Why Perfection Matters

Tomorrow night, the 15-0 Patriots are facing a much less talented, capable, and successful Jersey/A team. The game is probably not going to be much of a contest for the Pats. We can argue this until we're blue in the face, but let's just say that the naysayers will point out any combination of:
- Bill Belichick is an arrogant prick
- The Pats lack exceptional grace and class
- Spygate, steroids, etc.

But I'm not here to rehash those quibbles. In 10, 20, 50, 100 years, if they still play or care about football, they will only remember if the Patriots win tomorrow night, and continue to win throughout the playoffs and finish a perfect 19-0. First, let me re-iterate that. The season doesn't end tomorrow night, there are still the playoffs to go, and if the Pats do not win the Super Bowl, it will be seen as one of the biggest chokes in history, considering that they have consistently proved themselves better than their opponents.

But issue is, why should we or anyone care about perfection? Isn't it just a game? No. Perfection matters. The pursuit of perfection matters. The drive to be great, to be the best, matters. It matters because we live in a world of mediocrity. We live in a society that watches too much and reads too little. We live in a time when we celebrate the failings of celebrities and revel in our anonymous forums. We live in a attitude of complacency and entitlement, while our rivals elsewhere seek to become us of yesteryear.

We've all seen the statistics, about how poorly our students do in science and math. About how many more engineers are produced in not only India and China, but even Ireland, than there are produced in the US. This at a time when the world's economy demands technical skill more than ever and whosoever has the most will be the new superpower. At the same time, more and more of us feel as if we are owed something. As if we deserve success which is unearned. As if who we are outweighs what we do. Our companies are weak because our unions and pensions perpetuate this mediocrity. Our nation is weak because we chose a President who personifies this mediocrity. Our culture is weak because we wallow in this mediocrity.

That is why perfection matters. Even our sports heroes, who we could once count on to demonstrate the best in us, now squabble over money and petty fame. About merely making the playoffs and moral victories. But those that do, those that inspire us to be great, those that strive for what is impossible, those are the ones that matter. That is why perfection matters.

Perfection is the best in us. Perfection in the face of the best our opponents can offer reveals the finest parts of our humanity and the depths of our will, our strength, and our courage. To reach for the heavens is noble.

I hope that the Pats win out. I really do. Don't sit your starters, Don't hold back the play calling or the preparation. Don't get lazy. Don't be complacent. Win. Beat Eli and the less mediocre team from Jersey. Beat everyone. Be perfect.

AZhiN NQOB

My roommate just got a 360 with Halo 3. As soon as I figure out how to get the the thing on my wireless network, I'll be back on Live and sucking it up. I hope I can recover my gamer tag, if not, I'll let you guys know what my new tag is. In the meantime, could you guys sound off on what your tags are?

Mexico

from my other blog for my new house --
http://roomiesday.blogspot.com/2007/12/mexico.html

Yes, Fred Savage.

Bye Bye G-Dub 2008

So with all eyes on Iowa recently leading up to the caucus on Jan 3, and with every candidate imaginable campaigning non-stop through this fine state I got to thinking about how we all rallied behind John Kerry back in Pittsburgh. What are your guys thoughts on the current candidates? I for one am an Obama fan through and through.

non-profits and investments in takatak land

Takatak: either post as comment or in seperate post insight into the two non-profits you are working on. I know as the year wraps up I try and make a few selected donations to non-profits that I particularly value (including cmu) and would be interested to hear why the ones you are working for are particularly deserving. Not only as financial motivation, but also
because I am involved with a few non-profits and am interested in hearing about how other well run non-profits leverage their funding and put it to good use. I think other people on this blog might value that as well.

On a second and related note - only inasmuch as it is related to finances and India - in a recent phone conversation you talked about some top-performing Indian mutual funds. Either post links or provide some more information so I can figure out where I can invest my hard earned, post-tax, money to then repatriate it (that was intended as a smart ass comment), but really how can I make my money work for me better.

This could be a great place to share information like this going forward. For example check out FXI (the xinghua index ETF) it has kicked ass in my portfolio this year and has been a top performer for my clients. Also zhi dont cash out your options until you have to - might as well only have taxes kick your ass once.

Mitchell Report

sweet work zhi setting this up. Im fired and hope that we all use this forum.

Anyway the fodder today is the Mitchell report. Woot R-Maine represent. What do you guys think about this whole thing? including Roger Clemens.

This is my core concern: The MLB stance is that as a result of this report is that the continuity of Major League baseball's historical records and statistical validity is in no way at risk due to steroid use and other non-detectable drug use (read HGH) during the "steroid era" because the MLB has now addressed the issues of performance enhancing drugs.


I heard Bob Costas on the radio this morning talking about how the historical continuity of the records was intact (which I disagree with) but he said that instead of putting asterisks next to the offending players records that there should be a page in the front of the record book that talks about changes in the game over time including mound height, relief pitchers, and of course steroids. I dont know how that solves the problem, because there cant be a page of disclaimer every time a stat is shown on a television screen or a newspaper. (But I think this is a better alternative to the asterisk.)

I think there is an issue with the asterisk that is brought up too. You cannot asterisk every run driven in by a Bonds homer or an ERA affected by his hitting, or asterisk every series batting average from the Mets Yankees 2000 series because Clemens pitched 17 scoreless innings in back to back starts.

What is the solution? Is the MLB in the free and clear? IMO, there is still a long way to go. And the "steroid era" will always cast a shadow of doubt over players who broke records (including bonds and clemens) as a result of playing in this era, especially given allegations about their direct steroid use, however clear on unclear their ties may be.

As many of you know I have come from being a baseball dissenter and become if not an enthusiast, definitely an appreciator of the value of the sport, especially statistically speaking (credit where credit is due). No other sport offers so thorough a record of the game's progression and comparison of players and teams. This quantitative model (from a finance guy's point of view) to sport is fascinating and fun to think, discuss, and prattle on about.

Beeler St is back...in black!

Hello Boys! Since it's been suggested that we use the new fangled web2.0 to keep in touch, I've decided to start this blog.

It's intended for people from the Beeler house at CMU and friends, but no one is turned away, except for the Jews. Just kidding, as most of you know my antisemitism has been tempered somewhat as I grow older. Either that or I just hate everyone else equally now, but all to the same effect. So come one, come all. I'll try and add everyone as contributors and in the mean time, try and let me know who I've left off the list.

peace