R A I D E R L E G E N D
Monday, December 23, 2013
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Damon Bruce's Novermber No-No
Last month KNBR radio host Damon Bruce delivered an interesting diatribe on how womens' take on sports is turning men into wimps. To say it wasn't received well is an understatement.
As I've told my grandson in the past when ready to comment on his grandmother's uninformed take on sports; "you can think it, but just don't say it!"
Oh well, Damon and I ain't related so he did what any unsuspecting, politically incorrect male would do; he went out on a limb and said it. He paid the price with a brief suspension. Now the Holidays are here, along with college bowl games and NFL playoff seed positioning. Its the season of joy and forgiveness and the Damon Bruce bonehead play seems to have been forgiven.
For the bunch of wimps who overreacted to Damon's show, get a grip. For the men and women who love their sports gritty with game face on and agree that there's no crying in sports, Damon said what many of you think. He might be the most courageous radio sports host out there when it comes to truths in sports. And he's one of the few who works alone, not needing a setup man to bounce his opinions off. Have you noticed the Howard Stern-esque female ad-lib voice in sports talk these days? Yep, you can think it, but just don't say it unless your are ready to face the consequences.
You may not agree with all Damon says, but as one of my favorite freedom of speech lines so eloquently states; "I'll defend to the death your right to say it."
Huffington Post: It's A Man's World
Friday, December 13, 2013
A Raider Greg Podcast Moment
Checked in with Raider Greg's "RaiderNationPodcast" and caught myself agreeing with much of what was being said about the team after the Thanksgiving Day Meltdown against the Dallas Cowboys.
Now after the New York Jets loss, the feelings expressed by callers to the podcast after that Cowboys game sound frighteningly on the mark. Problems in coaching on both offense and defense are pointed out. Coaches unable to make the necessary adjustments throughout the game. Raider Nation is frustrated, looking for anything to hang our hopes on during this time of rebuilding.
And just to reiterate, why the hell was vertically challenged Jacoby Ford targeted for a jump ball in the endzone over a Cowboys defensive back who's intercepting leap made the height differential obvious to all viewers? Valid question. Coach Dennis Allen pinned the doomed play on QB Matt McGloin's inexperience. I don't know about that......Dennis.
The beauty of the podcast though was that to a man, each and every caller swore their continued allegiance to the Oakland Raiders. Not a hint of jumping ship or discontinuing support.
Win, Lose Or Tie!
A Change is Gonna Come
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Aaradhna - I'M Never
A song and songstress that brings joyful thoughts of my daughter to mind. May she have all the joy, security and promise of a loving and caring family man by her side.
Love You Kiddo! Dad.
Love You Kiddo! Dad.
Monday, December 09, 2013
Sunday, December 08, 2013
Some Good, Bad & Ugly in Raiders Loss
The Good
Its really not worth discussing yet again. The Oakland Raiders, my football team (win, lose or tie) simply couldn't get the job done on the road again. I know they're missing pieces due to injury, but all teams are beat up this time of year.
The Raiders did show plenty of grit in clawing back into a game that saw them down 20-3 to the New York Jets at half-time. The offense, with all their ineptness at times, did enough to win this game. It was our defense that got faked and fooled throughout the game by a so, so Jets offense. Geno Smith, over rated. Ironic that his style of playing quarterback mirrors Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor. There was a Pryor sighting in the game, but for unknown reasons the Raiders went back to Matt McGloin. I agree with the McGloin move.
Its simple Raiders Fans; our Defense hasn't been the same since D.J. Hayden went down for some reason. I don't know, there may have been some issues before that, but there was a time this season where our defense was ranked ruthless against the run and sustainable against the pass. Today proved them weak and vulnerable in both categories. Something broke and didn't get fixed.
Finals Score
Raiders 27
Jets 37
ESPN - Missing Kirkland vs Tapia Boxing Slugfest
Yes folks, what's missing in this mornings ESPN online headlines is what might've been some of the best rounds of the year in professional boxing. The undercard fight of James Kirkland vs Glen Tapia began with a fury of blows exchanged and ended with what looked like a crushing concussion causing TKO.
Tapia came out in the first round with one purpose and one purpose only; to knock Kirkland the freak out. He came close! But close in the world of boxing can be very painful. Painful as in three rounds of pain inflicting blows with each man refusing to give an inch while taking a mile of punishment. It truly was a contest of wills, and the action could not continue at that opening pace with little defense evident.
As the fighters punched themselves drunk, it became clear that Kirkland, maybe through his intense conditioning regimen with female trainer Anne "Brown Sugar" Wolf, was the stronger, more powerful gladiator. Kirkland, or "The Mandingo Warrior" as he's called, withstood the best Tapia had to give. Tapia could not stay the course and eventually looked sleep on his feet as the referee came in to stop the fight in round 6 and save maybe the career of Tapia.
Unfortunately for Tapia though, Mandingo was in Warrior mode by the time of the stoppage. He caught the unprotected Tapia with a hellacious blow to the head that snapped "Jersey Boy's" head back and saw his body slump against the ropes and into the arms of the referee.
Jersey Boy from Passaic was for all intents and purposes a car wreck on the NJ turnpike, needing cleanup and escort to the shoulder of the boxing ring. In hindsight, it was obvious that Tapia was asleep on his feet in the final seconds before the stoppage and was no doubt groggy and lifeless in his corner between those final rounds.
But gotta give Jersey Boy his props, whenever the doctor talked stoppage or the bell rung for the next round, he was up off his stool in a flash, throwing punches and connecting. Problem was those punches were landing on the grill of a mack truck coming head-on with no intention of engaging brakes
I'd like to think that any other boxer besides Kirkland would've crumbled from the barrage of blows Tapia was connecting with. But the Mandingo Warrior isn't just any boxer, he's one on a who's been through incarceration, did his time and with comback complete, refuses to let anything diminish or take away his light middle-weight title. And so the beating that Tapia took from Kirkland was nothing personal, the Jersey Boy just got in the way of an unstoppable force traveling the boxing championship circuit.
Rigondeaux and Macklin both win decisions
ESPN Headlines Nov. 8, 2013
- Source: Shanahan was ready to quit in '12
- Spartans derail Ohio St. hopes
| Rittenberg
- No. 1 Noles rout Duke, wrap up ACC
| Hale
- Auburn beats Mizzou, wins SEC
- Whisenhunt on Texans' radar, sources say
- Jesse Owens '36 gold medal sells for $1.47M
- Pacers overcome Spurs
| Mavs buzz Blazers
- Baylor takes Big 12
- Stanford slams ASU to claim Pac-12
- Bruins' Thornton sorry for blows
- Rivers calls out Clips for 'pouting'
- Patriots RB Ridley active, to play
- Fantasy: Week 14 flex ranks
| Cheat Sheet
In The Words of Robert Reich - Let's Debate!
in·tel·li·gence ( n-t l -j ns). n. 1. a. The capacity
to acquire and apply knowledge. b. The faculty of thought and reason. c.
Superior powers of mind
No, I do not claim ownership of such a mind. My intelligent quotient is just a tick below or above average at best, depending on my mood. The pendulum seems to swing more toward the above direction when listening to Commonwealth Club speakers such as political economist Robert Reich.
Funny thing about intelligence; it can be somewhat infectious when the conduit of communication between speaker and listener is clear and to the point. Robert Reich has the ability to breakdown the many cogs that make the economy go or stop. He's been around the political stage long enough to put a finger on the pulse of our country's economic issues and provide trusting feedback on ills threatening its health.
The most recent prognosis that 'doctor' Reich forecasts states that our economy is depressed. The upside of this is our nation has the self-healing antibodies to ward-off the illness and return to a healthy, vibrant, self-sufficient organism.
Mr. Reich, as with past commonwealth club speakers I've heard, makes a good argument in the dietary changes proposed for improving our nation's economic health. When he identifies the spending power of customers/consumers as the life giving blood flow of our economic system, the idea of wealth in the hands of the few seems ludicrous.
Pay a middle-class working man good wages and sustain the pool of buying power in an economy. Good pay also gives hope and encouragement to the poor; that their reach upward and out of poverty is realistically attainable.
What I liked most about Mr. Reich's chat was his manner of sharing truths about our country's present economic condition and offering up solutions to remedy the problems we face. The former U.S. Secretary of Labor uses knowledge, thought and reason in coming to his conclusions on how best to treat our diseased economy and bring financial health and well-being to a nation whose citizens continue to suffer the effects of depression.
As for the challengers and non-believers who feel Robert Reich's ideas are far-fetched and threaten the future health of our country, don't hide in the shadows and whisper your disapproval in the ears of media, come forward into the light and debate the man. I'll betcha, he'll whip some sense into you.
No, I do not claim ownership of such a mind. My intelligent quotient is just a tick below or above average at best, depending on my mood. The pendulum seems to swing more toward the above direction when listening to Commonwealth Club speakers such as political economist Robert Reich.
Funny thing about intelligence; it can be somewhat infectious when the conduit of communication between speaker and listener is clear and to the point. Robert Reich has the ability to breakdown the many cogs that make the economy go or stop. He's been around the political stage long enough to put a finger on the pulse of our country's economic issues and provide trusting feedback on ills threatening its health.
The most recent prognosis that 'doctor' Reich forecasts states that our economy is depressed. The upside of this is our nation has the self-healing antibodies to ward-off the illness and return to a healthy, vibrant, self-sufficient organism.
Mr. Reich, as with past commonwealth club speakers I've heard, makes a good argument in the dietary changes proposed for improving our nation's economic health. When he identifies the spending power of customers/consumers as the life giving blood flow of our economic system, the idea of wealth in the hands of the few seems ludicrous.
Pay a middle-class working man good wages and sustain the pool of buying power in an economy. Good pay also gives hope and encouragement to the poor; that their reach upward and out of poverty is realistically attainable.
What I liked most about Mr. Reich's chat was his manner of sharing truths about our country's present economic condition and offering up solutions to remedy the problems we face. The former U.S. Secretary of Labor uses knowledge, thought and reason in coming to his conclusions on how best to treat our diseased economy and bring financial health and well-being to a nation whose citizens continue to suffer the effects of depression.
As for the challengers and non-believers who feel Robert Reich's ideas are far-fetched and threaten the future health of our country, don't hide in the shadows and whisper your disapproval in the ears of media, come forward into the light and debate the man. I'll betcha, he'll whip some sense into you.
American political economist, professor, author, and political commentator.
Robert Reich - Inequality for All
Robert Reich - Inequality for All
"A Fredo Moment"
When the nation’s economy foundered in 2008, blame was directed almost universally at Wall Street bankers. But Robert B. Reich, one of our most experienced and trusted voices on public policy, suggests another reason for the meltdown. Our real problem, he argues, lies in the increasing concentration of income at the top, robbing the vast middle class of the purchasing power it needs to keep the economy going. This thoughtful and detailed account of the American economy—and how we can fix it—is a practical, humane, and much-needed blueprint for rebuilding our society.
When the nation’s economy foundered in 2008, blame was directed almost universally at Wall Street bankers. But Robert B. Reich, one of our most experienced and trusted voices on public policy, suggests another reason for the meltdown. Our real problem, he argues, lies in the increasing concentration of income at the top, robbing the vast middle class of the purchasing power it needs to keep the economy going. This thoughtful and detailed account of the American economy—and how we can fix it—is a practical, humane, and much-needed blueprint for rebuilding our society.
Thursday, December 05, 2013
Mandela (1918-2013)
Nelson Mandela, being a serious amateur boxer (heavyweight), trained
alongside professional boxers in Johannesburg. This was while he and
Oliver Tambo were operating South Africa’s first black owned law firm.
In his autobiography he speaks fondly of his time at the boxing gym at
the Donaldson Orlando Community Centre (DOCC), which he joined in 1950.
Rest Well Brave Warrior!
Wednesday, December 04, 2013
Golden State Warriors Incredible Comback
Warriors Come Out To Play
After falling behind by 27 points with 9:20 left in the third quarter,
the Warriors outscored the Raptors 64-28 the rest of the way. Here's how
the teams compared over the final 21:19.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh Yeah, the Golden State Warriors found a way to finish off the Toronto Raptors after being down by as many as 27pts. I didn't see the full game, tuning out and writing it off as a loss after seeing how out of synch and out-hustled the Warriors were early. The Raptors were hitting shots like it was their home court. It wasn't.
Down by 17pts at the half, they say newly signed veteran Jermaine O'neal delivered a locker room speech that was "Hunter Pence-esque," igniting a hunger in every Warriors present. They came out, watched the Raptors continue their shooting clinic through most of the third quarter, then began a hunting clinic of their own on both offense and defense. The fourth quarter saw the Warriors outscore the Raptors 45-15 in a historic comeback win. The entire team was in a zone.
Oh Yeah, these are not those same old Warriors of post Curry and Klay years. These Warriors bring a brotherhood to their game that says "This is where we fight. No Retreat, No Surrender." Its gonna be a helluva a season with them laying down Spartan law and pulling out games like these. Be ready coz We Ready!
Final Score
Raptors 103
Warriors 112
Can't Be Touched
After falling behind by 27 points with 9:20 left in the third quarter,
the Warriors outscored the Raptors 64-28 the rest of the way. Here's how
the teams compared over the final 21:19.
| Warriors | Raptors | |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 64 | 28 |
| FGM-FGA | 21-37 | 10-28 |
| 3-pt FG | 10-20 | 1-9 |
| TOs | 3 | 8 |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh Yeah, the Golden State Warriors found a way to finish off the Toronto Raptors after being down by as many as 27pts. I didn't see the full game, tuning out and writing it off as a loss after seeing how out of synch and out-hustled the Warriors were early. The Raptors were hitting shots like it was their home court. It wasn't.
Down by 17pts at the half, they say newly signed veteran Jermaine O'neal delivered a locker room speech that was "Hunter Pence-esque," igniting a hunger in every Warriors present. They came out, watched the Raptors continue their shooting clinic through most of the third quarter, then began a hunting clinic of their own on both offense and defense. The fourth quarter saw the Warriors outscore the Raptors 45-15 in a historic comeback win. The entire team was in a zone.
Oh Yeah, these are not those same old Warriors of post Curry and Klay years. These Warriors bring a brotherhood to their game that says "This is where we fight. No Retreat, No Surrender." Its gonna be a helluva a season with them laying down Spartan law and pulling out games like these. Be ready coz We Ready!
Final Score
Raptors 103
Warriors 112
Can't Be Touched
Tuesday, December 03, 2013
Fan Cam Dance Battle in Detroit
Its truly a gotta see moment!
It really is hard to say who won the battle. I'd of paid to see it.
MSNBC story
It really is hard to say who won the battle. I'd of paid to see it.
MSNBC story
Monday, December 02, 2013
Friendship On Friendships
Again, I am reminded of the gift human brotherhood brings to a life. If ever I write up a bucket list, I must remember that time spent with true friends is more rewarding than all the places, peoples, and activities ever dreamed of.
I just had the time of my life being a friend to friends.
Blessings to Ed & Susan.
The Greatest of delights
and the best of joys
is to know that
people like to
be with you,
and to know that you like to be close to them.
Maxim Gorky
To be true friends,
you must be
sure of one another
Leo Tolstoy
When I have opened my heart to a friend,
I am more myself than ever
Thomas Moore
Don't walk in front of me
I may not follow
Don't walk behind me
I may not lead
Walk beside me
And just be my friend
Albert Camus
Hockey Tough - San Jose Sharks Baby!
Saturday night's NHL matchup between the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks was a reminder of just how tough the game and its players are. In Hockey, push comes to shove at the drop of the puck and the action is as brutally competitive as any contact sport.
I would guess that Hockey and Football employ the only professional competitors tough enough to last a round against the ultimate tough athletic competitor; the Boxer. Name me another sport where an injured participant would have his eyelid sliced open in order to continue competing? I know, Rocky Balboa is fiction, but its damn good fiction.
The San Jose Sharks finished off the Ducks with a save in the shootout period, winning their 6th game in a row. Their last five wins close-out a great home stand. Saturday's 4-3 win was just some all around great play by all the Sharks players. Goalee Antti Niemi's gloved catch for the save was a perfect example of shot anticipation, concentration and athletic reaction that are skills needed to play the position. Niemi has mastered the position.
Bay Area, get ready for a hot sports winter. The Sharks and Golden State Warriors have plans to carry us into May/June springtime playoffs.
Forwards
| # | Name | Height | Weight | Date Of Birth | Age | Birth Place |
| 18 | 5' 11" | 202 | Jun 24, 1985 | 28 | Chicago, IL, USA | |
| 37 | 6' 1" | 195 | Jan 6, 1983 | 30 | Madison, WI, USA | |
| 88 | 6' 5" | 230 | Mar 9, 1985 | 28 | Barrie, ON, CAN | |
| 39 | 6' 1" | 200 | Mar 28, 1989 | 24 | Guelph, ON, CAN | |
| 10 | 6' 1" | 195 | Jul 27, 1986 | 27 | Lively, ON, CAN | |
| 9 | 6' 2" | 210 | Apr 19, 1981 | 32 | Mlada Boleslav, CZE | |
| 48 | 6' 2" | 210 | Nov 12, 1993 | 20 | Praha, CZE | |
| 81 | 5' 11" | 185 | Jul 15, 1986 | 27 | Sault Ste. Marie, ON, CAN | |
| 12 | 6' 2" | 220 | Sep 15, 1979 | 34 | Aneroid, SK, CAN | |
| 43 | 6' 1" | 195 | Aug 9, 1986 | 27 | Boston, MA, USA | |
| 8 | 5' 11" | 190 | Jul 11, 1984 | 29 | Plover, WI, USA | |
| 42 | 6' 4" | 230 | Sep 4, 1987 | 26 | Toronto, ON, CAN | |
| 15 | 6' 1" | 215 | Apr 25, 1988 | 25 | Halifax, NS, CAN | |
| 19 | 6' 4" | 220 | Jul 2, 1979 | 34 | London, ON, CAN | |
| 13 | 6' 0" | 215 | Oct 8, 1981 | 32 | Toronto, ON, CAN | |
| 57 | 6' 0" | 200 | Apr 12, 1988 | 25 | Evanston, IL, USA |
Defensemen
| # | Name | Height | Weight | Date Of Birth | Age | Birth Place |
| 22 | 5' 11" | 190 | Jul 12, 1976 | 37 | Ottawa, ON, CAN | |
| 61 | 6' 2" | 205 | Feb 10, 1987 | 26 | Minneapolis, MN, USA | |
| 5 | 6' 1" | 195 | Jun 9, 1988 | 25 | Dorval, QC, CAN | |
| 27 | 6' 1" | 215 | Jan 23, 1979 | 34 | Richmond, BC, CAN | |
| 52 | 6' 2" | 210 | Nov 29, 1987 | 26 | Brentwood Bay, BC, CAN | |
| 7 | 6' 2" | 215 | Nov 6, 1979 | 34 | Rocky Mountain House, AB, CAN | |
| 44 | 6' 1" | 205 | Mar 30, 1987 | 26 | Montreal, QC, CAN |
Goalies
| # | Name | Height | Weight | Date Of Birth | Age | Birth Place |
| 31 | 6' 2" | 210 | Aug 29, 1983 | 30 | Vantaa, FIN | |
| 32 | 6' 0" | 190 | Jul 28, 1987 | 26 | St. Paul, MN, USA | |
| ** = Injured Reserve | ||||||