the neighborhood microbrew. Without taking on the booze giants fighting over calorie grams in advertising the Jagermeister creators offer something much more substantial. A shot of the syrup, and its 56 herbs and spices, actually aid the digestive system and keep things moving regularly.

The full impact of this import is yet to be seen but one thing is known for sure; Jager now ranks with David Hasselhoff as a premium German product.