Fantasy Football Regular Season Recap

I'm a pretty serious pro-football fan and have been participating in fantasy football for about 6 years now...After trying both Fox Sports and ESPN's fantasy leagues last season, I decided to stick with the tried and true NFL.com, while also getting into a pay league with my friends for the first time on Fanball.com...So, I thought I might take a moment to look back on this season and recap my successes and failures to this point...

Firstly, most of the guys that I thought would take off this season, have tanked (Thanks Santonio Holmes) but that's the way it goes sometimes...Secondly, injuries, and even suspensions, have hampered my Running Backs and QB's almost the entire season (Tom Brady, Tony Romo, Carson Palmer)...Thirdly, outlandish luck on the behalf of my opponents have killed me too...now, I know full well that fantasy is highly luck-based, but the luck I'm disgusted with is the guy that goes out on the waiver wire and picks up a guy that had the 'out of nowhere' game the week before and is lucky enough to have it continue in the following weeks...(Hello Antonio Bryant, Isaac Bruce, Tim Hightower, Steve Breaston and Lance Moore)...in previous seasons, that logic never worked, but again...that's the way it goes...and lastly...the biggest trend I've noticed this year is that teams have really incorporated two-back running games that reward highly, the goal-line RB (Hello LeRon McClain and Lendale White)...Oh, and one last thing I learned the hard way...LT is no longer a viable #1 Running Back and SHOULD NOT BE DRAFTED AS THE NUMBER ONE PICK IN THE DRAFT! Plus, we've also seen the emergence of rookie RB's like Chris Johnson, Steve Slaton, and Matt Forte, so the next crop of great guys appears to be developing before our eyes...Plus, what's finally gotten into DeAngelo Williams...man, he was on many waiver wires in the early parts of the year...So, here's the recap of my teams this season:

Alternate Douglas (Fanball.com): Finished 6-7, made the playoffs (Won last week in Rd. 1)
Ari's Puppets: Finished 10-4, first in my division, made the playoffs
Donald's Destroyers: Finished 7-7, second in my division, made the playoffs
Jeff Query's Mullet: Finished 9-5, first in my division, made the playoffs
NPH All-Stars: Finished 9-5, second in my division, made the playoffs
Team McPoyle: Finished 8-6, first in my division, made the playoffs
Turd Ferguson: Finished 7-7, third in my division, missed the playoffs

Not bad...7 teams, 6 made the playoffs...and to this point in the year...No teams below .500...pretty nice. Seven teams is a bit excessive, but I forgot that I'd created a second username on CBS Sportsline during the college basketball tournament, so I figured I'd go ahead and do three extra teams on NFL.com since they're free...Another interesting thing to note, is that my only Auto-Picked team, Ari's Puppets, turned out to be the team with the best record...figures...Fantasy is a total crap shoot and sometimes success is parlayed from in-season free agent acquisitions. The only trade I made in any of the leagues was for Turd Ferguson...I lost Tom Brady and Nate Burleson in Week 1 and got off to a 1-5 start...I traded Matt Forte to acquire Aaron Rodgers, so it worked out as I was able to scratch and claw my way back to the .500 mark. Another win in that league may have gotten me a playoff clean sweep...

We'll see how the rest of the playoffs pan out, but it's been a tough year. I made a nice comeback in several leagues to make the playoffs. So, overall I'm pretty satisfied, regardless of what happens this weekend...It's been a fun year and I'm already looking forward to next season as well.

President Obama...Mission Accomplished

I thought I'd take an opportunity to reflect on last night's historic events...I'm truly overwhelmed with political and personal joy that our country has once again demonstrated that our democracy beats all odds...and proves that truly transcendent leaders can do the extraordinary...The 44th President of the United States...Barack Obama. This is our new First Family and I couldn't be prouder that my vote was one of the millions that helped to make this happen.

I've always been proud to be an American and have always felt fortunate to be able to live in this country, but as I sit here today I can honestly say I've never been prouder of our country and our ability to do the right thing...Our country is facing huge challenges and this is exactly the person we need to lead us back to prosperity. I've been very interested in this election from the onset. After beginning my adult voting life with the Clinton administration and seeing how great things could be in this country, I was extremely opposed to the Bush administration and have been praying for the people of this country to stand up and put an end to the politics of fear, the policies of intrusion, and the pandering to financial friends. The Bush Presidency was nothing more than a profit-seeking mission from the start...just as I had predicted back in 2000 when the election was stolen fraudulently from Al Gore...and I wonder sometimes just what could have been.

Republicans...IT'S OVER! You bastards have run this country into the ground the past 8 years and have turned a blind eye to the crimes that have been committed by President Bush. John McCain's campaign was a complete train wreck...and we all thank him. How someone could logically go into a voting booth and cast a ballot for any Republican candidate is absolutely unthinkable to me...It's time return this country to prosperity and peace...I think I've heard that somewhere before...Democrats...It's our turn once again.



To me it was clearly evident early on that Barack Obama is a once-a-generation politician and a leader to which people my age have never seen. I prayed each day since the primary that he would emerge as the Democratic candidate and ultimately be elected the President...Last night, my prayers were answered. At 11:00 pm est last night when they announced his election, tears welled in my eyes...Images of African-Americans celebrating in Chicago, Harlem, and Atlanta were so striking and monumental. I realize race was a factor in this election, but the magnitude of this victory was ultimately immortalized in the images before me on my TV...Seeing the tears of Jesse Jackson, the look of amazement and wonder in the eyes of Oprah, and the eloquence of the words of Congressman John Lewis, made me realize how historic this moment was. I've always felt, maybe somewhat naively, that I was a part of the first largely colorblind generation...and last night, I really feel I was proven correct. Yes this election will open up opportunities for all ethnicity's and genders, but I also took a moment to reflect on the importance of the great civil rights leaders whose blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice have made this moment a reality.

Election Day...Watching It Unfold Live

This was a cool feature I saw being discussed yesterday on MSNBC, so I thought I'd use it as I watch this historic election unfold live...Bring on the Blue...

Rock The Vote

I couldn't wait any longer...and didn't want to wait in long lines tomorrow, so I voted early today...

At the very least my early vote disqualifies me from this...

911 Is A Joke...

Looks like Flavor Flav isn't the only one that thinks "911 is a Joke"

So...it's okay to use it to call in and complain about traffic? Well, considering your sister-in-law uses portable cell phone towers free of charge, that are only supposed to be used in natural disasters and emergency situations...I can understand why you feel privileged to use it as a means to sound off about your travel delays...

This is WAY too funny...Joe McCain...I salute you for one of the funniest moments of your brother's train wreck of a campaign...We all thank you.

Lil' O'Reilly

I ran across a posting on Gawker today...and when I clicked through to watch the video...I nearly peed my pants...

Lil' O'Reilly is the next Internet sensation...This is beyond funny for all those that dislike that "Pinhead"...

All Rebel Rockers

A couple weeks ago I picked up the much personally anticipated new release from Michael Franti and Spearhead...All Rebel Rockers. I've become a HUGE Franti fan over the past few years and was fortunate enough to see him in concert last summer. Below is the lowdown from their website regarding the album...

Michael Franti and Spearhead return with their eagerly-awaited album, ALL REBEL ROCKERS, on September 9, via Anti-Records. Recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, with reggae's most prolific production teams, Sly & Robbie (No Doubt, Alicia Keys, Sean Paul, Bob Dylan), this new release deviates from Franti's previous sound and comprises a hybrid dub-infused soul flavor with some hard-hitting dub rock production. Alongside Dave Shul (guitars), Manas Itiene (drums), Carl Young (bass) and Raliegh Neal (keyboards), the album also features Zap Mama founder Marie Daulne and Jamaican soul/dancehall star Cherine Anderson.

To me their music represents much more than the contemporary sound fusion of Reggae, Rock, Dub, and Soul...but delivers lyrical messages of positivity, peace, love, anti-war, and environmental and social consciousness, that put you in a great state of mind...and to me, that's what music is all about. These guys are immensely talented and have only scratched the surface with the amount of fans their music can touch...As Michael says, 'Power to the peaceful'...

Welcome Back...Brewers?

Wow...for the first time since 1982, the Milwaukee Brewers are a participant in MLB's postseason...actually playing games in October...I was 7 years old the last time this momentous event last occurred, so I guess I'm unsure how to react...Hell, Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun weren't even born yet...I guess that shows me how old I'm getting.
Call me cynical, but I found out today that I just wasn't as excited about it as I thought I would be...and who can blame me...Ryan Braun and CC Sabathia are pretty much solely responsible for allowing us to make it to the playoffs, after CC went out again on 3 days rest the final game of the season to pitch a complete game and Braun went deep in typical dramatic fashion...It's a game I watched that I won't soon forget...but let's not get ahead of ourselves here...


The Brewers have been an 'all or nothing' team all year...relying on the home run to propel us to victory...and that recipe is bound for disaster in the postseason...The fact of the matter is that we just don't play fundamental baseball, moving over runners, manufacturing runs, and doing the little things to win...Look at our record this year vs. other playoff teams...the Dodgers, Cubs, Phillies, and Red Sox all won their season series' against the Crew...That goes to show you that we're probably on the way to prominance once again, but not ready to hang with the big boys just yet.

I didn't tune in until the 5th inning and we were already down 3-0, striking out left and right as we did our best to make Cole Hamels look like Tom Seaver. There was hope in the 9th inning as we got one run across thanks to a Ray Durham single and Braun double, and had runners on 2nd and 3rd, only to have Fielder and Hart strike out...(SHOCKING!)

Again...this is why we we'll probably be swept Brewer fans...I understand Brad Lidge hasn't blown a save all year, but this is October fellas...time to man up and check yourself. Postseason baseball is all about pitching, timely hitting, and a bit of good fortune...three things that aren't really on our side.

It's clear to me that better times are ahead for the Brewers, just not this year...We've got to learn to be more patient at the plate and find some guys to stabilize our bullpen before we can be taken seriously by the rest of the league and the media. Home runs are fun to watch, but relying on the 'long ball' to win you games is dangerous...Just ask Duke Basketball.

Palin's Greatest Hits

Well...this pretty much sums it up so far...I can't wait for this fraud to be fully exposed to the 'Sheep' tomorrow night...Beware of Putin in our air space...Or Aliens carving out pictures of 'Sarah America' in the farm fields of Ohio...

The Sunny Trailer Mashup

I'm ready for the fall TV season begin, with a well-deserved break from the focus on politics...So, I hopped on the FX website and put together my own collection of clips from past seasons of 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'..."Rock, Flag, and Eagle...!" "It's not a jacket...it's a duster." Enjoy...

Republicans...This is Your Robot

This interview with a local television reporter in Maine, captures on film perhaps one of the greatest quotes that 'Botic' has uttered during this campaign, when he claims that, "She (Governor Palin) knows more about energy than probably anybody else in the Unites States."

I SINCERELY HOPE THAT WAS A JOKE...YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

Capitalizing on American Tragedy

This pretty well sums things up...Only in America could a political party use fear to drive agendas, control the minds of 'Sheep', and allow the truly sick Capitalists to 'capitalize' on the largest tragedy this country has ever faced, turning it into a profit-seeking opportunity...(See car magnets, flag lapel pins, flags...all made in China)

For what it's worth, my thoughts and prayers go out to the families today as we reflect on them...their loss and their pain...not politics or terror branding...Rudy Giuliani and his noun, verb, 9/11 tactics have got to go...enough already...The focus needs to be on the victims families and how this tragedy affected their lives...not how the Republicans can attempt to use it as leverage once again in an election year...You fooled the 'Sheep' in 2004, but I pray it doesn't work again come November.

Pepper - Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations

Summer just wouldn't be complete enjoying some fresh tunes from your favorite bands. At the end of July, Pepper released their latest effort - Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations. This is the 5th album for the Hawaaian trio of Bret Bollinger, Kaleo Wassman, and Yesod Williams.

While I certainly wouldn't claim to be an expert at reviewing albums, everyone's got their opinion...This is a solid effort, but probably not their best album to date (3.5 out of 5?)...I guess I was looking for them to continue to build on the groundswell of attention they began to receive with their last album, No Shame, which I thought better captured the true scope of their sound and ability...I guess I feel like they lost a little steam on this effort, but I still think they're a great band with a huge future. I saw them live in Minneapolis in '06 and they put on a fantastic show with great energy. Pundits love to try to anoint them the next Sublime, which they're not, but they are certainly a talented group of guys with a great sound...I'm hoping to catch them on the Fall leg of their tour, should they make a return trip to the Twin Cities.

Gender Inequality? Nice Try

This is probably one of the best video clips I've seen during the recent media frenzy surrounding Sarah Palin...You'd think that the Republicans were suddenly at the forefront of the Women's Suferage Moment or something...What a joke. Again, I've said it earlier in the campaign...Video of previous comments will eventually come back to bite you in the ass...With all due respect to Mrs. Palin...She is no Hillary Clinton...I've also heard that 'The Comedian' Rush Limbaugh has come out recently raving about Sarah Palin and even went so far as to call McCain, "McBrilliant"...Again, this is a total joke. I really think you'd be hard-pressed to find a better definition and example of the "Good Old Boys Network"...Rush, Karl Rove, and the rest of the Republican leadership are once again atop my list of world's worst hypocrites...Lucky for us the video will always catch them in the act of deception.

Our Worst Fears Come True...

Packer Nation is numb today...Our Quarterback...Our 3-time NFL MVP...Our Super Bowl-Winning, 16-year Quarterback...Our hero...Our leader...The epitome of a guy that gave you all the blood, sweat, tears, effort, and ability he had every week...The guy that is in many ways, the true embodiment of Wisconsin and our hard-working, dedicated morals and mentality...today was allowed to walk away...Dealt by the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets for a 4th-Round Draft Pick?...Absolutely unthinkable...

As a Packer fan, it's been tough during the past couple of months watching this ESPN soap opera drama play out on a daily time line...While I can certainly understand that both sides are guilty of botching this situation, I found myself increasingly more supportive of Brett as this saga unfolded...I guess I'm guilty of flip-flopping too...I realize Brett waffled, changing his mind after retiring twice...blah, blah, blah...I get it. I also realize that the team drafted two Quarterbacks in the NFL Draft based largely on the expectation that Brett was gone for good...Trust me...I understand.

But the fact of the matter is that my team and the 'Conductors' of this 'Football Train' left Brett at the station without the option of purchasing a ticket...Stop already with the lies McCarthy, Ted Thompson, and Mark Murphy...You've all tried to spin it (I'm sure based on the council and advice of Ari Fleisher who knows more than a bit about using words to manipulate and deceive the American public...aka the 'Sheep') as this being solely Brett's fault...with McCarthy claiming he "Wasn't in the right mindset to be a part of this football team" and "I was looking for him to tell me he was ready to play football for the Green Bay Packers...and we just never got to that point in our conversation"...They also tried their best to pay him to stay retired with some lame 'Marketing Package', even after Brett had said that all he wanted to do was come back and play football.



What a bunch of crap! You expect us to believe that Brett went through all the trouble of reinstating himself with the NFL so he could go to the Jets? Nice line fellas, but this is a bunch of bull...Who knows what really went down in their behind the scenes meetings, but if McCarthy told Brett he could legitimately come back and compete for his job, as he told us in two press conferences...you really think Brett would say..."Nah, I'm good...send me to another team...I'm just too bent over how you guys treated me the past few months...so trade me to a team where I'll have to learn a completely new system in two weeks and build rapport with players who are completely unfamiliar to me..." Nice try, but only the truly Redneck element of the Packer fan base is going to take this line of logic hook, line, and sinker...Why not just come clean and tell us you guys were bent on Rodgers as the starter and Brett had no chance to come back to the team as the starter...?

The standard line we're always fed as fans is that the management of professional sports teams are always looking to "Put the best players on the field that give our team the best chance to win." Uh, so you're telling us that Aaron Rodgers, who hasn't started a single game in the NFL gives us a better chance to win than a guy who led us to a 13-3 record and the NFC Championship Game last season? A guy, who at 38-years old, finished second in the MVP balloting??? A guy who holds all of the major NFL passing records (Wins, TD's, Attempts, Completions, and Yards) was told he doesn't have a place on the team? A guy that probably secured the long-term job security of McCarthy and Thompson, based on his play last season...You're gonna work a guy over that's done all this for his family, team, and fans and you guys? That's how you want to be remembered as a management team? As the clowns who allowed our Hall of Fame Quarterback to go to the Jets? You guys have got some stones, I'll give you that...

I'm certainly not bashing Rodgers here either - Hell, he's handled himself with the utmost class and dignity during this mess, and in my opinion, has shown he's ready to be the leader of this team...(despite his 7-20, 1-INT performance during the Family Night Scrimmage)...and thanks by the way...for finally chopping off that horrendous mullet and Selleck mustache you briefly rocked during your years of obscurity on the bench...I'm grateful you've decided to trim your lettuce now that the spotlight's on you...But, I've got to be honest...If you don't come out and set the field on fire with your play and lead this team to at least a Wild Card berth...Packer Nation will be asking for your head...and killing 'The Conductors' in the media for letting Brett go...It's the risk that they're apparently ready to take. (Reminder...We play the Vikings, Cowboys, Bucs, Seahawks, and Colts...all playoff teams last season...prior to the team's Bye in Week 8...We could legitimately be a sub .500 football team)



I'm sure what really went down was that these guys got together and decided...we've all got to be on the same page here...Rodgers is our guy and this is now 'Our Team'...but we need to find a way to manipulate the media to make this look like this debacle is all Brett's fault..."Ari, you got some advice?"
After all, this was the guy that stood up in front of the media for years and flat out lied to all of us about Saddam Hussein, WMD's, and the real truth behind our intentions for the War in Iraq...A true puppet of the Bush regime indeed...and now he's coached our guys on the finer points of media truth bending...



Oddly enough, this situation may have been predicted years earlier by one of my favorite bands...Incubus...in their song "A Certain Shade Of Green"...Maybe Ted Thompson is an Incubus fan? Who knows, but maybe this was Brandon Boyd's Nostradamus moment...you be the judge...

A certain shade of green,



tell me, is that what you need?
All signs around say move ahead.
Could someone please explain to me your ever present
lack of speed?

Are your muscles bound by ropes?
Or do grudges cloud your day?
My sources say the road is clear,
and street signs point the way.



CHORUS
Are you gonna stand around till 2012 A.D.?
What are you waiting for,
A certain shade of green?
I think I grew a gray watching you procrastinate.



What are you waiting for,
A certain shade of green?

Would a written invitation
signed, "Choose now or lose it all,"
sedate your hesitation?
Or inflame and make you stall?
You've been raised in limitation,
but that glove never fit quite right.
The time has past for hand-me-downs,
choose a new, please evolve, take flight.



CHORUS

Green...



What are you waiting for?

A written invitation?

A public declaration?

A perfect consolation?

Remember when you procrastinate you choose last...



I think I grew a gray watching you procrastinate.

Are you gonna stand around till 2012 A.D.?
What are you waiting for,
A certain shade of green?
I think I grew a gray watching you procrastinate.

What are you waiting for...

As a die hard Packer fan, this is truly an unthinkable outcome and a completely surreal reality. I never thought I'd see the day that Brett would play for another team in a different uniform. Thanks for the memories Brett. You'll always be a Packer in my mind...and best of luck being 'Off-Broadway Brett' with the New York Jets...You gave us the most incredible 16 years that any NFL fan could have hoped for...and in the end...you did not deserve to be broken off like this...

Botic The Robo Flip-Flopper...Even More Lies!

John McCain ('Botic') has got to be the biggest train-wreck of a Republican Presidential Candidate in our country's history...and I just can't seem to peel myself away from a daily peek at this tragic scene...It is beautiful...And we thought Bush was bad? This guy may end up taking the cake...His latest stunts are infuriating, yet strangely comical...It's completely obvious to anyone with a shred of intelligence that he doesn't have a reasonable, tangible platform to run on, so he's left to engage in a typical Republican tactic when you're against the ropes...Go Negative!

I know McCain is shriveling like a prune on the campaign vine and it's easy for geriatric candidates to forget things, but he's been caught flip-flopping so many times in just the past few weeks, that it's hard for even his supporters to keep track of his constantly changing positions on major issues. It's been well documented that he doesn't know how to use a computer, but apparently no one on his staff told him at the onset of the campaign that they invented something called VIDEO TAPE some time ago...and if you lie on the campaign trail, it will come back to bite you quickly...Information is shared and disseminated rapidly in this digital age, and apparently 'Botic' doesn't understand these things will eventually BURN YOU...



Then, his Campaign Manager told the press that..."He (McCain) doesn't speak for the campaign"...Uh, then who does? You're telling me that he's not responsible for owning his own media gaffes? This guy has gotten a big-time free pass from the major media up to this point, but someone in the Obama camp better start retaliating with something soon...He's recently ratcheted up his negative attack ads on Senator Obama, this time taking them to all-time lows...Who's responsible for $4/gallon gas? According to 'Botic'...It's Obama! That's right America...Barrack Obama is to blame for this mess.



But wait...I thought that John McCain told us that he was the 'Straight-Talking', Eco-Friendly candidate??? Wouldn't more oil platforms and exploratory drilling in Alaska be a potentially huge threat to our environment? What do you think happens to these oil rigs when they're damaged by storms and hurricanes??? THEY SPILL IDIOT...See Katrina for evidence...So who do you want to be portrayed as this week 'Botic'?





So what's made this 'Maverick' of a candidate flip-flop this time? MONEY...Specifically 'Big-Oil Money'...injected directly into his campaign funding. How surprising...So now he's on the take and making bed fellows with the same brilliant clowns who have laughed all the way to the bank during the past 8 years of the Bush Administration/Profit-Seeking Mission...He knows that off-shore drilling will do absolutely nothing in the short-term to lower gas prices for the now scooter-riding public, but he continues to align himself more and more with President Bush each week.



I've said it before...This strategy may end up being the right move, especially if he's able to dupe the 'Sheep' into believing these lies...I'll continue to pray for the betterment of humanity that he's unsuccessful...So, who is John McCain and what does he stand for??? Apparently he can't even tell you...He's chosen to ride this jet stream of negativity as far as it will take him, changing his positions whenever its convenient for him...Want proof?...Check the tape.

More Lies From 'Botic'...

I was wondering how long it would take the inept man with no chance...'Botic' the Robo-Republican...to try to capitalize on this situation...

Barrack Obama has just returned from his overseas trip and it only took 'Botic' a couple of days to throw together a completely false, lie-filled political TV ad claiming that Obama 'skipped out' on seeing the troops when he had the opportunity. This statement is totally false and this ad shouldn't even be allowed to be aired...What happened to "I'm going to run a clean campaign, free from personal attacks on Senator Obama"...Well 'Botic' you've shown your truly 'robotic colors'...you have no platform to run on, well...other than the whole 'I support the troops, war, and surge and Obama doesn't...You see 'Botic', you should get the facts straight before peddling your lies to the uninformed 'Sheep'...although I understand this is part of the mind-control plan of the Republicans...

Keith Olbermann touched on this very subject last week on 'Countdown'...and I'm sure he's laughing too that it only took you a couple of days conjure up this crap cocktail...According to what he said...and I believe him...The State Department wouldn't allow Senator Obama to visit the military hospital in Germany, due to some rule that outlaws political campaigns in these hospitals...not because no cameras would be allowed...oh, and it needs to be said that the State Department waited a convenient 24 hours before his scheduled visit to the hospital, to alert Senator Obama of this rule...So don't blame him...THEY WOULDN'T ALLOW HIM TO VISIT THE TROOPS 'BOTIC'...You also conveniently failed to mention that Obama called troops at the hospital...despite being turned away...hardly constituting the outright ignorance you claim.

Enough with the lies you shriveling, over-aged, piece of crap prune. You are a completely pathetic, bold-faced lier, who's truly a sorry excuse for even a Republican candidate...I hope and pray each day that you don't convince the 'Sheep' to vote for you and your lies come November...This country will continue to plummet down the drain should you be our 'Commander in Chief'...

Suspicions...Confirmed

Well...our suspicions have finally been confirmed thanks once again to Scott McClellan. Speaking to Chris Matthews on Hardball yesterday, he confirmed that during the Bush Administration, the White House sent 'talking points' directly to news personalities (Bill-O, Sean Hannity, etc.) at Fox News. This really isn't all that shocking considering anyone with a brain knows that they have used 'Fixed News' as a conduit to spread their lies and agendas since day one. Roger Ailes, the President of Fox News Channel and Chairman of Fox Television Stations, worked as a political consultant for the Republicans in the 60's and 70's, and also worked directly on Ronald Reagan's Presidential campaign...and as a 'Media Consultant' to Bush Sr.

So it's hardly shocking that he would allow this Bush Administration to have its own news network at it's disposal. What a load of crap. The government using 'private media' for political propaganda...? I guess this is just another one of the despicable ways that they fed lies to the 'Sheep'...The FCC needs to wake up. What a joke. Oh, but that agency's leadership is also appointed by the President...and who was at the helm between 2001 and 2005??? Michael Powell...son of Colin Powell...These people aren't really even politicians...they're Farmers...specifically 'Sheep Herders'...

Mad Men...Ready For Season Two

I won't lie...I'm a sucker for great TV and movies. Thanks to the goodness of 'On Demand' cable, I just finished watching the first season of the Golden Globe Award-winning AMC series Mad Men after it was recommended to me earlier this year by a business associate. I've always loved advertising (Marketing Degree) so it was only natural that I was quickly drawn to this show due to the great writing, storyline, and imaginative concept...Plus...(Man Alive) who hasn't fallen in love with the stunningly beautiful January Jones...? (I Heart Betty Draper)



I'm really looking forward to watching Season 2, which starts this Sunday. Below is 'The Premise' of the show from AMC...

Set in 1960s New York, the sexy, stylized and provocative AMC drama Mad Men follows the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising, an ego-driven world where key players make an art of the sell.

The series revolves around the conflicted world of Don Draper (Hamm), the biggest ad man (and ladies man) in the business, and his colleagues at the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency. As Don makes the plays in the boardroom and the bedroom, he struggles to stay a step ahead of the rapidly changing times and the young executives nipping at his heels. The series also depicts authentically the roles of men and women in this era while exploring the true human nature beneath the guise of 1960s traditional family values.

Here's a trailer clip for Season 2:



So check out this show if you have a chance. It's really unlike anything else on TV right now and well worth your time. 'This Guy' gives it a two thumbs up...for what it's worth...

Brewers Playoff Bound?

As a Wisconsin sports fan...It's almost unthinkable...The Milwaukee Brewers may be headed for their first playoff berth since 1982...I consider myself a Brewer fan, but I'll be the first to admit that I've stayed away from paying serious attention to them the past 20 years...and who could blame me? They've always been a small-market team that's hardly been committed to spending money on free-agents. They've instead taken the time to build one of the best minor league systems in all of baseball. But the reason I've stayed away for so long is that I didn't want to give my heart to a team that continuously allows their players to walk away and sign with other teams because they couldn't afford to keep them...Plus, I'm a much bigger fan of 80's baseball...pre-steroid era...when you could root for Hall-of-Famer's like Rollie Fingers, Paul Molitor and Robin Yount and enjoy the contributions from greats like Gorman Thomas, Jim Gantner, Ben Oglivie, Don Money, Ted Simmons, and Cecil Cooper...names that I'm sure younger Brewer fans are fairly unaware of...These guys played the game the right way...oh, and you can thank this group for the reason there are 'Throwback Fridays'...

But this new ownership has proven even skeptics like myself wrong...We're paying money not only to lock-up our young stars like Ryan Braun, but they're willing to throw down cash for big name free agents like CC Sabathia and veterans like Ray Durham. To me, that shows the fans that we're committed to trying to 'win now', an attitude that definitely brings fans like me back to the table...the first half of the baseball season is pretty boring anyway...I've always tuned in more following the All-Star Break and into the Playoffs...Much like watching an NBA game, it doesn't make any sense to watch any thing other than the 4th quarter...



CC has been straight dealing since being traded to the 'Crew...Last year's Cy Young Award winner has gone 4-0 with 3 complete games and an ERA under 1.50...No fan could argue with production like that...despite the fact the Brewers traded away a highly-touted outfielder to get him...We'll take it...The team is coming off a huge 4-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals and we've won 8 straight...to within one game of the Cubs for first place.

But before we anoint the Brewers the next champions of the NL Central...It's important to make note that one pitcher does not make a team automatically playoff bound...Our pitching staff is still pretty shaky beyond Ben Sheets, Sabathia, and Manny Parra...



Salomon Torres has done a decent job in the Closer role as of late...after twin 'Gas Cans' Eric Gagne and Derrick Turnbow have set the field ablaze with their horrible performances both this and last season...We're not out of the woods yet...Our pitching staff is clearly the 'Achilles Heel' of this ball club....It's great that the Brewers have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs this year, but don't forget there's a lot of baseball yet to be played...

Today's 'Media Idiot' Award Goes To...Glenn Beck!

Not that I'm at all surprised...but I see Glenn Beck is up to his old tricks again. This time he's employed the services of none other than Ben Stein! Apparently you can no longer 'win his money' and class call outs for 'Frye'...and 'Bueller'... have fallen on deaf ears....Glenn Beck is a classic right-wing clown, and I'm just baffled that anyone has given this guy a forum to speak. He's nothing more than another one of Rupert Murdoch's syndicated Rush-style drug addicts that's claimed to have 'Found God'...I guess $10 million a year to spread lies and racist views to the 'Sheep' will do that for this guy...Check out his latest treasure...



This is another great example of how the right-wing media uses lies, subtle scare tactics, and calculated language to peddle their falsehoods to the 'Sheep'...So according to Beck, an Obama Presidency could be similar to Mussolini? Another reference to the Democrats being 'Facists' I'm sure...Oh, and let's not forget Stein's 'Nazi' reference, thrown in for good measure...He claims 'this is not how we do things in American politics', opposing Obama's upcoming outdoor DNC gathering at Denver's Invesco Field...He goes on to claim that it should be a 'contained' group of people within an arena'...(Sounds like a corral of 'Sheep' doesn't it?) Amazing...

'Botic' has no platform and no chance of winning the election, but at least he's got pieces of crap like Glenn Beck to help muddy the waters and lead the sheep back to another Republican slaughter...It's all a part of their plan...I just pray that it doesn't translate into votes for 'Botic' in November...Thanks to the good folks of Media Matters for America for once again catching this idiot in the act...

The QB Who Cried Wolf...

Well Packer fans...the unthinkable has happened. It appears Brett Favre will finish his storied hall-of-fame career in another uniform after Chris Mortenson broke the news yesterday that Favre sent a letter to the Packers asking for his unconditional release from the team...

The Packers have dodged questions for the past week and have done their best to avoid what's got to be an unfathomable bind they've been put in due to Brett's 'change of heart'. They issued a statement yesterday explaining their position on this unfortunate situation.

At first, Packer fans may have been upset about the way the front office has handled this situation...How could they NOT welcome Brett back with open arms? Well, there's always two sides to every story...and thanks to the insightful sports journalism of people such as Jay Glazer, we gain prospective of what's really going on here...It appears our QB has 'cried wolf' too many times and it's finally caught up to him.

According to Glazer and others, Brett alerted management that he wanted to return at the end of last March...only three weeks after he'd retired. Apparently the Packers front office was set to send several folks down to Favre's home to finalize the details of his 'un-retirement', but Brett called them two days prior to the meeting to let them know that he'd...again changed his mind and decided he was going to remain retired.

Feeling they were in the clear to move on with Aaron Rodgers, the Packers drafted two QB's in the April draft - Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn. Then, according to reports, Brett sent the infamous "Itch" message to McCarthy several weeks ago, claiming that he'd...once again felt as though he wanted to return...

What do you expect the Packers front office to do? Clearly they've given him every opportunity to return, but they've made business decisions based on his at least "twice" personal commitment to them that he wanted to retire...So don't blame Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson for this Packer fans...Brett has to own up to this quandary and will ultimately take the blame for this situation.

Brett was coming off of one of his best seasons...He was voted SI's "Sportsman of the Year" and is set to grace the cover of EA's Madden NFL '09 video game...In Packer gear...This game is set to be released in early August...Thanks Brett!



I can now see why there are, and have been for years, a growing group of Favre-bashers...He's already made a mockery of himself and the team with this latest stunt and I am now joining the group of folks that are ready and willing to kiss Brett goodbye. It's going to be odd to see him in another uniform and something that most Packer fans would've never dreamed of...But this is the reality of today's pro-athlete.

Clearly Brett can still play - and the numbers last season are proof of it. Perhaps the most discouraging part of this situation is that one could argue that Brett was in a great situation to win another NFL title. The team is young and talented...So gone are the days that we need "The Gunslinger"...Last season proved this. Brett and the team were successful because he was finally playing 'within the system' (except the Cowboys game!) and look at the results...The pressure for Favre to 'carry the team on his back' was gone. If you look at it from this perspective, I was shocked that he retired in the first place. Yeah they lost in the NFC Championship Game at home, but considering the upside of the situation...I fully expected him to return. It's really a shame that it's now come down to this.

So what will the future hold? Well, despite a legion of Redneck Packer fans that bought up every Favre retirement 'collectible' they could find, the 'true' Packer fans will see this for what it's worth and realize that BRETT IS TO BLAME HERE. Thanks to Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Emmitt Smith, we'll get to see Brett toiling in another uniform next year. The Packers certainly aren't going to release him and take the chance he'll end up with the Vikings or Bears, so best of luck to Brett with the Chiefs, Jets, Ravens, Bucs, or Dolphins...You are making a mockery of yourself and your Packer legacy in the short-term...Years down the road we'll all forgive you and you'll always be remembered as our QB...But, you've 'cried wolf' one too many times and it's time for us to all move on...WITHOUT YOU!