Brooke Hogan and a fat "Beldo"

This is for all you Saved By the Bell fans. If you can't figure it out the fat guy is Mr. Belding.

It's only a name...right?

I actually found it amusing when the year started that Chad Johnson officially changed his name to Chad Ocho Cinco. He wanted it on the back of the jersey, but the NFL said they only use official names, so he stuck it to the man by getting it legally changed. Unfortunately, it was too late into the season for the league to make the change (Some sort of licensing BS), but I will look forward to seeing an Ocho Cinco jersey next year.

Now we move on to a member of the Tampa Bay Bucs named Greg White. He is a fatty defensive lineman who is not a great player, but I don't think he qualifies as a schlub either. Today he took it upon himself to legally change his to Stylez G, White. The name is not nearly as funny as the reason for it. He apparently like a character in Teen Wolf named Rupert “Stiles’’ Stilinski, and thought that was a good enough reason to legally change his name.

Greg White is a dofus. There is no other way to put it. I had an English teacher at Ohio U by the name of Bruce Bruce. Yes...same first name as last. The guy was a bit of flake and if anyone in on this planet needs to change his name it's him. (Yes...the bearded man in the photo is the one and only Bruce Bruce)

Greg White's name change got me thinking. If I was going to change my name to a character in a cheesy 80's movie, who would I go with?

Here are my top five:

Johnny 5 Back ......After the robot in "Short Circuit", the most underrated 80's movie of all time

Venkman Back......After Bill Murray's character in "Ghostbusters"

Tango Back.........After Sly Stalone in "Tango and Cash"

Chunk Back.........After the fat kid in "Goonies"

Zoltar Back......After the fortune telling game in "Big"

Why does NFL Replay suck so bad?

Courtesy of my friend Eric comes this terrific rant about NFL replay.


I am I the only one who is sick of the NFL replay system? I'm amazed that The Sports Guy hasn't written a 5000 word diatribe on it yet. Maybe it's because I'm so anxious to get my players on the field, but it seems like almost every NFL game is 3 minutes of frustration for every 1 minute of action.

First off, it takes too long. Why does it take the officials 5+ minutes to determine what the viewer can figure out in 15 seconds? Ok, sometimes it's close and requires a second angle - 30 seconds. I know they have to figure out down/distance/time, but that's not exactly Euclidean geometry. With my trusty abacus, I can usually get pretty close in about 6 seconds.

Last night takes the cake and it's not the first time I've seen it. Bears run a fake punt (horrible call, BTW) and is apparently incomplete. As they are cutting to commercial, it's clear that the Bears are challenging because it looked like he caught it. So, of course, they do NOTHING during the commercial break and wait until we come back to even START the process. 5 minutes later, we get a decision.

Why oh WHY can't we just have an official sitting in the booth constantly reviewing everything? It should take 1-2 replays tops to review each play and they can just buzz down to Mike Carey and TELL him the correct call, rather than him having to announce the challenge, run all the way across the field and don the head gear, stare into a box for 5 minutes, run all the way back and announce the result. Take the red flag out of the coaches hand - Andy Reid alone has cost me about 2 hours of my life wasted on calls that weren't even close - make the process more efficient and review many more plays, ensuring a more accurate outcome.

I guess I'm actually less outraged about the process than I am that, with all the voices in the sports talk media/blogosphere and the need to constantly whine about something, no one seems to be taking up this cause. Between horrible coaching decisions, terrible play calls, commercials after almost every play ("SAAAAAAVE BY ZEEEROOOOOOOO") and brutal replay stoppages, I find myself wanting to jab rusty railroad spikes up my nose every Sunday.

Bankruptcy the only option for auto industry

When I went to sleep last night, it sounded like the Senate was very close to coming up with a bill that would extend a bailout package to the American auto industry. All they needed to get the deal done, was for the United Auto Workers Union to make the concession of putting their pay and benefits in line with those same workers from their foreign counterparts.

Right now, the average UAW worker for GM, Ford and Chrysler makes $73.21 in pay and benefits while the average worker for Honda, Nissan and Toyota make $44.17. Obviously that is a major concession to make, but that is the kind of sacrifice that needs to be made to allow GM, Chrysler and Ford to survive in the long run.

The fact that the UAW did not step up and do their part making this work proves that their really is no other option than bankruptcy right now.

Here is a fabulous column that talks about why the bankruptcy is the best option right now.

Bankruptcy laws are put in place for a reason. They are there to help failing companies get out of bad deals and contracts, and allow them to reorganize with government protection. Delta Airlines, MCI, Texaco and many other companies have filed for Chapter 11 and have undergone reorganization with great success.

I'm convinced to fix the auto industry we need to do more than just throw money at the problem. There is no doubt in my mind that if we give them money now without reorganization, we'll be doing the same thing 3 months from now, and again 3 months after that.

Are we watching the greatest player ever?

The more I watch LeBron James, the more I'm starting to believe that this guy is the greatest player ever play the game of basketball. Growing up a huge Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, it pains me to write this, but I as great as Michael was I can't remember him ever being as dominant as LeBron is right now.

There is little doubt that Michael was much more clutch than LeBron currently is, but I don't think Michael could carry the bunch of shlubs that LeBron has the past 5 seasons. People forget that LeBron has already been to one NBA finals and that guy is only 24 years old.

If LeBron ever develops a consistent outside shot, there will be no stopping him. He is faster then most point guards, stronger than most power forwards and can jump higher than anyone on the planet. He doesn't play the defense that Michael did, but Jordan didn't become a great defender until a couple years in the league.

It will be interesting to see where he ends up when his contract is up with the Cavs. I think he'll end up in New York, but don't think for a second that he couldn't win 2 titles before he leaves. If Cleveland has a clue, they should do everything they can to pull off a major trade to give LeBron some help. Mo Williams was a nice addition, but the fact that Wally Szczerbiak gets any playing time, shows how little depth they have.

Ultimately it will come down to the number of NBA Championships LeBron wins over his career, that will determine his legacy. My guess....LeBron will have at least 6 rings before his career is over.

2008 Back Blog Bowl Pick'em

The college bowl season is finally upon us, so I figured it would be fun to do a Bowl Pick'em Contest.

I am running this through Yahoo and it's pretty easy. It is a "confidence pool" so not only do you pick a winner, but you also have to assign a point value to the game. Whomever has the most points at the end wins.

Besides being the Grand Poobah Picker, the winner is going to win something out of the the Good Game Authentics memorabilia collection. Depending on who you are a fan of will depend what you get. I know the last thing a Bears fan is going to want is a Brett Favre autograph, but I'll try to make it somewhat decent.

Here is the link to the login @ Yahoo. The League ID is 35134 and the Password is "picks"

Good Luck!

Weekend Recap

Time to follow up on some things from the weekend

**I haven't really addressed this Tommy Tuberville/Auburn situation. What amazes me most about this is that the Auburn hasn't learned from previous mistakes. Why they continue to lie about his "resignation" is beyond me.

From ESPN.com

Athletic director Jay Jacobs last week said Tuberville's departure was completely Tuberville's decision, and that he and the university president, Jay Gogue, each asked Tuberville to remain.

Jacobs said he and Gogue agreed to give Tuberville the same amount of money that would have been required to terminate his contract through a firing, $5.1 million, because they felt it was "the right thing to do."

You have got to be kidding me? You're paying him $5.1 million because you felt him quitting was the right thing to do? The AD and President are so full of it, and I really think they made a mistake letting go of Tubby. Who are they going to get that is going to be any better? Ball St or Buffalo's coach?? Give me a break....Auburn got rid of a proven above average coach, and unfortunately for them there isn't a Nick Saban type of guy to take over. There is no doubt in my mind Auburn will be irrelevant in the SEC a lot sooner than they will be contenders.

**The SEC Championship certainly didn't disappoint. The Gators are going to be tough to beat in the BCS Championship game. They just knocked off one of the most physical teams in football, and they did it without their best offensive player in Percy Harvin.

**NY Giants are in real trouble. I think this Plaxico gun situation is going to be a much bigger distraction then they will acknowledge. They SHOULD win the NFC, but I think their offense is going to have major issues in the playoffs.

**Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather would be an incredible event. I hope pretty boy comes out of retirement, because I would fork out $50 to watch that.

**What the hell is taking CC Sabathia so long to sign this deal with the Yankees. When someone offers you $14o million, you take it. Don't ask questions, just sign your name and say thank you very much. The fact he hasn't taken the money makes it pretty clear he REALLY wants to pitch out West.

**I went to Sea World this weekend and I have to say the Dolphin Show they put on is as good as production as I've seen in a long time. It's tough have people sync up their movements with music, but to have Dolphins, birds and other animals do it is pretty incredible. Shamu is still cool, but the Dolphin show is light years better in my opinion.

College Football Championship Predictions

Alabama vs. Florida

I really hope this game lives up to the hype. So far only the Texas/Texas Tech game (which I missed of course) has actually lived up to its billing. Alabama has a lot of things going for it in this match-up. You know Nick Saban is going to play up the fact that they are a 10 point dog against a team with one loss. His teams have always played better when they are being "disrespected" and in this case they most definitely are.

They have the more physical defense and offense line. In all my years of watching football, one thing is for sure and this is the team that dominates the line of scrimmage usually wins. Not always, but more times than not.

Florida has a highly potent offense and Alabama hasn't played anyone this season that runs the spread offense nearly as efficient as the Gators. I think Bama will be surprised by the speed of the Gators and Terrence Cody will have to play a great game for the Tide to win.

I would definitely rather have Tebow over Sarah Jessica Parker Wilson, but JPW has been around forever and I don't think he'll be daunted by the pressure that comes with playing in the SEC Championship. Both teams will travel well for this game so I don't think either side will have an advantage in the crowd, but I do think playing indoors will help the Gators out tremendously.

Bottom line...we have a fast offense vs. a physical defense and 2 of the best coaches in football going head to head. As much as I love Urban Meyer, I don't think Saban's team is going to play flat in their biggest game of the year.

Alabama 28 Florida 27

Missouri vs. Oklahoma

This game is being played in Kansas City and I think that gives a HUGE advantage to Missou. Even though they lost last week to Kansas in Arrowhead, I think the fact that they will be familiar with the surroundings and field will give them a much needed advantage.

Offensively, both of these teams are very similar, but Oklahoma defense is going to be the difference. I think they are better than Missouri, but I don't think they are nearly as dominate as they looked the last couple weeks. Texas Tech coaches made some awful decisions going for it on 4th down early in that game, and the Red Raiders lost confidence. Once that happened the game was over. Oklahoma State hung around for 3.5 quarters before running out of gas. OSU has a good offense, but I don't think they are a good as Missouri.

Don't forget that Chase Daniel was a Heisman finalist a year ago and Jeremy Maclin is one of the most underrated players in all of college football. They can score a ton of points and I think they are going to on Saturday night. But can they score more than Oklahoma??? It'll be close, but I think they'll fall short.

Oklahoma 51 Missouri 45

Other Games:

Virginia Tech 20 Boston College 17

USC 42 UCLA 10

Oscar De La Hoya wins in a decision over Manny Pacquiao

Brighthouse Networks Can KIss My A$$!!

I never thought I would fall into that group of people who would be screwed by the petty negotiations between the NFL and certain cable operators and be denied of the NFL Network. Normally, I wouldn't care that much, but this time of year the NFLN is broadcasting regular season games which have major Fantasy Football ramifications. If I could I would have dumped this crumby cable service Brighthouse long ago, but unfortunately I'm stuck in an apartment complex that doesn't allow satellite and there is no other provider in the area. I hate not having options.

Not only does this cable operator not

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carry the NFL Network, but they don't carry Fox Sports Net Florida. The fact that I couldn't watch Tampa Bay Rays games during their pennant run drove me crazy.

Bottom line is Brighthouse Networks sucks and I can't wait to give my business back to DirecTV.

The Belly

I've had several requests now for a picture of my growing belly, so here you go. I swear, I still have 4 months to go, and there's only one in there!

Welcome to My Hell!

Between football games and our addiction to reality TV, Rachel and I watch a good amount of TV. Unfortunately, we are also subjected to a lot of commercials. As someone who was in the radio business for a number of years, I know advertising is what pays the bills and salaries at these stations. As much as we all would love to get rid of them, they do serve a purpose in our society.

With that said, I need to introduce you to two of the most mind numbing, annoying commercials that I am putting up with these days. Not only are they annoying, but I swear they are on 4 times an hour.

This one is the worst. It's for "Scratch and Dent World".


I don't know who this hideous woman is, but she is quite possibly the worst advertising spokesperson EVER!!! This woman who introduces herself as "Lee" (Some of you know my history with women named Lee and my nightmare continues), and there are so many things wrong with her.

First off, couldn't she wear something better than this hideous orange dress. It's Tennessee Vols orange and I didn't think they sold things that color unless you live in Knoxville or are planning on going hunting. From now on, no one is allowed to wear that color orange unless it is Lane Kiffin's wife. Hubba Hubba.

The other thing that gets on my nerves is that she is wearing a freaken knee brace during this commercial. Couldn't her knee handle the hour it took to film without wearing the ugly brace? I realize most people don't walk on washer and dryers everyday, but unless she wiped out during a previous take, there is no reason for her to wear that thing. Especially when she is wearing a hideous sun dress that barely covers her ass.

Lastly, couldn't they have found a slightly more attractive person than Miss Lee? I'm sure outside of the yelling and bad clothes, she is a nice person. But it's also safe to say she's not winning a beauty contest anytime soon. She really needs to be nominated for "What Not To Wear" so Carmindy can teach her some make-up tips and Nick can chop off her mane of hair.

Most of you outside of the Orlando area probably haven't been subjected to Lee, but I know you've seen this.


Yes....the dreaded "Saved By Zero" commercial. Not only can Toyota build fuel efficient vehicles, but they also developed the most annoying jingle since the Cougar was singing about his country a couple years ago. Even though 0% financing does sound like a nice incentive, if I'm in the market for a car, I will officially not be visiting a Toyota dealership because of this ad. Every time I hear the "Saved By ZEEROOO!!" shriek, it's an automatic channel change. So I guess the networks should start being more careful about the ads they run, because there is no doubt in my mind that I am not the only person who turns the channel when this commercial runs.

Inspired by Athletes Momma's

As you probably know, Rachel and I are set to have our first child next March/April. It's pretty exciting, and one of the things I've been looking forward to is picking out a name. I wouldn't say we are struggling, but I our progress has been halted at about 20 names for now.

Last night I was watching a University of Alabama basketball game, and I think I gained some inspiration by some of the guys names on the team.

*Yemene Coleman
*JaMychal Green
*Senario Hillman
*Mikhail Torrance

Is it just me or did people forget how to spell "Michael".

Another great one in college football is this guy:

Jacquizz Rogers...I LOVE this name....You have the built in nickname of "Quiz". The guy I really feel for is his brother "James". Boy did he get screwed in the name department.

Tis the Season for Awesome Candy!

What you see pictured might be the best tasting candy I have had in a long time. I insist that each and every one of you venture out to the store this weekend and pick up a bag of the Hershey Mint Truffle Kisses. I'm not sure how long they have been making these, but they are out of this world good. It's probably a pick'em as to which chocolate combination is better; Chocolate and Mint or Chocolate and Peanut Butter. If I was forced to choose, I would probably go with mint. Unfortunately, candy makers only believe we like mint in the winter time, so precious candy creations like this are only available for a limited time. I know it's sad, but I'm actually contemplating going out and buying a case of these so I can indulge in this chocolate mint goodness all year long.

So try them for yourself...You will thank me later.

Alabama ranked #4??

As you probably know, I despise the BCS and everything that it stands for. If there is one thing I could change in the sports world, it would be getting rid of this ridiculous system. Here is another nail to go in the BCS coffin.

As I was perusing the standings I took a closer look at the computer rankings that are a component in determining what teams play for the championship. I just about lost my lunch when I read the Kenneth Massey Computer Ratings. I guess I'll start with his website. It looks like a 2nd grader designed this thing. You would think that a poll worthy enough of playing a part in deciding a championship game, could put some time and money in to developing something that looks halfway decent.

The website aside, the poll itself needs some tweaking. Here is how it ranked the top 5 teams.

1) Oklahoma 2) Texas 3) Texas Tech 4) Alabama 5) Utah

This is what happens when you have computers instead of humans rate football teams. How the hell can Alabama be fourth when the haven't lost a game. It would be one thing if they played in the MAC or Big Sky, but it's safe to say the SEC is a pretty decent conference.

I know it's not really going to matter when it's all said and done, but the fact that this flawed poll has anything to do with deciding a championship game just reinforces how much I hate this system.

Streak for Cash Update and College Football Saturday

For those that are curious, they should know that the dude whom I featured in the last post, picked Wake Forest, so he fell 2 picks short of the million......OHHHHH....Sucks to be that guy.

Now a guy named Jordan is only one pick away from the million dollar prize. He picked three games correct on Saturday including a Rugby match to get to 24 straight. So one game...$1 Million. If he's correct he gets a million, if he's wrong....you get nothing....you lose....good day sir.


UPDATE: FOR THE MILLION DOLLAR PICK THE GUY SELECTED THE PANTHERS TO DEFEAT THE FALCONS.....OHHH....SUCKS TO BE THAT GUY!!!

Everyone knows the BCS sucks, so it's great to see major controversy heading into the final couple of weeks of the season. I'm pretty sure it's going to be Texas vs. the Florida/Bama winner. Although, this next weekend we could see a couple of surprises.

Both Bama and Florida has two big rivalry games this weekend. Auburn is horrible, and Bama is not going to look ahead considering they haven't beaten them in a long time.

Florida on the other hand, may have their hands full with Florida State. FSU has a very strong defense and the young Noles offense has gotten better offensively over the last few weeks. I think the Gators are going to get a tough game against the Noles and it wouldn't shock me to see an outright upset.

I'm a little surprised Bob Stoops called the dogs off against Texas Tech. Oklahoma needs to win with some major style points this next week vs. Oklahoma State. If they drop another 60 points on a good OSU team, it's going to be tough to keep them out of the top two.

Just for the hell of it, look at some of these matchups if we had an 8 team tournament.

(1) Alabama vs. (8) Ohio State

(4) Florida vs. (5) USC

(3) Texas vs. (6) Penn State

(2) Oklahoma vs. (7) Utah

Yeah....A playoff would suck....There is no way the people would actually watch these games. GIVE ME A BREAK!! Wake up college presidents and TV networks. A playoff would make a fortune rather than these BS exhibition bowl games that don't mean anything.

Why am I nervous for this guy?

I have never met this guy in my life, but I know he could be on the brink of becoming the next millionaire. All he has two to is pick 2 more sporting events correctly and he's going home with a huge chunk of change.

I'm talking about ESPN's "Streak for Cash" game in which if they are giving $1 Million to the first person to pick 25 games correctly. They only pick a couple of games or match ups per day, and even though they don't pick against the spread, most of the games they let you pick are a coin flip. I've been playing for a week and haven't gotten my streak to 2 yet so it's not very easy.

I have no clue his name but he goes by sfniners_1. He's hit 23 consecutive games and is only 2 away from winning the million dollars. Anyone who has ever placed a sports wager knows it's lot tougher than it looks. This isn't quite the same as hitting a 25 team parlay but it's close.

I think it's safe to say when it gets to this point, it takes away the fun of watching sports. It's one thing to have $50 wager or some fantasy guys need to make a catch down the stretch to give you a little anxiety, but $1 Million is in a new stratosphere. That is life changing money and as we saw last week with the Steelers/Chargers game, anything can happen.

If you were in his shoes and somebody offered you $250,000 for that opportunity would you do it? In most cases like this I would say this guy should head to Vegas and hedge his bets by betting a bunch of money the other way. But I'm not sure if he could get the amount of capital to really take the sting away if you lose out on the million.

You can follow his picks on ESPN and I'll keep you updated on this story because I find it absolutely fascinating to see if he can do it.

Bailout out the Auto Industry or UAW??

I'm not sure if many of you had a chance to watch the "Big Three" and the UAW ringleader get drilled by Congress yesterday. It was great TV and watching these guys try to justify why they need $25 Billion from the government was very interesting. There is no question that Chrysler, GM, and Ford are in rough shape and could be on the brink of bankruptcy. Several questions are out there. Who is at fault? Where will this money go? Will the money solve the problem. Here are some of my thoughts on these issues.

Who is at fault?

Some people believe it all has to do with the slow economy, but don't be fooled. The big three automakers in this country have been having issues for years. There are so many people and groups to blame that you can't just pin this on one.

I personally believes it starts with the union (UAW). This group has negotiated ridiculous pay and benefits that make it nearly impossible for the "Big Three" automakers to compete. Do you really think that it's coincidence that it's the big three American auto makers who are in trouble and not other companies like Toyota, Nissan or Honda who also have plants in the US? I think not. Take a look at this chart which shows the differential in wages and benefits by the American Big Three compared to the Japanese big three.

It's amazing to see that the average worker in the UAW earn 3 times the amount of a private sector worker. Who the hell needs college when you can join the UAW? With the average worker getting paid $130,000 a year in salary and benefits, I'm starting to to think going into radio wasn't the right decision.

I'm not saying the work that these Americans are doing is not difficult or important, but under no circumstances should these people be making these kinds of wages when the company as a whole is losing money hand over fist.

A proud union worker will tell you that their salary isn't $75.00 and hour and they're right. What they won't tell you is how they negotiated a Gold Plated health care plan that covers everything under sun, and workers/retirees only have to pay a monthly premium of $10 per individual and $21 for a family. These health benefits add an additional $1200 per vehicle made in the United States, compared to Toyota's $215 that their health care costs per vehicle.

I think it's pretty safe to say that a good amount of that $25 billion lifeline would go towards overpaying unionized workers and paying gold plated health care plans for retirees. Doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

As much as I despise the UAW, I have no sympathy for the management within these companies. The CEOs of the big three make more money than they deserve and watching the FORD CEO say yesterday that he's okay with the $9 million a year compensation he's pulling makes me want to puke.

Let's put wages to side for a second and take a look at their products. It is pathetic how far behind they are in development of of fuel efficient and cleaner running vehicles. There is absolutely no excuse for this. I highly recommend you watch the film "Who Killed the Electric Car". Below is the trailer for this extraordinary documentary about the what happened to the development of the battery operated vehicle technology.



It sickens me to think how many hundreds of millions of dollars General Motors spent on production of these fully electric vehicles, only to scrap he project and destroy every car they ever made. They would have been so far ahead of the game, and one would have to think they would be dominating the booming fuel efficient vehicle market. Instead, the government stroked a check earlier this year to the big three for $25 billion which is supposed to go toward development of this technology that pretty much had in place decades ago.

Will this money solve the problem?

One thing is for certain. Under no circumstances can we afford to have these three American automakers fail. It would be a disaster with 100's of thousands of jobs being lost not just within these companies, but the 100's of ancillary companies that work in conjunction with Chrysler, GM and Ford. This would hurt the American economy much more than people think.

Even though I believe they need to be saved, I'm just not sure that giving them this bailout package is the solution. So what happens if they go bankrupt and file chapter 11? First off, just because they go bankrupt doesn't mean they stop operation. Chapter 11 would give these companies a chance to reorganize themselves and free them from horrible contracts that don't allow them to compete in today's market. The UAW have made concessions, but they are not enough. The only way to get them to that point may be to wipe the slate clean, and the way to do that is through Chapter 11. There certainly is a risk that these companies would fall into Chapter 7 if things don't turn around soon there after. At that point I would have much less of a problem giving them more capital, knowing that they've restructured properly.

Will they stay or will they go?

Time to take a look at football coaches on the hot seat or may be changing schools. I probably should have done this a few weeks back, but there are still plenty of coaches who need to be updating there resume.

Tommy Tuberville- Has the man known as "Wingnut" worn out this welcome in the Plains? I don't think so. Auburn has had a horrible season and need a miracle win over Alabama to take away anything positive this year. If the Tigers beat the Bama, he's definitely safe. If he gets smoked by the Tide, things could a little dicey. Tuberville really has no one to blame for this season but himself. I'm not sure why he felt it was so important to bring in a new offensive coordinator to run the spread option offense this year. That turned out to be a total disaster, and wasted an entire season. He needs to go back to what he knows.....Power football...a tough running game....a great defense.....and calling fake punts on your own goal line. Auburn fans have to remember it wasn't that long ago that Auburn went undefeated and I can't remember the last time they've lost in the Iron Bowl.

FINAL VERDICT- He's not going anywhere

Dave Wannstedt- If it was up to me, good ol "Wanny" and his terrible mustache would have been fired long ago. This guy may be the most overrated coach in the history of football. Has he ever succeeded as a Head Coach? The guy may be able to run a defense, but he's e and he'll probably get a contract extension. Considering that it's Wanny....he'll probably go 1not the answer as the head guy. With that said, these last three game of the regular season will probably decide his fate. Cincy, West Virginia, and UCONN are all good enough to beat the Panthers, but if Wanny rallies the troops and wins those 3 games they are going to a BCS bowl gam-2 and be around for another season.

FINAL VERDICT- If he chokes 3 in a row....he's gone, otherwise he's staying

Rich Rodriguez- Not only is Michigan about to finish with the worst record in school history, but Rodriguez isn't endearing himself to fans saying some of them need to "get a life". I believe Rodriguez is a very good coach, but his offense requires a certain type of player which Michigan just doesn't have. Unfortunately, by the time Rich-Rod recruits enough of those guys into the program, it may be too late.

FINAL VERDICT- Safe for this year, but if he only wins 2 or 3 games next year, he may be out.

Charlie Weis- Notre Dame is going to a bowl so the only thing that could possibly keep Weis from returning is a loss to Syracuse. As much as this Notre Dame hater would LOVE to see it, I don't see it happening. Next season, his fat butt is directly on the hot seat and nothing short of 8 wins will be acceptable.

FINAL VERDICT- He'll be back baring a loss to the Orange

Butch Davis- He's not going to get fired, but the question is whether or not he's going to stay at NC or decide to take the Tennessee job. I think he's the guy the Vols want, but unfortunately for them Butch already got his huge payday from the Browns ($15 Million) and money is not an issue. The question is does he care about being the shadow of Roy Williams and the basketball team or does he have the ego of man who needs to the be the big coach on campus?

FINAL VERDICT- It is so much easier to win the ACC, so I think he stays at NC

Mike Leach- This guy will probably be the most sought after coach in football at the end of the season. His teams have been good for a while, but it appears he finally has a great team and he's getting the attention he deserved long ago. This guy is a former lawyer and a little out there. Apparently he has some kind of pirate fetish, and truly believes college football should have a 64 team tournament (I hate the BCS too, but give me a break). Putting that aside, the guy has built a great program at one of the toughest places to recruit in the country. From what I hear, there is not a more bland place in the US than Lubbock, yet he still has been able to bring in highly talented players to make his offense work.

FINAL VERDICT- Texas Tech can't play with the big boys when it comes down to stroking a check, so I think he's gone. My guess is he'll end up at Tennessee

Washington DC Trip- Part 2

Library of Congress

Rachel loves to read. Me on the other hand....not so much. So my enthusiasm to go to the Library of Congress wasn't great, but boy am I glad we went. There was an exhibit on Bob Hope which was pretty cool, and they also had a few other older documents that I found interesting. The best reason to go is to check out the architecture and art work inside. Un-Freaken-Believable. The photos don't do justice the absolute beauty of this place.

THE GOOD: Not only does this place have every book imaginable, but it also played a major role in National Treasure 2 (What can I say...I thought it was good).

THE BAD: The tour sucked!! Whatever you do, don't waste your time going on their tour. The guide was so boring that we ditched it after 15 minutes because the guide was unlistenable.


Air and Space Museum

I had heard pretty good things about the Air and Space Museum, but I do have to say I was slightly disappointed. Don't get me wrong, there were tons of things like the Wright Brothers first plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, and tons of NASA artifcats which were interesting. The problem I had was I felt the museum hadn't been updated since the mid 80's. Much of the displays seemed very dated and I think it's time for them to bring the place up to date. It's definitely worth checking out, but don't get your hopes up.

THE GOOD: The historical artifacts are everywhere. I love memorabilia and the place was filled with the stuff.

THE BAD: I-MAX was a waste of money. We saw something on the sun featuring Al Roker (I don't know what they have in common except they are both huge......AAA- OHH!!), but it was horrible. It's was supposedly in 3-D, but I think it was more of a "black hole for tourists money" (Okay....I'm done. I Promise).

The Newseum
The Newseum was one of the best stops on the trip. Unfortunately we arrived early in the afternoon and had to rush through it before it closed. This is exactly what a modern museum should be. It's great for both adults and kids, and has tons of interactive exhibits and mini theatres to watch short films. I give major kudos to whomever had the idea, because it went above and beyond expectations. Highlights included: Full Piece of the Berlin Wall, Antenna from atop of World Trade Center, Pulitzer Prize winning photography and tons more.

THE GOOD: They had a 4-D movie was pretty cool. We happened to be in there with a large group of kids from a local school, and it was hilarious to see them try to catch the 3-D bubbles as they appeared to be coming at them. It was 1000% times better than the crumby I-Max show. They also have a great balcony that gives you one of the best views of the Capital in all of Washington.

THE BAD: It's not free. I don't care...it's well worth the $20, so don't let that keep you from going. This place rocked.


Arlington National Cemetary

This was another amazing place. I didn't know much about it before we got there, but it's one of those landmarks that mean so much more than I could put into words. The changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier was extremely memorable.



The Holocaust Mseum

This was a very sad, moving, yet highly important musuem in DC. It's scary to think that it really wasn't that long ago that these horrific events took place. It was a great history lesson/reminder and words and pictures can't do it justice. All I can say is just go.



US Treasury

It was cool watching them make money, but unfortuately they didn't give us any. The tour only took about 30 minutes so it's deifnitely worth checking out once.

Supreme Court

Court wasn't in session and they were fixing up the court room, so we pretty much got screwed. They did have a cool staircase that I got some good photos of.

Old Post Office

Don't waste your time. It looks cool on the outside, but the only reason to go is for the view and I think you get a much better one from the Newseum.

National Zoo

I've been to a lot of zoos and this one would rank in the top five. Great for kids, and seeing Pandas were kind of neat. They are also adding a new couple new exhibits for the Elephants so it will be nice to check that out in the future.

The Food

It can get a little bit pricey, but overall it was pretty good. I can't eat crab so I missed out on their world famous blue crabs, but I did give Mulligatawny Soup a try and I have to say I was impressed.

Transportation

The Metro was the best, cleanest, most efficient piece of public transportation I have ever taken. For $25 we got a weeks worth of rides that got us everywhere we could have gotten.

Considering most people are on a budget these days, this is a good time to take a trip to DC. Prety much everything is free, and the few places you do pay to get it are well worth it.

BACHELOR UPDATE: Do people really think this show works??

As you probably know, the wife and I enjoy our fix or reality TV. So I had to pass along a couple stories pertaining to one of our guilty pleasures...."The Bachelor/Bachelorette"

Former Bachelor gets sucker punched by "future bride"

She pulled the "I love you but I'm not IN love with you". Who does she think she is..Conastanza?



We even get a mugshot and video from the "totally rad snowboarder dude".

Washington DC Trip- Part 1

About a month or so ago we took a week long vacation to the nations capital. It was my first time, and Rachel's first time in many years. Here's a quick rundown with the some photos during our trip. I'm going to break it up over a couple days because we did a lot in a week. (We have all our photos on our Flikr site if you want to take a look)

National Archives

Over the past couple years, I've really become a geek when it comes to history and artifacts. So being a quasi-memorabilia dealer I found the Archives to fascinating. This has the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and other important documents throughout the history of our country. This is an absolute must see.

THE GOOD: The penmanship of these old documents was unbelievable. As an autograph nut I do have an appreciation for a nice signature, but the thought of someone spending the time to perfect every word of these long documents is just too cool. When I was there it reminded and amazed me that our country was created by the principles these men laid out that over 200 years later, and they still ring true today.

THE BAD: The Declaration of Independence was pretty much impossible to read. The Constitution has held up over time, but the DOI didn't look as good as it it did in National Treasure.


The National Gallery of Art


My and Rachel's taste in art it is very similar, so going to art museums together is usually a pretty good day. Both of us really like impressionists like Monet, and Post Impressionists like Van Gogh, Cezanne, and Seurat. The exhibit was very impressive especially in the sculpture department. If you are a fan of Edgar DeGas, you have to go to this museum. It has to have the finest collection of art from him in the world.


THE GOOD: The collection was very impressive. I always find it neat to actually see famous sculptures and paintings that I've seen in books or TV right in front of my eye. Then it's kind of scary to think that they are worth 1o's of millions of dollars and I take a couple steps back. They had a special exhibit by Martin Puryear which was kind of lame, but his "Ladder for Booker T Washington" shown in the photo was definitely the best piece of his they had on display.

THE BAD: I don't know if it's possible for something to be too big, but the NGOA may have been. We spent close to a full day there and we didn't even go into the East building. Besides that, the musuem didn't have a nice flow it it. At times we found ourselves wondering what direction we were supposed to go in next. Kind of frustrating, but overall a great museum.

SIDE NOTE: If you like art and going to be in DC I would HIGHLY reccommend checking out the Phillips Collection Museum. This place was much better than we thought it would be. It was fairly small (took about an hour to go through) and had works from Picasso, Van Gogh, Cezane, and other famous artists. Great exhibit even if you have to pay to get in.

The White House

I was really looking forward to this, and although it was cool it didn't quite live up to expectations. We planned for this to take the entire morning, but the entire tour took about 20-30 minutes. I fully expected there to be some kind of tour guide, instead it was a self guided tour through about 6 rooms of the White House. I wasn't expecting to rub elbows with "W" or anything, but I did expect a little more. Still, worth doing if because nothing, it didn't take up a whole lot of time.

THE GOOD: I can now say I've been in the most famous house in the world. I think there is something to be said for that.

THE BAD: Make sure you plan ahead...Way ahead. You actually have to schedule an appointment with your congressman to get in the White House. It wasn't too big of deal for us, but we got lucky because our Congressman's secretary did most of the work. If you plan on going, be sure to schedule several months in advance.

The Monuments

These take up a HUGE chunk of time (if you decide to walk to them all like we did), but it was worth the tired legs. I've seen and read about all the monuments, but they really didn't do them justice. They are just spectacular. I can't really decide which is my favorite, but there seemed to be an understated tranquility at the Jefferson Memorial which I really enjoyed. In fact, one quote on a panel really impressed on me how much our fore fathers were forward thinkers, and how lucky we were to have such intelligent people forming this country.

"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

THE GOOD: Everything...There was a ranger near the Lincoln Memorial which gave us a great background on the statute. The Vietman Memorial was incredibly moving. The World War II Memorial was beautiful, and the FDR Monument(s), were okay, but I think some of the statues need some restoration.

THE BAD: Unfortunately we did not get to go in the Washington Monument. Apparently they only let a certain number of people inside every day, and we didn't get there until late afternoon so we missed out.















The Capital

We scheduled a tour with an intern from Congressman's office, which I thought enhanced the experience. The rotunda was unbelievable, and I was surprisingly intrigued watching Congress in session. It's kind of like hockey...sucks on TV, but pretty decent in person.

THE GOOD: Just amazing architechture and art work on the inside and outside of this building. We got lucky because on our tour the intern took us through the underground hallways which connect offices to the Capital.

THE BAD: The brand new museum and visitors center wasn't open yet. It's supposedly pretty impressive and went about $50 million over budget, so I guess I got something to look forward to next time.




















COMING TOMORROW........PART II

Back Lock's of the Week

Time for the weekly football picks. These are my 4 favorite games and the sucker bet of the week.

Iowa (-18.5) vs. Purdue

There is a slight chance Iowa might have a hangover after last weeks monumental win vs. Penn State, but I'm not sure if it even matters. Purdue has a banged up offensive line, a backup QB and a defense that doesn't stop the run. That's not really a formula for success. Meanwhile, Iowa has been very tough of late. They've covered 4 out of their last 5 including a very impressive win at home against a Penn St and Wisconsin who are both light years better than Purdue.

South Carolina (+22.5) @ Florida

There is no question the Gators are red hot right now, but that doesn't mean that they are 3 touchdown favorites against one of the better defenses in the SEC. The Gamecocks have been 4-1 ATS over their last 5 and although SC got smoked last year, they still would have covered this number. I think the odds makers are making Florida appear a little better than the really are and Spurrier makes this a better game than most think it will be.

SUCKER BET OF THE WEEK

Notre Dame (-4) @ Navy

How can ND be giving less that a TD in this game. Weis is on the brink of being fired and if they lose this game I'm convinced he's out. I know ND is vastly overrated, but Navy isn't good. They barely beat Temple last week while although being shut up, the Domers didn't play that bad against a decent Boston College team. Statistically Notre Dame should win...with what's on the line for Weis....ND should win....and with a line you would think ND would cover.....Only if you're a sucker....Take the Naval Academy.

Denver +6.5 @ Atlanta

Denver's defense is awful and Atlanta's offense is much better than people thought it would be, but believe it or the Broncos still have a good chance of winning the division. I think we are going to see lots of points and Cutler air it out all day long with a good amount of success. Atlanta is much more well rounded, but I think they are due for letdown after a couple nice W's. If Denver didn't have a chance at the playoffs, I'd go the other way, but I think it's a must win for them.

Saints -6.5 @ Kansas City

Another close loss of KC last week, but I think we start to see things fall apart for them. They are really beat up defensively and although the offense has looked better of late, I don't see them being able to keep up with high powered Saints offense. Reggie Bush looks like he might be back and if the Saints lose they are out of the playoff picture, so I think they put it on Kansas City this week.

It's a Boy!

We just got back from the doctor today and we are happy to report we will be having a boy.

Everything looks perfect so far, and we are yet to come up with any names.

I've been told "Seven" and "Soda" are not going to work, so back to the drawing board.

The Dreaded Demo Club

A couple weeks ago I was playing golf at the local muni and somehow lost my 7 Iron. I have no clue where or how I lost it and after a couple of days I went back to check if someone turned it in. Sure enough, nobody had, so it looked like I was going to be without one my most important clubs in my bag. As I left the Pro Shop, the Head Pro could tell I was pretty upset so he offered me an extra Ping Rapture 7 Iron he had sitting in the back. Free club is better than no club, so I took it and went on my merry way.

A couple weeks later I final got out on the course again and what do you know.....I found out that the 7 Iron was some kind of gift from God. Out of the 7 hits I used it, 6 of them went exactly where I was looking. The feel was unbelievable and the ball shot off the club face like never before.

So here is where I'm at. I've been playing with the same Tommy Armour Silver Scotts for over 15 years. They've been good to me, but I think it may be time for a new set. Every time I play I'm finishing between 86-93. I'm guessing the new set of clubs would put me at the 80-87 range which would be fabulous.

Unfortunately, the financial priority these days is going towards the upcoming "Baby Back" so it's probably going to be a little while to see if 15 years of golf technological advancements really would help as much as I think they can. But if someone from Ping is reading this and wants a good endorsement, feel free to send me some irons. In the meantime, I might just go Roy "Tin Cup" McAvoy and play an entire round with nothing but a 7 Iron.

Reality TV Update

One of my guilty pleasures over the years have been reality TV. This year has been no exception so here is a quick rundown and some thoughts on some of our favorites.

BIGGEST LOSER

This is our first year watching this show and I have to admit I'm surprised how much I am enjoying it. This past weeks episode was epic. So much so that I actually I pulled a "David Putty" and gave Rachel a high five at the end of it.

For a show which is supposed to be inspirational and encourage obese people to lose weight, there still has been a good amount of backstabbing and badmouthing. Now I've watched a lot of crappy reality TV over the years, but I don't think I've found anyone more evil than Vicky or Heba (Yes it's a woman, and yes it's probably the worst name I've ever heard of). I find most reality TV pretty entertaining. I usually enjoy watching vindictive people mess with others, but it just doesn't feel right on the Biggest Loser. Usually I laugh at things like this, but I literally want to climb through the TV and slap some sense (and peanut butter cups) in these women. The best thing about this show, is that even if you don't win the money, you still win because you probably lost 50-100 pounds and likely extended your life by a couple decades. Yet these two women care about nothing but the money which is awarded to "The Biggest Loser". Rather than worrying about losing weight and letting the scale be the deciding factor, they tried to build an "alliance" and "win" the game that way. Thank goodness their plan was foiled this past week. For that reason.....I'm pulling or either Amy or Coleen to win.

Survivor Gabon

Survivor has always been one of my favorite shows on TV. The critics may say it's the same every year, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The producers have done a nice job changing things up and keeping the players on their toes over the years

This season has been a good one because I love watching people who think they know exactly what is going on, get totally blindsided during tribal council. Rarely does the smartest person ever win this game, and the past two weeks the "Smart Strong Men" totally got duped by "Weak Meager Women".

The best thing about watching these shows is that you get to find a team/person to root for. This year for me it's Kenny the video game dork. This guy NEEDS $1 million dollars more than anyone on the show. Not because he is poor or has a family to feed, but because the likelihood of him EVER finding a girl who is into him for anything BUT money is not very good.

The Amazing Race

This is definitely the one show I would LOVE to be on. Unfortunately, it seems like they only take couples with some kind of marital problem, so I don't like Rachel and my chances of being a contestant any time soon. They usually do a good job casting players, but this years teams are pretty lame. So much so that I don't think there is one team that I'm really pulling for. The one team I'm definitely rooting against is Terence and Sarah. My ole college friend Big Dave would have labeled Terence a "turd" and I really can't think of a better adjective, so I'm going with it. "Turd" is such a whinny little _____. The way he was complaining to his girlfriend about getting paint in his nose really made me question this manhood. Here is some quick opinions on the players left.

Ken-Tina- Ken seems cool....Not surprising considering he was a former football player. His estranged wife on the other hand seems like a handful. She is pretty much what every man hopes their wife DOESN'T become after they get married.

Dan-Andrew- These are the "frat guys' but I'm pretty sure they are from the "Gotta B A Dork" (Bad I know...but you get my point). They've finished 2nd to last almost every week, so I'm guessing they'll be gone soon enough.

Dallas-Toni- This son and mother combination have about as much personality as a box of rocks. BORING!!

Turd-Sarah- They suck...nuff said

Nick-Starr- This brother-sister group looks like they are right out of an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog. Starr is babe-a-licious, but if I was her brother I don't think I would be too happy about her forthcoming relationship with Dallas and his bad hair cut.

Welcome to the Back Blog!!

With so much going on in our lives right now I thought this was a better avenue to keep in touch with friends and family, rather than typing the same e-mail to 50 different people.

So where to start? Rachel and I are currently in Port Orange, FL. It's a couple miles south of Daytona Beach and so far we seem to like it a lot. It is quite a bit different than Sarasota (where we were living), but different isn't always bad. We've found the people here to be a lot less pretentious than 'Sota, but unlike many people around here, neither of us really have a desire to jump on motorcycle or get a tattoo anytime soon. If you've visited here before you know Daytona Beach can be a little run down in spots, but Port Orange is more like "Suburbia" with the beach only a couple miles away. She is still working for the Engineering firm Kimley-Horn and Associates and I'm working from home selling sports memorabilia for my company Good Game Authentics.

The biggest news right now is that we are expecting our first child. The due date is April 1st (Yeah, we know it's April Fools Day), and we are definitely finding out the sex, and should know in the next couple of weeks. Rachel is doing great, but I think like most pregnant women, she misses having a margarita, and doesn't understand why stores only have a couple of racks of maternity clothes.

This should get everybody caught up. I'm going to try and keep this updated a few times a week. You will probably find me going off on a soap box about random sports, movies, pop culture things that I encounter. I haven't had my radio show for a couple years, so I need to express myself somewhere. Take care and stay in touch.

-D & R