And of course those in the Armed Forces. Happy Memorial Day.
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Monday, May 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
myTown: Chicago (Or "The Bow Tie Lives")
Last month, we spent the Day with the Bulls' Joakim Noah. He didn't get to dunk on us, but we had a memorable time anyway. You can check out the details at BwB.You can check out photos from the day at our Flickr page and a recap of the rest of our trip here.
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Friday, May 21, 2010
Rusty Reckons: Breakfast Advice; "Eat Your Wheaties, Jr!"
As we head into NASCAR's All Star weekend, Wheaties has announced that Dale Earnhardt will be featured once again on the front of its famous box of bran cereal goodness. This will be the second time the Intimidator's face will great cereal lovers the country over. It's been scheduled to coincide with with Sr.'s induction into the first class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. It's also notable coming during the middle of his son's long winless drought. Maybe Jr. could be more like his dad on the track if he ate his Wheaties. Rusty's not sure, but it's sure worth a shot.
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Wheaties' Neck Just Got a Little Redder
Wheaties today unveiled a special-edition Dale Earnhardt commemorative box, "honoring his legendary career and celebrating his induction into the Hall of Fame."
An accompanying release notes:
What jumps out at me more than anything is Earnhardt's image on the box.
At the risk of pissing off NASCAR nation (including HHR's own Rusty), the man known as "The Intimidator" looks as if the only thing he could intimidate is a bathroom stall. That said, it would not shock me if this become the most sought-after cereal box in the history of the Walmart.
An accompanying release notes:
Earnhardt’s record-tying seven championships, along with 76 wins and incredible fan popularity helped propel him into this latest “Breakfast of Champions” honor.
Earnhardt becomes the first stock car driver to be featured on the Wheaties box twice. He first appeared on a series of boxes in 1997 when he raced a Wheaties paint scheme in the All-Star event that same year. And, now Wheaties honors his competitive spirit and champion attitude in connection with his induction.
What jumps out at me more than anything is Earnhardt's image on the box.
At the risk of pissing off NASCAR nation (including HHR's own Rusty), the man known as "The Intimidator" looks as if the only thing he could intimidate is a bathroom stall. That said, it would not shock me if this become the most sought-after cereal box in the history of the Walmart.
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Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Cadillac Mescallade: LeBron Watch Reaches Insane Levels
I really hope the New York Knicks figure out a way to sign LeBron James, I really do. Perhaps a little known fact is that this can’t happen until July 1 when free agency in the NBA begins. I bring this up because the fact must be lost on the folks at ESPN and specifically Sports Center.
The incessant LeBron coverage is getting out of hand, this is Brett Favre all over again without the intrigue because at least with Favre the ball was always in his court. In LeBron’s case we know nothing is happening until July 1. This past weekend watching my usual loop of ESPN coverage I was inundated with constant LeBron updates, updating nothing, actually. I get sports media and understand the hype so let’s make a deal, fire up the hype machine one week out from July 1. That will give everyone, the anchors, analysts, teammates, coaches all plenty of time to pontificate on what they think will happen.
In the meantime the rumors of how he will be wooed by the Knicks, the package deals of he and John Calipari to the Nets, Clippers, etc or even the most outrageous thing we have heard, that he is gone because Delonte West and James’ mother have had a relationship. Save all of it, until one week out. Because of this madness we have fictional stories created to make news and then make further news to deny the falsely created stories. Case in point, the Calipari-James situation. Reports came out that somebody was using back channels to try and line this deal up with a few teams. Then a day later reports come out to refute this. Then Calipari sends out a few tweets about his stance on things but he always leaves them ambiguous enough to keep fueling the storm. Then roll out the obligatory Worldwide Wes reference, the Wizard of OZ of NBA maneuvers. The average fan has no idea who this person is and couldn’t pick him out of a crowd but he is apparently pulling the strings on a ton of moves. Boom, you have a LeBron story for the 6pm lead. Just that simple.
It hasn’t been all too sweet the taste. The string of columns by Adrian Wojnarowski on Yahoo just crushing James last week were insightful to the whole process and entertaining reads. Since then it has felt like a pile on effect.
To think there could be another month and a half of this is maddening. If we learned anything from Favre, the average sports fan reaches a quick saturation with these situations. ESPN has figured it out this time around with Favre, he is still in limbo but we hear nothing about it and I love it. Let’s do the same with LeBron and everybody else that will be available. There will be plenty of time to focus on these matters, leave something in the tank.
Believe it or not the NBA Playoffs are actually going on and there have been some pretty good games. We should be focusing on a possible Celtics-Lakers rematch or the Major League Baseball season or the World Cup, wait ESPN has that covered.
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010
NYC Store Facing Ball Busting of Near-Epidemic Proportions
I saw this SNY commercial on network TV last night, and have watched it 72 times already.
SNY - Ball Buster - watch more funny videos
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Monday, May 17, 2010
Thurman Thomas Dares Me, Blocks Me, Moves Me into Top 5 Stupid Group
In the wake of Brian Cushing testing positive to performance enhancers and tainting his NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honor, the NFL Players Association (as Florio at PFT put it) issued a "subtle but strong statement" on the Texan's suspension
NFLPA Executive Director De Smith said, "Sport is at its best when fans can witness great achievements under the rules of fair play. Players who break those rules cheat the game, cheat the fans and cheat themselves. The Players want a clean game as well as a clean process for enforcing those rules. We intend to address both in the collective bargaining process to make the system better."
One former player who seemingly doesn't mind a superstar taking shortcuts is Hall of Fame Bills' RB Thurman Thomas. The day after De Smith's statement on Cushing, the pillar of the non-Super Bowl winning Buffalo teams of the 90's and I had the following exchange regarding another busted cheater.
Admittedly, I was goading him a bit, but his initial "say that to his face" comment made me think "Why? Is he going to roid rage on me?"
But really, I think it says something about the blind eye we turn with football players compared to PEDs users in other sports. I was also surprised by the fact that a distinguished league alum wouldn't feel more disdain (at least publicly) for a guy who, as the NFLPA puts it, broke the rules, cheated the game, cheated the fans and cheated himself.
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NFLPA Executive Director De Smith said, "Sport is at its best when fans can witness great achievements under the rules of fair play. Players who break those rules cheat the game, cheat the fans and cheat themselves. The Players want a clean game as well as a clean process for enforcing those rules. We intend to address both in the collective bargaining process to make the system better."
One former player who seemingly doesn't mind a superstar taking shortcuts is Hall of Fame Bills' RB Thurman Thomas. The day after De Smith's statement on Cushing, the pillar of the non-Super Bowl winning Buffalo teams of the 90's and I had the following exchange regarding another busted cheater.
Admittedly, I was goading him a bit, but his initial "say that to his face" comment made me think "Why? Is he going to roid rage on me?"
But really, I think it says something about the blind eye we turn with football players compared to PEDs users in other sports. I was also surprised by the fact that a distinguished league alum wouldn't feel more disdain (at least publicly) for a guy who, as the NFLPA puts it, broke the rules, cheated the game, cheated the fans and cheated himself.
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The Cynic’s Guide to College Football: Big 10 Expansion, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Super-Conference
In recent weeks, there has been a lot of discussion about conference expansion and realignment. At the top of that list is the Big 10’s expressed desire to expand to 14 or 16 teams. While much has been discussed (Notre Dame pipe dream, anyone?), the three most common—and logical—potentials to join the Big 10 are Missouri, Nebraska and Rutgers.
After a great deal of thorough analysis over some frosty beverages, I’ve come to one carefully-reasoned conclusion—this is a marriage made in football heaven and everybody involved would have to be a complete freakin’ idiot to not pull the trigger on this deal. 
After a great deal of thorough analysis over some frosty beverages, I’ve come to one carefully-reasoned conclusion—this is a marriage made in football heaven and everybody involved would have to be a complete freakin’ idiot to not pull the trigger on this deal.
Although somehow “Big 14” doesn’t have the same ring to it.
First, let’s look at what those three schools would gain from joining the Big 10.
Academics—Some colleges still have this crazy notion that universities exist for purposes other than supporting football teams (strange, I know). Missouri, Nebraska and Rutgers—along with all 11 members of the current Big 10—are members of the American Association of Universities. If you’re known by the company you keep, AAU represents the cool kids in academic circles. Only 63 colleges and universities are members, but they receive 57% of all federal research dollars (more than $17 billion). 70% of U.S. Nobel Prize winners have been affiliated with one of these schools. In other words, the Big 10, especially with the addition of these three schools, would have a whole lot more in the way of academic funding and prestige than the Big 12 or Big East can offer.
It’s no Heisman, but it’ll do.
Equality—Over the course of the Big 12’s history, Nebraska has been on the losing end of more than one 11-1 votes. And others in the Big 12 North have quietly grumbled about the power in the conference moving south. The current state of the Big 12 is very simple—whatever Texas wants, Texas gets. A TV contract that heavily benefits the big name schools? You got it. Moving the Big 12 title game to Texas permanently? No problem. The list goes on. In the Big 12, the rich (Texas and Oklahoma) keep getting richer. The Big 10 is much more egalitarian in its structure, with all members treated more or less equally. (For example, they are the only conference in which all teams share BCS money evenly).
Clap if you’re a fan of the Big 12
Money—The Big One. Let’s be honest, none of this talk would even be on the table if there wasn’t money—and a lot of it—at stake. Under their current football TV contracts, Nebraska and Missouri each pull in approximately $10 million annually, while Rutgers gets about $4 million. If the Big 10 expands, each school would get in the neighborhood of $22 to $25 million. I’m not great at math, but even I can crunch those numbers.
Warren Buffett is a Nebraska fan. And he knows a good deal when he sees one.
So what does the Big 10 gain from these three extra schools?
Money—Yes, it all comes back to money again. Don’t act surprised. With these three schools in the mix, you pull in the New York/New Jersey, Saint Louis and Kansas City media markets. And while Nebraska may be small in terms of population, it is a traditional power that routinely brings in the big TV viewership numbers appealing to advertisers. In other words, you’re going to have a whole lot of eyes watching these games. They way I understand the Big Ten TV contract, they get 10 cents per cable subscriber in non-Big 10 areas, but approximately 70 cents per subscriber in Big 10 markets. Take that net 60 cents per subscriber difference times the number of cable subscribers in New York City, New Jersey, Missouri and Nebraska and you’re talking about a pretty good chunk of change. And that doesn’t even include the revenue from a potential conference title game, additional bowl bids, etc.
The Big 10 Network gets a whole lot Bigger. And Tennier.
History—To be sure, the Big 10 is not lacking for history or storied programs. But the addition of Rutgers (played in the very first college football game in 1869) and Nebraska (5 national titles and a laundry list of national award winners) certainly wouldn’t hurt the conference’s record books.
Rutgers 6, Princeton 4. You can’t get more old school than that.
Other Sports—While the focus of most of the expansion talk has understandably been on football, Missouri, Nebraska and Rutgers bring a lot to the table in other sports. For example, Missouri would be an immediate favorite for the baseball title. Nebraska volleyball would have a natural rival in Penn State as Final Four fixtures. And Rutgers women’s basketball has become a perennial contender.
Nebraska and Penn State have won 6 of the last 11 national championships in women’s volleyball, including the last three straight by PSU.
Are their downsides? Sure. Higher travel costs. The (potential) end of some traditional rivalries. Possibly fewer recruiting inroads in Texas for MU and NU. Some restructuring and rescheduling of the current Big 10. But are any of those reasons enough to say no to this deal? Absolutely not. At the end of the day, there’s really no good reason for this deal NOT to happen.
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Gay Breaks a Straight Record
Not that there's anything wrong with that...
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Authentic McNabb Jersey Taking Up Space on So. Jersey Thrift Store Rack
They can't even seem to give this away to homeless Eagles fans.
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Rusty Reckons: Power Rankings Part 2
Well, another six races have come and gone and we are now officially 1/3 of the way through the season. As I sat down to pen this installment of Rusty's power rankings, I began to think about the good ole days of the sport, when brawn seemed to reign over brains, and TV deals didn't matter as much. Lucky for me and some of the more traditional fans, though, there are a few peeks at some of those old traditions in NASCAR lately, and this power rankings reflects just that.
Photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images
1. Happy Harvick - Last time out, I highlighted the resurgence of the entire RCR team. Well, ole Happy must be reading HHR, cause he's gotten even better since then. At Talladega last month, he broke his two year winless streak, not having found victory lane since Daytona in 2007. In fact, since a 13th place at Phoenix, Harvick hasn't finished outside the top 10 and has led at every race except Texas and Dover. Harvick's contract at RCR is up at the end of the year, and after Shell/Penzoil announced it was moving to Penske just a few weeks ago it looked like he might be saying goodbye to the only team he's ever known at the Cup level. However, with his recent success on the track, a deal with RCR should be inked in the coming weeks.
Getty Images
2. Hamlin's knee surgery - The joke's always been that NASCAR is a backwards redneck sport, and maybe there's some truth to at least the first part of that. In most other sports, a torn ACL will sideline a player for months if not end a career. Not for Denny Hamlin. After winning at Martinsville, Hamlin had surgery to repair the ACL he tore playing pick-up basketball in January. He was right back in the car two shorts weeks later in Phoenix. That first race back was a struggle, and Hamlin wheeled the car home in 30th. Since then, though, he's been on a tear. The FedEx #11 found victory lane one week later in Texas, and has since rattled off a fourth and 11th place finish before finding completing the sweep at Darlington two weekends ago. It was the first sweep at Darlington in 17 years. Apparently, even with a recovering knee, the 'Lady in Black' is not 'too tough to tame' for the boy from Rusty's neck of the woods (Chesterfield, yee haw!).
3. The #3 back on the track - Well, we've been waiting for almost 10 years. Ever since the horrific tragedy at the Daytona 500 in 2001 where we lost Earnhardt, every fan has speculated about if/when we might see the #3 back on the track. The next week after the tragedy, Earnhardt's team and car were back on track, but with a new number and driver (the #29 piloted by Happy Harvick). Not having the 3 on the track is like college basketball without Dick Vitale. Yeah, it's a little more peaceful and quiet, but it just ain't right. But now, the 3's going to be back, even if for just one short race. Junior's going to get behind the wheel of a car with his daddy's number on the side, and even his old paint scheme on the hood. The Nationwide race at Daytona this summer will feature the legend's son driving the Wrangler #3 in a partnership with JR Motorsports, RCR, and Earnhardt Gnassi racing. And as far as this old purist is concerned, that's pretty dadgum awesome!
4. Talladega spring race - Dubbed "the most competitive race in NASCAR history", the boys in Alabama put on quite a show last month. After the asphalt debacle at Daytona, plate track fans like yours truly were hoping for a better race at Dega, and boy did the Aaron's 499 deliver. By the time the race was over, a series and track record 88 lead changes had been recorded, and those were just measured at the line. All across the track, the total probably approaches 200 over the course of the 499 mile race. To top it off, the race was won with the #29 using one of the most recognized moves in NASCAR, the sling-shot. Harvick kept tucked in behind race leader Jamie McMurray until just at the right moment, before pulling out and passing him for the win. A little shake . . . and bake! How's your mind? Blown!?! Ricky would be proud.
5. Sibling rivalry - The story of Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon is made for a Hallmark Channel special. A few years back, a little unknown guy named Jimmie went to one of the most winningest drivers in NASCAR to ask some advice. Instead of advice, he got an offer to come drive the 48 with Hendrick Motorsports. Since then, the 48 team has emerged as one of the most dominant in the history of the sport. During all this time, Gordon and Johnson have maintained one of the best friendships in the garage. However, with the 48 struggling since the re-introduction of the spoiler back to the car, things have gotten heated between these Hendrick brothers. A minor fracas at Texas turned into a downright hullabaloo at Talladega, when the 48 and 24 seemed to be playing bumper cars on the track. With Happy, Smoke, and Kurt Busch on their best behavior, NASCAR is in need of some 'drama' and feuding. Jimmie and Jeff are providing just that, and maybe even more.
The Rusty Old Jalopy award: And finally the award for what's been smelling up NASCAR like my daughter's stinky diapers, Stewart Hass Racing. Last year was the first year for Tony Stewart's newly formed team, and it was quite a success. Both cars made the Chase, and Smoke was able to find victory lane 4 times. While the #39 piloted by Ryan Newman was never the first to take the checkers, it wasn't due to the team's failure but rather a streak of some really rotten luck. Take note Earnhardt Jr. fans, he might not be the only one who needs a rabbit's foot from time to time. In 2010, though, both the #14 and #39 are struggling and currently sit outside the crucial top 12. Stewart has only had 4 top 10 finishes in the 14 car, and has finished 23rd or worse 5 out of the last 7 races. Newman's finishes have fared slightly better, and he's even won a race, but a very slow start has hampered the 39 team, and they are still 13th in points, out of the top 12.
Photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images1. Happy Harvick - Last time out, I highlighted the resurgence of the entire RCR team. Well, ole Happy must be reading HHR, cause he's gotten even better since then. At Talladega last month, he broke his two year winless streak, not having found victory lane since Daytona in 2007. In fact, since a 13th place at Phoenix, Harvick hasn't finished outside the top 10 and has led at every race except Texas and Dover. Harvick's contract at RCR is up at the end of the year, and after Shell/Penzoil announced it was moving to Penske just a few weeks ago it looked like he might be saying goodbye to the only team he's ever known at the Cup level. However, with his recent success on the track, a deal with RCR should be inked in the coming weeks.
Getty Images2. Hamlin's knee surgery - The joke's always been that NASCAR is a backwards redneck sport, and maybe there's some truth to at least the first part of that. In most other sports, a torn ACL will sideline a player for months if not end a career. Not for Denny Hamlin. After winning at Martinsville, Hamlin had surgery to repair the ACL he tore playing pick-up basketball in January. He was right back in the car two shorts weeks later in Phoenix. That first race back was a struggle, and Hamlin wheeled the car home in 30th. Since then, though, he's been on a tear. The FedEx #11 found victory lane one week later in Texas, and has since rattled off a fourth and 11th place finish before finding completing the sweep at Darlington two weekends ago. It was the first sweep at Darlington in 17 years. Apparently, even with a recovering knee, the 'Lady in Black' is not 'too tough to tame' for the boy from Rusty's neck of the woods (Chesterfield, yee haw!).
3. The #3 back on the track - Well, we've been waiting for almost 10 years. Ever since the horrific tragedy at the Daytona 500 in 2001 where we lost Earnhardt, every fan has speculated about if/when we might see the #3 back on the track. The next week after the tragedy, Earnhardt's team and car were back on track, but with a new number and driver (the #29 piloted by Happy Harvick). Not having the 3 on the track is like college basketball without Dick Vitale. Yeah, it's a little more peaceful and quiet, but it just ain't right. But now, the 3's going to be back, even if for just one short race. Junior's going to get behind the wheel of a car with his daddy's number on the side, and even his old paint scheme on the hood. The Nationwide race at Daytona this summer will feature the legend's son driving the Wrangler #3 in a partnership with JR Motorsports, RCR, and Earnhardt Gnassi racing. And as far as this old purist is concerned, that's pretty dadgum awesome!
4. Talladega spring race - Dubbed "the most competitive race in NASCAR history", the boys in Alabama put on quite a show last month. After the asphalt debacle at Daytona, plate track fans like yours truly were hoping for a better race at Dega, and boy did the Aaron's 499 deliver. By the time the race was over, a series and track record 88 lead changes had been recorded, and those were just measured at the line. All across the track, the total probably approaches 200 over the course of the 499 mile race. To top it off, the race was won with the #29 using one of the most recognized moves in NASCAR, the sling-shot. Harvick kept tucked in behind race leader Jamie McMurray until just at the right moment, before pulling out and passing him for the win. A little shake . . . and bake! How's your mind? Blown!?! Ricky would be proud.
5. Sibling rivalry - The story of Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon is made for a Hallmark Channel special. A few years back, a little unknown guy named Jimmie went to one of the most winningest drivers in NASCAR to ask some advice. Instead of advice, he got an offer to come drive the 48 with Hendrick Motorsports. Since then, the 48 team has emerged as one of the most dominant in the history of the sport. During all this time, Gordon and Johnson have maintained one of the best friendships in the garage. However, with the 48 struggling since the re-introduction of the spoiler back to the car, things have gotten heated between these Hendrick brothers. A minor fracas at Texas turned into a downright hullabaloo at Talladega, when the 48 and 24 seemed to be playing bumper cars on the track. With Happy, Smoke, and Kurt Busch on their best behavior, NASCAR is in need of some 'drama' and feuding. Jimmie and Jeff are providing just that, and maybe even more.
The Rusty Old Jalopy award: And finally the award for what's been smelling up NASCAR like my daughter's stinky diapers, Stewart Hass Racing. Last year was the first year for Tony Stewart's newly formed team, and it was quite a success. Both cars made the Chase, and Smoke was able to find victory lane 4 times. While the #39 piloted by Ryan Newman was never the first to take the checkers, it wasn't due to the team's failure but rather a streak of some really rotten luck. Take note Earnhardt Jr. fans, he might not be the only one who needs a rabbit's foot from time to time. In 2010, though, both the #14 and #39 are struggling and currently sit outside the crucial top 12. Stewart has only had 4 top 10 finishes in the 14 car, and has finished 23rd or worse 5 out of the last 7 races. Newman's finishes have fared slightly better, and he's even won a race, but a very slow start has hampered the 39 team, and they are still 13th in points, out of the top 12.Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
I Gotta Have More Pino!
This man puts his pants on one leg at a time. But when he puts on his pants, he makes champions!
A few days ago, we posted our video from our first myTown shoot we did with Yardbarker and Wondershot. We asked Red's Army's John Karalis to join us that day and make a fun little cameo (which he does around the :40 mark of the vid).
We hadn't realized he was shooting some vid of his own, featuring our favorite restaurant owner...
John's Pino video:
In Case You Missed It. myTown Boston with Scal:
A few days ago, we posted our video from our first myTown shoot we did with Yardbarker and Wondershot. We asked Red's Army's John Karalis to join us that day and make a fun little cameo (which he does around the :40 mark of the vid).
We hadn't realized he was shooting some vid of his own, featuring our favorite restaurant owner...
John's Pino video:
Brian Scalabrine getting blessed from John Karalis on Vimeo.
Our Original Pino Vid:Pino's North Boston Voodoo from HHR on Vimeo.
In Case You Missed It. myTown Boston with Scal:
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Friday, May 14, 2010
Waiting for Godunk: Thank you, Estonia!
This week at SLAM, Kevin says goodbye to Estonia as he's headed back to the States after finishing up the season overseas.Waiting for Godunk: Thank you, Estonia! - Kevin’s official end to a new beginning.
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Thursday, May 13, 2010
Audio Interview with Brian Scalbrine on Playoffs Advantage, City, Fans and Radio Career
HHR with Brian Scalabrine on Newbury Street in Boston.Last month we had chance to catch up with Celtics big man Brian Scalabrine in Boston as part of myTown presented by T-Mobile myTouch 3G - a project we are doing with Yardbarker and Wondershot Productions that we've rolled out at BwB today.
Interestingly enough, with the C's close to crushing the hopes and dream of the city of Cleveland, Scal predicted Boston's potential playoff advantage over the rest of the field:
"I believe this team is super built for the playoffs…We might not have the best player like LeBron James or Kobe Bryant, but we have the most talent top-to-bottom and that’s what you need – you need players to make plays in the playoffs...You can listen to the interview here:
"The team that’s gonna win – 2 teams equal talent is the team that’s going to make less mistakes than the next team. You’ve got to be able to execute game plans. Veteran teams can do that."
To check out video, recap and images from our work with Scal on myTown, click here.
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Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Could Bernard Hopkins be the Next Obama?
After spending years campaigning in Philly to get rid of Donovan McNabb, the Executioner was in New Jersey's capitol city stumping for city council president Paul Pintella who is one of 372 candidates looking to fill retiring Mayor Doug Palmer's seat."People are desperate right now," said Hopkins, moments after signing gloves for a fan at Pintella campaign headquarters.
"People need to feel as though the person they're supporting has the know-how and experience to make a difference in their lives, and that's why I'm up here supporting Paul Pintella."
Said Hopkins:
"People are desperate right now.
"People need to feel as though the person they're supporting has the know-how and experience to make a difference in their lives...
"I think the term 'politician' has such a negative connotation - it's difficult for people to find someone who can defy that - someone who creates his own definition, but that's what people want. When you got a guy who's running with ideas that people can relate to, they're going to vote for him without hesitation.
"I want to do things like this - community organizing."
In a 2008 debate, then-Senator Obama stated: "I can bring this country together. I have a track record, starting from the days I moved to Chicago as a community organizer.”
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Monday, May 10, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Finn's UFC 113 Pre-Fight Predictions
Cinco de Mayo is upon us, sneaking up and ambushing our collective livers under cover of tax-season and unemployment reports. By the time you peel yourself off of the floor of the drunk-tank that you inevitably get thrown into, un-tag all of the photos of you that your buddies posted to facebook documenting your Tequila-induced tailspin, and get around to taking a shower it will probably be Friday. Once you finally get over the shock of finding yourself in one of those fake MasterCard ads you’re probably going to want to spend the weekend cocooned in your living room, blinds drawn, wallowing in shame.
Well pick up that remote, camper, there’s Man-fightin’ to be watched! Let’s see if UFC 113 can wash the stink of shame, urine and, most-likely, paraplegic stripper perfume off of your dehydrated corpse.
Kimbo Slice vs Matt Mitrione
Fresh off of a surprising –albeit insanely boring—victory over UFC journeyman Houston Alexander, Kimbo Slice looks to put his training time with the vaunted American Top-Team to good use and prove to all of us in t.v. land that he can do more than just lead with his chin and sling leather. Unfortunately for him slinging leather is all that NFL washout Matt Mitrione seems capable of. Well, that and talking an insane amount of shit. Mitrione has fought exactly one fight and that was a knockout of another NFL veteran, Marcus “The Black Mummy” Jones. Mitrione is fat and has shown no interest in not-being-fat, or training for that matter. His victory over Jones came after Jones got tired tossing him around the ring for an entire round and eventually tried to break Mitrione’s fist with his facial parts. In the industry we call this “the Homer Simpson Gambit” or “How to lose every fight you’re ever in unless you fight Tank Abbott.”
Even more interesting than the outcome of the fight is the question of whether or not the YouTube-tacular Kimbo can fully transform himself from internet one-trick-pony to a true MMA fighter? Kimbo has done an admiral job at dedicating himself to the sport and showing it the respect that it deserves since his humbling at the hands of Seth Petruzelli. And even more interesting than that is the fact that today I mowed my lawn using a push mower. What is this 1520? No, genius; the chicks in my neighborhood all drive Priuses’s-s-es and care about their carbon footprint –this thing’s gonna get me laid more than that windowless panel-van with the mattress in the back that I bought from Lawrence Taylor. –ZING!!!!—
Prediction: Kimbo via beard-smothering
Josh Koscheck vs. Paul “Semtex” Daley
This is another one of those classic stand-up vs. ground-and-pound matchups that the UFC has become so fond of. On the one hand we have TUF1 Alum Josh Koscheck. Koscheck is a phenomenal wrestler that is on par or better than everyone at his weight class in takedowns and ground and pound. Where he gets himself in trouble is when he gets too comfortable on his feet and begins moving away from using his hands as a set-up tool for his takedowns. Most of his “combinations” are not a surprise; you’ll see them coming, much like a 5 year-old trying to swing a sledge-hammer –they are obvious and painfully slow to develop. If you toss on an afro-wig and chase a friend around your living-room with your right fist cocked-back you will be performing a close approximation of Koscheck’s entire stand-up arsenal.
Paul “Semtex” Daley, on the other hand, has lighting-fast hands and can throw combinations from just about any angle. Where he falls short in the MMA game is in his takedown defense, or his total lack of it. This would not be as much of a concern if he had any semblance of a ground game to fall back on once he inevitably gets taken down, which he does not. Daley’s ground game is based around thinly-veiled panic wrapped in a complete lack of Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling or knowledge of even the word “composure”. Heading in to a matchup with someone like Koscheck –who’s takedown shoot resembles Blanka from Street-figther II’s ‘Cannonball’ attack—this becomes a real problem.
The one on the left, not the one on the right
This fight comes down to whether or not Koscheck can stick to his strengths and not get suckered in to a standup war –and inevitable KO loss—by Semtex and all of his pre-fight trash-talk. Koscheck’s ground game far outweighs Daley’s standup, much in the same way that your mom far outweighs all of the other girls –ahem, Women!!—that I’ve slept with in the back of my aforementioned panel-van.
Koscheck via Neck-biting Attack in the 2nd
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Lyoto “I Drink My Own Piss” Machida
Which finally brings us to the long-awaited rematch of Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Lyoto Machida. The first meeting of these two ended in controversy when Rua had seemingly won a lopsided 5-round victory in everyone’s eyes; everyone’s eyes but the three judges at ringside who had apparently been watching re-runs of ‘What’s Happenin’ during the fight. I have heard arguments about this decision from both sides –pro and con—and have come to the following conclusion: if you think that Machida won the first fight you are a blind flipper-baby who should be required to wear a helmet and be given a special “Hug Me” sign to wear around your piss-stained neck. Arguments for the scoring ambiguity and ringside point-of-view aside, if you watch the video of that fight it is clear that Rua had won that fight. Just taking Machida’s “What the f*ck..?” reaction when he was announced as the winner is enough for me.
What Rua did in that fight is prove that if you are a phenomenal striker and all-around MMA fighter—which he is—and you stick to a viable game-plan, then you can pick Machida apart. This is not a recipe for victory for anyone; truly, only a singular talent like Rua—when healthy—could have pulled this type of victory off, a victory against an opponent who had buzzsawed his way through the light-heavyweight division without getting so much as a scratch on him. Machida is an unorthodox fighter with amazing reflexes, stifling takedown defense and a frustratingly patient counter-striking style. This, combined with his penchant for drinking his own urine, made him a lethal albeit often boring fighter. In his first fight with Rua he faced, for the first time, a fighter who was not only able to avoid falling in to his counter-striking game but was able go on the attack and do serious damage while doing so. The rematch will come down to much of the same thing: will Rua be able to stick to a similar gameplan and not let the ghosts of the first fight and that same gameplan’s short-fall in the eyes of the judges goad him in to ill-advised attacks and breaks of composure. If Rua can do that then Machida offers no viable counter-attack, the first fight proved that. At their best both of these fighters are lethal yet unorthodox strikers –Rua is just a little bit better.
Rua via TKO
Now that I’ve educated you on what you can expect from UFC 113, how ‘bout you educate yourself on what you can expect from that 50 year-old you banged in the bathroom of that cantina on Cinco de Mayo, frat-boy. Those crabs aren’t going to magically disappear all by themselves; you need a special shampoo to rid yourself of that kind of shame.
Well pick up that remote, camper, there’s Man-fightin’ to be watched! Let’s see if UFC 113 can wash the stink of shame, urine and, most-likely, paraplegic stripper perfume off of your dehydrated corpse.Kimbo Slice vs Matt Mitrione
Fresh off of a surprising –albeit insanely boring—victory over UFC journeyman Houston Alexander, Kimbo Slice looks to put his training time with the vaunted American Top-Team to good use and prove to all of us in t.v. land that he can do more than just lead with his chin and sling leather. Unfortunately for him slinging leather is all that NFL washout Matt Mitrione seems capable of. Well, that and talking an insane amount of shit. Mitrione has fought exactly one fight and that was a knockout of another NFL veteran, Marcus “The Black Mummy” Jones. Mitrione is fat and has shown no interest in not-being-fat, or training for that matter. His victory over Jones came after Jones got tired tossing him around the ring for an entire round and eventually tried to break Mitrione’s fist with his facial parts. In the industry we call this “the Homer Simpson Gambit” or “How to lose every fight you’re ever in unless you fight Tank Abbott.”
Even more interesting than the outcome of the fight is the question of whether or not the YouTube-tacular Kimbo can fully transform himself from internet one-trick-pony to a true MMA fighter? Kimbo has done an admiral job at dedicating himself to the sport and showing it the respect that it deserves since his humbling at the hands of Seth Petruzelli. And even more interesting than that is the fact that today I mowed my lawn using a push mower. What is this 1520? No, genius; the chicks in my neighborhood all drive Priuses’s-s-es and care about their carbon footprint –this thing’s gonna get me laid more than that windowless panel-van with the mattress in the back that I bought from Lawrence Taylor. –ZING!!!!—
Prediction: Kimbo via beard-smothering
Josh Koscheck vs. Paul “Semtex” Daley
This is another one of those classic stand-up vs. ground-and-pound matchups that the UFC has become so fond of. On the one hand we have TUF1 Alum Josh Koscheck. Koscheck is a phenomenal wrestler that is on par or better than everyone at his weight class in takedowns and ground and pound. Where he gets himself in trouble is when he gets too comfortable on his feet and begins moving away from using his hands as a set-up tool for his takedowns. Most of his “combinations” are not a surprise; you’ll see them coming, much like a 5 year-old trying to swing a sledge-hammer –they are obvious and painfully slow to develop. If you toss on an afro-wig and chase a friend around your living-room with your right fist cocked-back you will be performing a close approximation of Koscheck’s entire stand-up arsenal.
Paul “Semtex” Daley, on the other hand, has lighting-fast hands and can throw combinations from just about any angle. Where he falls short in the MMA game is in his takedown defense, or his total lack of it. This would not be as much of a concern if he had any semblance of a ground game to fall back on once he inevitably gets taken down, which he does not. Daley’s ground game is based around thinly-veiled panic wrapped in a complete lack of Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling or knowledge of even the word “composure”. Heading in to a matchup with someone like Koscheck –who’s takedown shoot resembles Blanka from Street-figther II’s ‘Cannonball’ attack—this becomes a real problem.
The one on the left, not the one on the rightThis fight comes down to whether or not Koscheck can stick to his strengths and not get suckered in to a standup war –and inevitable KO loss—by Semtex and all of his pre-fight trash-talk. Koscheck’s ground game far outweighs Daley’s standup, much in the same way that your mom far outweighs all of the other girls –ahem, Women!!—that I’ve slept with in the back of my aforementioned panel-van.
Koscheck via Neck-biting Attack in the 2nd
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Lyoto “I Drink My Own Piss” Machida
Which finally brings us to the long-awaited rematch of Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Lyoto Machida. The first meeting of these two ended in controversy when Rua had seemingly won a lopsided 5-round victory in everyone’s eyes; everyone’s eyes but the three judges at ringside who had apparently been watching re-runs of ‘What’s Happenin’ during the fight. I have heard arguments about this decision from both sides –pro and con—and have come to the following conclusion: if you think that Machida won the first fight you are a blind flipper-baby who should be required to wear a helmet and be given a special “Hug Me” sign to wear around your piss-stained neck. Arguments for the scoring ambiguity and ringside point-of-view aside, if you watch the video of that fight it is clear that Rua had won that fight. Just taking Machida’s “What the f*ck..?” reaction when he was announced as the winner is enough for me.
What Rua did in that fight is prove that if you are a phenomenal striker and all-around MMA fighter—which he is—and you stick to a viable game-plan, then you can pick Machida apart. This is not a recipe for victory for anyone; truly, only a singular talent like Rua—when healthy—could have pulled this type of victory off, a victory against an opponent who had buzzsawed his way through the light-heavyweight division without getting so much as a scratch on him. Machida is an unorthodox fighter with amazing reflexes, stifling takedown defense and a frustratingly patient counter-striking style. This, combined with his penchant for drinking his own urine, made him a lethal albeit often boring fighter. In his first fight with Rua he faced, for the first time, a fighter who was not only able to avoid falling in to his counter-striking game but was able go on the attack and do serious damage while doing so. The rematch will come down to much of the same thing: will Rua be able to stick to a similar gameplan and not let the ghosts of the first fight and that same gameplan’s short-fall in the eyes of the judges goad him in to ill-advised attacks and breaks of composure. If Rua can do that then Machida offers no viable counter-attack, the first fight proved that. At their best both of these fighters are lethal yet unorthodox strikers –Rua is just a little bit better.
Rua via TKO
Now that I’ve educated you on what you can expect from UFC 113, how ‘bout you educate yourself on what you can expect from that 50 year-old you banged in the bathroom of that cantina on Cinco de Mayo, frat-boy. Those crabs aren’t going to magically disappear all by themselves; you need a special shampoo to rid yourself of that kind of shame.
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Thursday, May 6, 2010
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.com Headline Writers in Big Ben Denial
Surely, it was the SI article that battered Ben's image.Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Group Calls on Yankees, Mets to Boycott All Star Game
According to the Washington Post, when "...[President] Obama returned to Washington from Illinois Wednesday night, he walked back to the press cabin on the presidential aircraft and, in an impromptu Q&A, essentially declared immigration reform dead. He said "there may not be an appetite" for it."
So, since Arizona's "controversial" immigration law aimed at addressing the 400,000 illegals within the state's borders in light of the lack of a federal backbone on the issue has fallen on deaf ears in the White House, advocates are looking at bringing attention to the subject at the heart of America - the national pastime in the Big Apple.
Today on Cinco de Mayo, the American holiday celebrating the rich history of drinking tequila and Dos Equis while wearing sombreros, the New York Daily News reports that a supposedly influential group known as the Working Families Party "gathered more than 2,500 [more All Star votes than Javy Vasquez] signatures yesterday on a petition it planned to deliver to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and Mets owner Fred Wilpon" reading:
Dear Mr. Steinbrenner and Mr. Wilpon,WFP Director Dan Cantor notes, "If New York's baseball teams say they won't go, they could become leaders in a national push to move the All-Star Game out of Arizona."
Without immigrants, New York wouldn't exist, and we wouldn't have two of the greatest baseball teams in the world. We urge you to take a stand for your players, immigrants and all Americans by publicly pledging not to participate in the 2011 All-Star Game unless it is moved out of Arizona or Arizona repeals its anti-immigrant, anti-American law.
Sincerely,
What the Working Families Party neglects to acknowledge is that in recent years, the economic impact of MLB All Star games can reach approximately $60 million. With advocates pronouncing the contributions immigrants make to local economies and communities, in a state with such a large population of Mexicans, inevitably, pulling such an event out of the area will negatively impact the ability of these workers to earn an (illegal? untaxed?) day's pay.
In reality, the group is using these teams and their players as a press hit to draw light to the issue. But, please, leave your politics out of my baseball. There are plenty of advocates, politicians and citizens making a fuss about the issue. If anything, Arizona actually taking a stance has brought the issue to the forefront of debate - an issue that most acknowledge something has to be done on. While imperfect, use said stance to craft policy and discussion, not press gimmicks that will impact my ability to watch the mid-season classic.
Besides, Steinbrenner thinks he's an astronaut nowadays and used the petitions to wipe tapioca off his chin.
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Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Great Moments in Tasing History
The web is a buzz after a Philadelphia rabblerouser was tased after storming the field like a jackass last night at Citizens Bank Park.
In that JO's honor, we present some of our favorite tasing moments.
The definitive...
An LP, a Jackson, a 70's sex symbol and an Osborne walk into a police station...
Not you, Fat Jesus...
Michael Vick pron...
Who/what are your nominees?
In that JO's honor, we present some of our favorite tasing moments.
The definitive...
An LP, a Jackson, a 70's sex symbol and an Osborne walk into a police station...
Not you, Fat Jesus...
Michael Vick pron...
Who/what are your nominees?
Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Bob Smizik is a Crotchety Old Pittsburgherbit
Since Ryan Howard signed his record-breaking extension, the former Rookie of the Year-MVP-WFC has drawn national criticism as a one-dimensional, over-hyped, over-paid ballplayer. No one has sounded that siren louder than Post Gazette's Bob Smizik, who does so by pointing out the criticisms of fellow scribes rather than manning up and giving us his own in-depth opinion. But, the latent Howard hatred is there. The amazing thing is that the Post Gazette pays this guy to post other papers' columns. The only thing lazier than said columns would be for a blogger to accuse the bigoted Smizik of racism because Howard is African-American. Some of us just choose to take the higher road.Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.
Donovan McNabb Just Can't Let Go of the Past
Skins fan @cmatthews58 shot me a note imploring me to take a look at my favorite ex-Eagles quarterback's official website, donovanmcnabb.com: "Quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles."
For someone who "earned" a degree from the prestigious SI Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse, the quarterback seemingly can't be less in tune with media - new or old.
It's not like the site isn't updated (see above news and blog sections).
It's just that Andy Reid isn't around anymore to coddle him through it.
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