Nick Miller & Louis Rankin - Raiders Keepers

Granted, he's no Fred Biletnikoff, but rookie wide receiver Nick Miller has that something that you find in players who've been told that they couldn't cut it. Think Wayne Chrebet, Wes Welker or Pittsburgh Steeler great Hines Ward. The Raiders rookie has shown he carries that magic inside him that defies the odds and makes him a special player.

(#89 WR Nick Miller)

I hope the Raiders can find a way to keep Miller on the roster. I know we need defensive help but you don't give up a diamond in the rough, and that he is. For those third down plays where we see JaMarcus all to often drop back with no outlet receiver and be forced to take a sack, Miller could be the answer. He gets lost in the mix then appears when and where you need him to be for a pass. He also brings speed and explosiveness to our special teams. We'll need to keep Johnny Lee healthy as a wide receiver, why not have Nick Miller take on those duties?

Another wish-list keeper is running back Louis Rankin. He's quick, he plays smart football and he doesn't go down without a fight. After reading about Rankin in the blog "Loud and Proud" by BlitzChick, I'm convinced the Raiders will find a way to keep him. With our slew of running backs comes a slew of injuries throughout the season. Rankin would be a good fit as a backup.

(#41 RB Louis Rankin)

Well, there's my cut day stays for the Raiders. For the first time in many seasons I'm a bit jittery about the start of the season. Will my Raiders turn out to be what many "thought they were" during the preseason, a team going nowhere? Or will our Silver and Black 2009 team prove themselves worthy of wearing the football colors that once put terror in opposing teams?

For the first time I'm at a loss for words when trying to forsee this season's destiny for the Raiders. Guess I'll end this with the three words that always seem to escape my lips when forecasting the Raiders chances prior to NFL week one:

ITS OUR YEAR!

Teen Hero - Keleb Eulls

For all the bad things that are reported on in this world, its comforting to see a good thing written up now and then.

Here's one good thing, done by a good human being for fellow human beings. I'm sure after reading the article you'll agree that the title "Hero" should be bestowed on this young man. NBA player Dwight Howard may soar across the hardwood floor like an athletic superman, but Keleb Eulls of Pickens, Mississippi (pop. 1,300) carries the human care and unselfish courage that goes into the making of a super human being.

Eulls is a four-star high school defensive end that is verbally committed to play football at Mississippi State next year

Hero: a man of distinguished courage or ability,
admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities

My Baseball Team, My Football Team

Two sports, two teams, opposite outcomes, one goal. Just Win Baby!

Yesterday I attended my first Raiders football game of the season. Granted it was an exhibition game, but I still found the silver & black performance on our home field appalling and as coach cable summarized, "embarrassing." The New Orleans Saints came to Oaktown and made their 44-7 drumming of the Raiders look easy. I refuse to begin my first blog of the Raiders football season in a critically demoralizing way, so I'll settle with stating the obvious; my Oakland Raiders do not appear to have improved this season and just may have regressed substantially.

Meanwhile, my San Francisco Giants have risen from the dying with a three game series sweep of the wild card leading Colorado Rockies. Today's game was one for the Giants scrapbook. Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the 7th with a struggling offense the Giants managed to rally and load the bases. Up comes Edgar Renteria who takes the Giants gloomy outlook and spins it on its head. Renteria hits a grand slam off Rockies pitcher Rafael Betancourt to put the Gigantes ahead 6-5. Fresno call-up Ryan Rohlinger would add a two run single in the eighth to help secure the 9-5 Gigantes victory and tie the Rockies for the NL Wild Card spot.

September for the SF Giants will be full of excitement for the first time in years. My only wish is that the moxy displayed by these 2009 Gigantes will rub off on my Oakland Raiders across the bay. As they say in geology, Time and Pressure will mold tomorrow's landscape. "TIME & PRESSURE."

Little League World Series Champions

The kids from Chula Vista, California represented well in their World Series win over Taipei, China. Maybe one day a few of these little league sluggers will be belting home runs and turning double plays for the San Francisco Giants.

For My Belly Dancer Friend - She knows

Guys, we're sleeping on an ancient art form of seduction that'll ease any sports fans agony.

Bridgestone Invitational Sees Tiger Woods Growl

Tiger Woods is phenomenal in his comeback win at the 2009 World Golf Championship - Bridgestone Invitational.

The 80's had Joe Montana. The 90's had Michael Jordan. Since the new millennium Tiger Woods has been the greatest clutch athlete we've seen.

Maybe you don't consider golf a sport, okay. But watch as Tiger puts some nasty spin on the golf ball which he hits at a distance that would give coach potatoes like many of us a stroke to walk.

Rookie Safety Mike Mitchell

"It's really not football when you don't have pads on."


This character defining quote from Raiders rookie Mike Mitchell when expressing his impatience for putting on pads and doing some hitting (love taps) says it all. Simply put, Mitchell likes to deliver a body jarring load on defense.

Mitchell, a safety out of Ohio University, is a hard hitting missile with what appears to be a knack for delivering crushing hits on receivers at the very moment the pigskin kisses their fingertips. The result is a receiver wriggling on the turf, hands grasping their helmet wondering WTF was that. Video footage don't lie, it was Missile Mike who just knocked the crap out of you.

The Missile comes equip with long range surveillance radar systems for locking in on rushers and quarterbacks alike. He's a quick striking land/air search and destroy weapon capable of causing fumbles, interceptions and extreme pain. All a defensive coordinator need do is to strategically position "The Missile" on the field, giving him optimum striking capability.

Raider Fans........................Assassin 2009 is Assembled and Ready to Defend Our Nation.

Welcome #34 Missile Mike

1980 New York - CRASHCREW

Reviewer Unknown:
Disco Dave & the Force of the 5 MCs, otherwise known as the Crash Crew, formed in Harlem in 1977 by a group of high school pals, who started by giving performances at neighborhood playgrounds. These cats are mad nice people. The thing with old-school hip-hop is that unless you heard it when it first came out it can sound foriegn and dated. That's not the case with the legendary Crash Crew. The Crash Crew are DJ Daryll C ( R.I.P ), G Man, La Shubee, Barry Bistro, EK Mike C, and Reggie Reg. Every man held his own in the Crash Crew and there was no leader or frontman. The crew wrote "High Power Rap" on their way to the studio and they sold the single out of the trunk and solidified their spot as a force to rekon with.

"High Power Rap" has everything any old-school classic should have: Sing-songy bragadoccio--the line “I got a bunch of girls that wanna bust my nut"--kazoo solos, and harmonized lines. It's also notable in that it spawned jiggaman’s “Girls Girls Girls” and predates Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s usage of Freedom’s “Get Up & Dance” beat. Apparantly that sparked a little beef between the two camps, although not enough beef to keep the Crash Crew from signing to Sugar Hill, where they released a string of pretty hot singles.

Harlem World Crew
Willie Wood Crew
Ya Mama
Catch The Beat
It's Magic
F-Troop Rap
Just Buggin
At The Party
I Go To Work - Kool Moe Dee

The Black Hole of Calcutta

Here's a story for Raider Fans. The origin of the Black Hole and the real terror behind the term. The slide above is a 1908 image of an onlooker viewing a space 14 by 18 feet in Calcutta, India. The space was once a Fort William prison cell designed to house no more than three men. One sweltering hot night in 1756, guards placed 146 men in this space meant for three. On the next morning when the door to the overstuffed cell was pried open, only 23 men walked out alive. The rest had either suffocated, succumbed to heat exhaustion or died under the trampling feet of their cellmates.

Still wanna watch that Monday Night game in the Black Hole?

The Black Hole by Jan Dalley

Anne Garvey

Sunday, 25 June 2006

The Black Hole of Calcutta is still a phrase resonant with terror and mystery. Its impact has ricocheted down the centuries - Mark Twain on his visit to Calcutta in 1846 was keen to see the site of the world-famous atrocity, and every account of Empire since the news first filtered slowly home to the England of 1756, has given a version of it.

The story is starkly simple. The local nawab, Siraj-udûdaulah, an aggressive young hothead who had recently seized power from his peace-loving grandfather, had besieged the nascent British trading town of Calcutta. After a bloody battle lasting five terrifying days, the survivors were herded into a small, airless prison in the vanquished fort. Of the 146 bullied and packed into a space that measured 14 by 18 feet, 123 died an agonising death through the unbearably sweltering night. In the morning, only 23 were alive. It took the weakened survivors 20 minutes to load the bodies from the door so the guards could open it. End of story. Or, rather, start of controversy. Was it an act of brutal barbarism or a bureaucratic blunder? Was it on the scale claimed? Did it even happen at all?

Read On.....

Another Boxing Champion Killed

This is the third boxing champion to die violently and/or unnecessarily this year. Vernon Forrest, who accumulated a 41-3 professional record with 39 knockouts, was killed by a robber at a gas station in Atlanta, Georgia. He died from multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect is still at large.

Forrest, a former welter and junior-weight champion, is best known for handing Shane Moseley his first professional loss. A rematch six months later ended in a Forrest unanimous decision. Forrest was also on the 1992 U.S. Olympic team.

Alexis Arguello and Arturo Gatti, both great fighters of their time, met untimely deaths in the past month or so. And though his death wasn't as tragic, Ingemar "The Swede" Johansson died earlier this year from natural causes at the ripe age of 76. The Swede stunned the boxing world in 1959 by knocking out then heavy weight champion Floyd Patterson.

My Prayers go out to all of these men and their families. We as fans must remember that we're only losing a sporting icon, while their families are losing a father, brother, husband, uncle or mentor.

May God Grant You All Peace!

Cause Of Stench In New Jersey Uncovered

If you've never been on the New Jersey Turnpike, then you've been spared the smell that one never forgets; My first whiff was at age ten when in the backseat of the family automobile heading for a trip to Virginia, my father's home state. That first detection makes you first look at others in the vehicle, then check yourself before realizing that the rotten egg stench slapping everyone around in the car is just the "Welcome to New Jersey" aroma that introduces itself to you on the turnpike. And the nerve of them naming this garbage smelling colony "The Garden State."

Though blame for the stench has been attributed to years of industrial pollution and organized crime's dumping of corpses (see Sopranos), today's news uncovered just what may have been causing the stench all along.

Corrupt Politicians and Jewish Rabbis were round up and arrested today by the FBI in what may turn out to be the scam of the century. The players:

State Legislators
City Mayors
Jewish Charities
Jewish Rabbis
Governor's Cabinet Member

In all more than 40 people were arrested. The thought of FBI agents raiding Jewish Synagogues is unheard of. The state of Israel is even suspected of involvement. What would YAWEH think?

And the man who blew the whistle on it all? An FBI Informant and former real estate developer charged with bank fraud three years ago.

Some of The Charges:
International Money Laundering
Conspiracy to sell human organs (Kidneys)
Sale of Counterfeit Goods
Bankruptcy Fraud

Authorities say the number of arrests are remarkable even for New Jersey standards, where more than 130 public officials have pleaded guilty or have been convicted of corruption since 2001.

So next time you get a heavy dose of rotten egg and garbage up your nostrils, check to see if you've just crossed into the twilight zone that is New Jersey.

Famous Canine Had To Be Put Down

No Michael Vick relapsing story here; it was age and not the loss of a fight that led to the euthanizing of the infamous Taco Bell Chihuahua.

Gidget was her name, and they say she was a natural in front of the camera. You may not have known her by name, but you definitely knew the infamous line in her advertisement; "Yo Quiero Taco Bell."

Thanks for the times Yo.

Gidget
1994-2009

Did The Wife Do It?

Sorry Steve McNair, I'm sad you're gone, but the story surrounding your death just simply won't dissipate.

We're now hearing stories about a crooked police officer, an exotic dancer, a "roofie" victim of McNair's and a wife who had to know he was cheating. I knew the scenario the police laid out sounded too perfect, but I didn't expect the corpse(s), excuse the analogy my man, to come floating up to the top so soon.

People are talking and the more we listen the more we hear how the wife had to be jealous. So instead of a jealous girlfriend behind the slaying, people are asking the question if possibly it was a jealous wife. Could it be that the wife was seeing pictures of her man with another woman and hearing church bells in her mind? Unlike "Etta James," its possible that All she couldn't do was cry.

Its the sad old story that women have lived through so many times in the past. Unfortunately, the dead girlfriend and the suspected wife are both victims of a man who didn't consider the consequences of his actions even if it didn't lead to death.

Giants Pitcher Tim Lincecum Starts All Star Game

Yeah, he looks like he should be skirting across downtown sidewalks with a skateboard, but babyface pitcher Tim Lincecum will be skirting fastballs past All Star sluggers instead. The 2008 Cy Young award winner will lead off the National League All Star pitching staff in what I hope will be a dominating long overdue win for the "pure baseball league."

If they weren't already, the San Francisco Giants pitching staff are now officially on the major league baseball radar thanks to a Jonathan Sanchez No-Hitter last friday night. Sanchez's "no-no," with his dad on-hand visiting from Puerto Rico, is just one of the many stories of this sensational season of surprises for the Gigantes.

The Art of Deception

One thing about our new Executive-in-Chief. Compared to the leader of France President Barak Obama is either farsighted or the most sly Brotha on the planet. Check this out:

Raiders JaMarcus Russell Taking Command

Despite what you may have heard about Raiders Quarterback JaMarcus Russell missing the final Organized Team Activities today, the Quarterback and team are doing what needs to be done to be a winner, they're bonding.

When I heard the ESPN report about JaMarcus ducking out of team activities today I was puzzled. I knew JaMarcus was committed to being a leader but couldn't understand why he'd cutout on the activities. Of course if ESPN reported it then it must be so.

Well I found a Raiders source who begs to differ with the "Raider Hating" ESPN reportage. At Raiderbeat.com I read where JaMarcus has planned and paid for his receivers to assemble with him in Alabama for a private workout. Is it possible that the quarterback was gone today to make preparations for this private workout scheduled for next week? I don't know their schedule and its obvious neither does ESPN.

The Raiders will be a cohesive team this season. They're doing the things that teams do to become winning teams. I must be watchful for enemy sabotage until the season begins. I can't wait for the real battle day to arrive. I can smell football.

Raiders!

SF Giants Hit 3 Home Runs In Win

The Freak Tim Lincecum was pitching and the hitters were hitting as the San Francisco Giants pistol whipped the San Diego Padres for a 9-3 win.

I watched the game at home and kept kicking myself for not making it down to the ballpark to see the fireworks. No, there were no fireworks in the skies of July tonight, but plenty of baseballs went flying into the stands for homeruns (3) as the Giants hitters came alive for game one of a four game series against the Padres.

Just yesterday the team looked flat on offense as they were shutout by the Florida Marlins, giving the "Big Sadowski" his first loss. Ryan Sadowski pitched a good game in the loss. I suppose the theme for this season rings true; we don't have to win every game, just win every series. The Giants appear to be doing just that.

Though earlier today Giants fans received a frustrating blow when it was announced that Pablo "Kung Fu Panda" Sandoval lost out to Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino for the final All-Star slot in the National League.
















But that didn't stop Panda from going 2-for-5 with a run batted in tonight. The SF Giants are a team to be reckoned with this season.

Panda Quote of the Day: "I got the numbers, I didn't get the votes."

For what its worth Panda, you're an All-Star in our line-up.

Go Giants!

Amazing Technology, Innovative Advertising

Watch CBS Videos Online

The Jealous Girlfriend Did It?

Part of me just wants to remember Steve McNair for the tough commanding quarterback that he was on the field. But the circumstances surrounding his death just keep nagging at my assumptions of "Air McNair" as an unflappable leader and family man off the field. I suppose its true that perception is reality until flavored with truth sauce.

Nobody's perfect, but those who take on celebrity status do have an obligation to the fans who are inspired by them, as well as their biggest fans, their children. And if he was such a great dad as they say, then why would he choose to hang out with a twenty-year old waitress for days without his wife and family seeing him? The weaknesses of men are many and fate has a way of revealing those weaknesses. Unfortunately for Steve it cost him fatally.

Was Air McNair a playa who got played? Was he caught up with the good looks and high energy of a young woman who saw him as the answer to all her hopes and dreams? Or was he just the victim of a girl gone wild with passionate jealousy and suicidal tendencies? We may never know.

But I will say this, and I'm sure many others are thinking the exact thing I'm going to say; There's much more to this story than the police, media, friends and family are telling.

Maybe I read too much and have seen too many CSI and Perry Mason episodes. Maybe I just have a hard time believing that the young and pretty waitress could shoot a person multiple times in cold blood then kill herself. The way in which the police have reenacted the crime is just too damn perfect for me. Didn't anyone in the complex hear five shots being fired?

This crime has everything; the football star, the beautiful mistress, the unsuspecting wife, the "Kaylo Kaylen" type roommate, the ex-boyfriend and police video footage of the victims just nights prior during a DUI stop. Its really only missing two things to make it the murder mystery of the new century; The frickin suicide note and O.J. Simpson. Lucky for O.J. he's behind bars or I'm sure he'd be hauled in for questioning, glove and all.

I apologize to Air McNair posthumously for adding to the web rumors of his death. But then again, if a different truth should surface in the future, I'd like to think that my little piece of celebrity gossip and opinion might of helped further the investigation.

As it stands in my book today, someone may just have carried out "The Perfect Crime." And chances are the killer(s) were questioned by the police and cleared. The real perpetrators may be reading this blog seconds after its posting. If that be the case then I must say this for the record in my own defense: I'm a blogger, not a snitch!

4th of July Sports Sunday

The Good

My San Francisco Giants pitching "freak" Tim Lincecum extended his scoreless streak to 23 innings after shutting down the Houston Astros for seven innings today. The park was lively, the weather was inviting and the Giants were dominant in a 9-0 win. Lincecum has a tasmanian delivery like no other and seeing it today made me realize how lucky I am to witness the freak in action. The Giants are 6.5 games behind division leading los angeles and their bats have come alive the past two games producing a total of 22 runs. Go Giants!


The Bad

Tragedy struck the NFL and football fans everywhere today when we learned that former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head in a downtown Nashville,Tennessee condominium. Police have no answers to the cause of this tragedy, but did say that a second victim, a female, was found along with McNair. I saw McNair play gallantly against my Oakland Raiders in the 2002 AFC Championship game in Oakland. McNair was a true gamer. The game itself is one I finished watching with tears of joy bubbling over from my eyes and heart. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family as well as the other victim.

Steve McNair
1973-2009


The Ugly

Another 4th of July Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest goes into overtime with the two favorites, Joey "Jaws" Chestnut of San Jose,Ca. and Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi of Japan, battling to the end once again. Jaws was defending his 2008 Nathan's Championship mustard belt against a Kobayashi that was determined to dethrone the two-time champion in winning what would've been his seventh belt.

Although Kobayashi choked down 64 hot dogs, it was Joey "Jaws" who took home the belt, the trophy and the title with 68 Nathan's hot dogs in his belly in 10 minutes, a new record. When asked by espn when he thought he had the championship in hand, Jaws had this to say:

"After the second minute I knew my body was cooperating."

Most of us in sports know this type of statement as meaning the athlete was "In a Zone." We've seen Michael Jordan in it, we've seen Joe Montana in it, and we've seen a basket-full of baseball hitters and pitchers in it. Today, for those who trekked to Coney Island for their Independence Day festivities, a piece of sports history was their treat after witnessing Joey "Jaws" Chestnut zoning out on 68 Nathans hotdogs. Congratulations go out to "Jaws" for his successful eating competition three-peat.

Boxing Loses A Legend

There are times when sports is a metaphor for life. As with the infamous words of the incomparable Ferris Bueller (played by Matthew Broderick in the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off):

Ferris: Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

Our good fellow Ferris could have been referring to a particular Main Event in boxing some four years prior. If you're a boxing fan and missed it, you're probably still kicking yourself for not having HBO. If you're too young to remember or weren't born yet, go slap your daddy for screwing around too long before starting a family.

It was November 12, 1982, Veterans Day weekend. The following week Korean boxer Duk Koo Kim would die unexpectedly from injuries sustained during a 14-round match against Ray "Boom Boom"Mancini in Las Vegas, prompting reforms in the sport of boxing. The place was the Orange Bowl in Miami,Fl., which had hosted five NFL Super Bowls prior to this event and has since been demolished. The fight was billed as "Battle of the Champions." I must interrupt myself here. I'm getting chills just remembering the fight. If pictures say more than words then it would be wise of me to just shut up and provide you with an embedded video clip of the match.

So below I give you what I was able to scrounge up off the internet of this 1982 Championship bout between the man who is now gone but never forgotten, Alexis Arguello, and the other boxing champion who shares in the glory of this main event, Aaron Pryor.

Alexis came from very humble beginnings yet always carried himself in a manner that garnered love and respect for his being. Always a gentleman and consummate professional.


Watch Aaron Pryor vs. Alexis Arguello 1 in Sports | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com


Alexis Arguello
April 19, 1952 - July 1, 2009
Managua, Nicaragua

Professional Boxing Record:
82 wins 8 losses
65 knockouts
champion in 3 weight divisions

When Fiction Becomes Fact - Quicksand

Here's a link to an old post by a bright and curious blogger named Matt Rubenstein. Matt discusses a new scientific invention; or more like a new scientific weapon. The new product may one day be used in warfare. What might this unconventional weapon be you ask?

Dry Quicksand!

You may not think of Quicksand as a brutal weapon, but believe me when I say there's no death more frightening nor unforgiving than this engulfing body-snatcher. With the stealth and silence of a thief in the night, it lies in wait, unnoticed underfoot. 

By the time walking mammals realize the fatal mistake of their steps, panic then prayer become their only avenues of recourse. 

Quicksand renders all five human sense organs inoperable. The silent killer's advantage is its ability to hide in plain sight, while the unsuspecting mammal's inability to see, hear, smell, taste or feel its presence, until its too late, becomes their own undoing. It is the perfect trap!

As the sand begins filling up the orifices of the head (ears, nose and throat), this mucky murderer leaves its poor victims with a grounds eye view of a retreating world; a world so full of promise and adventure only seconds before that last, fateful step. The sinking victims are granted a final look-see by the murderer, as they stare out in horror at a setting landscape with not a soul in sight. A victims last conscious thought: being buried alive in an unmarkable grave. N0oooo!

I think the classic French poet/novelist Victor Hugo describes it best in his short story "Caught in the Quicksand":
"The sand rises; the sand reaches his shoulders; the sand reaches his neck; the face alone is visible now. The mouth cries, the sand fills it - silence. The eyes still gaze - the sand shuts them; night. Now the forehead decreases, a little hair flutters above the sand, a hand comes to the surface of the beach, moves and, shakes, disappears. It is the earth-drowning man."

A Poem by Claude McKay

In 1919 there was a wave of race riots consisting mainly of white assaults on black neighborhoods in a dozen American cities. Jamaican-born writer Claude McKay responded by writing this sonnet, urging his comrades to fight back. It had a powerful impact, then and later.


IF WE MUST DIE

If we must die, let it not be like hogs
Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
Making their mock at our accursed lot.
If we must die, O let us nobly die,
So that our precious blood may not be shed
In vain; then even the monsters we defy
Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!
O kinsmen we must meet the common foe!
Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,
And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow!
What though before us lies the open grave?
Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack,
Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!

He Lived To Entertain Us

1958 - 2009

My Personal Favorite: I'll Be There

Confederation Cup Upset

Spain 0 United States 2

For you American Fans who only know football played with a pigskin (Guilty Your Honor) the Confederation Cup is an eight-nation World Cup warm-up. And the World Cup is the Super Bowl of professional Soccer numb nuts.

The underdog American soccer team's upset of Spain today may not rank big outside the United States, but trust me when I say its gargantuan within these American borders. The U.S. team has basically been a doormat for other teams for years. We'd already lost two games in this Confederation Cup series before today's win. It could be that we've finally figured something out about soccer, or we're just plain tired of being walked and trampled on in world competition.

Just goes to show what we in sports know so well; on any given day the worse team can beat the best team. This United States upset doesn't win anything for the elated Americans, but it does put them into the final championship game against either defending champion Brazil or host country South Africa come Sunday. For now I just want every red blooded American to go open up a window, stick their head out and yell "We're As Mad As Hell And We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore."

Bring On Brazil!

Josh Womack's No-Hands Swing

Check out this no-hands swing:

Lincecum Shuts Out A's 3-0

With Tim Lincecum pitching, the San Francisco Giants shutout the Oakland A's 3-0 in this first of three interleague series games at AT&T Park. Being at the park and watching this game was just a thrill. A crowd of 36,033, with A's fans sprinkled throughout, gave it a bit of a Dodgers rivalry feel. But you'd never see a baseball cap half Dodger and half Giants, that's for sure. I hate those Giants/A's hats.

With all the Giants runs coming in the 5th inning it was Lincecum's pitching duel with A's rookie pitcher Vin Mazzaro (2-1) that provided the excitement and drama of the evening. Gotta give Mazzaro his due, he held the Giants hitless into the fourth inning. He's definitely another find for Oakland, who's known for finding diamonds in the rough. But tonight belonged to Cy Young Award Winner Tim Lincecum. In that run rallying fifth he provided the hit that gave the Giants their first run. There just so happened to be a good article in the SF Chronicle today criticizing the Designated Hitter rule and expounding on the the beauty and pureness of National League pitchers swinging the bat. Lincecum gave that article credibility with his clutch hit tonight.

Lincecum's pitching almost overshadowed the throwout at home plate of A's runner Adam Kennedy by the Giant's Emmanuel Burriss. It was Nate Schierholtz who started off the play by retrieving a Matt Cust double that hit off the wall in center field. Schierholtz did the right thing by throwing to cut-off man Burriss who made the immaculate throw to home for the out. Not a soul in the stadium thought Burriss's throw had a prayer of getting the out at the plate, but the night was a miracle night for the Giants and the tag out at home sent the home crowd into a mighty roar.

The best part of the evening, besides seeing the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate winning the Stanley Cup over Detroit on the big HD Scoreboard, was having Tim Lincecum strike out the final A's batter in the top of the ninth to secure a complete game, only his second in 7o starts.

They play two more games over this weekend, but you can believe the A's have lost just a bit of their winning streak confidence with tonight's loss thanks to a Giants team that played mistake free, solid National League baseball. The game took only 2 hours to play.

Go Giants!

BREATHERS

Zombie-American Chapter One from Ed Helms

Came across this very funny and original book titled "Breathers" by S.G. Browne. I really didn't want to buy it but the price and the humor were just too good to pass up. The story centers around a zombie, oops, I mean and an undead person named Andy, who finds love, friendship and acceptance at his local UA (Undead Anonymous) support group meetings.

Yeah, sounds a bit off the wall right? Well, after recently reading 900 plus pages of Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth," I'm due for a twisted and somewhat demented read. After reading just a few pages I'm beginning to feel that its the living beings (Breathers) in this story that seem to have the most hangups. And as our main character Andy in the story so elegantly puts it when thinking of a need to come up with a more inconspicuous support group name other than Undead Anonymous;

"After all, when you're undead, your about as anonymous as a transvestite with a five o'clock shadow. At least we don't get any support group imposters crashing our meetings, trying to pick up on vulnerable women. That would be sick. Interesting, but sick."

The group imposters part is in reference to Chuck Palahniuk's book titled "Choke" I'm sure. In Choke, an imposter crashes a Sex Addicts support group looking for vulnerable women to have sex with. Any horny male with stale pickup lines can see the genius in this imposter's actions.

I hope to enjoy reading this hilarious and outside-the-box book. As one reviewer commented: "A Zombie Story with Brains."

Walk Like An Egyptian

05-31) 14:48 PDT CAIRO, Egypt (AP) --

A 25-year-old Egyptian man cut off his own penis to spite his family after he was refused permission to marry a girl from a lower class family, police reported Sunday.

After unsuccessfully petitioning his father for two years to marry the girl, the man heated up a knife and sliced off his reproductive organ, said a police official.

The young man came from a prominent family in the southern Egyptian province of Qena, one of Egypt's poorest and most conservative areas that is also home to the famed ancient Egyptian ruins of Luxor.

The man was rushed to the hospital but doctors were unable to reattach the severed member, the official added citing the police report filed after the incident.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with the press, added that the man was still recovering in the hospital.

Traditionally, marriages in these conservative part of southern Egypt are between similar social classes and often within the same extended families — and are rarely for love.

Judge Clay Calls It Like He Sees It

"There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Mehserle intended to shoot Oscar Grant with a gun and not a Taser."
Alameda County Superior Court Judge C. Don Clay

With these condemning thoughts Judge Clay legally ordered former Bart policeman Johannes Mehserle to stand trial for the murder of Hayward,Ca. resident Oscar Grant.

With video footage that clearly shows Mehserle shooting to death a subdued and unarmed Grant, and no testimony from Mehserle explaining his murderous actions, Judge Clay rendered a decision that gives victims of police brutality and unjust courtroom practices a ray of judicial hope.

Unfortunately for Oscar Grant, today's judicial ray of hope won't pave the way for him to return to his 4 year old daughter and family.

What made the hearings even more shameful were the contradicting statements of fellow Bart police who were at the crime scene: "Bart cops testimony contradicted by video in Oscar Grant shooting case"

For as much as I feel that our right to privacy has been violated while in places of public today, I and many others are grateful for the cell phone footage that sadly recorded the senseless actions of a few police against what appears to be a cooperative citizen. For without that footage history tells us that such incidents as these usually end with the disciplining of an officer by temporary suspension with pay pending a full investigation. Yeah, standard operating procedure. But not in this era of handheld technology and terror alert citizens. Bad cops beware, the SF bay area is watching and recording when you least expect it.

As long as the prosecution just presents the facts, any verdict other than guilty will be a disgrace to the judicial system of the United States. Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

The trial will be nationally monitored.

Randy "Big Unit" Johnson Records 300th Win

Randy Johnson, pitching for the San Francisco Giants reached 300 wins in the majors with today's 5-1 Giants victory. He's only the 24th player to reach this milestone, and possibly the last due to the five man pitching rotation of modern baseball.

Congratulations "Big Unit!"

Ja-Mar-CUS

X-SITE-ING

Red Bull X-Fighters Calgary

Some people think Calgary is a one horse town, but there was a stampede of excitement there this weekend for the Red Bull X-Fighters event. Over 21,000 spectators gathered to watch the world's top freestyle motocross riders duke it out in the skies over Alberta, and in the end it was Australian Robbie "Maddo" Maddison besting his competitors and taking home gold. Click through the gallery for a glimpse of the Canadian action, eh? (Photo: Red Bull Photofiles)

BENGIE TO THE RESCUE!

Unusually warm and breezy spring day in San Francisco. Perfect for attending a San Francisco Giants baseball game against division rival San Diego Padres.

The park was anything but sold out. It was one of the smallest gatherings I've ever seen at the park that Barry built. But no surprise, the Giants haven't been slugging em' out of the park since Bonds left, and that's what many of those fair weather fans of bondgone days were showing up to see.

So here on this beautiful Wednesday afternoon with probably less than 20,000 fans in attendance the Giants and Padres put on a pitching dual that allowed no runs through nine innings. I believe both teams only got a man on third base one time throughout the first nine innings. Barry Zito pitched an amazing six innings but so did Padres pitcher Chris Young (C Young).

We Giants fans were feeling as if sooner or later the Padres would most likely get the winning run since our team seemed unable to get runners past second most of the game. In the bottom of the 10th inning with one out Giants Andres Torres, playing for injured Aaron Rowand singled to get on first base, then stole second. Fred Lewis was intentionally walked with two outs. We fans were feeling that another opportunity for the Giants with a man in scoring position would be squandered.

But then the Giants pulled out our ace. The moment couldn't have been more perfect for our savior to step to the on-deck circle. He'd been given the day off to rest and also get his backup a chance to catch Barry Zito.

And so it was that when Big Burly Bengie Molina stepped to the plate to pinch hit with a man on second we the fans, the few that had stayed anyway, felt we'd see a special moment in giants lore unfold. Now Bengie may be slow when it comes to running bases, and he's not the most charismatic player on the team, but there's one thing he does better than most any other Giant and that's swing the bat. When Bengie took a few swings and missed I knew right there that the game was ours. Though Bengie swung and missed one or two times, I saw that his swing was smooth and unhurried with plenty of power. And just like Bengie, when he did connect with the winning run it was a thing of beauty; high, deep and perfectly positioned to drop where no Padre could get to it before it bounced over the outfield wall for a ground rule double. Game over, Giants win! Bengie's swing had that Will Clark sweetness to it and the ball was launched off the end of his bat like the bat and ball had a mutual agreement; I hit and you fly.

Today's game wasn't the best game I ever saw, nor was it a game to be remembered for moments of excitement, but for me it confirmed all the wonderful reasons that I enjoy a game of baseball in the springtime. The weather, the aroma of the park, the patience of the players, the strategy of the managers, the pace , the future hope, the goat and the hero, the fans young and old.

Thanks to Bengie and the great stick-to-it-ism of the team, on this day the San Francisco Giants won not only a game, but a place in my heart and the hearts of many kids young and old, who saw the magic of hope that a half empty ballpark can conjure up with two simple words: Play Ball!

Giants 1 10th
Padres 0

Golden Boy Retires, Finally!

Golden Boy Oscar Delahoya retires from professional boxing today. Glad to see he took some good advice, because his last fight against Manny Pacquaio was an embarrassment.

At a boy Oscar, you did the right thing. Thanks for.........................

On the other side of this coin is Oscar the promoter, who through Golden Boy Promotions will have more time to focus on bringing us boxing fans some quality match-ups.

Raiders 2009 Season Schedule Set

Every year I review the newly released Oakland Raiders schedule around this time, and every year I feel that we can beat most of the teams, if not all, that we'll be playing.

No different this year. If Tom Cable and company gameplan with a passion for each opponent, there's no reason the talent we have can't go out and win games. A coach's job is to put his players in the best position to win the game. As my boy "Herm Edwards" once so passionately put it, "You Play To Win The Game........Hello."

I seriously believe we're in for a treat this season. If we just stay healthy, stay together and execute the game plans to perfection, who can stop us except us.

I'm feeling that Silver & Black pride folks, ya wit me?

The countdown to September 14th begins now. On that Monday night we're scheduled to play at home against the San Diego Chargers. I get a chance to wear my "Chargers Suck" T-shirt where the little Raiders fan is pissing on a Charger helmet, can't wait. The Chargers don't know what they're in for.


Raider Life!

A Dream Transferred

Lorraine Hansberry, American Playwright (1930-1965)

				A Raisin in the Sun My Amazon Review		77 used & new from $3.62
A Dream Transferred , April 13, 2009 I watched this movie last night and the effects it had on me are still lingering through this morning. Not only is it a wonderful film production and acting performance of a classic and timeless story written for the stage by Lorraine Hansberry, but its also a much needed reminder of what it takes to keep our dreams alive while staying true to the moral and religious values that helped carry generations before us through tougher times. My mother took us to see this play in NYC back in the 70's when I was about 10 year old. I remember not understanding the different reactions of the grown-ups, I was more captivated by the experience of my first Broadway play and being inside a huge ornately decorated theatre. Watching the movie last night I now understand what all the sorrow, laughter, disappointment and triumph I saw on stage and throughout its audience of years past was all about. I now know why my mother was teary eyed afterwords. This story is simply about the passing of the torch from one generation to the next. The torch comes with all the emotions of the past (both good and bad) as well as its hopes and dreams. Any people who've been immigrants to or experienced oppression in a land will relate to this story. I learned from watching this movie last night that what touched my mother so much in this story is that it represented her and my father's story, or any parent's story for that matter; for their children to attain all the dreams and hopes of their parents and generations past, dreams that have now become the children's dreams. I also realized in watching that the obstacles and frustrations I've had to overcome are similar to those of my parents, maybe even inherited. So Now it is I who carry the torch and will someday, with teary eyes of joy, pass all the hopes, dreams, sacrifices and struggles to my children when the time is ripe. The message is clarified in this updated movie production. For if we don't pass on to the next generation our hopes and dreams along with the spiritual wisdom and moral guidance of past generations, all of it can simply "dry up like a raisin in the sun, or fester like a sore and run." A Must Watch! And for those reviewers who I feel are unjustly criticizing the acting of Sean Combs, try to remember, its not about the messenger as much as the message. Don't be deferred, he delivers the message brilliantly. The question becomes, are you ready to receive it? Deceased father's love for children and dreams expressed in these lines from the movie: "Seems like God didn't seem fit to give a Black man nothin but dreams, but he did give us children to make the dreams seem worthwile."

Seven Blows of the Dragon

I was about ten or eleven years old when I saw this movie in a theater packed with neighborhood kids. It was a dazzling movie that I still have fond memories of. The signature theme sound that played everytime one of the heroes (the mountain brothers) jumped effortlessly through the air (cheeka, cheeka, chaa) had us in the audience cheering every time. A Classic Shaw Brothers Martial Arts Bonanza.

Cheeka Cheeka Chaa!

An Angel In The OutField

Sad news crashed down on Major League Baseball today. Reports about the unexpected death last night of Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart rocked the league and sports world. Nick, a 22-year old from Silver Springs, MD, made his first start of the season last night against the Oakland A's in Anaheim. It is suspected that he, along with another passenger and the driver, were killed when a hit and run drunk driver ran a red light and crashed into their vehicle. The accident happened just hours after the game. Prayers go out to the families of those killed.

About Adenhart

Nick Adenhart was selected by the Angels in the 14th round of the 2004 draft. At the time of his death, he was the youngest pitcher on a big league roster.
• Age: 22 (born Aug. 24, 1986)
• MLB debut: May 1, 2008
• Career MLB record: 1-0 (4 starts)
• Career minor league record: 37-28

The Bizarre Killing of Michael Malloy

Ever hear the depression-era story about the killing of one Michael Malloy in the Bronx? I hadn't either until I came across the book "On The House" by Simon Read. I just finished the book and I'm praying that someone out there will make poor Malloy's story into a movie. Last checked, Harvey Keitel was putting a movie together about the bizarre incident titled "Murder Trust."

The movie could easily be called The Man of Steel or The Man Who Wouldn't Die. The book was full of facts straight from the trial transcripts. With so many characters with similar names and all, it was a bit confusing to stick with, but the craziness of it all kept me reading. It was just too unbelievable to believe it happened. The arresting police and D.A. had a hard time believing it.

The story goes like this; A few low life criminals in a depression era speakeasy come up with the idea of bumping off some poor slob after taking out an insurance policy on him, figuring they'd collect the dough once he's dead. Just so happens there's a poor alcoholic slob that frequents the joint and he just so happens to be at the bar piss drunk when the idea is hatched. Its all one drawn out Bronx tale of a farce from there.

Though the book was semi-amusing, a movie with the right characters and bronx accents would drive it home. Also, I think after 75 years Michael Malloy deserves some honorary medal for his "man of steel" refusal to succumb to the murderous antics of the gang newspapers dubbed "Murder Trust."

The Story:

In January of 1933, a group called the Murder Trust tried to kill a vagrant by the name of Michael Malloy. Already, you can tell this story is going to be awesome.

The Murder Trust (consisting of Tony Marino, Joseph Murphy, Francis Pasqua, Hershey Green, and Daniel Kriesburg) took out life insurance policies on Malloy. If he died, they were going to gain over $3,500. They gave Malloy an unlimited tab at Marino's speakeasy, hoping he would drink himself to death. Malloy proved resistant to the killing effects of the demon rum. Every night, he would come in, drink until he passed out, and return the next night. Malloy's unlimited appetite was in danger of bankrupting the speakeasy, so the Murder Trust decided to up the ante. They began to serve him anti-freeze, turpentine, horse linament, and rat poison. They made him eat a sandwich of spoiled fish, nails, and metal shavings, but Malloy still continued to be invulnerable.

One night, the Trust decided to get serious. After Malloy passed out, they stripped him, carried him outside, dumped five gallons of water on his chest, and left him to freeze. On the night in question, it was a nippy -14 degrees Fahrenheit. Malloy still didn't die. Growing desperate, the Trust decided to run him over with a taxi. They hit him at 45 miles per hour and drove off. Unbeknownst to the Trust, Malloy was not dead; he was merely hospitalized for three weeks, with a concussion and some broken bones.

Three weeks later, he showed up at the speakeasy, looking for drinks. The Trust finally decided to finish the job. After Malloy passed out from drink on February 22, they took him to Murphy's room and stuck a hose connected to a gas jet in his mouth. Malloy finally died. The Trust was arrested. Green went to prison, and the other members were executed at Sing Sing.

San Francisco Giants Opening Day

The SF Giants gave fans plenty to cheer about in their opening day win over the Milwaukee Brewers 10-6. Young NL Cy Young award winning pitcher Tim Lincecum didn't fare too well as a starter and was pulled after the third inning, but hitters (3-home runs) and relievers were able to limit Brewer damage and give the home crowd a pleasing start to the 2009 Major League Baseball Season.

The park was sold out and the knothole standing cage was packed. The weather held out and as the 9th inning came to a close the sun smiled down on the park. A great beginning for a hopeful Giants season. And there's Tony Bennet blaring through the park speakers, winner's music.

Go Giants!

Go Ahead And Crown'em

Five minutes into the NCAA Mens Basketball Championship and North Carolina leads Michigan State 17-7. I'm crowning the Tar Heels at this point. All five starters have scored, they're making two pointers and three pointers, they're causing the Spartans to turn the ball over and you can see that the Spartans are resorting to taking long-range shots, a last resort.

So go ahead and Crown the North Carolina Tar Heels NCAA Men's Basketball Champions, they're playing better ball than five of the worst teams in the NBA. And I guess we should congratulate former Tar Heel Michael Jordan for being selected for induction into the NBA Hall of Fame today. It's a powder blue Monday folks!

Raiders Sign Veteran QB Jeff Garcia

The Oakland Raiders are making the smart moves this off-season. Today they continued that smartness with the signing of veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia. Garcia brings a 10-year resume to the silver & black along with pro bowl and playoff appearances. He's also proven tough and can help starting quarterback JaMarcus Russell in his development.

Garcia began spent his first five NFL seasons across the bay in whiner land. He spent last season with the the tampa bay *ucks.

Welcome to the Oakland Raiders Jeff Garcia!

Scheduled Competititve Eating Contests

Are you one of those sports fans who hasn't participated in a sport since high school or college? Sorry buddy, bowling night with fries and a pitcher of beer doesn't count. Well if you fit this mold and want to break out of it there's a competition just bursting to have you enter and compete.

The economy may be in a downturn but the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) is alive and well here in the United States. With baseball's opening day on the horizon, so to is the competitive eating circuit's competitions. On April 11th the first of four IFOCE championships of the month will take place at Great America in Santa Clara, California, prizes to be determined. Its the great Funnel Cake Eating Contest and Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, champion of last year's Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest at Coney Island, will be competing against his archrival Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti.

It may not be too late for you couch potatoes out there to sign up and surprise your friends and family by becoming a competitive sportsman of the new millennium.

What? You say you've got baseball game tickets for that date? Well maybe you the wife and kiddies can truck on down to New Orleans the following week for the official IFOCE sponsored ACME World Oyster Eating Championship. Gas is cheap again and hurricane season isn't for a few more months.

Competitive eating is becoming a very big sporting event thanks to the eating machine Takeru "The Tsunami" Kobayashi from Japan. I myself became a fan after seeing Kobayashi down 53.5 hotdogs one year at Nathan's Coney Island. The Machine has a huge fan base and though he lost last year to Joey Chestnut, he's still the "Pele" of competitive eating.

So if you need a bit of inspiration to get yourself to get off the couch, log in and sign up for one of these food filling events, Here's a little training video. I give you The Machine "Kobayashi" battling a real live bear: