And the Winner is: guetapens

Come'on Man, don't tell me none of you sports fans know what the word guetapens means?  I'll give you a hint; almost all major sports have a play that utilizes it in some way. 
........


Sorry, your times up.  If you'd tuned into the 2012 Scripps Spelling Bee on ESPN tonight you might've witnessed 14 year old Snigdha Nandipati of San Diego spell and define "guetapens" to take home the trophy with cash prizes.  Don't feel bad, Snigdha plays violin, speaks a foreign language, enjoys Sherlock Holmes and aspires to be a physician or neurosurgeon.


You reading this are probably in the 99% category; played a harmonica once, spoke piglatin at 14, enjoys Bart Simpson and aspires to watch your favorite sports team win a championship.


I hate to say this my friend, but it's kids like Snigdha that push beer drinking, jersey wearing sports fans further down the evolution chain.   So if one day life starts feeling like one big Guetapens, put down the remote, the suds and the nachos and challenge yourself by participating in a mental exercise. Learn something new. Heck, learn the frickin definition of Guetapens and use it in a sentence for crying out loud. 


Make Snigdha proud, almost as proud as she made her younger brother who ran up on stage to congratulate her in victory.

Congratulations Snigdha Nandipati, our 85th National Scripps Spelling Bee Champion!

Detroit Lions - #20 Barry Sanders

While watching one of those NFL top 10 countdowns to the best shows last night, I had to re-access my greatest running backs list.  


The show was counting down top 10 heisman trophy winning backs who made an impact in the NFL.  I came in on it as they were wrapping up "The Juice", O.J. Simpson at #2.  Then after commercial and plenty of hype a Detroit Lions helmet flashed past the camera and I knew, Barry "frickin" Sanders.


After watching ten minutes or more of #20 juke, spin, sprint and score in spectacular fashion, I had to lip the words of one of the show's commentators; "Only Barry Sanders."


Barry Sanders, the little engine that could, was a whirlwind, a tasmanian devil if you will, who arrived in the NFL after a stellar college career.  He was living proof that a great college football player could go professional and become a legend.  Barry Sanders, soft spoken, humble, almost shy to a fault, lit up the NFL and broke down defenders like a boxer who uses the jab to setup the knockout punch.  If you were watching him on television or Live at a stadium, time stood still while you focused in on #20 to make sure you didn't miss what people would be talking about after the game; that run by Barry.


In the countdown show last night, one player said it best.  When Detroit Lions 1998 rookie quarterback Charlie Batch came into the game for the first time he was star struck just to be on the field and in the huddle with teammate Barry Sanders.  He remembers calling the play in the huddle and saying to himself, "that's Barry Sanders!" 


As you watched Batch reminisce about the experience you could see the childlike admiration and hero worship in his eyes and facial expressions.  Who amongst us wouldn't do the same under such circumstances?


Batch then says they ran the play and he hands off to #20, after which he goes into a dreamlike state while watching Barry cut, spin and romp toward the goal line. Batch says after the handoff all he could do was watch with unbelieving eyes while thinking; "I just handed off to Barry Sanders!"


That my friends is what watching one of the greatest running backs of all time will do to any observer, make them watch in wonder and amazement.


#20, Barry Sanders was a true gem to behold on the football field.  Since his retirement we've waited to see if the good Lord will bless us with another that displays such athletic skill and will on the gridiron.  Maybe the mold was broken. We're still waiting.


Top 5 Heisman Trophy Winning NFL Running Backs


5.Earl Campbell
4.Tony Dorsett
3.Marcus Allen
2.O.J. Simpson

#1 Barry Sanders

I think Barry Sanders is an unbelievable football player. I don’t know if any of us could say that we were better than Barry, and I don’t think any of us would want to. It’s unnecessary. But he’s also a real fine human being and a friend of mine. His father was a dear friend of mine and used to tease Barry and say, “You’re the third-best back that ever played the game.” His father said, “I’m No. 1, Jim Brown is No. 2 and you’re No. 3.” Barry had to tolerate that conversation, but he took it well. ... Just a fantastic athlete and a great person. A lot of dignity.

-Jim Brown

Gruesome Flesh-eating Attack

Yeah, I've moved away from posting stories that horrify the senses. Years ago when I started this blog I was posting many of the shockingly true incidents of human behavior. From the rat in the sleeping nursing home patient's mouth to the finger found in a bowl of Wendy's chili, I gave it all.


I'm proud to say my blog has somewhat evolved and now tilts more toward sports and stories with some educational value.  But every now and then there's that one newspaper headline that begs to be blogged about.  


This morning's paper carried such a headline.  As much as I'd like to ad-lib and give my opinion on this grotesque incident, which could happen only in Florida, the facts make it stranger than any fiction.  It's shocking enough to make a zombie blush. 


Flesh-eating Attack





Miami --
Only the police tape, the bloodstains and a grotesque mystery remained after the brutal assault in which one naked man was shot dead by police after he attacked another naked man and began eating his face.
Security video from the adjacent Miami Herald building captured snippets of Saturday's violence as the two men - one dead, the other gravely injured - lay on the sidewalk as scores of officers arrived.
The victim remained at Jackson Memorial Hospital on Monday in critical condition. In addition to eating the man's flesh, his attacker, according to police sources, tried to gouge out his eyes.
The slain man was identified as Rudy Eugene, 31. The name of the officer and the hospitalized man was not released.
"We're hoping that he pulls through, for his well-being, but also so he can tell us what happened," said Sgt. Javier Ortiz, vice president of the Miami police union. "Only he knows."
One witness, Larry Vega, told WSVN-TV that he was riding his bicycle when he saw a man tearing off pieces of the victim's flesh with his mouth.
Vega said he found a police officer, who approached and told the attacker to get off the man.
"The guy just stood ... with pieces of flesh in his mouth," Vega said. "And he growled."
The officer fired, striking the attacker, but the man kept chewing, Vega said. The officer fired again, hitting him several more times, eventually killing him.
"It's one of the most gruesome things I've ever seen in my life," Vega said.
Police theorized that the attacker might have suffered from "cocaine psychosis," a drug-induced craze that bakes the body internally and often leads those it affects to strip naked to try to cool off.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/28/MNSD1OOMNP.DTL#ixzz1wHWpiege

Ever Heard of GeoTagging? U Should!

Get this, digital pictures can carry the geographic location information (GEO TAG) of the place where it was taken. In other words, you post vacation pictures of yourself and family in the Caribbean.  Earlier posts show pics of you at home in front of that big, new 60 inch tv screen. With the home picture's GEO TAG, a would-be criminal can identify the exact location of your home while confirming the date of the vacation pics as being current.  It doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to deduce that your house is currently vacant and fresh for the pickings.


I know my imagination can run a bit wild when reading about these little hidden technological features, but I urge you to check into it yourself.  When we talk about invasion of privacy these days, we're no longer just talking about hidden video cameras and wire tapping on phone lines.  It's much more serious than that. I'm sure someday it'll be the television itself giving away your home vacancy status.


How to Edit/Turn-off Location Services on Smart Phone:






Q: A friend told me that photos I post online contain information about the location they were taken. How is that possible, and should I be concerned for my privacy?
A: Many digital cameras and most smart phones, including the iPhone, have the ability to "geotag" photos by including GPS locations along with camera settings used to take the photo. This info, called "exchangeable image file format" data (Exif), is embedded in the photo and can be viewed in most any image editing program. The information goes with the photo when you save it to a different place, e-mail it, or upload it to the Web.
However, most websites where you are likely to post a photo, including big social-networking and photo-sharing sites, either strip out Exif data from photos before they're posted, or give you the option to block it from public view.
It's true that geotagging can pose a threat. For instance, if someone gets ahold of a geotagged photo of your home, they can find out where you live. But geotagging is also useful for pinpointing where photos were taken. If that's not important to you, an easy way to dispense with the issue is simply to disable geotagging in your camera or phone. 

from San Francisco Chronicle

Johnny Tapia, Former Boxing Champ Passes

Johnny Tapia, age 45, a five-time champion in three weight classes, was found dead in his family home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The underdog champion was one of those Rocky stories with a dark side.  


"I was raised as a pit bull," he added. "Raised to fight to the death. Four times I was declared dead. Four times they wanted to pull life support. And many more times I came close to dying."


Through all the mayhem and messiness of a troubled life, there is one thing anybody who's ever seen Tapia in the ring will say; the man had the heart of a lion and feared absolutely nobody.


The bell rings 10 times for a fallen warrior.

Book by Johnny Tapia: Mi Vida Loca

Melky Batting .369 Through Sunday

San Francisco Giants Melky Cabrera has the third best batting average in the majors.  The Dominican native, better known to fans as "The Milkman," is delivering the winning hits, steals and hustle like no other.

Sunday against the Miami Marlins he became the first Giant in a game to hit a home run, finish with four hits and steal two bases since Barry Bonds in 1993.  Yes, Melky is now in the mvp/all-star conversation and we Giants fans couldn't be happier.  


For a team that's been "Torturous" to watch on offense the past seasons, the 2012 Giants with a milkman consistent in his offensive delivery, are good for our growing bones. Imagine when the Panda returns to the lineup.  Talk about "Got Milk!" lookout league, the San Francisco Giants Got Melk.

Melky Over Miami

The Time is NOW! 
Here's a very insightful and spot on article about opportunity knocking on the Giants door. 

written by SF Chronicle's Henry Schulman

Devils Stalking The Stanley Cup

Sure I live in California, but when it comes to sports teams I've vowed never to support a team south of the bakersfield DMZ zone.  So with that being said, I'm taking Jersey over the L.A. Kings for the NHL Stanley Cup finals.

You gotta love the Devils,  mostly just because they're from New Jersey. Quick, name me another professional sports team from the Garden State?  New Jersey Nets? Nope, they begin play in Brooklyn this coming season as the Brooklyn Nets.  ! Yep, Jersey has it's Red Devils and that's pretty much it.   The two New York NFL teams play in Jersey, but would never rename themselves with a New Jersey tag, that would be criminal.  


So let's hear it for the home of Bruce Springsteen, Tony Soprano and their beloved NHL Red Devils.  They might hail from a place nobody else wants to be from, but if there wasn't a New Jersey, scientists would be in labs trying to invent such a place to better understand human behavior. 

"But they do have some hot babes, in a slutty sort of way."

movie quote about NJ chicks

Go New Jersey Devils!

Giants Hits & Runs Parade

Something got into the San Francisco Giants today as they had 14 runs on 15 hits, a season high.  They defeated the new Miami Marlins 14-7 in the first of a four game series being played in Florida. Though the Giants were ahead 8-1 in the top of the seventh, you knew the Marlins weren't going down quietly. They didn't.  


The Marlins, the team that always seems to have the Giants number, scored 2 in the bottom of the seventh and just when it looked as if just maybe the Marlins would come back to dash the Giants hopes again, Pitcher Jeremy Affeldt put an end to the inning.


Giants would score four in the top of the eighth and the Marlins would match them with four in the bottom of the inning. Two more runs in the top of the ninth for the Giants would end all scoring and seal the victory. But those pesky Marlins, even on a night when the Giants bats were tagging baseballs at fever pace, just made what should've been a celebratory Giants victory feel like a squeaker of a win.


But as they say, I'll take an ugly win over a pretty loss any day, not that the Giants looked that ugly winning. They only had 1 error to the Marlins 2. But I hope to someday soon see a Giants win where they dominant from beginning to end. I really can't say we've seen that this season. But it's coming.


Go Giants! 

American Idle

It ain't Asian Idol or Mexican Idol folks, so why the surprise?

Many friends of mine are disappointed in Phillip Phillips being named the winner over Jessica Sanchez on the show "American Idol." I'm wondering why the shock and awe over what I believe are rigged television show competitions.  It's Fox TV, not CNN.  I suppose fans of these shows feel their call-in vote should warrant a just balloting.  Well I got news for you fans, it's entertainment, just like Lotteries, Pageants and 90% of the stuff marketed on television for your viewing pleasure. So why so serious?


Case and point, tonight the show American Idol was down to it's two finalists, a filipino/mexican young lady and a folksy white american male.  Their singing styles were as different as night and day, with the young woman singing soulful hits and the young man country/southern rock type music.  The celebrity judges had pretty much given last night's two of three rounds to the young woman. So much for celebrity judge relevancy when it comes to the final vote.


When it was announced tonight that Phillip Phillips was the winner, there was a show celebration the likes of a super bowl win, with confetti and all.  It was then that I realized the impact some of these network television shows have on the public's perception of reality.  While many non-white fans are talking of never watching the American Idol show again, feeling young Jessica was cheated out of her crown, I simply remind the folks watching these reality shows not to take them so serious.  These shows have investors and for them it comes down to the dollars and sense.


Sure it's possible there may've been some racial favoritism involved, (WGWG), but you must ask yourself, what is a champion idol? It's not the best talent or the best voice is it? It's most likely the best all around marketable package to entertainment fed consumers. Sorry Jessica, but a young white male has a wider marketing target than anyone else.  You sang beautifully and are a credit to your family and culture.  You will undoubtedly be given some type of musical contract. The white male image continues to be projected worldwide as the model image of success. It's ironic that asian women today seem infatuated with WGWG, but that's another story for another time.


Meanwhile I must also congratulate Phillip Phillips. He's not the most exciting or inspiring entertainer, but I was impressed with his song "Beggin." I expect to see this young man singing at the GOP national convention soon. lol


Why So Serious!

Young Colt Chasing History

No, we're not talking about the Indianapolis Colts #1 draft pick Andrew Luck just yet.  Today's young athletic star who's on track to make history is no one other than 3 year old colt "I'll Have Another."


I"LL HAVE ANOTHER, who once sold for a meager $11,000.00, is a surprise Triple Crown threat.  Mind you the Triple Crown of horse racing is like having the NFL Super bowl, NBA Championship and MLB World Series played in consecutive two week intervals.   The last Colt to win all three races was Affirmed in 1978.


I'LL HAVE ANOTHER won the Kentucky Derby on May 5th before winning yesterday's Preakness Stakes.  He won both in the same fashion, by the nose come  from behind victories over BODEMEISTER, who as of yesterday morning was listed as an 8-5 favorite.  The odds is what made for the drama when the winner of the Kentucky Derby was listed as second favorite for the Preakness.  What were the oddsmakers thinking? Colts don't have feelings too?  


It will be interesting to see the odds for the Belmont Stakes, which won't be listed until June 6th, three days before the race.  But I think we can all agree that as promising as all the contenders in the stakes might appear, when it comes to placing our money on a winner we'll kindly jest, "Thank you, I'LL HAVE ANOTHER."

"you know a transcendent horse when you get on him" 

I'll Have Another's Jockey Mario Gutierrez

Another Thriller N.Y. Times

SF Boxer Karim Mayfield Gets 10th KO

 Karim Mayfield 
 birthdate 1980-12-14 
 age 31  division light welterweight rating

 stance orthodox 
 height 5′ 7″   
 alias Hard Hitta 
 residence San Francisco, California
 birth name Karim Rasheed Mayfield 
 won 16 (KO 10) + lost 0 (KO 0) + drawn 1 = 17




Who Knew? San Francisco got mad boxing folks.  Karim Mayfield went back east with his 15-0 record and whips a looping right hand square on the button of Raymond Serrano as the bell rings to end round four.  Serrano bent, buckled and crumbled to the canvas punch drunk.


Confusion then ensued as Serrano beat out the count, dream-walked to his corner and found Team Serrano at odds on whether to let the fight continue.  With his team bickering over his condition and/or circumstances, Serrano stood in his corner fighting off wobbly legs. 


Team Serrano completely forgot to provide a chair for their boxer to sit on until approx. 15 seconds were left in the break.  With the bell ringing to continue, Team Serrano was still in the ring quickly trying to refresh their boxer.  Serrano never had a chance as he returned for round 5 and Mayfield quickly finished him off. The referee wisely stopped the fight and Karim danced to his 16th career win.  


Way to represent Karim.  FillMoe!  I'll tell you, he may be a bit raw and careless in the ring, but the boxer from San Francisco can sure setup up a punch and land it bulls-eye when he needs to.  He dipped, he came in and he landed the bomb.  KaRIM!


Streaming Friday Night Fights (Albany, N.Y.)
Fighting Chance (SF Weekly Article)

Grainy Cell Phone Footage Gets Conviction?

The Decatur Daily received grainy cell phone footage of the altercation that led to the arrest of Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain.


There should be a point in some legal proceedings where questionable evidence not be allowed. The video evidence that helped convict Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain is dark, grainy and does not show McClain holding a gun to the head of the victim.   The video shows McClain's friend beating on the victim who's on the ground covering his head being beaten by fists.


If it's true that the victim agreed to the fight then how is it the victor get's 90 days, McClain gets 180 days and the victim gets to go home with no punishment other than a beatdown?  Call me naive but I didn't see anything in that video that would convince me of the accusations against McClain being true or false. I saw a beatdown with some verbal sounds thrown in, that's it.  And if the court feels the film was edited to remove blame from McClain, then go out and find that edited footage. You know someone has it if it exists.

So McClain will of course appeal the 180 day sentence passed down.  And where will all of this leave the Raiders? Hey, if boxer Floyd Mayweather can get a delayed jail sentence in order to fulfill prior commitments to Las Vegas, don't you think McClain should at least be given something similar so the paying customers of Oakland as well as the city don't lose out on an investment?


Free McClain Rally at 5 O'clock, Civic Center Oakland. Black Hole rumor has it they'll be burning the missing footage!

Hockey Returning To The Cow Palace

Move over San Jose Sharks, San Francisco is premiering Pro Hockey this coming fall with an ECHL "AA" team called ........drum roll please..........


the San Francisco Bulls? How original!


Who the heck won the team naming contest? Scottie Pippin, jr.?  Come'on Man, the SF bay area is known for it's innovation and creativity.  You mean to tell me nobody suggested a name/logo catchy enough to out do this:

Jeez Louise! Looks like a Texas steer with bandaged feet.  I can hear the tasteless jokes already: "So you're from San Francisco? Which are you a steer or a queer?"  Yep, they just gave the remaining neanderthals some much needed new material.


Why not bring back the IHL's San Francisco Spiders of 1995-96.  Spiders are cool! Arachnophobia Bi@tch!


Okay, I'm over it.  I'm a Stockton Thunder fan anyway, so why get all bent out of shape?  


The puck drops October 2012. Stay tuned for more information.  And in case a neanderthal is reading this post, I'm a steer.

News Update: Tell me this doesn't look familiar

SF Giants Beat Champion Cardinals

On the windiest of days the San Francisco Giants bats came to life, giving them a 7-5 win over the champion St. Louis Cardinals.  With Matt Cain giving up an uncharacteristic four runs through six, it would take a bit of that 2010 torture magic and luck to convince the Cardinals and Giants home fans that this team is better than their now .500 record (19-19).


I really wouldn't know where to start in giving credit to individual players.  Crawford, Posey, Pagan, Belt and Burriss all played a big role in the win, but it was the little things, like new kid Charlie Culberson's no-hit RBI and Aubrey Huff's sure out grounder to third thrown into the dirt at first for an error that made this game special.  


When the Giants look good they look as if nothing can stop them and the baseball Gods are sitting atop their dugout.  But when they look bad, which has been more than we'd like to admit this season, you wonder how they made it to .500.  


And so today's game is the looking good example on the field, where the opponent makes three errors, squanders a lead and goes home with a 1-1 split of a short two game series.  Though the St. Louis Cardinals no longer have the power of Albert Pujols, they still managed two home runs against the Giants today.  Last seasons' Giant, Carlos Beltran, leading off the top of the ninth pinch hit into a pop-up as interim closer Santiago Casilla retired the side to end the game.  Today they played like Giants!

D.C. SoulSearcher Chuck Brown Passes at 75

Chuck Brown, known as the "Godfather of Go-Go" has passed away at 75.  Go-go music developed in and around the Washington, D.C. area in the mid-seventies.  Don't think I've ever heard it out here in California, unless I was listening to my own music collection.  If you've never heard Go-go, check out the Chuck Brown 1986 hit "Go Go Swing Live" above.  


Thanks for that swing Chuck!


1989 Go-go Documentary

Renouncing Country & Flag

Would you give up your national citizenship to save money in taxes as some have suggested Facebook co-founder Eduardo Severin has done?  It seems many wealthy Americans are for one reason or another renouncing their U.S. citizenship and running off with their gold to foreign lands.  Is this possibly fallout from the economic recession or are the wealthy giving us a sign of bad things to come in America?

It's not a pretty picture when a country's wealthiest citizens begin leaving the shores for greener and safer pastures.  But then again, this is 2012 and if Armageddon is just around the corner wouldn't you wanna be safe and sound away from any possible targets? Like in sports, many fans who support a team when times are good will jump ship and support another team if times should turn sour.  We call these "Fair Weather Fans."

These types of fans are loyal to none and pledge temporary allegiance to any that'll give them immediate rewards.  I say to those countries harboring U.S. citizens running from responsibilities at home and miserly securing their homegrown fortunes, be mindful of the old rule of what comes around goes around. Tomorrow it might be you and your weakening economy leaking wealthy citizens. Our “Give Us Your Tired & Poor Yearning To Be Free” motto continues. If our wealthy citizens are finding U.S. taxation too much a burden during these difficult times, then let them go the way of all fair weather fans.  Who wants a hanger on who keeps no promise and honors no pledge?  

Cotto vs Mayweather Not THAT Thrilling!

Finally caught the Mayweather vs Cotto fight.  Gotta give Mayweather all the credit he claims of being the best pound-for-pound boxing champion today.  The Cotto fight makes it harder for anyone to dispute that claim.


He came into the ring against a big, strong opponent who had a good fight plan. Challenger Miguel Cotto earned Mayweather's respect and the fans admiration for giving Money May more trouble in the ring than any other opponent so far. 


Bloodied nose and battered face did not stop Mayweather from winning a grueling fight. Cotto felt he might have been slighted by the scorecards but fans know, to be the champ you really have to "Beat" the champ.  The champ remains unbeaten.


Cotto might've come closest to beating Mayweather, but he did not win the fight in the eyes of all but hispanic fans. Mayweather's defensive skills and offensive strategy makes it hard and frustrating for any challenger to pressure him, much less get a solid punch in. Again, Cotto came close, but close don't get you the crown.  That crown will sit on the head of Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who's only loss to date has been in the criminal courts of Nevada where he'll begin serving his 90 day sentence in a Clark County detention center come June 1st.


Yeah Floyd, the world knows you as a champion and a man.  That's something no Nevada court or jail can strip you of.  Congratulations Champ!


And just look at what awaits Money on the couch at home upon completing his sentence; fiancee Miss Shantel Jackson.

cut me Mick, cut me!

Singing The Praises of Arias

The San Francisco Giants are battling to stay the course towards another championship.  The injury bug has continued from last season, biting key players the likes of closer Brian Wilson and third baseman Pablo 'Panda" Sandoval.  But manager Bruce Bochy has made some gambles that are paying off, none more than #13 short stop Joaquin Arias.


Arias, plugged in at third tonight, had two big-league throws across the diamond to get the hitter out at first today.  The first was a bare hander that was incredible and the second was a backhand snag, turn and throw that was "Spectacular."  


The 27 year old Dominican is doing a great fill-in job on defense and if he could be just a bit more ......clutch swinging the bat (255 avg.) you might start hearing more about him. His clubhouse nickname: "Inspector Gadget." 


It's been an up and down season so far for the team.  Injuries and the Aubrey Huff anxiety fiasco slowed the early season hitting barrage, while the the pitchers have looked more vulnerable and inconsistent than we've seen in years.    We won't even discuss the league leading (35) errors.  But the good news is players are stepping up when they have to and finding ways to bounce back and win games after disappointing losses.


The workhorse, pitcher Matt Cain, had two hits with two runners batted in tonight.   Pagan, Cabrera, Crawford, Belt, Burriss, Blanco and Posey are all doing the things that good teammates do; picking up one anther and being "the man" when some of the boys are struggling.


I honestly can't say where the Giants will find themselves come October, but they've definitely built a ball club that's made for enduring the rigors of a 162 game season. And with Joaquin Arias playing like a golden glover, don't expect to hear the fat lady singing any time soon. 

Final Score

Giants 5

D'Backs 2

Building The Backend

When the New Orleans Saints won it all the 2009 season, I posted about their General Manger's success with building the "Backend" of the team; the backup players.  


The NFL.com article by Pat Kirwan that inspired my post gave plenty of tips for future GM's and coaches to follow in building a successful football organization.  The Saints "blueprint" at the time did not document bounty hunting rewards, but did list some legitimate and legal strategies the Raiders can borrow.  


One tip which I think might help the young Raiders defensive backfield this season might be using a 3-3-5 formation against pass happy offenses.  Wouldn't you know it, the Saints designed it specifically for facing quarterback Peyton Manning in Superbowl XLIV and by golly it worked. As we all know, Peyton visits Oaktown in a broncos jersey this season.


It appears that new Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie is following a blueprint he designed in Green Bay, but it couldn't hurt if he mixed in some of the Superbowl winning Saints formula, again, minus the bounty.  Hell, scratch that, include the bounty dammit.  Whatever it takes to win a championship now. Suspensions and fines can be dealt with after the championship is won.  The Raiders hard-nosed style of play has been the target of league criticism for decades, let's give'em what they've been accusing us of all along. "Bounty Hunters in Black Baby!"


You know I get a bit carried away when it comes to the "Greatness of the Raiders," and those who hate on them.  So I apologize for passionately digressing.  Let's just say the blueprint of the 2009 Saints should be looked at and studied to see if just maybe the baby without the dirty bath water is  a keeper. 

Build it and they will come Reggie!

Wrestling Champ Colin Miller A Raider

He's big and has wrestling techniques that'll serve him well in the NFL.  He's Colin Miller, a 6'3, 300ooo pound free agent offensive lineman who the Raiders signed as a backup.  


His NFL experience is nil with a stint in the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp last season. So it's another wait-n-see player with huge promise in this new approach youthful movement by the Raiders.


Here's a few intriguing things I read about Colin Miller:



At his Pro Day in March of 2011, Miller completed 32 225 lb. bench reps and had a 27" vertical jump.   



In high school, Miller posted a 60-0 record and won the Virginia state wrestling title. 

Welcome aboard ship Colin.  Now block like a bandit protecting his booty and you might share in the triumphs and treasures of future Raiders conquests.

I CONFESS

This 1953 Alfred Hitchcock suspense thriller is one of my favorites.  It's a story of Faith, Friendships and Forgiveness.  A catholic priest hears a man's confession of murder and has to live with the consequences of  "what's said in the confession booth, stays in the confession booth."


I Confess is a noir style of movie set in the renaissance city of Quebec.  Hitchcock's use of architecture, catholicism and even the acadian accents all make this a great soup to slurp on.  The german murderer is also heavily accented which gives this villain a darker and more sinister taste.  The fact the movie came out only eight years after Hitler's villainous Germany was conquered adds to the creepiness of the german murderer, Otto Keller.


There are many fine scenes of suspense but the one scene that always picks up the pace for me is when the paranoid murderer is walking down the shadowed corridor trying to keep up with the priest, eyes bulging, nervous, talking non-stop, badgering the priest about what would happen if he told on him.  


There's another reason , besides his vow as a catholic priest, for not telling the investigating police everything. This reason weighs even heavier on the priest's shoulders than the murderer's confession. You begin to wonder if the "I" in I Confess is the priest confessing to something and not the murderer, but you'll have to slurp on the movie to get that thrill.


Yeah, "I CONFESS" is definitely a classic that gets better with every viewing.


Dimitri Tiomkin - Musical Director, Composer

Raiders Got Wang

Oakland Raiders have signed former Buffalo Bills OT Ed Wang.  Wang was drafted by the bills in 2010 and has seen very little action (six games.)  He was the first full-blooded Chinese to ever play in the NFL. His parents are former Olympians and say they started training Ed very young in the fundamentals of sports.


Maybe the Bills overlooked a diamond in the rough like the Golden State Warriors with Jeremy Lin.  Might the NFL see WangSanity come this fall?  Get your #73 Wang jersey while they last folks.


The Raiders hope Ed can backup on the offensive line and help protect the quarterback.  He's got the genes, does he have the heart and skill.  We'll find out soon enough.  In the meantime, what do you call a 6-5, 321 pound American-Chinese sporting a pony tail and earrings?  Clubber Wang? Mt. Olympus? Bolo? No, none of those will do.

Mr. E-Wang I Presume!

Here's a link to "An American Tale," the story of Ed Wang.

A True Competitor Passes at 43

Junior Seau, a champion competitor who played for the San Diego Chargers, has died at 43 years old.  Police are calling it a suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  


Raider Nation has always had nothing but respect for Seau.  We might curse Chargers football, but Junior was one of those players you prayed someday would suit up in Silver & Black; he never did.


The things being said about Junior today just show that he was one of those special individuals who brought class and dignity to the game and life in general.  His parents migrated to southern california from the Polynesian island of Aunu'u, near American Samoa. Junior represented that Samoan culture of brotherly love at all times. He was a genuinely good soul who loved the game of football and the gift of friendship.


Prayers go out to the Seau family.  Rest well warrior!

The tribal tattoo designs were originally used by warrior clans and evidence shows that Polynesian tribes were the first ones who introduced the word tattoo to us, which
comes from the Samoan word tatau. So it is agreed upon that Polynesian warriors were the people who invented the tribal designs, especially the males had their chest and
thighs tattooed using dark ink. The second tribe who is believed to be amongst the first humans to display tribal body art was the Maori clan of New Zealand.

NBA - Wake Me June 12th

Maybe it's what happens when your area's professional basketball team is a perennial loser.  Maybe it's all the big name injuries and suspensions. Whatever the reason, I'm finding it hard to get into the NBA Playoffs this season.  I suppose the Dream Team down in Miami might have something to do with it.  Lebron James and the "Until there's a Championship" tour will most likely be the big story as the playoffs wind down toward the finals. 

Well I'm taking that same approach; "Until there's a Championship" game, I'll be tuning into baseball and offseason football transactions.  


Sorry NBA but did you forget that you locked me out and left us fans shivering out in the cold last fall?  Whatdaya take me for, a basketball junkie who can't make it through the day without his fix? Sorry David Stern and company, but your product is watered down and predictable.  And I still say the fix is in on many of the games, but that's just me. 


So "Until There's A Championship Game," I'm locking you out of my sports thoughts and this blog.  You'd have done better to just cancel the season instead of letting greed steer you toward this shortened spectacle of a season.  NBA players have been dropping like flies from injuries all season, and I believe the Lockout layoff contributed to this.   


My Golden State Warriors, with a new head coach and star young talent, were crippled by injuries this season. Maybe Monta Ellis and a healthy Stephen Curry would be making believers of bay area fans in tonight's playoffs, had the lockout not occurred.  Instead, Monta ended the season in a losing Milwaukee Bucks jersey and Curry's recurring ankle injury has us fans praying it isn't career threatening. The Warriors did win a shot at a frickin lottery pick, Lockout Luck I guess.


So yeah, I'm bitter about professional basketball these days.  Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I'll tune in early June to see Lebron finish his championship journey with a ring.  That is of course if the Dream Team can stay healthy through May. It's gonna be a "Great Timeout" during this lockout. 

Murdoch Unfit To Fool

So when will the Brits learn that Money rules the world.  It isn't a question of whether you're "Fit to Rule."  What's important is how much money, influence and power one wields around in order to gain and maintain control.  


Seems Mr. Ruppert Murdoch , Chairman and CEO of News Corp., took his show to Britain and they loved it right up until someone more powerful than Murdoch got offended.  I like what one of the panelists said about the person who tried warning about News Corps' trickery; "They Shot The Messenger."


Today Britain announced that Murdoch is "Unfit To Run an International Company."  That's like saying Bernie Madoff was unfit to run a financial investment agency.  Unfit does not equate to Unprofitable. What they really mean is that he's morally unfit.......shucks!


What Bernie and Murdoch have in common, besides their savvy skills to mislead , are their greedy rich customers.  As long as there are people paying to be the fool, there's perpetrators willing to entertain a fool's paradise for a hefty price.

So I'm left with this "why so serious" grin on my face.  If the Brits really plan to stop doing business with Murdoch they'd have called a spade a spade and frozen his assets while castrating him in the public media.  Instead, we get accusations of "Willful Blindness" and "Unfit to Run a International Corporation."  Come'on Man! That's some bloody rich semantics isn't it?


All the Brits really did was show just how powerful a hold the magic of Murdoch has on them.  They appear fearful of behaving badly and burning bridges with Murdoch.  Sometimes, it's what you don't hear that paints the better picture.  We're not hearing anyone call Murdoch a liar and a scoundrel.  


When misleading acts can only be traced to cronies, and those who were misled are satisfied with an apology and possible exile of the perpetrator(s), there's something really rotten in Denmark.


Blimey!