Monday, December 27, 2010

Ad Watch--Taxes and Bob Barker

I am VERY hard to impress when it comes to creative commercials. I've written and produced so many, heard so many, et al, that it takes a really good one to catch my eye/ear and gain my applause.

I've actually seen two in the past hour watching a meaningless bowl game.

1) H&R Block---great answer to the question, "How do you refresh an age old message of 'let us do your taxes'." Send some Block reps to a public location, invite people to bring their past returns, and they'll see what they might be able to find in $$$ that you shoulda gotten back but didn't. The best part? At the end, having the group together with "real people" coming onstage revealing to all in attendance (at a food court, perhaps?) how much "new" money they have thanks to H&R Block.

Old story, told in an effective new way simply by changing the scenery. It's not the stuffy agent talking to someone you don't care about at a cubicle at one of those temporary H&R Block locations. It's now shown as an event. Great work.

2) State Farm---if singing their jingle really changed your life instantly, I'd leave my current insurance, sign with them, sing the jingle and scream "FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT!" But I digress. The newest spot has a guy opining for the one and only Bob Barker, who, in turn, introduces a new car.

Bob Barker never gets old. BUT, State Farm should note that since I've now seen this spot 3 times in 45 minutes, they should worry quickly about rotation burnout (see "Geico" spots!!).

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

My 30 Favorite Beatle Songs--30 Years After John's Passing

I went to sleep that Monday night 30 years ago before Howard Cosell announced the death of John Lennon near the end of Monday Night Football.

I learned the next morning around 6am, when I started hearing Beatle songs on every radio station and wondering why. Then I heard the news.

I was never a Beatle disciple, and certainly didn't care for some of their life choices, but I loved their music. So, the sadness for me that morning was realizing that the hope that the Fab Four would, at some point, reunite for something special, was now dead, too. The Beatles, in the flesh, were history.

So, 30 years removed from that night, how about looking at my 30 favorite Beatle tunes. I like focusing on the music anyway. :)


30) Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite
29) Rocky Raccoon
28) Maxwell's Silver Hammer
27) Love Me Do
26) The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
25) When I'm Sixty-Four
24) I Am The Walrus
23) The Night Before
22) Something
21) Please Please Me
20) Paperback Writer
19) Lady Madonna
18) Ticket To Ride
17) Back in The USSR
16) Twist and Shout
15) Eleanor Rigby
14) It Won't Be Long
13) Eight Days A Week
12) Anytime At All
11) I Feel Fine
10) Tell Me Why
9) A Hard Days' Night
8) Got To Get You Into My Life
7) Revolution #9
6) It's Only Love
5) Lovely Rita
4) Drive My Car
3) She Loves You
2) I Wanna Hold Your Hand
1) Hey Jude

Friday, December 03, 2010

BORING, DEATHLY BORING FRIDAY NIGHT....

So, I sit here in darkness. The girls are at Starbucks visiting a friend before she moves away (what is it about wifey and her BFF's? They all move away eventually.) The boys are dueling, and let's just say "Friday Night at the Yu-Gi-Oh" isn't my cup of tea.

This is my first Friday night at home since September 3rd. I hate it.

This is the worst Friday night of the year. Every year. What Friday, you ask?

The first Friday that I DON'T have a high school football game to cover.

I was TRULY blessed in 2010, in that we had good weather every Friday, so no "Monday makeup" games, plus the radio station where I call the Patrick Henry games was able to put together a package for another county team when they proceeded into the playoffs. That extended my "season" for two weeks, delaying this inevitable night...

....until now.

It's 9:30 and I'm ready for bed. No high school highlights to wait for. The state semifinals are tomorrow afternoon. Robbie's alma mater has to play in Virginia Beach and if I had money, he and I would hit the road to root for the Herm.

But, as I approach the end of my 15th month of unemployment (save these few football games), who's got money?

Alas, all the more reason to go to bed.

Thursday, November 04, 2010

UPDATE: NFL Top 100 from below post

I think I figured out the 10th player: Don Hutson

NFL's Top 100 Players----Top 10 Revealed Tonight

It's on at 9pm here on the East Coast.

I've figured out nine of the ten:

Jim Brown
Johnny Unitas
Joe Montana
Jerry Rice
Reggie White
Walter Payton
Lawrence Taylor
Dick Butkus
Peyton Manning

....but I can't figure out #10. I thought Sammy Baugh, who came in at #14, deserved to be in the top 10, and not Peyton Manning. Peyton never punted, never intercepted a pass, and only has one title.

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

LIVE BLOG: Election Night 2010

Alright friends, at 10:50pm, I end live blogging. More tomorrow. :)



10:45pm: CBS reports money advantage to the GOP of $100 million this election cycle, out of around $3.2 billion spent. Sharyl Attkisson admitting, "not as big an advantage as people were saying". I'm telling you, they're smoking weed at the CBS Broadcast Center tonight.....Eric Cantor on CBS in a few, BTW.

10:43pm: MSNBC says nothing from White House tonight. Oh, I'm sure. They've buried their heads in their hands. Tomorrow's 1pm Presser should be very interesting.

10:41pm: US Chamber of Commerce gave $750K to Feingold's opponent in Wisconsin. Oooh....spooky! LOL!!!

10:37pm: Wilder thinks Americans don't mind taxes. He didn't hear the electorate tonight. MSNBC now calls Feingold a loser in Wisconsin, saying it was "close all night", though it is a 15 POINT MARGIN. Wonder if Olby has urinated under the desk yet tonight? Oh, and when a Dem loses tonight, MSNBC always blames "outside money". Robinson says Feingold losing is a "shock". He doesn't listen to the American people, does he?

10:36pm: Doug Wilder on MSNBC admitting he gerrymandered Bobby Scott's Virginia Congressional District 20 years ago. Thanks, Doug!!!

10:32pm: More GOP gains in the House. MD-1, LA-3, PA-7, PA-10, ending Carney's four-year run. My friend Blonde Sagacity must be happy.

10:27pm: Palin vs. Ferraro on Fox News right now. Geraldine calls Pelosi, "smart as hell". Apparently not smart enough to keep her Speakership.

10:23pm: Diane Sawyer wants to know Ed Rendell (D-Pa)'s "feelings" because she heard something in his voice. Oh, God. BTW, will Sawyer be drunk on the air again like she was after the inauguration of her buddy, Barry?

10:17pm: Chris Matthews recalls Obama's 2004 DNC speech when he talked about exceptionalism of America and he wishes he'd go back to that. Chris, he won't do that. Remember, he doesn't believe in it like the typical American does.

10:14pm: Laura Ingraham notes how the China/Free Trade issue being big in 2012, especially since it may have saved Sestak in Pennsylvania. Indeed, China SHOULD be a big issue. We owe them way too much! On an unrelated note, Laura looks like she's got a bad cold. :(

10:11pm: Meanwhile, back to PMSNBC. "People are frustrated with lack of progress. We're not moving our economy fast enough."---Ed Schulz Duh. He doesn't think Tea Partiers know how to create jobs. Oh, and now he bemoans the "corporate contributions" that will be around for 2012. Like Dems can't raise any corporate money. Heard of Harrah's, Schulz??

10:06pm: ABC's Jonathan Karl speculates on Pelosi's future. She stays if the GOP majority is just a few seats. If it's a drubbing? "Virtually everyone I've spoken to says she would go back to California....", i.e.---she'll be gone. Diane Sawyer steps in to defend her.

10:04pm: "It is a big referendum on Barack Obama...."---Katie Couric. Bob Schieffer concurs. "The Administration raised these expectations above the moon."--Bob Schieffer.

10pm: Katie Couric muddles her way through a CBS News update. Stop drinking, Katie! Meanwhile, the returns begin from Nevada. Meanwhile, Donna Brazille leaves CNN for ABC. "This is a woman who fought for America's families,", Brazille says about Nancy Pelosi. Keep drinking the Kool-Aid, Donna.....

9:56pm: "We feel really strong about the ground game there....", DNC Chair Tim Kaine on the Nevada Senate race. Must be talking about the union thugs desperate to get their rank and file on buses at Vegas casinos to vote. Don't know what I'm referring to? Click HERE.

9:51pm: Doug Wilder now on Fox Business. Three GOP pickups in the House in Virginia alone tonight. Wilder: "It is big", commenting on GOP picking up PA Governor slot. Wilder: "If Democrats don't get their act together, they're gonna be some tough times coming about....", as he notes the 2012 Presidential Campaign, correctly, starts tomorrow.....

9:47pm: My thoughts going in were a gain of 62 seats for Repubs in the House, 7 in the Senate, giving us a split Congress. We'll see......

9:40pm: Christine O'Donnell concedes, a moment of glee for MSNBC, as they are talking of how big the margin of victory is. They talk of how her future as a polished TV personality and so she'll end up at Fox News. O'Donnell talks of the losses in the "Palin column". These guys have NO clue. Matthews says the Tea Party will be around in two years. DUH! Eugene Robinson asks, "which Tea Party?" Poor elites, they don't understand anything grassroots.....

9:35pm: Liberals across the nation are peeing in their pants. Marco Rubio giving an incredible speech. 2012, anyone?

9:31pm: Marco Rubio speaks in Florida after winning the US Senate seat. Goodbye Charlie Crist. Wonder if MSNBC's panel will spend time talking about how a Latino-American won tonight.......nah, he's the wrong kind of Latino-American!

9:29pm---Screw MSNBC, turn on CNBC! Spirited discussion on debt, spending and the future! Robert Reich is getting his head handed to him. 48 percent of voters on CNBC's exit polling say repeal health care, and 40 percent disapprove of Obama. Carl Quintana says he and Money Honey's jaws are "on the floor" over those. If they'd been listening to America the past year, they wouldn't be surprised at all.

9:25pm: "We have to talk about the spending, that will take care of the deficit."---CNBC Commentator Michelle Caruso-Cabrera to former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich. He doesn't respond.

9:22pm: "The rebuilding starts tomorrow."--Senator Elect Joe Manchin, West Virginia. Will he tell that to Obama face-to-face?

9:21pm: Ed Schulz throws in a "birther" reference. They're all aghast. I love it! Still waiting for the "news anchors" to take over on that network. Oh, they don't have news anchors? What? Brian Williams too busy with those 90 second updates on NBC when The Biggest Loser isn't on??

9:12pm: MSNBC reaction to Rand Paul....

1) "A rousing, if somewhat boilerplate speech..."---Keith Olbermann
2) They debate the quote Paul used as the mantra for his speech, to make him look stupid, of course.....
3) "If you got him under sodium peninthal...."---Chris Matthews
4) O'Donnell tries to kill Rand Paul on stopping debt by having to raise the debt ceiling, which the liberals created, of course. I love it, Lawrence wants to hold us hostage and MAKE US raise the debt ceiling....."worldwide depression!!", he says.
5) Maddow recalls the '95 government shutdown. Oh, I'd LOVE the government to shut down awhile.

9:11pm: Ut oh, Paul used the term "enslaved". Somehow people will say that means he's racist. Oh, those Tea Party Racists......

9:09pm: "America is exceptional because we embraced freedom."--Senator Elect Rand Paul. Let's hold him accountable, Kentucky!!

9:05pm: MSNBC the last channel to join the Rand Paul victory celebration in Kentucky. I know it so pains them.

8:56pm: Keith Olbermann has to cut off Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) due to time, which is understandable, but the least he could do is LOOK AT THE CAMERA when speaking to her!!!! RUDE!!!!!

8:54pm: Sad. Both Luke Russert AND Michael Steele can't pronounce Rick Boucher's last name correctly.......

8:51pm: MSNBC FINALLY calls Alan Grayson the loser tonight in Florida CD8, saying he was a "scalp sought by the Republicans". Couldn't be that his constituents were tired of his work.....

8:48pm: Good analysis by Campaign Carl Cameron on Fox News as to how Manchin helped himself win the West Virginia Senate seat. Manchin positioned himself as a social/fiscal conservative, meaning he, if he keeps his word, would be voting against Obama policies, because his win tonight is only for two years to finish the Byrd term. He faces the voters again in 2012, this is not a full six-year term victory. If MSNBC'ites are celebrating Manchin's win, they sure are grasping at straws!

8:44pm: MSNBC bemoans the loss of an Obamacare vote and will commiserate by talking to a Union head. Their election night bumper music sounds like they're at a funeral! What, no hopey changey for ya? :)

8:41pm: GOODBYE ALAN GRAYSON! There's a dirty politician that got what he deserved!

8:39pm: Rachel Maddow thinks Dick Blumenthal, who LIED about serving in Vietman, would be a great leader for the Democrats on returning veterans issues. Yeah, first he needs to gain their trust, since they SERVED and he DID NOT.

8:35pm: Burr returns from North Carolina. HURT WINS Virginia District Five! That Obama trip to C'Ville didn't work......

8:32pm: I could watch Shannon Bream read the dictionary. :)

8:25pm: How can Maryland send Barbara Mikulski back to DC? Good Lord.....

8:22pm: Just finished cooking hot dogs. I see O'Donnell loses in Delaware (no surprise) and Rubio wins in Florida (no surprise). Tim Kaine is on CNN now spinning like mad. Think his job is in jeopardy??

Boucher and Periello STILL down. Looking good. :)

7:46pm: MSNBC blames EVIL unknown money from Karl Rove-types for Rand Paul winning. No, couldn't be Obama isn't popular in Kentucky. Again, MSNBC and elite Libs say Americans can be BOUGHT and are STUPID. Keep digging your grave, guys.

7:45pm: Time for hot dogs on the grill. More blogging to come. I'm sure it pains Keith Olbermann to say that Rand Paul won Kentucky. LOVE IT!!!!


7:35pm: Hurt leads Perriello by 15, but only about 12 percent of the precincts in. LONG way to go here. Wonder how many votes Jeff Clark has. A friend of mine just told me on Facebook that he's the "third party" candidate that MSNBC didn't bother to find his name or face but are praying he helps Perriello pull out a win.

7:31pm:

1) Is anyone in Pennsylvania mourning the loss of Arlen Specter's name on today's Senate ballot?

2) Polls now closed in North Carolina and Ohio and West Va. Welcome Rob Portman to the U.S. Senate. We'll be watching you. :)

3) Rick Boucher is behind here trying to hold onto his House seat in Southwest Virginia.....ut oh.


7:24pm----Well, Rand Paul is in the U.S. Senate. MSNBC is hoping third party conservative candidates will derail GOP hopes to take the House, but no one in their graphics department even took the time to find the NAME and FACE of the third party candidate in Virginia District 5. Yet they pray he/she kills Robert Hurt's hopes.

I didn't even know there was a third candidate and TV spots for D5 candidates have been all over the place the past ten days.

The media spin coming up tonight will be monumental, and VERY SAD.

Oh, MSNBC allows "commentators" to anchor election coverage (Olby and Matthews).
Fox News, that EVIL network, does not.

Thursday, October 07, 2010

LIVE Blogging: TNA--Before The Glory

9:00pm---Already off to a horrible start, as Abyss "kidnaps" Dixie Carter. Ugh, ugh, and double ugh. He should be fired now that he's the equivalent of "going postal".

And I had such high hopes for the show tonight........

9:04pm---Oh, boy. Eric Bischoff. There's some muscle. Think Eric and Abyss are in cahoots?

9:06pm---Wolfpac, with the Pope playing the role of Konnan. Welcome back to Thunder!

9:13pm---Konnan, er, ah, Pope faces off with Bischoff. Lots of talk about nothing.

9:18pm---Hogan's 8th back surgery. Bischoff offers himself as a sacrificial lamb. This whole Hogan back surgery, Twittering updates.....fishy. Or maybe I've seen one too many wrestling angles.

9:19pm---MICKIE'S BACK!!!!! About time!!

9:26pm---Nice package on the title match. TNA's strongest production element is their backstage work. Looks investigative, rather than staged WWE backstage dialogue.

9:27pm---I was about to tell you to count the fake blondes, but one just showed up in true colors! LOL-----

9:30pm---Miss Hancock....er, ah, Alexandra York....no, no....Miss Tessmacher is watching with a clipboard. So 1989.

9:34pm---Nice to see Mickie back. Hail Patrick Henry hail! :)

9:43pm---Gonna fire Abyss, eh? Well, if I were the boss, I would.

9:43pm---Here comes my favorite wrestler, 10 years removed from when he should have retired! Flair/Foley would have been money......a LONG time ago.

9:47pm---Crimson mask alert! Crimson mask alert! Foley better not go after Dixie with that bat, he'll be fired, too.

9:51pm---Is it possible Flair will bleed out by the time we get back from break?

9:52pm---Hitting Foley with a book. Hilarious!

9:53pm---"For those not familiar with office supplies, those are thumbtacks."--Thank you, Taz!!

9:54pm---How convenient. I mean, I always make sure there's a board of barbed wire near me wherever I go.

9:56pm---Oh, and let's not forget to have a table around, just in case. I'd really be impressed if someone pulled a blender or microwave from underneath the ring, just for variety's sake.....

9:58pm---Wait! Flair's top rope move NEVER works. Look at those boots. I'm glad it's over. Getting too nasty for me.

10:01pm---Please, we can skip the kissing part. UGH!

10:06pm---Wait. In weeks past, they handled office gripes in private. Why not fire Abyss backstage? Will they give him a "future endeavors" box to carry Janice in? I bet he blew severance after kidnapping the boss.....

10:12pm---RVD pleads for Abyss' job? Well how ironic is that?

10:13pm---Ooops, cut off Bischoff live to go to Philly. So far, only noticeable glitch of the night.

10:18pm---Oh no, an Orlando Jordan sighting. Ugh. I bet this quarter hour is the lowest rated of the night. We'll find out in a couple of days and this site will post. Best wrestling news site around.

10:26pm---I am officially lost. Eric Young is nuts.

10:27pm---"Home of the Lethals"? How would you like to move into your new home, and, upon answering the door, someone is on your porch with a Bundt cake saying, "Hi! We're your neighbors, The Deadlies. Welcome to the neighborhood!" :)

10:32pm---Burger King commercials only get worse. No wonder they have problems....

10:33pm---Aw....Dixie trusts RVD. Who's turning?

10:34pm---Oh, dear. The Shore? Hey wait! My son is Robbie!!! HE deserves that name when HE makes TNA! I'm officially throwing a fit..... :)

10:37pm---The clicking noise you hear outside is 300,000 households leaving TNA for another channel.

10:40pm---Another good film package promoting the PPV.

10:41pm---Will the ring intros for the battle royal last longer than the battle royal itself?

10:43pm---Oh, gauntlet style. My bad. :)

10:45pm---Commercial break during an intro during a gauntlet event. Bad move. Should have treated this commercial-free. Makes it a bigger deal, now it feels like any other main event, even with the money on the line. It's the little things, folks!

10:49pm---Jeff Jarrett arrives to the sounds of crickets.....

10:53pm---Wait? ANOTHER break????

10:58pm---And Kevin Nash has walked...SLOWLY...to the ring.

11:02pm---Do you blame Abyss? He's fighting for his last paycheck.

11:03pm---I hope Rhino isn't paid by the hour......

11:04pm---Can someone remind Samoa Joe to NOT come off the ropes running full steam?

11:07pm---Abyss has a future as a bouncer.

11:07pm---That was a LONG 45 second interval between the last wrestler and RVD. Someone's Timex backstage quit ticking.....

11:08pm---Can someone remind RVD to NOT come off the ropes running full steam? And did Abyss mess up that spot?

11:09pm---Kurt wins $100K. $33K to the government, probably $15K to Karen.


FINAL SCORE: 6.5 out of 10.

BEST?---

1) Mickie James is back!
2) Flair/Foley was better than I thought it would be.
3) Film production setting up angles and PPV.

WORST?---

1) Kidnapping a woman.
2) The continued misuse of Samoa Joe.
3) Any TV time devoted to Orlando Jordan.


FINAL THOUGHT: That thing that Dixie signed was not what Eric said it was. It was probably a form giving Eric full control of TNA, setting up Dixie for her to get duped by "them".

Thank you, and good night. :)

Sunday, October 03, 2010

Genius!

Click the link to enjoy 17 years of media denial regarding Islamic extremism. :)

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Rob's Fearless 2010 NFL Predictions

Everybody else does 'em..........so why not? :)

You'll see predicted order of finish for each division, wild card choices, Conference Championship Game picks, and my fearless (probably way off) Super Bowl XLV prediction at the end. You can't stand the suspense, can you? :)

-------------------------------------------------------------

NFC East

1) Dallas Cowboys
2) New York Giants
3) Philadelphia Eagles
4) Washington Redskins

NFC North

1) Green Bay Packers
2) Minnesota Vikings
3) Detroit Lions
4) Chicago Bears

NFC South

1) New Orleans Saints
2) Atlanta Falcons
3) Carolina Panthers
4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFC West

1) San Francisco 49ers
2) Arizona Cardinals
3) Seattle Seahawks
4) St. Louis Rams

DIVISION CHAMPS: Dallas, Green Bay, New Orleans, San Francisco
WILD CARDS: Atlanta, Minnesota

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Green Bay over Atlanta

------------------------------------------------------------

AFC EAST:

1) New England Patriots
2) New York Jets
3) Miami Dolphins
4) Buffalo Bills

AFC NORTH:

1) Baltimore Ravens
2) Pittsburgh Steelers
3) Cleveland Browns
4) Cincinnati Bengals

AFC SOUTH:

1) Indianapolis Colts
2) Tennessee Titans
3) Houston Texans
4) Jacksonville Jaguars

AFC WEST:

1) San Diego Chargers
2) Kansas City Chiefs
3) Denver Broncos
4) Oakland Raiders

DIVISION CHAMPS: New England, Baltimore, Indianapolis, San Diego
WILD CARDS: Tennessee, Houston

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Indianapolis over Baltimore

SUPER BOWL XLV: Indianapolis over Green Bay


NOTES:

---I have been on the Green Bay bandwagon for a Super Bowl Champ pick until tonight. I heard someone on TV (that's dangerous) talk about Peyton Manning having a bad taste in his mouth after the Saints' loss. With Bob Sanders and Anthony Gonzalez returning, a DEEP receiving corp, Donald Brown emerging in the run game, and Freeney sacking QB's, I can now see Peyton making this a season of redemption for that team. I wouldn't want to be in their way. Thus, my last minute migration to the Colts in a rematch of that wild preseason shootout, won, ironically, by Green Bay.

QUICK THOUGHTS ON EACH TEAM:

DALLAS: They're talented, but Wade Phillips is their coach. That means a playoff appearance and exit.

NEW YORK GIANTS: What happened to their defense? And their running game? I only picked them 2nd in the division because.....

PHILADELPHIA: Kevin Kolb jerseys won't be flying off the shelves as Christmas presents this year. Can Mike Bell and LeShon McCoy save him? Doubt it. And Vick isn't the answer, either.

WASHINGTON: Lucky to get five wins. Shanahan is in for a LONG year. McNabb will probably miss 7 or 8 games due to injury. Another lost season in DC.

GREEN BAY: See paragraph on Super Bowl.

MINNESOTA: It's possible Brett Favre won't even throw a TD pass to Sidney Rice this season. By the time Rice gets back from injury, Favre may be on the shelf. He won't last 17 weeks. BTW, I'm really rooting for Toby Gearhart to do well, I really liked his power running style at Stanford last season.

DETROIT: If they were in the NFC West, they'd challenge for the division crown. Jahvid Best is a stud, and Stafford takes the next step.

CHICAGO: Who does Cutler throw it to, when he's not throwing it to the other team? Knox? Hester? Not impressed. This may be Lovie's swansong, which sucks because I admire him.....alot. He can come to Oakland after we fire Cable. :)

NEW ORLEANS: Offense keeps clicking, but defense won't be the same without Darren Sharper. And they better not lose Brees. Can you name their #2 QB?

ATLANTA: My comeback pick for 2010. Healthy Turner and Ryan to go with White, Gonzalez, et al, and I think they'll do very well. Of course, I picked Atlanta to play Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLIV....shows what I know. :)

CAROLINA: Matt Moore. My jury is out. RB's keep getting hurt, and I'm ticked they didn't keep Josh Vaughn (Hermitage, U of R).

TAMPA BAY: Quick---name their wideouts.

SAN FRANCISCO: I LOVE Mike Singletary. Alex Smith? It's time for him to put up or shut up. A healthy season out of Frank Gore will do wonders.

ARIZONA: Good move cutting Leinart. Bad news? You're left with Derek Anderson. I may regret picking Larry Fitzgerald for one of my fantasy teams.....

SEATTLE: They only finish third because.....

ST. LOUIS: With the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.......

NEW ENGLAND: If Randy Moss pulls an Oakland on them, they'll be fine with Welker and Edelman. Defense is young.....but I think that's a positive.

NEW YORK JETS: MOST, MOST, MOST overrated team of 2010. The Colts try to win their regular season game and the Jets aren't even in the playoffs. They jettison leaders like Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, and Alan Faneca, give Revis the preseason off basically, and Rex Ryan can't shut up. 9-7 tops, 8-8 more likely.

MIAMI: I can't get fired up over Chad Henne. If he does better than I think he will, this team might finish 2nd instead of the Jets, but neither make the playoffs.

BUFFALO: Edwards can throw the deep ball. C.J. Spiller is a stud. But who's blocking?

BALTIMORE: My alternate AFC Super Bowl choice. Flacco has so many weapons now. Imagine the Ravens DEFENSE being the question mark......wow.

PITTSBURGH: They survive September, get Ben back, and still miss the playoffs. They will be a tough win for anyone who does get the "W" over them. Love Mike Tomlin.

CLEVELAND: Delhomme has a one-year resurgence, and Josh Cribbs runs up and down every field he can find. But it's only enough for six wins.

CINCINNATI: One word---MELTDOWN. Second most overrated team of the year. T.O. and Chad won't survive the season together, and Cedric Benson? Well, I'll believe him when I see him duplicate '09. Prediction: Marvin Lewis is out after lackluster, super-disappointing season.

INDIANAPOLIS: See Super Bowl paragraph......

TENNESSEE: Watch out. I really think Vince Young is ready and Kenny Britt is going to explode onto the scene this year. This is a gut call, but I trust Jeff Fisher. He wouldn't have placed so much hope in Young if he didn't know a payoff was coming.

HOUSTON: Will battle Tennessee for 2nd in the division, but both teams make the playoffs by winning their NFC matchups and games outside the division.

JACKSONVILLE: Sorry, Jack. Jones-Drew can't do it all; they go 0-6 in the division.

SAN DIEGO: They win the division by default. Norv Turner is their coach, which guarantees a playoff exit (See: Dallas and Wade Phillips above).

KANSAS CITY: Jamaal Charles gets help from Thomas Jones, takes some pressure off Matt Cassell, and their running game helps turn the franchise around to a seven-win season.

DENVER: Calling Tim Tebow. How about the resurrection of John Elway? It's gonna get ugly in the Rockies.

OAKLAND: Boy, I really want my boys to improve, but, even with Jason Campbell at QB, the wideouts are STILL Murphy and Heyward-Bey and Darren McFadden is still in uniform. McClain looks good, and at least Russell and Fargas are gone. Still another 10 plus loss season, though.

So, what do YOU think? :)

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Terry Sisisky: 1952-2010




Long live the T-Man. He will be missed greatly. Read my thoughts on Terry's impact at my Patrick Henry Sports website here.

Monday, June 07, 2010

BREAKING--CCM Pioneer Dana Key Passes at 56

Dana Key, one half of the legendary CCM duo DeGarmo & Key, has passed away at the young age of 56 due to complications from a blood clot.

No other details are available at this time. Please keep Dana's family in your prayers. Praise the Lord for the incredible music legacy he left, both with Eddie and as a solo artist.

Sunday, June 06, 2010

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Monday, May 31, 2010

So It Stormed In Chicago Today........

Hmmmm......

A wide open opportunity here to wonder out loud if the Almighty really wasn't interested in what President Obama had to say on Memorial Day, so he sent an "interruption" to Chicagoland today......

Talk amongst yourselves......

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Another wonderful move brought to you buy the City of Richmond

Click the title for the hilarity.....well, at least the 500 computers are still "new", I guess.....

Friday, May 07, 2010

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Why Didn't I Think Of Global Warming??

I could have Al Gore's real estate portfolio now instead of looking for work and worried about my one piece of property. You know, the one I live in.

I could've scared the world, skewed scientific "data", made a scary movie......

Darn.

Wanna see what Al's done with $9 million of his "climate change-made" dollars? Click HERE.

Personally, I think he and Kevin Trudeau should be locked in the villa alone for six weeks and see who comes out alive.....

Media Elite Yuk It Up, Spend Millions.....is that Rome I smell??

Carol Joynt has probably lost a few friends in Washington.

This article is DEAD-ON about the White House Correspondents Dinner, which has become a DAYS LONG event in Washington, the elite in government and media spending millions on themselves while ABC fires tons of people and unemployment continues to be abnormally high.

These idiots have no clue....no, wait. Take that back. They DO have a clue, and they DON'T CARE. READ and view the pics of the opulence at the link.

5.3.10: Washington Social Diary | New York Social Diary

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Richmond area hit by minor earthquake | Richmond Times-Dispatch

Richmond area hit by minor earthquake | Richmond Times-Dispatch

An Open Letter To My Adult Son

Dear Son,

Wow.

It really, truly seems like just yesterday. But, on this date 18 years ago, I experienced a kind of joy the likes of which I'd never had before.

I became a father.

We had been expecting you for several months, obviously. I had seen you squirm in your safe surroundings and you had even kicked my butt in the bed a time or two. You were nine days overdue, so we kinda had to evict you from your Mom to give her a break, you know!

So, off to the hospital, early that morning. To register, get settled, induce labor, and wait. And wait.

And wait.

You little booger, you didn't wanna come out. :)

40 percent effaced, and that's the best we got that day. And after showing signs of wanting to move UP the birth canal, the doctor thought it best that we surprise you.

The wait turned to preparation for surgery, then off to the operating room, and me, your "squeamish at any nasty talk" father saw insides of your mom and other stuff all around the room and it didn't bother me at all. I had tunnel vision.

It was all about you.

Mind you, I was keeping watch over your poor Mom, who became sick due to the anesthesia and threw up over and over, so much so that she wouldn't even get to hold you until the next morning......

But at 5:45pm, the doctor found you. You came out crying.

And everything changed.

Your mom and I were no longer "just the two of us". There were three. I had to change the answering machine.

I remembered the first thing I said to you in the warmer after you were wrapped up and placed inside.

"Hey there".

Such historic words, eh?

And now, 18 years later, at around 6:30 on this Thursday morning, I'm about to go into your messy room and wake you up for school. And say....

"Hey there. Happy birthday, young man."

Congratulations, son. You did it! There were plenty of people these past 18 years who didn't know how you would turn out, even I admit nights of worry. I know two people, though, who never gave it a second thought.

Your mom, who sleeps peacefully beside me at the moment, and your Nana, who would be SO proud of you today. Just like she was when she saw you, for the first time, 18 years ago this evening.

I look forward to seeing your next 18 years, and couldn't be happier or more proud than to be your Dad.

:)

Katie Couric Argues for Commenter Civility

Katie Couric Argues for Commenter Civility


Wholeheartedly agree! Click on the link above for some good comments on "comments" from Katie Couric.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Richmond Radio Format Change: Goodbye Mix

103.7 is a blowtorch signal in this market and has been underperforming for years, in my opinion.

Other than Jack & Jen (until their departure last fall, first Jack to Baltimore, then Jen to other opportunities), Mix 103.7 essentially was a jukebox that ate up alot of electricity. Other than promoting their "commercial-free drive at 5", they did nothing. There was NO personality 148 hours out of every week.

Enter "The River".

Triple A comes to Richmond. Click HERE for details from my buddy Robert over at VARTV.com.

Melissa Chase, coming off her non-compete with Clear Channel, should be coming on-air soon. Now the question is, will they have a personality? Will they really "do" radio the way it should be?

Monday, April 19, 2010

"24"---LIVE Blogging.......

Well, the final hours are here. Renee is gone. Let's see how Jack reacts and what former President Logan has up his sleeve......

It's 9am.......


As Jack leaves the operating room, he's about as "Jack-less" as I've ever seen. Absolutely stunned. When will he snap?

The body is wheeled out. The grieving continues.

Ah, the phone rings. Here comes Jack. :)


9:05am----Jack is back. Chloe gives Jack the info he needs.

9:06am----Ethan is Superman!

9:07am----Logan finds the Russian at breakfast. It's not at McDonalds. Some Russians do well financially.......

9:09am----Blackmail over espresso.......

9:11am----At the court, Sergei sees Jack......and actually wants to talk to him. Jack turns the tables quickly, and offers greetings for the family.

"Wait, wait!"

9:13am----Jack's word goes a long way.
9:14am----Time to visit Dana.

9:18am----The Russians are coming!! Logan is stoked, but Ethan is curious. There's definitely an ulterior motive with Logan. Is he working WITH the Russian Government??

9:20am----I hope Chloe got a temporary pay raise!!

9:22am----Yeah, here we go. What will Logan do? Poor guy. Thinks he can get even with Jack....another deft move by the producers to use his character in all this. Logan is one of the best characters, by far, in "24" history.

9:24am----"You think I'm gonna kill her?", Jack to Chloe when looking at Dana. Gotta keep the cameras on. TMZ might want footage.

COMMERCIAL BREAK THOUGHT: I've only seen two radio stations advertise so far on TV during the Spring Arbitron book......96.5 KLR and Q94.

9:31am----President Taylor is back, now with the widow turned leader.
9:31am----Fox News plug. :)

9:32am----The two Presidents collide. Taylor learns of Walker's demise. Logan wants Bauer stopped. Finally, some pushback from Taylor.

9:35am----Classic, classic Logan trying to win the argument with Taylor over Ethan. Oh, and now we don't tell Dalia Hassan she's signing a deal with the guys who killed her husband. Appealing to her "legacy". Classic Taylor wouldn't accept this.

Well?

9:36am----Jack calls. She doesn't take the call?!?!?
9:37am----Oh, she's going instead. Hmmmm.......

COMMERCIAL BREAK THOUGHT: Too bad Season VI was so subpar and ruined the momentum for "24". Seasons seven and eight have been excellent, but will never get the mass appeal amount of eyeballs they deserve like Season V did.

9:41am----President's calling......for Chloe. And wants to see Jack. Chloe didn't say "goodbye" beofre hanging up? :)

9:43am----CTU must be REALLY close to the UN.

9:44am----Jack and Madame President.

"I want justice".---Jack
"I want peace."---President Taylor

9:47am----"You're locking me down?" Wow. Guess there's a breakout renegade Jack finale coming.......

9:50am----Did Jack and Chloe make eye contact for the last time???

9:53am----The President tells Chloe about Dana and Jack. President Taylor has gone completely "peace" blind. Logan's magic works again.......hmmm......

9:56am----Chloe and Jack will tag team something. Don't worry.

9:58am----The copter lands to carry Jack away.......
9:59am----No, Jack will take the copter away.......even Chloe can't stop him.

NEXT HOUR???

Well, when Jack finds out Logan is hangin' with Taylor.......that'll explain lots. Jack goes rogue. Next time. :) :)

Friday, April 16, 2010

"These are my people. Americans."

Who's projecting race into the Tea Party movement? Dare I say the white NBC Nightly News reporter seems to be obsessed with thinking it's 1954 all over again.

What rubbish.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Tea Party Saboteurs----The Alinsky Way

Courtesy of Michelle Malkin, a reminder of what some leftists are willing to do tomorrow to try to paint real, honest Americans upset with big government as racist pigs.

Talk about projection.......

I saw Johnny Carson live on this day!

Cool web site with the history of the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson episodes. I looked up June 16, 1983, and there were the details of the show I attended while on vacation in Los Angeles that summer.

An hour I'll never forget. Click on the the title above for the details. :)

"24" Fan Alert!!! Preview pics of Jack's last hours....until he hits theatres. :)

Click on the title for a good article from The Daily Mail in the UK on Kiefer's thoughts on the show's conclusion, currently being filmed, plus plans for the theatrical release we "24" fans have been hoping for.

Obama loves the press?

Think again.

Dana Milbank at the Washington Post with some thought-provoking commentary on this nuclear meeting farce that's been going on in DC, with Obama "in control".

Honest. Just ask the press. Who saw almost none of it.

Click HERE.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Meanwhile, at the Ukrops........

.....so I end up at Ukrops on Staples Mill tonight, again on the family run. Specifically told to go to Ukrops and not Martins.

It felt like I was at a viewing at a funeral home. I expected the employees to be on morphine drips.

Sad. Stripped walls. Signs gone. Lots of half-empty shelves, some completely bare. And this store doesn't close until May 1 for its "transformation".

Those of you who think, "get over it, it's JUST a grocery store!", I don't know what to tell you. Maybe you haven't lived in Richmond 42 years like me, I dunno.

But after spending some time in a Martins last night and a Ukrops tonight, all I can say is something "definitive to Richmond" is dying. And it will be a sad day come May 8 when the final doors close.

Don't get me wrong; Ukrops is NOTHING like it used to be, in its high point of 20 years ago, but I've seen the future, and so far, I'm not impressed.

Martin's: Some Quick First Thoughts......

Well, now that the "Ukrops" era is truly wrapping up here in Richmond, I found myself on my way home Monday night given the task of buying the wifey Diet Snapple.

And the Ukrops that was conveniently located between point A and point B was closed last week, being transformed into a "Martin's". A store that had "never" been in the Richmond area before.

A few thoughts.....

1) I've seen this store before. It's called Giant. Really, there's no difference between the two that I could find, aesthetically, other than the name.

2) The carts are outside. That made room for......



3) For those of you who were righteously indignant (how ironic) that the Ukrop family would not sell beer or open on Sunday, Martin's made sure you knew the SECOND you walked in that you are now in Coors Country.

4) There are THREE MILLION price tags on the aisles. Very bold print on the prices, trying to figure out what the actual price is is an adventure. Gotta get used to them. Ukrops' tags were at least cleaner, easier to read, and color-coded (look for the yellow, avoid the red, they are tricks!)

5) NO Ukrops "feel" whatsoever, NOT that I expected any! That comment is just for those of you who were hoping the White House Rolls and Lemon Chess Pie might keep a bit of the magic alive. The term "Ukrops" now looks like, oh, "Breyers" or "Arm & Hammer"......

----------------------------------

The checkout was an adventure, as I realized before even arriving that I did not have whatever type of "customer card" Martin's provided. BUT, I had read on Facebook from a friend that shopped at the Short Pump store earlier in the day that they were providing them at checkout.

Not at Virginia Center.

The young man who checked me out was very nice and our conversation was very pleasant, as I asked how he/they were surviving the "first day". New computers, HUGE font on the checkout screens (they SCREAM at you), but no cards. He waited awhile for a manager to come use one of theirs. They were running around doing a million other things.

I asked how to get a permanent one during our wait. He replied that there were two tables set up at each entrance, but they had RUN OUT of cards. Oops.

In the end, he used the card of the lady behind me, waiting patiently, in line, who either figured out how to get a Martin's Card before today or drove all the way from Waynesboro. (insert rimshot here)

He did explain how to go online to get your card (print out a temp while the real one is mailed to you), which was cool.

And, the last impression, during my conversation with the Ukr...err...Martin's bagger who accompanied me to the Hyundai? Right after I asked how having the carts outside was affecting things, asking, "Have you seen any in the parking lot?"....I turn to my right, and there was one staring me in the face. Welcome to Food Lion. :)

I'm certainly willing to give them a chance (my Spaghettios and Meatballs were 40 cents cheaper!!), but my first grade is C+.

PROS: Familiar faces, bright stores, no huge layout differences.
CONS: Customer cards should have been mailed out two weeks ago to all Ukrops Cardholders, there are TOO MANY price tags staring at me, and the Richmond feel is gone. I felt like I was in Stafford or something.

My two cents. :)

Sunday, January 03, 2010

And On This Day----January 3

--The Giants quit.
--The Steelers wondered how they lost to the Chiefs, Raiders, and Browns.
--JaMarcus Russell played his last game as a Raider (I hope!)

More importantly, I had lunch and a great time with one of my bestest friends, which doesn't happen enough.

Now, I hit the hay to start a new chapter in the AM. And it'll be cold outside. Good. I'll need the invigoration. :)

And on this day.......

The medicine used to help me sleep early also helped me sleep too late into the day itself. :(

Therefore I didn't do as much as I wanted to, but did get some important groundwork done on some things this afternoon, then proceeded to Ukrops, followed by a game of Life and Scrabble with the kids while Mom served that expensive coffee.

Friday, January 01, 2010

What's YOUR New Year's Resolution?

Leave a comment on the post and tell us what you hope to accomplish in 2010!

And On This Day.........

We rang in 2010 in the midst of a Scrabble Doubleheader at my brother's house in New Bern, North Carolina. Out of four players, I finished last in the game played mostly in 2009. I won the game played mostly in 2010. Good sign.

My brother had his scanner on through the evening and we listened to the rowdies of New Bern, et al, cause their New Year's Eve heartaches. Who needs cable when you have a scanner?

The usual overnight insomnia commenced and I finally fell asleep around 5:20. Got up at noon, packed, ate, and we left for Virginia at 1:15. 3 1/2 hours later (record time for my driving) we were home.

Mom went to work at Starbucks, Dad ran up to Ashland to do a radio station log for tomorrow, then came home to play a monster game of Scrabble against Robbie and Rachel.

I won that one, too.

A good Day One of 2010. So glad to have the "00's" behind me. :)