Wednesday, November 25, 2015

New Jersey legislators are morons

For 31 years, foothold traps have been prohibited in New Jersey. A law passed during the administration of former NJ Governor Tom Kean banned any animal trap of steel-jawed leghold types.

But last June the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife changed the law, voting to legalize these traps. And now, the New Jersey state Senate has refused to over-rule the DFW, thus opening up the possibility that your innocent family pet will be killed in one of these inhumane traps.

The stupidity of the New Jersey legislators in the state Senate and Assembly is not surprising. The state is in a mess is so many ways, and this situation just illuminates the fact that politicians are foolish and incompetent.

It also shows how politicians are beholden to special interest groups. The legislators are bowing to the demands of 267 members of the New Jersey Fur Harvesters group, while ignoring the 60,000 New Jersey citizens who signed a petition urging the law banning traps be upheld.

So if your pet's leg gets caught and mangled in one of these ridiculous steel traps, thank New Jersey legislators like Steve Sweeney and Bob Smith.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

The best cornerbacks in Minnesota Viking history

With rules regarding the passing game changing through the years in the NFL, favoring offensive players to a great degree, the position of cornerback may have become the most difficult position to play in pro football. Cornerbacks have to cover wide receivers, who are often the best athletes on the field. They also have to be sure tacklers. The Vikings have had some good corners who were important parts of dominant defenses; here are the top eight in franchise history.

8) Wille Teal: A second round draft pick in 1980, Teal played in 80 games and started 61 in seven years with Minnesota. He intercepted 15 passes, returning one for a touchdown, and recovered 5 fumbles.

7) Earsell Mackbee: In five years with the Vikings in the late 1960's Mackbee played in 66 games, starting 56, including the team's dominant 1969 season. He picked off 15 passes, taking one back for a touchdown, and recovered 4 fumbles.

6) Audray McMillian: In five years with the team in the late '80's and early '90's, McMillian played in 79 games, starting 43, and was selected to one Pro Bowl. He intercepted 19 passes and returned three for scores.

5) Nate Wright: A steady cornerback during the mid-1970's when the team led the league each year in many defensive categories, Wright played in 129 games in his 10 years with the team and ranks fifth in Viking history with 31 interceptions.

4) Ed Sharockman: A consistent defensive back on Minnesota's great defenses of the late '60's and early '70's, Sharockman played in 142 games, starting 121, during his 12 years with Minnesota. He ranks third with 40 interceptions, returning four for touchdowns, and also recovered 9 fumbles.


3) Antoine Winfield: Selected to three Pro Bowls during his nine years with the Vikings, he played in 119 games, starting 115. Of Winfield's 21 interceptions two have been returned for touchdowns. He defensed 73 passes, which is fourth in team history, recorded 6.5 QB sacks, forced 11 fumbles and recovered 9, returning two of those for touchdowns as well.

2) Carl Lee: Selected three times to the Pro Bowl, Lee played in 169 games, starting 144, during 11 seasons with the team. A key player at cornerback on Minnesota's great defenses in the late 1980's, he is the Vikings all-time leader in passes defensed with 128, recovered 6 fumbles, and is sixth with 29 interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.

1) Bobby Bryant: A playmaker at cornerback, Bryant was selected to two Pro Bowls in 13 seasons, playing in 161 games and starting 121. He is second in team history with 51 interceptions and second in passes defensed with 77. He also recovered 14 fumbles and scored four touchdowns, in addition to coming up with a number of big plays in playoff games during the 1970's.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

The best Centers in Minnesota Vikings history

The importance of the Center in NFL offenses cannot be overlooked. They have to block quick defensive players trying to get to the quarterback on passing plays as well as move big defensive tackles out of the way on running plays. The Vikings have had some steady players at the position in franchise history.
 

6) John Sullivan: The current Minnesota center has played in 109 and started 93 games to date, in his eight year career.

 

5) Dennis Swilley: While skipping the 1984 season, Swilley was good enough to play in 139 and start 101 games at center during his ten years, 1977-1987, with the team.

 

4) Kirk Lowdermilk: Playing in 114 and starting 86 games in eight years from 1985-1992, Lowdermilk manned the position during some outstanding seasons for Vikings’ offenses.

 

3) Jeff Christy: A former practice squad player, Christy played in 101 started 92 games at center during seven seasons from 1993-1999, and was named to two Pro Bowls.

 

2) Matt Birk: In his ten year Viking career Birk played in 146 and started 123 games at the pivot from 1998-2008, earning six Pro Bowl nods while snapping the ball at center.

 

1) Mick Tingelhoff: A six time Pro Bowl selection, Tingelhoff started every Viking game at center from 1962 through 1977, 240 consecutive games in all. He anchored the Vikings offensive line during all of their championship seasons and was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame in 2015.

Friday, November 13, 2015

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.

Yankees GM Cashman is over-rated

It's a wonder how New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman keeps his job. His most recent quote of “I don’t have anybody who is untouchable, but some guys are more touchable than others. At the end of the day, I am legitimately open to any idea. I’ve had a lot of bad ones, either thrown by me or on the receiving end from somebody else to me. That’s what we’re here for; to throw a lot of crap out there and see what sticks” makes me believe that myself, or anyone really, could work as a general manager of a major league baseball team and have the same results at the end of the season as so-called professionals such as Cashman have.

Trading catcher John Ryan Murphy for Twins outfielder Aaron Hicks wasn't a bad deal, but Cashman and the Yankees would be foolish to deal any of their top prospects, such as shortstop Juan Mateo, outfielder Aaron Judge, and first baseman Doug Bird, among others. Let's keep these guys and see what they can do on the field, starting during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Players signed to big contracts, such as Carlos Beltran, really haven't done much, so why not take a chance on a prospect?

Belleville, NJ: How Our Tax Money Is Wasted in the Municipal Court System

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.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Ranking the head coaches in Minnesota Vikings history

Ranking the head coaches in Minnesota Vikings history
           With Mike Zimmer now the 9th head coach in the Minnesota Vikings' 57 year history, let's  take a look at his predecessors who have led Purple Gang in the past.

            How do they rank, from best to worst?
 
      1) Bud Grant – 1967-1983, 1985 - An easy choice for the top spot, Grant served the most games as the Vikings’ head coach, from 1967-1985. His 1994 Hall of Fame induction was long overdue; he deserved to be enshrined within two years of his retirement in 1986. Grant’s regular season record of 158-96-5 and winning percentage of .622 ranks 13th all-time among NFL head coaches, ahead of Joe Gibbs, Hank Stram, and Mike Ditka. Grant’s teams won the NFC Central Division 11 times in his 18 years. He once stated, “Offense sells tickets but defense wins ballgames,” and his defenses were often ranked first in the league from 1968-1977, giving up the least points and yardage of any team. Grant’s 10-12 post-season record isn’t great, and the obvious blemish on his credentials is the Vikes’ four Super Bowl losses. Joe Kapp, quarterback of the 1969 team, stated that Grant didn’t have the team well-prepared to face the Chiefs in Super Bowl IV. There was also the release of Alan Page in 1978, with Page going on to have three more outstanding years with the Bears. Grant did benefit from some of former general manager Jim Finks’ excellent draft choices (outstanding players such as Carl Eller, Ron Yary, and Chuck Foreman, among others). Still, Grant pulled it all together and the team won games, often dominating their opponents. Successful players loved playing for Bud.
 
      2) Jerry Burns – 1986 - 1991 - Grant’s longtime offensive coordinator, sometimes credited with creating the “West Coast offense,” Burns’ record of 52-43 and .547 winning percentage land him in the second spot. Burns worked from 1986-1991, with a 3-3 post-season record. The 1987 team destroyed the Saints and 49’ers in the playoffs before Darrin Nelson’s dropped pass in the NFC championship game against the Redskins ended the Vikes’ season. That was as close to the Super Bowl as the Vikes and been in ten years, and as close as they would get for another eleven. The 1988 team dominated during the season with 9 players being selected to the Pro Bowl, before losing to the 49’ers in the playoffs. Burns was sometimes criticized for being hands-off, not wearing a head-set and delegating too much authority to his assistant coaches, like offensive coordinator Bob Schnelker – but come on Burnsie, even I knew when the offense lined up a certain way that there was going to be a “shotgun draw” running play. (Ironically Schnelker, while a player, scored the Vikings first touchdown on a pass from Fran Tarkenton in 1961). Unfortunately Burns was also stuck with the results of owner/general manager Mike Lynn’s ridiculous Herschel Walker trade, and also should have been named head coach when Grant first retired in 1983 (another dumb move by Lynn, who instead named Les Steckel head coach). Most Vikings liked playing for Burnsie, and his teams’ success can’t be ignored.
 
     3) Mike Zimmer - 2014 - present - In three years at the helm Zimmer has a 26-22 record. He has done a great job so far, showing that he is a good judge of talent, and has put players in situations where they can succeed. A former defensive coordinator, his schemes and gameplans so far have worked pretty well. The Vikings made it to the playoffs in 2015, and will be a top team in the NFC for a while.
 
      4) Dennis Green – 1992 - 2001 - Most fans, even his critics, would place Green behind Grant in the number two slot on this list. His 97-62 regular season record, a .610 winning percentage, is certainly impressive. His first season in 1992 saw the Vikings improve to an 11-5 record, which is definitely an accomplishment, considering the shambles the team had been in at the end of 1991. I started to dislike Dennis in 1993 when he dumped offensive coordinator Jack Burns and made his pal Brian Billick coordinator. As the years went on Green surrounded himself with his cronies as assistant coaches, a couple of which were roundly criticized by players as unqualified (see defensive backs coach Richard Solomon). While his teams were playoff contenders every year, Green could hardly be considered a smart judge of talent. Even though he bragged about his “projects” they never amounted to much (offensive lineman Bernard Daffney, defensive end James Harris, among others) and this whole “coach’em up” concept is something I think can be silly and also annoys me about coaches in general. Who knows why, but Green didn’t get along with All-Pro guard Randall McDaniel, which is another thing I don’t get about coaches who never played professionally. If the guy is a great player…what’s your problem? Green dumped quarterbacks Rich Gannon and Brad Johnson, who both went on to have outstanding careers and won Super Bowls with Oakland and Tampa Bay, respectively. Instead Green chose to go with journeyman Sean Salisbury, washed up Jim McMahon, and choker Randall Cunningham as his quarterbacks at various points. (There’s no way Cunningham was going to repeat his 1998 performance in 1999). His drafting of defensive end Demetrius Underwood in the first round in 1999 was absurd, and not being aware of the late Korey Stringer’s physical condition in training camp in 2001 is inexcusable. While he didn’t miss the kick or make any of the stupid plays that cost the Vikings the NFC championship game against the Falcons after the 1998 season, “taking a knee” with the league’s best offense on the field with time left on the clock before halftime is unbelievable. Losing that game…all these years later, it’s still too much to think about.
 
      5) Mike Tice 2001 - 2005 - Tice did a decent job with the players he had, posting a 32-33 record and .492 winning percentage with a 1-1 playoff record that included a huge win against the Packers in 2004. Although he did make some questionable decisions in terms of player personnel, he probably would have gotten better with experience if he had stayed on the job. While maybe he wasn’t the right fit for the Vikings at the time, Tice seemed to be open with the media, and also reminded fans to “enjoy the season.” He seemed pretty organized and I think he’d make a good head coach somewhere, even though former Vikes punter Mitch Berger reportedly referred to him as a “meathead” and he was implicated in a ticket scalping scam that cost him a $100,000 fine.

      6) Norm Van Brocklin 1961- 1966 - The first Vikings coach, his 29-51-4 record and .363 winning percentage don’t impress. Didn’t seem to be much of a judge of talent. Especially since he had a good quarterback in Fran Tarkenton but didn’t utilize him in the right way, or maybe just refused to. I’m assuming Van Brocklin’s in the Hall of Fame based on his career as a NFL quarterback in the 1950’s. Can’t be for anything he did with the Vikings, since he did nothing.
 
      7) Leslie Frazier 2010 - 2013 - It doesn't seem like Frazier was in charge for three and a half seasons; it also feels like his 22-31-1 won-loss record should have been better. Unfortunately he came into a chaotic situation, had little talent on the roster, and had a number of key players get injured during each season. Frazier seemed to delegate too much authority to coordinators who were conservative play callers.

      8) Brad Childress – 2006 - 2010 - Most fans would probably place Childress fourth on this list, after Grant, Green, and Burns. To me he doesn’t deserve to be ranked any higher, only lower. His 39-35 record and .527 winning percentage is misleading. The only reason the Vikings won a lot of games in 2009 is because Brett Favre had a great season. I knew the Vikes were in trouble when a few weeks after Childress was hired in 2006 I read in an interview that he’d rather draft a quarterback from a smaller school, “knock the edges off, and then in a few years you’ve got something.” Good grief. These coaches and their projects. It’s ridiculous. Childress was not a keen judge of talent; a lot of the players he had a hand in drafting or signing were not very good. Just look at the mess the team is in at the end of the 2011 season. He referred to the offense he designed as a “kick-ass offense” but it was usually more like the Vikings kicking themselves in the ass. I should probably blame the Wilfs, the owners who hired Childress in the first place. They brought him in to “clean things up and restore order” after the Love Boat scandal and other shenanigans going on the clubhouse, but in the end there was more turmoil and chaos with Childress in charge (see the Randy Moss trade/release and loss of a draft pick). In an interview former quarterback Gus Frerotte stated that Childress absolutely refused to allow his quarterbacks to call an audible at the line of scrimmage; Frerotte noted that now, as a high school coach, he even lets his quarterbacks call audibles. The thing that bothers me a lot though is the 12th man on the field fiasco at the end of the NFC championship game against the Saints after the 2009 season. Yes, the coaches don’t miss the blocks and tackles, fumble the ball, throw the interceptions, or miss calls like the referees do. But the penalty for having 12 men on the field…12 men on the field? That was just too much. How could that happen? Not to mention, you’ve got 23 assistant coaches helping you…and there’s 12 guys on the field? That is still unreal to me. To Childress’ credit, he did take responsibility for that disaster at a press conference in the days following the game. Oh well. So close to going to the Super Bowl, and yet another missed opportunity. In retrospect, the Wilfs could have went after Sean Payton or Mike McCarthy – both of whom became head coaches in 2006 as well and later went on to win Super Bowls with the Saints and Packers, respectively. Nice.
 
      9) Les Steckel – 1984 - probably the only worse season than 2011 in the Vikings history is 1984. Steckel’s old-school coaching methods turned off players from the start. Yelling like a marine drill sergeant didn’t work with professional football players. Players were worn out before midseason from all the hitting in training camp and practices. Steckel also made many questionable player personnel decisions, starting guys who wouldn’t have made other teams’ rosters. His 3-13 record included the Vikings being completely blown out on the field in some games. Les gained some measure of redemption in an odd way the following year in 1985. After being fired as the Vikings head man he became receivers coach for the New England Patriots – and went with them to Super Bowl XX. Seems like everyone gets a chance to go to the Super Bowl, except for the Vikings.

New baseball book available at Amazon.com

New baseball book available at Amazon.com


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.
It is available in Kindle at Amazon for 99 cents, as well as at Smashwords and Barnes & Noble.

Click here for details: http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Game-Christopher-J-ebook/dp/B007R8G6AG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1416258192&sr=1-1&keywords=the+perfect+game+christopher+j

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.