Special Trash: Lungs For The Long Run

As you may recall, one of our own here at Emptywheel, John Gundrum (known here as “Gunner”) received a lung transplant about a year and a half ago>. Well, things have progressed quite nicely for John, and this weekend he has travelled from Ann Arbor to Wisconsin to participate in the National Transplant Games:

“You appreciate life like you wouldn’t believe,” Gundrum said. “A lot of stuff just isn’t important anymore, but little stuff is important like seeing my little nephews.”

At the end of the month, Gundrum plans to join about 1,500 other organ transplant recipients from around the country in Wisconsin for the U.S. Transplant Games.

Sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation, the weeklong event features athletic competitions between organ transplant recipients. In the last games held in 2008, more than 1,300 athletes and more than 5,700 families of organ donors or other supporters attended.

“The big draw is a lot of participants want to show the success of organ donation and that, after going through something like that, it’s possible to perform successfully and live healthy productive lives,” said Michael Steigmeyer, spokesman for the National Kidney Foundation.

John will be competing in bowling, golfing and table tennis, and that is just way cool. Go Gunner!

Find out how to become an organ donor in your state.

Okay, there are actually a lot of things going on out there in sports land, including NFL training camp starting to crank up. Probably the most important news so far is that Childress went down to Kiln Mississippi to visit his once and future Geezer Quarterback and ended up on a nocturnal armadillo hunt. That is some kind of fun. Kind of like coon huntin, which is explained fully by Jerry Clower in the attached video.

Baseball is starting to hit the compelling part of the season and the trading deadline is at hand. And, more importantly, the lads in the Circus are ripping up Hungary this weekend with Sebastian Vettel looking very fast again.

So let loose and trash it up!

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  1. readerOfTeaLeaves says:

    Just leaving a shout-out to Gunner — have a great trip!
    Been wayyyy too long since I hit a Trash Talk thread… then again, maybe we all needed a breather after World Cup?

  2. bobschacht says:

    Probably the most important news so far is that Childress went down to Kiln Mississippi to visit his once and future Geezer Quarterback and ended up on a nocturnal armadillo hunt. That is some kind of fun. Kind of like coon huntin,…

    Except that coons are a lot smarter than armadillos.

    Here in the Desert we’re already missing the Old Man of the South. Will Matt Leinart finally live up to expectations? Yeah, and we also lost one of the Old Man’s top receivers, but there are some good guys on their way up. The key is, can Leinart find them?

    We’ve lost key men on defense, too (mainly in the secondary). The Defense has got the Cardinals deep into the playoffs, but there have been times when the Old Man of the South just outplayed the other team’s quarterback, with unbelievably large scores on both sides. Can the Cardinals defense improve?

    Bob in AZ

  3. scribe says:

    If you want Leinart to hit what he’s aiming at, just have the receivers dye their hair blonde or something. Matt’s problem seems to center around hitting and leaving….

    In other news, for all you sweltering folks the weatherman says this morning it’s 49, sunny and very clear with a light sea breeze in Portland, Maine and won’t break 80 for the next 4 or 5 days.

  4. Quebecois says:

    Vettel scored a pole in Poland… Mickey Mouse circuit that will lead to a long procession. Front row Bullish, second row filled with cheaters…

    Have a great time Gunner.

  5. Jim White says:

    Heh, there was a nocturnal armadillo hunt at my house last night. My dogs found one, but I went out and told them to leave it alone [surprisingly, they did]. I must be the only one living in the South who doesn’t mind them.

    With the Tebow era officially over here in Gainesville, we still are looking forward to a very productive year. The Brantley kid has a hell of an arm. I look for him to do very well.

      • Jim White says:

        The Clower bit was great, but I have to admit I was hoping it would be a bear that they treed. And I agree with cheflovesbeer that throwing the raccoon to a pack of dogs is far from giving it a sporting chance. My two hounds made quick work of the one they caught. What Clower failed to mention of course, is that they weren’t hunting for sport–you can bet they were going to eat those things…

  6. cheflovesbeer says:

    I have spent a lot of time in the woods. Not a big fan of coons, they’re the animal most likely to get into your food. Right smart bastards they are. In the Everglades, you have to put a keyed pad lock on your cooler to keep ’em out. Open a combination lock, they will. Coons know many tricks to get your food. I’ve no love for coons.

    Sayin’ your giving a coon a sporting chance when you throw him in a pack of dogs aint right. I’ll never forget hearing a coon ripped apart alive by a pack of dogs. Just meanness. A blood sport Micheal Vick would like.

    Anyway, your Jerry Clower video reminded me of this article about Junior Johnson, by Tom Wolfe written in 1965. Worth a read.

  7. bobschacht says:

    Geez. Deuce Lutui’s weight ballooned up to 400 pounds over the off-season. I don’t think we’re talking about extra muscle, either.

    Bob in AZ

    • bmaz says:

      It was a rather poor move by Schumi. Clearly he is frustrated by his poor equipment, but that does not warrant him acting out on the course as he has been doing for some time now. Also have to say their team management has been somewhere beyond abysmal this season as to pit, tire and fuel strategy. All in all a rather sad and pathetic return to competition.

      • sluggahjells says:

        What makes Schumacker’s move even worse today is the fact that him and Barrichello were long time teammates, where Barichello never at all minded to play No.2 to the German’s #1 at Ferrari.

        He was always a class act and really was just struck a fine friendship from what I heard with Schumacker over the years because of that loyalty to be the #2 guy at Ferrari.

        It was inexcusable what the now Mercedes driver did in Hungary today, and he should be reprimanded massively for that.

        Oh, and hey BMAZ.