A tour of ASU Sports Facilities

Recently, Jim invited me along with his employee, Gabe, to the Tempe Diplomats’ tour of the Sun Devil Sports Facilities.

The tour started in the Wells Fargo Arena Wells, the home for Sun Devil men's and women's basketball as well as volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling, is one of the nation's finest collegiate arenas. Constructed in the spring of 1974 at the cost of $8 million, the 14,198-seat facility also plays host to graduation ceremonies and a variety of concerts and shows.

We were then led to the Ed and Nadine Carson Student Athletic Center. On the first floor is the Hall of Fame and trophy cases of all the trophies won by the Sun Devil sports teams. On another floor is the center is the state-of-the-art 16,000-sq. foot weight room at the Lawrence Strength and Conditioning Center.

In the football locker room is a view of Sparky, the symbol of Sun Devil athletics.

The tour ended with a buffet at Karsten Golf Course Club House. The Karsten Golf Course is home to the ASU Golf Program, which turns out winning teams year after year. Many touring professionals have honed their skills on the fairways and greens of this classic Pete Dye, Scottish links course.

What is a Best Friend?

My son asked me the other day, “Why is Jim your best friend?”

I fumbled and stumbled and came up with a couple of whimsy answers, “Because I do everything he says and because we have a lot in common.” The first answer, meant to be a joke, is far from the truth. The second answer is not really true either.

Although we enjoy several things in common, there are many things that we don’t have in common. We both like the Sweet Adelines, we both prepare taxes (He is more experienced than I.), and we were Delta Sigma Pi fraternity brothers. I like sports; he doesn’t. I like to eat; he is very careful what he eats. I weigh almost twice his weight. And the beat goes on.

The question started me thinking. I asked Jim, “Why are we best friends?” His answer, “I can tell you things and you won’t repeat them.” In other words, he can trust me. And I feel the same way about him. I trust him like I would trust a brother.

I looked up “What makes a best friend?” on the Internet. Wikipedia states, “Best Friend, someone with whom one shares the strongest friendship.” WordNet defines best friend as the one friend who is closest to you.

Other quotes found in Blogs:
• "A true friend is that rare soul who sees right through you but will see you through."
• “Someone you can count on... someone who won’t judge and someone who gives without wanting in return.”

I found all of these quotes true with our relationship. I am still thinking "What is a Best Friend?" although it doesn’t make a difference if I know or don’t know. I will always love my best friend like a brother.

USC Too Powerful

The Arizona State Sun Devil football team played like they had eaten too much turkey this Thanksgiving day. The tryptophan from the turkey took its toll on the team causing them to play sloppy almost the whole game.

In past games, the Sun Devils were noted for their lackluster play in the first half but outscored their opponents by a huge margin in the second half. Tonight was a different matter. USC was sharp throughout the whole game, but ASU played sloppy the whole game. Final score was 44-24 in favor of USC.

The atmosphere was fun though. Shelly and Craig Foster, Jim and Margie Beaton’s daughter and son-in-law, were seated next to me cheering for their Sun Devils; Little Richard together with backup from the Sun Devil Band provided half-time entertainment, screaming out, “Good Golly Miss Mollie” and a couple of his other hits; and Charles Barkley stood on the sideline in support of what he called, “my Sun Devils.”

Signs in the student section read: “O.J. Stole My Other Sign” and “We Beat Stanford.” O.J. was a star for USC. Stanford beat USC but lost to ASU 41-3.

ASU has a very slim chance of going to the Rose Bowl. For ASU to stand a chance of spending New Year’s Day in Pasadena, USC must lose to UCLA; Oregon must lose to Oregon State; and ASU must beat Arizona. That’s a tall order.

JDBPC Christmas Party

Thanks to Jim and Margie for the JDBPC Christmas party, Friday, December 15, 2006 at the Friendship Village Health Care Center.

The guests at the party included clients, family, friends and employees. The group was fun and in good Christmas spirit.

Margie and Jim mean so much to me. They have been my friends through the good times and every difficulty and obstacle. I love them both very much.