My mom was 45 when the brain cancer got her, my step mom is close to 70, it recently found her...when you're a 20-year-old kid like i was during my mom's illness, you think 45 is old...then you get to be that age, like i have, and you realize 45 isn't old...neither is 70...neither is 15...which is how old my friend Ryan is...he too has brain cancer...he's been fighting it darn near his whole life...Over the past 9 1/2 years, Ryan has endured 4 brain surgeries, 60 rounds of radiation treatment, and 25 months of chemotherapy...those are staggering numbers...so is this...22,000-plus...that's the amount of money pledged on Ryan's behalf for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life...Ryan's goal was 15-thousand...Ryan's motivation, he told his family he doesn't want any other kid to go thru what he has gone thru... You know i've written about ryan four or five times now because his strength continues to amaze me...continue to think of him, please... You can see a picture of Ryan and keep up to date on his fight if you so desire at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ryandavidson

The best story in college football over Thanksgiving weekend is not in Oklahoma, Alabama or Florida. The Ducks and Beavers play for 'the right to live in the state of Oregon.' ....That's how one former coach described this weekend's civil war... For Oregon State, a win and it's the Rose Bowl...that's like Ugly Betty winning a beauty contest...i saw Ugly Betty play at Penn State…ugly...then I saw her beat USC…gorgeous...beat Oregon and Oregon State gets Penn State in the granddaddy of 'em Been 44-years since Oregon State went to the Rose Bowl...it's been 25 years since I went to the civil war, which by the way is the longest football rivalry on the West Coast in terms of number of games played ...that 1983 game I attended as an Oregon grad...0-0...affectionately referred to as the Toilet Bowl, i read that game was the last scoreless tie in Division I football... 25-years later i'm finding it hard not to root for the team I used to love to hate...I'm getting soft, like rose pedals...

I'm writing this one day after the 7th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks...I want to write about what happened one day before September 11th of THIS year... David Wright...the new york met...for the third consecutive year...visited Engine 10, Ladder 10 in New York City...the firehouse right across the street from Ground Zero...the one that lost six men seven years ago...the one you may have peeked inside if you've ever visited that area... From what I read, Wright smiled for every picture, and signed every item handed him...the smile he put on the face of one ten year old boy made his mother cry ...the boy's daddy worked and died in the world trade center... Another couple brought their 7-year old grandson...his mom was killed on the job that day...she was a big Met's fan, and the son she hardly knew was wearing a Mets jersey... There are times in our lives we will never forget...9-11 surely qualifies regardless of your loss that day...there are also people in the lives of others who do unforgettable things...David Wright was one such person this week...

Derek Trucks is a guitar player…some say he's the best slide player alive. Guitar God, if you like...mesmerizing. Derek has his own band, and he also plays for the Allman Brothers Band. Derek rarely says a word on-stage but I recently caught up with him backstage, and he shared with me the story of meeting his great uncle, Virgil Trucks, a former major leaguer. You can google Virgil and see that he was a heckuva player. Derek used to keep a baseball card of Virgil in his touring bus, not sure if he does anymore. Derek said he and his dad took a trip to Alabama last month and found the 92-year old Virgil. It was the first time both men had met him. Derek said they sat their for two-plus hours listening to baseball stories…said his great uncle had some unreal stories about Satchel Paige. Derek's eyes lit up as he talked about his road trip…much the way mine had lit up watching him work the guitar earlier that night. Then there's the fact that I went to the Ratdog/Allman Brothers concert that Derek performed at with Bill Walton…no, I'm not kidding!

Tough decision of the week: What to do on Thursday night - go to Neil Diamond or go to Barry Melrose's going-away party in Boston? If the two were touring together, Neil would open for Barry...Melrose is that much of a dude. And if you think Neil Diamond is a putz, then you need to brush up on cool cuz Neil Diamond is cool...just not as cool as Barry Melrose. Melrose party is in Boston, Diamond plays down the block here...that would seem to be advantage Neil...but the party in Boston is at Steve Levy's bar, "The Greatest Bar"...advantage Barry. One night in Boston...another night in the greater Hartford area...big advantage Barry. My tickets for Neil Diamond are on the floor but near the back of the arena...with Barry, I'm standing right next to him sharing a beverage...advantage Barry. Am going to Melrose party alone...have a hot date for Diamond show...big advantage Neil. Have to buy a hotel room if Levy won't let me sleep in his bar...or can sleep in my own bed if I see the concert...advantage Neil. By the time you read this, I will have made my bed...