SF Giants Sweep L.A.

Duck The Fodgers!

The San Francisco Giants are the Hot team in the NL West. Eight straight road wins, including three against the Fodgers. Yeah, those stinking Fodgers who caught the Giants as the season began and made life difficult for all. Guess it was time to return the favor, and what better way to do it than a three game sweep against the division leading Fodgers in Los Angeles. Well, the Fodgers ain't leading much of anything as of tonight, because the Giants hold the NL West lead. Our lead may only be a few percentage points, but heck, we'll rejoice in it.

Even Armando Benitez, the one Giants player who consistently gets booed at home, is now playing like the closer we'd hoped for. And Armando can thank the Fodgers for giving him back his confidence and fastball. Do I forsee "Please Marry Me Armando" placards around AT&T Park when the Giants return? Anything is possible in this season of downs and ups.

There's plenty more games to be played, but as of tonight, my Giants are sitting pretty atop the NL West after dethroning the Fodgers in L.A., Life is Good! Especially when you find your team at the broom handle end of a three game SWEEP!

Warriors Win Game 1 against Dallas

can you dig it?
Can You Dig It?
CAN YOU DIG IT?

"click on pic"

Don Nelson Coaching
Smothering Team Defense
Baron Davis - 33pts
Jason Richardson - Key Block on Fast Break
Matt Barnes - Dagger 3-pointer after J-Rich Block

Can You Count Suckers?

Final Score
Warriors 97
Mavericks 84

Cheerleader Blog?

Well don't just sit there with your mouse in hand looking like a starved netsurfing pervert. Click on the link to "The Professional Cheerleader Blog" and get your daily dose of sports spice. Seems April is known for more than just the NFL Draft. Cheerleader tryouts have already begun and you don't wanna miss the hot candidates now do you? Especially those candidates with little smarts, less talent but the best enhanced racks and collagen injected lipz money can buy. These Bikini Bimbos usually don't make it out of the first round of cuts, so you better catch'em quick.


Seriously though, this site dedicated to Professional Cheerleaders is a place to check out. Cheerleaders really do do more than just jump up and down at sporting events. They travel the globe raising funds and awareness for many charity foundations. They are ambassador-ettes of goodwill for sports.

So do try reading a bit about these vibrant women. Many are much more than just eye-candy. See Raiderettes tryout articles, April 20-21.

WARRIORS, COME OUT TO PLAY YAY!

Not the Warriors of 1980's Coney Island lore, but the Warriors of 2007 Oaktown fame are coming out to play in this season's NBA Playoffs.

We as Warriors fans are just happy to have made the playoffs, but it appears the team's sites are on winning in the Playoffs. And honestly, they're playing like a team that expects to win.

Watching them beat up on the second and third string Dallas Mavericks the other night and the Portland Trailblazers tonight convinced me that the Warriors believe they belong, and who's to say they don't. It may turn out that the biggest mistake the Mavericks made this season was allowing the Warriors to dominate them in their last regular season meeting. Because when the two teams meet in the first round of the Playoffs, the Warriors will start out believing they can't lose based on a 5-0 season record against the Mavericks.

So if I were Avery Johnson, coach of the Mavericks, I'd begin drilling my players on the importance of the Playoffs being a new season and quickly forgetting last season. The question is can they forget?

As for the Golden State Warriors, getting out of the first round and all the way to the Championship game could be as tough as fighting rival gangs from the Bronx to Coney Island. But again, this ain't your past years Warriors team. And compared to this Warriors team, all other NBA teams are "Just A Bunch Of Wimps."


Congratulations Golden State Warriors for making believers out of us all. They're not the same old warriors, not this year. Woe Nellie! Playoffs!

Prayers Go Out To Virginia Tech

Life On Earth Is But A Fluttering Gift, Precious and Very Fragile.

But Once Released To Journey Home, Our Souls Can't Wait To Travel.


May Their Journey Home Be As Beautiful As Their Arrival Here.

Enjoying Bay Area Sports

Fresh off a four hour Friday night baseball game where the Oakland A's played superbly in their 11 inning win over the New York Yankees, 5-4. The night was full of fans rooting for both teams at McAfee Coliseum. Though I'm a New Yorker by birth (Let's Go Mets), I had to go with my local A's team as they suprised us all with some very outstanding plays. I foresee the A's getting back to the playoffs with this years team, which seems to be even better than last years. They've got pitching, hitting and defense going for them.

As for the SF Giants, they're still climbing out of the hole they dug themselves into the first two weeks of the season. Friday's game resulted in a 8-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Barry Bonds hit home runs 736 & 737 to inch within 18 of tying Hank Aaron at 755.

The Golden State Warriors, The Playoff possible Golden State Warriors blew out their NorCal rival Sacramento Kings 125-108. They are currenly in a three-way tie for the 8th and final western division playoff spot. The team as a whole has turned it up a few notches and are playing some very inspired basketball. Though they're not in control of their playoff destiny, their chances are as good as any of the other three teams (Lakers, Clippers, Hornets) vying for the final spot. Just Win Baby!

The San Jose Sharks dropped a game to the Nashville Predators in Nashville last night, evening their best of seven NHL playoff series at 1-1. My understanding is that the two teams are both improved from last season and pretty evenly matched. Go Sharks!

My Oakland Raiders added another piece to their rebuilt offensive line in signing former Denver Bronco Cooper Carlisle. Now comes the draft.

After all the talk this week about radio/tv talk host IMUS making racially disturbing comments about the Rutgers Women's Basketball Players, we have a much more interesting and proud racial milestone in sports to recognize come Sunday. The day will mark the 60th anniversary of desegregation in major league baseball. Though we as Americans, especially African-Americans, should be proud of the steps major sports has taken the past 60 years to make ours the land of Freedom, Justice and Opportunity for All athletes, we can't sit back and think we've arrived at that goal today. Our attitudes about ourselves and each other in this salad bowl we call the U.S.A must continually work toward tolerance, acceptance and understanding of our differences as well as our similarities. Hopefully athletes like Tiger Woods, Dana Patrick and even the Rutgers women's basketball players are inspiring today's generation of young aspiring athletes to strive forward and knock down obstacles that once stood in the way of those who came before them.

I've never quoted Barry Bonds, and I probably won't find myself ever again quoting Barry, but for me as an African-American male who loves baseball, he summed up the feelings I have about the Jackie Robinson 60th anniversary of breaking the color barrier in professional baseball. When asked what Robinson meant to him, Bonds said:

"What does it mean to all African American athletes? But I don't think only African American athletes should be answering the question. I think baseball should be answering the question as well. Some of the white ballplayers should be answering that question as well, not just African American ballplayers. We already know what it means to us. We've answered that question over and over."

Of course those biased against Barry might misunderstand his meaning, but I, and I'm sure many African-Americans understand and applaud Barry's reply.

Barry plans to wear No. 42 in Sunday's game against the Pirates, in honor of Jackie Robinson.

Almost forgot our San Jose Sabercats of the Arena Football League, they were friday night victims of the New Orleans VooDoo, losing 67-54. I'd never heard of the VooDoo until Friday. I just can't imagine what their team logo looks like, nor their team mascot. Gotta be something with a skull or crossbones. Whatever the image, they had the magic potion going for them on Friday, even if it was black magic potion.

Killer Looks!

After signing Cooper I thought maybe I'd take a look at one of those depression era gangsters. Sorry Coop, you may look the part but "Baby Face" Nelson was truly a killer. Took 17 bullets to take him down and he still lasted a few hours. Here's the headline:

George "Baby Face" Nelson (Lester Joseph Gillis)December 6, 1908 - November 27, 1934
The most violent member of the Dillinger gang, Nelson was credited with killing several men, including three D.O.I. special agents. He may even have been a gunman for the Chicago Syndicate. Nelson was shot 17 times during a gun battle with special agents in Barrington, Illinois. He died several hours later at a house in Niles Center, now called Skokie, Illinois.

Be On The Lookout For This Offender

Alright, don't go calling in on the Amber Alert just yet. I know the picture above looks murderesque, but please don't be alarmed.

Its only newly signed Oakland Raiders Offensive Tackle Cooper Carlisle. The four year veteran comes over to the Silver & Black after learning how to chop block in Denver. Its okay though, as they say, no harm no foul. And besides, he's now a Raider.

The Raiders new coaching staff are revamping the offensive line with experienced yet young players. Cooper C., the former Gator, has also shown he can catch those red zone touchdowns; he's scored one for Denver.

To be honest, if his style of play can match that criminally insane bipolar look of his, our 'O'-line will be impregnable this coming season. I watch enough horror and gangster movies to recognize that blank, empty look of a psycho. He's Michael Myers (without the hockey mask) and Machine Gun Kelly rolled into one.

Welcome to the Oakland Raiders Cooper C., you animal. Now go get'em boy!

Sorry bout the Amber comment Coop, but you did just leave Denver.

The Butcher of Hanover

As I love to pick up old books and browse through their pages, I discovered one this weekend that mentioned the horrors of a early 1920's serial killer. I confess, being a horror movie buff I've often wondered just what makes a serial killer tick? or explode might be the more appropriate term. I've read quite a few case studies that go from suggesting cruel parents to traumatic childhood experiences, to traumas of war as the cause. Truth is we may never know.

Most of us today know of Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dalmer as two of the scariest and most abominable serial killers of the past century. Bundy because he was so normal looking and acting, and Dalmer because he ate the flesh of some of his victims. But.........what if I told you about THEE serial killer? The one whose actions actually coined the phrase "Serial" killer?

His name was Friedrich Haarmann (known as Fritz) and the place and time were ripe for such a monster. It was Post WWI Germany and Fritz was on the prowl. What puts Fritz at the top of the Serial Killer chart is not that he killed with abandon or that he killed some of his victims by biting them through their throat, but that his meat packing enterprise sold the flesh of his victims to post-war German citizens suffering from economic and social chaos. That is surely a crime against humanity and a crime which fittingly had newspapers of the day dubbing him "The Butcher of Hanover." Kind of reminds me of the Twilight Zone episode "To Serve Man."


Excerpt from the book "The Victims by Jack Gratus, describing the times, the crime and the criminal:

After the First World War Germany suffered from economic and social chaos. Families were broken up as men drifted away from the small villages and towns to the larger cities in search of work. All the security they had ever known had been totally destroyed. Hanover railway station was one of the main receiving centres for this large drifiting population of the unemployed.

Into this crowd of lonely homeless men came Fritz Haarmann, a man who by 1919 had been convicted many times for indecent assault, burglary, pickpocketing and petty fraud. His father had tried twice to have him certified insane. In 1918, after a five-year sentence for theft, he took to smuggling and made enough money to set himself up in respectable lodgings. A homosexual, Haarmann offered comfort, friendship and the security of a decent home to the young boys hanging about the station. But the security did not last long. Soon after they had been brought to his lodgings Haarmann would kill his victims - at least twenty-seven of them - some by biting them through their throats. Their carcasses were then cut up and sold through Haarman's meat-smuggling enterprise to the unwary but hungry public. In a few cases parents came from the distant homes to complain about their missing sons, but the police could only shrug and point to the never-ending stream of drifters coming daily into Hanover. The missing boys could be anywhere; they might not even be in the city.

At last, however, the reports, together with the discovery of human remains close to Haarmann's home, made the police suspicious. After being closely watched by detectives, he was arrested for indecency. He then decided to CONFESS. In December 1924 he was sentenced to death by decapitation.

See: Crime Library-The Butcher of Hanover

Also see: Albert Fish, a "Real" Hanibal Lecter. What I remember reading about Albert Fish is that when they first tried electrocuting him in the electric chair it shorted out. Albert had confessed to sticking metal pins into his groin for sadistic gratification. Xrays had already confirmed that some pins were still inside his body, between rectum and scrotum, causing a short in the first electrical surge. Unfortunately, the sick bastard probably enjoyed the fatal second jolt of juice.

Excerpt from Crime Library on Albert Fish:
Fish was not happy with the verdict, but the prospect of being electrocuted had its appeal to him. A Daily News reporter wrote, "his watery eyes gleamed at the thought of being burned by a heat more intense than the flames with which he often seared his flesh to gratify his lust."

I SMELL A RAT! A Lying, Stinking Rat!

Here's a story that just gives one more reason why we should dread being placed in or placing a loved one in a nursing home. I know all places that assist the elderly with daily living activities aren't bad, but it only takes one (alleged) incident such as this to rekindle the horrors that we imagine takes place in these facilities.

The Headline: Lawsuit alleges dead rat found in dementia patient's mouth

The Allegation: Staffing was so inadequate at a California senior center that a rat crawled into an Alzheimer's patient's mouth and died there before staff noticed

The Facility: Paragon Gardens Assisted Living and Memory Care Community in Mission Viejo,Ca

The Lawsuit: overbooking of their facility to receive corporate bonuses while cutting back on staff to increase profits

The Defense:
A. Glue Traps
B. Field Mouse
C. Dementia = False Allegation

The Facility's Track Record:

1. Troy Nelms wandered from Paragon and was never found. He is presumed dead and his family has sued the facility

2. Six clients were injured and one died after improper care

Add to all this; "Revoking of Licenses, State Barring of employee contact, Anonymous Snitching, and the kicker..........RAT POiSoN, makes this case one for the Ages.

What trained professional would put Rat Poison in the room of a patient suffering from demetia? Thank goodness the patient survived and suffers from memory loss. I do wonder if the lawyer is seeking dollars or justice out of this case? Maybe its best the victim suffers from dementia; rats, poison and lawyers all have one thing in common, they can all drive a sane person insane.

I suppose it could be worse, the facility could reside in Iraq with bombs and missiles raining down on them. Of course the lawyer would then need a retainer deposited into his swiss account before talking with his client. What A World!

For the FULL story here's the link: Dead Rat Lawsuit

Passing of a Coaching Legend

Legendary Grambling State Football Coach Eddie Robinson passed away on Tuesday, he was 88 years old.

He was affectionately known simply as "Coach" throughout college football. During his tenure, Robinson established himself as the winningest coach in college football history becoming the first coach to record 400 wins. Robinson retired with a record of 408 wins, 165 losses and 15 ties. Even during the era of segregation in the American South, Robinson's talent was praised by many white coaches, especially by the legendary Bear Bryant of the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.

The following is a statement from Ms. Doris Robinson, wife of legendary Grambling State University football coach Eddie G. Robinson, who passed away at the age of 88 on Tuesday, April 3, 2007:

“The many expressions of support, sympathy, and gratitude that we have received from all over the country have been overwhelming. I truly appreciate each and every person, so many of whom we have never met, who has said such kind and inspiring words about Eddie, his legacy, and our family.

“Our love and admiration for Eddie were unyielding, as was Eddie’s for his immediate family and his extended Grambling family. Eddie was the consummate husband, father, teacher, leader, role model, and, most of all, the greatest of Americans.

“Words cannot express the loneliness that I will feel without my beloved Eddie. However, I realize, and the immediate family realizes, the greatness that Eddie contributed to our society. He will forever fill our hearts, minds, and souls.”

Funeral arrangements for Coach Robinson are as follows:

Coach Robinson will lie in state in the Louisiana State Capital Rotunda in Baton Rouge, La., on Monday, April 9, from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Family visiting hours will be held on Tuesday, April 10 from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at New Rocky Valley Baptist Church on 2155 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. in Grambling, La.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, April 11, beginning at 11:00 a.m. in the Assembly Center on the campus of Grambling State University (across from Robinson Stadium). Internment will be at Memorial Gardens in Grambling, La.

In lieu of flowers, it is the Robinson family’s wishes that donations be made to the Friends of the Eddie G. Robinson Museum. Those wishing to contribute may call 1-866-WINS-408 or log on to www.robinsonmuseum.com and donate online. Contributors may also mail a donation to the Friends of the Eddie G. Robinson Museum at P.O. Box 550 Grambling, LA 71245.

For more information contact:

Dave Whinham, 1-866-484-3832

John Belton, 318-680-6904

Coach Wilbert Ellis, 318-614-8716

Carolyn Collier, 318-791-9287

Tennesse Vols win NCAA Women's Basketball Championship

Since I didn't watch the game I really shouldn't comment on it. So I won't.

Congratulations Pat Summitt and the Tennessee Lady Vols on winning the 2007 NCAA Basketball Championship.

Final Score

Tennessee 59
Rutgers 46

NCAA Men's Championship Game

Opening tipoff of the NCAA Championship game between defending champion Florida Gators and the Ohio State Buckeyes was the suspense filled moment of the evening. All the questions about whether the gators could chomp down on another championship or whether the buckeyes could dethrone them came down to this defining moment, the tipoff. All the suspenseful specualation has come to a head in this one revealing moment. The ball is tossed, the whistle blows, the game has begun.

Anything and everything that happened afterward will go down in sports lore, as good defense, clutch three point shooting, courageous coaching and team hustle deservingly produced a second (back-to-back) championship trophy for the Florida Gators. And though Ohio State played as good a game as any against the Gators, they were unable to catch up once Secretariat took the lead and began his gallop toward the line. The Finish Line that is!

Final Score

Florida 84
Ohio St. 75


ATLANTA - APRIL 02: Head coach Billy Donovan of the Florida Gators cuts down the net after his team defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes during the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game at the Georgia Dome on April 2, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)


Congratulations Florida Gators on winning the 2007 NCAA Basketball Championship to go along with your 2007 NCAA Football Championship. A Historic Achievement Indeed.