Chyron, Take Me Away

Funny how an incorrect CG in the news can make one giggle so.

Pubic Safety jokes notwithstanding, this little gaffe on CNN and the article it spawned is, if nothing more, good for a laugh.

People, people...proof that text before it goes to air.

If you don't, I guess we'll have to assume that:
"CNN Experts Agree: Bin Laden Is Dead Or Alive"

Wheeeeere's Coney???

Before I get started, a belated moment of silence for Mr. Johnny Carson. We hardly knew ye.

*pause*

Alright. I was just as sad as every other Tom, Dick, and Harriett to find out that the King of Late Night has exited stage left through the multi-colored curtain for the last time.

But, is it wrong of me to be upset at our red-headed friend Conan for showing re-runs on Monday and Tuesday?

C'mon Conan, how about a little respect for Johnny? That red coif will only get you so far in this world; how about a tribute show before the end of the week.

OK, I feel much better after getting that off my chest. Carry on.

Two Rivers Run Through It

It most certainly was a "golden shower" on the red carpet last night.

The Golden Globes came and went last night, with the usual vanilla suspense and shockers of the evening.

But, the best part of the awards night wasn't even during the show. The 3 week long pre-show coverage trumped the entire show with plenty of train wreckage to last us until the Oscars.

I wasn't aware who was replacing the Team Rivers after their exodus for the TV Guide Channel last year...but when I found out, I knew better than to skip this party.

Star Jones....Reynolds???

The NY Times' Virginia Heffernan had this to say about the "star" of ABC's The View:

Ms. Reynolds - remember, that's Star Jones - said that she had been instructed to stop gushing and stop talking about clothes. Thus handicapped, she struggled to talk about the content of people's movies and television shows. It was awkward.

How perfect. Say what you will about Joan and Melissa, but I always enjoyed their banter with the stars, primarily because they understood the cardinal rule of interviewing: being a good listener. Something the Star Joneses and Billy Bushes will never understand, nor care to.
Billy Bush...*shutter*....forget flattery, connections will get you everywhere.

I should note that Kathy Griffin was an oasis in the desert of the red carpet. At least E! got something right.
Anyway, if you missed the hilarity with the E! pre-awards show, for shame.

Oh, well. Just like for Paul Giamatti, there's always Oscar. (February 27th on ABC) Shameless, I know.

Human Worth

Ah, the age old question that we all ask at some point in our lives: How much am I worth?

Now you can find out in a matter of minutes at Human For Sale.

In case you're wondering about yours truly, voila!

$2,075,940.00.

Eh. For an idea how that ranks against the elite and fictitious, check out the most expensive males and females.

Happy shopping!

Grapefruits & Cacti

As a public service, I submit the following crucial info:

Pitchers and catchers report in less than a month.

I can already smell the hot dogs and grass.

Live STRONG

A nice little yellow surprise graced our mailbox this weekend.

Kirsten and I got our cool yellow Live Strong wristbands from her mother Jan, a cancer survivor.
She ordered them before Christmas and the high demand had the shipments backed up about 3-4 weeks.

If you're interested in helping the fight against cancer, the wristband are only $1.oo with the minimum shipment of 10 bands...so for only $10, you can help the fight against cancer and dish out these great gifts to 9 of your friends.

For more info, visit The Lance Armstrong Foundation online or click on the logo on the upper right.

Help make a difference.

A Man and His Peas

It's a beautiful thing.

Even though it's making Kirsten a little jealous, and I'm ruined by the smell of frozen peas for hours on end...the sweet release of the icy goodness is worth the trouble.

By the way...those neck pillows are a godsend!

Hot French Quarter Action

All hail the power of the webcam.

Because of it, I can see my fiancee(black jacket, right center). sans myself, having the time of her life enjoying the Sugar Bowl Media Party at The Tricou House on 711 Bourbon Street.

Among others in attendance: Photogs Eric (behind Kirsten on the right) and David and former photog Matt from Birmingham.

Congrats guys...I'm gone 1 day and I already miss you guys!(and N'Awlins!)

Fo' shizzle!

The Future Mr. SportsLady

Here before you are the writings of the luckiest man on earth.

In case you hadn't heard, I proposed to Kirsten at midnight in New Orleans.

With the streets packed and champagne flowing, I popped the big question, with her mother, Janice, in attendance.

The big moment took place in front of the infamous Jackson Brewery on historic 600 Decatur St. in the French Quarter, and my future bride couldn't have been more beautiful than she was at that moment.

We kissed and after giving her some time to gather herself and look at the ring, we waded through a sea of merry bodies to Bourbon Street to continue the celebration.

The setting couldn't have been more perfect.

Thanks, sweetie.

Bittersweet Fantasy

So, what does one do when he's made it past the first round of his fantasy league playoffs?

Most of you might be saying, "Rejoice, that's one hurdle down!" or "One step closer to the title!"

These are not the laments of your perplexed writer.

Instead, Nightmare scenario #2 has befallen him: Facing your significant other in the semi-finals.

It's safe to say that I'm not looking forward to the outcome of this competition. Someone is going to get hurt.

We'll keep our reader abreast of this weekend's contest as we tally the results.

In the meantime, I'll be readying the couch and stockpiling the bomb shelter.

Happy Holidays!

The Cards Mark An Ace

To be honest, it had been a pretty shitty day.

On Saturday, Kirsten and I spent the first part cleaning the house (Alright, Kirsten mostly) before heading out to do some last minute Christmas shopping.

After that, the plan was to head up to Atlanta and get back in time to take in the Cottonmouths game later that night.

A few hours and a 40 min traffic jam later, we're sulking on I-85 heading back home...no hockey game tonight.

Then, as we're flipping the channel on Kirsten's XM, we hit ESPN radio and two guys recapping the NFL action say the words "Mulder" and "St. Louis" in the same breath.

What?????

So, here we are, hurling toward Columbus, catching the middle of a conversation on the Cardinals pitching situation, trying to verify if what we heard was true.

"Is Mark Mulder a Cardinal?", I wondered.

Truer and sweeter words were never uttered. I must've sat there mouthing the words for the next 10 minutes:

Wow.

As the radio guys gave the parties involved in the deal, I was waiting with bated breath wondering if the only Card mentioned was the only one dealt: Kiko Calero.

I should've known better. Billy Beane, the A's GM, is a notorious dealmaker and his antics are best described in the book "Moneyball".

The deal:

Mark Mulder to the Cardinals for Danny Haren, Kiko Calero, and minor league prospect Daric Barton.

The asessement: A fair trade for both teams...a classic example of both teams getting what they want.

Danny Haren is the short term centerpiece for Oakland. A rising star, his poise and experience at a young age will put him in the A's rotation to complete one of the best young staffs in the game.

Kiko Calero should shore up Oakland's thin bullpen, giving the team a young solid fireballer with devastating stuff.

On the other hand, Daric Barton is the long term wild card. At 19, he's a hitting machine...just the kind of catcher any team would covet. He's a few years out, but at his current pace, he should be a great backstop for years to come.

But back to Mark Mulder. Not since John Tudor have the Cardinals had a dominant southpaw ace power pitcher.
Case in point: Since 2000, only one pitcher has more wins than Mulder's 74. That pitcher is Curt Schilling.

Case revisited: Since the 2001 season, no one has won more games than Mr. Mulder. No one.

By the way, did I mention he's only 27 and just hitting his prime.

For years, the Cardinals have searching for another great power pitcher, dare I say, another Bob Gibson. We've seen some very promising ones fall from grace or never materialize.

With Mulder, a blossoming Adam Wainwright, and a reborn Rick Ankiel...the Cards could soon be back as a pitching powerhouse.

One more stat: The 2004 Cardinals averaged 5.2 runs per game.

In games where his offense scored 4 or more runs, Mr. Mulder is 65-4.

Mark, welcome to the greatest baseball city in the world.

Seeing Some Old "Friends"

What an amazing thing is our pal Friendster.

I found two "friends" on there earlier tonight...check 'em out...you might have heard of them before.

Jeff and Jay.

I wonder if they're on each other's friend list.

Methinks the answer is no.

Happy Holidays

That's me in the blue....ugling up the picture. Just look at the pretty lady and you should be good.

Enjoy!

B-C-Ass

News Flash: The BCS blows.

Shocking, I know.

Can we please get back to yesteryear, when the bowls meant something?

Here's hoping...

30 Frames of Celluloid

OK...I know that film runs at 24 frames per second and video runs at 30 frames per second, but I needed a catchy title.

Our good friend Mike has a favorite films list going with many other friends chiming in with their picks.

You can find it here.

So, being a film buff myself, I'm submitting for your approval my 30 favorite films (that I could think in the span of an hour).

Don't be left out in the lobby....submit your top 5 in the Comments section.

With that, grab your tub o' popcorn and hot tamales....the reel is rolling:

• 30. American Beauty (1999)
• 29. Taxi Driver (1976)
• 28. Say Anything... (1989)
• 27. Wonder Boys (2000)
• 26. Memento (2000)
• 25. Pi (1998)
• 24. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
• 23. Lost in Translation (2003)
• 22. Caddyshack (1980)
• 21. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart (2002)
• 20. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
• 19. Office Space (1998)
• 18. Se7en (1995)
• 17. Rope (1948)
• 16. The Graduate (1967)
• 15. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2001)
• 14. Animal House (1978)
• 13. Hoop Dreams (1991)
• 12. Toy Story (1995)
• 11. The Matrix (1999)
• 10. The Big Lebowski (1998)
• 9. Fight Club (1997)
• 8. North by Northwest (1959)
• 7. Slap Shot (1995)
• 6. This Is Spinal Tap (1982)
• 5. Dr. Strangelove (Or How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb) (1964)
• 4. Waiting For Guffman (1996)
• 3. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
• 2. Rushmore (1999)
• 1. Citizen Kane (1941)

Creative Spelling

How fitting if one of the qualifications was "Attention to Detail A Must."

Fox affiliate in Toledo OH is looking for a candidate with strong management writing and creati9ve abilities. Broadcast experience of 3-5 years in promotion is preferred. Applicable college degree combined AVID skills and production techniques a must. Please forward resume and tape to Fox toledco 4 Seagate Toledo, OH 43604. No phone calls please. EOE.

Stoops to a New Level

I'm a transplant to the South right in the middle of Auburn - Georgia Country.

For all my life prior to this move, I lived in the heart of Big12/Big 8 country and regarded myself to be a staunch Big 12 apologist.

After seeing the SEC up close for the past 3 years, I can say without a doubt that the SEC is the best conference in college football, year in and year out.

I submit that to run the table in the SEC, a team should be awarded an automatic bid to the national title game.

Good Luck to Auburn, who in the wake of this tough situation, have carried themselves with the upmost respect and class in this flawed BCS system.

The same can't be said for Coach Bob Stoops.

(Don't) Lay Off Jimmy

"Jimmy's been checking you out....Jimmy likes what he sees."
-- Jimmy, Seinfeld

What about that title reminds me of a Glass Tiger? Oh well...

Somehow, someway, Jimmy Eat World still manage to amaze me.

If you haven't heard their new album, Futures, I recommend it highly....think a fusion of the pop hooks of Bleed American and the vunerablity in Clarity.

If you have listened to it once or twice and dismissed, don't throw in the towel.

Much like the great Wilco, this album will grow. Just add a little water and love.

Patience, my friend.
---------------------------------------
An aside regarding the title:

Kirsten and I have discussed before about the whole parentheses thing with some pop bands. We basically concluded that the record execs enforce this tactic based on their view of the buying masses as "dumb". Surely the only way we'll know that song is if the title is expanded to include the whole line in the song's hook.

Hook? Line? Ah, that's too easy.

This post written to the musical aid of Pet Sounds & SMiLE by The Beach Boys

Concession Stand

The Best Week Ever Blog puts it all so eloquently:

“My advice to you is to start drinking heavily"
--Animal House

Happy Halloween!!

Trick or Treat!

It's Cher....and some scary Motley Crue roadie.