My hopes of a Tribe comeback are fading fast, as the team’s injuries mount and the Cleveland Indians fall farther behind the Detroit Tigers baseball team.

But a game last Sunday in Detroit between the two clubs proved to be a heckuva Sunday afternoon and time well-spent.

The ball game was my first trip to Comerica Park, and the first major-league baseball game for a ten-year old boy (a friend’s son) who went along on the trip. Those two “firsts” were well-rewarded with a hard-fought game that ended on a close play at home plate.

The whole weekend series was a sell-out, which means there were about 45,000 screaming fans of both baseball franchises in attendance. We could only get standing-room only tickets, but we got to Comerica early enough to lean against a railing in left-center field for the entire game.

We were surrounded by a sea of pinstripes, orange, and dark blue—commonalities of a Tiger’s uniform and the related fan merchandise. You could see pockets of red, white, and blue—the Indians team colors.

Each sighting of a Cleveland fan resulted in the greeting “Go Tribe.” The ribbing from the Motor City Kitty faithful was good-natured, and at one point, almost apologetic when the Tigers took a 7-0 lead early in the game. But major-league baseball is as much about the fan experience as it is what happens on the field. From that standpoint, the afternoon was well-worth the price of admission. Blue skies, mid-70’s, and fans having fun.

The Indians, in typical fashion this season, staged an improbable comeback. They had baserunners galore, but could not get the tying run home. Frustration turned to excitement on a long fly ball to centerfield. But a Tigers outfielder threw a bullet right to home plate, allowing the catcher to tag out the runner in the top of the ninth inning for the last out.

Game over. But the memories will live on for a lifetime.

“I am officially retiring from the NFL.” – Brett Favre in 2008, retiring as a member of the Green Bay Packers.

Favre would play with the Jets and then the Vikings in subsequent years, with each season having the retirement storyline hovering above.

“I’m humbly honored that this page is serving as a memorial for performances from yesteryear. I thank you for all your support throughout the years.

Yours in retirement,
Chris” – Chris AKA the Filipino Favre on September 9, 2010.

Chris is known as an Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) legend. See, AAJA holds a convention every year in a different city. Starting in 2004 in Washington DC, Chris established himself as one of the organization’s kings of karaoke. His rendition of Prince’s “Kiss” is SPOT ON. Trust me on that.

Well, since that fateful quote in September of 2010, Chris was spotted serenading to his many adoring fans at AAJA 2011 in Detroit.

The Filipino Favre at work!

Granted, there was a deal made where the emcee had to wear a Lions jersey instead of his beloved Raiders jersey, but the bottom line is, Chris wasn’t retired.

Therefore, the Filipino Favre nickname.

To get a taste of how good Chris is at karaoke… this is from 2010:

Filipino Favre at his finest

Also, there’s this from a few years earlier:

Filipino Favre\'s inner karaoke comes out!

And it seems like every year starts with the words, “I’m retired.”

Through the years, he’s become known as the Asian Prince.

The Sexual Tsunami.

The Asian Jay-Z.

And it all comes back to being like a certain quarterback wearing the #4 jersey.

Chris’ words this year after AAJA 2011… “Accept it. I AM RETIRED!”

BUT… I fully expect the Filipino Favre to be on full display at next year’s convention!!!!!

How’s this for an awkward mental picture: come this time next week, I’ll be at a study table next to my son doing homework. Not helping him, mind you, but doing my own.

My son’s school district– Evergreen (Fulton County)– is the first public school system back in session. The students went back to class Aug. 17. It’s early, but I like the fact they’ll be done with the entire first semester by Christmas break. None of this take-two-weeks-off-over-the-holidays-only-to-com-back-for-semester-exams stuff that other districts have to suffer.

He’s practically living at the Evergreen Schools complex anyway for football practice– so why not get started now and end early?

The University of Toledo heads back next week. Feels like I just turned in the final exams for a pair of summer semester on-line courses. Oh well, had to start back sometime! I’m still a year-18 months away from finishing my master’s degree. I think it sets a good example for my student-athlete son. To see his dad working full-time but carrying a 4.0 GPA brings it home better than constantly preaching and harping at him about the value of a good education.

One final note about a T-shirt I saw the other day that I want to buy for him. The phrase read: “Student comes before athlete.” It’s a mantra every student-athlete should realize and follow…because without academics, there’s no athletics.

As I was thinking of something to blog about, I thought, “Why not just blog about whatever’s in my head?”

AAJA’s been in my head non-stop for the last several months, but especially these last few weeks.

AAJA stands for the Asian American Journalists Association. They hold a convention in a different city every year. Last year, the convention was in Hollywood. This year, actually last week, it was Detroit’s turn to host.

And boy, did they host.

But I guess the main thing about this that has me feeling the way I do is that these annual conventions feel like the culmination of everything that I stand for. What keeps me away from my hometown friends and family (and trust me, I miss Houston) is that I’m living my dream as a sports anchor. I’m trying to influence others into believing they can do whatever it is they like to do.

Go for it. Doesn’t matter what it is. Go for it.

I guess when so many journalists are all in one place, when everybody’s in the same boat pretty much… it kind of feels like I’m coming home.

Maybe it’s because AAJA’s become a second family to me.

Everybody’s going for the same dreams. Everybody’s trying to learn. Everybody’s trying to have fun. And it’s so great to reconnect with so many people while meeting so many more.

I’m still thinking about it three days after the fact.

If you find that lame, I’m sorry.

But this is my life. This is my mission. This is my family.

My AAJA family.

And family’s always been the top priority for me.

Much love…

Here we are in the dog days of summer: August. Who would have thought that the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Indians would be locked into a battle for first place? Certainly not me, but it’s one of the reasons I’m such a big baseball fan.

No one, I mean, no one expected my beloved Tribe to be anywhere near enough to even sniff contention this late in the season. The Indians are usually busy around the trading deadline, getting rid of soon-to-be-stars they can no longer afford for a plethora of prospects. The names in the past few years are an All-Star roster all their own: CC Sabathia, Victor Martinez, Cliff Lee, etc.

This time, both teams became buyers instead of sellers at the trading deadline. The Tigers added a starter and a reliever to their deep, talented group of pitchers. Cleveland picked up some outfield help and made the blockbuster of baseball, deal-of-the-century to land a #1 starter.

Some former Indians are now even playing for the Motor City Kitties, adding to what’s become a pretty cool regional rivalry on opposite shores of Lake Erie. The two teams are no more than a couple of games apart—and play each other at least a dozen more times down the stretch, splitting those contests between Progressive Field and Comerica Park.

I know of a few Toledo watering holes even sponsoring bus trips to Detroit to watch the two teams go head-to-head.

The battle lines are drawn. It should be a fun end to it all for the boys of summer, with the Central Division title waiting as the spoils for the winner.

Toledo’s latest round of professional golf will be fun to folllow, because I grew up on names like Hale Irwin and Fuzzy Zoeller.

Th0se guys always seemed to be chasing the likes of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus on the PGA, but now they duke it out directly with each other on the Senior PGA. Alas, my reporting duties likely will keep me from Inverness, but I will follow closely the progress of the tournament online.

I’m not a golf fan, per se, nor do I play the sport (anymore). An early foray onto the links made me realize the 11th Commandment: Know Thy Limitations. I wasn’t very good, nor did I have the time and patience to get the skills necessary– despite the competitive fires that burn within.

Normally I would fall asleep when listening to the whispering voices on TV describe the action. But the talent assembled in Toledo makes me want to pay attention this time. The Glass City’s own golf goodwill ambassador also is part of the festivities this year– Jamie Farr, even without the presence this summer of his annual LPGA event. The ladies made room for the golden agers of golfing and they’ll be back in town next year.

So enjoy the sport of seniors this weekend. I will. It may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see some of the legends of the links compete.

My thoughts. My prayers. My friend.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/washingtonpost/obituary.aspx?n=jentso-hwang&pid=152542849

An old high-school buddy. Feels weird since I’m still kind of young.

Bottom line, it’s just tragic.

I’ll definitely miss him.

So Google+ comes along to the social media world and everybody thinks, “Another one.”

Right?

This one’s worth it.

It pretty much consolidates everything together.

Case in point…

Ah yes... so eloquently explained.

But, believe it or not, it’s not just about collaborating to pee together.

Think Twitter in the following regards: Ever get concerned you might lose some followers with some localized posts that someone else might not care about? Basically, with G+, you can put your localized tweets/updates to your specified Circles that, in my case, would include NW Ohio. For instance, my friends in Miami might not care about how a local high school did, but they won’t need to be spammed by my posts. At the same time, my Toledo/NW Ohio circles would still get the benefit of information. AND… you can do it in more than 140 characters.

Think Facebook in the following regards: for most of us media types who have fan pages, because of the Circles function organizing our cliques, we can essentially run our fan page from our personal page without sacrificing privacy in a gosh-darned easy way. At the same time, as mentioned earlier, friends outside my media coverage area won’t need to be bombarded with my work. So at least I won’t look too overly self-serving.

And I haven’t even gotten to the Hangouts section yet.

I mean… how cool is it to video chat with up to 10 people at the same time in the same window using a voice-activated system with the ability to share video at the same time? And it’s FREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! That kinda sorta rhymes with YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEE, by the way…

The Hangout session looks a little something like this:

Hanging out on a Friday night... the G+ way

Yes. Consider me sold.

That said, I’ll still use my Facebook and Twitter accounts along with G+.

Sincerely,

@ho_chen
@HChenBobblehead
@AAJAMichigan
@AAJAmales

PS… for more in-depth info about G+, check out the following:

http://king5olei.tumblr.com/post/7515810533/one-week-into-google-and-counting-an-analysis-or

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9218283/Elgan_How_Google_ends_social_networking_fatigue?taxonomyId=169&pageNumber=1

Let’s hear it for the girls!!! The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team certainly has a flair for the dramatics and it was no different on Sunday afternoon. 12 years to the day they shocked the world when they beat China in front a huge crowd at the Rose bowl in 1999… they did it again! In what has been a tournament of ups and downs- their game against Brazil was definitely a high point for the ladies in red, white and blue… Down 2-1 in injury time, of stoppage time of over time- in the 122nd minute… it happened! The crowd, who had been won over by team USA, erupted when our golden girl and “beast in the air” Abby Wambach scored what may be- the biggest goal of her career. In a beautiful cross by Megan Rapinoe- Abby W. headed in a beautiful goal- USA 2 – Brazil 2- time for Penalty Kicks!! It was the last World Cup USA goaltender Hope Solo was benched for the game against Brazil so Brianna Scurry could start in goal, obviously unhappy about it, some select comments got her kicked off the team. In what I saw as redemption- Hope would go on to block one of the PK’s… All the USA needed was one more goal for the icing on the cake- Ali Krieger, calm as can be- nailed it and the rest is history!! Like I said, a flair for the dramatics! Post game interviews only showed that this group of 21 girls truly know what it means to work as 1. In never say die fashion, even when the odds and the clock, were against them- they did it. This time, silencing the doubters that they were “too young” or “Didn’t have enough experience to win” critics schmitics! You don’t have to be soccer fan, let alone a USWNT fan to appreciate what was done yesterday. Those girls made history, and they did it for our country.

I have been a fan ever since I was a kid who played soccer and ever since I watched the 1999 World Cup Victory with my Grandpa in Buffalo, NY on vacation- I was 13- and that is the last memory I have of him, he passed away that year in October. So that game, this team means more to me than anyone may ever know- they are a true sense of pride for this country and exactly what American’s need. I am not a bandwagon fan, bandwagons fans are actually a pet peeve of mine, but please- jump on this wagon because the only place to go from here- is up! Congrats to the 21 women who given this country something to cheer about, both at home and abroad- you are an inspiration to young and old, men and women- to follow your dreams. Pressure Makes Us and you make us, proud. Your story is still being written… let’s pray for a happy ending. Go Team USA!!

Honesty is the best policy.

My experience has shown that karma comes back to bite those who consistently go against the above statement.

Just sayin’.

Ya dig?