Random Bulletized Thoughts

As the weekend approaches, here are some delightful musings. Some delightful bulletized musings! Without further ado:

• I like this new blog template much better. The old template was beginning to make me feel like Merlin or some such, toiling at my scrolls.
  
  
• After watching Kobe Bryant absolutely abuse Ron Artest last night, it's official -- no basketball player on planet Earth can handle Kobe one-on-one.
  
  
• On a sad note, I can't believe the ridiculously hot Becky O'Donohue was among the first round of American Idol cuts! Starting now, she and her sister are officially on the Playboy clock. And judging by all the people who found my blog this week by Googling "Becky O'Donohue + naked" and so forth, there will be frequent checking (winding?) of those watches.
  
  
• If a televised golf tournament's theme music is ragtime piano, and/or they keep showing players laughing and hamming it up, and/or Gary McCord is involved in any way, you must change the channel. Are you listening, Accenture Match Play Championship?
  
  
• I think there are no losers in the Donald Trump-Martha Stewart war.
  
  
• Kudos to Metro for finally overhauling its bus system - along with its chairman and various other things. It's just unfortunate that it takes months of bad press to light a fire under them. If I was pissing off my wife, and it took months for me to get that message, I'd be divorced. But unless you want to sit in traffic, Metro's the only game in town. Well, good to see they're making the changes, one way or another.
  
  
• I think Friday is my favorite day of the week. You've got the whole weekend spread out, but you went to work or school and were productive during the day. And it's usually a quiet workday anyway.
  
  
• I'm definitely going to watch that Dave Chappelle movie when it comes out. Some say he's just the next Chris Rock, but I think he's definitely got his own thing. And the movie premise seems inventive, not to mention hilarious, not to mention the Fugees reunited for it.

Great New Look, Same Great Bloggy Taste

I was getting tired of the old design...a little too parchmenty. A little too medieval for me. This one is so 2006...it's so Ryan Seacrest. So Arctic Monkeys. So Chicken Fries. I'm excited. Onward and upward.

Terps on the Move: Francis traded, Dixon surges

First off, a terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible Terps loss last night. Not much else to say on it...I'd just refer back to my previous post on this team. Barring a magical late-season run, I think this team is done.

Now, onto some news about a few former Terps from better days. First, extremely highly paid, malcontented tweener guard and one-year University of Maryland attendee Steve Francis yesterday got shipped to the Knicks, where he will team with extremely highly paid, malcontented tweener guard and one-year Georgia Tech attendee Stephon Marbury. Not only do they play the same positions, they're the same guy!

The Knicks (a team I like) just loaded up on more salaries for yet another tweener player with loads of talent, a chip on his shoulder, and no history as a winner in the pros. Good job, Isiah Thomas. Or, shall I say, the Worst General Manager Ever.

This Mitch Lawrence column in the NY Daily News says it all - he makes the case that Isiah Thomas is out to rebuild every team in the league but the Knicks. And at this point, who can argue? Maybe the Bullets can sell the Knicks a bunch of their crap, too!


Can we tempt you, Isiah? I guess we could let him go for two first-rounders...

Meanwhile, Orlandoans seem a little miffed by the direction of their team, but they're definitely happy to see Francis go. I can't feel too bad for them. They've got young buck Dwight Howard and lots of cap room to sign guys in the 2007 free agent class, which includes Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, and some dude named LeBron James. In any case, here's hoping Francis turns things around in New York.

So, how about some good news from the Terps? How about hometown Terp hero Juan Dixon, stepping up in Portland to help lead the Trailblazers? Was there ever any doubt he would catch on in the NBA -- who doesn't need a gutty guy who will give you instant offense off the bench? Steve Blake is also playing well and getting more minutes for Portland. Way to go, champs.

(Photo Credit: Bahram Mark Sobhani/Express-News)

Sports, College Basketball, NBA

I'm totally gonna quit oil tomorrow, guys - seriously.

So in his State of the Union Address, Bush, as everyone knows, claimed America is addicted to oil.

Well, apparently, we're going to eat, drink, and be merry for a little while longer. And we'll start that 12-step program tomorrow. Because, how has Bush proceeded to help us cure this addiction? He has increased drilling on federally protected land, and laid off 32 people from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory - the very office that stood the most chance to help us "kick" this "addiction" - before a political damage-control scramble to bring them back. Forgive my cynicism, but these do not sound like the actions of a man serious about kicking a habit. We all love you, George. We're behind you. Get the help you need! Denial ain't just a petroleum shipping lane in Egypt, my friend.


"Hey! What did I just tell you, pea brain? Anyone home in there? I'm going to quit...right after the Hummer party tonight at Ted Stevens' house. Ever been to a Hummer party, chicken legs?"

To be fair, he proposed a few things to back up his words, and I'll certainly give that credit where it's due. But still. He could call for tax credits for hybrid car owners (as he did with SUVs) and really get this rolling. Or, he could stop nickel-and-diming effective and relatively cheap programs like the EPA's Energy Star program for appliances, or call for better gas mileage standards for cars. There are A LOT of things he could do, many of which wouldn't cost the government much, if any, money. But he seems content to keep drilling for oil while the status quo - ie, high gas prices - does his work for him, all the while benefitting his oil-company friends and supporters from all sides and ignoring this quaint little notion people once called "the public good."

So basically, I'm not holding my breath and waiting for the Bush administration to fully walk its talk on this. Why should they start now? They've had a problem for a long time, and shouldn't be trusted to quit cold turkey. At least, not without an intervention.

(Photo Credit: AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Bush, Environment

Maryland off the medal podium

Well, it's official. As of the latest USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 college basketball poll, the Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team is now the D.C. area's fourth-best squad, behind George Washington University, Georgetown University, and the upstart George Mason University, now that the Patriots are ranked #25. Congrats to them on their first-ever Top 25 ranking.

It's a role reversal for the Terps. The three George schools are all having great seasons after being low for decades, while the usually powerhouse Terrapins are down. But hope isn't entirely dead yet, even if we have, to use the current Winter Olympics terminology, been temporarily knocked off the medal podium for local hoops teams. Goterps.

P.S. Here's a great piece from John Feinstein on Gary Williams - or more specifically, the fans' tendency to turn on him. I agree completely with every word Feinstein writes here. Maryland fans are way too fickle. It's like if they don't get to riot every couple of weeks, their aggression backs up and they have to unleash it elsewhere. It's a frustrating year, sure, but Gary's not the appropriate target.

Sports

The bass player from The Who killed a baby?

Oh my God! I can't believe bass player from The Who John Entwistle killed his wife and baby! Oh, the humanity! Maybe I would have expected this out of Pete Townshend, but not John Entwhistle! He was the glue that held that whole operation together! They called him The Ox! Because he was their rock! The Ox was The Rock of The Who!

Wait...what's that you say? The Who bass player John Entwistle is dead? Oh no! What a horrible turn! I can't take this! When will this rash of bad news end? Why did my Friday have to get off to such a lousy start? I can't believe The Ox is gone! No wonder he hasn't been returning my letters.

But if that is the case, then who committed these horrible crimes? Some bloke named Neil Entwistle? And he has pleaded not guilty? Well, this is all just horrible.

But while we're here, what's the deal with the last name Entwistle? Neil and The Ox do not seem to be related. Is Entwistle like the Smith of the U.K.? Where's that Entwistle chap got off to? Oh, you mean Nigel Entwistle? No, I speak of James Entwistle, of Kent. Not James Entwistle of Birmingham, or young Jimmy Entwistle of Canterbury? No, you fool, how many Entwistles you know what can work these bellows? Twenty-four, sir.

Regardless, I'm just happy that bass player of The Who John Entwistle is not involved. I take comfort in that. Crazy Entwistles...the whole lot of them, I say, daft as loons!

Current Affairs

American Idol finally gets some hotties

Well, the most popular show on TV has named its finalists. And there's one major and noteworthy improvement from previous seasons. Back to that in a second.

Despite the naysayers, there are a lot of reasons to like American Idol, because there are so many different ways to watch it. You can laugh, cry, scream, appreciate the good, ridicule the bad, watch for the contestants or watch for the judges. You can delight in the early car-wreck auditions, enjoy the Hollywood group drama, and participate directly in the show by voting off indivdual contestants when the "real" competition gets rolling.

But up until this year, the show was lacking in one enjoyability factor: Where were all the hot girls?

Well, I believe someone got wise this year. Because it's an embarrassment of riches! There has been some decent eye candy in past seasons - 2005's Lindsey Cardinale and D.C.'s own Tamrya Gray from season one come to mind - but NOTHING like this year. So how's about a little round-up.

Let's start with the smoking hot Kellie Pickler. I couldn't find any good photos of her, but trust me, she's like the Barbie doll you imagined during all those nasty boyhood tea parties come to life. She's serious. Then there is the slut-o-rific and delightfully named Heather Cox, who seems primed for an "after hours" career once Idol fans vote her off.

Either one of those two (especially Pickler, who has won beauty pageants) could easily have earned the title of hottest female finalist in American Idol history. But it was not to be. Because every now and then, the homo sapien species sees fit to produce a mutant specimen that crosses the beauty threshold into drop-dead gorgeous territory. I'm talking forget-your-own-name, walk-into-a-stop-sign gorgeous. And this year, we've got one - and we almost had two! That's right, I'm talking about the ridiculous Becky O'Donohue. And what's even crazier...she has a freaking twin! (The twin, Jesse, also showed up, but couldn't sing due to a recent surgery. Dammit!) I mean, look at them! I remember they came in to audition together, and Simon and Randy (neither of whom are strangers to hot girls) were both floored. Randy seemed barely able to speak, and a gape-mouthed Simon stammered something along the lines of "looking the way you do, I don't think you even need this competition."


These twins are...what was I saying? Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa........

So there you have it. May the hottest woman win. What is this, after all. A freaking singing contest?

(Photo Credit: R&L Models)


Television, American Idol

How doth the Terps suck? Let me count the ways.

Looks like another Valentine's Day Massacre for the Maryland Terrapins. At the risk of sounding like a negative nelly, last night's loss to Clemson - their fourth consecutive loss to the Tigers - could be the beginning of the end. This is the same Clemson Tigers team who lost to Elon earlier this season. Elon! The Elon Phoenix! And not only did the Terps lose, they lost by 12!

Of course, this conjures images of the fabled Valentine's Day Massacre of 2001, when Maryland lost at home to then-last-place Florida State. The only thing is, that loss woke up those Terps, and catapulted them on a late-season run that ended in the Final Four. The result of this year's Valentine's Day Massacre remains to be seen. But I'm not holding my breath.

Last night's game almost made me physically ill. The Terps did just about everything wrong. So to that end, here's a list I drew up of all of Maryland's faults. Pull up a chair. In no particular order:

1) Primary scorers disappear for long stretches of games.

2) No discernibly consistent execution of any offensive game plan.

3) Don't capitalize on turnovers or convert fast breaks.

4) They hang their heads and get discouraged when they're down. (Note to James Gist: Eeyore called. He wants his sunny resilient disposition back.)

5) They seem unable and/or unwilling to exploit another team's weaknesses.

6) They take unnecessary risks on both ends of the court.

7) They panic easily.

8) They celebrate prematurely.


Yeah, dog! We just cut the lead to five! What!

9) No viable Division I-caliber point guard.

10) No discernible substitution patterns or set lineups.

11) ZERO interior toughness. (See Shelden Williams, Sharrod Ford last year, etc.)

12) They can neither make nor catch passes. It's true.

13) No strong ballhandlers, guard, forward, or otherwise.

14) They think they are more talented than they are.

15) Lack of consistent defensive presence in all phases.

16) Inability to beat full- and half-court traps.

17) Generally little demonstration of a true competitive spirit.

That's about it. Other than that, they're a great team! Don't get me wrong here, I still love the Terps and I'm going to continue to root hard for them and hope for the best. I'm not throwing in the towel - I think it just might be time to recalibrate the expectations. I'm no longer sure if my previous predictions of a Sweet Sixteen berth or a Mike Jones-led resurgence after Chris McCray's loss are in the cards. It might just be time to cut our losses and turn the page on this maddening season, and this wildly underacheiving team.

Sports

Dear Tony Kornheiser

Dear Tony,

Just read your column about how much you love J.J. Redick, how great of a pro you're convinced he'll be after watching him play Maryland the other night, and how "small" the opinions are of those who dislike him. Interesting.

Now I know you're King of the Sports Section, Tony, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to take issue with you here.

In the interest of full disclosure, I hate Duke. I hate Redick, too. And I resent you - supposedly an insightful voice in the sports world - basically taunting me and other Duke detractors with "nyah nyah nyah nyah, you're just jealous." Well, that just wraps it all up in a neat little package, doesn't it? Except for the fact that it's not an accurate statement.

The fact is, Duke has nothing I want. My team - The Maryland Terrapins - got its national championship, and is a strong program. They are good in many non-basketball sports as well, unlike the Blue Devils. I got a good education there and I'm proud to have gone to school there. So there's no jealousy here.

What I dislike about Duke and Redick (and granted, I am generalizing here) is the fact that they are by and large a bunch of smug, snot-nosed, elitist, arrogant, holier-than-thou, disagreeable, lily-white trust-fund babies who get all the calls and who seem programmed to joylessly play basketball as if their lives depended on it. In other words, they pretty much embody what I don't like in a person. Is it still okay if I choose which characteristics I dislike in people and sports teams (which undoubtedly have "personalities"), and then proceed to dislike them based on those characteristics? Is that still allowed? Disliking people?

So the "you're just jealous" angle that you play here, Tony, is trite, untrue, ill-intended and equally ill-taken. As is your claim that people dislike Redick for "small" reasons. Tony, I thought your role in the sports discourse was to foster discussion, make interesting points, and help set a local and national sports agenda. Your latest column, however, seems to be nothing more than a naked attempt to piss people off. Liking J.J. Redick is your right. Just like it is my right to dislike him. Saying my reasons for disliking him are "small" is in and of itself a small act - especially while presuming to tell me what my own reasons are for disliking him.

So your judgments and jumpy conclusions are hereby not accepted. Maybe next time you should make some balanced statements instead of throwing some knee-jerk bouquets to whichever player you can stay awake long enough to watch, and using your bully pulpit to hurl insults at anyone who feels differently.

Finally, Tony, just so you have all the facts, here's some delightful poetry from your hero I thought you might want to read and memorize! Isn't it sweet? J.J. for poet laureate, right? How will you quit him now, Tony?

Thank you for granting time to me, the smallest of the small. Just a Terp fan weighing in with his tiny two cents.

Sincerely,

No One Appreciates Me

Media, Sports

Grey's Anatomy: The Emperor Wears No Clothes!

Welcome to The Emperor Wears No Clothes, a new periodic feature here at No One Appreciates Me. In our first formal installment, we're going to break down "Grey's Anatomy," the wildly popular ABC hospital dramedy. Or, as I like to call it, "Sex and the City with Doctors."

Doctor? I want you to walk, don't run, very slowly away from the television set. Slowly! I want you to turn off "Grey's Anatomy," run to your nearest neighbor, and tell them we have a Code Suck. I repeat, doctor. A Code. Suck.

I'm very, VERY tired of a couple of television trends: 1) The Voiceover. It's effective and it's easy to follow, but it's lazy and it's been done to death. Please leave that dead horse alone. And 2) Female characters who are all insane with hormones. Case in point: let's take Sunday's episode, part 2 of this little "Code Black" cliffhanger. Among other things, it involved the Isobel character banging some guy in a supply closet because she's upset about not being more of a "doer" in life, and Sandra Oh's Cristina character running out on a brain surgery (one she barged in on uninvited and begged to assist with, because apparently she IS a "doer" in life) and tearing down the hall after the gurney carrying the patient with the bomb in his chest cavity. She then jumps in front of the gurney and demands to know where a certain doctor is - when she is told they don't know, she gets upset because now she may never be able to tell him she loved him. This while Grey, the main character, who is helping with the bomb guy, complains that she "really has to pee." Did I mention this patient was bleeding to death and had an unexploded bomb in his chest cavity?

There are many more instances of this, in every episode - I'm just stopping here. The upshot is, these are supposed to be doctors? How does this make any sense? How is this in any way a realistic, interesting, engaging, compelling, professional, entertaining, flattering, or empowering portrayal of women? If I was a woman - a woman doctor in particular - I would be livid at this assumption that all females are whiny, frazzled, oversexed nerve bundles. I should really treat this patient, but what would that cute surgeon think if I messed up? Would he hate me? I should have stayed in bed this morning. God, I am SO bad with stress. Even worse, the black female doctor on the show is a walking stereotype, the "don't take no crap," finger-wagging type that everyone's afraid of. Is this what passes for nuanced writing these days?

(Also, I am tired of lazy show producers who can't come up with a decent name for their show, so they just name a character in a way that makes for an easy pun. See "Bones," "Hope and Faith," "Will and Grace," "The Lyon's Den," "Jake in Progress," "The Book of Daniel," "Crossing Jordan," "Tru Calling," and so on. I'm going to come up with a show called "Fauk You and the Horse You Rode in On." It stars Dave Coulier as private detective Ernest Fauk and Jamie Luner as his sexy neighbor, Matilda Horse. I think it's about time for a Jamie Luner comeback, don't you?)

As for the characters on "Grey's Anatomy," can't we flesh out our female characters a little bit? I don't want to hear anything else about how brilliant this show is. And I'm not the only one who thinks this, for various reasons. If I could sum up this writing in a word, it would be careless. It's just another freaking vacuous soap opera! Until they add another dimension, let's just go for the real thing. Put "All My Children" on and pass the Thin Mints.

Television

Insert snappy winter headline here

Call it The Weekend White-Out. Call it A Taste of Winter. Call it the February Blizzard Bombing of Aught and Six. I'm still too cold to come up with anything punchy right now, as I just finished trudging through the approximately 14 inches of snow that fell in my northern suburb as part of the snow storm that blanketed the Washington area early Sunday morning and set snowfall records across the Eastern Seaboard.

The snow was a record for New York, but Boston wanted in on the action, too. I saw a Today show report from Boston's Sean (pronounced "SEEN," thank you very much) McLaughlin, who said it was a record-breaking snowfall for them, too, right before pointing out it was the eleventh-biggest snow total ever for the area. Now, I may not be a fancy-schmancy television journalist there, Seen, but in order for something to be described as record-breaking, doesn't it have to, you know, break a record? But hey, that's just one man's opinion. Seen, you will always be my favorite wacky New England meterologist. And by "favorite," I mean "eleventh favorite."

Now, we just have to hold on for the melt. This morning, sore from an hours-long Sunday shovel-thon, I trudged to work in frigid temperatures, only to find out that a long stretch of sidewalk between my house and the subway station was not cleared. There was only a thin trench of footprints created the night before, with the melted snow in the bottom of each footprint having frozen solid. That left me with three choices: walk directly on the ice, walk directly in the snow, or walk directly in the traffic. I went with the ice.

Of course, this is all God's way of getting us all in the mood for the Winter Olympics. I can think of no other reason for this snowfall. And like not many others, I am watching a lot of it. Shaun (pronounced "Shawn," like a normal person, please take note, Seen McLaughlin) White got his first gold, and that was sweet. That guy is on a whole other level. He's definitely taken the mantle from Tony Hawk as The Michael Jordan of Extreme Sports. It was also rather disappointing to see Michelle Kwan leave the games. Especially so given a new revelation I had about her: She's Hot! Truly, her loss is everyone's.

I can't believe Gilbert Arenas didn't make the All-Star Team

It makes no sense that Gilbert got snubbed. Actually, this is beyond a snub. I'm glad he says he's using it as motivation, but still. It sucks. I mean, I know the East is stacked with guards, but are you seriously telling me Gilbert isn't better than Richard Hamilton, or Chris Bosh, or pitiful, mail-it-in, cottony soft, prima donna Vince Carter? (Scroll down to the New Jersey Nets part of this story and read all about VC, then tell me with a straight face that he deserves any of the accolades or money he receives on a regular basis. I dare you. I hate that guy.)

No way. Scoring-wise, Gilbert is actually better than all but three other players in the league. He's fourth in the league in scoring. I repeat - HE'S FOURTH IN THE LEAGUE IN SCORING!! And Chris Bosh is better? Maybe if it was the Players Who Look Like Their Team Mascot Game, he'd be in.


Congratulations, Chris Bosh! You're the MVP of the 2006 Dudes
Who Look Like Their Team Mascot Game! What are you going to do next?

Otherwise, I don't see any justification for taking him over Gilbert. I know Gilbert's team isn't great, but that's not his fault. If it wasn't for Gilbert, the Wizards would be in the toilet. And what about Bosh's freaking God-awful Raptors? Arenas deserves to be there. If the fans can't vote correctly, they shouldn't be allowed to vote.

(P.S. He made the all-star team Friday as an injury replacement. Huzzah!)

Barack Obama, Rock Star

It's been quite a week for Barack Obama, that sexiest of senators from Illinois. He's the dreamiest Democrat around...I mean, his plainspoken demeanor, his touch with the common man, his courage in policymaking...well, I'm just swooning. I need to step away from the keyboard. Get some air.

That's better. So first, the week began with Obama starting and then squashing his beef with Arizona's John McCain, the rock star senator to end all rock star senators - the Bono to Obama's Green Day, if I may. And this is good, because that beef threatened to destroy us all. Don't kid yourself. Not since 50 and Game has a beef-squashing meant so much to so many.

But that was not enough for Barack Obama. Believe you me. He wasn't gonna stop until he literally became THE rock star on the Senate floor. And last night, he did just that when he went out and got himself a rock star award. That's right - Obama took home the Grammy statuette last night for his spoken word album, "Dreams From My Father". Congratulations, Barack.


Jealous, John? The roof, the roof, the roof is on FI-YAH!!!

So now all I have to say is, where are all the haters at? Where are all your Senate heroes? Senator Conrad Burns - do YOU have a Grammy Award? No, no I do not believe that you do. Show me the Grammy Award of Senator Mark Dayton! Oh, you cannot, for he does not have one? Oh, yes, I knew that. Even the great McCain himself cannot boast a Grammy Award - although, who could forget his rousing medley of Barbra Streisand favorites on "Saturday Night Live?" Sadly, however, no Grammy was forthcoming.

So hats off to Barack Obama, because it's official. He has become THE rock star senator.

Let's work together to end cartoon violence

Yeah, yah, I know the violence over the Mohammed cartoons is a very serious thing. But when people write headlines like "Bush urges end to cartoon violence," you're just setting it up on a tee. (I see they've since changed the headline, but that's what it was before...I wonder if there's some out-of-work headline writer wandering the streets right now, wondering how else he could possibly earn $19,000 a year.)

So anyway, I'll bite. I say, let's come together and stop dropping anvils on one another, huh? After all, are we not human? If you drop an anvil on me, do stars not encircle my head? And while we're at it, why don't we refrain from setting each others' butts on fire? And can't we all just get along without running away from each other, until we reach a cliff, and then we paint a tunnel in the cliff and run through that, but the person chasing us runs into the wall and can't get through the tunnel, and a bunch of their teeth fall out?

I picture a traumatized president, in a chocolate-stained striped T-shirt, watching TV and tearfully wondering why that bird has to be so mean to that cat. So for the sake of that image, Nation of Islam, let's end this cartoon violence once and for all. You've all become such a bunch of, I don't know, caricatures.

(Psst...Wanna see them? No opinions - this is just for informational purposes.)

As The Nats Turn

You know something? The Washington Post has the best stable of sports columnists in the country. Tony "Monday Night Football" Kornheiser, Mike Wilbon, Mike Wise, Andrew Beyer (apparently, an essential voice in the world of horse racing), and of course, Tom "The Bozz" Boswell. Sometimes, I find Boswell to be a little boring, but when he's on, there's no other columnist I find myself agreeing with more. I just nod my head throughout the entire column.

A great example is his column today on the the ongoing saga with the Washington Nationals, which is a joke and a disgrace to the D.C. City Council. We reject. No wait, we approve it. No wait, we reject. No wait, let's have some more closed-door mediation. Council members like Adrian Fenty and Linda Cropp keep saying they don't want the stadium to be paid for by the D.C. taxpayers. Okay, fair enough. But the tax money is not going to come from regular residents, but rather from businesses and federal offices, a rent payment by the team itself, and a tax on stadium concessions. So don't make it sound like the Sheriff of Nottingham is coming around to take food away from babies and steal glasses away from blind people.

And once (or if) the admittedly pricey $700 million stadium gets built as part of the revitalization of the Anacostia waterfront, that is going to bring in BILLIONS of dollars and other benefits for the city. If you can't see the public benefit of improving that area and putting in a whole new sports and shopping district for the city and its visitors to enjoy, then I don't know what you're doing pretending you are a public servant.

These council members just don't see the forest for the trees. I hope this costs Cropp and Fenty their mayoral election bids this year (what a coincidence that two mayoral candidates would take such high-profile positions on such a high-profile issue in an election year! But right, they do it for the good of the city.)

Because when Major League Baseball's leaders are saying you're incompetent and playing dirty and you aren't doing what's best for those who pay your bills, then that's really saying something.

Dookie refs get a little justice...Clougherty style!

We're bringing down the Dookie machine, brick by brick! It's about time someone stood up to the Duke refs and admit they create an unfair advantage for that team. Thanks to The Dymond for passing this one along.

ACC suspends crew for call in Florida State-Duke game
February 6, 2006

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) -- The referees who worked the Florida State-Duke game received a one-game suspension Monday for what the league said was an unnecessary technical foul on a Seminoles player.

The crew of Mike Eades, Ray Natili and Ed Corbett shouldn't have assessed a technical on Florida State's Alexander Johnson in the second half of Duke's 97-96 overtime win Saturday, said John Clougherty, coordinator of men's basketball officials for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The technical was Johnson's fifth foul, and he left the game with 9:23 remaining. Johnson had 13 points and 11 rebounds before he went to the bench. Johnson picked up his fourth foul for an intentional foul on Duke center Shelden Williams, who quickly got to his feet and bumped Johnson.

Television replays showed Johnson attempting to back away. The confrontation had resulted in technicals for both players.

Referees also whistled Johnson for an intentional foul against Williams in the first half.


Always flop like a fish to get calls, my young apprentice. It is the way of The Dark Side.

(Photo Credit: AP/ESPN Page 2)

Well, that was just Super

Well, the Stillers got one for the thumb, and blah blah blah, winning Super Bowl XL last night over the Seattle Seahawks, 21-10.

In honor of said event, which was rather dull, I have some bulletized thoughts on the game, the ads, and the moments. The Super Moments. I actually took notes on all this stuff, but I accidentally left them at home this morning, so these will be a little seat-of-the-pants. Damn you, Mondays!

Wow, did Big Ben overthrow another receiver? Great. I'm going back to bed. This is not really me.

On the game:

1) At the very beginning of the second quarter, Seattle had a third-and-two (and some momentum) in Steeler territory, and Shaun Alexander was on the sideline. Wait, what? For all his talk about hitting the bully in the mouth (scroll about halfway down), his sitting out on that down really set the tone for his day. I understand that people get tired, but come on. Him or someone else over there didn't think the league rushing champion belonged on the field on third-and-two? Please. The Seahawks tried a pass, it fell incomplete. Punt. And in that sequence, Seahawks, you punted away my respect as well. You punted it away.

2) To me, the biggest non-trick (I call them "trick plays" - feel free to call them "gadgets" if you want, but that means you are probably a jerk) game-changing play came on third-and-five at about midfield. Big Ben shook the rush and shoveled it, total improv-style, to Hines Ward for the first. A few plays later, Ben completes the long pass down to the goal line to set up the first TD. The Seattle D was firing on all cylinders up to that point, and that one play started the leak in their balloon.

3) The Seahawks' clock management at the end of both halves was piss poor. I don't think Mike Holmgren is a very good coach.

4) Speaking of piss poor, I really miss the days when NFL games were well-officiated. Last night's officiating was disgraceful. That was like watching a Duke or a Michael Jordan game. It ALL went against Seattle. A phantom offensive pass interference call erased a Darrell Jackson TD. Later, Ben R. gets tackled before he scores on a goal-line plunge, but they give him the TD anyway. Then, later, a phantom holding call erased what would have been 1st-and-goal for the Hawks. Then, after a Hasselbeck INT, Hasselbeck gets 15 yards for cutting out the legs of the guy returning the ball. The only problem is, that's perfectly legal! It's only illegal on a block. I tell you - the NFL needs a full-time squad of refs who are under the age of 60. They make too much money for them not to do this, especially when it's hurting their product on the field. The Hawks didn't play well enough to win, but without all those bullshit penalties, who knows?

5) Trick plays and one Willie Parker run aside, this game wasn't that good. I agree with what Steve Young said in the post-game - that Pittsburgh really won the title against Indy and Denver, and had just enough left to limp through this one. You could tell after the game that both teams just kind of wanted to get off the field. It reminded me a lot of Maryland the year they won the basketball championship. The real championship games came against Kansas and UConn, with the final Indiana game being almost a formality. It was klunky, mistake-prone play, followed by an exhausted team awkwardly celebrating the championship despite knowing they just played like crap. But whatev. It's still the Super Bowl, so big ups to the Stillers.

On the Commercials:

1) Ah, they all pretty much sucked. Especially all the Bud Light commercials in which all those "regular dudes" will do anything for Bud Light, including taunt a bear, tackle co-workers, worship furniture, etc. So, is the message that Bud Light drinkers are idiots?

2) The most effective one was actually an ABC promo for "Dancing with the Stars." It showed a lot of the female dancers prancing around and showing skin. Then the screen flashed "Wardrobe Malfunction?" "You Wish!" And that was it. See, it was an effective commercial because it knew its audience, knew what it was selling and who it was selling it to, and sold it. It was a good way to get "regular dudes" to watch that show, in addition to its regular soccer-mom demographic. That's what a commercial should do - it shouldn't make me laugh, make me think, make me squirm, re-affirm my faith in life, etc. It should, in 30 seconds or less, convince me why I need to consume a specific product. And that's it.

Miscellaneous:

1) Just hung out with the wife last night to watch the game. We had many delicious snacks, but one that didn't make the grade was the brie cheese we had purchased. When your brie cheese is good, it is truly delicious. But when it's bad, it tastes a little like Palmolive dishwashing liquid. Errr, no thanks.

2) The Rolling Stones sucked. I think I've heard them do the old "Start Me Up" into "Song Off the New Record" into "Satisfaction" medley about 400 times. But hey, give them props for still getting out there at this age, and what a great rock and roll band, and blah, blah, blah. Someone should take away their pickling liquid and end this once and for all.

Surrender yourself to The Super Bowl

Resistance is futile. Give in to the hype. You must become one with it. And then and only then shall you know the ways of Super Bowl Madness. And so forth.

The hype really does hit a fever pitch right about now. With two weeks between the conference games and The Big Game, the media storylines and angles really wear thin. How many carrots did they dangle in front of Joey Porter before he finally bit and started running his mouth? I wouldn't be surprised if some reporter went to Jerramy Stevens and said "I'll give you a thousand bucks if you say something to piss of Joey Porter." And then wrote him a bad check for it.

But hey, they are the sports media, and there are two weeks between games, and they have to talk about something, because they can't just cancel "SportsCenter" and the Sports sections, and not talking about the biggest sporting event in the world would be kind of negligent. So it's an unavoidable evil, I guess. Unless you want to start making it one week.

By the way, I'm officially tired of the sports media's two main storylines - mocking the fact that the "rest of the media" is focused on Jerome Bettis' return home and quest for a ring, and congratulating the Seahawks while simultaneously making a point to withhold respect from the team, talk about how obscure they are to us big, bad, jaded East Coasters, and so on.

Sports media people can be so tiresome like this. It's like it's a contest to see who can out-cynic the others, or who can be the biggest jerk. Have you ever heard the theory that when girls dress up, they're really dressing up to impress other girls and not guys? Well, I feel like sports reporters nowadays formulate their stories based on what's going to impress their sources and colleagues, rather than what will actually, you know, interest the viewers or readers. And that's why I tend to ignore the sports media during times like this. But hey, that's just one guy's opinion.

As for game day, I'm spending it at home this year. And you know what that means - unbridled food intake. That's right - I throw it all out the window on Super Bowl Sunday, and I don't care what anyone says. I'm dipping Krispy Kreme donuts in nacho cheese. I'm deep-frying cotton candy, slicing it up, and serving it on an onion roll with bacon, swiss cheese, and extra mayo. I'm concocting a fine slurry of Oreo cookies, guacamole, and Budweiser, with just a touch of clotted cream for texture. It's just my way of further surrendering to the day.

As for the actual game - they're still having it? - I predict that the Steelers win a boring one, but don't cover that ridiculous four-point spread. The keys to the game? What the keys always are - who plays better. Final score: Steelers 20, Seahawks 17.

LeBron skipping dunk contest makes no sense

Thought I'd post a little something about some non-Super Bowl-related sports issue. So here's something frustrating: why is LeBron James once again skipping the slam dunk contest? Great. Another year of watching Josh Smith and Jason Richardson duke it out while Steve Francis clangs tomahawks off the back rim. I can't wait.

Actually, we don't even have THOSE names this year. Ladies and gentleman, your participants for the 2006 NBA Sprite Rising Stars Dunk Contest Presented by AOL!

I love the spin in which they call them "Rising Stars." They're just waving the white flag on ever getting a big name in there again, aren't they? I guess "Rising Stars Dunk Contest" had a nicer ring to it than "Rookies and Journeymen Dunk Contest."

But seriously, I don't understand why players feel the need to skip this. Here's what LeBron said about it (as told to ESPN):

"On the spur of the moment, I can do dunks during the game. I can't think of a dunk before I do it. I'll leave it up to the guys who don't play as many minutes as I do. Those guys can go out there and throw the ball between their legs and stuff."


Sorry guys. I'm just not that into fancy dunks and stuff.

Hey, I know stars play a lot of minutes, but come on, it's just a stupid dunk contest! Is it really THAT taxing? Throw the fans a bone, huh? Besides, look what the dunk contest did for Vince Carter (not to mention Michael "Jumpman 23" Jordan, for whom his slam dunk contest silhouette has essentially become the de facto league logo)! Carter's 2000 performance was awesome, and what has he really done since? To an extent, he's still living off that, in my opinion. And it's not like LeBron's never been in or won a dunk contest before, so don't give me that "I can't do pre-planned dunks" stuff. Come on, LeBron - I love you man. Give me the goods!

February is Super Doldrum-y

Even though it doesn't really feel like winter around here - which is nice, if not more than a little creepy - February is easily the worst month of the year.


Come on, come on, do you call that trudging?

I don't care what anyone says about Jan. 24 being the most depressing day of the year. To me, it's a tie between all the days in February. Here's why: there's this gray coldness to the days, the winter holidays are way in the past (although the debt is not), it's still dark when I leave work each evening, football season is over with March Madness still weeks away, and people are so hunkered down that you never see anyone, and when you do, you're all depressed and falling asleep by 8 p.m. because everyone's in hibernation mode.

And, of course, there is the fact that I hate Valentine's Day.

Even though I'm married, I refuse to celebrate this holiday. Just because I'm in a relationship now means I become just another sap celebrating a holiday with dubious origins and an exclusive message? Sorry, not this guy.

I'm also not celebrating because in my earlier years, during which I often didn't have a significant other, I got so tired of the condescending pats on the head that inevitably followed my telling any couple I didn't like Valentine's Day that I vowed to myself that I would never celebrate it regardless. Yes - just to spite them! And then there is sickening crap like this. So you're telling me that all the singles, in order to make themselves feel better, are now being advised to send themselves flowers at the office and act all surprised? Now there's a good lesson for the kids - if you can't find some way to be happy with your life, just fake your way through it! Sending yourself a fake gift to impress others - man, that just sounds fulfulling.

Anyway, now my very understanding wife and I go out to dinner on February 15. No cards, no chocolate, no red and white crap, no teddy bear-shaped balloons, no footsy wootsies and feetsy weetsies and sweety pateeties and booty patooties.


Wow, your shirt even matches the flowers! I love you, Tyler - I just knew slapping you around with that bicycle chain would pay dividends!

So back to the February rant. Basically, in February, you're in the middle of the metaphorical tunnel with no end-light in sight. You can't remember a time when it wasn't dark and cold, and you can't see any changes on the horizon, except for piece-of-crap Valentine's Day. Well, here's hoping that disgustingly huge rat sees its shadow (or doesn't - whatever it is), and spring shows up soon. I can't take this doldrum-y feeling much longer.

P.S. Loved King Kong last night. I was telling my friend on the way out that Peter Jackson really gets how to use all these CGIs and special effects the right way. He uses them with heart, and actually uses them to enhance the characters, rather than usurp them. Good stuff.

I'm pumped for the State of the - ah, screw it, I'm going to the movies

So, it's all about Bush turning over a new leaf, and saying good-bye to the problems - the many problems - no, the many, MANY problems - that plagued his presidency and his party last year. This is a time of renewal, of rebirth. Tonight's State of the Union Address is where it alllll begins.

Meh.

He's just going to BS through it anyway. These are always BS nowadays - just a free, extended informercial for the president and his party. And Bush will be no different - depending on who you ask, the best and/or worst quality of the president who brought you such State-of-the-Union hits as "Axis of Evil," and "weapons of mass destruction" is his utter inability to admit when he has gone wrong.

So screw it. I'm going to see King Kong instead.


Movie theater, I'm making you a top priority again. (APPLAUSE)

And that's a noble action on my part. With these last few months of mine involving job change, a marriage, and buying a home, not to mention the recently completed holidays, I've fallen dangerously behind in my movie watching. So tonight, I will turn over a new leaf of my own. (APPLAUSE) It's time for me to rededicate myself to this nation's cinematic output. (STANDING APPLAUSE) It's time for me to look in the mirror, and ask myself one question. Are you satisfied - really and truly satisfied - with the amount of movies that you're watching? And I must say, that I can do better. (APPLAUSE)

Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Syriana, The Squid and the Whale, Munich, The Producers, Good Night and Good Luck, and the list goes on and on, of movies that have gone unwatched by me. But this is my promise - that list ends here. (WILD APPLAUSE) Because, starting tonight, I've got a new attitude. (STANDING APPLAUSE) I'm going to see these films. (APPLAUSE) And with God as my witness, we'll return to glory and prominence. (STANDING APPLAUSE) And may the Lord bless and keep these United States of America. (WILD, FRENZIED APPLAUSE, WITH SOME "HUZZAH"S THROWN IN). Thank you.

Ken Lay - he's just a good guy!

Well, the big Enron trial starts today. Remember that? Where the heads of a Fortune 500 company stole billions of dollars from their employees as they went down in flames? Well, here's all the primer on that you could ever need. Personally, I think they should let Ken Lay go free. How could anyone named Ken Lay ever commit a crime? Except, of course, the crime of being SEXY! I once saw a man named Ken Lay do a very provocative dance, before I realized I had mistakenly gone to the wrong bachelor party. So, you know. There you have it.


Prepare to get Lay'd - Ken Lay'd. Awwww yeah.

This just in - Road Map barrels over cliff

I'll be the first person to admit I'm not a true Beltway Insider. I know a little, though. So with that said, is it just me, or was Hamas' landslide victory in the Palestinian elections a total shock? Of course, there are Washington types who will jadedly claim they saw this coming - there are Washington types who would claim they foresaw what you're having for lunch today - but really - was this in any way predictable? Is this the massive monkey wrench in the already-fragile Middle East political machine that blows everything right back to where it was before the Road Map and all the other efforts?

Hey, guys? I think we may be lost.

These elections gave Hamas - which regularly claims responsibility for some of the most deadly suicide attacks in Israel and openly wishes for that nation's destruction, not to mention the destruction of all things American - a majority in the Palestinian parliament.


Your new Palestinian lawmakers - dedicated to democratic, open-minded debate. And by "debate," I mean "killing."

So much for winning hearts and minds over there, huh? If this is not a resounding rebuff of American efforts to Westernize these cultures, I don't know what is. We are bringing in democracy, sure enough, but this just goes to show that democracy and American Values (whatever those are) don't mean the same thing. You can say what you want about our efforts and our intentions, but there's no two ways about it - this is one battle we undoubtedly lost. And it was a big battle. Bottom line - the Bush administration was dead wrong and perhaps even delusional to believe they could institute democracy in these nations and then just assume these nations would somehow become miniature Americas. That argument makes no sense. And now, if nothing else, we have proof.

Meanwhile, Israel is already circling the wagons and preparing for a return to open aggression, with the U.S. pledging not to deal with Hamas. And all this with Israel's prime minister still in a coma. Of course, for its part, Hamas has no plans to change its tune.

By they way, what, if anything, does Hamas know about governing a population? What experience do they have in this field? Do they know that, if they continue to insist on talking about destroying a neighboring country, they would most likely be cut off from the international aid on which their people are almost entirely dependent?

So I ask again. Is it just me, or is all of this decidedly, you know, not good? Those gathering storm clouds look pretty mean.

(Photo Credit: West Berlin Fire Company #1, Planet Internet)

A very special guest blog featuring Bill Walton

(Editor's Note to both of my readers: Barring anything unforeseen, this will be the last basketball column for a while. Due to recent events, I've been admittedly overdoing it in this one subject area. But I felt the need to do one more. And when The Big Redhead comes calling, you just have to accept those charges. Good day to you.)

Throw it DOWN, big man, throw it DOWN! Well, I must start this blog post off by marvelling, as I always do this time of year, at the monstrously large number of stupid, stupid, STUPID people here on planet Earth and in the United States. Just a PALTRIFYING display of stupidity to be seen! You can see it in almost every facet of our national culture and consciousness, but nowhere can you witness this phenemenon more strongly, more baldly displayed for your consideration, than in the results of the NBA All-Star Game fan voting.

As of right now, Yao Ming leads all players in the number of votes. This despite the fact that Yao has been out of action since December 18 with toe surgery. But don't take my word for it - take it from The People's Daily, which I read exhaustively each and every morning. (I've linked here to the English version, despite the imperfections of Sino-English translation, just to make it more accessible to my American readers.) So why is Yao leading the votes over the brilliant and sublime piece of artwork in motion that is Kobe Bryant? And furthermore, why is Amare Stoudemire on the list at all, or the abominable, the vomitous Michael Olowokandi? And in a nutshell, why do the superstars of this league continue to receive votes over those lesser names who out-perform them? I will tell you why. Because NBA fans are stupid. They pay more attention to the commercials and the glitzy highlights than they do the action within the games themselves. What a HORRRRRRRIBLE display this is. Just a disgusting, putrid display of terribility on the part of the fans of this league.

Speaking of superstars, I would be remiss if I did not mention while I was here in the Nation's Capital, the fact that the Washington Wizards, as they approach the halfway point in the season with a HUGE last-second win last night over my beloved Boston Celtics, 89-87, are THE most mediocre team in the NBA. Anyone who tells you otherwise is, quite simply, an All-Star Voter. In other words, they are an unmitigated fool.

As usual, superstar Gilbert Arenas (whither Arenas in this All-Star race?) and his band of merry men came charging back from a major deficit to come through for the Bullets, with two clutch last-second tosses from the charity stripe to secure the victory behind enemy lines at the Fleet Center. This came with the help of the terrific, and terrifically streaky, Antawn Jamison's 16 fourth-quarter points, and center Brendan Haywood's season-high 21.

I still do not care what anyone says about Haywood - he is an absolutely awful basketball player. If his heart were any weaker, the back of his jersey would read "Cheney." If his hands were any stonier, on the back of that jersey would be writ the name of my non-basketball idol, "Garcia." Because make no mistake, my friends, Brendan Haywood has stone hands. And not porous stone such as pumice or basalt, but hard, non-porous stone which nothing can penetrate, like polished marble, or corundum.

Finally, I would like to mention the big win last night by the Maryland Terrapins. For you see, I am a man of the amateur hardwood as well. Led by Nikolai Caner-Medley and Michael Jones, the Terps stepped up big time to get the W in their first game without leading scorer Chris McCray. Even though their opponent, the Georgia Tech Jackets of Yellow, are depleted this year, I think I can safely predict that the Terps are on their way to winning college basketball's National Championship.

That is all for me, as I am off to deliver the keynote address to the Washington convention of the National Hyperbole Association. So until next time, this is Bill Walton, telling you to throw it DOWN, big man! Throw it DOWN!

Bonus: McCray Fallout Continues

After the news broke Monday that the Maryland Terrapins basketball team was losing Chris McCray - arguably their best player - for the rest of the season, the blame game swung into high gear across the area.

As a good coach should, Gary Williams is trying to take the heat for the situation, even though it clearly has nothing directly to do with him. Meanwhile, Mike Wilbon from the Post lays the blame solely on McCray's shoulders, as does The Baltimore Sun's John Eisenberg.

Speaking of the Sun, they've got pretty low hopes for the rest of the Terps season. (I still think they can make some noise with Mike Jones, but you knew that already.)

For its part, The Diamondback, the University of Maryland's outstanding daily student newspaper, rightly laments the team's almost comical lack of senior leadership. Hmmm...where have I heard that before?

But in perhaps the best (and worst) article so far on this, the Post takes the entire recruiting class (and, by extension, the coaching staff) to task by providing a depressingly extensive recap of all the problems and shortcomings - both on and off the court - that have beset the Maryland basketball class of 2006. Or is that the class of 2002?

Either way, they're leaving after this season. And in the end, and after reading that last article, that seems to be the important part. But while it's depressing for me, it's much more depressing for the guy behind this site. There goes your get-rich-quick scheme, buddy. But don't worry - www.willbowers.com is still available. Goterps.

P.S. Sadly, the McCray fallout isn't the biggest story in College Park today, after a 22-year-old student died in a fire in his off-campus apartment. These apartments, called "Knox Boxes," are familiar party destinations for all Maryland students, and are not exactly known for being the most well-maintained places. A sad story. Maybe it's time they bring those things up to code. They're as old as the hills.

What the fuck is a "Can Do Attitude" anyway?

I apologize in advance for the rant I'm about to go on, but I have a question. When your boss comes and tells you you need to have a "Can Do Attitude," what the fuck are they talking about? Think about it. As far as I can tell, it's either a passive-aggressive way of ordering underlings to blindly follow all instructions (and fucking whistle while they do it), or, it is entirely meaningless.


Do you have a "Can Do Attitude," Johnson? Great...now here's my laundry. Light starch, delicate cycle. Can Do?

Here's a survey from those fun-loving party animals at the American Management Association. Its purpose is to determine whether YOU have a Can Do Attitude. The questions ask things like "are you willing to take on other peoples' grunt work?" and "are you a shameless kiss-ass?" If you answered "yes," then you have a Can Do Attitude! Apparently, being a spineless peon who overwhelms oneself with work is positive, somehow.

Here's a case in point regarding the meaning (or lack thereof) of the phrase itself: www.ucando.org. I defy you to read this Web site and find something in there that isn't just a bunch of gobbledy gook. The home page touts the site has "An ability-focused website dedicated to helping all people develop a 'can-do' attitude and approach to life...no matter what the obstacles." Gobbledy gook on line two. Gobbledy gook? You have a phone call on line two.

So the next time someone tells you to bring your "Can Do Attitude," tell them to screw off. And when you get fired, you'll be your own person again, and won't you feel so much better! Of course you will. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go give my boss her morning boot polish.

Silver lining in McCray's loss?

Well, the Maryland Terrapins basketball team and its fans received some tough news yesterday - leading scorer and guard Chris McCray seems to be finished as a Terrapin, after he was ruled academically ineligible because he was unable to maintain the required 2.0 GPA.


So long, Chris.

This is a big blow for the team - before he inexplicably fell victim to Senioritis, McCray was its most consistent scorer and was a good defender. But before we start waving the black flags and shoveling dirt on this Terrapins basketball season, might I suggest that this could actually benefit the Terps.

Hear me out. I'm not going all Skip Bayless on you, just being contrarian for no good reason. But lots of people - including myself - have been lobbying for more Mike Jones minutes for quite a while now. This should accomplish that. Jones is a dynamic scorer, and seems to play with more fire than McCray.

See, McCray's best and worst quality was his numbing consistency. Playing Chaminade? 17 points, two assists, three steals. Playing Boston College? 16 points, five assists, one steal. Playing Duke? 12 points, one assist, one steal.

My point here is that McCray - despite arguably being Maryland's best player - just didn't have that big-game gene. He played his minutes, he got his stats, he went home. It was almost like he was oblivious to the different implications of each game and game situation. I could never see him exhorting teammates to get him the ball in the clutch. And this season, the Terps need a spark like that. And I can see Mike Jones providing that spark. Either way, it's safe to say Jones' play will largely affect the rest of the season. There will probably also be more minutes for Sterling Ledbetter and Parrish Brown - gulp - but in a nutshell, it all comes down to Jones.


Step up, Mike.

Also, I can see this having positive team effects, as the Terps a) circle the wagons and "do it for Chris" for the rest of the season, and b) stop taking teams lightly, now that they're short-handed. And people are nervous about the defensive drop-off, but I've never seen Mike Jones suck on D, and didn't he shut down LeBron James in some of those 2003 high school all-star games?


Added bonus: Is it just me, or does Mike Jones bear a resemblance to Wilco lead singer Jeff Tweedy?

So there you have it. Here's hoping the team can move on from this. It will be EXTREMELY interesting to see how the Terps respond tomorrow night at Georgia Tech - all of a sudden a serious fulcrum game for the Terps. If the team doesn't make some positive adjustments, it could be a looong season. Not much one can do but bid a fond farewell to Chris McCray, with best wishes for his present and future, and hope for the best in the Mike Jones era in College Park. Goterps.

Bonus: Pimp My Blog

Check out my new tricked-out Blog, complete with newsreader subscribability and sweet Technorati icon. To subscribe, XML style, just click on the orange soundwave icon thingy.

Thanks to Brian for hooking up my html-challenged behind. Truly, Brian, you are the wind beneath my wings. I've officially been PIMPED!


It's just how I do it, baby.