Michigan 42, UMass 37: Still not Top 25 defense yet

I am going to repeat myself because apparently the original message didn’t seep through the first time.
This Michigan squad is NOT a nationally-ranked football team … yet. The defensive unit is FAR from possessing Top 25 ability. Last Saturday’s 42-37 victory over FCS UMass is just another reason why, if it were me, I’d invest in kiosk-style manicurist salons all around the Big House.
Folks, it will be nail-bitin’ time each and every Saturday when the Maize and Blue hit the field.
The Wolverine defense did not do a quality job stopping the Minutemen offense and the kicking game is still less-than-satisfactory. Missed field goals inside the 40 and a blocked punt, plus a minus-17 yards on the only punt return is simply unacceptable … for the Top 25 team. It cannot be pictured in any other manner.
Kickoffs don’t nearly reach the end zone and coverage allowed returns averaging more than 23 yards per return. Of course, the blocked punt in the final minutes gave UMass the chance to scare the life out of every Michigan fan on hand, delirious with visions of Appalachian State running through their heads.
The time of possession – just 22:22 – is more a product of the defense in this game than the lack of execution on offense. Aside from the opening drive interception, U-M had decent third-down conversions (4-7) and Denard Robinson completed 10 of his 14 attempts for 241 yards (excellent by anyone’s standard).
But the defense allowed 439 yards in UMass offense on 78 plays!!!!!!! That was literally a full quarter’s worth of time and activity.
So what was the positive? We won! Pure and simple. Michigan is 3-0 headed to a “showdown” with those flying Falcons from Bowling Green State University (bearers of some of the ugliest colors this side of the Cleveland Browns). More than compiling big numbers on offense, the emphasis for this week should be … zero. The defense needs to allow as close to THAT number as possible; that should be the four-letter word uttered by every member of that unit for this game – for ALL games.
Zero.
Penalties. Yards. Points.
Until the defense shows such form, this is NOT a Top 25 team … YET!

Michigan football: Remembering when…

It was 40 years ago when this somewhat naïve, starry-eyed freshman entered the University of Michigan and began a journey which is still ongoing. My time in Ann Arbor changed my life profoundly, from the people I met, the friendships I developed and the events I experienced.
I spent two years at Alice Crocker Lloyd Hall before experiencing the “joys” of off-campus housing (and moving … moving … moving … and more moving; I think I lived in 11 different apartments over the next four years’ time before catching a Greyhound south for Texas). And as memorable as anything during my stint in Ann Arbor (as a student and working for Sports Information) was Michigan football Saturdays and the weekends surrounding them.
Not to bore anyone but things have certainly changed (I assume and I hope) in 40 years.
First, it was NEVER called “The Big House;” we called it the stadium. Warner Bros. gangster movies referred to prison as “The Big House.” Some marketing genius coined that term for Michigan Stadium (or as the late and great Bob Ufer often said, “The house that Yost built and Schembechler filled”).
Second, most of the student body always attended to party; football was important but NOT all-encompassing. No one did pep rallies and spoke of rankings with every breath, although you gladly stood in long lines to get your student tickets before the season started (freshmen in the end zones and seniors toward the 50-yard-line). I think the original price was six games (we played only 10 on the regular season back in the day) for $21 or $24 … something ridiculously cheap compared to today’s face value.
No, we went to have a good time, normally on a sun-drenched Saturday afternoon. Back then, ALL games at the stadium began at 1 p.m. (no lights employed) and not even ABC television (the only outlet to see U-M football) could dictate otherwise. Radio mattered more than television and U-M had eight different networks/stations delivering aural descriptions each week (from the campus station WUOM to the student station WCBN to WAAM and WWJ in Detroit). Michigan football could be heard in every corner of the state on any given Saturday.
Football Saturday mornings meant watching U-M rugby play below our dorm windows on Palmer Field and that contact was always a precursor to what would happen a few hours later. It was also a way to socialize and down a few cup of fresh-squeezed apple cider before walking to the stadium.
You did BYOB and BYOF (beverage and food); the stadium concessions consisted of gnarly hot dogs, popcorn and less than edible hamburgers. If it was November, the rush was on for hot coffee or chocolate. But no one delivered pizza or anything that exotic to your seat; you brought a flask, wine bottle or … perhaps something herbal to enjoy. There were ticket takers at the gate, not security checkers, so almost anything was allowed.
And students brought cheap-ass wine – nothing of quality because, after all, they were students, not foodies or sommeliers. The line at Campus Corners stretched out the door for those $1 green bottles (Ripple, Annie Green Springs, Boone’s Farm) and in the fourth quarter, all around the stadium, you could see long lines of green glassware being hand-passed (from the bottom rows to the top) in an pre-ecological effort to recycle. When the crowd cleared out, there was ALWAYS a huge amount of empty wine bottles lined against the wall of the very top row.
Wine wasn’t the only thing touched by people’s hands. THE most controversial aspect of attending a Michigan football game was the habit of “passing” back females from lower rows toward the top. More than one (perhaps ALL) female-based campus organization objected vehemently to this practice, dismissing the “boys will be boys” attitude that permeated the situation where, yes, inappropriate groping and touching took place (a precursor to the mosh pit movement?). Warnings were issues by U-M officials, but it continued anyway.
Back then, the band was not integrated, gender-wise; it was still proudly “The Marching MEN of Michigan,” and women didn’t join for a season or two after I arrived. Same held true for the cheerleaders – all men – until 1975. Only males did the backflips off the short concrete walls surrounding the field after each Michigan score and often they were joined by the likes of coaches Newt Loken (gymnastics) and Dick Kimball (diving) during Homecoming.
Our freshmen section (in the north end zone) became “disenchanted” with the U-M Pep unit (where a handful of bandsmen would encourage fans to yell “FIGHT!” after a short musical interlude) for deliberating avoiding us, simply because we chose to substitute our own words for “fight.” We chose something more … colorful and it was always censored by the radio people.
So, we began a kazoo band in that section and got fairly proficient at it. In time, there were about 100 students carrying metal kazoos to each home game and performing when the silence permitted. A few times, we actually took requests from other sections and it merely added to the light-heartedness of the stadium atmosphere.
This isn’t to imply everything was dismissed as nonsense – we took ONE game seriously above all others. When Ohio State came to town, it meant war, especially after 1969 when Bo pulled the great 24-12 upset over Woody. In 1971, it was an especially tense time and that afternoon was one of the most unforgettable affairs.
It was a cold afternoon and the skies were threatening all during the pre-game warm-ups. When it came time for the National Anthem, the crowd rose as one; it was also the time for the heavens to open with a hail and rain downpour that, for some strange reason, lasted exactly as long as “The Star-Spangled Banner.” When the Michigan band finished playing, 105,000 fans sat down on cold, wet fannies.
The tone of the afternoon had been set by Mother Nature and Michigan trailed 7-3 headed into the final minutes when the great Billy Taylor (one of the leaders of the Den of the Mellow Men) raced around right end and scored the game-winning touchdown.
On the Buckeyes’ final possession, safety Thom Darden intercepted Dick Wakefield’s pass, then Woody went crazy, ripping up yard markers and tossing them onto the field like a javelin thrower.
The normally-mellow crowd went berserk in celebration, mobbing the field. The jubilation lasted well into the early morning hours of Sunday. Winning normally wasn’t everything back in the day but all rules were suspended for Ohio State. Anyone who has ever heard the class of the BT touchdown by Ufer knows what I mean.
After the game, it was always party-time in the City of Trees. Many hosts could be seen rolling rented kegs of Stroh’s down streets from Campus Corners to their homes and Pizza Bob’s was busy readying the best pizzas and gigantic subs for nourishment.
Of course, if the folks were in town, a trip to places like Thano’s Lamplighter (THE best deep dish pizza period) was the order of the night. If something more “appropriate” was needed, you went to the only fancy restaurant (at that time) – The Gandy Dancer. If you wanted to celebrate with a few pitchers of beer (only a $1.25 in olden times), you headed to the Village Bell, Pretzel Bell or Bimbo’s, where one mixed melted mozzarella with Dixieland jazz.
In 40 years’ time, I can only imagine how “ancient” my memories are compared to experiences of today. When I entered college, we did not have PCs (if you owned an IBM Selectric typewriter, you were top-shelf), DVRs/VCRs or even hand-held calculators. North Campus was decidedly smaller and the campus felt more compact than it is today.
Foreign films were shown at the Campus Theater on University or you went to one of the evening films at one of the many lecture halls that were converted to theaters for the night. Geeks and freaks waited to pay $1 to watch “My Fair Lady” or any Marx Brothers comedy (anarchy was a popular drawing card) or even a porn classic, “Behind the Green Door,” which was always a sold-out SRO affair in the Political Science building.
There were no pep rallies in the Diag because it was usually busy with political rallies, protesting the Vietnam War or protesting for the legalization of marijuana (even though the city of Ann Arbor labeled possession no more serious than a parking ticket).
Scalping wasn’t as prevalent (except for big games) because you wanted to go to the games – if only to drink and have fun. Perhaps the biggest argument all day would be which pizza to order for watching pro football on Sunday – Domino’s (just starting out) or Omega. Or go to Follett’s, Ulrich’s or the U Bookstore for a used textbook.
Some of us gathered as a lip-synching performance group and did sock hops in various dorms, culminating in co-headlining the 1972 Homecoming performance lineup in the Union Ballroom, outdrawing Stevie Wonder and Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen. It was a spoof, of course, we didn’t sing or play a note, but it was a different mood back then. We were Milli Vanilli before Milli got Vanillied.
I know I’d enjoy being a member of the Class of 2010, 2011 or 2012; it’s a great learning institution and as a sports fan, I could go 24/7 merely wrapped up in Michigan sports.
But my time on campus 40 years ago was special. I can only hope readers here loved their time as much as I did.

Michigan football: Good so far; far from great

Dedicated to the people who vote in the various college football polls (which are truly meaningless this young into the season, but still …)
Dear Sirs,
PLEASE! Whatever you think, see or try to believe, do not (repeat, do NOT) rank Michigan in the top 25 after Saturday’s 28-24 win at Notre Dame. While it was a thrilling last-second win (made FAR too close by the Wolverine defense, which will be examined later), this team is not yet deserving of a top 25 ranking.
That mistake was made under similar circumstances one year earlier, after another come-from-behind last-second victory over the same opponent. All that ranking accomplished 365 days earlier was a build-up to ultimate failure in the Big 10 season.
The Wolverine Nation does not need history to repeat itself SO … if you’d please … keep your rankings away for a couple of weeks.
Until this extremely young team finds more answers to the gaping holes within its game. While it was very satisfying to beat the Irish in their own backyard, on their own TV network, with their own cheerleading announcers, there are still plenty of questions to ask and need to be answered before Michigan enters the top 25 of anything.
First, a wonderful game-winning drive engineered by the “IT” player in college football at the moment – sophomore Denard Robinson. He looked cool, collected and stabbed Notre Dame in the heart and shut those damn-ass people up in that frightful stadium.
Sidenote: How sad that the recession has hit the Irish football program. In past years, all Notre Dame player helmets would be spray-painted the night before every game with a new coat of Irish gold, which included REAL flecks of gold!!! This season, those helmets looked like mere old gold dull plastic. How sad!
After Robinson, the second best player on the field was Irish sophomore linebacker Manti Te’o, 6-2, 245, from Punahou High School in Laie, Hawai’i, who earned this fan’s total respect for his performance. Someone else recognized that and the player Robinson sought to congratulate after the final whistle was … Te’o; Denard knew a real player when he saw and felt one and he gave Te’o his props.
And if Roy Roundtree was “doubtful” for the affair, then list his at that level before EVERY game. I cannot think of any one of his eight receptions (for 82 yards) that were NOT crucial. His last grab, at the Notre Dame 3, set up the game-winning run by Robinson. He was Michigan’s second-best player on the afternoon.
But Robinson stood head and shoulders above everyone else, totally 502 yards in total offense, which I’m sure is a Michigan record. I’ll betcha high school coaches all over America will be hearing from players who don’t want to tie their shoelaces, simply to emulate Robinson. And it’s nice to see him credit everyone else and not give a damn about personal stats; he just seems to care about the scoreboard – as it should be.

HOWEVER … there is still lots of work for the coaching staff to do because weaknesses exists all over the place – in all facets.
The kicking game almost cost U-M the victory; if you didn’t notice, Coach Rodriguez changed kickers on the last extra point after Brendan Gibbons badly missed two makeable field goals (39, 40 yards). It was Seth Broekhuizen booting the final point; and I imagine there will be a week-long battle for the placekicking job in practice this week (even kickoffs seemed 5-7 yards too short).
The punting was somewhat sub-standard and things must improve from a 38.3 yard average.
On offense, the lack of a productive running back, behind Robinson, seems to stymie things at crucial times. Subtract Robinson’s totals and the trio of halfbacks gained but 20 yards on 13 carries, and NONE for a first down. That MUST change in future games in order to take some of the pressure away from Robinson’s feet and arm; someone you can count upon to get that first-down yardage on a straight handoff.
The running backs also need to become better blockers, at the corners and downfield. Merely getting in someone’s way is NOT the same as delivering a solid block.
Second-half drives were snuffed out because of penalties by Kelvin Grady and at least two holding calls; we won’t even speak of two ridiculous late hits that almost cost U-M the game.
And then there’s the Michigan defense, which allowed 535 yards of Irish offense (on 76 plays), had scores of missed tackles (a little wrapup drill is in order) and, despite three interceptions, had difficulty covering Irish receivers, notably tight end Kyle Rudolph (8 receptions, 164 yards).
There was absolutely no excuse for Rudolph to have burned the Wolverine secondary for a 95-yard touchdown pass in the final four minutes. It was a crime that he was single-covered when he was burning the U-M defense all afternoon in that scenario. It was unspeakable how the Irish moved the ball SO fast in 14 seconds to have that final shot to the end zone to win the game. How does that happen?!?!?!?!
Michigan WILL have more problems as the season progresses with any team that can put the ball downfield through the air.
Which is why I never got comfortable with a 21-7 halftime lead, never felt good about Notre Dame having the ball at its own 5 with less than four minutes to play and was still shaky in the final 20 seconds.
Which is why … this team should not be ranked in the top 25 – not just yet. A few games are needed to fix the problems and then, maybe, this 2010 team will be ready for prime time.
One player is already there; one defense is not.

9/11: a quick reaction

Here's one of the big problems with all the 9/11 remembrances:
On 9/10, most Americans (outside New York City) had no clue what the TWIN TOWERS were (sports fans in Houston know that phrase from the Houston Rockets' old days). Now that structure has taken on mythical status. And very few remember that it was also attacked earlier in 1994 - just unsuccessfuly.
I was working as managing editor of the Plano Star-Courier, a daily suburban newspaper. My office also housed the county bureau for the FOX TV station so we watched the events unfold with the reporter. At some point, I had to go do my job and not linger... at the images (which were not going to get any better). I/we produced the best paper that community had ever seen that day..and long night.
However, I dashed off a column, begging people and the government NOT to retaliate against anyone, especially Muslims, because no country attacked us - criminals did! Unfortunately, very few listened or read - we attacked two nations, lost thousands of brave Americans (still not sure why), thousands more permanently injured, equal amount of families devestated ... and I, frankly, don't see one inch of progress made toward either eliminating the terror threat, or coming to some measure of understanding among people of the world, or even in this country (witness the silly events of the past week in Florida).
If, after Pearl Harbor, we can be friends and partners with the Japanese, then this, too shall pass.
We should be sad for all the loss of life that occured - at this day, and subsequently. For every action therer is often an equal or worse (lethal) reaction.

“The West Wing:” best show ever and most insightful

I am watching the last season of what I consider to have been the best written television series … perhaps ever – “The West Wing.” No show about politics EVER went as far, as deep and as literate as this compilation – mainly because so many of those involved actually worked in Washington, D.C. at one time (DeeDee Myers and Lawrence O’Donnell for example).
But beyond that, beyond the brilliant performance of Martin Sheen as President Bartlet (hands down the best TV president ever and perhaps best in Hollywood history), beyond the magnificent ensemble cast, the scripts were unbelievably spot-on.
Down to the 2008 election, presented in the 2005-06 season and written in advance of the filming.
So much of what was placed on the show actually happened (some of it never could but the similarities were astonishing):
The president-elect, the first minority in U.S. history to win, places his biggest electoral rival in the post of secretary of state.
Sound familiar?
Matt Santos’ platform consists primarily of national health care and insurance reform, lobbyist reform and raising education standards. Sound familiar?
The outgoing administration leaves a messy foreign policy quagmire involving massive amount of U.S. troops in a faraway land. Sound familiar?
The new First Family had two young children and youth played a major factor in the victory, versus the age of the opponent. Sound familiar? The Republicans had a VP candidate to play to the right-wing evangelical base to offset the somewhat right-center main candidate. Sound familiar?
Some of the storylines were purely fictional, but it was uncanny how close to what WOULD happen in two years’ time.
While I love my “NCIS,” I miss such beautifully scripted, intelligent and masterful shows. Looking at the new lineup, hope does NOT spring eternal for future “West Wings.”

Michigan football recruiting: Not playing to the home base

In college football, the overwhelming factor that decides victory is pure talent. Coaching only gets you SO far; you cannot coach size, speed or strength. You can only manage and shape it as a mentor.
Where a school mines its talent has certainly changed from the “olden” days, when I attended the University of Michigan in the early 1970s. Back then, Midwest schools consisted of players solely from the region and it was a rare sight to see someone outside a 4-5 state region play on Saturdays for U-M.
But we didn’t have cable television and in-conference networks sharing those players’ exploits across the country. You knew about Notre Dame and Penn State (when they were independents) and the Big 10 opponents, but little was actually known about West Coast or Southern schools until it came time to face one of them in post-season bowl competition.
Today, there are dozens of websites and services exclusively dedicated to high school players – not just seniors but anyone on any roster anywhere in the U.S. AND Canada. There are no sleepers anymore – no more recruits like David Gallagher, who got Bo Schembechler’s final offered scholarship in 1969 and became an All-American defensive tackle in 1973 … when no one else wanted him. No more players like Calvin O’Neal who came to Michigan from a 0-9 Saginaw High School team but Bo knew he was a special player and became one of the most feared linebackers during that era.
Among Michigan fans, it has been obvious that there has been a dropoff in talent level over the last five years, if not longer. Players being drafted into the NFL from Ann Arbor have been fewer by the year and the record of the last couple of season speaks for itself.
The obvious question is why? Every recruiting class is touted by every head coach – if for no other reason than to keep fan interest at a higher level. You simply cannot be honest (if you haven’t landed the recruits you had hoped) and expect seats to be filled for next season.
It needs to be said that grades distributed on National Signing Day are as ridiculous as tits on a boar hog. No one, no so-called expert and certainly no head coach, can accurately grade a recruiting class until the junior year. Some players blossom late, some live up to expectations and some never get any better than that senior year in high school.
And with early exiting for the NFL, it makes that level of judgment even harder. The program that actually recruits four-year players is looking for a different type of youngster than those going for those who do not expect to get a degree and will not be around to become seniors.
However, quality programs still do better when going with the “distance” runner than the blazing star. To that, I say two words: Demar Dorsey.
I looked at the U-M roster and what I saw frankly stunned me. Here are some facts to ponder:
Fact: A majority of the U-M 2010 squad is from out-of-state (71 of 123 listed on the roster).
Meaning: Many of the state’s top players are going elsewhere and it costs significantly more in department revenue to provide out-of-state scholarship money and recruiting expenses to garner them.
Fact: Of the remaining 52 in-state players, only four are from Detroit public schools programs (three of which attended Cass Tech, and that connection finds Cass head coach Thomas Wilcher a U-M grad).
Meaning: Where once the Wolverines ruled in terms of attracting the best city players to wear Maize and Blue, it’s all but a dry hole for U-M. These players are going elsewhere to shine.
Fact: After Ohio (with 20 players), Florida (12) is next in terms of most population on U-M roster (followed by Texas with 5). Illinois is down the line at just three players (Pennsylvania, South Carolina and California each have four players). In all, there are players from 21 different states, plus Canada.
Meaning: In the halcyon days, Wolverine recruits mainly (with a few exceptions) hailed from Michigan, Ohio or Illinois. Again, the cost of recruiting these players annually inflates the budget and forces the school to compete against scores upon scores of other nationally-known programs for the same talent. Think about this: there are as many players from suburban Houston as there are from the city of Detroit public schools. Seriously, what sense does that make?
By comparison, let’s examine the two schools from the state where I currently reside – Texas. Granted, it’s a much larger state in terms of population, high school districts and programs and amount of available talent.
Still, what is done at the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University display a completely different attitude towards their recruiting concepts. And with UT’s annual success, no one can argue with its plan.
The Longhorns have a 2010 roster of 107 players and ALL but six of them come from Texas!! Take a moment and mull that number over in your mind. Six out of 107 are not in-state products (meaning additional tuition costs, etc. on scholarship awards; thus saving a ton of dollars for the school). And each recruiting year, Texas leads in the number of Top 100 recruits it lands – all inside the Texas borders.
It is no accident; it’s carefully planned and cultivated by head coach Mack Brown, one of the shrewder recruiters in the country. He has an instantly recognizable brand to sell to players who see his team play every Saturday – either on television or in person … or in their sports dreams.
Not far behind is UT’s in-state rival, Texas A&M, with a scant 13 out-of-state players (five from next-door neighbor Louisiana, which has always been a strong Aggie recruiting base) out of 116 on the roster.
Between the two schools, and University of Oklahoma, Texas Tech and, in a few cases, Baylor, almost the entire upper echelon of Lone Star talent remains close to home.
It should be said UT does not monopolize all the in-state talent. More quarterbacks leave Texas to shine elsewhere than stay at home; that’s because there are so many of them to share. While the Longhorns had Vince Young and Colt McCoy for seven years, players like Matthew Stafford, Drew Brees, Greg McElroy, Andrew Luck, Chase Daniel (just to name a few) crossed the state line for playing time.
But Texas isn’t complaining about who stuck around… Can the same be said about the state of Michigan? Hardly, and for the Wolverines, they have NOT been getting the best of the brightest lately.
One has to stabilize the home base in its recruiting before venturing into “enemy” territory. If a third of the Michigan roster was out-of-state, it might be expected. But 60 percent?!?!? That’s abnormal and unhealthy for any program’s future.
This isn’t a small area of base recruiting; there is plenty of talent in this state, and in the Midwest, to stock a championship program. So I ask again: where are all the Michigan players wearing a Michigan uniform?
Someone needs to provide an adequate answer.

Men's v. women's sports

Sports in the United States is almost uniquely driven by allegiance to the jersey. You are a Yankees fan regardless of who is wearing the uniform, even former adversaries (it cut Red Sox fans to the core to see Wade Boggs win his first World Series title in pinstripes).

In fact, our attitude toward national squads in any sport is almost totally contrarian to the rest of the world (which made the nation’s embracing of the U.S. World Cup soccer squad astonishing when U.S. pro leagues have suffered constantly with poor live stadium attendance). Thus how we approach athletics, in terms of support and viewers, cannot be properly compared to the rest of the world.
Yes, in Europe and Asia, women’s sports matter more (and the pay scale reflects that). In South Korea, 2010 figure skating gold medalist Kim Yu-na is a national hero, as is Cathy Freeman of Australia for her 2000 Olympic victory. In those nations, these people remain emblematic stars while in the U.S. (with rare exceptions), it’s a “15-minutes of fame” accomplishment. You’d be hard pressed to name most of the gold medalists from the Vancouver Winter Games, aside by Evan Lysacek, and that’s because he was seen by more people on “Dancing with the Stars” than his actual noteworthy accomplishment.
It is also unfair to compare men’s and women’s team sports leagues because of the physical challenges. The NBA is dominated by its size, foot speed and jumping prowess, the repetitiveness of slam dunks, fast breaks and high-rising rebounders. Women simply cannot do that but shouldn’t be penalized for it. But tenacity and skills should not be discounted when UConn and Tennessee play one another in a collegiate championship; it’s as good as it gets (and probably better than many NCAA men’s tournament contests).
In my 30 years of covering sports (along with news), the BEST overall basketball player I ever saw was a woman (playing among girls as it turned out). I witnessed the emergence of Tamika Catchings in her senior year at Duncanville (Texas) High School and knew she would revolutionize the sport. She was long, tall (6-2) and could outrun and outjump almost every student in her school (male or female). The daughter of a former NBA player, she was the best shooter in the school (period) and could handle the basketball better than the point guard on the boys team.
As a junior, she led her volleyball squad to a state title (just to prove she could do it) and then, in her senior year, went undefeated in winning the state 5A basketball title, placing her on the same level as the greatest players in state history (joining the likes of Sheryl Swoopes). She went to Tennessee and did exactly what I knew she would – changing the traditional college game as a frontcourt player of size who could double as a backcourt player.
Team sports are driven by tradition; you are a “fan” regardless of roster and a “die hard” fan regardless of record. In the realm, male tradition will always dominate. But in individual sports, female athletes can emerge as popular as any male star and, in some cases, go further. Billie Jean King changed the world’s attitude toward women and tennis; Mary Lou Retton changed the world’s attitude toward women and gymnastics; Annika Sorenstam changed the world’s attitude toward women and golf; Jennie Finch changed the world’s attitude toward women and softball.
The real sadness has been the lack of replacement for these icons. In basketball, Kobe Bryant has followed Michael Jordan who followed Magic Johnson who followed Wilt Chamberlain, etc. As I said, when both Williams sisters retire, there is no foreseeable replacement to excite the public about women’s tennis; it’s simply hard to watch interchangeable young blonde Russian girls hitting tennis balls back and forth every week.
Female athletic accomplishments should be allowed to be judged on their own merits; not compared to the male team/individual model. And, yes, if a league cannot sustain itself through adequate fan support, it should probably depart from the sporting scene (including men’s soccer and the WNBA).
But do not downgrade the ability or effort of women for the inability to properly market and promote. If it were up to me, I’d cancel ALL NFL games because of everlasting boredom. They ARE good at self-promotion and over-hype.
I guess women’s sports need a Jerry Jones to get everyone’s attention, and to quote the late great Jimmy Durante, “What a revoltin’ development.”

Holy shit!

What else can you say?
Here's the Associated Press story, word-for-word:
Manager: Levi Johnston to run for city office in Alaska

By BECKY BOHRER
The Associated Press
Monday, August 9, 2010; 10:57 PM
JUNEAU, Alaska -- Levi Johnston may be following in Sarah Palin's footsteps.
Johnston's manager, Tank Jones, on Monday confirmed a report on Variety magazine's website that Johnston is planning to run for city office in his hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, as part of a reality TV show.
Wasilla is where Palin got her start in politics, moving up from City Council to mayor before winning election as Alaska's governor in 2006.
Jones said Johnston is serious about a run, either for mayor or City Council.
"Let me put it to you like this: If you live in a town and things are happening in that town, and you're displeased with it, what do you do? You try to change those things," Jones said.
He declined to give specifics on what Johnston wants to change but insisted the run is real. "This is not a spoof. This is not a joke," Jones said.
According to the Wasilla city clerk, the next mayoral election is in 2011. The candidate filing period for council elections this October closed July 30. Johnston isn't listed among those candidates.
Wasilla's outspoken current mayor, Verne Rupright, was at a meeting Monday and didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
Johnston, 20, is the father of Palin's grandson, Tripp, and the recently off-again flame to her daughter Bristol. He has seemingly come to embrace the spotlight since first being thrust into it in 2008, amid Palin's bid for vice president, when he and Bristol were unwed teenagers expecting a child together.
Since then, he's gone on to pose for Playgirl and appear with Kathy Griffin on her reality show. On Sunday, he walked the red carpet at the Teen Choice Awards with singer Brittani Senser, with whom he agreed to shoot a music video.
Asked whether he believed people would take Johnston's run for office seriously, with TV cameras rolling, Jones said: "People questioned Jesus Christ, so I definitely don't care about these mere mortals questioning Levi Johnston.
"People can question whatever they want. I mean, he's going to keep on doing his thing," he said. "He was going to do this, even if this wasn't a reality show."

Sign of the (past and future present) times

Perhaps this is the entrance sign to the city of Plano, Texas, that really reflects the peoples' attitudes - a heartless, cruel, cold and unsympathetic community. Sadly, too many of its citizens exude non-"Christian" values toward their fellow man, woman and children.

Damn, I wish we could move...

The answer comes on what's 'up!'

From some guy at the Morning News:
Dear Mr. Bloom,
Please allow me to apologize for the bad experience you had this morning with our commenting system. One of our assistants was working on the administrative tool we use to manage the system. He was testing various combinations of inappropriate words.
Of course, the words “cotton” and “up” have nothing sinister about them. But when they are connected to other words, they can occasionally cause problems for our customers. Our technician erroneously saved some changes to the system during the period when you were attempting to comment. He realized his mistake and undid the changes. But for a one- or two-hour window, an incorrect filter was being applied to new comments.
I hope you will not be dissuaded from leaving comments again in the future. I am interested in hearing how it goes – good, bad or indifferent – for you.

All the best,

John Granatino

Deputy Managing Editor/Interactive News & Information

Dallas Morning News

So I guess "up" was "down" and now will stick around...

Right.

Up, up and WHAT?!?!?

The following is too true NOT to believe and an actual email just sent:
Dear Mr. (editor Bob) Mong (of the Dallas Morning News),

As a reader who has, in the past, posted reactions to stories on various Dallas Morning News blog threads, I must ask, and then protest, the oft-ridiculous censorship of too many common English language words by whatever program you employ.
While I understand the need for civility in “open” discussion (communication one-on-one between two individuals is NOT the same as putting out comments for the whole world to see), whatever controls your paper’s blogs borders on the absurd.
Two examples:
1) The oldest athletic facility in Dallas is the Cotton Bowl; yet that word “cotton” is considered “inappropriate” language for Morning News blogs. So exactly HOW does one refer to the game, the stadium or the fabric by which most clothing apparel is derived? Exactly how is “cotton” inappropriate?
2) The blog will not accept the word “up.” I don’t know HOW this is inappropriate, but it is deemed to be. So I can never use the phrases “up-and-down,” “up and back,” “up in the air,” “up, up and away,” “up the street” or anything with this two-letter combination because someone, somewhere, somehow … has programmed your website to state “inappropriate.”
Screw, on the other hand, when used outside the concept of nuts and bolts, is allowed.
Perhaps it would be best for readers to be informed of ALL such “inappropriate” words (outside the obvious profanity and epithets) that will be censored in order to properly adjust when responding through the website’s blogs. At least, I’d like to see it.
Seriously.
Up.

Sincerely,

Charles Bloom

Plano TX

chuckbloom@hotmail.com

Small announcement

For the foreseeable future, I will be "retiring" from column writing on a monthly basis with the Dallas Morning News.
I do this for personal reasons, which will remain, for the time being, ... personal.
I will post on this blog when something strikes my fancy.
But for now, I am putting that other part of me aside.
-30-

Old stars never fade away

From today's Washington Post TV column:
Just in the nick of time, HBO announced Wednesday it had picked up a new drama series called "Luck," about the world of horse racing, which will star Dustin Hoffman and the pilot of which was written by David Milch and directed by Michael Mann, who are executive-producing the project. HBO needed a big scripted-series announcement. Last week, when the Primetime Emmy Award nominations were unveiled, HBO once again had scooped up the most noms by far -- 101, to be exact -- but only three major choices were for TV series work: "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is up for best comedy and best comedy actor, and "True Blood" is up for best drama.
Imagine that! Dustin Hoffman is part of a TV series...even if it IS on HBO. Who's next? Gene Hackman (Hoffman's one-time NYC roommate)? Redford? Harrison Ford? DeNiro? Pacino? Nicholson?
Only if they NEED the work.

Cliff Lee trade: Rangers’ history of first round draft choices highly unsuccessful

For the baseball team with the most financial problems and uncertainty going into the future, the Texas Rangers were able to bag the summer’s top trading deadline deal by obtaining left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee, a former Cy Young winner, from Seattle for four prospects (including one MLB starter).
However, the question to be asked is: at what price? Lee is a rental; he will NOT sign in the winter to pitch for Texas because the club won’t have the money (it’s involved deeply in bankruptcy proceedings between prospective owners, disgruntled debt holders and idiot ownership).
And the trade continues a trend by the Rangers of sacrificing first-round draft choices for little in return. Lee could be what Philadelphia hoped last season, leading the Phillies to the World Series…or be like Randy Johnson when the Astros got him in 1998 for the second half run (won the division) but did not make it to the World Series … and mortgaged its future in the process (losing Carlos Guillen, Freddy Garcia and John Halama).
The Rangers have yet to write the story of this season but an examination of its past is noteworthy.
Since 1998, when Texas chose Carlos Pena, who stars NOW for Tampa Bay, out of Northeastern University in Boston with the 10th overall selection, most of Texas’ first-round selections are either with other teams or out of baseball completely.
Here’s the list:
1999 – Colby Lewis, RHP, Bakersfield College, 38th selection, College, rejoined Rangers this season after spending a few years refining his game in Japan; Mike Head, RHP, Soddy Daisy (Tenn.) HS, 47th selection, out of baseball
2000 – Scott Heard, C, Rancho Bernardo (San Diego, Calif.) HS, 25th selection; Tyrell Godwin, OF, North Carolina, 35th selection; Chad Hawkins, RHP, Baylor, 39th selection – all three out of baseball
2001 – Mark Teixeira, 3B, Georgia Tech, 5th overall selection, played for Rangers at 1B until 2007 when he was traded to Atlanta in multi-player deal; now with New York Yankees and only draft choice since Kevin Brown in 1986 to win a World Series title (one of three Rangers’ draftees – the other being Ron Darling, drafted in 1980)
2002 – Drew Meyer, SS, South Carolina, 10th selection, now playing with Triple-A Salt Lake City (LA Angels); has never played in MLB
2003 – John Danks, LHP, Round Rock (Tex.) HS, traded to Chicago White Sox for Brandon McCarthy, who is on injured list (Danks is 39-40 in three seasons with White Sox and considered a solid number 3 starter)
2004 – Thomas Diamond, RHP, University of New Orleans, 10th selection, out of baseball; Eric Hurley, RHP, Wolfson (Jacksonville, Fla.) HS, 30th selection, with Double-A Frisco (Texas farm team)
2005 – John Mayberry Jr., OF, Stanford, 19th selection, now playing with Triple-A Lehigh Valley (New York Yankees)
2006 – Kasey Kiker, LHP, Russell County (Ala.) HS, 12th selection, with Double-A Frisco (Texas farm team)
2007 – Blake Beaven, RHP, 17th selection, traded to Seattle in the Cliff Lee transaction; Michael Main, RHP, DeLand (Fla.) HS, 24th selection, traded to San Francisco in Bengie Molina deal, now with Double-A Richmond
2008 – Justin Smoak, 1B, 11th selection, traded to Seattle in the Cliff Lee transaction
2009 – Matt Purke, LHP, 14th selection, unsigned, attending Texas Christian University
In fact, those actually ON the Rangers’ active roster were supplemental picks, compensation for losing free agents the season prior. They include centerfielder Julio Borbon (35th selection in 2007 out of University of Tennessee) and pitcher Tommy Hunter (54h selection in 2007 out of University of Alabama) … and that’s IT!
The top choice for Texas in 1996, R.A. Dickey another Tennessee product), is in the rotation for the New York Mets after reworking his entire career by going to a knuckleball.
Last year’s supplemental first-round pick, Tanner Scheppers, is being nursed along at such a slow pace (only 60 innings in 19 appearances and he is a STARTER?!?), it isn’t known when he will be in the Rangers’ plan despite sitting at AAA Oklahoma City.
The third supplemental pick from 2007, pitcher Neil Ramirez, has not advanced above Single A Hickory while Borbon and Hunter are in their second seasons in The Show.
Such is the history of the Texas baseball Rangers. The Teixeira trade with Atlanta was one of the best in franchise history, bringing current All-Stars Elvis Andrus (SS) and Neftali Feliz (closer) plus starter Matt Harrison (spotty career at best) and catcher-1B Jarrod Saltalamacchia, a major disappointment who probably is not in the Rangers’ future plans –at least not at the present with a major throwing issue.
But Teixiera did help the Braves make the playoffs, as he did the following year as a free agent signing with the Angels and then with the Yankees. Pena, the “future” first baseman back in 1996, spent a journeyman career with Texas, Detroit and Oakland before catching fire in Tampa and leading the Rays to the 2008 World Series.
The Lee acquisition should prove positive for Texas, but as was demonstrated in his debut Saturday night, the Ballpark is a jet stream to the alleys in the summer heat. Even lousy hitting teams like Baltimore can get lucky and Arlington has been Lee’s un-friendliest confines to pitch. Unless he can consistently throw ground ball outs, he CAN be somewhat hittable.
But it was a hoot to see The Anointed One (by the Dallas media) outdueled completely by a 22-year-old rookie for the O’s – Chris Tillman. Losing three in a row to Baltimore should take some starch out of the Rangers’ collars going into the All-Star break.
Only time, and the vicious summer weather in North Texas (the worst in the major leagues in terms of heat and wear-and-tear), will decide if this trade pays off. With the ownership question as muddied as the Gulf of Mexico from the BP spill, it appears that the Rangers management is very much mortgaging the future to win this season … because no one knows exactly what will happen NEXT season. Hell, there’s no guarantee the franchise even stays in North Texas. You just never know and predicting the future in Arlington is not a wise thing.
P.S. – Lee wearing a Rangers uniform to that game doesn’t seem proper; his selection was based on his Mariner outings – not Texas. It’s just wrong.

Miami wins LeBron sweepstakes

I'll make this short and sweet: LeBron James' choice of the Miami Heat to play basketball for the next 5-6 years is great for South Beach but bad, overall, for the NBA. The concentration of so much talent, for so ridiculous of a price, does NOT insure a NBA for LBJ, or improve on the man's "legacy" or "marketability."
What it has done, plus the sign-and-trade of former Dallas high school star Chris Bosh and the resigning (for the maximum dollar amount) of Dwayne Wade, is make a mockery of the league's salary cap and free agent system; emasculate the NBA owners' bitching about out-of-control salary structure and destroy the franchises in Toronto and Cleveland and other cities (LA Clippers, for example, might as well give up NOW).
It says that money, not the draft, is the ONLY way to success and the more that is spent, the greater chance of championships. Hopefully, every NBA fan, outside of South Florida, will root against that notion and against the Heat.
Unlike baseball, where dynasties have centered on 2-3 teams, and MLB has often been about the Yankees and everyone else, the NBA has benefitted from a sense of parody among teams, involving more fans in other cities for a chance at victory. True, the LA Lakers and Boston Celtics have won the last four titles but each squad has remade itself and only gotten better through smart drafting (the Boston triplets aren't as comparable to the Heat new trio).
But no one in Cleveland or Toronto has a reason to attend a home game, other than to go boo the Miami roster. The death march is on for both franchises and it would NOT shock me if either moved or changed ownership ASAP.
Of course, there is no guarantee that Miami will win a damn thing. It would be a sort of cruel justice if it never happened because this is NOT a natural fit. Just because they played well together on the Olympic squad does not mean it transfers to an 82-game schedule plus the playoffs. Miami has no center, no backup point guard or shooters - and to get some will only come at minimum salary offerings. Meaning the scrap heap.
The NBA is a better product when there are stars spread among almost ALL its teams - not merely concentrated on 2-3 squads. Ultimately, it de-legitimizes the regular season and cheapens results.
So pardon me if I don't get excited. Good luck Mr. James and company; I hope it doesn't work out.

It’s MY castle; not an HOA’s

Author’s Note: This is the original, unabridged version of the column published in the July 4 edition of Community Opinions, the Dallas Morning News.
“A man’s home is his castle,” a well-worn adage, is heard more often than “the check’s in the mail” or “I’ll call you back later.” Sadly, in some cases, it’s a statement as untrue as any uttered among us.
Some state laws hold that concept to be true; it’s your castle if an unwanted intruder invaded your property with a gun in hand and you use your legally-registered weapon to defend yourself – even with lethal force. Even anti-gun advocates have understood such thinking. But when the intruder goes through the courts and takes the property with a pen, it’s NOT your castle and you have little say about it. After all, because of various factors (such as the all-mighty dollar), it’s acceptable behavior.
The very existence of homeowner associations should be outlawed in Texas, but, because of the overwhelming influence of major political donors (including major Texas homebuilders, who create the HOAs), we’re left to read about such travesties that befell the Clauer family of Frisco.
Their $315,000 home, which was mortgage-free, was sold out from under them (for $150,000, but really for around $3,200) by their HOA (Heritage Hills) because the family was past due on its HOA “dues.” Mind you, the utilities, taxes and other basic debts were current, but that didn’t matter. And the head of the household was serving in Iraq at the time (compounding the tragedy by moving this story to a despicable level).
Personally, I don’t want to hear one peep from HOA defenders about unread notices and “she should’ve known better.” Hey, you have a spouse (National Guard Capt. Michael Clauer) go to a foreign land and put his/her life in danger every hour and see how well you deal with that stress! Only the most callous among you would spout “a deal is a deal.” How cold-blooded can you and the HOA be? It’s just a “club,” albeit on steroids; and clubs – non-taxing, non-governmental entities, like an HOA – shouldn’t have the power of foreclosure – period! Even in federal bankruptcy, one’s home is protected, but not from predatory practices and collusion between overbearing HOAs and the kind of home flippers scheming to “get rich quick” by making such deals. According to the Morning News (June 28, 2010 edition), the same buyer and new owner (Mark Disani and Jad Aboul-Jibin) have teamed up on several occasions, all involving the same HOA. As they say, near the bay, something smells fishy here.
These practices should be illegal under federal fair housing laws. To force someone to sign such an HOA pact, or else be barred from lawfully purchasing that property, is blatant discrimination.
Grosse Pointe, one of the more exclusive suburbs of Detroit, once employed a “numbers” system for homebuyers. If one had too many “points” in the disclosure process (and the highest amounts were reserved for “objectionable” area such as race and religion in their version of a credit rating), the sale would not be approved. It was done simply to keep “those kinds of people” out of the neighborhood for no other reason than skin color or who worshiped where. It’s being repeated all across Texas.
“Pay up or else” is not in the spirit of what this country, or state, should be about. Such attitudes and practices are immoral and unethical, but apparently very Texan. I hope the Clauers regain their home and other citizens become enraged enough to force their legislators to change the law and begin favoring the average homeowner over rich homebuilders.
Perhaps the Tea Partiers should direct their considerable anger where it needs to go – those living their neighboring castles!
-----
The following is an addendum, further explaining my position on HOAs and other notes concerning this situation.
Simply put – foreclosure for nonpayment of “dues” should be outlawed; a lien would be acceptable. But to be able to take action because someone’s truck has a sticker on it, or there’s a boat someone else doesn’t like, or a political sign is placed in a yard supporting an unpopular candidate (which have ALL happened in this state) in totally immoral.
Under NO circumstances should an HOA be allowed to foreclose on a property it does not own and it owns nothing. An HOA is just an ASSOCIATION; but in Texas, such overreaching powers exist.
People really need to see how all that money spread in Austin – ALL for Republicans – buys lots of influence and a good amount of favored laws. Since the homebuilders established the subdivision and all its frills and whistles; IT should retain some measure of responsibility for what it created. God knows they made enough money off a fully built-out plan and in some cases, enough funds to grease the palms of every politico.
I believe each individual owner has the right to do with his/her property what they wish to do with it, barring violation of city/county codes. They PAID for that right and freedom. And forcing someone to sign an HOA and fork over MORE, just to live at that property, than the sale price is discrimination.
Some of the responses I received by e-mail simply demonstrated the kind of blindness that comes with too much suburban excess and the concept that their “world” is the only one that exists ... or should exist. To ask me who, but for the poor little HOA, will clean pools or cut grass or provide street lights (isn’t that the city’s job?) or maintain anything when homes are being seized over DUES is laughable to me. These are the same people who think that dropping a can at a food drive will actually SOLVE hunger or homelessness and that they’ve “done something.” They have NO clue.
What’s more important? Pools and perfectly-mowed grass OR the emotional protection of a family and the physical protection of this country? Barking dogs and junk cars and a boat? ALL of that should be, and is ALWAYS, covered by code and standards are set forth by the governing city. What the HOA does is duplication in that area and adding FAR more restrictive caveats that more often than not become personal intrusions above an individual’s freedom and liberties.
Golf course fees should go toward course maintenance, not some nebulous DUES. As for pools, if I were to use that facility, I’d pay for the privilege; if I don’t want to pay, I don’t get to use it. But it should NOT be forced upon me!
And I’m SOOOOOOOO tired of hearing about how this and that affects “property values” – the single most over-used politically correct term improperly employed these days. Scores of other factors determine value, and ONLY matters when the property comes up for sale. Otherwise it’s meaningless if you plan to live there for a long period of time. At THAT point, time determines value.
As to this particular situation some added thoughts:
Certified mail is too flimsy of a notification method. The law only stipulates that a certified letter be SENT, but acknowledgement of receipt is NOT required by law (which is strictly ass-backwards). Meaning all that must be done is to send a letter and nothing stating it has to be received. And with the history of the postal service, delivery is NOT guaranteed nor is notification all that prevalent. I NEVER get a notice that a package is waiting at my local postal office if and when an unsuccessful delivery attempt has been made (hence I have NO knowledge of such an attempt).
While it might be seen, at best, as distasteful to profit from someone else’s misery, house flipping is not illegal. DiSanti is probably a student/graduate of all those infomercials on getting rich through real estate which LAUD such practices as home flipping foreclosed properties. If he bought and sold four homes with the same profit margin, he made around $500,000 in just that short amount of time. All those mousse-haired geeks with the trophy wives and huge yachts did the same damn thing and it is all OK because homebuilders WANT it that way.
Of course, not everything can be auto-debited; hell, my electrical provider requires a written check. Makes no sense but it happens that way. Perhaps the HOA in question doesn’t do that and there could be other undisclosed reasons why the Clauers were behind on dues.
And none of the responders bothered to hold an ounce of sympathy for the wife, suffering from depression, probably rendering her unable to properly function. How sad that there’s no empathy when their spouse is in a place where he can be killed at a moment’s notice. The real pathetic part is how none of the neighbors seemed to give a shit about this family. Shameful!
Yes, the military component IS important and no one has bothered to ask this: why were the Clauers behind on “dues?” Could that have been military-related too? But all the HOA defenders completely missed my point! You cannot STEAL someone’s property over unpaid DUES.
Because HOA boards are NOT subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act, because “public money” is not involved, exactly HOW do homeowners get informed about meetings? Boards are NOT then required to publicize such meetings, adhere to quorums, etc., or even conduct business in a “legal” or ethical fashion. Frankly, most people don’t know HOW to hold a proper meeting. And once the homebuilder exits and leaves the subdivision to its “owners,” what if things change? Like the economy? Or standards? etc.
If homeowners wish to gather ... voluntarily ... to make their community better by voluntarily agreeing to maintaining a level of standards, that’s fine. To seize someone’s house goes beyond the pale.
To force agreement to HOA membership before permitting purchase is clearly blatant discrimination – it’s a way to PREVENT certain people from buying homes in certain places. It has become obvious to me that this is a way to skirt the federal Fair Housing Act and it should be outlawed.
This is NOT an isolated case; there have been other foreclosures in other communities with service personnel overseas. While space limited the discussion as printed in the Morning News, there is an awful smell of collusion between the HOA (or its management firm), the home flipper and new home owner – the fourth such flip within this HOA involving ALL those parties.
Finally, all politics are truly local. The now-famous Tea Party movement gets practically rabid about matters in Washington over which it has almost no control. BUT ... matters closer to home – such as runaway budgets within school districts, ridiculous salaries paid to administrators, lack of amenities for municipalities, local highway repairs and construction, tolling free roadways, etc. and, yes, HOAs – don’t seem to grab the same headlines or study time.
Yet local citizens and local voting would have a far greater impact upon peoples’ lives than the outcome of a single state representative race. That is why this issue – a man’s control over his OWN property – should become a Tea Party priority. If it would, I’d have more respect for such a movement unless ... the Tea Partiers and the HOAs enablers are one and the same.
But it doesn’t change my stance on HOAs; they are a pox upon society – a symbol of suburbia gone mad. Foreclosure is immoral, akin to outright thievery, and should and MUST be outlawed in this state which professes to love liberty and freedom so much.
It’s time for homeowners to be heard and followed instead of rich homebuilders.

All-Star selections still need refining

Same time, every year; same complaint, every year. In one week, the annual baseball All-Star game will be played (this time in Anaheim), and the same complaints are heard about who is and who isn’t a member of each league’s roster.
To baseball fans, it matters because this all-star affair actually IS a game with a determinable outcome, often with spectacular plays and with something tangible (although it should not be) on the line.
Let’s go with what we know. Here is the starting lineup for the National League:
Yadier Molina, C, St. Louis; Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis; Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia; David Wright, 3B, New York Mets; Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida; Ryan Braun, Milwaukee, Jason Heyward, OF, Atlanta, Andre Ethier, Los Angeles.
Utley is injured and will not participate in the game, replaced by Atlanta’s Martin Prado.
Phillies’ manager Charlie Manuel chose an entire staff of right-handers (except for 40-year-old Arthur Lee Rhodes of Cincinnati, making it as a sentimental first-time All-Star choice in his 20th season), including starters Roy Halladay, Philadelphia, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, St. Louis, Yovani Gallardo, Milwaukee, Tim Hudson, Atlanta, Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado, Josh Johnson, Florida, Tim Lincecum, San Francisco, and relievers Matt Capps, Washington, Evan Meek, Pittsburgh, Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Brain Wilson, San Francisco.
The reserves are Brian McCann, C, Atlanta; Ryan Howard, 1B, Philadelphia; Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, San Diego; shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado (but he’s injured and was replaced by New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes); Brandon Phillips, 2B, Cincinnati; Scott Rolen, 3B, Cincinnati; outfielders Michael Bourn, Houston, Marlon Byrd, Chicago Cubs, Corey Hart, Milwaukee, Matt Holliday, St. Louis, Chris Young, Arizona, and utility player Omar Infante, Atlanta.
The American League starters (with one addition at DH) are:
Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota; Justin Morneau, 1B, Minnesota; Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees; Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees; Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay; outfielders Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle, Josh Hamilton, Texas, Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay; and designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero, Texas.
Yankee manager Joe Girardi picked 13 hurlers (five lefties) including starters CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes of the Yankees, Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester from Boston, Trevor Cahill of Oakland, Fausto Carmona of Cleveland, Cliff Lee of Seattle, David Price of Tampa Bay, and relievers Neftali Feliz, Texas, Matt Thornton, Chicago White Sox, Joakim Soria, Kansas City, Jose Valverde, Detroit, and, of course, Mariano Rivera, Yankees.
Reserves include Victor Martinez, C, Boston (injured and replaced by John Buck, Toronto); Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit; Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston (also injured and replaced by Ian Kinsler of Texas); Elvis Andrus, SS, Texas; Alex Rodriguez, 3B, Yankees, Adrian Beltre, 3B, Boston; designated hitter David Ortiz, Boston; outfielders Torri Hunter, Los Angeles Angels, Vernon Wells and Jose Bautista, Toronto, and utility infielder Ty Wigginton, Baltimore.
Now … this selection process is made complicated by three factors – all teams MUST have at least one (1) representative on the All-Star team; injuries that have removed certain players from the game, forcing the managers to make alternative picks (often leaving deserving players at home) and the expansion of rosters by Major League Baseball in order to force a winner of the affair (because World Series home field is stupidly at stake).
This year, there is a FOURTH factor – any pitcher throwing on Sunday before the All-Star Game can’t pitch in the Mid-Summer Classic. So even MORE last second replacements will be named, further watering down the honor.
That said, several injustices have taken place. The fans’ selections, for the most part, are laudable – no complaints there except for Jason Heyward, who shouldn’t start but should be on the squad.
There are too many unforgiveable snubs and here’s who they are:
Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati – Yes I know there are too many good first basemen in the National League (and junior circuit as well), but with the Reds’ success, Votto is a legitimate MVP candidate. If an All-Star team cannot make room for the Vottos of the game, it ain’t worth playing.
Mat Latos/Heath Bell, pitchers, San Diego – Let me see; the best pitching staff in MLB has NO representatives on it? Absurd. Both need to be on the staff instead of Meek (but no Pirate deserves a thing) and (yes) Tim Lincecum (his 2010 stats don’t measure up to Latos OR Bell).
Mike Pelfrey, SP, Mets – Add Pelfrey, at 10-2, 2.93 ERA and 1.29 WHIP to the list. It will take an injury or Sunday start to shoehorn his way into the game.
Juan Uribe, INF, SF – Uribe is at least a full-time starter at three different infield slots (3B, SS, 2B). Infante doesn’t even play full-time and his selection is the cruelest joke of them all!!!!!! His choice denigrates the entire affair.
Andy Pettitte, SP, Yankees – Unless he begged off the list, no way Pettitte should NOT have been included, even if it meant four Yankees on the staff. They ALL deserve it, far above either Clay Buchholz OR Jon Lester of the Red Sox (pick one, but not both).
Jered Weaver, SP, Angels – This guy leads the AL in strikeouts with 124 and is carrying the entire team, pitching-wise, and keeping the Halos in the AL West chase. He is 8-3, 2.82 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. Unjustifiable that he is NOT an All-Star. He might make it because Buchholz is about to go on the DL.
Howie Kendrick, 2B, Angels – Kendrick (7 HRs, 50 RBI, .271) should have been the replacement for Pedroia, not Texas’ Kinsler, who only began HIS season in June. Another sham!
Brennan Boesch, OF, Detroit – I could make a good argument for teammate Magglio Ordonez, but this Tiger rookie is smashing up the AL with a .345 average, 12 HRs and 46 RBI … all since May! He’s the runaway winner for Rookie of the Year and deserves inclusion.
Kevin Youkilis, 1B-3B, Boston – Another major injustice! Sorry, Adrian Beltre is having a fine season but Youkilis is an MVP candidate … AGAIN! Look at Boston’s injury situation and the constant remains Youkilis, who should be on the roster, period, instead of David Ortiz! That’s a crime.
Again, there’s a week to go and there will be several players begging OFF and bowing out due to injury. Perhaps there can be some justice but it will be second-rate.

Showing the true side of Republican bigotry

As the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan - as vanilla a person as has ever been been put forth for the high court in the land - some of the panel's Republican mmbers continue to demonstrate their granite-head attitude towards African-Americans while, all the time, acting as if they have no clue over why the GOP garners nearly ZERO support from that voting base.
The answer is simple: too many Republican legislators, such as Senators Jeff Sessions, John Cornyn and Jon Kyl, demonstrate covert (and in Sessions' case an OVERT example) attitude of racism. It happens through stupid, critical and negative statements about iconic personalities and figures among African-Americans.
In the past, it has been Martin Luther King Jr. or others whom they view as "dangerous" or today's nom de jour "activist."
This week, it's Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court judge and lead attorney in a case considered one of the greatest and far-reaching decision in the Court's history - Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Instead of finding what cannot be found - things to criticize Ms. Kagan about (other than her living quarters and ... background, including religion although if THAT were ever made public, it would be the ruination of the GOP) - these Republican blowhard go after Marshall, one of the greatest lawyers EVER in U.S. history (who's next? Clarence Darrow?) ... and with Marshall's son sitting in the damn gallery. How rude; how ignorant; how insensitive ... how REPUBLICAN!
But all these thoughts were produced Tuesday (June 29) in the Washington Post by columnist Dana Milback:

Kagan may get confirmed, but Thurgood Marshall can forget it
Oppo researchers digging into Elena Kagan's past didn't get the goods on the Supreme Court nominee -- but As confirmation hearings opened Monday afternoon, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee took the unusual approach of attacking Kagan because she admired the late justice Thurgood Marshall, for whom she clerked more than two decades ago.
"Justice Marshall's judicial philosophy," said Sen. Jon Kyl (Ariz.), the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, "is not what I would consider to be mainstream." Kyl -- the lone member of the panel in shirtsleeves for the big event -- was ready for a scrap. Marshall "might be the epitome of a results-oriented judge," he said.
It was, to say the least, a curious strategy to go after Marshall, the iconic civil rights lawyer who successfully argued Brown vs. Board of Education. Did Republicans think it would help their cause to criticize the first African American on the Supreme Court, a revered figure who has been celebrated with an airport, a postage stamp and a Broadway show? The guy is a saint -- literally. Marshall this spring was added to the Episcopal Church's list of "Holy Women and Holy Men," which the Episcopal Diocese of New York says "is akin to being granted sainthood."
With Kagan's confirmation hearings expected to last most of the week, Republicans may still have time to make cases against Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Gandhi.
Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.), the ranking Republican on the panel, branded Marshall a "well-known activist." Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said Marshall's legal view "does not comport with the proper role of a judge or judicial method." Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) pronounced Marshall "a judicial activist" with a "judicial philosophy that concerns me."
As the Republicans marshaled their anti-Marshall forces, staffers circulated to reporters details of the late justice's offenses: "Justice Marshall endorsed 'judicial activism,' supported abortion rights, and believed the death penalty was unconstitutional."
The problem with this line of attack is that Marshall was already confirmed by the Senate -- in 1967. He died in 1993. In the audience Monday, his son, Thurgood "Goody" Marshall Jr., sat two rows behind the nominee and listened with amusement to the assaults on his father.
"I was a little surprised," said Goody Marshall. "He would've probably had the same reaction I did: It's time to talk about Elena."
But talking about Elena is boring. Her credentials and her lack of a paper trail make her confirmation a virtual certainty. Further aiding her has been the steady flow of distraction, from the gulf oil spill to the death Monday of Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.). Most lawmakers, before addressing themselves to Kagan, delivered brief Byrd eulogies; Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), introducing Kagan to the panel, offered this illogical wish: "I'd like to express my heartfelt condolences to Senator Byrd and his family for the loss that they've suffered."
The lack of a coherent attack on the nominee became apparent when Cornyn began his opening statement with a quotation that he said he received in an e-mail: "Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. Liberty is a man of war, and we're all the crew."
"I don't know why I thought of that," Cornyn told the perplexed audience.
Kagan, who once lamented the "vapid" nature of confirmation hearings, was determined to maximize her chances by being as vapid as possible. She read her banal opening statement so slowly that a bipartisan wave of yawns and eye-rubbing hit the dais.

"A confirmation hearing," ventured Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), "has the potential to be like eating spaghetti with a spoon: It's a lot of work, and it's hard to feel satisfied at the end."
It's also messy -- as the attacks on Marshall demonstrated.
Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), at the start, recalled Kagan's clerkship for Marshall and noted that Marshall's son was in the audience.
But Republicans saw trouble in this Marshall fellow. "In 2003, Ms. Kagan wrote a tribute to Justice Marshall in which she said that, 'in his view, it was the role of the courts in interpreting the Constitution to protect the people who went unprotected by every other organ of government,' " Kyl complained.
Protecting the unprotected? Say it ain't so!
And that wasn't all. Kagan also emphasized Marshall's "unshakable determination to protect the underdog," Kyl said.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) offered a Marshall defense. "Some may dismiss Justice Marshall's pioneering work on civil rights as an example of empathy, that somehow as a black man who had been a victim of discrimination his feelings became part of his passionate life's work -- and I say, thank God," he said. Durbin held up a piece of paper documenting that the longtime NAACP lawyer and U.S. solicitor general won 29 of the 32 cases he argued before the Supreme Court.
When the speeches ended, Kagan, accepting hugs and handshakes from friends, spotted Thurgood Jr. "Goody!" she called out, giving him a hug. "How ya doin'?"
Goody is just fine -- and so remains the reputation of his sainted father.

Sessions, in particular, is a creep. He cast dispersions upon Sonia Sontamoyer's background for being Latina and never really apologized. He is only supportive of white Southerners, perferably male, and his criticism can only be viewed as petty, picky and puny, not just bigoted. Rejected by the same panel for a federal judgeship (he didn't even come close to that standard), he obviously suffers from short-man syndrome and enjoys pushing people around and make them as small as he.
Ala-fucking-bama (the perfect Joe Pesci description) deserves him, but the rest of the nation does not. Sadly, the Republicans embrace him whole-heartedly which tells one a great deal about that political party's perception of others.
They deserve to be destroyed by the Tea Party and left in ruins.

Standing with the brothers of South Louisiana

With apologies to William Shakespeare:
“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his sweat with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in South Louisiana now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon slaying BP for that horrid day.”
I stand with the people of South Louisiana and pray that TRUE justice, not just in the way of monetary compensation, but moral and appropriate justice be handed to those insensitive, insincere and incorrect that this land and marsh is NOT worth saving.
It shall not only be saved, but, if there IS a God in heaven above, will return stronger than ever while those wishing to watch yachts race (instead of showing a thimble of real sympathy for the “small people”), will be reduced to selling poor boudin by the side of a backwoods road.
I hope BP CEO Tony Heyward’s boat finds the bottom of the sea and takes Dick Cheney with it. I hope BP crashes and burns as a company because it lacks the moral fortitude and intestinal fiber to do the right damn thing (without being forced - almost at gunpoint - into such action).
I hope that idiot Republican Joe Barton loses his Congressional seat to some unknown ... and slinks back to Ennis, Texas and must be doomed to sell dot matrix printers for Commodore 64s for the rest of his life.
Finally, I hope people begin to be heard in the halls of power instead of the lobbyists with the biggest checks. I hope the spirit of the simplest verse in the Bible/Torah begins to guide corporations instead of greed – Do unto others as you would have do unto you.
It’s that simple. When you get help, give help.
By God.

The definition of OPEN government

I wish people had the same experience I encountered in 30 years of small-town journalism when it comes to government hiding itself and its actions from the public. It happens more frequently than it should and certainly more often than it rains around here.
Very few elected officials on city councils or school boards actually know the ins and outs of the Texas Open Meetings and Open Records Acts. They really don't WANT to learn about them either and, instead, rely on "legal counsel" or city attorneys, who often don't know those laws well enough either.
In fact, groups like the Texas Association of School Boards and Texas Municipal League are usually the ones behind attempts to weaken both laws because they don't want the public to closely scrutinize what they do. All too often they campaign about "being for the people" and then hide themselves from those very people.
To boil it down in simple terms, ANYTHING discussed in open session is subject to public disclosure - if a document, such as a budget, or memo, or other items that can be duplicated, is mentioned in public, it MUST (not could be, but MUST) be made available to ANYONE who requests it.
Now, sadly the law allows for loopholes to screen government entities from complying - there is a time frame to comply and there can be a "reasonable" charge placed on making those documents available. The reasonable part is up to the entity, which is just a dodge.
But there is NO limit on the number of documents that can be requested or the number of times a request can be made. Anything to the contrary is a violation of STATE law - not a local one.
Second, there are only limited circumstances under which an entity can go behind closed doors and discuss things away from the public - contracts, land negotiations, personnel, speaking with a legal representative. AND in NO way shape or form can ANY deliberations take place AND ALL this behind closed door discussion must either be transcribed by hand or audio/video recording. That transcription must be preserved in a vault if and when a judge requests it be produced. ANY violation of that is against STATE law (meaning fine and/or prison time). Oh yeah, it MUST be posted on the meeting's agenda prior to the meeting and the EXACT purpose must be clearly stated for the public to see (the agenda's posting must be in a place accessible to the public). Generalities don't cut it; it MUST be absolutely specific.
You just cannot call for an executive session in the middle of a meeting and have it be legal. Anything transacted AFTER an illegal closed session is null and void. That's been the old standard of open government for decades in Texas.
I cannot tell you the number of times both laws get violated in communities without strong media presence. And even then it happens all the darn time. Such is the nature and automatic mindset of small town pols.
Once a superintendent of a newly-consolidated school district called for an executive session to discuss ... mascots and school colors. Afterwards I cornered him and told him he used his one "get out of jail free" card and the next time, charges would be filed against him for state law violation.
In every community, there are so-called gadflys that appear at every meeting imaginable and fact-check every word uttered. Often they are off base but often they are spot-on and are part of the checks and balances needed to keep our democracy in line. They DO self a useful purpose, despite attitudes and behavior often seen as erratic.
Sometimes, in communities I've covered, the gadflys get elected and see it is not easy on the other side of the fence. I served on a city council for 2 years in a real small South Texas town and I discovered it was a lot harder to make certain decisions from that POV.
But for cities and schools to hide behind the skirts of the judiciary simply to avoid answering questions or producing public documents they KNOW will appear unfavorable to certain positions is cowardly, and yes, the city of Plano and its subsidiaries (including the Eco-Devo people AND the Arts of Collin County folks who are playing around with taxpayer money like it's just Monopoly pieces) are guilty of it when it comes to Jack Lagos.
I've seen much of his material and as a former reporter, it is quite legitimate to at least ask for a valid explanation - regardless of which side of this debate you sit. Even ACC supporters can respect that and if the explanation is satisfactory, it ends the questioning.
But hiding and dodging just makes it appear to be smoke and mirrors...as if there IS something to hide.
Open government benefits everyone but the elected do NOT get to set the definition of "Open" - the electorate DO!

Frozen double chocolate cream pie

I've posted it on my Facebook page and now on my blog. It's low in sugar and high in taste. Enjoy.
1 graham cracker or vanilla wafer crust (store-bought)
1 (4 oz.) pkg. instant sugar-free chocolate pudding mix (Jell-o brand)
1 cup 2% milk, 2 tbsp. milk
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (Kraft Philadelphia brand), softened in microwave
2 cups Cool Whip topping (the real deal, which is almost devoid of sugar), thawed
1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli is slightly better than Nestle’s)
In large bowl, mix pudding and 1 cup milk; stir until mixture is thick. Add softened cream cheese and continue to stir until thoroughly mixed.
In separate smaller bowl, add 4 ounces of chocolate chips with 2 tbsp. mile and microwave until melted (but NOT burned at all). Remove and add to chocolate pudding mixture; stir thoroughly, then add 1 ½ cups Cool Whip, stir until completely mixed and blended.
Pour mixture into graham cracker crust, smooth with spatula; over with remaining Cool Whip evenly over top of pie. Cover with original plastic lid from crust. Put into freezer for at least 4 hours.
When ready to serve, remove and thaw for 10 minutes. Serves 8.

Anorther Detroit childhood icon passes away

From today's (May 25) Detroit Free Press online edition

Ricky the Clown made generations of kids laugh

Family friend fondly recalls the amazing life of a Detroit legend
BY TOM PANZENHAGEN
FREE PRESS DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR
For a kid growing up in Detroit in the 1960s, it was better than going to the circus or the zoo. That's how I remember my family's visits to the home of Ricky the Clown.
Ricky -- born Irvin Romig -- died Sunday at age 90. It boggles the mind to think how many kids he made laugh in a lifetime of clowning. I was one of those kids, but luckier than most, because Irvin and my dad, Richard Panzenhagen, were best friends. They grew up under the same roof on Mt. Elliott in Detroit.
By 1960, my family had moved to the east side of Detroit; Irvin, his wife, Rose, and son, Chris, had moved to the faraway reaches of West 10 Mile Road. Driving to Southfield, a veritable wilderness in those days, was akin to driving Up North -- the Lodge Expressway wasn't even finished yet.
The Romigs' ranch-style home was across the street from WXYZ-TV's (Channel 7) Broadcast House, where Irvin performed on such programs as "The Ricky the Clown Show" and "Action Theater."
While their house was comfortable, the backyard was amazing. It was the biggest one I'd ever seen and, believe it or not, a llama lived back there. It didn't do much, but how many people do you know who have a llama in the backyard?
Irvin had go-karts for us kids to ride, and he'd haul grownups around in a contraption that resembled a paddy wagon hooked up to a tractor.
The basement was a kid's delight, a storehouse of props that had been used in the act over the years -- everything from toy guns to musical instruments to a gorilla outfit. The best part of any visit, though, was Irvin himself, who would slide easily into his Ricky persona to entertain guests.
I'll never forget his endless supply of gags and one-liners, or his over-the-top version of "Mammy." Mostly I'll remember the joy Irvin got from entertaining others. His laughter was infectious.
Ricky the Clown was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 2001, alongside the likes of Emmett Kelly and Red Skelton. Yet it's fair to say that Irvin Romig didn't achieve real stardom. His greatest legacy will be that he made generations of kids laugh. Luckily, I was one of those kids, and I had a front-row seat.

See "The Pacific" over Memorial Day on HBO

Attention! On Memorial Day Monday, May 31, Home Box Office has scheduled to air the brilliant miniseries "The Pacific," in its entirety, back--to-back, all 10 episodes in a row, starting at 2 p.m. (Eastern)/1 p.m. (Central).
If you have NOT seen it, you must! If yo've already seen it, see it again. It's THAT good!!!
That effort is why HBO stands head and shoulders above ALL other pay cable, or anything else, on television.
And I might suggest watching some of the outstanding documentaries on HBO's side channels (notable Signature), uncluding one called "Souting Fire" about the First Amendment and the various attacks on our freedom of speech and religion in this nation - sacrificing freedom for security. As Jefferson said, "When you sacrifice one, you get neither."

The Bristol Stomp

“The kids in Bristol are shape as a pistol when they do the Bristol Stomp!” – The Dovells, 1962

Bristol Palin, 19, has done absolutely nothing in her life that would warrant ANYONE paying her a dime to speak about anything. Yet, she’s about to hit the speaker circuit, at between $15,000-$30,000 a pop, to follow in her mother’s footsteps as someone getting paid with nothing concrete to say.
ALL this girl/woman has done in her short life is have teenage, unprotected sex with her then-(slug)boyfriend, give birth, NOT get married (before, during or after) and then get paraded around the country by her candidate mother, as a mere prop, for political purposes (the latter isn’t as immoral as it is disgusting).
So seeing how “Mama Grizzly” has chewed up the American scenery, little Bristol is trying to get wealthy herself … having done nothing worthy of getting wealthy. Like every other slacker of her generation.
Well, I guess welcome to the 21st century, Chuck, where your old fashioned concept of earning rewards through hard work just doesn’t apply.
Palin-lite is listed online on the speaking group, Single Source Speakers, website as “available for conferences, fundraisers, special events and holidays, as well as women’s, youth, abstinence (that’s rich!) and ‘pro-life’ programs. The fee will depend on the group and “what she must to do prepare.”
How about growing up in the first place?
This is how LOW this society has fallen. Her mother can only make millions throwing mud, aiming guns and acting like a shrew, which I imagine is now the new definition of the American success story. If so, give me the old days when you actually DID or MADE something in order to get rich.
Spreading your legs for the town teenage hockey hero, other in porn films, is NOT my idea of a success story that anyone should heart. Why can’t these Alaskan hillbillies go back to the doublewide they came from?

The face of politics' future?!

Is this a face only a "Mama Grizzly" could love ... or understand? Hey, Sarah, stop squinting or you get all those nasty age lines in your face that NO amount of regeneration makepu can hide!

Guys, this IS a MILF (Moron I'd Like to Forget - stolen from Bill Maher but oh so TRUE!)