Thoughts....

Say what you must...but Joe Paterno doesn't deserve to go out this way. And wasn't the Big 10 a little premature in taking his name off the championship trophy? The guy hasn't even had a chance to comment yet.

Brian Billick is a terrible color analyst for Fox TV. He makes the same points all game long and his language is garbled.

Indian Summer is sublime.....just don't get used to it. The blast of the hawk wind and chill of winter is right around the corner.

NFL players don't go the extra mile. Too many are worried about their next contract. Case in point Eagles WR Steve Smith falling down 1 yard short of a crucial first down.

Does anyone really miss the NBA?

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Crying Shame

I have no allegiance to Penn State.

I've been there only once, and did witness the incredible specatacle of a Nittany Lion football game with 100,000 plus all dressed in white in a foamy fervor supporting their team.

The face of that team, the town, and the University is Joe Paterno. But it goes much deeper that that. He was the beating heart, the blood, and the oxygen that made Happy Valley what it is, and kept it hale and alive.

Joe Paterno announced his retirement today, amidst a scandle that has not only put the world of college sports on it's ear, but has kicked all that admired what was once clean and pure smack in the teeth.

He reported what he saw to his boss, but said no more. He apparantly let his perverted lieutanant continue to have the run of the ship, even though he was no longer officially part of the PSU brass.

Coach Joe Paterno spent a career doing things the right way.....with one exception.

And now his glorious legacy is forever tarnished.

I guess even the best of fairy tales sometimes have inglorious endings.

Mighty Macs Mighty Good

I attended the world premier of the Tim Chambers film The Mighty Macs last night at the Kimmell Center in Philadelphia.

My suggestion is that you lace up your sneakers, load up on some hankies, and make a wind sprint down to your local theater on October 21st to see this groundbreaking film that chronicles the amazing story of tiny Immaculata College winning the 1972 NCAA Women's basketball championship.

This film stars Carla Cuggino as Cathy Rush, David Boreanaz as her husband (and former NBA referee) Ed Rush, and Ellen Burstyn as Mother Superior and takes you on a delightful journey back in time to the psychedelic days the early 70's when women's sports were hardly a blip on the radar screen. Cuggino, who plays a role similar to Gene Hackman in the epic hoops film Hoosiers, does an amazing job of capturing the frustration and passion that went along with the unenviable task of taking a cash strapped program with no facilities and turning it into a champion.

Chambers captures the essence of the emotion with his fast paced action and timely edits. The score (London Philharmonic) along with hits from the 70's provide an enjoyable backdrop to the G-rated action that any father would be comfortable taking his little girl to see.

Chambers has taken a stand and is taking on Hollywood to help bring the "family" back to family entertainment.

And to me...that's a slam dunk.

Political Nostradamus

Here is my theory. You tell me if it is plausible.

President Barack Obama is sinking like a stone. He announces he will not run for a second term which opens the door for Hillary Clinton. Forget Joe Biden...no how, no way he gets the nomination.

The Republicans, partially in response to this panic move, give the nomination to Herman Cain (an increasingly impressive choice, I might add).

A long shot? Just remember, you heard it here first.

One Of A Kind

Some people are just larger than life....and Al Davis was absolutely one of those people.

During his storied NFL football career, Al Davis held the positions of assistant coach, head coach, GM, owner, and league commissioner of the AFL. If there was a more qualified individual in his field of endeavor, or one who was more passionate and dedicated to his company or team, I would certainly like to meet him or her.

I had two brief encounters with Al Davis. The first was pregame at the 1980 Super Bowl. I noticed him a distance milling around the field pregame. Whirling with constant motion and enthusiasm, his hands were clapping with such great intensity I felt like offering him a pair of receivers gloves to save the skin on his palms. Entering that game, I was sure my Philadelphia Eagles were going to win, but after witnessing Davis and his demeanor prior to the game, I wasn't so sure. Unfortunately for us, my premonition was correct.

Many years later my ex-Stars teammate Chuck Fusina and I were the guests of Dick Vermeil and Carl Peterson for a Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders game at Arrowhead Stadium. While taking a tour of the press box and suites, a moody and tempermental Al Davis passed us in the hallway while being wheeled to his private box in a wheelchair. Davis was barking at his handlers, the Chiefs staff, and pretty much anyone within earshot. You see Al Davis wanted it his way, and for him there was no other way.

He was also a man of courage and conviction. Most people don't know that although he was the AFL commissioner in the late 60's when the leagues merged, he was AGAINST the merger because he felt eventually the AFL would be a superior league. And when the struggling USFL took on the NFL with their anti-trust lawsuit in 1986, Al Davis actually testified FOR the USFL. Davis loved backing the underdog, and standing up for what he believed regardless of the circumstances. For him, it was as clear as black and white.....OK, we'll fudge a little bit here and say black and silver. Regardless of the color scheme, right was right and politics be damned in his eyes.

So Al Davis now resides with George Halas, Vince Lombardi, and the other icons who helped make the NFL the mega giant it is today. And Raider Nation has lost it's leader and face of the franchise.

Let's hope whomever steps up and replaces him can (just) win, baby. It's what Al Davis would have wanted.

A Sunday to Remember

I usually wake up early on the first NFL Sunday of the year and get some coffee, read the sports page, and prepare for all day action starting at 1pm.

But this opening Sunday was much different.

My day started with reflection of that fateful day 10 years past. It started with a tolling bell asking for a moment of silence....with a tearful roll call of thousands of names forever lost to the lunacy of 19 men crashing planes into buildings that are our symbols of freedom and democracy.

They didn't know their acts would only strengthen our resolve to be tougher, better, and protect freedom with more fervor than ever before.

There was plenty of brave action on the football field today. But it paled in comparison to the remembrances of bravery shown by the passengers of Flight 93, and by the rescue workers that ventured into a towering inferno and the Pentagon to save their brothers and sisters in danger.

So I respectfully end my selfish football pleasure today by saying my own thank you to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

You are the true heroes......those on the gridiron are merely pretending.

Just watched the HBO documentary on baseball pioneer Curt Flood. It's an enigmatic tale of a talented, complicated, and tragic individual. I highly recommend it. (Nobody does sports documentaries as well as HBO.)

Speaking of baseball.....since when is it MANDATORY to take a set up man out (Sean Marshall of the Cubs) who just set the Marlins down in order in the eighth preserving a 2-0 lead to put in their CLOSER (The newest version of the Wild Thing Carlos Marmol) who walks the bases loaded and then gives up a bases clearing double without retiring a batter. Sometimes situational baseball lacks common sense.

Also lacking common sense was the Casey Anthony verdict.....but like OJ Simpson water has a tendency to find it's own level. Karma can be a bitch sometimes.

James R. Dunek (with my wife Terri in Tampa, Florida in 1984 for the USFL Championship Game).

Born in Chicago, Illinois on July 14, 1934. He will be 77 years of age in a couple of weeks.

In between Father's Day and his birthday, I thought I would write a little tribute to the man who taught me so much, and to whom I owe everything.

Dad is a survivor.

A high school drop out, he maneuvered his way around the streets of Chicago is a savvy way....once scaling the fence to get into Wrigley Field to watch his beloved Cubs, because he didn't have the 15 or 25 cents for a bleacher seat. And speaking of surviving, he beat colon cancer and a triple bypass operation that all occurred within 2 years of each other when he was in his 50's.

Dad is one of the smartest men I know.

We used to play a game where I would ask him a math question, and he would immediately figure it out in his head and tell me the answer. I would take my pad and pencil and figure it out just to make sure he wasn't getting one over on me, but he was always right.

Dad is a hard worker.

I can remember as a small child his headlights leaving our driveway at 5AM as he left for his job as the foreman of the plate department at a printing company....and seeing the same headlights many times at 10PM as he arrived home; only to do it again the next day.

Dad loves action.

We spent many a summer day on the infield of Arlington Park racetrack in suburban Chicago. Dad loved the ponies, but took the time to keep notes and study the bloodlines and recent results. He is the only man I know who has consistently made money with the ponies. Although his standard line to my mother when we came home was..."I broke about even". I also taught him how to count cards in blackjack, and he became so good at it he was booted out of his comped room at Harrah's in Las Vegas when he hit them for several thousand one night.

Dad taught me valuable lessons.

When I was 14 I had shaggy hair. The HS basketball tryouts were the next day, and he asked me if I was going to attend. I said no because they had a haircut rule on the team. He immediately dropped his paper and told me to get in his car, where we drove to the first barber shop we found and he informed the barber to give me a "crew cut". As we left the shop with me in tears he said, "Now you don't have any reason not to try out." As many know I went on to become an All State player in high school and received a full ride to play basketball at Memphis State University. I'm convinced none of it would have happened if he hadn't taken a stand that day.

Another interesting lesson was when he hired me to work in his plant in the summer I turned 16 years old. Since he was the foreman of a division, I was thinking i would receive some "cushy" job with little responsibility and flexible hours. When I arrived at work the first day, I was informed I would be working on the "shrink wrapper". It was brutal, hot work in a non air conditioned part of the factory far away from his air conditioned offices. Oh yeah....and he put me on the 4pm to 1230 am shift which negated any night life I had planned for the summer. When I asked him why he gave me such a tough job, his reply was simply, "Now you know what you don't want to do for the rest of your life".

Dad is slowing down.

As he says..."the parts are wearing out, and so am I".

So I wanted to write this for him now while he can still read it. And I hope he can feel the love and appreciation that it is written with. He taught me the life lessons of honesty, integrity, gentleness and hard work. And although it is a little tough for him to say the words "I love you, son". I know indeed the sentiment is there.

And Dad...the feeling is very, very mutual.

Shaq retires.....but with his great personality he will assuredly show up as a color analyst next season. I rank him as the 5th all time best center behind Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bill Russell, and Hakeem Alajuwon.

The Cubs Aramis Ramirez gets hit in the mouth with a ball and gets seven stitches. In the NHL, he would be sewn up without Novocaine and return to the game.....but in MLB they talk about putting him on the fifteen day DL. The guy makes 14.5 million this season...sheesh.

I attended David Akers charity dinner this week at the Cescaphe Ballroom on N. 2nd St. in Philly. He is a class act, and I hope the Eagles re-sign him. By the way...the venue is a jewel.

Jack Kevorkian died yesterday, as did James Arness. Agree with Kevorkian or not, you have to admire his resolve in pursuing what he felt was a just cause. And the stoic Arness lost both a daughter and an ex-wife to drug overdoses. The other man's grass indeed looks sometimes greener.

I've been lax with my posts...I'll try to pick up the pace. Thanks for reading.

Musings....

For a guy who is incredibly smart.....why does GOP Presidential Candidate Newt Gingrich constantly put his foot in his mouth?

The NFL lockout is all about the rookie salary cap and expanding the season to 18 games. It will be settled in plenty of time to start the regular season.

Speaking of football.....the Bulls/Heat NBA Eastern Conference final game 3 is tonite at 830 PM Eastern. This match up has been so rough the boys might want to consider face masks.

And I wasn't worried a bit that the world was coming to an end yesterday, because I know exactly when it will happen. It will happen the day the Chicago Cubs are due to wrap up their first World Series in over 100 years. Hell freezing over, apocalypse, Armageddon...etc, etc.

Check out May issue of JerseyMan Magazine featuring WIP morning host Angelo Cataldi due out this week! http://www.jerseymanmagazine.com/

Mother's Day Message

Three years ago this day my wife Terri was critically injured in a freak auto accident in front of my home, but I'm happy to report she has now fully recovered and is doing wonderfully well.

It's kind of amazing the things that God will put you through to get you on track. Her accident was a huge eye opener for me.

So on this Mother's Day weekend I thought I would write this brief tribute to one of my heroes....my wife.

Happy Mother's Day hon....and I feel so lucky and blessed to have you here to enjoy it with us.

On September 12, 2011, I received a phone call at work from Ed Thompson, my ex-boss at my previous employer. Ed was a native New Yorker, and the first thing I said to him was that on the heels of the World Trade Center disaster it must be an incredibly sad day for all people, but especially for those who lived in NY. His response to me was...

"Yes, especially when your son is at the bottom of the rubble".

His words hit me like buckshot. I was stunned speechless. Ed and Violet Thompson are wonderful people, and now their beloved son Glenn was among the missing and presumed dead. I can't remember my exact response to him, but I knew whatever I said would be unable to give him any measure of comfort.

So below is an excerpt about Glenn that was written in the NY Times.

And to Ed and Vi Thompson; it is my sincere wish that the demise of the perpetrator of your son's death Osama Bin Laden brings you some level of closure. Glenn is in a better place and waiting for you. And I can tell you most assuredly that the cut throat terrorist that tried to take the heart out of America will burn three thousand plus times in eternity.....once for every soul the coward was responsible for taking

Glenn Thompson

World Trade Center
"My Mountain Man" Glenn Thompson loved to be outdoors. He hiked. He fished. He biked. He skied. He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. And last October, on a mountain pass in the Colorado Rockies, he got down on his knees in the snow (he was wearing shorts) and asked Kai Wittmann to marry him. Mrs. Thompson, as she became when they married in April, has the altitude -- 11,820 feet -- engraved in her engagement ring. Glenn, 44, worked at Cantor Fitzgerald on the 104th floor of 1 World Trade Center. While he enjoyed the camaraderie and the adrenaline rush of trading, Kai said, his work was really a means to an end. His dream was to retire early and move to Colorado. ''He was my mountain man,'' Kai said. ''He was a bond trader and damn good at it. But his heart and soul were outdoors.'' Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on September 21, 2001.

Chaka and Gino

Happenings.....

I was at the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City, NJ this weekend for the Chaka Kahn concert and got to have my picture taken with her backstage. She is about 4'11" and is now 64 years old...but still puts on one helluva show.

Gas approaching $4 per gallon. For the equivalent of 7 gallons you can get a decent pair of walking shoes.

I met Gino Marchetti, the HOFer from the old Baltimore Colts of the late 50's/early 60's. recently. He is reviving the Gino's hamburger restaurants in the area and was cooking onion rings when I met him. Now that's the old work ethic.

The Cubs are 10-11, and we might be extending the streak to 103 years without a World Series title.

Check out my magazine http://www.jerseymanmagazine.com/

The Passing of Tiger Great Larry Finch

Just as the Rendezvous was to ribs and Graceland was to Elvis, Larry Finch was pure Memphis.

The ex-star player and former Memphis State University coach died from complications of a stroke and heart attack he suffered years earlier. But similar to his play on the court, it took a lot to take him out of this game.

Finch was an assistant coach for Dana Kirk in 1979, and I had rejoined the Tigers basketball team after a switch to football to finish what I had come there to do. Although this new regime was not interested in having a senior with limited skills take up much time on the court, I am thankful that Finch, Kirk, and assistant Lee Fowler allowed me to return and complete what I has started. Football had become my future, but basketball remained my passion.

A product of the Orange Mound section of Memphis and Melrose High School, Larry Finch rose above his meager beginnings to become a star player for the Tigers. His 29 point performance in the 1973 NCAA championship game against UCLA and Bill Walton (who shot 21-22 from the field and had 44 points) was indicative of Finch's talent and desire. He loved his city....he loved his university....and he most certainly loved the game of basketball.

Under Kirk, Finch was responsible for attracting one of the biggest recruits in the history of the school; 6'10" power forward and HS All American Keith Lee. Lee led Memphis to the Final Four in 1984, and Finch succeeded Kirk as head coach in 1986. Penny Hardaway, Elliot Perry, and David Vaughn all played for him. And he remains the winningest coach in school history with 220 victories.

We were two totally different people coming from opposite ends of the spectrum, but I spent many hours in his office offering differing opinions on the game, evaluation of players, and the kind of basketball repartee` that only two pure hoop junkies can enjoy. I'm pretty sure he had a unique respect for me trying to play division 1 football, and I know I had a tremendous respect for him and his incredible basketball legacy.

Thanks for the memories Larry.

Tribute to Coach Jim Erkenbeck

JIM ERKENBECK, IRV EATMAN, CHUCK COMMISKEY

He was direct from central casting in Hollywood.


A gravel voiced, scotch drinking , chain smoking ex-marine, he could have gotten studio credentials and passed for Lee Marvin's kid brother.


Jim Erkenbeck, a football lifer who was the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator for the 2 time USFL Champion Philadelphia Stars, died Tuesday night at the age of 81.


As an "o" line coach, he was prototypical. Cut out of material that was more sandpaper than chamois, he had a outwardly gruff exterior as one might expect from a cancer surviving, Korean War veteran who chose to make his post war bones coaxing men the size of semi tractor trailers to flatten their opposition. "Wrong answer!" he would shout from his perch in the film room in a tone any DI would be proud of as he answered a players response as to why they missed an assignment, or dare let an opponent touch our QB Chuck Fusina, who he referred to as his "bread and butter".


But those who got to know him knew of the love he had for his players, and the respect he had for what the were trying to accomplish. Jim Erkenbeck was leading his troops to war on the football field, and he knew all too well what that entailed.


Erk's battalion with the Stars included Bart Oates, Irv Eatman, Chuck Commiskey, George Gilbert, Joe Conwell, Joe Happe, Bill Duggan, Mike McClearn, Ron Coder, Brad Oates, Rich Garza, and Scott Burris among others. As protective of them as a mother to her cubs, he could ream them out unmercifully, but it was his domain and responsibility to do so, no one else's. And everybody affiliated with the team knew it.


His coaching tour of duty had NFL stops in New Orleans, Dallas, Los Angeles, Kansas City and Oakland. But when I asked him several years ago whom his favorite team was, his response was as pointed and direct as if he was obeying a direct order. "The Stars, Dunes" (my nickname with the team) he said, "and it isn't even close"


So I salute my fallen commander one last time, and thank him for helping me become a champion. If I had twenty-one guns I'd fire them all in a final successive show of respect. And blow taps on a mournful bugle at sunset.


I'm sure Lee Marvin would have expected a similar send off.

Odds and Ends

Ok, enough of Charlie Sheen. It's human nature to take a peek at a train wreck, but when you actually see the carnage, it's time to look away. We've reached that point here.

Villanova hoops is going through a rough stretch, but I've been to their practices and Jay Wright is a top-notch coach and a tireless worker. More importantly, he has an excellent graduation rate and teaches his players far more than basketball. He will eventually turn things around.

Call me crazy, but I have a feeling new Cubs manager Mike Quade is the guy that will turn 102 years of frustration on it's ear and end the drought. Maybe not this year, but soon. Go Cubs Go....

And goodbye to actor Carl Betz, who played hubby Alex in the old Donna Reed show.

HOLY FAMILY

THE REAL CRIME IS SILENCE

In 1978, I decided against all odds to try and play major college football. My only football experience to that point had been some Pop Warner league. No high school, no semi-pro, just the belief that I could do it.

The football coach at Memphis State (now the University of Memphis) at that time was Richard Williamson, a tough buzzard and former disciple of Alabama’s legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. I was involved in a spring scrimmage when I caught a pass over the middle, and our hard hitting free safety Tony Graves gave me an all star shot to my exposed ribs. The pain was immediate and intense. I knew something was terribly wrong.

Back on the sideline, Williamson decided to “toughen” up this sissy basketball player and demanded that I go back in the game. When I declined saying that I couldn’t breathe, he became irate and actually took a swing at me. I didn’t sue….I ducked. When the report came in the next day that I had a fractured rib, there was no apology forthcoming from Williamson. Back then, that was the lay of the athletic land.

We can fast forward to the Holy Family basketball situation and see that it is an entirely new day. Practices are on video, and much like the Watergate tapes, they can expose any acts of overzealousness. First year Coach John O’Connor was guilty of doing something coaches have been doing for years, using physical tactics to make their squad more competitive. What he did was wrong, but this was not the real crime.

Born and raised a catholic, it pains me to see what has happened in my religion. Scores of Priests have been accused and found guilty of what I believe is the ultimate betrayal, using their collar as an EZ-Pass to sexually molest our young people. The crime itself is bad enough, but the silence and the cover-ups by the leaders of the church are unconscionable.

Athletic Director Sandy Michael, and school President Francesca Onley chose to sit on this volatile situation, with the hope that it would go away. When the parents of the player involved (Matt Kravcuk) came to the school and demanded answers, the only one forthcoming was that it as “being handled”. It took a leaked tape to suspend John O’Connor, which ultimately led to his resignation on Thursday after an embarrassing segment between player, coach, and legal counsel on “Good Morning America”.

I would hope that the local media would hold Michael and Onley’s feet to the fire and demand answers to their inactions and silence. By now, the Roman Catholics should have learned….. pretending a situation doesn’t exist is never the right answer.

THE FACE OF EVIL

Wave goodbye to Momar...and good riddance!

Wasn't it just summer a couple of days ago...what the heck?

Jimmy Rollins guarantees 100 wins? Uh oh....

And a somber farewell to Uncle Leo...actor Len Lesser.

Until next time.

Thoughts

The recent sexual allegations against several of the clergy in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are an abomination. These deviants masquerading as moral leaders to the pathway of heaven, if found guilty, should receive the maximum penalties the law allows. And the hierarchy who cover up these atrocities should share the cell.

In 1984 the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL had a locker room adjacent to the visiting teams facility for Phillies opponants. Former Penn State All American and Stars QB Chuck Fusina was from Pittsburgh, and was familiar with then Bucs manager Chuck Tanner. Knowing the frustration of being a Cubs fan (at that point the streak was ONLY a paltry 74 years without a World Series victory), Fusina got Tanner to sign a baseball for me that read: Dear Ken, You are sure to have your 1st winner. The STARS, not the Cubs. Yours truly, Chuck Tanner. Boy was he right. Chuck Tanner died this week at his home near Pittsburgh at the age of 82, and the baseball remains proudly on my mantle to this day. Thanks, Chuck.

Kudos to the Philadelphia 76'rs and Coach Doug Collins for making a complete turnaround this season. Collins wears his passion on his sleeve, and has proven once again that a basketball team can compete with anyone as long as they play relentless defense and rebound.

As the people of Egypt celebrate the ouster of President Hosni Mubarek, I wonder if there is any truth to the rumor he is being replaced by Michael Vick?

Keep repeating after me....pitchers and catchers...pitchers and catchers.

A Not So Super Monday

Let's be frank.....the Jerry Jones tribute to Jerry Jones that masqueraded as Super Bowl 45 was an unmitigated disaster. Let me count the ways:

• The weather outside ws frightful. As late as Friday people were still having trouble getting into snow swept Dallas. Ice was falling from the stadium injuring workers. A real mess.

• Prior to the game, many of the patrons who had braved the next to impossible travel obstacles got to the game only to be turned away from their seats by the fire marshal who deemed them unsafe. I gues having only two years doesn't give you enough time to inspect these things.

• Christina Aguilera fumbled the words to the national anthem, and then tried to make up for it by showing off her riffs and range. It's the national anthem...not a record demo. She was badly outshined by Lea Michelle of Glee who performed America, The Beautiful flawlessly.

• The game itself was a sloppy but competitive affair that at least held the viewers interest. But dropped passes, untimely penalties, and injuries to key players on both sides took a toll on the game.

• The Black Eyed Peas were ok at best...but the super hyped commercials were awful. If'm I spent $100,000 per second on an ad, I'm having my lawyer draw up papers against the ad agencies this morning.

Highlight of the day.....watching Cameron Diaz hand feed Alex Rodriguez some pre-game popcorn. I'm not one prone to jealosy....but.

Hope you got your fill. Don't be surprised if a work stoppage interferes with the start of the 2012 season.

Gritty

I saw the remake of True Grit this weekend by the Coen brothers with a helping hand by Executive Producer Steven Spielberg.

Jeff Bridges gives a remarkable rendition of Rooster Cogburn...he was born to play the part. My only criticism is that he could have been mistaken for "Bad" Blake in Crazy Heart. Different eras, but similar characters. John Wayne? not quite...but not too shabby.

Matt Damon accounted for Glen Campbell as Texas Ranger Laboeuf, but it was an odd assignment. Hardly on screen, he did little to distinguish himself in this film.

And speaking of scant face time, big name actor Josh Brolin took over as villain Tom Chaney but doesn't appear at all in the film until the last several scenes. Must be nice to have a budget to afford an actor like Brolin for so few minutes.

Barry Pepper (61, Saving Private Ryan), is one of my favorite actors and replaced for Robert Duvall as Lucky Ned Pepper. Again, such a waste for an actor so talented to play such a small role. However, his lines always pack a powerful hail of buckshot.

The star of the show is Hailee Steinfeld who plays Mattie Ross, and showed such incredible presence on camera it was hard to believe she was only 14. A far, far better performance than Kim Darby, who wasn't all that bad in the old version.

Some scene changes and twists kept it interesting, but some of the dialogue was repeated word for word from the original. Still in all, I'd recommend it and give it a solid 3 out of 4 stars.

Beats sitting at home and eating a corn dodger.

The Cutler Controversy

There is no reason to believe Jay Cutler wasn't hurt.

No one knows their body like the guy in the skin. After going through off season conditioning, sweltering in training camp, and playing 99% of the plays this season and enduring 52 sacks, do you really think a guy would slink off to the sidelines in the biggest game of the year? Hardly...no competitor would do that.

But Jay Cutler is also his own worst enemy.

Instead of being an active participant on the sideline, he stood there like Batman in his cape with that smirk frozen on his face like his nemisis The Joker. No cheering--just smirking. No advising--more smirking. No coaching--just stoic smirking. Football fans are passionate, and they expect the same from their heroes.

Cool was good for George Gervin, not for Jay Cutler. If you are going to criticize the guy--leave the knee alone and go after the smirk.

It's a much bigger target.

Stuff.....

Do yourself a favor and go see "The Fighter" with Mark Wahlberg, an absolutely captivating true story about the rejuvination of the ex-welterweight champ Irish Micky Ward and his half-brother Dicky Eklund. Actress Melissa Leo totally dominates this heavyweight cast as Ward's mother Alice, which includes knockout performances by Christian Bale as Dicky Eklund and Amy Adams in a total turnabout role for her as the tough talking girlfriend Charlene Fleming. I promise...this movie will floor you.

Check out this clip form today's telecast of CBS Sunday Morning which tells a shocking tale of how Alzheimer's Disease can touch the lives of some that are far from senior citizens. There is a twist at the end of this story that you will not believe.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/23/sunday/main7274728.shtml?tag=mncol;lst;2

I'm currently reading a terrific book by Scott Brown and Sam Carchidi titled "Miracle in the Making", the story of Adam Taliaferro. It's a spellbinding tale of every football players worst nightmare, and an inspirational story you won't forget.

How's this global warming thing working out for you? Peace....

Easy Way Out?

Now let me get this straight.....

In his 2010 post mortem when the Birds were roped, tied, and branded by the Cowboys, Andy Reid announced to the world that Donovan McNabb would be the Eagles starting QB in 2011. He then traded McNabb in April to the Washington Redskins.

This year at his now ritualistic "early to exit, this team has promise, wait til next year ala the Chicago Cubs" press conference, Reid lauded defensive co-ordinator Sean McDermott and said he would return for 2012. So Big Red promptly went on a much needed and quite convenient vacation, and had the team announce that both McDermott and Defensive Line Coach Rory Segrest had been fired.

Here's the thing about credibility Andy.....you only get so much of it.

10 Reasons Why It Is 50 Years And Counting....

The battle is lost, and the war is again over.


We wave our flag of Eagle surrender for the 50th consecutive year. Here are 10 reasons why the Lombardi trophy will be paraded down a thoroughfare other than Broad Street in 2011.


1. We let a team ranked near the bottom of the NFL in rushing gain over 100 yards on the ground using their 3rd string running back.


2. Marty Mornhinweg gave up on Shady McCoy and the Eagles ground game far too soon.


3. Eagle's defense could not get heat on Aaron Rodgers without blitzing and exposed an undermanned secondary.


4. David Akers mysteriously turned into Scott Norwood.


5. Normally sure handed Jason Avant and mercurial DeShawn Jackson dropped crucial passes.


6. Eagles offensive line could not protect Michael Vick. Any other QB might have gotten killed.


7. Does Andy Reid need to burn a timeout from the one yard line when you are down by 11 near the end of the game and then call a quarterback sneak?


8. Too many penalties....especially on the offensive line.


9. Sav Rocca turned into lightfoot Louie.


10. Too many injures.


In the end--it was a valiant effort by the Birds in a year when really no one expected them to compete. In the coming weeks and months, we will hear the spin about the draft and how the team is preparing to make 2012 their year.


My request to Lurie, Banner and Reid is to take a no. 2 lead pencil and work on correcting this list. It's the least we can expect from the gold standard....isn't it?