2007: We Said Goodbye......

First and foremost, these heroes.....

--Melissa Greer
--Darrent Williams (Denver Bronco shot to death at 24)
--Bobby Hamilton
--Yvonne DeCarlo (Lily Munster)
--Jennifer Strange
--Benny Parsons
--Bam Bam Bigelow
--E. Howard Hunt
--Tige Andrews (The Mod Squad)
--Terry McMillan
--Barbara McNair
--Steve Barber
--Lew Burdette
--Hank Bauer
--Robert Adler
--Mike Awesome
--Dennis Johnson (DJ)
--Thomas Eagleton
--Ernest Gallo
--Bad News Brown (Allen Coage)
--John Vukovich
--Brad Delp
--"Big Cat" Ernie Ladd
--Bowie Kuhn
--Calvert DeForest (Larry "Bud" Melman)
--Herb Carneal
--William Becker
--Eddie Robinson
--Darryl Stingley
--Johnny Hart
--Don Ho
--Kitty Carlisle Hart
--Boris Yeltsin
--Warren Avis (he tried harder to the end!)
--Jack Valenti
--Tommy Newsom (what a wardrobe, Johnny!)
--Tom Poston
--Wally Schirra (THE space expert on TV during Apollo when I was young)
--Yahweh ben Yahweh (source of my head shaking in disbelief on local access cable)
--Jerry Falwell
--Charles Nelson Reilly
--Bill France, Jr.
--Ruth Graham
--Sensational Sherri Martel
--Nancy Benoit
--Daniel Benoit
--Chris Benoit
--Claudia Cohen
--Rod Beck
--Bobby Hussey (former Hokie basketball coach)
--Liz Claiborne
--Joel Siegel
--Beverly Sills
--Lady Bird Johnson
--Tammy Faye Messner
--Mike Coolbaugh
--Skip Prosser
--Tom Snyder
--Bill Robinson
--Bill Walsh
--Ingmar Bergman
--Oliver Hill
--Merv Griffin
--Brian "Crush" Adams
--Phil Rizzuto
--Wild Bill Hagy (O-R-I-O-L-E-S...Orioles!!!!)
--D. James Kennedy
--Luciano Pavarotti
--Jane Wyman
--Brett Somers (blank!)
--Alice Ghostley
--Rex Humbard
--Al Oerter
--Jo Ann Davis
--Deborah Kerr (kissing on the beach...)
--Joey Bishop
--Max McGee
--Jim Cummins
--Porter Wagoner
--Robert Goulet
--Paul Tibbets (Enola Gay; he did the right thing, plus it was his orders!)
--Dick Wilson (Mr. Whipple)
--Sean Taylor ("21"---hail to the Redskins)
--Henry Hyde
--Evel Knievel (yes, I had his toy figure and motorcycle)
--Dan Fogelberg
--Don Chevrier
--Jim Beauchamp
--Benazir Bhutto

and finally.....We Are Virginia Tech.

Various thoughts....NFL Draft....United 93....RIP Tommy Newsom....

Haven't willingly not blogged (though a night or two I was just too tired to do much of anything), but we're back during another edition of "24".

I watched more of the NFL Draft this year than I have in many years. I am VERY happy with the JaMarcus Russell pick by my Raiders. I am EVEN HAPPIER that Randy Moss is gone! Considering his lack of production, we should consider ourselves grateful that we at least got a 4th round pick out of it! Now I will say this; hearing that Josh McCown is the "veteran" who will start in September doesn't give me much solace. I see Russell in by week seven.

Lots of talk (I suspect; I've not trolled the 'Net today about it), I suppose, about the Cleveland coup, saving Brady Quinn from continued frustration (great move by the Commissioner to move him out of the Green Room). A quarterback and a really, really big fisherman to protect him. I'm sorry, but I already LOVE Joe Thomas. Green room at Radio City Music Hall? Sorry, I'm gone fishin'!!!!

Giants did pretty well, too. I'm especially excited about grabbing Steve Smith of USC in round two. With Toomer coming off injury and Plaxico, well, Plaxico, it's good to have a young talent to groom. I just hope Eli can get the ball to him!!

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I've gotten 2/3'rds through "United 93". When the family returned from WalMart Saturday evening I had to cut it off. It is definitely a "don't have the kids watch" movie. I overheard a co-worker today say he was impressed by the idea of the movie being viewed through the eyes of air traffic control and NORAD. I must agree.

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Tonight Show fans: (I mean REAL Tonight Show fans...that means Johnny Carson, NOT Jay Leno....)

We mourn tonight, upon hearing the news of the loss of Tommy Newsom, the foil of many Carson antics, and a tremendous musician who rose to assistant director, which, when Doc was away, guaranteed Johnny even more joke material.

He passed away at age 78, in Portsmouth, Virginia (I didn't realize he settled around here...) and another piece of late night royalty has gone home.

I wonder which suit he's buried in?? That comment would make Newsom smile, BTW. :)

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In closing...."24" is very, very good tonight--as the "international crisis" does continue with a new twist, and now, the exposing of Lisa, Jack's ultimate protection of Audrey, and, oh, by the way. Where did Chloe go? Soon I'm sure we will know.

And, YIKES, what a finish....Heller tells Jack to stay away from his daughter, then burns a hole into his psyche as he sits in holding. "You're cursed, Jack. Everything you touch ends up dead."

Great set-up episode as we close in on (ALREADY!!) the season finale, and the annual "24" season finale party on May 21!! Whoo hoo!!