A Couple of Items…….

Condolences go out to Charlie Murphy and his family.....Godspeed, homie...

Yesterday’s sad news about Charlie Murphy’s wife Tisha Taylor, who passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer, came as a shock.  This guy has been one of the more underrated forces in comedy within the past few years and to see his name attached to such a tragic and devastating story made my heart go out to him and his family.  He’s given us laughs for a while now, so it’s only right to keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he goes through such a difficult time.  Losing a loved one is never ever easy and to see this man’s “rib” meet such an end just keeps it all in perspective…..take a minute and send a shout and prayer to CM.

At least the swoosh is behind him, literally and figuratively......

Now, on to some nonsense, namely the latest bit of drama to crop up in the midst of this Tiger-mania that is sweeping across the land….Dr. Anthony Galea, a Canadian doctor who has treated many top athletes (among them, brother Eldrick) was stopped at the U.S. border and detained after human growth hormone and Actovegin (a performance enhancing drug extracted from calf’s blood) were found in his bag.  Many in the media are now attempting to make a link between Tiger’s rehab from knee surgery and this doctor, who gave Woods treatment on at least four occasions…..Oh boy….this story just seems to spiral in new directions every day, now they want to make this guy into Barry Bonds?  I know that he brought this level of scrutiny onto himself, but damned, next they’ll be saying that he was Keyser Sosay or O.J.’s accomplice.  Charles Barkley and Spike Lee expressed their concern for Woods on CNN tonight, saying that he has changed his number and isn’t talking to even his closest celeb friends, namely Barkley and Michael Jordan.  And, still more sources are claiming that Mrs. Woods is going to end their marriage after the holidays, no longer able to go on after 13 women have come forward, claiming to have had relations with Tiger.  Some of Tiger’s corporate partners have stated their support for the guy, namely Phil Knight & Nike and the folks at Upper Deck….stick around, the drama continues……

The coach, in position to dump on any haters of his program

University of North Carolina head men’s basketball coach Roy Williams recently performed a giant ego stroke on himself in the name of eradicating haters of his team.  During a lopsided game against Presbyterian College, an opposing fan stood up and yelled at an NC player at the free throw line and the coach, in a fit of fake outrage and control-freakism, had the man removed from the premises, later saying that no one should ever have anything negative to say about his team……huh?  If you happen to make a road trip with your team, aren’t you allowed to root for your squad, especially in a blowout?  All this guy was reported to have said was “Deon, miss it” and that was reason to kick him out?  I’m sorry, isn’t this the school that is one half of one of the most fierce rivalries in all of college sports?  Don’t NC students heckle Duke’s team?  Hasn’t that been a part of spectator sports since Rome and the gladiators?  Are you freaking kidding me?  This is the most bass ackwards crap ever pulled by a coach since Bobby Knight was banished to the booth.  Williams should be ashamed of himself, he who schedules weak opponents and gets pissed at people for rooting for the opposition.  If I’m this fan that was removed, I’m on the phone with every hotshot legal mind in the state, prepping a lawsuit.  Just one more example of the massive egos that have evolved in the game of college basketball; as much as I’ve liked Williams’ teams in the past, I think I just found a reason to root against them…..hope someone doesn’t come try to kick me out of my living room!!

Come back, there’ll be more soon……….

 

Still Another Look at Tiger

Man, homie.......how did we even get to this point?

As you might have picked up on in my last post, I was hoping that the madness and hysteria surrounding Tiger Woods and his stunning fall from “grace” would start to die down and taper off.  Well, apparently, that was an extremely naive case of wishful thinking, as this story continues to dominate in every facet of media coverage.  Since I last posted, Woods has announced that he will be taking an indefinite break from golf, using the time to work on his marriage and to attempt to fix the damage caused by the uncovering of his dalliances with multiple women.  I was a bit surprised by this move, in that I thought that the competitor in Tiger would want to try and sink himself into competition, the one place where he dominates and is in complete control.  Then again, the gallery at a golf tournament offers some close proximity to fans and given how crazed all of this has seemed to make the public; maybe it’s best that he take a break and let some of this hysteria ease up.  Will he be able to maintain his relationship with the business community that has enabled him to become so wealthy and well known?  The pundits seem to think that this marks the end of his appeal to advertisers, and while I would admit that it doesn’t look good for him right now, what’s to say that Tiger can’t bounce back from this and make the most of a second chance?  He was unfaithful to his wife and their marriage, much in the manner of some governors and senators in this country; he’s not a terrorist or fighting dogs or a pedophile or an otherwise undesirable person.  He’s just an enormously popular cultural icon whose transgressions played out in front of the world……a human being after all, no better or worse than the rest of us.  Here’s to hoping that he gets the chance to make it all right again.

 

The Wide World of Sports

 

This is the face one makes when trying to remove a foot stuck up their arse....

What’s good, my peeps?  Back from a beautiful holiday trip to Philly, I’m rested and focused…..let’s catch up on some sports items that have recently gone down….

Tiger Woods was forced to admit to some “transgressions” yesterday in the aftermath of a car accident he was involved in earlier in the week.  Woods released a statement just yesterday that, in addition to apologizing to his wife and family, demonized our culture’s need to scrutinize celebrities’ personal lives.  I actually agree with him on that point; the amount of press coverage into this has become nauseating; however, where much is given, much is expected and the carefully cultivated image that Woods has worn all these years does not match up to the what has transpired recently.  If you accept the millions and the acclaim, you also have to take the lumps when they come as well.  My guess is this will die down soon and he’ll go back to dominating the golf world and his wife will giggle as she counts the mils she’ll get as a result of homeboy’s wandering eye.

He's back, Philly.......

Allen Iverson signed a one year deal to return to his original team , the Philadelphia 76ers , yesterday and became emotional during the press conference held today.  Normally, I’d be the first one to bash this guy and his oversized ego, but I’m gonna give him the tiniest bit of leeway this time.  A.I. has been through the ringer throughout his career and the fact that no team would step up to claim him initially had to be especially tough to take.  Sure, much of his problems have been self-inflicted and his selfish style of play has become a liability in recent years…..but his return to this once proud but down franchise only brings good feelings and memories to a city that is in desperate need of something to cheer about.  A.I. is not The Answer anymore, but he fills the role of The Prodigal Son just fine….good luck, homie.

The fight that boxing needs badly.......who's gonna win?

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has agreed to terms for a fight with Manny Pacquiao, with the fight likely to take place in the first half of 2010.  Although Pacquiao has yet to sign, this seems like a formality at this point, and for the first time in a very long, long time, the sport of boxing has an epic bout to get its fanbase excited.  I, for one, amazed that Floyd signed so quickly and I’m happy for the both of them, in that they are about to make a shit load of money.  One can only hope that both men can train the way that they need to and focus on the monumental moment that is in front of them…….and I hope that Floyd doesn’t take this guy lightly…..just ask Miguel Cotto and Ricky Hatton about that….

Y'all must have forgot......I can get dropped, too......

In other boxing news, Roy Jones Jr. suffered another embarrassing defeat at the hands of some guy that I’ve probably stood behind in line at Wal-Mart.  Roy’s career just fell to pieces quickly, didn’t it?  Once upon a time, this was one of the most feared men on the planet….now, he’s seemingly a shell of himself…..this is starting to look like the end of Tyson’s career, ain’t it? Come on Roy……put those gloves down while you can still walk and talk…..for reference, go talk to Ali and Frazier, and see what happens when you stay in the ring too long…..

This is probably right after the Ritalin and Halcyon kicked in.......

Okay……I’ve tried to see things this guy’s way…..from the rumble in Detroit, the wack ass haircuts, the bad raps and Michael Jackson tributes, the forty foot jumpers that damn near tore the rim off the backboard, etc…..but this latest bit of nonsense from Ron Artest is too much to take…..now, this fool reveals that he used to get blitzed on Henny during halftime of games that he played in Chicago……wtf?  This guy got pissed when someone threw a beer on him, yet he was throwing back shots of cognac and then going out to play a half of NBA-level basketball?  I thought he was crazy when he tried to get a job at Best Buy to get the employee discount, but this is on the next level, dude is as crazy as cat shit……sorry, just gotta call it as I see it, he’s mental like Garth from Wayne’s World…..up his dosage, Doc, please…..

The Tennis version of the Method Man.....sheesh

And finally, speaking of revelations, how about Andre Agassi’s admission that he used meth during his playing days, intentionally tanked matches, and almost lost the weave that he had in his hair during the French Open one year…..the fact that all of this came out on his book tour is a little suspect, but damned, that puts his whole Hall of Fame career in another light, doesn’t it?  I guess image IS everything……and his image just got a bit fuzzy, at least in my eyes anyway…..shout out to Brooke Shields, who got trashed as well in Agassi’s book…..that was foul.

That’s it for now, folks…….but you and I know that there will be more to come……no doubt.

 

Going Home

 

Even after five plus years away, there's no place......NONE.....like home!!!!!

The iPod is charged, bags are packed, hat and coat on stand-by……your boy is taking a brief sojourn to his hometown, the one and only Philadelphia PA.  It’s been waaaaaay toooo long since I’ve been home and I miss it and everyone I know and love in it.  Vegas is a beautiful town and it’s been cool to observe it grow and change in the time that I’ve been here, but no matter how bright the lights are on the Strip, they will never outshine Philly.  No, I’m not going to get a cheesesteak ( I am going to find some pretzels, though, believe it!!!), but I am going to envelope myself in all things Philly for a few, and soak up enough to tide me over until I’m able to get back.  So, as I prep myself for the Thanksgiving holiday amongst family and friends, I urge you all to have the best Turkey Day allowed by law (keep it legal, folks), and I will return next week……as will this blog…..Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

 

 

How To Turn A ‘Chip Into a Stone

27 titles in, something must be right, beyond the dough

This is my first post since the Yankees finally put away the pesky, relentless Phillies in 6 games to claim the 27th World Series championship in their long, storied history.  I wanted to gloat and act a fool all over this page, but I dialed it down a bit and just let the satisfied grin on my face do the talking for me.  However, I’ve found out in the last few days that despite all of my cheering and rooting for what eventually was the outcome, the hatred for this franchise is choking the life out of any enjoyment that a fan would normally get from seeing his or her team bask in the glory of the ultimate goal.  All I’ve heard about since the Yanks’ win is how they “bought” their title and how unfair they make the game of baseball.  So, in an effort to brush back this notion that all it took for them to win was for Big Stein to throw his cash around, I’ll let you folks in on a few tidbits that might have escaped notice while folks were hating:

1) Championships can not be bought, regardless of what the payroll is.  The Yankees have long had the highest payroll in baseball, yet they have two championships in 9 years.  If all it took was to throw money around, they’d be on their 40th+ championship at this point.  The bottom line is ball players have to go out and play, regardless of what their salary is.

2) Every owner in baseball is a billionaire, at least.  With baseball being the one sport where there is no salary cap, each team can spend whatever they wish on their team’s salaries without penalty.  So, while the Yankees’ management actively seeks to put all of their resources into the team in hopes of winning, one would have to question why all of baseball doesn’t spent more on trying to improve their respective teams.  And, no, you cannot throw out the recession into this reasoning, simply because we are talking about a group of folks that would have to go a long way before feeling the effects of the recession, unlike most of us…..baseball has been this way for a very long time.

3)  The Red Sox broke an 86 year jinx to win two rings in the last five years; their payroll has been a smidgeon under what the Yankees has been, yet I never hear folks chirp about what they spend.  They seem to restock their team year in and year out, paying top dollar for players, without being hated like the Yankees are.

4) New York is the largest media capital in the known universe.  Anyone that has been through there recently knows how expensive it is to even visit there.  Therefore, it would stand to reason that if more money is generated, eventually more will be spent.  Where else on the planet would one be able to find two brand new billion dollar stadiums in a recession?  Big town, big money, big expectations…..it goes with the territory.

None of the hatred and venom thrown at the Pinstripes about money makes sense to me, it is a pointless, bitter exercise that solves nothing nor proves anything.  All you need to know is this:  if your favorite baseball team really wanted to spend money and compete, they could……rather easily, too.  Don’t hate my squad because they do and yours doesn’t.

 

Let Me Start Apologizing Now……

 

The Stripes go for #27.......against the hometown Phillies......never thought I'd see the day.....

On the eve of the first game of my baseball dream, I’d like to establish a few things……my love for the Stripes is a direct result of my grandfather’s long ago issued edict that I could only root for the Dodgers in his house.  I would have probably went on cheering for all things Philly had he not challenged my father and I on this, so without him taking such a stand, I’d have never known the pleasure of rocking that new blue Yankee fitted.  Even though I am loyal to the Stripes, I really am torn about how this whole thing is going to play out.  The Phillies are the world champions for a reason, and their run to the rings last year was as awesome a sight as there has ever been.  They are a scrappy, tough, experienced group with weapons everywhere in the lineup.  Their first four batters are a pitcher’s nightmare and Ryan Howard is simply a grown-assed man in that batter’s box, there is no way around it.  I have a huge amount of love, respect and admiration for the Fightin’s and I’ll accept it should they prove to be the better team…..however, make no frickin’ mistake about it, this guy wants to hear Sinatra sing New York, New York four times…..I want Jeter to cement his place amongst the Yankee greats, I want A-Rod to show the world why he’s worth the dough, I want C.C. to give out three pitching lessons, I want Jorge Posada to call brilliant games, only surpassed by his bat skills, I want Mo Rivera to use that cutter to perfection, I want Hideki Matsui to become Godzilla right before our eyes, I want Big Stein to get another ring……I am truly sorry, Philly, but I want the Yankees to win this series in 7 and bring that ‘chip back to the New Yankee Stadium to take its place next to the other 26…….good luck to all 50 players playing, may the best team win…..Play ball!!!!!

 

 

It’s Happening…..My Baseball Dream Is Coming True!!!!

 

The World Champions......can't help but have love for the hometown squad....

 Once upon a time, in a house in a suburb of Philly, a little boy watching the World Series stood at a crossroads.  The boy’s grandfather was a fan of the L.A. Dodgers, going back to 1947 when the great Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and helped usher in the modern era of sports in this country.  The grandfather was steadfast in his support of “dem Bums”, to the point where he forbid any support for the New York Yankees in his house during the Series.  The boy’s father, on the other hand, saw things a bit differently.  The father rooted for the Yankees for several compelling reasons: a) the Yankees team that year was a collection of superstar egos and headcases, including the management and the owner; the dad liked that….b) Reggie Jackson was one of those egos and he was from Philly and he wore glasses, like his son did….and c) the father couldn’t resist going opposite the grandfather, especially after being told he was forbidden to do so.  The son was unsure who he was supposed to root for…..right up until Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in one game and silenced his grandfather.  After that, there was nothing left to think about ……the Yankees were his new team.  Of course, he celebrated as hard as anyone else when the Phillies, his hometown team, won the whole thing in 1980 and he remained as loyal as his heart would allow, but he never stopped digging those pinstripes and the history that went along with them……Fast forward to the present day, where both the Yankees and the Phillies stand on the cusp of playing each other to crown this year’s title and the young boy, now a grizzled old man (not really) can’t help but smile when he thinks of the possibilities……should this wish of his come true and his two favorite squads make it to the ultimate stage, he will drink many Red Stripes and enjoy each and every pitch and root for everyone playing…….I’m in heaven, y’all….Go Phils, Go Yanks…….

 

The Bombers, 26 titles strong.....Reggie's team......and mine, too.

 

And, the Winner is……..

 

In a rare quiet moment, even the Prez is forced to lean back......

Greetings homies and homettes……When its was announced last week that President Obama had won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, I was a bit taken aback.  Really?  Barack Obama?  Hmmmm.  I immediately began to think about what has taken place in this administration so far:  the bailouts, the struggle to pass health care reform, the speeches, the beer summit on the White House Lawn…..what about these very few months into his presidency would qualify him for such a prestigious award?  Now, don’t get me wrong; I back this guy with every bit of support I can muster and I have defended him as if I were on the staff. However, in the end, I can’t get down with this prize being awarded to the Prez, at least not yet.  His initiatives and efforts up to this point have been admirable, if not wholly effective.  He has said the right things (including calling Kanye West a jackass…..brilliant) and taken many steps toward erasing some of the damage suffered under Dubya, which were needed.  But speeches and rhetoric have never been what that Nobel Prize has been about, at least as far as I know.  Frankly, it seems to me that when all is said and done, this award was given to the President as a “thanks for not being Bush” award, not necessarily for anything accomplished up to this point.  The people that vote on this prize seem to have been swept up in the moment without really considering what it means to stand amongst the elite that have been given this award in the past.  Do I believe that the President will eventually be worthy?  Absolutely, without a doubt.  But not now…..not yet.  He needs to buckle down and go about his business with an intensity similar to the effort that got him elected, which includes getting us health care, getting the troops home, helping to put folks back to work, getting this economy restarted, helping people keep their homes, making higher education affordable for everyone that wants it, getting rid of the BCS in college football…..in short, he needs to do the people’s business.  Those Nobel folks should wait for a few…..the show’s just begun.

 

Been So Long……

It’s been way too long since I last posted, but I’m back……a few things happened while I was gone, including:

 

The college boys are back too......thank God for football

The return of the NFL……yeah, it’s that time of year and throughout all the speculation and prognosticating, the league is back.  Familiar faces in new places, throwback unis, injuries galore…I miss this game every February and the months between the Super Bowl and the first pre-season game are exquisite torture…..I’ve got all kinds of love and respect for the men (and women) who play the other pro sports in this country, but nothing is like the spectacle and the energy of an NFL game…..ditto for college football, too.  As I write this post, my Eagles are dealing with their usual dose of drama, this time with Donovan McNabb’s broken rib and the re-signing of Jeff Garcia, not to mention the impending activation of Michael Vick in time for week 3…..it is completely safe to say that this season will be well worth the wait and will be interesting from start to finish.  Kudos go out to ESPN for adding Jon Gruden to their broadcast booth on Monday nights, he sounds like he’s been there for years.

 

His HOF speech was just that.....his.

Michael Jordan led the latest class of inductees into the Basketball Hall of Fame this past weekend and has been widely ridiculed for the selfish nature of his speech, which proceeded to name various individuals that have slighted and motivated him over the years.  I know that the millions of us that were thrilled repeatedly by Jordan’s on-court exploits were looking forward to this ceremony and may have been taken aback by what may or may not have been said.  From where I stand, however, all that speech did was confirm for me what I knew and loved about MJ all those years ago:  the brother is a competitor to the bloody end, and even in jest, as was the tone of his speech, he can recall all of those who fed his motivational engine and gave him the fuel to burn that he needed to fly.  Michael Jordan can make that speech for the same reason that his shoes remain the most popular shoes on the planet, five years passed the last time he laced them up:  he is an icon, plain and simple.  Not one word of that speech did anything to diminish his magnificent career or tarnish his legend, period.  He may have made some new enemies or alienated a few folks, but for the most part, Air Jordan is just that; Air Jordan.

 

Just mentioning this guy is a bit much, no?

All I will say about Rep. Joe Wilson’s outburst during the President’s speech last week can be summed up in a quote from that most political of silver screen icons, Mr. Forrest Gump: stupid is as stupid does.  His actions are just one more pathetic attempt at garnering some attention for the rudderless ship that is his political party these days…..what he did is what I would expect from Pillboy Rush if he were somehow allowed into Congress…..flat out wrong.

 

The March of 2009 continues......Rest Brother Swayze

One more familiar name was lost today…..Patrick Swayze lost his battle with cancer this afternoon and he is gone at age 57….even though it was well known that he was sick, it’s still too sad for too many words, so I’ll leave it at that, except to say that I hope that his family can find some peace in the coming days.

 

It’s good to be back, and I won’t be away for too long this time……..Peace.

 

Michael Vick Is An Eagle

 

Good luck, homie....I hope you realize where you're going and what you're facing......Philly's a tough place for a second act

Wow…..I am in utter shock, really.  Not only did I think that Michael Vick was gonna have a really tough time finding a team in the NFL willing to take a chance on him, but never did I think that my squad, the Philadelphia Eagles, would be the ones to step up and welcome him back into the fold.  But, sure enough, there was Andy Reid at a press conference after the Eagles first preseason game, talking about how this all came to be.  Is this risky?  Hell yes!!  Philly is as unforgiving and cruel a place as there is when the fans have something to gripe about and the coming shit storm from the media and the protesters is gripe worthy.  PETA and anyone else not happy with Vick’s return will be vocal and visible and fiesty.  They will scream at the top of their lungs and they won’t back down from their stance.  They will do everything in their power to further the hell that Vick has lived through for the past two years and they will not be convinced to feel otherwise. Somehow, I’m thinking that the Eagles know this and are, at least in their own minds, prepared for what may come.  I just hope that they can find a way to allow Vick the space that he needs to grow as a human being and as a football player.  I hope that he can be successful and low profile at the same time.  I hope his new teammates embrace him and do all that they can to shield him from the hate and nonsense that will be sent his way.  I hope that Donovan McNabb will see this as a plus and not as a grab for his job.  I hope that in a month, we’ll find something else to talk about.  And, most of all, I hope that this strengthens my team enough so that they can make a run for the Super Bowl.  I have no earthly idea about how this will turn out, but I know I’ll enjoy watching.  Brother Vick, welcome to the squad…..make us proud.