There are quite a collection of lovely people here tonight so much love for Lisa and Ron!

I want to welcome all of you, families and friends, some of whom have traveled great distances to be here tonight. We’re here to honor Lisa and Ron, who have declared their love to each other today and we bear witness to their vows. Pledging to spend their lives with each other forever is no small feat, it shows a strength of character, commitment and love for one another. To become one, yet retain their own souls and dreams. With respect for each other, together they will write new chapters in their lives going forward, each in their own style. Each of you was invited because of your relationship with the happy couple, but you may not know one or the other well. As Lisa’s Dad, I’d like to share some qualities and stories about Ron and Lisa and pay homage to the qualities that brought them together.

When I asked Ron to tell me what brought them together he told me that their mutual love of Rocknroll and heavy metal was a big part of it. Ron’s love of music inspired him to become a drummer and he plays in a band. (and one day hopes to play for the band Tool). Lisa has been going to concerts with her parents since she was a little girl seeing the likes of Van Halen, and U2. Music has been a huge part of both their lives, Ron’s parents were big rockers and played all the heavy stuff as well. Led Zeppelin, Rush, Black Sabbath and all the great British rock bands of the 70s were staples in their household. Ron told me that Lisa’s character was a big draw for him, she’s beautiful, smart, has a great sense of humor and loves to help people. Both of them have a strong work ethic and have their own businesses. Lisa heals folks every day and is a learned and accomplished doctor of chiropractic. Ron has had a tattoo business since he was 17 and recently opened the 11th Dimension in San Jose. Both Ron and Lisa put blood sweat and tears into his shop and it is now a destination for those seeking the coolest and unique artwork in the world. They have both been voted best in their craft in Silicon Valley, Lisa winning best chiropractor in the valley and Ron best tattoo shop as well.

They both love cats, they have 3 that they love and spoil. They’re both athletic, Lisa on the lacrosse field in high school and college, and as a yoga teacher and Ron on the slopes as a snowboarder. They both are teachers and mentors in their fields. Ron taught Lisa how to snowboard. Lisa helped Ron open his business and deal with the city and health departments. Ron helped Lisa remodel her office.

Most of all, they have the same chill demeanor and they are both unconventional in their thinking. This mindset that’s outside of the mainstream serves them well in today’s crazy world. Family is very important in their lives and they both dote on their nieces Margot and Magnolia. Lisa is best friends with her sister Madeline and loves her brother Matt. Ron loves his Mom Rhonda and takes care of her. He’s has been a part of the Lynch family for many years now and Caroline and I love him dearly, as if he were our own son.

We are just so fuckin proud of you both, I brag about you all the time!

Finally, I know and can see that they are crazy in love with one another and they show it in many ways every day. They’re always doing little thoughtful things to please the other one. While they are their own unique independent selves, they’re even better together. I’m going to leave you with this lyric from my favorite band Rush: The song is called Entre Nous which translates to

Just Between Us

We are secrets to each other

Each ones life a novel no one else has read.

Even joined in bonds of love

We’re linked together by such slender threads

We are islands to each other

Building hopeful bridges

On a troubled sea

Some are burned or swept away

Some we would not choose

but we’re not always free.

Just between us, I think its time for us to recognize

the differences we sometimes fear to show.

Just between us

I think its time for us to realize the spaces in between

Leave room for you and I to grow

Now, ladies and gentlemen I want you to raise your glasses and drink a toast to THE Power Couple of 2024 Ron and Lisa, wish them well in their journey together, long may they reign!

Gail was born in Winchester Massachusetts on August 27th, 1931 to John and Helen FitzPatrick. She grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the youngest of three children, with older sister Joan and brother John, who went by Gary. Life was hard for her family, living through the Great Depression. Dad sold life insurance and Mom took care of children, sewed and mended, anything to help make ends meet. Gail grew up loving baseball and went to games at venerable Fenway Park, rooting for her heroes like Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky and Dom DiMaggio. Games against the hated Yankees were her favorite as she cheered for her team and booed the Bronx Bombers.

She told me she would also go ice skating in the wintertime on Boston Common with her brother Gary, skating for hours til their feet and skates were frozen. Gail also loved music from an early age and would often sing along with artists of the day on the radio and the phonograph. She had a great voice, I remember her singing to me a a child.

After high school, she worked as a waitress at the Jersey Shore, going to the beach with friends in the day and serving in the evening. I remember her telling me about using baby oil to get a good tan and warning me of the consequences of laying out in the sun. Later in life she would have many painful procedures to remove skin cancer, always blaming it on the those summers tanning at the shore.

Gail was a career woman before it was common, going to stewardess school for United Airlines. This was a very coveted job, with strict standards and a lot of competition for the position. She was based out of New York City at La Guardia Airport. She shared an apartment with her friend Maureen and a couple other girls. In a brush with fame, one of her roommates dated Vin Scully, the Hall of Fame announcer for the Brooklyn Dodgers, who would go on to Los Angeles and work their games for 67 years.

She met my father and love of her life at a party at her apartment. From what she related to me there was always a party at her place. They drank a lot of beer at those parties, and they even had a beagle named Rheingold, who was named after a popular beer at the time. Dad went to school, worked as a waiter at the World Famous Stork Club and was a maitre de at Mamma Leones, while Mom flew and met lots of famous people while flying.

They got married in New York City in May of 1957, moving to California to begin raising a family. They honeymooned in Carmel and settled in San Francisco. Tom got a job with Pacific Bell the local phone company. Geoffrey, the first of 5 kids came along 9 months later and we lived in a small apartment on Sacramento St. in the City.

Gail raised 5 children, after Geoffrey, came Christopher, Adam, Andrew and Elizabeth. She made us the focus of her life as Dad worked all the time, commuting to San Francisco from San Carlos on the CalTrain. Gail hooked up with other former stewardesses in the area in an organization called Clipped Wings. All those ladies had children too and Clipped Wings was a big part of Mom’s social life. She still has some of those friends to this day.

In 1971, after several years in San Carlos, and with another addition to the family, Elizabeth, we moved to Redwood City to a beautiful yet quirky Spanish style home in Edgewood Park. Dad had his first heart attack in 1974 and my Mom was called upon to be the rock of the family. It was a role she would play many times over the course of her life. Dad’s second heart attack in 1981 would prove to be tragic, as he passed way on a family ski trip to Sugar Bowl. Widowed at age 49, life presented many challenges for Gail as she raised her family without her husband.

My Mom was deeply spiritual and practiced her faith at Mt Carmel. Her faith was very important to her. She was kind to others, selflessly giving time to those in need as a eucharistic minister, praying and giving out holy communion to the ill and injured at Sequoia Hospital. Another aspect of her faith was she was passionate about Pro Life, and worked very hard in the movement. She also worked for Holy Cross Cemetery for 9 years as a grief counselor, helping folks who had just lost loved ones. It is a recurring theme in her life as you can see.

Mom loved to travel, going on trips with friends and a group called Elder Hostel to visit countries in Europe, Egypt, Canada and all over the US. One of my favorite memories is when my wife and I took her to visit New Orleans. It was post Hurricane Katrina, and we stayed at the Avenue Plaza Hotel in the gorgeous Garden District. We went on three great tours, The City tour which showed us the Lower 9th Ward, the French Quarter and jazz clubs, and the world famous cemeteries. The second was the swamp tour, where went on a covered boat on the Pearl River and saw crocodiles, egrets, bald eagles and turtles sunning themselves. It was quite spectacular. The third tour we went on was to the famous Oak Alley, a plantation on the Mississippi River.

Mom was a huge Giants fan her whole California life and loved to watch all the games. Our family has great memories of going to the games in San Francisco with her on Mothers Day, and even taking her grandkids to games. Her grandson Matt related a story of going to CandleStick Park on the bus and she showed him how to score the game. Our cousin Rick gave her an autographed Hunter Pence World Series jersey that she loved.

My classy Mom was also an accomplished water color artist. Taking art classes at Canada College, she gained skill, confidence and a whole community of fellow art lovers. Her beautiful paintings will live on forever in our homes. Her water colors of nature and our families are all very special to us. A couple of her more notable works are a painting of Jackie Robinson, and Barry Bonds in his hey day. I have several of her paintings, among them my beloved Corgis, Reilly and Angus, a painting of Half Dome at sunset and a still life of a fruit bowl. She would later paint Oak Alley, quite an experience. She had an eye for color and light that was undeniable, and her paintings are beloved by all her family.

Mom continued to live in the family home on Oakdale St in Redwood City, into her late 80s, until a terrible fall in late 2018. She moved into a nice place called Vista Terrace in Belmont. She was still close to those she loved and was well taken care of by the staff. In 2020, when Covid hit, the facility went downhill in terms of care and the quality of employees. Also, because of the pandemic, she became a virtual prisoner in her apartment. We were unable to see her for a few months at a time on more than one occasion ,as the virus swept through the facility. When we did get to see her, it was always outside in the courtyard. We were always looking for opportunities to get her out in the world. One of our greatest memories of my mom is taking her to Pacifica to see the ocean. Our brother Andrew lived one house away from the seawall, and Gail would walk down to the railing to watch the waves crash on the rocks. Later, as her mobility declined, we would go over to the beach and sit in the car, right by the rail, watching the waves and the pelican army fly by. Mom would close her eyes and listen to the surf, completely at peace.

In 2022, our brother Adam and his wife Abby opened their home to Gail, so she could receive a higher quality of care. She lived in a bedroom surrounded by her art and all things familiar to her, including family photos and her possessions. We are certain the move from assisted living to Chico extended her life, and ensured her last days were spent with loving family. Surrounded by her children and grandchildren, she passed on Wednesday morning July 19th 2023.

She touched so many lives with her kindness and big heart, She leaves behind 5 children, 12 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. We all will miss her deeply and we know that she is with the almighty, smiling down upon us.

Bianca distracts the shooter.

Aw shit, do you really want me to tell you about San Jose beating a team with an equally mediocre record? You do don’t you.  The big dogs for Los Tiburones got off the schneide porch, scoring and beating up a sorry Habs team, 5-2.  Logan Couture scored twice, Pavs got his first goal, Tomas Hertl with a PP tally and Jumbo with,,, yes you guessed it an empty net goal!!!

Martin Jones outdueled the Greatest Goalie in the World Carie Price

The Tank, CA

Game Six Shark

The energy was palpable, the forecheck was fierce, the goals were clutch and in the end, the feeling was sublime.  After waiting for 25 years, the San Jose Sharks are in the STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS!!

Brent Burns and his Man Bun skate in warmups

Looking to go up 2-0 today!

Reilly stickhandles in the backyard.

San Jose, CA

OK, this idea for a column developed from my frustration with a good team that was finding new ways to lose, the Sharks.  I decided to fund a research study to figure out why the Blues, the Hawks, the Sharks and even the Mighty Anahymen have had protracted losing streaks.  Back Out East, even the Bruins have lost more than a couple of games where they looked like they had it all locked up then wilted.

Let me set the scene for you in my mind: its the last 15 games of the season and the above mentioned teams have held a playoff position high in the standings, either leading the division or second.  The vaunted Western conference has had its way with the East this year, winning around 63% of the games played, perhaps not germane to the discussion but a factor in the gaudy records.

My theory is related to the WAY or MANNER in which these teams win close games, often tied at the end or one goal affairs.  Take San Jose for instance, they have 10 shootout wins and seven OT or shootout losses, and have played in a total of 43 one goal games.  Stay with me, I know your eyes are glazing over.   Over half of their games are decided by one goal.  Their record in one goal games, including shootout wins is  25-18.

To have a great record you have to win close games in addition to winning games by 2 or more.  Then, I noticed who they lost to and believe me I am a little blown away by the teams on the list.  Buffalo twice, Carolina two times, and in sucksession Calgary, Washington, Florida, Winnipeg!  They hit the rough patch in March, but they hit one earlier in the year where they lost 5 of seven.  All teams not in the playoffs.

What does it say about your team if it can’t or doesn’t beat the “bad teams” consistently? Well, there are a couple ways of looking at it.  If you play a lot of close games, chances are you have good goaltending and good defense.  Check.   As a fan, I want my team to be “in the game.”  You want your team to score clutch goals, you want them to beat good teams.  All of that is good,  so by extension, your team is good right?

Not so fast.  We all know that the NHL season is long, and focus can be disrupted and the players aren’t robots.  How do these bad teams beat the Blues, Sharks, Hawks, Ducks and Avs?  Perhaps the definition of bad needs to re-examined, perhaps the bad guys get up to play the “elite” teams, but I don’t think so.

I think the W/L records can be deceiving and just because a team is 43-25, while their opponent is 30-38  doesn’t mean the sub .500 is going to be a pushover.  The media makes it out to be a surprise when the “inferior” team wins, yet guys on the “good team” are consistently beaten to loose pucks or can’t score enough to win.

The Blues have lost 5 straight, the Sharks lost 6 outta 8 recently, the Hawks just WON their first OT game this YEAR.  Do you see my point?  I’m gettin there..  Here’s another one to ponder: San Jose loses to Florida, giving up 3 in the second and can’t recover losing 3-2.  The Panthers next game, they play LA and get smoked 4-0. Is LA that much better than San Jose?  Nope, its one game, small sample size.

As the season winds down, the media says each game is so big, but I think the players don’t see it that way.  I think that down the stretch, teams assured of a playoff spot aren’t willing to give up as much of their bodies to win, preferring instead to not get injured going in to the playoffs.  If you watch as much hockey as I do, you can see it and not just one team either.

To sum up what I think I’m sayin, the W/L of a given team is not indicative of who is going to win on a nightly basis and media and fan expectations can be unrealistic.  Each game is its own little holy war and each one stands on its own.  Record is not predictive of future success.  Ask the Kings, they won the Cup from the 8 seed.

Reilly T. the Hockey Dog

Reilly the Hockey Dog and I were walking out to the back stoop to chew on a stick, mine from Nicaragua and Reilly’s from the redwood tree in the back yard.  He looked at me and said, “How do you feel about the Sharks bein in first place”? Well, I said “I wounldna thunk they could pull it off.  Ducks were ten points up on the Sharks about three weeks ago”..

San Jose is on a bit of a tear right now, going 7-1-1 against the Eastern Conference, vaulting them past the Hated Ducks of Anahymen for first place in the Pacific Division.  Trying to keep it light tonight.  Furthermore, the resurgence in the play of the captain,  C Joe Thornton and  Patrick Marleau has this observer amazed.

In an earlier post I mentioned that Marleau’s biological Stanley Cup clock was ticking, and I have to think that so is Thornton’s.  Both of them aren’t going to get many more chances, so why not win one this year?  They are both doing the little things, yes I know it sounds cliche, that win games.

There is a nice blend of skill, youth, speed, experience and goaltending on this team that gives them a real shot this year.

Rolling four lines as Todd McClellan has done can be a big help come playoff time and guys like Marty Havlat and James Sheppard are clicking on the third line.  Logan Couture is back along with the fearsome Raffi Torres for added scoring punch.

St. Louis is the favorite in my book, but in spite of their gaudy point total they have a couple of issues, like San Jose swept em this season! Perhaps the Sharks are playing more relaxed because they weren’t anointed the Cup winners in the preseason polls, as they have often been in the past.

Don’t know why, just keep it up.

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