tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83025856843259926902024-02-07T19:57:34.322-08:00Pigskin n' PoliticsI have several passions in life. Sports, politics, and specifically football, reign at the top of the list.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-22829405281453664812012-07-19T06:16:00.000-07:002012-07-19T06:17:51.408-07:00You Didn't Build That--Somebody Else Made That Happen<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">I read the entire speech. I have watched it multiple times. He's talking about two different things. There are brilliant people who are food servers yet will never catch a break that another person, perhaps not as intelligent, will. That might be due to luck. But, this has nothing to do with the following: </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">"If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen."</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">That statement is complete BS. All of the risks for business owners reside with them and their investors. That is it. The avenues of capitalism are there for all of us. Are we blessed to live in this nation where we have these sorts of opportunities? Of course. So, Henry Ford did not build that company? Bill Gates did not build Microsoft? Steve Jobs did not build Apple? Any restauranteur, who risked their life savings to own their own dream job, the buck does not stop with them? Maybe they were all lucky. Or, maybe they all were driven much more so than the typical individual. That great teacher Obama spoke of, why did not ALL of their students reach their potential? It goes beyond family upbringing and their personal network. Are my college professors responsible for my successes today? No. Were they paid to provide a platform for me to show prospective employers that I can be assigned an elongated, multi-categorical task and complete it successfully? Yes. I have two friends that I went to college with who own their own companies. They took massive risks to build them into what they are today. Each had a financial backer who got a return on his investment. That investor and entrepreneur stood to lose their respective pants if the idea was not executed properly. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">All successful companies are due to team efforts to a certain extent. You must surround yourself with the right people in order for it to click on all cylinders. I sell homes. I need a quality product and a good builder coupled with a good location in order to be successful. But, they don't get anything done without a good salesperson at the helm of the community. If homes do not sell, we stall and everyone's job is in jeopardy. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">In closing, I do not think Obama is a bad human being. We just see things differently. You won't see me demonizing him essentially because it is not the right thing to do. I cannot imagine the pressure a president feels while in that oval office. They all age a ridiculous amount while there. I feel Obama is more of a salesman as opposed to Bush. Obama believes that government knows best. I emphatically disagree with that sentiment.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-49922400077497531182012-02-20T05:26:00.000-08:002012-02-20T05:32:26.070-08:00Come Back to Texas...It's just not the same since you went away<br />
Before you lose your accent<br />
And forget all about the Lone Star state<br />
There's a seat for you at the rodeo and I've got every slow dance saved<br />
Besides the Mexican food sucks north of here anyway.<br />
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Who knew that Bowling for Soup would have a song that would ring true in the Five O household. Now that we are back, a few observations. We were very blessed to live in California and Hawaii for the last six years. Whether home was Oahu, Maui, Kauai or Orange County, CA, the scenery was awe inspiring. Simply, if you have not been to visit Orange County, stop debating about your next vacation and search for airfare and hotels in Laguna Beach, CA. I'm happy to help steer you in the right direction if need be. It is by far our favorite coastal location in the entire country and that includes all of Hawaii's beach towns.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The above photo highlights South Laguna Beach and the Montage resort. It is the priciest hotel in the area. There is no other place I'd rather be than anywhere along that coastline. But, here in the Houston area, we have Galveston. Hey, it is no Laguna, but it is the ocean and there is something magical about the sound of the shore. Since we left the land of utopian weather and In-N-Out burgerville, upon returning to Texas I noticed a few things I would like to hit on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First up: driving. Did Texans forget how to drive over the past six years? Any time I am on the freeway, what I see is the moronic pursuit of trying to be "first" and a plethora of cars zig zagging from lane to lane being driven by what one can only assume is the leader of the narcissistic douche canoes. The preceding term can also be applied to the Stanford band if need be. Trust me, it need be. Anyhow, I digress. It was not this pathetic when we departed in 2006. We are not in a race. You are not saving time by pretending you are Jeff Gordon. See you up the road at the next light. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Second up: shoulders. I've never understood this. We have immense traffic problems in and around the Houston area. Yet, nearly everywhere, there is at least two lanes wasted by some painted guideline denoting a shoulder in case your vehicle breaks down or you are in an accident. Rest assured, if you do pull over on the shoulder, everyone driving will slow down to gawk at why you have pulled over on the shoulder, thereby voiding the very reason for the creation of the shoulder to begin with: to keep traffic moving. Follow me here. If that was a lane with moving vehicles, the flow would be better across the board and if it became blocked, the same result would occur. OK, I am going to run for mayor now. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Third up: HOV lanes. Can you tell I have an issue with Houston traffic infrastructure? Say, when the HOV lanes were created in the 1980's, was the goal to make them impenetrable for a period of 25 miles or so? Hey, let's set up concrete barriers as walls and entomb the occupants on this one lane, one direction roadway depending upon the time of day. Um, did Houston ever think to look to Los Angeles for guidance here? The "carpool" lanes in LA are located in the, wait for it, "shoulder" portion of the roadway. And guess what? You can enter and exit these lanes at literally any point as there are no concrete barriers prohibiting usage. How nice was it for the civil engineers to take into account those people that do not enter the freeway from the depths of suburbia. Why this has not been corrected here is beyond me. It makes no sense at all. What a waste of space, dollars and resources. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fourth up: texting and driving. I don't even know where to begin here. On more than one occasion, I have seen both hands on the wheel, holding the phone at the 12 noon position and the driver is either reading or actively texting. Just why is this necessary? What is so freaking important that one must try to type out a text while navigating either the local roadways or the interstate? Is responding to that text so important that you must do it while you are in charge of a 4000 lb. pile of metal moving at a high rate of speed? It is time Texas catch up with the rest of the country and ban hand held phones while driving. Must be hands free all the damn time. Do you need to wait for a body count? Seriously, just what are the lawmakers doing over in Austin? Apparently nothing. And if you text and drive, trust me, you are not "better at it" than the next guy. You are just as distracted and your response time is as poor as one who is hammered drunk behind the wheel. If you must text in the car, do it from the passenger seat. Don't endanger the lives of those with you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Look, I love my home state. It is just very slow about some things and many of them happen to be related to traffic in and around our beloved city. Rest assured, we are very excited to return home to the land of Tex-Mex. I just simply cannot enjoy it nearly as often as I did in the past. Gotta keep that ticker healthy. Great to see you Houston. Completely unrelated and in closing, here is your Fun Fact of the Day: there are 192 days until the start of the Texas High School Football season. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-7110110599446342552012-01-25T07:28:00.000-08:002012-01-25T07:59:02.154-08:00The Buffett Rule: Politically Dishonest GamesmanshipDon't you feel sorry for President Obama and the other millionaires who didn't earn income from long term capital gains last year? Unless you have been living under a rock for the past couple of days, Mitt Romney released his tax returns from 2010. Can you believe he had an effective tax rate of 13.9 percent on income of $21.7 million? He must be cheating the system. Just how can Romney pay that low of a tax rate while the rest of us hard working Americans pay much higher rates of 20, 25, or even 30 percent?<br />
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<a name='more'></a>President Obama paid an effective rate of 23 percent in 2010 on income of about $5 million. There are famous quotes from Warren Buffett railing the system as to how he pays <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/24/sotu-2012-warren-buffett-secretary-debbie-bosanek_n_1227820.html" target="_blank">a lower tax rate than his secretary.</a> So does every other tax filing American who derives income from long term capital gains. Yet, the picture is painted that the mean and nasty republicans are taking advantage of loopholes in the system. It is <i>this </i>type of political rhetoric that is dividing the nation. Preying on ignorance for votes. All Joe the Plumber hears is he pays a higher tax rate than the wealthiest of Americans. He never bothers to understand "why" and the media doesn't want to be honest with you about it as they wish for you to vote democrat.<br />
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Therefore, you must use your noggin in order to ascertain the misguided vitriol which clouds the airwaves all year long, especially in election season. Warren Buffett has famously opined that he pays the lowest income tax rate in his office. Less than his Executive leadership team. Less than his secretary, Debbie Bosanek. President Obama was disingenuous last night when he stated that it is wrong for Mr. Buffett's secretary to pay a higher tax rate than her boss. Ms. Bosanek's salary is taxed at the appropriate level. If Mr. Buffett paid himself a typical salary, he would be taxed at that level as well. However, he <i>chooses</i> to derive income from long term capital gains, thereby reducing his income tax obligation. President Obama derived the majority of his income in 2010 from book sales. Hence, his effective tax rate will be higher than Romney's and Buffett's as the money earned was not from long term capital gains. In this hypothetical example, if you and I were to invest $10,000 in stock XYZ more than 12 months ago and reaped a windfall of a return on said stock and the account was now valued at $500,000, we would pay 15 percent tax, or $73,500 on the gain of $490,000 if we chose to sell the position. This rule applies to <i>all of us. </i>Conversely, if one's salary from their company were $490,000, the income tax responsibilities would look like this:<br />
<ul><li>Salary: $490,000</li>
<li>Exemptions: 2 (married filing jointly + 2 children dependents)</li>
<li>Taxable Income: $471,000</li>
<li>Total Tax Due: $134,722</li>
<li>Effective Tax Rate: 27.49%</li>
</ul><div>The above scenario is probably applicable to President Obama's family as he would have claimed four total exemptions. I wonder if President Obama or Mr. Buffett volunteered to send more money to the IRS than they were legally obligated to? Oh, who am I kidding. However, one can look at charitable donations as a means to gauge the philanthropic temperature. Romney donated nearly $3 million to charitable organizations, mainly to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This equates to nearly 15 percent of his Adjusted Gross Income. Those damn evil republicans. They are money hoarders to boot! Yet, when compared to then Presidential hopeful Obama's charitable donations of 6.1 percent in 2006, whose returns were released when he was on the campaign trail in 2008, Romney appears quite generous. However, these stories are buried because it goes against the agenda of the media. For if the media wished to be forthright and paint the entire picture, they would do just that. Remember, Obama is the good guy, Romney is the evil guy. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Instead, we are faced with gargantuan amounts of "facts" that are dispersed with an end goal in mind: confuse the public to the point of steering the uneducated masses into trusting the media as the sole truth teller and information source it so desperately wishes it was. Thankfully, more are catching on and learning that a typical newscast or story written in a major media publication is merely an extrapolation of an attention grabbing headline. You have to dig online for truth. The truth is buried in the fine print, much like a contract to purchase a vehicle, house, or any other complex issue. But, these issues are not complex. The main issue here is transparency accompanied with the truth. This truth would reveal that Romney paid 13.9 percent in income tax by legally following the tax laws as they are currently written. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Romney benefitted from wise investment decisions and holding those positions for a period of longer than one year. How many of us are tempted to take our gains on a short term basis? If we do, they are taxed as income. Each of these options are available to both you and I. Moreover, this bemoaning stems from the fiscal irresponsibility which is running rampant throughout the government. The media provides the platform for the government to scream that they are not taking in enough income in order to pay their bills. Therefore, the solution must be to increase the amount of money they take in rather than reduce the amount of money they expend. The fact is the deficit for this nation has increase from $10.8 trillion when Obama took office to more than $15 trillion today. That is simply astonishing. Mr. President, the problem is right in front of you. Stop spending what you do not have. Veto any budget that Congress sends to you that adds to the deficit. This is not complicated. Stop trying to make Americans believe that it is. </div><div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-31444213428046532782012-01-16T17:10:00.000-08:002012-01-17T05:37:07.177-08:00Scapegoats and Cyber ToughnessI was in Orlando, FL yesterday as I took in about 3/4 of the Texans/Ravens game. Duty called as my stepdaughter was competing in UDA Nationals for Cal State Fullerton. They won their 11th national title in Division 1 Jazz Dance. What, you don't think I can tie dance and football together? Keep reading. They are a cohesive team consisting of 16 total members. They "start" 10 freshmen who have never appeared on the big stage before. This is the showcase that ESPN airs in the spring. This is the March Madness of Dance. This is the BCS of Dance. These national titles are recognized in Titan Gym on campus at Fullerton. If your daughter (or son) dances for a top-tier university, they want to be on ESPN's recap of the competition. In essence, you have arrived as a dancer collegiately if this can be realized. The girls have practiced tirelessly for about two months. Rehearsing the same routine over and over again. Striving for perfection. They sacrificed partying with their sorority friends to accomplish the goal that they set for themselves this past spring when the team was formed. There are no perfect dances, mind you. Fullerton scored 95/100, to obliterate their closest competitor by more than three points. This is a VERY large margin of victory in the dance competition world. So, where am I going with all of this? Follow along...<br />
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Before we proceed any further, please click this link and <a href="http://videos.varsity.com//competitions/UCAUDA/2012%20college%20cheerleader%20dance%20team%20championship.aspx#ooid=Zjb2xhMzrjbLE6m97MO9jVz0eo-M7GJH" target="_blank">view this video.</a> It is only two minutes long and you will be better for it. Trust me. In the new window you will need to click "Jazz 2012" and then click "Cal State University-Fullerton." Now, what you will notice is throughout this routine, there are instances where the girls are each performing different responsibilities at the same time. There are four girls who perform a quadruple pirouette into a double leg-hold turn. For the dance vocabulary challenged: they are standing on one leg and holding the other straight up into the air while turning a circle two times <i>after </i>they have previously turned four times prior to the one leg being raised into the air. Seems complicated. They are tremendous athletes. I bring all of this up for one simple reason: had one of the girls fallen out of her turn, or had another girl dropped a stunt, would the fan base pointed the finger at her? In short, absolutely not. They win as a team and they lose as a team.<br />
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Sadly, NFL fans need a scapegoat when their team underperforms. Oh, they will cry how they are emotionally invested in the team. Um, more so than a parent of a competitor? Surely you jest. No, fans of teams, with the assistance of social media platforms, epitomize pretty much everything that would embarrass the actual participants on the field. The anonymity of the online cyber world brings the word "asshat" to a new level of the stratosphere. It was on full display yesterday. When Jacoby Jones muffed the punt that provided an ill-timed momentum swing for the offensively hapless Ravens, like the rest of you, I was very disappointed. Even a bit angry. But, my anger was quickly replaced with compassion. It is not like Jacoby took the field and decided he was going to commit a blunder in the most important game of the season. He made an error. Not even a Bill Buckner class error, mind you. It was an error in the first 5 minutes of a game that the Texans were still good enough to win. Yet, if you perused Twitter after the conclusion of the game, you'd think Jacoby was on the take, having bet his entire net worth on the Texans losing. Death threats. Harmful verbal insults. Wishing hideous diseases upon him. Basically, some of our fan base demonstrated the behavior we all teach our children not to exhibit.<br />
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What an embarrassment so many of them were to our beloved city. Moreover, just where in the hell are the priorities for this gaggle of quintessential deebags? He made a mistake. Should he have fielded the punt? No. Did he lose the game for the Texans? Absolutely not. The offense could not muster more than 13 points. The defense, while it played very well, could not convert on any turnover opportunities. That is just how the ball bounces at times. T.J. Yates might as well have told the Ravens defenders that he was going to be targeting Andre Johnson with nearly half of his passing attempts. It is as if the secondary and linebackers knew where TJ was going with the ball. Rookie mistakes that helped contribute to a loss. Say, what about those three games the Texans sort of phoned in after clinching their division? Sure would have been nice to host this game yesterday rather than head to the 225 Pasadena corridor of the Northeast, also known as Baltimore. Yet, all I read and heard was how Jacoby Jones cost "us" the game. Us. The fans. OK, I got it. You are just passionate for your team. Passion to the point of crossing every line that would be the border between frustration and utter and complete drunken, frat boy behavior.<br />
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A player should never be made to feel as if he needs protection venturing out into the city in which he lives and works. Yet, I am certain that is how Jacoby felt when some of these things were shared with him. Can't listen to the radio. Can't read the newspaper (looking at you Jerome Solomon). Can't get on Twitter, facebook, or any other "fan venting zone." Nope. All he can do is try to do better next time. For five years, Jones has been the returner for the Texans. Nobody has beat him out. Coach Gary Kubiak has not replaced him. Yet, somehow it was his fault that the Texans lost yesterday. How convenient for a playoff starved fan base. Many of you all need to act like you have been there before. Rockets, Astros, Oilers. Each brought us much joy and sorrow. This is nothing new for the city of Houston. Growing pains is what this is. The future is bright for the Texans. Even with Jacoby returning punts in 2012 and beyond.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-41207987890786555852012-01-10T08:41:00.000-08:002012-01-10T08:42:33.260-08:00Roll Tide: Take TwoEvery summer, college football teams gather in camps across the country to ready themselves with the hope of achieving their goals. Most teams have goals that build upon one another. I imagine they look something like this:<br />
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<ol><li>Win Division if member of conference with a championship game</li>
<li>Win conference championship game (if Big 12, win conference)</li>
<li>Win BCS title game/bowl game</li>
</ol><div>Logically, these goals build upon one another. It makes sense that a team needs to accomplish an earlier goal to acquire the opportunity to achieve a latter goal. Essentially, you cannot head out and run a marathon without obtaining some smaller goals leading up to the main event. Enter Bill Hancock, the BCS, politics and the above is not necessary any longer. </div><div><a name='more'></a><br />
This is not a piece to bang the drum on how Oklahoma State was screwed out of a MNC appearance. We all know the shortcomings and pitfalls associated with our current system. The fact remains that Alabama benefitted from pedigree this season while Oklahoma State was punished for not having it. It has been my position since we learned of the rematch that if Oklahoma State were Texas or Oklahoma, Alabama might have been watching the game from Tuscaloosa last night. </div><div><br />
</div><div>In the world of maybe, perhaps, what if, that position is not far fetched. But, the bottom line is Oklahoma State lost to Iowa St. albeit under very rough circumstances. However, a loss is a loss. Unless of course that loss is on your own home field to the #1 team in the nation. For some reason, that loss is forgiven. Think of it this way, Because of LSU's ineptitude on offense, which was clearly on display last night, Alabama was granted the rematch. It wasn't enough that LSU beat them on November 5th, they needed to beat them handedly in order to "eliminate" them from future consideration. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Yes, Oklahoma State lost on the road to a .500 football team in Ames, IA. They should have won that game. A missed 37 yard field goal is all that stood between Pokes vs. Tigers for what would have been the first true undisputed champion in college football since the 2005 season. But, shouldn't have Alabama won the first game? That is all I heard. They were the better team and the scoreboard was not indicative. Couldn't the same be said of that scoreboard at Iowa St. on that fateful Friday night? That line of thinking must not coincide with what the media prefers to see on the field. It goes back to pedigree and preconceived notions. And that is what is wrong with college football. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Oregon had to do it. Boise State had to do it (still doing it). Now, Oklahoma State has to do it. Pedigree is part of the good ole' boy network. You have to earn your stripes to achieve BCS riches. The Pokes took a major step forward this year by trucking OU, winning the Big 12 conference outright, going undefeated for the 2nd year in a row in the state of Texas and winning their first Fiesta Bowl in a thriller over Stanford. Which game did you all enjoy more? Last night was a snoozer of a game. Just like the previous meeting. Was that the "big boy" football that Les Miles was touting? LSU looked horrific last night and dare I say they would have lost to Stanford AND Oklahoma St. last night. Their offense was completely out of sync. Partly due to Alabama's defense, also attributable to the fact that they do not have a running game to speak of. The LSU offense has lived off of special teams field position, turnovers and opponent mistakes. Alabama did not provide those opportunities last night. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Oklahoma State offers an opportunistic defense which led the nation in takeaways. Their offense also led the nation with 48 scoring drives that took less than two minutes, with 42 of those drives ending in touchdowns. Now, THAT would have been compelling to watch against LSU's defense. I would also reckon that the game would have delivered a higher rating than 13.8 which is the second worst rating in the BCS era. Listen, this system is so far from perfect it is laughable. It must luck out to offer a conclusive end to the college football season. This is what so many of us seek on an annual basis. Once again, the season will end prematurely with the following:</div><div><ol><li>Alabama 12-1 (BCS/MNC Champion, 3rd place SEC)</li>
<li>LSU 13-1 (SEC Champion)</li>
<li>Oklahoma State 12-1 (Fiesta Bowl Champion, Big 12 Champion)</li>
</ol><div>I do not know how anyone with a clear conscience could look at the above list and proclaim one of those teams the champion of college football. Those who clamor on and on about SEC dominance and they know for a fact that LSU would have beaten Oklahoma State are simply not being honest with themselves. If the LSU team that showed up last night were to show up against Oklahoma State, they would lose that game. They are not built for comebacks. The Pokes are built to come from behind and did it more than once this season. Sadly, we will never know how the Pokes vs. LSU would have turned out and that seems to be OK with Bill Hancock and his gaggle of misfits. Chalk another season up as incomplete. The string of seasons ending prematurely is six and counting. Mike Gundy and company deserved their shot. Simply, Alabama didn't deserve a mulligan. Yet, they capitalized on it as every team before them has in the BCS era (4-0). Every. Game. Counts. Yeah right. </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-11287262512889143342011-12-05T08:33:00.000-08:002011-12-05T08:53:09.685-08:00Let Them Play...Let Them Play...Let Them PlayThe Coaches Poll essentially kept the Oklahoma State Cowboys from facing off against LSU on January 9th. Well, that was actually the vehicle driven on the BCS highway that fleeced the Cowboys this year from participating in what should be rightly theirs. There was one perfect team in college football this season. The rest of them endured one or more setbacks and endured blemishes. It is the subjectivity of grading blemishes rather than victories that ultimately leads to determining number two which borders on criminality. Don't think it is criminal? Check the dollars involved. We don't know with certainty if Alabama is better than Oklahoma State. But, they are receiving the SEC/pedigree nod over the Pokes. Nothing more, nothing less. Supporters of the sequel will tell you that Alabama earned it. They are lying to you. Period. In college football, Every Game Counts. It is their mantra. It is the BCS slogan. Unless that game took place on November 5, 2011. The "game of the century" did not count. Somehow, all of the other regular season games for the rest of the teams under consideration did manage to count. One thing they all have in common: they have not faced LSU. Yet, the only team to receive a reprieve has. And they lost. At home. As a 6 point favorite. Follow along...<br />
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I understand many of you are not as passionate about this as I am. I respect that. But, for people to sit back and just accept things for the way that they are is simply wrong. When they know in their heart of hearts that the current system is so inherently flawed that when the BCS methodology is deployed in mock fashion right here, it is undeniably disgusting. This video is a must watch for BCS haters. If you have not seen it, you need to spend a few minutes doing so.<br />
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If the above were somehow allowed to permeate in the real world, in this example, parents would be in the face of every teacher and administrator not only at the school, but at the administrative offices as well. Yet, in the world of college football, this is not only allowed but encouraged. Of the teams in the top three in the BCS, two of those coaches have votes in the Coaches poll: Nick Saban and Les Miles. Mike Gundy does not have a vote. Setting fairness aside, is this the right way to determine rankings? Only permitting some coaches with a BCS Title Game berth at stake to cast a vote? When you have a few moments, check out this <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/story/2011-final-coaches-ballots/51647436/1">graphic from USA Today</a>. It allows you to see which coaches have votes and who they actually voted for. Mr. Calhoun of Air Force voted Oklahoma State 5th! His credentials should be stripped immediately. Wouldn't it make sense that if your team is in the BCS top 16 of the BCS rankings (the cut off for eligibility for a BCS Bowl appearance) that <i>those </i>coaches do not vote? We need Congress to investigate this. Wait, check that. No, we don't as they vote their own raises annually. I am beginning to think the AP is the only legitimate title handed out in college football as it is far less biased than the BCS.<br />
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The bias for the SEC is a little out of control. Look, nobody disputes the level of football that <i>traditionally </i>occupies this conference. Listening to Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson act like school girls at a Justin Bieber concert while calling games featuring LSU or Alabama is nauseating. We get it. You both would propose to the Honey Badger in a millisecond on behalf of your daughters. I understand that CBS has a contract with the SEC but a little objectivity would be welcomed. This year was a very down year for the SEC. Can we be honest for a second? What if Alabama had lost to Mississippi State this year? That loss would have been explained due to the depth of the SEC in a season that is as shallow as the kiddy pool. You know it. I know it. Yet, when the Cowboys lost to Iowa State they were labeled as not taking care of business. For the record, the Big 12 is sending 8 of its 10 teams to bowl games. Just so we are clear: this season you had to be undefeated in every other conference except the SEC. Is that about right? To better illustrate this point, had LSU somehow lost to Mississippi State and finished with one loss, it would have been forgiven based on the new favorite catchphrase explanation: the eyeball test. Football does exist outside of the SEC. How about the rest of the conferences just do not play at all? Did you know that the SEC invented football and the BCS in 2006? No really, check the facts. <br />
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The latest CBS Sports poll shows 66 percent of the country would rather see Oklahoma State play LSU than Alabama. I would wager these fans actually watch the games the coaches do not prior to their weekly voting ritual. This is a normal frame of mind. To make sense of the BCS, it requires you to literally think about things abnormally. How can a team earn a spot in the title game without winning their respective conference? Don't tell me that Alabama is clearly better than Oklahoma State. Would they be favored if they played? Yes. Would that guarantee a victory? No. There is plenty of precedent here. Utah was not favored to beat Alabama in 2008 yet they somehow managed to throttle the mighty Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl. It was a foregone conclusion the Utes would be run off the field. See what happens when you just Let Them Play?<br />
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It is this same level of ignorant bias that prevented Oklahoma State from earning its first trip to the BCS National Championship game. Trust me on this. Their only crime is they do not play in the SEC. Did they lose a game? Sure. I am not going to focus on the circumstances surrounding their loss. You all know what happened. If you cannot understand how that could affect a football team from a university that dealt with another tragic plane crash in the last decade, I cannot help you. They lost a game they should have won. So did Alabama. Only the Pokes didn't lose to LSU. They should have been given their opportunity. The fact that they did not is another example of just how inherently flawed this system is. Only college football focuses on losses instead of victories. <a href="http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/current_congrove_rankings.html">Oklahoma State (7th) had a tougher schedule than Alabama (42nd).</a> That should count for something.<br />
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This season we had a self-fulfilling prophecy. Gregg Doyel said it best and I am paraphrasing here: Alabama is like top 40 music. The radio stations play the music because it is Top 40 and the music is Top 40 because the radio stations play the music." Sounds about right. You deserved better Pokes Nation. Sadly, it was your turn to get hosed this year. That is what the BCS does with precision. It takes one team and tells it that they are not good enough according to subjective reasoning. Sorry Pokes, but it was your year.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">As Bill Hancock would probably say: "Now you run along and enjoy the Fiesta Bowl and your Big 12 Championship. That is your reward. Oh, and Alabama? Your feet are now clean and your chariot awaits to whisk you away to New Orleans for your mulligan." </blockquote><i>The preceding quote was not an actual quote from Bill Hancock. It was a parody observation based on behavioral analysis from previous thinly veiled attempts at BCS reasoning and justifications.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-83679011758445085142011-11-26T08:35:00.000-08:002011-11-27T08:15:09.599-08:00Hear Me Out: LSU Should Forfeit CCGGet ready. Do you hear that? These are the rumblings from SEC country regarding the fact that LSU has punched their ticket to Atlanta, GA to face the Bulldogs from Athens for the Southeastern Conference Championship. On an even cuter note, they probably do not even need to win the game to advance to the "Mythical National Championship" game to be held in New Orleans on January 9th. Do you know what I would really like to see? Something that could and should occur. Due to the fact that LSU does not need to win the SEC to play for the MNC (go ahead and think about that for a minute), Les Miles and his LSU Tigers should forfeit the game to make a point. He has bigger fish to fry. Georgia has nothing to lose. What if the "Honey Badger" is injured? What if Jordan Jefferson loses his cool and get ejected and suspended for the next game? Why risk injury to one of the marquis starters for a game that has become meaningless? Did you catch that? The SEC Championship Game is virtually meaningless this year. That's right. LSU can lose this game and still punch their ticket to the Superdome this January to square off against the latest team "selected" to play for some apparent title. <i>This</i> is how jacked up the system has become. Bill Hancock's deal with the devil must be a damn good one...<br />
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<a name='more'></a>It has become an anointing, a beauty contest, a subjective evaluation in which certain teams are held to one standard while others are held to another. Houston? You are not worthy, even though you beat Tulsa in the same fashion that Oklahoma did earlier in the season. That Tulsa team's only losses prior to UH were to OU, Oklahoma State and Boise State. Oklahoma State? You lost on the road in overtime to an "unworthy opponent." Never mind the fact that since replacing Steele Jantz, Iowa State is 3-1 and playing much better football. Forget about Any Given Sunday. I prefer Any Given Saturday when you are playing a game in conference and at times, out of conference: Remember these moments where the favorite stumbled?<br />
<ul><li>Tulane upsets LSU in 1982</li>
<li>TCU goes to Norman and beats OU in 2005 as a member of MWC </li>
<li>Ole Miss defeats Florida 31-30 in 2008. </li>
<li>Navy beats Notre Dame 46-44 in triple OT in 2008</li>
<li>UCLA beats USC 13-9 in 2006 in a huge shocker</li>
<li>Miami (of Ohio) shocks LSU in Baton Rouge 21-12 in 1986</li>
<li>Jacksonville St. beats Ole Miss 49-48 in double OT in 2010</li>
<li>Louisiana Tech stuns Alabama 29-28 in 1999</li>
<li>Utah destroys Alabama 31-17 in the Sugar Bowl in 2008</li>
<li>James Madison stuns Virginia Tech 21-16 in 2010</li>
<li>Boston College takes out Notre Dame 41-39 in 1993</li>
<li>Kansas St. destroys OU 35-7 in 2003 Big 12 CCG</li>
<li>Colorado shocks Michigan on 70 yd. pass on final play of game to win 27-26 in 1994</li>
<li>Boise State beats OU with 3 trick plays including 2 pt. conversion to win Fiesta Bowl 43-42 in 2006</li>
<li>Kansas thumps OU 23-3 in 1975 ending the Sooners 37 game winning streak</li>
<li>Stanford shocks No. 1 USC as a 40 point underdog with backup, QB 24-23 in 2007</li>
<li>Appalachian St quiets the Big House and entire state of Michigan 34-32 in 2007</li>
<li>Iowa State shocks Oklahoma State 37-31 in OT in 2011</li>
</ul><div>If we were to listen to conjecture and the average football expert on Twitter, none of the above winners had a chance. I mean, why even play those games, right? It was a foregone conclusion that none of the favorites could possibly lose. A mere impossibility, mind you. Similarly, just ask any Auburn Tiger fan if TCU would have had a chance at them last year and they will laugh at you. That is called SEC elitism and they sound foolish when they speak in such "factual dialogue." I would point to the above, abridged upset list and return the favor, laughing hysterically at them instead, highlighting the fact that <i>you just do not know. </i>The pompousness that consumes college football is what detracts from my favorite sport. These are not machines, but young men who are capable of screwing up and actually losing a game they are favored to win. Can you believe it? We simply finished last season one game too early. TCU deserved their chance to prove their worth. How dare some pathetic computer programs and a group of narcissistic <strike>graduate assistants</strike> head coaches try to tell me who is "worthy" of title consideration and who is not? When you end a season with #1 AND #2 undefeated, you have sincere problems. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Since LSU needn't bother showing up in Georgia, let's turn our attention to who they might face. The system is probably going to deliver Alabama and that is a complete travesty and slap in the face to fairness and equality to the college football landscape. Supporters of the sequel will point to a slim defeat in OT by Alabama and that they are clearly the #2 team in the nation. That might be true. However, there must be some common sense employed here. When you lose on your own turf to a conference foe and you are ineligible to play for your conference championship, you should not be eligible to play for a Mythical National Championship. If you have a one loss Big 12 champion in Oklahoma State, they should trump you. If you have a one loss ACC champion in Virginia Tech, they should trump you. If you have a one loss PAC 12 champion in Stanford, they should trump you. What's that? The SEC is harder than other conferences? Typically, I would agree. This year? Not so much. It is top heavy and then there is a massive drop off. After the top 3 teams, it is chock full of garbage. Vandy, Ole Miss, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi State and Kentucky are deplorable. South Carolina and Georgia are above average. Arkansas is good, but not great. It is simply a down year for the SEC. </div><div><br />
</div><div>We are stuck in this quagmire because the cerebrally inept run the BCS. A few tweaks here and there would be better than the utter and complete disaster we going to be faced with this season. There are zero circumstances where I would consider a sequel a good MNC matchup under the BCS system. It is inherently wrong on every single level. I thought every game counted? That is the moniker of the BCS, right? Do you actually believe that load of dung? I sure don't. Lost in the shuffle of finding LSU's opponent is how unfair it is to ask LSU to beat Alabama a second time. Now, were they both to emerge from an 8 team playoff, I am in support of the sequel 100 percent. But, when we anoint only two teams via subjective reasoning and transitive properties, it becomes borderline criminal. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Is it unfortunate that Alabama and LSU are in the same division from the same conference? Sure it is. Look, not every team can play in the SEC. Football does exist outside of the hillbilly conference. Is the SEC on a good run? Absolutely. Will it last forever? Absolutely not. I for one am hoping that Auburn can join the list above and remove Alabama from consideration the old fashioned way: on the field. If they don't, we will have to rely on the coaches and computer geeks to do it. There are no mulligans in football. There are no second serves either. You get your one shot to beat that team and if you don't, you are out of the mix and destined for your just reward of some meaningless bowl game. Oh, and those of you who will point to the champions of other sports coming from Wild Card spots etc., they arose via a fair and just playoff system. In the world of BCS logic, the regular season is all that matters. Except when it doesn't. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-52516922245365644292011-11-14T07:20:00.000-08:002011-11-14T07:24:07.767-08:00Monday Morning Backup QBThe Bowl Championship Series. I think most of you know where I stand on this issue. The BCS is ruining college football. There are three weeks left in the college football season and only three games remaining matter: OU vs. Pokes...Arkansas vs. LSU...and the SECCG (presumably GA vs. LSU). None of the other games matter. Not a single one. As we all know, if the Pokes and LSU win out, they will meet for the MNC in LSU's back yard down in New Orleans. This will be good for college football.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>However, if this does not occur, we begin the process of debating who belongs in the "national championship" game. It is here where the BCS minions begin to employ the concept of "transitive properties." Don't recall that from your math classes in college? It is a simple concept: if Team A beat Team B and Team B beat Team C, then Team A must be better than Team C. This is a flawed concept in football. These games are subjective. It is why Texas Tech was able to stun Oklahoma. See, OU whipped Texas...Texas destroyed Texas Tech...thus, OU certainly will beat Tech. Whoops.<br />
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There are favorites, but there are not guarantees. This is the very reason why last year irritated me so much. Who is Auburn to say that TCU would have no shot? I think TCU probably would have beaten Oregon last year. Auburn needed the entire game to put Oregon away. Back to this season: Texas Tech had no shot against the Sooners, in Norman, and they whipped them as a 28 point underdog. Don't let the score fool you in that game. Tech dominated the game and the Sooners were lucky to make it close.<br />
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If the Pokes do lose one of their remaining final two games, the debate over which one loss team "deserves" to play for some mythical title is going to ramp up like you have never seen before. If Arkansas somehow pulls the upset in Baton Rouge as well, all hell will literally break loose on the BCS landscape. Can someone help me? I thought the regular season was a defacto playoff. Why should Alabama receive a mulligan? They shouldn't as EVERY GAME COUNTS. Right BCS honks? Bama? Out. Sooners? Out. Oregon? Out. Stanford? Out. Boise St.? Never in. Houston? No pedigree. Who knew that you had to earn your right into BCS consideration.<br />
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Sure, Houston is ranked, but not really. The latest BCS standings have Boise St. still ahead of UH and that is criminal and significant. The Cougars must pass the Broncos for a shot at the at large Non-AQ berth. Otherwise, it would still be Boise St. squaring off the SEC in the Sugar Bowl. But first things first. UH must take care of business the next three weeks. The game in Tulsa looms large as does Southern Mississippi in the Conference USACG. Rest assured, UH will be tested in two of the last three weeks as they should handle SMU this Saturday without too much trouble.<br />
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Over the next few weeks, we will delve deeper into the contenders if this grouping gets muddied a bit. For now, I hope the Pokes and LSU win out and set us up for a title game and end to a season without controversy for only the third time since 2005.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-10895777462924468302011-11-02T07:29:00.000-07:002011-11-02T07:34:36.057-07:00The Eyes of Bill Hancock Are Upon YouConference realignment. Bet you are sick and tired of this charade. The latest rumors have Houston, Boise St., Central Florida and others headed for the Big East to help fill the void of the soon to be departed West Virginia Mountaineers. The mad scramble is being driven by the incestuous desire to be affiliated with an Automatic Qualifier conference in the hopes of obtaining BCS riches. It's not about the Longhorn Network or the University of Texas imposing its will in the Big 12. This is the result of not having a true playoff system in place to determine college football's annual champion.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>So, Bill Hancock and his gauntlet of minions who preside over the football centric circle jerk that is unfolding before our very eyes are concerned about what is best for the student athlete. West Virginia traveling to the state of Texas for road games about 40% of the time is best for its student athletes. Texas A&M being affiliated with a conference whose headquarters are in Birmingham, AL, now will face road trips to Gainseville, FL, Athens, GA, and Columbia, SC on a routine basis. That has to be good for the Aggie student athletes. Boise State traveling across the entire country to be a member of the aforementioned fraternal order of BCS asshats is best for their student athletes as well. I would surmise that if there was a playoff format in place, all if not most of this would have been avoided. Follow along.<br />
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First and foremost, I think that Nebraska and Texas A&M still make the moves regardless of the modern day progress which could be made by eradicating the BCS from our very existence. Nebraska leaving actually was in its best interest. They are a fit for the Big 10 and the academic upgrade alone is a nice feather in the Husker Nation cap. Now, Aggies? Not so much. The academics of the SEC have been bantered about ad nauseam. In a word, they are deplorable by comparative standards to other conferences in the nation. There is no spinning this. It is what it is. But academics do not run conferences, football does. That reason alone is why the best interest of the student athlete is a blatant lie that has been told to us by every athletic director in the nation. They only care about money. The student athlete is a mere product they need to market. Nothing more.<br />
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Which brings me to the most perplexing thing of all: the lack of playoffs. The marketing component which is lost in the shuffle here is a complete head scratcher. Don't tell me that every game counts. They don't. If that were the case, then when a team loses at home to a 29 point underdog, they are ousted from title consideration. Period. Back to the marketing: just consider a final four in college football and the financial windfall it would bestow upon the schools and conferences participating. It would dwarf March Madness and the current BCS platform. It would also end this realignment carousel on the spot. Once again, the dimwits that run these academic institutions appear to be about as smart as a full time carnie.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-42172843823155259642011-10-22T07:39:00.000-07:002011-10-22T07:42:37.728-07:00We Hate It Here, See You Next Year?Missouri is the latest to throw their rivalries from the Big 12 out the window in exchange for what amounts to a similar salary from the SEC. They will also similarly whine and complain as others have, once Kansas tells them to seek out other out of conference scheduling. Make no mistake about it, Kansas is right here, and Missouri is dead wrong. Why should Jayhawk Nation keep playing Missouri if they do in fact bolt for the SEC? Isn't Missouri simply "looking out for number one?"<br />
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This entire train is barreling down the tracks based on fear of the unknown. How many of us make long term decisions based on short term uncertainty? Do these college presidents and athletic directors realize just how immature and juvenile they appear to the rest of us? These decisions are being made on whims and without much thought as to the consequences which will not only affect their own institutions, but those in their very conferences as well. So, in essence, those schools that wish to "better their situation" also want to maintain the lore and association with their current group of adversaries. Pardon me but, you've got to be freaking kidding me. Sorry Missouri. You get to foster that new rivalry with Arkansas. That's it. That's the trade off. You do not get to have your cake and eat it too.<br />
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Much like Texas, Kansas is taking the stance that if you want out so badly, you are out. As in out of the conference and out of the history which is central to college football. Missouri is only concerned with aligning themselves with a AQ BCS conference as they fear Texas and OU will not remain in the Big 12 long term. That is all well and good. However, those actions should come with consequences. Missouri's current path is a detriment to Kansas' long term security. Hell yes they are mad at Missouri and they should be. Kansas will not be sought out to join a conference in football. I am sure we all can agree on that point. So, why should KU and Texas continue to schedule Missouri and Texas A&M? To keep tradition alive? Why should that onus fall on them? They are not leaving. However, Missouri and Texas A&M are choosing to leave. And with them, so are the rivalries. There are consequences for actions.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-66033175467711757852011-10-17T07:55:00.000-07:002011-10-17T07:59:14.413-07:00Monday Morning Backup QB1. The Texans are simply not that good. We all want them to be. In fact, we are begging them to be. But, they are simply not. They do not have the vocal leadership, defensive toughness, and killer instinct that good and great football teams possess. I've said this before: all organizations take on the personality of the CEO. See Apple, Google, Nike and Facebook for confirmation. Bob McNair is a laid back owner who is tolerant of mediocrity. This team is a reflection of his persona.<br />
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2. Ryan Swope simply is that good. Receivers in the Big 12 have always gotten attention. While Michael Crabtree, Dez Bryant, Ryan Broyles and Justin Blackmon are heralded by the media, the likes of Wes Welker, Jordan Shipley and now Swope march to a quieter media drummer. The latter three could also cumulatively have better NFL careers than their more heralded counterparts. That will be a fun stat to track moving forward. One could argue the latter three have better hands. That being said, I love Blackmon and think he is the best receiver in college football.<br />
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3. Lance Berkman or Nolan Ryan. One way or another, one of these men is going to dance naked in their living room come the end of October. Here is hoping that said celebration tactic is confined to private locales. I'm torn as to who to root for here. Twitter and social media platforms combined with fantasy love provide insights into so many players that I have found myself rooting for individuals as opposed to entire teams. Nolan Ryan made me become a pitcher growing up. Berkman was part of Houston's second greatest professional achievement as a sports city. The fact remains that Ryan should never have left the Astros organization. I'm leaning towards Nolan. It will also rouse up the Bush haters as he will be parked next to his good friend in the front row once again.<br />
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4. The Longhorns are two years away from possibly having something pretty special. Texas fans can be a bit myopic. Before this season began, I was on record that 8-4 would be an appropriate goal for this team. I see wins against Kansas, Baylor, and Texas Tech. To reach eight wins, they will need to find a W at either College Station, Missouri, or home against Kansas State. Aside from starting a young and inexperienced QB, the main problem with Texas is they are quite young at Linebacker and the Offensive Line development has been horrific over the past four years. That talent evaluation is coming home to roost currently. The shining star in the Horns secondary is Carrington Byndom. He blanketed Justin Blackmon and held the future first rounder to 7/74 and one TD. That is an accomplishment. He is going to terrorize WR's moving forward. Might be the best in the conference. Ryan Swope, take notice.<br />
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5. BCS armageddon is rearing its ugly head once again. If the chips fall a certain way and Lord, you know that is one of my prayers, we could be staring at 5 unbeaten teams:<br />
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LSU/Bama...OU/Pokes...Stanford...Wisconsin...Boise State.<br />
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Someone please tell me how two of the five would be more deserving over the remaining teams? You cannot do it without bias. It is impossible. Bill Hancock, how in the world do you sleep at night?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-91769796532042195542011-09-30T08:37:00.000-07:002011-09-30T08:37:33.608-07:00The Friday Fivesome1. Baseball delivered one magical night of drama. There are two occurrences in the regular season where the majority of the sports watching public tunes in to baseball: opening day and the last day of the season if playoff implications are still riding on the game. We received the latter this week with four games ongoing, two playoff positions still undecided, two utter collapses unfolding before our very eyes, and one team refusing to throw its closer which would have <a href="http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/6993396/new-york-yankees-mariano-rivera-sets-mlb-mark-602nd-save">probably put Boston in a one game playoff with the Rays.</a> Do you think the Yankees were sticking it to the Red Sox just a little bit? Oh, they will claim they were not doing so. But, we all know better. In a week where I saw Moneyball, this was fitting. At least the Red Sox pinpointed what the problem was as Terry Francona was <strike>fired</strike> informed that the club would not be activating its option for the next two seasons. Let's fire the guy who managed the club to not one, but two World Series championships. Right. Francona made the Sox play like utter crap for the month of September. Got it. First the Patriots collapse to the Bills and now this? Beantown is in shambles this week.<br />
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2. It has been 18 years since the Oilers were in the NFL playoffs. The last appearance was in the Astrodome if my memory serves me correctly and the Joe Montana led Chiefs came into Houston and demoralized a city. This was the year that the Oilers started 1-4, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Houston_Oilers_season">then proceeded to reel off 11 straight wins in the NFL</a>. Quite an accomplishment to say the least. One thing I have always found interesting: how does the city of Houston have Titans fans still in existence? Does Brooklyn root for the LA Dodgers? Does Milwaukee root for the Atlanta Braves? Does San Diego root for the Houston Rockets? No. None of the aforementioned cities embarrass themselves like "Titan fan" does living in Houston. Oh wait...you are all transplants from Nashville. Got it. I digress, where was I? Oh yes, the playoff drought. You will have to excuse the blame game for Texans fans. They are simply irrational at times. The bottom line is this team is still unproven. Talk of 12-4 or 11-5 seems a bit premature. The next three games will be telling. They must go 2-1 during this stretch. Otherwise, another 8-8 season is in the offing.<br />
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3. Are we headed for several unbeaten teams in college football this season? If so, how does this shake down regarding the BCS? It appears safe to forecast that LSU or Bama, OU or Pokes, Boise State, Stanford, and Wisconsin all could effectively run the table. This is the part of the college football season when teams lose one game and all hope is lost. Well, unless you are the 2008 Oklahoma Sooners. Then, you are rewarded for losing in October. Yep. I am not over that one yet. Back to 2011: we will get to sort out the upheaval that is the BCS hideousness in due time. I hope we get five unbeaten teams this season. I'd love to hear the BCS defense of their anointing two of the five to play for the "national title." Can't wait for 2011 Edition of Death to the BCS.<br />
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4. Picks for the weekend:<br />
Wisconsin over Husker<br />
Kansas State over Baylor<br />
Bama over Florida<br />
Horns over Cyclones<br />
Clemson over Va. Tech<br />
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Texans over Steelers<br />
Browns over Titans<br />
Lions over Cowboys<br />
G'men over Cards<br />
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5. Finally, the Aggies and Horns will be pointing fingers at one another as one of the longest college football rivalries appears to be headed for dormancy. The bottom line here is pride is getting in the way. Each respective institution is not thinking clearly when it comes to the decisions they are currently making. The road to success for the Aggies was staying put in the Big 12 <a href="http://blog.chron.com/jeromesolomon/2011/08/again-why-is-am-going-to-the-sec/">according to Jerome Solomon. The man makes very valid points here.</a> Instead, the Aggies will venture into waters with no true rivals, no history save for LSU and Arkansas, and an increased travel budget of over $1 million per year. They won't make more money in the SEC and will falter in their quest for recruiting dominance. Texas can only sign 25 scholly players per year with or without the Longhorn Network. This is a bad move for the Aggies and time will illustrate this to be the case. Watch and learn.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-61648526293205820312011-09-23T08:13:00.000-07:002011-09-23T19:17:01.563-07:00Five for Friday1. Oklahoma thought they were heading to the PAC 12. Larry Scott had other ideas as he squashed the idea that OU was enough for his conference when he thumped Sooner Nation by informing them that without Texas, the PAC 12 was just not interested in hearing "Boomer Sooner" for the foreseeable future without Bevo grazing on the sidelines. While Texas and OU run the Big 12, Texas is in control of the realignment debacle when it comes to the members of the Big 12. They are the prize and Boren hung his institution out to dry by stirring the pot by seeking other alternatives.<br />
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2. Twitter makes Gossip Girl seem tame. With respect to realignment talks, the amount of information that is thrown around as fact is mind numbing. Here is what we know: Texas A&M will leave the Big 12 for a much tougher road in the SEC and for virtually the same amount of money now that the Big 12 has apparently agreed to revenue sharing regarding its Tier 1 and 2 rights. Today, the highest I would rank the Aggies would be the 4th best team in the SEC. That does not spell BCS glory. And at what cost? You are a Big 12 team. Your roots, traditions, history and namesake are tied to Texas and its member institutions. Nevertheless, enjoy Hattiesburg.<br />
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3. There is a Big game in College Station this weekend as the Aggies host the Pokes. The Aggies need a statement game here and I think their defense is going to be stingy enough for the victory. That being said, I hope the Pokes dump truck them into oblivion. In the spirit of full disclosure, Mrs. Five_O is a Poke. This is the marquee matchup for the weekend and the idiots in Bristol have decided to take College Game Day to Morgantown, WV instead of Texas. How do I determine the game of the week? It's simple: I add the ranks of each team and the lowest total is crowned. Simple, really. Perhaps they are preparing to come to Dallas, TX for the second time in six weeks when the Sooners and Horns clash in the Red River Rivalry. But, that is mere politics. LSU and West Virginia has very little national appeal.<br />
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A). It's West Virginia.<br />
2). It's West Virginia.<br />
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There was a reason(s) Game Day had never been to Morgantown, WV before. When they arrive, they will remember as to those very real reasons. Enjoy the "culture." Game Day should be on location at the most intriguing matchup each week. If it was not Pokes/Aggies, then it was Alabama and Arkansas. ESPN makes me dislike them more and more with each passing week without even trying.<br />
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4. Is there anything more painful in sports than the last month of the major league baseball season when the Astros are firmly lodged in 30th place? It is the equivalent of watching Jersey Shore on a never ending loop while being force fed haggis with a day-old, room-temperature pitcher of Coors Light as the only refresher of choice. I don't think anything else needs to be added here.<br />
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5. Sports Talk Radio's "fantasy lineup dilemma guy." Hey asshat: this is horrible radio. Nobody cares if you are struggling with starting Cadillac Williams over Danny Woodhead. What sort of narcissist seeks fantasy advice from radio hosts anyhow? Hey dorks: there is a channel on XM that is devoted to your "struggles." Seek it out and leave the free radio airwaves void from your moronic drivel. Pony up the $15 per month and get satellite radio. Matter of fact, if it keeps those calls off the airwaves, I bet we will all pitch in a $1 so you can set that lineup in peace.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-85694022816210545102011-09-14T10:33:00.000-07:002011-09-14T17:15:49.815-07:00College Football Armageddon is Upon Us.Remember those staunch contests between Texas and Wake Forest? Whoops, I mean Texas and North Carolina? Wait, check that. What I meant was Texas vs. Georgia Tech. Yes. Remember THOSE storied rivalries? What, you don't? That is the future of Texas football, apparently. The rumors of Texas to the ACC are gaining momentum as the ACC is just stupid enough to allow Texas to come in, swing the big stick known as the LHN, and take a seat at the table. It would appear that we are bringing the boys in Lubbock along for the ride...<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Last summer, Texas A&M should have left the Big 12 in favor of the SEC. By not doing so, they've screwed over an entire conference. Hold on, Aggies. Don't get too bent out of shape yet. Last summer you knew that the LHN was coming. You also demanded more money to stay in the Big 12 and were granted it even though your performance on the field has been anything but deserving. You were the champions of uneven revenue sharing in the 90's when you were on top. Say, how is the other side of that coin now that the Aggies have been essentially irrelevant for more than a decade? We can go the socialistic route (strange coming from College Station) if you prefer, but that won't win conference championships in the Big 12, let alone what's in store for you in the SEC. Where was I? Oh yeah, by waiting until this year to leave based on what you already knew last year, you've pissed off Baylor along with the other members of this conference. I know you are upset with Baylor and their thin veiled threat of a lawsuit. However, they are looking out for number one: the very thing you moan about regarding Texas, as well as what <i>you</i> are doing with your pursuit of the SEC. Isn't that a bit hypocritical, even in Aggieland? Sadly, all of this could have been avoided had you acted last summer, thereby permitting the conference to deal with it in a more definitive fashion and not subjecting the smaller schools to a panicked shuffling. Instead, your actions have now contributed to sending Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, etc. in search of answers to questions that were addressed last summer. Aren't you merely vocalizing and championing the cause for "all or nothing" while ignoring the fallout? I think you just climbed into the life raft that you accuse Texas of hogging.<br />
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With regards to the LHN, I am not a staunch supporter. I believe Texas is being selfish here. While Deloss Dodds and William Powers continue to figure out a conference affiliation that allows them to keep the LHN, Longhorn Nation is becoming more divided and agitated at this ongoing saga. Texas in the PAC 16? Uh, no. Texas in the ACC? Uh, hell no. Texas in the Big 16ish? Makes the most sense if Notre Dame comes along for the ride. One perk here: we get to pound the hell out of Husker Nation for the foreseeable future. So, we have that going for us. I digress. Where Texas belongs is in a conference with Texas ties. So do the Aggies. This is what we all grew up watching and enjoying albeit if we were on opposite sides of the fence. Will the rivalry be the same if it survives with each school belonging to conferences that have zilch to do with one another? Certainly not. The reason USC and Notre Dame is storied is because history tells us so. They haven't been in a conference together and that is how we know them.<br />
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College football is about tradition and rivalries built on geography and history. When Bob Stoops is quoted as saying that if OU does not play Texas any longer that it is OK with him as "it's not necessary," we have major issues. Uh, OK Bob. Sure, we believe you. And if Army does not play Navy any longer, "we will adjust to it," to utilize the quote from Stoops regarding the potential of not playing the Longhorns. Yes, and if Alabama and Auburn do not play each other moving forward, I am sure each fan base along with alumni will think that is hunky dory. Michigan and Notre Dame? Nah, we don't need that game. We will persevere without it. Can someone locate for me my barf bag? Are all of the university presidents and conference commissioners asleep at the wheel? It appears so. What if the Red Sox and Yankees stopped playing annually? Even worse, what if one of them jumped ship to the NL? That is what is happening, to a lesser degree, with the Aggies and potentially OU. The focus on the now is clouding the judgment of the future for many. It is time that Texas, OU, and Texas A&M realize they need each other more than ever. That is, if they give a crap about their storied pasts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-63145992680732625242011-09-07T18:45:00.000-07:002011-09-07T18:45:04.645-07:00Big 12: Party of 10? 9? 8?Didn't we go through this last summer? Didn't Texas, Texas A&M, OU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, and Missouri tell Nebraska and Colorado to go pound some freaking sand? Didn't the aforementioned Big 12-2 commit to remaining steadfast regarding the future of this conference? Oh, who am I kidding. Texas has the Longhorn Network and the rest of the schools do not have a dedicated network to showcase their programs. Is there some envy and jealousy there? Perhaps. Should Texas forgo this network and make it the Big 12 Network to save the conference? Part of me says they should. However, not every school is going to put eyeballs onto the screen like Texas will. Equal revenue sharing must be the answer. Correct? Follow along after the jump...<br />
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In the Big 10, where equal revenue sharing is loudly touted, these schools must be on some socialistic equal footing. Right? Wrong. Take a look at @jaybeck's <a href="http://turfburner.com/the-feed/item/485-looking-at-the-big-12s-revenue-distribution">splendid post</a> regarding the equal revenue sharing in the Big 10 and how the bottom line is affected. Were it to be applied to the Big 12, a few schools at the top would give up a few million dollars to some schools at the bottom. Would the competitive landscape be altered with equal revenue sharing? Does Minnesota pose a threat to Ohio State or Penn State? An emphatic and resounding "no" is delivered on both accounts. Michigan, Penn State, and Ohio State will always rake in the profits. They are brands. The bottom line is the schools who win more football games will make more national television appearances, thereby increasing their brand awareness, thus generating more merchandise sales.<br />
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The aforementioned is how schools turn big profits. In the Big 12 this would equate to a greater share of the pie. In essence, they are doing more of the heavy lifting and are reaping the rewards of their work. Is Texas' athletic department going to be impacted by earning a net profit of $27 million vs. $29 million using the 2009-2010 academic calendar year as an example if equal revenue sharing were employed? Not in the slightest. Would it make Iowa State more competitive across the board? Hardly. Going back to the Big 10, Minnesota receives the same amount of television revenue as Penn State. But, Minnesota merely broke even in its athletic budget while Penn State profited some $26 million in stark contrast. (Figures from turfburner.com) Shouldn't the equal revenue sharing have catapulted the Gophers up the competitive scale? Hmmm. Perhaps it is not that important after all.<br />
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What this tells us is equal and unequal revenue sharing are not solutions in and of themselves. Like republicans and democrats, each is a different ideal as how to manage and distribute funds with respect to the conference. There are positive aspects of each dynamic that should be considered. Equal revenue sharing makes those smaller schools feel better about their situation. Yet, it will not change their situation one bit. At the end of the day, it is up to the schools and their athletic programs to build an appealing brand. This is done by winning. If you win, they will come and buy your merchandise, fill your club boxes, and help your profits grow. Next thing you know, you are on your way to the top of the heap, enjoying the profits which you've earned by doing so. In the meantime, those schools should enjoy the guaranteed revenue from the existing television contract. Or, they can chase a few extra million dollars.<br />
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Lastly, on a serious note, I am going to miss the Aggies. My fear is there is such bad blood between the athletic departments that this storied rivalry is going to be shelved for the foreseeable future. That is a crying shame. Each school will point the finger and blame the other for its demise. However, in the end the fans are the ones who will be symbolically screwed. I grew up watching Texas vs. Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night. Now, due to pride amongst the fossils running "amateur" institutions, this is in jeopardy. I have very little tolerance for this type of garbage.<br />
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The reality here is the Aggies are trading in a bit of instability for "greener" pastures and a myriad of 7-5 seasons. Hey College Station, check those flights to Nashville as the Music City Bowl is going to be a popular destination come Decembers in the future. By the way, I still have a standing wager: O/U of 1.5 on SECCG appearances by Texas A&M in the next decade. I will take the under. Any Aggies want the over?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-22190142817881027522011-08-11T20:30:00.000-07:002011-09-16T21:58:59.895-07:00Sports Talk Radio: My Friends, My AddictionI began calling into local programs in the Houston area in 1995. At times, I would phone from my desk on the 37th floor of an infamous building on Smith St. Of course, during this period of time, I would ask the producer to leave me on hold at the end so I could listen to the responses at the end of my call. I also remember 8-track tape players as well, for those who are interested. My moniker changed over the years. I began as Tony in Downtown. When I moved to Kingwood, I was then known as, wait for it, Tony in Kingwood. Eventually, I moved to The Woodlands, and low and behold, I was Tony in The Woodlands. My how Twitter has morphed handles, monikers, and namesakes. Today, I am known at Tony_Five_O when I have the privilege and time to phone my friends, who happen to talk about sports for a living.<br />
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In 1997, I was working for Enron Capital and Trade Resources. Yes, <i>that </i>Enron. It was a tumultuous time in my life. I hated my job and I had gone through some serious personal challenges. For the record, I left Enron in 1999 and sold every option I had at $63 per share. That, my friends, is what I call living right and winning. Sports talk radio was my daily escape from my reality. One day I drove up to the studios of 700AM, KSEV to surprise Matt Thomas and Jim Kozimor, or "MT and the Koz" as their show was known. I arrived with food in tow (a sure fire way to gain access prior to 9/11) just as a nice gesture as I merely wanted to say hello and introduce myself to them. The previous year I had won an impersonation contest on KSEV by doing Calvin Murphy. This current year, I went back-to-back by adding Charles Barkley into the "script" with he and Calvin bantering back and forth. MT and the Koz let me on the air with them and I did a few segments. I thought to myself, how freaking cool of these guys. Needless to say, I had been a regular participant on their show. This day was my first appearance "behind the mike." Matt and I became friends and are still friends to this day. He is a "pro's pro" and has never wavered from his own style to "become something that he is not." This approach has served him well over the years. Matt also had the glorious distinction of giving us Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon. If you attended a Rockets home game in the championship years, MT was the voice you heard during the intros. Now, that is a story to tell your grandkids about if you are one Matt Thomas.<br />
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Regarding sports talk radio, I love various points of view, thus I am a dial flipper. I would tune into John Granato and Lance Zierlein regularly as they were part of the repertoire. In the early days of 610AM, I recall a lunch time gathering at Brew U on the Southwest Freeway. In a mad dash, I bolted out of the "Speed Stick" building, as we local employees referred to it as, and hopped into my rig and made the short trip to the Greenway Plaza area. It is here where Sean Pendergast and I met for the first time. We actually were simply standing next to one another while John and Lance were at a table promoting their show. Sean and I were chatting and the next thing you know, an impersonation opportunity presented itself. Sean was doing Lou Holtz, I was doing Barkley, and LZ was doing a number of voices, as one would imagine. We were all rolling and really enjoying the camaraderie which results from moments like these. This was truly the beginning of my absolute love of sports talk radio. A few weeks later, Sean called me and asked if I wanted to be in his fantasy football league. An emphatic "yes" was delivered. This league has a few Houston sports radio personalities as participants and owners. I think we have only turned over ownership in three teams in 15 years. Needless to say, I look forward to our annual auction the Wednesday after Labor Day each and every year. It is literally Christmas and Thanksgiving all rolled into one. One of "the best" days of the year, every year.<br />
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You will recall about this time that Sean began gaining notoriety on the Jim Rome Show. His calls were what I would refer to as "cerebral humor." We went to tour stops together along with many other Houstonians and Los Angelenos. I was on the bus that transported about 40-50 of us to San Antonio for a Tour Stop in the Alamo City, if memory serves me correctly. That bus trip was legendary and there was this unmistakable bond between Houston and Los Angeles. Many of the old school clones were on this bus as well: Trapper, Silk Brah, Jay from LA, Sam the 18-Wheeler Man, and Pat the CEO just to name a few. An instant camaraderie was born and fostered between the two listenerships. Jim even recapped the event the following Monday and spent a good amount of time going over the relationship between SoCal and H-Town. For some reason, everyone just clicked. It was cool and it remained that way for as long as the Jungle was part of our daily routine. Sadly, The Jungle has changed immensely. More on that later.<br />
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As Sean's journey into Jungle lore began, little did I know that I would be the Stevie Williams to his Tiger Woods. Didn't you hear? I have won five of these things, for those keeping count. It all started the first year Sean was invited to the Smack Off, 1998 I believe. By the way, did you know that this was Travis Rodgers' brainchild? No really. It was. Just ask Jim errrrr Trav, for the real scoop. Anyhow, I digress. Sean phoned me prior to calling in on the day of the event and "read me his script." I would surmise that over the years, I may have added a total of three entire lines to his award winning repertoire. One contribution I recall was Bill Conlin and how his chin was in a "dogfight with gravity." I smiled greatly when I heard that go across the airwaves. It was like I said to Sean "hit the 7 iron" and he flushed it to three feet from the pin with a stiff cross-wind and the title on the line. Ok, it was not quite that dramatic. But, this is my blog and in my Stevie Williams persona, that is how it went down. Trust me. You may have seen me refer to myself as "Stretch Suba" occasionally. Suba is the legendary bullpen catcher and coach for the Astros for as long as I can remember. Thus, I warmed up Seanny for the big game. Every year he participated, I warmed him up. This became a bit of a superstitious ritual for "us." I would shoot Sean a message indicating that I was expecting a phone call. We'd only talk a few times per year on the phone. But, around Easter, we knew it to be necessary. Sometimes the scripts were a bit long. I'd time him and "we" always shot for under five minutes as it was deemed the safe zone. Beyond that, you'd better be damn good in order to receive "more room." This pattern continued until 2008 when I sent Sean a text and indicated that I was expecting to hear from him. He said, "you didn't hear? I am banned from the Smack Off." The three time defending champion would not be able to lap the field once again. It reeked of corporate garbagio spewing forth from 610AM and Premier Radio Networks due to Sean working for the competition. That was the end of an era. Actually two eras:<br />
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A). With Tiger out of the field, finally someone else would have an opportunity to parlay their Smack Off fame into a radio career. And...<br />
2). Travis Rodgers, the obvious brains of the outfit, would leave the XR4Ti shortly thereafter and this would be the end of good, entertaining radio coming through the mike at 570AM KLAC.<br />
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With the birth of 1560AM, a different brand of radio was born. Enter a fraternity of sorts into the Houston sports radio scene. They did it differently featuring an eclectic mix of sophomoric humor combined with top notch sports analysis. It was fun and entertaining, but I am sure it was not for everyone. And that is a good thing as ESPN (TV) is for everyone and their generic analysis flat out bores me to tears. I would be remiss if I did not share that I loathe the fact that they are the de facto option for college football. Aside from College Game Day, the balance of their football coverage is beyond annoying. Where was I? Oh yeah, good football coverage at 1560AM. Apparently many of you agree with me as well. For this post, I asked many of you to forward me your thoughts and feelings about the past decade and a half in Houston sports radio. Like me, many of you have very fond memories over this time period. I did not ask for the submissions so I could regurgitate what you forwarded to me on this post. I understand and appreciate that many took a good amount of time to submit to me their feelings and I am very grateful. It was inspiring for me to see the passion so many of you have for our friends on the dial as their journey took them from 610AM to 1560AM. Rest assured I share so many of the same memories with you all pre 2006. That year, I moved to California and began working on the Hawaiian Islands as well as the west coast. I was rarely in Houston on a regular basis. But, I listened intently and considered myself a part of the "Secret Society" complete with the "Double Rods" mantra. I still love Lance's story about how the Double Rods came about. Check out his blog <a href="http://blog.chron.com/fantasyfootball/2011/08/its-time-for-me-to-leave-1560/">The Z Report</a> if you have not heard this story before.<br />
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In an ironic twist, I learned today that my good friend, Lance Zierlein, will no longer be partnering with John Granato in the morning drive time slot on 1560AM. I'm saddened by this, but I understand that change is inevitable. Six years ago the Astros were in the World Series and Roger Clemens was a hometown hero. For the record, I do not care that Roger took PED's and believe the government was given a good old dose of karma for their incessant waste in this ridiculous witch hunt. $55 million down the drain on Clemens and Bonds. Whatever. Wait, where was I again? Oh yes, change, the necessary evil. While I am certain we all want the very best for LZ, Houston sports radio is forever changed. LZ and Grant were part of my mornings for 10 years until I moved. In the rare instance that I was on the west coast and up early with time to spare, I would always tune in and let LZ know that I was doing so. I wanted him to know that I was listening. That is how John and Lance made you feel: like you were a part of something special. Right now, I am feeling a bit of a loss. For, if this was not something special, I would not have these emotions. With every closed door, another opens. LZ: I am eagerly anticipating your next foray into the Houston sports news and entertainment arena. Without question, you are one of the very best in this industry and I am proud to call you my friend.<br />
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See you in three weeks, Houston.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-6601595089771109222011-07-28T02:23:00.000-07:002011-07-28T02:28:20.351-07:00I Had What at 41?Since we arrived on Kauai, my wife has asked and literally begged to hike the Kalalau Trail up to Hanakapiai Falls. It is a legendary, one day hike on the north shore of the island. It is eight miles round trip and takes 5-8 hours for most people, depending upon how much mud they try to avoid (futile), pictures they take (a must), and physical condition. The hike will take you from sea level at Hanakapiai Beach, to nearly 760 feet above sea level, two miles inland. You cross about six streams, each way mind you, during this strenuous hike. Upon the midway point of arriving at the falls, you are blessed with this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3g-nzAcMOrA4ri9Yy181nVUeG6GXHNNlLvuNNu45IbW6Ed0Wh-0WYzgx4FVp30qvUOoeo9giv-hE79W6KRAlP3t2X3DwWOWxOgzUprasMADUWXwFinyIqh03Fx-Rq66ygCIA7FwlMyNs/s1600/IMG_1446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3g-nzAcMOrA4ri9Yy181nVUeG6GXHNNlLvuNNu45IbW6Ed0Wh-0WYzgx4FVp30qvUOoeo9giv-hE79W6KRAlP3t2X3DwWOWxOgzUprasMADUWXwFinyIqh03Fx-Rq66ygCIA7FwlMyNs/s320/IMG_1446.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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Notice the people at the bottom of the photo. These falls cascade some 500 feet from the <i>visible </i>portion. Upon arrival, they are mesmerizing. You cannot appreciate their grand splendor until you see them in person. The plan for most at this point is to have some lunch, rest for a bit, and begin the return journey back to the beginning of the Kalalau Trail at Haena Beach Park. By the way, it rains here a good bit and the trail is usually muddy. Just give in to the mud and you will make much better time. On the way up we were fairly cautious, hoping to avoid the water and mud to a certain degree. On the way down, we were sloshing through the mud and streams with vigor. Take it from me, embrace the mud and enjoy the beauty and memory of this amazing hike. I thought the above is why I was going to remember this day forever. I was quite wrong.<br />
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We picked up Italian at our favorite Lihue eatery: Kauai Pasta. We usually split a salad and the house special pasta. We headed home with our food to go as we were each exhausted, as well as I am sure we smelled like a rancid pig farm. <----- Not fair to other diners. We enjoyed dinner and settled into our night time routine of DVR roulette. The winner? Friends reruns. It was about midnight when I first woke up, the television still on displaying some hideous infomercial. I felt OK, but not right. I fell back asleep and then awoke around 2AM. There was a dull pain around my left pectoral muscle, about a 3 out of 10. As I took deep breaths and leaned in different positions to find comfort, the feeling would not dissipate entirely. I thought, I am 41 years old. I grabbed my phone and quickly Googled the symptoms of a heart attack. I really only had one: the location of the pain/gaseous pressure. Interesting side note, upon Googling these symptoms, one of the first hits was "if you think you are having a heart attack, call 911 or go to the ER." Those Google guys are smart.<br />
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About this time, Mrs. Five_O is stirring. She is asking how I am feeling and I share that I do not feel right. I head out to our vehicle and grab a Bayer aspirin. I chew it up and chase it down with some water. I am walking around in a bit of stunned disbelief with a purpose. I am dressing to get in the car. She says, "I guess we are going to the ER?" Yes, I reply. I think we should go. The hospital is about 13 miles from our home. My pain was not increasing. I merely wanted to get to the ER so they could tell me that I had a sincere case of indigestion or heartburn, thank me for not taking any chances, swallow a bucket of Maalox, and send me on my way. No. Such. Luck.<br />
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My first diagnosis was Pericarditis. This is an inflammation of the pericardium that surrounds the heart. It is usually the result of viral penetration and dissipates over a short period of time. I was cool with this. It could be something as simple as a cold virus affecting your body. Ironically, our bodies prolong this condition by sending the troops in to fight the virus. This activity contributes to the duration of the event. To confirm this diagnosis made by the ER attending physician, a EKG was necessary to rule out a cardiac event. So, I waited for the cardiologist to arrive at the hospital. He arrived early to see me. I was whisked off to the EKG lab and submitted to about 45 minutes of extensive imaging of my heart. Over 100 photos and video segments were created. After the procedure, the cardiologist entered to read the results. I did not have Pericarditis. He was 99% sure I had Takotsubo Syndrome. Also referred to as "Broken Heart Syndrome," as it is usually the result of a stressful event. Also, typically there is an absence of coronary artery disease. But, in order to confirm that, an angiogram must be performed. We cannot perform these on Kauai. Therefore, in dramatic fashion, I was sent to Oahu via Medivac.<br />
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So, at about 2:45PM later the same day, I met with one of the top cardiologists in the state. He looked me right in the eye and said my heart was weak. When your heart suffers a cardiac event, it releases certain protein enzymes which are tested for in the blood samples. These tests indicate whether you are having a heart attack. He just confirmed my greatest fear of this eventful night, morning, and afternoon. As he explained to me about the procedure I was about to undergo, I told my wife I loved her and that I would see her after it was over. They give you a couple of fun drugs as you are awake during the procedure. I could hear the doctor, music, rumblings of the table, machinery moving, etc. I also heard the cardiologist say "I want this man to have a new heart in six months." That little comment gave me hope. I've held on to it ever since. During the procedure, two stents were inserted into two of the arteries surrounding my heart, which were about 65-70% blocked. For those needing a picture, the three lane highway was reopened from a one lane road. More cars equal more blood and oxygen to the heart muscle, which hopefully will regain its functionality. The next six months will be crucial in my recovery. If you pray, please do that for me and my family. This is new and scary territory for us.<br />
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I decided to share this with everyone based on the fact that I am a 41 year old male who looks absolutely healthy from the outside. I was the guy in the hospital that looked like he did not belong in the cardiac care wing. Gentlemen, if you have not had your heart tested and you are north of 40 years old, I highly recommend you doing so. It very well may save your life. The scariest part of my ordeal was I had a heart attack in the past prior to the one I suffered on Monday morning. I just did not know it. This is very common in men. Don't ignore it. Get tested. A stress test on a treadmill is a tremendous tool to gauge heart health. Go get it done. For your family's sake...and yours.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-28650128732614764822011-07-05T18:20:00.000-07:002011-07-06T09:14:56.454-07:00Quick: Grab the Duct Tape......or your head might pop right off your shoulders. It has been a while since I was inspired to write. Call it distractions of summer travel or what have you, but nevertheless, yours truly has been in his own "on the cusp of football" trance. Thankfully the action picks up next week as the trial of Roger Clemens begins. I might need several Triple shot Venti Caramel Machiatos in order to stomach this non-sensical witch hunt. Follow along after the break.<br />
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I do not condone lying to Congress. But, something is truly amiss here as our nation has much larger issues standing before her at the Congressional level. Back in the summer of 1998, baseball was literally saved by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa as they chased history. I remember exactly where I was when <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=13119015">McGwire</a> broke Roger Maris' record. It was the most magical of baseball seasons where the two bombers were welcomed in every single ballpark across the nation. We loved them for what they were doing and they loved the adoration. Every night, pre Twitter, I would tune into Sports Center, when it was still watchable, and eagerly await the update on the home run chase. It was, without question, the summer that saved baseball.<br />
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Fast forward to 2001 and Barry Bonds. Only the city of San Francisco wanted to see this guy break Big Mac's record, which had only stood for 3 years. We all knew by looking at photos of pre-steroid Barry that he was juicing. I mean, his cranium had gained about 20 percent in mass to the naked eye. Also, about this time we began thinking of 50+ bombs by the likes of one Brady Anderson and Luis Gonzales, et al. That there is what they refer to as a smoking gun. Anderson's should really make you scratch your head as he ended up with 34 (that's right THIRTY FOUR) more bombs than the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/anderbr01.shtml">previous season</a>. Um, excuse me? So, along comes Bonds and he now owns the single season HR record of 73 round-trippers...with a big, fat, gnarly asterisk. Now rumors of the <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/balco-players.htm">Balco Investigation</a> begin to fall like dominos and all hell literally breaks loose, not only across baseball, but other sports as well. Which brings me to the upcoming <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2010/08/19/federal-authorities-reportedly-decide-indict-roger-clemens/">Clemens trial</a>: is this what it's really all about?<br />
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Hear me out. Again, I do not condone lying to Congress, although I do find it highly ironic that Congress, comprised mainly of lawyers who wear a label of politician, is upset about untruths. All the while, our nation is facing some of the greatest challenges of a financial nature in its history. Millions are out of work due to the housing meltdown and ensuing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx_LWm6_6tA">credit crisis</a>, which is still gripping many parts of the country. See, the cronies on Wall St., aside from Bernie Madoff, are getting away scott free while they duped the country for trillions of dollars in dishonest revenue. Rather than focus our efforts on these legitimate bad seeds, let us make a name for ourselves by going after those stinking, rotten athletes who were nothing more than ashamed for the mess they found themselves in. Sure, they did HGH and steroids and lied about it under oath, allegedly. But, is that worth the $55+ million that has been spent on this witch hunt? Meanwhile, the economy for an entire nation sputters along and the suits in D.C. only care if they will be re-elected. That is our problem in a nutshell.<br />
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We are a nation suffering from narcissistic political leadership, only caring if <i>their</i> pay is increasing. This nation needs reform to the tune of six year term limits across the board for POTUS and Congress. Too many perks are associated with the "jobs" in The District. We need to get back to what the Founders had in mind: go serve your country in Washington, then return home to your community. This career politician train needs to be derailed. We all deserve so much better. I'd also like to see Supreme Court Justices have a cap on their ability to sit on the Bench. Do we really want 90 year old SCJ's deciphering complex law cases? I know I know. They have lifetime appointments. Well, this nation also used to have segregation on buses. We corrected the errors of our ways in that respect. Here is hoping we can manage to do the same here.<br />
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By the way, my thanks to the inspiring conversation on Twitter with <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><a class=" twitter-atreply" data-screen-name="Brian_in_BBurg" href="http://twitter.com/Brian_in_BBurg" rel="nofollow" style="color: #d6501c; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;"><span class="at" style="color: #d6501c; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 0.5; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">@</span><span class="at-text" style="color: #d6501c; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; white-space: nowrap;">Brian_in_BBurg</span></a>. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-66609913314111884502011-06-19T11:04:00.000-07:002011-06-20T00:05:35.759-07:00Objectivity: How RefreshingFlopping. Cheating. Begging. Influencing. Subjectivity. All of the preceding words are utilized in the world of sports. For example, the Utah Jazz have taken flopping to a new level. It has to be coached and ingrained into them that selling the "foul" is part of the game. If that is the case, watching that type of "game" is garbage. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEx4JUDeyAQ">Andrei Kirilenko</a> has taken over the "King of Flop" from John Stockton. This type of basketball literally nauseates me. I for one am ready for the NBA to take a closer look at this aspect of the "game." It has gotten to a point where this is practiced and honed as if it is part of one's craft. How do you think this checklist would go down with Mr. Kirilenko? "Let's see, today I am going to work on free throws, boxing out, and flopping." Essentially, in my opinion, cheating is being coached here.<br />
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However, blatant cheating should never be tolerated. Let's go back to the infamous "5th down" play between Colorado and Missouri. You will recall that this was the season that the Buffalos shared the national championship. Without cheating, they wouldn't have gotten there. And yes, they cheated to get their piece of the pie. Hey Buff nation: your "title" is a bit tainted. You know it. We know it.<br />
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</div><div>Are you going to try and tell me that not one of the members on the Colorado team and/or coaching staff didn't realize that it was 5th down? Hanging this on the officials is to be expected. But, part of sports is coaching the intangibles in life. Honor and integrity are preached over and over again. Play hard, but play fair. Treat your opponent as you would want them to treat you. I would wager my IRA account that more than one coach knew they received an extra down. Yet they sat silent on the subject during the game. What a fine example they set for their players. Epic coaching and humanity fail. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The most infuriating part of the above scenarios is that video evidence was available yet not used. This leads me to one of the reasons as to why I enjoy golf so much. It is a game of honor. There are rules officials on the course, but they are consulted only during a time when the player is not clear on his rights or if a violation may have occurred. They also work to ensure that a player does not make a scoring error. You will recall the plight of <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/pgachampionship10/news/story?id=5466521">Dustin Johnson</a> from last season's PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Walking off 18, he thought he was in a three man playoff. However, a rules official tapped him on the shoulder and informed him of the rules infraction which occurred on his second shot on the 18th hole. Do you think this would happen in other sports? </div><div><br />
</div><div>There is also the infamous ordeal of <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/07/sports/stadler-finally-gets-even.html">Craig Stadler</a> who "improved his stance" by placing a towel on the ground prior to hitting his second shot on the 14th hole at Torrey Pines in 1987. How was this rules infraction enforced? Stadler didn't realize he "cheated" by placing the towel on the moist ground as all he was trying to do was prevent his slacks from becoming stained by the grass. However, he did violate a rule and viewers from around the country called in to inform the PGA Tour of the infraction. The next day Stadler was DQ'd for signing an incorrect scorecard. How is that for making a wrong right! There are a litany of examples in golf. Players call penalties on themselves with regularity, consult with other players to ensure they are within the rules, all to ensure that the playing field is level for all competitors. This does not happen in any other sport. How refreshing for golf to not only strive to be honorable, but when the chips are stacked and the highest of stakes are on the line, that honor and code of ethics maintains its position within the guidelines of the sport. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-24909266745855140212011-05-29T13:21:00.000-07:002011-05-29T13:46:45.592-07:00The Decision Made Mine Easy"Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion." ~ Rudy Tomjanovich. Remember those infamous words? It has been sixteen long years since this Rockets fan has seen his team make it to the NBA finals. I've been missing Rudy T. like Texas A&M has been missing RC Slocum. In essence, each team has been nothing short of disappointing since each of these coaches were shown the door, minus a few moments of competitive brilliance for the Rockets under Rick Adelman. That being said, they still failed to advance beyond the Western Conference Semis. Before I digress, let's take one more look at that glorious June night in 1995 as the Rockets secured their second straight NBA title: <br />
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<a name='more'></a>Now, we embark upon the culmination of "The Decision." Most of you know, LeBron lost me as a fan that night. My position was and still is simple: if he was staying in Cleveland, then I get it. It brings attention to your city and your narcissistic diatribe is not completely hollow. But, when LBJ knew he was going to be "taking his talents to South Beach," and in doing so stomped on the heart of Cleveland fans who claimed him as one of their own, his true character was on display. Charles Barkley was correct, they are not role models. I do not begrudge LBJ wanting to go to another team and shoot for Michael Jordan lore. Put another way, if LBJ was divorcing Cleveland, did he really need to send them a video of himself with his cheating skank in the sack? A bit much, don't you think?<br />
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Shifting to Dallas, they are not as abhorrent to me as the Lakeshow. I am one of those individuals that likes Mark Cuban. I like his dorky facade as well as the fact that he is David Stern's nemesis. Stern could fine Cuban $3 million per season and Cuban wouldn't even notice. He seems like a fun owner to play for and quite possibly saved basketball for the city of Dallas. In summary, the Mavs winning percentage prior to Cuban acquiring the team in the year 2000 was 40%. After his purchase of the team, it is 69%. That is good enough for me.<br />
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I would say since the Rockets final playoff push of 1997, the Mavs have been the second best team in the state, behind the four time champion Spurs. In truth, the Lakers are the only team in the Western conference that I actually despise, and the only NBA team where I will literally root for whoever they are playing. Except the Heat. Congrats LBJ, you and you alone made this a reality. My hope is the Mavs win, as the Heat now occupy the title of "Team I Loathe The Most." Well, except for the Oklahoma Sooners. Hook 'em Mavs.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-83708164127559069942011-05-14T01:02:00.000-07:002011-05-14T01:24:49.124-07:00We Were All Cheated OnIn 1994, I took up the game of golf. I was horrific at it in the beginning. I'm decent today as I carry somewhere around a 12-14 handicap. Anyhow, that year I tuned into the United States Amateur Championship hosted by the USGA. The venue was TPC at Sawgrass. The cameras from NBC were there as a golfing phenom was introduced to the entire country up close and personal in their living rooms. He won that event. In 1995, he returned to defend his title and NBC returned as did I to watch a repeat take place. A true legend was in the making. In 1996, he returned once again, and tried for the three-peat. I, along with NBC, returned and watched as he pulled off the improbable and became the first player in the history of the game to win three consecutive US Amateur Championships. For the first time in a long time, golf was mainstream. All thanks to Tiger Woods and Nike. Hello World...<br />
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By the way, does anyone tune into the US Amateur any longer? Didn't think so. Anyhow, I digress...<br />
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Phil Knight knew that he had latched on to something special. A generational player who was bound to pay huge dividends. Friends of mine who did not play or watch golf, suddenly began playing and watching like their lives depended on it. Tiger was going to make golf cool and Nike was willing to wager $40 million along with Titleist's $20 million. $60 million given to a rookie golf professional who had yet to win a tour event. Forty-two weeks later, he had a few wins under his belt, including the 1997 Masters by a record twelve strokes, and the title of the world's number one ranked golfer. That was fast.<br />
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Over the next decade, Woods would dominate in historic fashion, racking up the vast majority of his 71 PGA Tour wins (3rd all time), the bulk of his 14 major championships (2nd all time), and apparently developed a ridiculously narcissistic alter ego who struggled with fidelity, sex addiction, and simply being a good husband and a decent human being. Enter November 2009 which provided the springboard for the infamous Escalade accident, allegations of a cheating scandal, a 20 week hiatus from professional golf, and essentially what I am afraid is the end of an era. Matter of fact, I was certain that it was only a matter of time before Woods broke Nicklaus' record of 18 major championship victories. Now, not only do I doubt this, but I strongly doubt it. And it pisses me off. <br />
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Tiger is 35 years old. This is a pivotal age in the world of professional golf. Nicklaus won four majors beyond the age of 35. Frankly, most of us thought this would be the period of time when Woods was "padding his lead" over Nicklaus and the rest of the golfing world. Talk of 20-25 majors was commonplace among not only the media, but golf fans the world over. This was a done deal. It was not a matter of if, but when. However, we found out that Tiger is not this cold, calculating android of a golfer. He's human and he has lost his intimidation factor on tour. Before, if he sniffed the lead on Sunday, it was game over. You had no shot whether your name was Bob May, Rocco Mediate, or Phil Mickelson. He had something over you that you could not escape the grasp of. This is now becoming simple math. Tiger is going to play roughly 59 more majors before he is 50 years of age. Do you think he is going to win five of those? Neither do I.<br />
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The reason I am so irritated by this is we were watching Babe Ruth in his prime. I recall how I felt when I learned that Barry Sanders was retiring from football. I couldn't believe it. There is not a shred of doubt in my mind that he would be the NFL all time rushing leader today had he not retired when he did. It should be noted that while he left the game early, he was healthy, and he did it on his terms. While it was disappointing when he called it quits, I had major respect for his decision. There was more to life than football. However, with Tiger it is quite different. I feel cheated. This was his doing, albeit inadvertently. How on earth did he manage to hide all of his extramarital activities, appear as a happily married man, all the while owning the PGA Tour like nobody ever did before him? Do you know how hard it is to keep all those lies straight? It is a modern miracle that the proverbial crap did not hit the fan much sooner. Yet, he managed to juggle it all for better and for worse.<br />
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Tiger's main focus his entire life has been golf and catching and passing Jack's records. "Second sucks" is a phrase that he barked at Curtis Strange early on in his career during an interview and he caught flack for it from tour veterans. Yet, we learned to understand where he was coming from as he would essentially win one out of four tournaments he started throughout his career to this point. This statistic is astounding and may never be repeated. Certainly, everyone is counting out Tiger at this point with respect to his stated goal of winning more majors than anyone else in the history of the game. His swing is inconsistent, his mental advantage gone, and he is entering a portion of his life without a wife and children to share his home with. Yes, his best days are behind him. Perhaps this is the ultimate contrarian indicator. <i>Nobody </i>believes he has it in him. In a weird, odd way, something tells me this is exactly what he needs. It was too easy for him in the past. His challenge is before him. America <i>loves </i>the comeback and redemption story. This nation is literally begging for Tiger to come out of his funk and dominate the sport once again. Can he do it? All of my rationale tells me absolutely no way. I sure hope I am wrong. While the young guns are fun to watch, they are not Tiger as they do not bring the casual fan to the game or the ratings to the tournaments. The Tour needs Tiger of old, sans the fourteen or so, ahem, "friends." Ask any serious golf fan and they will probably agree.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-53857367110509456972011-05-08T01:47:00.000-07:002011-05-08T02:05:09.333-07:00From Idol To The Voice (Don't You Judge Me)Dammit. Here we go again. I am going to expose a bit of my dorkism in this post. I'm a bit of a sucker for reality television. I hate this fact about myself. But, I embrace it and I am happier for it in the long run. I'll watch Idol and countless other shows beyond your standard studio production. Look, I watched Days of Our Lives religiously throughout high school...don't you judge me. Hence, this is nothing. Now that I think about it, whatever else you people (looking in the mirror here) watch should be deemed the equivalent of Harvard entry testing material when compared to a soap opera. Damn you Stefano DiMera. <br />
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Welcome back. 1-800...636...86..........86. Wait, what just happened? I'll tell you...I just channeled my inner "Rome on a mobile." As I was saying, welcome back. I first became "interested" (<---code for paid attention for the very first time) in American Idol in 2006. This was the season that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiSyaRW5bbs">Chris Daughtry</a> was told by Simon Cowell that "he did not have a lot of charisma and he was not a stand alone star." For the record, Simon corrected his obvious oversight as the season sped along and Daughtry has been the only product spawned from this creation with two consecutive No. 1 albums out of the gate. Which brings me to one glaring, obvious fact: how in the name of all that is holy did <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InDCAr0wJSw&feature=related">Taylor Hicks</a> finish as your winner from this season? Birmingham, AL, this is on you. How did you infect the entire country with this nonsensical crowning? I must digress for a moment. This season brought us Michael Sandecki. If you recall, he is the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLrRFLYxj3s">Clay Aiken wannabe.</a> His singing is obscene and dreadful. However, he is part of the afore-highlighted hyperlink (click it dammit) which is in the top 10 moments in the shows history. This season was the beginning. I've "paid attention" in each subsequent season (stop judging right now) which is always touted as "the Best" season yet. Anyhow, Idol has yet to produce a "rock" winner, but that might change this season. Check out James Durbin on YouTube. The kid's got a shot. <br />
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Yet, this is not a post about the chronology of American Idol nor a season by season recap. I don't have the time nor the inclination to punish you all with regurgitated facts and clips from America's top rated show over the past decade. No, I merely wish to point out that NBC has taken notice (finally) and countered with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABnn708zfKc&NR=1">The Voice</a>. The premise here is the judges in the opening rounds cannot see the face and appearance of the vocalist until they hit the button which swivels their chair 180 degrees from facing the audience to facing the stage. In doing so, they are saying "I want to work with you" and begin lobbying if other judges are involved. The contestants now must choose which judge they want to coach them as they will help form an initial eight person team for said judge. Speaking of the judges, they are Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo, and Adam Levine. The required "drama" went both ways in the opening rounds, which are now complete. The judges will now cut their teams in half this upcoming week. The host of the show is Carson Daly, who is a bit stiff thus far. Bro, relax a bit and embrace the contestants a little. Call Seacrest if you feel the need to regain your MTV TRL mojo. Overall, I think NBC has something here with The Voice. The concept is unique and compelling. If you are a reality dork like myself, give it a whirl.<br />
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Oh, I almost forgot: NFL owners and players, get your egos together and figure out how to divide billions of dollars. Is it really that hard?<br />
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Lastly, Osama bin Laden: is it hot down there?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-73101577129906455912011-04-16T12:11:00.000-07:002011-04-16T18:09:33.954-07:00Bonds, Clemens, I'm All InThe US government literally leaves me scratching my head at times. They focus and waste billions of dollars on the most mundane issues and situations. If you include the BALCO investigation, the Barry Bonds trial cost the US Taxpayer some $55 million. For what reason was this money spent? Because a man was prideful? Because he knew they couldn't (and didn't) prove he used steroids? Sure, they "got him" on an obstruction of justice charge. Great. So, we the taxpaying public is out $55 million and Bonds is probably going to face home confinement. You sure told him! Moreover, you wasted $55 million which could have fed the Congo for the rest of its existence. But, we are not done...<br />
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Let's move on to Roger Clemens. His trial begins this summer. What do you think the government will waste on this showcase? Rest assured, it will soar into the stratosphere of millions of dollars, and all being spent to illustrate that one does not lie to Congress and get away with it. No, that is <i>their </i>job. They are the ones who lie to us and get off scott free complete with a pension, illustrious health care benefits, and more perks than one could reasonably accept without some sort of guilt complex. And it is all legit! It is literally the greatest con job of all time. What is even more sickening? Not one high powered executive within Wall Street, save for Bernie Madoff, is doing time over the disaster that is the mortgage and housing crisis which is <i>still</i> gripping the nation and the very reason we are mired in this obnoxiously long recession. But, let's focus on Clemens and Bonds. Now <i>this</i> is leadership. <br />
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Quick sidenote: it will be bantered about that it was the Bush economic policy that made the money flow freely in the mortgage sector thus causing the housing meltdown. This is simply not the case. While in hindsight Bush did several things wrong, it was Clinton and Barney Frank who championed the cause of "every American should own their home" through FNMA and FHLMC whether they can afford it or not. Those are the facts whether the left leaning writer and producer of Inside Job reports them or not. Just remember, the truth usually lies in the middle but the middle doesn't sell. <br />
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Moving on. Thankfully the FBI and the feds have their sights set on those evil doers known as online poker rooms. Hey US citizens, you are failing at the cerebral horsepower level required to be able to manage your money within these styes of online gambling horror. Therefore, we the FBI, will protect you from these hideous criminals. I find this sort of regulating akin to someone telling me I cannot smoke in a park or in my own home (I don't smoke but I don't care if you do in your home or in outdoor venues). If you all cannot see what is happening here, I can't help you. Bit by bit, inch by inch, the gluttonous sloth that is the government is encroaching on your very freedoms. If I choose to visit Poker Stars with my US dollars from my living room, who am I hurting? Is it my fault that the government is so mired in their "buddy" system that they are somehow shut out of this money making venture? What is the difference if I take my US dollars to Costa Rica and gamble them all away? I will tell you the difference: loss of tax revenue. Man oh man, our boys and girls in DC need a lot of help. They can't see the forest for the trees. Um, guys? We have a $14 trillion deficit so you might want to look at ways to, oh I don't know, partake in some revenue from this source.<br />
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We Americans love to gamble and will always do so. So, why the issue with online poker? I mean, the Feds turn a blind eye to March Madness and office pools across the country. What is the annual figure in office pools for March Madness you ask? Estimates place the total dollar amount of American office pools in excess of <i>$3 billion</i>, with the total cost in productivity in the neighborhood of <i>$1.8 billion</i> (Financial Edge). So, let me get this straight: $500 million in online poker revenue from US players at Poker Stars is a problem. But, $3 billion being gambled away and won in illegal office pools annually is somehow just fine. Hypocrisy knows no bounds.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-3768756293074944762011-04-03T00:08:00.000-07:002011-04-03T11:54:50.273-07:00Texafornia: It Could Be The Perfect StateI've said this many times before to my friends: I long for Texafornia. Independently, the two states each do many things brilliantly. But, if it were up to me, I'd marry the two. Then and only then, Utopian living will have been reached. Who doesn't want to improve upon their living conditions? That's what I thought. Below, I am going to hit some highlights and lowlights of each state. While I have a fondness for each, Texas will always be home. It is where I spent 36 years of my life. Without further ado, here we go...<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Let's get past the obvious difference: Texas has abysmal weather and California provides more weather envy per capita than any other state in the union. Matter of fact, most Californians I know are complete and utter weather pansies. If it gets to 84 degrees outside, that is considered hot and uncomfortable. Texans would take 84 degrees in a millisecond and might even take a decent pay cut to ensure the mercury never registers north of that mark. Truth be told, the trees sweat in Texas. The state bird is either the flying cockroach or the over-sized, blood-thirsty, steroidal mosquito which has been known to carry away small pets. Meanwhile, the marine layer provides Californians with built in air conditioning. There are no mosquitoes in SoCal and I have never seen a cockroach that could be fit with tail numbers the way they can be in Texas. These differences are the obvious "givens" in this analytical display of genius. <br />
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On to more important matters: food. Hey California, would it kill you to put chile con queso on the freaking menu at your Mexican restaurants? Here is a concept: you take some cheese and not any cheese mind you. I don't want you to come in here with your healthy, organically cultured, cheese concocted in some tokehouse in Berkeley. All we need is pasteurized processed cheese. It's called Velveeta. Stock it in your restaurant. Take said cheese block and melt it in a saucepan with green chiles, sauteed onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, a bit of milk and presto: $8.95 per bowl of luscious, creamy, cheesy love-sauce. Trust me on this: you will dip any and every burger into said concoction with gusto. Sadly, I get 37 different guacamole combinations and zero queso options regardless of locale. This is a complete and utter failure of your Mexican restaurants. These restauranteurs, they won't listen either. Some friends of mine opened a Mexican restaurant in our town of Ladera Ranch recently and they refused to add queso to the menu. REFUSED! The food is good, but it could be great. Hey California: Texas has guacamole on the menu in all of its Mexican restaurants. In truth, it is Tex-Mex. It's a Texas thing. You wouldn't understand. <br />
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Speaking of burgers: very soon, Texans will <i>finally</i> be able to order a #1 spread only with a single side-car and a Neopolitan shake (showing @seancablinasian some love here). No longer will you be forced to deal with Whataburger's overbearing menu. In-N-Out is coming to the Lone Star State. However, Whataburger does have it's place and that place is fast food breakfast of love from 11:00PM-11:00AM. Speaking of breakfast, um California, could you learn how to make biscuits and gravy that doesn't, what's the phrase I am looking for here...freaking suck? Here is what you have to do: take the sausage out of the wrapper and brown it in a cast iron skillet. Now, drain the fat but <i>do not</i> scrape the drippings off of the skillet and toss them. These little charred specs of goodness go into the sausage gravy which is made with flour, <i>whole milk </i>(I know this is a tough one to swallow)<i>, </i>salt and pepper, which is then poured over the top of wonderfully flaky, buttermilk biscuits. <---- Now, this is breakfast. Not tomatoes, avocados, and an organically grown, whole-wheat half of a bagel served with organic low fat cream cheese. This is what I would feed my pet rabbit if I were feminine enough to actually pull that off.<br />
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Look Californians, I get it. You are a fit bunch, addicted to biking, hiking, surfing, and image carving. You don more ink than the NY Times' printing press and the scenic beauty of the landscape is mesmerizing. Texans, I hear you. You would be active too but the weather is not very conducive to outdoor sports. My grandfather used to say, the reason people in places like California were so fit was due to the fact that they did not have <a href="http://www.lupetortilla.com/">this</a> or <a href="http://pappasitos.com/home/">this</a> to tempt them on a nightly basis. He was right (miss you Paw Paw). This is why we offer 3000 s.f. for about $200,000-250,000 in the suburbs. Never mind having 3000 s.f. in SoCal. If you want 2500 s.f. in Ladera Ranch in Orange County, CA, be prepared to part with <a href="http://www.redfin.com/CA/Mission-Viejo/15-Pine-Hill-Ln-92694/home/5935728">nearly $600,000.</a> Did I mention the home sits on a 4000 s.f. lot? Let me break this down for you: you might see your neighbor doing all sorts of things simply due to proximity and lack of window coverings. Yes, in SoCal, land is in demand beyond your wildest dreams. In Texas, the definition of urban sprawl resides around the metropolises. Soon enough, north Houston and south Dallas will be fighting over annexation rights for Centerville, TX. Not sure if this will ease or increase traffic congestion. <br />
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Speaking of traffic, I used to be of the opinion that Houstonians drove quite fast. Nope. People in SoCal bring fast to another level. Want to drive in the left lane? Be prepared to go 85+ MPH. But, here is the thing. The level of driving courtesy in California puts southern hospitality to shame. Need to get over on a SoCal freeway? No problem. Simply put on your blinker and those around you will accommodate your needs. Give that move a whirl in Houston. Somehow, somewhere, a Texan in the past decided that driving from The Woodlands, TX to the Galleria area in Houston became a race. And dammit, he was going to win...at all costs. Speeding up, slowing down. Anything to thwart your trip and ensure that he is "winning" is the primary objective here. Just the opposite is true regarding your neighbors.<br />
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In Texas, people take the time to get to know you. They will show up on your doorstep with a freshly baked pie...just for you...just because. Not so in Orange County, CA. If my neighbor is knocking on my door, one of two things has occurred: A) my dog has crapped in their yard and I failed to blue bag it and dispose of the fertilization grenade in appropriate fashion...or 2) someone else's dog has crapped in their yard and they are mistaken thinking it is my dog. See, Californians are really into...what's the word I am looking for...themselves. We currently have a neighbor who actually asked me if I had bags on me when I was out with the dogs. Hey asshat: I am going to train my dogs to crap in bags, set them on fire, and leave them on your doorstep if you keep it up. For the record, that will be the first time I knock on his door. But, I have an excuse: I've spent the better part of nine months on Kauai. What is your excuse Johnny Allaboutme? Here's a question, Johnny: if you stare at your phone long enough, does it hug you? Do your narcissistic tendencies overtake your ability to look beyond yourself and think about others? Or, is picking up dog crap <i>that</i> big of a deal? Never mind, I think I know the answer.<br />
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Finally, let's tackle the political side of this overly long blog post. While Texans are known for southern hospitality, they are not known for tolerance. Californians are quite tolerant. Let's take the issue of gay marriage and put it on display here front and center. In the Lone Star State, this would have as great of an opportunity of "becoming the norm" as Tofu BBQ would in garnering the top spot in a popularity poll of locals' favorite finger lickin' locales. While California voted to define marriage as that between a man and a woman, the redefinition will eventually pass on the west coast. They are simply a much more diverse and accepting bunch regarding the social stratosphere. I am not sure this will ever happen anywhere in the state of Texas. Yes, that includes you too, Austin. If we were to take the best of each state while eliminating the worst, we could reach Utopian American living.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302585684325992690.post-7216846219340720842011-03-25T20:01:00.000-07:002011-03-25T22:28:05.324-07:00It's A Glorious Day: Duke LostMarch Madness has a means of bringing about moments that very few sporting events can even remotely pull off. There are the fixtures and mainstays which occupy deep spots in the tournament nearly each and every year: Kentucky, UConn, North Carolina, Arizona, Kansas, Michigan State, and finally the Duke Blue Devils. Of the teams just mentioned, there could only be one of them that would get the blood boiling for most of you. I mean, who hates Kansas? Rock Chalk Jayhawk is loved by mostly all of us as it depicts what March Madness is all about. Kentucky? Nah, unless you attended Louisville. But that is not what this post is about. There will always be teams and fan bases that wish for failure of their most heated rivals. Here, I am talking about the New York Yankees of college hoops. Yankee haters exist in every corner of the country. Same with Duke. No college hoops team is more divisive than the Blue Devils. Does anyone know a true Blue Devils fan? Oh, a worthy sidenote: nobody likes Duke football. It is only basketball which deserves attention. I have loads of friends, by the way and only one is a true Duke fan, albeit in basketball only. This means only one thing: 99.9% of my friends would rather go through a high-powered colonic than cheer for Duke. Let's explore why after the jump.<br />
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For me, it began in 1992 with this most ridiculous shot and lack of defense by Kentucky. This game is heralded by many as the greatest college basketball game in the history of the sport. Those rankings are tough to objectively score, but it would be in the top three in my book. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">By the way, how do you not guard the in-bounds pass here? Oh, I digress. Of course, this game catapulted Duke into the Final Four where they toppled Indiana in the national semi-finals and then dispersed of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fab_Five_%28University_of_Michigan%29">Fab Five</a> from Michigan with a 71-51 drubbing of Chris Webber and the gang. The Wolverines brought some hip-hop flavor, baggy shorts (for the day), black socks, and an attitude as they started five freshmen from mid-February through the rest of the season. You wanted the Fab Five to succeed, especially against Duke. They didn't. Worse, they didn't even compete. Blown off the national stage by the irritatingly proficient Mike Krzyzewski led Blue Devils brought about even more annoyance. Who liked Laettner and Bobby Hurley besides their families and Duke alumni and student base? Nobody, that's who. And they screwed it up for everybody. A team starting five true freshmen had a chance to make history by not only winning the national title, but knocking off the loathed Dukies in doing so. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Speaking of Coach Krzyzewski, he draws a good bit of attentive ire in his own right. Whether it is due to his smallish mouth, rat resemblance, or the fact that he always seems to beat you with less can be debated. This man can flat out coach. Maybe it is the fact that the university has an undergraduate enrollment of some 6500 full time students. Perhaps it is the fact that 95% of the students graduate within a four year time frame. There is less of them, they are smarter than the rest of us, and they still win with regularity. That is <i>damn </i>annoying. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Regarding accomplishments, it gets even worse: </div><ul><li>4 National Championships (all since 1985 when field was expanded to 64 teams)</li>
<li> 15 Final Fours</li>
<li>10 Championship Game Appearances</li>
<li>18 ACC Championships</li>
<li>11 National Players of the Year Awards</li>
<li>14 of its alumni are active in the NBA (tied for most in the nation) </li>
<li>One of only two programs with Final Four Appearance and Championship Game appearance in each of the last five decades</li>
<li>Cameron Indoor Arena is arguably the top venue in the nation for college hoops</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: left;">Yes, as you can see, there is a good bit to voice one's displeasure about regarding Duke University. Perhaps they don't do anything at all but make others insanely jealous. Ahhh, that's it. We all don't simply hate Duke, unless you are a UNC graduate/fan. No, we are simply jealous at their relentless efficiency and consistency. As they say, it is lonely at the top and Duke proves that once more. Job well done, Coach K.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0