Worcester Is MAJOR!™

St. Patrick's Day Parade

The sun peeked from behind the clouds, but it took some coaxing from the parade goers, especially the children who braved the brisk temperatures for a chance to see a great parade.

This was the first time I attended the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and, while, I always support cultural and ethnic celebrations, I never felt motivated to attend the St. Patrick's Day parade in Worcester.

I realize it's because I associate St. Patrick's Day with working in higher education and being "on duty", and, thus, having to respond to students that otherwise were well-mannered and smart, who would drink themselves silly, and make some bad decisions. (I'm glad that phase of my career is in the past.)

Back to the St. Patrick's Day parade. Yes, there were a number of people hitting the bars along Park Avenue, but the vibe was controlled and people were catching up with friends, making new friends, and honoring the sacrifices made by the Irish and the impact the Irish have had, and continue to have on the world.

Here are some pictures from the parade:

Labels: children, City of Worcester, Dee Wells, Fun, Irish, local news, people, St. Patrick's Day, Twitter, Worcester Is MAJOR

508: Predicting in the WoO

Back in December 2008, Mike Benedetti of 508 interviewed a few good folks-Tracy Novick, Scott Zoback and me and asked our predictions for Worcester for 2009.

Well, Mike is back from Washington, D.C. and he's come out of the gates swinging with the 508 Vidcast. Listen to Mike and Brendan Melican as they discuss our predictions.

Labels: 508, Brendan Melican, Dee Wells, DeJongh Wells, Mike Beneditti, Radioball.net, Scott Zoback, Tracy Novick, Worcester Is MAJOR

Fashion: Major Taylor Nike Blazer sneakers

"Who is Major Taylor?" We’re not asking, but it's the question that's printed on the insole of the Nike Blazer High Premium sneakers seen here.

The Beaverton, Oregon company pays homage to Major Taylor a/k/a/ The Worcester Whirlwind, for whom there is a beautiful statue on display at the Worcester Public Library. (see pictures below.)

The Nike Blazer features a laid back colorway compared to the brown and neon version that dropped last year. Round 2 of the Major Taylor Blazers are now up for grabs at a few stores throughout the United States.

Hat tip to Proper for the picture.

In July 2007, Nike released the "Major Taylor Pack" which comprised of four sneakers- Nike Air Max '90, Nike Blazer High, Nike Dunk High and Nike Cortez.

The insoles on the Air Max '90 featured “1896″ and the #13 along with other artwork. 1896 represents the the year he entered his first professional race in Madison Square Garden.