The Worse People of 2007

Well it's the end of another year and it's time to celebrate the worse people of 2007. Before I reveal the list, I would like to give a special shout out to Britney Spear's 16 year old sister, way to keep your legs spread wide open. I am sure you are disappointed it took you this long to get knocked up, but none the less you did it. I know big sis is proud, more on her later.

Here we go:
10. Kathy Griffin.
She is the most annoying person on television. I see her mug or hear her voice and I cringe. She reminds me of someone who's parents told her she had talent when she was younger and they had connections and sold their souls to the devil to get their little Kathy famous.

9. Michael Strahan
I wonder how many other closets he hid in taking pictures of unsuspecting naked women? I wish he would have never come back to the NFL this year, but his fat ego couldn't stand not being in the news. I predict he will go OJ Simpson on some poor woman in the next 20 years.

8. Amy Winehouse
I don't think I have ever heard one of her songs, yet she is always in the news. Her 15 minutes of fame is ticking away. Too bad it's not ticking fast enough.

7. Tony LaRussa
For someone who is suppose to be old and wise, Tony LaRussa is neither. He always seemed insincere and phony and that's just the impression he gave me. When he was pulled over for DUI last March, I figured this would be a good time for him to show some humility. Maybe he could have showed some class and admitted fault, but we got No Comment. His Silence spoke volumes.

6. Ann Coulter
I am all for the The First Amendment and what it means, but listening to her talk, there is serious fodder against it. I would love to see every time she is on television or the radio and she is about to talk, they bleep out what she says, maybe play a Beatles song over it or something. I am embarrassed for her to be classified as a human being.

5. Pacman Jones
If I ever walk into a bar and Pacman Jones walks in, I will walk out, no run out. Pacman Jones doesn't get it. He was born with a gift, but because he doesn't know right from wrong, people get badly hurt when he is around. When he comes back to the NFL, I give him another year before he screws up again and is gone. Hopefully, someone will make it rain on him in the clink.

4. Bush
Did you ever feel like some rich person bet another rich person a $1 that any schmuck could be President of the United States of America, ala Trading Places? That's the only thing that makes remotely sense when I think of Bush's 2 terms in the Oval Office.

3. Britney, Paris, Lindsay The Skank Trifecta
I prayed 2007 we wouldn't hear about them, but that didn't happen. Between their stints in Jail and Rehab the pantiless trio was in every magazine, newspaper and television and for what? So I pray once again, they will all disappear in 2008.

2. Hulk Hogan.
The Hulkster has my vote for the worse parent of the year, even worse than Skank Trifecta member Britney Spears. When I was much younger, I adored this guy, but as I got older, I learned he cares only about himself and his ego. Who buys his underage son Beer, leaves him unsupervised and the kid for all intent and purpose, kills the passenger. Yep, Good Ole Nick Hogan has a problem with drag racing on the streets of Tampa Bay. And the sad part is the kid never learned right from wrong.

The Hulkster also did a bang up job raising his talentless daughter. Yes the seed of loins is so good as a singer, Hulk let her get implants at the age of 19. Now Mrs. Hulk Hogan has filed for divorce, even though I think this is all a set up. I wish I could go back 24 years and tell 12 year old me what kind of person Hulk Hogan is, I definitely wouldn't have had his poster in my room.

1. NRA
The NRA is directly to be blamed for The Virginia Tech and The Omaha Mall Massacres. When our fore fathers felt we had the right to bare arms, I don't think they had shooting innocent people in school or shopping in mind. Hey Charleton, Guns Kill People!


Here's a list of Dishonorable Mentions in no particular order: OJ Simpson; Don Imus; Michael Richards; Al Sharpton; Isiah Thomas; Nancy Grace; Judge Judy; Mike Vick; Tim Hardaway; Isiah Washington; The BCS; Jim Tressell & Ohio State; Bobby Knight; Barry Bonds; Mel Gibson; Rush Limbaugh; Paula Abdul

See ya in '08

Steroids

A day after the George Mitchell report came out, everyone is still trying to piece together exactly what was found out. Some 86 current and former ball players have been named, but what does it prove.

All sports are in disarray, it's a business where the owners and players want to get paid and to do this, they have to be better than the best. They will take any advantage they can. I am convinced in any sport, where their is a winner, someone will always true to gain an advantage.

Let MLB and the Union come up with a way to police this particular problem, because I am sure in another 10 years there will be another problem will occur. As for the people who were named, they have already been convicted in the court of public opinion.

Bobby Petrino and the harsh realities of the NFL

A day after getting crushed on Monday Night to New Orleans, Bobby Petrino resigned his position as Head Coach of the Atlanta Falcons to take the Head Coaching job at the University of Arkansas. Petrino is taking a lot of slack from people for quitting after 13 NFL games, but this is not what he signed up for.

Things began to fall apart shortly after he took this job, They traded their back up QB, their star QB was running a Dog Fighting Ring and would not be playing this season. His team cried out Mutiny and tried to show up the coach, players were not playing up to their potential and it seemed they didn't even try.

Petrino has to do what is best for him and his family, that's the bottom line. His job in Atlanta was not secure. He would have been let go in three years, his players wouldn't respect him and he would have been hard pressed to find another job like the one available in Arkansas.

Petrino was pushed out the door by the system. Unlike Nick Saban, he showed class in not holding a team hostage, he left early to give the Falcons a head start in finding his replacement. When the Falcons would have fired him in a few years, they would have done so after all the coaching vacancies were filled.

South Florida Sports...

I am sad to report, The Florida Marlins have traded Miguel Carbrera & Dontrelle Willis to the Detroit Tigers. The Marlins received a half dozen prospects for the duo and 2 of them are highly touted, but lets call a spade a spade, the Marlins are going to save $20 Million this year on the deal. From a baseball standpoint, The Marlins' trades have worked out in their favor more than they haven't. Their baseball people know talent and know when to get rid of someone and get the right package for them. The organization has to be doing something right, they have won 2 World Championships in 11 years, second only to the Yankees and tied with the Red Sox.

The problem isn't the Marlins, it is First The South Florida Market and Second Major League Baseball. MLB, is a league of the haves and have nots. There is a horrible system of Revenue Sharing instead of a Salary Cap. MLB is so messed up, the Marlins are stuck in South Florida, where there is 0 chance for them to get a stadium and less chance of them building a true fan base.

The South Florida Market is weak, it's an event town, not a sports town. Case in Point, The Heat couldn't sell out until they brought Shaq in. He has made each game an event, once he retires, they will go back to what they were before him. The Dolphins haven't been competitive in years. They have a lousy coach who is so bad, I think he has no clue what he got himself into. The Panthers have been pretty irrelevant their whole existence, making the playoffs once in 15 years. South Florida will sell out a NASCAR race or a Super Bowl, because of the magnitude of the event, but something like Baseball or Soccer, and even College Football, empty seats are abundant.

I wish nothing but the best for Cabrera and Willis, they are both tremendous players with a great upside. Both are young and have at least 10 years in their prime. I wish nothing but luck to the Marlins Organization, I think they are a model team for someone trying to be competitive and save money.

BcS - What's The Point...

Every year about this time, I say the same thing, It's time for college football to have a playoff system. Anytime you get writers, coaches or even computers selecting who plays for a championship, you have to deal with their biases. LSU and Ohio State are playing for the National Championship and I feel they are not the 2 best teams in the country, why have them play and not the Real 2 best teams - Hawaii and USC?

Hawaii is undefeated. They beat everyone put in front of them. And don't tell me their conference is weaker, Ohio State plays in the Big 10 and that conference in a joke. They played Washington and Youngstown St out of conference - YAWN! In fact, the whole Big 10, played no one in the SEC, ACC, Big12 and they have no conference Championship Game. Way to go Buckeyes and Big 10, you are a bunch of frauds and I believe Maurice Clarett.

USC, according to all experts, is the best team in the NCAA. They lost 2 games due to players being injured. Besides, the Pac 10 is just as good, if not better than the SEC.

If there was a 16 team playoff, at least the fighting would be done on the field, not in the papers.

Some Random Thoughts...

...Last Sunday, I watched one of the best football games I've seen in a while. The 10-0 New England Patriots and the 5-5 Philadelphia Eagles. The Patriots are on a mission to blow out everyone and go 19-0, eclipsing the 72' Miami Dolphins 17-0 record. The Eagles are trying to stay alive for a possible playoff birth.

To make matters worse, Eagles starting QB Donovan McNabb was out and backup AJ Feeley was getting the start. The Eagles gave everything they had to the Patriots and almost pulled the upset. But the Pats showed why they are the best team in the NFL and found a way to win. The criticism for both teams is minimal, this game had everything, good offense, solid defense, excellent special teams, great coaching and a fast moving pace. The score was definitely resembled to the the way the game was played.

The Eagles playoff hopes are less and less. They need to win out to make it and have a difficult schedule to do this. They need to play like they did on Sunday and keep the mistakes to a minimal.

...It is absolutely tragic to what happened to Sean Taylor of the Washington Redskins, formerly of the UM Hurricanes. I can't say I am surprised when I hear about gun violence and a UM athlete, but it doesn't make it any easier to swallow. I just wish there was a different way for people to solve their problems than with guns.

...I loved the fact when Alex Rodriguez opted out of his contract with the Yankees, the Yankees said they would not negotiate with him anymore. Well, not only did they lie and negotiate with him, they gave him a bigger deal than what he opted out of. This is why I hate the Yankees, they are a bunch of liars and cry babys. I always liked AROD, at least I did up until he opted out of his contract during game 4 of the World Series. He showed a lack of class and disrespect to the game, the fans and especially himself. I hope in a few years, when he breaks Barry Bonds Home run Record, the first active Major Leaguer comes out of the closet and puts AROD on the back page.

...Finally, I am really pissed off at the NFL and its Commish. Roger Godell has been crying to congress about how Comcast and Time Warner won't put his NFL Network on basic cable. He claims, its unfair business practice. He thinks people shouldn't have to pay an extra $5 to $8 a month to watch his network. Well, Godell Castro, people in Glass Houses shouldn't throw Stones. I think it's unfair, your NFL Direct Ticket is Directv exclusive. It should be made available to people like me who have cable. I am willing to pay to watch the games, just make it available to me!

Someone Take A Stand

I use to like Alex Rodriguez. I thought he was one of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game. And more importantly, he seemed like a pretty decent guy. I never once blamed him for his $252 million dollar contract he signed with the Texas Rangers. Hey, if someone is going to offer me that money, I would have been more than happy to play for it.

The contract put baseball back in so many ways. With 32 teams and about half those teams unable to compete with the other half just because of the money they can generate. But Rangers' Owner Tom Hicks bought was Arod and his agent were selling and everyone was happy.

After the Rangers realized they couldn't compete because all of their money was tied up in one player, they traded Arod to the New York Yankees. The Rangers paid a good portion of the contract as he played for the Yankees. Arod made the playoffs each of his 4 years in New York, but failed to do make an impact. The Yankees-Arod marriage was a bust from the beginning and the saving grace was Arod had an out clause after the 7th year of the contract.

I had no doubt he was going to opt out. I thought him opting out during game 4 of the World Series was a complete scum thing to do. He had to steal the headlines from the Eventual World Series Champs, the Red Sox.

Well, there is something Baseball can do and I would applaud baseball and its owners if they did it. Don't pay this guy $27 Million a year. Infact, now is the time for baseball owners to show a little muscle and strong arm Arod, his agent and the system. How great would it be if Arod is only offered $10 million, a third of what his agent thinks he should get?

Bring Down The Evil Empire

The first peg of the demise of the Evil Empire was let loose. That classy organization known as the New York Yankees, low balled their leader with an insulting 1 year deal, less money than the old deal and incentive laden contract.

I don't blame Joe Torre for declining the Yankees offer. I am far from a Yankees fan and I don't even think he is a great manager, however he wins. He is able to mesh different personalities and lead his team to victories. It's not like he hasn't won a championship or 2 or 3 or 4?

I hope this leads to a mass exodus of Yankee Veterans to other places. I am just trying to figure out what is worse, being offered an insulting low-balled offer or being threaten to be fired every season?

Brett Favvvrrrerr

Or however his name is spelled? Anyway, I think I am the only person who watches the NFL who doesn't like him. When every talking head ohhs and ahhs over him, I can't see it. I don't put him up as one of the best QBs to ever play. The toughest? Absolutely, to play that many consecutive games at that position for so long is one thing. Greatest QB? Well that's another.

I think Favre is a gunslinger. He always tries to do too much and is very rarely called on that. He one 1 championship and probably could have won at least 1 more if he was a little more disciplined. So when the Talking Heads talk about Favre as a one of the best, I tend to put him lower on my list.

Here's the Top 10 QBs of my time (The last 20 years+)

Joe Montana
Troy Aikman
Tom Brady
John Elway
Steve Young
Peyton Manning
Dan Marino
Warren Moon
Brett Farve
Randall Cunningham

It's Been A Long Time...

For over three months, I have had a lot to say, but I just couldn't put it in words. I still don't know if I can put it all in words and I don't know if I am going to try. My goal is to get my websites running within the next month, but inspiration hasn't shed its light on me.

Instead of talking about the ways of the world, the good and bad, the ups and downs, I thought I would just talk about something a little easier, The 2007 Philadelphia Phillies.

Wow, what can I say. Back in Spring Training, MVP Short stop Jimmy Rollins called them the team beat in the NL East and they proceeded to start off 4-11. The slowly crawled their way to 500 and started to win somewhat consistently. Their pitching was unspectacular outside of Cole Hammels. Their Bullpen was a whos who of castaways and journeymen, but somehow they got through the season.

2007 will go down in history as how the Mets plummeted. Dropping 8 games in the standings with 18 to play, but the Phillies did sweep them twice coming down the stretch. I guess I am saying the Phillies deserve more credit than they will ever get.

Here's a grade for the 2007 NL East Champs:

GM - Pat Gillick - B. Would have been an A if it weren't for Freddie Garcia, who will go down in Phillies History as the WORSE signing in team history. Gillick deserves credit for signing Jayson Werth and Greg Dobbs. He got lucky with a desperation signing in JC Romero, who played his way into a nice contract for next year. The Kyle Lohse was also a nice pick up at the end of the season, he ate up innings and the Phillies won most of the games his pitched.

Manager - Charlie Manuel - B+. He got the most out of his bullpen, more than I ever thought he would have. He made a lot of questionable decisions, but most of them worked out, so who am I to judge. I really wish we would have seen a throw down with Eskin.

Offense - A. They are the most prolific hitting team in baseball. Hopefully, Ryan Howard will come into next season with confidence and a little more patience. He could become the best Phillie EVER. Rollins, Utley and Rowand had great seasons at the plate. Everyone else seemed to get into the action.

Defense - A-. They were pretty solid in the field, just wish we could combine Nunez and Dobbs to make one complete 3rd Basemen.

Starting Pitching - B-. Hammels was great. Moyer was a magician. Kendrick was a pleasent surprise, but far from great. Eaton, Lieber and Garcia Disappointments.

Bull Pen - C. Madson was hurt, which hurt them. Romero pitched nicely, but not spectacular. Gordon showed flashes of brilliance. Mesa, Alfonseca, Condrey, etc are okay as long as they are not on the same team. Finally, Brett Myers is a better Starter. Yes, he has a Closer's Disposition, but he can give you innings as a starter and be a dominant one too. Its so hard to find Quality Starting Pitching, and to use one of their best starters as a closer makes no sense to me.

Next Season, I expect great things from the Phillies. There will not be a lot available via Free Agency. They will probably lose Aaron Rowand which is too bad. They need to move Myers back into the rotation, find another starter (Lohse will probably sign for big money with a team like New York.) They need a lot of Bullpen help and hopefully through the minor leagues, a few players will step up. They can get by with a three headed monster at third, but it wouldn't surprise me if they sign a "big name" (Mike Lowell?) Burrell will play out his last season in Philly In Left, Victorino will play Center and Werth will play Right. All in all, the Phillies are much better off than other teams in their division.

I hope they learned from this experience and build on it

Wisdom Teeth

I had my wisdom teeth pulled this morning. Thankfully, it was only the top 2, but none the less, they are gone. I am not in as much pain as I thought, but I am very uncomfortable.

The Right Choice For The Magic

I am glad Billy Donovan came to his senses regarding the jump to the NBA. Let's face it, the odds were stacked against him succeeding. Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Tim Floyd, Mike Montgomery, all made the jump from college to the NBA and they all failed. The sad part is they were all great college coaches who could have had legacys at Kentucky, UMass, Iowa St and Stanford respectively. At least Billy Donovan will have that chance to become Florida's version of Coach K.

What was lost in this whole situation how the Magic wound up with the right coach for the job - Stan Van Gundy. He did a great job a few years ago with the Heat, making them contenders before he was pushed aside by Team President Pat Riley. The Magic are a playoff team, they need to get to the next level. Dwight Howard is a rising star who is a few years away from being legit Superstar. Jameer Nelson and JJ Redick will be solid NBA players. Van Gundy will lead this team to the top of the conference in a few short years, while his old team the Heat will be looking to rebuild.

The Magic made the mistake of going after the Big College Name, but they wound up getting redeemed by getting the right guy.

If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, does it make a sound?

Or, if The Stanley Cup Finals is on, but no one is watching, is the game really happening? Since the lockout year of 2004-2005, the NHL has gotten less publicity than it did when the game was not going on. The rules have been altered to make the game a lot better, but still no one is watching.

There are many problems with the NHL, the first one is the get the game out there. Gary Bettman needs to find their way back on a major cable network, preferably ESPN, but TNT, USA, TBS or even Spike would suffice. A Network people watch and is available to a majority. ESPN is the best option, They are the ALL-Sports channel with many channels under the ESPN umbrella. They can promote the game better through their outlets.

Second, the NHL has to market their Superstars. They need to be household names, much like NASCAR does.

Third, the game has to show people its fan friendly and not just a bunch of goons who fight on the ice. If it means banning fighting, so be it.

Fourth, Ticket prices need to be slashed, get people to the games, there is not a better game to watch live and that includes football. Make it affordable for a family to see the games, get the next generation into hockey.

Finally, the NHL needs better exposure. The league needs to go out on an all-around PR tour throughout the US. People have to know these are good guys, who play hard and stay out of trouble. They are more Role Models than say Michael Vick, let the public know that.

DUI Cheatem and How?

Why is it that Athletes and Celebrities have a major drinking and driving problem? If they are going to go out and have a few and even a few more, why can't they call a taxi, a limo or a sober friend? St. Louis Cardnals Pitcher Josh Hancock, legally drunk killed himself driving his car home from a bar early in the morning. All he had to do is make a little phone call to the Cardnals and before he could have blinked, someone would have been there to get him to where he had to go.

TV Celeb Ty Pennington was lucky no one was hurt, including himself last Sunday, drunk and driving. He apologized for his actions, but lets face it, he was lucky. How many Celebrities and Athletes drive home drunk? Too many. If they can't be responsible, maybe their "people" should be.

This has got to change or the next time I mention drunk driving, I will be talking about the next Josh Hancock.

The NFL Draft - An After Thought

I am one of the few people who actually enjoy the NFL Draft, I think it's quite interesting even though I will be the first to admit I have no idea who a majority of these guys are. I listen to all of the talking heads after the college season is over until the NFL draft begins. They all have their opinions, some better than others. But how can they grade someone's draft? Don't you think it would make more sense for them to grade the draft of 2 years prior?

This past season, Every talking head criticized The Eagles for trading down to take a Quarterback with their first pick (#40 in the Second Round - Houston's Kevin Kolb.) The Heads criticized the Miami Dolphins for taking Ted Ginn at 9 instead of Brady Quinn. The Talking Heads talked up certain players, it put it in the heads of Philly and Miami fans, who got suckered into listening and inturn booed these drafts.

The Eagles have done a nice job pf selecting players in the draft, through trades and free agency. They have made the playoffs 5 of the last 6 season. The Dolphins on the other hand, well, hopefully they will put things together.

Here's a look at the 2005 draft, lets grade it
Eagles: My Grade - B
1 31 Mike Patterson DT Southern California (An Emerging Starter)
2 35 Reggie Brown WR Georgia (#1 Receiver)
2 63 Matt McCoy OLB San Diego State (Decent Lineback)
3 77 Ryan Moats RB Louisiana Tech (A Bust)
4 102 Sean Considine SS Iowa (Solid Contributor)
4 126 Todd Herremans G Saginaw Valley (Starter, Solid Contributor)
5 146 Trent Cole DE Cincinnati (Solid Contributor)

Dolphins: My Grade - B+
1 2 Ronnie Brown RB Auburn (An Emerging Star, Breakout Potential)
2 46 Matt Roth DE Iowa (Solid Contributor)
3 70 Channing Crowder OLB Florida (Starter, Getting Better Every Game)
4 104 Travis Daniels CB Louisiana State (Solid Contributor)

OUTLANDIS

Enough is enough. Floyd Landis, the 2006 Tour De France Winner, has been found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs. WHO CARES! Lance Armstrong captured American's imaginations by winning the race as a cancer survivor. Armstrong, like most Americans, is not the most popular guy world wide. Once Armstrong decided he wouldn't compete for another Tour De France title, the field was wide open. In comes Floyd Landis, winning in somewhat easy fashion. After all the dust has settled, he tested positive for a banned substance. Now, Bike racing has become as popular as Curling, Lawn Darts and Croquet. Landis has made a mockery of his sport. Like the other athletes who tested positive before him, he has hid behind "It's gotta be a mistake" and "Someone is out to get me, I'd never do that."

Here's the thing, when you are in competitive sports and any kind of edge can put you closer to the pinnacle of success, the temptation is there. We live in a place where its easy to react to something as oppose to act on it, making the chances of not getting caught better.

Barry Bonds has never been caught using anything illegal, but ask anybody and in the court of public opinion, he is guilty. Floyd Landis was found guilty and instead of disappearing, he is trying to save his name. People don't care enough about him or his sport to want to believe he is innocent.

When all is said and done, Floyd Landis will be an asterisk in sports history, like Tanya Harding, Mike Tyson and Art Schleister. Landis is best off hiding in obscurity or joining the WWE, either way, he will never be taken serious again.

Gun Control and Riding a Motorcycle?

Looking back in the aftermath of the Va Tech Mass Shooting, Something has to be done about the Gun Control in this Country. I feel limitations have to be put on the kinds of guns people can have. Who needs a semi-automatic weapon to tote around? Is a hunter going to shoot a deer with 100 bullets in 30 seconds? These semi-automatic weapons are used for one thing and its not good.

I equate Gun Control to riding a Motorcycle. You have you Motorcycle riders who obey the rules of the road. They take proper precautions before, during and after they ride. Most importantly, they realize its a privilege to ride, not a rule. But than again, you have the Motorcycle Riders, who weave in and out of traffic at speeds dangerous to everyone around them. They don't wear the proper protection to drive, the drive between cars at traffic lights and go through stop signs. They do what they do without regard from anyone around.

I for one, do not like Motorcycles. The people who don't have any respect for Motorcycles, ruin it for everyone else. It's like that for Gun Owners as well. When a college kid or for that matter a professional athlete feels the need to carry a gun, they might have to reconsider what they are doing to carry the weapon.

The NBA

Over the last 10 years, my feelings for Professional Basketball has diminished to the point where I don't like it at all. Unlike its better looking step child College Hoops, The NBA lacks anything that I would consider for a night out.

This past week, Referee Joey Crawford was essentially fired for Teeing up Tim Duncan for laughing at him. I commend David Stern for hopefully making an example out of that referee and I hope others will take note before their big, fat egos get in the way. One of the things I hate about the NBA is the officials feel they are more part of the game than they are. A good official in any sport is invisible. Not in the NBA, the calls they make to favor some players over the others, take away the integrity of the game.

Back in the day, The NBA had a good balance between marketing of the team and the individual. Michael Jordan was the greatest and did things we never saw before, The Bulls won 6 championships, not Jordan, Pippen and Phil. The NBA today is marketing Kobe, Lebron, Dwayne first and the Lakers, Cavs and Heat second. Michael Jordan was never bigger than the Bulls, that's why they were so successful.

I hate the fact that the NBA doesn't have a good minor league system. The NBA is using college to be their learning grounds, but the problem is these kids play less than 2 years in college and there is a different system in college than in the NBA. Not everyone is college material, why not let these superstar High School kids get drafted and work on their craft in a minor league? The NBDL needs to be fixed, there needs to be 30-40 teams, these teams needs to be marketed to basketball fans who want to see up and coming players learn their craft. Put these minor league teams in places where they are going to draw (Philadelphia Flyers and Philadelphia Phantoms. The Phantoms, a minor league team, draws 15,000 per game and they play right across the street from the major league team.)

The NBA has to do something about teams tanking at the end of the season to get more ping pong balls. They need to put all of the lottery teams in a more balanced way to determine who gets what pick. Why should a team get rewarded for tanking their season, ripping off fans who pay a lot of money to watch these teams lose?

Finally, the NBA has to make the game better. I would love to see more players care about making their team better around them. NBAers should take more pride in their free throws, assists and turnovers. Slam dunks and three pointers are nice, but they are only part of the game. The cultural differences between the players and who the game is marketed to needs to be addressed as well.

Just Stuff On A Sunday Night

I believe strongly about accountability. One of the problems I have with religion is that it is easy to credit or blame someone else. First of all, I do believe in religion, I believe in God and I respect what other people believe, whether it is the same or different as me. I expect others to share in my respect, unfortunately they don't. People have a tendency to be egocentric, caring only what happens in their world. But most of the world's problems could be avoided if you'd step into someone else's life.

I look at the world as a whole and I look at my life and I know I have good, actually, I have it great. I have been blessed with countless opportunities to do better. I am grateful for what I have, even though I don't show it as much as I should. I respect the people who have come before me and their trials and tribulations to get there. I pray for those around me who have been dealt a poor hand as I hope they pray for those around them.

It's a sick, crazy world we live in and if you don't have accountability, what do you have?

One's Actions

In the World we live in today, you are responsible for your actions. I've said this before and believe it to this day, we live in a Country that gives you second chances. To get a second chance, you need to do 3 things, apologize, be sincere about your apology and don't do the same thing again.

Right now, the biggest story going on is about Radio Talk Show Host, Don Imus and his racially and sexually inappropriate comments about the Rutgers Women's Basketball Team. Imus' comments were wrong and whether he means what he said or he just said it because that's what he gets paid to do, he should have been smart enough not to say it. I expect Imus to be fired. I think CBS Radio and MSNBC will feel the pressure to make Imus an example, thus he will be looking for a job elsewhere.

Imus has agreed to meet with the Rutgers team and their coaches in a closed door meeting and I commend the team for agreeing to meet with him. I think it shows class to give him the opportunity to apologize face to face. I feel he is quite remorseful for his actions and I hope all works out for him and the team at the end.

While, Imus is making the front page, bold type, the last page in tiny fonts, NBA Championship Winning Heat Basketball player James Posey, World Series Winning Manager Tony LaRussa and NFL Hall of Famer Warren Moon were all arrested for DUIs. They seem to get off scott free. It slays me that these Millionaires can do what they want and not have to take responsibility for their actions. I find it hard to believe that in their drunk state of minds they got into their expensive cars and drove. How stupid are they? Someone could have been hurt or even worse. I am waiting for someone to stand up and call these idiots and idiots like them out. I am waiting for someone at a bar to grab their keys and call them a taxi or a limo. I am just waiting for someone to step up

Finally, I take my hat off to NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell and the NFL Players Association for suspending Pacman Jones and Chris Henry for behavior unbecoming of a human being. Mr. Goddell stated it is a privilege to play in the NFL. And I for one agree totally with him. Yes I love watching the best of the best play on Sundays and I really don't care what they do on their own time, but when I hear what they do on their own time, thats usually not good. Henry and Jones were given second chances, they were only suspended for several games. Let them learn from their mistakes and become better people, upstanding citizens if you will.

Keith Richards - A Man amongst Men?

What a whacko. Keith Richards, when asked what was the strangest thing he has ever snorted, claims he snorted the ashes of his dead father. When his father died, he was cremated, Good Ole Richie, grinded up his ashes, mixed it in with his "Blow" and snorted away. Richie said, it didn't kill him, so he guesses he is lucky. Later on, Richie said it didn't happen.

Ok, first thing, first, I am willing to bet it did happen.

Second, I am sure Richie snorted other various foreign objects. He went into the shed, turned on the grinded and mixed it in with his coke. I can see he snorted some of Mick's hair. How about panties from an adoring fan. Maybe even some kind of precious metal. Can you imagine the other kinds of things Richie has snorted, smoked, inhaled, imjected, licked, drank, rubbed, chewed, rolled in and ate?

Third, Does he still do drugs (I know, dumb question)?

Four, By all accounts, just looking at him, he should be dead. Keith "Richie" Richards defyed death. Orrrrrr maybe he is the Grim Reaper himself?

Fifth, Didn't the Who's john Entwistle die a few years ago from a Cocaine overdose before a concert? And if memory serves me correct, Roger Daultry and Pete Townsend played the next night. Sounds like to me, The Who knew their bassist was on borrowed time and probably mourned for him a long, long time ago. I am sure Mick and the boys have a contingent plan all ready to go if Richie snorts a little too much and isn't so lucky.

MLB 07

We are about a week away of the first pitch of the 2007 Major League Baseball Season and thanks to the League and Directv, about 200,000 less fans will be able to see out of market games, way to go Bud. Anyway, I thought I would give my non-scientific predictions to see who will be wear in October.

AL West:
1. Oakland - It's hard to go against them, they always find a way to win and I've learned, don't ever count out Billy Beane.
2. Seattle
3. LA Angels
4. Texas

AL Central:
1. Chicago Whitesox - Once again, the Chi-sox will be the team to steal all of the headlines in the Windy City.
2. Detroit
3. Cleveland
4. Minnesota - Unless Johan Santana can pitch every other day
5. Kansas City - Someday the Royals will surprise everyone, I am not sure if this is the year

AL East:
1. Boston - Their pitching seems to be more stable than the Yankees
2. NY Yankees
3. Toronto
4. Tampa
5. Baltimore - Baltimorians will still have Cal Ripken to cheer this season for his induction to the HOF

NL West:
1. Dodgers - Solid Pitching, Solid Line Up
2. Giants - a pair of Barrys should keep them in contention
3. Padres
4. Diamond Backs
5. Rockies

NL Central:
1. Astros - I personally think this is where Clemons winds up in July
2. Brewers - surprise, surprise
3. Cubs
4. Pirates
5. Cardnels
6. Reds

NL East:
1. Braves - Tim Hudson - Cy Young / Andruw Jones traded before the deadline and the trade will help The Braves much like the Phillies trading Abreu last season.
2. Phillies
3. Mets
4. Marlins
5. Nationals

Astros - Red Sox World Series - Roger Clemons wins WS MVP and finally retires

Stress Management

It's amazing what stress can do. It's even more amazing how something so small can cause so much stress in your life. For the better part of my life, I tried to never get stressed out, I always slept a decent amount of time, I didn't let things get to me, especially little things, and I always put things into perspective. But now as I get older and there are a lot of things out of my hands, the stress level has risen.

The key to handling stress is similar to the key of handling life, realize you do your best and you can't control every thing. There are logical solutions to everything. Stretch in the morning, stay active and alert all day and have a good night's sleep. Most importantly, stress is usually caused by another person or group of people, try to minimize these people in your life. Finally, nothing is perfect, when something is stressing you out, take a time out, take a deep breath, count to 10, think of someplace relaxing and don't let the stress get to you.

Some of my favorite things

There are a handful of material things that I really enjoy having in my life. 10 or 15 years ago, these things were either not invented or I never thought much of.

1. iPod - I love music, more older than newer, but with the invention of the ipod, my workouts are much more fun. It's small, easy to use and very attractive and I can't imagine not using one when I am working out.

2. crocs - The first time I was introduced to these colorful rubberesque shoes was at a boat show some 6 years ago. I could have gotten a pair at cost, but for some reason I didn't. Sure they were hideously ugly, but at the same time, I thought they were kinda cool. Was I too cheap back then or was I afraid to make a bold statement? Several years later, I have 2 pairs and I love them. They are comfortable and for people who don't get the allure of them, well, they just don't get it.

3. Voice Mail - Back in the day when I had a answering machine, I could never figure out how to call in and hear my messages. I made a promise to myself, the first time I am on my own and paying the phone bill, I will get voice mail. It's convenient and smart and I don't see going back to a answer machine every again.

4. Chocolate Chip Cookies - what else can I say about the chocolate chip cookie that hasn't already been said? You tell me someone who doesn't like a good chocolate chip cookie and I will tell you someone who isn't all there.

5. Football Sundays - Some pray on Sundays, some Shop on Sundays, for me, I love to watch the NFL. It is a great escape for several hours and every one needs a great escape now and than.

6.Internet - I can only imagine how much easier and better high school and college would have been with the internet. Emailing, Iming, Googling, Blogging, can you imagine 15 years from now how advanced we will be?

Some Random Thoughts for a Monday

The Gulf War celebrates its 4th anniversary, has anything been accomplished? President Bushs' approval rating is at an all-time low. Gas Prices are still high. America's Foreign Policy isn't looking too good. Here's hoping the next 4 years are better than the first 4.

I have really enjoyed the NCAA Basketball Tournament so far this year. I don't think the best teams have been playing their best. I have this funny feeling it will be a BCS Championship rematch on the Court with Florida taking on Ohio State.

Do you think everything tastes better when it's BBQd?

Why has boxing turned into such a joke of a sport? Does anyone under the age of 30 even care? Do you think Don King will get his paws involved in Mixed Martial Arts?

Has our cultured gotten more violent and sexual? Sometimes I feel like I am watching an R Rated movie, but its the evening news. I am not one for censoring someone, but I do believe people need to be warned about what they are about to experience. As consumers, we should be able to make our own decisions about our lives, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. We also have to do a better job teaching our children the differences between right and wrong. That's another blog for another day.

I believe their needs to be separation in church and state. I believe one's religious views should be on a different plane as one's political views. Decisions should be made based on whats good for the State as a whole, not What Jesus Would Do? As Americans, we need to be more sympathetic and understanding to other people's believes.

Spring is almost here and that means the Boys of Summer are gearing up for Opening Day. No matter what it's like outside, when "Play Ball" is called for the first time every season, the true smell of spring takes place.

A Damn Cold

It doesn't happen often, in fact, it's usually once every year or two, but I get a cold. It starts as soar throat for about a day, than the next morning, the congestion fills up in my head. And if I am lucky and it doesn't turn into a sinus infection, I will be pouring out phlegm for the next week.

It's amazing, all of the technological advances this world has made and their is no cure for the common cold. Maybe, the medicine companies want to keep it that way? Hmmm, how's that for a conspiracy theory?

When I was younger, I use to get colds every season change. As I get older it became less and less, I went about 3 years without a single cold.

I am not the kind of person who can just lie in bed and nurse myself to sleep that way. I guess I just have to be patient and it will go away.

Damn Colds!

Just Some Random Thoughts, A Stream of Conscience Style

If something is Illegal, how can it be Unconstitutional? If you sneak into this country, without attempting to get a Green Card or Work Visa, shouldn't you hide under the radar? It use to be a privilege and an honor to live in this Country.

With our Presidential Elections 2 years away, who will step up and prove to be a true leader in our struggle to get back to where we were? Our country is built on diversity, but it always seems to be the same people running and winning president.

Are shows like Dancing With The Stars and American Idol for Real? Think about, they are just big popularity contests that really don't judge people on talent as much as how they "look." I personally feel the Networks are taking advantage of the viewers with these and all reality based shows. Let's face it, if Reality was Real, How boring would it really be? Boring enough to have Network upper ups manipulating what was shown.

I love March Madness and College Basketball, but there needs to be an improvement in the system. I have a few suggestions, first, down with the super conference. With 300+ Division 1 teams, there shouldn't be a conference allowed to have more than 12 teams in it. I would prefer 10 in each conference and EVERY TEAM makes their conference tournament (Do you hear that Big East.) I also think officiating has to be more consistent. There shouldn't be an alternate Jump Rule, Jump the Ball. There are also too many time outs, especially late in the game. Let these guys play in a close game with the time ticking down. Finally, when did the field of 64 become the field of 65? Thats what the NIT is, the 65th best team in the Nation.

Finally, Britney Spears, Donald Trump and Oprah Winfrey are not news. They are celebrities, Lets not forget that.

10 Questions About the 2007 Philadelphia Phillies

1. On paper, the Phils starting pitching seems to be the strongest in the National League. Brett Myers and Cole Hamels are poised to be number 1 guys. Freddy Garcia is a solid starter and is in a contract year. Jamie Moyer is tremendous bottom of the rotation guy. Adam Eaton was a questionable signing for that kind of money, but if he can give the Phils 12 wins and eat up 5+ innings a start, that would be a great accomplishment.

2. That leads me to Jon Lieber. Lieber is the 6th starter. He has decent stuff and had a nice end of the year. He makes 7 Million and I believe this is the last year of his contract. Teams seem to have lukewarm interest in him for now, but as the season draws closer, more interest is bound to happen. If Lieber stays, what happens with the rotation? Lieber isn't a good fielder and would be a liability in the field. He does have a cool truck thats the size of Rhode Island.

3. The Phillies Bull Pen needs a little help and most people think that either Jon Lieber or Aaron Rowan could be dealt to help bolster the pen. Tom Gordon is a decent closer and Geary, Smith, Alfonseco are decent set up men. Ryan Madsen didn't have it in him to start, but he's ok out of the bullpen. The Phils starters need to get into at least the 6th inning on most nights.

4. The Phillies have one of the best infields in baseball - Howard, Utley and Rollins are amongst the best, Third Base is a question. They signed Wes Helms and Greg Dobbs this off season and have Abe Nunez returning. The Phils need someone who can field the position and be a solid offensive contributor. There is definitely less pressure on the third baseman than the rest of the infield.

5. When the Phils let Mike Lieberthal go, it was with the assumption Carlos Ruiz and Chris Coste will take over the catching duties full time. When they signed Rod Barajas, it was kind of a head scratcher. Why wouldn't you bring Lieberthal back for another season? He seemed to be great when it came to calling a game. His experience seems more important than his numbers, can Barajas do the same?

6. Charlie Manuel is on a very short leash this year. Simply put, if they have a slow start, he is done. This is the first year in a long time, the Phils are one of the favorite in the NL. The Phils have waiting in the wings Minor League Manager John Russell from Reading.

7. Who is going to hit behind Ryan Howard? Pat Burrell is the first choice, but there is a lot of pressure on him to produce and he has yet to step up. Jason Werth and Wes Helms are also choices, but both of them seem to fit better in the 6th or 7th spot in the line up.

8. Speaking of Ryan Howard, now that he has two sensational seasons behind him, will there be a third? The 2005 Rookie of the Year and 2006 NL MVP can only get better, but teams also have a better idea how to pitch him. Howard has the potential to hit 315 and 45 home runs a year and outshine Albert Pujois as the top NL First Basemen.

9. The Phillies Bench needs a little boost, either in house or through a trade. Chris Coste, Jason Werth, Karim Garcia and Abe Nunez are nice players, but can they step up and be extremely productive as bench players? or will the Phillies need to make a move to bolster their bench.

10. The NL East will over take the other divisions as the most competitive division. The Mets improved their line up and if their starting pitching can hold up, they will be tough to beat The Braves will be improved, Tim Hudson is in great shape and is motivated to get back to where he was a few years ago. John Smoltz is a Hall of Fame caliber pitcher and Andrew Jones might be moved for younger talent, but until he is, he is a tremendous player. The Marlins have a great young team that over achieved last season. The injury to Josh Johnson will hurt, but the Marlins always seem to find someone to step up. Dontrelle Willis will be in the running for the NL Cy Young.

One last thing, thumbs down to Major League Baseball and their exclusive deal with Directv. Baseball should embrace all of their fans and give them the opportunity to see out of market games, instead they alienate their fans. You'd think after '94, they would have learned.

Rules in Society

Living in South Florida, one of the most shallowest places in the United States, I see a lot of things I probably wouldn't see any where else. For example, on the roads, every other car is a fancy car - Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Bentlys, Porsches, Rolls Royce, Hummers and ever Ferraris. Go to a Mall or a Store and there is some ignorant person, wheeling their dog in a Dog Stroller (The poor ones use a shopping cart from Sears or a Hand-Me-Down Baby Stroller.)

What I might think is normal, someone else might think is strange. But somewhere in all of this, common sense needs to prevail. I think there should be a set of rules put into place for each situation. Here's some of what I have come up with so far:

If you are in a public restroom, Wash Your Hands.

If you are driving in the fast lane, don't cause traffic jams.

Guys, Flip-Flips should NEVER be worn with Jeans.

Woman, if you are gonna wear a low cut shirt, People will STARE.

Are Please and Thank You too hard to say?

When you walk in or out of some place, look behind to see if someone is there, if they are, hold the door AND if someone holds the door for you, thank them.

A Cell Phone is a priviledge, not everyone wants to hear your conversation, pay attention to whats around you.

This is what I have so far, if you have any suggestions, please let me know.

March Madness

It's that time of the year, Spring is in the air. Baseball teams are beginning their Spring Training games, NFL Free Agency, NHL & NBA are finishing up their regular seasons, jockying for position and The most enjoyable month in sports for College Basketball.

I love the conference tournaments, especially the mid-major tourneys. All of these conferences usually have 1 dominate team who is expected to get an automatic bid, but if they don't win their conference tournament, will the get shut out? I love watching teams with losing or 500 records put together a win or two in their respective conference tournaments. The whole time, you can't help but think, what if?

Than it all comes down to to Selection Sunday. Who gets in and where are they seeded? Who gets snubbed? When I was in high school, I use to play sick so I can watch the first 2 days.

College Basketball and this tournament and everything leading up to this tournament is so enjoyable. Unlike college football, a true winner is determined on the court, not by the polls or some old men in colored jackets, representing a Bowl Game. And unlike the NBA, the basketball players care, all of them, whether they are the number 1 team or the 65th team.

Hate and Ignorance

I heard comments from former NBA player Tim Hardaway regarding Gays and how he "Hates" them. He goes on to say that he wouldn't want to stand near someone who is gay or when he played wanted to be a teammate of someone who is gay. I sit here in 2007 and I am stunned, not that someone has these feelings, but someone of his statue would publically say this.

I do admire his honesty and he didn't stand behind being drunk or flustered on stage ala Mel Gibson and Michael Richards. Hardaway came out with these comments with the same precision he used as a point guard during his NBA days.

Hardaway's comments were a response to a question posed on him on a radio interview by Dan LeBatard. I find that LeBatard always likes to stir the pot with his questions. I figured he knew Hardaway's stance and wanted to put him on the spot.

The thing is, Tim Hardaway probably played with a gay player in his travels. He probably knows gay people and hangs out with them. He is completely naive if thinks that he hasn't. It's no wonder John Amaechi, the former NBA player who just came out and wrote a book about being gay, hid his sexual orientation while playing in the NBA.

I feel like Mel Gibson and Michael Richards before him, Tim Hardaway just committed career suicide. Although people might agree with Hardaway's stance, no one will publically agree with him, the back lash is will be too strong. The media is always looking for a story, Tim Hardaway is their story now. He doesn't seem bright enough to shut up and I am willing to bet he will shoot himself in the foot again with his hateful comments.

Time to Report

With most of the Northeast being pounded by wintery weather, its refreshing to know that pitchers and catchers are reporting to Spring Training in Florida and Arizona as I am writing this. There really is nothing better than Spring Training, even if you are not a baseball fan, there is something about Spring Training that makes you feel good.

I use to be a huge baseball fan, but recently found myself as more of a marginal fan, I still get excited about Spring Training. For the past 2 years, I have trekked over to Florida's west coast and watched the most enjoyable baseball I've seen in more than 10 years. Maybe its the relaxed atmosphere, maybe its the small ball parks or maybe its the "spring" fans, either way, I really enjoy Spring Training.

For 30 Major League Teams, its a time to be optimistic, your team has a chance to ride the pumpkin into the postseason. The truth of the matter, but the third week in April, the clock has struck midnight for most of these teams.

I long for the smell of Spring, the pop as the ball hits the glove, the crack of the sunflower seed and those 2 magic words the ump shouts, "Play Ball!"

Spring is just about here.

The Trek To Spring Training...

I read this article in the Philadelphia Inquirer on Friday about Spring Training For the Phillies in Clearwater starting in less than a week. A Moving Truck picked up the supplies the Phillies would need for their home away from home in Spring Training. The List of stuff includes:

Jelly beans - 40 cases
Baseballs - 1,200 dozen ($74 per dozen.)
Bats - 850
Batting Helmets - 400 (flap on the left /flap on the right, and some with double flaps. From size 67/8 to 8.
Caps - 30 dozen
Pants - 1,500 pairs
Undershirts - 2,500
Gym Trunks - 300 pairs
Sliding Shorts - 200 pairs
Shower Sandals - 100 pairs
Towels - 2,000
Pine Tar - 2 cases
Sunflower Seeds - 24 Cases
Bubble Gun - 24 Cases
Powdered Sports Drink - 200 Pounds
Paper Cups - 15,000
Laundry Detergent - 300 pounds
Special Grass Stain Soup - 100 pounds
Pine Tar Remover - 50 Gallons
Sewing Machine - 1
Athletic Tape - 60 Cases
Video Equipment - 1 Set
Golf Clubs - 15 Sets

Players in the area will also pack some personal things for themselves and their families. Plus the Front Office Staff will pack things too. When in Florida, the training staff will purchase such things as Shampoo, Soap and Sun Block.

All I can say is it's 25 degrees in Philly, 72 in Florida - PLAY BALL!

Super Sunday

After 2 weeks of hype, it's finally here SuperBowl XLI, The Bears vs The Colts. Before I go into that, I would like to rant about the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Michael Irvin finally got elected after 2 years of eligibility and Paul Tagliabue didn't get in on his first ballot. I have such a problem with the biggest bunch of egomanaics, the Writers. These morons have their own agendas and think they should be the story. For every good, responsible journalists, there is 2 twisted, dumbasses trying to make a statement. I have a simple philosophy when it comes to people's opinions, if you don't like them, don't listen or turn the channel, etc. So with that in mind, I have already tuned out the majority of the idiots on ESPNs Around The Horn, including their braindead host as well as several others. I am glad Michael Irvin finally got into the Hall of Fame, he was the 2nd best receiver in the last 20 years bar none. He was an impact player both on and off the field and he is becoming one of the best analysts in Football. And I don't agree with some of what he says, he always makes a compelling argument.

Now for the SuperBowl. Is there anyone giving the Bears any respect? Just a few months ago, they were the "Best" team in the NFL. Now they are more than 7 point underdogs with everyone questioning why they should be there. Peyton Manning is a great QB and I would love to see him one a Ring. Is there a better receiver right now in football like Marvin Harrison? After the last year that Tony Dungy had to endore, does anyone deserves this more?

The Bears have had 2 weeks to prepare for the Colts No huddle. The Field will likely be wet and sloppy come game time. The Bears Defense wants to make a very big impact early on, but its going to be what happens beyond the first quarter. I think the Bears are going to run, run, run all over the Colts Defense. Plus, Devon Hester is going to change the complexity of the game sometime in the second half. However, The Colts are an offensive machine and can score in a mere minute. The Kickers will have to be at their best. Both of Vinateri and Gould can kick in the outdoors and the slop. I think it comes down Ball Control and Clock Management. Although I think The Colts should win the game, I am going out on a limb and predicting the Bears pull the huge upset 27-25. MVP - Thomas Jones

Championship Weekend

Last week I did better than I thought, 3 out of 4, missing the New England Patriots game. You'd think I would have learned. So my total for this year's playoffs is 5 out of 8. Not bad, about my average. So here are my picks for this week:

New Orleans at Chicago.
The Saints is such a heartwarming story, but when you pick with your heart, you get heartburn. The Bears were 13-3 this season and like last week, they find ways to win. Da Bears will shuffle their way down to Miami
Bears 27 - Saints 17

New England at Indianapolis.
The Colts' Defense is playing great, better than they have all season. This is the time of year you want to be hot. Their Offense isn't, but Peyton Manning will come out of this slump, he is too good and has too many weapons around him not to. But Tom Brady is Tom Brady and the Patriots are the Patriots. They proved last week, they don't have to play well to win, they just need the ball down a score with 3 minutes to play and Brady works his magic. This game will be close. In fact, The Patriots will be up 20-17 with about 2 minutes to play. Colts ball at their own 5 yard line. Manning marches them down the field and with 6 seconds left in the game, Vinateri trots out to kick the game tying 45 yard field goal. The snap is perfect, the hold is perfect, but Vinateri misses wide to left. Pats win, Pats win.
Patriots 20 - Colts 17

No Child Left Behind?

Today, being Dr. Martin Luther King Day, got me thinking, how many people really understand what Dr. King was fighting for? What was his dream about? I am willing to bet most people don't have a clue. In fact, why do we celebrate Labor Day? What President was Abraham Lincoln? What's the significance of Thanksgiving?

Most of our Country's problems, no, I mean our World's problems can be solved by Education. Education isn't just writing and math, Education is learning. Learning is something we should do every day of our life. The Fearless Leader of the Free World believes no child should be left behind when it comes to education, but breaking that down it just means we should make sure everyone is taught to pass a test.

I for one would love to see Physcial Education, The Arts and Sciences, History, Language and Technology pushed as much as Reading, Writing and Math. Several Years ago, I heard this little proverb and I have adopted it to my everyday life. - "Learn something new today and you will be Smarter tomorrow."

Divisional Playoff Weekend

Last Week I went 2-2, just a shade under my season average. I did however call Ohio St getting blown out by Florida and I called that one 2 months ago.

Here are my picks for the divisional round of the playoffs:

Indianapolis at Baltimore: The Colts Defense came up huge and Kansas City huddled in predictability. This week, it will be a very difficult challenge for the Colts. The Ravens have the best Defense in Football. They are intimidating and hard hitting. This should be the game of the weekend. Steve McNair brings something to The Ravens that they haven't had in a long time. Poise, hey it counts. The biggest story line is The Colts coming back to Baltimore. The Raven's fans should be all fired up and should give them an edge. I break this game down like this - Peyton Manning had a non-Peyton game last week against The Chiefs, when was the last time that has happened 2 weeks in a row? Joseph Addai is an emerging star. Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne are the best Receiving tandem in the NFL. Can the Ravens Defense contain the Colts Offense? The Ravens have been a very pedestrian Offense. They have had flashes of Brilliance. Jamal Lewis has shown flashes of what he use to be. The Colts Defense played well enough last week to have me think they will be half as good this week.
Colts 28 - Ravens 16

Philadelphia at New Orleans: The Saints are favored, however when was their last playoff win? When was Drew Brees' last playoff win? The Eagles are coming off a predictably bad game. It's hard to draw much off a playoff game against a divisional rival. Jeff Garcia managed the game well, The Eagles Defense played well enough to win. The "X" factor is Brian Westbrook, not since Emmitt Smith has there been such a difference maker from a running back under 5'10. The Saints Defense gets little respect and they aren't talking about them anywhere. I think they are going to contain Westbrook and make Garcia beat them. During practice, Reggie Bush is playing the part of Brian Westbrook, they will be ready for him. This will be a game won by field position and special teams. Reno Mahe doesn't do it for me. I don't think he has the ability to break one. I don't think Lito Sheppard's absence is going to be as a big of a deal as the media is making it out to be. So here's to 8 consecutive weeks picking against them and being wrong.
Saints 27 - Eagles 17

Seattle at Chicago: Seattle probably shouldn't even be here, but they are. Maybe they are destined? Maybe the will repeat as NFC Champs? The Bears Defense is all beat up. Rex Grossman is erratic. Lovie Smith has never won a playoff game. All these things aside, Cedric Benson has his coming out party, rushing for 175 yards and 2 TDs.
Bears 24 - Seahawks 9

New England at San Diego: How do you go against New England? Bill Bilichek and Tom Brady 11-1 together. Are they are poised to continue? Can they stop LT? Will they put the scare into Phillip Rivers? My guts says never go against Tom Brady in the playoffs and San Diego is destined to have a bad game. The thing is in the last 10 they have won, they had a few bad games and still won, maybe they are destined? LT has some rest and will be ready to go. He's the difference.
San Diego 28 - New England 20

Philly Never Liked Chris Webber

I will be the first to tell you, I am not a big NBA guy. Sure I like to look at the daily transactions and see the box scores, but sitting down watching a game, forget about it. I have always been a huge College Basketball fan. In High School, I would play sick so I could come home and watch the first round of the NCAA tournament. I think the college game is so much more exciting than anything the NBA has to offer.

One of my most vivid college basketball memories happened in the 1993 NCAA Tournament. It was Late March and the field of 64 was dwindled down to 8. John Chaney's Temple Owls were playing Chris Webber and the Fab 5 in NCAA Western Regional Final in Seattle Everyone knew about the Michigan's Fab 5 - Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson, they were the next coming of a College Hoops Dynasty. Temple countered with Aaron McKie, Eddie Jones, Rick Brunson, Derrick Battie and William Cunningham.

Late in the game, Michigan was winning, but it was close relatively close. After a missed shot, Chris Webber and William Cunningham both went up for the Rebound, Cunningham not only came down with it, but he put Webber on his rear. Webber had a look on his face, who was that freight train. Cunningham had a smile, knowing he just knocked down a future NBA First Round Pick like it was nothing.

Unfortunately, Michigan won the game, denying Temple their first Final 4 appearence. Michigan would make it to the National Championship game, losing to North Carolina when Chris Webber called a timeout with no timeouts available. Altough, Webber becomes a goat because of this, I will contest it was Point Guard, Jalen Roses' fault for not grabbing the ball out of Webber's hands after the ball was in bounded.

Later that spring, Webber entered the NBA draft, was drafted No.1 by Orlando, traded to Golden State for the Rights to Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway and some draft picks. Webber would than play for Golden State, Washington, Sacremento and most recently the 76ers. We was bought out and became a Free Agent by the Sixers. Webber never lived up to the hype. He was a solid Basketball player, but not spectacular. He was a power forward who would rather take jump shots than use his body to work inside. He never won a Championship and for that matter, I don't think he ever won a meaningful game. We was a guy who built his reputation on his name and not his Basketball accomplishments. He was definitely not the guy Philadelphia would ever rally around.

By the way, I am not really sure whatever became of William Cunningham. He was a 6'11 brute who played a little for the New Jersey Nets. He had a lot of potential, but not the will or desire to improve. He seemed like a nice enough guy and from what others told me, he was quite likeable. He would have made a great Pro Wrestler.

Jalen Rose and Juwan Howard moved on to the NBA a year after Webber. They both had solid, but not spectacular, NBA Careers. Jimmy King and Ray Jackson never made it big, one or both might have made an NBA roster for a few years, but eventually disappeared.

Eddie Jones and Aaron McKie were 2 of the Greatest College Hoops Stars in Philadelphia Basketball history. They were classy guys, who worked hard and Temple loved them. They both, along with Rick Brunson, played over 10 years in the NBA. Eddie Jones always gets criticized for not "stepping it up" when he got to the NBA, however, he is a solid player, a tremedous complimentry player, who was both selfless and tough. His tenacious Defense and lack of turnovers are skills that go unnoticed in the NBA today.

Major League Hypocrites

The 2007 inductees to Baseball's Hall of Fame were announced today and Mark McGwire was not one of them. The more I think about it, the more Major League Baseball, it's writers and Hall of Fame Voting Committee are a bunch of hypocrites.

Mark McGwire helped save Major League Baseball. After the Strike in 1994, fans realized there was more to summers than baseball and people didn't miss it. Infact, when baseball came back, people stopped going. Attendance was way down, television ratings were horrible, people just couldn't relate to their favorite millionaire stars and their greedy owners who took "The National Past Time" Away.

But in 1998, 2 individuals sparked interest back in Major League Baseball with their pursuit of the greatest single season record in sports - Roger Maris' 61 Homerun mark. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa made baseball enjoyable again. I remember watching ESPN to see them break into coverage of both going after the record. I remember when McGwire did it, it was one of the greatest moments in sports that I have ever seen.

Now fast foward to a few years ago, when all of the sudden, it hit the fan about steriod use. All of these records were tainted. Everyone seems to forget about how they jumped on McGwire and Sosa's back during the record, but turned their backs on them when our Government was getting involved and investigating the use of performance enhancement drugs. I can write for hours about all of this, but I will just simply sum it up and say, Mark McGwire deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, first for his resergence in MLB and second with his numbers.

Speaking of the Hall of Fame, I would love to find out who didn't vote for Cal Ripken? Ripken represents what is good in sports and life. He showed up to work everyday and excelled while he was there. He was a class act on the field and off. For those who didn't vote for him. they deserve to lose their voting priviledges. I am tired of these committee members using their votes as a pulpit to spew their venom.

Customer Serviced

One of the most annoying things is dealing with a customer service representative and you know they have no idea what they are talking about. I feel bad for these people, I use to work in Customer Service and I know where they are coming from. It's a very sad state of affairs when the person who deals the closest with the life blood of a company is the lowest paid and the least knowledgeable.

I had a question with my cell phone and something didn't make sense. I called the Customer Service line and they tried to explain it to me. The wind up was they sold me a bill of goods, but didn't explain properly what I was getting. They didn't tell me all of the facts and now it cost me a lot more than it should have. I hate to say the person on the other end of the phone was incompetant, but if it smells like a skunk and it looks like a skunk, it probably is a skunk.

Next to incompetance, I really dislike over compensation. You know when you buy something and you get 5 follow up calls asking the same thing. And each of the Service Reps are reading from a script that doesn't pertain to what I just purchased. If my answer doesn't correspond to their A,B,C or D, they become the telephone equivilant to a deer in headlights.

When you call some of these companies up, the menues you have to go through on the phone kills me. A recording asks you to please state the nature of your call? 9 out of 10 times, the computer on the other end can't decipher what I just said and I have to push "0" for an operator. Mean while, I wasted 5 minutes screaming into the phone telling the computer I have a questions regarding my service.

It's definitely not easy to be a Customer Service Representative. There are a lot of things you must learn and the let's face it, the pay sucks. What is anyone's motivation to do this job only to get yelled out by an irrate customer. There's no wonder all of the Customer Service jobs are moving abroad to India/Pakistan. At least these representatives try, now if only we can understand them better.

Painfully Funny

Two years ago, NBC began advertising a new show called the Office. This was based on a British hit of the same name. The first few episodes were genius. They were subtle and charming and after you watched the show 2 times, the laughs lasted longer. Now, into its third season, The Office has really hit its stride. It has found a balance between funny and ludicrous, the characters are so real, yet far-fetched. The writing has been suberb, they have written this show for people who watch it twice, the first time to laugh out loud and the second time to giggle at the subtitles. I have been reading about the death of the Sitcom for over 2 years, but with shows like the Office, there is still hope. I applaud NBC for giving this mid-season replacement a chance and now they are wreeping the rewards.

Wild Card Predictions

Yes, its that time of the year, the NFL Playoffs kick off this weekend and where who would I be if I didn't put in my 2 cents. So what makes me qualified? Well, let's see, I am about 58% right on my picks throughout the season. So here I go.

Game 1 Kansas City at Indianapolis. Everyone is talking about how KC is going to upset Indy. Larry Johnson will run all over the Colts Running Defense. Well, that's not gonna happen. Indy wins and wins big. Infact, Larry Johnson is a non-factor in this game. By the time he gets his 130 yards of rushing, the Colts will already be up by 4 touchdowns. Peyton Manning will throw for 400 yards and 4 TDs. Joseph Addai will run for 100 and the Colts Defense will surprise EVERYONE but yours truly. Final Score: Colts 48 - Cheifs 24

Game 2 Cowboys at Seattle. I have been saying since Tony Roma took over as QB he is still a first year QB and has some growing pains. He has no line blocking for him and his running game isn't consistant enough. Mix in their TO drops over a pass per game and usually in a crucial situation. Seattle has been God Awful this year. The only reason they won the NFC West is because the Rams and 49ers couldn't beat win a big game. Shawn Alexaner is poised to have a big game. Matt Hasselbeck hasn't been what he was last season. The Seattle Secondary is all beat up. Something has to give. Dallas is on the road in one of the toughest places to play. It's loud and cold and usually wet, can Seattle take advantage? This will come down to the Running Game. Who can stop the other teams Rushing? I think Marion Barber and Julius Jones have huge games both rushing for over 160 yards. Score: Dallas 21 - Seattle 10

Game 3 - NY Jets at New England. Don't bet against the Patriots in the playoffs. Especially against a team that is a division rival that embarrassed them at home a month or so earlier. Oh by the way, the Jets coach was a former New England Assistant, who tried to recruit Patriots on his way out the door last season. Tom Brady will have a HUGE game. Score: New England 27 - NY Jets 9

Game 4 - NY Giants at Philadelphia. This most interesting game of the weekend. In the beginning of the season, when all of the talking heads said Washington and Dallas are the teams to beat in the NFC East, I questioned them? The Giants, despite lousy coaching, are a solid playoff team and Philly is better than the teams that went to the first 3 NFC Championship games (pre-TO) I predicted McNabb the MVP and huge seasons for Shockey and TIKI. I was kinda right, when the Giants are healthy, they are a solid team and The Eagles are playing near perfect football to close out the season. I predicted the Eagles would lose the last 5 games this season and I was wrong each time. Score: NY Giants 21 - Philadelphia 16 (Let's hope for 6 in a row)

An American First

For the first time in American History, A Woman is the Speaker of the House. Nancy Pelosi seems poised to take the ball and run with it. Democrats have a lot of work to do in Congress as well as the Senate. I feel our Country has been knocked back to the dark ages and hopefully this change will put us back where we are suppose to be.

I applaud how far our country has come, but we still have a far way to go.

Black and White

There is nothing perfect in this world that is black and white, with the exception of the cookie. Everything is in shades of gray. With that in mind, I read three things today that kind of bothered me:

1. Pat Robertson's admission God talked to him during a prayer session and said a horrific terrorist attack will take place this year on American Soil.

2. Max Mayfield, former Director of the National Hurricane Center, predicted "The Big One" is going to hit. He claims it will make Hurricane Katrina look like small. He didn't say when it will hit, but he said it will.

3. Nick Saban takes the University of Alabama job after months of saying he has no interest.

First of all, Pat Robertson's name hasn't been in the main stream news recently, so I will chalk this story up on him missing seeing his name somewhere other than his own network. Suppose 07 goes by and this prediction doesn't come true, what shall we make it it? Did God give him the wrong information? Did he misinterpret the information God gave him? Next time Robertson says he heard from God during a prayer session, he might leave things a little open. The last Man who said he heard from God was Reggie White and God told Reggie to sign with the Green Bay Packers to win a championship.

Second, Max Mayfield, a respected and revered leader when it comes to Hurricane's retired from his post as Director of the National Hurricane Center. Mayfield, 58, was burned out from the position. He is afraid of the big one hitting and instead of claiming it will hit in a year, 2 or 5, he just said, in his opinion it will hit and we are not prepared. He stated, construction along coastlines aren't to where they should be and most people don't have an escape plan. This past Hurricane Season, I was definitely more prepared than ever. This coming Hurricane Season, my preparations will include an escape plan too.

Third, Nick Saban, a respected college football coach, wanted to give a try in the NFL. After 2 mediocre seasons with the Miami Dolphins, he gave it up to take the head coach job at Alabama. The Press and fans were all over Saban for first denying interest in the 'Bama job only to wind up taking it. One Talking Head even criticized Saban for not practicing what he preaches (Telling his team to put it all on the line on field.) I don't blame Saban for leaving Miami. It was a no win situation for him. If he would have said he was interested in another job during the season, he would have been criticized for being a distraction.

Robertson, Mayfield and Saban all got me thinking today about things that are black and white and shades of gray. The older I get, the more I realize nothing really is black and white. One last thought on a related note, we are put in this world to screw up. Everyone does it, some screw ups are big and others are small. As a person reading or watching someone's mistakes unfold in front of me, I want three things from them if they do screw up. 1. Remorse 2. An Apology 3. Assurance they will not do it again. If they do them, they will get a second chance.

Why Not The Eagles?

When the NFL Season started, I predicted the Eagles would finish 11-5. As things turned out, I wasn't that far off. They started off great, had a little bumpy road and finished the regular season as the hottest team in the NFC. When Donovan McNabb went down, most thought it was the end, but instead they went back to the basics. And now they are in position to make a run.

The Bears are the class of the NFC, but with Rex Grossman playing as eratic as he has plus all of the injuries on the Defensive side of the ball, The Bears will really have to rally to get to Miami.

The Saints have been the most consistent team in the NFC. Drew Brees is having a career year and possibly an MVP season. Sean Payton will win coach of the year. Can they keep it up? Are they due for a let down?

The Seahawks are lucky they are in the NFC West. Between injuries and pathetic play, they are lucky to be where they are. They have been here before, but are they ready to make a run?

The Cowboys are one big problem. TO has been more of a distraction than a consitent player. As good as his numbers are, they should be better, he led the NFL in dropped passes. Tony Romo is a first year QB and will make mistakes.

The Giants will go as far as Tiki Barber takes them. They have too many injuries and a lousy coach. Can they overcome all of these odds?

The Eagles have the best offensive line in the NFL. As long as the tackle, don't drop passes and don't give up the big play, the Eagles have a great chance to win the NFC.

So why not the Eagles?

My First Time!

I remember going to my first Flyers Game back in the Fall of 1983, actually it was November 20, 1983. I was 12 years old and my father took me. I never really watched hockey on television, I didn't understand the game that well. I knew who Bobby Clarke was. I knew Bill Barber, I knew Bernie Parent and the Broad Street Bullies, that was all I knew about the Flyers.

I remember walking down to our seats around the Blue Line at the Old Spectrum. The Ice was a bright white. There was a cool chill in the air. The atmosphere was intoxicating, Within seconds of the puck dropping, I was hooked. The first goal of the game was scored by the Penguins, but the fans still cheered. My dad explained to me the goal scorer was Ron Flockhart, a former Flyer, who was loved the short amount of time he wore the Orange and Black.

I don't remember much about the game, only it was back and forth. The Flyers skated with the such ease, I sat their and watched in amazement. It was great to see the Red Light Blink every time a goal was scored. The Crowd would erupt and you couldn't help but become hooked.

After regulation, the scored was tied at 4 and the game went into over time. This was the Flyers first regular season overtime game. My fondest memory of this game happened in OT, Bobby Clarke lit the lamp giving The Flyers their first OT Win. I remember Clarke scoring on a wrap around and the whole team jump off the bench to celebrate this feat.

I have many memories of Flyers games, but this one was definitely my best one.