“April 29th was power to the people, and we might just see a sequel,” rapped Ice Cube in Wicked. Not even one of my favorite songs by Cube, but I remember that line and in result I remember that April 29th is the anniversary of the riots that took place after the police were acquitted of beating the hell out of Rodney King. That came out in ’92, at the height of my rap listening days and the fact that I still remember it speaks to the power of hip hop.
15 years and how much has changed? Some cops were just charged with killing an 88 year old woman in Atlanta. We had the famed “41 shots” case in New York City. The mother of the Notorious BIG is suing the city of Los Angeles for wrongful death for a second time, the first was declared a mistrial when it was discovered that a police detective had intentionally hid statements from a jailhouse snitch linking the accused cops to the killing. Cube was right, we might just see a sequel. As hip hop comes under fire for its controversial content, its warnings are ignored. It’s eerily similar to how we missed the warnings of a large scale terrorist attack pre-9/11.
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Over the weekend I watched a cultural phenomenon that most people my age have never heard of. High School Musical, that’s right you bastards, I watched it and I’m man enough to admit it. Hey, these are the things you do when you’re hanging out with a 5, sorry, 5 ½ year old. And you know what? It wasn’t awful. I mean its bad, it’s cheesy and I hope kids aren’t expecting high school to be anything like they portrayed it to be. But for kids, it’s actually a good little movie. They get popular sounding music, and more importantly you don’t have to worry about the lyrical content as you do with pop music on the radio.
Two things were very clear to me while viewing this movie: First, this is what the Backdoor Boys and N’sync and all those pop gum artists of the late 90’s should have been doing. Two, this is where American Idol contestants should end up, especially that annoying Sanjay and his hair.
April 30, 2007
April 27, 2007
April 25, 2007
Sickening
I just threw up in my mouth. All Sunday night I was sick with some 24 hour bug or something, but I just read something that made me sicker than I’ve ever been. A 27 year-old man was convicted of raping AND impregnating a 9 year old girl. He admitted to raping her once or twice a week for a year. For this he got 25 years in prison. It doesn’t really matter what he got, they couldn’t ever give him enough time or punish him enough to even come close to smelling justice, let alone serving it. Oh and of course he apologized to the victim and her family, he said he wishes he could take it back. Fuck him. That girl and, to a lesser extent, everyone she knows are forever changed.
You could build a new prison, on top of him with just his ass sticking up out of the cement, and let every inmate take turns on his worthless ass and that still wouldn’t come close to being punishment enough. They could sit him in a room with the Gimp from Pulp Fiction, and that would be like a vacation compared to what he deserves. Usually I’d say let the girls father or uncles spend an eternity with that guy and any tools of torture you can think of, but that also wouldn’t be enough. If he were truly sorry, even just a little bit for what he did, he would kill himself in his cell, only to be brought back so he can do it again. And repeat the process for the next 25 years. That’s IF he’s even a little bit sorry. And I am a bleeding heart liberal, but he’s so far crossed the line that it’s a dot to him. They should parole whoever kills him in prison, hell name the prison after the man that does it.
I don’t know if she had to end the pregnancy or not, I imagine for her own safety that she did, but a 9 year old shouldn’t even have to spell abortion yet. Sex should be something she hears and doesn’t understand as her parents are watching primetime TV. Monsters are something she should just be finding out fake, not finding out first hand that they’re real, and scarier than in her worst nightmare.
You could build a new prison, on top of him with just his ass sticking up out of the cement, and let every inmate take turns on his worthless ass and that still wouldn’t come close to being punishment enough. They could sit him in a room with the Gimp from Pulp Fiction, and that would be like a vacation compared to what he deserves. Usually I’d say let the girls father or uncles spend an eternity with that guy and any tools of torture you can think of, but that also wouldn’t be enough. If he were truly sorry, even just a little bit for what he did, he would kill himself in his cell, only to be brought back so he can do it again. And repeat the process for the next 25 years. That’s IF he’s even a little bit sorry. And I am a bleeding heart liberal, but he’s so far crossed the line that it’s a dot to him. They should parole whoever kills him in prison, hell name the prison after the man that does it.
I don’t know if she had to end the pregnancy or not, I imagine for her own safety that she did, but a 9 year old shouldn’t even have to spell abortion yet. Sex should be something she hears and doesn’t understand as her parents are watching primetime TV. Monsters are something she should just be finding out fake, not finding out first hand that they’re real, and scarier than in her worst nightmare.
April 20, 2007
Hirpasms
• I was watching this live on CNN online the other day and it sent chills up my spine, while watching it on YouTube last night I felt chills go up my spine three times. An honest, fearless and overall just perfect speech.
• It’s 1pm, and I’m done for the day. First, I really don’t have much work to do, and The Sports Guy is hosting a chat on Espn.com. My world pretty much stops when that happens. His column has one semi-regular feature that I’d kill for, and I know there’s nothing original about the premise, but he has a mailbag. I would love to get and respond to emails about a smorgasbord of items. Personal, sports related movies, music, TV or whatever. In fact, at some point I might just start taking emails from friends and replying to them on here just to see how it feels. You’ve been warned.
• Is it just me or did Cho Seung-Hui sound just like Napoleon Dynamite?
• I’m really not trying to make Virginia Tech jokes, I swear, but can’t someone use this opportunity to explain to me what a Hokie is?
• Alec Baldwin, can you tell me the difference between “constantly” and “over and over again?” Heard the message he left his daughter? Shocker, Alec Baldwin is a psychopath. But you know what? I don’t agree with all the things he said, but it does sound like his daughter needed a good talking to, although it probably would be better if the whole world didn’t hear it. I just get the feeling that mommy dearest is behind this being leaked, and that makes her even worse than Baldwin. To sum it up, this kid is screwed. Are they taking bets in Vegas on when this kid ends up in either rehab or a hospital? 14? I’d pick the under. Mark my words, within two weeks we’ll see her hanging out with Paris Hilton. Alec, buy her some underwear asap.
• Will the Real Slim Shady please stand up?
• Fuck Chicago. Love the town, but they are now talking about building a new skyscraper that would be taller than the World Trade Center replacement, Freedom Tower. I know having the Sears Tower is a big point of pride for Chi-town, and they loved having the country’s tallest building, but c’mon. This is just tacky. And it won’t even be a part of the heart of Chicago’s sky line, it looks like a nail sticking out of the floor. http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/20/tallest.building.ap/index.html
• Some billionaire in China died, and she left all the cash to her fortune teller. I can’t help but wonder if the fortune teller was surprised or not.
April 19, 2007
Dumb Arses
Crime is bad. It’s bad for the economy, it’s bad for the kids, and it’s bad for a criminal. It’s just bad. But I can understand why some crimes are committed. What I don’t understand is stupid people who choose a life of crime. A buddy of mine just had his car stolen, in what started off as a pretty scary situation but has grown into another tale of Idiots in Crime. Here’s the scoop. His girlfriend borrowed his new SUV and took it to work. As she walked into her place of business, she was thrown to the floor and held at gunpoint as they waited for the time locks to expire so they could empty the safe.
As it turns out, that these morons had inside help. They had the combination to the alarm and a key to the store. But their help didn’t know about the time lock. So even though they had the safe combo, it was useless till a certain time. Instead of ducking out of there before anyone came in, they waited an hour so they could force the manager, my friends’ girlfriend, to open the safe. Next they took the SUV she came in for their getaway. So obviously, these idiots didn’t have a ride. I want to see video of how they planned this heist. I’m thinking it wasn’t as well thought out as the planning scene in Oceans 11.
“Now we have the codes for the alarm and safe, we have a gun, and we know exactly what time someone will be showing up,” says idiot #1.
“Hey, think we need a car? You know, incase we don’t feel like walking away from the scene,” responds idiot #2.
Best of all, some how they decided against bringing their own car. So now they take this SUV, and the $1300 they scored from the safe and leave. In comes their co-conspirator later in the day, reporting for work as if all is normal. The police break her in a matter of minutes. And they found the car, a few blocks away from her boyfriends’ house. So I imagine these clowns will have some time to reflect on their stupidity. Perhaps write a book, “Sure Fire Ways to Get Caught.” Some one will buy it, and they could easily make more money off book sales than they could off this heist. Three people worked on this scheme, just to split $1300?! Seriously they should learn some basic poker theory, if you’re going to do the crime you have to have good pot odds. And always leave yourself outs.
As it turns out, that these morons had inside help. They had the combination to the alarm and a key to the store. But their help didn’t know about the time lock. So even though they had the safe combo, it was useless till a certain time. Instead of ducking out of there before anyone came in, they waited an hour so they could force the manager, my friends’ girlfriend, to open the safe. Next they took the SUV she came in for their getaway. So obviously, these idiots didn’t have a ride. I want to see video of how they planned this heist. I’m thinking it wasn’t as well thought out as the planning scene in Oceans 11.
“Now we have the codes for the alarm and safe, we have a gun, and we know exactly what time someone will be showing up,” says idiot #1.
“Hey, think we need a car? You know, incase we don’t feel like walking away from the scene,” responds idiot #2.
Best of all, some how they decided against bringing their own car. So now they take this SUV, and the $1300 they scored from the safe and leave. In comes their co-conspirator later in the day, reporting for work as if all is normal. The police break her in a matter of minutes. And they found the car, a few blocks away from her boyfriends’ house. So I imagine these clowns will have some time to reflect on their stupidity. Perhaps write a book, “Sure Fire Ways to Get Caught.” Some one will buy it, and they could easily make more money off book sales than they could off this heist. Three people worked on this scheme, just to split $1300?! Seriously they should learn some basic poker theory, if you’re going to do the crime you have to have good pot odds. And always leave yourself outs.
April 18, 2007
Might Sound Bad...
Okay, this is probably going to sound really tasteless. And I guess if it sounds tasteless, than it probably is, but I can’t help myself. See, I’m reading about the victims from Virginia Tech. I always feel its important to at least read about them, so they aren’t just numbers, and I know I won’t remember their names for more than a few minutes. But this always sits awkwardly with me, reading about how great they were. Really, it doesn’t matter which tragedy it is, the victims are always described the same.
"She really wanted to be able to help the poor people," and "gave himself 110 percent to everyone around him." And, "the kind of guy who makes you want to change your outlook in life." Were quotes I read about some of the victims, and I don’t doubt that they are true. And of course I’m not looking to read that someone thought of some victim as “a real asshole, he only cared about himself.”
Maybe I’m an asshole, but I’m just tired of those responses. They don’t tell me anything about the person, other than their friends thought kindly of them. Isn’t that what friends usually do? If they want to make it more personal for everyone reading, tell us a specific story. Shed some real light on what kind of person they were. What was on their iPod, or tell me a story about a night out with them. I don’t want to read quotes that are about as heartfelt as yearbook messages. Sorry, I just don’t.
And then I saw some quotes about how bright this kid or that kids future was. Well guess what, some of them were going to burn out and drop out of school. Was one going to save the world? Probably not. He might have ended up working at Barnes & Noble, and you know what, that’s just fine. It doesn’t make their death any more or less tragic. They may have ended up flipping burgers and taking out the trash, their loss would still be just as great. They were all probably going to end up working jobs they didn’t go to school for, trying to pay their rent or mortgage, having a few cocktails from time to time and living overwhelmingly normal lives. And it fucking sucks that they didn’t get that chance to live like the rest of us.
"She really wanted to be able to help the poor people," and "gave himself 110 percent to everyone around him." And, "the kind of guy who makes you want to change your outlook in life." Were quotes I read about some of the victims, and I don’t doubt that they are true. And of course I’m not looking to read that someone thought of some victim as “a real asshole, he only cared about himself.”
Maybe I’m an asshole, but I’m just tired of those responses. They don’t tell me anything about the person, other than their friends thought kindly of them. Isn’t that what friends usually do? If they want to make it more personal for everyone reading, tell us a specific story. Shed some real light on what kind of person they were. What was on their iPod, or tell me a story about a night out with them. I don’t want to read quotes that are about as heartfelt as yearbook messages. Sorry, I just don’t.
And then I saw some quotes about how bright this kid or that kids future was. Well guess what, some of them were going to burn out and drop out of school. Was one going to save the world? Probably not. He might have ended up working at Barnes & Noble, and you know what, that’s just fine. It doesn’t make their death any more or less tragic. They may have ended up flipping burgers and taking out the trash, their loss would still be just as great. They were all probably going to end up working jobs they didn’t go to school for, trying to pay their rent or mortgage, having a few cocktails from time to time and living overwhelmingly normal lives. And it fucking sucks that they didn’t get that chance to live like the rest of us.
April 17, 2007
And So It Goes
Now don’t take this the wrong way, but so far I think the biggest tragedy with this massacre at Virginia Tech is the lack of a reaction, at least for me. I think I, along with many others, have become numb to this kind of senseless violence. The fact is, this is only big news because it’s the claimed the most victims, which likens it to a sports record being broken more than 33 lives being lost. When Columbine happened we all stood up and took notice. I couldn’t turn off the television, I had to see every interview and hear every story. That was the second time I felt the need to get online and jot down my feelings, before they called it blogging. (Click here)
As a country, we aren’t shocked by this any longer and that’s just unacceptable. We’ve come to the realization that “these things happen,” when we should be equally outraged, confused and scared every single time it happens. Maybe as more details are discovered, we’ll find it as disturbing as we should. But I think we’ll be distracted from the personal stories, the ones we should all listen to, by the unavoidable debates that will arise. Mainly gun control and Home Land Security, and you know what; I’d love to tackle gun control. That was my first instinct today when I started thinking about this post. But I’m not going to do it. There may not seem like a better time, but I think there has to be. Maybe it’s tomorrow or next week, but today should be about the 33 who lost their lives, and the thousands at Virginia Tech who went through this. I’m just so tired of political agendas riding the coattails of actual tragedies.
As well as thinking about those at Columbine. I don’t need to look this up, I know that April 20th marks the anniversary of that dreadful day. And that got me to thinking, those kids we saw on television that day, either running for their lives or being interviewed around the clock, well those kids are grown up now. They are 22-26 now, which means some are still in school. And I can’t help but wonder if any of those high school kids ended up as college kids at Virginia Tech.
Mostly this scares me because I worry about my nieces, nephews and my friends’ kids. Supposed to worry about when they’ll first ditch school, or start smoking, or when they’ll first try alcohol or be offered drugs. That’s all scary, but those are the worries that we’re supposed to have. This isn’t just isn’t supposed to happen.
As a country, we aren’t shocked by this any longer and that’s just unacceptable. We’ve come to the realization that “these things happen,” when we should be equally outraged, confused and scared every single time it happens. Maybe as more details are discovered, we’ll find it as disturbing as we should. But I think we’ll be distracted from the personal stories, the ones we should all listen to, by the unavoidable debates that will arise. Mainly gun control and Home Land Security, and you know what; I’d love to tackle gun control. That was my first instinct today when I started thinking about this post. But I’m not going to do it. There may not seem like a better time, but I think there has to be. Maybe it’s tomorrow or next week, but today should be about the 33 who lost their lives, and the thousands at Virginia Tech who went through this. I’m just so tired of political agendas riding the coattails of actual tragedies.
As well as thinking about those at Columbine. I don’t need to look this up, I know that April 20th marks the anniversary of that dreadful day. And that got me to thinking, those kids we saw on television that day, either running for their lives or being interviewed around the clock, well those kids are grown up now. They are 22-26 now, which means some are still in school. And I can’t help but wonder if any of those high school kids ended up as college kids at Virginia Tech.
Mostly this scares me because I worry about my nieces, nephews and my friends’ kids. Supposed to worry about when they’ll first ditch school, or start smoking, or when they’ll first try alcohol or be offered drugs. That’s all scary, but those are the worries that we’re supposed to have. This isn’t just isn’t supposed to happen.
April 16, 2007
Imus and Tony
As expected, Don Imus was fired. Shocking it wasn’t. What has surprised me, is how the comments by this 67 year old white dude are some how related to hip hop. One of the common themes I’ve heard is that Imus used those words because hip hop made it acceptable. That some how a form of music I’m fairly certain he doesn’t listen to, has had such a huge impact on his vernacular. Sorry, but to borrow from hip hop, this is whack yo.
You want to know who or what is responsible for this grown man, going on the air and calling a women’s basketball team “nappy-headed ho’s?” Well, I’ll tell you. He is. It’s that easy. Even Jason Whitlock has point some of the blame at hip hop, and I can’t believe this. If we’re going to over analyze the situation, and look for the root cause, then fine, let’s do just that.
Say some how we find a connection to the words rappers use, okay fine. I’ve heard “nappy” and I’ve heard “ho’s” in a few songs, so I’ll pretend that Imus is often bumpin’ Snoop and 50 Cent, and some how he thought that since he heard them say that it would be okay if he did. Guess what, that still isn’t the root cause to all this. That’s just pointing the finger at the easiest target. But why not look deeper, try and figure out why rappers use those words? Oh, that’s just stupid talk. Rap music is obviously to blame for all the ills in the world. They like to drive Escalades ya know, so that’s why SUVs are so popular. And therefore, hip hop is why we are currently fighting a war in Iraq.
But to be fair, hip hop does have a strong track record of degrading women. I don’t disagree with the statement, nor do I find this as an attractive aspect of the music. But is hip hop alone in this? Hell no. Look at Hollywood, and at the television shows and movies they produce. Where are the movies and shows that put women in a positive light? “Desperate Housewives?” Does that really put women in a positive light? Even my favorite shows, “Entourage” and “The Sopranos” treat the majority of its female characters as either sex objects or weak victims. Of the five movies nominated for best picture last year, only The Queen had a woman as the central figure. How many of the previous Best Actress winners, were characters that had to overcome or survive a man? And how many movies in general, portray women in a positive light? But only rap music has an impact.
The fact that so many commercials and print ads we see, have women scantly clad and obviously selling sex to sell a product isn’t worth noting either I assume. But a rapper says bitch or ho, and he’s obviously calling all women that. And rappers have more influence over our society than anyone else. I understand that some of the outcry has been over Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton bringing such attention to Imus’ comments, and not doing the same when rappers use the same words. But that’s bullshit too. They’ve done that for years, way back to the days of 2 Live Crew. These stories don’t have the legs to last 20 years. Something else happens, and they move on. I promise that we won’t hear Jackson or Al talking about Imus 6 months from now.
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Now on a lighter side, here are a few thoughts on “The Sopranos.” If you haven’t watched the most recent episode yet, stop reading.
Just a couple possibilities I see:
Tony kills Christopher- after the movie, he obviously feels a little resentment to Chrissy. And airing family business in a movie is probably a slight violation of Omerta.
Tony lets Christopher get clipped- Phil is still mad as hell about his brother being killed, and with Johnny Sack gone he no longer needs to honor his word. But just killing Chris would spark a huge war between NY and Jersey, which is bad for business and T knows it.
Christopher rats on T- fearing for his life, as well as wanting out of the life so he can continue to pursue movies and care for his new family.
Is it Sunday night yet?
You want to know who or what is responsible for this grown man, going on the air and calling a women’s basketball team “nappy-headed ho’s?” Well, I’ll tell you. He is. It’s that easy. Even Jason Whitlock has point some of the blame at hip hop, and I can’t believe this. If we’re going to over analyze the situation, and look for the root cause, then fine, let’s do just that.
Say some how we find a connection to the words rappers use, okay fine. I’ve heard “nappy” and I’ve heard “ho’s” in a few songs, so I’ll pretend that Imus is often bumpin’ Snoop and 50 Cent, and some how he thought that since he heard them say that it would be okay if he did. Guess what, that still isn’t the root cause to all this. That’s just pointing the finger at the easiest target. But why not look deeper, try and figure out why rappers use those words? Oh, that’s just stupid talk. Rap music is obviously to blame for all the ills in the world. They like to drive Escalades ya know, so that’s why SUVs are so popular. And therefore, hip hop is why we are currently fighting a war in Iraq.
But to be fair, hip hop does have a strong track record of degrading women. I don’t disagree with the statement, nor do I find this as an attractive aspect of the music. But is hip hop alone in this? Hell no. Look at Hollywood, and at the television shows and movies they produce. Where are the movies and shows that put women in a positive light? “Desperate Housewives?” Does that really put women in a positive light? Even my favorite shows, “Entourage” and “The Sopranos” treat the majority of its female characters as either sex objects or weak victims. Of the five movies nominated for best picture last year, only The Queen had a woman as the central figure. How many of the previous Best Actress winners, were characters that had to overcome or survive a man? And how many movies in general, portray women in a positive light? But only rap music has an impact.
The fact that so many commercials and print ads we see, have women scantly clad and obviously selling sex to sell a product isn’t worth noting either I assume. But a rapper says bitch or ho, and he’s obviously calling all women that. And rappers have more influence over our society than anyone else. I understand that some of the outcry has been over Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton bringing such attention to Imus’ comments, and not doing the same when rappers use the same words. But that’s bullshit too. They’ve done that for years, way back to the days of 2 Live Crew. These stories don’t have the legs to last 20 years. Something else happens, and they move on. I promise that we won’t hear Jackson or Al talking about Imus 6 months from now.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Now on a lighter side, here are a few thoughts on “The Sopranos.” If you haven’t watched the most recent episode yet, stop reading.
Just a couple possibilities I see:
Tony kills Christopher- after the movie, he obviously feels a little resentment to Chrissy. And airing family business in a movie is probably a slight violation of Omerta.
Tony lets Christopher get clipped- Phil is still mad as hell about his brother being killed, and with Johnny Sack gone he no longer needs to honor his word. But just killing Chris would spark a huge war between NY and Jersey, which is bad for business and T knows it.
Christopher rats on T- fearing for his life, as well as wanting out of the life so he can continue to pursue movies and care for his new family.
Is it Sunday night yet?
Talkin' Baseball...
Yesterday Major League Baseball celebrated the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier. Not just a huge day in baseball, or sports, but a catalyst for the entire Civil Rights Movement. Reminded me that back in 5th grade I wrote a paper on Jackie, which helped me connect to a ball player I otherwise had no connection to. He wasn’t an ex-Met, he wasn’t a member of the Cleveland Indians (my dads’ childhood team, therefore his heroes always meant something to me), but that paper made me a Jackie fan for life, as well as opened a soft spot in my heart for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
After Do The Right Thing came out just a few years later I wanted to get a Robinson #42 jersey, this was way before the term “throwback” jersey was used to market baseball jerseys. As well back when baseball knew how to market itself, and more importantly, how to still market itself to African-Americans. There isn’t a date to remember, but at some point baseball either just forgot about African-Americans or couldn’t figure out how to market the game to them. I do know, however, it was right around this time. This is when Michael Jordan was exploding on to the sports scene, as well as Americas conscience.
Jordan, along with Nike whose roll can’t be forgotten, helped make basketball the most popular sport in the inner-city. While baseball lost its claim to Americas Past time, and was passed up by the NBA and NFL. Major league rosters are now something like 40% minority, but only 8% of all players are African-American. In 1975 the number was 27.5%. In part, this is due to the increase in international players joining the majors. Baseball is huge in Latin-America. So I think Jackie would be proud that so many minorities are in the game, yet the trend is scary. The NBA is only 10% white now. Why the big difference? I think it comes down to marketing.
Many point to the difficulties in having large baseball fields in the cities, as well as the costs of bats, cleats, gloves and helmets. Where as basketball courts are relatively small, and basketballs are pretty cheap. This is where Major League Baseball needs to step in. There are some programs, such as RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) but that isn’t enough. Not only do you have to give them a place to play, but idols to mimic. Everyone my age spent time dribbling a ball alone, counting down an imaginary clock and pretending to be Michael Jordan taking the final shot. Baseball has done an atrocious job of giving young fans, especially black fans, real idols.
First of all, they screwed up when they did away with the NBC Game of the Week every Saturday afternoon. World Series games start so late, that even adults can’t stay up for them. But they never marketed players right, except for Cal Ripkens assault on the record books and the great home run race of 98, which is now forever tainted. You can watch any rap video, and the majority of those in the videos are wearing baseball hats. But for some reason, it’s just an accessory, and this is baseballs fault. They didn’t do nearly enough to promote Ken Griffey Jr. in the early and mid-90’s. And you know what, same goes with Barry Bonds. The NBA found a way to make Charles Barkley a role model for not being a role model, and baseball had the same opportunity with Bonds.
Baseball tries to walk a thin line, as it always wants to keep true to its roots and long lasting traditions, but still run a successful business. And as long as the television contracts were there, and the seats are being filled, there were no reasons to worry. But they’ve squeezed a large part of its fan base out of the picture. The irony is, many teams set up camps in places like the Dominican Republic. Camps where they teach the game and give opportunities to those who otherwise wouldn’t have any, and they can’t do anything similar in this country.
Today, baseball needs to make a big deal out of Ryan Howard. Carl Crawford jerseys need to be as hot as Dwayne Wade’s. Dontrelle Willis needs to be in commercials. Yesterday all-time greats Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson threw out first pitches to help honor Jackie for blazing the trail, who will throw out the first pitch in 20 or 30 years?
After Do The Right Thing came out just a few years later I wanted to get a Robinson #42 jersey, this was way before the term “throwback” jersey was used to market baseball jerseys. As well back when baseball knew how to market itself, and more importantly, how to still market itself to African-Americans. There isn’t a date to remember, but at some point baseball either just forgot about African-Americans or couldn’t figure out how to market the game to them. I do know, however, it was right around this time. This is when Michael Jordan was exploding on to the sports scene, as well as Americas conscience.
Jordan, along with Nike whose roll can’t be forgotten, helped make basketball the most popular sport in the inner-city. While baseball lost its claim to Americas Past time, and was passed up by the NBA and NFL. Major league rosters are now something like 40% minority, but only 8% of all players are African-American. In 1975 the number was 27.5%. In part, this is due to the increase in international players joining the majors. Baseball is huge in Latin-America. So I think Jackie would be proud that so many minorities are in the game, yet the trend is scary. The NBA is only 10% white now. Why the big difference? I think it comes down to marketing.
Many point to the difficulties in having large baseball fields in the cities, as well as the costs of bats, cleats, gloves and helmets. Where as basketball courts are relatively small, and basketballs are pretty cheap. This is where Major League Baseball needs to step in. There are some programs, such as RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) but that isn’t enough. Not only do you have to give them a place to play, but idols to mimic. Everyone my age spent time dribbling a ball alone, counting down an imaginary clock and pretending to be Michael Jordan taking the final shot. Baseball has done an atrocious job of giving young fans, especially black fans, real idols.
First of all, they screwed up when they did away with the NBC Game of the Week every Saturday afternoon. World Series games start so late, that even adults can’t stay up for them. But they never marketed players right, except for Cal Ripkens assault on the record books and the great home run race of 98, which is now forever tainted. You can watch any rap video, and the majority of those in the videos are wearing baseball hats. But for some reason, it’s just an accessory, and this is baseballs fault. They didn’t do nearly enough to promote Ken Griffey Jr. in the early and mid-90’s. And you know what, same goes with Barry Bonds. The NBA found a way to make Charles Barkley a role model for not being a role model, and baseball had the same opportunity with Bonds.
Baseball tries to walk a thin line, as it always wants to keep true to its roots and long lasting traditions, but still run a successful business. And as long as the television contracts were there, and the seats are being filled, there were no reasons to worry. But they’ve squeezed a large part of its fan base out of the picture. The irony is, many teams set up camps in places like the Dominican Republic. Camps where they teach the game and give opportunities to those who otherwise wouldn’t have any, and they can’t do anything similar in this country.
Today, baseball needs to make a big deal out of Ryan Howard. Carl Crawford jerseys need to be as hot as Dwayne Wade’s. Dontrelle Willis needs to be in commercials. Yesterday all-time greats Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson threw out first pitches to help honor Jackie for blazing the trail, who will throw out the first pitch in 20 or 30 years?
April 10, 2007
Hirp Says..
So once again there’s a story in the news. We’ve heard it before, but it seems to be a monthly occurrence now. Celebrity makes an ignorant, hateful statement and then all hell breaks loose. We get the child-like forced apology. We get outrage from all those who seem to make careers off telling us what is offensive. There are the subsequent cries for them to lose their jobs. Wait a few weeks, repeat.
This time its “shock-jock” Imus. What he said is vile and disgusting. You probably heard about it, he refered to a women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed hoes.” It’s blatantly racist, and there’s no excuse for it. But you know what really annoys me about this situation? Its not even the ignorance, or the hate that bothers me. Its all the bullshit that follows. Look, if those are his beliefs and he’s that asshole, fine. Imus, own your beliefs. Don’t apologize. We know you’re doing it just to try and save your ass, so it’s a waste of time. Also, I don’t think he should automatically lose his job. I don’t think he should get a raise or anything either. I just think he should be allowed to be an asshole without getting fired for it. If sub sequentially, his ratings fall so far that they need to let him go because it’s the right business decision, then so be it.
But lets be real, I can write hateful horrible things here if I so choose, and I won’t lose my job for the statements themselves. Doing it on company time or property could possibly change that, but this isn’t my job. Shocking statements, well that sounds like it just might be part of the job description of a “shock-jock.” Losing your cool and having a sudden case of diarrhea of the mouth is a hazard of the job for a comedian being heckled, as was the case with Michael Richards. They’re complete assholes for what they said, but in America, you’re allowed to be a complete asshole.
We can disagree with their statements, and hopefully it sparks conversation and perhaps they actually learn something and if we’re really lucky, like the guy who hooked up with Britney Spears in rehab lucky, maybe they’ll even change their thinking. But I’d respect these idiots a lot more if they had the chutzpah to stand up for themselves. Fred Phelps might be the biggest piece of shit on the planet, or at least belongs in the conversation, but at least he stands by his ignorant thinking. I can at least respect him for that, even if he’s so obviously stupid.
Imus, you said what you said and it was stupid and it makes you a complete jackass. Don’t apologize for it just to save your ass. He seems to be trying to do both. He’s telling Matt Lauer “Well, perhaps I can’t (change),” when asked if he’ll clean up his act. He’s passing the buck, and saying that the phrase started in the black community. But he’s also gone on and apologized. Sounding like the politicians he was so quick to call out.
CBS radio, quit it with the suspension and the talk of firing him for his comments. Let his listeners, your advertisers and the general public decide his fate and yours. You wanted the rating by putting someone like him on the air, don’t cut and run now. I’m not suggesting they jump behind him, and reiterate his comments by any means. But this is their mess too.
I’m just sick of people who are ballsy enough to make a bold statement, and then backpedal like me in the ring with Mike Tyson. Isiah Washington called someone a fag on the set of “Grey’s Anatomy” and checks into rehab. Rehab? Are you effin’ kidding me?! Dude, you’re an asshole. But you’re a damn fine actor (have been for years too, always underrated) so do your job, and be a dickhead. If by running off at the mouth you end up having experiences that change your views, great. There should be no rehab, no meetings with leaders of the community you offended and they should keep their jobs.
To quote a wise man, “never let anyone outside the family know what you’re thinking,” and “you could act like a man!”
This time its “shock-jock” Imus. What he said is vile and disgusting. You probably heard about it, he refered to a women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed hoes.” It’s blatantly racist, and there’s no excuse for it. But you know what really annoys me about this situation? Its not even the ignorance, or the hate that bothers me. Its all the bullshit that follows. Look, if those are his beliefs and he’s that asshole, fine. Imus, own your beliefs. Don’t apologize. We know you’re doing it just to try and save your ass, so it’s a waste of time. Also, I don’t think he should automatically lose his job. I don’t think he should get a raise or anything either. I just think he should be allowed to be an asshole without getting fired for it. If sub sequentially, his ratings fall so far that they need to let him go because it’s the right business decision, then so be it.
But lets be real, I can write hateful horrible things here if I so choose, and I won’t lose my job for the statements themselves. Doing it on company time or property could possibly change that, but this isn’t my job. Shocking statements, well that sounds like it just might be part of the job description of a “shock-jock.” Losing your cool and having a sudden case of diarrhea of the mouth is a hazard of the job for a comedian being heckled, as was the case with Michael Richards. They’re complete assholes for what they said, but in America, you’re allowed to be a complete asshole.
We can disagree with their statements, and hopefully it sparks conversation and perhaps they actually learn something and if we’re really lucky, like the guy who hooked up with Britney Spears in rehab lucky, maybe they’ll even change their thinking. But I’d respect these idiots a lot more if they had the chutzpah to stand up for themselves. Fred Phelps might be the biggest piece of shit on the planet, or at least belongs in the conversation, but at least he stands by his ignorant thinking. I can at least respect him for that, even if he’s so obviously stupid.
Imus, you said what you said and it was stupid and it makes you a complete jackass. Don’t apologize for it just to save your ass. He seems to be trying to do both. He’s telling Matt Lauer “Well, perhaps I can’t (change),” when asked if he’ll clean up his act. He’s passing the buck, and saying that the phrase started in the black community. But he’s also gone on and apologized. Sounding like the politicians he was so quick to call out.
CBS radio, quit it with the suspension and the talk of firing him for his comments. Let his listeners, your advertisers and the general public decide his fate and yours. You wanted the rating by putting someone like him on the air, don’t cut and run now. I’m not suggesting they jump behind him, and reiterate his comments by any means. But this is their mess too.
I’m just sick of people who are ballsy enough to make a bold statement, and then backpedal like me in the ring with Mike Tyson. Isiah Washington called someone a fag on the set of “Grey’s Anatomy” and checks into rehab. Rehab? Are you effin’ kidding me?! Dude, you’re an asshole. But you’re a damn fine actor (have been for years too, always underrated) so do your job, and be a dickhead. If by running off at the mouth you end up having experiences that change your views, great. There should be no rehab, no meetings with leaders of the community you offended and they should keep their jobs.
To quote a wise man, “never let anyone outside the family know what you’re thinking,” and “you could act like a man!”
April 09, 2007
Thank HBO For Sundays
Sunday nights are usually pretty worthless, even evil sometimes. Monday just lurks, casting a shadow that makes it nearly impossible to really just relax. Then the shows hit, which make Sundays from 8pm to 10pm the best two hours of the week. Which does more to confuse me than books without pictures, I’m not supposed to look forward to Sundays. And right after the credits role on Entourage, its back to being everything I despise about Sundays. Now before you read this, if you watch either “The Sopranos” or “Entourage,” and haven’t yet seen them yet, you’re going to want to stop reading now.
Last night my old friends came back. Seeing “The Sopranos” come back, was really like seeing family I haven’t seen in a while. And it was just as good to see them, a fantastic episode. A&E has been showing the series from the start, and I’ve caught a couple episodes, which made me realize how much better the show used to be. That’s not meant as a slam at the last few seasons; even at its “worst” it was still better than 99.8% of other shows. They just set the bar that high. Last night it reached those heights again, and I’m confident the show will end and leave us wanting more, but still satisfy every fan. And I could see the show ending any number of ways, and not being let down. Prison, dirt nap or a nice spot in Sicily are all equally possible and attractive endings for T.
I followed Sopranos, and my moms’ spaghetti which is to die for, with a trip to my friends house to catch up with my buddies in LA, Vinnie Chase, Turtle, E, Drama and everyone’s favorite asshole Ari. Last year ended with Vince firing Ari, in a cliff hanger ending that would make David Chase proud. This year picked up with a new agent, who seems perfect, too good to be true even, a big birthday and a couple of friends trying to mend a friendship like a couple of love sick teenagers, if only they weren’t both heterosexual men. The homosexual undertones, that just about every show on TV tries to tackle, have only been written this well on “Seinfeld” and “Friends.” This was up there with the classic “Seinfeld,” “not that there’s anything wrong with that” episode, yet more realistic.
As for my expectations for the rest of the season, I have no doubt Vince will return to Ari. But I know it’ll take the majority of the year, and I’m not at all disappointed by knowing this or that this twist ever took place. Some shows try something, and you just think, “Wow, t hat’s a mistake.” I have all the confidence in these writers and this show, and that they will make it work.
The new agent, Amanda, is played by Carla Gugino, who was the title role in the failed Out of Sight spin off, “Karen Sisco” and also had roles in Sin City and Night at the Museum. And she brings something new to the table, a smart, business savvy woman who can trade barbs with Ari, but play mother hen to the fellas. Looking forward to seeing more of her character, and I really didn’t think that was possible. It’s really like seeing a friend who broke up with the girlfriend everyone thought was a blast, expecting the next to be a total buzz kill, and realizing she’s actually pretty damn cool. Okay, I really take my television viewing seriously. But if I didn’t, what would I post about and why would you read this? Now, don’t thank me, we’ll keep it this cool, un-said thing just between us.
Oh, and the product placement at the birthday party was pure genius. To make a joke out of product placement, while placing products, all the while staying true to the show? Genius, just genius.
Last night my old friends came back. Seeing “The Sopranos” come back, was really like seeing family I haven’t seen in a while. And it was just as good to see them, a fantastic episode. A&E has been showing the series from the start, and I’ve caught a couple episodes, which made me realize how much better the show used to be. That’s not meant as a slam at the last few seasons; even at its “worst” it was still better than 99.8% of other shows. They just set the bar that high. Last night it reached those heights again, and I’m confident the show will end and leave us wanting more, but still satisfy every fan. And I could see the show ending any number of ways, and not being let down. Prison, dirt nap or a nice spot in Sicily are all equally possible and attractive endings for T.
I followed Sopranos, and my moms’ spaghetti which is to die for, with a trip to my friends house to catch up with my buddies in LA, Vinnie Chase, Turtle, E, Drama and everyone’s favorite asshole Ari. Last year ended with Vince firing Ari, in a cliff hanger ending that would make David Chase proud. This year picked up with a new agent, who seems perfect, too good to be true even, a big birthday and a couple of friends trying to mend a friendship like a couple of love sick teenagers, if only they weren’t both heterosexual men. The homosexual undertones, that just about every show on TV tries to tackle, have only been written this well on “Seinfeld” and “Friends.” This was up there with the classic “Seinfeld,” “not that there’s anything wrong with that” episode, yet more realistic.
As for my expectations for the rest of the season, I have no doubt Vince will return to Ari. But I know it’ll take the majority of the year, and I’m not at all disappointed by knowing this or that this twist ever took place. Some shows try something, and you just think, “Wow, t hat’s a mistake.” I have all the confidence in these writers and this show, and that they will make it work.
The new agent, Amanda, is played by Carla Gugino, who was the title role in the failed Out of Sight spin off, “Karen Sisco” and also had roles in Sin City and Night at the Museum. And she brings something new to the table, a smart, business savvy woman who can trade barbs with Ari, but play mother hen to the fellas. Looking forward to seeing more of her character, and I really didn’t think that was possible. It’s really like seeing a friend who broke up with the girlfriend everyone thought was a blast, expecting the next to be a total buzz kill, and realizing she’s actually pretty damn cool. Okay, I really take my television viewing seriously. But if I didn’t, what would I post about and why would you read this? Now, don’t thank me, we’ll keep it this cool, un-said thing just between us.
Oh, and the product placement at the birthday party was pure genius. To make a joke out of product placement, while placing products, all the while staying true to the show? Genius, just genius.
April 06, 2007
I Digress
This post could prove to be a really bad idea, I’m just saying. It shouldn’t, but I acknowledge that it easily could. I like to label things. I know what my favorite movie is. I know which CDs are my favorite. I’ve ranked celebrity women 1-10. If you asked, I could pick a favorite tee shirt, my favorite day of the week or my favorite sound. Did you see High Fidelity; well I could work in that record shop. Perhaps you’re wondering where the hell this is going, well I’m getting there damnit.
See, I started dating someone and for some reason, this is a rare instance in which I don’t know how to, and even more than t hat, I’m afraid to label it. Friends asked, “so are you guys dating now?” I figured, we’ve gone on dates, and looking to go on more. So yes, I’d consider that “dating.” But I found myself saying “yes, pretty much.” I haven’t a clue what “pretty much” means. It seems almost like saying “kinda pregnant,” and good God, why am I making a comparison to pregnancy? Am I trying to jinx myself? Oh yeah, never mind.
So then after that question was asked a few times, I started hearing, “is she your girlfriend?” And I haven’t a clue to be honest. I don’t have a definition that explains to me when and how that transition occurs. You may have figured this out, but I tend to over-analyze things. Well, that’s what I’m told anyway. I think I just analyze situations, and I think that’s what you’re supposed to do. But mostly, I think the label scares me because of what it brings with it. There are responsibilities, and expectations. Expectations terrify me, what if they don’t get met? Just when you do something to reach expectations, they get raised.
It’s not that I think of myself as “better than” most guys. I just try to recognize things that guys generally do that piss off women, and not do those things. But maybe all this is just the same fear of commitment that every other guy, and probably girl, has. I think we hide behind the “well I just want to keep my options open” bullshit. What it really is, we don’t want to have either our expectations disappointed, or be the disappointee.
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Now for another dilemma of mine, this Sunday night marks the return of both “The Sopranos” and “Entourage.” This makes Sunday one of the greatest days of the year, up there along with the first day of the NCAA Tournament and Opening Day. It’s that huge. The problem stems from the fact that it’s the same night. Since “The Sopranos” came on the air, it’s been a bit of a family tradition for me to watch with my parents. And last year, it became a tradition to watch “Entourage” with a couple of friends. Now, my friends and parents live about 20 minutes apart. Thankfully there’s DVR, so I’m not really worried about missing anything. But do I really want to drive the 20 minutes from my apartment out to the burbs, watch one show with the parental units, then high tail it across town for another show? Isn’t that a little overboard for a couple of television shows? And with a tank of gas costing more than a losing trip to the casino, it may not be economically viable at this time.
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As I write this, I am on hold with the bank. Have I mentioned how much I hate being on hold? I have to admit, this new feature they have that tells me how many callers are in front of me, is huge. It almost makes a game of it. I hear some cheesy music, a little plug for the company, then a prompt comes on and tells me how appreciated my business is and how important my call is to them. Followed by telling me how many callers are ahead of me. So far it seems to usually drop by two callers every time the prompt comes back on. I actually want to bet with myself what the number will be, and how long it will be till I get someone on the phone. There’s five left, and its 9:36am. I’m taking the under on 9:45. And I wont post this on my blog until they pick up.
*Your reading my blog is important to me, there are currently…three…other people reading this blog. Please remain on the page and we’ll find a post for you shortly. Thank you.
Its 9:39, my call is still important to them. That makes me feel good. Never mind that it’s freezing out, and I’m only working a half day, and this call is literally making me watch every minute of the morning go by, cause my call is still important to them. It’s nice to matter.
Since I have a second, I’m wondering how to get as the voice of a company’s automated system. Oh, there’s just one person left ahead of me. Shit, suddenly I can’t remember why I called!! I’m panicking. Oh, yeah. Now I remember. Whew. It’s 9:43, and there’s a call on my other line. There’s NO chance that I answer that. And now they’re picking up. I told you it would be before 9:45!
See, I started dating someone and for some reason, this is a rare instance in which I don’t know how to, and even more than t hat, I’m afraid to label it. Friends asked, “so are you guys dating now?” I figured, we’ve gone on dates, and looking to go on more. So yes, I’d consider that “dating.” But I found myself saying “yes, pretty much.” I haven’t a clue what “pretty much” means. It seems almost like saying “kinda pregnant,” and good God, why am I making a comparison to pregnancy? Am I trying to jinx myself? Oh yeah, never mind.
So then after that question was asked a few times, I started hearing, “is she your girlfriend?” And I haven’t a clue to be honest. I don’t have a definition that explains to me when and how that transition occurs. You may have figured this out, but I tend to over-analyze things. Well, that’s what I’m told anyway. I think I just analyze situations, and I think that’s what you’re supposed to do. But mostly, I think the label scares me because of what it brings with it. There are responsibilities, and expectations. Expectations terrify me, what if they don’t get met? Just when you do something to reach expectations, they get raised.
It’s not that I think of myself as “better than” most guys. I just try to recognize things that guys generally do that piss off women, and not do those things. But maybe all this is just the same fear of commitment that every other guy, and probably girl, has. I think we hide behind the “well I just want to keep my options open” bullshit. What it really is, we don’t want to have either our expectations disappointed, or be the disappointee.
-----------------------------------------
Now for another dilemma of mine, this Sunday night marks the return of both “The Sopranos” and “Entourage.” This makes Sunday one of the greatest days of the year, up there along with the first day of the NCAA Tournament and Opening Day. It’s that huge. The problem stems from the fact that it’s the same night. Since “The Sopranos” came on the air, it’s been a bit of a family tradition for me to watch with my parents. And last year, it became a tradition to watch “Entourage” with a couple of friends. Now, my friends and parents live about 20 minutes apart. Thankfully there’s DVR, so I’m not really worried about missing anything. But do I really want to drive the 20 minutes from my apartment out to the burbs, watch one show with the parental units, then high tail it across town for another show? Isn’t that a little overboard for a couple of television shows? And with a tank of gas costing more than a losing trip to the casino, it may not be economically viable at this time.
-----------------------------------------
As I write this, I am on hold with the bank. Have I mentioned how much I hate being on hold? I have to admit, this new feature they have that tells me how many callers are in front of me, is huge. It almost makes a game of it. I hear some cheesy music, a little plug for the company, then a prompt comes on and tells me how appreciated my business is and how important my call is to them. Followed by telling me how many callers are ahead of me. So far it seems to usually drop by two callers every time the prompt comes back on. I actually want to bet with myself what the number will be, and how long it will be till I get someone on the phone. There’s five left, and its 9:36am. I’m taking the under on 9:45. And I wont post this on my blog until they pick up.
*Your reading my blog is important to me, there are currently…three…other people reading this blog. Please remain on the page and we’ll find a post for you shortly. Thank you.
Its 9:39, my call is still important to them. That makes me feel good. Never mind that it’s freezing out, and I’m only working a half day, and this call is literally making me watch every minute of the morning go by, cause my call is still important to them. It’s nice to matter.
Since I have a second, I’m wondering how to get as the voice of a company’s automated system. Oh, there’s just one person left ahead of me. Shit, suddenly I can’t remember why I called!! I’m panicking. Oh, yeah. Now I remember. Whew. It’s 9:43, and there’s a call on my other line. There’s NO chance that I answer that. And now they’re picking up. I told you it would be before 9:45!
April 05, 2007
Never Right
Yesterday I read a story in the news about a group of 5th graders who were caught, and charged, for having sex in an unsupervised classroom. One of the most sickening stories you can read, and yet it sounded vaguely familiar. I think it was about a year ago that there was a nearly identical story in the news. Anyway, I forwarded the story on to some friends and it lead to some conversations. In one such conversation, a friend and I got around to talking about the controversy in Texas as they debated whether or not all pre-teen girls should have to take an HPV vaccination.
It baffles me that anyone would be against a vaccination that helps pre-vent cancer, but there was the right-wing claiming that the vaccination promotes promiscuity. They think this because if you provide health care that can prevent a sexual transmitted disease, well then kids will just be that much more likely to have sex. And sex is wrong, so if a few girls die and that scares more girls out of having sex, well then that’s the right thing. This is completely insanity. Teenagers have sex, and now it’s even more prevalent among pre-teens. A vaccine that can prevent cancer or providing condoms doesn’t encourage sex. Just as a seatbelt doesn’t encourage car accidents. We give our police officers bullet proof vests, not to encourage them to get shot, but to protect them if it happens.
I just can’t understand their reasoning, and that bothers me. Is it that they lack confidence in their parenting? Do they not trust their kids? Are they just trying to parent everyone else’s kids? Is it okay to just bitch slap these people? Maybe their sex lives are so bad, they’re afraid they’d be jealous if their 17 year olds were getting some good lovin’.
It’s not like I don’t care if kids have sex. I have six nieces and nephews, not counting my friends’ kids that I consider nieces and nephews. And I tried to make a deal with my niece, that she wouldn’t date till she was 35 or I was dead, whichever happened last. Scaring the shit out of them won’t prevent kids from having sex, arming them with as much information as possible is the best way to ensure they make smart decisions. How the right-wing hasn’t figured this out yet, baffles me. They have to know this. They’re smart enough to steal a Presidency, twice. Smart enough to con Americans into giving billions of dollars to their churches, the NRA and nascar. (Word underlined “nascar,” and wants me to capitalize the entire word, I won’t acknowledge that) They have to be smart enough to understand education. So assuming they are smart enough for that, means they’re just trying to manipulate America.
Maybe we’d just be better off if we kept the Right from reproducing.
It baffles me that anyone would be against a vaccination that helps pre-vent cancer, but there was the right-wing claiming that the vaccination promotes promiscuity. They think this because if you provide health care that can prevent a sexual transmitted disease, well then kids will just be that much more likely to have sex. And sex is wrong, so if a few girls die and that scares more girls out of having sex, well then that’s the right thing. This is completely insanity. Teenagers have sex, and now it’s even more prevalent among pre-teens. A vaccine that can prevent cancer or providing condoms doesn’t encourage sex. Just as a seatbelt doesn’t encourage car accidents. We give our police officers bullet proof vests, not to encourage them to get shot, but to protect them if it happens.
I just can’t understand their reasoning, and that bothers me. Is it that they lack confidence in their parenting? Do they not trust their kids? Are they just trying to parent everyone else’s kids? Is it okay to just bitch slap these people? Maybe their sex lives are so bad, they’re afraid they’d be jealous if their 17 year olds were getting some good lovin’.
It’s not like I don’t care if kids have sex. I have six nieces and nephews, not counting my friends’ kids that I consider nieces and nephews. And I tried to make a deal with my niece, that she wouldn’t date till she was 35 or I was dead, whichever happened last. Scaring the shit out of them won’t prevent kids from having sex, arming them with as much information as possible is the best way to ensure they make smart decisions. How the right-wing hasn’t figured this out yet, baffles me. They have to know this. They’re smart enough to steal a Presidency, twice. Smart enough to con Americans into giving billions of dollars to their churches, the NRA and nascar. (Word underlined “nascar,” and wants me to capitalize the entire word, I won’t acknowledge that) They have to be smart enough to understand education. So assuming they are smart enough for that, means they’re just trying to manipulate America.
Maybe we’d just be better off if we kept the Right from reproducing.
April 04, 2007
Short Post
Not the best start to a day for me. It’s friggin’ cold out, I don’t like the cold. I left my earphones in the car, and the only backup pair in my desk is screwed up. The right side doesn’t work. So I can easily block out everyone that sits to the left, but none of the morons on my right. Yes, I am feeling lazy enough today that I may not go get my earphones. Also, I’m realizing more and more that I wish I hadn’t put off getting my taxes done. I’m sure any place I go is going to be pretty packed now, and I don’t do waiting real well.
I don’t watch Idol, I think I’ve made that pretty clear in the past. So last night I had House DVR’d and went to start it up, unfortunately it started recording early, and I got the last few minutes of Idol. Had a few questions pop up. First, do these people just quit their jobs to be on the show? Are they paid the entire time they are on? Also, how come it seems anytime there’s a black woman on the show, she happens to be the overweight woman with a huge voice, but the white women always seem to be skinny and showing a lot of skin? Is it the producers that are trying to re-enforce racial stereotypes, is it the voters, or are all these stereotypes true? Hmmm. That could be an interesting study.
American Stereotype Idol. Really, look at Ruben, the big jolly guy. Taylor, the white guy who can’t dance. Simon, the stuck up Brit. Wasn’t there something about that Fantasia girl, like she couldn’t read or something? Randy has to call everyone “dawg.” And if Seacrest flamed any more, they’d have to call the fire department. I might have to take some time to look into this one day, if only I can do it without watching the damn show.
I don’t watch Idol, I think I’ve made that pretty clear in the past. So last night I had House DVR’d and went to start it up, unfortunately it started recording early, and I got the last few minutes of Idol. Had a few questions pop up. First, do these people just quit their jobs to be on the show? Are they paid the entire time they are on? Also, how come it seems anytime there’s a black woman on the show, she happens to be the overweight woman with a huge voice, but the white women always seem to be skinny and showing a lot of skin? Is it the producers that are trying to re-enforce racial stereotypes, is it the voters, or are all these stereotypes true? Hmmm. That could be an interesting study.
American Stereotype Idol. Really, look at Ruben, the big jolly guy. Taylor, the white guy who can’t dance. Simon, the stuck up Brit. Wasn’t there something about that Fantasia girl, like she couldn’t read or something? Randy has to call everyone “dawg.” And if Seacrest flamed any more, they’d have to call the fire department. I might have to take some time to look into this one day, if only I can do it without watching the damn show.
April 03, 2007
Jinx
So last night I was talking to a friend about KU hoops, and this friend blames herself for KU losing. She feels she jinxed them. Now this is the same friend I’ve argued about signs and destiny with, this is actually relevant here. I, of course, don’t believe in jinxing. Even though I joke about it with friends before poker games, as we try to jinx or reverse-jinx each other. But the truth is, I think the whole theory is complete bullshit. Really, is there anything more egocentric? To think there’s something about us that actually impacts events, well that’s putting just a little too much value in what we do.
For starters, there are over 300 teams in NCAA Division I basketball. Each team has a fan base, and there’s millions upon millions of fans out there. Did each team just have one jinx? What causes someone to be jinxed? Is it “karma”? Well, you know what I think about karma. Florida has fans just like everyone else, karma is not why they just won back to back titles and a football title. The answer is probably money. Is there luck involved? Yes, sure. Luck is completely random, taking advantage of an opportunity requires a choice, dedication and execution.
As fans we have nothing to do with any of that. Even though it can feel like it sometime, and that’s what makes us fans. But the truth is our lives have zero impact on the games we watch and teams we cheer for. To think there’s something about us that causes our teams to lose is ludicrous, because thinking that also means a team wins because of someone else.
We may feel jinxed, when our teams lose or we have a bad run of luck. But I believe luck is completely random, but we can impact our luck by our choices. My friend said, “of course you don’t believe in jinxing, you don’t believe in anything.” It’s not as harsh as it sounds, and it’s true. I don’t believe there’s a plan or reason for everything that happens. I don’t believe good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people. I don’t believe what goes around comes around. I believe, that on some level, there’s always someone responsible for an action. And we’re responsible for our reactions.
I understand the psychology, that our environment and experiences impact our decisions and actions. So on that level, we aren’t totally responsible. If someone is raised around poverty and violence, that increases the chances of them continuing similar behavior. But it wasn’t a plan, or some jinx that caused the bad luck. With time and effort, you can trace it back and find specific causes.
It’s ironic, a guy who pretty much dislikes people in general, believes in people above anything else. Not necessarily that we’re all good, or bad for that matter, but that we’re the responsible for everything. Things happen, but it’s how we handle it that determines the outcome. No plans, divine intervention, jinxing or fate. Just choices.
For starters, there are over 300 teams in NCAA Division I basketball. Each team has a fan base, and there’s millions upon millions of fans out there. Did each team just have one jinx? What causes someone to be jinxed? Is it “karma”? Well, you know what I think about karma. Florida has fans just like everyone else, karma is not why they just won back to back titles and a football title. The answer is probably money. Is there luck involved? Yes, sure. Luck is completely random, taking advantage of an opportunity requires a choice, dedication and execution.
As fans we have nothing to do with any of that. Even though it can feel like it sometime, and that’s what makes us fans. But the truth is our lives have zero impact on the games we watch and teams we cheer for. To think there’s something about us that causes our teams to lose is ludicrous, because thinking that also means a team wins because of someone else.
We may feel jinxed, when our teams lose or we have a bad run of luck. But I believe luck is completely random, but we can impact our luck by our choices. My friend said, “of course you don’t believe in jinxing, you don’t believe in anything.” It’s not as harsh as it sounds, and it’s true. I don’t believe there’s a plan or reason for everything that happens. I don’t believe good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people. I don’t believe what goes around comes around. I believe, that on some level, there’s always someone responsible for an action. And we’re responsible for our reactions.
I understand the psychology, that our environment and experiences impact our decisions and actions. So on that level, we aren’t totally responsible. If someone is raised around poverty and violence, that increases the chances of them continuing similar behavior. But it wasn’t a plan, or some jinx that caused the bad luck. With time and effort, you can trace it back and find specific causes.
It’s ironic, a guy who pretty much dislikes people in general, believes in people above anything else. Not necessarily that we’re all good, or bad for that matter, but that we’re the responsible for everything. Things happen, but it’s how we handle it that determines the outcome. No plans, divine intervention, jinxing or fate. Just choices.
April 02, 2007
Opening Day
“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again.:” – Terance Mann, Field of Dreams
Last night was Opening Night for the 2007 baseball season, and lucky for me it just so happen that the game was played between my New York Mets and those shits in St. Louis, the Cardinals. Sorry, still bitter about how last season ended. But that’s the beauty of Opening Day. It’s a new season, brand new start. Last year doesn’t matter. Right now, everyone is in first place. Yes, even the Royals. Every fan has dreams of seeing their team rush the field in October. I love Opening Day. It should be a National Holiday. Forget Presidents Day, throw out Valentines Day. Give me Opening Day. You want a day to celebrate a resurrection and hope? It’s Opening Day.
Baseball might not be Americas Sport anymore, but none of the other games can hold a candle to Opening Day. Not only does it come with hops and dreams for the new season, but it serves as a reminder for seasons past. I remember clear as day being in the car on the way home from school in 1988 and hearing the play-by-play of Darryl Strawberry hitting a home run that hit the roof of Olympic Stadium in Montreal. I can still see Rey Ordonez throw a strike from short left field to nail a runner at home. Oh yeah, and he made the throw from his knees. Or how devastating it was when Tuffy Rhodes hit three home runs off my man Dwight Gooden in Chicago in 1994. To add to the sting, the guy ended up with just 13 homers in his career. Royals fans remember falling behind 6-0 to the Twins in 2000, then coming back to win. The fondness of that memory evaporates when they realized the top of that lineup included Johnny Damon, Carlos Beltran and Jermanie Dye.
I like other sports, but no other sport makes me feel like a kid again. Ladies, if you find a guy that’s a baseball fan you have found yourself a real romantic. If you don’t believe me, or you aren’t sure, ask him about Field of Dreams. If his eyes remained dry when Ray played catch with his father, then he’s dead inside. Baseball gave us our first lessons in loyalty, sacrifice (except Yankee fans) heart break, and joy. If you’re a baseball fan, baseball was your first love. It was and is, a real relationship. Baseball cards are kept like birthday cards. And I still walk around with a 1985 Topps Dwight Gooden rookie. And anytime I show it to a baseball fan, they know what year and brand just by site. They remember the crappy gum that came inside every pack too. Hats are worn way past the time they are worn out, and it’s a sign of pride. The game has betrayed us, taken us for granted, just as much as it’s saved us. Some of us have grown bitter towards it over the years, and even sworn it off, pledging to never let it break our heart again. Those are the fans that have picked up isolated games like golf.
“Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.” –Crash Davis, Bull Durham
Last night was Opening Night for the 2007 baseball season, and lucky for me it just so happen that the game was played between my New York Mets and those shits in St. Louis, the Cardinals. Sorry, still bitter about how last season ended. But that’s the beauty of Opening Day. It’s a new season, brand new start. Last year doesn’t matter. Right now, everyone is in first place. Yes, even the Royals. Every fan has dreams of seeing their team rush the field in October. I love Opening Day. It should be a National Holiday. Forget Presidents Day, throw out Valentines Day. Give me Opening Day. You want a day to celebrate a resurrection and hope? It’s Opening Day.
Baseball might not be Americas Sport anymore, but none of the other games can hold a candle to Opening Day. Not only does it come with hops and dreams for the new season, but it serves as a reminder for seasons past. I remember clear as day being in the car on the way home from school in 1988 and hearing the play-by-play of Darryl Strawberry hitting a home run that hit the roof of Olympic Stadium in Montreal. I can still see Rey Ordonez throw a strike from short left field to nail a runner at home. Oh yeah, and he made the throw from his knees. Or how devastating it was when Tuffy Rhodes hit three home runs off my man Dwight Gooden in Chicago in 1994. To add to the sting, the guy ended up with just 13 homers in his career. Royals fans remember falling behind 6-0 to the Twins in 2000, then coming back to win. The fondness of that memory evaporates when they realized the top of that lineup included Johnny Damon, Carlos Beltran and Jermanie Dye.
I like other sports, but no other sport makes me feel like a kid again. Ladies, if you find a guy that’s a baseball fan you have found yourself a real romantic. If you don’t believe me, or you aren’t sure, ask him about Field of Dreams. If his eyes remained dry when Ray played catch with his father, then he’s dead inside. Baseball gave us our first lessons in loyalty, sacrifice (except Yankee fans) heart break, and joy. If you’re a baseball fan, baseball was your first love. It was and is, a real relationship. Baseball cards are kept like birthday cards. And I still walk around with a 1985 Topps Dwight Gooden rookie. And anytime I show it to a baseball fan, they know what year and brand just by site. They remember the crappy gum that came inside every pack too. Hats are worn way past the time they are worn out, and it’s a sign of pride. The game has betrayed us, taken us for granted, just as much as it’s saved us. Some of us have grown bitter towards it over the years, and even sworn it off, pledging to never let it break our heart again. Those are the fans that have picked up isolated games like golf.
“Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.” –Crash Davis, Bull Durham
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