A Large Regular

Tom O'Brien - Next Coach for Ohio State?

With the "resignation" of coach Jim Tressel - Ohio State is in turmoil. You can forget the talk about Urban Myer. There's no way he's going to a program that is bound to be hit with worse sanctions that what USC was just hit with. Luke Fickell? That makes a certain amount of sense but he has two major negatives against him - he has never been a 1-A head coach and he was part of the institution that exhibited such a lack of control in the first place.

I think in order for Ohio State to right this ship they will have to go outside the program and what better man for this job than Tom O'Brien?

O'Brien has been in this situation before. He took over at BC after a gambling scandal that rocked the program. O'Brien not only restored the pride in the program - he also turned it into a perennial Top 25 team that was bowl bound every season. In addition to making BC a program that routinely sent 1st round picks to the NFL - he also made sure BC was a program that graduated its players. He then took over a moribund NC State program and last year led them to a 9-4 record and a victory in a bowl game plus a final ranking in the Coaches and AP Top 25.

Keep in mind that O'Brien is a former Marine who is drill instructor tough. There may be no man in college football who can match him for integrity, toughness and success. With Ohio State under NCAA sanctions they will have to get used to the second tier of recruits - the kind of recruits O'Brien has shown he can win with at BC and NC State. On top of everything else - Tom O'Brien is from Ohio. He was born in Cincinnati.

I haven't heard or seen anyone mentioning Tom O'Brien to Ohio State - so I wanted to note it here so that you will remember where you read this sort of outside the box thinking first.

As an aside - someone hacked Tom O'Brien's Wikipedia page and added this little nugget:

According to many legitimate sources it was actually him O'Brien who saved the world from apocalypse and not Jesus, many people have also said that he once culled over 4,000 Iranian children.

Memorial Day Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations on Memorial Day.

Happy Memorial Day to everyone out there. In order to help keep the day in it's proper perspective - here are 10 Things to Remember About Memorial Day... I am shocked — shocked! — to find corruption going on in FIFA! Not a big soccer fan myself but I do remember my reaction to the news that Qatar was being awarded the World Cup. So how does a tiny country in an inhospitable part of the world with a repressive Islamic government get a World Cup? Anyone with half a brain knew that big bribes were involved... Heh heh - this always cracks me up. The Count's Song... Who knew? In the Mad Max movies - Mel Gibson's character's last name is Rockatansky. From now on Max Rockatansky is my new fake name. If you hear Max Rockatanski being paged over a PA somewhere - chances are that's just me screwing around... Why can't this happen to me?... How come you don't see Code Pink organizing human shields to prevent additional US bombing in Libya?... Only 3 players ahead of Derek Jeter for all-time runs scored are not in Hall of Fame - Barry Bonds, Pete Rose and Craig Biggio. Likewise, only 3 people ahead of Jeter for all-time hits - Pete Rose, Rafael Palmeiro and Craig Biggio - are not in Hall of Fame. Is there any question in anyone's mind that Jeter is not a Hall of Fame player?... An interesting look back on the he first Indy 500.

Game of Thrones


I have become a big fan of the HBO series Game of Thrones. After watching the second episode I decided I was interested enough to read the books. I got the first book for my Kindle and I was hooked.

I plowed through all four books in the series and even went to Barnes and Noble to see if they had the fifth book A Dance with Dragons but was told that the book won't be released until July 12th.

Maybe the best way to describe the book series is to imagine The Lord of the Rings if it was written by Ann Rice. That analogy is meant to include the best parts like the imagination of JRR Tolkien and the bad parts - like Ann Rice never actually finishing a book but setting up the next book in the series instead. If you like the HBO series - then you may want to give the books a shot. Just be warned that George R.R. Martin is big on plot twists and turns. Don't become emotionally invested in any one character because in Martin's storytelling no character is safe.

I'll be waiting for July 12th and the fifth book but until then I'm going to read the first four one more time.

Boston Bruins



Nut Rocker is the unofficial theme song to the Boston Bruins for as long as I can remember. I actually made sure the band could play this at my wedding.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Really happy about Bruins going to the Stanley Cup but I am a little bit worried that the rest of the sports world will start to hate Boston for our embarrassment of riches this past decade.... The Red Sox brought up outfielder Josh Reddick which makes me wonder if Reddick on display for trade potential? Maybe Mike Cameron is on the block? It would not be unlike the Red Sox to trade a veteran to a place where he could get more playing time... Hah hah - this has to be a metaphor of sorts regarding the state of Unions in the USA. The manufacturer of the union's "Scabby the Rat" balloon is non-union... Omar Vizquel is just 181 hits from 3,000 for his career. I really hope he gets there. Guy is a Hall of Famer... Josh Reddick is wearing number 16 for the Red Sox. That brings to mind another outfielder for the Sox who wore 16 - Rick Miller. It reminds me that Angels owner Gene Autry once told his GM to get him "that outfielder from the Red Sox." The GM thought he meant Rick Miller who was a free agent but Autry actually meant Dwight Evans... Take a few minutes to listen to a really thought provoking talk... Is this the definition of awful? Adam Dunn is ZERO for 33 vs LHP this season with 15 strikeouts... Just a reminder - Bob Dylan's 1st album sold just 5,000 copies. So not only is he a paragon of success - so he's also an inspiration for struggling artists... Deal of the century? According to this article - David Einhorn will get 33% of the Mets for $200 million but he also gets the option to up his stake to 60% for majority ownership of the team. To buy-out that option the Mets would have to give Einhorn back his $200 million but let him keep his 33% ownership stake. Wow - just wow!... Some of these are more than genius. I would seriously think about buying that convertible couch... What would I do for a Klondike Bar? I guess go to a store and pay a buck and a half. That's what I'd do for a Klondike Bar.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- I found this ad both hilarious and surprising.

- Halle Berry - I'd eat that like a cheese cracker

- New "Between Two Ferns" with Zach Galifianakis & Will Ferrell.

- Vegas plans 500-foot, $100M Ferris wheel, bigger than London's Eye

- Dr. Tits - was EE a bra size or his major in college?

- Somebody told Christina Hendricks that she needed a body double and she misunderstood what was said

- They face-raped him!

The Trades You Don't Make

"Johan Santana to the Red Sox is all but done. Jon Lester, a center fielder, Justin Masterson and Ryan Kalish are the package." Will Carroll 12/5/07

Chances are Will Carroll was just full of crap and the above deal was some GM just feeding him a jape. Carroll blocked me on Twitter cause I called him on his crap once. But the journalistic ethics of Will Carroll are not why I dredged up this old chestnut. The reason I brought this up is to praise Theo Epstein and the Boston Red Sox.

Can you imagine how the Twins would be doing if the above trade was actually made? Jon Lester is 6-1 with a 3.68 ERA while Justin Masterson is 5-2 with a 2.50 ERA. Those 11 combined wins are almost as many as the Twins have managed all season (15). The centerfielder mentioned would have been either Coco Crisp or Jacoby Ellsbury.

In actuality Johan Santana was traded by the Twins to the Mets for Deolis Guerra, Carlos Gomez, Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey. Quite a big difference isn't it?

Three years later the only GM in this deal who looks good is Theo Epstein. For the deal he never made - or possible never even discussed.

Red Sox vs Cleveland

Top 5 - Joe Jackson Songs

For no real good reason at all I was thinking how under-rated Joe Jackson is as a musician. Here are my favorite Joe Jackson songs.

1. Is She Really Going Out With Him?
2. Steppin' Out
3. Look Sharp!
4. Fools In Love
5. (tie) Breaking Us In Two (tie) I'm the Man (tie) Sunday Papers

Post Rapture Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations from a guy who didn't get raptured.

Whenever I read about Lance Armstrong and accusations of doping, I can't help but think about the Tom Nuttall quote from Deadwood "Corruption won't never breathe stinky on my bi-cycle!"... The things you learn from the Internet (via Mental Floss): "Reed Hastings was inspired to start Netflix after racking up a $40 late fee on a VHS copy of Apollo 13"... Hollywood is so out of new ideas that I wouldn't be surprised if someone somewhere is pitching Casablanca II: A Beautiful Friendship starring Aston Kusher and Charlie Sheen... Heh heh - JFKFC... David Ortiz's HR last night gave him for 300 as a member of the Red Sox. Only Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice and Dwight Evans have more... Erik Seidel just won another poker tournament. You have to say that he's the best poker player on the planet right now. Better than Phil Ivey... 105 years ago today the Wright brothers were granted U.S. patent number 821,393 for their "Flying-Machine." 105 years later and we still don't have flying cars. We were promised flying cars... Haunting pictures of the abandoned Six Flags New Orleans

Flotsam and Jetsam Rapture Edition

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations on the day of the Rapture.

I would celebrate the Rapture every May 21st if it came with an airing of grievances and cake... The core of the Rangers team can really be traced to trade of Mark Teixeira to the Braves which netted Texas Elvis Andrus, Neftali Feliz, and Matt Harrison plus Jarrod Saltalamacchia which I still don't understand why they let him go. Can you imagine how much of a powerhouse Atlanta would be if they still had those players?... I feel bad for any police offices working missing persons bureaus tomorrow. You know the urge to write "raptured" on any new reports will be strong... Before going to Washington, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should have went to Mexico City first and demanded that America return to its pre-1846 borders. It would have been funny to see how President Obama would react (though Obama hasn't shown a real grasp of history so it is doubtful he'd even understand the significance of 1846)... Thanks to Peter Gammons for pointing out the silver lining to today's Rapture, "if the world ends today, the Red Sox are the wild card"... If you were a Priest or Minister and the Rapture turned out to be real and you were left behind - wouldn't you have a lot of explaining to do?

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Do you get the feeling that the Yankees management just wants to be rid of Jorge Posada? Here's a thought if that's true - if Jorge Posada continues to struggle then Yankees management should raffle off chances for a lucky fan to pinch hit for Posada in games that are out of reach one way or another (up or down by 4 runs after the 7th inning). The Yankees could charge $5 per ticket in the raffle and use that money to help pay Posada's $13 million salary... Yesterday I mentioned Donald Rumsfeld saying leaks about Osama bin Laden raid will make future raids more dangerous for soldiers and as if to illustrate that very point - Leon Panetta sends out memo warning CIA staff against leaks and of course the memo leaks... Trivia - the silent one in Penn and Teller duo changed his name from Raymond Joseph Teller to just Teller - he's the Madonna of magic... This is the greatest police report of all time (HT Baseball Crank)... Justin Verlander has made 10 starts this season - each of which was a quality start. Yet his record in those games is just 4-3 and the Tigers' record in those games is just 4-6... I laughed at this - you may find it tasteless: Can pregnant women go swimming?

Rapture



With all the talk on the Internet about the Rapture - I can't get the above song out of my head.

BTW - I'm a little confused isn't the 21st the end of the world based on the Mayan calendar? What does that have to do with the idea of a Christian second coming?

Kobe Bryant - Player Coach?

When Red Auerbach retired from coaching the Boston Celtics he named Bill Russell as his replacement. Red's thinking was that the only person capable of coaching Russell and getting the best out of Russell was Russell himself. Bill Russell took over the Celtics and led them to a 162-83 record and two NBA Championships in his 3 seasons as player coach.

Could the Lakers be in a similar situation as the 1966 Boston Celtics?

What coach can come in and command the necessary respect from Kobe Bryant? Brian Shaw? Come on - how is Brian Shaw going to be able to yell at Kobe at practice or tell him that things will be done the way Shaw wants them done and not the way Kobe wants them done. Rick Adelman? Same problems.

Only Kobe can motivate Kobe at this point. Plus naming him player-coach would light a fire (as if extra motivation is needed in a guy like Kobe) to prove he was the reason for the Lakers success and not Phil Jackson.

Kobe could surround himself with solid bench coaches who could handle much of the practice and in game substitutions. Kobe would be responsible for getting the most out of Kobe and kicking his teammates in the butt if needed.

I really think this would be the best solution for the Lakers coaching search. Making Kobe the coach makes him completely responsible for the success of the team. His will to win won't let him fail.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

If Jake Peavy was a free agent in any fantasy baseball leagues last night - I'm guessing that he's not this morning after pitching a complete game shutout... Teddy Bruschi conquers Kilimanjaro... I tend to think of Jeff Samardzija as kind of a flop for the Cubs but he has decent ERA (2.96) and is striking out more than a batter per inning pitched (27 K's in less than 25 IP)... Sherlock Holmes as a series of graphic novels... Has there been a bigger turnaround this year than the Pirates Charlie Morton? Last year he was 2-12 with a 7.57 ERA but this season he's 5-1 with a 2.62 ERA... This was the coolest moment from the NBA Draft Lottery... This is funny if true. Supposedly the Tropicana Field PA system played John Fogerty's Centerfield for Jorge Posada's at bats. You know "put me in coach/I'm ready to play"... Jesus Mary and Jerome would be a great name for a band... The Phillies' Cole Hamels has an impressive 2.14 ERA in the 8 starts since his first disastrous start vs the Mets... Very funny but I'm guessing they are not real - Best Damn You Auto Corrects of April... Todd Helton is quietly having very good season - hitting .323 with 6 HR and 20 RBI. Amazing that his .323 is actually below his career .324 mark... Tweet of the Day from @RumsfeldOffice:

Secrecy before the OBL operation was key to its success. The leaks since ensure the next one will be more dangerous for our troops.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Today the Red Sox released 2006 1st round pick Kris Johnson who was taken with the 40th pick. The Yankees took Joba Chamberlain with the 41st pick immediately after the Red Sox took Johnson. I always wondered how Joba would have done with the Sox. Would he be in the Danial Bard role (who was also taken in the 1st round in that 2006 draft)? Would Joba and Kevin Youkilis be friends?... The things you learn via the Internet (via Mental Floss): The 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris featured a live pigeon-shooting event. It never appeared in the Games again... Did not know this: Carl Yastrzemski won Triple Crown in 1967 but he and Harmon Killebrew actually were tied for the league lead in HR that season with 44... Just for the record - I DID NOT SLEEP WITH @paugasol woman!!! either!!!... The guy in that Stamps.com commercial who says "There's nothing worse than waiting in line at the Post Office" should be made to eat a dead rat. Or maybe visit the Holocaust museum. There's millions of things worse than waiting in line for a few minutes... You have to think that the Yankees handling of Jorge Posada has to kill any chance of Andy Pettitte returning to the team. Enjoy your retirement Andy.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- I agree with Old Hoss Radbourn - This should be Jorge Posada's at-bat music for the rest of the season.

- In case you missed it - Adrian Gonzalez mimicked Ichiro's batting stance against CC Sabathia the other night and hit a HR. Here's a GIF of them side by side - incredible!! The A-Gon legend grows and grows.

- Heh heh: Thor finishes on top of Bridesmaids

- This is a photograph, not a painting - unbelievable! National Geographic's photo of the day

- Very nice tribute on Harmon Killebrew

- Schwarzenegger proves he's no Kennedy - Kennedy's don't publicly take responsibility for their love children

The Bronx Zoo is Back

Last night Jorge Posada became the human equivalent of the cobra fleeing the Bronx Zoo. Like the missing cobra, this story has generated lots of media attention. The facts seem to be the following:

- Joe Girardi penciled Posada in the line-up in the 9th spot
- Posada asked to have the day off an hour before the game
- No injury was discussed with either Girardi or Cashman before the game

Now people are discussing voiding Posada's contract over this. People have pointed out Shawn Chacon getting his contract voided after assaulting Astros GM Ed Wade. I haven't heard anyone mention Denny Neagle but he also had his contract voided after soliciting oral sex from a prostitute (perhaps the worlds most costly BJ as Neagle still had $19 million left on his contract). As chest puffing talk about voiding contracts may be - Posada didn't physically assault his GM nor did his actions violate any moral turpitude clauses. He asked for a night off.

I also question the wisdom of the move in pure baseball terms. Last night the Yankees were facing a top right handed pitcher in Josh Beckett. Consider these 2010 numbers vs RHP. Jorge Posada has a 2010 OPS of .742 vs RHP. Nick Swisher has a .589 2010 OPS vs RHP. Derek Jeter has a .578 2010 OPS vs RHP. Posada has double the HR vs RHP in 2010 than Swisher and Jeter combined. Yet it was Posada who was being dropped to the 9th spot in the order.

This wasn't a baseball related move. This wasn't even a personnel move. This was a personal move. Girardi wanted to send a message to Posada (and maybe get a dig in for old grudges against the player who took his roster spot). Posada let his pride get in the way of business. Cashman wants to show the world he's a daredevil now.

I am less than impressed with Girardi as a manager. Tito Francona was able to move a $142 million player to the 8th spot in the order this season with little fanfare. Girardi can't even handle moving a player hitting .165 for the season to the 9th spot in the order without tripping all over himself. As a Red Sox fan - I hope that Girardi is the Yankees manager for many years to come.

Jorge Posada has a $13 million contract this year. He has to know that this is his last season and he also has to know that he has ZERO trade value. The Yankees want him to walk away so they don't have to pay his $13 million. That's why the talk about contract voiding came up so soon. They are daring Posada to quit and solve the problem for them.

Cashman seems to be marking his territory. Rafael Soriano wasn't his decision and Cashman has made that clear. Cashman is not to blame for that. Maybe bringing Jorge back wasn't either. You have to wonder if Cashman is laying the groundwork to avoid him being the scapegoat for when this team implodes?

The Bronx Zoo is back and if Posada is the equivalent of the run away cobra then what does that make Giradi and Cashman? I'd say Girardi would be a near-sighted rhinoceros with Cashman being a weasel.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Lost in all the drama of last night's game - the Jorge Posada saga, the resurgence of Josh Beckett, the Sarah Silverman fiasco - was something truly amazing. Adrian Gonzalez did an impromptu Ichiro impersonation at the plate and hit a home run. Freaking incredible... So thanks to Sarah Silverman I guess one thing we learned last night is that you can't say the word "Mass-hole" live on Fox... Some things you learn are amusing some are not. Last night I had never heard of Derek Boogaard but Big Stupid Tommy recommended this profile of Boogaard in Men's Journal. I read the profile and came away thinking Boogaard was a pretty cool dude. Only later did I realize that people were posting things about Boogaard because he had died Friday. That put the whole Posada drama into another perspective... On a happier note - you should keep track of Teddy Bruschi's climb of Mount Kilimanjaro with some inspiring wounded warriors. Here's the first installment... With the news of Osama bin Laden's porn stash - how soon before someone asks President Obama if he has a porn stash? First off - how funny is it that the phrase "porn stash" is now appearing is so many "legitimate" news outlets? Secondly - Bill Clinton was the first President to be asked "Boxers or briefs" but will Barack Obama be the first President to be asked if he masturbates?... The Posada being asked to bat 9th made me think of this story of Kurt Vonnegut being asked to write a frivolous horse racing story... You know that the first Two and a Half Men show with Ashton Kutcher is going to have monster ratings. The ratings for the next couple will probably be strong as well but that's it. The producers are really squeezing the last drop out of that franchise... The one for The 6th Sense was my favorite - He's a Ghost. The 50 Funniest Movie Title Translations... What will be harder to explain to our grandkids - corduroy bell-bottom pants or why people did the Tomahawk Chop? Any time someone mentions the Tomahawk Chop - I always remember Norman Chad writing about it and asking people to do the Chop in front of a mirror without coming away feeling stupid. You would have a better chance wearing corduroy bellbottoms in front of a mirror and thinking you look cool than doing the Chop and thinking the same... How Australia does memes: The Plank.

I Love This Commercial



I also love that the only "product" is the Red Sox hat John Krasinski is wearing.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

The Washington Nationals are now a .500 team while the Red Sox are not. Down is up and up is down. The world ceases to make sense... I'm a fan of Penn & Teller. If they were to publish a manifesto and found a political party - I'd vote for that party... It is ironic that prior to the series - commentators were picking the Celtics over the Heat because the Boston Big 3 had proven they could "close" games while the Heat were choke artists. The Celtics could easily have won games 4 and 5 if they could just close out when they were ahead. The injury to Rondo hurt a lot. This time of year is all about being healthy (and getting Stern to have refs call the game your way)... Is Linda Cohn still dating Mr. Met?... Mysterious Blackjack Savant Single-Handedly Busts Tropicana Casino... Many people still argue that John Travolta's best role was as the boy in the bubble... The things you learn on the Internet (via Mental Floss): "The milliHelen is the quantity of beauty required to launch just one ship"... Kentucky Derby jockey found dead at Churchill Downs. I can't read something like that without thinking it would be a great opening for a Dick Francis novel... I'm bugged by people who write about "rooting" for one side or the other in NFL lockout. A pox on both their houses if a deal isn't reached...

Linky Links

Stuff I thought was interesting and thought I'd share.

- Very cool stop motion photography

- Michael J Fox News (I felt like a bad person for laughing at that - the only redeeming thing is the information at the bottom of the screen.)

- Voted best illusion of the year

- Reasons Why the Crackdown on Internet Poker Is a Mistake

- Is HBO's Entourage wooing Charlie Sheen to join the cast for their final season? I admit - that could get me watching the show again.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

The Dallas Mavericks were simply the better team - why all the fawning over the Lakers? They lost - get over it. Nobody seems to be giving the Mavericks any credit this morning... In the Sketchers commercial with Wayne Gretzky, I may be wrong but it looks like he misses the open net with his shot. Why would you want guy who can't hit open net to make comeback?... Happy 51st birthday to the classy Tony Gwynn... Never thought of it this way before but Moses may have been the world's first great middleman (in the business sense)... Quote of the Day: "My wife was afraid of the dark - then she saw me naked and now she's afraid of the light." Rodney Dangerfield... For what it's worth - Iraq has a 0 migration rate which means people aren't fleeing or flocking to the country. This is normally an indication of stability. That's something Detroit or the State of Michigan can't claim... As great as Phil Jackson was - he wasn't in the same area code of greatness as Red Auerbach.

Does Peter Gammons Speak in Code?

This was one of Peter Gammons latest Tweets:

pgammo (Peter Gammons): Blue Sky:Let us not forget that in 1952 Virgil (Fire) Trucks three two no-hitters for the Tigers. Great nephews Derek and Butch haven't.

I have no clue what that is supposed to mean. Yes there was a Virgil Trucks who played for the Tigers but WTF? What's next - "Dwight Evans was a tremendous outfielder for the Red Sox and I like beets"?

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

If the Celtics make the NBA finals then trainer Eddie Lacerte should get a double playoff share. The performance of Rajon Rondo last night was legendary. I'm afraid that Dwayne Wade, who has really embraced the heel role, will go out of his way Monday to hit Rondo in the elbow... I keep waiting for the New York Times headline: "Osama bin Laden Killed - Women and Children Hardest Hit"... David Ortiz was signed to back-up Jeremy Giambi. Remember that next time someone tries to tell you Theo Epstein is a genius... Blast from the Past: "If $75 a barrel oil and a $3 average for a gallon of gasoline isn't a wake-up call, then what is?" Senator Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.), April 2006. And what has Senator Schumer done to help lower the price of gas since his whining about it 5-years ago? Yeah - pretty much nothing. And what is Schumer saying now that a Democrat is in the White House and gas is at $4 per gallon? Lousy hypocrite... The Yankees manager wants Jeter to pull out of his two hole but is too afraid to tell him. Man this sounds like a bad gay relationship... Blast from the Past II: Kevin Garnett, 18, poses with his prom date... Many people rushed to get Brennan Boesch in fantasy baseball but in the last 10 games (not including yesterday) his average has dropped 38 points and his OPS 112 points... Blast from the Past III: Joe Biden declares: 'We're going to be creating between 250,000 and 500,000 jobs a month', Shouldn't the media hold people like Biden and Schumer accountable for their words?...

Kentucky Derby



Congrats to Johnny Velázquez on winning the Kentucky Derby on Animal Kingdom. I can't help but note that I couldn't help thinking of the obvious racist overtones of My Old Kentucky Home which made me think of the above video.

Kentucky Derby

This is the first time in over a decade when I really have no interest in the Kentucky Derby. With Uncle Mo out, the field has been described in some circles to being akin to the 1982 Grammy nominees for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance which were Wendy O Williams (of the Plasmatics), Lita Ford and Pia Zadora. Hardly Hall of Famers. (OK maybe I'm the only "circle" making that comparison.)

I will still end up watching the race somewhere with a beer in hand and this does give me the opportunity to drag out one of my favorite bits of Presidential trivia. Did you know that Richard Nixon was the only sitting President to ever attend a running of the Kentucky Derby?

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Did Gus Johnson say something about Phil Simms' kid? That's the only thing that makes sense for CBS Sports not bringing him back... What bothered you more - learning there was no Easter Bunny or learning that Eric Estrada's first name is actually Henry?... I checked my American College Dictionary and "physicality" is not a word. I wish basketball announcers would stop using it... Heh heh - it's funny because I know a guy who did the same thing in college... Illinois University must be really proud of Rashard Mendenhall highlighting the education he received during his four years there... Beer is an excellent source of selenium (SE) and chromium (CR). The things you learn when you sit next to a chemist at a bar... Teddy Bruschi and Jeff Fisher to scale Mount Kilimanjaro - very Heminwayesque.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

The one thing that disappoints me about Osama bin Laden's death is I haven't seen a photoshop of him wearing a Yankees cap (yet!)... Abe Vigoda's friends got him a hooker. When Abe answered the door she said, "Let's go upstairs and have sex." Abe replied, "Darling I can do only one thing at a time"... There's a mini-controversy about Osama bin Laden not having a weapon when he was shot. This reminds me of some lines from the movie Unforgiven; Little Bill "You just shot an unarmed man!" Will Munny "Well, he should have armed himself if he's going to decorate his saloon with my friend"... Are there circumstances in which feeding kittens to boa constrictors might be morally acceptable?... With Osama bin Laden dead - is Lebron James now the most hated person in America?... William Shakespeare, the greatest writer of all-time, was married to a woman who could neither read nor write... Speaking of Osama - this is awesome... America’s kitties eat 12 million pounds of flesh every day - some day the little old ladies with the cats are going to run out of Meow Mix. This would be a great premise for a movie - Zombie Kittens... The more President Obama legitimizes the policies of President Bush - the more the door opens for Jeb Bush in 2012.

Great Investment

A Baptist paid $690,000 for a 1975 Ford Escort GL with no air, no hubs and in Original Papal Condition. I wonder how much that Escort is worth now that the Pope has been ungraded to Saint?

In the middle ages people prayed to relics of Saints. I find it amusing that technically the Escort could now be considered a relic and somewhere, somebody may be praying to it.

Heh Heh - Joke of the Day

Bill worked in a pickle factory. He had been employed there for a number of years when he came home one day to confess to his wife that he had a terrible compulsion. He had an urge to stick his penis into the pickle slicer. His wife suggested that he should see a sex therapist to talk about it, but Bill said he would be too embarrassed. He vowed to overcome the compulsion on his own.
One day a few weeks later, Bill came home and his wife could see at once that something was seriously wrong.
"What's wrong, Bill?" she asked.
"Do you remember that I told you how I had this tremendous urge to put my penis into the pickle slicer?"
"Oh, Bill, you didn't!" she exclaimed.
"Yes, I did." he replied.
"My God, Bill, what happened?"
"I got fired."
"No, Bill. I mean, what happened with the pickle slicer?"
"Oh...she got fired too."

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

You just know that Danny Woodhead's thoughts about Osama bin Laden are 180 degrees opposite to Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall's. Advantage Patriots... Buddy Bell's nephew was a Marine killed by roadside bomb. Some enterprising MLB writer should get his reaction to the news of Osama bin Laden's death... I've come to the conclusion that Chris Moneymaker was to poker what Chumbawumba was to pop music... WTF? "It's Osama bin Laden!" scream US journalists in Islamabad in 2002... Just an observation but is seems like if an opposing player hits a HR you are supposed to throw the ball back but if it is a ground rule double it's OK to keep the ball. That just seems strange... Back in Colonial days a slang expression for being drunk was "getting half-way to Concord." I like that and will add it to my list of expressions... 10 Obscure Disney Characters... I wish a drug company would hire Tim McCarver for a genital herpes commercial just so I could hear him say "I'm Tim McCarver and I have genital herpes"

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I give lots of credit for the death of Osama bin Laden to President Obama. Of course the Navy Seal team and the people running the operation and those who gathered the intelligence deserve as much credit as possible but those folks generally will not be publicly known. If the operation went wrong - like Jimmy Carter's failed hostage rescue operation - Obama would have been blamed for it. With that in mind you have to hand it to President Obama for a successful operation... I'm always amused by Penn Gillette (NSFW language)... Visible Radiation would be a good name for a band... Like many people - I am really bothered by Pakistan's role in harboring Osama bin Laden. I don't know what will happen next but I'm really bothered by it... Q: What do you call a boomerang that doesn't come back? A: A stick... Hardhat Jesus would be a good name for a band... Heh heh - Donald Trump Responds To Bin Laden News... Hey Phillies fans - just a reminder, "Whomever designed that park in Philadelphia was an idiot." Peter Gammons from June of 2005... Another person who deserves some credit for the death of Osama bin Laden but who will not get much if any is Donald Rumsfeld. Here is Rumsfeld's statement on the death of Osama bin Laden. Rumsfeld is largely responsible for redesigning the Pentagon to allow for lightning fast strikes by mobile forces... Hypnotized Fish would be a good name for a band... Heh heh - the Taiwanese animation of Osama bin Laden's death... The things you learn on the Internet (via Mental Floss): In 1946, Boston owner Walter Brown chose the nickname Celtics over Whirlwinds, Olympians and Unicorns... Who knew? Peter Gammons is the great, great, great, great grandson of Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen

Sold Me Down the River



Sold Me Down the River is a song by the 80's band The Alarm. The music video makes no sense whatsoever (which was a pretty common thing for 80's music videos).

Before we had the phrase "thrown under the bus" - many people used to say "sold him down the river." What most people fail to realize is that the phrase "sold him down the river" has its roots (no pun intended) in slavery. Oftentimes a slave owner would break up a black family by selling a member "down the river" to a larger plantation. In its original form the phrase meant the awful betrayal of an innocent. I see that video by The Alarm and I think of this and the video just becomes all that much confusing for me. Sometimes I way over think things.

Heh Heh - Joke of the Day

A very classy lady walked into a Lexus dealership to browse, and spotted the most beautiful, perfectly loaded Lexus she had ever seen. She walked over to inspect it closer. As she bent forward to feel the fine leather upholstery, an unexpected little burst of flatulence escaped her. Very embarrassed, she anxiously looked around to see if anyone had noticed. Sure enough, there standing right behind her was a salesman. With a pleasant smile he greeted her, "Good day, Madam. How may we help you today?" Trying to maintain an air of sophistication and acting as though nothing had happened, she smiled back and asked, "Sir, what is the price of this lovely vehicle?" Still smiling pleasantly, he replied,

"Madam , I'm very sorry to say... if you farted by just touching it, you are gonna shit when you hear the price."

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Thunder Grizzlies would be a good name for a band or a show on the National Geographic Channel... If there were such a thing as the Pimp Olympics - I'd buy a ticket... At some point today I will try to use the phrase "argle-bargle" in conversation. For no good reason at all... Of all the Thompson gunners - Roland was the best... People remember that Lou Gehrig replaced Wally Pipp for the Yankees but who replaced Babe Ruth? I seriously don't know but now am curious about it... Interesting look at Seattle Mariners pitcher Tom Wilhelmsen... I really hope that BC's Mark Herzlich gets picked up by a good team. It would be a bonus if that team was the Patriots... Quote of the Day: "I went to my doctor and told him 'my penis is burning.' He said, 'That means somebody is talking about it.'" - Garry Shandling... Derek Lowe getting arrested for DUI reminded me of this piece a few years ago from Dan Wetzel