Friday, October 30, 2009

rza let's defraud the hoax...

'this year Halloween fell on a weekend'...

the day of all souls is a mere day away, and why not celebrate it with a quote from the finest Halloween song of all time 'Minds Playing Tricks on Me' by the Geto Boys. you might recall i was in the woods last week for Forever Wild's annual Spook-O-Ree and i had mentioned the supposed furor over the trip's namesake, years earlier while my patrol mates and i were young tykes in the Boy Scouts. The Boy Scouts are run much like any other national operation, by smaller groups in this case called councils, and even smaller districts. The Greater New York Council was in charge of New York City and the outlying suburbs. With some concern over the word 'spook' and how it would play with a growing number of black scouts and their families, the district and ultimately the Greater New York Council found, in their infinite wisdom, and to head a controversy off at the pass, changed the name to the Trek-O-Ree...

to repeat some history, the Spook-O-Ree was staged the last weekend in October. My Boy Scout troop took charge of what we called "the Horror Trail," a night hike through which other Troops would wade through a haunted campsite sort of set up that we as a Troop would put together from the ground up. When the outing's name was changed from Spook to Trek, the entire weekend's format was changed. Gone was the "Horror Trail" and in was a day hike, up to five miles if i remember, with full packs. How that represented Halloween i'll never know? But what troubles me now is why it the term "spook" could be misinterpreted to mean "black", or "african-american" or "nigger." It was my first experience in the ideology of political correctness, then still in its infancy. Political correctness killed Halloween...

now, maybe its because i'm not from the south. Or maybe its that i grew up in a multi-cultural neighborhood and was brought up by parents who kept their hatred to themselves and let me figure out my own. But it seems to me the word "spook" would refer a ghost or spectre. Casper or one the villains from Scooby Doo who was foiled by those meddling kids. A white sheet—the KKK even, now there's something. Shouldn't white people be offended by the word "spook", like white people are ghosts or worse affiliated with the KKK? The reality is different, i know, but the point is valid. A decision shrouded by a politically correct dogma took away a piece of my youth. A harmless horror trail...

last time i checked, sticks and stones were still capable of bruising, scarring and the breaking of bones, but to this day, words have yet to send anyone to a hospital...

while attending St John's i was sad witness to the retiring of the name "redmen." The name was given to the football team in the 1920's because they wore red uniforms. The bone of contention in the '90's was the university's use of an Native-American mascot. While it could be argued that use of such a mascot could be insensitive the aborigines of this hemisphere, the name could not be questioned. Yet it was, so the mascot and team name were both changed to represent a weather pattern. Somewhere the clouds are in an uproar...

so we return to a recurring theme, that of the ego. We, as a society, would rather lie, mislead and misrepresent our sentiment, than be honest. We'd rather save feelings than tell the truth. How can anyone be trusted when this veil of ignorance shrouds our words? Further, is the world a better place because of this behavior?...

political correctness is nothing more than an instrument to hide the truth. That is assuming that truth isn't something we've created to keep us from lying in the first place. Halloween for instance. This jolly holiday of ghouls and ghosts, where children threaten homeowners with vandalism in exchange for candy is actually a pagan holiday. Such and important holiday in fact that the Catholic church has created it's own holiday to wash away the supposed heresy of it in All Saints Day. A day to honor the saints. Like making them saints wasn't enough to honor their memory...

shouldn't we want to be honest? Sure, there is plenty of hate out there. Enough to choke us. But isn't hiding the hate making it worse? How can we possibly further ourselves as society by not tackling the actual issues that are bothering us? Shouldn't we be wondering why the powers that be would rather we fuss and fight over words?...

words...

i don't propose we start hurling slurs out behind the guise of getting to the truth. i do propose we ask ourselves why we don't question the origin of these slurs and why they hurt in such a way that we needed to create a new jargon to protect ourselves from them...

i propose the word 'spook' return to its rightful place, Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash" and GZA's "Swordsman"...

spook—dutch/middle-english for ghost...


changing the world one word at a time...



Wednesday, October 28, 2009

considering the alternative...

in response to Judge Roughneck's link to bloombergwatch.com, where a political action group 'de-spins' NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's policies and coming mighty close to blaming him for the apocalypse. They and you are entitled to your opinion. Your also entitled to be angry about the way he strong-armed his way into running for a third term. but let's consider the alternative...

after 9/11, the financial braintrust that makes up the NYSE figure if the Giants and Jets can say they are in New York than i guess we can move to Jersey City and still call ourselves the New York Stock Exchange. The lack of business in Lower Manhattan forces the Port Authority's hands and they decide to scrap the rebuilding of the World Trade Center. The Battery, now abandoned and flooding due to the flooding of ground zero from the crack in the bathtub sinks into the Narrows...

governer's island left unused for years become a black market for guns seemingly falling from the sky—when they are really coming from Virginia...

the two New York baseball teams use 100% of their own money to build their new stadiums, using illegal immigrants instead of Union labor since after all if the city doesn't want to help out, why should they be held to New York City building standards...

the west side train yards remain an abandoned blight as Sheldon Silver and Charles Dolan toast to their success in Tracks...

classrooms are now stuffed 40 to a classroom and the moron at the head of the class can't be fire because he has tenure. Young eager minds choose not to consider teaching in NYC Public Schools for being afraid for their lives...

after 8 years of rampant crime and a despot for every corner, Snake Pliskin announces his candidacy for the Mayor of NYC...

of course, i joke. But its hard to make fun of this 'spin'. Accusing Bloomberg of being a friend of business is redundant. He is a business school graduate, a student of the free market. Its no secret he is for deregulation of Wall Street, fortunately he has no say in the matter. The SEC a federally run agency is in control of that...

the only reason why a Department of Education exists is because the Board of Education was amid an epic fail under the guidance of one Bill Thompson...

there are several 'spins' of Bloomberg policy in this bloombergwatch.com document that can be spun right back at them. i invite you to read all about it and form your own opinions...

you can be upset by the way the City is being run, but it is safer and more open than it has ever been. Jobs are down, sure, but they are down everywhere. For all the fear and loathing this recession has caused somehow city services are still up and running, you can't say that about a lot of other places in this country. Bloomberg has found a way to make it work...

consider your alternative before you throw him under the bus...

phillies in 5...

that's right, i said it Phillies in 5. Insane? Maybe. Hater? Not at all...

this is not a Yankees bash-piece. The Yankees were clearly the best team in the American League. This is an American League bash-piece. Are we to believe that the Boston Red Sox, LA Angels and Minnesota Twins were the 3 best teams in baseball following the Yankees? Are we to believe that the Dodgers couldn't beat any one of them? i think not...

the American League is overrated. Most baseball pundits will tell you that A.L. has the most talent, the best managers and the best teams. They will tell you that any of the top 5 teams in the league could beat the best of the National League. They will quote All-Star game scores and inter-league winning percentage, but the N.L. has split the last 8 and have won 2 of the last 3. Chances are they will win this year's event...

there is a lot of talk about the Yankees lineup. It is indeed vaunted, but is it really anymore frightening than the Phillies? Jimmy Rollins and Derek Jeter are a wash. Rollins is actually more productive, with more HRs and RBIs, but i know better than to disrespect Derek Jeter. Shane Victorino is twice the player than Johnny Damon. Sure Damon has taken advantage of short porch in right and being in between Jeter and Mark Texiera, but Victorino has a C tattooed to his chest for clutch. Damon hasn't been clutch since he was beating the Yankees. Texiera and Chase Utley are pretty equal as well. Good at bats, good power. They say Utley is hurt which has followed him to the plate, but has Texiera been knocking the cover off the ball? And for all the MVP talk where was he in April when Alex Rodriguez convalescing? Next up is the real match up. A-Rod and Ryan Howard. No question they are the two offensive flash points in this series. A-Rod has risen from the outage he has had since game 4 versus the Red Sox in '04. This talk of how he hasn't been clutch in the post-season is a bunch of hype people forget how dominant he was in that '04 ALCS before he and the entire team choked away 3-0 lead. But this is A-Rod's first World Series—i'm just saying, things are a little different in the series. Howard would be the reigning World Series MVP if not for Cole Hamels doing his Sandy Koufax impersonation last year. He like A-Rod, is a beast. A wash again. We move on to Hideki Matsui and Jayson Werth. Matsui is good and has shown up in the clutch. Raul Ibanez has been more than the Phillies could ask for and newsflash, they didn't have Ibanez in this time last year, when they crowned themselve World Champs. And in a N.L. Park we might not see Matsui, and if we do, the Yankees are already in trouble. Jorge Posada is great offensive catcher but Werth is a stud. I'll take Werth here by a nose. Add Matt Stairs in A.L. games versus Robinson Cano. Cano can hit no doubt and gets the edge here, but Stairs is a dicey proposition if you are looking to pitch around Werth or Ibanez. The bottom of each lineup is pedestrian but you have to be careful with both Nick Swisher and Pedro Feliz. You can break apart the lineups anyway you want the fact of the matter is this—the Yankees are not playing the punchin' Judy lineups of the Twins or the Angels, they are playing a team that can hit the shit out of the ball and they don't go down easy...

the pitching staffs are pretty equal. i'll give CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett the nod over Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez. And if Hamels truly is having a lost year, Andy Pettite gets the edge their, but after that who do you have? Forget how CC will react to a three man rotation, we know he can do it, but what about Burnett? Is Posada going to sit those two games when the Yankees need all offense it can get? Joe Blanton is an innings machine and JA Happ pitched well vs the Yankees back in June, nerves?, maybe. But I will take either one of them over the alternatives in the Yankees rotation. As for the bullpens it all starts and ends with Mariano Rivera. He is the best there is and was. But he is all the Yankees can really depend on. Manager Joe Giradi has lost faith in the formula that has worked leading up to post season. Charlie Manual has an enigmatic Brad Lidge closing games for him. Lidge has been all over the map this season but has been focused thus far in two post season series. And while the Phillies bullpen has been just as unpredictable this season Manual is already used to navigating his way around its pitfalls. And oh, these guys all pitched in the World Series last year. The Yankees have but two guys in their entire pitching staff who can say that...

both teams are responsible defensively, but someone actually called the Yankees infield possibly the best ever—huh? I know the comment was made with the offense included but A-Rod is a good 3B, Pedro Feliz is better, range and arm. Derek Jeter has great hands but has limited range. Rollins makes every play and then some. Cano and Utley have both improved throughout their careers but they are both apt to boot a couple here and there. Texiera is in a class by himself and is the reason the Yanks get the nod in the infield defense department. However, on arm strength alone, the Phillies outfield defense dwarfs the Yanks. Carlos Ruiz is superior behind the plate. Posada calls a mediocre game and has trouble keeping the ball in front of him at times. Ruiz is a classic defensive stalwart. Both players can throw a runner out...

both benches are unimpressive, so i give the edge to the Phillies because the their bench wears rings on their fingers...

There is a lot of talk of the advantage the Yankees have due to the mystique of the new Yankee Stadium. Really? Because the Phillies really looked worried when they took 2 of 3 this past June. Its a small park, the wind is blowing in such a way that the ball flies out of the park. Sounds like Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Oh, and the Phillies are the World Champions and all, i think they can handle the stress...

so if the teams are so close how could i possibly prognosticate a five game win for the Phillies? i believe Cliff Lee is the best pitcher in baseball right now, he's red hot, and he will be dominant in winning game 1. Starting Pedro in game 2 is a stroke of genius. With the Phillies already up a game they don't need to go with Hamels on the road and Pedro, the game 7 starter in the '04 ALCS, might be a mind game more than anything else. Now, the Yankees will have to battle back in Philadelphia, where they booed Santa Claus. This is not Atlanta where they have to give away World Series tix to fill the stadium, they used to have a jail in there old ballpark will probably have a paddy wagon parked in the bullpens...

so Phillies in 5. you won't get that kind of prediction and analysis from any talking head on the TeeV, but you will get it from Jimmy Rollins. And take it from a Met fan, he has a pretty good track record for predictions...

but really, who cares if i'm wrong or even out of my mind? Who even knows if they will get the game in tonight? We got Knicks opening night, baby! Enjoy with a capital E. No tarp needed...

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

origins vol 9...they're playing basketball

my father attached a hoop and backboard we had laying about to the top of the garage when i was young. i had found myself being more interested in basketball back in those days and even though no one in my family, extended and otherwise seemed to have any interest in the game. i remember laying about the couch, alone on a Sunday afternoon back 1986 sometime in February looking for something to watch. i came upon a Notre Dame and Duke baskeball game. i quickly became interested in the ebb and flow of the game, the excitement, the drama. With no real understanding of the game i watched on and decided whichever team won the game would be the team i rooted for. Duke won, i don't remember the score, semantics. Thus is the history behind my interest in the game. months later, after being swept up in the revelry of march Madness, i watched the Celtics beat up on the Houston Rockets in the NBA finals, my first true foray into NBA baskeball...

in my radioactive days i used that hoop to bring my body back to life, shooting baskets in the bitter cold, both for the exercise and catharsis. As i grew stronger and older i began playing the game at the local parks and in Jamaica High School, where i was picked often enough to become pretty good. Invariably i was picked as 'Larry' or 'Larry Bird', not because of the similarities of my game to the Celtic great, but because of the color of my skin—who says white people are the only creed capable judgemental and prejudicial behavior? My understanding has grown over the years from these experiences as well as by watching the game incessantly on TV. And although baseball is my first love, i do adore my basketball. So allow me to indulge, as the 2009-10 NBA season kicks off tonight, in offering my humble preview of the season...

much has been said about the greatness of the Lakers, and Kobe Bryant, the team's erstwhile superstar. After dispatching the Orlando magic in 5 games last year the Lakers decided to go out and get better by picking the enigmatic Ron Artest. Ron Ron, whom i'm familiar with from his St. john's days is a tenacious on the ball defender who can rebound, shoot and handle the ball. The equivalent to a five tool player in baseball Artest does everything well and should mesh swimmingly in the triangle offense, even if i think the triangle offense is nothing more than a myth that involves giving the ball to the team's vest player and allow him to make a play. Phil Jackson has gotten fat off of players like Micheal Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe, i would like to see him coach a team like the '99 Knicks to the finals or the dominant Pistons teams of the recent past. Jackson would be lost without a star, but he does have Kobe and along with Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom and other role players such as Sasha Vujacic, Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar, Phil shouldn't have to sweat. There main competition should come from the Denver Nuggets...

the Nuggets gave everything the Lakers wanted in a classic conference finals last season, while the didn't add anything to improve their club they didn't really lose anything either. Rookie Ty Lawson will be a good NBA point guard at some point but as long as Chauncey Billups is running the show he'll be garnering the major minutes at the 1-spot. Billups brings with him a few rings and now has an opportunity to flex his influence over a young and energetic squad for an entire year. But the x-factor for these Nuggets will be Carmelo Anthony. Often, when the conversation of the league's elite players is bandied about Anthony's name seems to be missing from the list. I believe this is the year Anthony announces his presence on that very list. he is a commanding offensive player who is un-coverable. His success, along with how much the rest of this team learned from last year's experience in the penultimate playoff series will be the tipping point for their outcome this season...

to me this is a two team race, we could go through the motions of how the San Antonio Spurs can be in the conversation, but they are merely a year older, even if Tony Parker is still a youngster by all accounts. The Spurs go where Tim Duncan takes them. The Dallas Mavericks are a team on life support and will be an afterthought in the race and New Orleans Hornets and Utah Jazz haven't figured out that having the best point guards in the NBA doesn't mean much if they have to do all the scoring themselves. So its Lakers/Nuggets again in the Western Conference Finals. The last time the Lakers tried to repeat to the finals they were met with valid contenders the Portland Trailblazers and the Sacramento Kings, the Nuggets are neither one of those teams,—they are better. Nuggets in 7...

where is LeBron james going in 2010? That's the biggest question surrounding the wunderkind from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not sure, but it won't be the NBA Finals. Sure, James is the best player in the Eastern Conference and arguably in the league. And sure, the Cavs are returning a strong supporting cast including a very good Mo' Williams i have a huge problem with the signing of Shaquille O'Neal. First off, he is a planet onto himself. While having the cameras and microphones tip to the other side of the locker room might, on the surface, help James keep focused, who is saying that james wants the lack of attention. This kid understands he is a superstar, he understands how to sell himself and done so admirably. Who is to say that he and O'Neal don't end up clashing? O'Neal can't run, will get hurt, can't defend Dwight Howard and can't function in the pick and roll. How is he going to fit in this Cav's game plan? All that aside, this Eastern Conference race is breaks down like this...

if not for the injury to Kevin Garnett last year the Celtics and Cavs repeat in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Magic, in other words are not in the conversation. They will be good, quite possibly 60 win good, but Vince Carter does not a championship team make. Howard still needs to learn how to work offensively in the half-court post and as much as i love Patrick Ewing he should know that the reason the Knicks don't come calling with a job is because he has had Howard for three years and the kid still doesn't have a turn-around jumper. Not even the hop step i the middle drive in the lane that Ewing used to wear out opposing centers with back in the day. They could sneak in if the Cavs self-destruct but more than anything else...

the Celtics are back. Garnett is a great all-around player, and a personal favorite. If only the Knicks could have pulled off a deal for him oh so many years ago. Yes, the injury to his knee is a dicey proposition but if he is healthy this team is a 68 win juggernaut. Paul Pierce is the forgotten superstar. He does all things well. Ray Allen is a dead-eye shooter and Rajon Rondo, i must admit, is a great point guard getting better. This team won a championship two years ago as constituted. Now add Rasheed Wallace—speaking of a player who does everything well. Wallace will allow Garnett to rest throughout the season and together, they will be formidable offensive duo on all points of the court, with their shooting and passing acumen...

Celtics in 6 over the Cavs, unless Garnett is unhealthy, then the Magic could creep in and they match up very well with the Cavs. But i have faith in my man KG...

Celtics take it all over the Nuggets in 6...

as for my hometown Knicks. They haven't won a title since a week before i was born, and they won't win one this year either, but they will be better. The management is looking ahead to 2010 and that makes a lot of sense since they will have a ton of cash to use on a bonanza free agent class, but wait. David Lee is a do-it-all kind of star in the making who should find himself in the all-star game in February. His jumper range has improved which will help his all around game. Wilson Chandler is a step away from being a bona fide star. If continues to develop at the rate that he has the past two years he should have a breakout 20 ppg season. Danillo Gallinari can shoot the ball anywhere, anytime. Guys like this don't come along often. There's the two-headed point guard in Chris Duhon and rookie Toney Douglas. Duhon is a Steve Nash clone, smart, calculated and productive. Douglas will be a star point guard in this league, you heard it here. Lest we forget, my boy, shake 'n bake, Nate Robinson. He is a born leader and a proven scorer in this league. Teamed with Douglas on the second unit, opposing guards are going to have real difficulty pushing the ball forward. With these pieces why are we worried about getting Lebron, or Dwayne or who have you. Let's be real, neither one of those guys are headed here. And we don't need a star, we have stars in waiting, you'll see them start to rise this year. 37 wins...

the worst thing about the NBA season opening tonight, is that i actually have to wait until tomorrow to see my Knicks...

Monday, October 26, 2009

let me stand next to your...

...fire

yes, i realize it has been hundreds of thousands of years since humans discovered fire, but it occurred to me, amid the this weekend's annual Spook-O-Ree, that maybe some of you don't understand the aesthetics and semantics of the building and tending of a proper campfire...

the Forever Wild patrol have been taking it to the mountains the last full weekend in October for many years now, calling the trip the Spook-O-Ree after the Boy Scout camping weekend that occurred closest to Halloween. At some point the district council changed the name of the weekend to the Trek-O-Ree, as if some ghouls and ghosts would be offended by being called spooks—i guess political correctness exists in the spirit world as well. Anyway, knowing that the weather was forecasting some nasty rain all Saturday, Dean Thrilla, playing is everyday unruly self, and K-Luv A.K.A Jahboy decided to leave on the Thursday so we could enjoy some decent weather and be able to break out early on Saturday. K-Luv brought bonus pooch with him as well, Hailey A.K.A Eater of Four Burgones, making the ride up tight but we made do...

invariably, when i talk camping with folks the conversation turns to fire...

'i like tending the fire,' or 'we usually have crazy bonfires' or i'm always starting the fire'—whatever, let's make this clear from the get...

i don't build fires, i build blast furnaces...
i don't tend fires, i exploit them...

the mission was clear this past weekend. We needed a fire that had good cooking heat, enough warmth to keep us comfortable in the low 40's/high 30's we would be experiencing and something that could last the night and be easily restarted in the morning by laying some tinder or kindling on the stoked coals. Not necessarily and easy task given the fact that, upon perusing the the latest weather report for the Haines Falls region, that it would actually begin raining around 7 pm on Friday night. This fire would have to be strong and long for the purposes of keeping warm, dry and leave something for the morning to keep the hands warm and nimble as we broke down our campsite in the coming deluge...

now, i don't care how you start your fire—burning leaves or paper, one match, flint and steel, zippo, blowtorch, what have you. Its not how you start the fire its how you build it once you have your flame...

1. Tinder—the forgotten fuel. The tiniest little twigs, dried up pine needles, and other assorted dried up seedlings, pine cones or other organic burning material. Tinder is crucial at the beginning stages of building your fire, keeping the flame going as you slowly add kindling of progressively larger size and length.

2. Kindling—wood of 1/4" to 2" in diameter, get plenty of it. Start by adding small kindling and work your way up as your fire allows.

3. Heavy Duty—2" and up in diameter. When your kindling is caught up in flames and seems ready to be let alone, go forth and go for the big stuff.

when you have your wood supply, you're ready to build your lasting hearth. You can go with a tee pee, or a vigil but normally the log cabin fire is usually the most effective for generating heat, light, and aesthetic—especially if you are dealing with a fireplace that most campsites have built in. Use your big stuff to build the cabin's outside walls, interlocking log on top of log. Bigger stuff on the bottom for a sturdy base, you don't want your cabin collapsing while you are relaxing in the warmth of your hearth, beer in hand. on top of the coals you have established place a layer of tinder on top, be generous, the more tinder you can add throughout this process the more coals that you will have producing heat and endurance for your fire. Add your kindling on top of the tinder using the cabins walls to support if need be. Continue to add tiers in accordance with your needs and your wood supply. Each tier should be treated this way. Once you have a fire that please you, its up to you how you proceed. Again, depending on your wood supply, the sky's the limit, and believe me if you give me enough wood i'll burn it all, regardless of the melting flesh...

the fire i built Thursday evening and into Friday allowed us to cook in a timely fashion and when it began to rain on Friday evening, although Thrilla and K-Luv had propped a nice tarp shelter over our tents and a sitting area, we were able to stay out amongst the raindrops, heavy at times, and enjoy the Saranac mutli-12 packs and the John Tesh radio show—its camping music, you take what you can get. The next morning, after a night of downpours in and amongst the steady rain, the fire lasted, i stoked the coals, added some small wood and started a small fire to keep my fingers and hands warm as i packed my gear and broke down my tent. i left it be as we went about the business of bugging out but the result was clear, another job well done...

enjoy the outdoors, enjoy your fire, just remember to keep it forever wild...

editor's note: due to a failure of equipment, no pics were available of this weekend's fire. The pic above is stock footage from The Shining.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

rah, rah, rah, kick 'em in the knee...

so it seems Republican Senator Orrin Hatch wants the President to order the Justice Department to begin an investigation on how the BCC (the college football Bowl Championship Series) does its business...

hmm, Republican party...

states rights, less government...

sounds great Orrin! We'll just pump the money into the Justice Department so they can hire a few more lawyers and staff in order to get this thing done. After all, this is the holy college football we're talking about. There is a political action group for this. Really! We can't get health insurance passed but this, forget it, its a slam dunk!...

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

KSIN, we rebuke you!...

i was laying in bed somewhere outside of Danbury with a cup of coffee this weekend, relaxing. With the Cat Mom in the shower i had time to watch some CNN—something out of character for me. See, i'm a sports guy and being of such a mind i rarely, if ever, spend time watching any of the talking heads that abound on either CNN, MSNBC or Fox News, let alone the streams of content they are pushing on air. But in viewing this particular day, it occurred how these all news stations are contributing to the demise of this society...

i watched coverage of the "bubble boy" and got a taste of that madness. First off, i wondered why this was news, after all, i had read that these very news channels were antagonized for making a big thing about it. What struck me was the need for this family to be on TV. It seems the father had been on one of those wife swapping shows, which is another thing altogether, and he berated his then wife for putting him that position. Suffice to say, the dude has a temper. The boy involved apparently was up to mischief and did not want to deal with the temper of this ogre. Long story short, the balloon goes up, everyone goes apeshit thinking the boy is in it when he is actually hiding from his father. Well, after the hoax is revealed , the family does the rounds all over TV, network and cable, from the Today Show to CNN...

we wonder why the world views us in such disdain. Another American family making a fool of themselves...

'uh, yeah, the boy hid under his bed so we thought he up in the balloon, probably 'cause i was going to beat him silly for sneakin' from my tin of chaw...'

so you have a hot air balloon in your backyard and your kids know how to operate it? Have you thought about locking this thing up? Has anyone thought of locking this guy up?!...

the worst thing about this story is the way CNN—guilty themselves of being a participant in this circus, covered its aftermath. They spent more time discussing the antics of the other two major cable news sources for their handling of the story. You see, as i learned from watching CNN's self-promotion, CNN is your middle of the road news channel...

There's this idea amongst, mostly conservative thinkers that there is a liberal media establishment over the air waves in this country. i think that's bullshit. In a crevasse in Cooper Square maybe, a liberal radio station i can't even find the call numbers for—barely, and don't get me started on NPR, not that it doesn't offer interesting and informed programming, but liberal it is not...

MSNBC is the network that most people would be inclined to call liberal, but that's a difficult connection. Sure, they have a former sports anchor with his heart on his sleeve and a lesbian with a snarky attitude—sounds like a sitcom, not necessarily a liberal bastion of journalism. The network is owned by General Electric, a corporation that understands how to entertain, even if they dropped the ball putting that hack Leno on at 10 pm night after night. They realize that cable news needed a left-handed voice, but just how left wing can a product be when it is owned by a magnate the size of GE. Its faux liberalism, it barely counts...

now Fox News makes no bones about it. They deliver the kool aid in 50 gallon drums spiced with facsism. i could be a little heavy handed judging the boys and girls at Fox because of my own political views, but when the gas bag of the week accuses President Obama of being Mao Tse Tung, you lose your credibility among educated people. You know, years ago, the key word was Communism. Senator Joe McCarthy used it to great effect ruining thousands upon thousands of lives after WWII. It was a dark period for this nation. Now, the word Socialism is being bandied about in the same way. There's nothing faux about Fox News, its information for the mal-informed...

this is why i choose sports. There is a beginning, a middle and end. A concrete result. There is commentary, and for the most part, even the most naive sports fan can follow and comment on any number of issues pertaining to the game at hand—see Yankee fans...

there was a time when it might have been acceptable in some circles to say that those of us who watched sports are neanderthal-esque. The McNeil-Lehrer/PBS crowd. They would have been right. But with the advent of ESPN that has changed. Sure, i have my issues with ESPN, they are self-serving, self-promoting and on occasion, much like Fox News, actually create stories, but the network has raised the level of understanding of the nuances of sports that a non-athlete wouldn't normally be privy too. And sure, athletes these days are steroid pushing, entitlement-having, gun-toting neophytes but i'll take Jose Canseco and Plaxico Burress over Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck any day of the week and twice on Sunday. To me sports allows you to think in terms of strategy and concept, cable news forces you to think in a like mind with the ideology of its station owner. And he is not concerned with your well being...

these are the voices of modern industry. Making the dumb dumber while preaching the word of truthiness (Colbert trademark). They are all but begging for your attention, not to inform you, but to use you as a soldier in their on going ratings war. Because it always comes down to the money. They followed the boy in the bubble enmass because they thought it would keep you interested, you did not disappoint. You should have been watching the baseball playoffs instead, i would have thought better of you...

these are the voices...

Monday, October 19, 2009

in the evening—the remix...

lacking the reserves of inspiration once again, i find myself pensive on this cool Autumn night. The excitement has come to an end—families have been intermingled, good folks have been made one and now the constellation is population 1 again...

the cat mom has touched down in the valley of the sun as i write. My phantom limb returns. When we first began writing each other almost a year ago, i commented to her that i would have pretendy dates with her while eating out alone amongst my travels. She has coined the phrase guerrilla courting when discussing our visits with each other and for now that's what it is. i can say that every moment has lived up to its billing and we have received rave reviews from friends on appearances together. When its right its right...

the cat mom has been an unparalleled source of motivation to shift gears and focus on writing, and completing something. its just that times like these, when the apartment looks empty, it appears as if the well has gone dry...

another long stretch of days without the touch of my kitten, back to the grind, I suppose...


Wednesday, October 14, 2009

in memoriam...

sad update...
wrestling manager of many, father to Cyndi Lauper. Captain Lou, we hardly knew ye...


ol' dirty bastard..

some people up to their old tricks...

JP Morgan announced their third quarter to rave reviews on Wall Street. More toxic investments to take your money away. To make the rich, richer while cutting hours and pay from low level employees...
Bowling Green's favorite bull
way to go guys, glad to hear you are doing so well. it still smells like bullshit here...

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

off the reservation...

excuse this interruption, i have been the comfort of the Cat Mom. What have i missed...

the hawk is out. There is a chill in the air. Good. Not that i am welcoming a whole scale freeze-down, but its a nice change of pace...

Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, (see my last post for commentary), people, as per usual for ugly Americans, missed the point...

unfortunate news as the Yankees have made it to the ALCS to face the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim? When, or should I say, why did that happen? Regardless of the need overstate their location i hope the Angels continue their trend of burying the infidels from the Bronx...

the Jets can't stop the run. They couldn't stop it four weeks ago and still can't stop it. If this defense is so good, the team should win when they score 27 points. Oh well, i had a feeling the Dolphins would give them some trouble. Still 11 games to go, J-E-T-S...

tough weekend, for you. Back to my company...

Friday, October 9, 2009

the renegade of funk...

i know what you're thinking. Nobel Prize for Peace? Maybe a tad early...

well, how about a Nobel Prize for Funky?...

Barack Obama Smoking Weed?

nobel committee officials in Oslo found it in their infinite wisdom award the illustrious peace prize to the President. Now, it might be a little hasty, even for those of us who dig the dude, but today a sitting American President is the Nobel Peace Prize winner. I figured a certificate of merit for getting the previous administration out of dodge would have been more than appropriate, but the peace prize?...

read further, or don't. In fact, stop reading the American press or American television, because they aren't informing you of the truth. See, the thing is, the rest of the world likes Obama. According to the Associated Press Nobel Committee chair Thorbjoern Jagland noted the honor was bestowed due to the change of the global mood since Obama's election and inauguration...

'Only rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future,' Jagland said...

i guess that's where its at. Only the shadow knows if anything of any merit is going to happen on the Hill over the next three and a half years. Legislation is getting stuck in mire of partisanship and puffed out chests. And yes, Obama, along with his party, is going to take a hit for that. A party that has been infiltrated with enough centrists to keep the status quo, even if the status quo is sub par. The President's job is to be the face of the nation, the statesman. Foreign Policy is the job of a President, not domestic affairs, so at the end of the day the checks are written by Congress and Obama has no more power than his veto and influence...

but clearly, the planet has found faith in Obama that some of us have not. There have been times when this country snubbed its nose at the rest of the world and at times it might have been warranted—even necessary. But these days are different. We are slowly becoming a third world nation. We are dumber and more arrogant as a nation than in any other time in our history. Led astray by talking heads to hate our own while believing we still matter on this rock. It turns out that all we are good for are our natural resources. We send them out to the rest of the world and they use them to build something for us to purchase. That's obscene. Henry Ford would choke a bitch! So when the rest of the world has decided to stand up behind a guy like Obama, as a broker of peace—as a statesman for the world, i'm apt to take notice, regardless of my feelings towards the man, and so should you...

its last call for oil on this planet. Everyone is moving their pieces in position to get their last drink. Russia has kept an eye and a occasionally a strong arm in its former southern provinces, where the wells are deep and yet untouched. China uses more than anyone, and will hitch its wagon to anyone who can give them some fuel. We captured, detained and released Iraq on its own recognizance with the idea that we are two moves away from those very wells. See Afghanistan and Iran. The French and the Germans are starting to remember how close in ancestry they really are and the Saudis hear the clock ticking. Obama's greatest challenge isn't a fair tax plan, it's not health insurance for every American, its not even creating jobs or solving the great BCS crisis. That's Congress' job, and to that end, are attention should be squarely put upon them to do their job. Obama's job is make sure that at the end of the day, we come out of the next three years being liked by the rest of the world. Kill 'em with kindness as they say. Three years of applying band aids to the wounds the previous administration wrought in their insane motion for a global power grab...

when all is said and done, we may be the policeman of the world. The drunk brute you always want on your side in a fight. Its our lot for leaving no child behind. For eschewing Art, music and Physical education to make sure we push the most amount of kids through the smallest rooms in the world. We created our comatose, our lack of imagination and our obesity and it seems everyone in the world knows this but us. But when it comes to throwing our considerable weight around we are professionals, and the world knows that too...

the Nobel Committee saw it in their infinite wisdom, indeed, to give Obama some street cred. His presence, style and grace make him the perfect broker for world peace or at least world civility. Its time for those of us in denial to recognize it...

here's to keeping it funky...

Thursday, October 8, 2009

what'cha eating...

small talk, i hate it...

i was reading a facebook thread about a recent concert, there seemed to be more interest in how the seats were than the actual show. i could actually imagine the awkward moment waiting for the opening act, people watching between the throngs of couples, trios and assorted folk looking for something to say...

awkward silence...
'These are great seats, huh.'
"Yeah, these seats are awesome.'
more awkward silence..

i guess we're all guilty of it. Pop Dukes used to slay me with the small talk. When i was still living in the QV i could walk into the kitchen in morning on a random Sunday to make some coffee and he would be waiting with a greeting like 'how's it going', or 'good morning.' Nothing unusual there. After a half an hour later after i've drank my coffee and ranted along with Mclaughlin about how everyone is wrong, he says again, 'how's it going.' That one you let pass for giggles. Its the one when you pass each other in transit between the living room and the kitchen 45 minutes later when he says again 'how's it going' or possibly even 'everything allright'—(Dad fancies himself an amatuer psychologist) —that you have to ask yourself what could have possibly changed in the past hour and a half, when neither one of you has fallen out of ear shot from each other. 20+ years even with the time off between, it wears on you...

my uncle used to tell me that growing up my grandfather would perpetually ask 'whatcha' eating' invariably when a utensil or piece of food was nearing your lips. He might be nowhere to be found at that point but some how, some way he found himself in your presence in time to ask you. Apparently the gene made its way through to the next generation...

i abhor it—'hot enough for ya'?'...
i absolute can't stand it—'how was the traffic?'...
but even i can be guilty of it. The Cat Mom will be visiting, in part for a dear friends wedding, and she'll get off the plane, and we'll embrace, kiss, gaze at each other, because its been too long and then i'll say it—'how was your flight?'...

can our society continue without small talk? Is it possible that we could get to the point? Say what we mean and mean what we say? Or are we so far gone that we have to piddle with each other using the same cliches? Have we become so creatively comatose?...

facebook is a helluva thing. i've written a few times about both its greatness and crassness. It has become a forum for small talk. facebook should be for running jokes and profound features in a person's day. It should be for getting together and starting riots. No one cares if your kid is sick. No one cares if you just ate ribs. No cares if your job sucks or if your bored or how you are hungover. Chances are we are all hungover, you are not special...

i think the world would be a better place if we just stuck to being interesting. If you don't have anything of interest to say, please keep it to yourself. Exchange ideas, tell incredible stories, by all means disseminate crucial information but please refrain from asking me if 'i'm having fun yet'...

if you are uninteresting, well, just keep quiet, at least you'll be respected, i mean; there's a reason why they call it 'small' talk...

Monday, October 5, 2009

amazin', amazin', amazin...

i have to be honest, i got a little choked up yesterday. In between the cautious optimism of the preseason opener of the Knicks and the disappointing loss by the Jets, i made a point to catch the end of last Mets broadcast of the year...

i'm not quite sure why i was welled up with emotion. Maybe it was pent up frustration of a demoralizing season, or the pure joy of Nelson Figueroa's expression after throwing a four-hit complete game shut out, or the sight of a war-torn David Wright who is now, finally, able to rest his head after having a front row seat to this 162 game debacle...

i'm always a little sad when the end comes for my favorite teams. The Mets are the original in that capacity. My mom was swept up in the Amazin' Mets back in 1969, I came along four years later, and was given no choice. I wouldn't have it any other way. There is a certain pride in being a Met fan, stuck between a rock (the Yankees) and a hard place (NY's baseball history—the Brooklyn Bums and the New York baseball Giants), an integrous undertaking that Yankee fans couldn't possibly understand...

this season was one of what ifs. What if the core of this team had remained healthy? What if Omar had signed Derek Lowe instead of Oliver Perez? What if the Wilpons hadn't given their trust to a reckless investor?
Things would be different if only the first question is broached. You can't tell me that a healthy Reyes, Delgado, and Beltran wouldn't have added 15 wins to the the record this year. Judge Roughneck will attempt through some statistical equation that the team wouldn't have been any better. But numbers don't tell the tale. A healthy Delgado and the Pepsi Porch=30-35 homeruns. Beltran is the best defensive centerfielder in the game, not to mention he was molten hot when he packed it in, and would have added 20-25 homeruns to a powerless lineup. Reyes is one of the greatest weapons in baseball, and as much I have grown tired of his antics and lack of hustle and/or control on the basepaths, having him at the top of line up and at shortstop for 155 games would have bolstered the middle of the infield, given Luis Castillo some much needed rest and made Alex Cora a more effective player, and a healthier one—remember he went down too.
And what of the intangibles? For the record an intangible is a factor that cannot be measured. A debate that rages between the Judge and i is the existence of intangibles. Judge Roughneck is a statistical wonder, i will give him that, but his reliance on numbers prevents him from thinking outside of the box in these matters. If the offense is more potent does Mike Pelfrey's psyche problems take center stage, or is he allowed to relax knowing his offense can give him 5 runs a game? With more rest does Castillo lose concentration and drop a easy fly ball versus the Yankees? Is David Wright afforded the opportunity to relax and not press as much as he felt he had to in the face of being the only offensive threat? Does Daniel Murphy thrive batting behind Delgado, sixth in the lineup instead of being slotted cleanup? Was there, overall, too much pressure on this team to perform withou its key players? There are no yes or no answers to these questions, just things to consider...

there are the Philadelphia Phillies. Consider this, Cole Hamels had an awful year. The World Series MVP and Cy Young Runner up won only 10 games this year. Brad Lidge was approaching double digit blown saves when when Phillies Manager Charlie Manual came to his senses and replaced him. Jimmy Rollins, the Phils erstwhile leader, had a dreadful year, probably a victim of the World Baseball classic. In fact, without an outrageous effort from Chase Utley and the emergence of Jayson Werth, the Atlanta Braves could have very well taken the NL East flag...

and what of the World Baseball Classic? The Mets had one of the highest contingent of players involved in this half-wit experiment. Let's see—Reyes-hurt, Beltran-hurt, Delgado-hurt, Putz-hurt, Wright-exhausted, Perez-plum lost his mind, and Santana, the Mets held him out and he still ended up going down...

the WBC, along with interleague play, should go the way of the dodo. Does anyone else feel its unfair that the Mets should be forced to play the Yankees twice a year, every year while the St. Louis Cardinals play the Kansas City Royals, twice, every year?...

what's done is done. The Mets finished the season at 70-92. At the beginning of the year i would have put them at 92-95 wins with a chance at 100—i got 70. OK, what now...

If i were a Wilpon...

first, i would swallow my pride and start schilling for a minority owner, someone who is willing to take a back seat on a good investment, because a baseball team with its own television station and brand new state of the art ballpark is a good investment. This would allow the franchise to continue to compete with other large market-high revenue teams for the best free agent talent...

second, i would fire Omar Minaya and consider a manager change. Omar is the architect of this organizational mess and he must go. My hire would be a keen baseball mind that has the acumen to fit like pieces together, snubs his nose at slotting reccomendations in the amatuer draft and has a real plan for rebuiliding the minor league system. He or she, would be responsible for staffing the organization with capable persons willing to put the organization ahead of their personal goals. As for Jerry Manuel, its not that simple. If i were to fire Manuel who do i hire as his replacement? In my mind there only two men who are equipped for this job in its current state and that is either Bobby Valentine or Wally Backman. Valentine is a long shot for financial reasons coupled with the Wilpons disdain for him. The thing is, at the end of the day it was ESPN analyst and then GM Steve Phillips who coordinated Valentine's demise here—maybe the bridge isn't burned. If Valentine wants to GM or at least have some influence in player management as well that would be fine, as long as he filled the role as i described above. As for Backman, he has been in exile after a poorly timed report about his infidelity that cost him a job with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Its time to bring him in from the cold. He is exactly the type of attitude we need in the clubhouse, ad he would come on the cheap...

third, by removing Razor Shines as the third base coach the organization has made the first good move since opening the beer island in centerfield. Shines was a disaster in all facets of his job description. He failed to teach anyone how to run the bases like a major league baseball player and couldn't Daniel Murphy get a clue in left—although, i'm not sure i can blame them. Luis Alicea is also gone. Sandy Alomar Sr will be reassigned as Jr will stay on. i like Sandy Jr and will touch on this later. Howard Johnson and Dan Warthen stay, which is up for debate. Its hard to blame HoJo for much, this team was in the top tier offensively in the national league, hard to fire a guy after that. Warthen is another matter. He lost Pelfrey this year—that's on him, but Perez, however, is not. Its hard to blame a guy who didn't have a real chance to have John Maine in his rotation, and had to play musical chairs with his rotation. His bullpen had holes and in the end he was dealing with issues between Parnell, Green and any number of call-ups that littered his bullpen. Francisco Rodriguez had a K-Rod year, lots of guys on base but mainly reliable. Pedro Feliciano was the only impeccable member of the pen, even when Manuel used him wrong. Obviously, with a new GM and/or manager I would expect some turnover in this spot, but i would give Warthen the benefit of the doubt—for now. For the rest of the staff...

i would rehire Mookie Wilson. His baserunning acumen is unmatched. I don't need him to coach at the major league level. He would be a roving instructer who went from level to level teaching kids how to run the bases, he would start in spring training teaching the supposed major leaguers like Reyes and Angel Pagan, who has a mountain of talent in a pea-sized baseball brain, how to correctly run the bases. As owner of SNY i would would adjust the job descriptions of both Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez. i would keep them teamed with the venerable Gary Cohen for 162 regular season games but during the spring i would want Darling and Hernandez at the facility teaches these guys baseball and how to win. Along with being a pleasing broadcast and the thing i will miss the most this season, these two guys know baseball and they know New york and they know Mets baseball. They are a font of knowledge for veterans and rookies alike...

fourthly (is that even english?)—roster changes. What is it that the Mets need? A number two starter, a left fielder with some pop or gap ability, a first basemen with pop or gap ability and a catcher. That's it. The rotation will have Santana and Pelfrey. Maine, if he remains healthy will be in there as well. Perez? I would spend all spring converting him to a relief role and have him start his season in Triple A. The fifth spot as always belongs to any number of folks that will be hustled in and out throughout the year. I would leave Jonathan Niese in Triple A. He is still awfully young and we would be doing more harm than good in regards to him if we put him in the big club's rotation. So where is the #2 starter come from? Let's start in the trade market. Roy Halladay will be had at a discount and the Yankees (tied up with Sabathia and Burnett) won't be in the race for him. The Red Sox will probably pass as well, especially if the Yankees are out. Halladay can be had for a discount because the Blue Jays have to trade him after their failure to do so in-season. It has become even easier since JP Riccardi was fired. A new GM, while wanting to make his bones with a trade like this will crumble under its weight. If Halladay will want a new contract, sure, but that's why you bring in the minority ownership with the stream of cash. Santana and Halladay would all but equal a pennant. If you can't obtain Halladay the only other option for a #2 type talent would be John Lackey. His workmanlike style would be a nice fit backing up Santana in the rotation and give Pelfrey the room to develop under less stress. Jason Marquis is an option if all else fails. He is a hometown boy and would fit well in the park, but he's not a legitimate #2 guy...

for years the Tampa Bay Rays and Mets have toyed with exchanging players for Carl Crawford. Crawford would be the absolute perfect fit for the Mets in left field. With his combination of speed and contact he is an ideal #2, 3 or 5 hitter. Depending on what you do with Castillo—i think we could find a taker for him after the season he had, even with the two year contract albatross around his neck. A deal for Crawford could only be done under the circumstances that we couldn't get Halladay. But a deal could certainly be struck. The Rays, with BJ Upton, Evan Longoria and Price need to keep their coffers light...

as for Castillo, if we can trade we should. For a bag of peanuts! He had a fine season but he has lost his range, has no rbi power and looks as though he does more harm than good in the clubhouse. By shedding him you open the door to signing Orlando Hudson, whom, for whatever reason, has a unscratchable itch to play for the Mets—not for New York, for the Mets, as odd as that sounds. Hudson restores the range at second, and gives us surer hands than Castillo. The speed is there but most importantly he brings rbis to the mix. Even if i couldn't lose Castillo i would consider signing Hudson...

first base belongs to Murphy. He played well enough there to give him a year, there is really no one to sign for the spot and Ike Davis is not ready. Murphy showed a late penchant for finding the Pepsi Porch. Look out in a lineup where he hits sixth behind Crawford and in front of Francuoer. Yes, Frenchy earned a spot by showing power, a good glove and a smile. Something that was missing this year. He brings positivity with him. The clubhouse needs players like this...

finally at catcher there is a bit of a conundrum. It would be reasonable to send Josh Thole to Triple A to start the season, but then you have to sign a catcher for a year, a useless expense. Santos was a revelation at the position this year, but pragmatism reminds us that he is nothing more than a capable backup/platoon guy. Better tan Ramon Castro could ever be with us, seeing as he stays healthy. So, why not use Thole as the other half of that platoon. If he is your catcher of the future, shouldn't our pitchers get to know him, create a rapport that they can maintain down the road? Thole and Santos come cheap, and yes they both need work on receiving behind the plate. That is why you hold onto a guy like Sandy Alomar Jr. Jr brings years of experience to the position and could work with these two young catchers to improve their skills behind the plate. Time has told us not to judge a player on his performance in March or September. Fine. But Thole was very good, and what's your alternative...

imagine a lineup of Reyes, Hudson, Beltran, Wright, Crawford, Murphy, Franceuor and Thole. That's not bad with Santana and either Halladay or Lackey behind him. World Champs? Probably not, but most definitely a contender...

the epilogue is that i'm not a Wilpon and few if any of these suggestions will be considered let alone carried out. Apparently the levee must break before we can rebuild it. Sure worked for New Orleans. But I will remain a Met fan and will be one until the day my carcass is aflame floating on the high seas. Its what i am and the above treatise is nothing more than one man's opinion on how to rebuild a franchise. Hey, if the Jets can do it by simply hiring a loud mouth and a slick looking quarterback then why can't the Mets...

today baseball becomes someone else's game for the next month and a half, and my interest will be passing. But fear not for i...

the Rangers new look rushing attack will be exciting to watch if nothing else...

the Knicks could make things interesting in March if Gallinari really shoots like he has been, Wilson Chandler can take the reins and make himself a 20 point a game scorer and if guys like Toney Douglas and Larry Hughes can contribute defensively on a consistent level. Al Harrington looks ready to head this ship, David Lee is a solid and of course there's my boy— 'shake and bake' Nate Robinson...

i see yesterdays loss by the Jets to be more of an aberration than harbinger...

and i'll be rooting for Top Step Tulo and the Colorado Rockies...


Friday, October 2, 2009

friday with bonus hockey...

its not very often you can catch an afternoon hockey, but here you go—Blackhawks vs Panthers live in Helsinki!...

i know what you're going to say, who cares?, its football season. And yes that's true, the English Premier League is in full swing, along with La Liga in Spain and the Lega Pro in Italy...

oh, you were talking about American Football. That's the game that's neck and neck with hip hop for fostering thugery. Sissies with pads—ask any rugby player. Listen, i like football, i do. But not the Hank Williams Jr, 15 hours of pre-game coverage for a little more than 30 minutes of actual game action. That's less than a baseball game—Are you ready for a commercial?! More than anything else, Football seems to be designed to keep ex-football players in employment. The promotion of the game is bordering on NASCAR-esque. All that said, J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets!...

with the Mets completely out of the picture and my hate for the Yankees increasing by the day (i mean; Yankee fans make it easier to hate that team more everyday), you would think would tune out, but no. i love baseball, its old reliable and as long as there is life in the ball fields, i'll always keep an eye out. Go Rockies...

i hear Eddy Curry dropped 30 pounds, i also heard her dropped to the floor after hurting an ankle—oh Eddy, how are the Knicks supposed to trade you if you can't play?!...

i love this time of year, baseball is in the midst of sorting itself out a World Champion as hockey begins and football kicks into second gear. Basketball is on its way, its a wonderful time to be a sports fan. It is also a wonderful time when you can go about your day and realize, hey Versus has two games on this afternoon. Brilliant! Along with the Rangers tonight, its a hockey feast...

its obvious what draws me to hockey. The constant action and drama that makes Euro Football so exciting, the brute element of American football, the awe of athleticism of basketball and the flash of the glove of baseball. And as i said in this space a bunch of months ago, chicks dig hockey. For me, hockey is the last of the 'major sports' i got myself into but is strangely the one i perform the best at in Fantasy Leagues, champion two years ago and runner up last year. i plan on dominating this season with the, best in the biz, Alexander Ovechkin heading up one squad and goal tending and defense being the stellar portion of my head-to-head league...

today is just one of those lucky days for me, amidst the road to destitution, where i get to enjoy some old time hockey, even if the Panthers and Blackhawks wouldn't be considered 'old time.' But at 3 pm is the Red Wings, who are an original six squad and so are the Rangers, and they open their season tonight...

enjoy your cubicle, i'll be enjoying some hockey while i work...

Rangers baby, Rangers!!...