I've experienced a lot of ups and downs with the Grandpas softball team over the years. We've been in winners brackets and losers brackets, seasons of 12-4 and 4-12, walk-off wins and losses in bunches. But there's one thing I've never experienced with them: beating Upper Deck.

There's no shame in losing to Upper Deck. In one three-year span, they did not lose a single game. They've won our league multiple times. They've fifteen-runned us a few times. They've beaten us the last six times I played against them, and ten times in a row since 2004. Last year they were also strong, although in the championship game they were upset by Big Blue Sox (who we managed to beat this year. This season we also beat last year's C-league champions in their first year promoted to our league). Could the Grandpas be giant-killers again? Enough history ... let's get to the game!

We started out with a lights-out pitching performance from Bill, who retired the first nine batters in order. Offensively we had loads of base runners but only managed to convert a handful into runs. We steadily increased our lead, from 3-0 in the first, to 5-0 in the second, 6-0 and 7-1 after three and four innings respectively.

In the fifth inning came Bill's only mistake: a pitch too low that was converted to a three-run homer. At the end of the inning the score was 7-5, but Upper Deck was coming alive.

The sixth inning was routine, with the Grandpas tacking on one more run and Upper Deck not responding. In the seventh inning, we started a rally but were stopped by a Gold-Glove caliber double play, limiting us to only one run. Now 9-5 and Upper Deck has the last chance at the plate.

Upper Deck started off with two base hits, giving them runners at first and third. A line-out to short gave them one out, and an error at shortstop gave them one run, and runners at first and second, with the tying run and big slugger at the plate. Bill stops to lecture the outfielders: "Outfielders! Stop the runners on fly balls!" Quick-witted Grandpa responds "Hey pitcher, keep the ball in the park!" On the first pitch, the big Upper Deck slugger takes a giant hack. The ball goes back, back, back, back.... CAUGHT at the warning track by Grandpa! It's now 9-6, two outs, and history is in the making. A weak ground ball to second base becomes the game-ending fielder's choice. Grandpa's Last Stand? is victorious!

My line: 1-3, BB, R, first time in seven tries that I've beaten Upper Deck!

We take a lot of aspects of our software for granted. But it is interesting to be reminded that a spellchecker used to be a major feat of software engineering, even though it's somewhat trivial now.

Coming off our last game where we dethroned the defending champs, "Grandpa's Last Stand?" felt pretty good about themselves. Our opponent was one of the weaker teams in the league. We scored five quick runs in the first, and another five in the second. However 10-0 became 10-3 became 10-7, and eventually became 11-12 before the last inning. Finally our bats came alive as we scored four runs, providing us a three run cushion. We got the first batter out, gave up a run, got another out, and then made a key error that put the tying run on third base and the winning run on first. The final batter hit a deep ball to left field. Grandpa ran back, back, back, and snared it over his head. Game over -- phew!

My line: 3-4, 3RBI, R, despite not ever actually hitting the ball out of the infield.

There's an organization I am involved in called Mentorplace. It matches people from industry with local middle school students. Two of my mentees, Christian and Jhovanny, were in a class that produced this video of some of their Mentorplace experiences. I think they did a great job!

Our softball team knocked off last year's champs with a strong defensive effort. The final score was about 10-5. My line: 2-4, 2RBI.

In this case I'm talking about knee rehab! I'm still on my quest to get back into running shape, hoping to do at least half marathons. I did a bit of a "brick" workout (triathlon term meaning biking and running) this morning. First about three miles running with Scout, who thoroughly enjoyed it, then a nine mile bike ride. It went pretty well and I'm hoping to keep increasing the time and distance I can go.

How many people on the Internet signed up at Facebook AFTER their mom did? She's pretty savvy, I'll give her that! Good work Mom :-)

I discovered the wonders of Facebook this weekend, and posted some pictures from my anniversary trip for all to see. Click here for the anniversary trip photos. Make sure you click through or hover over the images to see the descriptions I've added.

It's amazing how eBay has built their systems for scalability. Have you ever wondered how such a big site is still fast to interact with?

After spending the past six months in various forms of rehab, with only slow running and biking, I was excited to get back to a different athletic activity. I was looking forward to doing some sprinting for the first time in a while. Of course, my only goal was not to get hurt. My knees have been feeling pretty good lately, but my hamstrings were a little tight from inaction. I spent the warmup period telling myself no pops, no pops, no pops in reference to my hamstrings. As long as I wasn't expected to run too far, say stretch a double into a triple, I was confident that I would be fine.

As always, we elected to bat first. Despite missing the first game of the season last week, Coach put me at my regular #7 spot. I got a chance to hit in the first inning and managed a hard single up the middle, just under the pitcher's glove. The next batter advanced me to second on a soft ground ball. I felt good that at most I'd have to run the length of two bases. The inning ended with a flyout to right so I was not challenged running-wise. So far, so good.

I took my usual spot out in right field. That's a good place for a fourth outfielder like me, and there's usually not too much action. Naturally, the second batter hit a hard drive to right field that cut away from the field. I lumbered up to a "full sprint", feeling plenty of tightness. No pops, no pops, no pops went my inner monologue. The ball was ready to go past me. No pops, no pops, no pops... I reached out as far as I could to snare the glove. Pop! To my extreme surprise, it was the sound of softball being ensnared in leather. I knew this was only half the story though. Running at full sprint away from the field, with the weakest arm in the league, I would need to do my best Willie Mays impression, planting hard on my front foot to turn and make the throw to second. No pops, no pops, no pops... I closed my eyes and made the plant. No pops! The throw was good enough to hold the runner at second. I had prevented an inside-the-park home run. And prevented a lot of pain. Phew. Hopefully that would be the end of crazy sprinting.

In the second inning, I hit a long fly ball to the right fielder, who was obviously having trouble tracking it down. I figured he might drop it, and I could maybe go to second. Drop it he did. The first base coach flailed his arm to send me to second. No problem, although I hope I get to stop there. No such luck. The third base coach was flailing too. Fine, I can make it one more base, I just hope I don't have to hurry. No pops, no pops, no pops... I felt good about reaching third. Unfortunately the coach was still flailing! I couldn't believe I had gone fast enough to make this a reality. Why couldn't they leave me on third? Ok, I'll round the corner. Repeating the mantra no pops, no pops, no pops. It felt like slow motion and I had to slide into home. Safe! Now I was really hoping the crazy sprints would stop. When I got to the dugout, Coach Mike asked me if I was still running marathons. I told him about the knee rehab and tight hamstrings. He laughed and smirked "well softball will straighten them out!" (Hint: this is likely untrue)

With a respectable play at the plate, and another in the field, I figured I was done for the night. Usually I don't contribute much more. However I got the rare opportunity to play Short Fielder, the first time I was entrusted with this assignment. I think I caught three or four line drives and bloopers, so I made the most of the opportunity. Not a bad night!

Final line: 2 for 5, 2R, 3RBI, with a four-base error and a handful of outfield plays.