2011 Predictions

How did I do last year? I did predict Rich Rodriguez's firing and Euro riots over austerity programs. I nailed the number of Senate seats the GOP won, but was way off on the House. I also predicted some major Dem defeats that did not occur. Although there was not widespread rioting, tensions over immigration are rearing their head in Europe.

I did not get: The Yanks did not have a year for the ages. No one died on a reality show (came close overseas though). Blue Rays still exist. The Mullahs still run Iran.

and some predictions:

The Economy: Shows some improvement, but no one feels it. Housing remains sluggish.

Korea: A war does not break out on the Korean Peninsula. The U.S. will back down (again) and give the North what they want. (Kudos to South Korea for standing up to the North).

Wikileaks: Julian Assange goes to jail. His idiot supporters will protest.

Politics: House Republicans hold hearings on health care reform which make the program even less popular. Also, there will be a major Obama Administration scandal.

Sports: Ohio State goes on probation.

History Shorts: Parthenon construction begins (447 B.C.)

Following the Persian War, Athens emerged as a regional super power. As a power, Athens led the Delian League which was a defensive alliance of Greek city states. The league formed to counter the Persian threat. Eventually, Athens came to dominate the Delian League and used its treasury to beautify the city. In 480 B.C., the Persians destroyed the Temple of Athena. Athens rebuilt the temple using Delian League members dues. Construction began in 447 B.C. and was completed in 432 B.C.  The structure became a symbol of Classical Greece and Athenian Democracy. However, Delian League members grew to resent Athens for spending their dues on Athenian beautification. Resentment increased when the league's treasury moved to the Parthenon. Anger over Athenian dominance eventually led to the Peloponnesian War. Today, Greece is working to restore and refurbish the structure.

 Building the Parthenon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVgfAd1Yz6M

The Parthenon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQPbGYR1jgs&feature=related

Top 200 Albums of All Time: A

I decided to do my own Top 200 Albums of All Time. Instead of ranking them #1-200, I am listing them alphabetically by artists. Here are the first 5 entries:

Highway to Hell: AC/DC (1979)


Highway to Hell is the last album AC/DC recorded with Bon Scott. The album propelled the band to stardom. Scott died six months after the album’s release. The song “Night Prowler” is about a boy sneaking into his girlfriend’s bedroom at night. However, the song was stolen by serial killer Richard Ramirez. The publicity led to a backlash against the band for a time.

Key Tracks:

Highway to Hell
Girls Got Rhythm
Shot Down in Flames

Back in Black: AC/DC (1980)

Five months after lead singer Bon Scott’s death by “misadventure,” AC/DC released their greatest album to date with a new lead singer. The band considered dissolving after Scott’s demise, but decided to carry on. They quickly drafted Brian Johnson to do vocals and brought producer Mutt Lange, who produced Highway to Hell, back. This metal masterpiece is the second highest selling album of all time. The band dedicated the album to Bon Scott.

Key Tracks:

Hell’s Bells
Back in Black
You Shook Me All Night Long

Toys in the Attic: Aerosmith (1975)

Aerosmith’s second best selling album is also their greatest work. The album contains four of the band’s most iconic songs including “Walk this Way” and “Sweet Emotion.” The album helped turn the Boston natives into one of America’s greatest bands. By the end of the decade, Aerosmith began to disintegrate as a result of drug abuse. They eventually recovered to reform and experienced a second round of success.

Key Tracks:

Toys in the Attic
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
No More No More

Dirt: Alice in Chains (1992)

The first band of the so-called Grunge era to break was not Nirvana. Alice in Chains broke slightly before their Seattle compatriots. In 1992, the band released Dirt which yielded multiple hits. The album focused on depression, drug use, death, war, and other downer topics. It was a clear antithesis of 80s pop metal which was in its death throes at the time.

Key Tracks:

Them Bones
Down in a Hole
Rooster
Angry Chair
Would?

5. At Fillmore East: The Allman Brothers Band (1971)

Recorded at the hallowed concert hall in New York City, the album highlighted The Allman Brothers talent and varied influences. The band incorporated blues, jazz, and southern rock into a four album recording. The album included songs with lengths of 19:15, 13:04, and 23:03 which demonstrates the longer attention span and sophistication of audiences of the time. The live albums made the Allman Brothers stars and showcased the talents of Duane Allman.

Key Tracks:

Statesboro Blues
Whipping Post

Top 10 San Francisco Giants Moments

Here is my list of greatest moments in Giants history:

Christy Mathewson strikes out 16 (October 3, 1904): Christy Mathewson struck out a record 16 St Louis Cardinals. During this period, players did not strike out as much as they do today. As a result, Mathewson's effort represented a major accomplishment.

Christy Mathewson pitches three World Series shutouts (1905): Christy Mathewson dominated the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1905 World Series. For the series, Matty pitched 27 innings, 13 hits, no runs, one walk, and struck out 18. In 2006, Kenny Rogers pitched three scoreless postseason games. In 2010, Matt Cain also pitched three games without allowing a run. However, only Matty pitched three complete game shutouts.

Giants win first “subway series” (1921): During the fifties, it seemed like the World Series was based in New York. The first time two New York teams faced off was 1921. The Giants defeated Babe Ruth’s Yankees in the first subway series.

Bobby Thompson (October 3, 1951): The Giants win the Pennant!

Mays catch sparks World Series sweep (September 29, 1954 Game One World Series): Many consider Willie Mays’ catch in the 1954 World Series the greatest ever. In the 8th inning, the score tied at 2, Vic Wertz hit a long drive to centerfield. Mays ran it down, made an over-the-shoulder catch, and rifled the ball back to the infield keeping the score tied. The catch sparked the Giants to a series sweep.

Dusty Rhodes Homer (September 29, 1954 Game One World Series): After Mays amazing catch, Dusty Rhodes hit a pinch home run in the 10th inning off Cleveland’s Bob Lemon to win Game 1 of the World Series. The Giants went on to sweep the Indians.

Willie Mays hits 4 Homers (April 30, 1961): The Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958. Three years later, Mays hit four homers at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. He stood on deck in the 9th when the Giants finished batting.

Giants beat Dodgers in a tie breaker to win pennant (October 3, 1962): In 1962, the Dodgers and Giants tied for the pennant for the first time since 1951. San Francisco took two of the three playoff games to capture the pennant. In the final game, the Giants scored four in the 9th to eliminate Los Angeles. They went onto lose a dramatic seven game World Series to the Yankees.

Tim Lincecum’s 14 Strikeouts (October 7, 2010 Game One NLDS): In his first postseason start, Tim Lincecum struck out 14 Braves in a 1-0 win. For the game, Lincecum allowed only 2 hits and a walk.

Edgar Renteria (November 1, 2010 World Series Game 5): The Giants led the Texas Rangers three games to one in the World Series. In Game 5, Cliff Lee and Tim Lincecum dueled into the seventh. Neither team could score until Edgar Renteria hit a three-run shot off Lee to propel San Francisco to their first title. It was the Giants first World Championship since 1954.

Top 10 Baltimore Orioles Moments

In chronological order:

Jim Palmer vs. Sandy Koufax (October 6, 1966): On paper, it was a mismatch. The great Koufax against some youngster. The Orioles won the game 6-0 in Los Angeles to take a 2-0 World Series lead. The O’s went on to sweep the Dodgers. The 20-year-old Palmer eventually won 268 games, three Cy Young Awards, two more World Championships, and was elected to the Hall of Fame.

Frank Robinson wins MVP (1966): Robinson was the 1961 NL MVP with Cincinnati. Prior to the 1966 season, the Reds traded him to Baltimore. It was one of the most lopsided trades in history. Robinson won the 1966 AL MVP and the Triple Crown while leading the Orioles to the promised land. Frank Robinson remained in Baltimore through the 1971 season winning another World Series in 1970.

Brooks Robinson’s World Series (1970): Brooks Robinson took over the 1970 World Series batting .429 with 2 homers and 6 RBI in the Orioles five game victory. Despite the dominant hitting performance, Robinson cemented his place in history as the greatest defensive third baseman in history by vacuuming up every ball hit in his direction regardless of the difficulties. He several impossible plays on Reds hitters. Johnny Bench must have been having Brooks Robinson nightmares ever since 1970.

http://brooksrobinsontribute.com/70%20World%20Series.htm

Four 20 game winners (1971): Baltimore is the last team to have four twenty game winners on its staff. Mike Cuellar (20), Pat Dobson (20), Jim Palmer (20), and Dave McNally (21) combined for 81 wins and a .723 winning percentage. The four aces led Baltimore to a third consecutive pennant.

Tito Landrum (October 8, 1983 Game 4 ALCS): Baltimore and the Chicago White Sox battled into the 10th inning of Game 4 of the 1983 ALCS. The O’s led the series 2-1 and needed one victory to clinch the pennant. Storm Davis and Brit Burns dueled to a scoreless tie through six. Tippy Martinez replaced Davis in the 7th for the birds. Burns continued for the Sox and the game remained scoreless through 9. In the 10th, Tito Landrum hit a solo homer to give the Orioles the lead igniting the offense. Baltimore scored two more runs to take the game 3-0.

Rick Dempsey and Eddie Murray end the World Series (October 16, 1983 Game 5 World Series): Eddie Murray hit two homers, drove in three, and Rick Dempsey added a solo shot to end the Wheeze Kids season and clinch Baltimore’s last world championship. Dempsey won the World Series MVP with a .385 average.

2131 (September 6, 1995): Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s unbreakable consecutive games played streak when he played in his 2,131 consecutive game. To commorate the event, Ripken homered in the Oriole victory. After the game became official, Ripken took a victory lap and celebrated with the fans. The streak ended after 2,632 consecutive games.

Eddie Murray’s 500th Homer (September 6, 1996): Steady Eddie Murray got his 3000th hit with the Cleveland Indians. He returned to Baltimore in 1996 and hit home run #500 one year to the day that Cal Ripken broke Gehrig’s consecutive game record. Murray is one of four men with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.

Cal Ripken 3000 (April 15, 2000): Cal Ripken ended the 1999 season just short of 3000 hits. In 2000, he quickly achieved the milestone. On April 15, he scored #3000 with three singles making him the 24th man to achieve the mark. The O’s won the game 6-4 over Minnesota.

Orioles: 11 Red Sox: 10 (June 30, 2009): Down 10-1 in the 7th, the O’s win 11-10. Baltimore scored 5 in the 7th off Justin Masterson and then another 5 in the 8th off Hidecki Okajima, Takashi Saito, and Jonathan Papelbon. It is the greatest comeback in team history surpassing 1956’s eight run comeback against the Boston Red Sox.

History Shorts: Plataea and the end of the Persian War (479 B.C.)

The final major battle of the Persian War was fought at Plataea. An alliance of Greek city states, including Athens and Sparta, defeated Xerxes and the Persians. The year before, Xerxes defeated the Spartan defenders at Thermopylae, conquered Attica, and torched Athens. However, his naval defeat at Salamis left the conquest incomplete. In 479 B.C., the Persians looked to finish off the Greeks. After an eleven day stalemate, the Persians believed the Greeks were retreating. In reality, the Greeks were reorganizing due to a disrupted supply line. The Persians attacked and were routed. On the same day, the Persian navy was also routed in battle. Afterward, the Greeks spent 30 years clearing the Persians out of their territory. The victory led to the rise of modern western civilization with modern philosophy and democracy. It also created a Persian boogeyman for Alexander the Great to exploit and later destroy.


Here is how Hollywood and Frank Miller depicted the engagement: It includes the typical inspirational speech which predicts the rise of Western Civilization. The Greeks did not dress like this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFOl-QXpLc4

History Shorts: The Battle of Salamis (480 B.C.)

Following the Battle of Thermopylae, a Greek fleet under Athenian command engaged the Persian invasion fleet. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Greeks achieved a dramatic victory sinking or capturing 300 enemy vessels. Persian King Xerxes retreated back to Asia. The Persians and Greeks fought a final, decisive battle the following year at Plataea.

Here is a compilation someone threw together to portray the battle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGWO7qog-_0

History Shorts: 300 Spartans at Thermopylae (480 B.C.)

After the failure of the initial invasion, the Persians returned to conquer and punish the Greeks. The Athenians defeated Persia at Marathon in 490 B.C. In 480 B.C., they returned with a vengeance. 7,000 Greeks marched to meet the Persians at Thermopylae. They hoped to block or delay the Persian advance by positioning themselves at the pass. They held a massive Persian army at bay for a week. During the battle, a force of 300 Spartans led by King Leonidas fought the Persians to a standstill. However, a Greek traitor named Ephialtes led the Persians around the Spartans leading to their annihilation. Afterward, an enraged Xerxes beheaded and crucified Leonidas' body. Although defeated, the Spartans provided valuable time for the Greek forces to prepare for the culminating battles of the Persian War. Additionally, it allowed the citizens of Athens to escape before the Persians took the city. Those that remained were killed and the city burned.


Thermopylae lives on in pop culture through Frank Miller's Graphic Novel, 300 which was later turned into a film. There was also a 1962 film, 300 Spartans which recounts the battle.

Spartans vs. The Immortals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou-y56B1bxQ

The Spartans last stand:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kuna7sC5ek&feature=related

History Shorts: The Battle of Marathon (490 B.C.)

Around 500 B.C., Ionia revolted against Persian rule. Greece helped the rebels which angered the highly aggressive Persians. The Persian King Darius reestablished control over the rebellious city states and then launched a punitive expedition against Greece. In 490 B.C., Athens defeated the Persians at Marathon. Darius retreated back to Asia with his tail between his legs ending the first Persian invasion. Following the failure, Darius faced an Egyptian revolt which prevented a second invasion during his lifetime. The Battle of Marathon proved the Greeks could not only stand up to the powerful Persian Empire, but defeat it. Had the Greeks failed, western history would have been dramatically different. Classical Greece would never have developed to inspire and shape European history. Following the victory, a messenger raced from Marathon to Athens to deliver word of the victory. The run inspired the modern marathon.



The Battle of Marathon (from Battles B.C.):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa8RM2pQjeY

The 1979 Boston Marathon (The modern marathon was inspired by the battle):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yTVylg2xCM

Presidential Songs: Barack Obama

Barack Obama admits to having varied musical tastes. He likes everything from Bruce Springsteen to Lil Wayne. During his presidential campaign, he adopted a U2 song for his theme. When he announced his candidacy, "City of Blinding Lights" blared over the crowd.

City of Blinding Lights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pCqii5Po_s

Bruce Springsteen was inspired by the Obama campaign and wrote "Working on a Dream":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3ZMfPXgd_M

On a humorous note, Obama and the Mayor of Las Vegas engaged in a bit of a spat. In honor of that, here's Elvis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFw5a5Bp_Pw

Top 10 Red Sox Moments

The Red Sox win the first World Series (1903): The Red Sox, known as the Americans at the time, defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in eight games to capture their first championship in the first World Series. In 1903, it was a best five-of-nine. The series is generally considered the wildest fall classic ever played and featured Honus Wagner and Cy Young. The Americans won the eighth game 3-0 behind Bill Dinneen to clinch the series.


Sox score two in the 10th to win the World Series (October 16, 1912): Boston and the New York Giants battled to Game 8 in the 1912 World Series. Although it was a best-of-seven, the teams tied Game 2 forcing the extra game. In Game 8, the Sox and Giants ended regulation tied at 1. In the 10th, New York scored to take a 2-1 lead. In the bottom half of the frame, Giants centerfielder Fred Snodgrass dropped an easy fly allowing Clyde Engel to reach second. After a fly ball advanced Engel to third and a walk, Tris Speaker popped up. No one made the play. Speaker promptly singled in the tying run off Christy Mathewson. The Giants intentionally loaded the bases to set up a force play at every base. Larry Gardner hit a sacrifice fly to right to end the World Series.

Ted Williams hits .406 (1941): Ted Williams was at .400 and could have taken the last day of the season off. Instead, he demanded to play in a doubleheader. The Splendid Splinter went 6 for 8 on last day to raise his average to .406. No player has hit .400 since.

Ted Williams homers in his last at bat (September 28, 1960): Ted Williams is one of 41 men to homer in a final at bat. However, there was only one Ted Williams. On a chilly Boston day, in another forgettable Red Sox season, Williams launched one 440 feet.

Yaz wins triple crown (1967): Carl Yastrzemski had the unenviable job of replacing Ted Williams. In 1967, it all came together. He won the triple crown and Boston enjoyed “an impossible dream” season. Whenever the Sox needed a big hit or big play, Yaz came through. For the year, Yastrzemski hit .326 with 44 home runs and 121 runs batted in. In the World Series, he chipped in a .400 average with three more homers. Carl Yastrzemski is the last player to win the triple crown.

The Impossible Dream (1967): The summer of 1967 witnessed one of the craziest pennant races in history. At the end of the season, four teams finished within three games of each other. The Tigers loss in the second game of a double header to California clinched the pennant. Boston battled the Cardinals to a seventh game, but could not defeat the invincible Bob Gibson in a Game 7.

The Fisk home run (October 21, 1975 Game 6 World Series): The Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds played in perhaps the greatest World Series in history. Carlton Fisk ended the greatest game in that series with a home run. The Reds needed one win to clinch their first title since 1940. They led 6-3 in the 8th when Bernie Carbo tied it with a three run home run. That sent the game into extra innings. In the bottom of the 12th, Fisk hit a fly ball off the foul pole to win the game. The camera focused on Fisk as the cameraman tried to steer clear of a large rat that surprised him. The end result was the iconic shot of Fisk willing the ball fair. Despite the dramatics, Boston lost Game 7 to the Big Red Machine. Nearly forty years later, Fisk jokes the Red Sox won that series three games to four.

Dave Henderson (October 12, 1986 Game 5 ALCS): The Angels led the Red Sox three-games-to-one in the American League Championship Series. In Game 5, the Angels took a 5-2 lead into the 9th. Mike Witt got into trouble surrendering a two-run homer to Don Baylor. He was replaced by Gary Lucas who hit Rich Gedman. California turned to their elite closer Donnie Moore to close out the series. Dave Henderson capped the rally with a two-out, two-strike two-run shot off Moore to give the Sox the lead. California tied the game, but Boston won in extra innings. Henderson’s rip doomed the Angels. They never recovered and Boston won the pennant.

The Idiots Comeback (2004): The Yankees took a 3-0 lead in the 2004 American League Championship Series. No team had ever come back to win a best-of-seven after trailing 3-0. The self-proclaimed “idiots” decided to make history. David Ortiz provided major hits to win Games 4 and 5 and send the series back to New York. Curt Schilling won Game 6 without an ankle. Television cameras transfixed on the blood oozing out of his sock. In Game 7, Johnny Damon’s grand slam set the tone for the game and the Sox rolled. It was their first pennant since 1986.

Curse Reversed (October 27, 2004 Game 4 World Series): Boston faced a formidable Cardinal team in the World Series. The Sox mojo overwhelmed St. Louis. They won a slugfest 11-9 in Game 1. Schilling returned with his bloody sock to win Game 2. Pedro Martinez pitched his final game in a Sox uniform winning Game 3. Derek Lowe closed out the Cardinals 3-0 to complete the sweep. The victory ended 86 years of frustration which was summed up as “The Curse of the Bambino.” The Red Sox had not won a World Series since shipping Babe Ruth to the Yankees. The idiots reversed the curse.

Top 10 New York Yankees Moments

Ruth christens Yankee Stadium (April 18, 1923): Babe Ruth opened Yankee Stadium with the ballpark’s first home run. Yanks win 4-1.


Ruth’s called shot (October 1, 1932 World Series Game 3): The Cubs were riding Ruth when he allegedly called his shot in the fifth inning. Video footage of the event definitely shows Ruth exchanging words with the Cub bench. However, there is no definitive evidence of Ruth calling the home run.

Lou Gehrig’s speech (July 4, 1939): The Yankees declared July 4, 1939 “Lou Gehrig Day” at Yankee Stadium. The doomed player addressed a crowd of 62,000 fans and proclaimed his belief that he was “the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”

Joe DiMaggio’s 56 Game Hitting Streak (1941): It began on May 15 and did not end until July 17. DiMaggio got a hit in every single game for two months. That’s insane.

Billy Martin’s catch (October 7, 1952 World Series Game 7): In Game 7 of the 1952 World Series, Billy Martin made an amazing catch which saved the game and the series for the Yankees. Jackie Robinson hit a two-out seventh inning popup which the wind took. Martin desperately raced to make the catch with the bases loaded. The Dodgers failed to score and the Yanks won the game 4-2.

Don Larsen is perfect (October 8, 1956 Game 5): Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in World Series history after getting rocked in Game 2. It is the greatest game pitched in postseason history.

Roger Maris hits 61 (1961): Even though it seemed the world was against him, and he lost his hair, Roger Maris did the unthinkable and beat Babe Ruth’s home run record. Some people never forgave Maris for dethroning the Babe. Most people warmed to Maris however and his status has since been elevated because of the allegation of steroid use in the late 90s and early 00s.

Chris Chambliss walk-off (October 14, 1976 Game 5 ALCS): Chambliss sent the Yankees to their first World Series since 1964 with a walk off homer off Kansas City’s Mark Littell.

Reggie! Reggie! Reggie! (October 18, 1977 World Series Game 6): Reggie hits three homers on three pitches to sink LA’s championship hopes. What people don’t remember is Reggie hit a homer in his last at bat in Game 5. So, he hit four straight homers on four straight pitches.

Mr. November (October 31-November 1, 2001 World Series Game 4): Derek Jeter became Mr. November with a 10th inning walk off homer to tie the World Series at two games each.

Top 10 Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes

This list is my own...

1. The Inner Light (1992): Picard’s consciousness is kidnapped by an alien probe forcing him to live another man’s life in a few minutes. A long dead alien civilization launched the probe as their planet died in the hopes that it would preserve their culture. The Hugo Award winning episode is an ode to the spirit of survival, but also bittersweet as Picard is helpless to save the people and is forced to observe events. “The Inner Light” intimately catalogues the human life cycle as Picard in the form of Kamen lives out a full life in 25 minutes.


2. Best of Both Worlds (1990): The two-part episode explores loss as the Enterprise is forced to cope without their father figure. Picard is kidnapped and assimilated by the Borg and forced to assist in the destruction of Earth. The crew adapt to the situation and eventually defeat the invaders with Picard’s help. The show marked a turning point in the show as it steadily grew in popularity and quality.
3. The Drumhead (1991): An accident aboard the Enterprise leads to a full scale inquiry into treason. The episode parallels the McCarthy Hearings of the fifties and encapsulates the fear and paranoia which surrounded the period.

4. Yesterday’s Enterprise (1990): A spatial anomaly changes history as the Enterprise-C is thrust forward in time. The ship’s appearance precluded its defense of a Klingon outpost and that led a war. The what-if storyline helped inspire 2009’s Star Trek.

5. Tapestry (1993): Q offers Picard a chance to change his past. The result unraveled “the tapestry” of Picard’s life. The captain realizes the mistakes of his past led him down a better path than he realized.

6. Chain of Command (1992): Picard is kidnapped and tortured by the Cardassians over two episodes. The captain manages to defeat his interrogator, but just barely.

7. The Measure of a Man (1989): A cyberneticist boards the Enterprise determined to dissemble Data in order to see what makes him tick. Data objects and even resigns his commission leading to a trial to determine whether he enjoyed the same rights as humanoids.

8. Redemption (1991): Worf sides with Gowron during the Klingon Civil War in order to restore his family’s honor. In the meantime, Picard plays cat-and-mouse with Sela and the Romulan Fleet which is working against Gowron. At the same time, Data is forced to deal with a bigoted junior officer as he commanded a ship in Picard’s anti-Romulan task force. A lot is going on in this two-part episode!

9. Starship Mine (1993): At the time, some fans believed Picard talked too much, so the writers turned him into Rambo. Picard wages a one-man war against a group of mercenaries stowing aboard the Enterprise after the crew disembarked so the ship could undergo decontamination.

10. Sins of the Father (1990): Worf’s father is accused of treason. He returns to Kronos to challenge the accusation, but is forced to accept it in order to protect the Klingon Empire.

Quotes of the Month: November 2010

Quote of the Month: "You touch my junk, and I'm going to have you arrested."


-John Tyner to a TSA guy

Dumb Quote of the Month: "Today China has not only a more vigorous economy, but actually a better functioning government than the United States."

-George Soros

and the rest:

“Paybacks are a Behar.”

-Dennis Miller

"Sparky Anderson will always be measured by his number of victories and his place in baseball's Hall of Fame. But all of that is overshadowed by the type of person he was. Sparky not only spiked life into baseball, he gave life in general something to smile about. Never in my lifetime have I met a man as gentle, kind and courageous as Sparky."

-Dan Ewald

“People will suffer.”

-Cowboys owner Jerry Jones after his team’s 45-7 loss to Green Bay

"We've had trouble getting 14 people to agree on what time of the day to meet."

-Sen. Kent Conrad

"We have harpooned every whale in the ocean - and some minnows."

-Debt Commission Co-Chair Alan Simpson

“History is beginning to come around"

-Dick Cheney on the Bush Presidency

“u trashed my brand new prada purse dude not cool - how u managed to rip the strap off and put 2 holes in it is beyond me.”

-Porn Star Capri Anderson to Charlie Sheen

"I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!!" AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO..."

- Buffalo Bills player Steve Johnson after dropping a game winning TD pass

“I've made mistakes, I clearly did, but what I was hoping for was that some other dumbass would get on the front page and take me off the hook. I miss Lane Kiffin."

-Tennessee Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl

Person of the Year (2010)

It’s time for person of the year. Previous Winners include Rahm Emmanuel (2006), Al Gore (2007), Barack Obama (2008), and Leonard Nimoy (2009).


This year’s nominees in NO particular order:

Lady Gaga: She had a big year on the charts, with her fashion statements, and drunken debauchery in Jerry Seinfeld’s baseball suite.

Chilean Miners: Mining is the worst profession in the world. Imagine working miles underground with the constant threat of cave-ins. When you retire, you get to experience a whole host of nasty ailments. For these guys, they had the added thrill of being trapped underground!

Sarah Palin: John McCain created a monster and she is cashing in.

Glenn Beck: He’s been all over the place this year and grew influential. His Washington rally was designed to merge the religious right with the Tea Party and attracted many more than the Comedy Central event right before the elections.

Senator Jim DeMint: DeMint tied his fortunes with the Tea Party and bucked his own party to push for more fiscally conservative candidates. Right now, he’s a power broker.

The Tea Party: The Tea Party experienced dramatic growth and success over the year advocating fiscal sanity. As of today, it’s a force despite attacks from the fringe left, left bots, and other extremists. It’s influence is now being felt overseas as some Brits are looking to form Tea Parties. Whether it remains a player in the future is yet to be seen. If the Tea Party merges with the religious right, it will probably spell its end.

Ilya Kovalchuk: Just like the name.

San Francisco Giants: They barely made the playoffs and yet these refugees from the Island of Misfit Toys won the World Series.

Michael Vick: In 2010, redemption is spelled V-I-C-K.

Roy Halladay: Best season for a pitcher in a decade.

Sabermetricians: The geeks have finally conquered baseball. Until recently, it would have been unfathomable for a 13-12 pitcher to win a Cy Young Award. Sabermetrics provides NFL guys material to make fun of baseball with.

Drew Brees: Wins the Superbowl, saves New Orleans single handedly….For the record, I thought the Lions should have drafted him...

And the winner is….Drew Brees

All Time College Football Team: Defense & Special Teams

DE- Hugh Green-Pitt


DE- Bubba Smith- Michigan State

DE- Randy White- Maryland

DT- Ndamukong Suh- Nebraska

DT- Lee Roy Selmon- Oklahoma

DT- Rich Glover- Nebraska

DT- Steve Emtman- Washington

LB- Dick Butkis- Illinois

LB- Lawrence Taylor- North Carolina

LB- Chuck Bednarik- Penn

LB- George Connor- Notre Dame

DB- Jack Tatum-Ohio State

CB- Jamar Fletcher-Wisconsin

CB- Charles Woodson- Michigan

CB- Deion Sanders- Florida State

S- Ken Easley- UCLA

S- Ronnie Lott- USC

K- Bob Gain-Kentucky

KR- Raghib “Rocket” Ismail- Notre Dame

P/QB/DB - Sammy Baugh- TCU

Coach- Bear Bryant

All Time College Football Team: Offense

C- Dave Rimington C- Nebraska

OG- John Hannah-Alabama

OG- John Hicks- Ohio State

OT- Dan Dierdorf- Michigan

OT/DT- Bronko Nagurski-Minnesota

OT- Orlando Pace- Ohio State

OT- Bill Fralic- Pitt

QB- Tim Tebow- Florida

QB- Roger Staubach- Navy

QB- John Elway-Stanford

RB- Herschel Walker- Georgia

RB- Bo Jackson-Auburn

RB- Doak Walker- SMU

RB- Glenn Davis- Army

RB- Barry Sanders- Oklahoma State

RB- Red Grange-Illinois

RB- Jim Thorpe- Carlisle

RB- George Gipp- Notre Dame

RB- Archie Griffin- Ohio State

RB- Tom Harmon- Michigan

FB- Doc Blanchard-Army

FB- Ernie Nevers- Stanford

FB- Elmer Oliphant- Army

WR- Desmond Howard-Michigan

WR- Tim Brown-Notre Dame

WR- Johnny Rodgers- Nebraska

WR- Anthony Carter- Michigan

TE- Leon Hart-Notre Dame

TE- Bennie Oosterbaan- Michigan

TE- Keith Jackson-Oklahoma

History Shorts: Buddha attains Enlightenment (528 B.C.)

Siddhartha Gautama created Buddhism. He was born into a high caste, perhaps even royalty. However, Gautama was not satisfied with life. He was restless and decided to explore all that he had been sheltered from. Eventually, he determined that neither extreme comfort nor extreme poverty provided that which he sought. He discovered and settled on a middle path between extremes. After meditating for some time, he achieved true enlightenment. From that point, his followers referred to him as the Buddha (Enlightened One). His transformation and subsequent teachings led to one of the world’s great religions.

Quotes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_6GBnIC_vk

Kundun:  Kundun is a film about the current Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama is the leader of one Buddhist sect that resides in Tibet. The current Dalai Lama is himself quite a celebrity and tremendous ambassador to the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW2USm6wTSA

Kung Fu: The television show starring David Carradine represents one western view of Buddhism and eastern philosophy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iaamkUEF_A

This is how most westerners view Buddha:

http://www.artfiberglass.com/dushan1/images/DSCN1316b.jpg

Douce Bag of the Year-2010

Usually around Thanksgiving, media types unveil their turkeys of the year. I am doing the same thing...just using a more descriptive term.

Last year's winners: The Balloon Boy's family and the White House Party Crashers.

This year's nominees (in no particular order):

Nancy Pelosi: The House speaker destroyed her party with extreme policies and does not understand why people rejected her. Rather than gracefully resign, she has returned to continue her crusade against America.

LeBron James: The decision, the betrayal, the retarded Nike ad, his Miami fashion show-like debut, the feud with his former boss, and Miami's slow start make LeBron one of the favorites this year.

Julian Assange: This narcissist may get someone killed. Of course, he's already been accused with rape. I always believed he more resembled a pedophile.

Tony Heyward: America's friend from BP. The only thing worse than Heyward's behavior during the oil spill was Obama's!

Westboro Baptist Church: These guys are beyond douche bags.

California Voters: Barbara Boxer is the worst member of the U.S. Senate. Jerry Brown is vacuous. Californians elected both of them. Who's the bigger fool, the fool or the fool who follows it?

Miami Heat Fans: Despite having a super-team, Heat fans can not be bothered to attend games.

The Barefoot Bandit: What a turd.

Mel Gibson: 'nuf said.

Paul Krugman: This douche advocates massive government spending to stimulate the economy. In 5,000 years of human history, this has NEVER worked to create sustained growth. All it does is deplete treasuries, increase taxes, and create a very angry citizenry. He knows that. 

and the winner: LeBron James

Top 10 Tampa Bay Rays Moments

Rays first game (March 31, 1998): Tampa Bay lost its first game 11-6 to Detroit. They won the following day 11-8 for the first victory in franchise history.

Wade Boggs gets 3000 (August 7, 1999): Wade Boggs was a singles hitter. Ironically, his 3000th career hit was a home run. He is the only member of the 3000 hit club to do this.

Fred McGriff hits 400 (June 2, 2000): Fred McGriff became the fifth player in history to hit 400 homers without having a 40-homer season. He hit #400 against the Mets.

Lou Pinella’s first game (March 31, 2003): Carl Crawford hit a 3-run walk-off to beat the Red Sox in Lou’s first game as Devil Rays’ manager.

Rays: 7 Twins: 2 (September 20, 2008): Rays win the AL East and clinch their first playoff birth.

Evan Longoria hits 2 HR in Game 1 ALDS (October 2, 2008): Rays win their first playoff game.

Rays: 6 White Sox: 2 (Game 4 ALDS October 6, 2008): Rays win their first playoff series.

Rays: 3 Red Sox: 1: (Game 7 ALCS October 19, 2008): Rays win their first pennant.

Rays: 4 Phillies: 2 (Game 2 World Series October 23, 2008): Rays first their first World Series Game.

Matt Garza no-hitter (July 26, 2010): Matt Garza no-hit the Tigers 5-0 for the franchise’s first no-hitter. He allowed only a second inning walk to Brennan Boesch and faced the minimum.

Top 10 Toronto Blue Jays Moments

Blue Jays: 9 White Sox: 5 (April 7, 1977): Toronto wins its first game…in the snow.

Blue Jays: 5 Yankees: 1 (October 5, 1985): Jays win their first AL East Title and make their first postseason appearance. They blew a 3-1 lead in the ALCS losing to the Royals in 7.

George Bell hits 3 homeruns on opening day (April 4, 1988): Bell hit three homers off Bret Saberhagen in a 5-3 Jays victory. Jimmy Key went 6 innings for the win.

Dave Stieb pitches consecutive one hitters (1988): Dave Stieb was one of the best pitchers of his era. In 1988, he lost no-hitters with 2-outs in the 9th on consecutive starts. In 1989, he had a perfect game broken up in the same fashion.

Dave Stieb no-hits Cleveland (September 2, 1990): Finally! Dave Stieb throws a no-hitter after three near misses blanking the Indians 3-0. With a little luck, he could have had four no-hitters in three seasons.

Roberto Alomar’s homerun off Dennis Eckersley (ALCS Game 4 October 11, 1992): The A’s built a 6-1 lead on Toronto in Game 4 of the 1992 ALCS. The Jays led the best-of-seven series 2-1 going into the game. The Jays cut the lead to 6-4 going into the 9th. With Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley looking to close the game, Roberto Alomar slammed a two-run homer to tie the game. Toronto won in extra innings to take a 3-1 series. The Jays series victory ended the run for that version of the Athletics.

Dave Winfield’s double (Game 6 World Series October 24, 1992): The Jays won their first World Series in six games over the Atlanta Braves. In the 11th inning, Dave Winfield hit a two-run two-out double scoring two. The Braves scored one in the bottom half of the inning, but Toronto held on for the win.

Joe Carter (Game 6 World Series October 23, 1993): The Blue Jays win their second World Series on Joe Carter’s three run walk-off homerun.

Roger Clemens fans 18 (August 25, 1998): Clemens proved he was not washed up. He whiffed 18 Royals and allowed only 3 hits in the shutout.

Carlos Delgado hits 4 home runs (September 25, 2003): The Blue Jays needed each one of Carlos Delgado’s home runs. They beat the Devil Rays 10-8.

History Shorts: Cyrus the Great forms Persian Empire (559 B.C.)

Cyrus the Great formed the Persian Empire which encompassed Southwest Asia, Central Asia, and parts of Europe. His empire stretched from the Mediterranean to the Indus. As one of the history's greatest empires, the Persians dominated the region until conquered by Alexander. Cyrus the Great was well known for his decision making skills and respect for other cultures.



On Cyrus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TD76nIqfsE

Unfortunately, this is how western culture views the Persians:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrRJ_ZaSm0Q

Top 10 Star Trek Episodes

1. The City on the Edge of Forever (1967): Dr. McCoy accidentally injects himself with cordrazine which resulted in a temporary psychosis. He discovers the “Guardian on the Edge of Forever” and teleports to 1930 Chicago. McCoy inadvertently changes the past allowing Hitler to win World War II and eliminating the future. Kirk is forced to make an agonizing decision to save the future. The episode won a Hugo Award and is one of the greatest television episodes in history.


2. Balance of Terror (1966): The Romulans return after a century. They unveil a cloaking device and launch surprise attacks on Federation outposts. Based on Run Silent, Run Deep, the episode deals with submarine warfare and the pressures of command.

3. Amok Time (1967): Spock undergoes the Pon farr, or Vulcan mating drive. Like Earth’s salmon, he must return to his home to spawn or die. His betrothed betrays him and forces him to fight Kirk for her hand. In a blood fever, Spock begs T’Pau to intervene. She doesn’t, but McCoy does.

4. Space Seed (1967): The episode deals with the dangers of eugenics and genetic engineering. A genetically enhanced tyrant returns after three centuries in suspended animation and threatens the universe. Khan’s superior breeding resulted in superior ambition. Kirk stops him, but Khan returns 15 years later to exact revenge.

5. Journey To Babel (1967): The Enterprise transports diplomats, including Spock’s father, to a peace conference. Spock takes command after Kirk is ambushed by an Orion agent. Unfortunately, his father needs an operation to save his life and only Spock can supply the blood. Spock must choose between his duty and his father.

6. Arena (1967): The Gorn destroy the Federation outpost on Cestus III. Kirk is determined to punish them to preempt a war. An extremely advanced civilization intervenes and forces Kirk to fight the Gorn captain. At the end, Kirk defeats his opponent and then displays “the advanced trait of mercy.”

7. Errand of Mercy (1967): The Federation and Klingon Empire squabble over a seemingly backward world on the Klingon border. The two sides almost come to blows when the Organians stop the fighting. The episode was a commentary on the Cold War with the Federation representing the United States and the Klingon Empire as the Soviets.

8. Where No Man Has Gone Before (1966): Technically, this was Star Trek’s second pilot. The first pilot was too “cerebral,” but NBC green lighted a second. This episode introduced most of the regulars and established Kirk as an action hero in contrast to the more cerebral and tortured Captain Pike.

9. The Cage (1965): “The Cage” was a great episode, but NBC thought it was too highbrow. They also balked at a female first officer and a character resembling Satan. The lead, Captain Pike, was a tortured soul. He felt the burden of command and was burning out. His encounter with the Talosians seemingly energized him as he got to experience other potential lives through the auspices of their telepathy.

10. The Galileo Seven (1967): Spock gets his first command as the Galileo shuttlecraft crashes on a desolate planet inhabited by giants. Several crew members die while Scotty desperately makes repairs. Lieutenant Boma berates Spock’s command decisions and even makes racist remarks. Eventually, Scotty fixes the engines and the ship launches. After achieving orbit, Spock abandons the logic which helped kill his shipmates and makes an irrational decision which saves the survivors.

History Shorts: Confucius (551 B.C.-479 B.C.)

Confucius was an ancient Chinese philosopher and political thinker. He emphasized personal and governmental morality and the correct nature of social and familial relationships and justice. Confucian thinking eventually transformed into a movement and surpassed Legalism and Taoism for prominence in Han China.  Confucius remains influential to this day and is one of the world's great philosophical traditions.

A clip on Confucius:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR6Xdy8MHKg

An example of Confucius in pop culture (from Charlie Chan):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qExKnbsWQro

History Shorts: Solon and Athenian Reform (594 B.C.)

Solon was a reformer in Ancient Athens. He laid the groundwork for Democracy while reforming the city states' economic, political, and legal systems. Solon made the law fairer and punishments less extreme. After Solon, people did not have to worry about the death penalty for minor offenses.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQUYwDi08v4

History Shorts: The Sea Peoples and the Borg (1200-1150 B.C.)

Bronze Age civilizations collapsed one after another beginning around 1200 B.C. The Mycenaeans, Hittites, Syrians, Canaanites, and others fell swiftly before an unstoppable invasion force. They are known today as the Sea Peoples because they invaded by sea. This force seems to have been multiethnic and apparently incorporated conquered people into its military. The Sea People confederation defeated wealthier militaries with sheer numbers and adaptable tactics. They even conquered mighty chariot armies by killing or maiming the horses and swarming the charioteers. The Sea Peoples were finally defeated on the water by the Egyptians. Egypt learned from the misfortune of others and decided to confront the invaders at sea as opposed to on land.  After their defeat, much of the world entered into a dark age. This allowed new peoples to populate the old settlements and create new civilizations.

The closest thing to the Sea Peoples in pop culture appear in Star Trek. The Borg were also an unstoppable invasion force which assimilated conquered peoples into their "collective."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHdp3idfpFI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbEi1isW3kQ&feature=related

Top 10 Moments in White Sox History

White Sox: 8 Cubs: 6 (Game 6 1906 World Series): The hitless wonders upset a 116 win Cubs team to win their first World Series. Going into the series, few gave the White Sox a chance.


White Sox: 4 Giants: 2 (Game 6 1917 World Series): The White Sox won their second championship by defeating the Giants in 6 games. Two years later, they threw the World Series launching a curse that took Ozzie Guillen and 88 years to break.

White Sox win first pennant since 1919 (1959): Led by Hall of Famers Al Lopez, Luis Aparicio, Nellie Fox, and Early Winn, the Sox broke their 40 year pennant drought and went to the World Series. Following the pennant clincher, Chicago sounded their air raid sirens causing a minor panic as some worried about a Russian nuclear attack. The Sox lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Fisk returns to Boston (April 10, 1981): In his return to Fenway after leaving as a free agent, Carlton Fisk homers in a 5-3 White Sox victory.

White Sox: 7 Brewers: 6 (May 8-9, 1984): The White Sox and Brewers played 25 innings. Harold Baines ended the 25 inning fiasco with a home run. Tom Seaver won the game in relief, started the next game, and won two games in one day.

Frank Thomas becomes All Time White Sox Home Run leader (September 15, 1996): Frank Thomas hits 3 HR off the Red Sox to become White Sox All-Time HR leader. The White Sox won the game 6-1.

AJ runs to first (2005 ALCS Game 2): In a 1-1 ninth inning tie, Angels catcher Josh Paul failed to tag A.J. Pierzynski after a strikeout. He rolled the ball to the mound and A.J. ran to first. The Angels messed up and the inning continued. Chicago won a few pitches later on a Joe Crede hit.

Geoff Blum’s home run (2005 World Series Game 3): With the Sox leading 2-0 on the series, Geoff Blum hit a 14th inning home run to give the Sox a 6-5 lead. They’d score another to lead 7-5. Mark Buehrle entered the game and earned a save giving the Sox a 3-0 series lead on Houston.

White Sox: 1 Astros: 0 (Game 4 2005 World Series): The White Sox win first series since 1917 with a 1-0 victory in Game 4. Jermaine Dye drove in the only run with an 8th inning single.

Mark Buehrle is perfect (July 23, 2009): Mark Buehrle threw MLB’s 17th perfect game and beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0. The perfecto was saved by an amazing catch by DeWayne Wise in centerfield.

The Draconian Code (621 B.C.)

Draco changed the Athenian legal code in 621 B.C. Prior to Draco, Athenians were governed by an oral law code and blood feuds. Draco's code nullified oral law making it less arbitrary, impossible to misrepresent, closed to interpretation, and open to all. It also ended the blood feud. The Draconian Code is known today for its harshness and liberal use of the death penalty.


An example of what might have occured in Athens before Draco:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of-57Ivfwz8


And after...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TbQEFcZyjA

History Shorts: The First Olympics (776 B.C.)

The first Olympic games occurred in Ancient Greece in 776 B.C. The origins of the games are shrouded in mystery. The Greeks used the games as a tribute to the gods and they later became a political tool for the competing city states. Athletes from various city states competed in various competitions as they do today. The original games lasted until 393 A.D. when the Roman Emperor Theodosius ended the games in an attempt to stamp out non-Christian religions.

This clip is from Chariots of Fire (1981) and is synonymous with the modern Olympic Games. The theme song became a major hit that same year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-7Vu7cqB20

Top 10 Moments in Cleveland Indians History

Bill Wambsganss’ unassisted triple play (1920 World Series Game 5): There have been 15 unassisted triple plays in big league history. The second one occurred in the World Series. The game also featured the first World Series grand slam. Cleveland won 8-1.


Cleveland: 3 Brooklyn: 0 (Game 7 1920 World Series): Stan Coveleski won his third game of the series propelling the Tribe to their first World Championship. Cleveland outscored the Dodgers 21-8 in the best-of-nine series.

Bob Feller strikesout 18 Tigers (October 2, 1938): Roger Clemens once struck out 20 Tigers. The 1996 Tigers were terrible. On the other hand, Bob Feller struck out 18 Tigers during their glory years. The Tigers fielded a team that included Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg. Detroit won the game 4-1, but no one remembers! The 18 strikeouts was a major league record at the time.

Bob Feller’s opening day no-hitter (April 16, 1940): In 1940, Bob Feller tossed the only opening day in MLB history. Feller walked 5 and struck out 8 while beating the White Sox 1-0.

Indians: 4 Braves: 3 (1948 World Series Game 6): The Tribe wins its second and latest world title in the first politically incorrect World Series. Hall of Famer Joe Gordon homered in the victory.

Frank Robinson becomes baseball’s first black manager (1975): Baseball desegregated in 1947. Nearly thirty years later, Frank Robinson became the first African American field manager. In his first game, the Tribe beat the Yankees behind player-manager Robinson’s home run.

Len Barker’s perfect game (May 15, 1981): The eighties were a wasteland for Indians baseball. Len Barker provided Cleveland’s greatest moment of the decade when he beat Toronto 3-0. It is one of twenty perfect games in baseball history.

Cleveland: 5 Boston: 4 (1995 ALDS Game 1): In the bottom of the 13th, Tony Pena’s home run lifted Cleveland to victory. The game featured five homers and 14 pitchers. The Cleveland victory stretched Boston’s postseason losing streak to 11 games.

Indians win first Pennant since 1954 (1995 ALCS Game 6): Dennis Martinez beat Randy Johnson 4-0. Cleveland led 1-0 after 7. The Tribe scored three in the 8th to blow the game open. Carlos Baerga homered to cap the scoring.

Tony Fernandez pennant winning home run (Game 6 ALCS-11th inning): Cleveland beat Baltimore 1-0 in 11 innings to win their second pennant in three years. The Fernandez home run was Cleveland’s third hit or the game. The Indians went on to lose their second World Series.

History Shorts: The Rise of Greek City States (800 B.C.)

The Trojan War ended around 1200 B.C. A century later, Mycenaean civilization collapsed. No one knows exactly why the collapse occurred. Many believe another population swooped in and displaced the older Greeks. Following the collapse, Greece entered into a 400 year dark age. The Greek Dark Ages ended when independent city states began to form. Around this time, Homer wrote the Iliad about the Trojan War.

Here is a sample of Ancient Greek music to represent the return of light to Greece:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDfwUQXBilE

History Shorts: The Trojan War (1200 B.C.)

Around 1200 B.C., a group of Greeks attacked Troy in modern Turkey. The Trojan War is now a legendary conflict. In reality, it was probably a glorified pirate raid. In the end, the Greeks plundered and torched Troy and the Trojan War passed into legend. Oral historians and story tellers kept the legend alive until Homer wrote it down in The Iliad around 800 B.C.

Hollywood tried to merge history with Homer in 2004's Troy. Here is the fight between Hector and Achilles as portrayed in Troy.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf4IoxEUmHM

Quotes of the Month- October 2010

President Obama got it from all sides this last month as Democrats run from his record and Republicans push for a restoration.

Quote of the Month: “The rent is too damn high.”


-Jimmy McMillan

And the rest…in no particular order

“They gathered the last 10,000 Obama supporters for a last hurrah!”

-Ann Coulter on the 10-2 march

“He uses these idiot boards to read speeches on television.”

-Walter Mondale on Barack Obama

“Wonder if Matt Millen thinks the 1-8-7 in Detroit 1-8-7 stands for the area code. Oh, wait, it was his winning percentage as team president.”

-Pat Caputo

“Mr. Obama, our imam-child, they have already taken their trillion dollar ball home, and they’re sitting on it, you jackass.”

-Rush Limbaugh

“Ted Kennedy. Robert Byrd.”

-Harry Reid when asked who the greatest living American was (both men are dead)

“Even the truth doesn't restrain him when it comes to assaulting his enemies list.”

-Karl Rove

With the exception of core Obama Administration loyalists, most politically engaged elites have reached the same conclusions: the White House is in over its head, isolated, insular, arrogant and clueless about how to get along with or persuade members of Congress, the media, the business community or working-class voters. This view is held by Fox News pundits, executives and anchors at the major old-media outlets, reporters who cover the White House, Democratic and Republican congressional leaders and governors, many Democratic business people and lawyers who raised big money for Obama in 2008, and even some members of the Administration just beyond the inner circle.

-Mark Halperin Time Magazine

“He has now expanded his listening to include Lil Wayne, that tattooed gargoyle now serving time for drug and gun possession at Rikers Island.”

-Stanley Crouch on Obama's musical tastes

“It should be easy to market the Virgin Galactic commercial space flight. It's the name of the company AND the target audience.”

-Dennis Miller

“Because Muslims killed us on 9/11."

-Bill O’Reilly on why the Ground Zero Mosque is inappropriate

“Dems really have their finger on the pulse of America. If there's one thing people worry about ALL THE TIME, it's the Chamber of Commerce.”

-Caleb Howe

“Man up Harry Reid”

-Sharon Angle

"I don't want to see my old friend Lucifer just yet."

-Keith Richards

"Look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."

-Juan Williams

“These are naive idiots who’ve come out of academia and have never done anything real in their lives, and they are actually in power,” he said. “These are the people we never let in the room when we had serious business to do. Now they’re running the country.”

-Democrat and former Carter staffer Pat Caddell on the Obama Administration
"He can take his endorsement and really shove it."

-RI Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Frank Caprio regarding an Obama Endorsement

Top 10 X-Files Episodes

Here are my top 10 favorite episodes of the X-Files.

1. Jose Chung’s From Outer Space (1996): A lighthearted episode in which author Jose Chung (Charles Nelson Riley) investigates a UFO abduction. The case involves government deception, phony aliens, Lord Kinbote, and a pair of men in black that look like Jesse Ventura and Alex Trebek. Confusing things further, witnesses all have differing accounts of events.

2. Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose (1995): A serial killer targets psychics and fortune tellers. Mulder and Scully are aided in hunting the killer by a real clairvoyant. Clyde Bruckman (Peter Boyle) can foresee people's deaths after obsessing over the random nature of the Big Bopper's death. In the end, Mulder is saved by random events as Scully accidentally arrived to save him.

3. Duane Barry/Ascension (1994): In part one, Mulder meets Duane Berry (Steve Railsback) in a hostage standoff. Barry claims he was abducted by aliens and Mulder believes him. In the second part, Berry kidnaps Scully and surrenders her to the aliens. Meanwhile, Mulder's new partner, Alex Krycek turns out to be a member of the conspiracy. Scully's abduction was a seminal moment in 1990s pop culture.

4. Die Hand Die Verletzt (1995): A Satanic cult loses it's faith and Satan appears to punish them. One is eaten by a snake while the surviving members kidnap Mulder and Scully for a sacrifice. Satan intervenes and they are forced to shoot themselves instead. 

5. Anasazi/The Blessing Way/Paper Clip (1995): A three part arch featuring Mulder's fall into madness as a result of poisoning and his recovery with the help of Navajo Indians. The conspiracy executes Mulder's father, a tape emerges with information about government UFO information, and buried train cars with alien bodies are discovered. The Cigarette Smoking Man tries to kill Mulder in the car, but he escapes and his aided by Navajos. While recovering, Mulder's dead friends and family visit him from the spirit realm. The arch also reveals which side Skinner is on.

6. Beyond the Sea (1994): A death row inmate, Luther Lee Boggs (Brad Dourff), claims psychic visions and offers to help find a kidnapper. Scully's beliefs are called into question as she is skeptical of Boggs. At the same time, she is in mourning for her father who passed. Boggs hoped for a deal, but is refused. He helps the agents anyway and even tells Scully how to save Mulder. He tells her to not follow the criminal to the blue devil. She is shocked to see a blue devil painted on rotted floorboards. The kidnapper falls through the boards to his death.

7. Pilot (1993): Most series pilots are weak. The X-Files is an exception. Scully and Mulder are assigned to the X-Files project. He believes in the paranormal while she is a skeptic sent to debunk Mulder's work. Their first case takes them to Oregon where they investigate alien abductions.

8. Biogenesis/The Sixth Extinction/The Sixth Extinction II (1999): A metal artifact is discovered in Africa. The artifact turns Mulder into a raving lunatic. Scully travels to Africa to try and uncover the truth. Mulder hovers near death before Scully rescues him with Diana Fowley's assistance. Fowley is murdered for her actions. This is the last great X-Files episode and story arc.

9. Squeeze (1993): Mulder and Scully investigate a serial killer that strikes every thirty years. Eugene Tooms (Doug Hutchinson) needs human livers to survive. He awakes every thirty years, hunts, and then returns to hibernate in a nest. Tooms has the ability to elongate his body to sneak through small, confined places. The agents find Tooms apartment which resembles an animal's nest. Eventually, Tooms is captured, but returns in 1994.

10. The Erlenmeyer Flask (1994): The X-Files set up several storylines with this episode. The agents discover evidence of alien abductions and human experimentation. At the end, Mulder's mentor and source "Deep Throat" (Jerry Hardin) is murdered in front of Scully leading many to question whether the series could continue. As he lay dying, he warned Scully to "trust no one." For me, this is a seminal moment in the series and in 90's pop culture.

Presidential Songs: George W. Bush

George W. Bush did not have an official campaign song. However, on the night of the 2000 election, one clever staffer decided to play "Won't Get Fooled Again" by the Who to represent the defeat of the Clinton order.

Won't Get Fooled Again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp6-wG5LLqE

The Bush 43 Administration proved one of the more controversial in history. Perhaps the most controversial decision of the entire period came in 2003. That year, the United States resumed offensive military operations in Iraq. Although Bush did not have a campaign song for 2004, cynics might have chosen this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVyVIsvQoaE

Presidential Songs: Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton ushered in the boomer presidents with his 1992 election. That year, he used the upbeat and positive "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac as his campaign theme song. Four years later, the president did not use a theme song, but the campaign considered using "These Are The Days" by 10,000 Maniacs.

Don't Stop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8arvEzHsA8

These Are The Days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-HLxpWGCzc

Someone more cynical might use this to describe the Lewinski Affair:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G8DCFJ4vr4

Lastly, the Clinton Years were a break from history and coincided with the rise of the tabloid culture. Clinton's antics often fed into that culture and at times seemed like a SNL skit. So, if there is a song that fits the Clinton Administration, it's this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ripdiYe8MUA

A Modern Dante's Inferno

In the fourteenth century, Dante created some of our conceptions about Hell. In the poem, Dante is escorted through Hell by the Roman poet Virgil. Dante's Hell has multiple levels and punishments are leveled upon sinners based on their crimes. This is not a one size fits all hell.

The Inferno has nine circles. Each circle represents a different sin and Dante placed real historical figures into these categories. Modern readers will not know most of these characters. So, here is an updated version...
First Circle: Limbo (Unbaptised and Virtuous Pagans)

Gandhi: The Indian mahatma led his country's independence movement through non-violent civil disobedience. However, he was not a Christian. As a result, he lands in Dante's first circle.

Second Circle: Lust

Wilt Chamberlain: Wilt claimed to have bedded over 20,000 women.

Third Circle: Gluttony

Jim Morrison: Jim did everything to excess and eventually ballooned out.

Fourth Circle: Avarice (Greed)

Ken Lay: The former Enron chief destroyed his company and wiped out his workers. Before the trial, Lay was worth around $40 million.

Fifth Circle: Wrath

Bernhard Goetz (space waiting): Yeah, he's still alive, but Goetz is the poster child for vigilantism.

Sixth Circle: Heresy

Joseph Smith: He convinced his followers that an angel visited him. He compiled the Book of Mormon and created his own branch of Christianity.
Seventh Circle: Violence

Toward Others: Ike Turner: Ike was a well known wife-beater.

Toward Self (Suicide): Kurt Cobain: Cobain shot himself at the peak of his popularity.

Toward God (Blasphemy): Muhammad Atta: Pick your terrorist for believing that killing people for Islam will get them 72 virgins and make God happy.

Toward Nature (Sodomy): Gerry Studds: Congressman Studds got involved with underage male pages.

Toward Art (Usury): JP Morgan: Is anyone a better example of Usury?

Eighth Circle: Fraud

Seducers: Marquis de Sade: The Maquis lived a scandalous life based on sexual liberty.

Flatterers: Joseph Goebbels: Goebbels served as Hitler's propaganda minister.

Simony: Reserved for George Soros: Simony is the sin of paying for church sacraments and offices. A modern equivalent might be the purchase of political influence. Soros has bought one of America's major political parties.

False Prophets: Jim Jones: Jones portrayed himself as a holy man and killed his followers.

Barraters: Boss Tweed: Tweed was the most corrupt politician in U.S. history.

Hypocrites: Jimmy Swaggert: 'nuf said.

Thieves: Jesse James: Jesse James was the most famous of the Old West outlaws.

False Counselors: Johnny Cochrane: Pick your lawyer...Cochrane got O.J. off for murder.

Schismatics: George Wallace: Few politicians have sewed as much discord as George Wallace.

Falsifiers: Alger Hiss: Hiss was a traitor, Soviet agent, and perjurer.

Ninth Circle: Betrayal

Kin: Lizzy Borden: There may be no greater betrayal than murdering one's family.

Country: Benedict Arnold: Arnold is America's greatest traitor. He almost succeeded in surrendering West Point to the British.

Guests: Ayatollah Khomeini: Iran held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days from 1979-1981. The American embassy workers were guests in Iran and Khomeini betrayed them.

Benefactors: Mary Queen of Scots: Mary became embroiled in a plot of overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I. Mary lived under Elizabeth's protection and betrayed her cousin.

Top 10 Moments in KC Royals History

Although they have fallen on hard times the last decade and a half, the Royals were once one of the class organizations in MLB. From 1976-1985, they made seven postseason appearances. They also boasted one of baseball's all time greats in George Brett.

Here are the top 10 moments in Royals history in chronological order:

Steve Busby's No-hitter (April 27, 1973): Busby no-hit the Detroit Tigers for the first no-no in Royals history. Busby walked 6 and struck out 4.

Larry Gura shuts out A’s 4-0 to win AL West (September 29, 1976): The Royals franchise entered the American League in 1969. They won their first division title in 1976. Larry Gura's shutout propelled the Royals into their first postseason. The team won three straight division titles losing to New York in the playoffs each time.

George Brett hits 3 HR off Catfish Hunter in Game 3 ALCS (October 6, 1978): George Brett became the second player in LCS history to hit three homers in a game. His effort led KC to a 6-5 victory over New York. Bob Robertson in 1971 and Adam Kennedy in 2002 also hit three in one game. Unfortunately, the Royals lost the ALCS to New York.

George Brett hits .390 (1980): George Brett made a run at hitting .400 in the 1980 season. He finished at .390 and led the league in hitting, slugging, and on-base percentage. He also had 118 RBI in 117 games in winning the MVP. It remains the highest average for a full season since Ted Williams in .406 in 1941. Tony Gwynn hit .394 in a strike shortened campaign.

Royals: 4 Yankees: 2 (October 10, 1980): George Brett hit a dramatic third deck three run home run off Goose Gossage at Yankee Stadium sending the Royals to their first World Series. The Royals finally slayed the dragon after three postseason defeats.

The Pine Tar Incident (July 24, 1983): With 2 out in the ninth, George Brett hit another dramatic homer off Goose Gossage giving the Royals a 5-4 lead. Yankee manager Billy Martin protested Brett's bat claiming it violated pine tar rules. The umpires ruled Brett out and the KC third baseman charged the men in blue. Eventually, the league ruled in Brett's favor, KC returned to New York to finish the game, and the Royals beat the Yankees 5-4.

Comeback from 3-1 down to beat Toronto (1985): The Royals fell behind the Toronto Blue Jays 3 games to 1. Danny Jackson shut out the Jays in Game 5. George Brett's homer helped beat Doyle Alexander in Game 6. The Royals closed out the Jays with a 4 run sixth inning against Dave Stieb winning their second pennant.

Royals: 11 Cardinals: 0 (October 27, 1985): The Royals fell behind the Cardinals 3-1. As in the ALCS, Danny Jackson pitched the Royals to a Game 5 win. The Royals won a contested matchup 2-1 on a blown call at first base and a Cardinal meltdown. In Game 7, pitcher Bret Saberhagen put his cleats to the Cards throats, St. Louis came apart at the seams, and the Royals shutout their cross state rivals. The Royals won their first World Title.

George Brett wins batting title (1990): George Brett became the first player to win batting titles in three decades. In 1976, he hit .333. In 1980, Brett hit .390. Ten years later, .329 led the league. Brett remains the only player to achieve this.

George Brett gets 3000th hit (1992): The greatest Royal of them all collected his 3000th hit in 1992. He finished the season at .285 before retiring in 1993. The Hall of Famers ended his career with 3154 hits and a .305 average.

Presidential Songs: George H.W. Bush

President Bush #41 did not really have a campaign song, but here are a couple of things that might fit...

Hard Times (Kinda catchy!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhYIky4XZx0

History Shorts: The Ten Commandments (1250 BC)

Like the Code of Hammurabi, the Ten Commandments help form the basis of western law. The Ten Commandments are wrapped in the Biblical story of Exodus. Scholars and the faithful have debated the Exodus and whether or not it happened, but there does seem to be some evidence to support the event. Despite this, we do not have a clear date for Exodus or the Ten Commandments. It seems to have occurred somewhere between 1550 B.C. and 1250 B.C.

The commandments and Exodus have provided pop culture with material for centuries.

Here are some modern examples:

Mel Brooks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TAtRCJIqnk

Yul Brynner:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqowzbnKLqs&feature=related

Parting the Red Sea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vxnApK4O48&feature=related

History Shorts: Atlantis (1600 BC)

Atlantis may have existed on the island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea. Sometime around 1600 B.C., the Thera supervolcano exploded destroying Minoan civilization on the island. The Minoans were the first advanced civilization in Europe. They had extensive trade networks and formidable navy. The Minoan civilization disappeared following the explosion marking an important historical turning point as Greek power shifted from Santorini to the mainland.

Nat Geo on the Thera eruption:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRBC-TFtxHw&feature=related

Pop culture: Atlantis by Donovan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leI7sfmipuI

Perhaps the closest pop culture has come to Atlantis' destruction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cDixDGokCE

Some more Earth-bound Atlantians:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRWeaHkxXwE

and Aquaman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AlIaagHaFc

2010 All Major League Baseball Team

1b- Miguel Cabrera- Detroit


2b- Robinson Cano- Yankees

SS- Troy Tulowitzki- Colorado

3b- Adrian Beltre- Boston

OF- Ichiro- Seattle

OF- Carlos Gonzalez- Colorado

OF- Josh Hamilton- Texas

C- Joe Mauer- Minnesota

DH- Vladimir Guerrero- Texas

Utility- Omar Infante- Braves

RHP- Roy Halladay- Philadelphia

LHP- C.C. Sabathia- Yankees

REL- Joaquin Benoit- Tampa Bay

Closer- Brian Wilson- Giants

MVP: Joey Votto, Josh Hamilton
Cy Young: CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay
Rookie of the Year: Buster Posey, Austin Jackson
Manager of the Year: Bud Black, Ron Washington

Presidential Songs: Ronald Reagan

President Reagan did not have any real campaign songs. He did try to use John Mellencamp's "Pink Houses," but the artist protested. Mellencamp vehemently opposed Reagan's policies.

Pink Houses:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOfkpu6749w&ob=av2e

Since Reagan is credited with ending the Cold War, perhaps this would have been a better Mellencamp selection:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PErUiAyVoGc

Presidential Songs: Jimmy Carter

People questioned whether the government could be competent and honest. Well, Jimmy Carter says yes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h874BPSnbWc

Of course the song that best fits the Carter years is by Gloria Gaynor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBR2G-iI3-I

Presidential Songs: Gerald Ford

Gerald Ford captained the University of Michigan football team winning two national titles. Forty years later, he became president. Instead of "Hail to the Chief", the marine band often played "Hail to the Victors."

The Victors:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnkOkraJXK4

Ford at U-M:

http://mvictors.com/?p=179

Quotes of the Month: September 2010

Quote of the Month: "We went to a movie and then had a little midnight picnic on a satanic altar."


-Christine O’Donnell

Dumb Quote of the Month #1: "Long before America was even an idea, this land of plenty was home to many peoples. The British and French, the Dutch and Spanish, to Mexicans, to countless Indian tribes. We all shared the same land,"

-Barack Obama (Mexico became a nation in 1821. The United States formed in 1776).

Dumb Quote of the Month #2: "He's been out in these countries for decades, building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day-care facilities, building health-care facilities, and the people are extremely grateful. He's made their lives better."

-Patty Murray on Osama bin Laden

And the rest:

“They talk about me like a dog.”

-Barack Obama

“Hey, Castro came out against anti-Semitism. I'm putting on my snowsuit and booking the flight to Hell.”

-Jason Alexander

"The time I stand up here blaming the officials for a loss is the time I don't have to do this anymore."

-Detroit Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz

“We just sucked.”

-Tom Brady on a loss to the Jets

"The United States administrations must recognize Iran is a big power.”

-Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

“We in the Senate refer to Sen. Gillibrand as the hottest member.”

-Harry Reid

“I feel that my role as a former president is probably superior to that of other presidents'.

-Jimmy Carter

"It was his fault. Ted Kennedy killed the bill."

-Jimmy Carter on why he did not pass National Health Care

"Catching Boehner with a mistress is the only way to destroy him politically before the election."

-anonymous source from the NY Times

"I don't want a tomato picked by a Mexican. I want it picked by an American, then sliced by a Guatemalan and served by a Venezuelan in a spa where a Chilean gives me a Brazilian."

-Stephen Colbert

2011 Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Nominees

After viewing the list of nominees, a number of people have asked "who?" Once again, many worthy candidates have not even been nominated. Jan Wenner needs to go. With that said, here is the list of 2011 Rock Hall nominees...

Alice Cooper: Alice should have been inducted years ago. He pioneered shock rock and theatrical stage shows. Cooper's style has incorporated art rock, glam rock, metal, pop, new wave, industrial, and hard rock. VH 1 named him the 20th most important hard rock artist. Cooper's most important work was 1975's Welcome to My Nightmare.

The Beastie Boys: The Beasties were the first white rap/hip hop act with credibility. They incorporated hard core, punk, rap, hip hop, rock, and alternative into their music. Although not technically rock, other non-rock acts are in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. With Run DMC and Grandmaster Flash already in the hall, the Beasties should probably be inducted as well.

Bon Jovi: Bon Jovi separated themselves from their hair metal contemporaries with Slippery When Wet and New Jersey. When hair metal died, Bon Jovi survived and changed their sound. They are still selling millions of records and have even dabbled in country music. Considering their longevity and success, they belong in the hall.

Chic: Chic was a 70s disco band. They had a series of commercial hits including "Le Freak" and "Good Times." Unlike Abba, their music has not stood up well. Also, their music is uber-plastic. They don't belong.

Neil Diamond: Neil Diamond began his career as a songwriter in the famous Brill Building. The Monkeys covered "I'm a Believer" and "A Little Bit of Me, A Little Bit of You." As a solo artist, Diamond recorded "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" and "Solitary Man." He became a superstar in the seventies and developed a large loyal following. In the eighties, he continued to record iconic hits such as "America" and "Heartlight." As a result of his longevity, talent, and success, Neil Diamond belongs in the Rock Hall.

Donovan: Donovan blended folk with jazz and psychedelia. His hits include "Sunshine Superman" and "Atlantis." He's another artist that should have been inducted years ago.

Dr. John: Dr. John is a jazz/blues legend. His music has crossed over into Zydeco and rock n roll. If this was simply a hall for Rock, then Dr. John would not belong. However, with the expansion to include everything, he belongs.

J. Geils Band: This is one of the great American rock bands. It's a crime that they are not in yet.

LL Cool J: Even with the expansion of rock's definition for the hall, LL does not belong in.

Darlene Love: Who? You've heard her, but don't know it. Remember "He's a Rebel"? She did not record under her own name, but she sang on some major hits including "Da Doo Ron Ron". She's been overlooked, but is nominated for the second straight year.

Laura Nyro: Her work has been covered by the Fifth Dimension, Three Dog Night, and Peter, Paul, and Mary. She probably belongs in the hall under another category.

Donna Summer: Back to disco...she did combine rock with disco.

Joe Tex: Joe Tex was a popular soul singer in the sixties and seventies. He pioneered rap music by speaking over his music. As a result, he is the forefather of modern music.

Tom Waits: Waits work is best known through covers. Rod Stewart did "Downbound Train" and Bruce Springsteen covered "Jersey Girl." Waits is extremely talented and combines roots, blues, and experimental into his own style. His characters are usually seedy and trapped in some bizarre circumstance.

Chuck Willis: Willis died in 1958 at the age of 30. He was known as "the King of Stroll" and has been covered by Eric Clapton, Roy Orbison, Otis Redding, Buddy Holly, Jerry Garcia, and Elvis Presley. His main hit was "The Stroll." If Percy Sledge is in for one hit, then perhaps Willis should be as well.

Greatest College Football Games by Decade

1890s: Hampden Park Blood Bath (1894): The Harvard-Yale game in 1894 led to four major injuries. The rivalry was so intense, authorities suspended the game for two years. The offensive and defensive formations essentially resulted in large numbers of players on each side charging one another at full speed. The violent collisions often led to injuries. In this case, four players were crippled. Yale won 12-4.


1900s: The 1902 Rose Bowl: The first bowl game ever was played in 1902 in Pasadena. Michigan won the first Rose Bowl 49-0 over Stanford. Nowadays, there are seemingly 100 bowl games.

1910s: Notre Dame: 35 Army: 13 (1913): In 1913, Notre Dame became a national power and remained that way for 80 years. They stunned Army with the effective use of the forward pass. It was the first major game to feature this innovation.

1920s: Notre Dame: 13 Army: 7 (1924): Notre Dame stunned Army again in 1924. This game featured the famous Four Horseman and led to perhaps the most famous passage in sports history:

"Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore their names are Death, Destruction, Pestilence, and Famine. But those are aliases. Their real names are: Stuhldreher, Crowley, Miller and Layden. They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Army team was swept over the precipice at the Polo Grounds this afternoon as 55,000 spectators peered down upon the bewildering panorama spread out upon the green plain below."

1930s: SMU: 20 TCU: 14 (1935): Both teams entered the contest 10-0. SMU lead 14-0, but TCU’s Sammy Baugh put on a passing clinic to tie the game. Late in the 4th, SMU’s Bob Finley faked a punt on 4th and 4 and threw for a touchdown. SMU wins the game and went to the Rose Bowl. As a side note, writers began voting on team rankings in 1936. In 1935, an economics professor computed a formula to determine the best teams. SMU finished #1 before losing 7-0 in the Rose Bowl to Stanford. Nonetheless, SMU claims the 1935 National Championship.

1940s: Notre Dame: 0 Army: 0 (1946): The 1946 version of the “Game of the Century” ended in a 0-0 tie. Both Army and Notre Dame entered the game undefeated and were offensive juggernauts. Army had not lost in three seasons and the game featured four Heisman winners. Defense dominated and the teams tied. Each team finished the season undefeated and Notre Dame won the National Title.

1950s: Michigan: 9 Ohio State: 3 (The 1950 Snow Bowl): Big Ten rivals Michigan and Ohio State played in a blizzard at Ohio Stadium. The weather was so bad, Michigan did not secure a single first down. The teams combined for 45 punts. At times, they even punted on first down. They played for field position hoping the other team would make a mistake. Michigan scored the winning touchdown on a blocked punt. Michigan went to the Rose Bowl. After the game, Ohio State fired coach Wes Fesler and hired Woody Hayes.

1960s: Michigan State: 10 Notre Dame: 10 (1966): The 1966 Game of the Century featured two undefeated programs. The Spartans hosted Notre Dame sparking the media to dub the undefeated match up “the game of the century.” It was the first such designation since 1946. The game ended in a tie. On the last play, Notre Dame quarterback ran a sneak for five yards forcing the tie. Fans of both schools screeched in protest. However, Coach Ara Parseghian defended the call. Notre Dame won the national championship and Michigan State finished #2.

1970s: Nebraska: 35 Oklahoma: 31 (1971): This “Game of the Century” took place in Norman, Oklahoma in 1971. Both teams entered undefeated. The defending champion Cornhuskers rode a 20 game winning streak into Norman. The game decided the Big Eight title and #1 ranking. The game went back and forth before Nebraska pulled it out on Jeff Kinney’s fourth touchdown of the game with 2 minutes to go. Nebraska won the Big Eight title and the Orange Bowl to win back-to-back national titles.

1980s: Miami: 31 Nebraska: 30 (1984 Orange Bowl): Nebraska entered undefeated against one loss Miami. Miami led 31-17 in the fourth when Nebraska rallied. With Miami leading 31-30 with 48 seconds remaining, Nebraska coach Tom Osborne decided to go for two and the win rather than a game tying extra point. Miami tipped the pass and escaped with the win and national title. Miami coach Howard Schnellenberger went to the USFL after the game. Jimmy Johnson replaced him and built on Schnellenberger’s work creating one of history’s great programs.

1990s: Miami: 17 Florida State: 16 (Wide Right I): Miami-FSU have had four games dubbed Wide Right and one called Wide Left. They even have a “botched hold.” That explains how close the series has been and how it has turned on a dime. In 1991, Miami beat FSU because the Seminoles missed a field goal to the right. The Hurricanes went on to win the National Championship 22-0 over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. After losing the #1 ranking to Miami, FSU lost to Florida two weeks later, but rebounded to win the Cotton Bowl 10-2 over Texas A&M.

2000s: Boise State: 43 Oklahoma: 42 (2007 Fiesta Bowl): No one gave Boise State much of a chance. However, they had Oklahoma on the ropes in the fourth. The Sooners rallied to tie the Fiesta Bowl and force overtime. Oklahoma scored in overtime and simply had to keep Boise out of the end zone. The Broncos scored a touchdown and rather than kick the extra point, they went for the win. They ran a “Statue of Liberty” play on the two point conversion and won the game. Boise State finished the season 13-0 and opened the door for mid majors to be in the conversation for the national title.

My Favorite Albums from the 1960s

Not in any order...

Sgt Peppers- Beatles (1967)

Revolver- Beatles (1966)

Tommy- The Who (1969)

White Album- Beatles (1968)

The Doors- The Doors (1967)

Let it Bleed- The Rolling Stones (1969)

Magical Mystery Tour- Beatles (1967)

Aftermath- Rolling Stones (1966)

At Folsom Prison- Johnny Cash (1968)

Revolver/Rubber Soul- Beatles (1965 and 1966)

Greatest Guitar Riffs of the 60s

I did not put these in any order. This period was the heyday for guitar rock. These are the best riffs in my opinion...

Whole Lotta Love- Led Zeppelin

Satisfaction- Rolling Stones

Purple Haze- Jimy Hendrix

Sunshine of Your Love- Cream

Day Tripper- The Beatles

Jumpin’ Jack Flash- Rolling Stones

You Really Got Me- The Kinks

Voodoo Child- Jimy Hendrix

Black Dog- Led Zeppelin

Roadhouse Blues- The Doors



Pinball Wizard- The Who

Wipe Out- The Sufaris

All Along the Watchtower- Jimy Hendrix

Revolution- The Beatles

Miserlou- Dick Dale

I Can’t Explain- The Who

Fortunate Son- CCR

My Generation- The Who

All Day and All of the Night- The Kinks

Paint it Black- The Rolling Stones

Greatest Albums of the 1960s

At first, I thought I'd do a little write-up on these. However, rock albums have been so overanalyzed over the years, I thought it'd be redundant. Readers should check them out rather than taking a critic's or a fan's opinion! So, here are my picks for the Top 10 Albums of the Sixties:

1. Sgt Peppers- The Beatles (1967)

2. Pet Sounds- The Beach Boys (1966)

3. Revolver- The Beatles (1966)

4. Tommy- The Who (1969)

5. Highway 61 Revisited- Bob Dylan (1965)

6. Blonde on Blonde- Bob Dylan (1966)

7. Abbey Road- The Beatles (1969)

8. White Album- The Beatles (1968)

9. The Doors- The Doors (1967)

10. Let it Bleed- The Rolling Stones (1969)

Top 10 Moments in Minnesota Twins History

...and one from the Old Senators....

Senators: 4 Giants: 3 (12 innings) 1924 World Series Game 7: Walter Johnson atones for stinking it up earlier in the series and Bucky Harris’ bad hop single wins the future Minnesota Twins first World Series. The Senators never won another series. The franchise won its next title in 1987.

Twins: 6 Yankees: 0 (April 11, 1961): Twins win first game since move from Washington beating the mighty Yankees and Whitey Ford. Ford went 25-4 that season.

Minnesota: 2 Washington: 1 (September 26, 1965): Jim Kaat beats Senators 2-1 to win pennant. Ironically, the Twins used to play in Washington.

1977: Rod Carew makes a run at .400 and finishes at .388.

Twins: 9 Tigers: 5 (1987 ALCS Game Five): Twins win first pennant since 1965.

Twins: 4 Cardinals: 2 (1987 World Series Game Seven): The Twins win a thrilling Fall Classic in seven games. Frank Viola goes 8 for the win and is the series MVP. It is the franchise's first title since 1924.

Twins: 4 Braves: 3 (11 Innings) 1991 World Series Game 6: The Puckett Game: Hall of Famer Kirby Pucket demonstrated how a single player can take over a game. He made an amazing catch and hit a game winning walk off forcing Game 7 vs. Atlanta.

Twins: 1 Braves: 0 (1991 World Series Game 7): The Jack Morris Game:  Jack Morris pitched 10  shutout innings vs.the Braves. Before the game, most people put their money on John Smoltz. However, those that watched Morris' career and knew the game understood that the Twins held the advantage. The Twins win 1-0 in 10 innings. Morris is the MVP.

2006: Joe Mauer became the first catcher to lead the AL in hitting. Two national league catchers have won batting titles. Bubbles Hargrave in 1926 and Ernie Lombardi in 1938 and 1942. To date, he is the only  catcher with three batting championships.

Twins: 6 Tigers: 5 (12 innings) October 6, 2009: The Twins come back from 3 down with 4 to play to win the Central. In the one game playoff, they beat Detroit in an exciting 12 inning contest. The Tigers led by a run in the 10th and the Twins tied it. In the 12th, Detroit loaded the bases, but failed to score. Brandon Inge was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, but the umpire ignored this. The Twins scored in the 12th and moved on to the ALDS.