What are my Super Bowl plans you ask? Simple. I have none. Why do I need to spend my money to go watch the Patsies win another Lombardi trophy? I am still numb. It's so bad, I'm getting to be one of those people who would watch the Super Bowl just for the commercials. Now that's bad. Thank God just one more month until baseball spring training begins. Anyway, I'm going to Ecclesia and there may not be many people there that night, but big deal.
I just got my tax information from both my jobs. Taxes are so aggravating. Think. The government takes a little money all through the year. Then they come to you and say, "Uh, I'm sorry. I need a whole lot more of your cash." And Social Security. That's such a joke. Shouldn't the government ask you if you want that taken out? They should say, "Would you like us to save some money for you when you get old?" "No, I want to spend the dough now." And come on, do you expect me to live to be 65? Really now. 3 car accidents, working at CPK, rooting for the Jets, hey, something's gonna get me!
It's gonna be another long year in volleyball. We changed 2 players from last season and lost our first game 15-3, 15-8, 15-9. Need I say more? This was the Patriots against the Wheaton Academy football team. I can say that because Wheaton Academy doesn't HAVE a football team! On a sidenote... My boss at the paper is now a captain of a new team and he got 2 of our former teammates. That's the game I can't wait for.
Got to go work a night shift at CPK tonight after already working today. I start at 5:30 p.m. And I'm not getting out until at least 10:30. Then I work at 11:00 A.M. the next morning. Gonna be a long night. But I had to pick up a shift tonight to get Saturday off. I'm attending a Geneva H.S. baseball coaches clinic that afternoon. Who knows, maybe I'll get a chance to coach this summer.
Music pick: "Sugar, Sugar (In My Life)" - John Fogerty
Monday, January 31, 2005
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Super Bowl Mets & White Sox comments
For these 2 weeks, I will back Philthydelphia. I can just wear my Pennington jersey (that's Chad, not Todd, mom!). At least there's some green there. Odds are they will lose a close one, but the bottom line is they willl lose. I think the only way they will win is if I start rooting for the Patriots. I think that's it! If I start rooting for NE, they'll never win again! They're done! It would me a painful change to make. But it would almost be worth it.
Well, the Marlins have Carlos Delgado. Of course, his geeky e-mailing agent is based out of South Florida! It's like when that NFL arbitrator who was a Redskin fan awarded Chad Morton to the Redskins over the Jets. It's funny. If Delgado had become a Met, I'd be worried about him breaking down, or just not playing well at Shea. Now that he's on a division rival, we're all thinking, "Oh, crap. He's going to kill us!" So we got Doug "Can I buy a vowel" Mientkiewicz. A guy who has one more vowel in his name that he had homeruns last year. He only hit .240 last year. And he does a good job of holiding on to the ball, if you know what I mean. God willing, we can have a game-winning World Series ball controversy with him. At least he'll play a good defensive first base for us. Now let's hope we don't revisit the Sosa trade talks.
So we have the speed. We have decent contact hitting. We have good defense, provided Matsui learns how to play second base. We need Floyd or Piazza to step up and be that RBI guy we don't have. And we need 1 or 2 more bullpen guys. They're better, but not ready to win the division yet. The Marlins are excellent. And of course, we have the rednecks in Georgia. Odds are Brian Jordan and Raul "I hate" MONDESI! will hit 50 homeruns between them. I wouldn't predict that for any other team.
While the Mets may be inching up on the Yankees, the White Sox look like they're past the Cubs already! They've gained Iguchi, Jermiane Dye, Dustin Hermanson, Scott Podsednik, Luis Vizcaino, A.J. Pierzynski, my buddy Alex Escobar, and El Duque and dropped Magglio Ordonez (who was out for half the season anyway, Carlos Lee, Sandy Alomar, Bobby Alomar (yes, that's what I called him), and Dan Wright. Kenny Williams must have super-human powers. On the NL side, St. Louis is the biggest loser in the off-season and Houston has lost Beltran (YES!) and Kent and their starting rotation is aging and hurt, outside of Roy Oswalt. I'm expecting 2 division titles in Chicago this year.
Well, the Marlins have Carlos Delgado. Of course, his geeky e-mailing agent is based out of South Florida! It's like when that NFL arbitrator who was a Redskin fan awarded Chad Morton to the Redskins over the Jets. It's funny. If Delgado had become a Met, I'd be worried about him breaking down, or just not playing well at Shea. Now that he's on a division rival, we're all thinking, "Oh, crap. He's going to kill us!" So we got Doug "Can I buy a vowel" Mientkiewicz. A guy who has one more vowel in his name that he had homeruns last year. He only hit .240 last year. And he does a good job of holiding on to the ball, if you know what I mean. God willing, we can have a game-winning World Series ball controversy with him. At least he'll play a good defensive first base for us. Now let's hope we don't revisit the Sosa trade talks.
So we have the speed. We have decent contact hitting. We have good defense, provided Matsui learns how to play second base. We need Floyd or Piazza to step up and be that RBI guy we don't have. And we need 1 or 2 more bullpen guys. They're better, but not ready to win the division yet. The Marlins are excellent. And of course, we have the rednecks in Georgia. Odds are Brian Jordan and Raul "I hate" MONDESI! will hit 50 homeruns between them. I wouldn't predict that for any other team.
While the Mets may be inching up on the Yankees, the White Sox look like they're past the Cubs already! They've gained Iguchi, Jermiane Dye, Dustin Hermanson, Scott Podsednik, Luis Vizcaino, A.J. Pierzynski, my buddy Alex Escobar, and El Duque and dropped Magglio Ordonez (who was out for half the season anyway, Carlos Lee, Sandy Alomar, Bobby Alomar (yes, that's what I called him), and Dan Wright. Kenny Williams must have super-human powers. On the NL side, St. Louis is the biggest loser in the off-season and Houston has lost Beltran (YES!) and Kent and their starting rotation is aging and hurt, outside of Roy Oswalt. I'm expecting 2 division titles in Chicago this year.
MY FIRST FEATURE ARTICLE!!!
To all my peeps... Enjoy!
Saints storm back to knock off Larkin
By Adam Bartolo Daily Herald Correspondent
Posted Wednesday, January 26, 2005
St. Charles East rallied from 16 points down to defeat Larkin 54-48 in an Upstate Eight Conference makeup game Tuesday in St. Charles.
The Saints (5-13, 3-5) trailed for over three quarters until 5:20 remained, when Cole Livermore swished a 3-pointer from the left wing and the home crowd fans erupted as the Saints took a 42-41 lead.
On the Saints' next possession, Livermore swished another bomb from the same spot, and the crowd got even louder.
"Both times I was open," Livermore said. "I made the first and I had good confidence the second one would go in."
The Royals (10-10, 3-5) got off to a hot start, using their speed, hustle and teamwork to take the quick lead. Dayvon Ellis had 10 points and Andre Clark scored 12 in the first half. They led 27-11 in the second quarter, and appeared they would coast to a win.
Slowly, the Saints began to rally. Mike Bertrand scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half. Matt Pierce, who was shut out in the first half, scored 5 points in the third quarter to ignite the Saints' offense.
"They got a little bit of confidence and they ran with it," Larkin coach Joe Kain said.
As the game progressed, the Saints played smarter. With four minutes remaining, they killed two minutes off the clock with their "four corners" keep-away passes, which limited Larkin offensive possessions, and got the crowd more and more excited.
"We took care of the ball when we needed to," Saints coach Brian Clodi said.
St. Charles East also did a great job at the foul line down the stretch, making 14 of 17.
Meanwhile, the Royals' frustration began to show with missed shots and failing to grab rebounds. Larkin did not make a field goal in the fourth quarter until Ellis' layup with three minutes left.
The Royals shot 2-for-12 from the field in the fourth quarter.
"The guys all wanted to make something happen, but we got out of flow of our offense," Kain said. "When we do that, we're not very good. We have got to play a complete game on both sides of the floor."
Livermore finished with 12 points and a team-high 7 rebounds. Ellis had 19 points and 9 rebounds for Larkin.
Saints storm back to knock off Larkin
By Adam Bartolo Daily Herald Correspondent
Posted Wednesday, January 26, 2005
St. Charles East rallied from 16 points down to defeat Larkin 54-48 in an Upstate Eight Conference makeup game Tuesday in St. Charles.
The Saints (5-13, 3-5) trailed for over three quarters until 5:20 remained, when Cole Livermore swished a 3-pointer from the left wing and the home crowd fans erupted as the Saints took a 42-41 lead.
On the Saints' next possession, Livermore swished another bomb from the same spot, and the crowd got even louder.
"Both times I was open," Livermore said. "I made the first and I had good confidence the second one would go in."
The Royals (10-10, 3-5) got off to a hot start, using their speed, hustle and teamwork to take the quick lead. Dayvon Ellis had 10 points and Andre Clark scored 12 in the first half. They led 27-11 in the second quarter, and appeared they would coast to a win.
Slowly, the Saints began to rally. Mike Bertrand scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half. Matt Pierce, who was shut out in the first half, scored 5 points in the third quarter to ignite the Saints' offense.
"They got a little bit of confidence and they ran with it," Larkin coach Joe Kain said.
As the game progressed, the Saints played smarter. With four minutes remaining, they killed two minutes off the clock with their "four corners" keep-away passes, which limited Larkin offensive possessions, and got the crowd more and more excited.
"We took care of the ball when we needed to," Saints coach Brian Clodi said.
St. Charles East also did a great job at the foul line down the stretch, making 14 of 17.
Meanwhile, the Royals' frustration began to show with missed shots and failing to grab rebounds. Larkin did not make a field goal in the fourth quarter until Ellis' layup with three minutes left.
The Royals shot 2-for-12 from the field in the fourth quarter.
"The guys all wanted to make something happen, but we got out of flow of our offense," Kain said. "When we do that, we're not very good. We have got to play a complete game on both sides of the floor."
Livermore finished with 12 points and a team-high 7 rebounds. Ellis had 19 points and 9 rebounds for Larkin.
Monday, January 24, 2005
Thanks for the memories
I can't say I was shocked upon hearing of Johnny Carson's passing, but it was still tough to take. I never watched late night TV until 1994, so I never actually watched a Tonight Show with Johnny hosting. But I own several videotapes and boy, as a performer, I can say that guy knew how to work an audience. Great timing, great reactions, quick wit, and always playing it cool. Thanks for the laughs and memories John. We'll miss you.
And Rosemary Woods, Richard Nixon's seceretary, who supposedly erased 18 1/2 minutes of tape during the Watergate disaster, also died this weekend. And I'd really like to thank her and her bosses for giving me so many ideas for research papers when I was in school.
Quick Carson joke. "In the paper today, a woman in Michigan was arrested for exchanging sex for spaghetti dinners. You can't make this kind of stuff up. Apparently she never asked a man for money. All she wanted were spaghetti dinners. My question... Technically, wouldn't that make her a pasta-tute?
And Rosemary Woods, Richard Nixon's seceretary, who supposedly erased 18 1/2 minutes of tape during the Watergate disaster, also died this weekend. And I'd really like to thank her and her bosses for giving me so many ideas for research papers when I was in school.
Quick Carson joke. "In the paper today, a woman in Michigan was arrested for exchanging sex for spaghetti dinners. You can't make this kind of stuff up. Apparently she never asked a man for money. All she wanted were spaghetti dinners. My question... Technically, wouldn't that make her a pasta-tute?
Saturday, January 22, 2005
My epiphany!
The one area you hope the Mets will be able to clean up is their bullpen. There area lot of question marks there. But I, the greatest broadcast journalist, this side of Skip Caray (yawn), have figured it all out.
You know who I think the Mets should sign to pitch in the pen? Mike Piazza's fiancee. Former Playmate Alicia Rickter! That's right. Now you naysayer White Sox, Cub, Red Sox, and Brave fans say she can't pitch? Hey, you should see all the guys she struck out that were trying to get to first base. She does have some good curves.
Well, driving is unbelievably tough today with all the snow we have. I'm sure those east coacsters don't exactly have it much easier than we do. I'm going into Wheaton to watch a basketball game. The last time I did this, a little over a year ago, I got into an accident because my brakes didn't brake. Oh, what a lovely day that was. OK, I'm on my own in this house for 5 days. Time to clean up around here.
You know who I think the Mets should sign to pitch in the pen? Mike Piazza's fiancee. Former Playmate Alicia Rickter! That's right. Now you naysayer White Sox, Cub, Red Sox, and Brave fans say she can't pitch? Hey, you should see all the guys she struck out that were trying to get to first base. She does have some good curves.
Well, driving is unbelievably tough today with all the snow we have. I'm sure those east coacsters don't exactly have it much easier than we do. I'm going into Wheaton to watch a basketball game. The last time I did this, a little over a year ago, I got into an accident because my brakes didn't brake. Oh, what a lovely day that was. OK, I'm on my own in this house for 5 days. Time to clean up around here.
Friday, January 21, 2005
I am an arteest!
Some random poetry on this slow, snowy Friday night.
Going somewhere strange.
I realize I need a change.
What really is tomorrow
It never arrives.
Is there one place I'd like to stay,
or is it a state of mind?
Is it possible
that all I want
is just
a step or two away?
To my left
a fax machine wails
I must type scores
And stop writing these silly details.
(Yes, it's true, I have to get back to work!)
Going somewhere strange.
I realize I need a change.
What really is tomorrow
It never arrives.
Is there one place I'd like to stay,
or is it a state of mind?
Is it possible
that all I want
is just
a step or two away?
To my left
a fax machine wails
I must type scores
And stop writing these silly details.
(Yes, it's true, I have to get back to work!)
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Confession time
I admit it. I taped American Idol last night. I watched it because I compare myself with these other Sinatras and Arethas and realize how good of a singer I actually am. After I got back from work around 11:30, I watched it and laughed my you know what off. Oh my goodness. I can't put it into words what I saw from some of these people. The best was this one guy Aven, who let out the longest, ugliest note I've ever heard.
Onto the Mets. No, I would not trade Mike Cameron for Eric Byrnes and Chad Bradford. Bradford is nice, and who doesn't love to watch a submariner pitch, but Byrnes isn't the kind of player we need in this lineup. We have enough top of the order guys already. As I've said over and over, we need an RBI bat. We still don't have it, unless Piazza or Floyd fight off Father Time. Of course, I still want Magglio Ordonez, but right now there's no room in the outfield. I think the Mets are probably done with marquee free agents and will get another bullpen guy to bring in. Oh that's right. They got ROBERTO HERNANDEZ! For the least 2 years, he was the one guy on Atlanta and Philly I was praying would come into the game because I knew the Mets would score. Man, Hernandez, Galaragga, and the whole 40-something minority crew! Ah well. Keep good faith, my peeps.
Onto the Mets. No, I would not trade Mike Cameron for Eric Byrnes and Chad Bradford. Bradford is nice, and who doesn't love to watch a submariner pitch, but Byrnes isn't the kind of player we need in this lineup. We have enough top of the order guys already. As I've said over and over, we need an RBI bat. We still don't have it, unless Piazza or Floyd fight off Father Time. Of course, I still want Magglio Ordonez, but right now there's no room in the outfield. I think the Mets are probably done with marquee free agents and will get another bullpen guy to bring in. Oh that's right. They got ROBERTO HERNANDEZ! For the least 2 years, he was the one guy on Atlanta and Philly I was praying would come into the game because I knew the Mets would score. Man, Hernandez, Galaragga, and the whole 40-something minority crew! Ah well. Keep good faith, my peeps.
Monday, January 17, 2005
And the icing on the cake for his weekend...
On Sunday, I didn't want to do a thing, I was so numb. I didn't get out of bed until 10:30. I did watch some football and of course the Patsies advance. At 5 p.m., I decide enough of this crap and I went to ecclesia in Wheaton. I figured I can get this out of my head, see a few people, and get righteous, at least for a little while. So I'm walking around and this girl walks in. She's a grad school student at Wheaton. I'd never met her. And we talk and I mention I went to school in Boston, right? Her response...
"So are you a Patriots fan?"
Yes, I wanted to go nuts. Boy, I really needed that on top of all the other crap I went through this weekend. Just unbelievable. Suffice to say, I didn't ask for her number.
So how do I feel about the rest of the football season. Simple, whoever comes out of the NFC... that's who I'm rooting for. Odds are though, I won't be watching. It's depressing.
New Whose Line episodes tonight on ABC Family. Hallelujah. It's about time. Those 22 unreleased episodes will finally be shown. Now all that's left is the DVD collection.
And for my Song of the Week, I'll pick one regarding the Jets. Ray Charles. Born to Lose.
Hopefully, Benigno will be good on the FAN today.
"So are you a Patriots fan?"
Yes, I wanted to go nuts. Boy, I really needed that on top of all the other crap I went through this weekend. Just unbelievable. Suffice to say, I didn't ask for her number.
So how do I feel about the rest of the football season. Simple, whoever comes out of the NFC... that's who I'm rooting for. Odds are though, I won't be watching. It's depressing.
New Whose Line episodes tonight on ABC Family. Hallelujah. It's about time. Those 22 unreleased episodes will finally be shown. Now all that's left is the DVD collection.
And for my Song of the Week, I'll pick one regarding the Jets. Ray Charles. Born to Lose.
Hopefully, Benigno will be good on the FAN today.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
You know what I'm starting off with.
In this blog, I've tried to talk about a plethora of topics, to keep it fresh. I've tried not to be angry or show much emotion. Well to hell with that tonight.
The Jets lose a killer playoff game to Pittsburgh in OT. Season over. RIP. Dead. Finished. Over. Typical. This is why I despise the thought of a moral victory. I don't want to read anyone's comments saying, "They had a great season. Oh they'll be great next year. They battled a team they had no business beating. If it wasn't for this guy, they'd have won." You know what, right now, stick it where the sun don't shine. A loyal Jet fan is not getting over this until next September. This is why this team will never reach a Super Bowl. They invent ways to lose and break your heart.
I was at Rookie's watching the game and I left when the game was 17-17 with 2 minutes left. When Doug Brien missed the field goal which would have given the Jets the lead, I left. I figured Pitt would drive down with Bettis, kick a FG and win. I drove to work and listened to the radio broadcast on the way. First play, interception! I couldn't believe it. Unreal. I'm screaming out the windows (when I was stopped at a light that is) and getting all excited. I thought "Holy Cow, we're going to shut all the experts up and go to the AFC title game!" And the Jets are driving down the field to kick a field goal, because I know there's no way they're throwing a pass into the end zone. And as I'm pulling into the parking lot of the Daily Herald, Brien is lining up to kick the 47 yard game-winning field goal with 4 seconds left. And as excited as I was, I suddenly stopped myself. I said "Wait, wait, it's too easy if it happens this way. It can't be they're winning here. The Jets never win this easy." Sure enough, he hooks it wide left and the game goes to OT. The Jets get the ball to start, can't get far enough to score. Pitt makes a few big pass plays and just like that they're on the Jet 22. And you knew there was NO WAY Jeff Reed was missing his field goal. Game over, 20-17 we lose. A shocking upset right there in front of us, and we give it right away. So tonight I'm drinking my Kool-Aid. With a shot of arsenic.
I'm going to refer to a post I wrote on what I felt the Jets had to do to win. You tell me how it turned out.
1) "If we trail by 13 at any point, we're not rallying in the 2nd half." We trailed by 10 in the 1st quarter and rallied. We came back. Mission accomplished.
2) "The Jets need to get a decent lead, especially going into the 4th quarter." They led 17-10 going into the 4th. Mission accomplished.
3) "A defensive score would be huge as this offense has not got into the red zone of Pittsburgh yet this season." actually, they never got into the red zone in this game either! At least they got a defensive score AND a special teams score. Mission accomplished.
And they lost the damn thing on 2 missed field goals. Now Doug Brien, goodbye and good riddance. But he should have been in better position to kick. As soon as the Jets got around the 35 yard line, they got conservative with runs(this happened twice) and Brien had two 46-yard attempts that he missed both times. If the Jets stay aggressive and throw just a slant pass or something, that can equal kicking a field goal from 5 or 6 yards closer. So Terry Bradway, cut Brien. Fire "I can't" Hackett. And I like Coach Herman Edwards, but I wonder if he will ever be a championship coach. I don't know. I just don't.
And then you put on top of that the disaster known as the New York Knicks. And to think I almost got tickets to watch that disgusting, despicable finish. If I was actually there, I don't think I would have gotten out of that building not wearing handcuffs. And the car ride home would have been dead quiet. The Knicks lose by 2 in Chicago after leading almost the whole game. And I have to have all these stupid Bull fans around me acting like their team won its 7th championship. At least God gave me a break that I didn't have to watch that putrid performance in person Saturday afternon. And Isaiah, three words for you. FIRE LENNY WILKENS!
So I am one angry, miserable, and pissed off Knick and Jet fan tonight. Just the same old treadmill I've been running on for 14 years now.
The Jets lose a killer playoff game to Pittsburgh in OT. Season over. RIP. Dead. Finished. Over. Typical. This is why I despise the thought of a moral victory. I don't want to read anyone's comments saying, "They had a great season. Oh they'll be great next year. They battled a team they had no business beating. If it wasn't for this guy, they'd have won." You know what, right now, stick it where the sun don't shine. A loyal Jet fan is not getting over this until next September. This is why this team will never reach a Super Bowl. They invent ways to lose and break your heart.
I was at Rookie's watching the game and I left when the game was 17-17 with 2 minutes left. When Doug Brien missed the field goal which would have given the Jets the lead, I left. I figured Pitt would drive down with Bettis, kick a FG and win. I drove to work and listened to the radio broadcast on the way. First play, interception! I couldn't believe it. Unreal. I'm screaming out the windows (when I was stopped at a light that is) and getting all excited. I thought "Holy Cow, we're going to shut all the experts up and go to the AFC title game!" And the Jets are driving down the field to kick a field goal, because I know there's no way they're throwing a pass into the end zone. And as I'm pulling into the parking lot of the Daily Herald, Brien is lining up to kick the 47 yard game-winning field goal with 4 seconds left. And as excited as I was, I suddenly stopped myself. I said "Wait, wait, it's too easy if it happens this way. It can't be they're winning here. The Jets never win this easy." Sure enough, he hooks it wide left and the game goes to OT. The Jets get the ball to start, can't get far enough to score. Pitt makes a few big pass plays and just like that they're on the Jet 22. And you knew there was NO WAY Jeff Reed was missing his field goal. Game over, 20-17 we lose. A shocking upset right there in front of us, and we give it right away. So tonight I'm drinking my Kool-Aid. With a shot of arsenic.
I'm going to refer to a post I wrote on what I felt the Jets had to do to win. You tell me how it turned out.
1) "If we trail by 13 at any point, we're not rallying in the 2nd half." We trailed by 10 in the 1st quarter and rallied. We came back. Mission accomplished.
2) "The Jets need to get a decent lead, especially going into the 4th quarter." They led 17-10 going into the 4th. Mission accomplished.
3) "A defensive score would be huge as this offense has not got into the red zone of Pittsburgh yet this season." actually, they never got into the red zone in this game either! At least they got a defensive score AND a special teams score. Mission accomplished.
And they lost the damn thing on 2 missed field goals. Now Doug Brien, goodbye and good riddance. But he should have been in better position to kick. As soon as the Jets got around the 35 yard line, they got conservative with runs(this happened twice) and Brien had two 46-yard attempts that he missed both times. If the Jets stay aggressive and throw just a slant pass or something, that can equal kicking a field goal from 5 or 6 yards closer. So Terry Bradway, cut Brien. Fire "I can't" Hackett. And I like Coach Herman Edwards, but I wonder if he will ever be a championship coach. I don't know. I just don't.
And then you put on top of that the disaster known as the New York Knicks. And to think I almost got tickets to watch that disgusting, despicable finish. If I was actually there, I don't think I would have gotten out of that building not wearing handcuffs. And the car ride home would have been dead quiet. The Knicks lose by 2 in Chicago after leading almost the whole game. And I have to have all these stupid Bull fans around me acting like their team won its 7th championship. At least God gave me a break that I didn't have to watch that putrid performance in person Saturday afternon. And Isaiah, three words for you. FIRE LENNY WILKENS!
So I am one angry, miserable, and pissed off Knick and Jet fan tonight. Just the same old treadmill I've been running on for 14 years now.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Stories...
I'm working at CPK, hanging out in the server station and the stereo is playing. A song by by Sheryl Crow comes on. A few people "sing" along, "Baby I know the first cut is the deepest." And I let out one of my classic observation lines: "So does John Bobbitt." The other 2 guys near me burst out laughing. One girl, who I refer to as the manager's pet, asks us out loud, "Who's John Bobbitt?" We don't know if she's serious. She asks "Are you guys putting me on? Who is he? Did he used to work here?" At that point, I lost it. I couldn't stop laughing. I just said, "He's a guy who really didn't have it altogether." Sometimes I even make myself giggle. It's nice to have someone doing it.
CPK knows how to make lettuce wraps. Spicy, low-carb, and cheaper than a cheese pizza, which is surprisingly strange. They may not quite be up to the standards of PF Chang's, but hey that's like comparing a Mustang to a Porsche. OK, if I mention PF Chang's again, this post is going straight downhill...
Song of the week: "Waiting For the Light to Change" by the Warren Brothers. Never heard of the Warren Brothers you say. Well, that's probably why their latest CD is titled "Well Deserved Obscurity."
In other news, a man wearing a suit of mirrors was arrested on assault today. The man apologized once he had time to sit down and reflect.
CPK knows how to make lettuce wraps. Spicy, low-carb, and cheaper than a cheese pizza, which is surprisingly strange. They may not quite be up to the standards of PF Chang's, but hey that's like comparing a Mustang to a Porsche. OK, if I mention PF Chang's again, this post is going straight downhill...
Song of the week: "Waiting For the Light to Change" by the Warren Brothers. Never heard of the Warren Brothers you say. Well, that's probably why their latest CD is titled "Well Deserved Obscurity."
In other news, a man wearing a suit of mirrors was arrested on assault today. The man apologized once he had time to sit down and reflect.
And the hits just keep on coming!
The signs just keep getting more and more encouraging for the Jets as they travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers this Saturday in the AFC Divisional playoffs. John Abraham officially downgraded to questionable and according to the Star-Ledger is O-U-T!!! The Jet cornerbacks are talking trash about Pitt WR Plaxico Burress, who missed the least game and is healthy now. Our backup QB misses practice to be with his ailing mother and probably won't be back for the game. And the biggest kick in the pants of all. Chad Pennington is suffering from the flu and missed practice! In the team's ONLY full contact scrimmage this week, the #3 QB is playing with the first string team.
I'm trying to be the optimist though I always come back as the realist. I always felt the Jets have a better shot of beating Pittsburgh than New England. Now the odds are reducing by the day, by the hour. And to think I'm switching shifts at work to watch this thing...
It would be nice to write a hockey piece in here, but I think that's only coming if I start watching the American Hockey League. It's not happening soon.
My alma mater schools are stinking their campuses up right now. Wheaton Academy guys basketball couldn't play effective defense if there was no offense on the other side of them. The girls team has got some wins against bad teams, but do nothing against the good ones. And even against the bad teams, they make more turnovers than a bakery. And Gordon is just hideous. Of course the guys lose to Wheaton which was expected, and the women lose to North Park in OT, one of my least favorite teams outside of the CCC. Both teams lost to Endicott and Salem State. Just a brutal sports season. At least there's WA girls soccer trying to derfens their state championship later this spring. Not much else to hang my hat on.
CPK is having our holiday party in a week and a half at North Beach in Downers Grove. They've got a bar, bowling, darts, and all that stuff. They have sand volleyball where they painted the surrounding walls with ocean scenes (actually looks like a cartoon strip). Then they turn the lights up real hot so if you're drunk enough, you might actually think you're playing in the sun.
The last time I was there, I was there till about 1 in the morning. Everyone I was with was drunk so I went off and did my own thing. I started chatting with some people and I talk with this girl around 25 or 30 years old, and I find out she's got 2 kids at home. Now I didn't mind the 2 kids, but I'm thinking to myself "What are you doing in a club at 1 in the morning on a Sunday night?! What are you doing here? Is it your birthday? Did you get a raise?"
The weather's getting worse. Heavy rain + cold + snow. Hopefully not much wind. Gotta love the Midwest.
Note of the week: Rookie's Sports Bar in St. Charles. $1.99 cheeseburgers and homemade potato chips. Good stuff.
I'm trying to be the optimist though I always come back as the realist. I always felt the Jets have a better shot of beating Pittsburgh than New England. Now the odds are reducing by the day, by the hour. And to think I'm switching shifts at work to watch this thing...
It would be nice to write a hockey piece in here, but I think that's only coming if I start watching the American Hockey League. It's not happening soon.
My alma mater schools are stinking their campuses up right now. Wheaton Academy guys basketball couldn't play effective defense if there was no offense on the other side of them. The girls team has got some wins against bad teams, but do nothing against the good ones. And even against the bad teams, they make more turnovers than a bakery. And Gordon is just hideous. Of course the guys lose to Wheaton which was expected, and the women lose to North Park in OT, one of my least favorite teams outside of the CCC. Both teams lost to Endicott and Salem State. Just a brutal sports season. At least there's WA girls soccer trying to derfens their state championship later this spring. Not much else to hang my hat on.
CPK is having our holiday party in a week and a half at North Beach in Downers Grove. They've got a bar, bowling, darts, and all that stuff. They have sand volleyball where they painted the surrounding walls with ocean scenes (actually looks like a cartoon strip). Then they turn the lights up real hot so if you're drunk enough, you might actually think you're playing in the sun.
The last time I was there, I was there till about 1 in the morning. Everyone I was with was drunk so I went off and did my own thing. I started chatting with some people and I talk with this girl around 25 or 30 years old, and I find out she's got 2 kids at home. Now I didn't mind the 2 kids, but I'm thinking to myself "What are you doing in a club at 1 in the morning on a Sunday night?! What are you doing here? Is it your birthday? Did you get a raise?"
The weather's getting worse. Heavy rain + cold + snow. Hopefully not much wind. Gotta love the Midwest.
Note of the week: Rookie's Sports Bar in St. Charles. $1.99 cheeseburgers and homemade potato chips. Good stuff.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
step right up and meet the mets!
How sweet it is! I don't think any Met fan has felt this good since the ball settled in Timo Perez' glove on October 16, 2000 and the Mets won the 2000 NL pennant. Carlos Beltran will be introduced today as the greatest free agent signing in the history of this franchise. A 5 tool player who's 27 years old, getting better in hitting with power, and can be a cornerstone for the next 7 years. He did only hit .267 last year, so that's not too impressive.
Now a question to first-year manager Willie Randolph. How do you arrange this batting order? You have 3 or 4 top of the order/get on base guys and 2 guys who have power but are againg and frequently injured. That's a tough call. I'm not delusional. This is still not a playoff team. They still need one more dependable bat and the bullpen is very questionable until you get to Braden Looper. But with Beltran, Reyes, Matsui, Wright, and Pedro, this team is exciting for the first time in a long time. Plus, the Mets finally signed their 1st round draft pick Phillip Humber FROM! Rice University. It only took 8 months to get this sucker signed.
A detailed Jets-Steelers scouting report will be coming up by Thursday. The game is 3:30 CT on Saturday. Now I'm scheduled to work the 3rd shift at CPK on Saturday which ends at 4 p.m. so I'm trying to trade and get the 1 or 2 spot. That way, I can leave a little earlier and go to Rookies, wolf down another great $1.99 cheeseburger, and probably watch most of the game. For right now, I will say the Jets can not fall behind early. If we can force their offense to play catch up, we can win. If we're trailing by 13 at any point, we're not rallying in the 2nd half. Plus, the Jets dominated, that's right I said dominated, the Steelers in the first half of the last game. That said, 12 penalties for 86 yards will screw you over. Now for the big picture. The odds of a long Jet playoff run are probably slim, no doubt. The AFC is excellent right now. But hey, if the Red Sox can do it...
Now a question to first-year manager Willie Randolph. How do you arrange this batting order? You have 3 or 4 top of the order/get on base guys and 2 guys who have power but are againg and frequently injured. That's a tough call. I'm not delusional. This is still not a playoff team. They still need one more dependable bat and the bullpen is very questionable until you get to Braden Looper. But with Beltran, Reyes, Matsui, Wright, and Pedro, this team is exciting for the first time in a long time. Plus, the Mets finally signed their 1st round draft pick Phillip Humber FROM! Rice University. It only took 8 months to get this sucker signed.
A detailed Jets-Steelers scouting report will be coming up by Thursday. The game is 3:30 CT on Saturday. Now I'm scheduled to work the 3rd shift at CPK on Saturday which ends at 4 p.m. so I'm trying to trade and get the 1 or 2 spot. That way, I can leave a little earlier and go to Rookies, wolf down another great $1.99 cheeseburger, and probably watch most of the game. For right now, I will say the Jets can not fall behind early. If we can force their offense to play catch up, we can win. If we're trailing by 13 at any point, we're not rallying in the 2nd half. Plus, the Jets dominated, that's right I said dominated, the Steelers in the first half of the last game. That said, 12 penalties for 86 yards will screw you over. Now for the big picture. The odds of a long Jet playoff run are probably slim, no doubt. The AFC is excellent right now. But hey, if the Red Sox can do it...
Sunday, January 09, 2005
YEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!
You can put it on the booooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrd. JETS!
Oh my God! What a game. What a win. What a night. Carlos Beltran is free for us to take. The Jets win in OT. And I never doubted them for a minute either!!! So to non-believers, ESPN, talk radio, newpsapers, and pretty much every media guy except Sterling Sharpe, stick it where the sun don't shine.
More to come later. Right now, a toast to more smiles for Gang Green and hope for the future.
Oh my God! What a game. What a win. What a night. Carlos Beltran is free for us to take. The Jets win in OT. And I never doubted them for a minute either!!! So to non-believers, ESPN, talk radio, newpsapers, and pretty much every media guy except Sterling Sharpe, stick it where the sun don't shine.
More to come later. Right now, a toast to more smiles for Gang Green and hope for the future.
Friday, January 07, 2005
Quick sports update
The Mets have signed utility infielder Miguel Cairo (1 year, 900K). Excellent signing. He batted .290 last year for the Yanks and had some big hits in big spots. He can play some outfield too which will bolster the depth of this team. This may be the end of Super Joe McEwing. I liked Joe, but the guy just doesn't hit and hasn't in several years.
We will know in exactly 24 hours where Carlos Beltran is NOT heading. I still say he's ending up in Houston, and if he goes, he goes. Omar and the front office did a great job, win or lose, on this guy, and as long as we make what I will call "appropriate moves in response," I can live with it. That means Magglio, Doug M., etc.
I'm posting on a Jets fansite and the topic was Herman Edwards' book "YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!" So, feeling the need to take a shot at our Einstein-esque offensive coordinater Paul Hackett, I wrote something down and got a lot of laughs. Since you are my peeps, and I hate to let you down, here's the quote:
"I hear Paul Hackett is writing a book on how to successfully coach an offense in the NFL. It's available on a 3x5 index card or a post-it note."
Ah, sometimes I make myself laugh...
It'll be a big night tomorrow between the Knicks against Cleveland on ABC, the Jets, and the Mets possibly getting Beltran. Let's see what happens.
We will know in exactly 24 hours where Carlos Beltran is NOT heading. I still say he's ending up in Houston, and if he goes, he goes. Omar and the front office did a great job, win or lose, on this guy, and as long as we make what I will call "appropriate moves in response," I can live with it. That means Magglio, Doug M., etc.
I'm posting on a Jets fansite and the topic was Herman Edwards' book "YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!" So, feeling the need to take a shot at our Einstein-esque offensive coordinater Paul Hackett, I wrote something down and got a lot of laughs. Since you are my peeps, and I hate to let you down, here's the quote:
"I hear Paul Hackett is writing a book on how to successfully coach an offense in the NFL. It's available on a 3x5 index card or a post-it note."
Ah, sometimes I make myself laugh...
It'll be a big night tomorrow between the Knicks against Cleveland on ABC, the Jets, and the Mets possibly getting Beltran. Let's see what happens.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Jobs Jobs Jobs, Fantasy stuff
I don't really believe in resolutions except resolving not to make them. But a new job by my 24th birthday would be a good place to start. On that note, I sent out e-mails and resumes to the three "local" minor-league baseball teams in suburban Chicago. I also applied for two open positions with the Cubs and White Sox. The odds are obviously slim, but at least I got the info out there. For me, that's half the battle.
The Mets traded backup catcher and popular clubhouse man Vance Wilson to Detroit for some guy named Anderson Hernandez. Wow, is this ever exciting me! This will make the Mets a powerhouse again, trading a solid backup catcher to get Anderson Hernandez? This guy played in Lakeland, Florida (a place I got rejected from when I applied for an internship by the way) last year and hit .283 in A and AA, has some speed, and is apparently a very good defensive player. Why do we need another middle infielder in the system? Couldn't we have traded Wilson and upgraded the bullpen instead? Once again Mr. Full Autonomy proves it's all about getting as many minority players as possible. That's evidently how you build a winner. So I guess Jason Phillips will be the backup catcher. I think he's too good a hitter not to rebound from last year's horrendous outing. Plus we have some decent catcher prospects like Mike Jacobs, last year's Minor League Player of the Year.
My playoff picks for this week: St. Louis over Seattle, Jets over San Diego (I know they'll probably lose, but do you really think I'm picking against my team?), Indianapolis over Denver and Green Bay over Minnesota.
I'm also in a Football Fantasy Playoff Challenege on NFL.com. The winner gets $1,000. You pick a certain number of players each week and hope for the best, just like I did in Yahoo this season. Here are my picks for this week.
QB- Marc Bulger (62) (After he torched my team last week, he will annihilate a porous Seattle defense)
RB- Shaun Alexander (67) (He has a chip on his shoulder after losing the rushing title to Curtis Martin by 1 yard. He's averaged 151 yards per game in his last 3 games against St. Louis).
RB- Ahman Green (42) (As long as he doesn't fumble, he will do just fine on the FROZEN TUNDRA!)
WR- Justin McCareins (23) (If I had to see one Jet receiver score, I'm betting on this guy. He and Pennington are getting more in synch. I'm going out on a limb here, but I have a feeling. Plus, he's a Northern Illinois Huskie.)
WR- Rod Smith (35) (I was going to take Santana Moss as my first receiver, but I took a cheaper Justin so I could take Jake Plummer's top target. Between playing in a dome, Jake Plummer probably having to throw long after Denver falls behind early, and Indy not playing greatI think it's a lock he'll get at least one touchdown.)
TE- Jermaine Wiggins (21) (I had him on my fantasy team this year and only Antonio Gates rates higher at this position. I am not about to take a Charger!)
K- Jeff Wilkins (22) (Another Ram. St. Louis will score a lot and he is one of the cheapest kickers available).
DEF- JETS (28) (They'll be ready. Hopefully Abraham will be able to do something.) And that puts me right at 300 points total, the limit I have to spend.
Have you ever noticed that the word embargo spelled backward is o grab me?
The Mets traded backup catcher and popular clubhouse man Vance Wilson to Detroit for some guy named Anderson Hernandez. Wow, is this ever exciting me! This will make the Mets a powerhouse again, trading a solid backup catcher to get Anderson Hernandez? This guy played in Lakeland, Florida (a place I got rejected from when I applied for an internship by the way) last year and hit .283 in A and AA, has some speed, and is apparently a very good defensive player. Why do we need another middle infielder in the system? Couldn't we have traded Wilson and upgraded the bullpen instead? Once again Mr. Full Autonomy proves it's all about getting as many minority players as possible. That's evidently how you build a winner. So I guess Jason Phillips will be the backup catcher. I think he's too good a hitter not to rebound from last year's horrendous outing. Plus we have some decent catcher prospects like Mike Jacobs, last year's Minor League Player of the Year.
My playoff picks for this week: St. Louis over Seattle, Jets over San Diego (I know they'll probably lose, but do you really think I'm picking against my team?), Indianapolis over Denver and Green Bay over Minnesota.
I'm also in a Football Fantasy Playoff Challenege on NFL.com. The winner gets $1,000. You pick a certain number of players each week and hope for the best, just like I did in Yahoo this season. Here are my picks for this week.
QB- Marc Bulger (62) (After he torched my team last week, he will annihilate a porous Seattle defense)
RB- Shaun Alexander (67) (He has a chip on his shoulder after losing the rushing title to Curtis Martin by 1 yard. He's averaged 151 yards per game in his last 3 games against St. Louis).
RB- Ahman Green (42) (As long as he doesn't fumble, he will do just fine on the FROZEN TUNDRA!)
WR- Justin McCareins (23) (If I had to see one Jet receiver score, I'm betting on this guy. He and Pennington are getting more in synch. I'm going out on a limb here, but I have a feeling. Plus, he's a Northern Illinois Huskie.)
WR- Rod Smith (35) (I was going to take Santana Moss as my first receiver, but I took a cheaper Justin so I could take Jake Plummer's top target. Between playing in a dome, Jake Plummer probably having to throw long after Denver falls behind early, and Indy not playing greatI think it's a lock he'll get at least one touchdown.)
TE- Jermaine Wiggins (21) (I had him on my fantasy team this year and only Antonio Gates rates higher at this position. I am not about to take a Charger!)
K- Jeff Wilkins (22) (Another Ram. St. Louis will score a lot and he is one of the cheapest kickers available).
DEF- JETS (28) (They'll be ready. Hopefully Abraham will be able to do something.) And that puts me right at 300 points total, the limit I have to spend.
Have you ever noticed that the word embargo spelled backward is o grab me?
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Jets-Chargers
Well, if the Jets had to be paired with any of the top 4 teams in the AFC, I'm glad it's this one. I can't see them beating Indianapolis in the RCA Dome and let's not even go into NE and Pitt. If the Jets had something going, I'd really be optimistic. But considering the state of this team now, that they are playing their absolute worst football of the season, I can't see them beating anybody right now.
The Jets offense right now is all about Curtis Martin. Chad's shoulder reminds me of Cardinals pitcher Rick Ankiel in the playoffs. If the Jets can't run, they lose. Even if they do, Paul "I can't" Hackett will get away from it. And the Chargers run defense is substantially improved since they switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. Their defensive coordinater Wade Phillips (who looks like a politician suffering from a hangover) should plan to put 8 men focusing on Curtis and dare Chad to beat them. Santana Moss need to step up here. He hasn't done much this year and he can give the Jets a big edge.
Even if the defense get turnovers, the Jets aren't guaranteed anything. They got 3 turnovers to St. Louis' zero last week and still lost. I don't know how much help John Abraham's return will give. He won't be the same and Bryan Thomas has played respectably. I think the secondary will be better than they were against St. Louis, basically because they can't do much worse.
So I do think the Jets have a shot, but I don't think it's likely. 2 years ago, they enetered as the most dangerous team in the AFC playoffs and they trounced Indy at home in the first round (a game I still have on tape). This team is limping in and that's not enough. One thing for sure: they cannot fall behind and play catchup. With Chad playing the way he is, the Jets are not winning a shootout. If they can hold San Diego to 20 or fewer, I think they'll win. More to come later, including my picks and my fantasy team for the playoffs.
The Jets offense right now is all about Curtis Martin. Chad's shoulder reminds me of Cardinals pitcher Rick Ankiel in the playoffs. If the Jets can't run, they lose. Even if they do, Paul "I can't" Hackett will get away from it. And the Chargers run defense is substantially improved since they switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. Their defensive coordinater Wade Phillips (who looks like a politician suffering from a hangover) should plan to put 8 men focusing on Curtis and dare Chad to beat them. Santana Moss need to step up here. He hasn't done much this year and he can give the Jets a big edge.
Even if the defense get turnovers, the Jets aren't guaranteed anything. They got 3 turnovers to St. Louis' zero last week and still lost. I don't know how much help John Abraham's return will give. He won't be the same and Bryan Thomas has played respectably. I think the secondary will be better than they were against St. Louis, basically because they can't do much worse.
So I do think the Jets have a shot, but I don't think it's likely. 2 years ago, they enetered as the most dangerous team in the AFC playoffs and they trounced Indy at home in the first round (a game I still have on tape). This team is limping in and that's not enough. One thing for sure: they cannot fall behind and play catchup. With Chad playing the way he is, the Jets are not winning a shootout. If they can hold San Diego to 20 or fewer, I think they'll win. More to come later, including my picks and my fantasy team for the playoffs.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Work, Beltran, the week ahead
For those of you wondering my take on the NFL, the playoffs, and my lovely Jets, my football report will come by Wednesday morning. For now, I will say what a great win by the Giants. Congrats to both Eli Manning on his first win and Tiki Barber on breaking all the Giant offensive rushing records. A win over the Cowboys on national TV at home is one very nice way to close what has really been a long season for the New York Football G-Men.
Let's talk baseball. Omar "Mr Full Autonomy" Minaya is meeting with Scott Boras and Carlos Beltran on Monday and Tuesday respectively in an attempt to land the jewel of this year's free agent class to Flushing Meadow Park. Well, this approach worked with Pedro. Then again, Beltran is asking for just a little bit more money. Specifically, 75 million dollars more than the Mets are paying Pedro for 4 years. Beltran is expecting between $16 and $19 mmmmmillion dollars per year and he's certainly getting at least 6 guaranteed years. Now Beltran supposedly really liked playing in Houston. If he doesn't sign with them by Saturday, then he cannot sign with them until May 1, so count on a decision coming down around Friday. The Yankees, Cubs, Astros are all still in the running. But with the Yankees adding Randy Johnson, luxury taxes have to become a factor when your team payroll hits a certain point. I'm still not expecting the Mets to get him though I do believe they'll come close. I still think in the end they'll get one big bat and it won't, for the record, be Samuel "Prima Donna" Sosa.
Let's see. 2 days off from CPK this week. Fair enough. I worked 6 days a week every week for 4 months. Now that the holiday rush is officially over, the restaurant rushes will probably slow down. After 4 nights off from the Herald, it's back to work at late night on Tuesday. And we'll be tracking local high school basketball stats. And considering out of 18 boys and girls teams, about 6 are OK, 9 stink, and only 3 of them are good or better. Each Tuesday night, I'm sure I'll get a few laughs from the "area-leading" numbers I record off of the faxed pages.
Let's talk baseball. Omar "Mr Full Autonomy" Minaya is meeting with Scott Boras and Carlos Beltran on Monday and Tuesday respectively in an attempt to land the jewel of this year's free agent class to Flushing Meadow Park. Well, this approach worked with Pedro. Then again, Beltran is asking for just a little bit more money. Specifically, 75 million dollars more than the Mets are paying Pedro for 4 years. Beltran is expecting between $16 and $19 mmmmmillion dollars per year and he's certainly getting at least 6 guaranteed years. Now Beltran supposedly really liked playing in Houston. If he doesn't sign with them by Saturday, then he cannot sign with them until May 1, so count on a decision coming down around Friday. The Yankees, Cubs, Astros are all still in the running. But with the Yankees adding Randy Johnson, luxury taxes have to become a factor when your team payroll hits a certain point. I'm still not expecting the Mets to get him though I do believe they'll come close. I still think in the end they'll get one big bat and it won't, for the record, be Samuel "Prima Donna" Sosa.
Let's see. 2 days off from CPK this week. Fair enough. I worked 6 days a week every week for 4 months. Now that the holiday rush is officially over, the restaurant rushes will probably slow down. After 4 nights off from the Herald, it's back to work at late night on Tuesday. And we'll be tracking local high school basketball stats. And considering out of 18 boys and girls teams, about 6 are OK, 9 stink, and only 3 of them are good or better. Each Tuesday night, I'm sure I'll get a few laughs from the "area-leading" numbers I record off of the faxed pages.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
2005 is here???
How strange it is. 2004 went by pretty fast. When I had to write a date down somewhere, I think I was still accidentally writing 2004 as late as Halloween! And it's five years since that Y2K debacle. Did anyone actually withdraw all their money from their accounts just in case?
It really seems like five quick years. I don't know about you, but ever since 2000, New Year's Eve has meant less and less. It's kind of like those last few Halloweens when you're a kid and you're strating to get a little too old for it. Especially without Dick Clark on ABC, it really wasn't the same.
Every restaurant that serves chicken fingers should spend a couple of hours at the Village Tavern in Carol Stream. Man, they know how to fry up their poultry. I went there Friday night and had a chicken platter with fries. They served some seasoned carrots with it, I guess that's so we feel less guilty about what we're eating. One thing bothered me there. I got there at 5:50. Every hour from 6 p.m. on, they had a 10, 9, 8 countdown and then they blew those noisemakers and sang that painful Auld Lang Syne song. You know, the first time I heard that I wanted to hit the stereo. The second time I wanted to shoot the stereo. Thankfully, we only have to hear that once a year.
Later, I went to a small bar in Naperville with Armageddes and a few others. The six of us were about half the people in the bar between 9 and 11. A few things to note. One, the compressor on the draft beers didn't work. In other words, no cold draft beers. That's a problem. Second, they had a few TV's. On one, they went from All-Star fear Factor to Jerry Springer. Those are 2 shows that are way more fun to watch with other people, particularly after you've had one or two. Third, we controlled the jukebox. Lots of country and classic rock. I don't remember much of the songs. I know Geddes looked for Soundgarden. My guess is I didn't find any, because otherwise we never would have heard any other artist all night. But they played a lot of Garth Brooks and a little Barry Manilow. The fact that I still know all the words to "Mandy" probably explains (insert your own joke here). But our biggest response had to be for "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy." And why not? It just makes you feel good to say that, you know? Thankfully, nobody played Vince Gill... (Insider's joke)
And I must say it is good to have Hogan back home where he belongs. He hasn't changed much in the last month. Basically, I have concluded he wants three things. Three things only. Attention, food, sleep. That's it. Attnetion, food, sleep. Be with me, feed me, let me sleep.
And another new week approaches. Last week of the NFL regular season. Odds are the Jets will be done within 2 weeks, though this Sunday wouldn't exactly shock me. February will be a brutal sports month. Nothing but basketball. I may have to start watching NASCAR, that's how bad things are. Ah well, maybe I'll actually help out around the house for a change...
It really seems like five quick years. I don't know about you, but ever since 2000, New Year's Eve has meant less and less. It's kind of like those last few Halloweens when you're a kid and you're strating to get a little too old for it. Especially without Dick Clark on ABC, it really wasn't the same.
Every restaurant that serves chicken fingers should spend a couple of hours at the Village Tavern in Carol Stream. Man, they know how to fry up their poultry. I went there Friday night and had a chicken platter with fries. They served some seasoned carrots with it, I guess that's so we feel less guilty about what we're eating. One thing bothered me there. I got there at 5:50. Every hour from 6 p.m. on, they had a 10, 9, 8 countdown and then they blew those noisemakers and sang that painful Auld Lang Syne song. You know, the first time I heard that I wanted to hit the stereo. The second time I wanted to shoot the stereo. Thankfully, we only have to hear that once a year.
Later, I went to a small bar in Naperville with Armageddes and a few others. The six of us were about half the people in the bar between 9 and 11. A few things to note. One, the compressor on the draft beers didn't work. In other words, no cold draft beers. That's a problem. Second, they had a few TV's. On one, they went from All-Star fear Factor to Jerry Springer. Those are 2 shows that are way more fun to watch with other people, particularly after you've had one or two. Third, we controlled the jukebox. Lots of country and classic rock. I don't remember much of the songs. I know Geddes looked for Soundgarden. My guess is I didn't find any, because otherwise we never would have heard any other artist all night. But they played a lot of Garth Brooks and a little Barry Manilow. The fact that I still know all the words to "Mandy" probably explains (insert your own joke here). But our biggest response had to be for "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy." And why not? It just makes you feel good to say that, you know? Thankfully, nobody played Vince Gill... (Insider's joke)
And I must say it is good to have Hogan back home where he belongs. He hasn't changed much in the last month. Basically, I have concluded he wants three things. Three things only. Attention, food, sleep. That's it. Attnetion, food, sleep. Be with me, feed me, let me sleep.
And another new week approaches. Last week of the NFL regular season. Odds are the Jets will be done within 2 weeks, though this Sunday wouldn't exactly shock me. February will be a brutal sports month. Nothing but basketball. I may have to start watching NASCAR, that's how bad things are. Ah well, maybe I'll actually help out around the house for a change...
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