Gene Hackman, my mortal enemy . . .

7.10.2005

Good Day. In a effort to diffuse the Blog Wars, having no interest in attacking the Bush administration, and no real comment on the terrorist attacks in London, I have decided to post something a bit lighthearted . . . how Gene Hackman is my mortal enemy.

A little background first, as most of you know I play a lot of sports and was also pretty darn good pitcher at one time (another story). Some of you may or may not know, that beyond a freelance artist, a creator of webcomics, husband, father of tow toddlers, my fulltime job is the Director of Disability Services, for a very large non-profit in Southeastern, MA. My road into human services is also another long story; because I very much enjoy working with persons with disabilities, I also volunteer for Special Olympics (yes, I can hear your jokes now). I do a lot of different things for SOMA (Special Olympics- MA), but my favorite by far is Unified Softball.

For those unfamiliar with Unified Sports, quickly it is slow pitch softball, half the teamates are "normal" athletes and the other half are disabled. You play at all times with half and half, fielding and batting. There are several divisions, based upon skill level, and the team I am on, is a top skill level team; this team is almost good enough to take on a "normal" men's softball team, as is all the teams in that division (you should come see it some time, you'd be impressed), or at least give them a run for their money. The majority of player who are disabled are mentally retarded, but there are some who are boderline, and few others with other disabilities.

Which brings me back to me, and Gene Hackman. Not to toot my own horn, but I am a VERY good slow pitch softball pitcher. I can throw a curve, and slider, high arc, low arc, and a knuckle ball (it is an actual underhand knuckler, I am the only one in any of the leagues I play in who can throw it). Now before you start thinking about strike outs, that is not the goal, it's still slow pitch softball. My goal is to induce pop flies, and dribblers, which I do fairly consistently. In all the years I have pitched, I have only ever found 1 batter who can consistently hit my stuff. GENE HACKMAN. I think in the years I have played against him he is something like 18 for 20 against me.

Gene Hackman, as my team affectionately calls him, is a guy named John, who plays for The Fitchburg (Ma's) Giants. What little I know about John is the following.

1. He is around 60
2. He was institutionalized for much of his early life (again this was common in MA, and is another blog).
3. He is funny as all hell.
4. He looks like Gene Hackman, if Gene went the route of the Unabomber.

First, John is a talker, always talking, teasing, a little playful trash talking, and no matter what pitch I toss he, he ends up at first base. Slider, curves, knucklers, he hits it all and hits the ball hard and to holes. All the time rounding the bases, he jaws at me. I have met no other batter, disabled or not who can do this to me. He drives me nuts, but I love him.

We had a tourney today, and played his team three times. He got up at least 8 times. We got him out once. I tip my cap to him.

This brings me to one of my favorite rants . . . the word retard(ed). Would you call someone who you thought was acting stupid the N-word (for those of you who do not know what the N-word is, go ask your parents, I find that word to be the most insulting word in the language, and refuse to write, or say it)? Well the word retard(ed) is just as hurtful, and derogartory. Mental Retardation is generally a birth defect marked by an IQ of under 75, and dificiencies in 2 of 10 activities of daily living (ADL's). It effects 3 in every 100 persons born in this country (yes it is that common). It is caused by genetic defects, problems around birth, and later health issues. When you say someone is "a retard" or that something is "retarded" you are implying by that statement that someone or something stupid occured. That is as insulting as using the N word to describe something that is stupid. Remember that next time you use that word, which seems to be ever popular among the kids (very common word to use at forums). It is more than likely that if you do not know anyone mentally retarded now, you will someday. It only takes one car accident to put you in the same boat. I see that everyday. Think about what you are saying.

Updates

We are hosting a new webcomic, entitled Adventures in the New West. It is about a wagon train, that sets out West in the 1980's. A bit crudely drawn, but funny. Check it out, the first 4 pages are now loaded.

I will begin work of the next page of JesusMan tomorrow. This means that a new page should be up by Wednesday. The Wraith by the Weekend. I have also loaded two Webcomics List buttons to your right, click them once a day to keep the doctor away.

We are 2000 hits away from 300,000 hits, not bad since the site opened 2/22/05. Thanks as always. We are now averaging 20,000+ hits per week.

If you would like to support this site, click some ads, buy some shiite through Amazon via this site.

I am Malach, you are NOT!