NFL Playoffs - Well, this is quite a pickle we have. The New York Giants certainly qualify as something I didn't want to see in the Super Bowl this season. Who wants to see some hot-handed, flavor-of-the-month underdog run through the NFC and make the Super Bowl, giving the New England Patriots an easy, melodramatic victory?
The Patriots have had things really simple this post season. They won't have to face the Cowboys or the Packers. They drew the Giants instead. They didn't have to face the Colts either. They only had to play the San Diego Chargers, a team that surged at exactly the wrong time. The Chargers did a truly masterful job of boring me to death this weekend because they lived up to expectations. They played well, but not well enough to win. Thanks, Chargers. I'm sure everyone in America was at risk of falling off the edge of their seats to see you lose in such underwhelming, unexciting fashion, so congrats. We really wanted to see that. Y'all made for some great television. Everyone will be talking about your effort for years to come because it was so compelling. Books will be written about it because it is so memorable and relevant.
It's a shame the Patriots didn't beat the Chargers by more than eight. A total blowout would have been more satisfying as punishment to the Chargers for messing up what would have been a truly great game between N.E. and Indianapolis.
Now we have the New York Giants playing their tricks. Nobody outside of New York, state or city, wants to see you either. Thanks for winning losers. Now the public is stuck with a lopsided Super Bowl. You will never beat the Pats. You will never impress anyone. You can only hope to bore us. That is your calling, to bore everyone by losing as scripted. What a cliche!
Look, the little Broadway production you will put on has already been done 18 times this year. The public doesn't need 19. We've seen it. Super Bowl XLII will be the Super Redundancy by the end. We know this. If we could fix it, we would. Nobody wants to see you lose to the Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Congratulations to the New York Giants for making this year's Super Bowl much less memorable than it could have been. Nice.
Friday, January 18, 2008
The Celebrity Apprentice - Committing suicide by ego, Gene Simmons from Kiss managed to get himself fired on NBC's celebrity edition of The Apprentice. Donald Trump tried everything to help Gene, but he was too hardheaded, and Trump said "Gene, you're fired!"
This latest version of the show didn't look promising in the promos, but I have to say, it is quite entertaining in its own way.
This latest version of the show didn't look promising in the promos, but I have to say, it is quite entertaining in its own way.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Lakers in the Round - I can't believe I haven't touched on this yet. I love it that crowds are left sitting in the dark at Laker games. Whoever came up with that idea is an astute individual. That astute individual understands that some of us don't care if Dyan Cannon showed up to the game, or Toby, the guy in the Spiderman movies, or whomever else is there to see and be seen.
I don't watch NBA games to see annoying, overexposed celebrities sitting courtside in their weird clothes. It's great they're sitting in the dark these days. It's so great.
I don't watch NBA games to see annoying, overexposed celebrities sitting courtside in their weird clothes. It's great they're sitting in the dark these days. It's so great.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
McFadden, Jones Opt for Draft - Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, Arkansas' dynamic running tandem, plan to jump into the NFL Draft.
Their decisions are probably wise, but it's a shame they can't stay and earn degrees. A college education is so much better than a high school diploma. They had the opportunity to go all the way, but if they stayed and played at Arkansas, they would risk a career-ending injury. They could have a bad season or a legal incident. Such incidents have a way of costing these high-flying NFL prospects big money. It's best to have bad seasons and legal incidents after your $20 million contract is signed.
Of course, if these guys want to coach football on the high school or college level, they won't have the degree that gets them that kind of job. They can always get the degree later, but it's harder to come back and do it.
Still, they can't be blamed for skipping their senior year. Let's see. Millions? Or senior year? What would you do? I would roll the dice. I would opt for the degree in their position, but I would also risk a ton of money.
What kind of world do we live in these days when pursuing a college degree is a risk?
Their decisions are probably wise, but it's a shame they can't stay and earn degrees. A college education is so much better than a high school diploma. They had the opportunity to go all the way, but if they stayed and played at Arkansas, they would risk a career-ending injury. They could have a bad season or a legal incident. Such incidents have a way of costing these high-flying NFL prospects big money. It's best to have bad seasons and legal incidents after your $20 million contract is signed.
Of course, if these guys want to coach football on the high school or college level, they won't have the degree that gets them that kind of job. They can always get the degree later, but it's harder to come back and do it.
Still, they can't be blamed for skipping their senior year. Let's see. Millions? Or senior year? What would you do? I would roll the dice. I would opt for the degree in their position, but I would also risk a ton of money.
What kind of world do we live in these days when pursuing a college degree is a risk?
Monday, January 14, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Bookend NFL Games Canceled - Well, Dallas lost to New York and Indianapolis lost to San Diego. Didn't want that, but parity does factor into the post season.
Peyton Manning deserves some of the blame for his team's loss. He didn't lift his guys to victory. He played well, but he needed to play better than well to win.
Tony Romo wasn't a world beater either. After a trip to Mexico with Jessica Simpson, Romo showed up and played without major gaffes, but like Manning, he seemed a little flat. His passes weren't as crisp as in the past. He could have played better, but peaking in The Playoffs is not always a given even when prepared. Preparation never guarantees great play. Welcome to real life.
Peyton Manning deserves some of the blame for his team's loss. He didn't lift his guys to victory. He played well, but he needed to play better than well to win.
Tony Romo wasn't a world beater either. After a trip to Mexico with Jessica Simpson, Romo showed up and played without major gaffes, but like Manning, he seemed a little flat. His passes weren't as crisp as in the past. He could have played better, but peaking in The Playoffs is not always a given even when prepared. Preparation never guarantees great play. Welcome to real life.
NFC Championship/AFC Championship - I just want to say today, before Dallas plays New York and Indianapolis plays San Diego, that I hope Dallas and Indianapolis win. I want bookend conference championship games with the top four teams playing. The NFL's four best teams this season have clearly been New England, Indianapolis, Dallas and Green Bay. Since Green Bay and New England won yesterday, we're all on track for a nice combination of conference championship games. I will always root for Dallas, and I like Indianapolis too. I like all of the teams mentioned above.
Hopefully, Dallas will beat New York. Hopefully, Indianapolis will beat San Diego. We'll see. These two games are exciting match-ups. Everything has held true to form, and that is unusual for the NFL. Parity and the unexpected rule a lot of weekends in that league.
Hopefully, Dallas will beat New York. Hopefully, Indianapolis will beat San Diego. We'll see. These two games are exciting match-ups. Everything has held true to form, and that is unusual for the NFL. Parity and the unexpected rule a lot of weekends in that league.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
The New Hampshire Primary - Hillary made a comeback, beating Obama to revenge Iowa. John McCain won the Republican bracket.
McCain's campaign was supposed to be on life support. So, what happened? Who forgot to yank this guy's plug?
McCain can win all the New Hampshire primaries he wants. I'll still remember eight years ago when rivals characterized him as a hothead whom was too combative to make an effective president.
He was so great eight years ago that his party nominated a younger, hipper candidate it thought was better. Why vote for him now? What has improved with him?
He is a Vietnam veteran, and that is admirable. John McCain has a lot of good qualities. Still, I don't think he is the strongest candidate.
Anyway, there is a vast difference between the results in Iowa and New Hampshire. The situation begs the question: Who's winning?
McCain's campaign was supposed to be on life support. So, what happened? Who forgot to yank this guy's plug?
McCain can win all the New Hampshire primaries he wants. I'll still remember eight years ago when rivals characterized him as a hothead whom was too combative to make an effective president.
He was so great eight years ago that his party nominated a younger, hipper candidate it thought was better. Why vote for him now? What has improved with him?
He is a Vietnam veteran, and that is admirable. John McCain has a lot of good qualities. Still, I don't think he is the strongest candidate.
Anyway, there is a vast difference between the results in Iowa and New Hampshire. The situation begs the question: Who's winning?
The XX3 Is Like, So Green - There was no such thing as a "high-performance luxury basketball shoe" before the Air Jordan. And no shoe since suits that definition better.
Nike's priciest hardwood shoe continues to break new ground. Nike's designers, people like the legendary Tinker Hatfield, have kept the Air Jordan evolving for better or for worse. Michael Jordan seems to have a penchant for experimentation because his shoe line is a perpetual experiment. Would Air Jordans be Air Jordans if some sort of experiment weren't involved?
Jordan and Nike have never released an Air Jordan that didn't have some unique design quirk. That is good and bad. Sometimes these quirks overwhelm the product with the experiments appearing contrived and gimmicky. For instance, the Air Jordan XI featured a patent leather upper coupled with white canvas. This was a first for athletic shoes. However, not everyone wants to wear athletic shoes with patent leather. I certainly didn't in 1995 when the XI debuted.
The XI was the first Air Jordan that I refused to buy. The Air Jordan line was around ten years old at the time and the experimentation had gotten old. Patent leather and white canvas seemed absurd, way too ridiculous to spend $135 on.
I've never been a fan of white canvas anyway. It gets dirty.
To this day, I won't buy athletic shoes with white canvas unless I plan to wear them at my gym exclusively. More than likely, you will not see me wearing white canvas shoes casually unless it's a vintage model I'm trying to make dingy on purpose. I've done that before with white leather, never with canvas. But that sort of project has crossed my mind more than once. That being said, I wouldn't do it with an Air Jordan XI. Dirty XIs look terrible. They don't age well. My opinion on this might change in five or ten years, but for now they simply don't age well.
Anyway, the Air Jordan has gone through a lot of experimentation. Such experimentation plays better with the younger set. They haven't figured out what they like and don't like yet, so the experimental approach is a good one for Nike. After all, the younger set plays the game.
Unfortunately, Nike's experimentation with the Air Jordan has resulted in some strange basketball shoes. Some of them are outright ugly. The Air Jordan XV might be the ugliest basketball shoe Nike has ever designed. The XV is yet another Air Jordan that I had to balk at.
Now we have the Air Jordan XX3. Urban culture websites like hypebeast.com and freshnessmag.com have posted pictures and related media regarding the XX3. Freshness has even posted specs on the shoe. They say Nike has applied techniques, philosophies and lessons learned from their Considered line to the Air Jordan xx3. In short, this means Nike precluded a lot of environmental waste to manufacture the XX3. While not completely green, the XX3 is at least the greenest high-performance luxury basketball shoe ever.
Nike deserves a high five for their effort.
The company does not deserve a high five for the XX3 I would want to wear the most, the predominantly white version. This year's "white" Jordan has His Airness' initials embroidered all over the upper. (Sigh.)
This isn't gaudy at all, not one bit.
Seriously though, why would I want someone else's initials on my basketball shoe? I understand it's Michael Jordan's signature shoe, but why can't it just say "Air Jordan" in a discreet serifed font like the originals?
The shoe itself looks gorgeous. I will not link to pictures unless I know for a fact that I am allowed to. Right now, I don't, so I won't.
The black version of the XX3 features what looks like a Native-American motif embroidered on the side. The design reminds me of a quilt. This is much better than initials, but I'm not sure I want a basketball shoe with designs that evoke thoughts of quilts, but whatever.
The "Carolina" version looks the best, but its availability is limited. The likelihood of finding a pair is remote. Plus, they're priced at an ungodly $230. The general release versions cost $185.
Anyway, I do not anticipate buying an Air Jordan XX3. I don't care to do theme shoes anymore. I feel Air Jordans should be treated as the main part of one's wardrobe. That means everything you wear must complement the shoe. It doesn't work the other way. For instance, you shouldn't do Jordans with a Lacoste. Jordans and Lacostes are incompatible. Like the Air Jordan, a Lacoste shirt is a flagship wardrobe piece, a center-of-the-universe type garment that all other articles of clothing should fall in line with. It doesn't work the other way. When you wear a Lacoste, everyone is looking at that shirt. It will dominate your appearance. It's simply that kind of shirt. The same goes for Ralph Lauren Polo, another iconic and dominant brand.
I will probably pass on the Air Jordan XX3 because the tone of the overall design does not agree with me. I would have preferred something more subdued. Since I don't play basketball anymore, I want a predominantly white shoe that goes great with a pair of premium khakis. The XX3 had a chance, but excessive embroidery depicting letters of the alphabet are too much. Had the white version looked more palatable to me, who knows. Still, I could change my mind on any given day.
Nike's priciest hardwood shoe continues to break new ground. Nike's designers, people like the legendary Tinker Hatfield, have kept the Air Jordan evolving for better or for worse. Michael Jordan seems to have a penchant for experimentation because his shoe line is a perpetual experiment. Would Air Jordans be Air Jordans if some sort of experiment weren't involved?
Jordan and Nike have never released an Air Jordan that didn't have some unique design quirk. That is good and bad. Sometimes these quirks overwhelm the product with the experiments appearing contrived and gimmicky. For instance, the Air Jordan XI featured a patent leather upper coupled with white canvas. This was a first for athletic shoes. However, not everyone wants to wear athletic shoes with patent leather. I certainly didn't in 1995 when the XI debuted.
The XI was the first Air Jordan that I refused to buy. The Air Jordan line was around ten years old at the time and the experimentation had gotten old. Patent leather and white canvas seemed absurd, way too ridiculous to spend $135 on.
I've never been a fan of white canvas anyway. It gets dirty.
To this day, I won't buy athletic shoes with white canvas unless I plan to wear them at my gym exclusively. More than likely, you will not see me wearing white canvas shoes casually unless it's a vintage model I'm trying to make dingy on purpose. I've done that before with white leather, never with canvas. But that sort of project has crossed my mind more than once. That being said, I wouldn't do it with an Air Jordan XI. Dirty XIs look terrible. They don't age well. My opinion on this might change in five or ten years, but for now they simply don't age well.
Anyway, the Air Jordan has gone through a lot of experimentation. Such experimentation plays better with the younger set. They haven't figured out what they like and don't like yet, so the experimental approach is a good one for Nike. After all, the younger set plays the game.
Unfortunately, Nike's experimentation with the Air Jordan has resulted in some strange basketball shoes. Some of them are outright ugly. The Air Jordan XV might be the ugliest basketball shoe Nike has ever designed. The XV is yet another Air Jordan that I had to balk at.
Now we have the Air Jordan XX3. Urban culture websites like hypebeast.com and freshnessmag.com have posted pictures and related media regarding the XX3. Freshness has even posted specs on the shoe. They say Nike has applied techniques, philosophies and lessons learned from their Considered line to the Air Jordan xx3. In short, this means Nike precluded a lot of environmental waste to manufacture the XX3. While not completely green, the XX3 is at least the greenest high-performance luxury basketball shoe ever.
Nike deserves a high five for their effort.
The company does not deserve a high five for the XX3 I would want to wear the most, the predominantly white version. This year's "white" Jordan has His Airness' initials embroidered all over the upper. (Sigh.)
This isn't gaudy at all, not one bit.
Seriously though, why would I want someone else's initials on my basketball shoe? I understand it's Michael Jordan's signature shoe, but why can't it just say "Air Jordan" in a discreet serifed font like the originals?
The shoe itself looks gorgeous. I will not link to pictures unless I know for a fact that I am allowed to. Right now, I don't, so I won't.
The black version of the XX3 features what looks like a Native-American motif embroidered on the side. The design reminds me of a quilt. This is much better than initials, but I'm not sure I want a basketball shoe with designs that evoke thoughts of quilts, but whatever.
The "Carolina" version looks the best, but its availability is limited. The likelihood of finding a pair is remote. Plus, they're priced at an ungodly $230. The general release versions cost $185.
Anyway, I do not anticipate buying an Air Jordan XX3. I don't care to do theme shoes anymore. I feel Air Jordans should be treated as the main part of one's wardrobe. That means everything you wear must complement the shoe. It doesn't work the other way. For instance, you shouldn't do Jordans with a Lacoste. Jordans and Lacostes are incompatible. Like the Air Jordan, a Lacoste shirt is a flagship wardrobe piece, a center-of-the-universe type garment that all other articles of clothing should fall in line with. It doesn't work the other way. When you wear a Lacoste, everyone is looking at that shirt. It will dominate your appearance. It's simply that kind of shirt. The same goes for Ralph Lauren Polo, another iconic and dominant brand.
I will probably pass on the Air Jordan XX3 because the tone of the overall design does not agree with me. I would have preferred something more subdued. Since I don't play basketball anymore, I want a predominantly white shoe that goes great with a pair of premium khakis. The XX3 had a chance, but excessive embroidery depicting letters of the alphabet are too much. Had the white version looked more palatable to me, who knows. Still, I could change my mind on any given day.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
LSU is the National Champion - I believed LSU could win. I also believed the Tigers could lose. Neither outcome would have surprised me. What did surprise me was the way Ohio State jumped out to an early 10-point lead. Then the Buckeye's gave up way too many touchdowns in the 2nd quarter. Poor ole OSU!
I thought playing in the Big Ten this year hurt the Buckeyes. I think the SEC is the tougher conference, and I believe it showed last night. The Tigers looked battle-tested. Ambushed and caught off guard, Les Miles' team fought back like an experienced winner. The 10-point deficit didn't faze them. They responded with explosive football, running off 31 unanswered points against Ohio State. As we all know, the Buckeyes never recovered, losing 38-24.
Congratulations to the LSU Tigers for a very successful season. Congratulations to Ohio State for managing second. They deserve accolades for consecutive appearances in college football's ultimate game. The State of Ohio has a great college football program that it can be proud of.
I thought playing in the Big Ten this year hurt the Buckeyes. I think the SEC is the tougher conference, and I believe it showed last night. The Tigers looked battle-tested. Ambushed and caught off guard, Les Miles' team fought back like an experienced winner. The 10-point deficit didn't faze them. They responded with explosive football, running off 31 unanswered points against Ohio State. As we all know, the Buckeyes never recovered, losing 38-24.
Congratulations to the LSU Tigers for a very successful season. Congratulations to Ohio State for managing second. They deserve accolades for consecutive appearances in college football's ultimate game. The State of Ohio has a great college football program that it can be proud of.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Clemens' Defamation Suit - Oh, yeah. Roger Clemens filed a defamation lawsuit against Brian McNamee, the personal trainer claiming to have injected Clemens with performance-enhancing material.
Personally, I believe McNamee. George Mitchell believed him too, and he's a former U.S. Senate majority leader. Mr. Mitchell believed McNamee enough that Mitchell included McNamee's allegations in the results of his investigation. I do not know George Mitchell, but as a former senator he has credibility.
On the other hand, Clemens' suit has tons of merit. If McNamee can't corroborate his claims with compelling evidence, he could wind up in trouble. If I were Clemens, I'd've gone after Mitchell too. Clemens' legal counsel likely advised him against it, and the law may protect Mitchell. Who knows. Legal experts do, and I'm not one. One would have to assume Clemens' counsel has good reasons not to pursue Mitchell for releasing a report that could be defamatory.
Still, I believe McNamee. I also think Clemens has a case.
Personally, I believe McNamee. George Mitchell believed him too, and he's a former U.S. Senate majority leader. Mr. Mitchell believed McNamee enough that Mitchell included McNamee's allegations in the results of his investigation. I do not know George Mitchell, but as a former senator he has credibility.
On the other hand, Clemens' suit has tons of merit. If McNamee can't corroborate his claims with compelling evidence, he could wind up in trouble. If I were Clemens, I'd've gone after Mitchell too. Clemens' legal counsel likely advised him against it, and the law may protect Mitchell. Who knows. Legal experts do, and I'm not one. One would have to assume Clemens' counsel has good reasons not to pursue Mitchell for releasing a report that could be defamatory.
Still, I believe McNamee. I also think Clemens has a case.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Bill Clinton a Supreme Court Justice? - That's what the legal cognoscenti are talking about. Apparently, they have contemplated this possibility for a while now.
Albeit remote, the scenario works like this: If Hillary Clinton wins the presidency, she would nominate her husband for a spot on the Supreme Court should a vacancy arise.
Some scoff at this notion. Others believe it has merit. No doubt, a Clinton serving on the High Court sounds interesting. There's just one question that needs asking. "Is this even possible?"
The answer is "Not likely." So far as I know, Bill Clinton doesn't even have a law license. The Arkansas Bar Association disbarred him for lying during the Whitewater investigation. The disbarment lasted five years. So far as I know, Clinton never applied for the license's reinstatement.
He also lost the ability to practice law on the Supreme Court level. How could he ever win a confirmation should Hillary nominate him?
The case against a Bill Clinton Supreme Court nomination has nothing to do with his ability, and a lot to do with his qualifications. So far as I know, the man simply lacks the most rudimentary qualifications. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
Albeit remote, the scenario works like this: If Hillary Clinton wins the presidency, she would nominate her husband for a spot on the Supreme Court should a vacancy arise.
Some scoff at this notion. Others believe it has merit. No doubt, a Clinton serving on the High Court sounds interesting. There's just one question that needs asking. "Is this even possible?"
The answer is "Not likely." So far as I know, Bill Clinton doesn't even have a law license. The Arkansas Bar Association disbarred him for lying during the Whitewater investigation. The disbarment lasted five years. So far as I know, Clinton never applied for the license's reinstatement.
He also lost the ability to practice law on the Supreme Court level. How could he ever win a confirmation should Hillary nominate him?
The case against a Bill Clinton Supreme Court nomination has nothing to do with his ability, and a lot to do with his qualifications. So far as I know, the man simply lacks the most rudimentary qualifications. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
The Air Jordan XX3 - Michael Jordan's latest signature shoe drops this month at select retailers. More versions release to the general public in February.
Rumor has it the XX3 is the last Air Jordan. I sincerely believe this is just a rumor, a ludicrous one at that. Nike makes way too much money reissuing these shoes. Why oh why would they cease making new ones?
Furthermore, the Air Jordan is Jordan Brand's flagship product. That division would have no purpose without an actual Air Jordan. What would they anchor their clothing line with if not a new Air Jordan?
I predict a 24th edition in the luxury basketball shoe line by the 2009 NBA All-Star Game.
Rumor has it the XX3 is the last Air Jordan. I sincerely believe this is just a rumor, a ludicrous one at that. Nike makes way too much money reissuing these shoes. Why oh why would they cease making new ones?
Furthermore, the Air Jordan is Jordan Brand's flagship product. That division would have no purpose without an actual Air Jordan. What would they anchor their clothing line with if not a new Air Jordan?
I predict a 24th edition in the luxury basketball shoe line by the 2009 NBA All-Star Game.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Thursday, January 03, 2008
D.B. Cooper and Journeyman - The Wikipedia article on D.B. Cooper mentions a sidebar that I found noteworthy myself. The NBC time travel drama Journeyman has a story arc where the protagonist, Dan Vasser, winds up with $50,000 in 1970s-era currency. Dan recovered the money from drop zone of one Dylan McQueen. The Journeyman writers clearly modeled McQueen after D.B. Cooper. Like Cooper, McQueen hijacked a plane, made away with a lot of cash and parachuted into the night. He was never captured, and Dan ended up with $50,000, altering history.
I love watching Journeyman. At one point, this series bore striking resemblance to the Star Trek episode Mirror, Mirror. Recognizing and understanding the similarity while the episode played out was exhilarating. Mirror, Mirror is an all-time classic Trek story and an all-time classic television episode in all of television history.
Anyway, in Journeyman's twelfth episode, The Hanged Man, Dan returns to the present and discovers he has a daughter instead of a son. Everything else remained the same except that his son, Zach, was replaced with his daughter, Caroline. Dan had no previous knowledge of Caroline. He only knew Zach. Dan's present became some sort of alternate universe much like what Capt. Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Uhura and Scotty found in Mirror, Mirror.
Journeyman is turning out to be great science-fiction. The show has been solid from the first time it aired. Everyone should watch Journeyman, unless you get confused easily. You have to retain past story arcs and characters or you'll just be lost. So far, the series' writers have done a good job of keeping me on par.
I love watching Journeyman. At one point, this series bore striking resemblance to the Star Trek episode Mirror, Mirror. Recognizing and understanding the similarity while the episode played out was exhilarating. Mirror, Mirror is an all-time classic Trek story and an all-time classic television episode in all of television history.
Anyway, in Journeyman's twelfth episode, The Hanged Man, Dan returns to the present and discovers he has a daughter instead of a son. Everything else remained the same except that his son, Zach, was replaced with his daughter, Caroline. Dan had no previous knowledge of Caroline. He only knew Zach. Dan's present became some sort of alternate universe much like what Capt. Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Uhura and Scotty found in Mirror, Mirror.
Journeyman is turning out to be great science-fiction. The show has been solid from the first time it aired. Everyone should watch Journeyman, unless you get confused easily. You have to retain past story arcs and characters or you'll just be lost. So far, the series' writers have done a good job of keeping me on par.
The Kid Who Found D.B. Cooper's Ransom - Who would have thought the kid that found part of D.B. Cooper's ransom money lives in Mena, Arkansas?
CNN.com ran an AP wire story associated with America's only unsolved plane hijacking. Brian Ingram, now 36, found $5,800 in tattered $20 bills back in 1980. Ingram was eight years old at the time. On vacation with his family, Ingram found the money near the Columbia River while looking for firewood.
I can't believe the guy that found the money, that money, lives in Arkansas.
Of all places!
This writer was not aware of the D.B. Cooper hijacking until reading about it this week on CNN's website. The FBI had expressed new interest in the case lately.
You learn something all the time.
CNN.com ran an AP wire story associated with America's only unsolved plane hijacking. Brian Ingram, now 36, found $5,800 in tattered $20 bills back in 1980. Ingram was eight years old at the time. On vacation with his family, Ingram found the money near the Columbia River while looking for firewood.
I can't believe the guy that found the money, that money, lives in Arkansas.
Of all places!
This writer was not aware of the D.B. Cooper hijacking until reading about it this week on CNN's website. The FBI had expressed new interest in the case lately.
You learn something all the time.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Razorbacks Lose Cotton Bowl - The Missouri Tigers beat Arkansas 38-7 in Dallas. The Hogs put on a dreary performance, starting the game with two missed field goals from Alex Tejada. The offensive line failed to create any big holes for Darren McFadden or Felix Jones. The result is a Tiger win.
How can a team like the Hogs roll into Baton Rouge, La. and beat No.1 LSU, yet lose to Missouri in Dallas? This game was a total disaster for Arkansas fans.
Hopefully, Bobby Petrino will get things going in Fayetteville. The Hogs lose way too many Cotton Bowls.
How can a team like the Hogs roll into Baton Rouge, La. and beat No.1 LSU, yet lose to Missouri in Dallas? This game was a total disaster for Arkansas fans.
Hopefully, Bobby Petrino will get things going in Fayetteville. The Hogs lose way too many Cotton Bowls.
ABC's Sanitation Interview - For the second or two I did watch ABC, a reporter interviewed New York City sanitation workers about the New Year's cleanup. For whatever reason, Tiki Barber was standing on the right hanging out. I assume he was part of the broadcast, but I was asking myself 'Why is he there?' He wasn't holding a mike. He was just there. I suppose ABC feared he might fumble the mike away, so he didn't get one.
ABC Destroys NBC - Happy 2008 everyone! This year got off to a slammin' start, and ABC absolutely blew up the National Broadcasting Company. Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve went young with their programming, I mean real young, and it worked. A newly-engaged Stacy Ferguson hosted the after party, introducing acts like The Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift and Plain White T's. The programming worked, and I got an education.
While I had heard of the Jonas Brothers, I had never seen them perform. They were really good. A lot of teenagers went to the recent Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana show at Alltel Arena in nearby North Little Rock just to see the Jonas Brothers, not Hannah Montana. I was impressed with their performance. Taylor Swift was good. Sean King performed. The guy from the Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am, went solo and he did well. Akon performed.
Fergie was Fergie and well ... Fergie was sensational. She truly was the best performer of the night. She also did a great job as the host of the broadcast. NBC had Carson Daly and dry interviews with New York City sanitation workers while ABC looked like what MTV is supposed to be doing.
CBS aired Craig Ferguson's late night show. I did not flip back to that a second time.
The talent reminded me of five to seven years ago when 'N Sync, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were leading the way for the hottest young acts on the planet. Clearly, enough time has passed for some separation. There is a new generation of artists barking at the door, and we're going to have to make room for them.
While I had heard of the Jonas Brothers, I had never seen them perform. They were really good. A lot of teenagers went to the recent Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana show at Alltel Arena in nearby North Little Rock just to see the Jonas Brothers, not Hannah Montana. I was impressed with their performance. Taylor Swift was good. Sean King performed. The guy from the Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am, went solo and he did well. Akon performed.
Fergie was Fergie and well ... Fergie was sensational. She truly was the best performer of the night. She also did a great job as the host of the broadcast. NBC had Carson Daly and dry interviews with New York City sanitation workers while ABC looked like what MTV is supposed to be doing.
CBS aired Craig Ferguson's late night show. I did not flip back to that a second time.
The talent reminded me of five to seven years ago when 'N Sync, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were leading the way for the hottest young acts on the planet. Clearly, enough time has passed for some separation. There is a new generation of artists barking at the door, and we're going to have to make room for them.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Cotton Bowl Seeks BCS Inclusion - Cotton Bowl officials hope to secure BCS status by 2011. Jerry Jones' new 80,000-seat stadium in Arlington, Texas gives the Cotton Bowl needed leverage.
Here's this writer's take: The Cotton Bowl should have been a BCS game from the beginning.
Media reports say the Cotton Bowl is considered a cold-weather game because January weather in Texas is cold. That makes sense, but on the other hand, we are talking about a football game. Aren't late-season football games supposed to be cold?
It seems like all of the NFL playoff games are played in much colder weather than the Cotton Bowl.
The Cotton Bowl is a venerable tradition, one of college football's original bowl games. The Cotton Bowl should have been included in the BCS to begin with, regardless of the weather or the stadium.
Here's this writer's take: The Cotton Bowl should have been a BCS game from the beginning.
Media reports say the Cotton Bowl is considered a cold-weather game because January weather in Texas is cold. That makes sense, but on the other hand, we are talking about a football game. Aren't late-season football games supposed to be cold?
It seems like all of the NFL playoff games are played in much colder weather than the Cotton Bowl.
The Cotton Bowl is a venerable tradition, one of college football's original bowl games. The Cotton Bowl should have been included in the BCS to begin with, regardless of the weather or the stadium.
Harry Potter Perhaps? - Since I rolled through Playing for Pizza so fast, I think I will opt for a longer, bigger book to read next. Needing a new book to read every month or so is inconvenient. I might tackle Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
I haven't read the Harry Potter series. The books seem daunting. I want to read them all, but the task seems like it would take forever. It's like perusing through the whole Beatles catalog. It won't happen all in one year. Reading Harry Potter from front to end, novel to novel will take a long, long time. I wish I had jumped on the bandwagon early and read them as they released. Oh, well.
I did try reading Sorcerer's Stone once before, but I bogged down near the beginning and put it down. I had seen the movie and I already knew what was going to happen.
I probably should have kept reading.
I haven't read the Harry Potter series. The books seem daunting. I want to read them all, but the task seems like it would take forever. It's like perusing through the whole Beatles catalog. It won't happen all in one year. Reading Harry Potter from front to end, novel to novel will take a long, long time. I wish I had jumped on the bandwagon early and read them as they released. Oh, well.
I did try reading Sorcerer's Stone once before, but I bogged down near the beginning and put it down. I had seen the movie and I already knew what was going to happen.
I probably should have kept reading.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
The Patriots Go 16-0 - New England just went undefeated in the regular season, beating the New York Giants 38-35 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Patriots had to rally from a 12-point deficit to win.
Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes to reach 50 for the regular season. That is an NFL record, eclipsing Peyton Manning by one pass. Randy Moss caught his 23rd touchdown pass to get the record for most touchdown receptions. Jerry Rice held the previous record, catching 22 touchdown passes in a strike-shortened season.
This season is truly magical for the New England Patriots. Everything goes right for them. They seem like a team of destiny. Should they meet Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs I will not root for them, but I will not root against them either. It would be a shame if the Patriots got this far and didn't win it all. Does anyone really want to see that?
Dallas fans might. I like Dallas myself, and I like Jerry Jones. If the Cowboys and the Patriots meet in the Super Bowl, I will have to root for the Cowboys. Still, it would be nice to see someone really run the table, really do the thing everyone talks about each season until every team in the league has a loss. I think most everyone wants to see it. Next month is going to be interesting for the NFL.
Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes to reach 50 for the regular season. That is an NFL record, eclipsing Peyton Manning by one pass. Randy Moss caught his 23rd touchdown pass to get the record for most touchdown receptions. Jerry Rice held the previous record, catching 22 touchdown passes in a strike-shortened season.
This season is truly magical for the New England Patriots. Everything goes right for them. They seem like a team of destiny. Should they meet Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs I will not root for them, but I will not root against them either. It would be a shame if the Patriots got this far and didn't win it all. Does anyone really want to see that?
Dallas fans might. I like Dallas myself, and I like Jerry Jones. If the Cowboys and the Patriots meet in the Super Bowl, I will have to root for the Cowboys. Still, it would be nice to see someone really run the table, really do the thing everyone talks about each season until every team in the league has a loss. I think most everyone wants to see it. Next month is going to be interesting for the NFL.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Clout Wins Out - Boston College is playing Michigan State right now. The fact that Boston College is playing now while the Arkansas Razorbacks are slated for the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day makes me wonder why the Hogs get preferential treatment. Boston College had a better season than Arkansas by far, yet the Hogs are playing on New Year's Day and the Eagles are not.
Granted, the Razorbacks have a strong relationship with the Cotton Bowl. The game attracts a lot of Razorback fans, which means money. Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl ensures a successful Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma and old Southwest Conference powers like Texas and Texas A&M could do as well or better. LSU would fare well, especially now. Nebraska would draw well. But Cotton Bowl organizers like the Hogs too.
It isn't fair, but money and fan support supersedes a good season. Good old capitalism puts 8-4 Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl while teams with better seasons play earlier. And don't overlook the influence of the SEC, which wants the Cotton Bowl's big payout. Cotton Bowl money translates to SEC money. All of the SEC's teams enjoy equal distribution of bowl proceeds. Still, I believe Boston College deserves more than what they got, especially when an underachieving team like Arkansas is playing in the Cotton Bowl against 11-2 Missouri. It isn't fair, but clout wins out.
Arkansas' Newfound Clout - The Razorbacks didn't always have the clout they have now, in sports or otherwise. In the 1970s and '80s, there was a perception in Arkansas that the national media didn't really respect the Razorbacks. The state didn't get a lot of respect either. Arkansas was a poor state full of barefoot hillbillies in the minds of many.
A lot of those negative perceptions changed with the rise of Wal-Mart. Sam Walton became the richest man in the world, a billionaire whose personal worth hasn't been duplicated since, not even by Bill Gates. No one could have imagined someone from northwest Arkansas achieving such a feat. Walton's success seemed surreal to many.
Then Bill Clinton ran for President of the United States. Clinton had modest goals with his candidacy. He didn't expect to win. He was merely trying to get his name in the public eye to set up a more serious run in the next election. A lot of people won't remember that. Kids might never know.
His victory over George Bush was a windfall for Arkansas. The state gained credibility. Suddenly, Arkansas' movers, shakers and Friends of Bill became prominent nationally. Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys, and an ex-Razorback won the PGA Championship. Hooray for John Daly!
Clinton's presidency drew a lot of attention from celebrities. In turn, those celebrities piled into Little Rock for his election wins. The state received more help than usual from government programs. Locals got White House jobs. Clinton's presidency helped his home state directly and indirectly. For a while, it was cool to be an Arkansan. It still is, and we all enjoyed a nice eight years whether conservative Arkansans will admit it or not.
Around the same time, Nolan Richardson built his powerhouse basketball program with Todd Day, Lee Mayberry and Oliver Miller. The Razorbacks basketball team started winning more. They had credibility, respect, lofty seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Richardson's success continued with Corliss Williamson and Scottie Thurman. They won the 1994 national championship.
Nowadays the football Hogs are beating No.1 LSU on the road while floundering in games it should win. The athletic department is also stumbling through coaching searches and drawing harsh criticism when it finds someone. Despite the sniping, ESPN will remain infatuated with the Arkansas Razorbacks.
In politics, it's the Hillary/Huckabee show. Everyone expected Hillary to run for president, but when Mike Huckabee announced his candidacy I suspected the nation would be faced with an all-Arkansas final in the general election. Matters look to wind up that way. Arkansas will likely have someone with Arkansas ties in the White House once again. This blog is betting on Hillary.
The state stands to reap rewards for sure, assuming either candidate wins. I have no doubt about this after seeing what occurred with Bill Clinton. The state's run of luck will continue. The perception nightmare of the 1970s and '80s is well over.
Granted, the Razorbacks have a strong relationship with the Cotton Bowl. The game attracts a lot of Razorback fans, which means money. Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl ensures a successful Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma and old Southwest Conference powers like Texas and Texas A&M could do as well or better. LSU would fare well, especially now. Nebraska would draw well. But Cotton Bowl organizers like the Hogs too.
It isn't fair, but money and fan support supersedes a good season. Good old capitalism puts 8-4 Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl while teams with better seasons play earlier. And don't overlook the influence of the SEC, which wants the Cotton Bowl's big payout. Cotton Bowl money translates to SEC money. All of the SEC's teams enjoy equal distribution of bowl proceeds. Still, I believe Boston College deserves more than what they got, especially when an underachieving team like Arkansas is playing in the Cotton Bowl against 11-2 Missouri. It isn't fair, but clout wins out.
-----
Arkansas' Newfound Clout - The Razorbacks didn't always have the clout they have now, in sports or otherwise. In the 1970s and '80s, there was a perception in Arkansas that the national media didn't really respect the Razorbacks. The state didn't get a lot of respect either. Arkansas was a poor state full of barefoot hillbillies in the minds of many.
A lot of those negative perceptions changed with the rise of Wal-Mart. Sam Walton became the richest man in the world, a billionaire whose personal worth hasn't been duplicated since, not even by Bill Gates. No one could have imagined someone from northwest Arkansas achieving such a feat. Walton's success seemed surreal to many.
Then Bill Clinton ran for President of the United States. Clinton had modest goals with his candidacy. He didn't expect to win. He was merely trying to get his name in the public eye to set up a more serious run in the next election. A lot of people won't remember that. Kids might never know.
His victory over George Bush was a windfall for Arkansas. The state gained credibility. Suddenly, Arkansas' movers, shakers and Friends of Bill became prominent nationally. Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys, and an ex-Razorback won the PGA Championship. Hooray for John Daly!
Clinton's presidency drew a lot of attention from celebrities. In turn, those celebrities piled into Little Rock for his election wins. The state received more help than usual from government programs. Locals got White House jobs. Clinton's presidency helped his home state directly and indirectly. For a while, it was cool to be an Arkansan. It still is, and we all enjoyed a nice eight years whether conservative Arkansans will admit it or not.
Around the same time, Nolan Richardson built his powerhouse basketball program with Todd Day, Lee Mayberry and Oliver Miller. The Razorbacks basketball team started winning more. They had credibility, respect, lofty seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Richardson's success continued with Corliss Williamson and Scottie Thurman. They won the 1994 national championship.
Nowadays the football Hogs are beating No.1 LSU on the road while floundering in games it should win. The athletic department is also stumbling through coaching searches and drawing harsh criticism when it finds someone. Despite the sniping, ESPN will remain infatuated with the Arkansas Razorbacks.
In politics, it's the Hillary/Huckabee show. Everyone expected Hillary to run for president, but when Mike Huckabee announced his candidacy I suspected the nation would be faced with an all-Arkansas final in the general election. Matters look to wind up that way. Arkansas will likely have someone with Arkansas ties in the White House once again. This blog is betting on Hillary.
The state stands to reap rewards for sure, assuming either candidate wins. I have no doubt about this after seeing what occurred with Bill Clinton. The state's run of luck will continue. The perception nightmare of the 1970s and '80s is well over.
Jon & Kate + 8 = Good Television - One show that has caught my attention lately is Dirty Sexy Money. But that's not what I'm blogging about in this post. Jon and Kate Plus 8 is surprisingly interesting. The reality show, which is about a Pennsylvania couple with twins and sextuplets, airs on The Learning Channel. All of the children are under eight years old. Wow. I couldn't handle it.
Jon and Kate Plus 8 stars Jonathan and Kate Gosselin and their children: Cara and Madelyn, Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel. Cara and Madelyn are the twins. Madelyn stands out most among the kids because she complains a lot. She is definitely the perfectionist of the bunch. She is also opinionated, and she will tell you when she is unhappy with something. That is usually every episode. But I digress. Aaden seems to draw a lot of attention too. I can't explain why. He just stands out.
The shows take place wherever the Gosselins are. Sometimes they are at home. Other times, they are at Disneyland or a national park. Conflict arises when Jon and Kate tend to the needs of their brood. Naturally, the children want either the same thing at once or eight different things at once. Life is never easy in the Gosselin household.
The show documents the planning and the strategy that goes into caring for eight children simultaneously. Organization is critical. Sometimes the Gosselins' organization isn't ideal, which leads to some pretty funny scenes where Kate browbeats her husband over things like shoes and jackets. Like Madelyn, Kate Gosselin can be demanding. In her defense though, she has to be. After all, she is responsible for eight kids.
Jon and Kate Plus 8 is a wonderful, uplifting show, and you don't have to be a parent to enjoy it. This is a great diversion from another reality show I like, Real Estate Pros with Richard and Ginger. I can't wait to see the Trademark gang in action again. Go Trademark, and go Jon and Kate Plus 8.
Jon and Kate Plus 8 stars Jonathan and Kate Gosselin and their children: Cara and Madelyn, Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel. Cara and Madelyn are the twins. Madelyn stands out most among the kids because she complains a lot. She is definitely the perfectionist of the bunch. She is also opinionated, and she will tell you when she is unhappy with something. That is usually every episode. But I digress. Aaden seems to draw a lot of attention too. I can't explain why. He just stands out.
The shows take place wherever the Gosselins are. Sometimes they are at home. Other times, they are at Disneyland or a national park. Conflict arises when Jon and Kate tend to the needs of their brood. Naturally, the children want either the same thing at once or eight different things at once. Life is never easy in the Gosselin household.
The show documents the planning and the strategy that goes into caring for eight children simultaneously. Organization is critical. Sometimes the Gosselins' organization isn't ideal, which leads to some pretty funny scenes where Kate browbeats her husband over things like shoes and jackets. Like Madelyn, Kate Gosselin can be demanding. In her defense though, she has to be. After all, she is responsible for eight kids.
Jon and Kate Plus 8 is a wonderful, uplifting show, and you don't have to be a parent to enjoy it. This is a great diversion from another reality show I like, Real Estate Pros with Richard and Ginger. I can't wait to see the Trademark gang in action again. Go Trademark, and go Jon and Kate Plus 8.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Benazir Bhutto Assassinated - You cannot have free elections when the candidates are killed by extremists. Bhutto's death bears similarity to Robert Kennedy's assassination because both were running for their country's highest office.
The world should have free elections. The process of those elections should not be interrupted. Unfortunately, a few criminals got loose and killed a headstrong woman who wanted to lead Pakistan. There is a reason why the United States incarcerates more people than any other nation. Events like these underscore the need for more prisons around the world, not just the United States.
Extremism is on full display today, and every rational-thinking person can see what a step back it truly is.
The world should have free elections. The process of those elections should not be interrupted. Unfortunately, a few criminals got loose and killed a headstrong woman who wanted to lead Pakistan. There is a reason why the United States incarcerates more people than any other nation. Events like these underscore the need for more prisons around the world, not just the United States.
Extremism is on full display today, and every rational-thinking person can see what a step back it truly is.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Playing for Pizza - John Grisham's latest novel is rather light reading compared to the legal thrillers he wrote earlier in his career. I haven't actually read any of his legal thrillers yet, but I did see Tom Cruise in the film adaptation of The Firm. It was a good movie. One day I will read the book.
I have read The Broker and The Summons, and now I have finished Playing for Pizza. Playing for Pizza has what I call a soft ending. It is very open-ended without any definitive answers about the characters' futures. Like The Summons, this story just ends with no clear indication about where the characters are headed in their lives. Grisham does this all the time. It's not a bad idea, because if he wants to write a sequel, he can. He has options for a follow up on lots of his characters.
Playing for Pizza is about a journeyman quarterback, Rick Dockery, who throws so many late interceptions in the NFC Championship Game that he literally passes the Cleveland Browns out of the Super Bowl. Dockery suffers a serious head injury in the debacle and is hospitalized. Waking up from a coma, Dockery is told by his agent that he was put on waivers. He is a Brown no longer.
None of the 29 other NFL teams want Dockery, and Dockery won't play arena ball. Out of options, his agent finally lands him a starting job ... in Italy. The Italians have a club league. They play football americano on converted rugby pitches. Some of the fields are only 90 yards long. Dockery spends a lot of his time eating Italian food and chasing women. He also plays football americano. I won't spoil the ending, but I will say Playing for Pizza is a light departure from Grisham's harder work. At 258 pages, the book doesn't take long to finish, and the warm season setting is a nice departure from the cold realities of December.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
The Assisted Living Center Spot - I just saw a commercial advertising an assisted living center located here in lovely Sherwood, Arkansas.
The spot showed nice, well-dressed old ladies sitting at a table playing Bingo, or Canasta, or whatever. People were exercising. The interior of the place looked nice. It looked like a great establishment.
The spot didn’t show tenants stumbling around, out of it, mumbling to themselves about nothing that makes any sense. It didn’t show people hovering near the entrance with plans to “go back home.” Nobody appeared in a wheelchair. None of that made air.
You talk about rich. That is rich.
The spot showed nice, well-dressed old ladies sitting at a table playing Bingo, or Canasta, or whatever. People were exercising. The interior of the place looked nice. It looked like a great establishment.
The spot didn’t show tenants stumbling around, out of it, mumbling to themselves about nothing that makes any sense. It didn’t show people hovering near the entrance with plans to “go back home.” Nobody appeared in a wheelchair. None of that made air.
You talk about rich. That is rich.
Putin is Time's Man - Apparently, Time uses their Person of the Year anointments to generate hype for their magazine. How else to explain Vladimir Putin, an accused murderer, as the magazine's Person of the Year?
Time lists Al Gore, J.K. Rowling, Hu Jintao and Gen. David Petraeus as runners-up.
J.K. Rowling?
Rowling is a fantastic writer. She might be this century's most important fiction writer. She is at least near the top for certain. But Harry Potter books shouldn't make someone Person of the Year. Why would Time consider Rowling? Person of the Year should go to a scientist that discovers an important cure to disease or a revolutionary surgical procedure. Person of the Year should go to a world leader that makes the world better.
Anyway, Al Gore would have made a better choice than Putin. He isn't an alleged murderer, and he seems a whole lot more honest than Putin. Critics and conspiracy theorists allege that Putin bore responsibility for Alexander Litvinenko's murder. As we all know, Litvinenko was murdered in London, poisoned with Polonium-210.
The reporter Time sent to cover their Person of the Year, Adi Ignatius, apparently felt so creeped out around Putin that he felt compelled to describe the way Putin stared at him as chilling.
That's nice. What is Putin doing staring down reporters? Could you imagine an American president with a chilling stare? Our presidents don't have chilling stares. People with chilling stares would never get elected here. It is quite obvious that Russia doesn't have the kind of democracy America and Great Britain can boast about. Guys with thuggish, chilling stares don't make it in our political echelons.
Time's selection of Putin as Person of the Year is a bad choice. I thought last year's selection was a bad idea. I can only assume that "You," as in everyone, would have to include the rest of society's accused murderers, and confirmed murderers for that matter. You was a little too conceptual for me. I had hoped for a standard selection, someone who actually did all good and no bad and avoided controversy.
It's not that Putin is a bad guy. He might be, but the accusations against him aren't substantiated. The problem is Putin's role in the world. Putin, by the nature of his position, cannot avoid controversy. As Russia's leader, he will always butt heads with the U.S. on one policy or another. He will rankle Great Britain. He will rankle China. Sometimes China deserves it, and regardless, Putin will factor into that political blender that includes the Chinese, North Korea, South Korea and Japan.
Putin will never be considered a great humanitarian, a Mother Teresa or Ghandi perhaps. He will never be an Abraham Lincoln or a Winston Churchill. But he will always be Time's Person of the Year for 2007. Perhaps Time readers will get a more appropriate selection next year.
Time lists Al Gore, J.K. Rowling, Hu Jintao and Gen. David Petraeus as runners-up.
J.K. Rowling?
Rowling is a fantastic writer. She might be this century's most important fiction writer. She is at least near the top for certain. But Harry Potter books shouldn't make someone Person of the Year. Why would Time consider Rowling? Person of the Year should go to a scientist that discovers an important cure to disease or a revolutionary surgical procedure. Person of the Year should go to a world leader that makes the world better.
Anyway, Al Gore would have made a better choice than Putin. He isn't an alleged murderer, and he seems a whole lot more honest than Putin. Critics and conspiracy theorists allege that Putin bore responsibility for Alexander Litvinenko's murder. As we all know, Litvinenko was murdered in London, poisoned with Polonium-210.
The reporter Time sent to cover their Person of the Year, Adi Ignatius, apparently felt so creeped out around Putin that he felt compelled to describe the way Putin stared at him as chilling.
That's nice. What is Putin doing staring down reporters? Could you imagine an American president with a chilling stare? Our presidents don't have chilling stares. People with chilling stares would never get elected here. It is quite obvious that Russia doesn't have the kind of democracy America and Great Britain can boast about. Guys with thuggish, chilling stares don't make it in our political echelons.
Time's selection of Putin as Person of the Year is a bad choice. I thought last year's selection was a bad idea. I can only assume that "You," as in everyone, would have to include the rest of society's accused murderers, and confirmed murderers for that matter. You was a little too conceptual for me. I had hoped for a standard selection, someone who actually did all good and no bad and avoided controversy.
It's not that Putin is a bad guy. He might be, but the accusations against him aren't substantiated. The problem is Putin's role in the world. Putin, by the nature of his position, cannot avoid controversy. As Russia's leader, he will always butt heads with the U.S. on one policy or another. He will rankle Great Britain. He will rankle China. Sometimes China deserves it, and regardless, Putin will factor into that political blender that includes the Chinese, North Korea, South Korea and Japan.
Putin will never be considered a great humanitarian, a Mother Teresa or Ghandi perhaps. He will never be an Abraham Lincoln or a Winston Churchill. But he will always be Time's Person of the Year for 2007. Perhaps Time readers will get a more appropriate selection next year.
Friday, December 21, 2007
James 33 - 21 Bryant --
Since LeBron James outscored Kobe Bryant 33-21 in their latest head-to-head matchup, I have to argue that James is the better player. There is no doubt here that James could win championships with Shaquille O'Neal. And could you imagine Michael Jordan allowing Bryant's situation happen to him? Never, ever.
I've saw a game once when Charles Barkley topped 40 while leading the 76ers past Jordan's Bulls. Jordan did not score 40, but there weren't comparisons between Jordan and Barkley. Anfernee Hardaway drew favorable comparisons to Jordan, but a game-shape Jordan never allowed Hardaway to upstage him the way James just upstaged Bryant. I say game-shape because Hardaway did manage that playoff series victory over Jordan en route to the Finals ... with Shaquille O'Neil ... interesting. Jordan had not made it back to full form for that series, hence the loss.
Bryant is a great player, but I think James stacks up well against him and gets my vote as the better player. He took his team to the Finals without Shaquille O'Neil. Who lately has pulled that off? No one.
Since LeBron James outscored Kobe Bryant 33-21 in their latest head-to-head matchup, I have to argue that James is the better player. There is no doubt here that James could win championships with Shaquille O'Neal. And could you imagine Michael Jordan allowing Bryant's situation happen to him? Never, ever.
I've saw a game once when Charles Barkley topped 40 while leading the 76ers past Jordan's Bulls. Jordan did not score 40, but there weren't comparisons between Jordan and Barkley. Anfernee Hardaway drew favorable comparisons to Jordan, but a game-shape Jordan never allowed Hardaway to upstage him the way James just upstaged Bryant. I say game-shape because Hardaway did manage that playoff series victory over Jordan en route to the Finals ... with Shaquille O'Neil ... interesting. Jordan had not made it back to full form for that series, hence the loss.
Bryant is a great player, but I think James stacks up well against him and gets my vote as the better player. He took his team to the Finals without Shaquille O'Neil. Who lately has pulled that off? No one.
The Stolen Picasso - Like espionage stories, art theft stories always have a special intrigue. Maybe it's because making off with paintings worth millions is unusual. Art thefts are like comet sightings. They don't occur every day. But when they do, people tend to pay attention.
And so, the world looks toward Sao Paulo, Brazil where the latest high-profile art theft took place. I don't normally associate high art with Brazil. I ususally associate Brazil with the beautiful game. Soccer is definitely Brazil's calling. Besides, art thefts in Europe seem even more intriguing simply because it's Europe. But this is still an interesting story.
According to reports, thieves stole Pablo Picasso's "Portrait of Suzanne Bloch" from the Sao Paulo Museum of Art. Picasso created the portrait during his famous Blue Period. The other painting, "O Lavrador de Cafe," was painted by Brazilian artist Candido Portinari. This painting depicts a coffee bean farmer.
I actually like the Portinari better. The subject matter reminds me of Starbucks!
These paintings should turn up again, but there's no telling where or when. Hopefully, they won't sustain damage.
And so, the world looks toward Sao Paulo, Brazil where the latest high-profile art theft took place. I don't normally associate high art with Brazil. I ususally associate Brazil with the beautiful game. Soccer is definitely Brazil's calling. Besides, art thefts in Europe seem even more intriguing simply because it's Europe. But this is still an interesting story.
According to reports, thieves stole Pablo Picasso's "Portrait of Suzanne Bloch" from the Sao Paulo Museum of Art. Picasso created the portrait during his famous Blue Period. The other painting, "O Lavrador de Cafe," was painted by Brazilian artist Candido Portinari. This painting depicts a coffee bean farmer.
I actually like the Portinari better. The subject matter reminds me of Starbucks!
These paintings should turn up again, but there's no telling where or when. Hopefully, they won't sustain damage.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Jamie Lynn Spears - The 16-year-old Zoey 101 star announced she is pregnant. Happy Sweet Sixteen!
And congratulations, Jamie Lynn. In spite of your crazy sister, you had a chance to be the Next Big Thing. You don't have to worry about that anymore.
When your child is ten and you're only 26, still four years from 30, you can always look back and dream about what could have been. Nice job.
One can only assume that Nickelodeon execs have scores of young girls lined up to replace Spears. Perhaps someone new and fresh can show up on that network, live a better lifestyle and set a good example for kids.
And congratulations, Jamie Lynn. In spite of your crazy sister, you had a chance to be the Next Big Thing. You don't have to worry about that anymore.
When your child is ten and you're only 26, still four years from 30, you can always look back and dream about what could have been. Nice job.
One can only assume that Nickelodeon execs have scores of young girls lined up to replace Spears. Perhaps someone new and fresh can show up on that network, live a better lifestyle and set a good example for kids.
Friday, December 14, 2007
The Mitchell Investigation - It is shocking that Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and David Justice are linked to steroids. Since I don't follow baseball closely, I had always attributed Clemens' stellar play well into his 40s to modern medicine, training and equipment. Despite my belief that Clemens and other baseball players are overpaid, I always believed they were great athletes. They still are great athletes, but a lot of their names are mud now. Reputations are destroyed. Hall of Fame inductions are jeopardized.
What a shame.
Baseball is every bit as tainted as cycling.
Clemens' denials sound so much like Floyd Landis' rhetoric that I really cannot believe him. How else to explain improved performance when his body should be on a serious decline? So much for modern medicine as an explanation. What is more disturbing is Jose Conseco's assertion that former Sen. George Mitchell's report is incomplete. Conseco said other star players, like Alex Rodrieguez, should have been included. I believe Conseco. If anyone knows about cheating, it is him, unfortunately. Poor ole Jose.
What a shame.
Baseball is every bit as tainted as cycling.
Clemens' denials sound so much like Floyd Landis' rhetoric that I really cannot believe him. How else to explain improved performance when his body should be on a serious decline? So much for modern medicine as an explanation. What is more disturbing is Jose Conseco's assertion that former Sen. George Mitchell's report is incomplete. Conseco said other star players, like Alex Rodrieguez, should have been included. I believe Conseco. If anyone knows about cheating, it is him, unfortunately. Poor ole Jose.
Newsweek on Huckabee - The magazine's Dec. 17 cover shows this statement:
"Holy Huckabee!"
"The unlikely rise of a preacher Republican."
Here is my response to this cover: Unlikely rise? Hardly. As I stated in a February post on this blog, Huckabee is a good speaker. Let me go past that statement and tell people what they still do not seem to realize. Mike Huckabee is a very, very, very good politician. He is lethal to other candidates. He can campaign well. He can speak well, and he can make people like him. This guy is Rudolph Giuliani's worst nightmare. He is stronger than Fred Thompson. He is not as stiff as Mitt Romney. Huckabee has the goods to win the Republican nomination. I thought he had a chance in February, and I couldn't believe he languished at 2 percent when Giuliani soared with 20 and 30 percent. Those numbers failed to make sense to me. Today's numbers make a whole lot more sense to me. The nation will likely have to choose between Huckabee or Hillary Clinton for president. Both candidates have Arkansas ties. I expect Clinton to win as I have all along.
"Holy Huckabee!"
"The unlikely rise of a preacher Republican."
Here is my response to this cover: Unlikely rise? Hardly. As I stated in a February post on this blog, Huckabee is a good speaker. Let me go past that statement and tell people what they still do not seem to realize. Mike Huckabee is a very, very, very good politician. He is lethal to other candidates. He can campaign well. He can speak well, and he can make people like him. This guy is Rudolph Giuliani's worst nightmare. He is stronger than Fred Thompson. He is not as stiff as Mitt Romney. Huckabee has the goods to win the Republican nomination. I thought he had a chance in February, and I couldn't believe he languished at 2 percent when Giuliani soared with 20 and 30 percent. Those numbers failed to make sense to me. Today's numbers make a whole lot more sense to me. The nation will likely have to choose between Huckabee or Hillary Clinton for president. Both candidates have Arkansas ties. I expect Clinton to win as I have all along.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Cindy Williams is 60 - Where has the time gone?
I just saw her on TMZ.com in one of those "Memba' Her?! Guess what she looks like now!" segments they like to post.
She was great in American Graffitti, and Laverne and Shirley, and I find it so cool that she read for the role of Princess Leia in Star Wars.
I just saw her on TMZ.com in one of those "Memba' Her?! Guess what she looks like now!" segments they like to post.
She was great in American Graffitti, and Laverne and Shirley, and I find it so cool that she read for the role of Princess Leia in Star Wars.
Madonna, Mellencamp Lead Hall Inductees - The Material Girl herself and John Mellencamp will headline the latest inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Good for them! They deserve it!
For whatever reason, CNN.com posted a poll asking "Should Madonna be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?" Forty percent voted "No."
It is tough to imagine why that question was even posed, and the forty percent part is absolutely nuts.
For whatever reason, CNN.com posted a poll asking "Should Madonna be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?" Forty percent voted "No."
It is tough to imagine why that question was even posed, and the forty percent part is absolutely nuts.
ESPN Bashes Petrino - Since snubbing Arkansas' Heisman-worthy running back, ESPN has moved on to other matters like bashing the Hogs' new coach. Writers for ESPN, including Len Pasquarelli and Pat Forde, are attacking Bobby Petrino's integrity simply because he wanted out of a situation he didn't sign on for.
They have called him a liar and a nomad. They claim he is disingenuous.
Since I have always wanted a winning coach at Arkansas, I am glad to have Petrino. He went 41-9 at Louisville, a remarkable record at a school known for its basketball. His resume indicates he can have similar success at Arkansas. If he decides to pack up and leave next season, I will not fret over it. The Razorbacks will find another high-quality coach.
As for the Petrino's integrity, I can hardly blame him for leaving the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons organization is the definition of chaos. They are 3-10 because they lack much talent on the field. The talent they did have is in prison for dog fighting. Why would anyone want to waste the prime years of their career managing such a mess? What is so unethical about Petrino's decision to move on? The criticism sounds like a bunch of sour grapes more than anything. So, the ESPN guys can bash Bobby Petrino all they want. If Petrino performs well at Arkansas, the pundits' remarks won't matter on this site.
They have called him a liar and a nomad. They claim he is disingenuous.
Since I have always wanted a winning coach at Arkansas, I am glad to have Petrino. He went 41-9 at Louisville, a remarkable record at a school known for its basketball. His resume indicates he can have similar success at Arkansas. If he decides to pack up and leave next season, I will not fret over it. The Razorbacks will find another high-quality coach.
As for the Petrino's integrity, I can hardly blame him for leaving the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons organization is the definition of chaos. They are 3-10 because they lack much talent on the field. The talent they did have is in prison for dog fighting. Why would anyone want to waste the prime years of their career managing such a mess? What is so unethical about Petrino's decision to move on? The criticism sounds like a bunch of sour grapes more than anything. So, the ESPN guys can bash Bobby Petrino all they want. If Petrino performs well at Arkansas, the pundits' remarks won't matter on this site.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
More Petrino - ESPN reports that Petrino spoke to the Falcons about a desire to return to the college ranks. Petrino wanted a chance to coach in the Southeastern Conference. Arkansas looked like a good fit.
I complained about this earlier after Jim Grobe backtracked to stay at Wake Forest. Grobe not only turned down Arkansas, he turned down an opportunity to coach in the SEC. The Razorbacks do not need a coach that shies away from that kind of situation. The upside on Petrino is that he is hungry, and he wants to coach in a tough conference. He has clearly examined the big picture. He realizes what the hardscrabble SEC can do for him. The SEC is a positive selling point, not a detriment. Plus, Petrino acts like he really wants to be at Arkansas, which is another pro for hiring him.
I complained about this earlier after Jim Grobe backtracked to stay at Wake Forest. Grobe not only turned down Arkansas, he turned down an opportunity to coach in the SEC. The Razorbacks do not need a coach that shies away from that kind of situation. The upside on Petrino is that he is hungry, and he wants to coach in a tough conference. He has clearly examined the big picture. He realizes what the hardscrabble SEC can do for him. The SEC is a positive selling point, not a detriment. Plus, Petrino acts like he really wants to be at Arkansas, which is another pro for hiring him.
Bobby Petrino - Petrino has a stellar record at Louisville. He made the Cardinals prominent nationally. His record in the ATL is not stellar, but the Falcons did have the Michael Vick cloud looming over their collective heads. Besides, Atlanta rarely performs as a contender season to season. They always seem to be up and down. Petrino's record at Atlanta does not matter on this blog in the least. The Atlanta organization is in sad shape with or without Petrino at the helm.
It is exciting to welcome in a coach with a clean slate. The hire makes a lot of sense. Arkansas needs a guy who will jump into the meat grinder, face down criticism and try to make things work. I did not get that impression from Jim Grobe or Tommy Bowden. They acted like they wanted a nice easy time coaching football in a friendly, comfortable environment. There is nothing wrong with that.
Petrino, on the other hand, coached in the NFL, which is a buzz saw. Fans and media from larger markets are always harder on coaches and athletes. They are brutal. Despite working in such a brutal environment, Petrino had job security, no small feat on the pro level.
This guy seems tough enough to handle the strains of the Arkansas job as well as media types like Wally Hall and Tommy Smith. It is not that those guys are bad. They are great at what they do, and they seem nice. However, they will speak their mind. They will criticize Arkansas' football program. Petrino looks like he is up to that challenge as well as others. It is good to have a new coach at the UofA.
It is exciting to welcome in a coach with a clean slate. The hire makes a lot of sense. Arkansas needs a guy who will jump into the meat grinder, face down criticism and try to make things work. I did not get that impression from Jim Grobe or Tommy Bowden. They acted like they wanted a nice easy time coaching football in a friendly, comfortable environment. There is nothing wrong with that.
Petrino, on the other hand, coached in the NFL, which is a buzz saw. Fans and media from larger markets are always harder on coaches and athletes. They are brutal. Despite working in such a brutal environment, Petrino had job security, no small feat on the pro level.
This guy seems tough enough to handle the strains of the Arkansas job as well as media types like Wally Hall and Tommy Smith. It is not that those guys are bad. They are great at what they do, and they seem nice. However, they will speak their mind. They will criticize Arkansas' football program. Petrino looks like he is up to that challenge as well as others. It is good to have a new coach at the UofA.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Not Just the Hogs' Problem - Some Arkansas Razorback fans have claimed that the coaching search is an embarrassment for the athletic department and the school. Apparently, several coaches have turned down a chance to coach Arkansas. Well, big deal. These coaching candidates also passed up a chance to coach in the Southeastern Conference. When an SEC head coaching job comes open and one can interview for it, one should jump at a job offer should such an offer arise. You don't turn it down. That is not wise.
If you can run the table in the SEC, you can run your way right into the national championship game. The problem Arkansas is experiencing is that no one wants to build a national championship program. It can be done at Arkansas. It was accomplished once. It can be accomplished again. Jim Grobe had a chance, and he blew it. Tommy Bowden had a chance. He bonked.
Can the Hogs help it nobody has guts these days?
Furthermore, this is not just the Hogs' problem. As for this so-called embarrassing situation, let me point out that Michigan cannot hire a coach either. Les Miles turned the Wolverines down, and now Rutgers coach Greg Schiano has decided to stay at Rutgers. Apparently he couldn't handle the enormity that is Wolverines football.
Miles' decision makes more sense. He is already in the SEC. He is already playing for a national title. At LSU, Miles has an excellent chance to play for another in future seasons. Turning down Michigan is not so baffling.
Staying at Rutgers like Schiano is? That is a little strange. Jim Grobe staying at Wake Forest instead of moving to Arkansas? That too is strange. These coaches do not want a national championship. They want moderate success with excellent pay.
Fine. If coaches like this make these kinds of decisions, then schools like Arkansas are better off. This coaching thing is not just the Hogs' problem.
Other big schools like Michigan are facing the same issue. Michigan cannot find anyone with the gall to coach their football team. Michigan and Arkansas will get fine coaches, and I predict more BCS schools will experience the same trouble these two schools are having when hiring a new coach. There is nothing embarrassing about it.
If you can run the table in the SEC, you can run your way right into the national championship game. The problem Arkansas is experiencing is that no one wants to build a national championship program. It can be done at Arkansas. It was accomplished once. It can be accomplished again. Jim Grobe had a chance, and he blew it. Tommy Bowden had a chance. He bonked.
Can the Hogs help it nobody has guts these days?
Furthermore, this is not just the Hogs' problem. As for this so-called embarrassing situation, let me point out that Michigan cannot hire a coach either. Les Miles turned the Wolverines down, and now Rutgers coach Greg Schiano has decided to stay at Rutgers. Apparently he couldn't handle the enormity that is Wolverines football.
Miles' decision makes more sense. He is already in the SEC. He is already playing for a national title. At LSU, Miles has an excellent chance to play for another in future seasons. Turning down Michigan is not so baffling.
Staying at Rutgers like Schiano is? That is a little strange. Jim Grobe staying at Wake Forest instead of moving to Arkansas? That too is strange. These coaches do not want a national championship. They want moderate success with excellent pay.
Fine. If coaches like this make these kinds of decisions, then schools like Arkansas are better off. This coaching thing is not just the Hogs' problem.
Other big schools like Michigan are facing the same issue. Michigan cannot find anyone with the gall to coach their football team. Michigan and Arkansas will get fine coaches, and I predict more BCS schools will experience the same trouble these two schools are having when hiring a new coach. There is nothing embarrassing about it.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Bioshock - I do not know who the manufactuer is. I do not play video games anymore. And it is not like this game is Pac-Man or Space Invaders or Tomb Raider even. Bioshock is not an iconic game that anyone should be talking about a quarter century from now. I have not even played the game and I know this.
I base my views on the sad, sorry commericals I see for this apparent debacle. The ads feature shots from the game with big band music and Frank Sinatra, and they are truly annoying. I do not know what the ad people are trying to accomplish with this. I guess they are achieving a desirable goal by raising awareness and catching consumers' attention, but there is just one problem. I do not want to buy this game.
I do not care to buy Bioshock. I do not care to play Bioshock.
The commercials are so annoying that I am prompted to blog about how annoying they are. They make no sense. Frank Sinatra songs have nothing to do with men in spacesuits engaging in firefights with aliens, monsters, rouge machines, or whatever needs to be killed in Bioshock.
For this reason, Bioshock commercials are awful, dreadfully awful.
These ad guys and their pretentious, see-it-coming-a-mile-away bid for irony loses in a big way. I have seen irony before. I am familiar with it. These ads do not feature good irony. Irony, when applied to commercials, should be clever as opposed to clumsy.
This game needs a new ad agency. The existing ads do not work.
I base my views on the sad, sorry commericals I see for this apparent debacle. The ads feature shots from the game with big band music and Frank Sinatra, and they are truly annoying. I do not know what the ad people are trying to accomplish with this. I guess they are achieving a desirable goal by raising awareness and catching consumers' attention, but there is just one problem. I do not want to buy this game.
I do not care to buy Bioshock. I do not care to play Bioshock.
The commercials are so annoying that I am prompted to blog about how annoying they are. They make no sense. Frank Sinatra songs have nothing to do with men in spacesuits engaging in firefights with aliens, monsters, rouge machines, or whatever needs to be killed in Bioshock.
For this reason, Bioshock commercials are awful, dreadfully awful.
These ad guys and their pretentious, see-it-coming-a-mile-away bid for irony loses in a big way. I have seen irony before. I am familiar with it. These ads do not feature good irony. Irony, when applied to commercials, should be clever as opposed to clumsy.
This game needs a new ad agency. The existing ads do not work.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Grobe Backs Away From Arkansas Job - Well, nothing was ever signed. Jim Grobe apparently met with his players, and things became so emotional that he decided to stay at Wake Forest. He will not coach Arkansas, according to Arkansas News Bureau. Arkansas News Bureau also broke the story yesterday that Grobe had been offered the Arkansas job.
This could have happened at Nebraska just as easily. Heck, it practically did with Houston Nutt four years ago. I am certainly glad Grobe did not arrive on campus and go through an introductory press conference like Dana Altman.
The Hogs will find someone who wants to coach in the SEC. Why anyone would not is beyond me. I believe Grobe is making a bad career move, but it is his life and not mine. He might be much happier at Wake Forest, and there is nothing wrong with that. So long, Jim Grobe. We hardly knew ye.
This could have happened at Nebraska just as easily. Heck, it practically did with Houston Nutt four years ago. I am certainly glad Grobe did not arrive on campus and go through an introductory press conference like Dana Altman.
The Hogs will find someone who wants to coach in the SEC. Why anyone would not is beyond me. I believe Grobe is making a bad career move, but it is his life and not mine. He might be much happier at Wake Forest, and there is nothing wrong with that. So long, Jim Grobe. We hardly knew ye.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
McFadden Invited to New York - Razorback runner Darren McFadden received an invite from the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist. His main competition is Tim Tebow of Florida.
Tebow was on fire this season and he deserves the invite, but I think McFadden should win because he finished second last year and improved his rushing stats this year in spite of two sub-100 yard rushing games. His offensive line failed him against Auburn and he finished with 43 yards. Ouch! Another reason McFadden's Heisman stock faltered was because of the Hogs' win-loss record. Hey, McFadden can't help it if the defense gives up fourth quarter leads in three consecutive SEC losses. He can't help it if the offense plays flat against Tennessee.
I hope the Heisman voters give McFadden the benefit of a doubt.
Tebow was on fire this season and he deserves the invite, but I think McFadden should win because he finished second last year and improved his rushing stats this year in spite of two sub-100 yard rushing games. His offensive line failed him against Auburn and he finished with 43 yards. Ouch! Another reason McFadden's Heisman stock faltered was because of the Hogs' win-loss record. Hey, McFadden can't help it if the defense gives up fourth quarter leads in three consecutive SEC losses. He can't help it if the offense plays flat against Tennessee.
I hope the Heisman voters give McFadden the benefit of a doubt.
Ohio State/LSU Prediction - Since I won't shut up about Jim Grobe possibly becoming the Razorbacks' next head football coach, I will digress for a moment and make a game prediction. I hereby predict that LSU will beat Ohio State for the national championship.
They are playing in the Louisiana Superdome, so it is like a home game for the Tigers. Moreover, LSU emerged from the rough-and-tumble SEC, college football's toughest conference. Had Ohio State played in the SEC this year, I believe they would have suffered more than one loss so far. The SEC is tough this year. I believe Missouri, who plays Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl, and Kansas and West Virginia would have had more losses too if they had to play in the SEC with the likes of Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia and Florida.
They are playing in the Louisiana Superdome, so it is like a home game for the Tigers. Moreover, LSU emerged from the rough-and-tumble SEC, college football's toughest conference. Had Ohio State played in the SEC this year, I believe they would have suffered more than one loss so far. The SEC is tough this year. I believe Missouri, who plays Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl, and Kansas and West Virginia would have had more losses too if they had to play in the SEC with the likes of Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia and Florida.
Will Grobe Work at Arkansas? - There is nothing but positive press on the www regarding Jim Grobe. Wake Forest is a small private school in the ACC, and apparently the football facilities there are not as good as Arkansas'. That might be why Grobe's recruiting classes at Wake haven't been stellar. However, he seems to get the most out of average talent.
Assuming he is Arkansas' new football coach, hopefully he can work magic in Fayetteville. Grobe interviewed with Tom Osbourne for Nebraska's head coaching job. Osbourne hired Bo Pellini instead. Only time will tell what this Grobe fellow can do.
Assuming he is Arkansas' new football coach, hopefully he can work magic in Fayetteville. Grobe interviewed with Tom Osbourne for Nebraska's head coaching job. Osbourne hired Bo Pellini instead. Only time will tell what this Grobe fellow can do.
Jim Grobe - I do not know who Jim Grobe is. I understand he was the ACC Coach of the Year and the National Coach of the year. Jim Grobe is not awful. However, didn't Arkansans just lose an 8-4 coach?
When Houston Nutt left for Ole Miss, the goal was to hire someone better. Another 8-4 coach does not cut it. If new UA athletic director Jeff Long was going to go this route, he might as well have hired Reggie Herring, the Hog's defensive coordinator and interim head coach. If the result of this coaching search is an 8-4 guy, I would rather have Herring.
I would much rather have Herring and by a long shot. I do not want another 8-4 guy. We had an 8-4 guy. Do you know what he did? He went 8-4. That is not good enough.
Houston Nutt, the past 8-4 guy, was SEC Coach of the Year for 2006-2007, so the Hogs have already had a coach that has won coaching awards. I do not want a guy who wins coaching awards. I want someone who wins conference championships and national championships.
I really want to swear off the Arkansas Razorbacks football program for a while. Long should have hired Herring.
When Houston Nutt left for Ole Miss, the goal was to hire someone better. Another 8-4 coach does not cut it. If new UA athletic director Jeff Long was going to go this route, he might as well have hired Reggie Herring, the Hog's defensive coordinator and interim head coach. If the result of this coaching search is an 8-4 guy, I would rather have Herring.
I would much rather have Herring and by a long shot. I do not want another 8-4 guy. We had an 8-4 guy. Do you know what he did? He went 8-4. That is not good enough.
Houston Nutt, the past 8-4 guy, was SEC Coach of the Year for 2006-2007, so the Hogs have already had a coach that has won coaching awards. I do not want a guy who wins coaching awards. I want someone who wins conference championships and national championships.
I really want to swear off the Arkansas Razorbacks football program for a while. Long should have hired Herring.
New Arkansas Coach? - Arkansas News Bureau reports that Jim Grobe will be the next Arkansas football coach. Grobe comes from Wake Forest. He had a 45-39 record there, going 8-4 this season. He compiled an 11-3 record for 2006-2007, taking Wake Forest to the Orange Bowl.
A contract is not signed as of this writing.
A contract is not signed as of this writing.
On Vader, Episode III - Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is the most important film of the past quarter century because it answers relevant questions about cinema's biggest villain, Darth Vader.
I can't believe I haven't stated this on this blog yet.
I haven't stated this either. The silver screen has no villain bigger than Darth Vader. Not even Goldfinger rises to Vader's level, and he tried to rob Fort Knox. Tony Montana certainly doesn't, and Hannibal Lecter doesn't either.
None of these characters rode around a galaxy in a giant globe of death consolidating power through mass murder and intimidation. They didn't pick men up by the neck and throw them against walls. They didn't kill their subordinates simply because they came out of hyperspace too early. They didn't cut their own son's hand off. They didn't slaughter Tusken Raiders. They didn't slaughter younglings.
Vader is the king of evil in the world of film. His back story is also among the greatest origin stories ever told. His has to rank with the greatest comic book characters, characters like Batman, Superman and Spiderman. Every great comic book hero had a compelling origin. Vader, film's great anti-hero, has one too.
I can't believe I haven't stated this on this blog yet.
I haven't stated this either. The silver screen has no villain bigger than Darth Vader. Not even Goldfinger rises to Vader's level, and he tried to rob Fort Knox. Tony Montana certainly doesn't, and Hannibal Lecter doesn't either.
None of these characters rode around a galaxy in a giant globe of death consolidating power through mass murder and intimidation. They didn't pick men up by the neck and throw them against walls. They didn't kill their subordinates simply because they came out of hyperspace too early. They didn't cut their own son's hand off. They didn't slaughter Tusken Raiders. They didn't slaughter younglings.
Vader is the king of evil in the world of film. His back story is also among the greatest origin stories ever told. His has to rank with the greatest comic book characters, characters like Batman, Superman and Spiderman. Every great comic book hero had a compelling origin. Vader, film's great anti-hero, has one too.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Nutt Leaves UA for Ole Miss -
Houston, Ole Miss has a problem.
Sorry, I couldn't resist writing this low-brow, cheap-shot pun. Houston Nutt is actually a stand-up guy. His family is nothing but nice, and he is too.
Nevertheless, Nutt and his family have endured a lot of criticism over the past few seasons. Nevertheless, he defended himself well. He wasn't Donald Trump, but he didn't have to be. He wasn't exactly fending off a bunch of geniuses. Sure he looked arrogant in a recent sound byte when he said his contract didn't end in twenty-oh-seven or twenty-oh-eight. Nutt boldly reminded everyone that his contract ran 'til twenty-twelve, implying that he ain't goin' no place.
Who wants a coach that isn't at least a bit arrogant? And Nutt said all of the right things in that byte. While I do not approve of Nutt's job performance, it certainly isn't based on anything he has said. He is a great guy. I just don't like his teams' performance.
The prevailing "wisdom" claims Nutt has "done more with less." I have heard this phrase a million times.
I could not disagree more. In fact, I'll go so far as to say it's exactly the opposite. He has done less with more.
I have also heard Arkansas doesn't have the best recruiting position in the SEC, implying that Nutt has less to work with than other teams in the conference.
Whatever.
If the UA is such a poor place to recruit to, how does one explain the exceptional facilities Frank Broyles has established in Fayetteville?
And to my point about doing more with less: Arkansas has not had less in ten years.
How is having a guy like Matt Jones under center less? Jones had great size and great speed. He was a gifted athlete, so gifted that he made a transition to receiver and plays the position for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars took Jones in the first round of the pro draft. How in the world is that less? Jones is one example among many great athletes Nutt had at his disposal.
Furthermore, how is having the highest recruited quarterback in the nation less? Mitch Mustain turned down offers from everywhere to attend Arkansas. The Razorbacks also enjoyed the talents of Felix Jones, Marcus Monk and Darren McFadden. I can't tell with Mustain yet, but those other players will play in the NFL. McFadden will probably get drafted first overall. As we all know, he won the Doak Walker award. He was first team All SEC. He finished second in the Heisman balloting. That is not less. That is more.
Arkansas has not had less in ten years.
When Nutt walked in and guided Arkansas to 8-0, he did it with solid talent, Danny Ford's talent. Yes, Danny Ford recruited that team. The 1998-1999 team Nutt took to 9-3 was Danny Ford's team. Had Ford been retained, the Hogs might have fared much better.
The wheels fell off that season against Tennessee when Hog QB Clint Stoerner had a football knocked out of his hand. The play was ruled a fumble, and Tennessee recovered. The Vols went on to score, and they won the game. They won because of the fumble.
The problem is, the ground caused Stoerner to lose the football. Video shows it, clearly. The fact is, Nutt got slighted, his team got slighted, and the State of Arkansas got slighted. That was not a fumble.
I do not for a moment fault Nutt for losing the Tennessee game that year. I do fault him for his team's recovery, or lack of it rather.
Nutt and the Hogs still controlled their destiny after Tennessee. They still had a chance to win the SEC Western Division and earn a rematch with the Vols in the SEC Championship Game. All they had to do was win out. They didn't. They traveled to Mississippi State and lost by one point on a late field goal.
Mississippi State was the underdog in that game. The Hogs were expected to win, but they didn't. Looking like a team still mourning over the previous week's loss, they came out and played flat football, the kind of flat football that gets teams beat. So long SEC championship game. There would be no rematch with Tennessee. The Hogs national title hopes ended in Starkville, Mississippi. Tennessee won the national title instead.
Later in that season, the Hogs lost a fourth quarter lead against Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. The Hogs lost two games that year that they should have won. The Tennessee loss was unavoidable. However, the other two were not. I believe that '98-'99 team underachieved because it was mentally unprepared to handle adversity. I blame the coach, Houston Nutt.
That team reminds me of last year's squad. Special teams killed the Hogs in 2006. They had LSU beat only to yield a critical kickoff return and lose. The Hogs were ranked No. 6 in the nation and they had an outside chance to win the national championship. If they had won out, they possibly could have been champion. They lost their last three games instead, starting with LSU.
It's not that they lost. It's the way that they lost.
Stumbling into the 2006 SEC Championship Game, the Hogs went toe to toe with Florida. They actually had a fourth quarter lead and momentum until a kick return went awry, fumbled away to Florida, helping the Gators win. The Razorbacks lost critical games on routine plays they practice all of the time. That's hard to forgive, especially when the Hogs show the promise to do so much more.
The hijinks continued this season with losses to Alabama, Kentucky and Auburn despite holding fourth quarter leads in each game. Later, the Hogs traveled to Tennessee for an uninspired, flat performance in a lopsided loss. Losing is never good, but it's more tolerable when you're simply out-manned. The Hogs were not out-manned. They were outplayed because they showed up flat. As a competitor, how can one be flat for the Tennessee Volunteers? How can one be flat at Neyland Stadium? How? How does that happen?
Yet, that's what the Razorbacks were. They were flat against Auburn too, which is why they lost. Their run blocking wasn't good for much of the game and their defense didn't turn up the intensity and get a stop when the offense woke up and earned a late lead.
Nutt's teams always seem to underachieve. That's my perception anyway.
For this reason, I have been critical of Nutt's performance as coach of the Razorbacks. It has nothing to do with him personally. His teams have lacked the mental fortitude to handle pressure on a game-to-game basis. None of them ever seemed to possess a killer instinct or the desire to dominate opponents for the mere sport of it. Forget playing to win, playing to avoid a loss. How about going into a big game for the sole purpose of measuring yourself and dominating someone for four quarters, regardless of how good they are? I never once saw that characteristic in one of Houston Nutt's teams. It is unfortunate. His teams had so much potential.
I am not happy that Nutt resigned from Arkansas. His resignation is unfortunate, but his teams' performance lacked. I am optimistic that Arkansas' football program will move forward in a positive direction. If it doesn't, changes can always be made later.
As for Chancellor White's decision to give Nutt $3.5 million in deferred annuity, that was a good move. Some have lambasted White for making a bad business move for not sticking to the terms of Nutt's employment contract. Hey. What do I care about $3.5 million from the University's coffers? It ain't my money. What do I care? Why would anyone care about that?
So, when Chancellor White gives Nutt a parting gift of $3.5 million after resigning, when the employment contract stipulates otherwise, I take it as a goodwill gesture from White and darn good business. A move like that is savvy. It prompts prospective job candidates to take pause and think "Wow! Arkansas treated Houston Nutt really nice. They will likely do the same for me."
That's the message a move like White's sends. White is no dummy. He realizes Arkansas' reputation as an employer took a hit after Nolan Richardson's firing. It took another hit after Richardson sued the UA, resulting in an embarrassing trial and too much information made public.
Firing Jack Crowe after one game doesn't help either. Agents and others in the know remember these things. White's generous compensation of Nutt helps alleviate negative perceptions.
Anyway, Houston Nutt is a fine person. I do not like the way he prepared his team though. I do not think they handled adversity consistently enough. Despite what those at ESPN say, Nutt's Arkansas teams had the potential to be more than they were. Since they did not live up to their potential, the fan base became fractured. This, I think, was Nutt's downfall at Arkansas. He made teams with wonderful potential merely good when they could have been great. If he could unlock the doors to success, he could do great things at Ole Miss.
Houston, Ole Miss has a problem.
Sorry, I couldn't resist writing this low-brow, cheap-shot pun. Houston Nutt is actually a stand-up guy. His family is nothing but nice, and he is too.
Nevertheless, Nutt and his family have endured a lot of criticism over the past few seasons. Nevertheless, he defended himself well. He wasn't Donald Trump, but he didn't have to be. He wasn't exactly fending off a bunch of geniuses. Sure he looked arrogant in a recent sound byte when he said his contract didn't end in twenty-oh-seven or twenty-oh-eight. Nutt boldly reminded everyone that his contract ran 'til twenty-twelve, implying that he ain't goin' no place.
Who wants a coach that isn't at least a bit arrogant? And Nutt said all of the right things in that byte. While I do not approve of Nutt's job performance, it certainly isn't based on anything he has said. He is a great guy. I just don't like his teams' performance.
The prevailing "wisdom" claims Nutt has "done more with less." I have heard this phrase a million times.
I could not disagree more. In fact, I'll go so far as to say it's exactly the opposite. He has done less with more.
I have also heard Arkansas doesn't have the best recruiting position in the SEC, implying that Nutt has less to work with than other teams in the conference.
Whatever.
If the UA is such a poor place to recruit to, how does one explain the exceptional facilities Frank Broyles has established in Fayetteville?
And to my point about doing more with less: Arkansas has not had less in ten years.
How is having a guy like Matt Jones under center less? Jones had great size and great speed. He was a gifted athlete, so gifted that he made a transition to receiver and plays the position for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars took Jones in the first round of the pro draft. How in the world is that less? Jones is one example among many great athletes Nutt had at his disposal.
Furthermore, how is having the highest recruited quarterback in the nation less? Mitch Mustain turned down offers from everywhere to attend Arkansas. The Razorbacks also enjoyed the talents of Felix Jones, Marcus Monk and Darren McFadden. I can't tell with Mustain yet, but those other players will play in the NFL. McFadden will probably get drafted first overall. As we all know, he won the Doak Walker award. He was first team All SEC. He finished second in the Heisman balloting. That is not less. That is more.
Arkansas has not had less in ten years.
When Nutt walked in and guided Arkansas to 8-0, he did it with solid talent, Danny Ford's talent. Yes, Danny Ford recruited that team. The 1998-1999 team Nutt took to 9-3 was Danny Ford's team. Had Ford been retained, the Hogs might have fared much better.
The wheels fell off that season against Tennessee when Hog QB Clint Stoerner had a football knocked out of his hand. The play was ruled a fumble, and Tennessee recovered. The Vols went on to score, and they won the game. They won because of the fumble.
The problem is, the ground caused Stoerner to lose the football. Video shows it, clearly. The fact is, Nutt got slighted, his team got slighted, and the State of Arkansas got slighted. That was not a fumble.
I do not for a moment fault Nutt for losing the Tennessee game that year. I do fault him for his team's recovery, or lack of it rather.
Nutt and the Hogs still controlled their destiny after Tennessee. They still had a chance to win the SEC Western Division and earn a rematch with the Vols in the SEC Championship Game. All they had to do was win out. They didn't. They traveled to Mississippi State and lost by one point on a late field goal.
Mississippi State was the underdog in that game. The Hogs were expected to win, but they didn't. Looking like a team still mourning over the previous week's loss, they came out and played flat football, the kind of flat football that gets teams beat. So long SEC championship game. There would be no rematch with Tennessee. The Hogs national title hopes ended in Starkville, Mississippi. Tennessee won the national title instead.
Later in that season, the Hogs lost a fourth quarter lead against Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. The Hogs lost two games that year that they should have won. The Tennessee loss was unavoidable. However, the other two were not. I believe that '98-'99 team underachieved because it was mentally unprepared to handle adversity. I blame the coach, Houston Nutt.
That team reminds me of last year's squad. Special teams killed the Hogs in 2006. They had LSU beat only to yield a critical kickoff return and lose. The Hogs were ranked No. 6 in the nation and they had an outside chance to win the national championship. If they had won out, they possibly could have been champion. They lost their last three games instead, starting with LSU.
It's not that they lost. It's the way that they lost.
Stumbling into the 2006 SEC Championship Game, the Hogs went toe to toe with Florida. They actually had a fourth quarter lead and momentum until a kick return went awry, fumbled away to Florida, helping the Gators win. The Razorbacks lost critical games on routine plays they practice all of the time. That's hard to forgive, especially when the Hogs show the promise to do so much more.
The hijinks continued this season with losses to Alabama, Kentucky and Auburn despite holding fourth quarter leads in each game. Later, the Hogs traveled to Tennessee for an uninspired, flat performance in a lopsided loss. Losing is never good, but it's more tolerable when you're simply out-manned. The Hogs were not out-manned. They were outplayed because they showed up flat. As a competitor, how can one be flat for the Tennessee Volunteers? How can one be flat at Neyland Stadium? How? How does that happen?
Yet, that's what the Razorbacks were. They were flat against Auburn too, which is why they lost. Their run blocking wasn't good for much of the game and their defense didn't turn up the intensity and get a stop when the offense woke up and earned a late lead.
Nutt's teams always seem to underachieve. That's my perception anyway.
For this reason, I have been critical of Nutt's performance as coach of the Razorbacks. It has nothing to do with him personally. His teams have lacked the mental fortitude to handle pressure on a game-to-game basis. None of them ever seemed to possess a killer instinct or the desire to dominate opponents for the mere sport of it. Forget playing to win, playing to avoid a loss. How about going into a big game for the sole purpose of measuring yourself and dominating someone for four quarters, regardless of how good they are? I never once saw that characteristic in one of Houston Nutt's teams. It is unfortunate. His teams had so much potential.
I am not happy that Nutt resigned from Arkansas. His resignation is unfortunate, but his teams' performance lacked. I am optimistic that Arkansas' football program will move forward in a positive direction. If it doesn't, changes can always be made later.
As for Chancellor White's decision to give Nutt $3.5 million in deferred annuity, that was a good move. Some have lambasted White for making a bad business move for not sticking to the terms of Nutt's employment contract. Hey. What do I care about $3.5 million from the University's coffers? It ain't my money. What do I care? Why would anyone care about that?
So, when Chancellor White gives Nutt a parting gift of $3.5 million after resigning, when the employment contract stipulates otherwise, I take it as a goodwill gesture from White and darn good business. A move like that is savvy. It prompts prospective job candidates to take pause and think "Wow! Arkansas treated Houston Nutt really nice. They will likely do the same for me."
That's the message a move like White's sends. White is no dummy. He realizes Arkansas' reputation as an employer took a hit after Nolan Richardson's firing. It took another hit after Richardson sued the UA, resulting in an embarrassing trial and too much information made public.
Firing Jack Crowe after one game doesn't help either. Agents and others in the know remember these things. White's generous compensation of Nutt helps alleviate negative perceptions.
Anyway, Houston Nutt is a fine person. I do not like the way he prepared his team though. I do not think they handled adversity consistently enough. Despite what those at ESPN say, Nutt's Arkansas teams had the potential to be more than they were. Since they did not live up to their potential, the fan base became fractured. This, I think, was Nutt's downfall at Arkansas. He made teams with wonderful potential merely good when they could have been great. If he could unlock the doors to success, he could do great things at Ole Miss.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Sampras Wins Over Federer - Pete Sampras handed world No. 1 Roger Federer a 7-6, 6-4 loss in their third and last exhibition match, according to ESPN.com. Sampras, ESPN says, didn't face a break point throughout the match.
Due to the results of these exhibitions, I believe Sampras is tennis' best ever. I did not see the exhibitions, but ESPN's stories indicate that Sampras is still able to beat the best players in the world. At 36 years old Sampras shouldn't even be able to stay on serve with a guy playing at Federer's level, yet he did.
Every match was close. In the first exhibition, Sampras had the world No. 1 down 4-2 in the first set before allowing an opening to lose the set and eventually the match. Sure, Sampras went 1-2 over the course of the three matches, but it seemed Sampras showed substantial improvement after each of the first two losses. He faced off against Federer without the benefit of being tournament tested. A best-case scenario for Sampras would be for him to have had several tournaments under his belt where he had beaten several top-ten players before having to face off against the indomitable Federer who, until now it seems, was in a class of his own.
You don't just go out and beat a Roger Federer. You need something that builds you up to such a feat, something like rigorous competition in tournaments. Sampras had the next best thing, throwing himself to the wolves, or wolf rather, Roger Federer himself. So, having seen Federer twice, Sampras finally solved the puzzle. He found a way, at 36 years old mind you, he finally found a way to beat Roger Federer, a man on top of his game and in the prime of his life at 26 years of age. And it took Sampras only three matches to do it. That is phenomenal. He wasn't supposed to be competitive like this. I'm sure the players are as surprised as I am.
Sampras could still have success on the mens' tour. Assuming the grind didn't get to him first, he could probably win another Grand Slam event. At least, Sampras has proven, that on any given day he can still be the best player in the world.
Due to the results of these exhibitions, I believe Sampras is tennis' best ever. I did not see the exhibitions, but ESPN's stories indicate that Sampras is still able to beat the best players in the world. At 36 years old Sampras shouldn't even be able to stay on serve with a guy playing at Federer's level, yet he did.
Every match was close. In the first exhibition, Sampras had the world No. 1 down 4-2 in the first set before allowing an opening to lose the set and eventually the match. Sure, Sampras went 1-2 over the course of the three matches, but it seemed Sampras showed substantial improvement after each of the first two losses. He faced off against Federer without the benefit of being tournament tested. A best-case scenario for Sampras would be for him to have had several tournaments under his belt where he had beaten several top-ten players before having to face off against the indomitable Federer who, until now it seems, was in a class of his own.
You don't just go out and beat a Roger Federer. You need something that builds you up to such a feat, something like rigorous competition in tournaments. Sampras had the next best thing, throwing himself to the wolves, or wolf rather, Roger Federer himself. So, having seen Federer twice, Sampras finally solved the puzzle. He found a way, at 36 years old mind you, he finally found a way to beat Roger Federer, a man on top of his game and in the prime of his life at 26 years of age. And it took Sampras only three matches to do it. That is phenomenal. He wasn't supposed to be competitive like this. I'm sure the players are as surprised as I am.
Sampras could still have success on the mens' tour. Assuming the grind didn't get to him first, he could probably win another Grand Slam event. At least, Sampras has proven, that on any given day he can still be the best player in the world.
Friday, November 23, 2007
NCAA Football
Stunner in Baton Rouge
The Arkansas Razorbacks upset No. 1 LSU in three overtimes 50-48!
Go Hogs Go!
The Hogs move to 8-4 for the season. The Tigers fall to 10-2 and fail to qualify for the Bowl Series Championship.
Darren McFadden was solid. Starting sloppy with three fumbles, last season's Doak Walker winner regrouped, rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for another in the road victory. As I have argued all along, McFadden deserves to win the Heisman Trophy.
Stunner in Baton Rouge
The Arkansas Razorbacks upset No. 1 LSU in three overtimes 50-48!
Go Hogs Go!
The Hogs move to 8-4 for the season. The Tigers fall to 10-2 and fail to qualify for the Bowl Series Championship.
Darren McFadden was solid. Starting sloppy with three fumbles, last season's Doak Walker winner regrouped, rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for another in the road victory. As I have argued all along, McFadden deserves to win the Heisman Trophy.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Heroes - Okay, I didn't watch Heroes last season, so I am new to it. I read an article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that complained that this season's Heroes plot lacked focus.
I completely disagree. I think the plot is great. New, groundbreaking information is revealed each week, and the way the story arch has developed has been anything but dull. Not one character bores me.
Had I watched last year, I probably would have annoited it as television's best drama over 24. FOX's drama about government crisis management the Jack Bauer way is pretty good, but it is not as good as Heroes. NBC has ripped a long ball with this one. I can't wait for the writer's strike to end so I can see more Heroes.
In the meantime, I will use the down time to bone up on Heroes' first season on DVD. This show is exciting stuff. Everyone should watch it.
I completely disagree. I think the plot is great. New, groundbreaking information is revealed each week, and the way the story arch has developed has been anything but dull. Not one character bores me.
Had I watched last year, I probably would have annoited it as television's best drama over 24. FOX's drama about government crisis management the Jack Bauer way is pretty good, but it is not as good as Heroes. NBC has ripped a long ball with this one. I can't wait for the writer's strike to end so I can see more Heroes.
In the meantime, I will use the down time to bone up on Heroes' first season on DVD. This show is exciting stuff. Everyone should watch it.
Torii Hunter - The California Angels signed Torii Hunter to a 5-year, $90 million contract.
$90 million?
For what?
Another Major League Baseball Player that makes way more money they he is worth. Congrats Mr. Hunter!
That is nice.
If I owned a Major League Baseball franchise and I gave someone, anyone, $90 million, I would slap myself.
Professional baseball players make way too much money for what they do. It is ridiculous.
$90 million?
For what?
Another Major League Baseball Player that makes way more money they he is worth. Congrats Mr. Hunter!
That is nice.
If I owned a Major League Baseball franchise and I gave someone, anyone, $90 million, I would slap myself.
Professional baseball players make way too much money for what they do. It is ridiculous.
Roger Federer: Best Ever? - Not if he can only beat a 36-year-old Pete Sampras 7-6, 7-6.
I have always been sceptical of these "Federer: The Greatest Tennis Player Ever" claims. It's the popular thing to say. That's what the bandwagon dictates. But, the results of Federer's exhibition matches against Sampras aren't impressive, for him at least. They're highly impressive for Sampras.
Federer is supposed to win because he's Earth's top-ranked player. He's also 26 years old, clearly in his prime. Yet, he couldn't beat Sampras, the last "greatest ever," without tie breakers? He needed tie breakers against a guy who is ten years older than him, who doesn't move as well as he used to, and doesn't even play on the regular pro circuit? That not good.
The world needs to re-think Federer's annointment. He is not the best tennis player ever.
Pete Sampras is.
He has proven it as a dilapidated, slow 36-year-old, who should be a whole lot worse than the best player in the world, a man who is 26 years old and in the prime of his life.
I have long suspected that Sampras was the better player, and now I know it to be true. If these two were the same age, it would be Federer losing the tie breaks.
I have always been sceptical of these "Federer: The Greatest Tennis Player Ever" claims. It's the popular thing to say. That's what the bandwagon dictates. But, the results of Federer's exhibition matches against Sampras aren't impressive, for him at least. They're highly impressive for Sampras.
Federer is supposed to win because he's Earth's top-ranked player. He's also 26 years old, clearly in his prime. Yet, he couldn't beat Sampras, the last "greatest ever," without tie breakers? He needed tie breakers against a guy who is ten years older than him, who doesn't move as well as he used to, and doesn't even play on the regular pro circuit? That not good.
The world needs to re-think Federer's annointment. He is not the best tennis player ever.
Pete Sampras is.
He has proven it as a dilapidated, slow 36-year-old, who should be a whole lot worse than the best player in the world, a man who is 26 years old and in the prime of his life.
I have long suspected that Sampras was the better player, and now I know it to be true. If these two were the same age, it would be Federer losing the tie breaks.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
My Rotator Cuffs - I've had a rotator cuff problem the past month, so I stopped my weight lifting regimen. This week was the first in five that I have lifted. I went Monday and Tuesday.
I did okay, so I might be back, all the way back, runnin' and gunnin' at full speed.
I'm hard to stop at full speed.
------
Ran three miles today!
That's two 10 min. miles and an 11:00.
Ran three yesterday too.
I haven't ran three miles on back-to-back days before, like ever. I don't know what's gotten into me. I didn't want to stop.
I did okay, so I might be back, all the way back, runnin' and gunnin' at full speed.
I'm hard to stop at full speed.
------
Ran three miles today!
That's two 10 min. miles and an 11:00.
Ran three yesterday too.
I haven't ran three miles on back-to-back days before, like ever. I don't know what's gotten into me. I didn't want to stop.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Roger Clemens - As of this writing, reports have Roger Clemens, 45, moving into another phase of his career, meaning his pitching days are over. ESPN.com reports Clemens will start a "personal services" contract with the Houston Astros.
Clemens pitched for the Yankees last season, going 6-6 in 17 starts and one relief appearance. The Yankees paid him $17.4 million of a pro-rated $28 million salary.
That breaks down to over $966,000 per game that he pitched in. I'm not sure a win is worth $966,000. A loss certainly isn't. Clemens received $5.8 million for six games that he lost.
Such numbers, absurd numbers, bring me to my point, which I want to make crystal clear: That is a complete waste of money, even for six measly wins.
Clemens pitched for the Yankees last season, going 6-6 in 17 starts and one relief appearance. The Yankees paid him $17.4 million of a pro-rated $28 million salary.
That breaks down to over $966,000 per game that he pitched in. I'm not sure a win is worth $966,000. A loss certainly isn't. Clemens received $5.8 million for six games that he lost.
Such numbers, absurd numbers, bring me to my point, which I want to make crystal clear: That is a complete waste of money, even for six measly wins.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Halloween Post 2007 -
I'm celebrating this one by eating a Godiva bar due to the fact that I haven't had solid chocolate in a while and due to the other fact that it is Halloween. I firmly believe some kind of chocolate candy should be consumed on Halloween, even if it's a chocolate Easter Bunny from last April. (That's a good idea for next year, a leftover chocolate Easter Bunny for Halloween. I suspect there's some irony there.) Anyways, no chocolate on Halloween would be like no fireworks on the Fourth of July. It ain't right. That would be like no green on St. Patrick's Day. That ain't right either.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
The Eagles' Double Album - The Long Road Out of Eden dropped today at Wal-Marts everywhere. I got my copy. Did you get yours?
It's a double album by the way. I haven't bought a double album since Gun-N-Roses' Use Your Illusion I & II. They were on cassette. I played them until the tape broke on the second one.
Anyway, the Eagles' latest release retains that smooth southern California sound that established the band back in the 1970s. In other words, it's pretty good. The band recorded a lot of slow songs, and there's no equivalent to Desperado on either CD, but it's still nice to have new material from one of the greatest rock groups of the Seventies.
It's a double album by the way. I haven't bought a double album since Gun-N-Roses' Use Your Illusion I & II. They were on cassette. I played them until the tape broke on the second one.
Anyway, the Eagles' latest release retains that smooth southern California sound that established the band back in the 1970s. In other words, it's pretty good. The band recorded a lot of slow songs, and there's no equivalent to Desperado on either CD, but it's still nice to have new material from one of the greatest rock groups of the Seventies.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
William Shatner 86'ed From the New Trek - Shatner complained publicly in recent days that J.J. Abrams didn't cast him in the new Star Trek movie. The actor also said not having him in the movie was a bad business decision.
Shatner is probably right. But Abram's faux pas is probably a blessing in disguise for the actor. This latest Star Trek production might have the word "disaster" written all over it. I could be wrong. It could be passable. (It will never reach a level regarded as great, which is what first and second generation Star Trek fans deserve.) It could still be passable. This project really has a chance. But, if it is indeed horrible, the original Kirk, the only one that will ever matter, might want to thank Abrams for leaving him out of such an ill-conceived abomination.
Let's all hope the flaws in this thing aren't outrageous. There will be flaws, and true experts will see them.
Shatner is probably right. But Abram's faux pas is probably a blessing in disguise for the actor. This latest Star Trek production might have the word "disaster" written all over it. I could be wrong. It could be passable. (It will never reach a level regarded as great, which is what first and second generation Star Trek fans deserve.) It could still be passable. This project really has a chance. But, if it is indeed horrible, the original Kirk, the only one that will ever matter, might want to thank Abrams for leaving him out of such an ill-conceived abomination.
Let's all hope the flaws in this thing aren't outrageous. There will be flaws, and true experts will see them.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
