Interview: Nick Harbacek

Ok, In my first air hockey interview – I present to you, Nick Harbacek.

When I first met Nick, he was the young veteran with the flashy offense.  Before I started playing competitively, I thought this was the kind of player I could beat with a reasonable defense and very accurate shots.  Nick taught me that I was sadly mistaken.  Flashy offense has its place, and my one-trick pony of an offense was no match.  Also, there is nobody I’ve seen that can match the intensity of his game, and I’ve yet to see anyone who takes air hockey more seriously.  Off the table, Nick is cool guy with some young kids… and has one of those ‘out of the blue’ sort of senses of humor… where he’ll make a crack and I won’t even know what to think at first.

Anyway – Nick is still a little better air hockey player than I, though our matches tend to last the full 7 games.

So – here’s the interview.  I admit my style is a little weird, and I appreciate Nick taking the time to answer everything fully and honestly.  Take your time and enjoy.
This economy sucks. You’re unemployed, my wife is unemployed.. Billy goes to 6 interviews and doesn’t get his job… things are out of control. Once, I’ve summarized the start of the downfall of the economy. In very simplistic form, it went kind of like this. Homes became a very good investment because housing prices kept going up and up. Things were getting ridiculous – shit – there were even basic cable shows about ‘flipping’ houses and how much money people were making from doing this. Banks knew this and created balloon loans to just shove money out the door for anyone willing to buy a house. Why? Because if the person couldn’t afford the house and defaulted on their loans, then the bank would own the house – and could then sell it for a profit. It was a beautiful process… you buy a home – either fix it up or don’t… then sell it for a huge profit. If you were a first time buyer – you’d get a sub-prime loan to afford it and you were on your way up the property ladder. Who could have thought that this was unsustainable? As soon as these forclosures were selling for *less* than what they were bought for (among other things – I don’t even want to get into commercial paper and credit default swaps) – the system became untenable and shit collapsed like a house of cards. If you were in charge – how would you prevent such a thing from happening again?

Now before i even get started, know that i have very little economical knowledge or interest. I exist in this world as much as any other person and am feeling the pressure of this countries poor economical standing but i leave the problem solving to much more qualified people. The way i see it is this…

Greed is the downfall of the american system. I never want to call myself poor. I don’t want my family to struggle to pay bills, to have to decide whether or not to go grocery shopping or pay the electric bill. Here i am though, each month choosing which bills i should pay, and which bills i’m going to have to skip for awhile. I think if banks and corporations weren’t so preoccupied with filling their own pockets with gold and living well beyond their necessities this would be a better world. What gives them the right to make millions of dollars a year sitting behind their big flashy desk and computer ordering people around? When i physically push my body to it’s limits, tearing skin off my hands, burning holes through my clothes and legs, and all the while working in a shop that’s reached over 100 degrees, just to clear around 40k a year. Where is the justification of who works harder? The only thing that this executive person holds over me is a title. He doesn’t love his family more because he can afford to take them on vaccations or to Disney World two to three times a year. He doesn’t value his life more because it’s filled with riches and treasures the likes of which i will never see.

I think to fix our economy we need to do away with unessecary objects. Mansions, sports cars, gold watches, etc. These are things that only perpetuate the need for money in this country that doesn’t need to exist. I’m not suggesting Communism but if all the wealth of america just filtered their fortunes into worthy causes and lived normal lives instead of these extravagent fantasies we’d all benefit. People like me not having to worry about keeping a roof over my families head, and people like them who would learn the value of a hard earned dollar.

The Bears defense slumped bigtime last year and were in the bottom half of the NFL… they had their bright spots, but I’m concerned they won’t be able to bounce back – even with Lovie calling the plays. Will the moves they’ve made with their offensive line and the blockbuster trade for Jay Cutler mean a damn if the defense doesn’t get back to fighting shape? Give me your analysis of the Bears this coming season.

Excellent question by the way, i love the Bears. I’m so worried about our aging defense, we used to command fear and respect when our defense was on the field. Sadly, i don’t see it that way anymore. We’re like a winning race horse put out to pasture. How embarassing was it to watch the deep passes work on us all season. Tillman and Vasher were both pro-bowl cornerbacks were they not? We blew a game against the Buccaneers with 0:11 seconds left and the lead all because they were able to bomb it down field to set up the field goal. They could rename the Hail Mary play the Bear Beater, or something. Mike Brown was a force to be reckoned with, this being the first season that i’ve really seen him in action, and when he went down with injuries, again, Steltz was no replacement. I suppose we can forgive Steltz in his rookie season but watching him get burned (by Andre Johnson of the Texans i think?) by the receiver that the comentator had mentioned over and over again that we were doing a great job maintaining was painful.

This season, well, Matt Forte came out strong as a rookie. Logically, he should only get better with experience and as the teams leading rusher and receiver (by touches) i expect him to continue to preform at a high caliber. Jay Cutler, who i know nothing about, is a HUGE aquisition no matter what the defense does for us. We haven’t had an offense since i started following the Bears religously a few years ago. It’s been this constant excruciating struggle watching the defense pride themselves in leading the league in turnovers, and the offense give it right back. Ugh… What scares me is that we finally have the QB we’ve been waiting for, but we lost all our WR’s before we got him. Booker and Lloyd are good, Hester has amazing potential, but Berrian and Muhamad were stars. Those 2 guys made a name for themselves having to catch passes from Grossman. We still have an amazing tight end package but rarely is a tight end going to catch a deep ball. If the offensive line can give Cutler enough time to work it’ll be more then enough to take our division, the playoffs are another story entirely.

My offensive stars of this season: Cutler (of course), Greg Olsen, Matt Forte, Devin Hester, and Desmond Clark.

On the defensive side of the ball. Urlacher is still an amazing player with a brilliant sense of the game. He isn’t the young powerhouse he was a couple years ago, but now he’s a regular powerhouse. Briggs is still a force in the middle as well. The running game is not going to have success on our standard 4-6 defensive package. Most teams in the league know this and don’t mind taking it to the air to beat us. So the defensive questions of the year are. Can Tillman and Vasher provide the coverage we need? Can the defensive line get enough penetration to stop the passing attack before it happens? Idonije, Harris, and everyone else on the line has sacking potential and they will succeed again this year.

Defensive star picks: Daniel Manning, Adewale Ogunleye, Kevin Payne, Israel Idonije.

My favorite bears players are Greg Olsen and Kevin Payne for these reasons. Greg Olsen follows a long line of great large Bears tight ends. Everytime he catches the ball he grabs hold and doesn’t let go, he also watches the ball into his hands. Kevin Payne goes horizontal everytime i see him land a hit. I love the intensity.

Tell me how to beat you in air hockey.

That’s simple. Convince me on the table that i can’t beat you and i won’t. You cannot succeed when you expect failure. I cannot play when angry, when i lose control over my personal peace it’s over. These are all mental aspects of the game, however, physically i can think of a handful of things that will make you more successful.

Most importantly, you need to be able to adapt at a moments notice. I am no stranger to falsifying my intentions on defense to force a shot. I will fake rush, purposely move my mallet off goal, leave a large hole open to coax my opponent into taking what looks like a free shot when it is not. Right wall overs, from anywhere, tend to have great success. Your offense has to score 7 goals before my own offense gets no more then 10 possessions. I make it my personal agenda to put the puck past you everytime i get the chance. It is a failure to me if i don’t score with every possession. I am no fool, i know my defense is my weak side of my style and knowing this i must capitalize on each and every oppurtunity my defense provides me. I have a hard time coming back from a defecit. I do all i can to maintain a point lead durring the game, and a game lead during the set. I get anxious, nervous, and sloppy when i’m fighting uphill. It’s funny how in any other sports i used to love the pressure being solely on my shoulders, bowling especially, i would shine when i needed to strikeout the tenth frame for my team to win. Maybe, just maybe, i’m not as confident as i seem in my skills in the sport of air hockey yet. But i’ll never admit it if i discover that is the truth.

In summary…
1) Win the mental battle.
2) Always play point for point.
3) Score 7 before i can score 7.

So.. “the greatest generation” – the people who fought in WWII, a group of people who are known for their solidarity, sacrifice, and courage. Well.. they gave birth to the baby boomers… which were kind of the opposite. So… tell me what you think of the legacy of the baby boomers.

They didn’t really plan ahead. Everything they left for us was stacked on a bridge of toothpicks so to speak. The planet is dying as natural resources become more and more scarce. The american dollar was supported by decades of borrowed money. The products of transportation and infrastructure weren’t built with earth-friendly processess or materials and the environment is suffering for it.

You’d have had to be pretty pesimistic to be the only one of that generation to think of the harm of what expanding technology and progress would eventually do to the world but here we have it. The world is falling apart because of it. Automatic machine guns built to be more effective killing machines for the highest bidder. Bombs and missiles that not only wipe out the targets but any innocents that happen to be around. The technology and huge leaps forward during this generation unleashed a plague upon the world. Televison is hyponotism, the internet is a gateway for pedophiles and perverts to see to their own ends, and all modern gadgets and appliances are a sponge for consumer dollars. In our society, we are hopelessly dependant on these ways of life but all it does is take over our life.

I just miss good old fashioned fun. Hanging out with my buddies now means hopping on the xbox and playing simulated war and violence as we try to defend ourselves against virtual enemies. I think of the movie the Matrix and how good of a prediction it might be. The baby boomers just set us up to fail in my eyes, unintentionally as it may have been. With every step forward, we step further away from our morals and simple dreams.

Music: I listen to a wide variety of music… I’ve even been labeled by others as a ‘music snob’… even though I don’t think that’s quite the right word for me. I like to think of myself as a connoisseur… but I’m not judgmental about what other people listen to…. mostly. I tend to like music that’s a little off the beaten path… looking at my ipod – I’ve got Animal collective, aphex twin, clor, Dan Deacon, Enduser, Handsome Family, Jamie Lidell, Man Man, Mountain Goats, Solvent, Thomas Function, Tosca, and motherfucking Ween. I remember you singing a song off Ween’s “The Mollusk” and thought it was supremely awesome. But if you’re familiar with any of these bands – they’re all pretty dissimilar and generally unpopular… electronica mixed with country, rock, alt, and neo-soul. What’s your relationship with music? Do you like going to concerts? What kind of music are you into?

As my good friend Ryan once said, “No music, no life.” amen brother! I love music, i want to be a musician. My personal favorite is metal. The intensity, the drive, the crashing waves of sound, the deep growling screams that send chills down your spine. All good music has to have emotion, people write love songs that make you cry and go all soft inside. People write dance songs and music that are filled with energy and pop to get you up and moving. Rap songs are wrote to mourn the dead or tell someone that he will soon be dead. Country to remind us city folk the importance of tractors and rural society.

Metal has such a negative perception about it and i offer this dissenting opinion. If all the other music in the world is geared to appeal to our emotions, why then would we leave out anger/aggression? Metal does nothing more or less then any other genre of music in an attempt to appeal to our emotions, and in my opinion, metal is more true to its pursuit then most other forms of music. Metal bands have written love songs, who can say that love has never made you want to scream? Metal bands have written happy songs, the phrase scream for ice cream comes to mind, lol. As far as i’m concerned, its their over top, exaggerated display of emotion that holds my interest.

Concerts would be great if they didn’t cost so damn much. I’m into seeing local bands for cheaper but it’s just so hard to find talent.

I’m no one-trick pony. My CD case from the front cover back holds Lamb of God, Haste the Day, Chimaira, System of a Down, Bullet for my Valentine, and others. But from the back cover towards the front is filled with my lighter indulgences. Jack Johnson (My overall favorite musician), Alice in Chains, Beck, Ween, and Radiohead. I like good music, plain and simple, i’ve bobbed my head along with my fiancee’s pop/rap stuff when i like it. There are a few country songs that don’t send me running. I really like good techno/trance music after my undertakings with certain drugs. I would never rule something out until i’ve given it a chance.

What kind of beer should I brew next? How strong should it be?

I only drink Bud Light. I was never a big beer drinker growing up. Rum and cokes are still my favorite. Stay away from fruit and you should do just fine.

There is a concept of buddhism called dukkha – which is like the concept of being unsatisfied. Wikipedia isn’t helping me because I thought there was some kind of teaching of Buddha that says that to be really happy – you should lower your desires. Kind of like a lowered expectations sort of thing. I mean, not all of us can live the life of Paris Hilton or inherit massive amounts of money. Being envious or wanting that kind of life is not productive at all. For me, I find myself wanting things that I can’t have or shouldn’t have… and it doesn’t make me happy… but as soon as I realize that “things” won’t make me happy, I feel better. It seems as though everyday we’re bombarded with marketing that glamorizes the new, cool, gadget, that great vacation destination, or a sexy new car. It seems that in our modern, western civilization that we’re compelled to believe that happiness and self-worth is to be had with our purchases.

So.. tell me.. how do I deal with this as someone who lives in this society – as a consumer… and share your personal struggles with this, if any.

UGH! I hate to think that our posessions lead to our happiness. I’m a minimalist. I don’t like to be overwhelmed by cool fads or hipster gadgets. My only participation into this world rests in video games, which is a childhood obsession that i can’t shake entirely. Western Civilization is geared to make money for the upper class by exploiting the needs and desires of the lower. Everyone is brain washed to think they need that new phone, or updated computer when the old works just fine. The word ‘old’ itself holds a negative stigma. Old socks and shoes, old car, old house… It’s funny that i want a career in advertising when i absolutely am disgusted by commercialism and how it preys upon the masses. Certain items are even built to break so that more money must be spent replacing the broken components. It’s a terrible system that is in need of change, especially as the world goes green and attempts to be eco-friendly. That’s a whole other story right there regarding the green movement and i hope one of us got a question like that.

I don’t follow any organized religion but i like the ideals of buddhism the most. Heaven on earth, karma, self-enlightenment, and what not. With absolutely no research, i also thought that buddhism was about being happy with who you are as opposed to what you own. The concept of ‘dukkha’ seems odd that it would exist. Unless it is merely a state that one tries to avoid much like the concept of ‘hell’ for a christian.

I’d like you to say nice things about me. You have to write at least 5 things – and if you must, it can be in list form.

You’re a very talented writer. I check your air hockey blog all the time. What makes me laugh about this is that, I’m really excited to read about things that happened right before my eyes no more then a day or two ago. That has got to be a confidence boost when someone says you can make something that i actually took part in more interesting then when i was there.

You have a wife. That alone is an accomplisment, to take two lives and merge them into one union is no easy task for anyone. Let alone to compromise and get a Thursday air hockey night because you wife is out doing her thing, shows me that you two know how to work together and respect each others personal agenda and wishes. I wish you nothing but the best with her, and i know i’ve never met her, because the 50 or 60 year anniversary is a dying celebration in this world. Marraige vows have never meant so little to so many.

Your capacity for learning is high. Given that you and I are the only ones remaining in Billy’s school of hard knocks… You have taken what he has taught us and have really put it to use. I am having these mental battles with myself as i try to abandon my own personal training program and think about whats going to work 90% of the time vs. 50% of the time. Sacrificing surprise and flair for discipline and mechanics. I know that everything he is showing us is an attempt to better us as players but i can’t shake the thought of, what if i was on to something new? Something magnificant. Something that would make me unique in comparison to the rest of the field. So while i am reluctant to change, you have already taken leaps and bounds in the right direction.

You’re clearly an intellegent guy. I only classify to people of this world into two main groups. The smart, and the dumb. I may use many words in place of dumb. Ignorant, stupid, foolish, immature, and disrespectful to name a few. It seems as if a good, honest, and smart person is getting harder and harder to find these days what with TV babysitters, and violence plaguing our society. Kids just scare the crap out of me with how young they are when they hit various milestones durring their lives. Drugs, sex, swearing, and others have their time and place, but why does it have to be destroying childhood innocence. These kids are going to grow up into something unimagineable and you’re not that type of person, nor would you raise a child to be that type of person.

You look great in a headband where so many others have failed before. enough said. =)

What was your first impression of me?

Well the honest truth is i’m a person who doesn’t really judge someone by their cover. The honest truth about that last sentence is that i “try” to not do it anyways. When i first saw a new face coming in to play air hockey i always get excited given how much i try to promote the sport. I always want to see us hit an unprecedented success that i can turn to my fiancee and say, “See! I told you this was a worthy investment of my time.” Anyways, you were older then the usual walk-in would be and i thought that was cool because of a few things. I could have a drink with you, which is more then i can say about 90% of Illinois air hockey players. You weren’t going to walk right out, you found us, and you had a genuine interest in the sport and everything we were about to school you on. Most importantly you didn’t suck, you had built up a considerable amount of skills completely without us, I refer to ‘us’ as the general air hockey community, and that is quite an accomplishment.

I couldn’t imagine having 2 kids at your age. That’s like me, 10 years ago. That’s craziness… I mean, I still don’t have my shit together, I can’t imagine what it’d be like with shorties to take care of. I’ve never met a father who doesn’t like his kids or would say they regret having them… but damn I’m happy I don’t have any to take care of. So.. tell me all the great things about having little ones running around your place as well as justify my position for not having them.

I’m glad you saved this question for last. I make it no secret that my children were both quite a surprise to Heather and myself. The story of their begining is one worth telling, and like most good things, it all started on a game of air hockey.

When a man loves a woman, they sometimes come together… anyways. Heather and I met at the bowling alley, a friend of a friend type thing. My good friend Mike was dating this horrible girl Ashley, Ashley has her thin, very athletic, blonde, high spirited friend Heather with her. She’s cute but i didn’t think much about it, I’m no good with girls. So we’re playing air hockey, the girls are bowling, and Mike is pushing me to feign interest in this girl because she had expressed to Ashley how hot i am. True. My first and only question, “How old is she?”

“17″ the reply.

“”No way bro! That’s trouble right there, I am 22 years old. I am not getting involved with anyone under 21 ever again Mike.” I expressed my intentions.

“I’ll play you in air hockey for it then. If I win, you have to flirt back with her. If you win, you can do whatever you want.” Mike challenges.

So the game begins… As i play i keep glancing up and over Mike’s shoulder and catch eyes with Heather staring me down and smiling. I smile back and focus on the puck. Whatever the points were about halfway through the game i couldn’t stop thinking about the girl across the table staring a hole through my head. What’s the worst thing that could happen if i just see where things go? I threw the game, and gave her a chance. Idle chit chat all night, awkward conversations until she had to go because her ride was leaving. I said nothing, and she walked out the door. I ran out and caught them before they left and asked if she could stay longer if i gave her a ride back later. she stayed.

Fast forward. We have seen each other a few times and been intimate once. She is a gymnist It’s a very loose relationship and no strings. I had finally said goodbye to my on again off again high school girlfriend of 7 years and really had no interest of jumping back into a relationship. The Texas State open 2007 tournament is right around the corner.

Fast forward. I’m in Texas for the tournament, we have still only been intimate once. Mike, Geoff, and I are at the pool of the hotel. I take a look at my phone and have a new text message. “We need to talk.” was all it said. I respond with something along the lines of, “Listen, i’ve heard that phrase before. If it’s anything other then ‘you’re having a baby’ lets just wait until i get back.” I wait for the reply and get, “Well, maybe you should call me.” Oh man… not again. I’m not terribly proud of this but i still feel it was the right decision, this is the third child i’ve fathered. One termination, and one miscarraige with the long time girlfriend before Heather.

Fast forward. I’m home, Heather gives me 3 choices. Disappear and never be in the babies life. Stick around for the kid but i don’t have to be with her. Or lets give it a shot and see if a relationship has a chance. Long story short, she is keeping the baby regardless of my presence or influence. We decided to give it a shot. It’s almost two years later and i couldn’t tell you if i made the right decision, but i am very happy, and i hope she is too.
They say a woman becomes a mother at conception, and a man becomes a father at birth. Oh man, do they have it right. That moment… the birth, is alien. It’s the most abnormal, absurd, captivating, inhuman thing you will ever witness and it is how every one of us started. It’s a moment that i’ll never forget as you watch a human, my little boy, come out of ANOTHER human. I turned to jelly, i cried, i smiled, i laughed, i ran through the entire gambit of human emotion in about 5 seconds. Oh yeah, lol. At the begining of the labor (14 hours prior) I was peaking pretty hardcore on some good X. ssh! It was one hell of a night.

The first 3-4 months is strange, they don’t interact. They don’t do much of anything. They really leave you thinking, my kid is a vegetable, i shouldn’t drink so much. My sperm are dumb. Then one day they learn to roll over, and it just so happens to be in the middle of night when he’s sleeping on a lazy boy because dad was too tired to assemble the portable crib. So you are half asleep and hear, THUD! WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! The first time you ever hear the pain cry is an experience in itself. The hungry cry is expected, the sleepy cry is pretty annoying but not bad. The pain cry can wake the dead. He finally settles down and you realize, holy shit, he just rolled over for the first time.

4-8 months. Wow changes! He works out a mimimum of two hours a day in his jumper, a.k.a. the babysitter. Speech starts to develop, crawling happens, he knows your face, he knows your voice. Every little step forward he takes fills you with the sense that life is so much bigger then yourself. That he is 100% in love with you unconditionally, and 100% dependant on you and helpless without you. You feel important, significant, loved, and you love him back even when you hate him. I have to give CREDIT (thats big credit) to Heather for being the middle of the night parent. I’ve only had to leave bed maybe 20-30 times ever, to the day, to take care of the kids after i’ve gone to bed.

8-13 months. He’s a little man now. He likes to throw a ball to his dad. He’s right handed. He likes rough housing. He likes bathes. He hates pants, naps, diaper changes, and anything that slows him down. His best friend is a 5 foot tall plush moose, and his parents. He knows to be gentle with his little brother. He doesn’t just walk, he runs where he wants to go. He puts his own toys away. I know everything about him, he’s like a best friend that you’ve had your whole life. Conversations with him, while silly, somehow make sense. I’m a father. In all my experiences in life, nothing i have accomplished leaves me more proud then watching my boy grow and learn.

The sacrifices are inmeasurable. My free life is over. No drugs, no late nights at the bar, no big parties at my place, no new girlfriends, basically everything that wasn’t wholesome is gone. It’s completely worth it. We lucked out having 2 boys, plus the baby shower netted us all the clothes/toys/things we need. Expendable items are the only thing that you have to worry about buying, diapers, formula, and wipes. I don’t know if i can justify not wanting kids for you but i would say this. If i could go back, i would still have them, i would still have them with Heather, i would still have them with Heather in the exact same scenario, 2-3 years later. Lol. But you do what you gotta do, it takes one pathetic man to turn his back on his children. When all is said and done, a person can adapt, and if the reward justifies the work one will tend not to notice the struggle.