Saturday, November 1, 2008

What I Learned Friday on Saturday

Some tunes hold up over time. Shotgun by Junior Walker and the All-Stars is but one.

I wouldn't want to be in the room with Hillary Clinton on Election night. Remember at the beginning of this election cycle? The nomination was Hillary's to lose. Few seem to remember that.

Sir Topham Hat was knighted. Who knew?

He may be the manager of the year but Rays manager Joe Maddon had an awful 2.5 innings in the Game 5 clincher

Brian Cashman's record on acquiring free agent pitchers is spottier than the leopards in the Bronx Zoo.

Everyone's predicting a Giant ass-whipping tomorrow. Watch the Cowboys.

The NY Rangers are off to their best 13-game start in their long history. Dare I say it? Start printing the Finals tickets

Thursday, October 30, 2008

NBC News and Tim Russert's Kid

I know people will disagree with me here: But what kind of journalistic credentials does Luke Russert have to be a correspondent? Don't get me wrong. I feel for the kid losing his father. Really. And if my dad, were say, Steve Kroft, I'd want to follow in his footsteps too. Absolutely. Can't fault young Russert there.

One, however, can fault NBC News. Would it kill them to send the kid for a year to the local NBC affiliate in Harftford? Go cover a car wreck at 2 am...see how he does. At least then he'll have some credibility other than being Tim Russert's kid.

Anyone else see through this obvious ratings ploy? Yes, it's been done 1,000 times in television and other walks of life. One's surname has a lot to do with one's lot in life. I just hope--like a promising rookie pitcher rushed up to the majors--they don't ruin the kid.

Luke..To whom much is given, much is expected. We'll be watching.

A Word From The Messiah...

Anyone watch the Messiah, er, Barack Obama's infomercial last night? While it wasn't as tedious and tortured as Ross Perot's pie charts (Remember those back in 1992?), it was over-the-top and overly dramatic.

A few things struck me as odd right away. That office Obama was sitting in...with the wood paneling in front of the window..was this a makeshift Oval Office? And Obama was sporting a flag pin--something he was against. Is this what we can expect from our leader-to-be? I know. It's all an effort to make Obama appear Presidential. Silly. My question: who bought it last night?

Perhaps the best part about the informercial: He changed his stance on his tax mantra: Remember it was always "if you make less than $250,000 your taxes would not be raised one dime? --That's what we heard all through the campaign. Last night, however, he said those people making less than $200,000 would be taxed. Anyone catch that sleight of hand?

Personally I liked ABCs strategy: They didn't take his money and instead aired the forgettable Pushing Daisies--That'll make for an interesting trivia question as the years unfold. Which makes me wonder why FOX decided to air it? Aren't they for the conversatives or is that just FOX News?

For me, the one cool aspect of the infomercial involved came in the 27th minute...The infomerical was suddenly a live shot of the Messiah addressing the masses in Florida. Maybe that's what passes for genius these days. Sad really.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tuesday Musings...

A week left before the election and it feels like McCain's chances are slipping away. Perhaps the best thing to come out of the election is that people are on to Keith Olbermann and his biased brand of politics. I've said it before, McCain is reminding me a lot of Bob Dole these days. Both decent people. Sometimes though you don't get to play the big stage...that's life.

I've read in Bob Raissman's NY Daily News column that the ESPN main baseball team of John Miller and Joe Morgan are on the verge of splitting up. Show of hands? Who's going to shed a tear? Morgan is as unlikeable as he was a great ballplayer. Give some up-and-comer a chance, I say. But ESPN, being ESPN, will screw it up somehow. John Miller's as solid as they come but again, let's change it up. I'm sure there are many voices who've paid their dues toiling in the minors can use that chance.

And for those wisenheimers who will ask how Tuesday musing are different from What I Learned Friday. My repy? Don't worry about it.

Monday, October 27, 2008

World Series Monday Night

Is there anything worse than watching another team clinch the World Series? Where is my Yankees? I'm a baseball fan at heart, yes. But this year's champs, the Phils, seem beatable to me. Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton are their number 3 and 4 starters! THIS is the best team? This is the best MLB has to offer?

It's already 2-0 in the second and Tampa Bay pitcher Scott Kazmir is not long for this game. I can't take this team seriiously. I have to watch because there's not going to be baseball until April. I can see why the Phillies would be popular--they've got some characters on this team.

Screw it. Islanders/Rangers are on. This game has produced more drama in two periods than the W.S. has in five games. God I love the NHL. I could watch Monday Night Football but I need a huge, almost ungodly output from TE Bo Scaife to win my fantasy matchup. Edge Rangers.

Amen!

From the great Phil Mushnik's New York Post column

This happens all the time with ESPN. Go get 'em Phil!

Seen throughout ESPN's Saturday programming: "ESPN's Chris Mortensen confirms CBS Sports.com report that NFL voids Rams interim coach Jim Haslett's contract ... " and "ESPN's Mortensen confirms with NFL and union sources that the number of pending cases in violation of steroids policy is eight."

After years of such transparent chest-pounding, does ESPN still not realize that intelligent viewers - those who can read - find such forced and disingenuous self-promotion laughable?

"ESPN's Chris Mortensen confirms that no matter what the story, big or small, right or wrong, and no matter who breaks it, ESPN will give itself credit."

In December, ESPN credited itself for the scoop that LSU football coach Les Miles would bolt for Michigan, then credited itself for the scoop that Miles is staying put.

If ESPN's goal is to condition viewers to disbelieve any report in which ESPN gives itself credit - even scoops that are truly all its own work - mission long ago accomplished. Grow up, already.