CLOSED - For now...

Hello to those of you who frequent the Minding My Own Beeswax blog.


I've been diligently posting to the site since March, 2009 trying to find the right mix of content that (1) allows me to express myself in interesting and meaningful ways, and (2) is of interest to someone. While I think I've found a pretty eclectic mix, I don't think I'm hitting on either of those goals yet. So, I've decided to close up shop until I determine what to do with MMOB. 


I will miss the regular activity involved in keeping the blog alive and I hope I'm not leaving too many readers in the lurch. Based on the blog tracking reports I don't think there are but a small handful of you out there watching this space regularly, but maybe I'm wrong. It you are out there, and you are willing to share your thoughts, let me know what you've liked so far and what you think I could do to make the future MMOB more interesting.  Just send me an email at jcassee@comcast.net


But, before I go, there is a silver lining. Along the way I started another little blog that has taken root - at least a little - that could turn into something big. It's called Novato Sports and it's something that ties-in with many aspects of my life so it's easy to be passionate about it. For example, all of the baseball and football posting and photoshoots I've been doing for my son Robbie's teams now have an excellent home. But the beautiful thing is it could be a whole lot more, if contributors can take to it in a "grassroots" effort. I guess we'll all have to see how it pans out. Check it out at www.novatosports.blogspot.com and see if it's right for you.


Until later then,


Cheers! - Jason

'09 Football Playoffs - Novato Stingers vs. Esparto Spartans

Danny Dreher and Ben Putman showing their Novato pride for the playoffs!

The photos from this Novato Stingers game are now available on the 2009 Novato Stingers Shutterfly site.


Mountain Valley Youth Football League - 2009 PeeWee Division II Playoffs 


Game Summary


The first round of the 2009 PeeWee Division II Playoffs for the Mountain Valley League (MVL) of American Youth Football (AYF) took place on Sunday, November 8th in Northern California. The Novato Stingers entered the playoffs seeded first with an official record of 6-1 (7-1 overall). The eighth-seeded Esparto Spartans travelled to the Novato High School field for an 11 AM game on a beautiful sunny day for football.


Novato lost the coin toss and Esparto elected to receive the ball to start the game. Things started off well for the Stingers as Ben Putman (10) returned to action after a 4-game stint on the injured reserve, and promptly stripped the Spartan kick-returner of the ball and Henry Dalton (7) pounced on the fumble to give Novato the ball in Spartan territory. The Stinger Offense quickly established itself as Alec Ball (12) ran the ball for a 28-yard touchdown which Marc Alvarez (21) followed with a 2-point PAT field goal giving Novato a 8-0 lead.


The Novato defense quickly showed its stuff too, holding Esparto to a rapid 4-down and out on their first drive. It was an often repeated theme throughout the rest of the afternoon.


The Stingers second drive went 3-plays, capped by a 15-yard Tommy Sanz (13) pass to a wide-open Robbie Cassée (16) for a touchdown. The PAT attempt was thwarted by Esparto, making it 14-0 for Novato.


After holding Esparto to another 4-and-out, Novato drove the field for another score, this one a 12-yard pass from Sanz to a wide-open Dalton for another six points and a 20-0 lead.


On the Spartans third drive, Novato held tight again for a 4-and-out and then the offense took two plays for another score - this time a 42-yard run by Putman puting the Stingers up 26-0. A significant lead already, early in the second-quarter, and they were only getting warmed up!


The Spartans drove for a first down in their next drive, but the defense held tight once again taking the ball over on downs. Novato's fifth drive again resulted in a score, this time a 10-yard run by Ball and another 2-point kick by Alvarez for a 34-0 lead going into half-time.


Novato received the ball first in the second-half and promptly drove the field again. This time, Angelo Lagomarsino (9) pushed the ball in for a 2-yard score. The Stingers were hit with a big 15-yard penalty on the PAT attempt, pushing them to the 20 yard line. Undaunted, Sanz quickly hit Cassée on a quick out and he barreled his way in for another point and a 41-0 lead.


Things went from bad to worse for the Spartans, as Danny Dreher (5) intercepted the ball on the third play of Esparto's next drive. Novato quickly capitalized again, this time on a 50-yard, sideline-to-sideline scramble by Alvarez, and a 47-0 score.


The Stingers took the ball away again on the next drive when Cassée stripped the ball and Hunter Wegner (18) quickly recovered the fumble. Alvarez scored again, this time on a 35-yard run, and Lagomarsino followed it with a rushing PAT.


The defense made it three-take-aways-in-a-row, when Paul Kunst (24) intercepted a pass on the Spartans next drive. Novato quickly scored again on a 55-yard touchdown run by Ball.


Novato held Esparto to a 4-and-out again and Chris Folsom (25) capped a drive with a 3-yard touchdown run wrapping up the scoring on the day.


"The kids really played well on both sides of the ball today," said Coach John Jones. "The defense locked them down while the offense had a perfect day (10 touchdowns in 10 drives!) We'll work hard again this week to make sure we're ready for round two."


Final Score: Novato Stingers 67, Esparto Spartans 0


Next Up: Southern Marin Broncos


Here's are some photographic highlights from the game:

Ben Putman (10) is back with a vengence, stripping the ball on the opening kick-off

Alec Ball (12) follows Angelo Lagomarsino's (9) block on one of his 3 TD runs

Robbie Cassée (16) running to the end-zone after a catch

Henry Dalton (7) awaits the ball on the way to his touchdown

Marc Alvarez (21) jukes on a 50-yard sideline-to-sideline touchdown run

Cassée strips the ball and Hunter Wegner (18) gets ready to pounce on the ball.

The defense harassing the Spartans again.

Cheers! - Jason

The MMOB Daily Quote - November 4th

Today's interesting quotes:


“The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” Eden Phillpotts


“I want to be able, as days go by, always to look myself straight in the eye.” Edgar Guest


“The difficulty in life is the choice.” George Moore


“Hollywood is the only place where you can wake up in the morning and hear the birds coughing in the trees.” Joe Frisco


“Everything is being compressed into tiny tablets. You take a little pill of news every day - 23 minutes - and that's supposed to be enough.” Walter Cronkite


“You've got to go out on a limb sometimes because that's where the fruit is.” Will Rogers (pictured)


Cheers! - Jason

The MMOB Daily Quote - November 3rd

Today's interesting quotes:


“Delay is ever fatal to those who are prepared.” Lucan


“Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.” William Cullen Bryant (pictured)


“What is the difference between unethical and ethical advertising? Unethical advertising uses falsehoods to deceive the public; ethical advertising uses truth to deceive the public.” Vilhjalmur Stefansson


“Whether he is an artist or not, the photographer is a joyous sensualist, for the simple reason that the eye traffics in feelings, not in thoughts.” Walker Evans


“Often the difference between a successful person and a failure is not one has better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has to bet on one's ideas, to take a calculated risk - and to act.” Andre Malraux


“The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” John Bingham


Cheers! - Jason

The MMOB Daily Quote - November 2nd

Today's interesting quotes from people born on November 2nd


“I can't say I was ever lost, but I was bewildered once for three days.” Daniel Boone


“Bill Clinton's foreign policy experience stems mainly from having breakfast at the International House of Pancakes.” Pat Buchanan


“There is nothing new except what has been forgotten.” Marie Antoinette


“No president who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have any leisure.” James K. Polk


“Every student has the ability to be a successful learner.” Warren G. Harding


“I took a round trip around Hollywood because I think it frightened me. I didn't want to get burned in that glare.” Luchino Visconti (pictured)


“Most people seem to think I'm the kind of guy who shaves with a blowtorch. Actually I'm bookish and worrisome.” Burt Lancaster


“I signed (Sandy) Koufax for fourteen grand and a hot dog.” Al Campanis


“It is easy to be popular. It is not easy to be just.” Rose E. Bird


Cheers! - Jason

The MMOB Daily Quote - October 30th

Today's interesting quotes from people born on October 30th


“Real education must ultimately be limited to men who insist on knowing, the rest is mere sheep-herding.” Ezra Pound (pictured)


“Let us tenderly and kindly cherish, therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write.” John Adams


“I mean, the question actors most often get asked is how they can bear saying the same things over and over again, night after night...the answer to that is, don't we all anyway; might as well get paid for it." Richard Sheridan


“No star is ever lost we once have seen, We always may be what we might have been.” Adelaide Anne Procter


“The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.” Paul Valery


“Genius ... is the capacity to see ten things where the ordinary man sees one.” Ezra Pound


Cheers! - Jason

Check it Out - Just How Long is a Campbell's Soup Noodle?

You have to have tongue firmly planted in cheek when talking about this one. Check out this video about the latest Time's Square display showing that there are 32 feet of noodles in every can of Campbell's Chicken Soup. It's certainly an interesting way to bring visibility to one of the other fall classics.



Cheers! - Jason

The MMOB Daily Quote - October 29th

Today's interesting quotes from people born on October 29th


“Those who weep recover more quickly than those who smile.” Jean Giraudoux (pictured)


“He who has provoked the lash of wit, cannot complain that he smarts from it.” James Boswell


“In much knowledge there is also much grief.” Queen Marie of Romania


“Only the mediocre are always at their best.” Jean Giraudoux


“Wrong is for other people.” Fanny Brice


“It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion.” Joseph Paul Goebbels


“The surest way to become a pacifist is to join the infantry.” William H. Mauldin


“I never lie because I don't fear anyone. You only lie when you're afraid.” John Gotti


Cheers! - Jason

Novato Stingers vs Florin Phantoms - Oct. 24

The Stingers swarm the Florin Phantoms in Stockton

The photos from this Novato Stingers game are now available on the 2009 Novato Stingers Shutterfly site.


Game Summary
The Novato Stingers travelled to Stockton for a hot saturday afternoon game against the Florin Phantoms at Weston Ranch High School. Novato won the coin toss and quickly got things rolling on the offensive side with a two-play drive as Alec Ball (12) ran for a 22-yard touchdown only 42 seconds into the game. The PAT attempt was no good so the Stingers were up 6-0.


The Novato defense stopped the first Florin drive flat for a quick 4-and-out to get the ball back. It was a theme that would be repeated throughout the day as the swarming Stinger defense locked-down another opponent.


Novato scored again with another quick two-play drive, capped by a 13-yard Angelo Lagomarsino (9) run and a Danny Dreher (5) recovery in the end-zone for a touchdown. Mark Alvarez (21) kicked a two-point PAT to bring the score to 14-0.


Lagomarsino's ensuing onside kickoff was recovered by Ball and the Stingers were quickly at it again. Chris Folsom (25) back from a three-week layoff for an injury ran the ball 35-yards for a touchdown with 5:39 remaining in the second-quarter. With the addition of another Alvarez two-point PAT, the Stingers were up 22-0.


Novato added another quick score on Florin's next drive when Daylan Birlin (59) intercepted a pass and returned it 10-yards for a touchdown. Folsom ran for the PAT and Novato lead 29-0.


The Stingers would score once more in the first-half, when quarterback Tommy Sanz (13) hit a wide open Robbie Cassée (16) in the end-zone for a 9-yard touchdown with 2:30 remaining in the half. With the score 35-0 the "mercy rule" was invoked meaning the clock would run unstopped for the remainder of the game and that Novato could no longer pass and only run the ball between the tackles.


Novato would have scored once more in the fourth quarter on a 60-yard run by Ball with 6:30 remaining.


The Novato defense returned with a vengeance and held the Phantoms to no-first downs and no points in the game, giving the Stingers seven shutouts on the year.


Final Score: Novato Stingers 35*, Florin Phantoms 0
*mercy rule invoked with 2:30 remaining in the second-quarter


2009 Regular Season Scoring: Novato Stingers 209, Opponents 19


2009 Stingers Regular Season Record: 7-1


Here are some additional photo highlights from the game.

Alec Ball (12) busts loose for the game's first score!

Angelo Lagomarsino (9) pulls a pile of Florin tacklers toward the end-zone... 

...and Danny Dreher (5) smothers the loose ball in the end-zone for a TD

Daylan Birlin (59) ruturns a 2nd Quarter interception for a touchdown

Chris Folsom (25) returns to action with a bang with this 35-yard TD run

Robbie Cassée (16) is all alone in the end-zone for a 2nd Quarter TD catch

A Florin runner learns what it's like to run into a swarm of Stingers 

...more swarming Stingers piling on a Florin runner

Coach Rich Putman gets soaked in the post-game celebration

Cheers! - Jason

The MMOB Daily Quote - October 26th

Today's interesting quotes from people born on October 26th


“We must dare, and dare again, and go on daring.” Georges Jacques Danton


“Hate shuts her soul when dove-eyed mercy pleads.” Charles Sprague


“Comment is free but facts are sacred.” Charles Prestwich Scott


“The end may justify the means as long as there is something that justifies the end.” Leon Trotsky


“Anybody that sings the blues is in a deep pit, yelling for help.” Mahalia Jackson


"More gold has been mined from the thoughts of men than has been taken from the earth." Napoleon Hill


“Without music, life is a journey through a desert.” Pat Conroy (pictured)


Cheers! - Jason