2016: Best Year Ever in Sports

As the year comes to a close I thought it fitting to look back at some of the highlights. No I'm not going to talk about the very upsetting news that saw Donald Trump somehow become our new president. (I believe this election was one of the most significant events in American history since 9/11, yet perhaps I'll save that rant for another day.) For now I've simply accepted that those things are out of my control, and happiness is best achieved thru ignorance. Instead I'm going to focus on the years highlights of sports.

I have discovered that one of the best escapes from political news is that that of professional sports. It brings me great joy and entertainment, and sometimes tribulations, to followed these leagues, watch these games, and root for my teams. I also enjoy to follow the sports news, the standings, the scenarios, the players, coaches, trades, business management, the stadiums, the atmospheres, and so much more that comes with the industry. It's truly a world in it's own, the perfect escape from the day to day grind of work. It's thru sports that millions achieve identity, peace, and happiness.

My favorite sports to follow annually are the NFL, EPL, and the UCL however I also tune in to the other mainstream leagues such as NCAA basketball, NCAA football, and the MLB. The NBA not so much, and have no care whatsoever for the NHL. I also don't pay much attention to the MLS, Golf, Tennis, Racing, etc. In that respect my post might be a little biased to my preferences yet I still believe it's a solid case.And the case that I intend to make here is that the yeare 2016 was one of the most memorable years in sports.

Super Bowl 50: Peyton Manning walks off into the sunset

Sport: Football (NFL)
Teams: Carolina Panthers vs Denver Broncos
Date of Event: Feb 7th, 2016
Location: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Result: 24-10 Broncos win the Superbowl
Significance: I watched this game at my neighbors house and was rooting for Peyton Manning. While I despise the Colts, I've often enjoyed Peyton's comical personality. He practically had all the records, yet had only one 1 Super Bowl championship with the Colts in 2006. He lost with the Colts in 2011 and with the Broncos in 2014. At the age of 39 this was perhaps Peyton's last chance to play on the big stage. And while it was his team that won the game, most notably the defense and on Miller who won MVP, it was still accredited to Peyton getting his team there. The Broncos easily defeated Cam Newton and the Panthers to win their 3rd Super Bowl title. Shortly after Peyton Manning retired and thus can added a 2nd trophy to his career as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

Villanova wins NCAA Basketball Championship

Sport: College (Basketball)
Teams: Villanova vs North Carolina
Date of Event: April 4th, 2016
Location: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Result: 77-74 Villanova wins the championship
Significance: I remember I chose not to watch this championship game because I had money on the line thru a bracket pool and I did not want to go thru the stress. I had been following the March Madness tournament the past few weeks and was pulling for my team IU to go far, yet they lost in the Sweet Sixteen. I had selected North Carolina to win the championship and could win the jackpot of 200$ if they won. They were the favorite going into the final match-up against Villanova. It became one of the most dramatic basketball finals of all time. Villanova won the game with a last second three point shot that sealed them their 2nd championship. I was devastated with the result since I did not win the jackpot, however it was still a very memorable game.  


The Unlikely Leicester City wins the Premier League Title

Sport: Soccer (EPL)
Teams: Leicester City Football Club
Date of Event: May 2nd, 2016
Result: Leicester City wins their first ever English Premier Title
Location: England
Significance: The previous season Leicester City had just barely survived relegation at the bottom of the table and were at 5000-1 odds to win the championship. However under the new management of Claudio Ranieri, the team developed a fighting spirit of counter-attack. They were led by their quick strikers Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez who scored in almost every match. Vardy went on an 11 game streak with a goal scored, establishing a new record. Many felt it was a fluke, yet time after time, they defeated many of the best teams and continued thru the winter and into the spring at the top of the table. On May 2nd they secured their championship title with 2 games to spare. They finished 10 points clear of 2nd place. There was no fluke, controversary, or question about it that they had deserved the title. It truly made for one of the greatest underdog stories in sports history.

Lebron James brings Cleveland their 1st title

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors
Date of Event: June 9th, 2016
Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
Result: Cleveland Cavaliers won game 7 (93-89)
Significance: A couple years ago Lebron James left the Miami Heat to return to his first home team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. His intentions were to build a new team and bring the city of Cleveland it's first ever championship (that goes for baseball and football as well). The previous year they had lost to the new rising power that was the Golden State Warriors. Led by their superstar shooter, Stephan Curry, it appeared the Warriors were clear favorites to repeat as champoins. However Lebron had other plans. Despite falling to a 3-1 series deficit, Lebron led his team to become the first to overcome such a deficit and go on to win the championship. It was a remarkable comeback and a well deserved title for Cleveland. It was their 1st ever championship and Lebron's 3rd championship as a basketball player. I've become a great fan of his, and consider him to one of the all time greats, still with much ahead of him to accomplish.

The Pragmatic Portugal win their first Euro Cup

Sport: Soccer (UEFA Euro Cup)
Teams: Portugal National Soccer Team
Date of Event: July 10th, 2016
Result: Portugal wins championship 1-0
Location: Stade Saint Denis, Paris, France
Significance: The legacy of Cristiano Ronaldo could only be completed with a title for his national team. However it seemed a long shot since Portugal's team did not compare to the star power of other European nations. At the beginning of the tournament it appeared France or Germany were clear favorites, yet Portugal somehow managed to get out of the group stage by three consecutive draws. In the knockout stage they found ways to wing matches thru penalty shootout or late goals. It was quite a suprise when they made it all the way to the final, yet many predicted France would win. I remember watching this final match at Adam's house, and was going to be okay with whatever the result. I had always been a fan of Ronaldo and Portugal, yet would have liked to see France win because of the Ruiz. The game was an exciting one, and took an unexpected turn when Ronaldo got injured in the opening 20 minutes. Portugal were able to unite as a team and find a way to score a late goal in extra time that would defeat France. It was a shocking victory for Portugal over the host nation. Ronaldo had finally helped Portugal win it's first championship and brought further glory to his name.

Michael Phelps dominates at Rio Olympics

Sport: Swimming (Olympics)

Athlete: Michael Phelps (Team USA)
Date of Event: August 2016
Result: 5 gold medals and 1 silver
Location: Rio de Janiero, Brazil
Significance: After a sub-par performance at the 2012 London games, Phelps was determined to return to swimming and finish his career on a high note. He arrived with great focus and went on to win 5 gold medals and 1 silver medal in his swimming events. He happily retired at the Rio games to become the most decorated Olympian of all time.


Simeone Biles wins 5 medals at Rio Olympics

Sport: Gymnastics (Olympics)

Athlete: Simone Biles (Team USA)
Date of Event: August 2016
Result: 4 gold medals, 1 bronze medal
Location: Rio de Janiero, Brazil
Significance: At the age of 19 she had missed the previous Olympic games in London. Ever since she had gone on to become one of the most decorated American gymnasts of all time. All that remained to cement her career was an Olympic medal. She went on to dominate as expected winning 4 gold medals in the team competition, indiviudal all around, vault, and floor exercise and a bronze in the balance beam.


Usain Bolt achieves the Triple Triple at Rio Olympics 

Sport: Track and Field
Athlete: Usain Bolt (Team Jamaica)
Date of Event: August 2016
Result: 3 gold medals
Location: Rio de Janiero
Significance: Usain Bolt arrived at his 3rd Olympic with intentions to acheive the triple-triple. This meant 3 more gold medals in his events of the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. He brought his usual flare and happy personality to the games and shocked the world when he once again won each of his events. He became the only sprinter in history to win 3 consecutive gold medals at different games, and to go 9 for 9 on each of his events. Bolt retired as one of the greatest sprinters of all time at the Rio games.


Neymar brings Brazil the Gold Medal

Sport: Soccer
Teams: Brazil vs Germany
Date of Event: August 2016
Result: Brazil beats Germany on penalties
Location: Rio de Janiero
Significance: After their humiliating 7-1 defeat to Germany at the 2014 World Cup, Brazil was determined more than anything to win the gold medal. They were able to recruit their superstar Neymar, to lead the nation to glory. The team was able to sail thru the group stages and arrive easily at the final match, which fittingly so was once again Germany. Yet this time the game was not so easy, and Germany posed a serious threat. After a 1-1 tie, the game went to penalty shootout. It seemed with so much pressure on Brazil, the favor would surely go to Germany. However instead the Brazilian team were able to stay composed and after a German player missed his shot, the game lay at Neymar's feet. With the whole world watching and the pressure of his entire nation on his shoulders he put the ball in the back of the net to win the game for Brazil. The crowd erupted in such great jubilation that is surely can be remembered as one of the most iconic moments of the 2016 Olympic Games.

Chicago Cubs break the Curse

Sport: Baseball
Teams: Chicago Cubs vs Cleveland Indians
Date of Event: November 2nd, 2016
Result: Cubs win Game 7 (8-7)
Location: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
Significance: For the first time in 108 years the Chicago Cubs had made it to the World Series. It was also a significant game for the Cleveland Indians, who had not won the Series in 68 years and had the 2nd longest drought after the Cubs. However the nation was truly pulling for the Cubs to finally break the legendary curse of the Billy Goat. And it seemed it was in their favor as they had the best team of hitters and pitchers. Yet the terrible fortune reappeared for the Cubs throughout the series, as they went down 3 to 1 games against the Indians. However under the management of Joe Madden the Cubs did not fold. They were able to win their next games and force a game 7 at Cleveland to decide the champions. It was perhaps one of the most dramatic and exciting world series game in baseball history. The Cubs got off to a great start yet once again blew it in the later innings as the Indians tied it and forced the game to extra innings. At which point it began to rain and a postponement was put into affect. After an hour the Cubs came out of the locker-room not willing to give up, yet eager to fight even more. All it took was one inning for them to secure the game and win their first championship since 1908. It was a truly inspiring moment and I was glad to have witnessed it all. I was very happy for the Chicago Cubs. 

Movie Review: Rogue One

I was quite excited that yet another new Star Wars film was being released at Christmas time. Seems it has become a new tradition around Christmas time, to watch a new epic release in theaters (it's usually been either Lord of the Rings or Star Wars). This time it was a branch from the Star Wars saga, the first of many stand-alone films to be produced by Disney. There are many who are opposed to this idea of Disney cashing in on the Star Wars franchise with new spin-offs, yet I'm all for it. I love the Star Wars universe and as long as they stay true to George Lucas' concept, I say the more the merrier.

The film Rogue One is not so much a stand-alone film, yet rather a gap filler between Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith and Episode 4: A New Hope (which according to the story line is 20 years). Therefore this film serves as an Episode 3.5 in providing new material to better connect some dots. In Episode 4 the Rebel Alliance has stolen plans from the Death Star and are plotting to destroy it. However we don't know how they got those plans. In this film Rogue One the story demonstrates how the Rebellion is able to obtain the plans leading directly to the start up of Episode 4.

The Plot

The film's main protagonist is a girl named Jyn Erso (played by the very attractive Felicity Jones). Her father was a scientist forced against his will to design the death star. In a final act of disobedience he created the Death Star with a flaw, and sent the message to his daughter in hopes that it could be destroyed. Jyn is hesitant to join the rebellion at first yet after receiving her father's message she becomes intent to fight against the Empire. She thus joins the rebellion and leads a brave campaign to steal the plans.

My Review

At first I thought the film's first hour was somewhat dry and slow, and I was hoping to see much more action. However this changed after witnessing the final battle scene, which must have gone on for about an hour. I realized at that point, that the first hour serves as a great build-up compliment to the excitement to come. The battle scene was full of old school references and was quite reminiscent of the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi.

The special effects were at just the right level, not overdoing it too much, the way the prequels did. I thought the film did very well in bringing back the Episode 4 characters thru use of CGI. This was done most notably for Grand Moff Tarkin, some of the Rebel pilots, and Princess Leia. Darth Vader played a minor role in the film, yet certainly had his wow moment at the end which was true to the character's form.

I would highly recommend this film for both new and old Star Wars fans. I think it was even better than last years Episode 7: The Force Awakens. Yet I think that's mostly my bias because it dealt with old material that I grew up with. Nonetheless I would certainly consider watching this film a 2nd time in theaters and can't wait to add it to my collection.

Historical Look: Spanish Civil War

As I've continued the Ken Follet History Trilogy with Book 2 "Winter of the World", I've returned to a fascination with European History. I'm only 4 chapters into the book and am already enjoying the historical insight of Europe in the mid-to-late 1930s with the backdrop of the rising Nazi Germany. At this point in the book some of the characters, the offspring of the characters from book 1, have delved into an event that has always interested me; The Spanish Civil War.

All I know of the Spanish Civil War is that it was a precursor to WWII in the late 1930s. The conflict could be seen as a major proxy war between Communism and Fascism. It was the Fascist General Francisco Franco who was able to wage the war and drive out the liberals, communists, and anarchists from power. He was a ruthless leader who lead Spain for many years after the Civil War and World War II.

I became more attuned to the Spanish Civil War thru numerous film references yet especially from one of my all time favorite films, Pans Labyrinth. This film is actually set in 1944, during the aftermath of the civil war, however captures the atrocities of the period. At that point the Fascist Falange Party had won control of the country yet were still facing rebel uprisings. As a historical enthusiast, especially one of European history, I had many questions from this topic; Such as what caused the Spanish Civil War, what political sides and ideals were in conflict, and why did Spain not get involved in WWII. Therefore in this post I'm finally going to study and capture the historical components of one of Spain's most significant events.

The Second Spanish Republic

During WWI Spain was able to remain neutral under the reign of King Alfonso XIII. However the working class had grown very frustrated with the corrupt Bourbon monarchy. In 1873 the industrial workers were able to overthrow Queen Isabella II and establish the First Spanish Republic. However the government was hardly able to establish itself before it was overthrown by conservative opposition and thus the monarchy was restored. It was during the Restoration period where new liberal factions begun to spread throughout Spain. This included socialists, anarchists, Catalan nationalists, and Carlists (Carlists were essentially against the Bourban dynasty claiming that King Alfonso did not have a rightful claim to the throne).

In 1923 a military coup led by Miguel Primo de Rivera overthrew the monarchy and slowly transitioned into a military dictatorship. Rivera was able to defeat the monarchists however was not able to govern well and the monarchy still had limited powers. After several years Rivera was replaced by two different generals who also were inept at governing yet still able to maintain order. In 1931 a revolutionary committee was established to form a republic. As a result King Alfonso XIII acknowledged the government and fled the country. Thus the Second Spanish Republic was formed in 1931 and Niceto Alcala-Zamora became it's first head of state.

The Rise of Spanish Fascism

As the newly formed government began to move in a liberal direction, new opposition arose from conservatives, monarchists, and nationalists. It was during this time of the Great Depression that the ideology of Fascism had arose from Italy and had spread into Germany and other nations. The general concept of Fascism was of national unity strongly opposed to the Communist concepts of class war and liberalism. However the Fascist ideology was different for each country depending on their internal affairs. For example Mussolini's Fascism wanted to expand Italy into a new Roman Empire, while Hitler's Nazism wanted to do the same while also eliminated all Jews. The Spanish version of Fascism had components of monarchism and Catholic influence, and became known as Falangism.

In 1933, Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera, the son of General Rivera whom had overthrown the monarchy, officially formed the first branch of Spanish fascism known as the Spanish Falange of the Councils of the National-Syndicalist Offensive. Unlike other extreme Fascist or conservative parties Rivera's party was only moderately to the right. They were against Communism and Oligarchy yet were in favor of the Republic government, unlike their monarchist counterparts. However over the years the party began to shift further and further right.

The turmoil and political division continued to split the country throughout the mid 1930s. Soon the monarchists joined the Falange movement in an attempt to defeat the liberal Popular Front party that was in power. Yet political violence became more and more frequent throughout the streets as a reaction to left leaning policies. The 1936 election became the final turning point for a nation ready to implode.

The Popular Front was able to win the election and in an effort to subdue the threat from the right they persecuted and later executed one of it's top leaders, Jose Antonio. This was perhaps one of the final straws which led to political insurrection and eventual civil war. A conservative coalition was organized by General Francisco Franco to overthrow the Republic. The group consisted of multiple conservative factions from military officers, fascists, Carlists, monarchists, Catholics, and nationalists. And so the Spanish Coup of July 1936 was able to fracture the Republic Armed Forces and bring a start to the Spanish Civil War.

The Factions and Foreign Support

At the onset of Fransciso's coup the entire nation of Spain was forced to chose a side in the divisive conflict. On one side was the Republican Faction, the left wing of Spanish politics that had established the Second Spanish Republic. Against them were the insurgents known as the Nationalist Faction, a right wing coalition opposed to the Republic government. Both sides had numerous unions both within the country and thru foreign support.

The Republican Faction

• The Popular Front: It was the major left leaning political party in the Second Spanish Republic. In 1936 their leader Manuel Azana won the election which would trigger the civil war. Their ideals consisted of progressiveness, republicanism, secularism, and anti-fascism. They were also referred to as the Loyalists.
• Basque Nationalists: This regional faction was a center to right organization strong in its Christian principles yet also strongly opposed to fascism. Their ideals incorporated blends of conservatism as well as Christian democracy. 
• Catalan Nationalists:  Another regional faction that stood for it's own independence while siding with the Republican coalition. This group consisted of left-leaning and even anarchist ideologies. 
  
• CNT (National Confederation of Labor): They were a labor union who favored anarchism thru industrial syndicalism. They were driven by a goal to end the wage system and establish a cooperative economy. 
• FAI (Iberian Anarchist Federation): They were a labor union from the Iberian region, united with the CNT's anarchist goals. 
• UGT (General Union of Workers): This organization was a general union of workers who favored a socialist government rather than an anarchic-syndicalism. 
• Soviet Union: The rising superpower of Communist Russia saw this conflict as a good opportunity to further spread their ideals. They became the Republicans greatest source of weapons, supplies, and council. However they also became one of the downfalls to the Republican faction due to cultural differences. Basically the Spanish fighters didn't want to take orders from Russian officers. 
• Mexico: Having just had a revolution of their own, the Mexican government related with the Spanish Republicans and openly sent them money and supplies while most of the world remained neutral.
• Foreign Volunteers: Nearly 40,000 volunteers from other countries arrived to fight on the side of the Republicans. These consisted of students, workers, communists, anarchists, and socialists all who shared left-wing ideals.

The Nationalist Faction

• The Falange: This political party became the majority of the Nationalist Faction. They were essentially a milder form of Fascism with components of national Catholicism, monarchism, and anti-Communism. After Franco assumed leadership of the party he emphasized that they were not Fascist however shared closer ideals than that of Communism.
• CEDA (Spanish Confederation of Automonous Right Wing Groups) This was essentially a Catholic Conservative coalition Their primary concern was the defense of morals and principles in the face of too much liberalism. 
• Carlists: They were a faction of ultra traditional monarchists who had opposed the Bourban dynasty many years before the establishment of the Republic. They were devout Catholics and extremely anti-socialist. 
• Alfonsists: They were also a faction of monarchists who supported the restoration of Alfonso XIII. While they conflicted with the Carlists and other monarchist factions, they despised the Republican government more than anything. 
  
• Italy: Benito Mussolini openly supported the Spanish Nationalist campaign with hopes to spread his Fascist ideals. He sent over 37,000 ground soldiers as well as bomber aircrafts and supplies.
• Nazi Germany: Adolf Hitler also saw the Civil War as a political opportunity to strengthen his rising power. He openly used the battlefield as a means to re-arm his nation and essentially test new equipment and military tactics against the Spanish Republic. 
• Portugal: They were much more discreet in their support of the nationalist force. They opened their Iberian borders to nationalist activities, offered logistical support, supplies, ammunition, and over 10,000 volunteers.
• Vatican City: They were at first hesitant to officially support the Nationalist uprising however shared its traditionalist views. However thru the use of propaganda, the Nationalists were able to depict the Republicans as the enemies of God. Before the end of the war, the Vatican City officially supported the Nationalists. 

The Civil War

Following the Nationalist Coup, began a series of political purges from both sides known as the Red Terrors and the White Terrors. The Red Terrors were initiated by the Republican faction with mass executions of Catholic clergymen, industrialists, and right-wing politicians. The number of deaths range from 40 to 70,000. Meanwhile the Nationalists also initiated a political purge of mass executions on liberals, anarchists, socialists, protestants, communists, and free-thinking citizens. The numbers of death ranged from 150 to 400,000. The month of July was the bloodiest of these purges and brought a swift divide in the nation.

The war itself broke out on numerous fronts however the first major victory for the Nationalist rebels came on July 21st when they captured the Spanish naval base in the northwest region of Ferrol. Following this was the Siege of Alcazar, outside of Madrid, which became another decisive Nationalist victory. Francisco Franco assumed the title of El Generalismo of the well organized Nationalist armies. The nationalists quickly had control of the western regions of Spain, and Franco declared himself dictator over the territories.

In November of 1936 the Nationalists continued their offensive on Madrid, yet were repelled by the Republican armies. This would lead to a three year long siege. Yet the moral remained with the Nationalists as they were reinforced by thousands of Italian troops from Mussolini. The Republican armies were not as organized and soon their Popular Front diminished into coalitions of militias and labor unions. In Feb of 1937 Franco lead another successful assault at the Battle of Malaga to capture more territory in the southeast of Spain. 

In March of 1937 however the Nationalists were able to lead a successful offensive of their own at the Battle of Guadalajara. As a result of this defeat, the Nazis quickly came to the aid of Franco's forces and began the Biscay Campaign in the north. By April the Nazi Condor Legion had overwhelmed the Basque nationalists thru the Bombing of Guernica and the eventual fall of Bilbao. The Republican coalition was defeated in the north and Franco's captured territory continued to grow. 

Things grew worse for the Republicans as infighting arose in the region of Catalonia between Anarchists and Communists. While they were able to contain the situation they were unable to put pressure on the Nationalist armies and in July of 1937 suffered another decisive loss at the Battle of Brunete, near Madrid. Franco was able to further expand his control through the northeastern regions with victories at Aragon, Santander, and Gijon. By the end of 1937 his armies were moving in on the key city of Valencia which forced the Republican government to retreat to Barcelona. 

By the early months of 1938, the Nationalist armies continued to plow through the northeaster region during the Aragon Offensive. The Battle of Teruel was another decisive victory for Gen Franco as he was able to split the Republican territories in the east. By this point the Republican faction was hopeful for a peace treaty, yet Franco was intent on an unconditional surrender. In July of 1938 the Republicans launched their final offensive to reconnect their territory in the east at the Battle of Ebro. However Franco was able to repel the assault and this became the final blow to the Republican's morale. 

At the start of 1939, the Nationalist army led a massive invasion of Catalonia and after two months had secured the region including the key city of Barcelona. The final stronghold was the capital city of Madrid which did not last long. On April 1st the Republicans officially surrendered and Gen Franco proclaimed victory for his Nationalist side. Spain was now in the hands of yet another Fascist dictator. 

Francoist Spain

The nationalist victory brought about the establishment of a totalitarian state in the likes of Italy and Nazi Germany. Francisco Franco dismantled the government of the Spanish Republic and declared himself dictator. Tens of thousands of Republican dissidents were imprisoned, forced into labor camps, and executed. While hundreds of thousands of refugees fled the country into France and parts of South America.

Meanwhile as the Spanish Civil War came to an end, the Second World War had gotten off to it's start. Both Nazi Germany and Italy expected Spain to join them as an ally, however Franco declared neutrality for his newly established regime. He did however appease the Axis Powers by giving them military and territorial support. Franco was urged by Hitler to enter the war in the Mediterranean islands, and the notable seaport of Gibraltar. However Franco felt it could lead to economic and territorial losses. At that point some even believe he was bribed by British officials not to engage the Allies. Spain thus officially remained neutral while volunteers chose to fight on both sides of the war.

For some twenty years after the civil war, there was a continued resistance throughout Spain of guerrilla warfare. The group of rebel fighters were known as the Spanish Maquis however were ultimately unsuccessful in regaining control of Franco's regime. However following the defeat of the axis powers in World War II, Spain's totalitarian regime slowly transitioned into a Democratic state similar to Britain and France. Before his death in 1975 he restored the monarchy giving power to Juan Carlos. It was Juan Carlos who limited his powers with a transition into a constitutional monarchy. By 1978 a new constitution was formed which dismantled the totalitarian regime and established Spain as a parliamentary democracy.  

The End of the Billy Goat Curse

I try not to buy too much into curses, superstition, and luck however I do enjoy folklore. I figured since the Chicago Cubs have now brought an end to their 108 year drought it was a fitting time to discuss one of the greatest curses in sports history; The Curse of the Billy Goat. While only a superstition, to many Cubs fans this curse was the root cause to their many many many years of suffering.

The Legend of the Curse

The Cubs last won the World Series in 1908 against the New York Giants thanks to an infamous baserunning mistake by Fred Merkle, known as Merkle's Boner. Some Cubs fans believe the curse came after this game since they had won the championship off of a mistake. However although they did not win a championship they remained a good team throughout the next 30 years appearing in the World Series 6 more times. However a new curse around in the 1940s which would become one of the most popular curses in sports, the Curse of the Billy Goat.

Just like any classic folktale the origins of the Billy Goat Curse are disputed and there is no actual historical evidence of whether it happened or not. However the story arose from an instance in 1945, the last time the Chicago Cubs were in the World Series. William Sianis, was a local Greek bar owner, who had opened a bar called the Billy Goat Tavern. He was known for his eccentric behavior as a means to increase business.

William "Billy Goat" saw the 1945 World Series as the perfect opportunity to market his bar while cheering for the Cubs. In doing so he brought his goat to game 4 at Wrigley Field where the Cubs were facing the Detroit Tigers. However he was stopped by the Wrigley ushers who would not allow his pet goat into the stadium stating that the goat smelled too much. At that point William made a great scene in front of many, loudly declaring that the Cubs will never win a World Series again. He took his act a step further by writing a letter to the owner of the Cubs, Philp K Wrigley, that the Cubs would never win again for disrespecting his goat. Following this exchange, the Cubs would go on to lose the World Series to the Tigers, at which point William declared it was the Cubs who stank and not his goat.

The Longest Drought in Baseball

Following their loss at the 1945 World Series, the Cubs would embark on a 71 year period without making it to the World Series. It did not take long for journalists to recall the incident as a good explanation as to why the Cubs continued to lose. One of the more popular of these journalists was Mike Royko who published numerous articles in the 70s for the Chicago Sun Times about the Billy Goat Curse. Looking back however this was most likely a ploy to increase sales for both the Billy Goat Tavern as well as the Chicago Sun Times. Nonetheless it became a household legend throughout Chicago as to why the Cubs could not make it to the World Series.

Before his death in 1969, William Sianis claimed the curse had been lifted, however the Cubs continued to lose over the next few decades. In 1984 under the new ownership of the Tribune Company, the goat was welcomed into the stadium for the season opener. That season the Cubs made it to the playoffs for the first time in nearly 30 years. In the NLCS matchup against the San Diego Padres they were only 8 eights away from going to the World Series when a routine groundball went thru the legs of first baseman, Leon Durham. The Padres would then go on to win the remaining games in the series, eliminating the Cubs. It appeared the curse was still as alive as ever.

The Cubs continued their losing ways for years after however did make it to the playoffs a few more times. In 1989 they made it to the NLCS yet lost to the Giants; in 1998 they had a very good season led by their homerun superstar Sammy Sosa however they were swept by the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.   

One of the most infamous references to the Billy Goat curse came in the 2003 NLCS against the Florida Marlins. I remember this one quite well since I was a freshmen in high school and Cubs fever was everywhere. The Cubs were having a very hot season led by their incredible starting pitchers of Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. It was game 6 when the curse made it's greatest appearance yet. The Cubs were ahead 3 to 2 games on the Marlins, up by 3 runs, in the top of the 8th, and were only 5 outs away from going to the World Series. When a fly ball was hit towards the right field, Moises Alou appeared to have the catch yet was suddenly interfered with by a fan reaching for the ball. That poor fan, Steve Bartman, went down into Cubs folklore as the turning point in that series. The Cubs would go on to lose that game as well as the next one which eliminated them. It was one of the most heartbreaking events in sports I have ever witnessed. After that it was easy to understand how the curse had become more believable. 

Following that heartbreaking loss, the Cubs went on to have several more terrible seasons. In 2007 and 2008 they strung together two more playoff appearances yet loss both times in the NLDS first to the Diamondbacks then to the Dodgers. They had several more losing seasons, and the Tribune Company later sold the franchise the Rickets, which finally paved the way for new light.

The End of the Curse

It was first in 2015 that the Cubs appeared as a credible contender. They had a completely new look under the management of Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon. The young team made an impressive run into the playoffs, defeating the Pirates in the Wild Card, defeating the Cardinals in the NLDS, yet getting swept in the NLCS against the Mets. However at that point many Cubs fans felt a hope that had not felt in almost a lifetime. That for once the team was actually very talented and would be back for years to come. 

And sure enough the following year the Chicago Cubs had the best record in baseball and went on to win the World Series against the Cleveland Indians in dramatic fashion. In game 7, the curse would not go down without a fight and made one final dramatic appearance in the top of 8th sending the game into extra innings. However this extra drama, only made the story all the sweeter as the Cubs were able to overcome the final obstacles. After 108 years without a championship, and 71 years without even appearing, the Cubs had finally brought an end to all curses. And now one can only hope that they will continue their winning ways long into the foreseeable future. 

Chicago Cubs are World Series Champions!

The Chicago Cubs are finally World Series Champions! Just saying it is quite surreal since it hasn't happened since 1908. I myself have been a loyal Cubs fan since I was a kid in love with baseball, and in those days they were always the worse team in baseball. They hadn't even been to a World Series since 1948 (which is when the infamous curse began which I'll write about in another post) Well now that long history of losing has come to an end!

In this series they were faced up against the Cleveland Indians, who also had a long history of losing, having not won a championship since 1948 (2nd longest drought behind the Cubs). The stage was set for an exciting story, both teams hungry for their first championship in a very long time. Last night's game 7 was perhaps one of the most dramatic ball games I have ever witnessed. After nearly 4 hours of tension, a rain delay, and extra innings the Cubs secured the victory at last. In this post I'm going to re-visit how the Cubs got to this point.

New Ownership

In the late 1990s, the Cubs had emerged as contenders led by superstars Sammy Sosa and Kerry Wood. In 1998 they made it to the playoffs for the first time in nearly 10 years. 4 years later the team went even further into the playoffs all the way to the NLCS. It was this game against the Marlins in 2003, that the infamous Steve Bartman incident happened and the Cubs lost their momentum. It seemed the Billy Goat curse was true and the Cubs were never meant to win a title.

Yet in 2009, perhaps one of the key turning points in the Chicago Cubs trajectory, was when the organization was purchased by the Ricketts family. The Ricketts family were enthusiastic Cubs fans and wanted nothing more than to bring a championship to their team and especially the fans. Thomas S Ricketts can be mostly credited for acquiring perhaps one of the best general managers in the business, Theo Epstein. 

New General Manager: Theo Epstein

At a young age, Epstein had proven himself as a skillful manager. He was considered the key architect of the Boston Red Sox's title in 2004. At that time the Red Sox had a drought of their own, for over 85 years without a championship in what was known as the Curse of the Bambino. The Red Sox later went on to win again in 2007 still to the credit of Epstein's management. In 2011 Ricketts was able to lure Esptein with a new position to manage the Cubs and break yet another curse. Epstein accepted the position and requested the fans be patient with him. And so began a new era of upward progress.

New Manager: Joe Maddon

Epstein's plan was to incorporate statistics into his business management and build around a youthful team, such as Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, and Jorge Soler. His first season as general manager ended with a terrible record of 61 wins and 101 losses. It was the Cub's worst record since 1966). However Epstein insisted this was part of his plan and it would take time for his team to grow. After two more unsuccessful seasons he hired Joe Maddon from the Tampa Bay Rays to manage the Cubs. 

The 2015 Regular Season

Leading up to the 2015 season, Epstein had changed his manager and brought on a slay of new players. This included three rookies Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, and Kyle Schwarber to be added to the starting lineup. As well as the acquisitions of vets such as David Ross, Dexter Fowler and pitchers Jake Arietta and Jon Lester. That season the Cubs made it to the playoffs as a wild-card team for the first time since 2008. They went on to beat the Pirates in the wild card match, beat the Cardinals in NLDS, yet got swept to the Mets in the NLCS. Nonetheless the season proved to be the Cub's announcement that they had finally arrived as contenders. Jake Arietta went on to win the Cy Young award that season. 

The 2016 Regular Season

In the following offseason, Epstein traded Starlin Castro and signed vets John Lackey, Ben Zobrist, and Jason Heyward. The team began with an unlucky break when their power hitter, Kyle Schwarber broke his ACL and would have to be out for the season. However the Cubs still got off to a very hot start lead by their power hitting and sharp pitching. By May 8th after 30 games, they had the achieved the best record in the league and their best start since 1907. Their was no question now that the Cubs were a very good team. 

They continued their success throughout the months of May and June, sitting at top of the Central Division over the Pirates and Cardinals by multiple games. Five of their players were chosen to start in the All Star game; Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, Addison Russell, and Dexter Fowler. Pitchers Jake Arietta and Jon Lester were also chosen to the roster. Following the All Star break the Cubs continued to win. By the end of August they were 15 games ahead of the 2nd place Cardinals. On Sept 14th they clinched a spot in the playoffs. On Sept 23rd they clinched home field advantage in the playoffs. They finished with a record of 103-58 their best since regular season record since 1910. 

The Division Series matched them up against the San Francisco Giants. The Cubs won their first two home games in the series under the pitching of Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks. They lost the 3rd game in San Francisco yet went on to win the 4th game and advance to the NLCS. In The National Championship Series they were matched with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They won their first game, yet lost their 2nd and 3rd ones. The Cubs were however able to regain momentum in the 4th, 5th, and 6th match-ups to clinch their first trip to the World Series since 1948. I watched Game 6 with my dad and was very excited to see that the Cubs would be in the World Series.

World Series

Game 1: The Cubs were matched up against the Cleveland Indians. I watched Game 1 at Adam's house with Rich and we were excited to see the series kick-off. One of the exciting developments was that Kyle Shwarber was going to return as a DH for this series. However the Indians had different plans with their home field advantage. Their starting pitcher Corey Kluber was unbreakable and backed by an equally masterful reliever in Andrew Miller. Indians catcher Roberto Perez went on to hit two homeruns. Cubs pitcher Jon Lester did not have such a good night and the Cubs batters were unable to score. I remember the mood was disappointment leaving Adam's house and knowing that the Indians were not going to make this easy. The final score was 6-0. 

Game 2: That night I went over to Philip's to help with yard work and drop Cochie off. Dad was also there and we streamed the game for a while on my laptop. This time Jake Arietta was pitching and the Cubs got off to an early start in the 1st inning with a base hit from Kris Bryant and a RBI from Rizzo. In the third inning they got another score when Kyle Schwarber batted in Anthony Rizzo. They extended their lead by three more runs in the 5th inning. And finished with a cushy victory of 5-1. The series was tied and was now going back to Wrigley Field. I remember feeling good and had high hopes that the series would end in Wrigley. 

Game 3: I got to Bowling Green, Friday night to visit Marc and Laura and was excited to watch game 3 that night. Especially since it would be the first World Series game at Wrigley field since 1945. The game was however a pitching chess match between Cleveland pitcher Josh Tomlin and Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks. In the 7th inning the stalemate was finally broken when Coco Crisp batted in Michael Martinez in what would become the only run of the game. The finaly score was 1-0. It was a disappointing loss yet I felt we would still be okay.

Game 4: That Saturday night Marc and I went out to the Nashville bars and I was excited to take on the music and celebrate a Cubs victory. However Corey Kluber was pitching once again and yet again had different plans in mind. The Cubs got off to a good start in the 1st inning when Fowler was batted in by Rizzo. However in the next two innings the Indians knocked in 3 runs, including a homerun by Carlos Santana. Jon Lackey held on until the 5th inning when he was relieved by Mike Montgomery. However in the 7th inning the Indians brought down the hammer when Jason Kipnis knocked out a three run homer. The Indians went on to comfortably win the game 7-2. I got very drunk that night and it began to appear that the Indians were going to crush the Cubs' dreams. 

Game 5: It was an elimination game for the Cubs, and I got home from Kentucky just in time to watch it. This time Jon Lester was pitching again and was eager to redeem himself from the 1st game. The Indians struck first in the 2nd inning with a homerun by Jose Ramirez. However the Cubs finally answered in the 3rd inning with a 3 run rally. The game got very tight in the 6th inning when the Indians got another run. However closing pitcher Aroldis Chapman was able to pitch for three innings to close the game out and save the Cubs from elimination. The series was now at 3-2 and would finish back at Cleveland. 

Game 6: After a days rest, both teams were eager to get back at it. The Cubs were still facing an elimination game while the Indians were ready to close it at home. Arietta was matched up against Josh Tomlin in what seemed like it would be another chess-mate. However that was not the case as the Cubs got off to an incredible start in the top of the 1st. It began with a solo homerun from Kris Bryant, a base hit from Rizzo, a base hit from Zobrist, and a flyball from Russell that was dropped and brought in two runs. In the top of the 3rd the Cubs continued their offensive attack which was highlighted by an incredible grand slam by At that point I began to believe that they would actually do this. They easily won the game 9-2 and had now tied up the series. The momentum was clearly now with the Cubs as they headed into game 7. This would shape up to be the most dramatic game and perhaps the most dramatic world series in history.

Game 7: Knowing history was at stake I was extremely excited for the game that night. I chose to watch it at home, rather than the bars, to save money and not drink on the week of my big race. The whole game however I was texting with my friends and family in what became one of the most tense baseball games I had ever witnessed. The Indians ace Kluber was facing Hendricks. I knew it would take some early scores for us to shut down the Indians. And I got my wish when in the 1st at-bat Dexter Fowler hit a solo homerun off of Kluber. Following that each inning was extremely tense and finally in the bottom of the 3rd the Indians tied it up with an RBI from Carlos Santana. In the top of the 4th the Cubs rallied back when Russell hit a sac fly to bring in Bryant, and a double from Wilson Contreras that brought in Zobrist. In the top of the 5th the Cubs extended their lead by 2 more runs when Baez hit a solo homerun and Rizzo batted in Bryant. At that point it was 5-1 and Cubs manager John Maddon questionably decided to relieve Hendricks with Jon Lester. This turned out to be a poor decision as Lester threw several wild pitches that resulted in two scores.

The score was now 5-3 and the tension was back. However in the top of the 6th David Ross released some of that tension with a solo home-run to bring the score to 6-3. From that point on in seemed like a matter of just counting outs. The Cubs got through the 6th and 7th inning without runs. In the 8th inning Maddon decided to bring in his closer Chapman, who had already pitched numerous innings the past two games. This also turned out to be a poor decision as the Indians were able to score 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th against Chapman. One of which was a 2 run homerun from Rajai Davis. At that shocking point it seemed like the curse was reappearing for the Cubs. In the 9th inning it began to rain and the drama of each pitch only intensified.

The game was set to go into extra innings and at that point came the rain delay. I could not believe the situation. What a dramatic game it had been, yet still I had hope for the Cubs. Perhaps maybe they could squash the Indians' momentum with the delay. And in the top of the 10th, they did just that with a 2 run rally. This came from a Zobrist RBI and a Miguel Montero RBI. The score was now 8-6. In the bottom of the 10th the Indians were able to get a run back, and were in position to either tie it or take the go-ahead with a home-run. Yet Cubs clo
sing pitchers Carl Edwards and Mike Montgomery were called upon to finish it out. Which is exactly what they did. The Cubs had avoided a heartbreaking lost, and were now officially world champions. 

The curse was finally over! And I felt instant jubilation! I shared it with all my friends and family and did not go to bed until 2am. This is the first time I have felt the joy as a fan of a major sports championship. I hope the Cubs will continue to win and someday the Hoosiers and even the Lions can emulate their success. Nonetheless its reasons like this, the poetic beauty of an underdog story, that I love sports. And I believe this series and the Cubs in general are one of the most amazing stories in the history of sports. 

2016 Chicago Cubs Roster

PITCHERS (11)

Jake Arrieta

Aroldis Chapman

Carl Edwards Jr.

Justin Grimm

Kyle Hendricks

John Lackey

Jon Lester

Mike Montgomery

Hector Rondon

Pedro Strop

Travis Wood

CATCHERS (3)

Willson Contreras

Miguel Montero

David Ross

INFIELDERS (5)

Javier Baez

Kris Bryant

Anthony Rizzo

Addison Russell

Ben Zobrist

OUTFIELDERS (6)

Albert Almora Jr.

Chris Coghlan

Dexter Fowler

Jason Heyward

Kyle Schwarber

Jorge Soler

TV Series: That 70s Show

The past few months now I've been watching That 70s Show on Netflix. I remember this show first came out when I was in high school and always found the show to be very funny. The premise is about a group of high school friends and their shenanigans set in the mid to late 1970s in a small town in Wisconsin. It was a very popular show and ran from 1998 to 2006 for 8 seasons. After recently watching all episodes from beginning to end, I can say it's become one my favorite sitcom comedy series.

The Premise

The series begins in 1976 in a fictional town called Point Place, Wisconsin. The central character is Eric Foreman a cliche smart-allic teenager. His mother, Kitty babies him, while his father Red is very hard on him. His love interest is his next door neighbor Donna Pinciotti a free-spirited character. She lives with her flamboyant parents Bob and Midge. Beside Red and Donna are their group of friends including Hyde, a rebellious teenager who eventually moves in with the Foreman family. Then there is Kelso, the loud and obnoxious one of the group; Jackie the spoiled one of the group; and Fez, the unique foreigner of the group.

Each character compliments one another quite well to make for many hysterical situations. The characters grow with the storyline as they date one another and get thru high school together. Donna and Eric date for the first few seasons then take a break, then get back together. Meanwhile Jackie dates Kelso in the first few seasons, and then Hyde for the next few seasons, and ends up with Fez in the end. Fez is the sole loner thru most of the series.

Season 7 was perhaps my favorite as the characters were out of high school and beginning their transition into adulthood. This was perhaps where Eric Foreman was at his funniest a complete bum without a path. By season 8 the actors who played Eric and Kelso chose not to return, thus making for a sub-par final season. The series finale ended with Eric and Donna getting back together, Kelso becoming a father in Chicago, Hyde owning a record business, and Jackie and Fez getting together.

The characters

Eric Foreman (played by Topher Grace) His is a very skinny smart allic character. His dad refers to him constantly as a dumbass since he really doesn't have much ambition. However his relationship with Donna is the stuff of dreams, merging a best friend with a lover. He is arguably the leader of the group, and hosts the social gatherings in his basement. He bounces around from multiple jobs yet stays committed to Donna thru most of the series. He however completely flakes out towards the end of the series as he leaves Donna at the alter and later leaves for Africa. How Donna stays with him at the end makes zero sense to me.

Donna Pinciotti (played by Laura Preppon) She is a free spirited tall somewhat tomboyish girl, and yet very attractive in my opinion. Its her eyes, long legs, and personality I always found to be very enticing. She is always by Eric's side yet also plays the mature one of the group. In the later seasons she struggles with her parents divorce yet lands a good job as a radio DJ. In the final two seasons she changes her hair to blonde and becomes more of a feminist. Even after Eric leaves her at the alter and leaves for Africa, she still somehow ends up with him.

Stephen Hyde (played by Danny Masterson) He is the rebellious stoner of the group, and arguably their mature leader. He comes from a dysfunctional parenthood, and later moves in with the Foreman family. In the first few seasons he plays a strong independent character and a mentor role to Fez. He also gets a job at the photo booth owned by a old hippy named Leo. By the fifth season he begins dating Jackie after she breaks up with Kelso. He later meets his father who happens to be a weathly record store owner, and gives him a job as a manager.

Michael Kelso (played by Ashton Kutcher) He is the ridiculous clown of the group, perhaps the shows biggest break out character. While he begins dating Jackie he is notorious for his cocky, flirting ladies-man personality. He is also extremely dimwitted making for great humor. He coins the catchphrase, "Burn" after always poking jokes at others in the group. After dating Jackie for the first few seasons, they break up and Kelso bounces around with different girlfriends. He later gets a girl pregnant and moves to Chicago to help raise the kid and work as a security guard.

Jackie Burkhart (played by Mila Kunis) She is the very spoiled brat of the group, also the youngest being a grade below the rest. In the first few seasons she dates Kelso, always arguing with him and demanding attention. She is very unlike her grungy best friend, Donna, yet much more prissy. By the 4th and 5th season she breaks up with Kelso and begins dating Hyde, making for a much more mature relationship. Hyde however has no plans to get married, while Jackie wants the cliche marriage and a family. In the later seasons she begins making her own path, getting an office job and moving in with Fez. Towards the last few episodes she surprisingly decides she wants a relationship with the creepy Fez.

Fez (Wilmer Valderamma) He begins as the innocent foreign exchange student, and somewhat of a footstool to the group. He starts off in the series as a bit awkward of a character, yet still charming and fashionable. He eventually begins to date around and even lose his virginity which is a big deal for him. He lands several jobs throughout the series working at the DMV and later at a hair salon. Towards the later seasons his character gets extremely creepy and odd, an example being him frequently hiding in Donna's closet or spying on other people. By the 8th season however is somehow able to get his own apartment with Kelso and Jackie moves in with him. By some strange conclusion the writers thought it would be a fitting closure to have Jackie and Fez end up together, which I thought was a bit unbelievable.

Red Foreman (Kurtwood Smith) He is a cliche blue collar hard-ass father. As a military vet, he shows a very strict and dispiclined demeanor. He's especially hard on his son, Eric, who he feels is a slacker and often refers to him as a dumbass. He does however have a soft side for his wife, Kitty, and their elder daughter, Laurie. In the later episodes he has a heart attack, of which Eric skips out on college to help his parents financially. Red manages a store and later opens his own muffler shop until he retires.

Kitty Foreman (Debra Jo Rupp) She is the cliche loving mother and expert home-keeper who often babies Eric. She's also a nurse and a very good cook. She is the structure of the family, very loyal to her husband, and very protective of her son. She also enjoys to drink and have a good time with Eric's friends.

Bob Pinciotti (Don Stark) He is the neighbor of the Foreman family and the father to Donna. His personality is a lovable yet dimwitted figure. He is also a very emotional person which often gets on Red's nerves. In the third season he seperates from his wife Midge and later dates around with other women. At the end of the series he decides to move to Florida.

Midge Pinciotti (Tanya Roberts) She is the extremely ditsy wife to Bob and mother to Donna. She's very open-minded and begins to feel that her husband Bob is too possessive and later divorces him by the third season. She however reappears in the 6th and 7th season to offer support to her daughter and rekindle things with Bob.

Leo Chingkwake (Tommy Chong) He is a hippy business owner of a photo hut that employs Hyde for a while. He often joins the gang in their random shenanigans. His character is always stoned and lost out of his mind, making for very hysterical dialogue.

Randy Pearson (Josh Meyers) He appears only in the 8th season as a new friend to the group, mostly just to take the place of Eric and Kelso. He works for Hyde's record store, and later has a brief fling with Donna. His character is somewhat of a boring one and he wasn't even included in the series finale.

The production

The show became quite popular for introducing many new original film techniques. One of the most iconic elements of the show was the film-circle which panned from character to character usually while the characters were smoking marijuana. The smoking of marijuana was of course never shown however it was obviously displayed in the characters outlandish dialogue and expressions. The show also introduced elements of split screen dialogue and dream sequences.

The show is infused with 70s references from the music, the cars, the clothes, to the general pop culture. The group of friends all enjoy rock and disco music. Eric is obsessed with Star Wars and also collects GI Joe action figures which both made their debut at the time. Many of the characters often wear the bell bottom jeans and the big collar shirts. Finally they all have similiar personalities of free spirited 1970s hippies. 

Book Review: Fall of Giants

It's been a very long time since I've read a book. Not sure why, maybe I was just waiting for a good recommendation or some extra free time. Well the extra free time finally come with my summer vacation to Minnesota. When we planned the trip a couple months ago, I decided it was time to get me a good summer book. I knew I wanted something epic, in the likes of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. I also wanted something fictional yet in a historical setting. It was my cousin, Marc who gave me the perfect suggestion; The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett.

My cousin explained the premise to me. A fictional series set in the past 100 years of history. As a historical junkie this was exactly what I wanted. The first book, The Fall of Giants, covers WWI, the Russian Revolution, and the Womens Suffragette movement. The second book, Winter of the World, covers WWII, and the third book, Edge of Eternity covers the Cold War. I started book one about a month and a half ago, and was glued to the pages. Truth is as a history buff, I've never fully understood the complexities of WWI until now. In this book I got a full dose of the political and historical context of the event, and can gladly say it has been incredibly inspiring. So here without further ado is my book review of Ken Follett's Fall of Giants.

The Premise

The story begins at the prelude to WWI in Europe. There are multiple characters in the story from different cultures and backgrounds. There are five families in total (Welsh, British, German, American, and Russian) who play a part in the story. They are interwoven with one another throughout the historical context, making for an extremely dramatic plot. I've always felt this style of storytelling makes for the best most insightful drama.

The first story revolves around the working class Welsh characters. Billy Williams and his sister Ethel Williams. Both Billy and Ethel are key protagonists in the story as they grow out of their humble working class roots to become political leaders. Billy follows in his fathers footsteps as a coal-miner, who becomes a soldier in the war, and eventually a statesmen of the British Labor party. His sister, Ethel, has an affair with a British lord, which causes her to flee her hometown and move to London. It is there that Ethel establishes a new lifestyle as a journalist and a leading voice in the women suffragette movement. She too herself is able to climb the political ladder into becoming an elected member of the Labor party.

The second story consists of the antagonist to the Williams family is the wealthy conservative British aristocrat, Earl Fitzherbert. He has an affair with one of his servants, Ethel, who later becomes pregnant. Fitz refuses to leave his wife, Bea,  and requests that Ethel forever leave his presence  After Fitz wrongly treats Ethel, he proudly partakes in WWI as an officer. However once again he serves as a key antagonist to his own soldiers, specifically, Ethel's younger brother Billy. Fitz is wounded in war yet later continues his patriotic pride by opposing labor rights and the Bolshevik movement in Russia.

The third story revolves around Fitz's sister. Maud, a liberal and supporter of the suffragette movement. She later falls for a German diplomat, Walter von Ulrich. They both meet thru upper class association however are well aware that both their nations are headed towards war. They decide to get married before the war and keep it secret. Walter becomes an officer of the German army, while Maud becomes further involved in journalism and the suffragette movement. She even befriends her former servant Ethel in London. After the five years of war she is finally reunited with her German husband.

The fourth story is about a Russian factory worker named Grigori Peshkov, who has saved enough money to leave for America. However before he can board his boat, his younger brother, Lev, is wanted for murder and Grigori has no choice but to give his brother the ticket in order to escape. Grigori goes on to take care of Lev's girlfriend and child that he leaves behind. To make matters worse, Grigori is later conscripted to join the Russian army for WWI. Grigori then becomes a leader in the Bolshevik movement and plays a key role in the February and October Revolutions.

Meanwhile his brother Lev makes it to America and finds work in New York for a wealthy Russian mobster. He impregnates the daughter of his boss, and is forced to marry her. However he continues to live a careless life that leads him to constant trouble. After Lev's father-in-law discovers that he is having an affair he sends him to war, hoping that he will be killed. Instead Lev reunites with his brother Grigori offering him the money he owed him and insisting he come to America. Grigori declines and wishes his brother well. Upon his return to America, Lev kills his father-in-law in a domestic dispute. He rashly decides to take his father-in-law's spot as the boss and plans to illegal sell alcohol during the days of Prohibition.

The fifth story is about an American, Gus Dewar, who happens to be a political adviser to the president Woodrow Wilson. Gus plays a pivotal role among the British, German, and even Russian characters. During the war as Wilson's adviser he is key in seeking peace talks between the nations and keeping the US out of the conflict. However he later becomes key in obtaining the Zimmerman telegram and delivering it to a rebellious American journalist named Rosa. Gus uncharacteristically decides to serve in the army to strengthen his character. He later comes home to declare his love to Rosa and help Wilson with the establishment of the League of Nations.

The Characters  

Billy Williams (Welsh): He is the young crusading protagonist of this story. From the small coal-mining town of Aberowen, the Williams are a working class family. Billy's father is a well respected union leader and instills his Catholic moral principles into his children. In the first chapter we realize Billy's strength of character as his faith helps him thru a difficult situation. He later displays that strength thru leadership qualities in a coal-mining crisis and later at the bloody Battle of the Somme. Inspired by his rebellious sister, he becomes his own man, not afraid to challenge the authority. As a young man he becomes a political leader of the working class.

 Ethel Williams (Welsh): She is the rebellious elder daughter of the Williams family. She begins the story as an ambitious housekeeper for the wealthy estate of the Fitzherberts. However her story takes a turn when she falls for the lord of the house, Fitz, and becomes pregnant. She is later expelled from her job, disowned by her parents, and has no choice but to relocate to London. It is here that Ethel becomes political as a single working class mother. She becomes a key contributor to Maud's feminist newspaper and a voice in the suffragette movement. She marries a fellow political activist named Bernie and the two are able to rise to the top of their party.

Earl Fitzherbert (British): He is the wealthy lord of an estate, married to a Russian princess named Bea. He is young yet conservative in his principles and serves as a key antagonist in the story. He has a brief affair with his house servant Ethel, of which he makes her pregnant and fires her to keep it silent. He later proudly serves his nation in the war as an officer yet has continuous confrontations with his own soldiers including Ethel's younger brother, Billy. Even after the war he serves as a proponent to the rising voice of the political labor party. He also secretly leads a counterrevolutionary campaign against the Bolsheviks. Fitz's greatest character fault is his patriotic-conservatism and pride.

Maud Fitzherbet (British): She is the brother of Earl, and his political opposite as a liberal feminist. Her story is one of forbidden romance as she falls for the enemy, a German diplomat named Walter. Her and Walter are able to keep their marriage a secret throughout the war. She uses her resources to organize a suffragette newspaper, of which she becomes passionate about. She also becomes friends with her former houseservant, Ethel, and the two work together in leading the suffragette movement. After the war she is able to reunite with her defeated German husband, Walter and must make a decision on whether to stay or to follow she him. She romantically quotes a passage from the book of Ruth stating she "will goest where he goes, lodgest where he lodge, follow his God, follow his people, diest where he die, and be buried with him." She thus goes on to live with him in the fallen state of Germnay. It's a very romantic relationship.

Walter von Ulrich (German): He is a German noble diplomat and old friend to Fitz. His story comes into play however when he declares his love for Maud. Their relationship makes for an extremely difficult conflict as their nationalities are on the brink of war. They get married and hope to reunite again after the war. Unlike his conservative father Otto, Walter is a political centrist. He proudly serves his country during the war, yet hopes for a quick resolution. After the war he reluctantly takes part in the Treaty of Versailles. It is there that he is able to reunite with his long lost love, Maud. They agree to settle together in Germany.  

Grigori Peshkov (Russian): He is a Russian metalworker with intentions to leave his country for America. However he has terrible fortune when his younger brother Lev, of whom he takes care of, is wanted for murder. He must then give-up his ticket to his brother so that he can escape. Grigori's luck only gets worse when he must take care of his brother's girlfriend and child, and later becomes conscripted for the war. However it is at the war that Grigori's fortune takes a turn and he is able to join the Bolshevik movement. As a strong character he becomes a leader of the Revolution and eventually an officer of the newly established government. He marries his brother's ex-girlfriend and starts a family of his own with her. His fortune takes a turn for the positive halfway thru the book, however has us wondering at the end if he will prosper in the new Communist government.

Lev Peshkov (Russian): He is the younger brother of Grigori, a horse wrangler, and also quite the troublemaker. He impregnates a peasant named Katerina, yet kills an Imperial officer in a scuffle and must flee his nation. He first spends some time working in Wales then eventually arrives to America, always using his confident swagger to survive. It is in America that he finds work for a mob moss named Josef Vyalov and impregnates her daughter Olga. This works in Lev's favor as he is able to rise from peasant to a middle class business man. He continuously gets into trouble however and is later sent to the war by his father-in-law in hopes that he will be killed. It is here that he reunites with his brother Grigori and offers him the money he promised. After the war Lev returns to America, kills Josef in a domestic fight, and flees to Canada for a while. It is there that he come up with an idea to make a fortune during the Prohibition age.

Gus Dewar (American): He is the privileged son of an American senator and adviser to President Woodrow Wilson. He begins with a minimal role in Europe's war yet his character grows throughout the novel. He at first has a fling with Olga Vyalov yet is devastated when she must marry Lev instead. He then later begins to grow an attraction for an American journalist named Rosa Hellman, who happens to only have one eye. He delivers her the Zimmerman telegram that gets the US involved in war. Gus decides to join the war as an officer in order to strengthen his character. After the war he plays a crucial part in the Treaty of Versailles as well as helping president Wilson promote his League of Nations. He also romantically declares his love for Rosa Hellman.

Rosa Hellman (American): She is an extremely ambitious and rebellious journalist always on top of the developing stories at the White House. She is as pretty as she is intelligent, however her only major flaw is that one of her eyes is sealed. Nonetheless she becomes Gus' love interest and helps expose the Zimmerman telegram that gets the US to enter the war. She cares for Gus, yet feels she is below him and is surprised at the end of the story when Gus declares his love for her.