a lot has happened in sports, pop culture, and my personal life since i last blogged here that i don't really know where to start.
i guess i could start with the san francisco giants. when i last wrote, they were on a win streak trying to make the playoffs. unfortunately, they fell short as their run support died and pitching couldn't keep them in all these tight games. the beltran move was good at the time, and he showed why they made huge trades for him, but it seemed like there was too much pressure on him to succeed and he slumped when they needed him the most. it's was just an injury-riddled year and they couldn't get the timely hitting that they had last season.
then there is also the san francisco 49ers. they were 1-0 when i last blogged and i had my doubts about them. they certainly proved me (and many others) wrong. i thought that it would take at least a year before jim harbaugh made an impact on the niners. they were coming off a losing season, they pretty much changed their whole personnel with new coaches and a new system, there was a lock-out which didn't allow the players to practice with the coaches, and oh yea, they didn't have an elite quarterback. but the future certainly look a lot brighter after this past season.
the niners went 13-3 winning the nfc west and the #2 seed in the nfc division only behind the 15-1 green bay packers. they beat the high-powered saints in the divisional championship game and then lost to the eventual super bowl giants in overtime after 2 special teams fumble. it was a hard game to lose because the niners had been so good in winning the turnover battle and winning these close games, but this game literally slipped out of their hands. and what's even harder as a fan is knowing that they could have beaten the patriots in the same manner that the giants beat them in.
still, no one expected the niners to do so well and i am really proud of the team and what they accomplished this past year. they have given me hope that they will be competitive and have a chance to win in the years to come.
the nba season is almost now at it's midway point. the warriors also have a new head coach and a new system, but have not had the same success that the niners had. they are still sputtering along trying to find their identity. i've honestly not really followed this season much because there were other things on my plate (more of that to come later), but it seems like the same ol warriors to me. play some exciting basketball for 3.5 quarters and can't close it out at the end of games.
the big story, of course, has been jeremy lin. he has taken not only the basketball world, but the world itself by storm. he's headlining magazine covers and news feeds about his success. of course, as a warriors fan and bay area native, it hurts to see him succeed on the knicks and not on the warriors (especially since he was on the team last year). but, at the same time, i can't not be happy and excited for him. he is, in a sense, living out the dream of all us asian-american guys who grew up wishing we were in and succeeding in the nba.
but not only is he a taiwanese-american nba star now, he is also a devoted christian and gives all glory to God. he is similar to tim tebow in how no one believed in him, but is succeeding in his sport, and sharing his faith publicly. the difference being, most people believe that he has the skills to continue to play in the nba while some still doubt tebow will be able to last. in any case, it's neat to see these athletes who are bold in proclaiming their faith in the spotlight.
i do hope that jeremy lin continues to succeed in the nba. and i hope that he continues to stay humble and focused on giving God glory. it would be neat to see that happen.
in terms of pop-culture, i haven't been to in-touch with much. the death of whitney houston is sad. i really think she was a great singer. the tv shows that i've been watching are mostly on hiatus now. i have been keeping up with top chef, but that's about it. there hasn't really been any movie that has stood out either. i have been reading 'hunger games' and half-way through the 3rd book. that has been really interesting and i'm looking forward to seeing the movie and how they portray it.
the big news is my personal life. i am now married and just returned from my honeymoon to australia and new zealand. it is wonderful being married although there are times when it still seems surreal. i'd find myself thinking, "wow! i'm really married."
our honeymoon was a lot of fun too. we got to see the famous sydney opera house and harbor bridge, hold a koala and go snorkeling in the great barrier reef, and drive around the south island of new zealand in a campervan. food and drinks are really expensive (pretty much double everything in the states), but it was definitely worth going and i wish i was still there.
well, that's a general update of what's been going on. hopefully i'll keep this blogging up :)
