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.

History Shorts: The Code of Hammurabi (1790 B.C.)

The Code of Hammurabi is not the oldest law code, but it is an important one. The code is one of the foundations of western law. Instead of standardized punishment for all offenses, the code attempts to make sure that the "punishment fits the crime." It establishes the principle of "an eye for an eye." The code recognizes class differences and even establishes rights for women.

A translation of the code:
http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/CODE.HTM

Because of Hammurabi, we have the great Jack McCoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDJX2EB7OSI

Top 10 Anaheim Angels Moments (1961-2010)

These are my top 10 moments in Angels history: (In Chronological Order):

Ryan’s first no-hitter (May 15, 1973 at KC): Nolan Ryan was coming off two subpar starts when he tossed his first no-hitter. California won 3-0. The Royals lineup featured Amos Otis, John Mayberry, and Lou Pinella. Ryan walked three and struckout 12.

Ryan K’s 383 (September 27, 1973 vs. Twins): It took extra innings, but Ryan surpassed Sandy Koufax's strikeout record of 382 for a season. Later, Koufax cracked that Ryan also surpassed his walk total by 91.

Ryan k’s 19 (August 12, 1974 vs. Boston): Ryan continued racking up amazing strikeout totals when he punched out 19 Red Sox in 1974.

Angels win first division title (Sept. 25, 1979): After 18 years, the Angels finally advanced to the postseason by winning the AL West. The team included AL MVP Don Baylor and future Hall of Famers Rod Carew and Nolan Ryan. The team rallied to the Obama-esque battle cry: "Yes We Can!"

Witt’s perfect game: (Sept. 30, 1984 at Texas): On the final day of the 1984 season, Mike Witt tossed a perfect game. Because it was the season's last game between two teams going nowhere, few noticed at the time. Witt beat Charlie Hough 1-0 while striking out 10 and allowing no base runners.

Edmonds’ catch: Edmonds made one of the greatest catches ever in KC (June 10, 1997): Perhaps the greatest catch I have ever seen. Image at:
http://angelswinblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/18-june-10-1997-jim-edmonds-makes-catch.html

Angels win first postseason series: Pummel the Yanks in the ALDS (2002): Anaheim experienced several postseason heartbreaks. In 2002, they FINALLY won a series by defeating the New York Yankees. Yankee pitching could not stop the Rally Monkey and the defending AL Champs went home for the offseason while Anaheim won the World Series.

Adam Kennedy hits 3 homeruns and the Angels win their first pennant (2002 ALCS): George Brett, Bob Robertson and Adam Kennedy?? Those are the names of players with three homers in an Championship Series Game. Kennedy's performance helped propel the Angels to the World Series.

World Series Game 6 (2002): Down 5-0 in the 7th, the Angels come back to win. Bonds and the Giants never recover.
World Series Game 7 (2002): Beat Giants 4-1 for their first title. Perhaps there is some justice in the world as Barry Bonds is denied a World Championship despite being so close.

Congressional Losses for the Party in Power since 1896

Why 1896? I wanted over a century of data. Why 1914 for the Senate? That is when Senators were first elected by popular vote. The data is restricted to elected presidents. If a president served two terms, the figures are for their first midterm. For example: Reagan was elected in 1980, the results are for 1982 only and not 1986.

McKinley (1896): 1898: H: -19

TR: McKinley Assassinated

Taft (1908): 1910: H: -57

Wilson (1912): 1914: S: +5 H: -61

Harding (1920): 1922: S: -6; H: -77

Coolidge: Harding died of a stroke

Hoover (1928): 1930: S: -8 H: -52

FDR (1932): 1934: S: +9 H: +9

Truman: FDR died in office

Eisenhower (1952): 1954: S: -2 H: -18

JFK: (1960): 1962: S: +2 H: -4

LBJ: Kennedy Assassinated

Nixon: (1968): 1970: S: +1; H: -12

Ford: Nixon resigned

Carter (1976): 1978: S: -3 H: -15

Reagan (1980): S: +0; 1982: H: -26

Bush (1988): 1990: S: -1; H: -8

Clinton (1992): 1994: S: -8; H: -54

Bush (2000): 2002: S: +2 ;H: +8

History Shorts: Domestication of the Horse (2000 B.C.)

Sometime around 2000 B.C., mankind domesticated the horse. The animal became the primary beast of burden for humans lending its labor for transportation, war, and agriculture. It took about 4000 years before machines finally replaced the horse. Despite modern cars, tractors, and other machines, some communities still rely on the animal for survival.

This clip plays on the relationship between humans and the horse.

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

Top 10 Detroit Tigers Moments of All Time

1901: Tigers score 9 in the 9th to win first AL Game: Tigers trailed 13-4 in the 9th and won the game 14-13.

1935: Goslin’s single: The Tigers lost four World Series since joining the American League in 1901. In 1935, they broke through for their first title. Goose Goslin walk-off single in the winning run in the 9th inning of Game 6.

1945:Greenberg’s slam: Greenberg returned from World War II and hit a Grand Slam in the 9th inning of the final game of the season to propel Detroit to the World Series. Tigers beat the Cubs in 7.

1968: McLain wins 30: Denny McLain became the first pitcher since Dizzy Dean in 1934 to win 30 games. In ‘68 Tigers fashion, the team scored in the 9th to win the game. No one has won 30 since. Steve Carlton won 27 in 1972 and Bob Welch won 27 in 1990.

1968: Horton to Freehan: The Tigers trailed the Cardinals 3 games to 1 in the 1968 World Series. In Game 5, Willie Horton threw out Lou Brock at home to stymie a Cardinal rally. The Tigers rallied and won the game keeping the series alive.

1968: Lolich wins 3: Mickey Lolich won Game 2 of the 1968 World Series and even hit a home run. He benefited from timely hitting and Horton’s throw to win Game 5. In Game 7, he shut down the Cardinals giving up only a meaningless solo home run. Lolich won the World Series MVP award with three complete game wins in the Tigers World Series victory.

1984: 35-5: This is unfathomable. The Tigers started the 1984 season with 35 wins in their first 40 games. 25 wins would have been good. As a result of their start, they lead the AL East from wire-to-wire and made their first postseason appearance since 1972.

1984: Goosebusters: The Tigers led the 1984 World Series 3 games to 1. In Game 5, San Diego kept the game close and hoped to survive to force Game 6. They brought in Rich “Goose” Gossage to keep the game close. Lance Parrish launched a home run off him. In the 8th inning, Kirk Gibson launched a three-run shot off Goose clinching the championship. Prior to the upper deck shot, Gossage refused to walk Gibson.

1987: The Comeback: The Tigers trailed the Toronto Blue Jays by 3 ½ games with 8 games to play. Kirk Gibson hit a dramatic game tying home run the following game and the Tigers rallied for a 13th inning win cutting the lead to 2 ½ games. Detroit went 5-2 in their final seven games. Toronto went 0-7. Detroit swept Toronto in the final three games of the regular season. In Game 162, Frank Tanana shutout Toronto 1-0. Larry Herndon hit a home run for the game’s only run.

2006: Maggs!: Detroit stunk for a decade. In 2003, they lost 119 games. In 2006, they returned to the postseason for the first time in 19 years. After beating the Yanks in the ALDS, they lead Oakland 3-0 in the ALCS. Detroit trailed early in Game Four. Magglio Ordonez hit a homer earlier in the game. In the 9th, he launched a three-run walk off home run to send Detroit to their first World Series since 1984.

Top 15 Greatest Detroit Sports Moments

...in my lifetime....

1. Kirk Gibson vs. Goose (1984)

2. McCarty goal (1997)

3. McCarty-Lemieux (1997)

4. Maggs HR (2006)

5. CMU: 29 MSU: 27 (2009)

6. Tanana 1-0 (1987)

7. Yzerman 2OT winner (1996)

8. The Dez: Hello Heisman (1991)

9. Woodson one armed INT (1997)

10. Igor 3 OT winner (2002)

11. 007 (1990)

12. The Dez: 4th and a ft vs. ND (1991)

13. 3-1 comeback vs. Toronto (Bro-phy!) (1987)

14. Probert- Coxe (1987)

15. Barry Sanders

Greatest Detroit Sports Moment #1: Goosebusters (1984)

The Tigers won their first World Series since 1968. Kirk Gibson launched two home runs in the deciding Game Five. His second homer came off Hall of Fame stopper Goose Gossage. Gibson threw his arms up in triumph and fans shouted "Goosebusters" as he rounded the bases. Gibson's antics were in response to San Diego's Kurt Bevaqua who acted like a fool after hitting a home run in Game 2. To date, the Tigers have yet to recapture the glory of 1984.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24420819@N06/3926054631/

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws_recaps.jsp?feature=1984

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI45o3SV3zw

Greatest Detroit Sports Moment #2: McCarty's Goal (1997)

Darren McCarty scored the goal that sealed Detroit's first Stanley Cup since 1955...The Flyers called themselves the Legion of Doom...the Wings turned them into the Legion of Broom with the sweep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaYDDpTkv30

Greatest Detroit Sports Moment #3: The Wings-Avs Brawl (1997)

In 1996, Avalanche player Claude Lemieux attacked Red Wing Kris Draper throwing his face into the boards and breaking his jaw. Lemieux enjoyed the reputation as a cheap shot artist and dirty player. In March 1997, the Wings achieved a measure of revenge. Darren McCarty crushed Claude Lemieux in a brawl-filled contest forcing Lemieux to turtle. Even the goalies fought as Mike Vernon pummeled Patrick Roy. McCarty scored the GW goal in overtime. The win propelled Detroit to its first Stanley Cup since 1955. The teams later engaged in two other major brawls. In 1998, Wings goalie Chris Osgood beat up Patrick Roy.

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

Greatest Detroit Sports Moment #4: Magglio's Walkoff (2006)

The Tigers returned to the World Series for the first time in 22 years after sweeping the A's. After falling behind in Game Four of the ALCS, Magglio Ordonez took over with 2 home runs. The second sent Detroit to the Fall Classic. Just a side note, I was in the stands for the home run. It was the greatest Sports moment I witnessed live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtsoZalQ6YU&feature=related

Greatest Detroit Sports Moments #5: CMU: 29 MSU: 27 (2009)

Once again the mighty Chippewas of Central Michigan defeat the Spartans of Michigan State. This marked the third time since 1991 that CMU beat Sparty. It was another in a long line of epic MSU defeats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7IbqUrBMl4&p=3F50753D083F386D&playnext=1&index=11

Quotes of the Month: August 2010

Quote of the Month: “Please don't ask me if I'm going to die today.”

                                           -Joe Paterno

Political Quote of the Month: "He'll have plenty of time for vacations when his one term is up."

-David Letterman on Barack Obama’s 6th vacation in 18 months

Honorable Mention: “Surprised Obama had time to not pay attention to the (Beck) rally, what with all the not paying attention to economy, the war, oil spill.”

-Rory Cooper on the Beck Rally

And the Rest…

“This isn’t ‘Saturday Night Live,’ Al."

-Mitch McConnell to Al Franken

“He's my Justin Bieber.”

-Craig Ferguson on meeting Darth Vader

“And with most of the Democratic incumbents voting with Pelosi and Obama 95% of the time, one might as well elect a voting machine rather than a Congressman.”

-Dick Morris

“Hey, if I was you I may want me to go away too. I am not going away! I am here!”

-Charlie Rangel

"This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable."

-Barack Obama on the Ground Zero Mosque

“This will be the last time I put on my uniform.”

-Lou Piniella

“Miss Universe’ hits all-time ratings low -- ratings would go up if they had green-skinned Orion girls.”

-Anonymous

“Detroit gets a bad rap.”

-Johnny Damon