Saturday, December 28, 2013

The 10 best teams/seasons in Minnesota Viking history


The Minnesota Vikings have had some dominating teams in their 51 year history. Let's take a look at the top ten seasons for the purple and gold.

Honorable mention:

1992: A 11-5 record and a trip to the playoffs.

1968: A 8-6 record and the team's first playoff appearance.

1989:
 While reaching the playoffs with a 10-6 record, the defense ranked number 1 in the NFL, giving up the least amount of yards of the 28 teams.

1977: While not a dominant team like in previous seasons the 1977 version finished with a 9-5 record and did make it all the way to the NFC championship game.

1986: Interestingly, while this team did not make make the playoffs with a 9-7 record they scored 398 points, the most in franchise history up until that point. The defense gave up 273 points, good for 5th in the NFL, and ranked 4th in takeaway/giveaway ratio.

The Top 10:

10) 2009:
 The Vikings rode Brett Favre's magic all the way to the NFC championship game, before losing excruciatingly to the Saints.

9) 1988: Although losing in the playoffs this team had a potent offense, scoring 406 points, good for 4th in the league. The defense was outstanding, coming in second in the NFL with 233 points allowed, first in yardage allowed, and first in takeaway/giveaway ratio.

8) 1971: An amazing defense allowed only 139 points, the second least amount in team history. A 11-3 season ended with a playoff loss.

7) 1974: The team compiled a 10-4 record en route to to its third Super Bowl appearance, and ranked in the top 3 in the NFL in several offensive and defensive categories.

6) 1970: This team steamrolled opponents with a 12-2 regular season record before losing in the playoffs. The offense was third in the NFL in points scored, and the defense was incredible coming in first the NFL in points and yards allowed and 4th in giveaway/takeaway ratio.

5) 1998: A dream season that ended with a nightmare. A 15-1 record and 556 points scored - the second most by any team in NFL history - couldn't stop an overtime loss in the NFC championship game.
 
4) 1976: The Vikes' last Super Bowl season, the team's veterans still dominated opponents and finished with an 11-2-1 record.

3) 1973: A 12-2 regular season ended with a Super Bowl loss. This team was well balanced, with a potent offense and strong defense.

2) 1975: The best Vikings team to not reach the Super Bowl, this squad sent 9 players to the Pro Bowl. A 12-2 record in the regular season and rankings in the top 3 in the NFL in most offensive and defensive categories makes this the second best team ever.

1) 1969: A Super Bowl loss doesn't discount this team from being the best in franchise history. They scored 379 points, which led the NFL. The defense allowed allowed a mere 133 points, which also led the NFL and is tops in team history - and second in NFL history. In addition, the defense allowed the least amount of yards in the NFL that year, was 3rd in takeaway/giveaway ratio, and won games by an average of 17.6 points. Two great playoff wins over the Rams and the Browns cement the 1969 team as the best in Vikings history. 

Friday, December 20, 2013

The best defensive tackles in Minnesota Vikings history

A defensive tackle in pro football may be called upon to fill several different roles, including holding the point of attack and stopping the run, or penetrating a certain gap between offensive linemen to break up a play in the opponent's backfield. A defensive tackle is an important pass rusher as well, since inside pressure may help to free the defensive ends or blitzing linebackers in their pass rush.

The Vikings have had a number of outstanding tackles during their seasons when they fielded dominant defenses. Here are the top seven at the position in franchise history:

7) Doug Sutherland: Sutherland played in 138 games during his 10 years with the Vikings, starting 90. He plugged the middle of the defensive line at left tackle during the mid 1970's when the team had highly rated defenses.

6) Keith Millard: Selected All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl twice, Millard was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1989 when he recorded 18 sacks. Millard was a key piece of the team's outstanding defenses in the late '80's, appearing in 75 games during his six years with the Vikes.

5) Kevin Williams: A six time Pro Bowl selection at defensive tackle, Williams has started all 140 games he has appeared in. He ranks ninth with 54.5 QB sacks, has knocked down 54 passes, forced 8 fumbles, and recovered 10, returning two for touchdowns. Williams has also intercepted 4 passes, bringing back two for scores.

4) Henry Thomas: Selected to two Pro Bowls while appearing in 118 games and starting 117, Thomas ranks sixth in tackles-for-loss with 62. He is eighth with 56 sacks, forced 12 fumbles, and recovered 8, returning two for touchdowns. He also had two interceptions and notched a safety.

3) Gary Larsen: A member of one of the best front fours in NFL history, defensive tackle Larsen played in 135 games, starting 107, in 10 seasons for the Vikings. He recorded 37 sacks, recovered 10 fumbles, and was named to two Pro Bowls.

2) John Randle: A standout defensive tackle who played in 176 games and started 150, Randle was named to six Pro Bowls in his 11 seasons with the Vikings. He recovered 9 fumbles, ranks third in forced fumbles with 25, and is third in QB sacks with 114. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2010.

1) Alan Page: A defensive tackle who changed the game in the late 1960's and early 1970's, Page was named the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1971. Selected to the Pro Bowl nine times in his 12 years with the Vikings, he played in 160 games and started 157. He is fourth in team history with 108.5 sacks, fourth with 18 fumble recoveries, third with 77 tackles-for-loss, and second with 28 forced fumbles. Page was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1988.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Belleville New Jersey sucks

An experience with the municipal court system in Belleville New Jersey shows how time and tax money is wasted, and how a town mistreats its senior citizens

My father had always kept his car parked on the street in front of his house in Belleville, NJ. Not in front of anyone else's house, mind you. His second car was kept in the garage. When I visited recently I noticed the old car in front of the house was gone. I asked him what happened to it, and being 82 years old, he said to me, “They towed it away, they said I donated it." Of course, this is not what happened. Among some papers on his desk I found a parking ticket that read "abandoned motor vehicle."

I called the chief of police who said neighbors had complained that the car was parked in front of the house (his house, not theirs, I remind you. I guess some people have nothing better to do than look out their windows and get into other people's business). Then he said, "Well, the town has an ordinance that says a car can't be parked in the same spot for 48 hours." So I guess the cops in Belleville have too much time on their hands, being that they spent their time writing parking tickets to senior citizens. No wonder property taxes are so high in New Jersey. Too many cops doing nothing.

The chief said he was sent written warnings, about not moving the car. Well that isn't true. They sent nothing, because I went through my father's mail every day, and they never sent any warnings. Then the chief said, just go to court, and they'll dismiss the ticket. (Okay...but then why did you write it in the first place?)

So I went to the impound lot and had the car hauled away for $300, which I had to give to the impound lot owners, for their towing fee. The car was still running, but since my mother wasn't driving anymore, there was no need for my father to keep and maintain two cars. Then I scheduled a court date to contest the $260 abandoned motor vehicle ticket.

So I go to the municipal court in Belleville and meet with the prosecutor, who gives me a silly song and dance about how he can't recommend dismissing the ticket, blah, blah, blah. Nevermind that my father lived in Belleville, his entire life as a law abiding citizen, and paid thousands of dollars in property taxes during the past 50 years. Nevermind that there was no written warnings about the car, and nevermind that he's 82 and probably didn't comprehend that there was some obscure ordinance about not leaving a car in the same spot for longer than 48 hours. (By the way, there were no marks on the tires when I found it at the impound lot, so the cops had no proof that the car was parked there for a certain amount of time).

Finally I stood up and said to the wormy prosecutor, "Forget it, I'm just going to pay the ticket and go to the media with my story, about how Belleville treats their senior citizens." Of course, now the prosecutor says, "Don't do that, we'll call the cop and try to reach a settlement."

So we go in front of the municipal court judge to ask for a new date, and this judge rambles on about nonsense...where's your father, I don't know if we can do this, blah, blah, blah. This from a guy, like all municipal court judges in New Jersey, has his own private law practice but moonlights on the side as a judge in order to get into the state pension system and milk the taxpayers for money. Finally he relents and we have a new court date, three weeks later.

So I go to court on the new date - and there's a new prosecutor! I start to explain the situation, and after fifteen seconds he cuts me off with "I'm just going to ask the judge to dismiss this." He hustles into the courtroom, I follow him, he asks the judge to dismiss the ticket, and the same judge from the three weeks prior, the one who grumbled and groaned about setting a new date for a conference, says, "This is a minor issue. Case dismissed."

Wouldn't it have made more sense just to dismiss the ticket the first time? Wouldn't have made more sense for the cops to ask my father if there was anyone helping with things, and could you give them this warning letter about the car parked in front of the house? No. Instead these fools waste my time and tax money with their silly shenanigans. Political nonsense. Right wingers rage about too much government at the federal level, when the reality is there's too much government at the local level. Anyone who writes a parking ticket to senior citizen for a car parked in front of his own house ought to be ashamed of himself. All the problems in the world, and this is what cops, prosecutors, and judges are spending their time and our tax money on? It's a disgrace

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Who were the most over-rated Minnesota Vikings of all time?

Sometimes coaches and general managers draft or trade for players who they think will put their team "over the top" and lead them to a Super Bowl. It doesn't always work out that way though. Here are some of the Vikings who were not worth the high draft pick or the trade that brought them to Minnesota.


10) Warren Moon, QB: Another one of Dennis Green's silly decisions, bringing in a washed up quarterback and the end of his career, in the hopes of catching lightning in a bottle. Didn't work out, as Moon's three years in Minnesota resulted in a big nothing.

9) E.J Henderson, LB: Started a lot of games for the Vikings but never really lived up to the hype that accompanied him coming out of college. Was basically an average linebacker, and never dominated opponents.

8) Randall Cunningham, QB: Only had a great year in 1998 because he was surrounded by other outstanding players on offense, and had coach Brian Billick calling the plays. Choked in the team's NFC championship game, and there's no way he should have been kept on for the 1999 season over QB Brad Johnson.

7) Darrin Nelson, RB: A much heralded first round pick in 1982, Nelson did not become a standout running back the team had envisioned. He never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season and wasn't very explosive, averaging only 8.8 yards per reception, 8.0 yards per punt return, and 22.4 yards on kick returns. The Vikings passed up Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen to take Nelson. Big mistake.

6) Mark Mullaney, DE: Although he played in 151 games and started 97 in his 12 years with the team, Mullaney didn't seem to learn much from playing behind great ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall. He never came close to being even an average pass rusher, let alone one that was worth a first round selection. A symbol of the Vikes' mediocrity from 1979 through the mid-1980's.
5) James White, DT: Although a first round draft pick, White didn't exactly turn out to be the next Alan Page. Started 61 games for Bud Grant during his eight years with the team. Not sure why Grant cut Page, thus making White the regular RDT; Bud must have been an optimist. White didn't even make Les Steckel's 1984 mess of team, being waived at the end of training camp.

4) David Palmer, WR: Before the start of each season coach Dennis Green would rave about "his" 1994 second round pick Palmer. What did Palmer produce in his seven year career? A mere 9.9 yard average on punt returns, only 22.6 yards on kickoffs, and no more than 26 receptions in a season, with a career average of 8.6 yards per catch. Whee!

3) Duante Culpepper, QB: Culpepper only had two good years (2000 & 2004) but was still named to many "50 Greatest Vikings of All Time" lists. Why? He was mediocre most of the time and hardly worthy of a first round draft pick. He's just another one of Denny Green's "guys" who never panned out.

2) Bryant McKinnie, OT: Why was this guy named to some Greatest Vikings of All-Time lists? McKinnie was reliable but was never a standout. The team has had other offensive tackles who were much better players.

1) Herschel Walker, RB: Obviously wasn't worth what the Vikings gave up for him. Never even rushed for a thousand yards once in his three years with the team. What a disaster.



source for statistics: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Monday, November 25, 2013

Vikings' coach Frazier, GM Spielman lousy judges of talent - Minnesota cuts bum Jefferson


Well the Vikings dumped another bum in cornerback A.J. Jefferson this afternoon. Even though they only shipped a 6th or 7th round pick to the Cardinals for him last year, you would have thought the Vikings had landed a future All-Pro after hearing head coach Leslie Frazier heap praise on Jefferson after the acquisition.

Frazier was the one who wanted to sign washed-up has-been Donovan McNabb to play quarterback two years ago, and Spielman has swung and missed on a number of draft picks in the last few years (Josh Robinson, Tyrell Johnson, Christian Ponder, Mistral Raymond, Marcus McCauley, among others) so it's not surprising that they wasted a draft pick on a player like Jefferson. Jefferson contributed nothing during his time with the team.

Frazier might be a good coach, and Spielman might be the type of that write up a great scouting report, but when it comes time to select a talented player, neither has shown that they have much of a knack for it.

If they did the Vikings record would be a lot better than 2-8-1.

The Mentalist / Red John storyline disappointing


Well broadcast television disappoints again. All the best shows are still on cable.

After six years of developing the Red John serial killer storyline on The Mentalist, it came to an unsatisfying conclusion. The way the Red John story was built for the first four years of the show was fantastic. Things slipped story-wise in season five and the start of season six, and now that it has supposedly concluded with Patrick Jane killing Red John, I'm feeling let down. Too much of the back story does not make sense at this point. Sherriff McAlister as Red John doesn't fit. The few times we heard the serial killer's voice just doesn't jive with how McAlister was played by Xander Berkeley and how the sheriff’s lines were written. I'm supposed to believe that McAlister changed his voice that much? Nah.

I expected more from the The Mentalists' writers and producers. The idea that law enforcement was somehow involved with Red John is kind of shaky and doesn't add up. A better way to go, after the end of season three, might have been to develop some of the law enforcement characters as possible Red John suspects, but in the end have him not be in law enforcement. The whole "Blake Association" idea doesn't make much sense or add to the story at all.

The Mentalist was pretty good with weekly stories that were wrapped up in an hour. The Red John story left much to be desired.

Ah well. At least Justified and The Americans will be returning in January 2014. On the FX channel - cable TV, of course.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Death, dying, medicare, and obamacare


Funny how people moan and groan about their taxes, government waste, and "entitlement programs" yet no one wants to discuss how to start changing all of it.

Twenty percent of Medicaid dollars go to one percent of the people who use it. Many are the elderly in nursing homes.

Medicare spends 25% of its $551 billion annual budget on medical treatment in a person's last year of life.

One way to save money would be stop spending billions of dollars of machines and drugs that do nothing except prolong our misery when we get older. In the United States we treat our pets more compassionately at the end of their lives than we do our people.

It would be better to have discussions about how we want to die when we're young. If someone wants to be kept alive at the end through machines, fine, it would be their choice. But I'm sure many of us would opt for hospice care. If money was re-directed from hospitals and doctors who charge hundreds of thousands of dollars for tests and medical equipment toward hospice care, not only would billions of dollars be saved in our taxpayer money but people, and their relatives, could be spared the horrific way of dying that now exists for many Americans - plugged into machines in an intensive care unit of a hospital.

If someone is 20 years old, you do everything it takes to save their life. When someone is 90 years old and frail, it would be best to just let nature take its course.

Nothing is going to change though. Most Americans just don't want to talk about it. Others make death and dying into a political or religious issue. If that's the case, then I hope everyone just stops complaining about the national debt and taxes. Because we already know where the money is going and how to change things.







A job interview at Goldman Sachs

I’m sure lots of people have had strange experiences while searching for and interviewing for jobs. People who do the recruiting and interviewing of job candidates often have funny stories to tell. Sometimes I wonder though, if other people looking for a job have had anything similar to mine.

Once I went on an interview for a job as a college recruiter, with Goldman Sachs. This particular office was in lower Manhattan. The director of college recruiting was a guy named Mike. At the start of the interview he mused, “There’s mostly women working in college recruiting.” Hmm, maybe this gives me an edge, I thought. He didn’t ask me any questions though. He just rambled on for a couple of minutes about Goldman Sachs.

Suddenly, he looked past me (his office was surrounded by windows). He stood up, grabbed a stack of what look to be like tickets to a game or concert wrapped with elastic bands, and raced out the door. I turned around, but he had already fled down one of the hallways, disappearing from sight.

So I sat there for a few minutes, wondering what I should do. Wait until he comes back? Leave now? It started to dawn on me that I wasn’t going to get this job even if I stayed, so I was about to go when a girl named Kim walked in.

“Mike had to go, but I’ll finish the interview,” she said brightly. Then she proceeded to talk a little about the job. She didn’t ask me any questions, or ask if I had any questions about th position. She did talk at length about the bars in the area and how everyone in the department liked to go out for drinks after work.

After a few minutes she stood up and held out her hand. “It was nice to meet you,” she said. For some reason I said thank you, nice to meet you too, instead of saying what I really felt, which was, why did you even bother to call me in….

I’ve thought that maybe they didn’t like the way I looked. If that’s the case, and I’m sure some interviewers consider that above all else (although they would never admit it), why not ask for a picture? A photograph with the resume on the back. It would save us all a lot of time and money. By looks, I mean beyond the blue suit/white shirt/red tie/polished shoes/clean shaven appearance.

Who knows. Maybe this isn’t as ridiculous as some others’ experiences. It feels like it was a waste of time and energy. On the other hand it’s given me something to write about, so maybe it wasn’t a total loss. Stay tuned for upcoming stories about job search…

Employers like Katia Beauchamp of Birchbox make me laugh

I just read an interview with Katia Beauchamp, the founder of Birchbox, an online business. She was discussing the hiring process at her company, and how if candidates describe a past job as not fun, she does not consider hiring the person. She claims it's a person's job to make your life fun.
 
Well I would agree it's up to each individual to find their own version of happiness in their personal life, but to think that any job can be made "fun" is silly and only shows that the person saying it has lived a sheltered and privileged life.
 
Lots of people are in lousy jobs, mainly because of lousy managers. Some people just can't wave a magic wand and put themselves into the job of their dreams. There are other factors at play, some of which are out of their control.

To not hire someone because they were in a bad situation is short-sighted and narrow minded. What is important for hiring managers to consider is, what can the candidate do to solve problems in the job that I'm hiring for? What has gone on at another job in someone's past is irrelevant. As is their past and current salary.

The "no one is ever allowed to say anything negative" nonsense that some recruiters believe in is silly. Some people wouldn't be interviewing for new jobs if something bad hadn't happened at the last one. I guess hiring managers would rather be lied to.

If the person is a good candidate for a job, I'd rather know more about what you're looking for in a job with a potential company and why you weren't satisfied with your previous job, instead of saying everything was all peaches and cream.







Thursday, November 14, 2013

New baseball book: The Perfect Game

THE PERFECT GAME is a novel for middle grade readers. It is about a twelve year old boy’s roller coaster experience while playing one season of organized baseball.

Joey Coltasanti, nicknamed “the professor” by his father, is ambivalent about playing his last year in summer league. A shortstop, he loves baseball and longs to realize his dream of making the town’s all-star team, and then winning enough games to advance to the state’s world series. However to reach this goal he must overcome his own anxiety that blocks his talent from shining through on the field.

Internal concerns are not the only obstacles in Joey’s path. He also has to deal with Mr. K, the coach of his team for the past two years. Mr. K uses sarcasm and intimidation with his players, as well as favoring his own son over Joey and his teammates. Added to the mix is Joey’s new neighbor and friend, twelve year old Mindi. A saxophone-playing member of Mensa, she is also a pitcher in the summer league who mows down opposing hitters with a blazing fastball and pinpoint control.

Joey decides to play, with events during early season contests testing his will to continue. Eventually a tumultuous game involving adults who can’t seem to grow up leads to changes in the league. A benevolent new coach arrives in town, and things begin to turn around for Joey and his underdog teammates. Eventually joining forces with Mindi on the all-star team, Joey moves closer to fulfilling his dream. Advancing to the state’s world series means finding innovative ways to win pressure packed games, which leads to Joey confronting his fears on the field. Ultimately he learns more about winning, losing, and the exciting game that is baseball.
 
THE PERFECT GAME by Christopher J is available in the Kindle Store at Amazon.com for 99 cents.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Who was the Yankees MVP in 2013?

In 2013 the New York Yankees finished tied with the Baltimore Orioles for third place in the American League Eastern Division with a 85-77 record. They managed to accomplish this with a roster of players consisting of a hodgepodge of journeymen, scrubs, and not-ready-for-prime-time minor leaguers, since many key players missed most of the season due to injuries. The extended absences of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and Curtis Granderson led to gaping holes in the team's lineup.

Manager Joe Girardi deserves some credit for keeping the Yanks in the race for much of the season. He handled the pitching staff well and squeezed enough out of the position players to enable the team to finish over .500 for the season.

General Manager Brian Cashman deserves zero credit, since all he did was throw stuff up against the wall and hope that it would stick. The minor league system, under Cashman's direction for the past seven years, provided practically no help during the season.

Vernon Wells and Travis Hafner contributed offensively during the month of April, helping to keep the Yanks above water early on. Unfortunately neither one provided much for the remainder of the season.

Granderson didn't provide his usual punch when he returned from injuries, batting .229 with seven homers and 15 RBI's in 61 games and 214 at-bats - numbers that don't translate well when projected over a 162 games season.

Eduardo Nunez didn't show much while filling in for Jeter at shortstop, with a .260 average, 3 home runs, 28 RBI's and 10 stolen bases in 90 games and 304 at-bats. His fielding average was .953, well below the league average of .973, and he was projected to cost the team 18 runs as a shortstop, according to zone fielding calculations.

So who were the top ten most valuable players for the Yankees in 2013?

10) Brett Gardner - Gardner was reliable, playing in 145 games, but stole only 24 bases with an average on-base percentage of .344, and wasn't as much of a sparkplug as had been hoped. In centerfield he cost the team 20 runs, according to one zone fielding statistic.

9) Jayson Nix - Nix actually came up with some key hits that led to Yankee victories, even though he played in only 87 games.

8) Lyle Overbay - Overbay also came up with some clutch hits in crucial situations, leading to Yankee wins. He hit 14 homers and drove in 59 runs.

7) Ivan Nova - Finishing 9-6 with a 3.10 ERA, Nova pitched well and kept the Yankees in the race in the summer.

6) Chris Stewart - Stewart handled the pitching staff well, and threw out 32% of runners attempting to steal.

5) Mariano Rivera - Most people would put Rivera higher on the list, but he blew seven saves - 92 wins would have landed the Yanks a playoff spot.

4) Hiroki Kuroda - Kuroda pitched well for most of the season, keeping the team in games.

3) Alfonso Soriano - Providing much needed pop in the lineup during the second half of the season, Soriano hit .256 with 17 home runs and 50 RBI's in only 219 at-bats.

2) David Robertson - Robertson had a great year as a set-up man, with a 2.04 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, .213 opponents’ batting average, and 77 strikeouts in 66 innings pitched.

1) Robinson Cano - While I think Cano is an over-rated player, statistically he had an outstanding year both offensively and defensively, accomplishing this with only average players around him. His .314 batting average, .383 on-base percentage, 27 home runs and 107 RBI's along with a .991 fielding percentage make him the Yankees' Most Valuable Player for the 2013 season.

 

 

 

 

source for statistics: http://www.baseball-reference.com/




Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Yankees ought to just release Alex Rodriguez

The Alex Rodriguez saga is dreadfully boring. Here's a guy who had tremendous talent, yet still decided to use steroids and whatever else to try and get an edge that he really did not need. Now there's suspensions, arbitration, lawsuits, stupid quotes by lawyers and baseball officials...who cares. This is more boring than a reality show.

The Yankees ought to just release Rodriguez and pay him whatever millions of dollars that he's owed. If another team picks him up, fine. I wouldn't worry about it. He's not a good player anymore, and the Yankees don't need all the nonsense. Just sign Mark Reynolds to play third base. They'd basically end up giving the team the same production on offense and their defense wouldn't be much different.

Giving Rodriguez a 10 year contract was dumb, a move that George Steinbrenner would have made if he had been lucid at the time, although he didn't have to be, since his dumb son Hank made the deal anyway.

Can we please move on from this craziness and get back to just playing baseball?

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Where is the $13 billion fine money from JP Morgan going?

Where is the $13 billion fine money from JP Morgan going?  Is going to pay down the national debt? Is it going to be spent on something we don't need?  How come reporters don't ask these questions? Why am I asking it in a blog?

Do dentists give out candy on Halloween?

Do dentists give out candy on Halloween? Just wondering.

Vikings would have been better off trading Peterson, Allen

The rumors swirled for days but trade deadline came and went without the Vikings trading defensive end Jared Allen. Too bad.  Although it's unlikely anyone would have given up a first round pick for a two month player rental, it would have been great if Minnesota had landed a first rounder for Allen. 

The Vikings have many holes, since general manager Rick Spielman and his scouting crew have swung and missed on too many draft picks and free agents in the past few years, so any additional help through the draft would have been useful for next year.

What would have been even better if the Vikings had been able to pull off a Herschel Walker type of trade. If I was Minnesota's GM and another team had offered their first, second, and third round picks for 2014, 2015, and 2016, I would have taken it.  It would be better for the Vikings to add more good players to their roster, instead of relying on one extraordinary player to do everything for them.  Adrian Peterson may be the greatest running back in NFL history, but the Vikings are still mired at the bottom of the league with a 1-7 record.

The Cowboys were able to draft outstanding players because of the Vikings generosity twenty four years ago, and won two Super Bowls as a result. Too bad no one out there in NFL land is as stupid today as former Vikings GM Mike Lynn was back in 1989.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Vikings' coaches are dumb

Being a Minnesota Viking fan can drive a person crazy. Only the Chicago Cubs can be a more difficult team to root for.
 

Sunday's 27-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys is just another excruciating loss for the Vikings. What is hard to understand, as usual, is the thinking of the coaches. Why defensive coordinators slack off at the end of games when they have a lead is beyond me. They allow the opposing team to march down the field and score seemingly at will. Why not just keep playing the same way the entire game. Rushing more guys and keeping pressure on Tony Romo would have made more sense than trying to cover all the Cowboys receivers, especially since the Vikings were missing safety Harrison Smith and cornerback Chris Cook to injuries.
 

Why would head coach Leslie Frazier opt to try the Cowboys offsides on a 4th down, instead of letting kicker Blair Walsh try a 54 yard field goal? The fact that Walsh pushed an extra point attempt wide does not matter. Walsh is recovered from his hamstring injury and has made field goals over 50 yards look routine. It would have made more sense to just let the offense go for it on that 4th down instead of trying to draw the Cowboys offsides.
 

Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave continues his conservative play calling, making us wonder what he's thinking. Tackle Phil Loadholt is 6'8" and weighs 345 pounds, yet can't move anyone off the line.
 

Defensive coordinator Alan Williams said last week he wasn't "changing anything" despite the fact the Vikings' defense is at the bottom of the league in most statistical categories and the team is sporting a 1-7 record.
 

Rick Spielman and his scouting staff have obviously swung and missed on some players - Josh Robinson, Brandon Fusco, Charlie Johnson, John Carlson, Toby Gerhart, Erin Henderson, and Mistral Raymond to name a few - haven't amounted to much and are some reasons why the team has only won one game so far this season.

 
If Frazier and his crew don't win some games during the second half of this season, it's time they, along with Spielman, be shown the door in January, and Vikings fans will have to once again look to the future for some hope.




Thursday, October 31, 2013

The most over-rated Minnesota Vikings of all time

Sometimes coaches and general managers draft or trade for players who they think will put their team "over the top" and lead them to a Super Bowl. It doesn't always work out that way though. Here are some of the Vikings who were not worth the high draft pick or the trade that brought them to Minnesota.


10) Warren Moon, QB: Another one of Dennis Green's silly decisions, bringing in a washed up quarterback and the end of his career, in the hopes of catching lightning in a bottle. Didn't work out, as Moon's three years in Minnesota resulted in a big nothing.

9) E.J Henderson, LB: Started a lot of games for the Vikings but never really lived up to the hype that accompanied him coming out of college. Was basically an average linebacker, and never dominated opponents.

8) Randall Cunningham, QB: Only had a great year in 1998 because he was surrounded by other outstanding players on offense, and had coach Brian Billick calling the plays. Choked in the team's NFC championship game, and there's no way he should have been kept on for the 1999 season over QB Brad Johnson.

7) Darrin Nelson, RB: A much heralded first round pick in 1982, Nelson did not become a standout running back the team had envisioned. He never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season and wasn't very explosive, averaging only 8.8 yards per reception, 8.0 yards per punt return, and 22.4 yards on kick returns. The Vikings passed up Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen to take Nelson. Big mistake.

6) Mark Mullaney, DE: Although he played in 151 games and started 97 in his 12 years with the team, Mullaney didn't seem to learn much from playing behind great ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall. He never came close to being even an average pass rusher, let alone one that was worth a first round selection. A symbol of the Vikes' mediocrity from 1979 through the mid-1980's.
5) James White, DT: Although a first round draft pick, White didn't exactly turn out to be the next Alan Page. Started 61 games for Bud Grant during his eight years with the team. Not sure why Grant cut Page, thus making White the regular RDT; Bud must have been an optimist. White didn't even make Les Steckel's 1984 mess of team, being waived at the end of training camp.

4) David Palmer, WR: Before the start of each season coach Dennis Green would rave about "his" 1994 second round pick Palmer. What did Palmer produce in his seven year career? A mere 9.9 yard average on punt returns, only 22.6 yards on kickoffs, and no more than 26 receptions in a season, with a career average of 8.6 yards per catch. Whee!

3) Duante Culpepper, QB: Culpepper only had two good years (2000 & 2004) but was still named to many "50 Greatest Vikings of All Time" lists. Why? He was mediocre most of the time and hardly worthy of a first round draft pick. He's just another one of Denny Green's "guys" who never panned out.

2) Bryant McKinnie, OT: Why was this guy named to some Greatest Vikings of All-Time lists? McKinnie was reliable but was never a standout. The team has had other offensive tackles who were much better players.

1) Herschel Walker, RB: Obviously wasn't worth what the Vikings gave up for him. Never even rushed for a thousand yards once in his three years with the team. What a disaster.



source for statistics: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Minnesota Vikings are a lost cause

Only the Chicago Cubs can come close to the agony that the Minnesota Vikings put their fans through.

I doubt if we'll ever know the truth behind the recent signing of quarterback Josh Freeman.

Was it ordered by owner Zygi Wilf, because Wilf was disgusted with the team's quarterback play, namely Christian Ponder and Matt Cassel? Did Wilf instruct head coach Leslie Frazier to start Freeman, even though he wasn't ready to play even at the minimum level required for a professional quarterback?

Did Frazier want Freeman on the team because he's a black quarterback? Did Frazier start Freeman because he's a black quarterback?

Did general manager Rick Spielman and the scouting staff push to sign Freeman because of his impressive physical tools?  Scouts tend to get excited about athletic players - even if they have lousy on-field statistics.  He's got a cannon for an arm - so what if he only completed 40% of his passes in a season.

Freeman overthrew his receivers so many time in Monday Night's loss to the Giants he must have thought they were all eight feet tall.

At the start of the season I was optimistic and thought the Vikings would go 11-5 and reach the playoffs, although probably not get past the first round. Now I'm not so optimistic. I'm afraid Viking fans might be looking at another 3-13 season.

Minnesota has talented players who are not playing up to their potential (see cornerbacks Josh Robinson and Chris Cook), were over-rated by the coaches and scouts (see quarterback Christian Ponder and guard Brandon Fusco), or just aren't that good in the first place (see offensive tackle Phil Loadholt and guard Charlie Johnson).

It's time for the  coaches to scrap the Tampa-2 defense, which clearly isn't working anymore, either due to the scheme itself or because the team doesn't have the right players to operate it effectively.

The offense has no creativity at all. The play calling was conservative and boring even before Freeman's start on Monday.

Maybe this team needs new ownership (again) to go along with a new GM, scouts and coaches. For now Viking fans can only dream about the day when their team will be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.


Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Yankees should fire Cashman, scouting staff

At an end of the season press conference New York Yankees' general manager Brian Cashman took responsibility for the team missing out on the playoffs for only the second time in twenty years.

Well if that's the case, ownership ought to fire him, as well as the administrators and scouts that handle drafting of high school and college players.

Certainly a major league team that finishes with an 85-77 record can hardly be considered a dismal failure. However what can be considered a failure is the team's drafts for the past ten years, or longer. The Yankees have not produced enough legitimate players from their farm system to be a contender.

While George Steinbrenner's win-now philosophy contributed to the team's chasing after free agents and trading prospects for established players (some of whom were already washed up and over the hill) this has been entirely Cashman's operation for over eight years now. He demanded full control of the farm system operation and got it. So far, he hasn't held up his end of the deal. Cashman also spoke out against one move ownership made without his approval - signing closer Rafael Soriano - and he turned out to be wrong about that one too, as Soriano filled in capably last year when Mariano Rivera was out with a knee injury.

Obviously, no one is going to replace Rivera, but with all the injuries that occurred in 2013 you would think the Yankees could have brought up at least one decent player from the minor leagues to fill a hole in the lineup. Nope. So all Cashman did was claim whatever flim-flam was available on the waiver wire, then throw it up against the wall and hope that it would stick. Anyone can do that. What takes some skill and expertise is knowing which baseball player to draft out of high school and college each year, and also how to develop them in the minor leagues.

In the press conference Cashman admitted that the Yankees have a lot of holes to fill before the 2014 season begins. It's too bad they can't count on any of their own prospects to plug those gaps.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

The biggest TV news moments of all time

Television has provided people with the opportunity to view news as it happens. TV Guide recently released its list of the 60 biggest news moments on TV in the history of the medium. Here is one viewer's opinion of the 10 most notable news events on TV of all time, based on too many years of watching television...

10) A man stands in front of a tank in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China - 1989

9) Walter Cronkite speaks out against the Vietnam War - 1968

8) Morley Safer reports on U.S. Marines burning the village of Cam Ne in Vietnam - 1965

7) President Nixon's resignation - 1974

6) Th Gulf War - 1991

5) Jack Ruby's shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald - 1963

4) The Challenger explosion - 1986

3) The September 11 attacks - 2001

2) The John F. Kennedy assassination - 1963

1) The moon landing -1969

Thursday, October 10, 2013

How about a Detroit Lions - Cleveland Browns Super Bowl?

We’re five weeks into the NFL season and some teams already seem to be looking toward next year. Still, parity in the NFL has resulted in most teams reaching the Super Bowl at least one time. The Jacksonville Jaguars, in existence since 1995, have yet to make it. Nor have the Houston Texans, but they’ve been around for only 10 years.

On the other hand, two established franchises still have never been to a Super Bowl. The Detroit Lions formed in 1930 and the Cleveland Browns in 1946. Neither have been to a Super Bowl. The last NFL championship for the Browns was in 1964, just before the first Super Bowl. The Lions? A NFL title in in 1957. Since the Super Bowl began? Merely one appearance in the NFC championship game, in 1991. Whew.

Management of these two clubs need to put some extra effort into making their teams competitive. Manage your salary cap better, sign some quality free agents, don’t get cute in the college draft. Some teams may not have won a Super Bowl yet, but at least they’re contenders during most seasons. It must be tough to be a fan of a non-competitive team, sticking with them year after year. I give you all a lot of credit.

So far this season the Lions and Browns have been competitive, so here’s hoping they both find success for the rest of 2013 and are able to make the playoffs. They are certainly capable of putting a winning team on the field come January. Their fans deserve no less.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Vikings, Spielman made dumb move in releasing Winfield

Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman has made some decent draft picks in the last couple of years (Harrison Smith, Matt Kalil) but made a huge mistake in releasing cornerback Antoine Winfield this past winter. Winfield played well in 2012 and probably had one more good year in him at age 36. Perhaps if the Vikings had approached him when the season ended about restructuring his contract for 2013, he would have been agreeable.

Instead Spielman made a classless move by calling Winfield upstairs while he was working out at the team's facility and unceremoniously dumped him. 

The Vikings could have adjusted Winfield's contract and remained under the salary cap, and still added the players that they did.

Now the team is 0-3, and the defense ranks 28th in the NFL against the pass. Toss in an injury to cornerback Chris Cook, and Minnesota now has a problem in the secondary.

Didn't have to be that way. Some days I just wonder how guys like Spielman get their jobs.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Some TV studio bosses are full of baloney

In this week's issue of TV Guide the heads of eight television studios were asked a number of questions, such as "What would you say is your new sleeper hit?" and "Which actor is poised to become a superstar?"   I have no problem with their answers to most questions - even though for those two questions they're just guessing - but the one question I sense some B.S. with their answers is "What would you be doing if you weren't in the entertainment business?"

The most honest answer was from Jamie Erlicht, president of programming and production at Sony Pictures Television. His reply was "Trying to get back in."   Honest and funny.

But the two ridiculous answers were from Kevin Beggs, chairperson of Lionsgate Television Group, and Peter Roth, president and chief content officer of Warner Brothers Television Group. Their response?  "Teaching."

Really? I'm supposed to believe that these guys would give up their six or seven - or maybe eight - figure salaries and work as teachers?  They would actually work at a difficult job such as teaching, for fifty or sixty thousand dollars a year?  If they were not working in the entertainment business? Come on.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since they're really in the bullshit business, so they're trying to make themselves feel honorable by saying they'd be teachers if they weren't in entertainment.  I'd like to see some of them spend even one day as a teacher. Actually they probably wouldn't last two minutes in a classroom, let alone a day.

Come on Beggs and Roth. I could do your jobs better than you, and I've never worked in the entertainment business. At least I'd pick some quality shows to be on TV instead of junk that lasts one episode.

Vikings out-coached in loss to Browns

For the second week in a row the Minnesota Vikings defense made a number of big plays, yet the team still lost the game. While the Browns played well, the Vikings coaching staff was outsmarted by their Cleveland counterparts on a few occasions.

The most glaring example would be the fake field goal attempt that resulted in a Browns touchdown. Minnesota has 23 assistant coaches, and not one of them saw Cleveland's Jordan Cameron standing alone near the sideline?  Come on. Coaches spend hours in their offices drawing X's and O's, and then during a game they miss something like that? Pathetic. On the other hand, the Browns coaches deserve some credit for coming up with the idea and for having the guts to try to it.

Even though Christian Ponder doesn't have a cannon for an arm, and still again made some costly mistakes, this is a game the Vikings could have easily won. Hopefully Minnesota will play at a higher level when they meet some of the tougher teams on their schedule later this season.

Monday, September 16, 2013

At least Frazier takes blame for latest Vikings debacle

Minnesota Vikings' fans ought to be used to losing games like Sunday's last second loss to the Chicago Bears. Even with a number of big plays, the Vikings still managed to lose somehow.

Jared Allen's sack and forced fumble of Bears quarterback Jay Cutler led to Brian Robison scooping up the fumble and racing down the field to score a touchdown. What a great play. Almost as good as Carl Eller and Jim Marshall of the old Purple People Eaters.

Letroy Guion's stripping the football off Bears running back Matt Forte was another awesome play. Cordarelle Patterson's 105 yard kickoff return to start the game was magnificent. Harrison Smith's interception of a Cutler pass was a thing of beauty, as he leaped into the air and snared the ball in front of the receiver. Just like Bobby Bryant and Paul Krause used to do.

Yet the Vikings still lost the game. Head coach Leslie Frazier told reporters afterwards, “That last two-minute sequence I could have done some things different. I told our players after the game, as a staff I don’t think we could have asked for any better preparation, any better fight from our team. But personally I have to do a better job in guiding our team in that last sequence and I wanted them to know that. At the end of the day, there were some things that I didn’t do in my role that could have helped our football team."

Frazier declined to get into specifics, but he said the personnel on the field for the Bears’ last meaningful drive wasn’t the problem.

“There were some things we could have done differently strategically and that’s my fault,” Frazier said.

OK.

The thing I'll never understand is, with a team like the Vikings, they have 23 assistant coaches. They practice and prepare for a week.  Then on game day the coaches don't make the right decisions?  Maybe having 23 assistant coaches is too many. What are all these guys doing?  Maybe there's so many X's and O' floating around out there that everyone is too confused to act.

The best offensive tackles in Minnesota Vikings history

The Vikings have had some pretty good blockers manning the offensive tackle position through the years. Here is a look at the top players in team history at the position:

7) Korey Stringer - Playing in 93 games and starting 91 from 1995-2000, Stringer was slected to one Pro Bowl while at right tackle.

6) Todd Steussie - Starting all 111 games at left tackle from 1994-2000, Steussie was named to two Pro Bowls.

5) Steve Riley -  A first round pick in 1974, Riley started 121 games at left tackle during his 11 year career, protecting the blind side of quarterbacks Fran Tarkenton and Tommy Kramer.

4) Gary Zimmerman - Named to three Pro Bowls in his seven years with the Vikings Zimmerman held down left tackle for 108 consecutive games during the late '80's and early 90's.

3) Tim Irwin -  During his 13 years with the team he played in 188 games, starting 181 at right tackle. Standing at 6-7, he also blocked a few extra points and field goals while on the special teams unit.

2) Grady Alderman - Holding down left tackle on offense for 13 years - 1961-1973 - Alderman played in 193 games, starting 174, and was selected to the Pro Bowl six times.

1) Ron Yary - Selected to the Pro Bowl seven times in his 14 years with the Vikings, Yary played in 199 games and started 180 at right offensive tackle. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.




source for statistics: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Television's 25 greatest catchphrases


A catchphrase is a way to build a character and give an identity to a television show. TV Guide recently released its list of the 60 most notable catchphrases on TV shows in the history of the medium. Here is one viewer's opinion of the best 25 catchphrases of all time, based on too many years of watching television...
 

25) "Dy-no-mite!" (JJ Evans, Good Times)

24) "This tape will self-destruct in five seconds." (Mission: Impossible)

23) "Resistance is futile." (Star Trek, The Next Generation)

22) "How you doin'?" (Joey Tribbiani, Friends)

21) "Yadda, yadda, yadda." (Elaine Benes, Seinfield)

20) "Baby, you're the greatest." (Ralph Kramden, The Honeymooners)

19) "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." (Jim McKay, Wide World of Sports)

18) "You look mahvelous." (Fernando, Saturday Night Live)

17) "Danger, Will Robinson!" (The Robot, Lost in Space)

16) "To the Batmobile!" (Batman, Batman)

15) "Yabba Dabba Do!" (Fred Flintsone, The Flintstones)

14) "Eat my shorts." (Bart Simpson, The Simpsons)

13) "Live long and prosper." (Commander Spock, Star Trek)

12) "Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!" (Adventures of Superman)

11) "Good night, John Boy." (The Walton family, The Waltons)

10) "I'm listening." (Frasier Krane, Frasier)

9) "Come on down!" (Johnny Olson, The Price is Right)

8) "Book'em, Danno." (Detective Steve McGarrett, Hawaii Five-O)

7) "Make it so." (Captain Picard, Star Trek the Next Generation)

6) "What's up, Doc?" (Bugs Bunny, Looney Tunes)

5) "Let's be careful out there." (Sergeant Phil Esterhaus, Hill Street Blues)

4) "And that's the way it is." (Walter Cronkite, CBS Evening News)

3) "Aaay!" (Fonzie, Happy Days)

2) "D'oh!" (Homer Simpson, The Simpsons)

1) "Heeere's...Johnny!" (Ed McMahon, The Tonight Show)

Friday, September 6, 2013

The best animals on television of all time

There have been many animals on television since its beginning. Some have had starring roles, others supporting roles; some have been real, others cartoons.  TV Guide recently released its list of the 60 most notable animals on TV shows in the history of the medium. Here is one TV viewer's opinion of the best 15 animals of all time, based on too many years of watching television...

15) Yogi Bear (cartoon, 1961-1962)
14) The Pink Panther (cartoon, 1964-1980)
13) Gentle Ben (1967-1969)
12)  Flipper (1964-1967, 1995-2000)
11) Winnie the Pooh (cartoons, 1966-2010)
10) Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, 1997-present)
9) Dino the Dinosaur (The Flintsones, 1960-1966)
8) Miss Piggy (The Muppet Show, 1976-1981)
7) Scooby Doo (cartoons, 1969-1993)
6) Eddie (Frasier, 1993-2004)
5) Rin Tin Tin (The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, 1954-1959)
4) Kermit the Frog (Sesame Street, 1968-present)
3) Snoopy (cartoons, 1950-2000)
2) Bugs Bunny (cartoons, 1940-2011)
1) Lassie (1954-1973, 1989-1991, 1997-1999)

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

How do judges get their jobs?

An experience with the municipal court system in Belleville New Jersey shows how time and tax money is wasted, and how a town mistreats its senior citizens

My father had always kept his car parked on the street in front of his house in Belleville, NJ. Not in front of anyone else's house, mind you. His second car was kept in the garage. When I visited recently I noticed the old car in front of the house was gone. I asked him what happened to it, and being 82 years old, he said to me, “They towed it away, they said I donated it." Of course, this is not what happened. Among some papers on his desk I found a parking ticket that read "abandoned motor vehicle."

I called the chief of police who said neighbors had complained that the car was parked in front of the house (his house, not theirs, I remind you. I guess some people have nothing better to do than look out their windows and get into other people's business). Then he said, "Well, the town has an ordinance that says a car can't be parked in the same spot for 48 hours." So I guess the cops in Belleville have too much time on their hands, being that they spent their time writing parking tickets to senior citizens. No wonder property taxes are so high in New Jersey. Too many cops doing nothing.

The chief said he was sent written warnings, about not moving the car. Well that isn't true. They sent nothing, because I went through my father's mail every day, and they never sent any warnings. Then the chief said, just go to court, and they'll dismiss the ticket. (Okay...but then why did you write it in the first place?)

So I went to the impound lot and had the car hauled away for $300, which I had to give to the impound lot owners, for their towing fee. The car was still running, but since my mother wasn't driving anymore, there was no need for my father to keep and maintain two cars. Then I scheduled a court date to contest the $260 abandoned motor vehicle ticket.

So I go to the municipal court in Belleville and meet with the prosecutor, who gives me a silly song and dance about how he can't recommend dismissing the ticket, blah, blah, blah. Nevermind that my father lived in Belleville, his entire life as a law abiding citizen, and paid thousands of dollars in property taxes during the past 50 years. Nevermind that there was no written warnings about the car, and nevermind that he's 82 and probably didn't comprehend that there was some obscure ordinance about not leaving a car in the same spot for longer than 48 hours. (By the way, there were no marks on the tires when I found it at the impound lot, so the cops had no proof that the car was parked there for a certain amount of time).

Finally I stood up and said to the wormy prosecutor, "Forget it, I'm just going to pay the ticket and go to the media with my story, about how Belleville treats their senior citizens." Of course, now the prosecutor says, "Don't do that, we'll call the cop and try to reach a settlement."

So we go in front of the municipal court judge to ask for a new date, and this judge rambles on about nonsense...where's your father, I don't know if we can do this, blah, blah, blah. This from a guy, like all municipal court judges in New Jersey, has his own private law practice but moonlights on the side as a judge in order to get into the state pension system and milk the taxpayers for money. Finally he relents and we have a new court date, three weeks later.

So I go to court on the new date - and there's a new prosecutor! I start to explain the situation, and after fifteen seconds he cuts me off with "I'm just going to ask the judge to dismiss this." He hustles into the courtroom, I follow him, he asks the judge to dismiss the ticket, and the same judge from the three weeks prior, the one who grumbled and groaned about setting a new date for a conference, says, "This is a minor issue. Case dismissed."

Wouldn't it have made more sense just to dismiss the ticket the first time? Wouldn't have made more sense for the cops to ask my father if there was anyone helping with things, and could you give them this warning letter about the car parked in front of the house? No. Instead these fools waste my time and tax money with their silly shenanigans. Political nonsense. Right wingers rage about too much government at the federal level, when the reality is there's too much government at the local level. Anyone who writes a parking ticket to senior citizen for a car parked in front of his own house ought to be ashamed of himself. All the problems in the world, and this is what cops, prosecutors, and judges are spending their time and our tax money on? It's a disgrace.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Bud Selig ought to take blame for steroids, performance enhancing drugs in major league baseball

The entire mess of baseball's latest fiasco with players using banned "substances" really lies squarely at the feet of former used car salesman Bud Selig. Bud and his fellow team owners colluded to keep free agent salaries down in the 1980's, which led to players trusting owners even less than usual in the early 1990's. The owners tried everything to force a new basic agreement onto the players, but the union stuck together, and Bud ended up cancelling the 1994 World Series.

Attendance was down when plays resumed in 1995, so when Mark McGwire, the now-vindicated Jose Canseco, Sammy Sosa, and others started using steroids and the baseballs started flying out of the parks, Bud Selig and his cronies looked the other way, in the name of money. Fans returned to the stadiums, television ratings went up, and revenue for owners and players increased.

If Bud, his fellow owners, and the players had really cared about the integrity of the game, they would have put an end to the steroids and other "performance enhancers" back in the mid to late 1990's. In 2007 many fans were outraged that Barry Bonds had somehow broken Hank Aaron's home run record - now six years later, baseball is still dealing with some of its players using banned "substances?" Wow.

Players, their agents, team owners, managers, coaches, and trainers are all still looking the other way. This is Selig's fault, as the commissioner of baseball, since fifteen years ago he saw no other way to save his sport than to look the other way.

More so than cancelling a World Series and allowing an All Star Game end in a tie, Bud Selig's legacy is one of letting steroids and other performance enhancing drugs tarnish a great game.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Philadelphia Eagles must be desperate, to be relying on Michael Vick as quarterback

It's been reported that the Philadelphia Eagles will be starting Michael Vick at quarterback in this weekend's exhibition season opener, although the coaches have not ruled out Nick Foles as being the eventual starter at QB by the time the regular season begins.

Vick has always been over-rated as a quarterback. He was a pretty good runner but never did much to stand out as an all-around quarterback. When he played in Atlanta supposedly the Falcons had to cut the playbook in half since he couldn't learn some of the plays.

The Eagles need to hope that Vick doesn't remain the turnover machine that he was last fall, when he fumbled the football 8 times in 5 games, to go along with 6 interceptions in those 5 games.

The Eagles also need to hope Vicky doesn't stir up any new controversy with his dog, like last year when he posted a photo on Twitter titled "we workin" with a picture of his daughter doing homework - but sharp eyes noticed a Milk Bone box in the background, which led to Vick later admitting that he now owns a dog. He stated that he wanted his "children to develop a healthy relationship with animals."

Hmm. Well, it might be more believable if it sounded like it was something he would actually say. Sometimes having your publicist write your statements isn't the best way to build credibility.

When his kids get older they'll probably ask Dad what he was thinking back in the day when he electrocuted, hanged, and abused dogs. Animal rights groups ought to try to get that family meeting on tape, and sell it as a fundraiser.

We don't know the breed of Michael's dog; although we can be hopeful that it is being treated well, since the last thing Vick needs is for the dog to get worms. That wouldn't help his image.

Maybe he ought to ask his dog to teach him how to hang on to the football. But I don't think you can carry a football in your mouth in the NFL.






How come most suspended major league baseball players were Hispanic?

With the exception of Milwaukee Brewer outfielder Ryan Braun, all of the 13 players recently suspended by major league baseball for their alleged use of banned substances, or some alleged connection to the wacky Biogenesis clinic, are of Hispanic descent.

Is there some sort of belief in using performance enhancing drugs among Hispanic baseball players? That doesn't seem possible. Is it because the clinic was in Miami, and more Hispanic players hang out in Miami? Doubtful.

Could be just some sort of coincidence. Maybe these players have too many people giving them bad advice. Agents, lawyers, trainers, coaches, publicists, childhood friends, parents...maybe some of these players need to dump their entourages and start thinking for themselves and making their own decisions, especially when it comes to their careers.

In general I often wonder if people think they're really getting that much of an "edge" by using some kind of performance enhancing drug. Is it really true that it can help you that much as an athlete?

The really talented athletes out there do all on their own, by working out and eating right, and taking care of themselves. Plus they have something in their genes that helps. A baseball player who is a great hitter probably also has fantastic eye sight, like Ted Williams did. All the drugs in the world can't change that. It's just a gift that they were born with.


Tuesday, July 30, 2013

The 15 Greatest TV Kids of All Time

There have been many popular shows on television that featured child characters in both starring and supporting roles, and TV Guide recently released its list of the 60 greatest TV kids in the history of the medium. Here is one TV viewer's opinion of the 15 best television kids of all time, based on too many years of watching television...

15) Laura Ingalls, Little House on the Prairie (Melissa Gilbert, 1974-1982, NBC)
14) Barbara Cooper, One Day at a Time (Valerie Bertinelli, 1975-1984,CBS)
13) Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver, Leave it to Beaver (Jerry Mathers, 1957-1963, CBS/ABC)
12) Angela Chase, My So-Called Life, (Claire Danes, 1994-1995, ABC)
11) Steve Urkel, Family Matters, (Jaleel White, 1989-1998, ABC)
10) Will Robinson, Lost in Space (Billy Mumy, 1965-1968, CBS)
9)  Wesley Crusher, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Wil Wheaton, 1987-1994, syndicated)
8) Meadow Soprano, The Sopranos (Jamie Lynn-Sigler, 1999-2007, HBO)
7) Malcolm, Malcolm in the Middle (Frankie Munoz, 2000-2006, FOX)
6) Marcia Brady, The Brady Bunch (Maureen McCormick,1969-1974, ABC)
5) Danny Partridge, The Partridge Family, (Danny Bonaduce, 1970-1974, ABC)
4) Opie Taylor, The Andy Griffith Show (Ron Howard, 1960-1968, CBS)
3) Doogie Howser, Doogie Howser M.D. (Neil Patrick Harris, 1989-1993, ABC)
2) Bart Simpson, The Simpsons (Nancy Cartwright, 1988-present, FOX)
1) Kevin Arnold, The Wonder Years (Fred Savage,1988-1994, ABC)

No sympathy for Giants' Will Hill

Safety Will Hill of the NFL's NY (or NJ) Giants was recently suspended for the season's first four games due to a violation of the league's substance abuse policy. Allegedly marijuana was found in Hill's system after a drug test.

While Hill is to be commended for completing a drug rehab program several months ago, I have no sympathy for his reasons for using. I have nothing against people who use marijuana if that's what they want to do, but for Hill to say that he can't deal with situations when he goes to his home neighborhood in East Orange is a bit of a cop-out.  With his talent and money he could build his own life away from the old neighborhood.  Players like Hill have no obligation to act like ATM machines for their friends and family.  If someone wants to help a close family member financially that's one thing, but to feel like you "have" to help everyone you know?  Come on. Grow a spine. You don't owe them anything. Especially if they're leeches.

Forget having an "entourage" and build your own life in a better place, guys.  You're only going to play football for a few years in your career, so make the most of it while you can.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

The 15 Best Sci-Fi TV Shows of All Time

Some of the most fun and interesting stories can be found in the genres of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. There have been many popular shows on television in these categories, and TV Guide recently released its list of the 60 best sci-fi TV shows in the history of the medium. Here is one TV viewer's opinion of the 15 best sci-fi television shows of all time, based on too many years of watching television...

15) Quantum Leap (1989-1993, NBC)
14) Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001, syndicated)
13) Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007, SHO/SYFY)
12) Game of Thrones (2011-present, HBO)
11) Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003, WB/UPN)
10) Lost in Space (1965-1968, CBS)
9) Batman (1966-1968, ABC)
8) Lost (2004-2010, ABC)
7) Falling Skies (2011-present, TNT)
6) The Six Million Dollar Man (1974-1978, ABC)
5) Star Trek (1966-1969, NBC)
4) The Twilight Zone (1959-1964, CBS)
3) Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994, syndicated)
2) The Walking Dead (2010-present, AMC)
1) The X-Files (1993-2002, FOX)

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Hank Steinbrenner the only person who deserves blame for A-Rod mess

George Steinbrenner made a lot of dumb trades and completed more than a few stupid free agent signings during his reign, but his son Hank made quite a doozy as well.

There have been very few baseball players in major league history who have maintained a high level of play into their late thirties. Certainly not many once they reach the age of forty.

While Alex Rodriguez was coming off an outstanding year in 2007 (although one perhaps fueled by steroids) he would be turning 32 the following season. To give any 32 year old a ten year guaranteed contract, even someone with solid stats like Rodriguez had, is foolish. How can any player be expected to have a monster season at age 38 or 39? It's rare. The most Hank Steinbrenner should have offered is six years. If Rodriguez was still going strong at that point they could have easily offered him another contract.

Now the Yankees are saddled with a huge contract that they will have to pay off, unless Rodriguez mercifully retires. And they still have no one to play third base. 

Hank Steinbrenner, who spent one month in the late 1980's working for his father in the Yankees' front office before developing a nervous tick in one of his eyes, wasn't exactly the right person to decide on what contract to offer Rodriguez. So the team has no one to blame for this mess besides themselves. I guess that one month working with Dad didn't result in any new learning. The Yanks would have been better off if Hank had kept working at the family horse farm. Unfortunately for Yankee fans Hank and his brother Hal got involved in the Yankees' baseball business after their father developed dementia, and was unable to manage things as he had before - and unable to give anyone nervous ticks again.

These Yankees are boring on and off the field

Ichiro Suzuki's walk-off home run that won Tuesday night's game for the Yankees in the Bronx was a rare moment of excitement for fans. During April and May journeymen like Lyle Overbay, Vernon Wells, and Jayson Nix provided clutch hits that kept the team in first place or close to the top. Above average starting pitching and solid effort from the relief corps helped a great deal as well.

However the month of June has seen the Yanks swoon. Timely hitting has dwindled, and the team has struggled to score runs. Mediocre pitching from one time Golden-Boys Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain hasn't helped. Andy Pettitte hasn't been as sharp in the last few starts, so age may finally be catching up to him. And, of course, the continued absence of injured players such as Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson has hurt the offense.

Brett Gardner has played well, but at this point in the season one of the fastest runners in the major leagues ought to have more than 11 stolen bases (and not been nailed 6 times already). Gardner has to get into scoring position; it's still easier to single someone in than it is to hit a home run.

The 2013 Yankees aren't a very exciting team to watch. Yankee Stadium will have even more empty seats by August if things don't turn around.

With the exception of outfielder Zoilo Almonte there isn't going to be much help coming up from the minor leagues, the result of scouting ineptness by general manager Brian Cashman and his baseball cronies in the front office.

Off the field, the headlines featuring Alex Rodriguez are simply uninteresting. At least with the late 1970's Yankees there was some passion involved, and much humor to be found in all the shenanigans. Rodriguez is a dullard. A seemingly compulsive liar, he's a boring person, and was always an over-rated player, even when he played with Seattle back in the 1990's.

The current team will probably stay in the wildcard race until the end of the season since the other American League East teams aren't that good, either. And if Curtis Granderson and Derek Jeter can come back sometime during the summer and play at their high levels of the past, maybe some excitement will return to Yankee Stadium.


Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The All Time Best Theme Songs for TV Shows

A television show's theme song can be an important aspect of the program, often setting the mood of the show. TV Guide recently released its list of the 60 best theme songs for TV shows in the history of the medium. Here is one TV viewer's opinion of the 20 best TV theme songs of all time, based on too many years of watching television...

20) Laverne & Shirley (ABC, 1976-1983)
19) The Sopranos (HBO, 1999-2007)
18) Star Trek (NBC, 1966-1969)
17) The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (NBC, 1962-1992)
16) The Greatest American Hero (ABC, 1981-1983)
15) Sesame Street (PBS, 1969-present)
14)  Get Smart (NBC, 1965-1970)
13) The Flintstones (ABC, 1960-1966)
12) Dallas (CBS, 1978-1991)
11) The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS, 1970-1977)
10) Cheers (NBC, 1982-1993)
9) Batman (ABC, 1966-1968)
8) Happy Days (ABC, 1974-1984)
7) Gilligan's Island (CBS, 1964-1967)
6) The Andy Griffith Show (CBS, 1960-1968)
5) Welcome Back Kotter (ABC, 1975-1979)
4) Hawaii Five-O (CBS, 1968-1980)
3) M*A*S*H (CBS, 1972-1983)
2) The Jeffersons (CBS, 1975-1985)
1) Hill Street Blues (NBC, 1981-1987)

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

The 20 best comedies in TV history

TV Guide recently released its list of the 60 best comedies in the history of the medium. Here is one TV viewer's opinion of the 20 funniest sitcoms of all time, based on too many years of watching television...

20) Home Improvement (ABC, 1991-1999)
19) Will & Grace (NBC, 1998-2006)
18) Murphy Brown (CBS, 1988-1998)
17) The Jeffersons (CBS, 1975-1985)
16) The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 2007-present)
15) Two and a Half Men (CBS, 2003-present)
14) Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS, 1996-2005)
13) The Honeymooners (CBS, 1951-1956)
12) Happy Days (ABC, 1974-1984)
11) M*A*S*H (CBS, 1972-1983)
10 Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO, 2000-present)
9) Veep (HBO, 2012-present)
8) Modern Family (ABC, 2009-2013)
7) The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS, 1970-1977)
6) The Simpsons (FOX, 1989-present)
5) Cheers (NBC, 1982-1993)
4) Seinfeld (NBC, 1990-1998)
3) Frasier (NBC, 1993-2004)
2) I Love Lucy (CBS, 1951-57)
1) All in the Family (CBS, 1971-1979)

Finding the Perfect Pet - Adopt a Dog or Cat

It's been estimated that anywhere from 5 to 7 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters in the United States each year. As many as 3 to 4 million of them are euthanized, due to a lack of space to house them and/or a lack of finances to care for them.

So the best thing to do if you want to add a pet to your family is to adopt one from a shelter. The next best thing is to adopt a dog or cat from a rescue group. For a list of shelters in your area search online at your city or town's website, or sites of animal welfare organizations such as the ASPCA. Check Petfinder.com for lists of rescue groups. Petfinder also lists photos and descriptions of dogs and cats, so that you can try to make a better match for the pet and your family situation.

When adopting a dog it's important to consider your own lifestyle. If you're not particularly active, don't adopt an active breed, such as a Labrador retriever. Labs often end up in shelters because their owners were not aware of how much walking and exercising was needed to keep this breed of dog. Other dogs may need more training to become well-behaved, and this could mean paying for a professional trainer or training classes. Do some research on the temperament of various breeds, to see what you can realistically handle.

Also remember to microchip your dog. It's not a huge expense, and is the best bet to get your pet home to you if it ever becomes lost.

Having a dog or cat to come home to every day can bring incredible joy to your life, and adopting a pet can bring happiness to an animal. Just like people, many just want to find their forever home.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Yankees GM Cashman's scouting failures now apparent

I've contended many times in the past that New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is the most over-rated executive in major league baseball, and the team's current situation highlights this.

Even with the Yankees being more financially responsible in the three years since the death of owner George Steinbrenner, the franchise still holds the greatest financial advantage in baseball history. This did result in a World Series championship in 2009, but any one of us would have also had the good sense to sign Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia in their prime.

Cashman hasn't done much with the financial advantage lately. Giving Kevin Youklis $12 million was a dumb move, especially since everyone knew that Youklis had chronic back trouble. With surgery it's likely Youklis will never put on the pinstripes again.

Cashman was also against signing free agent Rafael Soriano several years ago - but without Soriano the Yankees probably would not have made the playoffs in 2012, since he was almost just as good a closer as Mariano Rivera had been.

Basically what Cashman does is throw stuff against the wall and hope that something sticks. Lyle Overbay and Vernon Wells have contributed to the team's early season success, but that's hardly the result of top notch scouting. It's just hoping that an older player has something left in the tank.

With all the injuries the Yankees have suffered this year, it would have been an opportunity for their minor league players to step in and show what they can do. It could have resulted in a young player taking over, or showcasing them as a trade chip. But right now the Yankees have practically nothing in terms of position players. David Adams may turn out to be a good third baseman and hitter, and the same can be said for outfielder Zolio Almonte (if he's given the chance to play every day). 

Down on the farm outfielder/first baseman Tyler Austin promises to be a good player, but he's two years away. Outfielders Mason Williams and Slade Heathcott, along with catchers Gary Sanchez and J.R. Murphy, will also probably be ready in two years and may turn out to be good players. But at the moment the Yankees are sticking their fingers in the hole trying to plug the leaks by using journeymen Reid Brignac and Thomas Neal as regulars, because they have no other options in the minor leagues. We'll see what happens with that.

For all of Cashman and his front office cronies use of statistics and sabermetrics, their scouting of players leaves much to be desired. It's been an ongoing thing, dating back to 2006 when then-manager Joe Torre wanted to sign switch hitting Bernie Williams for one more year and use him as a pinch hitter and reserve off the bench. Cashman refused, instead going with Doug Mientkiewicz and Josh Phelps - who combined to produce a .200 batting average off the bench.

Now in 2013, it doesn't look like Cashman's reliance on sabermetrics is going to do the team much good for the rest of this season, either.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

The 20 Best Written TV Series of All Time

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) recently released its list of the 101 Best Written TV Series in the history of the medium.  Here is one TV viewer's opinion of the 20 best written shows of all time, based on years of watching television, which may or may not be a good thing...

20) Dexter (Showtime,2006-2013)
19) Veep (HBO, 2012-2013)
18) Star Trek the Next Generation (syndicated, 1987-1994)
17) The Closer (TNT, 2005-2012)
16) M*A*S*H (CBS, 1972-1983)
15) Oz (HBO, 1997-2003)
14) Modern Family (ABC, 2009-2013)
13) The Wonder Years (ABC, 1988-1993)
12) The X Files (Fox, 1993-2002)
11) Cheers (NBC, 1982-1993)
10 The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS, 1970-1977)
9) In Plain Sight (USA, 2008-2012)
8) Frasier (NBC, 1993-2004)
7) Breaking Bad (FX, 2008-2013
6) Hill Street Blues (NBC, 1981-1987)
5) Homeland (Showtime, 2011-2013)
4) Justified (FX, 2010-2013)
3) The Shield (FX, 2002-2008)
2) The Sopranos (HBO, 1999-2007)
1) All in the Family (CBS, 1971-1979)

Monday, June 3, 2013

Rutgers AD fiasco shows how incompetent college administrators can be


No one can really blame Julie Hermann for taking the job of Athletic Director at Rutgers when it was offered to her. After all, it wasn't up to her to divulge any details of "negatives" in her career history that might have prevented from being hired in a new job. That would be the responsibility of the people in charge of hiring - i.e., the college administrators at Rutgers University.

The level of incompetence of administrators and faculty at colleges and universities when it comes to hiring people for jobs borders on the bizarre. The situation at Rutgers is only one example.

First, the university wastes thousands of taxpayer dollars by paying an "executive search firm" to try to find a suitable candidate as its next athletic director. When in reality, the search committee of Rutgers administrators, faculty, and students could simple have advertised the opening and contacted other athletic departments at colleges around the country to inform them of the open position for minimal expense (not to mention, most people who work in college athletics would have known that there was an open position at Rutgers just by listening to the news).

Then, one of the members of the search committee on her own identifies Hermann as a candidate. So much for paying the search firm to provide a service. How come they didn't identify Hermann?

According to one published report, the process of hiring Hermann was rushed through the search committee, to the dismay of several committee members. Plus, no one at Rutgers did any kind of background check, which may have turned up the controversy of her tenure as a volleyball coach. The Star Ledger newspaper found out about the volleyball coaching controversy. Apparently, Rutgers did know about the discrimination lawsuit that was filed against Louisville when Hermann was there. It didn't seem to matter in the decision making process, as do many outlandish things that occur in the college sports world. College coaches and sports administrators get paid millions, jump from one job to the next, all the while claiming that they are working in the best interests of "student athletes." Yeah right.

Rutgers president Robert Barchi did the politically convenient thing by firing former athletic Tim Pernetti. Defending the hire of Hermann and not publicly admitting that Rutgers fouled up the vetting process is also a politically convenient move. But why should we expect anything more from the incompetent college administrators?

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Christopher J: New baseball book available online

Christopher J: New baseball book available online: Here’s a new baseball book, available for 99 cents, at Smashwords.com: Christopher J, Author of The Perfect Game Sample or purchase The P...

Yanks' 24-14 record proves you don't need stars to win games

The Yankees have one the best records in the major leagues at the moment, with a 24-14 won/loss record. this with many of their highly paid "stars" on the disabled list - Kevin Youklis, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mark Texiera, and Curtis Granderson. Yet with all the millions those guys are getting for doing rehabilitation exercises, the current team has been winning games with journeymen and cast-offs from other teams.  How? Clutch hitting. Infielder Jayson Nix has been steady defensively and while he has only 7 RBI's, they have come at important times. Same for first baseman Lyle Overbay, who has been reliable in the field and has driven in 22 runs, most at crucial spots in games. Outfielder Vernon Wells has also provided a number of clutch hits.

The Yankees' pitching has also been steady. Hiroki Kuroda has dominated in his starts, and the young pitchers have showed that it's been worth it to give them a chance. Adam Warren has been lights-out as a reliever, and David Phelps, Vidal Nuno, and Preston Claiborne have also baffled opposing hitters.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the Yankees' high priced beef returns. Nix will be relegated to the bench, and Overbay will probably be designated for assignment, while Wells will see his at-bats shrink. But will the team keep winning?