I'm not a fan of Sports Illustrated, but I don't mind their cover girl!
Let me start this week by saying, I try not t o hold back when I write...My personal feelings and life are always front and center in my blogs...But I'll be honest...I've been holding some things back for awhile...Since around Thanksgiving my wife has been dealing with a bacterial infection called C._diff...It was brought on by of all things, an antibiotic...She had been on this medicine for about 20 days to get rid of an infection in a tooth that needed work...When she got a serious rash, and then the horrible stomach issues, she remembered reading the info from the pharmacy, and how it could cause such things, including death...Wow, just the drug I want to take...
There were too many tests, and too much waiting....And too much reading about C.diff...Like THIS...The idea of a fecal transplant grossed out my wife, but being the good guy that I am, I offered to shit down her throat!
Finally late in January, it was confirmed and she was prescribed medicine that often fixes the problem...If not totally, it can manage it...She just finished the meds, and things seem to be okay...Within two days of being on the medicine, the shit-fest had stopped...So that is looking better now...Just in time for family troubles...As if the stress of work, and kids, and dealing with that wasn't enough, her father who has been dealing with dementia, and Alzheimer's, has gotten really bad...Last time we were there, he was asking where Molly came from...Has no recollection of her...My wife's mother is slowly losing some things upstairs too...The stress of dealing with my father in law has been wearing on her too...And then her brother had a car wreck, which lead to us finding out that he had a bit of a legal issue...
We spent too much time this week figuring out what was going on, and cleaning up his mess...She spent Saturday in PA. dealing with things, while I stayed home with the kids...Next she has to get with her sisters and figure out the next move for what to do about their folks...It's been a real pain in the ass...
Plus my cracked up ribs are still killing me...And I clearly wrenched something in my back during my spill, because I've been having muscle spasms that hurt like a bitch...So things have sucked lately...I'm only writing about it now, because I needed to get it off my chest, and I feel like I've been distant and distracted when it comes to writing...I can't bitch to my wife...This is all 10 times harder on her...
Okay...So, there was a positive in the sports world...Notre Dame swept Michigan in hockey this weekend...Sweeping Michigan in anything, is always good!
In other sports news...The media was all buzzing about "The Paterno Report" that was released Sunday morning...I called bullshit right away...This report was paid for by the Paterno family...Done by people who were supporters of Paterno...2 were donors to PSU...This for the Paterno lovers, by the Paterno lovers...There is no way you can expect honesty in it...Nor should it have gotten any air time at all...Mrs. Paterno, maybe Joe never told you shit, but he knew Sandusky was a piece of shit, and he kept a lid on it, and let the child molesting and raping continue...Please lady, shut the fuck up...Your husband was an asshole....And all those still holding onto their blind loyalty to him are looking like assholes too...
There's a link to the stupid Paterno family site on the Q-o-t-D....
I watched the Grammy's Sunday night...There were some good performances, but I found it sad that most of the awards were given earlier...So many people not getting their time, while CBS couldn't stop showing us Taylor Swift singing and dancing to everyone who performed...And I'd love it if they actually put some performers on stage that we haven't seen countless times before...Sure the hipster, folksy guys get their time this year, but that will be that for awhile...But enough with Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Elton John...That old Queen at the piano reading the lyrics...Christ!
And acting like Justin Timberlake is the greatest musician ever, and we all have missed him so desperately while he's been acting...Yuck!
Jack White, please stop trying so hard to be the Johnny Depp of rock & roll...You're so fucking unique and cooler then everyone else...You're not! and Johnny Depp owned the Viper Room, hard to get cooler then that...And I can play average, loud distorted guitar, and chuck it at the end too...Not impressed!
Christmas is just about here, and Santa needs to get busy...But he always has time to not only give, but sometimes, he likes to receive as well...And the Beeze has been busy too...I've been trying my best to get into the Christmas spirit...And once the world didn't end Friday, I was forced to...The Mrs. and I had done no Christmas shopping at all...So Friday I did a little after a hellish day at work...Saturday morning she did a bunch...Then Saturday afternoon I went out and finished...
But I still wasn't super Christmasy...So I dug in and did some blogging...I posted my top 15 Christmas movies HERE...and my top Christmas songs HERE...
Sunday lead to spending more money on groceries for our annual family Christmas Eve party...It's become a tradition at our house, that my oldest daughter won't let die...I hope to one day have a bigger house and add friends to the mix, but right now it's just family...Mostly my side...The menu isn't fancy...We'll have a ham...Hanky Pankies...(ground meet, sausage, cheese, oregano, garlic, all mixed together and baked on party rye's)...Buffalo Chicken Dip...Shrimp Cocktail...My Holiday Balls...(Meat balls, thrown in a crock pot with chili sauce and grape jelly...Shockingly awesome!)...Beer, wine, soda, and my holiday punch...(Raspberry sherbet, ginger ale, strawberries, and vodka)...
So my Sunday was full getting that stuff together, and getting the kids out of the house so, my wife could get all the kids stuff wrapped, and hidden...Once again the kids and I went skating...The boy is getting better each time...
I watched a little of the Browns game...They looked like dirt, stinkin' ass...Bunch of guys got hurt..Who cares...After the game Josh Cribbs started firing off tweets at fans who are finally seeing what I've seen...The guy has become useless...Way to botch a punt return...Returns are all this guy did really well, now he sucks at those too...He's talking about leaving, and let me be the first to say, goodbye! Fucking waste of a roster spot!
The Indians signed Nick Swisher to a $56 million contract for 5 years...He's 32...WHY!?! So he can strike out a lot like the other guys they picked up this off-season...Oh, and lets not how he faded out last year with the Yankees...What is he going to finish the season strong with the Indians now...Surrounded by a weaker lineup, and out of the playoff hunt...People are excited about this move...Not this Cleveland pessimist...I think it's another mistake, in a long line of front office mistakes...
See people, this is why I was digging into Christmas hard...Because Cleveland sports make me sick...So, I'm announcing my baseball fandom is going to test the free agency market...I'll decide on which team I'm gonna get on board with in April, and for how long...As the NFL rolls into the playoffs, I'm all in with the Patriots...But I'll be rooting for the Seahawks in the NFC...Shit, I love how gritty that team is...Did you see them just blow up the 49ers Sunday night...42-13...WOW!
Next week, I'll have more sports for you...The College Bowl madness will be in full swing, and I'll be getting geared up for Notre Dame vs. Alabama...Can't wait!
With that all said, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas...Or Happy whatever the fuck you celebrate...Just be sure to enjoy it, and enjoy it with the ones you love...
I'll leave you with a song from a group called Savatage...They did "Metal Operas" back in the day...Eventually a couple of them started Trans-Siberian-Orchestra...I always break this album out around Christmas, because the story takes place at Christmas time...The famous TSO "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo)" was originally on this disc...This is the closing song, and I still love it...(Thanks Chorba)
Hello and welcome to another Wednesday of deep thoughts. It is amazing that we have already taken a good sized chunk out of June. Thankfully, the days continue to get longer and many we have many more summer days ahead...
My son left Sunday for a week of “baseball boot camp” as he describes it. The BBCOR bat that he used during the spring season apparently has expired, so we tried to send him to camp with a new bat. After searching Austin for the Nike BBCOR that he wanted, I found one online at Baseball Express in San Antonio. I immediately called the store and was happy to hear that the bat was available. I tried to pay for the bat with a credit card, but the young lady said, “you don’t have to do that, I will put it behind the counter for you.” So, we packed up and made a quick 2 hour drive down I 35 to pick up the bat. We got to the store and spent a few minutes checking out all of the new gear. Blake found a wood practice bat and with perfect timing, the manager stopped by to see if he could help. I explained that I had called earlier and we were here to pick up the Nike BBCOR bat. I got a bad feeling when I noticed a puzzled look appear. As he began to look for the bat, he summoned two young ladies over to question them about the missing bat. One said, “ I put it behind the counter, but I guess someone put it back.” Yeah…I am sure. Yep, bat was gone. Of course I was pissed, but I kept my cool. I explained that we had just driven 2 hours to get the bat so that my son could take the bat with him to camp the next day. The manager had one bat left in the warehouse that he offered to ship for free with a $50 discount from the discounted price and took off 20% the wood bat. A good deal, but still did not get the bat to the camp. So, my wife and I drove up the bat after work today. Although I did not really want to make the 60 mile drive north of Austin, my folks don’t live far from the campus where the camp is, so we were able to drop by and grab a quick visit and dinner. As I drove home, I realized how lucky I am to still have my folks around. They are not as spry as they once were, but of course…neither am I.
On our drive out of Austin, we caught a bit of sports radio and I heard a few things that I decdied to include in deep thoughts this week. Apparently, a documentary is out that details the inhumane treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.
The documentary is the work of Al Jazeera. Does this name ring a bell? He wrote music for Sesame Street and he is angry that his music was used to torture prisoners while at the prison. Can you imagine hours strapped to a chair with the Barney Song blaring in your ears? Damn, now that is inhumane. For the record, Springstein’s Born in the USA, AC/DC and Eminem’s music was also used as “disincentive”. So, I got to thinking…what would be the most annoying music to have to listen to for two hours? I think I have it…this:
As much as I loved the Ice Cream Man when I was a kid, that damn music drives me crazy now. I get it, you want the obnoxiously loud music to trumpet your approach. But, wow...
Another topic the guys on the radio dug into was the NFL looking for other options to handle next season’s officiating. It is interesting, last year it was the NFL against the player’s union. This year, it is the NFL against the Zebra association. What really puzzles me is the coverage of this spat. I have to admit, I have not read much about what is going on, but just listening to what the talking heads say, I was sure that the ref’s union was wrong. But, as I read into this…there seems to be more to this than just greed on the union’s part. The collective bargaining agreement expired after the 2011 season, but no mention of a strike has been mentioned by the NFLRA (NFL Referees Association). After two negotiating sessions, the NFL announced that they would begin to train new officials. I did not realize this, but BCS referees are also members of the NFLRA and would not be eligible for hire. Where will the NFL find officials to work next year? Arena officials or college officials not affiliated with big time college football.
So…who is right? “Game officials - most of whom hold other jobs - were offered a seven-year deal that included increases of between 5 percent and 11 percent in wages per year. First-year officials who made an average of $78,000 in 2011 would earn more than $165,000 by the end of the new agreement. A 10-year veteran in 2011 who made $139,000 would get more than $200,000 in 2018.”
Anyone out there interested in this “part time” gig? Hell yeah…sign me up. I will start running and get into shape for this kind of money. How do you think I will look in stripes? It appears that the sticking point with the NFL is the pension plan, which the NFL wants to freeze and eliminate. So, here we are again. The NFL has another labor problem. In a time when record money is pouring in, the league cannot seem to keep everyone happy. Let’s see how happy the fan base is next season when we get to enjoy the replacement refs…
But how many has he won?
This time last week, everyone assumed that the Spurs would be matching up against the Heat, for the NBA championship. Obviously, the Celtics and Thunder had other plans. I know that many of you are Celtic fans, or at least fans of anyone but LeBron. I read an article today by Rick Reilly that basically said that it is time to quit piling on LeBron. He mentioned that LeBron was guilty of jilting Cleveland…and nothing more. His basic point is that James has not been a bad citizen. He keeps his nose clean and is a terrific talent. Okay, so LeBron does have that going for him…but Reilly completely misses the point. LeBron James smugly predicted that he would win at least 6 championships. The general population does not dig arrogance. It is perhaps the one trait that disgusts us above all in our sports heroes. I usually like what Rick Reilly has to say, but his message this time completely missed the mark for me. Give LeBron a break because he has been really good and has won three MVPs? So Rick, did you happen to watch Kevin Durant take over the 4th quarter against San Antonio? Quite honestly, no team could have stopped Durant’s finish. I was pulling for the Spurs, but damn it was amazing to see KD dominate the final quarter. Durant is the best player in the NBA today and as much as I hoped the Spurs would get one more…a ring for Durant and crew would not be so bad. Of course, there is the small matter of finishing off the Spurs. My gut tells me there will be a game seven, for both series…
A friend reminded me today that although we just acknowledged the Vets on Memorial that today is the anniversary of DDay. This is a very important date in our country's history and should not go by without acknowledgment. Here's to those that were there that day so many years ago and thanks for kicking Hitler's ass!
Tom Lasorda suffered a minor heart attack this week. Here is wishing Lasorda a quick recovery.
In case you ever wondered, Banana Boat sunscreen is flammable…
Brett Sigworth said he applied Banana Boat sunscreen to his body before walking over to his grill, not knowing it would still be flammable after it was on his skin. The warnings on the bottle of Banana Boat sunscreen read, "Flammable, don't use near heat, flame or while burning." But nothing about once it's applied. As the judge told Richard Pryor about paying taxes…you will remember next time.
That’s all I have for today, but I will leave you with a few Jack Handey tidbits:
If you are a happy employee does that make you 'gruntled' ?
Why do bunches of people run from a shark when they see one, if there is a bunch of people, and one of that shark, wouldn't it be easy to just attack him and kick his ass?
Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a few deep thoughts of your own.
Well, thank God for Kate Upton...She can always put a smile on my face...
That's a good thing, because I haven't smiled much this past weekend...
In case you missed my Saturday night POST, shit like this junkie bitch, sharing the headlines with the Massacre that took place in Norway, makes me hate this world...
With all that has been going on in the world, and some things in my own little world, I've been having a hard time getting motivated to write my normal Monday (mostly) Sports blog...
Honestly, there has been non-stop talk about the NFL Players and Owners possibly reaching a new CBA deal...There has been some players bitching, and the owners may be trying to make them look bad, and force them into a crap deal...Guess what? I don't give shit! I'd almost be happy to see them all shit the bed, and completely piss off their fan base...Maybe they'd learn a lesson, but I doubt it...
I had planned earlier in the week to write about some possible MLB trades, like will the Indians or Pirates be willing actually make deals that would help them stay in contention? But I really don't care at this point...
There is another thing that happened in sports that has me salty...The rumors swirling around are saying that Ohio State isn't going to get hammered by the NCAA...If this is true, then the NCAA is completely full of shit! If it was a smaller program, they would have crushed them...Just by getting rid of Tressel and forfeiting the 2010 doesn't make it all better...Ohio State still keeps the money they made, including the money from the Sugar Bowl...
Plus with Tressels history of cheating and rules violations, and the fact that it's been proven that his bullshit at Ohio State has been going on since 2002, the University has to be held somewhat accountable...And the rest of the programs need to be put on notice, that no one is untouchable...What a bunch of horse shit!
Greed makes the world go around...Money and power are in bed together, and they are making evil little babies!
I mentioned things in my own little world that were bothering me as well...The biggest thing is my Uncle is seriously sick, and they aren't sure why yet...He, along with my parents and their two totally different tastes in music, was the biggest influence on me falling in love with music...It was him, before anyone else, that made me want to play guitar...So I leave this week's post by listening to him...
